Fashion/food
Get lost in this lovely lakeside nabe, packed with leafy charm and the city’s yummy mummy quotient. Begin at 2210 N Halsted (near W Webster) and dive gam-first into denim den Blues Jean Bar / 773 248 5326 / bluesjeanbar.com, with beloved names from Earnest Sewn to Paige. Bound right and hop down N Halsted to #2154 Calvin Tran / 773 529 4070 / calvintran.com / for vibrant colourblock wraps and dresses, and sister store CT212 at #2130 / 773 904 8652 / carrying more casual, well-tailored everyday pieces. Outfit the precious little burdens next at #2116 giggle / 773 296 6228 / giggle.com / with mod nursery gear and baby basics, and the bright and airy Monica and Andy at #2038 / 773 697 7968 / monicaandandy.com / with sweet togs plus cutesy blankies, bibs and pressies. Waltz on to #2014 Helen Ficalora / 773 883 2014 / helenficalora.com / home to pretty monogrammed necklaces, then shoot right and hang a left on W Armitage for Comfort Me Boutique at #701 / 312 255 1412 / comfortmeboutique.com / full of dreamy, body and soul-nourishing clothes made locally by fairtrade artisans. Exit left and continue on to find Lori’s Shoes at #824 / 773 281 5655 / lorisshoes.com / with Payless-style shoebox stacks, where there is some decent booty to be discovered. Pop across to #815 Mcshane’s Exchange / 773 525 0282 / mcshanesexchange.com / the go-to for preloved threads and Manolos, and equally chic Second Time Around at #823 / 773 698 6260 / secondtimearound.net / for more designer resale. Exit left and All She Wrote on the corner at #825 / 773 529 0100 / allshewrote.com / has stationery and girly gifts for the nostalgic and the techphobic. Kitty-cross to artisan temple Ten Thousand Villages at #840 / 773 327 6453 / tenthousandvillages.com / for handcrafted home decor, fash accessories and gifts sourced from around the globe. Pecky, Becky? Snag a sarnie and cuppa at #843 Blue Door Farmstand / 773 935 2583 / bluedoorfarmstand.com. Next door is the prepstercentric Bonobos Guideshop at #845 (see Adv. Shopping), a totally C.21st shop service where stylish guys can get measured then order perf-tailored pieces online. Nifty! Left out ladies frock up at Shop 857 at, err, #857 / 773 525 1180 / shop857.com. Further on at #919, Paper Source / 773 525 7300 / papersource.com / has...duh! Next at #925 are the ultra-luxe, ultra-wearable alpaca and pima-cotton pieces from pretty Peruvian Connection / 773 975 4088 / peruvianconnection.com. Exit right, then right into N Bissell, where Annette’s Italian Ice at #2009 / 773 868 9000 / Aprnov / has a walk-up window for frozen confections, or retrace and right into W Armitage, across to thigh-busting doughnut heaven #939 Glazed & Infused (see Coffee), and top it off with a visit to #951 Vosges Haut Chocolat (see Stand. Stores) choc paradise, figure be damned. At #1007 is Laudi Vidni (see Adv. Shop.) for custom leather handbags, and #1009 Green Goddess / 773 281 5600 / thegreengoddess boutique.com / has eco-chic yoga and loungewear. Cross and skip up the stairs to finish at the expertly-edited fash nook Soñador #1006 / 773 799 8084 / sonadorboutique. com. Shopper star! Now it’s a breezy 2-min cab ride to Hotel Lincoln, where sceney rooftop J. Parker (see Bars) waits with libations and a mean Lake Mich panorama.