During the last century the average life span has increased from 50 to 80 years. A whopping 30-year difference! Better sanitation along with antibiotics, vaccines, and other advances allow us to survive diseases that killed many of us in childhood 100 years ago. Even with the covid pandemic reducing the span by 3 years we are still light years ahead of our forebears. Unfortunately, healthspans do not always match longevity. Healthspans are defined as the period of life that is free of chronic disease or disability. Right now, an American might expect that their last 15 years could be lived with a serious disease. Aging is a large risk factor for cancer and heart disease, not to mention Alzheimer’s and dementia. For years, we’ve been focused on treating specific diseases which can extend our life but not the quality of that life. Now, medicine is starting to focus on extending your healthy life not just the length of your life.

The pillars of aging include the aging of individual cells, stress responses, inflammation, and DNA damage. The variations in these can mostly be the result of environmental differences, but our genes play about 25%. Some people just age slower than others. Some who age faster will suffer more from disability and disease. Scientists are studying ways to clear out cells that no longer divide but linger in the body. These are called senescent cells. But these studies are years away from giving us any treatment, so what can we do in the meantime?

Of course, we all know the four basic steps to better health. They are nutrition, sleep, exercise, and social connections. All are equally important for good health. These steps alone can give you a healthier 10 years because they moderate the biology of aging,  similar to how regular moderate exercise can prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But one of the best ways to extend our health span is through regular checkups. Think of it as preventative maintenance for your body! Watching cholesterol levels and blood pressure along with lean body mass and bone density can go a long way. So, there is no magic bullet but if you haven’t seen a doctor in more than a year it might be a good idea to make an appointment.

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Just the mere thought of having to pack the entire house and move it all to a new destination can seem like a daunting task. And it can be if you don’t plan ahead and use simple yet effective strategies to ease the burden. Here are 8 savvy packing and moving tips to make the haul a cinch.

Throw Junk Out – Don’t Pack it

Keep this golden rule in mind before you pack certain items: if you haven’t used it over the past year, you most likely never will. If that’s the case, there’s no sense in packing these never-used items and moving them into your new home, only for them to just take up precious space for nothing.

Most likely, the home you’re moving out of has accumulated quite a bit of ‘stuff’ since you’ve lived there – odds are, a lot of it doesn’t have to be dragged along with you. Instead, create a pile for donation, and a pile for the trash. Getting rid of unused things will drastically cut down on the time and effort needed to pack and move all of your belongings on moving day.

Wrap Your Delicates in Clothing or Towels Instead of Bubble Wrap

Any fragile items – such as glassware, dishes, porcelain figurines, etc – will obviously need extra care and padding when storing them for the big move. But rather than using bubble wrap for this purpose, consider using clothing instead.

First of all, bubble wrap can get pretty expensive, especially with the hoards that you’ll be needing. Secondly, your clothing and linens need to be packed anyway – why take up extra space with bubble wrap when your clothes can serve a purpose?

Use Bags Instead of Boxes

How much space do boxes take up in a moving truck? A lot. How expensive are they? Very. Consider using durable bags instead of boxes when possible.

Not everything in your home is square-shaped and fits perfectly inside a box. Rather than counting on boxes for all of your belongings, throw some bags into the mix. And if you’ve got any suitcases, use these to pack large and bulky items, like your comforters, pillows, and sweaters, which tend to take up a lot of space.

Use Clear Bins For Essential Items

Think about all the items that you’ll need the first day and night that you’ll be in your new home. Things like your toothbrush, shampoo, phone charger, laptop, and other items will be needed within hours of moving. Skip the frustration of looking through every box by storing these must-haves in a clear plastic bin to help you find things a lot easier and faster.

Take Photos

You’d be amazed at how quickly you’ll forget how certain shelves were arranged, such as your glasses and dishes. Your shelves may be stacked and organized so perfectly in your old home, but this arrangement will be tough to copy after you’ve taken everything down and stuffed them into moving boxes.

The same can be said for your electronics – taking photos of the cords on the back of your TV and other gadgets will make it a lot easier to remember where they all belong. This will save you both time and hassle.

Don’t Leave Important Documents With the Mover

Crucial papers, like your passports, birth certificates, bank statements, purchase agreements, or any other paperwork with sensitive information on it should be kept with you, and not the movers. These are the last things that you want to go missing during the move.

Leave the Garage Empty

You’ll probably be tempted to fill the garage or attic at your new place with all your boxes that you moved from your old house. Do yourself a favor, and resist this temptation. While your intention may be to deal with them ‘at some point’ in the near future, this usually tends to turn into ‘never.’

Just like we said earlier – if you can go months – or longer – without using certain things, it’s safe to say they can be discarded. If not, you’ll be parking your vehicle on the driveway.

Color Coordinate Your Boxes/Rooms

Labeling boxes is a classic moving trick, and it’s an absolute must. But you can make things even easier on yourself by color coordinating the boxes for each room in the house.

For instance, assign blue for the master bedroom and orange for the kitchen, and so on.

Use colored stickers on each box near the number you’ve designated for each. Once you get to your new home, place a matching sticker on each room’s door. That way the movers will know exactly where each box goes when they finally get there.

Moving isn’t exactly glamorous, nor is it simple. But you can definitely take steps to make it as stress-free and easy as possible so you can spend more time enjoying your new digs.

The James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 West Randolph Street, stands on the shoulders of the two theatres that preceded the Nederlander at that spot. And rumor has it…the ghost of one predecessor haunts the theatre to this day.

In recognition of both Halloween and Fire Safety Month, it seems appropriate to mention the history of the Nederlander, which recently made Condé Nast’s list of the “42 Most Haunted Places in the World. The Nederlander, according to Secret Chicago, sits at number 12 on the list, just after The Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Most of the local ghost tours take you to this spot for its long, storied history.

Currently, the home of the touring company of ‘Hamilton’ through December 30, this ornate theatre opened November 23, 1903 as theIroquois Theatre.  It was hailed as being fireproof.

A Haunting We Will Go…

If the name sounds familiar, the Iroquois Theatre was the ‘fire-proof’ building that became the site of the deadliest single-building fire in U.S. history. As Smithsonian Magazine recounts it, there were more than 1700 people in the theatre that day, 600+ standing room…mostly women and children enjoying winter break. According to the magazine, “During a performance of the comedy-musical ‘Mr. Bluebeard,’ on December 30, 1903, as the show began its second act at 3:15 that afternoon, a spark from a stage light ignited nearby drapery. “Attempts to stamp out the fire with a primitive retardant did nothing to halt its spread across the flammable decorative backdrops” recalled The Smithsonian Magazine. “Chicago native and actor Eddie Foy, dressed in drag for his next scene, attempted to calm the increasingly agitated audience. He ordered the orchestra to continue playing as stagehands made futile attempts to lower a supposedly flame-retardant curtain, but it snagged.”

Windy City Ghosts picks up the narrative. “People were rushing out of the seats. This did not do much good though because they could not easily find any exits. The exits of the theatre were not labeled. Plus, the doors had used what is known as a bascule lock. These locks are popular in theatres in Europe but not in Chicago. The people could not figure out how to unlock the doors to escape.” 

As a result, hundreds of people were trampled, then burned in the commotion. Others lost their lives when they jumped off the fire escapes off the upper gallery.

Tragedy spurs change

Just as other fires inspired safety changes, the Iroquois fire prompted widespread implementation of safety features that we take for granted today, according to Wikipedia sources. These include the panic bar, asbestos fire curtains, and doors that open outward. The exterior of the Iroquois was intact, so the theater was rebuilt, renamed and reopened as the Hyde & Behman’s Music Hall in September 1904. In October 1905, it was rechristened as the Colonial Theatre. It remained active until the building was demolished in 1925, and the new Oriental Theater began operating. The Oriental Theater operated, in various forms, until 2019, when the Nederlander Organization took over the building through its Broadway in Chicago connection.

Death Alley and its legacy 

The fire’s recorded death toll reached 602. Legend has it, according to Choose Chicago, that it took more than five hours to retrieve the bodies, and the alley behind the theatre, known now as Couch Place, functioned as a temporary morgue. Today, Choose Chicago says, “reports of faint cries, apparitions, and feelings of being touched or even pushed by invisible entities have been reported in that same spot — hence the nickname “Death Alley.” Also, the Chicago Loop Alliance reports If you travel down this alley, pay attention: You could experience a cold breeze over your shoulder or hear whispers of your name called by those who died in the fire.

Other Ghostly Images 

According to American Ghost Walks,paranormal activity related to the fire continues to this day. Apparitions have been observed plunging to their deaths.  Fire has been observed bursting outside the back of the theater. The smell of smoke is not an uncommon occurrence. But according to iHeartRadio blog, of its spirited sightings, “the most well-known ghost is the Woman in White, a spectral figure said to appear in the balcony area, dressed in white attire. She is often spotted watching performances from the back rows before disappearing. Nederlander Theatre’s legacy as a cultural gem is matched only by its mystifying tales, offering theater enthusiasts and those curious about the metaphysical a chance to experience history that extends beyond the footlights.”

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Summer is over and winter will soon be here. Now is the time to make sure your home and landscape is ready for the cold months ahead! Around the Chicagoland area we’ve had relatively mild temperatures along with moderate rain. So, take advantage of this decent weather and take care of the many tasks that need to be done. 

All bush and tree trimming should be done by now, so make sure you have enough mulch around for the winter. Make sure to leave several inches clear around the tree trunks and the bases of bushes. Continue with weekly deep watering with the hose trickling till the ground freezes. Trees and shrubs need a good supply of water to get through the winter and to really take off when spring comes. 

Make sure all of your drainage systems are in good working condition including gutters and downspouts. If you don’t have gutter covers, make sure the gutters are free of leaves and other debris. Clogged gutters and downspouts will cause ice damming in the winter and can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. If you don’t feel safe on the ladder or it’s simply too high, hire a professional. If you do get up there do a cursory check of the roof. Look for loose shingles, especially around openings like vents and chimneys. Check the drains around the house also. They tend to get full of leaves and dirt this time of year with fall rains. The point is to divert all water away from your foundation. Walk around the house checking the foundation and making sure it is all clean, with no piles of mulch or leaves up against it. 

The grass you planted last month should be getting established by now, but remember it will still need to be watered if mother nature isn’t providing enough. An inch a week is sufficient. The new grass can be hand watered. You want it grown enough to survive winter and take off in the spring. Bring in any plants you brought out for the summer and put them in a sunny room. 

Do you have any other fall tips for the home and landscape?

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Not feeling in the Halloween mood yet?  Well, you better get with it since Chicagoans take this holiday seriously!  Perhaps some of the events taking place this weekend will get you started on the right path.

Grab a friend or two and head over to Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up located on a two-acre plot of land just west of Goose Island at 1265 W. Le Moyne Street in the River West neighborhood.  This larger-than-life outdoor adventure features over 10,000 pumpkins in their fall wonderland; a large corn maze with a hidden bar; festive photo ops for instagramable memories; axe throwing; carnival games for your inner competitor; fortune tellers; gem mining; and more.  There’s an experience here for everyone at this one-of-a-kind pumpkin patch in Chicago!

Treat your four-legged family member to the Halloween Pup Crawl this Saturday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) in the Lakeview neighborhood at the corners of North Halsted and West Aldine Streets.  Be sure your pooch is dressed in their Halloween best so they can strut their stuff as they stop for treats, giveaways, and prizes along the way.  You can even have a professional holiday photo taken at the Miss Foozie photobooth.  In addition, brunch is available on Lark’s awesome patio (open to all dogs) with Miss Foozie hosting a raffle drawing and some fun Q&As to win prizes at 2 p.m.  Best of all, the raffle winner need not be present!

Enjoy a magical evening with Arts in the Dark this Saturday (6 p.m.-8 p.m.) on State Street between Lake and Van Buren Streets in The Loop.  This parade celebrates Halloween as the “artist’s holiday” with a dazzling production of unique floats, spectacle puppets, creative performances, music, dance, and more!  It’s even been recognized as one of the top 6 Halloween events in the world.  Don’t miss your opportunity to experience the magic this fall!

Perhaps Nightmare on Clark Street is more up your alley.  Now through October 31^st, your host the Bamboo Club (3505 N. Clark St.) in the Wrigleyville neighborhood brings you a Halloween-themed extravaganza with a multi-level haunted house along with their upstairs bar serving spooky cocktails.  Beware!

Join the International Museum of Surgical Science (1524 N. Lake Shore Dr.) in the Gold Coast neighborhood as they host a Haunted Soiree now through October 31^st (6:15 p.m.-11:15 p.m.).  This haunted macabre-style cocktail event invites their guests to dress up and roam around at their leisure in the historic Eleanor Robinson Countiss House where they can indulge in themed mini-cocktail tastings, enjoy extravagant entertainment, macabre magic, surreal specters, interactive guest experiences, and uncover the surreal ghost story that lies at the heart of it all!

If you’re up for a little drive, check out the Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns this Saturday and Sunday (6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.) at the Chicago Botanic Garden (1000 Lake Cook Rd.) in the northern suburb of Glencoe.  This popular event is a more tranquil Halloween experience to get you in the holiday spirit with their ghoulish makeover.  Lighting up the night with hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins that are colored with vibrant LED lights, visitors can stroll the gorgeous grounds and admire the impressive jack-o’-lanterns that were handcrafted for hours by expert artists.  Plus, the grounds are filled with snack bars selling tasty fall bites along with seasonal beer, ale, and even spiked cedar.  It’s an amazing party of lights!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago