The summer months are a great time for picnics, so pack up some sandwiches, grab a blanket and cut open the watermelon. We at NeighborhoodCircle.com scoped out some of our favorite picnic spots in the North Shore and compiled a handy picnic guide.

In Spring 2008, The Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor had grown into a precocious and popular four-year-old on Forest Park’s bustling Madison Street.

Most Oak Parkers associate 300 N. Kenilworth Ave. with Under the Gingko Tree, a popular bed-and-breakfast in the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District for nearly 20 years.

The sight of a youngster struggling to haul around a tennis racket ranks high on the “cute” quotient, right up there with a snapshot of box full of puppies.

Summer days spent at the pool are great to keep cool, but kids are there to make waves.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 10 p.m. for the area.