Key InA key client was in need of last-minute hotel accommodations near London Heathrow on a return trip from Cyprus. Luckily your CUI Concierge’s expert knowledge and international contacts secured a one-night stay in the Sofitel Heathrow in record time at the CUI discounted rate! No matter the time zone, CUI is At Your Service!

The holidays are approaching quickly and CUI is At Your Service to save your precious time and to obtain, arrange and secure anything you may need, including:

♦ An exciting place for your Company or Private Holiday Party of any size.♦ Unique gifts from Tiffany & Co., Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and other pro-viders with CUI additional savings.♦ Best hotel rates in Chicagoland and other cities for seasonal getaways to destinations around the globe!♦ Top tickets to sports, theatre, classical music, opera and concerts for your Holiday Business Gifts to: The Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker, Wicked, A Christmas Carol, Elf the Musical, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, the Bulls, the Blackhawks or the Bears!

Happy Holidays from your CUI Team! We RecommendTrump Hotel & Tower Chicago is offering a complimentary upgrade to Concierge Unlimited International Travelers to One Bedroom City View Suite until March 31, 2014 (based on availability). Let CUI coordinate and create a magical night in style while you relax and enjoy the VIP treatment during the busy Holiday season.

Renaissance Blackstone Hotel Chicago, located on Michigan Avenue near Grant Park, has been a favorite of movie stars, sports legends, royalty and presidents since 1910. Thoughtfully restored to its original grandeur, this Michigan Avenue hotel features French Beaux-Arts architecture, 332 lavishly appointed guestrooms, as well as beautiful meeting and event space. The restaurant is home to Chicago’s only Iron Chef restaurant, Mercat a la Planxa, and offers delectable Spanish tapas.

Have your CUI Concierge take care of your VIP room reservation

and celebrate the Holidays in luxurious style!

New/NewsHarry Caray’s This sophisticated, high-energy restaurant is home to a museum-quality collection of sports memorabilia, original newspa-pers and photographs. Big-name athletes, celebrities and politicians are regularly spotted at this must-see Chicago institution. Harry Ca-ray’s Italian Steakhouse in located in Chicago, Rosemont or Lombard and serves the finest prime, aged steaks, chops and Italian favorites.

Call your CUI Concierge to arrange a perfect holiday corporate outing or family and friends dinner gathering to score a home run

for the holidays!

Wine InsightFor Wine Insight, visit www.conciergeunlimited.com

Arts/Museumsopens4 Cartier: Style & History Grand Palais, Paris9 Before the Dinosaurs Field Museum11 Ink Art: Contemporary China The Met, NY17 Chicago Works: Lilli Carré MCA Chicago21 Kelly Nipper: Black Forest Los Angeles, CA through

31 Jellies Exhibit Shedd Aquarium1/5 World’s Largest Snow Globe Adler Planetarium1/5 Allegro Barbaro: Hungarian Modernity Paris, France1/8 Neapolitan Creche Art Institute1/8 Holidays 2013: Open Something Greater Art Institute1/27 Art and Appetite Art Institute3/2 The Surrealists Philadelphia, PA3/23 Outside the Lines Houston, TX9/7 Wonders of the World’s Fair Field Museum

ongoing Chicago: Crossroads of America Chicago History Museum Great Cities, Great Lakes, Great Basin Chicago Architecture Foundation Ballet/Dance6-14 Chicago Dance Crash Ruth Page Center for the Arts6-28 Joffrey Ballet: Nutcracker Auditorium Theatre8 Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker Rosemont Theater12-15 Hubbard Street Dance: Winter Series Harris Theatre13-15 Chicago Tap Theatre: Tidings of Tap UIC Theater14-22 Ballet Chicago: The Nutcracker 2013 Athenaeum Theatre

through1/4 The Nutcracker Lincoln Center, NY Children/Familyopens6 Winter Wonderfest Navy Pier6,13,20 Caroling at Cloud Gate Millenium Park8 32nd Annual Treasure Hunt and Tea Party Art Institute14 Facets Family Film Series Facets Multimedia

through28 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Broadway Playhouse31 Legos Star Wars Miniland Legoland, Schaumburg

Classical/Symphony

1 Roosevelt University Presents: An Afternoon in Old Vienna Union League Club6 Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Concert Harris Theater16 Music Now: Carbide & Carbon Harris Theater

at Symphony Center5, 7 Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 13-17 CSO: Pictures at an Exhibition19 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass19-21 Eschenbach Conducts Bruckner

culturalupdateCONCIERGE UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL

December 2013Volume XXIII—Issue XII

Opera: 2013-2014 Seasonthrough20 La Traviata, Giuseppe Verdi

opens12/10 Die Fledermaus, Johann Strauss II2/1 The Barber of Seville, Gioachino Rossini2/22 Rusalka, Antonín Dvořák 3/5 La Clemenza di Tito, Mozart3/19 Reneé Fleming and Jonas Kaufmann Recital

Theatre opens3 The Merry Wives of Windsor Shakespeare Theater5 Tribes Steppenwolf Theatre5 The Little Prince Lookingglass Theatre6 Nutcracker Auditorium Theatre

through 8 Appropriate Victory Gardens 15 Elf the Musical Cadillac Palace Theatre21 Wicked Oriental Theatre28 A Christmas Carol Goodman Theatre29 The Santaland Diaries Theater Wit29 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Broadway Playhouse29 The Christmas Schooner Mercury Theater

Let your CUI concierge arrange the perfect seat for your favorite performance.

Sneak Previews 1/1 New Year’s Day 5k Lincoln Park 1/7-19 Ghost the Musical Oriental Theatre 1/9 Jay Z United Center1/9-19 Chicago Sketch Comedy Fest Stage 7731/9-3/2 The Phantom of the Opera Cadillac Theatre1/10 Keith Urban United Center 1/16-26 Sundance Film Festival Park City, UT1/17 Cubs Convention Sheraton Hotel and Towers1/22-26 Disney on Ice Allstate Arena1/24-2/6 Chicago Restaurant Week Chicago, IL1/25 Polar Plunge Oak Street Beach1/30-2/1 Riccardo Muti and Yo Yo Ma Symphony Center2/8 Chicago Auto Show McCormick Place2/16 Justin Timberlake United Center2/25 Paul Simon & Sting United Center3/16 Celtic Woman Chicago Theater

Contact your CUI concierge for top tickets to all upcoming events!

Concert/Rock/Blues/Jazz2 Rick Springfield City Winery 12/3-4 Elton John and His Band Madison Sqr Garden6 101.9 Miracle on State Street Chicago Theatre7 Dave Koz Chicago Theatre9-12 Andrew Bird Fourth Pres. Church12 Drake United Center 13-14 Sister Hazel House of Blues 13-14 Jerry Seinfeld Chicago Theatre13 Beyoncé United Center 17-18 Kanye West w/ Kendrick Lamar United Center20 Donny & Marie’s Christmas Allstate Arena21 Martina McBride Chicago Theatre30 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Allstate Arena31 Jimmy Eat World House of Blues31 Motion City Soundtrack Bottom Lounge

Sports♦ Blackhawks ♦ Bulls 3 Dallas 2 New Orleans6 Annaheim 5 Miami8 Carolina 7 Detroit 11 Philadelphia 10 Milwaukee15 Los Angeles 14 Toronto 20 Vancouver 16 Orlando23 New Jersey 21 Cleveland 27 Avalanche 28 Dallas30 Los Angeles 31 Toronto

♦Bears 1 @ Minnesota Vikings 9 vs. Dallas Cowboys15 @ Cleveland Browns 22 @ Philadelphia Eagles29 vs. Green Bay Packers also... 4-8 Statoil Masters Tennis London11-21 FIFA World Cup Morocco 2013 Morocco11-21 Winter Universide Trentino, Italy25 Oklahoma City Thunder @ NY Knicks Madison Square Garden

Special/Seasonal1-30 Radio City Christmas Spectacular New York, NY6 Hinsdale Christmas Walk Burlington Park6-1/12 Winter Wonderfest Navy Pier14-15 Holiday Market Randolph Street Market21 Christmas Concert Chicago Botanic Garden 23 Hot Chocolate with Mrs. Claus Chicago Botanic Garden12/6-1/12Winter Wonderfest Navy Pierthrough24 Christkindlmarket Daley Plaza24 Holiday Aquatic Show Shedd Aquarium1/5 Holidays of Light Museum of Science & Industry1/5 Zoolights Lincoln Park Zoo1/5 Wonderland Express Chicago Botanic Garden1/5 Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Hyde Park, London3/9 McCormick Tribute Ice Rink Millenium Park

We are your time-saving concierge service and resource for local, national and international needs!

Concierge Unlimited International Cultural Update • December 2013 • 2

Concierge Unlimited International Cultural Update • December 2013 • 3

For more event information, VIP restaurant & hotel accommoda-tions or top tickets, contact Concierge Unlimited International,

your time-saving concierge service and resource for local, nation-al and international needs.

Holiday Markets♦ Christkindl Market ChicagoExperience the charm of the winter season by visiting this European styled holiday market. Enjoy lighted trees, the aroma of sausages and winter spices, and holiday entertainment. Shop an assortment of booths featuring hand-made ornaments, arts and crafts, candles, ceramics, glassware, toys and much more. Indulge in hot spiced cider and wine, authentic German bratwurts and Stollen (German holiday cake) and much more at Daley Plaza through December 24.

Or visit one of these holiday markets across the country or around the world...

DENMARK - CopenhagenSituated in the famously romantic 19th century Tivoli Gardens. See: Live reindeer. It will definitely add to the magical Christmas feeling. A fireworks festival will be held from December 26-30. Try: Rutschebanen- The oldest running wooden roller-coaster in the world! Stay at: Hotel Fox- an extremely modern and unusual hotel. Every room is unique. Young artists have given each room a makeover, in just a few days. Modern art is the theme for this hotel. LATVIA - RigaVisit Riga, the town where the tradition of Christmas tree decoration was born. Indulge in: “Zāvēta desa”- smoked sausage, peas with ham, Latvian green teas, roasted almonds or smoked fish. Stay at: Hotel Gutenbergs- a must for visitors in Riga. The hotel holds antique paintings, books and articles. Walk through the corridors of this hotel and you will learn a great deal about the history of Riga.

RUSSIA - St. PetersburgExplore almost 70 unique stalls in St. Petersburg’s Ostrovskogo Square.Indulge in: “Blini” – a Russian pastry made of sweet dough that is wrapped like a crêpe and holds cheese filling. A Blini is often eaten with powdered sugar and dipped in sour cream. Stay at: Taleon Imperial Hotel- the only modern luxury hotel created from XVIIIth century palace in St. Petersburg. The hotel provides a beau-tiful panoramic view of St. Peterburg. You can for example see Kazan and Isakk’s Cathedrals and Alexander Column’s angel.

SWEDEN- Old Town in StockholmExperience a wonderful Christmas market experience in the heart of Stockholm. Old Town is known for its charming buildings and small shops. Indulge in: Get a true taste of Swedish Christmas delicacies. Try everything from smoked sausage, reindeer to elk meat. Make sure you get a taste of the traditional warm Swedish Christmas drink, Glögg (mulled wine). Different kinds of Swedish handicrafts, like a reindeer horn bottle opener, will also be available for purchase.

♦ Anderson Tree Farm508 E. Schoolhouse Road,Plainfield, IL

♦ Ben’s Tree Farm7720 Ryan RoadHarvard, IL

♦ Camelot Christmas Trees16380 S. Somonauk RoadDeKalb, IL

♦ Craig Cinnamon Christmas Trees13579 Howison RoadDeKalb, IL

♦ Flora Farm Tree ForestIrene Road & Bates RoadBelvidere, IL

♦ Honeybee Acres Christmas Tree Farm41W072 Bowes RoadElgin, IL

♦ Ide Christmas Tree Farm1500 83rd StreetDowners Grove, IL

♦ Marmion’s Abbey Tree Farm850 Butterfield RoadAurora, IL

♦ Nature’s Best X-Mas Trees13001 Route 76Popular Grove, IL

♦ Pioneer Tree Farm4614 Pioneer Road, McHenry, IL

♦ Do-It- Yourself Messiah takes place on Thursday, December 19th and and Friday, December 20th at Harris Theater. In its 38th year, the Do-It-Yourself Messiah will bring the music of Handel to life with his magnificent Messiah performed by a chorus of thousands, world-class soloists and a full orchestra of local professional and amateur volunteer musicians.

♦ Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker runs Friday, December 6th through Saturday, December 28 at the Auditorium Theatre. This holiday tradition performed by Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet is a Chicago holiday tradition.

♦ Christmas Around the World & Holiday of Lights can be visited through Sunday, January 5th at The Museum of Science & Industry.The event that began with one tree in 1942 has ballooned into 50 trees representing various cultures and holiday traditions from across the globe plus a huge 45-foot tall Grand Tree with more than 30,000 twinkling lights and 1,000 ornaments adorning it.

♦ A Christmas Carol can be seen at through Saturday, December 28th at Goodman Theatre. For 36 years, A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre has been “the crown jewel of the holiday season” (Daily Herald). Based on Charles Dickens’ classic 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol is the unforgettable tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy business man with no family and a disdain for holiday cheer and the poor in Victorian London. One Christmas, Scrooge is visited by four ghosts who take him on an incredible journey that offers a new perspective on everything from his dusty past to his dark future-and gives him an opportunity to sympathize with his fellow man and rediscover life and love.

Holiday Entertainmentto celebrate the season

Chop Your Own Tree!

Suggestions to the Editor

Tis the Season to contact your Concierge! An executive at a major investment banking

firm recently learned that her interior design company, which always had helped decorate her home for the holidays, had dissipated and left her with no one to haul out the holly this year. With an attic full of decorations, but absolutely no time and no one to help, she instinctively turned to her CUI concierge for a solution. After a few quick phone calls, a talented craftswoman was located, the project was defined, and a date was scheduled to get her North Shore home looking festively aglow, both inside and out, for the upcoming holiday season of enter-taining!

Allow CUI to help you wine & dine! A client had a trip planned to the Napa Valley on the busiest week-

end of the year and was unable to find a hotel in the downtown area due to every bed & breakfast and hotel being sold out. In reaching out to the CUI Concierge, not only was she able to secure a reservation at one of the preferred hotels, but she was also able to secure a Saturday night reservation on the patio at one of the more popular restaurants just steps away! It didn’t just end there, the client was pleasantly sur-prised when provided a list of “must see” wineries, as well as transpor-tation recommendations, and also rental bike reservations when they are normally provided on a first come, first serve basis!

Save your valuable time and let us be At Your Service.

♦Catering & Corporate Dinners♦♦Entertainment♦

♦Favorable Hotel Rates♦♦Flowers & Unique Gifts♦

♦ VIP Restaurant Reservations♦♦Private & Corporate Events ♦

♦Top Tickets: Theatre, Sports, Concerts & more♦♦Travel & Transportation ♦

Contact your CUI Concierge Team at (312) 220-0500

request@conciergeunlimited.com

www.conciergeunlimited.com

2013 Concierge Unlimited International, hereinafter CUI. All rights reserved. Cultural data subject to change. This CUI Cultural Update is the sole and exclusive property of CUI. It shall not be, in whole or in part, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record-ing, or other without written permission of CUI.

Concierge Unlimited International Cultural Update • December 2013 • 4

We invite your suggestions for future issues of Cultural Update. Are there cultural events you would like us to highlight? Do you have feedback about a restaurant or event that we have recommended? Let us know what you think! Please feel free to contact the editor via email at cuicommunications@conciergeunlimited.com or by phone at (312) 220-0500.

Key Reasons Clients Rely on CUI

New Year’s Eve - Ring in 2014!From hotel accomodations to favorable rates and VIP treatment at restaurants of your choice, to top tickets to concerts and theatre, CUI holds the key to your New Year’s celebration!

Fabulous Fêtes♦ Navy Pier Crystal Gardens New Year’s Eve is a lavish black tie event and features a buffet, champagne, DJ, and fireworks display for the glamourous.

♦ RPM at 52 West Illinois is offering a special New Year’s eve menu which includes mouth-watering Italian specialties.

♦Siena Tavern at 51 West Kinzie is offering drink packages, delectable catering, as well complimentary champagne and live entertainment!

♦ Del Frisco’s at 58 East Oak Street is hosting an elegant soirée with champagne and a confetti drop!

♦ Signature Room in the John Hancock Tower at 875 North Michigan Avenue is offering 3 or 4-course meal options, a live band, champagne toast and a balloon drop, as well as their spectacular view of the Chicago skyline.

Brunch♦ Zed 451 at 739 North Clark Street is offering brunch for $34 per person, and features elegant versions of brunch staples.

♦RL Restaurant at 115 East Chicago Avenue is offering their delec-table lunch menu, which features many wonderful seafood options, in addition to breakfast favorites.

♦ Bistronomic at 840 North Wabash Street is a perfect location to welcome 2014 with upgraded traditional brunch favorites, includinga wild mushroom omelette with camembert and truffle oil.

♦ The Lobby at The Peninsula Hotel is offering their elegant breakfast menu that can satisfy any brunch desires you may have!

Museum Free DaysIllinois residents enjoy free admission to world class museums on the following dates:Adler Planetarium: December 2-5, 9-11, 16, 17 Art Institute: December 5, 12, 19, 26 (Thursdays 5pm-8pm)Chicago History Museum: Monday, January 20Chicago Children’s Museum: December 5, 12, 19, 26 (Thursdays 5pm-8pm)DuSable Museum: December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Sundays)Field Museum: December 2, 5, 9, 10, 11Museum of Contemporary Art: December 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (Tuesdays)