Inspired to Build a Better Life For Her Kids, She Changed Her World, Too. When Sonari Rhodes Glinton, a business correspondent for National Public Radio, thinks of his mom and her friends—the women who raised him on the South Side of Chicago–he thinks of the movie “Hidden Figures.” Like those brilliant African-American women who toiled behind…
Exercise in the Car – From Kegels During a Commute to Kid Games for a Road Trip
No one loves sitting in the car for long periods of time. Whether it’s a daily commute or a summer road trip, bodies need to move! The average commute time for Americans is more than 25 minutes. That means lots of people are spending much more than 25 minutes in a car each morning and…
These Easy Winter Windshield Tricks Will End Your Fight With Ice
Ice the windshield fight with these 4 easy tricks. As I type this, the first of what we in Chicago call “lake effect snow’ is falling so hard that I can’t see across the street. Sigh. It might be December, but that doesn’t mean I feel prepared for winter. Not mentally prepared and not physically…
2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: A 7-Passenger SUV Made for the Road
Safety and creature comforts are key to road trip happiness. That and snacks. And the ability to easily access snacks. All are part of the well-designed 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Add the great gas mileage from a hybrid and even those annoying interstate traffic jams get slightly less irritating. Or, at the very least, they…
Roomy 4 Door Cars – Why the Midsize 2017 VW Passat Works for Families
If you need room inside a car, the 2017 VW Passat has you covered. Since they were big enough to be out of car seats, my kids have complained there wasn’t enough leg room in the back seats of cars—including the SUV we drove for most of their teen years. Too bad for them we…
10 Reasons the 2018 Honda Odyssey Makes a Great Road Trip Car for Families
Just about any car can go on a road trip. But not just any car can be a great road trip car. The 2018 Honda Odyssey can proudly wear the title “Road Trip Car.” This hot little number is filled with creature comforts, storage space, terrific tech and just about everything a family needs to…
7 Road Trip Packing Tips for Long Road Trips, Pus a Suitcase Giveaway!
A Great American road trip requires a Great American packing strategy! Hubby and I drive from Chicago to Florida and back at least once a year. We’ve done it in one day and we’ve taken as much as a week to make the drive. We definitely prefer the lazy, meandering approach. But spending any more…
Next Generation Miata: 2017 Mazda MX 5 is a Hot Car at a Cool Price
A hot sports car for around $30,000? Yes, ma’am. When this gorgeous red sports car was delivered to my driveway, it was a show stopper. And that was before I opened the hard top. That spiffy little 12-second process had the neighbors stopping to stare. I’m not a car freak. For nearly a dozen years…
Exploring Southern California, and Doing Good, in the Refreshed Midsize 2018 Hyundai Sonata
Is it possible to get the most out of the twisty roads of southern California in a 4 door family car? Yep. If you’re driving the 2018 Hyundai Sonata. Surprised? So was the audience of social media influencers and writers invited by Hyundai to southern California to see the refreshed midsize Sonata four-door sedan. Company execs…
The Exhilaration of Acceleration: 9 Things to Know Before Your 1st Track Driving Lesson
It’s surprising how exhilarating it can be to drive over 100 mph. Exhilarating and addicting. I’ll admit it: I was a little apprehensive about the idea of learning to drive on a track. But if we aren’t learning, we aren’t growing, right? So when the Midwest Automotive Media Association (nickname: MAMA, it’s a Chicago-based group…