Marc Maillot has a thing for digging deep. As a kid growing up in France, he embraced the ’70s rock his family loved, and he considered a full-time musical career. But then his enthusiasm for archaeology took over, and he opted to pursue a doctorate at Paris’s Sorbonne University and excavate sites in Sudan. Last December, the 37-year-old became chief curator of the University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum (formerly the Oriental Institute) and began exploring the city from his new home in the South Loop. “I always had an attraction to Chicago,” Maillot says. “Even as a freshman in high school, it was a reference for us.” new
Urban Remains
1820 W. Grand Ave., West Town
“I like how they rehabilitate artisans’ work. They emphasize the connection between beauty and everyday life.”
WISH LIST
● Healy and Millet stained-glass window (1) “Sash lock, pinewood, Celtic border — what else can I ask for? It reminds me of my childhood in Brittany.” $1,575
● Foster-Munger Co. art glass catalog (2) “The profusely illustrated early-20th-century catalog is a must for me, as a bibliophile and stained-glass fan.” $304
Reckless Records
Locations in the Loop, Lake View, Wicker Park
“Finding an old-fashioned record store brought me back to the ’90s, when I was building up my vinyl collection.”
WISH LIST
● Paco de Lucía: The Montreux Years double LP (1) “One of the best intros for flamenco, performed in collaboration with the great singer Camarón De La Isla.” $38
● “Motion 5000” by Roots Manuva (2) “One of my favorite musicians. This 12-inch single is the closing track of his first album, a masterpiece.” $5
ISAC Museum Shop
1155 E. 58th St., Hyde Park
“The nonprofit shop supports our archives. The items come from international vendors, with a focus on West Asia and North Africa.”
WISH LIST
● Antoin Sevruguin: Past and Present (above) “An art exhibition catalog that considers the impact of photography as a documentary technique.” $130
● Puduhepa Hittite Queen of Peace book and doll “This kind of retail item grounds historical figures in our childhood. It creates, I hope, a vocation for the humanities.” $39