Lauren Chval

In the wake of coronavirus, parents should find the middle ground between refusing to consider possible emergencies and preparing for the end of the world.

As a mom, I don’t want to worry about what I can’t control. Coronavirus forced me to.

March 9, 2020 at 7:37 p.m.

It would not be surprising if I had grown up to be an alarmist. Within days of my family moving from Chicago to Northern Virginia, my fifth-grade class was scheduled...

All your questions about St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, answered

May 9, 2019 at 1:20 p.m.

Here are all your St. Paddy’s Day questions and our best answers. Editor’s note: Prior to St. Patrick’s Day 2018, we asked you to send all of your questions about...

A beginner’s guide to whiskey: How to get into everyone’s favorite booze

May 23, 2019 at 7:43 a.m.

Whiskey is cool. Which is weird for a drink with something of a complex image. Maybe you think of it as your grandfather’s drink, “a man’s drink,” something to be...

Donald Glover and Rihanna’s movie, a new ‘Lion King’ character and more conversation starters for your weekend

May 9, 2019 at 1:34 p.m.

Quick! Think of something interesting to say at dinner tonight. If nothing’s coming to you, here are your conversation starters for the weekend. Elon Musk, the Martian Matt Damon has...

Host Michelle Wolf attends the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 28, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Taylor Swift in a suitcase, no more comedians at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, and more conversation starters for your weekend

May 9, 2019 at 1:34 p.m.

Quick! Think of something interesting to say at dinner tonight. If nothing’s coming to you, here are your conversation starters for the weekend. Did you forget to pack Taylor? The...

Michael Hoffman opens the Hope and Healing Mass on Oct. 18, 2018.

Former altar boy sexually abused by priest tells why he’s raising his kids in the Catholic Church

October 27, 2018 at 12:20 a.m.

Michael Hoffman is what some call a “cradle Catholic.” Born and raised into the faith, he and his family were extremely involved in their Lake Forest parish throughout his childhood....

‘Family Feud’ tryouts are coming to Chicago

May 9, 2019 at 1:33 p.m.

Are you really good at guessing what other people are thinking? Does your family have a charming-but-not-uncomfortable level of dysfunction? Are you OK with childish sexual innuendos? Then it’s time...

LeBron James will star in "Space Jam 2."

‘Space Jam 2,’ Chrissy Teigen’s last name and more conversation starters for your weekend

May 9, 2019 at 1:32 p.m.

Quick! Think of something interesting to say at dinner tonight. If nothing’s coming to you, here are your conversation starters for the weekend. What’s in a name? How have you...

Mandy Moore, left, and Milo Ventimiglia in a scene from "This Is Us."

Here’s why people love shows like ‘This Is Us’ — even though they make us cry

April 5, 2019 at 11:11 a.m.

“This Is Us,” the show best known for reducing everyone to a weepy mess, returned last night with the premiere of its third season. Tears are truly the show’s trademark:...

Apple picking, pumpkin patches, hayrides and all your other basic fall 2018 activities near Chicago

May 9, 2019 at 1:31 p.m.

There’s no point in shying away from the fact that fall is basic. You can’t enjoy fall activities while being cool. We’re sorry, it’s just not possible. But shed your...

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