Two Noras and a Mic
Oh hello! We’re Nora and Nora and we’re glad you’re here! From parenting and local faves to current trends and recipes, we are two Noras discussing it all with a whole lot of laughter along the way. As we raise our families in the west suburbs of Chicago we invite you to listen weekly as we dish about all the highs and lows and ridiculous amount of tomfoolery that ensue on this journey. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts as we check out new local spots, interview all sorts of interesting people, and catch up with each ot...
Cheers To Bubbles
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Bubbles show up everywhere, and once we started pulling the thread, we couldn’t stop. We talk about the pure childhood magic of soap bubbles, why a wet hand can touch a bubble without popping it, and how “soap” used to be made from animal fat and plant ash before we ever had a bottle under the sink. It’s science, nostalgia, and parenting reality all in one breath.
Then we move to the bubbles we actually want in a glass. We crack open a non-alcoholic sparkling wine that’s made without alc...
Birth Order
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Birth order gets tossed around like a shortcut to understanding yourself: firstborns lead, middle kids smooth things over, and the youngest walks in with charm and chaos. We wanted to test that idea the only way we know how, by mixing real family stories with what the research actually claims. Along the way, we take a few delightful detours into fall life, a book we’re loving, a genuinely good fast food cookie, and the two movies we cannot stop thinking about, including the Elizabeth Holmes Theranos documentary that sounds completely bananas.
It's Autumn, Madame!
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Fall hits and suddenly everything is a project: homecoming becomes a multi-event marathon, teens look like they hired a glam squad, and parents are left asking when a single dance turned into a whole production. We talk through the sweet parts, the exhausting parts, and the oddly emotional moment of watching your kid walk into a gym that still feels like your own high school memory, even when everything else has changed.
From there, we chase the true spirit of autumn chaos: candy corn pizza. Yes, it exists, and yes, we...
An Episode FORE you
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Golf has a funny way of showing up in our lives even when we don’t play and we finally followed that thread. But first, we spiral a little: Sober October, social drinking in your 40s, and the most bananas throwback we’ve seen in a while, a real 1972 Vogue diet built on hard boiled eggs, black coffee, and multiple glasses of Chablis before dinner. It’s equal parts hilarious and horrifying, and it opens up a bigger point about habits that are sustainable versus “rules” that make you miserable.
Food stays in t...
Running
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Running has a way of making people sound a little obsessed, and we get into why that is, even while we are still side-eyeing the idea of voluntarily doing the first mile. We start where we always seem to start: real life. Bootcut jeans making a comeback, foods we refuse to try on principle, and a bungee-jumping story that raises way too many safety questions. Then we do what any responsible adults do and conduct important research by taste testing wildly specific Oreos, including a banana pudding flavor that goes off the rails...
Computers and a lot about Noras Birthday
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Computers used to feel like a destination. You walked into a school computer lab like it was a clean room, kept your snacks far away, and hoped your floppy disk would cooperate. That’s where we start: the very specific nostalgia of growing up with Apple IIe machines, dot matrix printers, Number Munchers, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, and the loud click-clack keyboards that made you feel official even when you were just messing around.
From there, we follow the timeline into dial-up internet, AOL, instant messages, and the first email addresses we...
The Noras Dish
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A robot vacuum that records audio and video sounds like a joke until it is the reason someone gets caught cheating and then gets in trouble with the law. We start there, but we do not stay serious for long, because our catch-up after Labor Day includes a full Chardy Party debrief.
From creepy headlines we jump to home horror stories that feel way too real: a scary movie pick that leaves a grandpa rattled, plus an actual bat incident that will make you want to sleep with the lights on...
Fasten your seatbelts...We're going for a ride!
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Some topics start as small talk and somehow turn into a full map of modern life, and “rides” does exactly that for us. We start with a real-life milestone that hits surprisingly hard: senior night at a high school football game, the photos, the pride, and that quiet feeling that time is moving faster than you want it to. Then we do what we do best, follow the conversation where it leads, including a truly wild headline about a donkey jumping into a moving van and the very relatable question of “what would I do i...
No Topic All Catch Up
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School is back, the alarms are brutal, and we’re trying to remember how we used to do this every day. We talk through the real back-to-school reset: forcing kids to go to bed, dragging them up in the morning, and realizing that even when we miss summer flexibility, our kids actually do better with structure.
Because our brains are clearly still in summer mode, we also detour into the funniest, strangest headlines we can’t stop thinking about: two guys surviving five days at sea while floating in a fishing coole...
Nightcap with the Noras and the ladies of Waggin Wagon
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A daycare bus that picks up dogs like kids for a field trip sounds impossible until you hear how thoughtfully it’s built. We’re on location at The Gravy Lady in La Grange, eating like royalty, and sitting down with Amanda and Kat, the driving force behind Wagon Wagon, a door-to-door dog transportation and enrichment service that’s blowing up across the western suburbs.
We get into the real origin story: a TikTok-inspired leap, buying a former daycare bus, and turning it into a safe, structured ride where each dog has a...
Just Keep Swimming
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A 24-hour flight just happened, and we cannot decide if it is a miracle of modern travel or a fresh new circle of misery. We start in full summer mode, talking about being home alone, how the house stays weirdly clean when the kids are gone, and the creeping back-to-school reality that brings uniforms, shoes, homework, and the nightly job of getting everyone to bed.
Then we pivot into the kind of fun trivia that sends you down a rabbit hole: the yearly list of unique college football player names. We...
Noras Make-Up
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A tiny drink that looks like a Guinness but tastes like dessert sounds harmless, right until we’re debating whether it should be a shot, a sipper, or poured over ice cream. We start with National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (melty is best, hard cookies are risky), then jump into our Baby Guinness experiment with Kahlua and Bailey's. Along the way we take a detour through novelty shot glasses, random trivia, and the kind of small talk that somehow turns into real life.
Things get unexpectedly practical when we talk daylight sa...
Cinco de Annabel - Two Noras interview Best Selling Author Annabel Monaghan
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She finished her last tour event last night and still showed up today with stories, secrets, and the kind of candor that makes us love Annabel Monaghan even more. We’re raising a glass for “Cinco De Annabel” and talking Dolly All The Time, her Good Morning America Book Club pick that delivers a swoony summer romance!
We get the behind-the-scenes version of author life, from London and Paris publishing visits to the pure excitement of sitting on the Good Morning America couch and knowing every awkward second lives forever. Then we piv...
Camp Nora and Nora
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Chicago is choking on hazardous air, and we’re doing what we always do when life feels a little too real: talking it through until it turns funny, useful, and oddly comforting. We start with the anxiety of watching the air quality index climb and the way headlines can reshape a normal day, then jump to the week’s most unsettling food safety news, including why Taco Bell lettuce somehow becomes the villain in a world where “cheese substancel” keeps surviving.
From there, we tumble into the internet’s trend cycle: soft serve...
Linens and towels and sheets...Oh My!
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You know those conversations that start with a normal life update and somehow end with you rethinking your entire home setup? That’s where we land today, starting with Fourth of July traditions and the kind of small-town parade day that leaves you both exhausted and happy.
Then we take a sharp turn into curiosity bait: the naked bike ride in downtown Chicago (go as bare as you dare), a blind taste test of a cinnamon bun Oreo, and a hit of pure nostalgia when we scroll through retired 90s candy. If...
Nightcap and a recap
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A summer recap can sound simple until you zoom in on the details: a 5:15 a.m. start line, 68 miles on real roads, a Disney Cruise Line concierge happy hour, and a sunscreen mistake so specific it only burns your ankles. We’re nightcapping with the Noras and telling the truth about what we’ve been up to, including a charity bike ride supporting pediatric brain tumor research and why doing something hard with your dad becomes an instant “memory maker.”
Then we jump to family travel on the Disney Treasure ship with 16...
T-Shirts
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You know that feeling when summer makes the world seem a little louder, a little weirder, and somehow more fun? That’s the energy we’re bringing today as we start with real-life catch-up, kid commentary that cracks us up, and a “would you rather” that escalates into donuts, stitches, and the kind of questions only children ask with confidence.
From there, we go global in the best way. We talk World Cup watching and the moment that deserves the attention it’s getting: Japanese fans cleaning up the stadium because leaving a...
Talkin' Toys
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A star-shaped wand that holds your credit card and lets you tap to pay sounds like a joke until you realize it might be the perfect tool for anyone who loses their card every other day. We start with summer life in full swing, then unwrap the kind of gift that instantly becomes a household legend and a potential menace in any drive-thru line.
From there, we do what we do best: chase curiosity wherever it goes. We taste-test a limited edition Oreo that somehow pulls off a true brown sugar p...
Two Noras and a Community Spotlight
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Someone in the neighborhood treats Super Junk Day like a free shopping trip and rolls off with two kids’ bikes and suddenly it’s not a cute curbside story anymore. We talk through what happened next, why an AirTag made all the difference, and the practical reality of keeping tabs on kids and their stuff when devices die and summer schedules get messy. If you’ve ever wondered whether tracking tech is worth it, this real-life moment makes a pretty strong case.
From there, we take a hard left into the intern...
Season Five, High Five
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Welcome to Season Five!
A wheel of cheese flying down a steep hill while grown adults cartwheel after it sounds fake, but it’s real and it’s our kind of “what did I just watch?” kickoff to season five. We start with summer creeping in, school schedules getting weird, and that parenting scramble where someone always has the wrong dismissal time. From there, we lean into the stories that make life feel lighter, even when everything is busy.
We get into the Gloucestershire cheese rolling contest (unofficial but still unh...
Teachers
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Somebody emails you out of the blue and says, “We’d like you to apply.” Sounds flattering, right? We start there with a real Wordle game show casting invite, then take a sharp turn into the kind of everyday stories that make you laugh and cringe at the same time: a frog surviving inside a bag of lettuce, a woman who literally breaks into a house to clean it and leaves a $75 note, and the Swatch collaboration release so chaotic people end up getting pepper sprayed at the mall.
After the snack...
Two Noras and Best Selling Author Sean Ryan
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The podcast becomes a family affair as Nora and Nora welcome Nora's little brother, New York Times Best Selling Author, Sean Ryan! Sean pops by the pod to talking about his new graphic novel, "Xanar & Mr. Tuxedo"! A robot boy who’s relentlessly upbeat and a grumpy old penguin should not be able to exist in the same story without everything falling apart, yet somehow it works and it’s hilarious and heartfelt. Sean unpacks how his middle grade graphic novel 'Xanar & Mr. Tuxedo" went from an idea he first played with years ago...
Something's Fishy...
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World Password Day has us spiraling because somehow we all have a thousand logins and none of them are the right one at the right time. We trade honest confessions about password reuse, the “make up nonsense words” method, and why storing everything in a notes app can feel brilliant until you realize you’re one forgotten step away from a full reset loop. It’s funny, but it’s also a real look at how digital security and everyday life collide, especially when you’ve got family accounts, devices, and endless sign-ins to manage.
A Tip Top Episode About Jobs
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A four-ounce canned margarita that drinks like a full-sized cocktail, a gas-pump mistake that turns into a full-body wardrobe emergency, and the kind of week where you’re sprinting from sports to rehearsals and still trying to be a functioning adult. That’s where we start, and it only gets better from there.
We talk about the real work behind a middle school musical, from tech week logistics to the emotional side of getting kids onstage when nerves and peer cruelty show up. One moment with bubble guns in a gym becom...
This Episode is Fire
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Fire is one of those words that sneaks into everything, and once we noticed it, we couldn’t stop. We start with the real-life stuff, the sprint to opening night for a school musical, a week packed with family events, and a little Chicago love with Wrigley Field’s 112th anniversary plus a truly wild baseball moment. Then we take a sharp left into the kind of pop culture details we can’t resist, including a New York Times crossword mistake that had puzzle people furious.
From there, we dig into two tr...
Calendar People
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Your calendar isn’t just dates and boxes. It’s the story of your life, the mental load you’re carrying, and the one tool that can either calm the chaos or make it louder. We’re two Noras comparing notes on how we actually keep a family schedule running, from paper planners and wall calendars to shared phone calendars that everyone can see.
We get specific about what works: weekly planning on Sundays, color-coding each kid’s appointments, and why school calendar subscriptions can be helpful or completely overwhelming. We also talk...
Swimsuits and Spacesuits
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Swimsuit season brings out everyone’s opinions, insecurities, and oddly strong preferences, so we finally say the quiet parts out loud. We talk through what we actually wear to the pool and beach, why a bikini can feel like a full-time sunscreen job, and why cover-ups, linen pants, and rash guards sometimes do more for our confidence than any “perfect” suit ever could. If you’ve been hunting for real-world swimwear advice, we get into one-piece vs two-piece vs tankini, support and fit, and how the UV index somehow becomes the main character of famil...
A Tisket, A Tasket, An Episode About Baskets
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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 about what self-care is supposed to feel like, and where your personal hard lines are.
From there, we go full modern-life mode: sleep routines with noise-canceling earbuds, the very r...
Night Cap with the Noras and our Guest Dee Dee Saracco
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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 want to support.
Dee Dee shares the moment her side hustle turns into a full-time leap, how her family’s cooking culture shapes the menu...
What's hAPPening?
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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?
We also talk about restaurant prestige and the messy ethics that can sit behind it, including the Noma chatter and what it means when y...
Showers
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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 vibe—and talk about how inclusive games like Plinko and raffles make fundraising feel welcoming instead of exclusive.
The conversation then shifts to the heart: a...
Plot Twist...Part Two
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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 about everyday heroism, while a fast-food classic gets a quiet glow‑up that says a lot about listening and improving.
From there, we get person...
Whoops...Plot Twist
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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 escape with pure comedic honesty. It’s ridiculous and revealing—about work, grit, and laughing when the internet is watching.
Money en...
Jeans
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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 compelling launch—wild cherry Pepsi lip gel with SPF 30. It’s equal parts marketing fever dream and practical pocket win, which is exactly why we can’t...
Pillow Talk
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Mike Haggerty Buick GMCRight on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!
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90s for the Win!
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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 why some stories go instantly viral. From there we geek out on everyday tools—erasable pens, grip grooves, and why the right pen can make or b...
Oodles of Pools and the most Disgusting Chip Ever
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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 “Lazarus syndrome” surfaces as a legal defense, and we explore what’s rare but real, how errors unfold, and what accountability looks like when systems fail.
We recalib...
Dresses but also Deodorant, Caviar, and 6-7
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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).
We dive into everyday myths and trends that shape our lives more than we admit. SPF isn’t...
That's the Ticket!
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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 get honest about family logistics and the cost of memories: when to splurge on theater, why football’s price curve stings more than most, and how digital tickets removed paper headache...
Ringing in 2026!
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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 reading goals to the comfort of nightly word games and design a plan that doesn’t pit pleasure against growth. We tal...