Ok, this is just getting crazy now (in a good way).

I can’t keep up!!! I am beyond blown away at the sheer volume of invites to amazing events, awesome dinners and cool products to try out that are coming my way. I’ll admit, it is pretty freakin’ cool…

But, couple the blog with a full-time job and the rest of life’s chores and craziness and it can be a little overwhelming to keep up. I’m trying to devise new creative ways to let you in on all the fun stuff I am up to.

So, I’ve come up with an idea to do a monthly recap of all my great adventures, in addition to what I’ll already be writing about. I’m always posting real-time on Instagram (Vegtourist) and Twitter (@vegtourist), so definitely make sure you are following me on both. I did my first recap in August (you can read that here) and today’s post is going to highlight all the awesomeness that has been September. You ready?

Tanta’s One Year Anniversary Party

Tanta– Ok, so I know I’ve already written about this amazing Peruvian restaurant that has now become my new favorite restaurant in Chicago. But, how honored was I to be invited to Tanta’s one year anniversary party and have the opportunity to meet world-renowned Chef Gaston Acurio (who flew in from Peru just for the event)? Ummm, yeah, VERY honored! Passed appetizers, delicious cocktails, a rooftop bar with a Peruvian band and Chef Gaston preparing ceviche on the spot sounds like a pretty amazing party to me! Oh, and not only was Chef Gaston one of the nicest, most humble chefs ever, he so kindly agreed to just whip up a vegetarian ceviche upon my request. And it was the bomb. I heart Chef Gaston forever.

Nakd Vegan Bars

Nakd Bars– I was given the chance to try out these delicious, vegan, gluten-free bars and I have to say they are pretty awesome! The premise behind the bars is that so much of our diets come from processed foods loaded with sugars and chemicals and there has to be a better way to eat all-natural foods. These bars are nothing but raw fruits and nuts and they taste great. I know I will be using these bars when I am out traveling the world and in need of a handy, healthy snack. I love the variety of flavors and so far my favorite is the Caffe Mocha bar (dates, cashews, raisins, cocoa and natural mocha flavor…that’s it)! As we all try to eat healthier, here is one great option to keep you on track.

Unite Urban Grill Watermelon Salad

Unite Urban Grill– A wonderful, cozy restaurant in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood has a great selection of vegetarian options and a yummy veggie burger. I’m always a fan when restaurants make their own veggie burgers from scratch (really…I didn’t come here for you to warm up a frozen Boca Burger for me…I can do that at home myself, thank you very much). I definitely liked Unite’s veggie burger as well as the delicious spinach flatbread (ricotta, lemon and parmesan) and some sides (roasted broccoli with jalapenos and almonds and quinoa salad with grilled zucchini). My absolute favorite though was what I coin as “my favorite summer salad ever” which has watermelon, feta, mint, balsamic vinegar and arugula (their version has tomatoes as well). The fall menu should be out soon, so check it out!

Aerial Fit Class Through ClassPass

ClassPass– This awesome concept just launched in Chicago and has already been a huge hit in NYC, LA and Boston. Basically, for $99 a month, you can check out some of your favorite boutique fitness classes in the city as an alternative to a traditional gym membership. You can go to each studio up to three times per month and visit as many studios as you would like such as spin, yoga, pilates, even Bollywood dance! ClassPass is constantly adding new gyms to the roster while promoting variety to your workouts so you don’t get bored. I had the chance to try out some classes during their launch party as well continue using the service for the next month. I’ve already been to FlyWheel, GoCycle, AerialFit and Pilates Reformer. I am really enjoying trying all these new fitness classes that I may not have had the chance to check out otherwise.

Azzurra Italian Restaurant

Azzurra Restaurant– As part of the Chicago Food Bloggers group, a few of us were invited to a media dinner to check out this great Italian restaurant in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. It brought me back to my days studying abroad in Florence, Italy. The multiple course dinner was absolutely delicious and there were plenty of great vegetarian options. Overall, I really liked all of the food, but my absolute favorite was the cavatelli pasta dish which had country tomato, basil pesto and parmigiano. This dish was so flavorful from the pesto and so hearty from the pasta and I already know that on cold, Chicago nights I’m going to be craving this gem. It is the most perfect, tasty, comfort food ever. I need to put them on speed dial for delivery! ha ha.

So, I’d say the month of September was pretty awesome! Keep reading to keep up on all my fun adventures. I have lots of travel coming up in October and November, so there will be more great destinations added to my list.