Is your sweet tooth calling for something?  You’re in luck if you find yourself in Melrose Park, Illinois.  There are all sorts of shops and bakeries to appease that hungry little sweet spot of yours.

The Ancona Bakery is located on 25 E North Ave, and has some of the best sweets in the village.  They not only have Italian pastries, but also cookies, cakes, and sweet breads.  Is someone celebrating a birthday, or another special event?  The Ancona Bakery specializes in cannoli cakes.  Down on 2113 W. Lake Street is another fabulous bakery, the Scudiero Italian Bakery.  It not only serves delicious dessert but also some of the best Italian cuisine in the area.

If you want something outside of cake, then take a five-mile drive to Franklin Park, IL where there is a wonderful dessert stop called Al Gelato.  There are too many flavors to name here, but if you are having a hard time deciding then just know they are well recognized for their pistachio flavor.  Other treats they carry include Italian truffles, spumoni, and fruit sorbets.  Another city near by Melrose Park, IL is Forest Park, which has the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor.  Go ahead, open the door and have the fresh smell of waffle cones invite you in!  What is on the menu here?  Shakes, malts, ice cream sundaes, ice cream cakes, pies, and much more to choose from at this location.  Up for a challenge?  Try “The Trough” which is 21 scoops of ice cream and toppings.  If you can finish the trough all by yourself, it is free.

As you can see there are a great many things to satisfy even the pickiest dessert eater in and around the city of Melrose Park, IL.  We all know there is nothing better after a good dinner than a satisfying dessert!

Melrose Park, IL is known for a lot of things—its wild nightlife, its top-notch schools, its restaurants and its culture-first community.  However, you cannot underestimate the presence of the church.  Not only are there several Christian schools within the community but there are also a dozen or so churches.

The Christian Life Center is on N. Mannheim Road, while Grand Avenue holds both the El Divino Redentor Baptist Church and the Mannheim Baptist Church.  N. 18th Avenue brings you the Melrose Park Bible Church as well as the El Verbo De Dios.  On Fullerton avenue, there’s the Apostles Lutheran Church while the Cosmopolitan United Church is found on N. 9th Ave.  There is also a rectory and a convent at the Sacred Heart Church on N. 16th Avenue.

As interesting as all these landmarks are, they take second place to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.  What is this popular tourist attraction?  The Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the only national Italian parish for the Archdiocese of Chicago.  The church has been dedicated by the Archdiocese of Chicago and its members have been gathering faithfully since 1894.  There is a special feast hosted in July every year.

This landmark dates back to the late 1800s when a Mrs. Emmanuella DeStefano made a promise to establish a feast in honor of the La Madonna del Carmine if her sick husband survived his illness.  Since her favor was apparently granted, she kept her promise and created a sculpture and a chapel in honor of the event.  This is an historical and religious peculiarity and one that will be highly appreciated by tourists.

There is a great deal of love within this village.  It’s easy to see that this suburban operates on faith and a strong sense of community.

There are over 21,000 people in this “village”, which size and influence can easily be compared to a city.  If you are thinking of relocating to Melrose Park, then it might be a good idea to be formally introduced to the people that make up this sterling community.  There are currently 7,631 households in the area.  Many of the popular is involved in a family unit, and almost a quarter of them have young children.

Ethnically speaking, although whites are the majority, the Latino and Italian community make up a sizable chunk of the total population.  Over 50% of the community are spouses and about 28.6% are non-family households.  The median income level is $40,689, while the median income for a family is slightly higher at $46,963.

There have been a few celebrities to come out of this humble village including actress Carol Lawrence, Corey Maggette, all-star forward in the NBA, Michael Finley of the NBA, Bob Nardella, a hockey player and writer Caroline Myss.  The mayor of the village, Ron Serpico (who thankfully doesn’t look like Al Pacino) has stated before that one of the village’s greatest accomplishments is its friendly and safe community.  On the official village website’s introductory video he states that the people watch out for one another, make church a part of the community, and have general goodwill towards all.

There is obviously a strong camaraderie here, whether viewing the Melrose Park’s Senior Center on N. 25^th Street or watching a local school team play at the Ralph Babe Serpico Memorial Field.  Other clubs within the village include the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Italian Cultural Center (in Stone Park), the Knights of Columbus and the Melrose Park Athletic Club.  There is plenty to see here!  This is a community that’s easy to get into but very hard to leave once you observe the peacefulness for yourself.

The weather is finally warming up with spring in full swing and summer hot on its heels.  Now that you have peeled out of those thick sweaters, you’ve taken a moment to look in the mirror.  That long cold winter with all of its hot chocolate and hot comfort food has not exactly been kind to your body.  Good thing you are in Melrose Park, IL, which has an abundance of places to get you up, out, and back into shape.

The Gottlieb Health and Fitness Center is going to be your new best friend.  Over 55,000 square feet full of exercise equipment is always a good start to weight loss management.  This facility offers two pools for you to enjoy, as well as a basketball court and an indoor racing track.  There are over one hundred free exercise classes every week that are included in your membership fees.  Certified instructors are available to help whip you back into shape.  Whatever you have set your goals to be, this is the place to help you achieve them.

Have you noticed your little one getting a little rounder too?  Childhood obesity is growing to epidemic proportions in this country. Melrose Park, Illinois has just the place for your little ones to get some exercise and have some fun too.  Monkey Island is the largest indoor playground in the area.  There is no end to the things your children can bounce and climb on in this wonderful play area.  You might end up breaking a sweat yourself as long as you don’t just hang out on the benches enjoying the free Wi-Fi.

If you find yourself without much cash to your name, don’t let that deter your fitness goals.  The wonderful city of Melrose Park has many great sites to see, and places to walk to.  Even a jog through the local park will do your body some good.  So get off that couch and get moving!