The Chicagoland Guide

Episode 143: Building the Workforce Behind Chicagoland’s Housing Future with Jennifer Yonan

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Youth Conservation Corps, Jennifer Yonan) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:17:25 +0000

In Episode 143 of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky visits Youth Conservation Corps in Waukegan to explore a critical but often overlooked part of the housing conversation: workforce development. As Lake County and the broader Chicagoland region face a persistent housing shortage, rising construction costs, and a shrinking skilled trades workforce, solutions must go beyond zoning reform and financing tools. This episode examines how YouthBuild Waukegan is training the next generation of construction professionals while building affordable housing for local families. If we want more housing supply, stronger neighborhoods, and sustainable economic growth in Lake County and across the Chicagoland area, we need people who know how to build—and that’s exactly what this program is doing.

Aaron sits down with Executive Director Jennifer Yonan to discuss how their programming serves 16–24 year olds who are disconnected from education and employment, helping them earn their GED or diploma, gain hands-on construction experience, and prepare for registered apprenticeships and careers in the trades.

The conversation covers:

-How workforce training directly impacts housing supply

-Building affordable homes from the ground up in Zion

-Why the skilled trades are increasingly valuable in an AI-driven economy

-The role of regional housing policy and zoning reform in Lake County

-Supporting the “whole person” through education, mentorship, and life skills

Youth Conservation Corps is not only training future electricians, plumbers, and carpenters—it’s strengthening neighborhoods and expanding opportunity from within the community.

Learn more or get involved at:

youthconservationcorps.org

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Episode 142: Chicago Real Estate Outlook 2026 with Adrian Brizulea (CoStar)

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Adrian Brizulea) — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:30:00 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky sits down with Adrian Brizulea of CoStar to unpack the Chicago real estate outlook for 2026.

They discuss multifamily rent trends, housing supply, downtown office recovery, industrial and logistics markets, data centers, suburban redevelopment, and the major development projects shaping Chicagoland’s future.

Adrian shares data-driven insights from his work at CoStar and his recent presentation at the Chicago Association of Realtors Market Outlook, offering a clear view of where the market stands and what investors, homeowners, and residents should be watching next.

Whether you are buying, selling, investing, or simply care about Chicago’s long-term trajectory, this episode provides grounded, practical perspective on the region’s real estate economy.

View the full CAR presentation slides here:

https://chicagorealtor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FINAL-2026-Chicago-Association-of-Realtors-Presentation_AdrianBrizuela_CoStar-1.pdf

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

The Future of Chicagoland: Quantum Tech, Data Centers, Transit, and Regional Growth with CMAP’s Kyle Schulz

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Kyle Schulz) — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:12:01 +0000

In one of the most forward-looking episodes of The Chicagoland Guide to date, host Aaron Masliansky sits down with Kyle Schulz, Deputy of Strategic Advancement at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). This conversation breaks down where Chicagoland is heading over the next decade, and what it will take to stay globally competitive.

Aaron and Kyle originally connected through the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Global Council, and they pick up right where their first conversation left off: the opportunities, risks, and transformational forces shaping the region.

Together, they dive into:

The economic outlook for Chicagoland and where the region is gaining (and losing) ground

Quantum tech and Chicago’s bid to become a global quantum capital

The surge in data centers-why they’re here, what risks they create, and how they impact energy, land use, and local tax bases

Transportation as Chicagoland’s superpower — rail, airports, freight, and the region’s logistical advantage

How immigration, labor markets, and demographic trends will influence long-term regional competitiveness

The evolving Chicago vs. Arlington Heights dynamic around the Bears and big projects

What makes a region attractive to employers, and what CMAP is seeing in real time

How climate resilience, zoning modernization, and infrastructure investment will shape the next decade

Why Chicagoland’s stability, diversity, and economic depth remain a massive strategic asset

What Kyle believes are the big decisions leaders must get right between now and 2035

This episode is smart, fast-paced, and deeply insightful — the kind of conversation that helps residents, investors, civic leaders, and curious locals understand where Chicagoland is truly headed.

If you care about the future of this region, this is a must-listen.

Guest Info

Kyle T. Schulz

Deputy of Strategic Advancement

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)

Website: https://www.cmap.illinois.gov

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chicago-metropolitan-agency-for-planning/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Movement as Medicine: How Dance Therapy Helps Chicagoland Process Stress with Erica Hornthal

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Erica Hornthal) — Tue, 4 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Licensed clinical professional counselor and board-certified dance/movement therapist Erica Hornthal (“The Therapist Who Moves You”) joins Aaron to explain how changing the way we move changes the way we feel. Recorded on November 3, 2025, the conversation grounds movement therapy in the realities of Chicagoland life: financial pressure, screen-driven immobility, community trauma in Highland Park, and heightened anxiety around recent ICE activity across the North Shore. Erica shares practical, accessible ways to regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and communicate nonverbally when words are not enough.

Key Takeaways

Movement is already part of therapy: posture shifts, breathing, pacing, and small gestures can be therapeutic starting points.

We have “out-evolved” our natural instinct to move; immobility amplifies anxiety.

Stressors show up differently across communities. Whether it is public-safety trauma or fear tied to immigration enforcement, the body stores that stress.

You can change your state by changing your movement, even with simple, seated interventions.

Nonverbal work helps couples and families de-escalate conflict and build empathy.

Parents can meet kids’ energy with movement rather than suppression, then teach time-and-place skills.

Research supports dance and movement as effective for anxiety and depression; therapy fit and relationship still matter most.

Practical access: look for “somatic,” “body-oriented,” or “creative arts therapy” in your area; insurance coverage depends on the clinician’s license.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro to Erica and dance/movement therapy

02:00 What movement therapy looks like in practice

04:50 Why Erica wrote “BodyTalk” and how readers use it

08:15 Why we feel so stressed today, and how immobility feeds anxiety

10:45 Local context: Highland Park trauma and recent ICE activity on the North Shore

12:30 Changing movement to change mood and cognition

15:15 Treating the “snake bite” before debating the “why”

16:00 Individual vs group work, and what movement builds between people

17:35 Getting over discomfort and starting small

20:40 A simple intervention: washing hands slowly to interrupt anxiety

22:20 Working across ages: from 3 to 107

26:15 Coaching kids and meeting their movement needs

31:30 Nonverbal communication in relationships and negotiations

35:00 “Embodied listening” and the limits of AI for mental health

39:30 Walks, showers, and why ideas arrive during movement

42:00 Using your body as a free mental health resource

43:00 Finding somatic or creative arts therapists and dealing with insurance

46:45 What the research says about dance, anxiety, and depression

49:00 Where to find Erica and her books

50:00 Closing

Practical Exercises Mentioned

Seated reset: notice shoulders, jaw, feet; slow your breath and lengthen exhale.

Pattern interrupt: pick one daily action and do it slowly for 20 seconds (example: handwashing) to downshift intensity.

Conflict pause: step outside or to separate corners, walk, then reconvene.

With kids: “shake out the wiggles,” go outside for 60 seconds, then return.

Guest

Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT

Founder and CEO, Chicago Dance Therapy

Author of BodyTalk, Body Aware, and The Movement Therapy Deck

Website: https://www.ericahornthal.com

Practice: https://www.chicagodancetherapy.com

Instagram: @thetherapistwhomovesyou

Email: erica@hornthal.com

Resources Mentioned

BodyTalk: 365 Gentle Practices to Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body

Body Aware

The Movement Therapy Deck

Search terms for local care: “somatic therapy,” “body-oriented therapy,” “creative arts therapy,” “dance movement therapy,” plus your city.

For Listeners in Chicagoland

If anxiety has spiked for you or your family due to recent events in the region, consider brief, daily movement check-ins. Even small posture and breath changes can reduce a constant state of alert. Nonverbal practices can help when words feel risky or overwhelming.

Connect

Host: Aaron Masliansky — The Chicagoland Guide

Subscribe, rate, and share if this episode helped you. New episodes highlight people and ideas that make Chicagoland a great place to live.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Keeping Culture Alive in Highland Park featuring Diana Gran | The Chicagoland Guide – Episode 139

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Diana Gran, Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:40:26 +0000

How can celebrating cultural traditions strengthen a community?

In this episode, host Aaron Masliansky is joined by Diana Gran — Founder of Diana Gran Portraits and Director of Día de los Muertos (DDM) Week in Highland Park — to explore how honoring heritage can create unity, healing, and connection across generations and cultures.

Diana shares her journey from Acapulco to Highland Park, how reclaiming her roots transformed her life and art, and why DDM Week has become a meaningful celebration for the North Shore community. We discuss the power of remembrance, the importance of cultural authenticity, and how local businesses, libraries, and community organizations have come together to support this growing annual tradition.

Topics Covered

What Día de los Muertos truly represents

Diana’s journey of identity, immigration, and finding home

The origins and mission of DDM Week in Highland Park

The healing power of honoring ancestors and community storytelling

How local businesses and organizations are collaborating to keep culture alive

Why “done is better than perfect” can change your life and creativity

Connect with Diana

Website: https://dianagranportraits.com

DDM Week Instagram: @ddmweekhp

DDM Week Information & Events: https://hpculturalarts.org

Connect with The Chicagoland Guide

Website: https://thechicagolandguide.com

Instagram: @thechicagolandguide

YouTube: @TheChicagolandGuide

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Ravinia’s Legacy & Future: A Conversation with Jeff Haydon

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:21:12 +0000

Episode Overview

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky sits down with Jeff Haydon, President & CEO of the iconic Ravinia Festival in Highland Park — America’s oldest outdoor music festival.

Jeff shares how Ravinia began as a railroad amusement park over a century ago and evolved into one of the nation’s leading cultural institutions. The conversation covers Ravinia’s deep roots in the community, its role as a good neighbor in Highland Park, and its vision for the future through the Setting the Stage campaign — a $75 million renovation of its 36-acre campus to be completed by 2029.

Highlights

The fascinating history behind Ravinia’s founding and evolution.

How Ravinia collaborates with Highland Park to manage traffic, sustainability, and neighborhood harmony.

Reopening after the pandemic and reshaping audience experiences.

The Reach Teach Play® education program — bringing music to 120+ schools across Chicagoland.

Jazz legend Kurt Elling’s role as Jazz Advisor and the creation of the Breaking Barriers Festival with Marin Alsop.

Details on the Setting the Stages campaign to renovate Ravinia’s stages, pavilion, and guest experience.

About the Guest

Jeff Haydon has over 30 years of arts management experience and has led Ravinia since 2020. Under his leadership, the organization has secured major funding, expanded educational initiatives, and continued its mission to make world-class music accessible to all.

Learn more: ravinia.org

About the Host

Aaron Masliansky is a Realtor at Compass and host of The Chicagoland Guide, showcasing the people and places that make the region a great place to live. As a trusted local expert, Aaron helps clients navigate real estate across Chicago and the North Shore — guiding home buyers and sellers through every step of their journey.

Explore more episodes and connect with Aaron at thechicagolandguide.com.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Growing the Future: Inside Historic Wagner Farm with Director Jonathan Kuester

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Jonathan Kuester) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 20:41:35 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky visits one of the last working farms in Cook County: Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, Illinois. Joined by Director Jonathan Kuester, the conversation covers the surprising depth of history, education, and innovation happening just off Lake Avenue.

Jonathan shares how Wagner Farm blends historic preservation with modern agriculture, offering programs for students (including special education farmers), operating one of the region’s most vibrant farmers markets, and even exploring robotic milking systems and crop science.

Highlights include:

The transformation of Wagner from a 1900s family farm to a public living history museum

The impact of 4-H and farm apprenticeships on future veterinarians, scientists, and chefs

How U.S. farming changed under the Nixon administration—and what it means for small farmers today

How cows, robots, and soil science intersect to shape the future of agriculture

The renewed push for local food and what’s coming next at Wagner Farm

Whether you’re a local history buff, foodie, or just someone who’s driven past the cows on Lake Avenue and wondered what goes on there—this episode will surprise and inspire you

Listen and watch now and explore more at thechicagolandguide.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

A Taste of Cambodia in Chicago: The Story of Khmai Fine Dining with Chef Mona Sang

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Mona Sang, Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 28 May 2025 17:57:01 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky interviews Chef Mona Sang, the visionary behind Khmai Cambodian Fine Dining in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

More than a restaurant, Khmai is a deeply personal tribute to Mona’s mother—a survivor of the Cambodian genocide—and a celebration of Cambodian culture through food. Mona shares how cooking helped her mother heal, how their journey together brought Khmai to life, and how traditional recipes passed down through generations continue to shape every dish on the menu.

From humble beginnings to being recognized as a James Beard semifinalist, Mona explains how Khmai became one of Chicago’s most sought-after dining experiences. Discover the emotional stories behind the food, the values driving the restaurant, and why Khmai is a place where culture, memory, and community converge.

Learn more and connect:

Website: https://khmai-fine-dining.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khmaichicago

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monabellacatering/#

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@khmaichicago1?lang=en

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mona-bella-catering-chicago

More episodes and local insights: https://www.thechicagolandguide.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

From Argentina to Evanston: The Story of FRÍO Gelato with Karla Koziura

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky, Karla Koziura) — Tue, 20 May 2025 19:46:44 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky interviews Karla Koziura, co-owner and Marketing Director of FRÍO Gelato, an Argentinian-style gelato company with storefronts in Evanston, Navy Pier, and Wilmette.

What started as a craving for authentic flavors turned into a beloved local business known for its commitment to artisanal quality, allergen-friendly options, and a welcoming community vibe. Karla shares the journey of bringing Argentinian gelato to Chicagoland and what makes FRÍO unique—from their approach to flavor creation to their local partnerships and cultural roots.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

The founding story of FRÍO Gelato

What makes Argentinian gelato different

Why Evanston, Navy Pier, and Wilmette were chosen for their locations

How they maintain allergen-friendly and gluten-free practices

Flavor development, including seasonal and wine-inspired options

The importance of local support and community engagement

Lessons learned from expanding and adapting post-pandemic

To learn more, visit FRÍO Gelato’s website at www.friogelato.com or follow them on Instagram @friogelato. For more episodes and content, visit www.thechicagolandguide.com.

If you enjoy discovering the stories behind Chicagoland’s local businesses, subscribe and leave us a review.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Faith, Wrestling, and Community with Rabbi Jeremy Fine

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Jeremy Fine) — Tue, 13 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, I sit down with my longtime friend Rabbi Jeremy Fine. Jeremy is the Rabbi of Congregation B’nai Tikvah in Deerfield, Illinois, and the founder of 2econd Wrestling, a fast-growing independent wrestling promotion based right here in Chicagoland.

We’ve known each other since high school, so it’s especially meaningful for me to share this conversation with you. We talk about his unique journey—how he balances leading a congregation while building a professional wrestling brand that brings people together from all walks of life.

Jeremy shares what it takes to engage community in today’s world, how he uses creativity to reach people where they are, and how both his faith work and wrestling promotion are about building connection and meaning.

We also talk about two exciting upcoming events you won’t want to miss.

Upcoming Event at Congregation B’nai Tikvah in Deerfield

“Everybody Wants This! A Night of Comedy & Conversation”

Featuring Jackie Tohn and Timothy Simons from the Netflix series Nobody Wants This

Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2025

Location: Congregation B’nai Tikvah, Deerfield, IL

Learn more and get tickets at: https://cbtdeerfield.shulcloud.com/form/Fundraiser4

Upcoming 2econd Wrestling Events

2econd Wrestling: ANCHORFISTS – A Free Family-Friendly Wrestling Show

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025

Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: Anchorfish Printing & Embroidery, 2302 Main Street, Evanston, IL

Reserve your free tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2econd-wrestling-anchorfists-tickets-1299397405619?aff=erelpanelorg

2econd Wrestling: Breaking the Rules – Live Pro Wrestling in Palatine

Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Dirty Nellie’s, Palatine, IL

Tickets and info at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2econd-wrestling-breaking-the-rules-tickets-1299420514739

Follow 2econd Wrestling on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) at @2econdWrestling.

2econd Wrestling: WRESTLE EDEN – Live at The Cubby Bear in Chicago

Date: Thursday, July 31, 2025

Location: The Cubby Bear, Chicago, IL

Tickets and info at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2econd-wrestling-wrestle-eden-tickets-1358517254679?aff=erelpanelorg

Thanks for listening to The Chicagoland Guide. Be sure to follow the show for more stories about the people and places that make Chicagoland such a great place to live, work, and explore.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Global Trade, Tariffs, and the U.S. Housing Market with Nadia Evangelou

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Nadia Evangelou, Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:11:59 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Real Estate Research at the National Association of Realtors®. They explore how global trade dynamics, tariffs, and macroeconomic shifts are impacting the U.S. housing market — and what that means for Chicagoland.

Nadia shares insights from her latest research, including a closer look at which U.S. states are most reliant on exports and imports and how trade exposure influences job growth and home prices. They also discuss trends in interest rates, inflation, immigration, remote work, and foreign investment — and what signals to watch for in 2025 and beyond.

Key topics:

How tariffs affect construction costs and home affordability
Why Illinois and Chicagoland are highly exposed to global trade shifts
Where mortgage rates might head by the end of 2025
The growing importance of inventory and affordability for first-time buyers
Remote work, office absorption, and what’s next for downtown real estate
How changing immigration and foreign investment patterns could influence the housing market
Opportunities in the Chicago area condo market

Resources mentioned:

Nadia’s NAR profile and articles: https://www.nar.realtor/nadia-evangelou
Blog article discussed: https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/which-states-rely-most-on-exports-and-imports-a-closer-look-at-the-numbers-behind-trade
Connect with Nadia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaevangelou/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadioula/

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Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

The Chicagoland Guide-Rethinking Lawns with Dr. Becky Barak: How Native Plants Can Transform Chicagoland Landscapes

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky, Becky Barak) — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky sky introduces Inside the Skev listeners to the Chicagoland Guide, reconnects with longtime friend, scientist, and conservationist Dr. Becky Barak of the Chicago Botanic Garden to explore how native plants can play a key role in the future of urban and suburban living across the region.

Becky will be speaking at Skokie Public Library on April 24, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in an event titled “Rethinking Lawns: Incorporating Native Plants into Home Landscapes.” In this conversation, we go in-depth on what native plants are, why they matter for our local ecosystems, how they can help with flood prevention, and how homeowners, HOAs, and municipalities can shift their approach to landscaping.

Aaron and Becky also discuss practical advice for how to:

Introduce native plants into townhome communities like College Hill

Talk to landscaping professionals about transitioning away from traditional turf grass

Select beginner-friendly native species for home gardens or rain basins

Avoid common mistakes in native lawn conversion

If you care about water management, storm resilience, biodiversity, and beautiful, low-maintenance alternatives to traditional lawns — this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources & Links:

🌱 Becky Barak’s Website

🏛️ Becky’s Profile at the Chicago Botanic Garden

📚 Rethinking Lawns Event at Skokie Public Library (April 24)

🌎 RethinkingLawns.com – Research, Resources, and Plant Lists

💼 Connect with Becky on LinkedIn

📍 Why This Matters to Chicagoland

This conversation is another reminder of why Chicagoland is such a dynamic, thoughtful place to live — where world-class institutions like the Chicago Botanic Garden are working on local solutions to global problems. Whether you’re in Evanston, Skokie, or anywhere across the region, this episode offers practical insight on how we can make our communities more beautiful, resilient, and sustainable — one yard at a time.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Welcome to The Chicagoland Guide – Season 2 Begins

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 01:57:13 +0000

Welcome to The Chicagoland Guide! I’m your host, Aaron Masliansky.

This podcast is for anyone who wants to explore what makes Chicagoland one of the most vibrant, diverse, and fascinating regions in the country.

In this kickoff episode, I share what to expect in Season 2—from local business spotlights to neighborhood tours, cultural insights, interviews with community leaders, and real estate updates.

This show is an evolution of Inside the Skev, and I’m excited to expand the conversation to include more of what makes our region a great place to live, work, and explore.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes

🌐 Visit: https://thechicagolandguide.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: @thechicagolandguide_

📬 Questions or want to collaborate? Email me at aaron@thechicagolandguide.com

Thanks for being here!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Eric James-Field Ready

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Eric James) — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

In this captivating episode of Inside the Skev, we welcomed Dr. Eric James, a stalwart in international development and humanitarian aid, to discuss his extensive career and the innovative approaches he's championed in the field. Hailing from Evanston and a proud alumnus of Evanston Township High School and the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Dr. James brought his unique blend of local insights and global perspectives to our discussion.

Our conversation took us through the riveting journey of Dr. James, exploring how his formative years led to a lifelong commitment to aid and development. Dr. James opened up about early career decisions, the compelling call to humanitarian work, and provided an intimate look into the challenging environments he's worked in. He recounted impactful experiences that have not only shaped his approach to aid but also transformed the lives of many in over twenty countries.

A deep dive into his influential book, "Managing Humanitarian Relief," revealed Dr. James's motivation for writing and its substantial influence on how aid organizations operate. He also shared the innovative spirit behind Field Ready, an organization redefining how aid is delivered through cutting-edge solutions.

The conversation touched on the recognition Dr. James received from Rotary International, highlighting the synergy between large organizations and humanitarian efforts. We also discussed the increasing number of global crises and Dr. James's insights on adapting aid distribution in an ever-changing geopolitical landscape.

The transition from crisis response to long-term community resilience was another focal point, with Dr. James detailing Field Ready's contributions to empowerment and sustainability. Technological innovation's role in Field Ready's success was explored, with special mention of Dr. James's time at Singularity University.

Looking ahead, Dr. James offered his vision for the evolution of international aid and advice for those inspired to join the field. For further information and to delve into Dr. James's works and initiatives, listeners can visit ericbooks.com and fieldready.org.

Don't miss this insightful episode that bridges the gap between local actions and global changes, highlighting how individual journeys can contribute to a greater good.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

The Essence of Skevanston: A Conversation with Dick Peach

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In this enlightening episode of "Inside the Skev," host Aaron Masliansky engages in a deep and inspiring conversation with Dick Peach, a pivotal figure in the Skevanston and Evanston communities. Known for his extensive involvement in various facets of community life, Dick shares his rich experiences, from growing up in a rural-like Skokie to leading significant community initiatives. His roles as the President of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Evanston, along with his contributions to local high schools, environmental efforts, and vocational learning, are just a few highlights of his remarkable journey. This episode promises a wealth of insights into community leadership, the power of involvement, and the evolution of the Skevanston area.

Episode Highlights:

Dick Peach's Background: Discussion about Dick's upbringing in Skevanston, his education, and his service in the Vietnam War. His diverse career includes working at Rand McNally, managing a professional sports car racing team, a car dealership and Dempster Auto Rebuilding.

Community Leadership: Insights into Dick’s leadership roles in the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Evanston. His approach to leadership emphasizes delegation, trust, and community involvement.

Rotary Club Projects: Exploration of the Rotary Club's local and international projects, including significant initiatives in Guatemala and Africa. Discussion about Dick receiving the prestigious Bill Logan Legacy of Service Award.

Civic Engagement and Advocacy: Dick's efforts in advocating for small businesses and vocational education in Evanston. He played a key role in establishing the auto shop program at Evanston Township High School and has written award-winning articles on fishing and environmental issues.

Personal Stories: From being Santa Claus in downtown Evanston to his deep passion for fishing, Dick shares personal anecdotes that reflect his diverse interests and commitment to the community.

Advice for Future Leaders: Dick encourages active community involvement and highlights the importance of diverse opinions and respectful dialogues for effective community leadership.

Conclusion:

Dick Peach’s story is a testament to the impact one individual can have on their community. His dedication to various causes and his ability to inspire change are evident throughout the episode. Listeners are invited to explore more about community initiatives and are encouraged to engage in their own local issues.

Stay tuned for more episodes of "Inside the Skev" with Aaron Masliansky, where community stories and insights come to life.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Earth Day Adventures and Eco-Innovations at Evanston Ecology Center

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Matt Poole, Margaret Isaacson) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Inside the Skev, the podcast that explores the important stories shaping our community. In this episode, host Aaron Masliansky speaks with Matt Poole and Margaret Isaacson, dedicated professionals at the Evanston Ecology Center. The Evanston Ecology Center is an integral part of the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Evanston, fostering environmental awareness and promoting outdoor recreation throughout the community. Matt, the Recreation Manager, and Margaret, the Program Coordinator, share their passion and commitment to environmental stewardship.

In this engaging conversation, we discuss the Earth Day events planned for April 22, 2023. Residents can look forward to a variety of activities, including a guided nature walk, a bird watching hike, a tree planting ceremony, a children's art contest, and a complimentary community lunch to celebrate Earth Day together.

In addition to Earth Day celebrations, the Evanston Ecology Center has ambitious plans for the future. One such initiative is the construction of a kayak launch on the canal, designed to provide a safe and accessible way for residents to enjoy paddling activities. Another exciting project in development is a state-of-the-art nature classroom, aimed at enhancing environmental education through hands-on learning experiences.

If you're interested in visiting or learning more about the Evanston Ecology Center, the facility is located at 2024 McCormick Blvd., Evanston, IL 60202. For further information or inquiries, please call (847) 866-2992 or visit their website at https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/parks-recreation-community-services/ecology-center, where you'll find the latest news and resources related to their environmental programs.

In closing, Aaron thanks Matt and Margaret for their dedication to environmental stewardship and their ongoing contributions to the Evanston community. He encourages listeners to participate in Earth Day events and support the Evanston Ecology Center's initiatives as a valuable part of the City of Evanston's Parks and Recreation Department.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Real Estate Update

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down Jennifer LaMell Goldstone from Horwitch, Goldstone & Shaw, Deanne Cooper from Fidelity National Title Insurance and Beth Lewis from CrossCountry Mortgage. We speak about the work of attorneys, title companies and lenders, how these industries support real estate investments here locally in Chicago and the United States. We also discuss the current state of the real estate market in February 2023. This episode was also released on my global podcast, The Real Estate Diplomat.

According to Beth Lewis, she issued the following update regarding the mortgage market:

Mortgage rates jumped to their highest levels in a month this week because of last Friday’s Jobs report. Due to most of the focus being on inflation and the possible Fed rate increase, it was easy to overlook employment which is the other marker the Fed uses to gauge the strength of the economy. The most recent jobs report showed that there were more than 500k new jobs created. Pandemic years aside, this quarter typically sees a reduction in job creations and increased unemployment due to seasonal holiday jobs ending. The expectation was for 185K new jobs so 517K really blew predictions out of the water. Right now any positive economic news is bad for rates, and while the volatility is stressful we have to remember the opportunity it gives us to be advisors to our clients.

For clients concerned with the raising Fed Funds rate, remind them that this does not impact mortgage loans. The Fed rate is separate, it is the rate that banks charge other for overnight loans controlled by the Fed Reserve. Typically changes to the Fed Funds rates are reflected in advance of the actual changes and there were no changes to mortgage rates due to last week’s increase. One indicator that the economy is slowing is the unemployment report from this week. It increased new filings by 13k over December’s figures. It goes without saying that I would never want anyone to lose their job, but this is the second metric we should be paying attention to in order to see if we are heading towards a recession. A recession would bring lower rates. My opinion is that rates will hover right around where they have been for the last month until the Q1 earnings are released, and we have more data to really understand where the economy stands.

My advice to clients right now is to concentrate on the big picture. “Why do you need to buy or sell a home today and how do we get you a payment that fits your budget?” It’s impossible to time the market and we can only use the facts and tools that we have today, which are temporary buydowns and knowledge that there are many loan level price adjustments coming in April that will make home loans more expensive. We also know that rates will drop if we are in a recession and the Fed starts buying mortgage-backed securities. None of us can know when that is or what the bottom will be, but my team is here if a refi opportunity presents itself.

To learn more about the guests, go to the following websites:

Jennifer LaMell Goldstone: https://www.hgslegal.com/

Deanne Cooper: https://www.fntic.com/ or Deanne.Cooper@fnf.com

Beth Lewis: https://crosscountrymortgage.com/Beth-Lewis-Team/Beth-Lewis/

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates. To follow The Real Estate Diplomat, go to https://www.therealestatediplomat.com/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

The Aux

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Tiffini Holmes, Jaqui White, Tosha Wilson) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Tosha Wilson, Tiffini Holmes and Jaqui White, who are co-developers of the Aux, which is a planned commercial hub dedicated to racial equity and wellness in Evanston. The Auxiliary Cord LLC (the “Company”) has purchased a 16,000 square foot warehouse located at 2223 Washington Street in Evanston, IL 60202. The Company plans to fully renovate the building, converting it into a commercial hub for Black-owned small businesses and organizations that focus on community wellness.

To learn more about the Aux, go to: https://www.theauxevanston.com/

To learn about investing, go to: https://www.smallchange.co/projects/The-Aux-Evanston

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Plans for 2023

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 21:30:32 +0000

Today, I am releasing a podcast with my plans for 2023.

First, I talk about the events I have planned for the month, especially the first event on January 19th at Ignite Gaming Lounge which is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Evanston's charitable foundation. This is the event for the who's who of Skokie and Evanston to hear from the leaders of the community of what to expect, and for everyone to get to meet. Monthly events will follow. You can sign up for the event by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skevanston-social-tickets-484542699257

In 2023, I also plan to change the focus of my second podcast, the Real Estate Diplomat. The shows current focus is an American's guide to global real estate looking through a geo-political lens. While there may be some episodes that relate to real estate, I plan to shift the focus geopolitics through the eyes of an American real estate entrepreneur (me). I plan to speak to all types of people in regards to geo-political affairs who interest me, and I hope listeners come along for the ride. I view this show as my passion project, and I want to lean into that passion. If you have ideas for guests and topics, or potentially want to collaborate on this show, DM me.

I also talk a little bit on my thoughts on the current real estate market, and what to expect in 2023.

Wishing everyone happy holidays, and a very happy new year!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Len Joy-Dry Heat

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Len Joy) — Fri, 2 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Len Joy, the author of the new book, Dry Heat. Dry Heat, is a crime novel about a young man who loses everything but his heart. Len is an author of several novels, a Skevanston resident and a nationally ranked triathlete and competes internationally representing the United States as part of TEAM USA.

More information about Len can be found on his website which can be found here: https://www.lenjoybooks.com/

Len was previously featured on Inside the Skev in Epsiode 72 in which we discussed his book, Everyoen Dies Famous: https://www.skevanston.com/episodes/episode-72-len-joy-everyone-dies-famous

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Distributed by IPGbook.com and available through all major wholesalers and retailers
BQB publishing, an imprint of Boutique of Quality Books

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Girls Playing Sports

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we meet many members of Girls Playing Sports (GPS). GPS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering leadership skills and confidence in girls through participation in a wide variety of sports. The program engages girls, grades 3-8, in multiple sports without a long-term or expensive commitment. GPS engages girls in meaningful conversations about current topics that affect young women today.

More information can be found here: https://www.teamgps.org/

On the show we had:

Liz Brieva-Co-Founder and Program Director

Tosha Wilson-Board Member

Olivia Ohlson- Youth Board Member and Coach

Margaret Adams- Youth Board Member and Coach

Sophia Masliansky- Participant and Host’s Daughter

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Sabrina Ehmke-Skokie Swifters

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Sabrina Ehmke) — Sun, 6 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we meet Sabrina Ehmke, the founder of the Skokie Swifters Run Walk Club. Skokie Swifters is a run/walk club for anyone from beginners to experienced distance runners. Whether you just want to get moving outside, are looking to make some new friends, or are looking for a little motivation while you train for an upcoming race, you'll find a welcome community in the Swifters! Sabrina is also an ETHS teacher on Sabbatical, and has her own podcast called, “For Your Run.”

More information can be found here: https://www.skokieswifters.run/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Tazima Parris-Infinite Relating

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Tazima Parris) — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we speak with Tazima Parris from Infinite Relating. Tazima is a Sex Coach & Pleasure Mentor for high-achieving women 35+ who overthink, over-give, and and end up overwhelmed. She creates space for women to prioritize pleasure and go from resentful to radiant. Tazima uses communication tools and practices from her 25+ years of research and experience to help women increase their sexual confidence, clearly communicate needs, and hold better boundaries.

More information on Tazima can be found here:

Website: https://www.infiniterelating.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/tazimaparris

Free Gift: https://tazimaparris.podia.com/sex-ed-refresh-starter-pack

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Peloton in the Skev

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 9 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we speak with my wife, Stacey Masliansky from Brainlinks Academics, Inc about an upcoming event at the Peloton Store at Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie. Taking place on Sunday, October 23rd from 9-11am at the Peloton Store at Westfield Old Orchard Mall (Skokie).

Sign up for one of three exercise classes, treat yourself to a Reset by Therabody massage, and grab a coffee to kickstart your day. Peloton and Therabody will also be offering some great discounts for attendees.

Limited bikes, treadmills, and rower machines will be available for each class – sign up early to secure your favorite! Signup here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peloton-in-the-skev-tickets-429385793467

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dorothy Rosen - Women Belong

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Dorothy Rosen) — Sun, 2 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we meet Dorothy Rosen, co-founder of Women Belong. Women Belong was born out of a vision founders Dorothy Rosen and Kate Alpert had for bringing women together in an authentic way, with the mission of advancing business growth through deepening personal relationships. Women Belong re-imagines what business networking looks like. They come together and explore business honestly, relationships form, and connections deepen. These relationships create spaces and opportunities for a higher vision of what can collectively be achieved.

More information can be found here: https://womenbelong.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Judith Horwitz Glassenberg - Erie Family Health

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Judith Horwitz Glassenberg) — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 09:30:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we meet Dr. Judith Glasseneberg. Judith is a pediatrician and the co-Site Medical Director with Erie Evanston/Skokie Health and Dental Center. She has been with them since 2013. Judith recently travelled to Poland to help Ukrainian War refugees and has also helped the migrants who recently arrived in Chicago.

Erie is a regional health care resource serving more than 82,000 patients a year at 13 health centers spanning the west side of Chicago to Waukegan. These sites include four large primary care centers that offer integrated medical and dental health services, three additional large primary care centers, the region’s oldest and largest comprehensive teen, and young adult health center, and five school-based health centers. They deliver high quality health care services to the Chicago region’s medically under-served residents with compassion, cultural understanding, and respect—regardless of their ability to pay.

Learn more at: https://www.eriefamilyhealth.org

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Kellie O’Brien-The O’Brien School for the Massai

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Kellie O’Brien) — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 09:30:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we meet Kellie O’Brien. Kellie helped create the O’Brien School for the Massai in Tanzania. The O'Brien School for the Maasai is more than just a school. It's an organization that believes education can change the world, that economic opportunity can shift harmful gender norms, that leaders can come from the most rural and difficult environments.

Learn more at: https://www.obrienschool.org

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

An Update from Aaron Masliansky

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 15:11:57 +0000

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

David Lloyd-David Lloyd & Associates

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (David Lloyd) — Sun, 4 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we meet David Lloyd, the founder of David Lloyd & Associates, the world’s most elite private travel concierge. With over 30 years of experience, David Lloyd brings his creative and contemporary experience to every project. Globally and philanthropically minded, his bespoke experiences are both sustainable and modern.

Managing the logistics of these multifaceted enterprises requires a distinctive skill set. Raised in Madagascar, educated in Europe, and working in the travel industry, He has visited 75% of the globe. All of this assists David in his career as a Lifestyle Concierge and Global Travel Guru.

Learn more at: https://davidlloydtravel.com

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jon R. Marquardt- Skokie Park District

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Jon R. Marquardt) — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we meet Jon R. Marquardt, the Skokie Park District's Superintendent of Facilities. Marquardt administers the district's revenue facilities and their staffs. He also is charged with developing innovative partnerships and outreach within the Skokie community. Marquardt also serves as the diversity committee head, which oversees DEI initiatives and diversity events throughout the district. In this episode, we talk about his role and the upcoming Backlot Bash event.

The Backlot Bash which is taking place from August 26-28th. Skokie's downtown summer street festival is held annually over three days in late August, one week prior to Labor Day weekend. Since its inception in 2007, Skokie's Backlot Bash has presented international eclectic Rock, Blues and R&B artists, including The Psychedelic Furs, Presidents of the United States of America, Lonnie Brooks, Living Colour, The Fixx, The English Beat, War, The Romantics, Cracker, Fastball, The Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw, Spin Doctors, Blue Oyster Cult and Smoking Popes.

Learn more about the Backlot Bash at: https://www.backlotbash.com/index.html

Learn more about the Skokie Park District at: https://www.skokieparks.org

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jennifer Engel - Skokie Farmers Market

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Jennifer Engel) — Sun, 7 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are Jennifer Engel, Market Manager for the Skokie Farmer’s Market. The 2022 Skokie Farmers’ Market began on Sunday, June 5, and will be open every Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through November 6. The 2022 market features many longstanding vendors as well as some exciting new ones, too! The Village of Skokie Farmers’ Market mission is to provide a platform to bring nutrient dense produce to all members of the community, while supporting local farmers and the local economy in Skokie.

Learn more at: https://skokie.org/434/Skokie-Farmers-Market

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Roger Knuth- President and CEO of Lapin Systems

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Roger Knuth) — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we are joined by Roger Knuth, President and CEO of Lapin Systems. Lapin is Chicagolands Premier Macintosh and PC Service, Repair, and Support Provider. Roger launched Lapin out of his home in the mid-1990s after noticing a lack of proper Mac support in the Chicagoland area. By the year 2000, Lapin’s new storefront had grown enough to become an anchor of the Evanston small business community and a destination for Mac users throughout the North Shore. Lapin now has its main location 2034 N Halsted St in Chicago and a secondary location at 2934 Central Street in Evanston.

Learn more at: https://www.lapin.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Mark George-Music Institute of Chicago

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Mark George) — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we are joined by Mark George, the CEO of the Music Institute of Chicago, which is located in Evanston. The Music Institute of Chicago is a nonprofit community music school that leads people toward a lifelong engagement with music by providing widely accessible resources for high-quality music teaching, performing, and service activities—and harnessing the power of music to educate, inspire, and bring comfort to the communities it serves.

Learn more at: https://www.musicinst.org

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Rachel Moore-Collaborative Divorce Attorney

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Rachel Moore) — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we are joined by Rachel Moore. Rachel is a Collaborative Divorce Institute Fellow and has a private practice devoted exclusively to collaborative law, facilitative mediation, and representing parties utilizing mediation. A collaborative process divorce provides an alternative process to litigation. Rachel is based in Skokie.

Prior to starting her own practice in 2013, Rachel worked in family law for five years and served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois for eight years. As an attorney, Rachel advocated for hundreds of individual clients and always sought to find creative ways to help people resolve conflicts. An accomplished litigator, Rachel successfully practiced in federal and state court and before administrative tribunals. Rachel now also knows the power of using mediation models to achieve more creative, cost effective, and detailed outcomes. With an understanding of the human dynamic behind every conflict, Rachel hears her clients’ goals and concerns and empowers them to reach successful resolutions.

Learn more at: https://rachelmoorelaw.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

John Hewko-CEO of Rotary International

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (John Hewko) — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev we are joined by John Hewko, the General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. Rotary, which is based in Evanston, has over 1.4 million members in over 46,000 clubs around the world. Rotary is an organization of people who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

Previous to Rotary, John was the Vice President for Operations and Compact Development for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government agency established in 2004 to deliver foreign assistance to the world’s poorest countries. Prior to joining MCC, Hewko was an international partner with the law firm Baker & McKenzie, specializing in international corporate transactions in emerging markets. He helped establish the firm’s Moscow office and was the managing partner of its offices in Kyiv and Prague.

While working in Ukraine in the early 1990s, Hewko assisted the working group that prepared the initial draft of the new Ukrainian post-Soviet constitution and was a charter member of the first Rotary club in Kyiv.

John is a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University, and a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has published papers and articles in leading U.S. and international publications, and he has spoken extensively on political and business issues dealing with the former Soviet Union, Central Europe, Africa, and Latin America. He is also a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.

Hewko holds a law degree from Harvard University, a master’s in modern history from Oxford University (where he studied as a Marshall Scholar), and a bachelor’s in government and Soviet studies from Hamilton College in New York.

More info on Rotary International can be found here: https://www.rotary.org/en

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Diana Hamann-The Wine Goddess

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Diana Hamann) — Sun, 3 Jul 2022 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Diana Hamann, the Wine Goddess. After graduating from the University of California Berkeley with a Literature degree, she fell into the wine business. After starting as a wine buyer for the Whole Foods in Palo Alto, she worked on the buying team for Wine.com, Napa, and then later returned to her native Chicago. She has consulted for top name resturants such as Japonais, Le Colonial, Le Passage, and Fox & Obel; facilitated programs for the Wine Discount Center; and peddled wine for Vin Divino. In 2012, she opened the Wine Goddess, and has been innovating ever since.

We discuss the how the Wine Goddess started as a boutique wine shop, and has now grown to include a premier wine club, with in store tastings and classes, and a wine bar. In 2020, Dianna was instrumental in creating the Custer Street Oasis, which includes outdoor dining from The Wine Goddess, La Principal, and Trattoria D.O.C., along with live music concerts.

Dianna also writes a noteworthy weekly newsletter to promote the Wine Goddess, which always includes alot more than wine talk. It is well known within the community.

The Wine Goddess is located at 702 Main St, Evanston, IL 60202 and you can learn more, and signup for the newsletter by clicking here: https://www.winegoddess.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Daniel Aschheim-Deputy Consul General of Israel to the Midwest

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Daniel Aschheim) — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 10:20:35 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Dr. Daniel Aschheim. He currently serves as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. He was appointed to this Chicago-based post in September of 2020 where he assumed the role as Consul for Public Diplomacy serving as the spokesperson for the Consulate's nine-state Midwestern region. This episode is also being released on my sister podcast, The Real Estate Diplomat.

In this episode we discuss a multitude of topics such as the role of the Consulate; Israel's programming within the Midwest; issues relating to terrorism and Iran; Israel's response to the Pandemic; Israel's stance on the war in Ukraine; American investment in Israel and Israeli investment within the Chicagoland area.

More information on the Israeli Consulate to the Midwest can be found here: https://embassies.gov.il/chicago/Pages/default.aspx

This episode is dedicated to my late grandfather, Eugene Chez, who passed away on June 23rd.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Shoutout to First Class Moving & Storage and Lapin Systems for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Chanel Jeon from TeaRex Bubble Tea Cafe

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Chanel Jeon) — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, are joined by Chanel Jeon, co-Founder of TeaRex Bubble Tea Café. Chanel opened the store with her husband Clay, in 2017. Subsequently they have opened a second location in Nles. In this episode we talk about why she shifted her career from being a teacher to running a business, why she opened in Skokie, and what makes her bubble tea so special.

TeaRex is located at 5237 Golf Rd, Skokie, IL 60077 and 9109 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL 60714. They can be found on Facebook and Instagram @bubbletearex.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Shoutout to First Class Moving & Storage and Lapin Systems for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Fritz Kaegi-Cook County Assessor 2022 Update

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Fritz Kaegi) — Thu, 9 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, are rejoined by Fritz Kaegi, the Cook County Assessor. Since assuming office in 2018, Fritz has striven to bring fairness, ethics and transparency to the Cook County Assessor’s Office with a vision focused on operational changes, technological upgrades, and the elimination of favoritism. We will talk about how he has accomplished his goals, what property owners should know about the property tax system in Cook County and how Covid is affecting property valuations. We also discuss the upcoming elections.

More information can be found here: http://www.cookcountyassessor.com and https://fritzforassessor.com

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Shoutout to First Class Moving & Storage and Lapin Systems for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jane Shapiro - Orot: Center for Jewish Learning

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Jane Shapiro) — Fri, 20 May 2022 22:57:27 +0000

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jane Shapiro, the co-founder of Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning. Jane has been involved in Jewish education for over three decades, and is a pillar of the Evanston/Skevanston community. We first discuss her family's deep roots to Evanston and real estate, and then learn about her career in education.

Orot offers classes, programs, and retreats that provides opportunities for cultivating transformative habits of body, heart, and mind that lead to greater life wisdom, meaning, and compassion. Orot designs learning experiences that integrate ancient Jewish wisdom with meditation, yoga, music, art, and creative writing in an attempt to empower and support individuals as they open up new pathways into Jewish meaning and look to use Judaism as a source for personal, relational, and communal transformation.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Shoutout to First Class Moving & Storage and Lapin Systems for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Update from the Main Dempster Mile

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Katherine Gotsick) — Wed, 11 May 2022 21:19:50 +0000

In this episode, we catch up with Katherine Gotsick, the executive director of the Main Dempster Mile. The area has survived the pandemic, and in many ways has reinvented itself. We learn about new businesses like Pour, the Custer Oasis and so much more. 2022 has a great lineup of events that will be taking place as well in the district. The Main Dempster Mile is a Special Service Area for the commercial districts that currently make up the Chicago/Dempster business district and the Main Street business district.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Shoutout to First Class Moving & Storage for sponsoring this episode!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Inside the Skev is Back! Catching up with Downtown Evanston

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 3 May 2022 19:19:05 +0000

Inside the Skev is back! After a one year hiatus, the show returns to catch up on everything happening in Skokie and Evanston. To mark the return, we are joined by Annie Coakley, from the Downtown Evanston organization. Annie returns to the show to update us on everything new in Downtown Evanston, and how it has weather the storm of the pandemic. Annie is the executive director of Downtown Evanston, which was created in 1987, and provides marketing and management services to the downtown Evanston, Illinois district and is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation for business.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Inside the Skev is Pausing

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 1 Apr 2021 20:29:47 +0000

Listen as host Aaron Masliansky tells the audience of his plans to pause Inside the Skev as he begins work on a new project with a much wider focus.

Reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Make sure to listen to all of the previous 100 episodes at http://www.skevanston.com

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Piven Theatre and the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 05:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Jennifer Green, the Artistic Director of Piven Theatre and Ellen Placey Wadey, Program Director for Chicago Artistic Vitality and Collections from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. For 45 years, the Evanston based Piven Theatre Workshop has remained a nationally respected acting school and professional theatre. Piven is supported by the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. The Foundation seeks to sustain and build resilient, engaged and equitable communities in the Chicago region and the Lowcountry of South Carolina by supporting conservation, arts, and collecting organizations in a variety of ways.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Alan Moy- Viet Nom Nom

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:49:54 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Alan Moy, the owner of Viet Nom Nom. Viet Nom Nom is a Vietnamese-inspired fast casual restaurant located in Downtown Evanston at 618 ½ Church Street. They serve a craft, health-inspired menu and strive to put a modern, unique fingerprint on traditional Vietnamese dishes that appeal to all walks of life, while offering customers better-for-you food.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, Youtube or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Alecia Wartowski-Foundation65

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 05:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Alecia Wartowski, Executive Director of Foundation65. In this episode we will discuss the Foundation’s mission, its role during the pandemic and its vision for the future.

Foundation65 is an independent grantmaking organization that invests in educator-led initiatives to support educational equity through literacy and arts in a child’s foundational years.

Alecia brings more than 20 years of experience working to transform the lives of children through advocacy, education, and engagement. She has worked in youth development, as a legal aid attorney representing women and children, and in higher education supporting gender equity and racial justice. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, her EdM from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and her JD from the University of Wisconsin. Alecia is also a former all-American swimmer for the University of Michigan. She has lived in Skevanston for over a decade and has two children at Walker Elementary School and one at Chute Middle School.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jackie Melinger-Home-Instead and My Personal Bookkeeper

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 9 Mar 2021 06:10:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Jackie Melinger, co-owner of Home Instead in Skokie and My Personal Bookkeeper. The two businesses go hand-in-hand, as they provide critical support services for the senior communities of the North Shore and are located in Skokie.

Home Instead is a franchise that provides at home care service ranging from personal care, Alzheimer’s care, transportation and more. My Personal Bookkeeper provides our clients with help managing and organizing their day-to-day financial and household affairs.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, Youtube or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Roger Sosa-Evanston Chamber of Commerce

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 2 Mar 2021 06:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Roger Sosa, the Executive Director of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. In this episode we discuss the Chamber's mission, its role during the pandemic and its vision for the future.

The Evanston Chamber of Commerce is proud to be the voice of the Evanston business community. The only nonprofit business organization in the region solely supported by private industry, the Chamber provides programs, services and leadership opportunities to help its member-businesses thrive. Through the important work of volunteers, the Chamber fosters a competitive business climate conducive to growth, prosperity and maintaining a high quality of life.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Michael Edgar from GWDC/SelectChicago®

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:39:32 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Michael Edgar, President of GWDC/SelectChicago. SelectChicago® is a curated program helping foreign investors and international businesses tap into regional Chicago area economic development programs. The organization has a large impact on bringing global investment to Skokie and Evanston.

Michael Edgar is an urban development consultant. For over 30-years, he's been the catalyst for attractive economic opportunities in the Greater Chicago Region. He brings together local businesses, municipalities, and foreign companies to assemble new businesses and facilitate financing to build and to redevelop communities.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Sheree Moratto from the Rogers Park Business Alliance & Mamello Tekateka from PATIENTcE Health Research

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 9 Feb 2021 06:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Sheree Moratto from the Rogers Park Business Alliance and Mamello Tekateka from PATIENTcE Health Research. Rogers Park Business Alliance (RPBA) is a nonprofit organization that has served Chicago’s diverse Rogers Park neighborhood and the surrounding area for more than 25 years. RPBA works to cultivate and sustain a thriving economic environment, serving businesses and residents with a variety of public events and business initiatives. RPBA programs include the GROW/PROGRESANDO entrepreneurial training program, which Mamello participated in and lead her to create her own business. PATIENTcE Health Research is a health research and consulting firm that helps you navigate the healthcare system and empowers you with comprehensive knowledge on diseases through evidence-based literature and population data.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, Youtube or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jeff Schankerman with a Market Update

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 2 Feb 2021 06:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Jeff Schankerman from One to One Financial. Jeff is a return guest, and a local Skevanston resident. He works with One to One Financial, which is a family-owned financial planning firm. Jeff grew up in Indianapolis, and now lives in Skevanston. In this episode we will talk about what’s been going on in the stock market with Game Stop, AMC and the overall economy.

Make sure to check out episode 6 where we spoke to Jeff all about his work and life.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Raffi Arzoumanian-a+c architects

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 22:35:49 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Raffi Arzoumanian. Raffi founded a+c architects in 1993 in the spirit of forming lasting partnerships with clients and communities through architecture and design. A designer’s designer, he brings a unique vision to every project, delivering solutions that marry functionality with innovation. a + c architects is located in Skokie, and several of their designs have been built throughout the area.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, Youtube or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Marcy Larson-Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 06:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Marcy Larson, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Ms. Larson brings 25 years of marketing, consulting and research experience to this position. We will be discussing several things including the background of the museum, current events and the greater need for outreach and education, the cutting-edge technology the museum is employing and how they have adapted during the pandemic.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, Youtube or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Rebecca Cacayuran-Evanston Community Foundation

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 06:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined Rebecca Cacayuran, the VP for Community Investment at the Evanston Community Foundation. Founded in 1986, the Evanston Community Foundation helps Evanston thrive now and forever as a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community. It builds, connects, and distributes resources and knowledge through local organizations for the common good. The Foundation builds endowments for current and future opportunities, fosters private philanthropy, focuses the impact of collective giving, finds solutions to community challenges, allocates grants, and provides leadership training. They have been instrumental in supporting Evanston organizations throughout the pandemic.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jill Schacter-Evanston Public Library

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 4 Jan 2021 18:12:03 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Jill Schacter, the Marketing Communications Coordinator at the Evanston Public Library. Jill also hosts, The Check Out! A Podcast of the Evanston Public Library. Via eNewsletters, social media, press relations, and storytelling/content development, she works to inform the community about the many valuable, life-changing programs and services that are available through Evanston Public Library to enhance literacy of all kinds across our diverse community.

Jill spent the previous 15 years of her professional life in the world of audio publishing working with/listening to/interviewing author/guru types like Tom Peters, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Larry Dossey, or steeped in the works of Ram Dass, Marianne Williamson and Tony Robbins.
Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, Youtube or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Amy Koester-Skokie Public Library and Courtney Sturgeon-YPC with the Illinois Holocaust Museum

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 20:50:18 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we were joined by Amy Koester, the Learning Experiences Manager at the Skokie Public Library. Amy supports a team of staff who develop and provide library events for all ages, hands-on learning opportunities, and information and reference services. She also works with the Civic Lab team. We were also joined by Courtney Sturgeon, who is a fellow member with me of the Young Professional Committee at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Courtney is a small-business owner, media relations specialist with Business Wire-A Berkshire Hathaway Company, and freelance journalist. We discussed the upcoming YPC Virtual Trivia Night which is a fundraiser for the museum that will be taking place virtually on January 21st.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Listen live on Sunday mornings at 10AM Central time on WCGO-95.9FM, 1590AM, or Facebook Live. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Fritz Kaegi-Cook County Assessor

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 06:05:00 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, are joined by Fritz Kaegi, the Cook County Assessor. Since assuming office in 2018, Fritz has brought fairness, ethics and transparency to the Cook County Assessor’s Office with a vision focused on operational changes, technological upgrades, and the elimination of favoritism. We talk about how he has accomplished his goals, what property owners should know about the property tax system in Cook County and how Covid is affecting property valuations. We also talk about our mutual admiration for to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Bernstein family.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Robert Masliansky from First Class Moving & Storage

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 18:17:29 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined we are joined by Robert Masliansky, my brother. Robert is the President of First Class Moving & Storage, which is a local, independent moving and storage company that has been in business since 2001. We discuss the history of the company, the moving industry and how it works to maintain its excellent reputation. We also discuss Robert’s connection to the community with Skokie Central Congregation and his many years as a musician and most recently as the drummer for Damaged Justice, a Metallica tribute band.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Addie Goodman from JCC Chicago

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 7 Dec 2020 18:20:56 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Addie Goodman, President and CEO of the JCC Chicago. Addie Goodman joined JCC Chicago in 2014 and was named President & CEO in September 2018. Since her appointment, Addie has raised over $11M in capital support to develop JCC Chicago’s campuses, launched numerous new initiatives both internal and external, and continued to expand the reach of the agency to over 60,0000 community members last year. We discuss her role in helping the JCC adapt to the pandemic, and its role in the Chicagoland community.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

May May Tchao and Evanston Gun Buyback

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 1 Dec 2020 22:05:36 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we speak with May May Tchao. Ms. Tchao is an Evanston resident and filmmaker. We speak about her new film, “Hayden and Her Family.” The film is about the Curry family who adopted five special-needs children from overseas while having seven biological children already. We will also discuss her film Spilled Water which discusses the role of women in Chinese society. The film has won awards, shown in national and international film festivals and was broadcast on PBS channels WTTW and KQED.’

We also be speak with Carolyn Murray and Commander Jason Garner from the Evanston Police Department about the Amnesty Gun Buyback event on December 5th. Evanston Police will be partnering with the Evanston Community Foundation, Christ Temple Missionary Baptist Church, and Carolyn Murray to host a gun buyback event. The event will take place at Christ Temple Missionary Baptist Church located at 1711 Simpson St, in Evanston from 12 P.M. until 4 P.M.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dick co and Robinson Markus from the Evanston Development Cooperative

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 23:45:27 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Dick Co and Robinson Markus from the Evanston Development Cooperative. EDC is a local cooperative that engages the Evanston community in intergenerational social progress by building high-performing, sensible housing.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Monica Rodriguez-All of Us Research Program at Northwestern University

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 00:05:41 +0000

This week on Inside the Skev, we are joined by Monica Rodriguez, the Director of Communications and Engagement, for the All of Us Research Program at Northwestern University. The All of Us Research Program’s mission is to speed up health research breakthroughs. To do this, they are asking one million or more people throughout the United States to volunteer their health data to help lead the way in discovering better care for all of us.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Somewhere in Europe and the JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 9 Nov 2020 21:22:18 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit-down with Roberta Bernstein and Judy Holstein to talk the authors of, Somewhere in Europe. The book is a compilation of letters their father sent to their mother while he was stationed in Europe during World War II and were found many years later after their father had passed away. Learn about the tremendous sacrifices our soldiers made for the common good as we commemorate Veterans Day this coming week. We were also joined by Ilene Uhlmann who is the Director of Arts and Ideas Programming for JCC Chicago. She talks about the JCC Jewish Film Festival which is taking place virtually in November.

Somewhere in Europe can be purchased on Amazon by clicking here.

The JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival can be found by clicking here.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Leslie Murphy-Village of Skokie

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 4 Nov 2020 16:42:41 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Leslie Murphy, Economic Development Specialist for the Village of Skokie. We'll talk about what new developments are taking place in Skokie, what the Village is doing to support businesses during the pandemic, and how Skokie attracts international investment. More information on economic development in Skokie can be found on their website at: https://www.skokie.org/154/Business-and-Economic-Development

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Julia Bunn-The Spirited Gardener

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 18 Oct 2020 13:00:00 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Julia Bunn from the Spirited Gardener. Julia can often be heard (and seen) affirming the benefits of sustainable landscaping. After 10 years of building landscapes that often include rain gardens in the Chicago area, she has shifted her focus to consultations, design and project management. Julia's passion lies in teaching others how to responsibly manage their properties while creating beautiful gardens that can be enjoyed by homeowners and our native wildlife. Learn more about the Spirited Gardener on their website which can be found here: https://www.spiritedgardener.com/

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Matt Wechsler from the Village Farmstand

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 22:01:30 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Matt Wechsler from the Village Farmstand.Village Farmstand is an online grocery store and micro-warehouse built for small farmers and loyal patrons looking to revolutionize our food system.Village Farmstand is a social entrepreneurship started by filmmaker Matt Wechsler and farmer Marty Travis. The two met in 2013 when Matt and his wife Annie set out to make a documentary about sustainability in agriculture. After meeting Marty, they knew they had found their main character.

The film, Sustainable, was released in 2016 and distributed worldwide, inspiring a new generation of farmers to be part of a fundamentally different food system.Village Farmstand can be found at https://villagefarmstand.com/ and is located at 810 Dempster Street, Evanston IL 60202.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Heather Collins-Heather Collins Training

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 17:02:03 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Heather Collins of Heather Collins Training. Heather is a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and swim, cycle and running coach. She provides unwavering commitment and support to her clients. Heather currently works with over 200 clients a week either individually, in group settings or via the Internet. Her studio is located in Evanston and more information can be found on her website here: https://www.heathercollinstraining.com/

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Mitchell Kahn-Greenhouse and Curaleaf

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 17:35:37 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Mitchell Kahn, the owner of Greenhouse, which is a recreational cannabis store that is brand new in Skokie. Mitch is also the founder and former CEO of Grassroots Cannabis and is now a board member of Curaleaf. We talk about the cannabis industry, the development of the Skokie store with its distinct architecture, the recent sale of Grassroots to Curaleaf, and marijuana in general. We talk about changing public perceptions and how to learn more about the products.

Greenhouse is located at the corner of Skokie Boulevard and Old Orchard Road. It is open Monday-Saturday from 10AM-8PM and Sundays 10AM-7PM. Greenhouse has several other locations throughout Illinois. More information can be found on their website here: https://www.greenhouseil.com/

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Erlene Howard and Mary Beth Schaye-Collective Resource Compost

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 3 Sep 2020 19:21:49 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Erlene Howard and Mary Beth Schaye from Collective Resource Compost. Collective Resource Compost is a woman-owned compost and food scrap pickup service based in Evanston. They collect all food waste and compostable products from homes, businesses, and institutions and take them to a commercial composting site. The food scraps then become a nutrient-rich soil amendment instead of sitting in a landfill.

Commercial composting is different from backyard composting, because anything that was once alive (including meat and dairy products) can be composted. In addition to hauling compost, they educate the public about the importance of reducing landfill use. Ontop of that, they have municipal franchise agreements for Skokie and Evanston!

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Ross Gordon-Catch Co

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 17:36:25 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Ross Gordon. Ross is a serial entrepreneur who has taken Skevanston by storm. Ross is the founder of Catch Co, a digitally native sport-fishing brand that began as a subscription service called Mystery Tackle Box in 2012. Today Catch Co. sells millions of fishing lures every year through their Mystery Tackle Box subscription, ecommece platform, and retail partners like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Ross also previously founded Evanston’s own CraftJack, a marketing and SaaS company for home improvement contractors.

CatchCo is famous for their marketing which includes:

Karl VonDibble, Chief Fishing Officer: https://shopkarls.com/

Unchartered (A content series centered on exploring fishing, and friendship.): https://catchco.com/project/unchartered/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CatchCo/videos and https://www.youtube.com/user/MysteryTackleBox

Make sure to follow Mystery Tackle Box and Catch Co on social media for a good laugh and to get hooked (pun intended) on fishing!

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Len Joy-Author of Everyone Dies Famous

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 9 Aug 2020 12:00:10 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Len Joy, the author of the new book Everyone Dies Famous. Everyone Dies Famous is a story from the heartland about the uncommon lives of everyday people—the choices they make, how they live their lives, and how they die. Len is an author of several novels, a Skevanston resident and a nationally ranked triathlete and competes internationally representing the United States as part of TEAM USA.

More information about Len can be found on his website which can be found here: https://www.lenjoybooks.com/

Everyone Dies Famous can be purchased from Bookends & Beginnings here: https://www.bookendsandbeginnings.com/book/9781945448720

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Everyone Dies Famous is published by BQB publishing, an imprint of Boutique of Quality Books.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

The League of Women Voters of Evanston

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 21:01:56 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Kathy Tate-Bradish and Michelle Jordan, both members of the League of Women Voters of Evanston. In this episode we discuss the history of the League, its role in American Democracy and its interest in seeing the Fair Tax in Illinois passed in the November elections. The Fair Tax is a graduated income tax for the State of Illinois based on income level.

Several links were referenced in the episode and they can be found here:

League of Women Voters of Evanston

League of Women Voters of Illinois

League of Women Voters-National

Illinois Online Voter Application

Cook County Vote by Mail

Chicago Vote by Mail

Vote Yes for Fair Tax

Other topics discussed were the state of the Illinois budget, the role of civil service, the potential delay in national elections and voter suppression.

Kathy Tate-Bradish has been a member of the League of Women Voters of Evanston since 1988 and is on the League of Women Voters of Illinois Fair Tax committee.

She has been teaching sex education in rural Kenya since 2004, and is the co-founder and Executive Director of The ABCs of Sex Education: Kufanya Uamuzi Bora (making wise decisions), an international NGO based in Kenya, which trains Kenyan farmers to teach HIV prevention, early pregnancy reduction, and comprehensive sex education in their own rural communities. She spends 1-2 months a year in Kenya.

Michelle Jordan is a lawyer and community activist. She has spent decades working for reform in Illinois politics. She spent 4 years as the Judicial Reform Issues Specialist on the Issues Board of the League of Women Voters of Illinois and was later elected to the board of the League of Women Voters of Illinois. She is a longtime board member and served 2 years as Secretary Treasurer of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, now rebranded as Reform for Illinois. She was the Illinois Counsel for Legal Community Against Violence, a gun safety organization in San Francisco. In 2018 she was awarded the Loda Award by the Democratic Party of Evanston, later she was elected to serve a 2-year term as President of the Democratic Party of Evanston.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Elan Mosbacher from Spothero

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 19 Jul 2020 11:00:17 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Elan Mosbacher, the Senior Vice President of Strategy & Operations at Spothero, and a Skokie resident. Spothero is the #1 downloaded parking reservation app. They provide an easy way for consumers across North America to reserve the best parking with the best rates, before heading to their destination. They also use artificial intelligence to make the parking industry more efficient, and partner with cities to improve their transportation system with partnerships with apps like Waze and the City of Chicago. In this conversation we discuss the dynamics of the parking industry and where it is headed.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Aina Gutierrez from Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 19:10:57 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Aina Gutierrez, the Executive Director of Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse, an Evanston-based non-profit organization that promotes the reduction of waste in landfills through sustainable deconstruction and renovation building practices. Reclaimed building materials are sold at their warehouse at low cost to the community and the proceeds support their education, job-training and job-development programs which foster individual, community and economic growth in Evanston and beyond.

Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse is planning a move this fall, into a new and larger facility one block from their current location in Evanston. There is a crowd funding campaign to raise money for the space through July 24, 2020 that will be matched by a generous donor. You can donate by clicking here. You can also shop and learn more by stopping by the current warehouse located at 2101 Dempster Street, Evanston IL 60201.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jill Bishop from Multilingual Connections

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 2 Jul 2020 16:49:49 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Jill Bishop. Jill is Founder & CEO of Multilingual Connections, an Evanston-based company that helps you understand, engage and grow your multilingual audience through translation, transcription and multimedia localization in over 75 languages. They are a woman owned business (WBENC) and a member of the Association of Language Companies, GALA and the American Translators Association. Click here to learn more about Multilingual Connections.
Jill's PhD in Linguistic Anthropology focused on speakers of obsolescing languages, and her work experience includes UX research for Sapient, implementing language, culture and diversity training programs for 130 Chipotle Mexican Grill locations and language teaching at the high school, university and corporate levels.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Linda Darragh from Northwestern University

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 26 May 2020 21:33:25 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Linda Darragh. Linda is the The Larry Levy Executive Director and Clinical Professor Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative at Northwestern University. She is leading a program that is partnering Northwestern with the City of Evanston to help local businesses navigate the pandemic. To help Evanston's small businesses weather this current crisis, local Kellogg alumni and students will provide pro bono consulting to Evanston business owners in high-demand areas, including digital marketing and social media, public relations, financial planning and analysis, and human resources management. The program can be found by clicking here. In this conversation we also speak about her background in entrepreneurship, the program at Northwestern and how businesses are adapting to the pandemic.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Lena Kim from niceLena & Friends

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 24 May 2020 12:39:08 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Lena Kim from niceLena & Friends. niceLena & Friends is a crafts shop located at 1235 Chicago Avenue in Evanston, in the Main Dempster Mile. Lena makes incredibly innovative and custom crafts including prints, candles, mugs, cards and so much more. We talk about her innovative and engaging marketing efforts including the fairy door project, crafting parties in the store and her fun social media posts. We also talk about Lena’s background as moving to America as a 10 year old from South Korea and how that has taught her to be so creative.

This episode was recorded prior to the stay at home order being put in place. The physical store is closed to the public but the online store is open and Lena is offering curbside pickup, delivery or shipping. Please support her!

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Lisa Degliantoni-Evanston Made and the Lisa D Show

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 14 May 2020 23:06:05 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Lisa Degliantoni. Lisa is the Founder and Executive Director of Evanston Made, Founder and Curator of 1100 Florence and the Host and Producer of the Lisa D Show. Evanston Made is a membership-based organization whose mission it is to promote the art community in Evanston through mentorship and connecting buyers with artists. 1100 Florence is a former Polish meat shop turn art event space where Lisa lives. The Lisa D show is a podcast now Instagram Live show that showcases the artists of Evanston. Lisa is an art and media powerhouse.

One of the main topics we discussed was the Evanston Arts Connects project. The plan is to art-bomb Evanston from May 9-June 9, 2020. The project aims to have artists create art and post in their windows, and there is a need for donation of art supplies. Inside the Skev is a partner in this project.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Patrick Keenan-Devlin-Moran Center for Youth Advocacy

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 11 May 2020 23:02:40 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Patrick Keenan-Devlin. Keenan-Devlin is the Executive Director and Juvenile Justice Attorney for the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy in Evanston. In this episode we talk about the work they do, restorative justice and the effects of Covid-19 on the Center and justice work in general.

Founded in 1976, the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy provides low income Evanston youth and their families with integrated legal and social work services to improve their quality of life at home, at school, and within the Evanston community. Their goal is to provide Evanston youth and their families with the tools to make positive life choices, the support to successfully emerge from a challenging legal situation, and the ability to thrive as productive community members. To that end, our programmatic approach focuses on legal representation, social work services, youth advocacy, and restorative justice services. More information can be found at https://moran-center.org/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky-U.S. Representative for Illinois' 9th District

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Jan Schakowsky) — Thu, 7 May 2020 20:48:53 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, U.S. Representative for Illinois’ 9th District, which include the Skev. In this episode we discuss the government’s response to Covid-19, the stimulus programs, and her work to protect nursing home employees and residents. We also discuss her story in getting into politics and her encouragement for more people to get involved.

Schakowsky was elected to represent Illinois' 9th Congressional District in 1998, after serving for eight years in the Illinois State Assembly. She is in her eleventh term.

Schakowsky serves in the House Democratic Leadership as a Senior Chief Deputy Whip. She is a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, House Budget Committee, as well as the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where she serves as Chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, and as a member of the Environment and Oversight & Investigations Subcommittees. More information about her and live updates for the community can be found on her website and social media here: https://schakowsky.house.gov/

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Scott Rochelle-National Basketball Retired Players Association

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 4 May 2020 12:24:49 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Scott Rochelle, the President and CEO of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) which is headquartered in Downtown Chicago. In his role as President and CEO, Rochelle oversees the Retired Players Association’s day-to-day operations, including securing new cutting-edge partnerships for former players to thrive and prosper. In addition, he continues to strengthen and foster the association’s local chapters which has expanded to 12 cities during his tenure as President and CEO. Scott is an Evanston resident and former ETHS school board member.

Founded in 1992 by NBA Legends Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Archie Clark, Dave Cowens and Oscar Robertson, the NBRPA is a non-profit association comprised of former professional basketball players of the NBA, ABA, WNBA, and Harlem Globetrotters. They are the only alumni association of its kind supported directly by the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). The National Basketball Retired Players Association serves former professional basketball players, supporting them in life after their playing days, and helping them to leverage their inspirational influence to promote and teach basketball in their communities. More information on the NBRPA can be found here: https://www.legendsofbasketball.com/ Make sure to follow them on social media @NBAalumni to catch the latest LegendsLive show and to stay up to date.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions. Be sure to also follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Reavens Lee-SparkRaw Media

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 19:51:36 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Reavens Lee from SparkRaw Media. SparkRaw helps entrepreneurs and businesses to "videolize" the buyer's journey to close the gaps between prospects, customers, and teams without losing their authenticity. They are video experience designers. We talk about Reavens’ journey from Taiwan, her struggles with explaining the value of her work to her family and having the bravery and dedication to become a huge success. SparkRaw has also been instrumental in helping Inside the Skev with the creation of the trailer video, the video of the MWRD O’Brien Facility and the interview of TM Garret.

This episode was recorded prior to the stay at home order. Video marketing will become even more important to share businesses stories without the easy ability to meet in person. Please click here to view a great video that SparkRaw created in collaboration with friend of the show Downtown Evanston on how the community is coping with Covid-19.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston hosted by Aaron Masliansky. Currently there is a special section on the website for interviews with people in the community talking about how they are adapting to the pandemic within the community. Be sure to follow Inside the Skev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Michelle Friedman-Keshet and Institute for Therapy through the Arts

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 02:44:03 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Michelle Friedman, a Skokie resident and fierce advocate for individuals with disabilities. Michelle is a life coach, writer, and board member of Keshet and the Institute for Therapy through the Arts (ITA), both of whom have been featured on this show. Michelle speaks to many schools and students of her experience living with blindness. We also talk about how she and the disabled community are adapting to the world of Covid. This episode can be watched on Youtube or listened to on any podcast app or Skevanston.com

Michelle’s first published children’s book is titled, “Close Your Eyes.” The book is all about the experience of a young child with blindness, and she invites her friends and readers to close their eyes and experience her world. The book can be purchased from friend of the show, Bookends and Beginnings. The book can be purchased by clicking here. Please support them and keep our community bookstore alive.

Michelle can be reached on any social media platform or by email at mfriedman1204@gmail.com.

Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Nia Tavoularis-Connections for the Homeless

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 17:01:43 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Nia Tavoularis. Nia the Director of Development for Connections for the Homeless. Connections is THE agency in the northern suburbs leading the effort to deliver essential services to people who are homeless and unstably housed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Connections for the Homeless partners with the community to provide comprehensive, compassionate, well-resourced, and effective programs in an exceptional workplace. They are the recognized as a leader on the causes of and solutions to homelessness in the northern suburbs. This episode can be watched on Youtube or listened to on any podcast app or Skevanston.com

Connections for the Homeless has responded in a massive way to the Coronavirus with the following accomplishments:

Launched the only emergency shelter for 20 individual adults in the region that follows CDC recommendations and operates 24/7;
Moved 148 adults and 41 children into discounted rooms at 2 local hotels with 24-hour Connections staff support;
Established partnerships with local restaurants to purchase 3 meals a day for each person, a total of over 500 meals daily, sheltering at a hotel;
Maintained daily drop-in services to provide the community with access to food, basic supplies, showers, and case management. There were more than 400 visits to the drop-in center in March with food pantry visits doubling following the shelter-in-place order; and
Continued to support the 180 people in our 90 units of housing scattered throughout the community by purchasing and delivering vital food and supplies to ensure they can stay in place.

Please support Connections by donating, volunteering and spreading the word. You can find out how by going to their website by clicking here.

Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron Masliansky at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Shana Erenberg-Libenu

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 23:16:56 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Shana Erenberg. Shana is the co-founder and Executive Director of Libenu. Libenu’s mission is to provide residential, vocational, and respite opportunities for people with disabilities to live with dignity and respect, as fully included members of the community.

Libenu is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization comprised of parents and professionals working together to address the needs of Jewish adults and children with disabilities in the Metropolitan Chicago area and based in Skokie. The group was formed in response to the shortage of available services relative to the significant and immediate needs of the population. Libenu helps provide housing to young adults in addition to providing social services.

This episode was recorded prior to the Coronavirus pandemic reaching the United States, but one can only imagine how critical Libenu is to be helping their residents remain safe and helping serve their needs during this time.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Shalom Klein-Get Down to Business

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 5 Apr 2020 02:16:37 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Shalom Klein. Shalom Klein is a master networker and connector and a true champion of Skokie. When he’s not meeting people for coffee (or now Zoom meetings), Shalom is accomplishing more in a day than most do in a year. Here’s a list of some of the things Shalom does:

-Director of External Affairs for Keshet

-Military Police Officer in the United States Army Reserve

-Principal and Senior Consultant for Get Down to Business with Shalom Klein which includes his radio show and book.

-Chairman of the Village of Skokie Economic Development Commission

Shalom also ran Jewish B2B Networking for several years in which he helped connect thousands of people with jobs.

This episode was recorded prior to the Coronavirus pandemic reaching the United States, but one can only imagine how Shalom will help bring the community together in surviving and recovering from this crisis. We are very lucky to have him here.

Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Harry Gottlieb-Unify America-Jackbox Games-Jellyvision Lab

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 11:30:13 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Harry Gottlieb. For the last 25 years Harry has focused on making learning and decision-making delightful and creating unique games that bring people together. In this episode we discuss Harry’s latest initiative which is Unify America, which is working to help us see that we are far more unified than we believe, and that there is a way to address our greatest, most intractable problems in a spirit of unity and cooperation. We also discuss Harry’s ventures of founding Jackbox Games and The Jellyvision Lab.

This episode was recorded prior to the Coronavirus pandemic reaching the United States, but it gives us examples of how to come together and use Harry’s ideas and technologies to still stay together during these times.

Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Tenzin Jamyang-Tibetan Alliance of Chicago

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 11:15:27 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Tenzin Jamyang from the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago which is located in Evanston. Tenzin was born and raised in Dharamsala, India. He came to the United States after winning the lottery for an immigration visa under the Tibetan Resettlement Project. Tibetan Alliance of Chicago (“TAC”) is a registered 501 3(c) not-for-profit organization seeking to preserve Tibetan heritage and serving the needs of the Tibetan community in Chicago.

Tenzin first came to the United States in 1993 and worked as a busboy, doorman, and banquet server. In 1995 he participated in an indefinite hunger strike in front of the United Nations building in New York. From 2005 to 2010 he walked around 1080 miles in Indiana, Chicago, and Taipei, along with the nephew of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jigme Norbu who passed away in 2011. In 2009 he served as the President of the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago and has served as Vice President twice. He now lives in the Chicagoland suburbs with his wife and 4 children.

TAC was established in March 1992, initially as Tibetan Resettlement Project of Chicago, to resettle 100 Tibetans in Chicago who came from various parts of India and Nepal. For background, the invasion of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China beginning in 1949 displaced nearly 100,000 Tibetans who followed His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile in 1959, predominantly settling in India and Nepal. The passing of the Immigration Act of 1990 resulted in the US government issuing 1,000 visas to Tibetans in exile to resettle in various US cities and towns. Tibetan Resettlement Project of Chicago resettled 100 Tibetans between 1992-1993 and currently, we have about 300 Tibetans residing in Chicago. TAC remains indebted to the original founders and supporters of the Tibetan Resettlement Project of Chicago. TAC is located at 2422 Dempster Street Evanston, Illinois 60202 and be found online at https://www.tibetan-alliance.org/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Stacey Masliansky-Brainlinks Academics, Inc.

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 9 Mar 2020 11:00:03 +0000

Stacey Masliansky-Brainlinks Academics, Inc

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Stacey Masliansky, the President of Brainlinks Academics, Inc, and wife of Aaron Masliansky. Stacey is a licensed Reading Specialist with SLANT System Certification (Structured Language Training). She provides tutoring services to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Brainlinks Academics, Inc. focuses on developing strong reading skills that engage students in critical thinking at all stages of the reading process - prior to reading, during reading, and after reading. Brainlinks is located in Downtown Evanston at the Industrious co-working space, at 909 Davis Street Suite 500, Evanston, IL. They can be found online at https://www.brainlinksacademics.com/ and you email Stacey at stacey@brainlinksacademics.com.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Marnie Dawson-Dawson Relocation Services

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 2 Mar 2020 12:00:08 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down Marnie Dawson from Dawson Relocation Services. In this episode we talk about the services Dawson Relocation offers, the challenges of moving and the solutions they provide. We point out that move management is above and beyond what a moving and storage company provides, and how Marnie works hand in hand with the clients, the movers and the property managers to make transitions be seamless.

Dawson Relocation Services was created in 2008 to help seniors and their families with the challenging and stressful process of downsizing and moving to a new home. Since that time they have helped over 500 families relocate with ease and minimal disruption. They can be found online at https://dawsonrelocation.com/ by email at info@dawsonrelocation.com and phone at 847-922-6143.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

TM Garret-Erasing the Hate

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 22:27:41 +0000

Recorded before a live audience, listen to this interview with TM Garret , co-hosted with the Simon Wiesenthal Center. TM Garret, is a German-American author, producer, filmmaker, marketing expert, radio personality, former white supremacist leader turned human rights activist and founder of C.H.A.N.G.E, a Memphis-based non-profit organization which engages in community outreach programs, food drives, seminars, anti-racism campaigns and anti-violence campaigns.

More information on TM Garret can be found here: https://tmgarret.com/

More information on the Simon Wiesenthal can be found here: http://www.wiesenthal.com/

This interview can also be watched with video at: http://www.skevanston.com.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Ilene Uhlmann-JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 13:00:10 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Ilene Uhlmann who is the Director of Arts and Ideas Programming for JCC Chicago. Ilene is in charge of running the JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival. Come see me moderate two discussions with the filmmakers during the festival; the first being, Shepherd, the Story of a Jewish Dog on March 8th, and the second being, Viral: Antisemitism in Four Mutations on March 15th.

The 7th annual JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival runs February 28–March 15 at venues across the city and suburbs. In 2020, the JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival will present films at CMX CinéBistro and Market Theaters at Old Orchard in Skokie, CMX Arlington Heights, Cinemark Theaters in Evanston, the Renaissance Place Theater in Highland Park, The Logan Theater in Logan Square and special screenings at the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie.

This year, the 7th annual JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival is bigger than ever with 52 films and over 90 screenings—of all genres, for all generations. These films will inform, inspire and ignite emotion. They honor Jewish filmmakers, writers and actors—and those committed to repairing the world through brave, artistic expression.

The JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival has grown from modest beginnings to engaging over 17,000 movie lovers in 2019.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Aaron Masliansky-Inside the Skev

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Victoria Reeves, Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 12:00:23 +0000

This week, the 50th episode on Inside the Skev, I flip the table on myself, and take up an offer from former guest Victoria Reeves to interview me, Aaron Masliansky! In this episode, you will learn what inspired me to start Inside the Skev, my life, passions and profession.

I live with my family in Skevanston, which is an area of Skokie that has an Evanston mailing address and school districts. Residents have dubbed the area Skevanston because of the mix of both towns.

I am a Realtor at Dream Town Realty in Evanston, and am connected with my local and global community. I am a Young Professional Ambassador with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs , a fellow with the UNA Chicago Engage an Embassy Fellowship , on the Global Real Estate Council at the Chicago Association of Realtors and on the Young Professional Committee with Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dr. Eric Witherspoon-Evanston Township High School

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 3 Feb 2020 12:00:03 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Dr. Eric Witherspoon, the Superintendent of Evanston Township High School District 202 (ETHS). We talk about his background, what ETHS offers and the exciting new partnership with Oakton Community College.

Evanston Township High School (ETHS) District 202 is a four-year comprehensive high school occupying a 65-acre campus in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago along the Lake Michigan shore. ETHS was established in 1883 and serves the city of Evanston and a small portion of the neighboring village of Skokie for a total district population of approximately 78,000. It is located at 1600 Dodge Avenue Evanston, IL 60201. More information can be found on their website at https://www.eths.k12.il.us/eths

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Paul Hletko-FEW Spirits

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 12:00:28 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Paul Hletko, the Founder and Master Distiller at FEW Spirits in Evanston. In this episode we talk about why Paul decided to open up FEW Spirits in 2011 after a career in the law and music industry and used his creativity to make award winning craft whiskey and gin that is now sold in 4 continents.

FEW Spirits is located at 918 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202. They have a public tasting room are open for tours on the weekends. More information can be found by clicking here. FEW is sold at most major retailers that sell fine spirits. You can learn more about FEW and follow them on social media by going to http://www.fewspirits.com/. Enjoy and drink responsibly.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dr. Jenny Thompson-Evanston History Center

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 03:40:50 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Dr. Jenny Thompson. Dr. Thompson is the Director of Education at the Evanston History Center. She recently wrote, “The Takeover 1968,” which provides an in-depth look at what started on May 3, 1968, when a group of Black students at Northwestern University made headlines when they occupied the university’s main financial building and announced that they would not leave until their demands were met. We discuss the book, the History Center and the history of Evanston.

The Evanston History Center’s mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the rich history of the City of Evanston and all its people through exhibits, educational programs, and research facilities. The Center offers tours and has several live events throughout the year. More information can be found at https://www.evanstonhistorycenter.org/. You can also buy, “The Takeover 1968,” at various locations including former Inside the Skev guest Bookends & Beginnings by clicking here. All proceeds benefit the Evanston History Center.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Victoria Reeves-Brassy + Intrepid and Soul Stories Live

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 12:00:13 +0000

This week, on Inside the Skev, we sit down with Victoria Reeves. Victoria is a true renaissance woman; from her one-woman show Brassy + Intrepid about her life, her monthly spoken word/sound experience Soul Stories Live at the Firehouse Grill in Evanston; teaching at Y.O.U; and her consulting work as a creativity/career coach . We explore all of these facets of her life in this fascinating conversation.

Brassy + Intrepid is being performed during the 23rd Annual Filet of Solo Festival. The performances take place at 8:30PM on January 17, 2020 and 4:00PM at January 26, 2020 in the Teal Room at the Pub 626 at 1406 W Morse Ave, Chicago, IL 60626. Tickets can be purchased in advance at http://lifelinetheatre.com/ and are $10/ticket. Soul Stories Live events take place once a month and more information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/SoulStoriesLive/. Tickets can be purchased in advance on Eventbrite for $15/ticket. You can also find out about everything Brassy Victoria at https://www.brassyvictoriareeves.com/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Brandis Friedman-Chicago Tonight

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 11:00:01 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Brandis Friedman, Skevanston resident and co-host of, “Chicago Tonight.” Chicago Tonight is a television news program broadcast weeknight on WTTW in Chicago. It reports primarily on local politics, education, business, culture, science and health, with a mix of in-studio panel discussions, one-on-one interviews and short documentary-style packages. We discuss the show, media, and Brandis’ story.

More information about, "Chicago Tonight," can be found at: https://news.wttw.com/ The show is broadcast at 7PM nightly and Channel 11 in Chicago, and can also be streamed online here: https://video.wttw.com/show/chicago-tonight/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Brittany McGhee-The Chicago Council on Global Affairs

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 7 Jan 2020 12:00:34 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Brittany McGhee, the Assistant Director of Next Generation at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization that provides insight on critical global issues, advances policy solutions, and fosters dialogue about what is happening in the world and why it matters to people in Chicago, the United States, and around the globe.

In this episode we discuss what the Council does, its programming, history, connection to the Skev and the Young Professional programs. The programs include Young Professional Ambassador program, and the Emerging Leaders program. The Council is currently accepting application for its next cohort of Young Professional Ambassadors until January 17, 2020. The application and more information about the Young Professional program can be found here: https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/yp. You can keep up to date about events, programing and publications by following the Council on social media our by going to their website here: https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Alison Pure-Slovin-Simon Wiesenthal Center

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 3 Jan 2020 21:17:43 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Alison Pure Slovin from the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a global human rights organization researching the Holocaust and hate in a historic and contemporary context. The Center confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, promotes human rights and dignity, stands with Israel, defends the safety of Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations. Alison is the Midwest Director for the Center. We discuss their mission and the local community’s response to several anti-Semitic and racist attacks that have taken place recently.

More information about the Simon Wiesenthal Center can be foundhttp://www.wiesenthal.com/ and they can be called at 312-981-0105. The Combat Hate app that Alison mentioned can be found by clicking here.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going to http://www.skevanston.com. Make sure to sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jenni Rook-Institute for Therapy Through the Arts

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 10:00:04 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Jenni Rook from the Institute for Therapy Through the Arts (ITA). ITA provides creative arts therapy for people of all ages and needs, which is an alternative to traditional therapy methods. They are based in Evanston and were established in 1975. Jenni is the executive director.

More information about ITA can be found https://itachicago.org/. Their Evanston location is at 2130 Green Bay Road, Evanston, IL 60201.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Kayla Strauss-Looking Glass Pet Shop

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 10:00:07 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Kayla Strauss from the Looking Glass Pet Shop. Kayla recently purchased Not Just Thee Fishbowl. The Shop was formerly Not Just Thee Fish Bowl, and changed hands after 40 years of ownership by one family. Kayla is deeply devoted to her store and the animals and she has renovated the space and put her own stamp on it.

More information about The Looking Glass Petshop can be found at https://www.lookingglasspetshop.com/. The store is located at 600 Dempster Street, Evanston, IL 60202 and is open daily.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Its Skokie on Inside the Skev

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 9 Dec 2019 10:00:02 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Scott Holtz and Ilene Collins from the, “it’s Skokie,” podcast. “It’s Skokie,” is another podcast that chronicles the people and the businesses and happenings of Skokie.

More information about “its Skokie can be found here: https://itsskokie.com/. You can download the it’s Skokie podcast on any podcast app and follow them on Facebook @itsSkokie.

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns by going tohttp://www.skevanston.com. Make sure to sign up for the newsletter and reach out to Aaron at aaron@skevanston.com with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Brad Sugar-American Jewish World Service

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 2 Dec 2019 10:00:09 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Brad Sugar from American Jewish World Service (AJWS). Brad is a Skevanston resident, longtime friend, Northwestern University Kellogg MBA graduate and works in AJWS’ local Chicago office.

American Jewish World Service is the leading Jewish organization working to fight poverty and pursue justice in the developing world. Through philanthropy and advocacy, they respond to the most pressing issues of our time—from disasters, genocide and hunger, to the persecution of women and minorities worldwide. With Jewish values and a global reach, AJWS is making a difference in millions of lives and building a more just and equitable world.

More information on AJWS can be found here: https://ajws.org/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Susan Abrams-Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 10:00:06 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Susan Abrams, the CEO of The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. Located in Skokie, the Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those who were lost and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice and indifference. The Museum fulfills its mission through the exhibition, preservation and interpretation of its collections and through education programs and initiatives that foster the promotion of human rights and the elimination of genocide.

More information on The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center can be found here: https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dave Rahija-NorthShore University HealthSystem

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 12:45:06 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Dave Rahija from Northshore University Healthsystem. Dave is the President of the Skokie Hospital. In this episode we discuss the history of the hospital and the organization, the change to hospital specialization, the healthcare industry and Dave’s background in medicine.

More information on NorthShore can be found here: https://www.northshore.org/

Please share this episode and tag @northshoreweb #insidetheskev #health #healthcare #skokie #skokiehospital #northshorehospital #orthopedics

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns. Head to http://www.skevanston.com and sign up for our mailing list, and follow @insidetheskev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dino Robinson-Shorefront Legacy Center

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 09:00:13 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Dino Robinson. Dino is the founder of the Shorefront Legacy Center. Shorefront collects, preserves and educates people about Black history on Chicago’s suburban North Shore. We discuss the origins of the Center, it’s growth and future. We also discuss the roots of segregation in housing in Evanston, and the topic of reparations in Evanston.

More information on Shorefront can be found at: http://www.shorefrontcenter.org/

Please share this episode and tag @insidethskev @shorefront #evanston #northshore #blackhistory #equality #housing #redlining #segregation #fairhousing

Inside the Skev is a one stop shop for all things Skokie and Evanston. Be the first to know about local events, new podcast episodes, real estate and the latest stories about the great people in these towns. Head to http://www.skevanston.com and sign up for our mailing list, and follow @insidetheskev on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Photo credit of Dino Robinson to Evanston Photographic Studio.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Kevin Francis-JaHbat FC

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 08:00:20 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Kevin Francis from JaHbat F.C. JaHbat FC is a non-profit 501(c)(3), community-based organization, committed to the development and advancement of youth soccer in the Chicagoland, Northshore and West Suburb area. Jahbat F.C. was founded in 1996 by Kevin Francis, Franz Calixte, and Jean Gregoire to address the need for a topflight mens Pro-Am soccer team in the Evanston and Rogers Park area. Jahbat F.C.stands for Jamaica America Haiti Belize Asia Trinidad, the cultural backgrounds of the teams first players.

In this episode we discuss the history of Jahbat, youth soccer, and Kevin’s story of immigrating to the United States from Jamaica as a teenager. We talk about the mission of the organization, and why soccer is so important to Kevin.

More information can be found here:

https://www.jahbatfc.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/jahbatfc/

Please share this episode and tag @jahbatfc @jahbatevanston #soccer #youthsoccer #evanstonsoccer #travelsoccer #immigrants #immigrantstory #jamaica #jamiacainevanston #insidetheskev

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. And if you have interest in buying or selling real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Khemarey Khoeun and Punisa Pov-Skokie Park District and the National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 08:00:15 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Khemarey Khoeun and Punisa Pov. Khem is a Skokie Park District Commissioner, and the President of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial. Punisa is the Artist in Residence at the museum. In this episode we discuss Khem’s story of how and why she came to America, the museum, the history of Cambodia, Khem’s work at the Skokie Park District and the programing Punisa is running at the Museum.

More information can be found here:

National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial- https://www.cambodianmuseum.org/

Skokie Park District- https://www.skokieparks.org/

Coming Together- http://comingtogether.in/

Nisa Pov Official (Youtube)- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwzlV_lvyIzny5zFzuG1QSg

Please share this episode and tag @cambodianmuseum @skokieparkdistrict @skokieparks @friendsofkhem @khemareykhoen @punisapov #cambodia #cambodianculture #cambodianmusic #khmerrouge #vietnam #vietnamwar #skokie #skokieparkdistrict #skokieparks #refugees #immigrants

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Juliana Taimoorazy-Iraqi Christian Relief Council and the Philos Project

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 8 Oct 2019 12:59:34 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Juliana Taimoorazy. Juliana is the Founder and President of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, a Senior Fellow at the Philos Project and a Skokie resident. We discuss what is currently happening in Iraq and Syria, Juliana’s journey from Iran to the United States and her connection to the Assyrian community in Skokie and Chicago.

The Iraqi Christian Relief Council exists to support, protect, and defend persecuted Assyrian, Syriacs, and Chaldean Christians in Iraq and other countries in the Middle East by providing emergency humanitarian aid, prayer support, and advocacy. Juliana started the organization in 2007. More information can be found on their website at https://www.iraqichristianrelief.org/

The Philos Project is a dynamic leadership community dedicated to promoting positive Christian engagement in the Middle East. This community is centered on a growing network of city-based chapters located in North America and around the world. More information can be found on their website at https://philosproject.org/

Juliana will be leading a prayer vigil for the people of Iraq and the Middle East on Wednesday October 9th at 6PM at Notre Dame High School at 7655 W Dempster Street, Niles, IL 60714.

Please share this episode and tag @Jtaimoorazy @iraqichristian @philosproject @StateDept @UNWatch @UN@UNHumanRights @PrevGenocide #iraq #iraqi #assyrian #skokie @USCIRF#help_iraq_now #help_iraq #saveiraq#iraqrevolution#standwithiraq #iraq #refugees

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Sean Simpson-Lanzatech

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 7 Oct 2019 08:00:03 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Sean Simpson, the co-founder of Lanzatech. LanzaTech is based in the Illinois Science and Technology Park that is located in Downtown Skokie. Lanzatech is a company that recycles carbon waste from steel mills and other carbon producers and turns it into fuel and chemical by-products. In this episode we discuss what brought Lanzatech from New Zealand to the Chicagoland area and specifically Skokie, and what they do.

“Lanzatech’s mission is to turn our global carbon crisis into a feedstock opportunity with the potential to displace 30% of crude oil use today and reduce global CO2 emissions by 10%. By recycling carbon from industrial off-gases; syngas generated from any biomass resource (e.g. municipal solid waste (MSW), organic industrial waste, agricultural waste); and reformed biogas, LanzaTech can reduce emissions and make new products for a circular carbon economy.

LanzaTech’s carbon recycling technology is like retrofitting a brewery onto an emission source like a steel mill or a landfill site, but instead of using sugars and yeast to make beer, pollution is converted by bacteria to fuels and chemicals!” They currently have a commercial production facility in China, and in October 2018 fueled a Virgin Atlantic jetliner that flew from Orlando to London.

Lanzatech can be found at https://www.lanzatech.com/

Please share this episode and tag @lanzatech @downtownskokie @ istplifescience @intersectillinois @intersectillinois1 @CARGlobalCouncil @chicagocouncil #biorevolution #ClimateActionNow #bioeconomy@BioeconomyForum #cleanenergy #skokie #skokietech #insidetheskev #dreamtown #chicagobusiness #chicagotech @wsj @chicagotribune @crainschicago

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Sam Glassenberg-Level Ex

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 2 Oct 2019 00:45:05 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Sam Glassenberg from Level Ex. Sam is a Skevanston resident, and founder of Level Ex, which is a company that creates breathtaking video games for doctors that capture the challenges of practicing medicine: from puzzling diagnoses to rare surgical complications. Level Ex has been dubbed the, “Deep Dish Hotdog of Chicago Tech.”

In this episode we discuss Sam’s history in the video game industry, his current role as CEO and Founder of Level Ex, what Level Ex does, and his advice for people looking to get into the video game industry. We also discuss the grant Level Ex received from NASA to develop medical training for astronauts on their way to Mars.

Level Ex can be found at https://www.level-ex.com/ The current games available for download can be found Here:

Please share this episode and tag @samzg @levelexteam #levelex #medicaltraining #skevanston #videogames #virtualreality #vr #gaming #medicalgaming #airwayex #pulmex #gastroex #cardioex #chicagobusiness #chicagomedical @crainschicago @NASA #space #spacetravel #spacetraining #spacevr #spacelevelex #insidetheskev

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Miriam Ament-No Shame on U

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 13:04:16 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Miriam Ament from No Shame on U. No Shame On U is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions and raising awareness. Their goal is for the people who need help to seek it, for family members and friends to know how to provide proper support and to save lives.

In this episode we discuss why Miriam started the organization, and how it has successfully grown in since 2014. We also discussed the various programs No Shame on U runs to help people from various parts of the community cope with mental health conditions which can be found by clicking here. No Shame on U also participated in the Skokie 4th of July parade in 2019 to raise awareness.

No Shame on U’s upcoming major fundraising event centers on a celebrity and a local Skokie teenager who have coped with mental health issues. The reason for this is to raise awareness that mental health conditions affect us all, there is help available, and to raise funds for the organization. This year’s event features actor Sean Astin and is taking place on November 3, 2019. Please click here to sign up.

We discussed a conversation between Howard Stern and Conan O’Brien on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show’s in which they discuss the mental health conditions they have experienced and how they have gotten help. You can listen to a clip of this conversation on Youtube here.

Part of the conversation center around suicide prevention and its prevalence in society. For those who need help please call the National Suicide Prevention Crisis Line at 800-273-TALK (8255), or text 741741.

No Shame on U can be found online in the following places:

Web- http://www.noshameonu.org/

Instagram- @NoShameOnU

Facebook- @NoShameOnU

Twitter- @NoShameOnU

Please share this episode and tag #noshameonu #evanston #skevanston #skokie #mentalhealth @nshameonu #youarenotalone #socialanxiety

@seanastinpublic and #insidetheskev.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if you have interest in buying or selling real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Sketchbook Brewing Company

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 07:00:06 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” with Cesar Maron and Shawn Decker from Sketchbook Brewery. Sketchbook Brewery is located at 821 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202 and are building a second facility at 4901 Main Street, Skokie, IL 60077. First opened to the public on November 15, 2014, Sketchbook has come a long way from its early days filling growlers from an alley. Fueled by fierce customer loyalty and a passion for brewing excellence, this Evanston success story is expanding its distribution of cans and kegs quickly.

Sketchbook Brewing Company is the brainchild of two home-brew heroes, Shawn Decker & Cesar Marron, who met through Evanston’s Homebrew Club – a mighty throng of beer enthusiasts. Cesar’s brewing skills have earned him a dozen medals, and he was the Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest 2013 winner: his grätzer was selected from over 1,000 entries nationwide. Shawn brings a solid home-brewing practice to the partnership and decades of experience as a musician, artist, and teacher working on big projects where quality was important.

Sketchbook opened its Tap Room in April of 2016 at 821 Chicago Ave. in spring of 2016, and this intimate space has become a favorite with locals and beer connoisseurs. They recently held a Kickstarter to raise funds for an expansion of their facility and tap room, and more recently announced their expansion of a second brewery and tap room in Skokie.

We talk with Cesar and Shawn about their history and passion for beer, their incredible success in getting community buy-in, and the transformation of Chicago Avenue in Evanston. We discuss their success in business, and their hopes for the future.

Sketchbook Brewery can be found online in the following places:

Web- http://www.sketchbookbrewing.com/

Instagram- @sketchbookbrew

Facebook- @sketchbookbrew

Twitter-@Sketchbookbrew

Please share this episode, get some of their beer and tag #maindempstermile #evanston #skevanston #skokie #shopskokie #beer #brewery #smallbusiness #entrepreneur #illinoisbusiness #aaronmaslianskyrealestate and #insidetheskev.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

David Sutton-Sutton Studios

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 9 Sep 2019 08:30:10 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with David Sutton from Sutton Studios. David has been a photographer for many years and specializes in taking square black and white photos of people and their pets. He is also a musician and writer. He is located in Skevanston at the corner of East Prairie Road and Church Street at 3417 Church Street Evanston, IL, 60203.

We talk with David about his relationship with animals, his road to becoming a photographer, his passion for the arts and creatives and story of how he got to Evanston. He talks about first being a freelance photographer and then finding his niche. He explains that the key to being successful is to continue to practice and improve. He also talks about the challenges for creatives in running a business.

David also discussed his philanthropy work. Over the course of twenty-five years Sutton Studios has helped raise over $1,000,000 for dozens of human and animal welfare agencies. This includes portrait sittings sold in auctions, and calendars.

Sutton Studios can be found online in the following places:

Web- https://www.suttonstudios.com
Instagram- @davidsuttonstudios
Facebook- @SuttonStudiosPortraits
LinkedIn- @suttonstudioss

Please share this episode and tag #photography #evanston #skevanston #skokie #adoptapet @pawschicago #aaronmaslianskyrealestate and #insidetheskev.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Elisabeth Foran-Industrious

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 08:00:04 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we sit down with Elisabeth Foran, the community manager at the Industrious coworking space in Downtown Evanston. We talk about what coworking is, what Industrious offers and how Elisabeth got to this position.

Coworking is a flexible workspace where people from different industries can rent space, network and work independently. Coworking’s goals are to make people be more productive, have fun and work in a professional space. It has been dubbed as the future of work as many companies are now renting space in coworking spaces instead of leasing large amounts of concentrated real estate in one location in addition to independent business owners are choosing to work in coworking spaces instead of home offices.

Industrious is a premium coworking solution. It pairs thoughtfully designed spaces with hospitality-driven services and amenities. They have many events to help people meet, and they offer shared space and private office options. They now have 80 locations throughout the United States and are continuing to grow.

Elisabeth hails from the great state of Wisconsin and happily settled in Chicago after completing a Bachelor's degree in Music, English, and psychology at Lawrence University. In May of 2018, Elisabeth helped launch the Industrious Evanston location, and is now the community manager. Elisabeth talks about how great Industrious has been to meet people in a new area for her, and how she loves being part of the Evanston and Chicagoland community.

Industrious can be found online and on social media in the following places:

Instagram- @industriousevanston
Facebook- @IndustriousOffice
LinkedIn- @industrioushq
Twitter- @IndustriousHQ
Web- https://www.industriousoffice.com/
Blog- https://www.industriousoffice.com/blog

Please share this episode and tag Industrious, #coworking #downtownevanston. #aaronmaslianskyrealestate and #insidetheskev.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Nina Barrett-Bookends and Beginnings

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 17:43:56 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev,” we interview Nina Barrett the owner of Bookends and Beginnings. Bookends and Beginnings is an independent bookstore located in, “Bookman’s Alley,” located at 1712 Sherman Ave, Alley #1 Evanston, IL 60201. We discuss her ties to the store, why she became a bookstore owner, the book selling industry, her career in writing and her connection to Evanston. Her store is purpose driven in a personal way.

Bookends & Beginnings just celebrated its 5th birthday. The building used to house a different bookstore in it, and Nina did a story on it when she was in college at Northwestern University. It closed several years ago, and Nina opened up her store in 2014. She talks about her love of the space, and how she competes with Amazon and chain stores, and how she urges people to support independent bookstores.

Nina discusses the development that almost occurred on her location, and why she thinks it is so important for downtowns to have spaces like hers that offer lower rent in these areas. If you destroy all of the small independent shops, it can destroy the ecosystem of the neighborhood. She stresses the realities versus the fantasies of owning a small independent business and how lower rent is so important for her business to be viable.

Nina talks about how her store is so different than many other stores, and what things they do differently. She and the staff also hand curate all of the books. Bookends and Beginnings also has many events at the store, which can be found here: https://www.bookendsandbeginnings.com/event Some customers call it a speak easy for books where you have to know the password to get in so you can get drunk on the books, and it feels so much better than shopping at a chain store.

Bookends and Beginnings can also be found online at https://www.bookendsandbeginnings.com, on Instagram at @bookends_and_beginnings and Facebook at @bookendsbeginnings.

Please share this episode and tag Bookends and Beginnings, @IndieBound #shopindependent and #insidetheskev.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Photo credit to Jeff Barrett for the photo of Nina Barrett.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Lori Lippitz-The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 08:30:04 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev” we interview Lorri Lippitz from the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. We discuss her passion for music, Yiddish and connections to Jewish culture through music. We also discuss her goals in sustaining music and Yiddish to future generations and how children can get involved.

Lori Lippitz is the founder and manager of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, which has toured the US and Europe and recorded six CDs. After studying Slavic Languages and Literature at the Universities of Michigan and Chicago, she devoted herself to restoring the “joy of klez” to the Chicago Jewish community. Under the auspices of the Klezmer Music Foundation, Lori started the Junior Klezmer Orchestra, mentoring young people in klezmer music and Yiddish songs. Among her other current Klezmer Music Foundation projects, she manages three congregational klezmer bands as well as the Salaam-Shalom Music Project, an interfaith orchestra combining members of Maxwell Street and members of the Chicago Muslim musical community. Lori also serves as a Cantorial Soloist at several congregations including the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation (Evanston and Ahavat Olam (Glenview). More information on the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band can be found by clicking here.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Photo credits to David Sutton from Sutton Studios for the photo of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Global Real Estate-Live from Thailand

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 22:35:12 +0000

This week we broadcast live from Bangkok, Thailand. We interview Michelle Mills Clement, the CEO of the Chicago Association of Realtors (CAR), Maurice Hampton, the President-Elect of CAR, and Mabel Guzman, the head of the Global Real Estate Council for CAR and Past President of CAR to discuss CAR's trade mission to Thailand.

You may ask, what does Thailand and real estate have to do with the Skev, or Chicago in general. CAR is the ambassador organization to the Kingdom of Thailand through the National Association of Realtors. We talk about how people from the US can invest in international markets like Thailand, and people outside the United States can invest in real estate in the US in markets like Chicago. We have been connecting with our Thai peers, sharing our experience on how to lead in professionalism and education in real estate with Thailand, and learning how to find foreign investors and clients seeking passive income and great investments in our global city. We have been discovering the country’s real estate market and business opportunities through numerous meetings, property tours and cultural tours.

The purpose of the Global Real Estate Council is to support C.A.R. members who do business with global markets (inbound and outbound transactions and/or consultancy) through education and networking activities, information sharing and involvement with select global real estate organizations. The forum also fosters strong relations with local organizations representing diverse ethnic and cultural communities in Chicagoland. You can follow them online at https://chicagorealtor.com/groups-and-networks/global/ and social media.

This trip can be found on social media at the following hashtags: #aarongoesglobal #carinthailand #carglobal.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes the leadership and staff of CAR and my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Inside the Evanston-Mayor Steve Hagerty

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 09:14:57 +0000

This week on, “Inside the Skev” we interview Mayor Steve Hagerty from the City of Evanston. Mayor Hagerty discusses his passion for being mayor, his triumphs, his challenges, his hopes and his passions. He also discusses new development projects in the area, both private and public like the new Robert Crown Center and the redesigned Fountain Square.

Mayor Hagerty’s background is in leading a company called Hagerty Consulting that creates plans for disasters. It is a global company based in Evanston. After speaking with several people who had been involved in government, he decided to become civically engaged and run for mayor.

We discuss the great aspects of Evanston like it’s 5 shark-free beaches, proximity to Chicago, connections to the metro area with the Metra and CTA, Northwestern University and its global companies like Rotary International. Rotary International has 1.4 million members and is based in Downtown Evanston.

Some of his visions include that we ensure that we have a vibrant and robust business community. That means smart and sensible development focus on Transit Oriented Development. He points to the Albion Development on Sherman Avenue which is a new rental community that replaces the former site of Tommy Nevin’s Pub and Prairie Moon, and the Mather Homes on Davis and Hinman. He points to close to $500 Million of commercial development in Evanston. He also thinks the library parking lot will eventually be developed.

He talks about how the City has taken the initiative to be more environmentally friendly in order to combat climate change. Part of this includes adding more bike lanes and encouraging development near mass transit. He also has made statements of Evanston’s commitment to the environment.

The Mayor talks about stepping up and get civically involved in Evanston. He said to get involved in organizations and committees. He talks about he moved to Evanston 20 years ago and didn’t know anyone. He also joined the Evanston Leadership program which will helped open his eyes that he should be involved in organization like the Chamber of Commerce. He also says you can contact him directly if you want to get involved by emailing him at shagerty@cityofevanston.org.

We discuss the Dodge and Dempster called the West End Business District area which has been led in many ways by Valle Produce which owns the shopping center at Dodge and Dempster, Temperance Brewery, Out of Space, Goldfish Swim and Erie Health Center.

Affordable housing is another topic discussed in the episode. We discuss the need for it and a new development being built on Dempster and Pitner. This development is run by Housing Opportunities for Women with 16 units. He also discusses the inclusionary housing ordinance, and the accessory dwelling units (coach houses).

Last we talk about the Robert Crown Center. A new facility is currently being built to replace the existing facility which was built in the 1970s. That building is in disrepair, heavily used and is obsolete. The new facility will have a much better Head Start program, a new branch of the Evanston Public Library, new ice rinks, an indoor running track and sports facilities. The fields will also be replaced with 250,000 square feet of turf which will greatly improve surfaces for sports teams. This will allow teams to play even instead of requiring cancellation when it rains. He expects 200,000 people to come through the new center once completed. The price of the facility is $53 Million, which is a huge investment in the community. It will be paid for with bonds and donations from the Friends of Robert Crown. They have raised $12 Million.

People can learn more about the City of Evanston by going to cityofevanston.org and sign up for the City’s weekly newsletter and the Mayor’s newsletter which goes out 5-6 times a year. He also suggests people signup for the ward newsletters.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Inside the Skokie-Mayor George Van Dusen and Trustee Karen Gray-Keeler

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 2 Jul 2019 10:00:26 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen and Trustee Karen Gray-Keeler. We discuss their motivation, how to become civically engaged and what new things are happening in Skokie.

Mayor Van Dusen started in government by working for congressman Sidney Yates in Michigan. You can learn more about his background in his new book, Clear it With Sid, Sidney R. Yates and Fifty Years of Presidents, Pragmatism, and Public Service. Trustee Gray-Keeler got involved in Skokie government first through volunteering at her children's schools. She then got involved in the commissions, the Caucas party and then became a Trustee. To learn more about how to join a commission, click here.

We discuss the Students' Outstanding Artist Recognition (SOAR) program, which is a way to showcase Skokie's fine art. Recently my daughter's artwork was displayed and the Mayor took a photo with her. More information on the program can be found by clicking here.

We discuss many of the great things that have recently come to Skokie, like Ignite Gaming which was recently featured on this podcast. We discuss various projects on the horizon like 8000 North and breweries coming to Skokie. We also discuss the high-tech park, the new Skokie Yellow Line station at Oakton Street, and Skokie connections to the world and its incredible diversity.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show.And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Matt Ryan-The Talking Farm

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 09:30:08 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Ryan, the farm manager at the Talking Farm in Skokie. The Talking Farm is a non-profit farm on Howard Street in Skokie. They grow fresh, hyper-local food using innovative and sustainable practices while educating the community about the environment, agriculture, biodiversity, permaculture, horticulture, gardening, and social justice and health issues.

Through a land-use agreement with the Skokie Park District, the Howard Street Farm was created by developing 2.5 acres of uncontaminated, overgrown land (formerly a horse pasture) into vegetable, herb, and flower production integrated with a variety of fruit trees and bushes, nut trees, and other perennial species. In 2014, after being granted Skokie’s first zoning designation for urban agriculture, they began operating the Howard Street Farm as a full-production urban farm, which means that we are able to distribute and sell hyper-fresh, locally-grown produce to the community. The farm is located at 3669 Howard Street, in Skokie, Illinois, west of the intersection of Howard Street and McCormick Boulevard.

Matt Ryan has been involved in urban agriculture and community gardening for over 7 years. In 2012 he graduated from the Botanic Garden’s Windy City Harvest Sustainable Urban Agricultural Certificate Program. In 2012 Matt was hired as the Assistant Farm Manager at The Talking Farm along with managing the ETHS school garden the “Edible Acre”. In 2015 he became the Talking Farms Operations Manager and has since been working to further develop both the educational and production capacities of the organization.

The produce from the farm is sold at several restaurants in the area such as Blind Faith Cafe, Hewn, Farmhouse and Backlot Coffee. They also sell the produce at the local Skokie and Evanston Farmers markets. More information about the talking farm can be found at https://www.thetalkingfarm.org/ and on social media.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Katherine Gotsick-The Main Dempster Mile

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:00:02 +0000

In this episode, we sit down Katherine Gotsick, the executive director of the Main Dempster Mile. The Main Dempster Mile is a Special Service Area for the commercial districts that currently make up the Chicago/Dempster business district and the Main Street business district. A Special Service Area (SSA) is defined by Illinois State Statute as a contiguous area within a municipality or county in which special services are provided in addition to those services provided generally throughout the municipality or county. Special services include things like landscaping, advertising, public art, and extra garbage collections. The special services are paid from revenues collected from taxes levied or imposed upon property within that area.
We discuss the amazing businesses in the area which Katherine describes as thriving unicorns, the schools, the events that take place in the area and the drive she has to promote these amazing businesses. We talk about the community and how it is such a great neighborhood. One example is how the citizens re-opened a private library when a branch library was closed, and eventually made the city take it over again. People take ownership of their neighborhood.
We also discuss the changes in property taxes for commercial business in the area. Several business owners own their property, and the increased fees are adding additional stress to their bottom lines.
The Main Dempster Mile’s office is at the Co-Lab co-working space located at 900 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202. You can find more information about events and the businesses in the area at http://www.maindempstermile.com/.
I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Ignite Gaming

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Thu, 30 May 2019 11:00:01 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with brothers Flavius Maximus and Sam Oanta, the owners of Ignite Gaming. Ignite Gaming is a premier e-gaming lounge with locations in Skokie and Chicago. The Skokie location recently opened on Skokie Boulevard directly across the street from the CTA Yellow Line's Oakton stop.

We discuss the origins of Ignite, which started in Flavius and Sam's apartment as teenagers in Chicago. Avid gamers, they would have friends come over and turned their living room into a gaming center. Soon the spark of the idea of a professional gaming center with great service grew into the first location of Ignite.

Ignite recently opened their new location in Skokie. With the help of the Village of Skokie, they gut-renovated an old furniture store with bow-truss ceilings into a gorgeous open room with multiple gaming pods, virtual reality and a full bar with wait staff while having an equally large space for an open events space.

We discuss the continual drive for excellence, and how Flavius and Sam continue to tweak their business to provide a better customer experience. Their plans are to allow their business model to be scaleable to multiple locations.

We also learn about Flavius and Sam's entrepreneurial spirit, which started from immigrating to the United States from Romania as children, and figuring out how to run a great business through trial and error. We even find out how Flavius got his name!

Ignite Gaming's Skokie location can be found at 8125 Skokie Blvd · Skokie, IL. More information about Ignite including their hours and social media can be found on their website at https://www.ignitegaming.com/.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

YWCA-Evanston/North Shore

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 15 May 2019 23:59:24 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with the leaders of the YWCA/North Shore which includes Karen Singer, the CEO of the organization, Tiffany McDowell, the Director of the Equity Institute at the YWCA Evanston/North Shore and Trimmy Stamell, the Director of Corporate Relations and in charge of the Race Against Hate. The Race Against Hate takes place on June 16, 2019 and is co-sponsored by Dreamtown Realty.

The conversation begins by discussing the history of the YWCA, and the pillars of the organization. YWCA was founded in 1858. It is the oldest and largest multicultural woman’s organization in the world and, since its inception, has been an advocate for social change in the areas of civil rights, race relations, and the empowerment of women.

YWCA Evanston/North Shore came into existence in 1931 as a branch of the Chicago YWCA and was incorporated independently in 1947. Initially a place for women coming into the city from rural areas to work to find safe housing, our programs and services have changed over the years to meet the changing needs of the 16 communities they serve.

We then spoke with Tiffany McDowell, the Director of the Equity Institute at the YWCA about the programing she leads. The Institute is dedicated to promoting racial and gender equity at the individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels by partnering with individuals and institutions through training and education, community engagement programs, and annual events.

Trimmy Stamell discussed the upcoming Race Against Hate which is taking place on Sunday, June 16, 2019. More information can be found by clicking here. The Race has taken place for the past 20 years. The Race Against Hate honors the legacy of Ricky Byrdsong, the former Northwestern University Men's Basketball Coach and Skevanston resident who, while walking with his two young children in 1999, was murdered by a white supremacist. We discuss my own and the community's personal connections to the horrific incident.

There are approximately 300 independent YWCAs in the country. Each association is completely autonomous with its own board of directors, governing documents and structures, funding streams and programs designed to respond to the unique needs of the community it serves. The national YWCA provides no funding for its associations.

The discussion also encompasses the work of the YWCA which is rooted in four interconnected pillars:

· Freedom from violence

· Women’s economic advancement

· Racial and gender equity

· Aquatics access and opportunity

We discuss future plans for the YWCA Evanston/North Shore, and how they serve a large regional area.

The YWCA Evanston/North Shore can be found online at https://www.ywca-ens.org/. Their social media handles can be found there as well.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

David Lipschutz-Blind Faith Cafe

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 11:00:06 +0000

In this episode we sit down with David Lipschutz, the owner of Blind Faith Cafe. Established in 1979, Blind Faith is a certified green restaurant located in Evanston that has been transforming the way people enjoy vegetarian cuisine for more than thirty years.

We learn about how David got into the food industry as a teenager, travelled to the west coast and then returned to his native Evanston. In 1979 at age 22, David started working at Blind Faith and quickly bought the business.

We learn about the great successes of Blind Faith, and the challenges from getting zoning approval to open up at their current location, obtaining a liquor license, and having another location in the Lincoln Park/Roscoe Village area. We learn about David's keys to success which include constant attention to details. great customer service and treating his employees very well.

Blind Faith Cafe is located at 525 Dempster St. Evanston, IL 60201. It is open Tuesday-Thursday 11AM-9PM, Friday 11AM-10PM, Saturday 9AM-10PM, and Sunday 9AM-9PM. They are closed on Mondays. Their website is https://www.blindfaithcafe.com/ and can be found on Facebook at @blindfaithcafe and on Twitter at @BlindFaithCafe.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District-MWRD

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 11:00:13 +0000

In this episode, we visit the Terrence J. O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant (WRP), which is part of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago located at Howard and McCormick in Skokie. We speak with KImberly Du Buclet, one of the commissioners of the MWRD, Aruch Poonsapaya, the O'Brien WRP Operations Manager and Patrick Thomas, the public affairs specialist for the MWRD.

The main portion of the Terrence J. O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) began operation in 1928 and was a model for modern sewage treatment technology. Formerly known as the North Side WRP, the plant serves today more than 1.3 million people residing in a 143-square-mile area that includes Chicago, north of Fullerton Avenue and the 17 suburbs in northern Cook County. The O'Brien WRP removes pollutants from wastewater through a series of physical and biological processes. The plant cleans an average of 230 million gallons of wastewater per day (mgd) and has the capacity to treat 450 mgd.

We discuss the purpose of the MWRD which is to protect our waterways, the operation of the facility and the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP). We also talk about the vast amount of community outreach the MWRD has, including tours of their facilities. More information can be found on their website or on social media. Their website can be found here: https://www.mwrd.org

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with the graphics for the show. I'd like to thank SparkRaw Media for the video trailers created for this episode. If listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Yuval Degani-President of Dreamtown Realty

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Fri, 5 Apr 2019 10:00:11 +0000

In this episode, we hear the story of Yuval Degani, the owner of Dreamtown Realty. Yuval started Dreamtown in 1998 from scratch. Capitalizing on the early internet, he developed a website that was ahead of its time, and helped lead to explosive growth. Now he leads a company with over 400 agents spread out in offices across Chicago and Evanston.

The conversation starts from Yuval coming to Chicago from Israel, and starting a bike rental company with a friend of his. Yuval then was searching for a home, and decided that he wanted to get his real estate broker’s license and earn the commission instead of hiring someone. From there he started Dreamtown Realty, and worked on real estate to fill the off-season time when the bike rental business was closed. Needless to say he was hooked in real estate and Dreamtown grew exponentially.

The conversation then goes to Yuvals investment strategy of owning three, three-flats, his luck on having the right timing on things, and his passion for helping people and creating a collaborative environment. This ranges from providing the agents in his office with the tools to succeed like a full-fledged marketing staff, coaching, classes, massage services, and even creating partnerships with vendors like messengers services and organic meat vendors.

Yuval also discusses the differences in the marketplace that he sees between Evanston and the North Shore as compared to the City of Chicago, specifically in how business is conducted. By being a smaller market than the city, agents can really get to learn the market in greater depth by touring houses, and developing strong relationships with one another. Yuval also sees the future of Dreamtown as a growing company through organic growth of nurturing the current agents businesses, and attracting talented agents throughout the industry.

Yuval can be reached at yuval@dreamtown.com or his website at http://www.dreamtown.com/agents/yuval-degani.html. He can be found on instagram @marshual.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with the graphics and video clips for the show. If listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Ellen Blum Barish-Skokie's Award Winning Writer

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 13:09:11 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Ellen Blum Barish. Ellen is a writer, editor and author. Ellen won the 2018 Individual Artistic Excellence Award from the Skokie Arts Commission. She also heads two literary publications. They include Thread, which contains original, long-form essays, and Stitch, a monthly publication featuring 100-word essays.

She is an award winning writer, editor and author of Views from the Home Office Window: On Motherhood, Family and Life, published by Adams Street Publishing in 2007 which is available on Amazon.

Ellen’s feature articles on a variety of human-interest topics have been published in Newsweek, The Chicago Tribune and Northwestern Magazine. Her essays have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Tablet, Brevity, Literary Mama, Full Grown People and have aired on Chicago Public Radio/WBEZ.

Ellen teaches writing at Northwestern University, StoryStudio Chicago, Ice House Gallery and privately in her Skokie home. She also works individually with writers on their memoirs, essay collections and personal essays for academic applications.

Ellen has just completed a memoir and is searching for the right publisher.
You can find her at http://ellenblumbarish.com and her literary publications at http://threadliterary.com. She blogs at EBB & FLOW and posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. She has also had many live lit shows for Thread. Past hosts have included Curt’s Cafe North, Curt’s Cafe South, Tommy Nevins, the Evanston Public Library and the Curragh in Skokie.

Save the date for Threadaversary: An Evening of Personal Stories on Thursday, May 2, 2019. Find out more here: http://threadliterary.com/readings/

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Sam Feinsmith-Jewish Mindfulness Expert

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 14:33:06 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Sam Feinsmith. Rabbi Sam Feinsmith has been immersed in the world of Jewish contemplative living, learning, and teaching for over fifteen years. Serving as a consultant on a number of cutting-edge projects related to prayer, spirituality, and education, he has conducted Jewish meditation workshops and retreats for young children, teens, and Jewish educators and community leaders. After fourteen years of teaching Jewish mindfulness to teens and educators in NY and Illinois, Rabbi Feinsmith currently directs the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s National Educating for a Jewish Spiritual Life pilot for Jewish day schools and summer camps and the Clergy Leadership Program for rabbis and cantors across the country. Sam is also a Skevanston resident.

The conversation leads from Sam’s background in mindfulness, his reasoning for becoming a rabbi, and his basic belief principales. Sam’s organization can be found at http://www.jewishspirituality.org/. He also leads leads a bi-weekly mindfulness session with the Orot-Center for New Jewish Learning located at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation located at 303 Dodge Ave, Evanston, IL 60202. More information can be found on their website at: http://www.orotcenter.org/calendar-general.php

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me a call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Kenneth Mantel-Running for Skokie Park District Commissioner

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 12:59:05 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Kenneth Mantel. Ken is running for Skokie Park District Commissioner. Ken is a Skevanston resident, father to Walker Elementary School students and a local insurance broker at Mantel Insurance Company. Ken even wrote the Affordable Care Act policies for Illinois from 2014-2018.

Ken was lucky enough to grow up in Skokie, and is now raising his family in the same amazing community. He has a passion for civic engagement with a background in Political Science from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a M.S. in Public Service Management- Public Administration from DePaul University. He is also a member of the Skokie Public Safety Commission, Skokie Chamber of Commerce, Skokie Littler task force, and Kiwanis International.

As a park district commissioner, he has goals to improve the camp and class registration process, ensure improvements to IT infrastructure, increase ADA compliance and give better pet access to our parks. In collaboration with private and corporate partners he plans to fund future capital projects and make Skokie Park District the premiere park district in Chicago’s Northshore.

The election takes place on April 2, 2019. Early Voting will take place March 18-April 1. To find your early voting locations and election day voting location, click this link: https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/service/your-voter-information/voter/search
To support Ken, go to his website at https://mantelforskokieparks.com/, GoFundMe page here:https://www.gofundme.com/mantel-for-skokie-parks like his page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mantelforSkokieParks/ or email Ken at kjmantel@gmail.com.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Gretchen Oehlschlager and Alex Gurvich from CIERA-Out of this World at Northwestern

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 01:18:36 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Gretchen Oehlschlager and Alex Gurvich from the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) department at Northwestern University. CIERA’s mission is to promote research and education in astrophysics through support of independent postdoctoral fellows, advanced graduate and undergraduate research, a vigorous visiting researchers program, and multi-faceted seminars, education, and public outreach programs. Special emphasis is given to interdisciplinary connections with computer science, applied math, statistics, electrical and mechanical engineering, planetary science, education and the arts. Gretchen Oehlschlager is the Communications & Events Coordinator for CIERA. Alex Gurvich is a PHD student in the department.

The conversation weaves from the public outreach that CIERA has, to the research they do and what Alex is working on (like simulated universes!), underground lasers, universes and multiverses, and the need for the public interest in space.

Some of the public events include Astronomy on Tap which, is astronomy trivia nights at local Chicago pubs, CIERA Public Lectures and CIERA Astronomer Evenings, which are Monthly Conversations with Astronomers at Dearborn Observatory. One big event is on April 5, 2019 where Professor Rainer Weiss, the Nobel Prize winner in physics from 2017, will speak at the Heilborn Lectures with the subject of Exploring the Universe with Gravitational Waves. You can see all of CIERA’s events here: https://ciera.northwestern.edu/programs/.

Everyone can learn more about CIERA and find their social media channels on their website here: https://ciera.northwestern.edu/ You can see Alex’s simulated universe on his website here: https://sites.northwestern.edu/alexbgurvich/

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Tani Mintz-Sharp Edge CrossFit

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 4 Mar 2019 03:04:30 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Tani Mintz who owns Sharp Edge Crossfit in Evanston. Tani is a longtime friend of mine, a longtime Evanston and Skokie resident, and has an interesting story of how she got to where she is.

Tani first got interested in Crossfit when a friend took her there in college. Tani got so hooked that she ran a Crossfit in Milwaukee while in law school. She later moved to North Carolina and tried it out there. Eventually she found her way back to Evanston.

Tani’s reason for love fitness and sports started like every kid from the 1990s growing up in Chicago-Michael Jordan. Her AIM name was airmintz23 and it’s still her email address!

Even though Tani loved sports, she thought she would become a lawyer. She went to law school and thought she would stay involved in sports. She even sent resume to the general counsel for the Chicago Bears as a first-year law student. They did get back to her and brought her into Halas Hall. It was an amazing experience. She later decided that while it would be fun, she didn’t want to be behind the scenes. She didn’t want to work for the teams-she wanted to be hanging out with them.

Tani also has a deep passion for speed skating. It all started in in 2002 when she went with her family to the olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. She watched the speed skating competition and just loved it. She felt it in her blood. Afterwards she told parents she wanted to try speed skating and go to the olympics. She was a senior in high school at Evanston Township High School at that point. Tani decided to apply to Marquette because the main ice-rink for speed skating training is 5 minutes away from campus. She trained, did Cross Fit, and worked at Starbucks and succeed in qualifying for the olympic trials in the 3000 meter race!

For Tani, the busier she is, the more she excels. For instance, her routine in undergrad was to wake up, workout, go to classes, work at Starbucks from 8PM-12AM, and do it all over again. Variety in her day allows her mind to rest. Now that she owns SharpEdge Crossfit, she still works at Starbucks which is next door. She loves going to Starbucks where she can just make drinks and leave, as opposed to being in charge of everything.

Her focus for her customers at her gym is all about staying healthy. She wants to get people to be better, healthier people. She’s creating a healthy community. Her focus is on people growing and progressing. Tani says the hardest thing is walking through those doors.

Crossfit has high-intensity, small group, hour long fitness classes. Each coach will walk you through everything from stretching, to full intensity workouts. All of the coaches have sports backgrounds and are extremely knowledgeable. Find out more about Sharp Edge Crossfit on their website at https://sharpedgecrossfit.com/, email them at sharpedgecrossfit@gmail.co, stop by their space at 1326 Dodge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201 or call them at (847) 736-1539.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Lauren Grossman-Across the Table

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 01:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Grossman from Across the Table. Across The Table is a nonprofit organization that brings together diverse guests for group discussion over delicious food. They break bread, build bridges and connect over a group meal with facilitated conversation with ten-twelve new people whose backgrounds and perspectives are different from their own. They have dynamic, meaningful, topic-focused dialogue, while sharing food and ideas in a relaxed atmosphere.

Gatherings take place in beautiful and inviting spaces in community organizations, arts organizations, schools, outdoor space or private rooms in restaurants in Evanston, Illinois. When they dine in non-restaurant spaces, Across The Table partners with local catering companies. The cost is $30 per person and includes a multi-course, family-style meal. The meals are generally for people ages 21 or over.

Lauren grew up in the Detroit area, in a very diverse community, After graduating Indiana University, she moved to Chicago into the Lakeview community. While living there she taught high school at Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago and was consistently inspired by the open, honest and direct conversations she had with her students. Lauren's background was different from her students' but despite this difference, they connected very deeply. Lauren and her students had profoundly honest conversations around many issues that touched all of their lives, including issues of race, gender, socio-economics, and privilege. At the same time she felt that her personal life was confined to a more homogenous socio-economic community. Lauren wanted to give adults from all walks of life the opportunity to connect through these same kinds of honest, important conversations.

Lauren started Across The Table in 2008. She successfully ran Across The Table in Chicago for three years until her oldest son was born in 2011, at which time she decided to put Across The Table on hold and focus on her family. However, she restarted Across The Table in March of 2017 in Evanston.

The conversations are led by Lauren and two facilitators. There is one large conversation and it is very structured. At the beginning everyone receives a questionnaire with 5 personal questions like when was the last time you had an adventure, or what’s something you have done that has made you proud. These are used as ice-breakers. Meals are approximately 2.5 hours long. There is always time at the end where people can have private conversations with the other participants.

You can learn more about upcoming events, sign up for meals, or follow them on social media on the Across the Table website at https://acrossthetable.org/

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Mickey and Liz Natale-Kings Kuts

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 02:41:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Mickey and Liz Natale. Mickey and Liz are father-daughter partners of the barber shop called King Kuts in Skokie. Mickey started the business with his brother Kenny in 1962. Mickey has been working with Liz for many years. Kings Kuts epitomizes the neighborhood, family-owned barber shop. Some would say it’s a community center, or the Cheers of Skokie, where everybody knows your name.

Personally, I had my first haircut at Kings Kuts, along with my son, my brother, and my father and grandfather also go to Kings Kuts. It’s a core part of my life. And it’s a core part of the community’s life.

The episode walks us through the history of Kings Kuts, how it started and how it has evolved. The Village of Skokie marked the importance of Kings Kuts by creating an ordinance for Kings Kuts Day on October 6, 2012 in honor of their 50th year in business (https://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/skokie/published_documents/Manager%20Department/BoardAgenda/2012-10-01/2012-10-01.pdf).

Liz talks about how they started thek, “take your daughter to work day,” very early. By 13 she was the shampoo girl, and by 16 and a half, the first day you could enter barber school, she entered. By the way, their uncle owned the barber school. She has been working at Kings Kuts now for 36 years. They love working with each other. Mickey says, “if you can’t get along with Liz, there’s something wrong with you.”

We talked about the ups of the business. The 70s were a tough time for Kings Kuts. From getting poor quality new barbers, to people keeping their hair long, they had to find ways to make ends meet. Mickey is a car guy, and he and his brother would repair people’s cars at night. Mickey used to race cars, but he sold his race car and bought equipment to fix cars in his garage. We also talk about the competition in the business between the high-end shops and the chains.

The conversation turned towards their connections to their customers who have become like family, and their neighbors in the shopping center. We walked about the close relationship with Joel Jacobs who owned Kosher Gourmet before he passed away on new years eve of 2010. We also talked about the owners of New York Bagel and Bialy like going to Oli’s son’s wedding last year.

They even talk about people coming in to Kings Kuts for nostalgic visits. People come into their shop and Poochies, and other local longtime businesses.

Mickey is also famous for his red 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. People knew when it was Spring in Skokie when they’d see Mickey’s red Corvette sitting outside the shop. He bought it in 1966 and finally sold it in 2018.

We then talk about my son Joey, and his sense of humor. Mickey tells the story of how he told a fellow customer he was 94 years old and goes to Northwestern University. He was 6.

We talk about the pets in the store like their zebra finches. They started with 2 and now have 18 birds. They talk about how they take care of them.

When Mickey does eventually retire, Liz plans to rent a chair from another barber shop in the area. Hopefully Kings Kuts will be open for many, many years before that happens.

Kings Kuts is located at 3558 Dempster Street Skokie, IL 60076 and their phone number is 847-673-9663. Call them for an appointment or stop in!

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Annie Coakley-Inside the Ev

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Annie Coakley. Annie is the executive director of Downtown Evanston, which was created in 1987, and provides marketing and management services to the downtown Evanston, Illinois district and is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation for business. Annie Coakley previously worked for the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development for over 14 years, managing and coordinating a wide range of programs to attract, retain and support the growth of businesses throughout Chicago.

The episode walks us through what the Downtown Organization is, what it does, and why it exists, and why it is so important. She talks about the additional services it provides like advertising, landscaping and a multitude of events throughout the year.

Annie talks about the new projects that are being talked about in Downtown Evanston, and what is currently being constructed. For more information you can click here. She also talks about all of the new coffee shops coming to town like Philz and Newport Coffee House. We also talk about many of the current coffee shops in Downtown Evanston like Unicorn Cafe, Other Brother, and Starbucks,

Annie talk about her wishes for Evanston like an entertainment venue like Northlight Theatre; more money for public art like the Art Encounter EMAP program. More information can be found here: a pie in the sky wish for a bike route along the Metra line all the way from Evanston down to Elston similar to the 606. Reach out to Alderman Don Wilson for more information on this idea; and more landscaping similar to Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Downtown Evanston and all of their events like the Hygge Fest, which is a Danish based social winter festival which starts on February 16th at Bookends and Beginnings can be found at http://downtownevanston.org/, on Facebook at @downtownevanston, Instagram at @downtownevanston, and on Twitter at @DowntwnEvanston.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jeff Schankerman-One to One Financial

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 6 Feb 2019 12:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Schankerman. Jeff is a local Skevanston resident, and a puzzle solving financial planner. He works with One to One Financial, which is a family owned financial planning firm. Jeff grew up in Indianapolis, and now lives in Skevanston with his wife Nancy, and has two young adult children.

The episode walks us through Jeff’s background which began in a trading firm and eventually ended up in financial planning. Jeff discusses why he enjoys putting together the puzzle of people’s financial lives in place, and how he works with his clients’ best interests at heart.

Jeff advises the the benefits and challenges of being in a family business, and how he enjoys it. He also talks about how he counsels his clients through the changes in the financial markets.

The discussion then goes towards Skevanston, which Jeff loves. He talks about the Skokie Bookmobile (https://skokielibrary.info/about/bookmobile/) and Evanston’s Mount Trashmore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Trashmore_(Illinois). These are two of his favorite things in the area.

Jeff can be found at http://www.onetoonefa.com/Jeffrey--Schankerman.e697160.htm or by calling him at ‭(312) 927-8278‬. You can also find FINRA’s Broker Check website that Jeff mentioned on the episode at https://brokercheck.finra.org/.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Jeff Schankerman is registered representative of and offers securities and investment advisory services through MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC. Supervisory office: 900 E. 96th Street, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN, 46240 317-469-9999. One to One Financial is not a subsidiary of MML Investors Services, or its affiliated companies.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Rabbi Ari Hart-The Community Builder

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 18:28:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Rabbi Ari Hart. Rabbi Ari is a local Skevanston resident, and a a true community builder. He leads the Skokie Valley Agudath Synagogue, which is a modern Orthodox Jewish Synagogue in Skokie, Illinois. Rabbi Ari grew up in Evanston, and now lives in Skevanston with his wife Becca, and has two young children.

The episode walks us through Rabbi Ari’s background which didn’t start in the traditional manner for an Orthodox Rabbi. Rabbi Ari discusses why he enjoys the dynamic role of being a pulpit Rabbi.

The conversation then turns toward Rabbi Ari’s push towards social justice. We discuss his role in co-founding Uri L’Tzedek, which is an Orthodox social justice organization. More information about them can be found here: http://utzedek.org/

The discussion then goes towards Skevanston, and what brought Rabbi Ari back home. He talks about his vision for Skokie Valley, the changes taking place, and why he finds communal life so important. He discusses how the synagogue is more than just a place for prayer. It is a building to bring the community together no matter your beliefs, sexual preference, gender identity or physical or mental abilities.

Rabbi Ari also discusses the events that he is leading including community shabbat dinners; daily prayer services; the green team in partnership with Kol Sasson Congregation (https://kolsassoncongregation.shulcloud.com/) to make the building more sustainable; the relationship with Rohingya Refugee Community including an ESL program with young Rohingya mothers and hiring a member of the community; “The Known and the New,” series on Jewish intellectual history; and many more programs.

If you want to find out more, come see Rabbi Ari at the synagogue located at 8825 E. Prairie Road, Skokie, IL 60076. They have weekly services Saturday at 9AM, and daily services as well. You can find them online at http://www.svag.org and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/svajsynagogue/ and you can find Rabbi Ari on Facebook @arihart.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Dr. Tari Mack-Speaker, Author, Coach and Clinical Psychologist

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 02:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tari Mack. Tari is a transplanted Skevanstonite, and a wizard of the mind. She is a licensed psychologist with a specialty in couples counseling. Tari lives in Skevanston and works in Downtown Evanston.

The episode weaves through Tari’s connection to the area, reason for being a psychologist, recommendations for people and also she introduces her new book, “Love is a Test.”

Tari’s practice is based in Downtown Evanston. She works with people on all ends of the life spectrum, and also works alot with couples. She recommends therapy for most people who need help with their relationships. She talks about how often people typically see her, how she helps them, and teaches her clients how to setup boundaries. She also talks about what the difference is between what she does versus a psychiatrist or life coach.

Tari discusses the struggles of being an entrepreneur and what her why is. She talks about goals, vision boards, meditation and other tools to help get her to her excellence. Tari also discusses her goal to speak to larger groups and transition her business to reach a wider audience.

You can follow Tari on Instagram @drtarimack on Facebook @thepathofjoy or go to her website at http://www.drtarimack.com and look for her new book “Love is a Test,” which should be coming out later in 2019.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show, and Tari Mack for being a guest on the show. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http:///www.aaronmasliansky.com. And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Jacob Shapiro-Vero Design Build

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 14:30:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Jacob Shapiro. Jacob is the quintessential Skevanstonite, and a true jack of all trades. He is the owner of Vero Design + Build, which is a design and general contracting company based in Chicago. Jacob grew up in Evanston and now lives in Skevanston with his wife Mira and their two kids.

The episode weaves through his connection to construction, the background of his business, and his family’s connection to the area. Jacob’s family moved to Evanston in the 1950’s. His grandfather, Sam Sherwin, was a prominent local real estate agent, developer and true role model. Jacob met his wife in Evanston, whose family are long-time friends of his family. Some may say it was an arranged marriage.

Jacob is the owner of Vero Design + Build. They self-perform carpentry and millwork, and general contract as well. They work on primarily commercial work, and do work on select residential projects.

Jacob discusses the struggles of being an entrepreneur, having a business partner and what his why is. He also talks about his largest project to date, the Publishing House Bed and Breakfast https://publishinghousebnb.com/ He then talks about his current projects one of which being in Evanston.

The discussion then goes towards Skevanston, which Jacob says is, “A place to be.” He talks about what things he’d like to see in the area like a local coffee shop and place to hang out. Once we crack the code of parking requirements.

Jacob then talks about his dream job, which would be to work on a school project. We then talk about our high school’s buildings and their quirks and positives. We talk about the old Ida Crown Jewish Academy building where I attended as compared to their new building in Skokie, and we also talk about Evanston Township High School where Jacob went.

Learn more about Vero here http://www.verollc.com.

I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show, and Jacob Shapiro at Vero Design and Build for being a guest on the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, give me call or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com. And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Aaron Wertheimer-The Skevanston Movie Star

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 23:48:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Wertheimer. Aaron is a local Skevanston movie star. He is the writer and director of two offbeat comedy feature films: Wedgerino (2015) and Skippers(2018). He also works as a freelance writer and video editor, and has worked in the past as an assistant director, production manager and coordinator on features, shorts, commercials, and at Vice Media. After more than a decade in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, he now lives in Skevanston with his wife Joey and their two kids.

The episode weaves through Aaron’s initial connection to Skevanston, his love for film, his new movie skippers and his advice for people looking to get into the industry. He also talks about his love of Skevanston and his favorite places in the Evanston like Backlot Coffee, the bike trails and Squeezebox Books and & Music.

Learn more about Aaron here: Aaron Wertheimer's Website You can stream Skippers on Amazon or Tubi. Wedgerino and Skippers are also available on DVD.

Special thanks for help with with this show includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show, SparkRaw Media in Evanston for helping video a trailer of this podcast. Their information can be found at SparkRaw's Website I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. Also a shoutout Jeremy Fine for his help with this episode. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @TheGreatRabbino and to my sister Tzivia Masliansky for giving me good pointers to make the show better.

Don’t forget to reach out to me at my real estate website if you need help with finding a home in Skevanston, or anywhere around Chicago.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.

Inside the Skev-The Intro

aaron@thechicagolandguide.com (Aaron Masliansky) — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 19:59:00 +0000

In this first episode, Aaron Masliansky tells his story of why he has created this podcast, and his connection to Skevanston, Skokie and Evanston. As a local Realtor at Dreamtown Realty, Aaron has helped many people with buying, selling, and renting property. He has found their stories to be fascinating. Some of these people have great business or causes that you need to know about.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide.

For thoughtful, data-driven insights on living, working, and investing in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com.

Connect with Aaron Masliansky on LinkedIn for market updates and new episodes.

If you have questions, ideas, or topics you’d like covered, feel free to reach out.

If you found this episode valuable, consider subscribing and sharing it with someone who cares about Chicago and its future.