Wrigleyville

Wrigleyville can be roughly defined as the area from which crowd noise is audible after a Chicago Cubs home run. You don't need to be a baseball fan to live here, but you'll certainly have to deal with the insanity of 40,000 people converging into your neighborhood 81 times a summer -- or more if the Cubs have the curse in their sights.

The Wrigleyville neighborhood is an island, landlocked in Lakeview, and as far as islands go, this one is a sports bar paradise. You can watch the game just walking down the sidewalk, by gazing through the open french windows of the bars on Clark Street. Plus, you're never more than a few feet away from a juicy cheeseburger or a bucket of chicken wings. You can also catch some excellent live entertainment, including a politically-charged show at the Stage Left Theater, improvisational comedy at the Improv Olympic, reggae music at the Wild Hare, and edgy rock 'n' roll at the Metro.

Most of the rentals are in condominiums and apartment buildings, typically no taller than five floors. If you're lucky, you'll find an apartment with a rooftop view of Wrigley Field. Commuting is a cinch, as the red line el train stops directly across the street from the ballpark, and the Clark Street bus practically traces the first-base foul line.

In the meantime, the Cubs will continue trying to win a World Series in their new ballpark.