Penelope's

I sometimes shop at Penelopes when Im wanting to treat myself to something nice. Their prices are a bit on the high side but they carry some very cute selection of clothes. They also sell some shoes but they have a limited selection of those. The staff is very friendly and like to chat with customers.

PROS: Lots of cute clothes
CONS: Moderately expensive

The Spice House

I just love the Spice House. I often come here to buy items to put in a gift basket or buy their already packaged gift boxes. They have a fabulous selection and everything is fresh. Ive also learned quite a bit about unusual spices that I have never even heard of before and learned how to use them in my cooking. The staff is so friendly and helpful. They even have recipes available that you can try out in your own kitchen.

PROS: Vast selection, many are out of the ordinary
CONS:

Presidential Market

I used to work near the Presidential Market which is located on the ground floor of Tower One of the Presidential Towers Residential Apartments in the West Loop. I would sometimes drop by the store to pick up some small food items I needed for home. The store is pretty clean and has a pretty decent selection of produce, dairy, and other food staples. They also have a salad bar which I sometimes go for at lunch time.

PROS: Decent selection of food items, clean
CONS:

Fantasy Kingdom

My kids enjoy playing at the Fantasy Kingdom. The have a huge castle where they can pretend to be knights and pricesses. The also have a police station, a fire stations, a market and even a pink Tudor house where they can let their imaginations soar. Dress-up clothes and props are available in each area so they can pretend to be policemen or firemen. They have an admission charge for each child which can be a bit expensive if you have a lot of kids.

PROS: Lots of pretend play
CONS: Admission price a bit high

Dupage Childrens Museum

The DuPage Childrens Museum is such a fun place for kids of all ages. When my kids catch sight of the building with its bright red, yellow and blue walls they are immediately excited to enter. My kids love the Creativity Connections area where they can grab lighted rods in a variety of colors and insert in holes on the wall to create a picture. It is just a giant playground for kids to explore, learn and have fun.

PROS: Lots of fun, lots to explore for kids
CONS: Kids don't want to leave

Grace Family Eye Care Ctr

I always go to the Grace Family Eye Care Center for my eye exams. Dr. Chan is a very professional and highly skilled optometrist. She is meticulous with her examinations and quite knowledgeable. She is also very nice and pleasant to deal with. The office staff are also friendly and courteous.

PROS: Friendly and knowledgeable staff
CONS:

Yin Wall City

Yin Wall City is a small store that sells a variety of Chinese herbs, teas and other medicinal ingredients. Their store is neatly packed from floor to ceiling with small packages of many different items such as ginseng, Chinese teas, shark fins, Japanese mushrooms, sea cucumbers, abalone. The staff is friendly and their prices are pretty average.

PROS: A lot of selection
CONS:

Chinatown Market

Ive shopped at the Chinatown Market a few times before. Its a fairly small asian foods store carrying mostly Chinese foods and a small selection of Japanese food items. They have a small produce section with limited selections and a small fresh seafood section. Their prices are reasonable but the place does get crowded.

The Chopping Block

Ive taken their building blocks class at their Lincoln Square location. Its a pretty nice two story building that could be mistaken for someones house. The cooking class was pretty good with an instructor that was highly skilled and knowledgeable. He made the class fun and entertaining. They also have a store where they carry everything you could need in the kitchen like cookbooks, spices, cookware, and gadgets for everything.

PROS: Classes are fun and entertaining
CONS:

Bari

Bari Foods makes simply delicious Italian sandwiches. Its a small store with narrow aisles and a small selection of produce, dairy, frozen foods and other basics. The deli is located in the back of the store where you can order up a sandwich the way you like it. I love their Italian sub with homemade giardiniera. Their prices are reasonable and the staff is very friendly.

PROS: Yummy sandwiches, homemade giardiniera
CONS: Small store