Thursday, March 11, 2010

Mar 11 2010

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Face-to-face interaction will always be the ideal platform for business communications. At EA, we believe there is no substitute for meetings. We also understand that in today’s economy, cutting costs and staying within budget are top priorities. Keeping this in mind, we developed “Meetings in a Box” — a cost-effective solution for your company to host meetings and seminars of all sizes anytime, anywhere. 


The “Meetings in a Box” concept is ideal for our corporate clients that host a large number of meetings in various locations. Event Architects take care of all the details by packing all meeting materials into a box to be shipped to a client’s event. This includes items such as: registration lists, agendas, branded lanyards and name badges, return envelopes, attendee surveys and even writing utensils. After the meeting, our client simply sends everything back to us in the return envelope provided. It‘s a simple, eco-efficient and cost-effective solution for Event Architects to support clients’ goals. 

Mar 03 2010

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I’m a person who gets really excited about office products.  I get goose bumps when I see a new cool pen or someone shows me their daily organizer.  I just can’t get enough of it.  The thought that this simple little object could transform me into a highly organized and efficient machine at work excites me.  A direct side effect of this highly delusional thinking is I’ve been able to sample just about every product out there.  

A year ago I was in the market for a personal task management system, which utilized the highly popular, though life altering, Getting Things Done theory as its organizational platform.  After weeks of research I finally decided to try Mac Things developed by Culture Code. The reviews were stellar...


Mar 02 2010

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To be successful in our line of work, creativity and originality are two requirements that never cease to exist.  We at EA tend to produce events that utilize some of the latest and most high-tech equipment when it comes to things like projectors, LED walls and tiles, audio, and lighting.  We constantly search for vendors who own their own equipment and can provide the latest technologies, so when the audience does finally arrive, we can watch jaws drop.  To some it may be boring, but to us, knowing the ins and outs of the world of technology (no matter how nerdy) can make all the difference... 

Feb 26 2010

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Oh, the snow…the slush…the soggy winter boots…


I’m a Chicagoan by choice and certainly proud to be one, but it’s always around this time of year that I find myself daydreaming of warmer, sunnier times in our gorgeous city come summertime.  And what better way to daydream than to combine memories of warmth, great food and celebrities?


During August of 2009, Event Architects partnered with The Rachael Ray Show to conceptualize and produce an authentic Chicago block party that served as the backdrop of the 2009 season premiere of the show...


Feb 23 2010

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Nothing helps keep the energy levels up than a little R&R… and having the opportunity to spend a little time in a warm, sunny climate in the middle of winter keeps this Chicago boy sane.  For the third time in as many years, I have had the occasion to spend some time in Mexico’s fabulous and affordable Puerto Vallarta and I thought I would share some of the highlights of this wonderful destination.

Each year a small group of friends gather in the sun and we choose a private condominium located on Playa Meurtes just off the Zona Romantica or the old town area.   The Zona Romanica is known for its great dining, unique shops and great nightlife.  The beach offers many activities (parasailing is the best time) and private palapas...

Feb 19 2010

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What better place to hold a conference in February than sunny south Florida!  We recently were charged with such a daunting task of leaving the bitterly cold and snowy Midwest to host a conference at a beautiful 5-star hotel along the Atlantic Ocean. Our client was interested in not only providing their guests with a beautiful destination to hold their customer-focused conference, but also wanted to be able to engage them in the environment with activities and meals that were representative of the area while delivering a content heavy program. This three-day conference started with what was going to be a beautiful ocean side welcome reception with delicious orange mojitos upon arrival...

Feb 18 2010

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If you don't know by now, we here at EA love to travel. (See the "Jet Set Series" - a blog series dedicated to our travels.) For work or play, we never miss an opportunity to explore a new city, taste new flavors, see new sights. As a Chicagoan, I was desperate for a getaway to escape the bitter winter weather, so I was definitely onboard for a weekend trip to sunny South Beach Miami!

One of the first things you'll notice about South Beach's character is the Art Deco influence in the architecture, specifically Tropical Deco. The symmetry of the buildings, the stepped rooflines and color blocks in neon hues are all elements of Art Deco style.... 

Feb 11 2010

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 Our clients have been raving about this year’s New Years gift from Event Architects — which arrived at their offices in eco-friendly Greenheart Shop boxes last week. Ladies and gentlemen around the globe opened adorable boxes (made by artisans from a single village in the Philippines) to discover fair trade teas, coffees, caramels, truffles and other goodies courtesy of one of our favorite Chi-town shops, the Greenheart Shop. Next time you need to pick up a gift or a new décor item for your home, stop by this boutique on trendy Division Street in Wicker Park (1911 West Division Street).

Feb 10 2010

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One of our favorite Chicago chefs has a birthday right around the corner! Chef Art Smith is turning 50 this year! The celebration will be held at the World Festival at Soldier Field on March 1st and will benefit Common Threads, a non-profit that uses cooking to teach children cultural diversity, nutrition and personal well-being. Culinary and cultural traditions from around the globe will be featured and Event Architects will be there celebrating with Art! 


If you need a little Art in your life before then, be sure to stop by his restaurants, Art and Soul (located in Washington DC) and Table 52 (right here in Chicago) for the most amazing gourmet comfort food you've ever had. 


Happy Birthday Art! 




Chef Art Smith demos his grill skills at "Rachael's Big Block Party", for the 2009 season premiere episode of the Rachael Ray Show. Photo by George Burns. 

Feb 09 2010

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It has been just about 6 months since I made the big move north, from Florida to Chicago. So how would I rate my first 100+ days? Let me begin by saying, I <3 Chicago! 


I have hit some of the major “must-sees” of the city but I haven’t even scratched the surface of all Chicago has to offer! First on my list of things to do… Wrigley Field, it was summer after all. My dad and I went to a Cubs game my second day in the city and I quickly learned that in Chicago, it’s not just a baseball game; going to see a Cubs home game is an all-day event! Pre-game took place at The Cubby Bear, our seats were in the outfield bleachers with, what my dad calls, “the bleacher creatures,” and post-game, we went to Harry Caray’s. I feel as though I got the full Cubs experience that day, which I repeated a month later with some friends. The first event I worked with Event Architects provided an opportunity for me to experience a different kind of all-day event at Wrigley; The Rachael Ray Block Party... 

Feb 03 2010

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For the third year in a row, United Airlines selected Event Architects to manage the details of their annual Worldwide Planning Forum—an elaborate Sales Strategy Meeting.  This year, well over 600 international United employees attended the conference that was themed, “It’s Our Time Now.”


With the objective of hosting an optimistic, fun and high-energy annual meeting, the 3-day event kicked off in the ballroom at the Renaissance Schaumburg with a tremendous video and an in-person Welcome Speech from CEO and Chairman, Glenn Tilton.  After some introductory remarks by Mr. Tilton and several executives, guests headed to the Welcome Reception... 


Jan 28 2010

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This new ELEVATE SERIES celebrates Event Architects’ commitment to elevating brands and event experiences. It also is a nod to our butterfly mascot! Basically the ELEVATE SERIES will pay homage to anything that is “fly” or actually can fly. (We’re having some fun with our figurative and literal word play.) Today’s post celebrates a phrase you rarely hear around Event Architects’ offices (because there is nothing we ever deem impossible), the phrase, “When pigs fly.”


This sarcastic response has become a clutch for cynics worldwide. We at Event Architects rather enjoy thinking we could make pigs fly. Okay, maybe we can’t make pigs fly, but we have certainly made the impossible possible on many occasions. To commemorate our “yes” attitude, we want to share some of the many ways pigs are being celebrated in our hometown, Chicago. (And the pig deserves it after all that bad Swine Flu press last year.)


Jan 27 2010

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For the sake of an abbreviated blog post I won’t go into a dissertation about the difference between a creative team building an event’s “Identity” and how the audience attending perceives the whole package, thus developing the event’s “Brand”.   But I do want to quickly make clear the difference between the two.... 

Jan 21 2010

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We are the champions! 

I just returned from The Special Event 2010 (TSE) where Event Architects was the recipient of a Gala Award for Best Fair/Festival

This year TSE was held in New Orleans which is a great destination – the convention center is right downtown (walking distance from all the major hotels) and there is an overabundance of leisure activities and world-class dining at your fingertips. Basically, TSE involves 4 different education series and an exhibition floor for vendors. I attended a few different sessions and while I understood the goal, the content was a bit too general for my taste. I would recommend the classes to independent planners and event planners that are new to the business. Highlights from the exhibit hall? Linens, feathers, and flowers – Oh my! Check out Vivien – Virtual Event Designer. This is great software, but will never replace Liz, our resident renderer/ CAD expert extraordinaire