PPM Apartments Blog

Chicago Summer Festival Calendar in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast

Don Bibly — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:14:18 +0000

The perks of summer living in Chicago are endless, and one of the biggest, hands-down, is the multitude of outdoor festivals and street fests. There are so many that there is at least one awesome fest in PPM Chicago apartments’ neighborhoods every weekend, all summer long.

Here is a list of street festivals in PPM neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast) so you can get your party on all summer without having to leave the ‘hood. They are sorted by date, and we promise to update the list as new fests and events pop up throughout the season.

May

26-27 Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest – Sheffield from Belmont to School St – Rock out to some of Chicago’s favorite cover bands at this unofficial start to summer.

June

2-3 Sausage Fest Chicago – Sheffield and Addison – Utilizing Wrigley Field as a backdrop, this wiener-ific fest showcases any and all cased meats, along with arts and crafts, and an eclectic selection of music from local bands.

8^th Wells St. Art Fest – Wells between North Ave. and Division – Artwork from over 250 artists using various mediums, including, paint, glass, sculpture, and more. Plus food from local restaurants and music.

8-10 Ribfest – Lincoln, Damen, and Irving – Get sauced with a plethora of ribs, a couple eating contests, and over 20 bands.

22-23: Chicago Pride Fest – Halsted and Waveland – A 2-day fest celebrating GBLT, including Chicago’s iconic Pride Parade on 23^rd.

23-24: Chicago Summerfest – Clark and Armitage – Rock out in Lincoln Park at this event that showcases local food and merchants.

29-July 1: Craft Beer Festival – 1633 N. Cleveland – Beer! Beer. And, fancy beer!

July

7-8: Lincoln Park Arts and Music Festival – Racine between Fullerton and Webster

7-8: Rock Around the Block – Lincoln Ave. and Belmont – A music and food event, Rock Around the Block also has games and entertainment “for the little rockers in the house”.

12: Bastille Day 5K Run, Walk and Block Party – Cannon and Fullerton – A celebration of all things French, that includes a run/walk and a free block party by the nature museum.

21-22: Sheffield Garden Walk and Festival – Webster and Sheffield – Many residential gardens, normally closed to the public, are open for exploration, along with live entertainment, food and drink.

21-22: Summer on Southport – Southport and Waveland – “A delicious, eclectic mixture of the culinary, visual, and performing arts”, Summer on Southport has something for everyone.

28-29: Taste of Lincoln Avenue – Lincoln Ave. between Fullerton and Wrightwood – This fest runs the gamut, including 5 stages of music, beer, wine, arts and crafts, and a kids carnival.

August

4-5: Wrigleyville Summerfest – School St. and Seminary Ave. – In their own words, “a grand slam festival featuring only the most sought after bands, food, and fun!”

11-12; Northalsted Market Days – Halsted between Belmont and Addison – One of the most eclectic street fests, Market Days boasts world-famous musical acts, such as the Pointer Sisters and Olivia Newton John.

18-19: Chicago Air & Water Show – North Ave. Beach – Boats, and planes, and parachutes, oh my! Plus, it coincides with one of our favorite parties of the year…

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If you are looking for a Chicago apartment hat is steps from where the party’s at in one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, or the Gold Coast), book an appointment online or call us at (773) 570-3744. One of our expert leasing agents will give you a tour of the properties and neighborhoods you are interested in, or if you cannot be there in person we are happy to walk you through an online tour.

“Love Where You Live” Contest – It’s Time to Vote!!!

Don Bibly — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:22:11 +0000

The Videos Are In!

Our residents have sent us a bunch of heartfelt, thoughtful, and adorable videos telling us why they love where they live, and we want to see which one you like best. So head on over to our YouTube Channel and let us know. The submitter of the video that gets the most votes on YouTube gets a $250 rent credit.

How to Vote

Hit the “like” button on YouTube under your favorite Love Where You Live video(s), or comment on YouTube to tell us why you like the video.

If you Like AND Comment on a video YOUR VOTE COUNTS DOUBLE!

CLICK HERE to be redirected to our YouTube channel to watch the videos, and to vote for your favorite.

Thank You…

Thank you to everyone who submitted, and good luck to all. We can’t wait to see who the winner is! We will keep voting open through Memorial Day, and will announce the winner on Tuesday May, 29th.

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If your looking for a Chicago apartment to love in one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, or the Gold Coast), book an appointment online or call us at (773) 570-3744. One of our expert leasing agents will give you a tour of the properties and neighborhoods you are interested in, or if you cannot be there in person we are happy to walk you through an online tour.

Choosing the Right Window Air Conditioner for Your Apartment

Don Bibly — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:16:10 +0000

Bigger isn’t always better, at least when choosing a window air conditioner is concerned. Why? An air conditioner serves two functions – the primary is cooling a room. The second, and also important function, is to dehumidify the room. An air conditioner too large for your apartment will cool it to your desired temperature, but will shut off before the room can be properly dehumidified. This poses an issue, because a room not properly dehumidified will still feel “sticky” and uncomfortable. Choosing an air conditioner with the proper BTU rating (cooling capacity) for the size of room you are trying to cool properly dehumidifies the room, and also save electricity. Energy Star™ offers the recommendations below.

Area To Be Cooled (square feet)	Capacity Needed (BTUs per hour)
100 up to 150	5,000
150 up to 250	6,000
250 up to 300	7,000
300 up to 350	8,000
350 up to 400	9,000
400 up to 450	10,000
450 up to 550	12,000
550 up to 700	14,000
700 up to 1,000	18,000
1,000 up to 1,200	21,000
1,200 up to 1,400	23,000
1,400 up to 1,500	24,000
1,500 up to 2,000	30,000
2,000 up to 2,500	34,000

Also, make the following adjustments if any of the following apply to you or the room you are cooling:
- If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
- If the room is very sunny, increase capacity by 10 percent.
- If more than two people regularly occupy the room, add 600 BTUs for each additional person.
- If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000 BTUs.
- Consider where you install the unit. If you are mounting an air conditioner near the corner of a room, look for a unit that can send the airflow in the right direction.
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If you’re looking for a cool apartment in one of Chicago’s hottest neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast) book an appointment with us online or call (773) 570-3744. One of our expert leasing agents will give you a tour of some of our 3000 Chicago apartments in the neighborhood you’re interested in. Or, if you cannot be there in person, we are happy to walk you through an online tour.

5 Must-See YouTube Videos – PPM Chicago Apartments Blog

Don Bibly — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:40:43 +0000

Here at PPM Chicago Apartments we work hard to make videos that are informative and fun. And we must be doing a pretty good job, because thanks to you, our videos have have reached over 100,000 views. In honor of that, we put together a PPM “Best Of” video collection with our top 5 Must-See YouTube videos.

For a Good Laugh…

Easy Workout Tips That Make a Big Difference…

Something to Look Forward to When Skies Are Gray…

Our Top Advice for New Renters…

To Decide on the Best Chicago Neighborhood…

And to see more fun, cute, silly, quirky and informative videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. We put out new videos every week.

Love Where You Live Contest – PPM Chicago Apartments Blog

Don Bibly — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:33:54 +0000

Ever won $50 JUST FOR ENTERING a contest? Well, if you are a PPM resident, here’s your chance. ANY PPM RESIDENT that enters our “Love Where You Live” contest will automatically WIN A $50 RENT CREDIT JUST FOR ENTERING and a chance to win an additional $250 rent credit. Check out the video below for more information.

To Enter

1.) Take a video using your iPhone, iPad, Android, or any other camera. In the video, show us why you love where you live.
2.) Send an email to contest@ppmapartments.com with “Love Where You Live” in the subject line. Include in the body
-Your video (or the link to download it)
-Your full name, building, and apartment number
3.) That’s it! – Congratulations you just won a $50 rent credit.

WIN ANOTHER $250 RENT CREDIT!!!

After the submission period, the videos will be uploaded to our YouTube channel. The person who submitted the video that receives the most likes and comments on YouTube wins another $250 RENT CREDIT!

Rules and Regulations

1.   Contest is open to all residents of Planned Property Management.
2.   Only one entry per address (per apartment #) will be accepted.
3.   Once submitted, PPM holds the rights to use the video however it sees fit.
4.   Submissions will be accepted from May 7, 2012 until May 20, 2012.

Top Cinco de Mayo Events in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast – PPM Chicago Apartments Blog

Don Bibly — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:51:20 +0000

It believed by many that Cinco de Mayo honors Mexican independence. This is untrue. (Mexican Independence Day is observed Sept. 16^th) Another common belief is that we at PPM Chicago Apartments love celebrations, which in fact is true. Because of that, we’ve mustered up our favorites out of the many great events in PPM neighborhoods this weekend that celebrate Mexico and Mexican heritage.

Gold Coast

Outdoor Music Fest @ Dos Diablos (15 W. Hubbard St.) – Highlights of this party include traditional Mexican food, bull riding, and live music from the popular cover bands He Said, She Said and The Lounge Puppets. The festivities start at 5 pm and goes until 10pm.

Cinco Division @ She-nannigans House of Beer (16 W. Division) – Although Cinco Division is an effort from multiple Division bars, B96 is broadcasting from She-nannigans from 6-10pm. Plus, the rest of the shenanigans go on until 5am.

Lakeview

Cinco de Quatro @ Houndstooth (3369 N. Clark) – Nothing better than getting started extra-extra-early. This May 4^th event goes from 7-9pm and includes a chance to win a trip to Mexico, along with stellar beer specials. It is also guaranteed to have (and we quote) “people that you may or may not be sexually interested in”.

Lincoln Park

Cinco de Drunko Pub Crawl – The name says it all at this 6 bar trolley crawl. $20 gets you a Mexican buffet, drafts, margaritas, and trolley access to all 6 bars. The crawl goes from 8-11pm. Bars on the agenda are listed below.

The Wrightwood Tap, 1059 West Wrightwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Durkin’s Tavern, 810 West Diversey Parkway, Chicago, IL 60614
Duffy’s, 420 ½ West Diversey, Chicago, IL 60614
Redmond’s, 3358 North Sheffield, Chicago, IL 60657
Maeve, 1325 West Wrightwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

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What exciting events are you going to this weekend? We’d love to hear about them. Leave a comment below, or on PPM Chicago Apartments Facebook page or Twitter feed. And, if you’re looking to move to a great apartment in one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast) book an appointment with us online or call (773) 570-3744. One of our expert leasing agents will give you a tour of some of our 3000 Chicago apartments in the neighborhood you’re interested in. Or, if you cannot be there in person, we are happy to walk you through an online tour.

5 Tips to Make Moving Less Stressful – PPM Chicago Apartments Blog

Don Bibly — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:17:57 +0000

It is very exciting moving into a new apartment, but at the same time it is stressful and time consuming. Here are our top 5 tips to help you reduce that stress.

If You’re Not Going to Use It, Get Rid of It

This seems like a no-brainer, but is hard to do when the “What if one day I need it?” panic starts to set in. Be honest with yourself, if you don’t use it, and it has no sentimental value, get rid of it. Unpacking will take less time, and you will have more storage space in the future. Plus, plenty of charities are grateful to take and put to good use the items you don’t.

Get a “Moving Day – No Parking” sign

Ensure a space in front of your building on the day it matters most. If you’re living in Chicago, Moving Day signs cost $25 and can be purchased from your local alderman’s office. But make sure to purchase the sign roughly a week in advance so it can be placed and the spot is clear when you need it.

Don’t Be Ashamed to Solicit Your Friends

It is wondrous what friends will do for a few beers and a pizza. So take advantage, and have them help every step of the way. Devise a plan; break your friends into groups. The ones that like to chat for hours ask to help pack or unpack. The ones that like a good workout (and the ones that own a truck) ask to help on moving day.

Free Eco-Friendly Packing Materials

For the most part, there’s no need to buy expensive packing materials. Head to your local Home Depot or other hardware store to get free boxes; they are often happy to give them away. And, take advantage of that pile of newspapers, sales ads, or old magazines you’ve been hoarding. They work just fine for wrapping and padding.

If Using a Moving Company, Have Them Pack Your Breakables

The best part about using a moving company is that they are insured, and in turn your possessions are insured. BUT, their insurance only covers your breakables if, and only if, the moving company themselves pack the boxes for you. So whether it’s your best dinnerware or your favorite knick-knacks, have them pack it. It’ll cost a little extra money, but the peace of mind is worth it.

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Have your own insider moving tips? We’d love to hear them. Leave a comment below, or on our Facebook page or Twitter feed. And, if you’re looking to move to a great apartment in one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast) book an appointment with us online or call (773) 570-3744. One of our expert leasing agents will give you a tour of some of our 3000 Chicago apartments in the neighborhood you’re interested in. Or, if you cannot be there in person, we are happy to walk you through an online tour.

Why Renters Insurance Matters – PPM’s Chicago Apartments Blog

Don Bibly — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 03:12:39 +0000

When renting an apartment, everyone knows that they need the tangible essentials, such as a bed, couch, kitchenware, etc. But, the intangible essential they often forget about is renters insurance. What would you do, if through theft or disaster, all of the items in your home were just gone? Did you know that your landlord’s insurance covers none of your personal belongings? Check out this video below to find out about the importance of renters insurance and how it protects you.

Looking for more information on renters insurance? You can talk to Christian directly at (773) 629-1114.

If you’re looking for a great Chicago apartment in one of Chicago’s best neighborhoods (Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast), book an appointment with us online or call (773) 570-3744. One of our expert leasing agents will give you a tour of some of our 3000 Chicago apartments in the neighborhood you’re interested in. Or, if you cannot be there in person, we are happy to walk you through an online tour.

Finding the Perfect Chicago Apartment in the Perfect Chicago Neighborhood

Don Bibly — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:18:00 +0000

We feel it is our duty to find you not only the perfect Chicago apartment, but the perfect Chicago apartment in the Chicago neighborhood that best fits your needs and taste. That’s where Zehida comes in. Zehida Latic, one of our expert leasing agents, has been offering her expertise to future PPM residents for the past 12 years. We are so appreciative to her. But, we are not the only ones. Here’s what one of our new residents had to say about her experience with Zehida.

Ms. Latic

I just wanted to take a moment to write and thank you again for all you did to help me and my mother find an apartment last weekend. I signed with you to move in to a studio (apartment) and could not be happier about the living arrangements. When I came back to pick up the packet, you were not available so we were unable to thank you in person. Thank you again for your hospitality, kindness, and honesty when dealing with us. It was truly a pleasure to meet you and sign with you! I’m looking forward to a wonderful relationship with PPM this year!

Many thanks again,

Alice

Thank you Zehida for all that you do for us and our residents. We are so grateful to you and to all of our amazing agents who are so knowledgeable about not only our Chicago apartments and buildings, but also each of our Chicago neighborhoods.

We’re Seriously Easy to Talk To – PPM Chicago Apartments Blog

Don Bibly — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:04:09 +0000

Here at PPM it truly is our goal to make renting a Chicago apartment with us the best possible experience for every single one of our residents. And since the only way to do that is by listening, we have just fallen in love with social media and how it lets our residents communicate with us.

For example, if someone had a question about an apartment, they could tweet to us.

Or, if they wanted to tell us about some of the great things our engineers do, they could post it on our Facebook timeline.

If they wanted to let others know what they think of us, there’s a (Facebook) app for that.

We even address questions and concerns on our YouTube channel.

Plus we love it when you check-in and leave tips on our buildings on Foursquare. AND we’re even in the process of building our own Pinterest pinboards (though we have to admit, that one is just for fun). So if you have a comment, question, or even gasp a complaint, let us know. We promise to listen.