...PLUS THE SPLENDOR OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA AT BOTANIC GARDEN, NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY SUGGESTIONS, FINE ARTS BUILDING’S HOLIDAY PARTY, INDIE FILM FEST, BOYS & GIRLS CLUB GALA, CAMP COSMETICS CAMPAIGN HITS THE MAGS AND SO MUCH MORE!
It was going to be a BIG night with two hotly anticipated grand openings on November 29th with Burberry and the hot new restaurant on Oak Street, Del Frisco’s. Let’s start with the former: I believe Burberry’s “Art of the
Trench” campaign began back in October...at least this was when I was contacted. I know of more than 50 local Chicagoans who were photographed for this photo exhibition intended to herald and publicize the opening of
Burberry’s largest store in the country outside of New York. The email read, “This autumn, Burberry is launching its new flagship store on Michigan Avenue and celebrating Burberry in Chicago by hosting an event on Thursday, November 29th,
with Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey. This event will be a local celebration of our global platform, www.artofthetrench.com, and will feature images of influential Chicagoans on Burberry's digital platform as well as in a physical incarnation of the luxury brand's
site in store. We would like to invite you to participate in this project and photograph you for Art of the Trench.” HELL YES! COUNT ME IN! It was a fun photo shoot with a photographer who I already knew, loved and admired – Amy Creyer. Her popular
website www.ChicagoStreetStyle.com is a must read and her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, in W Magazine and on MTV. It was a rainy day but it made the atmosphere for the shoot even better on film so I
was happy even if the weather was less than perfect. Now that I’ve seen all of the images (see them here), the one thing that stands out (besides the people, of course) is how gorgeous our city is. From the back alleys to the side streets to the historical monuments, every photo looks like a piece of artwork with Chicago as the star. Everyone looked so
powerful in their photos too...most were not the usual smiley images that we Midwesterners are so fond of but rather true portraits of people in the “city that works.” I’m so proud to be a part of this campaign but moreover, just so proud of our city and all of the people
in it. They were determined to keep this campaign top secret until the week of the grand opening and they succeeded. It's fun and exciting to see all of the images popping up around town now. The opening was one of the splashiest I’ve seen
in a loooooonnnnng time! The new five-story space was brought to life with a distinctly British mix of music with guests experiencing an immersive physical and digital experience.
Model/performers emulated the sound of rain throughout the space as images were projected onto the walls of every floor. Live music for the evening was provided by British musician Carl Barat and his band played their little hearts out on the main floor with the performance projected on all
of the levels so guests wouldn’t miss a moment. DJ Matt Roan, an “Art of the Trench” subject, followed with more hot music. Opened earlier this month, the Chicago flagship store (which
purportedly cost $10 million to build) will blur the brand’s physical and digital worlds through the Burberry Retail Theatre concept which will enable broadcast of live events and global synchronized content that can be played on the store’s interior digital screens. Additionally, the store offers the first physical representation of Burberry Bespoke, a concept that allows customers to create their own trench coat by selecting the
cut, the fabric, the color and then navigating through options that include bronze-studded sleeves, bridle leather cuff straps, mink linings and shearling collars. Step by step, the screen
assembles the virtual trench coat as specified and the real-life version arrives in four to eight weeks from Burberry's factory in Yorkshire, England (though the leather trenches are dispatched from Italy). The
tag displays a special limited-edition number, plus a designation in block letters: “Bespoke.” (Prices for the custom trenches start at about $1,800; luxe features such as leather
sleeves and mink linings run the price up as high as $8,800. Trench coats from Burberry's off-the-rack collections start at about $700 and range up to about $6,000.) The store also
offers the first Burberry beauty in-store consultation counter in America – this is what you call one stop shopping, my friends! This exciting evening ended with a striking display of lights
and digital projections amidst a sea of confetti that illuminated the iconic Burberry check on the store’s exterior façade, officially switching on the new Michigan Avenue site! In celebration of the
opening, the Burberry Foundation is partnering with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to create $2.2 million in funding to support the Chicago Hive Learning Network. This new funding,
$1.7 million and $500,000 from the MacArthur and Burberry foundations respectively, will be used to inspire young people in Chicago, creating new innovative educational experiences designed to nurture their skills and creative confidence. (To see more party pics, please click here!) Welcome to Chicago, BURBERRY!!!
Following this sensory overload, we headed to 58 E. Oak St. for the Del Frisco’s grand opening. Cars were backed up down the street as the valets scrambled to keep pace
with the arriving guests. Located in the old Esquire Theater space, this multi-level dining experience seats over 500! With an 11,000-bottle wine cellar, it was a marvel to behold and guests could see it from every floor since it “floated” in the center of the building. Glistening
bars, sparkling oversized crystal light fixtures, friendly service and dark wood appointments created an atmosphere that I’m sure will become a magnet for locals and out-of-towners alike. Chef de Cuisine
Anthony Reyes’ extensive menu includes their famous steaks and chops plus a “Wagyu Longbone,” which is a 32-ounce ribeye for $89. Other dishes include bacon-wrapped scallops, crab cakes, cheesesteak eggrolls and a gorgeous “Shellfish Plateau” for two
for $75. On this night, the seafood bar was a sight to see with enormous ice sculptures flanking each end of a table that was overflowing with every sort of shellfish imaginable! I saw a lot of familiar, happy faces on this night and I’m pretty sure we will all be meeting there
again very soon! Del Frisco’s donated $10K to its charity, the Big Shoulders Fund, which provides support to
the Catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner-city Chicago. All this and charitable, too...can’t beat this combo! General Manager Troy Smith and Private Dining Coordinator Anna Saavedra must be so excited! (Open for lunch and dinner – call 312.888.2499 to make a reservation!)
The Splendor of Imperial Russia was the theme for the Woman’s Board of the Chicago Horticultural Society’s recent All Aboard! party. Co-chaired by Gail Miller and Alicia
Crawford, the evening began with a cocktail reception complemented by a caviar and vodka bar (my kind of party!) decorated with ice sculptures. The Russian mood was further enhanced by a performance
by Golosa, a Russian singing ensemble. Guests dined in sumptuous recreations of three Imperial palaces including The Catherine Palace; Peterhof, where Peter the Great exhibited
his love of fountains and all things gold; and The Winter Palace, that featured rich décor and the shimmer of ice. (Dramatic décor by Jody, Inc.) Set in and among the garden’s 10,000-square-foot indoor winter exhibition of garden scale trains, winter flora and 80
iconic Chicago landmarks, the evening set the tone for celebrating the season. Jewell Events Catering prepared a delicious menu which featured such passed
hors d’oeuvres as truffled golden beet and goat cheese on cracker bread, petit crepe beggars’ purses with wild mushrooms, very petite filet of salmon, a
pear and walnut sandwich and truffled pate on brioche toast. The Woman’s Board is in its second year of “Growing The Future,” a $1 million pledge to the Chicago Botanic Garden. All
Aboard! raised $300,000 to support the Garden’s Green Youth Farm and Windy City Harvest community gardening programs. For more info about Garden programs and events, please call 847.835.5440 or visit www.chicagobotanic.org. (Photos by Robin Carlson.)
I hope you can join me and NBC’s Marcus Riley when we co-host the New Year’s Eve Countdown for Chicago Empire 2013 on December 31st, beginning at 9 p.m. at Untitled, located at 111 W. Kinzie. Produced by Platinum Events, this black tie optional event will feature a performance by The Gold Coast All Stars with Chicago native turned LA superstar Mr. Robotic jamming out hits, while Platinum DJs Flaco and Wags spin all night! VH1 reality star and NY socialite “JRL” (Justin Ross Lee) and
MORE will also be there! Toast in the New Year with six rooms, a premium open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres and a midnight toast! If you know Platinum Events’ Justin Jacobson, you know this will be one fantastic party! (For tickets and more info on packages, please click here!
Cheeky Chicago and Vertigo Sky Lounge, located at 2 W. Erie, will be toasting the New Year with a Winter White Party. Beginning at 9 p.m., enjoy appetizers from Argent raw bar and specialty cocktails while dancing to the high energy sounds of DJ Mister Wolf on Chicago’s only year-round rooftop patio! Countdown the seconds until 2013 on a 12-foot screen while enjoying festive party favors, passed late night bites and a complimentary toast at midnight! (Tickets range from $125 to $200; to purchase tickets and obtain more info, please click here!)
“An Evening of Opulence” is the theme for a grand New Year’s Eve party presented by Genuine Entertainment and PR maven Monika Dixon at N9NE Steakhouse, located at 440 W. Randolph St. Beginning at 9 p.m., the evening will include an open bar, award-winning food and a decadent dessert buffet. DJ Madrid will keep the crowd fueled for fun! For tickets and more info, please click here!
If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Fine Arts Building during their holiday celebration (A Night at the Fine Arts Building), then you’ve been missing out on a lot of fun and holiday cheer! On Friday, December 14th, from 5 to 10 p.m. at 410 S. Michigan Ave., this legendary building’s 10 floors will be
teeming with entertainment by the artists of the building as well as from the Flat Iron Building and will include tap dancing, symphony, spoken word, opera, jazz, ballet, theatre recitals, chamber music, modern music, visual arts and so much more! (For more info, please visit www.nightatthefab.com.)
The Indie Incubator Film Fest, billed as a “night of kick-ass short films from regional filmmakers,” was recently held at Mother’s on Division. I was thrilled to be there to support two of
the coolest filmmakers I know, partners Josh Orr and Eric Gulbrandsen. Their short film series features three- to five-minute genre films and are not to be missed! Inspired in part by Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone” series, their two latest segments are chilling and creative. On
this night, more than 23 films were screened, with Josh and Eric WINNING for “Best Scare” for their first film, “Terms and Conditions.” Follow them on Facebook here. I can’t wait to see their NEXT film! Congrats and good luck, Josh and Eric!
The 35th annual Boys & Girls Club Gala was held at the Union League Club on November 3rd. These clubs provide 11,000 kids in Chicago’s inner city with academic, arts and athletic afterschool programs. Over the past 35 years, the clubs
have raised more than $3 million and benefitted more than 250,000 kids ages 6 to 18. This year’s gala, which raised $200,000, included silent and live auctions, a sit-down dinner and dancing to the Al Sophia Orchestra. Congrats! (Photos by Steve Starr, RIP.)
I’m so excited about the new ad campaign for CAMP Cosmetics, which is hitting magazines around town this month. I love seeing the ad in TCW Magazine as well as Michigan Avenue
Magazine! Darling CAMP founder Michael Perich also has a great article about his philosophy and company on page 35 (TCW Mag) so don’t miss it! I’m thrilled to be a part of this excitement with
my new Candid Candace lipstick! I hope you like it and I hope you buy it...it’s the shade I’ve always looked for and could never find! The whole CAMP line, which includes skin care and everything else you can think of, is fantastic, too! Color me coral! You can see the video from the shoot below! (Campaign photo by Amie Hana.)
And speaking of TCW Magazine, I’m thrilled to announce our online partnership which will include all of my “Candid Candace Chicago” shows on Watch312.com! So, make sure to check it out online here as well as on Watch312.com!
A big GET WELL WISH goes out to beloved photog Mila Samokhina. A recent health scare landed her in Skokie Hospital but she is back home now in the loving care of handsome husband, Arthur, and her daughter, glam-girl-about town Elena Samokhina. Love and get well soon – we all miss you! (Here is a photo of Mila being celebrated on the cover of Reclama! Much deserved, Mila Pila!)
I hope you’re all in the holiday spirit right about now and I hope you will send me some images of your festive décor so I can add them next week! Here’s a link to mine as well as this link to Debi Lilly’s beautiful A Perfect Event E-Magazine, which is filled with the most fabulous images, recipes and décor ideas! Congrats, Debi – love this and YOU! Have a great week and I hope to see you back here soon!
Love, as always,
Candace
[email protected]
P.S. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet for this wonderful Memorial Celebration of the life and legacy of Steve Starr on 12/12/12, please do it soon! The space at the John B. Murphy Auditorium only holds 325 and you won’t want to miss this! Beginning at 6 p.m. for a VIP reception, the evening will include entertainment, Steve’s remarkable “Face of the News” photo exhibition, cocktails, food from our town’s top restaurants and so much more! There will be some wonderful surprises, too! (For tickets and more info, please click here!
P.P.S. Jennifer Hudson and Jamar Rogers of “The Voice” were at the House of Blues last night for Michigan Avenue Magazine’s second cover party for Jennifer! Stay tuned for my “Candid Candace Chicago” coverage coming next week on Watch312.com!
OOH Another fun-filled week in Chicago! So great to live vicariously via your blog! Thanks again Candace!
Posted by: Lynne | December 5, 2012 at 03:44 PM