Top Five

1. Evanston Farmers’ Market
Each Saturday, come out to see (and sample!) the best local Midwest farmers have to offer at Evanston’s weekly farmers’ market. Beginning in mid-May and extending through October, the Evanston Farmers’ Market is the ideal place to find fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, preserves, cheeses, flowers and bakery items. On a crisp fall morning, I spotted a number of families each sporting matching black North Face fleeces, casually perusing through baskets of apples, ranging from your classic Red Delicious to Gala to Fuji. Throughout Farmers’ Market season, be sure to stop by for one of its special events, including a healthy cooking demonstration and a display of local jewelers, painters, authors, knitters and furniture makers. Although Northwestern students only get a handful of Saturdays to visit the market, it is a wholesome experience you wouldn’t want to miss. These products serve as a great alternative to those of Whole Foods, which may be cheaper, but not nearly as enjoyable to purchase. Come early though – the market is open from 7:30 to 1, but the best selection can be found just as the vendors are unloading their trucks.

2. Disposable Cameras
In a world of TiVo and half-ounce mp3 players, disposable cameras seem like devices of the Dark Age. However, rewind a decade or so when these handy little keepsakes were especially popular with tourists all over America, be it the family exploring Walt Disney World or the newlyweds snorkeling with turtles in Hawaii. As digital cameras became more compact and affordable, people began turning their attention to the effortless point-and-shoot or the coveted DSLR. Nothing can compare to the mounting anticipation of developing disposable film – you can never know exactly how those capricious, last minute snapshots will turn out. Disposable cameras make for the perfect device to remember those dog days of summer or spontaneous road trip. Unfortunately, with the imminent discontinuation of instant Polaroid film, disposable cameras are bound to be one of our last links we have to quintessential, commercialized 90’s photography.

3. Korey Dane

Maybe you can chalk him up to another indie California hipster who wears too much flannel, too proudly sports his Wayfarers and just needs an outlet to express his e arnest words. As the son of my high school English teacher, Kor ey Sugita (or “Korey Dane,” according to his MySpace page) is more than a teenager with a guitar in hand, mourning over the difficulties of adolescence and the burden of high school puppy love. Instead, Sugita creates simple ballads, posing poignant questions that most 19-year-olds often overlook. Think the simplicity of Jack Johnson, with a sprinkling of the candor of Cat Stevens. I initially encountered Sugita during an audition for our high school’s annual talent show in the spring of 2007. Fast forward a year and you can now find him at various coffee shops (Viento y Agua on Fourth Street is a popular destination) and local benefit shows in Long Beach, California, his current residence. Have a listen to his rendition “No Woman, No Cry” for a fresh take on the Bob Marley classic. Featuring fellow ’07 graduate Sam Danan, the combination of Sugita’s acoustic guitar and Danan’s angelic vocals creates the ideal song for a late-night drive down the highway.

4. Allison Wraps
Whether you’re into deli meats or grilled chicken or just a bundle of vegetables, Allison D ining Hall’s wraps are peerless. Try any combinati on of cheeses, ranging from the cheddar to provolone, sauces (pesto is a personal favorite) and veggies, with your standard lettuce, onion and tomato, to fabricate the ultimate wrap. Don’t forget to request a grilled wrap, or they’re simply not worth the often meandrous line that forms at high noon, Monday through Friday. You will truly relish the crisp tortilla, flavorful grilled chicken breast or meticulously calculated ratio of sauce to veggies to cheese. Though each wrap chef may have his own method of folding and arrangement, note that if you’d like a diagonally sliced wrap (which is extraordinarily reminiscent of the way Mom used to slice your PB&J), pay a visit to the station during lunch hours. But if you’d prefer an intact wrap, sans lacerations, stop by the newly remodeled dining hall any time between 4:45 and 7 for a relaxed weeknight dinner under the glass ceiling of the dining room. So next time you find yourself bored with your customary Chicken Caesar and Cocoa Puffs for dinner, stroll on over to the Lake Shore Deli station of Allison – you won’t be disappointed.

5. Uncle Dan’s
From the seasoned outdoorsman on the prowl for the latest hiking boot to the novice backpacker crossing off camping gear from a pre-approved checklist, Uncle Dan’s, the Great Outdoor Store, has it all. When you first walk into its Evanston location (which is only one of its four stores in the Chicagoland area), a team of workers, all of whom are proudly attired in high performance outerwear, is there to help. The customer service of Uncle Dan’s is one of the store’s most prominent attractions, as employees are not only well-versed with an abundance camping knowledge, but also friendly, down-to-earth people who just love the outdoors. Much more personable than the commercialized North Face store just a couple blocks over, Uncle Dan’s evokes an overwhelming sense of nostalgia as one of the few Mom & Pop stores of this corporate age. Even if you aren’t an avid hiker, be sure to drop by the store to check out its extensive collection of cold-weather clothing, featuring name brands such as Patagonia, Chaco, Smartwool and Marmot. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch a great sale like I did during my first visit – an appreciable extra 20% off sale items.