I’m a certified Mac geek, so keep that in mind while I crow about The Apple Store at Old Orchard. Maybe Macs aren’t for you, but maybe if you give the store a try, I guarantee you’ll leave at least thinking about it.

I headed back to the mall tonight with my mom in tow, caving into birthday pressure and getting the one thing Josh wants – an iPod Nano. The Apple Store is always busy, and I have had the occasional experience where I’ve felt utterly ignored. But tonight, as most nights go, I’ve been catered to by an extremely knowledgeable sales associate and I never feel like an idiot, regardless of how much more they know about Macs than I. What’s more, I feel as if I am their sole purpose for being there, and I never feel pressured into any sale. These guys at the Old Orchard store, in addition to an extremely nice sales associate at the Michigan Avenue location, have been ever so patient with me as I play with the new iMacs, asking question after question, even when I have already made it clear I’m not buying one quite yet. And my kids have been able to play with everything - iPods, iMacs, iPhones, without so much as a sideways glance. In fact, I’ve seen them helping Chloe learn how to use the iPhone to take pictures.

Simply incredible customer service. And that’s why I’ll be back over and over again, buying all those way cool Apple toys. Good job, guys.

Technorati Tags: Apple, Apple Store, Old Orchard Mall, Westfield Old Orchard, Skokie shopping, North Shore computer stores, North Shore Chicago computer stores

In the interest of full disclosure, I do love Old Orchard. So if seems like I pimp that mall more than others, it’s because I am there a lot. I headed out this morning in search of what was hot on the fall fashion scene. And to see if the Bruschetta mix at Oil & Vinegar was in yet. (Note: This stuff is to die for - and it’s not going to be in until October! Ack! And the sales person says it won’t last long! Double Ack!)

I stumbled across Olsen Europe, and their clothes are yummy.

The two sales associates in the store, neither whose name I could pronounce then or remember now, were extremely gracious, though too timid to go on camera for me. So you’ll have to go check it out for yourself. But the story goes that Olsen Europe used to lease space inside local Marshall Fields’ stores, and they are just now opening up stand-alone shops around the country, with 50 planned in the next few years. Word is, they are HOT in Europe and Canada. Of course, David Hasselhoff is HOT in Belgium, but I’ll give them a pass on this. They sounded as if they knew what they were talking about. The Old Orchard location is the first Chicago-area store, and as I said, the sales staff is very accomodating. According to these gals, wide legs are in this fall, as are sparkly tops, leggings, and all things gray.

The clothes are wash and wear, and the black pants don’t wrinkle, ladies. And we all need a pair of black pants that don’t wrinkle. LOVED them.

If you’ve got a chance, go check them out. They’re in the “new” wing just off Skokie Rd., north of the Barnes and Noble/Maggianos section.

Technorati Tags: Olsen Europe, Olsen Europe store locations, Skokie shopping, Old Orchard Mall, Westfield Old Orchard mall, North Shore Chicago new stores, North Shore Chicago women’s clothing stores

Finally – There’s a “Whole Paycheck” in the neighborhood.

Willow Festival, one of the latest entries in the destination shopping center market, is now open, nearly a year after its initial completion date. Now, everyone has their local Whole Foods, Best Buy and Lowe’s, so it’s not as if people will be flocking to the corner of Willow and Waukegan Roads anytime soon, but for us Glenview denizens, we can be grateful we no longer have to drive to Evanston or Deerfield for our chance to spend $125 while still using the “5 items or less” lane at Whole Foods.

I kid - sorta. I got the raised eyebrow from the husband when I told him how I was anxious for Whole Foods to open. This, because I mentioned a Chicago-area magazine that had completed research on the competitive pricing of local gorcery chains, only to disover that the baseline average spent at Dominick’s or Jewel equated to several thousand dollars more annually at Whole Foods. Thus, the “Whole Paycheck” moniker.

Really? I’m just jonesing for some fresh produce and a great prepared foods section. I still miss Carrot Top, and while the produce at Dominick’s is OK, I crave the really, really good stuff. (I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve walked into Jewel and they just flat out don’t have a red bell pepper. Anywhere. C’mon!)

If you are headed down Willow someday, the plaza is coming along. Still a lot of construction work going on, but I have to the guys at the Starbucks drive-thru are the nicest I have ever met, REI is way fun to just walk around and think about all that physical activity you should be doing, and for shoe fiends, a trip through DSW’s aisles is some serious retail therapy.

Technorati Tags: Willow Festival, Northbrook shopping, Glenview shopping, North Shore malls, Whole Foods, REI, Starbucks, Best Buy, DSW, Lowe’s, Pinstripes