Chicago Home and Lifestyles – How to have a better relationship with your phone

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Millennial generation having fun with new trends social media apps

Psychologists are seeing more and more people struggling with an unhealthy attachment to their devices. They are feeling more emotional distress and are missing out on meaningful relationships. I also don’t have to tell you the danger of social media, especially on teenagers. But the answer is not to go cold turkey, since we need these devices, but to take steps to reduce our screen time. 

Think about the times when your screen time is making your life worse. Many times we go down a rabbit hole of social media before bed. Besides losing sleep, the blue light from the device disturbs your rest. Perhaps the phone comes out during mealtimes, making you miss out on family connections. Too much online shopping can cause inefficiency at work. So identify your top two or three problem times. 

Think about what you are really craving when you pick up the phone. Are you trying to alleviate stress? Is it a substitute for spending time with others? What are you actually hungry for? Write down your insights.

Now that you know what you need, try to think of a substitute. Of course, it needs to be something that makes you feel good also. You’re not substituting broccoli for chips, metaphorically. You could have a lunch date with a friend, read a good book or pick up a new hobby. If you have the circumstances, go out in nature for a walk or run!

Start small and try a variety of activities. Set specific times to be screen free. Learn what triggers you to be on the phone. If you are trying to wean off pre-sleep screen time, try leaving your phone in another room. We can have a good relationship with our devices that lets us take the best they offer while letting go of the parts that get in our way. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

Things to Consider Before Switching Your Carpet for Hardwood

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Living room interior in gray and brown colors features gray sofa atop dark hardwood floors facing stone fireplace with built-in shelves

In many homes, hardwood has replaced carpet as the primary flooring type, especially in rooms like living rooms and kitchens. New homebuilders are aware of the trend and have shifted their design choices accordingly. However, many older homes still have carpeting throughout, leaving homeowners with a dilemma. Should they remove the carpet and replace it with hardwood or leave it as it is?

Hardwood flooring has several benefits over carpeting, but there are some disadvantages, as well. Before making the decision to replace carpeting throughout your house, there are three questions you should ask yourself.

Will You Be Selling Soon?

Today’s home shoppers are likely viewing a large number of homes with beautiful hardwood floors throughout. This has upped the game for sellers of older homes, who are now required to compete with brand new homes in the same price range. While hardwood flooring is the top request of homebuyers, this may not translate to every room. Some consumers have stated a preference for carpeting in bedrooms, which allows them to step onto a soft surface when they get out of bed in the morning. Hardwoods in areas like kitchens and bathrooms can also turn some buyers away, since these areas are prone to spills and moisture. For that reason, some homeowners choose instead to install tile or laminate flooring in these rooms.

Do You Have Allergies?

Carpet has gotten a bad rap for its supposed contribution to allergies and asthma. However, a 15-year study in Sweden determined no correlation between the two. In fact, the study pointed out that when carpet use declined in the country, allergies increased by 30 percent. Some postulate that carpet acts as a filter, trapping allergens that might have otherwise been floating freely in the air. If carpet is cleaned regularly, it may be a better option for families that are concerned about air quality. When handled by a qualified professional, even the most deeply-embedded particles can be removed, keeping the home free of allergens.

Are You Prepared for Maintenance?

Whether you find hardwood maintenance easier than carpet depends largely on your preference for sweeping versus vacuuming. Carpets should be cleaned at least once every one to two years—more frequently if your household has pets. Hardwood flooring removes the need for this type of cleaning, but don’t assume wood-based flooring doesn’t have its own maintenance requirements. At least once a year, homeowners should use a wood-cleaning product to deep clean floors and remove any dirt and grime that builds up. Many experts recommend also using area rugs throughout the home to reduce dirt and protect wood from furniture marks. Just like carpet, these area rugs will need to be vacuumed and deep cleaned on a regular basis to remove embedded dirt.

Hardwood floors can up your home’s value by meeting customer demand. But consider the maintenance requirements of this type of flooring before making the commitment. If you don’t plan to sell your home soon, it may be best to leave the carpet in place until you prepare to sell, especially if you enjoy the feeling of carpet beneath your feet.

THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – It’s All About to Go Green!

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Clover leaves a pot of gold and lucky horseshoe on grass as a 3D illustration

Hope you’re ready for all the cultural celebrations taking place this weekend as it’s all about to go green!

A tradition since 1962, union members will be working their magic again this Saturday as they Dye the Chicago River a bright shade of green with a vegetable-based dye and kicking off the city’s St. Patrick Day celebrations.  The dyeing takes place between Columbus Drive and State Street beginning at 10 a.m.; however, the best views are from Upper Wacker Drive between Columbus Drive and Fairbanks Court.

After viewing the dyeing of the Chicago River, it’s time to head on over to Grant Park for the city’s big St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrating its 68th year.  The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. from Columbus and Balbo Drives heading north to Monroe Drive.  The city’s premier Irish band, the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band, will be leading the procession once again as they have been since the first official parade back in 1956.  Also, you’ll see plenty of colorful floats waving their Irish flags high, troops of Irish step dancers, marching bands, drum corps, and more!  So, don your best green outfit or kilt for one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the country!! 

Dedicated to community, the South Side Irish Parade is the largest community-based parade outside of Ireland, and is a homegrown, family-friendly celebration of Irish heritage.  The procession of floats, dance troupes, bagpipes, and marching bands heads north on Western Avenue beginning at 103rd Street and ending at 115th Street this Sunday (12 p.m.-3 p.m.) in the Beverly neighborhood.  Come join thousands of fellow revelers at this long-time tradition!

Not to be out done, the Northwest Side Irish Parade gets in on the festivities too this Sunday at 12 p.m. in front of William J. Onahan School (6634 W. Raven St.) heading south on Neola Avenue then north on Northwest Highway to Harlem Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood.  Afterwards, head to Zia’s Social (6158 N. Northwest Hwy.) for the official afterparty at 1 p.m. serving up an Irish buffet, drinks, and live entertainment!

Not ready to call it a day after the downtown parade?  Then head to the St. Patrick Fest 2023 taking place this Saturday (1 p.m.-11 p.m.) at the Irish American Heritage Center (4626 N. Knox Ave.) in the Albany Park neighborhood.  Enjoy one of the city’s biggest, family-friendly green celebrations packed with traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and drink for purchase as well as children’s activities, and vendors selling Irish gifts.  The tradition continues at the best place to be for all things Irish!

If parades are not your kind of thing, then perhaps the Shamrock’n the Block is.  Hosting this annual pop-up Irish pub is Old St. Patrick’s Church (700 W. Adams St.) in the West Loop this Saturday (11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.).  This all-ages event features activities for kids (including shamrock craft packs), food, a heated tent beer garden, and live entertainment.  There’s also a Pot O’ Gold raffle taking place at this event with a first prize of $20,000, a second prize of $2,500, and a third prize of a 65” flat screen TV sponsored by Abt!  Plus, winners need not be present for the drawings!!  May the Luck of the Irish be with you!!! 

Finally, check out other Irish events such as bar crawls, river cruises, and other events taking place on this weekend of green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day!  Click here.

Have an Unforgettable Weekend Going Green!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Neighborhood News: It’s Not Easy Being Green—St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

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Chicago , USA - March 16, 2013: Participants at the annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade.

The history of St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, according to Choose Chicago, goes back more than 175 years.  From a blocks-long celebration over unpaved streets by Irish immigrants, it has grown to an international celebration attended by hundreds of thousands of Chicago natives and visitors annually. 

Today, there are celebrations on every side of Chicago, from the South Side Irish Parade in Beverly to the Irish American Heritage Center near Albany Park, to the Northwest Side Irish Parade in Edison Park. 

 Who Was St. Patrick, Anyway?

Saint Patrick was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and Bishop in Ireland, according to Wikipedia sources. At age sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. He spent six years there working as a shepherd and found God, who told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick became a priest, and returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish.  While it’s commonly thought that Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, those ‘snakes’ may have been metaphorical. He died on March 17,  and that’s why this date is celebrated annually. 

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago 

According to the City Experiences website, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Chicago on March 17, 1843. Beginning on Clark Street, Grand Marshal, “Smiling John” Davlin led the first attendees down Michigan Avenue and into St. Mary’s Catholic Church for mass. The tradition continued until 1896, after which it suddenly ended for unknown reasons.

Modern-Day Phenomenon 

In 1956, Mayor Richard J. Daleyresurrected the Loop’s St. Patrick’s Day parade with the intention of celebrating Chicago’s Irish heritage. Daley was the third consecutive Irish-American mayor in the city, having grown up in the working-class, heavily Irish-American South Side neighborhood of Bridgeport. His parents’ families had both arrived from Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland, during the Great Famine.

Today 

Since 1956, the Downtown parade has been sponsored by the Chicago Plumbers Local 130 and The Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. The parade route follows Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Monroe, and has been led since 1956 by the famed Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band. Somewhere along the route will also be the annual appearance by the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance. 

Dyeing the Chicago River

The dyeing of the Chicago River was added in 1962, quickly becoming one of Chicago’s most famous events, transforming the waterway into a shade of bright emerald (some say Kelly) green by ‘dumping’ 100 pounds of environmentally friendly dye into the Chicago River. 

This year, dyeing the river starts at 10am. The best places to watch are along the Chicago Riverwalk (Wacker Drive, from Michigan to Clark) and on the bridges between State and Columbus. If you want a place, get there early! 

Entry to the parade route opens at 11am for the 12:30pm parade, and entry is only permitted at Jackson Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive (formerly Congress Blvd.) Coolers, alcohol, open beverages, camelbacks, and personal water bottles are not allowed along the route. However, your pets are! For more information about Chicago’s Downtown Parade, click here 

Slainte!!!

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Restaurant Review: Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day at North Center’s Mrs. Murphy and Sons

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Irish St Patrick`s day beer, ale glasses, snacks, appetizer, green burger, wooden bar table with shamrock, clover, coins, leprechaun hat

As Chicago gears up for the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 11 (and again on Friday, March 17),  celebrate the day at a well-reviewed North Center pub that’s Irish year-round: Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro , from the owners of Murphy’s Bleachers in Wrigleyville.

Open since 2005, they’re the place to go on weekend mornings for an early Irish breakfast, Premier League soccer games, & 6 Nations rugby tournaments, washed down with a shandy soda (lemonade and orange, in a can) or a pint of Guinness Stout. 

At its core, Mrs. Murphy’s is as advertised: a family-owned Irish pub with “uncommonly good” pub food and an authentic atmosphere with “proper” pints, over 60 Irish whiskeys, and Irish music.

If you want to take the kids to an authentic celebration, sans Chicago River-dyeing, but a true Chicago community experience, Mrs. Murphy’s is your place! 

Start your Irish adventure with a Sausage Roll, which pairs a banger sausage with fragrant rosemary, garlic, rolled in puff pastry and tangy stout mustard.   Or, their Guinness Mac & Cheese with Irish cheddar, stout reduction, and elbow macaroni. Their Potato Leek Soup is truecomfort food, festooned with scallions, and served with homemade Irish soda bread and Irish butter. 

As a main course, nothing beats their hearty Irish Breakfast, with two scrambled eggs, a banger (sausage), Irish bacon, Black & White Pudding, (As a native advised me at a Dublin pub many years ago…don’t ask, just eat!) tomato, mushroom, baked beans, and  Murphy’s homemade brown bread (made fresh daily). Unless you try their Corned Beef Dinner, with stout-braised corned beef, cider-braised cabbage and boiled potatoes, with a mustard pan sauce. Bangers & Mash goes traditional, with Irish sausage, mashed potatoes, caramelized onions, a Guinness reduction, and stout mustard. Finally, their Fish & Chips are bathed in Dovetail Lager beer batter, and served with tartar sauce, (spicy) curry ketchup, and chips.

“Great people, delicious food, fun atmosphere. There’s always something going on!” gushed a Google reviewer. 

Mrs. Murphy & Sons is located at 3905 N. Lincoln Avenue. For St. Paddy’s reservations on Saturday, March 11 and Friday, March 17, click here. 

Éirinn go Brách!

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Chicago Home and Lifestyles – 10 ways to exercise your brain.

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Train your brain. Dice form the words train and brain.

1. Physical exercise – yes, it actually does exercise your brain! There have been several studies indicating that 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity can reduce the chances of developing dementia by 17-21%.

2. Play a sport – along with getting the benefits of exercise, you must think of a strategy and know where your teammates are and what they are doing.

3. Learn a new language –  people who are bilingual develop dementia at a lower rate than those who speak only one language. While it stimulates the brain it also may make you interact with different people than you normally would have. 

4. Be social – all parts of your brain are being involved and integrated. Memory, vision, thought and language. Even just calling a friend on the phone can give you both a brain boost!

5. Do some math – instead of using your calculator app on your phone, do your calculations the old-fashioned way. Studies show seniors who do basic math and reading problems daily for six months experience boosts in executive function and processing.

6. Play an instrument – studies show people who play instruments will have better episodic memory, memory of the past whether a few days ago or 20 years. It requires you to mix touch with hearing and remembering.

7. Do puzzles – numbers, jigsaw, and crosswords are especially effective. Jigsaw puzzles improve your spatial visual ability. Sudoku is good for logic, and uses your frontal lobe. Crosswords increase your ability to store vocabulary and think of words verbally.

8. Stimulate your senses – choose activities that use all your senses. Even cooking can stimulate all the senses. From the delicious smells, to the feel of chopping, to the sight of the prepared dish, to finally the taste. Even taking a walk can do the same if we notice all that’s going on. Feel the sun and breeze. Smell the fresh air and flowers. Hear the birds and see all the nature in front of you. 

9. Meditate – studies show people with moderate cognitive degeneration benefit from 30 minutes daily of guided meditation. There are apps that will help you to meditate. It can also reduce stress. 

10. Sleep –  this should actually be #1 as it is probably the most important! Sleep regulates metabolism, reduces mental fatigue, and improves memory recall. High quality sleep is essential for our brains to function at their best. Sleep removes toxins from our brains and lets the brain reorganize itself. So beat brain fog by getting at least 7 hours of good sleep. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

4 Ways to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home

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Air purifier and houseplant in living room. For fresh air and healthy life concept.

If someone in your household regularly suffers from allergies or sinus problems, there could be issues with the quality of air. Including the time you’re asleep, you’re breathing the air inside your home more than any other, making it vital that it be clean and healthy.

The good news is, there are a few small, easily affordable changes you can make to reduce dust and purify your home’s environment. Pollutants are either trapped inside your home or traveling inside through your air ducts. By making these small changes, you can remove the bad sources from your home’s interior and keep bad substances out.

1. Clean Your Air Conditioner

Many heating and air companies offer twice-yearly maintenance options, cleaning your system and checking for problems. Wait until the outdoor temperature is warm enough to test your unit while also being cool enough to turn off power to your air conditioner while you clean it. Open the blower compartment and, using a vacuum with a soft bristle attachment, remove all dust and debris that has gathered on the condenser fins. There are detailed instructions on this video that can help but if you’re feeling uncertain, contact a local HVAC repair company to schedule a cleaning.

2. Invest in an Air Purifier

An air purifier can dramatically improve the air quality in your home. However, not all air purifiers are alike. Different types of air purifiers eliminate different types of pollutants so before you begin shopping around, it might be best to determine the allergens that are impacting your family. There also might be certain types of pollutants that are specific to your region of the country. A HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter removes more than 99.7 percent of all airborne particles, including those as small as 0.3 microns.

3. Buy Houseplants

Plants do more than add to the aesthetic value of your home. They can help reduce volatile organic compounds in a home’s air, as well as cutting indoor ozone, which is the main component in air pollution. The best type of plants for your home largely depends on the type of pollution found in your air, as well as the area of your home in which it will be located. Some plants are great for reducing the effects of chemicals found in cleaning products while others are good at removing car exhaust.

4. Clean Regularly

If you tend to go weeks without sweeping and dusting your home, you may be suffering from more than a messy house. Dust particles can linger in the air, impacting the health of your family. In addition to dusting, sweeping, and mopping, change your air filter on a monthly basis to make sure air is being properly filtered.

If you’re experiencing allergens, these small changes can make a big difference. For best results, have an allergy test performed to determine exactly which particles are causing a problem. By identifying the culprits, you’ll be able to directly address them and avoid spending a great deal of time and money on ineffective solutions.

THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Welcoming March in All Its Colors!

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Festival of colours Holi celebrate

As we slosh through yet another winter weekend here in Chicago, anxiously awaiting the official arrival of spring later this month, there are a variety of events for all to enjoy as we welcome in March in all its colors this weekend!

Celebrate the Festival of Colors, Global Connections:  HOLI at Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood this Saturday (1 p.m.-5 p.m.).  This free event features live music, dance, and interactive programming, along with the iconic powder throwing event.  Powder will be available for purchase on-site while supplies last.  Also, food from Bombay Wraps as well as beverages will be available for purchase in multiple locations throughout the event.  Plus, DJ Jeet and DJ Krush will be outdoors in the Beer Garden from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. along with dance instruction from Heher Dance Company within the first hour!

Continue celebrating the Festival of Colors by joining Joe’s Bar (940 W. Weed St.) on the Near North Side for their Color Blast / Annual HOLI Celebration this Saturday (10 p.m.-4 a.m.).  Chicago’s biggest and only indoor Holi party features food, drink, dance, and play Holi (restricted to a designated area) with 100% dry organic colors (white attire encouraged).  Plus, rocking the stage with your favorite Bollywood, Bhangra, House, and Club tracks will be DJ Ujwal and DJ Roger P!

Guess who’s roaring through Chicago again!  Jurassic Quest returns to Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood this Saturday (9 a.m.-8 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m.-7 p.m.) with unique and exciting experiences for the whole family.  Walk with their larger-than-life dinosaur herd which includes the Apatosaurus, the Spinosaurus, the Velociraptors, and the King himself, Tyrannosaurus Rex!  There are also dinosaur rides, a fossil dig, an excavation station, Jurassic Jeeps, dinosaur themed inflatable attractions, face painting, science activities, and crafts.  There’s no better place to make terrific memories than among these behemoth prehistoric creatures!

The Brewsology Beer Fest will be taking over the Museum of Science & Industry (5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.) in the Hyde Park neighborhood this Saturday for an after-hours (6 p.m.-11 p.m.) tasting event.  This event will feature dozens of local breweries and cideries, such as Two Brothers, Three Floyds, Dovetail, and others, offering samplings of their seasonal beers.  Attendees can wander around with a beer in hand to chat with brewery representatives as well as checking out the museum’s exhibits!  It’s a one-of-a-kind experience for a night at the museum!!

If you’re up to joining thousands of shivering participants entering the icy waters of Lake Michigan, then the Chicago Polar Plunge is for you!  This iconic winter tradition takes place this Sunday (8 a.m.) at North Avenue Beach (1600 N. Lake Shore Dr.) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.  This Plunge is the largest and most-well known plunge event with nearly 4,000 participants along with friends, families, and celebrities supporting Chicago’s Special Olympians.  Because of your participation, those with intellectual disabilities have an opportunity to discover new strengths, abilities, and accomplishments!  So come join in the Great Fun for a Great Cause as we brave the cold!!  Plus, there’s even a virtual edition for those who cannot make it to the Plunge this year.

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Neighborhood News: Think Spring at Lincoln Park Conservatory

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On March 1, the planet celebrated its entry into Meteorological Spring, and it went all-out with 50-degree temperatures in Chicago, three weeks ahead of ‘regular ‘spring.  

What better place to celebrate the rites of spring than the Lincoln Park Conservatory, 2391 North Stockton Drive? A Chicago Park District landmark, the domed glass building is just south of Fullerton Avenue and west of Lake Shore Drive. 

Any time of the year, the lush tropical flowers and florid environment transforms the  Chicago experience into a tropical staycation! 

According to their website, Lincoln Park Conservatory offers visitors a tropical experience within its four display houses: Palm House, Fern Room, Orchid House and of course, their Show House, which is home to their annual flower shows.

How It All Began… 

As told on the conservatory’s website, in 1874, Lincoln Park hired its first gardener and built what would be the conservatory’s first greenhouse. Thirteen years later, in 1887, the Formal Garden was added along with four additional greenhouses that support the garden. Soon after, the Eli Bates Fountain and the Von Schiller Monument were added with the garden.

According to Wikipedia sources, in the early nineteenth century, the development of iron and glass building technology led to the constructions of conservatories in major cities in the United States as well as other countries in the world. Chicago had become overcrowded as its population had increased rapidly. 

With a growing concern about the ill effect of industrialization, architects Joseph Lyman Silsbee and M.E. Bell designed and built an exotic-style glass conservatory which was described as “a (Victorian) paradise under glass.”

Between 1890 and 1895, the Lincoln Park Conservatory took shape. The vestibule and Palm House were built and opened to the public in 1892 and contain giant palms and rubber trees, including a 50 foot fiddle-leaf rubber tree planted in 1891. Grandmother’s Garden was added across the street from the Formal Garden between what is now Stockton Drive and Lincoln Park West. In 1893, the William Shakespeare monument was added as a centerpiece to this Old English-style perennial garden.

It’s ‘Florasonic!’

FLORASONIC: ROB FRYE – EVOLUTIONARY SOUNDS IN THE FERN ROOM

Known for their unique arrangements of plants and art, in ‘Florasonic,’ the Conservatory promises that “you might hear Evolutionary Sounds emerging in the Fern Room. Woodwind instruments, birdsong and field recordings gathered in the Prairie State of Illinois are manipulated to reveal a native soundscape somehow in harmony with the exotic flora inside the Lincoln Park Conservatory. Slowing down bird sounds to a more human friendly speed unveils a beauty and complexity achieved over millennia.” 

The show runs through Sunday, April 9.

It’s Still Free! 

As their website notes, no matter the time of year, Lincoln Park Conservatory is always green and lush. They invite you to “Come take a stroll and let yourself be transported away. Admission is free.”

The Lincoln Park Conservatory is open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. For information, current exhibits, and tickets, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Restaurant Review: March Right In, Greektown Restaurant Week!

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Greek cuisine vector menu cover.

Opa!! If March comes in like a lamb…(kleftiko, anyone?), will it go out like a lion? 

Just in time for longer days in March, Greektown (Halsted Street from Jackson to Madison) is celebrating Greektown Restaurant Weekfrom March 1-7, featuring exclusive discounts, dishes and special offers from restaurants throughout the neighborhood.

It’s all a part of a month-long celebration of Greek Independence, culminating in the Greek Independence Day Parade on March 26.

Some highlights of Greektown Restaurant Week include: 

  • Athena Restaurant, 212 S. Halsted Street, is serving a free saganaki per table with any entrée order. The restaurant is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, decorated with fountain and columns derived from the ancient architecture, creating a visceral experience of ancient Athens.
  • Greek Islands Restaurant, 200 S. Halsted, bills itself as “The Most Popular Greek Restaurant in America.” They’re offering a free appetizer order of tarama with pita (one per table) when you mention ‘Greektown Restaurant Week‘’
  • ALSO…50% off bottles of wine and beer! 
  • Mr. Greek Gyros, 234 S. Halsted Street,  says to “buy a Gyros Plate and get a slice of baklava free!” NOTE: Valid between 9am-6pm daily. Mr. Gyros serves slow-marinated gyros in a fast-food setting, but is open until 1am each night “to bring you delicious food when you crave it most!”
  • 9 Muses, 315 S. Halsted Street, is offering a Greek Rose, as well as several food specials, including Chicken Lemonato and Μακαρόνια με Κιμά.  The family-owned restaurant is named after the daughters of the god Zeus, king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. The Muses were believed to inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers, and musicians. And here, they inspire great Greek food! 

Specials are valid for dine-in only unless otherwise specified. Must mention “Greektown Restaurant Week” when ordering. 

Greektown Chicago suggests you contact these and other members directly to find out what they’re doing for Greektown Restaurant Week. For the complete list, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago