In this issue:
- This Saturday, May 30 – “Ultimate Combo Party” with Live Music at Adam’s Rib and Ale House in Buffalo Grove
- Next Saturday, June 6 – “Motown Night in Italy” with Ed Collins at Volare in Oakbrook Terrace
- “The Problem that Nobody Wants to Tell You About (But Should)” 
                                                         
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This Saturday: Patio Cocktails, Dinner Combo, Dance-Away-o (but Not the Mambo) in Buffalo Grove
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I hope that you are enjoying your “regular” week and that the rain hasn’t spoiled many of your plans. Hopefully, we can continue your positive social momentum beginning this coming weekend, with our exciting upcoming party lineup.
 
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*This Saturday, May 30 - “Ultimate Combo Party” Cocktails on the Patio, Dinner Party and Live Music from Joe & Sean Combo at *Adam’s Rib and Ale House* in Buffalo Grove
 
*Next Saturday, June 6 – “Motown Night in Italy” Dinner Party at *Volare* in Oakbrook Terrace featuring the music of the incomparable Ed Collins
 
*Friday, June 12, or Saturday, June 13 – Party in Chicago   
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This Saturday, we head to the northern suburbs to Buffalo Grove, on Milwaukee Ave.just north of Lake-Cook Road near the Wheeling border, to the new Adam’s Rib and Ale House. The party is the “Ultimate Combo Day Party.” 
 
Why call it the “Ultimate Combo Day Party”?  Well, for starters, the party begins on the outdoor patio (weather permitting) for a get-acquainted cocktail hour. Then, we move inside for a dinner party that features your choice of four mouth-watering combos – Grilled Salmon with Buffalo Shrimp, Rotisserie Chicken with Baby Back Ribs, King Crab Legs with Garlic Shrimp or Baby Back Ribs with Beef Brisket.
 
Then, after dinner, we have arranged to have live music from “Joe and Sean,” a multifaceted musical combo, for your listening and dancing pleasure. They play everything from rock to pop to even a little country, but no, no mambo.
 
The party is an open party, so bring all your friends.
 
All this is a comfortable $37 for paid members and $39 for guests. Tough to beat!
 
Sign up right away for this fun event, at www.GourmetConnections.com/singlepage.html.
 
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“Motown Comes to Italy”
 
Next Saturday, June 6, the party venue is Volare Ristorante on Meyers Road in Oakbrook Terrace. There, we will not only dine on some of the best Italian cuisine in the western suburbs, but also enjoy the exciting sounds of Ed Collins, one of our favorite performers for dancing hte night away.
 
Choose from six delicious entrees, with an accent on special pasta creations, and enjoy many of your favorite Motown, Soul, R&B and other favorite dance songs. Ed Collins sings songs from performers like Al Green, Earth, Wind and Fire, Lou Rawls, Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Luther Vandross, Lionel Richie, Dean Martin, the Four Tops and the Temptations, among others.
 
Your very special evening is $40 for members and $42 for non-members and guests. Sign up online now at www.GourmetConnections.com/singlepage.html for this special evening of fine food and dancing fun.
 
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Details: This Saturday’s “Ultimate Combo Party” with Live Music and Next Week’s Volare Party
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When? -  This Saturday, May 30, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. (or Later for Dancing)
 
What? – Kick Off Summer on a High Note with an “Ultimate Combo Party” Cocktail Party on the Patio and Dinner Party Inside Accompanied by Live Music at
 
Where? -

Adam’s Rib and Ale House

301 N. Milwaukee Ave. (just north of Lake-Cook Rd.) in Buffalo Grove at Wheeling Border across from Chevy Chase Country Club
 
Join lots of other singles in kicking off summer on a high note. Adam’s Rib and Ale House is a new food and drink establishment that serves up barbecue favorites and seafood while often featuring live musical entertainment. The “Ultimate Combo Party” combines an al fresco cocktail party outdoors on the delightful rustic patio followed by a dinner party inside.   
 
Share scintillating conversation and camaraderie with single friends old and new, as your enjoy you choice of four mouth-watering dinner combos. During and after dinner, enjoy live music brought in especially for us from the restaurant’s most popular musical combo, Joe and Sean. This duo sings a variety of favorites from rock to pop and even a little country for your listening and dancing pleasure.
 
Enjoy your choice from four delicious combos:
- Crab and Shrimp – Half a Pound of Sweet King Crab Legs and 6 Garlic Shrimp with Sweet Potato Fries and Cole Slaw
- Beef and Ribs – A Half Slab of Barbecued Baby Back Ribs and Barbecued Beef Brisket with Mashed Potatoes and Corn
- Salmon and Shrimp – Grilled Atlantic Salmon with 6 Spicy Buffalo Shrimp with Mashed Potatoes and Cole Slaw
- Chicken and Ribs – Half a Rotisserie Chicken with a Half Slab of Baby Back Ribs and Sweet Potato Fries and Cole Slaw
 
Your evening is $37 for members and $39 for guests and non-members for dinner, entertainment, taxes and tips for advance reservations. Walk-ups are welcome for a cost of $40. Casual attire. Park in the lot. This party is open to all members and guests – so bring all your friends.    
 
Sign up right away for this unique party at www.GourmetConnections.com/singlepage.html.
 
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When? -  Next Saturday, June 6, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. (or Later for Dancing)
 
What? -   “Motown Nite in Italy” Cocktail and Dinner Party Featuring Highly Regarded Cuisine, Plus Dancing to Live Music from Ed Collins at
 
Where? -

Volare Ristorante

1919 S. Meyers Road (1 1/2 blocks N. of Butterfield Rd. at 22nd St. Intersection) in Oakbrook Terrace
 
Meet, mingle and socialize with other singles while enjoying the culinary pleasures of Volare Ristorante. Featuring highly regarded cuisine from throughout Italy, *Volare* serves up dishes utilizing fresh ingredients and traditional recipes. These are served in the restaurant’s traditional surroundings with an inviting ambiance conducive to both comfortable dining and post-dinner dancing.
 
The evening begins with a cocktail hour (cash bar) in the restaurant’s lounge area, followed by a seated dinner party. Choose from six savory entrées:
-  Broiled Whitefish with Paprika and Capers in a Lemon White Wine Sauce with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetable
-  Ravioli di Ricotta Bolognese – Cheese-stuffed Ravioli in Traditional Tomato Meat Sauce
-  Chicken Cacciatoria – Chicken Breast Braised in Red Wine, Tomato and Herbs with Wild Mushrooms, Black Olives, Red and Green Peppers with Side of Pasta
-  Farfalle Salmonata – Bowtie Pasta with a Fresh Salmon in Tomato Cream Sauce
-  Traditional Meat Lasagna – 8 Layers of Lasagna Noodles with Parmesan and Ricotta Cheeses, and Ground Sirloin, covered in a Zesty Marinara Sauce
-  Risotto Fattori – Risotto with Diced Chicken Breast and Peas in a 4-Cheese Sauce
Included with dinner is your choice of Soup or Volare Salad and sides, plus coffee or tea.
 
After dinner, enjoy more conversation and dancing to the music of the exciting Ed Collins, one of our favorite performers. Ed is masterful with Motown, Soul, R&B and a variety of other danceable favorites. He has a special knack of getting everybody on the dance floor with no wallflowers.
 
Your very special evening is $40 for members and $42 for non-members and guests, which covers dinner, entertainment, taxes and tips for advance registrations. We are expecting a very large crowd, so walk-ups will be accepted at the door for $42 only as space permits. Dressy casual attire. Park in the lot. This party is open to all singles (age approx. 34-60), regardless of past participation.
 
Register for this dinner dance at www.GourmetConnections.com/singlepage.html.
 
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Singles Notebook – “Get-Real” Thoughts and Opinions from Jim “Senny” Senhauser  
   

“The Problem that Nobody Wants to Tell You About (But Should)”

 
This column is about a taboo that most singles are reluctant to talk about. Yet this discussion may help some of you, possibly even saving you or one of your friends from a major health catastrophe. The problem is that this subject is so sensitive, that you may not want to share it with your buddy, gal pal, boyfriend or girlfriend because you do not wish to embarrass them.
 
What is the ultra-sensitive taboo subject? I am talking about halitosis, or more commonly, bad breath. For whatever reason, our society treats the mention of the problem to the person who suffers from it as some sort of sign of gross ignorance or dirtiness. Yet, in most cases, the offender or victim does not even know that he/she is suffering from the condition. Even the name we give it – bad breath – seems to indicate that the person has done something wrong, not that they could be sick.
 
What actually causes bad breath? Usually, it is not for a lack of brushing one’s teeth or using a mouthwash, despite what the “green phantom” may try to tell you. One common cause is accumulation of food on or between the teeth or on the surface of the tongue. Bacteria then grow on these food particles and produce a foul odor. Stringy meats between the teeth are the most common culprit.
 
If you carefully brush your teeth and tongue, alternating different types of tooth brushes to access difficult to reach areas, and floss nightly between all teeth, this problem should go away. However, if it is allowed to persist, it can lead to plaque build-up, gum disease, periodontal pockets of infection developing beneath your gums and more serious infections that can spread throughout your system. Do not think that you can get by only flossing occasionally or passing plaque buildup as a minor matter. It’s best to see your dentist for a cleaning and checkup twice a year.
 
Tooth decay is another important causative agent of bad breath, with bacteria from the decomposing tooth and its nerves yielding a very bad odor. This is especially dangerous for abscessed teeth. A sudden onset of foul breath can be an early indicator of a problem. A few years back, I dated a woman who suddenly developed bad breath well beyond the typical “morning mouth.” It took some courage on my part, but I finally had to tell her, explaining my concerns that it could be a serious infection. It did not go well. She was insulted, but we managed to smooth things over. A month later, she found out that she had a serious abscessed tooth.
 
Similarly, in my own case, I once had a period where I had a sour taste in my mouth. Nobody told me if I had bad breath, but it had to have been the case. As it turned out, I had a very severely impacted wisdom tooth that I simply did not feel. The untreated infection eventually actually ate a hole in my jaw bone and moved into my sinus cavity before it was discovered. It took more than six months for that hole to heal. So, pay attention to persistent bad tastes in your mouth and hope that your friends have the courage to tell you when something is amiss, breath-wise.
 
More common and less insidious bad breath comes from simple dryness of the mouth especially during sleep or after a night of drinking. Saliva kills bacteria. When that saliva is decreased and the mouth becomes dry, a layer of plaque accumulates on the teeth and tongue creating to a sulfurous “Morning Mouth” odor and taste. A glass or bottle of water (I like Perrier Lemon) near the bed will help keep morning kisses pleasant and give you a burst of energy as water-starved cells are re-hydrated.
 
“Smoker’s Breath” comes from the accumulation in the mouth and lungs of nicotine, tar and chemicals from cigarettes or chewing tobacco, or from irritation to your mouth, gums or lungs. The surest remedy is to quit. The second best is to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth often.
 
Allergies and sinus infections (allergies are in fact the most common cause of sinus infections) also can affect the pleasantness of a person’s breath. The postnasal drip that they create can drain onto the back portion of a person’s tongue. Like other bacteria, this discharge can have a foul smell and sour taste. These bacteria combine with others in the warm environment of the mouth to yield even worse breath. If the unfortunate sinus infection sufferer has stuffed up nasal passages, he’ll likely breathe through his mouth, making the bad breath all the more noticeable.
 
While most common breath odors are related to bacteria accumulation in the mouth, untreated medical conditions can also cause bad breath. If your oral hygiene is good and your teeth are healthy, conditions to look for include: acid reflux, bronchial infections, stomach ulcers, liver or kidney problems, and stomach and intestinal issues. Get a thorough checkup from your doctor to identify the likely culprits.
 
As I mentioned earlier, in our society, it is usually quite difficult to tell somebody that they have bad breath. However, my purpose in sharing this brutally frank information is to emphasize the fact that bad breath is caused by bacteria, often with the potential for great hazard if they are not properly treated. So, if you have a boyfriend, girlfriend or family member with persistently bad breath or who suddenly develops a strong case of it, care enough to diplomatically tell them. Any momentary embarrassment you or they may feel, will pale in comparison to the help it might do.
  
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I hope that you can join us for all of our upcoming parties. What is a great way to get your summer started off on a positive, upbeat note! Meet, mingle, eat, drink and dance — all while getting to know other singles just like you!
     

 
P.S. Follow me on http://senny.yelp.com for my weekly reviews of some area establishments or just to see my photo in a tux. 
 
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Successful Single! ©2009 – Success Singles Club, Ltd. (formerly the Gourmet Advocates, Ltd.)
 
Jim Senhauser’s “Singles Notebook” column (used with permission) is ©2009 IdeaTree, Ltd., Chicago, IL 60613. “IdeaTree” is a registered trademark of IdeaTree, Ltd.