Category Archives: News and Happenings
Francesca’s Forno’s Drag Showcase Returns Monday, December 10th, 7-9PM!
calendars!
Back by popular demand, it’s Drag Mondays in Wicker Park at
Forno this time with “The Drag Queen Who
Stole Christmas” featuring spectacular,
live performances from superstars Mimi Marks, Mercedes Tyler (pictured above in photos not large enough to fit in full-on hair), Sasha Colby and
Tajma Hall (pictured below with reasonably sized back-dos).
and get in the spirit with these FABULOUS ladies performances and perhaps enjoy
the wine flight specials of the evening and the Chef’s selection of Artisanal cheeses
and Charcuterie!
priced, authentically Northern Italian food is ALL freshly made from scratch
with seasonal ingredients. The menu is stacked with amazing dishes that are
perfect for sharing.
From lighter salads and appetizers to comforting Paninis, pasta
dishes and FAB pizzas, truly something for every taste and appetite.
Of course,
stellar entrées featuring top grade fish, meats and poultry are expertly
prepared and available as well.
Weekend brunch at Forno is the place to see and be seen
in Wicker Park while sipping a handcrafted cocktail or special-recipe Mimosa.
Francesca’s restaurants, the staff is engaging, knowledgeable and always
willing to go the extra mile for you.
So what are you
waiting for? Gather up your friends and call (773) 770-0184 and RSVP Today!
Monday, December
10th, 7-9PM See you there!
North Halsted Window Walk Dec. 8th
The Northalsted Window Walk.
This
holiday season when you buy a Northlasted Gift Card, you automatically
get an extra 20% value on your card. For example, purchase a $100 gift
card and get $120 on your card!
The best part? The Northalsted Gift Cards can be used at over 70 locations on North Halsted between Belmont and Broadway. Click here to buy your giftcard today.
They always sell out, so get yours before they’re gone!
Seasons Greetings and Tax Season
Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays!
Vanite Paul Mitchell MITCH Party Dec 8th
what’s better for our hair. Fast pace life’s full of family, work,
relationships and the gym keep us on the go. Our hair might get
neglected time to time. We don’t have time for shampoo and conditioner!
Do we?
Men I’m here to say yes we do! Thanks to Paul Mitchell and the NEW men’s
Mitch line! Specifically the 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner, Double
Hitter. Double Hitter is a sulfate-free shampoo with a healthy lather and rich
sent. This 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner is perfect for us on the go!
Washes and leaves our hair full and healthy ready to take on the world!
About Face Theatre presents We 3 Lizas
pop culture for its world premiere holiday production WE THREE LIZAS with book and lyrics by
AFT Artistic Associate Scott Bradley, music and additional lyrics by Alan Schmuckler, directed
by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Ferguson, playing through December 23, 2012 in The
Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St., Chicago.
You probably know the name Scott Bradley, who is part of the Scooty and JoJo team, who is best known for his locally produced super camp musicals like Alien Queen, Rosemary Clooneys Baby and Carpenters Halloween. “Really, Liza still sits in this strange place,” Bradeley says. “Everyone knows about Liza as a gay icon because of her resilience – taking the knocks and coming back. She always lived in a different realm than the rest of us. She has always been a part of a Hollywood and Broadway mythology.”
The creators of We 3 Lizas hope that the show will develop a following and become an annual tradition for About Face Theatre. And judging from the response of yesterdays audience, everyone LOVED IT and will keep this show alive for years to come.
This is like a New York show – in Chicago. The Steppenwolf space is awesome. Staging and costumes were brilliant, and the cast was TOP NOTCH. There is a cool lounge space attached with full a full service bar and $5 Drinks! Yes, $5 drinks!
Discounts available for groups of ten or more.
AIDS Foundation Chicago Need2KnowHIV
More than 20,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Chicago – three times the national prevalence rate.
In some Chicago neighborhoods, HIV rates have climbed to a staggering 53 percent in recent years.
That’s why the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) is marking this World AIDS Day by announcing a new campaign called
Need2Know HIV, an initiative to educate people about the importance of HIV testing.
In
partnership with Abbott, a Chicago-headquartered global health care
company, AFC is using social media platforms such as Facebook and
Twitter to increase awareness and encourage conversation
about testing. The campaign began on World AIDS Day, December 1, and
continues through the month.
What sets Need2Know HIV
apart from other HIV testing campaigns? It highlights the importance of
diagnosing HIV in its earliest stages, as well as ongoing viral load
molecular testing
for those living with HIV.
Unfortunately,
many HIV-positive people are not diagnosed in the early phase of the
disease — when they are most contagious — and unknowingly spread the
virus to others. Testing is critical
to stopping the spread of HIV, though many people are not getting
tested and may not realize significant advances in testing technology
that are now available.
“It’s
simple: we can’t end AIDS without a stronger commitment to HIV testing,
and that starts with educating people about the importance of testing
to know their status and manage HIV,” said
David Ernesto Munar, AFC president/CEO.
People can show their support and educate others by visiting and “liking” the
Need2Know HIV campaign on Facebook, Munar said.
New
diagnostic testing allows individuals to know within two weeks of
exposure if they are infected. The newest HIV combo tests can detect
both antigens (the actual HIV virus) and antibodies
to HIV (the body’s response to fight the virus). HIV combo tests allow
people to know their status weeks sooner than they potentially could
with traditional antibody-only HIV tests.
For
those individuals who live with HIV, monitoring the disease plays a key
role in their overall treatment. Ongoing viral load molecular tests help
patients and their health care providers
monitor the response of the virus to antiretroviral drug treatments,
helping to guide treatment decisions.
Earlier
detection provides information to help people make decisions that may
reduce risky behavior. It also allows people who are HIV positive to
start on antiretroviral therapy sooner, which
benefits long-term health and may also reduce HIV transmission rates by
96 percent.
“For
nearly 30 years, Abbott has been committed to fighting HIV by developing
important tests and therapies for patients,” said Brian Blaser,
executive vice president, Diagnostics Products,
Abbott. “Our commitment to HIV continues today as we partner together
to launch efforts such as
Need2Know HIV to help educate people about the critical role testing can play in stemming the tide of this virus.”
People can learn more by visiting the AFC’s
website and
Facebook page.
Special Holiday Sale and Party Dec. 5th
invite you to Celebrate the Holidays and Shop LOCAL.
2 of our favorite new small businesses at one Boystown address!
MEBLE Design Studio & Vanite’ Paul Mitchell Focus Salon
Meet and greet the dynamic mother-daughter duo Agnes & Danuta at Meble Design where they sell antiques, artwork, unique interior design pieces, upholstery and accent items – all AMAZINGLY PRICED.
From pictures and accents to couches and chairs – it’s ALL HERE!
Need a custom piece created or have an item you would like refurbished, updated or bedazzled? That’s their specialty!
ALL guests will enjoy 30% off store items or services discussed during this special event!
ALSO, meet Kinley Preston and her staff at the brand new Vanite Paul Mitchell Hair Salon for men & women.
Kinley will be on hand showing off her gorgeous new salon space and you can pick up Paul Mitchell samples and ENJOY 30% OFF all Paul Mitchell products.
PLUS, everyone gets a BestGayChicago.com swag bag of goodies, just for stopping by!
Come have some wine and cheese and shop and mingle!
Please RSVP, if you can.
Its an Open House event party 5-9pm, so stop in and peruse and mingle anytime convenient and bring a friend.
But if you do stop by during the day, just mention BestGayChicago.com and the 30% off special will apply.
It is so important that we are aware of the small businesses in our community so that we can refer them to friends and support and shop local when we can so that they continue to be in business in the future.
3161 North Halsted Street Chicago, IL 60657
Hawaiian Luau benefiting the Team to End AIDS Dec 4th
Join Coach Ross and Paul for a Hawaiian Luau benefiting the Team to End AIDS (T2) and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
a great organization. A special thank you to T’s Bar and Restaurant for donating the space and a portion of the night’s drink and food tab to Team to End AIDS!
Coach Ross will be running the Honolulu Marathon for the fifth consecutive year and this will be his 18th marathon over the past 5 years. He has been a T2 Coach for two years and an AFC runner for all five years.
The Honolulu Marathon will be Paul Ketz’s third full marathon with T2 and his fourth event with the Team to End AIDS in 2012. In addition to more marathons with T2 in 2013, Paul will complete his first triathlon and Half Iron Man races. TUESDAY DEC 4th 7-10pm
A Very Mary Christmas with Ru Pauls Drag Race Star MIMI IMFURST
I have been a fan of Mimi Imfurst, long before Ru Paul ever even had his first thought for a drag race show!
I think it was about 2007, I was in New York city and heard about this outrageous queen who did this crazy over-the-top campy holiday show,
“A Very Mary
Christmas.”
Conceived and delivered by writer/performer Mimi Imfurst and
composer/lyricist/arranger Mike Pettry (winner of the 2007 Jonathan Larson and
Fredrick Loewe Awards), the show ran every year at Don’t Tell Mama. It was the holiday MUST SEE SHOW!
“Over 2000 years ago in the little hillside town of Bethlehem a miraculous birth occurred….” You might think you know the real story, but you don’t. At last, Jesus’ mother sets the record straight. ‘A Very Mary Christmas’ is a musical retelling of the months leading up to the birth of Christ, as told by the Virgin Mary. With the help of her sidekicks — the jazz trio The Three Weissmans — Mary also shares the intimate details of her relationship with her boyfriend God, her love for her husband Joey, and her journey to stardom,” explain press notes.
‘A Very Mary Christmas’ features parodies of holiday songs including We Need A Little Christmas, Like A Virgin and Joy To The World. Highlights include a finger puppet show and an audience sing along. Called “worst than the sin of abortion” by religious extremist organizations and hailed as “twisted” by the Catholic Advocacy Coalition, see the show that asks: Do you really know the people you pray to?
MIMI brings her classic Christmas show to Hydrate, Dedc. 13th, 2012. Hydrate and Absolut are proud to present, RuPaul’s All Star Drag Queen, MIMI IMFURST!
Move over Lady Gaga, the Madonna – the Virgin Mary is back after 2000 years and ready to set the record straight, so to speak.
Drag Queen commedianne Mimi Imfurst, plays the Virgin Mother and is
ready to make the yuletide gay! Oy Vey Maria, there’s a stranger in the
manger!
General Admission tickets are only $10! $15 at the door.
$25 VIP includes hosted Absolut bar 8-9pm and preferred seating. THESE WILL GO FAST!
You do not want to miss this hysterical Christmas show!!!
Santa Speedo Run 2 Hits Boystown Dec. 1st
The 2nd Annual GAY Santa Speedo Run of Chicago takes place this Saturday, Dec. 1st at 1pm.
speedo sporting enthusiasts who thought “why not run down Michigan Ave. in speedos in the middle of December?!” While the event itself is a
bunch of ho ho ho’s, the event to raise awareness for
Diabetes.
braved the freezing temperatures and shed their running clothes in favor
of red Speedos to run one mile through Andersonville in the first
annual Santa Speedo GAY Run. The event organized by Karl Sponholtz and his
partner Jeff Colgan was a benefit for Vital Bridges.
This year, the gay run is moving to Boystown.
This year’s sign-ups are already exceeding last year’s numbers, so the duo decided to move the event from Andersonville to Boystown, PLUS, the weather for this weekend could be near 60! As opposed to last years freezing 28 degrees!
There is a $25 fundraising minimum to participate in the event, which
consists of running one mile in the cold, clad in nothing but a santa
hat, running shoes and a speedo, or some other holiday-themed costume. Over 300 people are expected to participate.
There will be a prize for the top fundraiser as well as a Christmas
raffle. DS Tequila has generously offered half-price food for all
participants on the day of the run and a myriad of other local
businesses, like Taverna 750, Burke’s Public House, Windy City Sweets and Sagin, LLC, have donated to the raffle.
Sign-ups start at noon at Sidetrack,
3349 Halsted St., with the run itself scheduled to take place at 2:00
p.m. For more information, or to see pictures from last year’s event,
check out their Facebook page at and RSVP to their Facebook event.
FRED SAYS Yorkie Raises Money for HIV AIDS Dec. 8th
Who Is Fred?
I’m a cute little yorkie
with a big heart!
I am a Yorkshire Terrier in Chicago and adopted by my Dad, Rob Garofalo.
Dad says I’m a miracle because I helped him through
some of the darkest periods in his life (professionally, health wise
and personally).
I seem to have a therapeutic affect on people,
because I’m cute as a button and sassy.
It was Daddy’s idea to put me
to work — using my image to sell boxes of greeting cards. The proceeds
go to care for HIV+ adolescents who do not have health insurance. I don’t
mind because it is a great cause.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
4:00pm until 7:00pm
@ SCARLET 3320 North Halsted Street
Fred
is raising money to support the healthcare of HIV+ Teens this holiday
season at Scarlet! There will be drinks, complimentary hors d’oeurves
from the generous folk at Taverna750, raffle prizes and lots of holiday
cheer!!
Also there will be the live world premiere screening of
Fred’s first promotional video to support the charity’s work — it is
not to be missed!!
So please come join us and bring your friends.
Fred Says greeting cards – which make an excellent holiday gift.
AT THE FLASH and BEAUTIFUL THING
At The Flash is a clever and funny show that condenses
LGBT history into the story of five characters – a closeted man in the
1960s, a black drag queen in the 1970s, a club kid in the 1980s, a
budding lesbian activist in the 1990s, and a family man/entrepreneur in
the 2000s.
Sean Chandler and David Leeper’s At The Flash, winner of PFP’s
Great Gay Play and Musical Contest in 2012, is currently having its world premiere
at Center on Halsted’s Hoover-Leppen Theatre. 3656 North Halsted Street
David Leeper segues from one character to the next and you witness the various struggles that each person went through, in their own ways, dealing with homosexuality at different periods of our movement. AT THE FLASH is JEFF RECOMMENDED. The Jeff Awards celebrate excellence in Chicago Theater.
“At the Flash succeeds
most as an accurate and heartfelt piece of gay history. It’s one which
can be shared with audiences of all types, as it has little actual
sexual content or references that might be uncomfortable for those with
more conservative sensibilities. At the Flash could
be a great primer on gay history for younger members of the community
or anyone else seeking a better understanding of America’s journey
toward providing space for LGBTs to live open lives with the same
opportunities for safety, security and happiness as anyone else in the
society.” – John Olson, Chicago Theater Beat
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday performances are $25, and Wednesday and
Thursday are $21. Portions of each ticket sold support programming at
Center on Halsted.
Beautiful Thing is a play written by Jonathan Harvey and first performed in 1993. A wonderful screen adaptation of the play was released in 1996 with a revised screenplay also by Harvey.
In a working class suburb of London, young Jamie is escaping sport hours, to avoid being the victim of his comrades. Young Ste, his neighbor, is beaten by his father, and comes to sleep overnight. They discover new feelings, sleeping in the same bed.
Jamie is the son of Sandra a tough but warm-hearted barmaid who lives in a public housing block in a rough-and-tumble section of South London. Living a few doors away is Jamie’s classmate Ste (Scott Neal), an athletic type who often has to take a beating from his hard-drinking father and hard-headed brother.
One night, Jamie and Sandra discover that Ste has been kicked out of the apartment and has nowhere to spend the night; Jamie lets him stay at his place, and a casual closeness eventually stirs sexual feelings. While both were vaguely aware they might be gay, neither had ever acted on their impulses, and once Jamie and Ste decide that they’re attracted to each other, neither is sure just what to do.
It is a wonderful story of love and acceptance.
It will run Jan 17-Feb 17th, at Luna Central Theatre. 3914 N. Clark.
Tickets $25 and $30. HALF PRICE TICKETS available for Jan 17-18!
Pride Films and Plays
Pride Films and Plays is now offering Premium Play Passes and Play
Passes for its 2012-13 season. Premium Passes are $50 and include one
ticket for each of the three full productions, plus 6 free tickets to
the Gay Play Weekend, Gay Screenplay Weekend or Women’s Work Weekend.
The names of Premium Pass holders will be also be listed in the season’s
programs. This is a $120 value!
Play Passes are $40 and include one ticket for each of the three full
productions and three tickets to the Gay Play Weekend, Gay Screenplay
Weekend or Women’s Work Weekend. This is a $90 value.
Students and seniors over 60 can save $5 when purchasing either the
Premium Pass or Play Pass.
Best Gay Chicago.com Wishes Everyone a Great Thanksgiving
We give BIG thanks to our many readers and advertisers who have supported Best Gay Chicago.com for the last 6 years!
We have some cool and fun winter events coming up this Winter including open houses and hotel events!
Make sure you LIKE our Best Gay Chicago page on FACEBOOK, to get all the invites as we send them out.
We look forward to working with the community and spreading great news and GIVING BACK! Watch for a couple amazing events in Summer of 2013 – including OUT IN THE PARK Six Flags 2013!!
Loni Love comes to Up Comedy Club Dec. 6-9
Loni Love has been a comedy favorite ever since she started spouting witty one-liners on VH1’s flagship I Love the…
series. But now this engineer-turned-comedian has become the go-to
woman for several funny quips and segments taking up space (thankfully
so) on DVRs across the country.
I first fell in love with Loni when she was on Star Search in 2003.
Love has been named by Variety as “one of the top 10 comics to watch”
and regularly appears as a round table panelist on E!’s “Chelsea
Lately.”
Loni has a big gay following and she emceed the Equality Awards for Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth.
” It
was great. I learned a lot — because it was for Long Island, there were
24 senators who actually voted for the marriage equality act. Some of
them were honored there, and it was really like an overall push. They’re
trying to raise funds so that senators that believe in equality can
still stay in office. There are some threats to them for being voted out
of office. A lot of it has to do with them being voted out of office
because they don’t have the money to campaign. It was a really good
event — they also honored a couple of other actors and it was really
nice.”
She IS NOT a lesbian. But when asked, If someone decides to start a lesbian rumor about you, do you think that would mess up your game?
“No,
because in my act everybody knows I talk about the lesbians and how I
feel about them. If they know me and they know my act, they know that it
would be a rumor. I won’t lie — it probably would help me! [Laughs] It would probably help my game.”
Love is not a one-note performer. She has opinions on a multitude of
subjects and puts an amusing spin on politics in particular. In
explaining Barack Obama’s black and white sides, one of the examples she
gives is that he travels with an entourage (white), but they ride in
Cadillac Escalades (black).
An admirer of Obama (except for his dancing [white]), she speaks of
his intelligence and intellectualism. “We went from a president that
would make up words to a president that would make us look up words when he talked.” She frequently tweets her political thoughts.
Loni’s first love is performing for live audiences. She puts it quite simply “I love to make people laugh!” And you can catch her live in Chicago at UP COMEDY CLUB. Dec. 6-9th. Performing 6 shows. $17-$20.
UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave, 3rd Floor
GET TICKETS ONLINE NOW
(312) 662-4562
Chicago Singer John Jones new cd Everything I Have
“When I listen to this record it feels like everything in my life was leading up to this. This is the album I was born to make.”
But John isn’t just proud of what the album means to him; he’s proud of its potential to mean something to others. “It’s not trendy, but it’s definitely commercial,” he says. “Karma Man, God in Your Houses, Talk to Me, Paper Plane…they’re all singles. The melodies stick, the lyrics really say something…this is completely accessible pop music. Now I just need to figure out the right platforms for it to be heard.”
Holiday Gift Giving with Chicago House
Make your gift giving dollars go further this holiday season!
of their holiday gift drive.
non-perishable food items, new and unwrapped toys, new cleaning
supplies, toiletries and new winter coats and clothing to drop off boxes
located at various Old Town businesses. Items will be donated to the
residents and community clients of Chicago House and Deborah’s Place!
Old Town Merchants and Residents Association has been and continues to
be an amazing supporter of Chicago House. We encourage you to patron
these generous community partners.
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Absolut OUTRAGEOUS Party At Roscoes Dec. 13th
Roscoe’s Presents:
9:00PM
NO COVER!!!
RAHM Pushes for Marriage Equality in Illinois
