Broadway in East Lake View

Nestled between the lake and the stretch of Halsted Street's gay bars, Broadway in East Lake View is a community on its own. On the weekends, local shoppers flood the area, popping in and out of independently owned candy and coffee shops, home-decorating spots and bookstores, as well as some of the most unique dining the city has to offer. An eclectic mix of young, old, gay and straight, East Lake View is an open-minded, friendly little neighborhood with a pulse of its own.

Unabridged Books
3251 N. Broadway
(773) 883-9119

You gotta love a bookstore with hand-written index card recommendations. (For Tatum O'Neal's A Paper Life, one staff member wrote, "Lurid. Depraved. Dysfunctional. If you savor trashy star memoirs, this is a five-course meal.") It's personal touches like that, and a massive selection of both children's books and gay literature, that make this one the most unique book stores in the city. Readings from major authors such as David Sedaris have people lined up around the block.

Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

Valhalla Wine Shop
3317 N. Broadway
(773) 296-6800

Mostly a stop for diners to take wine to the BYOB restaurants in Lake View, Valhalla doesn't look like your typical wine shop. There are no shelves, racks or aisles -- just two large wooden tables filled with bottles in the center of a stark white room (interesting murals and art frequently change on the walls). The reason for the intimidating setup? "We just wanted the choice to be easy and simple, so people could get something to match their food at restaurants up and down Broadway," said owner Henry Chang. But don't be scared, first-timers -- walk directly to the clerk and ask for help in navigating your way around the table, which always has four or five bottles open and ready to be tasted.

Hours: 4 p.m.-midnight daily.

Ping Pong
3322 N. Broadway
(773) 281-7575

Once you've picked out your bottle, take it across the street to Ping Pong, also owned by Valhalla's Henry Chang. The tiny BYOB Pan-Asian restaurant takes minimalism to a new level, except in taste. The decor is mostly stark white, and there are only about eight tables inside (the outdoor seating provides excellent viewing of street traffic). The lettuce cups are a must as a starter. Other popular dishes are the sashimi tuna dip and the Chilean sea bass. And if you get bored looking at the person across from you, a projector on the wall shows fashion shows and kung-fu movies.

Hours: 4 p.m.-midnight daily.

Angelina Ristorante
3561 N. Broadway
(773) 935-5933

Neighborhood diners swear by this classic, romantic Italian restaurant that's been around for 17 years, but outsiders are catching on, evidenced by the expansion of a new outdoor patio. It's a curvy, quaint restaurant with exceptional service that brings a touch of class to its rowdy Wrigley and Halsted Street surroundings. Popular dishes include the rigatoni Bolognese and the homemade chocolate bread pudding, the restaurant's claim to fame.

Hours: 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; brunch: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Coffee and Tea Exchange
3311 N. Broadway
(773) 528-2241

Want to join Chris Martin and Minnie Driver in their Make Trade Fair campaign? This neighborhood veteran of 30 years started offering a few fair-trade coffees a year ago and has developed some faithful fair-trade shoppers in the process. Beyond that, the store offers more than 40 kinds of coffee beans, including a healthy helping of flavored beans such as pumpkin, chocolate raspberry, and peaches and cream. The large coffee bins take up much of the store and are labeled not just by name, but by photos of celebrities and models that have nothing to do with the coffee inside. One bin is decorated with the photo of a red-faced female weightlifter in action, with a caption saying, "Now she needs to switch to decaf!"

Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Equinox
3401 N. Broadway
(773) 281-9151

Window shoppers love to gaze at Equinox's colorful display of large vases, hanging lamps and other goodies for your home. This shop has everything you need to decorate your city pad, as well as jewelry, purses, candles, greeting cards and unique coffee-table books with titles such as Even God is Single (So Leave Me Alone). The friendly staff will gift-wrap anything you'd like for no cost.

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m-6 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.