Curious City

<p>Plywood boards on storefronts became canvases during the protests over the killing of George Floyd. One Chicagoan wonders what will happen to the art now.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/EFKaG1WW6js" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>A rising population, developing landscape and evolving entertainment all helped form a need for the Chicago music venues we know today.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/kux-ayhOpxY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>As new parents to twins, Ricardo and Marcela Serment wonder if it could finally be time to invite some helping hands into their home.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/mt1eYe-Khh4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>In this episode we speak with comedians Ashley Ray, Josie Benedetti and artistic performer Angela Oliver about how systemic racism has impacted Chicago’s improv and comedy scene, what they’ve experienced onstage and off and what it will take to change things.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/4YbD30qaXXM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>As Chicagoans respond to the death of George Floyd, WBEZ’s Natalie Moore, Monica Eng, Chip Mitchell and Sarah Karp take us through the moments that defined this historic week.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/T2ltnd4mM84" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Since the pandemic began, people have been concerned about food—how safe it is, how to get it, whether it would be available. We <a href="https://www.wbez.org/stories/how-to-eat-safely-during-the-coronavirus-crisis-tips-resources-faqs/88a1d42a-0335-499b-96e9-dbd87eea0e1f"><u>answered many</u></a> of those questions a couple of months ago. But now, with new state and local regulations coming out for how to reopen, things are slowly beginning to change. And Curious Citizens have asked us what it means for things like Chicago area farmers markets, take out and restaurants. We answer a few of those questions here:</p> <h3><b>What will it be like to shop at the outdoor farmers markets in the Chicago area?</b></h3> <p>The City of Chicago still hasn’t released its guidelines or set a date for the reopening of farmers markets within the city limits—much to the chagrin of organizers and shoppers. But several local area markets, including those in <a href="https://www.oak-park.us/our-community/oak-park-farmers-market"><u>Oak Park</u></a> and <a href="https://www.cityofevanston.org/residents/farmers-market"><u>Evanston</u></a>, are already open, along with dozens of others across the state. The Illinois Farmers Market Association has also put out <a href="https://www.ilfma.org/resources"><u>recommendations</u></a> for safety.</p> <p>So even though city guidelines haven’t been announced, many Chicago area market operators already have a clear idea of what this year’s socially distant season will look like—and many have been operating virtually in the meantime. Here are some of the most common rules they say will be in place, once markets open for in-person shopping: </p> <ul> <li><p>All markets we checked with in Chicago will require face coverings for all vendors and patrons for entry.</p></li> <li><p>Market managers will limit the number of people who can be inside the shopping area at any one time. And, once inside, visitors will be encouraged to walk through the market in just one direction, keeping 6 feet from all others.</p></li> <li><p>Managers and farmers want customers to pre-order and pre-pay for their produce in advance so they can pick it up from the market without any money changing hands. They encourage shoppers to use an app called <a href="https://sourcewhatsgood.com/"><u>WhatsGood</u></a> that aggregates the products of all the market vendors in one spot for pre-order and delivery.</p></li> </ul> <p><br></p> <p><span id="selectionBoundary_1590792263143_2519244242718126" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span><img src="https://cdn.wbez.org/image/d62f9abf7eea5bccf76692bfa91317e6" title="Evanston Farmers Market pre-order pick up station" data-source="WBEZ" data-img-id="bedd3390-928c-47f4-9ea6-e733aca42aae" data-byline="" data-caption="Customers can pre-pay and order food online and then pick it up at the Evanston Farmers Market." style="width: 100%;" data-width="4032" data-height="3024"><br></p> <ul> <li><p>Most social aspects of the markets, like musical performances, yoga, chef demonstrations and kids activities have already been cancelled or at least delayed until the situation can be re-evaluated later in the year. At Chicago’s <a href="https://www.greencitymarket.org/"><u>Green City Market</u></a>, organizers have moved some activities, like their kids’ <a href="https://www.greencitymarket.org/programs/program.asp?id=2"><u>Club Sprouts</u></a>, into the virtual sphere.</p></li> <li><p>Logan Square Farmers Market organizers have developed<a href="https://www.logansquarefarmersmarket.org/covid"><u> detailed rules</u></a> that they will combine with any city rules that emerge in the coming days. They also plan to experiment with a reservation system where shoppers can sign up for a specific time to enter the market in order to manage the flow of traffic and avoid long lines for entry.</p></li> </ul> <p>Christine Carrino, a spokesperson for the City of Chicago, says they plan to share more information about the future of Chicago farmers markets sometime in early June.</p> <!--MembershipAffordance--> <h3><b>What are farmers markets going to sell?</b></h3> <p>Shoppers can expect a more limited selection of items at farmers markets when they reopen for in-person shopping. Many market managers tell Curious City that they are going to focus on vendors selling fresh plants, herbs, fruits and vegetables in the early weeks. This will allow them to keep crowding down and expand gradu

<p>As the state and the city take new steps to reopen life during COVID-19, we're releasing our last episode of Life Interrupted, a weekly series about daily life in Chicago during the pandemic. On this last episode, we meet Kate Huffman, a sixth generation farmer. Despite the economic uncertainty right now, she says farmers will come through.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/T6AvHf__9Nw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>At the beginning of the 20th Century, a global public health crisis hit Chicago—a widespread outbreak of tuberculosis. The highly contagious respiratory disease spread easily from person to person and attacked the lungs. Without a vaccine or a cure, doctors attempted to treat positive cases with sunshine, fresh air and by quarantining the sick away from the general public. Chicagoans who couldn’t afford to go to a private facility were sent to the <a href="https://www.wbez.org/stories/bed-rest-and-sputum-tests-inside-chicagos-municipal-tuberculosis-sanitarium/9680457b-3239-4db7-ad2d-97ecd7820aa5"><u>Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium</u></a> in Peterson Park, which back then was at the edge of the city.</p> <p>At the age of 12, Lillie Campbell was taken away from her family and quarantined at the MTS, where she remained for three years in the 1950s. She’s now 74, and she says that experience stayed with her and even inspired her to go into the medical field.</p> <p>While some Chicagoans are showing signs of <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-nyt-quarantine-fatigue-going-outside-research-20200428-bfiofglmejgc7e4zhptqahmsvi-story.html"><u>quarantine fatigue</u></a> after just two months under the Illinois stay-at-home order, Campbell recounts what it was like to live through the TB outbreak and how it has prepared her for the pandemic the world is living through today.</p> <p>What follows is an edited transcript of Campbell’s recent interview with <i>Curious City</i>.</p> <h3><b>How did you find out you had TB?</b></h3> <p>It was a very ‘hush hush’ disease—you didn't talk about it if you had it. You were considered very lowly, very unclean, like you were dirty. I think my teacher was one of the first people to begin to notice [I was sick] and they didn't let me go back to school. The thing I do remember most was the doctor who treated me, and he said to my mother, ‘I've seen this before.’</p> <p>My mother was just heartbroken. She didn't cry, but she was very visibly shaken. [The doctor] let me spend one last night with my mother and my brothers and sisters. He explained to her that the whole family would have to be tested.</p> <p>She had to bring me to [the sanitarium] that next morning. We didn't talk the whole way. There was really nothing much to say.</p> <p><span id="selectionBoundary_1590186016482_35504632306316686" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span></p><p><img src="https://cdn.wbez.org/image/f0848bb729c83204b056d3aa278ad0c9" title="Lillie Campbell, 12 years old" data-source="(Courtesy Lillie Campbell)" data-img-id="24888701-14e6-4bb5-a999-a5bf835937a1" data-byline="" data-caption="At 12 years old, Lillie Campbell was diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. Campbell's mother took this photograph of her outside of their family's apartment just before they drove to the sanitarium site." style="width: 33%;" data-width="2001" data-height="2667" class="" data-media-treatment="third"></p> <p></p> <p><span id="selectionBoundary_1590185428093_9789427262978903" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span><span id="selectionBoundary_1590185606748_21875196378954032" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span></p> <p></p> <h3><b>What was it like to be in quarantine at the MTS?</b></h3> <p>I was there from when I was 12 until I was 15. I was isolated. You couldn't go outside. Your nurses were afraid of you. They were very kind to me as long as my mother was standing there, but the moment she left, all hell broke loose. And we had to learn quickly—you're on your own. And I had to realize that it's either do or die.</p> <p>You had to get cards that had certain color codes—like everybody strived to get a green one [because] that meant you could go outside. You could not socialize with other people, other children, so you grew up very fast.</p> <h3><b>What kept you going?</b></h3> <p>You know, I’ll never forget that my dad--he sent me a poem. It was called “If” by Ruyard Kipling. And he wrote it out by hand and I'll never forget it. And it stuck with me.</p> <p>Lines like:</p> <p><i>If you can meet with triumph and disasters and treat those imposters just the same.</i></p> <p><i>If you can wait and not be tired by waiting...or in being hated don’t give way to hating.</i></p> <p>The whole thing was just encouraging, just the fact that he said don't hate someone because they hate you, to take a disaster and make it the best that you can

<p>In today's episode of Life Interrupted: Deanna Othman looks forward to sharing meals with friends and family during Ramadan. Now, she’s relying on faith to get her through isolation.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/WjPcn_LYzdU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>The Illinois stay-at-home order was supposed to slow the spread of COVID-19. So one Curious Citizen wonders how so many people are still getting sick.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/NPngWPrtl3Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>In today's episode of Life Interrupted: A first pregancy is normally filled with a lot of excitment but also a lot of anxiety. So what's it like to bring a baby into the world during a global pandemic?<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/ixyr75ytd6c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>With less traffic on the roads and some businesses shut, one Curious Citizen wonders if the air we’re breathing is any cleaner.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/S1bg7G09S-M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Life Interrupted is a new weekly series from Curious City about daily life in Chicago during the pandemic. In today's episode, a<span style="font-family: inherit;">s their daughter treats COVID-19 patients in intensive care, Suzie and Bob Pschirrer wonder if military families feel the same mix of pride and fear.</span></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/rk8kfuM91mg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Around the turn of the century, the great American wilderness was disappearing. That’s when an architect named Dwight Perkins devised an ambitious plan to save Chicagoland’s natural treasures — by creating the state’s first forest preserves. . Over the next 15 years, Perkins would weather legal battles and partisan squabbling in pursuit of his vision.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/r5hyi26B8tk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Life Interrupted is a new weekly series from Curious City about daily life in Chicago during the pandemic. In today's episode, Lucy Keating first learned to sew on her grandmother’s Singer sewing machine. Today, she’s reviving her skills to make masks for COVID-19.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/PHNiSU9XC7c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Two Albany Park chefs turned a Chinese-Korean chicken dish into a signature Chicago food. Listen to the history, then go to wbez.org/curiouscity for recipes to make at home.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/dRZp6kNFs7Y" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Whether you’re single or in a decades-long relationship, it’s likely coronavirus has had an impact on your love life. With Illinois’ “stay-at-home” order and new social distancing rules in place, the pandemic has fundamentally changed how we’re supposed to interact with one another, and that can include our romantic partners. Now, some couples are unexpectedly navigating long distance because of quarantine; other single folk are trying out virtual dates now that bars and restaurants are closed.</p> <p>Chicago dating coach <a href="https://www.smartdatingacademy.com/"><u>Bela Gandhi</u></a> said the disruption caused by COVID-19 has made people seek out relationships and romantic encounters.</p> <p>“People are craving connection more than ever because it's constrained,” she said.</p> <p>“I think it's heightening the feeling for a lot of people that they would really like to have a romantic partner.”</p> <p>Dating app data matches Gandhi’s observation. The app Hinge reported a 30% increase in messages among users in March. According to Tinder, there were more than 3 billion swipes on March 29, the highest number of recorded swipes for a single day in the app’s history. People have also been turning to non-dating-specific apps and games to meet and spend time with loved ones — some people reported that they’ve <a href="https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-03-27-people-are-using-animal-crossing-new-horizons-for-birthdays-weddings-and-dates-while-stuck-inside"><u>scheduled virtual dates and even attended wedding ceremonies</u></a> in the Nintendo Switch game Animal Crossing.</p> <p>We wanted to get to the stories behind the stats, so we asked you how your relationships and dating lives have fared during COVID-19. From learning how to use sex toys while staying socially distanced to quarantining on a boat with an ex-flame, here's what you had to say about love, sex and dating during the pandemic.</p><!--wbez-email-capture--> <p><span id="selectionBoundary_1586315305318_35826636037149373" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span><img src="https://cdn.wbez.org/image/30b28b3264b6dbc328d1a1382bc57256" title="Blind date header" data-source="" data-img-id="2aebcd4b-610c-4a1f-bfa7-6f291fa8fc92" data-byline="" data-caption="" style="width: 100%;" data-width="4793" data-height="1147"><br></p> <h3><b>Virtual blind dating made me rethink my approach to love</b></h3> <p><b>Relationship status: </b>Dating someone virtually through a new kind of matchmaking service</p> <p><b>The backstory:</b></p> <p>Most of Michael Gorman’s dating life has been facilitated through apps like Tinder and OkCupid. So when someone in his workout group chat posted a link to a <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLPibXcExaLWm-zdQ4qhagsVS7psmDKob5eaXtdF41QT_QgA/viewform"><u>signup form</u></a> for a new Chicago dating experiment called “Quarantine Bae,” he figured he had nothing to lose.</p> <p>“I wasn’t doing anything else with my time ... why not give it a shot?” he said. “Especially right now when the world is a very isolated place, I’ve been living for all of the video chats and other opportunities to connect with other human beings.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.quarantinebaechi.com/"><u>Quarantine Bae</u></a> is a virtual matchmaking service started by two single friends who wanted to help connect other single people vulnerable to loneliness during quarantine. Co-founder Stefanie Groner said she was jaded by most dating apps, so she wanted to create something different.</p> <p>“We thought to ourselves, ‘Can we design more meaningful interactions and a different way to date that’s relevant for coronavirus?’ ’’</p> <p><b>Enter COVID-19:</b></p> <p>Quarantine Bae matches people based on their preferences listed in the sign-up form and sets them up half-hour-long “blind” Zoom dates. The calls are audio-only, and participants don’t receive any information about each other going into the call.</p> <p>Michael said he was more nervous going into his first Quarantine Bae date than he’s ever been before.</p> <p>“I couldn’t come up with things to talk about or questions to ask him about his life,” he said. “It was kind of like [being in] that new Netflix show called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2eBAFt3L_0" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><i>Love is Blind</i></a>.”</p> <p>Despite his nerves, Michael said the Zoom conversation “never got slow or uninteresting.” When his BaeMaker (matchmaker) checked in with him afterwards to ask if he wanted his match’s photo and

<p>As many Chicagoans celebrate Passover, we’re sharing a story about the history of Chicago’s Jewish community through one congregation.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/_cUvTn3OiNE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Chicagoans have become familiar with how COVID-19 is spread from person to person and what types of safety measures they should be taking during this time.</p> <p>But WBEZ has gotten several questions from pet owners who are wondering about the risks to their furry friends, things like--<i>are cats and dogs susceptible to the virus and who will care for my pet if I get hospitalized with COVID-19?</i></p> <p>Scientists recently confirmed the first cases of COVID-19 in domestic pets- two cats and two dogs. But science journalist David Grimm says researchers, at this stage, believe the risk of transmission is low because the cell biology of animals is so different from humans.</p> <p>Still, there are precautions people need to take.</p> <p>In this episode, we explore how to best care for your pets right now, what to do if a pet owner gets sick with the virus and how our furry companions may also be responding to the emotional stress their owners might be experiencing right now.</p> <h3>More about our questioner</h3> <p><span id="selectionBoundary_1586013412990_5433367238254845" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span><img src="https://cdn.wbez.org/image/dfca30a7fb1ad526ce3b294892a077fa" title="Samuel Farbstein" data-source="" data-img-id="d37480bb-4f52-4355-bc38-3dbaf435f66f" data-byline="" data-caption="(Courtesy Samuel Farbstein)" style="width: 100%;" data-width="3088" data-height="2320"><br></p> <p>Dr. Samuel Farbstein is one of several people who asked WBEZ questions about pets and COVID-19. Samuel was wondering about whether his two dogs, J.C. and Benji, could possibly contract the virus and if they would be contagious if they did.</p> <p>He’s an internist at DuPage Medical Group and has been reading all the medical literature about the novel coronavirus so he can up with his patients’ questions and concerns. He thinks J.C. and Benji sense he’s under an unusual kind of stress, and says they’ve tried to offer him some comfort.</p> <p>“I [spent] 8 hours at my computer dictating yesterday and [both dogs] were basically at my side making sure I couldn't walk without stepping on them,” Sam says. “They knew I needed it; they know I'm under stress. They read us well.”</p> <p><i>Jesse Dukes is the Curious City audio producer. You can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/CuriousDukes" style=""><u>@CuriousDukes</u></a>. </i></p> <p><script async="" src="https://modules.wearehearken.com/wbez/embed/5098.js"></script></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/utklJMnMPlI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Governor Pritzker’s <u><a href="https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/pritzker-issues-stay-at-home-order/b984303d-eba6-4a04-97b8-8586564b7d1f">“stay-at-home” order</a> </u>has left lots of Chicagoans wondering how ⁠they can safely enjoy the outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the city’s lakefront, adjacent parks, the 606 and Riverwalk <a href="https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/coronavirus-in-illinois/b9d4bbde-4bde-48e1-810b-5cc7df506ca0"><u>have been closed</u></a> because people were congregating in large groups, many natural areas in the region remain open.</p><div></div><p>So people <i>can </i>still<i> </i>go outside to walk, run or bike ride, as long as they remain six feet away from other individuals. If these rules are followed, experts say spending time outdoors can be really good for mental and physical well-being.</p><p>We've received at least 14 questions in the last couple weeks about the safety and logistics of outdoor recreation during the COVID19 crisis. In this episode, we talk about how you can safely be outside, and why it matters. </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/FYEZKHeKmoU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p><i><b>WBEZ is answering lots of your other frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 outbreak in Illinois </b></i><a href="https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/covid19-frequently-asked-questions/f273028b-f4e0-45fc-98e6-78c50f931114"><i><u><b>here</b></u></i></a><i><b>.</b></i></p> <p>Life in Chicago has changed dramatically this past week, from schools and restaurants closing to evolving policies around social distancing and public events. As Chicagoans — and most people across the country — hunker down at home over the next few weeks, <i>Curious City </i>is answering questions about how to safely deal with food, cooking and eating during coronavirus.</p> <p>Please keep in mind that what is known about the virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, is still evolving. This information does not constitute professional medical advice. For questions regarding your own health, always consult a physician.</p> <h3><b style="font-family: inherit;">How safe is it to shop at the grocery store?<span id="selectionBoundary_1584625066949_47537062703285327" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span></b></h3> <p>The main issue with grocery shopping is your exposure to other people and contaminated hard surfaces like grocery carts, freezer handles and credit card swiping machines. Delivery services also involve some contact with people who may handle your produce.</p> <p>“Stay away from other shoppers, [and] don’t hover over someone’s shoulder trying to get the last toilet paper,” said Martin Wiedmann, food safety professor at Cornell University.</p> <p>For this reason, you should shop as infrequently as possible and at off-peak hours. Stores including Jewel-Osco, Dollar General, Target and Whole Foods are <a href="https://wgntv.com/news/coronavirus/jewel-latest-store-to-designate-hours-for-senior-shoppers/" target="">even creating special hours</a> for seniors and vulnerable populations. You may also want to check with elderly neighbors to see if you can shop for them.</p> <p>When you must shop, keep a safe distance from other shoppers, wear gloves, wash hands, wipe down surfaces and don’t touch your face.</p> <div class="offset"><h4> Cook County Resources </h4>County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said people can call (708) 633-3319 to speak with county public health professionals or email questions to [email protected]. The county is also launching a text alert system that people can sign up for by texting ALERTCOOK to 888-777.<p></p> </div> <h3><b style="font-family: inherit;">Can the virus be transmitted through raw food?<span id="selectionBoundary_1584625073395_20828489374496106" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span></b></h3> <p>As far as experts are aware, at this time, you cannot get the virus from ingesting food. However if you were to touch food that contains the virus and then touch your mouth or eyes or other mucus membranes, you could get it. But the risk is extremely low. </p> <p>“The current thinking is that you really have to inhale it or touch your face and have it come into contact with your mucosa,” said Dr. Jessie Abbate, an infectious disease specialist at Institut de Recherche pour le Développement France.</p> <p>Martin Wiedmann, a professor of food safety at Cornell University, said it’s important to keep the big picture in mind.</p> <p>“Nothing we do right now is zero risk, and food consuming has never been zero risk,” he said. “The lowest risk today will be packaged foods and canned foods. But that doesn’t mean we should not eat fresh vegetables. We’ve got to take care of our overall health, too.”</p> <h3><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Can the virus be transmitted through cooked food, like bread?<span id="selectionBoundary_1584625233518_9045957762380004" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span></span></b></h3> <p>See above. The current information suggests that ingestion is not an infection pathway for Covid-19 whether through cooked or raw food.</p> <p><font>“If you eat it … it goes into your stomach [where it cannot be transmitted],” said Dr. Jessie Abbate, an infectious disease specialist at Institut de Recherche pour le Développement France. “Along the way, it could potentially come into contact with your mucosa [where it <i>might theoretically</i> attach and infect], but it's very unlikely</font><font> that this is how it transmits</font><font>.”</font><span style="font-fami

<p>Fourteen-year-old Evan Robinson is a Chicago foodie — you might have even seen him on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxIy9P_r2hw"><u>Master Chef Junior</u></a>. Over the years, when he’s gone to see his orthodontist on 55th Street in Hyde Park, he’s noticed a tasty mystery.</p> <p>“We always see all these different Thai restaurants,” he says, referring to Snail Thai Cuisine, Siam Thai Cuisine and Thai 55 Restaurant.. “I think that’s crazy that there are three [within] one block right here.”</p> <p>Evan’s dad, Christopher, has lived in a lot of Chicago neighborhoods and says he’s noticed similar situations there, too.</p> <p>“There seemed to be a Thai restaurant in almost every neighborhood,” Christopher says.</p> <p>So Evan and Christopher wrote in to <i>Curious City </i>asking:</p> <p><i>Why are there so many Thai restaurants in Chicago?</i></p> <p>While there may not be a Thai restaurant in <i>every </i>Chicago neighborhood, there are a lot. According to Thai officials, the greater metropolitan area has about 300 Thai restaurants, but only about 10,000 Thai residents. This breaks down to about one restaurant for every 33 Thai people — twice the national average.</p> <p>In the 1970s, thousands of Thai doctors, nurses and students started immigrating to the U.S., and Illinois was the third most popular destination (behind Los Angeles and New York City). A few of these immigrants started opening restaurants in the early ‘70s, and by the 80’s and ‘90s Chicago was in the middle of a Thai restaurant boom.</p> <p>“It seemed like every few months a Thai restaurant popped up,” says nurse-turned-chef Chanpen Ratana, who at one point owned four Thai restaurants in Chicago.</p> <p>Experts believe this big early wave of Thai immigration laid the familiarity with — and demand for — the solid Thai restaurant scene we have today.</p> <p>As to why so many of these Thai immigrants decided to go into the restaurant business: Thai chefs, business scholars and government officials say it has to do with a culture of cooking and entrepreneurship. Plus, a Thai government “gastrodiplomacy” program aimed at promoting Thai cuisine across the world has given many local restaurants an extra boost.</p><p><span id="selectionBoundary_1584118267405_44187636298721555" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span><img src="https://cdn.wbez.org/image/d3ef4e710d53690f565cf62efe1e2838" title="Thai restaurant tryptich" data-source="" data-img-id="6f1e8f0e-62ad-4447-8b6a-d2ac80302591" data-byline="" data-caption="Questioners Evan and Christopher Robinson wondered about the number of Thai restaurants in Chicago after they noticed a cluster of three Thai restaurants within one block of one another in Hyde Park. (Courtesy Google Maps)" style="width: 100%;" data-width="3000" data-height="1080"><br></p> <h3><b>Thais know food</b></h3> <p>Chef Arun Sampathavivat of Arun’s Thai Restaurant says a big reason for the large number of Thai restaurants in Chicago — and across the world — is that Thais are natural cooks.</p> <p>“Thai people usually love to cook. They can cook anything,” Sampathavivat says. “Unlike most people who are not comfortable in the kitchen, most Thais can cook spontaneously right away. It's in them.”</p> <p>While it might sound like hyperbole, several people interviewed for this story gave a similar explanation, and Sampathavivat’s own story suggests there’s some truth to it. He came to Chicago as a University of Chicago graduate student with no cooking training, then became one of the most celebrated Thai chefs in the world.</p> <p>Sampathavivat also notes that many Thais are exposed to quality food culture at an early age as a part of their religious practice.</p> <p>“When Thais go to temple, we bring food to offer to the Buddha, and we have to bring the best we can,” he says. “There is almost an implicit contest. Like, ‘The better I do, the higher level of heaven I can go to.’ The result is that you learn about great food at the temple even outside of your own family.”</p><p><span id="selectionBoundary_1584118315709_8617958948154352" class="rangySelectionBoundary" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"> </span><img src="https://cdn.wbez.org/image/73bae4ccbd5bca6d0f3ace29021712ca" title="Arun's Thai food" data-source="" data-img-id="5b04f08a-71d6-4935-af05-8ef434a59d80" data-byline="" data-caption="Arun Sampathavivat came to Chicago for graduate school with no cooking training. Now, he’s a world-renowned chef known for his artistic presentation of Thai dishes like Tom Yum Goong, or hot and sour river prawn soup. (Courtesy Arun’s Thai)" style="width: 100%;" dat

<p>This curated episode from WBEZ and Comedy Central’s <i>South Side Stories</i> explores why every Harold’s chicken tastes different.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/if-YyA_-8_k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Police records show that dibs disputes have led to everything from broken mirrors to life-threatening acts of retaliation. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/a_zbl9J-IjY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>It’s sung everywhere from summer camps to soccer games. We dig into the song’s contested origins, and how it became such a hit.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/4_AG-3AIBe0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>From raw celery to “milk toast,” we explore the biggest food fads of the era — and the restaurants that served them.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/2Bcy9dwZUec" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>We explore a phenomenon called “cuffing” and the (short) lengths Chicagoans will go for love.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/O8gfyGoVKdg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Back in the 1940s, Chicago school kids took local field trips that would be unthinkable today.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/HSlKPM3Cya4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Chicago is geographically in the Midwest. But many people believe that being “Midwestern” is something else entirely. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/_FUDpDDimNg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p></p><p style="">From mail carriers to photographers, we asked people who spend a lot of time in the cold how they stay warm.</p><p><br></p><p></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/tggdoHSTxPU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>The common stereotype for Midwesterners is that we’re polite, friendly...and passive-aggressive. But is there any truth to that?<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/xovltc9lEao" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Do the animals go somewhere warm, like Florida? Does the zoo give them coats? We took a behind-the-scene tour of the zoo to find out.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/Pf8Y5eb5NXk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>We uncover the history and bask in the glow of a ubiquitous Chicago bar sign.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/28w5lv3GWL0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Commuters are regularly hit with the announcement “Gambling is prohibited on CTA trains.” We find the reason behind the rule and look for those who inspired it.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/deayQw9xN34" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>We answer your most pressing questions about Chicago’s controversial winter tradition. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/SqqMZ10bRjY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Rust Belt cities tackling their lead problems offer advice for Chicago on funding, public education and getting political buy-in. </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/fashulODn_M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>"It’s fast, it’s furious and it’s over in about three and a half weeks."<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/kY8YKVGFktA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p></p><p>Chicago’s "Red Summer" of 1919 comes alive in this radio drama from WBEZ's Natalie Moore. It’s history with a twist.</p><p><br></p><p></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/iil-pXoM1T4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>With trust in police at a historic low, the Chicago Police Department’s latest community policing initiative puts relationship building at its center. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/5e2jfaKLRPY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>The recorder often inflicts squeaky torture on parents. Music teacher Valerie DePriest explains why it became a staple in music education.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/dGEd0uNRm4s" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>She’s best known for her anti-lynching work in the South, but Wells spent nearly four decades advancing black equality in Chicago.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/EvSm4PWgkyo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Following several recent reports of a strange winged creature around the Chicago area, we try to find out what the heck is going on. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/lNupG6siAyw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Once you recover from the initial shock, experts recommend piecing together evidence, spreading the word, and hitting the street stat.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/v3oUvC8yqi0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>The effects of the groundbreaking engineering feat are still being felt today — as far as the Gulf of Mexico.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/GKkGn0rzp7o" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>A half day from ... what? Why this suburban myth is not even half true, and why the same mistake was made again 600 miles away.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/kwrA_0Lrq1A" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Over three decades, Aadam Jacobs obsessively documented Chicago’s indie rock scene. His collection includes the early work of Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins, Jeff Tweedy, New Order, Naked Raygun, Flaming Lips, Yo La Tengo and much more. Today, the future of his roughly 10,000 live recordings is unclear. We took a peek into Jacob's archive.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/DCDHFP5cWN8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Population estimates vary drastically. And numbers matter, since they dictate funding for crucial resources like shelter beds, food and social services.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/ftsOp9wr13M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Erratic water levels, disappearing beaches — climate change is already affecting Lake Michigan’s shoreline. Here’s what else we can expect.<br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/5AM7Qj04K7g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Chicago’s Full Moon Jam is now a popular city-sanctioned attraction. But it began back in 2004 as a birthday party among friends. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/uWYj8sXtJ3k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

<p>Don your dancing shoes as we track down the Chicago band members, musicians, and dancers who helped create five iconic moves. <br></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CuriousCityPodcast/~4/C-dsILkbFug" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>