A Day in Naperville

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Apple Pie and Fritters

Naperville is one of my favorite places to go when I go home to Illinois. There is a lovely little downtown area that has excellent shopping and delicious restaurants. I also have fond memories of downtown Naperville because I worked at a great salon downtown for a summer between college semesters. I learned a lot while I worked there, and am grateful for the stylists that took the time to teach!

A new favorite store of mine is Hot Mama.

Have you heard of it? It’s a beautiful boutique with absolutely fabulous clothes. They have all the latest trends from scarves to handbags and sweaters to jeans! Every time I go in there I buy something. I can’t help myself!

And what I love most about it? It was a woman’s dream to start it and she and her husband made it happen. Read the story here.

Here are some of my favorites:

love this!
(I just bought this one!)
great price on this scarf!
SO cute!
After a shopping spree at Hot Mama, we ate lunch at LouMalnatis. It is one of the best deep dish pizza restaurants in the Chicago Area. It’s the kind of pizza you eat at lunch and you don’t need dinner. It’s heavy and cheesy and delicious.

So if you are ever in Naperville Illinois, be sure to check out Hot Mama and LouMalnatis Pizza. You won’t regret it. Well, you may regret that you cleaned your wallet out at Hot Mama. . . but don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

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Annika says · 09.09.11

Those are lovely! That first sweater is so interesting, a great peice now that it’s finally getting cool out. Glad you made it there safe and sound! enjoy your trip!

Annika
A Sweet Release

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Ashley @ Places To Go, Things To Buy says · 09.09.11

I love Naperville! My brother lives there!

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Jen says · 09.09.11

What a cute shop! I’ll definitely be checking it out – I live nearby. I never hear bloggers mention my area. I’m sure there are some in my area, but I haven’t come across them yet!

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Nate & Britt says · 09.09.11

I’m a HUGE Hot Mama fan too-my good family friend works for their corporate office and her daugther(the last picture you have of the blonde in the tan coat is her) is a friend of mine!! Great to see others love Hot Mama too!!

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Liz says · 09.09.11

I miss Chicago period! I only lived there for about 3 years to finish up my undergrad studies, but I fell in love with everything about the area. I never made it to Naperville, but I love Elmhurst (I went to Elmhurst College) and Wheaton. I will have to make it to Naperville the next time I go to visit!!

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Christine says · 09.09.11

Your from Naperville!? I grew up in Naperville. I went to North and am a HUGE fan of LouMalnatis Pizza! So funny! Thanks for bringing me home this Friday!

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adrienne says · 09.09.11

My girlfriend owns Bella Caley in Naperville. That is a super cute boutique too. And absolutely love me some Lou Malnatti’s! May have to go there tonight now!

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Anonymous says · 09.10.11

I miss Chicago too! I grew up in Vernon Hills until I moved when I ran away & got married (seriously) haha! I came across your blog and I love it!
E 🙂

(& yes, Im still married, going on 7 years) 😉

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Megan says · 09.10.11

I’ve only been to Naperville twice (I grew up in Peoria), but I loved it. And missing Chicago? Oh, can you ever NOT miss Chicago after you leave it? *sigh*

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Jill says · 09.10.11

I’m a newbie to your blog and have fun catching up! Too funny, I grew up in “Naper-thrill” [that’s what we called it in high school when we thought it was so lame!}….it is a special place though. My hubby even went to North Central College! We have not been back in ages as we all live on the west coast now.
LOVE Hot Mama!
xo~Jill

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Anonymous says · 09.12.11

I hope to end up in Naperville. I am from Glenview originally but currently living in Georgia with my husband. I love chicago and can’t wait To get back home. 🙂
Michelle

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Anonymous says · 09.14.11

Just found your blog recently and I love it! I live in Naperville too! LOL! So funny to see all the Naperville people that stumbled upon your blog! 🙂

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Savannah's, not in Savannah anymore says · 09.29.11

I love your blog! I just found you (via…. pinka something that picture place lol) anyway you are awesome just FYI. I live in the naperville area so if you ever come back soon please let me know I would LOVE for you to do my hair!

YOU ARE AWESOME! thank you

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cathcinggrasshoppers says · 10.28.11

I went to North Central College in Naperville and I miss it soo much! Love Lou M.’s pizza 🙂

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Aly says · 10.29.11

I just discovered your blog today via Pinterest…I LOVE it! I have had issues with my hair ever since I chopped it off this summer. (I’m currently in the frustrating process of growing it out…) After looking through ALL of your hair tutorials, I read your bio and saw that you are a Christian (love what you said about your identity being in Christ) and originally from Illinois (I’m in Minnesota since college but I grew up in Winfield and Oakbrook Terrace) and that made me like you even more. And then when you mentioned Lou Malnati’s in this post…oh man, I LOVE Lou’s!!! So pretty much in the past hour or so I have become a huge fan! I’ve never been to Hot Mama, but next time I’m home, I’m taking my mom there!

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Kati says · 10.31.11

I’m in school at Wheaton right now, so next time I make the short trip over to Naperville, I’m definitely going to have to check out Hot Mama!

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Carolyn says · 11.10.11

I did not know you were from my part of town! I live in Chicago. Far northwest side! I don’t get out to Naperville often but I it is so nice!

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Anne @ Modern Mrs Darcy says · 11.12.11

I’m late to the party here, but I used to live in Chicago, and we loved to head over to Naperville to eat, shop and stroll by the river. It’s fun to see it here!

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Anonymous says · 01.01.12

I LOVE IN LISE AND WORK IN NAPERVILLE I LOVE THIS AREA

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Melodi says · 01.04.12

I live near Naperville and agree – Lou Malnatis is the BEST! I’ll have to check out Hot Mama – thanks!!! Btw: I’ve been checking out a lot of your older posts because I am a new follower – LOVE your thoughts on shopping :).

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Leslie says · 01.08.12

I just found your blog last night and I love it! It has inspired me to spend a little more time thinking about what my hair looks like. I was so excited to just read your blog about Naperville. That’s where I grew up and my husband’s family still lives there! I used to get my hair done downtown at a cute shop that was up some stairs. It was on the main drag, I don’t remember the name!!

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Lindsay says · 01.30.12

I recently found your blog on Pinterest and I just love your ideas on hair, make-up, and fashion. I just think you are adorable! And the post about Naperville (or NaperWORLD as I call it) really made me a subscriber. My family lived there for several years and I went to grad school in the area. Love downtown Naperville! Love the posts!

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Anonymous says · 02.03.12

Just found your blog looking for instructions on how to do an updo for a formal. I’m from Oak Brook and went to Downers North! Now I live in WI and just had Lou’s this Christmas for the first time in a looooong time. Their buttercrust is to die for. It was heavenly! I’m crazy about this blog and love that you and your sweetie met at Cru. I was an I.V. gal myself, but that’s all right. 😉 Since many of my in-laws live very near you in NC, I’m hoping to visit your salon one day when visiting them. Yay! Keep up the GREAT posts – they really really help those of us who are “stylistically challenged.” Hah! Love that your styles are current, but not crazy, and you make it easy to re-create them. Thank you!!!!

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Danielle Stutzman says · 02.13.12

Some of my husband’s family is from Naperville and we were there this past summer for his cousin’s wedding and I fell in love with it! We ate at LouMalnati’s with our entire family the night before the wedding and it was fantastic! It is the cutest little place and we can’t wait to go back!

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Megan says · 07.09.12

I work at an assisted living facility and one of my residents granddaughters is the owner of all the Hot Mama’s

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Kaitlin Tunney says · 12.31.13

Lou’s is the best…

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marisaporter.com says · 01.30.14

That’s so awesome! Sounds like my husband. 🙂

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Rachel May says · 11.07.18

I love the store Hot Mama! Such cute clothes for great pricing!

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Amy says · 11.09.18

I miss living in Naperville so much! I go back as much as I can.

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Megan Wallace says · 03.18.19

I could not agree with you more. I’m living in North Carolina now (i’ve been here for the past 6 years) and before that I was in San Diego for 4 years. I do miss being home and the Chicago food – especially in my old stomping grounds of Naperville. Thanks for posting and hope you get to go back soon!

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Jacki Tamez says · 05.29.20

Naperville is a great city full of life and shopping 🙂

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Jenny says · 07.09.20

I have always loved living in the great city of Naperville IL. Great shopping spots galore.

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