celebrities

The holidays are always a time for giving back to those in need. Food pantries receive some of their highest donations of the year, toy & coat drives are abundant and bell ringers for the Salvation Army are outside of almost every store. But there’s one important group that tends to be left out of the conversation and they’re some of our best friends…our pets! If people are in need, chances are their pets need some help too.

For those not familiar, Uber is a mobile app that lets you request a Private Driver or TAXI at the touch of a button. In almost 15 months in Chicago, Uber has driven thousands of Chicagoans to their favorite restaurants, kept them stylish en route to killer events, or gotten them home safely after a late night in the office.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s too early to talk about holiday stuff. Halloween just ended, right? Well you may not want to participate, but next thing you know, you’ll be hearing “Let it Snow” on LITE FM. In between searching for the perfect gifts for your loved ones, take a break to enjoy some Chicago holiday classics.

Handlebar, Magnum P.I., Easy Rider? What’s your mustache poison? Starting today, men all over the world unite to grow magnificent mustaches and raise money for men’s health initiatives such as prostate and testicular cancer every year during the month of November. This phenomenon is deemed “Movember” and adds a fancy little spin to the widely recognized and female adored “No Shave November” and has been sparking the interest of facial hair Aficionados everywhere.

The Chicago Comedy Film Festival got it’s start in 2011 when a few good funny people got together and realized that comedy hasn’t be equally recognized in the film scene. Aside from the usual drama shorts and films, most other pictures chosen to be included in film festivals consist of experimental works that give you a different perception on things. Emotional rollercoaster titles and pseudo intellectual ideals are great, but where are the laughs at these special events?

Are you blog curious? Want to know more about how to start (or improve!) your own blog? Shani Silver, former editor of Refinery29 Chicago and current Editorial Manager for clothing company Free People, is returning to Chi for ONE very special edition of her popular Dabble class, Blogging Basics.

On November 2nd, a fabulous ball will be held to commemorate and honor one of the art communities’ most valued and respected “outsider” artist. Cleo F. Wilson, a founding member of Intuit and former Executive Director of the company, also spent 25 years at Playboy Foundation while using her powers for good around the Chicago art community to inspire and encourage those around her. The philanthropist and art activist will receive the 2012 Visionary Award for her respected achieved efforts that have helped make Intuit the organization it is today. The organization I’m talking about is of course Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. At Intuit, they strive to spread their mission of nurturing outsider, self-taught, and unconventional artists. The organization believes in all kinds of artists – whether they are outside of the normal realm of artistry, are self-taught artists or are classically trained.

If haunted houses aren’t your style, then perhaps you can be scared another way this weekend: with frighteningly awesome deals. Thanks to Gilt City Chicago, there are two ways you can get some amazing new clothes.

I hope your calendar is clear this Friday night. Why you ask? Because it will be raining cats and dogs of course! Ok, not literally. But it’s the Anti-Cruelty Society’s 12th Annual Fall Benefit, appropriately named: It’s Raining Cats & Dogs! What can you expect from this extraordinary event (and I can assure you, it will be extraordinary)? Here’s the inside scoop.

The 4th Annual American StreetBall Classic will be held on Saturday, October 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Attack Athletics. The tournament, sponsored by PERL Mortgage, brings together teams to take part in 3-on-3 basketball competitions, will benefit Imerman Angels. Imerman Angels provides personalized connections that enable 1-on-1 support among cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers. For a person newly diagnosed with cancer, no amount of media attention on the disease can substitute for a knowing companion who can empathize with their disease, someone who has been the patient themselves. Imerman Angels’ mission is to ensure no one faces cancer alone.