Filed under: EVENTS!, Mykita
We are so excited about our big plans for our GreenScene event this year! We are mixing it up once again and having two pop-ups, along with DIY activities that are suitable for all-ages.
To start us off on Saturday, April 12th…Lost Girls Vintage will be stationed out front with their pop-up, Winnie; she is a friendly RV loaded with vintage clothing and accessories! For the DIY portion of the day, our friend Julie will be teaching bird nesting helpers and some seed starting techquines.
Next up, on Saturday, April 26th….we will be having a fundraiser for the Read/Write Library. Unfortunately, their mobile BiblioTreka was stolen, so they need some bucks to replace it:-( We will be teaching a class on how to transform old card catalog cards into little notebooks…and the library will be here with a small portion of their collection.
And to top it all off…we will have the entire collection of Eyebobs readers and Mykita eyewear here for a trunk show on the 26th too!! We have really out-done ourselves this time! Stay tuned for another blog post that highlights these lines.
And as an Earth Day reminder…we are staunch environmentalists here at Eye Spy and have been this way since day one, 15 years ago. We compost, save & give used packing materials away to neighboring businesses, never buy any paper, email receipts, put LED bulbs in our outdoor sign, use china and glass instead of disposables…and recycle, recycle, recycle! Whew. Over and out!
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Filed under: EVENTS!
Join us on Saturday, March 8th from 12-4pm!
This year we went a little over-board and invited a make-up artist, a hairstylist, a jewelry designer *and* an accessory designer to join us for our swaree!! The more, the merrier…right?!
We will be having Brenda Arelano here giving FREE makeovers. She works for NBC, but is squeezing us into her busy schedule! If you google Brenda…you will see her in her many different pairs of specs from Eye Spy Optical:-)
Along with our usual lovely makeup artist Brenda giving FREE makeovers, joining us this year will be Laura from Maven Collection!! Maven specializes in ethically-sourced products that are handmade by artisans across the globe. Maven is based in Chicago and has a fabulous assortment of accessories & home goods…that will be at Eye Spy for the day!
We have also invited another Laura…Laura of Hunter Gatherer Jewelry.
photo credit: tara mackey
Hunter Gatherer is an independent jewelry and accessories brand founded by Laura Prieto-Velasco based in Chicago, IL. Hunter Gatherer’s designs juxtapose dramatic and minimal forms inspired by our shared biological roots and anthropological artifacts. Each seasonal collection is handmade in limited quantities and brings timeless wearables for men and women meant to compliment a contemporary nomadic lifestyle.
Finally, for the slam-dunk….Art+Science stylists will be here giving bang-trims, up-dos and hairstyle advice…all for free:-)
We can’t wait for new makeup and hairstyle ideas, fresh new accessories and cocktails….can you??
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Filed under: EVENTS!
AND we are even more excited than you are!! Why you ask? Well, we have two new custom, colorful, handmade lines on the way to Eye Spy in January…and frankly, we need somewhere to put them. We don’t have any extra room at Eye Spy, so that’s where the sale comes in!!
These sunnies are NOT on sale, or at Eye Spy…yet! We are patiently awaiting their arrival in January:-)
For the ENTIRE MONTH OF JANUARY, our handmade eyewear will be discounted from 25% to 75% off, with prices as low as $99!
Swing by to check out deals on Theo, Francis Klein, Rapp and Mykita. Best of all, we will have over a 125 pairs of Anne et Valentin, Lafont, Selima, Mykita & RVS frames that will be 50% off! Treat yourself to a new look for the New Year!
We are also having a Friends and Family Event! Join us on Friday, January 3rd from 11-7pm for 15% off your entire purchase. (Discount applies to non-sale stock frames and prescription lenses.)
Show your loved ones how you shop local and purchase handmade products that last:-)
We will have snacks & drinks and our Specs Wrangler will be hosting a dance party! In the downstairs family room, movies will be playing for the kiddos…along with freshly-popped corn! Honestly, what more could you want while shopping for glasses?
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Filed under: Anni Shades, EVENTS!
We have been dying to know how the guys at Anni Shades make all those beautiful wooden frames! Come on now, you know you are in the same boat as us, with all of those beautiful styles and colors they have created! You can basically get a rockin’ wood frame in *ANY* color your heart desires! Talk about dreamtown! If you haven’t felt these frames in your hand, you should really fix that by stopping by Friday evening or Saturday. Phillip, of Anni Shades, will be here talking about his process and the reasoning behind the 8 layers involved in each frame. He will also reveal how Anni Shades keeps their business as socially and ecologically responsible as possible. Head on over, meet Phillip and have a chat… along with some empanadas on Friday.
Meet the Maker from 5-7pm on Friday, November 22nd.
Can’t make it to Meet the Maker? Have no fear! We will have the whole dazzling Anni Shades collection on Saturday for the fourth installment of our November trunk shows!
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Filed under: EVENTS!
Are you so excited? It’s that time of the year again when we jam-pack all the Saturdays in November with trunk shows! We’ve got new things up our sleeves this year! Come and check out the new collections from 5 different lines!
Anne et Valentin is a small company based out of Toulouse, France. They made their mark back in 1994 when they began design and production of bi-colored acetate frames for their optical shop in Toulouse.
Second, we’ve got Caroline Abram on November 9th!
Caroline Abram, based out of France, has a lovely new take on vintage shapes with just the right amount of color….and at a nice price-point:-)
Third up is everyone’s favorite: Theo on November 16th!
In 1989, Theo introduced its ground-breaking collection in Belgium to offer their clients glasses that were definitely not mainstream. Now, Theos appeal to a wider audience, but they still have a soft spot for the individualist.
Fourth on the list is Anni Shades on November 23rd…
AND a Meet the Maker party on Friday, November 22nd!!
Made just over yonder in Ohio, Anni Shades is a small group of guys who are committed to create from what nature has made. In case you haven’t guessed, it is a sustainably-forested wooden line.
Last but not least is Mykita on November 30th!
Since 2003, Mykita has been designing and handcrafting its stainless steel and plastic frames in-house in Berlin. The frames are avant-garde, perfectly crafted, individual and unmistakable due to their patented screwless hinge concept and clean designs.
We will see you for five Saturdays of brand new frames from the 2014 collections and lots of snacks.
The Breakdown:
November 2nd - Anne et Valentin
November 9th- Caroline Abram
November 16th- Theo
November 23rd- Anni Shades
November 30th- Mykita
All Saturdays from 11-5pm!
Think you might miss the show? Well, turns out… we will have the collections for Sunday appointments
Just call first!
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Filed under: EVENTS!, Francis Klein
…and we are having a Francis Klein Trunk Show to celebrate!! Join us for the festivities on Saturday, October 19th from 12-6 PM!
We will have the entire new 2014 collection straight from the Paris trade show…with our stellar Francis Klein rep, Marien, flying into Chicago from the trade show with his bags of sparkle-tastic frames…that are made-to-order, just for you!!
If you would like to design a custom frame, please make an appointment to visit us in the morning between 10 and noon:-) Call or email us: appointment [at] eyespyoptical.com.
Here are two pictures Marian just sent us with some of the new styles, that we will be seeing in Paris this week…and you can see in October:-)
Thanks for a successful 15 years…and here’s to another 15 years of custom, colorful, handmade eyewear!! xox.
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Filed under: EVENTS!
It’s fall again, so that means back to school, crunchy leaves and Art Lakeview! This year we will be featuring the work of Doug Haight.
Haight’s current work focuses on his recent visit to Havana, Cuba. After spending a week there with virtually all waking hourse spend attached to his camera. Haight returned home with over 6,000 images that represent his sense of the tremendously vibrant city of Havana, its passionate people and its flourishing culture.
We are excited to have this work in the windows here at Eye Spy and join Lakeview as they create Art Lakeview once again.
Playground
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Filed under: EVENTS!
We are having a premiere party for Capture the Road, our video & still-shot lookbooks!
Come over on Friday, September 20th from 6-8pm!
In case you were not following our friend Chris Hershman and Amanda Farmer along on their journey, let us quickly update you on the whole deal:
Chris and Amanda are two long time friends with one thing in common; their many passions and talents didn’t fit neatly inside “the box.” These two took a 12 day long cross country road trip and took us along for the ride.
Joining us for the evening will be Old Honey Drums, Amanda’s band, and the creative minds behind Capture the Road. We will dance, drink and celebrate as these two introduce their short film and still-shots for the first public showing!
Here’s a sneak peek of the video and photos to hold you over till the 20th.
Capture The Road Presents: An Eye Spy Optical Film from Chris Hershman on Vimeo.
See y’all on Friday, September 20th from 6-8pm!
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Filed under: EVENTS!
Eye Spy will be poppin’ up all over town this weekend!
First up is Lillstreet’s 10th anniversary block party! We will be hanging out on Friday night from 6-8pm for their Best Served Hot: Ceramics for the Coffee Ritual.
Second for the weekend is Logan Square’s The Boulevard Festival! We will be in front of Wolfbait on Sunday from 10-1pm. Swing by Wolfbait, the Farmers Market and our Airstream!
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Filed under: EVENTS!
Guess what?! We are taking our sweet Airstream and heading over to The Printers Ball! It’s going to be awesome! We will have some snacks, tunes and,of course, some glasses in tow.
Swing on by on July 27th from noon-6pm at Spudnik Press, 1821 W Hubbard. There will be a whole slew of wonderful happening at the ball! Everything from printmaking workshops to readings and conversations with artists and poets! See you there:-)
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