Alison R. is a Chicago mom and award-winning Certified Meeting Planner with over fourteen years experience as a professional meeting & event planner. Alison recently joined Neighborhood  Parents Network, a not-for-profit organization that supports Chicago families, as their Event & Social Media Director overseeing the annual Silent Auction and School Fairs.

As Editor of  Sassy Moms in the City, Alison provides women with resources and information necessary to maintain sophisticated lifestyles while raising children.

Sassy Moms in the City is an online destination for modern moms featuring fashion and beauty trends, fitness and lifestyle resources. Readers gain access to The Sassy Scoop newsletter, giveaways, must-have products and invitations to exclusive events. We connect women with resources essential to surviving motherhood with style and sophistication!

Who is a Sassy Mom?

She is chic, savvy and influential. The kind of woman embracing and surviving motherhood with style and sophistication – occasionally in stilettos!

Alison’s Top 3 Family-Friendly Chicago Destinations

• Best Pizza – Hands down the best pizza in town is Lou Malnati’s thin crust. It’s a combination of the butter crust and fresh sauce that make it our personal favorite and must-eat when family and friends visit Chicago. It is addicting!
• Best Family Hotel – The Renaissance Downtown is one of my favorite hotels for families. In addition to the fabulous location (steps from shopping, dining and Millennium Park), the views of the river are spectacular and they have one of the best indoor pools, the perfect backup for Chicago’s unpredictable weather.
• Best Kid-Friendly Theatre – Our kids love seeing performances at Emerald City Theatre. Known as Chicago’s Best Theater for Kids offering performances like Alice in Wonderland, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake, Pinkalicious and The Cat in the Hat,at the Apollo Theater Center in Lincoln Park and at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place on the Magnificent Mile. Most productions are great for kids ages 3 years and up.

Alison’s Family Travel Tip Over the years, American Express reward points have become our greatest resource for covering travel expenses. Am Express provides the option to pay with points (instead of cash) to cover flights, car rentals and hotel accommodations. Over the years we’ve racked up thousands of points by using the card for daily purchases like groceries, gas, household products, etc. The trick is to pay the card off monthly to avoid incurring interest rates.

Like Sassy Moms in the City here and follow Alison R. on Twitter @SassyMomChicago.