Pages

Showing posts with label Terri Hemmert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terri Hemmert. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

ChiIL November Highlights, Huge Holidaze Giveaways & ChiIL Picks Gift List Details & More

Things have been hoppin' here in Chi, IL.   The weather may be getting chilly, but you can still chiIL out with ChiIL Live Shows and ChiIL Mama this fall & winter.   We're all over the local theatre & music scene, events and giveaways.  Our HUGE annual ChiIL Holidaze Giveaways & ChiIL Picks Gift List will go live November 15th-December 15th with LOADS of great goodie to win and our ChiIL Picks List for unique gifts for all ages.   

Spread the word for more entries and enter like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often!




Disclaimer:   Thanks to all the generous musicians, toy companies, distributors and PR firms that send us products for our giveaways and for review purposes. As always, all opinions are our own.


Highlights:
Here's what we've been up to, what's already posted, what you can look forward to seeing right here in the near future, and so much more. 

Read me at:  ChiIL MamaChiIL Live ShowsCNN, 

Facebook:  ChiIL Live Shows & ChiIL Mama

Keep up with the latest:    



Fam Friendly photo & video features, giveaways, recaps & reviews will be at ChiIL Mama.  

Theatre, music, art,  giveaways, events, & reviews for adults will be at ChiIL Live Shows.

November:
We gave away a sweet 3d Willis Tower Puzzle, Pacific Rim Blu-Ray & loads of local concert tickets & our huge holidaze giveaways begin the 10th.  

We're also back again for the 3rd year as press sponsor for Beat Kitchen's popular weekly Sunday noon Concerts for Kids, which means we give away free tickets EVERY week.  We also have free kindie tickets for shows at Schubas like the award winning Mister G, Baby Loves Disco at Lincoln Hall & more.




**Highlight:  

 

Yes there IS a SANTA CLAUS!!   ChiIL Mama was elated to be invited to The Annual Kenmore Blogger Summit with 24 top bloggers flown in from all over the country.   It was a fun filled, informative weekend and we'll have a full photo recap up soon.   

During the Kenmore Blogger Summit, here's an actual Tweet I sent out:


10/26  Dear santa.. I've been really good this year.  Your cookies n milk would look rockin' awesome in a new grab n go @kenmore fridge #testedtales 

Within a half hour I WON a $2,500 Kenmore French Door Fridge/Bottom Freezer in a blind gift grab bag!!  This has been a high point of my fall for sure.   

Even better... the rules were you could pick 1 from under the tree or snag one from someone else & the final 10 seconds were a swapping free for all.   I had a different bag, that had been stolen from others several times before, and at the last second another blogger snagged it from me and swapped in a sweater print box.   What I lost?...A garlic press!



What I won:




SANTA LIVES!!!!   Don't tell me there's no such thing as holiday magic.

The other blogger was a good sport about it.   I hugged her and thanked her profusely. 

**Upcoming Special Features: 

  • Kenmore Blogger Summit where I WON a $2500 FRIDGE!!!!   If you follow us on FB/Twitter you're already aware of my rockin' awesome win.   If not, you'll hear the whole story shortly... complete with humorous anecdotes, photos and holiday miracle
  • Blueman Group photo recap press event--unveiling of garden art/artist video interviews
  • Lyle Cogen-feature/CD review/original interview with NYC's own nationally acclaimed Bullying Prevention Maven.   We wrapped up anti-bullying month with an great phone interview with Lyle which we're presently editing for a full feature.
  • Hamming it up with Hemmert--CircEsteem Circ Soiree Benefit Show with MC Terri Hemmert from WXRT--full video footage coming/photo recap up already
  • Breakfast with Bayless--THE RETURN OF RICK BAYLESS IN CASCABEL--our original photo & video Frontera breakfast press conference recap.
LOOKINGGLASS THEATRE, FRONTERA GRILL AND SILVERGUY ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT
THE RETURN OF RICK BAYLESS IN CASCABEL 

DINNER – DARING – DESIRE
WITH NEW MENU ELEMENTS IN A NEW VENUE
Four week limited run in the Goodman Theatre’s Owen Bruner Theatre
July 30 – August 24, 2014

*November 15-17 Win 6 tickets to Aquatic Experience Chicago traveling shark show/aquarium show-6 ticket giveaway/advance press/ photo recap

*Opening November 21 Illumination at Morton Arboretum-ticket giveaway/photo recap



*last weekend:

Ringling Brothers And Barnum & Bailey Circus Present Built to Amaze--full photo recap coming/advance features & discount ticket code still posted/4 ticket giveaway (ended)

Redmoon-Boneshaker--behind the scenes photo feature up/full photo recap coming

Redmoon Skelebration (fam friendly)--full photo recap coming

Chicago International Children's Film Festival--video footage, recap & reviews coming

Holiday Inn/photo tour/travel feature

FREE Birds Movie Advanced Sneak Peek/Review


ACT OUT:
Fall Theatre Reviews For

  • That's Weird Chicago-Barrel of Monkeys
  • 7th Love-Harris Theatre
  • Lord of the Flies at Steppenwolf
  • Once Upon a Dream (Rascals)-Cadillac Palace Broadway in Chicago
  • We will Rock You (Queen Musical)-Cadillac Palace Broadway in Chicago
  • Midnight Circus
  • Smokefall--Goodman
  • The Table (puppetry)--Chicago Shakespeare
  • Wrecks-Profiles
  • Once-Oriental Theatre Broadway in Chicago
  • Cyrano--Chicago Shakespeare
  • A Year With Frog & Toad at Chicago Children's Theatre
  • Old Jews Telling Jokes--Royal George
  • North China Lover-Lookingglass


ACT OUT OPENING:
Upcoming Theatre Reviews 


  • Port Authority-Writers Theatre (we'll be reviewing at the press opening tonight) 11/6
  • Kate & Sam are not Breaking Up-Collaboraction
  • Appropriate-Victory Gardens
  • Actor's Gym Youth Circus--A'musing Myths
  • Hellcab at Profiles
  • A Christmas Carol-Goodman
  • An Iliad Theatre
  • Mikado-Hypocrites (at Steppenwolf)
  • Dead Prince-DCASE
  • ATC-It's a Wonderful Life
  • A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol
  • ONCE UPON A PEOPLE: A DANCESICAL
  • The Nutcracker-House Theatre
  • Trevor-Red Orchid


    and more!   We'll be adding more to this stellar show list as the month progresses.

    Game & Toy Related:

    **Activision Family Games Summit (this Thurs 11/7) open to the public on line**
    • PopCap Plants Vs. Zombies 2--press party
    • November 21-24 ChiTAG-Chicago Toy and Game Fair (open to the public)
    Foodie Fun:
    • Chicago food swap at the Chopping Block
    • Pinstripes Restaurant Review
    • Plum Market photo feature
    Music: 
    • PigPen band (alt folk-of Old Man and The Old Moon fame) at Schubas-4 show residency/multiple live shows photo features & ticket giveaways to all shows. *Final show November 18th (21+). 
    • Monster Magnet at Bottom Lounge 11/16
    • Yakuza at Beat Kitchen 11/22
    • Misfits at Concord(live show photo feature)
    • Dumpstaphunk at Concord (live show photo feature)
    • Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg and Andrew W. K. at Double Door  (live show photo feature)
    • Revocation (photo feature/original video interview)
    November Movies On Our Radar:
    The Hunger Games:  Catching Fire
    Thor The Dark World
    The Book Thief
    That Awkward Moment
    Frozen
    Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
    The Punk Singer
    Bettie Page Reveals All
    CIMMfest-call for entries/special screenings
    Music Box highlights
    Facets features

    Prizes/Ticket Giveaways:  As always, our free tickets and events listings are Chicago centered but our giveaways & reviews are for Chi, IL and beyond (nationwide & sometimes Canada too).   We'll have all past winnings coming from us shipped out before the 10th, so if you're still eagerly awaiting CDs, books, toys, etc. thanks for your patience and we've got you covered.   


    Some of our prizes come directly from the musicians/distributor/PR peeps etc. and in that case, please wait a month and if you still have not gotten your winnings, shoot us an e-mail and we'll do everything possible to expedite things and get an ETA from them.   Unfortunately we can not replace anything lost in the mail.   It has never happened yet, that I'm aware of, but a few things have gone missing in the lovely Chi-town mail enroute TO me.

    Disclaimer:   Thanks to all the generous musicians, toy companies, distributors and PR firms that send us products for our giveaways and for review purposes. As always, all opinions are our own.


    Wednesday, October 30, 2013

    Photo Filled Recap CircEsteem Circus Soiree 2013 #OriginalPhotos #CircEsteem

    It was my pleasure to attend the 2nd annual CircEsteem Circus Soiree 2013. Although my kids are on hiatus from circus to settle into an intense selective enrollment gifted jr high and rigorously train for competitive gymnastics, CircEsteem holds a special place in our hearts.   That's why I was happy to donate my time and gear to shoot stills and video that evening.   We're in the process of editing and will have the whole fabulous show from that evening on line for you next month.



    In the mean time, check out our sneak peek behind the scenes as this talented troupe of kids prepared to perform & a mini montage from the event itself.   Recognize WXRT's own celeb, Terri Hemmert as MC/ringmaster?







    ChiIL Mama's full set of Soiree Shots:

    Photo credit Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiILMama.com

    Want more?   Click here to check out our full photo feature from Circus Soiree last year when both of my kids were in the show and my husband ran video, freeing me to shoot the whole show/event.   Enjoy!

    Here are a few of our favorite shots from that night:


    Wheelin' n dealin' Circus Siblings...






    Hair!





    Colorful Decor...


     Tasty eats & Jo Snow Cones (though sadly not boozy this year)



    Awesome auction goodies ranging from affordable (where did you get those cool Chi-town flag coffee mugs?!) to amazing--think Cirque du Soleil Dream Weekend in Vegas package...




    Benefactors braving up to try circus arts...



    Hot Salsa Dancing...



    "Photo Booth" Dress Up Fun... 


    There was even a Mark Messing sighting! (of Mucca Pazza fame and numerous theatrical endeavors)  Click here for our 2 prior video interviews with Mark & our photo filled Mucca Pazza features & CD review.



    Flaming crepes capped off the evening with panache.



    Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   We'll have a full video of the Circus Soiree Shows, including the private VIP show, in the very near future. To donate to CircEsteem or enquire about winter classes for kids and/or adults, click here.

    Google Analytics