PLUS A VERY SEXY NIGHT AT CARNIVALE; LSCRF'S FAMILY-FRIENDLY PARTY; THOSE GIRLS GOT GAME; GIS OF COMEDY; TELLIN' TALES GOES FASHION FORWARD; MICH AVE MAG'S COVER PARTY; JDRF'S NIGHT OF GLAMOUR; GAGA AND TONY GO CHEEK TO CHEEK; FACE THE FUTURE WITH MARY ANN AND HEINZ; VICTOR EXHIBITS; DONUTS ANYONE?; WCIU'S "YOU & ME THIS MORNING'S" HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHICAGO VIDEO; A CAT GONE WILD; CAFFEINATED CLUB GOES HOLLYWOOD AND SO MUCH MORE!
The 22nd annual Bear Tie Ball, co-chaired by Nina Mariano and Paul Iacono, attracted more than 650 supporters and raised more than $760,000 for Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. To say this is a great event for a great cause is a massive understatement. If you've never been, make
sure to attend next year. The entire evening is filled with laughter, tears and inspiration and you'll also see most everyone you know all dressed in elegant black-tie, most wearing "bear" motifs in honor of The Bear, Barrett "Bear" Krupa. He is the namesake of the organization that was founded by his mother
Kathleen Casey in 1992, after he lost his 5 1/2 year battle with pediatric cancer. "Bear always had compassion and desperately wanted to help others. I know he's proud of the work we're doing in his memory," shared Casey.
Themed "Latin Nights", this year's event included an extensive silent auction that featured patients' artwork, a live auction conducted by retired Chicago Bears Anthony "Spice" Adams and Gary "Hit Man" Fencik (with an assist from co-chair Iacono),
dancing to the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance's Cuatro band and the Ken Arlen Evolution Orchestra and
entertainment by the Island Touch Dancers. During the live auction, Adams announced a lead gift of $30K from Tracy and Russ Scurto and Nancy and Paul Tamraz. The auction raised more than $114K total and included a trip to Abu Dhabi with
airfare provided by Qatar Airways (sold for $19K); a trip to Dubai with airfare provided Emirates (sold for $17K); three dinners from Chef
Tony Priolo (owner of Piccolo Sogno), to three winning bidders for a combined total of $23K. A cute, 8 week-old mini Australian Labradoodle puppy sold for $5K. Honorary
Bear Hug Ambassador Emily Crabtree spoke movingly of her cancer experience and questioned why no new drugs have been discovered in the past decade. Congrats to all the hard working people who made this night such a success! Read more in my Chicago Tribune column coming Sunday! (For more info about Bear Necessities, click here!) More Pics Here! (Fab Fotos by MILA SAMOKHINA!)
You could hear children's laughter as soon as you rounded the corner heading for the Grand Ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel for one of my favorite family events of the year, the Lynn Sage Cancer Research
Foundation’s Annual “Be My Valentine” Event. This party is always a children's paradise (for adults, too) and was a sellout--no surprise here. Co-chaired by Joanna Aaron and Sherri
Hoke, the afternoon event raised more than $93,000 to benefit the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation (LSCRF) and featured a scrumptious family brunch buffet,
Valentine’s activities for children and lively performances by kids’ folk musician, Little Miss Ann and internationally known acrobats, the Jesse White Tumblers, music from DJ Kareem and a sizzling performance from the All About Dance team. As if this weren't enough, other activities included sweet
treat decorating from Sweet Mandy B’s, ELTIF Designs bead bar for jewelry-making enthusiasts, an abundance of arts and craft children's projects, kiddie make-overs from Rock Candy Salon and Spa, adult make-overs from Beauty Babe, an Abt Electronics video arcade, amazing entertainers from Harris Kal Production, a story corner by
author Lisa Mallen, and step-and-repeat photos taken by Sheri Whitko Photography. Whew....I'm tired just writing about all this fun! Guests also took home fabulous silent auction and raffle prizes! Can you imagine? If you've never been, this is a must-attend party for families and their
little ones....It's like a mini-Disneyland right here in Chicago! For those of you unfamiliar with LSCRF, this organization (affiliated with Northwestern Medicine) has supported the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center raising nearly $30 million toward research and treatment for breast cancer. (Sheri Whitko Photography)
The 35th Anniversary Gala of Boys Hope Girls Hope was held February 21 at the Four Seasons with more than 350 guests. Themed the "Black and White Ball", the event honored community leaders Mary and John Clair Gallagher and their Gallagher Family Foundation with the Paul G. Sheridan S.J.
Leadership Award and Janet and Michael Hagen with the Joseph S. Kearney Heart of Gold Award. Guests were welcomed by Lisa Weber, president of the organization, who then thanked major event sponsors Col. Jennifer Pritzker and Lake Cable LLC. Auction co-chairs Martha Idler and Leticia Shinozaki put together an impressive array of items including trips to South America, Napa Valley,
Big Sky Montana, Nevis, designer handbags and a White Sox Skybox experience. The Ken Arlen Evolution Orchestra kept guests on the dance floor when they weren't "gambling" in a casino co-chaired by Kim Baker and Linda Furey and manned by the Junior Board of BHGH's Chris Brennan and Dan Cagney. Volunteer auctioneer Moriah Spicer (Hart
Davis Hart Wine Auction House) conducted a very lively and profitable live auction! Co-chaired by Stella Boyle and Michelle Palumbo, the event raised more $462,000 to benefit the organization whose mission is to educate and house at-risk children from high school through college.
What an amazing experience attending the 20th anniversary of the Girls in the Game Gala on February 26 at the Marriott. After driving up and down Michigan Avenue looking for the hotel entrance, my cab driver finally let me off on the Rush Street side. Talk about confused...Anyway, I met my
Tribune photographer Hilary Higgins at the registration desk and off we went to cover this wonderful event for a great cause. The silent auction tables seemed endless and included cool stuff like a wine country get-away in Napa; two tickets to see Ariana Grande at Allstate Arena; Bulls jerseys
signed by Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol; Notre Dame vs. Texas football tix and two Jon Stewart Daily Show VIP passes. I especially loved this cool idea-- having your voicemail recorded by the likes of Chicago Blackhawks' anthem singer Jim Cornelison or hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster
Blackhawks' Pat Foley OR WXRT's Lin Brehmer! About 600 guests attended this event that raised over $260K to support Girls in the Game, a Chicago-based non-profit organization that has changed the lives of more than 35,000 girls over its 20 years in operation. It's one of the only organizations in the area dedicated
to year-round, multi-sport and wellness programs for girls and young women and it welcomes girls of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. On this night, four amazing women were honored. To read ALL about it and see who, click here for my Chicago Tribune column! Congrats to ALL!
Chicagoland’s longest running musical theatre, The Marriott Theatre (10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire) kicked off its 40th anniversary season with one of Broadway’s all-time biggest hits, La Cage aux Folles. The 11-time Tony Award-winning musical,
the first to win Best Musical three times, opened February 4 and will run through March 22. Based on the 1973 French play by Jean Poiret and inspiration for the popular film The Birdcage starring Nathan Lane and Robin Williams, the heartwarming musical
features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman (Mame, Hello Dolly!) and a book by Harvey Fierstein (Newsies, Kinky Boots). Multi-Jeff Award nominee Joe Leonardo (The Marriott Theatre: The Light in the Piazza, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Grand Hotel: The Musical, Sweeney Todd and
Me and My Girl) directs. La Cage aux Folles stars Jeff Award-winners Gene Weygandt as “Albin” (Chicago Fire; National Tour of Wicked and Big: The Musical; The Marriott Theatre’s Me and My Girl) and David Hess as “Georges” (The Marriott Theatre’s Shenandoah; Broadway National Tours of Sweeney Todd and Annie Get your Gun), with Musical Direction by Ryan T. Nelson and the
Marriott debut of choreographer Melissa Zaremba. The beloved musical also features Marriott favorite Brian Bohr as “Jean-Michel”, Elizabeth Telford as “Anne,” Joseph Anthony Byrd as “Jacob” and Susan Moniz as “Jacqueline. (Michael Kutza LOVED it!) For tickets and more info, click here.
The GIs of Comedy will be at the Laugh Factory (3175 N. Broadway) on Sunday, March 29, to share its unique brand of humor as the "comedic troupe of troops." This group of veterans are the original "GIs of Comedy" and include founder Thom Tran (US
Army), PJ Walsh (US Navy), Eljaye Montenegro (US Air Force) and Jose Sarduy ( US Air Force). They have taken their love of country and brought it to the comedy stage with the motto “Standup Comics. All Veterans. Still Serving Their Country. One Joke At A Time.” “Comedy helps me get through the days. The good ones and the bad ones”, says founder Thom Tran. “I know
a lot of troops who are still struggling the way I am. Comedy helped me, so I want to help bring the laughter to them too. I’m an NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) at heart. My job is to take care of troops. That’s what I want to do. That’s what we all want to do." See the GIs of Comedy for the first time ever at Laugh Factory Chicago! Tickets are available here or by calling 773-327-3175. Comedy with heart. In 2014, the group traveled to 16 different countries to perform for US service members from all over the world and helped raise funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a military charity that raises college scholarships for the families of U.S. Special Operations personnel killed on duty. Gotta love it!
In honor of Mother’s Day, Tellin’ Tales Theatre will celebrate mothers and their
children of all shapes, sizes and abilities at Fashion Forward: A Mixed-Ability Fashion Show and Benefit Galaat7 p.m. on May 2 at the National Hellenic Museum (333 S. Halsted Street). Ten local designers will create original designs based on the fashion dreams of ten mothers and their children with and without
disabilities, who will also model the creations as the highlight of the evening. Light bites, signature cocktails, live and silent auctions, dance music and special guests will add to the gala celebration to benefit the year-round shows and programs of Tellin’ Tales Theatre whose mission is to "shatter barriers between the disabled and able-
bodied worlds through the transformative power of personal story." To top off the evening, young people, Nura Aly and TJ Nakano will receive the TaleBlazer Award for their strides in disability advocacy. “Whether a mother has a disability or not, this is an opportunity for her to look and feel absolutely beautiful and share the limelight with her son or daughter,” says Tekki Lomnicki, founder and artistic
director of Tellin’ Tales Theatre. For tickets, $75, and more info, click here!
I just love the cool cover of Michigan Avenue magazine this month! At its by-invite-only cover party, guests mingled with coverboy/actor/writer and Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk at Vertigo Sky Lounge at the dana hotel and spa.
The event celebrated the award-winning, multi-talented actor and writer’s cover as well as his upcoming AMC series premiering this month. Inside Michigan Avenue’s Spring issue, the Chicago
native and Second City alum opens up to his former fellow SNL writer Ben Stiller about staying grounded, taking risks, and how Chicago’s comedy scene taught him to be a dramatic actor. Michigan Avenue president/publisher Dan Uslan and editor-in-chief J.P. Anderson toasted Odenkirk and the new issue with cocktails provided by Wansas Tequila and specialty hors d’oeuvres by Vertigo Sky Lounge. Iconic Chicago jeweler C.D.Peacock featured its latest collection of timepieces. Read/see it all here!
Carnivale, known as one of Chicago’s sexiest restaurants for the last 10 years, heated things up with a special Valentine’s Day Preview fashion show, themed "50 Shades of Red". The show featured evening wear and late-night lingerie meant to inspire guests during their Valentine's Day
celebrations and beyond. “Carnivale is already known for its sexy vibe, so what better way to further awaken the senses than with a stylish and playful fashion show on a Sunday afternoon?” said General Manager, Tim Griffin. “We’re very excited to put an extravagant twist on our already over-the-top brunch.” Carnivale is located at 702 W. Fulton Market in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood and
features a Latin-fusion cuisine that explores dishes from Central and South America, Cuba, Spain and the Caribbean. Vamonos!!
I can't wait for you to see the wonderful
documentary, Valmeyer, IL., just released on YouTube. Filmmaker Danny Moore (Arcom Productions) hits just the right notes to bring Small Town, U.S.A. to life: the wonderful scenery; the memories of loving citizens; the hopes for its future and the drama and heartache of what was lost forever. Good luck to all involved! (I grew up not far from this little town on the banks of the Mississippi in Dupo, IL. The story and the imagery made me very, very homesick.)
The Junior League of Chicago held its inaugural winter fundraiser on 2/28 with more than 300 in attendance at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, home to America's only National Radio Hall of Fame. CBS 2's Erin Kennedy served as emcee and Melissa Schumacher and Karen McNamara were the
evening's co-chairs for this first time fundraiser that also included fabulous food from Blue Plate Catering, decadent decor from Kehoe Designs and great dance music by Green Thirteen. A highlight of the silent auction was a signed John Mellencamp guitar! Ann Brinkman Carstensen,
president of the JLC, said," "These hours and dollars are spent managing eight community projects across the neighborhoods of the city...projects ranging from literacy and leadership development to self-esteem
programs for teens and wellness programs for low-income families. But we don’t always do this work alone. We collaborate with organizations that share our commitment to finding solutions for some of the most challenging issues facing our
city today…organizations like Chicago Youth Programs, The Women’s Treatment Center, Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Public Library, Gilda’s Club and Ronald McDonald House." For more than 100 years, the JLC has been committed to improving the lives of women and children in need. Today, the organization provides nearly 200,000 hours of service and more than $60,000 in financial support to the community each year. The winter gala raised
more than $50K to support JLC's mission.
Fashion lovers, movie goers and Oscar fans brought Hollywood glamour to Chicago for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's annual Red Carpet event at Municipal Bar + Dining Company. Hosted by health expert Ashley Pettit and the Foundation's Young Leadership Committee, the event raised more than $16,000 in support of JDRF and its programming. With screens
broadcasting Hollywood’s biggest night throughout the event, partygoers also enjoyed small bites, sipped movie-themed cocktails, bid on exciting silent auction items and cast
their votes in an Oscar ballot game. Located in River North (216 W. Ohio), Municipal Bar + Dining Company is an upscale sports bar and industrial gastro-pub serving specialty entrees, gourmet burgers, seasonal salads and an assortment of sides and appetizers. Let's GO!
Here's a hot ticket! Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga will bring their exciting “Cheek To Cheek” Tour to Ravinia for two evenings, Friday and Saturday, June 26 and 27 at 8 pm. Last month their "Cheek to Cheek" collaboration was honored with a Grammy (Tony’s 18th!) for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.” It was released to rave reviews on September 23, 2014, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 album charts and was named Billboard’s #1 Jazz Album of the Year. This will be Tony’s 28th performance at Ravinia where he has been playing to sold-out crowds since
first headlining there in 1984. The 88-year-old music icon is riding a brand new wave in his 65-year career as he continues to pursue the art of excellence with the captivating 28-year-old Lady Gaga by his side. Love this dynamic duo! Tickets will go on sale for Ravinia donors on March 10; and to the general public on April 28. (Pavilion: $195.00/$180, Lawn: $49.00) For tickets
and more info, click here or call (847) 266-5100. (Ravinia is located at the intersection of Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads in Highland Park, IL.) You're welcome!
Good news! The Face the Future Foundation will honor two beloved Chicagoans on Saturday, March 14, at the Four Seasons. Mary Ann Rose and her darling hubby Heinz Kern will be presented
with the President's Award for their outstanding support of the charity and its mission. Honorary co-chairs are the equally darling Chef Art Smith and his Jesus Salguiero. Hope you can join me! For tix
and more info, click here!
Click! Click! Renowned photographer, Victor Skrebneski, will be celebrated in an exhibit, "Everything Old is New Again," at Firecat Projects, 2124 N. Damen
Avenue, beginning on Sunday, March 15, with an opening reception. The exhibition will run through March 24. Don't miss it! Congrats VS!
Sugar anyone? If you like donuts (duh?!), then look for a brand new food truck on the streets!
Firecakes Donuts is bringing their award-winning donuts to foodies on-the-go with the launch of its new truck, a 1968 Citroen that will be carrying honey glazed, maple glazed, pineapple and bacon, butterscotch praline, coconut cream classic jelly, old fashioned buttermilk donuts and more as
well as La Colombe Coffee! Yummy! #HittheGym
A special thanks to WCIU's "You & Me This Morning" for including me in their HAPPY 178TH BD CHICAGO segment produced by Chris DeRose! It was a happy surprise! See the video here!
I always like to leave you with a smile on your face, so if this video doesn't do it, check your pulse! :-)
Love, as always,
Candace
[email protected]
P.S. Congrats to Caffeinated Club's new Brand Ambassadors, Brett and Aubree Connors! Their L.A. billboards just rock!
Just full of good stuff! And so diverse! Thanks CANDACE!
Posted by: Lynne | March 26, 2015 at 01:39 PM