Erica Jackson Curran

Parents

4 Things You Need to Know About PCOS

Doctors are calling it an epidemic, and there's still so much we have to learn about what leads to a PCOS diagnosis.
You may have heard that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a leading cause of infertility (that impacts up to 10 percent of reproductive-age women) but you may not realize the medical community has a lot left to discover about the disorder.
Millions of women struggle daily with a PCOS diagnosis; symptoms typically range from abnormal menstrual cycles and irregular ovulation to...

Richmond.com

RVA Bar Fly: Comfort’s cocktail program gets the Dolly Parton treatment

There are a lot of shiny new restaurants in Richmond boasting trendy décor and creative menus. Comfort isn’t one of those places. Chef Jason Alley’s flagship eatery has anchored an increasingly busy corner of Broad Street since the turn of this century, and the menu of solid Southern staples has remained fairly constant for about 16 years.
But set aside the meatloaf and fried green tomatoes and worn wooden furnishings, and you’ll find that Comfort is exceptionally innovative for two major rea...

Parents

Do Bleach Pregnancy Tests Work?

The DIY pregnancy detector offers fast and easy results, but it may not be as reliable—or as safe—as traditional over-the-counter tests.
Whether you're actively trying to conceive or desperately hoping you're not pregnant, the two-week wait between ovulating and starting your period can feel like an eternity. Maybe that's why, rather than heading to the store to pick up a pregnancy test, some women dig under the kitchen sink for a common household ingredient that's been said to predict pregna...

The Washington Post

The Seven Cardinal Sins of Infertility

I’d never paid much attention to Kim Kardashian, but that all changed last summer when she opened up about her troubles getting pregnant. Suddenly Mrs. Kanye West and I briefly had something in common: We both desperately wanted a baby, but things weren’t going according to plan.

pastemagazine.com

24 Hours of Drinking in Richmond, Virginia :: Travel :: Features :: cocktails :: Paste

From craft coffee roasters and a moonshine distillery to a bevy of breweries, here’s how to drink your way through Virginia’s capital city in 24 hours.

Tripping

The Ideal Vacation Rental Home for Millennials, Boomers and Beyond

As more people decide they want to travel the world on their own terms, private vacation home rentals have become more popular than ever. From home-sharing sites to luxury vacation rentals, travelers of all ages are choosing to create a more customized approach to vacationing—and it’s shaking up the traditional hotel model.

cidercraftmag.com

Exploring the Hills and Valleys of Virginia’s Cider Trail

If you want to find craft cider in Virginia, all you have to do is follow the trail of the apples. For generations, the commonwealth’s orchards have been scattered along the peaks and valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains range, which extends from the northern tip of the state all the way to the North Carolina border. The region’s climate, soil and sunshine have helped apples thrive here for hundreds of years—so much so that the mountains were known as the “Apple Belt” in the early 1900s. And Virginia’s growing crop of cidermakers has taken notice.

romper.com

I Don't Have A Mom Tribe — And I'm Fine With It

I hear a lot about bonding between mom friends — the deep, heartfelt conversations over coffee and frantic late-night texts. I see pictures on Facebook of massive “mama tribes,” bosom buds since their buns were in the oven. But for me? That concept is as foreign as the idea of a full night’s sleep. I don't have a mom tribe, but honestly I'm fine with it.
When I was pregnant with my son, I thought the new friendships would blossom naturally. After all, th...

richmondmagazine.com

The 40-Week Flip

Dec. 10, 2015, was a pretty significant day in my life. In the morning, I slipped into a hospital gown and underwent my first fertility procedure. In the afternoon, my husband and I purchased our first investment property on Richmond’s North Side.
Over the course of the next 40 weeks, we restored the century-old foursquare to its former glory, while my belly — and our baby inside of it — grew to full term.
We were taking a gamble, using every last cent of our savings to attempt a flip when ou...

The Washington Post

Instagram heirlooms: Carving out a sacred corner of the Internet for my son

I’m 32, part of a generation that is caught between a childhood that was documented with film and the digital world my son inhabits. I feel guilty about my attachment to my iPhone, about spending too much time on social media and about what might be perceived as oversharing. I also feel nostalgia for the tangible photographs and albums of my youth.

discovery.hotelindigo.com

The Beer Lover's Guide to Baltimore | Hotel Indigo

Baltimore has long had a love affair with beer. The flames of that romance sparked back in 1885, when National Bohemian first started producing beer in the Charm City. Since that time, more and more brewers have followed suit and set up shop in the city for an urban landscape peppered with breweries, brewpubs and beer gardens.
Since you can spend endless hours discovering new suds and their purveyors, we’ve culled a few of our favorite spots to take a swig of Baltimore’s ever-evolving beer scene.

Parents

What to Eat: A Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan

Here's how to create a gestational diabetes meal plan that will help you avoid dangerous blood-sugar spikes and have a healthy pregnancy.
Between weird food cravings and intense aversions, following a healthy diet when you're pregnant can be challenging—especially if you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. A condition caused by elevated blood sugar levels, gestational diabetes can affect the welfare of both mother and child, but maintaining a balanced diet is one proven way to help m...

salesforce.com

What’s the Best Workplace Design for Your Company?

Every successful company needs a team of employees who are happy, healthy and hard-working. And while a good benefits package and thoughtful perks can go a long way, the actual design of your office space can have a huge impact as well.

Studies have shown that different types of workers thrive in different settings—and putting even the best employees in an unsuitable workplace can have detrimental effects on their performance. Open offices aren’t for everyone, and neither are cubicles, or rem...

The Washington Post

What’s new (and old) in Richmond, Virginia’s newly trendy capital - The Washington Post

What’s new (and old) in Richmond, Virginia’s newly...

richmondmagazine.com

Period Piece: A Bud Hyland-Designed Midcentury Home

Scot and Janet Morris had spent years searching for their forever home when they finally spotted it: Perched on a bluff in a quiet, parklike neighborhood off of River Road, the distinctly modern house stood out like a sore thumb from the Colonial-style homes surrounding it. And that’s just what they loved about it.
Although the couple and their two daughters had lived in a traditional home in Whitaker Woods for the past decade, they had developed a passion for Midcentury modern furnishings an...