Maia

Since 2006 there have been whispers on the Main Line about Maia, a 22,000 foot bilevel ‘choose your own adventure’ restaurant experience. About a year or so ago the agency was invited to the table to collaborate on this massive project. Other guests included New York based architecture firm Studio A, brothers Patrick (formerly of Susanna Foo and Suilan) and Terence Feury (formerly of the Striped Bass and the Ritz-Carlton) and restaurateur Scott Morrison.

What we learned is that Maia is a collection of different restaurant experiences all under one giant roof. A few of the items we were tasked with creating were an overarching concept for the brand, an identity and a way to communicate the restaurant concept in an online format.

Playing off the mythology of the goddess Maia and the inherent mystery around the restaurant itself, we use a library of carefully chosen images that represent Maia as a female persona connected to nature. A figurehead who changes and evolves like the restaurant and its offerings.

The identity corresponds with this concept. A simple mark using the letter ‘M’ is surrounded by a modular halo system that changes based on where you are in the complex. If you are going to the upscale restaurant venue you’ll see an ornate halo. At the cafe where you may have fries and Belgium beers – a simplified masculine feeling halo. The identity, like the restaurant, reflects your chosen experience.

We also created a web site that communicates the concept of the restaurant and its unique bilevel construction. A content management system allows all information on the site to be repopulated to reflect the changing menu.

Kudos to all involved.

A Camera With No Viewfinder: Impending Doom

Outside right now…

Musical accompaniment: Russian Circles – Micah

Band Will Play for Good Cause, Jersey Hairstylists and Percocet

This past Saturday night my band played another fundraiser, this time to benefit our friend Kennie (shown above in a halo that stabilizes his neck and spine) who had suffered a near fatal motorcycle accident. The band played two sets for about 200 people – many of whom are hairstylists that work with Kennie –  that had braved tornado warnings throughout Southern New Jersey to get there, helping raise over $5,000 to help cover his significant medical expenses (though from the third photo above, it really doesn’t look like Kennie needs that much help with care). Set list highlights included the debut of the Foo Fighter’s ”The Pretender” and Linkin Park’s “Bleed It Out”, Kennie’s special request for Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta” and an unnamed metal-chick who sang, danced, air-guitared and/or air-drummed nearly every song and then ultimately took the stage for our Metallica-ish encore(?!). A stage, free beer, complimentary Percocets and a roomful of New Jersey’s finest hairstylists … what more could a band ask for?

E-A-G-L-E-S fans can spell; punctuation still proves elusive.

After rabid Eagles fans kept their distance from this bus in the Linc parking lot, perhaps the owners could invest in a copy of Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

That said, I will leave you with a grammatically correct, wonderfully succinct, and eternally true rallying cry: Dallas sucks!

Hats!!!

Kelly, Lindsey & Adam G. wish you a very fun & happy weekend!

(Thanks for the photo, Tom. We’re so lucky to have an agency shooter)

Hey Whole Foods… I’ll eat your children!

Ever drink orange-flavored liquid from a barrel-shaped container made of plastic when you were 12 years old? Hate paying high costs for vogue organic teas? Tired of friends telling you how to live your life? Like popsicles?

There’s been a lot of talk about high fructose corn syrup giving the concoction a bad rap saying it’s causing diabetes and obesity. Much controversy has erupted over these coorelations… and the Corn Refiners Association have decided to fight back.

They’ve created two web sites (SweetSurprise.com & HFCfacts.com) attempting to swing the ambiguity-pendellum their way, but it’s the commercials that really dunk my donuts.

The Party

Two Bites