Chicago My Kind of Town - Posh Revisited

So a couple of weeks ago I was back in Chicago for work and unusually had not allowed for any time in my schedule for “personal meandering”.  I was attending the National Restaurant Show and had two packed full 14-hour days scheduled.  Now, realize this tradeshow is phenomenal and really hardly constitutes working but it is huge and takes all of the two days I had scheduled to even come close to seeing it all.  Just imagine every kind of food sample you can imagine as well as kitchen equipment & supplies in 1,000,000 sq ft of exhibition space.  My feet are aching just remembering it….yes, I did wear cute shoes (not cute in a crippling painful way, but cute none-the-less).

And as a special bonus former President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker!  Put politics aside he is a fascinating man with a compelling perspective of food as it relates to our politics, healthcare and the world at large.

Photography is definitely not my strength...but you
get the idea

Usually when I visit Chicago I like to stay right on Michigan Avenue with all of the hub-bub of its shops, restaurants & hotels.  I also tend to have an affinity for the historic, non-chain hotels – it’s a wonderful old city with wonderful old hotels.  This visit I decided to shake it up a bit and opted for the Embassy Suites on State St – I knew this was in a desirable location but really did no research to see where it was and what was around it.  I figured I had no time so it really didn’t matter.

Imagine my surprise when I looked out my hotel
window and spotted Posh (2nd storefront from
the left in this photo).

So, imagine my pleasant surprise when we arrived and I happened to spot my favorite spot from my last summer visit to Chicago…Posh (see earlier post here) right across the street from the Embassy…talk about serendipitous.  I just knew that somehow, some way I was going to sneak a few minutes away and pop in.  It took me a whole 24-hours before I found my opportunity but find it I did.

Phenomenal Selection of oil paintings at
great prices!

Vintage Fire King!  

I absolutely love this selection of reproduction vintage maps

And…..my opinion is officially the same as my first opinion.  I LOVE this shop! 

Enamelware...can't you just picture yourself making
coffee around a campfire with this?

On this trip I happened to be travelling with one of my colleagues and he was not so impressed.  His concern was that since this is a shop that mixes authentic vintage (he loves vintage) with reproductions you can’t really be sure what is old and what isn't.  My take is a bit different – I take it for what it is and pay what I would consider fair regardless to its authenticity of age.  I like what I like and it doesn’t need to be old or new to work in my house.  I’m not selling fine antiques here…just finding fun decorative items for my house. 

This so almost made it on the plane with me!
I love, love, love this pink Fire King!

My Kind of Town

In the last 10 years I have visited Chicago probably 8 or 9 times, almost always for business (except that one Braves vs. Cubs road trip with my good pal Jamie…go Braves).  For as much of an east coast girl as I am I do love the Windy City!  People are warm, it has a great walkable downtown, beautiful parks & museums, great shopping – what’s not to love? Ok maybe that ugly bitter wind whipping up off Lake Michigan in the middle of winter…that’s really what keeps me from ever seriously considering a move here.

Coming off the terminal at O’Hare today I was met by one of my absolute favorite Chicago institutions…Garrett Popcorn…OH MY! 

It was on that fateful Braves road trip that I was introduced to the popped heaven that is Garrett’s.  I’m not a huge popcorn lover but let me tell you the caramel corn literally made me stop in my tracks as I was walking down Michigan Avenue.  Back then they had a tiny shop on Michigan Ave where the line of customers wound around the small waiting area, out the door and down the street.  Jamie & I thought “really???? Who would be that insane to stand there and wait for popcorn” But somewhere in the back of our minds we were intrigued wondering just what kept people waiting in such a ridiculously long line.  So when we happened by and found the line was a bit shorter we gave in and waited the requisite minimum 20 minutes for a bag.  It was worth the wait (coming from someone who has no patience for waiting).  Today, not only have they moved into a bigger store around the corner but they also have a booth right next to security at O’Hare!  Perfect breakfast for the cab ride into the city!

So for this visit to Chicago I have a serious limitation on the amount of time I have to meander aimlessly looking for great finds.  I’m here for approx 48 hours and have 6 meetings and 3 business lunch/dinners scheduled – no time to hit my usual spots let alone find new ones.  I did do some preliminary research however just to see what might be close enough to my hotel that I could sneak away for a few minutes.  Most of the intriguing antique markets seem to be located close to Lincoln Park….not near where I am.

I had to get a little creative and dig a little but I’m happy to say I found not just a good but a great place online and its brick & mortar store was only 0.8 miles from the hotel.  From what I could tell from their website they specialize in vintage hotel silver & dinerware….definite potential.  So very quickly after I landed and arrived at my hotel I pulled out my map and headed to Posh (I even love the name) and I was so not disappointed….

Posh
613 N State Street, Chicago IL

If you love old vintage steamer trunks that are plastered with travel stickers this is the place for you. 

Guide to Paris - original (not reproduction)

Vintage Postcards

Although I didn’t actually see one steamer trunk at Posh they definitely specialize in vintage ware that is specific to the time when traveling was an elegant experience.  Lovely hotel silver, dishes from tons of famous historic restaurants & hotels, travel books from 75+ years ago (originals, not reproductions), tea towels with a vintage feel, a really cool collection of china commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, beautiful serving dishes, etc, etc. 

I could have literally spent hours peeking in every nook & cranny of this shop.  This is definitely not an antique store nor does it remotely resemble one but certainly sells vintage goods as well as vintage reproductions.

Well worth a visit!