As we get older our senses change. These changes take place in the organs themselves as well as the brain. Neurons naturally die, and we become less able to process information, store memories, and perceive sensations. We are less able to learn whether neurons die from nature or injury and disease. For example, organs like your eyes and ears start to deteriorate with age. Studies find that deterioration of sight may limit the ability to do exercises to strengthen the brain. Make sure to get your eyes and hearing tested after 55 to get the help you need!

Injury and disease can hasten this decrease in our brain cognition. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is diagnosed if two or more brain functions are significantly impaired. Functions like memory and language skills are the most typical. All forms of dementia involve neuron destruction. A stroke would be considered an injury. It happens in an instant when an artery breaks, or a blood clot cuts off blood flow to the brain. This causes brain cells to die. Retaining function depends on how quickly you receive medical attention. 

There are practical ways to combat memory loss. Exercise has been found to improve mild cognitive impairment. It seems also that different types of exercise have different effects on our brain. Weight training is a bit better for the ability to remember things in context, associative memory. Aerobic exercise works more on verbal memory. Scientists think that cathepsin B, which is released by muscles during exercise builds cells in the hippocampus, a brain region essential to memory. So, education, cognitive puzzles, sensory challenges and exercise will all help to improve blood flow to that most important organ, our brain. 

Believe it or not, some mental ability increases with age. Elderly brains typically have sharpened language skills and a larger vocabulary. Healthy mature brains perform as well as younger ones when it comes to any task requiring analysis, organization of information and planning. There may be a decrease in processing speed but we can still keep up with the young ones!

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Here in Chicago, one must wonder; is it spring yet?  Well, it appears that it is since this weekend is all about celebrating spring.  Hopefully, we’ll finally have a weekend with spring-like temps and plenty of sunshine so we can shed our winter coats once and for all!

It’s back by popular demand!  Dog Day at Gallagher Way takes place this Saturday (1 p.m.-5 p.m.) outside of Wrigley Field at 3637 N. Clark Street in the Wrigleyville neighborhood.  Bring your four-legged family member(s) for an afternoon of fun in the sun.  On hand will be local dog-friendly vendors offering treats, and One Tail at a Time who will be collecting donations for dogs and cats as well as having adoptable dogs on hand.  Plus, drinks and lawn games will be available for the humans.  Then it’s time to kick back and relax as you take in the Cubs game on the videoboard!

This is a great weekend to get out with family and friends to support our local and Midwest vendors at the following artisan markets:

Shop a wide variety of wares from over 50 Midwest vendors at The MRKT this Saturday (1 p.m.-7:30 p.m.) at the Salt Shed (1357 N. Elston Ave.) on the Near North Side.  The MRKT is not your “average market” as it creates a shopping experience by offering interactive art installations for snapping cool pics in front of that are social media friendly as well.  There’s also live screen printing, a photobooth, a DJ, and more.  Come and check out this unique market!

The Spring Fling Artisan Market will be highlighting local businesses and musicians this Saturday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) at Third Space Chicago (716 W. Addison St.) in the Lakeview neighborhood.  With over 20 vendors represented, this market showcases a wide range of hand-crafted goods by crafters and artists alike as well as featuring local music.  Plus, weather permitting, the lawn will be opened for outdoor gatherings with food trucks available on Addison Street!

Shop from more than 225 artists at the Renegade Craft Fair this Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m.-6 p.m.) in the Andersonville neighborhood on Clark Street between Bryn Mawr and Edgewater Avenues.  This craft fair just so happens to feature the best craft designers, artists, and creatives around selling everything from candles and jewelry to pottery and screen prints, and more.  And, if you need to take a break, food and drink will be available for purchase from some of the local restaurants!

Join The Northman Beer & Cider Garden (233 E. Riverwalk) in The Loop this Saturday for their inaugural outdoor Cellared Beer Festival to kick off their 2023 season with a bang.  Two sessions will be available from 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8 p.m.  A ticket includes a sampling of 40+ cellared craft beers, a heavy appetizer buffet, live music, a gift bag, and a tasting glass.  Plus, swag and giveaways from participating breweries will run throughout the event.  For all the craft beer lovers out there, don’t miss this one!

You know it’s spring in Chicago when it’s time for the Spring Half Marathon & 10K taking place this Sunday at the Maggie Daley Park (337 E. Randolph St.) in The Loop.  Both the Half Marathon and 10K races begin on Columbus Drive south of Monroe Street with a majority of the course travelling along Chicago’s Lakefront Trail taking you through Grant Park, past the Museum Campus, and turning around after passing McCormick Place with a straight shot back north along the Lakefront Trail.  And, if you have kids, bring them along for the Junior Dash around “The Ribbon,” so they can earn their First Finisher Medal.  Afterwards, stick around for the post-race festivities which include live music, pick-your-own-flowers, and a hot Chicago-style brunch!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

With warmer weather coming out way, the best part of Chicago’s dining experience is sitting outdoors at a café. For its 13^th season, at the only free zoo in North America, The Patio at Café Brauerhas opened its doors to a dining experience fit for both man AND beast!

The Patio Is located just south of the main zoo grounds beside Café Brauer, an historic Prairie School-style landmark. You and your furry friends are welcome on the patio as you sip an imaginative cocktail or dine on savory small plates and specialty burgers overlooking “panoramic views of Nature Boardwalk, a restored native ecosystem, and soaring skyscrapers.” 

On weekdays, start with shareables like Thai Chicken Kabob, with cucumber salad, peanut sauce, cilantro, fresh lime. Or a Tomato Bruschetta, with ricotta cheese, red onion, fresh basil, with a balsamic reduction. Families can also share the Mediterranean Layer Dip, with feta cheese, hummus, mixed veggies, and pita bread. 

You can taste a bit of summer this spring with the Patio’s Summer Berry Salad, livelywith spring mix lettuce, heirloom grape tomato, cucumber, radish, mix berries, and toasted almonds, in a white balsamic vinaigrette. Patio Grilled Salmon is served with quinoa pilaf, grilled asparagus, and blackberry relish for a sweet-savory mix. Hearty appetites will enjoy Steak and Fries, served with chimichurri, truffle oil, parmesan cheese, and fresh, grilled asparagus.

HANDHELD says the menu! Among these ‘handhelds’ are their famous Patio Burger, a well-reviewed all-beef patty, served with lettuce, tomato, sweet pickle, and house-made chips. Vegetarians will enjoy the Falafel Burger, with a combination of lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and tahini sauce, also with house-made chips. ‘El Sabor’ tacos include Carne Asada, with cabbage salad, pico de gallo, and cilantro, and Baja Fish Tacos, with beer battered cod, cabbage salad, pico de gallo, cilantro, and crema.

Over the weekend, brunch is the order of the day! The Patio at Café Brauer serves from 9am – 2pm, and includes Texas French Toast, mixing a fresh berry compote with powdered sugar, and topped with maple syrup. Their Breakfast Skillet is a healthy mix of bell peppers, potatoes, onions, chorizo, cheddar, eggs, and your choice of red guajillo or green serrano salsa. Their Breakfast Burrito offers a blend of scrambled eggs, Mexican blend cheese, pico de gallo, chorizo, and is served with breakfast potatoes. 

The Patio at Café Brauer is located at 2021 N. Stockton Drive.  It’s open Monday through Friday from 11am–6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am–6pm for weekend brunch. For more information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, the experience seems to be equally stressful. As difficult as packing and dealing with utility companies are, though, one of the biggest challenges is living for weeks while surrounded by boxes.

When you’re standing in the center of your house, surrounded by boxes, it can feel extremely overwhelming. By following these tips you can remove some of the pain from the experience and start enjoying your home more quickly.

Unpack the Essentials

Once the moving van is gone and you’re ready to tackle the task of unpacking, the first thing you’ll need to do is get your essentials unpacked. You’ll need somewhere to sleep, so set up your bed and unpack your bedding. Once you’ve ensured you’ll have a place to sleep that first night, think of what you’ll need for the next day or two. Bath towels and toiletries, kitchen basics like cups and plates, and crucial items like medications should be unpacked the first day.

Schedule Unpacking Time

You can approach unpacking more than one way, depending on your own personal preferences. If you’ve taken time off of work, you may want to work day and night to get everything in place so you can return to work, worry free, the following week. However, some people prefer to schedule time each day to work on unpacking things and getting them set up. This way you can enjoy your new home while also feeling like you’re making progress.

Host an Unpacking Party

You’d be surprised how alluring the promise of beer and pizza is to those in your social circle. Even if your friends are more the “cheese and wine” type, you can invite them over for a fun unpacking party. Before the party, set boxes up where you’ll want the items to be unpacked to make it as easy as possible to tell your friends where to put things. Avoid asking friends and family to move heavy furniture or lift heavy boxes. Instead turn over tasks like unpacking books onto bookshelves or lining your kitchen shelves.

Remove Boxes

The worst part of those early weeks in a new house is the boxes. To help reduce the clutter, break down each box as you empty it and move it to a designated location, such as a garage or attic. When you’re ready to recycle those boxes, you’ll be able to pull them all out as a group. As you empty each box and remove it, you’ll be better able to see how much unpacking remains. You’ll also be able to easily navigate throughout your house without tripping over boxes.

Moving into a new home can be extremely exciting. It’s important to find a way to enjoy the experience without letting stress take away from that. If that means setting your unpacking aside for a few days to enjoy a glass of lemonade on your new front porch, give yourself permission to do just that. There’s no “right way” to handle a move, just various methods that work better for some people than others.

One of the three ‘crown jewels’ of Chicago’s lakefront (including the Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium,) Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive,opened on May 30, 1930. 

As Wikipedia sources note, ‘The Shedd’ as most Chicagoans call it, was the gift of retail leader John G. Shedd, a protégé of Marshall Field (benefactor of the Field Museum), to the city of Chicago. 

Walter Chute, who would become the aquarium’s director, according to the Shedd’s website, toured the major U.S. and European aquariums , then worked with the architects to create a state-of-the-art aquarium inside and out.

Designed by the same architectural firm that designed the Field Museum and Wrigley Building, according to the Shedd’s website, the architects created a neoclassical temple of white marble and terra cotta that celebrates aquatic life, from the marine fossils in its limestone floor to Neptune’s trident capping its glass dome. 

Although Shedd only lived long enough to see the architect’s first drawings for the aquarium, his widow, Mary, cut the ribbon at the official opening ceremony, inviting all, as they do today, to “Look Nature in the Eye. “

How to haul sea life in 20^th century Chicago 

As one of the first inland aquariums in the world, the Shedd had to rely on a custom-made railroad car, the Nautilus, for the transport of fish and seawater, according to Wikipedia sources. Twenty railroad tank cars made eight round trips between Key West and Chicago to transport 1 million gallons of seawater for the Shedd’s saltwater exhibits.

Eye to Eye with 30,000+ specimens of sea life

Today, the Shedd is recognized as one of the premier aquariums in the world, combining “the best of early 20^th-century “age of aquariums” characteristics—a diverse, global animal collection with 21^st-century advances in animal care, environments and interpretation.

 The first exhibit was called the ‘Tropical Pool.’ featuring exhibits on oceans, rivers, islands and lakes, and Chicago’s own waters. You can still see such lake life as the American bullfrog, a giant Pacific octopus, American alligator, lake sturgeon, starfish, lined seahorses, and an alligator snapping turtle. 

In 1971, the 360-degree, circular Caribbean Reef opened. One of the first habitats to display schooling fish, it’s also home to the rescued green sea turtle, Nickel, along with Atlantic tarpons, cownose rays, redband parrotfish, Bonnethead sharks, and a Green moray eel. 

 The Abbott Oceanarium, opened in 1991, actually built into surrounding Lake Michigan and features an amazing habitat where marine mammals, including Pacific white-sided dolphins, beluga whales, sea otters and California sea lions mingle, swim, and are cared for by the oceanic team. The lower level of the Oceanarium allows underwater viewing of the beluga whales and the dolphins.

Something for the kids: Polar Play Zone

In Polar Play Zone, the kids can slip into a penguin suit and try being a bird in the Icy South play area.  Explore Arctic waters in a kid-sized submarine. They’ll learn about ‘polar opposites’ — big and small, fast and slow, shallow and deep, even north and south — while they play.

Penguin Adventures 

During the pandemic, two adorable penguins went viral. As the website recounts, Rockhopper penguins Edward and Annie soared to superstar status in the spring of 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Shedd Aquarium was closed to outside guests. Edward and Annie could freely explore the exhibits and visit other aquatic animals across the building. Thanks to social media, Edward and Annie became superstars in their own right.

Explore and Enjoy! 

Shedd has hundreds of special events, encounters and experiences. For information, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago