Val and Ryan talk money saving tips, Chicago Bears, new movies out, including 'Bros'
CHICAGO (WLS) -- This week on Windy City Weekend, Ryan and Val are starting off the weekend with some Host Chat!
An Uber driver has shared a recent passenger story on TikTok. A husband had to pick up his mistress, so the driver made sure to drop them both off at the husband's house! What would you have done?
Also, Do you have any unique techniques to keep costs down? A group of Redditors shared six tips they use to save some coins.
Lastly, have you ever wondered why someone can get hundreds of likes on Instagram in the morning, but then barely anything at night? A recent poll studied millions of posts to find out what's the best time to post on Instagram.
Today, Ryan wore pink in honor of the American Cancer Society's "Real Men Wear Pink" annual campaign. As a member of the board, Ryan is raising funds and support for breast cancer research and helping millions of people afford access to care.
Help Ryan in the fight against cancer by supporting the American Cancer Society at the link here.
"I (Quietly) Quit!"
A new trend has started in the workforce known as "Quiet Quitting." It involves people who are working full time, but are only being productive for a few short hours in the day
Borinken Cakes
When describing the Puerto Rican cupcakes available at Borinken Cakes, owner Rachel Diaz refrained from using the word "moist."
"I was describing to people that these were very moist cupcakes and some people were like 'eww,'" joked Diaz. "They're pretty sweet and 'juicy,' almost."
Located in Chicago's Garfield Ridge and Logan Square neighborhoods, Borinken Cakes specializes in cupcake versions of bizcocho mojadito, a dessert similar to pound cake, but soaked in brandy syrup and common on the island of Puerto Rico.
"The flavor is almost like 'grown-up cake,'" said Diaz. "You get a little bit of the hint of the liquor, but you don't have the alcohol and you get a little bit of the warm tones in it."
Diaz, 33, came to Chicago as a young designer from Puerto Rico to live with her now-husband back in 2007, knowing only Spanish.
"I basically learned all my English watching Food Network, which is kind of embarrassing, but I always loved food," said Diaz.
Wanting to make bizcocho mojadito for her son's birthday, Diaz reached out to her aunt, who was a professional baker in Puerto Rico. After mastering the cake, requests from family and friends kept her busy baking, eventually resulting in the opening of Borinken Cakes.
"After that, it was history. We just started growing and growing," said Diaz.
Diaz started the bakery with her sister, Jashira, and mother, Raquel. Raquel was a nurse in Puerto Rico before having to relocate to the U.S. after Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
"She always says she went from injecting patients to injecting cupcakes," said Diaz.
Besides bizcocho mojadito, flavors for the cupcakes include Nutella, guava dream, coquito, coconut, pia colada and dulce de leche, with new varieties being added frequently. The cakes sit in a colorful paper cup that helps hold the juicy desserts together.
"The way you eat is with a spoon because if you peel it out it will just fall apart because it just crumbles," said Diaz. "It's so tender and delicious that it just melts in your mouth."
Diaz is grateful to bring native Puerto Ricans back to their memories of the island while introducing Chicagoans to something they may have not tried before. She said some people even cry when they taste her cupcakes.
"It's been a rewarding experience," said Diaz. "Bringing my culture and what we love in Puerto Rico to the community of Chicago and how they accepted it and loved it as much as we have, it's just an amazing feeling."
In addition to cupcakes, Borinken Cakes also offers other Puerto Rican pastries like quesitos and pastelillitos.
For more information on Borinken Cakes, visit borinkencakes.com.
Luna Y Cielo Play
Growing up in Logan Square, Vanessa Avalos didn't learn the Spanish language as a child. However, Vanessa and her brother made it their mission to learn their ancestral language when they came of age. When Avalos had her own children, she decided to take a different approach than her parents.
"As we started having kids I realized if I didn't put in the effort to make them bilingual, they would lose our culture and our language," Avalos said.
To help her kids become bilingual, Avalos would take them to various events in Pilsen and Spanish story times in libraries.
"I realized that there were a lot of people in my network that were in the same boat, a lot of Latino moms who wanted to raise their children bilingual, but they didn't have the support," Avalos said. "Then it kind of just blossomed into a business"
Luna y Cielo Play is a playroom and Learning Center where children of all ages can learn Spanish and celebrate different Latinx cultures.
According to Avalos, the long-term goal is to open a brick-and-mortar storefront to host bilingual play and Spanish classes. The Berwyn mom is hoping to secure a space in Logan Square, where she grew up.
"In the 90s, there was a lot of Latinos in that neighborhood, and now they're leaving," Avalos said. "But it's awesome to say that I can go back to Logan Square and put roots down for Luna y Cielo," Avalos said.
Once Avalos secures a storefront, she plans to create four components to Luna y Cielo Play; Spanish classes, culturally relevant play, a gift shop and a cafe selling products from local Latinx vendors.
Find out more about Luna Y Cielo Play's services at their website: Luna Y Cielo.
Spend or Save?
"Bros" - SPEND
"Bros" is making history as the first film is making history as the first gay rom-com to be produced by a major studio. It stars Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane.
"The Greatest Beer Run Ever" - SAVE
Zac Effron stars in the true story "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" about a man who goes on a dangerous mission... to give beer to soldiers in Vietnam.
"The Good House" - SPEND
"The Good House" is about a New England realtor whose life begins to unravel when she runs into an "old flame".
"Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon" - SPEND
"Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon" is a fantasy thriller about a girl with supernatural powers who escapes a mental institute with the help of a single-mother.
Bear-ly Accurate Predictions
The Bears snagged another win against the Texans last week. Can they keep it going for the upcoming Giants game?
But more importantly, will Ryan's "Bear-ly Accurate Prediction" be right? This week, he enlists the help of former Bears running back, Matt Forte and let's just say they have a battle of the ages.
Tune in each Friday for a new prediction, and make your own list to see if you can beat Ryan's record this season!
