Café Selmarie, Chicago

Curiously, in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in Chicago, we have amassed a number of clients, none of whom know each other. (Does this speak to some gardening fault line?) It’s a great excuse to stop by the wonderful bakery and restaurant, Café Selmarie. I’ve actually frequented this delightful spot since it was opened by two great women twenty years ago and have proudly watched it grow from a quaint little room off-the-beaten-path to a full-service joint in a hip part of town. Any place that serves pumpkin risotto and pumpkin brandy spice cheesecake is all right by me. Help them celebrate their 20thanniversary: http://www.cafeselmarie.com

Just a block down from Selmarie, you’ll find the Old Town School of Folk Music It’s a pleasant place to listen to good music in a smoke-free environment. And where I first heard Chris Smithers singing sexy songs about okra.