Friday, July 13, 2018

Writers Theatre >> Exclusive offer for WT Email readers – Vietgone pre-sale! (Glencoe, IL.)

Online Presale for Vietgone at Writers Theatre | View in your browser

Outlook users: We recommend viewing this email in a browser for optimal formatting, via the link above.

Pictured: Matthew C. Yee and Aurora Adachi-Winter. Photo by Saverio Truglia.

Written by Qui Nguyen
Original Music & Music Direction by Gabriel Ruiz
Choreographed by Tommy Rapley
Directed by Lavina Jadhwani

As a recipient of WT emails, take advantage of the opportunity to purchase your tickets TODAY for
Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, directed by Lavina Jadhwani, as a part of our exclusive Online Pre-Sale!

Through Sunday, July 15 all tickets to performances

in the first two weeks (August 15 - August 26) are

$50 or less! Act now to take advantage of

this limited time offer!

BUY TICKETS

ABOUT THE PLAY

It's 1975 and two young survivors (who may or may not be the playwright's parents) meet in a Vietnamese refugee camp in mid-America shortly after the fall of Saigon. Will this strange new land of cowboys, hippies and bikers allow them to fall in love? Playwright Qui Nguyen’s wildly creative, irreverent style flips stereotypes on their head, remixing history and culture into a sexy, funny and energetic fantasia as he imagines how two soul mates might have found each other in a turbulent time.

Equal parts road-trip adventure, buddy film, romantic comedy and Hamilton-esque rap musical, this epic new play repurposes pop culture from the last forty years to tell its “probably-mostly-true” story. Directed by Lavina Jadhwani, Vietgone takes a no-holds-barred approach, transporting you through time and across the globe to put an innovative spin on a critical moment in our history.

*Warning, contains strong language and adult themes

Writers Theatre Box Office: 847-242-6000
Box Office Hours:
Sunday & Monday: 12pm – 5pm
Tuesday – Saturday: 12pm – 6:30pm

Writers Theatre
325 Tudor Court
Glencoe, IL, 60022

Rob Lowe & Zsa Zsa Gabor Homes For Sale

Rob Lowe's classic Montecito, California estate and Zsa Zsa Gabor's former home with multiple celebrity connections are for sale and featured this week at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

“Zsa Zsa Gabor & Elvis Presley Lived Here”
Zsa Zsa Gabor's home from 1974 until she died in 2016, one of the most storied celebrity homes in America, is for sale at $23.45 million. The Bel Air home was built in 1955 by eccentric playboy and wealthy businessman Howard Hughes. Later Elvis Presley's home who entertained The Beatles there in 1965. Guests who visited the property include The Beatles, Queen Elizabeth, Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra. It was also the location for the movies “Behind the Candelabra,” starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, and in the Oscar-winning film “Argo,” starring Ben Affleck.
Zsa Zsa was on her sixth of nine husbands when she purchased the house, married to Jack Ryan, the creator of the Barbie doll, Hot Wheels and Chatty Cathy. They were divorced two years later, but as Zsa Zsa was fond of saying, “I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man, I keep his house.” She continued to live in the house for 40 years and three more husbands. Zsa Zsa decorated it lavishly from the era and place in history to which she felt most connected, the French Court of Louis XV, with touches of gold leaf, elegant furnishings and her ultra-feminine dressing table. When Zsa Zsa died, so did part of the legendary Old Hollywood glamour.
The real estate agent is Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, Beverly Hills.
“Rob Lowe's California Home”
Heart throb actor of screen and television, Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl have listed their classic Montecito, California estate for $47 million. Located in a celebrity-studded neighborhood, the buyer will be rubbing elbows with some of the world’s biggest stars including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
The Lowe estate is a classic East Coast style built in 2009 at 10,000 square feet on just over three acres. Inside the main house totaling 20 rooms are large open formal rooms, a huge white and cheerful family kitchen, separate catering kitchen, eight bedrooms, eleven baths, office, library-music room with bar, family room, various conversation rooms and nooks, movie theater, well-equipped gym and expansive wine cellar. There are nine indoor fireplaces throughout the house with one in the master suite. Also on the grounds are a two-bedroom guest house, one-bedroom pool house with staff quarters and outdoor kitchen, pool and spa, tennis court with observation areas and lushly landscaped lawns large enough for team sports with mature trees and a vegetable garden. There are two outside fireplaces, terraces and loggias for relaxing or entertaining, a water serenade from fountains and a koi pond. Formal rose gardens overlook the lawn and from most any location one can enjoy sunsets over the Pacific.
Now 54 but still not looking a day over 30, Rob has had a busy career in both film and television and is still lighting up the screens. Starting out at age 19 in the movie hit “The Outsiders” in 1983 and “St. Elmo’s Fire” in 1985, his good looks and evolving acting skills kept his teenage fans who have turned middle age and are now binge watching him on “The West Wing” reruns. Lately, he starred as Dr. Ethan Willis on the medical drama “Code Black” and this year appeared in “Super Troopers 2.”
Suzanne Perkins of Sotheby’s International Realty in Montecito is the listing agent.
Visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com for more historic, spectacular and celebrity homes and real estate news.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

New Milkshake Bars Pop Up Across All Eight EPIC BURGER Chicagoland Locations (Chicago, IL.)

FOR GOODNESS SHAKES...

NEW MILKSHAKE BARS POP UP ACROSS ALL EIGHT

EPIC BURGER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CHICAGOLAND!

A perfect treat to beat the summer heat, Epic Burger, Chicago’s home grown burger destination, is rolling out five gourmet, hand-dipped milkshakes with the launch of their new shake bars — debuting across all eight Chicago-area locations on today.

Consistent with their "more mindful" approach, Epic Burger's five new, indulgent shakes (think Strawberry Shortcake, Gimme S'mores and Nutella) are prepared the old-fashioned way, built with the highest quality, all-natural ingredients and topped with homemade whipped cream. The Epic Shakes are now available at the newly unveiled shake bars in each location.

“We debuted the first milkshake counter at our North Ave location last year and it was a huge hit with customers,” says founder of Epic Burger David Friedman. “We’re excited to jump head-first into summer by bringing these new, over the top Epic shakes to all of our restaurants.”

NEW Epic Shakes - $6.99
Strawberry Shortcake: Pound cake & strawberries on the bottom, vanilla strawberry shake & whipped cream

Lemon Coconut: Lemon sorbet & coconut milk (dairy-free!)
Nutella: Vanilla Nutella shake, chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, crushed hazelnuts

Gimme S'mores: Vanilla shake, chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, graham cracker crumble, topped with a warm s'more

Coffee & Cream: Vanilla ice cream blended with cold-brewed coffee, finished with chocolate drizzle & whipped cream

**NOTE: Epic Burger’s original Classic Shakes (Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Peanut Butter) remain available at all eight Epic Burger locations for $4.69

ABOUT EPIC BURGER: Serving up all-natural hamburgers, fries and shakes, Epic Burger stands alone as Chicago’s original home-grown fast casual burger restaurant. Nearly a decade ago, Epic Burger founder David Friedman applied his education at the Culinary Institute of America to pioneer Chicago’s elevated fast casual category with fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients. Now, still boasting the same ultra-fresh high quality ingredients, Epic Burger’s environmentally conscious approach has grown its menu to include items like an all-natural chicken sandwich, Halal-certified beef, and vegetarian friendly options. Inspired by its mission to serve “A More Mindful Burger” throughout its eight Chicagoland locations, the restaurant’s relentless focus on the simplicity of real ingredients is a distinction guests can taste. Epic Burger has been called "Best Local Food Chain" by TimeOut Chicago and was named among the nation's “Hot Restaurant Brands To Watch in 2017” by CNBC. Follow Epic Burger on social media @TheEpicBurger and visit epicburger.com for more details.

LOCATIONS

( RIVER NORTH ) 407 NORTH CLARK STREET
( STREETERVILLE ) 227 EAST ONTARIO STREET
( LINCOLN PARK ) 1000 WEST NORTH AVENUE
( SOUTH LOOP ) 517 SOUTH STATE STREE
( SKOKIE ) 4999 OLD ORCHARD CENTER
( GOLD COAST ) 40 EAST PEARSON STREET
( WEST LOOP ) 550 WEST ADAMS STREET
( EVANSTON ) 1622 SHERMAN AVE

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Free Events in Chicago

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Free Events in Chicago

Hudsonville Ice Cream and Mariano’s

to host pop-up ice cream parties in July.

WHAT: Join the Hudsonville Ice Cream team as they cool down Chicagoland at select Mariano’s in July. Flex your creative muscles with DIY ice cream nachos and snapshot-worthy experiences – including ice cream-inspired photo booths and meet-and-greets with Chicago-based food influencers. You’ll also get a chance to spin to win free prizes, including ice cream swag and even better, free ice cream for an entire year!

WHERE/WHEN/WHO: Mariano’s Naperville

1300 S. Naper Blvd., Naperville, Illinois 60540

July 14, 2018 12-4 p.m.

With Amanda Simkin of Queen of the Land of Twigs N Berries

Mariano’s Bucktown

2112 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60614

July 15, 2018 12-4 p.m.

National Ice Cream Day

With Lauren Nolan of Lakeshore Lady

Mariano’s Roscoe Village

3350 North Western Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60618

July 21, 2018 12-4 p.m.

Mariano’s Vernon Hills

1720 N Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills, IL 60061

July 22, 2018 12-4 p.m.

About Hudsonville Ice Cream:

Hudsonville Ice Cream's Midwest Crafted Creamery is situated in the pasturelands of West Michigan. Its team of artisans have been perfecting the art of ice cream making since 1926 and have introduced consumers to a variety of flavors that have become beloved favorites throughout the Midwest.

Focused on creating genuine goodness in every scoop, the company combines locally sourced ingredients with their time-tested 90-year recipe to craft premium ice cream for all to enjoy.

https://www.hudsonvilleicecream.com

Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events>> Taste of Chicago STARTS TODAY! (Chicago, IL.)

Starts Today!

The 38th Annual Taste of Chicago starts serving up today at 11am. Come for over 300 menu items from 70+ eateries, and stay for the Food and Beverage Experiences, Music, the Arts, Family Fun and more.

EAT & DRINK

From Thai to turkey legs and pierogis to paletas, there is something for all "tastes" among the 300 menu items offered at the festival. Don't miss the daily pop-up vendors and food trucks!

FOOD & BEVERAGE EXPERIENCES

The Lifeway Foods Taste Kitchen serves up a schedule of cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, while the new Humana Farm to Festival featuring 811 Chicago Garden in partnership with the Chicago Flower & Garden Show makes horticulture fun for all ages. For those looking for beverage options, check out the ch Vodka Cocktail Lounge, the Goose Island Backyard Brewery and the Stella Rosa Wine Garden.

MUSIC

The Petrillo Music Shell presents a nightly concert of chart-topping performers including Brandi Carlile, Juanes, yasiin bey & Talib Kweli are Black Star, The Flaming Lips and George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic. But don't miss the Goose Island Stage highlighting the best of Chicago's local music scene and the nightly live music and dancing at Chicago SummerDance.

Buy Concert Seating Tickets

ARTS

The Artist Garden presents the work of four local artists including mural painting and the activation of a pickup truck into a DJ station. Catch the film screenings by the Chicago Film Archive throughout the day, and enjoy evening music and dancing at Chicago SummerDance. And don't miss the March of the Puppets spectacular procession winding through the fest every day at 3pm!

FAMILY FUN

On Saturday & Sunday, join Kids Eat Chicago presented by Chicago Parent for activities galore from bounce houses and soccer clinics to music and entertainment.