Rich Conversations: 003. Emily Zinchuk

Show notes from episode 003 of Rich Conversations with Emily Zinchuk. Answers are cut down to fit into writing format.

How long have you lived in Chicago?

My whole life! I originally grew up in the Norwood Park/Jefferson Park area. It’s as suburban as Chicago can get. Both my parents are Chicago police, so you have to stay within the city. That whole area is known for being police, fire department, paramedics, and city workers.

What’s your neighborhood like?

It’s interesting. I liked it growing up as a kid. You definitely felt safe for the most part. It’s like a small town in a big city like this. Everyone is working together. It’s a community. My Uber drivers are always surprised to find out that it’s still part of the city since it’s so far. But it shows you how big the city really is. My boyfriend and I moved to Roscoe Village in December. We like it here.

If you have an open Saturday, how would you choose to spend it?

Honestly I love sleeping. I’d probably be sleeping a lot of the day. Then maybe have some friends over at night–just like close friends. I don’t think I’m too exciting in that regard because I’m such a native here that the touristy bar scene is over my head ‘cause I’m so used to it.

When you think of Chicago, what colors do imagine first?

The first color that comes to my mind is blue. I think of some of my favorite memories. The top one happened just a few summers ago with one of my best friends—we’ve been friends since we were like five. We decided to do a touristy day. We did a river boat architecture tour. Some of the coolest photos I took were of that blue water, reflecting off the skyscrapers. My boyfriend used to live in Streeterville and I’d see the river all the time.

I just thought now—also blue because my parents as police officers.

What’s your proudest moment as a Chicagoan?

I couldn’t think of just one. I think as a Chicagoan—born and raised—that’s prideful itself. I’m also proud of the family I come from. My grandpa was a fireman in Uptown in the ‘70s, which was one of the worst at the time. Just his stories and stuff. I have a lot of aunts and uncles that work for the city. And my parents as police. I’m really proud of my family and that I get to be a part of that. I know at the end of the day, the police and firemen really want what’s best for the city.

If a friend visits you from out of town, what restaurant would you take them to?

My go-to would be 90 Miles Cuban Café. It’s super fun. It’s not the traditional go downtown and do a touristy restaurant—I think that’s mostly what people think to do when they come here. I think the best food is in those smaller neighborhoods. It’s BYOB so it’s cheap in that aspect and great for that. It’s got a really cool atmosphere. I think it’s a good representation of the different cultures that are in Chicago and also the neighborhood vibe you can get. It’s in Logan Square. It’s a really cool place to go.

What’s your hidden gem in the city?

So recently, only like a couple weeks ago, I found this Mexican restaurant near me on Elston, right before Belmont. I’m blanking on the name, and I’ve even tried Googling it but it doesn’t show up—it’s that small. It’s the best Mexican food I’ve had—and I grew up walking around and eating a lot of Mexican food. I even came back from Austin this past weekend, and I’m telling you nothing compares to this place. It’s this little grandma in the back cookin’ everything from scratch. It’s this shack that’s bright yellow and red roof, I think.

What sound do you most affiliate with the city?

It’s so cliché but blues. I think of blues music. I grew up on ‘60s and ‘70s music. Classic Rock and everything. That’s totally my bread and butter. I love that music. So much of it derives from Chicago Blues. The Rolling Stones—one of the biggest bands ever—lived and breathed Chicago blues. They’d come here and play with these local guys. It’s such a big part of Chicago. If I could, I’d go back to the ‘60s and immerse myself in the Chicago blues scene.

What’s a common scene you see in your daily interaction with the city?

Um. The first thing I think of is food. All the different types of food Chicago has. Because my family is so involved with the city, they know all the hot spots. It’s turned me into quite the foodie. So on a daily basis, the thing I interact with the most is food. I’m always down to try a new place. I usually have good recommendations. But my family—my one uncle who works in the water department in particular—knows where to go. You can guarantee it’ll be good.

If you were given secret information that Chicago would be destroyed in one week, what’s one quality you’d choose to keep to rebuild it?

I love this city with all my heart. Keep all the dogs and wipe it all out—we’ll rebuild it. We’ve done it before, we can do it again. It’s the city of big shoulders!

What’s one thing you’d do to improve the city?

Something I’ve been thinking more about lately is homelessness. (We discussed Homeless but Human and the issue deeper)

When people learn you’re from Chicago, how do they respond?

Usually it’s a positive response. Sometimes I’ll get a remark about my accent. Even my boyfriend, during the first few months of dating, would say something about my accent. But I don’t think it’s that strong. My grandpa has the most textbook Chicago accent. He doesn’t think anything of it.

People also think about the violence. There’s pockets of it here, but there are pockets of violence in every large city.

When you feel overwhelmed or need a mental escape but can’t leave the city, where do you go to clear your mind?

Well, I’m definitely more of a homebody, so my home is always going to be my sanctuary. It’s nice having my family close, seeing my mom or grandparents. It’s almost like suburbia our there so it’s as far from the city as you can get.

Within the past five years of living here, what personal realization has improved your outlook on life the most?

I think you’re early twenties is a time to learn about yourself. I never went away for college, but I really took it upon myself to explore the city. It’s been very fun and interesting. Grasping the concept of how many different people and walks of life there are. You’ll never run out of people to meet, food to eat, and things to see. Chicago is a place where you can’t run out of things to do.

What’s something you dream of accomplishing over the next five years?

I’ve always been a tad bit of a workaholic. My family have always been hard workers. Work hard. Be self-sustaining. Don’t rely on anyone. I’m at three jobs currently–four recently but I realized I don’t need four. I’m very family-oriented. I would love to have a husband and kids. I like the fast paced and I am proud of my work and all the wonderful things I’ve learned from it. But I really want to just curl up on the couch with my family and watch movies. That’s really my dream.