Meet Loren

Behind every piece of artwork there is story. Some stories are more worth telling then others  - the Hotel Felix is really proud to share the story of our newest piece of sustainable art by Allen Christian.

Meet Loren the Doorman

Allen is a artist and sculptor who believes in animism, the idea that non-living objects have souls or spirits. Allen uses found items to create his masterpieces and believes each item he finds has it’s own personal history that contributes to it beauty. (Read more about Allen’s philosophy here.)

Loren the Doorman really embodies Allen’s artistic philosophy.  The sculpture was created out of found objects from Allen’s friend Loren, who passed away in 2009. During his lifetime, Loren was a great collector of odd objects and after his passing, Allen and friends gathered Loren’s objects with the intention of using them in their artwork.

Loren the Doorman is made of up a plasma cut milk bucket, umbrella stand, pipes from a pneumatic tube company, and core drill bit.  The word “taxi” is carved out on the torso in Old English script and on either side of the script are eight musical keys – guests can use the mallet to play a tune or call for a taxi!

Allen says of this piece, “I feel quite blessed to have been given the opportunity and to have him greet the hotel guests as they enter.”  

Check Out Time Out Chicago

The Hotel Felix is pleased as punch to be listed in the Time Out Chicago Travel Section: The Suite Life.

This eco-conscious boutique hotel is one of the first in the city to be LEED-certified, but the original 1920s facade fits right in with a contemporary, neutral palette and ecofriendly elements such as bamboo flooring and organic bath products from H2O+. And comfort isn’t compromised. The king-size bed and plush, yet firm pillows in our room provided us with one of the best nights of sleep we’ve had in years.

Read the full write up here.

EARTH DAY PICTURES!

We had a fantastic Earth Day 2010 and we hope you did too!  Check out some of the awesome pictures from yesterday!

Hotel Felix staff hanging out with Loren the Doorman

a Tesla Roadster was available for you to test drive!

for every TreeTini sipped, a new tree was planted!

DON’T MISS OUR GREAT EARTH DAY EVENTS

The Hotel Felix is excited to wish everyone a Happy Earth Day! We hope you take the time to stop by this afternoon and enjoy several of special Earth Day events.

• 360SEE Gallery display in the lobby
• Allen Christian’s Elmer the Art Car & Loren the Doorman
• Tesla Roadster on display and ready for a test drive
• TreeTini -portion of this cocktail’s proceeds goes towards planting new trees

check out what's happening at the Hotel Felix!

HAPPY EARTH DAY

photo by flaivoloka

The Hotel Felix isn’t just committed to being green on Earth Day, we are green every day, all day!

The words green, eco-friendly, and sustainability are tossed around casually by some, but at the Hotel Felix, we take being green seriously!  Sustainability isn’t just a word to us, it’s a choice and one we are proud to make.

But what does sustainability and being green mean? As Chicago’s first Silver LEED certified hotel, that means the U.S. Green Building Council inspected the hotel structure and rated it based on several categories: water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, and indoor environmental quality. We are also one of fifteen hotels in Chicago to be awarded the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Lodging – Silver.  The Green Seal certification process reviews several procedures: waste management, energy conservation and management, pollution prevention, and organizational commitment.

At the Hotel Felix you will find:

• compact fluorescent & LED lighting
• natural northern exposure which brings in sunlight and help keep our guests warm in the winter
• use of recycled carpet
• bamboo flooring
• revamped plumbing system
• low flow, high pressure shower heads
• on site recycling program
• organic and/or recycled artwork

You can read more about the green initiatives at the Hotel Felix here.

EARTH DAY IS ALMOST HERE!

We’re bursting at the seams, we’re so excited for Earth Day tomorrow.  If you’ve been proactive (and we know you have been!) and already sipped a TreeTini while admiring the 360SEE Gallery art in the hotel lobby and taken the Tesla Roadster for a spin, you may be wondering what else you can do for Earth Day?  Well, the Hotel Felix has got you covered, covered in paint that is…OK sort of!

Elmer the Art Car will be on display outside the hotel starting tomorrow April 22 until April 24.  Elmer is 1966 pick-up truck decorated in recycled materials and uniquely painted by sculptor Allen Christian.  Once you’re outside, go enjoy the sunshine and check out some of the other Earth Day events in the neighborhood.  You can find a listing of local events here.

Saving Green on Green Travel

TravelZoo’s Gabe Saglie talked about how to $ave green, while traveling green with ABC 7 this morning.  Watch this segment to hear what Gabe has to say about the Hotel Felix – Saving Green on Green Travel | ABC-7 News (video).

The Hotel Felix is proud to be Chicago’s first hotel to be LEED silver certified, Green Seal silver, and we don’t skimp on the luxury!

ECO-FRIENDLY EVERY DAY

As the first Chicago hotel designed to be LEED silver certified, we are proud of our green initiatives and thrilled to serve our guests in our thoughtfully designed lobby and sleeping rooms.  Filled with natural light, organic and sustainable materials, we believe we’re doing our best to be eco-friendly every day and not just on Earth Day (this Thursday!)  We’re not trying to toot our own horn (OK maybe a little) but here are some wonderful things said about the Hotel Felix:

… an elegant boutique hotel within walking distance to both State Street and the Magnificent Mile in downtown. This modern property has a comfortable contemporary design within an historic facade. USA TODAY

My husband and I were guests at your hotel this past weekend and I just wanted to let you know that your hotel is absolutely fabulous!  We had the best time!!! We have stayed at our share of hotels over the years and this one was by far one of our favorites.  Next time we return to Chicago we will definitely stay there again. I was especially impressed by the decor in the lobby and guest rooms. A. Bingham (guest April 2010)

The boutique hotel uses energy-efficient plumbing and heating, and recycled wall coverings, flooring, and fabrics in all of its 225 soothing guest rooms, and also sports an in-house recycling center. Elle Decor

Upcoming Earth Day Events

The Hotel Felix is happy. naturally. to be a part of the the Live It Green TreeTini program. This organic cocktail is made from VeeV acai spirit, a sustainable liquor made from acai berries. A portion of each martini ordered goes to planting a new tree. So relax in the lobby, sip your TreeTini slowly and enjoy the sustainable artwork by Curtis Frillmann and Brian Mock of 360SEE Gallery. If you want to see more from the artists, the 360SEE Gallery (located at 1924 N. Damen in Chicago) will be open on April 23 from 7 – 10pm for a special Earth Day show.

Before you start ordering the TreeTini’s – be sure to swing by of the Tesla Roadster display. A Tesla representative will be in the lobby from noon until 4pm on Earth Day, April 22 to take guests on a test drive of this green vehicle. Anyone who take this electric car for a spin is entered in a raffle for a Tesla Motor corporate jacket (retail value $109).

High-End, Sustainable Art a Highlight in Earth Month 2010

Earth Month 2010 is underway and the Hotel Felix is happy to have 360SEE Gallery’s art on display in the lobby.  Check out what’s on display at 111 W. Huron or take a sneak peek here….