Legendary Chicago Bulls Coach, Phil Jackson, Launches New Book at Printers Row

Legendary Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson, famous for guiding the Bulls to six NBA championships and the Los Angeles Lakers to five, will be appearing at the next Printers Row event on Thursday, May 23 with Chicago Tribune sports reporter K.C. Johnson to discuss his new book, “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.”

Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the NBA, has been named one of the ten best coaches in league history and employed the unique coaching techniques that earned him the title of  “Zen master.”

Join Phil Jackson on May 23 at 7pm at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St. Hear him discuss with the Chicago Tribune how he inspired his players to championship and grew to be one of the most innovative coaches in the league.

Get your tickets here. $20 for ticket only; $45 for ticket plus copy of “Eleven Rings” – save nearly 20% on the book when you purchase it with your ticket in advance. (Present your ticket at registration to receive your copy of “Eleven Rings.” Books purchased in advance must be picked up on site at the event.)

**Students receive a $15 student discount ticket and groups over ten qualify for $10 discounted tickets. Books will be for sale at the event for $30.76. For parking information, please visit the venue’s website.

Follow the conversation on May 23 with hashtag #tribnation.

- Printers Row

Tags: "Eleven Rings", #tribnation, basketball, basketball coaches, bulls, chicago bulls, chicago events, chicago tribune, Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success, K.C. Johnson, legendary basketball coaches, Los Angeles Lakers, nba, NBA championships, Phil Jackson, players, Printers Row, sports reporter, student discount, ten best coaches, Zen master

The Second Annual Fundraiser Night Heist Takes Place At The Art Institute

Tomorrow night at 8 pm the second edition of Night Heist, an annual fundraiser gala hosted by the Evening Associates Board of the Art Institute of Chicago takes place. The Department of Architecture and Design will feature a private preview of Fashioning the Objects: Boudicca, Sandra Backlund, and Bless.

Check out this 1-minute teaser of Night Heist to get a feel for what you can expect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15r9CZZwdnk

You can also expect to see new elements this year from:

- Onsite digital photo booth that will offer attendees an opportunity to participate in mock fashion shoots

- Live dance performances from Dance Chicago and affiliated Dance Companies.

- Sketch artists from School of the Art Institute will be on hand to capture attendees’ individual styles on paper

Plus specialty cocktails will be served, passed appetizers will be floating around the room, and music will be played by some of the Chicago’s hottest DJs, and to top it off the after party is at Enclave.

You even have a chance to get hooked up by win tickets to the Chicago Bulls, Joffrey Ballet and Goodman Theater through their silent auction.

Where: Art Institute of Chicago 159 East Monroe Street: Modern Wing – Griffin Court

Tickets are available here http://bit.ly/GVVmt5

-Amanda Rivera

Tags: chicago, chicago bulls, Enclave, fashion, fundraiser, goodman theatre, joffrey ballet, Night Heist, silent auction, The Art institute of Chicago

Make A Wish w/ Jordan, Daley, Corgan, Urlacher, Blackhawks, Rockit Ranch & more!

The Make A Wish Foundation of Illinois is celebrating their 25th Anniversary of their Gala the “Wish Ball” this Saturday May 21st by honoring 25 people and organizations that they have deemed “Leaders In Joy!”  I am beyond honored to say that I am among this humbled group along others like Michael Jordan, Mayor Daley & Maggie Daley, Larry Wert, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Brian Urlacher, the Chicago Blackhawks and more. Since 1985 Make A Wish has been granting special wishes to children facing life threatening illnesses giving each child the power to decide the nature of their wish, providing a sense of renewed faith, courage and self-confidence. These are not in any way “last wishes” but experiences that remind the wish kids that although everything in their world seems to be falling apart, there is still good and magic out there, and I love that message.

As much as there are “Leaders In Joy” being honored, to me this event will be way more about celebrating the work that the Make A Wish team has done by granting nearly 10,000 wishes across the state! One of those wishes was for an awesome little girl, Sydney Martin, (in picture above) that I had the pleasure of meeting last March when helping her present her necklace jewelry line in a run-way show. I blogged about Sydney right after not only because I was extremely moved by her story, but also I was excited about her talents & future.  She was diagnosed in 2007 with an extremely rare blood disease called Langerhan’s Cell Histicytosis (LCH), and started her own necklace line she has used to raise over $120,000 for LCH research.  I’m just inspired by that, and feel like I got just as much out of helping, as she may have received by being granted a wish.

Because of the wonderful feelings and giving all the way around, I’m really looking forward to honoring her, the many many other kids like her, and all those that have been an important part of building the Illinois chapter in to the largest and most well-known wish-granting organization in the region.. to be included in that is something I will always cherish.

For more information about the Make A Wish Foundation and this year’s Wish Ball – please take the time to visit www.wishes.org.

Tags: bears, billy corgan, billy dec, blackhawks, brian urlacher, bulls, charity, chicago, chicago bears, chicago blackhawks, chicago bulls, chicago charity events, langerhan's cell histicytosis, larry wert, lch, maggie daley, major daley and maggie daley, make a wish, make a wish foundation, make a wish foundation of illinois, make a wish iliinois chapter, mayor daley, michael jordan, rockit ranch productions, smashing pumpkins, syd rocks, sydney martin, the bulls, wish ball, wish ball 2011

Loul Deng Foundation : “Game and Give”

Hi aChicagoThing readers! Lesley De Leon, from Billy Dec’s office here. I’d like to take this opportunity to share a very cool event : How cool is it that The Bulls are currently in first place? And speaking of the Bulls, how would you like to try your hand at an Xbox tournament with some of the Bulls players? Loul Deng is hosting “Game and Give” Charity Xbox tournament on Sunday April 3rd, at Joy of the Game in Deerfield from 12-4pm. Come out and show your video game skills in the FIFA Soccer 2011 or NBA 2K11, all for a good cause.

Even if you’re not a video game player, there are plenty of other fun activities with interactive games, music by DJ Sye Young, local restaurant fare, a silent auction, an appearance by Benny the Bull, special musical guest, and photo opportunities with Luol Deng and his teammates. It will be a great day for Bulls fans and video game lovers of all ages! For more information – http://luoldengfoundation.eventbrite.com/

The Loul Deng Foundation strives to provide hope to all the refugee’s returning to Southern Sudan through education and sports/recreation. Each year the Luol Deng Foundation hosts many great events to give back to children in the Chicago area, but the main goal for the future is to build 5 schools and 10 sport courts in Luol’s native country, Sudan Africa.  He is passionate about giving back to the boys and girls of Sudan.  Learn more at http://theluoldengfoundation.org/

Tags: auction, basketball, benny the bull, billy dec, bulls, charity, chicago, chicago bulls, dj, dj sye young, events, FIFA Soccer 2011, gamers, give and get, joy of the game, luol deng, NBA 2K11, sports, sudan, the luol deng foundation, video games, xbox

March Madness Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago

Good morning readers! Amanda Weir from Billy’s office here today – March Madness is finally here and what would this month be without a party at Rockit to celebrate and give thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago. Big Brothers Big Sisters has become a cornerstone of community service to help youth mentoring programs. They have made more than 20,000 one-to-one mentoring matches since 1967, with around 3 million hours of contact between “Bigs” ( mentors) and “Littles” (mentees).

Come celebrate on Sunday, March 27 from 4-6 p.m at Rockit Bar and Grill (22 W. Hubbard) with cocktails, appetizers and a variety of raffle prizes including one night stay at The Wit Hotel, Signed basketballs from Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, East Bank Club membership, Akira certificates, tickets to Cubs and Joeffrey Ballet and dozens of other goodies!

Ticket prices are $35 for individuals, 5 ticket pack for $125 or 8 ticket VIP booth for $400 for more information visit www.bbbschgo.org.

Tags: akira, big brother big sisters chicago, big brothers, big sisters, billy dec, bulls, charity, chicago, chicago bulls, chicago events, cubs, derrick rose, east bank, east bank club, joakim noah, joffrey ballet, march madness, ncaa, raffle prizes, rockit, rockit bar and grill, tickets

victoria's secret "sexiest in chicago" w/ "angel" alessandra ambrosio!

If follow me on twitter (click here if you don’t), you were in nyc w/me for the actual live Victoria’s Secret show!  Thought I would show you a small video I took after the show from my flipcam above… the look on my face is pretty stupid I know, and I really had nothing to say, but that’s just how good the show was! (and as you can tell, the girls were just shockingly stunning all out there at once strutting so close to me)

On the home front, Victoria secret angel alessandra ambrosio flew out to host the private vip tv launch of the fashion show right here in chicago a couple days ago at my club “the underground” handing out awards to “chicago’s sexiest” winners from their online contest!  Here are the results below… and having won for “sexiest club” the underground & “sexiest restaurant” sunda…  my super hard working team of 500 & I humbly thank all of you who allow us to serve you!

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Tags: akira, alessandra ambrosio, allyu spa, chicago, chicago bulls, derrick rose, ferris wheel, flipcam, green mill, guiliana rancic, hub 51, lupe fiasco, north avenue beach, sexiest nightclub, sexiest restuarant, sofitel hotel, sunda, the modern wing of the art institute, the signature room, the underground, twitter, victoria's secret, vince vaughn, water tower, wicker park

chicago 2016 olympics w/ the luvabulls

Tags: 2016, chicago, chicago bulls, chicago luvabulls, luvabulls, olympics

chicago 2016 olympics w/ chicago bull's luol deng

Tags: 2016, basketball, chicago, chicago 2016, chicago 2016 olympics, chicago bulls, luol deng, olympics, urlacher

chicago luvabulls tryouts @ united center!

nba chicago bulls’ dance troupe / cheerleaders, the infamous chicago luvabulls, are having their annual tryouts this Saturday- and I’m a judge!  (Ya, tough job, but someone had to step up- haha!)  at last year’s auditions, when I was first asked to Judge, I showed up & froze when thousands of ridiculously talented & beautiful chicago girls were jamming out in front of me to killer music & routines- just so I could start making my picks- omg- it was crazy- very excited about the ’09-’10 crew this saturday!

Anyway, need your help to spread the word- everyone has a friend that should tryout to be on the luvabulls- you never know who will be picked!?!   Think- what a fun way to support & celebrate our city performing at bulls home games, representing at charity events, promotional opportunities.. and when they travel internationally (luvabulls have appeared in japan, Greece, costa rica, france,… and more)! just go to www.bulls.com and Fill out an application, practice your moves, and will see ya at the United Center this Saturday (8/1) at 9am!

Tags: chicago bulls, chicago luvabulls, united center