DISMERO Blog Party, PAWS Fur Ball and Robert Crown Birthday Party!

Welcome back everyone! I’m so excited! I am now a part of the NBC-5 Street Team! Check out the site here!!!!!

We attended the 50th birthday party for the Robert Crown Center of Hinsdale recently which was held in the Grand Ballroom at the Peninsula. It was co-chaired by Hazel Barr and Anne and Paul Joyaux. It was a very joyous affair for a wonderful group celebrating its 50th year of teaching healthy habits to over five million children. The Robert Crown Center prepares children with the fundamentals about how their bodies work and what they need to do to stay healthy, happy and safe. The RCC educates children in eight Illinois counties and more than 600 schools. There was dancing to the Marshall Vente Band and a live auction that included VIP tickets to the Olympics in Vancouver, Oprah tickets and more. We all wound up in the VIP section of the lounge where we were escorted by their catering director and good friend, Greg Hyder. He said we would have to leave if any celebs showed up. They didn’t and we stayed. :) For more information and to make a donation please go to www.robertcrown.org. Photos: top right, Sheryl Dyer, Hazel Barr, me and Mary Ann Childers; top left, me with Bob and Maria Zec; middle right, John Regas, Jean Antoniou, Jim Smith and Andy Antoniou; bottom left, Holly Barr, Chuck and Jean Antoniou; bottom right, Sheryl Dyer with Andy and Jean Antoniou

The Chic Chicago Preview Party was held at the Chicago History Museum and the invite read dress to impress. And dress they did! Some of the standouts were Harriet Ross, Abigail Rutherford, Toni Canada, Laura Barnett and Ann Waters. This exhibition of over 60 pieces was a testimony to the women of style who strived to make Chicago known for something other than being the hog butcher to the world. Through their efforts, they helped shape fashion history, from Gilded Age gowns by Worth and Pingat to modern masterpieces by Chanel and Versace. Some of the gowns on display were from collections of Mrs. Potter Palmer II, Mrs. Charles S. Dewey, Ruth Page and Mrs. William McCormick Blair. They were worn to events such as the Coronation of King Edward VII and to meet the Queen of England. The History Museum (curator is Timothy Long) holds one of the largest and oldest costume collections in the country comprising over 50,000 pieces. Photos: top left, me with History Museum curator Tim Long and executive board member Noren Ungaretti; top right, Neal Zucker and Robin Berger; middle left, 1913 Paul Poiret dress – the first couture dress for the uncorseted figure; middle right, Abigail Rutherford director of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers' vintage couture department; bottom left, Irwin and Harriet Ross; bottom right, 1954 Charles James Butterfly Gown – 25 yards of peau de soie and nylon netting weighing 25 pounds. For more images from this event, click HERE.

Maggie Daley’s bright yellow jacket perfectly echoed the feel of the crowd on hand to celebrate the Gala Opening of the Sterling Business Center in the Block 37 Building on October 22nd. This 30,000-square-foot, $7 million dollar building consists of 110 luxury office spaces and is owned by businessman Ed Zaibek who, at only 26 years of age, seems to be setting the city on fire! It was a beautiful space and the party was planned to perfection by Dori Wilson. Also there assisting were Donna LaPietra, who is always related to good causes, and her darling significant other, Bill Kurtis, who introduced our First Lady Maggie Daley and recognized her for her After School Matters program. The room was abuzz and filled to capacity. Everyone turns out for our dear Maggie AND Dori! There was entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and a raffle to win a trip to Dubai. Lucky guests included Mike and Ed Howlett, Laura Baron, Shauna Montgomery, Rhonda Sanderson, Chicago Public School’s superintendent Rufus Williams and his darling wife Jaye and others. Photos: top left, Donna LaPietra, Maggie Daley and me; top right, Aurelio Huertas and Dori Wilson; bottom left, Laura Baron and Rhonda Sanderson; bottom right, Mike Howlett, Maggie Daley and Ed Howlett

This same evening, I attended a party to launch fabulous LaShonda Matlock’s new blog,

http://www.gossipchicago.net. This hot new site will be the go-to place for daily gossip and entertainment news. The party was held at Martini Park and hosted by Amanda Puck. I met LaShonda’s handsome fiancé, Erjan Fortson, and I will tell you, as you can see from the photo, they’re one of the cutest and most loving couples around town. Her chic dress was by Agga B. from the select group of Chicago designers chosen for Macy’s incubator. It you haven’t shopped there, you are missing an opportunity to support our own talented designers. Photos: top left, LaShonda Matlock; top right, Diamond Ingram and Vanessa Williams; bottom left, LaShonda Matlock with her fiancé Erjan Fortson; bottom right, Vanessa Walker

On another blog party note, the fabulous Italian women’s designer store DISMERO at 50 E. Oak St. will be hosting a blog party to celebrate MY OWN BLOG, CandidCandace on Thursday December 4th from 6 to 9 p.m. Ten percent of this week’s proceeds will benefit Common Threads. DISMERO designer Andy D’Auria is known for his talent for creating chic sportswear that fits any woman. In 1987, D’Auria made his debut with his first collection in Germany and today has locations in Verona, Italy and Munich. Chicago is his flagship store in the U.S. This event is being organized by PR whiz Lynne Bredfeldt and if you would like to join me, and I hope you do, please RSVP to lynne@jlynnepr.com or call (312) 380-6590. Photos: top left, DISMERO logo; bottom right, DISMERO designer and founder Andy D'Auria

Also coming up is the PAWS Fur Ball on Friday, November 14th at the Drake Hotel starting at 6 p.m. This is always a fun party and the only black tie affair in town where you can bring your four-legged friends! PAWS is the largest no-kill animal shelter in the region so please try to come out and support this terrific organization! (BTW, did you see the beautiful layout in Traditional Home Magazine this month of founder Paula Fasseas’ gorgeous Arizona home? Just lovely!) For tickets, please call 773-890-5118. Photo: left, my dogs Mickey and Rooney Jordan getting ready for the Fur Ball

And finally, I am on the host committee for a reception celebrating a retrospective of one of Chicago’s most colorful and talented photographers, Mitchell Canoff. Please join us on Monday, November 17th from 5 to 8 p.m. at 51 W. Hubbard for fun, fotos, food and friends… Photo: right, Mitchell Canoff