Finally time to put away the sweaters! Hurrah! And, it’s the start of a new month, which means a roundup of my April favorites. See below for the top 10 and if you’ve got places, products or workouts that I should check out, let me know in the comments!

Drumroll, here’s the top 10 places, products and pastimes from April!

1.) Favorite coffee shop:

Ipsento Coffee in Bucktown is my go-to for a Saturday afternoon perk-up post dog park excursion with Moose. They always have unique seasonal beverages like this lychee match tea latte and the best tiny sweet potato-based donuts that don’t even make you feel guilty because they’re so adorably tiny.

2.) Favorite workout:

Climbing indoor mountains at First Ascent bouldering gym made me feel like a serious spiderwoman ready to conquer the world. For more info, check out my blog post on this bad ass experience.

3.) Favorite restaurant:

True Food Kitchen is seriously the bomb diggity (aging myself) when it comes to fresh, seasonal and chef-inspired deliciousness. It’s rapidly expanding with 1 location in Chicago. I finally visited and had to hold myself back from ordering absolutely everything on the menu. I settled on this inside out quinoa burger with two crunchy quinoa patties buns filled with loads of veggies and oozing with hummus and creamy tzatziki sauce. Served with a sweet potato hash to round out the ultimate vegetarian burger experience. Run, don’t walk there…now.

4.) Favorite afternoon pick-me-up:

Four Sigmatic mushroom cacao is the answer to the sugar demons that perk up mid-afternoon. This chocolately delight is “like a warm hug from grandma” and tempers stress with superfood reishi. Plus, there’s only 2g of sugar per serving!

5.) Favorite snack:

Trader Joe’s Organic Fruit & Seed Granola will make you forget that gluten ever tasted good. Pop it, snack it, top salads and yogurt.

6.) Favorite snack:

(can you tell I like snacks?) Another winner from Trader Joe’s is this Seed and Bean Medley filled with crispety crunchety edamame, roasted pepitas, whole kernel corn, fava beans and green peas.

7.) Favorite snack:

(call the police, this snackaholic is on a real binge) I discovered these vegan chocolate bars from Tabal Chocolate when at The One of a Kind Show last weekend and practically had to be dragged away.  TBH, I’ve only tried the Coconut Mylk bar thus far because I’m trying to savor every last delectable bit until I can make my way back to the shop in Wauwatosa, WI. Yes, I could order online, but it’s just. not. the same. Call me old school.

8.) Favorite self-care products:

This new shaving cream compliments of eos is super smooth and soothing. It’s filled with natural ingredients like cucumber seed oil, lavender butter and wild oat to calm sensitive skin. I love that it’s easy to take on the go to the gym with these sleek Venus Platinum razor to make shaving feel a bit more luxurious vs the usual chore. I received both products compliments of @influenster  but always provide honest opinions and don’t write about products that aren’t worth your time (or mine).

9.) Favorite indulgence:

This crackerjack donut from Mordecai Chicago is everything your nostalgic heart remembered about that salty sweet snack with the rando toys. Topped with freshly popped popcorn and a caramel crunch, but the real delight is the creamy filling reminiscent of a Butterfinger. Still drooling over this. Next game at Wrigley, this is a must-visit.

10.) Favorite recipe:

Not to toot my own horn, but these Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos were off the charts firey deliciousness. Got Cinco de Mayo plans? You do now. Recipe here!

That’s a wrap on my April favorites, friends! Remember to send any requests my way for new things to check out in May!

The post April Favorites appeared first on The Shooks Life.

When Monday looks like a mountain with a special entanglement of madness, take a deep breath. Foam floors are meant for falls and those falls mold us into our best selves.

I spent my Sunday afternoon conquering (indoor) mountains at @firstascentclimbing, an indoor bouldering gym in Chicago. My little urban adventure did include some falls, but in the end, I felt like a real life spider woman – super powers and all.

TBH, I’ve never done any legit rock climbing, but it’s been on my list of badass things to do since hiking in Sedona last February. I’m a teensy bit afraid of heights – and those red rocks are no joke! Crossing Devil’s Bridge (below) was legit scary, but I was proud of myself for facing those fears. I may look confident below, but inside I was screaming, “are you done taking the photo yet?!”.

I think it’s the fear or falling that gets me, but in the comfort of a climbing gym all you have to face is a giant foamy floor. A giant foamy floor! So, Jeb and I set out to conquer some (indoor) mountains on a Sunday afternoon for a little rush of urban adventure.

For first timers, First Ascent offers 3 different options:

1.) Bouldering Day Pass: $19 + $7 for shoes & chalk – the quickest way to get climbing.

2.) Learning to Boulder: $29, which includes a 1-hr class, rentals and a day pass

3.) Bouldering 101: $75 for a 3-week course with rental equipment and 3 day passes

We went with the “Learning to Boulder” class  for a hands-on intro before exploring on our own. Bouldering, as opposed to rope climbing, generally includes shorter routes called “problems” that require solid climbing technique to unlock the “beta” or series of movements to get you to the finish. Our instructor took the small group of us through various techniques (different grips, how to balance your weight) and took us on an adventure through a lot of the beginning climbs. The below pic, was not one of those beginner routes. Hello horizontal!

After class, we were let loose on the open terrain. A lot of the climbs looks easy in theory, but there was some serious core and balance work to make it to the top. Not to mention forearm strength. Nonetheless, our confidence grew and by the end, Jeb and I even made it up a level 2 climb!

All in all, we lasted about an hour and half before our forearms were screaming for relief. Seriously anyone can do this though. I would highly recommend – by the end , you’ll feel like a bouldering badass too! Check out this great indoor bouldering gym: First Ascent Climbing & Fitness.

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