Shopping - Chicago 2005 - page 235

handmade fudge, whether it comes in a box or melted over a banana split served
in a clamshell dish. The store is known for its turtles—chocolate-covered pecan
and caramel clusters—and might be the only place in the city still selling rock
candy on wooden sticks. 1960 N. Western Ave. (just north of Armitage Ave.). & 773/
384-1035. Subway/El: Blue Line to Western.
Sweet Thang If you're bopping around Wicker Park, don't miss Bernard
Runo's Euro-style cafe for a tasty treat. Runo, a classically trained pastry chef
who has worked in the kitchens of the city's best hotels and learned his trade in
France, imports most of the ingredients for his croissants, cookies, tarts, and
other pastries from across the pond. The cafe has a laissez-faire atmosphere, with
red distressed walls covered with abstract art and Parisian-style tables and chairs
that are set outside in warm weather. 1921 W. North Ave. & 773/772-4166. Subway/El:
Blue Line to Damen.
Vosges Haut-Chocolat Chocolatier Katrina Markoff 's exotic gourmet
truffles—with fabulous names such as absinthe, mint julep, wink of the rabbit,
woolloomooloo, and ambrosia—are made from premium Belgian chocolate and
infused with rare spices, seasonings, and flowers from around the world. The
store—which looks more like a modern art gallery than a chocolatier—includes a
gourmet hot chocolate bar, where you're welcome to sit and sip. 520 N. Michigan Ave.
(in Westfield North Bridge shopping center). & 312/644-9450. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
COLLECTIBLES
F.A.M.E Movie buffs will have a field day browsing through the thousands of
posters, film stills, and lobby cards at this Wicker Park shop. The name refers to
the store's specialty areas (Film, Art, Music, and “Etc.”), but it's the movie posters
that take up most of the space—you could spend hours flipping through them all.
Rare originals come with three-digit price tags, but there are also plenty of afford-
able reprints of current hits and campy little-known gems from the '50s and '60s.
1941 W. North Ave. (at Milwaukee Ave.). & 773/384-4708. Subway/El: Blue Line to Damen.
Quake Collectibles Off the beaten tourist path in the rapidly gentrifying
Lincoln Square area, this temple to all things kitschy includes an impressive vin-
tage lunch-box collection and ample stacks of old fan magazines, à la Teen Beat
with Shaun Cassidy tossing his feathered tresses while he does the “Do Run
Run” in a bubble-gum pop-glamour spread. 4628 N. Lincoln Ave. (north of Wilson Ave.).
& 773/878-4288. Subway/El: Blue Line to Western.
Uncle Fun Whenever I'm looking for a quirky Christmas stocking-
stuffer or the perfect gag gift, I know Uncle Fun will come through for me (my
sister is still raving about the Scooby Doo socks I bought for her a few years ago).
Bins and cubbyholes are stuffed full of the standard joke toys (rubber-chicken
key chains and chattering wind-up teeth), but you'll also find every conceivable
modern pop-culture artifact, from Jackson Five buttons to demon-on-wheels
Speed Racer 's Mach-Five model car. 1338 W. Belmont Ave. (near Southport Ave.). & 773/
477-8223. Subway/El: Red or Brown line to Belmont.
DEPARTMENT STORES
Bloomingdale's The first Midwestern branch of the famed New York
department store, Bloomingdale's is on par in terms of size and selection with
Marshall Field's Water Tower store. Among its special sections is the one for its
souveniresque Bloomingdale's logo merchandise. 900 N. Michigan Ave. (at Walton St.).
& 312/440-4460. Subway/El: Red Line to Chicago.

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