A quick trip back to Chicago circa 1939.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet State Representative Sara Feigenholtz, Feigie, as she is commonly referred to around our office.

I actually recognize her face from a huge banner that hangs at the Addison Red Line stop. Ms. Feigenholtz' district happens to cover my neighborhood, and when I shook her hand, mentioned that I'd seen her banner.

"Where do you live?" she asked.

"Waveland and Halsted...in Boystown," I said.

"Ahhh...the Mecca!"

Yes--Boystown--the Mecca.

I love my little neighborhood, but as you probably know, I make a long trek to the suburbs every day. The thing about Chicago's suburbs is...well, they're breathtaking. Winding through the narrow streets literally turns back the clock almost a century in most instances, taking me far from the Mecca and planting my feet in a simpler, prettier time.

On most mornings, I stop in Wilmette to pick up David and haul him into the office with me. There's a little place I pass called Alchemy Coffee House (www.alchemycoffeehouse.com), that is so nondescript, it kind of blends in. There's no big sign out front, no parking lot...just a little building with a front wall made of all windows.

I've stopped in a couple times for a quick brew, but the other morning, decided to sit for a while.

They only take cash at Alchemy, and the coffee menu isn't extensive, but it's so good. So are the fig pecan scones.

The interior of Alchemy is a nostalgic tribute to old Wilmette. Old jazz wafts through a record machine propped in the corner, and plastic-covered copies of old editions of Wilmette Life are available to leaf through.

In the winter 1949 copy I chose, ads for a dry cleaning company touted protection from evil moths...little flighty creatures dressed in Indian headdresses. An article about Mrs. John Franklin getting a promotion was one of the top articles...though, it never mentions her name. And there are pages and pages of engagement and wedding announcements.

It's not hard to imagine living in the 1950s while perched in the small, sun-drenched Alchemy Coffee House. Across the street, the storefronts look like they haven't been touched since that decade, anyway. Most of the North Shore looks like this, actually, with small downtowns not only meticulously preserved, but appreciated for their originality and warmth.

In the same small town of Wilmette, the local theatre stands as a testament to the North Shore's commitment to its roots. We held an event at the Wilmette Theatre (the Mette, for short) for work last week, and I had the good fortune of going there early to set up.

Just a short jaunt from Alchemy, the Wilmette Theatre's (www.wilmettetheatre.com) marquee boasts names of movies, shows and artists who will appear on one of its two stages.

Needless to say, the venue is teeny, but it has so much character and charisma. I met one of the owners, Carol, and her love for the place just seeps out of her. A photo of the theatre taken in 1939 hangs on the wall, and it's not hard to imagine what it wouldn't have been like to visit the Mette for a film back then...mostly because it seems like nothing's changed.

The one thing I will miss about this job, is the time I get to spend on the North Shore. I'm on the Wilmette Theatre's mailing list, though, so I'm sure I'll be back up that way for a show--or two. That's another beautiful thing about this city and the small towns that sprawl out from it: thanks to trains, nothing is too far away.