360SEE Gallery and Hotel Felix Chicago Partner to Offer Sustainable Art Tour Package

Book a stay at the Hotel Felix, which recently earned the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Lodging-Silver certification, and enjoy a night out in eco-friendly style. Hotel Felix has teamed up with the 360SEE Gallery to give guests an inside look at the gallery’s sustainable art, for a truly eco-evening in Chicago.

Guests at the Hotel Felix who book the 360SEE package will be picked up from the hotel in a hybrid Going Green Limousine and drive to the 360SEE Gallery, located in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. At the Gallery, guests will receive a private tour by owner Jordan Witkov, who will show them the gallery’s sustainable art, furniture and design object collection while they enjoy a sampling of organic wine, beer, cheese and fruit.

Photo courtesy of 360SEE

The package is available for $175 in addition to the hotel room rate.  For rates, reservations and more information, visit www.hotelfelixchicago.com or call toll-free 877-848-4040 or direct at 312-447-3440. For up-to-the-minute information on special promotions, become a fan of Hotel Felix on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Sustainable, eco-chic art showcased at 360SEE

360SEE, 1924 N. Damen Ave.

Check out the newest show at 360SEE (1924 North Damen Ave), entitled “2nd Anniversary Show: 3rd Year, 3 New artists, 3 Media” running from July 17 through August 20 (gallery is open Monday-Saturday 10-7, and Sunday 11-2 or by appointment).

The exhibition will feature new work by Eric Bessel, Stefanie Dueck, Heidi Martin Kuster, as well as showcase work by two years of gallery represented artists and designers.

Jordan Witkov, 360SEE director and owner, hand picks artists and designers from around the country and the world exhibiting offerings exclusive to Chicago, the region, and the country. The three new artists in this show, Bessel, Dueck, and Kuster, offer unique, well-executed pieces using a variety of media elements.

Brooklyn photographer Eric Bessel’s newly completed series of photographs, grass / hair , explores the similarities in captured moments of wind-combed marsh grass and the parts and tufts of hair on the back of people’s heads.

Eric Bessel untitled #1 from grass / hair 2010

Metal sculptor, and trained blacksmith, Stefanie Dueck creates fine art, jewelry, and one-of-a-kind flatware out of her Vancouver studio. Her pieces focus on the relationship between animals, material, and environment.

Stefanie Dueck Iguana Box 2009

Chicago trained painter Heidi Martin Kuster currently creates art in Paris. Her series of work focuses on geological forms starting from a micro focus such as small pebbles and rocks developing into images that evoke the feel of vast aerial cartography. Her pieces contain hip, sustainable elements, such as tree-free paper and aluminum from organic food containers.

Heidi Martin Kuster Geographical Notations II 2010

“2nd Anniversary Show: 3rd Year, 3 New artists, 3 Media” is running for a short time only so don’t miss it! We can’t wait to view and learn more about these outstanding (and eco-friendly) works of art. For more on this must-see-event, head to www.360SEEgallery.com, and follow 360SEE on facebook and twitter.

Bamboo & Cork Flooring

How often do you take the time to notice flooring? I’m guessing not often.  At the Hotel Felix we want to provide our guests with a comfortable, eco-friendly, environment and that environment includes flooring.  Our use of sustainable and recycled flooring materials is part of the reason why we are Silver LEED certified and Green Seal certified.  If you don’t know much about bamboo or cork flooring, well here’s your chance to learn something new!

photo by danielepesaresi

Bamboo Flooring

• fast growing plant
• harvest replenishes itself within 3-5 years as oppose to the hundred years needed for one tree
• no need for replanting, grows from stem left behind
• little or no pesticides needed
• the Hotel Felix uses bamboo flooring in the Spa

photo by mauroguanandi

Cork Flooring

• it’s “springy” - so it’s perfect for high traffic areas
• made from Cork Oak bark, only the bark is harvested, so the tree remains
• provides insulation, keeping warmth in and acts as a sound barrier
• 9 to 12 years regeneration of bark
• anti-microbial
• the Hotel Felix uses this flooring in the meetings rooms

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.”  

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.

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

House of Balls (and art) Sculptor, Allen Christians, Visits Hotel Felix

Art sculptor Allen Christians from House of Balls stayed at the Hotel Felix this past weekend. While his car did not qualify for the free parking Hotel Felix offers for all hybrid vehicles, it did draw the attention of many people in the area. Christians, known for his belief that we all have a creative impulse, also made a trip to 360SEE Gallery over the weekend.
Christians’ House of Balls is located in Minneapolis. His pieces are created from found materials such as bowling balls, wine bottles, skillets and more. Learn more about Allen Christians and his work on his website.

10 Ways to Go Green in 2010

Photo credit: jamieleto via Flickr

Make 2010 the year you go green in a big way. Here are 10 ways to live a greener lifestyle in the coming year and help conserve the Earth’s precious natural resources.

1. Green Lighting
The thousands of traditional light bulbs in a hotel (and even the dozen or so in your home) can waste a lot of electricity, unnecessarily. Switching to low energy-use lighting, such as the compact fluorescent & LED lights used throughout the Hotel Felix, can cut down on your energy usage and your energy costs.

2. Alternative Power
The Hotel Felix is currently conducting a study to determine how much energy could be harvested from wind power. Using alternative energy sources is a bit more difficult at home, but still possible. If you live in a very sunny area, the money you would save by using solar power could offset the investment costs. And as gas prices continue to rise, alternative sources of fuel like those employed by bio-diesel and hydro-electric hybrid cars are becoming more attractive.

3. Buy Locally Produced Items
The further an item travels from producer to consumer, the larger its carbon footprint. Cut down on the amount of fuel used to transport good by buying locally produced items whenever possible.

Photo credit: _e.t. via Flickr

4. Buy Sustainable and Organic Products
Sustainable products are made in a way that doesn’t deplete the natural resources used to create them. Organic products are made without potentially harmful chemicals. By purchasing items that are sustainable and organic, you help protect the environment and conserve limited natural resources. At the Hotel Felix, we only serve locally produced, organic Metropolis coffee and teas in our lobby.

5. Limit Waste
Buy only what you will use, and use only what you need. It’s easy to over-consume in our world, where so much is available, and often at a very small price. But consuming needlessly creates extra waste. Cut down on your consumption and there will be less trash to dispose of.  To cut down on paper waste, the Hotel Felix runs a paperless front desk and offers a limited supply of daily newspapers.

6. Compost Organic Waste
Food scraps and other organic waste won’t decompose when buried in a landfill. But when composted outdoors, they will break down quickly and turn into a nice fertilizer. Composting organic waste will help deposit nutrients back into the soil and reduce the amount of space needed for landfills.

7. Recycle
The Hotel Felix puts a strong emphasis on recycling. A “Recycle Room” is dedicated to sorting recyclable materials from the rest of the trash, all cups and wipes in the fitness center are recyclable, and recycling bins are located at the front desk and all offices. Recycling at home is vital to reducing the amount of waste that gets dumped in landfills each year. If recycling isn’t offered in your area, invest in a few heavy-duty bins and, at the very least, recycle paper, glass, and plastic.

8. Build with Sustainable or Recycled Materials
Carpets in the guest rooms and the floor in the fitness center of the Hotel Felix are made of recycled materials. Using recycled materials whenever possible reduces the need for new products to be created (reducing carbon emissions release during that process) and keeps salvageable materials from going into the landfill. Using recycled materials in your home projects can also help save you money.

9. Reduce Water and Electricity Usage
We’ve all heard the advice that we should turn off the water when brushing our teeth, take shorter showers, and turn off and unplug electrical appliances when not in use, but how many people actually do it? Making a conscious effort to take these steps can save you money and make a large impact on the amount of resources wasted annually. At the Hotel Felix, we’ve installed motion sensor heating, ventilation and air conditioning throughout building so that these functions aren’t used when they don’t need to be. We’ve also installed a water waste reduction valve and employ an enhanced energy management system throughout the building.

10. Use Nontoxic Cleaning Products
Runoff from toxic cleaning chemicals can get into the water system and pollute our lakes and rivers. Help the Earth by using nontoxic cleaning products whenever possible. Only eco-friendly chemicals (no bleach) are used for cleaning rooms and linens at the Hotel Felix. Eco-friendly products are used in the Hotel Felix spa, and throughout the hotel we only use products that are low VOC and Green Seal certified.