It’s 4 a.m. I’m steering a small sailboat through possibly the heaviest rain I’ve ever experienced. The story of Noah comes to mind. Keeping my glasses clear is hopeless, so I’ve taken them off. They wouldn’t help much anyway. Visibility is down to a few hundred feet at best. I grip the wheel tightly, fighting […]
For years, West Michigan has been a travel destination for residents of the northern burbs of Chicago. Now, active vacationers have even more reason to visit with the region’s growing number of interconnected, non-motorized trails. Michigan is now number one in the nation in the number of rail trails. Cycling and hiking on the trails […]
Italy, India and Bali might have been best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert’s preferred locales—but an equally enlightening vacation awaits much closer to home in Lake Geneva, Wisc. And even if you visited last summer, you’re in for some surprises. We’ve got the scoop on what’s new and happening this year! Eat: Boatyard Bagels 846 Main St. […]
You might love it—riding a motorcycle, that is. I started riding in the 1970s when women motorcyclists were unheard of, especially on a track racing Harleys. In 2011, women account for 23 percent of all Americans who ride motorcycles, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council. That’s 5.7 million women that caught the riding bug like […]
Chicago may be smack in the middle of the country, but that doesn’t make those who live here just landlubbers. John G. Shedd’s original 1920s vision to bring saltwater spectacles to the Midwest has doubled its original size in 81 years, and remains a tourist “must-see.” That said, if you live here, you’ve probably been […]
Sure—for many, Mother’s Day is best spent hanging out with the family. So why not squeeze in a little girlfriend get-together earlier in the week? If you need to give the husband and kids an excuse, here’s one: Cinco De Mayo. That’s right, it’s time to celebrate the Battle of Puebla—really! If you and […]
Ever felt the urge to send an email or letter to your favorite celebrity? Between 1931 and 1958, Evanstonian Ethel Sampson sent dozens of letters to famous politicians, authors, musicians and movie stars of the time, and in return she received priceless autographs, memorabilia, and clothes. Sampson then masterfully combined artifacts from Amelia Earhart, […]
At the Chicago History Museum, the student becomes the teacher. I have a tendency to pull my daughter’s leg when I can. Like any other Chicago-area elementary school student, she’s learned all about the city’s rich history. And she jumped at the chance to prove to me that Fort Dearborn wasn’t our nation’s first waterpark, […]
Body Worlds is back—and it should make your spring or summer bucket list. With three kids in tow, I braved the spring break crowds to visit the Museum of Science and Industry’s newest exhibit, “Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life,” which runs through Sept. 5. It’s the second go-round at MSI with Dr. Gunther […]
So it’s the last week of March, and your children are on spring break, which means your house is trashed with arts and craft supplies, and your eldest is hogging the television playing video games. If you’re tired of being in the house cooped up with rowdy children, here are some of our best suggestions […]
