100 Days, 100 Ties

No, no, I’ve not been donning my rocker hair wig and pullin’ out the Great White LP. At least not today…

Liber-tie of London

Spring is definitely in full bloom here in Evanston, and my Tie du Jour reflects that with its flowery disposition. I’d like to think that seeing this tie made at least one person’s day.

Back to the TdJ: It’s an all-cotton tie from Liberty of London, and it has been in my family for a couple decades. Either Mom or Dad bought it, along with another Liberty, on one of their London trips, probably in the 80s. When they were in their 40s.

My brother always looked forward to their trips, and not only because they brought groovin’ flowered ties home. Depending on who stayed with us, we were set for a rockin’ good time. Now, I know that my parents are keeping up with 100 Days, 100 Ties, so I’ll just ask them to skip over the next couple of paragraphs. There you go, Parent-types, move along, nothing incriminating to read here about your very social, yet very delinquent sons. I am assuming that I am too old to be grounded, by the way.

We had a couple of preferred cousins who would usually stay with us for the usually two-week trip. Kim and Mitch (I won’t use their last names so they won’t get in trouble, either) were as strict as they had to be, which means not at all. We had some parties which always grew too large and too full of tomfoolery, probably due to the fact that we were 50 yards off of Poplar Avenue, perhaps the main thoroughfare through Memphis. Oh, and if you didn’t know, I grew up in Memphis.

OK, Mom, Dad…you can read again from this point.

Jimmy Buffett had to have designed this tie...

Speaking of Mom, she submitted a Guys With Ties entry, all the way from their local Publix supermarket in Sandestin, Florida. This is the manager, Kelly, with a perfectly Floridian tie. Mom and Dad can actually take their golf cart to this store…but I don’t think they can drive the cart INSIDE it.

I'm Paul...born to be a winner

And, here’s another picture of Paul Hletko, who I believe is now the runaway clubhouse leader in terms of pictures–this one makes 3–on 100 Days, 100 Ties. Yes, that’s me with all the Ties du Jour, but I haven’t shown me face with them. This wouldn’t actually fall into the Guy With Tie subcategory, since he is sporting his Friday Freebie. His wife, Liz, said “that IS a lovely tie!” She has also commissioned me to take Paul to find some shirts and ties for his wardrobe. (Liz, don’t read this next sentence) Paul and I have plotted to take her money, buy 2 or 3 tie/shirt combos at Salvation Army, and sink the rest of the cash into beers. Swindlers. Cads. Rogues. Egads!

Thanks for reading…Brooke

So many tie-related items to report…and on a Sunday, no less.

First, we have a winner of the inaugural Friday Freebie. There were a whopping two candidates, both very enthusiastic respondents, I might add. As I believe I mentioned, Pam Daniels (wife of Guys With Tie alum, Mark Daniels) saw the tie on Friday morning and said that Mark should get it because she likes it. Another GWTer, Paul Hletko, posted a comment after Friday’s blog post that stated his wife would like it if she had the Friday Freebie. After careful consideration with our panel of corrupt judges, we carelessly considered that Mr Hletko followed the rules by posting on the site. Plus, he is an attorney and threatened litigation. Just kidding. About the litigation part.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

But, look how happy he is…everybody loves winning stuff. And somehow, the purple tie with dots-aplenty looks pretty good with the brown and white polo. Now, it is up to him to complete the contract and take a picture of himself wearing the FF to work.

What an exclusively designed tie looks like

So, last night I had a little soirée at the new flat, and I figured, as host, I should sport a tie. I chose this one to go with my gray button down. It’s from a designer named Central, and the label says ‘Exclusive Design.’ Hilarious…as if no other tie in the world is shaped this way, or has pinstripes. Despite its poorly worded label-subtitle, I really like this one…thin, plain-spoken & classic.

Even though it was not on the official party agenda, there was a tour of 100 Days, 100 Ties world HQ. Someone wondered aloud, “What does 100 ties even LOOK like?” and then we were off to the closet. They saw the growing mass of worn ties, and the tie rack and everything.

See David throw rock-n-roll symbols. Rock, Dave, Rock.

Besides 10 minutes of general time-wasting, the tour gave us a new member of the Guys With Ties club. David Tognarelli, who works at First Northern Credit Union in downtown Evanston, asked if he could borrow this one, which I wore a couple-three weeks ago.  David’s on the board of the Young Professionals of Evanston, a great organization with some really fun events–monthly and some bigger annual ones. Check ’em out…

I did receive a tie as a house-warming gift, from Mark & Travis Clifton. I’ll don the donation to my collection this week…

Speaking of the collection, I thought I’d count what I have left.

Yikes. 75 on the tie rack; 24 on a hanger that holds the vintage thinnies; 10 just hanging over the bar; and probably 4 or 5 at work, waiting for a day where I either forget to wear one (a 1/10 on the likely-t0-do-one-day scale) or spill soup or mustard on my tie (about a 7/10). That’s 113 or 114, NOT counting the heroic brethren of the worn, which number about 35. Right under 150, give or take…may as well give it, because I’ll blow through that number by the end of the month. May I say ‘Yikes’ again?

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Casual TieDay, Freebie Friday. Today I had a big decision: Which of my ties to sport and then give away. I think I picked a good one. Perhaps too good…

This tie can be YOURS! Just send three box tops...

It’s from Geoffrey Beene, and it’s a beauty. Purple with rows and rows of blue, white and purple dots. Knots well. I’ll miss it. It was a great find at Unique Thrift Store a few months back.

So, here’s the deal with the Friday Freebies on Freebie Friday: If you would like to have the tie, for yourself or for someone else, just post a comment, saying why you, or a loved or liked one, should get it. Pam Daniels, a fellow Lincoln parent, suggested this morning that her husband, Mark, should get it because she “likes that tie.” So far, folks, that’s a winner. If you’re local, I’ll deliver it. If you’re not local, or if you’re local and more than 1 suburb away, then I’ll drop it in the mail to you. Provided of course that you give me a valid mailing address.

I hope to do this every Friday, so please participate. At the very least, tell me to send/donate it to someone who never wears ties, etc. But by Monday, I hope to know who’s getting it.

Baby, you're a Star(r)

Today on the 8th Floor at One Rotary Center I ran into Steve Starr, a Chamber member who had been calling on a client. Steve owns Stephen B. Starr Design (yes, they are related), a graphic design/website design firm here in Evanston. Guys With Ties, baby.

Have a great weekend, everybody! Thanks for reading!

One of the first things we learn as kids, after “Don’t touch the stove” and before “Don’t play in the sandbox after the cat”, is the primary colors. Red, blue and yellow. Mix them with each other to get purple, green and orange. Mix them all to get a sloppy brown sludge that resembles a skid mark, and doesn’t come out of your Garanimals, either.

Cock-a-doodle-do

The Tie du Jour represents the 3 primaries. I have had this tie for a long time, though I had long since graduated from even the Crayola box of 64 (raw umber and burnt siena RULE!!). I’m sure I picked it up at a resale shop in Chicago. The brand is ‘Rooster’ and I have never seen another with this label.

Despite the basic coloring of this tie, I have always had trouble pairing this with shirts. As you can see, I have gone with a plain white shirt, perhaps for the first time since 100 Days, 100 Ties began. I’m also pretty sure that I haven’t worn this’n since I started to work at the Chamber.

Michelle, My Belt, These are words that go together, um, welt.

Despite the fact that I would have worn this eventually, as part of the project, one reason I put it out there now is that I found a belt that goes perfectly with it. Here’s a shot of the ensemble, ensemble…

Go Cats! (except on Nov. 20)

I had lunch today with John Mack, an Associate Athletic Director at Northwestern. Mainly we chatted about this year’s NU-Illinois football game, slated to be played at Wrigley Field on November 20. He was kind enough, after the meal, to give a great smile while joining the legions of Guys With Ties.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Great day. Great. Day.

Nutshell. Received emailed membership application, just after midnight. Hosted successful Networking Breakfast. Got Julia to school on time, fed and happy. Made a potentially major connection between two members. Sold a major sponsorship for one of the Chamber’s annual awards. Had a perfect patty melt at Edzo’s with two of my buds. Welcomed a new member to Chamber HQ, who brought a check. Got Julia to soccer practice on time. Met with same business owner from aforementioned post-midnight email. Picked up Julia from soccer practice on time. Received phone call from the aforementioned business owner from aforementioned post-midnight email. Perhaps sold him on the idea of an even MORE major sponsorship, like maybe 10X bigger.

So, Burglar. Thanks for the karma. Hope my wedding ring that you stole is stuck on your finger and that your girlfriend (who doesn’t like you anyway because you’re a miserable thief) gets pissed off at you for being married.

Too bad, you're plaid

Okay, on to the tie at hand (this IS, after all, a tie blog). May have to think of it as a lucky tie, I guess, after the day I had.

Well, the Tie du Jour is from Cignal. It’s purple, black and orange with a little white thrown in there. Sounds hideous, but ties are enjoyed with the eyes, not the ears, so hopefully you’ll agree that those colors work together here.

Unfortunately, my gingko biloba usage merely started yesterday, so my previously accumulated memory loss ensures that I don’t recall which visit to which thrift store brought this tie into my closet. This may be closing-barn-door late, but perhaps I should mark ties as they come in; or, what if I go through the remaining ties, figuring out which came from where? I’ll figure it out.

At the aforementioned Networking Breakfast, we had a bunch of attendees sporting ties. And, kids, do you know what that means: Multiple Guys With Ties! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Even on a Tuesday, that’s fun to say.

Okay, sorry…I was all set to get this out before midnight last evening, but I kept dozing off. After I typed this “kjjjjjjjjjjkjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk” I figured that it would be a good time to finish in the morhgi. See…that was supposed to be ‘morning’. Good night.

Alex Vizzy in the hizzy!

Bonjour, buongiorno, buenos dias. Hopefully, I’m well-rested enough to avoid typing errors such as last eveninhdsis. Ah, that’s better.

Our first GWT is Alex Voschenkov, a brand spankin’ new member of the Chamber. Alex V, as he advises most call him, is with Interface Financial Group, who offer alternate financing to small and medium sized businesses.

The streak of light across Joe's face can ONLY be accomplished by an amateur photog

GWT II is Joseph Pizzo, who is a photographer who owns Joseph Studios, which shares space with Ayla’s Originals, an international bead bazaar on Sherman Avenue. Oh, and Joe and Ayla…they’re married. Kind of intimidating taking a picture of a professional photographer with an iPhone camera.

Who can make a rainbow?

Our last Guy With Tie is David Levine, owner of Illinois Nut & Candy on Dempster in Skokie. Walking into the store is like a dream for kids–and adults–of all ages. The showroom is choc (candy pun) full of delicious indulgences in every shape and size. He is a marketing and networking expert, and, yes, gosh darnit, I’ll admit that I hope he gives me a free piece of chocolate for putting him in 100 Days, 100 Ties.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Well, they’re hazel actually…and I’m a guy.

What can Brown do for you?

Well, if you live in Cleveland, Jim Brown, of your football Browns, could have given you several reasons to watch professional football, back in the 60s.

If you live in California, Jerry Brown could have served you as governor of your fine state. He wasn’t a bodybuilder or a box-office movie star, like the Austrian dude who currently serves you, but he is your Attorney General and is attempting to terminate the incumbent.

If you are pondering an Ivy League education, and the post-graduate sense of satisfaction that goes along with it, Brown University is your place.

If you are a cruel, power-hungry 6-8 year old, and you yearn for a sucker to try to kick a football that you hold tantalizingly a thousand times, only for you to yank it away at the last second, then Charlie Brown is your fool.
And PS…Lucy, you’re a byotch.

How now, brown cow (with orange and maroon spots/stripes)?

My Tie du Jour, with its brown background with orange and maroon stripes, got me thinking brown today. It’s from BCBG, their ‘Attitude’ line. If memory serves (and if my Gingko Biloba helps in that service), I got this from Crossroads Trading. I think one of my Ties du Last Week was from Crossroads, too. So bully for them.

What about Bob?

We have an entry for Guys With Ties, taken over the weekend at Dominick’s at Dempster & Dodge. Store manager Bob Devereux, who is a very friendly guy, was kind enough to pose; plus, he was fashionable enough to mention that he wished he had worn one of his favorite ties. Oh, well, next time, Bob.

Have a great week, everyone. Thanks for reading…Brooke