Emily, a cool cat from the Bay Area, contacted us with hopes of discovering some fun/cool places to stop by in our hometown. We thought long and hard about our favorite places to shop and dine in Salt Lake—and it was surprisingly hard to whittle down—but here’s what we came up with. Emily (and other visitors who can use this little day guide), we hope you enjoy your stay. We think Salt Lake is awesome.

This is what we’d do, if we had just one day:

Start with breakfast at Finn’s. We recommend the Norwegian heart-shaped waffles with lingonberries and sour cream, partially because they’re so cute.

Next, head to the quaint Ninth and Ninth district (900 S. 900 East) where you can browse fun shops like Hip and Humble for trendy-meets-classy home decor; Koo de Ker for hip dresses skirts and tops; Ten for European sneaks; The Children’s Hour for the latest from European designers; Cahoots for kitschy/quirky gifts and cards; and Floribunda for classic stationery and gifts.

After all that walk-and-shop business, retire within the walls of the Salt Lake City Library (210 E. 400 South). Hey, not to brag, but not every city’s library gets voted Library of the Year. Another reader, Jen, shared these favorite things about this awe-inspiring place:

• The bike rack made out of steel letters spell “READ.”
• The glass elevators (when aligned) have the words “People who live in glass houses should now throw stones” etched across them.
• A giant hanging head mobile which, when up close, you can see is made up of little open books with butterflies inside. And if you look really closely, you can see them flap their wings.
• The kids level is wonderful. Everything is made especially on their level. Even the books shelves are categorized by height: the lowest for the picture type books, the higher shelves for the Harry Potter-ready. And they have different rooms for reading (an attic, snow cave, etc.).

With your head full of words, head to Salt Lake new Caffe Niche (779 E. 300 South) to fill your stomach. We trust you’ll like the menu, the service and the atmosphere.

Then, after a little energy boost, take it to the streets of 300 South. Start at Frosty Darling (177 E. 300), our favorite kid on the block. From there, head east to pop into any of the antique shops and cool art galleries.

For an afternoon treat, we recommend the Les Madeleines bakery (650 S. State Street). There’s nothing a Madagascar cupcake with cream cheese frosting and white chocolate sprinkles, a passion fruit truffle or meyer lemon meringue tartlette can’t fix. But if it’s dinner you’re ready for, we can’t say enough about Settebello. Try to get there early, rumor has it that the lines just keep getting longer, but it’s only for good reason: to-die-for pizza.

If you still have sweets on the mind (can you tell how our brains work?) try Hatch Family Chocolates in the Avenues neighborhood (390 4th Avenue) for a one-of-a-kind dessert experience. We love the milkshakes and the ice cream.

Have fun, Emily! We arranged things so the weather will be nice while you’re here. If all else fails, stop by Liberty Heights Fresh for some goodies and head to Red Butte Garden for a nice, spring, afternoon picnic.

Any other ideas for Emily? We know you heart SLC just as much as we do.