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Michael's is a fabulous resource for all the craft items you would ever need. It is a very well organized store, and items are pretty easy to find. Craft projects are grouped by theme, like...
Michael's is a fabulous resource for all the craft items you would ever need. It is a very well organized store, and items are pretty easy to find. Craft projects are grouped by theme, like scrapbooking, beading, wood crafts, children's crafts, yarn, baking, and floral. They sell an extensive number of crafting magazines, although they are located after you would pass through the check-out, which is a strange location. Items regularly go on sale, so always check the Sunday paper for their ad. Also, they offer weekly coupons for 40% off one regular-price craft item and one 50% off coupon for custom framing. My dad had something framed there and thought it was just as good as a frame shop. Michael's is really fun to look through and has everything you need!
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I think the pizza at Michael's is kind of so-so.... Nothing really to talk about. The sauce is well-seasoned, although the pizza we ordered had a little too much of it. The cheese was tasty, which...
I think the pizza at Michael's is kind of so-so.... Nothing really to talk about. The sauce is well-seasoned, although the pizza we ordered had a little too much of it. The cheese was tasty, which helped, but the crust could have been better. There are so many take-out pizza places that it's hard for any to stand out, and Michael's didn't make a huge impression on me one way or another.
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In the past, Old Navy seemed to have clothes that didn't hold their shape very well, but that's all changed recently. The last time I went through Old Navy, I was impressed by the selection. One...
In the past, Old Navy seemed to have clothes that didn't hold their shape very well, but that's all changed recently. The last time I went through Old Navy, I was impressed by the selection. One thing they always do very well is offering basics like t-shirts and tank tops in tons of colors, and they usually run two-for specials with these basics. I've purchased some items to work in there, and I've noticed that the pants are kind of hit or miss, between being dressy enough or not too dressy. The not-so-dressy ones I had faded, but stick to ones that aren't cotton and you'll be set. The major drawback is that the staff isn't very helpful unless they're trying to hawk the Old Navy credit card.
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Ecce Cafe is a great neighborhood Chinese restaurant. It's in a little strip along Broadway, and it's a cozy spot. The service is pretty good, and the food is excellent and a great value. The...
Ecce Cafe is a great neighborhood Chinese restaurant. It's in a little strip along Broadway, and it's a cozy spot. The service is pretty good, and the food is excellent and a great value. The chicken teryaki is great, and it comes with a side of yummy tempura veggies. The pieces of chicken are small but plentiful, so you can always take a bite with both chicken and steamed rice. I'm not a sushi person, but it seemed like when I visited, almost everyone but myself and my husband were eating sushi. The prices are reasonable and the food seems very fresh... definitely a thumbs up!
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Caribou always has great, creative drinks that are a little less snobby than some of Starbuck's. The best is an iced turtle mocha. It's sweet and has a nice mixture of caramel and chocolate flavor,...
Caribou always has great, creative drinks that are a little less snobby than some of Starbuck's. The best is an iced turtle mocha. It's sweet and has a nice mixture of caramel and chocolate flavor, which they then put whipped cream, caramel, and Snickers bits onto. YUM! Their treats that they serve are also very good... Try their blueberry muffin. The atmosphere at Caribou is very warm and relaxed, and it's definitely a place that it comfy to hang out or study in.
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This is a great place to go if you're looking for bulk candy! They have almost every candy you can think of... my fave is the gummi grapefruit slices (which I can't find anywhere but here)! You can...
This is a great place to go if you're looking for bulk candy! They have almost every candy you can think of... my fave is the gummi grapefruit slices (which I can't find anywhere but here)! You can buy as little or as much as you want. They also have great fudge, as well as chocolate covered oreos, pretzels, and so on. There are tons of wrapped candies too, plus ice cream and lots of little stuffed animals. The staff is great and very helpful, and they'll wrap up any sort of gift you want to give.
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Nordstrom
Category:
Retail Shopping
55 E. Grand Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
(312) 464-1515
If price isn't an issue, definitely go to Nordstrom when you need to shop! They have a HUGE shoe selection with a variety of brands and styles, ranging from very casual flip flops to nice dress...
If price isn't an issue, definitely go to Nordstrom when you need to shop! They have a HUGE shoe selection with a variety of brands and styles, ranging from very casual flip flops to nice dress shoes. The employees are all very attentive and do not work on commission (so I hear), and they are helpful without being pushy. It is a little difficult to find where you want to go, since many departments have names (like "Savvy") instead of descriptions (like "misses' denim), but items are easy enough to find. There are semi-annual sales, including one in the summer when they put brand new fall merchandise on sale before it even comes out at regular price.
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Staples
Category:
Retail Shopping
111 N Wabash Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60602
(312) 641-1213
I don't have a car, so getting to a large office supply store is difficult to do. However, Staples is a great alternative to going farther out of the city. They have a lower level that is below...
I don't have a car, so getting to a large office supply store is difficult to do. However, Staples is a great alternative to going farther out of the city. They have a lower level that is below street level, which has almost all of the office products. They aren't as big as a suburban store, but they definitely have a good variety of items. I think OfficeMax has better prices, but the one downtown is very small. However, having it so close by is a big advantage, so I'll be going back whenever I need supplies.
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Sweet Mandy B's is an absolutely must-try in Chicago. They carry all sorts of sweets, like cookies, brownies, and cakes, plus coffee, pop, and milk. Seating is kind of limited but very cute, and if...
Sweet Mandy B's is an absolutely must-try in Chicago. They carry all sorts of sweets, like cookies, brownies, and cakes, plus coffee, pop, and milk. Seating is kind of limited but very cute, and if you go on a weekend be prepared to wait in line! My absolute favorite items are their cakes (white cake with white icing, or chocolate cake with chocolate icing)... They are moist, sweet, and the icing is fantastic. Also try the homemade Whoopie pies... they are delicious! (But I believe they sell out quickly.) They are a bit expensive.... a slice of cake is around $3... but it is worth it!
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I'm a huge fan of Trader Joe's. They have such a variety of American, ethnic, and other foods, and their prices are pretty good. I've always stocked up on their freezer items, which are always very...
I'm a huge fan of Trader Joe's. They have such a variety of American, ethnic, and other foods, and their prices are pretty good. I've always stocked up on their freezer items, which are always very easy to make (I don't think anything really requires more than about 20 minutes in the oven). Try the gnocchi in the freezer section (heat it in a pan for seven minutes - it even includes the sauce!), and the pizzas are also great and unusual (like pesto pizza). Also, the cold section is good, where they have BBQ shredded chicken (yum!) and ready-to-go salads and wraps. They also have $3 wine - that's right, $3 wine. It's pretty good too! They also are always giving away samples, so use that as a chance to try a new item.
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