Second Round (Barrington, Illinois) - For the horse afficionado.

It's a mild, sunny winter afternoon and I decide to visit Second Round, a store in the tony suburb of Barrington, IL (where several horse properties abound). Second Round is a store that specializes in consignments of quality English tack and horseback riding apparel. There couldn't be a better second hand store of riding apparel and accessories to buy for your favorite horse.

Although most of the saddles are for dressage and English riding, there are a few Western saddles, priced between US$200-400, depending on the condition and size. Used junior saddles are about $200.

Below is the anatomy of a saddle (source: Wikipedia).

Visit Second Round at the Market Center Shops, 200 N. Hough St., Barrington, IL 60010. Tel. 847-304-8084.

Vintage Chicago (Andersonville)

Once a sleepy village of Swedish immigrants, Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood is teeming with chic and funky shops, notably those that sell refurbished vintage items and antiques. This up and coming neighboorhood is only 5 miles north of downtown Chicago and is particularly known for its diversity.

Here are some truly unique finds as I went strolling up North Clark St. (the main drag) on a Sunday afternoon. View this list of vintage/antique shops in Andersonville. My favorites are: Brimfield, Scout, and Brownstone Antiques. Brown Elephant is another good source of flea market and second hand items that carry a lot of vintage flavor - worth a trip.