Friday 5!!!!! 8.28.09

2/42 Camping Trip @ Starved Rock State Park City Slickers meet nature on this rapid weekend getaway. You don’t need the Rockies to find hike-worthy trails – Starved Rock State park boasts 13 miles of trek worthy trails, scenic sandstone rock formations and the beautiful Illinois River. Get geared up for some fun and fellowship in God’s creation. Aug. 38-30, Cost: $40/person and includes meals and campsite costs. Registration is full, however, stay-tuned for other adventure getaways. www.starvedrockstatepark.org I'm actually going and am sooo excited!



Jammin’ at the Zoo Calling all party animals!!! Crazy things happen when you mix music and zoo animals…Like seeing Five for Fighting and Angel Taylor for nearly nothing! Head out to Lincoln Park Zoo this Friday for this popular concert series. Aug. 28, Cost: $23-28, Gates open at 6p.m., Concert starts at 7:15p.m., Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating, 2200 N. Cannon Drive.


http://www.lpzoo.org/.


Randolph Street Market Festival Festival-goers need not fear, this sixth annual indoor/outdoor European influenced festival features art, fashion, vintage treasures, timeless keepsakes, décor galore and all the music, food, drinks and fun you could want. It is also home to the world-renowned Chicago Antique Market and Indie Designer Market. So, dust off your turntable and pick up some new tunes this weekend! Aug. 29: 10a.m. – 5p.m. , Aug. 30: 10a.m. – 4p.m., Price: $10 (includes repeat entry all weekend), 1350 W. Randolph St., Free shuttle from Water Tower Place and Free Parking. http://www.randolphstreetmarket.com/.

Chicago Green City Market Before the warm Summer breezes turn bitter and the green leaves that paint Lincoln Park green disappear, be sure to stop by Chicago’s Green City Market where an array of locally farmed and organic treats await you. You can find everything from meats, fruits, vegetables and cheeses to honey, herbs and baked goods fresh and ready to take home. Don’t forget the gorgeous fresh flowers sold at a fraction of flower shop prices to complete the experience. Saturday, Aug. 29, 7a.m. – 1p.m., Price: Free, 1750 N. Clark St.

Bucktown Arts Fest Celebrating Art in all forms and fashions, this long-running fest is sure to please the art lover in all of us. It has been heralded as one of Chicago’s premier showings of painters, sculptors, photographers and craftspeople. Entertainment also abounds in the form of live music, theater, dance and spoken word performances. If you’re in the mood for a Picasso-sized dose of culture, you’ve come to the right place! Aug. 29-30, 11a.m. – 7p.m., Price: Free, 2238 N. Oakley Ave., http://www.bucktownartsfest.com/.

An Apple A Day!?!

The old adage says, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away." And if that's any indication of what fruit can do for you, just imagine the power of daily doses of fruits and vegetables on your health!!!

As the Whole Foods revolution grows, people are talking more and more about the benefits of eating raw, organic, natural and local and consuming less refined and artificially flavored foods. Recently, I've been bombarded with all sorts of books and articles on eating better for life, and finally committed to reading the NY Times Best Seller, Skinny Bitch. Now, this book is quite crude, harsh and a little over-the-top for my liking, however, the basic principle of "what you eat matters" rings true for me on a personal level and I'm finding ways to "be good to my body" that fit my lifestyle, not the LA superficial model.

One of the things I stumbled upon that has been most beneficial in my quest to "be good to my body" and "eat for my future" is Juice Plus+! It's a whole food based nutrition supplement, including juice powder concentrates from 17 different fruits, vegetables and grains. The idea was born because the founder realized that people don't get the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, and the negative implications this has on our health! Thus, a simple, convenient, and inexpensive way to add more nutrition from fruits and vegetables to our diets just made sense!


Hmmm...Why hadn't I heard of this before? I'm a pretty healthy eater, love reading about nutrition and health, have taken vitamins as long as I can remember, and am always one for good old fashioned exercise. My first introduction to Juice Plus+ came through a friend a few months ago and I was both intrigued and perplexed by the idea of whole foods supplements. So, I did what any good student would, I researched the company, product, whole food supplements, and the link between fruits and veggies and disease (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis and many more) and immunity. The result? Whole Foods Nutrition is not a fad. Juice Plus+ has been around for almost 20 years and is the most researched nutrition supplement out there. I also found many articles that support the notion that what we eat influences our health over time and thus science is interested in what is the best diet for maintaining health through all the stages of life. I also learned that the effect of fruits and vegetables on our long-term health is cumulative, helping to protect us from the ravages of time and our own metabolism. Heck if that's the case, I'll have a double dose, haha! To read more on this topic check here and here!


All of this information was so exciting to me that I had to try Juice Plus+ myself to see if I could truly tell a difference in my body/life. I mean, the proof is in the pudding, right?!? So, I took the challenge and took the Garden and Orchard Blend capsules for a month. I consider myself pretty healthy, so I figured it would take a while to notice a difference, but low and behold, I seriously had more energy after only a week!!! I was used to crashing at my desk in the afternoons and reaching for a Diet Coke (bad I know) to keep me awake and had lost this urge. Then, the longer I took it the more I realized that I was more in tune to my body. I was more regular (pardon the TMI), craved water, and just felt like a well-oiled machine, haha. Can't really describe it any better.

After doing my homework, taking the challenge and talking to others about Juice Plus+ (realizing that many of my close friends and their families take it), I signed up. Not only as a customer, but as a distributor too. I mean, how can I NOT tell people that I love and care about how important fruits and vegetables are to their diet and that I've found a way to get more of them into mine that's easy, convenient and inexpensive?! This has been such a fun and educational journey for me and I look forward to sharing the ride with you guys!!!

Oh, and I this new endeavor has also motivated me to kick my pop habit. Thus I'm a little over 3 weeks without this syrupy serpent and have never felt better! Yay!

If you are interested in learning more about how to "be good to your body" and how fruits and veggies can help, check out my website: www.mslapejuiceplus.com. Or email me at mslape@gmail.com, and I'd be happy to get you on the path to better health for your future!

Friday 5!!!!! 8.21.09

Each week you'll find a weekend size taste of Chicago and Park happenings. So don't be out of the loop...check back each week for the full scoop! http://park242.wordpress.com/

1) 2/42 & 30Somethings @ the Chicago Summer Dance Festival

Take off your work shoes and slip on your dancing shoes tonight! Join Park’s 2/42 and 30Somethings group at Grant Park for a fun evening of dancing in the park as part of the Chicago Summer Dance Festival. Don’t have smooth moves on the dance floor? Not to worry, dance instruction begins at 6p.m. and you’ll have until 9:30p.m. to perfect your moves! Meet Zhenya and others at the entrance sign. Email zslundgren@gmail.com for more details. Aug. 21, 6-9p.m., Cost: Free, Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan Ave.

2) Millennium Park Workouts

Can’t get to the gym on Saturday mornings? How about Millennium Park? That’s right, every Saturday through Sept. 19, Lake Shore Athletic Club hosts free workouts in Millennium Park. What better way to start a Saturday than doing the downward dog with thousands of your best Chicago friends?!? Four 45 min classes offered on the Great Lawn: Tai chi (7 a.m.), Yoga (8 a.m.), Pilates (9 a.m.) and Aerobic Dance/Martial Arts (10 a.m.). Get ready to sweat…this ain’t no walk in the park! Aug. 22, 7-11a.m., Free Admission, http://www.millenniumpark.org/parkevents/fitness.aspx

3) Lake View Music Fest

No Chicago weekend would be complete without a festival or two beckoning you off the beaches of North Ave. This weekend Lake View hosts their 5^th annual fest full of continuous live music – with the likes of Stache!, Too White Crew, Trash Martini and Wedding Banned you’re sure to be entertained. Got the urge to splurge? Shopping will be plenty as local merchants display the best of their summer stash. And what would a festival be without eats? Get your fill from tastings of local restaurants and be on your merry way! Aug. 22-23, 12-10p.m., Cost: $5-$7 donation, 3600 N. Sheffield (Sheffield & Addison), http://www.chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=134

4) St. Demetrios 60^th Annual Greek Festival

Prepare to experience Greece right in your back yard. That’s right, no expensive air ticket, luggage or small fortune necessary. This longstanding Greek Fest is sure to please with live music, traditional folk dancing, carnival games and of course delicious Greek fare! Homemade souvlaki, lamb, chicken, homemade pastries, loukoumades and other Greek specialties will be in abundance, so eat your heart out! Aug. 21-22, 5-11p.m., Aug. 23, 12p.m.-12a.m., Admission: $2, Free Parking, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 2727 W. Winona St.

5) Glamorama 2009

Calling all fashion and hip-hop divas & dudes!!! Ne-Yo headlines this 11^th annual fall fashion event featuring designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, Max Mara and more. Entertainment will also include The New Standards and Jadyn Maria. Open-to-the-public after party at Underground. Aug. 21, 8p.m., Tickets $50-$1,000 (ticketmaster.com), The Chicago Theater 175 N. State St., http://www.thechicagotheatre.com/events/macys-glamorama-2009.html