We all would like to find a little shortcut for better fitness. As I am heading towards retirement age, I’ve learned from experience that weight bearing exercise in the latter part of our lives can be very beneficial! Of course, cardiovascular exercise is great too, but weight lifting and other weight bearing exercises can really help us retain and build muscle mass.
We also have been told that protein supplements are not just for body builders, they are beneficial to everyone. But you probably haven’t heard that there is an optimum time to take these supplements, and that is at bedtime. Surprised? I was too! Studies have shown that consuming a 30 gram protein shake before bed along with resistance training can boost muscle mass and strength.
But won’t it wreck my sleep?Won’t it make me gain weight? No on both counts. When you consume protein before bed it goes directly to protein synthesis, especially when paired with resistance exercise earlier in the evening. No one in the studies reported any problems with sleep. Protein is best consumed 10-30 minutes before sleep. However, the studies were performed using casein protein which is more slowly digested than whey. So, it might be worth a try if you are resistance training to try a casein shake before bed!
Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago
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Living in a small house or apartment can be challenging, even if you have few belongings when you move in. Over time, you’ll inevitably collect more items, requiring you to creatively store things with limited closet space and shelving.
But you don’t have to live in a 2,000 square foot house to have plenty of space for everything you own. By making the most of the space you have available, you’ll have more room than you ever imagined. Here are a few of the most popular types of storage solutions for small living areas.
Shelving
Your place is likely covered in unused space. As you look around, pay special attention to empty walls, especially toward the ceiling. Shelving is a great way to create extra storage space where it didn’t previously exist, even if that space is close to the ceiling. Rarely-used items can be stored there to be accessed only when needed. This type of storage can be implemented in bathrooms and kitchens, as well, to create extra storage space above toilets and sinks.
Corners are also ideal for storage, with specially-designed shelving units creating a place for your books, keepsakes, and supplies. You can also use creative shelving in cabinets and closets to add extra space. Instead of simply installing shelves under your sink, you can use a Lazy Susan approach that makes frequently-used items more easily accessible. With the right type of shelving, cabinet space can be maximized to double, triple, and even quadruple the number of items that can be stored there.
Storage Bins
There’s no shortage of bins and baskets available to meet your small-space storage needs. For high-visibility areas, you can employ attractive baskets that match your décor, including stackable options that can make the most use of vertical space. Mini-chests of drawers can be used in closets and bedrooms to provide extra space for storing clothing and other personal belongings. With so many attractive options, you can find a look that enhances your living space while also keeping items neatly tucked away.
Storage bins can allow for items to easily be placed under beds, in closets, and in storage areas like attics and basements. Because these bins often stack easily, you’ll often find that you can pack mass quantities of personal belongings into them, squeezing a large amount into a small space. These bins are also ideal for seasonal items like off-season clothing and holiday decorations. Even once you’ve moved to a larger space, you’ll often find that storage bins are a great way to store items when they aren’t in use.
Living in a small space presents quite a few obstacles but with a little creativity, you can tuck items neatly away and free up extra room. Once you’ve learned to use the extra space available, you’ll likely realize that even in larger spaces, creative shelving and storage bins are a great way to keep clutter at bay while still having access to belongings in case you ever need them.
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Treat your Valentine to a special, elegant evening on the water with Chicago’s most stunning views as you toast to the most romantic day of the year. Both cruises offer chef-designed menus of freshly prepared entrees, salads, and desserts with unlimited coffee, hot tea, and iced tea, delicious cocktails from their well-stocked cash bar, dancing, and three package types to choose from – Silver, Gold, and Platinum!
The Valentine’s Day Premier Plus Brunch Cruise on the Chicago River sets sail from the River Esplanade on Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This cruise offers a delicious brunch buffet, complimentary mimosas, window table reservations for the best view, and additional upgrades to customize your experience!
This year marks the 115th edition of the Chicago Auto Show beginning this Saturday and running through February 20th at the McCormick Place Complex South Building (2301 S. King Dr.) in the South Loop. This year’s show features the complete range of domestic and imported passenger cars, trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and minivans as well as experimental and concept cars. In addition, you’ll find numerous automotive accessories and auto-related exhibits, competition vehicles, project cars, antique and collector cars, and interactive exhibits. Plus, special appearances and events take place every day so be sure to check the show’s Event Schedule for up-to-date listings! It’s the largest auto show in North America and not to be missed!!
It’s here! Time for Super Bowl LVII as the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona competing for the coveted Lombardi Trophy! Unable to score a ticket? Just click the link above for a list of watch parties and game day eats throughout Chicago to cheer on the NFL’s two top teams! So, enjoy the big game night with your whole crew and may your team win!!
Let’s not forget the perfect warm-up to Super Bowl Sunday! Join the Den Theatre (1333 N. Milwaukee Ave.) in the Wicker Park neighborhood this Sunday for The Den’s Puppy Bowl. Watch the Puppy Bowl’s little pups on the big screen while enjoying mimosas and The Den’s signature Bloody Mary’s all afternoon. Plus, a complimentary brunch buffet will be available so you can have a bite to eat while you root for your favorite pup! And for the kids, there will be coloring stations, face painting, and a full kiddie cocktail menu!!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
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In a city rich with world-class museums, Pilsen’s National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), 1852 W. 19th Street, is the largest Latino museum nationwide, as well as the first accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The building stands as a colorful tribute to the past and present of Mexican art. Visitors are greeted as they reach the building in Harrison Park, with tiled replicas of the friezes of Mitla in Oaxaca, Mexico. Once inside the free museum (one of the few in the country) you’ll find a showcase of one of the country’s largest collections of Mexican art and culture.
According to TripAdvisor, make sure you see their vibrant textile collection, which includes indigenous outfits and weavings, folk art including masks and Día de los Muertos artifacts and ephemera documenting the Chicano Movement.
The museum also provides resources, educational programs, and professional development for Mexican artists.
Beginnings: A former CPS teacher finds his dream job
According to the museum’s website, founder Carlos Tortoleroworked as a teacher, counselor, and administrator in the Chicago Public Schools prior to organizing a group of fellow educators to establish the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, opening its doors in 1987. The goal, according to the website, was to establish an arts and cultural organization committed to accessibility, education and social justice. Additionally, the museum provided a positive influence for the local Mexican community, especially since many other art institutions did not address Mexican art.
In 2001, the museum expanded to a 48,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Pilsen and in 2006, unveiled a new name, the National Museum of Mexican Art.
Today: A Nationally Recognized Treasure, where Mexican Art and History Meet
Today, NMMA’s permanent collection includes more than 18,000 pieces from pre-Cuauhtemoc Mexico to the present, as well as a selection of contemporary productions presented at or by the Museum.
The permanent exhibit ”Mexicanidad: Our Past is Present” explores the history of Mexico in five stages: ‘Pre-Cuauhtémoc Mexico, Colonial Mexico, Mexico from Independence to Revolution.’
The People Speak…
“A beautiful art museum that is both fascinating, colorful and educating!” gushed a TripAdvisor reviewer. “The museum has street parking around it as well as its own pay parking lot that isn’t expensive. Museum entry is FREE but you can make a donation. The museum is tastefully done, very well organized in sections and displays many art mediums (painting, sculptures, glass mosaics, pottery etc.) The history of Mexico is explained simply for everyone to understand and differentiate their culture from other Hispanic origins. We really enjoyed the day of the dead items, Diego Rivera sketch and Frida Kahlo wing exhibits. Its galleries house impressive displays of contemporary, traditional, and Mesoamerican art from both sides of the border, as well as vivid exhibits that trace immigration woes and political struggles.”
Neustria’s Historias: Stories of Mexican Identity
A locally-based exhibit focuses on artist Carlos Cortéz (1925-2005), an artist, poet, illustrator, muralist, and activist.
Regarded as a political artist, both in practice and belief, he is best known for his prints and illustrations that address labor rights, union organizing, identity and culture. As a longstanding Chicago community activist, Cortéz was integral to the Museum’s founding and mission. The NMMA frequently exhibits his prints, and is the exclusive repository of the Carlos Cortéz Archive. You’ll find his printing press and personal effects on display in the exhibition.
Spreading the news about Mexican Art through National Exhibitions
Twenty NMMA exhibits have traveled across the United States and six have traveled to Mexico, including The Art of the Other Mexico (1992), Maria Izquierdo (1996), The African Presence in Mexico (2006), and Frida’s Contemporaries: Women Artists of Modern Mexico (2007).
The National Mexican Museum of Modern Art is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm, and is closed Mondays.
This Friday, February 10, at 6pm,NMMA will host a free Anti-Valentine’s Day Party. The Museum’s youth initiative hosts a bash featuring music, food, dancing, art, and a stigma-free environment to learn about sexual health. Planned Parenthood, Lurie’s Children’s Hospital, and ICAN4All will be onsite to provide resources and answer questions. Bring your friends or your special date! Also: Please note guests over 25 not admitted.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
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Valentine’s Day exists to celebrate love in its many forms. And whether you’re celebrating with your nearest and dearest friends (gal-entines and pal-entines,) your one-and-only, or your entire family, to quote a famous movie, “love is all around, actually.”
While many Chicago restaurants are already booked for the Tuesday, February 14 holiday, as well as the weekends before and after (we checked!), Dean’s Team Chicago did a little research for you and came up with a few winners that were still accepting reservations.
A farm-to-table family-style dinner in West Town
Looking for a fun Valentine’s event for your gals and pals? At Big Delicious Planet, 412 N. Wolcott, a pioneer in Chicago’s sustainable dining scene since 1994, BDP has evolved from owner Heidi Moorman Coudal’s backstage rock & roll caterer to a certified green urban farm-to-table operation. On Friday, February 10, they’re hosting a communal, $125+-per-person dining experience for “people who love to eat.” The “Greenest Caterer in America,” will treat you and your guests to a three-hour dining adventure beginning at 6:30pm with cocktails and appetizers, followed by a salad course, family-style main course of Beef Tenderloin and SearedScallop (an additional $10 per ticket), Wild Mushroom Risotto and a special dessert. For reservations, click here. They’re also hosting a $150-per-plate Valentine’s Day extravaganza on Tuesday, February 14. For reservations and information, click here.
The Tortoise is quicker than the Hare…
At River North’s swanky (their description, no argument from me!) Tortoise Supper Club, 350 N. State Street, the home of Wednesday’s Oyster Happy Hour from4:30pm-6:30pm,
and live jazz on Friday and Saturday, you and your nearest and dearest may order from the ala carte dinner menu in a candlelit dining room and capture the moment with the roaming Polaroid photographer and give you a photo and a rose as a keepsake. Start with Oysters on the Half Shell, with a Bloody Mary cocktail sauce and lemongrass-cucumber Mignonette or a succulent Lobster Bisque, followed by a Skuna Bay Salmon, with sweet corn relish and mint chimichurri, or a Prime Filet Oscar, with King crab, asparagus, and Bernaise sauce. Finish with a shareable Grasshopper, an adult milkshake mixing brandy, créme de menthe, créme de cacao, grasshopper cookie, chocolate straws, whipped cream, and fresh mint.
Tortoise Supper Club still has reservations for 1 to 8 guests on Valentines Day! As of Tuesday, reservations were available from 4:30pm-6pm and 9pm-10pm. Early or late seating gives you time to do something grand before or after supper! For reservations, click here.
Pizza…That’s Amore!
At Streeterville’s Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company, 465 N. McClurg Court, surprise your special someone(s) with a favorite pizza in the shape of a heart, with a special four-course Valentine’s Day menu, available Saturday February 11, Monday February 13 and Tuesday February 14. Included in the $125, four-course feast is their award-winning thin-crust artisanal pizzas in such romantic combinations of Acorn Squash and Sausage, Prosciutto and Aragula, or, for an additional charge, Smoked Salmon and CaviarPizza. Top it off with a specialty dessert and two specialty cocktails or a split of Prosecco, which are included on their Valentine’s Day Menu.For more information and reservations, click here.
Here’s to love, one and all!!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
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We think of food borne illness as coming primarily from meat and seafood, but there have been many outbreaks in the last few years in produce. The FDA recommends washing vegetables under cold running water. Water is sufficient; don’t use bleach or soap which can also cause illness. Commercial produce rinse products were studied and the results showed that cold water was just as effective at removing microbes and pesticides. Drying with a clean paper towel will remove even more. Wash all produce, even those that you peel, to avoid transferring anything to the inside. Wash your hands before and after washing produce, and just before using. Below are similar tips, but for specific types of fruit and vegetables!
Berries are very delicate and expensive, especially this time of year. Strawberries can take on the full stream of water straight from the faucet. Rinse in a colander and dry on a paper towel lined cookie sheet. More delicate berries like raspberries and blackberries should be dipped. Place them in a small colander and dip them into a large bowl of cold water, then dry on paper towels.
Leeks are perhaps the dirtiest vegetable. Their many layers trap dirt and sand. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the leeks. Cut them vertically in half. Place the root end down in a tall container, such as a pitcher. Let it soak for 15 minutes. You will see the grit left on the bottom of the container. When you take them out, give them another good rinse under the faucet.
Greens and herbs are often full of grit, sand and dirt. A good soak in a water bath does wonders. Fill a large bowl with cold water and swish your veggies around to shake loose the grit; let the veggies sit for 5 additional minutes if they are particularly dirty. Lift them out carefully, all the dirt and grit will stay at the bottom. Dry the greens well in a salad spinner. Towels work too, but I prefer the spinner as it removes the most water. Chill the greens before serving for maximum crispness. Some tougher greens like spinach, kale and bok choy may need a double swish and soak.
Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, parsnips, and melons will do fine with a cold water rinse and a scrub with a stiff brush. They don’t need to be peeled, but if you are intending to eat the peel (like in the case of potatoes) a good scrub is even more necessary.
I’m not sure about you, but I was always told that you should never wash mushrooms. I thought a good rub with a damp towel was all that was needed. But that has changed. Cook’s Illustrated found that a pound of white mushrooms only absorbed 1 tablespoon of water after soaking for 1 minute! So, go ahead and wash your white mushrooms. Other varieties like oyster and portobello mushrooms should still only be wiped off with a paper towel or pastry brush. That’s because these types have more gills, which trap water.
Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago
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After pounding the pavement for what seems like forever, you’ve finally found the place you want to put an offer on. But alas, someone else has already got their fingers on it, and it’s a cash buyer, no less. Buyers with cash are known to swoop in and snatch up properties from under mortgaged buyers. But don’t fret – you’re not necessarily out of the game just yet.
Here are some ways you can be some stiff competition to an all-cash buyer.
Offer More Than The Competition
Throwing more money on the table that what the cash buyer is offering might sound nuts. But when sellers see dollar signs, they might just be willing to look in your favor, even if the cash offer looks like a shoo-in. If you want to increase your chances of landing the house, you might want to consider topping the cash offer with more money. If this is the house you plan on living in for a long time, the extra cash might be worth it.
Give the Sellers the Closing Date They Want
If the sellers still haven’t bough another house to move into, they might need some extra time to find the right place, especially if the supply is short. On the other hand, if the sellers are anxious to get the house off their hands in order to save on carrying costs, they might want the deal to close sooner rather than later.
If you want to stand up to the competition, give the sellers the closing date they want. Whether this means having to wait a little, or closing next week, so be it. It’s just one additional way to sweeten the deal.
Offer a Massive Down Payment
If you can afford to scrounge up as much liquid cash as possible to put towards a down payment, your offer will look more attractive. You may not be able to pay for the house in full with cash, but the more money you put towards a down payment, the less financing you’ll need, which always looks safer in the eyes of the seller.
Many times the reason why financing may fall through is because the appraisal comes in at a lower number than the purchase price. In this case, if you’ve only borrowed 50%, for instance, you shouldn’t have as much of an issue compared to borrowing 75% or 80% of the purchase price.
Get Pre-Approved For a Mortgage, and Skip the Financing Clause
Sellers ideally like to see a clean offer, which means little or no clauses. One condition in particular that can get the sellers’ guard up is a financing condition. While this is great to protect you against losing your deposit should the financing not go through, it’s not so great for the sellers. One of the most effective ways to compete against an all-cash buyer is to eliminate this condition altogether.
However, you don’t have to forego all protection whatsoever. To shave off some risk, make sure that you get pre-approved for a mortgage first. Just make sure that you’ll be able to bail yourself out in the event that you do lose your deposit if the seller accepts your offer, but your financing falls through for some reason.
Get a Pre-Appraisal Done
Getting the property appraised in advance can not only cut down on the time it takes to close the deal, but it can also help increase the assurance that the lender will cover you for a specific loan amount to pay for the property. However, this might be easier said than done when it comes to bigger lenders, so you might have to go through a smaller lender or mortgage broker to make this happen.
Of course, there’s only so much you can do before exhausting all your resources and efforts. But by getting your finances in order, working with a mortgage broker in advance, and dealing with a good local real estate agent, you can draft up an offer that’s as attractive to the seller as possible. You never know – you just might end up a winner.
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Are you ready to embrace another weekend? Good because not only are we in the month of February, which only has 28 days, but spring is on the horizon! Although you wouldn’t know it from this past week’s arctic blast!! Anyway, here are a few events to get you through this weekend and closer to that spring horizon.
The region’s largest cider tasting is back after a two-year pandemic pause. The 9th annual Cider Summit Chicago returns this weekend to Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood. This year’s event will feature nearly 200 ciders, meads, cider cocktails, and apple spirits from over 50 producers. Among the selections will be local, regional, and international favorites offered at two sessions – 11 a.m.-3 p.m. or 4 p.m.-8 p.m., plus food trucks on site. There may even be a few surprises!
With warmer temps this Saturday, it’s a perfect time to head on over to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (5306 N. Clark St.) in the Andersonville neighborhood to celebrate their annual Ice Cream for Breakfast Day between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Returning for a limited time is last year’s hit flavor, Maple-Soaked Pancakes. Plus, the first 50 Splendid Rewards members will receive a free, very limited Ice Cream for Breakfast Day mug. And, if you want to be one of the ten lucky winners to win ice cream for a year, just take a pic in your PJs at a Jeni’s shop then share it with the hashtag #icecreamforbreakfast, and tag @jenisicecreams!
The Ravenswood Makers Market presented by I Heart Indie Markets-Popups returns to KOVAL Distillery (4241 N. Ravenswood Ave.) in the Ravenswood neighborhood this Saturday (1 p.m.-6 p.m.). A wide variety of homemade goods will be available such as jewelry, knit goods, home décor, soaps, candles, prints, paintings, and more. This is a family-friendly, free event to attend! You only pay for the items you wish to purchase and the drinks you want to consume.
Just a reminder that Chicago Restaurant Week wraps-up this Sunday so if you haven’t had an opportunity to treat your taste buds to some of the best food at some of the top restaurants in the city, this weekend is your last chance! Special prix fixe menus will cost $25 for brunch or lunch, and $42 and/or $59 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity). Bon Appetit!!
Close out the Chinese Lunar New Year this Sunday (12 p.m.-4 p.m.) at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.) in The Loop as the Center’s Preston Bradley Hall is transformed into a lively Chinese marketplace for their Lantern Festival Celebration. This celebration features food, calligraphy, puppets, a selfie booth, trinkets, a lion dance, music, dance and more! Plus, this event is free and open to the public.
Has your sweet tooth been acting up? Then satisfy it by attending the Donut Fest Chicago Burbs this Sunday (1 p.m.-5 p.m.) at the Temperance Beer Co. (2000 Dempster St.) in Evanston. Guests can try fried dough from a variety of stations and vote on a winter for your Favorite Donut! Plus, entry also includes one beer ticket. So, enjoy a Sunday Funday while sampling donuts, enjoying beer, coffee, and more at the sweetest event in town!!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
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Northerly Island, 1521 S. Linn White Drive, is a 91-acre, man-made peninsula along Chicago’s Lake Michigan lakefront, as Wikipedia describes it. It’s probably best known as a summer concert venue (Huntington Bank Pavilion) after the demolition of Meigs Field, a landing strip/airport for small planes.
But there’s so much more to the story…
Northerly Island was planned from the beginning
According to Wikipedia sources, the idea for Northerly Island began with Daniel Burnham’s ‘Plan of Chicago’ which called for the creation of Northerly Island as a lakefront park at the northern end of a five-island, man-made chain between Jackson Park and 12th Street.
Burnham passed away in 1912. By 1916, Edward H. Bennett, co-author of the Plan of Chicago, wrote that a lakefront location would be most suitable for an airport serving the central business district. By 1922, Chicago Mayor William Hale ‘Big Bill’ Thompson recommended locating the downtown airport at Northerly Island.
Work on the island began in 1920 when Chicago voters approved a $20 million bond issue to create Northerly Island, with construction completed by 1925.
Through the Roaring 20’s and Early 30’s, Northerly Island was part of the primary site of the Century of Progress World Fair in 1933. As for the airport… the Great Depression and World War II intervened, and Meigs Field wasn’t opened in 1946, with a 50-year lease.
Northerly Island becomes Meigs Field
As the Meigs Field Wikipedia site tells it, numerous VIPs used the airport in order to maintain security and also to avoid inconveniencing the Chicago traveling public, including President John F. Kennedy. In a common pattern, Air Force One would land at a larger area airport, and the President would then take the Marine One helicopter to Meigs Field to avoid the complications of a Secret Service escort via Chicago’s expressways. For 50 years and more, numerous small airlines and the private planes of business executives made Meigs Field their home.
It Happened One Night… back to Northerly Island
As the Wikipedia site mentions, in 1994, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced plans to close the airport and build a park in its place. Northerly Island, where the airport was located, was owned by the Chicago Park District, which refused to renew the airport lease in 1996.
Then, in 2003: “On the night of March 30, 2003, Mayor Daley ordered city crews to make the runway unusable by bulldozing large X-shaped gouges into the runway surface in the middle of the night. The stranded aircraft were later allowed to depart from Meigs’ 3,000-foot taxiway. “
Mayor Richard M. Daley cited safety concerns, particularly in Post-9/11 America, as well as eliminating “needless contentions” by bulldozing the site outright. Naturally, there were outcries and legal actions taken. But on September 17, 2006, the city dropped all legal appeals and agreed to pay the $33,000 fine and repay the $1 million in FAA Airport Improvement Program funds used to demolish the airfield and build Northerly Island Park, which featured a venue for concerts.
Today: Hiking, Walking, Nature-ing, Concert-ing
According to Choose Chicago, the majority of the space Is dedicated to nature, featuring a concrete trail for walking and bicycle riding, a 5-acre lagoon, casual play areas, landscaped wildlife habitats and a spectacular view of the Chicago skyline. Northerly Island’s nature preserve is meant to revitalize the environment that was originally there. The new park is now home to migratory birds and natural wildlife and to protect its new inhabitants, dogs are not allowed on the park.
Calling All Pioneers-Polar Adventure Days await!
Every winter, Northerly Island hosts two Polar Adventure Days, where families and friends can tour the Northerly Island Natural Area. The last one takes place from noon-3pm on February 25. Some of the exciting events planned include:
Husky teams sledding around the peninsula
Exploring the island on snowshoes (if there’s snow)
Watching the Jabberwocky Marionettes
Making a nature-inspired winter craft
Playing in the Nature Play Space
Listening to stories around a bonfire
Enjoying a cup of hot cocoa
Best of all: All of these activities are FREE!
Happy February (Winter) Days, everyone!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
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Once a creative way to safely dine during the pandemic, winter igloos at Chicago’s area restaurants have pivoted. Today, they are a cozy, intimate dining experience for two, or for your family.
Unlike restaurant seating, you share a space with your nearest and dearest, creating an intimacy not always possible in a bustling Chicago restaurant. Surrounded by heaters, the experience is as warm as an indoor space, and in rooftop restaurants like The Kennedy, 1551 W. North Ave, atop the Hyatt Place Hotel-Wicker Park, the twinkling lights of the city beckon you year-round with rooftop seating and exquisite food.
Your heated rooftop adventure begins with Shareable like the 606 Meat & Cheese Platter, The Kennedy’s take on a charcuterie board, filled with local meats and cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, artisan bread, crackers, whole grain mustard, and blackberry jam. Or try a Black and Blue Flatbread, with braised beef, crumbled blue cheese, fig jam, caramelized onions, arugula, and citrus vinaigrette. Their vegetarian, gluten-free Mediterranean Hummus has roasted red pepper hummus, cucumber, cherry tomato, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and pita bread.
Other recommended shareables include Prairie Land Wings, with a choice of Kennedy’s house-made sesame sweet chili sauce, with pickled veggies or Buffalo sauce with vegetable sticks (Buffalo served with ranch), and Pulled Pork Sliders, BBQ pulled pork served on mini brioche buns, topped with cheddar cheese, grilled pineapple and arugula.
Move forward to Atlantic Salmon a pan-seared salmon served with rosemary-scented jasmine rice, and lemon caper sauce, or a casual Honey Chipotle Chicken Wrap with chipotle chicken, lettuce mix, celery, cucumber, and tomato, or tangy Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos, pairing cilantro and lime-marinated shrimp with a cilantro cabbage mix, and chili aioli. Their Rooftop Double Stack Burger has two quarter-pound beef patties on a toasted brioche bun, choice of provolone, cheddar or swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
As we always warn here… save room for dessert! Make it a shareable with Kennedy’s Signature Brownies, featuring an entire pound of gooey, warm chocolate brownies, whipped cream and scoops of ice cream, or Madison’s Skillet, a warm chocolate chip cookie skillet, topped with vanilla ice cream. Solos will enjoy their Keylime Pie, creamy-smooth and fresh in a graham cracker crust.
Google reviewers were enchanted with the rooftop venue:
“Enjoyed an evening in one of the igloos, and had a great time!” wrote one. “The views from this rooftop are beautiful and I really enjoyed their new menu selections. They’ve definitely upped their game in the menu department!
We tried the charcuterie board which I felt was reasonably priced for what you got. We also enjoyed the beef medallions and the butternut ravioli which was a perfect balance of savory and sweet.”
We enjoyed the igloos on a 30 degree night. The igloos were warm at first to where we could take our jackets off. Eventually the temperature dropped and it did get pretty cold inside. This would be perfect in 30 degrees or above, or when the sun is out.
I will be back!”
The Kennedy is located at the corner of Ashland and North Avenues. They are open Monday- Thursday, 4pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday, 4pm-11pm, and Sunday, 11am-5pm. They serve a sumptuous brunch on Sunday, and special ‘Presidential Cocktails’ every night of the week. They are accepting reservations now for Valentine’s Day, and reservations for the igloos are highly recommended, every day of the week. Click here to reserve yours today!
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
https://www.deanteamchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/2023/02/article-review-featured-020123.jpg7201280adminhttps://deanteamchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/2015/09/dean-moss-logo.pngadmin2023-02-01 13:41:332023-02-01 13:41:35Restaurant Review – Experience Chicago in a cozy winter igloo atop Wicker Park’s The Kennedy!
