Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder

While we are on the topic of pizza, I hope you have tried the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder located at 2121 North Clark. This is a legendary icon of a place with a warm, medieval interior and typically a very long line! They only take cash so be forewarned. There is nothing else like their 'upside down' meat filled pizza pie (literally like a pie). Doughy, seasoned to perfection, with lots of gooey cheese. Their flatbread is a hit with even the smallest diner, as you tear off pieces of parmesean/oregano encrusted pieces of the chewy bread. For under $40 you can get a flatbread, salad that is large enough to share with 3 or 4 people and a small grinder pizza along with drinks. It is a very good value for an extremely tasty meal. PS - the ambiance makes for a great date night too!

Osteria Via Stato

We all love fresh, wood burning oven pizza - especially when it's HALF PRICE! Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 4:30 Osteria Via Stato (located on the South West corner of Ontario @ State, next to Embassy Suites) offers any of their freshly made pizza's for half off the menu price. That brings your tab down to about $6 for the average pizza - enough to feed 3 people or order an extra, take a bite and take the rest home. It is for Dine In only, no carry out. Limited time only!

Kid Friendly Museums

This post deals specifically with museum activities that are super kid friendly and often free. Other posts will give you general museum free days. First is the Children's Museum located in Navy Pier. On Thursdays from 5-8pm and the 1st Sunday of every month (childrens entrance fee) it is FREE! On the second Saturday of every month from 11am-3pm the Museum of Contemporary Art at Chicago Avenue behind Water Tower, offers an activity packed FREE family day with arts and crafts that are very unique, a scavenger hunt with prizes and a relaxation area for families loaded with free juice, water, and Target brand snacks for everyone. It is a MUST from October-May to keep the kids active even on the coldest Saturday. The Art Institute also has varying free children's classes on Saturdays with paid admission for the adults. You must sign up in advance to attend but you won't be disappointed in the almost 2 hour interactive learning experience for your children. Best entrance is on Monroe by the new Modern Wing as the studio is by the admissions desk. Take a look at the artic.edu site for more information and scheduling.

Navy Pier

Navy Pier is a wonderful place to explore with your children. There is an abundance of coupons for all sorts of Chicagoland activities right behind the information desk as you walk in. Ever changing events and performers keep the venue fresh. Every weekend there is an assortment of entertainment on the Family Pavillion Stage just as you walk in, for free! There are lots of inexpensive dining choices as well. On Thursdays from 5-8 the Children's Museum is FREE! On December 7 Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus will be available for your children from 11am-7pm daily through Christmas. Not to be missed for all ages is the Winter Wonderfest with rides, ice skating, activities and photo opportunities. Approx. $14 per person for an all day pass. See the schedule below.
Bank of America Winter WonderFest

Start Date:	12/04/2009
End Date:	01/03/2010
Event Time:	Dec 4- Dec 19 Sun-Thurs: 10:00am- 5:00pm Fri&Sat: 10:00am- 10:00pm Dec 20- Jan 3 Sun-Thurs: 10:00am- 8:00pm Fri&Sat: 10:00a
Event Info:	Bank of America Winter WonderFest Returns to Navy Pier December 4, 2009 - January 1, 2010. Closed December 25th.

Sweet N Sassy - Fullerton & Oakbrook

You have probably seen their hot pink limo's before but if you haven't taken your daughter into Sweet N Sassy for a little girlie girl pampering then you are really missing out! This is the deluxe kiddie spa for girls of all ages. On Tuedays you get SUPER CHEAP haircuts for kids - boys and girls alike in the spalike setting. In addition to the cut your little one will get glitter stars applied and a lollipop. For the money you save on the service on Tuesday you can spend on a plethora of cute, cute, cute accessories and salon products. The decor is lime green and hot pink. Even your little boy will sit still to watch their tv in this beautiful environment. For girls they offer manicures, pedicures, mini facials, hair cuts, hair styles, makeovers and runway shows for parties. They also have packages available. The services are as quality as any you would receive in a mommy spa but at a fraction of the price since it is geared towards children. After you are done you can pop over to Chuck E Cheese located in the same center as the location on Fullerton (between Damen & Clybourn in RiverPoint Center) or to Starbucks (2 doors down for mom). The Oakbrook location is in the new Promenade across from the Yorktown Mall (on 22nd Street between Meyers and Highland). So special... you won't be disappointed.

Mall Play Areas Around Chicago

With temperatures not so 'park friendly' anymore a great way to relax and get your kids out for some exercise is to head to an indoor play area in one the local malls. You can bring a magazine, catch up on your emails while you relax on one of the benches while your children run, scream and play with other kids. Northbrook Court has a wonderful tree house play area located outside of the Land Of Nod/Banana Republic entrances. Corner Bakery is steps away and just upstairs is a childrens hair salon. Yorktown Mall in Lombard offers a $1 train ride with seasonally changing scenery, a tree house slide and a small house for the tiny tots. It is located just outside Carson Pirie Scott's lower level and in close proximity to several childrens clothing stores and Mrs. Fields Cookies (Caribou Coffee for mom!). If you feel like driving a little the best of the best is at Fox Valley Mall in Aurora. They have not one but 2 play areas, one geared to tiny tots, one for 3 and up that is a 2 story net enclosed climbing tree and a DOUBLE DECKER CAROUSEL. For a day of fun you can grab some food court goodies, play a couple of the claw games and work your way between the 2 play areas and carousel. Everyone will have good cheap fun if you are willing to make the drive.

Not so clean - Homer's Wilmette

I would say I am pretty picky about clean, especially when it comes to my food, particularly what I serve to my children. For those of you who frequently Homer's on Green Bay Road in Wilmette, take a good hard look next time you are there. The kids love the coin machines and ice cream and we love the prices but I am afraid the price might end up being to high in terms of health. I am shocked the health department hasn't cited them or closed them down. On more than one occassion the ceiling has been literally falling in (kitchen and dining area both) with buckets all over the floor and water dripping from the ceiling. The tables, chairs and floor, including the food trays are always dirty and grimey no matter what time of day you go in. If that is what is in the front can you imagine what the kitchen looks like! The cashier is also handling food without washing their hands after touching the money or switching into plastic gloves. Hey Homer's, why not clean up your act so we can come back!

Sanrio/Hello Kitty! Northbridge

Hello Kitty ! on the third level in Northbridge Michigan Avenue offers a real treat few know about. Outside of their whimsical Kitty inspired accessories, they offer a $1 spin on the wheel (located behind the register). Depending on where you land you get to select a grab bag with a wonderful treat inside worth way more than the $1 it costs to take a spin. Kids love it and you should try it to for fun. They have tablets, stickers, binders, stampers, pencils, etc. inside the mystery bags. There is also a dice game for $2 that offers the same grab bag fun. In this economy it is a great way to get the kids out without breaking the bank and letting them come home with a new treasure.

Dizzying School Choices

It is THAT time of year, and if you have a child entering into grades K-1 for the first time you know exactly what I mean! The horrors of applying to 20 or more schools in hopes that at least one will want your little muffin only to be nixed by all but the last possible choice and past the cut-off to apply anywhere else. I know the economy is not the best right now and a lot of us are eyeing public school options when we swore our child would never set foot on their soil. Please give our followers some feed back on some of the more obscure public schools that you LOVE, and have actually attended yourself, not via word of mouth. I am personally big on LaSalle Language Academy if you live in the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park or River North/West. There are also a few highly affordable, super safe, clean and cutting edge private schools that sometimes get overlooked as well. DayStar, at 15th and State, is a great choice pre-school and up with a Christian influence. They have a very urban approach to their curriculum in a cool, new building. Another newbie is Christian Heritage Academy, part of Park Community Church on Crosby, close to Japonaise. It is part of the parent school in Northfield and the newer one in Arlington Heights. The focus is on a Christian based curriculum in an urban environment. Great location and a new building for their launch in Fall 2010.

Intrigue Dance

Does your child really want to dance but you aren't sure where the best dance studio is? Your kids will love IntrigueDance.com. The studio is located on the second floor at 1234 S. Michigan and is a quick bus stop, Red Line Train Stop, taxi ride, or affordable street parking away. It was opened by Pia and Justin Hamilton in 2008. They are incredibly kid friendly while offering serious dance instruction. The class sizes are small so your child will get the attention they need. The instructors are all professional dancers and Pia was even a CHILD STAR ON BARNEY! So, if you want your kids ready to perform, who would know better than a former child performer herself! The prices are reasonable, not cheap, but you will absolutely get your monies worth and your kids WILL want to go back each week. They offer a wide selection of classes from tiny tots to adults. I like it because I can go a block away, grab a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, and read my paper in their comfortable waiting room. Ahhh.

Macy's

Check the Macys.com/store/event for free event for kids on the 5th floor Children's Department. They typically run several a year and offer face painting, balloon twister, crafts and story time for the kids. Another great family opportunity at Macy's is the Christmas with Santa and Easter with the Easter Bunny brunches. They will create memories that last a lifetime, your kids will have a blast in a safe environment and you will have a great sit down meal.

Portillo's

We all LOVE Portillo's whether we are 3 or 83. They have a phenomenal Monday and Tuesday special for a limited time. For $5 you can choose between a Hot Dog, Hamburger, Italian Sausage, Beef or other item, along with a small fry and a generous sized small drink for this super low price! It's a lot of food for a small amount of money!

$2 Burgers at Jake Melnick's

If you are sooo fortunate to live in the 60611 zip code and have a State ID to prove it - LISTEN UP! On Tuesdays, Jake Melnick's at the corner of Wabash and Superior (a Levy Restaurant), offers locals $2 full size, mouth watering hamburgers. No catch and NO scrimping on size or quality. It is huge, juicy and a $7 savings on Tuesdays! They also have $2 PBR Beer! A family can easily eat and drink for under $20. Now that's a deal. The special has been out a while so I am not sure how long it will last so get it while it's good!

Welcome!

Welcome to 'In The Neaux', a new blog created to make Chicagoland parents "in the know" when it comes to all things fun, free, fabulous, and entertaining, in and around Chicago! We also include 'Other Scoop', a no-holds-barred section praising, or in some cases, criticizing, but always being brutally honest, about service, cleanliness or issues in businesses we frequent. I created this site after many other parents begged me to share my secrets for finding all the great activities around town, freebies and other fun stuff. Why keep a good thing secret?! I want to share it with you and I want all of you to share your great stuff with me and our followers too. You may not realize it, but as urban parents, we have a lot of buying and marketing power. We have the ability to exert pressure to get services and other goodies we need and want. Join with me and explore the city, enrich your childrens lives and have fun doing it! Most of all, it will be cheap, or hopefully even FREE!