Sip With Me

The countdown to Christmas is on, which means it’s time to finish that last minute holiday shopping! As some of you know, Ioanna recently found an interest in antiquing and finding unique items for her home. This week’s guest is the perfect example of an unique retail experience where antique meets new!

Karl Sorensen is the Owner of P.O.S.H. here in Chicago’s river north neighborhood! P.O.S.H. is a remarkable retail store that was born from an idea that the shopping experience could be something different than it typically was in back in 1997 when the store was founded. Featuring a mix of antique items, trendy new gifts, and one-of-a-kind treasures, there’s something for all shoppers, budgets, and occasions!

Karl joins us to talk about how he got into antiquing decades ago and what led him to founding the store. Hear about his adventures traveling the world as a flight attendant and how those early trips to Europe formed his unique aesthetic.

Learn what P.O.S.H. stands for and find out the fascinating history behind their historical building the shop lives in.

We talk to Karl about antiquing and how he finds his treasures, plus his views on why the store is so comfy and gives off major chill vibes.

Shop P.O.S.H. at 613 N. State Street here in Chicago, or browse and shop online at the link in our bio!

(hint: they release new items online every Friday at 9am CST)!

It’s last minute holiday shopping time y’all and we’ve got the perfect gift for you! This week we are featuring a brand we love who also offers the perfect holiday gifts. Founded in 2016, Homesick is a home fragrance and lifestyle brand with one simple goal: to bring joy to your home by helping you feel closer to the people, places and moments that matter most.

They’ve been inspired overtime by their loyal fans and have expanded the Homesick range to almost 200 different products representing all the things that matter most - from every US state, to multiple cities and countries, to occasions, people and moments. We love the brand so much, Ioanna even gifted one of their fabulous NYC candles to Aaron when she asked him to be her Man of Honor!

Their candles are cruelty-free, non-toxic and contain no lead, plastics, paraben, phthalates or synthetic dyes and are made with a natural soy wax blend!

We chat all things candles with the General Manager of Homesick, Lauren McCord. She talks about the founding of the brand and its goal of bringing special moments to all. Hear about the scent creation process and how they select what ends up in their lines. Plus, a glimpse into what makes their candles a hit with folks looking for a natural product.

With options to personalize as well, the brand offers something meaningful for everyone! We blow out the candle with rapid fire, learning Lauren’s favorite holiday scent, her dream collab, favorite state scent, and her favorite room to put a candle in her house! PLUS, hear what scent Sip with Me would be it we were a candle!

Shop Homesick now at the link in our bio or at Homesick.com

This week, we’re getting the scoop- literally - on one of the nation’s favorite, most recognizable ice cream brands- The Original Rainbow Cone! Rainbow Cone is a Chicago-founded ice cream shop serving up ice cream, cakes, donuts, and more. Best known for their original cone, the famous and insta-worthy product is a stack of five flavors: Orange Sherbet, Pistachio, Palmer House, Strawberry, and Chocolate. They “slice (not scoop) these flavors into a cone or a cup” creating a literal rainbow of ice cream magic! There may not be a pot of gold at the end, but your stomach and smile will surely feel like it!

Lynn Sapp, Third Generation Owner of Rainbow Cone, joined us to discuss what a rainbow cone is, what has made it a beloved treat over multiple generations, and what it means to be a Chicago business. Founded over 95 years ago by Grandpa Joe Sapp, they’ve kept things pretty much the same and are expanding across the nation! Lynn talks about what it has meant to spread ice cream cheer to new communities and what’s in store for the family business in the coming year. Plus, she shares what new flavors they’ve introduced and what magical holiday treats are available!

We scoop five layers of rapid fire at the end, discovering Lynn’s favorite flavor, a cherished memory from the store, what she loves about Chicago, and her favorite cocktail (which does involve ice cream)!

Sip along with us this week on the perfect winter cocktail, the “Winter Warmer”. Brought to us by Spirit Hub, we share the recipe in this week’s episode, and you can get everything you need to make this cocktail at spirithub.com! Perfect for your upcoming holiday party or cozy night in, get everything you need from Spirit Hub without having to leave your home!

Today’s cocktail recipe is brought to us by Spirit Hub, the leading online marketplace for premium wine & liquor shipping! We’re sipping on a Winter Warmer, and it really is the perfect winter cocktail. The spirits starring in this recipe are one and a half ounces of 4 Spirits Vodka and half an ounce of Elderflower Liqueur. Add your spirits and 4 ounces of cranberry juice and 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice to a shaker with ice, and shake well. Strain over fresh ice into a coupe glass and garnish with a lime wheel! Get everything you need to warm up with this cocktail this winter at spirithub.com!

How does one become King of Sandwiches? Known by fans around the world and Aaron’s mom as “The Sandwich King”, Jeff Mauro is an Emmy-nominated celebrity chef who became known for destroying the competition with his consistently amazing sandwiches. Winning Season 7 of Food Network’s “Food Network Star”, Jeff became the go-to authority on all things sandwiches, cooking, and of course hilarious entertainment.

Jeff has his own show “Sandwich King”, co-hosts “The Kitchen”, has his own cookbook, podcast and a business (WOWOWOWOW).

A local Chicagoan, we chat about Jeff’s upbringing and how Chicago food helped influenced him in his career. Then we find out how many times Jeff had to audition for Food Network Star, and hear about his experience filming the show in secret away from his family and friends.

Jeff also told us about his Chicago-based company “Mauro Provisions”, which sells craft giardiniera, meat, and seasoning- essentially everything you’d need to create the perfect Chicago meal! We love a company with a foodie mission!!

Last, Jeff tells us about his podcast “Come On Over” which we binged after the interview because he’s literally a stand up comedian.

We end this episode with a round of rapid fire, finding out Jeff’s favorite bun, what cookbook he’s reading right now (which was literally next to him on his desk), his go-to Chicago restaurant, and his favorite cocktail!

Candace Nelson is as iconic as her cupcakes! One of our favorite entrepreneurs out there, she founded Sprinkles Cupcakes in 2005. Considered the first cupcake bakery, the brand has been massively successful thanks to its beautiful cupcake designs, fresh ingredients, and Candace’s vision for an elevated cupcake experience. Candace also has a cookbook, is reinventing pizza, and just released her new book “Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe To Turn Your Passion into Profit”.

She sat down with us during her trip to Chicago to tell us all about the book and what it has in store for readers! A freshly baked mixture of tips, tricks, lessons learned, and memories, she gives insight into how to bake up the recipe for success! As podcasters trying to grow our brand for the past two years, let us be the first tell you, we empathized with many of her messier moments and use them to create some of our best!

Candace also gave us a glimpse into her journey to becoming an entrepreneur, which included Indonesian cooking, the dot-com bubble, and a willingness to risk it all.

We end with a round of rapid fire to find out Candace’s go-to cupcake flavor, her favorite sprinkle, and favorite cocktail!

This week’s recipe for the “Sprinkletini” is shared from Salt & Lavender!

Find Candace’s new book at your local bookstore, on Amazon, or wherever you get your books! Some links are in our bio!

To celebrate one of our favorite holidays this week, we’re fusing two of our favorite things- Halloween and cocktails!  We’re haunting your air pods and car speakers with the voice of Sarah Syman, Beverage Director and General Manager of The Dandy Crown. Located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, it’s described as “an approachable, neighborhood cocktail-focused restaurant and bar”. Their vibe is laid-back-luxe and filled with images of nontraditional dandy kings, queens, and other crown-wearers; a nod to One of the founders' British citizenship.

Sarah joins us to discuss the Halloween pop-up bar “Black Lagoon” and why Halloween vibes and cocktails are so popular these days.

Black Lagoon is a quickly expanding pop-up experience that features dark, gothic vibes and focuses on the spooky energy of Halloween. With cocktails like “Hellraiser, Screaming Banshee, and Closed Casket”, there’s should be something to sip on for all you ghosts and goblins.

Reservations are STRONGLY encouraged and the experience runs through October 31st!

Visit https://www.thedandycrown.com for more info!

We’re baking something sweet this week with Chicago’s very own, Baker Bettie!

Kristin Hoffman is a trained chef, baking instructor, cookbook author, and the owner of Bettie’s Chicago! For the last 11 years she’s created educational content about baking on her website, YouTube channel, and on social media! She’s also hosted many baking workshops and retreats in and around the Chicago area on topics such as beginner bread baking, pies and pastries, baking science, and much more!

This year she opened Bettie’s Chicago which is a 1950’s diner-themed event space and baking school in the River North area featuring weekly baking classes, date night events, and private parties. There’s even a Hocus Pocus class and a totally insta-worth “wall of Pyrex”!

We chat with the Baker about her small business journey, baking inspirations, and motivations behind the retro themes. Plus, she tells us about her book “Baker Bettie’s Better Baking” (we love the alliteration) and she tells us what she has coming up at her new Chicago space!

We baked a pan of fresh rapid fire answers and found out Bettie’s favorite thing to bake, the secret to a good cookie, and the piece of vintage cookware she’s searching for.

Follow Baker Bettie on Instagram and TikTok @bakerbettie to find her recipes and get announcements about upcoming classes! And don’t forget to purchase her book!

This week we turn up the music and HIIT our way into all things fitness with Sydney Miller, Founder of HOUSEWORK®.

HOUSEWORK® is “a full-body sculpting and conditioning workout set to the beat of house and electronic music. It's the perfect balance between low impact Pilates based exercises and high intensity cardio and strength, with the music driving you the entire time.”

On top of this incredible format she has built, Sydney is also a Master Instructor at SoulCycle! She’s known by her regulars and fans for her well thought out playlists that keep riders riding and combing back for more!

We talk all things HOUSEWORK®, SoulCycle, cocktails and MORE! Hear her journey to the top of SoulCycle, the entrepreneurial path she paved through the pandemic, and of course we talk her fave songs to sweat to!

Sydney loves our Sip with Me community and is offering our listeners the code SIPWITHME30 for 30% off your first 3 months of HOUSEWORK®!

This week we are talking all things FLORAL and we are absolutely wildflower about our guest! Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht is a world-renowned florist and Head Judge of Netflix’s “The Big Flower Fight.” He’s also the owner and creative director of Wild Bloom by Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht!

He designs stunning, elaborate floral designs that will leave you wanting to up and up and up your flower budget so you can build a palace of floral looks! He views floristry as a “gateway to a happier, more sustainable life that focuses on bridging the gap between nature and modern living”.

We discussed his colorful career, his super fun job hosting on Netflix, and learn all about how to pick the perfect flower.

We wrap up this episode with rapid fire, in which we get some flower tips, his favorite floral installation, floral wedding trends, and MUCH MORE! Plus, we learn more about an upcoming project he’s working on!

This week’s cocktail is from @homebody.eats and is dedicated to friend of the show, Erin Martin!

Why Aaron and Ioanna have been MIA? Listen to the full episode to find out!