Fashion/accessories/food
The Gold Coast
The city’s monied and mainstream retail hood borders the lake. Ready to get spendy, Wendy? Fuel up first at More Cupcakes / 1 E Delaware / 312 951 0001 / morecupcakes.com / with confections almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Exit right, skipping into girly Intermix at #40 / 312 640 2922 / intermixonline.com / a label Mabel chain of edgy, elegant int’l eye-catchers. Exit left up N Rush, cross and twirl right into E Walton all the way to #60 House of Kahn / 312 943 9937 / houseofkahnestatejewelers.com / and buzz to enter a world of ‘liquidation’ sale flyers, Vulgari decor, but also some beautiful, mint condition estate jewellery. Sugar fix fizzled? Note the sweet Sprinkles vending machine at #50 / sprinkles.com, then pivot right back onto N Rush and up ahead spy #937 Le Colonial / 312 255 0088 / lecolonialchicago. com / a charmant French-viet diner. Alternatively, graze with Chicago’s pretty peeps across at Freds inside Barneys at 15 E Oak (corner Rush), or if you’re starved for a hunk of meat, macho Gibsons Steakhouse is all the way up at 1028 N Rush (see Lunch for both). If not, turn right at E Oak for a jam-packed shopping strip: at #37 is Bonpoint / 312 475 9140 / bonpoint.com / with gorgeous kiddie threads that cost more than your own clothes, then Pomellato at #41 / 312 649 9720 / pomellato.com / has colourful cocktail rings and other bold baubles, and Tory Burch at #45 / 312 280 0010 / toryburch.com / has insignia ballet flats snapped up, like the rest of her garb (w). At #49, bound up the stairs to gent’s clubby George Greene / 312 654 2490 / george-greene.com / for on-trend suits, shoes, shirts and accessories for dapper dudes. In the same building is Colletti Gallery / 312 664 6767 / collettigallery.com / for a glimpse of Toulouse-lautrec’s Boîte de Nuit, and other Art Nouveau vintage posters. Next, Lester Lampert at #57 / 312 944 6888 / lesterlampert.com / has glittering gems, cast-gold and diamonds, and will custom make. Luxaby at #59 / 312 280 7905 / luxabybaby.com / stocks a couture closet befitting little princes and princesses, and then mama can get spoiled next door at #61 Alexis Bittar / 312 649 9112 / alexisbittar.com, with all manner of sparkly droolery. Note trusty tailor Boguslaw is at #65 (see Very Useful). Cross the street now and at #50 zip up to the 7/F for VMR (see Advanced Shopping), which stands for vintage, modern and resale, and translates into a covetable cache from designers like Pucci, Fendi and Jil Sander. Phew! Carry on down the street and leap into #106 Charles Ifergan at / 312 642 4484 / closed Sun-mon / charlesifergan.com / for a quickie facial, cut or makeup consultation, and dump hubs at #107 Paul Stuart / 312 640 2650 / paulstuart. com / renowned for their classic bespoke shirts and snappy top-to-toe men’s suiting. Dry as jerky? Stay perky Pam, cocktails ahead. Skip to the end to meet N Michigan. Left for Palm Court (see Coffee), or right to 900 N Michigan for pristine vintage sparklers and accessories at Lulu’s on the Avenue and curated concept shop Space 519 (see Standout Stores for both). Et voilà, c’est fini! Take sunset tipples one block down at the sky-high Signature Lounge (see Bars) in the John Hancock Center. A toast to you!