Amy Bizzarri

1 week ago | thespec.com | Amy Bizzarri

I have always been a traveller at heart. In my early 20s, I roamed the world solo, with nothing but a backpack, collecting experiences as mementos. In a way, my son was the most treasured one of all: a surprise souvenir from a magical camping trip to Naxos, Greece. From the moment I knew he was coming, I was over the moon. A few years later, I welcomed my daughter, and my little family was complete. More than one person subtly warned me that parenthood would clip my wings and tether me to one place.

1 month ago | businessinsider.com | Frank Olito |Amy Bizzarri |Henry Blodget

Like many parents, I pictured my children growing up side by side, playing together, and forming childhood memories as best friends. But then life, as it tends to do, threw a few curveballs my way. My son and daughter were born nine years apart. Throughout my pregnancy with my daughter, I couldn't shake my concerns. Would the gap make them strangers under the same roof? Would they be able to relate to each other despite the significant age difference?

1 month ago | midwestliving.com | Amy Bizzarri

The Ravenswood on Tap festival features Malt Row breweries, cocktails, live music, local artists and more. Photo: CORY DEWALD Pour yourself a pint: We're going to start with a story. In 1841, one of Chicago’s original breweries, Lill and Diversy, introduced Lill’s Cream Ale, a beer so popular that by 1857, the brewery had grown into the largest west of the Atlantic Seaboard. By 1900, the Windy City was home to about 60 beer-makers.

1 month ago | fodors.com | Amy Bizzarri

Were NOLA’s ‘casket girls’ mere brides-to-be, or were they actually vampires? Maybe it’s the hazy glow of streetlamps, the echoes of jazz, or the narrow, dark alleyways. There’s something about New Orleans that radiates romance and intrigue. The city is ancient by American standards: Founded in 1718, it has witnessed centuries of tragedy. In 1788, a fire ravaged the French Quarter, burning over 800 buildings to the ground. In 1853, the yellow fever epidemic claimed an estimated 7,000 lives.

2 months ago | chicagotribune.com | Amy Bizzarri

On top of dealing with what may be painful and stressful medical treatment, cancer patients sometimes find themselves befuddled and burdened by awkward gifts or gestures from friends and family members. Loved ones may fumble while trying to express care, like by sending meats and cheeses to a vegan patient or gift cards that are difficult to redeem. But being mindful of a patient’s needs can help guide the gift giver.