Candle Castle & Co. is the most magical and best smelling place in Chicago- especially during the holidays and in winter when we all need a little brightness in our lives! Enter Sunshine- the teacher of our class who led us on our journey of what Ioanna and I would call “therapeutic refined childhood crafts with an elevated twist”. She made the night special as Nathan and Aaron celebrated their 8th anniversary! More than just a company— they’re a place where you can go to create,...

Merry Pinkmas! Pink Wonderland is a very merry pink Christmas bar with locations in Chicago and New York. It seeks to “break from traditional Christmas bar norms, aiming to offer a fresh, unique take on the holiday season”. The pop-up has everything pink and opens December 1st! We chat with King Inesse and Miriam Paz from V5 about what you'll experience and what it takes to make a pop-up come to life. Try themed cocktails like “The Pink Flurry, Santa’s Cookies & Milk, or...

Nutcracker returns once again to Chicago’s Lyric Opera! A part of many folks' holiday traditions, Ioanna and Aaron are so excited to learn about the show from Joffrey Ballet Company Artist, Victoria Jaiani! In her 20th year with the company, Victoria will fill the role of “The Mother” in this year’s Nutcracker. We chat with her about the timeless beauty of the show, and what it means for her to continue performing 20 years after joining Joffrey. Victoria twirls us a tale of history as we...

Raise your hand if Garrett Popcorn or Frango Chocolate are part of your Holiday traditions? Everyone should have a hand raised! The Holidays are here, so that means Ioanna and Aaron dedicate every waking thought to food.   Two timeless Chicago classics that are especially relevant during Christmastime are these two iconic delicacies. Family-owned by Garrett Brands, the company is responsible for delivering high quality holiday smiles and passing down memories that have been in Chicago...

The Chicago Botanic Garden is the place to be, especially during their holiday “Lightscape” experience. Their 385 acres of pristine natural beauty in northern Cook County are transformed into an immersive journey that utilizes light, color, and sound to transport guests into realms of holiday beauty. Ioanna and Aaron went and said it gave “Disney nighttime fireworks show meets virtual reality meets North Pole wonder”. With individual installations by artists from around the world, every...

The Original Caramel Apple is celebrating its 75th birthday! This October, bite into one of the nation’s favorite fall treats and fill your heart with the nostalgia that is the Affy Tapple brand. This delicious treat has filled hearts & homes since 1948, and still does today using the same caramel recipe from way back when! Dipped in everything from Christmas sprinkles to the classic peanut coating, there’s a variety for any time of the year. The team at Affy Tapple joins us to share...

Come with us to Chicago’s premier antique market, a two-day event hosted by the fabulous Sally Schwartz and her team at Image Pilots. Browse indoor and outdoor vendors at this European-style vintage and antique festival. Established well before we were born, the market has been a national favorite among tastemakers and designers. Stroll through hundreds of booths and you never know what treasure you will find! Sally Schwartz joins us for a lively conversation about how it all began years...

Vibe check, Chicago!! If you're a regular on the Chicago food & drink scene, chances are you've been to one of Brad Parker's establishments, which include the popular Hampton Social, The Bassment, newly opened Nisos Prime, and more coming.   Entrepreneur Brad Parker is the founder of Parker Hospitality and his dining concepts are more than kitchens slinging conventional dishes —--they’re immersive portals that transport guests to dreamy destinations: you have the nautical Hampton Social...

This week, Celebrity Private Chef Brooke Baevsky, also known as “Chef Bae”, takes us into the kitchen to tell us all about her fascinating career and some of the viral content she’s created. She’s known for her day-in-the-life videos, shopping at Erewhon, a viral $2000 dollar pizza, and so much more! She does it all, from shopping for her clients to crafting the tastiest recipes that meet even the most strict allergen/nutritional needs. We chat about a day in the life of a celeb chef, what...

Put on your fave overalls and goodwill tee because today we’re getting down and dirty with Mr. Kate! Famous design duo  Kate and Joey share everything design, decor, and DIY on their channel. You can find super helpful renovation tips, design inspo, and the behind the scenes from some of their celebrity space makeovers! They’ve earned almost 4 million subs on YouTube alone! They have transformed the homes of YouTube celebrities like Jeffree Star, James Charles, the Dolan twins, and the list...

Bekah Wriedt is a chicago-based fashion and lifestyle photographer who shot our GORGEOUS, pink Sip with Me photos earlier this year. We feel the need to brag about how good she is by having her on the show to share her story, tips for getting your photos taken, and what it was like working with us… We hear about how she found her passion through the lens and what her journey has been like building a name for herself. She gives us some tips to use during our next photo shoot and reveals all...

The day after Ioanna’s wedding last summer, we ambitiously aired an episode of Sip With Me while we were still recovering from the Greek tradition of dancing all night and breaking plates. It was iconic because our guest was an icon, Melissa Andre, Founder of Melissa Andre Design Co. and, according to our episode title from last year, a “Château Innovator”. She’s planned events for the most “A” of the “A-List” celebs and has a vision for creation that is unmatched in today’s event planning...

Sheena Melwani is a media personality, but not one who went down this path on purpose. With musical roots, Sheena has always been known for her amazing voice, and in 2020, her and her husband @therealindiandad went viral, forming their iconic “interrupted series”. Today, approaching 10 million TikTok followers, Sheena and her husband continue to make people laugh through positivity and joy, and Sheena continues to bless us all with her angelic voice, including her EP “Find Your Happy” and...

At 52 Million TikTok followers and 1.4 Billion likes, Michael Le is one of the world’s most influential, most viewed, and key to his success, most loving and positive, social media personalities out there. Everything he touches turns to gold, and we’re so excited because he shares a passion for a lot of what made Ioanna and I friends- dance, fitness, and family. The 23 year-old dancer and choreographer is known for his epic dance vids, collabs, and his bright personality. On top of his...

There’s nothin’ more Chicago than a shot of Malört (or a bottle)! It’s famous for its unique taste and rich history. It’s a traditional wormwood based liquor near and dear to Chicago’s food and drink pop culture, and it’s been gaining insane popularity in recent years. Tremaine Atkinson, CEO, Co-Founder, & Head Drinker of CH Distillery, which bought the famous brand in 2018, added it to its portfolio of artisan spirits. The company, which embodies Chicago in name and spirit, is host to...

She’s back, and this time, she’s an author! You know the memes- one of the most recognizable online symbols of the last decade. Jen Ellis, the creator of Bernie Sanders’ mittens, joined us in June 2021 well after the meme frenzy had cooled, and honestly it felt like an old friend was having coffee with us. Now, she’s put her story to paper, and let us tell you, it’s magical! Jen craftily (literally) walks readers through her life, leading up to the day her mittens went viral, and beyond to...

Seltzerland could be coming to a city near you! We chat with Kate Levenstein of Cannonball Productions about her food and beverage events company which is throwing this epic bash! We talk our favorite seltzers, some of the cool brands who will be pouring at the events, and why this festival is SO on brand for #summer2023. You can find the official event description below and a link to snag tickets! Dates include Chicago June 10, Boston June 17, NYC July 22. Seltzerland, the ultimate hard...

You’ve seen these celeb favorite, super meme-worthy cookies before, most likely for the first time during the 2016 presidential campaign. Sarah Silverman, Owner of New York’s Funny Face Bakery, got her start in baking after leaving school to pursue her culinary passion. Her iconic cookies designed as the faces of Bernie Sanders, Hilary Clinton, and Donald Trump went viral in 2016 soon after opening shop in the East Village, and they’ve been designing “pop culture” and custom cookies ever...

Live from our virtual kitchen, it’s Eitan Bernath! Chef, Author, Activist, Entertainer, Entrepreneur, and CEO, he’s got the tastiest bio of any 21 year-old we know! At 3 billion views annually across social platforms, he is an international sensation who started as one of the youngest contestants ever on Food Network’s Chopped and later appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games where his entertainment career really began to sizzle. It’s all sizzle and no fizzle in his future, as he’s released a...

This week, we’re featuring Tyson and Audy Leavitt of Charmed Playhouses & Resorts! The Charmed team makes the most unique and fantastic playhouses in the world, and also operates a resort featuring stunning cottages that will transport you to Storybook Square or Wonder Way! Become immersed in your own specially crafted fairytale, or stay at the resort and become part of the plot on Hook’s Pirate Ship or The Lost Boys’ Treehouse! Founded in 2015, the duo wanted life to be more whimsical,...

This week, we’re featuring Tyson and Audy Leavitt of Charmed Playhouses & Resorts! The Charmed team makes the most unique and fantastic playhouses in the world, and also operates a resort featuring stunning cottages that will transport you to Storybook Square or Wonder Way! Become immersed in your own specially crafted fairytale, or stay at the resort and become part of the plot on Hook’s Pirate Ship or The Lost Boys’ Treehouse! Founded in 2015, the duo wanted life to be more whimsical,...

She comes with news! Welcome back to Fashion Artist and Author, Holly Nichols! Also known as “hnicholsillustration”, she joined us in April 2021 to discuss her rise on TikTok and her book, “Modern Fashion Illustration”. Since then, she’s up to 1.7 million instagram followers, 6.2 million TikTok followers, and has done numerous campaigns and works for some of the worlds most notable brands. She goes viral for her recreations of Disney princesses and red carpet looks of the world’s a-list...

Welcome back to the legendary Queen of Cotton Candy, Emily Harpel, Founder of Art of Sucre! Emily joined us in February, 2021, to discuss her luxury cotton candy brand that was going viral. When we first met up with her, she was just getting ready to launch her online store. We were SO excited to shop when it dropped and we even featured her cotton candy glitter bombs at Ioanna’s Bridal Shower! She scaled the business in a major way during the pandemic and navigated choppy waters, coming...

We’re once are graced by the presence of wedding and event gawd, Jove Meyer. Jove is a “color obsessed design and celebration expert” who joined us in September 2021 to discuss his wedding and event planning business, and he shared some tips for us as we prepared for Ioanna’s epic Grecian wedding! He’s been traveling around the globe since then throwing epic bashes and co-hosting a new show, Wedding Talk. Jove reflects with us on 2022, a year that was the peak of wedding and event craziness...

Ilana joined us in January 2022 to discuss her epically popular podcast, @seeingotherpeople. On it, she shares expert and listener advice, stories, and opinions on dating, with the goal of making you feel less alone! She also told us about her insane ties to the Jonas Brothers! Ilana joins us for an update on her show, which includes getting signed, hosting events in NYC, and her views on how dating has evolved as we continue to move into a post-lockdown world of love. We also want...