Rande Gerber, who runs that too-cool-for-words celeb magnet Skybar in L.A.’s Mondrian Hotel (and who happens to be Cindy Crawford’s boyfriend) and his brother Scott have signed a lease to bring a hip bar-restaurant to the Sutton Place Hotel in Chicago by the end of the year. Hotel general manager David Sowell tells us the deal with the brothers’ company, Midnight Oil, is to transform the first-floor bar area and atrium. Sowell says they’ve talked about several concepts for the Rush Street site, but one thing they won’t be replicating in frosty Chicago is the Skybar’s open-air look.
More Cindy: Figure Cindy and Rande were heavy into market research last weekend as they dined and dished around town, including a stop at Blackbird for asparagus salad, soft-shell crab and a chat with owner Donnie Madia.
See David move: Based on two David Schwimmer sightings Monday–he was spotted requesting membership info in a Lincoln Park sports club and in the sales room of a West Loop Gate condo development–it might be logical to assume that the “Friends” star plans to spend even more time in Chicago.
Grid lock: We understand a TV crew filming Mother’s Day diners in the John Hancock Center’s Signature Room missed Hall-of-Famer-to-be Mike Singletary, dining with wife Kim and the kids. They’re about to make history this summer when Kim becomes the first wife (as far as anyone can recall) to present her husband for induction in the hall. Mike wanted to keep Sunday’s outing private. But here’s a surprise for the ex-Bear star–eating in the restaurant at the same time was Green Bay Packer Tyrone Davis.
Stage dads: It was more like Father’s Day than Mother’s Day in Steppenwolf Theatre on Sunday evening when one of John Mahoney’s TV sons, actor David Hyde Pierce (a k a Niles on NBC’s “Frasier”) was among those on his feet for the standing ovation that Mahoney and “The Man Who Came to Dinner” cast received.
With cheese: Always fun to see how outsiders perceive Chicago, but we were disappointed Publisher’s Weekly, in its issue promoting this month’s BookExpo America ’98 here, included a story subtitled, “See The Places that Al Capone Made Famous.” Suggested sites include City Hall, Mt. Carmel Cemetery (Capone’s resting spot) and Holy Name Cathedral. And while we’re at it, that story was as out-of-touch as the magazine labeling the Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s as Chicago’s “Best Tourist Nightmare with Huge Gift Shop.” Apparently the writer hasn’t visited River North lately. We’d say Mac has been upstaged by several new tourist traps.
One last ride: Quietly last week, the family of Chris Farley donated the late comic’s Harley-Davidson to Planet Hollywood Chicago’s memorabilia collection. Farley, a PH shareholder and frequent visitor, logged only about 30 miles on the Harley.
Passages: WGN-Ch. 9 political analyst Joel Weisman keynotes Tuesday’s Chicago Bar Association Herman Kogan Awards luncheon. . . . Tuesday birthdays: Mackenzie Astin, 25; Burt Bacharach, 69; Stephen Baldwin, 32; Yogi Berra, 73; Bruce Boxleitner, 48; Gabriel Byrne, 48; George Carlin, 61; Melanie Chisolm, 22; Lindsay Crouse, 50; Emilio Estevez, 36; Kim Fields, 29; Katharine Hepburn, 91; Tom Snyder, 62; Billy Squier, 48; Steve Winwood, 50.
Boarding pass: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) notes that when U.S. Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio) returns to space at age 76, he’ll be the first astronaut allowed to preboard because of age.
EAVESDROPPING
“I just love her whining laugh.” Cantor David Benedict, who has officiated at real-life and TV-movie weddings, on marrying Fran Drescher and her boss on Wednesday’s episode of “The Nanny”
