I had heard of Marshall Field's as one of Chicago's premier shopping destinations, but I thought, "How great could it be?" But I was simply astonished when I arrived. Not only is the store eight stories (eight!), but it also includes a cafe and deli. I could easily spend a day there! No, make that a week! My mother and I started in the middle, made our way to the top floor, had a lemonade in the cafe, made our way back down to the basement, and had lunch at the deli. Beyond the massive size of the store and its top designer names, we were impressed by the staff. Coming from the Northeast, I was used to being ignored and even snubbed by most employees, but not here. From the woman handing out free samples at the deli counter to the extremely patient man in the candy department, we were reassured that kindness is not a dead language. The store is not far from a CTA station for added convenience. Marshall Field's is the first stop for anyone who likes to shop.

You cannot go to Chicago and miss visiting the world's largest department store. Walking inside Field's is like walking into a shopper's heaven. It is seven levels of fabulous designer finds and hard-to-find treasures. At Christmas time the display windows draw millions with the creative displays of wintertime scenes, and in the spring the entire first floor is filled with tropical plants and lavish landscapes that transport you away from Chicago and to a lush island. I highly recommend eating at Seventh on State, a very high class eatery on the seventh floor, with a taste for everyone. Plus you can't miss the world famous Frango mints, they are to die for!