It costs a lot of money to maintain a home, but you might be spending more than is necessary. Your utility bills can be lowered significantly by reducing the amount of energy used in your home, and doing so may be much simpler than you believe. Small adjustments here and there can add up to big savings.

Here are some easy ways you can save energy in your home that are good for the environment, and your wallet.

Replace incandescent lights

Conventional incandescent lightbulbs only convert about 10% of the energy used into light; the rest is lost in heat. Swapping these lights with more innovative LEDs can significantly cut back on energy that’s not being used for lighting purposes. Not only do LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, they also last about 10 times longer.

Skip the dishwasher

The amount of energy dishwashers use to heat the water and dry the dishes is significant. If you can stand it, consider washing the dishes by hand. At the very least, switch off the automatic air-dry after the final rinse and open the door open slightly to help the dishes dry faster.

Turn off electronics when not in use

All of your home’s TVs, computers, and other electronics are wasting energy when they’re left on and not being used. Plug your devices into a smart power strip that uses a lot less energy when they’re in standby mode.

Turn the temperature of your water heater down.

If you’d prefer to keep your current water heater, consider turning its temperature down to about 120°F. In addition, turn it down even lower when you’re away for a few days

Maintain your HVAC system

Your heating and air conditioning systems should be maintained at least once a year to make sure they’re working optimally and not using up more energy than necessary to operate. About 50% of the energy used in a home comes directly from these HVAC systems, so the more efficiently they function, the less energy will be wasted.

Insulate your windows and doors

Windows and doors that allow air leakage account for as much as one-third of energy loss in a home. Seal all these leaks with some caulking, and weatherstrip your windows and doors to prevent even further air loss.

Use less water and heat with your laundry

Little changes that are made when doing the laundry can save a great deal of energy. Don’t do the laundry until you’ve got a full load, and wash each load in cold water to cut back on energy used to heat the water. Once the laundry is done, hang the clothes up to air dry rather than using the dryer.

Come on, this isn’t really the end of summer! Though Labor Day Weekend typically signals the end of vacations, there are still three more weeks of summer left on the calendar, with elongated evenings, warm temperatures and fun outdoor activities still abound! Enjoy! 

And All That Jazz… For more than 40 years,Labor Day Weekend meant one thing for Chicagoans.. the Chicago Jazz Festival! From Thursday, September 1 to Sunday, September 4, the oldest of Chicago’s free lakefront music festivals boasts a diverse lineup, which includes free neighborhood concerts leading up to the main show at Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph Street. 

However, this year’s fest is so much more than Grant Park.  On Thursday, September 1, from 3:30-4:30pm – The Marlene Rosenberg Quartet performs at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Preston Bradley Hall, while at their Claudia Cassidy Theater at 3:15pm, a special 65th anniversary screening of ‘What is This Thing called Jazz?’ which follows Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong on tour  Europe, Africa and back to the United States in the mid-1950s, captured by the camera crews of  journalist Edward R. Murrow. The bebop revolution known as jazz starts at Millennium Park, in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. From 6:30-7:30pm – Mike Allemana Vonology, followed by Henry Threadgill Zooid at 7:45pm. For a complete schedule, click here. 

No Bull…Mark your calendars for the inaugural Bulls Fest on Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4 at the United Center’s vast parking lot, 1901 W. Madison, from 8am-10pm. Lots of hoop-ifying entertainment, including a 3×3 Tournament, world-class entertainment like G Herbo, Da Brat, Bulls mascot Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls autographs, photo ops, and local Chicago bands, including Sixteen Candles. Free admission to all fans and a new opportunity to build excitement as the Bulls get ready for the start of the 2022-2023 regular season!. For more information, click here. 

Taste of Polonia Festival…The 40^th Anniversary of the Copernicus Foundation’s annual salute steps off September 2-5, at the Taste of Polonia Festival, 5216 W. Lawrence Avenue. For four days, you can enjoy a true cultural experience that includes nonstop live music, dance performances, authentic Polish food and beer, exhibitions, local merchants, a casino, beer garden, a Kids Stage and area filled with great activities and much much more! For tickets and information, click here. 

Bike The Drive….On Sunday, September 4, from 6:30am. –10:30am, grabyour bike, the kids, and your neighbors and ride on Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive for Bike The Drive. With sweeping views of the lake and skyline, you’ll enjoy fresh air and the wind on your face! Ride as little or as much of the 30-mile course as you’d like and then enjoy a post-ride festival in Grant Park, 235 S. Columbus Drive.  Bike rentals are available. For more information, click here. 

Taking Bows…The summer long street festival, Sundays on State, ends for 2022 on Sunday, September 4, from 11am-6 pm. Enjoy the vast culture of the city, through interactive demonstrations of the arts, active recreation, food, drinks, shopping, and local attractions at this free event! Sunday’s entertainment includes the Joffrey Ballet,CrocodileRockStar,the Black Ensemble Theatre, and Cabaret ZaZou Luminaire, and the Soul Train Experience. For a complete list of events, click here. 

Au Revoir, Cezanne!  The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Avenue, ends its groundbreaking retrospective of impressionist Paul Cezanne’s works on Labor Day, Monday, September 5. Cezanne’s work includes 80 oil paintings, 40 watercolors and drawings, and two complete sketchbooks. Why is this art, more than a century old, stillrelevant today? Find out! For tickets and more information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Fall is my favorite time of year, but I hear so many of my friends and colleagues comment on how sad it is that summer is almost over! I know that many parts of the country have been horribly hot and dry, so maybe in those places people are a little happier to see summer end. Around the Midwest we have had a wonderful summer weatherwise with only a few very hot stretches. But seasonal depression can be a real thing for many people so here are some ways to cope.

Recognize that this is a minor disturbance that you can get over, but you do need to acknowledge your feelings. Treat yourself as you would a friend. Don’t belittle yourself. Treat yourself a little more nicely now. Go get a massage, buy yourself something nice or just any activity that makes you feel good. 

There might be a specific reason to feel anxious around this time of year. Perhaps you have put off all that going-back-to-school organizing. Shopping, carpools and class schedules. Just getting started with these logistics can snap you out of your doldrums. Maybe you just got back from vacation and dread going back to a job you really dislike. Even if it is something like your job that you might not be able to change right now, it helps to at least acknowledge the source of the problem.

Then again, it might just be something you can’t pinpoint. We can’t always blame our bad moods on something. So, if there is nothing you can put your finger on, don’t waste time ruminating on it. Just say to yourself, “Yeah, I get this way every year at this time”. 

Think of something coming soon that you love. It could be Halloween, Thanksgiving, college football, or just a pumpkin spiced latte. Whatever it is, it is something to look forward to and keeps the larger picture in mind. Remember, this too shall pass. 

Of course, all the usual advice applies here as with other mental health issues. Exercise and spend time outdoors. Eat a healthy diet. Spend time with friends and family. Stay off social media, all these people that seem to have perfect lives are just as messed up as we are. 

So, the best advice is to realize we have a problem and either change our circumstances or deal with the short down time. It is a good idea to seek professional advice if the doldrums last more than a week or so or if it really incapacitates you. Only you can tell if this is the case. But knowing that mental health is as important as physical health is a good first step. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Are you ready for getting the most out of our dwindling summer weekends? Well, this last weekend of August is going to be a great one so get your weekend started here!

Chicago’s popular Taste of Greektown returns for its 32^nd year to Halsted Street from Adams to Van Buren Streets this Saturday and Sunday (12 p.m. – 10 p.m.) in the West Loop. Blending Old World traditions with a 21^st century freshness, the neighborhood’s acclaimed Greek restaurants, like Artopolis Bakery, Café and Agora, Athena Restaurant, Mr. Greek Gyros, and others, will once again be the main attraction at this annual culinary fest. There will also be plenty of live music and entertainment including Greek bands, Greek dancing, unique shopping and retail, and activities for both kids and families.  Also, Saturday at 6 p.m. is the 5^th annual Devanco Foods Gyros Eating Contest if you have the stomach for it. This street festival is simply a weekend celebration for lovers of Mediterranean culture!  Opa!!

Founded by four neighborhood artists more than 30 years ago, the Bucktown Arts Fest is returning this year for the first time since 2019 to Holstein Park (2200 N. Oakley Ave.) in the Bucktown neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m. – 7 p.m.). The main attraction is the juried art show which features nearly 200 artists displaying their work in oil painting, sculpture, digital art, jewelry and more for every taste at the fest. There will also be two music stages, cold craft beers and sangria to quench your thirst. Plus, there’s no admission fee and no donation request.  Just plenty of fun to be had at the Fest of Fests!

Chicago’s only chalk art festival Chalk Howard Street returns outdoors and in-person for the first time in three years to Howard Street between Paulina Street and Ashland Avenue in the Rogers Park neighborhood this Saturday (11 a.m. – 8 p.m.). This family-friendly festival features internationally renowned 3D street artists, local 2D chalk artists, emerging artists and kids’ art that will transform Howard Street into a creative canvas.  Plus, this free-admission festival also features live music, local vendors, food, and drinks. There’s also street squares available for public purchase so you can try your hand at creating your own chalk art!

Join the East Garfield Park community this Saturday (10 a.m. – 10 p.m.) for The Purple Block Party at Garfield Park Music Court Circle (100 N. Central Park Ave.). This event is a cultural, music, and festive experience celebrating the combination of all the elements that encompasses unity throughout Chicago.  Also featured at this event are the Kids Blue Zone where they will have their own experience with custom snow cones, a candy bar, improv and creative theater, along with back-to-school giveaways, and the Adults Red Zone which will echo the kids’ zone as a parallel experience but riskier!  Plus, there will be a host of performances, cultural experiences including food, vendors, and community activities!

Enjoy sipping craft brews while staring up at zoo animals at the annual ZooBrew beer extravaganza hosted by Brookfield Zoo (8400 W. 31^st St.) in Brookfield this Saturday (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.). Drink samples from more than 80 vendors which include big-name producers as well as local purveyors.  There are 3 sessions to choose from – the VIP, the Full and the Half Sessions which all provide a commemorative glass! Cheers!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Open since 1927 in the Chicago Loop, The Village is a romantic, family-owned Italian restaurant with spectacular murals and semi-private dining spaces that make you feel as if feel as if you’re sitting under a Tuscan sun.

A Google reviewer said it best: “WOW, what an experience….! From the second you walk in the door you know this place is gonna be like no other. The food is absolutely out of this world, true authentic homemade Italian. The staff is also what makes this place what it is! Truly a great establishment that I highly recommend trying. I will continue to come back for years to come!”

The Capatanini family is now in its third generation of ownership, having weathered the pandemic, the Great Depression, Prohibition and World War II, and a couple of Pandemics. Though they once operated three restaurants in their Loop location, The Village is the only restaurant serving the public right now. Their other restaurants are available for private parties only.

Through it all, The Village has survived with a combination of handmade Northern Italian pastas, a commitment to using quality ingredients, and providing outstanding service. 

Start with an Antipasti like Calimari, prepared either fried or grilled, or Shrimp Tuscany- Four Gulf shrimp broiled in a sun dried tomato, shallot, pancetta, and basil butter sauce.The whole family can enjoy a traditional Italian Antipasto ofprosciutto, salami, mortadella, capicola, marinated mushrooms, marinated artichokes, green olives, Kalamata olives, tomato, anchovy, hard-boiled egg, radish, and fresh basil.

Lighter lunch and dinner fare include Insalata (Salads) Italian Cobb salad comes with chopped romaine lettuce, mixed greens, and arugula, topped with roasted turkey breast, hard boiled egg, fried pancetta, tomato, scallion, artichoke, and Fontinella cheese. A traditional Caprese has sliced tomato, red onion, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinaigrette. Grilled Chicken has mixed greens, sliced apples, oranges, red onion, dried cranberries, and gorgonzola cheese.

Make room for house specialties like Chicken Piccata, traditional with grilled chicken breasts with caper and white wine sauce over spinach, or their house specialty, Chicken Vesuvio, an oven-roasted half Amish chicken, with potato wedges, herbs, garlic, white wine. The menu warns of a 35-40 minute cook time. Another house specialty is their Atlantic Salmon, made Puttanesca-style, broiled with tomatoes, capers, olives,  garlic, basil and white wine, served over sautéed spinach. And their Beef Toscanini–  Filet mignon medallions sautéed with fresh mushrooms  and marsala wine, served with pappardelle pasta. Also highly recommended are Chef Jose’s specials, which include Seafood Manicotti, which are Oven-baked crepes filled with shrimp, scallop, salmon and seasoned ricotta cheese, topped with tomato cream sauce, or the Pheasant Agnolottini, Handmade pillow-shaped, pheasant-filled pasta in a butter sage sauce, sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Another Google reviewer wrote in a five-star review:

“Food was spectacular. We tried the meatballs with the spicy sauce, ravioli, beef sandwich and our kids got some pizza and it was all delicious. Besides the food, our large family of 9 was accommodated in a somewhat private little room and the customer service we received by all the employees was hands down the best customer service we received while in Chicago. Very kind, sweet people here who go above and beyond to make your visit one to remember.”

The Village Restaurant is located at 71 W. Monroe, open seven days a week. Sundays-Thursdays, from 11am-8:30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from  11am-9pm. For information and reservations, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago