CELEBRATING AUGUST!
August brings that golden stretch of late summer—and a diverse list of monthlong celebrations that inspire this issue of Talk of the Town. We’re teeing up great escapes for National Golf Month, getting creative in the kitchen for National Peach Month, spotlighting a classic painting for American Artist Appreciation Month, and supporting sight-saving causes for National Eye Exam Month.
From Pebble Beach to St. Andrews, everyone thinks of the Monterey Peninsula or Scotland when it comes to iconic windswept links—but for National Golf Month, we’re highlighting golf courses with jaw-dropping scenery, unique settings, and rounds of golf that are just plain fun!
The Loop at Forest Dunes, Roscommon, Michigan
Close enough for a long-weekend getaway, The Loop is a fully reversible course designed by Tom Doak. One day you play it clockwise, the next counter-clockwise—all on the same fairways, but with completely different strategies. Consistently ranked by Golf Digest among the Top 100 Public Courses in America.
Cape Kidnappers Golf Course, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Perched atop rugged cliffs with arresting views over the Pacific, this par 71 course is another masterpiece by Tom Doak. As thrilling visually as it is to play, the cliff-edged fairways are lofted 460 feet above sea level, challenging golfers with cliff-top bunkers and vertiginous drops to the ocean!
Lofoten Links, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Located above the Arctic Circle in the land of the Midnight Sun, this course offers 24-hour daylight in summer and a chance to see the Northern Lights after finishing your round in the fall! Carved into the wildly beautiful Arctic landscapes of the remote Lofoten Islands, this is the #1 ranked X-Factor Golf Course in Europe.
Fossil Trace Golf Club, Golden, Colorado
Just 20 minutes west of Denver, this course was literally built on history. Ancient dinosaur footprints and exposed fossil beds dot the course, blending natural history with rolling fairways and mountain vistas.
August is National Peach Month, and while peach cobbler and classic pie get all the glory, there’s a whole orchard of creative ways to use this juicy summer fruit.
Start savory. Grilled peach, basil, and goat cheese pizza is a sweet-and-savory standout—especially with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Or try adding sliced peaches to a charcuterie board; they pair beautifully with salty prosciutto, brie, and almonds.
Peaches also shine in salads—tossed with arugula, burrata, and toasted walnuts, or layered with heirloom tomatoes for a colorful Caprese twist. They’re excellent on the grill too. Just halve, pit, and sear until caramelized, then serve with pork chops or on top of vanilla ice cream and pound cake.
On the beverage side, a peach upgrade takes summer cocktails to new heights. Think peach margaritas, peach mules, or a sparkling peach Bellini. You can muddle fresh fruit, infuse simple syrups, or even make a peach shrub for a tangy cocktail base or a healthy addition to your water bottle.
Fresh, frozen, or grilled—however you slice them, peaches add sun-ripened sweetness to all kinds of summer dishes and drinks. Go beyond dessert and make the most of the season while it lasts.
August is American Artist Appreciation Month—a perfect time to take a closer look at one of the most recognizable works of American art: American Gothic by Grant Wood.
Painted in 1930 and housed right here in Chicago at the Art Institute, American Gothic features a grim-faced man and woman standing before a modest farmhouse with a distinctive Gothic window. The man and woman depicted came from Wood’s daily life: The man was his dentist and the woman was the artist’s sister, Nan. The house is real too—still standing in Eldon, Iowa, and now a pilgrimage site for art lovers.
According to Art Institute curator Sarah Kelly Oehler, the painting’s enduring appeal may lie in its ambiguity and the discourse that followed its unveiling. East Coast critics described American Gothic as a disparaging representation of rural backwardness. Meanwhile, Iowa housewives started a letter writing campaign to say that it was an inaccurate and demeaning portrayal of their lives as modern farmers.
August is also National Eye Exam Month, a good time to remember that vision-care can be literally life changing. Consider supporting these organizations working to end preventable blindness around the world:
Seva Foundation: Since 1978, they have provided sight-saving surgeries, eyeglasses, and medicine to 64 million people in under-served communities in the USA and abroad.
Orbis International: Operates the Flying Eye Hospital, an airplane fully outfitted to train doctors around the globe in cutting-edge vision care.
SEE International: Mobilizes volunteer surgeons to deliver free eye exams and sight-restoring surgeries in low-income regions around the world.
Give generously if you can! Every dollar will help someone see the world more clearly.
