THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – No Shortage of Mother’s Day Events This Year!

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It’s been quite a year to remember, or maybe even to forget, but moms deserve a day to relax and enjoy some much-needed family fun time! And it just so happens that this Sunday there is no shortage of great Mother’s Day events to enjoy from home or outside to celebrate all the moms in your life!!

What mom wouldn’t want a break from preparing a meal? So, treat mom to a brunch! Here are the best Mother’s Day Brunch Options in Chicago to enjoy with the entire family! You can choose to dine inside, outside, or bring the goodies home. No one is more ready for a meal out than mom!!

Another brunch option would be to take mom on a Brunch Cruise. Enjoy the day on a relaxing boat ride either on the Chicago River departing from 455 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr. or Lake Michigan departing from Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.). These cruises offer a brunch buffet, bottomless mimosas for grownups, and onboard entertainment for everyone! These brunch cruises are sure to create an unforgettable Mother’s Day for all!!

Perhaps mom would enjoy attending the Twisted Crown Mixology’s Mother’s Day Weekend – Wine Tasting at NEMA (1210 S. Indiana Ave.) in the South Loop. This luxury wine tasting experience will be held this Saturday and Sunday, where mom can enjoy tasting a variety of International and Domestic wines the entire time! Twisted Crown is artisan craft cocktails made from scratch with fresh and dietary safe ingredients providing a healthier alcoholic beverage without diminishing the quality of the taste!

If mom has a sweet tooth, perhaps you can surprise her with some mouth-watering deliciousness from any one of these establishments:

Hoosier Mama Pie Company (1618 W. Chicago Ave.) – Ukrainian Village/West Town. Hoosier Mama is an artisanal bakery striving to be a great old pie company by making their pies by hand daily with the best ingredients. You definitely don’t want to miss one of these made-daily pies at any time!!

Brown Sugar Bakery (328 E. 75th St.) – Greater Grand Crossing. Choose from a variety of sweet eats and great treats, including their classic caramel cake! According to Brown Sugar Bakery, “Life is Sweeter with a Little Brown Sugar!!”

The Original Rainbow Cone (3 locations) – Navy Pier (Streeterville), Beverly & Lombard. Treat mom to a classic Chicago dessert. Plus, all moms receive a free small Rainbow Cone with any purchase! According to Rainbow Cone, “Life’s Too Short for Just One Flavor!!”

Still looking for that special gift for mom? Well, she just might be delighted to open a thoughtfully curated gift box from Foxtrot Market. You can fill your own personalized box with all the things mom loves or choose from already created themed boxes like Mom’s Spa Day, Mom’s Coffee, Chocolate Mix, Sour Gummy Mix, Mother’s Day Brunch, and many other items as well!

Happy Mother’s Day to All Moms! You Deserve to be Spoiled Every Day!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Chicago Neighborhood News: Wicker Park, Museum Campus, Evanston, Virtual, North Center

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Wicker Park: The Pop Up Grocer is hitting Wicker Park! Find items you wouldn’t come across at your regular grocery ranging from innovative products in food and beverage to pet and body care brands. Located at 1555 North Milwaukee Avenue, the Pop Up Grocer is open from 9 am to 7 pm daily until Sunday, May 30. So if you’re looking for something different, like cheese made from hemp seed, crackers made from upcycled carrots, and much more, head over to this colorful grocer, which already has hosted pop-ups located in Austin, Los Angeles, and New York. Find more info here.

Museum Campus: The Drive ‘N Drag socially distanced event returns to Chicago this year after making a splash in 2020. Titled Drive ‘N Drag Saves 2021, this year’s event occurs at Soldier Field, located at 1410 South Museum Campus Drive, from Friday, May 28 to Sunday, May 30. Finalists from RuPaul’s Drag Race will be on hand for a series of performances as well as new outdoor party patios. General admission for a 2-person car starts at $75, and tickets for the VIP patio for four near the front of the stage with no vehicle required are $250. Find more info here.

Evanston: The Block Museum of Art, located at 40 Arts Circle Drive in Evanston, is hosting the “Behold, Be Held” exhibition that showcases 16 reproductions that let visitors take a moment to reflect on how art and intimacy in times of crisis affect us. This free event is the museum’s first-ever outdoor presentation, curated by Block Museum graduate fellow Rikki Byrd. “Behold, Be Held” runs now until August 22. Find more info here.

Virtual: Beginning today, May 6, and running until Thursday, May 13, check out the next generation of great filmmakers at CineYouth 2021. This global streaming event by the Chicago International Film Festival showcases 14 film programs from around the world and live panel discussions, filmmaker Q&A sessions, awards ceremony, and much more. Created in 2005, the CineYouth Festival is a great way to catch inspiring young filmmakers and see where the future of cinema is headed. Find more info here.

North Center: The city is starting to open back up, and undoubtedly one of the things we have missed is live music. On Saturday, May 8, head over to Constellation, located at 3111 North Western Avenue, for two performances by the Artifacts trio. Consisting of members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Music, the Artifacts trio stretch out the boundaries of experimental jazz with reinterpretations of classics alongside their own originals. The trio, made up of of cellist Tomeka Reid, flutist Nicole Mitchell, and drummer Mike Reed, will perform at 8 pm and 10 pm with limited seating in-person attendance and online streams of the 8pm set. Tickets are $15 or $30 for two seats together. Find more info here.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Mother’s Day 2021

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Restaurant Review: Moody Tongue

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Moody Tongue and Brewing Company, located at 2515 South Wabash Avenue in the South Loop, recently was added to the list of Michelin-starred restaurants for 2021. One visit to their expansive establishment will quickly show why. The menu by executive chef Jared Wentworth is a tour de force of great taste complemented by the brewery’s culinary brew selection. If you’re looking for fine dining cuisine with a marvelous array of drinking options, look no further than Moody Tongue.

This establishment moved to its current location on Wabash in 2019, and with the move came the arrival of Chef Wentworth, who helped create the choice pairings of food and beer that Moody Tongue has become known for. This spot features a 28-seat dining room and a casual bar featuring the delicious selections from Chef Wentworth’s menu. For those looking for the full sit-down experience at Moody Tongue, the Dining Room will return to occupancy on Thursday, May 20. In the meantime, you can’t go wrong with visiting The Bar, where food and spirits are currently offered.

The offerings available at The Bar at Moody Tongue are far and away from the typical grub associated with breweries. The appetizers alone are worth a visit with standouts, including the smoked beet tartare with whipped pine-infused ricotta, Hamachi Crudo, and Maine diver scallops with bacon and chanterelles. If you don’t have time for a full dinner, you can easily feel like you had one with Moody Tongue’s appetizer menu choices. 

Moving on to the entrees, do your taste buds a favor and order up the Mishima Ranch New York Strip featuring hakurei turnips, Thumbelina carrots, and a delicious bordelaise. Paired with an IPA like their sliced nectarine or mandarin orange popsicle, and you have the ideal dinner that your friends will undoubtedly hear about. Other entrees include the fried quail with spring veggies, Beluga lentils, and quail jus, a tasty roasted purple cauliflower, and the crispy whole market fish with Calabrian chili relish and artichokes. 

The Bar features the picks of Brewmaster Jared Rouben that perfectly accent the food. The draft selection is a beer enthusiast’s dream with choices ranging from Aperitif Pilsner, Blueberry Berliner Weisse, and Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison to a Sliced Nectarine IPA, toasted rice lager, and frozen banana Hefeweizen.

Moody Tongue has a decadent reserve bottle service featuring Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Cake Imperial Stout, Chocolate Barley Wine, 12 Layer Cake Imperial Stout, and Oak Barrel Aged Flanders Red Ale. Chances are you’ll find your new favorite beverage at this South Loop establishment. 

Your sweet tooth will beg for more visits to Moody Tongue with the 12 layer German chocolate cake taking the crown as the best dessert I’ve tried this year. Rich, moist, and decadent, one slice will have you turning up your nose at the next grocery store birthday cake you encounter. The artisan cheese plate features three one-ounce selections with honeycomb and crostini, while the cheesecake offerings include mango sorbet, pine nut crumble, passion fruit curd, and pineapple.

The Bar at Moody Tongue is open Thursday through Saturday from 4 pm to 10 pm and Sunday from 2 pm to 8 pm. Reservations are recommended but not required. As previously noted, the Dining Room will reopen to the public on May 20.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Spring Yard

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The temperatures have slowly been coming up, and it is time to clean up the lawn and garden beds to get ready for the summer season. If the temperatures have been staying up for the most part overnight above 50 degrees, it will be safe to clean up. Butterflies and other pollinators overwinter in dead leaves and other garden debris, so it is best to wait until the temps are high enough to awaken our pollinator friends. 

Give the lawn a good stiff rake to get out any dead grass and weeds to give the lawn air. Aerating is also a good idea. There are machines you can rent, but it is easier to get an aerating tool and place holes every 6 inches or so. Do a first spring lawn fertilizer with a pre-emergent. This will prevent many spring weeds from growing. Do pay attention to rainfalls. Lawns need an inch a week. Even though spring is usually plentiful, some areas this year are particularly dry. Any young trees and shrubs will appreciate a good slow soak. 

Be sure to clean around shrubs and other garden beds. Rake out all old mulch and debris. This is an excellent time to add some topsoil to these areas. Soil can wash away during the year and get compacted. Loosen the compacted soil and mix in fresh topsoil. Cover with an inch or so of fresh mulch. Leave a few inches of space around trunks and shrub bottoms. Mulching too close to plants can cause disease. 

Give everything a dose of fertilizer. I personally use Miracle-Gro. It is an all-purpose mix great for everything from house plants to the garden. They also have a product called Miracid that is great for all acid-loving landscapes. Evergreens, shrubs, azaleas, and hydrangeas all benefit from a high acid fertilizer. Outdoor plants can be foliar fed, so I mix in a bucket and pour all over the plant and surrounding soil. 

Clean out the garden of any plant material from last season. It is best to dispose of this material, do not add it to the compost pile. Garden debris can contain plant diseases that will infect your entire compost pile. I add mushroom compost and topsoil. I do a layer of compost first, then topsoil to about 1-2 inches. Do not till it in. Tilling it in now will bring weed seeds to the surface that will germinate. Leaving the new soil and compost undisturbed till planting time will keep many of those weeds from popping up. 

Do check around the outside of your house while cleaning the beds. Keep dirt and mulch away from the foundation to prevent rainwater puddling and make sure water flows away from the house. See that gutters and downspouts are unclogged and free flowing. Check that all outside drains are clear for the rains that will come eventually.

Do you have any other suggestions for spring clean up in the yard and garden?

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

If You’re Selling, Improving Your Curb Appeal Can Make A Huge Difference

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Curb appeal is a big factor for home buyers. The exterior of your home is the first thing buyers will see when they come to a showing or open house, and you want to make a great first impression. And even if you’re not selling your home, these are low-cost, low-time investment fixes that can make a big difference.

Fix Landscaping Eyesores
A brown, dead lawn—or an overgrown one—isn’t the best way to welcome buyers to your home. If your lawn is in need of repair, consider watering it regularly. If your grass is healthy, keep the lawn freshly mowed. An appealing lawn can be worth more than $1,500 in the final price of your home.

Shutters And Siding
It’s easy to let your exterior walls fall into disrepair, or even to let them get a little dirty. A good scrubbing or power washing can make your siding look brand new, and you can touch up any major issues with some paint. The same goes for your shutters.

Add Some Living Accents
So far we’ve covered fixing what’s broken. Next, it’s time to add a little personality. Planting flowers will add some much-needed color to an otherwise ordinary outdoor space. Potted plants will do the trick too, especially if you have a deck or patio that needs a little decorating.

Work On Your Walkway
The path to your front door should be inviting. A stone walkway from the driveway instantly upgrades your curb appeal. And if you’ve already taken care of that part, tidy up by removing weeds and debris, and then line the walkway with some subtle lighting. It’ll make your home look cozy and appealing, day or night.

THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – MAY’S HERE!

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Today May has arrived and it appears to have brought some summer-like temps with it to kick-off its first weekend. It also appears to have brought some events for us to enjoy, get out, and feel somewhat normal again! Let’s get started!!

It’s time again to celebrate the holiday of Cinco de Mayo, which has become an international celebration of Mexican traditions and cuisine. 

Here are a few of those events taking place this weekend:

Cinco de Mayo Party Cruises on Lake Michigan are being offered May 1 through May 8 by Anita Dee II, located at DuSable Harbor on the south side of the Chicago River at Lake Shore Drive. Cruise aboard their 140-foot luxury yacht to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a live DJ. These cruises are for adults only (21+) and have multiple full bars onboard serving up cocktails, beer, and wine. Don’t you think it’s time to get out and enjoy our city aboard a cruise!!

The Cinco de Mayo Party at Moe’s Cantina (3518 N. Clark St.) is the place to be this Saturday (12 p.m.-3 p.m.) to get out and enjoy the day-drinking culture of Chicago at the biggest Mexican bar in Wrigleyville also with a live DJ! Tickets include a private table, 4 drink tickets per person (valid for margaritas or Mexican beer), and more!!

Plot out your Cinco de Mayo Celebrations in Chicago with this handy guide that includes Cinco de Mayo events, 11 margaritas you should try, best Mexican restaurants, the 23 best tacos in Chicago, 18th Street walking tour, where to find cheap tacos, BYOB Mexican restaurants, and more!

Let’s not forget the Kentucky Derby watch parties being hosted this Saturday (3 p.m.-6 p.m.) by Green Curtain Events and presented by White Claw-Made Pure at The Reveler (3403 N. Damen Ave.) – Lakeview; Fatpour Tap Works (2005 W. Division St.) – Wicker Park; Rebel & Rye (726 W. Grand Ave.) – West Town; and HVAC Pub (3530 N. Clark St.) – Wrigleyville.

The Music Box Theatre along with local horror merch purveyors Creepy Co. will be celebrating Half-O-Ween: Horror Weekend at the Drive-In in anticipation of the spookiest season, which is only six months away! A series of Half-O-Ween movie screenings will occur at the Chi-Town Movies Drive-In (2343 S. Throop St.) in the Pilsen neighborhood. Saturday will feature a double feature of the flowery May Day thriller Midsommar followed by the surreal ‘70’s satanic horror flick Alucarda. The weekend closes out with a double feature of Friday The 13th Part III and the subversive slasher Sleepaway Camp on Sunday. Access to each screening begins 30 minutes before the scheduled start time, along with special pre-show presentations, movie trivia, and exclusive goodies from Creepy Co.!

In case you haven’t heard yet, Navy Pier has reopened! And to celebrate its reopening, you can catch the FIRST Navy Pier Fireworks show of the season at 9 p.m. this Saturday. Enjoy them from the Pier’s various public spaces or take in the show from nearby beaches or while cruising along the Lakefront Trail!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Chicago Neighborhood News: Streeterville, Lincoln Park, River North, Virtual, Loop

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Streeterville: The 7th Annual Chicago Jazz String Summit is going virtual this year. Taking place on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, this virtual concert and workshop series focuses on the creative works of string players. The free showcase kicks off Friday at 8 pm with performances by Leyla McCalla on cello, Judith Insell on viola and Joe Fonda on bass, and many more. Other performers over this two-day event include violinist Biliana Voutchkova, harpist Brandee Younger, drummer Ches Smith, and more! Find out more info here.

Lincoln Park: Our favorite local zoo lets us get an intimate look at their amazing animals virtually with the Animal Experiences at Lincoln Park Zoo. Taking place this Friday, April 30, at 1 pm, enjoy this 30 to 45-minute meet and greet with a zoo expert and the featured animal of the day. This zoom session event occurs twice each month so that you can plan ahead for a memorable streaming experience with the zoo’s animals. Tickets are $15 plus a $1.45 fee. Find more info here.

River North: Celebrate the festivities a little early on Saturday, May 1, with the Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl- River North. Taking place at Moe’s Cantina, located at 155 West Kinzie Street, from noon to 5 pm, this Cinco de Mayo party is sure to be a great way to see friends again and celebrate while a live DJ spins tracks as you enjoy the day! Private tables are available for a four-person table with four drink tickets per person for $60 plus fees for the noon to 3 pm slot. A six-person table plus four drinks per person is available for $90 plus fees for the same time slot. From 3 pm to 5 pm, you can reserve tickets for a 4 or 6-person table with one margarita person for $20 and $30, respectively. Find more info here.

Virtual: While we wait to hear live opera once again, the Lyric Opera of Chicago has made available complete operas you can stream online for free anytime you desire! The Lyric Audio Streaming Series presents archival recordings of blockbuster performances featuring the most prominent opera stars backed by a full orchestra and chorus in front of a live audience that you can enjoy from the comfort of home. Featured performances include a 2019 performance of Luisa Miller, a 2020 performance of

Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, and many more, with new additions added weekly. Find more info here.

Loop: If you’re looking to make this Cinco de Mayo a memorable one, head out to Lake Michigan for the Cinco de Mayo Party Cruise aboard the Anita Dee II on Wednesday, May 5, from 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm. Enjoy the city’s amazing sights on a 140-foot luxury yacht with both climate-controlled interior decks and an open-top deck while a live DJ spins tunes. With multiple onboard bars serving up your favorite drinks, this is sure to be a Cinco de Mayo that you won’t forget (hopefully). Tickets for this cruise start at $30. Find more info here.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Restaurant Review: Rose Mary

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Fulton Market in the West Loop is home to the recently opened Rose Mary, located at 932 West Fulton Market. This debut eatery from Top Chef winner and Chicago local Joe Flamm blends Italian and Croatian cuisine into what the Chef termed Adriatic drinking food. 

What exactly is Adriatic drinking food, you might ask? Imagine making your way along the stunning coastline of Italy and Croatia, stopping at taverns to enjoy the rustic yet elegant dishes inspired by the two countries as you leisurely make your way, with full bellies, to the next postcard-worthy spot. It’s the food you would imagine you’d be dining on if you were to star in an uber-cool Oscar-nominated Italian film. In other words, delicious.

The menu at Rose Mary is like a warm introduction leading to what will surely be a memorable night. Grilled radishes with whitefish roe, zucchini fritters, prosciutto, and pinzimonio salad are just a few starters that are a sure bet to satisfy the taste buds. 

Pasta is well represented at Rose Mary. The tortellini djuvec features red pepper, eggplant, preserved zucchini, Parmigiano, and pine nuts is a testament to the Italian cooking techniques utilized by Chef Flamm. Classics like gnocchi and rigatoni are sure to be favorites. Simultaneously, the lamb ragu mafaldine Abruzzi and tagliatelle featuring duck sausage and chili flake are a welcome addition beyond the norm when we think of getting Italian for dinner. 

Other highlights on the menu at Rose Mary include the grilled chicken wings served with Calabrian chile-basil vinaigrette, the succulent lamb shoulder, and the pork ribs pampanella on the meat side of the menu. Fish fans will be excited to try the grilled clams with smoked ramp butter, the delectable tuna crudo featuring capers, shallot-beef fat vinaigrette, and veal aioli, and the baby octopus done peka style with garlic, potatoes, and peppers.

After such a robust meal, it’s only fitting to end it on a sweet note. Rose Mary offers tasty gelatos in strawberry vanilla, pistachio honey, or chocolate stracciatella flavors. A particular sweet standout on the menu is the fritules. These tiny donuts are accented with black walnut citrus and roasted stone fruit curd that will have you asking for a baker’s dozen before you leave. 

Chef Joe Flamm came to national prominence as the winner of season 15 of Top Chef in 2018. Before that, Flamm studied at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago and then honed his skills at Table 52, Girl and the Goat, and Belly Q. Flamm was also the executive chef at Spiaggia on Michigan Avenue. 

The name Rose Mary stems from Flamm’s two grandmothers and rosemary itself, which is local to the coastlines of Italy and Croatia. The menu offered at this Fulton Market spot is a love letter to the food and drink Flamm grew up with and continues to inspire this talented Chicago chef.

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Rose Mary is open Sunday through Thursday from 5 pm to 10 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm. 

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Magic Dryer Sheets

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Dryer sheets smell great and have many uses beyond de-wrinkling and softening our clothes. Even sheets already used can have some life in them.

The softening agents and the material the sheets are made from make them great for cleaning several things around the house. Add a few drops of water to a sheet and use to remove soap scum in the shower. It also works well on water-spotted faucets and other chrome fixtures too. Throw a sheet in the toilet and use the brush to scrub all around and under the rim for a sparkling bowl. Bugs on your car? Use a dryer sheet on the wet paint to soften and remove those bug carcasses. Burnt on food in a pan? Place a dryer sheet in the bottom and add water to cover the burned area. Leave overnight, and the following day the pan should clean with minimal scrubbing. 

The scent of the sheets can freshen many places and items around the house. Place some in drawers, closets, and shoes. Keep trashcans smelling fresh between cleanings by placing a sheet at the bottom of the bin. Traveling this summer? Place sheets in the luggage to keep that musty smell from clinging to your clothes. Scatter a few in the inside of your car. The scent is less over-powering than those pine tree-shaped ones we often use. Just remember to change the sheets monthly.

Dryer sheets also have anti-static properties. You can dust wood baseboards, trim, and doors, and they will repel dust longer. Wipe down furniture and get rid of pet hair and lint. If you do any hand sewing, wipe the thread and needle with a dryer sheet to ensure smooth tangle-free sewing.

Most dryer sheets contain linalool (found in lavender) and beta-citronellol (used in citronella candles). You can stick them in inconspicuous areas around the house. They will impart a pleasant scent and repel bugs and other critters from coming in. 

Do you have any other uses for these “Magic” sheets?

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO