Never A Dull Moment In The Windy City

The cold days of Chicago winters can make you reluctant to leave the house. Our lovely city lends plenty to do even on a cold weekend. We’ve found some fun events that are worth bundling up for. Music, theater, ice skating, you pick! Get out and have some fun before the hectic holiday week ahead.

Thursday:

Your Go-to Holiday Cocktails at Epic (Epic, 112 W. Hubbard St.) 6pm-9pm

Adler After Dark (Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.) 6pm-10pm

Miracle on Wells St. (Second City) 8pm

Alan Gresik (Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway) 9pm-1am

Friday:

Elizabeth and James Trunkshow (Krista K Boutique, 3458 N. Southport Ave.) 11am-7pm

Andrew Belle (Space, 1245 Chicago Ave.) 8pm

Photo via Goodman Theatre Facebook

A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St.) 8pm

Blue Man Group (Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halstead) 8pm

Saturday:

Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier (Navy Pier) 10am-10pm

What the Tour Guide Didn’t Tell You: A Chicago Revue (Second City) 4pm

LivingSocial Chicago Beerfest (Union Station Great Hall, 500 W. Jackson Blvd.) 7pm-10pm

Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl (420 W. Diversey Pkwy.) 8pm

Sunday:

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light (Museum of Science and Industry) 9:30am-5:30pm

The Bad Plus (Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct.) 4pm

Dinner at Vie (Vie, 4471 Lawn Ave.) 6pm-8pm

Hey Cowboy (Bub City) 9:30pm

Which hot spots will you hit this weekend? Share them with us by leaving a comment or by tweeting us at @MonikaDixonPR!

By Marisa Coulter, MDPR Contributor

Washing Your Face 101

Beauty trends come and go, but washing your face is something that is essential for everyone’s beauty regimens regardless of skin type. Although face washing poses itself as a seemingly easy task, even the most skin-conscious of us make some mistakes. Today, skin guru Leah Chavie taught us the ins and outs of face washing on WCIU’s You & Me This Morning. We learned so much from her segment, we couldn't keep these beauty tips to ourselves.

 

Forget the washcloth!

The first step in washing your face is ditching a washcloth. It's actually one of your skin's worst enemies. Washcloths can be scratchy, abrasive and harbor bacteria.

Use these instead...
Non-Latex sponges are your multi-purpose friend. Use them for applying foundation and as a soft, gentle alternative to a washcloth.

The Jane Iredale Magic Mitt is Leah's go-to for quick and sanitary face washing. Just get it wet (no cleanser required) and you are ready to use this beauty tool. To clean your Mitt between washes, use soap and water and hang it to dry.

Up, Up, Up!
Since youthfulness is a quality most of us seek in our skin, Leah stressed the importance of using upward motions when washing your face. Always remember these three hot spots: face, neck and décolleté. Use upwards strokes around the cheekbones and lift around your eyebrows. Around the eyes, a figure eight and flushing motion will bring energy to the muscles.

A clean face is a happy face. We hope these tips help liven up your skincare routine!

What are your favorite skin products? Leave us a comment and let us know!

By Marisa Coulter, MDPR Contributor

MDPR Holiday Luncheon

It isn’t every day that we are able to socialize with 24 of our closest friends and clients, let alone get them all in the same room. Fortunately for us, our MDPR family was able to synchronize their hectic schedules last week for an afternoon of holiday fun and celebration!

Last Friday, we hosted our holiday luncheon at our favorite fresh casual restaurant, Doc B’s on Walton. We had such a good time that even though the party was supposed to end at 2:30, we ended up celebrating past 3!

Having a decadent meal and treats from Doc B’s and Sugar Hills Bakery did not hurt either. Doc B’s served up an intimate family style spread of which the avocado pizza and the kale salad were the crowd favorites. Everyone’s sweet tooth was satisfied with the delicious and cute Oreo pops from Sugar Hills that were decorated with snowman faces, Christmas trees and snowflakes. They were almost too cute to eat!

What is a party without great drinks? Doc B’s nailed the cocktails on the head. The Crazy Beautiful, a Doc B’s signature, was one of the most popular. With its elderflower garnish, the drink was somewhat of a decoration itself.

Our guests were thrilled to find festive place settings that included ornaments by their plates. They were even more delighted to find out which ornament would be coming home with them and adorning their tree.

It was a day of fun, socializing and, most importantly, family. We are so glad everyone was able to attend and celebrate the successful year we’ve had together!

By Marisa Coulter, MDPR Contributor

Choos and Handbags Oh La La!

Mark your calendars! Whether your shopping needs entail a gift for your next holiday party or simply some much needed retail therapy, we are filling you in on two events that are right around the corner that you will not want to miss!

Jimmy Choo Cruise Collection 

What woman couldn’t use a new pair of shoes? On Wednesday, December 11 join hosts Janet Mandell of Fashion-A-Holic and Alexis Cozzini of Citizen Stone to shop the Jimmy Choo 2014 Cruise Collection.

Better yet, you can shop guilt free knowing the evening's proceeds will benefit our favorite charity, the Chicago Children’s Choir. There will be raffles and all sorts of fun to spice up your Wednesday. RSVP to Lynn.Henry@JimmyChoo.com.

JGEREN and Samantha Sleeper Trunk Show

The Purely Fashion pop up shop is welcoming JGEREN designers Jen Gerenraich and Lori Wallis and Samantha Sleeper for a fashionable holiday trunk show on December 14 and 15 from 1 - 6 pm.

Not only are JGEREN’s luxury leather handbags on sale in stores for the first time, guest will have the opportunity to meet Jen and Lori from 4pm-6pm on Saturday only. Shoppers will also be able to mingle with the one and only New York-based fashion designer, Samantha Sleeper.

Samantha Sleeper will be presenting her limited edition holiday line that includes holiday dresses, separates and luxurious cashmeres fit for any fashionista’s closet. Guests will be able to shop leisurely while enjoying champagne and sweets from A Sweet Delivery. Be sure to RVSP and make it out to meet the designers on Saturday from 4pm-6pm!

Coming to the events? Let leave us a comment and let us know!

By Marisa Coulter MDPR Contributor

Get in the Holiday Spirit

Having a hard time thinking of things to do during these frigid winter weekends? We’ve found some fun and interesting options to pass the time whether you want to spend it inside or out. Between Second City and Christkindlmarket, these events cover the whole spectrum of entertainment!

Thursday

Holidays 2013: Open Something Greater (Art Institute Chicago) 10:30 am - 8 pm

Let Them Eat Chaos (Second City) 8 pm

Colt and Wylde (Bub City) 10 pm

Sofia Boutique Fashion Show (56 W. Illinois) 10 pm

Friday

Christkindlmarket (Daley Plaza) 11 am - 9 pm

Good Times Historic Bar Tour (Starting at Argo Tea, 435 N Michigan) 5 pm - 7 pm

Zoo Lights (Lincoln Park Zoo) 5 pm - 9 pm

Miracle on State Street (The Chicago Theatre) 7:30 pm

Thirsty (Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave.) 10:30 pm

Saturday

A Holiday Fantasea (Shedd Aquarium) 9 am - 6 pm

Frank Lloyd Wright Interior Tour (Oak Park) 10 am - 4 pm

The Biggest Artist Sale EVER (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza) 10 am - 7 pm

Chicago Beer Experience (Lincoln Park/Lakeview) 11 am

Dysfunctional Holiday Show (Second City) 4 pm

Wicked (Ford Oriental Theatre) 8 pm

Sunday

Game Day Sundays at ZED451 (ZED451, 739 N. Clark) 10 am

Celebrate Christmas the Swedish Way (Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark) 11 am - 4 pm

Joffrey Ballet The Nutcracker (Auditorium Theatre) 2 pm

Other Earth Ensemble (Hungry Brain, 2119 W. Belmont) 10 pm

Soul Jazz Night (Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway) 11 pm

What fun plans do you have this weekend? Share them with us and tweet us at @MonikaDixonPR!

By Marisa Coulter, MDPR Contributor

Our Purely Picks

The new iPhone app Purely Fashion celebrated the grand opening of their pop-up shop last night and we were more than happy to browse their selection of designer goods. Purely sells jewelry, accessories and clothing from some of the brightest design talent not only in Chicago, but across the globe.

One of the most popular items at the pop-up were the fur hats and scarves by C/FAN. It seems as though everyone gravitated towards them and was trying them on. They are so incredibly soft and cozy we didn't want to take them off!

We spotted the perfect party dresses by Rosie Clayton, owner of local boutique Roslyn. Their simple silhouettes and bow accents are right up Allison's alley. She hasn't stopped thinking about them since.

Emily's pick were the jeans at the Henry & Belle denim bar. Their skinny jeans came in colors and textures we've never seen before, like a blue velvet pattern and ikat print.

If you're in the market for a new handbag, you've got to stop by the store and check out the selection of Sterling & Burke and J.GEREN bags. Sterling & Burke's sturdy satchels will stand up to years of use and J.GEREN's Hudson bag is sure to be the new hot accessory around town.

Samantha Sleeper's designs are another favorite among the MDPR team, although last night we couldn't stop staring at these amazing drawings she whipped up to decorate the space. Her talent never ceases to amaze us.

Want to check out the pop-up for yourself? It's only around until December 24 at the 900 North Shops! Happy shopping!

By Allison Sickert, MDPR Publicist

It’s Holiday Time in Chicago

With many of the Chicago’s favorite markets opening this weekend, including the Millennium Park Ice Rink and the Randolph Street Holiday Market, all we can think about are the holidays!  Be sure to hit up some of these great markets and shopping events to check some people off your shopping list.

Thursday

Tru Bloom and Twig Designs Launch Party (910 N Damen Ave) 6 – 8 pm

“TALL” Fashion Event (Ann Taylor, 600 N Michigan Ave) 6 – 9 pm

Chicago Food Film Festival (900 Branch St) Visit website for various times

John Pinette (Park West, 322 W Armitage) 8 pm

Corey Cox (Bub City) 10 pm

Friday

‘Tis the Season to be Artistic (4401 N Ravenswood) 10 am – 6 pm

McCormick Tribune Ice Skating Rink (Millennium Park) 12 pm – 10 pm

Selena Gomez (Allstate Arena) 7:30 pm

Let Them Eat Chaos (Second City) 8 pm and 11 pm

Saturday

Purely Fashion Pop-Up Shop (900 N Michigan Shops) 10 am – 6 pm

Randolph Street’s Holiday Market (Beaux Arts Plumber’s Hall) 10 am

An Evening with Y.O.U. (Loft 644) 8 – 11 pm

Keeping It Real with Loni Love (230 W North Ave) 8 – 10 pm

Sunday

Holiday Hub (108 State St) 10 am

Medieval Craft Beer Festival (2001 Roselle Rd.) 1 pm

A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre) 2 pm

Paramore (UIC Pavillion) 7 – 9 pm

Do you have any extra special plans this weekend? Share them with us by leaving a comment or by tweeting us at @MonikaDixonPR!

By Ashley Siech, MDPR Contributor