The Better Letter

How well do you know the North Shore? There’s a lot of hidden history here that might surprise you even if you’re a lifelong North Shore dweller.

Read the latest restaurant reviews from the MIBS:

The days of carb-and-sugar-loaded care packages are long over. And for those moms looking to buck the system by including a stealth Snickers bar or two, don’t bother.

Sending your son or daughter off to camp is not without trepidation. And while you look forward to those notes and letters home—and in this brave new world, even emails—there are things you hope you never read.

When it comes to taking a short, rejuvenating rest, we could learn a few things from our kids.

Repeat after us: This will be the year that you start an organic garden. Need an incentive other than the nice weather? How about your kids’ health?

Remember how spontaneous sex used to be before you had children?

If you and your husband are past your 10th anniversary and have kids, I’m pretty sure there are two problems with your sex life: 1) no privacy and 2) no variety. Today I'm putting on my love doctor lab coat and giving you an important prescription.

Our May issue is officially here.

Kennels and Boarding Facilities in Chicago’s Northern Suburbs

This spring it’s all about girly color—from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. And lucky for our feet, we can leave the paler hues in the closet.

When I think of the difference mothers make in the lives of their children, I think first of Alessandra Arimany—a fiery, bright, determined woman who swept into my office with her arms full of charts and paperwork.

This adorable, bright and sunny restaurant is just what the doctor ordered on a recent wintery North Shore day.

Becoming an empty nester can be bittersweet, but when it comes to decorating, the empty nest is full of possibilities.

I remember the moment my oldest daughter became an athlete. During a lively kindergarten soccer game, she exclaimed, “I am so hot, tired and sweaty!” After a quick hug, I told her it was OK! She smiled, paused, and then I saw the light bulb go on.

When Paula and Kent Darbyshire told a friend that their son Brice was being deployed to Iraq, the response was, “I would move to Canada.”

If every family wrapped three gifts in reusable materials, enough wrapping paper to cover 45,000 football fields could be saved.

The sneezy season is back. Runny noses, itchy eyes, and sneeze after sneeze after springtime sneeze.

Fit women and their families are flocking to exciting, active vacations in record numbers, and the North Shore is no exception.

Wall squats strengthen and sculpt your thighs and glutes, which is reason enough to do this easy-on-the-joints exercise.