Everything I Wrote in 2024
Technically the headline should be “Everything I Wrote The Last Year” but having 2024 in the header gives it a better sense of place.
Not everything I write goes up on my site so this is my way of not only tracking my published works for the year but reminding myself that I do in fact log some decent work hours. I did not clock 53 published stories (that’s actually not that accurate number since a few stories I already completed this year won’t run until 2025 but you get the gist). The volume is kind of nuts considering my client workload, travel and personal life but luckily I live in the Taylor Swift era where overdoing it is considered pretty cool.
I hope I triple my volume next year!!!
A few highlights from the year include:
Getting to work on two “Best of” food lists in Chicago. Part of the reason my portfolio is jam-packed with national bylines is because my pitches to local places went ignored when I was starting out. It’s the best thing that happened to my work but it doesn’t mean I don’t get a kick out of writing for my hometown. Here’s the one for WBEZ and the other for Chicago Magazine.
Got to work on a few cover story packages. They’re circled below.
My profile on Tlecān’s tascalate for PUNCH made their “Most Popular Stories of 2024” list. :)! If you’re going to Mexico City, this has to be on your list. Here’s my other recs for CDMX.
The urge to have a record of loving something before others do is what got me into writing (lolz, you don’t lose your childhood competitive streak just because you don’t play competitive sports anymore). One of my favorite moments this year was profiling Siete Foods for Food & Wine’s Game Changers 2024 package featuring “17 Game Changers Who Are Shaping the Future of Food” — four months before they were acquired by Pepsico for $1.2 billion. I’d been trying to land a feature on them for almost two years. I’m glad I didn’t give up on a story/brand that felt really special.
Speaking about stories that took me awhile to land…a profile on The Omakase Room in Chicago took me almost just as long to get published. It was worth it. I think this is one of the most interesting (and beautiful) restaurants in the U.S. right now.
My travels to St. Louis, Tulum and Guadalajara resulted in this late in the 2024 game feature for Food & Wine on milpa. This piece is a year of travel, conversations and meals culminating into a deep dive on Mesoamerican farming techniques and their modern impact.
The year was book-ended by two Kevin Pang projects: his cookbook w/his dad (2023) and his new tv show w/Poochie from the Wieners Circle (2024) — both for Eater Chicago. He’s one of the best storyteller in the game and it was a treat to share the Printers Row Lit Fest stage with him.
Shared a byline twice with my mom for the Tlecān profile and milpa feature.
Got to work with editors who saw my vision for Batman, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Bricktop references.
Full archive below!
PUNCH came out with its top 10 most popular stories of 2024. My feature on Tlecān in Mexico City made the list. :)
2024 Archive
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2024 Archive 〰️
December 2023
December 15, 2023 - Eater Chicago: ‘A Very Chinese Cookbook’ Illuminates a Delicious Multigenerational Journey Ex-Tribune food writer Kevin Pang collaborated with his father, Jeffrey, for his new cookbook
December 19, 2023 - Hispanic Executive: Mayra Macias Goes Beyond Voting to Drive Political Change As executive director of Building Back Together, Mayra Macias delivers results and invests in people with a sense of responsibility for her family and community
December 22, 2023 - Chicago Magazine: Frontera Grill’s Sous Chef Nabs Victory on Chopped Javauneeka Jacobs won the Julia Child-themed challenge on the Food Network show this month.
January 2024
January 11, 2024 - Thrillist: Sony Just Opened a VR Theme Park and Speakeasy Outside Chicago Step into the worlds of Uncharted, Ghostbusters, Jumanji, and more.
January 22, 2024 - Thrillist: St. Louis Is the Burgeoning Midwestern Destination You Need to Visit This Year St. Louis has way more to offer than the Gateway Arch. But it also has the Gateway Arch.
February 2024
February 5, 2024 - PUNCH: An Ancient Drink Enters the 21st Century Mexico City’s Tlecān reimagines tascalate—a Maya drink made with maíz, cacao, achiote and water—as a bright and earthy mezcal cocktail.
February 6, 2024 - Chicago Magazine: The Faces of Lucha Libre With the traditional Mexican form of pro wrestling booming in Chicago, six luchadores explain what draws them to the ring.
February 8, 2024 - Thrillist: Parades, Film Festivals, Food Deals: Here's How to Celebrate Lunar New Year in Chicago Lunar New Year is here, and there are so many ways to celebrate in Chicago.
February 16, 2024 - Thrillist: The Sports-Lover's Guide to Chicago Right Now Where to watch, eat, drink, and get in on the action yourself.
February 19, 2024 - Chicago Magazine: The Group Raising Hell About the L Commuters Take Action cofounder Fabio Göttlicher wants you to know that Chicago’s public transit system is in trouble.
February 22, 2024 - Equinox: Grammy-Winning Musician Peter CottonTale Runs on Hope Chance The Rapper’s longtime collaborator, Peter CottonTale, gets vulnerable on his chronic pain, hope for the future, and running while Black.
February 23, 2024 - Eater Chicago: Lincoln Park Discovers Its Soul Soul Prime finds its way on the North Side with a little help from TikToker extraordinaire Keith Lee.
March 2024
March 4, 2024 - Hispanic Executive: Claudette Soto Builds Up Chicago Communities and Talent Through her mission-driven construction management firm baso, Claudette Soto is changing the environment to better serve its people
March 7, 2024 - Thrillist: James Bond's Most Famous Vehicles Are Currently on Exhibit in Chicago Check out 13 vehicles and more than 90 additional artifacts.
March 12, 2024 - Thrillist: The Best Places to See the Total Solar Eclipse in the Midwest From Indianapolis to Toledo, the Midwest offers some of the best locations to view the 2024 total solar eclipse.
March 26, 2024 - Thrillist: Get a Lakeside View of the Total Solar Eclipse in Bloomington, Indiana On April 8, 2024, Bloomington will be right in the path of totality for the total solar eclipse.
April 2024
April 11, 2024 - Thrillist: Visit the Indiana City with Famous Dunes on a Majestic Lake From windswept dunes and rugged hikes to throwback motels and local beer.
April 14, 2024 - Equinox: “Top Chef” Winner Joe Flamm on Balancing Culinary Stardom and Fitness Learn how fitness enhances the Michelin-starred chef’s personal and professional life.
April 18, 2024 - Hispanic Executive: How DRAFTED is Changing the Game DRAFTED, the start-up built for Latinas in sports, is ushering in a new era of fan engagement
April 24, 2024 - Hispanic Executive: From Teen Mom to Marketing Maverick: Deanna Moreno Hernandez Latina leader Deanna Moreno Hernandez shatters the corporate ceiling at McDonald’s, redefining success on her own terms
April 24, 2024 - Inc.: Exploited, Let Down, and Unfazed: What Small-Business Owners Are Saying About the Foxtrot Fallout Outfox Hospitality abruptly closed 33 Foxtrot locations yesterday.
April 25, 204 - Thrillist: How to Have a Perfect Game Day at Wrigley Field Where to eat, the deal with tailgating, and much more.
May 2024
May 10, 2024 - Hispanic Executive: Monica Ortiz: From Humble Beginnings to Hospitality Greatness Monica Ortiz makes history as the first female managing director at Rosewood Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas
May 28, 2024 - Thrillist: Ride the Rails on North America's Highest and Longest Steam Train The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has been featured in more than 20 films.
June 2024
June 4, 2024 - Food & Wine: The Fastest Growing Mexican American Snack Company Began With Just $1,000 Siete Family Foods puts family first and foremost.
June 8, 2024 - Salon: Low waste, high-end sushi: How a corporate dive into omakase has changed Chicago's dining scene The Omakase Room is found nestled deep within its 110-seater sister restaurant Sushi-San
June 12, 2024 - Hispanic Executive: Combating Misinformation that Targets Latino Communities In an age of misinformation, organizations take up the gauntlet to expand media literacy and adapt fact-checking for Latino communities in the digital age
June 13, 2024 - Time Out: The 10 best Mexican-inspired murals in the U.S. Mexico’s rich and vibrant culture is artfully displayed across some of the country’s most stunning murals
June 13, 2024 - Time Out: The coolest Latino neighborhoods in America Delve into different cultures, flavors and traditions in these thriving Latin neighborhoods across the U.S.
June 13, 2024 - Time Out: The 8 most iconic performances by Mexican artists at the Latin Grammys Mexico’s most inspiring musicians lit up the Grammys stage in ways we won’t soon forget
June 25, 2024 - Inc.: This Olive Oil Was a Hit Even Before It Landed Placement on ‘The Bear’ Frankies 457 Olive Oil has become a culinary sensation. To the New York restaurateurs who created it, it’s about one thing above all: quality.
July 2024
July 16, 2024 - Chicago Magazine: Best Way to Slow Your Fashion Roll Production Mode
July 23, 2024 - Thrillist: Ranking All 18 Roller Coasters at Cedar Point From Blue Streak’s historic prowess to Valravn’s death-defying drops.
August 2024
August 1, 2024 - Thrillist: See Frozen Waterfalls at This Otherworldly State Park in Illinois Hike one of the 18 canyons and glamp in picturesque campgrounds.
August 16, 2024 - Thrillist: Explore St. Louis's Thriving, Immigrant-Driven Food Scene at the 'Festival of Nations' The Festival of Nations is one of the largest multicultural gatherings in the Midwest.
August 29, 2024 - PUNCH: This Tequila-Spiked Carajillo Is a Jolt of Energy At Mexico City’s Cicatriz, the classic digestivo is reimagined as a party-starting cocktail.
September 2024
September 6, 2024 - Thrillist: The World’s Most Popular Public Art Event Takes Place in Michigan For two weeks in September, Grand Rapids will transform into ArtPrize—one of the largest art competitions in the world.
September 27, 2024 - Thrillist: The Biggest Balloon Festival in the World Is Going Down—or Up, Rather—in Albuquerque It’s the view of a lifetime.
October 2024
October 13, 2024 - Salon: In Guadalajara, Xokol’s ancestral cuisine is redefining Mexico’s fine dining scene "It’s not business, it’s to nourish people"
October 15, 2024 - Inc.: This Latina Founder Raised $35 Million to Reach Hispanic Audiences. Today, Her Company Is Among the Fastest-Growing in the Country Canela Media landed on the Inc. 5000 list earlier this year thanks to the grit and vision of CEO Isabel Rafferty Zavala.
October 22, 2024 - Chicago Magazine: Italian Beef’s Golden Age Thanks to The Bear, Chicago’s favorite sandwich is now everybody’s favorite. Our guide to all things Italian beef comes loaded with our top picks, classic and new-school takes (fancy a vegan version?), a recipe for home, and much more.
October 22, 2024 - Salon: A bite of history: Reviving the election cake that helped fuel America’s first vote An Illinois bakery's historic cherry and blueberry cake is educating voters about America’s electoral process
October 24, 2024 - Thrillist: The 10 Most Awe-Inspiring Abandoned Places Near Chicago From one of the most haunted locations in the U.S. to the long-forgotten Chicago Freight Tunnels.
October 31, 2024 - Chicago Magazine: A Warm Embrace From Electric Funeral How a Bridgeport bar welcomes locals, outsiders — and death.
October 31, 2024 - Salon: Brujas, Mexico City's all-women bar of witches, isn’t just for spooky season “Once you take a sip, a spell is said to take over your mind, body and soul!”
November 2024
November 5, 2024 - Thrillist: 23 Things You Have to Do in Chicago This Year These are the must-hit festivals, concerts, events, and most fun things to do in Chicago this year.
November 13, 2024 - Eater Chicago: This Chicago Nonprofit Uses Food to Unlock a Child’s True Potential The Evolved Network founder Sebastian White incorporates lessons from his youth to inspire the next generation of Black and Latine chefs
November 19, 2024 - Thrillist: The Ultimate Wellness Guide to Chicago Here’s how to unwind in the Windy City.
December 2024
December 3, 2024 - Salon: Rayo: The hidden speakeasy where Mexican history and mythology comes to life If you don't know where you're going, it's easy to miss the entrance. Keep an eye out for the bulldog medallion
December 10, 2024 - Chicago Magazine: The 25 Best Things to Eat Right Now From pistachio gelato to spicy Sichuan noodles, the most memorable bites of the moment offer a delicious tour of the city.
December 12, 2024 - Food & Wine: The Mediterranean Diet Gets All the Hype, but Mexican Milpa May Save the World This ancient method of farming and eating looks to the past to ensure a delicious future for Mexican cuisine.
December 16, 2024 - Eater Chicago: The Face of the Wiener’s Circle Teams Up With a Beard Winner For a Totally Chicago Food Show “Poochie & Pang (Eat Chicago)” is a new NBC 5-produced show starring the hot dog stand’s famous leader
December 19, 2024 - WBEZ: The 20 best things we ate around Chicago in 2024 From Uptown to South Shore, our list of best bites will take you on a journey through neighborhoods and cuisines. Bonus: Many dishes are under $20.