Chicago’s Restaurant Guide for Groups, Meetings, Corporate Events featuring video site tours of Chicago’s Planner Preferred restaurants.
By admin | June 12, 2008
Visit Hereschicago.com,
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Summer doesn’t officially begin until Friday, June 20th. But here at Burnham Harbor, the Free Spirit Yacht Cruises crew has been ready since April.
By admin | June 12, 2008
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Organic School Project Audio Interview with The founder and Chairman of the Board of The Organic School Project
By admin | June 10, 2008
Listen to the interview and hear all about The Organic School Project
It’s Simple. Just Press Play!
About the Organic School Project
The Organic School Project (OSP) seeks to help School-aged children become more mindful eaters, one school at a time.
What’s mindful? Imagine students sitting down to a school lunch. Not just any lunch – but a meal students have a hand in planning and preparing, full of fresh fruits and vegetables that they even helped grow. Imagine students more connected to the food they eat, and making informed choices about what goes on their plate.
OSP is a non-profit organization currently making this a reality in 3 Chicago-area schools.
What makes OSP unique?
We’re the only organization bringing together hands-on gardening, organic food preparation and meal service with health-related curriculum and scientific evaluation.
This combination of interactive programs is designed to engage children – along with their families, school staffs and communities – in growing, learning about, and preparing the food they eat.
A unique collaboration of educators, public and private-area gardens, farms, food retailers and suppliers, parents, community organizations, cooking professionals and health care professionals, OSP seeks to reconnect the Chicago community with their food source. Read our mission.
The 3 Components of OSP Programs
· Grow — Master gardeners, farmers, and green organizations lend their expertise to participating school students and community members in custom designed school and community organic vegetable gardens.
· Teach — This educational component teaches children, families, food service staff, teachers and community members about all aspects of the food they eat: from the connections between food and health, food sources and preparation, to nutritional value, flavor and enjoyment. OSP teaching teams include culinary, agriculture/farming, gardening and health care professionals.
· Feed — OSP works with schools and food service vendors to provide organic and all-natural meal service to students, including locally sourced foods whenever possible. Under the direction of OSP and participating food service staff and teachers, ingredients grown in the school gardens are often used in meal preparation or in food-based demonstrations held in the classrooms.
OSP programming is currently underway in 3 Chicago-area public elementary schools.
The Board of Directors oversees all of OSP’s fiscal efforts and are actively involved in OSP activities.
OSP staff is critical to the day-to-day operations of the program.
A Chicago-based professional chef with over 25 years of food experience, Greg Christian is the OSP founder and chairman of the Board.
Greg Christian Catering and Events is a Planner Preferred Vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Online Resource Directory for Meetings, Weddings and Special Events in Chicago.
Topics: Meeting and Event Services | 2 Comments »
The debut of The REWIND at The Underground Chicago
By admin | June 10, 2008
The debut of The REWIND at The Underground is coming THIS Thursday, June 12th! If you don’t already know, here’s the deal: The A-Team of The Underground, the same people who created some of Chicago’s favorite venues like Le Passage, The Dragon Room, and Rockit Bar & Grill, are creating another movement that is bound to be huge. Premiering THIS Thursday, June 12th, is The Rewind at The Underground. Every Thursday from 9PM to 4AM, The Underground will represent all things old school for our generation; everything you love from the 80’s and 90’s. That’s all I can say for now, so come check it out and see for yourself. Who doesn’t like to kick it old school every once and a while? Again, here are the details: The Rewind premieres June 12th @ The Underground Located at 56 W. Illinois, between Clark and Dearborn Every Thursday 9PM-4AM See you there!
For a list of Chicago’s bars, nightclubs and Chicago’s hot and trendy restaurants, visit Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Online Resource Directory for Meeting and Event Planners.
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New White Paper Shines Light on Employee Lifetime Value
By admin | June 10, 2008
May 28, 2008 Naperville, IL — Traditionally, employees are seen as an expense to most employers. Now, however, they’re being considered as assets by smart employers, thanks to an emerging concept called Employee Lifetime Value (ELTV).
A new white paper, Employee Lifetime Value: The Critical Companion to Customer Lifetime Value, looks at the ways in which employees actually contribute to the success of their company. “The idea that customers produce lifetime value to a company has been studied intensively over the past few years.
The potential value of employees to their employers, however, is just now being quantified,” according to Karen Renk, CAE, executive director of the Incentive Marketing Association, whose Performance Improvement Council co-sponsored the study. “When employees are seen totally as a cost, companies are justifiably inclined to focus on reducing that cost instead of investing in it,” Renk continued.
The acknowledgement and measurement of the lifetime value of employees to their companies has drawn little attention up to now. Among other valuable insights, the white paper explains how to increase the value of employees through the allocation of training, specialized workplace opportunities and even bonuses and rewards. The paper points out that Human Resource departments should recognize that ELTV is not always a given, but can be influenced by proactive interventions (such as increased training and motivation programs).
“In the performance improvement world, we continue to see significant activity acknowledging that employees are value creators for an organization. More and more organizations realize that in addition to recognizing their top performers, they must build a culture of collaboration and recognition across all employees,” says Jerry Klein of Maritz Motivation and a member of the Performance Improvement Council.
He continues: “Outside research continues to indicate a direct connection between engaged employees and bottom-line financial results. This white paper is another step toward developing concepts and methodologies to acknowledge and measure the value created by the people in an organization.”
Using what they learn through the study of the lifetime value of their customers to better understand and assess ELTV, business managers and HR personnel can glean ever deeper insights into the one true factor that determines ultimate organizational success: people. Such findings can be put to use to increase employee intrinsic satisfaction and may ultimately generate even better results for the company.
Look for upcoming white papers addressing additional elements pertaining to ELTV, based on the full results of the study, a comprehensive 45-page research report entitled Employee Lifetime Value: Measuring the Long-Term Financial Contribution of Employees, which was produced by the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement, and the Performance Improvement Council of the Incentive Marketing Association. The report is available on the Performance Improvement Council’s Web site at http://www.incentivemarketing.org.
About the Performance Improvement Council
The Performance Improvement Council (PIC) is a strategic industry group within the Incentive Marketing Association. The members of the PIC are dedicated to offering companies solutions-based incentive and performance improvement programs.
About the Incentive Marketing Association
Headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) is the leading voice of suppliers in the incentive marketplace. IMA provides education and information services, publications, conferences and seminars, and research to businesses to help them effectively use incentive programs to motivate employees and customers. IMA is a founding member of the Incentive Performance Center and is a leader in the Incentive Federation, the industry’s government relations organization. IMA is comprised of several strategic industry groups, including IMA – Canada Council, IMA – Europe, the Global Incentive Council, the Incentive Gift Card Council, the Incentive Manufacturers and Representatives Alliance, the Incentive Technology Council, and the Performance Improvement Council. More information about the IMA and the incentive marketplace is available on its Web site at www.incentivemarketing.org.
IMA
1601 North Mill Street, Suite 303
Naperville, IL 60563
630.369.7780
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Brookfield Zoo Grand Opening of “The Pavilions” Outdoor Corporate Event Space
By admin | June 6, 2008
Here’s Chicago .COM Mobile 1 rolled into the Brookfield Zoo for the Grand Opening of “The Pavilions”, Chicago land’s newest outdoor event space for Chicago corporate events and weddings.
The Pavilions at Brookfield Zoo
If you want to host a “wild” function at Brookfield Zoo, you can choose from four new exotic venues. The Pavilions at Brookfield Zoo are located near the North Gate entrance, with 216 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds as background, and can accommodate approximately 2,000 guests for both day and evening events.
The Swan Pavilion can accommodate up to 500 seated guests or 750 for a reception. For a slightly smaller venue, both the Bison Pavilion and Dolphin Pavilion hold 200 seated guests or 300 for a reception. Clients hosting a smaller event may choose the Peacock Pavilion with a maximum capacity of 120.
Because The Pavilions are each so unique, we can customize any size event for any type of occasion, such as intimate or VIP events, wedding ceremonies and receptions, large-scale corporate meetings, fundraisers, bar or bat mitzvah parties, proms, school or family reunions, informal picnics, or anniversary celebrations. Or, if desired, guests can flow from one pavilion to another, having cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in one pavilion followed by dinner and dancing in another.
The space can be rented out from early spring through late fall. The Pavilions area is gated, offering privacy for guests. In addition, a full-service kitchen has been incorporated into the design so staff can better serve clients.
AC Rock entertained guests upon arrival
Floral Arrangement by M&M The Special Events Company
Jim Grillo, CMP, President of Hereschicago.com and Stuart D. Strahl, Ph.D. President and CEO, Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo’s beautifully landscaped, 216-acre campus is home to 3,000 amazing animals and offers unforgettable events. Guests can enjoy cuisines from around the world while exploring world-class exhibits such as Habitat Africa!, Seven Seas, and Tropic World. Brookfield Zoo is perfect for corporate picnics, weddings, meetings, galas, birthday parties, and much more!
Brookfield Zoo is a proud Planner Preferred Vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Online Resource Directory for corporate events in Chicago featuring corporate event locations, Chicago event space, venues, spaces and sites throughout Chicagoland.
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Texas de Brazil Comes to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile
By admin | June 6, 2008
Hereschicago.com and TheLocalTourist.com Presents…
An evening at Texas de Brazil on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on July 24, 2008
Sign up for our E-newsletter to receive a complimentary invitation
Bringing South American flair to the Magnificent Mile, Texas de Brazil steakhouse arrives at 51 E. Ohio Street this spring. Texas de Brazil offers guests a unique Brazilian dining experience, complete with sword-wielding Gauchos, a.k.a. Brazilian cowboys, who circulate the dining room floor serving guests various cuts and types of meat. An unprecedented feature of the restaurant will be the two story wine room that’s complete with flying wine artists who will gracefully retrieve bottles of wine diners order, appearing as if they are flying through mid-air, while diners watch through the glass doors.
The Brazilian serving style and rustic atmosphere of Texas de Brazil allows guests to enjoy an overall entertaining dining experience, complete with excellent service and exquisite food. Texas de Brazil’s Chicago menu will feature a gourmet salad area containing more than 75 items, a fresh sushi bar and full meat service cooked in the traditional Brazilian “Churrascaria” style. Meat selections include Brazilian sausage, chicken breast wrapped in bacon and rack of lamb and picanha, the house specialty, to name a few. Salad bar items include but are not limited to Brazilian black beans with pork, imported cheeses, marinated portobello mushrooms and artichoke hearts.
The dining concept of Texas de Brazil is simple: guests pay a flat rate, inclusive of salad bar and sushi area, meats and side items and are provided with as much or as little meat as desired, which is sliced and diced tableside by the Gauchos.
In addition to the dual-level wine room and flying wine artists, other features of Texas de Brazil Chicago will include:
· Cigar humidors featuring hand-rolled cigar selections
· High-end liquor rooms featuring Louis XIII and its extended family of liquors
· Extravagant bar/lounge area with imported furniture from Bali
· Valet parking
Texas de Brazil Chicago will be part of the North Bridge Mall, which also houses Michigan Avenue’s Nordstrom store. The two story restaurant is 24,000 square feet and can accommodate upwards of 500 guests. In addition to the dining area, there will be seven private rooms. Five of these rooms will be located on the second level where smaller groups can be seated individually or the rooms can be combined to seat up to 175 people, creating the perfect setting for parties, business meetings or special events.
About Texas de Brazil
Texas de Brazil is family owned and operated. Started in 1998, the company has quickly grown into one of the country’s premiere Churrascarias, currently operating 11 domestic locations and one international location. The restaurant’s menu consists of 15 grilled meats; all prepared in the traditional Brazilian method over an open flame and carved tableside by the restaurant’s authentically costumed Gauchos, as well as an elaborate salad area, wine list, dessert menu, full liquor bar and private rooms available for special functions. Other future locations include Las Vegas and Baton Rouge, bringing the total number of locations for the company to 15.
Texas de Bazil Chicago is a Planner Preferred Vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s online resource directory for corporate event planning in Chicago, corporate event venues, corporate event themes, special event facilities in Chicago, special event design, special event catering, event planning services, event planning ideas, corporate event parties, corporate event city space, corporate event facilities, venues, event venues in chicago, event production, Chicago event space and spaces, private events Chicago, party spaces in Chicago, company outings, Chicago Teambuilding, Chicago conference catering, Charter Boats in Chicago, Chicago meeting rooms, conference services, corporate entertainment in Chicago, Chicago event management, Chicago Ground Transportation, corporate meeting planners, corporate activities in Chicago, special event coordinators, Chicago destination management and more.
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Free Spirit Yachts in Chicago: Lake Michigan Charter Boats and Yachts for Corporate Events, Special Events and Weddings
By admin | May 23, 2008
Angela’s Charter Service invited Hereschicago.com along with meeting and event planners to view their yachts. Angela herself gave us an informative audio site tour of both yachts and the following interview will provide you with many helpful details for booking either of their yachts on Lake Michigan for your next meeting, reception, event or wedding.
It’s Simple to listen - Just click Play 
Free Spirt Luxury Yacht If you are planning a business outing or entertainment for a corporate function, a Chicago cruise chartered for your next office boat party offers a change from the ordinary. We specialize in creating the proper atmosphere for your function, whether you are trying to impress clients from out of town; marking a special occasion with loved ones; or just wanting to enjoy a Chicago cruise with friends. Your guests will be impressed with your boat party planning abilities. They don’t need to know that you had help organizing the entire event. Of course, that is why we are here to ensure your Chicago cruise is a successful and most importantly enjoyable affair.GYPSY Spirit Luxury Yacht
Our second yacht is the luxurious “Gypsy Spirit”. Luxury yacht charters on the “Gypsy Spirit” can accommodate up to 50 passengers for a Chicago dinner cruise. The “Gypsy Spirit” is the perfect size for an intimate setting. It is also an excellent way to impress potential clients. Businessmen and women, who are visiting from out of town, will truly appreciate the fabulous setting, along with the delectable cuisine served aboard Lake Michigan charters on this luxury yacht. The “Gypsy Spirit” is the second of our Chicago boats, and is docked at Burnham Harbor throughout the year. We encourage you to visit our vessels prior to booking.
Angela’s Charters is a Planner Preferred Vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Online Destination Resource Directory. For a list of charter boats and yachts for corporate events, receptions, board of directors outing, wedding or other group function, visit Hereschicago.com Charter Boats/Yachts directory.
Visit Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Official Online Resource Directory for Meetings & Events.
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Keys Principles for Pairing Food and Wine with Don Sritong, Corporate Sommelier
By admin | May 23, 2008
Audio interview with Corporate Sommelier, Don Sritong “Key Principles for Pairing Food and Wine”.
It’s Easy! Just Press Play!
Questions/answers from this informative audio interview with Don:
1. What is Just Grapes?
Our mission is making wine simple, fun and functional. The best wine for your is the wine you like best. Just Grapes specializes in Corporate Wine Events, Wine Retail, Wine Education with US’s first self service Tasting Stations
Corporate Events – Wine = Corporate Culture – Executive to Entry Level – competent at dining room as they are in boardroom.
Integration on wine education/entertaining into corporate culture - entertaining clients, team building, quarterly meetings, milestone celebrations, just because.
Retail – point of difference is the customer experience, service, application. Hand picked selection of artisan producers arranged in a revolutionary progress format, grape then flavor.
Wine Education – How To Navigate the Wine List, How to Pick Wines for your next event, Summer Wines (June 4) Wines of Brazil (June 11), Wine & Cheese (June 18).
2. Who am I and my background?
Grew up in a restaurant family, studied at the UC Davis, worked on the supply side representing wines from all over the world – France, Italy, Spain, Australia, NZ, US, first level MS
3. What are the keys principles for pairing food and wine? Grilled food and wine?
Match/Contrast Flavor and/or texture
Grilled foods – smoky addition with smoky savor wines, charred texture with meatier wines (Grenache)
4. What are some wines you would suggest with…steak..chicken, vegetables, fish?
Overall Winner – Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz - $21.99
Steak – Steak House Cab, WA - $12.99
Burgers – Di Arie Zin, Amador - $18.99
Dogs/Brats – Ca Del Solo Sangiovese, Bio D - $18.99
Chicken – Perrin Cote Du Rhone Blanc (Grenache Blanc, Viognier) - $13.99
Fish – Fish House Wine Chard, WA - $12.99
Veg – Clos Pegase SB, Napa - $17.99
5. What are some general summer/spring wines?
Sparkling Shiraz
Aromatic Whites – Riesling, Gewurtz, CB, Viognier, SB – torrontes, albarino, Gruner
6. What are some upcoming events for Just Grapes?
4th Annual Grill Out (July 2nd)
More info at www.justgrapes.net or 312-627-WINE
Discounts for Hereschicago.com visitors and listeners to the audio interview:
20% off mentioned wines – Text “Grapes Grill” to 39970 or visit us online and enter coupon code “GW20” – expires 6/30/08 and is not valid with any other discounts, coupons or free delivery service.
Complimentary $25 Tasting Card – Text “Grapes Planner” to 39970 or online enter coupon code “MP25” – limit 1 per person, expires 6/30/08.
Just Grapes is a Planner Preferred Vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Online Resource Guide and Directory for Chicago Meetings and Special Events.
Topics: Tips from the Pros, Main | No Comments »
Chicago’s West Suburban Meeting Venue and Conference Center Celebrates 1st Year Anniversary
By admin | May 5, 2008
Located within miles of O’Hare international airport, along the Schaumburg Woodfield corridor in one of Chicago land’s most sought after business and commercial districts, The Meadows Club is the ideal venue for your upcoming convention.
The exceptional quality of our facility is evident in its technologically advanced design, tasteful interiors and personalized service. The spacious banquet foyer has several plasma screens and wireless accessibility in the lobby areas. In addition to the main foyer, the pre-function foyer is perfect for all your reception and registration needs.
The majesty of the main banquet halls is reinforced by the soaring 22’ ceilings with four domes lit by luxurious crystal chandeliers and the uninterrupted column-free expanse. Strategically located, drop-down screens along with the 14’ wide screen on-stage ensure that your staged event gets complete coverage. The specialty lighting and rigging over the 40’ wide stage is designed to meet any of your staging requirements.
The state of the art audio-video system, combined with the fully integrated dimming system, wireless accessibility with dedicated T1 lines and complete teleconferencing and video conferencing facilities will make your event memorable. The three luxurious VIP suites with attached bathrooms will undoubtedly be appreciated by your special guests, while the luxurious interiors and outstanding service will make each of your guests feel special.The main banquet hall can comfortably seat 1000 guests.
For smaller conferences, it can be divided into three smaller ballrooms, each with its own staging area and bar. In addition, the facility also has two meeting rooms with business center facilities.The well equipped kitchen is designed to accommodate a variety of cuisines and our experienced executive chefs will customize a menu to cater to your palate.
Hear all about the features of The Meadows Club Conference Center in this podcast with Swapna Sathyan, V.P. of Project Development and Marketing.
Click Play to listen
The Meadows Club is a Planner Preferred Vendor on Hereschicago.com, Chicago’s Meetings and Special Events Directory.
Topics: Meeting Spaces and Places, Main | 2 Comments »