“I had wanted to make a movie about Chicago but I didn't really know what my angle was going to be or what the focus of it was. The more I got to talk with Barry about his childhood in Chicago in the 50s, the more it struck me that this would be a really cool way to tell the story about Chicago in a different way.”
Read MoreVince Anter started his YouTube show V is for Vino to counter perceptions about wine and educate people from every walk of life. His show takes him around the world to wine growing regions where he meets growers, producers, chefs, and everyone in between. His channel has gained more than 50,000 subscribers and he is now on his fourth season. Here, he talks about his background, his passion for wine, and his plans for the show.
Read More“Filthy Rich Politicians: The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals, and Ruling-Class Elites Cashing in on America” is a new book by Matt Lewis that tackles this issue head-on. Matt is a columnist at The Daily Beast, podcast host, and campaign veteran. His book not only examines the problem on both sides of the aisle, but proposes solutions as well.
Read MoreThe imagination inspired by Legos has led Chicago architect and visual artist Rocco Buttliere to create some incredible scenes. Using Legos as his medium, Rocco designs and builds scale models that are true to life. Here, he speaks about his background, his process, and his current project: to reconstruct the ancient city of Rome.
Read MoreWill Quam is a brick enthusiast and runs the Instagram account and website Brick of Chicago, which documents brickwork in every style across the city. In this interview, he speaks about his interest in bricks, why they are interesting, and what makes Chicago a unique architectural city.
Read MoreDearborn Denim founder Robert McMillan is an unlikely entrepreneur: he started his career as a bond trader and had no prior business experience. Here, he speaks about what sets Dearborn Denim apart, why he kept it local, and future plans for the business.
Read MoreGraig’s portrait style brings to life baseball players who are both well known and those who are not. But for every portrait, the lifelike colors and level of detail help bridge the gap between the players of the game today and those who played, even however briefly, a long time ago.
Read MoreAfter planting his feet back in his hometown, Paul Vallas is running for mayor of Chicago. Here, in his own words, are his reasons for running, how he would address gentrifying neighborhoods, and a glimpse of his ethics plan for City Hall.
Read MoreDominic Pacyga is a Chicago historian and professor emeritus at Columbia College Chicago. He is the author of eight books about the city, each one examining a different aspect of the past, and most with a focus on the city’s history with Polish immigrants. Here, he speaks about his writing, his research, and how he came to love Chicago’s history.
Read MoreMatt Bai is a political columnist for Yahoo! News. He authored All The Truth Is Out in 2014 about Gary Hart’s short-lived 1987 presidential campaign and the ramifications it has had even today. He was also the screenwriter for the film adaptation of the book, The Front Runner, released November 8th.
Read MoreRobin Amer is an investigative journalist who got her start at the Medill School of Journalism, NPR, Vocalo, and WBEZ in Chicago. Here, she speaks about her background, how her USA Today podcast project came together, and plans for season two.
Read MoreJosh Noel wrote the book on Goose Island — literally. In his own words he speaks about the book, his journalistic background, and which beers have had a lasting impact on him.
Read MoreAbout 230 million Americans live in cities. "City" is a broad term and encompasses everything from New York to Des Moines. As the third largest city in the country Chicago carries with it a lot of baggage. But it also has a lot to offer, too. Aaron Renn explains how he got his professional start in Chicago, how the city was formative, and why Chicago has the best chance to land Amazon's HQ2.
Read MoreSince the Stock Yards closed in 1971 Back of the Yards has been without an economic anchor, forcing the neighborhood to find another way to support itself. This was the environment Jesse Íñiguez and Mayra Hernandez grew up in. Jesse is the son of Mexican immigrants and "planted [his] roots" in Back of the Yards. After his first cafe failed in 2008 he opened Back of the Yards Coffeehouse with Mayra Hernandez, who is also from the neighborhood, in 2017.
Read MoreIn this interview Tom Bevan, co-founder of RealClearPolitics, speaks about how he settled in Chicago, how living outside the East Coast media bubble helps the website, and what he sees as the largest challenges facing media companies today.
Read MoreMy first interview is with Tony Magee, the founder of Lagunitas Brewing Company, one of the largest and best known breweries in the country. The buzz around Chicago has always been that Tony is a Chicago native, which he has confirmed in other interviews over the years.
Read MoreWelcome to my new, recurring Interview Series. In this space I will publish my interviews with prominent Chicagoans.
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