|
 |
April 11th, 2008
Hmmm, the power of advertising. Not so long ago, in a place not so far away (downtown), our friend (let's call her "Amy") saw something advertised on the top of a taxicab. It looked to be written in permanent marker, and said something about being "So Over You Sarah Marshall." Well, "Amy" immediately got on her phone and dialed a friend. She cracked up over the idea of someone seeking romantic vengeance in such a public way. And then, she saw another ad! This one was a huge billboard, simply stating "My Mom Always Hated You Sarah Marshall" and she laughed even harder. And well, folks, that is the power of advertising. Because by now, a lot of people have heard that story. Meaning they brought the upcoming movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" up in conversation, and perhaps even discussed it at length. And those people told other people, etc, etc. Word of mouth travels fast! It provokes curiosity and awareness. We like to think of the Picks as a marketing agency for local businesses and services… after all, when you read about it here, you tell your friends! |
||
Chicago Picks: |
|||
| 1 | Lead a Double Life We've come a long way since the days of relying on the man du jour to handle our dirty work. When the going gets tough, this chica gets going. Toilet clogged? Pass the plunger. Spider to squash? Take that! As much as we revel in girl-power glory, it never hurts to be pampered like a princess and Funkshion Clothing serves up the royal treatment. On any given day the Wicker Park boutique invites you to kick back with complimentary drinks, soak up the sights on the plasmas, and rock out with guest DJs spinning in-store. And in between all that jazz, they offer loads of fabulous shopping to spoil yourself silly. Funkshion prides itself on carrying designers who are next to impossible to find elsewhere in Chicago. A few of our favorite things include skirts from Chulo Pony, dresses by Parasuco, and denim from Fortune. Ms. Fix It by day, Queen Bee of Glamour by night? It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. Thanks to Funkshion, we've got that fashionista bit in the bag! Funkshion Clothing |
|
|
| 2 | Olive You We’re always on the hunt for the perfect gift. It’s a lifelong quest, like the pursuit of comfortable heels or the search for the penultimate haircut. We like to pair gifts with their recipient’s tastes or treat them to something they’ve never tried before. And when we manage to accomplish both, we kiss the stars and thank Oprah! Our new go-to Chicago gift spot is Old Town Oil. The four brothers behind Old Town Oil travel the world and bring back olive oils (strictly extra-virgin) and aged balsamic vinegars from small-batch artisans the world over. We fell in lust with the blood orange olive oil from Tunisia and we can’t wait to pair it with the pear (heh, heh) balsamic from Modena, Italy. But don’t rely on our taste buds. Every flavor is stored in a metal canister with a spout for tasting. The oh so Zen staff will bottle and seal each bottle you buy while you wait, and the branded glass bottles make the perfect housewarming gift. And all without Oprah’s help! Old Town Oil |
|
|
| 3 | We’re Gonna Take It We gotta admit, we’re a tad snobbish when it comes to cupcakes. There are so many cute shops (hello, Molly’s!) and so many oh-so-delicious cupcakes (Sugar Bliss!) that it’s easy to be choosy in Chicago. Of course, as soon as we decide there are no better cupcakes that could possibly exist, along comes contradiction, knocking down our door. Er, sidewalk, in this instance. En route to a trip to Swerve (see last week’s issue), we stumbled upon just-opened Twisted Sister Bakery. We raised a wary eyebrow. We thought about walking past. But the delicious smells, the crazy logo and the hilarious name drew us in. And, wow. The cupcakes are soft, rich and airy (try the banana-chocolate). The cream cheese frosting we usually turn up our nose at was light and sweet. But Twisted Sister boasts more than just yum cupcakes. We sipped on Intelligentsia coffee while nibbling on the Berry White cookie that is absolutely, positively heaven, and is how all granola bars wish they tasted. Plus, every tart looked to die for. It's official—more cupcake love just came to town. Twisted Sister Bakery |
|
|
| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Mix It Up We used to spend our weeknights painstakingly crafting mix tapes for our latest crush, poring over song options and debating in which order to play them (so as to encode something cryptic and suggestive). Welcome to today’s mix tapes. Muxtape, a free online mix tape sharing service, just launched in late March and takes minutes to upload the 12 song slots for your very own mix. Once uploaded, you can email your mix tape—er, Muxtape—to whomever you please via a personalized Web link. |
 |
|
| 2 | Graceful Jewelry Chicago jewelry designer Winifred Grace crafts elegant jewelry from gold and oxidized silver pieces. Her designs make us feel supremely romantic, but also strong and modern. Every piece Winifred creates is unique and empowering, walking the line between subtle and strong. |
 |
|
| 3 | Your Sophomore Year When we think of Bijou Phillips, we think: She's Got It. When we listen to The Virgins, we think: We Were Born To Dance. A cool clothing company backed by the two? Sold. Enter Chrissie Miller and her partner from Proenza Schouler, for Sophomore. Think hipster; sexy; wearable. Think rad update on American Apparel. Find it online and get in touch with your '70s wild child! |
 |
|
Hip Happenings: |
|||
| 1 | Sunglasses at Night We are beyond happy that spring has finally arrived. While hunting for a fitting way to usher it in, we found the Sunglasses at Night bicycle tour from Bobby’s Bike Hike Chicago. The tour rides through downtown and you'll see sights like Millennium Park and Buckingham Fountain, and Navy Pier’s fireworks show on Wed and Sat night rides. What: Sunglasses at Night bicycle tour |
 |
|
| 2 | Put Mondays on the Map We had experiences while backpacking through Europe. A snog or two. Amsterdam. And discovering a love for Belgian beer. Which is delicious and also readily available at the Map Room. Come chug with us for $1 off Monday beer specials and free yummy spreads of meats, cheeses, crackers and breads! What: $1 off Belgians and free meat & cheese buffet |
 |
|
| 3 | Fashion with a Cause Our charitable efforts involve weekly donations to homeless folks. We all need to do our part here and there, right? So do your part by heading to the newly expanded tabletop wares boutique Tabula Tua to sip champagne and nibble treats while viewing a Maria Pinto fashion show (benefitting the Illinois Education Foundation). What: Fashion Plates Open House |
 |
|
| Speaking of advertising… Did you know you can advertise in the Picks? Visit our Advertise With Us page or email picks@chicagopicks.com for more information. It's fresh, fast and local, and most of all—it gets results! | |||
Log onto www.chicagopicks.com and check out past newsletters (archives). If you like what you see, forward to a friend and encourage them to log onto www.chicagopicks.com and become a free subscriber. If you would like to subscribe or contribute, please email us at Contribute@chicagoPicks.com
Website and Newsletter maintained by Studio Ridge.com |
|||
