The Chicago Traveler

You’ve had your eye on that super-cute fellow gym bunny on the treadmill next to you for a few days now, but you’re not going to impress anyone in that sweat-stained t-shirt and those funky (in a bad way) shorts. It’s time to update your workout wardrobe.
Just because you want to be comfortable doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish. Check out the athletic wear at lululemon. This Bucktown store (just north of Skewerz) specializes in a wide variety of sportswear—for both men and women—that has received national and international acclaim from both athletes and yogis.
Fortunately, the garments do a lot …read more

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This season of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
This week’s Quickfire Challenge required each chef to create an entrée in only 15 minutes, using Uncle Ben’s Rice as a primary ingredient. (Product placement, anyone?) As you can probably figure out, trying to cook anything in that short amount of time is very difficult, especially when the contestants are trying to impress guest judge Art Smith. I can’t even decide what I want to eat in less than …read more

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If you are visiting Chicago for any significant period of time, more than likely you will see Grant Park at some point. Also known as “Chicago’s front yard,” this huge park (319 acres or 1.29 km2) is located downtown between Lake Michigan and Michigan Avenue.
The city officially designated the land as a park in 1844, when it was named Lake Park. It was renamed Grant Park in 1901, in honor of U.S. President Ulysses S Grant, a resident of Galena, IL. While the park had been deemed as “public ground forever to remain vacant of buildings”, several structures were planned …read more

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• Check out two local designers and their earth-friendly clothing for women at EcoFashion: Beyond the Basics. Sip on pomegranate martinis with organic vodka at Pivot, while seeing how scarves are made with natural pomegranate dye. (Apr 4)
• The 24th Annual Chicago Latino Film Festival features more than 100 short, animated, documentary, and feature films from the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, and Spain. Screenings take place in several venues across the city and explore politics, race, sex, and social issues. (Apr 4-16)
• Doug Benson, as seen on VH1’s Best Week Ever, will be appearing at Lakeshore Theater. (Apr 4-5)
• …read more

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• Every First Friday of the month, relax with a cash bar and free Wolfgang Puck appetizers at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Enjoy live music from local DJs along with the work of an up-and-coming Chicago artist. This month’s theme: Fallen Stars. (Jan 4)
• There’s not much you can get for $10 on Michigan Avenue. But every first Friday of the month, your $10 will help you Wine Down at Foodlife. Sample 20 international vintages and snacks on the mezzanine level of Water Tower Place. (Jan 4)
• It’s time to get started on that New Year’s resolution for more …read more

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Okay, I admit, I have tried to commit to a gym schedule… twice. Often, the most difficult part of going to the gym was actually going to the gym. Especially on those cold and windy winter days. It would have been so much easier if the gym came to me.
Escape 2 Fitness does exactly that. Founded in the fall of 2006, this company is committed to bringing fitness and wellness to you. Work and busy schedules unfortunately take priority for many people, leaving their diet and personal well-being in shambles. E2F is a team of certified trainers, massage therapists, and …read more

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In a town known for its hot dogs, pizzas, and Italian beefs, some folks need to take a break with something light and fresh. Karyn’s Fresh Corner is a raw-food restaurant, which means it doesn’t serve food that has been heated over 110°F (43°C). Eating raw food provides many healthy benefits. Heating and/or cooking food often destroys its enzymes, which the body needs for metabolic functions. Eating food without enzymes can make digestion more difficult and may even lead to toxicity within the body.
But don’t equate raw food with “rabbit food.” Raw food is much more than just salad or …read more

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Developed about 2,000 years ago, “Nuat phaen boran” (the art of Thai yoga massage) is an ancient and sacred system of healing. Performed on a mat in comfortable clothes, this form of therapy is essentially assisted yoga. You recline as the practitioner places you in yoga poses. The massage giver leans on your body using hands and forearms to apply firm pressure to almost every part of the body. No oil is applied, but a hot herbal compress may be used to warm and soothe your body. A full massage usually lasts about two hours and can include cracking knuckles …read more

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I was born and raised here in the Windy City, but even I’ll admit that it can get a little hectic sometimes. The hustle and bustle of Chicago’s urban streets could have you searching for a quiet oasis. At first glance, the Ruby Room might look like an average spa where you can get typical beauty treatments like hair stylings, manicures, and massages. But here, you can beautify your inner self as well. Here, the concept is “healing from within.”
The “spa for the spirit” is dedicated to teaching people about wellness and creating a lifestyle that suits and comforts them. …read more

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Exercising is never easy, but it should be fun. If you’re tired of squatting and crunching, maybe you’d like to try a combination of dance and martial arts called capoeira. “Capoeira is a mixture of martial arts, dance, theatrics… It’s hard to compare with other things because it’s so unique,” says Tinte Forte, a capoeira instructor.
Soulistic Studio & Spa offers services like massage and reflexology treatments, but also provides classes in boxing, Pilates, yoga, and capoeira. The fight-like dancing was popular among African slaves who used it as a form of artistic expression as well as self-defense. Music, history, culture, …read more

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