Shopping in La Grange

No gift is complete without a card; they also make good packaging for everyone's favorite gift of money. Choose from a huge variety of cards for every occasion, from birthdays and actual baby births to weddings and anniversaries. Most cards are original creations from actual artists, and prices range from around $3.25 to $6.25. Get cheeky and honest when confessing to a liquor-induced mishap, or bring about a cheaper stamp revival and send a postcard. Find an excuse to engage in angry written correspondence through boxes of high-quality stationery, which range from $17–$40.50 per box. Any self-respecting sufferer of graphomania will appreciate Greer's wide variety of pens and pencils (not redeemable with Faber-Castell), exquisitely crafted for the smooth progress of nib on paper. Nab a few Yasutomo pens for $1.25, or gift a technological scriber with a Graffiti Pin Head colored pencil for $12.95.

Helmed by husband and wife owners Carrie and Daniel Bowers, the laid-back boutique takes cues from West Coast life and racks a variety of accessories, clothing, and shoes to accommodate a low-key alternative to sloppy sweats. From handmade earrings ($14) to Roxy and Billabong shirts ($39.50), Stellar26's constantly rotating rack of new and coveted designers is priced affordably, with most prices under the $100 mark. Stellar26 is open daily. Stop in for a flip-flop fix, to upgrade your denim collection, or to impress North Avenue Beach bums with a similar sartorial sense.

Inside a bustling factory and design studio in Chicago, needles embroider children's names on rocking chairs, receiving blankets, and mammoth toy boxes. Nearly every Hoohobbers item is highly customized—whether with monogramming, personalized color and pattern options, or a choice of fabrics. This feature isn't the only one that appeals to design-minded parents. Furniture, accessories, and household goods for babies, toddlers, and children are portable, lightweight, and durable. Unfortunately for neglected screwdrivers, allen wrenches, and stress balls, the items require no assembly. Their practical yet modish designs often appear in magazines, including Chicago Parent, Life & Style, and People and regularly win awards, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Best of Chicago title for infant and toddler gear in 2009 and 2010.

The staff at City Soles takes footwear seriously, interviewing designers and critiquing limited-edition kicks on the store's own City Soles TV. In the store, staff members examine arches and measure foot length before pointing guests toward comfortable boots for walking to work or sneakers from Mjus. Plush black couches and helpful service encourage guests to try on multiple pairs of shoes before selecting the perfect footwear.

Since 1980, the Calgary Sun has earned its moniker, "The Little Paper That Grew," by expanding from an upstart morning paper to a multimedia brand. Currently, around-the-clock news updates online and a free weekday commuter paper complement the daily, which brims with breaking-news coverage and sports reporting rigorous enough to note not only which team won, but which team's bench was most comfortable. The entertainment section adds a lighthearted note to the publication, and the lively discussion in the opinions section engages Calgarians in community issues.

As a member of the expansive Sun Publications network, the Edmonton Sun presents an extensive coverage of sports, entertainment, and local and international news in a reader-friendly format, and is the only local Edmonton newspaper currently publishing on Sunday. Extensive analysis and opinion pieces accompany reporting on Albertan, Canadian, and world politics, and stories zeroing in on technology, entertainment, and culture chronicle the ever-changing challenges of modern life. The paper’s e-format displays on tablets and mobile devices, presenting an easier-to-digest publication than thumbing through pages of smudged newsprint or swallowing information in pill form. In addition to consistent updates on the regional economy and international events, the photo-filled pages of the Sun recount colourful human-interest tales as well as celebrity news and hockey and football triumphs.