Reception
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When
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Cocktails and Hors d’oeuvres 6:00pm,
Saturday June 5, 2010
(or immediately
following the wedding ceremony, while the wedding party is being
photographed)
Reception following c. 7:30pm ,
Saturday June 5, 2010
(or when the wedding
party arrives)
Save
to calendar
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Where
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The Ivy Room at Tree Studios
 12 E. Ohio Street, Chicago IL 60611
The Ivy Room is
approximately six blocks from St. James Chapel – if the weather is
fine, it’s a lovely stroll down Michigan Avenue or Rush Street, but
perhaps not in high heels…
Taxis are plentiful
in the area (and also horse-drawn carriages).
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Parking
There are several parking garages in the area,
including one directly across the street from the Ivy Room entrance on
Ohio (between State and Rush).
You can use Chicago Parking Map to
find information about the closest garages to the reception.
If you plan on staying after the
reception and celebrating with us at Pops for Champagne, park with the
Pops valet – we will settle up with him at the end of the evening.
What
to Expect
Attire
Black Tie Optional
Food/Drink
We are planning a relaxed evening with as little choreography as
possible – therefore, we won’t be having a seated dinner.
At 6pm in the courtyard, we will be serving basic drinks and passed
hors d’oeuvres.
At the main reception, our guests will have access to graze through
two food stations and a full bar, eating, drinking, sitting and dancing
as they please and with whom they please.
Our chosen menu includes several
choices for vegetarians, including a risotto bar, prepared with
vegetable broth.
We will also have some “surprise” snacks toward the end of the
evening, to help prepare everyone for the trip home (or to the hotel
room or whatever other party they will be attending!)
Of course, Ken and Christina’s love of Champagne will be evident
with the beverages offered.
Music
We’re so pleased that Ava Logan and her band were available to help us
celebrate!
Ava Logan is a fantastic singer-actress, who is a veterinarian by
day and a jazz singer at night – how fitting is that for us! She has
portrayed Ella Fitzgerald in a theatrical run, and her stage presence
is obvious. She has always worked with wonderful, talented musicians
who create a great atmosphere and are noteworthy in their own right.
We’ve seen Ava many times at Pops and other venues, and it’s always
a memorable evening. We’re honored that she is joining us for our big
night, and know she will make the evening special for everyone.
You can learn more about Ava and hear her voice at www.avalogan.com
(and if you go to her photo gallery, on the fourth page, where she has a
photo with Dan Ackroyd, that’s Ken’s shirt sleeve on the far left in
the picture).
Tree Studios
History
The Tree Studios and its historic annexes were built in stages
between 1894 and 1913 by Judge Lambert Tree and his wife Anne Tree. The
building is constructed with steel frames and is two stories high; the
ground level is covered in a cast iron arcade and designed as
storefronts, while the second story is covered in Roman brick and is
designed to serve as artists studios with large windows encouraging
natural light.
 Judge Tree was a patron of the
arts, and created a trust which stipulated that only artists could live
in Tree Studios. The trust remained in force until 1959, when the
complex was sold to the Medinah Temple, which is on the east side of
the block. The studios housed noted sculptors, illustrators, painters,
and actors, including Peter Falk and Burgess Meredith.
The current owner began restoration of the property in 2000, and the
building was listed by the World Monuments Fund. The restoration
encompassed construction workers and artisans re-creating architectural
details by hand from surviving fragments in on-site woodworking shops.
 The State Street
part of the building was listed as a Chicago landmark in 1997; the Ohio
Street and Ontario Street annexes and courtyard (where we are having
cocktails) were added as Chicago landmarks in 2001. The entire complex
was originally listed on the National Register of Historic Places in
1974.
The Medinah Temple, which shares the block, is an 80+-year old
Moorish style amphitheater, with a lavish exterior punctuated by copper
onion domes and beautiful stained glass. Bloomingdale’s Home Store is
currently located in the building.
Why
We Chose This Location
Both Ken and Christina are very interested in Chicago history and
architecture. This historic building was a natural fit, and the Ivy
Room itself and the courtyard have beautiful details and proportions.
 The added bonus is that the corner
space of the Tree Studios building, at State and Ohio, currently houses Pops for
Champagne, Ken and Christina’s favorite and most frequent date
location. You can be sure that after the reception, there is a good
chance they will trip across the courtyard and continue their
celebration with their friends at Pops (and their friends at Pops will
be able to pop in on the celebration without having to take a night off
of work!)
Pops
for Champagne
Ken and Christina started going to Pops for Champagne at their old
location on Sheffield Avenue for “big” date nights. They loved the
comfortable atmosphere, the jazz, and staff – a far cry from the usual
sports bar found in Lakeview/Wrigleyville. Once the valet and some of
the servers started to recognize them, they realized this wasn’t a
“big” date night place anymore – it was a “regular” date night place.
Over time, the staff taught them a lot about Champagne, and then they
REALLY started to appreciate what a unique place this was – their menu
and staff knowledge has a depth and breadth unlike anywhere else.
Several years ago, Pops moved their location downtown, to State and
Ohio, in the historic Tree Studios building (see above). While the
atmosphere and décor changed, much of the staff and menu didn’t, and
they continued to have our date nights and Champagne education at Pops.
One of the highlights of the past few years was the opportunity to tag
along with the staff on their educational trip to Champagne, France in
spring of 2008. It was the experience of a lifetime, and one they’re
grateful to have had. Pops’ beverage manager, Craig Cooper, is helping
select the Champagne to be served at the reception – he’s consulted on
many new and prestigious restaurants’ wine lists and has an incredible
depth of knowledge (we hope he’ll saber a bottle to kick off the
festivities!)
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