Moody Tongue and Brewing Company, located at 2515 South Wabash Avenue in the South Loop, recently was added to the list of Michelin-starred restaurants for 2021. One visit to their expansive establishment will quickly show why. The menu by executive chef Jared Wentworth is a tour de force of great taste complemented by the brewery’s culinary brew selection. If you’re looking for fine dining cuisine with a marvelous array of drinking options, look no further than Moody Tongue.

This establishment moved to its current location on Wabash in 2019, and with the move came the arrival of Chef Wentworth, who helped create the choice pairings of food and beer that Moody Tongue has become known for. This spot features a 28-seat dining room and a casual bar featuring the delicious selections from Chef Wentworth’s menu. For those looking for the full sit-down experience at Moody Tongue, the Dining Room will return to occupancy on Thursday, May 20. In the meantime, you can’t go wrong with visiting The Bar, where food and spirits are currently offered.

The offerings available at The Bar at Moody Tongue are far and away from the typical grub associated with breweries. The appetizers alone are worth a visit with standouts, including the smoked beet tartare with whipped pine-infused ricotta, Hamachi Crudo, and Maine diver scallops with bacon and chanterelles. If you don’t have time for a full dinner, you can easily feel like you had one with Moody Tongue’s appetizer menu choices. 

Moving on to the entrees, do your taste buds a favor and order up the Mishima Ranch New York Strip featuring hakurei turnips, Thumbelina carrots, and a delicious bordelaise. Paired with an IPA like their sliced nectarine or mandarin orange popsicle, and you have the ideal dinner that your friends will undoubtedly hear about. Other entrees include the fried quail with spring veggies, Beluga lentils, and quail jus, a tasty roasted purple cauliflower, and the crispy whole market fish with Calabrian chili relish and artichokes. 

The Bar features the picks of Brewmaster Jared Rouben that perfectly accent the food. The draft selection is a beer enthusiast’s dream with choices ranging from Aperitif Pilsner, Blueberry Berliner Weisse, and Steeped Emperor’s Lemon Saison to a Sliced Nectarine IPA, toasted rice lager, and frozen banana Hefeweizen.

Moody Tongue has a decadent reserve bottle service featuring Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Cake Imperial Stout, Chocolate Barley Wine, 12 Layer Cake Imperial Stout, and Oak Barrel Aged Flanders Red Ale. Chances are you’ll find your new favorite beverage at this South Loop establishment. 

Your sweet tooth will beg for more visits to Moody Tongue with the 12 layer German chocolate cake taking the crown as the best dessert I’ve tried this year. Rich, moist, and decadent, one slice will have you turning up your nose at the next grocery store birthday cake you encounter. The artisan cheese plate features three one-ounce selections with honeycomb and crostini, while the cheesecake offerings include mango sorbet, pine nut crumble, passion fruit curd, and pineapple.

The Bar at Moody Tongue is open Thursday through Saturday from 4 pm to 10 pm and Sunday from 2 pm to 8 pm. Reservations are recommended but not required. As previously noted, the Dining Room will reopen to the public on May 20.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Curb appeal is a big factor for home buyers. The exterior of your home is the first thing buyers will see when they come to a showing or open house, and you want to make a great first impression. And even if you’re not selling your home, these are low-cost, low-time investment fixes that can make a big difference.

Fix Landscaping Eyesores
A brown, dead lawn—or an overgrown one—isn’t the best way to welcome buyers to your home. If your lawn is in need of repair, consider watering it regularly. If your grass is healthy, keep the lawn freshly mowed. An appealing lawn can be worth more than $1,500 in the final price of your home.

Shutters And Siding
It’s easy to let your exterior walls fall into disrepair, or even to let them get a little dirty. A good scrubbing or power washing can make your siding look brand new, and you can touch up any major issues with some paint. The same goes for your shutters.

Add Some Living Accents
So far we’ve covered fixing what’s broken. Next, it’s time to add a little personality. Planting flowers will add some much-needed color to an otherwise ordinary outdoor space. Potted plants will do the trick too, especially if you have a deck or patio that needs a little decorating.

Work On Your Walkway
The path to your front door should be inviting. A stone walkway from the driveway instantly upgrades your curb appeal. And if you’ve already taken care of that part, tidy up by removing weeds and debris, and then line the walkway with some subtle lighting. It’ll make your home look cozy and appealing, day or night.

Streeterville: The 7th Annual Chicago Jazz String Summit is going virtual this year. Taking place on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, this virtual concert and workshop series focuses on the creative works of string players. The free showcase kicks off Friday at 8 pm with performances by Leyla McCalla on cello, Judith Insell on viola and Joe Fonda on bass, and many more. Other performers over this two-day event include violinist Biliana Voutchkova, harpist Brandee Younger, drummer Ches Smith, and more! Find out more info here.

Lincoln Park: Our favorite local zoo lets us get an intimate look at their amazing animals virtually with the Animal Experiences at Lincoln Park Zoo. Taking place this Friday, April 30, at 1 pm, enjoy this 30 to 45-minute meet and greet with a zoo expert and the featured animal of the day. This zoom session event occurs twice each month so that you can plan ahead for a memorable streaming experience with the zoo’s animals. Tickets are $15 plus a $1.45 fee. Find more info here.

River North: Celebrate the festivities a little early on Saturday, May 1, with the Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl- River North. Taking place at Moe’s Cantina, located at 155 West Kinzie Street, from noon to 5 pm, this Cinco de Mayo party is sure to be a great way to see friends again and celebrate while a live DJ spins tracks as you enjoy the day! Private tables are available for a four-person table with four drink tickets per person for $60 plus fees for the noon to 3 pm slot. A six-person table plus four drinks per person is available for $90 plus fees for the same time slot. From 3 pm to 5 pm, you can reserve tickets for a 4 or 6-person table with one margarita person for $20 and $30, respectively. Find more info here.

Virtual: While we wait to hear live opera once again, the Lyric Opera of Chicago has made available complete operas you can stream online for free anytime you desire! The Lyric Audio Streaming Series presents archival recordings of blockbuster performances featuring the most prominent opera stars backed by a full orchestra and chorus in front of a live audience that you can enjoy from the comfort of home. Featured performances include a 2019 performance of Luisa Miller, a 2020 performance of

Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, and many more, with new additions added weekly. Find more info here.

Loop: If you’re looking to make this Cinco de Mayo a memorable one, head out to Lake Michigan for the Cinco de Mayo Party Cruise aboard the Anita Dee II on Wednesday, May 5, from 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm. Enjoy the city’s amazing sights on a 140-foot luxury yacht with both climate-controlled interior decks and an open-top deck while a live DJ spins tunes. With multiple onboard bars serving up your favorite drinks, this is sure to be a Cinco de Mayo that you won’t forget (hopefully). Tickets for this cruise start at $30. Find more info here.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Dryer sheets smell great and have many uses beyond de-wrinkling and softening our clothes. Even sheets already used can have some life in them.

The softening agents and the material the sheets are made from make them great for cleaning several things around the house. Add a few drops of water to a sheet and use to remove soap scum in the shower. It also works well on water-spotted faucets and other chrome fixtures too. Throw a sheet in the toilet and use the brush to scrub all around and under the rim for a sparkling bowl. Bugs on your car? Use a dryer sheet on the wet paint to soften and remove those bug carcasses. Burnt on food in a pan? Place a dryer sheet in the bottom and add water to cover the burned area. Leave overnight, and the following day the pan should clean with minimal scrubbing. 

The scent of the sheets can freshen many places and items around the house. Place some in drawers, closets, and shoes. Keep trashcans smelling fresh between cleanings by placing a sheet at the bottom of the bin. Traveling this summer? Place sheets in the luggage to keep that musty smell from clinging to your clothes. Scatter a few in the inside of your car. The scent is less over-powering than those pine tree-shaped ones we often use. Just remember to change the sheets monthly.

Dryer sheets also have anti-static properties. You can dust wood baseboards, trim, and doors, and they will repel dust longer. Wipe down furniture and get rid of pet hair and lint. If you do any hand sewing, wipe the thread and needle with a dryer sheet to ensure smooth tangle-free sewing.

Most dryer sheets contain linalool (found in lavender) and beta-citronellol (used in citronella candles). You can stick them in inconspicuous areas around the house. They will impart a pleasant scent and repel bugs and other critters from coming in. 

Do you have any other uses for these “Magic” sheets?

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

As Earth Day (April 22) celebrations continue this weekend throughout Chicagoland, it’s a great time to do some spring cleaning outdoors by escaping the house, even if it is as far as your backyard! However, here are some local Earth Day events to help make the planet a better place and have some fun while you’re at it!!

Join in Earth Day Parks and Preserves Celebration and Clean-Up this Saturday. In coordination with the Chicago Park District, Friends of the Parks is hosting a few Earth Day clean-up events in parks throughout the city this year, focusing on a small number of hub sites with safety being their top priority. Just sign up for a socially distant clean-up at one of the parks listed on their website. Help celebrate Earth Day by cleaning and beautifying a Chicago Park!

Andersonville in Bloom returns after a year hiatus this Saturday and Sunday to celebrate all things spring in their neighborhood in honor of Earth Day weekend. “Blooming” promotions and product highlights will be offered by participating businesses. A few of those businesses include Andersonville Galleria (5247 N. Clark St.) who just restocked with lots of brand-new plants, pots, and many other items for your home; @tmosphere (5355 N. Clark St.), whose staff painted wooden flowers to decorate and celebrate the event; City Grange (5500 N. Western Ave.) brings organic herbs and veggies in recycled pots, beautiful small space trees and shrubs, annuals, natives, and other perennials; Defloured: A Gluten Free Bakery (1477 W. Balmoral Ave.) offers a variety of flower sugar cookies; and many others!

It’s back, and not too late to join in the 3rd annual Earth Day Virtual Challenge Run/Walk – Naperville. This event’s goal is to see how many times the participants can run the distance of the equator, which is 24,901 miles, and to crush their last year’s total of 51,023,592 miles! It’s free to join, but you can upgrade your registration to receive the Earth Day official t-shirt, the cool commemorative medal, and an eco-friendly stainless steel drinking straw. They’ll even include an Earth Day pack of wildflower seeds so you can help make a difference!!

Brookfield Zoo (8400 31st St., Brookfield) will be collecting recyclables at their Party for the Planet this Saturday (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) in their North Parking Lot. It’s a perfect time for families to gather up their old and unused stored items of electronics, textiles, and used books to dispose of these items in an Earth-friendly way! Find a list of acceptable and unacceptable items on the zoo’s website. While you’re there, stop in at the zoo as they will be showcasing some of the steps you can take to make a difference for animals across the globe!!

By the way, Navy Pier Plans to Begin Phased Reopening! Yep, Chicago’s largest tourist attraction will begin a phased reopening starting April 30 with outdoor seating, outdoor parks, and docks opening first.

Are you ready to go a little green and celebrate Earth Day? I’m so ready!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago