There’s no denying that Chicagoans love their summer and being outdoors. In fact, this weekend is filled with outdoor summer fests as we close out the month of July in true summer fashion!

Chicago’s biggest music festival welcomes thousands of fans from around the world to experience Lollapalooza which has called Chicago home for more than 30 years.  This Saturday and Sunday will wrap-up this four-day festival at Grant Park (337 E. Randolph St.) in the Loop with 9 stages and 170+ bands packed with some of the biggest names in pop, rock, and hip-hop!  And beyond the music lineup, Lolla also emphasizes art, fun, community, and food from Chow Town which offers patrons more than the typical carnival type fare featuring some of the city’s top spots.  Plus take advantage of interactive areas with giveaways, merch and more. Don’t forget there’s also Kidzapalooza with workshops, activities, and kid-friendly music all day. This is a must attend if you love summer and being outdoors!!

Are you ready to hunt for some new and old treasures?  Chicago’s most beloved vintage treasure hunt returns to Plumbers Hall (1341 W. Randolph St.) in the West Loop with the Randolph Street Market Festival this Saturday and Sunday (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.). Since 2003, this European flea-market style brings together 175+ top independent vendors, makers, and designers from across North America offering an ultra-curated, high-quality selection of antiques, vintage and modern goods ranging from art to fashion, jewelry, décor, retro home furnishings and more!  Plus, patrons will be delighted by the continuous lineup of live musical acts, unique food vendors, fun cocktails and more to enjoy throughout the weekend!!

One of Chicago’s most ethnically unique outdoor events returns to Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road with the Chinatown Summer Fair this Saturday (12 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) which attracts thousands from throughout the region.  This iconic event will open with a traditional lion dance procession (12:30 p.m.), a welcome on the main stage (1 p.m.) followed by Asian performances, kung fu demonstrations, cuisine from Chinatown’s restaurants, arts & crafts exhibits, street vendors with an array of merchandise, and a kid’s area!  There’s even a breakdance competition, K-pop entertainment, and a copi fish ball eating contest!!

If you love classic rock, you might want to skip Lollapalooza and head to Jeff Fest at Jefferson Memorial Park (4922 N. Long Ave.) in the Jefferson Park neighborhood this Saturday and Sunday (2 p.m.-10 p.m.) for performances from local cover bands.  You’ll also find tasty foods from neighborhood vendors.  Beyond the music and food, there’s even a dedicated Kids’ Zone featuring a ton of cool activities where families can hang out and boogie with their little ones!  Don’t forget to visit the fest’s groovin’ “Community Stage” as well located on the north side of the park!!

Looking for some good old-fashioned fun?  Then Lincolnwood Fest is where you need to be this Saturday (10 a.m. – 11 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. – 9 p.m.). This annual community festival is held at Proesel Park (6915 N. Kostner Ave.) and features daily live music from local and regional acts, a business expo, carnival rides, games, bingo, a Classic Car Show and so much more!  Plus, new this year is their Arts & Crafts Fair and Family Fun Tent so be sure to check these out as well!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Galit (in Hebrew, Fountain) is a Middle Eastern Restaurant in Lincoln Park, owned and operated by Andrés Clavero and James Beard Award-winning chef Zachary Engel. It’s not every day that you can find a restaurant with a sense of humor with a Michelin star, but Galit has found the sweet spot in balancing outstanding cuisine with a true sense of humor. The menu itself, according to the website, focuses on a seasonal and localized approach to dishes of the Middle East and Israel’s immigrant cuisines, alongside a unique and forward-thinking beverage program. (Truly unique… Baby I Compare You to a Kiss from A Rose on the Gray Tea?) 

Here’s where they earned the Michelin star, I think. This is a restaurant unafraid of pairing a sense of humor with a (currently) $78 prix-fixe, 4-course menu where they urge you to “choose your own adventure! “

We’re always game for an adventure. Take, for example, their ‘Over Coal’ (grilled) selections. Carrota hasa

Cuminy orange glaze, Bulgarian feta, hazelnut duqqa. Try the Iraqi Kubbeh Halab–a crispy saffron crust lamb, with golden raisins and almonds. Or, for a a real nosh, try the Armenian-Meets-Brooklyn Pastrami, with urfo Caesar, radicchio, and malawach. 

The restaurant has earned amazing reviews from Google and perfect 5.0 ratings on other sites:

“Some of the best Middle Eastern and Israeli food I have had!”

“Lots of options and very affordable compared to other Michelin star restaurants. Nothing out of the ordinary, so a very comfortable dining experience all around…Simple Middle Eastern staples across the menu. Pita is made to order in a hearth oven. Very affordable. Hip place that’s great for sharing food in a group or on a date. You will leave full. Impressive wine selections, especially from the MiddlEast…The Pastrami and the Carrot Cake is to die for!”

“Galit was amazing. Went here with the girlfriend for her birthday. It was our first Michelin star restaurant we’ve ever tried. Great atmosphere. We sat at the kitchen bar. The fixed menu is easy. Server was really knowledgeable. Wine menu was very unique with a lot of middle eastern wines you don’t see many places.

Galit is located at 2429 N. Lincoln Avenue. They are open Tuesdays-Thursdays, 5pm–9pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 5pm–9:30pm. They are closed on Sundays and Mondays. For information and reservations, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

For the majority of homeowners today, having a large, bright kitchen could be a dream come true, but tight budgets and small kitchen spaces can be quite challenging to overcome.

Fortunately, there are resourceful methods to improve your kitchen’s appearance and feel without going over budget.

REMOVE A WALL

If your kitchen is separated from an equally small living room by a wall, consider knocking it down. In fact, knocking down a wall is one of the easiest ways to open up the space in the kitchen, especially for experienced renovators and contractors. Sure, it might be the more expensive suggestion on this list, but for the price, it makes a huge difference.

If the wall is not load-bearing, you can expect to pay anywhere between $2,000 to $4,000 to take it down. However, if the wall is bearing the load of the second story, you could be faced with a much bigger bill considering the fact that structural issues will need to be factored in. But it could well be worth the cost when you see the finished product. Homeowners spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a brand new kitchen, and sometimes tearing a wall down is all it takes to completely transform the space.

BREAKFAST BAR

Instead of completely knocking a wall down, you could just tear down the upper half and leave the lower half intact. But to make it useful, consider turning that half wall into a raised breakfast bar, which can provide the space with some great functionality and practicality for more casual meals. Making the bar counter height is a contemporary way to update  the kitchen while making it feel bigger at the same time.

PLENTY OF LIGHTING

Lots of light is always a good thing when it comes to opening and brightening up a small space. To maximize the effect that lighting has on your kitchen, consider adding layers of different fixtures throughout the room. Add a chandelier over the dinner table; hang pendant lights over the breakfast bar; install under-mounted lighting your cabinets; and brighten the inside of your cabinets with pot lights.

Keep the color of the lighting the same as the wall color and/or cabinets to boost the effect of the lighting in the kitchen. Lighter colors are always best in small spaces, as they reflect light and create a sense of space. When the same light colors are blended throughout various components, the effect of a larger space is even more enhanced.

CONSIDER THE SCALE

Having too many cabinets or an oversized dinette set will only make the kitchen look cramped. Instead, you should focus on things like a slim kitchen island, streamlined furniture pieces, and just enough cabinets to house all your utensils without taking up every square inch of the wall space. Everything that’s installed in the kitchen should fit to scale in order to avoid making the space look smaller than it really is.

CLEAR THE CLUTTER

Nothing encloses a space more than clutter. And when it comes to the kitchen, the countertops can be easily crammed with dishes, utensils, bills, and anything else that you didn’t have the time to put away. For a cleaner, more streamlined look, clear off the clutter. It’s easy, fast, and doesn’t cost a cent.

While there are invasive and expensive ways to enlarge your kitchen space – such as physically expanding your home – there are simpler, more affordable ways to do so. Use a little imagination, and play up visual illusions in your space to make your kitchen look and feel more spacious.

If there’s a theme to this week’s Neighborhood News, it’s FOOD! Chicago’s neighborhoods are home to world-renowned restaurants, quality street vendors and food trucks. But a museum devoted to ice cream? Yes, it’s all in Chicago, for your gastronomic pleasure! Enjoy tacos, pizza, and plenty of local restaurants at this week’s annual fests and fun!

Viva la Tacos… On Thursday, July 21, join several Clark Street restaurants and the Rogers Park Business Alliance for an afternoon of tacos, tacos and más tacos at the North Side’s Taco Crawl! From Clark Street between Devon and Rogers Avenues, from 3pm-7pm, 13 participating restaurants include Taqueria El Chorrito, 6404 N. Clark, El Pulpo Loco, 6619 N. Clark, and Taqueria El Charro, 6661 N. Clark. Eat your weight in carne asada, veggie, al pastor, and chicken tacos after picking up your $30 passport at 7056 N. Clark St. Restaurants stop serving at 7 p.m. For tickets and information, click here. 

Viva la Steppenwolf… This is the final weekend of the Tony-nominated Choir Boy at Chicago’s renowned Steppenwolf Theatre in Lincoln Park, 1650 N. Halsted Street. Now through Sunday, July 24, experience the emotional story of Pharus Young, a senior at the Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys, an institution committed to building “strong, ethical Black men,” where he endeavors to be the best leader of the school’s prestigious choir in its 50-year history, as the website says. But in a world built on rites and rituals, should he conform to the expectations of his peers to gain the respect he desperately seeks? For tickets, click here.

Viva La Lincoln…Taste of Lincoln Avenuebegins Friday, July 22 from 3pm to 10pm and runs through Sunday, July 24 for the 39^th time, from noon-10pm on the diagonal Lincoln Avenue between Fullerton and Wrightwood Avenues. For just $10 at the gate per day, fest goers can enjoy samples of great food from local restaurants, arts and crafts, and musical groups like fest favorites 16 Candles and Rosie and the Rivets. For more information, click here!

Sing, dance and eat, Part 1… Wicker Park Fest makes its glorious return on Friday, July 22, from 5pm- 10pm and continues Saturday and Sunday, from noon – 10pm, on Milwaukee Avenue between Paulina St and North Avenue. The three-stage music, local food and arts festival offers something for everyone–headliners include Latin indie rockers Y La Bamba, grunge rockers Cherry Glazerr, Chicago favorites NNAMDÏ, along with Tukkiman, Lady Sol and Friends, and Ballet Folklorico de Chicago. A $10 donation benefits the local community, including the Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce and Burr Elementary School. For more information, click here.  

A World made of Ice Cream… At the newly opened Museum of Ice Cream, 435 North Michigan Ave, their dazzling, pink-hued, inclusive environments are “designed to inspire human connection and energize the senses, to reimagine the way we experience and love ice cream.” You can play in the sprinkle pool and ride on the Chicago Sprink-L line, eat all the ice cream you want (including a hot dog flavor soft serve on a pink bun!) And–learn the history of ice cream. For example, according to their blog, the oldest mentions of frozen treats stretch back about 3000 years. In some Middle Eastern sources, King Solomon was described as having a penchant for frozen fruit purees, and the Old Testament mentions frozen goat milk as a treat that Abraham enjoyed. In ancient Mesopotamia, snow was mixed with mashed fruit. The museum is open every day but Tuesday. For tickets and more information, click here.

Chicago is Pizza City… no doubt about it! Whether you love Chicago-style stuffed, deep dish, or thin crust, or foreign versions like New York slices, Sicilian, Detroit, or Artisan, you’ll have it all on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 from noon-9pm at Pizza City Fest Chicago at Plumber’s Union Hall in the West Loop, 1401 W. Randolph Street. The event brings together 39 of the region’s best pizza makers, including Pete’s Pizza, Nancy’s (the original stuffed pizza), and Vito and Nick’s. The event was created and is hosted by Steve Dolinsky – a 13-time James Beard Award-winning food reporter and author, and currently “The Food Guy” at NBC 5 Chicago. A $59 general admission ticket includes all-you-can-eat pizza from 18 different vendors, VIP panels, seminars, and demos, pizza-themed merchants and artists, live music and book signings. Lots more for VIPs! Kids under age 10 are admitted free. For tickets, click here.

Sing, dance and eat, Part 2… Sundays on State returns on Sunday, July 24, and runs from 11am-6pm. This free, safe, interactive block party brings the best of art, culture, active recreation, food, drinks, shopping, and local attractions in the heart of everyone’s neighborhood – the Loop. This weekend, the Monroe Stage alone features performances by the Trinity Irish Dancers, the Brazilian Cultural Center, the Real Pretenders, and the Cash Box Kings. On another stage, you and your family can learn Ballroom Basics, Ballet, Fitness, and Jazz. Lots of food and drink choices, including Mexican cuisine from Caseras Sabor Real, ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery, local brewery Crushed By Giants, southern specialists Cynthia’s Gumbo Express and the Walnut Room for cocktails and bites. For a complete lineup, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

We all have habits. Unfortunately, for many of us the habits are often not too good for us. I ran across this list a while back and I think it contains a good cross section of habits that will certainly make you healthier, organized, and just better all around. I’m doing a few already and plan to take on more soon. 

Start strength training with weights 3 times a week. As we get older, we lose muscle mass, and our bones suffer too. Strength training helps this while also preventing injuries and increases energy. Work out different muscles each workout. You can do upper body and then lower body. Consult with your physician and start out small. Even a 2.5-pound weight can produce results. 

Look into intermittent fasting. That is where you refrain from eating for 15-16 hours. You could do this by skipping breakfast or not eating after midafternoon. Eat a lot of unsaturated fat and protein and whole unprocessed foods as much as possible. Again, consult your physician. Certain people with health concerns need to eat more often.  

Sleep a minimum of 7 hours per night. I can hear many of you saying, “Oh, I do fine with 5 hours!”. No, you do not. 95% of the population needs 7, better yet eight hours for optimum mental and physical health. Stay off the devices in the evening and get to bed early if you need to get up and perform. 

Have a night routine. Journaling helps many people get their thoughts together and helps you sleep better just getting your thoughts down. Lay out your clothes for the next day. I know, that’s for little kids. But it makes getting ready in the morning so much easier. Write down your priorities for the next day the night before. Again, it makes the day smoother. As you line out each task completed it gives a lot of satisfaction working towards your goals. 

Be present. Have you ever said, “When I achieve this, I will be happy.”? You are becoming stuck in the future and happiness will always elude you. Remind yourself every day that you should enjoy the now. In your nightly journal write down at least 3 things you are grateful for. You have more to be happy about than you think. 

Love and be kind to everyone you meet however hard that can be. Treat love as if it is a precious resource that we can’t deplete. Love never runs out. You can give away as much as you like. Don’t expect anything in return. Give love and kindness away every day. You have enough to give.

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago