Curious City

Latest Episodes:

What was Chicago’s most consequential year? It may not be what you think. Jan 08, 2025

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Historians say it’s an impossible question to answer. Major events have shaped Chicago from its very start in 1837, but one year stands out.

Winter Weather Tips: From Extra Gloves To Hot Potatoes Jan 01, 2025

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From mail carriers to photographers, we asked people who spend a lot of time in the cold how they stay warm.

Who Are The Folks At The Christmas Tree Lot? Dec 25, 2024

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Pop-up tree lots sprout up on every Chicago corner during the holiday season, only to disappear. Who are the people who make these happen and what's the business like? As one operator says, "It’s fast, it’s furious and it’s over in about three and a half weeks."

Who’s Behind The CTA Holiday Train? Santa And The Elves! Dec 18, 2024

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The CTA Holiday Train started from humble beginnings. Then a holiday celebrity and his helpers turned it into a Chicago tradition.

In Chicago, forget the cocktail; a beer and a shot will do Dec 12, 2024

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Chicago is a city of pubs and taverns with a robust drinking culture. During the holiday season, that might mean sipping on some warm Swedish glögg, or, as we heard in our last episode, grabbing a Tom and Jerry at Miller’s Pub. But what about a Chicago-specific cocktail? “People really want us to have a cocktail,” said Liz Garibay, executive director of the Beer Culture Center. “It's like, you go to New Orleans and there's a Sazerac. You go to New York, there's Manhattan.” So is there a quintessential Chicago cocktail? Curious City host Erin Allen talks to Garibay as well as Greg Shutters, owner of Cohassett Punch Liqueur to see what they think. Garibay says either way, the city’s drinking culture is shaped by its immigrant and working class roots. We talk with Garibay and Shutters about Chicago’s drinking scene, past and present.

Where did the Tom & Jerry cocktail come from? Dec 11, 2024

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The Tom & Jerry cocktail didn’t originate in Chicago, but this cakey drink feels very Midwestern. We get into the drunken history of this classic drink, and why it’s become a holiday tradition.

Beer, architecture and Lincoln Square: The lasting impact of German culture in Chicago Dec 05, 2024

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If you’ve ever shown up to a bar on a Sunday afternoon or listened to a concert at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, you’ve experienced firsthand the lasting impact of German culture in the city. Last episode, we went to Christkindlmarket, one of the most prominent examples of German culture in Chicago. There are key organizations like the Goethe Institute and DANK Haus. But there are also more subtle, everyday activities we participate in that would be different had German immigrants never settled in this area, centuries ago. Curious City host Erin Allen talks to two experts on German language and culture. They discuss how it has shaped Chicago’s history and present, from the products we consume to the rights and freedoms we enjoy.

Christkindlmarket’s Forgotten Year Dec 04, 2024

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A Curious City listener collects Christkindlmarket mugs. But there’s one mug in her collection without a year on it. We go in search of that lost year.

Why is there an aviary at O'Hare Airport? Nov 28, 2024

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A curious listener asked why he saw an aviary at O'Hare Airport. It turns out, it isn't an aviary at all — it’s a trap for an invasive species of bird.

What happens to birds stuck inside the airport? Nov 27, 2024

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Airplanes aren’t the only ones flying around at the airport. Birds often get stuck inside the terminal, and they can be a challenge to get out.