Philadelphia’s nickname might be The City of Brotherly Love, but since my little sister relocated there for a new job on the Governor of Pennsylvania’s reelection campaign, it’s been known to be as the City of Sisterly Love to me. And this year, after celebrating the Fourth of July with my family in Martha’s Vineyard, I…

What says Independence Day more than sand in your toes, cold drinks in the cooler and burgers on the grill? For the Allen-Baackes family, not much. Yet last summer, I broke with my usual tradition of spending July 4th with my family on the beach in Martha’s Vineyard to go camping in the woods of Upstate…

One of my favorite things about being the in the US for the summer is getting to try out crazy fitness trends. Aqua cycling in a pool? I’m in! Zumba with drumsticks? Sign me up. Hot yoga to hip hop? Literally obsessed (All three of those are real classes in my regular rotation when I can…

If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from my reader surveys over the years, it’s that you guys really don’t love my Martha’s Vineyard posts. I admit there are an abundance of them — after all, my mom live there part-time and I visit every year (though, in a move that makes me cringe, my summer…

So, is anyone in America not having their bachelorette party in Nashville these days? It seems almost every bride I know is considering having her last fling before the ring in Music City, and they aren’t alone if the knowing winks I get from anyone I mentioned my upcoming travels to were an indication. And why…

Music City has certainly earned its nickname. Nashville lives and breathes country music, and if you don’t arrive a fan, it’s likely you’ll leave one. On my recent trip back to Tennessee, I was lucky enough to experience the history and the magic of country music in three very special ways, and left with a deeper…