Five Amazing Things About Chicago

Five Amazing Things About Chicago

This New York girl is always dreaming of traveling to other cities other than her own. One city that I love is Chicago, Illinois. Like New York, it has 4 beautiful seasons, trendy stores and delicious food. I am sharing 5 amazing things about Chicago you will want to immediately move there!

1. The Food

Chicago Food

You cannot visit Chicago without a famous Chicago dog. This is not your typical New York City dog. The fixings include yellow mustard, relish, white onions, pickled peppers, celery salt, tomatoes and a dill pickle! Next up is Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. This is all crust with cheese in the middle topped with a delicious red sauce. Finish it off with homemade style lemonade.

2. The Comedy

Chicago Comedy

Need some laughter in your life? Chicago is known as one of the funniest cities in the country so be sure to check out one of the many improv and comedy clubs. Some great places are Zanies Comedy Night Club, Laugh Factory and The Comedy Bar.

3. Instagram Worthy Spots

Instagram Worthy Pics in Chicago

What’s a city without Instagram worthy spots? If you are in Chicago, be sure to check out The Bean, the Wrigley Field, Skydeck, Buckingham Fountain, Garfield Park Conservatory, Palmer House and that is just to name a few!

4. Variety of Places to Live

Chicago Neighborhoods

With Chicago having so much to offer, it is hard to not live here. If you do consider moving to Chicago, use a reliable search engine such as Zumper. This search engine makes finding houses, rooms, condos or apartments easy to find. Zumper has helped millions of renters find houses, rooms, condos, or apartments for rent. They have quality listings, and real time alerts so you are first to know when something you are interested in is listed. Some great neighborhoods to look at are South Loop, River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park and West Loop. Chicago is also known to have one of the best public transportation systems in the country so getting around is safe and reliable.

5. The Attractions

Chicago Attractions

Some things to do when you are in Chicago are visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo, Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute of Chicago and Chicago History Museum. You also must go to Navy Pier and ride the Ferris Wheel. You will feel like a kid again plus you get amazing views of Chicago!

No matter what your plans are for when you go to Chicago, there is something for everybody. If you are deciding to move there, there are many affordable homes and neighborhoods. If you decide to take a trip you will be amazed by places such as Millennium Park and Navy Pier with beautiful views of Lake Michigan. This large multicultural city has so much to offer and will welcome you with open arms.

Travel Safely In a Changing World

Travel Safely In a Changing World

The past couple of months have been hard on all of us and with things slowly starting to open, everyone wants out.

I am one of those people, but in this changing world I know we are not going to be able to go on vacation like we planned this summer.

Just like I have the past few months, I am going to make it work and turn our vacation into a safecation.

If you are considering traveling this summer, I put together some tips on how to travel safely and responsibly.

1. Be Smart

Is the virus spreading where you’re going? If not what about your community? If the number is high you may want to consider not going to avoid spread.

2. Rent Instead of Hotel

Find a place that is a 2-3 hour drive and consider renting a house or campsite instead of a hotel. With renting or camping, you have control of what you want, the more secluded the better. AirBnB is a great place to start.

Our AirBnB in Granville, NY.

A few years ago my girlfriends and I had our annual girls trip at a fantastic AirBnB. It had everything you could want and we never needed to leave! I plan to go back this year with my family. It has a pool, pond and beautiful scenery. It also has a kitchen for us to bring our own food and cook.

3. Pack Your Own Snacks

Making stops along the way for gas, food, or bathroom breaks can put you and your family at risk. Pack your own snacks or consider pick up food at drive-throughs, curbside restaurant service, or stores.

4. Stay Clean

Pack hand sanitzer, handsoap and face masks for when you need to stop for gas and bathroom breaks. Also pack disinfectent spray and wipes so you can wipe down surfaces as soon as you reach your desitnation.

5. Get Creative

Create a theme for where you’re going. Just because resorts or theme parks are not an option right now, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

We are planning to do Christmas in July, we will put up a tree, wrap some gifts and sing Christmas Carols in the pool.

These are just some simple tips I will be planning to use when we travel in a few weeks. For more information on how to stay safe while traveling, visit Center For Disease Control.

The Most Affordable Cities in Ontario

The Most Affordable Cities in Ontario

Traveling with a toddler is not always easy, especially for my family since we have only flown once with Franco. We enjoy road trips and are grateful enough to live so close to Canada.

Today I am sharing with you some affordable cities in Ontario for you and your family!

Windsor

Windsor-Essex is a great place for outdoor lovers, sports fans, festival-goers, and everyone in between. Lakefront living, award-winning wineries, golf courses to challenge every level of player, farmers’ markets, a temperate climate and festivals almost every weekend are just a few of the many advantages of living and playing in Windsor-Essex. Surrounded by lakes, the region is a boater and fishing aficionado’s paradise. Its golf options range from short par-three course to championship layouts. The region has built a reputation as a two-nation destination with even more cultural, entertainment and sporting events located across the Windsor-Detroit border.

There are food and wine events and music festivals throughout the balmy extended summer months across the entire region. Windsor-Essex offers a one-of-a-kind foodie experience by being one of the most diversified cities in Canada which allows us to enjoy culinary delights from around the world — from Little Italy to Chinatown to Little Vietnam — we have it all from Middle Eastern shish tawook or local craft beer and everything in between. 

Halton

The Town of Halton has a thriving arts culture and heritage scene. Increasingly, businesses are making locational and investment decisions based on the quality of life factors, rather than simply on proximity to markets, space availability, space costs and proximity to suppliers. With an award-winning Cultural Master Plan in place, the Town with community partners is actively implementing actions that are raising the quality of life and leveraging the economic benefits of a vibrant cultural scene. Halton Real Estate is booming and the high demand for homes in Halton kept the average market cost higher when compared to other provinces.

Kingston

Kingston is a Canadian city on Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Cataraqui and St. Lawrence rivers. It’s known as the “Limestone City” for its grand 19th-century buildings, including the lakeside Kingston City Hall. The grand house and gardens of the Bellevue House National Historic Site commemorates Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. Fort Henry, built in the 1800s, holds military demonstrations.

Orillia

One of the key features of Orillia is its beautiful waterfront, perfect for walking and cycling. You will find a variety of recreation, art, culture, and history which makes it a true favorite for young and old alike. Connected from the waterfront the main street of Orillia features more than 10 independently owned restaurants where you can find authentic dishes, local products, great service, and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Visit a variety of unique, cafes, clothing stores, gift shops the arts district and more in historic downtown Orillia.

If you have never traveled to Ontario before, I suggest you come and experience everything in The Sunshine City!