59 episodes

Alyssa Dyksterhouse, Chicago tour guide, history lover and research extraordinaire, walks her friends through her favorite well-known and lesser-known moments in Chicago’s quirky past while exploring each story's parallels to current affairs. 

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    • History

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Alyssa Dyksterhouse, Chicago tour guide, history lover and research extraordinaire, walks her friends through her favorite well-known and lesser-known moments in Chicago’s quirky past while exploring each story's parallels to current affairs. 

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Wesley Willis: A Punk Icon

    Wesley Willis: A Punk Icon

    Alyssa is joined by Pat Westmacott of The Grinning Barretts to talk about Chicago's Punk Icon, Wesley Willis with a few fun digressions.

    Show Notes:
    Washington Post: Songs in His Head
    Steve Albini
    Chicago Reader: The Wesley Willis Fiasco Wesley Willis: Too Much Too Soon?
    All Music: Feel the Power Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
    Wesley Willis Bio
    Vice: Remembering Wesley Willis, Ten Years Later
    Thrillist: He Wupped Batman's Ass: The Complex Simplicity of Chicago Legend Wesley Willis
    New York Times: Wesley Willis, 40, Underground Musician

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    • 1 hr 15 min
    The Tamale Guy: Underground Superstar

    The Tamale Guy: Underground Superstar

    Alyssa takes a break from crime and corruption to tell Vanessa from Reel Relationships about a living local hero and one of the reasons Chicago is the greatest American city.

    Show Notes:

    WTTW: Chicago Portrait: Tamale Guy
    DNA Info: Is Running Into The Tamale Guy a Religious Experience? Yes, Yelpers Say
    Thrillist: An Interview With Chicago's Dive Bar Hero, the Tamale Man
    Chicago Tribune: 'Tamale Guy' an icon at bars where kitchens close early
    Chicago Sun-Times: Tamale Guy returns: Claudio Velez feeling ‘completamente great’ as he relaunches bar route, sets up shop at Lone Wolf
    Chicago Tribune: ‘Tamale Guy’ Claudio Velez sues restaurant partners, alleging they froze him out while profiting off his likeness and recipes
    The Infatuation: Court Battles, COVID, And Collateral Damage: A Year Of Drama For Chicago’s Tamale Guy
    Gapers Block: In Search of the Tamale Guy
    Eater: The Saga of Chicago ‘Tamale Guy’ Claudio Velez
    Eater: Tamale Guy Visits 20 Bars and Makes 1,500 Tamales on First Day Back
    Eater: Tamale Guy Moves Operations to Wicker Park
    Eater: Tamale Guy Gears Up For Thursday Debut on Randolph Street
    Eater: The Secret Origin of Chicago’s Tamale Guy
    Mashed: The Truth About Chicago's Famous Tamale Guy
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    • 1 hr 9 min
    The Dirksenverse: Operation GAMBAT

    The Dirksenverse: Operation GAMBAT

    With Ed Burke Day mere days away, Alyssa invited Morgan Stringer from Hot Dockets to the Dirksenverse to explore Operation GAMBAT which involved putting away bad people who fixed murders and other stuff. 

    In addition the FBI Op we talk about the following:
    Ed Burke’s racism
    Costume critique
    Return of the FBI Theatre Troop and some bad casting
    Dersh
    Alex Jones
    It should cost more to be corruptible
    Current state of the Board of Ethics

    Show Notes:

    Foreign Policy: Judges on the Take
    Chicago Tribune: OPERATION GREYLORD WINDS DOWN
    Daily Journal Remember Graylord, Gambit Cases
    Chicago Tribune: `SORRY, ASHAMED’ ROTI GETS 4-YEAR TERM
    LA Times: ‘Thousand Points of Corruption’ : A travel guide practically guarantees tourists that a Chicago official will be indicted during their stay. The fabled machine may be gone, but dirty politics is alive and well.
    Chicago Magazine: Devils’ Advocate
    Chicago Sun-Times: GAMBAT CHARGES
    Chicago Sun-Times: 'My only goal was to clean up the court system'
    Chicago Sun-Times: COP-BEATING VERDICT PROBED
    Chicago Sun-Times: 2 FBI agents posed as lawsuit feuders
    Chicago Sun-Times: Lawyer's cop roots put to use in undercover job
    Chicago Sun-Times:Lawyer Cooley describes a life of crime
    WTTW: Ald. Jim Gardiner Fined $20K For Violating Ethics Ordinance by Slapping Critic with Unfounded Tickets
    Burke Picture
    CNN: Blagojevich's lead defense lawyer to resign
    When Corruption Was King: How I Helped the Mob Rule Chicago, Then Brought the Outfit Down
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    • 2 hrs 17 min
    Grimes Sisters: Chicago's "Most" Famous Cold Case

    Grimes Sisters: Chicago's "Most" Famous Cold Case

    In this episode Alyssa is joined by Steven Ray Morris of See Jurassic Right and formerly My Favorite Murder to discuss the 1950's murder of the Grimes Sisters.  

    Show Notes:

    Chicago Reader: Death and the Maidens
    Chicago Now: Unsolved Chicago Grimes Sisters’ Murder is 59 Years Old
    Newcity: A Killer and A Movie: When Two Brutal Murders Brought Fear to Chicago
    WGN: Grimes Sisters' killings blamed for Chicago's loss of innocence
    The Two Lost Girls: The Mystery of the Grimes Sisters (Dead Men Do Tell Tales)
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    • 1 hr 23 min
    Charlie Trotter: Gordon Ramsay before there was Gordon Ramsay

    Charlie Trotter: Gordon Ramsay before there was Gordon Ramsay

    Alyssa is joined by Ben Mandelker of Watch What Crappens to discuss the life and times of Chef Charlie Trotter. Some of you might be asking, "Who?" Well, take a listen because aside from being Gordon Ramsay before Gordon Ramsay he profoundly impacted Chicago's dining culture with some influence on Top Chef.

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    Show Notes:
    Book: Charlie Trotter: How One Superstar Chef and His Iconic Chicago Restaurant Helped Revolutionize American Cuisine
    IMDB: Love Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Charlie Trotter
    New York Times: Charlie Trotter, a Leader Left Behind
    New York Times: Charlie Trotter Dies at 54; Chef Made Chicago a Must
    Chicago Magazine: Charlie Trotter Is Alive And Well
    Chicago Sun-Times: Charlie Trotter exhibit a glimpse of the man behind the legend
    People: Chef Graham Elliot Remembers Charlie Trotter
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    • 1 hr 33 min
    Soldier Field Update: Flabbergasting

    Soldier Field Update: Flabbergasting

    The Chicago Bears and the City of Chicago held a press conference so stunning Alyssa had to sit down for and tell Scoot and Pat all about it to get their reactions.
    She also had to explain the parking deal.
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    • 56 min

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