Category Archives: News and Happenings
Big Gay Brunch Club at Adriactic Cafe Restaurant Feb 19
Sunday Feb 19th 1pm-3pm, BIG GAY BRUNCH CLUB CHICAGO takes over Adriatic Restaurant in Andersonville!
Though the family that owns this Edgewater spot is Serbian, much of the
menu isn’t. Many of the meals do feature ingredients used in traditional
Serbian cuisine, but the owners have worked to Americanize the entrees.
The result: comfort food with a Mediterranean twist. Specialties
include the Adriatic plate, a carnivore’s dream of mixed meats such as
pork chops, chicken and liver; a daily fish special; and housemade
cevapcici.
Bottomless Sangria and mimosa’s. And an amazing buffet for $25 inclusive of tax and gratuity.
For appetizers:
Hummus
Kaymak ( homemade type of cream cheese)
Creamy rolls (made with ham, smoked meat, cheese, sour cream)
Meze ( smoked meats chicken, beef and pork, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, olives)
Spicy feta spread , Capraise sandwich, Cornbread
Salads:
Green salad, Tomato, Cucumber, Pickled vegetables, Potato salad
Soup of the day
Main course:
Sarma (stuffed cabbage), Pork schnitzel , Breaded fish, Veal with veggie, Chicken in mushroom sauce
Beans , Grilled mixed meat , Rice, Mashed potato, Grilled vegetables, Baked potato
RSVP on Facebook. $25 cash at the door.
5553 N. Clark St.
Freedom to Marry – this Sunday Feb. 12th 10:30 AM
10:30 AM, in front of Holy Name Cathedral,
735 N. State Street, Chicago
With the wins in California and Washington, some Springfield legislators say they will now make a serious push for equal marriage legislation this year in Illinois.
As they do so, we can expect that the usual suspects to loudly bray
about how “unfair” equal rights legislation is, and demonize LGBT people
in the process.
Chief among them will be Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George.
George is already on record comparing lesbians and gays to the KKK, and
repeatedly defended that insulting comparison before finally issuing
what many considered an inadequate apology. The “apology” implied that
he still thinks that many lesbians and gays are fascists, and he
justified his blasts against us by playing the victim card, saying he
was motivated by his alleged fear for “the liberty of the church.”
But he’s hardly a victim. George, as head of the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops, spent tens of thousands backing
the anti-gay referendums Proposition 8 in California and Question 1 in
Maine. After the passage of the civil unions bill in Illinois, George
pompously predicted, “I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in
prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square.”
As marriage equality moves forward this year in Illinois, look for
Cardinal George to once again take his bigotry out from under wraps,
trying to lean on Illinois legislators to vote against equality.
As a cover for this bigotry, look for him to try to play the victim
role again, falsely stating that equal marriage legislation in Illinois
would somehow force the Catholic Church to celebrate marriages it
chooses not to.
Look for him to violate the church’s tax-exempt status by using its institutional power to advocate on legislation.
We can sit back and take it –
as Californians fatefully did with the Mormon Church before the passage
of Proposition 8 – or we can proactively push back against this bigotry
now.
Please come to Freedom to Marry Day 2012 at 10:30 AM this Sunday, Feb. 12 in front of Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State Street,
and stand with the majority of lay Catholics and others of good will
who support equal rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
people.
This protest was initiated by the Gay Liberation Network and is supported by the 8th Day Center for Justice, the Chicago Rainbow Sash Movement, Dignity/Chicago and Equality Illinois.
For more information, email LGBTliberation@aol.com
BREAKING NEWS – Marriage Equality Bill introduced in Illinois
Moments ago, Representatives Greg Harris, Deb Mell, and Kelly Cassidy
filed a marriage equality bill in Illinois General Assembly.
We commend these leaders for taking yet another step towards
full equality for lesbian and gay families in Illinois, and we are
grateful to them for their leadership. This is just the beginning: the
road to marriage equality is sure to be long, but it is one that we must
travel together.
In following experiences of thousands of couples in civil unions
over the past year, we confirmed what we always suspected to be true:
that creating a separate institution to provide substantially the same
rights did not add up to full equality under the law. A pharmacist who
denied prescription pick-up to the patient’s civil union partner didn’t
think it’s the same thing as marriage. A coroner who refused to issue a
death certificate to civil union partner survivor did not think that
civil unions are the same as marriage. Tax preparers, estate planners,
employers and employees do not think that civil unions are the same as
marriage. Separate is not equal. And we at Equality Illinois will not
rest until gay and lesbian couples in every corner of the state – who
are equal in love – are also equal in marriage.
Just yesterday, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th
Circuit held that California’s denial of marriage in favor of domestic
partnerships for same sex couples violated the U.S. Constitution.
In days, weeks, and months to come, we will share with you our strategy for moving forward toward marriage equality. Please join us in this urgent and important work. We cannot succeed without you.
Very truly yours,
Bernard Cherkasov
Chief Executive Officer
Found In Town – Lost and Found Service
Did you LOSE something?
Did you FIND something?
First step –
REGISTER at FOUND IN TOWN.
What is Found in Town?
Found in Town is a community-based lost
and found program that creates an easy way to facilitate returning
lost items to their owners. FiT operates through a network of local
bars and nightclubs committed to helping out the members of their
community.
How does it work?
Users can register here for free to receive FiT tags for their personal belongings. All tags will bear a unique serial number, or FiT code, and will instruct the finder to visit found-in-town.com in the event that it’s found, where and when an anonymous message can be sent to its owner.
How many times have you left something in a cab? Found In Town (FiT)
is a new company based in Chicago that recently launched its free
online service that facilitates reuniting owners with their lost or
misplaced items. “120,000 cell phones are lost annually in Chicago taxi
cabs alone. Imagine how many keys, wallets and jackets are lost,” said
Zach Haller, of Lakeview, CEO and founder of Found in Town. “Everyone loses things.
People want to return lost items, but they often don’t know how. We make
it easy and hassle-free to be a good Samaritan.”
Zach, a Minneapolis native has stated the business is slowing growing. Less than 1000 participants signed up and he
has solicited four Boystown bars to advertise on the key-chain tags. But
the brand recognition necessary to make the service extremely helpful
isn’t there yet. “I think people may see the sticker and
think, Found in Town? I don’t get it.” – soon though, it will catch on!
SO SIGN UP TODAY. IT’S FREE!
Steve Starchild….Has the X Factor
Over the last month, Chicago’s STEVE STARCHILD has been uploading videos on YouTube.
He is 22, a singer and songwriter, and on the road to Rock-Stardom!
This boy can sing! And those abs – wow!
In his newest video,
he is hitting the streets of Chi-city for a middle-of-the-night
CTA adventure!
Check out his own recording and video for one of Gaga’s
greatest, MARRY THE NIGHT! It’s pretty awesome!
GAGAISM says, “Whenever a Lady Gaga single is released, it’s only a matter of time
before fans and musicians take to YouTube to upload their own covers and
parodies. Once in a while, one of these videos catapults a new artist
to fame, as with Greyson Chance and Maria Aragon.
Steve [Starchild] might just be the next person to hit it big after
releasing a Gaga cover. His take on “Marry The Night” is unique and far
less “out-there” than Lady Gaga’s, yet it feels true to the song.
Furthermore, Starchild strongly exhibits a star power and charisma that
is sure to woo the ladies (and gentlemen) who watch his video.”
This guy, is one to watch! It’s just a matter of time until he has a record deal!
Steve Starchild YouTube Channel
The People Speak Live with MATT DAMON Jan 31
Based off of the 2009 documentary, The People Speak, The People Speak, Live!
is a benefit performance that features dramatic readings of written
works from people of the past.
This month’s performance will include
readings of a fifteenth century priest documenting Columbus’ arrival in
the New World, a fugitive slave’s scathing letter to a former master,
the words of pathbreaking Chicago labor organizers, testimony of civil
rights activists and more.
The People Speak, Live! performance has officially added
Academy Award Winner Matt Damon to host the event and compliment a cast
of local talent. The supporting cast includes Robert Breuler and Alana
Arenas of the Steppenwolf Theater, various local poets and Rick Kogan of
the Tribune.
The Chicago premiere will be at the Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., on Jan. 31st.
Tickets are available at $11 to $24. Doors open at 6pm. Performance at 7pm.
Premium tickets available also.
CREW Bar Annual Charity Chilli CookOff Jan 28
NBC 5’S WAYNE JOHNSON RETURNS AS HOST OF CREW’S 2012 CHARITY CHILI COOK OFF
Wayne Johnson, food and lifestyle reporter for NBC Chicago, will return as host of Crew Bar + Grill’s Annual Charity Chili Contest on Saturday, January 28th, from 12PM to 2PM.
The annual chili contest lets patrons sample eight different chili recipes for a $10.00 donation to the Edgewater based non-profit, Care for Real. Organized by the Edgewater Community Council, Care for Real is a volunteer operated food pantry and social services group supported by donations from the community. Prizes will be awarded for the best chili recipe, $100 in cash, and the category for best presentation of your chili, the “Nate Berkus award”, which nets a $50 Crew gift card.
Crew Bar + Grill
4804 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
Crew Bar + Grill, located at Broadway and Lawrence, is Chicago’s premiere, award winning gay sports bar. In 2010, Mike Sullivan and Mark Robertson joined the business as co-owners alongside Steve Milford and Brian Wells. Now well into its seventh year, Crew has become a fixture of the Uptown entertainment district with a mix of big games on over 20 HD, flat screen televisions and great food and drinks.
I Heart Red party – A Pre Red Dress Party Feb 9th
Check this out! $20
Hosted Bar for 3 hours, plus small bites,
plus a raffle drawing, plus fun people!
PLUS, you’re helping a great cause!
Join Chicago Red Dress Party and our host Clive Christian Studios for I {HEART} Red. This design filled event will take place on Thursday February, 9, 2012 from 6:00p-9:00p at Clive Christian Studios, 222 Merchandise Mart, Suite 143.
Registration includes an open bar, small bites, and a “red” raffle.
Check out Facebook for more details.
$20 in advance $25 at the door.
BestGayChicago.com is a proud sponsor
of the 2012 Red Dress Party! 4-21-12
Get Paid! HIV Vaccine Study Needs YOU!
We’re looking for 18-50 year old, HIV-negative men and transwomen who ♥ men to volunteer in a vaccine study.
More than 30,000 people around
the world have volunteered
in an HIV vaccine study. BUT MORE ARE STILL NEEDED.
Every 10 minutes, someone in the United States is infected with HIV. A
preventive vaccine against HIV offers the best long-term hope to end
this worldwide epidemic. Finding a safe and effective HIV vaccine that
will protect people is a huge task. We cannot do it without your help.
Don’t worry…you cannot become infected with HIV
from the vaccine.
You will be compensated for your time.
Call 312-413-5897 Ref. # 0417
From Illinois to Hollywood – Elliot London
Filmmaker Elliot London
is one to watch in Hollywood.
The charismatic director/producer calls himself a dreamer, and now
he’s offering you the opportunity to share his dream of making a movie
that’s very close to his heart.
The 30-year-old London, born in Australia, but raised in America,
says growing up gay was not always easy, especially in Rockford,
Illinois.
With that in mind, his latest short film, The Wedding Dance, tells the story of marriage equality — but he promises, with a twist.
London plans to start shooting in Los Angeles in a few weeks, but
like so many small independent filmmakers, he needs additional funding
to complete the project, so he’s taken the unusual and highly creative
step of using social media to entice investors who can actually receive a
credit on the film.
RadarOnline.com chatted with London about his journey from America’s Heartland to Hollywood — and what it was like to intern for Jerry Springer along the way!
Like most small independent films these days, the filmmaker must raise their own funds. London is currently trying to raise $5,000 – and he already has $4,400! He just needs $600 within the next 16 days, to get things rolling! Stop by his page and find out more, how you can help!
(Did you see his short called 306? Set in Chicago, IL, this 11 minute short film
shows a day in the life of a young man. Without a single word spoken,
‘306’ is full of emotion and shows us exactly how Eric (played by Brian
Estel, from Wisconsin) feels at all times. Beautifully shot and great acting.)
Pianist Philip Fortenberry Jan 22 in Naperville
A true Southern gentleman, pianist Philip Fortenberry will tickle the
ivories whilst telling a story or two when he comes to Naperville.
Fortenberry will perform a cabaret-style show called “Give My Regards”
Jan. 22 at North Central College. The show begins at 6 p.m. in the
College’s Madden Theatre.
During the show, he will perform popular songs spanning all genres and
styles, interspersing them with his own recollections of the many
composers, directors and performers who continue to inspire him.
He has accompanied such legendary Broadway icons as Eartha Kitt, Betty
Buckley, Donna McKechnie and Laurie Beechman in concerts in New York and
across the nation, and currently serves as the associate conductor of
“Jersey Boys” at the Palazzo Theater in Las Vegas.
“’Give My Regards’ is a show I’ve put together. I’ve had a career of
playing for great shows; great music of all sorts of genres from rock
music to Broadway, and I’ve worked with a lot of amazing artists —
singers, choreographers, conductors and composers,” he said. “This show
essentially pays homage to that music from my perspective. I tell
stories about the music that I play from my perspective as a pianist. I
offer a setting, you might say.”
His show is almost entirely him and the piano.
“I will usually do this number that Katharine Hepburn actually recorded, and who knew she could sing? I figured if she could do it, so could I,” he said with a laugh. “That’s the only reason I would ever sing. I talk, I tell the stories, and I play the songs, essentially.”
Some songs you will hear include medleys from “Mamma Mia” and “Saturday Night Fever;” plus songs from musicals like “Cats” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” You’ll even hear some ragtime and Liberace’s “Chopsticks.”
“It’s a variety of things,” he said. “It’s such a broad concept. It covers people and experiences in my life.”
Fortenberry has gone from being a four-year-old child plunking around on a toy piano in Southern Mississippi
to playing at the Palazzo Theater in Las Vegas. It has been a
remarkable journey, he said, and it’s that journey he shares with the
audience.
“’Give My Regards’ — there are a lot of people who came across my path
and a lot of experiences I’ve had that are going to bring me to
Naperville, Illinois,” he said. “Never in my life did I dream that is
where I would find myself. It will be an honor to be there.”
Get a sneak peak with this video!
GLENN CLOSE in ALBERT NOBBS Get Your FREE PASS
FREE MOVIES PASSES!
SEE THE NEW GLENN CLOSE MOVIE ALBERT NOBBS
Glenn Close plays a woman passing as a man in order to work and survive
in 19th century Ireland. Some thirty years after donning men’s clothing,
she finds herself trapped in a prison of her own making.
7:30 pm shgowing Jan. 23rd @ Century Landmark, 2828 N. Clark.
Just right click image, save and PRINT!
Equality Illinois’ 2012 Gala: Justice for All FEB 11
Come
see and be seen!
At one of the most elegant, important and fun LGBT events of the
year.
With over 1,000 guests in attendance, including elected officials,
candidates, and other VIPs, the Gala is one of the most impactful ways
to support full equality for LGBT people.
This is the biggest event of its kind in the Midwest!
The most amazing Silent Auction, I have ever seen!
With over 150 items!
Hilton Chicago
720 South
Michigan Avenue
6pm – Midnight
Learn more and purchase your tickets today.
Simply click above or call 773-477-7173.
Tickets start at $300
We look forward to celebrating with you at the Gala!
Equality Illinois (EQIL) was founded in 1991 to secure, protect and
defend equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people
throughout Illinois. In 2000, the Equality Illinois Education Project,
our 501(c)(3) arm, was created to focus on the educational and
charitable aspects of the mission. EQIL�s initiatives extend throughout
every sector of Illinois life, reaching individuals and organizations
both in the LGBT community and the mainstream, across the private,
public, and nonprofit sectors.
Chicago House Champagne Wrapture Benefit 2012 at Willis Tower
Champagne Darling, Champagne for Everyone!!
Notorious for its history of innovation! Through the centuries Veuve Clicquot has become known as The Champagne House with cutting edge ideas!
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is both a champagne house in Reims, France, and a brand of premium champagne. Founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot-Muiron, Veuve Clicquot played an important role in establishing champagne as a favored drink of haute bourgeoisie and nobility throughout Europe. The 1811 comet vintage of Veuve Clicquot is theorized to have been the first truly “modern” Champagne due to the advancements in the méthode champenoise which Veuve Clicquot pioneered through the technique of remuage.
Each year Chicago House hosts a Veuve Clicquot benefit at a different venue. This year the event reaches the highest high!
On the 99th floor of the Willis Tower, high flying treats and bubbly drinks await you!
Artists from around the city present their various interpretations of Clicquot and a fantastic silent auction keeps everyone bidding throughout the evening as bubbly flows.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Time: 6pm
Where: The SkyDeck, Willis Tower
233 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL
GET TICKETS
Winter Soup To Warm Your Soul – with Private Chef Tong
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE SOME
HOT SAVORY SOUP ON
THESE COLD CHICAGO WINTER DAYS!
January 21
Soup for a Winter’s day
with My Private Chef
at Bloomingdaleʼs
Home & Furniture Store
Chef Christopher Tong of the Chicago-based private gourmet dining service, My Private Chef,
will present delicious soups from around the world.
This free
cooking demonstration will take place on Saturday, January 21 from 2-4pm Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store at Medinah Temple, 600 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago. Demo kitchen on 1.
PHOTO – My Private Chef in the
January 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine. An exuberant photo of Chef
Chris and Sous Chef Manny from their recent Chicago Botanic Garden
appearance will be in the Jan/Feb issue of Food Network Magazine. Look
for it on newsstands now.
What could be more elegant… and memorable… than serving a one of-a-kind meal created by a world-class chef?
My Private Chef takes private dining to a professional level of excellence.
Big Gay Brunch Club Chicago at Taverna750 Jan 15
BGBC dives into the New Year
@ Taverna750 JAN 15th!
Taverna750 is Boystown’s newest chic hipster hotspot — that IS NOT overpriced, as one might expect for a cool spot with awesome food and drinks.
Taverna 750 is the best of old school Italian with a contemporary flair.
Proprietor Paul D. Cannella is bringing back his Grandfather Paul J.
Loverde’s and Uncle Chuckie Abruzzini’s classic Italian recipes from his
restaurant on Grand Avenue in the 50’s.
Jan. 15th – Join BGBC from 11-1
$25 (CASH ONLY)
inclusive of tax and gratuity or pizza or entree –
plus soda, tea and coffee in addition to the unlimited mimosas and adult chocolate milk.
LOTS of food choices to pick from!
BANANA CRESPELLE (crepe)
Caramelized banana, chocolate, sweet ricotta and maple balsamic anglaise
BERRY CRESPELLE (crepe)
Balsamic soaked mixed berries, sweet ricotta and grapefruit anglaise
PINWHEEL
Egg rolled with, Italian sausage, spinach, balsamic red peppers, asiago cheese and basil cream sauce
STUFFED TOMATOES
Warm lump seafood salad, wilted spinach and poached egg
SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE FRITATA
Asiago cheese, seared basil and parmesan polenta cake and red pepper coulis, candied bacon
Pizzas, Pannins and More to choose from!
1:00 the party will move over to Scarlett, 3320 North Halsted Street
with some champagne, music, dancing and more!
RSVP on FACEBOOK
Taverna 750, the latest ZAGAT rated hotspot in Chicago’s East Lakeview / Boystown!
BestGayChicago.com is a proud sponsor of BGBC!
Equality Illinois Contributions to Help LGBT Rights Advancement
A personal letter, from Bernard Cherkasov, Equality Illinois..
As you know, this year has indeed been a year of tremendous successes for LGBT people in the state, including Illinois becoming just the sixth state to legalize civil unions. Because of your generous support of LGBT equality work and the efforts of supporters like you, we have taken a significant step toward full equality for every family in Illinois!
There is so much more to do to achieve full equality for LGBT Illinoisans. We have an incredible about of work to do in 2012. If you have not yet done so, please make an additional tax-deductible, end-of-year contribution to help Equality Illinois move forward with our statewide educational work next year.
My thoughts keep returning to the individuals and families for whom we fight every day. I think of the impact that our LGBT-rights progress has on them and our larger community. I am thankful for the greater protections and safeguards that are available in Illinois. Yet, there is still so much work to be done.
That is why I ask you to stand with us as we move forward in our battle for equal protections under the law. Will you, please, make an additional tax-deductible, end-of-year contribution to help us advance our aggressive statewide LGBT-rights agenda?
LGBT Illinoisans are counting on your support, and we cannot succeed in achieving full equality without you.
Thank you again for your support. Let’s keep moving forward!
Sincerely,
Bernard Cherkasov
Chief Executive Officer
P.S. Remember that your generous end-of-the-year donation to Equality Illinois Education Project, a 501(c)(3) organization, is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
306 a Short Gay Film by Elliot London, Filmed in Chicago
Check out the short gay film ‘306’; written, directed and produced by
film maker Elliot London.
Set in Chicago, IL, this 11 minute short film
shows a day in the life of a young man. Without a single word spoken,
‘306’ is full of emotion and shows us exactly how Eric (played by Brian
Estel, from Wisconsin) feels at all times. Beautifully shot and great acting.
In just 25 days, ‘306’ received over 44,000 hits on Vimeo and was viewed in over 150 countries in every continent of the world.
When you watch ‘306’ you will think you know it all, but you don’t. Judge for yourselves.
Elliot London is an OUT film maker living in Los Angeles. “I love
making film and had a great success with my short last year titled
(306). You can follow me on my weekly video Blog called the E Life on
Vimeo or Youtube. Currently I am putting a feature together titled
Perfect Lies. I think it is very important to make film that you love.
Right now it is about making film for my community and sharing it with
the world. “
UBER New Chicago Black Car Service Taxi
Going to a nice party and you’re all dressed up…and you have to crawl into a dirty smelly yellow cab? ICK!
What about fighting for a cab on a busy Saturday night? How fun is that? Especially if it is freezing cold outside?!
Personal car service has arrived in Chicago! UBER. Everyone’s private driver. A black car service, on demand, from your phone! What could be easier? While most black car or executive car services require a 24 hour advanced notice, this is on demand.
For years I have used black car services in New York City. But still, you usually need to give some kind of advance notice.
Now you can request a car from any mobile phone—text message, iPhone and Android apps. Uber will send the nearest driver to pick you up, and text message you an estimated arrival time. Cars usually arrive within 5-10 minutes. You can even track your driver right from your phone.
Your licensed professional driver will park curbside in a sleek black car. Uber will text you again when the car arrives. Hop in the car, tell the driver your destination and you’ll be on your way.
The fee’s are automatically charged to your credit card on file, and tip is included. No fuss with money and change. It is the law in Chicago, a cab driver MUST take your credit card. But how many times do they grumble or say their machine is broken?!
“We’re changing the way people are getting around by offering a convenient, cashless, and stylish on demand car request service from your mobile phone.”
Sign up with Uber.com and download the app. It’s that easy!
Sign up at UBER or by downloading the app and inputting “BESTGAY”. These special promo codes for our readers will get your $10 off your first ride.
Sure it’s a few dollars more than a cab. But it’s worth it to arrive in style and comfort. For me, I found it most economical to ride from Boystown to downtown for events, via Lake Shore Drive. If the cars have to cut through the city,and zig zag in traffic, the bill can get a little higher. But it’s about convenience. And a luxury ride.
Uber takes GPS data from your ride and charges for distance or time depending on your speed. When your Uber is traveling over 11mph, they charge a distance fee. When your Uber is traveling at or below 11mph, they charge a time fee. There is never extra charges for late night rides, weekend rides, extra passengers, or luggage fees, it’s always the same rate.
“We carefully select which fleet partners we work with and ensure that they have all the proper licensing. We’ve also implemented a rating system for drivers. If his or her rating goes beneath a certain level, we will no longer do business with them. We’re careful to maintain a standard of only doing business with quality, licensed drivers.
When Uber was started it was a service used by us and our friends. We will never allow our friends to be put into an uncomfortable or dangerous situation because of our service. One of the most important points about Uber service is to get away from those types of situations when looking for transportation around the city.“
Currently “UBER – Your Private Driver” in 7 cities:
San Francisco, NYC, Seattle, Boston, Washington, DC, Paris and now Chicago!
