http://grandoverview.com/blog Grand Overview Communications Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:20:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Hungry Z, Grand Overview When choosing a place to dine you can go for simple or you can choose something fun! From the minute you step inside Salsa 17 you know you are in for a good time. Lavishly decorated walls and high ceilings set the stage for an evening of ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/08/salsa-17/ Now that it is summer time, we really have to search hard for a good excuse to not be working out and eating right. This is the time of the lake front runners, the marathon madness, and an endless choice of summer sports. The idea is to just do something. ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/06/committ-to-a-goal/ Hungry Z, Grand Overview Seasons change, people change, and so do their taste buds. Ever notice how certain times of the year get you craving certain foods? The folks at Seasons 52 in Schaumburg understand that and have put forth a menu influenced by the four seasons. Each of the four ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/06/seasons-52/ According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac.com, bank repossessions reached record levels for the second straight month in May, topping 93,000 properties nationwide. As compared to May 2009, all 50 states now show an increase in annual REO activity. Data like that won’t surprise today’s active home buyers in Chicago. Foreclosed homes are ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/06/bank-foreclosures-at-record-levels/ The Consumer Confidence Index is rising, a potentially double-edged sword for residents of Chicago and for Americans, in general. According to The Conference Board, economic confidence is as high as it’s been since August 2007 — 4 months before the start of the recession. Americans are optimistic again. Confidence matters to ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/06/consumer-confidence-hints-at-higher-home-prices/ Hungry Z, Grand Overview No matter where in the world you are these days you will find pizza! Let’s face it though, we do it best. Chicagoans don’t just like pizza, we LOVE it! The casual pizza eater buys a slice every once in a while. Someone who likes pizza gets ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/06/chicago-pizza-tours/ The supply of newly-built homes for sales plummeted in April, a positive indicator for the Chicago housing market as we head into the summer months. It’s no wonder that homebuilders are breaking new ground at the fastest clip in 2 years. At the current sales pace, the nation’s complete supply of new ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/05/home-sales-up/ Now that its summer, we need to think about dropping our winter eating habits and embracing a summer philosophy. Summer eating should not be the same as winter eating. For one thing, the seasonal foods are way different. We need to be thinking about what’s in season now. The ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/05/eating-for-summer/ HungryZ, Grandoverview Do you like to try new foods? How adventurous are you? In the food world sometimes the oddest sounding combinations produce some fantastic flavors. Gourmet burgers are very much in vogue now but how about gourmet ice cream/gelato? Gelato is actually a wonderful canvas for the creative mind, so ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/05/gelato-gone-wild/ A personal trainer friend and I got talking about getting results in the gym. We were talking about the difference of going through a motion and actually contracting your muscle through the motion. I know this may sound a little weird, of course I contract a muscle or how could ... http://grandoverview.com/blog/2010/05/how-to-contract-a-muscle/