Filed under: EVENTS!
Happy New Year! It is time to celebrate new beginnings and we can’t think of a better way to start 2018 than with a gorgeous new pair of glasses (or two)! Oh wait…yes we can…a new pair of glasses that you picked up for a steal of a deal! With discounts that start at 25% and go all the way up to 75% off, it will be hard to get just one pair!
This is a great time to refresh your look with new eyewear, pick up that bold 2nd pair you have been dreaming about or get those computer glasses you have been thinking about for ages.
Anne et Valetin, Theo, Niloca, and Francis Klein are just a few of the brands that will be on sale, so get here early to see everything!
The sale ends on January 31st. See you there!
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Filed under: EVENTS!, Spectacular Sunglasses, Thierry Lasry
The entire collection will be here for you to try-on & drool over!!
THIERRY LASRY sunglasses are based on the concept of « futuristic vintage » fusing vintage inspirations with an updated, modern and avant-gardist touch.
All the acetate frames are entirely hand-made in France with the best craftsmanship techniques and traditional know-how, the sunglasses only use acetate from the reputable Italian manufacturer Mazzucchelli. By working out the volume, the acetate front is made using a process more akin to sculpture than to regular cutting techniques. The acetates typically undergo a process of layering–meaning textures are created by combining sheets of different colors one against the other.
A galaxy of stars are amongst the brand’s most devoted fans, ranging from Madonna, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus to Jennifer Lawrence, Anne Hathaway, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba etc …
Be there or be square!!
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, HEALTH!, KIDS!
Three Cheers for Lake, our Customer of the Week!
Lake’s mom brought her in for an eye exam with our amazing Eye Doctor. Lake was a teensy bit nervous, but our doctor is great with kids and made it really fun and easy. Lake found out that she was going to need glasses she couldn’t have been more thrilled! As it turns out, she was hoping that she would need them – she LOVES glasses 
The Optical Oracle helped her try on kids frames until she found just the right one – a red metal frame that fit like a dream and made her feel like a million bucks!
We LOVE it when kids get excited about their glasses and as you can see, Lake is beaming!
Let’s learn a little more about Lake!
- What is her favorite color? Aqua
- If she could be any animal, what would she be and why? Reindeer so I can fly (Here are 11 things you might not know about Reindeer!)
- What is her favorite thing to do in the summer time? Surf on vacation
- What is her favorite activity or subject at school? Reading
- How many siblings does she have? An older brother and younger brother
- If she were in a talent show, what would her talent be? Play guitar and dancing
It is almost time for Chicagoland kids to head back to school and all kids entering school for the first time are required to get their eyes examined by an eye doctor. Our docs are low key and make it painless – your kids don’t even need to know their letters or numbers! So visit our website to schedule your little one’s appointment.
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!
Raise your glass because it is time to congratulate our newest Customer of the Week…Cheers Melissa!!!
Melissa was on the hunt for a new frame and our very own Queen of Specs got right to work to help her find a frame that is just as fun as she is – an Anne et Valentin Kodex frame in the prettiest green and pink combo we have ever seen. Melissa loved the unique shape and the little details, and the Queen was in full agreement.
Melissa is the beauty, brains and tastebuds behind Jo Snow Syrups, a delightful local line of natural syrups for spicing up your coffee, cocktails, snowcones…and really anything else that you could pour them on – we think they are especially lovely mixed with a little champagne
Her flavors are surprising and delightful…Blueberry Jasmine, Fig Vanilla Black Pepper, Grapefruit Rosemary…is your mouth watering yet?
We love Melissa and her syrups so much that we invited her to join us for our Anne et Valentin Trunk Show in May with a variety of boozy snow cones featuring hand-shaved ice, her delightful syrups, and a splash of alcohol and at our upcoming pop-up at the Randolph St. Market Festival on Sunday July 28th!
Let’s get to know Melissa!
- What do you do for a living? I am the chief syrup officer for Jo Snow Syrups. I make hand crafted, all natural syrups for coffee, cocktails, sodas & snow cones.
- How many glasses do you have? I currently have two pairs that I can actually see out of, plus sunglasses.
- What is your astrological sign? I’m a Leo. Madonna & I share the same birthday and Elvis died on my 11th birthday
- If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would that food be? Ok, this may be a strange answer, but goi cuon. They are fresh Vietnamese spring rolls that have rice noodles & veggies & pork or shrimp wrapped inside rice paper. They are usually served with a peanut sauce, but I like them dipped in nuc mum, a spicy fish sauce. The lemongrass tofu ones at Nhu Lan Bakery are my fave. They are so refreshing & light & healthy.
- What is your beverage of choice? I love bubbles in any form, so I would have to say champagne, preferably a rose.
- What is your secret talent? Hmmm…I have a super sniffer. I am able to smell things others cannot ,which is helpful if there is a gas leak, but not so pleasant in other cases. I also have a pretty darn good palate and can pick out ingredients in dishes pretty well.
- How long have you been wearing glasses? I’ve been wearing glasses since the first or second grade. And I think those styles are back in style now. Scary!
- Would you rather have a time machine that only goes back in time or a time machine that only goes forward in time? I think only backward in time. I would love to see my husband as a child. The pictures of him are so cute. I would want to see him interacting with others & see how he got some of his endearing & not so endearing habits! I would also love to see what the city looked like a hundred years ago. I would like to see ancient civilizations & see how the continents used to be a giant land mass. I think I would be afraid to see the future.
- What is your guilty pleasure song? Sweet-Ballroom Blitz- I once had it as the outgoing message on my answering machine (remember those? Probably not)
- What is one book, movie or tv show you think everyone should know about? One of my favorite movies is Tampopo. It is a quirky movie about the quest to make the perfect bowl of ramen. It has many smaller stories happening within the main story. It’s just so much fun. I own it on VHS & DVD. We’ve also projected it on a screen & “cooked” the movie.
- What is your favorite thing about living in Chicago? All the different kinds of food we can eat in all the different neighborhoods, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, El Salvadorian, Polish, and Jamaican.
Melissa is the sweetest lady we know and if you haven’t yet, get yourself some of her sweet treats…you will be so glad you did! You can find out more about her and her syrups, snow cones, and other delightful delectables at her website Josnowsyrups.com. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @Josnowsyrups and go like her page on Facebook – Jo Snow Syrups.
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Rapp
She’s got style, she’s got grace, she’s a winner…
Kate is a lady who knows what’s up and when it was time for a new pair of specs, she boogied on over to Eye Spy Optical for a new sassy look.
Kate is the Stylist and lady in charge at Chroma K8 Beautique on Lincoln Ave, a green salon that specializes in making women look their best, so she has an appreciation for all things gorgeous and glamorous with just the right hint of fun.
Kate tried on a few gorgeous frames, but the one that caught her eye was a sparkly candy colored
Rapp Eyewear cat-eye named Maeve. Vintage inspired Maeve is a as pretty as Kate and look so good with her blonde ringlets.
Stay tuned for our new lookbook – Kate did hair and makeup for our models and they look AMAZING! Here is a little sneak peek of our model Compton – after Kate did her magic.
Let’s get to know Kate!!!!
1. What do you do for a living? I’m a hair colorist & Stylist, I’ve owned my salon for almost 3 years
2. How many glasses do you have? Hmm, Probably 6 or so, but I don’t wear most of them anymore.
3. What is your astrological sign? Aquarius
4. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would that food be? If weight wasn’t an issue, Carol’s Cookies! 
5. What is your beverage of choice? Water/Coffee/Vodka & 7UP depends on the time of day
6. Do you have a hobby? Tell me about it! I collect vintage Chalkware, banks, salt & pepper shakers, planters…to name a few.
7. What is your secret talent? I know sign language fairly well, I was in interpreter school for almost 2 years
8. How long have you been wearing glasses? 30 Years
9. Would you rather have a time machine that only goes back in time or a time machine that only goes forward in time? One that goes back
10. What is your guilty pleasure song? System Of A Down – Chop Suey
13. What is podcasts do you listen to on the regular? Entreleadership, it’s for business owners
14. What is your favorite thing about living in Chicago? My family & our city’s diversity
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Filed under: Caroline Abram, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!
Customer of the Week: New glasses, new look!
Ladies and Gentlemen…I don’t know if you are prepared for this week’s Customer of the Week. Really, you may want to take a seat because I am about to blow your minds….
You ready? Ok! Help me welcome Clint and his amazing new specs to the COTW club!
Isn’t he handsome in his new frames? I know – you need to catch your breath. But wait! There is more…
This is a picture of him in 2009!!!!
What a transformation! While Clint’s LaFont frames were a great pick back then, we think that his new Jeremi frame from Caroline Abram is a great update and looks amazing with his new devil-may-care look.
The tortoise details on the front of the frame and the temples soften the black and make this frame anything but boring!
If you are feeling inspired by Clint’s makeover, get over here and we will be happy to help you find a great new frame for your fabulous face!
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Filed under: EVENTS!, HEALTH!, Non-Profit of the Month, Theo
Each month we donate a portion of sales at one of our events to a local non-profit organization that we admire. This month we are working with Peterson Garden Project and will be donating 3% of our sales from the Theo Trunk Show on June 4th!
In 2010, LaManda Joy started her first organic community garden in a vacant lot on Peterson Ave – a lot that in the 1940’s had been one of the many Victory Gardens that flourished throughout Chicago at the time. Since then, Peterson Garden Project has flourished and there are now community gardens all over Chicago, but what is even more important to LaManda is that her organization has taught hundreds of new gardeners how to grow nutritious food in their own neighborhoods.
Peterson Garden Project’s mission is to recruit, educate and inspire a new generation of gardeners who want to gain control of their food supply, grow their own produce organically, and make urban gardening the norm-not the exception.
“Learning together in the garden, and kitchen, does much more than put fresh, nutritious food on the table. It helps build stronger communities, connect us to cultural heritage, improve public health and create a more sustainable, resilient city.”
Peterson Garden Project isn’t just about gardening:
- Their community cooking school that offers classes and workshops about variety of ethnic cuisines and food cultures which draws upon the diverse backgrounds of the project’s membership. Check out their calendar for upcoming classes like Demystifying Masala: The Secret to Indian Spice Blends on June 2.
- Grow2Give is their volunteer-run program that provides local food pantries and other organizations with donated produce grown in the gardens.
- Senior/Senior, Kids in the Kitchen and Fresh Fridays are free programs geared at educating kids and seniors alike about nutrition and the joys of cooking.
Get Involved!
Go to a tea party! Peterson Garden Project is hosting a Mad Tea Party/fundraiser on June 12 at their Vedgewater Garden. Put on your finest or zaniest tea party attire and help keep the project going!
Get your hands dirty! There are still plots available at some of their community gardens, so sign up, attend an orientation meeting and grow some delicious organic veggies of your own.
Try on some new specs! Come to our Theo Trunk Show on June 4th and pick up a beautiful new pair of glasses – 3% our sales will be donated to Peterson Garden Project!
Peterson Garden Project continues to grow and there are plenty of ways to get involved – take a look at their Website, Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all of the latest gardening news!
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, EVENTS!
It is our lucky week!! The day after Friday, May 13th, we will be having an Anne et Valentin Pop-up Shop all-week long…beginning on Saturday the 14th from 11-5pm. With their newest releases *and* all of the styles and colors in their current collection, it’s going to be amazing!!
Continuing our lucky streak, Anne et Valentin introduced a ton of purple into their new and current collection! They must have read our mind…or just finally listened to us;-)
BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE!!!
With every purchase of an Anne et Valentin frame and prescription lenses during the pop-up shop, we will throw in FREE, yes FREE, anti-reflective coating…which is usually $125!!
The Pop-Up Shop continues for a week until Saturday, May 21st at 3pm and culminates in a Grand Cirque de Printemps at Eye Spy until 6pm…or whenever we feel like kicking you out:-)
For our French-circus themed soiree, JoSnow will be joining us to provide boozy snow cones! No circus is complete without cotton candy, caramel corn…and accordion music!!
As you know, each month we donate a portion of sales from our event to a local non-profit organization. May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month and we are thrilled to be working with the American Brain Tumor Association.
A bientot!! In other words, see you soon!!
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Filed under: CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Francis Klein, Unique Frame Lines
Jump for joy for Jen, our new Customer of the Week!
Jen came into the store a couple years ago for her first pair of Eye Spy specs and chose a beautiful classic tortoise Caroline Abram cat-eye frame that was neutral and easy to wear with anything. She wore them for 2 years, loving them every minute but needed to update her prescription. This time around she decided she wanted something a little more fun, something with a little more punch so she came back to Eye Spy and Sara, our Design Maven, knew just what would make her heart sing. Together they created her very own personalized pair of Francis Klein frames.
Francis Klein frames are a favorite of so many people for a reason. They are very customizable – with hundreds of combinations of shapes, colors and decor options to choose from. The result? Dream Glasses!!!!
We think Jen wins the frame game…these are the perfect shape and hot pink is a most amazing color with her complexion and her hair!
This process could be overwhelming for some, but Sara made it easy. They started by selecting a shape. Jen has a rounded face and high cheeks, so cat-eye frames are a natural fit. The angles balance her face and the uplifted shape make her look even happier than she already is. The color choices were probably the hardest part but there was something about that hot pink that just felt right for the front. They balanced this out with a soft jade green on the temples. Finally they looked at the decor choices and decided on one that features hand-painted flowers with glittery Swarovski crystal centers. So sweet!
Pretty sure she needs to wear these at Pretty in Pink when it is in the theaters on Valentine’s day!
Lets get to know Jennifer!!!
1. What do you do for a living? I make hand-crafted herbal tinctures and essential oils at an integrative health clinic. You can call me a potion master (Oh…WE WILL!)
2. How many glasses do you have? 2 with my current prescription, but altogether, about 15
3. What is your astrological sign? Scorpio, of course
4. What is your beverage of choice? This week it’s the Moscow Mule.
5 What is your secret talent? I play the French Horn (38 years) and the Mandolin (3 years)
6. How long have you been wearing glasses? 34 years
7. What is your guilty pleasure song? Mr. Blue Sky, but This Corrosion runs a very close second.
8. What is your favorite place on earth? Any place that has trees or water as far as they eye can see, which is pretty far with my awesome glasses!
Jen’s new frame is as unique as she is and we can’t wait to see her again. If you are feeling a little bit envious, you should come in and ask about designing your own custom frame. We’ll make sure the process is fun and easy and that you get a frame that is perfect for you.
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Filed under: Anne et Valentin, CUSTOMER OF THE WEEK!, FASHION!, Unique Frame Lines
Hey everyone! We have a new customer of the week! Say hi to Hawke!
Hawke came in needing help fixing an old pair of glasses that had fallen prey to the tiny hands of a grabby child – kids can’t seem to resist the siren song of a pair of glasses…before you know it SWOOP! they are off!
We were able to help him get his old frames back in order, but he realized that he might want to get a new pair since it had been a while since he had updated his glasses game.
Hawke has a low bridge and frames that come with nosepads tend to keep those specs where they need to be, but liked the bold look of plastic frames! Patsy, our Specs Wrangler, got right down to it select the always fantastic, Fame frame by Anne et Valentin. He liked it so much that he decided to get it in 2 colors!
The black and charcoal frame is a great alternative to a boring black frame. It still has the clean lines that you get from a black frame, but the matte plastic on the front add a textural element that keep this frame modern.
Tortoise plastic is classic and softens this grey metal frame bringinging elements of dimension and light.
It is amazing how different the same frame in two different colorways look!
Hawke is now rocking his new frames and feels like a million bucks. I hope he can keep those little kid fingers away from them!
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