During the month of November, Eye Spy Optical will be collecting non-perishable, unexpired food items! Drop off your donation and receive a $25 discount on a pair of glasses!!!
One of Chicago’s largest and longest-operating food pantries, Lakeview Pantry’s mission is to eliminate hunger and poverty in our community by providing food to fill the basic need of hungry people; increasing the independence of our clients through self-help initiatives and other innovative programs; and raising awareness of hunger and poverty and working towards solutions to eliminate them.
1 in 9 people on the North Side suffers from food insecurity.
With 3 food distribution programs that deliver more than 1.6 million pounds of food to our neighbors each year and social services that help clients achieve independence, Lakeview Pantry aims to end hunger for good. Join us to be part of the solution.
October Donation Drive Benefiting: Share Our Spare!
During the month of October, Eye Spy Optical will be collecting new/gently used items for babies and children age 0-5. Drop off your donation and receive a $25 discount on a pair of glasses!!!
In 2011, ten Chicago mothers realized that they had more than enough “stuff” for their own children to grow and thrive and that there were plenty of other women in their community who could use the strollers, baby clothes and extra toys that their children had outgrown. They banded together to create a non-profit organization that would help mothers in Chicago who couldn’t afford to gather all the essentials for their babies and young children and Share Our Spare was born.
How Can You Help:
There is a greater need for the following NEW items:
Diapers size 2, 3 and 6
New packages of boys and girls underwear size 2T-5T
Pacifiers
Have additional items to share? Share Our Spare will also be collecting:
NEW OR GENTLY USED:
NEW / UNUSED ITEMS:
All Clothing and Outerwear (ages 0-5T)
Baby Carriers
Baby Swings
Pack and Plays
Blankets (Stroller or Swaddle Size)
Bundle Me
Exersaucers
High Chairs
Play Mats/Activity Gyms
Strollers
Books
Diapers (all sizes)
Baby Soap and Lotion
Bottles
Burp Cloths/Bibs
Diaper Cream
Pacifiers
Wipes
Small Educational Toys
For more information, please visitwww.shareourspare.org or contact info@shareourspare.org.
“Nearly ½ of all children living in greater Chicago live below the federal poverty level. Sadly, parents are faced with heartbreaking decisions such as reusing diapers and going without food. Chicago offers an unparalleled network of social service agencies to support these families in education and training, job placement, housing and food. However, no organization provides reliable cost-free essentials for the early years like diapers, clothing and gear.”
Share Our Spare also collects donations at their River West warehouse located here. They work with over 20 community partners to distribute newborn kits and other collected items to families in need and put all that “spare” kid gear to good use.
Visit Share Our Spare’s website and follow on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated and inspired!
Who loves Theo? You do! So join us for the most colorful Theo trunk show yet on May 20 from 12-5pm!
Theo is really bringing it this year with all of the great new shapes and vibrant colors that eyewear lovers have come to expect!
From show stopping acetates and to interlocking metals, there really is something for everyone. Come try on all of the new shapes and colors and pick out one…or two…or three for yourself!
Melissa popped into the shop and picked out a custom Francis Klein frame this summer, as you can tell from her outfit! The color is neutral…with a subtle detail of stripes peeking through the front. This striped material is a middle layer of acetate within the frame, but can only be seen by carving away the top layers of the acetate.
Each pair of Francis Klein frames in our stock is made exclusively for Eye Spy! Much of their collection is laden with Swarovski crystals, but since everything is made-to-order, it’s up to you!
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would that food be? Oh wow…tough question! I think it would be Coca Wheats. Old school hot cereal that my mom used to make for me when I was a kid. It is still my go to comfort food!
What is your beverage of choice? This is a tie between Jim Beam & Diet with a lime & La Colombe’s Cold Brew coffee over ice with Splenda and half-n-half
Do you have a hobby? Tell me about it! Yes! I love puzzles & paper crafts, although I work a lot so these hobbies are not regular activities in my life anymore.
What is your secret talent? I size people up very quickly based on their behavior I can usually tag their personality before really knowing them.
How long have you been wearing glasses? Since 4th grade
Would you rather have a time machine that only goes back in time or a time machine that only goes forward in time? Definitely forward in time- I feel what is in the past is in the past and we should only look forward.
What is your favorite place on earth? I have traveled a lot, but for me there is no place like home, Michigan; Pretty much anywhere along the beach in Southwest Michigan.
What is one book, movie or TV show you think everyone should know about? “The Rules of Work” By Richard Templar. This book changed my outlook towards my career and helped me achieve the success that I have with my career and business.
What is podcasts do you listen to on the regular? Serial! Love this series on NPR!
What is your favorite thing about living in Chicago? This is a big city with a small city feel. I see people I know all the time when I am out and about.
You may have seen a new face around here lately…and that face belongs to our new optician, Debbi, the Glasses Guru. Debbi has over 17 years of experience and she sure knows her stuff! She is a wiz at adjustments – she will get your glasses sitting pretty on your face in no time – she hasn’t met a frame she could bend back into shape yet!
We asked her a few questions so you could get to know her:
- How many glasses do you own?
1 optical and 1 sun! (She gave away all her sunnies – this lady has a heart of gold! But, don’t you worry, she will become a glasses addict in NO time!!)
- Do you have a hobby?
I cook, swim, and love shopping – especially for kitchen wear (perhaps due to the fact that her mom has a catering business).
- There’s an EARTHQUAKE! and you can only save 3 things from the gaping hole forming under your apartment, what do you scoop up?
Photo albums, my journal, and of course, my prized possession – my beautiful, brick red KitchenAid mixer.
- What catches your eye at Eye Spy?
The neon yellow Niloca Clockwork frame….and the Theo Mille+26 in fluorescent red….as seen in the above photo:-)
- If you could be any mystical person/creature who/what would it be?
A unicorn with wings – they are so powerful and beautiful…and I could fly!
- Do you have a hidden talent?
I am a wiz at useless trivia…and don’t even get me started with old R&B!!!
- Tell us something that most people don’t know about you.
I grew up on a farm with 30 dogs. (Whoa!!!)
Debbi is extremely patient, easy-going, and great at picking out spectacular specs…and we are sure you will think so too! Come by the store, say hi, and introduce yourself; She is excited to meet all of our fabulous customers:-)
Join us at Randolph St Market on Sunday, July 31st!
Looking for something fun to do on you weekend? Love antiques and quirky treasures? Enjoy eating at food carts? Then get your butt over to Randolph St Market and enjoy a day of scavenging at Chicago’s best place to shop for vintage furniture, fashion, clothing, jewelry, antiques, art, indie designer & handbags and glasses!
Iris, the Airstream, will be poppin’ up at the Randolph St. Market again this year and she can’t wait to meet you!
The Queen of Specs will be there to help you find your perfect pair of frames – selecting from a variety of fun and funky glasses and sunglasses.
The fabulous Melissa Yen of Jo Snow will also be joining us for the market, serving up specialty snow cones to keep you cool! So make sure you stop by and get a treat!
The Deets:
Randolph St. Market Festival
SHOP INDOORS & OUTDOORS FROM 300+ VENDORS
JULY 31 -Sunday 10am-5pm 1340 W Washington Street, Chicago
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?
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 @Josnowsyrupsand go like her page on Facebook – Jo Snow Syrups.
Join Eye Spy Optical on Thursday, July 21 for Lakeview Live Concerts on the Curb!
Iris the Airstream had a wonderful time at the June concert! She will be on vacaction in Wisconsin this year, but we will still have plenty of eyewear and sunglasses:-)
The bands were great and there were tons of activities for the kiddos – including a GIANT Connect 4 board that you have to see to believe!
And there was beer! Did we mention the beer? Lagunitas was pouring some of their best and most delicious beverages. You definitely won’t want to miss out on that!
AND again….since Iris’s favorite season is summer, we will be giving all of our lovely customers 10% off any sunglasses purchase during the concert!
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
12. What is one book, movie or tv show you think everyone should know about? Tuesdays with Morrie
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
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!
