Had a brief Chicago visit and spendt quite a while at "I Dream of Tea"
in Evanston, owned by a charming, knowlegeable young couple.
Had a wonderful ben shan and bought some delicious golden silk keemun
which was rich, thick and lingering, even after several infusions and a
soft, woodsy spring buds puerh. Their prices seem reasonable and it was
certainly worth the trip.
Also stopped by the a-bit-too-corporate-for-me TeaGschwender and bought
Formosa Fancy Superior Oolong Taifu which was light, snappy, floral and
crisp and a fragrant Darjeeling FTGFOP1 Steinthal (1st Flush) with
complex flowery overtones.
The place is very slick - bistro and bar in the front of the shop, tea
in bins in the rear. The sales help are extremly knowlegeable. The
prices for "real" teas are reasonable. The only thing I personally
found offensive, and this is a personal thing, is the oodles of
artificially flavoured black teas that scent the air as you make your
way into the shop. They even sell a "gummy-bear flavoured" tea. Uck!
I did buy a blood orange fruit tisane that is very comforting as the
weather changes - nothing artificial in this one.
Shen