Now that the Labor Day Weekend is behind us, it’s time to begin preparing for the arrival of the autumn season in a couple of weeks!  And it just so happens that this weekend’s events are starting us off in the right direction!!

The largest outdoor literary showcase in the Midwest, the Printers Row Lit Fest, returns for its 37^th year this Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.) to South Dearborn Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Polk Street in the historic Printers Row neighborhood.  This fest features new, old, rare, and hard-to-find literary treasures in addition to engaging literary events with local and national bestselling authors and over 100 independent and diverse booksellers.  It also features readings, spoken word performances, writing workshops, and more!  It even has a dedicated poetry tent this year as well as a multitude of other events geared towards children and young adults, offering family-friendly fun and opportunities for writers and book lovers of all ages!!

For 17 years now, the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce has presented one of the most unique and popular art festivals in Chicago.  Continuing that tradition, this year’s Lakeview East Festival of the Arts takes place this Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m.-7 p.m.) on Broadway Street between Belmont Avenue and Hawthorne Place in the Lakeview East neighborhood.  This festival showcases over 150 juried artists featuring world-class original paintings, furniture, jewelry, sculpture, photography, and more which are also available for sale in a wide range of prices!  In addition, the festival also includes live music on multiple stages; a children’s play area; live demonstrations; food, beer, and wine booths; an interactive garden oasis and much more!!

It’s that time of year again when the German American Oktoberfest returns to the corner of Lincoln and Western Avenues in the Lincoln Square neighborhood this Saturday (12 p.m. – 11 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m. – 10 p.m.).  This fest is filled with German hospitality in two large tents where visitors can try authentic German food and traditional drinks; dance to the music of three German bands; enjoy performances of traditional singing and dancing groups from Chicago; and visit the amusement section of the fest to enjoy many carnival games!  Plus, don’t forget to attend the Von Steuben German Day Parade on Sunday (2 p.m.) at Lincoln Avenue and Irving Park Road which heads to Eastwood, West to Western, then North to Lawrence!!

Considered one of the largest parades in the Midwest, the Mexican Independence Day Parade takes place this Sunday (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.) in the Little Village neighborhood beginning at 26^th Street and Albany Avenue, proceeding down 26^th Street to Kostner Avenue.  This parade features brightly colored floats, mariachi bands, and folkloric dancing with this year’s theme being “Nuestra Unidad es Nuestra Fortaleza” (Our Unity is Our Strength)!

The FanDuel FanFest is coming to Guaranteed Rate Field (333 W. 35^th St.) in Bridgeport this Saturday (2 p.m. – 9 p.m.).  What a day is planned for attendees!  There will be live performances by Alesso and Wiz Khalifa along with athlete appearances by Brian Urlacher, Devin Hester, Charles Tillman, Matt Forte, Ozzie Guillen, Chris Chelios, and more!  Plus, there will be food trucks, a full beer garden, sports themed carnival games, trophy photos ops, and free chances to win over $10,000 in prizes!!

Football season is here as our beloved Chicago Bears host the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field (1410 S. Museum Campus Dr.) in the South Loop this Sunday with kickoff at 12 p.m. as they open their new season!  I wonder what this season will bring us!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

My family consists of one second-generation Swede, three third-generation Swedes and one Danish in-law, two fourth-generation Swedish/Danish mixes and one Swedish mix. In our family, Swedish cooking, baking and celebrating St. Lucia Day (December 13) are mandatory rites of passage. What’s more, my mother’s late father was a restauranteur. So, our standards are inherently high. 

We’re lucky to live in Chicago, which has been blessed with numerous Swedish restaurants, from the late, great puppet show/smorgasbord Kungsholm to the present-day Ann Sather. 

Into the mix should be Tre Kronor (Three Crowns). Owner/Chefs Patty Rasmussen and Larry Anderson serve hearty Scandinavian meals in a traditional, rustic backdrop with outdoor seating. We discovered it several years ago, celebrating my mother’s birthday. The friendly staff goes above and beyond every time to accommodate special requests, special occasions, and special people. And here, it seems that everyone is special. 

We all fell in love with Tre Kronor ‘s peerless, homemade cinnamon buns. One Foursquare reviewer remarked that “The cinnamon buns here make Ann Sather’s taste like they came out of an EZ-bake oven….” Oof. On our last visit, they ran out of cinnamon rolls before we got there. No matter! That allowed us to try another peerless specialty, Cardamom rolls. This “queen of spices’, paired with a dusting of powdered-sugar, reminded us of the ‘Lucia Cat’ rolls we make on St. Lucia Day, minus the raisin and saffron. 

I had the Stockholm Omelette, filled with Falukorv sausage and havarti cheese in every bite. All egg dishes are accompanied by seasoned potatoes and your choice of limpa (Swedish rye bread), white, or wheat toast. My picky 17-year old had their Muesli mix of nuts, dried fruits and cereal, served with yogurt or fresh fruit. They especially liked that the yogurt wasn’t too sweet. They added a side of pepper sausage, which they also deemed delicious. My brother went with the Norwegian Meatball Sandwich, hot with gravy (or served cold with egg and tomato,) open-faced on limpa toast. Another can’t-miss is the Reubenssen, ade with cornbeef, sauerkraut and Jarlsberg cheese, served on limpa toast. My nephew ordered their Belgian Waffle. While not a Scandinavian specialty, the waffle is top-loaded with bananas, berries and whipped cream, which received a huge thumbs-up and an empty plate. No greater compliment! 

My mother goes there for one reason only—the opportunity to order freshly made Pannekaker-two lid-sized, thin Swedish pancakes filled with lingonberry preserves. 

Other highlights include daily specials, including a not-to-be-missed Quiche of the Day, served with fresh fruit. 

Our family is not the only family that loves Tre Kronor. 

“One of our all time favorite brunch spots and of course they did not disappoint,” said a Google reviewer. “The Stockholm Omelette is great for meat lovers and the Belgian waffle is great for those who prefer sweetness for breakfast. If you live on the North side of Chicago, then you HAVE to visit this place! Such a cute little spot with fabulous outdoor seating in the summer and super friendly staff.”

Tre Kronor is located at 3258 W. Foster Avenue, and is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am-4pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am-8pm, and Sundays from 9am-3pm. No reservations; it’s recommended that you call ahead and check to see if they can accommodate your party. For more information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

It costs a lot of money to maintain a home, but you might be spending more than is necessary. Your utility bills can be lowered significantly by reducing the amount of energy used in your home, and doing so may be much simpler than you believe. Small adjustments here and there can add up to big savings.

Here are some easy ways you can save energy in your home that are good for the environment, and your wallet.

Replace incandescent lights

Conventional incandescent lightbulbs only convert about 10% of the energy used into light; the rest is lost in heat. Swapping these lights with more innovative LEDs can significantly cut back on energy that’s not being used for lighting purposes. Not only do LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, they also last about 10 times longer.

Skip the dishwasher

The amount of energy dishwashers use to heat the water and dry the dishes is significant. If you can stand it, consider washing the dishes by hand. At the very least, switch off the automatic air-dry after the final rinse and open the door open slightly to help the dishes dry faster.

Turn off electronics when not in use

All of your home’s TVs, computers, and other electronics are wasting energy when they’re left on and not being used. Plug your devices into a smart power strip that uses a lot less energy when they’re in standby mode.

Turn the temperature of your water heater down.

If you’d prefer to keep your current water heater, consider turning its temperature down to about 120°F. In addition, turn it down even lower when you’re away for a few days

Maintain your HVAC system

Your heating and air conditioning systems should be maintained at least once a year to make sure they’re working optimally and not using up more energy than necessary to operate. About 50% of the energy used in a home comes directly from these HVAC systems, so the more efficiently they function, the less energy will be wasted.

Insulate your windows and doors

Windows and doors that allow air leakage account for as much as one-third of energy loss in a home. Seal all these leaks with some caulking, and weatherstrip your windows and doors to prevent even further air loss.

Use less water and heat with your laundry

Little changes that are made when doing the laundry can save a great deal of energy. Don’t do the laundry until you’ve got a full load, and wash each load in cold water to cut back on energy used to heat the water. Once the laundry is done, hang the clothes up to air dry rather than using the dryer.

Come on, this isn’t really the end of summer! Though Labor Day Weekend typically signals the end of vacations, there are still three more weeks of summer left on the calendar, with elongated evenings, warm temperatures and fun outdoor activities still abound! Enjoy! 

And All That Jazz… For more than 40 years,Labor Day Weekend meant one thing for Chicagoans.. the Chicago Jazz Festival! From Thursday, September 1 to Sunday, September 4, the oldest of Chicago’s free lakefront music festivals boasts a diverse lineup, which includes free neighborhood concerts leading up to the main show at Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph Street. 

However, this year’s fest is so much more than Grant Park.  On Thursday, September 1, from 3:30-4:30pm – The Marlene Rosenberg Quartet performs at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Preston Bradley Hall, while at their Claudia Cassidy Theater at 3:15pm, a special 65th anniversary screening of ‘What is This Thing called Jazz?’ which follows Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong on tour  Europe, Africa and back to the United States in the mid-1950s, captured by the camera crews of  journalist Edward R. Murrow. The bebop revolution known as jazz starts at Millennium Park, in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. From 6:30-7:30pm – Mike Allemana Vonology, followed by Henry Threadgill Zooid at 7:45pm. For a complete schedule, click here. 

No Bull…Mark your calendars for the inaugural Bulls Fest on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4 at the United Center’s vast parking lot, 1901 W. Madison, from 8am-10pm. Lots of hoop-ifying entertainment, including a 3×3 Tournament, world-class entertainment like G Herbo, Da Brat, Bulls mascot Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls autographs, photo ops, and local Chicago bands, including Sixteen Candles. Free admission to all fans and a new opportunity to build excitement as the Bulls get ready for the start of the 2022-2023 regular season!. For more information, click here. 

Taste of Polonia Festival…The 40^th Anniversary of the Copernicus Foundation’s annual salute steps off September 2-5, at the Taste of Polonia Festival, 5216 W. Lawrence Avenue. For four days, you can enjoy a true cultural experience that includes nonstop live music, dance performances, authentic Polish food and beer, exhibitions, local merchants, a casino, beer garden, a Kids Stage and area filled with great activities and much much more! For tickets and information, click here. 

Bike The Drive….On Sunday, September 4, from 6:30am. –10:30am, grabyour bike, the kids, and your neighbors and ride on Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive for Bike The Drive. With sweeping views of the lake and skyline, you’ll enjoy fresh air and the wind on your face! Ride as little or as much of the 30-mile course as you’d like and then enjoy a post-ride festival in Grant Park, 235 S. Columbus Drive.  Bike rentals are available. For more information, click here. 

Taking Bows…The summer long street festival, Sundays on State, ends for 2022 on Sunday, September 4, from 11am-6 pm. Enjoy the vast culture of the city, through interactive demonstrations of the arts, active recreation, food, drinks, shopping, and local attractions at this free event! Sunday’s entertainment includes the Joffrey Ballet,CrocodileRockStar,the Black Ensemble Theatre, and Cabaret ZaZou Luminaire, and the Soul Train Experience. For a complete list of events, click here. 

Au Revoir, Cezanne!  The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, ends its groundbreaking retrospective of impressionist Paul Cezanne’s works on Labor Day, Monday, September 5. Cezanne’s work includes 80 oil paintings, 40 watercolors and drawings, and two complete sketchbooks. Why is this art, more than a century old, stillrelevant today? Find out! For tickets and more information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Fall is my favorite time of year, but I hear so many of my friends and colleagues comment on how sad it is that summer is almost over! I know that many parts of the country have been horribly hot and dry, so maybe in those places people are a little happier to see summer end. Around the Midwest we have had a wonderful summer weatherwise with only a few very hot stretches. But seasonal depression can be a real thing for many people so here are some ways to cope.

Recognize that this is a minor disturbance that you can get over, but you do need to acknowledge your feelings. Treat yourself as you would a friend. Don’t belittle yourself. Treat yourself a little more nicely now. Go get a massage, buy yourself something nice or just any activity that makes you feel good. 

There might be a specific reason to feel anxious around this time of year. Perhaps you have put off all that going-back-to-school organizing. Shopping, carpools and class schedules. Just getting started with these logistics can snap you out of your doldrums. Maybe you just got back from vacation and dread going back to a job you really dislike. Even if it is something like your job that you might not be able to change right now, it helps to at least acknowledge the source of the problem.

Then again, it might just be something you can’t pinpoint. We can’t always blame our bad moods on something. So, if there is nothing you can put your finger on, don’t waste time ruminating on it. Just say to yourself, “Yeah, I get this way every year at this time”. 

Think of something coming soon that you love. It could be Halloween, Thanksgiving, college football, or just a pumpkin spiced latte. Whatever it is, it is something to look forward to and keeps the larger picture in mind. Remember, this too shall pass. 

Of course, all the usual advice applies here as with other mental health issues. Exercise and spend time outdoors. Eat a healthy diet. Spend time with friends and family. Stay off social media, all these people that seem to have perfect lives are just as messed up as we are. 

So, the best advice is to realize we have a problem and either change our circumstances or deal with the short down time. It is a good idea to seek professional advice if the doldrums last more than a week or so or if it really incapacitates you. Only you can tell if this is the case. But knowing that mental health is as important as physical health is a good first step. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago