In this issue:
- This Saturday, June 2 – Dinner Party with a Guitar Player at the New *Lusha’s* in Naperville
- Next Saturday, June 9 – Dinner Party with DJ at *Cordis Brothers Supper Club* in Chicago
- Great Chefs Charity Benefit for Cerebral Palsy on Friday, June 22 in Downtown Chicago
- “Want to Change How Others View You? ”

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This Saturday, A Delightful Evening of Italian/American Cuisine and Guitar Music at Lusha’s
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This Saturday, June 2, the Gourmet Advocates host a special party at the new Lusha’s Restaurant and Lounge in Naperville (the former Sweetwater space).  Join lots of other singles for entertaining and delicious dining and continuous fun with live guitar music after dinner.  Your party starts with a get-acquainted cocktail hour (cash bar) followed by a dinner featuring savory Italian or American classic dishes in our own private room. After dinner, you’ll be treated to live music from guitarist Jason Hubbard that you can listen, dance to or even singing along with until after midnight. This entire terrific, fun-filled evening is $42 for members and $45 for guests.
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Then, next Saturday, June 9, we will be at the just-opened Cordis Brothers Supper Club on Irving Park Road, just west of Ashland, in Chicago. There, you can enjoy some really tasty favorite American dishes in a very inviting atmosphere reminiscent of a 1950s supper club. Plus, there’s music from a DJ after dinner. And this party is a mere $37 for members and $39 for guests. You can’t beat that!
 
Then, on Saturday, June 16, we’ll be at the beautiful new Birch River Grill on Algonquin Road (just off I-90) in Arlington Heights. This dinner party will feature some unique fish, duck and meat entrees. Sign up for these and all Gourmet Advocates outings at www.gourmetadvocates.com/singlepage.html

******* Charity Event in Chicago on June 22

Each year, the United Cerebral Palsy Association combines with some of the top chefs in Chicago to host a charity buffet and wine tasting. This sophisticated event is Friday, June 22, from 5:00-9:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers at 301 E. North Water Street in downtown Chicago (just off Michigan Ave.). Because of the type of organization we are, the UCP Assn. has agreed to give our members and guests who register in advance, a $25 coupon toward admission to this gala event. So, rather than paying $100 a ticket, you can register for a mere $75, if you go to the www.events.org/ucpa Web site and input the code GADV when you register online with your charge card. It is a wonderful event, a portion of which is even tax-deductible.

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Details for the Next Two Great Gourmet Advocates Parties – Hope You Can Join Us!
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When? – This Saturday, June 2, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.What? – “New on the Restaurant Scene” – An Evening of Appetizing American and Italian Favorites, Plus After-dinner Entertainment at Where? -

Lusha’s Restaurant and Lounge

817 E. Ogden Ave. (at Sherman) ¾ mile W. of Naperville Rd. in Naperville

Meet, mingle and socialize with other singles while enjoying the culinary pleasures of the new Lusha’s Restaurant and Lounge. Your evening begins with a cocktail party (cash bar) in the bar. This is followed by a sit-down dinner in an intimate private lounge. After dinner, enjoy live music from guitarist Jason Hubbard. You can listen, dance or even sing along.
 
Featuring traditional Italian American fare, Lusha’s prepares memorable dishes served in a comfortable, cozy atmosphere. Your choice of entrées includes:
- Chicken Marsala – Sautéed Breast with Mushrooms in Marsala Wine Sauce over Pasta
- Penne Basilico with Shrimp – Shrimp over Penne Pasta with Plum Tomato Broth and Garlic
- Thick-cut Pork Chop – Extra-thick Chop with Light Raspberry Glaze or Apple Chutney with Vegetables and Choice of Potato
- Pistachio-crusted Tilapia in a Lemon Beurre Blanc Sauce with Vegetables and Potato
- Veal Piccata al Limone in a Lemon Butter Sauce with Mushrooms Over Pasta
- Atlantic Salmon – Pecan-crusted Fresh Atlantic Salmon Seared with Maple Glaze with Vegetables and Choice of Potato
- Skirt Steak – Marinated and Char-grilled with Mushrooms and a Madeira Wine Sauce. Served with Vegetables and Choice of Potato
Also included with dinner are a house salad or soup and coffee or tea. Your evening is $42, for the dinner, taxes and tips for advance registrations. Guests and non-members are welcome for $45. Walk-ups will also be accepted at the door for $45. Dressy casual attire. Park in the lot.

Sign up for this fun event right away at: www.gourmetadvocates.com/singlepage.html

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When? – Next Saturday, June 9, 7:00– 10:00 p.m.What? – “Just-Opened” Dinner Party with American Classic Cuisine and Music from a DJ at the Where? -
 

Cordis Brothers Supper Club

1625 W. Irving Park Road (1 block W. of Ashland Ave.) in Chicago’s Lakeview Area
 
Enjoy a lively dinner party at the just-opened Cordis Brothers’ Supper Club, the inviting new steak, seafood and barbecue restaurant in the Lakeview neighborhood on Chicago’s north side. Meet and mingle with single friends old and new in an inviting 1950s supper club-like setting. Your party begins with a get-acquainted cocktail hour (cash bar). This is followed by a sit-down dinner in the restaurant’s private dining room. After dinner, enjoy music from a DJ until after midnight.
 
Cordis Brothers is an attractive and welcoming Wisconsin-style supper club recently launched in the renovated space that formerly housed Biasetti’s. It serves up large portions at affordable prices. For your dinner, choose from 6 of the house’s savory entrees:
- House Special “Lenore’s” Full Rack of Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
- Slow-roasted Roast Prime Rib of Beef, served Au Jus with Horseradish Side
- Lasagna Bolognese – Traditional Lasagna layered with Béchamel Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese and topped with a ladle of Marinara Sauce
- Grilled Tilapia alla Griglia over a bed of Garlic Spinach with White Wine Lemon Sauce
- Chicken “Greek Style” – Half a Free-range Chicken, served Crispy with Greek Seasonings
- Linguine Frutti De Mare- Shrimp, Scallops and Calamari in a Zesty Tomato Sauce over Linguine
Dinner also includes Soup or crisp House Salad, Relish Tray and choice of Potato or Vegetable du Jour, plus Coffee or Tea. 
 
Your evening is $37 for your complete dinner, entertainment and taxes and tips for advance reservations. Guests and non-members are welcome for $39. Walk-ups at the door are $40 (space permitting). Dressy casual attire. Parking in the lot in the rear of the restaurant or on the street.

Sign up for all Gourmet Advocates outings at www.gourmetadvocates.com/singlepage.html

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Singles Notebook – “Get-Real” Thoughts and Opinions from Jim “Senny” Senhauser

“Want to Change How Others View You?
      Start by Changing the Way You Look at Yourself”

As a single, especially if you are in a dating or relationship mode, you may from time to time grow frustrated that others may not see you the same way you want to be (or feel you should be) seen. At times, it may even seem like they are looking at you with some sort of strange eyeglasses that distort what you look like to them.

The truth is, all the people you encounter each day wear glasses that actually do, to some extent, alter how you look to them. You see, the lenses in their “glasses” are comprised not only of the visual, but also the intuitive and visceral impressions of you that they bring with them to any encounter. And, it’s their prior collective experiences, opinions, prejudices and values that impact exactly how they view you.

So, how do you go about changing this view that they have of you? First, you can change the visual. This might mean that you: 
- Purchase some new, more up-to-date clothes
- Drop a few (or even a lot of) pounds or simply redistribute the weight you have through exercise
- Get yourself a cosmetic makeover (different hairstyle, makeup, hair color, cosmetic surgery, dental work) 
- Change your car, your house, your apartment or your job
All of these physical or life changes certainly can contribute to some extent to modifying the impressions that some of these people have of you.

In addition, you also can change how others view you by making modifications and improvements in your habits and behavior. Examples of this transformation include:
- Quitting smoking, cutting down on or quitting drinking or giving up drugs
- Becoming more punctual or organized
- Becoming more generous/less frugal or miserly
- Learning how to dance, cook or participate in a popular dating sport like tennis, golf or skiing
- Taking up positive new hobbies 
- Attending church
If these changes are heartfelt, genuine and sincere (and permanent), they will go a long way toward causing others to look at you in a different, more positive light. Certainly, anyone who cares about you is likely to support your self-improvement efforts. And, in the end, why should it matter to you what those who really don’t care about you think? 

All that being said, as a single adult the primary change that you can make to cause others to see you in a different light really has very little to do with your outward appearance. Instead, it gets more at the “inner core” of who you are and how you feel about yourself. Indeed, it is a reflection of how you feel about yourself that comes to the surface for others to see.

Think about it. The thoughts we have about ourselves and especially the ways we talk about ourselves largely become self-fulfilling prophesies of who we will be. Here are some common examples we’ve all heard that are especially self-defeating:
“I’m too shy to ever try anything like that.”
“I am too old to change now.”
 ”He/she wouldn’t ever be interested in somebody like me.” 
 ”I’m not much of a dancer.” ”Guys like that are only interested in younger women.”
 ”I am sure there is no one there I would be interested in.”"No one would talk to me.”
Did you notice how painfully rigid, self-limiting and final these statements are?

To a large extent, you define yourself by the words you use. Thus, “I’m too …” this, or “I can’t ever do …” that, or “I’m not …” this can become self-pronounced death sentences to your social life. Likewise if you continually make overly judgmental statements about the opposite sex (or particular people) or sympathy-seeking complaints that try to make you a victim or a martyr of past relationships, don’t expect positive results. Who really wants to hear that stuff?

The truth is people want to date and be in relationships with others who are happy, hopeful, confident, upbeat and willing to try new things. They like those who make them feel good about themselves. And, if you don’t feel good about yourself, how are you ever going to make them feel good about themselves and about being with you?

So, to positively change how others view you, start by changing how you look at, think about and the words you use to describe yourself. Instead of using self-limiting phrases (too old, too shy, too ordinary, I’m not, nobody), think of yourself in confident, expansive terms (so much fun, willing to try, I am, everybody). Smile, quit complaining, and “can” the negativity. Think of things to be happy about and to compliment in others. 

This kind of attitude will go a long way to create a positive charisma within you. Your transformation may not change the way EVERYBODY looks at you. Still, it’s bound to positively impact enough people that you care about to cause a profound difference in you. And, after all, that’s the person you have to view each day in the mirror.  

Here’s to a happy, hopeful and confident outlook! 

Jim Senhauser’s “Singles Notebook” column (used with permission) is ©2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 IdeaTree, Ltd., Chicago, IL 60613. “IdeaTree” is a registered trademark of IdeaTree, Ltd.