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Holiday Shopping in Uptown and Andersonville: Elvis, Art & Some Bondage

By Adeshina Emmanuel | November 25, 2013 8:57am
 The two neighborhoods hold numerous options for holiday gifting.
Uptown and Andersonville Holiday Gift Guide
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UPTOWN — It's the most wonderful, expensive time of the year, so you might as well pocket that gas money and shop in the neighborhood.

Lucky for you, Uptown and Andersonville are packed with stores that will satisfy the pickiest person on your list.

FOR YOUR FAVORITE BOOZE SNOB

Nothing spreads holiday cheer like fine spirits — the kind you drink. In Fine Spirits (5418 N. Clark St.) has barrel proof, uncut and unfiltered bourbon and straight rye whiskey, both more than 100 proof and made by the Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. label at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. The popular shop also sells bottles of 2010 Reichsrat Von Buhl Forster Pechstein Riesling. This dry, German Riesling earns high marks from store staff and is made by a family business that's been making wine for more than 150 years. $78 for a 750ml bottle of the bourbon or whiskey; $59 for the Riesling.

 

FOR YOUR SOUL SISTER

Uptown's Black Ensemble Theater (4450 N. Clark St.) is known for nationally acclaimed musical productions about famous black musicians and performers, including Teddy Pendergrass, Dionne Warrick, Billie Holiday and Jackie Wilson. You can buy a ticket to its latest play, "The Curtis Mayfield Story," about soul and R&B icon Curtis Mayfield. $55 per ticket

 

FOR THE PERSON IN YOUR LIFE WHO OWNS A VELVET ELVIS POSTER

Shake Rattle and Read (4812 N. Broadway) is Uptown's premier stop for used books, records, comics and pop culture memorabilia — meaning its like a treasure trove for the geeky and/or nostalgic. The store boasts a copy of "Elvis' Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits,Vol. 1," on vinyl and offers vintage Playboy magazines from the days before extreme plastic surgery and faux tans. $30 for the record (which is being sold for as much as $120 online); $5 for each magazine

 

FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD DIEHARD

When it comes to Andersonville's Galleria (5243 N. Clark St.), which features 90 merchants under a single roof — it's hard to know where to start. How about Studio Chris' neighborhood posters featuring iconic landmarks across Chicago communities, or mixed media artist Jhenai Mootz's cool full length mirrors with mosaic tile frames? $35 for unframed poster, $100 for a framed poster; $120 for mirror.

 

FOR YOUR LOVER

Early to Bed (5044 N. Clark St.) offers a plethora of potential erotic gifts, including a bondage and submission kit for beginners, a Bodywand massager or a book, "Tickle Your Fancy," ($12.95) filled with more than 30 masturbation techniques, complete with diagrams and illustrations.  And then there's the CB6000 Male Chastity Device, which we won't get into great detail about, other than say it "gives the keyholder control over the sexual fulfillment of both partners," as described on the shop's website. Don't lose that key. $28.50 for the BDSM kit; $55 for the massager; $12.95 for the book; $150 for the CB6000

 

FOR YOUR COUSIN IN COLLEGE

She may be at NYU, but don't let her escape those Midwestern roots. Milk Handmade (5137 North Clark) in Andersonville has super cute "Midwest is Best" and "IL Love You Forever" tees that will show those East Coasters what's up. $28