Education

Playing Around

School readiness is important - but how you get there is equally important Article by Bethany Norman | Photography by Suncoast Academy Walk into Suncoast Academy on any given day and you’ll find children building towers, creating imaginary worlds, exploring new ideas, and making discoveries that, at first glance, may look like simple play. But beneath the laughter and activity, something much bigger is happening. Children are learning how to think critically, solve problems, communicate with...

Life + Culture

Capturing Time

Life slips by in the blink of an eye Article by JoAnn Chang | Photography by Ana Laura Acosta Photography In the early days of parenthood, the days can feel long, but it all too quickly seems to pick up speed. You go from having a newborn to a toddler. The next thing you know they’re starting school, and before you can blink, it’s high school graduation day. We only get 18 years of childhood with our kids, and it’s all too easy for the memories of those days to fade unless you take action to...

Life + Culture

Moving Forward

Madi’s Movement guides young adults aging out of foster care Article by Bethany Norman | Photography by Madi’s Movement/All Photos Considered Photography No child chooses foster care. Yet every year, hundreds of young people in Tampa Bay find themselves navigating a system they never asked to enter, carrying trauma they didn’t create and facing a future filled with uncertainty. While the statistics surrounding foster care are sobering, the story of Madi’s Movement begins not with numbers, but...

Life + Culture

Farm Fresh

The Shaggy Cow Lounge engages kids with an “udderly” fantastic farm animal experience Article by JoAnn Chang | Photography by Wild Artistry Photography/JoAnn Chang We are creatures of habit. Thriving on routine, it’s easy to settle into one as a family. For our children, it’s school, homework, maybe a sport or other extracurricular activity, then bed and back at it again the next day. While routines can be beneficial, we forget that we also lose something in that routine. Rewards often become...

Travel

Designing Adventure

Smart travelers are using boutique travel agents with worldwide connections to curate a travel experience like none other Article by Bethany Norman | Photography by Heather Aycock Details matter. They shape the experience, elevate the ordinary, and often become the moments travelers remember long after they return home. In a world where travel has become increasingly automated, rushed, and transactional, more travelers are stepping away from DIY booking sites and seeking something far more...

Life + Culture

Lagoon Life

The next time you're looking for a beach day, head to the Lagoon Article by JoAnn Chang | Photography by JoAnn Chang & MetroLagoons As the summer days get hotter, finding ways to cool off and connect as a family become more important. In Florida, we are blessed with a wealth of options. Beaches, springs and rivers surround us. In recent years, a new option has been added to that list – a day at a local lagoon! Lagoons are a recent trend, brought to the United States by Metro Development. The...

Health + Wellness

A New Rhythm

Your Body Feels Off, Here’s What Can Help Article by Amanda Schulis | Photography by The Tox Tampa That constant puffiness, low energy, sluggish digestion. The heavy feeling that’s hard to pinpoint but impossible to ignore. For Kat Wade, owner of The Tox in South Tampa, these are patterns she sees every day, and often, they’re tied to how the body is (or isn’t) moving.  “The body responds to consistency and movement,” Wade explains. “When things slow down, you can start to feel it in...

Travel

A Staycation State of Mind

Sometimes the most memorable destinations are only a short drive away Article by Bethany Norman | Photography by Hannah Hughes/Taylor Mayfield/Bethany Norman Sometimes the least explored place is right in our own backyard. While many travelers spend months planning elaborate vacations and faraway escapes, some of Florida’s most memorable destinations are only a short drive away. From luxury Airbnb’s and waterfront dining to charming coastal towns filled with personality, local staycations have...

Life + Culture

Exploring With Heart

Team Tampa Bay Missions travel to provide medical services Article by JoAnn Chang | Photography by Team Tampa Bay Missions They say you can’t pour from an empty cup. You can only work so long before you need to take time to recharge and fill your cup again. Most do that by unplugging and taking time to rest and relax. But there is another type of person who recharges through the act of giving to others. These people seek out ways to lift others up, and the joy they bring through their efforts...

Health + Wellness

Taking a Closer Look

High Performers Are Looking Deeper at Brain and Body Health. Article by Bethany Norman | Photography by Hannah Hughes Most people don’t realize how hard they’re working just to feel normal. From the outside, everything looks right. Responsibilities are handled, meetings are led, results are there. Life is moving forward as it should. But beneath that, there’s often a quieter reality, one that’s easy to ignore. Focus takes more effort than it used to. Energy doesn’t last the same way. Stress...