Painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to give your home a makeover. Whether it’s updating an old bathroom paint scheme or adding a bold accent wall, painting can totally transform a room. But painting can be a big hassle and come with tons of prep work and clean up. Here are a few top tips to make your painting experience more enjoyable and lead to a more professional finish.

Prep beyond tape and drop cloths

A drop cloth will protect your floors, but a thick and durable drop cloth is also a little clumsy to maneuver. For smaller, awkward items that are in danger of paint splatter, use plastic wrap. It’ll make it much less frustrating to protect a toilet or bathroom sink.

Be ready for spills and splatters

At the very least, a few drops of paint are going to end up where you don’t want them. Have a rag and some Q-Tips ready for the inevitable paint splatter, so that you can quickly wipe them off before they dry and set on your frames, countertops, or hardwood floor.

Use heat to remove tape

Patience is key when removing painter’s tape, but it can still tear and leave splotchy edges no matter how careful you are. Hold a heat gun or hair dryer a few inches away from the tape as your remove it little by little. The heat will break down the adhesive and make removing the tape a much less frustrating task.

Lincoln Park – Before the Super Bowl this Sunday head over to Mon Ami Gabi for the Big Game Brunch. From 10 am to 3 pm on February 2nd, this Lincoln Park eatery will be serving favorites like their Crème Brûlée French Toast and Banana Foster Waffles alongside a refreshing assortment of brunch cocktails. The kicker? Show up in your favorite team’ s apparel and receive a gift card equaling the price of your meal. Find more info here.

River North – You don’t need to be a spirits aficionado to join in on the fun at this year’s Chicago Whiskey Festival. Taking place Saturday, February 1st at the Old Crow Smokehouse River North from 1pm until 4 pm, the fest will feature over 30 varieties of whiskeys, bourbons and scotches to sample. Tickets start at $35. Find more info here.

Evanston – Love horror movies and need to get away for 24 hours? We got you covered with this year’s B-Fest taking place at Norris University Center on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston on February 7th. Starting a 6pm, low budget classics including Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Midnight Madness, and Blood of Dracula’s Castle and many more will run nonstop for 24 hours. Be sure to pack a pillow, toothpaste, and perhaps some garlic. Find more info here.

Lakeview – Sure, it’s February in Chicago, and we are all bundled up. But why not shed those clothes for a run supporting a great cause? The Cupid Undie Run takes place on February 8th at Sluggers on Clark Street between 12pm and 4pm. A quick de-briefing: The party kicks off with drinks and mingling before participants get down to their skivvies for a brisk 15-minute sprint that raises money for neurofibromatosis research. Find more info here.

Logan Square – Just because it’s freezing out doesn’t mean you have to put your farmer’s market visits on hold till spring. The Logan Square Indoor Farmers Market taking place every Sunday now thru March 29th at the Emporium Arcade Bar on Milwaukee provides nutritious and locally grown food from farmers and Chicago small-scale food producers. Find more info here.

Bucktown and Wicker Park – Returning for its seventh year, ChillFest Chicago takes place on February 8th from 2 pm to 6 pm in various locations throughout Bucktown and Wicker Park. This free winter music fest features over 30 musicians performing acoustic sets in numerous neighborhood storefronts. Support local merchants while checking out live music from acts like Ryan Burns, Quinn Guillermo, and the Corridor Brass Quintet. Find more info here.

ERIC KAPLAN & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Sunday is the last football game of the 2019-2020 season. Boohoo! Football is my favorite sport besides baseball, and watching the game is a little bittersweet with weeks of winter left before pitchers and catchers report to baseball spring training. To prepare for the big game, here are a few easy crowd-pleasing snacks to make and enjoy this Super Bowl Sunday. 

A classic favorite is onion dip and chips. We all have made the onion soup and sour cream dip. It’s delicious, homemade, and so easy! Sauté three pounds of ¼ inch sliced yellow onions with two tablespoons each of brown sugar, olive oil, and butter till golden and very soft. Add ¼ cup red wine vinegar and cook till dry and then cool. Mix one 8 oz. of very soft brick cream cheese till fluffy and add one cup of sour cream. Fold in onions and enjoy with chips or crackers.

Spinach and artichoke is another easy, classic Super Bowl Sunday snack. Mix one 8 oz. softened cream cheese brick with ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayo, 2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan and ½ cup finely grated mozzarella. Next chop one 14 oz. jar of artichoke hearts. Squeeze dry along with one package of thawed frozen spinach in a clean, lint-free towel. Fold in cheese mixture. Then place in a greased one- quart oven-safe dish and bake 20 minutes or so till melty. Serve with crostini. 

A simple, no-cook snack choice is a charcuterie board. This mainly sausage and cheese board has something for every football fan. Start with a variety of cheeses. Sharp cheddar, Gouda, pepper jack, and Brie are all excellent choices but include blue and manchego for variety. With sausage, the sky is the limit. Even your local neighborhood market has a wide range to choose from. Include peppered and dry salami, garlic, and regular summer sausage. Polish kielbasa is excellent as well. You can’t go wrong with thinly sliced rolled ham-like polish and prosciutto. Make some selections from your groceries’ olive bar, such as green, black, and stuffed. Add a selection of hot, sweet, and regular pickles. Include dried fruit and nuts and serve with a variety of crackers such as whole grain, water, and butter. Top it all off with pita triangles and toasted crostini.

Enjoy, and may the best team win!  

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s already the last weekend of January 2020! And, it’s packed with a variety of fun events to get through ‘ole man winter as we inch closer to spring!!

It’s the south siders turn this Friday and Saturday as the 28th annual SoxFest takes place at McCormick Place West (2301 S. Lake Shore Dr.) in the South Loop. This fan event is the unofficial start for the 2020 Chicago White Sox season, where fans can connect with current players such as José Abreu, Tim Anderson, Aaron Bummer, just to name a few. Former Sox stars such as Harold Baines, Frank Thomas, José Contreras, Ozzie Guillén, and many others will also be on hand. Enjoy fun interactive spaces, popular autograph sessions, question-and-answer seminars, and more! Will 2020 be the year for the Sox?

It’s that time of year again for the 19th annual Polar Bear Plunge this Saturday at Oak Street Beach (1000 N. Lake Shore Dr.) in the Gold Coast neighborhood. After check-in at the registration tent (arrive no later than 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m.), locate a nice spot on the beach to leave your towel and change of warm clothes, and go get pumped for the plunge at Noon sharp as one big group in the freezing waters of Lake Michigan! All plungers MUST wear closed-toe shoes and are encouraged to wear a costume as well. Afterward, the celebration continues at Moe’s Cantina River North (155 W. Kinzie St.) from 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Why not kick-off 2020 by doing something crazy!!

Perhaps staying dry is more your style, and nothing will warm you up on a cold winter day than the Mac & Cheese Crawl this Saturday (11 a.m.-7 p.m.) in the River North neighborhood’s best bars. Your ticket includes admission, 7 Mac & Cheese servings, drink specials, giveaways, and more! And, if you’re still out and about at 10 p.m., head on over to Old Crow River North (149 W. Kinzie St.) where you can get a free drink on them (10 p.m.-11 p.m.) by mentioning to the host you were in the Mac & Cheese Crawl!!

Come in from the cold and warm up at this year’s Winter Brew this Saturday with two sessions (1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m.) at the DANK Haus German Cultural Center (4720 N. Western Ave.) in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. Each brewery will showcase up to two different craft beers or ciders, with some limited releases being offered throughout the day! You can purchase drink/food tickets online or on-site, and attendees will receive a branded souvenir beer glass at check-in. It’s a Chicago street festival but indoors!!

Usher in the Year of the Rat at Global Connections: Chinese New Year this Saturday (1 p.m.-5 p.m.) at Navy Pier, Aon Ballroom (600 E. Grand Ave.) in the Streeterville neighborhood. It’s a traditional Chinese New Year celebration with a vibrant display of cultural expression featuring festive décor, bold costumes, customary music, and more! Authentic Chinese cuisine will be available for purchase from participating restaurants, including specialty food vendor New Furama Restaurant. Exciting performances include a drum team, a lion dance team, martial arts performances, and many other vibrant acts that will make this a celebration you soon won’t forget!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

If variety is indeed the spice of life, you don’t need to wander far to find a tasty, unique spin on the classic taco in Lincoln Park.

The recently opened Velvet Taco at 2309 N. Lincoln features delicious offerings that take the always reliable Mexican cuisine standby and expands its culinary potential creating a new take on what a “taco joint” can be.

The menu at Velvet Taco is full of “wow I never thought of that” items that open up a whole new world of deliciousness for whatever your taste buds are demanding at the moment. Whether you crave chicken, meat, fish, or none of the above, the tacos here are second to none in taste and creativity.

The mouthwatering Spicy Tikka Chicken taco, featuring chicken tenders brilliantly accented by tikka sauce, Thai basil, and cilantro basmati rice on a flour tortilla shell, is by far one of the standouts at Velvet Taco. Of course, you can’t go wrong with their Cuban Pig taco featuring slow-roasted pulled pork, peppered bacon, honey ham, and Gruyere cheese. For those looking for a non-meat option, Velvet Taco offers three vegetarian choices with their Nashville hot tofu, fried paneer, and Falafel tacos.

But it doesn’t end there. How about a Kobe bacon burger taco? Yes, you read that right, and it’s beyond delicious. Or perhaps a slow-roasted Angus brisket taco is what your taste buds desire. Fish tacos will never be the same once you dine on the selection Velvet Taco offers. The Shrimp & Grits taco showcasing blackened shrimp, pepper jack cheese grits, tomato salsa, and creole remoulade or the Grilled Salmon taco with avocado crema, roasted corn pico, and pickled Fresnos are great picks.

Also, Velvet Taco has brunch available all day featuring bacon and eggs and chicken and waffles as well as sides in the inspired form of red curry coconut queso and ‘Elote’ corn.

With 17 different and delicious tacos to choose from, Velvet Taco has unleashed a plethora of flavors that redefine what quality fast food can be, whether your grabbing lunch or need a late-night feast.

This Lincoln Park spot creates a creative spin on a Chicago favorite that will leave you impatiently waiting to try the next taco you didn’t get around to the first time. Or the second time. Or the fifteenth time.

So the next time you are in Lincoln Park and have a craving for Mexican that goes far beyond the norm and delivers a delicious meal bite after bite, head to Velvet Taco pronto. And don’t be surprised if you receive a thank you card in the mail from your taste buds.

 Eric Kaplan and Dean’s Team Chicago.