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Living in Chicago can be overwhelming. Actually, let’s rephrase that: living in Chicago IS overwhelming – a good kind of overwhelming. Why? Because there are so many things going on ALL THE TIME. This certainly isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re anything like me, your weekend is impacted by the phenomena known as FOMO (fear of missing out). If you’re new to the FOMO term, here’s a definition: a form of social anxiety – a compulsive concern that one might miss an opportunity or satisfying event, often aroused by posts seen on social media websites. You’ve probably felt this before, some more than others, but we can all agree that it’s a BAD feeling.

FOMO is never going to fully subside, but it can be treated and prevented. The folks here at ParqEx want to help you experience Chicago the way it should be experienced, without unnecessary amounts of FOMO. Plain and simple, we want to make your life better, easier, and more fun. That’s why we will be writing a post every week with fun things to do every weekend.

We’ll suggest events for you to attend and will make your life easier by helping you park nearby at affordable rates. Don’t miss another event just because you didn’t know it was happening.

Here are our suggestions for events you should seek out this weekend (9.9-9.11):

1.) Blue Man Group

Blue Man Group is pretty awesome. If you’ve never been, you must go. It combines technology, comedy, art, music, vaudeville and much more into one performance and it’s fun for the entire family.

Click here to see a little preview of the performance you’ll see, hear, feel, and if you’re close to the stage, possibly even touch!

Head to the Briar Street Theater this Friday, Saturday or Sunday to be a part of the action. For tickets, click here.

For parking, search “Briar Street Theater” on the ParqEx app or website!

2.) Amphibians at the Shedd Aquarium

Get the chance to see over 40 species of frogs, salamanders and caecilians at the Shedd Aquarium this weekend. Whether you’re trying to impress a date with your knowledge of the amphibious populations OR wanting to take the whole family to a fun exhibit, make sure you check out the giant 4 foot salamander; one of the largest in the world!

Find out more about the event and purchase tickets here!

And remember, you’re going to need to park. Find a spot on the ParqEx app or website!

3.) The Annoyance Theatre and Bar – Comedy Club

Share some laughs and drink some drinks (don’t share your drinks) this weekend at The Annoyance Theatre. For 25 years, this theatre has been producing some of Chicago’s best comedy shows. The Annoyance uses improvisation to create new and original plays, musicals, sketch-comedy and more in a vibrant, uncensored atmosphere.

Learn more about events at The Annoyance Theatre Here!

4.) Brick by Brick at the Museum of Science and Industry

This 7,000-square-foot exhibit, developed and created by MSI, will feature a spectacular collection of more than a dozen giant LEGO®-built structures of engineering marvels, including a 60-foot long Golden Gate Bridge, the International Space Station, St. Louis Gateway Arch, Hoover Dam, Roman Coliseum, and more, constructed by LEGO® Certified Professional and Chicago native, Adam Reed Tucker. These formations will be paired with hands-on building challenges that reinforce key principles of engineering, construction and architecture-and encourage creativity.

Throughout the exhibit, guests will learn how architects and engineers push the limits of design, materials and location to make the seemingly impossible, possible; witness how form follows function; learn how building beautifully uplifts us all; and explore Chicago’s impact as the birthplace of the skyscraper.

(Information courtesy of Choose Chicago)

Purchase your tickets for the exhibit here! 

5.) World Music Festival Chicago

Love music? Hear the tunes of artists from all over the world at the World Music Festival this weekend! Enjoy global grooves by award-winning artists from around the world at the free, city-wide, multi-venue World Music Festival Chicago. This year’s festival will feature over 60 artists from 25 countries at 20 venues over eleven days!  (Choose Chicago)

Learn more about the 18th Annual World Music Festival Chicago here! 

Thanks for reading! Your friends at ParqEx want you to have fun this weekend. Make sure you check out our available parking spots on the ParqEx App or on the website here. Rent a spot hourly, daily, weekly or monthly! AVOID FOMO.

The post Chicago Weekend Picks (Sept. 9-11 Edition) appeared first on ParqEx.

“With so many fantastic startups launching in our community, it was especially thrilling to announce ParqEx as Chicago’s Best Technology Startup,” said Tech in Motion organizer David Belsky, Regional Director of Jobspring Partners and Workbridge Associates Chicago. “The competition was intense, with more than 11,000 votes coming in. We plan to keep honoring top Chicago-area leaders like ParqEx as a part of our annual Timmy Awards.”

ParqEx is accessible via smartphone and the web and provides drivers with immediate access to an exclusive parking inventory. The ParqEx Access+ garage door opener services is the first of its kind and offers access to parking located behind doors and gates. With Access+, residents and approved visitors can open garage doors and gates from their smart phones, making more parking available to the community. ParqEx continues to grow

“The ParqEx team is honored to receive this award and is looking forward to helping more and more people not only find affordable parking, but help parking spot owners make some extra money,” ParqEx CEO, Vivek Mehra said, “Our company will solve the parking crisis that impacts many communities by making parking easier, affordable and more readily available.”

The Timmy Awards are presented throughout the year in cities across North America, including Boston, San Francisco and Toronto. Previous winners have included innovators such as Jet.com, LearnVest, Venmo, Trip Advisor, Gilt, Constant Contact, Casper and Instacart. The next Timmy Awards ceremonies are the Silicon Valley’s Inaugural Timmy Awards in September and Orange County & San Diego’s 2nd Annual Timmy Awards in October. Please visit techinmotionevents.com/awards for more information.

About ParqEx

Founded in 2014 by Vivek Mehra, ParqEx is a community-based platform that allows parking spot owners to rent their parking spots on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Download the app on the App Store or Google Play, or call (855) PARQEX-1 for more information.

About Tech in Motion Events

Tech in Motion is an international events series that brings local tech community professionals together to connect, learn, and innovate. What started as a collaborative project between IT recruiting firms Jobspring Partners and Workbridge Associates in 2011, grew into an organization of over 65,000 members across 11 chapters in North America including Boston, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, LA, Orange County and Toronto. Please visit www.techinmotionevents.com for more information about our notable speakers, sponsors and events.

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GasBuddy

GasBuddy is one of the best apps on the market today for travelers who are driving across the country, or across the state. Just input your location or zip code, and the GasBuddy app will tell you who has the lowest gas prices near you.  It will even tell you how far you are from each location as well as their phone number and address.

City Maps 2 Go

This app will help you find your way around Los Angeles, New York City, and any other city you can think of.  Say bye-bye to roaming charges and spotty service, because this app will even let you download thousands of maps for offline use.

ParqEx

If you’re headed to a popular tourist attraction, whether it’s the LA Museum of Art, Shedd’s Aquarium, or Heinz Field, then you know parking is going to be a hassle and a half.  Not with ParqEx, though.  You can reserve a parking spot in advance. That means you are guaranteed to have a parking place when you reach your destination.

By having these three handy apps on your smart phone or other device you can increase the fun of traveling and decrease the headaches.

Contact us and reserve your next parking spot today!

The post 3 Top Travel Apps Everyone Should Have to Make Life Easier appeared first on ParqEx.

We see your morning commute as being a window of opportunity — even if you love your commute, you may find something here to help make your mornings even smoother. Here are 5 commuting tips to make your mornings easier.

1. Start Your Morning the Night Before. Both men and women take the same amount of time to get ready in the mornings — about 52% clock in between 10 and 30 minutes; with another 20-25% saying it takes more than 30. Think of all the things you could be doing otherwise — morning yoga, a run, reading your favorite web comics, or sleeping (our favorite option). While there are certainly some things you can’t do the night before like shave, put on makeup, or shower (we know — some of you refuse to do it the night before), there are things you can do — like pack your lunch, lay out clothes, and get your briefcase or purse ready to go.
2. Treat Yourself to a Tasty Beverage. Part of what makes our morning commutes crummy is that they’re boring. We get in the car, we drive the same route, we park, we go to work. Done. Spice up your mornings with some delicious beverages that can make your drive a little tastier! You can prep healthy and filling smoothies the night before by freezing ingredients in a blender; make a mini coffee bar with your favorite syrups or add-ons, or try scrounging for some new tea flavors to try on your commute.
3. Guarantee Your Parking with ParqEx. If you’re lucky enough to have your name in big corporate letters on a metal sign, please skip to point 4. All others, read on! We know what a headache it can be to have to haggle for parking once you arrive at your destination — even worse are the mornings when you’re running late and can’t seem to find a single place to park. Cut down on all the hassle by finding and reserving the best spot using ParqEx, and never give your boss that lame parking excuse again.
4. Level Up Your Entertainment. The news tends to be depressing, talk radio is typically mind-numbing, and there’s a good chance you’ll be hearing those Top 40 songs for the rest of the day in either the breakroom or from your cube mates. Why not get yourself some better audio entertainment for your ride? Podcasts, books on tape, and even webinars are all fantastic ways to inject a little education into your morning — here are some that are far from boring, and are genuinely fun to listen to.
5. Get a Sidekick. It may seem like a 90s sitcom trope, but carpooling can actually be pretty great. You can typically save a lot on both car maintenance and gas — and you may even land yourself some new friends. Carpooling can be a great way to practice your professional social interaction too, letting you get a leg-up in the way you talk with your coworkers — and when was the last time you saw “Communication skills not needed” on a job listing?

We’d love to hear from you! Contact us if you’d like to learn more about how you can earn money through your parking spot, and how the sharing economy is making waves for people like you.

The post 5 Commuting Tips to Make Your Mornings Easier appeared first on ParqEx.

Tip #1: Street Parking is a Real Life Saver

Chicago, like most other major cities, has an abundance of street parking. If you’re just going to lunch, or to a quick meeting, then paying $7 for an hour or so at the meter isn’t going to break your bank account. However, if you’re going to be out all night (at a concert, hitting the clubs, etc.) then it’s a good idea to pick a location very carefully. According to research, street parking in many parts of Chicago is free starting at 9 p.m., and it will remain that way until 8 a.m. the next day. Planning ahead can be a major boon for those who’d rather spend their money on something more fun.

Tip #2: Validated Parking Can Get You an Hour or Two Free of Charge

If you go somewhere like Trader Joe’s, you’re allowed to park in the customer lot with a validated parking ticket. That ticket will be good for a few hours, as long as you go inside and make a purchase. Once you’ve picked up that item you needed, whether it was a pack of gum, or a car charger, you can still spend time in the area. You may have as long as two hours, which gives you ample time to grab a bite to eat, take a walk in the park, or meet up with a friend. Again, good planning will save you from spending $25 or more for a parking slot in a garage.

Tip #3: See if Your Hotel Has Free Parking

Parking is at a premium in any big city, and Chicago is no exception to this travel rule. If you’re paying for a room at a hotel, though, you’re often given a free parking space as part of your stay. That can take a huge load off of your shoulders, particularly for hotels that allow you to come and go as you please without any additional parking fees, valet fees, etc.

Tip #4: Use an App to Pay For Parking

We live in the age of the smartphone, and thanks to the spread of technology there’s no reason for you to drive around looking for a parking spot while you’re in Chicago. All you need to do is download a parking app, like Parqex, and you’ll be treated to a view of available parking near your destination. Not only does the app give you a bird’s-eye view of your parking situation, complete with a map to let you plan your evening more easily, but it allows you to pay for parking with a few taps of your screen. Quick, easy, and there’s no need to keep a cash stash in your car to be sure you can cover your parking expenses.

The usefulness of parking apps cannot be overstated. As long as you have access to the Internet, you can pay for your parking. Whether you’re going to a garage or the street, as long as the meters are in the network, it’s all taken care of.

For more useful tips and tricks on getting cheap parking in the Windy City, simply contact us today!

The post Parking Tips That Will Save You Time (And Money) In Chicago appeared first on ParqEx.

Hack #1: Keep Your Car Clean

No matter how careful you try to be while you’re on the road, garbage just accumulates. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a plastic cereal container, the kind with the wide mouth, in your footwell. You can pop the top with one hand, toss in your trash, then close it again. The design means no smell gets out, which can make your journey that much more pleasant. If you want to be extra smart, use a plastic shopping bag as a can liner.

Hack #2: A Binder Clip For Your Smartphone

More and more people have replaced a stand-alone GPS unit with their smartphones. The problem is that a smartphone stand can cost $15 or more, and the plastic has a tendency to crack after very little use. If you have a binder clip and some rubber bands, though, you can make a simple, strong base that will hold your GPS right on your dashboard so you never have to dig around in order to see where you are on your digital map.

Hack #3: Plan Ahead For Fuel Costs

There’s no reason to pay more for gas than you have to, and if you’re driving into a major city like Chicago or New York then you’re going to face significantly higher prices once you’re over the city limits. Apps like Fuel My Route will check gas prices along the route you’re taking for your trip, ensuring you never overpay for a full tank again.

Hack #4: Pin Your Car on Google

If you’re in a new city, and you want to remember where you parked your car, just go to Google Maps (or whatever other map program you’re using), and drop a pin on the location. That way no matter how turned around you get, you will always be able to retrace your steps to where you left your vehicle.

Hack #5: Keep Copies of Your Directions

Never count on your phone to get reception, especially if you’re going to be driving through open expanse, or the concrete jungle. Always keep an Atlas on hand, take a screen shot of your directions so you have an offline copy, and if you want to really be prepared, make sure you print them out as well. It pays to be a little extra ready when it comes to not getting lost.

Hack #6: Use a Parking App

There are few things more frustrating than driving around endlessly, looking for a parking spot. Except, perhaps, finding that ideal parking spot but not having the small bills on hand to pay for it. That’s why apps like ParqEx are ideal for serious travelers. They let you search an area for the best spots, and you can pay for parking with a tap on your phone. There’s no muss, no fuss, and you’re in and out without a lot of wasted time.

Hack #7: A Dryer Sheet Can Keep Your Whole Car Fresh

If you spend a lot of time in the car then your vehicle will lose its freshness pretty fast. To avoid that road trip smell, all you need to do is put an open box of dryer sheets in the back. After a few days you’ll take several years off the interior atmosphere.

For more helpful travel tips, simply contact us today!

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