There’s a lot to love about Chicago. We’re diverse, boisterous, and fraught with some of the most pressing issues of our time. None of that diminishes Chicagoans’ deep passion and pride for our city, whose story is still being written. Every day, you’ll hear from the team highlighting what makes this beautiful, complex city we call home just a little bit better. Get in touch with us at chicago@citycast.fm.
Meet the Team
Let’s eat here:
Home of the Hoagy. If you said I could only have one Chicago food, Imma take the sweet steak.
Chicago does this best:
Roller skate.
Best book about Chicago:
Southside: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation by Natalie Moore
The tourist trap that’s actually great:
The architecture boat tour is so much more interesting than it sounds.
Best book about Chicago:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. Yes, it’s a YA book. But as a 15-year-old girl on the West Coast, reading about the misadventures these two titular suburban boys were having in Chicago made me want to have my own.
Michelle Navarro
Producer
Chicago hidden gem:
Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool is so peaceful. It goes unnoticed sometimes because Lincoln Park is so massive and all the attention goes to the park, the zoo, and the conservatory.
Best pop culture about Chicago:
Has to be Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I watched it as a kid and dreamt of ditching school and hanging out downtown. It also made me realize how lucky I am to live here.
Emmi Mack
Newsletter editor
Chicago hidden gem:
Taqueria Moran, under the California Blue Line. Five-dollar margaritas on Mondays and Thursdays! Be warned: They're strong.
A Chicagoan you should know:
You might have heard of Wesley Willis ("Rock n Roll McDonalds") but have you seen his drawings? His ballpoint landscape of the Dan Ryan hangs in my living room. It's mesmerizing and warped and my proudest possession.