Chicago Trip
For Fall Break, I went home with one of my friends to Chicago, one of my favorite cities in the world. It came at the perfect time, as school can sometimes be overwhelming--this trip allowed me to take a step back and relax before the next round of midterms rolled around. Chicago is known for its restaurants, so needless to say, I had my fair share of food!
Visiting people can seem scary when you're on the gluten-free diet, but with all the naturally gluten-free foods out there, visiting people is a breeze! Most people know about gluten nowadays, and with the large amount of blogs and recipes online, eating gluten-free has never been easier. I had such a wonderful time with my friend and her family--and they prepared the most delicious gluten-free food! When I stay with people for an extended amount of time, I bring my own bread which I toast on a pan. This eliminates cross contamination from the toaster and enables me to make a sandwich since gluten-free bread always needs to be toasted before consumption. I also pack either peanut butter or Nutella, because if there is absolutely nothing gluten-free available, then I am able to prepare a gluten-free sandwich.
The highlight of my trip was definitely the opera, and it has spurred newfound appreciation for opera singers. Honestly, being able to sing with that much passion for three hours must be exhausting! Rigoletto is now my favorite opera, and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Before we went to the opera we stopped by Little Goat Diner, and I highly recommend this place because their fries are probably the best fries I have had in a while. They were very knowledgable about their gluten-free options, and even had a separate menu for me to choose from! I ordered the all American burger and had to take a break eating halfway through because it was so much food. I'll definitely go back when I'm in Chicago next, and if you ever go there be sure to have the smoked fries, I can't emphasize them enough.
All in all it was a wonderful trip, and I can't wait to go back! I hope you all are enjoying the ~fall vibes~ and are drinking apple cider and hot chocolate by the fire.
-Sema