Cream City Dreams

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Today on the Cream City Digest, I'm talking with my seven-year-old daughter. I wanted to get HER opinion of what it's like to see her mom on screens. Find out what kids notice, what she wishes I'd do less of, and her thoughts on social media. And listeners, I get EXPOSED. Ouch. But so important to understand that the kids are watching us, so I'll happily take this one for the team. Back next week with Tiffany Miller of FruitionMKE, another incredible Milwaukee woman! And here's the link to my friend's Forest Therapy Healing website, Juniper Trails! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Today's guest is the woman in town that people turn to when they want uniquely creative, impossibly JOYFUL and unconventionally fun outdoor events. Steph Salvia is the Executive Director at Joy Engine, the small non-profit responsible for the incredibly joyful art instillations that pop up from time to time around Milwaukee (think the Cosmopods on the beaches last summer, the oversized swallows at Lake Shore State Park, and the gigantic full Moon over Catalano Square. Listen today as we talk about the mission of Joy Engine, why it's so needed in Milwaukee, and how YOU can join in on the fun. In addition to their accessible-for-ALL art installations, Joy Engine also provides 'Joy Grants' to promote local artists and creatives who have innovative ideas on spreading joy in the 414. 

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! A treat today listeners! Thekla is back and we are debriefing the detox. I bring the stories, the updates and allllll the feels ... and she helps me put it in perspective with the expertise and neuroscience behind the experience. Listen as we talk about cross-addiction, titration and self-compassion around our screen time. PLUS ... an invitation to join me on a guided forest walk next week! Friday June 27th - there's room for 15 of us - so nab a spot before they're gone! Click HERE TO REGISTER! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Ever dreamed of being a rockstar? I know I did! Today's guest knows ALL about this dream, she's a musician in her own right. But she is also making this dream a reality for girls, women, non-binary, trans and gender expansive individuals right here in Milwaukee! Mary Joy Hickey is the Executive Director of Girls Rock MKE, and helped develop Ladies Rock MKE as well nearly a decade ago. This is the band camp you always WISHED you'd been a part of. (and hey, it's not too late). Today we talk all about music as a place and space for belonging, acceptance, authenticity and living the DREAM. We talk about how their camps - for youth and adults alike - foster a sense of community, collaboration and creativity ... all while allowing participants to write, sing, strum and belt out their own songs on the stage. 

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Today, more reflections on life off the socials. I thought I'd have FOMO, but turns out, if a tree falls, I don't hear it! What do I hear instead? Listen today to find out. I'd love to hear how you are doing if you are following along and attempting any kind of shifting in your own attention. Would you hop over to the website and leave me a voice memo, or send me an email? I'd love to hear from you! Back next Wednesday with another incredible Milwaukee woman! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! If you can walk you can dance. So says today's guest, Karlies Kelley, founder of Pandanza Dance Company! Yes, we're talking about dance today, but lest you think this isn't for you because you wouldn't ordinarily call yourself a dancer ... let me say quickly that dance is for everyBODY. You'll feel this too as soon as the conversation begins, Karlies is very clear that there is room for everyone on the dance floor. But this conversation is about more than dance simply as embodied movement. We talk about dance as a form of meditation, an outlet for JOY, as a saving grace, and as a means of healing. It certainly saved a young girl of 15 who arrived in this country to learn the language and who found her community around the drum.

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Today, a short and sweet reflection on how it's going 6 days into the social media detox. Are you following along? Are you experiencing the joy (or maybe the pain?) of giving up screens? In this episode, I reflect on how it's been going for me, what I'm missing, but also, what I'm loving about the untethered life off IG and FB! A few links: Come dance with Panadanza on MondaysListen to this week's episode with Dana Spandet of Flour Girl & FlameRegister for this month's Creative Mornings event on June 20Heck yeah, you can buy me a coffee, too! Better yet, JOIN ME IN PERSON for a REAL coffee! Monday, June 9th from 9:30-11 at Valentine Coffee on Downer with Thekla Brumder Ross! I'll be back next Wednesday with another incredible Milwaukee woman! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another season begins and I'm excited to introduce so many MORE incredible Milwaukee women! Like today's guest, Dana Spandet, owner of Flour Girl & Flame Pizza, Everyone's Ice Cream, and Everyone's Table. She is a true Milwaukee rockstar. If you don't know her yet, consider this episode your first gift of summer. Sure, she slings unforgettable pizzas (with that famous spicy honey crust!), but she's also stirring up something much bigger: a hospitality culture rooted in inclusivity, justice, and JOY! And we talk all about this in today's episode. Tune in and share this episode with the pizza-loving, justice-warrior in your life! Here are a few links she mentions: https://www.wyeastpizza.comhttps://caradaroclubpizza.comhttps://www.happyjoycandyco.com

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Be sure to listen to the end to get a glimpse into the summer season of JOY and a look at the lineup of incredibly JOYFUL Milwaukee women I'll have on the pod. AND a few last minute reflections on this June detox / screen free hiatus I'm undertaking come Sunday. If you're joining along with me, maybe you're experiencing some of these too. Plus find out how you can join me in person for a meet up if you live locally! (HINT: you'll need to subscribe to the newsletter to get the details!) Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Welcome to the last week of the mini-season on our attention and where we put it (and where we give it away). I am back with Thekla Brumder Ross, clinical Psychologist and addiction specialist and today there are three things Thekla said in particular that are sticking with me. I want to share them verbatim so they can sit with you too. (Might I invite you to take a deep breath between each one and read them slowly?)Social (media) is observational, real life is participatory.Boredom is the space where creative energy flows.Like food, we are going to coexist with technology for the rest of our livesIf these are all true, then there is SO much to be said for paying attention to our attention NOW and not letting anyone (or any platform) steal it from us.Listen in as Thekla gives practical advice on how to break from screens, what to expect and how to combat the cravings with self-compassion and awareness. PLUS - newsletter subscribers get a special invitation to an IN PERSON meet up in Milwaukee on June 9th - so be sure to sign up HERE if you want the link in next week's letter! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! This week a quick reflection on the importance of IN REAL LIFE gatherings. Social media, sch-mocial media ... I'm starting to call it 'isolation media' these days - and much preferring the real life gatherings, walks, talks, and events that bring us together. Maybe you're feeling this way too? Also part TWO on the Caramel Delight story from last week. A few links from this week: The Art of Gathering by Priya ParkerMindfulness & Self Compassion Workbook for Kids by Jamie Lynn Tatera The copycat cookie I probably should never have known existed. Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Are we avoiding something when we reach for our phones? Boredom? Anxiety? Frustration? Hunger? Sadness? And what happens when we pay attention to those feelings, and let ourselves FEEL them. Phew. That's the juicy part that I'm talking about today with my friend and clinical psychologist, Thekla Brumder Ross. How can we be more self-compassionate to ourselves AND think more intentionally about who (and how!) we give our attention? There is so much food for thought in this episode, and I hope you'll give it a listen. Your future self will thank you, and who knows who else may thank you? Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! This week I'm musing on what I'm noticing as this "in-between season" on attention reaches the half way mark. If you've enjoyed hearing the conversation with Thekla Brumder Ross on Wednesdays, this is the chance to hear me reflect on what I'm doing with all the new ways of approaching attention. Today ... it's all about attention given and attention received. It's about caramel delights and you'll hear me read a myth I wrote about my future self. Curious? Listen in, it's a short one today! Back next week with more of my conversation with Thekla and on June 4th, Season 8 begins with more incredible Milwaukee women! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! This week, Thekla Brumder Ross is back and we're diving into the science of what's happening to our brains on screens. Primitive instincts and impulses, dopamine roller coasters, cravings, reinforcement loops, withdrawals, time warps …  we're talking about it all as it relates to our use on screens and socials. But lest you think it's all doom and gloom, fear not! We also talk about neuroplasticity and the brains incredible ability to change and how there are four pillars of well being we can look to guide us in that rewiring and change. PLUS, we issue a challenge and an invitation. Join us, won't you? Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! The Cream City Digest is back, this time with some reflections on attention and noticing where mine goes. Maybe you'll join me this month and take a peek at your own attention! Links from this week! Women's Entrepreneurship Week ❤️ Listener Amanda from Fresh Therapy LLCMolly Caro May on AttentionBe sure to listen to this week's episode with Thekla Brumder Ross where we talk ALL about attention and break down where we're going with this month's in between series. Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! If you've found yourself struggling with the amount of time you hand over to your screen ... If you've found yourself promising  just five more minutes, then I'll put my phone down ... If you've found yourself at once frustrated with and consumed by FOMO or I'm not good enough  ... If you've found yourself insatiably checking how many likes or thumbs your post has gotten ... Or found yourself constantly saying I wish I had more time ... Then let me just say: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. And you just may want to tune in to these episodes. I'm talking with my friend and clinical psychologist Thekla Brumder Ross and we are breaking down what is happening to our brains on screens, what the companies are doing, why they're so hard to put down, AND what WE can do to manage our attention so that these screens don't manage us. We are going deep in conversation in May. Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! It's been a season! Boy howdy, has it been an incredible look at the women of Milwaukee who have made major life pivots and come through shining! On today's Cream City Digest, I recap the season, plus give a look at what's coming in the month of May with my friend and clinical psychologist Thekla Brumder Ross. Also, a link tothe peony bush incident. https://www.wuwm.com/podcast/lake-effect-segments/2018-06-08/essay-the-peony-bush-incidentSupport the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Closing out Season 7 with another Milwaukee woman who knows a few things (or ten) about this season's theme: pivoting. Tonda Thompson has been SO many things. A basketball star, a runway model, a mother, a bereaved mother, an advocate, a public speaker, a photographer and videographer, and now a self-taught carpenter. (and those are just to name a few, there's more!) Listen as we talk about how pivoting helped her move through, forward, and beyond where she thought she'd be and what she thought she'd be doing. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.sheslangswood.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheslangswoodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheslangswoodIf you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Sarah Ornst Bloomquist of Moms Mental Health Initiative. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! If you've been following along, you know yesterday was the Gathering of the Guests and 20 of Cream City Dreams' previous guests got together to share coffee, conversation and connections! This week on the Digest, hear how it went, plus an invitation for newsletter subscribers and a permission to BE BIG from poet, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. So many incredible Milwaukee women at one table. Maybe YOU can join us next time, make sure you're on the newsletter to find out when! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. It's back! Women's Entrepreneurship week 2025 runs from May 5-9 and you aren't going to want to miss a single session if you can help it! Today I'm talking with Sarah Haas, organizer and planner extraordinaire of this phenomenal week of networking, learning, and community building. Listen as we talk about what you can expect from the week, what's changed since 2024, and how you can make the most of an all-in ticket! More info on tickets and purchasing can be found HERE. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest!This week's episode with Dasha Kelly HamiltonA Line Meant - released and in the wild. Join Dasha at one of these launches!Women's Entrepreneurship Week (May 5-9) And of course, BUY ME A COFFEE linked here, if you want to ** LITERALLY THIS TIME** buy some coffee for me and the other Cream City Guests from Seasons 1-7. And tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. She's back! Dasha Kelly Hamilton is back with me on the show today talking about creativity, humanity, and how to live in alignment with each other. We also chat about where she's been since 2022 … which has basically been ALL over. I caught up with her cruising in her RV somewhere in Kansas on her way to LA to perform her show, Makin' Cake, now three years on the road … but fortunately for all of us, Milwaukee is still home for her! And boy are we lucky! Catch Dasha in the wild here: Website: https://dashakh.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dasha.kellyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dasha_kellham/A Line Meant: https://alinemeant.org/ If you loved this episode, you'll definitely want (no, NEED) to go back and listen to our first conversation with Dasha from Season 2! Listen HERE, or wherever you get your podcasts! Show your love for Cream City DreamsAs always, I am so grateful to listeners. If you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for my newsletter on the website. And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. And if you're feeling even more generous, Buy us a Coffee. Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Listen this week as I talk about the synchronicity (or is it serendipity?) coming at me this week inviting me to let go of perfectionism. Here are the links I mention: Laurie Wagner and Wild Writing Panadanza Dance Company Delaware House Sherrill Knezel of Meaningful MarksAlesia Miller of SoulBrew Kombucha and her SHOW THIS WEEKENDShelly Roder - Tuesday Morning Meditations, sign up HERE to join us!Creative Mornings (register for next week's event)And of course, BUY ME A COFFEE linked here, if you want to ** LITERALLY THIS TIME** buy some coffee for me and the other Cream City Guests from Seasons 1-7. Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Death and taxes - the two certainties of life, right? So why is it so hard for us to talk about it? It's not for this week's guest. Shantell Riley is the owner and founder of Dignity With Departure, where she works with clients to navigate end of life decisions, details, and stages from a holistic viewpoint. Shantell also runs the monthly Death Cafe MKE, a safe space for facilitated conversation around death and dying (and also LIVING!). Listen as we talk about how important it is to bring death out into the open, to appreciate the gift that it gives us, and to prepare for its coming. (yes, even if you don't think it's anywhere near your time). Locals and Links we love! Website: https://dignitywithdeparture.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dignitywithdeparture/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dignitywithdeparture/Death Cafe MKE: https://www.facebook.com/deathcafemke/The Zen DragonflyEssentially EmpoweredIf you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Miranda Malone. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest! Harper Marten this week's guest on creativity!Also a new, as yet unreleased podcast, "Calm It Down, Kids!" (let me know what you think, would you listen?!)Molly Caro May on attentionAnd tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. This week on the podcast, another encouraging lesson on what it means to be creative. At any age. This week's guest, Harper Marten, owner and founder of The Arts of Aging, works in memory care and assisted living facilities all around Milwaukee offering the opportunity and the permission for their residents to call themselves artists through hands-on classes and workshops. Listen as we talk about process art, creativity, and how our society might just be better off with more of these social prescriptions that foster community and engagement. And find out how you can connect to her offerings no matter where you live! Locals and Links we love! Website: https://theartsofaging.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartsofagingInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/theartsofaging/If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Anne Basting where we talked about creative care for our friends and family living with dementia. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest! Poem: At Albany Bulb with Elaine by Alison LutermanAndrea Scher and her book, Wonder Seeker Dasha Kelly Hamilton (coming soon to the pod!) Shelly Roder's Loving Kindness Meditation And tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. The topic of this week's conversation may be triggering to some, but death is the one thing we all have in common, we'll all get there one day, and we will all lose the people that we love. Today's guest is an expert in grief and loss. Miranda Malone, owner of New Moon Therapies and the Milwaukee Motherless Collective knows the pain of grief all too well, having lost her own mother at the wee age of five months. Too young to remember anything about her own mother, she has spent her career helping other women who have also experienced this specific kind of loss. Listen as we talk about the important work she is doing with women in this city to collectively grieve and process mother loss. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.newmoontherapyllc.com/Facebook (private group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1388599778705031/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milwaukeemotherlesscollective/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherlosstherapist/Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest! Where I'm From by George Ella LyonVOTE VOTE VOTE And tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Today on the podcast, I am excited to introduce my dear friend Nell and the story behind her departure from Milwaukee's culinary scene where she was (and still is) revered as a friend, mentor, connector, go-getter and all around STAR. But in 2019, she made the decision to pivot out of the food industry and into a new life. So far this season, I've talked to women who have pivoted INTO something - and we've focused on where they ended up. But I wanted to bring on a woman who could speak to us about pivoting OUT of something as well. (though where she pivots is equally as interesting, and we DO talk about that, too). It's equally as brave to decide to leave a career, especially if (and when) you're at the pinnacle of your place in the industry, like Nell. Nell was also my collaborator on the Wilcuma Dinner for the Hanan Refugees Relief Group last week. You can find out more about the dinner on the segment on TMJ4 here!Locals and Links: Want to work with Nell, here is her web page at Shorewest RealtorsWant to check out her cookbook on Ramen, here it is at BoswellIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out the episode with Lori Fredrich, Food Writer for OnMilwaukee.com HERE, or wherever you get your podcasts! Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest! Love the pod? Buy me a coffee! (pretty please!) Persisters (I made it to a meeting last week! You can too!) Listen to their episode from last week! (the PERSISTers)Hanan Refugees Relief Group - donate today! Bojana Zurić Martinez - her episode from last season! (a refugee story)Chefs from the Wilcuma Dinner (support their restaurants, they support community!): Gregory León from Amilinda Dana Spandet from Flour Girl & Flame Justin Aprahamian from SanfordMary Kastman from PurslaneJennifer Grundy from Seven Swans Crêperie Gil Petrovic from Buckley'sand Nell Benton** from Shorewest** Listen NEXT week for Nell on the podcast! Threshold Choirs! National Diorama MonthEVENT: 2025 Diorama-Rama at Amorphic BeerStreet Life CommunitiesSupport the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Join me as I talk with Stephanie Ciatti, founder of Babbling Babes, a local organization determined to be more than ‘just another moms group' for women who are more than ‘just mom.' Community, connection and FUN are all on tap at these local meetup groups. And ALL moms are welcome in these judgement-free spaces where they can show up and share their whole, authentic selves. Listen as we talk about why these spaces are needed and the story behind how she created this from her own need when her children were young. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.babblingbabes.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babblingbabesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkebabblingbabes/If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Meagan Johnson of Milwaukee Diaper Mission and how they TOO are helping new moms around the city! Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest! Persisters Listen to their episode from this week! (the PERSISTers)Poem from Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer's new book The UnfoldingAndrea Scher - Moonflower Oracle CardsHanan Refugees Relief Group - donate today!And tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, this time TWO inspiring Milwaukee women. “Nevertheless, she persisted.” YES. SHE. DID. Oh Mitch McConnell, look what you started. Today on the podcast, get ready to be inspired to start SMALL, to take ACTION, and to DO something. This week I'm talking with two local sisters, Lisa Williams and Cheryl Juech, who started their own home-grown activism with their group the PERSISTers. The PERSISTers began around Lisa's dining room table in Wauwatosa in 2016 with a handful of friends and a few postcards. And it has steadily grown into a local movement - meeting weekly to share heartbreaks and hopes and - most importantly - committing to tangible and concrete weekly actions that demand more from our elected representatives. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the chaos of the state of our nation, let this week's interview give you small, immediate steps you can take today to stay alert and stay active. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.persisterswi.com/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/221757688298097Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/persisterswi/If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Kate Duffy of Motherhood for Good. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Links I mention this week in the Friday Digest! Persisters Sherrill Knezel on IGBecome a Secret Agent of ChangeRosemerry Wahtola TrommerAnd tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. If the world is getting you down and you just need to feel GOOD for a minute, let this episode envelope you with ALLLLL the feels from today's guest, Jamila Riley (aka JRiley). Jamila is a creative, an entrepreneur, a designer, a motivational speaker, a stylist, a brand strategist, and a supporter of women to find and feel beauty from the inside out. Listen as we talk about authenticity, JOY, accountability, truth and tribes! If this conversation doesn't have you running over to Jamila's shop in the Sherman Phoenix for an in-person hug, I don't know what will. We need more intentional community builders in our city like Jamila. Learn from the best with this conversation! Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.iamjriley.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamjriley/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjriley/If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to my episode with Jamie Phoenix, another stylish Milwaukee woman who knows what it means to live authentically YOU. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Today on the podcast, I'm talking about JOY. Yes JOY, yes REALLY. More specifically, I'm asking if you can connect me to JOY in Milwaukee. AND I'm reading a poem by everyone's favorite poet, Mary Oliver. Who doesn't need JOY right now? Also - if you want to support Hanan Refugees Relief group - Please donate HERE! And tune in next week for another incredible Milwaukee woman, living her dream in the Cream City! Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. This week on the pod I'm talking with one of the founders of Street Angels, Eva Welch. Street Angels are Milwaukee's own HOPE dealers for our neighbors who are living in shelters and/or on the streets. More than just hope, they deal in dignity, compassion, friendship and love. PLUS they dole out lunches and dinners, blankets, socks and other essentials. Prepare to have myths around homelessness busted and your own hope and compassion increased THREEFOLD after you hear Eva's stories of her work with Street Angels. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://streetangelsmke.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AngelsOutreachInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/street_angels_milw_outreach/If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Caitlin Cullen at Kinship Community Food Center. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! More Incredible Milwaukee women helping our community today! Today, a big announcement with a HOT TICKET! You'll want to get your hands on one of these tickets before they are GONE! A dinner in support of the Hanan Refugees Relief Group ... to be held on Monday, March 10 at Amilinda. (so you KNOW Chef Gregory León will be there!) Tickets and more information on sale today HERE. LINKS I talk about in today's episode: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/01/31/trumps-stop-work-order-leave-refugees-resettlement-agencies-in-panic/77995297007/https://nellbenton.shorewest.com/https://hananrrg.org/https://www.lsswis.org/service/housing-and-residential/refugee-resettlement-2/https://iiwisconsin.org/refugee-resettlement/(My Episode with Bojana Zorić Martinez on the refugee experience in Wisconsin) https://www.buzzsprout.com/1969604/episodes/16075938https://amilinda.com/https://creativemornings.com/cities/MKESupport the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Where are you on the self-improvement hamster wheel these days? Are you pushing yourself to DO more, MAKE more, BE more? This week's guest, Ashley Jordan, knows this hamster wheel all too well. She was an achiever, though not a happy one. Until at 38, she had an experience that triggered an avalanche of grief, shame and trauma that led her down the path toward a spiritual (re)awakening. Just this past fall, Ashley released her book, "Unhappy Achiever, Rejecting the Good Girl Image and Reclaiming the Joy of Inner Fulfillment," describing her journey and everything she had to let go of in order to find her own joy and self-love. Today we talk about just that. If you appreciate a good story of personal transformation, you will want to listen to this episode where we talk all about what went into her 'unbecoming' (though without giving EVERYTHING away), and how she ended up writing her book to share the experience with others. 

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Short and sweet again today, because there is STILL so much noise out there. This week I'm reflecting on small joys and small actions. (because sometimes it seems like that's all there is right now.) Hear me talk about, hip hop, lasagne, Sharon McMahon, crackly phone lines and joy-as-responsibility. What's bringing YOU joy? And also, a call for future JOY related guests.  Do you know an incredible Milwaukee woman who is spreading JOY as their mission? I want to talk to them!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. When Liberace and the Universe signal that Milwaukee (and West Allis in particular) is the right spot for you, YOU LISTEN. At least that's what this week's guest, Jamie Phoenix did when she relocated to her spot on National Avenue in 2022. Jamie is the owner of Ultratwist Vintage - a super cool vintage clothing store that has something for every shape and size and style. We talk about her journey to the Fresh Coast, why she chose Milwaukee, and why she wanted to move from Portland at mid-life and start again. This is an episode for anyone who might be considering taking the plunge and trying something totally new, or who needs a little more color in their life. You can't NOT find inspiration in Jamie's flair!If you want to check out Ultratwist Vintage for yourself, get over to her store on Tuesday, February 11th from 4-7 for her Galentine's Shopping Happy Hour! (or anytime, really!). But on this particular day, enjoy nibbles + sips, clearance bins and a mystery discount for in-store purchases! More details on her website (below). Locals and Links we love! Ultratwist Vintage:www.ultratwistvintage.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ultratwistvintagehttps://www.instagram.com/ultratwistvintageMindful Stylist:www.mindfulstylistmke.comhttps://www.instagram.com/mindfulstylistmkeVintage Mix e-book: https://www.ultratwistvintage.com/product/the-vintage-mix-e-book/505?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=34If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to our very first episode of Cream City Dreams with another West Allis fashionista, Madam Chino (aka Vanessa Andrews). Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on! odcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Short and sweet again today, because there is STILL so much noise out there. This week I'm reflecting on how our need to gather is stronger than ever, but it feels different than it did before. Hear my thoughts on this. PLUS, I shout out some organizations and people who are gathering us in ways that are regenerative and necessary right now. Including a special invitation from my former co-host Shelly Roder. Here are the links you'll want: PERSISTers Fuel MilwaukeeAn invitation to meditate with Shelly (and me!) - REGISTER at this link! Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. There are SO many incredible women in Milwaukee I really don't need to reintroduce previous guests … unless they have incredible stories that align perfectly with the season's theme. Like this week's guest, Emerald Mills-Williams. Emerald was a guest back in Season One when Cream City Dreams was just getting its legs. Back then, Emerald hadn't yet opened her restaurant and incubator for rising chefs, Turning Tables & Eatery, nor did she have a hyphen in her name! A lot has changed since then. For one thing, she married her true love (woot!). And since our episode aired, she opened and closed one establishment and has since opened another, Diverse Dining Market. Realizing what was important to her, Emerald is returning to the mission of her brainchild, Diverse Dining, and the mission of Diverse Dining Market: connecting us, building change through relationships and uplifting and supporting minority owned businesses. Listen as we talk in this episode about the ups and downs that came with opening her first restaurant, and the lessons she took from shutting it down and starting again. And stick around to the end to hear what might just beome my all time favorite line ever spoken by a guest on this podcast. I am not horsing around when I say that. Locals and Links we love! Website: https://www.4diversedining.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4diversediningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/diversediningmarket/PRESS on DDM from UrbanMilwaukee.com HEREPRESS on DDM from OnMilwaukee.com HEREIf you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Lori Fredrich, another Milwaukee foodie (and food writer) who is lifting up and elevating local restauranteurs and aspiring chefs with her work. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts.  Also, Emerald mentions Lauren Feaster as someone who inspires her, check out our episode with Lauren HERE to see for yourself what a powerhouse she is for our city and in our community! Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Short and sweet again today, because there is SO much noise out there. But if you're feeling overwhelmed and not sure where or how to start, here's an idea: start small, start local, start today. Hear what's inspiring me to do just that this week on today's Cream City Digest. Back next week with another incredible Milwaukee woman. Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. This week on the podcast: a precautionary tale from a Milwaukee woman brave enough to share her story so that we can learn from her experience. In 2023, Kaitlin Henze lost her life savings in a sophisticated phishing scam. Imagine working your entire life, only to lose it in the course of three weeks, with no recourse to recuperating it. Listen as Kaitlin shares the details of her story as well as tips on how YOU can avoid becoming a victim. This is a great episode to share widely so that we can all stay safe and secure. Locals and Links we love! Listen to Kaitlin on Fox news HERE and HEREListen to Kaitlin on the Cybercrime Magazine Podcast HERERead the press release from Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Cyber Crime Here are resources Kaitlin shared with Cream City Dreams that she wishes she'd known about earlier: IAFCI podcastCybercrime Victim Services: Canadian nonprofit that also helps US victims. They provide PI assistance to victims and have recently taken on my caseThe Cybercrime Support Network: support network and resources for victims This is another nonprofitThe Identity Theft Resource Center: has fabulous educational materials to prevent identity theft from occurring. Cybercrime Magazine podcast and blog: this is a direct link to the episode on me, and you can  reference other educational resources and hear stories from both victims and expertsIf you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Brenda Campbell of Secure Futures. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a CoffeeSupport the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Hey hey - I'm away this week but managed to sneak a microphone in my bag to make a small recording from Oaxaca, Mexico. I promise I won't rub it in to all my friends shivering back in Milwaukee. But I WILL point out some lessons learned that remind me of the lessons I've been learning over the three years of interviewing incredible Milwaukee women in the Cream City.Here's the retreat I'm on in case you're interested! Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. This week's guest Meg Bruzan and her husband made a conscious decision when they bought their first home together that it would be in one of the poorest zip-codes in the state, 53206. They may have set out to change the world, as the young are wont to do, but they soon realized that the changes would need to be more systemic, because the issues surrounding them were not overnight fixes. Listen as Meg and I talk about the evolution of their neighborhood and indeed, her own reflection of herself as a neighbor to others and what it means to live in community. (And then do yourself a favor and listen to HER podcast, 53206 Cast). Locals and Links we love! Website: https://53206.org/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megbruzan/On Spotify HEREWe Got This MKE: https://wegotthismke.com/If you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Venice Williams of The Table and Alice's Garden. Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Inspiring Milwaukee women inspiring ALL of us on this podcast. Today's Digest is short and sweet (as usual on these Friday episodes). And this is the equally short and sweet show note where I link to things I talked about. Wild Writing with Laurie Wagner You Don't Have to be Everything by Maya Stein This week's Episode with Kristin BreyNeed your own habit tracker? Try this one. Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. If 2025 is the year you are determined to understand what the heck is going on in our political landscape - both at the local, state and national level - you are going to want to tune in to this week's episode with Kristin Brey. Kristin is a radio personality, a writer and producer of online content, and a Milwaukee woman who is determined to help us all care a little more about what's happening around us by breaking the news down into bite sized pieces that are easy to digest and understand. And while she's hesitant to call herself a ‘journalist' or ‘comedian,' I would argue she's definitely both. Hilarious and informative. Side-splittingly funny and also a helpful and articulate guide to comprehending today's world. Listen as we talk about Kristin's fairytale journey to Milwaukee. She's living her dream job, married to her prince charming, and yes … there's even a real-life Cinderella story in there, too! Listen to hear her ‘Once Upon a Time.'Locals and Links we love! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinbrey/Journal Sentinel: https://www.jsonline.com/staff/9430601002/kristin-brey/Spanning the State on WTMJ: https://wtmj.com/spanning-the-state/Website: https://asgoeswisconsin.com/ (though watch for updates in 2025) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsGoesWisconsinIf you loved this show, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode with Lori Fredrich, another writer and online content creator who LOVES all things Milwaukee and Wisconsin especially through the lens of food! Find it HERE or wherever you get your podcasts. Show your love for Cream City DreamsIf you haven't already, be sure to follow Cream City Dreams on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for the newsletter HERE.  And I'd LOVE it if you rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you're feeling especially generous, you can always Buy me a Coffee to help keep the lights on!Support the show

CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! Another week, another inspiring Milwaukee woman. Happy New Year, Cream City Dreamers! I hope the holiday season was good to you and that you've landed in 2025 feeling rested, rejuvenated, and READY to go. I know I am! Today on the podcast, a short and sweet episode from yours truly about what to expect in this new season of incredible Milwaukee women. Dare I say their stories will be nothing short of life-changing. And as I start off yet another season of this passion project that I love so much, might you consider supporting me in one of these ways? ☑️ Buy me a coffee☑️ Share your favorite Cream City Dreams episode with a friend, spread the word! ☑️ Leave a review on Apple podcasts, stars are great, written reviews are even better! ☑️ Be sure you follow/subscribe wherever you listen and on Facebook or Instagram☑️ Leave me a voice memo, let me know what you liked about this season☑️ Suggest a guest for an upcoming season!Support the show