Few things are as cute as a puppy. In fact, they are so lovable, there is an entire day – National Puppy Day – dedicated to the little fur babies on March 23. The day is set aside, in part, to remind people to adopt shelter puppies, especially given the prevalence of puppy mills. In
With winter almost behind us, I find myself thinking about taking a vacation somewhere. Although I have flown by airplane to great destinations many times, I am a “freaked out” flyer. My favorite columnist, the late Mike Royko of the Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune fame, was not fond of flying, either. He famously
Sometimes, a simple afternoon trip “away from normal” can make a world of difference. Especially when your budget is strapped a little from other trips looming on the horizon, but you need to get out of town. We were recently faced with just such a situation. The Houston weather had been a little too close
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss Many of us have childhood memories of reading books by Dr. Seuss. To honor the birthday of the famous children’s book author and cartoonist, March has been designated National Reading Month. Born
In Spring-Summer 2024, sustainability reigns supreme. We are constantly on the lookout for measures that have a positive impact on the environment and the local community. We encourage you to embrace garments made from eco-conscious fabrics such as organic cotton, Tencel, hemp and recycled polyester. SHIFT recently partnered with a Canadian company called
Marriage symbolizes a beautiful union – not only of hearts, but also of lives and finances. It’s an exciting milestone that often prompts couples to consider the complexities of merging their financial worlds. The process requires thoughtful planning, open communication and a shared vision to navigate the waters of fiscal harmony successfully. The key to
Although it’s winter, we’re all dreaming of spring and welcoming the flowers that come with it. When decorating special baked goods, incorporating crystalized (sugared) edible flowers can be a game-changer! Ready for a fun winter project? CRYSTALIZED EDIBLE FLOWERS Gather a bunch of violets or other edible blossoms in a bowl. You may want to
Higher interest rates usually result in falling house prices, as the higher mortgage interest rate increases the monthly payment. Consider a $250,000 house purchased with a 20% downpayment. When the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 3%, as it was in 2021, the monthly payment is about $850. When this interest rate rises to 7.5% as
It’s February, when Valentine’s Day gives us an opportunity to show our loved ones how much they mean to us. In 2023, Americans showed their love to the tune of nearly $26 billion in greeting cards, candy, flowers, fine dining, jewelry, clothing and more. But contrary to popular opinion, Valentine’s Day is not really a
Joe Gage wanted a quiet birthday. On the day he turned 87, he was to be honored by a small group of local businessmen for his contributions to Flushing’s economy as a member of its Board of Commerce, for his voice on the Village Council and for his unwavering support of its community at-large. As
As this is the annual My City “Bridal Issue” I want to set the tone for this month’s “My Style” piece with some recent wedding statistics from Vogue and Pinterest. “When Vogue asked eight of the world’s top event planners to share their predictions for 2024 wedding trends, one term kept popping up again, again,
I’m going to be a June bride. I’m getting married this summer (technically late spring), and we’ve been aflutter with wedding planning. Or, I guess I should say he’s been doing a lot of the planning for the actual wedding, while I’ve been busy planning the honeymoon. You can’t take the travel out of the
