I can’t say enough about the skiing experience in Park City, Utah. We had been there 14 years ago with our sons. In fact, it was there that they first learned to ski — at Deer Valley’s acclaimed ski school. Over the years we visited other highly acclaimed ski towns (Whistler, Aspen, Vail), but after each trip — as fun as they were — my husband and I always found ourselves saying we liked Park City the best. First off, we can get a direct flight into Salt Lake City, and from there, you can literally be at the base of the slopes in 40 minutes. Plus, Park City is also a very pedestrian friendly town. Depending on where you are staying, you may not even need a car during the course of your stay. We have always stayed at Marriott’s Summit Watch, right at the base of Main Street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. (We are Marriott Vacation Club owners, but you can stay at Marriott’s Summit Watch even without time share ownership, depending on availability.) And, of course, then there’s the skiing… Apparently even residents of Colorado come to Utah to ski. Typically the... Read more →
This is a long overdue post to rave about one of the best gluten free dining experiences we've had in a long time. I know...none of us did much in the way of dining out for way too long during the height of the pandemic. But still, I'd put Nebo Cucina & Enoteca up against any gluten free dining experience in any big city. It was that memorable. Another reason it was memorable was because it was not just a meal, but rather a party to celebrate my mother-in-law's 80th Birthday. She didn't want to be involved in the planning, per se, preferring things to be a surprise, but she did request it be held in Boston, which is where she grew up. And, of course, we wanted to find a venue that was very "gluten free friendly," if not completely gluten free, as my mother-in-law (and my son and my sister-in-law) are all Celiac. We wanted my mother-in-law and the other GF folks to be able to eat everything we ordered, without having to "miss out" on anything served. Ideally, we had hoped to avoid chain restaurants and to find a great Italian restaurant, because who doesn't love an... Read more →
Hello again after a long hiatus from posting. Now that our world has "opened up" to dining out again after the worst of the pandemic, I hope to regale you with more dining and travel profiles. This summer, our family didn't do any big trips. However, our younger son (who was diagnosed with Celiac over 17 years ago before he was even two years old and is the inspiration behind my Blog) made many trips down to Harrisonburg, Virginia from our home in northern Virginia. His girlfriend lives down there, and she and her family were always so gracious about finding spots where Ryan could safely eat. So here is the post I begged him to write, complete with all his recommendations. And please, if you know of any gluten free folks in Harrisonburg -- especially students at James Madison University -- send them a link to this post! Now I'll turn you over to Ryan... This summer I spent a good amount of time down in Harrisonburg, Virginia visiting my girlfriend. While there, she and I found a surprisingly large selection of gluten free friendly restaurants. While Harrisonburg is a small city, they offer all of the major chains... Read more →
I realize it’s been some time since I’ve posted. But like most of you, our family has radically limited our travel since the pandemic began. However, to wrap up our summer before taking our boys to college, we planned a 5-night trip out to the San Diego area and stayed at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. Also known as "The Hotel Del" or just "The Del," it sits across the San Diego Bay from San Diego in the town of Coronado, on a strip of shoreline that's part of a narrow peninsula, easily accessible from San Diego by bridge or ferry. While I typically expect that resorts of this caliber will have plenty of gluten free options on the menus (and have them well labeled), that isn’t always the case based on our travel experiences. However, we were beyond impressed with how the Hotel Del goes the extra mile to make dining a relaxed and low-stress experience for anyone needing or opting for a gluten free diet. Gluten Free Notations on the Menus Make Dining Easy. From the first night, when we dined al fresco at Serea, right in the heart of the resort, we were greeted with an impressive... Read more →
I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't published a post for a while. Like many of you, when it comes to "dining out," we've been somewhat hunkered down and generally relying on takeout food when we need a break from cooking. We were able to venture out a bit to restaurants we trusted -- and that had gluten free offerings -- back in the summer and early Fall. I knew it would be tough after the Holidays...with cold weather setting in and outdoor dining more challenging. But, being hell-bent on supporting our favorite restaurants despite the cold, I took the lead from some others in my neighborhood and am starting to organize deliveries from restaurants to a central location within our neighborhood. People place their orders ahead of time for a specific date that I schedule with the restaurant, and the restaurant sends a truck (or even just a delivery driver in a regular car) with all the orders. It's a win-win, since I reach out to restaurants that are a bit further beyond the radius where our neighbors would typically drive to pick up takeout. So we all get convenient delivery of something special, while the restaurants pick up... Read more →
I think I first had taboulleh shortly after my husband and I first started dating. On a visit to his parent's house, his mom made it as a side dish served alongside a really good marinated and grilled leg of lamb. I loved both dishes and have made them many times over the years. However, I altered the taboulleh recipe once our younger son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I started making it with quinoa instead of bulgur wheat. (The irony is that my son doesn't eat it anyway, but I still always make it with quinoa since it's so healthy and adds a great source of protein.) Sometimes I use white quinoa, and sometimes I use red, as shown below. (There's also black quinoa, but I don't know that I've ever seen that at the store.) The cool thing about this traditional taboulleh recipe is that you can customize it however you want, adding or leaving out ingredients that you like/don't like. For example, I've seen some recipes that add a bit of crushed garlic. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock (I always use chicken stock -- or even bone broth -- for extra flavor, protein, and... Read more →
The Inn on Randolph is a dedicated gluten free Bed and Breakfast in the heart of Napa and the glorious wine country. The original owner was gluten free herself, and the new owners have kept the establishment totally gluten free. This historic 19th century property and its buildings were fully renovated in 2012. The Inn immediately began receiving great reviews and accolades for its food and blend of charm and modern luxuries -- and has since become the #1 rated B&B in Napa. The decor of the Inn is hip, fresh, and luxurious with a whole new attitude. Run by young, innovative innkeepers, this stunning Napa property has become the destination of choice for savvy travelers who want the intimacy of a Bed and Breakfast Inn with the elegance and amenities of a boutique hotel. It's a perfect place to get away to right now if you need a getaway...but don't want to be among large crowds. And don't forget...harvest season in the wine country isn't too far off, so check their availability now to experience this amazing annual event. Amenities include heated bathroom floors and sumptuous beds that have become the talk of the travel sites. Outside you'll find... Read more →