Composting

May 22, 2013Emily Oster

With my recent interest in gardening I have begun to think about composting. My grandparents had a compost pile at their farm in upstate New York and I can remember taking the indoor pail out to dumb while trying not to get any food waste on myself. Living in the city/suburbs, I had never thought about composting but now have begun to realize that their are great benefits not only to my garden but the environment as a whole. I am just thinking about it at this phase as I find myself absorbed in getting my garden started but plan on learning more (and sharing of course) and seeing if I cannot figure out a doggie proof plan. In the meantime, here are a few stylish composting solutions - who knew there was such a thing!

1. Vintage Enamel Compost Bin by Williams-Sonoma  2. Redwood Cylindrical Composter by Williams-Sonoma  3. An integrated countertop compost solution via Remodelista  4. Back Porch Compost Tumblr by Williams-Sonoma  5. Brushed Sta… — 1. Vintage Enamel Compost Bin by Williams-Sonoma 2. Redwood Cylindrical Composter by Williams-Sonoma 3. An integrated countertop compost solution via Remodelista 4. Back Porch Compost Tumblr by Williams-Sonoma 5. Brushed Stainless-Steel Compost Pail by Williams-Sonoma

categories Living
tags composting

Realty Round Up: Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL

May 17, 2013Emily Oster

This past weekend I was in Chicago visiting my sister and like most 20-30 year old professionals she lives on the north side of the city specifically the neighborhood of Lincoln Park. Lincoln Park is named for the large park that borders Lake Michigan and is adjacent to Lakeview, North Center, Logan Square, West Town and Near North. It is known for being home to DePaul University while also being one of the most expensive communities to live in. The streets are lined with beautiful historic homes many converted to multiple apartments and condos. I only had time for one meal in Lincoln Park this time around which was brunch at Toast (delicious!) but the "LP" as my sister calls it has many great restaurants to choose from. Some of her favorites are:

- Perennial Virant - I have eaten here and it is amazing! Plus its right on the park and has outdoor dining so that is a huge plus for me.
- Taco Joint - I wish we had one of these in St. Louis
- Boka - I get hungry just looking at their website
- Sweet Mandy B's - a super cute looking bakery

House #1: $0 - $250,000

This place seems like it is in a great location - near a park, a popular shopping area and the L. And while being relatively small it seems to make a good use of space.

House #2: $250,000 - $500,000

I think this apartment is so charming. I like all the white especially because of how much natural light the place seems to get and the 18' ceilings! It also has a private balcony and a sizable private roof deck which would be great to enjoy during the summer months.

House #3: $500,000 - $750,000

This unit is just a half block off the park and includes tons of vintage character. While the exact square footage is not provided it does appear to be rather comfortable in size and includes a great gourmet kitchen.

The biggest draw for me on this property is the great room. Double height spaces are hard come by and this one has lots of light and a nice flow into the kitchen area. I also really like that it has two private decks.