With the tough economy still all over everyone’s mind, we’ve decided to feature Chicago’s very own frugal tip celebrity, Lisa Koivu. Lisa is the blogger behind Fantabulously Frugal, a blog dedicated to sharing how to live a life ‘On-Sale’!

F: What inspired you to start the Fantabulously Frugal blog? It must have been good timing with the recent recession when you decided to start it.
LK: I started Fantabulously Frugal when I was reaching the end of grad school and was in a bit of a panic about what I was going to do with all of my free time. I was still working full time but was worried about all of the hours I’d have free in the evenings. (I guess I’m a little crazy.) I spent a weekend just thinking about things that I might be good at, but had to rule most of them out. I mean, I love reading gossip magazines but with no access to anything Hollywood-related, couldn’t really parlay that into anything substantial. I also love eating cupcakes, but I abhor making them. It came to me literally in the middle of the night that one thing I’m quite good at is finding bargains on the internet. And thus Fantabulously Frugal was born.

F: How did you get so good at finding deals and steals?
LV: I think it goes back to have a very thrifty childhood. When I was growing up we didn’t buy anything unless we had a coupon or it was on sale. I remember standing in line at the grocery store with my dad once and complaining about how we never bought Lucky Charms and I told him it was stupid that we needed a coupon in order to buy something. I remember him asking me why I thought it was stupid to want to save money on something, and that has always stuck with me. Why would you want to pay full price for something when you can so easily get it for less? And now that I clip coupons I realize that there were probably many coupons for Lucky Charms and my parents were just ignoring them.

Their sense of frugality has always stuck with me and there are very few things for which I’ve ever paid full price. I’m a Mac gal and I even spent time trying to figure out how to get the best discount on my Mac before purchasing. I feel good when I don’t pay full price for something, and I enjoy helping others feel the same way.

F: Any particular post on FF that got the most attention ?
LK: One of my favorite posts to compile and one that people seem to find over and over again is a post I did on everything I was able to get for free on my birthday. I’d had that post in mind ever since the early days of Fantabulously Frugal and I spent those months trying to get myself onto every mailing list possible, and especially ones that asked for your birth date. I have to say – my haul was pretty good, though I have high hopes that my tally of freebies will be much higher this year! I received multiple free meals, cosmetics, and many other items – it was awesome!

F: What neighborhood do you live in? And what do you like about it?
LK: I live on the edge of Lincoln Square and on the edge of Old Irving and so I’ll cover them both. What I like about the Old Irving Part of town is that I’m just a half mile walk from the Target on Addison. I make a trip to Target every single weekend so this location has been great for that. I can combine walking with shopping! In terms of Lincoln Square, I love how walkable the neighborhood is and the large number of outstanding restaurants. We used to live in River North and so we were able to walk to all of downtown Chicago’s finest establishments. I’m not kidding, however, when I saw I prefer the atmosphere and the restaurants more in Lincoln Square. Bistro Campagne is a particular favorite of mine.

F: What are your favorite places to bargain hunt in Chicago?
LK: Target, Target, Target! Seriously, I cannot get enough of that place! One Chicago-based store that I write about on my site is AKIRA Chicago. The fashions are fun and also remarkably affordable. (And they always have a killer sale section!)
Another of my favorites is Craigslist. I know that sounds kind of silly but Craigslist has been a life saver since I moved to Chicago 6 years ago. I’ve found so much inexpensive furniture through the site and even sold some myself. You never know what you’ll find and I try to check the listings at least once per week.

F: Tell us what things that you’re not frugal with and love to splurge on
LK: For the most part, almost nothing is off limits to my frugality. This is kind of embarrassing, but two months ago my boyfriend and I bought a puppy. We picked the puppy we now have because he was on sale! However, there are really only two exceptions to my frugal ways. Like I already said, I’m a Mac gal. (The computer, not the make-up.) I was lucky when I bought my latest MacBook that I was able to figure out a way to buy it with a little bit of a discount. However, even if I hadn’t, I still would have bought the computer. Buying a much cheaper PC is just not an option. Also, I’m not frugal about restaurants. I will never choose to eat at a restaurant because it will cost less than another restaurant. Dining choices are based strictly on quality.

F: When not updating FF, what else keeps you busy in the city?
LK: I enjoy taking my new sale puppy, Bacon, out for walks in Chicago’s many parks. In the summer I enjoy hitting up different farmer’s markets around the city. I just discovered the new French Market in Ogilvie and plan on heading down there on a regular basis to do the bulk of my grocery shopping. That market is amazing and has everything from meats to cheeses to freshly baked breads to Belgian french fries! Delicious! If you haven’t guessed, my favorite thing to do in the city when it comes right down to it is eat. I’m constantly trying new restaurants and trying to find new markets!

This week, funsherpa discovers the family and kid friendly side of Chicago with Caitlin Giles, former lawyer turned professional mother of three and freelance writer.   She shares with us tips on how to take advantage of all the city has to offer for kids and the family.  We also learn a little bit about the mother blogger community.  Caitlin blogs at A Hen and Two Three Chicks and Chicago Now’s Wee Windy City.

F: What motivated you to start blogging and writing the hen and three chicks blog?

C: I wanted to find a way to capture the time with my little ones. As any parent can tell you, kids change so fast and the days can get so hectic. My hope was to create a place where at least some small part of our days together would be recorded.

I was also looking for a creative outlet for myself while my kids were napping.  Kids  are just naturally creative and watching my own little ones really awakened in me the desire to be more creative in my own life.

F: Can you give us some parallels between your former career as a lawyer and being a mom?

Hmmm . . .  that is a tough one. Before I had kids, I worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in cases involving child abuse and neglect. As you can imagine, this was really emotional and difficult work. After my daughter was born, I couldn’t imagine spending my days in a courtroom dealing with such desperate situations and then still having enough positive energy to bring home to her. I knew that I needed a different career path that allowed for better integration of my home and work life. My work as a freelance writer has allowed for just that.

F: Blogger-moms seem to be overtaking the growth of soccer moms and yoga moms – do you agree?  Can you share with us some of the interesting things you’ve learned from other blogger mommies?

C: Women are the biggest social media users out there –they are visiting everything from blogs to Twitter to the popular parenting websites. I think that women are always looking to connect and these new mediums are facilitating those relationships – especially for new moms who are really looking for a sense of community as they face the challenges of parenting for the first time.  I’ve learned a lot about myself and my parenting approach from reading what other moms around the world have to say about their own experiences.

F: What do kids watch on TV these days? Any kids shows you think adults would enjoy as well?

C: Truthfully, I can not think of one kid’s show that I really love. But there are a lot of great internet resources out there that are taking the place of TV time for kids. My favorite site is called Curious Corner on the Art Institute of Chicago website.

F: Kids seem to enjoy winter a lot more than grown ups do – what are your kids’ favorite winter activities?

C: I just wrote a post about this very topic! For adults, winter means traffic delays, shoveling, etc. For kids, winter means SNOWMEN! SLEDDING! ICE SKATING! I think that adults should all take a cue from our kids’ enthusiasm and get out there to enjoy the positive aspects of winter.

Definitely check out an outdoor skating rink – either at Millennium Park or Wrigley Field. And the city is full of great sledding spots – my kids like Cricket Hill on Montrose.

F: What was your childhood like in Chicago and how different is that from your kids’? Is there anything you wish Chicago still had or didn’t have?

C: I grew up in Oak Park. I was lucky because my parents regularly put my siblings and I on the Green Line to come to the city to take advantage of all of the cultural and recreational resources available here. I think that the family-friendly offerings in Chicago just keep getting better and better.

F: What’s a good resource for parents to find fun family friendly activities in Chicago?

C: I’ve been writing a blog called Wee Windy City on the ChicagoNow site for about six months now. The blog is basically about why it is great to be a kid in Chicago. I post about family-friendly events and activities going on around town. I also feature guest posts from other Chicago parents to offer a range of perspectives and information.

F: Any advice to new parents in Chicago to ensure their kids get to appreciate the city they live in?

C: Be a positive model – if you get out there and enjoy your life and take advantage of what the city has to offer, your kids will follow your lead.

F: Seems like a great idea to blog about a popular neighborhood in Chicago. How did this blog start?

J: It started when Chicago Now had this push to create hyper local blogs and we were chosen to setup the first one, Lincoln Park Now. We think this is a really great idea because right now, you see a lot of international news or national level news online, but nothing really related to what is going on in your local neighborhood. With our blog, we can let people know about local businesses and provide them with a venue to connect with their neighbors.
M: In addition to that, I believe our role really comes in 3 parts. One part is curation – we scour news resources looking for Lincoln Park mentions and package it into a way that makes it interesting to our readers. The other part of this blog focuses on connecting people, and generating interest from the community. We want our readers to react and share their own viewpoints on what we report. The third part is coming up with our own reporting, with Jenn and I looking for interesting topics and investigating the ins and outs of the story.

F: Do you find a certain type of person responding to local news?
M: When we hit on a special issue that resonates with the residents of Lincoln Park, we definitely see a lot of conversation. People who are very vocal include animal lovers and followers of Democratic politics. There is a very vibrant local political scene that connects to issues at the national level. An interesting fact to note is that President Obama got more donations from Lincoln Park than any other neighborhood in Illinois!

F: What’s the most popular story you’ve written?
J:Definitely the story about Pawsh Puppies . They currently have a defamation lawsuit against a group of protesters who are strongly against their business. We found out about them through a Twitter mention, found all these horrible things written about them online, and saw comment wars posted on sites such as Yelp. After seeing all the nasty stuff written about them online, we decided to call them up to get their side of the story. They told us that they don’t use puppy mills and get all their puppies through reputable breeders; unfortunately, the protesters don’t see it that way. So surprisingly, this issue is extremely divisive.
M: This movement is really gaining momentum – especially with Oprah highlighting the issue and the local politicians passing legislation against puppy mills.

F: What are some of the secrets of LP?
J: Savor the Flavor is one of them (where we meet up)! One interesting thing that has sort of quieted down is the Lincoln Park Trixie Society, which is a stereotype of the Lincoln Park women – these are women who stroll around the neighborhood, wear large sunglasses, drive Jettas, have designer handbags, and carry a cup of Starbucks wherever they go. Also, the Lincoln Hall venue just opened and there is a great music scene there. A lot of independent bands and local hometown favorites are starting to perform there.
M: I’d say Clark St is one of them as it has the most independent businesses than any other place. While Whole Foods isn’t a really big secret, there’s a lot of things that go on in that space. A lot of Twitter conversations usually revolve around the type of people that shop at the Whole Foods on North Avenue. The Farmer’s Market is a big deal here in Lincoln Park, a year round farmer’s market and definitely the most popular one in Chicago.

F: Do you girls ever fight with each other?
J: No, the working relationship is great and we help each other out a lot. Molly is the politics expert and I usually defer that angle in our posts to her.
M: Actually, we were so relieved that we ended writing this blog with each other. If one of us is down, the other one is always there to help out.

F: Do you have any advice for people moving into LP?
M: Take advantage of the free opportunities at Lincoln Park, this neighborhood can be pricey, but there are a lot of free things you can do here. Events at the zoo, yoga at the butterfly museum, and the great bike paths out there. The zoo is doing such a great job at planning weekly and special events, so definitely checkout the zoo!

F: Not to be blasphemous but what other neighborhoods in Chicago do you enjoy?
J: Oh wow, Chicago is so great because of all the diverse neighborhoods. I like Lakeview, Andersonville, Wicker Park.
M: Edgewater, big time, and Wicker Park. Edgewater is really the most diverse neighborhood in Chicago.

With the holidays and gift giving now over and no sunlight in spectacular sight, we thought we’d share the results of our customer survey about fun things to do, to help you enjoy this winter season.  To make things a bit interesting, we scratched off anything that included lots of drinking and debauchery -- as the Time Outs and Yelps of this world pretty much have those events covered.  Our list is geared towards helping you stay fit and saving you from the grim effects of seasonal depression.

1) Ice Climbing Near Chicago. Some view ice climbing as a rather mysterious activity, not really sure with what its about and quite afraid of the risks involved.  There appears to be the myth that climbing ice is an extremely dangerous sport with hazardous conditions that require a super-hero body. The truth of the matter is that ice climbing is quite safe and can be tailored to your preferred level of difficulty.  Luckily, for local Chicagoans, climbs are offered on 60 to 100 foot frozen waterfalls about 2 hours away from Chicago.  These ice climbing runs can be top-roped just like rock climbing.  So the rope is anchored to the top of the cliff, waterfall, or ledge and the climber never drops more that a foot or two.  The climber wears a helmet and goggles, some beginners can wear a full face shield for extra precaution until they get use to the ice tools. Crampons or “spikes” are worn on the feet to stick into the ice.  Again, protective material can be put around your lower legs until you get use to the kick and stick motions.  If you decide to go ice climbing with us, we take care of all the gear – just bring your own set of ski or snowboard boots.

2) Snowmobiling Wilderness Tour.  Snowmobiling truly is a fun and exciting recreation for people of all ages. Some of the best snowmobiling you are likely to find is in Wisconsin, especially northern Wisconsin where the winter scenery is quite picture perfect.  While snowmobiling fanatics usually do it for the adrenaline rush or need for speed, snowmobiling is also a great way to enjoy sparsely populated winter towns. Lots of trails in northern Wisconsin have supper clubs and lakeside resorts for you to pull in and take a break from the scenic trails. After miles of snowmobiling, what better way than to warm your body with artisan hot chocolate.

3)  Ice Fishing.   While usually considered a summer activity, fishing in Wisconsin is almost as popular during the arctic months of January to March as it is during the summer.  A lot of highly desirable fish species, including walleye, panfish and northern pike, are active and easily catchable throughout winter. The emergence of high technology in ice fishing has helped as well. Power augers and heated fishing shanties make the act of ice fishing a lot more comfortable and less taxing than in the past.  With a higher-than-normal proportion of Wisconsin’s unmarked roads clear of snow, anglers in recent winters have access to small lakes and ponds that can usually be reached only by snowmobile, if at all. Like all our other winter packages, all you need to bring is yourself and warm clothing to experience ice fishing near Chicago. Our expert guides will take care of you and bring the equipment for you to make your winter catch.

4) Midwest Dog Sledding. Mush mush! Nothing compares to the exhilaration of rushing through deep powder, across frozen lakes pulled by a team of fresh dogs, ice and snow flashing past your face. Dog sledding has been a fixture of the northland for hundreds if not thousands of years. Don’t be afraid to venture out into the Upper Peninsula to experience this ancient rite of winter.   The groomed trails nestled in the UP’s forests seemingly transport you into an Alaskan type wilderness.  As the dogs glide across the snow, you’ll be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature along with a pristine winter landscape.

5) Outdoor Winter War Games. Wars have been won and lost due to harsh weather conditions.  Why not prepare yourself for the worst with outdoor winter paintballing.  More enjoyable than a summer game, winter scrambles allow you to tumble, frolic, and leap structures, with the protection of falling on fresh powder.  The difficulty of the games are not only increased by the lower visibility, but the snow on the ground adds texture to the games and forces your enemies to tread carefully.  As long as you are wrapped up for the weather, the temperature shouldn’t bother you – make sure to maintain your peak awareness at all times though, or you may just get shot in the back.  Located near Chicago, outdoor paintballing can be  a perfect weekend escape for you and your friends.

6) Sushi Making Lessons. Enhance your culinary skills this winter with a sushi making class.  Hobby classes cover an in-depth study of the essentials of preparing, presenting, and serving rolled Sushi, Nigiri Sushi and Sashimi, as well as principles on a wide range of Japanese dishes.  Why spend tons of money dining at expensive Japanese restaurants, when you can learn how to make the best sushi at the comforts of your own home.  Your skills coupled with a trip to the Mitsuwa Marketplace will guarantee Tokyo quality sushi instantly.  These classes are held monthly at a specialty fish market and are in high demand – go ahead and take the step necessary to become the next Iron Chef of Chicago!

7) French Cooking Classes. If raw fish isn’t your favorite culinary dish, why not enroll in a night of romantic French cooking classes? Learn how to cook the French way with master French chef, Vincent Colombet, at his French cafe. More popular than a French kiss, the couples classes offer you a chance to improve your culinary skills and turn up the romanticism.  The Chef’s approach to learning to cook is all about being relaxed and having fun together: a little bit of wine, some conversation, some laughs, some bread and cheese, some more wine, and a lot of cooking in between! Whether you consider yourself a novice or advanced in the kitchen, you’re sure to be challenged and entertained.  While the winter in Chicago may be dark and cold, your cooking class will be guaranteed to be refreshing and warm!

8)  Go Karting Chicago. Enhance your ability to escape traffic and navigate the Edens with an indoor high speed go carting experience.  This may seem like an innocuous activity, but we guarantee sore arms and tighter ab muscles from fighting the G forces involved in a multi-lap race.  While the indoor race track is guaranteed to be free from ice this winter, the crazy drivers from Chicago may likely be behind you. Go alone or create havoc with your friends -- with all the technical turns and high speed straightaways throughout the track, you can all claim to be a step closer to becoming the next Mario Andretti or Michael Schumacher.

9) Indoor Golf Lessons. Whether you want to swing like Tiger Woods or hit like Elin, indoor golf lessons this winter will save you from summer embarrassment.  The golf dome protects you from the elements and the prying eyes of the nasty paparazzi, while your instructor will patiently improve your swing and take your game to the next level.  Our PGA certified instructor can work on improving anyone’s game and will tailor the perfect swing for your body type.  Golf is an amazing sport as long as you play it right, so save yourself from lost balls and embarrassing bunker shots, and make the best use of your winter by improving your golf game.

10) Digital Photography Classes.  For those not interested in outdoor adventures or culinary adventures, perhaps a

digital photography class can cure your boredom this winter.  With the emergence of digital SLRs to cater to any skill level, the eye behind the shutter becomes even more critical in developing good photos.  If you are planning a trip this summer, don’t leave without learning how to use your digital camera.  Lessons in digital photography will give you the opportunity to develop your own photography style and allow you to create professional quality photos.

 

When the mercury drops below 32F, it becomes really difficult to do much in this crazy city, unless of course you are making Chicago home, and need to live with the treacherous winter about a third of the year.  To start the new year right, funsherpa sits down with Devin Kidner of Making Chicago Home to talk about her travels, interest in new people, and more importantly, why Chicago is an amazing city despite the harsh weather!

F: How did the blog come about?

D: The blog was started to put aside a certain loneliness involved with moving to a big city. I have lived and worked in a lot of big cities, and there is a paradoxical loneliness when one first moves into a big city.   This blog is all about going out, meeting new people and exploring the city with no reservations.

F: How do you meet all these people?

D: Well, I originally lived in Evanston and it felt like Prison-ston where no one wanted to do anything, so I moved down to the city which makes it a lot easier to move around and meet interesting people – I am no longer limited by the operating hours of the purple line!  Volunteering at the Green City market has exposed me to great people, too!

F: Do you ever get tired of meeting all these new people?

D: No not at all, for me, it is the biggest thrill in life!  People have so much to offer and it is always great to learn about them and what they do.

F: Why do you move to all these different cities?

D: It started out because of my background -- I’m half-English and half-American, so I wanted to make sure that I had roots in both countries. Then it evolved to learning about different cultures and experiencing life changing events.  Traveling helps me learn about myself and opens my eyes to a lot of global traditions.  One thing it definitely opened my eyes to is how awesome karaoke can be!  If I never lived in Japan, then I would have probably never understood how unique this wonderful tradition is.

F: Do you find it hard leaving all these cities you move to?

D: Nope. I do fall in love with every place I live in, and I love it enough to let it go.  Nowadays, it is very easy to stay in touch with the lasting connections I make in each city.

F: If you had an ideal city what would it look like?

D: It would definitely have the diversity and the weather of Chicago.  It has to be large and have great public transportation that links people to each other.

F: Any post-Chicago plans?

D: I want to stay in Chicago for a while.  I feel like it is very similar to London.  It is so vast, there are so many neighborhoods and people from all over the world come here.  There is so much to explore that it will make it very hard for me to leave Chicago.  So the current plan is to stay here!

F: How does Chicago compare to the other cities you’ve lived in?

D: Well, it is much bigger than London and much more diverse, even though the diversity is segregated.  Part of the beauty of Chicago’s diversity is that you have all these neighborhoods where you feel like you are in a totally different place. It allows for diverse cuisine, diverse chefs and so many good chefs that highlight the rich Midwestern local produce.

F: As an outsider moving to Chicago, what image did you have of the city before moving out here?

D: I imagined everyone would talk with the crazy Chicago accent that SNL portrayed in the “Da Bears” skit -- well I’ve never heard anyone out here with a ridiculous Chicago accent.  Before coming out here too, I only saw photos of the Bean and nothing else, so I never really had an image of the different neighborhoods in Chicago.

F: How are you liking the cold weather?

D: I love the cold and love it when it is negative 17! There was a night last year where it was so cold, that I could feel it biting through my boots.  Days like that make me love the city even more because no other place is this cold!

F: What are your favorite places in Chicago?

D: Hmmm…well I really love the Local Option and the Cat Circus that came to the Gorilla Tango theatre! I haven’t really developed any favorite places yet, but I enjoy the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Joffrey Ballet, and will have to do Whirly Ball one day. I really love everything, so one Chicago thing would be really hard.

We’re throwing an “Ugly Christmas Sweater” party tomorrow night to celebrate the holidays and raise money for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and we’re teaming up with several other great local sites to pull it off .

Details: The party is being held at Black Rock Bar tomorrow, Thursday, December 10th starting at 7:00 PM. The party’s free. The drinks are not, though there will be specials. Bring yourself, your friends, and the ugliest Christmas sweater you can find. Come meet other funsherpa fans as well as dozens of other interesting Chicagoans from across the city.

Help Feed the Hungry: We will be collecting donations (checks STRONGLY preferred) for the Greater Chicago Food Depository at the door.  Suggested donation: $15.

Learn more, RSVP to come, and find out how to spread the word by visiting the official page here. Find us on Facebook over here.

Are you on Twitter? Follow the conversation about tomorrow’s party on Twitter at #chisweaterbash

We’re teaming up with several other great local sites to make the night one to remember.  Here they are.  Check them out this weekend to learn a whole lot more about what’s happening in Chicago.

Winter is here and so are the holidays!  To celebrate the crazy year that was Rod Blagojevich, Chicago 2016, Tiger Woods and His Fair Ladies, and the birth of Funsherpa, we, along with your favorite Chicago bloggers will be throwing an “Ugly Christmas Sweater” party next Thursday evening.  We’re teaming up with several other great local sites to pull it off in style.

You need to wear something uglier...

Details: The party is being held at Black Rock Bar on Thursday, December 10th starting at 7:00 PM. The party’s free. The drinks are not, though there will be specials. Bring yourself, your friends, and the ugliest Christmas sweater you can find. Come meet other [name of your site] readers as well as dozens of other interesting Chicagoans from across the city.

Learn more, RSVP to come, and find out how to spread the word by visiting the official page here.

We’re teaming up with several other great local sites to make the night one to remember.  Here they are.  Check them out this weekend to learn a whole lot more about what’s happening in Chicago.

Our Co-Sponsors:

With Black Friday just around the corner, we thought we’d share some gift ideas with you and save you from this week’s rough weather.  This Christmas, give a unique Chicago gift Here are some holiday experiences available on funsherpa – a list to help you give something thoughtful and meaningful this year, instead of another boring AmEx gift card!

10. Gourmet Cooking Classes at a French Cafe

9. Private Wine Tasting with a Sommelier

8. Day at the Aveda Spa in Lincoln Park

7. Unlimited Workout Classes in the Loop

6. Go-karting in Chicago

5. Dog Sledding Adventure

4. Horseback Camping in Southern Illinois

3. Flight on an Aerobatic Plane

2. Private Tennis Classes

1. Ice Climbing in Illinois