Spread the word for more entries and enter like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often!
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 Mama, ChiIL Live Shows, CNN,
Facebook: ChiIL Live Shows & ChiIL Mama
Twitter: ChiIL Live Shows & ChiIL Mama
Keep up with the latest:
Fam Friendly photo & video features, giveaways, recaps & reviews will be at ChiIL Mama.
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
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:
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.
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.
