Product: Dear Coco Polar Peppermint Hot Chocolate Spoon – $4.50
Oh, the weather outside is frightful. No…really…it is. For the first time all year, we actually have snow accumulation here. And I’m kind of unhappy about it. While I do love the snow…I don’t like being out in the snow. That being said, my roomie and I braved the slick and unplowed streets to go into work, only to be sent home just before lunch.
And, for some reason, I decided that it would be totally awesome to plant myself in the snow and make a snow angel at my apartment. Snow…down my shirt and jeans. Makes for one very cold Celiathlete! Trust me. My roomie, however, found this incredibly amusing. Go figure.
I think, perhaps, Cuisine Cube knew that winter had one last blow to deal us. Because inside my February 2015 (Happy V-Day 2015) Cube, was one of the most interesting and exciting products ever. It was a bonus item. A beverage. And, as many of us know, Cuisine Cube ships a box off each month to your doorstep that has 5-6 items in it. A breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert…always. But this time…there was a beverage slot to fill. Cuisine Cube is a subscription service where these amazing gluten-free products from lesser-known, smaller artisan companies make there way to you via the mail once a month. The service starts at $29.99…and it is totally worth the investment. I have fallen in love with this service. You will too, if you give it a try.
So…February…snow…beverage…
Cuisine Cube introduced me to Dear Coco. Dear Coco is a boutique artisan chocolatier specializing in innovative small batch chocolates, which are handcrafted in Maryland and designed to transport around the world. The company, Dear Coco, says that each of their chocolate sis a journey and they invite everyone to explore every destination, whether familiar, exotic, or unexpected. By that, they mean they have a variety of different flavors of chocolates that you are sure to find something that entices and delights your taste buds.
In this particular cube, I had a Dear Coco Polar Peppermint Hot Chocolate Spoon. The idea behind these little treats is that you can enjoy a decadent and gourmet hot chocolate in minutes, complete with a fluffy (and vegan) marshmallow already inside. These Hot Chocolate Spoons are created with handcrafted dark chocolate ganache topped with a vegan marshmallow and dipped in premium tempered Belgian dark chocolate. The gist is…you warm up your milk (be it dairy or not…for me…almond milk) in the microwave and then place the hot chocolate spoon into the hot chocolate and stir until it is completely melted.
I didn’t do this, however. My roommate wanted to try it as well so we just ate it without making it into hot chocolate. We had hot chocolate with it…but we devoured the spoon it it’s original form…as a dark chocolate coated vegan marshmallow.
It was AMAZING. So, now I feel the need to order more of these so I can actually make it into hot chocolate as it was intended. But, without allowing it to melt into beverage form…this was one amazing treat. The chocolate was dark and rich and really high quality…no extreme bitterness. The marshmallow was melt-in-your-mouth good. And the peppermint flavor in the Dear Coco Polar Peppermint Hot Chocolate Spoon didn’t overpower or overwhelm, but rather complimented the entire treat. I need more of these…stat.
The Dear Coco Polar Peppermint Hot Chocolate Spoon is made from premium Belgian dark chocolate, non-GMO vegan butter, organic brown rice syrup, pure peppermint extract, vegan marshmallow, salt, dried mint leaves. These are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, contain no corn syrup, no trans fat, no preservatives and no food colors. LOVE IT. They come in three different flavors: Polar Peppermint, German Gingersnap, and Belgian Double Chocolate.
I don’t know about nutritional information as none is listed on the packaging or the Web site…but it is super delicious and made from real and high quality ingredients. And…who cares. It’s hot. It’s chocolate. It has a vegan marshmallow. We all win.
I really loved having a beverage option in my Valentine’s Day Cube from Cuisine Cube. It was a super nice change and a great surprise to open up and find. I sort of wish I had used it as intended, but that’s why they are available for order on the Web site. Regardless, the Dear Coco Polar Peppermint Hot Chocolate Spoon was a decadent and sweet treat to savor on a cold, snowy afternoon. And I am now planning my order because now I really want to just use these as hot chocolate. I mean…dark chocolate…hot chocolate…vegan marshmallow…dairy-free goodness.
Be Our Guest – Fantastyland – Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida
Restaurant: Be Our Guest – Fantasyland – Magic Kingdom, Disney World
It’s probably one of the hardest reservations to get at Disney World at this time. One of the newest restaurants at the theme park itself, Magic Kingdom opened the Be Our Guest Restaurant in Fantasyland. And yes, just as the name suggests, the basic theme of this restaurant is Beauty and the Beast.This means, should I ever take my neice Kaytlynn to Disney World…this is where we would eat!
We didn’t get the much coveted dinner reservation, however, my Disney Travel Agent and friend, Karen, managed to snag a spot for a lunch reservation. She added it to our Fast Passes and we were good to go for Sunday lunch.
We had big dinner plans that evening at The Wave, so we opted for a “dessert first” approach to our reservation. In other words…forget the real food…give us something sweet!
One of the reasons I had wanted to get into Be Our Guest was the fact that they had…
…wait for it…
…a GLUTEN-FREE CREAM PUFF!!!!
*cough*
Sorry…I get excited sometimes when it comes to things I love but haven’t been able to eat in years.
The rumors were true, however, so once we got into the Fast Pass line and were ushered up the walk to the restaurant, the hostess handed us each a menu and we perused it. I knew what I was getting. Cathy was torn between getting soup or getting a dessert. As Jenn and I were getting desserts and had declared it “dessert first” day…she eventually let go of the soup thought and went with her choice for a dessert. No duplicates. Actually, normally with the three of us…little duplication ever happens.
We stood in line in this amazing Great Hall, with suits of armor and screens that showed images of the items available on the menu. When we got up to the host, he directed us to stand inside and await the help of someone else, who would then direct us to one of the pay stations. We had wanted to charge these to our cards, but were sent to a kiosk thing instead of the cashier. When we questioned it, we were told it would take a card. Jenn was first…and she wasn’t given any option except her Fast Pass. So…onto the bracelet it went. Cathy and I played around with it, and we did find where we could charge it to a card…except it automatically made us use the Fast Pass. So…yeah…that was confusing, convoluted, and just chaotic.
From there, we turned over our menus and were told to take a seat at any of the tables in any of the rooms. This involved a little bit of investigation. The main room you enter was packed. There was a darker room near the back, that had more of a tavern feel to it. But…it was also packed. So, we moved to the more ballroom-ish room. Plenty of seating in there. We pulled up a booth (and chair) at one of the tables at the back. I was facing the rotating statue of Belle and The Beast dancing. Absolutely…gorgeous.
Cathy and Jenn both got “Adult Cold Fountain Beverages” (aka: SODA!) ($2.99), so while they went to retrieve their drinks from the fountains at the other side of the room, I sat and manned the table. While they were gone, a man came over to check our receipts and wrote down something on a pad. I’m assuming this is how they eventually figure out where to bring our food, instead of playing a game of Marco Polo with each and every customer. They returned and I got up to get my drink. I don’t do soda anymore…so I opted for an “Adult Hot Beverage” (aka: coffee, tea, hot cocoa) ($2.39), and had to go retrieve a cup to get some coffee. Caffeine was necessary. The coffee in this room was out of order, but I was told to just go around the corner to the other room as they have coffee there. So…I did.
Brewed hot coffee. Not fancy. Very basic. But…served it’s purpose.
Finally, we were settled in and taking in the entire place. And then, this gorgeous cart rolled up and Jenn was given her dessert. Yes…just Jenn. She ordered the Éclair à l’Orange ($4.19), which was an éclair with a custard filling with zested orange and finished off with chocolate ganache. Jenn loves chocolate and orange together…so this was a definite win. She was kind enough to wait for Cathy and I to receive our treats before she dove in.
And they did…about 5 minutes later.
Cathy went for the obvious Cathy choice…the Lemon Meringue Cupcake ($4.19). This is a vanilla sponge cake with a lemon custard filling and flamed meringue icing. It just screamed Cathy because…it was lemon. And she loves lemon.
As for me…I went with the item on the menu that I wanted to begin with. It is gluten-free. It has no added sugar. It, my dearest friends, is the Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff ($4.19). It is exactly what it sounds like. A pastry that is filled with lemon custard and topped off with raspberries. Gorgeous.
With all of our sweet treats now present, we dove in.
Be Our Guest’s Éclair à l’Orange
Let’s start with Jenn. Jenn loved the Éclair à l’Orange. She said it was perfectly orange-y. In fact, it managed to be smooth and light, not heavy like some cream-filled pastries (especially eclairs) tend to be. Her only stipulation…it could have been bigger.
Be Our Guest’s Lemon Meringue Cupcake
Cathy’s Lemon Meringue Cupcake looked like a little, personal, lemon meringue pie. She used her fork to dive in, the cake portion completely encased in this gorgeous paper. It was small…she said almost like two biter. And it wasn’t knock-you-over lemony, but definitely had that bright citrus flavor in each bite. In fact, when I asked her to describe it, all she could say was…”It was lemony!” Uh…yeah…the name tells me that. So…there you have it. It’s lemony!
Now onto the Lemon-Raspberry Cream Puff. I admit. I heard rumors of the gluten-free cream puff and knew…just knew…it had to be mine. So…here it was…this little dough puff in front of me. I took my fork and cut through the crusty pastry, watching it flake away to give way to the gorgeous, yellow, lemon cream inside. I paired it with the cream and raspberries on top…and we’re talking a heavenly, sinful dessert. I loved that this also had no additional sugar in it. I’ve been trying to cut back on the amount of sugar I consume, which isn’t easy because of natural sugars in things I love…like fruits. But, I don’t really count natural sugars. Still, I didn’t think this really needed any additional sugar. It was light…fluffy, and just a dreamy dessert for a girl who last had a cream puff when this gluten-free journey began…and I cheated. And suffered. And that was the end of that. This…was huge to me. I have to agree with both Jenn and Cathy though…the dessert was small. Which is fine…but I just thought for close to $5, there would be a little bit more. Other than that…we devoured the delectable, delicious desserts, and raved about them the entire time.
Be Our Guest’s Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff (GLUTEN-FREE!!)
Dessert first…achieved.
Being a grown-up is awesome! HA!
So, while I thought the ambiance of the restaurant was killer…like being in the film Beauty and the Beast…it was really chaotic, really loud, and a bit…of a mess when it came to ordering and checking out. But, it was a great way to dine and I am thrilled my friend Karen managed to snag us lunch reservations. The atmosphere at this restaurant is hard to top. But, in a way…it was like eating at a 5 star cafeteria. If you know what I mean.
I was definitely happy to have the chance to dine at Be Our Guest…and I thank them for offering one of the most amazing and fantastic gluten-free desserts I have had in awhile.
Me, dressed as Venellope von Schweetz, at the staging area of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon – Orlando, Florida
Race: Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Date: November 8, 2014
Time:1:50:09
I’m starting to think I angered the running gods somewhere along the way this year.
Seriously.
Because before I go any further, let me start with these two words for you:
BROKEN TOE!
You read that right. My first night at Disney World this time around…and what do I do? I BREAK A FREAKIN’ TOE! And you know, broken toe stories never really are a good story…because they always just happen randomly and in such a stupid and simple manner. For me…climbing into the shower at my resort. No joke. Jammed it on the tub. Yeah…
So…running gods and goddesses…whatever it is…I apologize. Please, please show me some mercy from here on out…
*COUGH*
That being said…not even a week removed from the New York City Marathon and I find myself up in Columbus, Ohio. Yes…this journey starts in Columbus, because my roomie and I were taking our good friend, Jenn, with us to Walt Disney World this time around. And, believe it or not, it was cheaper to drive up to Columbus and fly out of there on Friday morning than it was to do it from Louisville. Worked out in the end. The three of us could now travel together. YAY!! But…this also meant a very early morning after a night spent on the road to get there. We didn’t get in too late, but we didn’t want to stay up too late either, as our ride would be coming in between 4:15 a.m. and 4:20 a.m. Friday morning. Our flight out was at 6:30 a.m. Early flight…nonstop…meant…in to Disney early. WOOT! Jenn’s dad came and got us, drove us to the Columbus Airport, and dropped us off. Cathy and I checked our bags…Jenn carried hers on…and we went through security. Our first stop…Starbucks. Caffeine was needed for sure at this hour. And I had a tall soy salted caramel mocha calling my name. With coffees in hand, we settled in at our gate and just started discussing the plans for that day.
And…it ran smoothly. We boarded the plane on time and were in the air without any sort of delay. This was a new thing for me. And, believe it or not, our flight team got us in to Orlando a full 20 minutes early. HELLO! This is my happy dance. Cathy went to get the rental car while Jenn and I waited for luggage. The bags came through really quickly, actually, so Jenn and I headed out the way we were directed for rental cars and ended up at the Enterprise kiosk outside. Cathy was inside. Figures. So, she had to come to us. The representative took us out to the midsize cars and pointed out the Prius, as we are accustomed to Toyota vehicles as both Jenn and I own Toyotas. We were sold. Hello amazing as mileage!! Car acquired, we were now setting out to make our required Publix stop, to pick up some fruit, snacks, and some water. Jenn and I also replenished our protein bar stores. I am glad we did this, because I ate my way through all of mine this trip. After that, we headed to the resort and got checked in at…where else?…Port Orleans Riverside.
Yes. Again. Why change up the resort when we love this one so much. I mean…it’s one of my favorite Disney Princess’ place…Tiana, of course! And I know the layout and the rooms (or so I thought, HA!). We got our room…which was…a maze to find. Opposite end of the elevator, all the way around by the pool…second floor. We just had to do some exploring to find it. But, heh, we managed. We settled into the room for a moment…Jenn cooling off by the air conditioner, while I got out my tiara (requirement at Disney…because they call me Princess if I wear it…and I LOVE being called Princess). I had to get my waiver in order to pick up my race packet at the expo. And we grabbed a snack prior to heading out for the day.
First up…the expo. And thankfully, the resorts on Disney property run shuttles to the event. The expo was held at the ESPN Wild World of Sports Complex. Just like it normally is. Well, it was for the Dopey Challenge anyway. Love this venue. It’s really easy to navigate now…but at first it was slightly confusing.
The most amazing thing happened with this race though. In New York City, I met running legend Kathrine Switzer. When she ran the Boston Marathon, she was the now famous Bib 261. Well, my bib number at the Disney Wine & Dine was…261. Having this race bib number has been a dream of mine…Disney Magic made it happen! I love surprises like that. As I was one of the lower numbers, I had virtually no line to stand in. This is usually the case with Disney races for me. I was going to be in Corral A, which anyone with the numbers between 21-500 will be in. They gave me my commemorative pin, which I ordered ahead of time, and then sent me across the way to the actual expo, where I would pick up my t-shirt.
I avoided the vendors upon entering and made my way over to the area in the back for my t-shirts. Not too many people were in line for a women’s small either, so I stepped up and handed my bib over to the lady at the counter. She looked at it as she tore the t-shirt tab off and said, “WOW! You’re the lowest number I’ve seen…how fast can you run a half marathon?” I told her my fastest time and she asked if I was going to try to beat it here. I told her, in my mind, I’d love to, but I had just run a marathon on Sunday, so it wasn’t likely. The body was still recovering. I said I intended to have some fun and just enjoy it. And take pictures with characters this time around. Next time… She laughed and handed me my shirt. Time to shop!
I really intended not to purchase anything. Just look. But…heh…that didn’t work out as planned. I didn’t get a BondiBand here either, for the record. My mojo is off. My usual customs aren’t happening. ACK! But I didn’t see a booth, honestly. Cathy found me the race specific equivalent though in the Official Merchandise area…so we went with that. It would do. One thing I did do, however, was visit the Garmin booth and ended up getting a watch I could wear so I didn’t have to wear my Garmin running watch if I needed to know what time it was. After all, I was at Disney World and I was NOT going to live on my cell phone. Nope! This was vacation! With that purchase…I said I wasn’t allowed to spend any more money…so I avoided the Newton booth and tried to ignore all the cute running clothes. I made it out of there with only that purchase and a wine glass (Disney Wine & Dine…get it!) from Official Merchandise. I did well!
We wrapped things up and took the shuttle back to our resort to drop off our bags. Then…with no pausing, we were back out and this time hopping the regular shuttle bus to take us to Animal Kingdom, our park of choice for our first day there. We had things planned…like Jenn and I were going to ride Expedition Everest, the roller coaster there in Animal Kingdom. We did. And it was epic fun. It was nice to have a ride buddy this time around, as Cathy refuses to do any of those rides…because she somehow became less fun at amusement parks between when we first went to Disney in February 2013…to today. BUT…before any attractions or rides…we needed more coffee…and a snack. So…I hit up the allergy friendly Gardens Kiosk in the park for some hummus and vegetables and Cathy and Jenn grabbed some fries at a restaurant there. We noshed and then…went to grab the infamous COFFEE!! You see, Animal Kingdom has this one place that serves up this fantastic iced coffee in either a French Vanilla or Mocha flavor. I have always done, and will always do, the French Vanilla. But it tastes like a light milkshake. Seriously. It is the best thing ever. My favorite coffee at any Disney park. And…I might be addicted to it. With coffee now acquired and caffeine hitting the system…we had the roller coaster to do and the Kilimanjaro Safari. LOVE dong the safari at Animal Kingdom because the guides are fun, the animals are RIGHT THERE…and it’s just a nice way to relax and see some wild animals. LOVED it. While there, we also did the “It’s Tough To Be A Bug” show and rode on Dinosaur. By the time we wrapped things up, we were running just a tiny bit late to the shuttle to get to the Animal Kingdom Lodge…home of our traditional first meal at Disney World feast…Sanaa.
Sanaa is African food that sort of borrows from the flavors of India. Can you see why I love eating here so much? After talking with the chef, I ended up getting the Vegetarian Sampler, which is Basmati Rice and the choice of two of five of their vegetarian entrees. I went with the Chickpea Wat and the Seasonal Greens and Tomatoes. It was…beyond fantastic as always. For the record, Cathy ordered the Lamb Shank and Jenn got the Slow Cooked Dinner Sampler, which was Basmati Rice with a choice of two of the five plate offerings. She went with Butter Chicken and Goan Seafood Curry. We ended up splitting the dessert…as usual…we ordered the Seasonal Kulfi, which was pumpkin this time. And it was delicious. The couple next to us made conversation with us the entire time, and he ended up getting the trio of desserts, which included the kulfi that we were raving about. He took a bite and his wife said, “That was your sex face.” Hilarity ensued. Anyway, with dinner wrapped up, we had a full day and we knew the race was the following night, so we headed back to the resort to take our turn through the shower and get some much needed sleep.
Broken toe…*sigh*
And this…is where it all went down. I was first up to shower, so I went into the bathroom and got the water going. And as I was climbing into the bathtub…BAM…jammed my foot on the edge of the tub. Hard. And bad. I doubled over for about a minute before toughing it up and finishing the shower. After I was dressed, I hobbled out and pointed to my foot. “I think I broke a toe!” Cathy and Jenn looked up at me with big eyes and Cathy said, “SERIOUSLY!?” It was confirmed the next morning…when I woke up to find it swollen and a pretty shade of black-ish purple.
*SIGH*
Being proactive, we decided to use the athletic tape that we brought with us (because my feet are delicate things and I apparently need to wrap the hell out of them these days) and Cathy taped my broken toe (the 4th one)…to the middle toe. And that was how I managed to get through a full day at Hollywood Studios. For real. Being that the race started at 10 p.m., today was going to be a bit strange for me…because…I had to eat backwards. I also was not going to be having gluten-free pizza prior to this race. Night races…they screw everything up. So, we were having a character breakfast at Cape May (Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Donald, FTW!). And this was going to be our biggest meal of the day. Honestly. The chef came out to talk to me and she ended up making me GLUTEN FREE MICKEY WAFFLES!! These are a requirement when I go to Disney World and Disneyland. I have to have them at least once. I paired that up with scrambled eggs for protein and a big heaping bowl of fruit. Because…it was there and really delicious! And that was breakfast. Off to Hollywood Studios. Cathy had somehow managed to get the times wrong for the fast passes we had for both the Aerosmith Rock ‘N Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror. But, we begged and pleaded and after being treated like children, Jenn and I were allowed on our thrill rides that Cathy refuses to even try. We also did Star Tours (always fun!) and Muppet Vision 3-D. LOVE THE MUPPETS. We had some time, so we headed over to The Magic of Disney Animation and sat in on one of the drawing classes, where we were taught how to draw Donald Duck this time. This made me happy…I hadn’t done a Donald Duck before. My lunch was my protein bar and a clementine, which I ate on the go. And after we wrapped up everything…we went back to the hotel, because I had a race to get dressed for…and to get to…broken toe or not.
I actually took the tape off my toes for the race, fearing blisters. We also had weather moving in (even though I was told on numerous occasions that Orlando didn’t have rain for months!). So…yeah…there was that. I was dressing up as Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck it Ralph this time around. Why? Because Vanellope is awesome. HA! A co-worker of mine even sewed the top for me and it looked fantastic. I was pretty excited about the costume. Not so happy with my toe. And definitely not happy about the impending rain. But, you just suck it up cupcake and get it done. Right? Right! So, I got dressed, and went ahead and ate my cereal (treating my dinner as how I would eat on a race morning…because I was eating backwards all day!). Cathy put all the little candy bits in my hair and I packed a set of dry clothes (but not shoes) for after the race…just in case. The best part about Wine & Dine is the after party in Epcot. You get to try foods and drinks from different countries. And included in the race bag is a $10 gift card to put towards those purchases and samples. So, dinner for Cathy and Jenn was going to be tasting around the world. For me…probably a protein bar because there isn’t too much there for a gluten-free vegetarian. But…I figured I would take in the experience.
So, I grabbed the banana we purchased at the grocery store when we got there on Friday and we headed out to the shuttle to take us to the start of the race, which would be near the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The staging area was mostly in the grass, and it started to sprinkle a bit. The first thing we did was head to information to figure out the best way for Cathy and Jenn to get from the start to the finish. They were told, especially since I was a Corral A runner, that they needed to leave and get a shuttle before I started the race. So…after dancing around and helping me put a garbage bag over my head to keep my body warm as the wind picked up and the weather started to roll in…they gave me hugs…I was told that the “power of Dean compels me” and not to “pants my poop.” TRADITION! And they were gone. So…I just sort of plopped myself down somewhere and tried to stay warm. I ate my banana. I watched people expend a lot of energy by jumping and dancing…and it was fun!! But soon…it was time to get in those corrals. And I made the short hike from the staging area to the corrals, moving all the way up to Corral A.
One thing I loved was seeing so many people in this corral in costume. Disney race or not, a lot of times the higher up corrals don’t get into the Disney spirit. I have always and will always costume for Disney races. They are Disney races. If you run Disney for time, you’re missing the point! I stayed in the black garbage bag until after the wheelchair racers were sent off. The elite runners and Corral A were then moved up to the start line. I shed it then…and that’s when it started to rain. Lightly at first. So, when they sent us off with the fireworks and all…it was like a spring shower. But soon after that first mile, where I met a fellow runner who had just done New York City in that horrible, awful, crazy wind…the rain started to pick up. And then…it was just…a downpour.
The first three miles of this race are done on the highway…and this race also embraces the most hills of any Disney race I have run yet at Disney World. But…after New York City…these didn’t seem too bad. Not really. After the 5K mark, we come into Animal Kingdom. Running through the parks is the best part because you get to have the park employees cheer you on. That and this is normally a key place to snap pictures with characters. The problem was…with the downpour…many of the characters weren’t out. BUMMER! But, you go on. We run around the Tree of Life just after Mile 4 and then duck outside of the park before hitting 5 Miles.
The rain was relentless and my shoes were full of water. The good thing was, my feet were so cold and numb that I couldn’t tell if my toe was hurting or not at this point. But, I knew it was hindering me. There just comes a point where you just can’t do anything about it…so you just stop worrying about it. The next few miles were back on the roads, part of the path we ran for the Disney World Marathon. I recognized it. I was about halfway through and running down the street parallel to those just getting started. On the opposite side of the highway…the later corrals were just getting underway. And we got a lot of cheers from them as we went on.
It’s around Mile 10 that we get filtered into Hollywood Studios. Great park to run through. It was decorated for Christmas and everything was lit up. This has great scenes to run past and the support there is nothing but phenomenal from the cast members. Honestly. Despite running in the shadow of the Tower of Terror and through the various lots that they feature, my absolute favorite part of Hollywood Studios involved disco balls and the Costuming Tunnel in the Backlot. Honestly…I loved looking through the windows, while disco balls are sending lights everywhere in this small tunnel, and seeing people pressing and prepping the costumes for the following day. It was spectacular. I wanted to stop and linger…because…well…it was dry in there…and…IT WAS FLIPPIN’ COOL! But, I was nearing the end of the race and the after party and two very soggy spectators awaited my arrival at that finish line.
Onward.
Out of Hollywood Studios and onto the slick and slippery boardwalk, which runs past the Disney Yacht Club and Disney Beach Club Resorts. Even with the hard rain and cool air, people staying there still came out to cheer. I love the vibe I get at every Disney race. But the electricity through these last two miles was fantastic. Honestly.
From the Boardwalk we took a turn through Epcot, past the giant ball, and out into the parking lot. I know this finish area well, trust me. Around the corner and BAM…there was the finish line. I pressed hard to that finish line, ignoring my foot and toe, just wanting to get over that mat. And I cleared it, soaking wet and dripping with rain and pure determination and stubbornness. Broken toe…check. Half marathon…check. BEAST MODE, BABY!
As I recieved my medal and my mylar blanket, I saw Cathy and Jenn waving to me from the bleachers. They were as wet as I was. They started down while I got the finisher’s photo, some water, and, of course, the goodie box that RunDisney hands you at the end of every race, filled with goodies like Skittles, Clif Bars, Craisins, Fruit Snacks, and Tortilla Chips with a Cheese spread. I wasn’t ready for food. What I was ready for was getting out of the chute and meeting up with my friends. I sipped on some water and went to where I was directed to exit.
There they were. Cathy came up to me and gave me a hug. Jenn came over to do the same and said, “You can tell I love you…” LOL!! I really do have amazing friends. And I give a lot of props and love to the spectators and volunteers who stood or sat out in that downpour for as long as they did.
But now…it was time to check out the after party, which meant an uncrowded spin around the World Showcase with some tasting portions of food at the different country booths and kiosks. But first…I was freezing…and I wanted hot tea. We got that immediately and set out to see what each country had to offer. If something sounded good…devour. If not…move on. I probably should have changed clothes, but at that point, it was still raining, so I didn’t see the point.
Cathy tried foods from 7 countries: Mexico, Singapore, China, Brazil, Belgium, France, Canada. Jenn tried food from China, Brazil, and France. Me…I had tea. And after stopping at France, I decided I REALLY needed to be in dry clothes. I was shaking more than walking. And since it was just an intermittent drizzle, I figured it was the best time to get out of my cold, wet costume and into my long pants and running jacket.
Me, in dry clothes, after walking the World Showcase and enjoying the after party at Epcot after the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
BEST FEELING EVER!
I was dry and now…warm. I also ate one of my protein bars to help with recovery. And we finished up the World Showcase that night and called it a morning. Because by the time we got on the shuttle and returned to the hotel, it was 2:35 a.m. And we all still had to shower. I went first, making it quick. Then Jenn. Then Cathy. We didn’t have any reason to be up early the following morning, so we slept in until 9:30-ish. It was Magic Kingdom day that day…which meant Dole Whip for dessert that night. We ended up having Dole Whip for breakfast the following morning before hitting up Epcot on our last day there.
I even randomly was found by my friend Michele, who also did the half marathon. She found me in Morocco of all places. HA! And we ended up talking about a lot of things for awhile, before she and her group moved on to try more foods from the showcase, and we went to continue on around the other way, killing time before dinner that night.
So, my official results for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon are that I finished with an official time of 1:50:09. ON A BROKEN TOE! IN THE POURING RAIN! I was 418/11,941 overall. I was the 97/7928 woman to cross the finish line. And I was 15/1442 in my division to finish. Disney Magic. Had to be. Not my best half marathon by a long shot, but given the circumstances…just…amazing to me.
Now, really, I need to show some mercy on my poor foot and toe. Time to heal.
Once again, Disney…you were expensive…but totally worth every bit of money I poured into you for those 4 days I was there. Despite not having the characters out on the course for much of the race, I have every desire to come back and do this one again. This time…without the downpour and preferably without the broken toe.
Disney…as always…you are my happy place. Thanks for another great race (and another great reason to dress up in costume to run!).
Me crossing the finish line of the TCS New York City Marathon – New York, New York
Race: TCS New York City Marathon
Place: New York, New York
Date: November 2, 2014
Time:3:50:32
There is just something about New York City! I have always loved this city. Seriously. And that was only reaffirmed two weekends ago when I was there to participate in the TCS New York City Marathon! Talk about an exciting, overwhelming, and interesting adventure.
Interesting, you say? Well…yes. Because this adventure started off with quite a few hiccups. And the first one was the flight there. For one thing, without being told, our American Airlines flight was changed. Yep. Changed. In fact, it was now a USAirways flight. Which, for reasons dating back to Ireland 2010…pissed me off. But, I guess it was a good thing I sent my roomie over to their site to check us into our flight, or we would have been 2 full hours late to the airport. Instead of leaving at 6 p.m., our flight was changed to 4 p.m. I never got word of this change…so…thankfully we checked. YIKES!
Now having to leave work earlier for the airport, we had to tie up things at work sooner. But the fun didn’t stop there. Our flight was delayed. And when the call came through (at least they let me know this time!), we found out that now we couldn’t make our connecting flight at Charlotte to get to LaGuardia, where we’d be meeting up with Heather to get to the hotel together. UGH. Cathy got on the phone and finally got to talk to someone who managed to get us on a flight that would get into Newark. Now we needed to get from New Jersey to Manhattan. So…now Cathy had to call and hire a car. I was stressed out. Very much not a zen runner at this time. So, that afternoon, we left work earlier than planned to get to the Louisville airport. We arrived…checked my bag (I had to…I actually had foam rollers, water, and even a protein shake)…and got through security without a line. The TSA agent was cracking me up. He asked where I was traveling to and me, wearing my TCS New York City Marathon pullover said, “New York City.” And he did the old Pace Picante Sauce commercial where he said, “New York City?…Get a rope.” I giggled. At least TSA was in a good mood on Halloween.
Now, we had time to kill. So, Cathy and I began our endless meandering between the two terminals at the Louisville airport. And on one of our circuits, we ran into our boss from the office and her husband, who were supposed to have left earlier that morning for London. Turns out their flight got cancelled and they had to come back to catch a later one…which was also flying to Charlotte (like ours!), but it was the flight following us. I have never run into anyone I know at any airport, so this kind of made my day. We talked for a bit and then we went to charge my phone and wait on our plane.
Me with the Horse Head Guy at Charlotte Airport
It arrived late. We boarded. We got into Charlotte and noticed that one of the passengers on our flight (I said he looked like he was in the mafia), was now walking around with a horse mask on his head. It cracked me up for some reason. And the double takes he would get on the moving sidewalk was priceless. Seriously. When he paused to look at the connection screens, I went up and asked if I could get a photo with him. He kindly did so. God, I love Halloween.
Anyway, while at Charlotte we got something to eat. I devoured a protein bar and a fruit cup I went and bought at Starbucks. Cathy got Burger King, something she hasn’t had in awhile. I think it was a good choice for her. After we ate and relaxed, we headed over to our gate to fly out to Newark. We boarded, we took off, we landed. Cathy called the car people while I snagged my bag from baggage claim. And then…we were picked up and taken to The Manhattan Club in downtown Manhattan, our home away from home for the rest of the weekend.
Heather got there about 4 hours before we did. They were nice enough to let her check into the room. She went out exploring and to grab dinner while we were still on our way. But, we arrived. Cathy switched the credit card over to hers and Heather came down to take us up to our room. Second floor. No long elevator rides and the option to take the stairs if needed. We talked for a little bit, but it was very early and we needed some rest. We all got ready for bed and I set an alarm to wake us up so we could head over to the expo in a couple of hours.
The alarm went off too early for my liking, but I got up, shut it off, and we were got dressed and headed out into the windy, chilly, and damp New York City morning. The shuttle to the expo was picking up not too far from our hotel. We were early, and happened to stroll past a Fresh & Co. We noted the gluten-free and vegetarian offerings, so we ducked inside to eat some breakfast as the shuttle was about a 30 minute wait and we had the time. The breakfast was good. Not great. But good. And filling. And as I had no lunch plans, that was the important thing. I ended up getting the Zen Quinoa Bowl, which had 2 eggs over easy, with chickpeas, kale, portobello mushrooms, and onions. I topped it off with hot sauce and…yeah…it saw me through. Cathy got one of their breakfast wraps and Heather got a Nutella Croissant.
Now fortified and with the shuttle scheduled to arrive at any time…we headed out to hop aboard and get to the Javits Center and get our expo on! I had heard amazing things about this expo…and being New York City…you just know it’s going to be HUGE. I was hoping to have a chance to catch a couple of the elites, but it was the day before the race…so it wasn’t happening. It was nice, however, to get out of the rain for a little while. We arrived via shuttle bus and disembarked, heading inside and following the crowds to the escalators that took us up…to a camera/photography expo. Walk around to another set of escalators and BAM…marathon heaven. And immediately you see the official merchandise booth. I had to hit this up.
Me with my race bib…#11415 – Orange – Wave 1 – Corral C!
For one thing, I was dedicating my race to a very brave young lady battling her second bout of brain cancer. I wanted to get Cailin something from the expo and my friend (her mom), Joanne, said that she loves hats…and they would keep her head warm during the winter as she went through treatments. Perfect. So, I purchased a hat for her…then arm warmers, gloves, and a t-shirt for me. Done. On to the rest of the expo. Packet pickup. Smooth and easy. No problems at all. And no line! Back to exploring. No BondiBands…so no purchasing of those as is tradition. But I got to sample a few products and know (for 100% sure) that I want a Yonana machine. I avoided the Newton tent…because I knew I’d purchase shoes that I didn’t currently need (I have a pair in the box still!). I did purchase a couple flavors of GU for the marathon, as I was in need of fuel. Aside from that, we strolled the aisles, sampled things, and then…went upstairs to do the passport thing to get a free poster. I love race posters. So, we traveled through the different boroughs of New York via the expo, got this little booklet stamped at each one, took pictures, pretended to cross the finish line…and then…then…
I met a legend.
Kathrine Switzer.
Heather, Me, Kathrine Switzer, and Cathy at the TCS New York City Marathon Race Expo
If you do not know who Kathrine Switzer is…shame on you. In case you are living in shame…she is the first female to run the Boston Marathon as a registered number. Albeit, she was registered under the name of K. Switzer and race officials thought she was a man. When they saw her running, they tried to forcefully remove her from the race. She slipped from their grasps and went on to finish the race. What an inspiration to women everywhere. Especially women runners.
I wanted to meet her. So…I got into her line. Her time was running short, as she was about to go and give a talk, and we were warned that she might not get to us. But…we decided to at least try. And…we were the last people to get to talk to her. She was very kind, giving all three of us hugs. And as she called me over to sign a copy of her book…this man from Mexico came over and tried to talk to her. He said he didn’t understand English, but her assistant spoke Spanish. I don’t think he expected that. This kind of shit always happens to me. I was having a moment…and then…someone sort of…ruins it for me. Kathrine, being Kathrine, indulged him and signed his book and snapped a photo with him, but now she was feeling even more hurried. She apologized so many times. We took a picture and then she insisted that Cathy and Heather get in the shot too. It has always been a dream of mine to run under her Boson number: 261. She told me to “be fearless” and to have a great marathon. Such a wonderful woman.
And then…we were done with the expo. Just like that. We hopped back on a shuttle to head back to the Manhattan Club, after grabbing some Starbucks. Mmmm…much needed caffeine. Upon returning, we went to Walgreens to purchase umbrellas and some water to have in the room. Hydration is very important! Heather had plans to meet up with her cousin for lunch, so she hopped into a taxi and went to do that. Cathy and I decided to go exploring. I know…the day before the race is not the time to be on your feet, but my time in NYC was so limited as it was, I needed to get out there. Even if it was pouring rain on us and just windy and gross. Off we went. First stop…Times Square! And from there…wherever our feet took us. And we literally pounded that pavement for hours. We went up Broadway…and I spotted the Phantom of the Opera in a window of a theater showing…Phantom of the Opera. He waved…and I waved back. We hiked around to various stores, ducking in to wherever looked interesting. We took in some famous sites. Cathy went and got cannoli from The Cake Boss store…something she had been dying to do. And then, we reconnected with Heather, and went to Rockerfeller Center. The ice rink was up, but I couldn’t justify paying $30 to skate…and that was without the skate rental fee. We went to the Lego store. We grabbed chocolates at Teuscher Chocolates (to have as dessert that night). And then, we finally wrapped everything up and went back to the hotel room to drop things off and head off to dinner.
Me in Times Square, New York, New York
Night before a race means…gluten-free pizza!!
And we had originally planned to go to a place called Nizza. But, the only reservation slot available was 4 pm. WAY too early. So, around 6 p.m., we went down to Don Antonio by Starita, a few blocks down from our hotel, instead. They didn’t take reservations, but said that there was never more than a 45 minute wait, even on weekends. We took them at their word. Upon arriving, I went in to put my name on the list. I was told…45 minutes. So we waited. Inside. This tiny little restaurant. It. Was. Worth. It.
Cathy and Heather actually got their first sample of the food as, because of the number of people, a sample pizza was sliced up and sent out. Cathy was impressed by what she tried. And soon after, the very Italian man (whom we nicknamed the Italian Adam Levine) called out my name. And he could have said it a few more times and I would not have minded at all. *DROOL* We were seated and given menus to browse. Because it had no cheese on it at all…Cathy and I opted to split the Gluten Free Marinara Pizza. She also decided to try one of their famous fried dough balls…opting for the Montanarine Genovese, which is a fried dough puff topped with onion, pancetta and pecorino romano. Heather ordered a pizza as well (she needed meat and cheese and took half of it back to the hotel, although we never got back around to it) and also tried one of the fried dough balls. Order in. Order out. I actually had to look VERY closely at the pizza to make sure it was gluten free. It actually had a CRUST. No cracker crust here. This was a substantial, real pizza crust. The only difference between it and the regular crust was that this was obviously cooked in a pan as the edges were very clean. It was fantastic. And filling. And after eating…we returned to the hotel, ate our chocolates, rotated through showers, and got to bed.
Underneath that fashionable robe is a girl ready to run the streets of NYC
THANK GOD FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME. We fell back that night. Extra hour of sleep. Which was good, because the alarm at 4 a.m. for me to get up and get dressed for the race came earlier than I wanted. I turned it off, went into the bathroom and started to get ready. And then I heard the alarm go off again (appropriately it was “New York Groove” by Kiss). I had only hit snooze. Whoops. It did that twice more…so by the time Heather and Cathy were supposed to get up…they were already up. They went to get ready and soon I was pinned up, donning the toss-away bathrobe to keep me warm at the start for hours, and we were heading out of the room to make the walk to the subway to get to the New York Public Library where I would catch a shuttle bus to the start.
We stepped outside and were immediately battered by a strong wind gust. I mean, it practically knocked us over. Very high winds. As we headed to the subway I said, “And I’m supposed to run in this?!” It would be interesting if nothing else. The underground subway terminal was a nice reprieve from the wind and soon we found ourselves on a train with other runners heading to the same place. We got off the train and headed up to the street to the library. We were all guided into this little chute, which we walked until we hit the security checkpoint where only people with a race bib could enter. I gave hugs to Cathy and Heather, and sent them off to get their breakfast…a NYC bagel…while I got into the madness of the bus queue. Oh…wow…this was insanity. So many people…all trying to get on their shuttles. WOW. It was…an adventure to say the least. But I picked a line further up and climbed into the bus to make the drive from the library to the start camp at the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge. I only had with me a change of shoes (I heard the grass could get wet so I was ditching an old pair in my corral and putting on my race shoes then), a banana and some cereal. My fuel belt was around my waist…and that was it. I was bundled up in a robe and gloves…but it was no match for the bitter wind that morning.
Heather, me, and Cathy in the subway waiting on the train to get to the New York City Library shuttles. We are very sleep deprived.
The ride over was uneventful. It was super early…my shuttle departed at 6 a.m. Everyone was I think just…sleeping or dozing or looking out the window. I did a lot of looking out the window on the ride to the bridge. I was in a calm place. I thought I was going to be a nervous wreck, especially since I wouldn’t know anyone at the start line. But I was as zen as could be expected…because the unexpected awaited. I will remind everyone…my training for this race fell to pieces back in July…when what was thought to be the start of a stress fracture turned out to be…inflammation…that still is rearing its ugly head. So, I knew this race had the potential to be…really, really, really bad. But I was going into it with my foot feeling…okay…and a lot of support.
The bus parked on the side of the road with a long line of other buses. And here, we all disembarked. There were volunteers out, directing all runners toward the staging area of Fort Wadsworth…where I would now have a 3 hour wait before my wave and corral would be sent off. Three long, cold, and windy hours. It was during this slow procession to the staging area and start villages that I realized my banana had fallen out of my robe pocket on the bus. Now…all that I had with me to eat…was a serving size of my cereal. And my GU packets for the run. I knew the start villages were going to have some items for runners to enjoy, including coffee, tea, and bagels. I was hoping bananas or something gluten-free might be there as well.
But first…I had to contend with the security. All runners had to show their bibs as they entered the staging area. Then…metal detectors. I had my clear starting area bag with just my shoes in it (and in hindsight, should have put my snacks in there as well!) so I was ushered through. I handed my stuff off to one of the officers, went through the metal detector, and then proceeded to get wanded because I was wearing my long robe. Ah well. No biggie. The wind was already brutal. In fact, race officials had to reduce the number of tents at the staging area because of the strong wind gusts. This meant, when I made it to the orange start village…there was one tent…and a lot…A LOT of people.
Me sitting in the tent for the Orange Start Village before the TCS New York City Marathon…rocking the free Dunkin Donuts Hat. I was, honestly, freezing!
Entering the staging area for my color was an experience. Lines of people were everywhere. But, by the grace of the running gods, Dunkin Donuts was there and they were passing out these hats to all the runners. Thank goodness, because the winds were not only gusting, but they were chilling. Down to the bone. And my head was cold. I immediately threw it onto my head (as so many others did as well) and made one circuit of the start village offerings. Tea, spring water, coffee (supplied by Dunkin Donuts), Gatorade Endurance products, bagels and PowerBars were all there were. I went up to the PowerBar people and asked if any of the bars were gluten-free. None of them were. I was about to have a mild panic attack. I had yet to eat something…because I didn’t want to eat too early…but I knew it would be impossible to go very far on just a serving of my gluten-free cereal. Yep. Panic. Not much I could do about it though…so taking the advice of my friend, Courtney, who ran New York City last year, I made my way to the one tent that they had up in my start village and ducked inside, spotting somewhere sort of near the middle and settled in. Maybe I could make friends. Maybe someone would have an extra banana. Maybe…
But…no one around me spoke English. No joke. Not very well, anyway. So, making friends was not going well for me. I finally just gave up, decided to eat bits of my cereal intermittently until I had to get to my corral, and just…try not to panic. I had one extra GU pack on me, which I would take 20 minutes before the run. It had to be good enough. So I began reading through Dean Koontz’s “Frankenstein” and would every now and again nibble on a bit of my cereal. My nerves were now way up.
After awhile, I started hearing some announcements over the loud speaker…but couldn’t make any of them out. I decided to risk losing my spot in the tent to step outside and see if I could get a clearer idea of what was being said. I am so glad I did. Because Wave 1 was being sent to their corrals and we had 20 minutes to make the walk there and get inside before we would be cut off and forced to start in the second wave instead. That was not going to happen to me. I made my way with the masses toward the corrals, now traipsing over a field with hay laid out on the ground. And I made it to the Orange Wave…Corral C. With only a few minutes to spare. Whew.
I admit…I think I was expecting something closer to the start corrals of the Chicago Marathon. But I was on a little side street, alleyway of some sort…with port-a-potties lining one entire side and the masses of runners in the Orange Wave Corral C all huddled together or in line to pee. It was…not glamorous at all. I made small talk with some people around me…a woman from Australia who commented on my dressing gown…a freezing guy who was dressed in shorts and a long sleeve shirt…not at all prepared for all the hours spent at the staging area in this kind of weather. And others. As the time got nearer, I changed my shoes and ditched the robe…to now freeze. Soon…the corral strings were dropped and we were all marched forward, up toward the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge.
The view of the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge from my corral on Staten Island
It is a beautiful bridge…but it is intimidating for sure. I saw a Marathon Maniac walking only a few steps ahead of me, so I called out to him and we were talking on the way up near the bridge. He asked where my Marathon Maniac gear was and I explained that my company sponsored me so I was wearing their uniform. Then, the loud speaker booted up again and we were hearing the names of the elite men (my wave started with them!) and we would all cheer. I mean…we were running with Wilson Kipsang, Geoffrey Mutai, and Meb Keflezighi. Legends. Then we were informed that was the dress rehearsal and the next time it would be live…so we were to cheer loudly again. HA. The magic of television.
They were announced. Again. And we cheered. Again. I removed the Dunkin Donuts hat and tucked it into my fuel belt. If it stayed…free hat. If not…eh…it was a free hat. The National Anthem was played and then…cannons. I knew that was how we were sent off…but it still scared the living daylights out of me. My heart skipped a beat, my feet began to move toward the start…and up we all started, crossing the first sensor pad at the start line…and taking the 3.6% grade of the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge. And that was when we got our first taste of the winds that we would be battling that morning. No joke, there were gusts that made me feel like my feet were going to come out from under me. We all put our heads down…our race bibs sounding like sails in hurricane force winds. The helicopters circled us overhead. The world was watching. And we must have looked like we were on the biggest treadmill in the wold.
The first mile is straight up the bridge and the second mile…you come back down and hit the streets. Everything is loud. After the bridge…it’s just people. So many people. And they are out there…cheering…and if you had your name on your shirt (I didn’t)…they would shout out your name. It was uplifting. It almost made you forget you were cold. And battling wind gusts between 40 mph and 60 mph. So, we left Staten Island and were immediately welcomed into…BROOKLYN!
I won’t lie…I had the Beastie Boys song “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” drumming through my mind. It was part of the music playlist I put together to get me excited for the NYC Marathon in the first place. We honestly rounded that corner and heard “WELCOME TO BROOKLYN!” Awesome.
The elite men on First Avenue around Mile 17.5. Meb is in the white arm warmers behind the second guy in orange.
Brooklyn is, honestly, the longest stretch of the five boroughs. Staten Island…we’re there for the start village and the bridge…then…up until the halfway point…honestly. And there was a lot going on for that first half. Rows of people lining the streets. Runners either pushing hard from the start or easing up to save it for the finish. I knew running the entire 26.2 miles wasn’t happening for me. I can’t run what I didn’t train for…but I was going to do my best. I dedicated this race to a brave young woman who was fighting the hardest battle of her life…and I was going to honor her as best I could. I was going to just give this race the best of me.
At mile 5…I ditched my gloves.
Brooklyn was interesting. It is also where, around Mile 10, we enter Bedford Avenue…Williamsburg…where the Orthodox Jews reside. While there were some scattered throughout this mile…watching…it was silent. No cheering. And hardly anyone out. It made Mile 10 one of the more challenging to get through in the race. The crowds carry you when you feel like you can’t take one more step. Here…you just had to get through. It was early though…and most of us still felt good. I did.
I hit the halfway point…and then…”WELCOME TO QUEENS!”
Pretty much every borough had someone that would scream a fantastic welcome to you as you ran through. LOVE. The Queensboro Bridge was ahead…and as I started to make my way inside…yes…we ran a lower deck…I saw many a male marathoner pull off to the side to pee. This was also the bridge where I lost my GPS signal for about .3 of a mile. I didn’t know it at the time, but it happened. I noticed as I came to Mile 16 and my watch didn’t beep. It did…a little later after I passed. I was now ahead of my watch. That is okay…I wear that as a backup for my time more than anything else. The zen runner does live on…sometimes. Exiting the bridge, which was just a cavern that echoed and amplified our breathing and footfalls, we were once again greeted by the masses. That rush you get when that crowd returns…when you get the shouting and the cowbells and the encouragement…it is the best feeling in the world. And it was what started to carry me.
Me waving to Heather and Cathy at Mile 17.5. Still smiling and feeling good!
Cathy and Heather had told me that they were going to try to catch me at Mile 17. As I crossed the Mile 17 marker, I began searching the crowd on the left for them. This was made even more challenging as we were now climbing another hill. I didn’t see them and had all but given up. The downside of the hill greeted me and as I crest it and begin my descent, there they are, screaming for me over the crowd. I run by, throwing them a huge smile and a wave. I love seeing my friends when I’m running. It is just…uplifting. It is.
I was running First Avenue now…and I remained on there through Mile 20 about. But before leaving this street…I still had to go over the Willis Avenue Bridge. The inclines were starting to get to my untrained legs, so I slowed a little. I hated to do it…but if I was going to make that last 10K, I had to. But I took the bridge like a champ, pushing myself through the strong headwinds and thinking of Cailin…wanting to finish this strong. I came off the bridge…
“WELCOME TO THE BRONX!”
We weren’t in The Bronx for long through…and soon the streets wound us through Harlem and the crowds were loud and it was exciting. I loved hearing people get called out. I loved hearing, “You’re looking strong, girl!” Even though I knew I looked anything but strong. It helped. A lot. This was around where runners hit the dreaded wall. With the strong wind gusts that day, I was battling this run harder than any other. I think this might be as close as I have ever gotten to hitting…”The Wall.” I fought it though…because I knew…I was close now. I was so close.
We make the turn onto Fifth Avenue and soon I hear the shout I’ve been waiting to hear…
“WELCOME BACK TO MANHATTAN!”
Love. I could see the city. I could hear the city. And here, the runners were pushing themselves toward Central Park. We get to duck inside the park around Mile 22, only to reemerge briefly. But when we return to the park…we are two miles away from glory. Just two miles. The crowds inside the park are amazing. They had to go through security checkpoints to be there. They were loud and giving us the “You’re so close! You’re almost there!” And you believe it…because it’s true. Two miles…
My selfie after crossing the finish line of the TCS New York City Marathon
The park is beautiful this time of year. Still green, but shading to those perfect fall colors. The wind…was brutal that day. And I focused more on pushing through those gusts. I could taste the finish line. I could almost feel it with each step I willed myself to take. I was on my way. I came up hill at Mile 25…and I knew…I was close. Pushing on, the crowds became louder. I could hear the announcer at the finish line. And there it was. These arching towers…those little blue mats at our feet. I pushed with what I could find left in my tank. I pushed. And I crossed that finish line feeling like I just won the damn thing. My time…was my third fastest, although I felt like this one beat me up the most. I was tired and drained…but I felt so alive. There were no tears at this finish line. Smiles. Just smiles. I did it! I took a moment…and snapped a selfie.
From here…the long walk ensued. We were funneled through the finishing area, our medals placed around our necks and mylar blankets wrapped around us. There were people out there who attached stickers to hold the mylar in place as we continued up through Central Park. Finisher’s photos were taken…and the food goodie bag was passed out. Water and Gatorade were offered. I took some water. I was in the group of runners that had a bracelet on because I didn’t check a bag. This meant I got a free TCS New York City Marathon poncho. But my trek there was long…I had to get to 77th Street. Here, volunteers would wrap and secure the lined and heavy-duty poncho around the runners and send us up toward 72nd Street. This…was where we were out of the race zone.
I had through I’d be going straight up 77th street to rendezvous with Heather, Cathy and my friend Marisa…but now I was 5 blocks down. I checked the printed map Cathy had given me and this worked out better. The hot dog place they were grabbing lunch at (Gray’s Papaya) was closer to 72nd Street. So, I headed up that way. I was handed some tea and congratulated. Many people who walked by congratulated all the runners making their way up there.
Marisa, me, and Heather after the TCS New York City Marathon
And then…there was Heather. She hurried over and gave me a hug. She said, “You finished in 3:50-something.” I was beaming. Then…Cathy and Marisa were there…hugs all around. I wanted to get back to the hotel to shower because we had some things to do before dinner that night, and our reservation was at 6 p.m. So, we made the short walk back to The Manhattan Club. We went up to the hotel room and I took a nice hot shower. Nothing in the world felt better than that. After I was changed and my hair was dried…I gave another attempt at consuming a protein shake post-marathon. It didn’t sit well. Not one bit. I ended up throwing it up. But I felt better. We headed out…to walk to Tiffany’s because I needed to get a pendant engraved and do a bit of shopping. On the way, Cathy ducked into the place we had breakfast on Saturday morning and snagged me a bottle of Sprite Zero to settle my stomach. It helped. A lot.
We had a great time at Tiffany’s…but it took longer than anticipated. Back to the hotel to change for dinner. Then a fantastic and
Me, with Cathy, in my fancy dress, compression socks, and heels…because this is how a marathoner dresses up for dinner!
celebratory dinner at Red Rooster in Harlem. For any non-foodies…this is Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant. Usually we do pubs…but I requested this. I think the most epic moment of the night was as we were heading down to the subway, some girls were just coming up the steps with their mylar wrapped around them. They looked at me and said…”She’s in heels. She just ran a marathon…and she’s in heels. With compression socks!” Their eyes met mine and they said…”You’re my hero!” It made me laugh. I tend to recover well and fast after a marathon. I hope it stays like that. So…dinner in Harlem and then…we parted. Marisa had to return to New Jersey and the three of us went to retire to the hotel. Heather and I decided to head back out (I move as much as possible after a marathon) and see Ground Zero. We saw the new tower, which was opening the following morning. It was still bitter cold out and we ended up having a snafu with one of our trains back to Manhattan. So, we got in really late…and had to all get up super early to get a taxi to the airport. But every moment of this trip was worth it.
My official time for the TCS New York City Marathon was 3:50:32. I was 9984 out of 50,875 finishers overall. I was the 1970/20,414 female to cross the finish line. And I was 403/3740 in my age division to finish. When I look at the overall results…I am beyond impressed with my performance. This still wasn’t the race I wanted. But the winds…they were relentless. I heard on the news that all but 6 miles of the marathon were with a headwind. I believe it. It sucked. A lot. But, you can’t change the weather…you just adapt. That’s what I did. I would LOVE to run this one again, believe it or not. Minus the wind trying to take my feet out from under me. As a side note, the wheelchair racers were started at Mile 3…due to the heavy winds on the bridge. The race officials were afraid they would be blown over or off. It was honestly that bad. I had a fantastic time and a fantastic race given the circumstances…and I was once again reminded of the many reasons that I always have and continue to love New York.
I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!
As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).
The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”
Love it.
The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.
We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll
SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.
We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.
Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.
Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.
This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!
This brings me to our side purchases…
For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar
“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.
So, I took a bite.
OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!
The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.
The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie
Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!
I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).
The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow
I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.
The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.
As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!
I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.
Beyond impressed!
The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars
Product: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars – $4.99+
Coconut milk and I are seriously becoming best mates.
Really.
I am using it more and more…and not just to splash into my coffee or over my cereal. I mean…I am now making ice cream with it, making soups with it, you name it…I’m probably doing it. And my main source of coconut milk (my only source, actually!) is So Delicious. Why? Because they live up to their name. I have never had a product that I didn’t like from their line-up. That’s saying something, for sure.
Happily, they make more than just half gallon cartons of coconut milk. Yep. They do yogurts and even…desserts. YES! Desserts. Otherwise known as my favorite meal of the day.
I was recently provided with a box of the new So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars. I just recently reviewed the Fudge Bars and Super Strawberry Bars. This was the last in the line of products and the one I was anticipating the most. I mean…java…hello! I won’t lie…coffee and I are also best mates. So, combine coconut milk with coffee and make it a dessert…you are totally speaking my language.
I wonder if So Delicious knew that?
Anyway…after a long day that started with spin class at the gym and ended at physical therapy for my ankle sprain, I was looking forward to treating myself to something sweet and refreshing after a quick dinner. So, after I finished up my meal, I did up the dishes and reached into the freezer for the So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars. I removed two…one for me and one for my roommate.
One taste and I have declared this one my favorite of the bunch. It’s like…eating a delicious frappuccino. Seriously. The best part is, the coffee flavor doesn’t overwhelm this dessert. Too often, coffee-flavored desserts or treats are overwhelmed by that java flavor. But not these. The balance is perfect. And the coconut milk just makes it. Honestly. It just makes this dessert. It’s so smooth and dreamy-creamy. I was happy to savor it slowly, until it started to melt more. Then I had to pick up the pace. The fact of the matter is…SUPER DUPER JAVA-INDUCED YUMMINESS!
You can quote me on that one. OMG…so delicious indeed. These will forever have a spot in my freezer…because they aren’t just good…they are a treat you won’t feel guilty about eating either.
While on that topic…let’s go ahead and peek at the ingredients, yes? The So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars are made from organic coconut milk, organic dried cane syrup, organic inulin, organic guar gum, organic fair trade coffee, natural flavor, organic locust bean gum, and sea salt. Not too bad on the ingredients. Nothing that I don’t recognize. That’s always a good sign.
Nutritionally, these are awesome! A serving is one of the dessert bars. This mini treat will serve you up only 80 calories and 4 grams of fat. One dessert bar also contains 25 mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar. That’s really good for a dessert! You will also be taking in 5 grams of fiber and only 1 gram of protein.
If you are a coffee-junkie like me…you will love this dessert bar. It is truly amazing. You won’t even guess that it’s made with coconut milk. And, trust me, you won’t miss the dairy either. These are beyond fantastic. These…are what dreams are made of. And I, for one, am a happy dairy-free ice cream loving girl.
Thank you so much, So Delicious!! I love you for life.
So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Just Java Bars (unwrapped)
With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado. I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out. And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.
There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever. But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.
So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
It was our first day in Colorado. After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area. We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night. I was thrilled. I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed. The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners. Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado. Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options. Including…gluten-free pizza. Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run. Pizza was just the thing I needed.
Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00). It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else. Order in. At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do? The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was just reading the description. I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does. Also important with that long run looming.
The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing. It tasted just as good as it looked too. The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce. The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion. Sweet and savory. Very delicious. But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts. That just brought all the other toppings together. Fantastic. The crust was really good. Not undercooked, but done to perfection. It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated. I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.
The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food. They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs. They are massive, mind you. Like…steering wheel size. So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.
I ended up getting one of the omelettes. In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50). This thing is, honestly, the size of my head. But…full of delicious veggie goodness. This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar. Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more. I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes. And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast. YUM! As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50). It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head. I think I was wired for much the rest of the day. But it was good.
So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that. I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now. I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory. Honestly. I do. It’s the truth. The eggs are always done to perfection. The toast is crispy and never burned. I love it with their homemade jam. SO delicious. And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs. Seasoned to perfection. Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center. I ate mine with hot sauce. The omelette too. HEAVEN…on a plate. Which I demolished, mind you. I ate every last piece. I was full for the rest of the day.
St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies. And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem. We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery. Seriously.
St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to. And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night. Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store. I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there. But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close. It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.
That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders. He told us not to worry about it. He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late. So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split. More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.
For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99). The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich. It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella. Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99). This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster. We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate. With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.
Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic. Absolutely FANTASTIC! I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia. The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich. The basil was so fresh and so fragrant. The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good. And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread. The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite. I was in love with this sandwich. Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.
As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah. It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous. This was a sin to eat. The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good. It paired so well with the custard. I was so happy when eating this. So very happy. I sort of want to recreate it for myself. If possible. It’s worth a try. Yep…that good. Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!! I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May. It must happen.
Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
I love crepes. LOVE them. With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them. I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck. Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver. But…they closed. THEY CLOSED!! I was saddened by this, but started doing some research. What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food. The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs. The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy. We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.
Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike. The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open. And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free. This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails. There is a little bit for everyone.
But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes. None of their savory crepes are vegetarian. That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise. It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes. She went potatoes. I swiped one. OMG. Amazing. I swiped more than one after that. I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE. I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet. Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place. And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50). This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé. The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side. My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside. Much less to navigate through. But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe. I loved the rum brown sugar sauce. The whipped cream was a nice touch. And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven. I devoured it. Like…completely. Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining. Not me. I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate. Worth it. YUM! I am making this a required stop from now on. It must happen. It is that good. And I feel safe eating there.
Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. For real. No…seriously. And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.
We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening. I loved how you got to seat yourself. Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks. I was sticking with water. But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25). And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99). As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99). Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.
My salad was MASSIVE!! And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off. This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes. All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing. And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad. The flavors really, really worked together. I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together. The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!! As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw. With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw. Probably my only disappointment. The rest…so good!
Cathy was very impressed with her fish. In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town. The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture. It was epic. We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel. Perfection.
Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport. I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta. It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out. So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.
And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar. Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market. And…they are based in Denver. So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise. I was so happy they did.
We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over. We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries. Filling. Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.
Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread. She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich. As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00). Gluten-free sweet potato fries. Pardon my dance of joy and glee. This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries. This is me…being happy.
It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food. The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion. But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.
My fries were FANTASTIC! Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland. They were crispy, fried to perfection. I was in love with them. In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries. As for the sandwich…epic win. Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli. And the flavors just popped. I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together. Simple flavors…executed perfectly. And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!! I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport. Seriously. This was my happy that day.
~*~*~
So…there you have it. I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy. Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver). Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains. I will cut them some slack.
This was one of my best foodie trips to date. Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food. I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in. And that…is amazing!!
Colorado…see you in May. I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!
Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans
Product: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans – $2.99+
I love chocolate covered espresso beans. They are little “pellets of power” as my roommate calls them. And she couldn’t be more right. But they have to be dark chocolate coated. Why? Because dark chocolate…as I stated before…is my favorite chocolate and the only one I prefer to consume. Milk chocolate is not for me. And white chocolate…it’s never really impressed me. Dark chocolate, with all it’s healthy antioxidants and heart-healthy qualities is the way to go.
I still remember reading one of Dean Karnazes’ books (he is the Ultramarathon Man for those of you who are unfamiliar with the name) about running in his first ultra marathon. He was at one of the checkpoints and he was given a slice of brownie. What made this brownie the most amazing thing he had ever tasted…was the espresso beans that were baked inside the chocolate fudgey treat. Runners love that extra kick that caffeine can give to their runs…and having it with a hit of chocolate is my favorite way to eat espresso beans.
Imagine my joy when I was at my local Earth Fare store and spotted the Endangered Species line of chocolate bars. They had so many varieties on their shelves and my roommate told me to pick one. ONE!!!!! How was I supposed to choose? But…I did. And while the Dark Chocolate Bar with Blueberries was very tempting (blueberries…another super food for runners!)…I ended up selecting the Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.
And I couldn’t be happier with my choice. This chocolate bar ended up getting tucked away in my drawer of run goodies in my kitchen. And, like the chocolate bars that came before it…I totally forgot that they were in there. With sell by dates coming up…I figured now was as good a time as any to work my way through them. A nice little sweet treat for the office day. Perfection. Just what I needed for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up. With the espresso beans, that shouldn’t be a problem.
So, this past week, I opened up the bar and broke it up into 1/5 portions. The serving size on the back indicates that the actual serving is 1/2 of the entire bar. But I just needed a taste…not half a bar at 2 p.m. Just saying.
Let me say this…this bar won me over at first taste. The dark chocolate is some of the best I have ever had the chance to taste. Rich. Smooth. It wasn’t too bitter at all. Just the perfect hit of dark chocolate goodness. And it’s the perfect percentage for dark chocolate so that it isn’t too bitter and you still know you are eating dark chocolate. This particular bar sits pretty at 72% cocoa. The espresso beans…oh…yeah. Just like eating a few dark chocolate espresso beans. That’s what this tastes like. Caffeinated love with a hit of coffee flavor. Color me a happy chocolate-eating girl.
This chocolate bar is certified gluten-free, vegan, uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, it’s kosher, and it’s non-GMO certified. The cacao is sourced from ethically traded cacao farms that ensure fair trade, responsible labor practices and sustainable farming. Are you sold on this yet? What is even better, 10% of the net proceeds of each bar purchased are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity. That means…indulging in a cause. A very good and important cause.
So…this clean eating chocolate loving lady gives this bar a huge, huge thumbs up. Honestly. I’m totally addicted. Maybe it’s the espresso beans. Maybe it’s the delicious bittersweet dark chocolate. But I’d wager it’s the combination of the two. As far as ingredients go, this chocolate bar is made up of bittersweet chocolate, and roasted coffee. No…really. How’s that? It’s sweetened from vanilla and beet sugar. Clean eating chocolate for sure.
Nutritionally speaking, by breaking it up into 5 portions of 3 squares, I only consume 84 calories and 7 grams of fat. But, if you were to consume the 1/2 bar (or 43 grams) listed as the actual serving size, you’d be taking in 210 calories and 17 grams of fat. It is cholesterol-free and sodium-free. Seriously. And, for a chocolate bar, the 12 grams of sugar isn’t enough to make my eyes bug out of my sockets. There is also 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. Love it.
If you want a sweet treat without breaking up with your diet…if you just require a hit of chocolate every now and again, I highly recommend the Endangered Species brand. Even better…if you love coffee…indulge a little in the Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans. You won’t be sorry. And it does give the right hit of bittersweet goodness and a little pick-me-up when you need it most.
Indulge in a cause. Indulge in Endangered Species Chocolate. Enjoy!
Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)
Last month, I was overjoyed to actually win a contest that I entered online. It was one of those…”Sure…I’ll enter it. I’m interested in the product, so it would be awesome to win…but if not, I’m not out anything…” And so, I put my name in and I was one of two people selected by random draw to receive an exciting product.
What was it?
Ripped Cream.
Don’t you just love that name?
What is it? Coffee Creamer. Yes…coffee creamer that is gluten-free, all-natural, and high-protein.
In other words…it’s a coffee creamer that was made for me, yes? You betcha!
So, yeah…I was overjoyed. We were asked to choose which flavor we preferred, as Ripped Cream comes in two different varieties: Lean Vanilla Bean and Chizzled Chocolate. It was on a first response basis, meaning whoever replied first got first choice of the flavor. I was sort of late getting that e-mail, but I put in for the Chizzled Chocolate. The other winner beat me to the punch, because when my package arrived…the Lean Vanilla Bean was waiting for me. No big deal. I was just thrilled to be trying out this product.
Now, you are all rather aware of my sports nutritionist moving me more towards a clean eating diet. I’m thrilled to be heading that direction. So, how does this fit in? Well, I will never be able to drink my coffee black. And as we are aiming for around an 80% clean eating as far as my food goes…so this would definitely move into the 20% that isn’t heading that way…but we all make those decisions on our own, yes? It’s not that this creamer is horribly bad. It’s not . The ingredients really are all-natural. But…most people would say…drink the coffee black. NEVER!
Well, as I was working the artificial sweeteners…including the flavored syrup…out of the kitchen…and I had used up my So Delicious Coconut Creamer…this was up. Time to give it a try.
Let’s start with what this coffee creamer adds to the coffee itself. A serving size of Ripped Cream is 2 tablespoons, although I just drop 1 tablespoon in the coffee in the morning. It’s all it needs. A serving, however of Ripped Cream Lean Vanilla Bean adds only 90 calories to your coffee and only 2.5 grams of fat. Aside from that, you get 8 grams of sugar in a serving. But you also receive 5 grams of powerful protein. This coffee creamer also serves up a nice dose of Vitamin D. You feel good about drinking it. As someone who often struggles to meet their daily protein allotment, this creamer is amazing. According to Ripped Cream’s Web site, experts recommend consuming protein within 30 minutes of waking up each morning as a way to promote optimum healthy. This makes this creamer a great addition to the morning routine as it contains as much protein as an egg.
So…how does this all work in the coffee itself?
It’s delicious. No. Really. It is. I’m actually glad I ended up with the Lean Vanilla Bean variety from Ripped Cream. It ranks right up there with other vanilla creamers I have had in the past. The only difference is…this one is actually quite good for you. I mean…just compare them. I am a huge fan of the flavor. I love how quickly it blends into the coffee…nothing lumpy left swimming in my morning wake-up mug. And it’s refreshing. It just heightens the other flavors in the coffee. When your product does all of that, plus adds a bit of nutrition to the mix…you better believe I’m on satisfied customer.
So, thank you to Rather Be Runnin’ for your blog on Ripped Cream. It caught my attention for sure. And, more thanks to Ripped Cream, for making a product that beefs up the morning brew and makes it a healthier choice for flavor. Goodbye bitter coffee…I’m getting ripped every morning.
Ripped Cream Lean Vanilla Bean Protein Coffee Creamer…in coffee
Restaurant: The Pfunky Griddle, Nashville, Tennessee
As a gluten-free vegetarian, sometimes eating while on the road can be a challenge. Fast food joints don’t work for me. And I’ve never been big on fast food regardless. This often means, especially when I travel to visit my family, that finding a restaurant to stop and eat is a priority. Thankfully…in this brave new world of smart phone apps, there is an app for that.
Find Me Gluten Free.
If you have not put this app on your phone…do so now and then continue reading this blog. I’ll wait.
…
Okay…congratulations! Your dining life just got a lot easier. Trust me.
The midway point between my home and my parents home is…Nashville, Tennessee. There is no shortage of places to eat in Nashville. There are also plenty of places that have gluten-free options. Normally, we’d probably make it easy and stop off at Taco Mamacita or even go to McCreary’s Pub in Franklin, Tennessee. But…while I know there are things I could eat at either one of those places (McCreary’s does not have a gluten-free menu, FYI, but Taco Mamacita does), I just wasn’t feeling the usual haunts. So this necessitated a search.
And naturally…I find a place that specializes is…breakfast and brunch.
When breakfast is your favorite meal of the day…this is one hell of a find. It had brilliant ratings on Find Me Gluten Free, so my roommate and I decided we would stop there on the way home and dine on some pancakes for lunch. Breakfast for lunch. Yep…my favorite way to eat.
The Pfunky Griddle is located on Bransford Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a quaint neighborhood with houses done up into businesses and offices. My kind of area. Parking, however, was a nightmare. We arrived sometime just after noon and there were already parties of people standing around outside. No parking was available in the lot, so Cathy dropped me off to go check on the wait time and she went to circle around and see if she could find somewhere to park. I ducked into the building and stood in a short line at the front where the coffee drinks were being made. I asked about wait time for a party of 2 and was told it would be about 25 to 30 minutes. That wasn’t unreasonable, so I put my name in and went to go see if I could find Cathy and tell her. She had just managed to find a parking spot, so we stood around outside for a moment before I asked if she’d like some coffee while we waited.
The Pfunky Griddle’s Honey Child Latte with Almond Milk
Caffeine while on the road is never a bad thing. And…The Pfunky Griddle has almond milk. Could I love this place any more already? Is it possible? After giving it a little bit of thought, Cathy agreed that caffeine might be a good idea (DUH!) so I told her I would treat us to our café order. She went with a Peppermint Mocha with skim milk ($3.75). As for me…I went with something that I couldn’t get anywhere else. Not that I’m aware of, anyway. Stepping away from my order of a Cafe Au Lait for a moment, I opted for what they call a Honey Child Latte with almond milk ($3.75). The Honey Child Latte is a double shot of espresso, combined with honey, cinnamon, vanilla and your steamed milk of choice. Never heard of anything like it…but it sounded epically delicious. So, I had to have one. Besides, I can get cafe au laits anywhere. This was something I had only seen here. Why not go for it?
The coffee orders were backed up, so it took around five minutes to get our actual drinks. No worries though, Cathy and I weren’t in any hurry. And it gave both of us time to stand in line to use the bathroom before getting seated. Her peppermint mocha was up first, and she commented on how awesome it smelled when I passed it off to her. My Honey Child Latte was up next and when I received it…I couldn’t wait to try it. Photos first…then the taste test.
One sip and I was in love. The combination of the rich espresso worked so well with the spice from the cinnamon, the sweetness of the honey, and the smooth vanilla after tones. It all just meshed so well. Love at first sip. I even made Cathy try it and even she commented on how delicious it was. Smooth, dreamy, and sweet. Just how I like it!
Dedicated gluten-free griddle (placed over the one built into the table) at The Pfunky Griddle
I was about halfway through my latte when my name was called. We eagerly followed the hostess to our table in the back room near the window. The table was outfitted with a griddle in the middle because at the Pfunky Griddle…you flip your own pancakes, bitches! Sorry…but it’s a really, really awesome concept. As we were handed menus, I looked at Cathy and said, “I don’t know what they are going to do, but I need this hot griddle completely cleaned…or I can’t eat on it. Cross contamination.” She nodded and went back to the menu…and lo and behold…there at the bottom was a note that said if you were a Celiac, a special griddle would be provided for you.
I admit…I smiled. I smiled a lot. I was already feeling better about the situation. Our waitress came over to take out drink orders. As we both still were downing or pre-game coffee drinks, we opted for water. Cathy went ahead and told her that I was a Celiac…so the waitress said she would send someone out with a new griddle for us. A few moments later, one of the other employees was flipping off the griddle in the center of the table and putting a new griddle across our table. He had it wiped down and left it there. I felt a whole lot better.
And, when eating at The Pfunky Griddle…you get something you put on that griddle. Cathy and I already had our mind made up. They have an all-you-can-eat pancake deal going. So, we opted for that. We got the gluten-free pancakes ($6.99 per adult per person, including 1 topping each). Cathy chose chocolate chips for her included topping and added walnuts for another option ($0.75). For my included topping, I went with blueberries, then added bananas for an additional choice ($0.75). As we were really hungry, we each got a side with our pancake order. Cathy opted for the 2 biscuits ($1.00), which came with butter and jam. As for me, as it was labeled gluten-free, I stuck with the potatoes ($3.00). Order in.
I noted that our griddle wasn’t turned on, so I went ahead and turned it on, giving it some juice. I wasn’t sure how high to set it to cook, so I opted for around 300 degrees, because I didn’t want to burn anything, so I figured a little extra time on the griddle wouldn’t hurt anyone. Not one bit. Our waitress came out with a a bowl that had packets of ketchup and hot sauce in it. And soon…or food followed.
We received a pitcher of gluten-free pancake batter and little plastic containers that contained our toppings of choice. The waitress set this heaping bowl of potatoes down in front of me and told me to cook them for three minutes on each side. I could handle that. With that…we were left to our own devices to cook up our meal at our table. FUN!
Cathy poured her first pancake and went to sprinkle just her chocolate chips over the top. I would have thrown the nuts in too, but she kept them to just sprinkle over the top after her pancake was plated. I got a couple of spoonfuls of potato working on the griddle then poured my own pancake. I poured way more than I expected and had this monster to start off with. I went ahead and tossed some blueberries and banana slices onto it and let it sit to brown on the one side. The heat was definitely too low as both the pancakes and my potatoes were taking awhile to cook. Cathy went ahead and dived into eating her biscuits, really enjoying the flaky, lightness of them. I turned the heat up slightly, which helped. Soon I found myself flipping her pancake and my own because her first attempt was pretty much a fail. But, I cook pancakes on a griddle at home…so I’m sort of a master.
Gluten-Free pancakes and potatoes on the dedicated gluten-free griddle at The Pfunky Griddle
With the other side working, I went ahead and tried the potatoes.
Oh. My. GOD! No, these were honestly some of the most amazing breakfast potatoes ever. Laced with a delicious garlic flavor, these mashed up spuds were crispy from the griddle on the outside, soft on the inside…and really freakin’ fantastic. The flavor was awesome. I told Cathy she had to try some, and she said she intended to. She went ahead and scooped some up for herself to get it working on the griddle while I plated our first pancakes and poured more batter for our next round. We threw on toppings and then settled in for our first taste.
The batter cooks up beautifully. We each achieved this gorgeous golden color on our pancakes. My bananas even caramelized after I flipped my pancake over and the toppings began to work into the pancake itself. I love a light pancake. Nothing is worse than eating one pancake and feeling stuffed. And here, you can make them as big or as small as you want. You can add one topping, both, or more. Whatever your whim…it’s yours to create. And these pancakes really hit the spot. They were sweet, without being overly sweet. And thin. And light. And just plain delicious. The batter wasn’t heavy at all, making the pancakes almost as light as air when I removed them from the griddle and onto our respective plates. And those potatoes. Oh…hell yes!! Those potatoes were one of my favorite thing. Cathy and I both enjoyed them, getting them golden on each side then moving them to the plate. I added hot sauce to mine, just a dab, which only enhanced the amazing flavor. All together…a carby, delicous, amazing, happy dining experience. One of the best gluten-free pancakes I have ever tasted…and I eat a lot of gluten-free pancakes.
This may be a new go-to place in the near future when passing through Nashville. Very happy. I never felt like I needed to worry about my food. The spatulas were rubber, not the metal ones other tables got, so I am certain they were for gluten-free foods only. I felt completely safe, and completely satisfied with my experience there. I’d go back and stuff myself silly with more of their gluten-free pancakes and potatoes.
For the record, they also have gluten-free bread, so you could have one of their sandwiches, or even French toast if your little heart desired it. The point is…this is a business doing gluten-free right. And I am forever thankful for them. And I’m also glad we stopped in and ate here. On the way out, I even purchased a bag of their gluten-free pancake mix for $5.50. So now I can make some at home too.
My gluten-free joy knows no bounds. Doing flips over everything at The Pfunky Griddle.
Love in brunch form!
My Gluten-Free Blueberry and Banana Pancake with Gluten-Free Potatoes that I safely prepared at The Pfunky Griddle
The Celiathlete 