There’s no denying that summer is here in Chicago, and with a sizzling summer weekend in more ways than one! Check it out!!

In celebration of its big 15^th anniversary, the Taste of River North returns to Kingsbury & Erie Streets in the River North neighborhood and Ward Park this Saturday (12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.) and Sunday (11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.). Besides renowned local restaurant vendors offering sizable tasting portions, this Taste also features non-stop live music from tribute and electrifying party bands, plenty of fresh cold Goose Island beer, local artisans, family activities and more! This is one sizzling food and music bash you don’t want to miss!!

Now in its 48^th year, the ever popular Sheffield Music Fest & Garden Walk returns to the Lincoln Park neighborhood at Sheffield & Webster Avenues this Saturday and Sunday (12:00 p.m.). Besides two stages of live music by some of Chicago’s and North America’s finest bands, more than 80 lush residential gardens will be open to the public as a self-guided tour, as well as guided architectural tours being offered! Also included are food and drink as well as tons of activities for the kids at “Kids’ Corner” both days from Noon to 7:00 p.m. on Belden Ave. between Sheffield & Seminary Avenues. And, new this year is the first annual “Kids’ Corner Talent Show” taking place Saturday (3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.) for kids ages 3 to 12! This is definitely one of summer’s best sizzling festivals for the entire family!!

Held in tandem with the Sheffield Music Fest & Garden Walk is the 5^th annual Chicago Craft Beer Festival on Sheffield Ave. between Webster & Fullerton Avenues this Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with Tasting times from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This Festival showcases specialty, seasonal and small batch beers from over 70 local, regional and national craft brewers, which also includes live music and food! BTW, wine samples are available as well!!

Billed as one of Chicago’s top-drawing festivals, the Wicker Park Fest returns for its 13^th anniversary to the Wicker Park neighborhood on Milwaukee Ave. between North Ave. and Paulina St. this Saturday and Sunday (12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.). This Fest features three stages of eclectic music from over 40 bands, great local food, arts & crafts, retail vendors and Kids Fest which offers a wide variety of activities from Noon to 6:00 p.m. both days! You’ll experience the rich musical heritage, acclaimed restaurants and vibrant nightlife of this popular family-friendly neighborhood!!

The 4^th annual Taste of Latin America takes place at its New Location this year in Humboldt Park (1440 N. Sacramento Ave.) in the Humboldt Park neighborhood this Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Besides featuring unique foods from nearly a dozen Latin American countries, there’s also an eclectic world music lineup, beer & wine tents, arts & crafts and much more all of which showcase the rich multi-country heritage of Latin culture! Definitely a gala weekend of all things Central and South American!!

Finally, the 13^th annual Disability Pride Parade takes place Saturday (11:00 a.m.) with the starting point located at 401 S. Plymouth Ct. in The Loop as the City of Chicago celebrates the American’s with Disability Act! Afterwards, the post-parade program will be held at Daley Plaza beginning at 12:30 p.m.!!

This weekend’s Movies in the Parks are –

Saturday

“Minions” – Armstrong Park (4433 S. St. Lawrence Ave.) – Oakland

“Best in Show” – Berger Park Cultural Center (6205 N. Sheridan Rd.) – Edgewater

“The Good Dinosaur” – Humboldt Park (1400 N. Sacramento Blvd.) – Humboldt Park

“Minions” – Winnemac Park (5100 N. Leavitt St.) – Lincoln Square

Sunday

“French Film” – Harold Washington Park (5200 S. Hyde Park Blvd.) – Hyde Park

It Doesn’t Get More “Sizzling” Than This — Stay Hydrated!!

SUE MOSS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

LAKEVIEW

Congratulations, Lakeview! You hold 2 spots on TimeOut Chicago’s Top 10 Best Fried Chicken joints in Chicago. #1 is The Budlong at 2928 N. Broadway which has only been open for a couple months selling its “Nashville hot” style of chicken. Something tells me this spot will be even more crowded after this acknowledgement. Good thing, according to The Budlong website, there will be new locations opening soon in Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park. #9 on the list is Crisp at 2940 N. Broadway with its consistently delicious Korean-style wings that seem to make every best-fried-chicken-in-Chicago list I’ve ever read. From personal experience including several taste tests with out-of-town visitors, Crisp deserves all the hype it gets.

PORTAGE PARK

Alderman John Arena of the 45th Ward, which includes Portage Park, is the only alderman serving on the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission. According to Nadig Newspapers’ report on the last meeting with the Fair Allocation in Runways Coalition in June, the 45th Ward will be the most affected Chicagoland area once the construction of the 6th runway is planned to be completed by 2020. Last week we reported that the 6-month Fly Quiet Runway Rotation test went into effect on July 6th. The jet noise discussion continues with the neighboring Jefferson Park Association meeting at 7:00p.m. on Wednesday, 7/27, at the First Congressional Church of Jefferson Park (5320 W. Giddings St.) to discuss further. Follow the link above for more information, and here’s the link to the Fly Quiet Survey to weigh in your experiences with the Runway Rotation test before trial end in January 2017.

WEST LOOP

Back in April, a plan was set into motion to redevelop the Bridgford Food Corporation at 170 N. Green St. that would require zoning changes to accommodate a 13-story residential building and another office structure across the street at 171 N. Green St. Finally the proposed Community Meeting has been set to meet with Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. and the developer wishing to present its plans and answer questions on Wednesday, 7/27, at 6:00p.m. at the Merit School of Music (38 S. Peoria St.). The meeting is open to the public and West Loop Community Organization’s Executive Director, Carla M. Agostinelli, can be contacted with questions at 312-666-1991 or carla@westloop.org. You may register ahead of time or upon arrival to the event.

RAVENSWOOD

For the third year in a row, Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) and local businesses are sponsoring the 2016 Sustainable Speaker Series that is meant to connect individuals and small businesses with knowledge and networking resources to promote business practices that contribute to a greener and environmentally-friendly global community. Speakers will include representatives from Mightybytes web design and software development, the architecture and design studio, Moss, and composting service, WasteNot Compost. These are all prominent local businesses that incorporate sustainability within their business models. Special events venue, Artifact Events at 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. will host the Series installment next Thursday, 7/28, from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. If you are a GRCC member, advanced tickets are only $20 or $25 for non-members. If the event doesn’t sell out, door tickets will be $25 for GRCC members, and $30 for non-members. Food and drinks will be provided by Spoken Cafe, Dovetail Brewing, and Sweet Sensations Pastry.

NAPERVILLE

Anderson’s Bookshop (123 W. Jefferson Ave.) has hosted some big names for booksignings this year including Kate Hudson in February to promote her book “Pretty Happy,” famed “Magic Tree House” author Mary Pope Osborne in March, and TV’s Glee star and “The Land of Stories” author Chris Colfer in July. Often these events sell out before Dean’s Team has a chance to spread the news but not this time! Tickets go on sale this coming Tuesday, 7/26, at 10:00 a.m. for the Emmy Award-winning comedian, actress, pro-gun-control spokesperson and now author, Amy Schumer. The event is understandably going to be packed due to Schumer’s hard-earned rise to success so instead of seating, ticket sales for $35 include a copy of her book of essays, “The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo,” which will be given to you when you arrive and a placeholder number for this line-only booksigning event on August 20th at 2:00p.m. at Pfeiffer Hall of the North Central College campus (310 E. Benton Ave.).  We’re letting you know now before it’s too late – this event is sure to sell out!

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Selling your home is a team effort between you and you agent. Having a professional realtor represent you means you’ll be getting solid advice that’s based on experience and in-depth knowledge of the market.

But as much as your real estate agent needs to work hard to deliver the results you want, you also have your role to play in the home selling process.

Here’s what your agent needs from you to make sure that the process is a smooth and streamlined one.

Be Realistic About the Listing Price

Many sellers have an inflated idea about what their homes are really worth. Of course, the more money sellers can get, the better for their bottom line. But pricing too high is a bad idea.

You need to price your home so that it attracts attention, but not so low that you’re leaving money on the table. If similar homes in the area have recently sold for $250,000, for instance, you’ve got no foot to stand on if you insist on listing for $290,000.

Overpricing your home will only scare off buyers, and leave your listing in the dust. The longer the house sits on the market, the staler it will become, prompting buyers to wonder if there is anything wrong with it. You’ll just end up lowering your price down the line in order to garner renewed interest in it.

Keep Your Home Clean

A clean, de-cluttered home obviously shows a lot better than a messy, unkempt one. When your home is on the market for sale, it needs to be ready to be seen by prospective buyers at short notice. That means it needs to be in tip-top shape around the clock.

Sure, it can be tough to keep your home in pristine condition at all times, but that’s all part and parcel of the real estate game. Your listing is likely competing with many others in the areas, so you’ve got to make sure it shows well, or buyers will simply turn their attention away to the other properties.

If you want your home to sell in a reasonable amount of time, keeping things neat and tidy is necessary. Get all your kids’ toys off the floor, put all your magazines away, and wash that pile of dishes in the sink. Taking these steps will help ensure a positive experience for all the homebuyers out there.

Make Repairs Before the Listing Hits the Market

If your home needs a few minor repairs here and there, do them before the house is listed for sale. Why? Sometimes sellers will promise to fix cracked bathroom tiles or replace a broken screen. When buyers hear this, they expect it to happen. If you change your mind after the buyer agreed to buy the home at a certain price that includes these repairs being made, you could potentially lose out on the deal.

If the repairs are too expensive or rectifying them is out of your element, don’t promise anything. Instead, negotiate the price based on the deal that the buyer will take care of them once they take possession.

Or else, if the repairs are minor in nature, you’d be better off taking care of them yourself – it’ll make your home show much better. 

Don’t Be Present During Your Open House

Sticking around while buyers are meandering through your home during an open house is not a good idea. You might be the friendliest face on the planet, but when buyers know that the owners are present, they’ll feel much more restricted in what they can say and which doors they open. Your presence will only alienate buyers and make them feel awkward.

When buyers go to open houses, they want to be free to open all the cabinets and drawers, poke around in every corner of each room, and make comments to their agents or whomever they happen to be visiting with. If you’re there, they can’t really get to know your home as well as they might have if you had just vacated the premises for a couple of hours.

Don’t Be Greedy

You’ve listed your home at the appropriate price point, staged it, and finally received a decent offer. Now’s not the time to get greedy.

Once you see the offer on the table, it’s perfectly normal to want to counter the offer if it’s well under what you’ve asked, or if you know that a similar house down the street just sold for $25,000 more. But don’t give up on the offer and throw it out the window completely in hopes of getting a better offer tomorrow. Anything close to the listing price should be seriously entertained without nickel and diming the buyer.

Similarly, if you come to an agreement on the listing price of your home, then another property lists at a higher asking price, don’t be tempted to relist your house for more. You don’t know if the other home was listed properly.

The market will command the value of your home, so you and your agent will know what offer is reasonable enough to accept.

Before you list your home, go through all the details about what needs to be done before, during and after the process. Make sure you come up with a solid plan of action, and stick to it. Your role in the selling process is extremely important – your agent is counting on you to ensure the end result is a desirable one.

Small spaces certain pose a set of design challenges, but there are plenty of savvy decor tactics that can be employed to make a room seem larger than it actually is, while keeping it stylish at the same time.

Here are 13 ways to decorate your home to make it appear bigger if it’s short on square footage.

 

1. Use Light Colors on the Floors and Walls

Darker colors tend to be rich and sophisticated, but they don’t often work in large amounts in smaller spaces. Go for lighter colors on your walls and floors so that light is reflected rather than absorbed, creating a sense of more space.

2. Declutter

Too many knick-knacks in a tight space will make it feel even tighter. Get rid of anything that you haven’t used in over 6 months. You might have an affinity for all your little figurine collections or like to have stacks of magazines available at your discretion, but too much “stuff” in a room will make it feel smaller.

 

3. Use Multi-Functional Furniture Pieces

A small room obviously doesn’t have the luxury of housing a variety of furniture. As such, try to find pieces that serve double-duty. For instance, an ottoman that also acts as a coffee table can serve more than one purpose without having to outfit your room with two separate pieces that will take up extra space.

4. Scale Down Your Furniture

Furniture that’s sleeker and less bulky will make the room look larger.  Instead of a puffy sofa with a skirt, for instance, a thinner sofa with exposed legs that offers the same amount of seating is perfect for a smaller room.

 

5. Hang Shelves Up to Ceiling Height

Adding a wall bookcase or floating shelves that extend all the way up to the ceiling can help create the illusion of more space. This helps generate a focal point that draws the eyes upward and visually expands the area by pushing the ceiling and walls out.

6. Use Stripes to Stretch Out a Room

You’ve likely heard that vertical stripes help to make a person appear slimmer and taller. Well, the same concept can be applied to the world of home decor. Arranging area rugs or sofas to run the length of a room at its longest point can help visually elongate the space.

 

7. Skip the Top-Down Lighting

Small rooms with low ceilings should forego central light fixtures in the middle of the ceiling. Instead, use a few smaller lamps and wall sconces to counter the top-down effect of ceiling-mounted lights and draw attention around the entire room.

8. Hang Lots of Mirrors

Mirrors obviously have reflective properties, which can be harnessed to reflect light all around a room and make it seem bigger. Hang your mirrors across from windows or lights so that they can more effectively allow the light to bounce off them and illuminate the surrounding space.

 

9. ‘Float’ Your Furniture

If the space permits, try pulling your furniture away from the walls a few inches. Lining up your sofas and chairs against the walls will only make the room seem tight.

10. Leave Your Windows Uncovered

The less obstructed your windows are, the more natural light will be allowed in. If you want some privacy, you can always hang blinds that can be drawn up when not required. These offer more versatility compared to curtains, which tend to make the room feel cramped.

 

11. Use Lucite or Glass For Furniture

These materials are super hot in the world of interior design these days, so now’s your chance to take advantage of this trend. Transparent furniture allows more light to flow through a room, as opposed to bulky, opaque furniture that just blocks the light.

12. Use Different Shades of the Same Color For Consistency

Creating harmony in a space can be done by using two different shades of the same color. For instance, a baby blue sofa can be effectively paired with steel blue throw pillows to create coherence and make a room feel much more open and airy.

 

13. Keep the Same Flooring Through Adjacent Rooms

If your living and dining area are linked, make sure to keep the same flooring throughout. Breaking it up with hardwood in the living room and ceramic tiles in the kitchen will just cut the space in half, which does nothing for visually expanding the space.

GOLD COAST

Don’t miss your chance to purchase Advance Tickets to the 58th annual Dearborn Garden Walk this Sunday, 7/17, from 12:00p.m. – 5:00p.m. The Gold Coast has 20 gorgeous gardens to showcase beginning at The Latin Middle School at 45 W. North Blvd. and travelling along historic Dearborn Parkway. Choose to explore as a self-guided tour or participate in a narrated architectural tour. Expect special gardening seminars, live music performances, and opportunities to speak with gardening experts along the way. Plus this year’s featured garden will be included in Better Homes & Garden magazine. The $30 Advance Ticket deadline is Saturday 7/16 by noon, then all tickets are $35 per person.

OAK PARK

The Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce plans to acknowledging their neighborhood all- stars yearly with the Business Spotlight Awards and 2016 will be its inaugural celebration. Oak Park community members get to nominate and elect their neighborhood businesses that excel in the following six areas: Green/Sustainable, Customer Experience, Innovation, Integrated Marketing, Community Character, and Investment & Development. Everyone gets to exercise their common knowledge of marketability and worthwhile resources to promote a long-lasting community.

NORWOOD PARK

Norwood Park residents, since your location is a straight shot towards O’Hare, how have you been sleeping in the wee hours of the morning now that the Fly Quiet Rotation Plan has been in effect since July 6th? The Rotation Plan is a 6-month test that will rotate the use of the 5 runways leading into O’Hare International Airport on a week-to-week basis. The Plan was approved in May by the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission and was developed by the Chicago Department of Aviation and Suburban O’Hare Commission to more fairly distribute aircraft noise over residential areas from the hours of 11:00p.m. to 5:00a.m. The most important part of the test will be collecting Citizen Feedback so be aware of how your nights are affected by aircraft noise and plan to complete the Fly Quiet Survey before the test ends in January 2017.

LOOP

The Chicago Riverwalk along Wacker Dr. between State and LaSalle Streets is getting a facelift. Already the ramp leading down from Wacker Dr. west of Franklin St. is taking shape. Next week, work will be done on the foundations to build floating gardens and fish habitats. That means there will be temporary daily road closures along the westbound curb lane of Lower Wacker Dr. between LaSalle St. and State and Lake Streets between 7:00a.m. and 5:30p.m.; and Upper Wacker Dr. between LaSalle and State Streets from 9:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.

LINCOLN PARK

The Bauer family, owners of Marcello’s Father & Son Italian American Restaurants are looking to open a new establishment in Logan Square at 2475 N. Milawaukee Ave. They also own restaurants in Northbrook and Skokie and so they plan to offload the Marcello’s Father & Son Plaza at the corner of North Ave. and Larrabee St. The nearly 1.7 acre property expects to draw bids of mid-$20 million to mid-$30 million. Zoning permits will need to be properly filed with the City depending on potential developer’s needs. According to Crain’s, the Bauer family are still looking to make a sale. Know anyone who’d got an extra $30 million laying around? You know who to call if you are someone you know is interested in getting help to make a purchase….

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO