Two Noras and a Mic
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From parenting and local faves to current trends and recipes, we are two Noras discussing it all with a whole lot of laughter along the way. As we raise our families in the west suburbs of Chicago we invite you to listen weekly as we dish about all the highs and lows and ridiculous amount of tomfoolery that ensue on this journey. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts as we check out new local spots, interview all sorts of interesting people, and catch up with each other! It’s like inviting two friends over to visit and catch up with without all the hassle of getting ready for company. Leave the entertaining to us and be sure to tune in for a new episode each Monday.
Two Noras and a Mic
Jeans
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A $180 stadium burger with a literal bone, Olympic medals popping off ribbons mid-celebration, and a woman who blends and snorts her meals—this week’s ride is as wild as it sounds, and somehow it all lands on one timeless comfort: jeans. We start with the Super Bowl hangover and the kind of concession prices that make you nostalgic for a plain hot dog, then pivot to an oddly compelling launch—wild cherry Pepsi lip gel with SPF 30. It’s equal parts marketing fever dream and practical pocket win, which is exactly why we can’t look away.
Sports drama keeps the energy high as we unpack an alpine crash that had us wincing and a medal design flaw that turned victory laps into repair tickets. Between empathy for the athletes and side-eyes at the hardware, there’s a real conversation about how big moments should be built to handle big emotions. Then we dive into the strangest headline on our screens: five years of nasal dining. We cringe, we question, we set a hard boundary for straws and grits.
Our main thread pulls everything together: denim that fits real life. We talk about the evolution from flares to skinnies to relaxed and wide-leg, how shoes shift with hems, and why the right pair can reset your whole day. We also break down the price-to-quality gap—100% cotton, tighter weaves, and stitch density make a difference—and share practical care tips. Spoiler: your jeans don’t want a spin after every wear. Air them out, spot clean, and reserve the wash for when the “knee test” says it’s time.
By the end, you’ll have laughs, fresh takes, and a smarter way to treat the hardest-working thing in your closet. If you enjoyed the ride, tap follow, share with a friend who loves their denim, and leave a quick review telling us your favorite jeans era—we’ll feature the best replies next week.
Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!
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Warm Welcome And February Oddities
Super Bowl Reactions And Alumni Pride
Stadium Food Shock And $180 Burger
Lip Gloss From Pepsi And SPF Talk
Olympic Crashes And Medals Breaking
SPEAKER_01Hi, thanks for joining us today. It's Nora. And Nora. We're sure glad you're here today. We are. Welcome back. Yeah, for those of you joining us for the very first time. We're glad you're here. And for those of you who do this week after week. God bless you. We love having you back. I feel like this week went by quickly. I feel like this week went by fast. Same. Yeah. Same. I don't, and it's it's really off-putting to me on my paper calendar because February this this time around, this year, is exactly four weeks. So there's a very big empty space at the bottom of my calendar. Well, why did they have to print that? Why didn't they just Well, I don't know, but it's it feels like a big missing tooth. Because it's 28 days, right? Yeah. 28 days in February. And so why am I doubting myself? Because I think it started on Sunday. Oh, yeah. So it's boom, boom, boom. It looks very strange. It's even I thought you meant they printed an extra week under it. Well, it looks it they did. Save some ink, people. Oh, right. Why do they gotta be like that? Happy week after the Super Bowl. How was your Super Bowl? Funny. I'm so happy for Julian Locke. I think really. I was like trying to be cool about it, but I'm not. I'm like geeking out. It's really exciting. I know, my school is so exciting. Boys are so exciting. Because he's so good with the kids. Gosh, such a nice guy. He got an interception. I know. And the last tackle of the game. Look at you, you football man. I'm so on it. That's football, baby. Well, you know, we're alumni, so we're basically the same. Basically. So when is he coming on the podcast? Soon, soon. TBD. Maybe after the parade. Yeah, we're just waiting for him to get back to us. Shouldn't be long at all. No, but really, my Super Bowl was pretty low-key. We just threw some burgers on the grill and some sneaky snacks. And was it the same as the$180 burger for sale at the Super Bowl? At the stadium, Levi's Stadium. Oh my god, I love an$180 burger. It was close. Yeah. Wait, really? Gross. It's one of those things that now people are doing where they're like, let's have an insane food offering. It was$180, but they said it also serves four. I want to show you the picture. That's a big burger. It comes with a bone. Sick. What is that? Veal shank with blue cheese fondue cheese sauce on a brioche. Oh, I don't like blue cheese. Same. I also don't like meat on the bone. Either do I. Which also here's the thing. If you're at a sporting event, it's hard enough to eat your own hot dog or chicken fingers off of your lap. How is one gonna split a veal shank hamburger and then split it up by four people? Like that's a significant bone. Like you they won't let you have a beer bottle in a stadium. But that could hurt someone. That's a weapon. That is a weapon. She looks happy about it. She likes meat on the bone. She loves meat on the bone. But she did not, she said it was okay. She said she wished it had more flavor. Did it come from a restaurant? An animal with a bone. Oh, did an in did a restaurant sponsor it? Yes. It was it was just the 60 burger. So there's a picture of the menu and like where you could order it. But what caught my eye was not only the$19 for a can of beer, but six dollars for a bag of Frito Leishes. I think worse is the$8 bottle of Aquafina. Which is an$8 bottle of water. Which is a gross bottle of water, in my opinion. Yeah, I'm not a huge Aquafina fan. I love Aquafina the wrapper, but Is that what is that word? Bel belgo. Oh, below check? Belo check. Buljote bulgoat. Buljo. Let's edit this up. Yeah. Okay. So the prices are exorbitant. I'd just get myself a cheesesteak for a near each. And I'll be like, let's eat before we go. That too. That too. Speaking of food, you and I are both diehard diet coke girls. We sure are. But Diet Pepsi has come out with a new product, and I think I'm gonna give it a whirl. All right. Because it is wild cherry Pepsi Lip Gel. Oh, I feel like you're making fun of me, Nora. Why? Remember when I had a Diet Pepsi wild cherry Pepsi? Oh blue ram, the blue for the Did you see it to me your mouth is dirty? Wait, so what is this? So it's wild cherry Pepsi lip gloss? Yeah. So Pepsi's expanding beyond beverages for the first time in more than a century, and it's launching wild cherry Pepsi with an SPF of 30. Lip gel. I don't like that it's called gel. I don't, I was that to me as a I like like a bomb. Something like with a match. A lip oil. I don't mind a gloss. Who's making it? So it's being made by the Vacation Sunscreen Company. They remember they made a Chardonnay. Oh someone got that for you as a gift to find. Yes, nice. Yes, our marketing was being Jessica Garrick. Okay. They do say this lip gel is formulated with pepsit peptides? Okay. Peptides, Pepsi. Peptides, hyaluronic acid, cherry seed oil, and caffeine. Okay. So I'm gonna give it a go. Okay. That's a packaging cheese. I do think the packaging is kind of cute. Packaging is darling. I like that it's not a stick. It looks like it's just uh you're not gonna like this. Oh no, I like that. You do, it looks like a condiment. But I I like that I don't need a stick or my finger to put it on. You just cute little curie case. Oh, that's adorable. Yeah. Okay. I'm on board. And it's got some SPF for only 14 bucks. I appreciate that. Oh, it launches on the 19th. Yeah, so right. How do you get it? I I don't know. You just wish really hard. You manifest. You manifest it and hope it shows up at your doorstep. Speaking of sports too, the Olympics. We were talking about Lindsay Vaughn last week. Holy, were we ever? And then boom, boom. Her body was telling her. I mean my heart breaks for her, but I'm also like, Lindsay. And she was saying, she's like, it had, you know, the the injury had nothing to do with my knee. I did see she clipped her arm. I watched it. By like five inches, it said. After the Super Bowl, the Olympics came on, and me and my sons were like, Oh, I think this, and so we watched it. Well, did you see it happen IRL? Well, not live, but we saw the live footage. Oh god. And but then she was did you see how she was airlifted in that bag? And like the guy was just like there hanging on the bag with her. My sister was like, Oh, I hope at least he was like handsome Italian, like DMT.
SPEAKER_00Like a little prince coming in. Yes. Like, hello. Bonjour no. Lindsay. Bonjourno, Lindsay. I come to save you. I'm sorry about your ACL and your tibia. Are you Italian? I might be in another life, you know.
The Woman Who Snorts Her Food
SPEAKER_01But oh I feel bad for her, but what do you do? I think this, I mean. But I was excited for the other girl. What was her name? Breezy. Breezy, that's right. But then this is a problem. The metals are breaking. Breaking metal No, it's Rihanna, sorry. She's breaking dishes. Breaking dishes. Oh. The metals keep breaking. Wow. So like on most necklaces, you have the the big, well, so you have the big metal, then there's a bar that connects the bar to connect the metal to the ribbon. Correct. And the bar is breaking, and the metals are coming off of their ribbon. So this not so it happened with Breezy. It happened with some of the uh figure skaters, the US figure skaters, and then one of the Germans was jumping around very happy with his wind, and then his metal fell off. Oopsie. Scheiße. A recall on that. So the quote from the Italian Olympic Committee, we are we are giving maximum attention to the issue. And they will, they're offering like replacements and fixing it. But I was like, oh, what a bummer. Yeah, they should use that bone from the uh oh, from the uh 60 burger. That thing's not breaking. Oh my goodness gracious. Oh my gosh. And have you heard about this girl who snorts all of her food instead of eating it? I was gonna tell the story last week when we were talking about the bug eater because I read them side by side, but we spent so much time unpacking that. Then I thought it'd be for this week. There is a girl who, for the past five years, has been blending all her food, and instead of eating it by mouth, she snorts it. So it's in a liquid? She puts it in a liquid and then snorts it. She said she does admit to having an aversion to texture, and it started as a dare. No, but that that would hurt. Yeah, she said she enjoys the sensation.
SPEAKER_00Oh no, bless her.
Ad Break: Buick And GMC Shine
SPEAKER_01This is the best part. Oh no. She went on a date with this fellow. Oh, it was their third date. There was no food involved in the first two. They went for like tea and they went for breakfast or something. So he ordered a biscuit and jam. And she tried to order something, but then when they told her she didn't they didn't have a blender, she pivoted and ordered grits. Oh no. So she started snorting the grits and just quoting the article. The date goes. What the beep are you doing? And you know what? I'm kind of in his corner on this one. You don't just do that without explaining yourself first. So she uses a straw? A straw, yeah. Or does she stick her face in her plate? No. Oh no. Why? What? No, you've got to figure it out. She's gonna do her best to try to stop because the boy has since friendzoned her. Well, and you know what? That's off. I feel like once you see someone you're attracted to do that, that ruins the cruelty. Doctors wait in to say that there was a lot of things. Yes. I feel like there's so many things wrong with this. Yes. Oh. Why did she put this in the newspaper? It came from an article on my weird obsession. Oh. And it was those two. Okay. And then I was hooked on it because it was very weird. Ouch. Yuck. Oh, there's so much. Have you ever snorted at a few? Also, in a restaurant, I mean, I feel like sometimes I get side-eye if I ask for no mayonnaise or like no pickles. Can you imagine be like, I will have this? Could you blend it? And bring me an extra straw. Yeah. Or like, could you chop the salad and or be like, could you blend me? Have you ever used the neti pot? No, Al loves it. Oh, that's snorting, right? It yeah, you pour like the liquid through your nose and then you hawk it up. Oh, sickening. That's so gross. I do not, I would rather be congested. Save. I know people swear by it and people love it. But I'm trying to think if I've taken anything through my nose. Not on purpose. My friend once when we were in high school, we were at About the Body Works, and she goes, Oh, this smells really good. Smell it. And I leaned in to smell the lotion and she squeezed it on purpose. Oh, on purpose. Yeah. Oh, she thought it was really funny. But now I'm always nervous to spell smell things. Yeah. Because I think someone's gonna put it on my nose. My sister, too. No wonder. God, this is like therapy. She was like, Oh, smell this. It smells really good. And I went, and it was ammonia. Why would she do that? She's not a nice person. She wasn't. She wasn't a nice person. She's not otherwise. But yeah, and I was like burning. And then I was like crying.
SPEAKER_00She's like, could be going to double pop up.
The Joy And Evolution Of Jeans
SPEAKER_01Either of those experiences. But yes, but so yeah, I'm not putting anything in my nose. Absolutely not. I get uncomfortable watching people do cocaine on TV. I've never seen anyone do it in real life. I don't think I have either. Which I'm grateful for. Yeah, yeah. But in movies or TV shows when people do drugs like that, it makes me really uncomfortable. For a lotteries. We're both cringing. Like, yeah. Oh man, should we check in with our reset? Hey, Nora. Hey. Gosh, you sound down. Yeah. You know what? I think this gray weather for the winters got me down. Like I maybe I need some vitamin D. No, you don't need vitamin D, Nora. You need vitamins G M C. Oh my gosh, I think you're right. That'll knock those winter blues right out. Tell me more. Well, it's easy. Just head down to 93rd in Cicero to Mike Haggerty Buick and GMC, and it's like sunshine on the corner. Oh my gosh, that sounds like exactly what I need. You need a new car, you need your car serviced. They'll meet all your needs. That's amazing. And if you don't want to take a drive down there, you can go to their website, Haggertycars.com. That sounds so refreshing and already makes me feel warm inside. I'm here for you, Nora. Thanks, Nora. And now back to the show. Our topic today is jeans. Yay, jeans. Yay, jeans. But not like G-E-N-E-S. No, like J-E-A-N-S. Is there anything better than throwing on your favorite pair of jeans?
SPEAKER_00No.
SPEAKER_01Except for taking them off and then putting sweatpants on. I thought that's it. That feels good too. Do you have a favorite pair of jeans? I have a couple right now. Okay. I bought a pair for the Apple store purposely, like when I was working there, because they were they're like not your daughter's jeans. And I was like, I don't really care if they look nice. Like I just want them to be comfortable and stretchy and like whatever. And they're like super wide leg. And now they're like my go-to. Yeah. I love when you find a go-to pair. Right now I have I was at physical therapy in shorts and I wanted to run errands and I didn't want to stop home. So there was local shop right beside it. So I popped in there and just told the, I mean it was 20 degrees outside. I was like, I just need a quick pair of jeans so that I can continue on my day. And I tried on one pair.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm.
Price, Quality, And Washing Denim
SPEAKER_01They fit. I clipped the tags off and I went on my day. And they are my new favorite jeans. And they're not skinny. Yeah. Oh, that's I know. I know it was hard for you to give up the skinny jeans. I know. I um they're coming back, are they? But they did say I read an article that said, while skinny jeans are back, no need to replace relaxed. This season allows for a mix of styles. Oh, I like that. I do too. Mm-hmm. Because it was hard for me to get into skinny jeans. Because it we went from like the really flair jeans, and I was so used to wearing certain kinds of shoes with those. And then I got used to certain kind of shoes with skinny jeans. And then with the relaxed, more relaxed fit ones, now I'm like, oh, I gotta rethink this. It was hard for me to, it's always hard for me to shift. And then once I'm comfortable in it, it seems it shifts again. Do you remember right when jeans became expensive? The 60 and mauve and sevens. I was definitely late to the party on that. But sevens, I remember buying sevens for the first because I was working at Bloomingdale's. Oh, and you were late to the party, even though you were working. Well, then I kind of like figured it out. I think it was probably when I got home. Because what year was that? Was it like It was in college? Yeah, like 2005. Freshman year? Oh, okay. Yeah, I was definitely late. I just remember senior year. I just remember freshman year getting my first pair of sevens. But I also remember that Thanksgiving coming home, and there was a boutique in Scottsdale that my fri my neighbor and very first friend from Scottsdale, Whitney, and I went to. And we bought Miss 60's super flair. Oh. And she was afraid to bring hers home because I used my emergency credit card as she did. It's a gene emergency. And I just brought mine in. I didn't want to as smart as she was, or I just didn't even think about it. And she balled them up as small as she could and shoved them in her purse. Like she was like, no bags here. Yeah. And those were my favorite jeans for probably five years. Yeah. Yeah. I had a pair of sevens that I wore forever and ever. Because they were I liked when those because those fancy jeans were great for me because they were long. Sure. Yeah. And so they I like when I was in my twenties, I could wear them with heels. It was like the perfect fit. I like jeans and heels. I do too. I haven't worn jeans and heels in ages, ages, ages. Because it was weird with skinny jeans. I always felt funny. Yeah, same. In heels with skinny jeans. I'll wear them with like a wedge. Yes. I worked, so when I was working at Bluebing Dales, I first worked in the Christmas department. And then when Christmas was over, I got transferred to men's jeans. Oh. Well, in the men's section, which had jeans. And I'm a terrible salesperson. We know this. It's bad. You know, and people are like, oh, I'm like, these are kind of expensive. Well, I did look into why some jeans are expensive and some aren't. Oh, okay. It said like a the difference between a$30 pair and a$300 pair is the$300 pair is higher quality, 100% cotton denim, more durable stitching, and more stitch per inch. Which is so then they don't stretch out, retaining their shape. Yeah. Because I read an article too that said you're not supposed to wash them after every time you wear them. You really like you should hardly wash them at all. I this I was floored. Just real quick, the$30 jeans. Oh sorry. No, you don't have to apologize, often contain polyester, and that's where they save that money. But I read several articles trying to figure out when you should wash your jeans. Never. Never. You should never wash them. Because I was like, that can't be right. That can't be right. But several of them said nine to ten times nine, between nine and ten wares. Some of them said between five and six weires. Yeah. But nothing said everywhere. Everywhere. I probably I'm probably a three to four. I can just tell. Yeah, I feel like when my it still looks like my knees are in them that they need to be washed. You know what I mean? Like when you hold them up and you're like, are my knees in those bits? Check your knees. Yeah. That's a great way. Yeah, because sometimes like if I wear them to dinner versus like if I wear them all day. Yeah. But you think about, I mean, denim came to be for like workers. Yeah. It was not for fashion. It was for function, like prospectors and people in like the wild west, cowboys and things like that. And it wasn't until the 50s that they shifted from workers to mainstream. Mm-hmm. Did you wear jeans growing up? I I did, I think. Yeah, I had a couple. I guess, yeah, I had guest jeans. But I'm saying like little, like eight, nine, ten. Beneton or Gap. Yeah. Yeah. I hated putting my corner voice. I hated putting my toddlers in jeans.
unknownYeah.
Kids, Overalls, And Church Rules
Highs And Lows: Super Bowl And Fundraiser
Closing Thanks And Sign-Off
SPEAKER_01They were like stiff. They were stiff and they're little. I feel like, yeah, especially in like a car seat or a stroller. Like gap, baby gap had a couple, like they looked like jeans, but they were I loved putting them in denim overalls, though the boys. My kids wore overalls until they were 10. I loved jean overalls. I had a really cute pair. Buy a great pair of jeans. I think I said this story on the podcast before. That your friend stole them. Mm-hmm. Friend. Uh yeah. I'll use that term Lil. Still still talking about it. And I think I've told this story too that Pat Thomas in high school pulled me aside and said, Nora, I just want to let you go let you know you and the girls should not wear overalls. They don't do you guys any favors. You're like, but look at how much I can carry in here. Oh, yeah. You didn't have well, that was because if you weren't wearing boots, you could use your pockets. Yeah, exactly. I had to put my things somewhere. You remember you we'd roll them up once or twice and put a tight tank top underneath? Oh yeah, no, no tight tank top for this girl. No. We wear like a t-shirt. I'm sure. You would? Yes. We're like, number one, it was colds. It was big to do the express baguette strap shelf projects. Oh, and no. Oh, Dan. Oh boy. It was hot in here somehow. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, but I have so much fabric on the bottom. I need to air it out. Well, my page loved overalls. John remembered would carry his hammer. Oh my god. He is the cutest. With hammy. Yummy, yeah. My grandma called them dungarees. That's not off. Yeah. My mom wouldn't let us wear jeans to church. We couldn't wear jeans a lot because they were considered for a long time. My mom would be like, jeans to church. And I remember one time I was like, Jesus doesn't care what I wear. Jesus just as happy I show up. My mom was like, go jeans. Said the lady who wore a white communion dress to her sister's communion. But they weren't jeans. No, they weren't jeans. You're but I feel like with my kids, they don't like to wear jeans. Boys, I guess where it on the street is boys do not wear jeans. Yeah. I didn't know that. I didn't know that either. I'm like, well, then you're either wearing school pants or sweatpants. These have khaki pair of khakis, but no jeans. No jeans. Nobody does that. Rose likes jeans. Oh, she does? Yeah. I think because I wear jeans and she's still young enough where she is kind of like, oh, they're like moms. That's true. Yeah, that's cute. Do your girls wear jeans? Yes, they do. Yeah. Think they're cute in them. So but they're they think they're dressy. Even if it's excuse me, even if it's a casual pair of jeans. Yeah, because they're not swept. And like wear jeans in a sweater. And they're like, ew no. Oh, because they're like, I don't need to be that dressed up. Yes. Same. Or I might not dress. And the boys are like, oh wait, why? Where are we going? We're all in the trenches together. Exactly. Well. Uh, should we high and low? Let's go for it. All right. My low is that last Friday the kids had the day off school. So I took John to Put Shack. I was with you. No. But our listeners don't know. That's right. That's right. I forgot we were recording a podcast. This is getting silly. And part of the reason I chose Put Shack was because I had to pick up an auction prize there for this event I'm co-chairing. So we got home, or we were driving home. We were about five minutes from the house, and I realized that I in fact did go to Put Shack. But I didn't pick up the card. Oh. I know. It's just those little things. I do that all the time. I know. Stuff where you're like, can't forget this. And then that's the main thing I will forget. Did you go back and get it? I sent my high schoolers. Perfect. It's like you have two jobs. One, make a return at Nordstrom. Two, pick up the card at Put Shack. And they were like, weren't you just there? Like, doesn't it? Zip it. What's your eye? Low is that my usually nighttime is my productive time of day. I've been kind of tired lately. I'm not as productive at night anymore. I don't know if I'm getting old or if it's just my children are creeping into my nighttime productivity zone. Like I've been watching Stranger Things with my older two. At the time that finishes, it's 10 30. Oh my gosh. And I can't watch TV and then go do work. I think that's the problem. So you're gonna have to get your work done before you sit down to watch what they do. Don't they get tired? No, they really don't. And they're not tired in the morning when they wake up. Oh no, they are. Oh, they are, okay. Yeah. Rory's fine. Aidan's kind of miserable in the morning, but Rory gets he's fine. He's right. Okay. What's your hi? My hi is that my aunt uncle came over for the Super Bowl and joined the five of us because Aiden was out with a friend. It was awesome. I made my other aunt's chili recipe, and we had some boneless wings, and it was awesome. That's very chill. It was really fun. It was nice to spend some time with them. It was really nice. Sometimes that it was really nice. It's really nice. I have to ask, is a boneless wing just a grown-up chicken nugget? 100%. Okay. I was like, you're fooling no one. Right. I'm on to you. Boneless wings. It's I just think it sounds gross. I would way rather have a chicken nugget than a boneless wing. You can do her, a nugget, a wing. I don't. Anyway, eat the chili. My high is that we went to a fundraiser on Saturday night to support a cause very near and dear to friends of ours. And we had a blast. Oh. They hosted every year for children with congenial heart defects. Oh, that's awesome. And it was tailgate theme. Cool. So we went in jeans and gym shoes and had a blast. That's so fun. Yeah. All for a good cause. Oh, that's so fun. Yeah, fun for a cause. I'm all in. Okay. Well, thanks for joining us this week. And we'll see you soon. Bye.
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