Patio at Zella

I absolutely love the official description of the Stimulus Social Club!

Stimulus Social Club is a network of socially conscious professionals in the Chicago area who choose to give back while throwing down!

Giving back…Throwing down? Um, sign me up! Every first Wednesday, hundreds of Chicago professionals gather at a local hotspot for networking, drinks, and fundraising. Tonight, the group will gather at Zella (1983 N. Clybourn) from 6:30-9p. The selected beneficiary? The Valentine’s Boys and Girls Club, located in the Bridgeport neighborhood. If you’re interested in attending, send an email to rsvp@stimulusocialclub.com!

The suggested donation is $10, and includes a complimentary drink and appetizers! You can learn more by visiting their website!

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The ladies of Y.E.S! (Young Executives for Success), a great group who supports Dress for Success, will be hosting a Happy Hour this Wednesday at Bull and Bear (431 N. Wells) from 6-8p. It’s supposed to be 80 degrees in Chicago on Wednesday, so if you’re looking for something to do after work, definitely come by and join the fun! Attendees are asked to bring a pair of Queen-sized flesh (neutral) tone pantyhose to the event. They, of course, will be donated to Dress for Success, an organization which supports the professional empowerment of women by donating suits and hosting beneficial workshops.

For more information, you can visit the Y.E.S! website or check out their Facebook page. Hope to see you there!

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West Loop hotspot Red Kiva will be celebrating their two year anniversary this Wednesday, April 30th with a soiree. The swanky set will benefit TPAN (Test Positive Aware Network), a Chicago organization dedicated to empowering people living with HIV through peer-led programming, support services, information dissemination, and advocacy. For more details, please view the flyer below!

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Come out tonight and support this great event!

Has anyone out there heard of Sazerac? It’s reported to be the oldest cocktail in America with roots in pre-Civil War New Orleans.

According to the Sazerac Company of New Orleans, the modern recipe consists of: 

1 cube of sugar, 1 1/2 ounces of Sazerac Rye Whiskey, 1/4 ounce of Herbsaint, 3 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters and a lemon peel

The reason that I ask is because 5 Chicago restuarants are celebrating the drink this month. When you purchase a Sazerac cocktail at the spots below, they will donate 50% of New Orleans charities for the rest of the month!

The Violet Hour – 1520 N. Damen

Sepia – 123 N. Jefferson

Nacional 27 – 325 W. Huron

The Whistler – 2421 N. Milwaukee

The Drawing Room – 937 N. Rush

Cheers!

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Today is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, an initiative started to discuss the impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of women and girls, and motivate us to take action. When I last was tested in December (around World AIDS Day), I remember the counselor telling me that he was seeing young girls coming in and being diagnosed with HIV. I mean, young…He told me that he recently told a 13-year old girl that she was positive. 13!

Not that I think The Red Pump Project needs an explanation, but if I had to break it down…Luvvie and I are doing this simply because it has to be done. HIV/AIDS is very real and women and girls, especially Black and Latinas, are really being hit hard by this disease. So, we need to organize and do what we can to talk about this disease, talk about testing, and take steps to educate and protect ourselves.

Ladies, I hope you use this day to research the statistics and take a vow that you’ll protect yourselves at all costs. Guys, use today to think about how you can play a role in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. After all, we’re all connected and what affects one of us, affects all of us!

We’ve uploaded some Women and AIDS statistics to The Red Pump Project website, so stop on by there and get some knowledge!

Before I go any further, I have to give a huge “THANK YOU!!!” to all the fantastic bloggers who signed up to “Rock the Red Pump.” When Luvvie and I came up with the idea, we hoped that others would support the mission and the purpose behind it…And, so many of you did! See below for a list of allllll the amazing peeps rocking the red pump and helping to spread the word about the impact of HIV/AIDS in women and girls!!!

* A Blog of a Good Time
* A Day in the Life
* A Fly Girl’s World
* A Room Of My Own
* Adventures in Divorce
* Aesthetic Design Style
* Afrobella
* Aliya S. King
* AroundHarlem.com
* ArtiatesiaDeal
* Awesomely Luvvie
* Beauty Blvd
* Because I Said SO!
* Belle Noir Magazine::Big. Beautiful. You.
* Best Professional Designer Fashion Jewelry
* BK Diva Chronicles
* Black Woman Lost & Found
* blackgivesback
* Blaq.Vixen.Beauty
* Brownngirl
* Canto de Sirena
* Chronicles of a Lost WomanChild
* Circa 1982
* Clumps of Mascara
* Coming of Age
* Cubicle Crusaders
* Cutie Booty Cakes
* Diary of a Mad Therapist
* DiverCity, USA
* Electronic Village
* Eternal Sunshine
* Faux Goody Two Shoes
* Free Therapy… or else
* FROM MY BROWN EYED VIEW
* [fung'ke] [blak] [chik]
* GirlGrowingGraciously
* GOODENess!!!
* Healthbolt
* Hey, You Asked!
* House of IG
* I’ll Think Of a Title Later
* Inverted Reflection
* Joan of All Trades
* Love Becomes Her
* Love Notes From A Runner
* LUXE TIPS!
* Make Blog Not War
* Mattanda Creations
* Meilily
* Mel, A Dramatic Mommy
* Mopwater PR + Media Notes
* Mrs Windy City
* MUSEACDonline
* My Life – A Work In Progress
* MyBrownBaby
* Naked and Natural
* NoLa Divine: The Feel Good Inktress
* NSOROMA TUNTUM SHININ’
* Positively Adopted
* Princess Dominique – Fashion.Celebrity. Style
* random and pressing details
* rants of a wild child
* Reign of the Girl-Child
* RoboCop’s ProdigaL RevoluTion
* rsvp event planning and management
* Searching for Satisfaction
* See, What Had Happened Was…
* Shoe Smitten
* Shoes & Booze
* Single Sisters Speak Out
* Stripped
* Stylescrybe Says…
* Super Hussy Media
* Tea and Such
* The Anti Hair Slave
* The ChatterBox Reviews
* The Common Room
* The CurvyGurl Chronicles
* The Fabulous Giver
* The Goodie Bag
* The Holly Golightly Tales
* The Life & Times of Robin Monique
* The Mis-Education of Bessie Winn….
* Project Create-A-Home
* The Sassy Peach
* The Savvy Sistah
* The Soul of A Queen
* This Fabulous Life
* Verb Fashion
* What Would Thembi Do?
* Women Making Moves
* Urbane Girl

Also, don’t forget…If you’re in Chicago or Kansas City, then you come on out to one of our Red Pump Happy Hour!

If you’re in Chicago, come to The Red Pump Happy Hour at Plush Restaurant & Lounge (1104 W. Madison from 6:30 – 8:30 to network, socialize, and raise funds & awareness about the effect of AIDS on women and girls. Proceeds are going to the Chicago Women AIDS Project.

In Kansas City, GlamStarr is hosting a Red Pump Happy Hour at The Bulldog (1715 Main St.) from 5:30 – 8pm.

For my NYC peeps, AroundHarlem.com has a listing of events taking place in Harlem and other spots in the city!

If you’re looking for information in other parts of the country, please visit www.womenshealth.gov/NWGHAAD/events!

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Good news, folks! We now have 65 blogging chicas participating in the Red Pump Project’s “Rock the Red Pump” campaign! Whoo hoo!!! You’ll notice that the icon is now hanging out beautifully in my sidebar. Isn’t she pretty???

Also, we’ve launched The Red Pump Project blog. Long after March 10th, we want that site to be a resource of information and news related to HIV/AIDS and women! So, check it out

One more thing…! In Chicago, Luvvie and I will be partnering with The Chicago Women’s AIDS Project and assisting them with initiatives and awareness programs! We will be hosting a happy hour for them next Tuesday at Plush Restaurant and Lounge (1104 W. Madison) starting at 6:30! If you’re interested in meeting new people (and enjoying 1/2 priced pizza and bottles of wine), then come on out!

Questions on how to get involved with The Red Pump Project? Email us at redpumpproject@gmail.com!

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There’s always time to party for a cause, especially when you do it right! After a brief but noticeable hiatus, Tickled Pink, a party benefit for breast cancer, returns this Friday, February 20, in a big way! Chicago hotspot,  The Underground (56 W. Illinois) serves as this year’s partner and will welcome guests with a pink carpet and delicious cocktails served by local celebrity servers, including Billy Dec (Rockit Ranch Productions) and one of my favs to watch, Pat Tomasulo (WGN-TV). Party-goers will also be treated to hors d’oeuvres and late night munchies while dancing it up to sounds of DJ Andreas & DJ Jem. 

The event is from 7-11p, but you continue partying once the event ends! Tickets are $95 in advance and can be purchased online at tickledpinkchicago.com! If you’re interested, then make sure you buy tickets ASAP. According to event sponsors, availability is limited!

Tickled Pink proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization). Tickled Pink Chicago was founded by Jodi Fyfe after her cousin lost a seven year battle with breast cancer at the age of 35. The first event in 2005 raised $35,000 and the numbers have continued to grow!

Kudos to you, Jodi! That’s awesome and good luck with this year’s event!!!

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The love-fest that is February continues to bring us many great charitable events. This Thursday, the Chicago’s Red Cross Auxiliary Board with host the 8th edition of its “Flirting with Disaster” party. The event will be held on North Halsted Street, at Hydrate (3458 N. halsted). I hear that the Kit Kat divas will be making an appearance! Yes…!

Shlomi, from the NBC 5 Street Team, has more information in his blog entry.

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It’s that time of year again…Click the flyer for more info and to purchase a ticket!!!

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