A Chef Inspired Holiday

The time has come for the final Pop-Up Restaurant before the holiday season. Yearly this event has been the most difficult to plan. We are fully aware that you have a ton of holiday dinners to attend. This means you are very likely to eat standard holiday dishes, many many times (smile). Well, we want to change all of that. 

For the final popup of 2014, we present “".

The inspiration for this dinner came from the numerous people that have told us how they dread going to holiday dinner parties. Their reasons are hilarious: Too much cheap wine, too much dry turkey and waaay too many wanna be Food Network dishes. So to answer that, we offer you these promises:

- No Turkey
- Plenty of Great Wine
- And for a few hours you just may forget about the drudgery of the holidays

Here's a preview of a few of the courses:

Fennel Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Braised Cabbage & Apricot Mustard

Angolotti Pasta with Morels, Favas and Smoked Peacevine Cherry Tomato Sauce

Tiki’s Flatbread – Duck Bacon, Melted Leeks, Sweet Corn, Taleggio, Truffle Cream & Merken

As always we will serve at least 8 courses* and the wine is included. Something special for this pop-up is our true "VIP Experience".

For VIP guests, the evening starts with a pre-event private dining session with Chef Julius. Guests will be seated at VIP Tables for appetizer courses and Chef-crafted custom cocktails based on your spirit of choice.

Also, VIP guests will receive a customized Gift Bag stocked with all the things one needs to get them through the holiday entertaining season: two of Chef Julius’ seasonings blends, wine, olive oil, and one of Chef Julius’ favorite cooking products from Epicurean Butter, Texas Pete Brand Sauces, or Nature Isle Tropical Gourmet.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH
6:00pm | Dinner
The Centered Chef Food Studios
177 N. Ada Street (between Randolph & Lake)

Ticket Info
Dinner with Wine: $85
The VIP Experience: $125

Doors open at 5:30pm for VIP Ticket holders.

Tickets on Sale Now!
www.taleof2chefs.com

Biz owners learn WHY you should Take the Plunge!

Take the Plunge

This conference was put together with you in mind. Project Forward, the organizer, has encountered businesses near and far with the same issue: overcoming barriers to growth. In one conference, we will put you on the path to making real headway in your business, whether you have not started yet, or you hit that milestone and need an extra nudge.

Motivation

Starting is difficult and sometimes growing that business is even more difficult. Hear success stories from those who have taken the plunge and are at various stages of growth in their business.

Access to Capital

Businesses stagnate when they don't know about the resources available for growth. Learn about more than 20 small business funding programs that are available to you.

Network = Net Worth

Real pertinent and structured networking opportunities to grow your business. If you don't feel comfortable networking, don't worry, we'll show you how!

This half day conference includes

• Continental breakfast & lunch
• Welcome Keynote from Emile Cambry, Founder of Blue 1647, Tech Incubator
• Coffee with Strangers, lead by PJ McGuire, social butterfly and Founder of Modet/ Inventor, Super Hairo'N
• #Trending in Capital - The rise of crowd funding and alternative financing options leave people confused. Join a varied panel of lenders to find out what option is available for your business
• The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - features a panel of marketing, event and public relations professionals. Panelists include Jada Russel of High Style Marketing/PR & Keeana Barber of WDB Marketing.

GET YOUR TIX NOW HERE: event brite link

 Check back frequently for conference updates!

Conference admission is non refundable.

About the Organizer

Project Forward

Project Forward is a mission diriven for profit focused on helping organizations improve their bottom line with strategic implementation. Project Forward places an emphasis on sustainable economic development strategies and tactics, providing technical assistance to organizations working to create and maximize earned income opportunities to impact economic development within their footprint. In short, we help organizations become profitable! 

Take the Plunge is a fundraiser for Project Forward's client, Future Residential Alternatives. Net proceeds from the event will support the mission of Future Residential Alternatives, an organization focused on improving the lives of survivors of domestic abuse and substance abuse. 

Election day Black Chicago History Facts: Big Bill Dawson and the Chicago Machine

Bill Dawson in re-election campaign picture circa 1946

Big Bill Dawson, one of the originators of the Chicago Machine.
A skilled and ambitious politician, William L. Dawson (1886-1970) represented Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives for 27 years. The former committeeman built Chicago's first black political machine and used his influence to improve the lives of African Americans in his district.

Dawson's first elected office was as an alderman representing the 2nd Ward in Chicago in 1933. With strong links to the Republican Party, he held the position for six years. Seeking a higher office, Dawson ran in the primary for the Illinois House in 1938. He won, against his mentor and incumbent Republican Oscar DePriest, but lost the election and the support of the Republican Party. He was then was defeated again when he tried to claim a seat in the Chicago City Council as an Independent. But the effects of President Roosevelt's New Deal administration served as a turning point in his political career.

Chicago experienced a dramatic political realignment in the 1930s. Impressed with the Depression era programs and policies of President Roosevelt's New Deal administration, black Republicans defected in droves to the Democratic Party, and seeing a new political opportunity, Dawson went with them. In 1939, Democratic Mayor Edward J. Kelly installed Dawson as the Democratic 2nd Ward committeeman.

Dawson proved adept at organizing the increasing number of black Democrats on the South Side and soon consolidated his political power. He effectively used patronage and precinct workers to develop a strong voting block that generally gave local, state, and national Democratic candidates impressive majority votes. Dawson would eventually control as many as five wards, forming the city's first black political machine.

In 1942, Dawson was elected to Congress. He was the only African American serving in Congress during his first term

Dawson held many influential positions and was the first black member to chair a standing committee. He continually received strong support at the polls on Election Day, but in time, critics complained about his reluctance to boldly advocate for targeted improvements in the black community. Dawson said he preferred to act discretely behind the scenes, applying force along regular political channels. But other saw his actions differently. In 1957, the Chicago Defender said Dawson was "non-committal, evasive, and seldom takes an outspoken stand on anything. Bill Dawson is, by all odds, ultra-conservative."

"William L. Dawson" by U.S. Congress - Black Americans in Congress. Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - 

On the other hand and in keeping with Dawson's stated preferred style he was: opposed to the semi-racist poll tax;  the featured speaker at the first annual conference of the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (a civil rights organization), held in the all-black town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi; the first African American to serve as the chairman of a regular congressional committee, leading the Committee on Expenditures in Executive Departments in theEighty-first and Eighty-second Congresses. He served on the Committee on Government Operations in the Eighty-fourth through Ninety-first Congresses; the first African American to serve as the chairman of a regular congressional committee, leading the Committee on Expenditures in Executive Departments in theEighty-first and Eighty-second Congresses. He served on the Committee on Government Operations in the Eighty-fourth through Ninety-first Congresses.

Even though Dawson's taciturn approach to issues of race was at odds with many black leaders of the 1960s, he remained true to Chicago's political machine which gave him his power and managed to keep firm control of his organization until the waning years of his career.

The Underground Effect- A NEW STAGE PLAY about racism, young love, social norms, and interracial dating

B-Anne Productions presents...

"The UnderGround Effect" 

A NEW HIT PLAY about racism, young love, social norms, and interracial dating. A whimsical, situational short play, the story takes on the subject matter of acceptance in society based on true events.

Written & Directed by Berylanne Lynch (ISU '12 Alumni)

November 8th at 7:00pm
November 9th at 2:00pm

Gorilla Tango Theatre - 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago IL, 60647
(Across from the Blue Line Western stop)

Donate to fund ri'flekSHens: Exploring the Bond Betwen Father and Daughter.

About the project

 ri’flekSHens in 6, my first evening-length work, is an introspective exploration of the complex relationship between girls/women and their daddy’s. This collaborative dance-work seeks to amplify the complicated experience between women and their fathers through virtuosic movement performed by my all-female company, Red Clay Dance, intertwined with projected moving imagery captured by fellow 2013 3Arts awardee Marta Garcia and music composed by fellow 2011 3Arts awardee Regina Harris Baiocchi. Marta’s images seek to enhance the audiences’ experiences with the characteristics of men displayed in their natural environments. Regina’s musical score intersects beautiful classical melodies with powerful African drumming to bridge complex choreographed movement between dancers. I am so honored to have the opportunity to work with these amazing artists and collaborators on this creative journey.

 A project of this magnitude requires a great deal of time, planning and resources. Your generous support will allow us to bring this career-changing work to Chicago audiences. Specific expenses that need to be covered are: dancer fees, collaborator fees, technical crew, theater rental, costuming, purchasing mini-projectors, and building two-6 ft moving mirror “reflectors," as part of the set design. We thank you in advance for your support of this groundbreaking work.

 Project Narrative 
He loved me first, he loved me best. The bond between a father and daughter is a sacred one. A girl’s father is one of the most influential people in her life. A father’s presence or absence shapes her self-esteem, self-image, confidence and opinions of men. As the eldest daughter in my family, a mother of a growing young man, and now, a new wife, I reflect often on the relationship with my own father and how his character helped shape who I am becoming as a woman, how I raise my son and what I looked for in a life partner. Was my dad perfect? Of course not.....but what father/daughter relationship doesn’t have its challenges and strains? Was he present...to that I offer a resounding YES!!! ri’flekSHens in 6 is the first ever artistic collaboration between three 3Arts awardees, which is a true testament to the spirit of 3Arts, bringing the work of Chicago artists together to share the rich arts and culture that exists in this great city! We would also like to thank 3Arts for their support of this project thus far and for providing a platform for us to raise the much-needed resources to bring this dynamic work to the stage.

Click here: Fund this Project

Is Chicago's best candidate for mayor fully known?

Have you heard of Amara Enyia? Maybe you ought to take close look at this 2015 Mayoral candidate!

Chicago area native debuts film about gun violence.

(Zion, IL) – Many students who graduate in the performing arts field may find it challenging to
find a career after graduating. For many people this means applying for internships and working
underpaid and odd jobs to earn a decent income. While this is usually the case, Berylanne Lynch has her
own way of working in the creative field – by directing and producing her very own films and plays that
she writes.
Berylanne Lynch is a native from Zion, IL. She graduated from Illinois State University in 2012
with a B.S. in theatre studies with a concentration in directing and theatre management. She is also a
Zion-Benton Township High School 2008 graduate, and attended courses at the College of Lake County
before transferring to Illinois State in 2009.
As an aspiring artist, she continued to pursue the arts after graduating, despite the difficult
obstacles it may offer. Lynch has directed and produced a short film, “Out of Range” this summer which
opened at Chicago Filmmakers earlier this month and will premiere online for two weeks on October 24th
.
“Out of Range” is about a college student that experiences a powerful coincidence that changes her life.
The 21 minute film was shot in hot spots Chicago, Miggy Smalls Sports Bar in Waukegan IL, and parts of
Zion, IL. The film explores the deep meaning of chance, coincidence, and gun violence within Chicago.
The film will be submitted to the Atlanta Film Festival and the Catlow Local Shorts Film Festival.
Lynch is also currently directing and producing a play this fall at Gorilla Tango Theatre,
Bucktown. “The UnderGround Effect” is a short, whimsical play that explores racism, social norms, and
interracial love in the Black community.
Although she has her hands full with managing two of her own productions, Ms. Lynch is also
pursuing a Master’s in written communication at National-Louis University, Chicago. Her goals include
teaching fundamental writing and theatre courses in the future.
“I believe anyone can break into their field, no matter how challenging. You may not get hired or
paid right away, but you still have to stay focused, remain confident, and basically be your own boss.
Living in a small town without bountiful entertainment or theatre companies unlike Chicago can be hard,
but I believe it can be an advantage as well.” Lynch started her own production company, B-Anne

Productions, in 2013 that is based in Lake County.


Full film available online here at: Out of Range Short Film