About us
- Top Chicago spots to eat, shop, and play for you and your family to enjoy
- Exclusive deals and coupons for our Chicagonista readers
- The latest family friendly events all across the city
- Chicago moms sharing their views about Chicago’s Art, Style, Fashion, Lifestyle, and Culture
- A free forum for all to share anything Chicago
Chicagonista is owned and operated by City Connect Media, Inc - “Linking Communities Everywhere”
MJ Tam
Editor of Chicagonista and the Creator of City Connect Media, Inc. that owns and operates Chicagonista.com,NYMetropolista.com and hoping to launch more city sites on her list: San Franista, SoCalista, and Miaminista. MJ also expanded Chicagonista by making room for the successful-minded 20 something NextGen Chicagonista and recently partnered with Nancy Loo and created Young Chicagonista that is giving voice to young girls from 11-17 years old. MJ also created Chicagonista LIVE!, an online talk show on Chicago-centric issues and she is also co-hosting the show with Nancy Loo, Duong Sheahan, and Beth Rosen.
MJ is one of the panelists at Google – Moms Know Tech in 2007, and since then has spoken in many other blogging conferences. She is also listed in “75 Top Twitter Tips from Today’s Small Business Moms” found in American Express OPEN / Small Business website. Just recently, MJ instructed “Hands on Small Business” – Social Media class series with Microsoft Office Live and Kirtsy. You can even find her in theCRAVE Chicago Book – The Urban Girl’s Manifesto that listed 125 women you need to know.
Follow MJ on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mjtam
Dwana De La Cerna — Assistant Editor
Dwana is a 20 plus year community advocate, and mom to two teens and the dog. A life-long resident of Chicago, she enjoys writing and seeking healthier lifestyle alternatives. Dwana authors “Healthier,Happier, You!” and “TheChicagoMoms.com”
Follow Dwana on Twitter: @JustDwana
Kristen Holub – Chicago Neighborhoods
Kristen has always had a lot to say, and is finally getting her chance to share! A nationally exhibited metalsmith who has run her own jewelry business for the past decade, Kristen has recently closed up shop to be a full time mom. After the birth of her son in 2007 and extensive research on environmental issues, Kristen chose to green her lifestyle but it didn’t stop there. Her passion for conservation and all things green has led to her involvement in organizations like Women’s Voices for the Earth and EcoMom Alliance. Kristen loves to cook, bake, travel with her husband and socialize in her Bucktown neighborhood while jotting down and sharing great finds in Chicago.
Follow Kristen on Twitter: @ecoactivista
Jennifer Dunham Luby
After many years of planning events for corporations, associations, charities, and private clients, Jen has officially hung up her event logistics hat and now focuses on the type of event planning she loves best – home entertaining. She believes hostessing is a fine art and that with a little help, anyone can be a hostess extraordinaire.
When she’s not trying a new recipe, staying active with numerous organizations, or exploring her Wicker Park neighborhood, Jen and her husband love to play with their dachshunds, travel the US and internationally, or just spend the night on the couch with a good Chicago pizza and episode of Family Guy.
A travel and fashion blogger since 2005, in 2008 Jen launched SecondCitySoiree.com, which features advice, ideas, and inspiration for home entertaining. Follow her on Twitter @SecndCitySoiree
Karyn Watkins – Fashion Scene
Karyn is a native Chicagoan with a passion for all things charitable, fashionable, and related to marketing. She is the Editor of The Fabulous Giver, a blog spotlighting fun and stylish products, events and initiatives with a charitable focus. She is also the Chicago Philanthropy Examiner for Examiner.com, and recently launched The Red Pump Project, an HIV/AIDS awareness initiative for women and girls.
Even though Karyn appears to be glued to her MacBook, she actually does find time to enjoy everything that the city and her Hyde Park neighborhood has to offer. She’s always looking for the next great event or sale, but definitely finds time to enjoy the simple things like the lakefront, late-night desserts, and rooting for all things orange and blue (Whitney Young HS, “Da Bears,” and the ILLINI).
Dawn Williams Bertuca
Born and raised in the Chicago area, Dawn Williams Bertuca is a professional writer and former magazine editor who has written about everything from banking to baseball. In 2005, she co-founded GirlfriendCelebrations.com, the premier website providing fun and meaningful ideas for girls night gatherings and girlfriend getaways. She is thrilled to have an opportunity to combine her love of Chicago with her passion for finding “girl-friendly” locations! She lives in the western suburbs with her husband and two awesome kids.
Follow Dawn on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/GirlfriendCeleb
Tina Van Zant Bishop
Tina was born and raised in southern Indiana. In 1999, she became a Chicago transplant and now resides in the western suburbs with her husband and two sons. When she is not busy chauffeuring her socially active nine-year-old or playing sidekick to her four-year-old cowboy, she can be found working as a cardiac nurse at a local hospital. Known for throwing thoughtful theme parties for family and friends, she co-founded GirlfriendCelebrations.com in 2005 to combine her creative party planning ideas with her love of “girlfriend time”. Today, GirlfriendCelebrations.com is the premier website providing women with fun, affordable and meaningful ideas for girls night out and girlfriend getaways.
Follow Tina on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/GirlsNightOut
Farrah Brown
Farrah is a military kid that actually considers Florida to be home. And although she misses the beach and sweet tea, Chicago is starting to grow on her too. She works part time as a cardiac interventional nurse at a local hospital in the western suburbs to keep her nursing skills current and give her at least one day a week with adult conversation. She also started her own small work-at-homebusiness, BabyLove Slings, making and selling ring-sling baby carriers. But the job she truly cherishes is the one of mommy to her two boys and beagle pup. Life certainly keeps her on her toes! Besides her husband and sons and puppy, her other passions include babywearing, attachment parenting, the beach, and most recently Bravo TV.
When not sewing, napping or catching up on Project Runway, Farrah spends her “spare time” writing about the joys and pains of motherhood and babywearing at BabyLove Slings. Farrah also writes for ChicagoMomsBlog and her newest project, Dupage Mamas.
Erin Kelly
Erin realized her passion for all things organized at a very early age. Even as a young child, Erin constantly rearranged her parent’s house, occasionally to their dismay, but more often to their delight.
Throughout the years, Erin has honed her skills as an organizing wizard in everything she did. From Erin’s former career in sales with such companies as Fedex and Consolidated Freightways, to the extensive volunteer work for which she has a passion; Erin always finds ways of making everything she touches run more smoothly.
After a successful sales career, Erin decided to follow her true calling and started Arranged By Erin in 2004. Since then, Erin has been busy helping individuals, families, and businesses with their many organizational needs.
Arranged By Erin specializes in residential, business, and time organization. Erin also helps her clients with space planning, relocation, and home staging. Arranged By Erin also works with those that have ADD/ADHD, severe hoarding, and chronic disorganization.
MollyKatholi - Chicago Neighborhoods
Molly subscribes to the Red Queen principal that, “In this place it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place.” As a mother to two adorable children (born 2006 and2007) and another baby on the way in February 2009, she is never one to do things in half measures. A former criminal prosecutor, Molly brings the same zeal and enthusiasm to her job as a Mom with way more entertaining results. With what is left of her spare time, she manages to scour and write about her fabulous Chicago finds.
Shannon Capanna - Suburban Neighborhoods
Shannon was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Chicago in 2004. She is proud to call Chicago home, although technically she lives outside city limits in the south suburban town of Homewood.Joining her in Home Sweet Homewood are her professor husband, toddler son, and giant cat. Career-wise, Shannon worked as an elementary school teacher for three years before becoming an editor for math textbooks. She quit that job to try to achieve that elusive work-life balance, and she is now trying to cobble together some kind of career as a writer, editor, and mom. Shannon enjoys swimming, watching quality television, and cat-watching.She also blogs at Chicago Moms Blog, and at her personal site,Boringtown’s Closed.
Are you interested in contributing to Chicagonista?
You must be living in Chicago or near suburban area. We are looking for contributors that enjoy family living, talking, and sharing great info on Chicago. You must have strong English writing skills and can submit 1 article every 2 weeks. We will support you with ideas and ways on finding topics or info. This is a great way to get involved in knowing more on your community and getting more involved in community projects.
Please contact:
chicagonista(at)gmail.com – Use Subject:Writing Contributor
Submit the following:
- Name:
- Email:
- Phone:
- Best time to talk on the phone:
- Location:
- Chicago Neighborhood/Suburban
- Age(s) of your child/children? Our goal is for a diverse group writers who
represent moms of younger to older children - Attach a writing sample, preferably one with similar content as Chicagonista no lesser than 250 words.
Thank You! We look forward to hearing from all of you Chicagonistas!
