never too young for art & culture! (or too old)

I don’t know if I can’t let go of my youth, or if I am getting excited to share this experience w/ my future kids (no, I’m not expecting), but I love the chicago children’s theatre!  I take all my lil godchildren to open their eyes/minds early to true art, creative, thought, life… & have a blast together!  (not just a kid thing, so keep reading!)

 I usually call it “artistic, smart, fun” theatre for families… but it’s more than that… “Chicago Children’s Theatre aspires to enrich our community through diverse and significant theatrical programming that engages and inspires the child in all of us…. Inspiring young people and families to lead lives of adventure, courage, and curiosity.”

Watch the awesome video above, & check out www.ChicagoChildrensTheatre.org to enjoy their event this Sunday, May 31^st at the Chicago History Museum with Games, Music, Crafts, Fun,… and a sneak peek from their production of “The Hundred Dresses” with amazing raffle prizes to win!  And take a child (or 2) in your life to a show (we all have them)… you will have a blast too!!!  Trust me-

new chicago cops on broadway?

Ok, I realize this is a ridiculous pic, but it was the one in the ny post yesterday about Daniel craig and hugh jackman teaming up to play chicago cops on broadway!  Crazy- sure it will make big bucks- because it’s about chicago’s finest of course…

Speaking of craig & chicago, Daniel craig spent a ton of time here filming “road to perdition” years ago w/ jude law & paul newman back when he was a “no name” actor… we became friends early on and he would hang out late nights after filming w/ me & jude law running around all my places (back then was dragon room & circus!) drinking patron, laughing our heads off… only to end up playing 3am Frisbee in the park, breaking into my mom’s house to raid chicken out of her fridge, to… omg, dorks!  And now he’s james bond… Go figure…

chicago entertainment industry hit?

I saw this interesting message going around… thought you might like to see quick paraphrased parts of it to get snapshot of what’s happening behind the scenes and how it could effect a lot of people…

Dear Representative:   I am writing to you and the many concerned citizens in the Chicago area to express our opposition to huge increase in the liquor, wine and beer excise tax. The $4.00 per gallon increase in liquor along with the significant increases in beer and wine will undoubtedly have an impact on the service industry which always seems to bear the brunt of the tax increases.

The Illinois Restaurant Association represents business owners that generate more than $51 million a day in sales and employs over 500,000 Illinois residents. These businesses are essential to the Illinois economy. Restaurant owners are in the forefront of dealing with the current economic realities and are most sensitive to changing tax laws.

The proposed increases in the Illinois Excise tax for Spirits, Wine and Beer will give Illinois and Chicago the highest taxes in the Midwest.  Each increase will adversely affect the restaurant sector and the Illinois citizens who work for restaurants.  

(How do you feel about it?  I would love to know… but definitely contact your Rep too and let them know… b)

2 words sum up why blackhawks need to win

Having just seen a playoff game front row I can easily say it’s one of the greatest sport experiences ever- they slam each other into the glass a foot from your face- you can barely keep your eye on how fast the puck flies- you see the rage in player’s faces as they kill to win- and most charging- you have what feels like a billion of the loudest most loyal fans on earth screaming down on to the ice like every second is do or die- National Anthem til players leave- it’s bananas- but no other reason matters more that our boys win this Friday than the 2 words my buddy Jeremy Piven shares in the video above… enjoy… and go Blackhawks!

my 1st chicago convention – why you should support!

First of all, did ya know $5.8 billion is generated for chicago’s economy from business travelers every year… so we all should really be helping every convention that picks chicago over our aggressive competitors… like vegas and many others… careful y’all-

Second, they socially put us on the world map!  Like the National Restaurant Association Show this week- brings 70,000 visitors & over $112 million to chicago- and contributes to our effort to making chicago the culinary and entertainment capital of the world!  The best in the industry (owners, chefs, managers, distributors,…) all come into our home to show us their best, while super excited to take in all the food & culture we have to offer every minute they can… just having the world know at all times that we are the National Restaurant centerpoint gives us great added credibility… and we need to hold on to that with everything we got!

In effort to help personally this year, I agreed to speak at the show opening kickoff “Restaurant Executive Breakfast” this Saturday morning… first just seemed like a fun thing to do… now a lil freaked out realizing that its way bigger deal than thought sharing the stage w/ top execs responsible for marketing McDonald’s, Dunkin donuts,… ooops. Don’t worry… I will do my best to represent hometown small biz- besides, it’s about “word of mouth” marketing… my fav… holla!  Ok, back to serious.  Think I will talk about how and why we made the video above- what do you think?

Anywho, please come to see me try to share the stage with some amazing marketing/restaurant/… people or come to any of the sessions at this year’s NRA Show, May 16-19th at McCormick Place by registering online at www.restaurant.org/show or onsite all four days…

 (ok, my confidence is now up walking into this… I got it… after writing this I found out we just got reviewed today by world food critic Phil Vettel in today’s Chicago Tribune if can grab it… Sunda got another “Excellent!”  We just opened for lunch… best time to come…  click here for the review - oh, and funny pic of me and three celeb friends I was kickn it with at underground last weekend in Suntimes I guess today too… crazy day- and it just started!)

chicago sports nuts – heads up!

Huge chicago sports names coming out for 1^st annual “legends of the ball” to support amazing group “Good Sports” which provides sporting equipment to chicago after-school programs & public rec-centers to encourage under-privileged kids to exercise and participate in group sports & teams.  Enjoy bigtime silent auction, food, drinks, gift bags, and fav former pro athletes attending… 6p-10p this Thursday (5/14) @ Rockit (22 w Hubbard)… more info and tix at www.goodsports.org and lil video above from Comcast sports- enjoy!

what chicago travel & tourism means to us!

Did you know Chicago’s visitor industry is directly responsible for more than 130,000 jobs; nearly $650 million in tax revenue and more than $11.5 billion in direct spending.  Ya- a big impact for all of us.  So thank you to all that help make this happen- and to all that can join a special event tomorrow when 36 cities across the U.S. will join to amplify the industry’s message to Congress & Obama’s Administration that the nation’s ailing economy needs America to keep traveling, both for business and for leisure!

In conjunction with the 26^th annual National Travel & Tourism Week (May 9-16), the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau along with the Chicago Office of Tourism and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will host a Rally on Tuesday, May 12 at Navy Pier’s Lakeview Rooftop Terrace from 10:30-11am.   Continue reading »

celeb friends who are still “chicago”

Hung out w/ buddies from way back Kate Walsh from private practice and Jessica szohr from gossip girl last night at the opening party for target’s new pop up store on Michigan ave…… funny, both randomly were saying hi to me and catching up… until I realized they didn’t know each other… so intro’ed them… and turns out they were huge fans of each other… go figure!  We took pic above for fun-

Got to say… loved how the crowd went nuts for them… but yet they are still the sweetest, most humble, Midwest, haven’t forgotten their time and love for chicago, super cool girls ever… anywho, check out the target pop up store at 445 n Michigan ave (trib building) may 7-9^th from 10a-8p!  it’s pretty cool-

protect yourself online as best you can…

I was watching the nature channel the other night (my fav) about how much this mother cheetah had to work all day to find food for her 3 cubs… basically it is what her whole day revolved around… as nothing else was more important than those that depended on her.  Most frustrating was that every time her hard work, constant running and extreme commitment paid off and she finally acquired food for the family, and the cubs would catch up to get some nourishment, these nasty vultures who spent the day with nothing to do but just chill on a branch watching her struggle, would simply come to steal, harass, intimidate and essentially threaten the safety of the mom and her cubs, until they were forced to abandon their meal, and go start all over again in order to stay alive.  I kept thinking, that mom could tear those dirty birds apart if had to, but for the well being of her cubs, she always had to pull them back for safety, and just walk away defeated with her head down until she could shake it off and try again for the best interest of those that depend on her- because again- nothing else was more important.

As miserable as I thought that was in such a distant land, and couldn’t believe that such a thing could even exist, it occurred to me that sometimes we find ourselves in a very similar situation with our own set of vultures bringing pain to our lives as well-

I for one had two issues this week alone that made me think of the above happening to me- and thought I might share them with you.  Why?  Continue reading »