1,000 reasons to love Chicago: City Cast's ode to the city
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The Skyline is a frequent favorite for Chicagoans. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
How many things do you love about Chicago?
- City Cast Chicago can name at least 1,000.
Driving the news: To celebrate the daily podcast's 1,000th episode since launching in 2021, the team, listeners and readers compiled a list of 1,000 things they all love about our city.
- Maybe you saw their ode to the Chicago alley.
Zoom in: "The curation is relatively light. It also means (shockingly) there's plenty that's missing, which is Chicago for you," executive producer Simone Alicea tells us.
- About 20% of the list is from City Cast Chicago's audience and guests, but host and South Sider Jacoby Cochran came up with more than a third of the items.
State of play: The list celebrates simple things ("large stuffed animals in Chinatown market shop windows"), serious bonafides ("Chicago is such a hardcore city when it comes to organizing"), common brags ("Our flag is literally the best") and charmingly specific pleasures ("Watching Jeopardy in a downtown gay bar on a Tuesday with my Tuesday club").
What they're saying: "Favorite one has to be No. 27: 'The excitement when house music starts playing at the function because no matter where the function is, people will understand the greatness that has been bestowed upon them," producer Michelle Navarro says.
- "I feel a sense of pride when I'm in another city or country, and house comes on because I get to think like, yeah, that's us, you're welcome."
Go deeper: Read the full list of "1,000 Things We Love About Chicago."
What's next: Listen to Thursday's episode to hear more things people love about Chicago.
Disclosure: Carrie was the founding executive producer of City Cast Chicago.