24 - 1 Year Anniversary and 2012 Look Back

Welcome to a very special episode - our one year anniversary and our final episode of 2012. If you're reading this, it means that we've made past the end of the world, congratulations! In this episode, Stefania and Arden fly solo (duo?) and cover some of the highs and lows in Chicago over the last year. We also hear from ghosts of guests past (they're not really ghosts)- including Victoria (Chicago Organizing), Martha (IMPACT Chicago), Sheetom (Comedy Sportz) and Bacon (Shit Chicagoans Say...and also his awesome new Chicago Coasters store) - and play a rousing game of This Day in Chicago.

And yes, more giveaways! To celebrate this momentous occasion, we're giving away this fine copy of Chicago In A Box (Chicago Monopoly)

To be entered to win, write to us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com with the subject line Chicagopoly and tell us your favorite Chicago landmark and why. We'll ship this bad boy off to the 13th person to write in.

And if that wasn't enough, we close off the show with a personalized version of the Lake Shore Drive song, sent to us by the one and only Skip Haynes! Yeah, that's right, he's a fan of the show.
Basically it's the most epic anniversary episode ever.
If you want your own personalized version of the song, check out Skip's website at http://lakeshoredrivemusic.com/

See you in 2013!

Want to share a Chicago secret? Want to lodge a complaint on Listen Up Chicago? Write to us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call our Google voicemail 773-234-5573

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

23 - Audrey Niffenegger

Meet Audrey Niffenegger, professor at Columbia College and author of New York Times best selling novels The Time Travelers Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry. In this episode, Audrey talks about book making, teaching, the art of inspiration, the importance of shopping local and the meditative Ando Room in the Art Institute.

To learn more about Audrey, you can visit her website at http://www.audreyniffenegger.com/. And be sure to stop by Zola Books and support them as they prepare to give Amazon a run for it's money!

This week, we're giving away a signed copy of Audrey's latest book, Her Fearful Symmetry. To be entered to win, just be the 10th person to e-mail yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com with the subject line "Mouse."

We recorded under the warm glow of this tree

Want to share a Chicago secret? Want to lodge a complaint on Listen Up Chicago? Write to us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call 773-234-5573

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

22 - Hedwig Dances

Meet Jan Bartozek, Founder and Artistic Director of Hedwig Dances, a contemporary dance theater ensemble. In this episode, Jan talks about starting a dance company, the creative process of putting together a performance from start to finish and Hedwig's exciting new Cuban collaboration project as well as the football huddle, the Rookery and dedicated dance venues in the city.

And we have a giveaway this week! Hedwig is offering two Touch Cuba t-shirts to you, our fair listeners. Just write in to yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com with your favorite dance performance to be entered. Stay tuned for lots of other great giveaways in the coming episodes.

We forgot to take a picture with Jan! But she looked just like this. We promise.

Want to share a Chicago secret? Want to lodge a complaint on Listen Up Chicago? Write to us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call 773-234-5573

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

21 - The Paper Machete

Meet Christopher Piatt, Executive Producer and Editor in Chief of The Paper Machete, a free, weekly, live magazine. In this episode, Chris celebrate's YC's 21st birthday by explaining what a live magazine is and what it takes to put one together each week, venting about the indignities of the CTA, sharing the naked bliss that is Paradise Sauna and learning about some of Chicago's natural disaster history.

E-mail yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call our Google voicemail at 773-234-5573.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Let us know!

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

20 - Atomic Music Group

Meet Matt Mentele, agent for Atomic Music Group. In this episode, sit back, close your eyes and enjoy Matt's soothing radio voice as he talks about the (sometimes) rock and roll life of an agent, the city with the greatest music community (hint: we live in it), the very serious problem of douchebaggery over running your favorite bars and dance parties in Chicago. 

Matt was this close to convincing us to do high school yearbook poses with him...

Check out some of Matt's upcoming shows:

Nov. 2-My Gold Mask-Metro
Nov. 3-Rosie Flores-Old Town School of Folk Music
Nov. 13-Tim Easton and The Spring Standards-Schubas
Nov. 24-Ha Ha Tonka and Lydia Loveless-Subterranean
Dec. 28-Ezra Furman-Hideout

Want to get to know Matt or hire him for a voiceover project? Find him on twitter at @mentele

Want to get to know us? E-mail yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call our Google voicemail at 773-234-5573.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Let us know!

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

19

Meet Stefania and Arden, your favorite podcast hosts! In this episode, we have no guest so we hang out and talk Fall (Autumn?) in Chicago and share a laundry list of fun things happening around the city during this fantastic season. And don't worry - Listen Up Chicago, Chicago Secrets and This Day In Chicago still make an appearance.

Stefania's handlebar mustache pumpkin

 Arden's pumpkin with Japanese on it

Send us your pumpkin pictures or the things you think make Fall Fall. Write to us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call our Google voicemail 773-234-5573

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

18 - Kelsie Huff

Meet Kelsie Huff, stand up comedian, storyteller and all around swell gal . In this episode, Kelsie makes us laugh 'til our sides hurt while talking about teaching, producing and performing stand up in the city of Chicago and how she is helping to shape the Chicago comedy scene.

Kelsie was jealous of our Your Chicago t-shirts,
so she got creative with her very special YC fridge magnet

We also discuss the grocery store gem, Harvestime, calling the cops on your neighbors, the Chicago Seven and yes...Arden's teenage appearance on This American Life. We're waiting for you to return the favor, Ira Glass, and come on our show.

Find everything that Kelsie is up to at www.kelsiehuff.com

Want to share a Chicago secret? Want to lodge a complaint on Listen Up Chicago? Write to us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call 773-234-5573

Listen Here:

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

17 - Street Festivals

Meet Justine Rowland, Festival and Special Events Manager with Criterion Productions. In this episode, Justine takes us behind the scenes of Chicago's street fests and also chats with us about Hot Doug's (we bow to you), the Lake Shore Drive song, Saki and why bike helmets rule.

Non-creepy people can follow Justine at @justiner

 

And special thanks to Andrew Ferris for creating our fantastic Your Chicago theme song.

For your great service to our podcast, we, the fair ladies of Your Chicago, do hereby dub thee an honorary Chicagoan. 

Creepy and non-creepy alike are invited to contact us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call our Google voicemail at 773-234-5573. You may also follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@your_chicago.)

Listen here:

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

16 - Old Town School of Folk Music

Meet Mary Peterson, instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music. In this episode, Mary shows up right on time to talk about the nation's largest independent community arts school, the Chicago Municiple Device

 (now that you've seen it, you won't be able to stop seeing it) and "No lights! In Wrigley Field"

Check your grammar! On that one.

All non-weirdos can reach Mary at mpeterson@oldtownschool.org

Share your comments, questions, ideas, complaints with Your Chicago! 773-234-5573 or yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com 

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@your_chicago.)

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

15 - ManBQue

Meet Jesse Valenciana, Founder and President of ManBQue. In this episode, Stefania returns to Your Chicago as the new co-host and Jesse talks about building the grilling lifestyle brand, road etiquette, ghost hunting in Marshall Field's son's house, Atotonilco, pizza, Taste of Chicago and sideboob.

Do you like Taste of Chicago? E-mail us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com and explain yourself.

What's that? Is Arden sporting an awesome Your Chicago t-shirt?
Why yes, yes she is.
Too bad she's not sporting makeup.

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

14 - Alpha Phi International

Meet Stefania, Manager of Leadership and Training Initiatives for the Alpha Phi headquarters in Evanston. What does a sorority headquarters do, you ask? Well in this episode Stefania braves an hour in the heatwave without AC to tell us all about the business of Greek Letter Organizations. She also lays in to the recent change to the Chicago Library museum passes, calls out lame Chicago tourists that won't leave the Goldcoast and shares The Drawing Room and Watershed - two downtown bars that actually don't suck.

Check out Alpha Phi at www.alphaphi.org and befriend Stefania on Twitter at @stefaniarudd.

Share you comments, questions, ideas, complaints with Your Chicago! 773-234-5573, yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com and NOW Twitter -@your_chicago. Will Scott become the official Your Chicago tweeter? You'll have to follow us to find out...

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

13 - Invisible Children

Meet Dan Kroszner, Chicago Street Team Coordinator for Invisible Children, an organization dedicated to bringing a permanent end to LRA atrocities. Not sure what that means? Well, in this episode Dan talks about the situation in Central Africa, explains what Invisible Children is doing to help and addresses their popular/controversial YouTube video Kony 2012. He also let's us in on Kuma's Corner and gives Chicago a talking to about our recycling program.

You want to be his friend!

You can find Invisible Children Chicago at invisiblechildren.com, on Twitter at @Kony2012Chicago or by e-mail at chicagostreetteam@invisiblechildren.com

Have an opinion about this episode? Want to be Dan's friend? Bored? Reach Your Chicago at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 773-234-5LSD. And as promised - we joined Twitter! Follow us at @your_chicago

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

12 - Jason Boehm Nutrition

Meet Jason, a board certified nutrition specialist. In this episode, be prepared to raid your pantry and rethink your eating habits as Jason takes on Your Chicago as a client and gives us an hour long session on healthy eating. None of your favorite foods are safe - not even bananas (*sob*). We also learn about tons of hidden free parking in the city and rail on the 9.5% sales tax.

If you want some more time with Jason, you can find him at jasonboehmnutrition.com.

And guess what listeners? The numbers don't lie - we know there's a lot of you out there. Stop hiding and write or call us at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or 773-234-5LSD (573).


Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

11 - Chicago Police Department

Meet Sherry, a Chicago Police Officer who has been serving and protecting you for over two decades. In this crime busting episode, Officer Sherry brings the Your Chicago crew Huck Finn donuts that are so good they should be illegal and talks about life as a city cop - from police academy to fugitive takedowns to radio lingo to parking tickets. We partake in a truly epic Listen Up Chicago, challenge Officer Sherry to a murderously fun round of This Day in Chicago and get let in on two great Chicago secrets: Riggio's and Half Shell. Basically, this is such a great episode, it would be a felony to miss it.

Give us your Listen Up or Chicago Secret - e-mail yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com or call 773-234-5LSD (573)

It's ok to be jealous

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

10 - Sonia Lala Photography

Meet Sonia Lala, a Chicago photographer whose work you've probably seen in a coffee shop near you. In this exciting 10th episode, Scott and Arden celebrate hitting the double digits by chatting with one of the fabulous artists who brighten the walls of your local cafe and getting her to share the details on urban decay, silos in the city, f-stops and Chicago exploration meetups. And as if that weren't enough, we also solve the dog waste problem (hint: it involves vigilantes, tazers and DNA testing) and get the details on two gems of the city: Udupi Palace and Lincoln Karaoke.

The photo that started it all

To learn more about Sonia, visit her website at http://sonialalagallery.blogspot.com/ or follow her on twitter at http://twitter.com/mynameissonz

Want to share your thoughts, feelings or complaints? You can do it all at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com

Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Stitcher

Podcast Powered By Podbean

9 - Chicago Tribune

Meet Dawn Rhodes, General Assignment Reporter for the Chicago Tribune. In this episode, we're first on the scene, getting the exclusive on what it's like to be a reporter on the streets of Chicago - from the interviewing the Doritos lady to camping out with Occupy Chicago. We also let loose on pedestrians on Michigan Avenue and learn about a fantastic Algerian cafe called Tassili.  Get the scoop on all this and more in our last episode in the single digits!

Send in your comments at yourchicagopodcast@gmail.com and visit us at yourchicagopodcast.com.

Download episode 9

8 - Blume Brothers Pedicab

Meet Christian Blume, co-founder of Blume Brothers Pedicab. In this episode, Scott and Arden get to know the ins and outs of pedicabbery as Christian talks about everything from the trials and tribulations of starting a new business to the hazards of frisky customers to the experience of helping the city create laws around this developing Chicago industry. Also, This Day in Chicago makes a triumphant comeback (this segment might actually make it), some excellent bitching on Lake Michigan restrictions takes place and Pedi-Cups, the cupcake pedicab company, is born (copyright Arden and Scott 2012).

And look! We even remembered to take a picture:

To learn more about Blume Brothers Pedicab visit www.blumebrotherspedicab.com.

To check out Christian's composting business, visit www.windycitycompost.com 

You can also see their article in the Red Eye here.

Subscribe to Your Chicago on iTunes
or listen to episode 8 here: 

Podcast Powered By Podbean

7 - Shit Chicagoans Say

Meet Robert Bacon, creator of Shit Chicagoans Say and self described delicious treat (although Arden can gladly attest to that fact).  In this episode, we admit we've been stalking (not in a creepy way) him since episode 4, talk about the making of the video and find out about life after 800,000 YouTube views. Bacon also confirms that we are not recording in a basement with a single microphone hanging from a laundry string (whatever that is), challenges the Shit Chicagoans Say haters to call into the show and gives Chicago a talking to about the bike/car relationship. And if you think we sound a lot better, you can thank our new audio tech, Chris, who - among other things - turned our microphones the right way. Seriously.

Check out Bacon at www.tastethebacon.com or check out his twitter at www.twitter.com/tastethebacon

Download episode 7

Podcast Powered By Podbean

6 - Auditorium Theater

Meet Nicole Losurdo, Senior Director of Education at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University and former Archer Road Kiwanis Peanut Queen. In this episode, we get the skinny on architecture, theater ghosts and - oh yeah - the amazing and life changing programming provided by the Auditorium Theatre. Plus we talk (in our best Chicago accents) about Chicago fashion in the Spring (40 degrees is spring, right?), Archer avenue, the right way to cook a Veterans Tamale and city driving etiquette.

Episode Extras:

If you weren't already Googling it from you phone while listening, you can find the Hands Together Heart to Art website here. 

Download Episode 6

Podcast Powered By Podbean

5 - IMPACT Chicago

Meet Martha Thompson, Director for IMPACT Chicago, a self defense program for women and girls. In this episode, Scott falls in love with Martha as we go Myth Busters on the world of women's self defense and find out that - spoiler alert - men and women are equal, butt-kicking can be fun and being able to protect yourself can make you more polite. We'll also protest the protest laws and learn how to fight hunger (one fork at a time?) at First Slice cafe. And yes, Arden finds a way to mention banana peels which is probably why she'll soon be replaced by Martha.

We forgot to take pictures - but we promise Martha is real and you can find her blog at http://marthathompsonsblog.blogspot.com'

Download episode 5

Podcast Powered By Podbean

4 - ComedySportz

Meet Sheetom Ashbrook, an improv performer for the ComedySportz rec league, and learn all about the improv scene in Chicago and what sets ComedySportz apart. Scott and Arden get the goods on shows (including free ones!), classes and even try out a little improv of their own (it's harder than it seems!). Plus some excellent venting about Chicago and a great Chicago secret. So get ready for a totes inapropro podcast that will make you lol for realz.

Download episode 4

Podcast Powered By Podbean

3 - Chicago Organizing

Meet Victoria: licensed therapist, professional organizer and founder of Chicago Organizing, a company that specializes in assisting individuals with chronic hoarding disorder.

Forget what Hoarders and Clean Sweep taught you - in this episode, we talk to someone on the forefront of this burgeoning field and delve into the hows and whys of hoarding, as well as the dark recesses of Scott's past and the ways to know if you need Chicago Organizing. to come to your house. Plus we learn about free parking at the Museum of Science and Industry and the secret to bathroom breaks downtown. So put down that banana peel and listen up.

Download Episode 3

Podcast Powered By Podbean

2 - Exelon Nuclear

Meet Tom, a Reactor Engineer for the nuclear power station that most likely powers the listening device you're using to enjoy this episode, and get to know all about reactors going critical, the sexy side of nuclear power, a very special birthday in Chicago and more.

 Download episode 2

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Extras:

The three stripes of the Chicago flag.  Does white space count as a stripe? 

1 - Your Hosts

Meet Scott and Arden, your hosts and new BFFs. Join them on their maiden voyage of Your Chicago and learn about them, the podcast and the basic structure (or lack there of).

Download episode 1

Podcast Powered By Podbean