Summer is waning and fall has begun. Weather around the Chicago area has been somewhat warm, staying in the 70s with some cool nights. The garden and landscape are still going, but with cooler weather coming growth will be slowing. Here are some things to do now to get things ready for cooler weather!

Keep harvesting vegetables from the garden. Hopefully you planted lettuce in late August since that will flourish in the cooler temperatures, but you should definitely pull out and remove any plants that are no longer producing. Also remove spent plants from the garden and dispose of them. Don’t use them for mulch or for compost. Often plants, especially tomatoes, carry some disease and it’s best to get rid of them. After all the plants are done lay a half inch or so of mushroom compost. This will work itself into the soil over the winter and enrich it for spring. 

Keep watering that grass you planted. It will also flourish with the cooler temperatures, and you want it hardy enough to survive the winter. The lawn could also use some topsoil after the long hot summer to support that new grass and keep the older grass healthy. Try to find topsoil as dry as possible. I know it can be hard with many garden centers leaving it out. We leave a few bags drying in the garage. Throw out shovels full in a sweeping motion and spread it out with the back of a rake. 

If your trees and shrubs need trimming, do it now. You need to trim early enough so the new growth has sufficient time to harden off before the deep freeze in November. Continue deep watering even if you think there is sufficient rain. Decent rain is good enough for a lawn and garden but shrubs and trees, especially recently planted, need deep thorough waterings before the ground freezes. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

We’re turning another page this weekend as Chicago bids farewell to the end of summer and welcomes the arrival of the autumn season with a colorful line-up of fall events!

Come celebrate the end-of-summer at Goose Island’s annual 312 Block Party this Saturday (4 p.m.) outside of its 1800 West Fulton Street Brewery on the Near West Side.  This party usually fills up quickly since it features food vendors, plenty of beer, and a great lineup of performers such as singer-songwriter Neal Francis, the rock band Houndmouth, and others.  It’s a great way to end summer with your friends!

Holding its first Equinox Night Market, the SAUCED Night Market is being held this Saturday (5 p.m.-10 p.m.) at Half Acre Brewery (2050 W. Balmoral Ave.) in the Lincoln Square neighborhood.  This roving night market is dedicated to emerging chefs, artists, and artisans as it features food from local eateries, a live mural being painted by Fab R, 50 vendors selling their various handmade goods, and a beer garden.  Plus, DJ Johnny Walker will be on hand as your musical entertainment for the evening.  This event is free to attend if you RSVP online and is open to guests of all ages!

One of Chicago’s most popular fall celebrations returns for its 21^st year with Oktoberfest Chicago this Saturday (12 p.m.-10 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.-7 p.m.) at St. Alphonsus Church (1429 W. Wellington Ave.) in the Lakeview neighborhood.  The three Bs of Bavarian cuisine – Beer, Brats (homemade), and Bretzel (German for pretzel) will be the featured stars of the fest along with a variety of Sam Adams beers, two stages of live music provided by Bavarian and cover bands, a merchandise tent, and a separately ticketed craft beer celebration that includes 15 tastings and a souvenir tasting glass (4 p.m.-7 p.m.).  In addition, there’s a special Kinderfest area on Sunday featuring inflatables, face painting, games, activities, and a meal for the kids to enjoy!

Returning for another magical evening in Chicago, the Water Lantern Festival takes place this Saturday (4 p.m. – 8 p.m.) at Humboldt Park (1400 N. Sacramento Ave.) in the Humboldt Park neighborhood for its floating lantern event.  This festival also includes food, live music, vendors, games, activities, and of course the launching of your very own unique lantern.  It’s a night you’ll never forget!

Chicago Gourmet is wrapping up its four-day food fest with the following two events this weekend:

Saturday brings Chicago Gourmet’s fabulous Grand Cru to the Harris Theater Rooftop (205 E. Randolph St.) in The Loop with two sessions (2 p.m.-5 p.m. & 7 p.m.-10 p.m.).  Enjoy amazing gourmet food from award-winning chefs, the world’s finest wines, spirits, & cocktails, and lively music.  Guests will also have an opportunity to learn from master sommeliers and mixologists as well.  Cheers!

Sunday brings Chicago Gourmet’s Prost! In The Park to the Harris Theater Rooftop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  This Sunday Funday event is hosted by Chef Sarah Grueneberg (Monteverde) bringing a German flair to this cheery Oktoberfest afternoon with loads of delicious classic German delights, craft brews, cool cocktails, music, and more!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

The first day of fall is Saturday, September 23—the same day as the autumn equinox. For me and mine, nothing says “Cozy fall meal” more than a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup! 

In Chicago’s Lakeview and Wicker Park neighborhoods, no one delivers on the promise of a gooey, cheesy grilled sandwich better than Cheesie’s Pub & Grub. 

My family and I happened on Cheesie’s while looking for a place to eat before seeing Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at theVic Theatre. We asked one of the security guards where we could get a quick bite. He recommended Cheesie’s, right around the corner from the Lakeview location. The friendly staff seated us immediately. It’s a super-casual, kid-friendly, bustling spot with lots of memorabilia on the walls—vintage ads, sports posters, etc. And it’s the home base in Chicago for Michigan State Spartans and San Francisco 49ers football.

The menu was inspired by owner Chris Johnston’s “terrible eating habits and love for foods he grew up on: mac-n-cheese, chicken tenders, French fries, and grilled cheese.”

A word of caution for those new to the digital age: there are no paper menus. You access the menu through a scanner at your table. The staff will pull you through it if you don’t have a child 25 years old or younger to help! 

I highly recommend The Caprese, the sandwich I tried. It’s a great caprese combination of gooey mozzarella cheese, heirloom tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, cracked black pepper and fresh basil on toasted sourdough, and served w/creamy pesto mayo dipping sauce. I felt no need to dip, though I’m sure it was great. I just enjoyed the layered succulence of the squeaky cheese, ripe heirloom tomatoes, and basil, set off by the fresh sourdough bread. 

My sister from another mister ordered a dessert item that works just as well as a main course—their Deep Fried PB&J Uncrustable. The deep-frying gave the creamy peanut butter an extra richness and savory flavor you can’t find in a regular Uncrustable, and it’s set off by the sweetness of the jelly. The sandwich is complete when topped with powdered sugar and served with chocolate dipping sauce.

My 96-year-old mother waxed rhapsodic about The OG– ablendof American and Cheddar cheese spread on Texas toast, served with their Tomato Soup dip. The tomato soup is a tangy accoutrement to the cheese blend. 

Finally, for those with a lactose intolerance, there’s always moist Chicken Tenders. They’re huge… my 18-year-old actually had a few that fried together in cooking, but that wasn’t the only one in the basket, so they were satisfied. Chicken Tenders are served with your your choice of dipping sauce. They also got an order of tater tots, which rounded out the meal nicely.

Cheesy’s is open for weekend brunch, trivia nights and has drink specials seven days/nights a week. 

Mine isn’t the only rave review:

“It’s a no-brainer. Come here!” said a Google reviewer. “They’re open late to. Great sandwiches, soups and appetizers. I picked up The Melt this time around with Cheese Curds. Everything was made to order and delicious. The server was awesome and answered all our questions. I’ll have to come back for their trivia nights!”

Cheesie’s Pub & Grub-Lakeview is located at 958 W. Belmont Avenue, while their Wicker Park location is at 1365 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Their hours and menu vary by location. For hours, menus and other information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

The goal of every seller is to sell their home quickly, and for top dollar. Nobody wants to have to pay carrying costs while waiting for the right buyer to come along. The home has to be presented in the most attractive light possible, which is why home staging can work wonders. But a vacant home will do little to showcase the house in a positive light. And the less interest it garners, the longer it will linger on the market.

Here are 5 reasons why leaving your home vacant without having it staged before it hits the market can be a costly mistake.

1. There is Zero Emotional Connection With the Home

An empty house seems cold and barren. It’s not welcoming and inviting in the way that fully furnished and decorated homes are. It echoes, and can even give off a creepy feeling, especially if all the walls are white.

People aren’t just looking for a house – they’re buying into a lifestyle. Buying real estate is most likely the biggest expense anyone will ever make in life. It’s a huge decision that people won’t just jump into right away without some careful thought and consideration. It’s got to feel right to them; they need to essentially fall in love with the house, which is precisely what the goal of home staging is.

It’s crucial for sellers to get the buyers to establish an emotional connection with the home to boost their motivation to buy. A vacant house just doesn’t do that. It’s lifeless and dull, and does nothing to tap into a buyer’s emotions.

2. The Imperfections of the Home Are Magnified 

Furniture and decor have an amazing way of covering up or distracting attention away from any flaws of a home. These decorative elements keep the buyer’s eyes too busy to catch any defects that might exist. When a home is furnished, buyers will able to focus on the positive features of the home and visualize how they can use the space. If all they’re able to look at is bare walls, floors and ceilings, any flaws will actually be magnified instead of camouflaged.

Any scuff marks on the wall, stains on the carpet, scratches on the hardwood floor, outdated light fixtures, gaps between floor tiles, and even ugly switch plates will be noticed. In addition, all the rooms in the house can appear smaller than they actually are without the presence of properly positioned furniture to show how to maximize the space.

3. Buyers Won’t Have a Clear Vision for the Space

Most buyers aren’t able to visualize how a space can be used without it being presented to them on a silver platter. Having a vacant home on the market leaves you with a lot of potential interest lost. If the home isn’t furnished to show exactly what each room’s purpose is, buyers will more likely go home and totally forget whether or not the house had all the specific rooms they need (a third bedroom, a den, a dining room, a home office, etc), or if the home had the necessary amount of space needed for all their furniture and belongings.

It can take a lot longer to sell a vacant home because buyers are often unsure if they can perform their regular routines and activities in the house. This problem is even further magnified if the house is small or has awkward layouts that make furnishing more challenging. Without furniture and decor, buyers will not be able to visualize how the space can work for them.

4. Buyers Can’t Judge the Room’s Size Without Furniture

Buyers will only be able to get a sense of the size of the space if the rooms are furnished. Otherwise, they’ll just be asking themselves a bunch of questions that should have already been answered for them through the home’s furniture arrangement.

Where will the TV go? Will our corner sofa fit in here? Where is the dining area? Is this a bedroom or an office? Buyers will be asking themselves these questions – and more – when they’re staring at vacant rooms. Instead, when the home is properly staged, these queries won’t have to be pondered.

5. The House Won’t Show Well in Photos

One of the most important factors that go into effectively marketing a home for sale is the appeal of the photos. After all, photos online or in print are often the first visual that buyers will get of your home, so you want to make a good first impression to get them to actually book a showing.

But a vacant home doesn’t show nearly as well in photos compared to homes that are staged. You have to make your home stand out and shine. You’ve got to give it a nice packaging to catch a buyer’s attention. Otherwise, you risk having your home linger on the market with minimal interest, while other homes in the area that are staged and furnished get snatched up.

Bottom Line

The longer your home sits on the market, the more carrying costs you’ll have to flip the bill for. And the longer it lingers, the more ‘stale’ the listing will get. If your home is vacant, do yourself a favor and speak with a realtor who can recommend a reputable and professional home stager who can temporarily furnish the place to make it look as visually appealing as possible, and thereby attract the masses.

Stats have proven that staged homes sell faster and for more money, so why wouldn’t you want to benefit from that yourself?

“An Oasis of Art, Architecture, and Landscape Design since 1860”

Graceland Cemetery website 

There are few structures in the Midwest that double as an arboretum and a final resting place for hundreds of prominent Chicagoans. Set on 121 acres of prime Chicago real estate, Uptown’s Graceland Cemetery,  4001 N. Clark Street, provides a visceral memorial to Chicago’s growth and history as a city and urban oasis. 

Designed by visionary landscape architects, including O.C. Simonds, Graceland, according to its website, both serves as a glimpse into the past and a beautiful place for the future.

For 163 years, the cemetery, located just north of Wrigley Field, has been the final resting place of the architects who designed Chicago, including Daniel Burnham, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, business executives Marshall Field, Potter and Bertha Palmer, George Pullman, and several sports stars, including, appropriately, ‘Mr. Cub’ Ernie Banks. 

The most beautiful grave site, according to L Stop Tours, is located in the middle of the cemetery on a small island overlooking a tranquil pond. A simple plaque on a rock commemorates the final resting spot of Daniel H. Burnham, ‘The Architect of Chicago,’ and his wife.

History of Graceland 

According to their website, Graceland Cemetery was established in 1860 by Thomas Bryan, a lawyer with a successful Chicago practice. He purchased its original 80 acres and received a perpetual charter from Illinois in 1861, and soon hired prominent landscape architect H.W.S. Cleveland to plan its park-like ambiance. 

It began with a plan, they say, by landscape architect Cleveland, which, in the 1870’s, saw the cemetery’s paths and plots uniformly sodded, and the fenced and curbed plot boundaries eliminated. William Le Baron Jenney, a renowned architect but less well known for his landscape work, contributed significantly with his design and engineering input. This helped created the Victorian park style atmosphere that soon was enhanced by Ossian Simonds. When Graceland grew to its present size, Simonds’ innovative design used native plants to create the cemetery’s pastoral landscape.

According to Wikipedia sources, many of the cemetery’s tombs are of great architectural or artistic interest, including the Getty Tomb, the Martin Ryerson Mausoleum (both designed by architect Louis Sullivan), and the Schoenhofen Pyramid Mausoleum. They say that The industrialist Pullman was buried at night, in a lead-lined coffin within an elaborately reinforced steel-and-concrete vault, to prevent his body from being exhumed and desecrated by labor activists. 

Today

The Cemetery Is open to all, and its architectural masterpieces, local history and beauty are “the magnets that attract people to Graceland.”   In the Spring and Summer, they are open Monday-Friday from 8am –6pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9am–4pm. In the Fall and Winter, Cemetery Gate Hours are Monday through Friday, 8am–4pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9am –4pm. For more information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago