What the pros know: Insider tips and tricks to make your life easier, more fun and safer, too

I'm a big fan of tips from the experts. Lord knows I need all the help I can get. I'm not good at housecleaning, cooking, flower arranging and a myriad of other things so I thought well, maybe this might be something that would appeal to you, too. I know here at Chicago Star, we're always looking for ways to be a resource within the community and when this idea popped into my head, I thought EUREKA! So I reached out to some of my contacts that included world class interior designer (and an Oprah favorite), Nate Berkus, who offered tips on designing a small space; Chef Art Smith who shared advice for frying the perfect chicken; handyman Jerry Torpy for tips on staying cool this summer and so much more. I even reached out to retired cop, Chase Garrett, for some life-saving safety tips as well as advice on how to avoid a car-jacking which, sadly, is an all too frequent occurrence these days.

You will also find great advice on delivering the perfect business presentation, buying a computer, flower arranging, planning a summer party, making the perfect pizza, buying good jewelry, and so much more! Chicago Stars Giovanna Krozel and Almira Yllana, are experts on all things Disney, and shared their insider tips on achieving the perfect Disney World experience!

I think you'll find there's something here for every interest and I hope these tips can somehow make your life easier, more fun and safer too.   

In 2002, interior designer Nate Berkus came to fame as a regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show and has never looked back. He has released numerous lines of products, authored several books and hosted his own shows, including the return of his HGTV docu-series, "The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project" in the fall. He runs the Chicago interior design firm Nate Berkus Associates. These are his hot tips for designing a small space:  

1)  I know this sounds obvious, but tidy up. Nothing makes a space feel cramped and small, than a lot of clutter. Use matching woven baskets to corral stuff, and help keep order. 

2) One of the biggest design mistakes that people make in small spaces is buying the wrong-scale furniture. My advice: commit and buy that full-size sofa that can also move with you when the time comes. 

3)  I tend to always reach for a neutral color palette regardless of the size of the room. But that feels even more important in a smaller space. Rather than an explosion of color or patterns, I prefer to layer in a lot of texture and neutrals, along with vintage pieces that have patina, to help open up the space. 

4) Take the size of the ceiling into account and add something vertically scaled that's really good looking - like a vintage mirror. Something long and tall will draw your eye up and make the space feel bigger. 

5) Be a ruthless editor of your things. Only bring in objects and things that you really love, and that feel meaningful.

World renowned Chef Art Smith is a regular here in Chicago Star as well as part of our advisory board. He has many restaurants around the country but, here in Chicago, we are hotly anticipating Reunion, a comfort food restaurant that will debut at Navy Pier this fall. These are his tips for frying THE perfect chicken:  

1) Best size for frying a chicken is a 3-pounder, cut into 8 pieces.

2) Dredge pieces with Self Rising White Lily Flour, a flour derived from soft winter wheat which is lighter and makes the chicken extra crispy.

3) Always brine overnight and follow with a buttermilk soak.

4) Fry using a thermometer at 285 degrees in a cast iron skillet, using tongs. Cook till chicken reaches 165 degrees.

5) Use high quality rice brand oil or vegetable oil.

Robert Garvey, founder Robert's Pizza & Dough Company, has been making pizza for as long as he can remember. His loving wife Dana has been a co-conspirator on this quest for the perfect pizza and, dare I say, I think they've found it. Proof being their hot Streeterville restaurant, beautifully situated along the Ogden Slip which, since 2019, has been a favorite destination for local and out-of-towners alike. Here he shares his secret tips for creating the perfect pizza!

1) Make dough two days in advance and place it in refrigerator in a plastic covered container.

2) Take the dough out 3 to 4 hours before you want to make the pizza. This will make it easy to stretch the dough.

3) Preheat the oven with a pizza stone for at least 45 minutes before you’re ready to bake. If you have a convection oven turn on the convection fan.

4) To spread the dough, use only your fingers and hands to get a nice puffy crust. If you want a cracker crust then use a roller. The roller will take all the air out of the dough.

5) For pizza sauce, use a California plum tomato. Drain the juice and lightly purée the tomatoes. Add salt, olive oil, basil and oregano to the sauce. Do not cook it, pizza sauce is not cooked. 

Chase Garrett, is retired now from the Chicago Police Department. But, for 30 years, he worked in the 3rd and 18th districts as well as the tactical unit, making sure our citizens were safe. He was popular among fellow policemen as well those he served. I initially asked him for some tips on keeping safe in the city but, with all the recent carjackings, I thought we could use some advice about this as well. Here's the valuable tips he shared with me:   

1)  Don't be an easy target--Criminals usually target easy prey. They look for those that are not paying attention to their surroundings. They know you aren't paying attention when they see you on your phone. They know you are distracted by a conversation, or listening to music, especially with your earplugs in. They usually attack you from behind, take your possessions and disappear, before you even realize what happened. This is to their advantage, because if you never see them coming, even if the police caught them, you wouldn't be able to identify them. This is why being alert is so important! If you stay alert and aware of your surroundings, you can notice when people are watching you. You can notice the same car, possibly with tinted windows, circling the block as you walk down the street. Use your phone to call a friend, or loved one and tell them where you are and what's happening. Give them the license plate number of the car, or take a picture of it. Discreetly take a photo of someone you feel is suspicious and send it to a friend. If you can't take any pictures, remember as much about that person(s), as you can, in case you have to notify "911".

2) Know what do to if you're a victim of a crime--If you get attacked, threatened, or robbed, you want to immediately contact "911". "911" is for emergencies and "311" is for making non emergency reports. When you call "911", you will speak with a Call Taker. That person will ask you several questions. The more of those questions that you can answer, the better. They will ask you for your name, location and what happened. They will ask when it happened, how many offenders were there, if any vehicles were involved and a description of the vehicle. They will ask you to describe your assailant. Their race, approximate age, height and weight. They will ask about the color of their eyes and hair and to describe any clothing. All of this information is then relayed to a Dispatcher, who notifies the patrol cars in the area. Several cars will immediately begin looking for the offender(s) and other vehicles will come to you. If you were able to give out a relatively good description of the assailant(s), the police may locate someone near the address of occurrence and bring them back to the scene, for a "Show Up". If you identify the person(s), they will be arrested and taken to the district. If you do not identify them, they are released and the search continues.The police will search for witnesses and video surveillance to assist in locating any offenders. Remembering as much information as possible, is vital to the arrest and prosecution of any and all offenders. If your wallet or identification is taken, or stolen, immediately contact one of the major credit reporting agencies. Trans Union, Equifax, or Experian. Give them your police report number and ask for a 7 year Fraud Alert on your credit. This means that no one can open credit in your name, without contacting the phone number that you give them. All that is needed is a police report, stating that your personal information was taken.

3) What to do if you get physically attacked--If someone physically attacks you, you have no choice but to defend yourself. I suggest always keeping a weapon, such as pepper spray, in your hand while walking in isolated areas. Pepper spray is legal and its easy to hold in your hand, discreetly. It does you no good, if it's in the bottom of your purse and someone takes your purse. If you have no weapons and you're being physically assaulted, try to scratch your assailant in the face. This makes them easily identifiable, when the police begin their search. Bloody scratch marks in one's face, is usually a good clue that they were involved in something nefarious! If you scratch them on the arms, or body, you can get their DNA under your nails.  Everything goes of course, if you're fighting for your life. Bite them, gouge them in the eyes, use your weapon, do whatever you can to get away and scream. Screaming will alert others, that you're being attacked and hopefully they will help you, or call the police. Don't scream fire, because you will only confuse people. Scream for help and scream to have someone call for the police!

CHASE'S TIPS FOR AVOIDING A CARJACKING

1) Keep your doors locked at all times, when you're in or out of vehicle.

2) Remove the keys from the ignition, when pumping gas.

3) Don't leave your purse, or other valuables in plain view when exiting the vehicle.

4) Leave plenty of space in front of you when pulling up to stop signs, or red lights, in case you have to make an evasive action.

5) If you pull up to an intersection and someone starts approaching your vehicle and you feel threatened, run the red light, after making sure no traffic is coming. It's better to risk getting a traffic ticket, than to stay in an unsafe position.

6) Know that most car jackings occur when you're parking and exiting the vehicle. This can be in a gas station, garage, or on the street. Be extra alert at these times.

7) If you're surrounded, or someone approaches with a weapon and demands your car, do not resist. Give them your car and immediately contact 911, as soon as possible. Your car is insured and can always be replaced. Your life can't.

Jason Kollar's nickname is the "Lord of All IT", and I believe it. He has been working with networks and cybersecurity for over two decades and, since 1997, has worked with KCS Computer Technology located in Franklin Park, Illinois. He says he grew up a gamer which led to his love of computers and how they work. He loves designing networks and "making IT work for customers rather than making them work for their IT." Here are his valuable tips for buying a computer:

1) Don’t get the very best! The cutting edge usually comes at a much higher prices as vendors look to recoup R&D costs. The next level or two down is usually where you get the most bang for your buck.

2) RAM RAM RAM! The more RAM the better. It is the best investment for a computer. It is the computer's short term memory and the more you have of it the more programs you can be working on at the same time.

3) SSD is where it be. SSD or Solid State Drives also increase speed significantly. NVMe is the fastest of the fast.

4) Never get a floor model. Hackers will load software to steal passwords once you take it home.

5) Get the warranty. Things break. Even new ones. Make sure you are covered.

Colin Collette (along with his partner Will Nifong) are the owners of one of the most beloved stores in the city, Mangel Florist, in the Drake Hotel. For more than 100 years, Mangel Florist has been creating award-winning floral masterpieces and delivering them daily as well as creating unique gift baskets. Here are Colin's top tips for creating that perfect floral display at home:

1) Selection: Always ask for the freshest flowers. These days, with the global marketplace, you can usually get most flowers year-round. That said, flowers in season always tend to last longer and perform better in arrangements.

2) Arrangement: Groupings tend to give more impact and more bang for your dollar. When arranging flowers from your garden or picking up loose flowers from your local florist, stick with one or two different flowers, and try to incorporate odd numbers, especially if you are creating a mixed bouquet.

3) Audience: If you plan to gift your lovely floral creation, always think about the needs of your recipients. Friends and family may have sensitivities to very fragrant flowers such as lilies; others may have allergies to certain flowers; many have strong feelings or memories associated with certain flowers. When possible, it’s always advisable to check these things in advance

4) Hydration: Well-hydrated flowers will last longer, so before you plop those new flowers in a vase, always give them a fresh cut to facilitate hydration. To get maximum life out of your bouquet, give the stems another cut after a few days and change the water in the vase. 

5) Fun: Whatever the purpose of your design, remember to have fun with it. If you are using gorgeous, high-quality flowers, you can’t go wrong! 

Chicago-based Jerry Torpy is a retired, handyman/founder of Appliance Rescue Service. Based in Texas, the business is now run by his daughter Lisa Torpy and has been the go-to place for appliance needs and home repair problems for over 35 years. Here are some of Jerry's tips on keeping cool this summer:

1) Vent your attic and insulate attic walls.

2) Invest in ceiling fans.

3) Let your bed breathe (no silk or sateen linens, cotton is best).

4) Switch to no-heat lightbulbs (LED or fluorescent lightbulbs will cut back heat).

Twins Giovanna Krozel and Almira Yllana, aka Sugar & Spice, were cover stars when we had our print edition. They both graduated from Purdue as chemical engineers, but their knowledge of travel would make even Rick Steves jealous. Of all their travels, one of their top destinations is Disney World so they were natural choices for insider tips on having the BEST Disney experience! Read how here:

1)  DO remember you have to get a theme park reservation AND a park ticket! The new policy for park hopping has changed as well - you can park hop after 2pm. Check out disneyworld.disney.go.com for more information.

2) DON'T forget to download the MyDisney Experience App! You can do everything from check in to order food to check wait times! It's also where you can get in the virtual queue for the hottest attraction right now, the Rise of the Resistance! For that, make sure you have everyone in your party on MyDisney Experience party!

3)  DO get the Disney Photopass Memory Maker for your entire trip! It may seem pricey, but you can take an unlimited amount of pics from the many stations across all the parks! And there's all sorts of Disney magic from Super Zoom to characters in your pics! Also, for an exclusive paparazzi experience, you can purchase 20 minute sessions(or multiple sessions) with Capture Your Moment! https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/capture-your-moment/

4) DO watch some of the best YouTubers for more tips and tricks!  Watching them made us more comfortable about what to expect as all the changes are happening at Disney in real time! Some of our faves are: Paging Mr. Morrow, Super Enthused, Jojo's World, PCDev, and AllEars.net.

David Lampert is CEO/Designer for Lester Lampert Jewelers. For the last ten decades, the company has been perfecting its jewelry design process for customers like Pope John Paul II and the Field Museum's Grainger Hall of Gems. I asked him for some tips on buying fine jewelry and here's what he had to say:

1) Don’t settle for something that doesn’t get you excited. Jewelry should be fun and something you want to wear and enjoy. 

2) If shopping for a diamond, compare diamonds next to each other. The differences might be subtle but often times one will just look better that the other.

3) Custom doesn’t always mean more money. Don’t be afraid to have something made to your specifications. Jewelry is supposed to be personal. Make it truly yours.

4) Don’t over think the grading scale. Many people get caught up in what a piece of paper says about a diamond versus what a diamond actually looks like. Knowing what you’re buying is important, but it’s not always the full story.

5)  Buy from someone that you trust. Read online reviews. Talk to friends about their experiences. Ultimately, buying jewelry is about relationships, you should feel comfortable with whom you decide to spend your hard-earned money.

Over the course of his long career in media, Rob Morhaim (President Morhaim Media Consulting) has been both a producer as well as an executive and has worked with some of TV's top legends like Regis Philbin, among many others. He says, "I have had the good fortune to be around people who have the ability to move an audience, both large and small. What I've learned over the years is the things celebrities do to make an impression with an audience are the same things people in business can use to succeed as well." These are a few of his top tips for delivering a slam dunk business presentation or an on-camera interview:

1) KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE--Who is going to be on the receiving end of what you’re trying to say? Whether its one person or a group, having a clear picture of your audience is a critical first step.

2) HAVE A CLEAR MESSAGE--Once you understand who you’ll be talking to, it’s important to craft your message to them. If it’s an insider-audience, your message can be more technical. If it’s an outsider-audience simplify it, so everyone is on the same page. Write it down and put yourself in the position of the other person to make certain it’s clear and understandable.

3) ANTICIPATE QUESTIONS--More often than not, you’ll have to answer questions about whatever the message is you’re trying to communicate. Come up with a list of the most obvious and the most difficult questions you could get. Then, craft your answers so you’ll be prepared for anything.           

4) BE AWARE OF YOUR BODY LANGUAGE--Having the right body language is crucial. Proper posture makes you appear confident and in control. So throw those shoulders back! You’ll be amazed how that one move can increase your energy and help you to better project your voice.

5) REHEARSE! John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach famously said, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” Without properly rehearsal, all the previous work you’ve done will be for naught. Practice with a trusted friend or colleague, and if you can, record it so you can see what your audience will see.

Debi Lilly is a nationally renowned event planning expert who is the founder and president of A Perfect Event, a company with a faithful and famous following, including Oprah. Headquartered in Chicago, her company was founded in 1996 and designs events, flowers, invitations and more. Here are her tips for planning that perfect summer celebration:

1) Al fresco fun for everyone - take it outside! If you can, move chairs, smaller furniture pieces out into the garden or onto the deck to soak in the summer weather.

2) Kitchen gardens taste better - my favorite way to set the outdoor table for summer is potting herbs, tomatoes, strawberries, lavender, and all your other favorites into clay pots. These look great, add instant style, and best of all create a cutting garden to use all summer long as you cook and entertain.

3) Berry ice cubes - add instant style to your summer sips with custom ice cubes. Using plastic trays, fill them with fresh raspberries, blackberries, or any favorite fruit. Fill with water, freeze in the freezer for a few hours until cold. Add into glasses - fill with drinks - and voila - fun!

4) Tropical tastes better - and everyone loves to mixology and taste something new. Fill a few glass pitchers with colorful fresh fruit juice, set out a bottle or two of champagne and rosé, so when guests arrive, everyone can self serve. My personal favorite - watermelon juice, grapefruit juice and pear juice to splash into champagne, with a fresh mint garnish.

5) Summer means salads - serve up a farmer's market bounty of beautiful salads - all served at room temperature - all make ahead - for easy, healthy, colorful buffets. Orzo salad with grilled vegetables and feta, grilled romaine caesar salad, strawberry tomato burrata salad with balsamic drizzle, just to name but a few.Yum! 

Monika Dixon and her 12 year-old company, Monika Dixon PR (MDPR), a lifestyle, hospitality, fashion and beauty communications agency, have long been collaborating with clients on branding ideas, social media campaigns, editorial content and more. She's a well respected expert in her field who "creates brands that speak."  Here's her thoughts on how to create great social media posts:

1) Quality over Quantity It may seem like you need to post just to keep up, but if you don't have something meaningful to put on your channel, don't do it. Just about everybody can post on social media, but not everybody can create quality content. It's so important to think about the quality of each post before putting it out into the world. Does it connect with your audience? Is it visually appealing? Does it make sense? and the list goes on. The quality of your posts is what will help you stick out among the flood of other users. 

2) Plan, plan, plan! Although it may seem easier to post what comes to mind each day, planning out your content will greatly benefit both you and your business. Planning out your content doesn't need to be anything fancy or complicated; it can be a simple spreadsheet including the caption, video/image, hashtags, etc. I recommend planning out your content two weeks in advance. This will help keep your content varied, strategic and aesthetically cohesive. It will also save you "day-of" posting stress, so you never have to haphazardly through something together for your feed. 

3) Analyze and Adjust One of the greatest tools we have as social media marketers is analytics. Although the idea of tracking numbers and statistics may seem daunting, I promise it's so worth it. Keeping track of your post analytics will help you determine posts that are worthwhile and ones that you should steer away from. It's important to adjust your social strategy according to your analytics. Focus more time on the types of content that do really well on your page, but don't be afraid to experiment because you don't know what your audience will love until you try.

4) Stay Real Nobody wants to feel like they're following or interacting with a robot. Make sure you're staying human when you develop your content so you can build a meaningful community through your channel. I've learned that some of the best ways to stay real on social media are to never forget you're posting for people, to remain responsive and to let your personality shine through your visuals and captions.

(First published June, 2021, updated 12-18-23)