A Gluten Free Breeze...With My Marine

Balmy trip to Norway...including gluten free eating

2014-06-24T10:51:00.001-04:00

At the beach on the Oslo fjord in Norway

Oslo, Norway

The Scream by Edvard Munch.

MY HERITAGE:

I am an American of Norwegian and Swiss descent (as in my family came here around 1900, so we are only 4 or 5 generations of Americans). I grew up hearing my grandparents speak Norwegian and eating Scandinavian foods (in the Midwest- Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas, especially have TONS of Scandis)and you could buy this stuff in any grocery store. Every wedding had polka music/dancing, my grandfather played the accordion, and rosemaling was ubiquitous. When I moved to Southern California after college (where Mariachi bands and Southwestern food is common), for the first time, nobody could pronounce my last name and I couldn't find lefse in the supermarket. It was the first time I realized that my Scandinavian customs were not common throughout the U.S. There was a dearth of Scandinavian people where I lived, and it was a culture shock.

PURPOSE OF TRIP:

Having already traveled to Switzerland, I've always had a desire to look up my roots and go to Norway. I'm glad I waited to try Ancestry website, because now there is so much on my family tree (painstakingly researched from my relatives, no doubt)! I did a bit more digging and found that my great-grandma's farm where she grew up was near Lillehammer and she also lived in Bodø, a fjord area. So, my Marine and I took a week (while we are still on the E Coast, closer & less jet lag) to visit Norway. (In preparation, we watched the acclaimed Lillehammer series on Netflix- about a New York mobster who ratted and chose to relocate to Norway since he remembered how beautiful the women and country were from the Lillehammer Olympic Games on TV).

THE BASICS:

I've always heard about and believed Norway's fjords should be on every traveler's BUCKET LIST. This trip reaffirmed that! Plus, had I known it would be between 65-76 degrees F, I would have gone much sooner! The long hours of sunlight were fantastic, since (unlike the U.S.) museums were open past 5PM, and parks with sculptures until 11! It was a tourist's dream. Well, except for the price. Norway is one of the world's richest countries (it didn't go in for the whole Euro thing, and avoided the whole financial crisis), and it is quite pricey. To stay at airbnb in one room of someone's home it was $125/night (incl taxes,fees), and a tea was $6, and chicken fingers at TGIFridays were $33 (we didn't get them). But, Norway is the most efficient place I've ever traveled (everything on time and easy to navigate- perhaps because it's lead by a woman, lol)!

ITINERARY: Flew to Oslo (museums,Syttende Mai parade, fjord, ferry to peninsula for more museums, parks) for a couple days, then Norway in a Nutshell*highlight- recommend the comfort car upgrade*train/flomsbana/ferry tour to Gudvagen (Naerefjord and Sonjefjord), 1 hour bus to Voss (1 night motel stay on fjord), then kayak one day on Hardangerfjord/Eidfjord *highlight*, then 1 hour bus to Bergen (gem city, known for Rainbow-row like beauty and rain, great shopping,dining,*funicular tram, *Lungegardsvana Park) for a couple days, then take $20 flight back to Oslo for last night before home.

*CAN'T MISS!

FJORDS: The fjords were majestic, dynamic (constantly changing views as you moved along past one folded ridge to reveal a waterfall, etc.), and they just called to be photographed. The 2-3 hour fjord cruises and Norway in a Nutshell (a must-do tour that combines a train and ferry- buy minipris for discount) were the first time I've been somewhere where EVERYONE is taking pictures constantly, without sitting down. As soon as you see a waterfall, then it's gone (another fold in the landscape or a tunnel on the train closes the view like a curtain) so you have to be quick, but then there are up to 200 waterfalls on a fjord, so you just catch the next one. There are green layers of trees below snow-topped layers, and hamlets/villages (with grass-roofed houses) in-between. Kayaking on the fjord was something I will NEVER FORGET. It was a "pinch-me" moment. The waterfalls were so numerous, and the landscape was so gorgeous. Fjords are narrow, so you are surrounded by the beauty, 360 degrees. It was so warm out, but on one of the scenic train stops as the train ascended, it was snowy and people were skiing. We threw snowballs and saw a dogsled team running.

ODDITIES:

reindeer pelts for sale
ski-skaters
Røss- high school graduation right of passage 3 week spectacular participants all over

natives rarely dine out in resaurants, so they are mostly empty, even in downtown of cities and our host said that's what he envies the most about Americans, eating out cheaply and frequently w/friends

police- they don't carry guns
shower/washing machine bathroom setup: small, weird to have it all together w/shared floor
grass (turf) roofed houses
although there was some graffiti in cities, it was very clean (compared to Europe in general)
efficient lockers, even see-thru ones at museums everywhere to store your stuff while you tour
we never had to wait! when we got off a ferry, the bus was waiting there, for example. Everything is VERY efficient and you don't have that "hurry up and wait" feeling common to travel. There are tunnels to make travel through the watery fjords efficient, and even the rural roads are wide enough for tour buses. Plus, there are no "siestas" or poorly-timed business closings tourists find annoying and they have dinner early, like Americans do

LANGUAGE: I had taken 10 Norwegian lessons, but the Norwegians all speak perfect English and were perplexed as to why I would attempt to speak Norwegian when they spoke English so easily (efficiency culture). The language, although Germanic, sounded sing-songy and very lovely. People were shocked to hear me say even the smallest phrases in Norwegian, but I could tell my pronunciation was not up to par. They did assume my Marine (a red-head) and myself were Norwegians and would be surprised when we spoke English, especially in non-touristy areas.

GLUTEN FREE DINING:

OSLO:

Of course, I loved BAKEFRI, the 100% gluten free bakery/deli in Oslo. I ate gluten free waffles every day (they eat them cool with brown cheese ((very popular, I loved it! Tastes like butter with a kick)) or jam) and danishes, cakes, sandwiches (freshly baked gf baguettes), quiche, brownies, and soups. You can pre-order gluten free lefse.

Peppe's Pizza was a tourist trap, but alas, they had gf pizza. It was ok. $40 for a personal size pizza.

Burger King- had gluten free burger buns and preparation, a whopper alone was $15, but yummy.

Cafe Celsius- Lovely, upscale outdoor dining in the perfect 70 degree weather- a few gf menu notations-gluten free mussels with sauce, gf chocolate mousse, and strawberry sorbet.

*many museums and cafes had gluten free cakes, muffins, and desserts and most Norwegian people had a good understanding of what gluten free is and which foods were gluten free.

GUDVAGEN- after the fjord ferry cruise from the Nutshell tour, there is a store and cafe, where you eat right on the fjord and they had gluten free chicken, rice, and salad plate. What a pleasant surprise.

BERGEN:

Baker Brun- the chef whipped up a made-to-order sandwich (I chose shrimp and cucumber) on gluten free bread with poppyseed crust- yummy!

Pengvinen- hipster/quirky affordable Norwegian food restaurant with 3 or 4 gf menu options: horse, whale, etc. I got the whale (to try Norwegian fare) and it was tasty, but chewy. A little went a long way. My bf had the fish stew and enjoyed it, but he said he still prefer's Shepherd's pie (he is of Scottish ancestry).

Bryggenstuen- upscale, traditional interior- you can request to sit upstairs for a great view of fjord- I had a burger on gf bun, and my bf (not a celiac) had a gluten burger and we both got sick.

Rimi supermarket- had LOTS of gluten free foods that I stocked up on to take with me during the museum days and the airport/flight home, such as ham, Schar buns, brown cheese, a fake gf Kit-Kat. We often had picnic lunches at our favorite park, Lungegardsvana, where there was often music playing and a lovely fountain and scenery.

SIGHT-SEEING:

Oslo:

SYTTENDE MAI 200th Constitution Day Parade and Celebration: We saw the royal family and the parade of children dressed in the traditional bunads (similar to Scottish kilts, the designs vary by region). Norwegians eat lots of hot dogs (often wrapped in lefse instead of buns) and ice cream on this day, and eat out in restaurants (which is not common in everyday life). Little girls in the parade had dolls dressed in matching bunads, which was so cute.

Akerhus Fortress- active military installation- dungeon, church, canons, ancient swords, military museum, WWII Resistance Museum

National Gallery: "The Scream" by Edvard Munch and lots of big-time artwork (Norway $$$)

Opera House- it's shaped like an ice berg and you can walk on top of the exterior of the building- it has a restaurant in there, too.

Bygdoy Peninsula (by 20 min ferry): Folk Museum *STAVE church, wow!!, an outdoor museum of real buildings from different regions& centuries relocated to this site for all to tour

Viking Ship Museum- 3 well-preserved actual Viking ships that had been buried in funeral mounds with Viking people for use in the afterlife. Their burial in mud preserved them perfectly since 700-900AD to be dug up in 1960's in a farmer's field!

Akerbrygg- bar/restaurant strip on water with grassy areas, benches, and small beach

Cathedral on Karl Johan Plass

Vigeland Park- lots of giant, nude sculptures, open till 11PM. We saw Night Ravens- citizen patrol that were made fun of on Netflix show (Norwegian police do not even carry guns!)

Røss- Teenagers (high school seniors) ride around in custom, theme-painted party buses and walk around drinking (age 18 can drink wine and beer) and handing out silly photo "business cards" in a 3 week pre-graduation celebration (this was also on Netflix show Lillehammer)

Finse- stop on train where there was snow, dog-sledders, skiers

BERGEN: (we were lucky it only rained lightly a few hours one day! It's notorious for rain, but it's the most beautiful city! It's on the water and the houses are so lovely, like a more prolific, earth-toned version of Rainbow Row in Charleston)

shopped at Bergen District- Norway famous for wool sweaters/snowflake designs, we bought a reindeer pelt-- apparently if you tour in winter you can hike & camp and they are super warm

saw a church still standing from 702 AD

saw WWII communication hideout

Hanseatic Museum- cool to see origianal ROSEMALING on walls (see link above)

Funicular tram- AMAZING view overlooking the city and fjord.

Saw everyone swimming and using tinfoil "grills" to have barbeques in the park

saw opening of Music Fest with "Sissel" the singer from Lillehammer Olympics&hip hop dancers

Kode Museums (Four different buildings) with tons of Edvard Munch art, furniture, silver, etc.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

We stayed at an airbnb with a 24 y.o. native Norwegian kid in Oslo. The stylish flat was in a great location near the Sentral Station. We walked everywhere. The bathrooms in homes in Norway were small and contained a small washing machine. The shower doesn't have an enclosure, just a curtain, and the floor is just the bathroom floor. Since they have no clothes dryers, they always have clothing drying in the living room. Our host, Fredrick, was very nice and answered all of our questions about Norway and Norwegians. He did, however, have lots of guests to his flat, so we wished we had known we would have to share a bathroom with that many people (we wouldn't have chosen to do so).

In Voss, we stayed at a hostel, but it was $175 a night and what Americans would call a "motel". It was ON the fjord with a STUNNING view. We were glad to have our own private bathroom. The complimentary breakfast smorgasbord was all organic and delicious in the awesome panoramic-windowed breakfast room. Close walk to and from the bus. We also saw people ski-skating!

OUR OPINION

We LOVED the trip! We want to go back and see the Lofoten Islands and Northern region, with more Russian influence, reindeer, and the Northern Lights. The kayaking on Eidfjord, Nutshell tour, Bergen funicular view, fjord waterfalls, and bunad parade surpassed any expectations we could have had. The people were straightforward and efficient, as expected, and the food was better than we feared. We LOVE waffles and brown cheese!

I was disappointed that I didn't get to eat gluten free lefse, see my grandma's farm, or buy the bunad that we were able to identify in a bunad boutique that has to be custom made for me ($4,000 minimum for the embroidered wool outfit). I think I might try to get my mom to make me a knockoff, since I have a catalogue of my great-grandmother's regional design now. The scenery was breath-taking and the weather was so perfect! The only ways it could have been better was if the people were more talkative with tourists and the prices were cheaper.

http://www.moreintelligentlife.com/blog/norways-bizarre-teenage-rite-passage

PCS Military Move update

2014-06-19T07:09:00.000-04:00

This is our 4th PCS in 6 years and I still like it. This is the smoothest one yet. Our wonderful, hard-working , well-tipped movers ($200 from our pockets) finished yesterday. Currently we are living in our house for a couple weeks without our stuff as it travels across the country. It's fun!
We are camping in our house. We cook on a few old trays and a pan (microwave gone, must use oven, stove) and will pack them in trunk of car when we ship it and fly over there. We play hockey with brooms and a tin foil ball in our empty living room and watch Netflix on the iPad huddled together on our makeshift bed.
There is a lot going on. For 6 weeks the landlords have been showing our house to prospective renters (they are asking $400 more per month so nobody has bitten yet, lol). During our house-hunting trip, the first two houses we liked were already processing approved tenants, and a vast majority of the listings (arduous rental process in Orange Co, CA where rental homes have lock boxes and you need a real estate agent to show you and then submit a 19 page application, then wait for 2 weeks to see if they accept it) don't accept any pets, so the one we got unexpectedly comes furnished.
This means we suddenly had to tell the movers not to pack most of our furniture and are now selling it via our neighborhood Facebook page and craigslist, along with my 2002 car, and his old Bronco and motorcycle (the military doesn't pay to move any vehicles, except overseas, and it's $800-1000 to move the one we are moving). It's kind of fun- our Crate and Barrel Bar sold in 1 min on fb to our neighbor and our landlord bought our distressed buffet (for more than half what we paid).
We don't expect everything to go as planned, often the mid-move adjustments turn out even better than we could have planned. As long as we are healthy and together, we can't and choose not to complain or use hyperbole to escalate common blips to nightmare status.

Friday {Re}flection

2014-05-09T16:42:00.000-04:00

My apologies for skipping last week, but we put in our notice to move out and so the landlords have been bringing strangers through this house we rent. They raised the rent a few hundred dollars for the next would-be tenants and have set lofty expectations of it in the ad so it hasn't been taken yet. (When I saw the ad, especially the photo taken from afar so that flowering bushes appear to frame the house, I was like, is that the house where we live??) I dislike having strangers walk through my house. I wish the landlords would place a fair market and realistic price for this 1960's home so the madness can stop. Alas....

The beginning of May included the neighborhood ladies' annual brunch, hosted potluck-style at a neighbor's house in her lovely backyard. Being gluten free and health-conscious, I brought Jell-o in little goblets, and was able to partake in the grits, fruit, and shrimp with cocktail sauce. The ladies turned up on this warm day in bright springy clothing and it was nice. I wore an almost flourescent maxi dress with a retro headband across my forehead. My fine hair goes slack in the humidity, but what to do?

Brunch dress. Love the dress, it's almost flourescent with pockets and a tribal braided belt. Not sure about the headband, but my boyfriend likes it. Sorry, I am not photogenic. I look so annoyed, lol.

There seems to be a social divide between the ladies who have lived here many years and the ones who have only been here a few years like us. I met a fun, nice, young professional mom who works for Cartoon Network who said I reminded her of an adventurous friend of hers. I enjoyed talking to her. Upon seeing the others and being asked repeatedly where we are being stationed next and telling them about house-hunting in San Diego got really annoying, but oh, well. Everyone reacted positively about San Diego, but I must say some people showed facial expressions (my law enforcement background at work here) that revealed a sort of envy in a bad way, as if I had inadvertently "one-upped" them or highlighted the mundanity in their own lives. Thankfully there were a few secure and balanced ladies who seemed genuinely happy for me. I had wanted Hawaii or Europe, so San Diego was not my first choice, so I was not trying to one-up or brag.
My Marine took me down the road to the annual Lemonade Days in Dunwoody, Georgia. They had a nice veteran's monument with a glass atrium of flags representing each military branch. As soon as we walked into the tentapalooza area, someone shouted my Marine's name, and it was a retired USMC General whom we have come to know during our time here through his and my Marine's community involvement. I felt the need to do a self-check to make sure I was dressed in a non-embarrassing way (no cleaveage, etc.) and was relieved that I was. I scarfed down a caramel apple (gluten free, very fresh) and we listened to a really good band of gray-haired rockers play acid rock classics.

In anticipation of my upcoming Europe trip, I stayed up one night researching my family tree and ancestry to 7 generations in Norway and found my great-grandma (who died when I was 10 or 11)'s great-grandma's farm near Lillehammer. It was cool to see some names on the census showing they had come on a boat over here around 1890. There were a couple guys named Hans and lots of farmers, which I already knew. Growing up, I heard my grandparents speak some Norwegian, but I never learned it. I've been taking Norwegian lessons and I was surprised that I was actually able to read some Norwegian text online, for example in the book of farms listing. My other half is Swiss, but I've already been to Switzerland. Very clean and beautiful with Alpine mountains, lakes and timbered houses.

In Norway, we are planning to try out airbnb for the first time, see the jaw-dropping fjords, the Viking historical stuff, Edvard Munch's The Scream, the royal palace and a big festival with revelers in traditional attire, practice speaking Norwegian, and possibly visit a glacier and do some hiking or kayaking. The temp will be 40-60 degrees, hopefully a welcome relief after the 85 degree humidity we've been having in Georgia. We chose Norway due to my heritage (my Marine has already been to the countries of his ancestry) and because we wanted to explore a country that is new to both of us.

Me and my bike (picture taken in Virginia)

We hiked at Sweetwater Creek (see blog post here) and we have also gone to ride our bikes on the Silver Comet Trail. I ride my black and pink beach cruiser with 3 speeds, ringing my bell when I pass children. Seth has a fancy, expensive, high-maintenance triathalon style road bike that has the weird valves. Last year we found a great air pump that converts to fit both types of tire valves. Love it!

In preparation for our pcs (move to California), we've been taking out stuff from the attic and donating things to Goodwill. I have some "nicer" clothing that I wanted to try to take to a Consignment Shop and PSYCHO SISTERS consignment went through the summer items and chose 6 things and wrote me a check for $42. Not bad. Now, maybe I'll try to sell some handbags online....
It's been hot and sunny, so I've been laying out at the pool. I avoid tanning my face, but since we moved to Georgia my doctor told me I was Vitamin D deficient so I actually need sun. I'm tan already and I've met some fun people. My boyfriend (a ginger, aka fair, redheaded man who does not tan) joined me on Sunday and it was nice. We have heavy duty SPF for him, and there was an umbrella. He actually gets sunburned through the windshield in his car.
I also took advantage of a complimentary massage at the gym. She kneaded me to relaxation!

Mother's Day Gift Scarf

Mother's Day Gifts- I mailed them. We bought them awhile back at an art festival. We often get the same thing for both of our moms, since they both like jewelry and handmade items. One year we got them interesting bracelets made from fancy buttons, and this year we got them each a "scarf" that is made out of ribbony fabric. We avoid buying them dust-collecting knick knacks and they don't really like spas or lotions. Both of their birthdays are coming up, and I may make them paintings (I dabble in black ink sumi-e) or paint a ceramic serving dish my mom requested.

I have been a little slow this week, as I ate something (possibly gluteny?) that bothered my stomach earlier in the week. My boyfriend has been out of state at a conference, so I'm looking forward to his return. I have kept up my 5x/week workouts, including a 5 mile run on the indoor track and a 5 mile hike with the hiking group at Lake Alatoona this week, where afterward we ate lunch at Swheat where I ate gluten free chicken tenders (a bit dry, but a tasty honey-mustard sauce) and sweet potato fries.

May has several birthdays and other important events in my life such as:
+Military Spouse Appreciation Day May 9 (see my blog post here)
+Celiac Disease Awareness Month
+Teacher Appreciation Day (as a former teacher, I enjoy saluting other teachers)
+Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day- the second largest celebration in the world is in +Wisconsin where I have family, I also used to teach my students about our language, food, music, history, and traditions)
+Mother's Day
+Memorial Day (where we plan to attend a local Veteran's celebration where the guest speaker happens to be a retired General who actually bought my Marine his sword as a prize for being the best at something when he was commissioned into officerdom). Small world.

This weekend, my Marine gets back and hopefully he won't have to work too much.

Military Spouses Inspire Me

2014-05-09T13:50:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't noticed, I'm not that enthralled with celebrities. I don't buy gossip magazines and whenever CNN is airing "news" about celeb weddings or twitter wars, I abruptly change the channel. Maybe it's the sociology major in me coming out, but I find inspiration in all kinds of people wherever I happen to be swimming around. Listening to their tone of voice and word selection, watching their body language, observing how they prioritize their time...these are the clues that allow their values to surface, allowing me to read between the lines and see their authentic nature. When you listen to the clues instead of the chatter, you can feel their struggle, admire their strength, revel in their successes.

Thanks for your help
As I've said, I didn't fully understand what it would be like to have the responsibility as the Commander's "other half". But, before I came, the teacher/researcher/learner in me asked an experienced Colonel's wife about how to be helpful to the other spouses when I got here. The important thing she said to me was to be open about how I'm dealing with being new to this duty just like they are or have been. My opening line was often, "My sig other is the Commander, so what does that make me? ...Unemployed." And I asked the spouses here for help finding a job and received it from an awesome spouse in the criminal justice field and then I helped another spouse in the same arena.

Thanks for being a role model
The same Colonel's wife and her husband were role models to me in the way they were so genuine. They were not condescending or narcissistic as one might fear they could be. They actually were upfront about how it was a critical time in the Colonel's career, as he had been passed over for promotion to General and didn't have much time left to see if it would ever become a reality. You could see how his better half was toughing it out and having the attitude of "let the cards fall where they may, we'll still be ok". He ended up not becoming a general, and retiring. We enjoy their holiday cards, explaining about his new career and their son joining the Marines.

Another Colonel's wife, also inspired me by being a warm, caring, strategic, smart, motivated leader of her family. Her husband was set to retire after 20 years in the military, and he was struggling with it. In a bad way. But she had planned well and was finishing her doctorate degree just in time to take over as bread winner. She was extremely busy and tired-looking (doctoral thesis, while raising kids and supporting emotionally struggling husband...I can't even imagine), but when she hosted the military families for a barbeque, she was the ultimate host and genuinely was interested in what we were all going through. She was the epitome of taking the bull by the horns, making lemonade out of lemons (her husband...not a source of envy shall I say...), and working hard to make her career aspirations come true. Eschewing resentment or ruefulness, she appreciated the 20 year military lifestyle that allowed her to be a stay-at-home-mom, world traveler, and student, and patiently waited her turn for a dream career, all with a sense of balance and class.

Thanks for being there
Simple things can mean a lot, and I truly appreciate the sassy military wife who, no matter where she moves, she offers a standing invitation to all the military ladies to coffee at her house on a certain morning of the week. She doesn't care about rank, age, or which military branch, she is friendly, but real to everyone. She complains, but in a factual, funny way. She isn't fake or pretentious or a one-upper. She says things like, "bitches get sh*t done". And when I vented to her about another milso (the one-upper, mom-petitive type) who had repeatedly and relentlessly offended me regarding my choice to be a DINK as I just sat there, following the if-you-can't-say-anything-nice rule..., my friend listened and then reminded me about a special place for haters. (It's rare for me to be speechless, and rare for me to have such a thin skin, but being on the receiving end of non-stop lashing out and judgement was really a shock that I didn't see coming.) Update: the offensive woman had been drinking, and actually apologized a week later, to my awe and amazement. I happily forgave her, but she then kept being publicly rude to me, so now I just keep my distance.

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. **my surname translates to "butterfly"

Thanks for supporting your Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airman, Coasty, or Natty Guardsman
My Marine has been gone this week, and I emotionally ate with gluten free cupcakes. I have been with him through month-long European workups and a surgery, but not a full deployment. I give all the props to the spouses and significant others out there who have been through long separations, injuries, and tragedies. My sister-in-law didn't like Air Force life, so she persuaded my brother to abandon his dream of becoming an officer and get out of the military. So, to those of you who stay, who embrace change and instability, who are proud of your service member's dedication and achievement, who stay true to yourselves and work toward the fulfillment of your own goals, Rock on! You inspire me.

*This post is part of Epic Friday Linky Party

The Fake Picnickers at Sweetwater Creek

2014-05-07T20:12:00.001-04:00

Me: on the foot bridge

One thing I miss about living in California, Illinois, and Virginia is riding bicycles. When we lived in Alexandria, VA, for ten months,I chose to only ride the Metro or my black and pink beach cruiser bicycle. No car for me! It was awesome! It's too hilly in our Atlanta neighborhood for bike riding, so we have to hook the bikes onto the car carrier and drive them to Silver Comet Trail (a LONG trail that used to be a train track- it goes all the way to Alabama!) to ride. I must say, as a kid I lived on my bike. Since we couldn't ride in the street until we were 12 years old, we were fortunate to have sidewalks to serve as our bike path. It's sad that we don't have sidewalks here in our Georgia neighborhood.

Old mill that was burned in the civil war.

To avoid the bike-car transport hassle, we chose to hike instead. We went to Sweetwater Creek Park in the southern part of the city again. It was lovely, breezy, sunny weather, so many visitors were there, including a wedding. Aside from wedding goers, there were many people wearing fancy clothes. Women and girls were tramping along the dirt trails in their pretty pastel dresses and there were lots of families in identically matched clothes. This is also common in Georgia, and it is something I dangle over my Marine's head in case he ever loses a bet or "owes" me in some way. Matching outfits with me. In public. I haven't observed this phenomenon in other parts of the country.

Ubiquitous Georgia Dad and kids in matching striped shirts.

We also noticed a mom, dad, and toddler boy all gussied up near where we had stopped to kick off our shoes and enjoy the cool water. We joke that the weekend "uniform" for Georgia men is khaki shorts, deck shoes, and a polo or button-down shirt, and the dad was on point with it. The family had a photographer lady with them. It was sad to see the family go to a spot, set up a blanket as if they were having a picnic, bribe the toddler with candy to sit down, and then chat with the photog about where to move on to the next photo spot (a bench this time). The toddler kept trying to come by my Marine and I, since he saw my Marine skipping rocks across the creek (it's a very full creek, with rushing water at parts) and enjoying the water. We hope the kid got to play at some point after finishing his photo shoot obligations. And we hope the family really does have picnics. Like, where they eat outside and enjoy one another's company...without professional photographers.

Here are some of our pics. Aside from a quick, "honey, turn around", I try to capture them as they happen naturally, without disruption of real life. That's just our style. To each his own.

Toes in the cool creek water.

A Gluten Free One-Two Punch: Lasagne and Macarons!

2014-04-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

Gluten Free Lasagne from Cibo e Beve restaurant in North Atlanta area. Bolognese, ricotta. Pretty good. I'd order it again.

The frozen mini-macarons I buy at Trader Joe's. Chocolate & vanilla, so yum!

Macaron Queen at kiosk in Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead area of Atlanta. Excellent and made with almond flour!

Once a month, my Marine gets home early (6PM). And, like tonight, he promptly fell asleep as soon as he sat down to pet the cat. I "accidentally" woke him up 15 minutes later and we went out to dinner at a place I've been wanting to try. I found it on the "Find Me Gluten Free" app. I review LOTS of restaurants on this app, which is the reason I rarely do restaurant reviews on my blog anymore.

Anyway, we did not have a reservation but were easily seated outside on the patio near the parking lot. Buckhead is full of parking lots and garages, so not so shocking. Anyway, the service was friendly and knowledgeable. There was no gluten free menu, but the server and hostess (as well as the app) recommended the lasagne, and so my arm was twisted. I had an aperitif of Moscow Mule (Oprah's favorite drink) made with ginger beer and vodka, obviously of the gluten free varieties, and served in a chilled copper mug. The drink had a slush inside and was not full very full for $10, in my opinion, but it was good. The best one I ever had was in a posh sports bar in Chicago, but alas, Oprah probably goes there.

Moscow Mule in chilled copper mug just like Oprah makes.

The lasagne was tasty. The sauce was very tomato-y and I could taste a meaty, bolognese flavor. The cheese noodles, however, were the texture of tofu. All in all, it was good and I'll go back again. I forgot to bring along a piece of bread (Against the Grain baguette, anyone?), but next time I shall.

Afterwards, I wanted to hop over to Lenox Square Mall to test out the real French Macarons at Macaron Queen (a chain?) in a kiosk there. It seemed a bit disorganized, with an abundance of flavors randomly mixed in bags of 3, 5, and 8. I bought a bag of 8 but had no idea which 8 flavors would be in there. After taking a bite of each one (classy, I know), there was a red one with a white and red cherry filling, a mango or fruity something that had a swirl of red on the orange color, a brown sugar or burnt caramel flavor, a white super-sweet one, a pink, and a yellow lemony one and...
My 3 faves were: a green one (pistachio?) with lemon filling, a red one with white filling (red velvet?), and a beige one (caramel?) with crystal sugar sprinkles on top.

The most exquisite French Macaron I've ever had...it was at Epcot's French Cafe in Disney.

Did you know real French macarons are made with almond flour (not wheat flour) so they are naturally gluten free as long as nobody cross-contaminates them? Same with real chocolate mousse, creme brulee, real hot water corn bread, etc. Like many French confections, they are difficult to make. I've tried. The pastry chef on YouTube said it took her a few tries to get macarons right. The trick is to get the "feet" on the bottom (it looks like dried foam) and have them be slightly puffy and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside with a small amount of cream in between, Oreo style. The Macaron Queens passed the test. However, my all-time favorite French Macaron is from Epcot at Disney. Ahhh-mazing! Exquisite!

Gettin my Dance On at the Black n White Birthday party for Niese! I was the only one in solid white, Go On wiff my badd self!

2014-04-25T13:01:00.001-04:00

Friday {Re}flection

2014-04-25T11:02:00.002-04:00

Linking up with UK Kate today to share the past week's happenings.

Saturday: BLACK, WHITE, & THRONES
Black & White Dress code birthday party was fun! The guest of honor did a great job of looking surprised, although she admitted that she had an inkling about it. She and her husband sat at thrones! I danced a bunch, but my Marine was too busy conversing to dance.
Awkward moment: They had a photo area with a professional photographer capturing a photo of each group of guests (you buy the pictures after the party). Being that it was almost all African Americans at the party (there was one Asian couple and us), the photogs must have had the lighting set in such a way that it ....didn't quite work out for us. It was AWKWARD when they, cringing of embarrassment, showed us our pic and we appeared...well appeared is a strong word. You could barely see us. I believe they call it 'over-exposed'. Heck, we looked like spirits. Now that I can laugh about it, I kind of wish we'd have bought it before the swiped it away and made us take a new pic with adjusted lighting (at this time many guests were leaving and I think they may have presumed we were being finicky and forcing a re-shoot.
**gluten free note- the dinner was a buffet where I wisely chose to eat baked chicken, salad (no croutons) (Kraft dressing bottles were there so I could read label!), and fruit. I googled Ciroc Red and found it was gluten free to drink.

Our Cat, Dahlia, with her stitches, as a result of Mr.Mittens attacking her on our porch.

Our cats enjoying the backyard, healthy cats.

Stitches. They had to shave away her brilliant, shiny fur. (The cats are brother and sister, half Russian Blue, which are known for their beautiful silky fur. Hers is amazingly silky, a trait of RB fur, while his is the gorgeous blue coloring.

KITTY DRAMA: Mr. Mittens (scroll to bottom for pic) is an orange tabby cat with white feet (hence the mittens moniker) belonging to the neighbors behind us. He is talented, as in the way he jogs behind his owners on their morning walks, but infamous in our neighborhood for terrorizing other cats and dogs. Our cats usually hiss him away, but Saturday, he ambushed Dahlia (we had just let her outside on our patio and seconds later heard screeching, only to look out and see Mr.Mittens fighting something, which turned out to be her, underneath him). We chased him away, but she had to get stitches. When the Marine found out his "baby girl" had to wear a kitty cone around her head, he was beside himself. It was quite sad to see her banging around the hallway with it, trying to bang it off. She did leverage it off once, but has since resigned herself to it. A pristinely groomed cat, she is having a tough time not being able to lick her fur into it's normally ebony sleekness. She is healing ok and we expect to take the cone off in 2 weeks.

Looking for hidden eggs

Eggs dyed with blueberries

Easter Loot

Sunday: EASTER: We enjoyed the sunny day in our big Georgia yard with our cats helping us hide and search for Easter eggs we hide from each other. I dyed the eggs by placing frozen blueberries (I have on hand from making smoothies) and vinegar in the water while the eggs boil. They looked cute!

Monday: SPONTANEOUS BALLGAME: I saw Chipper Jones (legendary Atlanta Braves retired baseball player) post on twitter that he was going to the game. It was a gorgeous evening, partly sunny 70 degrees. The game was to start at 7PM. At 6:06 PM I texted my Marine (who usually works til 8PM or later) if we could go, figuring it would not happen. Well, he said yes! We arrived at the ballpark, got tickets at a deal ($17 for 2nd level), and were walking in at 6:50 PM. I ate at the GLUTEN FREE CONCESSION STAND, which is still in section 112. Each year the offerings are different and this year I had a Turkey Club sandwich (tasty and good texture, soft bread), a hot dog (yummy dog, poor dry bun), and a brownie (interesting texture, chalky outside, soft middle, good cocoa flavor, but not fudgy). The game was tied and The Braves won in the 10th inning with a homerun! I also learned Turner Field is nicknamed "The Ted".

Gluten Free Turkey Club Sandwich at Turner Field

TUESDAY: I didn't feel well from eating the gluten free food at the ballgame last night. But, I still did 50 minutes on the elliptical machine at the gym.

gluten free seared,baked chicken with salad and spaghetti squash (with olive oil, spices, parmesan)

WEDNESDAY: WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER I exhausted myself during a 3.6 mile run in my neighborhood. There is a big uphill at the end. My boyfriend happened to be driving home and saw me running, lol. So, he made dinner (we usually work together to make dinner, but he made it ALL and cleaned, of course). He seared gluten free chicken thighs in a pan and then baked them with spaghetti squash and salad. The chicken skin was SO crispy and delicious, he made it again on Thursday. Funny, because we don't eat fried chicken, mainly skinless chicken. Chicken is not my favorite. I'm a seafood girl. But this was FAB.

The Assailant: Mr. Mittens

THURSDAY: POOL DAY I exercised in the water (G.I. Jane crawls, ouch!) at the outdoor pool on this 82 degree sunny day, and who comes over to me? The neighbor (owner of Mr. Mittens who injured my cat). She said she owes me a check, and proceeded to needle me about when I'm moving (everyone ALWAYS asks us that, since we're a military family, the same people here in Georgia have been asking since we got here 3 years ago, they ask every time we see them) and how long I've belonged to this gym (well, she did say it as if it's HER gym and how did I get in).
I had emailed her when our kitty went to the vet and she offered to pay half of the $315 bill, which was fine, even though I told her at least 2 more vet appts were required (follow- up and stitches removal). However, she still hasn't paid. This is the same woman who loudly (so everyone at neighborhood gatherings can hear her hospitality) says she's going to invite us to dinner next week EVERY TIME we've seen her for the last 3 years, yet she never has ACTUALLY invited us. It's not our dream to go to her McMansion for a meal (anyone who is gluten free knows the fright incurred by a dinner invitation), but we feel awkward and annoyed like she's looking for appreciation for a fruitless, feckless even(?) offer.

FRIDAY: We plan on a simple dinner at home followed by planning our European vacation. This weekend I plan to attend the annual neighborhood ladies' brunch. Anything else will be spontaneous. It's supposed to be gorgeous, summery weather.

Enjoy your weekend!

The Real Military Housewives of Blogland

2014-04-23T15:08:00.001-04:00

Cheers to linking up with The Real Military Wives of Blogland hosted by Mal and Samantha today! I'm so pumped to support them in their mission to dispel the stereotype of what a military spouse is by enlightening people with our actuality with an introduction, a blurb of our military journey, and one thing we'd like people to know about military life.

1. INTRODUCTION

Raised in the Chicago area, below the poverty line by a divorced mother of 3 (she was 18 at my birth), I am the first person in my family to graduate from college (Bradley University, Go Braves!). (My grandparents only attended school until 8th grade, but my parents finished high school.) I was the only girl in my neighborhood not to become a teen mom, and was looked down upon by the other teenagers for not having my own baby, smoking, or skipping school!

My mom always believed in me and told everyone I'd grow up to be a stock broker! She and I always knew I was focused on obtaining a great education, helping disadvantaged kids, and moving far away. At age 21, with a B.A. in my pocket, California recruited me to teach there. I had a long, successful career teaching at-risk kids for 13 years. I bought my own home at age 24, made a killing selling it, then waited until the market became more affordable to buy an "average, not fancy" home in my dream neighborhood. Which, of course, is when I met my marine and, a year later, chose to rent my house out and join him on his military adventure.

Yes, I went into the bedrooms of convicted felons (yes, murders, too) to check for contraband. Yes, I carried a firearm, handcuffs, and taser, among other tactical items. Yes, I wore body armor. Yes, I served warrants at 2AM and arrested people.

Something I recommend for every military spouse/sig other: In Georgia, I chose not to teach. I have another degree, in Sociology, that I chose to use to become a Georgia State Parole Officer. Yes, it was a 2 month hiring process of a criminal justice test, background checks, and a polygraph, but the part I recommend is that I went away for 9 WEEKS to the GA State Public Safety Training Center and my Marine had to MISS me, hold down the fort without me, etc., and worry about me (ie. during firearms training). Our relationship has never been better! I've felt a new sense of appreciation from him ever since, even 2 years later! P.S. I knew it was wearing on him when the Sergeant Major texted me and asked when I was coming back, lol! Guess he was a bit grumpy.

Click here for more general stuff about me.

2. OUR MILITARY JOURNEY TOGETHER...SO FAR

(click here for FAQs)

After a year of dating during which we lived over an hour's drive apart (squeezing in dating around his training NATO troops in Europe), I did a trial move (I was not accustomed to living with boyfriends) with my grunt (affectionate term for infantry) to the East Coast while he was at Command & Staff College at Marine Corps University. He had been under the impression he would be stationed in California for 2 more years, so he was nervous to tell me about unexpectedly being chosen for school across the country. My stoic, positive, and sometimes excited reaction to his relocation bombshells is one of the things he says "sealed the deal" for him. He had much more dramatic women in the past to the point where he dreaded sharing his news.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

Since 29 Palms (Southern California desert) and Quantico (we lived in the historic and coveted "Old Town" Alexandria, VA), we have been living in Atlanta for the notoriously stressful aka "36 one-month deployments" aka "2/3 of marriages don't make it through these 3 years" that is Marine Corps recruiting duty. This summer will be our 4th move in 6 years, to Camp Pendleton (San Diego, Southern California coast).

3. WHAT PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW

One thing people may not know is that some military jobs come with ACTUAL roles and responsibilities FOR the Marine's significant other!! BELIEVE ME, I didn't realize it until we came to independent duty in Atlanta. It was trial by FIRE!

The handbook I was given when reporting in as the CO's "spouse". Link below.

My significant other is the Commander of Recruiting Station Atlanta (15 stations and 105 marines that recruit the area covering a large part of the state). The buck stops with him. His boss, The Colonel, is in another state. There is no Marine Base in Georgia. He is the one who represents the Marine Corps by giving LOTS of speeches and attending many events. He works 70+ hours a week and for those of you who are military you will understand what I mean when I say there are days that he is literally buried under a mountain of fit reps he must defeat.

Upon our arrival, there was a change-of-command ceremony in a giant park in front of City Hall where 105 Marines were standing in formation and the previous commander handed the flag (guidon) to my Marine, the new commander. The Colonel had flown in to give a speech, during which he welcomed me by name, and the outgoing CO's wife and I were given flowers for our service. My Marine and I made a list of what our goals were for helping and supporting the military families of the 15 recruiting substations spread out all over.

The Sergeant Major (a female!), Master Gunnery Sergeant, and their spouses and I became close. The Sergeant Major asked me to go with her to do a home visit for a struggling recruiter's spouse. I became part of the bimonthly PAR training and welcome committee for incoming spouses. A few weeks later, the district FRO flew in and handed me this book, Parade Rest: Protocol and Social Customs for Marine Officers and Spouses. He gave a training to the FRAs and there was an entire PAGE in his slideshow presentation about ME. The senior enlisted spouse also has a page. There were several bullet points listing my responsibilities in areas such as fostering community and advocating.

From creating a private facebook group to donating a mattress/furniture to giving a speech at the annual picnic, there are many tasks I have completed in an attempt to fulfill my role. It would take a couple pages to list them all. I was further shocked when we attended an event for the Montford Point Marines and The Commandant of the Marine Corps was present (with his wife, who also has many roles as illustrated on her fb page). I worked full time and arranged my hours to attend events to support the command. There is even a part of the station evaluation with a box to check as to whether the CO's spouse has undergone specific trainings.

I'm just me. Being in a 5 year relationship without being truly "married" is a shock to some people in the military community and otherwise. However, times are progressing and I've met Generals in the same position of enjoying a committed relationship without marriage, while their significant others are respected as such. Some people cannot help themselves from implying that we should tie the knot, which I do consider rude, however. Don't even get me started on the children thing. We are happy DINKS! Just like the Real Housewives on tv, not all military 'housewives' are married, have kids, have jobs, etc. Diversity is something to be celebrated!

I'm still not used to it when people seem nervous to speak to me because I'm attached to their husband or wife's boss. It's startles me when I realize that I'm 'under the microscope', such as when I stand up and turn to face the back of the room (because I've memorized the order of the annual USMC Birthday Ball Ceremony) for the arrival of the cake, and A BALLROOM FULL OF GUESTS take it as a cue to all turn around right after I do. Once, some young wives/girlfriends scurried over to me at a ball and complimented me on my shoes. I said, "You can't see my shoes." They replied, "Oh, we saw when you crossed your legs at the head table." And then there was the time where a wife was miffed at me that she and her hubs weren't seated with us at the head table. And I was like, do people think I do the seating, or any of the planning for this ball every year? I don't. I do, however, answer to Mrs. It's just easier.

So, while I'm sure many spouses out there have gone above and beyond what I'm doing, I just wanted to share my experience. In some ways, we look forward to blending in and not being the Commander at his next duty as an XO. But as an eternal optimist, I must reflect on this unique experience and admit the upsides. It has been fun meeting the military husbands and wives, it's been awe-inspiring meeting so many retired and active Generals and their girlfriends/wives (the female General I met is unattached), it's been an honor to attend funerals of the fallen, it's been exciting to see young people sign up for their dream careers and come back from boot camp a new person, it's been meaningful to see my love give rousing speeches, and it's been humbling to see the sacrifice of time and unyielding effort given by these Marine families (many of whom did not choose to partake in 3 years of recruiting duty, especially when this 'sales' job has nothing to do with the Marines' real careers that often involve tanks or helicopters, for example) to make the mission and help these high school young adults achieve the title of United States Marine.

*there is an enlisted wives handbook called Roses and Thorns
*No, we did not choose nor want recruiting duty

23 Easy Gluten Free Easter Foods to Make, Thaw, Bake, or Buy

2014-04-18T18:02:00.000-04:00

4 ingredient, naturally gluten free Easter egg nests from Allrecipes. Photo from SarahisWright

Having 9 years of Gluten Free EASTER experience, let me brainstorm a list of gluten free Easter foods you can make so you can indulge and enjoy just as much or more than the gluten eaters out there:

Sit egg vertically to cut lid off zig zag style. Chill filling before stuffing egg whites.Use chunks of black olive for eyes, carrot for nose.

Make your own "cadbury" eggs with recipe here. Get Lyle's syrup at CostPlus World Market or substitute with white corn syrup

Gluten Free cupcakes see photo here. Also decorate with pastel icing or get creative with piping bags. I use Betty Crocker gluten free cake mixes.

Deviled Egg Chicks (see photo above). If you chill the filling, you can skip using a piping bag to stuff the egg whites. I like to use an apple corer or small knife to make a zig zag shape on the egg whites to make it look more like a broken eggshell. Add horseradish or apple cider vinegar to filling for a kick of flavor. *beware of the mayonnaise! The container of mayo must be gluten free/new and not shared by knives that have been used on gluten-containing bread or other products. No crumb contamination!

Candy: Peeps, most Cadbury candy, M&Ms, jelly beans, etc. Beware of certain chocolates (like Lindt) that contain gluten. There are many searchable web lists.

Chilled Baby Shrimp pasta salad. Just substitute gluten free pasta like tinkyada or DeBoles.

Shrimp and Cocktail Sauce

Blue Almond crackers with cheese (I like Brie)

Crudite (veggie plate). My mom got me a gluten free spice mix at a festival that you mix with yogurt to make a dip. You could make dill dip with gluten free ingredients.

Oven-baked Cinnamon tortilla chips with fruit salsa. Use Rudi's gluten free tortillas or corn tortillas that are gf. 5 Star-rated recipe here See the tropical avocado salsa I made here

Egg nests (4 ingredients, naturally gluten free, use Cadbury eggs to fill)

Egg in the nest (fried egg in bread hole) (using gluten free sandwich bread)

Mini tea sandwiches. Use gf bread, cut with metal cookie cutter for cute shapes. Use Hormel gluten free ham with no nitrates or Hormel turkey or Boar's Head meats and cheeses or gluten free tuna (no broths in can). I use the gold can of Bumble Bee tuna with all white tuna in water.

I MADE THIS! For $12 I bought the watering can (Michael's craft store) and fruit and one large metal sturdy flower-shaped cookie cutter (Michael's) and I used lettuce and ribbon to garnish/decorate. Partygoers thought I bought it for $40-$60!

Gluten free frozen French Macaron mini cookies (chocolate & vanilla) from Trader Joe's. Thaw 30 min on counter.

Soft gluten free pretzels. Microve a few seconds.

I love this XO Double Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

Chex mix (use gluten free ingredients)

Rice Krispies bars (use gf cereal like Cocoa Pebbles, Strawberry Chex, etc.)

Trader Joe's has gluten free frozen French Macarons (pic above) that I judge gluten free. They are adorable pastel tasty bundles. They are very difficult to make from scratch.

Chocolate Mousse is naturally gluten free when made the traditional way

Merengue Cookies (my mother calls it divinity). It's mostly egg whites and sugar.

Wrap chunks of gluten free (dairy free) goat cheese or pineapple in prociutto and secure with toothpicks for their own handles.

peanut butter blosssom cookies- just substitute for gluten free flour blend

Betty Crocker gluten free sugar cookies mix (I haven't tried this yet)

fruit kabobs or fruit "flower" arrangement. I made mine from youtube video (see pic above)

Gluten free XO double chocolate chip cookies (pic of box above) I made these and they are my new favorites! Soft, chewy texture, not crumbly at all & yum

Whole Foods carries the microwaveable SOFT gluten free pretzels (pic above) that I dip in honey or frosting

Gluten Free ice cream cones filled with...cupcake batter & baked or just gelato, fro yo or ice cream

Chocolate-dipped fruit

*DRINKS- I love to MUDDLE (mash up fruit, bonus if you use a mortar & pestle) drinks. I web search for knockoff recipes of alcoholic or virgin versions of the muddled limeades, lemonades, and other spritzy springy drinks at Ruby Tuesday's and P.F. Chang's! Think Watermelon Lime, or lemon with basil, mango lemonade, raspberry lime, pineapple cherry.

*ALSO try Gluten Free versions of other traditional Easter dishes at Linda's blog.

I'm on TV! And the rest of my week

2014-04-18T16:12:00.001-04:00

Chinese jasmine

Dogwood

So, last weekend was The Dogwood FESTIVAL at the HUGE and awesome Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. My Marine especially loves this park, so when we got here he began holding giant FIELD MEETS where the kids/high schoolers/poolees who are waiting to go to boot camp from all over Georgia are bused in to partake in a fun fitness competition amongst the various cities/recruiting stations. The prize is a trophy of sorts and bragging rights.

Some parents and significant others attend to watch these kids work together to CARRY LOGS above their heads, do a formation run (and sing cadence aka military marching chants), and all kinds of calisthenics. They even get to eat MRE's (the meal ready-to-eat that real Marines eat on deployment). The finale is a big tug-of-war and all the recruiters and my significant other leave there hoarse from shouting so much encouragement. It's a big feeling of "esprit de corps" and since there are so many passers-by, it's fun to see all the attention the event draws. After parking, I can hear them long before I see them!

On recruiting duty, the active-duty recruiting families are spread out and don't see one another much, so it's nice that we communicate through our closed facebook page and some of us were able to attend this event and socialize.

Last time I joined in by jogging behind the formation, but this time I had to be dressed up since my art class was later in the day. I wish I had pics of the side French braid I did and the dress that garnered so many compliments that day. My mom (super shopper) had flagged the dress for my Florida visit and I approved and bought it there. It's coral with a boatneck, giant white polka dots, and a "mullet" hemline (high in front and low in back). It's quite unique from a handmade fleamarket place, it flows and had a transparent yellow panel in the back. Strangers kept complimenting me as I walked through the park.

A gluten free note- as soon as I walked into the festival, I was pleased to see a LARA bar booth offering gluten free samples of nut bars and the like. Fun!

car covered in pollen. photo from accuweather.com

POLLEN- the pollen here in Georgia is a major spring phenomena. I have never seen anything like it. A yellow blanket covers cars, sidewalks, pets, everything. The pollen count spiked over 4000 lately and there are big greenish yellow clouds of it floating around. At the Dogwood festival, I saw people wearing white surgical masks, and I knew exactly why. It reminded me of once when the fire season was so bad in Southern California, that ash was falling from the brown sky, a burning smell filled the air (even though we were far from the fires), and they handed out masks at my work.

The pollen was so bad that my boyfriend was sneezing and suffering from post-nasal drip for the first time ever! So we stayed inside the mall to shop after a lovely brunch (The Cheesecake Factory kale and quinoa salad! gluten free goodness!). We only SHOP once per season, but when we do, we go big. The boyfriend found 7 pair of shorts at Macy's. He has the perfect body, so everything fits like it was sewn for him, but being a redhead/ginger means that many colors wash out his complexion. We enjoy trying things on and giving each other the yay or nay. We appreciate each other's honest opinion. I took part as well, finding many dresses at Dillard's, and a couple my boyfriend liked at New York & Co. where I haven't shopped in years. I also bought Easter clothes to add to the books I'm sending my 1 year old niece at Baby Gap.

Two dresses, two skirts and a top. Watercolor print, sheer polka dot (center blouse), and pleated skirt a la Taylor Swift.

Maxi dress (flourescent), lace backed hippie top, and flowery print dress with boat neck and 3 layers of ruffles on each 3/4 length sleeve. It looks very "Duchess Kate" to me. I have avoided flowers since high school, so it's new for me.

Yellow polka dot denim shorts, ruffly top, jean jacket, canvas khaki shoes, etc. for my baby niece.

Monday, I went to my boyfriend's office (recruiting headquarters) to WELCOME the incoming WIVES. Every other month, a handful of new families are stationed here for the strenuous and infamous recruiting duty. It's nothing like living on a military base (which many have gotten used to over many years), the recruiters work 70+ hour weeks, and the families can feel isolated. There is a slide on the powerpoint presentation for "family readiness" that lists my duties as a "commander's significant other". There is also a handbook for Officers' other halves. The welcoming is one way I choose to fulfill that role.

These USMC families have just undergone a stressful move, have heard nightmare stories about the work stress on this duty and the high divorce rate during it. Experienced military wives as well as newbies have a very full 'cup'. They need to talk and destress about their pcs (move) and adjusting to their new surroundings before they can take anything else in. Once they feel heard, and emptied their cup a bit, then there is room in their cup to fill it with info on what to expect and how to utilize resources and support on such a difficult independent duty. Luckily, all of these families happened to choose Georgia because they have family here and they got their choice!

Tuesday, I did chores and 60 minutes on the elliptical trainer at the gym. Still working out 4-5x per week, in an attempt to look great in a bikini this summer.

Wednesday, I joined the hiking group for a 5 mile hike at Sweetwater Creek. There is an old Grist mill there and some of the trails go along the river. It was impressive that a new mom joined us this week, carrying her infant in a front baby carrier for five miles.

This is from another day last year at Sweetwater Creek. That's the mill ruins.

Wednesday's hike. Sunny, breezy, great hike!

Also, Wednesday, I got an email notifying me that I am in the running to work as an "extra" (in the background) on a hiking movie being filmed on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Mostly I do these gigs for fun, but this is one I was really excited about, so I'm hoping it all works out!

Where's Waldo? Vampire Diaries- I made the cut!

Thursday, the first episode I was in of Vampire Diaries aired. Here I am as a "traveler" with special powers (kind of like a bodysnatcher). It's cool that I made the cut and am somewhat visible!

Friday, today it's rainy and my boyfriend has to work late as the guest of honor at a local high school "mess night" (high school rapport is very important in recruiting). Here is more info on "dining in" or "mess night" as a Marine Corps tradition. Realizing he was going to be out late, he called and surprised me with a lunch date invitation. He is really doing so much better with time management and showing me that our relationship is a priority rather than just lip service.

Lilly Pulitzer dress similiar to mine. photo from ebay

Tomorrow we have a birthday party to attend where the dress attire is Black and White semi-formal. It's my first party where the guests have a color requirement. I'm wearing a hand-me-down white Lilly Pullitzer dress my mom gave me from when she worked at the mall and got great deals. I'm hoping my tan isn't fading after the rainy days. I plan to wear it with gold shoes to dress it up.

Easter- being a military family. we are far from family during many holidays. Our Easter tradition has pretty much been to color eggs, hide them from each other, and then have a picnic. We have a huge yard here with lots of plants and hiding places. Last year my Marine never found some and I'd forgotten which hiding spots were still unfound. Glad it didn't happen indoors (stinky eggs in a few days)!

Hoppy Easter, everybunny!

Another Week in Georgia Gone By...

2014-04-11T16:37:00.003-04:00

The big bass I caught. Boyfriend battered and fried it gluten free. num num

Weekend:
It was a small showing for the drawing class I teach at Hobby Lobby but my Marine finally had a Saturday off so he took me to a late lunch at Uncle Maddio's where we both ordered personal custom gluten free pizzas. Later we got fro-yo at Yogli Mogli where they have the allergens listed right on the flavor signs (I like salted caramel, peanut butter and mint- I prefer the milk-based yogurts, but, like many celiacs, I do need to chew up a Lactaid tablet with my first bite) and well-contained toppings (gluten free include Butterfinger crumbles, M&Ms, whipped cream, sauces, and fruit).
Sunday, I caught a BIG FISH!
When you're with a military man, there are strict grooming standards by which he must abide. This means he gets his hair cut (with a razor fade) every 6 or 7 days (thank goodness it's tax deductible). Inevitably, his barber becomes a good buddy. In our case, a fishing buddy. We went fishing with the barber, aka "Uncle Steve" for the second time this weekend at Lake Lanier and it was chilly but fun.

The piranha electric fillet knife made easy work of the gutting.

Uncle Steve, a "good ol' Southern boy", and his buddy taught us how to "shoot" the rubber lure by pulling it toward our bellies (bending the pole dramatically toward us), and then letting go, like a SLINGSHOT so the bait would propel under the dock where the fish are gathered. Uncle Steve is pretty serious about fishing. The boat has GPS to locate schools of fish!
We each caught four smallish crappie and I got the big bass, over a foot long, 2.5 lbs. Last time the barber and I caught several fish, while the Marine only got one. Uncle Steve filleted the fish quickly with his new electric knife called the piranha. I know bass aren't known for "good eatin'", but since Mama caught the biggest fish, it was up to Daddy to fry it up in the pan! My bf was intimidated by the task at first, but he found a simple recipe on Allrecipes and battered all the fish in a mix of Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix , spices, and corn meal. We rarely eat fried food, so it was extra tasty. The bass was the most substantial and not a fishy flavor, beating out the crappie that had too many bones for the speedy eating boyfriend.

I'm wearing the Norwegian flag headband. My Marine ordered it- the same one Norwegians wore in the Winter Olympic Games.

Mandag (Monday): I am learning more conversational sentences with my Norwegian instructor. I can do future words and am using memrise.com to practice adding vocabulary. Flott (wonderful)!
Did you know only Danish and Norwegian use the ø? It sounds like "eu". So the word bjørn (bear, the animal) sounds like be-yeurn' or be-yearn'.

Tirsdag: After a couple weeks of putting it off, I got my Marine to do some planning (reserving the movers, choosing dates) for the pcs move to California. This used to be achieved via an office appointment at a nearby military base. It's our first time using the website move.mil and we did not have the very first item required on the form (ugh!), but worked through the rest of it. After I lost patience about him not knowing anything about the mystery number, I politely emailed the Sergeant Major. The next morning, voila!
It can be embarrassing for the Marine when a significant other emails the Sergeant Major, and he was not enthused about it. But after waiting weeks for my Marine to find time to begin this process, I needed to make progress. The email worked and afterwards the boyfriend said it did not actually bother him because the number was not on any paperwork he had been given, so he was not at fault.

Tasty, light textured carrot cake gluten free cupcake at Cupcakelicious in Woodstock, GA.

Onsdag: Fourteen members of the HIKING group met at the Old Rope Park in Woodstock, GA, and hiked 3.5 miles (in under 2 hours) and then went to lunch. It was a lovely, breezy day and the company and conversation was fun.
The lunch was at J. Alexanders (a breakfast & lunch place) that has several locations around here. I have never been there before, and there was no GLUTEN FREE menu. Online gluten free searching did not help, so I ordered grits, bacon (after the waitress assuring me they don't soak it on bread to drain the grease), and fruit. Afterward, I hopped across the street in the quaint dining district to Cupcakelicious and was lucky enough to find a carrot cake gluten free cupcake. It was light in texture and flavor, although a bit heavy on frosting, a lovely snack. The friendly,chatty guy at the counter explained they have one different gluten free flavor each day.
Tersdag (Literally Thor's Day. I had a grandfather named Thor. I'm SO Norwegian!!):
I was disappointed to discover I had overlooked an email delivered Sunday asking me to work as an "extra" on a VINCE VAUGHN MOVIE being shot here in Georgia. They needed me Thursday and Friday, so it was too late at this point. I guess my email inbox was too clogged and I hadn't seen it. Not meant to be, but a note to self to clean the emails out better so the good ones are more visible. I can sort it on my laptop, but not as easy to sort on the phone.

At the gym (I've been going 4 to 5 times per week, yay!), there was an obnoxious-sounding sub teacher for my "Flirty Girl" fitness dance class so I joined the swim class instead. It was such a sunny and lovely day, the class was in the outside POOL this time. If you think water class is easy, I have two words for you: Water. Resistance. G.I. JANE is what they call the move that is like a belly crawl across the top of the water from one side to the other that I hope tones as much as it feels like it should. My instant reward was to relax at the pool while getting bronzed (and absorbing Vitamin D, since I've moved here the Dr. said I'm deficient!).

Fredag: My second attempt at the über-challenging "FITNESS QUEST" class. This time I made it through, but felt dizzy and headachy from all the up, down: overhead press squats, then down for mountainclimbers, etc. Not sure how often I'll do that one.
I plan on advertising my art class more in hopes for a bigger showing tomorrow. The Dogwood (beautiful trees) festival is this weekend as well as a big field meet with 500 poolees (future Marines), running and flipping tractor tires, etc. I also plan on enjoying my latest gluten free find: Blue Bell All Natural Fruit Bars 70 calories and bits of real fruit in there. Super yummy. I'll bid you adieu with a crafty creative Easter favorite of mine. Deviled eggs that look like chicks emerging from eggshells.
Enjoy your weekend!

Here are the deviled eggs I made one Easter. Some of the whites are jagged like shells. It's easier (and turns out less messy-looking) when you have time to chill the mixture before stuffing the egg shells.

Why Don't You...?

2014-04-05T11:02:00.001-04:00

Shake things up! In lieu of watching a movie or playing YouTube videos, perhaps this weekend you will have a few minutes to shake up your routine by doing something you haven't done in awhile, making use of stuff that's just sitting around your house, waking up your creativity, wiping out a procrastinated task, or letting someone know you care.
Why Don't You...

use a kitchen gadget that's been gathering dust (crock pot chicken n dumplings? Smoothie?)
jot a note in a card or postcard and mail it to an elderly family member
put cloth/reusable bags in your car trunk so you will have them when you go shopping
put foldable lawn chairs in your car trunk since it's spring and you might be needing them
look up a spring festival to attend
go paint something at one of those ceramic stores for your mother on Mother's Day
fix something that's broken: jewelry, etc.
type the first chapter of that book you always wanted to write & look up a writing group to share it at this month
wipe off the dust bunnies coagulating on your ceiling fan- or at least look up there to see...
brush your pets' teeth
write a haiku
swap out some photos from your picture frames, have digitals printed (upload to walgreens and pick up in an hour) and buy or paint a new frame
buy plain terracotta planters, decorate with paint pens or paint, and plant seeds
fly a kite (like we've done twice so far this spring) 99 cent kites, yay
press flowers
look in your spice cupboard, find something rarely used in there and look up a recipe for it
bake something to bring with you when you meet friends or family this weekend
unearth old exercise equipment and use it like you intended when you bought it
gather a stack of stuff you've been meaning to sell online, photograph it and post it for sale
find something that keeps not getting done on your to-do list and prepare/do a baby step to make it easier when you can start back at it next week (look up the ph#, research a list, etc.)
schedule reminders in your phone for mundane items you often forget (fertilize flowers, pet meds)
paint your toenails (or your partner's)
use that Groupon you got that expired (it's still worth face value)
return stuff to the store or put it in the car with a receipt so it's ready to go
stock up the toilet paper carrel or refill the handsoaps
open your messiest closet or cupboard and commit 20 minutes to making it better than it is now
get a shadow box for something special to honor it the way it should be
find out where the master gardener's give their mandatory free classes and attend a spring window basket class (the fall one I went to was amazing and I created awesome stuff after)
make or fill a birdbath or bird feeder or bird house
plant an herb garden or the upside down hanging tomato planters if you don't have much space
use plain yogurt to make a fancy dip (get a spice mix or look up a recipe online)
change out the drawer pulls on an old dresser (Hobby Lobby & CostPlus World Market)
wear a hat you rarely wear but look good in
rotate things that have been pushed to the back or to the bottom- place them in front to use them-- freezer items, clothing on hangers or in drawers, books
run the dishwasher then match up your tupperware to the lids and recycle extraneous
use the "good" stuff: the good dishes, your good shoes, your good makeup, etc.
learn how to use something you already have (fancy camera, instrument, tool, art stuff, computer)
use your home- did you buy your home with entertaining in mind? have you done it lately?
randomly invite someone new to the area or a new friend to come along with you this weekend
go to image3D dot com and create a viewmaster of personal photos for an upcoming gift
make real postage stamps using your photos (great gift idea) or kids' photos
go in your attic or basement and find some items to display/rotate out ones that have been out
make a wall collage of frames grouped together. look online for examples, pointers
buy new towels and donate or put the old in the garage for spills
use your picnic basket. get it out and plan a picnic for tomorrow
finish a project you started. if not finish, then commit an hour to further it along
dust off your bikes, racquets, or other sporting equipment and use it
need to break up your weekday routine? today you can invite an old friend to a Taco Tuesday or Margarita Monday
Have you delayed sending a thank you? Go to keurig website and send a set of coffees or teas
burn your candles, you bought them for a reason
look at your dwelling- do you still need...curtains, blinds, headboard, bed skirt? All of these make your rooms look SO MUCH BETTER and for a small cost can make a room feel so much better
gather up toiletries to create a basket for your guest room so it's ready next time
do that thing- that thing that stops you from inviting people over, fix it so it stops stopping you
take your vitamins, drink green tea, or whatever else it was you read about that you wanted to do

download a language app or learn something in a "game" format on memrise dot com

Window box I created with 'thrillers, fillers and spillers" after attending a free Master Gardener's lecture. Master gardener's are required to share their knowledge and they are all over the place. Find out where you can learn from them for free!

Friday Flashback: My Week in a [gluten free] Nutshell

2014-04-04T10:20:00.001-04:00

A Leg Up!
I was surprised to receive an email from one of my fabulous Zen Doodle students stating that Hobby Lobby was looking for people to teach classes like mine. They asked her if she'd do it and she told me about it. I literally jumped in the car and twenty minutes later, I was booked to teach every Saturday at the Dunwoody, GA, location! I love it when women make the effort to give one another a leg up!

I teach Zen Doodle art class every Saturday at Hobby Lobby in Dunwoody, GA!

A Couple Gigs
Although I didn't submit for gigs this week, I was called and asked to work as an extra again on Vampire Diaries (I'll post pics after it airs if I don't end up on cutting room floor) and one I haven't done before, Devious Maids, for my car and myself. Beautiful weather, chatting with fun people, interesting sets, earning cash, what's not to like?

A Windy Day
I love to fly kites. It's one of the few fond memories I have of quality time with my father. He'd buy kites and take us to a park. I also enjoy flying kites at the beach. We sent one way up high and tied it to our beach chair at Tybee Island. I even kept a kite in my classroom and would take it out at recess on windy days. You'd be surprised how many kids haven't flown kites. As a parole officer, I bought a bunch of kites at a dollar store and put them in the trunk of my work car and handed them out one day to kids wandering around doing nothing, as well as children of my parolees. We went to the park down the street Sunday and saw a couple novel activities: kids ascending and descending on ropes in trees and people doing Live Action Role Play, beating each other with foam swords.

Kids literally hanging around at the park

Foam sword and shields. Live Action Role Play, aka LARP

A Bit of Sweat
I looked up a local hiking group and joined them (retirees and teachers on spring break) for a five mile, two hour, often vertical like a StairMaster, hike with a rewarding view at the top of Lake Alatoona. It's been nice weather and I also enjoyed the drive with the convertible top down. The pollen count has since skyrocketed here, so not sure if I'll be doing that this week! I also jogged 4 miles at the indoor track at my gym (easier on the joints) and attended my favorite Flirty Girl class that culminates in a dance routine to "Timber". I plan to go to the intense circuit class today (last time I swam before the class so I only made it through 45 minutes) and the swim class and weights tomorrow morning.

I read the label and find these to be gluten free. I eat them and do not get sick.

A Plateful of Gluten Free Goodness
My latest favorite gluten free dessert (great to bring to parties, I brought them to the clothing swap) is frozen macarons at Trader Joe's. Just thaw 30 minutes. Remember, real French macarons are made with almond flour, and if there is no cross-contamination or wheat flour used to dust the pans, for example, they are naturally gluten free. So is authentic chocolate mousse, although restaurants often muck it up with wheat flour or other monstrosities, ruining it for us gfreeple. Yes, I have attempted to make real macarons myself. Don't ask how that turned out. When the chef on YouTube admits it took her three tries to get them right....

A Clothing Swap...and a dress with a story
A women's social group had a clothing swap. It rained, so the turnout wasn't big (6 people with items laid out on tables at an indoor activity room at a park). Nobody was even near my size, but I did get a couple purses.

I donate to Goodwill regularly (all my clothes came from there as a child), so I had set aside nicer quality items. Some dresses and gowns I used to donate to The Giving of the Gowns (before I found out they don't check military IDs and all our E-6 wives told me they regularly take gowns from there- when they are intended for the youngest, lowest-earning military women and wives so they can attend the USMC Birthday Ball every November). I also brought name-brand handbags that, if not swapped, I would attempt to place on consignment.

The Beyonce Dress

One lady was healing from a recent tummy tuck and breast lift so she took my Beyonce dress, lol! The Beyonce dress is a sparkly, backless number that I wore to The Montford Point Marines banquet where, unbeknownst to me, General Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, was in attendance. He does not come every year, and it was right after we arrived in Atlanta so I'd never been before, but if I had been shown the invitation I would have realized that he was giving out belated Congressional Medals to honor the first black marines who trained at a segregated boot camp with white drill instructors at Montford Point. It was a privilege to witness the medals being placed around the necks of these men who have lived through so much. The Silent Drill Platoon performed (and dropped a rifle again-it's extra fun when they drop one), we met General Amos and Mrs. Amos, but I will never forget what an inappropriate frock I was wearing. I would NEVER have worn such a flashy and ostentatious number if I had seen the invite and known what the event was really about. I was just told it was a dinner and dancing.

Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Amos

Congressional Medal Recipients

How I Found Online Dating Success, Gluten Free!

2014-04-03T17:28:00.002-04:00

Most of the time, I reveled in the single life. I did have times where I'd wished I'd stayed home (click here for my list of dating don'ts), but that still happens even now that I'm contentedly coupled...).

Anyway, in my late 20's, a coworker who'd enjoyed her experience talked me into trying online dating. I signed up for a three month membership and...it went better than anticipated. I just had a knack for it. Attribute it to inbred Midwestern pragmatism (I was seeking less of a 'soul mate', more of a quality companion), enhanced by innate Scorpio(n) skepticism (weeded out the exaggerators), a highly accurate "gut feeling" for gauging people (law enforcement trait, helped weed out the scaries and players), and the art of UNDERSELLING oneself (I posted work photos, for example, and showed up prettier).

Dating online (I continued after the 3 months) resulted in 3 relationships lasting 9+ months (including the current 4.5 years and counting), lots of fun experiences, and several rewarding friendships. When people ask how my beau and I met, I'm proud to say I shopped for him online. In more formal settings, however, I just skip to discussing the casino lounge (our first date venue).

Get over your discomfort with online dating.

Here are the Online Dating Strategies that paid off for me:

---> Don't fall for the fakes/Don't go for the gimmicks: As with infomercial ads, this goes for dating
For example, when you are in the thumbnail picture view, scrolling through Man-a-palooza,

ignore any photos that are:

black and white or artistic photos (the person isn't comfortable with his own self and feels the need to embellish), or they are using a REALLY outdated photo.
wearing sunglasses over eyes (on a photo that is advertising you for a relationship, hiding the eyes is a sign of dishonesty-especially mirrored lenses- a guy pal of mine divulged to me that he wore them so women wouldn't see that he was oogling things he shouldn't be)
headshots only- if there is more than one photo, and none show the whole body (in clothes, of course), the person is likely being dishonest about their physical specifications. A friend of mine showed up for a date where the man had only a photo of him in a car, and he turned out to be obese. Even if he's a Nascar driver, he should show helmet to racing boot.
wearing a hat- often used to conceal baldness...or toilet seat hair. I actually like bald on some men. There was a time where I took a risk on a hat-wearer and when we spoke by phone he said he was not bald. When he showed up at the comedy club, luckily he walked up to me, because I never would've recognized him- he was a redhead! If only he knew, he was selling himself short- I have an affinity for Ginger Men.
Childish- wearing hats on backwards or drunken photos with a bunch of guys or riding snowmobiles, dirt bikes, skateboards, or shopping carts, this guy is immature
Professionally Done pics: superficial, self-absorbed likely
Photo overload- too many pics can signal a narcissist. Same goes for men tanned, waxed, and posing in tight shorts by the pool- yes, these are out there
with hot women- he's either a playboy or wants to be seen as one, or doesn't know how to use the cropping tool, in which case, keep on scrollin!

Other Man-shopping tips (as far as EVALUATING PROFILES- of those who email/message you, and of those you are considering emailing/messaging):

Some of these were automatic dealbreakers for me, others I'd peruse the profile, and keep track of "strikes" on my hand. 3 strikes, and the profile was a no-go.

If (in his "seeking" age checklist) he has 18+ picked, and you are 25 +, you are too much woman for him. Any man who's dating 18 year-olds isn't looking for conversation or a relationship.
If he left most of the profile areas blank. He's not serious about finding the right person.
If his profile is very negative, stating everything he does not want.
If he only talks about what he is like and not what he wants, or vice versa.
over-generalities- likes to walk on beach and travel, but lists no specifics.

Emailing tips:

Returning an email, keep it short, answer questions he asked in a mildly fun or flirtatious manner, and ask questions back. Only respond if you are interested.
Emailing prospects you are drawn to: I kept a few cute emails on file and customized them with one question asking about something on the dude's profile to make it personal. The cute emails were on themes that men "get": baseball, poker, fishing, etc. I'm a rookie at this... I decided to pitch you an email since your stats...check out my rookie card and see if you are interested in making this a ballgame. In the subject line: Hey there, sailor- or- Howdy, Slim- or- Irish Eyes a smilin'-or- from the Girl next door (if he lived in your same city). Spend time on it the first couple times, then just copy them to a file for future reuse. Don't talk about yourself much.
Keep emails light, you can ask delving questions on the phone or in-person, but DO ask clarifying questions related to subjective buzz words in their profile. A big one is "laid-back". They all say that, but believe me, there is a wide range of laid-backedness!! Ask specifics. Or if they like to Travel- where and when was your last trip?
If the person writes in all lowercase letters or doesn't capitalize the pronoun I, or types in all caps, or doesn't use punctuation, or misspells words, then take these as signs of immaturity or education level. If the tone is negative or sexual or there is no clue that he's read you're profile, those are all very meaningful bits of info. Dating is like detective work, you're always reading clues.
If the person doesn't respond, leave it alone. Move on. Don't take it personally. Acknowledge that it sucks, attribute it to something benign like he went back to his baby mama or he thinks you live in the town by the rehab place he went to (bad memories), or he is busy w Fantasy Football. Scroll on.
If you feel like sending a rejection email, rather than just deleting an undesirable, keep it positive. ie. Thanks for the email, but you're not in my age range. Best of luck.

--->Meet the person. In person! My rule is up to 4 emails/brief messaging stints, then a phone call. I'd say roughly half of the people that I talked with by phone "made it" to the meet-face2face-level. (I didn't feel comfortable with the instant messaging deal. I think it could rush things.)
Don't be like my neighbor, Wendy (who looks similar to Wendy Williams, actually), who was "pen pals" for months with a guy whom she never ended up meeting (big surprise) or Jenny (single mom) who was on Christian single parent dating site where, after months of time and no face-to-face contact, a guy asked her to send her money. This stuff never happened to me, because I have a strong antennae for red flags.
**Gluten free people: bring snacks, use apps to scope gf restaurants in the area (and have a few go-to's at-the-ready in case someone asks for a suggestion), and explain it in a concise but not too intense or gross way when the topic naturally arises. You only have to worry about how accommodating the person is and how strong of an emphasis you need to place on it if you want to kiss them. If they are truly interested in you, they will have googled it by the second date, which is impressive.

Here are phone tips:

Some people have an aversion to giving out their phone numbers. I usually emailed my # with a friendly and cute disclaimer that by calling the number the person was agreeing to use it respectfully and not leave messages with colorful language, etc. But, really, if you only answer calls from contacts with names that come up, why be afraid? If the person calls and leaves a voicemail, you don't have to listen to it. I really only had one person leave a mean message, and as soon as it began, I deleted it, and then I created the disclaimer idea.
Establish some questions that you may gain useful insight. Avoid questions that only have one socially acceptable answer (this is what annoyed me about eharmony on the free weekends I used- what's most important in your life? the answer was always God or family- and that didn't ). Are you honest? Nobody ever says no.
Good questions to ask: Tell me about your last vacation? What did you do for your mom on Mother's Day/bday/holiday? Have you cheated? (Are you surprised to hear that some people do say yes to that one? Informative!) What did you do last weekend? Have you ever been arrested? What did you learn from your divorce? In your group of friends, which guy are you? How do you celebrate Halloween/last year/examples....
Ask questions to clarify details in their profile- Here's a big tip--language is very subjective! Especially when men and women are often planets apart as far as perspectives go. There are very popular phrases (seen over and over and over) used to describe a wide range of people. (Laid back, no more drama, spontaneous- often are attributes people assign themselves, but in many cases it's just wishful thinking. A guy I met who was deathly afraid of fireworks with an anal-retentive streak called himself laid back). Consider the word "travel": 'Travel' to one person may be an elaborately planned, expensive trip hiking in Asia for two weeks; for another person 'travel' may bring to mind a three hour drive to Vegas for the weekend, sitting in a casino--so ask when and where was their last vacation? What was their favorite vacay? More probing questions about family (almost everyone says they are close to their family- what is 'close' to them? gift-giving, daily calls, weekly visits, family trips- how did their family respond to their last girlfriend?), and drinking- they almost all say they drink a couple times a week, but I found that it was more like four or five times a week- Fri. and Sat. night, Sun. for the game, and Tues. night margaritas at Taco Tuesday with colleagues. Another one- nobody says they are dishonest, but give scenarios- would you return a wallet with cash? A watch you find at the gym? I've gotten interesting answers on these.

Note the vocabulary, the tone, the mood, and the amount of talking vs listening the person does. Personally, I didn't like it if the person tried to call me pet names on the first call.
Decide whether or not you are still interested in meeting the prospect- If the wiseguy crosses appropriate boundaries on the phone, count him out. I had someone ask me my bra size, ask me to send more pictures via cell phone, and one guy shouted a greeting at me on the phone like fraternity boy...all of which were dealbreakers for me. Another bad omen, looking back, was if they were adamant and unwilling to be swayed about where to meet. Control freak.
If you ARE interested in meeting, before hanging up, set a meeting up for the following week. If they aren't available, then cross them off the list. The great thing about the one week, then meet! timeline is that you haven't invested much time, so it's easy to cross them off and scroll on!

Don't misrepresent yourself. Use current photos. Undersell and over-deliver.

Here are first meeting tips:

Offer to go to an event- it's more fun than a coffee shop, and more "worth the PRETTY" (effort toward getting dressed up and make-up, hair, etc.) since you want to look a bit nicer than you do straight from work.
Choose a weekend DAYtime or a weeknight (not a weekend night).
Drive separately, let a friend know where you're going and whom you're meeting, and generally keep safety in mind. There are apps for these tasks.
Frankly, the first date venues that led to my 3 relationships were: county fair, P.F. Chang's (gluten free), and a local classy casino lounge. I generally pick things I want to do anyway-not letting dating cramp my style. Comedy shows were also a fave, you talk in line but not during the show.
Don't use people. Offer to go dutch, or if the guy obviously makes a significant amount more than you do, offer to pay the tip. Don't say, "So are you buying me another drink, or what?" Yes, I heard that asked before.
Don't invest too much...time, effort, creativity. Figure out a standard you are comfortable with.
Keep the mindframe that the woman is the one to be pursued (I'm sure there are successful women huntresses out there, but I wouldn't advise it).
Be confident. Wear something that you feel good in, play your "game-day"anthem en route to the date, or fake it 'til u make it, if need be, by chanting mantras like Serena Williams', "I am the Bomb dot com!"
Don't be weary of awkwardness. Make light of it. Smile.
Anything that makes you feel weird, just use:

The golden phrase of dating:

"I'm not comfortable with that."

In my experience, there is no way for a man to manipulate or disobey this sentence. It is impenetrable. I usually say it in a pleasant tone with a smile that conveys: we don't have to ruin the evening over this, and just because other women have conceded, doesn't mean I'm going to. You're not used to me, I'm not used to you, but I'm setting the boundaries here, because I am the woman.

Let's practice:

HIM: "Let me walk you to your car." HER: I'm not comfortable with that.
"Follow me to my place." I'm not comfortable with that.
"Sit closer to me." I'm not comfortable with that.
"Not comfortable with that? Why not?" I'm just not comfortable with that.

If someone has a thick skull, just employ the broken record technique. And obviously, if the person is aggressive or you don't want to be there, just leave.

Benefits of dating online:

I was young and cute living in a man-dense population and met plenty of men at the post office, in the grocery store, or at the car wash. However, there are many reasons why I preferred online dating.

Variety: First, the men I was meeting were not always professionals. I tend to draw blue collar types, and I ~~like~~ am attracted to them. But I learned that no matter how much they swore that it didn't matter that we were different as far as higher education, it always ended up bothering them, manifesting in them enrolling in a night school program (meaning they'll be more stressed, have less time and money, and hanging out with nineteen year-olds). Later, after I'd left, I'd find out they were dating someone less educated, and hence dropped their community college endeavors.
Also along the variety vein, it's easier to review your "past" patterns (ask your friends) and intentionally go in a new direction. Set a goal to try out people against your regular "type" while still avoiding red flags.
Quantity: When things don't work out with someone, it's a great distraction to check your online dating stuff to see what's going on in there! Easier to move on mentally! Less emotional recovery time!
When you date people on reputable sites (typically the ones that charge a fee), you will find people who are experienced daters, who won't make faux-pas or waste your time or be rude when they see incompatibility.
Scope it out....You can log in as the opposite sex and fill out the criteria that describe you and look over your competition. This can also help you modify your profile if necessary (ie. if everyone on there is skinnier than you, then you might need to change from "average" to "a few extra pounds")
Baggage: I found most of the "vitals" were completely true: # of kids, education, job, etc. as listed on the profiles. The only time I unwittingly dated someone who was still married, was meeting someone off-line, in person, at Wendy's karaoke birthday party. I found that men exaggerated their height and income, while they told me that women exaggerated their looks and weight. The men always seemed so relieved when they saw me, and almost always exclaimed, "You look way better than your picture!". Under-sell and Over-deliver! While the men usually looked like their photos, and in three cases looked FAR better than their photos. Only once was I extremely dismayed regarding appearance, as noted elsewhere in this post.

Be yourself: aka the "don't punk someone" rule (from the old Mtv show, Punk'd). Know yourself, and know the difference between trying new experiences and "morphing" into something you are not in a (often subconscious, unintentional, but desperate) effort to reel someone in for the long haul.
Example: if you don't like sports, say so.
I played softball and basketball in high school. But I also played violin. I grew up with sports-crazed brothers. I watch football, but only the Bears, and only the second half. And I prefer to DVR it and fast-forward through the commercials, penalties, and replays. I enjoy attending baseball games on summer nights, but won't watch on TV.
My current boyfriend is a BIG sports fan. Let me clarify...without much effort, he displaced the year-long reining #1 ranked sports trivia CHAMPION at Buffalo Wild Wings, triumphing through the multiple categories: tennis, golf, Nascar, Olympics, etc. on his first attempt. He watches every sport on tv: marathon running, rugby, curling, swimming. If it's not sports, he's watching old action movies on cable. I was honest with him and didn't "overplay" my interest in sports , so he DVR's most sports now and watches it when I'm gone or asleep. BUT, sports doesn't dictate our Sundays or prohibit us from attending other events or being outside on a beautiful day. Why? Because he wouldn't be my boyfriend if it did. We wouldn't be compatible enough.
Don't "tell yourself" or rationalize that you are "trying out new interests" or "compromising", when you are really pretending to like things that he likes. And, don't hide things you like. You don't have to have the exact same interests. You want him to like you for you, and the way you spend your time together doesn't have to revolve around your divergent interests. Refer to the movie, Runaway Bride, if necessary.

In sum, open your mind, date freely (no checklists), and have fun! Feel free to comment if you have questions about how to handle a situation you have encountered. I also plan on offering online dating profile evaluations with recommendations if you want my opinion. Enjoy your dates, look for the best qualities in each person and ignore the bad ones to get through the date without misery, but hold out for the best for continued dating. Online, BABY!

The Intentional Life Project...2014 Goals and Progress

2014-03-26T20:08:00.000-04:00

Here are New Year's Resolutions from the past. Sometimes I add on later. Some never get checked off.

In college I learned a lot from an assessment on StrengthsQuest and discovered that I have a strength in planning for the future. It was eye-opening to my (ignorant, young) self that people who were not planners were NOT LAZY, they were just stronger in and more oriented toward "present" or "past" tasks, ideas, hobbies, interests, ways of thinking. Like many people of the planning persuasion, I have fairly religiously made annual goals/resolutions each year and revisited them at the end of the year. (See above.) My significant other is not a natural planner, but reluctantly joined my tradition a few years ago, and now HE is excited to revisit them and reminds ME to revisit them every SIX months, instead of annually!

Although it's not right on time (you can't wait until January to start everything!), I've decided to meld my goals for this year into the Intentional Life Project. Linking up with Bre, Ginny, Erica , Emily, and Jacqueline, who are also updating their progress and tips for this project.

===> JANUARY GOALS: (FAMILY)

Visit mother (out-of-state, same coast) since we'll move across country soon.
Take vitamins and use my Vitamix to make and drink smoothies more regularly. My mother always reminds me to take vitamins. My Vitamix recipe photos go viral on Pinterest.

===> PROGRESS: I visited my mother for the longest ever! 10 Days! It's rare that she was between jobs and had time to hang out, and my stepdad (who has a serious illness) was feeling well and in good spirits, so the trip was better than I could have hoped for. I was nervous about being a polite houseguest for so long, since my stepdad has a hard time dealing with company, my gluten free diet makes eating a bit difficult, and my mother can treat me like a child at times.

My boyfriend sent me with a gift: a box of cards he wrote in...one for each of the 10 days I was gone.

Before I left, my marine surprised me with a gift to open when I got to my mom's. It was a box of greeting cards, one for me to open each day, with greetings and well-wishes and motivating words written inside from him and our furbabies. It was very romantic and sweet (and extra special, since this type of thoughtfulness is not a habit of his, with all due respect, remember- he's not a planner)!

***Karma?***After my divorce, when I was learning how to be a girlfriend again, I sent a card a day to my new boyfriend (at the time) while I was out-of-town for the holidays and when I got back, the jerk rudely, passive-aggressively, and purposely made a show (in front of me) of begrudgingly retrieving a bunch of them, unopened, out of the mailbox to illustrate how little he thought of the gesture. At the time, it made me feel like he viewed me as desperate and trying too hard (hey, I was trying to correct the mistakes from my divorce and give out more attention). Now, I feel redeemed! I enjoyed receiving the cards from my CURRENT and BEST boyfriend, and have kept them in the box on my dresser ever since.

Regarding the vitamins and smoothies, I'd say I've been doing smoothies all week, biweekly. Vitamins, about every-other-day, which is an improvement.

===> FEBRUARY GOALS (Intentional Life Project monthly focus of Health):

Learn to speak some Norwegian. (I'm a Viking by heritage. Puts some pieces into place, doesn't it?) Keeping my mind active and healthy, always learning new things. Challenging new things!
Eat healthier and increase workouts to 4 times per week.

===> PROGRESS:

In January, I downloaded a Norwegian Language App and have been using it.

In March, I began Norwegian lessons in person. He is pleased with my progress! Greit!

Norwegian woman. Viking. Vikings show.

As of March, I am working out 5x per week. I began working as an "extra" on Vampire Diaries to pay for a new "fancy" gym from our "has seen better days" crossfit gym. I have been doing a 5k weekly, taking a swim class (water resistance!) and also tried new classes: Sh'Bam!, Le Barre, and Kardio Funk.

===> MARCH GOALS (Intentional Life Project monthly focus of Money):

Earn $ by teaching a Zen Doodle class at a nearby spiritual center seeking instructors.
Research expected expenses for our move to California this summer and discuss a "rough" budget with my marine.
Save the tax returns.

===> PROGRESS:

I prepared for and taught the class. Only a couple people turned up, but it was fun. I probably will change the topic if I do it again so the price can be more attractive to people. It'd be easier if I didn't have to give half my earnings to the center as well. I have not been paid yet.
My Leatherneck and I had a "fro-yo" date and wrote the budget on a napkin. It was fun.
Saved the tax returns.

And...We're Off!

2014-03-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

THE WAIT
As a military family, we certainly aren't accustomed to letting the grass grow under our feet. My previous post established that we were awaiting military orders, and they were taking a long time. My marine's replacement has known he'll be coming to Atlanta since September. I was being pretty patient until it got to the point where my pets would have to suffer in quarantine because I wouldn't be able to meet the time required to get them to Hawaii (no rabies there, big pet process to keep it that way) or Japan or Europe if any of those places became our destination. My marine has put Camp Pendleton as his first choice for 15 years, unsuccessfully. For recruiting, we got to choose 5 from 18 available cities. Neither of us wanted Buffalo or Des Moines, so he picked Seattle and Phoenix, while. I picked Chicago and Atlanta, and we both picked Ft. launder dale to be near family. We were happy it was Atlanta, but annoyed that as a native of Ft. Launderdale he still didn't get it. As for our current situation, my marine figured we'd find out by. Jan. or Feb. I'm the pragmatic one who believes there are no promises in life nor in the military, so I didn't expect news until March for our move in June/July.

After mid-March came and went, I began (tongue-in-cheek) asking my marine like an excited child every night, "Did we get orders yet?"at random moments, making both of us chuckle because we know that if he had gotten them, I certainly wouldn't need to ask him to tell me. Now, I am not keen on receiving the notice from my marine via a distracted, life-altering, phone call where he drops a bomb at 7 AM and then has to rush to hang up and get back to work. Most people do it that way since it's the most intuitive and natural. I suffered through that once (he was randomly accepted to a school to which he did not apply, which uprooted him a year or two early from 29 Palms several months after we had met in CA. He found out when a Colonel shook his hand randomly while passing in a hallway to congratulate him on his acceptance, much to my marine's shock) and prefer to never have it happen like that again, where I'm left to get through the longest day ever, carbonated thoughts bubbling up and me trying to tamp them down until we get home and can pop the cork together.

THE. REVEAL
So, I am not working, since often the timing of my employment 'under-laps' (I try to avoid overlaps!) with our moves. I have been booking gigs as an extra on Vampire Diaries and teaching an art class to pay for a fancy gym membership (heated pools in & outside, sauna,jacuzzi, new equipment, classes galore) and I love it. Since I make it a point to not let my life revolve around my marine's work hours (no clock-watching, texting when will u b home? Eta?), I was coming home from the gym one night and I opened the front door to darkness, the odor of char/smoke, and Dr.Dre's "California Love" blaring. Then, I turned and saw my marine standing next to the dining room table (with lit candles atop gluten free cupcakes from Gluten Free Cutie) with the most enormous, dazzling smile, arms outstretched, wearing a t-shirt with the California state flag on it. Never one to make assumptions, I broke through the noise of the music to ask if it was 29 Palms (desert, where he was when we met) or Camp Pendleton (beach, his perennial first choice that he never has gotten). His response was to make a surfing motion and say, "Babe, if it was 29 (Palms), I'd be blowing sand in your face with a hot blow dryer right now." We hugged and his smile hasn't faded since. He is on Cloud 9.

MY THOUGHTS
I'd have preferred Hawaii or Europe (our 2nd and 3rd choices since my choice of Atlanta won out last time so I let him pick the first spot), but am ecstatic that he finally got his dream job in his dream locale. Having resided in SoCal for 13 years, I was not in a hurry to go back just yet. I own a home in California, but it's too far from the military base for us to live in it. Plus, I'm in this life for the adventure of it. That said, even after all that time, I have never lived by the beach nor been north of San Francisco in that giant, banana-shaped state! So, the relief of not getting Camp Lejeune (North Carolina military town where I probably would have to live in Charleston to keep my sanity, forcing my marine to drive 4 hours to visit me on weekends) coupled with his elation and beach living has me brimming with excitement for our next chapter. Stay tuned...

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Life...On Pause

2014-03-03T18:01:00.001-05:00

Many people sum up military life with the phrase "hurry up, then wait". After over 4 years of military life, I agree. We are on the last few months of his 36 month B-billet (random job in between deployments/real job assignment). This means, my marine, who is trained as an infantry officer, was selected by a board of Colonels (and Generals?) to command the Recruiting Station in Georgia for the Marine Corps.

From billboards to medical processing to the boot camp bus, my marine is in charge of 15 recruiter stations for most of the state of Georgia. Over 100 marines and over 900 kids waiting to get into the USMC are his responsibility. His boss is in another state, so the buck stops with him. While he loves teaching his recruiters how to give presentations to classes of high school kids, giving speeches himself at Glazier Football Coaches Clinics and H.S. Principal Conferences on Leadership and Ethics,

The U.S. Marine Corps is renowned for its leadership and organizational strategies. This is why my marine has met with Atlanta's Mayor Reed as well as Glazier Football Coaches clinics (!shameless! brag alert: my marine has been rated #2 speaker in the nation at these clinics, just behind SF 49ers coach Jim Harbough). He has also been invited to speak at many school and community events, especially around Veteran's Day.

and just helping his wo/men make their mission and fulfill the dreams of young people toward becoming marines and young leaders, his heart belongs in the field/the fleet, training a battalion for deployment or preparing humanitarian missions for disaster relief across the globe. It kills him to think that the leathernecks he trained are deployed without him. Marines don't want to be "sitting on the bench", they want to be "in the mix", using their skills and doing what they do best.

For more on the often asked question, "Why do they like and want to deploy?" watch Battleground Afghanistan (my grunt would be equivalent to the guy who never sleeps on there, the Captain, since he hasn't deployed as a Major yet) and read the book No Easy Day. That book is about the Seals, but the writer conveys the attitude about yearning to deploy to a tee. If you watch Army Wives, as I'm often asked, my equivalent would be closest to Denise, although TV moves their careers much faster, so we are a rank or two below where they were, last I checked.

My marine is what is lovingly and proudly known as a "grunt" in the Corps. Uber-smart, National Merit Scholars, who earned full college scholarships have a plethora of career opportunities open to them. But, even as a child, he was often wearing military clothing and running around the woods in Florida with a fake rifle planning battles. His mother has a Mother's Day mug made by him in 3rd grade that has tanks and big explosions drawn all over it. His mother was a teacher and his father an artist, so being a marine seemed to have come out of nowhere. We now know it was his calling. As an only child, the marines are his true brothers. He is a charismatic, natural born leader. I can't imagine him ever working in a cubicle.

So, while recruiting isn't any grunt's first choice of duty station (the 2011 Military Spouse of the Year proclaimed Recruiting Duty as far worse than 4 deployments due to the stress and 70+ hour work weeks), we have made the best of it, and enjoyed living more of a "civilian life", away from military installations. We have explored and completed a bucket list of activities for the state of Georgia, from hiking the Appalachian Trail, to visiting Martin Luther King's church. Now, we are ready to say, "Bye, y'all"!

Image courtesy of DigitalArt at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So, we will move in a few months. And the destination is yet "unknown". We submitted our geographical preferences. Any day now, he will come home from work with a present for me to open. Inside will be some token or trinket symbolic of our next duty station. It will be our 4th move in 6 years. Then the pause button will be lifted and a frantic house-hunting, budgeting, and packing mission will begin. We are on this adventure together. I had my dream career as a teacher for 13 years. I'm happy and proud to support him in his 15th year of his dream career.

Marine Life, Military Life

2014-02-27T18:47:00.002-05:00

Hello, stranger!

Just to update my gluten free followers: I feel that I have already blogged about the integral part of my gluten free journey with celiac disease (blogs since '06). I still avidly post (gluten free) restaurant reviews on the Find Me Gluten Free App and on Twitter!

My current focus is on my life's adventure with My Marine (grunt)(see new blog page here), as well as traveling, crafting, exploring nature, meeting new people/cultures, and philanthropy. Being a celiac (8 years dx), a teacher (13 years), and a law enforcement officer (2 years) will always be a part of me. Embrace all the sides of you, too! And, as always: Live freely, gluten freely, y'all!

Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes, Links, and Pictures

2012-11-15T09:08:00.000-05:00

My mom and Seth's mom on dish duty (we don't let them cook), and my sis-in-law who is an amazing cook!

My mom's plate- she only took a small amount of bread at first, leery of gf breads, but she loved the Against the Grain Baguettes, so she ended up eating more of it! I used Seth's grandma's china and bought gold chargers.

Me. Cooking. In pajamas. As an active-duty military family, we rent this house, so disregard the ugly cabinets and appliances. The granite counters are nice, tho!

This WAS my second time hosting a gluten free Thanksgiving. I've had the luxury of two other gluten free Thanksgivings hosted by my mother (when it was just she & I), and by my best friend (who also made vegetarian options for another guest, so I wasn't the only one requiring intensive care in food prep).

Here are "professional" Turkey Day recipes from Living Without Magazine.

This is what I planned on preparing for Turkey Day, some updates added in from AFTERward:

Gluten Free Turkey (remember some poultry is injected with gluten containing flavorings/broths). BEST GLUTEN FREE TURKEY: Brined turkey from Trader Joe's. SUPER JUICY, even the gluten-eaters loved it. I've tried Shelton's before, but it didn't knock my socks off. Other gf options listed in an old copy of Living Without magazine show Aaron's Gourmet, Empire Kosher, Honeysuckle White, Jennie-O, Norbest, Organic Prairie, Perdue, and Shady Brook Farms. **Remember NOT to stuff the turkey. Martha Stewart doesn't recommend it (due to bacteria from poultry), and my mother insisted we do it with gf stuffing once, and it was so mushy we had to throw it out. Obviously, if you are also having gluten-full stuffing, do not put it in the turkey!
Gluten Free Stuffing - **The KEY is to TOAST the gluten free bread in the OVEN before you make it and to NOT stuff it in the bird (sog city). The BEST gluten free STUFFING EVER is Emeril's simple recipe link here with Against the Grain Baguettes toasted in oven. I'm adding more bacon this year. I've tried others: cornbread stuffing (my bff made it superbly one year) or the new recipe, here, that I got from the gluten free expo from Against the Grain. Click here for Enjoy Life's gluten free recipes for pie crust made from smashed cookies, stuffing, etc. Remember, many people find cooking the stuffing in the crock pot keeps it moist, but I've never tried it. Click here for more stuffing recipes.
Cranberry Sauce- I'm a purist- no chutneys, no orange zest. Just the original sauce, naturally gf!
Bread- Leaning toward Against the Grain, but may choose Schar rolls or make cornbread-- I love Sylvan Border Farm Classic Dark Bread Mix (similar to Pumpernickel), but I think I'm going to order CranRaisAppWalnut bread and cornbread from Sally's GF Bakery in Sandy Springs, GA.
I also recommend ordering from THE SILLY YAK Bakery here. They ship from Wisconsin. Feeling gutsy? How about trying a gluten free bread bowl recipe, here.
Yams- regular recipe, with brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows- naturally gluten free!
Click here for a link to gluten free flour blends you can make yourself, or try Better Batter, GF Bisquick, or Pamela's Baking Mix. Be mindful of whether or not it already includes baking powder and xanthan gum/guar gum.
Green Beans- I like them with slivered almonds, but my Midwestern mom loves that green bean casserole, so I did by a gravy packet from a guy at the gf expo, his website is here. I also liked the sample he had of sausage gravy (like for breakfast), yum!
Corn Pudding: Combine and mix: 14 oz can creamed corn, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), 1 c evap milk, 1/4 c sugar, 2 and 1/2 c GF flour blend, 2 tbsp butter, salt to taste (add a can of drained corn if you wish). Pour into 1.5 qt casserole dish or 8x8 square dish. Bake @350 for 50 min. Serves 6
Mashed potatoes- a la Gordon Ramsey, using a potato ricer, hot milk, whipping over heat.
Gluten free Gravy- in the past I've used drippings with corn starch, but this year I'm using the packet I bought at the gf expo (see link under green beans).
Appetizers: olive/relish tray, brie cheese and Trader Joe's rice crackers, crudite with pumpkin hummus recipe here.

pumpkin muffins I made- flavorful and MOIST, although not "quick & easy" as recipe describes

Desserts: Here is the BEST moist pumkin muffin recipe (although not all that simple- you have to let the batter "rest", for example). Gluten Free Hello Dolly Bars (my mom just subs gf ingredients, but there is a recipe in the 2011 Delight GF Magazine, Apple Cranberry Crisp (remember to omit the gf flour the recipes call for- texture is like sand! I use gf oats and gf graham crumbs), Vitamix pumpkin cake (sub gf flours), and ***BEST Gluten free Chocolate cream pie with BEST PIE CRUST- gf graham crumb crust- just substitute S'morables gf graham crackers- and mix w/melted butter like a regular graham cracker crust. I get them at SUper Target or WHole Foods. Click here for a version of Betty Hagman's pie crust. Some Whole Foods Markets sell pre-made pie crusts.
Remember to use Aluminum-Free Baking Powder for your baking this year, to avoid a metallic aftertaste. I get it at Trader Joe's along with alcohol-free vanilla extract and real vanilla beans- did you know vanilla comes from orchids?
Drinks: Rhubarb wine, water, apple cider, soda, milk, and PUMPKIN LATTEs with VitaMix!
Ask guests to bring: Drinks, flowers, cranberry sauce, crudite, cool whip, ice cream, yams, gr.beans, or hummus. Explain about cc.
Now, this won't work for everyone. My stepdad and mom are coming from FL for the holiday weekend, but they will be dining out for Thanksgiving, choosing to opt-out of a gf dinner. My stepdad is a stickler for tradition and a control freak. He's also unable to stay at other people's homes, always in a hotel. Hopefully he remembers his blood pressure meds this year (to see what happened when he didn't one year, click here).
If you're traveling, you can order travel sized dressings and soy sauce packets here.
I'm also hosting my first Halloween Party. Here is the list of gluten free Halloween treats I'll be serving.

Gluten Free Cupcake Wars

2012-08-12T19:25:00.002-04:00

WINNER: Black Velvet gluten free cupcake from Red Velvet Cupcakery.

OVERALL WINNER: The only one I'd buy every day, all day (way better than my own baking) is black velvet cupcake from Red Velvet Cupcakery in D.C. A light crunch on the muffin-top area's exterior, perfect deep, fudgy flavor, light texture (neither crumbly nor dense) and amount of frosting. Heaven in your hand. And the cupcake elves are aware enough to put on a clean glove to grab it with. On the website they describe it as: This light, moist chocolate cake uses the best Valrhona cocoa powder complemented by a chocolate buttercream” to make a vegan, gluten-free cupcake truly like no other.
SECOND PLACE in this region is Sweet 27 in Baltimore, MD. Peanut butter or oreo cupcakes. Really, all of them were awesome. However, they upset my stomach and lack the crispy top I love.

GF Cutie: The Devil Came Down to Georgia is their signature cupcake that sells out daily from this totally gf bakery.

GEORGIA WINNER: Gluten Free Cutie in Roswell, GA. See my full review with photos of this totally gfree bakery's wide selection of goodies here.

Sally's Bakery Red Velvet Gluten Free Cupcake

STORE-BOUGHT WINNERS: Whole Foods Market frozen chocolate with chocolate frosting. Defrost for 30+ seconds in microwave (watch to remove before frosting collapses). Rich chocolate flavor, soft, fluffy texture. Another worth purchasing: Sally's Bakery Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting.

FROSTING WARS:

And if Gigi's cupcakes are overkill on the frosting, American Gra-futti cupcakes (from the Braves game and Sandy Springs Whole Foods Market) are greasy and dense like a muffin, not a cake. Plus Gra-frutti are underkill on the frosting-it's barely a pat-o-butter portion. Frosting-to-cake ratio is important on cupcakes, you see. This, coming from a former frosting flouter, no less! (As a kid, I used to plop cake frosting-side-down on my plate and lift the cake off of it's sugary cap to devour, leaving a buttery, sugary, uneaten mass on the dish.)
Nowadays, since The Big Gluten Free Funnel has whittled my diet (no croissants, turnovers, cannoli, etc.), I have learned to appreciate foods I never took a second look at before. Grits, macaroons, polenta, and fudge have also been upgraded from the D-List to the A-List. I guess this is a good thing. Unless you're in a French Cafe or Patisserie. So, frosting is a new addition to my "likes" list.

Gigi's Cupcakes- pretty to look at, I didn't finish it. Not tasty.

American Grafrutti

Tin Lizzy's Cantina- pulled pork skillet- pretty good, flavorful, served w a bag of Tostitos tortilla chips. I'd leave off the pickled jalapeños next time- overkill.

2012-08-05T16:19:00.001-04:00

Tin Lizzy's Cantina: Gluten Free Pulled Pork Skillet

Gluten Free Cutie- I Finally Love a Cupcake in Atlanta area!

2012-07-20T19:09:00.002-04:00

Gluten Free Cutie's Gluten Free Whoopie Pie

With visions of Red Velvet Cupcakery's gluten free black velvet cupcake in my head (from when we lived in DC area last year- see my cupcake wars blog post here), I have been settling for frozen Whole Foods Markets chocolate cupcakes because they are the tastiest I could get my hands on. Well, finally, I have found a DELICIOUS cupcake place in Roswell, GA, about 20 minutes from mi casa.
Gluten Free Cutie is a boutique bakery with shabby-chic interior-even a porch swing inside- where all offerings are gluten free, dye free, egg free, peanut free and some dairy free. It's a mom & pops shop with close attention to detail and a variety of gluten free goodies, from apple pie and buns to quiche. I sampled several items:

Whoopie Pies- they were ok...fudgy, dense, a touch dry with a filling resembling marshmallow fluff. Didn't finish it. A bite was enough.

Apple-Pie-In-A-Jar which was flavorful and served warm with a flaky, buttery crust and sugary, crumbly topping- 5 stars!

Cake Pops that were loaded with flavor, but overly sweet for my taste. Didn't finish mine.

and, of course,

Cupcakes that were all with a great, fluffy-ish texture, great flavors from which to choose, many with fillings and lovely and tasty frostings (not that overly sugary buttercream, more like a soft, mushy, frosting with a bit of a marshmallow-like texture to it) and toppings. Two thumbs way up for the best-seller, The Devil Went Down to Georgia! Seth (part-time gluten-eater) loved it as well! I also loved the Cinnamon one and the peach one with peach fruit inside. The Smore's one was pretty good, with a springy, marshmallow "frosting" with a hint of graham cracker flavoring and a chocolate cake with chocolate-filled center.
Best of luck to the newly open Gluten Free Cutie! Seth felt the inside of the shop was a bit loud acoustically, with it hard to have an intimate conversation without everyone hearing you, or you hearing them. I would suggest that they partner with Sally's (frozen foods) Bakery to sell frozen baked goods in larger quantities that people can take home, while bringing in more traffic for GFC. I think it's a tough row to hoe for gluten free only places to go it alone.

Cake Pops from Gluten Free Cutie

Inside of Gluten Free Whoopie Pie

Gluten Free Apple Pie In A Jar

Flaky, light, delectable gluten free pie crust!

S'mores/Campfire gluten free cupcake

The fillings inside the cupcakes add something special!

How to Make Gluten Free Granola

2012-07-14T22:27:00.002-04:00

Gluten Free Granola, made with honey, nuts, raisins, and Bob's Red Mill gluten free certified oats.

It was at-home cuddle-time movie night. My Marine helped me make homemade gluten free granola for a movie snack to layer atop peanut butter apple slices as we watched Our Idiot Brother, a movie that actually had a very realistic portrayal of a parole officer (like me!) played by one of my favorite actors, Sterling Brown, the guy who plays Roland on Army Wives!
Anyway, I looked up a regular granola recipe here. We subbed Bob's Red Mill gluten free certified oats, and added some sunflower seeds, ground flax, and pumpkin seeds (sex drive boosters, it's true- see here). It was super quick and easy to make, smelled fantabulous and tasted great, even before baking. This stuff had me asking, WHY did I ever buy gluten free granola???

Questionable Pan-fried Gluten Free French Toast

2012-07-07T14:30:00.001-04:00

2 Breads Gluten Free Whole Foods White Bread and Light White Bread made as classic French Toast.

Seth (who doesn't care for GF bread at all) loved it. He gobbled up all of his and one of mine. I liked the bottom piece ok (the smaller, "Whole Foods White Bread"). It was a bit spongy and springy in texture, but tasted fine. The larger, "light white"WF gf bread piece was too soggy to me, and I didn't like it at all. Most of the recipes I google for gluten free french toast are for baking it, or call for baking your own bread first. All that is too much work. I grew up with a single mom who just threw stuff in a pan and stayed skinny doing it (we didn't use real butter or real cream or other stuff that the chubbier moms used). Although she did whisk up her own cinnamon syrup, which I won't share the recipe. It's too special.