Beaches, Bars, Socials, Events and More!
Benjamin Newby Shakes up Spring Drinking at Taverna 750
Benjamin Newby, a big name in the Chicago restaurant scene, he is one of Chicago’s most celebrated and recognizable operators and mixologists. When it comes to mixology, Ben’s cocktails embody his heartfelt, experience-led concepts. He is known for creating innovative drinks enjoyed by both the connoisseur and the person looking for a great libation.
They are all good. Trust me, I tasted them all! But I have to say I really like the tequila-based “Smoky Paloma” is paired with Taverna’s housemade grapefruitcello, bottled overnight, and served in a smoking glass over a vanilla-bourbon ice cube the size of a softball with a sidecar in a fishbowl of ice, of course. Can you say FABULOUS?!
Also you should check out “San Remo“, made with Hennessy Black, Wild Strawberry Tea Syrup, Squeezed Lemon, Apertif, Topped with Wild Strawberry Tea Foam– the foam topping is awesome!
Are all Republicans Against Gay Marriage?
Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield this week from a two-week break. That means Marriage Equality will be back on the table.
NOM IS READY TO FIGHT US! They are THREATENING Republican officials!
Meanwhile, NOM is rattling its sabre again, reiterating its pledge to spend $250K to defeat GOP legislators who support same-sex marriage:
“Any Republican in Illinois who betrays
the cause of marriage will be casting a career-ending vote and will be
held accountable to their constituents,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s
president. “We will spend whatever it takes—hundreds of thousands of
dollars if necessary—to remove them from office, just as we did three of
the four turncoat Republican state Senators in New York who were
responsible for gay ‘marriage’ passing there. We will not hesitate to
support pro-family Democrats to replace them, as our record in New York
proves.”
The OUT NYC planning to open OUT CHICAGO Hotel in Boystown
complex, serving as a travel and entertainment destination for visitors
and locals alike.
rooms, 3 outdoor courtyards, The Spa at the OUT NYC, a glass-covered
atrium, jacuzzis, steam room, sauna, 24-hour fitness center, XL
Nightclub, KTCHN Restaurant, and conference facilities available for
special events and catering.
SIDETRACK & Minibar and across the street from Roscoe’s (the 3 top
grossing gay bars in Chicago); this is in the epicenter of Chicago’s
‘gayborhood’ appropriately called “Boystown”. This 4 star Urban Resort
complex will include..….
– ±112 boutique hotel rooms (including Shared Luxury Accommodations & Extended Stay Suites)
– 1500SF full service Spa, Gym & Wellness Center – “The Spa @ THE OUT”
– 2500SF of Conference/Meeting/Event Space
– 3000SF Fully Enclosed Glass Atrium Courtyard – 1500 SF Enclosed
Rooftop Bar & Lounge with spectacular views of downtown Chicago
– “KTCHN Art” Restaurant (consultation and possible partnership with Celebrity Chef Art Smith)
– 2000 SF “XL Minibar” with Dance/Cabaret Space (acquisition and
partnership and/or management contract is currently in negotiations with
Minibar)
– Marketing Partnership with Sidetrack Bar and access to their 15,000 sf bar complex from the THE OUT CHICAGO Lobby.
– BOUTIQUE lobby shop.
About us…..
http://theoutnyc.com/media-
FODORS TOP 100: Our “Straight-friendly” Urban Resort (THE OUT NYC)
surrounding our XL Nightclub was named one of this year’s top 100 hotels
in the world by Fodors featured in the “Trendsetter” category and
featured on CNN.com and we are #3 on TripAdvisor (of 156 Specialty
Hotels in NYC).
THEOUTNYC.com (4 star resort + & $99 Euro style luxury hostel pods)
Xlnightclub.com (#1 night club in NYC)
Xlcabaret.com (major performance acts)
KTCHNnyc.com (Zagat favorite new restaurant)
Theoutnycspa.com (full service Spa&/gym)
The ManifestOUT.com (Cultural & Event Blog)
THEOUThousenyc.com (Private Membership Social Club like Soho House)
KTCHN: Zagat –
Thttp://blog.zagat.com/2012/
NY Times Article – “To be a Hotel and Gay in NYu” http://travel.nytimes.com/
TIME Magazine Article – “I Had a Gay Old Time” http://www.time.com/time/
It could mean big things for Lake View and Boystown. A study of the community
has long identified it seriously lacks hotels, a part of the reason why
the Ricketts Family now plan to open one near Wrigley Field.
One was also planned in the Addison Park on Clark development, but the developer behind that project recently announced the hotel deal fell through.
Officials with Ald. Tom Tunney’s office say a hotel in Boystown, however, might be just what the community needs.
“I actually followed up and saw the product, and it’s great,” said
Chief of Staff Bennett Lawson. “It’s very boutique. Our master plan
identifies we need more hotels in the area, so if the space could work
with the right kind of anchor tenants, height and zoning, we’re on
board.”
the 19th District Police Station Community Room. Everyone should
definitely attend and support this project. Chicago is very lucky to
have been chosen for their 2nd hotel location!!
Illinois New Furnace Law could Cost you Big $$$
URGENT NEWS to home
2013 Federal Furnace Efficiency Law
On 5/1/2013 the minimum efficiency requirement for furnaces in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin will be 90% AFUE.
- Any furnace replacement and/or installation after 5/1/2013 will require a 90%+ AFUE furnace. NOTHING LOWER CAN BE SOLD TO HOMEOWNERS.
- 90%+ furnaces are condensing units, meaning they emit water vapor
along with carbon dioxide in the flue gases which will rust the sheet
metal piping that 80% furnaces are exhausted with. Due to the corrosion
90%+ furnaces require a new PVC flue to be installed. - Depending on the location of the new 90%+ furnace; the PVC flue may
be exposed in the interior of buildings and may require remodeling
following the installation. - A chimney liner may also be required at the time of the 90+ furnace installation for existing atmospheric venting water heating
for more info, go to the web address below:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/pdfs/cacfurn_dfr_confirmation.pdf
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN EXACTLY??? If your furnace is located in the basement or near an outside wall, your cost will not be greatly affected, probably a few hundred dollars more.
However, my unit is in a closet, in the center of my home. The new furnace would require new piping to go up through 2 OF MY NEIGHBORS CLOSETS and UP TO THE ROOF!! Do you know what the added cost would be? Another $2000+ !!!!
So for me, it makes sense RIGHT NOW! Um Mom, I think I need a small loan….
You until 5/1/2013 to replace your older furnace with a new 80% furnace and SAVE NOW!
Fresh Flavors of Spring with My Private Chef at Bloomingdales April 13th
Enjoy Fresh Flavors of Spring with
My Private Chef at
Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store, Medinah Temple
for some fresh Spring menu ideas? If so, you will enjoy attending the
cooking demonstration hosted by popular Chef Christopher Tong, of the
upscale Chicago-based private gourmet dining service, My Private Chef. He has been invited back to present a delicious Spring-inspired menu.
cooking demonstration will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2013 from
2-4 p.m. at the Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store at Medinah
Temple, 600 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago. Demo Kitchen on 1.
Chef’s Tong menu features:
Fresh Pea Soup with Mint and Crème Fraiche
Strawberry, Brie Cheese, Honey and Basil Crostini
Maple-Soy Glazed Baked Salmon with Spring Radish and Pea Sprout Salad
People who are casual cooks or lovers of gourmet food get to ask
questions, discuss preparation, and come away with fabulous recipes that
you can try at home. Chef Tong will give tips on shopping, ingredients,
and serving. And, everyone gets to have a taste!
For more information about this Bloomingdale’s event, contact 312.324.7678.
Private Chef is enjoying popularity as one of Chicago’s favorite
private dining services. Trained in European-style fine cuisine, Chef
Tong established his reputation at fine restaurants and hotels in
Florida, California and Chicago. Now he has adapted his impressive
skills to the world of private entertaining. My Private Chef offers
enticing cuisine for a wide range of events, from intimate dinners to
weddings to corporate parties.
Chef
Chris says: “I love conducting cooking demonstrations where I get the
feeling the audience members will go home and try some new dishes!”
For information about My Private Chef, contact Event Services at 773.370.8131 or visit our website at www.myprivatechef.net
We hope to see you there!
Next Fall April 25-May 25th at BoHo Theatre
NEXT FALL.
the ups and downs of this unlikely couple’s five-year relationship with
sharp humor and unflinching honesty. And when an accident changes
everything, Adam must turn to Luke’s family and friends for support… and
answers. NEXT FALL paints a touching and witty portrait of modern romance, asking the hard questions about commitment, love and faith.
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 2 pm
Tickets: $20 ($10 previews). $15 students & seniors.
Out at Wrigley Gay Day August 3rd, 2013
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
largest annual LGBT sporting event in the country.
which pits the Chicago Cubs vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sat., Aug.
3rd, offers 150 fans the opportunity to purchase VIP Budweiser Patio
seats for $130.00 and an additional 300 seats in right field terrace for
$54.00.
organizer Bill Gubrud. “A finalist will receive a recording contract and
we will hold our very first induction ceremony for the National Gay and
Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame. It is becoming an Out at Wrigley Weekend.”
National Anthem Contest!
Have you ever thought what it would be like to sing the national
Anthem in front of 40,000 people and in front of millions on tv?
Well, here is your chance! Out at Wrigley will be holding a
competition for one lucky and talented person to sing the national
Anthem on Saturday August 3rd at Wrigley Field.
Out at Wrigley will have at least four prelim event dates for you to
choose from to compete. There can be multiple winners at each prelim
event that will advance to the semi-finals. We will have a list of
competition dates for you to choose from!
For more information e-mail info@mtmchicago.com
and the newly formed non-profit National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of
Fame.
Chicago Cabaret Project May 3rd
When the sun sets and you need a place where you can escape—
come to the cabaret!
A place where fantasy, music and comedy collide; life in the cabaret is something you have to experience!
Provocative
and beautiful, the Project strives to revitalize the art of cabaret by
attracting and captivating audiences with stellar voices, handsome
presentations and raw sexual appeal!
stimulating audiences at various venues throughout the city of Chicago.
In each of the company’s first two years they produced only one show
each year. In 2009 the company expanded to extended, regular runs, and
produced nine shows from June to December of that year. This momentum
marked a significant presence for the ensemble among the theatre and
entertainment professionals of Chicago, garnering praise and admiration
for their beautiful vocal styling and provocative, sexy presentations.
In 2012, The Chicago Cabaret Project was granted not-for-profit status
and was reincorporated as The Cabaret Project.
About Face Theatre Wonka Ball April 26, 2013
WHERE WILL YOU BE ON APRIL 26th, 2013??
About Face Theatre Celebrates Its 17th Year at
WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Friday, April 26 at Architectural Artifacts
About Face Theatre celebrates its 17th year with a three-ring party of colossal entertainment and excessive elegance at WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS on Friday, April 26, 2013 at 8 pm (Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party at 7 pm). AFT’s premier fundraiser combines the surprising delights of the big top with the inspired grandeur of this year’s venue, Chicago’s Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Hosted by About Face board members, Benjamin Sprunger and Billy Lullo, WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS offers
a night of dazzling performances, decadent revelry and dancing,
sumptuous dining and drink and tempting silent auction prizes. The
annual gala also includes the presentation of the prestigious 2013
Leppen Leadership Awards and the About Face Youth Theatre MVP Award. This year’s guests will be among the first to meet About Face’s new, soon-to-be-announced Artistic Director. Tickets are currently available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or 773-784-8565.
About Face Theatre’s VIP supporters will be special guests at the exclusive Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party beginning
at 7 pm and hosted by AFT board members Drew Kent and Rob Abernathy.
VIP guests will enjoy early access to the venue with an exclusive
cocktail party, sumptuous culinary treats, special “sideshow”
entertainments, the opportunity for early bidding at the silent auction
and intimate access to the About Face leadership
and artists. VIP supporters will also enjoy prime viewing of
center-ring performances from the lavish Ringmaster’s Lounge exclusively
reserved from 7 – 9 pm.
Proceeds from the WONKA BALL support About Face Theatre programming including its groundbreaking Youth Theatre, which creates critically acclaimed new work by and about LGBTQA youth and their allies. The
Youth Theatre has performed on major stages across the country, and,
through its outreach tour, changes the lives of thousands of young
people each year. AFT also boasts its annual, award-winning main stage season and the ambitious XYZ Festival of New Works.
Named for About Face Youth Theatre supporter Michael Leppen, the annual Leppen Leadership Awards recognize
those whose efforts on behalf of About Face Theatre and the LGBTQA
community empower youth leaders to take action and encourage LGBTQA
adults and youth to create intergenerational dialogue and understanding. The About Face Youth Theatre MVP Award is
given to an outstanding youth theatre ensemble member for exceptional
service to the company and to the greater LGBTQ community. The recipient
has proven herself or himself to be exceptionally dedicated to the
mission of our work and has gone beyond her or his duties as an ensemble
member to better the experience of other Youth Theatre participants.
Event: WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Date: Friday, April 26 at 8 pm – 11 pm; Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party at 7 pm
Location: Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. in Chicago
Details: Featuring a silent auction, open bar, delicious food, music, dancing and performances.
Tickets: $135 general admission. Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party: $135 event ticket + $100 tax deductible donation.
Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For tickets, visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com
Charity Bingo at Hamburger Marys April 8th
adoptable animals destroyed every year in the Chicago land area. Her goal is to Chicago a NO KILL city.
| 5400 N Clark St Chicago |
About Face Theatre Spring and Summer Shows
Designed to give audiences access to innovative work at all stages of
development, the XYZ Festival of New Works fosters creative
collaboration between Chicago-based artists and groundbreaking artists
from across the US. The XYZ Series provides an unique experience for
audiences who enjoy watching the artistic process unfold and who want to
be exposed to new voices in the American theatre that are exploring
sexuality and gender.
Here’s what you’ll see at this year’s festival:
WHEN:
April 9th 7:30pm
Jordan Seavey’s TRUTH WILL OUT, directed by Artistic Associate Ben Sprunger
April 10th 7:30pm
David Myer’s THE ARVESTO PARASITE and Artistic Associate Philip Dawkins’s CAST OF CHARACTERS, directed by Stephen Cone
(more show details online)
WHERE:
Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre, Richard Christensen Theatre
COST: FREE!
About Face Theatre Presents the Chicago Premiere of THE PRIDE
By Alexi Kaye Campbell
Directed by Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar
June 6 – July 13, 2013
About Face Theatre is pleased to kick-off LGBTQ Pride Month with the Chicago premiere of the Oliver Award-winning drama THE PRIDE by Alexi Kaye Campbell, directed by Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar, playing June 6 – July 13, 2013 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.
Two story lines, fifty years apart. Set in London, Alexi Kaye Campbell’s time-shifting play THE PRIDE maps the progression of the gay rights movement from the repression of the fifties to the freedom of today through the fate of two twisted love triangles. In 1958, Philip is married to Sylvia but in love with Oliver. In 2008, Oliver is addicted to public sex with strangers, so Philip leaves him. Sylvia has to pick up the pieces. THE PRIDE is a sharp, witty portrait of urban gay couples and the punishing consequences of liberation.
| Show Times: | Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 5 pm & 9 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. |
| Tickets: | Previews: $20 |
| Regular run: $30. $15 students. Group rates available. |
MORE DETAILS ONLINE!
Must See Theatre! Under a Rainbow Flag
UNDER A RAINBOW FLAG
5 PINK CROWNS!
story, vivid account of his gay soldier friends in World War II. And remember, this was a time when everyone had to hide in the closet. Leo has put together an amazing story with music and lyrics, that could play on Broadway or Off Broadway today!
Running till April
21, 2013 at 4139 N. Broadway. Which is great little theater in Buena Park!
Tickets are just $20-25. And so well worth it. Your support of this fine show goes to the actors, musicians,
and other artists crafting this beautiful and exciting project.
Pride Films and Plays, the
producer, is a new organization developing new LGBT works for the stage
and screen. This is our first large musical project, and we need your
support to fully achieve our dreams.
Ultimately, we hope Under A Rainbow Flag will
have a long life at regional theaters everywhere. Your support now is
the first step to making that happen as we use our rehearsal time to
hone every aspect of the production.
Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping OPEN HOUSE Sunday March 24th
SUMMER and BEACH season is about 12 weeks away? Are you ready? What if I told you, you can have a better body in 10 weeks?
Have you heard about Farrells and wanted to check it out? Do you have a friend, family member, a co-worker or neighbor who has inquired about FXB and wants to learn more about the program? Do you want to ‘try’ a class? Do you have questions needing answered? Grab a friend and come to open house this weekend!
This Sunday, March 24th from 1PM-2PM we’ll be hosting an OPEN HOUSE here at FXB.
Be prepared to do
‘mini-workouts’. We will conduct a 15 minute warm-up, then a bags
demonstration followed by a few bands exercises. Then, we will
transition into a question/answer period.
You will then have an opportunity to sign up for the Spring Session with a DISCOUNT!
Please RSVP for this event by emailing JASON.
jasonhedden@extremebodyshaping.com
Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping
821 W. Blackhawk Street
Chicago, IL 60642
www.facebook.com/
LGBT Rights Activist Urvashi Vaid in Chicago April 3
Longtime
LGBT rights advocate Urvashi Vaid will be in Chicago Wed., April 3 for a
free event at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted.
and sign copies
of her new book, Irresistible Revolution: Confronting Race, Class, and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics.
This is her only public program in Chicago.
The event will start at 7 p.m. and is co-hosted by Center on Halsted, the Community Media Workshop; Ellen Stone Belic Institute for Women & Gender in Arts & Media, Columbia College Chicago; and Windy City Times newspaper. Women & Children First Bookstore will have books for sale at the event.
From
one of the nation’s best-known social justice leaders and community
activists comes a strategic and informed argument about the pitfalls of
limited political vision, and the benefits of an agenda that
encompasses, yet moves beyond, equality.
The
LGBT movement is on one of the most active, contested, and engaging
social movements in the world. This optimistic book challenges advocates
for LGBT rights in the U.S. to aspire beyond the narrow framework of
equality. It outlines a more substantive politics with race, class, and
gender at its foundation, and suggests that such a politics will produce
greater and more meaningful change for a larger number of people.
Irresistible Revolution
is intended for a broad and general audience. The book turns an
experienced and thoughtful lens onto many common controversies,
rhetoric, and strategic questions that face contemporary social change
movements: pursuit of broad or narrow agendas, integration of economic
and racial justice, integrating sexual orientation and gender identity
in human rights frameworks, the persistence of sexism, the dilemmas of
bipartisanship, and the challenge of seeing beyond the short term to
secure gains made for the long run.
RSVP: To make a reservation, contact Tom Elliott at telliott@centeronhalsted.org or 773-472-6469
BOOKS: To purchase and/or reserve your copies call Women & Children First Bookstore at 773-769-9299 or visit www.womenandchildrenfirst.com. Guests
are encouraged to reserve copies or prepay to ensure an adequate number
of books. Reserved copies and a limited number of additional copies
will be available at the event.
Speaking in Tongues at the WIT thru March 24th
SPEAKING IN TONGUES.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES is
a masterfully written polyphony about the mistakes we make, the
emotional scars we inflict on those we pretend to love and the
consequences of actions with which we’re left to grapple. Four actors
portray nine characters caught in a destructive web of coincidence,
betrayal, desire and obsession. Skeletons are exhumed, lonely marriages
are unveiled, a wife goes missing, contracts are broken by intimates and
tenuous bonds are formed between strangers. The haunting SPEAKING IN TONGUES will have you piecing together exactly what happened long after you leave the theatre.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES has
toured the world to great acclaim since it was first produced at
Sydney’s Griffin Theatre Company in 1996. It made its U.S. premiere in
2001 at the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York, where it was hailed
as “Clever, Provocative and Resonant!” by The New York Times, “Evocative and Hypnotic!” by USA Today and, “A play of shimmering, iridescent beauty,” by the Financial Times.
Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm
Tickets: $25
AIDS Foundation Chicago Gala with Paula Poundstone April 18th
A One Woman Show: An Evening with Paula Poundstone
Enjoy a cocktail reception, dinner and a keynote speaker all to
benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. The Annual Dinner is an elegant
evening where we award last year’s most important individual allies,
toast to our evolving work to end the AIDS epidemic and enjoy the
remarks from the guest of honor. Buy Tickets!
This year’s Spring Dinner will host Paula Poundstone who is currently a panelist on Chicago’s own Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me! Ms. Poundstone has been passionate about HIV/AIDS awareness and outreach throughout her comedy career.
| Pre-reception: 5:30-6:15 p.m. | Dinner: 6:30-8:30 p.m. | VIP Reception: 8:30-9:30 p.m. |
Marriage Equality March in Chicago and 50 States
DOMA and Proposition 8.
challenge the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
and California’s Proposition 8 – are fundamentally about whether LGBT
Americans can enjoy the same freedoms and opportunities as everyone
else.
presence and that of your friends and others will make a difference in
the continuing national struggle for equality for all. Join us as we
rally next to the Federal Court in Chicago’s Federal Plaza, corner of
Adams and Dearborn Streets, at 5:30 p.m. on March 25, 2013.
will be followed a candlelight march from Federal Plaza to Pioneer Plaza
(By the Tribune Tower). Please remember to bring a candle. Please
spread the word and add your friends to this invite. Tell the SCOTUS we
demand Marriage EquALLity Now!
Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA) and Gay Liberation Network (GLN) are
supporting organizations. Check FACEBOOK for additional details and
supporters.
FREE Films March 20th – LGBT History
The 1920s saw a revolution in technology, the advent of the recording
industry, that created the first class of African-American women to sing
their way to fame and fortune. Blues divas such as Bessie Smith, Ma
Rainey, and Alberta Hunter created and promoted a working-class vision
of blues life that provided an alternative to the Victorian gentility of
middle-class manners. In their lives and music, blues women presented
themselves as strong, independent women who lived hard lives and were
unapologetic about their unconventional choices in clothes, recreational
activities, and bed partners. Blues singers disseminated a Black
feminism that celebrated emotional resilience and sexual pleasure, no
matter the source.
American lesbian, recounts her life. As a lesbian academic interviewed
in the documentary puts it, “Ruth is a gift to us” as she is able to
tell what it was like to suffer “triple oppression, being a woman, being
black, and being a lesbian.” Ellis tells about discovering her
sexuality some 80 years ago, and when discussing her romantic
involvements (which included one relationship lasting 35 years), she is
utterly honest.
had sex, and she replies it was when she was 95, adding with a laugh,
“that was a one-night stand.” A businesswoman, Ellis lived openly as a
lesbian and often played host for an active social circle of gays and
lesbians in Detroit at a time when mainstream America scarcely
acknowledged the existence of the community. The film is illustrated
with vintage photographs of Ellis, her family, lovers, and friends, and
footage shot in the present day shows her at dance class, having fun at
her favorite bowling alley, and shooting pool with friends. This is an
engaging look at a special character, a woman who was always true to
herself.
Menz Room Anniversary Fashion and Hair Show Benefit at Hydrate
