The Better Letter

Barb Flanagin of Northbrook became known in her community for organizing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans.

The Generations Yoga space on Green Bay Road in Wilmette will remain a yoga studio, thanks to Quinn Kearney of Chicago and Tom Quinn of Glencoe.

Your kid loves horses, but you’re afraid of the costs involved with riding.

Fashion is best when it’s shared with friends—just ask Paula Zacharia and Davi Berk, who met in kindergarten in Northbrook.

Make It Better is getting busy, scouring the North Shore for the best in new places to shop and things to buy.

Four local partners have collaborated to open Foster Dance Studios.

Many North Shore residents are already familiar with Melly Schwartz of Northbrook.

Working out ballerina-style is all the rage these days, so The Dailey Method is right on trend.

Really in a hurry? You can order your Walgreens items in advance and simply pick them up, bagged and ready to go.

Suburbanites can now get their fresh summer fruits and veggies on the go at the Arboretum of South Barrington.

The cupcake craze just got crazy in Highland Park, where two new bakeries are churning out creative flavor combos across the street from each other.

A team of Northwestern students, calling themselves “SweetPerk,” created the new Smartphone application “Passport to Downtown Evanston.”

When Catharina Maerklin moved to Evanston from Germany, other moms often complimented her on German-made kids’ gear.

If you need a break from J. Crew this summer, consider checking out another J: The new J. McLaughlin store.

Certified fitness instructor Amy Hohman of Highland Park has opened a fully equipped free-weight studio that personal trainers can rent to offer their services one-on-one or in small groups.

Don’t have the time or energy to make dinner?

Looking to spruce up your house this summer?

If your loved ones go crazy for gifts wrapped in the telltale robin’s egg blue, good news.

Once Passover has passed (or before it arrives), grab some leavened goodness in the form of Mandelbrot, or mandel bread, which is Yiddish for “almond bread” and similar to biscotti.

For old-fashioned pop lovers, nothing beats the nostalgia of a classic New York Egg Cream—made of milk, carbonated water and flavored syrup.