Life + Culture

Encouraging Empathy

5 Things to Tell Your Children As They Go Back to School Article by Kari Kampakis | Photography by Courtesy of Kari Kampakis The beauty of a new school year is how it presents a clean slate. It lets us learn from the past and do better moving forward. Help your child see the opportunity to positively impact their classmates’ lives. At every age, children can be a voice and force for good, bringing light and hope into a classroom at a time when their classmates may need it the most. As adults...

Travel

A Weekend in Raleigh

A vibrant food and arts scene makes the City of Oaks the perfect escape Article by Elliott Harrell Unwind in a five-star hotel. Dine in James Beard Award-nominated restaurants. Explore antique shops. Wander through art exhibits. Shop local boutiques. A weekend in North Carolina’s capital city has something for everyone and then some. With its proximity to Charlotte, Raleigh is a picturesque weekend getaway for those looking for refined Southern hospitality at its finest.  STAY The Umstead...

Style + Beauty

Cool for School

First bell looks from COCO LETO for the well-dressed kid Article by Liz Brown | Photography by Carissa Rogers Opposite page (from left to right): Sloan is wearing a Mipounet Valentina Liberty skirt and Casilda Liberty blouse in pink. Vivian is dressed in a Caramel Cress T-shirt, Piccola Ludo pleated leather skirt in dark blue, and Scotch & Soda washed denim shirt with embroidery. Rose is wearing an Emile et Ida Cardigan Fleurs in lagoon and Mipounet Casilda Liberty pant in blue. This page...

Food + Beverage

Forks, Fun and Family

Bring the whole crew to these family-friendly Charlotte restaurants Article by Elliott Harrell The Jimmy This eatery offers a mix of Italian and French flavors, from fresh pasta and pizza to wood-fired meats and seafood. The Selwyn Avenue location is walkable from the Myers Park neighborhood, and strollers often dot the patio. Crayons accompany the kids’ menus, and each month, one young artist can enter to win a pizza party by coloring the menu. Superica Superica has two locations in...

Beauty

Simplifying Skincare for Teens and Tweens

Dermatologist Dr. Euphemia Mu shares dos, don'ts and what teens should know Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Carissa Rogers We’ve all heard the dangers of social media for our teens’ mental health, but what about for their skin? A new study from Northwestern Medicine found that skincare routines pushed by teen influencers on TikTok advocate for using too many products and some with ingredients that can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. Girls ages 7 to 18 in the so-called...

Home + Design

Playroom with a Purpose

Charlotte designer partners with Wild Child to convert ordinary playroom into interactive hangout space Article by Catherine Ruth Kelly | Photography by Heather Ison When designer Hadley Quisenberry teamed up with Ethic LLC to renovate her family’s new Eastover home two years ago, she decided to leave the playroom undecorated. She thought her children, then 9 and 12, would enjoy having free reign over the second-floor space.  But they never hung out in the room.  “We put all of their toys...

Life + Culture

Meet Anna Stallmann

Communications executive focuses on family, flexibility Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Amanda Anderson Anna Stallmann started her own communications business when she was looking for something more manageable and meaningful as a mother of two young girls. She built the fourth fastest-growing firm in town last year, according to the Charlotte Business Journal, because she wasn’t alone.  Stallmann found a burgeoning network of women—experienced, successful communications...

Life + Culture

Bundling Joy

Charlotte nonprofit outfits newborns to honor children's legacy Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Courtesy of Baby Bundles When Emily Harry, Cat Long and Heather Leavitt created the nonprofit Baby Bundles, they wanted to give new mothers “a baby shower in a bag.” Their aim was to donate more than just a container of newborn clothes, toys and supplies to moms in need but an experience that others might take for granted. “Anyone who has gone to a baby shower, it’s like the favorite...

Life + Culture

Paws for a Cause

Local nonprofit helping people get service dogs faster Article by Elliott Harrell | Photography by Courtesy of Project 2 Heal Only one in 100 people who need service dogs are able to get them, says Marci Turso, director of operations for the Charlotte area non-profit Project 2 Heal. The organization breeds, raises and donates Labrador retrievers to help solve that problem. So far, it has donated 366 puppies to be service dogs for veterans, children with special needs and people with...

Travel

When in Rome

Charlotte to the Eternal City: A travel expert's luxe hotel picks and iconic landmark guide Article by Carroll Walton As if visitors needed more reason to enjoy majestic Rome, 2025 is the year of the jubilee. Not only is the Catholic Church holding its once-every-25-years period of prayer, reflection, and penance, it’s welcoming Pope Leo XIV, the first American to serve as pontiff.  Charlotte-based luxury travel consultant Elizabeth Walsh shares her insights on what makes Rome such a special...