Favorites Day
What to bring:
~ actual products to show us (not necessarily to share) just to hold up and say "this is my favorite sunscreen" or "this is my favorite muffin mix"
~ recipes printed out in copies to distribute
~ book and music show and tell of favorite kids books or cds or even adult books and cds too!
~ notes for yourself to share your favorite vacation destinations, restaurants, places or events for kids in the city, etc.
~ there are really no limits to what you could share
Here is our list from today.
Websites:
hautelook.com (some kids stuff but mostly women's. look for "blowout" sales to get really great deals)
zulily.com (up to 60% or more savings on kids clothing and products. lots of great baby and maternity too)
babycheapskate.com (you can also fan them in Facebook. daily news about who has great deals, ie on Amazon.com and other sites)
destinyinbloom.com (spiritual encouragement and excellent writing from women, some mom topics, fan them in Facebook)
totsy.com (kid stuff on sale)
Amazon.com has a wishlist button that you can save things to from any website so you always have a list of what you might want and what site it is on and the price
Great Chicagoland places for kids:
Brookfield Zoo, excellent option for winter play in the indoor Hamil family play house.
Morton Arboretum, great for pictures and the large kid area is excellent for ages 2 and up in the summer. they have a wading river for getting wet
Garfield Park Conservatory, great in the winter. ask a staff member for food to feed the fish in the ponds and for a backpack of activity items to use while you are there to enhance your visit. you can eat a sack lunch at indoor tables. they have a kid play area with a slide.
Places to hike: Moraine Hills, Graue Mill/Fullersburg Woods, Starved Rock
Peterson Park (Peterson and Pulaski) in addition to the excellent gymnastic building where many CPD classes are available, they have a nature center with short toddler and up friendly hiking trails including a hill to climb and a boardwalk through a marsh, deer are always walking around, there is a "hidden" waterfall with a nice rock bridge located behind a duck pond across the street from the retirement housing. Park in the nature center parking lot and hike east to the duck pond, then go down the path into the trees on either side of the duck pond.
Restaurants:
Uncommon Ground (Grace and Clark) live music and fireplace
Marie's Pizza + Liquors (best thin crust pizza) at Lawrence and the highway
Pollo Campero (Pulaski and Lawrence)
Sunda (sushi with bacon!)
Lafinka Mexican (outdoor patio)
Angle Food Bakery (kid friendly after church place)
Dib (on Lawrence in Uptown)
Italian Village (in the Loop) top restaurant has an outdoor patio with great atmosphere
Via Veneto (north on Lincoln near the Lincoln Town Center mall)
D'Agostino's Pizzaria (Wed special. Southport and Addison)
Geja's (in Old Town. great date restaurant - get a coupon)
Cafe Laguardia (Bucktown)
Red Rooster (Dickens and Halstead, behind Cafe Bernard...up some unassuming stairs) go online for a coupon: http://www.cafebernard.com/
Shopping:
TJ Maxx for handbags and premium denim (look in the clearance section where they often misplace the European sizing, ie a size 30 waist might be hung in the size 12 section)
Harvest Time (on Lawrence near Rockwell - produce is tops for the price and they carry other groceries)
Trader Joes sometimes has the best price on milk
Night and Day Vintage on Blemont
Very Best Vintage
Ravenswood Antiques on Damen just south of Lawrence (not stroller friendly)
Books / Music / Videos:
Linnea's Windowsill Garden: http://www.amazon.com/Linneas-
All books by Sandra Boynton
BBC Earth video series titled Life
Singer: Elizabeth Mitchell (several CDs, especially You Are My Little Bird)
Tiny Bears Bible
Jesus Storybook Bible
Singer: Sufan Stevens: The Age of AD2 and Come on Feel the Illinoise
Singer: Dan Zanes
Singer: Adele
Mike Lee - April 29th at the Cubby Bear, CD release party
Cooking:
America's Test Kitchen
Moist chicken = brine your chicken by soaking chicken covered in water that is heavily salted and lightly sugared before cooking as normal
Allergen Free Bakers Cookbook
A Passion for Baking
Products:
Nail Polish: Paint and Peel by Sula
Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Radiant tinted moisterizer (at Target)
La Bella Donna makeup: http://www.labelladonna.com/
Liz Mouse's sewing stores:
www.plumsparrow.etsy.com
www.mommysaidsew.etsy.com
And if you haven't ever been to Etsy before...
www.etsy.com for all beautiful things handmade - great place to find special gifts.
0 comments:
Post a Comment