More fun happening around my fabulous city of Chicago. Here’s what I was up to in July:

Crostini at Fig and Olive Chicago

Fig and Olive– This beautiful, upscale eatery in the Gold Coast never disappoints. I love that there are so many vegetarian options and I have always had a great experience each time I have visited in the past. I had the chance to join a fun group of foodie friends for a tasting out on the awesome and quaint upstairs patio on a beautiful summer night. What’s great about Fig and Olive’s menu is that it is easy to do a passed sharing style meal if you want something light or just want to try different dishes with friends. And one of my favorite items to share are the delicious varieties of crostini that are available and more than half the available options are vegetarian. Do you know how incredibly happy that makes me? I LOVE having options to choose from. It was a tough call, but I’d have to say my two favorites are the burrata, tomato, pesto, balsamic crostini as well as the mushroom, artichoke, truffle, scallion and parmesan crostini. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any choice! Which ones are your favorites?

Penne Pasta at Osteria Via Stato

Osteria Via Stato– This is my go-to spot for carry out seeing that I live pretty much across the street from this fabulous restaurant. But, I do dine in as well! It truly is a hidden gem and I think gets passed up because Quartino next door gets all the attention from its bustling outdoor seating. Don’t be fooled! Osteria Via Stato has so much amazing food, I don’t even know where to begin. Actually, I do know where to begin…it’s with that warm, sourdough bread they start you off with. The tasty bread is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside and served with the best roasted garlic in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I usually get full on this stuff cause I just can’t stop eating it. Seriously! But, my other must-have favorite is the penne pasta dish. Normally this dish is served with chicken (obviously I have that omitted) and it is served with tomato cream sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil chiffonade. My tip to you: ask the waiter to serve it to you with extra sauce cause that sauce is money.  Serious money. You will thank me later.

Rooftop Yoga at the W Hotel Lakeshore

Rooftop Yoga at the W Hotel– Finally the summer weather has arrived in Chicago and I’m taking full advantage of it. I had the awesome opportunity through WomensForum.com to start my day off with sunrise yoga on the terrace of the W Hotel Lakeshore. How incredibly perfect is that? With stunning views of the lake, the sun rising above us and a light, gentle breeze, it truly was the best way to kick-off my day. And followed by a breakfast with Think Thin products such as their delicious oatmeal and probiotic drinks by Kevita, I really wish every morning started off this way!

Green Juice From Hi-Vibe

Hi-Vibe Superfood Juicery– Coming off five full days of my cousin’s big, fat, Indian wedding, it could not have been any more perfect for me to check out Hi-Vibe Superfood Juicery in River North. We had the chance to try pretty much everything on their menu, which was awesome! This was my first time trying an acai bowl and I absolutely loved it. Acai berries along with frozen bananas and blueberries made the base of the bowl, and it was topped with lots of great superfoods like chia seeds, coconut, fresh blackberries, strawberries and bananas as well as paleo granola. It was so filling and delicious, I will definitely be back for more for a much-needed hearty breakfast after an intense workout. I also really liked their juices and one of my favorites was the French Kiss- watermelon, mint and tumeric. So light and refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day.

Vegetarian Tasting of “Summer in Europe” at Eataly

Eataly– As I mentioned earlier, I was at my cousin’s fabulous 5-day Indian wedding and so I unfortunately missed out on some events like the “Summer in Europe” soiree at Eataly. I loved the concept; food and wine from Italy, Spain and France all served in various restaurants around Eataly. How fun?! Even though I wasn’t able to attend that particular evening, I did get a chance to preview and sample some of the vegetarian options that were going to be served. All delicious of course such as the housemade crostini with grilled lettuces and stracciatella cheese (Italy), the tortilla Espanola which is a potato, onion and cheese quiche (Spain) and the haricot verts almondine which are French green beans with almonds (France). It’s like I visited Europe without leaving Chicago (although you know I would have loved to make that trip to Europe). The great thing is that there are always cool events at Eataly and you should keep tabs on their events page to see what looks fun to you. Don’t miss out!

Newly Opened Glaze Teriyaki Chicago

Glaze Teriyaki– I love checking out new restaurants that have opened in Chicago and Glaze Teriyaki Grill is the perfect example. This fast, casual, Asian eatery made its way from New York and San Francisco to find another home here in Chicago (Lakeview to be exact). With a beautiful, easy-going interior space, it’s a nice BYO spot to grab a bite. And according to the website, Glaze is described as “Seattle-style teriyaki having a Korean influence thanks to the influx of Korean settlers in Seattle who fused their cuisine with Japanese food”. Sounds pretty awesome huh. It was! Go check it out. My favorites were the vegetable gyoza and cold soba noodle salad.

Please Note: While I was invited to attend these events, all opinions are my own.