Illinois

The Holidays will be here before you know it! In Downtown Chicago, on The Michigan Avenue Magnificent Mile, the celebration started today!

Our Team Member Sue Moss provides a rundown, and also outlines Thanksgiving Week Activities here in Chicago.

The City of Chicago rang in the start of the Holiday season today with the 18^th Annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival on Michigan Avenue between Oak Street and Wacker Drive.

If you have never attended this event before, it's a full day of fun activities with live music from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Harris Stage. Mitchel Musso, co-star on "Hannah Montana", will be performing at 2:00 p.m. as well as the pop group Plain White T's taking the stage at 3:00 p.m.

And, you definitely don't want to miss the street-lighting procession of over one million lights along North Michigan Avenue at 5:30 p.m. with Mickey Mouse as the master of ceremonies! Word has it that Ashley Greene, lead actress in "Twilight" will be appearing in the ceremony along with other celebrities.

A fireworks display over the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue at 6:55 p.m. will wrap up this year's festival. I can't think of a better way to kick-off the Holiday season than this. So, click here to download your Holiday Activity Guide - there's much more than what I mentioned here!!

Also taking place this Saturday from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton is the Lighting of the Lobby Christmas Tree with the Joffrey Ballet. Come out and meet the cast members of this year's "Nutcracker"!

This year's City of Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 25^th, at 4:00 p.m. Head on over to the Daley Plaza (50 W. Washington St.) as Chicago-native, Bonnie Hunt, flips the switch with Mayor Daley. A Chicago tradition for the past 96 years!!

If you're like me and want to get a head-start on your Holiday shopping, the 7^th Annual Winter Arts and Crafts Expo opens to the public this Saturday at the Evanston Art Center (2603 Sheridan Rd.) and runs through December 22^nd. The Winter Expo features a variety of original works by over 100 artists -- a perfect place to shop for everyone on your list! Click here for more information on getting those unique gifts.

And finally, no, I haven't forgotten about Thanksgiving. How could I? I host Thanksgiving dinner for family & friends. So, you just might run into me this Saturday, 2:00 p.m., over at The Chopping Block in the Lincoln Square neighborhood for their How to Carve a Turkey demonstration! I don't think I need to say anymore.

And for all those who will not be in a kitchen this Thanksgiving, do your cook(s) a big favor and gather everyone up in the household and take them to the 76^th Annual McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade in the South Loop over at State Street and Congress Parkway. By the time you get home, you'll have a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal waiting for you - YUM!

Have a Great Thanksgiving!

Read Sue's This Weekend in Chicago Blog Archive, via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Good Evening from Chicago, folks!

In this week's edition of Chicago Neighborhood News, our Team Member Cathy Mallers covers the Chicago Neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Old Town, and The West Loop, as well as the Chicago Suburb of Naperville IL.

Any special holiday plans, parties, or events you would like Dean's Team to help you publicize? Let us know - we'll gladly help spread the word. Our Team offers the Number One Related Active Rain Blog in the City of Chicago.

LINCOLN PARK

You know, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Why not enjoy it with the best accoutrement, bacon.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, a new "breakfast/lunch/brunch temple" opens at 3210 N. Lincoln Ave. The name of this soon to be nefarious locale, Bakin' & Eggs. And this place is all about the bacon. They have a bacon flight, so you can sample applewood-smoked, cured and jalapeño bacon in one fell swoop.

LAKEVIEW

Southport Corridor continues to be one of the places to shop and dine in the Lakeview neighborhood. Festivities run from 5-8 pm.

This Thursday store front Holiday lights will be turning on at 6pm. Come join the festivities sponsored by the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce. You'll enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks, listen to strolling musicians, discover unique gift ideas for friends and family, and much more!

WEST LOOP

Cook County Hospital is a mainstay in the community in the Southwest Loop area and has been the talk of the town recently.

Jones Lang LaSalle discussed a report with the Cook County board's construction committee to convert the empty location into offices yesterday morning. While office space may be inexpensive, the least expensive would be converting the building to a dorm. There's more to the report and discussion here.

OLD TOWN

You've Gotta Get It, Pro Patio, and Garrett Popcorn will be raising money for Child Cause^TM this Thursday, November 19^th.

As the holiday giving season starts to kick off, you can head over to Spoon Bar located at 1240 N. Wells Street from 6-9pm. Your donation of $25 gets you three hours of domestic beer bottles, well cocktails and wine.

The Child Cause mission is to support kids around the world affected by AIDS, unsafe drinking water and homelessness.

NAPERVILLE

David Carlson was an antique dealer and owner of Nook and Cranny on south Vincennes in Chicago. For years, David's business also occupied booth #63 at the Antiques on Jefferson Mall in Naperville.

When David died last year, his daughter, Emily, moved the contents of the seven storage lockers to her workplace loft at 2010 W. Fulton where she is hosting an Antiques Estate Sale starting this Friday through Sunday from 8am to 3pm each day. The inventory is vast and varied.

Here's a link to Cathy's Chicago Neighborhood News Blog Archive, as featured on BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!

Hey, hey you dogs! Sorry for the delayed post this week - things seemed to get too carried away in my Posting Pen this week. But I'm back now, and ready to type! Thanks for Keeping the Faith!

Oprah Winfrey!

She's saying she'll be ending production of her world-renown show in 2011. Leaving Chicago? Well, that's not known for sure yet. But if she did, it's likely to leave a big hole in the city, and in the West Side of Chicago Neighborhood where her Harpo Studios, where here show is taped each day, is located.

As reported by Chicago Tribune Reporter Phil Rosenthal in yesterday's Trib, Oprah started her groundbreaking talk show at the Chicago ABC Affiliate - WLS-TV Channel 7 - back in 1984. At that time, she took over as host for low-rated AM Chicago, and began build ratings and her local audience. The Oprah Empire, best as this Lil' White Dog can tell, began to build a couple of years later, in 1986, when the show began its national syndicated run.

Team Leader Dean went to one of those early show tapings by mistake, back in 1985. Walking by the Channel 7 Studios late one spring morning, he was on his way to get a cup of coffee - a morning meeting was canceled. A man in a blazer, with a megaphone, was recruiting audience members for the morning's show - he needed 15 more, and it was 30 minutes before the taping was to begin.

Dean said, "What the heck?" He had some time, and watched the show from the studio audience. He said it was a bit of a scramble for the guy in the blazer to fill the audience - she was not yet popular, even in her home town. The show dealt with local politics - a major brewhaha between then Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and old-guard alderman fighting the fledgling mayor for city power. Washington was the first African American Mayor of Chicago - and Oprah was just beginning to make her mark here.

As Dean related to this reporting dog, the show did not seem that remarkable. People watched the show, Oprah thanked them afterward, and everyone left.

That's a far cry from today - where loyal viewers wait weeks or months for tickets, or bid them up via the Internet. They come from far and wide to see the show taped at Harpo Studios - and, usually, stick around Chicago to see what else it has to offer.

Over the years, Daddy Dean and I have gotten many calls from out of towners asking if we could use our considerable clout to get them a ticket to see O. Truth be told, this Lil' White Dog has little pull with the Oprah folks at Harpo.

But Winfrey's presence in Chicago has undoubtedly helped improve the image of our city. She has advocated the city she has called home for so many years - most recently at this year's season premiere - Michigan Avenue was partly closed for this mega-event. Oprah Fans remember all the fanfare!

Before Oprah, the West Side Chicago Neighborhood where Harpo Studios was located was populated by abandoned retail fixture stores, long-vacated warehouses, and ramshackle apartments. Today, it is downright chic - nice restaurants, latte shops, several pricey boutiques. And condos. Many, many luxury and loft condos - with residents attracted by the newfound allure of the community.

Will Oprah actually leave Chicago, as she debuts here Oprah Winfrey Cable Network (OWN) in 2011? If she does, will the neighborhood in which her multi-billion dollar operation is headquartered take a hit? We dogs surely hope not!

In 2009, in a tough economy, the City of Chicago has taken a hit. Several major trade shows announced plans to move their major conventions elsewhere, outside of town. And no one involved can deny that everyone involved was shocked when Chicago did not win the 2016 Summer Olympics. Oprah was one of the major celebrities - along with fellow Chicagoan, President Barack Obama and The First Lady - who pitched for the games. They didn't succeed, as we all know!

So, Oprah, take this plea from me and my fellow canine compatriots: Don't Leave Town! Indeed . . . we need you!

Even though many of us in the four-pawed set often watch Animal Planet when you're on each morning!

See my post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,

BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

It happened at Wal-Mart (Super center Store #1279, 10411 N Freeway 45, Houston, TX 77037 a month ago. I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150, & I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of $40. I told her I didn't request a cash back & to delete it. She said I'd have to take the $40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor. Supervisor came & said I'd have to take it. I said NO! Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance!!!!! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order. So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything! The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped up. At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective.

Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad was defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning. Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed? Just to alert everyone. My co worker went to Milford, DE Wal-Mart last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn't give her a receipt. She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My co worker didn't look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for $20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK!

My co-worker called Wal-Mart who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money. She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this. This is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in line. Please, please, please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards! This is NOT limited to Wal-Mart, although they are the largest retailer so they have the most incidents I am adding to this. My husband and I were in Wal-Mart North Salisbury and paying with credit card when my husband went to sign the credit card signer he just happen to notice there was a $20 cash back added. He told the cashier that he did not ask nor want cash back and she said this machine has been messing up and she cancelled it. We really didn't think anything of it until we read this email.

I wonder how many "seniors" have been, or will be, "stung" by this one???? To make matters worse ....THIS SCAM CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE,

I received an offer on a listing of mine today, the buyers market appears to be very active for the right properties. There is a certain threshold on price, where we appear to be getting closer and closer to the bottom. Jonathan German Owner and Broker of Southwest Properties Group.