Finally, we have a topic that is very close to my own heart. Agent X is a brand I’ve been working on developing for about 10 years now (whoa!), and I must say it’s pretty close to perfect. The only downside is I can’t reveal my identity, so I haven’t exactly been able to transform this brand into actual sales. However, what you don’t know about me is that I have a whole other persona. That’s right, Agent X the broker is a little different from Agent X the (inevitably) award-winning columnist. The key is to know who you are and not apologize for it. In fact, take who you are, flip it upside down, enhance it a bit and boom! You’ve got your brand. Some people pay me a lot of money for that advice, so use it wisely.

Did you know Ivonne Payes is a certified celebrity? That’s right, her gorgeous punim is on a billboard for all to see, and she looks on fire in a beautiful red dress up in the sky. She celebrated this exciting milestone wearing an LBD and toasting (her billboard self) with a bottle of fancy champs.

Oh happy day, we are back to attending events in person!! Since I’ve been cooped up for a year and a half, I went to as many events as I could. First up, Joel Schaub hosted his first in-person bingo event at the Kit Kat Lounge. The pride-themed party was a big hit and featured oodles of awesome drag queens doing their thing.

I also attended the grand re-opening of Superior House in River North. The rooftop party had a fantastic DJ, great views, and the champagne was steadily flowing (into my mouth).

Since the last place I want to be lately is inside my own home, I also went to an open house for Alcove, the new @properties development in Wicker Park. According to my buddy Peter Olesker, the EVP Developer Services & Corp. Communications, it was more of a “coming out party” for the first tenants. There was live music and tacos from a Big Star food truck. Nothing like noshing on a taco from a truck while scanning amazing views of downtown Chicago. 

Birthdays! Sherri Southall starts us off on July 7, Heather Gustafson celebrates on July 8 and Kenny Dooley and Julie Busby share a July 11 bday. Janet Belieff celebrates on July 12, while Jim LaHa may give Ilyce Glink a laugh on their shared July 13 b-day. Debora McKay will get wiser on July 14, before Matt Farrell and Grace Sergio do the same on July 15. Andrew Perkins has July 16 circled in red on his calendar, and Erik Stegemann uses a blue pen for his July 18 day. Joe McBreen, Bruce Beddard, and Garry Benson can bring a trio of laughs to their July 19 b-day, and maybe they can invite Gail Spreen along since hers is on July 21. Connie Antoniou and John Federici were born on July 22, and Mike Cuevas celebrates on July 23. Marj Carpenter was born on July 25, right before Fran Broude, Ryan Holden and Paul Dincin on July 26. Gordon Munden rounds out July with a birthday on the 31st, and let’s dip into August to toast Benjie Burford and Michael Shenfeld on Aug. 1.