Green Guide to Labor Day: Get outside and enjoy some green fun in the sun!

Sadly, the summer is coming to an end.  Make sure to enjoy the upcoming holiday weekend.  In celebration of the long weekend and the end of a wonderful summer, here is chocolate granola's Green Guide to Labor Day.  From family cookouts to street fairs, there's summer fun for everyone!

Staycationing? From cookouts to cozing up to a book, sometimes the most relaxing -and affordable- vacations can be had right in your own backyard or local park.  Grill in the backyard or a neighborhood park and invite over your friends and family.  Tempt their tastebuds with black-bean burgers or corn on the cob, they'll love this easy grilled corn recipe.  Quench your thirst with homemade lemonade or a can of BlueSky organic ginger ale (all natural and sweetened with cane sugar).  Forget about the styrofoam or plastic.  If you can’t use your own plates, consider using Bambu plates and utensils.  These certified organic bamboo biodegradable sets provide a chic backdrop to your food that’ll impress your friends and can be tossed in a compost bin afterward.   

In need of quiet time?  Grab a blanket and a book and head outdoors.  Few things beat the luxury of reading a good book in a cozy spot.  In the mood for the classics?  Find a good used bookstore and catch up on your summer reading list.  Itching for a beach read? Consider downloading an audiobook that you can listen to while you travel to the beach, saving the juicy parts for when you stretch out soaking up the rays.

Been there, done that? You're a tough crowd.  Looking for a little more action, how about Brazilian dancers or a free jazz concert?  Great music, good food...your weekend's looking better already!  Check out some of things there are to do in NY, DC and Chicago.    

New York: There's always something tasty to munch in the Big Apple.  How about churrasco or plantains? Grab a napkin and your dancing shoes, there are two parades heading our way.

• Brasil is here!  Saturday and Sunday will be a celebration of all things Brazilian.  Head to Sixth Ave between 43rd and 57th Sts for a massive Brazilian street fair including hundreds of vendors and live performances.  Check out the full schedule of Brazilian Day events.   
• West Indian-Americans represent! There is a West Indian American Day Carnival Festival all weekend culminating in a Labor Day parade from Eastern Pkwy and Schenectady Ave to Flatbush Ave.  Saturday features a Steel Band competition.  Check out the full schedule of West Indian American Carnival events.    
• Take an air-conditioned break from all that partying and head uptown to the The Studio Museum in Harlem.  On Sunday admission is free courtesy of Target Sundays.

Washington, D.C.: The nation's capital was once fondly known as "chocolate city."  There are lots of chocolate granola faves all over town.  Take the kids to the Smithsonian to enjoy the free museums or sit outside on the Mall and relax near the monuments. 

• D.C.= Dave Chappelle. This hometown favorite will be doing standup at the famous Lincoln Theatre Friday, September 3.  He'll probably eat at Ben's Chili Bowl beforehand.  Check him out or stop by any of the other U street haunts.
• Red, white and blues: On Saturday, go check out the free Blues Festival at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park.

Chicago: You don't need a holiday as an excuse to celebrate the delicious food cooking all over Chicago.  Eat out, support a local restaurant!  After that, walk to the end of Navy Pier and enjoy the view.

• The Windy City will celebrate its 32^nd annual Chicago Jazz Festival.  While the city mourns the upcoming change in weather, it celebrates with a weekend of free jazz concerts in Grant Park and Millennium Park from September 2 through September 5.