Owning and maintaining a home doesn’t come with an instruction manual, though it would be great if it did. After you’ve found the home you love and moved in, the real fun starts.

But sometimes the fun can be rudely interrupted by certain scenarios that can put the home – and even you and your family – at risk.

Here are a few things all homeowners should know about in order to avert an emergency in the house.

Know Where the Shut-Off Valve is

Whether the toilet is overflowing, or the pipes are frozen, the water supply to the house needs to be shut off immediately. You should probably shut the water off completely if you’re going on vacation for more than a couple of days.

You’ll need to know exactly where the shut-off valve is in order for you to cut off the water supply. While it may typically be in the basement, it can also be located in an underground utility box or outside wall in warmer climates.

Once you’ve located it, make sure that it works properly. It should be turned clockwise to stop the water flow into the house. A good idea would be to test it two or three times after you first move into the home to make sure it actually works.

In the case of a burst pipe either under a sink or beside the toilet, you should first shut the valve off directly at these sites to minimize damage in those immediate areas.

Know How to Stop an Overflowing Toilet

Aside from this being pretty nasty, an overflowing toilet can cause serious water damage to the immediate surroundings and the structures below. Usually these scenarios happen when the bowl is slow to drain and clean water from the tank rushes in too fast.

If the bowl is filling up, don’t run away. Instead, immediately lift the top of the tank, grab the black rubber float, and pull it up. This will close the valve that allow the clean water in the bowl, which should ideally give you enough time to shut the water source off.

Label Your Circuit Breakers

You’ll definitely need to fiddle with the breakers on occasion. As such, it’ll be a lot more helpful if you know exactly which breakers work specific outlets, light fixtures, electronics, and appliances.

First of all, you need to know exactly where your breaker box is. Once you’ve found it (usually in some sort of utility space like the laundry room or storage room), label the breakers accordingly. You’re probably going to need some help in this department, so make sure you’ve got your partner or a pal to help identify what fixtures each breaker controls.

Start by turning them all off, then test each one at a time. Once you’ve got this info, write it down directly beside each switch. Be sure to identify where the main switch is too, which shuts off the power to the entire house.

Know How to Operate a Fire Extinguisher

Many times a house fire can be stopped right in its tracks with the use of a fire extinguisher. Just make sure your home is equipped with one.

To effectively operate this life-saving piece of equipment, it might help to write down clear, simple instructions on the actual canister. The first thing you need to do is pull the pin for it to be ready. After you aim the nozzle at the fire, squeeze the trigger and spray the agent from side to side to extinguish the fire.

Remember that the average fire extinguisher only consists of approximately 8 seconds of fire-squelching agent in it, so use this tool wisely.

Keep an Emergency Kit Handy in the Home

Certain emergencies may force you to remain in your home for a long time – perhaps even days. And many times the conditions aren’t exactly comfortable or safe. Perhaps your area has been caught in a massive snowstorm that has blocked you in and knocked the power out. Or perhaps your home is the victim of destruction from a hurricane or earthquake.

Whatever the situation is, you should be prepared for anything and everything, and that means having a disaster kit readily available. Consider adding the following items to this kit:

• Water (about one gallon of water per person per day for a week)
• Food (non-perishable)
• Radio
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• First-aid kit
• Blankets
• Whistle to signal for help
• Cell phone with power banks for charging

If it’s within your budget, you may even consider buying a generator that will be able to power up some of the more necessary appliances, like light fixtures, a stove, or space heaters.

You can never be over-prepared for an emergency. Taking the time and effort to prepare your home before disaster strikes can save both the home itself, and your family.

It’s one of the prettiest walks you’ll ever take…strolling on Wacker Drive on the south bank of the main branch of the Chicago River, extending from Lake Michigan and DuSable Lake Shore Drive westward to Lake Street. The Chicago Riverwalkis home to restaurants, bars, cafes, small parks, gardens, boat and kayak rentals, a Vietnam War memorial, public art, museums, outdoor wineries and spaces to enjoy Chicago at its best.

Public Art at the MART

Public art is on show throughout the pedestrian trail. ButArt on the MART is perhaps the Riverwalk’s most famous work. As Choose Chicago tells it, this is the largest video-projection art installation in the world, taking up approximately 2.5 acres of theMART’s river-facing façade. Curated video art can be viewed Wednesdays through Sundays, from March through December, 7:15pm — 9:15pm.

Take, for example, The Chicago Architecture Center, located just off the Chicago Riverwalk at One Illinois Center. As Choose Chicago notes, the building was designed by modernist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The CAC is “a gateway to discovering Chicago’s architectural legacy.” The center offers over 85 docent-led tours, as well as exciting interactive exhibits, including the engaging Skyscraper Gallery and Building Tall exhibit.

They also mention the five-story McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum,  celebrates Chicago’s famed moveable bridges and gives you the opportunity to peek inside a historic landmark bridgehouse. At river level, you can view the massive gears that move Chicago’s famous bridges. 

From Marshy Swamp to Urban Oasis

According to Chicago.gov, the Riverwalk started life as a meandering marshy stream. Chicago’s phenomenal growth into a major urban center is due, in large part, to its strategic location on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. 

Following the famed reversal of the river, in which the city reversed the flow of the Main Branch and South Branch to improve sanitation, architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago introduced a new civic vision of riverside promenades with the addition of the Wacker Drive viaduct. The goal of embracing the river as a recreational amenity seemed impossible at the time, given the river’s high levels of pollution. 

The first installment didn’t happen until the 1970’s.  The Riverwalk Esplanade between Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue was originally dedicated as park to the City in 1972 from the Illinois Central Railroad, together with a plat of subdivision to create Wacker Drive as part of the ‘Rails to Trails’ program.

As Chicago.gov explains, the Riverwalk design and engineering began as part of the design of the Wacker Drive Reconstruction project in the 1990’s. The intention of the Riverwalk Project was to complement the new roadway and bring residents and visitors down to the river level. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial originally was located in a median on Upper Wacker Drive.  This portion of the roadway was reconfigured and the memorial was relocated between State Street and Wabash.  The memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day 2005.  The underbridge connections at Michigan and Wabash were completed in 2009.  In addition to reconfiguring the roadway, the City of Chicago formally redefined the navigational channel of the Main Branch of the Chicago River.  Working with The Volpe Institute and waterway stakeholders, including Friends of the River, the United States Coast Guard, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, tour boat companies and others, the build-out limits were established: 20’ beneath each bridge, 25’ between each bridge and 50’ between Franklin and Lake Streets.  

That’s Not All, Folks!!

But that’s not the end of improvement or expansion. As Wikipedia sources note, the Riverwalk’s final extension will be beyond Wolf Point Towers, northward to the planned Bally’s Casino (now located temporarily in the former Medinah Temple) near the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street.

Fall Fest on the Riverwalk

The best way to experience the beauty of the fall season, with the Chicago River as the backdrop, is at the Island Party Hut Fall Fest on the Chicago Riverwalk on Saturdays through October 28.

According to Chicago on the Cheap, the Fall Fest features autumn festivities like hay rides on the river, pumpkin patches and eating apple cider donuts along the Riverwalk. The Fall Fest will host live music and serve fall-themed cocktails and photo ops. For more information, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

The last 3 years have certainly been difficult for so many of us to deal with. From feeling isolated, afraid, and generally overwhelmed, many of us are finding it a struggle to keep up. We are dealing with many emotions even though for most of us life has, more or less, returned to normal. 

New research is tackling the subject of emotional dysregulation, which refers to the inability to keep your emotions in check. Confronting your emotions isn’t easy, but not dealing with them can certainly be detrimental to your mental health. Remember, our bodies and brains aren’t perfect, and this happens to everyone!

So, next time you feel like your emotions are getting the best of you, keep these hints in mind to help process those feelings:

Be aware of how you feel physically. When my emotions are getting high, I often feel flushed. When I notice my body reacting that way, I stop and think. Taking a minute to figure out what is going on can realy go a long way.

Ask yourself if the feeling is justified. Sometimes it is! But often the reaction comes from somewhere else entirely. Perhaps you are feeling anxious or frustrated. If the feeling does not seem justified, try to think of how you would help a friend in the same situation. 

Step away from the situation. Sometimes the best thing you can do is remove yourself from a triggering situation. Then, you can more rationally plan your next step. 

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Exercise some self-care when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed. Take a walk, listen to some music or play with your pet. Show yourself some self-compassion.  

Overall, what we can take from this is that we all have tough emotions and sometimes it’s hard to regulate them! We’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster for the last few years, and that can take a toll on anyone’s mental health. The best way to deal is to realize when and why it happens. Sometimes just admitting that these emotions are real and normal is half the battle. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Welcome one and all to the first full weekend of October 2023, which means the Holiday Season is quickly approaching!  But before that season is in full swing, let’s just relax and enjoy what this weekend has to offer us.  Who’s with me?

With the cooler fall breezes expected this weekend, it’s a perfect time to celebrate the 7^th annual Lincoln Park Wine Fest at Jonquil Park (1001 W. Wrightwood Ave.) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood this Saturday and Sunday.  This open-air market features wine and food pavilions spread across the park offering scores of varietal wines from around the world along with sommeliers and brand ambassadors coaching you through a two-hour tasting session.  A general admission ticket gets you a sample of 12 varietals of wine with a commemorative tasting glass, while a VIP ticket gets you an expanded tasting that includes five additional specialty wines, a commemorative glass, a private seating area, restrooms, and an exclusive entrance for easy access.  In addition, fest goers will be able to enjoy tunes spun by DJ Julio along with wine related craft and merchant vendors!

If beer is your choice of beverage, you’re in luck as the Chicago Beer Festival takes over the Field Museum (1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.) in the South Loop this Saturday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Each attendee will receive 40 tasting vouchers for the opportunity to sample creations from over 65 breweries offering their fall seasonal beers as well as have access to a select number of the museum’s exhibits.  Tickets will not be sold at the door so be sure to get them online before heading over there to have a drink with Máximo!

The Time Out Market (916 W. Fulton Market) in the West Loop is dusting off their Dirndls and Lederhosen for their Octoberfest with Sam Adams this Saturday and Sunday.  This fall celebration features a pop-up beer bar with steins and samplings of Sam Adams Oktoberfest, a stein hoisting competition with prizes, a kids’ story time, live music from the Die Musikmeisters German band, and giveaways.  In addition, Market vendors will have plenty of Octoberfest specials available for purchase to pair with your lager!

Another fall celebration taking place this Saturday and Sunday is Oktoberfestiversary.  This outdoor bash is being hosted by Begyle Brewing and Dovetail Brewery in their shared parking lot (1800 W. Cuyler Ave.) in the North Center neighborhood.  Attendees can dine on bites from local food trucks, enjoy some live music, and sip on special beer tappings in addition to enjoying regular brews from Begyle and Dovetail.  Also, besides celebrating the coolest season, Begyle Brewing is celebrating its 11^th anniversary as well!

Come participate in a day full of family-friendly fall-themed activities at Athletic Field Park’s Fall Fest located at 3546 West Addison Street in the Irving Park neighborhood this Saturday (10 a.m.-3 p.m.).  Fun activities include a pumpkin patch, scarecrow making, inflatable games, a petting zoo, pony rides, live music, delicious food, beverages, and more!  While admission is free tickets for games, activities, and food are available for purchase at $1 each, or $20 for a discount ticket bundle of 25 tickets.

Beware of street closures this Sunday as the Bank of America Chicago Marathon hits the city’s streets as it welcomes thousands of participants from all 50 states and over 100 countries.  The race will begin and finish in Grant Park (337 E. Randolph Dr.) in The Loop with a 26.2-mile tour that includes 29 neighborhoods.  While it’s too late to enter the race, it’s never too late to be one of the 1.7 million spectators cheering on the runners with handmade signs, blaring music, and words of encouragement as they whiz by.  Plus, there’s a reunite area in Grant Park where you can meet your runner starting at 9:30 a.m.  This iconic course has produced four world records, several national records, and countless personal bests!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Centering on “simplistic fare, seasonal ingredients, and energetic hospitality,” Elske is the Danish creation of two decorated husband and wife chefs. With Elske, David and Anna Posey earned a Michelin Star from 2018-2022, and a James Beard Award for Best Chefs of the Year in 2020.

Scandinavian cuisine is tough to get right. One highly recognizable characteristic of Scandinavian food, according to Kamikoto.com is their preference for cooking methods such as preserving, drying, smoking, salting and pickling. In Denmark, the emphasis is on open-faced sandwiches, with an array of toppings such as smoked fish, cheese, fresh salad items, boiled potatoes and cured meats.

Elske, which means “to love,” in Danish, kicks it up a notch, serving a $125 set menu featuring a smorgasbord of fresh and smoked flavors, including:

• Skordalia with currants and cipollini onions on rugbrø
• Tempura Shrimp with sesame leaf
• Cured fluke with kohlrabi, summer apples, and mustard
• Smoked fjord trout with cabbage, sourdough, and dill
• Duck liver tart with salted ramp and toasted buckwheat
• Grilled lamb loin and sausage with dried fruits and fennel
• Frozen anise jelly with mint
• Æbleskiver with roasted cherries, marcona almond, and cherry pit

Or, you can try ala carte selections such as Frikadeller with cornbread porridge, pickled green tomato, and nasturtium, or a Grilled Pork Collar with carrots, chopped pickles, and coriander, a Koji Marinated Chicken with summer squash, ‘salsa macha’, and basil. 

Desserts should be savored, as Anna, the 2018 Jean Banchet Award winner for Pastry Chef of the Year, is bound to create a subtle mix of flavors in desserts such as Lemon Verbena Tapioca with watermelon, Strawberry and Buttermilk Panna Cotta with nasturtium and spices, or her Sunflower Seed Parfait with sour honey, licorice, and bee pollen (from their own rooftop bee hive.)

Reviews were mostly spectacular. 

One Google reviewer wrote, “Such a good experience overall, loved everything about it. They made the tasting menu vegetarian for my wife and I didn’t expect that and it was great. I’ll say I’m not a fan of the fish dishes but maybe that’s just me.”

Open Table was even more impressed. “Elske is perfection. From the moment we arrived, until the one we, sadly, had to leave, everything just clicked. The outdoor fireplace is such a beautiful touch, and it’s great to relax before, or after, (or both) dinner and enjoy the space. We didn’t mention we were celebrating a special occasion, but, the staff picked up on it, and helped us celebrate. The food, ambiance and staff are all exceptional.”

Elske is located at 1350 W. Randolph Street. Their hours are Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 5:30pm–9pm, and Friday and Saturday 5:30pm–9:45pm.  They are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. For more information and reservations, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago