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Genuinely cool Chicago souvenirs

By Jenny Berg
  • With a shop at 1117 West Grand Avenue, Terry's Toffee whips up adorable gift boxes of its locally made candy. But—fair warning— you may gobble this up before you get the chance to gift it. Flavors range from the McCall's Classic (inspired by a family rec
  • Local makeup guru Jenny Patinkin runs Dollface Beauty School, where she teaches clients to achieve "lazy perfection" in the bathroom mirror each morning. Her line of Jenny Patinkin makeup brushes are handmade by Japanese artisans with incredibly soft natu
  • We think it's safe to say that Hoosier Mama makes some of the best pie on the planet, out of its little storefront space at 1618 1/2 Chicago Avenue. The bad news? You won't be able to take Hoosier Mama's pie on a plane (unless you relish holding very deli
  • Talk about a perfect hostess gift: Designed by Prêt à Tacher (that's French for "ready to stain") the Haute Couture Apron, $65, is made in France with Turkish cotton. Around its neck, a pattern depicts a gold, bejeweled necklace made out of cutlery. Our f
  • Tru Bloom produces great-smelling scents made from flowers planted, grown, and harvested in Chicago's urban gardens. The latest scent, Fountain of Roses, $42, is available at local shops including Milk Handmade at 5137 North Clark Street. Photo: Courtesy
  • Hometown jewelry designer Dana Levy of Dana Rebecca Designs has made us proud by showing up on celebrities' necks, fingers, and wrists (Lauren Conrad sports the Sylvie Rose Stacking rings, above). But beyond that, these are just rock-solid designs. Her pi
  • Okay, so it's not made in Chicago. But, this $85 magic potion—truly, the best skincare product we've ever dabbed on our face— is only available in Chicago until 2014. So indulge us and let us claim it as a hometown souvenir, would you? Available at the Pe
  • At 1162 West Grand Avenue, Abbey Brown Soap Artisan handmakes soaps using olive oil and essential oils infused with locally grown herbs and botanicals. The studio's quaintly spelled "shoppe" sells soaps ($7 apiece) with Windy-City themes. We love the nove

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