July Favorites

Since it’s the last day of July and Friday, I have a few favorite things to share from this month. It’s hard to believe that August starts tomorrow – I’m ready to pack in as much summer fun as possible, including lots of outdoor time on foot and weekly trips to city beaches. We may add a few road trips to our agenda before a busy fall begins.

Bastille Day 8k
 
My friend J and I ran the annual Bastille Day 8k race earlier this month, held a few days prior to Bastille Day. This was the 34th year for the race, which calls Lincoln Park home. The race benefits a local children’s charity, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. This is a low key race that’s fun to do after work, since it starts after 7pm. The race route took looped north through the path in Lincoln Park, past several boat harbors at sunset. It was unseasonably cool, which was ideal for 5 miles! We finished in 50:52, with just over a 10:00/mile pace.

Door County Vacation

K and I spent 8 nights in Door County {Wisconsin} during the first week of July with his family. We celebrated a birthday, our second wedding anniversary, and the 4th of July holiday. It was a very relaxing week and I can’t wait to go back this fall. I posted about our trip a few times, including a joint recipe for white fish with my sister-in-law Kristen of Make the Best of Everything. Check out my 4 Running Tips for Vacation and Door County Hairpin 5k Race Recap for more. I also figured out how to take a selfie on a kayak without falling in the water…

Just Salad

The kind folks at Just Salad sent me a free salad card to try out this new lunch spot that opened downtown late this spring. Just Salad is located in the Gibbons Building at 20 E. Jackson Blvd. I have visited a few times since they opened, and stopped by this week for a lunch break. The salad combinations on Just Salad’s menu are endless! My favorite so far is the Ultimate Falafel, a salad with baked falafel, red cabbage, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and pita chips. Salads are chopped up before being added to a bowl, which I love because you can taste each ingredient in every salad bite. Just Salad offers local, organic and non-GMO options. I’ll be heading back soon to try one of their “summer seasonal” salads.

Millennium Park

Last night I met a few friends for a free taping of the NPR radio show Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in downtown Chicago. I spend many Saturday mornings listening to this show while making coffee and hanging out in the kitchen. Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me is taped weekly at the Chase Auditorium in Chicago, and syndicated on NPR stations across the country. It was a beautiful {hot} evening, and we had a lovely picnic with wine while watching the live taping. There are still a few more free events this summer in Millennium Park – check out the City of Chicago website for more information.

Recipes and running posts from this month:

4 Running Tips for Vacation | Door County Hairpin 5k Race Recap | Scandinavian White Fish Packets | DIY Blueberry Coffee Creamer | Key Lime Pie Energy Bites | Peanut Butter & Jelly Green Smoothie | Vacation Run: Florence, Italy {+ 5 Florence Favorites} | 6 Layer Veggie Sandwich

Here’s hoping August lives up to July in summer fun, running, and healthy eats!