What a Difference a Year Makes

Last Thanksgiving, I was miserable, inexplicably sick all the time, and depressed about my diagnosis. I hid away in a hotel room for the whole weekend and couldn't bare to eat with other people since I often felt the need to lay down to digest. I remember my husband telling me that in a year we would look back at that time and realize how much better I've gotten. I didn't totally believe him, but I agreed that would be nice.

I'm happy to report that this Thanksgiving was a complete 180. The entire trip to San Diego was completely enjoyable and devoid of anxiety. I made my own stuffing and gravy and brought some pumpkin bread, but otherwise the lovely hostess did a fantastic job making everything else gluten free! She hosted last year as well and felt guilty that I was feeling sick the whole time, even though I tried to tell her it wasn't anything she could have controlled. It was great to prove to her that she did everything right!

The last night, we stayed in the Gaslamp District and ate at our favorite place ever, Nobu. Even though they don't sport a formal gluten free menu, they had plenty of options and provided me with gf soy sauce for my enjoyment. Our very favorite dish,  black cod miso, happened to be marinated in gf soy sauce because it's so popular and they wanted people with gluten allergies to be able to eat it. Yummy!

We've really mastered the art of looking up restaurants that offer gluten free options, and Avi managed to find this super popular breakfast place, The Mission SoMa. They have DELICIOUS rosemary gf bread and had lots of great options. We overate but loved every minute of it!

The last meal we had before leaving San Diego reminded me that not everyone is exactly clued in when it comes to food restrictions. We ate at a cafe on Coronado to meet up with some friends who live near there. We needed somewhere that allowed our dogs to sit on the patio with us, and I figured I could get a salad pretty easily so I didn't look anything up about the place ahead of time. When I told the person at the counter, she gave me a blank stare. I said, "do you know the ingredients that go into the salad dressing, at least?" She replied, "Well, there's a guy who comes in once a week and makes it from scratch. No one really knows his recipe." Oooookay. I ended up having a very bland spinach salad with plain chicken and oil and vinegar. It just reminded me that even when the food options aren't great, the most important thing is getting to spend time with friends. Ultimately, I stayed healthy and enjoyed delicious food for nearly every meal... so all in all it was a success!