2011 Gifts | Around Town

Golden plated You are what you eat, and you live where you�eat on? At least that�s the case with this notNeutral City Plate ($50), covered by a cool, hyperstylized map of Chicago. Available at designpublic.com.

The El with it The CTA Announcements Series ($20 per print) features text of polite transit sayings, such as, �Soliciting and gambling are prohibited on CTA vehicles.� (�Cause you were, ya know, planning on a quick game of craps.) Looking at a few of these cute, retro-styled prints on your wall beats the hell out of sitting on an El platform. Available at etsy.com/shop/monkeyrope.

Rough and tumblers As much as we like these glasses for their Frank Lloyd Wright panache, we mostly enjoy them because, when filled with a few fingers of whiskey, they look handsome in your hand. Plus, they�re a cocktail-party conversation starter: Coonley Tumblers (set of two for $22) feature the designs on Riverside�s Avery Coonley house, constructed by Wright in 1907-08. Available at ShopWright at the Rookery, 209 S LaSalle St.

Yo, dog It�s easy to make Chicago hot dogs taste as good as the ones sold at food stands. All you need: Vienna Beef wieners, Rosen�s poppy seed buns and the ingredients on this sweet, silly Chicago Hot Dog Diagram Floursack Towel ($14). So dry the dishes and start on your shopping list. Available at Renegade Handmade, 1924 W Division St.

Light relief Gerhard Richter�s simple masterpiece, owned by the Art Institute of Chicago, tops the cover of this lovely, appropriate-for-many-religions Two Candles Holiday Card (20 for $15.99). It�s especially great for music fans, who at first glance might wonder why I�m recommending Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth�s classic album sporting the same Richter painting. Available at Art Institute of Chicago Museum Shop, 111 S Michigan Ave.