Post-Honeymoon recovery: a list of links for traveling gluten-free

We made it home safely, with plenty of tales to tell.

I’ll just be honest and say I’m still adjusting to reality. For some reason, I am having the worst time getting back into the swing of things.

So… I promise there will be more pictures with stories of our adventures on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, but for today, how about a list of links?

TRAVELING GLUTEN-FREE STYLE

• If you are traveling to a country where the native language is not English, you can grab some Triumph Dining Cards to make things easier on everyone. (I only busted out my Spanish version once on our trip.)
• Although I didn’t bring my toaster bags on this trip, I do take them on pretty much every other trip, even if it’s a weekend at a friend’s house. 
• My suitcase, purse and carry-on all contained these Larabars, they are my current favorite. If I had been thinking ahead, I would have ordered and mixed it up with some GFBs too. 
• Glutino pretzels are a staple for travel – perfect dipped in mustard, cream cheese, with regular cheese bites, on their own, dipped in PB&J, plenty of possibilities. 
• These Go-Pinic meals pretty much saved me on the plane ride home – NO gluten-free options from American Airlines on that flight, even after calling to request it. Boo. 
• Some airports have snack options for us too — I scored some Peeled Snacks along with some Honest Tea for the ride there. 

That’s what worked for me on this trip — what are your gluten-free travel tips? Let’s make a list to help newbie GF travelers! 

Friday Photos: a good vibes kind of week

Honeymoon prep is underway — I can’t believe we are leaving for Puerto Rico this weekend!

In the next 24 hours we will: finish packing, entertain some of our favorite friends who are in town, celebrate our nephew’s 21st birthday with a little “day drinking,” exchange Mark’s sunglasses that showed up last minute WAY too big, bake some of Grandma EdithAnn’s banana bread for the plane, (shame on you, American Airlines for not having a GF option) decide if three pairs of sunglasses is too many for the trip, and figure out parking at O’hare airport.

Not necessarily in that order, but we’ve got a few things going on it seems.

So this will be short and sweet. And full of good vibes.

Like my five year old nephew. I mentioned he recently started the gluten-free diet and has had a few struggles — like the teacher at Kindergarten Round-Up that gave him a regular cookie. (in his defense, he did tell them, “oh, I need a gluten-fwee cookie” when the first teacher came around… so when the other teacher came by and handed him one, he assumed they had taken care of it and gotten him one he could have) 😦

BUT, on a brighter note for little CT…. he is headed to a birthday party this weekend and the little girl’s mom sent my sister this picture from her phone the other day — to let her know that she picked up a few things so he could have the same kind of treats as all the other kids. That sweet little birthday girl even decided to go with cupcakes, instead of the regular cake, so “Carter doesn’t feel left out, and he can have the same thing as us.”

Aren’t kids great? They just get things. Sometimes better than adults.

 

I kicked off spring break with the first chapters of The Hunger Games and some iced coffee. (yes, that is two coffee days for those counting — but it’s spring break week AND honeymoon week, so no rules apply)

 

See? No rules. I participated in Transfer’s “Defeat the Wheat” Monday. I have to support a good cause when I see one. 🙂

 

Have you ever been to Larry’s Market?

It was our go-to lunch place on the weekends, just down the road from Mark’s parent’s place, pre-gluten-free. And we still go there from time to time, but I was really missing the deli sandwiches.

But now, they’re baaaaaaack….

And they require BOTH hands to eat them because Larry’s now carries Udi’s gluten-free jumbo loaf — which is like regular bread. Just wish they would sell them in stores, not just to restaurants. Someday.

*CAUTION* They just received the bread recently and we didn’t get into a discussion on cross-contamination. It was busy, she had it in the freezer, we were on our way out, so now I need to get back over there and talk about some safety concerns to be sure I can keep enjoying them. But for now, to play it safe, you could get them to defrost the bread (wrapped up safe) in the microwave and put the sammie together yourself, like I did.

I may or may not have shed a little tear over that sandwich — my all time Larry’s Market favorite, honey mustard chicken salad. Yep, good vibes.

 

For the record, I was aiming for his cheek, this gives new meaning to “necking,” I guess. 😉

 

So off we go… the much anticipated honeymoon. I feel like we’ll be in good hands — I got an email from Chef Simon today, from the Ritz Carlton and he reassured me that they are ready for me and my gluten-freeness — with two bakers on hand, he said there will be desserts and if I’m not a fan of their frozen bread items, they will make some fresh from a King Arthur mix. (which I’ve been wanting to try)

I may pop in at some point this week, as I lounge by the pool — Mark is bringing the iPad, so I might try to get all techie on there. We’ll see.

Either way, I hope you have the most wonderful week. Full of good vibes. Healthy ones too. (and send some to my Mamasita, she’s home sick with bronchitis… and for my sister, to keep those two little peanuts in there at least a few more weeks, and no more contractions)

For the married crowd — where did you honeymoon? Any tips for me? Or where are you dreaming of going for your honeymoon someday? Or maybe you just fly solo and are planning the trip of your dreams, do tell.