plug away

We just saw this on Ironic Sans... and fell in love. Always a critic of where outlets are located... especially in hotel rooms, this image really satisfies.

my plastic dreams came true

I love plastic... from straws to toys to stuff that can go on my body. During a visit to NYC last week, we heard about the Melissa shoe sample sale. OMG. Weetu has been a fan of these plastic creations since we accidentally discovered them. My first pair, purchased in a run down Bakers Shoe store on State Street, was a sexy neon yellow and pink high heel jubilee. I googled Melissa" immediately, but alas, they had very little presence here in the US.

Like a kid in a candy store, I drowned myself in plastic wonderfulness in search for the coolest size 10's available at the sample sale. Priced at $25-$45 a pair, let's just say more than one pair came home to live in Chicago. Yes, a very indulgent, perhaps shallow, but certainly sweaty episode, and I'm thankful there isn't footage to end up on You Tube.

Melissa is a Brazilian company that provides the rest of the world with eco-friendly works of art for our swampy feet. They continue to innovate by partnering with celebrated designers such as Zaha Hadid, Vivienne Westwood, the Campana Brothers and king of punk British fashion designer – Judy Blame. Providing a "Fair and Conscious Practice of Design", Melissa's are a shoe you can feel good about while looking hot at an affordable price. They are super comfy too.

new socks

New socks! I love colorful fun socks. Unfortunately, my stock of fun
socks has been upsettingly low for the last few years. So, I went
through my sock drawer only to find that most of my socks had holes in
them. At the same time, I stumbled upon an online sock store right
when I realized my socks were low.

I started wearing crazy socks I got a job right out of school that
required a tie and coat. Man I hated the wardrobe. I'm you can only do
so much with crazy ties and really, if you wear a Donald Duck tie -
well you can only do that so many times while meeting with the big guy
in the corner office. However,if you wear bright red socks, most
people wont even notice unless you wear incredibly short slacks

Here's to socks. Oh - fyi, these socks don't match on purpose. You get
3 socks - all a variation of the same design but with different
colors. How cool is that.

Hey, Just think how cool it would be if Paolo Nutini wore new socks
with his new shoes.

Damn, this town is cool

As if the "bean" wasn't enough to entertain us for hours, one of the new Burnham Pavilions by UnStudio opened on Friday, June 19. A couple of us scooted down there in between rain storms Friday to check it out. It's pretty sweet. Although it's supposed to be enjoyed by all as an interactive piece, it was difficult not to cringe when witnessing a traffic jam of baby strollers spinning around on the pavilion's incredibly white whiteness. We ended up being too lazy to come back later in the evening for the opening party, but really wanted to see Daniel Sauter's interactive lighting program. That will be a treat on a warm summer night's bike ride.

The Zaha Pavilion is on a little delay due to an issue with the skin, but the framework is up.
Find more info at the Burnham Centennial website.

Designed by Ben van Berkel (UNStudio, Amsterdam) and Zaha Hadid (London) represent the centerpieces of the Burnham Plan Centennial, installed from June 19 until October 31 2009 on the South Chase Promenade (next to the bridge leading into the Modern Wing of the Art Institute).

Architect of Record: Garofalo Arcitects, Inc.
Fabricator: Third Coast Construction (nice job guys)
Interactive Lighting Concept: Daniel Sauter
School of Architecture: University of Illinois at Chicago
Structural Engineer: Rockey Structures

weetu wet & artsy

Thanks to all of those brave souls that fronted in the rain for The Guerrilla Truck Show last Tuesday. Morlen Sinoway and DIFFA Chicago put on a great show. Trucks backed up to the loading docks in Fulton market revealing tons of great work by different artists. Soaked to the bone, it was reminiscent of tailgating with beer, wine and art (and without having to attend a football game afterwards). Good times! Kudos to the artists as well. We went home with a sweet "coil lamp" created by Craighton Berman.


DIFFA thanks all the truck sponsors and DIR for providing the printing for the signs. We look forward to an even bigger turnout next year. For more pics of the event, taken by Nathan Kirkman for DIFFA, go to http://www.nathankirkman.com/DIFFAGTS/

Guerrilla Watch

Even though NeoCon comes without the usual parties this year, there are still fun times to be had... and for free!! Come out to play Tuesday night (June 16, 6pm-9pm)! The Guerrilla Truck Show is going to be better than ever this year. DIFFA/Chicago's Auxiliary Board and Morlen Sinoway team up to help support local artists and raise awareness for HIV/Aids. Artists are given the opportunity to showcase their designs inside of trucks, sponsored by local businesses, in a unique street fest environment. Bring your friends!

Ask about their specials

Somewhere south of Midway Airport, a lonely folding metal chair keeps watch over a tired parking lot and you just can't help but find out what's behind that door... Its a place where the beers are three bucks and no one asks you to wipe your feet first.

Cool Yet Creepy. Like Us.

WEETU ZOO WALKS THE WICKER

WEETU is the go to for innovation in design... but converge the talents of our WEETUzoo and we go beyond that of a typical design studio. When posed with the challenge of submitting an RFQ for our local Wicker Park-Bucktown Chamber of Commerce marketing campaign, we opened the zoo cages and formed the perfect WEETUzoo team. With our award winning marketing, film, editing, sound, graphics and photography team we strapped on our sneakers and hit the streets to explore all that the neighborhoods have to offer. After 36 hours, a half dozen falafel sandwiches, miles of walking the streets and climbing buildings, we put together this little snipit of entertainment to highlight a fraction of what Wicker Park and Bucktown have to offer. Click and enjoy... and if you're in the hood be sure to stop by the stoop for a cold one. 

(hold out for the timelapse at the end)

More Than Loud

My friend Billy makes guitars. Real Guitars. Loud Guitars. Guitars that scare parents. Builds 'em by hand from the ground up. And his signature sound comes from pickups he winds - yep, by hand - on a spindle he conjured out of an old fan motor. Not much gets done by hand start-to-finish any more. In our modern every day world, we pretty much expect something to be processed with automation somewhere along the line, whether it's our cell phone calls or the cheese on our sandwich. 

Not here. 

To a craftsman, "by hand" means "repeatable", but not "duplicate". Born of a common parent, each of these guitars grows into what is essentially a solo performance. Billy and I get together to jam weekly, and occasionally I bring the camera along to see what he's cooking on. 

Turn it up...