Monday 5 List #31-Staying Cool In Chicago

It's finally HOT here in Chicago. Well in-between storms it is. So far we haven't had the legendary muggy Chicago summer weather but it's hot enough that kids are in sprinklers, jumping in park pools and visiting the ice cream trucks as they sing through neighborhoods.

Today's Monday 5 List includes my tips for staying cool in Chicago.

1. Cool house. I'm lucky enough to live in a small all brick bungalow built in the mid 1950's. Unless the humidity is unbearable I rarely turn the air conditioning on and usually only will if I have guests who aren't familiar with Chicago heat. My basement is an ice box and I don't use the oven unless necessary. I keep window fans and ceiling fans running at low speed to circulate the air and I have plantation style blinds on all my windows which are great for filtering the hot sunlight and my curtains do the rest. 
2. The Lake. Chicagoans will tell you "It's cooler by the Lake" and that is usually accurate. Sometimes the 5-10 degree difference is all you need and it's nice to put your toes in the cold waters of Lake Michigan. I haven't swam in the Lake in a few years but when you have access to a boat it's wonderful to be about 2 miles off the Chicago lakefront where the water is deep and ice cold and you can cannonball off the deck.
3. Street Festivals. Chicago is THE City of street fests. On any given weekend you can find a fest in neighborhoods all over the City. The better ones have plenty of shade, cold beer and fans misting water. For a list of Chicago's Street Festivals, check out this guide from Metromix. 
4. Water. Public parks have a variety of water features. Some are splash pools, other spouting fountains. Probably the most famous one in Chicago is the Crown Fountain, known to Chicagoans as the "Water Wall" in Millennium Park. These huge glass towers feature faces of Chicago residents seen through water that rains down and if you wait long enough, spits out the mouth of an image. It's totally cool and very popular with residents and tourists. Here is a link to a YouTube video of the "spitting" wall. Great place to cool off.
5. Fans. During the weeks I spent in Spain in 2011 I began using small pocket fans. Women all over Spain keep these small fans in their bags and you see them being used everywhere from buses to restaurants. Once it's warm in Chicago, I have at least one of my Spanish fans with me. Pic of my pocket fans below. 
   

Stay cool readers and enjoy the summer!

In Chicago This Weekend 6/18-6/20

This is a great weekend to be in Chicago! Here are a few things to check out:

Taste of Randolph Street- one of Chicago's great street fests, this one features some of the best food in Chicago and terrific music. Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Watch one of the most romantic movies ever made, The Enchanted Cottage is playing on the big screen. Playing Saturday only.

Cubs play at Wrigley Field on Saturday and Sunday.

Chicago's Green City Market. Wonderful farmers market in the heart of the City near Lincoln Park Zoo. Walk to the lake front to enjoy your fresh produce.

Whatever you do, have a great weekend readers!

Summer Essentials-2010 version

Summer is within reach here in Chicago. Kids are playing baseball and soccer on Saturday mornings in the parks, pools are being cleaned and filled and dandelions are already changing from the yellow flower to a white ball full of wishes.

I spent yesterday getting my backyard deck ready for the summer season of barbecues, cocktail nights and dinner parties. On my large deck: new patio furniture, new citronella candles and hanging baskets full of ferns and herbs. My backyard is a beautiful oasis and I spend almost every minute of the summer gardening in my vegetable beds or lounging on my deck.

For this year here is my list of summer essentials:

A Good Book for Lounging in the Hammock. I am reading Wild Romance: A Victorian Story of a Marriage, a Trial and a Self-Made Woman by Chloe Schama. The true story of Theresa Longworth who married and then fought her aristocratic husband to acknowledge their marriage after he left her for another woman. This sassy Victorian woman became a world traveler and writer in an era when women weren't known for their independence or their brains.

Moisturizer with Sunscreen. Obviously a summer must. I use Aveeno Positively Ageless Moisturizer with 30 SPF. I love this product which absorbs quickly, is non greasy and has the loveliest smell.

Chilling Tunes. My music of the summer is Jamie Cullum and Amos Lee. Cool jazz mixed up with some pop and soul and you have the perfect chilling music. I love the music of Jamie Cullum so much I'm flying to Denver in July to see his concert at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Ya, he is THAT good. Now make a tour stop in Chicago please Jamie.

Farmers Markets and CSA's. Support local farmers and enjoy foods good for you and the environment. Looking for a market near you or interested in buying into a Community Supported Agriculture program, visit Local Harvest.

Ravinia For those of you in or near Chicago, Ravinia Festival the outdoor music park is a tradition as soon as the cicadas start buzzing. After years of lackluster musical acts, they finally booked a season worth getting excited about. I scored tickets to Sting and Sheryl Crow for under $30 each. Sure the parking is a nightmare, picnicking on the lawn might not be for everyone (so get pavilion seats) but most of the time it's worth the hassle to listen to great music on a warm starry Chicago night.

Reisenthal Bags. The perfect bags for the beach, hauling fresh produce home from the farmers market or carting books from the library to the house. I have the city shopper and it is my favorite summer bag.

Birkenstocks. Ya not just for tree huggers anymore. Absolutely the most comfortable shoes I own. Mine saved my feet last year with all the walking I did in Oxford. Worth every penny. Check out the collection here.

Hand Lotion. My hands look a little weathered by the end of the summer after months of gardening. The BEST hand lotion on the market in my opinion is Baume Du Jardinier Gardner's Hand Healer. I go through this stuff by the tube full. Love it.

Blackberry. I finally joined the crackberry cult. Disconnecting from my Blackberry for the summer...let's be honest, it's not gonna happen. On the boat, in my garden, I will be connected. Totally connected...everywhere. How did I ever live without?

What are YOUR summer essentials?

My Summer Music Obsession

So I had a busy weekend, Girls Night on Friday, a wedding in Evanston on Saturday and major yard work on Sunday afternoon before we hosted a bbq for friends. Today I arrived to work and there had been no power in the building since yesterday and when ComEd finally restored the power something sparked a fire and after the fire department left, the library was shut down. I am happily enjoying an unplanned free day. With tons to do before my family arrives for my sister's baby shower this upcoming weekend, I am keeping my energy up with my latest summer music obsessions. Between Katy Perry (I Kissed a Girl) and Chris Brown I am constantly pumping their music throughout my house and garden. The video linked below is on my ITouch and I am addicted to it, I just love to watch him dance!
Chris Brown's Forever at http://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisBrownTV?ob=1
Enjoy!
Click here for Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAp9BKosZXs