Calling all animal lovers! Do you know why crows hold grudges? Do you know that there is such a thing as an immortal jellyfish? Well, take a listen to this week’s episode where we answer those questions and many others. Grab your coffee, tea, wine or drink of your choice and sit back and learn… Continue reading Coffee and Chitchat and Animals Galore
Who doesn't love a good ghost story? Join us in today's episode about apparitions and the places they haunt. Travel down to Adams, Tennessee with us to the site of the Bell Witch house and cave. Why was the Bell family afflicted with the ghost of "Kate" for so many years? Then, swing on further south to New Orleans, a city know for it's ghosts! Meet the detestable Delphine LaLaurie and learn why her family's mansion is still haunted today by those she tortured and killed. Grab a warm blanket and...
We have all heard the old adage money doesn't buy happiness. Well, that is certainly true of the two women we discuss in today's episode. Christina Onassis had all the wealth one could hope for, but unfortunately, her life was with filled with loneliness and depression. Keep listening though because we then chat about Frances Glessner Lee, the mother of forensic investigation, a pioneer in male-dominated field. See how these two used their money in distinct, almost opposite ways. Enjoy your Sund...
Hi, happy fall Sunday! Grab your Pumpkin Spiced latte and join us in today's episode where we discuss what it was like live in a time where the Hollywood machine controlled everything including stars' sexuality. Fortunately we live in a time where personal orientation does not matter, but back in the "Golden Age" things were a lot different. Take a listen as we discuss both female and male stars who hid their true sexual identity, not by choice, but because the film industry insisted they do so....
Don't count your chickens before they hatch...especially if you are one of the moronic criminals we discuss in today's episode. Lessons learned today, to name a few: don't impersonate a cop, don't try to steal a safe, and don't stick a gun down your pants. Believe it or not, the crimes we discuss today are less than thought out. Grab a coffee and enjoy today's episode about some truly unlucky, frankly stupid, criminals!
A true genius! Truman Capote was a larger than life figure, from high society to researching crime, he did it all. While unabashedly unapologetic for who he was, Capote's need to tell a story led to both the demise of relationships and, eventually, his career. Known for both Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood to name a few, Capote's career was stopped short by addiction and alienation from those whose secrets he divulged to the outside world. We might never know what great works went unwri...
What are the odds??!! Welcome to an early episode! Take a listen this week as we discuss some, frankly weird, coincidences. From two victims of Jack the Ripper to Mark Twain and Haley's Comet, join us as we marvel at the flukes, strokes of luck and sometimes just plain accidents that happen every day! So, roll the dice and cross your fingers as truth is sometimes stranger than fiction!
Happy Sunday and Happy Food Accidents! Join us today as we discuss some foods that would not exist today if it weren't for some very inventive people. What would the world be like without potato chips? Well, you can thank some jerk who kept sending back his fried potatoes at a restaurant in New York. What about everyone's favorite game day go to nachos? You can thank a creative maitre d' who couldn't find his chef and needed to serve 10 ladies something for lunch. Listen as we chat about other m...
Listener discretion advised! Journey back with us to the 18th century to discuss two of the most depraved men in history. Neither seemed to learn from their mistakes nor really had the desire to do so! Casanova, the original Don Juan of Italy, was also a a gambler, a military officer and a priest? Although born to aristocracy, the Marquis de Sade certainly did not follow the rules of society. Notorious for his violent escapades, the Marquis spent over half his life incarcerated in jail or an ins...
Are you thinking Salem? Nope! We think that's been done and done. Today we discuss two lesser known witch trials. First, we talk about the North Berwick trials, spearheaded by King James himself. Then we cross the North Sea to Sweden where a priest seals the fate of 71 individuals who were named witches. Holy broomstick is this going to be a wild ride. Lack of knowledge plus abuse of power equals widespread mass hysteria in early modern history!
Travel with us to New Orleans! No, not for Mardi Gras, but to learn about voodoo! On today’s episode we discuss Madame Laveau, a famous 1800’s hairdresser turned voodoo priestess. Then, we’ll dispel some common misunderstandings of the voodoo religion. If you have ever wanted to stick a pin in a voodoo doll to thwart… Continue reading Coffee and Chitchat and Voodoo!
Do you hear police sirens in the distance? Neither did the men we are talking about today. Why? Well, they got away with two of the largest heists in history. Join us as we discuss the theft of irreplaceable art at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum and the robbery of innumerable diamonds at the Antwerp Diamond District. If you like stories with twists and turns, hop in your getaway car and tune in to our latest episode.
So, you think you know everything about Julius Caesar and Genghis Khan? You might not...join us as we discuss these men who defeated and ruled over most of the early known world. Although these narcissists did terrible things, you'll never guess what they did give our modern world! Sit back in your toga, with your horse at your side, and enjoy the contributions bestowed upon the world from Caesar and Khan.
Happy Sunday! Grab your luminol and your latex gloves and join us as we dive into what it takes to be a crime scene investigator. From the time the crime scene tape goes up until the body goes to medical examiner, these investigators have an awesome responsibility to preserve evidence that may just make or break a court case. Throw your notions from the show CSI in a body bag and learn about the painstaking work these people encounter in the true world of crime scene investigation!
Join us in our newest episode about the beauty moguls and archenemies, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. These two women were ahead of their time in so many ways, but could not get over their intense hatred and rivalry for each other. Grab your red lipstick and take a walk down 5th Avenue with us into their lives and accomplishments of these glamor queens. You'll be astounded about how their pioneering spirit paved the way for the likes of Revlon, Clinique, MAC, Sephora, etc. Enjoy our late...
Happy Fourth of July! Join us as we discuss two places that are considered “haunted”. Travel with us to upstate New York’s Rolling Hills Asylum, where the inhabitants often went in, but did not come out. Then, come back to our home, Chicago and make your reservation at The Drake Hotel. Beware though, as you… Continue reading Coffee and Chitchat and Hauntings
Nope, not the TV show...but join us as we talk about two mysteries that have gone unresolved even until today. Disembodied feet inside shoes having been washing ashore in British Columbia and Washington state at a pretty rapid rate since 2007. Where are they coming from and why? Also, listen as we discuss The Black Dahlia, a baffling murder that occurred over 71 years ago. Elizabeth Short, a budding actress was found mutilated in a vacant lot near a parkway in LA, but law enforcement never appre...
Happy Father's Day! Societies have been spinning tales of curses for millennia. Join us as we talk about the most famous curse, that of the Hope Diamond. Maybe, stealing an infamous jewel turned out to be a bad idea, but legitimately purchasing it did too! And yes, back again is our good friend, the Iceman Otzi, found in the Alps by hikers. Perhaps disturbing the final resting place of an stone age mummy wasn't the best idea! Turns out, Otzi's curse hit swiftly to those discovered and studied hi...
Welcome to the latest episode where we uncover the mysteries of the bodies in the bog and ancient Egyptian mummies! Join us as we journey back to ancient civilizations whose people were astute enough to not only create architectural wonders and amass fortunes, but also preserve the bodies of the deceased. These bodies are still being discovered today! So, put on your safari hat, your khakis and your neckerchief and join us in digging up the archaeological sites of The Bog Bodies and Egyptian mum...
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! No literally, in today's episode we discuss well known animal attacks, one which includes a bear and one a tiger. Join us as we discuss why it's probably not a good idea to live amongst wild animals or keep them as pets. Listen as we tell the stories of Timothy "Grizzly Man" Treadwell and Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy fame.
