We don’t need science to tell us that spending time with our girlfriends is good for us. But just in case … Plenty of research confirms that notion — including a pair of Michigan State University studies involving nearly 280,000 people. The studies found that friendships become increasingly important to one’s happiness and health. “Not...

For some of us, vacationing is about taking respite from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. For others, it can be about more. Last fall, three local longtime friends decided to take a trip to Thailand. But it wasn’t just any excursion. It found Cally Burkle, Jaime Ellerie and Lea Droessler fasting, getting...

What is one to do when the spa beckons but the bank account or calendar is scowling in disapproval whenever you think about it? In such cases, an at-home spa day is the ticket, and the Her Hacks team has a carnival fairway of hacks, tips and tricks to get the most out of the...

If there’s one trendy thing your parents (and sometimes grandparents) are way ahead of you on it’s recycling. Think about it. You’ve been in dad’s garage/basement/shed/workshop/weight room/cave of classic rock/World War II book depository, and you’ve seen all those glass jars filled with assorted screws/washers/bolts/nails/anchors/bits/bobs. If you’ve been in mom’s craft room, you’ve inevitably seen...

I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree, wrote poet Joyce Kilmer in his poem Trees. Trees add so much to the beauty of our city, yards and parks. They add value to our property and they have benefits which include cleaning the air, fighting air pollution and cooling down...