Shopping with Your Kids - Chicago with Kids - page 250

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Sports Authority The largest spor ting-goods store in the city , the flagship stor e of
this chain offers sev en floors of mer chandise, fr om r unning appar el to camping gear .
Sports fans will be in heaven in the first- and fifth-floor team merchandise departments,
where Cubs, Bulls, and Sox jerseys abound. Cement handprints of local sports celebs dot
the outside of the building; step inside to check out the prints fr om Michael Jordan and
former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas. 620 N. LaSalle St. (at Ontario St.). & 312/337-6151.
Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
STROLLERS, CRIBS & FURNITURE
Bellini Outfitting your dream nursery? Head to this high-end boutique for furnitur e
with Italian design and a distinctly contemporary flair. (And even if some prices are a bit
out of your budget stratosphere, you'll at least find inspiration.) C ribs, changing tables,
armoires, and r ocking chairs ar e on offer , plus items to achiev e just the right decor .
Clothing and accessories for baby top off the selection here. 1800 N. Clybourn. & 312/981-
6301. www.bellini.com. Subway/El: Brown Line to Fullerton.
The Right Start Gadgets for babies and toddlers and sanity-saving devices such as
bouncers, swings, and ExerSaucers are the focus here. If Junior is suddenly up and walk-
ing and you need to baby-proof your home, this store is your source for gates, electrical-
outlet covers, and cabinet locks. It's a chain, but you can't beat the convenience of being
able to buy so many gadgets in one location. 2121 N. Clybourn Ave. (at N. Wayne St. in the
Market Square Shopping C enter). & 773/296-4420. www.therightstart.com. Subway/El: Brown
Line to Armitage.

SWEETS FOR THE SWEET
Bittersweet Run by Judy Contino, one of the city's top pastry chefs and bakers of all
things sweet and sinful, this Lakevie w cafe and shop is sought out b y brides-to-be and
trained palates who have a yen for gourmet cakes, cookies, tarts, and ladyfingers. The rich
chocolate mousse cake, a specialty of the house, is out of this world. 1114 W. Belmont Ave.
& 773/929-1100. Subway/El: Red Line to Belmont.
Ethel's Chocolate Lounge A celebration of all things chocolate, this bright, candy-
colored cafe has a distinctly feminine vibe; I have yet to see a group of guys huddling on
one of the hot-pink couches (although I hav e taken my young sons and they don't seem
to mind, as long as there's hot chocolate involved!). But what better way to catch up with
a girlfriend than o ver a selection of gourmet tr uffles or a pot of hot chocolate? The
chocolates are a tad pricey—more than a dollar per piece—but they r un the range from
espresso-flavored truffles to the “E theltini” (a dar k-chocolate square spiked with v odka
and dr y vermouth). Ethel's also has locations inside the 900 N orth Michigan Avenue
mall ( & 312/440-9747 ) and along the Armitage Avenue shopping strip, 819 W. Armit-
age Ave. ( & 773/281-0029 ). 520 N. Michigan Ave. (inside the Westfield North Bridge mall).
& 312/464-9330. www.ethelschocolate.com. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Ghirardelli Choc olate Shop & S oda Fountain This M idwest outpost of the
famed San Francisco chocolatier, just half a block off the Mag Mile, gets swamped in the
summer, but they've got their soda-fountain assembly line down to a science. In addition
to the incr edible hot-fudge sundaes, ther e's a v eritable mudslide of chocolate bars, hot-
cocoa drink mixes, and chocolate-covered espresso beans to tempt your sweet tooth. 830
N. Michigan Ave. & 312/337-9330. Subway/El: Red Line to Chicago.
Margie's Candies Value This family-run candy and ice-cr eam shop hasn't changed
much since it opened in 1921. I t still creates some of the city 's finest handmade fudge,

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