Hop on a westbound train at Union Station and in 20 minutes, you’ll be in La Grange, a very hip place to spend the day.
Breakfast at Blueberry Hill Pancake House (49 S. La Grange Rd., 708-352-4900) is the best way to start. I felt compelled to order the made-from-scratch blueberry pancakes because of the name of the place. The restaurant was crowded, but the ambience was quiet enough to enjoy reading the paper. That gave me fuel to shop. And that’s a good thing, because La Grange is full of shops that make it feel more like the city and less like a small town. Utopia (26 S. La Grange Rd., 708-588-1558) has uber-cool clothes and accessories for women who make style a priority. Hot Rags (43 S. La Grange Rd., 708-579-5621) is just right for incense-burning, tie-dye-loving, hacky-sack-playing hippies and wannabes. And Y&Z Kids (21 S. La Grange Rd., 708-579-1507) has upscale clothes for kids, along with a bin full of adorable Ugly Dolls.
After a quick stop for a no-nonsense $12 manicure at Luv Nails (17 S. La Grange Rd., 708-352-8523), I walked a few blocks to a store everyone said was a must-see: Vintage Charm (729 W. Hillgrove, 708-354-1553). You could decorate a summer home with the stuff in here, but I opted for a few cute message T-shirts instead. And as long as I was on this vintage kick, I stopped by Stonegrove Guitar (723 W. Hillgrove Ave., 708-588-0777) next door. They have plenty of new guitars, but I had my eye on the Daphne Blue ’66 Fender Mustang. I grabbed a quick Cuban pork sandwich at Now Serving Cafe (725 W. Hillgrove, 708-352-1411), and headed back to the main part of town.
The La Grange Theatre (80 S. La Grange Rd., 708-354-0460) has all the newest movies at seriously old-fashioned prices. It’s just $2, all day and all night. And even the popcorn’s cheap. But I saved my appetite for dinner at Palmer Place (56 S. La Grange Rd., 708-482-7127). There, I ordered a $4 Blue Moon beer, one of 36 on tap, and a $12 Mayor of Manheim steak sandwich. Cajun spices, jalapeno jack cheese and grilled onions gave it enough kick to keep it interesting. And I think it goes against village code to leave La Grange without getting a slice of hand-paddled fudge at Kilwin’s Chocolates (39 S. La Grange Rd., 708-352-3242), so I obliged. But I really wish I’d been brave enough to try the chocolate-covered cicadas. What a great story that would make 17 years from now when they’re back again.
More Top Picks Best Playpens