These are a few of my favorite things
Mention Deerfield, and the first thing that comes to mind for some is the Berto Center, where Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls used to practice. Or the village's eponymous bakery, celebrating its 50th year as the home of lavish cakes and pastries to die for. (Pardon my drool. That's not their slogan - just my opinion.)
But as a Deerfield resident of more recent vintage, I have my own list of favorites things:
Pie House
The Pie House is the nickname for a once-infamous eyesore that has become a quirky local attraction, thanks in part to media attention. It's a 1,122-square-foot, two-bedroom house shaped like a wedge of pie that narrows to a width of three feet.
Viewed from the side, it looks more like a movie set facade.
The house recently sold for $295,000.
Now if only we knew what people put in that corner.
Upper Crust
There's no better place on the North Shore for a bagel and schmear than Upper Crust Bagels, a full-service deli that's been doing it right for three decades. Crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside, their fresh, old-fashioned bagels come in a variety of classic flavors.
Make mine a sesame bagel, sliced, toasted, topped with chive cream cheese and Upper Crust's paper-thin, hand-cut nova lox. That's perfection.
Deer
Yes, deer. Every time I drive down Deerfield Road and spot a real deer or two lazily ambling nearby, I smile and think to myself: "Of course."
Tony's
Tony's Subs has been feeding hungry kids from nearby Deerfield High School and lots of other folks, too, since Tony Viti opened the place in 1971.
The menu and most of the staff haven't changed at this charmingly retro shop with lovingly crafted, piled-high sub sandwiches. I've never tried anything other than their excellent tuna sub, but they say top sellers are turkey and "Tony's Original Launcher," featuring mortadella, bologna, salami, ham and provolone.
Farmers market
From June to October crowds have been gathering every Saturday morning at the Deerfield Farmers Market for 28 years. It's across from Deerfield Square, the outdoor shopping district that revitalized downtown and includes the home store of Walgreens, whose sprawling corporate headquarters are nearby.
The expressway
Thanks to the proximity of the Tri-State Tollway, I can make it from my front door to O'Hare Airport in 15 minutes. That's what I call express.
• Deerfield resident Robert Feder is the Daily Herald's media critic and has been serving up morsels of the comings and goings in the Chicago-area media for four decades.