City Cast Houston

City Cast
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The daily podcast for food, culture, news, and nature in the sweaty Bayou City. Join host Raheel Ramzanali and the City Cast Houston team every weekday morning as we celebrate and interrogate this sprawling place with our favorite journalists, thinkers, leaders, neighbors, and gadflies. Learn more and subscribe to our daily morning newsletter at houston.citycast.fm.

  1. 10/24/2025

    Our Final Goodbyes and What We’ve Learned About Houston

    Since the beginning of City Cast Houston, every story we’ve shared on this podcast has shown us something new about this city. In this final episode, the entire City Cast Houston team including host Raheel Ramzanali, producer Carlignon Jones, and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis are looking back at what this journey has taught them and how it’s changed the way they see Houston. Stay connected with the team by following them on instagram:  Host Raheel Ramzanali - @raheeldoingthings Producer Carlignon Jones - @carlignon Newsletter editor - @booksbybrooke63 Learn more about the sponsors of this October 24th episode: Houston Cinema Arts Society  Visit Pearland The Village School Holocaust Museum Houston Midtown Houston Downtown Houston+ Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Photo: City Cast Houston

    43 min
  2. Tiny Things That Annoy Us About Houston

    10/23/2025

    Tiny Things That Annoy Us About Houston

    We’re in our final week of shows, so host Raheel Ramzanali is sharing one of his favorite episodes of all-time. We love H-Town, but when you love something, you can’t help but think about how it could improve… even in the pettiest ways! Business owner and the voice of the streets KB Brown is joining Raheel to air out their pettiest Houston gripes. Plus, we dig into a few of the 500+ grievances Houstonians left on reddit.  Want to see all 500+ petty gripes from the Houston subreddit? Check it out ⁠here⁠.  Learn more about the sponsors of this October 23rd episode: ⁠Houston Cinema Arts Society⁠ ⁠Visit Pearland⁠ ⁠The Village School⁠ ⁠Holocaust Museum Houston⁠ ⁠Midtown Houston⁠ Follow us on ⁠Instagram ⁠ @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have ⁠feedback or a show idea⁠? Let us know!  Photo: Houston Skyline at Night - Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash

    29 min
  3. Where to Live: Houston vs. The Suburbs

    10/22/2025

    Where to Live: Houston vs. The Suburbs

    It’s our final week of shows and we’re playing back some of our favorite episodes. Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis has today’s pick and it’s an epic showdown on where to live in H-Town! Host Raheel Ramzanali is reppin’ the burbs, producer Carlignon Jones is making a case for hidden gems outside the Loop, but inside the Beltway, and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis is standing up for the Inner Loopers! To make things even more fun, we’ve brought on a special guest, Rozmin Virani, who’s fairly new to Houston and deciding where to live. She’ll pick today’s winner, so stay tuned until the end!  This episode originally aired on August 22, 2024 Our last episode and newsletter will be released on Oct. 24. But before we go, we want to celebrate this community and our city. And we want to include you in our final episode! Tell us how City Cast Houston has been a part of your life. From your favorite episode, to a story that changed your mind, or something that made you feel more connected to our city. Please email us at houston@citycast.fm or leave us a voice message at +1 713-489-6972. Learn more about the sponsors of this October 22nd episode: Houston Cinema Arts Society Visit Pearland The Village School Holocaust Museum Houston Midtown Houston Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Photo: Houston City Skyline with Freeways Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash

    36 min
  4. The Houston Roads to Avoid

    10/21/2025

    The Houston Roads to Avoid

    It’s the final week of operations at City Cast Houston, and what better way to say goodbye then to share some of our all-time favorite episodes. If there is one thing that unites Houstonians, it is hating our roads. From potholes so deep you could find oil to construction that never ends, Houston has more than our fair share of road gripes. Houston sports radio legend John Granato joins host Raheel Ramzanali and newsletter editor Brooke Lewis to breakdown the worst roads, worst freeways, and areas to avoid around H-Town. This episode originally aired September, 21, 2023. Our last episode and newsletter will be released on Oct. 24. But before we go, we want to celebrate this community and our city. And we want to include you in our final episode! Tell us how City Cast Houston has been a part of your life. From your favorite episode, to a story that changed your mind, or something that made you feel more connected to our city. Please email us at ⁠houston@citycast.fm⁠ or leave us a voice message at +1 713-489-6972. Learn more about the sponsors of this October 21st episode: ⁠Houston Cinema Arts Society⁠ ⁠Visit Pearland⁠ ⁠The Village School⁠ ⁠Holocaust Museum Houston⁠ ⁠Midtown Houston⁠ Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter ⁠Hey Houston⁠  Follow us on ⁠Instagram ⁠ @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have ⁠feedback or a show idea⁠? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? ⁠Let’s Talk!⁠ Photo: 19th Street in The Heights by Brooke Lewis

    24 min
  5. Remember When We Won the World Series?

    10/20/2025

    Remember When We Won the World Series?

    It’s the final week of operations at City Cast Houston, and what better way to say goodbye then to share some of our all-time favorite episodes. We’re kicking it off with what was the celebration of a lifetime in our city, the 2022 Astros world series win! Producer Carlignon Jones and AK AL-Moumen took to the streets to report live from the parade in one of our most beloved conversations with the community.  Our last episode and newsletter will be released on Oct. 24. But before we go, we want to celebrate this community and our city. And we want to include you in our final episode! Tell us how City Cast Houston has been a part of your life. From your favorite episode, to a story that changed your mind, or something that made you feel more connected to our city. Please email us at houston@citycast.fm or leave us a voice message at +1 713-489-6972. Learn more about the sponsors of this October 20th episode: Houston Cinema Arts Society  Visit Pearland The Village School Holocaust Museum Houston Midtown Houston Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Photo by CY on Unsplash.jpg

    11 min
  6. Saying Goodbye to City Cast Houston. Plus, Other Major News From The Week

    10/17/2025

    Saying Goodbye to City Cast Houston. Plus, Other Major News From The Week

    Mayor Whitmire is breaking his silence about the removal of the iconic rainbow crosswalk. Plus, why is Ken Paxton suing to try and shut down a Houston civil rights organization? Producer Carlignon Jones is talking to Chron.com trending news reporter, Faith Bugenhagen, about those stories and more! We have some sad news to share today: City Cast Houston and Hey Houston are suspending operations. Our last episode and newsletter will be released on Oct. 24. Next week, we’ll be sharing a mix of fresh and beloved conversations, to celebrate this community and our city. And we want to include you in our final episode! Tell us how City Cast Houston has been a part of your life. From your favorite episode, to a story that changed your mind, or something that made you feel more connected to our city. Please email us at ⁠houston@citycast.fm⁠ or leave us a voice message at+1 713-489-6972. This show has been such a meaningful part of our lives and we know it’s meant something to so many of you too. We want to thank you for listening, for trusting us with your stories, and for helping us make this show everything that it was. Stories we talked about on today’s show:  ⁠Former detective says string of Houston deaths may be linked to alleged ‘Smiley Face’ killer network⁠ ⁠Houston leaders vow to fight rainbow crosswalk removal, look into legal action⁠ ⁠Houston mayor breaks silence on rainbow crosswalk removal⁠ ⁠Houston City Council votes to permanently close Polk St. to make way for $2B GRB expansion ⁠ ⁠Paxton's suit to shut down FIEL Houston can move forward, court rules  ⁠ Learn more about the sponsors of this October 17th episode: ⁠AIA Houston⁠ ⁠Downtown Houston+⁠ ⁠Contemporary Arts Museum Houston⁠   ⁠Houston Cinema Arts Society ⁠ ⁠Visit Pearland⁠ Follow us on ⁠Instagram ⁠ @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have ⁠feedback or a show idea⁠? Let us know!  Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash

    31 min
  7. Can Houston’s Theater Scene Rival Broadway?!

    10/16/2025

    Can Houston’s Theater Scene Rival Broadway?!

    Believe it or not, but Houston’s theater scene is one of the best in the nation. So, why don’t we get the respect we deserve?! Host Raheel Ramzanali is learning about just how robust our scene is with Hillary Hart, Executive Director at Theatre Under the Stars. Plus, Hillary is giving her picks on what shows you should watch this season.  Hillary’s recommendations of productions you should check out:  • Spelling Bee and White Christmas at TuTs • Shows at Discovery Green  • Shows at POST Houston  • The Nutcracker  Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let’s Talk! Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash.jpg

    24 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    How Houston Restaurants Are Surviving One of Its Biggest Economic Downturns

    It’s been a tough year for restaurants in Houston with so many popular places closing down. But, what’s being done by the restaurants to stay open and survive 2025? Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Sonia Garcia, trending food reporter at the Houston Chronicle, about the different things restaurants are trying to stay afloat in this economic down turn.  Stories we talked about on today’s show:  The Houston restaurant scene is struggling. Here's why. How Houston restaurants are using AI to save time and money If you enjoyed today's interview with Awty International School's Head of Secondary, Tom Oden, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this October 15th episode: AIA Houston Downtown Houston+ Contemporary Arts Museum Houston   Houston Cinema Arts Society  Visit Pearland Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let’s Talk! Photo: Marco Torres/@MarcoFromHouston

    32 min
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The daily podcast for food, culture, news, and nature in the sweaty Bayou City. Join host Raheel Ramzanali and the City Cast Houston team every weekday morning as we celebrate and interrogate this sprawling place with our favorite journalists, thinkers, leaders, neighbors, and gadflies. Learn more and subscribe to our daily morning newsletter at houston.citycast.fm.

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