Along with going to Lollapalooza though, I cannot tell you how much fun I had in Chicago ! Being pretty close to my home town Louisville, Chicago is a city I have visited many times in the past. Each time I go there, I find so many new and fun aspects of the city and I have an even better time than before. This trip, with rewardStyle being there and with all the people in town, the city was more energized than I had ever seen it before. Today, I am so excited to share with you what I wore, where I ate, where I worked out, and everything in-between !
WHAT I WORE:
This week I was so excited to be sponsored by Tobi to wear their pieces to Lollapalooza ! The pieces looked amazing and I was so excited to rock them. Check out some pictures below and watch my latest YouTube video to see more outfits, shop them, see them all more closely, and hear about why I love each piece so much !
And of course, the Liketoknow.it wall was a must stop at Perry’s Stage ! I mean how could you not with these “instagramable” colors?!
On one of the days, it was so cold I couldn’t help but wear my leather jacket. This Chicago Bulls bodysuit from Topshop was perfect to wear under it since I was in Chicago..duh 
… and because it was so cute and comfortable ! At music festivals, jerseys are very popular looks and this is figure flattering, hip, and unique while still having the jersey effect !
Shop this look HERE
BEAUTY
When you’re in Chicago, if you have an event, you have to stop by DreamDry!! As many of you may know, I love DreamDry. When I stopped there for New York Fashion Week (see post here) , I absolutely fell in love. I know when I am on vacation, time efficiency is key. I get so busy that I have to make sure I carve some time out to get work done and getting my hair done is the perfect way to multitask. I just bring my computer to the studio, get my hair done, and it’s a win-win ! I get my work done and my hair looks awesome ! The Lincoln Park neighborhood where DreamDry is located is so cute and fun, it’s definitely worth checking out !
While I was there, I got the braided space buns and curls look Drybar has in collaboration with Oribe ! It was so cute and fun, I loved it for the festival !
WHERE WE ATE
The Hampton Social
Okay seriously, this place is so cute ! When you first walk in, there is a huge lit up green wall saying “Rose All Day”; all the tables are white painted wood; the walls are windows which open when it’s nice out; and the whole place makes you feel like you are at the beach ! Not to mention the food was so good. I got the cobb salad and loved it ! This was definitely one of my favorite restaurants. I highly recommend !
Three Arts Cafe
Located inside Restoration hardware..this cafe is a must. It’s so beautiful your jaw literally drops! They do not take reservations and usually have a wait, so be prepared..but know it is worth it.
(photo)
True Food Kitchen
True Food is a chain in several big cities, but I ADORE it! Whenever I go anywhere that has one..I have to stop there. It’s super casual and all their food is organic and so yummy and fresh. Some of my favorites are the burger, the turkey burger, the grain bowl, the johnny cakes, and make sure you get the crudités to for the table to start !
WHERE TO WORK OUT:
Barry’s Bootcamp:
There is no secret that I love Barry’s Bootcamp. I love running and think strength training is so important, so I am a firm believer in this workout ! During Barry’s, you will switch back and forth from the treadmill, where you will be walking, jogging, and sprinting for various intervals on different inclines, and the floor where you will be doing weight and strength training work ! Out of all the workouts I do, I think Barry’s is definitely the most effective because the intervals cause your body to burn calories all day, you get your cardio, you build some muscle, and you can do it all in one hour ! This workout will surely test your abilities and you will undoubtedly leave stronger from it.
SoulCycle:
Oh do I love SoulCycle…In case you didn’t know, you can read this post to find all the reasons why I love SoulCycle so much..but in Chicago I went to Anthony, Brent, and Kirsten’s classes. Each one was amazing in it’s own way! My favorite’s were definitely Brent and Anthony. The energy was amazing in each of their classes and it is clear that the regular riders know what they are doing !
Where to Shop..DUH!
Michigan Avenue is a must. I love the Topshop, Zara, The WaterTower place is amazing with Free People, Cusp by Nemain Marcus, Forever 21, and so much more ! The Ralph Lauren is beautiful there too so definitely make sure to stop inside. Since I was here for Lollapalooza, I did not get to do as much shopping as I would have liked but Michigan Avenue is always a good choice !
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN CHICAGO? HAVE YOU TRIED ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES MENTIONED? Comment below and let me know ! I’d love to hear from you !
My last post has received tremendous feedback so far and I could not be happier. I love all the comments, questions, inspiration, interest, and love from each and every one of you!! I highly encourage anyone on the fence to try the Whole30. It has changed my life in ways I could have never imagined and promise it is not nearly as hard as people think. The hardest part is starting!
So in response to many questions I have received relating to “So what do you eat?”, this last week I have been posting a lot of my food on my Instagram Story (@gracieparish). One of the most requested recipes was definitely the Smoked Salmon Avocado Sweet Potato Toast, so today I am sharing the recipe (which is super simple by the way)! This recipe is my favorite dish for lunch and takes me 5-10 minutes to make if I cut the sweet potato before hand. It is so easy, healthy, and delicious!
Ingredients:
- 1 small sweet potato
- 1 avocado
- pack of smoked salmon
Instructions:
- Cut sweet potato into small slices. They should look like circular pieces of toast.
- Put the slices in either the toaster and toast 2-4 times (depending on strength of toaster and thickness of your slices), or let the potato slices sit on a pan on top of the stove.
- Cut avocado into small slices
- One sweet potato slices are toasted (should slightly change color and be soft), top with avocado slices and smoked salmon
- Enjoy!
What recipe do you want to see next? Do you have any questions about the Whole30? If you try this recipe let me know what you think ! Comment below!
Okay so to be a runner, a good play list is beyond necessary. Very few people love to run as much as I do, however, I know I would never run without my favorite songs blaring in my ears. During my runs, I have time to myself; to decompress; think about my day; and what I need to accomplish. Running makes me ‘good’ and honestly I don’t know what I would do without it. Running to me is in no way a chore, but rather a privilege and let’s just say I adore it. While this sounds relaxing and I am not really sure how all these thoughts go through my mind while listening to music through my beats at max volume, I will not deny that running without music is boring. Maybe it isn’t even running that I love, maybe it’s the high I get from the endorphins; the motivation I get from the music; the strength I gain with every mile; I don’t really know, all I do know is my workout is the best part of my day and my music plays a huge part in it.
As I just mentioned and as I said in my posts about spin classes, I adore the blaring music in my ears motivating me to go harder. Music is such a powerful form of art and its ability to push us to our physical limits truly inspires me, so obviously I love creating playlists! In order to make my runs more interesting, I am always changing my playlist to a mix of rap and pop. There is a mix of new hits, some fun throwbacks, and basically a little bit of everything! Below I am sharing my current list I have been running too so you can hopefully enjoy your run a little more..comment below your favorite workout tracks and which songs you like/don’t like from mine !