City by Bike

Last night a friend and I went on a Bobby's Bike Hike tour of Chicago.  SO FUN!!!  I had to be coerced a bit to go at first, but now that I went, I 100% recommend them!  Family fun?  Yes, but only if the family does not include small children.  There is some street biking, and I don't know how well small children would do in that situation.

However, we saw so much of the city!  We started near Navy Pier and headed north, our tour starting at 7pm.  The night ride was perfect, just cool enough to not feel like you sweat through your clothes but still light enough to enjoy the views of the city and the lake.  In case you're worried, 90% of the path is smooth and even, no hills.  The other 10% is just minor inclines, although they are good jolts of a workout!

Our first stops?  Oak street beach and just south of North beach.  The stops along the way included historical information and fun sights to see.  Like, for example, did you know that Streeterville is called Streeterville because the man who owned that land, just east of the John Hancock, was Mr. Streeter, and he had declared himself mayor of the little island?  When he died he left it to his 3rd wife, but since he forgot to divorce his first 2 wives, the city of Chicago annexed the land.  Therefore, today, we have Streeterville!

We went through the Gold Coast afterwards and rode down Wabash!  How fun!  We saw the original Playboy mansion, the "Viagra Triangle", the river near Trump Tower and we heard that Derrick Rose and Jay Cutler live there!  After that we went to Millenium Park where we happened to see a band and a charity chef cook-off!  I was waiting to see the Top Chef cameras come around the corner, but alas I did not. The band was good, though!

If that wasn't good enough yet, we still have more to go!  Later was a Buckingham Fountain and Museum Campus.  Then it was the fireworks of Navy Pier.  What an awesome 3-hour tour!  Nex time, we're off to Gilligan's Island!

A Little Thing Called "Parabens"

I'd love to give credit to those who put this picture together, but alas, I cannot as I found it on Facebook and have no idea who owns it.  Therefore, my instant apologies for not acknowledging the owner.  I'm happy to do so if the company/person claims it!


That being said.  What's a paraben and why should you care?  Parabens, as mentioned above, are chemicals believed to be linked to breast and other cancers.  Scary!  And what's even scarier?  You have 100% control on if you allow them to be part of your body or not.  They are in lotions, food, things you ingest and topically apply.  They are endocrine interruptors, (see the breast cancer fund organization)  They mimic estrogen, and estrogen causes cells to grow (hence why we girls experience puberty with body changes the way we do).  You don't want cells to grow indefinitely, and things that create more estrogen in our body is just not a good thing.


Do yourself a favor.  CHECK YOUR PRODUCTS.  Methylparaben.  Ethylparaben. ANY paraben needs to go!  Find a company that does not use them.  Arbonne is a great place to start.  Otherwise, just take care of yourself.  You have 1 body.  Don't knowingly harm it.

Ah, freedom

How wonderful it is to be in summer.  After a sadly forced hiatus, I am happy to announce that I am back!  And what better time to reconnect and share all the wonderful "doings" of the year than summertime!


It's official.  School's out.  The sun is warm (well, on most days), and the smell of barbeque fills the air.  Here are a few things that I've discovered grill beautifully:


Portebello Mushrooms
Eggplant
Tofu (be sure to season thoroughly!)
Corn (if you haven't tried it in the husk, that's a must!)
Pizza!


Yes, that's right.  I said pizza!  If you have dough, you will want to cook the dough first.  However, if you have pre made dough, and it's sturdy enough, place it directly on the grill.  If you're not sure it'll be sturdy enough to not fall apart or stick to the grill, place it on reynolds wrap first!


Might I also recommend a great evening hike or bike ride with friends?  Stop over at a bar or take the dog with you.  It'll make for a nice evening out and an easy workout too.


So enjoy the sun.  Enjoy the fresh air.  Drive with the windows down and hang out with those you love most!