The Chicagoland Guide

05/28/2025

🎥 In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, I sit down with Chef Mona Sang of Khmai Fine Dining in Rogers Park to share the incredible story behind one of Chicago’s most meaningful culinary experiences.

Mona opens up about her mother’s survival of the Cambodian genocide, how they rebuilt their lives through food, and why Khmai is more than just a restaurant—it’s a living tribute to Cambodian culture, resilience, and family. From humble beginnings to national recognition, this is a story of love, legacy, and powerful healing through cuisine.

Whether you’re passionate about food, heritage, or the stories that shape our communities, this conversation is worth your time.

Watch the full episode here and visit The Chicagoland Guide for more stories like this.

05/27/2025

This is what it means to be The Chicagoland Guide.
Each pin on this map represents a client I’ve helped—families finding their forever homes, sellers making their next move, and buyers discovering new neighborhoods across the city and suburbs.

From the lakefront to Libertyville, from Lincoln Park to Lake Zurich, I know this market because I’ve worked it. This isn’t just about real estate—it’s about understanding the fabric of our communities and helping people navigate life’s biggest transitions with confidence.

If you’re thinking about a move, let’s connect. I’m here to guide you—wherever you’re headed.

05/13/2025

I’ve been trying to get my good friend Rabbi Jeremy Fine on the podcast for years—and we finally made it happen.

We’ve known each other since high school, and I’ve watched him build an incredible career as the rabbi of Congregation B'nai Tikvah in Deerfield… and somehow also start one of the most exciting independent wrestling promotions in the country, 2econd Wrestling.

We talked about what it takes to build real community—whether through faith, creative events, or professional wrestling—and previewed some exciting things coming up, including:
•Everybody Wants This! at B’nai Tikvah on May 22
•ANCHORFISTS, a free wrestling show in Evanston on May 18
•Breaking the Rules in Palatine on June 12
•WRESTLE EDEN at The Cubby Bear on July 31

Take a listen and check out what Jeremy is building both on and off the mat!

04/28/2025

Big conversation today on The Chicagoland Guide:

I had the honor of speaking with Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Real Estate Research at the National Association of REALTORS®

We explored how global trade, tariffs, and shifts in the economy are already shaping the housing market — and what it means for buyers, sellers, and investors here in Chicagoland.

In this episode, we cover:

-How tariffs and supply chain changes impact construction costs and home affordability
-Why Illinois is one of the most trade-exposed states in the country
-What to watch for with interest rates, inflation, and housing inventory in 2025
-The future of downtown spaces, remote work, and foreign investment
-Where new opportunities are emerging for first-time buyers and investors

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
https://www.thechicagolandguide.com/global-trade-tariffs-and-the-us-housing-market-with-nadia-evangelou/

Huge thanks to Nadia for sharing her expertise and perspective. This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the forces shaping our real estate market today — and tomorrow.

n this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Real Estate Research at the National Associ…

04/25/2025

Name a more Chicago place than I don’t think you can.

04/22/2025

🌱 New Episode for Earth Day Week! 🌎
I’m excited to share the latest episode of The Chicagoland Guide featuring Dr. Becky Barak, conservation scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

We talk about how native plants can transform not just your yard, but entire neighborhoods — improving stormwater management, supporting pollinators, and making Chicagoland more sustainable, beautiful, and resilient.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
https://www.thechicagolandguide.com/the-chicagoland-guide-rethinking-lawns-with-dr-becky-barak-how-native-plants-can-transform-chicago/

This conversation is especially timely with Earth Day this week and Becky’s upcoming panel at the Skokie Public Library on Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 PM.
📍 Register for the free event here:
https://skokielibrary.info/events/20089/rethinking-lawns-incorporating-native-plants-into-home-landscapes

This is also the first official episode under my newly rebranded show The Chicagoland Guide — combining my previous podcasts into one platform focused on the people and ideas shaping where we live.

If you’ve ever thought about replacing your lawn, helping pollinators, or making your community greener — this is the episode to check out.

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky introduces Inside the Skev listeners to the Chicagoland Guide, and reconnects with longtime friend, …

04/21/2025

🚨 Big Update – Inside the Skev is becoming The Chicagoland Guide

After 130 episodes and thousands of downloads, Inside the Skev is evolving into something bigger:
🎙️ The Chicagoland Guide – a podcast and platform that explores neighborhoods, people, and stories from across Chicagoland.

➡️ The podcast will continue on the same feed — no need to resubscribe!
➡️ This page will also be renamed The Chicagoland Guide
➡️ The other Chicagoland Guide page (with fewer followers) will be retired this week to avoid confusion.

We’re unifying everything to make it easier to follow and grow — one podcast, one brand, one voice.

The first episode under the new name drops tomorrow for Earth Day. We hope you’ll keep listening, sharing, and exploring with us.

🎧 Podcast: The Chicagoland Guide (formerly Inside the Skev)
🌐 Website: http://www.thechicagolandguide.com

10/22/2024

Calling All Small Businesses in Chicagoland! 🎙️

Do you know a brick-and-mortar business in food, arts, music, or similar industries? 🎨🎶🍦 I'm looking for fun, visually appealing businesses with at least 300 followers on Instagram to feature on The Chicagoland Guide podcast!

If their business brings life to the Chicagoland area, I’d love to help share their story. Interested? Send me an email at [email protected].

Let’s spotlight the amazing places that make Chicagoland such a fantastic place to live! 🚀

03/20/2024

One of the great things about Evanston, are that the people here are so connected to making impact on a global level. I was lucky enough to meet Eric James at the Rotary Club of Evanston meeting recently, as he gave us a presentation about his company, Field Ready, which helps countries use their local resources to quickly respond to disasters. I asked Eric to come on my podcast Inside the Skev to talk about his work, his career in international development and his view of how countries can become resilient in the face of manmade and natural disasters. We also spoke about how people who are thinking about a career in international development can get started. You can listen now!

In this captivating episode of Inside the Skev, we welcomed Dr. Eric James, a stalwart in international development and humanitarian aid, to discuss his extensive career and the innovative approaches he's championed in the field. Hailing from Evanston and a proud alumnus of Evanston Township High Sc

12/14/2022

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! I have a plan of events for 2023 for the Inside the Skev community. This includes a kickoff party set to take place on January 19th at Ignite Gaming Lounge in Skokie. More details can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/484542699257

The event will feature a panel with community leaders talking about what to expect in 2023, and will bring together the area’s most influential residents and business owners for food, drinks, networking, and games. The event will also be a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Evanston Charitable Fund, which helps support food security in Evanston. If you want to network with those in the know in Skokie and Evanston, this is the event to attend. More details on future events will be shared soon.

This event will be supported by Beth Lewis - CrossCountry Mortgage And Attorney Jennifer LaMell Goldstone of Horwitch Goldstone & Shaw LLC.
Dream Town Realty

11/29/2022

Recently I sold a property for my clients in Skokie. It was their parent's home, and now was the family's estate. These types of sales require a level of sensitivity due to the emotional nature of the transaction. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to help them through the process and to help the family receive their inheritance. Dream Town Realty

11/06/2022

https://www.skevanston.com/episodes/episode-122-sabrina-ehmke-skokie-swifters

This week on Inside the Skev we meet Sabrina Ehmke, the founder of the Skokie Swifters Run Walk Club. Skokie Swifters is a run/walk club for anyone from beginners to experienced distance runners.