There are salons that cut hair, and there are salons where hair is transformed. Claudio James Salon, now operating out of Arista Spa & Salon at CityGate Centre, has never been about just a haircut — and nearly two decades of devoted clients will tell you exactly why.

Walk into Rosie's Home Cookin' at CityGate Centre and something happens before you've even looked at the menu: The smell of bacon and fresh coffee hits first. Then, take in the retro Americana décor — bright red booths, Norman Rockwell art walls and a warm, welcoming energy that makes you feel like a regular on your first visit. It's the kind of place that wins Naperville Magazine's Best of Naperville award for Best Breakfast every year since opening its doors — and once you'

Dr. Jon Polcyn of Integrated Physical Medicine of Naperville has built his practice around a different idea he calls boutique physical medicine. The idea is straightforward: slow down, listen; treat the person and not just the condition.

There are bars that serve drinks, and those that take the craft of mixing seriously. One look at the menu for Zorba Lounge confirms it sits firmly in the second category. Zorba’s beverage program is guided by "the enduring spirit of the classic hotel lounge, where time slows and conversation flows". This approach shapes everything on the menu: whether a spirit-forward cocktail, a sophisticated zero-proof creation or something in between

Authenticity in Italian cooking has always been tied to place — to what's local, what's seasonal and what generations of cooks have learned to do with it.