Ok, ok, you are not alone in questioning what the following have to do with being vegetarian and traveling. I mean, is it such a crime for The Vegetarian Tourist to get pampered every now and then?  And, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoy going to some non-food related events too. Can you blame me? You will shortly understand why:

The Spa At The Dana Hotel– With new seasons come new menus.  While I’m usually writing about new menus at restaurants, today I’m writing about a new service menu offering at the fabulous spa at The Dana Hotel in River North. The new apple cider manicure and pedicure is the perfect fall weather activity to get glammed-up as we start to stay indoors more. Kicking off the service, I received a warm, spiked, apple cider and had the chance to get all cozy as I caught up on the latest In-Style magazine while getting a much-needed pedicure. I loved that all the products used for the pedicure (and manicure) were also apple and cinnamon based to provide vitamins and nutrients to my skin. And, they smelled fabulous! Following my pedicure was a relaxing and also much-needed manicure. I am coming to fully appreciate the importance of having beautiful, manicured nails, especially as they are showing up more and more in my pictures on Instagram as I hold things like donuts…ha ha. This girl has got to stay on top of it and now I know where I will be going to get my nails done!

Spa At The Dana Hotel Photo Credit: Dana Hotel

Uniqlo Chicago Opening– You know I love going places before they are open to the public; so I was super excited to check out the famous international store Uniqlo the night before it opened to the rest of Chicago. This brand from Tokyo has quite the following with many who swear by their thin, yet warm, down jackets. I have yet to try one out myself, but the jackets look great and I know are perfect for Chicago winters. The evening of the party, I spent most of my time socializing rather than shopping, but was so shocked when we randomly stumbled upon the 6 NBA Bulls championship trophies in the back of the store. Ok, kind of random, but really cool! There was a security guard there (who probably didn’t know his other job of the evening was going to be photographer for those of us who wanted a photo with the trophies) and it was definitely a big deal. So, I figured if I took no other pictures for the night, the one with the Bulls trophies would be good enough for me. I guess there is a reason I’m not a fashion blogger!

With All Six Bulls NBA Trophies At Uniqlo

Dennis Bartolomei Salon– I’ve actually had the chance to come to this salon a few times now for some fun events. The first was with celebrity stylist Wendy Iles as she was showcasing the new hair serum she had recently released  and the second event was with celebrity stylist Jesse Montana who is on the current season of the TV show Vanderpump Rules on Bravo. Both times I’ve received a fantastic blowout to be ready to hit the streets of Chicago. More than that, I’ve become great friends with both Dennis (the owner) and Jordan (my stylist) who always put a smile on my face and make me feel like a million bucks when I leave the salon. Seriously, if you are looking for a great salon in Chicago, I can’t say enough about Dennis Bartolomei Salon. Check out my beautiful locks before I head out to a foodie event.

Dennis Bartolomei Salon

Yes, these are all pretty awesome events and I’m not complaining at all! Don’t worry, I’m going to stick to writing *mostly* about food and travel, but this was a fun chance to get out and try different things.

Please Note: While I was invited to try out these services, all opinions are my own.