On this episode, host Catie Sheehan heads to Chicago's South Side to go behind the scenes at one of the most talked-about new attractions in the country: the Obama Presidential Center, which opened June 19th in Jackson Park.

First, Catie sits down with Paul Schulhof, an architect who spent nearly a decade working alongside founding partners Tod Williams and Billie Tsien on the design of the 19.3-acre campus. Paul explains what makes the OPC unlike any presidential library before it, shares what it was like to collaborate directly with Barack and Michelle Obama, and describes how the campus—from its iconic 225-foot museum tower to its NBA-regulation basketball court—was built to be a place of learning and action.

After that, Catie connects with Michael Strautmanis, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of the Obama Foundation and a Chicago native who has been part of the Obama world since the Senate days. Michael reflects on what the OPC means for the South Side community, how it's already changing the map for visitors, and shares some favorite neighborhood haunts.

On this episode, host Catie Sheehan heads to Chicago — the city that invented modern improv and has been exporting comedic innovation to the world ever since.

First, Catie sits down with Kelly Leonard, who spent more than 30 years at The Second City, rising from dishwasher to executive producer. Over the years he hired Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Keegan-Michael Key, and many others who would go on to define American comedy. Kelly reflects on what makes Chicago such a singular comedy incubator and shares some favorite haunts, including the Old Town Ale House, Jazz Showcase, and The Golden Apple Grille and Breakfast House.

After that, Catie connects with Jennifer Estlin, owner and executive producer of the Annoyance Theater, the Lakeview institution that has been a creative home to Jane Lynch, Andy Richter, Aidy Bryant, and Matt Walsh, among others. Jennifer explains how the Annoyance fits into Chicago's comedy ecosystem alongside Second City and iO, and why visitors can still catch lightning in a bottle there on any given night.

On this episode, host Catie Sheehan ventures into the supernatural side of Illinois, summoning up secrets about the state’s most haunted places—from Alton and Decatur to Springfield, Chicago, and Galena.

First, Catie sits down with Troy Taylor, a prolific author of more than 150 books on the paranormal, a podcaster, and a pioneer of the ghost tour movement. Troy got his start as a kid, guided through the darker corners of Decatur by his Irish immigrant great-grandfather. He shares some of Illinois' most spine-tingling tales—including the legend of Resurrection Mary, the vanishing hitchhiker of Archer Avenue who has interacted with multiple people over the years.

After that, Catie drills down on Galena with Ted Williams, co-owner of the Haunted Galena Tour Company. A city of just 3,000 people that draws nearly a million visitors a year, Galena's 1850s-era streetscapes are the perfect setting for things that go bump in the night. Ted talks about some of his favorite phantoms, including the mysterious Lady in Black and a ghost cat said to curl up on the beds of the historic Dowling House.