Live and Play in Chicago

Hollywood may be known as the movie capital of the world, but thanks to Chicago’s unique character (and some Illinois tax credits), our city is playing an increasing role in major film productions. Recently, The Windy City stood in for the fictional Gotham City in Christopher Nolan’s new Batman f...

Spring is on its way, a welcome change after a brisk Chicago winter. Bulbs are starting to sprout, buds are on the trees, and nature’s marvelous rebirth is right around the corner. Historically, spring is also that time of year when our real estate market comes alive, often with vigor. In years p...

When I think about Africa, my mind goes straight to the “Big Five.” These are the “trophy” animals that visitors often hope to see while on safari. They include the rhinoceros, elephant, leopard, buffalo and lion. Here in Chicago’s urban “jungle” we may not have thousand pound mammals roaming our...

Last weekend marked the beginning of spring in our household. My three boys (all under four years old) spent the last few days digging and playing outside. My oldest has a new specialty, “mud sandwiches” comprised of dirt squeezed between two rocks, and he informed me that he is planning to “grow...

“When did you buy your house?” writes real estate reporter Marcie Geffner in her recent Inman article by the same name. That was the question my friend Marilyn Stotts asked me during a recent gathering at a local restaurant. Not, “Where is your house?” “Do you like your house?” “How big is your h...

When I meet with prospective home buyers, one of their first questions is inevitably, “How low below the asking price should I expect to pay?” My answer is always the same… it depends! Some homes are priced fairly and others are grossly overpriced. I cannot recommend a generalized strategy as we ...

It is almost St. Patrick’s Day, that time of year when Chicago’s Irish heritage is put on display in dazzling, emerald green fashion. If you’re looking to get out and enjoy some of the festivities, consider these options. Note that some of these events are held in advance of March 17th, the offic...

It’s spring cleaning time! If you are busy sorting through your closets preparing to sell your home (or just because you need to), consider donating your unwanted men’s and women’s professional attire, handbags, accessories and shoes to the Bridge to Success program. The program also accepts unus...

Around this time of year, many Chicagoans are ready for a vacation, my family included. In our case, however, with three children under four years of age, hotels are not a good option. Shuttling the boys to a restaurant and back for all their meals is anything but relaxing, and we need more than ...

Happy birthday, Chicago! Yesterday, March 4, was exactly 172 years since Chicago was granted its charter, having been founded on a short, swampy portage near the Chicago River and named after a wild onion (humble beginnings, yes). Since then, Chicago has been the hog butcher for the world, the bi...