SHINE & DINE 2018; THE HAPPINESS CLUB HONORS JESSE; DANCE FOR LIFE HONORS LEGENDS; MADDON'S "TRY NOT TO SUCK" STAR-STUDDED GOLF TOURNEY; FLEUROTICA AT GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY; RIP BURT; "EARLY BIRDS & BOOKWORMS" REVIVED BY SERVICE CLUB; HAUTE DOG CHICAGO; A TOUGH RACE FOR A GOOD FRIEND; GREEN TIE BALL UPDATE!; KRISTAN'S BIG DAY; HILTON/ASMUS GALLERY HOSTS SINATRA; CHICAGO LOOP ALLIANCE'S ILLUMINATION; NEXT KIM-K?; NORTHWESTERN HOSPITAL'S "NIGHT UNDER THE BIG TOP"; IZZY'S BD FUNDRAISER; ARTISTS GALORE AT AMERICAN CRAFT EXPO; "CAROUSEL OF POSSIBLE DREAMS" AT SANFILIPPO ESTATE; BY:FASHIONAHOLIC'S COOL FALL FASHION EVENT; HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS; TENNIS RETURNS TO CHICAGO; ART ON THEMART; LILY'S "BUBBLES & BRUNCH"; A WALK FOR THE BEAR; ACES UP! FOR URBAN PREP; DARLING VIDEOS AND SO MUCH MORE!
One night only and almost 4,000 guests from around the world–this describes the 7th annual Dîner en Blanc , a legendary pop-up culinary event hosted in Chicago on August 23. This worldwide event spans six
continents and is held in nearly 80 cities with people dressed all in white, gathering in public spaces and setting up temporary, chic dining areas. Diners are required to provide their own food, tables, chairs and tablecloths and the location isn't shared until the final
moment. This year's Chicago event (which had a waiting list of 10K!) was located on the Southside in Siegel Field (on the IIT Campus). It was an outdoor picnic like none other! The locations chosen always celebrate the many stunning public spaces in the individual cities and this year's choice for
Chicago honored its unique architectural history and rich South Side culture on the campus (which boasts the densest concentration of Mies van der Rohe-designed
structures)! During the event, a 17-piece jazz orchestra, Big Band Boom (with music curated by Mike Jeffers of Chicago Jazz Magazine) underscored the historical significance of the space. People celebrated by waving 3800 sparklers and consuming over 17,000 bottles
of wine! A unique lighting activation, created by Sevy Perez, lit up Mies' historically registered S.R. Crown Hall and honored the French history of the event with a representation of a French Flag. The activation then switched to a Chicago flag and will remain this way through the end of 2018. And, to add even more excitement to the night, a wedding took place!
Congrats to Blaine Washington and Matthew Lawson! I know this will be a night they will never forget on every level! The Dîner en Blanc concept began in Paris in 1988 when Frenchman François 
Pasquier invited a group of friends to an elegant outdoor dinner in the Bois de Boulogne, asking them to dress in white so they could find each other. The event's presence has grown to over 70 cities, with a record-breaking 17,000 gathering 
this year for the 30th-anniversary event in Paris (held on the Esplanade des Invalides on June 3). (For more info, photos and videos of Dîner en Blanc events from around the world, click here!) HOWEVER, Diner en blanc is certainly not the FIRST "white party" to be held in Chicago–that honor belongs to a group of local
businessmen who created this fun concept here many, many, many years ago. The group included Do-All heir Michael Wilkie (who also danced with Princess Diana when she came to town), Jim Riley, Terry "Whitey" Pearson, the late Steve Nardi and Billy O'Connor, Lee Smith and Justin Dedeaux. They hosted a variety of wild (fabulous!) parties around the world too–a
Christmas Party in NY; a fall Boat Party in NY; a Wine Party in Aspen and a July 4th Party in St. Tropez. Chuck and I were lucky to have attended many of these and, although I'm sure Diner en Blanc is very nice, it might not live up to these previous bashes that hold such a special place in our memories.
It was an evening of fun, food and fundraising as mentorship nonprofit Step Up raised over $400,000 at its 8th annual Shine & Dine on August 9 at Revel Fulton Market. Chaired by Jessica McLaughlin (Northern Trust), Shine & Dine welcomed over 650 guests to sip and snack their way through tasting stations from some of Chicago’s top
eateries. Step Up alumna English Henderson was honored for inspiring women and girls to fulfill their potential. Henderson, a member of Step Up’s Class of 2014 and
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Class of 2018, shared her Step Up story during the event’s brief program. “Step Up is inspired by the investment of our Chicago community, especially our board of directors and event sponsors,” Step Up CEO Jenni Luke said. “It is rewarding to see this event grow in both size and impact each year, and this year's
more than $400,000 raised will make a significant difference to our mentorship programs for Chicago's teen girls this school year." Chef Christine Cikowski of Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Sunday Dinner Club returned as the event’s chef chair and hosted a tasting
station alongside Bang Bang Pie Shop, bellyQ, Boka, Boleo, Dough Mess Around, Do-Right Donuts, Eden, Eno, The Florentine, Floriole, Foiled Cupcakes, Le Colonial, Lifeway, Madison & Rayne, Michael Jordan's Steak House, Nico Osteria, Naoki Sushi,
Piccolo Sogno, Ronero, The Signature Room, Troquet, Upstairs at The Gwen and Wow Bao. Beverage partners included Beam Suntory, Giuliana Prosecco and MillerCoors. Step Up propels teen girls from under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound and career-
focused. In the last year, 500 Chicago teens enrolled in the nonprofit’s after-school and weekend mentorship programs with a successful expansion to its eighth partner high school. Cindy Sobel (Barlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott) chairs the Step Up Chicago chapter board of directors and sits
on Step Up's national board of directors with past national chair Angela Elbert (Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg) and Marcy Twete. The event also receives support from platinum sponsors Allstate Insurance Company and Ulta Beauty, along with gold sponsor PwC.)
The worlds of hip hop and gymnastics happily collided on Sunday, August 12 at the Park West, when The Honorable Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State and founder of The Jesse White Tumblers, received the Legacy Award presented by
Chicago’s own Happiness Club, a diverse group of Chicago kids who promote positive values and social change through original hip hop and pop music, dance and rap. Despite the heat, (The air conditioning stopped working during the event), the performers and guests remained cool and their enthusiasm never dimmed as they watched for the first time ever, The Jesse White Tumblers perform with the hip-
hopping Happiness Club in honor of White, who was honored for 59 years of incredible work with his namesake organization. The Tumblers do more than 1,500 worldwide performances annually, using seven units, consisting
of 225 young men and women. Like the Happiness Club, the gymnasts’ program instills confidence, high self-esteem and a strong work ethic, leading the path to a bright future. During the evening, guests enjoyed a Taste of Chicago-style buffet that included Lou Malnati's Pizza, Vienna Hot
Dogs, Eli's steak sandwiches and Eli's Cheesecake. The benefit raised $50,000. If you're not familiar with The Happiness Club, it offers kids a safe environment to express themselves in a peaceful manner and provides a year round free performing arts education program, enabling members to create a musical show based on real kids and their stories. Its goal is simple: attract kids with the music and inspire them with the lyrics. All 8 graduating seniors are going on to college!
Dance for Life, which mobilizes Chicago’s dance community by raising funds through dance, welcomed more than 2,700 guests, an all-time high in attendance, at its 27th annual Dance for Life Chicago performance August 18 at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Approximately 500
guests attended a pre-performance gala reception at the Hilton Chicago. From a combination of ticket sales, sponsorships, a live auction and contributions, Dance for Life Chicago raised more than $275,000 to support The Dancers’ Fund, which provides assistance to members of the dance community coping with critical health issues, and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
The evening began in the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom with cocktails and a “summer supper.” Guests then proceeded to the Auditorium Theatre for Dance for Life, this year featuring seven companies: Partner Dance Companies Giordano Dance Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and The Joffrey Ballet, joined this year by Hanna Brictson and Dancers, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Chicago Dance Crash and Nomi Dance Company. The concert opened with a work choreographed by Randy Duncan. Dance for Life also honored two pillars of Chicago dance: Hubbard Street
Dance Chicago Founding Artistic Director Lou Conte and Giordano Dance Chicago Artistic Director Nan Giordano (just love her!) Co-chairs for the 27th annual Dance for Life were Tom Ferguson Gomez and Mark Ferguson Gomez. Dance for Life supports organizations and dance professionals facing critical health issues. Proceeds from Dance for Life benefit
The Dancers’ Fund, which was established in response to the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the dance community, and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. The Dancers’ Fund now offers assistance in, but is not limited to, health matters, housing, utilities, insurance, medication and travel. As a unifier of Chicago’s dance community, Dance for Life supports a thriving dance community by focusing on its health and well-being through The Dancers’ Fund.
The 3rd annual "Try Not to Suck" celebrity golf classic was held on August 13 at Bryn Mawr Country Club. Hosted by founder/Cubs manager Joe Maddon, the event included current and former Cubs players, such as Ryan Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Kerry Wood and
Billy Williams. The tournament put current and former Cubs and die-hard fan celebrities in foursomes, that included John Cusack, Eddie Vedder and David Kaplan, and others from the entertainment and media industry, to
raise funds to benefit two of Maddon's nonprofits, Respect 90 Foundation and the Hazleton Integration Project (HIP). Respect 90 provides children and families opportunities to develop championship attitudes through sports, academics and community involvement and the HIP is a community organization founded by Maddon, a Hazleton, PA. native, that focuses on improving the integration of the Hazleton, Pennsylvania community.
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Fleurotica, the runway fashion show created entirely of floral materials, returns to Garfield Park Conservatory on Friday, October 12! For tickets and more info, click here!
RIP Burt Reynolds….I was so sad to hear of his passing. I remember very fondly the cute cover he did for Playboy Magazine. Only 7 men have appeared on Playboy 's cover with Burt appearing 2nd after Peter Sellers –other "cover-boys" were Steve Martin, Jerry Seinfeld , Donald Trump, Dan Akroyd and Leslie Nielsen. I was so thrilled when I got a small part in "Smokey & the Bandit 3" but, when I arrived on set, I was sad to learn Burt 
wasn't in any of my scenes! He will be missed….
In the great tradition of the late, beloved Bunky Cushing, The Service Club of Chicago will be reviving "Early Birds & Bookworms", a breakfast benefit at RL Restaurant that, on Tuesday, Sept. 18, will present cookbook author/entertaining expert Marc Sievers, in a discussion 
moderated by the "Breakfast Queen" Ina Pinkney! (For tickets/more info, click here!)
I'm so excited to return as the emcee for the 3rd annual "Haute Dog Chicago" fashion show/fundraiser at the Peninsula Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 20! The event benefits Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit that
provides highly trained assistance dogs for the disabled for FREE. Runway stars, who will be wearing the latest fashions from local boutiques, will include Ravi Baichwal, Natalie Bomke and Ed Swinderski, Lou Canellis, Rosemary Fanti, Brooke Skinner Ricketts, Katy Sandberg, Whitney Reynolds, Mary Lasky, Renata Block, Krystyna Augustyniak, Aisa Gadjderowicz, Suzanne LeMignot, Rich Lyons, Peyton Pritikin, David Gonsky and others.
Tails in the City will dress the four-legged runway stars! The stellar committee, led by chair Katie Platis, include Bob and Renata Block, Angie DeMars, Phillip Emigh, Bruce Haas, Mitchell Hatcher, Raymond Western, Greg Hyder, Katy Sandberg, Tracey Tarantino (whose ZZAZZ Productions will produce the show) and Lauren
Warm. Hope you can join us! Tickets/details here!
Big congrats to my longtime friend David Lawlor, who recently ran one of the toughest races of his life, Tough Mudder Chicago 2018! Dave, as you may or may not know, is the man responsible for helping me get my blog out so he's a very big VIP in my world! Congrats with love Dave on this major achievement! 
#toughasnails, #fighter, #veteran
I'm getting SOOOOO excited about the Green Tie Ball coming to the Geraghty (2520 S. Hoyne) on Friday, September 14 and featuring LMFAO's Redfoo! We have
so many surprises planned with lots and lots of fabulous restaurants (thanks to David Lissner), charitable gaming from Rivers Casino and so much more! So get your sexy Seuss on and join me and
my fellow co-chair Nina Mariano, Tony Abruscato, Grant DePorter, David M. Lissner, Lee Golub, Tom Kehoe, a STELLAR Host Committee and friends for "Green Eggs & Glam"! (WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? $50 off couture rental at By:Fashionaholic!) (Click here for tickets!)
I'd like to wish a dear Chicago Tribune "work sister" and friend, Kristan Lieb, congratulations with love on her recent wedding! She looked like a fairy princess as she married her love Ben Chlapek! Long may they love and live happily ever after!
Join Arica Hilton and Sven Asmus at their gallery, Hilton | Asmus Contemporary (716 N. Wells) on Thursday, Sept. 13, for the opening of the new exhibition "SINATRA: MY KIND OF TOWN" from 5- 8pm. Amanda Erlinger, Sinatra's granddaughter, will be their special guest and answer any questions about 
'Ole Blue Eyes!
Illimunation 2018, benefiting The Chicago Loop Alliance will take place on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Palmer House with gala co-chairs Dean Lane and Melissa Smith. The evening will honor Lou Raizin (with Broadway In Chicago) and Roche Schulfer (with the award-winning Goodman Theatre)! For tickets/more info, click here!
Received an interesting email recently from a production company looking for social influencers for an upcoming docu/reality series. I'll be Skyping with the team on Tuesday and will keep you posted! You never know, I might be the next Can-K! 🙂
It was a circus recently for Northwestern Memorial Hospital's "A Night Under the Big Top" at the Casino, a private club in the Gold Coast. Guests were greeted at the door by two ginormous "elephants" and, inside, performers dressed in charming circus attire posed for
pics with guests and performed high-wire acts and other challenging acts in the main room and throughout the venue. Since most of the rooms in this venerable club are circular, the decor and theme were perfect fits! Check my Chicago Tribune column for details coming soon!
Join beloved, former football pro Israel "Izzy" Idonije at a fundraiser for his nonprofit, IF Charities, to be held on his BD, November 17! The organization provides programs for kids in underserved communities, here and in West Africa. For details/more info coming soon, click here!
I'm a sucker for craft fairs and one of the BEST is coming to the Chicago Botanic Garden on Sept. 21 through the 23rd! A preview party for the 34th American Craft Expo (ACE), to be held on Sept. 20, will support mental health initiatives at NorthShore. (For tix/more info, click here!)
The 7th annual "Carousel of Possible Dreams" will unite five Chicago-area children's charities in a central fundraising initiative on Saturday, October 6 at the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills. A ride aboard the Estate's famed "Eden Palais", a meticulously restored 19th century European Salon carousel, will
enable guests to pledge donations to support the charities. The five charities include Barrington Children's Charities, The Chicago Academy for the Arts, Soul Harbour Ranch Animal Therapy Program, Spirito! Singers and the Turning Pointe Autism Foundation. For tickets, $175, and more info, click here! (See highlights of the Sanfilippo Estate in video below!)
My FAVE, By:Fashionaholic (luxury, couture rentals) will host a preview of its fall/winter 2018 collection at Katana, 339 N. Dearborn, on Friday, September 21. Besides the fashion presentation, the chic evening will include a 5-course meal and tickets are only $65! Get them here while they last!
Just a reminder to all my friends down south, in and around Dupo, Illinois! Our annual No Class Reunion will be held in Dupo Community Park on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 1 to 6 pm! As the invite says, "BYOB, BYO-snack, BYO-family, BYO-self!" This is a reunion for all classes! For more info, check the No Class Dupo Reunion page on Facebook! 
Hope to see you there!
On another local note, mark your calendars for Waterloo and Maeystown, Illinois' charming Pumpkinfest and Oktoberfest, respectively, on Saturday, October 13! Chuck and I can't wait to return, not only to see the "fam", but to partake in some good 'ole hometown fun! If you've never visited either of these two small, Southern Illinois towns, you are truly missing out! They're definitely worth a road-trip!
For all of you tennis enthusiasts, the Laver Cup, an all-star team tennis tournament, is coming to the United Center on September 21-23. Each team will be comprised of six players, and led by a team captain, who is a legend of the sport. The captain of Europe is Bjorn Borg, and the captain of Team World is John McEnroe. Four of the six players will qualify based on their ATP singles ranking as of the Monday following Wimbledon. Two are “captain’s picks” that will be announced by the Monday after the US Open. (For tickets, more info, click here!)
"Art on the MART,” the world’s biggest digital art projection will debut at theMART (formerly The Merchandise Mart) on September 29. In the spirit of Chicago’s great legacy of public art and culture, Art on theMART will be the longest-running and largest digital art projection in the world. The first-of-its-kind for Chicago, this curated series of digital artworks will be projected across 2.5 acres of theMART’s exterior river-façade Wednesdays through Sundays through December and next year, March through December. (For more deets, click here!)
Lily's Talent Agency will host its annual "Bubbles & Brunch" fundraiser at the Chicago Yacht Club on Sunday, October 7. The mission of the nonprofit (Foundation of Artists Mentored in Entertainment) is to provide young, deserving Chicagoland performing artists monetary and mentorship support. For tickets, more info to this fun event, 
click here!
Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation will host its annual "A Walk for the Bear" on Sunday, October 21 in Lincoln Park. Check in is at 9 am. For tickets/more info, click here!
For all you card sharks out there, Urban Prep Academies will host its 12th annual "ACES UP!" fundraiser, a Texas hold 'em poker tournament on Thursday, October 21. UPA is a network of all-boys public schools, including the country's first charter high school for boys. For more info, call 312.276.0259, ext. 
1131.
That's it for this week! As always, I hope you've enjoyed all the news from Chicago and beyond! My newsletter is always positive with information that is uplifting and informative.
I hope you're having a joyful, happy, healthy summer and I can't wait to share more fun the next time!
Love, as always,
Candace
P.S. If you can overlook the fact that the woman is driving, videotaping and crying, this is a sweet video about the undying gratitude of a shelter dog. Lol!
