CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST OPENING NIGHT PREMIERES “LA LA LAND”

PLUS GREEN TIE BALL; KERRY AND SARAH'S STORYBOOK GALA; IKRAM'S SURPRISE TALENT; RMHC'S 6TH ANNUAL COCKTAIL PARTY; COMMON THREADS' COOK-OFF; 3ARTS AWARDS; CHICAGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR'S BIG NIGHT AT NAVY PIER; OPEN BOOKS "MAKES THE CASE"; TOGETHER FOR HISTORY, JOYCE'S ELECTION NIGHT 2016; MICHELLE'S WISH UPON A WEDDING; CANVAS 2016 IN PALM BEACH; CHICAGONISTALIVE!'S FALL LECTURE SERIES; USO'S STAR-SPANGLED SALUTE GALA; VIDEOS AND SO MUCH MORE!

The 52nd Chicago International Film Festival opened Thursday night, October 13, with a crowd of over 1000. It began with a delightful reception at Ogden Plaza (see video here), right down the block from the Sheraton Hotel.

I didn't even know this space existed so it was a real treat to see it and experience the excitement of this grand opening for the Festival, the largest juried fest in North America! WGN's Dean Richards served as commentator during

the short program in the Plaza as well as at the host venue, AMC River East 21, where La La Land opened the festival on three sold-out screens. Appearing at the event were the film's director Damien Chazelle and cast member Rosemarie DeWitt who plays Ryan Gosling's sister. (See video here) They

thanked the crowd (both at the reception and in all three theaters at AMC) with Rosemarie remarking that this was her first time in Chicago. Richards responded, "Thank goodness you're here in warm

 

weather!" Actually, it was a little cool at the reception with guests bundled up in coats and sweaters. But even with a chill in the air, nothing could dampen the spirits of this enthusiastic crowd who were

thrilled to be there, meet the stars and see this magical film. I won't spoil anything here but I would describe it as a new, old-fashioned romantic musical. It has elements of

old films but with many brilliant, totally modern twists and turns. I think co-stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling should win a LOT of awards for this one–they sang, they danced and they acted their little hearts out. We were transfixed. Film Fest founder/artistic director/good friend Michael Kutza pointed out that Gosling had been a dancer all his life. (See video below of his dance with his sister Mandi in 1991, OMG!)

The evening was presented by lead sponsors Bloomberg Philanthropies and Chloe Wine Collection. Special guests who walked the 30' foot red carpet included Festival jury president and Tribute honoree Geraldine Chaplin (Charlie's daughter), jury members

Chin Han (The Dark Night) and David Verbeek (R U THERE); Chicago's own Chaz Ebert; actor Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy) and director John McNaughton, in town for the 30th Anniversary presentation of

HENRY: Portrait of a Serial Killer; and of course Michael Kutza and Mimi Plauché (programming director). The Festival runs through October 27 and features over 140 films from 50 countries, special events, parties and panels. Don't miss it! Kutza said, "This is one of the best

line-ups of films in years! We have the cream-of-the-crop, the BEST of the BEST, and our own discoveries. 250 guests are coming to Chicago to represent their films." Thank you Michael, Mimi, Sam,

Vivian and all the rest of the Film Fest staff who work so hard to bring this excitement to Chicago and connect us to the rest of the world through the magic of film! (For all the info, schedules and

programming, click here!) (I also want to thank these Fest sponsors for making this special event possible for all of us–Stella Artois, Wansas Tequila, Sound Investment AV, John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum Family Foundation, American Airlines, Wintrust, Chloe Wine Collection, HBO, Ellen and Paul Gignilliat, Jeanne Randall Malkin Family Foundation, Penelope R. and Robert Steiner). See exciting 52nd Film Fest trailer below! (Photos by Timothy M. Schmidt)

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The 25th annual Green Tie Ball was a movable feast of fashion, food, music and much more benefiting Chicago Gateway Green on October 1. This epic event was held at Architectural Artifacts this year but, in years past, the party exploded at Finkl Town, a sprawling 28-acre steel complex formerly situated in the

Clybourne Corridor that was demolished a couple years ago. I wondered how this new venue would accommodate all of the many aspects of this

party that always makes it so exciting. Well, once I saw the searchlights out front at the 4325 N. Ravenswood location and entered the venue, all my angst disappeared. It was perfect in every way. The 18,000 square-foot warehouse owned by Stuart Grannen is filled top to

bottom, inside and out, with vintage treasures that served as a wonderfully dramatic backdrop for the 1000+ chicly clad attendees. In the Courtyard, guests mingled in front of towering, dramatically lit columns, an antique pick-up truck and a huge

social media display urging guests to use #GTB for their many postings. Inside, it was a three ring circus with charitable gaming provided by Rivers Casino (craps, roulette and blackjack), 23 food stations with restaurants secured by

the event's culinary chair David Lissner. They included Gibson's Bar & Steakhouse, Davanti Enoteca, PorkChop, Quartino Ristorante, Shaw's Crab House, Sunda, Belly Up Smokehouse & Saloon,

Tavern on Rush, Texas de Brazil, Weiner's Circle, Caffe Umbria, Glazed & Infused, Hubbard Inn, Joy District….well, you get the picture–there was a LOT of food! I even saw designer Azeeza Khan and Chicago Magazine's Susanna Homan

sneaking out with slices of Lou Malnati's Pizza! Lol! There was indeed something for everyone! And the music! It was a dancer's paradise with live music playing on multiple stages! Nungan, a French pop music group, DJs Eddie Mills and Rock City wound up the crowd. Renowned British DJ/singer/songwriter, Samantha

Ronson DJ'd for a little over an hour. (If you're not familiar with Ronson, her history is fascinating! Her mother is writer/socialite Ann Dexter-Jones and her dad was a real estate entrepreneur. Her mom later married

Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones, who contributed to her love of music). Dr. Bombay was the headlining group with Lee Golub, Gateway Green's vice chair, on the drums. They brought the house down

with their rendition of Joe Jonas and DNCE's "Cake by the Ocean" (one of my favorites!). During the program, emceed by WGN Radio's Roe Conn and Anna Davlantes (stunning in a sparkly, short, GREEN cocktail

dress), board chair Grant DePorter (son of Gateway Green founder Don DePorter) shared how pleased his dad would be with the progress of the organization. He

also introduced the co-chairs for the event, Neal Zucker and Lara Shiffman, who were the co-chairs for the first Green Tie Ball in 1992 (as well as for its 10th anniversary). Neal shared, "When Don DePorter

approached Lara and me to be co-chairs, our city was not the green and beautiful model city that it is today. I was excited to be part of this brand new initiative and wanted to encourage my

peers that we can all make a difference." (And Neal's friends/peers were out in force this night, of course, to celebrate with him!) 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins shared exciting stats about the non-profit. Over 4,000 trees, 80,000 shrubs and 130,000 perennials have been planted and over 1.3 million pounds of litter has

been removed. Hopkins also issued a proclamation from the Mayor and the City Council decreeing September 26 through October 2 to be "Gateway Green Week" in Chicago. In celebration, a 150-pound

strawberry-topped Eli's Cheesecake was wheeled out by a proud Marc Schulman. Co-chairs, hosts and principals all gathered round for a cool photo opp and to cut the cake. A live auction included Hamilton tickets donated by Steve Traxler, who doubled the package after a bit of arm-twisting from DePorter, bringing the total to a cool $9,000. Following the program, guests

meandered throughout the space, greeting friends, dancing, bidding on a silent auction and cocktailing. Security guards positioned on the atrium's walkway checked for silver wristbands before allowing guests into the VIP area where there was more food, lounges and bird's-eye views of the dance floor. When I asked Grant if he could make one dream come true for Gateway Green, what would it be? He said,

 

"My big, crazy dream would be to put sprinklers throughout our entire expressway garden system. Sprinklers would allow us to be more aggressive with our plantings but they are very expensive. My dream

would be to receive a large charitable gift which would provide enough funding to make this happen. In my dream, the financial gift would also be big enough to fund the remaining areas of Chicago that still need and want greening and beautification. We're doing a lot but could always do more."  His dad would be so proud. (To learn more about Chicago Gateway Green, click here) (FAB photos by Mila Samokhina).

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The 2^nd annual Storybook Gala benefiting the Wood Family Foundation was themed after J.M Barrie's famed Peter Pan and was an unprecedented success raising over $500,000 on September 23. The magical evening provided a perfect atmosphere for interaction between guests who exemplify the passion that the non-profit

 

shares for Chicago’s most at-risk children. The Foundation honored Graham Allen with the Pitch In for Excellence Award. He was introduced by Captain Matt Duffy and Emmy-nominated writer and actress Bonnie Hunt who served as emcee. As guests

arrived at Moonlight Studios, two "British guards" were on hand to welcome them. They were then led through the grand entrance via the “Streets of London;" a magical modern brick hallway complete with lanterns and luscious foliage which evoked the

feeling of strolling down the cobblestone lanes of London. The space also contained a bright red telephone booth for guests to create photo memories. As the formal evening began, mischievous “lost boys” and acrobats led guests to their seats in the Revel Decor

designed banquet room. Bright blues and greens splashed throughout the room, with Pan-themed markers labeling each table making guests feel like they had been whisked away to Neverland. Twinkling lights and clouds

dazzled guests leading into the venue as a string quartet played. The evening's program began with toasts and then the official presentation of the Pitch In for Excellence

Award to Mr. Allen. Duffy introduced Allen, relaying the importance and significance of the support he provides for the Wood Family Foundation and the Chicagoland community. Following the presentation, two pirate themed acrobats and an aerialist charmed the audience with their impressive

twists, lifts, and tosses. After the performance, two sword wielding pirates led guests onto Hook’s Private Deck where  an after-party featured deep red decor, a sailing mast, fishnets, and tunes by DJ Meghan

Trainer. All proceeds from this event, over $400,000, will help support Pitch In, the Wood's afterschool mentoring program serving Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood. Congrats on a great night Sarah and Kerry and thanks for all you do! (To learn more about the Wood Family Foundation, to donate or see how you can volunteer, click here)

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We all know and love her as the owner of the chicest cherry red boutique in town and the woman who dressed First Lady Michelle Obama. During fashion weeks across the globe, Ikram (Goldman) is a force to be reckoned with. She has an eye that can make or break a new (or established) designer and is one of the biggest, smartest buyers in the industry. But during Paris Fashion Week, she became known for something else–her singing! At the hot venue L'Olympia and in front of a crowd of nearly

2000, Ikram had a guest spot with longtime friends, Pink Martini, an eclectic jazz/Latin lounge act from Portland, Oregon, that has a global following.  During her five minute performance, she sang a song ("Girl from Shallabiya") by her favorite singer,

Fairuz, a Lebanese star who Ikram had listened to as a child and who, she said, shares a positive, uplifting message of hope (something, I might add, that Ikram does

herself). After her triumph onstage and a few tears, she continued to sing backup vocals for the rest of the performance and, as always when Ikram is on a stage, she invites all of her friends to join her. She said, "It was an amazing dream come true." And she must've enjoyed the experience, because her next gigs with the group will be October 22 at Royal Albert Hall in London and at the Hollywood Bowl this New Year's Eve! You go girl! (See her inspired performance below!)

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Chicago-born nonprofit, Common Threads, hosted over 550 of the city’s most philanthropic foodies for a night of delicious small bites, expertly crafted cocktails and a silent auction on October 6. The "Cook-Off" featured some of the city’s top chefs including Chef Brian Millman from Atwood,

Chef Matt Dubois from Band of Bohemia and Chef Lawrence Letrero of Sable Kitchen and Bar, all competing to win the ‘best dish’ crown in five different categories, the garden, the pasture, the barn, the seed or the barrel. Other participating restaurants included

Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop, Eataly, Frontier, Green Zebra, Howells & Hood, III Forks, St. Lou’s Assembly, The Chopping Block, The Kitchen Chicago, Travelle and TWO Restaurant and Bar. All proceeds benefited Common Threads’ programming, which provides preventative

health program solutions to children from underserved communities through hands-on cooking and nutrition education.Founded in 2003 by Chef Art Smith and artist Jesus Salgueiro, Common Threads grew out of the belief that "family and food have the power to nurture and strengthen us, to connect us to culture and community, and to teach and excite us about our world–a world of common threads." (To learn more about this life changing non-profit, click here). Guests

included Beth Peterson, Margaret and Bob Rainone, Linda Novick O'Keefe (the darling, founding CEO of Common Threads), Sarah Wilburn, Cara

Evans, Julie Koziol, Allison Kniepman, Kate and Peter Hassen, Megan and Steve Buege, Lee Stuck, Olivia Romano, Brian Dahm, Ashley Hinton, AJ Dolan, Dawn Huston, Anne Owen, Maria Ponce, Blackhawks' Brian Campbell and his wife Lauren, Karen Hickey, Jaclyn Webb, Heidi Park, Karli Nutter and Hannah Pomatto. (Photos by Francis Son and Jennifer Mauer)

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The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana's Women's Auxiliary Board hosted more than 200 of Chicago’s most fabulous and philanthropic for its 6th annual Cocktail Party at the chic River North hotspot, Joy District. Guests enjoyed an evening of food, drinks, friends and fun. Co-chaired by Sheryl Dyer, Melinda Jakovich and Nina Mariano, the benefit raised more

than $68,000 to provide a home away from home for families of hospitalized children staying together at the Ronald McDonald House located in Streeterville. Partygoers seen on the scene included Paul Iacono, Carol Beitler, Lesley Prizant Goodman, Joe Schmidt,

Heather Farley, Phil Palmer, Mike Noonan, Christina Thomas, Marc Shouger, Cindy Burns and Rance Crain, Paul Huebener and Amy Wright, Paul Rehder, Lucien LaGrange and so many more.  The Women’s Auxiliary is a team of philanthropic women in Chicago, thought

leaders and influencers, who are committed to helping raise funds to operate the Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s. They serve as ambassadors – educating and engaging support from the community through one-on-one

discussions, private events, and larger social gatherings. Members of this board leverage their ideas and networks to identify and help cultivate prospective donors including individuals, corporations and

foundations.  These dynamic WB members include Annie Peck, Ashlee Knuckey, Brielle Buchberg, Carol Beitler, Denise McKinney, Heather Ingram,

Katie Knapp, Lauren DeVos, Lesley Prizant Goodman, Mary Pat Burns, MaryAnne Smith, Maureen Huhs, Melinda Jakovich, Nina Mariano, Rhoda Brownstein, Sharyn Weiss, Shelly Becker, Sherri Davis, Sheryl Dyer, Tara Kamradt, Vali Fotos and yours truly. 🙂 (Photos by Mila Samokhina)

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The  9^th annual 3Arts Awards was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art on October 3 with nearly 300 guests in attendance. Co-chaired by Michelle T. Boone and Angelique Power, the event honored 10 recipients that included women artists, artists of color, and

artists with disabilities working in the performing, teaching, and visual arts communities. The 2016 recipients are (drum roll please!) dancer/choreographers Barak adé Soleil and Ayako Kato; singer/songwriter Jess Godwin

and improvisational cellist Tomeka Reid; teaching artists Alexandria Eregbu and William Estrada; theater maker Jo Cattell and director Maggie Popadiak; and visual

artists Candace Hunter and Aram Han Sifuentes. 3Arts Awardees each receive an unrestricted $25,000 award to put to use according to their individual needs and priorities. The evening also featured performances by 2015 3Arts awardees Frank Waln with the Sampson Bros. and Chihsuan Yang with two-time Grammy nominated artist Matthew Santos. “It seems like just yesterday that we launched the 3Arts

Awards program! But the truth is that 3Arts has distributed more than $2 million to artists across all of our programs over the past nine years,” said 3Arts Executive Director, Esther Grisham Grimm. “We do this work because artists do theirs, continually breathing life into our community. We hope

that the 10 newest 3Arts awardees will feel the admiration flowing from our organization—and from all of the Award Partners, local nominators, national jury panelists and

citizens who have contributed in so many ways to make this recognition happen."  One of the ten 3Arts Awards, designated as the 3Arts Community Award, is named in honor of 97 individuals

who contributed to a crowdfunding campaign designed to engage Chicago citizens in supporting local artists. 3Arts matched one-third of the donations in this joint effort led by the Board

of Directors. This year’s 3Arts Community Award recipient is William Estrada, a teaching artist dedicated to using art-making to educate and

connect communities across Chicago. To date, the nonprofit has awarded over $2 million to nearly 400 Chicago artists in the past nine years. (An after-party featured music by DJ Sadie Rock).

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Top singers from Chicago Children’s Choir (CCC) descended on Navy Pier’s Riva Restaurant to celebrate their 60th year as only they know how – with song! The event, open to the public, unveiled

CCC's new mission, logo and premiered its 60^th anniversary recording of “We All Live Here.” Along with the special performance, civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson and

media personality Bill Kurtis appeared as guest speakers offering the kids inspiring words of wisdom. Founded in 1956 during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, the Chicago Children's Choir is a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring and changing lives. For six decades, the multi-racial organization has reflected the cultural landscape of the city and, what began as a

small choir in Hyde Park, now serves 4,300 children a year across all 57 Chicago zip codes. Join the CCC on Friday, October 21, when they celebrate their 60th anniversary with its annual Red Jacket Optional Gala at The Geraghty. This year's event will feature Allison Semmes, a CCC alumna and star of Broadway's "Motown: The Musical. (For tickets and more info, click here!)

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Open Books will host "Make the Case" on Friday, November 4, at Moonlight Studios from 7- 10 pm. This fun-filled evening will benefit Open Books, a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books. During the event, teams of local literacy

supporters will go head-to-head trying to decorate the coolest, most creative bookcase they can in three hours. Spectators are invited to cheer on the teams; enjoy food, drinks, music, and raffle prizes (pair of Bears tickets anyone?!) and then submit their votes for the best case! Open Books then stocks the shelves with engaging, age-appropriate, high-quality books and donates them to classrooms and nonprofit organizations throughout the city. In the 2015-2016 school year, Open Books donated more than 125,000 books. (For more info, click here!)

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I hope you can join me and a distinguished host committee for Election Night 2016 at Ace Bounce (230 N. Clark St.) on Tuesday, November 8, from 7-10 pm. The event, emceed by Mary Ann Childers and Jay Levine, will benefit four organizations dedicated to the advancement of women (YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago Foundation for Women, the Women’s Business Development Center, and Women Employed). “We may not be able to predict the outcome, but we know this for certain—we will each remember where we were on November 8, 2016,’’ said event originator Joycelyn

Winnecke of JWinnecke Advisors LLC. “Where better to watch history unfold than with other Chicagoans, supporting some of the city’s most important women’s organizations?” Host committee members include Dorri McWhorter, Kate Benson, Gloria Castillo, Kendra Chaplin, Mary Ann Childers, Emilia DeMenco, Amy Dardek, Therese Fouerbach, Nicole Johnson-Scales, Jay Levine, Melssa Oakley, Julie Smolyansky, Katie Spring, Susan Whiting, Joycelyn and yours truly. #TogetherforHistory (For tickets and more info, click here)

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I'm thrilled to be recognized as a 2016 Shining Star recipient for Wish Upon A Wedding, a national non-profit that grants weddings and vow renewals for couples facing serious illness or life-altering circumstances. Jessie Pare and Dan Bernstein will also

be honored at the annual Blissful Wishes Gala on Monday, November 7, at Morgan Manufacturing. Thank you to Chicago chapter president Michelle Durpetti for this

wonderful honor! (For tix and more info, click here: http://bit.ly/2ecaUDh)

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And for all my readers in Florida and snowbirds who will be heading there, you won't want to miss the CANVAS Outdoor Museum Show coming to Palm Beach on November 11 to 20. Billed as the nation’s largest outdoor museum show, CANVAS brings together the most innovative contemporary artists, collectors, and art influencers from around the world and, this year, will include the renowned artist KOBRA, who just painted the world’s largest mural at the Rio Olympics. Championing art in public places, CANVAS transforms landscapes into an interactive art experience, activating spaces and engaging with the city from concept to completion. For more info, click here!

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ChicagonistaLIVE!'s MJ Tam and Beth Rosen will host their second Women Driving Excellence Fall Lecture Series featuring Nancy Loo and Zondra Hughes on October 21. Gripping headlines and posting consistency can draw people in, but keeping an audience committed and engaged is a whole other topic. These two media experts will give you tips on how to keep giving value to your audience. Join them on Friday, at SPACE by doejo beginning at 5:30! (For more details, click here) (And mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 16, when Janet Davies and I share our thoughts, secrets and tips from our years in the business!)

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Congrats to USO Illinois on their perfect choice for the Angel Harvey Heart of a Patriot Award that will be presented at its inspiring 75th anniversary "Star-Spangled Salute" gala at Navy Pier on Saturday, October 22. The late comedian Robin Williams will be the honoree, with the award being accepted by his widow Susan. Robin was a favorite of the troops, appearing in USO shows around the world. Check out one of his special appearances below from Kuwait. Sure miss him. (For event info and tickets, click here).  

I hope you enjoyed this edition of Candid Candace and I hope you're a subscriber! If not, click here and enjoy a first look at all the fun from Chicago and beyond!

Love, as always,

Candace
Candace@CandidCandace.com

P.S. And, of course, something to leave you with a smile! 🙂