Demandus for a Last UYE with CM Candice G!

What place better than Bigby’s, of Addison, to have a meetup and send off for Candice? Well, I can’t think of one…
I arrived to this UYE a bit later than most, but still got to mingle with some of my favorite Unilocal buddies. I even made it in time for trivia, but unfortunately for my two Unilocal teammates, I don’t think I was able to answer one question correctly. I guess trivia is not my specialty.
I was in the mood for red wine. I went with their Malbec, which was quite good. I may of been one of the very few sipping on wine in an establishment known for having awesome craft beers, but hey, they had a sign that said «Wine Drinkers Welcome»! I even posted a picture to prove it. Since the last time I visited Bigby’s, they have expanded their menu, causing me to regret my decision to eat beforehand. They now have cheese plates, seared crab cakes, goat cheese dips, and more. Luckily, Andres D. ordered up the Goat Cheese appetizer that I was able to steal a bite, or five, from. :)
Good times were had, drinks were shared, pictures were taken, and tears were shed… well, the tears may actually have been water that we poured on our faces for the sake of a good picture. Thanks to Sarah S. for throwing a great night together in honor of Candice. Cute cat duckies, great choice on Bigby’s, and brilliant decision on the Bill Murray cake. Spot on. Now we must plan a UYE in San Fran… I’m not joking.

This send-​off was pretty much perfect – fun times, cool venue, great drinks, yummy eats and laughter/​smiles everywhere. Everything that Candice gave us Chicagoland Unilocalers at her fantastic events. She is really going to be missed out here – like that saying goes, our loss is San Fran’s gain.
Thanks to Sarah S for planning the event and bringing some treats. That Bill Murray cake is now one on my all time favorite lists for creative cakes. So freakin cool! and yummy chocolate too!
Bigby’s of course, always the center of cool in DuPage County. Cool vibe and the perfect place to hold the sayonara party.
Andres of course with the fab picture board which sparked conversations all around the place about having a picture board like that at future grad/​birthday/​anything parties.
Got a chance to meet fellow Unilocalers and catch up with many I hadn’t seen in a while. I hate good-​byes, but if you have to, this was one cool way to do it!
Lots of Luck to you Candice G!

So glad I could make it to Bigby’s Pour House to see Candice off to San Francisco! (CG, remember to wear flowers in your Orange hair!) It was great to meet a few Suburban Unilocalers, eat some Steve Zissou cake, and enjoy the nice Craft Beer list.
Kudos to Sarah S. for planning and throwing a great UYE!
The big photo posterboard of Candice in her CM glory made by Andres was great, and Candice is obviously going to missed by suburban and City folks, alike. Hopefully this great UYE put the wind beneath her wings, because she’s destined for great things in the city by the Bay!

Between Andres’ enormous portrait photo display and Sarah’s snacks/​Bill Murray/​cat snacks and decorations on the piano… Bigby’s sure looked like a funeral last night. What to mourn? The upcoming departure of Candice, duh!
Candice is the only Chicago Burbs CM I’ve known, and from what I can tell, it’s going to be insanely difficult for anyone to fill her shoes.
I drank lots of beer, met some new faces, and I wish I could have stayed until the very end! Thanks to Osi V. for letting me sip on your sampler, and especially Mark S. and anyone else I interrupted to ask, «can you please take a picture?», and the Bigby’s staff (amazingly friendly bartenders).
I’m glad somebody decided to execute a last send-​off for Candice (good job, Sarah!), because she sure as heck deserves a proper goodbye!

I first met Candice G. when she was a Unilocal-​intern about to make the transition into full-​time community manager goddess. I admit, when I first saw her I stared a bit at the orangeness. I couldn’t believe how daring she was to rock the orange hair on a daily basis. I was immediately impressed because I have a fondness for all things 80s, especially wild colored hair. I knew she was cooler than cool.
Anywho, Candice was planning an event at the Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst, which I do the marketing for (don’t worry, Unilocal.This isn’t a plug.) and she came to us to hold the community showcase there that year. Over the coming weeks, I saw an absolute professional at work. She was super organized, and pulled the event off without a hitch. And what an event it was. I couldn’t believe that all the Unilocal-​Elites got to party it up like rockstars just for writing reviews.
Fast forward two years (and some change) later, and I’m Elited myself, and part of the crew. I am so very grateful for all Candice has done for the community, not only through her reviews, but certainly for all the awesome events she’s put together. And through her work, I’ve met so many ridiculously fun people that I know I’ll have adventures with for years to come, even if we ever cool out on the Unilocaling.
Candice, seriously, thank you for bringing all of us together, for forming relationships, for creating the coolest parties, and for sharing all the awesome thoughts that go through your orange-​coiffed head in your reviews.
Sarah, thanks to YOU for putting this event together. The venue was awesome, and the snacks were terrific. I couldn’t think of a more perfect location. You rocked it.

It was fantastic to have a farewell send-​off for Candice, and at this awesome beer lovers’ venue. Sarah S — we did not get to chat, but thank you for arranging this UYE. Candice — you did so much for the Chicagoland Unilocal community. We will really miss having you around and hope to see you back someday. Best of luck in all of your future endeavors, and I’m glad I was a small part of the fun Unilocal legacy you left here in the Chicago burbs.

Bittersweet, to say the least. It’s like losing an appendage. The Bay is so lucky to get someone so dedicated.
Bigby’s was the obvious choice for this sendoff. It’s basically the unofficial bar of the Burbs. Many a Unilocal official, unofficial, and afterparty has happened here. Glad many of the old school and newer Unilocalers made an appearance.
I’m excited to see what this Community has in store for us next. Good luck, Candice!

YOU GUYS.
Obviously I’m biased given the general theme of the event, but let me just say that I had the best time ever. E-​V-​E-​R. Even my grandma came out to party with us!
First off, I have to give a monster THANK YOU to Sarah S for putting this shindig together. I’m used to throwing parties for people and doing the planning (and begging) from beginning to end, so it was soooo wonderful to take a backseat and know that all I had to do was just show up. That was probably the best gift I could have ever been given.
Beyond that, Homegirl Sarah S just thought of everything. From the custom Bill Murray and Cat cake from Deerfield’s Bakery (see pics + it was chocolate and delicious) that Phill C helped put together, to the cat ‘purrr-​ty’ décor and basically the most delicious bites ever, including Sarah’s famous chocolate chip (NO NUTS!) cookies that at one point in the party I may have inadvertently taken credit for baking because I misheard the question and then by the time I realized what I’d done it was already like 3 questions past an appropriate turn-​back point and I just had to run with my lie (oops!), this bash was off the chain and it was all thanks to my girl Sarah. Really can’t thank her enough.
Of course, Andres D was also there, because I basically would’ve thrown a hissy fit if he weren’t (as if he doesn’t do enough for me already). And in true Andres fashion, he brought a larger-​than-​lifesize (for real) stand up poster of my normally ugly mug but was kind enough to use only the 8 best pictures I’ve ever taken, that actually look nothing like what I actually look like in person, and for that I’m eternally grateful. You’re a good-​ass friend, Andres. THE BEST!
The Bigby’s cast and crew was there being their usual hoppy selves and let us basically take over the whole joint. Major thanks to Ed, Dennilyn, Nick, Cheffry, Joel, Dewey, Chris, & Tyrone for all the beerz and the rockin’ tap list.
And sooo many of my most favorite people in the world (Chicagoland Unilocalers!) came out to give me the send off of a lifetime. It meant so much to me to have you all out come out and cheers our glasses for hopefully not the last time. If I weren’t so exhausted from drinking beer all night with you, I’d type out all yours names with a personal thank you, but since I am exhausted from minor activities like drinking beer, just fill in the blank here:
Thank you bunches to ___(insert your name here)___ for coming out to my going away par-​tay. I’ll always remember that time when you __(insert a Unilocaly thing you did here)__ at __(insert Unilocal event here)__. Those were some good times.
*virtual cheers*
Seriously though, having you all there felt like that final scene in ‘Labyrinth’ where Jennifer Connelly is back in the comforts of her bedroom after a long, arduous journey and things are feeling very bittersweet when all of a sudden all the Muppets and troll friends she made along the way start appearing to let her know they’re there for her… and then it fades out to the instrumental version of the best David Bowie song ever. (See also this:
). That’s exactly what tonight felt like for me.
I’m so lucky to have gotten to spend the last 4.5 years working with Unilocal and getting to know all of you out in the Unilocal Chicagoland community. I always say that the ‘burbs are so much cooler than they get credit for, and you guys are proof of that.
Even though I’m heading out to California soon, my heart will always be here.
(Translation: I’m going to miss you all so f*cking much.)

«California is a fine place to live — if you happen to be an orange.» — Fred Allen
Fred Allen was an old-​timey radio performer. Old-​timey performers sometimes reincarnate themselves into fresh faces with old souls. That’s Candice. Ever the comedian, with impeccable attention to timing and details, and an ability to improvise, much to an audience’s delight.
Last night was Candice’s curtain call, replete with a familiar cast of characters, and some new featured players. And it all took place at the stage of Bigby’s Pour House in Addison, where many of us have been treated to the return engagements of myriad UYE’s, afterparties. and everything in between.
Candice was the star of the show, and we all clamored for a chance to grab a photo opp with her and/​or her movie promo poster. And she obliged the masses and shared the treats brought in for her by Phill C. and Sarah S.- who I finally had the pleasure of meeting– and posed for photos expertly taken by Andres D. No Unilocaly evening in the ‘Burbs would be complete without it.
I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say I’d like to thank the Academy of Unilocal for providing us with such a charismatic leader for the past few years. I’d like to thank all the extras that contributed to the community. And most of all, I would like to thank Candice herself for all the awesomeness she has spread throughout the community. Our loss is mos def the South Bay’s gain, and I won’t be surprised if I hear about a fresh coat of orange to the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond.
Go Orange Crush it in Cali, kid!