While my friends and I have been slightly horrified by the word "staycation" that has been infesting magazines and newspapers as of late, we get where people are coming from when it comes to lack of traveling funds. Yes, gas prices are high and the economy is rough, but there's something to be said about a brief getaway to keep yourself from going crazy.
Want to get away from it all? Or maybe get the kids out of the house for a bit? A treehouse may be the answer.
Jennifer Sabella: I have always considered myself a pretty flashy person. I wore leopard print for too many years after high school and always manage to be the loudest person in a room. These days, when it comes to clothing and furnishings I tend to stick to the basics: solid colors, minimal patterns and more "classic" designs.
"The sky's the limit when it comes to children's gardens," says Karla Lynch, the Morton Arboretum Manager of Horticulture Education. That is, unless you're building a fort. Then it has to have a roof, at least according to some very discerning critics.
While the thought of a Chicago winter keeps me from complaining about the warm temperatures, walking into a humid apartment after a toasty trek from the grocery store is seriously wearing thin. A little sweat does us all good, but tossing and turning at night because it's too hot to sleep is no good for anyone. Fortunately there are ways to stay cool when air-conditioning is not an option.
