I attended a Galentine's Day candle making workshop and it was just lovely. Jasmine is such a kind…read moreand sweet soul and it's very clear that she takes pride in her business. The class was calm and inviting and I'd recommend her to anyone who loves candles!

Stopped in today for a 2hr candle making session. The shop is a cute, intimate space. Jazmin, our…read morehost, was so sweet and so kind. She provided snacks to munch on and drinks. She provided us with everything we needed to make the candle, as well as let us pick from a multitude of scents to personalize our candle. While waiting for the candle to harden a bit, Jazmin walked us through the next steps on decorating them and setting our intentions for making the candle to begin with. I have to say, for the relaxing time, the snacks and the candle I was able to personalize, it was well worth the price! I will definitely be back!

Okay, so I am now on a mission to purchase a little trinket from every city I visit and while…read morevisiting Chicago we dropped by Pop Mart. Our hotel was only a 10 minute walk from Pop Mart so my friends and I knew we had to drop by. This store is a lot larger than ours in San Diego so there was ample space to walk around and I didn't feel super pressured by others. The team here greeted us right away and asked if we needed a shopping bag, I was only getting one and I knew having a shopping bag would definitely cause me to add more. They had so many options for Cry Baby I really want them all but only chose one. Obviously they're blind boxes so I ended up opening it in store and immediately latching it to my purse. Again there were so many options, I even saw the tempura shrimp Labubu ipod case. I would have snagged it by my friend bought it for me for my birthday. If you're in Chicago and shopping I'd definitely drop by here and pick up a little trinket instead. The prices do range depending on what you purchase but I think mine was $32? So worth it for me.

Feeling playful at this fun place to visit, especially now when it is a hot trend. But the store…read morewas super crowded and very warm inside. The store is well lit and laid out so you can shop by collections but be prepared to spend some dough on a pop collectible or a trendy gift. I needed a cool cocktail after the busy store so we headed past Nordstrom to Lao Sze Chuan on MI Ave for a Lycheetini. (And I think my Labubu appreciated the lovely tone of my Lycheetini)!

I love this place. So many beautiful, unique gift items. I love the jewelry, the alpaca socks, the…read morecandles. And best of all, everything sold here furthers conscious commerce!

This is a special place! Beautiful! Large pop up shop with food, crafts, gifts, speciality items…read morefrom around the world. Everything is fair trade and/or local social enterprise. The staff were knowledgeable about everything -- even the stories behind the products. Easy consolidated check out. Recommended.

I tried Taqueria Invicto for the first time with my friends, and we really enjoyed it, especially…read moreme. From the moment you walk in, the dining room feels modern. The space is a decent size, though the bold zig-zag floor pattern can feel a little busy. The hanging plants are a great touch, and I loved the stainless steel counter paired with the open kitchen concept. The menu has a ton of options, which made it hard to decide what to eat. They offer a wide variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, burrito bowls, plates, Mexican hot chicken, and sides. I ended up ordering the chicken nacho burrito without tomatoes or sour cream ($9.99). The burrito was very satisfying and packed with tortilla chips, rice, beans, queso, Chihuahua cheese, guac sauce, cilantro, and onions. I do wish there had been a bit more guacamole and queso inside, but the flavors were still well-balanced and everything was seasoned and cooked nicely. I also LOVE the self-serve sauce counter they have! Always makes a nice touch when I can try and choose as many sauces as I want. I also ordered a side of elote ($5.50), and it was excellent. The balance of lime and cheese was spot on, and the portion size was generous for the price. I highly recommend it, although one of my friends was not as big of a fan because she found the flavor smoky. One of my friends ordered the quesabirria plate ($17.99) and enjoyed it as well. The plate meals come with a generous amount of food because you get rice, beans, and tortilla chips on the side. Overall, this was a great first visit, and I am already looking forward to coming back to try more items on the menu.

Taqueria Invicto has done it again with a NEW LOCATION serving DELICIOUS MEXICAN STREET FOOD right…read moreoutside of Chicago! This newest location in Des Plaines opened on 12/10/24 and they are bringing all the deliciousness to the new spot! There's options for meat eaters, pescatarians and vegetarians, so everyone can enjoy their food AND they have select Mexican (adult) drinks! This is totally my favorite Mexican spot in the burbs and each location that has opened has been consistently good with very friendly service! You have to get by here and try one of the tasty Vampiros, tacos or amazingly good milkshakes! Check them out and tell them that Planes & Plates sent you!!!

A smaller Squishable store, but still a fun stop while you're in the Water Tower Place. There…read moreusually is a buy one get one half off deal when you go into a Squishable brick and mortar store, which is better than buying an item online. A bonus when we went in is that they had a $5 bin which had some retired squishables, beach towels, and Doctor Plague backpacks (this would've been a good buy if my kids were younger)! We ended up buying one of the stuffies from the deal tin this round... usually we end up buying something bigger. The person at the register was very nice and friendly. Store was in order and easy enough to find items that you would see on the website. If you are vertically challenged, bring a tall friend as you will need assistance to get to things on higher shelves.

I really enjoyed Squishable and didn't realize it was just a pop up shop from the online retailers…read more The stuffies were honestly the cutest stuffies I'd ever seen. It was comparable to the kawaii stores you see photos of from Japan. I'd never seen a bacon stuffie or an avocado one either. They had so many different food options, color options and even cute dogs in little outfits that look like other animals. I ended up getting a dog in a froggy costume because I just can't say no to a frog. The only draw back is they are on the pricey side. They are worth it in my opinion but considering just one medium sized squishable was $30, it is easy to rack up a bill if you need multiple items. If you love stuffed toys, check out their website because they have almost anything you can imagine. It's a truly adorable store.

Found this little shop walking down Damen today and am so excited about the things I found! It is a…read morecute little pop up featuring local artists/businesses (most of whom are women) with jewelry, plants, and home decor. It's the perfect place to stop for a gift for someone (I got my sister a housewarming gift!) or treat yourself. The owner (Anna) was super friendly and sweet, and introduced me to their featured artist of the day who was selling super cute acrylic products. I got a couple pairs of earrings! I'll definitely be back and would reccomend anyone in the area to stop by and check it out!

I started the new year with an intention to replace doomscrolling on screens with reading, and New…read moreBook Joy in Brookfield has been the answer! New Book Joy is a fantastic independent bookstore. Owned and operated by educators, they have a beautifully curated collection of books and gifts for all ages of readers. What I love most is their events - book clubs (silent and talking!), book swaps, small biz book bashes, and more. I've met so many wonderful people who love to read, which has made me want to read even more. New Book Joy is a fantastic addition to Brookfield!

I am so excited to have New Book Joy in town - it is an absolute little gem! The owners are so warm…read moreand welcoming -- you can feel their love for books and community the moment you walk in. I went to one of their Books and Bites events at Happier Now (another great local find!) which featured a four-course tasting menu paired with hand-picked books, and it was incredible -- creative, delicious, and so thoughtfully done. It's not just a little bookstore; they make the most of their amazing community to bring people together and spark a real love of books.

A great space for events! Easy to get to, lots of parking available and very adaptable for a wide…read morerange of guests. We held a baby shower for about 35 people and it was a perfect space for our event. Bringing in your own food and drinks made this a very affordable option and we were able to customize the space with our own decor too. Michelle is great to work with, quick to reply to questions and made the process of reservation and preparation super easy.

The venue was exceptional. Michelle provided prompt and helpful responses to all our inquiries. Our…read morebaby's first birthday celebration comfortably accommodated approximately 35 guests, with ample space available. This location is highly recommended for event hosting.