After returning or exchanging your Christmas gifts this weekend, it’s time to prepare for our final holiday of 2020! Here are some suggestions!!

Most of us, I’m sure, will be celebrating New Year’s Eve at home this year, so why not make the best of it with these Tips for Hosting a New Year’s Eve Party at Home to help you ring in the New Year with style even if it is with the family. Remember to keep food and drinks simple, stay comfy, make the night sparkle, have a game night, and play predict the future! Who knows, you may even get to bed at a reasonable hour!!

If you’ll be celebrating New Year’s Eve with your kids, get them involved with these Easy New Year’s Eve Crafts to Do with Kids. You should have all the materials needed on hand to make ornament noisemakers, confetti poppers, paper plate noisemakers, party hats, banners, and more!

If you’re accustomed to a wild night out on New Year’s Eve, it’s not going to happen this year in Chicago. However, here are a few Safe Ways to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Chicago, such as ordering dinner from Luella’s Southern Kitchen, ordering cocktails to go from Lost Lakes in the Logan Square neighborhood, running in the New Year’s Eve 5K, and more! The city certainly has this ringing in 2021 in a pandemic situation covered!!

If you prefer to order out for your New Year’s Eve dinner, place your order now at any one of these great Chicago Restaurants who will handle the details for you as many have early deadlines!

Many of the virtual and in-person holiday events I wrote about in my Previous Holiday Blogs are still available for your enjoyment, including the following:

Audiences of all ages can enjoy free access to a newly re-mastered, 80-minute feature film of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s wildly popular 2018 production of Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure. Sail away on a high-flying journey with Peter, Wendy, John, and Michael to the enchanted world of Neverland, but be on the lookout for Captain Hook and his ticking crocodile! Join the fun from the best seat in your house – the couch!!

From the creators of The Dr. Seuss Experience, step into the Grinch’s Grotto Holiday Experience now through December 31st at Westfield Old Orchard’s West Lot (4905 Old Orchard Shopping Center) in Skokie from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Each party will have a private meet and greet experience with The Grinch himself. Your admission includes a free 6” x 8” photo taken by a professional photographer, two custom Grinch ornaments that are only available at the Grinch’s Grotto, and other special giveaways too! You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch, and so was 2020!!

Out with the Old, In with the New – Happy New Year! See You in 2021!!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

Wicker Park is home to a new, chef-driven taqueria called Taquizo, located at 1835 West North Avenue, the former location of Las Palmas. Featuring a menu of delicious, fresh ingredients created by chef Yanitzin Sanchez and Richard Vallejo, the recently opened Taquizo provides a plethora of delectable dishes sure to appease any and all taste buds.

Taquizo has your tacos needs covered with a strong selection of favorites and some new ideas that showcase a forward-thinking approach to the menu. The carne asada tacos, which are always my go-to for deciding if a taco joint is doing things right, are downright incredible. Featuring marinated grilled steak, refried black beans, salsa verde, cilantro-Spanish onion jardin, and a hand made tortilla, this bundle of joy is well worth the $4.50 asking price. The difficulty lies in deciding how many to get while not ignoring the other worthwhile tacos on the menu.

I was not expecting the explosion of flavor provided by the suadero taco offered at Taquizo. It was my first time having suadero, a cut of meat hanging from the breastbone on a cow and not as popular in the States as more typical fare, and I quickly realized that this taco would give my beloved carne asada a run for its money. Suadero tacos at Taquizo are $3.95, and as with all tacos on the menu, you can add guac, sour cream, avocado, and Chihuahua cheese for an additional price. 

Another highlight at Taquizo is their quesotacos, a taco rolled in melted cheese, which made me seriously consider moving closer to this Wicker Park location. The cochinita pibil quesotaco featuring Yucatan style marinated pork, achiote adobo, habanero-pickled onion, rolled in crispy melted cheese on a hand made tortilla is mouth-watering perfection bursting with an array of zesty flavors. Likewise, the barbacoa quesotaco with low cooked pulled brisket, chile adobo, and cilantro-Spanish onion jardin, all rolled in crispy melted cheese on a tortilla, puts other tacos to shame. Each of these quesotacos starts at $5.25.

Taquizo also serves up eye-popping burritos with your choice of carne asada, grilled chicken, and spit-roasted adobado marinated pork stuffed with all the mandatory fixings. The price for these burritos ranges from $12 to $14.

Taquizo offers carne asada, pollo (Middle Eastern grilled chicken), and a black bean bowl that will make you forget all about your local Chipotle for those who prefer bowls. Prices range from $11 to $14.

You can also purchase their meal kits featuring 16 oz. of either barbacoa ($35), carne asada ($45), cochinita pibil ($35), or al pastor ($35). Each meal kit comes with house-made corn tortillas, onion, cilantro, and limes packaged separately and makes ten tacos. 

Taquizo is currently takeout and delivery only until the city’s ban on indoor dining is lifted. Once it can open its doors to patrons, Taquizo will feature two menus- one for the classics like tacos and burritos, and one for featuring more artistic creations by chef Yanitzin Sanchez.

Taquizo is open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 pm, and Sunday from noon to 7 pm.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

As a homeowner, if you don’t maintain good water-saving habits, you could be sending more money than necessary straight down the drain every year. Start saving by trying out the tips below!

Replace the shower head. Daily showers account for a huge portion of water usage at home, especially if you have multiple people residing in the house. To help cut down on water used during each shower, swap out your normal shower head with a WaterSense-certified replacement that uses fewer gallons of water per minute. According to the EPA1, this can save a family of four up to 2,700 gallons of water a year.

Fix leaking faucets. According to Forbes2, a leaking faucet can result in up to 20 gallons of wasted water a day. To avoid the expense that comes with this waste, make it a habit to check your faucets regularly for leaks and repair them quickly. Most of the time, it’s a quick fix and can be done with a faucet repair kit purchased online or at a home improvement store.

Don’t hand wash dishes. In this day and age, most homes are equipped with water-efficient dishwashers. By running a mostly full or entirely full load in the dishwasher, you use 1/6 less water than if you hand wash your dishes.

Water your garden by hand. Using a hose to water your outdoor plants and garden can result in a lot of waste. Try opting for an old-fashioned watering can, allowing you to keep your yard alive and well while also controlling the amount of water used each time.

Wicker Park and Bucktown: Take a break from slaving over the oven this year and let The Bristol take care of your Christmas feast instead. Located at 2152 North Damen, The Bristol offers their Holiday B@Home Christmas Dinner Package for either pick up or delivery. The spread feeds two- to four- people and features prime rib, honey glazed pork belly with pineapple, truffle potato gratin, roasted root vegetables, Brussels sprout salad, milk bread, and eggnog bread pudding. The family-style feast just needs to be reheated, and your Christmas dinner is good to go. The package starts at $125 with additional add-ons available. Find more info here.

West Loop: Put a delectable Argentinian spin on your holiday meal with a to go spread offered by El Che Steakhouse, located at 845 West Washington Boulevard in the West Loop. This meal feeds four and includes a 5lb Chateaubriand tenderloin with seasoning, green chimichurri, twice-baked potatoes, and creamed kale for $150. You can ditch the sides and pick up the 5lb Chateaubriand tenderloin for $125. Orders must be picked up on Wednesday, December 23rd. Find more info here.

River North: Etta, located at 700 North Clark Street, has a holiday feast featuring a seared and ready-to-bake fire-roasted filet mignon, bubbling shrimp, spicy meatballs, cacio e pepe mac and cheese, winter squash, kale salad, chocolate peppermint cake, a bottle of wine, and more. The meal costs $240 and feeds four. Etta’s Bucktown location is also offering up this delicious dinner. Pickup is on December 23rd and 24th. Find more info here.

Logan Square: Daises, located at 2523 North Milwaukee in Logan Square, offers up a Christmas dinner for two featuring a 32-ounce prime rib with instructions to complete this feast at home. Sides include potatoes au gratin, marinated beets with citrus, creamed Swiss chard, horseradish cream and au jus, and your choice of pie from Brite Bakery, all for $175. Wine and cocktail packages are available as well. Pick up is on December 24th between 9 am and 2 pm. Find more info here.

River North: Tired of the same old Christmas dinner every year? Spice it up in 2020 with Sushi-San’s Christmas Eve togarashi fried chicken dinner for two. The dinner features a bucket of togarashi-spiced fried chicken along with mashed potatoes with yakitori gravy, wrinkled green beans, and an Okinawa sugar pie for $75. The holiday meal is available for pick up from December 21st to the 24th between 5 pm and 9 pm. Sushi-San is located at 63 West Grand Avenue. Find more info here.

Pilsen: Take your taste buds on a trip over the pond to merry old England for Christmas this year with the offering at Pleasant House Pub, located at 2119 South Halsted. Grab your choice of pie for $32 per person. Options include turkey, ham, and leek pie, creamy winter veggie pie, steak and ale pie, chicken balti, and more. The to-go package comes with cranberry chutney, sage and onion sourdough stuffed cake, sticky toffee pudding, and more. You can pick up your pies at Pleasant House Pub between December 22nd through the 24th. Find more info here.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

With the Covid-19 pandemic onset this year, many people are just wishing that we could get to 2021 and forget 2020. We still have the holiday season to navigate, and many find themselves not in their typical financial situations. Unfortunately, the many lockdowns and other business shutdowns have forced many to close altogether, and many people are out of a job in record numbers. We all have friends and family in this situation. It is not just restaurants and other entertainment venues but all the various businesses that serve them, from laundry services to equipment sellers. 

It is a good idea this year to perhaps think of other types of holiday gifts. 

The gift of time and your self can be a godsend to people who are vulnerable to the virus and need to stay home. Send a pretty card with shopping vouchers or offer to shop for them. Gift a winter of snow maintenance to someone who can really use it. Make a gift basket with sanitizer, masks, gloves, and wipes. Help people not schooled in technology find a way to connect with family through Zoom or FaceTime. 

Your time and expertise can be the best holiday gift you can give. 

Another inexpensive choice that is always useful is a gift certificate to help small businesses still hanging on. It may be a while before we can eat in a restaurant in many areas, but gift certificates can be used for take-out. Helping out local businesses is an excellent idea for this holiday season. 

Another entertainment choice could be to give a certain number of payments to someone’s favorite streaming service. Give however many months you can afford. It would be a welcome gift for someone to have their Netflix paid for a few months as we spend so much time at home. Make a basket with popcorn, candy, and treats for a movie night and include a gift card to stream a few movies. 

Another good gift for anyone is a basket of everyday essentials such as body wash, toothpaste, shampoo, and other daily necessities. This is especially helpful for folks experiencing financial hardship. Think of things people need every day. Grocery store and gas gift cards would be welcome too. 

Food gifts are always a great gift idea. Make homemade cookie and brownie mix, pack in mason jars tied with a pretty ribbon with instructions on a cute card. Foodies will love flavored vinegar and oil in a pretty container. Google homemade food gifts, and you will find many to choose from.

This year we need to think more about giving what people can really use, and that can be inexpensive as they can be gifts of our time and ourselves.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO