Category Archives: Movers and Shakers
JoJo Baby, Chicago Nightlife Legend
Jojo Baby, an influential artist and one of Chicago’s original club kids, has died at 51 years old.
Smartbar announced Jojo Baby’s death in a Tweet Tuesday, saying the artist was “near and dear to us all and to many in the drag community.”
“Jojo’s spirit will go unmatched,” and their “kindness, warmth and generosity will be sorely missed,” the bar wrote.
Jojo Baby was long a fixture in Chicago’s nightlife scene, performing at Debonair Social club in Wicker Park and hosting Queen!, Smartbar’s weekly Sunday night LGBTQ party in Lakeview. They became a legend and inspired decades of people who admired their artistry, kindness and strong sense of community.
Jojo Baby had recently started chemotherapy to treat their third cancer diagnosis, which was found in their liver, lungs and stomach, they told Block Club in November.
Jojo Baby remained active as an artist and drag performer, continuing to host nights at Queen! and displaying a collection of their hand-made dolls in a recent exhibition at Paris London Hong Kong, a private gallery in West Town.
The exhibition, named “The Bandages Are Off,” featured a scene of Jojo Baby’s hand-made dolls to tell visual stories, Chicago Gallery News reported. The name was inspired by Jojo Baby’s struggle with cancer, and the gallery featured works from years ago, as well as dolls they created between rounds of chemo.
In addition to working as a nightlife host and drag artist, Jojo Baby was a performer, multimedia artist, doll-maker and hairdresser.
They have been the subject of several books and films over the past decade, including a 2015 short documentary that focused on the artist’s history and gallery in Wicker Park.
“It’s like a glimpse into the past, before Instagram and building identities online,” producer Justin Moran told the Tribune in 2015.
The documentary follows Jojo Baby during a night out and features interviews with other drag queens and club kids who were inspired by the artist.
BlockClub Chicago did an awesome piece on Jojo with collections of tributes from Social media.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help JoJo Baby’s family with the funeral and memorial services, as well as the preservation of JoJo Baby’s artwork and legacy. Donate now.
Wing it with Wendy Sitti Chicago’s Hilarious Socialite
SHE IS thee Chicago Socialite and a woman of the world!
Laughter is best medicine and Wendy Sitti knows how to serve it up!
It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.
Wonderful, witty, wild and wacky, EVERYONE loves Wendy! With her infectious laugh and her wacky ways she will have you forget your troubles in a few short minutes.
Wing it with Wendy! Wendy Sitti now has a channel and a show! “I will have episodes of DIY Do it Yourself Shows, of various domestication from cooking, gardening, home improvement, travel to unique places and landmarks, in Drag Queen style. We will also have guest appearances by celebrities and film episodes from exotic places around the world to also my home!”
Truly entertaining! – BestGayChicago.com
We hope this channel will entertain you and teach you a new trick or two! At press time, 3 episodes are out now!
“I was born in Warsaw, Poland. The apple of my parents eye! I was raised on a farm and later went to work in my dads sausage factory. That is where I met Stanley in high school and where we went to prom. He was nice but I knew I needed something bigger, it must of been from being around all of that sausage. I wanted to go to America.” Wendy tells us.
“After saving enough money, I flew to Chicago and realized I had no place to stay. I called my cousin Rich and moved in with him.”
“I know America is the land of opportunity and I was excited to make it big. I dyed my hair black to fit in and have a different look. But then some woman, Mrs. Richfield told me I was moving in on her scene. I went back to my natural color and started doing all kinds of odd jobs. Cleaning rooms at a hotel on Halsted called Steamworks, to cleaning the rooms at the Elysium Hotel in Mykonos. I kind of became a big thing and I’m not talking about my boobs!”
“I enjoy fashion, drinking, socializing and hanging out with nice people. If you want your event to Pop, like my cherry then invite me!”
also Wendy on Instagram
and her website
Honorary Ralphi Rosario Blvd on Halsted Street
Ralphi Rosario is a pioneering house music DJ, a Grammy Award-nominated producer and soon he’ll be a Chicago landmark.
This past Saturday the City of Chicago dedicated a portion of North Halsted Street in Boystown (By Hydrate nightclub) in honor of Ralphi “The Razz” Rosario, according to Go Pride. Rosario was instrumental in spreading the house music sound as the youngest member of the Hot Mix 5, and later was nominated for a Grammy for Best Remix with Abel Aguilera for their remix of the Rihanna hit “Only Girl (In The World).”
“I’ve never really been a person to hype anything that I’ve done,” Ralphi told 5 Mag in a 2012 cover story. “I’ve always believed that the music and remixes should speak for themselves. I personally do not like getting in people’s faces about WHY my stuff isn’t played or WHY I’m not getting recognized or WHY I didn’t get the remix work, etc.
“I didn’t begin in the business on the intent of winning anything; I did it because music is a very strong trait for me. But this does mean the world to me – to know that not only my peers but all the fans and listeners are thanking me in this gracious way… They’re listening! [laughs]”
Penny Arcade at City Winery June 25
Penny Arcade’s one-woman-show Longing Lasts Longer
Tuesday, June 25 at 8:00 pm at City Winery Chicago
JUST IN TIME FOR PRIDE!!! The long-overdue Chicago debut of underground performance legend Penny Arcade and her one woman show Longing Lasts Longer is a rock n’ roll blend of stand-up comedy and memoir in which she offers perspectives on the effects of gentrification. Arcade’s performance is the same week as the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and PENNY WAS THERE THROWING BRICKS! (Note, she prefers the word “uprising” to “riots.”)
She was on the scene in NYC with Patti Smith, Lou Reed, and Andy Warhol, to drop a few names.
Arcade, also known as Susana Ventura, is an internationally respected performance artist, writer, poet, and experimental theater maker known for her magnetic stage presence, her take-no-prisoners wit, and her content rich plays and one-liners. She is the author of ten scripted performance plays and hundreds of performance art pieces. Arcade’s decade-long focus on the creation of community and inclusion as the goals of performance, and her efforts to use performance as a transformative act mark her as a true original in American theater and performance. The work she does has always focused on the other and the outsider, giving voice to those marginalized by society. Longing Lasts Longer’s street smarts and exuberance open a crack in our planet’s post-gentrified landscape with its razor sharp satire.
Tickets $25-35. citywinery.com/Chicago.
SNEAK PEAK ON YOUTUBE
Wanda Sykes and Adam Rippon September 14th!
The Chicago House Speaker Series Luncheon never disappoints! This year I am SO EXCITED, two people I think are just fantastic, Wanda Sykes and Adam Rippon will be speaking September 14, 2018!
I think everyone knows both of these names. Neither needs much an introduction.
In November 2008, Wanda Sykes publicly came out as a lesbian while at a same-sex marriage rally in Las Vegas regarding Proposition 8. Her career was really just taking off. A month earlier, Sykes had married her partner Alex Niedbalski, a French woman, whom she had met in 2006. The couple also became parents on April 27, 2009, when Alex gave birth to a pair of fraternal twins, daughter Olivia Lou and son Lucas Claude.
Wanda was not planning to come out publicly as a lesbian during her impromptu 2008 speech in Las Vegas. But she did!
“When I came out, it wasn’t a planned thing at all. It was a national day of protest against the passage of Prop 8,” Sykes says in an exclusive clip from the documentary. “I said, ‘Okay where’s the rally, we are going to go to the rally.’ And I did. And in my speech I said that I got married and I’m p—–.”
She realized later the magnitude of the statement.
“I get to the hotel, turn on the TV and on the CNN scroll it says ‘Comedian Wanda Sykes: ‘I’m proud to be gay.'”
“I was like, ‘Oh, this is a big (expletive) deal. I’m a black woman. A celebrity. And I’m out.’ It was big deal. No regrets
In 2009, she was named in Out magazine’s “Annual Power 50 List”, landing at number 35. In 2010 she won a GLAAD award for promoting a good image of equal rights for gays and lesbians.
ADAM RIPPON was everywhere this past year and became a household name.
If you hadn’t heard of figure skater Adam Rippon before the Pyeongchang Olympics, there’s no doubt you know him now. Rippon won a bronze medal with the U.S. in the team skate competition … and he stole the show with his personality and courageous story. Before posing for ESPN’s Body Issue, the “Dancing With the Stars: Athletes” champ weighed in on coming out, overcoming injury and competing at the highest level.
Adam is an inspiration to so many !
The first openly gay man to qualify and win a medal for the U.S. Winter Olympics team, Rippon went on to win Dancing With the Stars: Athletes.
He recently signed up to be a judge on Dancing With the Stars: Juniors, which premieres October 7 on ABC.
Time said he is one the most influential people of 2018! CHER said, “He has humility, grace and an incredible sense of humor.”
We all know and understand the importance of coming “OUT”. 30 years ago, we did not have these awesome role models we have today!
His mother, Kelly, raised her kids with tolerance. They went to Catholic school, but she exposed them to various religions and wouldn’t let them use words such as “stupid” or “hate.” But kids at school and things he watched and read made him feel like something was wrong with him. His voice was always a little higher. He tried to speak lower so no one would notice. His mannerisms were different from the other boys’. He tried to change those, too.
“I think about it now, and it’s so sad,” Rippon said. “. . . I hope young kids don’t ever have to feel like that.”
Chicago House, the leading social services provider for housing and support for those living with HIV/AIDS, is thrilled to announce the 2018 Speaker Series headlined by Wanda Sykes and Adam Rippon on Friday, September 14th. Held at the historic Hilton Chicago Grand Ballroom from 11 AM – 2 PM, the luncheon will feature an exclusive VIP meet and greet reception and premier cuisine benefiting Chicago House. Emceed by NBC Chicago reporter Chris Hush, guests can expect laughs, stories of triumphs and resilience from these two dynamic and prominent figures in the LGBTQ community as the 8th Speaker Series highlights the theme of “Authentic Selves.” Tickets $200-$500.
Sarah and Rachel – Lesbian Vloggers
We recently discovered these lesbian vloggers, who have been creating YouTube content for some time now! They recently relocated to Chicago. They create new vlogs as frequently as possible, plus unscripted comedy, challenges, travel and entrepreneurship videos, and LGBT advice content. Vegetarians and devoted moms to their kitten, Mumford.
Well it looks like you moved here from Iowa? How long have you been here in Chicago?
Yeah! We moved to the city in July and have loved every minute of it so far!
What brought you here?
Besides the appeal of a vibrant city with so much energy and activity, we were attracted to the opportunities to advance our career goals. There’s such a great LGBTQ+ community here that we love and we do a lot of traveling, so it’s a great centrally located hub with a big airport! There are, of course, it’s other perks: deep dish pizza, the amazing Chicago sports teams, and tons of vegan restaurants for us to try out!
How long have you been together?
We have been together for 5 and a half years! It’s been such a crazy ride, but we’ve loved exploring the world and starting a business together. It’s so special that we get to share our relationship online to help so many other people and document the things we do together.
How long have you been doing videos?
We started making videos in March of 2015. At that time we wanted to start a channel as a way to have a creative outlet and a place to practice our cinematography and editing skills, because of our interest in film. As we started to pick up a following, we realized that we really had an opportunity to share some of the difficult experiences we’ve been through with coming out, self acceptance, etc with our audience. We began to share our stories online and have since been able to help literally thousands of people who send us messages and use our channel as a resource for similar struggles. Our videos have led us across the world to countries in Europe and the Caribbean to create travels films, vlogs and attend conventions for YouTube creators. We would love to see one of these conventions come to Chicago someday!
Besides vlogging, do you both do other work in Chicago?
We both have small part time jobs within the city, but what we spend the most of our time doing and what we love the most is our work on YouTube and other social platforms. Being in Chicago has already afforded us some opportunities to attend events and get involved locally using our videos. We’re looking forward to continuing to grow that more and more!
Check them out here!
Also check their podcast “Between The Sheets” that comes out every Wednesday on iTunes and soundcloud!
House Music 5 Magazine Event
Saturday, August 26th, 2017
The leader in HOUSE MUSIC NEWS! 5 Magazine will celebrate their 12 Year Anniversary this month!
“It’s been a long road and we thank you all for continuing on with us. For this year we are so very excited to be having Baltimore and Phily representing!”
Karizma (R2/Kaytronik, Baltimore)
DEL (Do You Wanna Boogie, 5 Magazine, Philly)
CZBOOGIE (5 Magazine)
$12 Advance, $15 Before Midnight, $18 after
21 & Over / 10PM
http://5chicago.com/
https://soundcloud.com/
soundcloud.com/a-DEL-mix
https://soundcloud.com/
*Because of an early evening concert happening in Wrigley Field that night, we highly encourage people to take either the red line train (exit Addison) or an Uber. The nearby streets will be closed off until approximately 11pm.
Another option would be is to park several blocks away from Smartbar & then take an Uber from there. We will have more specific street information closer to the date.
We can’t wait to see you all!!! ♥
DJ BIOS:
KARIZMA
Kris Klayton is an award winning International DJ and electronic music producer/artist from Baltimore, Maryland, known for his wide genre of music production in Deep House, Deep Techno, Hip-Hop, Jazz and Broken bBeats, being sponsored by Pioneer because of
DEL
DEL is a senior editor for the leading house music source in America, 5 MAGAZINE, and his column, FOUNDATIONS, has connected music fans across generations. He is a resident partner in the Do You Wanna Boogie? events which are “must do” parties in the U.S. and Mexico! DEL has created edits and original productions including “NO FAKE” on Ospina Digital.
A true “selector” with knowledge and experience across nearly every dance genre… DEL always shares his positivity, energy, and soul! Dancers and music lovers know that when DEL is in the middle of it, SOMEBODY’S GONNA GET…
facebook.com/DELMIX
soundcloud.com/a-DEL-mix
mixcloud.com/DELmix
Twitter: discobush
Instagram: discobush
CZBOOGIE
Czarina Mirani (aka Czboogie) was originally a professional actress and dancer for most of her life with a serious love affair for House. In 2005 she launched 5 Magazine, North America’s only publication dedicated exclusively to underground House music. She has interviewed and worked with almost all of the House community’s biggest stars and continues to push for the next generation of talent.
Aside from being the publisher and editor-in-chief, she also does 5 Magazine radio shows and podcasts, promotes several House events in Chicago and has her own dance company (Fivestarboogie Productions) with dance performances and classes throughout the city. Her House dancing classes have been named by the Chicago Reader as the “best dance class in the city.”
Czboogie’s style of sexy vocal House music has made her an in demand DJ all over Chicago and in cities around the U.S. as well as in Asia. She has had DJ residencies at Smartbar (Chicago’s number one club for electronic music), Grandbar, Hydrate, 3 Degrees at Primary, Circuit, Evil Olive, Crocodile, Uptown Lounge, Cocktail, Drop Chicago, Urban’s House and with the legendary Boom Boom Room (the longest running House night in the world and renown host to world class DJs). One of the highlights was her Nu-Breed Residency with world-class House legends Cajmere and Chez Damier at Smartbar in 2012.
Check out www.5chicago.com for the digital version of 5 Magazine.
Todrick Hall in Chicago August 7 and September 10
Todrick Hall is a self-proclaimed queer, American singer, actor, dancer, director, choreographer, and wildly famous YouTuber!
He auditioned for the ninth season of American Idol, where he made it to the semi-finals. Since then, Hall has been performing on Broadway and YouTube.
As of January 31, 2016, Hall has exceeded 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. Videos on his channel have been played over 270 MILLION TIMES!
Videos of note include a flash mob thrown for Ariana Grande, a reinvention of the Wizard of Oz starring Pentatonix which was directed by and also stars Hall, and a Beyoncé themed flash mob performed in the middle of an actual Target store, which has garnered over 14 million views as of January 31, 2016, and which Beyoncé personally, publicly congratulated Hall on.
Todrick’s current North American Tour titled “Straight Outta Oz” is in full swing!
” Straight Outta Oz,” follows the triple threat performer as he embarks on his most ambitious tour yet: a full-length musical with original score by Hall, inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
The tour kicked off last week in Vancouver, and will continue through August. He’ll make a stop in Chicago at Thalia Hall, Sunday August 7th, 2016. GET TICKETS HERE – BEFORE THEY ARE GONE.
Awesomeness Films announced the start of production on their behind the scenes film following Todrick Hall’s upcoming tour and will be filming in Chicago at Thalia Hall!
Directed by Katherine Wright (Call Me Kuchu), the film will go behind-the-scenes as Todrick mounts the musical, which tells the story of his life growing up in small-town Texas, his struggle to come to Hollywood and eventually succeed.
Check out the video style album STRAIGHT OUTTA OZ here!
Get it on iTunes Here.
Then Todrick returns to Chicago Spetember 10th, for the 5th Annual OUT IN THE PARK event at Six Flags Great America! There will be a meet and greet with fans before the gates open at 7:30. Then Todrick will kick off the evening at 8pm with a couple live numbers! www.CelebrateDiversityChicago.com
BIG BOOK OF DRAG AND ART
WHAT A GORGEOUS BOOK! And for a coffee table art book, its very affordable at about $35! Why Drag?
224 pages of the biggest and most diverse queens across America and beyond, all answering the question, Why drag?
Everyone loves to gag over photographs of their favorite queens, and chances are, some of the photographs have been taken by talented drag queen photographer, Magnus Hastings. His popular Facebook page, Dragged Around the World, archives some of his best work.
This celebrated artist has been photographing drag queens for the past 10 years- and his artwork showcasing queens is taking the world by storm! LAST YEAR, Hastings’ first photo exhibition in New York, Why Drag?, ran during Pride, at the OUT HOTEL. The best part about this unique exhibition is that each queen he photographs explains why it is that they do drag (but you’ll have to the exhibit to see that!) – Now, you can get the book!
Magnus Hastings came up through the London Gay scene and quickly gained recognition as one of the forerunners of his type of the pop art photography. playing with campy ideas when it was not fashionable to do so and embracing drag queens as a subject and study. He says, a “child of drag,” prone to putting on his sister’s clothes and dancing around his childhood home. But he didn’t truly discover the drag world until much later, long after he himself had stopped dressing across gender lines.
He completely revamped the Gaydar franchise in 2009 and has been published worldwide in magazines such as Glamour (uk), GQ (uk), Cosmopolitan (Italy),People (usa) , US weekly (use), Attitude (uk) ,AXM (uk), Bent (uk), QX international (uk), Blue (australia), Boyz (uk), Nois (spain) to name a few.
In 2003, on a visit to Sydney, Hastings walked into the Arq nightclub and saw the drag queen Vanity Faire lip-syncing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz in a flawless Dorothy outfit. The experience changed his life.
“I started shooting drag because it’s my home and my world and it feels like my family,” Hastings said.
Watching that performance connected Hastings to a part of himself that he’d abandoned due to social pressures as a child but that he still longed to explore.
With Vanity’s guidance, Hastings began photographing the city’s vibrant drag scene and developing a polished, dynamic style of portraiture reflecting his subjects’ creativity and humor.
As he traveled the world, he continued capturing local queens with a focus on those who best represented the art’s diversity and daring, from the bearded to the “fishy,” or ultrafeminine.
His images attracted a larger audience when he started posting his photos to his Facebook group, “Dragged Around the World.”
Magnus now lives in Los Angeles with his Jack Russell named George and is heavily involved in photographing the drag scene.
‘Why Drag?‘ with photographs by Magnus Hastings and a foreword by Boy George, was published in May by Chronicle Books. BUY THE BOOK!
AIDS Foundation Gala May 16th
The BIGGEST Gala of the year is just 2 weeks away!
An incredible evening to remember and raise funds!
Plan to arrive at 6 pm! You will punch your way to prizes at our interactive and celebrated punch board (details coming soon) and enter chances to win a luxury vacation to Aruba or New York City in our raffle while sipping on spirits and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres
· Amy Landecker, star in Amazon Prime’s series Transparent and former AFC staff member, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies
· Tom Kehoe will receive the Community Impact Award; Ernie Rodriguez will receive the Lori Kaufman Volunteer Award
· Paddles will raise during our live auction for luxury vacations to Hawaii, Las Vegas and Coronado Island
· Paddles will raise again in honor of AFC’s innovative work in the community
· DJKiss will get you grooving to the best beats in town—dancing until midnight!
ALSO Save these dates!
Team to End AIDS Endurance Training Program Registration
August 15, 2015—Dance for Life
September 26, 2015—AIDS Run & Walk Chicago
December 3, 2015—World of Chocolate
Spring Fashion Brunch May 3rd
GOING…GOING…..ALMOST GONE!
This event sells out every year – and there are only a few seats left!
The Chicago House annual
Winter Garden Ballroom
Harold Washington Library | 400 S State Street
BUY TICKETS
This year’s Brunch event is all about celebrating Chicago House’s 30 Years of Service and the last three decades of fashion. In fact, all guests are invited to come dressed in his or her favorite fashion moment or trend from the past 30 years. The fashion certainly won’t be limited to the runway this year! EVERYONE dresses to impress!
Sip cocktails and mingle and browse the fantastic silent auction items.
After a lavish brunch by Jewell Events Catering, guests will turn to the runway and feast their eyes on elite fashions from Chicago’s best boutiques and most forward-thinking designers! Intermingled with the amazing displays of fashion will be thrilling musical and dance performances.
GET A TICKET WHILE THEY LAST! BUY TICKETS
Chicago Soap Makers Expanding
Chicago soapmakers Real. Soaps is expanding into a studio to increase production and begin teaching classes on soap making and natural products. But they need your help.
Shamus McClain started Real. Soaps because many “soaps” are not actually soap; they’re detergent, and the chemicals in them make them far less than natural – some are potentially dangerous. Sadly, it is this way with a lot of products, so I learned how to make them myself with REAL ingredients. I am self taught and since the beginning have been focused on taking what I have learned and sharing it with people so they can make smarter choices about the products they use.
What started as handmade, small-batch soap has grown over the past 3 years. I now have an ever-expanding line of all natural products. I continue to make every product in small batches with intention & care and with my own two hands. Real. Soaps has gained popularity through word of mouth, friends and family, Etsy, working with local shops, farmer’s markets, craft fairs and pop-up shops. I now stock over 20 stores here in Chicago and several out of state.
“Through 4 apartments I have been growing this company – and now Real. Soaps finally has a space to call its own! I have been offered an opportunity to grow my business in the form of my own work space. I will use this space to increase my own production and continue spreading the natural/green beauty message by teaching classes on how to make similar products on your own! As a maker, this will be my work space and a retail space for my product. As a teacher, I will share my knowledge with my community. ”
HELP THEM OUT HERE!
GLAAD Hatter Brunch Chicago April 4th 2015
IT’S BACK! The festive and fun 2015 GLAAD Hatter Brunch Benefit!
GLAAD Hatter, presented by Ketel One Vodka and MillerCoors, is a celebration of national and local leaders advancing LGBT equality.
At GLAAD it’s personal and we want your hat to be a personal expression of yourself while enjoying a sumptuous brunch with specialty brunch cocktails.
Whether impressive or understated, bridal or funeral, edible, perishable, sporty, floral, or with live birds in a cage — whatever hat you wear, you’ll fit right in. Prizes will be given away for “Best Hat” as well as “People’s Choice” for favorite hat. Enter to win raffle prizes from great companies throughout the Chicago area.
Tickets:
$150 for Two Tickets or $85 Individual Ticket Purchase Tickets
A significant portion of your ticket supports GLAAD. GLAAD rewrites the script on LGBT equality. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialog that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. GLAAD.org
Brad Walsh in Chicago @ Scarlet Bar
An “all-around Renaissance man” (Vogue Italia), singer/songwriter, producer, and visual artist Brad Walsh is “a chameleon extraordinaire” (ArjanWrites.com)
and an influential “modern-day St. Patrick” (Village Voice) whose music is “required listening” (Idolator.com).
Brad’s 2011 album Right Now was praised as “an 11-track tour-de-force of body-moving pop music” (Vogue Italia), “a dark yet club-friendly disc that delves into uncharacteristically personal territory” (The Advocate), and “an album of intelligence that inspires new thoughts upon every listen” (Electroqueer.com).
His remixes of songs by Adam Lambert (a #1 Billboard Hot Dance single), Sarah McLachlan, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Kanye West, Rihanna, and others have achieved over 13 million digital downloads to date.
His music has appeared in shows and commercials on television networks including Bravo, E!, Showtime, MTV, Logo, and CBS; and he composes original runway music as well as DJ sets for fashion shows at New York Fashion Week. Brad is recording a new full-length album for release in early 2015.
Also an accomplished photographer, Brad’s portrait and fashion images have appeared most notably in The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Elle, InStyle, Marie Claire, Style.com, Nylon, Blackbook, Teen Vogue, and Spin; in promotion or advertisement for Victoria’s Secret, TreSemme, Gibson Guitars, Payless, and J Shoes; and on the covers of books from major trade publishers.
Several of his portraits were purchased by GenArt to travel the country as a gallery tour called “Capture the Night,” and he was a featured artist with portrait sessions on Gilt.com.
Brad has served as a judge for fashion events around the country, and he designed a jewelry capsule collection available at retailers in the USA, UK, and Japan.
Brad and Christian Siriano, The Project Runway champ were engaged in 2013.
Brad will be at SCARLET providing the beats on Sunday January 25th for LIQUID BRUNCH!
3320 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60657
Stain Resistant Ground Breaking Fashion
It’s 2015 and the game of fashion is changing forever.
Nationally respected fashion designer, Borris Powell, who recently launched a brand new men’s line, has introduced nanotechnology to the fashion world.
“My luxury men’s and women’s lines will be stain resistant in 2015,” the designer says. “This technology is revolutionary and I’m ecstatic to be the spokesperson of it to the luxury fashion industry.”
Powell, who has partnered with ACT, the developer of the technology, drips wine on his jacket and the droplets fall right off. “The treatment of the clothing is nontoxic and environmentally safe. It sprays onto the clothing and with heat application can be ready in thirty minutes. It’s undetectable, resistant to water, oil, and dirt, breathable, and safe. You can’t even tell it’s there. The suit feels exactly the same.” It can be applied to everything and anything in Powell’s line—whether it be one of his Emmy, Oscars, or Grammy’s gowns, or his one-of-a-kind dapper suits. The only fabrics it cannot be applied to are Lycra and Spandex. “What’s worse than having a stain on your favorite blazer or vest? This isn’t a problem anymore. A gentleman always looks his best.”
“2015 is going to be so big,” he chimes in. “This is just the beginning.” The designer is known for his stunning looks and homage to the classic. His men’s line, which premiered in late 2014 and features up-and-coming Film Director Kyle Thomas as the face of the line, focuses on the gentleman. “Technology has changed the way we do everything: communicate, date, and present ourselves to the world. It’s time that technology become a part of our fashion,” Thomas states. Recently, Powell announced his role as the Creative Director of Fashion for the new series SEX + LOVE, with Thomas being the creator of the show. “Fashion is integral to how Millennials present their images to the world. People want that sense of glamour and romance,” Thomas states. Powell grins widely. “The gentleman is back and that’s what my newest campaign integrating nanotechnology shows.”
Photography by Ronald Leon Hale. Make-up by Kimberly Thomas-Schaffer. Location Odyssey Cruises in downtown Chicago.
For more information on Borris Powell,
For more information on SEX + LOVE,
Board Certified Hair Restoration Surgeon
Minimally Invasive Hair Restoration
With (FUE) Follicular Unit Extraction And Surgical Robotic Technology
International lecturer and teacher, Dr. William Yates, M.D., Board Certified Hair Restoration Surgeon, breaks through the old stereotypes of hair loss and hair transplant and brings Chicago’s North Shore the very latest cutting edge technological advancements in the field, offering patients an array of state-of-the-art facial and hair restoration services. He is a world-renowned expert in Follicular Unit Extraction.
He is so passionate and confident the Follicular Unit Extraction technique is superior to traditional methods; he only performs this highly skilled technique for hair transplantation.
Dr. Yates specialized skills make him one of the elite surgeons to educate and train other physicians to perform this specialized technique both locally and internationally.
What is FUE?
While performed under local anesthesia, the hair or follicular units are individually harvested or punched from the back of the scalp or donor area in the hands of Dr. Yates using whatever instrument is best for his patient to obtain optimal results. He utilizes the most advanced ARTAS Robotic Hair Transplant System or various manual, hand-held instruments to delicately punch out each individual hair follicle.
The camera system and algorithms in place with the robot or Dr. Yates skilled eyes and hands, choose the most robust hairs to remove for transplantation. With the traditional strip method for hair transplantation, not only do you have to take all hairs (even weak hair), the patient also incurs a painful cut, stitches and scar that they have to live with and conceal the rest of their lives.
Dr. Yates utilizes state of the art biological solutions such as Hypothermosol and ATPv (adenosine triphosphate) to store, protect and ensure optimal survival of these valuable grafts while awaiting transplant into the balding areas of the scalp for both men and women.
The finishing touch is completed by Dr. Yates artistic ability to create a natural hairline and hair density in his patient’s areas of thinning throughout the scalp. He uses micro-incisions to create sites to place each individual follicular unit, which will grow into a natural, undetectable pattern over the next year.
The results – – Phenomenal, Natural, Permanent Hair that patients can style anyway they desire without a scar in the back of the scalp. It’s cutting edge methodology like this that separates Dr. Yates’ concierge practice from the cookie cutter competition, who still rely on the antiquated guesswork with a scalpel from when they started 30 years ago.
“It’s permanent and not many people can do it right,” says Dr. Yates. “This is the investment that lasts.”
WITH FUE THERE ARE NO TRANVERSE VISIBLE SCARS ACROSS THE BACK OF THE HEAD
If someone is unable to shave the back of his or her scalp for FUE, he also has an answer for this. Dr. Yates is able to creatively trim the hair so that the donor area is completely concealed and you can return to work immediately without any visible signs of a procedure.
Dr. Yates is also very skilled at restoring facial hair such as beards, mustaches, goatees and eyebrows.
He also performs recovery and repair work on patients who have had multiple, visible scars; old-fashioned and undesirable plug procedures; and creative body hair (beard, chest, back hair) harvesting for transplantation for individuals who are “tapped out” of donor hair in the back of their scalp.
State of the Art
Non-Surgical Options…
PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)
This therapy has been FDA approved and utilized for over 30 years for advanced wound healing. Now, we are seeing exciting results with PRP for hair growth. A patient’s blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets to a specific concentration effective for hair growth. The platelets are then activated and injected back into the scalp at the level of the hair follicles. This process stimulates the body’s own growth factors and stem cells to slow hair loss, reverse miniaturized hair to produce a strong, visible hair again, and if used at the time of a hair transplant, it encourages faster graft growth. This has been very effective for both men and women.
Stromal Vascular Fraction or Stem Cell Therapy with Fat Transfer
Adult stem cells are most concentrated in our bodies in bone marrow and even more so in fat tissue or adipose. Dr. Yates is able to harvest these fat cells and concentrate and purify them in a centrifuge system. He then combines the fat cells with PRP to inject into the scalp to stimulate hair growth and stabilize further hair loss. This process offers even more benefits than just PRP alone by replacing the lost layer of subcutaneous fat in the scalp where the hair follicle thrives.
Scalp Micro-Pigmentation (SMP)
With SMP, pigment is used on the scalp to create the appearance of real hair follicles recreating hairlines, adding the appearance of density to thinning areas and covering unsightly scars. This advanced solution for hair loss replicates real shaven hair follicles on the scalp. The appearance is so realistic that it actually looks like you have hair. We know how the hair should look when pigmented, because that’s all we do everyday – HAIR! If someone has limited donor hair and has been told they were not a good candidate for a hair transplant procedure, they now have a great option! This is perfect for those who wear a very closely cropped hairstyle!
Hair Styling for Thinning Hair
Since hair loss affects so many people and everyone’s self-esteem, Dr. Yates even offers an onsite Licensed Cosmetologist with over 17 years of experience. She studied in Italy, Spain, Greece, Germany, New York, Miami and Chicago. She specializes in styling and educating patients to look their best if they suffer with hair loss.
Someone doesn’t have to be bald to feel the confidence shaking reality of hair loss. For many, it can appear as a lack of volume and expanding thinness. Slowly, their scalp becomes more apparent through the diminishing volume of their hair. Dr. Yates can stop that hair loss in its tracks and reduce the appearance of thinning hair for men and women using the most advanced treatments available in the industry.
When hair transplantation is done correctly by a proficient surgeon, the results look so natural that nobody would know you had a procedure. To achieve the best, natural, and attractive results, you need a meticulous surgeon with proven results.
The team at Yates Hair Science Group delivers the best care and quality everyday and are recognized leaders in the field.
213 N Stetson Ave, Chicago IL 60601
PHONE: 312-261-0872 or visit them online at dryateshairscience.com
Chicago House Celebrity Luncheon Oct. 15th
JUST A WEEK AWAY!
Chicago House is elated to announce its 6th Annual Speaker Series Luncheon, a conversation about Gender, Race, and Economic Disparity under the LGBTQ umbrella on October 15th, 2014 at the Hilton Grand Ballroom on 720 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL. The Panel Discussion and Moderated Q&A will begin at 12:30 PM with our esteemed speakers, Laverne Cox, an Emmy nominated transgender actress and LGBT activist, Jason Collins, a 13-year basketball veteran and the first openly gay NBA player, and Dustin Lance Black, social activist and Academy Award winning screenwriter for MILK. This year’s moderator is Gautam Raghavan, former LGBTQ advisor to President Obama and Vice President of Policy at the Gill Foundation. These three icons follow in the footsteps of previous speakers Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, President Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Whoopi Goldberg and Kenneth Cole, who have all shed light on the work of Chicago House relative to their efforts around the world.
The 6th Annual Speaker Series Luncheon marks a critical fundraising event for Chicago House’s desperately-needed services, and is an opportunity for a larger conversation on our nation’s growing inequality and disparity of wealth. Individuals who identify as LGBTQ are significantly more likely of being disadvantaged socio-economically. LGBTQ persons, despite having more education than the national average, make less money than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, particularly if they are African American. Chicago House seeks to respond to these alarming statistics by highlighting not only the great need, but also the moral imperative that the LGBTQ community has to care for its own members living in poverty.
As we approach our 30th anniversary, Chicago House looks to its origins focusing on HIV/AIDS, poverty, and LGBTQ persons. With the nation’s first and largest employment program for those with HIV/AIDS and our recently opened Translife Center, Chicago House continues its commitment to engage in action and conversations building towards a movement of inclusivity and economic advancement for those marginalized in the LGBTQ community. This is a conversation the entire community should be having; this is the next big issue we face.
Together, we stand at crossroads of progress in HIV/AIDS stigma, civil equality, and economic disparity. With your continued support, we may celebrate our victories and the lives of individuals and families that Chicago House serves.
We encourage you to be present for what we are sure will be a revolutionary event. To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor, contact Lori Byars at 773-248-5200 x209. Additional information is also available at www.chicagohouse.org.
Chicago House Speakers Series Oct. 15th
Please join us for the Inspirational Event of the season!
The Chicago House
6th Anniversary Speaker Series Luncheon
Wednesday, October 15th from 11:30am – 2:00pm
Hilton Chicago | Grand Ballroom | 720 S. Michigan Avenue
Featuring:
Laverne Cox (Orange Is The New Black Actress)
Jason Collins (NBA Player)
Dustin Lance Black (MILK Screenwriter)
Buy Tickets at www.chicagohouse.org
Spearheading a much-needed conversation about race, gender identity, class and solidarity, they will all be joined with remarks by Chicago House CEO Stan Sloan during this much anticipated and inspirational afternoon!
Led by Co-Chairs Chicago House Trustee Todd Hamilton of Bolder Capital and the founders of Global Act, a nonprofit agency committed to accelerating “understanding, ideas, partnerships, and activities to solve pressing issues,” guests will enjoy a three-course lunch in the Chicago Hilton’s beautiful Grand Ballroom. The event, now in its sixth year, expects nearly 1,000 attendees, and will kick off with a VIP reception, followed by a lunch presentation and panel discussion featuring Cox, Collins and Black.
“This event is the follow up answer to the question of, ‘How can you possibly rival Hillary Clinton as your speaker last September?’” says CEO Rev. Stan Sloan. “Our answer is to have a conversation that the whole nation should be having about poverty, gender identity, race and solidarity. It is very exciting for us to feature the insights and perspectives of Laverne Cox as a black transgender woman as well as other nationally known voices like Jason Collins and Dustin Lance Black!”
Buy Tickets at www.chicagohouse.org
Chicagos Borris Powell and Kyle Thomas Partner for Fashion
LEADING FILM & FASHION ARTISTS PARTNER
This summer, a momentous partnership will shake LGBT entertainment and fashion.
Nationally respected fashion designer, Borris Powell, on the cusp of launching a brand new men’s line, has chosen rising star film director/producer, Kyle Thomas, as the face of his anticipated “Freedom” line.
The line, which is slated to launch in Fall 2014, features a distinctly gentlemanly style, which is a core value both artists identify within their brands. “One chooses to be a gentleman. It takes style, sophistication, manners, and confidence to pull that off. And my new line harbors exactly that, with clean lines and quality craftsmanship. I want men to wear my clothes and feel the gentleman within them come alive,” Powell says, of his new line. “We’ve been producing several editorials and we can’t wait to release them.”
Kyle Thomas, who is producing and directing the highly anticipated upcoming show, SEX + LOVE, is honored to partner with Powell. “There’s a huge shift in culture with marriage being granted to LGBT individuals, and Borris and I have had long conversations about how there’s a desire within gay culture to focus less on the raw sexuality of past decades and to now be courted by a gentleman. Being a gentleman is inherently classic. We grew up on Disney films. It doesn’t matter whether you’re straight or gay, being a gentleman is sexy,” Thomas states.
“Borris saw the first cuts of SEX + LOVE and instantly related with the characters, themes, and struggles inherent in the story. The series documents how technology has created a broken road to romance for many of us. In a world with so many different viewpoints on love and sex, and with a cornucopia of options at your fingertips via social media, how does one find what one is looking for?” Thomas says of the series. “SEX + LOVE captures that struggle, that comedy, and that heartbreak.”
With both of their careers reaching new levels of success and many exciting things in development for the coming months and year, the two believe their partnership in film and fashion will be able to touch a wider audience. “It’s about the art and the way that we can make people feel. We want to give people that sense of glamour and romance, whether it be for three hours when she’s in my gown or he’s in my suit,” Powell said. “Or for the brief time to watch an episode,” Thomas added. “We all want that romance and fantasy, and those things exist here and now. You just have to believe in them once again.”
For more information on Borris Powell, visit: http://www.borrispowell.com/
For more information on SEX + LOVE, visit: http://www.sexandloveshow.com/
Tickets for FREEDOM show at Block 37
Taverna 750 Unveils New Summer Drinks by Suzy Wong
Taverna 750
Announces New
Celebrity Mixologist
Taverna 750 is known for their Italian inspired shared plates and martinis, is taking their cocktails to the next level.
Now Taverna 750 will partner with Arnold Myint with inspiration from his alter ego Suzy Wong, to fuse the spirit of cocktails and nightlife with dining.
Taverna 750 is already known for their house made cellos, a traditional Italian liqueur that is used throughout the majority of their cocktails that are exclusive and unique to the restaurant. (FYI, in case you still have not been there – All martinis are served with a sidecar, an extra portion kept on ice, or an extra refill, which makes them fun for sharing for a girls or boys night out or date night).
Arnold Myint is a Nashville native, who is Executive Chef and Owner of three popular restaurants in Nashville; {blvd}, PM, and Suzy Wong’s House of Yum. His establishments have been recognized locally on numerous occasions as “the best of” and he continues to grow his brand on the national level as reflected in publications such as GQ Magazine, eater.com, and as a contestant on the popular Emmy award winning television program Top Chef. Arnold’s mixology approach is mirrored by his colorful life and alter ego, Suzy Wong.
Arnold’s Suzy Wong, is a domestic diva, event hostess, philanthropist, and savvy mixologist who is known as “The Cocktail Queen” and currently produces a web series; “Serve Fabulous” suzywongbna.com/serve-fabulous/. She was Miss Gay Tennessee America 2012 and Miss Gay Mid America 2013. She placed in the top ten, sixth over all contestants, last fall as Miss Gay America St. Louis, MO. Arnold is currently working on a new endeavor and creating his own wine label “SHOW PONY”. He has teamed up with some of the best drag queens throughout the country to market and campaign the new series of wine, which will debut in Chicago at Taverna 750. Drag queens including RAJA, season 3 Winner of RuPauls’s Drag Race, and Chicago’s very own, TRANNIKA REX, who you can see monthly hosting Trannika’s Most Wanted at the popular nightclub, Scarlet. Taverna 750 will use the energy of Arnold’s approach to their drink program to continue to grow the popularity of their nightlife approach to dinner service and their popular weekend Martini Brunch.
Taverna 750 will host a launch party of the new wine SHOW PONY along with Arnold’s newest cocktail creations for the restaurant on July 5th, along with RAJA and Trannika Rex in attendance.
NEW DRINKS!
Cucumber Caparinha
Cachaca, Limoncello, Cucumber Juice, Rosemary Syrup, Lemon Juice, Mint Leaves
Raspberry Spritzer
Hennessy, Raspberry Syrup, Orangecello, Chandon Brut
Lavender Martini
Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin, Canteloupe, Brovo Lavender Liqueur, Orangecello, Lemon Juice, Lemon/Lime Soda, Chandon Brut
Mezcal Punch
Monte Alban Mezcal, Bacardi White Rum, 3Olives Vanilla Vodka, Grapefruitcello, Grapefruit Juice, Simple Syrup, Lemon/Lime Soda, Grapefruit Zest
Pistachio Sour
Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey, Pistachio Liqueur, Amaretto, Apricot Syrup, Orange Peel
Bay Leaf Martini
Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey, Lemon Bay Leaf Syrup, Limoncello, Lemon Juice, Orange Bitters, Lemon/Lime Soda
Celery Gin Rocks
Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin, Celery Syrup, Green Chartreuse, Fresh Squeezed Lemon, Pink Peppercorn Rim
Sloe Gin Gimlet
Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin, Lemon Bay Leaf Syrup, Fresh Squeezed Lemon, Sloe Gin, Bay Leaf Sugar Rim
Tequila Spice
Maestro Dobel Tequila, Chili Cherry Lime Syrup, Orangecello, Fresh Squeezed Orange, Fresh Squeezed Lime
Cherry Coke
Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey, Cherry Heering, Celloed Cherry Juice, Raspberry Syrup, Ginger Beer, Coke
TAVERNA 750
750 W. Cornelia
Chicago, IL 60657
773.904.7466
