Rich Conversations: 010. Kelly Miller

Show notes from episode 010 of Rich Conversations with Kelly Miller. Answers are cut down to fit into writing format.

How long have you lived in Chicago?

I’m going on six years in March.

How would you describe your neighborhood?

I’m now in Wrigleyville. A little happy accident brought me here. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Wicker Park and Noble Square area. A lot more variety of people and relaxed. A lot of people who have been born and raised in Chicago and people that live there for a variety of reasons.

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

Brunch is a non-negotiable. Usually around ten or eleven in the morning. Get some good food and a couple of beverages. I surround myself with a lot of industry people, so maybe a brewery crawl. If the weather’s nice, I like to walk by the lake at Diversey Harbor.

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

Blue and green. My office overlooks the river downtown and it’s always some type of green.

What’s your proudest moment as a Chicagoan?

Every time someone visits actually. I feel like I get this breath of pride. When you’re with people visiting you forget the beauty in the day to day. I’m thinking the view from brown line when you turn east and see the skyline.

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

I used to work for Lettuce Entertain You so we’d do the “Lettuce Bar Crawl” in River North. That restaurant group that has some of the best places in the city. With that discount I show people all the different spots over there. That’s the move.

What’s your hidden gem in the city?

Coast Sushi. Damen and Armitage is the original location. It’s BYO. It’s the best sushi in the city. It’s not cheap but I’ve never left there without being happy. It’s fantastic. It’s great.

What sound do you most affiliate with the city?

The “ding-ding” before the train doors close on the L.

What music has influenced you the most during your time in the city?

I’ve somehow have ended up as some of the best musicians being my friends. Someone who plays the drums, someone who plays the trombone and plays the Superdome a few times a year, and Bonelang who ends up on my Spotify playlist all the time.

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

I think the commute. I love my commute. I love my way into work. I like seeing all the different humans in the city. I don’t scroll through my phone; I glance around and make up stories about people.

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 would want the neighborhoods to stay true to themselves. They’re very distinct from each other. It’s something I haven’t seen in other cities I’ve visited.

What’s one small thing you’d do to improve your neighborhood or the city as a whole?

I think we need to make more of an investment into the city’s youth. I volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters and iMentor. It’s all about showing the youth of Chicago different pathways and different options. Having another adult in their lives.

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

“Oh my God. Isn’t it dangerous?” No, because I respect that people come from all different backgrounds. Bad things happen everywhere. It’s usually people that haven’t been to Chicago that bring up the violence.

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

The stairs just beyond Diversey Harbor. I’d spend hours there when I first moved to the city. The people watching over there is prime. Something about the water and just being over there.

What’s something you’re curious about recently?

I notice that there’s a mini Target on every corner. I love Chicago’s architecture, but I see these older homes knocked down to put up a condo building that looks just like the one next to it. I hope that those older buildings with a lot of character can be preserved.

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

Just how different of a person I am. I was a textbook co-dependent and now my family teases me about being Miss Independent. Realizing how much I can grow. Having to make big decisions on my own and figuring it out. I’m surprised how much I love being in the city.

What’s on your mind for the future?

I think when I first moved here everything had to be planned out. I thought I was only going to be here like two years and now I don’t have plans to move. I think now it’s about growth and I’m excited to see what the next years bring.