Candid Candace

OPRAH, TONI MORRISON AND MAYOR DALEY CELEBRATE AT LITERARY AWARDS DINNER

The Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner was originally scheduled to be at the Harold Washington Library, as it was last year, but this year’s program attracted so many people (800!) that it had to be changed to fit the sell-out crowd at the Forum at the University of Illinois campus. I am not surprised since the award recipient was Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author, Toni Morrison, who was interviewed by none other than Oprah! Cocktails and dinner were served inside a gymnasium and I’ve never seen any gym look this good. The bleachers magically became an amazing light installation and the towers of flowers were at least 10 feet tall. In other words, it was gorgeous! Even the table décor had little library lamps and books by the authors for all of the guests. Co-chairs Cheryl Mayberry McKissack and Jim Tyree welcomed guests and awarded the 21st Century Award to Eula Biss. Her book, “Notes From No Man’s Land,” takes a look at racial identity from multiple angles, during major events in the culture. It recently won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Biss said, “This honor (21st Century Award) is a drop in the bucket for what I owe to the libraries.” President of the Chicago Public Library Board, Jayne Thompson, then introduced Mayor Daley, who was greeted with a standing ovation. The Mayor said, “The spirit of Chicago is not of big shoulders, but of big hearts.” He dedicated his 54th library as Mayor of Chicago last month! (I sure will miss this guy!) After Toni Morrison received her Carl Sandburg Literary Award, presented by co-chair Jim Tyree, Oprah came onstage to interview her. The questions were thought provoking and informative. Morrison had been rejected 12 times for her first book, “The Bluest Eye.” Oprah asked what kept her going. She said, “Arrogance. I wrote this book so I could read it. I saw a gap and I filled it because of this very reason.” She went on to say, “Reading is the beginning of being in the world. It’s how we know things.” She began writing at age 39 and has been writing for 40 years now. She is the author of nine novels and three children’s books. Her novel, “Beloved,” was awarded the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and in 2006, was named by the NY Times Book Review as the best novel of the previous 25 years. Winfrey produced and starred in the 1998 film based on the book and calls Morrison her “favorite author of all time, living or dead.” Morrison became a professor at Princeton University in 1989 and in 1993 received the Nobel Prize in Literature, making her the first African American to be so honored. The event raised $1.1 million for Chicago Public Libraries. To learn more, please visit www.ChicagoPublicLibraryFoundation.org and click here for more photos.  
 
Bunky Cushing’s Handbags & Halos Luncheon introduced us to yet another fascinating speaker! Judy Lewis is the love child of Clark Gable and Loretta Young. Her story riveted the 150 ladies in the Palmer House’s Empire Room for 45 minutes as she spoke from the heart about the remarkable life she’s led. She began her talk by saying, “I first heard the term ‘love child’ from my daughter Maria in 1971. We were in the car when she asked me who her grandfather was. I had taken her to see ‘Gone With the Wind’ and she fell in love with Gable like the rest of the nation. My mother was single and 22 when she met Clark Gable on the set of “Call of the Wild” at Mount Baker in Washington State. There was a blizzard and everyone was snowed in.” This is when Judy was conceived. You can see from the clip below how much in love they were. In those days, every star had a morality clause and, had the pregnancy become known, both stars would’ve lost their jobs. After the baby was born, Gable disguised himself to visit his child who was sleeping in a bureau drawer at Young’s house in Venice Beach. Gable had always had a fear of being poor so he always carried a wad of cash in his pocket. He peeled off $400 and said to Young, “Please buy her a decent bed.” Loretta Young had to take the baby to an orphanage early on but made them promise to keep her until she could come back to “adopt” her after the pregnancy rumors died down. At age 7, Judy had her ears pinned back. She had inherited her father’s famous ears and her mother never let her go out without a bonnet. Young never admitted Lewis was her real daughter. Judy married, had two children, appeared on Broadway and in the soap, “Secret Storm,” worked on the “Loretta Young Show,” received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University and worked with foster families and adoption agencies after her own heartache. When her mother finally told her the truth about her father, she threw up first and then said, “Now, you must promise not to tell anyone.” What a courageous and charming woman! This event raised over $150K and benefitted the Howard Brown Health Center which is the Midwest’s largest lesbian, gay and bisexual health organization. It is a home for many who feel isolated and where everyone is welcomed. For more info on this worthy cause, please visit www.HowardBrown.org. (Please click here to hear Judy’s story in her own words and click here to view more event photos!)
 
“Aviators’ Night Out for Sight,” benefitting the Midwest Eye-Bank, was held recently at the Chicago Executive Airport. Co-chairs Franco LaMarca and Anthony Contrucci planned this inaugural event which featured Marquis Jets from the Netjets fleet, exotic cars from Lake Forest Sportscars, live entertainment by world music dance band Vagando, fabulous food, gaming tables and luxury raffles. Designers Horacio Nieto, Akira, Mark Roscoe, Sittar by Gibeon Tolbert, Anastasia Chatzka and Bolani Custom Clothiers presented dazzling collections for men and women. The models strutted their stuff in front of a magnificent G-4 priced at $38 million and seating for 13. Not bad! The gaming tables were filled and I saw beautifully presented food from several restaurants including one of my favorites, RL. Over 200 people came out for this fun party and everyone was dressed to thrill. It was a great night for a wonderful cause! The event raised over $25,000 for Midwest Eyebanks, which is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of sight. For more info, please visit www.mebtc.org. Please click here for ALL event pics!
 
Author Lisa Birnbach was recently feted with a launch party to celebrate her latest book, “True Prep.” Sugar Rautbord planned the cutest party requesting that guests dress “preppy” and most of them did since you never say “no” to Sugar! Lisa’s book was excerpted in Vanity Fair magazine and is a follow-up to her bestselling “Preppy Handbook” written 25 years ago. And even though President Obama’s motorcades were wreaking havoc with the traffic, lots of “preppy” guests showed up including Consuelo Pierrepont, Connie and David Coolidge, MK Pritzker, Trish Rooney Alden, Suzette Bross Bulley, Quentin and Diane Primo, Maureen and EB Smith Jr., Howard Tullman, Tom Gorman, Bill Zwecker, Suzie and Ross Glickman, Richard Weinberg, Patti Lambrecht and Larisa and David Kronfeld, John Walcher, Patrick Plante, Scott Bobek, Kerry Bowler, Andrea Schwartz, Karen Williams, Stanley Paul and Ralph Hughes among many others. The event was held at the newly remodeled Mity Nice Grill at Water Tower Place and was co-hosted by Rich Melman and his restaurateur sons RJ and Jerrod. The party also singled out a few Chicago charities as well as some national charities including the Joffrey Ballet, Maggie Daley’s After School Matters, The Primo Center, Chicago Botanic Garden Harvest Ball, The Evergreen Horse Show benefitting women’s programs at Northwestern and the Rush Pres St. Luke’s Fashion Show. As a special treat, Sugar brought in Broadway singer Merrill Grant who cracked up the guests with her animated rendition of two original songs, “When Muffy Gets Blue” and “It’s Mity Nice to be a Preppy” co-written by Sugar. Even the food carried on the theme with éclairs in the shape of Stubbs and Wooton loafers—the ultimate Preppy symbol! As always, Sugar’s party rocked! Congrats Lisa AND Sugar for a creative and fun-filled party! (To order “True Prep,” please click here!) Extra pics by Mitch Canoff...click here!)
 
The “Inspiring Chicagoans 2010” awards were recently held at the Dana Hotel and presented by TCW and Charles Ifergan Salons. I had forgotten how cool this space is…the outdoor terrace is unmatched with the fire pit and amazing views of Chicago. These awards were given to 19 women who "exude self-confidence and inspire others to strive to better themselves from the inside out, from overall health, fitness or style, to mentorship, charitable work and entrepreneurial edge." They included Karyn Calabrese, Lindsay Avner, Cassandra Gaddo, Melissa Gamble, Sarah Levy, Andrea Metcalf, Angela Rose, Kelli Zink, Ashley Zisook, Jessica Zweig, Marion Simon, Jenn Gibbons, Stephanie Neely and moi among others. It was a wonderful honor and my sparkling crystal award is displayed proudly in my den! It was a fun evening with women who have big dreams and are pursuing and achieving them! Congrats to all of the honorees! To view ALL event pics, please click here! (Pics by Caitlin Saville)
 
Chicago Cut Steakhouse’s grand opening was a smashing success! It was a perfect night to showcase their beautiful restaurant with its dramatic 100-seat patio at 300 N. LaSalle to the fullest. The views of Chicago and the river are some of the best in the city. The food was to die for and included first class everything and plenty of it. Everyone was oohing and aahing all over the place. The dramatic 6-foot-tall floral displays spilling over with massive red flowers (by Tom Kehoe) matched the red carpet that stretched all of the way to LaSalle Street. I am so thrilled and proud for owners David Flom and Matt Moore. These guys, and their proud investors, have worked tirelessly to make sure that every single detail is perfect and they have succeeded in spades. I’m also thrilled to have the “Hostess with the Mostest,” Meggan Flom, back in her natural role as charming daytime hostess. The menu is a wonderful mix and has something for everyone including their famous steaks which are USDA prime, cut and dry-aged on premises. The restaurant even has a “secret entrance” for workers at the Merchandise Mart and will be open for a “power breakfast,” lunch and dinner. Congrats on a GREAT opening and a wonderful restaurant! Click here for more photos!
 
My friend Ann Dwyer recently hosted a fun party at Satan’s home, the Jimmy Choo store on Oak Street. I can never go into this place without wanting each and every shoe! But, in spite of this tempting locale, I went to the party anyway and had the best time. The store donated a percentage of the proceeds to Ann’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. I was also going to add information about their upcoming "Dream a Little Dream" fashion show but I am happy to report they are completely sold out! Marlo Thomas, Danny’s daughter, will be making an appearance and I know the event will inspire all who attend like it did me last year. For more info on this wonderful cause, please click here.
 
A decades-old institution is coming to an end. The Van Cleef Hair Studio, which has been around forever, is up for sale. Owner Michael Flowers is an internationally-known hairdresser and one of his biggest clients is First Lady Michelle Obama, who has been coming to Michael since she was 18 years old! He has styled her hair for the biggest events in her life including her wedding, election night and the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. This super cool 8,500-square-foot space at 56 W. Huron has been a chapel, a restaurant, a photo studio, theater and a jazz club owned by Julius Monk. Michael and his partner have purchased a little piece of paradise in Costa Rica and plan on commuting. They are a delightful pair and other clients include Kerry Washington, Marilyn McCoo, Nancy Wilson and Regina Taylor, to name a few. Good luck with your new path Michael! (For info about the space, please call Mitch Serrano at 312-981-2562)
 
I hope you’ve enjoyed all of this fun news! I found this little video that made me laugh. This walrus looks like I feel when I’m exercising…who knew we had so much in common! 
 
Love,
Candace
[email protected]
 
P.S.  Another delightful birthday celebration was held at RL last week for beautiful friend Jan Flanagan. As it turned out, another friend, Dori Wilson, was there celebrating her birthday with friends as well! And on top of all of this excitement, who should show up, fresh from his Chicago International Film Festival Award win, but versatile and charming actor Alan Cumming! What a fun-filled night, as usual, at RL!  Happy Birthday, Jan and Dori!!!! 

STARRLIGHT STUDIOS HONORS LATIN LEGENDS

Everyone was dressed so elegantly but then you would expect nothing less at a party given by and for photographer/designer/Art Deco expert/artist/writer Steve Starr. It was a book launch party at Rumba for his latest book and what a perfect spot it was too, since the Latin themed restaurant mirrored the subject matter of the book, “Steve Starr Studios Presents Starrlight: Glamorous Latin Movie Stars of Early Hollywood.” The book, meticulously researched and beautifully designed, presents colorful biographical accounts of cinema stars Rita Hayworth, Lupe Velez, Carmen Miranda, Dolores Del Rio and Maria Montez. Perhaps even more interesting though was the fascinating account of Steve’s own early life. Steve grew up surrounded by Art Moderne and Art Deco elegance. His mother and father looked like movie stars themselves. They had a 10-room apartment on Roscoe that could’ve appeared in Architectural Digest since his mother Gloria had a keen eye for the unique and exquisite as far as décor. She enlisted the aid of famous interior designer Syd Simon to help her create a temple of 1940s Hollywood glamour. Every year they wintered in Miami Beach and, it was there in the old movie palaces, that Steve’s love of film grew. It was no wonder that his store and studio, Steve Starr Studios, originally on Clark Street, showcased his extensive collection of museum quality Art Deco frames which were featured in his first book, “Picture Perfect—Art Deco Frames 1926-1946” and were filled with images of the elegant Hollywood stars that he loves. The A-list crowd of fans, friends and press filled the room to the brim all in honor of “the hardest working man in Chicago.” If you don’t see Steve with his camera around his neck at an event around town, then sadly, you’re probably not at the right party. He is in demand at most of the high profile parties in every neighborhood in Chicago and covers them all with his amazing photography and coverage. You might not always like how much time he takes getting you to pose, but you can bet you will look your best when the shot is published. The lines never stopped at his book signing desk and it was no surprise since his book is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. It is an elegant silver linen bound limited edition depicting over 100 images, including 50 rarely seen photos of the featured actresses, many displayed in his exquisite Art Deco glass frames. He includes iconic film posters, sheet music illustrations and fan magazine covers as well as images of 28 other Hollywood stars famous in a world that no longer exists. Rumba was the perfect spot for this party as it reminded me of old time Miami or Havanna with the conga drums at every booth and the beautiful Spanish tiles on the Ambassador Dining Room floor. Steve’s cake was shaped like a large star with his signature triple “S” in the center. Chef Benjamin Soto’s food was delicious and plentiful and the Argentinian entertainment was superb. There was an exhibition of Tango dance by Daniel Noce and Ramona Nita with music by Los Tropicanos. I can’t wait to see what Steve does next—his creative mind never rests! Congrats Steve and thanks for the memories! To contact Steve or for book info, please call 773-252-5171 or e-mail [email protected]. (Please click this link for ALL event photos—additional pics by Caitlin Saville and Mila Samokhina.)

 

Happy second anniversary to Michigan Avenue Magazine who celebrated in grand style with September cover girl Jennifer Hudson performing. It’s been written up everywhere how gorgeous she looked in person! She was so thin that a friend speculated that the Weight Watchers’ stock would rise dramatically after her appearance at the House of Blues. In fact, the three-tiered anniversary cheesecake was from Eli’s and the top layer was made from Eli’s new “Skinny Eli” in chocolate just for her! At just 110 calories, 3 Weight Watcher points and no trans fat, Jennifer was thrilled that she could eat it! Her voice was in great form too and when she belted out “I Will Always Love You,” all thoughts of Whitney Houston vanished for the SRO crowd. I hadn’t been to the House of Blues in ages and was happy to see that it was still cozy for such a large venue. Our sky box was charming and I loved having friends pop in and out like a surprise party. Admittedly, it was hard to see Jennifer up close and personal but I’m not sure I could’ve survived the crush of photogs and sea of people on the main floor. I saw lots of people I wanted to say hi to but just couldn’t reach. CEO and founder of Niche Media Jason Binn flew in to celebrate along with Mich Mag editor-in-chief Susanna Negovan and publisher Dan Uslan. They proudly introduced Jennifer to the adoring crowd and then that voice…oh my. So happy to see her in grand form for such a happy occasion! Happy birthday, Mich Mag! (Please check this link for ALL event pics. Additional pics by Tasos Katopodis.) 

 

Big news coming in February for Michigan Avenue and Chicago!! Hearts a Bluhm, Northwestern Memorial Hospital/Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute’s heart-themed public awareness campaign, will be a citywide celebration and education program designed around February’s National Heart Month. Oversized and uniquely designed acrylic hearts will “bloom” throughout key high-traffic locations with the help of artistic partner Columbia College Chicago. The heart sculptures will help raise awareness for the proper diagnosis and treatment of heart disease—the leading cause of death in America. They will not only beautify the city but also serve as a reminder for good heart-healthy practices. I hope you can all join us for our VIP Kick-Off event at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab at 60 E. Grand on Monday, October 25th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Guests will enjoy signature hors d’oeuvres and cocktails and hear remarks from Dr. Patrick McCarthy, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Northwestern, and Warrick Carter, Ph.D. President of Columbia College. This event will also honor 11 “Women With Heart” who are known throughout Chicago for their “heart” and commitment to giving back. They include Chaz Ebert, Carrie Birkel, Janet Wood Diederichs, Nancy Glick, Sonya Jackson, Kristina McGrath, Carol “Mickey” Norton, Andrea Schwartz, Laura Schwartz, Brenda Sexton and moi. I am so honored to be included in this great group of women. Tickets are $75 with all proceeds benefitting Hearts a Bluhm! For party RSVPs and info, please e-mail [email protected] or call 630-315-2962. For more info on this campaign or to sponsor a heart, please visit www.heartsabluhm.org. Don’t forget to wear some red to the party!! Hope to see you on the 25th! Goodbye Cows and Refrigerators…Helllllooooo Hearts! Can’t wait!

 

Chicago Link Productions has done it again! For their second year, there was no shortage of Chicago staples at RJ and Jerrod Melman’s Santa Monica eatery, La Grande Orange, as those with Windy city ties celebrated none other than: Chicago!  Four hundred-plus people showed up for this Chicago-LA Link event including celebs David Arquette, Jeff Garlin, Marilu Henner, Jaleel White (“Dreamgirls”), Ian Gomez (“Cougar Town”), Parvesh Cheena (“Outsourced”), Sonal Shah (“Scrubs”), Harry Lennix (“Ray”), D.B. Sweeney (“The Event”) and John Kapelos (“The Breakfast Club”) among others. Even former Chicago Bears Willie Gault and Tim Wrightman, now LA locals, made an appearance. Also in attendance were Second City’s Andrew Alexander and Joyce Sloan, TV director/producer Jerry Kupcinet, writers/producers Jay and Meredith Lavender and emcee Tom Dreesen. The event was produced by Brenda Sexton (formerly of the Illinois Film Office) and presented by eDrop-Off.com owner/creator Corri McFadden among others. La Grande Orange served such local favorites as Eli’s cheesecake, Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza, Hub51 burgers, Portillo’s Italian beef, Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab claws and Vienna hotdogs plus La Grande Orange’s signature sushi and tacos. Wow, what a party…so sorry to miss this one! Congrats Brenda for keeping those LA-based Chicagoans from getting homesick! :) (Photos by Mitch Canoff and Jesse Grant...click here for more!)

 

There are some VERY special birthdays to celebrate this month! First up, the Mayor of Old Town, Shirley Baugher, was surprised for her birthday! Yes, I said it…surprised! She has eyes and ears all over her head and yet a small band of friends/fans managed to surprise her and bring her to tears in the Old Town Triangle Center office! We were all quite pleased with ourselves and her husband Norman and Chris Beer were our co-conspirators. This woman has a heart so big that everyone she knows fits into it. It is a wonderful feeling to be Shirley’s friend. It is a not-so-secret society where we all feel very blessed to be included. Also, look for Shirley’s next book, “The Hidden History of Old Town,” which will be published by History Press out of South Carolina. Congrats, love and happy birthday Shirley! Another wonderful birthday party was planned by Helen Melchior for our dear Joffrey Executive Director, Christopher Clinton Conway, at her beautiful Lake Shore Drive, Nate Berkus-designed home. Christopher has done such an amazing job bringing this company to the country and world’s attention. He works tirelessly on our behalf to make sure the Joffrey’s path is always climbing for the stars. Oh, did I mention the All Stars season is absolutely breathtaking—nice segue, Candace! I went to opening night and you could’ve heard a pin drop during the company’s performance which will include five Joffrey premieres and two world premieres this season. Christopher Wheeldon, a longtime friend of Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, choreographed “After the Rain,” which was danced in its entirety for the first time Saturday night. The pairings were also perfect with real life husband/wife, Victoria Jaiani and Temur Suluashvili, dancing together for the first time in years as well as boyfriend/girlfriend April Daley and Miguel Blanco. The company also performed Jerome Robbin’s “The Concert (or the Perils of Everybody).” We knew they could dance, but now we know they are all born actors too! Reviews are glowing, of course, and the company has never looked better. Well, honey…just buy the tickets (through October 24th at www.Joffrey.org ).

 

This weekend was also Bill Farley’s birthday. His beautiful wife, Shelley MacArthur Farley, threw a grand party and EVERYONE came! It wasn’t an A-list party, it was an A+ list party. The Jersey Boys performed and his boys gave heartfelt speeches about their dad. The venue, the Modern Wing’s magnificent Terzo Piano, was filled with loving friends on this beautiful Indian summer evening. Happy Birthday Bill! :)

 

 

Ronald McDonald House Charities is breaking ground on Tuesday, November 9th, for the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world!!! I’m so excited to be a part of this wonderful project and can’t wait to watch this House come to life. Thanks to your support, the House will open in 2012 providing care and comfort for 86 families of hospitalized children every night!! We’ve raised over $17 million of the $30 million we need, and will have lots of fabulous activities in the new year. I will keep you posted and will hope to see you at some of these events as they come up. :)

 

The Art of Fashion 2010 show will be Friday, October 22nd in the Fashion Tent at Millennium Park, located at 201 E. Randolph. VIP party begins at 6 p.m. with general admission beginning at 7:30 p.m. Featured designers showcasing their Spring 2011 collections include Elda de la Rosa, Lauren Lein, Borris Powell, Kirk James Collection, Lara Miller and Paul Sisti as well as emerging designers Hector-Javier MonArrez, Fraley Le and Lydia Wawrzyniak. The show will be produced by ZZazz Productions’ Tracey DiBuono so you know it will be TERRIFIC! General admission tickets are $35 and VIP tickets are $95…and $20 of every VIP ticket benefits the Service Club of Chicago! For more info, please visit www.StyleChicago.com. Hope to see you there!

 

I took the week off to do some much-needed housecleaning—no exotic trip here! To start, I transformed our “Silence of the Lambs” basement into something more usable. I’ve also cleaned out almost every closet and crammed-full drawer in the house! But, because of this time off, I’ve got so much to tell you and not enough space! So, sadly, the rest of the news will have to wait until next week! Hope to “see” you then!

 

Love,

Candace

[email protected]

 

P.S. Huge congrats to Chef Art Smith for his amazing Chicago Marathon run! After a 90-pound weight loss, he finished in the top third and ran the course in 4 hours, 32 minutes! (To see his Celebration Party pics, please click here…)

“COUTURE & COCKTAILS” FEATURES CARMEN MARC VALVO AND THE JOFFREY DANCERS!

The 5th Annual Joffrey Ballet’s “Couture & Cocktails” was one of the most exciting and fun-filled parties of the season thanks to this year’s new co-chairs Kristina McGrath and Marci Holzer. They worked tirelessly throughout the year to ensure this event’s continued popularity and they succeeded in spades! The designer for this year’s C & C was the handsome American designer, Carmen Marc Valvo, who brought his Fall 2010 collection that included chic cocktail dresses and glamorous evening gowns in luxurious silks, chiffons and taffetas with beading, brocade and fur embellishments. The hair, styled by Charles Lord (who also did last year’s Pamella Roland show), was a nod to the ‘40’s with the models wearing jaunty little hats over their eveningwear. The party décor was an all white palette and the ballroom was filled with an SRO crowd of almost 600 guests as Joffrey Executive Director Christopher Clinton Conway and Artistic Director Ashley Wheater took to the stage. They thanked Helen Melchior and me, as founding co-chairs, and then introduced Marci and Kristina. They each thanked the people responsible for helping them this year and then the parade of our Joffrey dancers took to the runway. Besides being world class dancers, they are also all world class dressers! Each of their outfits looked like a page right out of Vogue or GQ. The crowd went wild applauding and celebrating them and it was a very proud moment. Carmen Marc Valvo’s fashion show was produced by Lisa Marie of Visual Therapy and it was a very glam affair indeed. I loved the hats on the models wearing evening gowns…it was a cool touch to an elegant look. After the show, Michigan Avenue Magazine’s Susanna Negovan took to the stage with her WGN-TV anchor/husband Tom. They made a great pair as they auctioned off the evening’s live auction packages which included four nights and three days in the McGrath Family Chateau in Deer Valley, Utah (plus four United Airlines tickets), a beachfront villa at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands (airfare for two included) and finally, a private power lunch with Mayor Daley. I loved the program description for this: “The Daley family is legendary and their mystique rivals the Kennedy’s but, everyone is a winner when it benefits the Joffrey.” And benefit the Joffrey it did to the tune of $54,740 which was the total raised from both the silent and live auctions. Congrats Susanna and Tom! You did a great job! Other silent auction items included tickets to a Notre Dame game, a private dance class for eight with dancer Fabrice Calmels, tickets to a Steppenwolf play, dinner for 10 at the new steakhouse Mastro’s, Bulls tickets, Tony White 18K gold earrings and a private jet for four to Art Basel Miami Beach with VIP all-access among many other exciting offerings. The day before the event, there was also a private book signing with “America’s Next Top Model” judge Nigel Barker and the night of the event, there was a VIP reception with designer. The following day, there was also a private brunch at Neiman Marcus with Valvo as he previewed his spring collection to a group of around 60 women. It was another fabulous year for “Couture & Cocktails” and I would like to congratulate Kristina and Marci along with their fabulous committee for their fundraising efforts which will benefit the Academy of Dance, The Official School of the Joffrey Ballet. The Academy of Dance serves 1,500 students ages 3 to 83 and their after-school programs reach out to 4,000 students from the Chicago Public Schools. Thanks to all who attended and I hope to see you next year for this fun and worthwhile event! To view ALL event photos, please click here.
 
Love has been in the air this week with a wedding AND a bridal shower. My dear friend and Candid Candace photographer, Caitlin Saville, married her Prince Charming, Brendan Collins, in a love-filled ceremony at St. Mary’s in Lake Forest. There were so many special touches, as only Caitlin would think of, that even extended right down to their shoes! Caitlin’s shoes were blue, as in “something borrowed, something blue” and had yellow soles (which is Brendan’s favorite color). As if this weren’t enough, they were also embellished with crystals ON THE BOTTOM with one shoe saying “I” and the other shoe saying “do”…too cute for words! And then Brendan’s shoes, being the sports nut that he is, had “ND” on one shoe and “score?” on the other since the ceremony ran during the Notre Dame/Stanford game. (Stanford won…) The reception was held at the tony Knollwood Country Club where Caitlin had even chosen the vintage milk glass vases that matched the fabric in her wedding gown! The flowers, in pale shades of peach, white and crème were some of the loveliest I’d ever seen. The groomsmen gave very touching speeches as did the bridesmaids but it was the speech made by Caitlin’s mother, Connie Saville, that had everyone in tears. The love in the room was palpable. Brendan and Caitlin are honeymooning in Hawaii and she sent me a text message showing the ocean from her villa balcony…once a photographer, always a photographer! And they lived happily ever after…congrats Mr. and Mrs. Collins!
 
A beautiful bridal shower was held in the grand home of Michaela Parillo for Nicole Stege, the stunning daughter of beautiful woman-about-town Lynn McMahan. This was the first event Michaela had hosted in her Burling Street mansion and it was an elegant affair indeed. Her co-host Dede Lubeznik helped organize this wonderful day for Nicole who is a freelance photo stylist. Her fiancé, Rory Brown, is originally from Cape Cod but lives in Chicago and has a master’s degree in Library Science (he works for the public library system here). They are getting married on October 30th in Tulum, Mexico, which is located on the Yucatan peninsula. This quaint town of 10,000 on the Mayan Riviera is Mexico’s most visited pre-Hispanic site dating back to 1200 to 1450 AD. Early in its history, it was an important center of commerce as well as a place of pilgrimage. I can’t imagine how romantic this location will be for Nicole and Rory’s wedding! Oh boy, I was just starting to feel the sun on my face but back to the shower! The tables were laden with flowers and petals and set up in the magnificent dining room off of the dramatic backyard. It was a gorgeous day and the light streaming in from the banks of windows made the home even more dramatic. Happy friends in attendance included Jan Flanagan, Lyn McKeany, Shelley MacArthur Farley, Shauna Montgomery, Mamie Walton, Hazel Barr, Cookie Cohen, Lynda Silverman, Heather Farley, Hedwig Golant, Nina Mariano, Gretchen Jordan, Susan Gohl, Kristina McGrath, Toni Canada, Gayle Anthony, Nicole’s maid of honor Amy Lahoff-O’Brien, Holly Dickens and Diana Barr among others. Michaela and Dede thanked everyone for coming and then Lynn got up to speak. It was a ferklempping moment between mother and daughter and so very sweet. Congrats Nicole…can’t wait to see the wedding pics!!! For more shower photos, click here!  
 
On Thursday, October 21st, the Drake Hotel will be hosting a fashion event from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. called “50 & Beautiful.” This very special catwalk event’s initial fundraiser last year was dedicated to the courageous spirit of Lynn Sage while this year’s event will benefit the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Designers who will be featured include Elizabeth M, Joy Scott Millinery, Fabri Furs, Quinton d’Alexander, Bryan K. Osburn and Lily of Trieste among others. Models will include Dori Wilson, Cookie Cohen, Juell Kadet, Denise Tomasello, Hazel Barr, Dorothy Whealan, Marci Holzer, Sherrill Bodine, Bonnie Gross, Debra Goodman and moi among others. Lynne Jordan will emcee the fashion showcase which begins at 6:30 p.m. and then will be performing with the Shivers. A suggested donation of $10 can be made directly to the foundation or offered at the door the night of the event. For more info on this fun-filled evening of fashion, please contact Shaun Rajah at [email protected] and for charity info, please visit www.chicagoartsacademy.org/index.html.
 
Hef is coming back to his hometown on Friday, October 29th, to the Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N. State) for the 6 p.m. screening of his new documentary, “Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel.” The film, directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Brigitte Berman, concentrates on his status as a standard bearer for the sexual revolution as well as his lesser known career as a tireless social activist fighting battles for free speech, civil and gay rights, and yes, women’s rights! An array of celebs appear in the film as well as vintage Playmates and clips. Hef will be doing a Q & A after the film and had this to say on Twitter, “It will be a special treat to revisit my childhood and the early days of Playboy with my boys, brother and Crystal.” He will also be visiting PB headquarters, the original Mansion (where I also lived when I first moved to Chicago) and the neighborhood where he and his brother Keith grew up. The film is two hours long and will be shown at the Gene Siskel Film Center from October 29th through November 4th. For more info, please visit www.siskelfilmcenter.org/hughhefner. Hope to see you there! Welcome home, Hef!
 
Tails in the City owners Bruce Haas and Phillip Emigh have planned a BIG October for their four legged friends and the humans who love them! On Sunday, Oct. 17th, they will co-host the first annual charity dog walk, “BARK for Breast Cancer Research,” which will begin at 10:30 a.m. at CosMedic Clinic at 58 E. Walton. And then, on Sunday October 24th, they will host their 7th Annual Halloween Party & Parade. It begins at 11 a.m. at 1 E. Delaware and will include a costume contest for scariest, most glamorous, best duo (pet and parent) and best overall. Could anything be cuter?! A $10 donation will benefit PAWS Chicago. For event info, please click here.   
 
I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s edition! Candid Candace will return in two weeks with more fun news from the greatest city in the world, Chicago!!!
 
Love,
Candace
[email protected]
 
P.S. Thanks so much to Cover Chicago Magazine’s Mark Rashid for featuring me on two of their magazine covers this month! This magazine is dedicated to covering the people of the fashion and entertainment industry in Chicago and they do it in a big way! (The photos were taken at Elda de la Rosa’s fashion show and are her designs.)