Two Noras and a Mic

Send us Fan Mail Coffins, AirPods, TSA, rom-com reboots, and baskets: we know, it sounds impossible to connect, but that’s exactly the fun. We kick things off with real-life catch-up, then stumble into a genuinely startling wellness trend from Japan called coffin laying, a meditation practice meant to sharpen your “gaze at life” by getting closer to the idea of death. It sparks a bigger question a...

Send us Fan Mail A lot of businesses claim they’re built on community. Dee Dee Saracco actually proves it, one tray of stuffed shells at a time. We sit down in her gorgeous new event space for a Nightcap With The Noras and talk about the real work behind a successful catering business, from parish life and early fundraising dinners to feeding packed schedules and building a brand people genuinely...

Send us Fan Mail A $100 hot dog topped with caviar and gold flakes should taste like magic, right? We dig into why viral “luxury food” often lands like a regular snack, and how the internet turns menu stunts into must-click culture. From there, we zoom out into the bigger question behind the joke: when does food stop being food and start becoming performance art, and who’s paying the price for it?...

Send us Fan Mail Ever notice how the smallest rituals shape a whole week? We start with pancakes and land in a smart tour of everyday choices that actually move the needle: strength training as metabolic armor, sunscreen that matters even by a window, and flossing that quietly adds years. Along the way we celebrate two back‑to‑back school galas—one a joyous dance party, the other a sleek cocktail...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like your week is choreographing a musical, hosting a gala, and dodging a turkey… all before lunch? We open with the light stuff—kid choreography hacks, bold 80s spring trends, and why buffed nails beat chips—then weave into the deeper heartbeat of the show: how to handle life’s plot twists without losing your center. A viral turkey chase in Canada turns into a story abo...

Send us Fan Mail Ever plan a tidy theme and watch real life kick the door in? That’s the ride today, and it’s a good one. We open with Love Your Pet Day, a 7:07 adrenaline wake-up, and the delicate art of salvaging a morning when the dog, the kids, and the treadmill all conspire against your plans. From there we careen into a viral classic: a UPS driver outmaneuvering wild turkeys, narrating his e...

Send us Fan Mail A $180 stadium burger with a literal bone, Olympic medals popping off ribbons mid-celebration, and a woman who blends and snorts her meals—this week’s ride is as wild as it sounds, and somehow it all lands on one timeless comfort: jeans. We start with the Super Bowl hangover and the kind of concession prices that make you nostalgic for a plain hot dog, then pivot to an oddly compe...

Send us Fan Mail Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Send us Fan Mail A cozy robe, a household mystery, and a headline you can’t unsee set the tone for a wide-open conversation that lands right where our hearts live: the 90s and the art of patience. We start with unclaimed underpants in the guest room and a family group text that gets way too real, then veer into a "chilling" cautionary tale about a port-a-potty, the rule of hovering, and...

Send us Fan Mail We kick off by unpacking Denmark’s approved name lists and the cultural logic behind banned or protected names. It’s part language, part legacy, part gatekeeping. We share the odd, the sensible, and the eyebrow-raising examples. From there, we shift to a case that rattles any listener with a heartbeat: a young woman pronounced dead, later found alive at a funeral home. The term “L...

Send us Fan Mail The kind of week where you fix a broken deodorant with sheer will, crawl back onto the Peloton, and somehow end up at a house party with caviar pie and pigs in blankets is exactly our tempo. We’re juggling four-kid calendars, long drives to the wrong gym, and those quiet late-night moments when a red eye and a to-do list won’t quit—and we still manage to squeeze in a laugh (or ten...

Send us Fan Mail We dive into tickets—how prices balloon with fees, why scarcity makes some seats legendary, and how to time your buy without gambling away the experience. Along the way, we detour through Denmark’s street fireworks, the great pizza-and-ranch candle controversy, and a laugh-out-loud reel of rejected vanity plates that somehow says everything about the internet’s sense of humor. We...

Send us Fan Mail The holidays are over, the house is quiet, and the batteries—literal and social—need a recharge. We open the door on that in-between mood: the relief of wrapping paper cleared, the small panic when a favorite tool (hi, Dyson) dies, and the surprising joy of a new coat, fresh socks, or a perfect iced tea cup that makes winter feel a notch warmer. From there, we zoom out. We compare...

Send us Fan Mail The shortest day of the year brought big energy: we kicked off with solstice coziness, then plunged into a Chicago adventure that ended with a minivan reversing down Lower Wacker so we could make the Nutcracker! We trade laughs and real talk about value and scarcity—from wild penny auctions to a color-of-the-year that didn’t quite land—before landing on the joyful noise of a kid-m...

Send us Fan Mail December hits different when the lights go up early and the shopping falls behind. We open with that honest tension—trees trimmed, carts half‑filled—and a little serendipity: Sidewalk Surfer, the skate shop Nora grew up admiring, just landed on a NY Times national “best stores” list. From there we steer into language shaping our timelines, decoding Oxford’s “rage bait,” the hype a...

Send us Fan Mail The first big snow didn’t drift in; it dropped like a hammer. We swap white‑knuckle drives and holiday detours, laugh about leaves buried under ice. Then curiosity takes over: a Japanese “human washing machine” promises micro-bubble bliss, London falls for Trader Joe’s totes, and a beauty headline reignites the parasite cleanse debate.  A canned sparkling “Proscato” becomes our mo...

Send us Fan Mail A bear behind a dollar store counter isn’t how most holiday chats begin, but that’s where ours goes—straight into the absurd, the timely, and the surprisingly useful. We start with a lightning round of cultural curiosities: a 17-year-old who turned cozy hoodies and dreamy unboxing into a booming brand, the mystery of National “Have a Bad Day” Day, and the Midwest-made story of Swe...

Send us Fan Mail The best conversations start with a small spark, and ours begins with World Kindness Day before ricocheting through weather whiplash, missed northern lights, and two jaw-dropping world records: 374 bagpipers blasting ACDC and a PE teacher drilling 1,516 three-pointers in a row. From there we wander into a modern folklore lesson on Jeep “ducking,” why tiny rubber ducks on dashboard...

Send us Fan Mail Apple pie mac and cheese. You made a face, didn’t you? We did too—and that knee-jerk reaction became our door into a bigger, funnier, and surprisingly useful conversation about comfort, boundaries, and what our ick tells us about how we live. We start with fall’s realignment: darker evenings, earlier bedtimes, and the happy ritual for one Nora of swapping sundresses for sweaters....

Send us Fan Mail A stubborn cold, a cursed bottle cap, and a Halloween cape with a thousand wrinkles set the stage for a conversation about the tiny beliefs that steer our choices. We laugh our way through dubious trends like “hot chocolate” electrolytes and the red-wine-on-ice-cream craze, then stop cold at a time capsule from 1916: a message in a bottle penned by two Australian soldiers on their...

Send us Fan Mail A weekend full of music and family sets the stage for a bright, candid tour through Halloween as it really happens: costumes that may not arrive, kids sprinting between porches, and parents juggling logistics with a smile. We kick off with the pure joy of a Paul McCartney concert—ukulele tributes, Lennon harmonies, and the kind of encore that sticks with you—before pivoting to bir...

Send us Fan Mail A snack aisle scuffle turns into a masterclass on design, trademarks, and how a crimped edge can be worth millions. We unpack the Uncrustables vs Trader Joe’s lawsuit with equal parts curiosity and skepticism, comparing packaging, shapes, and the subtle cues that make shoppers loyal—or confused. Then we veer delightfully off-road: a Tennessee baby that tips the scales at nearly 13...

Send us Fan Mail This week has flown by...From that joyful chaos, we zoom into the strange and delightful: a Taco Bell 50K where hundreds run 31 miles and eat at nine fast-food stops, and a science-backed case for why dancing might be the brain’s favorite reset button. It all leads to a surprisingly rich deep dive on nail polish—how a simple ritual holds time together, why acrylics and press-ons a...

Send us Fan Mail A candy collaboration, a robot named Dot, and a light switch you control from bed—today’s ride is all about the small levers that quietly shape a calmer life. We start with a straight-talking taste test of the Reese’s x Oreo mashup, separating hype from flavor and calling out why the PB-filled Oreos delivered more joy. From there, we take a sharp turn into Phoenix, where bright re...

Send us Fan Mail When the leaves start changing color, something magical happens to our environment and our spirits. We dive into the fascinating science behind autumn's spectacular color show, revealing Mother Nature's specific recipe for vibrant fall foliage: a wet summer, dry fall, sunny days, and cool nights. The process responsible for this transformation—abscision—is when trees ess...