Memorial Day Weekend at Navy Pier

Courtesy Metromix.com

Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Ave.

Kick off summer with two fireworks shows (10:15 p.m. May 28 and 9:30 p.m. May 29) set to a patriotic soundtrack. Several bands play throughout the weekend in the beer garden.

Saturday
12 p.m.: Crosswind
3:30 p.m.: Les Getrex & Creole Cookin'
8 p.m.: World Class Noise
Sunday
11 p.m.: The Charlie Johnson Quartet
3:30 p.m.: 7Deez
8 p.m.: The Larry Taylor Blues and Soul Band
Monday
11 p.m.: Detour JazFunk
3:30 p.m.: KOJO
8 p.m.: Mike Milligan & Steam Shovel

May. 28: 10 a.m. - midnight
May. 29: 10 a.m. - midnight
May. 30: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Price: Free.
Produced by: American Airlines
Phone: 312-595-7437

Dining by design

Hungry for Chicago architecture? Indulge with these sites and bites
By Jennifer Wehunt
Courtesy Metromix.com

Sure, our landmark buildings are a city treasure and sure, Chicago's home to some awe-inspiring examples of architecture, but who's got time to gawk at granite and marble when there's more important things to do--like eat dinner? Good news: You do.

Several of Chicago's most notable structures are within a stone's throw of a mouth-watering meal, so you can stroll by on your way to digging in. As the city gears up for Great Chicago Places & Spaces this weekend, make it a night of eats and architecture instead of the same old dinner and a movie.

Big houses on Prairie
The South Loop's Prairie Avenue district is home to two massive examples of mid-19th Century mansions. There's the Greek Revival-style Clarke House and the Romanesque Revival-style Glessner, both of which are open to the public. Once you've had an eyeful, reward yourself with a full stomach at a joint that celebrates another revival, the Harlem Renaissance. The Cotton Club serves up live jazz and a free buffet Friday and Saturday nights at 10 p.m.

Inspired insanity
For a single serving of quirky architecture, check out the kooky, corrugated aluminum-clad Bachman House (1244 W. Carmen Ave.). This place was built in 1889, then tweaked by architect Bruce Goff in 1947 and '48 to serve as a home recording studio. Part ark, part cottage, the residence got its Uptown neighbors talking. For the source of a more recent neighborhood shakeup, visit popular Tweet restaurant, about four blocks east. This American eatery keeps the eclectic spirit alive with dishes like garlic-butter shrimp served with a parmesan polenta cake ($10).

The Wright stuff
Go west, young men and women, for a host of homes that heated up the 1900s architecture scene. Works by Frank Lloyd Wright are scattered across the country, but how convenient that Oak Park, which Wright called home, is right next door. A good starting point is the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, which hosts a variety of neighborhood events, including foot and bike tours in the summer (including Saturday's annual Wright Plus walk). Those who opt for the cycling variety earn brownie points for athletic effort; cash 'em in and cool down with an ice cream scoop ($2.64) or a burger ($6.50) at old-school parlor Petersen's, just down the street. Hankering for more Frank? Head to Hyde Park's Robie House some weekend morning after brunch at the Original Pancake House.

Say hi to Big Mary
So you finally got around to reading "The Devil in the White City," Erik Larson's 2003 parallel tale of the architects of the 1893 World's Columbia Exposition in Chicago and the serial killer who culled his victims from it. Dying to see what's left of the brief-but-mighty White City? Sorry; the Museum of Science and Industry is the only building still standing. But landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted's Chicago masterpiece, Jackson Park (6401 S. Stony Island Ave. 773-256-0903), does remain. Today it holds a gold-leafed replica of the 111-foot tall Statue of the Republic (a.k.a. Big Mary) that greeted the fair's visitors. Stop by to say hello to her and tour the grounds on two walking trails. After you've worked up an appetite, head two blocks east to Jackson Harbor's just-reopened Marina Cafe, which features a Creole- and Caribbean-inflected menu (weekends only until June).

All Dec'd out
Sick of staring at the same dull cinder-block condo walls? Skip up to Lincoln Square for an example of elaborate 1920s Art Deco. The Museum of Decorative Arts just closed for renovation, but the exterior's what all the fuss is about, anyway. This spot was the last project designed by international icon Louis Sullivan. If you're feeling a little fancy after ogling the ornate facade, stroll two blocks south to trendy Acqualina, which deals in equally detailed Cali-Med cuisine. We like the grilled salmon, served with tzatziki cabbage and veggie tartare in a kalamata olive vinaigrette ($17). And go ahead, indulge in an Acqua 'tini (a mix of Kettle Citron, blue curacao and Licor 43 for $8); after all, nothing chases culture better than a cocktail.

Home seekers put on investigative hats

How can I find out more about a neighborhood?
Monday, May 16, 2005
By Dian Hymer
Inman News
Courtesy Top Producer

Years ago, a young man bought his first home in a prime Oakland, Calif., neighborhood. He worked at home a lot, and was particularly sensitive to noise. The house he purchased was appealing to him because it was across the street from an undeveloped property. About a year after he moved in, construction started on the property across the street. Unbeknownst to him, a new high school was being built. He found the noise from construction intolerable.
Most buyers are accustomed to having a home they're interested in buying inspected by a knowledgeable home inspector. Finding out pertinent information about the surrounding neighborhood should also be a part of your due diligence investigations.
A good source of information about the local neighborhood is local residents. You may view a listing at a time when no one's around. So, be sure to visit the neighborhood on your own at times when locals are likely to be at home, like after work or on a Saturday morning. Attending a Sunday open house may give you an opportunity to talk with some neighbors.
Ask friends and colleagues at work if they know anyone who lives in a neighborhood you're considering. Get names, addresses and phone numbers, if you can, so that you can talk with these people directly.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: You want to know what local residents like and don't like about the neighborhood. Find out how long each person you talk to has lived there. Ask if there any proposed changes in local facilities like a new freeway or school that might impact the quality of life in the neighborhood in either a positive or negative way? Are there any problems like landslides, school or crime issues that you should be aware of?
Check with the Chamber of Commerce to find out if they have any information about the neighborhood. If you're concerned about crime rates, visit the local precinct. The Internet is another source of information. A Web site like www.realtor.com or www.neighborhoodscout.com may have some useful, although general, information. If you're buying long distance, your can gather helpful information about a place by subscribing to a local newspaper.
Ask your real estate agent about how often homes change hands in a particular neighborhood. Turn-over tends to be low in the most sought after areas. Also, if listings sell quickly when they do come on the market, this indicates high demand for the area.
Evidence of remodeling in a neighborhood is usually a good sign. Homeowners who are satisfied with the neighborhood tend to remodel and stay put rather than move out.
Find out about the local schools, even if you don't intend to use them. There tends to be a direct correlation between property values and the caliber of public schools in an area—the better the schools, the higher the property values.
It's a good idea to mingle in places where you'll grocery shop, grab a bite to eat and run errands. Are the services you need conveniently available? How do you feel about visiting these places on a regular basis?
Will you be able to satisfy your life style needs easily? For example, if you like to hike, find out if there are good hiking trails nearby. Having time to relax at home is important, so check out your commute to work. If there's public transportation, try it out. If you're driving, take a test drive during rush hour.
THE CLOSING: Be sure to drive to and from a home you're considering at different times of day and from different directions. Your agent may have only shown you the most scenic route.
Dian Hymer is author of "House Hunting, The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers" and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide," Chronicle Books.

www.GreatChicagoRealEstate.com

Spice up your home with a few paint tricks

Whether it's sponging or ragging, new techniques give a fresh look

Courtesy Top Producer
By Paul Bianchina
Inman News

You've seen them do it on shows like "Trading Spaces" and "Extreme Makeover." You may have even seen it at a friend's house. And now you've decided it's time to move away from those plain white walls and try something different. With some basic tools, a couple of cans of paint, and a little experimental spirit, you can dress up one wall or your entire house with some simple special painting effects.
The materials listed here should all be available at home centers, paint stores and larger department stores. With any of these techniques, you might want to practice in a closet or on a large sheet of cardboard or plywood first, to get a feel for the process and to see if you're happy with the color and texture. Also, your hands will be getting up close and personal with the paint, so a couple of pairs of disposable gloves are also a worthwhile investment.
Sponging
Sponging is probably one of the most popular and most enjoyable of the special effects painting techniques. To get started, you need two or more colors of paint, a paint tray, a natural sea sponge and some paper towels or old newspapers.
To begin, paint the wall with the base color. This will actually not be the predominate color when you're done, but rather more of an accent color that shows through gaps in the sponged-on color. Let this coat dry before proceeding.
Next, dip your sponge in water and ring it out so that it's just damp, which helps keep the sponge from picking up too much paint. Dip the sponge into the second paint color, blot it slightly against the paper towel to remove excess paint, and then gently press the sponge against the wall. Keep your touch light to create a subtle pattern of paint, as opposed to pressing hard or with too much paint on the sponge, with blurs the pattern too much.
Don't overdo it by trying to cover too much of the base coat at once. Instead, try and achieve a light pattern of paint texture that has a look you like. Do the entire wall, and then if you feel that too much of the base coat is still visible, you can go back over it a second time. Allow this second color to dry completely before going back over it with a third color if desired. If the sponge will not reach into the corners, use a small paint brush to dab paint into these areas in a pattern that matches the sponge.
Ragging
Ragging is similar to sponging in technique, but the finished look is different, with a slightly heavier look that resembles some types of fabric. Once again, begin by applying a base coat color to the wall and allowing it to dry completely. You'll want to use a clean, absorbent, lint-free rag or towel that has some nap to it, like a washcloth. The type of cloth you use and how you hold it will determine the finished texture effects.
Dip the rag in water, wring it out, then ball the rag up loosely in your hand and gently dip it into the second paint color. Blot off the excess on a paper towel, then touch the rag against the wall. Repeat this, re-gripping the rag as you go, to create different textures. Re-dip the rag in the paint as soon as it begins to lose the pattern you like. Ragging is usually done with only two colors, but you can add a third if you like – just make sure each color is completely dry before moving on to the next one.
Washing
As the name implies, this technique will leave thin wash of top-coat color over the base color, almost at though the wall has aged or been worn from use. Washing is best done with just one color over the base coat.
Paint on the base color and allow it to dry. Using the same type of rag or towel used for ragging, dip the rag in water and wring it out, then dip it into the paint. You can actually allow the rag to pick up a little more paint with this technique, but you do want to be sure that you do not have an excess amount on your gloves that could smear onto the wall.
Use the rag to apply the top color coat to the wall by actually wiping on the paint with a swirling motion – almost like you're washing the wall with soap and water - rather than dabbing it on as was done with the earlier techniques. Continue "washing" the wall with paint until the rag begins to dry and starts taking some of the paint back off. When you have removed a sufficient amount of paint to achieve the look you want, re-dip the rag in paint and move on to another section of the wall. The important thing here is to try and achieve some level of consistency with the finished look, rather than leaving large areas with a lot of paint on them and other areas with much less.

www.GreatChicagoRealEstate.com

Making a wise real estate decision

How can I make a financially prudent home purchase or sale?
Courtesy Top Producer
Monday, May 09, 2005
By Dian Hymer
Inman News

This could be a particularly good time to make a move if you are a homeowner whose current home no longer suits your needs. Although interest rates are rising, they still remain at multi-decade lows. And the appreciation rate in recent years has been particularly high. But, even though conditions are good, you need to have realistic expectations in order to make it all work.
Many trade-up sellers have a difficult time understanding that their current home isn't necessarily worth what they need in order to make the move. A seller's financial needs don't dictate the sale price of their home. Market value is constrained by what buyers are willing to pay.
A complicating factor is that if you're buying in a fast-paced market, you may be forced to compete in order to buy the new home. This could mean paying a higher price than you'd anticipated. You can end up in trouble if you buy first, pay a high price and your home turns out to be worth less than you thought.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: To guard against coming up short on the sale of your home, it's best to be conservative in the estimation of the approximate selling price of your home. There's no way to know for sure how much your home will sell for until it sells and the buyers complete their inspections. Sometimes the sale price is renegotiated during the course of the transaction if the buyers discover defects during their inspections. By estimating low on the sale price of the home you're selling, you're less likely to end up in a financial bind if your home doesn't sell as high as you'd like.
Repeat home buyers who are trying to trade up in a high demand, low inventory market are faced with an intriguing dilemma. If they sell first, they know exactly how much equity they have to work with. They are in a great bargaining position, since they don't have to sell a property. They have converted their equity to cash.
However, when inventories are low, there's a risk that it might take awhile to find and buy the new home. It's not uncommon to make several offers in competition before meeting with success. Moving to an interim rental is almost a certainty for some buyers, depending on the local market conditions.
Low inventory market conditions often lead to unusually high selling prices as buyers compete with one another to be the winning bidder. In a market like this, your home could sell for significantly more than you anticipated which could improve your purchasing power in a positive way. This could give you the edge you need in a multiple offer competition.
Selling first and renting your home back from the buyers for a time is one way to try to avoid an interim move. But, this is usually only a short-term option. It can be costly if you have to pay rent equal to the buyer's per diem cost of owning your home (principal, interest, taxes and insurance). If you've owned your home for a long time, your mortgage amount could quite low compared to the buyer's mortgage, and your property taxes and insurance premium could also be lower.
Rather than pay a high cost to rent back your home from the buyers, you may be better off moving to an interim rental. The cost to rent will probably be less, particularly if you're living in an area where the rental market is soft.
THE CLOSING: The additional benefit of moving to an interim rental is that you won't feel pressured to buy a home that doesn't suit your long-term needs.

Repairing window screens improves energy efficiency

Courtesy SuburbanChicagoNews.com
By James and Morris Carey
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Newer, more energy-efficient homes don't allow for the passive exchange of air through cracks, gaps and penetrations as older homes did. Thick insulation, caulking at windows and doors and gaskets at lights and plugs are a few of the improvements that make today's homes more energy-efficient.
Unfortunately, this condition often creates stale, trapped air within the home. In addition, some of the components used in the fabrication of construction materials emit gases that cause health problems, which can range from a minor case of the sniffles to a full-blown allergic reaction. Air in the home must be continually exchanged with a fresh supply from the outside.
Think window screens aren't important? Think again.
A dirty screen doesn't "breathe" as well as a clean one. And a dirty screen is an eyesore, too.
There are many advantages to keeping screens clean. First, you'll be able to see out of your windows a whole lot easier. And remember grit and grime can hasten deterioration, thereby diminishing the life of a window screen. Dirty screens also prevent light from making its way into your home. Moreover, a gust of wind can blow dust from a screen straight into your home, aggravating allergies and increasing housekeeping chores.
Each spring, we remove our screens and scrub them down. One of the best means of cleaning window screens is to lay them flat on a smooth, cloth-covered surface, such as an old sheet on a picnic table. Scrub them gently with a soft nylon brush, rinse with a hose, and shake off excess water. They can look as new today as when they were originally installed. Pressure washing with detergent is another alternative.
Like anything, screens eventually fail. When this happens they can often be patched. Screen patch kits are available at hardware stores and home centers everywhere. They are inexpensive and easy to install (the process takes less than a minute). A small repair will work best until such time as you see fit to replace the screen. There are several good methods that can be used to repair window screens depending upon the type of screen material being repaired.
• Apply a small amount of clear nail polish to a small hole or tear in a vinyl or fiberglass screen. The polish will act as an adhesive sealing the damaged area.
• Small tears in metal or fiberglass screens can be mended with a dab of clear silicone adhesive. If necessary, dab it on in successive layers until the tear is completely filled.
• You can "darn" small holes in metal screening. Simply unravel a strand or two from a piece of scrap screening and sew the hole shut, weaving the strands through the sound fabric with a needle.
• Large holes in metal screen material are repaired with a bit more effort. Start by neatly trimming the damaged area to a ravel-free square or rectangle using tin snips. Next, cut a piece of patch screen material that measures about an inch larger (in both directions) than the damaged area. Unravel a couple of strands of material around the entire perimeter of the patch. Bend the unraveled ends at each side of the patch 90 degrees. Place the patch over the damaged area and carefully thread the bent wires through the sound fabric. Then bend the wires flat again to hold the patch in place.
• For fiberglass screening, simply cut a patch of similar material and affix it to the good material using transparent silicone glue.
If the window screen is beyond repair, re-screening is the best, most cost-efficient alternative. Re-screening is a project that most do-it-yourselfers can tackle with ease. All that is generally required is:
• New screen material.
• Screening spline (rubber piping that is used to hold the screen in place in the frame).
• A spline roller.
• An ice pick or screwdriver.
• A utility knife.
Unless the frames are bent or damaged, they can be reused. Simply remove the existing spline and the screen material can be lifted away. Wedge an ice pick or the blade of a screwdriver into the groove of the frame where the spline exists. Then, simply pull the spline out by hand. The screen will literally fall off the frame.
Next, cut a piece of screen material slightly larger than the frame and lay the screen onto the frame. Use the spline roller (looks like a pizza cutter) to force the new spline (and the screen) into the retainer groove of the frame. Cut the excess screen off by running the razor knife down the groove between the outside of the spline and the outside of the retainer groove.
That's all there is to it. Save the excess for patches.
For home improvement tips and information visit our Web site at www.onthehouse.com.

Chicago Apartment Rentals and For Sale By Owners

Are you looking for an apartment rental in Chicago? Craigslist has a bunch of listings, but it can be sort of a cumbersome endeavor to search through all their listings. I found this site:

www.greataz.com/housing

it allows yous to view all the listings graphically,check it out!!

It also has a BUNCH of for sale by owner listings. Make sure to click on Chicago to see the listings for Chicago.

Random tips to solve your household problems

By James and Morris Carey
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COURTESY SUBURBANCHICAGONEWS.COM

When it comes to our home, we often don't realize that there are simple solutions to problems that sometimes seem overwhelming. Here are a few examples:
Measuring cup madness: When was the last time that you had to measure out a cup of shortening? How long did it take? And how much mess did you make? First, you forced the fat into the cup and pressed down to try to fit more in, while at the same time the fat that was already in the cup was trying to ooze back out!
Well, try this simple technique the next time you want to measure an unmanageable cup of grease, butter or shortening. First, fill a 2- or 3-cup measuring container with good old-fashioned, plain tap water cold water. If your recipe calls for one cup of shortening, simply fill the container so that one cup of the measuring container remains empty. Next, spoon in the shortening until the water line raises one cup. Finally, scoop out the lump of shortening and use it in your recipe and pour the water out of the measuring cup and you will be surprised to discover that the cup is "clean as a whistle."
Preventing rock and roll: A friend recently gave us a first aid kit for our car. It really is neat. It's small and compact and filled with neat stuff for emergencies. Rather than the metal or hard plastic container that we normally see, this first aid kit is packed in a clear, soft-plastic envelope. The packaging makes it easy to view the contents and the soft sides make it easy to store.
However, we decided to put it in the trunk because it was a tad bit too big for the glove box. What we discovered was that as we drove around the smooth plastic container slipped and slid all around the trunk. How to fit it, we wondered?
Necessity definitely is the mother of all invention. Here's what we discovered: There is nothing like Velcro. That's right, Velcro. We affixed two pieces to the first aid kit and two matching pieces to the side wall of the trunk and in no time our problem was solved. If things that you carry on a regular basis rock and roll in your trunk (or other parts of your vehicle), try our Velcro solution. It works!
Got an itch you didn't have before?
A front-loading clothes washing machine saves water and, some say, will do less damage to your clothing. Regardless of the manufacturers claims, there are some significant differences between front- and top-loading machines that you really need to know about. Front-load machines do in fact use less water to wash an equivalent load of clothing. And, although less soap is recommended, the type of laundry detergent used also is very important. With front-loading machines, there is a significant chance of flooding when too much of the wrong detergent is used. Detergent for front-loaders foams less and for that reason will tend not to build up and overflow like the conventional type. Keep in mind that because front-loaders use less water, they also need far less detergent to get your clothes clean.
If you continue to use the same amount of detergent with your new front-loader as you used to use with your old top-loader, you may notice yourself scratching a new itch. A front-loader just isn't capable of dealing with all of that soap. So what happens is your clothes end up with a soap residue and (if you are even a little allergic) your can end up with a fierce rash.
Mouthwash: If you don't have a habit of reading the label on the products you buy, you may not realize that mouthwash is not made to swallow and can make you very sick. Read the label and see.
We aren't suggesting that you stop using your favorite mouthwash. However, we do think you ought to know that when you do use it you need to be careful. Children under 6 years of age should not use adult mouthwash. And no child should be allowed to use mouthwash without supervision.
Painting made less expensive: If you intend to use your paint roller and roller pan in the near future, then you might want to save a plastic grocery bag or two. Instead of paying for a plastic roller pan liner, simply pull a plastic grocery bag over the pan (like a shirt), pour in the paint, do the job, pour the excess paint back into the can and pull the plastic bag inside-out as you remove it from the roller pan.
You can store the roller inside the bag (overnight in the refrigerator) if you intend on painting the next day or you can simply throw the bag away no mess, no fuss, no bother.
And, that's all there is to it.
For home improvement tips and information visit the Web site at www.onthehouse.com

www.GreatChicagoRealEstate.com