Whether you live in a suburb or in the heart of the city, life is expensive. Sometimes it can feel as though everybody from the barista at your favorite coffee shop to the kid who sacks your groceries is trying to nickel-and-dime you half t…
How much water do you use in a month? If you live in a Chicago-area condominium or cooperative with a single meter for the entire property, you probably don’t know. Your association includes its monthly water and sewer bill in the monthly…
Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright built a home and studio here, Ernest Hemingway learned to write the great American novel here and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan mused about swinging from tree limb to tree limb, all in the village of Oa…
“It’s All Here!” exclaims Rosemont’s catchy slogan, with the Chamber of Commerce clearly paying tribute to the area’s mega quantity of tourist attractions, entertainment venues, cultural hot spots, corporate headquarters, sporting event fa…
Winter in Chicago can be brutal—piles of slushy gray snow to wade through and frigid winds that keep you inside. So you curl up with a good book, sip a cup of tea, and watch the flurries through the window. As the flakes fall, you might fi…
Unlike New York City and some other areas of the country, Chicago's residential real estate market has been slower in recovering from the recession. Nevertheless, signs of a full recovery are on the horizon. While the number of new c…
The Near North Side, or Community Area 8, is one mile north of The Loop and practically defines what is known today as Chicago, Illinois. It is home to the city’s largest skyscraper, the Willis Tower, (nee the Sears Tower), and the largest…
The capital of the state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County, Springfield is perhaps best known as the place where President Abraham Lincoln lived, became a prairie lawyer and held political office. With a population o…
As the holiday season approaches in the Windy City, many Chicagoans may be preoccupied with choosing gifts for picky family members, finding a parking spot downtown, or snagging that coveted new smartphone. Those who live in multifamily bu…
Most everyone has fond memories of celebrating holidays at home, school, church or synagogue, and maybe even in a town square or community center. Holidays offer a break from routine, usually different foods and treats—maybe even gifts! Th…