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theurbanologist · 6 years

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When Summer Gets Windy

Good morning.

Out the window, grey abides. It’s pasty, punctuated by a green foliage that remind me of my childhood in Seattle. In November, the grey came to the Emerald City, opened up an ample steamer trunk and said “Thanks for having me. I'll be staying until May, maybe June, with a few side trips to Grays Harbor County”.

My mother grew up in Grays Harbor County on the Washington coast and she remembers it as an active, bustling place with the timber and fishing industries providing an abundance of employment to people in Hoquiam, Aberdeen, and other hamlets. I knew it a different way. That's another story. I don’t mind the grey, though growing up I found it grating by April. Even they I knew we had two months to go, and sometimes there would be guest appearances in July or August, as if somehow Seattleites might have forgotten this so-called “neutral” color. Maybe it is neutral amidst the color wheel. In my heart and head it is not an emotional Switzerland.

Summer in Chicago is a vastly different experience than a Seattle summer. A Venn diagram of the two would reveal shared contours, such as ice cream, the appeal of water (saltier out West), and more time outdoors, at least given the possibility of reasonable temperatures.

I will let you decide how to define reasonable temperatures.

With all of that in mind, I’ve asked some Chicago friends, writers, and other characters for their thoughts on what makes a Chicago summer compelling.

1. Happy Village. I try to make at least one annual summer pilgrimage to Happy Village, where I drink High Lifes in the twinkle-lit beer garden and relive my early 2's when I first moved to Chicago and lived in the Ukrainian Village. Of course, I go far earlier these days because I'm old. My companions and I take breaks from the stickiness by ducking inside for a quick round of Ping-Pong.

2. Water taxi to Chinatown. I haven't done this yet, which makes this second activity aspirationally fraudulent. But my goal this year is to grab an early Sunday AM water taxi from Michigan Ave. to Chinatown where I will promptly stuff my face with dim sum at Phoenix.

3. Cubs game/two Chicago doggies. Despite Wrigleyville's disconcerting transition into Rosemont, absolutely nothing beats a summer day at Wrigley Field. This is baseball for the baseball lover—minimal gimmicks and visual distractions—just timeless organ jams, manual scorekeeping on the ole' green board, snappy Chicago doggies and ice-cold Old Styles (now only securable at a few kiosks—our preferred being on the 500 level behind home plate). Not to mention a lot more hits by the Lovable ... Winners.

Maggie Hennessy writes about food and other matters for TimeOut Chicago and other outlets.

Be a salmon in any Chicago summer: that is, swim upstream against the current. Avoid the Lakefront and its crowds—bike the Boulevard system and check out the inland parks from Jackson Park all the way up to Logan Boulevard.

Before or after a Sox game (you can ALWAYS get a ticket, just go on spur of the moment) go to Palmisano Park (the former Stearns Quarry)on a field trip to Bridgeport, where you can also get the best hot dog or mother-in law sandwich at Johnny O’s at 35th and Morgan, before quenching your thirst at either Maria’s Community Bar or Bernice’s.

Go to Ping Tom Park and then get dim sum any Sunday morning in Chinatown—be sure to dig the Confucius statue on 22nd Place and the Chinese-American Veteran’s Memorial on the SW corner of the intersection of Archer, Cermak, and Princeton.

Go to Humboldt Park and experience our one inland beach, as well as the endless selection of comida boricua in Chicago’s Puerto Rican heartland. Don’t ride the Lakefront Path, go hit the path along the North Branch/canal, all the way to Wilmette from K-town.

Summer is made for biking, do it.

Bill Savage teaches at Northwestern University, among other pursuits.

Sipping a Negroni while thumbing through a book in the Chicago Athletic Hotel's Drawing Room Eating Quartino's pizza and discussing the hot Chicago topics of the day at Tweed Thorton's Four Star Lunch Moseying over to Old Fashioned Donuts with my mom in our neighborhood (Roseland on 112th/Michigan)

Any trip to my alma mater includes mandatory stops at Two Asian Brothers and Hot”G”Dog (vegetarian Chicago Style hot dogs) Grabbing a Chicago Mix at the Garrett Popcorn Shop in O'Hare for my co-workers in the HBS Initiatives.

Rayshauna Gray is a writer currently working on a book about her family’s history. She is an honorary Boscagoan.

I spend much of the summer looking up. Walking east along Lake Street in the morning, I like to look up and watch El trains chug east with the morning sun behind them. In the evenings, I'm on my back in Millennium Park listening to the Grant Park Orchestra. But in the middle of the day, I make time to look down. I sit on the steps along the Chicago River, just north of Michigan Avenue, and look down at the water at the boats, kayakers, ducks and critters that might float by. I bring my lunch, often with friends and can't believe this bit of nature is in the middle of the city.

Shia Kapos is a journalist based in Chicago who writes for a number of outlets.

Ride one of the CTA train lines all the way to the end and then see how far from there you can walk back toward where you started from.

That kind of drifting walk is magical, revelatory, entertaining and free.

Kathleen Rooney is a poet and writer.

Fellow flaneurs will enjoy her latest book immensely.

My favorite thing to do, hands down, is to be near or on the water. Whether it’s on one of my friend’s boats or in my kayak, being on the water is cathartic for me.

Being near the water does the same. Being active along the lakefront (although not on those god forsaken bike paths, more like beach volleyball) is key. But then again, so is just sitting on my ass at a lakefront of riverside bar throwing back a Chicago made pint of beer or a non Chicago made glass of rosé. Every year I very much look forward to neighborhood street fairs.

I grew up in old town so the Old Town art fair is near and dear to my heart. Nothing beats grilling out with friends on a blissful, firefly ridden summer night.

And last but not least, Cubs games. Duh. Although if I have to be 100% honest, I prefer watching those in October ;)

Liz Garibay is a Chicago historian, beer expert, and an honorary Boscagoan.

In early August, a few weeks before summer winds to a close, just when I’m starting to panic about Labor Day looming and school supplies lining the shelves at Target, my son’s flag football season begins.

The teams play on Friday nights at Sheridan Park in Little Italy, a stone’s throw from Mario’s Italian Lemonade. Siblings flood the playground to the south. Parents stake out spots with blankets and lawn chairs and coolers filled with beverages to share. (It’s where I first experienced wine in a can. You drink it with a straw.)

Dusk starts to set in around half-time. The park lights go on. The Willis Tower looms to the east, catching and reflecting the last glimmers of the August sun. It’s a lovely little square of chaos and joy and diversity --- kids come from Bridgeport and Logan Square and Bronzeville and the South Loop and Lincoln Park to play in the league.

After the games, we congratulate our kids on their successes (or dry the tears from their losses) and head to Taylor Street for Italian lemonade. Then we head home and start counting the hours until next Friday night.

Heidi Stevens writes the “Balancing Act” column for the Chicago Tribune.

There’s a pretty on-the-nose trope that we put up with the indignities of Chicago winter just to experience the few, fleeting months of summer. Chicago’s summertimes feel earned in the way a warm day in Los Angeles never could (it’s also why some of us scoff at snowbirds who decamp to Florida to wait out the winter).

Two of my favorite activities in the city that really only happen in the summer take place on or near the water. After early memories of enviously watching scullers on the river near Lincoln Park and downtown, I eventually picked up a practical and portable inflatable kayak. I sneak into undisclosed put-in points around the north branch of the river and slide into the water (usually with a buddy and a small cooler of drinks in tow).

There’s a fascinating river culture that, if you walked by the very same houses from the sidewalk, you’d miss entirely. The ecosystem feels richer, but you never forget you’re in a city. Hawks and night herons and turtles co-mingle with groaning steel bridges, train tracks and graffiti.

When I want less isolation, I ride the southern part of the Lakefront Trail and stop off at the 63rd St. Beach. There could be an impromptu gig, pre-planned live music on the lawn and a water playground that I can run through with my summer clothes on (I’ve never been a fan of the beach proper).

If I’m feeling especially motivated, I’ll keep going south until I hit Calumet Fisheries. My reward for a long ride with be a sack of smoked shrimp and salmon that I can eat in the grassy embankment outside that little shrimp and fish shack or on the rickety picnic table that overlooks the 95th St. bridge -- and the lazy barges that float by.

Kim Bellware is a Chicago journalist whose work has appeared most recently in Rolling Stone, Chicago Magazine, and Teen Vogue.

Though I ride my bike year-round, there is something particularly magical about riding my bike during summertime in Chicago. All the cold days fall away and you are left with sunshine and the warm breeze along the lakefront trail and city streets. It is a beautiful feeling that always makes me fall in love with Chicago again.

There are very few things comparable to the energy of summer street festivals in Chicago when all your friends come together to enjoy music, food, or a movie.

For that period of time, the streets become ours.

Lynda Lopez is a reporter for StreetsBlog Chicago and she recently appeared on TV to talk about dockless bicycle initiatives.

What's my favorite Chicago summer activity? This.

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timclymer · 5 years

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Top 5 Headache Triggers

Hmm… Headaches. A few people I know are famous for giving me some!

But for those of you who suffer from headaches often, today I will provide some pain relief for you, and you WONT have to spend money or ingest pills.

Speaking of spending money… Did you know that North Americans spend $4 billion/year on off-the-shelf pain relievers? And a quarter of that amount goes towards head-ache relief pills. Isn’t that shocking? No wonder so many people have chemical imbalances and serious health problems. First thing you need do is STOP taking so many drugs. Prevention should be your top priority (which is what we’ll discuss here).

If that doesn’t work, seek natural remedies… not band-aid solutions. A naturopathic doctor is a great start. Drugs have their place, in a time of emergency, but regularly you can seek a more healthier solution to your problem.

OK on with the Top 5 list.

1. Stress: This one should be obvious. Is there anything that stress DOESN’T cause? It’s a repeat offender in many health related cases and headaches are NO exception! If you suffer from stress, then do something about it! Oh and believe me, the ONLY person who can cure stress from your life is YOU. Drugs do not cure stress, they merely change your chemistry and nothing else.

First, find your SOURCE of stress… Then create an action plan to nip that problem at the bud. Don’t dilly-dally around! Stress causes your nerves to get all frayed… Which causes tension. This tension leads to headaches and can also trigger migraines.

Ha, well that’s got to suck! You see there is a reason I don’t get many headaches. Here are some of my favorite cures for stress-related headaches:

” Workout. That’s right, get that behind up and moving! I notice that when I workout I am clam, relaxed and free. All that heavy breathing causes oxygen to rush to my brain and I feel at ease. It’s a proven fact that working out is a great stress reliever.

” Meditate. Yup… I meditate. I can even float while doing so. You might not reach the same level of deep mental connection but still… Take 5 minutes and take deep breaths while thinking about NOTHING. Can you do that? (Hint: it’s MUCH harder than it sounds. Try it… Try thinking about NOTHING. Empty your mind)

” Do something you like. Take some time off; Watch a movie, play a game, spend some time with those that like being around you (god forbid). I like to read books, grab a beer with the boys, do some gymnastics, play a video game or two, write… Etc.

2. Your Eating Habits: This one is simple to understand yet is probably the hardest one to fix since most people do NOT have healthy eating habits. Think about it for a second… If you eat junk, you will FEEL like junk. It doesn’t take doctors, scientists or studies to prove this fact… although they have, just in case you weren’t convinced for some odd reason.

Some foods or ingredients that cause headaches: processed meats, caffeine, red wine, chocolate, citrus fruits, processed cheese, snow peas and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

3. Eye Strain: Let’s accept it, we live in the 21st century. Computers aren’t for science geeks and loners anymore. They are an essential tool in our daily part of life and if you cannot use one… Then I don’t know how you are reading this.

So what’s my point? My point is don’t stop using computers all together but TAKE BREAKS. Were not MEANT to look at a bright screen for hours. In fact, the easiest way to do this is have a timer, every 90 minutes it should go off where you get up and take a 15-20 minute break.

Eye strain is not only from computers though, if you have bad vision and don’t have corrective lenses or glasses… This will cause major headaches. Personally I need contacts to see things in the distance, and if I go for too long without them my head starts to feel wonky because I’m trying just too damn hard to make out what’s happening.

Make sure your vision is corrected properly.

4. Sleep: This one will surprise you. Getting too LITTLE sleep or too MUCH sleep can cause headaches. So basically… Don’t be a moron and run on 3 hours of sleep and don’t be a chump and stay in bed for 14 hours. Stick to your body clock and make sure you get 8-10 hours per night… And STICK TO IT. Even on holidays.

5. Sitting: Yeah… Who woulda guessed? Sitting for too long or being lazy can cause headaches! This is specially true when you are seated for too long in an awkward position (such as an uncomfortable chair). This can cause your muscles to tense up and give you tension headaches.

Fixing this is easy… Get up every now and then and stretch, move around, do a light workout, etc.

If you are at an office, go over to that cute girl at the front desk and strike up a conversation and teach her a small dance move. Go on…she won’t mind.

The point is, do something to get that body moving.

So there you have it… I just saved the folks that buy pain-relievers like candy about $1 billion dollars annually. I’ll gladly accept that as a donation within the next 48 hours. In return I’ll fly you down for a personal coaching session. I think that’s pretty fair.

Also, realize that those tips are ACTIVE steps you would need to take if you suffer from headaches, but what if you took PROPER preventative measures… so that you did not have to deal with those problems in the first place?

That is why you need to incur a lifestyle that is ALREADY active and naturally healthy and therefore your headache problems will disappear.

Source by Sahil M

from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/top-5-headache-triggers/ via Home Solutions on WordPress from Home Solutions FOREV https://homesolutionsforev.tumblr.com/post/185596860830 via Tim Clymer on Wordpress

#Home Solutions FOREV

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homesolutionsforev · 5 years

Text

Top 5 Headache Triggers

Hmm… Headaches. A few people I know are famous for giving me some!

But for those of you who suffer from headaches often, today I will provide some pain relief for you, and you WONT have to spend money or ingest pills.

OK on with the Top 5 list.

Ha, well that’s got to suck! You see there is a reason I don’t get many headaches. Here are some of my favorite cures for stress-related headaches:

Some foods or ingredients that cause headaches: processed meats, caffeine, red wine, chocolate, citrus fruits, processed cheese, snow peas and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Make sure your vision is corrected properly.

Fixing this is easy… Get up every now and then and stretch, move around, do a light workout, etc.

If you are at an office, go over to that cute girl at the front desk and strike up a conversation and teach her a small dance move. Go on…she won’t mind.

The point is, do something to get that body moving.

That is why you need to incur a lifestyle that is ALREADY active and naturally healthy and therefore your headache problems will disappear.

Source by Sahil M

from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/top-5-headache-triggers/ via Home Solutions on WordPress

#Home Solutions Forev

0 notes