Tag: #bananapeelblog

northwest Indiana

The Skinny on Indiana’s Stan’s Donuts

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun

Stan’s Donuts & Coffee has a glittering sign and even a completed drive-thru window announcing its opening in Northwest Indiana on September 6 at 1020 US-41 in Schererville.

But why Northwest Indiana?

“That’s easy,” says Chief Marketing Officer Katrina Sarovich.

The long time Chicago favorite donut group has its main baking facilities in nearby Alsip, Il., inside the Doughboy Restaurant Group. It’s easy to maintain the integrity of the fluffy, sweet product in nearby Schererville.

Stan’s Donuts will have a ribbon cutting on September 4 which signals its readiness. Inside Sarovich says, will be all the regular donuts beloved by Chicagoans. These include, glazed, chocolate, jelly filled and even the cronut, which is a croissant type donut with vanilla filling. There also will be rich coffees and other beverages.

Currently Stan’s Donuts has thirty locations and shows no signs of stopping.

The donuts are slightly different in that they’re beloved by Chicagoans and have attracted young and old fans to the Stan’s trendy buildings. Inside are vegan donuts, breakfasts such as the Stanwich, catering, and much more.

At the Stan’s opening in Indiana, there will be contests with prizes like free donuts for life.

“It’s all coming together,” Sarovich says.

For more information on Northwest Indiana stories, email Jane Bokun at janepospybokun@gmail.com.

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Tell me a senior story

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun

Old age tales are rarely true, and I see them all the time. In fact, you might say they are as normalized as the Paul Bunyon story. I may be the only one who didn’t think about retirement in my 20s, but I bet I’m not:

Here’s one: “I’m 63 years old, have $800K in savings and I was all set to retire in four months — but now I’ve just got a fantastic new job offer. Should I take it or stick to my plan?”

Answer: Shut up. Not only do you have some money, but people are also clamoring to hire you? Ugh! Next, you’re going to say you miraculously have no wrinkles on your derriere. Or, your husband’s sex drive is over the top and he NEVER looks at porn because you’re so hot.

You know you don’t have to ask if you can live on $800,000 or $2 million like I so often see.

“I have $25 million. Do you think I can live on it for five more years until I probably die?” Sure, nutcase. You can live on that.

How about the truth? I saved $300,000 and now it’s dwindling because I can hardly remember my name and my old engineer husband, is unemployed and has been tapped out of the system. Sure, we lived it up until about 55 years old, then it was hellish if not hell.

In my current old age, I wonder where the previous woman was in her 20s. Was she dazzling in a $1 million job with no husband while she listened to the latest song from Tears for Fears? Did she date pre-Bill Gates and he left her a bunch of money because she might need it when she turned 63?

We spent most of our money when we were young or needed to pay for high-end schools for a sophisticated kid who will certainly be embarrassed if we become homeless in front of his tony apartment building. My husband drives a small, colorful auto parts car a few times a week and we pray the sale of our kind of nice home will be enough to get us by until our suicide pact kicks in.

According to a recent Northwestern Mutual survey posted by MSN, Americans think it takes $1.46 million to retire securely. But the savings data above reveals that most people don’t have anywhere close to $1.46 million by the time they reach retirement age. The reality is that the amount of savings it takes to retire comfortably depends on your needs and age.

Sure, my needs include a Fiat Spider sportscar, but that’s like $30,000, a mere pittance in the retirement game.

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Disney garden parties

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun

Awhile back, I started noticing I didn’t have any real hobbies, so I thought maybe: gardening.

Lots of people say they love it and can attest that sticking their hands in the dirt makes them feel somehow grounded (pun intended). So, I went to a local greenhouse and bought some tomatoes called Early Girls. They seemed to be bigger and would bloom earlier.

In fact, they were a huge hit. They grew light green, then deep red and shiny on my back porch in about two months and before I knew it, I was handing out my juicy friends as gifts in attractive baskets I found in a thrift store. I would have put a bow on the basket, but Meghan Markle stole my thunder with her new Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan.”  Markle put a bow on a jar of pretzels.

“They’re from my garden,” I would say at a party in a sustainable farmer-like manner.

Then, of course, everyone started saying, “I grow tomatoes, too.”

“Boo.”

They all stole my thunder. So, when I got an invite to cover the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival for 2025, I went to find new audiences to show off my tomato growing expertise and to find the secrets of their fabulous topiaries and mind-blowing flower arrangements. The festival goes until June 2 at Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival in Epcot. Like usual, Disney World doesn’t disappoint, ever. There were more than 200,000 plants, birds, butterflies and enough beauty to overfill Epcot.

I was looking for something to perk me up from the doldrums of Chicago’s winters (I’ve taken to never leaving my house and only changing clothes on a need-to-know basis) and I found it, a change in my attitude and a reason to live. At the Flower and Garden Festival, there are Master gardeners galore and even doctors who are tagging actual butterflies and finding out which colors they like: spoiler alert, red.

According to Disney professionals, gardening focuses on creating peaceful sanctuaries for mental wellness. Landscaping experts also encourage spaces where you can meditate, read, or simply unwind. Imagine your own garden as a retreat to slow down and engage with nature. This deepens your outdoors connection and promotes mindfulness.

Ground covers, like those covering in and around the topiaries, are an essential element in any well-designed garden. Not only do they add lush greenery and vibrant color, but they also serve practical purposes like suppressing weeds, conserving soil moisture, and preventing erosion. Whether you’re looking to fill in a shady spot, add texture to a sunny slope, or simply reduce the amount of lawn you need to mow, ground covers are a versatile and beautiful solution. At Disney, the ground covers can even be used to eat. They made a moss-covered chocolate cupcake which made my day. There were topiaries made to look like Woody, Bo Peep, Phineas and Ferb, Mickey and Minnie and many more. There were floating gardens and even fresh smells from Scentsy to compliment the gardens.

Representing Japan, there is a Kokedama Garden, Shi-odoshi and even a Bonsai collection which I really wanted to learn how to handle. In England, there was a Shakespeare Garden and even an English Tea Garden presented by Twinings® Tea company.  Food came from everywhere including a Farmer’s Fest with grilled asparagus, scallops and blueberry crumble pie, among the tamer food offerings.

One of the most notable scientists, Dr. Jaret Daniels, met us in the Butterfly exhibit. He says everyone at Disney is most knowledgeable in their fields.

“You’ve never seen so many nerds in your life,” Daniels says.

 He is also a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity, the largest global research center for the study of butterflies and moths.

So, he knows his nerds.

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Who will win The Golden Bachelor?

Jane Bokun

Willing to put your money where your mouth is?

By Jane Bokun

This is a spoiler alert for the end of ABC’s The Golden Bachelor and by the time this article is over, I’m going to make a prediction on the winning bachelorette.

Doing this is just like when I go to a casino and practice psychic betting. I watch each shiny slot machine carefully, then I look for a tell like there’s a cherry in the previous line. That’s it. That’s the one. Weirdly enough, I’m almost never wrong. A few weeks ago, I put in what amounted to a quarter on the casino slip and won $720. I’m rich, bitch.      

Now, it’s your turn. Here’s the stats on the two remaining bachelorettes: they are Theresa Nist and Leslie Fhima. You are welcome to make your own predictions.

  • Leslie
  • Theresa

My favorite, Leslie Fhirma, has been called a sexy dancer and Prince even wrote a song saying that about her. Leslie is from Minneapolis, Minnesota, so she’s midwestern and that’s good. She’s also younger and she most likely had sex with Prince to get that song named after her so she’s plucky. She’s also younger at 64 and has perhaps more stamina.

Theresa Nist is from New Jersey and is 70 years old. She is an investment advisor and a widower like Gerry, giving her an advantage for the final rose. Both are attractive and brunettes like Gerry’s wife which shows Gerry has a type. Theresa wears her heart on her sleeve and Gerry has never once wondered if he likes her only for her looks, so there’s that. It’s close.

Viewers of The Golden Bachelor are still waiting to see who Gerry picks. Will it be Theresa or Leslie? Gerry clearly likes both. Taking all the odds into consideration, I’m picking da da dum, Leslie Fhirma. I saw Gerry making out with her and I’m thinking he’s not only picking a wife with his big head and Leslie is hot. Gerry may end up thinking with the little head.

Email me at janepospybokun@gmail.com to tell me your address and choice. Winners get a $10 gift card from Starbucks. You can use it for coffee, or cash it out and take it to the casinos.

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Does Vein Surgery really work?

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun

Throughout my 40s and 50s, I usually walked around with a huge mass on my leg.

People pointed it out so much I went to a doctor thinking it was a tumor.

“What do you think it is?” I asked my doctor.

“It’s fat,” he said. “It’s fat.”

“Fat?” I said.

“Fat,” he said.

fit athlete during training on running track
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The truth was I knew it was unsightly. I had taken to wearing boots even when the weather was milder. Besides the fat tumor, my legs looked like a purple map of the universe. But there was another thing, they were in pain. There was pain in my legs every day and when that wasn’t happening, my legs and feet were itching.

My most fervent wish was to get my varicose veins done and I heard it was covered by insurance. I quickly signed up at one of the vein clinics and got ready for the treatments.

They included a sonogram of both legs which had varicose (thick, bluish, itchy) veins. After the sonogram, I met with the doctor and his technician to do a vein ablation. It consisted of targeting a large vein to shrink with a heated laser. Afterwards, a few bandages and a 30-minute walk around the office were all I needed. Before the heat laser procedure, there was an anesthetic put on my leg for any pain. I have to say it wasn’t very painful. Each leg was done on separate days.

Now my legs no longer itch, and I’ve been able to ditch the boots in summer. As with all things, I wonder why I didn’t do vein ablation earlier.

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Hiding food insecurity

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun and the Foodbank of Northwest Indiana

When I met Julie Anderson, who is currently the SNAP Support Specialist for the Food Bank and will soon head up its new Order Ahead Program, I could never have known that she once suffered from hunger pangs. She never told anyone, and she never asked for help. I can relate to that. I also have gone through times when I couldn’t access a sandwich to save my life and never asked for help. I love the fact that Anderson is candid about her situation. Her life is like so many others.

At age 29, Anderson married and began a family. After 16 years, the marriage broke down. She became a single mom of four. “I was at rock bottom, having to find a way to support my family completely alone,” Anderson says. “Through a federal program I qualified to enroll in a job training program. One of my first opportunities was with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. I felt very beat down and honestly exhausted, but I needed a job, The Food Bank took a chance on me.”

At the time, Julie didn’t admit to herself that she was food insecure. “Here I was, working around food all day, while being extremely hungry myself.” One day, a fellow employee asked Julie if she’d like to share her lunch. “It was such a kind gesture,” she says. “I realized people at the Food Bank practice what they preach.”

What does the face of hunger look like? Just a short time ago, it looked like me. Anderson is far from the only person who is going hungry because of temporary lack of funds. Many times, food insecure seniors can have health problems including depression, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure because they’re hungry and embarrassed to speak up. The statistics are maddening. They include 5.2 million seniors aged 60-plus who faced hunger in 2020. That’s a lot, but the problem is apparent. We all must speak up when we’re down.

My husband and I both have college degrees. We were in trouble many times and could have used a hand. If you’re afraid to speak up and are in need of food, contact the NWI Food Bank at (219) 980-1777. There are so many programs and volunteer opportunities in this, and all food banks across the country, you’ll be glad you did.  

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Finding your beauty at makeup counters

Jane Bokun

Complimentary makeovers? Yes, please.

By Jane Bokun

I discovered a love of getting my makeup done by professionals when I lived in Louisiana.
Before that, it was trying my best trying to color match the least expensive base and lipstick that always went over my lip lines. When I moved to the city of crawfish etouffee and alcohol-ladened Hurricane drinks, I thought the women were beautiful.

They had their makeup done for every occasion. Coffee? They met with designer dresses and faces full of the latest color palette – done by their personal makeup artists who came to their home to freshen their faces. I should also mention that we met through our children. Besides outstanding made up faces, many of them had lots of children.

I had to find other ways to keep up. I wasn’t winning in the children or makeup departments. I only had one child and had never even thought of not doing my own makeup. Sometimes, they would lend their makeup artists to me, and I have to say it was great. But the answer to my woes came in the form of makeup departments or dedicated beauty stores like Ulta Beauty.

Ulta stores are chock full of all things that promise hope in the form of cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, hair products and much more. If they could do plastic surgery, and it was in a sterile environment like an operating room, I’m sure there would be a line of people wrapped around the store.

We love doing makeovers,” says Ulta consultant Ariel Alvarez.  Customers go into the chic store, sit in a makeup chair and get their makeup done by professionals with all the new knowledge and it’s free.

“You can do it anytime you have a special occasion or want to learn the latest,” Alvarez says.

She has suggestions for those over 60.  For example, why not try more colorful eye liners like bright purple or mahogany brown instead of the same old charcoal? Try new blush as well.

“The (French Name) blush in crème instead of powder is very youthful,” Alvarez says.

Crème blush instead of powder? Mind blown.

Customers leaving the makeovers agree.

 “You feel good when you leave the makeup counter,” says Pam Grkinich. “They give you a free redo and you feel great.”

At the Macy’s makeup counter, where they also are eager to do makeovers, there are also people who will share the latest tips free of charge. They have all the top brands such as Kiehl’s, Lancôme, MAC, Origins, Shiseido, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Yves Saint Laurent, and more. There’s even a new makeup called Beauty Counter that may be less harmful.

I took this problem to the experts at Macy’s: for a long time, I noticed had a lip problem. My upper lips were puckered and wrinkled. I wanted to check out the lip counter at Macy’s and see if they could show me how to perfect my aging pout.

They showed me how to use moisturizing products with hyaluronic acid to moisturize and exfoliate my upper lift. It worked. But if it didn’t, I had secretly planned surgery.

Consultant Christa Mamer says before you embark on a new makeup routine, think about the face that’s under it. Is your skin dry and wrinkled, or oily and pimpled? Mamer says she has products to soothe your skin and make it ready for new colors.

“Our (Parisian name) skincare by Lancôme of Paris strengthens the epidermis,” Mamer says.

“I do need my epidermis strengthened,” I thought.

I had the thought that enters every woman’s mind when anyone shows any beauty products.

“I need that.””

“We have a hyaluronic acid product which lifts and firms,” Mamer says. “We’ve sold out twice do you want to preorder?”

“Sold out twice?” I thought, I’ve got to preorder,

Then, I saw the price: $130. “I will preorder later after I’ve come to my senses.”

Or, when it’s just a luxurious, complimentary makeover.

Like all the other women who come to the makeup counter looking for relief, I was thrilled.

“I do makeovers at cosmetics stores all the time,” says Doretha McBride.

“I love it and the price”

#over50chicagolifestyle, northwest Indiana, over 50, Uncategorized

Get the walk-in bath you deserve

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun

When my father was sick and couldn’t bath as well as before, he wanted a beautiful walk-in tub.

We would see commercial after commercial for these unique walk-in tubs, but we never got around to buying it. That was a lost opportunity because he died shortly after slipping in his old, slippery shower and hitting his head.

It was heartbreaking finding him encased in shattered glass and it didn’t have to be. Now, it’s easy to get walk-in tubs through many vendors.

Now, walk-in bathtubs and showers exceed all ADA standards. The modern shower heads are adjustable and can be raised or lowered on the wall along with a shower bar fixture.

They’re a hit with families like the Morrisons who gave their convenient shower walk-in remodel five stars.

“We’re so happy with our new shower,” says Rick Morrison with a cheeky grin.

For nearly a quarter of a million Americans bathing and showering appears to be particularly dangerous. Overall, about two-thirds of accidental injuries happen in the bathtub or shower — which makes sense, because each can become slippery.

As for the standard walk-in tubs that my father needed, anyone with or without a disability can remain independent longer by taking baths. Best of all, you won’t get burned (double entendre) because there is a digital thermometer mounted on the tub.

#over50chicagolifestyle, over 50, Uncategorized

Looking for a snowy good time? Try Winter Miracles at Door County

Jane Bokun

By Jane Bokun

Some people may not think Door County, WI. when they think of a winter playground, but they would be dead wrong. In the summer, it’s yachts moored in sparkling blue water and tony restaurants. But in the winter, the cold, blue waters of Lake Michigan turn to magical, ice palaces and places to bring home the day’s catch after ice fishing.  

Indeed, here in one of the coldest winter spaces, there’s time for ice fishing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and even fat-tire biking. But Door County is considered the Cape Cod of the Midwest and has it all. It sits on mammoth Lake Michigan, which covers Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.  I am particularly interested in ice fishing because I haven’t done that yet. Luckily, what I notice is you don’t have to be perfect at any one of these sports. Bucolic Door County has a large retiree population and a lot of the people who come to this area to retire, or purchase second homes, like to laugh a lot.

I asked Destination Door County Chief Communications Officer Jon Jarosh, if the tentlike ice huts were heated and he said it was quite comfortable and safe in the cozy huts. Novices like me even find there are plenty of fishing guides to help get the huts ready and help with your fishing expeditions. They bait your fishing poles and then you can catch walleye, northern pike, perch, or brown trout. The area is also becoming known for getting some prime, popular whitefish. I’m familiar with catching fish as a relaxing, Zen hobby as my dad often took my family fishing on Lake Michigan in the summers. After we caught our wriggling fish, we would watch as my dad fileted them while we said, “gross.” My mom then cooked them to a golden brown and our trophies were delicious.

Door County has lots of romantic Bed & Breakfasts and hotels to accommodate newcomers, according to Jarosh. I’ve also done some snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and found I can handle the white snow packed Wisconsin hills with only some deep breathing – and silent praying.

“It’s better than skiing down a mountain,” I tell myself. It may also be more challenging then say, laying out in the sun sipping on a Pina Colada.

After some grunts and groans, it might be time for a spa, I lovingly say to myself.

“I’m trying to live in the moment.”

 In Door County, I choose The Spa at Sacred Grounds. There are a few spas here and it makes me want to stop and visit them all, (I love a fancy area) but I’m on a mission.

The Spa at Sacred Grounds in Door County

Although Wisconsin is thought of as a state known for friendly farmers and the popular Green Bay Packers football team, it can also be glamourous here. Art galleries, specialty pubs, wineries and large homes are no strangers.

Once you get to The Spa at Sacred Grounds, in Door County’s Ephraim, the first thing to notice is the place exudes calm. It’s open all year around. On the grounds there are tall trees and myriad plant life. It feels strange because you want to sit at a comfortable table in the woods and never leave.  It feels otherworldly.  When you’re, like I often am, feeling nothing but problems and anxiety, The Spa at Sacred Grounds is an oasis of therapeutic peace.

Kim Maedke-Shumway, a Door County native, was a customer at the spa for 18 years before she became owner.

 Helping others gave the trim, dark-haired woman a new sense of confidence and she already knew what made people happy. She started out with unique massages, facials and spa treatments. It’s a day spa so there is no hotel backing up the property. Inside the spa, there’s a pristine library and yoga studio where classes are held. There’s a private log cabin where some massages are performed as well.

“I thought if I can do for one person what this spa has done for me, I’d be doing well,” she says with tears in her eyes.

After a day at the spa or shopping in fun stores like Bliss, a luxury co-op made of several clothing and design stores, it’s time to try other winter activities. There are 250 miles of snowmobile trails; candlelight skiing in January and February; sleds and tubing at Peninsula State Park; romantic sleigh rides with Mayberry’s Carriages; Classes such as weaving and philosophy at The Clearing Folk School; and even a fish boil every Friday night at the well-known White Gull Inn.

There also are trolley rides that include specialties like cocktail and ghost tours found at Door County Trolley.

It can be tiring, and some homemade cherry wine might be in order from Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery. I love tangy cherries and have tried the wine flights which are delicious. Lautenbach’s, open year around, focuses on all things cherry which is my absolute favorite. Besides wine, you can get cherry strudel, pancakes, drinks and more.

For those who want to try this little-known jewel in winter, it’s easy to get to from airports in Chicago, (about four hours); Milwaukee (about two hours) and Green Bay (about an hour). Rental cars are also easy to procure.

Before this winter excursion, I always thought I was a summer girl, but this trip to winter Door County was life changing. You might want to meet me in Door County for very, very slow candlelight skiing and a generous poor of cherry wine.

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The Grand Canyon and the elderly

Jane Bokun

After my son graduated from college and had done so well, I promised him a trip to the Grand Canyon after flying into Phoenix.

“It was truly awesome,” I said.

Post College trip

The first time I saw it, I was shocked. I came from what was essentially a steel mill town that was often dirty and smelling of the billowing smoke from factories. That wasn’t all. There also were people who lived there that never saw the Grand Canyon and never wanted to see it. My side of town suffered from a lack of intellectual curiosity or curiosity per se.

My son, on the other hand, was not that excited. He didn’t grow up in what was essentially a ghetto, and it wasn’t as awesome to him. He grew up in Tampa with its beautiful beaches and stunning atmosphere.

But me, I had never seen anything so big and colorful and awe-inspiring. The gargantuan mountains of sand that had been honed through time and water for years was amazing. It was near my alma mater, Northern Arizona University, and so I often did a little hiking with a bottle of wine and a friend. We were fearless back in the days before there were no fences and buses around the canyon.

“It’s a giant hole,” my son said nonchalantly.

“Yes,” I said, but what a hole. “Ok,” he said, and wanted to get back on the buses to see other parts of the hole. A curious thing had been happening. Everywhere my husband and I went people gave us their seats. Even when we were on a bus to get a rental car in Phoenix, people stood up and gave us their seats.

“Oh no, that’s okay,” I told one Hassidic Jewish man and a pretty girl.

“We’re young,” he said politely. Did I mention both I and my husband can walk?

“Oh my God, I really think I’ve still got some life in me,” I thought.

When the bus came to take us to another part of the Grand Canyon, I didn’t get a seat fast enough and stood in the aisle while everyone begged me to take a seat.

“I’m not doing it,” I thought. “I’m a daredevil.”

After the bus stopped, my son chastised me.

“You’re old mom and you should always take a seat,” he said. The girls traveling next to us agreed.

“I may never sit again,” I thought to myself in elderly defiance.

Then, as I sat in the Phoenix Airport, a worker came up and asked if I wanted a wheelchair? What? Why?

“Take it,” my son said.