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Amy Bizzarri on Muck Rack

Amy Bizzarri

Chicago, New Orleans, Rome
As seen in: Medium, Yahoo Life, BBC, Business Insider, Yahoo Canada, Yahoo News, Yahoo News Malaysia, Aol, Los Angeles Times, Allrecipes and
Chicago-based freelance writer

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Amy Bizzarri’s Biography

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I’m Amy Bizzarri, a Chicago-based storyteller and educator. I'm also an armchair historian, PADI-certified scuba diver, yogini (and certified yoga instructor), mom, and mermaid (proud graduate of Weeki Wachee Mermaid School), not necessarily in that order.

My deep Chicago roots trace back to an extraordinary family legend: my great‑great‑grandparents met on the night of the Great Chicago Fire, when volunteer firefighter Walter Daker mistook young Catherine’s flowing ginger hair for flames and …

Amy Bizzarri’s Journalist Portfolio

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Breaking good: Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul celebrate success of Dos Hombres Mezcal in Chicago v...

Breaking good: Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul celebrate success of Dos Hombres Mezcal in Chicago v...

Beyond winning prestigious awards, their ultra-premium mezcal - which began as an excuse to keep hanging out …

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From Sprites to Schnapps, Take a Spirited Trip Through Germany's Black Forest

From Sprites to Schnapps, Take a Spirited Trip Through Germany's Black Forest

On the scenic Oberkircher Brennersteig trail, home of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, travelers won't go thi…

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The black cowboys of Chicago's South Side

The black cowboys of Chicago's South Side

Most Americans don't realise that one in four cowboys was black - and they didn't just live in the Wild West.

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Italy's rare, surprisingly bitter honey

Italy's rare, surprisingly bitter honey

Obtained from the autumnal flowering of the strawberry tree on the island of Sardinia, corbezzolo honey isn't…

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It's time to pop a Midwest-made pét-nat as Illinois winery embraces ancient sparkling winemaking ...

It's time to pop a Midwest-made pét-nat as Illinois winery embraces ancient sparkling winemaking ...

Pét-nats have been popping up on wine lists across the city. Simple, fizzy, fresh, these crown-capped sparkli…

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The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Visiting Chicago

The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Visiting Chicago

This Chicago travel guide outlines the best architecture tours, neighborhoods and restaurants-all from a life…

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Articles

This Historic Neighborhood in Chicago Is Home to the New Obama Center, Cool Bookstores, and a James Beard-Award-Winning Chef

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By Amy Bizzarri
| Midwest Living Verified
The unique architecture of the Obama Center was designed to resemble hands coming together. Credit: Courtesy of The Obama Foundation Chicago’s South Side has been defined by waves of migration, world‑changing institutions, and landmark events like the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (aka the Chicago World’s Fair). My own family was part of those waves.
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Dog‑friendly guide to Chicago: a city built for you and your best friend

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By Amy Bizzarri
| Choose Chicago
Chicago is one of the country’s most dog‑friendly cities, thanks to its mix of lakefront parks, welcoming patios, neighborhood breweries, and hotels that treat pups like VIP guests. No matter what area of the city you’re exploring, you’ll find plenty of places where dogs are not just allowed — they’re genuinely welcomed. And I can say that with authority, my 15‑year‑old rescue mutt, Gizmo (a.k.a. My BFF), absolutely loves living here.
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Spend a Day Brewery Hopping Along Chicago's Malt Row

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By Amy Bizzarri
| Midwest Living Verified
The Ravenswood on Tap festival features Malt Row breweries, cocktails, live music, local artists, and more. Credit: CORY DEWALD Pour yourself a pint and get comfortable; we're going to start with a story. In 1841, one of Chicago’s original breweries, Lill and Diversy, introduced Lill’s Cream Ale, a beer so popular that by 1857 the brewery had grown into the largest west of the Atlantic Seaboard. By 1900, the Windy City was home to about 60 beer-makers.
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Interview

Have you ever used a typewriter?

yes

What story are you most proud of writing or working on?

I'm so proud of my widely syndicated story on my adventure at Weeki Wachee Mermaid School: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2018/12/12/florida-camp-turns-mom-into-mermaid-after-bout-with-cancer/

When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?

Riding my bicycle along Chicago's lakefront!