'Tails' of Billings: Vince and Kersey

Meet Vince and Kersey, April's Tails of Billings sharing their delightful tales.

Know Before You Go: Stand Up Comedy Open Mic at Craft Local

Spectator or participant, we've got everything you need to know before you go to Open Mic night at Craft Local.

Preparing for a Smooth Vacation

Use this Vacation Planner to make a smooth exit from the daily grind.

Adventure on the Water

No boat? No problem. Montana Wake Co. has you covered for all your on the water adventures this summer.

Performing Arts Reimagined: Fresh Experiences with ABT & BSOC

Come inside the latest development and improvements to Alberta Bair Theater and Billings Symphony Orchestra & Chorale.

Maker's Space: Traci Anderson

Highlighting artist Traci Anderson in April's Maker's Space.

Healthy Conflict

As much as we hope to avoid it, conflict is a normal and necessary part of life. Identifying what the conflict is signaling can help reveal potential solutions and find common ground.

COVID-19 Business Outlook: What’s Next and How to Responsibly Move Forward

We've finally reached a point where it seems as though there is light at the end of the tunnel, so let's stick together to get across the finish line of this pandemic.

Staff Profile: Daron Olson

Getting to know Daron Olson, Business Development Manager for Billings Chamber of Commerce.

A Stellar Camp Experience

Exploring all that Montana Learning Center has to offer your camper this summer!

Grab and Go: Making Healthy & Fast Meals at Home

Life is busy, check out these 5 lunch ideas (and 3 salads!) that you can make ahead of time so that you can grab and go!

Wellness Matters: An Interview with Nicole Griffith

"Our goal is to help change the way people eat by making eating healthy simple; this remains at the core of everything we do." - Nicole Griffith, Well Pared

Easter Egg Flan

This Easter Egg Flan recipe is sure to delight!

Fun Finds in the Cupboard: Green on the Go

In honor of Earth Day (April 22), check out our Editor's Picks for Aprils eco friendly Fun Finds!

Happy Houseplants: Bringing Green Indoors

Do you love the look of houseplants but you tend to kill them off? We're taking a look at plants' needs and some tips for turning your black thumb green.

LEEDing the Way in Downtown Billings

If the walls inside the George L. Tracy Building could talk, they’d tell a century’s worth of tales. Today, the 18,000 square foot Tracy Lofts feature 19 LEED Platinum Certified apartments listed in t...

Spring Refresh: Paint Trends

Spring has sprung and it's time for a refresh! What better way than updating your paint?

No Party? No Problem

We're looking beyond the party with these non-party celebration ideas!

Ask the Author: 'What’s Missing Is You'

Chelsie Kerns, author of 'What’s Missing is You: A Creatively Happy Place to Journal and Document One of the Worst Times of Your Life' has created a guided workbook to help children in the aftermath o...

A Few Grams of Happiness: The French Macaron

“Macarons only have a few grams to stir our senses.” - Pierre Hermé

Meet the Baker: Andrea Vacek of Bluebird Sweets Custom Cakes

Andrea Vacek of Bluebird Sweets Custom Cakes creates the most stunning of delectable delights.

Private Patio Paradise

Step outside to this perfect patio paradise. Creating such a space takes time, so set a budget and start planning!

Finding the Right Fit for Your Flooring

Meet Jim Moreland, independent contractor with Choice Floors and the kind of salesman who parts with his customers as friends.

Celebrating Agriculture

As we celebrate National Ag Appreciation Week (March 22 – 26, 2021), we invite you to learn about local Agriculture advocates.

Diversity and Inclusion Require Action

The current work environment is filled with many challenges and opportunities. One of the opportunities that many executive teams face is...

Snow Much Fun!

Fling a potful of boiling water skyward in these temperatures, and you’ll get a pretty sweet cloud of tiny ice crystals. But what on earth is going on here?

Inviting Us Inward: Community Leaders Explore Their Enneagram

Five community leaders invite us inwards and reveal their Enneagram number and what that assessment meant to them.

SLM Book Club: 'The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany'

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany is the perfect pick for February.

Social & Emotional Preparation for Preschoolers

Filling our littles' social and emotional toolbox.

Breaking the Non-Verbal Barrier with Baby Sign

When our littles are pre-verbal or are operating at the beginning stages of their vocabulary, frustration can easily set in as little and parent struggle to communicate. Enter baby sign language as an...

3 Powerful Components to Healthy Relationships

"What does love look like in a healthy relationship?" Therapist, Gwen Felten, explores that question in this piece.

Circling Up Over Math

Go behind the scenes with MSUB's Math Circle - a place that helps students to see math from a different angle while being creative and seeing how it connects with different games and puzzles.

The Sweeter Side of Things

Explore the *sweeter* side of Billings (just in time for Valentine's Day!)

Mix This: The Escapade

Mix this for a drink that will take you and your special someone from Italy to the Caribbean, via a French château or two. It is the perfect cocktail to fuel your wanderlust.

Meet the Baker Behind Amberlea's Confections

Twenty year old Amberlea Lynn Mouser has taken a love a baking and cultivated it into her own business, Amberlea's Confections.

No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake

Want cheesecake in a hurry? Then this delectable no-bake recipe is just what you need!

What Dreams Are Made of: Wide Open Spaces & a Family Connection

Wide open spaces with a family connection made dreams come true for this Shepherd, MT family.

Island Dine Time

Making the most of your kitchen island.

More than Sweet Slumber: Creating a Master Bedroom Sanctuary

Creating a master bedroom sanctuary is giving the "heart of the home" a run for its money!

Billings Public Library Re-Opens to Public Ahead of Schedule

Instead of the initial March 8 re-opening plan, Billings Public Library shifts gears to a February 1 re-opening to the public (with some restrictions still in place).

MSUB Hosts Virtual Power of One Week

MSUB's 2021 Power of One week focuses on mental health awareness. January 18-22.

YVAS Valentine’s Purrrfect Gift Basket Raffle

Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter has the purrrfect solution to your Valentine's Day gift giving conundrum!

The Hometown Bride Wedding Fair | Feb 7

Plan for your big day with the Hometown Bride Wedding Fair, showcasing 2021 spring wedding designs from all the top designers, plus vendors for every detail, expert presentations (with Q&A), and ...

Loving our Community, Loving our Neighbors

We're more committed to local than ever, and we hope you will be too. We are so fortunate to call South Central Montana home. Let's actively love our community, love our neighbors, and hope for a brig...

Finite Disappointment, Infinite Hope

Our honor at Simply Local Magazine is to continue providing our readers with thought-provoking, encouraging articles to help you live your best lives right here (no matter the circumstances). Thank yo...

An Ultra-Useful Laundry Room: 4 Foundational Tips

In today’s world, how can we design a laundry room to best suit our needs? To me, four things stand out as the foundation for creating the best space possible: location, utility, storage, and (of cour...

At Home with Realtor Alicia Donovan

For those in real estate, buying and selling homes is all in a day’s work. Armed with firsthand knowledge and expertise in the industry, local realtor Alicia Donovan and husband Quinn share their...

Life Below the Freezing Point

Ever wonder what's happening beneath the frozen surfaces during winter? Like, where did everybody go? Turns out, not far.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

This creamy and fragrant soup is the perfect comfort food.

Soup’s On at Lucky’s Ramen Noodles

Lucky’s Ramen Noodles in Shiloh Commons invites Montanans to discover the glory of Ramen as it was meant to be served, while also serving many different types of noodle dishes.

Le Fournil Offers a Taste of France in Billings

In late 2017, François Morin followed his passion and opened Le Fournil, an artisnal French bakery.

Bake This: French Baguettes

With a crunchy crust and a chewy, soft crumb, this French baguette will have you saying more, please, as soon as you taste it.

The Gift of Community

Motherhood can be lonely, even though moms are almost never alone. The camaraderie of other moms is the perfect medicine to make it through the hard days.

Four O Six Nannies: Connecting Montana Families with the Care they Need

How does a Montana parent locate a passionate, reliable, honest, carefully-vetted person to watch their kids? This is where your Big Sky neighbor, Karissa Erickson of Four O Six Nannies, comes into pl...

Hindsight is 2020

Though 2020 might have come through like a wrecking ball, there were some changes that were ultimately for the better; hindsight is 20/20, after all.

Essential Life Skills at Every Age & Stage

There are lessons to be learned in every age and stage, skills to be taught that will ultimately prepare our precious beings for life out in the world. Along the way, before they leave the nest, these...

Filling the Emotional Toolbox

Model >>> Engage >>> Exercise Independence

5 Ways to G.U.A.R.D. Your Heart

What good is a healthy body without a healthy mind? While you think of ways to build your strength, build your endurance, build healthy physical habits, here are five ways to guard your heart and ment...

Ice, Ice Baby: Hike to Frozen Palisade Falls

Just when you think that a waterfall couldn't be any more magical, it freezes. Experience this awe-inspiring beauty at Palisade Falls.

Enneagram 101

Your crash course in Enneagram Personality Tests.

Ask The Author: Katie (KJ) Backer

Getting to know local author KJ Backer who has published three books in her popular, adult fantasy series.

SLM Book Club: '84, Charing Cross Road' | December 2020 Pick

Pick up your copy of '84, Charing Cross Road' and let's discuss! (In the meantime, see what Lindsay has to say and peruse her gift guide for the bookworms on your gift list!)

Christmas Wreath Lane, More than Twinkling Lights and Tradition

More than twinkling lights and tradition, Christmas Wreath Lane in Billings offers a beacon of hope in a challenging year. It has managed to be a holiday mainstay for 60 years and brings joy and comfo...

Give the Gift of a Great Winter

Keep cabin fever at bay this winter with this guide to experiences and memberships in and around Billings.

Christmas Wreath Lane Celebrates 60 Years

Though neighbors have come and gone, Christmas Wreath Lane has managed to shine bright for 60 years.

The Thrill of Hope

As we reflect on a year filled with major challenges, each of us has been deeply impacted in one way or another. But sometimes, in the darkness, the light shines brightest.

Ask the Author: 'Jelly Bean Dean'

When Tracy Stanaway's mother Jerrine (nicknamed Jelly Bean Dean) passed away in 2019, she was inspired to write a book centered on her mother's beloved nickname.

Advent Traditions

Imagine a December filled with slow. With heart-awakening activity. A December whose gentle, beckoning winds invite us to beauty and majesty that enrich our days.
Consider a long-observed Christmas...

10 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays Old School

As if you were stepping right out of a Hallmark movie, check out these ideas for celebrating the holidays old school!

Creating Christmas at Every Stage

Let’s journey our way through a few of life’s stages and look at how to create – not perfect – but memorable, perfectly imperfect Christmas experiences at every stage along the way.

Big Adventures, Close to Home

Pop out of town or browse the city limits to discover Southeast Montana treasures close to home!

The Art of Gift-Giving

Did you know that gift giving is actually an act that can strengthen bonds and relationships?

Homebody for the Holidays

There’s no place like home for the holidays and that tune has never rung truer than now.

Homes on Parade: Modern Feel, Livable Appeal

Mac Leffler’s stunning 2020 Parade home located in Billings’ upscale subdivision The Nines, is nothing short of a work of art.

Bake This: Beer Cookies

This is a very simple recipe requiring only three ingredients. You can make the cookies sweet or savory.

Fa La La La Fabulous: Festive Fixings

Scrumptious food is synonymous with the holidays and the staff at Simply Local gathered up some of our favorite appetizer, dessert, and drink recipes to share with you.

Our Brains on Nature

Taking care of your mental health, particularly when this season might feel less than merry, is critical. Scientists, physicians, and therapists know that repeated stress can...

Simplifying the Textbook

College students, frustrated with textbook costs? Discover how PageLess can help!

A Love of Local Drives Simply Local Marketplace

Introducing Simply Local Marketplace, a retail boutique featuring the works and goods of local makers and artists. Shop local!

Extending Small Business Saturday to Every Day

Get in the spirit of supporting local businesses every day with Billings Chamber's Keep the Cheer Here campaign!

Mayor Bill Cole Delivers Statement on COVID-19

At the November 16, 2020 meeting of the Billings City Council, Mayor Bill Cole delivered the following statement regarding COVID-19:

CLDI Prepares for the 2020 South Side Christmas Stores

Can you help fill the shelves of CLDI's 2020 South Side Christmas Stores?

Science at Home

As record numbers of families turn to home school and distance learning this year, many parents and caregivers are working their way up the steep learning curve of teaching around the kitchen table. S...

Recipe: Pork Sinigang

Try Mercy Vannett's recipe for Pork Sinigang. Find all the ingredients for this delectable dish at Isabela Asian Market!

A Refugee Journey to the American Dream

We all love stories of success originating from humble beginnings, those rags-to-riches tales that inspire us and energize our spirits. One such story began in war-torn Southeastern Asia and ended rig...

Youth Empowerment Program

With resources of all kinds seeking to fill the gaps in times of difficulty, the Youth Empowerment Program strives to help young people participate in the things that they love most.

Homes on Parade: Beauty Under the Big Sky

Ban Construction’s 2020 Parade Home doesn’t disappoint. Clean lines, angles for days, and numerous textures collide to provide a striking first impression of this modern-rustic masterpiece.

Keeping Schools Safe

During the pandemic it's become glaringly apparent that schools are not just a place for academics. Schools provide students a place that supports mental, physical, and emotional health, which is at t...

The Loneliness Epidemic: 3 Ways to Stay Connected

"Social isolation is as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day." As coined by researchers, this "Loneliness Epidemic" can be even more deadly than the pandemic that continues to dominate our lives, 8 m...

Once Upon a Dream: Boxdrop Billings

Once upon a dream...Let Boxdrop Billings help you find the mattress that will deliver you to the sweetest of dreams!

We’re Big Out Here

Get out of Billings and explore the far Southeastern corner of Montana!

Adjust Your Load

Like the overloaded washing machine, sometimes we have to remove a few things from the cycle to regain balance.

More than Man’s Best Friend

Discover the differences between Emotional Support Animals, Service Animals, and Therapy Animals.

Care, Concern, and Camaraderie for Veterans

Learn about Adaptive Performance Center, a gym and organization with a mission that includes serving disabled veterans to help them improve and maintain as much independent, active living as possible....

A Look Inside the HER Campaign

Britney and Sammy Higgs founded the HER Campaign in 2016. It is a local organization dedicated to the growth of safehouses and healing for women that have been victims of sexual exploitation.

Local Makers Making a Difference: Rock Creek Soaps

Rock Creek Soaps is more than a female-owned, Billings success story, this is a business actively making a difference in our community.

Falling for Front Porch Style

Welcome your guests with some fresh fall style!

Hydrotherapy: More Than Just a Hot Tub

Hot tubs, they offer far more benefits than just being a nice place to relax and unwind.

Pizza Friday, Homemade-style

Making delicious pizza at home doesn't have to be complicated. All you need is a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, a bit of planning, and a very hot oven. In this s...

Meet the Chef: The Perfect Pie

Imagine a dining experience where every member of your family is happy. There are no arguments as to which pizza toppings make the pie—they all do. This dream-like, family-friendly atmosphere is a rea...