There’s a Mariano’s on Broadway. It’s not a villain, it’s a grocery store. And we were excited to have one in the neighborhood. It was closer than Trader Joe’s and had better food than the Walmart Express.

But there’s a domino effect when a giant grocery store moves in, especially on a street like Broadway. Several of our great little shops had a hard time keeping up.

The first one to close its doors was a little flower shop. I remember going in there for birthdays and anniversaries, giving the florist a budget, and he’d create something meaningful for Ashley. His work would usually cost somewhere between $30 – $60. Compare that to Mariano’s, they’ve got pre-made bouquets by the door for $19.99 and less. And they look just fine.

The next to go was Pastoral. This one really hurt. I used to go in there for cheese, no name of a cheese in mind, just a general idea like: “I’m making burgers tonight, looking for a good cheddar or something,” or “What would be a good blue cheese?” The expert behind these big wheels of cheese would always nod, give this immediate, “Oh, I know just the one” expression and cut off a sample. Ah, that’s good. Pickup some olives. Pickup a loaf of bread. Head home.

But Mariano’s has all of the above – cheeses, olive bar, bread. It’s not quite the same, but it is more convenient. And less expensive. Within two years, Pastoral closed its doors.

In my lifetime, from as early as I can remember (about 1996) to now, there’s been this giant arms race to make things faster and more convenient. I grew up in what was probably the peak of the everything in one place grocery store. Walmart. Meijer. Kroger. These guys dominated the 90s. But nowadays they almost look like the little guy competing with the juggernaut of Amazon. The reality: you can always go faster. Now, grocery stores have been scrambling to keep up. First, it was the self-scan checkout. Then it was, “We’ll pick out your groceries and bring them to your car.” I imagine the only way to survive over the next 10 years will be things like delivery, online orders, basically imitating Amazon. Otherwise, we’ll think of Mariano’s as that little grocery shop down the street.

But there’s another way to compete with faster, faster, faster. You go in the opposite direction and focus on the experience. The store owner says, “What’s great about my store is that you’re not in a rush. It’s an escape from the fast-paced world.” Sure, there’s probably something cheaper. There’s probably a way to order an item online. But that’s not the race I’m running.

The Inkling Shop is one of these places. You can find it on Broadway between Apple Bite Mart and Manor Dry Cleaners. They usually have a small sign on the sidewalk with the words “Cute Little Shop,” a cartoon, and an arrow written in chalk.

You walk into Inkling and it’s not one of those in your face gift shops like the ones lined up in Times Squre with I Heart New York t-shirts everywhere. Inside The Inkling Shop, verything looks carefully curated. And by your 10th step into the store, you’ve already chuckled three times at some of the comedic items and greeting cards. Ashley usually heads to the apothecary section. I’ve usually got a stuffy nose so I can’t really enjoy the smells. I browse through the greeting cards from talented artists. 

I could keep describing the store, but it’s probably best to let the creativity and comedy speak for itself:

Ten years ago, Inkling owner Stephanie Keller was a manager at a gift shop in Chicago. At the time, her friend Rebecca was in the process of opening her own shop called Wild Card in Pittsburgh. Her start-your-own-store excitement was contagious. 

“Her excitement grew every month as she was closer to opening her very own space,” Stephanie said. “I was proud of her. Early in 2010, I questioned my own future. I spent my free time holed up in my apartment making products to sell at craft fairs, saving my profits, and living off my day job. That’s a lot to ask for, living in such a large city, but I wanted more. What did I want for myself? I wanted to spend my entire day immersed in art. Was that feasible in Chicago? Did I want to make art full-time, or did I want a space for myself? Why not both?” 

And with any big dream, it seems like right after you have that, “This is what I want to do” epiphany moment, it’s immediately met with some level of reasonable fear. That matter-of-fact practical voice always seems to chime in. “Hey, now hang on a second. How are you going to make this work? What about bills?”

“I was scared,” Stephanie admitted. “Scared to fail, but more afraid of disappointing my friends since I needed their help. I am the sole owner of Inkling, but I did not do this alone. During my years selling my work at art fairs, I met incredibly talented artists that I wanted to represent in my shop. I worked with them to curate a unique selection of items to stock my shop and create the atmosphere I had dreamed of.”

Finding the perfect spot ended up being one of the easiest steps. Stephanie decided to stay close to home.

“I lived in Lakeview, so I looked nearby and found a charming stretch of Broadway near Oakdale,” Stephanie said. “Things started to get very real very fast. I think if I had slowed down at any point during the development I would have psyched myself out and frozen in fear. Ten years later, I wouldn’t change a thing. I continue to introduce artists that I admire to my community, I’m surrounded by art and creativity every day, and I am lucky to meet exciting people each time my doors open.”

Can you find greeting cards at a grocery store? Sure you can. Right by the self-service checkout lanes. Are they cheaper? Probably. But with Inkling, we can’t even round the corner on Oakdale and Broadway without our dog Crash making an immediate beeline for Inkling’s front door. He sprints in, one of those moments when he’s walking me, not the other way around. Goes right to the front counter and politely sits down, awaiting his treat.

Like Cheers, you want to go to a place where everybody knows your name. With Inkling, it’s the kind of place that knows your dog’s name and has a treat waiting for him. One of the staff members even gave us this awesome sketch of Crash she made in her spare time. And when I was getting quotes and notes for this article, Stephanie ended the email with: “Give Crash a good chin scratch for me.”

The big stores just can’t compete with that.

You can visit Inkling at 2917 1/2 N. Broadway. Depending on the COVID-19 phase restrictions and also your own comfort level going into stores, you can also shop at www.theinklingshop.com and follow on Instagram @theinklingshop.

Over the last several months, I’ve been using the Medium Rare blog in a different format, featuring local restaurants around Chicago and the Chicagoland area. These also, from time to time, drift into a little bit of philosophy and stories from my own life. To catch up on some of the posts and read about other great local spots, here they are below. 

Chilam Balam: What it takes to keep a restaurant open during the pandemic

The Local Baker: Douglas Callegario’s Nourish Foods

Taste of New York Bagels & Deli

• The Wonder of Saying Yes and Letting Go (Part 1)
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

Tango Sur

• Chicago, Argentina (Part 1)
• Chicago, Argentina (Kierkegaard intermission)
• Chicago, Argentina (Part 2: The Family Behind Tango Sur)
• Chicago, Argentina (Kierkegaard Finale)

Black & Caspian

• Black & Caspian – Part 1
• Black & Caspian – Part 2

To subscribe to Medium Rare via email, just enter your email address in the box below. See you next week!

So many of you wrote in with your thoughts, suggestions, and tips in regards to that awful tick-tick-tick in our walls. Though all of your help is appreciated, none of you nailed the cause of the noise. It wasn’t bees, or raccoons, or birds in the venting. It wasn’t the house settling. And much to my relief, it wasn’t scary mojo from long-forgotten burial grounds beneath the basement. But it is to the basement we shall go to solve our problem…

Thursday evening the printer died. Alexa2 stopped answering questions. By checking our phones I could tell that one of our wifi networks had died (no, I don’t know why we have two networks, the installer just did it that way.) So I visited the basement utility room to reboot the router or modem or whatever the black box is called. And the ticking down here was louder. I knew I was near the source.

I hunted around and saw a small green signal light flashing in time with the ticking. I flipped a switch under the flashing light and the ticking ended. Eureka! And what was the device that had been causing the ticks and the flashing light? It was an electronic air cleaner, part of our HVAC system.

When I think of house air filters, I think of fiberglass sheets in flimsy cardboard panels that slide into metal frames in the air duct system. You buy the filters by the case, and if you remember, you change them every few months, trying to avoid skinning your knuckles forcing them into place. That type of filter served us well in all our prior homes.

But the architect for this house designed the system with more “state-of-the-art” electronic air cleaners. These use filters to trap large particles, and electric charges to clump and remove smaller particles. But as the repairman explained to Barb, they are temperamental little beasts. They get dirty, they stop filtering, they click—and unless you pledge to clean all the parts several times a year, they are expensive to maintain. The workman let us know that many households left the casing in place but pulled out the electronic innards and inserted replaceable HEPA filters. Something for us to chew on.

Barb and I have developed a philosophy. We believe that the more gizmos and gadgets we have in the home, the more gizmos and gadgets we have that can go wrong. Yes, of course we love some of the doodads. Alexa keeps us entertained, the electronic keypad on our side door lets me go for a run without bringing keys. But sometimes plain-old plain-old wins the day. Give me those old cardboard air filters any day. I’ll live with a set of skinned knuckles. That is what Band-Aids are for.

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Giving back, building, rebuilding, and being the change that our community needs perfectly describes exactly who Chicago’s Own Perdure Carter, CEO, and Managing Broker of Dream Spots Leasing and Sales is in a nutshell. With him, Realty is so much more than just about real estate or physical property. Carter started Dream Spots Leasing and Sales 10 years ago with just 10 agents. He’s now at 100 agents and has over 19 years of Real Estate experience and he is only 40 and yes, much of what he does can easily be condensed to a definition that simplifies what realtors do across the board: “a person who acts as an agent for the sale and purchase of buildings and land; a real estate agent.” …and, yeah, Carter does that extremely well. 

The real jewel in this story is what Carter does with his success in Real Estate. The company is heavily involved within the community through food giveaways and nurturing individuals into careers, not just jobs, that offer sustainable income and the opportunity to really live life and live it to the fullest. 

If that wasn’t enough, Dream Spots Leasing and Sales offers a Brokers Scholarship Program. Additionally, the company’s focus is on helping investors rebuild economically challenged communities by offering a flipping program (www.flippingwithapurpose.com). CEO Perdure Carter is also a part of the nonprofit organization, Make-A-Wish Foundation Scholarship for South Shore. 

On Thursday, July 30th at 5:00 PM, the Leasing & Sales Community, and all their family, friends, and supporters came together while socially distancing themselves at Dream Spots for their 10 Year Anniversary MURAL REVEAL located at 7600 South Jeffrey, Chicago, IL. It’s a celebration for the community and a thank you to the South Side of Chicago for being such a gracious host to Dream Spots. The mural is paid for by CEO Perdure Carter and it is a dedication to our communities, legends, unity, and the South Shore area. The reveal is more than a black-owned office celebrating its 10th anniversary. The reveal is about creating a landmark within the South Shore area that hopefully will last for an eternity attracting tourists and “fans” from around the world. 

“The mural was important to me because it’s a constant reminder for the community of black greatness! People who look just like the people of the community who have accomplished great things and moved us as people forward. I also incorporated some south side culture into the wall; black Wall Street and other great histories we have been able to accomplish as a people. I think the Mural “The black dream” brings hope; unity and inspiration to all in the community.” said Carter.  

The mural was designed by well-known artist Rahmaan Statik of Chicago. Statik is quickly becoming known for many notable murals across the Chicagoland area.  

 “Chicago is a world-class city that deserves world-class art. The black south side of Chicago needs more quality murals and landmarks that represent our community by people from our community. An abundance of murals and landmarks within our community can raise tourism, tourism can often create a demand for more businesses. More businesses can raise property value.” said Statik.  

Follow both on all social media:  

@rahmaanstatik @perdure_coach_carter 

“And you can’t breathe without coughing at daytime. Neither can I.
So what do you say?/Your coffin or mine? -Matt Skiba

I’ve always loved the climax, or final line, of Alkaline Trio’s “Blue In The Face,” where Skiba asks, “Your coffin or mine?” A brilliant pun that plays perfectly with the other coughing our fateful lovers engage in.

Interestingly enough, I was googling the lyrics to this song when I came across this classic Lou Reed interview, ironically titled, “Blue In The Face.” I’ll leave that right here for your enjoyment.

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Juliette is a sweet, brave, friendly, and loving 10-year-old, 15-pound, female blue-eyed pastel tortoiseshell Persian/Siamese-mix looking for a loving guardian.

Juliette came to Friends of Petraits Rescue when her human moved and could only bring two pets; so he brought his two dogs, her best friends.

Juliette greets new pets – both cats and dogs – with not as much as a hiss. She’s chubby, so she does need to lose some weight. But despite her size, she can easily hop over a baby gate.

She uses her litter box faithfully and is not one to hide. While she might not jump in your lap, she tolerates those who want to cuddle her without complaint.

Juliette is healthy, spayed, up-to-date on vaccines, virus-tested and micro-chipped. She even had full bloodwork done and all her values were normal. She easily lets you trim her nails and she does have all her claws.

To meet and possibly adopt this sweet cat, please contact [email protected] for an adoption application. Her adoption fee of $150 benefits the rescued pets of Friends of Petraits Rescue.

She is being fostered in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.

If you tried to stay in shape as gyms closed across the nation, you probably experienced a few snags. Now, imagine being one of the world’s most elite athletes!

The novel coronavirus pandemic halted the NHL season after several players tested positive. However, the pause didn’t keep members of the Chicago Blackhawks from using the time to get thoroughly playoff-ready. Instead, they used a variety of innovative techniques to stay on top of their game as quarantine continued.

Image: NHL.com

They Adopted Rollerblades

How can you skate if you can’t get on the ice? If you’re Tom Cruise in “Risky Business,” you can make do with a hardwood floor and some socks, but players need something that mimics a skate. The answer? Rollerblades.

The craze started when hockey greats Wayne Gretzky and Alex Ovechkin had a joint interview, and the former indicated that he would use rollerblades to stay in shape during the pause. So many players took up inline skating that you might have trouble finding a pair if you want to imitate their regimen.

The activity makes sense. No matter how fast you run uphill on a treadmill, your ankles don’t enjoy the range of motion ice provides. You might have mighty quadriceps, but they won’t spare you a severe strain if you aren’t used to pirouetting on a slick surface quickly.

Inline skating also burns significant calories. If rollerblading kept the Chicago Blackhawks ice-ready, you can bet it will burn off the “quarantine 15.”

They Embraced Mother Nature

Nature offers the ideal way to get in your workout while maintaining social distancing guidelines. You can do so much more than going for a run — although, if you enjoy that activity, feel free to indulge! You can also walk, hike, bike or engage in more exotic sports like parkour.

Going outside lowers your risk of catching the novel coronavirus. According to Dr. Gary Green, medical director at Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, outdoor exercise decreases your chance of spreading germs by a magnitude of 10 compared with the same exertion indoors. The primary means of contagion occurs when people congregate at trailheads or parks for large-group activities, but a solo run presents little danger.

They Looked to the Virtual World

If you tried to keep up with your fitness during quarantine, maybe you dropped your gym membership for a fitness app that lets you sweat it out in your living room. Did you know you were in good company? Many NHL players likewise went virtual to keep in game-day shape despite the pause.

Chicago Blackhawks strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman decided to embrace the power of the internet to keep players in fighting shape. He used the Zoom video conferencing app to create a weekly routine and keep the ‘Hawks in shape during the three-month shutdown. While it took him two weeks to get his groove on in the new format, he now feels comfortable with the medium.

If you remain sheltered-in-place because you have an elevated risk of complications from COVID-19, you can draw inspiration from Goodman’s innovation. Find an accountability partner that you can check in with — or even workout “alongside” — using video conferencing software.

Playing Elite Hockey Means Keeping in Peak Condition Despite a Pandemic

As elite athletes, Chicago Blackhawks players needed to stay ready to return to the ice at a moment’s notice. They used the three innovative methods above to keep in peak form, and you can follow their lead.

Getting prepared to attend college typically isn’t an easy feat. Especially not when it comes to finding the right scholarships and qualifying for grants that could make the financial college experience much easier to manage. 

I recall entering DePaul University in 2002 as a Freshman. Being excited and misinformed about so much; especially grants and scholarships. Although I received a few scholarships, it wasn’t enough to successfully get me through 4 years at a private Vincentian University in Chicago. I graduated with debt that could have been avoided.  I wish I knew Theresa Harris, the “Scholarship M0mma.”

Who is Theresa Harris?

Theresa was born in Chicago and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. When she returned to Chicago, Theresa attended school part-time to focus on raising her children. As her children got older, she began to work full time while still attending school part-time until she was laid off from her job. Not to be deterred, she transitioned to going to school full time and graduated in 2001 with her Bachelor’s degree in Business. 

Theresa Harris is the secret weapon to many familes and organizations who have college bound scholars. She is a woman to call to source all financial aid information required to get into college. Everyone isn’t so fortunate to be provided with the necessary information required to succeed during the college application process, but fortunately times have changed. With those changes, things can get still become quite confusing. That’s where Scholarship Momma comes to the rescue!

Theresa Harris helps familes save thousands of dollars for college! She does this by focusing on helping the youth of America develop a game plan to complete their college career with less debt. Being someone who has successfully raised 3 children who are now college degree holders, she definitely has some insight on what it takes to “get to the money” when it comes to entering and exiting college with little to no debt!

Theresa earned over $32,000 in scholarships towards the completion of her Master’s degree in Higher Education, which she was awarded in 2013. When she began her career as a College Financial Aid Advisor, she never considered another career path. Theresa found the Financial Aid industry to be fascinating. She truly enjoyed educating families about smart ways to plan for college. In her 15+ year career, Theresa has earned numerous awards and designations including Employee of the Year and the Dean’s List for the Financial Aid Department. She is also a member of several professional organizations. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the Illinois Association of Admissions and Counseling are two organizations on that list.

This upcoming weekend, Theresa’s business, Scholarship Momma is thrilled to present “A Scholar’s Playbook”  Virtual Summit.
Attendees can prepare themselves for 10 (ten) powerful presenters who are subject matter experts in their respective fields.

The goal of this virtual summit is to equip and empower parents, students and, families with tools and resources to thrive in their secondary and post-secondary education. COVID-19 has presented worldwide challenges. This summit will ensure that parents, students, and families  take away some actionable steps to keep pushing through this pandemic to reach their goals. “A Scholar’s Playbook” will be hosted on Saturday, August 8th from 10:00 am-1:30 pm (CST).

Each session is 15 minutes with a four-minute Q&A.
Students and Families are welcome to stay for the entire summit or log in to each session that is of interest to them.

Event Details

When: Agust 8th, 2020

Time: 1000am – 1:30PM (CST)

Where: From the comforts of your home

Register Here: https://scholarshipmomma.com/summit/

I remember going to college with limited resources and guidance.
It would be a dream to go back in time and be equipped with the tools and resources that Theresa provides for youth and families.
To have the desire to go to college virtually debt free is a dream for any American these days.

Here are some of the bases Theresa covers as a Scholarship Strategist: