Not only are the temps beginning to cool down in Chicago but so are the City’s summer street festivals! Not to fret though since autumn street festivals will step right in!!

Kicking off the first official weekend of autumn, the Sam Adams’ Lakeview Taco Fest returns for its 4^th year to the Lakeview neighborhood at Southport Avenue and Addison Street (3400-3500 N. Southport Ave.) this Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The glorious taco will once again be celebrated, along with seasonal brews, featuring over a dozen restaurants offering both traditional and imaginatively stuffed tortillas. Bar Mas, Brownstone Tavern & Grill, and Garifuna Flava are new to the Fest this year, so please make them feel welcomed! Besides the great beer and taco pairings, two music stages, Lucha Libre Mexican Wrestling (daily at 5:00 p.m.), arts & crafts and a kids’ activity area make this one of Chicago’s popular festivals!!

Nearly 167 talented artists from across the country return to this year’s West Loop Art Fair showcasing and selling their creative work in all types of mediums at 800 W. Washington Boulevard from Halsted Street to Racine Avenue in the West Loop neighborhood this Saturday (11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.) and Sunday (11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.). Enhancing your experience, this Fair also features rocking music with headliners Trippin Billies (Saturday) and 16 Candles (Sunday), a myriad of local restaurants offering their enticing dishes and drinks and more! Get a taste of what this neighborhood is all about!!

Celebrating all things “local,” this year’s Andersonville City Made Fest returns to 5000 N. Clark Street between Argyle Street and Carmen Avenue in the Andersonville neighborhood this Saturday and Sunday (12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.). True to its name, this City Made Fest features local-only craft beers, distinctive Chicago food, original Chicago music and a Chicago-made artisan marketplace like no other! It’s the only Fest of its kind!!

Missed last week’s Windy City’s wine fest? You’re in luck as Moe’s Cantina (155 W. Kinzie St.) in the River North neighborhood will be hosting the River North Wine Fest this Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ticket includes wine sampling of over 35 wines from all over the world plus a cheese plate! Attendees also receive many other Freebies listed on their website!!

Finally, returning for its 12^th year, and at a NEW location, Riot Fest & Carnival sets-up in Douglas Park (1401 S. Sacramento Blvd.) in the North Lawndale neighborhood this Saturday and Sunday. The Headliners for this year’s Fest include The Original Misfits (reunion), Morrissey, Death Cab for Cutie, Rob Zombie, Social Distortion and many other musical performances along with carnival rides and much more! Check-out their website for the full schedule as well as where all the “after shows” will be taking place!!

Is There a Cool Down Taking Place?

SUE MOSS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Your home may have reflected your style a few years back – but today, not so much. Now you suddenly realize that your puffy sofa looks crammed in your living space, or that flower-ridden wallpaper looks a tad on the tacky side.

The thing is, you’ve got no clue how to change it for the better, so you decide that a professional interior designer is the answer. But considering how many pros there are out there – and how different they all are – how do you go about choosing the right one for your home?

1. Understand Your Personal Style

Ideally, the interior designer you choose should be able to closely match your style. But do you even know what your specific style is?

Doing some prep work before you even start looking for an interior designer can not only save you time and hassle, it’ll save you money too. Look through some decorating and design magazines, and gather up some ideas of colors, furniture pieces, and accessories that you’re particularly attracted to in order to help you layout your style. Having these ideas ready to communicate with potential designers in the form of pictures will give them a clear sense of what you’re looking for, and what they need to do to bring that to life.

2. Determine the Scope of Your Budget

Unless you’re a millionaire and money is no object, you’ll need to decide how much cash you can comfortably set aside to pay for interior design services. And after you’ve got that dollar figure mapped out, you’ll also need to find out how the interior designers that you’re scoping out are paid. Some charge an hourly rate, while others charge a flat fee. Others may mix a bit of both, depending on the extent of the project.

And then there’s the services that they charge extra for, or include in their overall price. Find out if things like purchasing services or consultations are included in their flat rate, or if they charge extra. Check to see if they charge an upfront retainer fee as well, and factor that price into your overall budget.

Don’t be afraid to flat-out ask them to clarify how they plan on spending your hard-earned money. Designers who are honest and trustworthy will have no problem answering your questions openly, and will stick closely to your budget throughout the entire project.

3. Check Out Their Credentials

Years ago you would have had a heck of a time trying to find out what type of credentials and training interior designers had before hiring them. These days, it’s a lot easier, as many states are now requiring designers to pass an exam from the National Council on Interior Design Qualification before they can legally call themselves interior designers.

Ideally, you want a licensed and experienced interior designer in your corner who’s undergone extensive training. You also ant someone who’s actually accumulated a lot of hands-on experience in the field so you don’t end up as a guinea pig for their portfolio.

4. Interview Your Candidates

So you’ve checked out a bunch of interior designers and narrowed down your choices. Now it’s time to interview those select few that have made your short list. It’s during this interview that you should be asking the right questions so you can get a feel for them and decide if one of them stands out above the rest.

What’s the size of their typical job? How will they be provide a visual representation of what the end result will look like? How do they go about choosing subcontractors? Who’s responsible for insurance? Is your involvement welcome or considered an obstacle? Can they provide references? Questions like these will help you narrow down your choices even further, right down the perfect one.

5. Identify Their Availability

Finding an interior designer who matches your style and can work within your budget is great. But does their schedule jive with yours? Have a chat with a few different designers about their schedules and when they’ll have the most time available to put the most effort into your project. If the designer you ultimately choose is too busy and can only dedicate a few hours here and there, it’ll take forever to get anything done, and will show in the final result.

Many interior designers have assistants that help with projects and keep their time schedule on target. In this case, find out exactly how much you’ll be working directly with the interior designer versus the assistants.

6. Check Out Their Portfolios

A portfolio can really come in handy to get a real sense of the caliber of work that the interior designer you’re considering is capable of. Make sure you ask to see a portfolio, and decide if the work done is both attractive and inspiring to you. You’ll know pretty quickly after perusing the photos whether or not the designer would work with your home’s decor.

Picking the perfect interior designer isn’t rocket science. But it is still an important process and decision nonetheless. Keep these pointers in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to working with the right designer who’ll transform your home for the better.

When you’re ready to buy a house, you don’t necessarily have to depend on your bank to get a mortgage. These days, consumers have a lot more options when it comes to obtaining a home loan, including credit unions.

While these member-owned cooperatives haven’t exactly been very popular in the mortgage realm, they are definitely taking steps to boost their presence in this market. An increasing number of consumers are becoming aware of the services that credit unions offer when it comes to home loans.

Should you look to a credit union for your mortgage? What exactly is the difference between a mortgage from a credit union versus the bank?

Mortgage Fees and Rates

Credit unions are known for offering their membership base lower fees on their mortgages. Whatever savings credit unions are able to realize will be passed on to their members. They are not-for-profit organizations, which means savings for consumers come first before profits.

This differs from banks, which tend to be more focused on generating profits for investors. While your loan closing costs include expenses that are simply unavoidable – such as the cost of appraisals and title insurance – many financial institutions also charge origination fees that you need to pay for taking out a loan. These fees tend to be a lot higher with banks versus credit unions.

Interest rates also tend to be a bit lower with credit unions compared to banks. Many credit unions keep their mortgages in their own portfolios instead of selling them to outside investors like banks do. This gives credit unions more flexibility to offer better terms and rates.

Membership

Credit unions only give out mortgages to their own specific members. Each credit union has a limited membership roster. Certain unions will only allow members who work for specific companies, while others allow members based on geographical location. You can’t get a mortgage from a credit union if you can’t qualify to become a member.

These types of limitations don’t apply to banks. There’s no need to become a ‘member’ of a bank in order to get a mortgage, as long as you meet all the lending qualifications.

Qualifying For Home Loans

Since the housing crisis in 2008, lenders have really tightened the strings on home loans. These days, it’s much more challenging to get approved for a mortgage compared to a decade ago.

However, banks tend to have more stringent underwriting standards compared to credit unions. Borrowers with less-than-perfect credit scores will be more likely to get approved for a home loan with their credit union compared to the bank.

Potential homebuyers without a spotless financial history and excellent credit history can benefit from getting a credit union home loan. That means members with poor credit stand a better chance of getting approved for a mortgage from credit unions than banks.

Availability of Services

Banks offer just about every loan service under the sun, but credit unions might not have the same extent of services. Highly specialized loans products, such as investment commercial property mortgages, might not be offered at some credit unions. They may not be well-versed or outfitted with these particular transactions. Banks, on the other hand, may be the better option if a very specific type of loan is necessary.

Level of Service

Since the consumers being assisted at credit unions are direct members, they usually get more personalized and intimate service at these financial institutions versus banks. You’ll have the opportunity to get to know your lender better.

That’s in stark contrast to banks, which tend to sell their mortgages to investors. That means the home loan is no longer with the originating bank. Many borrowers don’t even know who’s servicing their loans after they’ve signed on the dotted line with banks. With bank mortgages, the company that collects your mortgage payments can change a number of times over the lifespan of your mortgage.

This isn’t typically the case with credit union home loans. By working with the same loan provider, you may be able to avoid late fees that could result from uncertainty about where your payments should be sent.

The Bottom Line

You can get excellent home loan services from both credit unions and banks, but it’s helpful to understand the differences between the two. Lending options vary from one institution to the next, and there are advantages and disadvantages to home loan options available through banks and credit unions.

There are little signs everywhere that we’re approaching the end of summer and the beginning of autumn! But the larger sign is this weekend’s Chicago’s “Change of Season” Happenings!!

Celebrating its 18^th year in the trendy Roscoe Village neighborhood with its unofficial start of autumn, the Shock Top Oyster Fest takes place Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Damen Avenue and Roscoe Street (2000 W. Roscoe St.). This Fest features tents housing fresh seafood along with other culinary delights from local restaurants, pints of brew, an eclectic music lineup, arts & crafts and a sizeable kids’ area with inflatables and art activities! It’s one of Chicago’s unique change-of-season happenings!!

A celebration of wine, beer, food, music and friends can be had at the Windy City Wine Festival this Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Buckingham Fountain (500 S. Columbus Dr.) in the South Loop. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or a novice, this Fest offers more than 300 wines from around the world for your sampling pleasure as well as wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, exhibiting wineries and more! And, Cadillac is sponsoring the Designated Driver Ticket which includes two non-alcoholic drinks and a souvenir wine glass upon departure!!

One of the most unique and popular art festivals in the Chicagoland area, the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, returns this Saturday (10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Music ‘til 10:00 p.m.) and Sunday (10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Music ‘til 7:00 p.m.) to Broadway Street and Belmont Avenue (3200 N. Broadway St.) in the Lakeview neighborhood. Once again, this Fest will showcase more than 150+ juried artists featuring their original pieces for sale in a wide range of price ranges that include paintings, photography, sculpture, furniture, jewelry and more! It’s not all art though as local food, live music & demonstrations, family activities and a garden oasis round out this Fest!!

Another popular change-of-season happening returns to the Lincoln Square neighborhood with the German American Fest this Saturday (12:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.) and Sunday (12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) at Lincoln and Leland Avenues (4700 N. Lincoln Ave.). It’s a celebration of the German culture featuring authentic German food, traditional drinks, live music of German bands, dancing and the annual Von Steuben Day Parade at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Avenue and Irving Park Road!

And finally, celebrate Mexican independence and culture in the Little Village neighborhood at their 27^th annual Festival de La Villita this Saturday and Sunday (12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) at its new location on the grounds of Plaza Garibaldi (2600 S. California Ave.). This Fest features over 100 vendors that include food from neighborhood restaurants, live music from top name local and regional performers, arts & crafts, kids’ activities, carnival rides and more! Sunday at 11:00 a.m. brings the annual 26^th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade to 26^th Street from California to Kedzie Avenues featuring vibrant floats, mariachi bands, flamenco dancers and more!!

I’m Ready for a Change of Season!  Are You?

SUE MOSS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

LINCOLN SQUARE

School’s back in session and no one deserves a happy hour drink more than our Chicagoland teachers. Ampersand Wine Bar at 4845 N. Damen Ave. is showing their appreciation by providing 1 complementary glass of wine to any teacher during happy hour, 5:00 – 6:00p.m., on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays throughout September to help take the edge off and ease into another school year. Bring your school ID or some sort of proof of your educator status just in case.

LOOP

A new month brings a new Activate party to a Loop alleyway. Since May, the party makers of the Chicago Loop Alliance have been enticing the 21-and-over crowd to explore art, music and performances that feature one of our five senses. The theme of next Thursday’s party, 9/15, is Taste and it starts with DJs, art installations, and a fashion show in the historic Cow Path Alley located next to the entrance to the Hyatt Centric Hotel at 100 W. Monroe Street. It’s a great way to spend the evening from 5:00p.m. to 10:00p.m., while the weather is still warm. Then the party continues at the rooftop bars of Aire in the Hyatt and Boleo just up the street at 122 W. Monroe St. for more taste adventures. Don’t forget to RSVP here and start off with your first drink for free.

LINCOLN PARK

Hulafrog is a national network where family-oriented community events and businesses can advertise for free, and parents can share information. It began in Red Bank, NJ and has spread to connect 2200 cities in 28 states.  The Hulafrog Lincoln Park-to-West Town chapter is offering a little contest and all you have to do is sign up through your Facebook account to receive the bonus of a chance to win a $200 gift card to Old Navy. Subscribing gives you access to the network and you’ll start receiving information and alerts regarding activities from your community.

NORWOOD PARK

Fall Fest! No, I’m not rushing seasons just yet. It’s not until next weekend so mark your calendars for this  outdoor festival at the Norwood Park Train Station at 6088 N. Northwest Hwy. Two days of live music with more than 35 vendors of food, merchandise and local services starting Friday, 9/16 from 5:00p.m. to 10:00p.m. with The Black Oil Brothers and Run Forrest Run; and running through Saturday, 9/17 from 12:00p.m. until 10:00p.m. with Company Man, Billy Ray Valentine, Half Full, Hodie Snitch, and The Breakfast Club headlining. There’s always a need for volunteers and the Norwood Park Chamber of Commerce & Industry makes it easy to sign up for a shifts.

NAPERVILLE

It’s tough not to come across unnerving crime reports when searching for neighborhood news to share. Although it’s unthinkable, being a victim of a crime may be at times unavoidable. So the Naperville Police Department and Naperville Crime Stoppers would like to educate residents in safeguarding homes, vehicles and surroundings to prevent the crime of burglary by sponsoring three Burglary Prevention Forums this month:

Tuesday 9/13 7:00 – 8:00p.m. – Naperville Municipal Center (400 S. Eagle St.), Council Chambers

Monday 9/19 7:00 – 8:00p.m. – 95th Street Library (3015 Cedar Glade Drive) Meeting Rooms A and B

Wednesday 9/28 7:00 – 8:00p.m. – Brookdale Elementary School (1200 Redfield Road)

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO