Balmy trip to Norway...including gluten free eating

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

Dining Gluten Free at Random Greasy Spoon Diners

(RANDOM)DINERS-No gf menu- I will often eat at random diners (especially while traveling and desperate for fresh and hot food) as long as I trust the server is listening to my needs, and especially when I can SEE them preparing the food. I explain my "allergy", cc, and order an omelet or eggs to be cooked in a clean pan (rather than the grill), with clean utensils. Sometimes I'll order hash browns or grits, after much interrogation. Bacon, I have to ask if they set it on bread to drain the grease. Fruit, juice, or yogurt round-out the meal.  Sometimes, I bring my own gf bread or biscuit.  Remember, celiacs HATE IHOP with a passion- IHOP even puts gluteny pancake batter in their EGGS-not recommended, steer clear!

P.F.Chang's gluten free shrimp w lobster sauce

PF Chang's gluten free shrimp with lobster sauce was not what I expected.  The sauce was like a clear-ish gravy with lots of scrambled egg (mine had an eggshell, oops!) that made horror flick liquid strings when you ate it.  I won't order this again.  I'll stick to the Singapore Noodles, Fried Rice, Spicy Beef, etc.

Gluten Free Snacks for Work: Avoid being the Carrie CrankyPants of your Office

Sadly, I often work through my lunch at work.  When I get that hunger slump/grouchy, low blood sugar feeling, here's what gluten free goodies I bite off, in lieu of my coworkers' heads:

I like Justin's butters to spread on crackers or dip Glutino gluten free pretzels into.  I buy at Super Target or health store.

DeMet's turtles make a sweet gluten free treat.  I buy at drug store or Super Target.

These crispy rice bars are ONLY good when soft.  I ONLY like the peanut choc drizzle flavor.I buy at Super Target.

I like all flavors of the bunny fruit snacks.  I get them at Super Target. This is not my hand.

I buy these at Super Target or Whole Foods.  I spread with p.b., cheese,  or tuna.   They do not compare to a "regular" cracker, but are an acceptable gluten free topping-holder or chili-topping.

I prefer this Love Grow granola. (Udi's scrapes my gums in my mouth.  I hate Bakery on Main- it's not crunchy enough and gets stale too quickly.)  I buy LoveGrown at Kroger.

Tasty, but a bit hard to chew.  Beware- they can get hard, even though they are sealed in indiv. wrappers.

Lara bars are an ACQUIRED taste.  I used to only like Apple and Pecan.  Now I love this cookie dough kind and banana nut bread.

Nice, savory snack.  Worked great when I smelled someone cooking bacon in the toaster oven at work.

Gluten free heaven, but due to cost, I usually by the PLAIN and dip in my own chocolate or p.b.

Guiltlessly gluten free.  Some people don't eat Quaker since products are made on "shared" equipment.

Funny enough, I didn't like the first flavor I tried at a gf food faire- it was vegetable and chicken noodle.  Later, I had a coupon and was SURPRISED to LOVE the chili with angus beef, the chicken chili, and REALLY surprised I liked clam chowder  and Thai curry chicken soup, since I didn't eat those flavors prior to being gluten free!  These FROZEN gluten free soups taste BETTER THAN CANNED soups- better seasoning, fresher, ONLY 250 CALORIES and lots of MEAT!

I add Love Joy granola to my yogurt.  This is the yogurt my boyfriend prefers, and it is good.   I stock up when Kroger has them on sale for $1.

Festering gluten-Freely at the Fall Festivals

So, let's start with Oktoberfest. Helen, Georgia, embodies the German influence in its half-timbered buildings, sausage-laden menus, and alpine attitude year-round, so it's the perfect place to celebrate Oktoberfest. And, oh, do they celebrate! People were carrying steins and sporting Bavarian style green fedora hats, lederhosen, Saint Paulie Girl outfits, and suspenders, and noshing on streudel, sauerkraut, hot Bavarian pretzels, and various -wursts. But, really, when one is gluten-freestyling one's way through most "fests", food (and beer, in this case) is to be circumvented, rather than encircled. It's not easy Living Without (love that magazine!), especially when funnel cake is in fruition. Beer was abundant, but I never found a stein or boot-shaped mug, or table tapper offering Green's, New Grist, or Redbridge. Yes, it was disappointing watching everyone devour their delectable delights. For once, I was wishing I was with a weight-conscious, fattening food-avoiding, fork dipping in the salad dressing (on the side), diet-obsessed girlfriend. At least I indulged in a scrumptious caramel apple and a chocolate turtle, alongside my Glutino granola bars and fruit.

Next, was the Tuskeegee/Morehouse football tailgate fete. Holy wow, do these Southerners know how to tailgate. Giant turkey legs, fried fish, barbecue, you name it! And, what was I able to indulge in? A mango smoothie and a bad ear of corn (hard to please a Midwesterner when it comes to corn). Be still my heart. We were there all day and a Lara Bar wasn't cutting it, so I had Seth stop and pick me up some fast food fries when I came home. Thank goodness for Five Guys. The best part of the lackluster football game was the Tuskeegee Band- dancing tuba players and Beyonce-inspired dresses on the drill teams were jaw-dropping. This ain't no Midwest band attire. (We attended because a USMC General was doing the coin toss- Seth had brunch with him,
but I skipped that, for gluten free and sanity reasons. Since Seth is Commanding Officer, we have many weekend functions to attend like this.)

Kilted Men

Giant Potato Ribbon

Scotch Egg

 Finally, there was the Scottish Highland Festival. My Major is Scottish, (but his ginger hair comes from his mom's Italian side).he Carolinas have a huge population of Scots, who come down to the woods of GA to compete in Highland Games including the Caber toss (where they toss a giant log, end-over-end---this began as a bridge building skill in Scotland!), the sheep toss (they use hay bags to simulate sheep, since the PETA probably wouldn't be happy about them chucking the real woolies multiple stories thirty feet in the air), Highland dancing , falcons flying, and sheepdogs herding by whistle command. Kilted men, redheads, and bagpipes abound! Way fun, but I couldn't even partake in ice cream because when I asked if they could scoop mine from a clean container, they opened a new package of cups and scooped it from the container contaminated with waffle cone crumbs, etc. This is why I heart Baskin Robbins. They always get the clean container of mint chip or gold medal ribbon for me. I only wish they still had Martian Mint, my all-time fave. Although, I wonder if that flavor is gluten free? So, I noshed on Glutino crackers and Justin's almond butter and Lara bars which tasted all the worse when watching people devour mile-high ribboned potatoes, Scotch eggs, Bridies, essentially a sausage turnover (which I forced The Major to sample- and he wouldn't put it down, he loved it! It really irks me when he won't try new foods, because I have always enthused in this when I travel or go to cultural events and now I am unable to partake in ethnically eclectic edibles.

Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Crisp

  Halloween and Fall- Yes, there are gluten-free recipes in abundance, but it really irritates the heck out of me when people SUBTRACT the BEST PART of dishes to make them gluten free. CRUSTLESS pie? Are you freaking kidding me? Isn't that called pudding? Or porridge? Or mush? Or gunk? What's so difficult about concocting a nut crust, gf graham cracker crust, or a gf flour crust? Here's a clue: we already live WITHOUT enough stuff. And nobody eats the pie for the filling. I don't recommend pumpkin pancakes- Seth's banana ones are far superior. Pumpkin cookies, chili, Vitamix pumpkin bread, Sylvan Farms pumpernickel bread, apple-cranberry crisp (without sand-like gf flour--this omission is an improvement on the crunch factor), caramel apples and that dip, and those ginger spice cookies with the Sun on the package, Laffy Taffy, mini-Snickers, and Charleston Chew are probably my gluten free fall favorites.

Glutenized Fall foods and candies I yearn for: bread bowls of soups and dips, licorice Nibs, Milky Way, Ralph's grocery store soft sugar cookies, Kit Kat, Twix, and all the festival foods!

 RANDOM TIDBITS:

Frozen Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

NEW GLUTEN FREE FOODS ON MY HORIZON: I can't wait to try: Frozen GF Mozzerella Sticks, Trader Joe's mac n cheese, and Good Grub Subs. What I've been eating (since I have to drop a few extra pounds-our USMC Birthday Ball is in Nov.- and Seth is in CA all week): I'm trying not to mess up the kitchen and be low-maintenance for my own satisfaction: Breakfasts: Grits, Greek Yogurt, or Udi Raisin Toast Lunches: Lara Bars, Kettle frozen chili (only b/c it was on sale), or egg salad on Udi bread Dinners: Bell & Evans chicken tenders with bbq or with mozz cheese and spaghetti sauce, or GF Brisket Tamales from the tiny Farmer's Market on Johnson's Ferry Road, and sweet potato, and veg Snacks: Individual packet of French Meadow Bakery brownie or cookie, pears, and celery (plain)

Serendipity! Gluten free tamales under my nose!

What I'm afraid to try: @Joy_bauer 's idea to add canned pumpkin to yogurt for a fall treat. sounds ick What I've tried recently: red quinoa- very nutty flavor. I don't think Seth loved it. I can see why they recommended half red and half plain in the recipe I found online. Gluten free frozen bavarian pretzels- pretty fantastic! Fall foods I'm happy I never cared for: pumpkin pie, cheesecake of any kind, butternut squash soup, casseroles of most kinds. Baby hats my aunt sells that I buy from her to use as gifts:

Traveling Gluten Free: BYOF and What to Pack Travel List

This is what I brought for a 4 day trip to Florida---Taking the grub out of the boxes/packaging obviously reduces the bulk, and I pack some in my suitcase for during the visit and some in my carry-on bag for en route, especially if there are delays. (Remember I got sick at the airport once by eating yogurt I bought in a shop there.)

Traveling gluten free: BYOF (Bring Your Own Food)!

Toasterbags:  If you want to toast your own gluten free bread in a public toaster, you can re-use the toaster bags up to 50 times.  It's extra fun when you're at Best Western in the self-serve free continental breakfast area with other hotel guests pouring cereal and cooking waffles, and as soon as you put the bag in the toaster, some type-A do-gooder with a savior complex swoops over and shouts that you're going to start a fire by putting plastic in the toaster.  I always say, ask! Don't assume.  Assuming makes an ass out of u and me -->ass-u-me.
For BREAKFAST I often boil water in the hotel coffeepot (unwrap a sanitized cup they provide and use my own spoon) to make Instant Grits. Or I'll have fruit. Or I'll have a bar: Glutino breakfast bar, Glutino Granola Bar, LaraBar, or EnviroKids Chocolate Crispy Rice bar.
Out for breakfast: I'll quiz the server: What surface are the eggs cooked on? Can my eggs be cooked in a clean pan? Do you place the bacon on bread to soak up the grease? Be sure to tell them if they use the same spatula on my food as they do to flip pancakes, I'll get sick. Clean gloves, clean pans, clean utensils. So, I order eggs, fruit, sometimes bacon, and bring my own bread. If I have toaster bags available, I'll ask the server to use those on MY bread.

LUNCH: Udi Bread or Glutino Crackers, Justin's Peanut/Almond butter packets OR StarKist Tuna pouch, jelly packets, fruit, chips, etc.

DINNER: I bring uncooked brown rice pasta, in case I can talk some restaurant into using a clean pot, strainer, etc. to make it for me with a little olive oil and garlic on it. Or I search on my cell phone internet-finder-doohickies to find a place to eat. In Miami we ate at Texas de Brazil (used a coupon), pricey seafood at The Place on Ocean, and twice at Pizza Fusion.

ANYTIME: I bring my own hot cocoa packets, fruit, individual puddings, jell-o, and fruit cups, Glutino pretzels, Smoreables gluten free, Chips, Fruit snacks, Crunch N Munch, frozen baked goods that I made previously (or that my mother sends me home with), etc.

Other Gluten Free Travel Tips:
**Generally, I like to stay in cushy hotels, to avoid grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning like people do when they rent condos, timeshares, etc. Not only is it more of a "vacation feel" than it would be to cook and clean, but we are often pretty spontaneous on vacay and it would likely be wasteful to buy food because we wouldn't be sure we'd have time to go back to eat during or after an adventure. I also enjoy seafood and steak on vacay and don't want my place to stink like fish or whatnot during the trip.

**I try to stockpile the food I lug along- preferring to eat out when I happen upon "old reliable" food out-and-about, such as Wendy's chili and TGIFridays in the airports. On the way home, if I'm out of fruit- I'll ante up the big bucks to buy fruit at the airport.

**On boat trips/camping/all-day excursions I bring along my own insulated lunch bag with plasticware in the pocket and fill it with lunch stuff pictured above. If I'm staying a week or longer and my hotel room has a fridge, I might stop by a Trader Joe's or Costco and pick up some chilled cooked shrimp, tortilla chips, avocado, and salsa that I pack in baggies and bring on the trip. While everyone else is gnawing on the cheapo, dried out sandwiches provided on the trip, they eyeball and maddog my delectable entree. The tables are turned, for once.
**Research restaurants prior to the trip- especially if you are going out to eat with a group for an occasion. Try to be knowledgeable enough to offer up your own choices in where to eat.

**Ask restaurants to accommodate you- especially in nice hotels, they are accustomed to accommodating special requests from weary travel warriors every day.

**Bread- I carry Udi's green or Against the Grain baguette in my purse everywhere. It makes a small meal more satisfying. Plus, it lowers the mental anguish watching your comrades devour the warm bread basket offerings at restaurants.  Sometimes I run out after the first couple days, and that's ok.

In case you didn't get the planning gene, or if you're curious by nature--here is the list I've used for years to pack- I keep it in a clear page protector folded in my travel toiletry bag, which I keep stocked. It has helped me pack in record time for last-minute trips. I only pack pertinent items, but it helps to see the list no matter what type of trip it is. You can use a wipe-off marker to check it off through the plastic, or you could put it on your iphone:
LIST of WHAT TO PACK:
Gifts for those I'm Visiting
Extra suitcase folded up to fill with stuff I acquire on the trip to bring back
Beach Bag/sunscreen/hat/coverup/swimsuit/flipflops/towels
beach toys
rash guard for in the ocean
carry-around bag for water/map/sweater/magazine, snacks,etc
games, leisure activ.
binoculars
copy of passport/credit card cancel #, health card
money belt
stamps/addresses for postcards
camera with batteries/charger/uploader cord or card
computer/charger/bag/cords
cell phone/charger
zip loc bags
sports accessories: snorkel gear, camping gear, ski gear, etc.
romantic stuff
dental floss/toothbrush/paste
safety pins/sewing kit
emergency kit/band aids/etc
travel pillow
batteries
flashlight (or iphone app)
ipod/earphones
antibacterial gel
toilet paper (esp for camping)
water bottle w filter
important phone #s of people you stay with/pick you up, etc.
confirmation #s for hotel, itinerary
tickets for shows, travel, etc.
passport, dr.license
guide books, bus schedules
money/ATM/cc/change for tolls
GPS for car, if not using phone app
personal hygiene feminine products
pajamas
day outfits/night outfits
umbrella
jacket/sweater/wrap,coat?
maps/tourist info/travel coupons
book/reading material/travel book light
tea/hot choc and snacks for plane
purse: day and night
iron/hairdryer if there is none at destination
belts
socks, nylons, tights, slips
Shoes: walking, going out, flips flops, matching to outfits
earrings, jewelry coordinated with outfits
hair ornaments, clips, bands
undergarments- bras: strapless? Sports?
nail polish, file
kleenex, deoderant (keep on carryon)
makeup, tweezer, powder
lotion/moisturizer
shower soap, face soap
shampoo, cond
Eyeglasses/Sunglasses
Earplugs and Eye cover (for plane)
Medications: allergies, Lactaid, pepto, Tylenol, cold, eyedrops
Dramamine, airborne tablets
Razor
Hairbrush/comb/sprays/curling iron
pen, paper
snacks, gluten free foods (separate list)

On short trips, I only carry a small carryon with my purse (phone, money, allergy pills, etc), reading material, cell phone AND charger (they have free charging stations at airports and I've also plugged in inside the restrooms), snacks, eyeglasses, chapstick, sunglasses, sweater, ear plugs, antibacterial gel, airborne tablets, eyecover, and ear phones. Usually valuables: jewelry, camera
On longer trips/overseas, I carry on MORE in case my bags get lost: deoderant, toothbrush&paste, hair brush, concealer, powder, spare outfit, camera.
If I'm traveling with someone, I split the packable necessities with my companion. My mother once agreed to carry on the toothpaste and mini shampoo on a trip to France when her luggage was lost and we were on a tight tour schedule. The next morning, the found luggage still hadn't been dropped off, and I remember racing to find a store to buy toothpaste "dentifrice" and having a hard time even locating it WITHIN the store. I looked at my mother and said, I thought you agreed to carry it on? She said she changed her mind at the last minute and shoved it in her checked bag. Ugh.

California Pizza Kitchen

I phoned in for curbside pickup:  gluten free bbq chicken pizza @California Pizza Kitchen (Perimeter Atlanta). She suggested Thai Shrimp gluten free appetizer so igot that,too. All for $23.01.   The pizza toppings were great, but the crust left me nonplussed.  It was tasteless with a cardboard texture.  I enjoyed the tangy flavor of the shrimp w the crispy rice noodles, so I'm happy to add CPK to the "acceptable" restaurant list I offer to my bf and friends when deciding where to eat out.  (Especially since it's conveniently located.)

Atlanta Home-Finding Expedition: Gluten Free on the Go

My Marine was committed to a time-consuming motorcycle safety course all weekend (he has had a retro bike for a year that he isn't licensed to ride yet), so I packed up some Glutino pretzel sticks and crackers, Lara Bars (pb&j, peanut butter cookie), apples, Bunny Organic fruit snacks, and leftover Starburst jelly beans and jetted off to Atlanta. Once here, this perfect little inn Seth booked for me has a mini fridge and microwave, so I stopped at Trader Joe's and picked up some grape tomatoes, goat cheese, and carrots. For $69 a night they have a free gym, parking, and internet, all of which cost extra last time at the pricier Midtown 'W' Hotel. This place rocks!

Spent day one touring trendy Buckhead apts and relishing the 75 degree sunny weather (pleasantly absent of humidity I was expecting) in the popular and updated Piedmont Park- such a tranquil gem with the water and magnolia trees, but look up and the skyscrapers are peeking from behind the trees, reminding you that you're in a city!

I ate the Trader Joe's fare the first night in my cozy hotel room. The second day, I worked out and ate an apple, then had a mango "tea freeze" at SanFranCoffee, which was dee-lish! (I am fully aware how calorie dense these things can be, so this was lunch.) After an awful day (I got a ticket for failing to stop at a sign I didn't see when I was oogling mansions at "tuxedo row", had itchy mosquito bites all over from the park, carefully navigated to appointments where I got stood up to not see 2 homes, and just when I was calling my boyfriend to whine, a giant locust-like bug with excellent timing fell out of a tree and hit me hard), driving around and learning that Virginia Highlands was out of our housing budget, my pal from middle and high school picked me up to go to a crawfish boil with her family for dinner. They were out of crawfish! She is so sweet-she must've researched gluten free-because she said Moe's Southwest Grill has gluten free food! The gluten free items are marked on the menu, so she insisted that she order for us while I watch her baby. My first time not ordering food for myself! This took trust! So, even as they shared nachos and burritos family-style, I had a pork rice bowl and it was spicy and filling! And I didn't get sick. :)
Mission accomplished! The following day I found and put a deposit on a house that is simple, yet homey and spacious, in a neighborhood that's easy to hop on the freeways and full of large trees (near my hotel that I'd gotten familiar with driving all weekend)! We'll move soon and Seth's commute will go against the flow of traffic, so I hope we truly enjoy it there!

I tweeted what I ate that day (highlighted by Wildfire dinner)and plan to eat somewhat the same today, then back to VA until it's time to move here! Oh yeah, he passed the motorcycle licensing test. oh. joy...ahem.

Devil Dog and Celiac Move to Atlanta! (Home search and gluten free diet and dining research in full swing!)

That's right! As you know, after 13 years of living la vida del sol, teaching in Southern California, and purchasing my home there, I met a dashing and debonair Marine Corps Officer who promptly got transferred to the East Coast. Surprising all my friends and family, after dating this ginger-haired gent less than a year, I took a leave of absence from my established career, rented out mi casa, and set out for the D.C./Virginia area with him to see how we'd get along once reality set in.
After ten months, reality didn't bite, but the love bugs did and now we've put each other in the "For Keeps" bucket. There aren't many Marines in Atlanta, and I'm not sure how many celiacs, but we're excited about the move. In Feb., we enjoyed a romantic house-hunting mission with a realtor who'd been a military wife and a teacher (she spoke BOTH of our languages, and gave us a book on how to speak Southern!). We didn't match with a home, but the sun was out, we rendez-vous'd with our old middle/high school pals, and got a feel for the area.

The inevitable gluten free diet issue came up as his friends insisted on taking us to their favorite rib joint, D.B.A. Barbeque, but it turned out to be serendipity! We had less luck getting gluten free pizza at Mellow Mushroom, but better luck at Buckhead Pizza Co. And mes amis picked us up for lunch and I handled/dodged my celiac issue by texting her that I need a gluten free diet nowadays, and she just did a search on her phone and chose Jason's Deli, which turned out delightfully well for all.
Since then, I have been researching gluten free dining in Atlanta and have some places I'm dying to try on my next house-hunting expedition: Fresh2Order, Saba, Urban Pl8, Yeah Burger, Ecco, The Brickery, and Metro Fresh.