0

Gluten Free in Kauai, Hawaii

The Island of Kauai: a gluten and dairy free diner’s dream.

This hippy fantasy is perhaps the easiest island out there for those requiring a special diet. Visiting Kauai makes every other vacation seem like a nightmare. The tropical fruits are an obvious must, coupled with local veggies, acai bowls (hold the granola), and smoothies galore. You barely even need to think about food on this beautiful tropical island!

Gluten Free eating in Kauai Hawaii

I was especially fortunate when we stayed in Kauai because we stayed in a vacation rental with a full kitchen. I cooked several meals (especially breakfast and snacks) which always makes the trip less stressful and my stomach happier), but Kauai is easy enough even without this luxury. I had the opportunity to splurge on a few restaurants during my stay!

Click here for a google map of all of the restaurants I mention below.

Areas on the island: (expanded in detail below)

  • Hanalei (north, not far from Na Pali coast for hiking): Harvest Market, Postcards Cafe, Hanalei Taro & Juice (not recommended)
  • Princeville (north): St. Regis Princeville
  • Kapa’a: Coconut Cup, Rainbow Living Foods, Kauai Juice Co, Java Kai
  • Wailua: Cafe Coco

Let’s take a closer look at each!

Continue reading

Advertisement
0

Gluten Free in Washington D.C.

Gluten Free in DC

(that has a nice ring to it…!)

IMG_6783

I recently took a vacation to Washington D.C. with family. We were lucky enough to stay in a timeshare (Wyndham) outside the city (National Harbor), which meant I had a kitchen to cook in! This was fantastic and allowed me to cook breakfasts every day and a couple lunch and dinners. On Saturday however, we went in to the city and are lunch and dinner out. Check out the great restaurants I found!

Jaleo

Penn Quarter – downtown DC
Website

IMG_6607

I love love love Jaleo so much. I dined for the first time at this restaurant in Las Vegas for my 21st birthday and couldn’t wait to check out their DC location on my recent trip! Jaleo can only be found in 4 locations, with 3 of them being near DC (Penn Quarter, Crystal City, & Bethesda) and the last location in Vegas. The location we visited was the original, and it’s right downtown within walking distance to all the museums, capitol building, and the mall. It’s also not far from Chinatown, so if you’re in for the day, check out Shop House on 7th st. It is definitely a unique menu with tapas for sharing, suggesting 2-3 dishes per person. Not a cheap menu, but you will pay for the quality flavors and the experience.

Continue reading

7

Dining Gluten Free in Charleston, SC

Top Places to Eat Gluten Free (safely) in Charleston, SC

Charleston, in case you haven’t heard, is a bit of a foodie town. You will generally find high-quality ingredients (many farm-to-table) and excellent flavor combinations, for a decent price. It’s also in the south, meaning, you will find a lot of shrimp and grits as one of the only gluten free options listed. However, as far as dining gluten free in the south, Charleston does a much better job than many surrounding areas.

Charleston, SC Gluten Free restaurant dining. Travel! This list highlights my favorite restaurants in Charleston that will not only serve good tasting food, but also have a celiac’s best interest in mind. In general, these are in order (within each category) of my personal experiences and likelihood to return, from most positive to least. I am always updating, so check back often!

Breakfast:  Continue reading

1

Gluten Free in Disneyland

Disney – the most magical place on Earth!

Based on my most recent trip to Anaheim, CA I would say that holds true when it comes to gluten free food options and catering to special diets.

It is clear the park makes a conscious effort to cater to those with food allergies and it seemed like everywhere we went, the staff was educated when it came to gluten free menu options. We stayed in Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel which is very convenient and within walking distance to both parks, as well as downtown disney. You cross the street and are surrounded by Mickey ears, restaurants, and that famous Disney energy. Since Disney is so expensive (I mean wow – really? How do families afford this?!) we decided to get the evening passes for Friday night and Saturday night and not do the full-day pass.

IMG_5066

Upon arrival Friday evening, the first restaurant we went to in Downtown Disney was called Uva Bar. Continue reading

0

Gluten Free in Tucson, AZ

My Hometown: Tucson, AZ

Surprisingly, Tucson has done a very good job in recent years of getting some good gluten free options and several safe kitchens. We now have 3 dedicated gluten free restaurants/bakeries and many of their products can even be found at other restaurants in town.

IMG_3377

By Area

Northwest

  • Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery
  • The Melting Pot
  • Flemings Steakhouse
  • *Blanco (La Encantada)
  • North (La Encantada)
  • El Charro link to my review
  • Sir Vezas link to my review
  • Red Robin
  • Saffron Indian Bistro
  • Acacia
  • Zona 78
  • Wildflower
  • Tucson Tamale Company
  • Harvest
  • Truland Burgers and Greens
  • Contigo Latin Kitchen
  • Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
  • Claire’s Cafe

Northeast

Continue reading

3

Things to do in Tucson for People with Disabilities

This post should really be “suggestions of a few things to do” because the options here are nearly endless. If you have physical limitations, and live in Tucson or are visiting, there are all kinds of great activities for recreation. Those of us who are residents are lucky to live in a very accommodating city! *Note – it is always possible something has changed and although I try and keep this list updated, prices and accommodations change regularly, so always call first.

IMG_3367

  • Attractions
    • Old Tucson
      • Wheelchair accessible, but dirt streets
        • Fee for chairs to rent
      • Pet Friendly (but not indoors)
      • $17.95 adults, $10.95 kids (4-11). Seniors & military save $2
    • Reid Park Zoo link
      • $9 adults, $7 seniors 62+, $5 kids 2-14
    • Tucson Botanical Gardens link
      • $13 adults, $12 students/military/seniors, $7.50 kids 4-12

Continue reading

1

Restaurant Review: Page, AZ

IMG_1983

Page, Arizona – some of the most beautiful land I’ve ever seen, with some of the most poor food options I’ve encountered. Page has a population of 7,000, just a few thousand less than Sedona. Granted, Sedona likely has more tourism, but Page has the most incredible selling point, in Antelope Canyon!

After we saw the wonders of upper Antelope Canyon, it was really downhill… and I mean steep… from there as far as Page’s food goes. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which I must admit was very nice – simple, but clean. The internet was incredibly spotty and slow, and since the place was packed (don’t go between Christmas and New Years), by 8:30 the next morning the free breakfast was nearly all gone, including the coffee, yogurt, and most everything else. They did not have good options for me to eat to begin with, but it would have been nice for Gabe to had something to eat. Overall though, I would stay there again, (or maybe the courtyard marriott) since there doesn’t seem to be much else in Page.

I hate writing a review like this, but it needs to be said.

The options for food looked great when I went on the Find Me Gluten Free App! Two places, called Bonkers and Rivers End Cafe, looked to be very promising! Rookie mistake: I didn’t check to see their hours of operation. Bonkers is only open March through October (since it’s a big lake town) but does have a gluten free menu if you’re there in the warmer months. Unfortunately, I was there in December. Rivers End Cafe looked exciting, except that it closed at 3 and our tour didn’t end until about that time.

IMG_1858

After much searching online, I realized the town had very little else to offer. Since Mexican food tends to be easily made safe, we decided to head over to Fiesta Mexicana. You can find the menu here, but the gluten free items are not marked, and there is little to no training for the staff. We were greeted by a gentleman who took our drink orders, and when I asked for a margarita with no mix, just lime, tequila, and soda water, he replied that the margaritas are pre-mixed and walked away. Ooookay! Gabe ended up going over to the bar and getting one for me. The waiter finally came to our table 20 minutes later and hurridly asked for our order. I ordered the chicken taco (yes, only one taco, Fiesta Chica), told him I needed to be gluten free, and that I needed corn tortillas. “He said, you want extra on the side?” I said, “No, just corn with the meal.” He continued arguing, not understanding, and moved away from me to Gabe, before I could finish ordering. As he left the table I said, I need rice with that, no beans. He didn’t even give me the chance to finish my order! I Was Appalled. It wasn’t looking good.

Continue reading

1

Travel: Page, AZ

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

-Albert Einstein

The most beautiful thing I’ve seen to date: Antelope Canyon.

IMG_1977

Last week, Gabe and I made a relatively impulse decision to drive up to northern AZ after Christmas. I’ve been looking at taking a trip to Antelope Canyon for about a year now, as it pops up on every must-see AZ list; and with such amazing photographs being taken, how could it not. Recently my mom and I were at a farmers market when I met a photographer who had been to the canyon and many of his pieces were displayed at the market for sale. They were breathtaking. The light shines down so majestically, casting shadows and creating intricate lines along the canyon walls. I just had to see it for myself.

IMG_1974

Through my research I learned:

  • You cannot see the canyon without paying a fee ($8).
  • It is on the Navajo reservation.
  • To prevent vandalism and scribbling into the rocks, tour guides are mandatory for both upper and lower antelope canyon.
  • The $8 fee is either included in your tour reservation, or if you’ve already paid it, then it can be taken off for most tour companies.
  • Children under 13 are less expensive, and the lower canyon is less expensive than the upper canyon.
  • Upper canyon tours are taken by jeep right up to the entrance to the canyon and from there you walk in at ground level. Lower canyon tours have a 10-15 minute walk before you get to the canyon and then you take a series of ladders to get down, with no vehicle travel.
  • Make your reservations at least a day or two ahead of time, especially for the prime hours. We were there during a very busy week (between Christmas & New Years) and every single tour was sold out for that day (Sunday).
  • The upper canyon has prime times for sunlight (late morning, early afternoon). The lower canyon does not have a more prime time than another.
  • Tripods are not allowed in the canyon on regular tours, but there are special photography tours.

Continue reading

4

Travel & Restaurant Review: Sedona, AZ

Traveling to Sedona, AZ on a special diet (gluten and dairy free)

On our holiday roadtrip, Gabe and I stopped for a few short hours in Sedona on the way home from “up north.” For those who don’t know, Sedona is a hidden gem, just a short detour between Flagstaff and Phoenix. It is most known for the red rocks and artsy culture. I had been once before, but not for long, and Gabe had never been so we decided to drive the extra 30-60 minutes to check it out.

Driving in to town, the week between Christmas and New Years, proved to be anything but easy. There were a huge number of tourists, especially foreigners, just as there were at the Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon. It took us nearly 20 minutes to go 4 miles on the two lane street. We took a little jig and drove up on some residential streets where we stumbled upon a beautiful church built into the rocks!

IMG_1878

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is one of the most scenic churches I have ever seen, and if weddings were allowed at the chapel, there’s a good chance I would want to get married there! We parked at the bottom of the steep hill and hiked our way up to find a beautiful view, with tall windows, and lit memorial candles with even a gift shop inside the chapel. The entry doors reflect the red rock from behind – quite a view. If you find yourself there at 5 pm on a Monday, you can join for a prayer service.

IMG_1895

This church is not the only spiritual aspect of Sedona, however. In fact there are even vortexes, where people claim to have found a very spiritual connection. We didn’t get to check any out, but it’s worth looking into. I’ve also heard the Pink Jeep tours are pretty awesome for a tourist-y vacation.

Continue reading

0

Restaurant Review: Chick-a-Biddy

Chick-a-Biddy

Atlanta, GA (downtown)

Website and Menu

IMG_7417

A southern Celiac heaven! Serving up a huge gluten free menu, in a kitchen where everything that’s fried is gluten free! That means no cross-contamination in the fryer. Not only that, but Chick-a-Biddy specializes in fried foods, so that means you can find fried chicken, wings, french fries, chicken tenders, and alllll the sides you want. Not to mention the mac & cheese!

IMG_7421

Continue reading