Eat. Watch. Do. — Windy City Smokeout, Great Chicago subs

It’s Thursday, Chicago.

And this city knows where to find a good sandwich. In case you weren’t aware, a stretch of West Grand Avenue is home to some of the best subs in Chicago, and could aptly be renamed Sandwich Row.

Barbecue is another dish that weighs heavily in the minds of Chicagoans, and with the 10th anniversary of the barbecue/country music fest Windy City Smokeout underway this weekend, it’s a family-friendly food fest you won’t want to miss.

Enjoy the weekend, we’ll see you next week.

— Lauryn Azu, deputy senior editor

A stretch of Grand Avenue boasts both classic old-school sub shops and new renditions of Italian subs and creative other sandwiches. The Tribune Food team sampled a few, and here are our favorites.

“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” is another action movie out this summer — but it doesn’t disappoint, Tribune critic Michael Phillips writes: “It’s full of sound (that Lalo Schifrin theme!) and fury and Tom Cruise, running, cliffhanging, flying, with periodic rest stops for brooding.” Read the rest of his review here.

The Windy City Smokeout this weekend at United Center pairs nearly 30 renowned barbecue joints, more than a dozen breweries and 21 artists for a four-day bonanza that provides a taste of the South. Read here for how to prepare for the music on deck and the culinary delights you’ll find.

Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan, “Real Housewives of New York” veterans, star in a spinoff that’s “The Simple Life” meets “Schitt’s Creek” rip-off, and set in Benton, Illinois.

But the title stars don’t take themselves too seriously, and that’s where the project shines the most, writes Tribune critic Nina Metz. “They know they’re overdressed and over-accessorized. That’s the point. But (at least as edited) they don’t resort to actual rudeness,” Metz writes. Read her thoughts on the new Bravo series here.

If you’re an avid gardener and have been blessed with a bounty of ripe tomatoes, a simple summer salad is a great way to make the most of this garden favorite. Get the recipe here.

For 10 years, Patric McCoy traveled around Chicago on his bike with his camera, taking thousands of images of Black gay men and capturing a bygone era. His work is now on display at his exhibit at Lincoln Park’s Wrightwood 659 gallery. Read his interview about his photojournalism work here.

The Chalo pop-up that launched last month in Bridgeport at Studio Salam is geared toward creating third spaces for Muslims, women and people of color in Chicago. The founders hope to host more pop-ups featuring chai, nonalcoholic cocktails and board games. Read more about it here.

A Chicago couple transformed a shabby and dusty basement in the Gold Coast, once among the chicest spaces in the city, into the luxurious Astor Club. Read about the club’s storied past and the owners’ future plans here.

Going abroad anytime soon? Not so fast, especially if your passport is about to expire. Chicago-area travelers are experiencing an unprecedented backup in passport applications, as the U.S. State Department is processing roughly 500,000 applications a week. Read what you can do in hopes of expediting the process here.

The excitement of summer travel can also spark anxiety for some vacationers, especially plus-size travelers who can experience anti-fat bias while abroad. Read about the travel companies helping to make travel more accessible here.