I love a big salad for lunch   I took to Instagram to see where you all love to get a salad. Here is a crowdsourced list … Picnic | Evanston Michael’s | Highland Park Foodstuffs | Glencoe, Evanston, Lake Forest & Glenview 501 Local | Winnetka Guildhall | Glencoe Towne & Oak | Winnetka (pictured) Hometown | Glencoe, Winnetka & Lake Forest Little Honeycomb | Winnetka Maddie’s Market | Highland Park Pop-up Salads | Wilmette Stacked & Folded | Winnetka True Juice | Winnetka, Glencoe & Highland Park Protein Bar | Northbrook The Lawn | Wilmette Meg’s Cafe | Glencoe ..read more

I always love spending time in Chicago and showing my kids the amazing city we have in our backyard. We had a fabulous family staycation at the Four Seasons downtown over winter break. We did 3 full days and 2 nights of fun! Here’s our itinerary and some other fun city ideas to explore! Day 1: Our first stop was at Camp – part store, part immersive experience with new activations every quarter. Currently it’s the colorful world of Doodles. Upon entry, we created a doodle character and started a scavenger hunt to collect stuff for our character along the way of playing. The rainbow playground ..read more

  On the quest for the best sandwich places on the North Shore, I asked you all on Instagram for answers! Below is a crowdsourced list of where you all go when you are craving a delicious sandwich… Stacked & Folded | Winnetka & Evanston Buck Russell’s | Wilmette The Fat Shallot | Evanston Hewn Bread | Evanston Three Tarts | Northfield Once Upon a Bagel |Winnetka, Highland Park & Northbrook Great Harvest Bread Co.| Evanston The Mean Wiener | Highwood D&D Finer Foods | Evanston Kaufman’s Deli | Skokie Forza Meats | Glenview DeSalvo’s Pizza | Evanston New York Bagel & Bi ..read more

A list of NS restaurants to enjoy the most important meal of the day, breakfast. Walker Bros – Best known for their signature buttermilk pancakes and fluffy omelettes. They also have a mickey mouse shaped pancake (pictured above) that are so fun for kids! (Wilmette, Glenview & Highland Park) Green Bay Cafe – Cozy and intimate with only about 10 tables serving delicious breakfast comfort foods made from scratch daily. p.s. This restaurant is cash only. (Winnetka)  Country Kitchen – Hearty and comforting breakfast options are served at this cozy NS staple. (Highland Park) Hot Cakes – B ..read more

Indoor birthday party season is upon us! Below are some fun ideas to celebrate your little one’s birthday inside during the cold months. Another great resource to look into is your local park district or community center for birthday party ideas. What’s a birthday party without balloons? I love Balloons and Paper for celebratory balloons and paper goods. For balloons and party goodies I also love Pop of Color, owned by a local mom. If you are looking for unique goody bag idea, local mom Susie’s Sugar Buzz makes the most adorable and yummy personalized candy boxes. Go Ice Skating  – Lace ..read more

  tights // cami leotard dress // criss-cross back leotard dress // tutu dress // skirt // ballet bag // ballet shoes // short sleeve leotard // long sleeve leotard // The post Ballet Clothes Round Up appeared first on Katie Cassman ..read more

Since moving into our new house last December our list of interior projects seems to be never ending. The smaller projects are the ones I tend to put off most, but I have learned those small ones can have the biggest impact. I am so excited to share an amazing way you can easily create beautiful spaces both big & small in your home…   The mudroom is ground zero at our house. When we moved in we had the walls painted using Benjamin Moore’s Classic Grey and all of the cubbies and our little built-in bench painted a crisp white. Our favorite spot is the built-in bench and cloth boards th ..read more

I love a matching moment and know the opportunities are fleeting. Here are some brands with darling matching looks for you and your littles! Baybala – Complement or coordinate in happy prints and easy-to-wear silhouettes for mamas and girls, boys & babies. Every collection leans into whimsical delights with easy-to-wear silhouettes. Cara Cara – Some of my favorite pieces in my closet are from Cara Cara, so I was thrilled when they started made dresses for girls. You can shop their fabulous prints locally at Bunny & Babe too! Lele Sadoughi – The most fun matching headbands! Roller Rabbi ..read more

One of my requested questions is, what is your favorite place for a birthday cake in the suburbs? Here are the sweetest suburban spots for tasty treats… The Grand | Winnetka & Glencoe The Grand is always able to accommodate my requests. Caroline still talks about the princess cake they made for her last birthday. Campbell most recently had a school bus cake. They can make custom cupcakes & cookies too! Deerfields Bakery | Deerfield This bakery will always hold a special place in my heart because our wedding cake is from here. Deerfields is a NS baking institution and can make a wide v ..read more

Is there anything better than ice cream on a hot summer night? Here are some of my favorite NS places for cool treats! Glenview Dairy Bar | Glenview This is a family owned and operated spot has been serving ice cream treats to the NS since 1955. Just remember they are cash only. Graeter’s | Winnetka & Northbrook Known for their Buckeye Blitz and Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, you can’t go wrong with a trip to Graeter’s on a hot summer night! Sweet’s | Lake Forest An amazing old fashioned chocolate and ice cream store serving LF for 40 years. Homer’s | Wilmette Another NS institution with ..read more