Mother’s Day is just around the corner in May and I just saw an ad for flowers online. It is ok to send your mom flowers by mail for Mother’s Day, but it’s kind of the we-live-far-away gift. If you’re able to go see your mom on Mother’s day, do that instead! And here are some ideas for that time.

Mother’s Day Brunch: Lots of restaurants have a brunch on Mother’s Day or that weekend. Didn’t mom cook for you all those years? Every day? One brunch isn’t too much to ask.Mom’s want to spend time with their kids and grand-kids most of all, this gives them a setting to do that in where nobody has to get stuck with the dishes. Check the local hotels and country clubs (golf clubs) in your area for brunch special events. If you want a different experience there are Oddessy Cruises on Lake Michigan that are on Sundays for brunch that have a great view of the skyline in Chicago. If you’re really into cooking it’s always great to cook a brunch for mom or have her over (with dad too) for a family dinner.  

Gardening Time: I’ve been a big fan of going to the local garden center (even if its Home Depot or Lowes) the weekend before Mother’s Day and getting my mom a car full of bedding plants and perennials for her garden. We did something different this year, I paid for their crab-apple trees to be sprayed for fungus. Yes, not all that cuddly of a present, but with 3 trees plus a magnolia that had a fungus growing on it, that was a lot of money well spent to save plants so we didn’t have to buy or plant new ones. Either way you go, spend time in the garden with mom, help plant things too, they do appreciate the help, especially since you’re always off working and there are some heavy lifting jobs in gardening (especially with mulch or potting soil). The Chicago Botanic Gardens & The Morton Arboretum are also great places to go with mom, but you may want to reschedule Mother’s Day to a less crowded weekend before or after the actual holiday to avoid the huge crowds.  

Shopping: Ok, going to the mall isn’t the most cost effective way to spend time together in a recession, but even if you don’t buy anything it gives you a place to walk around and talk. Sometimes its just fun to look at new styles and chat.

Postpone the holiday for a special event:You can always get Mom tickets to the Theater or the Orchestra playing and make it a fun day out later in the month if you know what mom likes. Sometimes someone to go with to a cultural event is a lot of fun and different. (check out Broadway in Chicago for updated show listings) The Art Institute is always a great day out and then a trip to Macy’s (Marshall Fields) can bring back old memories and traditions.

Craft Time: Taking a pottery class together or with grand-kids can always be fun and a creative way to spend time together. Local community colleges usually have classes as do places likeLill Street and other Chicago pottery studios. The neat thing about this is you get something glazed a few weeks later and you have the memory of something you made while spending time together.

And if you have to send something across the country to Mom and don’t have time to publish a book on Blurb or Flickr of all the family photos you have been taking on your iPhone of the kids, send an orchid plant. They last a long time, as do the flowers and only need water about once a week. They are a better deal than cut flowers that wilt in a day. (if you live in Chicago I recommend Hausermann’s Orchids in Villa Park for the most exotic and reasonably priced plants!)

We’re super grateful to both mom’s this year. We got married last summer and both moms were a great help in planning and getting everything done for the wedding. Since then we’ve sold one house and bought another and moved in. My husband’s mom has been instrumental in helping us clean and stage the house we sold and has been very helpful about getting the new one settled too. We will be celebrating family this year on Mother’s day.

Michael Buble’ is coming to Chicago with his “Crazy Love” tour on March 27, 2010. He will be performing in the enormous All State Arena. If you want to get tickets close enough to actually see him on stage, the Michael Buble’ fan club site always has preferred fan club seats available in advance of when regular tickets go on sale. (no they don’t all wear matching jackets) If you miss that opportunity to buy the tickets closest to the stage, then there are the regular tickets available through Ticketmaster where you can sign up for alerts about each artist and get alerted when they have new concert tickets available, although this time the Ticketmaster alerts were 2 days later than the fan club email.

By now you may think I am the most obsessed Michael Buble’ fan ever because I track these things, but surprisingly I am not an uber fan. I have been listening to Michael Buble’s music though since the first album he released, which I think was in 2002 yet I see the dates in iTunes only date back to 2003. I initially was drawn to his singing because it had such a vintage quality yet was more modern in style when I saw him on a late night talk show singing Sway. I enjoyed swing dancing at the time and it Michael Buble’s music became an instant fave with the swing dance groups back then.

I’ve seen Michael Buble’ in concert twice in Chicago and both shows were very very good. In fact, the first one was so good that I dragged everyone I knew to the second. This was back at the Cadillac Palace Theater in maybe 2005? The first time I saw him was in a tiny tiny retro style club (the Black Orchid?) that doesn’t exist anymore in piper’s alley. (Now I think that space is used for Tony & Tina’s wedding?) There were maybe 100 people there, seated at dinner tables in rows, enjoying his music. Like many performers in their early days, Michael Buble’ was very down to earth and talked with the people sitting in the front of the room a lot and told stories about his grandfather influencing him in finding this music. I was in the very back trying to show my appreciation for the singing by quietly dancing with Tom Walsh (aka sharkbite), and the organizers politely stopped us. (thank god) The singing is what blew me away though, he has good a voice in person as he did on the CD. That doesn’t always happen at concerts. By the time he was at the Caddilac Palace he had a full band backing him up, fancy backdrop and choreography.

Over time all performers evolve and Michael Buble’ has gone from a gawky young guy with a smooth voice to a full blown crooning mega star. He has been Top-40-popular in his home country (Canada) for many years and its nice to see him fill huge stadiums in the USA now too. I am surprised though that the American audience has adopted this retro crooner and his flirtatious ways as a mainstream popular artist. I was also a fan of Harry Connick Jr, who has a similar start in vintage styled Frank Sinatra songs and he never was fully accepted by the mainstream. (he also started acting and stopped singing after a few years)

The swing fad had its time, but Michael Buble’ seems to have crossover appeal because he has begun writing and releasing his own original work instead of just revamping the classics. (although we still enjoy the classics). His music that is released to radio stations is not vintage at all and just a good love song. The current popular hit is “I haven’t met you yet”.  It also doesn’t help that Michael Buble’ is shameless in his flirting with every cute single girl within a mile radius of the concert. There have been a lot of reports of him taking full advantage of that, so its not a wonder why his relationships don’t last long.

The truth is, his career will last longer if he is single. Every woman in America will loose interest the minute he gets engaged and the audience is usually 75% female. He opened the Chicago Caddilac Palace show with a line like: I’d like to thank all the men in the audience for coming. And as thanks, I am going to get you laid tonight. (meaning the date they brought will be so swooning by the end that its pretty much a flawless romantic mood setter).  And except for some awkward dancing, Michael Buble’ put on an awesome show that night.

So, for as long as Michael Buble’ is single, he is sexy, and he will keep packing stadiums to hear him sing. I think the concert on March 27 will be a blast and should not be missed. Get your tickets before the good seats sell out.

Hah, Gawker.com had a similar take on Michael’s popularity back in October.

I got an email from the nice people at Ebay last week letting me know that they would be on Michigan Avenue with a truck full of computers and a bunch of personal shoppers to help you find what you need in gifts to buy and ship anywhere in the USA this holiday season.

I saw the truck and the Ebay display as I walked to work this morning and remembered that these sidewalk promotions on Michigan Avenue downtown usually have somewhat mixed results for the company and the consumer. (which reminds me there was no Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog in the  410 plaza Michigan Avenue this October either, but they were ripping up pavement there too.)

Consumers walking on Michigan Avenue really want to get where they are going. About 80% of the people walking are people who work there and are either going to work, getting a quick lunch or going home. We don’t want to be interrupted or stopped by someone selling something because we just don’t have any spare time. The other 20% of people are tourists, but they are likley leary of someone trying to stop them also if they are in an unfamiliar town. You would be surprised how hard it is to give out free samples on a street like this where people don’t really want anything.

Ebay seemed to have a good mix of curiosity with the large computer truck set up on the turnaround drive in front of the Wrigley Building and a few people scattered on the sidewalk to answer questions without being a pest. If you work downtown in Chicago, stop by and check it out. Challenge the personal shoppers to a question about your toughest person to buy a gift for this Christmas.

You can search for Ebay items on the laptops they have set up and everyone was very friendly. I will go take a picture at lunch to share how it looks so you can stop by if it looks interesting.

The point of this post is that even though I find sidewalk promotions on Michigan Avenue in Chicago annoying, I do like the idea of finding unique gifts on Ebay for Christmas Shopping. (and people shop for just about everything else on Michigan Ave right?)

Personally I am bidding on some china plates for my mother in law for Christmas because she can’t find them anywhere and has lost several over the years (she only has 5 plates left and 2 bowls!) I also think its a neat place to find electronics at a better price than retail stores and a great source for antiques and jewelry. So, by chance I happen to actually agree with the point of the campaign. (I usually personally have an affinity for about 1/100 of the emails I am sent through the site)

Whether people will be buying a lot for Christmas this year is yet to be seen but Ebay is trying to get the word out that there are lower priced options and greener alternatives to buying new stuff every year and I agree with that. Another interesting place to check out is Etsy, which I am sure Ebay doesn’t want me to mention, but it’s like Ebay with out the auctions and with more interesting well marketed /photographed/hand crafted stuff. And there is always the donate to charity option for the Holidays if you have too much stuff too. I have a feeling that this will not be a typical Christmas in Chicago.

I just wanted to share the list of streets closed for this weekend’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon in the city. If you live downtown or up north in Chicago, beware of parking bans and getting your car towed tonight also in addition to these streets that will be inaccessible. Most streets re-open on Sunday afternoon when the race is over, but some streets take longer to clear and won’t be open again until Monday morning. If you are viewing/cheering the Chicago Marathon, take public transportation downtown. If you live in the area, I recommend staying in for the weekend, or using public transit. Driving will be difficult. But then again its just once a year.

The following information was provided by the Chicago Police Department.

Please note that although the Bank of America Marathon is on Sunday, some street closures will be in effect as early as Thursday evening.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Date: Sunday, 11 Oct 09

Start Time: 7:30 am

Start Location: Monroe and Columbus

Finish Location: Columbus north of Roosevelt Street

Closures for site set up, event and teardown:

• Columbus from Roosevelt to Congress Pkwy- Closed: Friday, 09 Oct 09 at 10am Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Columbus from Congress Pkwy to Jackson- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 4pm
• Columbus from Jackson to Monroe- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 11am
• Columbus from Monroe to Randolph- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3 am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 9:30am
• Balbo from Columbus to LSD- Closed: Thursday, 09 Oct 09 at 7pm Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Balbo from Michigan to Columbus- Closed: Friday, 10 Oct 09 at 10am Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Congress Pkwy from Michigan to Columbus- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 4pm
• North & South Congress Circle Michigan to Congress Pkwy- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3pm
• Jackson from Michigan to Columbus- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 11am
• Jackson from Columbus to LSD- Closed: Saturday, 10 Oct 09 at 6am Opened: Monday, 12 Oct 09 at 6am
• Monroe from Michigan to LSD- Closed: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 3am Opened: Sunday, 11 Oct 09 at 9:30am

For further marathon route and information go to chicagomarathon.com There will be rolling street closures and streets will be opened as soon as it is safe to do so. Also check the Chicago CTA website for updates on how they have modified the bus routes for the weekend and added extra trains to handle crowds.

Have you been thinking of some home improvement projects but are afraid to spend the money in the current economy? Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Products can help. It is scary not knowing if all our jobs will be around in 6 months, but if you have some savings to use for these projects and really need new windows, doors, more efficient electric appliances, new attic insulation or a new furnace or air conditioner there are some Tax Credits that may help you save 30% more  than you can get discounted at the store.

I recently got an email from my realtor about making these home improvements that are tax deductible. You can’t get all the money back that you spend on the energy efficient appliances, windows or alternative energy sources like solar and thermal heat, but you can get up to 30% back. If you need these things anyway now is the time to buy before the end of 2010 because the Tax credits may not all be available beyond then. Here are the details from the home buyer email:

Energy efficiency Tax Credits offered by the federal government could be even more useful for the average homeowner.

You may be eligible for a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of materials (up to $1,500) for certain products purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31st, 2010.

Below are the rating specifications for eligible energy efficiency products:

Product Category Product Type Tax Credit Specification

Insulation Meets 2009 IECC & Amendments

Windows & Doors Windows, Doors, and Skylights Before June 1, 2009: Must meet ENERGY STAR criteria After June 1, 2009: U factor <= 0.30 SHGC <= 0.30

Storm Windows & Storm Doors In combination with the exterior window over which it is installed: has a U-factor and SHGC of 0.30 or below Meets the IECC

Roofing Metal Roofs, Asphalt Roofs All ENERGY STAR qualified metal and reflective asphalt shingles HVAC Central A/C Split Systems: SEER >= 16, EER >=13 Package systems: SEER >= 14, EER >= 12

Air Source Heat Pumps Split Systems: HSPF >= 8.5, EER >= 12.5, SEER >= 15 Package systems: HSPF >= 8, EER >= 12, SEER >= 14

Natural Gas or Propane Furnace AFUE >= 95

Oil Furnace AFUE >= 90 Gas, Propane, or Oil Hot Water Boiler AFUE >= 90

Advanced Main Air Circulating Fan No more than 2% of furnace total energy use.

Water Heaters Gas, Oil, Propane Water Heater Energy Factor >= 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.

Electric Heat Pump Water Heater Same criteria as ENERGY STAR: Energy Factor >= 2.0

Biomass Stove Biomass Stove Stove which burns biomass fuel to heat a home or heat water. Thermal efficiency rating of at least 75% as measured using a lower heating value.

Extended Opportunities: The following upgrades are eligible for a 30% of cost tac credit (without an upper limit) if placed into service before December 31st, 2016:

Geo-Thermal Heat Pump Geo-Thermal Heat Pump Same criteria as ENERGY STAR: Closed Loop: EER >= 14.1, COP >= 3.3 Open Loop: EER >= 16.2, COP >= 3.6 Direct Expansion: EER >= 15, COP >= 3.5

Solar Energy Systems Solar Water Heating At least half of the energy generated by the “qualifying property” must come from the sun.

Homeowners may only claim spending on the solar water heating system property, not the entire water heating system of the household. The credit is not available for expenses for swimming pools or hot tubs. The water must be used in the dwelling.

The system must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC). Photovoltaic Systems Photovoltaic systems must provide electricity for the residence, and must meet applicable fire and electrical code requirement.

Small Wind Energy Systems Residential Small Wind Turbines (windmills) Has nameplate capacity of not more than 100 kilowatts.

Fuel Cells Residential Fuel Celland microturbine system Efficiency of at least 30% and must have a capacity of at least 0.5 kW.

It is Fall TV Season Premiertime again in Chicago. Yet few of the listings I see on the internet are in local Chicago time zone time. So, I have taken the eastern standard time zone listings and converted them below into the new fall season schedules for Channels ABC 7, NBC 5, CBS 2 and Fox 32 in Chicago. (and the suburbs)

Every year this is the time new TV shows start popping up on TV and unfortunately within a month about half of them fail on average. I hope you enjoy all of the new TV season premiers this year in 2009. I also hope you find some good shows to watch this season and I hope your favorite premiers become long running series shows. Sometimes you can find recaps and episodes of the season premiers on the web also, on the network websites within a week before the launch date. I usually watch everything once and then whittle it down to the shows I want to watch and its usually 2-3 per year.

ABC New Fall TV Series Premiere Dates: Channel 7 in Chicago

Saturday Night Football: Saturday, September 5, 7 pm CST
20/20: Friday, September 11, 9 pm CST
Dancing With the Stars: Monday, September 21, 7 pm CST
Castle: Monday, September 21, 9 pm CST
The Forgotten: Tuesday, September 22, 9 pm CST
Dancing With the Stars Results Show: Wednesday, September 23, 7 pm, (special day and time)
Modern Family: Wednesday, September. 23, 9 pm CST
Cougar Town: Wednesday, September 23, 8:30 pm CST
Eastwick: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST
FlashFoward: Thursday, September 24, 7 pm CST
Grey’s Anatomy: Thursday, September 24, 8 pm CST
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Sunday, September 27, 6 pm CST (two hours)
Desperate Housewives: Sunday, September 27, 8 pm CST
Brothers & Sisters: Sunday, September 27, 9 pm CST
Shark Tank: Tuesday, September 29, 7 pm CST (summer run began on Sunday, Aug. 9)
Hank: Wednesday, September 30, 7 pm CST
The Middle: Wednesday, September 30, 7:30 pm CST
America’s Funniest Home Videos: Sunday, October 4, 6 pm CST
Ugly Betty: Friday, October 9, 8 pm CST (two hours)
Supernanny: Friday, October 16, 8 pm CST

NBC Series Premiere Dates: Channel 5 in Chicago

Sunday Night Football (Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers): Sunday, September 13, 8:15 pm CST
The Jay Leno Show: Monday, September 14, 10 pm CST (series premiere, every weeknight)
The Biggest Loser: Tuesday, September 15, 8 pm CST (two hours)
Saturday Night Live Weekend Thursday Update: Thursday, September 17, 8 pm CST
Parks and Recreations: Thursday, September 17, 8:30 pm CST
The Office: Thursday, September 17, 9 pm CST
Community: Thursday, September 17, 9:30 pm CST (series premiere); moves to Thursday 8 p.m. six weeks later
Heroes: Monday, September 21, 8 pm CST (new time, two hours)
Mercy: Wednesday, September 23, 8 pm CST (series premiere)
Law & Order: SVU: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST (new day and time)
Law & Order: Friday, September 25, 8 pm CST (new day and time)
Southland: Friday, September 25, 9 pm CST (new time)
Dateline: Saturday, September 26, 8 pm CST
Trauma: Monday, September 28, 9 pm CST (series premiere)
Community: Thursday, October 8, 8 pm CST (new time period)
30 Rock: Thursday, October 15, 9:30 pm CST

CBS Series Premiere Dates: Channel CBS 2 in Chicago

Survivor: Samoa: Thursday, September 17, 7 pm CST (18th edition premiere)
How I Met Your Mother: Monday, September 21, 7 pm CST (5th season premiere)
Accidentally on Purpose: Monday, September 21, 7:30 pm CST
Two and a Half Men: Monday, September 21, 8 pm CST  (7th season premiere)
The Big Bang Theory: Monday, September 21, 8:30 pm CST  (3rd season premiere)
CSI: Miami: Monday, September21, 9 pm CST (8th season premiere)
NCIS: Tuesday, September 22, 7 pm CST (7th season premiere)
NCIS: Los Angeles: Tuesday, September 22, 8 pm CST
The Good Wife: Tuesday, September 22, 9 pm CST
The New Adventures of Old Christine: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST (5th season premiere)
Gary Unmarried: Wednesday, September 23, 7:30 pm CST (2nd season premiere)
Criminal Minds: Wednesday, September 23, 8 pm CST (5th season premiere)
CSI: NY: Wednesday, September 23, 9 pm CST  (6th season premiere)
CSI: Thursday, Sept. 24: Thursday, September 24: 8 pm CST (10th season premiere)
The Mentalist: Thursday, September 24: Thursday, Sept. 24: 9 pm CST (2nd season premiere)
Ghost Whisperer: Friday, September 25, 7 pm CST (5th season premiere)
Medium: Friday, September 25, 8 pm CST  (6th season premiere, new network)
Numbers: Friday, September 25, 9 pm CST  (5th season premiere)
48 Hours Mystery: Saturday, September 26, 9 pm CST
60 Minutes: Sunday, September 27, 6 pm CST  (42nd season premiere)
The Amazing Race: Sunday, September 27, 7 pm CST (15th edition premiere, two hours)
Cold Case: Sunday,  September 27, 9 pm CST (7th season premiere)
Three Rivers: Sunday, October. 4, 8 pm CST

Fox Series Premiere Dates: Chicago Channel 32

Cops: Saturday, September 12, 7 pm CST
America’s Most Wanted: Saturday, Sept. 12, 8 pm CST
So You Think You Can Dance: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7 pm CST
Glee: Wednesday, September 16, 8 pm CST (new)
Bones: Thursday, September 17, 7 pm CST
Fringe: Thursday, September 17, 8 pm CST
Brothers: Friday, September 18, 7 pm CST(new)
‘Til Death: Friday, September 18, 7:30 pm CST
Dollhouse: Friday, September 18, 8 pm CST
House: Monday, September 21, 7 pm CST (two hours)
The Simpsons: Sunday, September 27, 7 pm CST
The Cleveland Show: Sunday, September 27, 7:30 pm CST (new)
Family Guy: Sunday, September 27, 8 pm CST
American Dad: Sunday, September 27, 8:30 pm CST
Lie To Me: Monday, September 28, 8 pm CST
The Wanda Sykes Show: Saturday, November 7, 10 pm CST

Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruises and Toursare one of the top attractions I recommend for tourists and locals alike when visiting downtown Chicago in the summer.  It offers a chance to see Chicago from a different perspective and is relatively cheap for entertainment. It is a great stay-cation activity this summer, and it is a local activity that is fun, relatively cheap and kid/family friendly. I hope everyone is enjoying the mild weather and the time off from work. I will post more frequently in the coming weeks after the big day has passed this Saturday.

chicago architecture river tours

Here are my recommendations for summer fun in Chicago:

1. The Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise – This is a very popular Chicago River boat tour because Chicago is known for the great mid century and art deco architecture downtown. This Chicago River Cruise lasts about one and a half hours and costs $28 per person. The views of Chicago from the Chicago River are different than anywhere else in the city downtown. Looking up at the buildings that line the river is almost like walking back in history. The hosts of the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Tours always have the background, dates and interesting stories about these buildings you see.

They give you the background and history on why the buildings are as they are today and what companies and purposes they had back in the day that is entertaining even if you are a local tourist. A lot has changed in Chicago over the decades, but the architecture is one of the few things that stays the same. This tour tells you the history of why things are they way they are and who built this great city. Look to the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s web sitefor tickets, tour dates and times and what events are happening in conjunction with the tours coming up this month. architecture.org The starting point for the tour is on the corner of Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue downtown near the loop. Check out the tour this summer, they run until November when the boats stop running for the winter.

These are the updates I just got about Memorial Day Parade and Street Closures in Chicago. If you are planning on attending the Chicago Memorial Day Parade, The JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge Race, The Memorial March, or the Bike the Drive event, check this list first to find out where the streets are closed and where/when the events happen. I hope eveyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend and have a burger from the grill for me!

J. P. MORGAN CHASE CORPORATE CHALLENGE (3.5 miles) on Thursday, 21 May 09, 6pm – 10pm:

This event site will be in Grant Park, Lower Hutchinson Field.

The run will take place on Columbus Drive from Roosevelt Rd to Wacker Drive.

Start time for the run is at 7:10 pm.

Columbus will close at 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm from Roosevelt Rd to Balbo.

Columbus from Balbo to Wacker Drive, as well as the east west streets in this area will remain open for as long as possible to allow for the end of rush hour traffic.

The on site CPD Commander will give the order to close the streets shortly before the race begins.

At the end of the race, as soon as it is safe to do so, Columbus from Balbo to Wacker Drive and the east west streets in the area will be opened.

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE on Saturday, 23 May 09:

The parade route is from Wacker Drive to Van Buren on State Street, step off 12 noon.

State Street and the east west streets along the route will close at 11:30 am.

Wacker Drive will be closed for staging from Wabash to Lake Street at 8:00 am.

Van Buren will be closed for vehicles and disbanding from Michigan to Franklin at 8:00 am.

The parade will last approximately 2 hours and streets will be opened to traffic as soon as it is safe.

BIKE THE DRIVE on Sunday, 24 May 09:

The event site will be in Grant Park, Butler Field the bike route is on Lake Shore Drive.

Lake Shore Drive will be closed to vehicle traffic from 5:00 am to 10:30 am from Hollywood to 63rd Street.

AMERICANS FOR LIFE, LIFE MEMORIAL MARCH on Friday, 22 May 09:

This group will meet at the Thompson Center Plaza; the march will step off at 11:30 am.

A group of 2000 to 3000 people will march south on Clark St to Adams, east on Adams into Federal Plaza.

The group will hold a rally at Federal plaza until approximately 2:30 pm.

During the march traffic will be affected from Wacker Drive to Jackson and State to LaSalle.

As soon as it is safe, streets will be opened to traffic.

Vintage Black and White Mother's Day Photos with Kids.

There are a lot of ideas for spending Mother’s Day in Chicago with mom this year. Whether your mom is a corporate VP or a stay at home multitasking genius, there is something you can do to make this Sunday’s Mother’s Day Special.

Mother’s Day Flowers are always a great gift. Most moms love flowers so getting a bouquet of roses, flower arrangement of dasies or car load of bedding flowers for the front yard are all great ideas.  I have been taking my mom flower shopping for several years now the week before Mother’s Day. We buy a few hanging pots of geraniums and some flats of flowers for the garden (petunias, begonias, dahlias and maybe a rosebush or a flowering shrub if we need one that year).

Blue Butterfly on an Orange Zinnia, Flowers are a great gift for Mother's Day

I end up spending about $100 since it is a fancy place for flowers (Vern Goers in Hinsdale), but the Jewel stores have their greenhouses up and the home depot sells a lot of interesting bedding plants also. (also try The Growing Place in Naperville. ) You probably want to go home and help mom plant them in the garden and pots too, in order to really make it a great gift and a great day.

Mother’s Day Brunches

There are numerous Mother’s Day brunches all over Chicagoland on Sunday May 10th. Some good local Chicagoland restaurants I know of are:

Vintage Moms of the 1950's. What would they would have liked? What do they want us to remember?

The Glen Prairie Restaurant in Glen Ellyn, McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant in Chicago, ZED451 in Chicago and the very popular Naperville Hilton Sunday Brunch at Allgauer’s in Naperville. You need reservations for all these restaurants on Mother’s Day. They all are usually booked for their Sunday brunches and Mother’s Day is no different. Call now to see if there is still room!

Mother’s day Gift Ideas

If you can’t afford an iPhone or a luxury spa vacation for mom here are some good Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for kids and families.

What most moms want is to be appreciated and to spend quality fun time with their kids. With how hectic the schedules are in our lives with work and home responsibilities, nobody gets enough quality time. Doing something for the day for the family is probably what mom would like best.

The famous Blue Box from Tiffany's.

Also keep your ears open for what mom has been talking about needing latley. Does the dishwasher make a menacing noise when it starts? Would the thought of doing dishes by hand in the sink every night grind your life and schedule to a halt? Is the washer starting a leak or acting funny stopping mid cycle? Getting things for the home that need upgrading is a great way to get a gift for mom and help both parents in the house get things done quicker.

Not all mom’s want to be reminded of the work they do at home on Mother’s Daythough. Some moms want to go out and experience the world that they left behind when they had kids. Maybe this kind of mom wants a night out withdad in the city, with a broadway show, fancy dinner and four star hotel.

Mother’s Day Traditions

If you really think about it, moms are the glue that holds nature and life together. Without all their nurturing and caring how would human life transfer knowledge to the next generation and continue? If you think about it, its pretty amazing that life has existed as long as it has, and how within a few short decades the generational shift in the world is huge. Moms also influence heavily who you become and some of your deepest personality traits. Women have traditionally played an important role in making all life possible on earth, lets give them the credit they deserve.

some produce at the organic farmer's market

The Chicago Green City Market will be moving outside to Lincoln Park (1750 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614) on Wednesday, May 6, with a kick off rally for the 2009 season on Saturday, May 9!

the Chicago Green City Market is known for having great locally grown and organic produce. If you believe in the 100 mile rule for buying food and consumables or just like the idea of fresh locally grown items this is the place to go in the city. The market grows to a larger size in the summer with the produce that is seasonally available then. The prices are very reasonable and usually lower than

The Chicago Green City Market will continue in the park Wednesdays and Saturdays (except 4th of July) from 7 am to 1 pm.

Until then, the Chicago Green City Market will continue in their winter home at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum on Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm, April 18th and April 25th.

Green, Yellow, Red, Orange and Purple Peppers

Alice Waters makes a special visit to the market on the 25th for her book signing of The Edible Schoolyard, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am.

Check out the Green City Market to find some great locally grown fruit and vegetables this year to improve your diet and your health.

This outdoor produce market near Lake Michigan in Lincoln Park Chicago is noteworthy because it’s usually a whole-day event to do with shopping as well as chef demonstrations and local vendors selling prepared food from products sold at the market. They focus on sustainable and organic agriculture where ever they can, and in Chicago that is a challenge. The City of Chicago farmers markets also open in May. Get your baskets, bags and bicycles ready. You can find out more about the schedules and locations of the farmer’s market in your neighborhood here at: explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/special_events/mose/chicago_farmers_markets.html

Rock out with your _ out.

Lollapalooza Tickets are on Sale now! The Lollapalooza 2009 tickets went on sale today and are available at variable prices with the first come first served lowest price model. Here is how it works. Right now the early bird 3-day pass is $175. That is a great deal for 3 whole days and nights of concerts and bands. Then when those sell out, the advance tickets will be available at $190 each. Then when those advance Lollapalooza 2009 tickets sell out the price may go over $250. Then when all the tickets are sold out (in July) the re-sellers start charging around $350 for 3 day passes. If you are a rich exec or company looking to get VIP access those VIP Tickets are $850! (YIKES!)

Nine inch nails play for the crowd in Grant Park in 2008.

It is in your own best interest to go over to the Lollapalooza.com site and buy the tickets now and get them for around 1/2 price as an early bird. They get sent in the mail closer to the concert festival date so you don’t have to worry if you forget about them, and you don’t have to save up a ton of money later in the summer when there are lots of events going on that fill up the budget.

In this economy I think that the regular Lollapalooza tickets will probably still sell out since it’s such a festival about all kinds of people, music and ideas. People will still want to come together and be a part of the music because it is a unique experience (some call it a big hippie-fest) they can’t find anywhere else. It’s worth it to cut out other high priced items and keep Lollapalooza on your summer todo list or keep it on the agenda to travel to Chicago to see.

The concerts are usually from very popular bands and singers also so most everyone finds a few bands they love and a few new groups they have not heard of yet that they discover. (although somewhat less discovery these days) The lineup for 2009 has not been announced yet, but it is usually expected to have some of the biggest names in music on it. Check back for more details when they become available.

Spring is the time that most people look for an apartment in Chicago. Rental Leases are up and it is the first time for the year that it is warm enough that you can actually move furniture our of one apartment and into a new apartment without freezing. April-June are the high points for most apartment rental searches so that means most people start looking in February, March and April in order to see enough places to make a decision on which lease to sign and where to move to in Chicago by May or June.

There are many ways to start your search for a new apartment in Chicago. If you are moving here from out of town most people find that making an appointment with an apartment rentals listing/finder service is an efficient way to see a lot of apartments over one or two weekends (with a guide) that they visit and then they can make their decisions within a few weeks. This way of searching for a new apartment in Chicago has a higher price though because there is always a finder’s fee involved in the cost of the apartment.

Lots of vintage buildings have apartments available that have charm and character you won't find in new apartment rentals.

Other people prefer to go it alone looking at craigslist or other apartment rentals listing sites (like apartments.com) for individual apartment listings and see the units on their own time schedule. This is more convenient if you already live in the neighborhood and generally you find better deals this way,but it may take 2-3 months to find the right apartment unit. Craigslist has many search options and ways to filter the search results and RSS feeds so you only see what you can afford and most listings have some photos that help you weed out the seedy/gross places. 

A lot of people consider the night life and amenities in a particular Chicago neighborhood to be a large part of their decision on where to find an apartment. Getting around in Chicago with 9.5 million other people isn’t easy, so being as close to work, friends and convenient places to hang out is definitely an asset. The problem is that the places closest to downtown are the most expensive and the places closest to a lot of bars and trendy hangouts in Lincoln Park and Lakeview are also in high demand and therefore cost a lot also.

A typical 1 bedroom apartment floorplan in Chicago

Sometimes you can find better prices on rent for apartments further north in the city like Buena Park, Uptown and Lincoln Square. These neighborhoods have a longer commute if you work downtown, but you can save $200-$300 per month on your rent. Another option may be to rent a condo that someone can’t sell in this bad real estate economy. Many condo owners who have moved or gotten married just want to recoup some of the cash they are paying in monthly mortgage payments so they are usually very negotiable on rental prices. You also get someones home that was probably taken care of much better than a rental unit. A lot of newly rehabbed condos with luxury details are available for rent from individual owners listed on craigslist or other classified sites.  

How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Chicago?

I know people in Lakeview/Lincoln park that pay $750 per month for a 500 sq ft studio apartment without parking, and the price goes up from there. A 1 bedroom might be around $1,200 per month and a 2 bedroom might be around $1,800 especially if you want parking. Extra parking rental spaces can run from $150 – $300 per month depending on where it is located and if it is a garage or not.

A modern apartment that would be typical in Lakeview or Wicker Park neighborhoods in Chicago.

If you go further north the prices drop a few hundred dollars per unit. Also, Oak Park is a convenient alternative where a 1 bedroom might only be $850 per month and the parking is free. Oak Park apartments are still walking distance to the el for commuting to work downtown every day and the suburb is right next to the city so you can enjoy all the nightlife. Other people have found Evanston to be an alternative to living in Chicago and paying high apartment rentals prices. Evanston prices are very comparable to Oak Park and the buildings there are very similar also. The only difference is which train line you take to work. The Purple line instead of the Green line.  

Even cheaper apartment rent yet is available the south side of the city or some of the near west neighborhoods like Humboldt Park in Chicago.These neighborhoods may have lower rent rates for a reason though and it is always important to feel safe in the area that you decide to rent an apartment and live for a few years. Checking the crime reports through the local newspapers online is a good way to assess the situation and decide. 

How much of your income should you spend on rent each month?

A typical starter apartment where someone brings their bikes in because in Chicago cutting the locks & stealing bikes is all too common.

I think the guide to getting approved for a lease is around 25-30% of your monthly after tax income.Don’t forget you have to figure in the cost of utilities, parking, food and transportation also each month on top of rent. Some apartments come with heat or water included in the rent price, but not all of them do. If you find one that does, it is rare. The cost of food and utilities is about 25% more in the city than in the suburbs also. Finding roommates can help share the costs of rent but finding someone you can live with and share a bathroom with can be a serious challenge.

Wherever you decide to live in Chicago I hope this information helps you find the best deal on cheap apartment rent while finding a place you really like to live in. After you find your new apartment that you love you may want to check out whitefence.com for finding the cheapest utilities in your area also.