By Brian Marchetti
New additions to the neighborhood, Deyanira and Santino Romero, have settled into West Beverly along with their two dogs, Beau and Frida
The couple, most recently from Canaryville, wanted to find a more safe and quiet community and they feel they’ve done so with their new home on 107th and Washtenaw.
“We’re so happy,” Deyanira, a program manager for the tech start-up Certiveres, said. “We take a lot of walks with and without our dogs. It’s a lovely neighborhood.”
Santino, a Chicago Public School teacher at Kilmer Elementary in Rogers Park, spoke about how the community has been so welcoming.
“Everyone’s been really awesome,” he said.
Although they’ve only been in the area since November, they’ve discovered a few local restaurants they enjoy including Milano’s and El Gallo. When not exploring the neighborhood with their canine companions, the Romeros enjoy cooking.
“We have a much bigger kitchen now,” Deyanira said. “We can be a bit more experimental.”
In their spare time, the Romeros pursue their passion for movies and road trips. In 2019, they dressed up as Star Wars characters for the release of the film, “The Rise of Skywalker.” Recently, they drove over 600 miles to East Earl, Pennsylvania, to enjoy the Shady Maples Smorgasbord, the largest buffet in the United States.
“It was amazing,” Santino said.
As the moving boxes begin to empty and their new house becomes a home, Santino plans to do more work around the house including delving into his love of woodworking.
In the coming months, the couple plan to discover everything their new neighborhood has to offer, including events at The Beverly Arts Center.
“We’re so excited,” Deyanira said. “Even though we’re still in the city, it feels like a small town.”
Are you a new neighbor or do you know someone who is? Let us know! BAPA’S New Neighbors Program welcomes people to Beverly/Morgan Park and provides information and resources. Contact us at mjviero@bapa.org.
