Midwest AF

Midwestern Holiday Traditions

What are you favorite Midwestern holiday traditions? And what holiday traditions are specifically Midwestern? In this festive episode of Midwest AF, hosts Liz and Jen take you on a nostalgic sleigh ride through the holiday traditions of the heartland. Okay, that's a little overdramatic. Mostly, we talk about food.  But we do share out favorite Midwest holiday traditions, and dive into the things we think are probably only cooked up in that area of the country, like "fluff" salad, broccoli casserole, and the essential appetizer: cowboy dip. We spill the tea on the foods we love (and the ones we could do without) during the holiday season. What's your REAL opinion of a baked turkey? What would the holidays be without the quirky, heartwarming traditions that make each family unique? Liz and Jen reminisce about the hilarious and heartwarming antics that unfolded in their Kansas households during the most wonderful time of the year. So, grab a slice of pumpkin pie and join Liz and Jen for some holiday hilarity. Whether you're a Midwest native or a curious outsider, this episode of Midwest AF will leave you with a newfound appreciation for (and maybe some questions about) the joyous celebrations that make the holidays truly special – no matter where you live. Please officially FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show so you get updated about new episodes. (This also helps us grow our listenership!) Want to support these Midwestern gals on our weird Portlandian adventures? You help us out by: 1. Rating and reviewing our show on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midwest-af/id1706671894] 2. Rating it on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kQmcRQ6i2lLrzlPtsCX7H] You can also follow Midwest_AF_Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/midwest_af_podcast/]on Instagram. But if not? No worries.

When you realize just how Midwest AF you really are

Do you nod and smile when you pass someone on the street? Are you offended if they don't smile back?  Do you stop to let someone through when you can sense them walking up behind you, or do you keep hogging the sidewalk? How about telling everyone you come across about the new item you just purchased at a THRILLING, discounted price? And what about complaining about the weather for fun?! In this episode, our hosts, two Kansas natives, recount all the ways they've noticed just how Midwest AF they are – and how NON-Midwest other people are. Liz and Jen now live in Portland, Oregon, a place that often – and strikingly – reveals their Midwestern sensibilities. From being hyper aware of everyone around you to keep yourself safe, to being ridiculously nice, West Coasters don't seem to possess our tendencies. Laugh along with our hosts as they find humor in their own natural ways of moving about the world, and as they pick every bit of it apart – because that's what two overthinking friends do when they get together and discuss their ticks. Please officially FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show so you get updated about new episodes. (This also helps us grow our listenership!) Want to support these Midwestern gals on our weird Portlandian adventures? You help us out by: 1. Rating and reviewing our show on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midwest-af/id1706671894] 2. Rating it on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kQmcRQ6i2lLrzlPtsCX7H] You can also follow Midwest_AF_Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/midwest_af_podcast/]on Instagram. But if not? No worries.

Our night at the "Horrors of Capitalism" drag show

The latest event Liz found on a billboard is something we definitely wouldn't have found in our Midwest neighborhoods: The Horrors of Capitalism Drag Show. Listen in to hear details about this wild and educational night put on by the Democratic Socialists of America, and how Jen somehow did not realize this was a political-leaning event until she arrived. We can't wait for you to hear about Liz's enthusiastic drag show participation, the ACTUAL horrors capitalism the event offered us in terms of the beverage selection, and the questionable food choice Jen made on her way home. Tune in for a dose of laughter, Midwest charm, drag fabulousness, and a special meeting with Karl Marx as Liz and Jen spill the tea on their unforgettable night at the crossroads of drag and political activism!  Please officially FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show so you get updated about new episodes. (This also helps us grow our listenership!) Want to support these Midwestern gals on our weird Portlandian adventures? You help us out by: 1. Rating and reviewing our show on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midwest-af/id1706671894] 2. Rating it on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kQmcRQ6i2lLrzlPtsCX7H] You can also follow Midwest_AF_Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/midwest_af_podcast/]on Instagram. But if not? No worries.

That time Liz did mushrooms

Liz is at it again, but this time – on shrooms. Hear as she tells the story of her wild mushroom adventure, and how her alter ego "Party Liz" showed up to a pretty mild afternoon and took her experience to a whole new level. Did she make it home by the time she'd promised her wife, or did Party Liz get in the way of her motherly duties? Will she ever do mushrooms again? Where did the goose come into play? Tune in to find out! Jen, who was not present for this experimental foraging, had a little adventure of her own this week by attending her very first ecstatic dance class. Listen to hear her recounting of this very new and very Portland experience, and all the uncomfortable moments that ensued. Did she follow the guidance of the man who suggested she, "dance until you drool"?! Why was Guy Fieri there? Will she ever go to ecstatic dance again?  This episode is full of our "We're trying to be open minded, but we're still Midwestern AF" perspectives on these increasingly popular new age activities, and we can't wait to share it all with you. We love the characters we've been meeting around Portland, who are quite different from the folks we're used to in our hometown of Wichita, Kansas, or even the people Liz met during her years living in Chicago. Stick around for the end where we read posts from Nextdoor to share the hilarity that's happening in each of our neighborhoods.  Please officially FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show so you get updated about new episodes. (This also helps us grow our listenership!) Want to support these Midwestern gals on our weird Portlandian adventures? You help us out by: 1. Rating and reviewing our show on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midwest-af/id1706671894] 2. Rating it on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kQmcRQ6i2lLrzlPtsCX7H] You can also follow Midwest_AF_Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/midwest_af_podcast/]on Instagram. But if not? No worries.

We almost died at Peddlepalooza

Bodies, rats, drag queens, naked people, and Romy & Michelle: this two-wheeled adventure has it all. In this episode, Liz and Jen recount two bicycling events they attended in Portland this summer, and all of the unique experiences they had – including a few brushes with death. These particular adventures (and misadventures) offered many views our two Midwestern hosts would not have experienced in their Kansas hometown, particularly Portland's World Naked Bike Ride, an annual event where people ride through the City of Roses in their birthday suits. Listen in to hear how Liz nearly got taken out by a sedan, how Jen got asked out by someone who looks like her Midwestern dad, and what got dragged out of the river. This episode is a rollercoaster of laughter and Midwestern charm, offering a unique perspective on the eccentric side of the Pacific Northwest. Please officially FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to the show so you get updated about new episodes. (This also helps us grow our listenership!) Want to support these Midwestern gals on our weird Portlandian adventures? You help us out by: 1. Rating and reviewing our show on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midwest-af/id1706671894] 2. Rating it on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kQmcRQ6i2lLrzlPtsCX7H] You can also follow Midwest_AF_Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/midwest_af_podcast/]on Instagram. But if not? No worries.