Archie’s Cafe

“Roberta Schmatz is carrying on the tradition of the small, local, funky, down-home, hearty places. She does fresh pizzas, pasta dish specials, and baked goods. One time I had buckwheat waffles there. They do a lot of music, and she has exhibited my photographs.” 1228 W. Loyola Ave.

Susie’s Noon Hour Grill

“Susie is a Korean woman who’s got to be in her 80s. Her restaurant is a mixture of traditional breakfasts, like a Denver omelet, with a number of Korean specials, like a Korean pancake with vegetables and kimchi. It’s pretty laid-back. Not a fast place. I love that.” 6930 N. Glenwood Ave.

Loyola Park

“Not only does it have lots of places for swimming, up and down the lake, but a lot of pathways. Heartland Cafe had 5K races there for years. One of the things about Rogers Park is it takes responsibility for being the caretaker, so to speak, of the lake. And at the north end of the park, near Leone Beach, it is housing asylum seekers — refugees mostly from Venezuela.”