<p>Nicole Astra:<br />Welcome to Talking Cities Aurora. I'm Nicole Astra.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />And I'm Joey Thurman. Nicole, you have an anemone on your hand.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />I like it because it looks like a sea anemone.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Anemone?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Try it on.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />You think I can... Oh, it stretches?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />You would think that we don't have the same size hand.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Okay, well [inaudible 00:00:22].<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />No, it's just a cheap old beaded ring. I love it.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />It's only cheap if you say it's cheap. Does it feel expensive to you?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />It does.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />It's an expensive anemone.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />A valuable...<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />All right.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Accessory today, and my beautiful cup. Shout out to my mother-in-law. It keeps your hand warm.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Okay. Nice job, mother-in-law. What's her name?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />[Cathy 00:00:40].<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Cathy? Good job, Cathy. We're going to move on with the show now.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Aurora Noon Lions Club just celebrated their hundredth anniversary. The group was honored with a proclamation to celebrate their centennial, and were given a key to the city. Aurora Noon Lions Club supports programs for sight and hearing impaired children and adults throughout the year.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />100 years of service to Aurora.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I mean, I hope I can live that long.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Yeah.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />That's impressive.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />The place to be this weekend, the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, city of Aurora and Indian Prairie School District 204, are hosting Kids Pop Up Pantry, Friday, February 5th. And leading that event is Alderwoman Patty Smith. What I love about this is, its school supplies midyear.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Really?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Because they're trashed by now. So you'll learn. Your son's young, but you'll...<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I trashed mine the first day.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Yeah, see?<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Well, I actually didn't even show up with school supplies though.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Oh yeah, so thoughtful. Thank you for your service.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />That's [inaudible 00:01:29]. All right, you want a job? Aurora Police Department recently posted on their Facebook page, additional info on their hiring. If you're a certified Illinois police officer, APD is offering a $20,000, sign on bonus for lateral transfers. You'll receive two weeks of vacation after a year of employment and get a generous retirement healthcare package. For more info, visit joinaurorapolice.com.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Plans for Valentine's day yet?<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Oh, I don't know. Flowers, chocolates.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Do you do that?<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Teddy bears. I'm a romantic at heart and full disclosure, I think I've dropped the ball a little bit the last couple of years.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Ooh. All right.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I should pick it up. What about you?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Well, then this next one's for you then.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Okay.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />If you're looking for something sweet to give your valentine, swap the roses and chocolates. Instead, go for concha bouquets. Cinco de Mayo, a bakery in town. Have you been on their social media?<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I've seen the video of the dude like make...<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Yeah.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />He was making bread or something. But if he got those shoulders from being a baker like...<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />New workout, new workout.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I need to go.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Well, Cinco de Mayo offers beautiful rose bouquets or individual heart conchas for your loved one.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Heart conchas? Conchas?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Conchas. Oh, we're going to have to redo it.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />In celebration of Black History Month, we're highlighting small business owner, Miss Jana from Ms. Jana's Candy. See how she was able to take her business from popup to storefront, and it's a sweet accident, as I like to say.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Tell me about the development, the birth of this candy company.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />So Ms. Jana's Candy, this is our signature candy, it's peanut brittle. My mom loved peanut brittle, always wanted peanut brittle for every occasion, and I said to her one day, "I'm going to learn how to make that stuff." And I was just... The beginning of the most beautiful experience for me.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />Anyway, I started selling candy. I have a friend that's in the... up in the foods business. She introduced me to a chef who said he was going to try my candy. Now, here's the funny part. So the chef said to me, "You're going to about to enter into a hard marketplace." And he said, "I hope you're not thin skinned because I'm going to try your candy. I'm a four year trained chef, and I hope that you're able to take criticism and adjust what you're doing."<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Were you shaking? Were you nervous at that point?<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />I was so nervous, oh my gosh, because this is going into that territory where you're really going to be judged. So he tried it. He called me and he said, "I don't know what you're doing, but your cook is perfect." He said, "I don't know how you got it so good." So he said, "I'm going to introduce you to a group down in Chicago." They worked for a company, FOODWORKS. They had an incubation program that was called the Apron Exchange. They invited me in to set up a table and sell my candy.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />How did you get a business open so fast? One, there's a lot of vacancies in Aurora. And you know getting something open and the permits and contractors, how is that possible that you got that open so fast, and what advice would you give for someone of any age wanting to open a business in Aurora?<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />The first thing I did was I knocked on restaurant doors. A lot of them asking if they would rent me space. At this time, I was cooking in the beautiful, beautiful commercial kitchen at my church, and so I thought if I could get some exposure, if I could partner in someone's restaurant, maybe that would help. And there was nobody that had space for us to use. So we eventually came upon this building, and it was affordable and I became the contractor. That's how I saved money.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />I have to say that the men and women who work at the permit's office at the City of Aurora were just the most wonderful people you could ever meet. They were hard on me, but they do those things, honestly, not against you, but for you. They keep you safe and they keep you from being liable.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />So this is our creamy caramel.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Okay.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />This caramel is so full of butter, it will not stick to your teeth. This is our signature peanut brittle. This is the candy that I began with, my mom's candy.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />She's living through the brittle.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />Yes, that's our signature candy.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Yeah.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />And this is our butter toffee. Now, this is our version of the turtle. We toast our.... The raw nuts and avocado oil and kosher salt.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Ooh.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />Then we cover them with our caramel that doesn't stick to your teeth, and then we coat them with chocolate. I call it a cozy.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Oh, look at that.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />And this is so good.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Oh, that's a good shot right there.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />And ooey gooey.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Boom.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />Yeah, there you go.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Ooey gooey goodness.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />Yeah, ooey gooey goodness.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Ms. Jana's Candy, I'm going to get all cozy with this here. Thank you very much. And check it out. It's very sweet. We're going to follow the candy.<br /><br />Jana Farmer:<br />I know.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />And no one besides my sister makes toffee better than my Mama, but her toffee was delicious.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />You did. Oh, yeah.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />I am a toffee snap.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />She was kind enough to bring it in. I didn't realize toffee, like it's not supposed to stick to your teeth. So she talks about it on her segment, so make sure you go and check that out again. But the toffee...<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Soft crack, hard crack.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />And these cozies, so that was my favorite.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />And the caramel, oh.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Caramel? Do you say caramel or caramel?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />I say caramel.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Yeah, caramel?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Yeah.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Okay. F-A-B-O-L-O-U-S. That's not how you spell fabulous, but fabolous?<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />You just never know what is going to happen here...<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />You never know what's going to happen here.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />On this set. Also, for Valentine's Day, get your dancing shoes on. Java Plus on Waterford is hosting a Valentine salsa night, Friday, February 11th. Impacto Boricua will be playing live, with specialty food and drinks available throughout the evening.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />It's a day after my birthday.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />Ooh, February 10th.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />Mm-hmm. Good job. You know math.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />That means stay tuned to next week where... Well, I won't be singing happy birthday, but we'll figure something out.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I don't know. We're going to bring somebody in. Marilyn Monroe impersonator. Happy birthday, Mr president. That's it for Talking Cities Aurora.<br /><br />Nicole Astra:<br />But I think we did get through an episode without a dad joke, so I'm Nicole Astra.<br /><br />Joey Thurman:<br />I'm Joey Thurman. We will see you soon.</p>