Does your dream home come with a small kitchen? Not to fear! There are plenty of ways to get the most out of the tight space. You just have to get creative. Check out these tips!
Lighten up the area. Bright and light always opens up a space. Choose white or bright colors for the walls then pair that with unique overhead and under cabinet lighting. Don’t forget to open up any windows or glass doors to bring in natural light.
Get strategic with storage. Maximize the storage space you have by hanging items on the inside of lower cabinet doors or adding additional shelves to higher cabinets. Install a magnetic strip to a wall and use that to store your knives instead of the countertop or hang cutting boards and pots and pans from the wall or overhead.
Use your oven. Not one to make things in the oven often? Consider using it to store pots and pans. Then just remove the items when in use.
Purchase a mobile kitchen island. Need more chopping space? Consider purchasing a mobile island that can be moved into the kitchen while you’re cooking. Most islands come with drawers or cabinets for storing knives or spices. Then just move it out of the kitchen to the dining room when not in use.
Install additional shelving. Have an open wall that faces into the kitchen? Consider installing additional floating shelves for storage. Also, if you have a lot of space between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling, add a long shelf to store minimally used items.
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While our state remains under Tier 3 Mitigation, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy our weekends here in Chicago! There are many ways to have winter fun from virtual events to socially distanced in-person events or just trying something different at home. Here’s what’s on this weekend’s agenda.
This year the Chicago Polar Bear Club is going virtual with its Plunge Where You Are! This annual frigid tradition of jumping in Lake Michigan together will be on hiatus this year; however, the plunge will take place social-distanced-style during the month of January to support three Chicago families who need our help more than ever. Participants are called upon to take the plunge remotely in whatever way best works for them, whether it’s a cold shower, an ice-filled bathtub, having a bucket of ice water dumped over your head, or whatever other idea you have to do something cold. Remember, speedos, bikinis, or costumes are highly encouraged! Then post a photo to their social media channels with the hashtag #CPBC2021, and join their virtual event on Saturday, January 30th. Let the plunging begin!!
If you’re itching to get out of the house and have some safe fun, then head on over to the Winter Beer & Cocktail Tasting Experience being held at Rizzo’s Bar & Inn (3658 N. Clark St.) in the Wrigleyville neighborhood. Taste a variety of beers, cocktails, ciders, and seltzers on a patio with a retractable roof. Tickets include a private table, 12 tastings per person, and more. A limited number of tables will be sold, so reserve yours now before you miss out! Otherwise, you’ll be stuck at home!!
Virtual Wine Tastings with Uvae Chicago are available on a Wednesday evening or a Saturday evening for you and your friends. The $30 per person ticket includes four 4-ounce wine tastings plus access to the live interactive Zoom presentation. Optional add-ons include a cheese plate ($15), a cheese & charcuterie plate ($20), or a duck pate ($12). Also, Uvae is open for virtual events and Saturdays (5 p.m.-10 p.m.) and Sundays (10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) for prefix menu packages!
A new program offered by the Chicago Children’s Theatre, Walkie Talkies, takes families and friends on a fun, totally original audio experience exploring different Chicago neighborhoods. Each episode is created by a different local theater artist, is under one hour, and comes with an interactive map plus photos of top tour highlights, vocabulary keys, recommended reading and song lists, and other family activities! It’s time to lace up those sneakers or put on your boots, pop in your earbuds, and head out on a safe, guided walk through Chicago’s most distinctive neighborhoods!!
The streaming universe will keep you entertained with these 8 Family Movies & Shows streaming this January. There are many classics to enjoy, along with a few new TV shows. Here are the best streaming picks to watch this month: Shrek (Hulu); Nancy McPhee (Peacock); Night at the Museum (Hulu); E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Peacock); Gabby’s Dollhouse (Netflix); WandaVision (Disney+); Elena of Avalor: Season 4 (Disney+); and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Season 2 (Netflix).
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
https://www.deanteamchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/2021/01/article-weekend-featured-010821.jpg7201280adminhttps://deanteamchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/2015/09/dean-moss-logo.pngadmin2021-01-08 14:39:212021-01-08 14:39:22THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Many Ways to Have Winter Fun!
Virtual: On Saturday, January 16 at 2 pm, take part in The Dreamscape, a live virtual companion piece to the Museum of Contemporary Art’s “The Long Dream” exhibition. Featuring live-streamed music, video art, and conversations with artists including Haller Baggesen, Eduardo F. Rosario, Selina Trepp, and Rhonda Wheatley, this four-hour online event takes place on Zoom. Navigate through the different exhibitions and conversations at your own speed while taking in this unique and immersive experience. Tickets are pay-as-you-wish. Find more info here.
Virtual: Whether you’re brand new to yoga or have been honing your downward dog for years, a fantastic way to get more centered is by tuning in each Saturday for virtual yoga taught by instructors from the Garfield Conservatory. Beginning at 9 am, these flow sessions offer an opportunity to get in a better state of mind and take in all the benefits of yoga from the comfort of home. No matter what level of experience you currently have, all are welcome to these free reoccurring hour-long classes. The next class is on January 9. Find more info here.
Virtual: The Shedd Aquarium is still closed, but this Saturday, January 9, you can get an up-close look at some of our favorite Shedd residents at their virtual encounter presentations. Starting at 11 am with the Virtual Otter Encounter, catch an intimate look at sea otters at play and gain a better understanding of their socializing and grooming habits. The online fun continues at 1 pm with the Virtual Penguin Encounter and again at 3 pm with the Virtual Sea Lion Encounter, where you can watch and learn all about these amazing creatures. Each 30-40 minute Zoom session costs $49.95 for non-members and $44.95 for members. Find more info here.
Virtual: Starting today, January 7, the DePaul Art Museum opens its LatinXAmerican exhibit featuring 38 artists of Latin-American descent living throughout the country, with the majority hailing from Chicago. This exhibit addresses the lack of Latinx art in American art museums by celebrating the amazing contributions this diverse demographic has given in various media, including photographs, paintings, works on paper, sculptures, textiles, videos, and installations. Filling all of the museum’s galleries, this intergenerational exhibit showcases the work of Alberto Aguilar, Nicolás de Jesús, Caroline Kent, Melissa Leandro, and many more. Currently, the free exhibition is online only due to COVID-19 protocols with the hope to open doors to the public soon. Find more info here.
Virtual: The Chicago Architecture Center presents CAC Live: Art Deco Gods and Goddesses on January 13 at noon. This virtual program looks at the classical deities whose presence is used to identify a building’s purpose. Program speaker Bill Coffin will guide guests through a one-hour Zoom session highlighting how the images of gods and goddesses complemented Chicago’s stunning Art Deco buildings. Admission to this online event is $8 for the general public and free for CAC members and students. Find more info here.
We’ve all grown tired of the carousel of pick up and delivery options that have got us through the pandemic so far. Pizza, wings, and burgers are great, but many of us long for something different to introduce to our palates. Thankfully, that need is satisfied with the opening of Kapitan, located at 2142 North Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park.
Currently, the only Peranakan restaurant in the Windy City, Kapitan serves up a broad menu of Malaysian-inspired dishes that are sure to offer a welcomed change from the typical culinary fare we have grown all too accustomed to.
Breakfast is well handled at Kapitan with a plethora of enticing options. Their version of the Ramly Burger does justice to this famous street food sold throughout the neighborhoods in Malaysia. The Bak Kwa Roti featuring Malaysia styled pork jerky, pork floss, and Kapitan’s own special sauce may just take the top spot on your list of favorite sandwiches. Dim Sum fans will rejoice after ordering the Lo Mai Gai starring sticky rice stuffed into steamed lotus leaves. The breakfast is so good at Kapitan that they made it available all day long.
Moving on to the lunch menu, one can’t go wrong with the three-piece chicken satay skewers marinated with zesty lemongrass and served in Kapitan’s homemade peanut sauce. Likewise, the beef satay, highlighted by savory beef marinated overnight with spices and skewered, delivers terrific bursts of taste. Murtabak, a Javanese style murtabak egg stuffed with delicious beef filling, is a must-try item on the menu. Another authentic Malaysian street food well represented at Kapitan is the fried fish ball skewers. Word to the wise, one order of these yummy fried treats will not be enough. You’ve been warned.
Kapitan brings out the big guns for the entrees, with the chili shrimp being perhaps the most noteworthy on a menu of standouts. Their chili shrimp is stir-fried with ginger, garlic, and chilies in a creamy egg and tomato sauce. And don’t be discouraged by the chili in the name, as this dish is not over the top when it comes to the spice factor.
The roasted Hainanese chicken is a celebration of flavor and scent with its moist chicken covered perfectly by a golden brown skin that may have you coming back later in the day for another order of this well-crafted favorite among the locals in Malaysia.
The tomato rice platter served with beef rendang, sambal shrimp, and Kapitan chicken is a great starter to get a taste of what Kapitan has to offer if you are new to Peranakan-inspired cuisine. Of course, an order of the BBQ short ribs should be on your to-do list regardless of whatever else you have at this new Lincoln Park spot.
Fried noodles and fried rice are available as well, with the stir-fried Mee Siam featuring chicken, scallions, and lime wedges, and the duck fried rice being of particularly outstanding flavor.
So if you are in dire need of something new to introduce to your taste buds, head over to Kapitan for some authentic Malaysian eats that are the next best thing to booking a trip and heading to Asia.
Kapitan is open for takeout and delivery on Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 am to 9 pm.
We all know about various things we can use for cleaning around the house that are completely natural and safe for the environment. Things like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice can be used on many surfaces and work great. But sometimes we might need just a bit more, and it is good to know there are products available that perform well but are safe for the environment.
Murphy’s Oil Soap has been around for many years and is one of the first environmentally friendly cleaning products. The coconut and plant-based ingredients are gentle, with no unnecessary chemicals. Even the container is 25-75% post-consumer recycled. It works as an all-purpose cleaner on any washable surface. It is especially good for any sealed wood such as woodwork, floors, and cabinets. Murphy’s is also great for washing walls and paneling. It will freshen a room with its wonderful scent.
OxiClean is another all-purpose cleaner and laundry additive that contains no chlorine or harsh chemicals. It works when water activates the oxygen to loosen and wash away stains. OxiClean is safe to use even outside around landscapes for outdoor furniture and decks. It is great when added to laundry loads or for soaking curtains or clothing to bring back whiteness. Check out www.oxiclean.com
CLR is another product that has been around for many years and is also environmentally friendly. CLR stands for calcium, lime, and rust, and it does work to remove these stains. It is especially good on bathroom and kitchen surfaces and is also septic safe. CLR is an award-winning product from the EPA. The EPA has a program called Safer Choice. It awards a company’s products that are an effective alternative to polluting products. They have extensive lists of thousands of cleaning products that are safe. Go to www.epa.gov/saferchoice.
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
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Closing costs are the fees for services required to finalize your mortgage. Typically, the buyer is responsible for paying these costs unless otherwise negotiated to have the seller contribute. Fees include (but certainly are not limited to) attorney, appraisal, inspection, government taxes, title insurance, home insurance, mortgage insurance, and property taxes.
How much are closing costs?
Closing costs usually total about 2 to 5 percent of the home’s purchase price, and they generally vary depending on the property purchased and state you reside in. Your lender will provide you with an estimate of your closing costs following your loan approval, and although that number can change slightly, your final costs should be similar.
How can you reduce closing costs?
Some of the fees that fall under your closing costs can be reduced by doing ample research on lenders at the beginning of the homebuying process. Then, compare any potential discounts or deals they offer before making your choice. Additionally, you can attempt to negotiate with the seller to cover part or all of your closing costs.
Can you avoid upfront closing costs?
If you think you will be unable to afford the closing costs upfront, you can opt to roll them into your loan. However, choosing this route often costs you more in the long run. At a minimum, you’ll have to pay interest on your closing costs, or depending on your lender, you may face a higher interest rate on your entire loan.
Finally, 2020 is in the books and it’s time to look ahead to a new start in a new year. However, this first weekend of 2021 still has us dealing with a pandemic and, therefore, very little, if any, in-person events. Unfortunately, this was all I could scrounge up for some weekend fun! Or you can just stay in bed until Monday!!
ComedySportz Chicago: Virtually Live! comes to you via their brand-new Twitch channel free on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Two teams take each other on virtually from their living rooms with new twists to the classic games you love for your laughs, chats, and emojis. And all matches end with their insanely intense Six Things Face-off! Get ready to laugh from the comfort of your living room!!
Ring in the New Year with Home for the Holidays – Animal Encounters! hosted by the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Enjoy a live animal experience brought to you by Wildlife Discovery Center. Learn about an array of animals from birds to reptiles to mammals and even get an up-close and personal look at the star animals who reside at the center! And if you have any critter-related questions, an experienced animal keeper will be on hand to answer those!!
If you happen to be craving a cup of hot chocolate to awaken your senses or warm the cockles of your heart, but Swiss Miss packets won’t cut it, here are 16 of the Best Sips of Hot Chocolate you can only get in the Chicagoland area! They are: ArrivaDolce (Highland Park), Bombo Bar (West Loop), Cocoa & Co. (Old Town), Emeche Cakery & Café (South Loop), Firecakes (locations in Chicago & Oak Park), Glenview Grind (Glenview), Hometown Coffee & Juice (Glencoe), JoJo’s Shake Bar (River North), Katherine Anne Confections (Logan Square), Kilwin’s (locations in Chicago (Hyde Park, Michigan Ave, Wrigleyville), Elmhurst, Arlington Heights, Evanston, Naperville & Wheaton), Le Chocolat du Bouchard (Naperville), Leonidas Chocolate Café (Near North Side, Evanston & Northbrook), Mindy’s Hot Chocolate (Wicker Park), Xoco (Near North Side), XO Marshmallow (6977 N Sheridan Rd), Xurro (locations in Chicago include Clearing, Pilsen, Navy Pier, Logan Square, Northcenter and on the Pink Line).
Journey through the Morton Arboretum’s (4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle) far-reaching forest on a Troll Hunt to find six larger-than-life trolls crafted from reclaimed wood. These colossal trolls – resembling the trolls of European folklore – have been created to serve as protectors of our environment. Since these trolls seem to be suspicious of humans, the Arboretum needs your assistance to help trolls and humans to understand one another. What will you discover on your hunt?
If you happen to go on the Troll Hunt, stop by the Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum, which has been extended through January 10, 2021, due to popular demand! See trees in a different light at a reimagined new driving experience (20-30 minutes long) featuring an unparalleled spectacle of color, light, and music you won’t experience anywhere else!!
Lastly, our Chicago Bears (8-7-0) will be hosting the Green Bay Packers (12-3-0) at Soldier Field this Sunday at 3:25 p.m. The game is being televised on FOX. I’m not saying another word!!
Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago
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Virtual: The Lincoln Park Zoo hosts their virtual meet-and-greet virtually on Saturday, January 9th, at 10 am. Join curator Mike Murray for a 45-minute intimate look at the animals who call the Lincoln Park Zoo home, live from the Regenstein African Journey. Learn about a specific animal group’s habits and personality, followed by a moderated Q and A, where you can ask questions about your favorite animals from the comfort of your home. Tickets are $15. Find more info here.
Virtual: With Chicago getting its first winter storm of the season, most of us are ready for spring to return ASAP. In the meantime, a fantastic option to ward of the winter blues is the Garfield Park Conservatory Winter Flower Show Virtual Tour. Taking place online Wednesday, January 6th, from noon to 12:30 pm, a guide will walk you through the amazing greenhouses with multiple camera angles to bring all the beauty of the conservatory into your home. This event focuses on the growing habits of poinsettias, and a history of the flower shows at the conservatory. Tickets are $5 for this virtual event. Find more info here.
Virtual: While the Chicago Cultural Center remains close due to the pandemic, you can still take part in a virtual tour of this historic site. Taking place on the first and third Wednesday of every month, the 40-minute free sessions focus on the celebrated Chicago site’s architecture and history. The next online tour takes place on Wednesday, January 6th, at 11 am. Find more info here.
Virtual: With bars and clubs shut down, cutting the rug has been relegated to our living rooms. You can celebrate New Year’s Day perfecting your moves in the comfort (and privacy) of your home with the Keep Us Dancing Livestream kicking off virtually at noon on January 1st. Enjoy a wide array of DJs spinning their favorite tracks for this 24-hour free event, with all donations benefitting River North’s Spybar. Guest DJs include Anthony Attalla, Gorgon City, Hyperactive, and many more. Find more info here.
Virtual: Until we can assemble in person, make the most of your Wi-Fi connection by joining others in the Chicago Online Virtual Game Night: Trivia, Charades, and Drawing, taking place Saturday, January 9th, from 8 pm to 11 pm. Brought to you by Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunt Adventures, this free online event will take you through five rounds of games, including trivia, charades, let’s draw, drinking games, and more. One game group night ticket provides fun for up to 16 people via Let’s Roam’s video call software that you can access on any desktop, laptop, or tablet. It’s the next best thing to trivia night at your favorite watering hole. Find more info here.
One thing that can care less about the dropping temps and continuing pandemic shutdown is our sweet tooth. No matter what is going on, we can always find room for something delectable, not just for the burst of flavor but also for the way it takes our minds off the state of things. It’s just one of those things we need, and with the soon to be opened Lost Larson in Wicker Park, that need will be taken care of.
Stemming from their Andersonville location, the bakery and cafe is opening today, Wednesday, December 30th, at their brand new Wicker Park spot located at 2140 West Division Street. Chef and owner Bobby Schaffer delivers his panache of all things pastry to one of our favorite Chicago neighborhoods with a menu that is sure to enchant the taste buds and offer a moment(s) of delight as we put a horrible year behind us.
The menu consists of a wide variety of baked goods, bread, pastries, and more. Anyone who has been to the Andersonville location knows that the cinnamon roll offered at Lost Larson is pure heaven in the form of croissant dough topped with citrus-cream cheese frosting. This item alone is reason enough for a visit each day.
The Danish tebirkes, a croissant filled with almond cream and topped with poppy seeds, will make an atheist believe in heaven. For something extraordinary, be sure to get your hands on the bostock. A staple of French pastry, Lost Larson’s house-made brioche is soaked in rum then topped with apple preserves, almond cream, and toasted almonds. Other baked good highlights include the churro croissant, afternoon tea bun, and best selling lingonberry almond cake.
The many loaves of bread offered at Lost Larson are delicious creations that will make you want to toss your Wonder Bread in the wastebasket. Keep things simple with the classic sourdough country loaf made of 50% wheat bread, or pump up the flavor with their pumpkin seed kelp made with 50% Spelt flour. The limpa is a Swedish rye-based bread featuring orange peel, fennel, and anise, providing a tasty mix of buoyancy and spice.
On the even sweeter side of things, indulge in the carrot cake slice, caramel nut tart, and/or the calamansi meringue tart for those days when a Snicker bar just isn’t doing the trick. After biting into any of these pastries, you may be startled to hear a booming wave erupting in your eardrums, but don’t worry, that’s just your taste buds offering you a round of applause.
Along with everything else on the menu, coffee and tea are well represented at Lost Larson. Notable selections include the cortado, the toasted marshmallow flavoring of the campfire latte, and the apple cider provided by Seedling Farm topped with caramel whipped cream.
Suppose you’re looking to create your own sweet concoctions at home. In that case, Lost Larson has you covered with everything from whole wheat and rye flour to cardamom rusks, coffee beans, chai concentrate, and much more.
Lost Larson opens their Wicker Park location on December 30th with pickup or delivery options available online from their website. Current hours of operation are Wednesday through Thursday from 8 am to 3 pm, and Friday and Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm.
Here’s to a sweeter 2021!
ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
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Last week we talked about setting your goals up in a little different way than in the past. The old goal template was to set a yearly goal, whether it is business or personal. More often than not, by the time we would get three to six months into the year, we either give up entirely as the goals seem too difficult to achieve. Or we think we have much time left, so why worry? We usually end up at the end of the year far short of where we wanted to be.
A better way to approach goals is to limit them and better define them. You should first rate yourself on several of your life’s basic aspects, such as your physical health, relationships, and spiritual life. Then your business life, including finances. Rate each one through ten, with ten being perfect. Determine where you are today and where you would like to be after one year. Then rate each aspect one, two, or three according to importance in your life. Pick your top three areas you need to work on.
Think of your year in quarters. You will concentrate on what you need to do to move yourself to your quarterly goal, which will work towards your yearly goal. Each one of your three priority goals for the quarter should have three to five strategies for you to work on.
Say you are looking to lose weight, your plan might be to work out three days a week, add three servings of vegetables per day, and do 10,000 steps a day. Or you may want to spend more time with family in your personal life, so schedule a family activity time and/ or date night weekly. In business, your goal may be to obtain a certain number of paying clients or other pieces of business. Using your past performance, determine numerically how many contacts are needed for one client. That will be one of your weekly strategies, X number of prospecting calls or X number of appointments.
So, consider the aspects of your life and where you need to work the most. Choose three priorities and break these down to the tasks you need to perform to reach that quarterly goal. Score yourself weekly as to your completion of these tasks. As you do this weekly, it will keep you on track, and you will see by your progress if you need to course correct. Perhaps you need to make more business contacts weekly, or workouts need to be perhaps four instead of three per week. By breaking these goals down to weekly tasks, you have a much better chance to get that much closer to those yearly benchmarks.
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
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