Monthly Archives: September 2012
Markus Ford of Élever Chicago Presents a Pop Up Restaurant Oct. 13, 2012
By now you are already hip to the trend of
“Pop Up” restaurants. And if not, you have a lot of catching up to do.
For those of you who were in attendance at “Internationale – Spring 2012” you already know the scene – pure decadence. Chef Markus Ford of Élever
Chicago presented foods from his travels through Budapest, Prague and
Vienna.
This fall, he wants to take you again through some of his
favorite savory destinations.
Your
flight departs on Saturday, October 13th, beginning at 5pm CST, and
every hour on the hour thereafter until 9pm CST.
Economy Class will feature four courses from all over the world for $65/person. Book a party of 10 or more and be bumped up to Business Class with a complimentary glass of champagne. BETTER YET, READERS OF THIS SITE MAY ALSO GET BUMPED UP TO BUSINESS CLASS. IN YOUR PAYPAL NOTES, MENTION THIS SITE!
The total flight time should be approximately 2 hours, maybe less with good tailwinds.
passengers will be treated to a dining experience in an open kitchen
atmosphere with foods prepared directly in front of them by Chef Markus
Ford. Guests who choose to fly First Class will enjoy a private hors
d’oeuvre reception in the Admiral’s Club, in-flight snacks served by our
lovely flight attendants, a champagne greet, unlimited drinks, a
7-course meal complete with boutique vintage wine pairings, a table side
visit from the Élever Chicago
Sommelier, specialty cocktails and food that the Chef has personally
experienced from Egypt, Spain, Morocco, Greece, Austria, France and
Italy. The First Class experience is limited to 30 exclusive guests on a
first-come, first-served basis. $160 The total flight time should be a
leisurely 3 hours 30 minutes, cruising at an altitude of maximum
opulence. “Internationale II, First Class” departs promptly at 7pm CST.
Boarding will be at the
Centered Chef, 177 N Ada. Right near Randolph, Lake and Ogden, in the heart of the Randolph restaurant neighborhood.
BOOK NOW ONLINE!
Kinky Boots Chicago FREE TICKET Giveaway By Kinky® Liqueur
As the official drink of Kinky Boots, KINKY® Liqueur will further showcase its pretty and playful profile for girls (and guys) who just wanna fun.
From four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and Grammy Award-winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper comes the exhilarating new musical Kinky Boots, directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell.
“We are thrilled to have KINKY® Liqueur as a sponsor of the World
Premiere of Kinky Boots in Chicago and of the Broadway opening,” said Daryl
Roth and Hal Luftig, lead producers of Kinky Boots. “This partnership is a
perfect fit for us, and we look forward to a long relationship together.”
CHECK THIS OUT!
tell us ONE WORD that
describes your KINKY ness or what makes you KINKY. (please, no x-rated comments).Crosby Lake Spirits Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a fusion of super
premium vodka and a playful combination of fruits.
times with succulent mango, blood orange liqueur and passion fruit!
Shop their online store at Kinkyliqueurstore.com!
The 750ml bottle retails at $19.99 and to try a
sampling, a 50ml “Li’l KINKY®” bottle is $1.49.
ROSCOES Dante on Fire Auditions Sept 30th & Oct 1
“Dante on Fire” is a boylesque interpretation of Dante’s Inferno. The show follows Dante, who must travel with the poet Virgil through the nine circles of hell to save not only the soul of his beloved, but his own. Each circle of hell will be portrayed as a unique burlesque number featuring music from Christina Aguilera, Scissor Sisters, Donovan, The Goldfrapps, Gogol Bordello and more!
Fran Lebowitz in Chicago Oct. 2, 2012
Fran Lebowitz
Oct. 2, 2012 (7:30 p.m.)
*Harris Theater Debut
Fran Lebowitz
– acclaimed author and witty chronicler of the “me decade” – will
appear on the Harris Theater stage exactly one month before America
heads to polls. Her performance – “A State of the Union Conversation” –
will be moderated by Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Martha Lavey.
The special evening of conversation will be followed by lively interaction with audience members. Lebowitz, considered by many as the heir to Dorothy Parker, is famous for her contributions to Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, and she recently was the subject of Martin Scorsese’s HBO documentary “Public Speaking.” The show was a terrifically entertaining romp, and Fran even manages to almost sort of finally seem to come out as a lesbian at last.
When discussing gay rights, she says it’s weird that gay people are
fighting to marry and be in the armed forces — those seem like the
antithesis of freedom, she says, adding that they’re not rights she
particularly wants for herself (though she’d vote for them since other people want them so badly).
She will make her Harris Theater debut at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 2, 2012. The Harris Theater for Music and Dance is at 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago, IL. Tickets are available at 312-334-7777, or online at Harristheaterchicago.org/
Edge Alliance Fundraiser Nov. 18, 2012
On November 17, EdgeAlliance, formerly known as AIDSCare,
Anniversary of its founding.
largest fundraising event of the year attracting over 400 community,
corporate and civic leaders in celebration of EdgeAlliance’’s 20-year
milestone and YOU! our cherished friends and partners.
If
you are unable to attend The YOU! Ball, please consider making acontribution in lieu of attending the event! All donations will be used
to continue the work of EdgeAlliance in helping those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and Veterans who are homeless.
My Private Chef Presents Fall Cooking Class at Treasure Island
OCTOBER 9, 2012
MY PRIVATE CHEF PRESENTS A FALL COOKING CLASS AT TREASURE ISLAND COOKING SCHOOL, CHICAGO
Looking for some new cooking ideas for fall?
Chef Christopher Tong, of the upscale Chicago-based private gourmet dining service, My Private Chef. He has been invited to demonstrate some delicious recipes perfect for Fall entertaining.
This cooking class is at the on-site classroom at the Treasure Island Foods at 2121 North Clybourn, Chicago. It will be held on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 from 7pm-9pm. The cost is $9.00 per person.
Advance registration is requested to reserve your place in the class. To register for the class, visit tifoods.com/cooking_school/class_schedule/
For more information about My Private Chef, contact Event Services at 773.981.8131 or visit our web site: Myprivatechef.net
Chick-Fil-A HAS NOT changed their Policy for Donations
How did this happen??
Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy told Mike Huckabee that contrary to reports announced this week
by Chicago LGBT rights group The Civil Rights Agenda and Chicago
alderman Joe Moreno, Chick-fil-A has NOT agreed to end its anti-gay
donations.
Mike Huckabee writes on his website:
I talked earlier today personally with
Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick Fil-A about the new reports that Chick Fil-A had
capitulated to demands of the supporters of same sex marriage. This is
not true. The company continues to focus on the fair treatment of all of
its customers and employees, but to end confusion gave me this
statement:
“There continues to be erroneous implications in the
media that Chick-fil-A changed our practices and priorities in order to
obtain permission for a new restaurant in Chicago. That is incorrect.
Chick-fil-A made no such concessions, and we remain true to who we are
and who we have been.”
In part, the press release from CRA states: September 18, 2012 – Chicago, Illinois – The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA),
Illinois’ leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil
rights advocacy organization, has learned that Alderman Moreno has
finalized his negotiations with Chick-Fil-A. Alderman Moreno has
confirmed that Chick-fil-A will no longer give money to anti-gay
organizations and that they have clarified in an internal document that
the company will treat every person equally, regardless of sexual
orientation. The Civil Rights Agenda worked closely with the Alderman in
an advisory role as he negotiated these concessions with the executives
at Chick-fil-A. Additionally, members of TCRA spoke directly with
executives at Chick-fil-A during negotiations to aid in educating their
decision makers about anti-discrimination policies and issues affecting
the LGBT community.
We have called both Alderman Moreno AND The Civil Rights Agenda –
Anthony Martinez from TCRA said, “We
would like clarification from Mr. Cathy and Alderman Moreno on this
matter. Chick-fil-A either lied or they are being very stealth about how
they characterize this matter with their base.”
Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno is confused, and rightfully so.
Thanks in part to Moreno’s efforts, fast food franchise Chick-fil-A last week vowed to stop funding any political groups, especially anti-gay groups it backed in the past. Then, two days later, homophobic company CEO Dan Cathy tweeted support for a discriminatory group, a move Moreno says “muddied” the debate.
“[That
tweet], at the least, muddied the progress we had made with Chick-fil-A
and, at the worst, contradicted the documents and promises Chick-fil-A
made to me and the community earlier this month.”
More from CNN:
[Moreno] said the executives confirmed to him that both the
foundation and the company in 2012 has not given money and will not give
money to those groups.Cathy’s conflicting statement, Moreno said Sunday, is “disturbing.”
“I
am simply asking Mr. Cathy to confirm statements and documents that HIS
company executives provided to me,” Moreno said in a written statement,
capitalizing “his” for emphasis.“It’s pretty simple, Mr. Cathy.
Do you acknowledge and support the policies that your executives
outlined to me in writing or do you not? Yes or no?” the statement
added.
CHICAGO HOUSE Selected for National Grant to Support Care and Treatment of Transgender Community
It was announced that local
non-profit leader in AIDS services, Chicago House, was selected as one of eight
national grant sites to study the link between HIV and retention in care of
transgender women of color. The study, which will be housed in Chicago
House’s all new TransLife Center (TLC), will allow $300,000 per year for
the next five years from the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) as a Special Program of National Significance.
The TLC programming will serve as a
collaborative comprehensive and multi-strategy approach to identifying HIV-positive
transgender women of color who are out of care, while engaging them
successfully in accessible, quality HIV primary care.
In leveraging
the resources and expertise of five project partners – AIDS Foundation of
Chicago, Center On Halsted, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Heartland Health
Outreach, and South Side Help Center – Chicago House will identify
transgender women of color living with HIV, create a broad network of
culturally competent healthcare providers, and deliver an array of services that
help marginalized transgender women overcome barriers to care.
“The TransLife Center Programming will incorporate
three tiers of support to the habitually overlooked “T” in the LGBT
community,” commented Chicago House CEO, Stan
Sloan. “TransHousing
will provide a safe and understanding home to transgender men and women,
through the rebirth of our original 24-hour-care building in Edgewater and
multiple scattered site units throughout the city. TransWorks, an offshoot of our highly
successful employment program, will work with trans men and women to identify
their unique employment placement needs and prepare them for the workplace
through resume writing, interview skills, and connections to culturally
competent job opportunities.” Sloan continued, “The final
element, TransHealth, will
connect trans men and women to non judgmental health care addressing their
unique needs through Dr. Rob Garafolo of Lurie Children’s Hospital.”
HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care
services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.
“Chicago House remains committed to providing the best
in services to the homeless and HIV affected, and the integral TransHealth funding from HRSA further validates
the needs that we have identified within the transgender community,”
Sloan said. “The growth in reaching out to this population
represents the same trailblazing growth our founders had in mind 27 years ago,
and it is a wonderful next incarnation for our former hospice site. The
transgender community has been so strategic and receptive in helping us develop
the programs, and we are excited to begin this next step of Chicago
House’s history.”
About Chicago
House
The first organization of it’s kind in the Midwest, since 1985 Chicago
House has provided permanent housing and supportive services to men,
women and children living with HIV and AIDS. Their programs have since
expanded to include community case management, substance abuse counseling, HIV
prevention, medical adherence and the Midwest’s
first employment training and placement program specific to people with
HIV. Chicago House also
offers free, anonymous rapid HIV testing. For more information, visit www.chicagohouse.org.
Lincoln Park Attack on Gay Men Leaves One Man Hospitalized
We have to remember,
haters are everywhere.
Chicago AIDS Run Walk Deadlines
We’re only 15 days away from AIDS Run & Walk
Chicago. It’s shaping up to be quite a day with Wanda Sykes and Michael
Feinstein joining us at the start line, and Jamar Rogers from NBC’s The
Voice performing during closing ceremonies. September
30 will be filled with some great energy and awareness at Soldier
Field. Thank you for joining us for this spectacular event and in our
fight against HIV/AIDS.
Today and Wednesday are two very important
deadlines for the event.
Today is the last day that RUNNERS can
pre-register for the event.
For WALKERS, the last day to pre-register
will be end of day Wednesday, September 19. Interested participants
may pre-register online at Aidsrunwalk.org.
WIZARD WALK Bar crawl Oct 6th
On Oct 6, 2012, The Wizard Walk will be hosting the 1st annual bar
crawl and all the wizards in the area are invited for a theme day in Andersonville.
This is a free event
including drink and food specials, specialty shots, and some of the most
memorable photo ops of the year! Stops
included on the Crawl are The Sofo Tap, T’s, Simon’s Tavern, Lady Gregory’s and
Hamburger Mary’s.
“A group of us came
up with
the idea for this pub crawl after the last Harry Potter movie. Who
wants to fun to end? We are hoping for a 50-person turnout for
this inaugural event.
Come check us out on Facebook and invite others – http://www.facebook.com/
says Ray Villares, Wizard Walk organizer.
TPAN 25 Celebration October 4th, 2012
The 25th Hour: Celebrating A Quarter-Century of Service, an important
event that will commemorate our 25th year of providing services to
Chicago’s HIV community at the historic Chicago Cultural Center. This
distinctive event will be a chic, fun-filled celebration with special
chef tastings, visual art, and live music by the soulful singer, Jamar
Rogers from NBC’s The Voice. TPAN will honor individuals who have made a
huge impact on Chicago’s HIV community.
As Chicago’s oldest peer-led HIV service provider, TPAN ensures that
all people living with or at risk for HIV have access, under one roof,
to free, confidential testing and counseling; education about the best
options for prevention, treatment, and ancillary care through our
programs and national journal, Positively Aware; and ongoing
psychosocial support. TPAN also goes out into the community to provide
prevention education and testing.
After a quarter century of service, the work continues. TPAN is
committed to living. We hope you will join us in that commitment.
October 4th, 2012 5:30-8:30 at Chicago beautiful Cultural Center!
Tickets: $75 – $150 ONLINE NOW
KINKY BOOTS in Chicago with Cyndi Lauper Benefit Night Oct. 11
Kinky Boots will strut its stuff Oct. 4-Nov. 2 at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago, prior to a 2013 Broadway arrival. Kinky Boots is produced by Tony winners Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig.
Based on the 2005 British film of the same title, the musical has a score by Lauper, with a book by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, Newsies) and direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (2004’s La Cage aux Folles, Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can).
CHECK THIS OUT!
| Get Kinky with ALCC and Cyndi Lauper! | |
| Join ALCC on Thursday, October 11 at a pre-Broadway performance of Kinky Boots – The Musical and a cocktail reception with the one-and-only Cyndi Lauper! All tickets purchased through ALCC include access to a private reception |
|
September 8 & 9 – Gay Six Flags and Gay Beach Parties
BY NOW, I hope most of you have your tickets for the BIG EVENT this Saturday!
You can buy tickets for $35 until late Friday night. Then the price goes to $45 PLUS another $20 for your parking. So SAVE $30 and buy by Friday night!!
A portion of ALL ticket sales will benefit TPAN!
And don’t forget, the FREE beach party the next day!
::::Retox Party::::
First, we are
OUT IN THE PARK
at Six Flags
(www.GaySixFlagsChicago.com)
then we are OUT AT THE BEACH
at Hollywood Beach!
A Retox Event with
BestGayChicago.com and Mini Bar!
CO$T: FREE.
Goes Noon until 6PM!
Music by Joey Kissling!
Suggested attire -Wear a WHITE bathing suit, swimwear, underwear
tightie whities, or board shorts. Prizes for BEST Basket, etc…
NO LIFEGUARDS will be on duty.
Dogs are allowed. So is drinking and smoking!
Come to relax, retox, & recover OR
to socialize & bump & grind
on the Beach with all the hottest Chicago guys & BestGayChicago.com and the Boys of MINI BAR!
MiniBar is the official sponsor and will be on hand to keep the party
jumping and the Official After The Beach Party…RETOX will happen
back at Mini Bar, in Boystown! 3341 N. Halsted.
With lots of cool drink specials!
Pride Films and Plays Writers Contest
Pride Films and Plays is accepting entries into the Great Gay Play and Musical Contest now through October 22, 2012.
Each of the five finalists will receive $400, and their scripts will be performed as ‘enhanced staged readings’ during Gay Play Weekend at Center on Halsted, Chicago, in spring 2013.
A complete list of contest rules can be found here. Our list of judges for the contest is extensive and includes veteran theater directors, an international array of Artistic Directors and Academic Professionals, and well as working professionals from across the country. Please note there is an entry fee to enter the contest, but Dramatist Guild Members may enter the contest for free between September 8 and 15, 2012. Date for final entry is October 22, 2012.
For more informationhere, or visit the Contest page of Pridefilmsandplays.com.
LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE OPENS ITS 25th ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH METAMORPHOSES
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Lookingglass Theatre Company presents Metamorphoses, based on the myths of Ovid from a translation by David Slavitt, written and directed by Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman.
The revival production, coinciding with the 10th Anniversary of the Broadway production, runs September 19 – November 18, 2012 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago’s historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson.
In 1998, Lookingglass debuted Metamorphoses, a play of such grace and power that the memory of it still lingers in the minds of audiences today. The critically-acclaimed, record-breaking Chicago engagement led to a Broadway production that garnered Mary Zimmerman the 2002 Tony Award for Best Director and catapulted Lookingglass onto the national stage.
From a simple, rippling pool of water, Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman conjured the force of Ovid’s ancient myths into gorgeous imagery and breathtaking storytelling. Metamorphoses’ long-anticipated Chicago revival will feature a number of Lookingglass Ensemble Members and original cast members.
“Metamorphoses is one of those rare productions that truly has it all: beauty, mystery, humor, pathos. The brilliance of Mary’s work is that these ancient myths feel at once very contemporary and totally timeless, simultaneously rooted in the very specific individuals onstage and completely universal,” says Artistic Director Andy White. “These are some of the reasons it was our longest-running hit in Chicago, then toured the country, and finally ran for a year on Broadway. This show had a profound impact on all of us – Lookingglass, Chicago, and even the country – when we first produced it, and we’ve had an ache to revisit it for a long time. We are so proud to bring it back to Chicago now, and to have it kick off our 25th Anniversary Season.”
Metamorphoses will feature members of the original Lookingglass Chicago cast, Anjali Bhimani (Myrrha and Others), Lawrence E. DiStasi (Hermes and Others), Marilyn Dodds Frank (Therapist and Others), Raymond Fox (Midas and Others), Douglas Hara (Phaeton and Others), Chris Kipiniak (Erysichthon and Others), Louise Lamson (Alcyone and Others). The cast also includes returning cast member Anne Fogarty (Aphrodite and Others) and new cast members Usman Ally (Orpheus and Others) and Lauren Orkus (Eurydice and Others).
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
About Lookingglass Theatre Company
Inventive. Collaborative. Transformative. Lookingglass Theatre Company, recipient of the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award, was founded in 1988 by eight Northwestern University students. 2012-2013 marks the company’s 25th anniversary season. Lookingglass is home to a multi-disciplined ensemble of artists who create story-centered theatrical work that is physical, aurally rich and visually metaphoric. Lookingglass has staged 58 world premieres at 23 venues across Chicago, and garnered 52 Joseph Jefferson Awards and Citations.
Work premiered at Lookingglass has been produced in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Berkeley, Philadelphia, Princeton, Hartford, Kansas City, Washington D.C., and St. Louis. Lookingglass original scripts have been produced across the United States.
The Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago’s landmark Water Tower Water Works opened in June 2003. In addition to developing and presenting ensemble work, Lookingglass Education and Community programs encourage creativity, teamwork and confidence with thousands of community members each year.
