Plus: Celebrating Chicago's "Pretty Powerful Women"; Amita Health Gala "Leaping Forward Together"; Gift Gala 2020: "An Intimate Evening"; Meet the newest Legendary Landmarks!; Michelle and Brittney team up for a great cause; Hadley's Centennial Celebration; Luminarts Cultural Foundation's "The Gala"; Harry Caray's "Worldwide Toast to Harry" goes virtual; Old Town School of Music features Robert Plant at Blue Jean Gala 2020; A cool way to support our hospitality industry; Playboy magazine, another victim of Covid-19; Giordano Dance Chicago's "Dancing with the Giordano Stars"; Stork is on the way for the Hefners; SAIC alumnus Geoffrey Mac is WINNING!; Driehaus Design Initiative's fashion awards show; Retrospect and Randolph Street Market have a new date; Chatting with Anna Davlantes; Daily Mail TV's Playboy video; Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott are all on Team Sylvia; This & That; Inspiring videos and SO MUCH MORE!
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I'm pretty sure that most, if not all of the events I'm going to keep posting about might be cancelled, but that won't keep me from spreading awareness about them. So please bear with me, you just might find a new org you hadn't heard of before and then be able to support it when the new event date is set. During this awful time, if you have the means, please consider supporting whichever nonprofits touch your heart. They, along with all of our wonderful arts organizations and cultural institutions, need our help now more than ever. Also, for our restaurant community, please consider carry-out, curb service or delivery, if offered. Hopefully soon, the news cycle will look a little different but, until then, I hope everyone stays safe and follows the guidelines (that seem to change hourly) Fingers crossed and prayers up……
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A Silver Lining Foundation did it again with another blockbuster "Glitz & Glamour" fashion show and another sellout on March 4 at the Peninsula. Every
year, for the past 6 years, this remarkable event has been a sell out to benefit ASLF which was founded in 2006 by the beloved and respected Dr. Sandy Goldberg (with much love and support from her devoted husband Gregory N. Hines). The Glitz & Glamour
event, conceived by Dr. Sandy and Mark Roscoe, fashion designer extraordinaire, brought together the brightest local fashion designers with celebrity models and runway stars from ZZAZZ Productions (Tracey
Tarantino), who also produced the show (with support from Dana Nolan, production manager). There were so many highlights I don't know where to begin! For the first
time, celebrity models were photographed by the legendary lensman Ernest Collins. An invite into his studio is like winning Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket so everyone felt very, very lucky with this cool perk (arranged by Ernest's longtime friend Mark!) In a stroke of pure
genius, Mark and Ernest combined everyone's photos (we all posed with our designers)
into one magnificent collage that was used as a ginormous backdrop for the show. It brought gasps from the crowd and models when they saw it for the first time. In a beautifully written thank you note to all the participants, Roscoe wrote, "It takes a village to raise awareness and money for any cause and yesterday's show was no exception. Sandy and I never imagined the impact it would have on bringing a community together to fight a disease that has affected so many of our families." He thanked all of the participating designers—Mira and Julie Mersine from Mira Couture; Sylwia Designs; Elda de la Rosa; Tamra Ellingson; Ann Everette; Ricorso and Contessa--as well as the VIP models, Tracy Butler, Zoraida
Sambolin, Rozalyn Varon, Maria Castro, Laurette
Micah, LeeAnn Trotter, Whitney Reynolds, Caylei Vogelzang, Micah Materre, Susanna Homan and yours truly (I was so honored to open the show surrounded by gorgeous ZZAZZ models!) As Mark said, it takes a village so, on hand, were A- list hair and makeup experts that included
Brenda Arelano, Marcus Geeter, Zazu Salon & Day Spa and
Jordyn Olawumi. A big note of thanks went out to Mark's design partner Eli Soto and the true stars of the show, Dr. Sandy's longtime supporters and lead sponsors, Barbara Bradford and Robert Sherman from A. Marek Fine Jewelry. Before the show began, guests enjoyed a reception where pianist Ani Gogova played beautiful music. During the show, DJ Akib matched hot mixes to each models' walk creating special moments for every segment. Eli/Roscoe Design Labels created an elegant bridal look worn by Micah Materre's gorgeous daughter
McKenzie Jackson, who floated down the runway
flanked by Roscoe and Soto. (See video here) The finale had everyone crying happy tears when iconic singing sensation (and actress), of the famed Staple Singers gospel family, Opal Staples (wearing a golden Roscoe Design gown), brought the house down singing "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" (by Martina McBride). All of the celeb and ZZAZZ models stood behind her lifting their arms at the refrain. Opal's voice was filled with emotion and strength as she filled the room
with love….everyone there felt it. It was one of the most amazing moments in a fashion show that I've ever been a part of. To top it all off, I was thrilled to wear an oh-so-chic design by Mark Roscoe Couture that consisted
of a silk, black organza blouse shot through with silver threads with black onyx and "diamond" buttons over a tuxedo slack (perfection!). And, of course, the jools by A. Marek Fine Jewelry was like wearing a party in my ears! Thank you for making me feel so special. All the ladies felt the same thanks to the expertise of our fantastic design/fashion
community. The event, as you may or may not know, is the signature fundraiser for A Silver Lining Foundation that funds cost-free breast health testing for women and men who are uninsured, under-insured and/or ineligible for
other breast health testing programs. Through its "Buy a Mom a Mammogram (BAMAM) program, nearly 18,000 women have received cost-free screening mammograms and diagnostic testing, which includes diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, MRIs and biopsies. ASLF works with 15 partner hospitals throughout Chicagoland, Rockford, Elgin, Evanston and Des Plaines. (For more info about this deserving nonprofit, and to check out its upcoming events, click here!) (The good photos are by Kevin Detrick).
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The 2nd Annual Pretty Powerful Women celebration was held at the chic River North hotspot, Steak 48, on
February 24. The event gathered together some of our city's most philanthropic women to thank them for their dedication to the numerous non-profits and charities in our city. I had the privilege of co-chairing the event with Kathleen Sarpy. She and her fabulous Agency H5 team put together our best event yet with the largest turn-out thus far too! The event was initially created to celebrate all of the amazing women who help make Chicago great and, this year, it grew by leaps
and bounds! Over 100 women from some of Chicago most respected non-profits were in attendance
including Diane Hollingsworth (Eversight Vision), Dr. Sandy
Goldberg (A Silver Lining Foundation), Jackie O'Connor and Vivian Teng (Chicago International Film Festival), Kathleen Casey and Courtney Krupa (Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation), Jean de St. Aubin (Gene Siskel Film Center), Helen Melchior (Joffrey Ballet and Auditorium Theatre), Julie Lampert (Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation), Cheryle Jackson, Holly Buckendahl
(Ronald McDonald House Charities), Shelley Patenaude, Arloa Sutter, Sally Lou Loveman, Bennetta Kelly, Beth Silverman, Ellie Forman (Joffrey Ballet), Linda Johnson Rice (philanthropist) and so many more! The women in the room alone helped to fundraise hundreds of millions
of
dollars for a variety of top organizations in 2019 and were toasted for their philanthropic efforts. On hand were Steak 48's Jeff Mastro and Oliver Badgio, who graciously hosted the event for us. The women enjoyed passed apps and
cocktails while connecting
with old friends and networking with new ones. Kathleen offered a lovely takeaway gift to all the attendees, the book "Gather as You Go", an inspirational collection of
stories written by Alberto Culver exec Carol Lavin Bernick
with all proceeds going to the nonprofit, Enchanted Backpack.
Thanks to all who attended! Kathleen and I, along with Agency H5, are already looking forward to next year! (Photos by Mila Samokhina)
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Eight hundred twenty-five guests gathered on leap day, Saturday, February 29, for the first system-wide gala for AMITA Health Foundations, raising more than $1.5 million to benefit people in need across all
communities served by AMITA Health. The Inaugural AMITA Health Gala, “Leaping Forward Together,” celebrated AH's coming together as one unified health system to carry on the faith-based mission that has always guided its legacy Adventist, Alexian Brothers and Presence Health ministries. It also marked the first philanthropic event
with AH president/CEO Keith A. Parrott. “The foundations play a critical role in supporting the success of AMITA Health,” said Parrott, in opening remarks. “In 2019, donors contributed nearly $22 million to support the people we serve. Tonight, all contributions will be invested in programs and services from all AMITA Health ministries that would not exist without
philanthropy.” AH Foundation co-chairs Kenneth Bauwens and Michael Benoit joined Parrott in welcoming guests to the black-tie celebration presented by Superior Ambulance Service and hosted at the Chicago Marriott Downtown
Magnificent Mile. The evening featured a three-course gourmet menu, silent, live and reverse auctions that collectively raised more than $400,000, and dancing until midnight with the popular band Dr. Bombay. AH executive VP/COO Thor Thordarson introduced a video featuring stories representing each of AH’s legacy organizations of people whose lives have been saved or changed through the exceptional care they received, including neonatal care, cancer care and supportive housing. In addition to the auctions, well-known abstract expressionist performance artist Elliott From (ArtBeat Live) created Chicago themed canvas paintings on stage.
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The Gift Theatre’s 18th annual benefit, "GIFT GALA 2020: An Intimate Evening," took place on February 15 at Chicago’s contemporary-chic Greenhouse Loft with 140 guests. The event raised $70,000 for
programming and new play development at the Jefferson Park institution on Chicago’s northwest side. The elegant evening kicked off with a cocktail reception featuring hors d’oeuvres, a signature cocktail by The Gift Alchemist Shane Hassler and music by Style Matters DJ Ryan Norsworthy. During the main event, guests enjoyed dinner, a musical performance by
Darci Nalepa and Jessie Fisher, plus silent and live auctions featuring dozens of items including a 15-day European cruise. The festive evening concluded with dessert and dancing. Congrats to gala committee members, Michael Patrick Thornton, John Gawlik,
Claire Demos, Becky Wright, Laura Gale and Ashley Sliva, on a job well done! Since 2001 and over 70 productions, The Gift Theatre has pioneered the frontiers of the American theatre via one of the most intimate professional Equity theatres in the country, leading to national acclaim and a cultural revolution on Chicago’s northwest side. (Photos by Claire Demos) Check it all out here!
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Landmarks Illinois hosted its 15th annual Legendary Landmarks Celebration March 5 at the Hilton Chicago with nearly 700 supporters in attendance. The event, chaired by Cherryl Thomas and Erika Block, honored 2020 Legendary Landmarks Timuel D. Black Jr., Joseph P. Gromacki and Matthew & Daniel Walsh of The Walsh Group. Guests at the annual event helped raise $840,000 for
Landmarks Illinois – $135,000 of which came directly from the evening’s paddle raise! Funds raised will provide critical funding for Landmarks Illinois’ advocacy programs across the state which save historic and special places in our communities. Since 2006, Landmarks Illinois has honored more than 40 individuals, families and corporations at its annual fundraiser including Leslie Hindman, Michael Kutza, Victor Skrebneski, Fred Eychaner, Jennifer Pritzker, Rocky Wirtz, Theaster Gates, Father Jack Wall, Ernie Banks and many more. (For more info, click here!) (Photos by Pivot Photography)
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Two of my favorite media stars, Michelle Alegria and Brittney Payton (of Fox 32 Chicago) are trying to raise funds and awareness for a cause close to their hearts.
They were set to host an event on March 25 at the BOSS Store at the Shops at North Bridge but, as we all know, all social gatherings have been halted. The event was intended to raise funds to build a youth center for children coping with grief after losing a loved one. Sadly, both ladies have experience with this type of grief. Brittney, as you know, lost her father Walter Payton when she was very young and Michelle's 3 children recently lost their dad. Michelle said, "There are not enough services dealing with grief other than the therapist that the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute has on board. We want to change that, " she said. (The center will be a part of the Institute). Please watch for a new date and I hope you can all join us then!
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I had never heard of this very worthwhile nonprofit until a friend brought it to my attention and it's been
around for 100 years! Congrats to Winnetka-based Hadley, that bills itself as the "world's oldest and largest educator of braille and provider of distance education for people who are blind or visually impaired." Last year, Hadley reached more than 172,000 learners from all 50 states and in 65 countries! To celebrate this anniversary milestone, the Hadley Women's Board and the Board of Trustees are hosting "Centennial Celebration" on Friday, October 2 (this date was recently changed from April 4) at The Dalcy, 302 N. Green Street in the Fulton Market District. For tickets/more info, click here!
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Giordano Dance Chicago will host its popular "Dancing with the Giordano Stars" event on Thursday, October 1. Come join the 15th anniversary party at Park West and cheer on your favorite "stars" who are paired with Giordano dancers for a night you'll never forget. This high energy dance competition is inspired by the hot ABC series "Dancing with the Stars" with funds supporting GDC programming and outreach. For tickets/more info, please click here! _______________________________________________________________________
THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED BUT MAKE NOTE OF THE DETAILS SO YOU WON'T MISS IT WHEN IT'S RESCHEDULED! The Service Club of Chicago will host its annual Spring Luncheon, this year themed "A White House Floral Affair." Co-chaired by Cathy Bartholomay, Annette
Findling and Michelle Baker, the event will take place (fingers crossed) on Friday, May 15 at the Drake Hotel. The very special guest will be Laura Dowling, who served as the Chief Floral Designer at the White House from 2009-2015, handling thousands of events with her special brand of floral diplomacy. Don't forget your HAT!!! For tickets/more info, click here!
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I'm hoping the Luminarts Cultural Foundation "The
Gala" will still be held on Saturday, April 18 (if it's safe) at the Union League Club of Chicago (65 W. Jackson Blvd). Co-chaired by Matt Olaveson, Adam Vitale and Kylie Krizek, the event will support young artists through programs that offer financial awards, artistic opportunities and mentoring that bridge the gap between education and career. Guests will enjoy performances by soprano Nicole Cabell, pianists Tian Tang and Chen-Shen Fan and Pascal Pahl, among many others! Please check the website for updates and let's keep our fingers crossed. Even if it's postponed, perhaps you'll make note of this wonderful nonprofit?! (For info, click here!)
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Harry Caray's 22nd annual Worldwide Toast to Harry Caray will now be virtual instead of the blow-out that was initially planned at Navy Pier on Thursday, March 19. You can now join in by listening live on WGN 720 AM from 3- 7 pm. #toastoharry
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The Old Town School of Music will, hopefully, host its annual Blue Jean Gala on Friday, May 15. The event will include a unique roaming feast with teaching artists from the School entertaining guests as they make their way along Lincoln Avenue. An intimate concert performance will follow from musical guest Saving Grace, featuring Robert Plant and Suzi Dian. The evening will conclude with an after-party featuring dessert, late-night bites and, of course, music! Proceeds will support Old Town School's mission of providing arts access to all including community outreach, financial aid and education programs. For tickets/more info, click here! (Please check the website for possible cancellation and new date info).
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The Driehaus Design Initiative will (hopefully) host its Driehaus Awards for Fashion Excellence fashion show on Friday, April 24 at Chicago Vintage Motor Carriage, (700 S. Desplaines St.). The nonprofit was established to promote and encourage design education and to foster public appreciation and understanding of all aspects of fashion design and history. DDI contributes proceeds from this event to support fashion and design endeavors in Chicago. Local designers will face off for the coveted prize and check! For tickets/more info, click here!
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In a very sweet social media post, Scarlett Byrne, the darling wife of Cooper Hefner (son of 'da man),
announced that they are expecting their first child. Cooper, as you may or may not know, has joined the United States Air Force and is "proud to be an Airman." His dad, Hugh Hefner, was in the Army so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in terms of military service. I wish Coop and Scarley and the soon-to-be Baby Hef, a lifetime of love, health and happiness. So sorry Grandpa isn't here….
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The press just keeps on coming from the epic pictorial I was proud to be a part of for Playboy, its recent Equality issue! Daily Mail TV interviewed me for this segment and Fox News interviewed me for this article. Below is a video created by an entity I don't have a clue about, Top Trending. A friend passed it along to me and, apart from a few mistakes (I wasn't PMOY), I think it's pretty good! Lol! Watch here!
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CONGRATS GEOFFREY! School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumnus Geoffrey Mac was named the winner of "Project Runway" Season 18 in the recent episode, two decades after graduating! Mac beat out three other finalists with a 10-look collection inspired by his father’s military service that featured over-sized puffy coats and futuristic evening wear. His prize includes $250,000 from Bluprint; $50,000 from Pilot; a feature in Elle magazine; and a mentorship with the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Mac told the Tribune (read story here) that he is trying to figure out what’s next, but he is leaning toward creating a unisex collection that can be worn in any season and is slated to launch a fragrance called “G” around April 1 (“The coronavirus can’t stop that,” he said).
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Here's a cool, inexpensive way to help our friends in the hospitality industry! 100% of the sales from these cool Chicago Hospitality United t-shirts go to the people who don't have a voice or the means to survive without work in the hospitality industry. The government shutdown of bars and restaurants has put thousands out of work for the foreseeable future. Chef Tony Priolo said, "Just as we rely on them to keep Chicago one of the most vibrant dining cities in the world, they rely on us to support them through good times and bad. 100% of the net proceeds from these tees go directly towards financial relief for hourly employees affected by the necessary precautions Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot have implemented." (Please purchase a black or white T-shirt here for only $25! www.stockmfgco.com. (And please share this info if you're so inclined!)
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RETROSPECT & Randolph Street Market's date has been changed! Mark your calendars for May 23 + 24 (new date) when Randolph Street Market returns with TWO BIG shows under one roof! Retrospect, the
finely curated vintage fashion show with 50 top vintage sellers of wearables, jewelry, handbags and accessories AND, on the lower level, home goods, furnishings, gardening items and general vintage and maker goods! A portion of the weekend's ticket sales will benefit the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum. (10 am to 5 pm both days) Also, the March 28 Time Out Market Pop-Up has been pushed back to June 20. (For tickets, more info, click here! Hope to see you EVERYWHERE!)
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And a special thanks to Anna Davlantes who had me on her awesome WGN Radio show recently! (Listen here for my segment that begins at 26:17)! Anna's show is informative and fun and not-to-be-missed from 1-3 pm Monday through Friday! (Click here for more info!) Love her! Beauty, brains, empathy and so much more….:-)
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Congrats to Chicago screenwriter and native Sylvia L. Jones! For two decades, Sylvia spent her days and nights 
covering local Chicago news as a television journalist. Now, this graduate of Providence St. Mel School finds herself making news thanks to her work as a writer in the entertainment industry. In April, she will add Lifetime Television to her long list of credits as she wrote the script for the highly anticipated biopic "The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel" executive produced by QUEEN LATIFAH, MISSY ELLIOTT and MARY J. BLIGE! Sylvia says, "I grew up listening to the Clark Sisters so to get the opportunity to write the story of their lives was truly remarkable." (See official trailer below!)
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Thanks to the Chicago Tribune for running my article titled "A letter of support to my friends in the nonprofit community." Read it here and here: I feel your pain. I've watched with dismay as one after another of the events I planned on covering in my Chicago Tribune "Candid Candace" column was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. At first I was angry that they would succumb to this panic but, as more and more organizations, governments, countries and even Broadway cancel events, close their borders, restrict air travel, limit gatherings and close down the Great White Way, I have to admit the obvious….that my way of thinking, to soldier on, could be tempting fate. I applaud businesses who have the courage to keep their doors open in the face of all of this though. Many have sent sensible messages letting their clients know they are taking extra sanitary precautions and checking their workers more closely and encouraging both to stay home if feeling sick in accordance with recent guidelines. In my opinion, this is a common sense response. I believe it's a time for preparation, not panic. Here's a thought. Many of these nonprofits and arts organizations have had to cancel their biggest fundraisers for the year. If you've already purchased a ticket to one of these events, and CAN afford it, please let the donation ride. Right now, they need it more than you know…
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I woke up to such sad news today. My beloved Playboy magazine may well have published its last print issue due to complications from Covid-19. When I shot my cover pictorial in the last Equality issue on October 22, everyone at the mag seemed so upbeat and positive about
the future of Playboy and then, in the blink of an eye–everything changed (for everyone). Here's an excerpt from an open letter on March 18 from the magazine's editor-in-chief, Ben Kohn "Last week, as the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic to content production and the
supply chain became clearer and clearer, we were forced to accelerate a conversation we’ve been having internally: the question of how to transform our U.S. print product to better suit what consumers want today, and how to utilize our industry-leading content production capabilities to engage in a cultural conversation each and every day, rather than just every three months.
With all of this in mind, we have decided that our Spring 2020 Issue, which arrives on U.S. newsstands and as a digital download this week, will be our final printed publication for the year in the U.S. We will move to a digital-first publishing schedule for all of our content."
Playboy has been my family for the last 40 years and I have no plans to let them go now. Even if it's only on a digital platform, my Bunny ears will still be attuned to its always timely, diverse and informative articles and photos. Keep it up Playboy and I'll catch you on the digital ride soon! Your Biggest Fan–"Candid" Candace Jordan
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These are crazy, surreal times right now, along with you, and I'm not quite sure how to process it yet. I've always worked from home so this wasn't anything new but who knew that I've been tele-commuting all along?! The funny thing is, once you're forced to do something, you start to rebel. I'm so grateful we went out to
dinner recently (please don't judge, local businesses need help too and this was before the ALL OUT CLOSING of bars and restaurants! Gallucci Pizzeria Napoletana was great, btw, at 1551 N. Wells. Please try it when it reopens!) Some people still think some of this might be rather excessive but, I for one, know it's better to be safe than sorry. I just wish I'd stocked up on necessities sooner. Chuck always said I was a hoarder but definitely not in the areas of food or drink, sadly. Luckily, as much as I love my social life, I've also always been a bit of a homebody. I want this thing to end and I hope there's not more loss of life. I feel like I'm in a bad horror movie, like "Outbreak," that's now coming true! I love the way the Italians are handling isolation, singing on their balconies to let their neighbors know they're in it together. Here's praying it doesn't come to that here though….I have a horrible voice.
Love, as always,
Candace
P.S. Stay strong Italy (and the world)…..
