Melificent

Gluten Free Galentines

Having food allergies can be super tough on a daily basis, much less when traveling. Although I do my research beforehand and ask a lot of questions, I can still end up feeling crappy (for lack of a better word), which can be quite the buzzkill. I love a good weekend trip, especially when it’s a good weekend girls trip…to Disney. I thought it would be so fun to document the best places and spaces around Walt Disney World to get gluten free (and soy + vanilla free) treats for those of you that suffer from food allergies as well.

Oh, and I’d be going on this journey with Lizzie from @thewonderfulthingaboutlizzie while disneybounding as the ultimate Disney BFF’s: Minnie and Daisy! The mystery mousekatool was definitely FUN!

MAGIC KINGDOM

POPCORN

It’s hard to turn away a good Mickey bar (my favorite childhood treat), but I’ve learned to turn a blind eye and grab a tub of popcorn instead! If you buy one of their buckets, you will have $2 refills each time you bring it with you, which is amazing.

PETER PAN FLOAT

Storybook Treats always has really fun ice cream offerings and the Peter Pan float is one that has stood the test of time. Usually these specialty treats don’t last too long, but I think being a Dole Whip variant has helped this one! Although it is adorable, as most of you know, I am not a Dole Whip fan, but I thought maybe pairing it with lime ice cream and Sprite would be a good combo. It wasn’t for me, but it is really Instagrammable.

Honorable Mentions;

  • Dole Whip
  • Fomosa
  • Mickey Bar

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Chicago with Kid{s}

Travel. Something we as a duo have always loved. It almost defined us for awhile, always looking for an adventure whether near or far. It personally gives me life to go to new places and have new experiences. To see how other people live. To breathe in a new culture. It was always a romantic notion that I would be able to do this with my little one in tow, and the time had finally come. We had decided to put on the training wheels and take her somewhere that wasn’t too far, that we had traveled to a few times already and that was kid friendly. We ultimately decided on Chicago.

Luna shocked us with her stellar behavior on the plane. I packed her a small backpack with some new toys and activity books (all from the Dollar Store), along with her tablet loaded with her favorite movies and some headphones. I also brought some lollipops to help with the change in pressure during take off and landing. Even with connecting flights, turbulence and no service or bathroom access, she didn’t complain once. We had prepared her a couple of weeks before with these awesome books that I found on Amazon. She knew what to expect, and I think that eased her anxiety.

We stayed at StayPineapple at The Alise, which was SUCH a lovely hotel. It was super central, in The Loop, which is very important when you have a little one in tow. They also have an amazing restaurant and bar (The Atwood), which was great after long days where we were too tired (or the weather was too bad) to look for one to visit. I think Luna loved the hotel more than the city, and would ask to go back to it all the time! She especially loved opening the huge windows and watching the busy city in the morning.

One important lesson we learned was that we cannot travel the same way we used to. It may seem obvious, but our kid is pretty good (as far as 3 year olds go anyways), and is used to our lifestyle, so we thought we could carry on in a new city. Not the case. She found some things to be the actual worst (like Navy Pier, especially when she saw all the fun amusement park rides were shut down or shopping down the Magnificent Mile), would get overtired or overstimulated, and it would result in the most psychotic of tantrums. She doesn’t tend to make these scenes in public so it led to some frustrating and embarrassing moments. Sometimes we had to walk a very long way, only to walk a very long way right back because she was not having it. We had a very loose daily itinerary and didn’t stress when we couldn’t do something or had to leave early. This is so important.

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One Day in Orlando

Some may call us crazy, but we fell in love with a vintage desk at 1618 Something Different last weekend while at MegaCon in Orlando. This is something that we are severely lacking in Miami, so I definitely wanted to experience it since I’d much rather have something special and unique in our home than what everyone picks up at Crate & Barrel, IKEA or West Elm. We hear that we have similar (?) antique shopping here in South Florida, but I have yet to see or believe it. If you know of such places, please leave me some suggestions in the comments!

Either way, we decided to make it a one-day adventure. We’d wake up early, drive up, pick up our desk and then spend the rest of the day exploring as much as possible before starting our trek back home. A really amazing bartender we met at The Imperial in Washburn Imports during our last visit gave us a list of must-do’s, so we pulled it out and started choosing. We ultimately selected East End Market, and I am SO glad we did.

East End Market reminded me of something you would find on the west coast – think the Ferry Building in San Francisco – only bite-sized. A bunch of quality, locally sourced products all in one adorable little space. Fresh herbs could be found out front with picnic benches sprawled for customers to enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine. A number one highlight for me was my completely gluten-free & vegan lunch from Skyebird. I had this great taco salad (with mushrooms as a meat substitute) and delicious tropical kale juice in an adorable mason jar.

For people with food allergies like myself, knowing that you can eat safely (and deliciously) means so, so much. The fact that Miami is so far behind the game makes me very upset, and has literally left me feeling like I cannot go out to enjoy a meal with my husband or friends. Take note, Miami. You have a very long way to go. Again, if you have any suggestions for great places that I may have missed here in the Magic City, please let me know!

Even though I only featured one of the shops, check out all the rest of East End Market’s merchants here.
I can’t wait to visit again the next time I am in Otown!

Lovable Friday!

1. Comicbookgirl19; My husband turned me on to this incredible chick, and I am so glad he did. As her name suggests, she covers all things comics, as well as pop culture, but in such a relatable and fun way. I mean, she has a robot sidekick and bright pink hair. Shall I say more? No, but seriously, she has turned us on to a lot of new geeky stuff and has a killer Game of Thrones series. Check it out fellow fangirls (& boys).

2. Fabulous folding chairs; You know you have some scrubby ass folding chair buried somewhere in your house. It’s embarrassing, dirty and definitely not worthy of your kick ass decor. Well, this DIY is sure to change that! With a little patience, determination and a staple gun, you will be well on your way to making dem chairs fancy, gurl.

3. Yellow skirt; Another Pinterest ghost. I’m featuring way too many of these and it’s just not fair to you or to me, quite honestly, but I can’t help myself. I mean, look at that skirt. Look at that color pop! The scalloped slit! The amazing fit! How could any red-blooded girl resist? To me, it screams J.Crew. What do you Pinterest sleuths determine?

4. Omission gluten free beer; Let me get real for a second. Gluten free beer? It tastes disgusting. Real talk, people. Most of the time, I can stomach it, but this really unappetizing after taste remains. For awhile. An uncomfortable while. For that reason, I have stuck to wine for a long time now. But every now and then, I can’t handle everyone holding frosty beer mugs around me. The peer pressure is too strong and I want to be holding an ice cold beer myself. Well, those days are over. Omission gluten free beer is a craft beer – that’s right. I said BEER. It is made with all the stuff regular beer is made of: barley, hops, water and yeast. EXCEPT, it is brewed in such a way that it REMOVES all gluten making it safe for glutards like myself. This beer tastes like any craft beer should, and for that, I am thankful. Pick it up at Total Wine!

5. Kitty bangle; This precious kitty bangle is as adorable as it is overpriced! Despite it’s exaggerated price tag, I find myself needing it in the worst way. Have I mentioned I don’t particularly like cats (I’m actually super allergic)? Why am I drawn to this damn thing? Definite first world problems.

A Melificent Kitchen: GF/Dairy Free Pizza Bites

I’m not a star in the kitchen by any means, but since adhering to my gluten free/dairy free diet more strictly, I’ve had to come to terms with cooking. And you know what? I’ve had fun! Pinterest is a great resource for recipes for those of us with dietary restrictions, and this particular recipe for pizza bites really stood out. Not only are they safe, but also healthy! Six of these babies are only approximately 265 calories. So binge away, readers!


All you need is a box of uncooked quinoa. I use Nature’s Earthly Choice, a quick grab at your local Publix Greenwise aisle. Go ahead, and follow the directions on the box. While it’s cooking, you are going to need the following ingredients:

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