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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What I Wore: I Know My Value

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Can someone start playing “The Final Countdown?” Because that’s where I’m at right now! In these pictures, I was a pleasantly plump, but happy 35 weeks. Things are starting to ache and bother, but I’m still pretty petite which allows me a little more energy and mobility than most. The hubs and I had one of our usual foodie day dates in Wynwood, and we were able to visit some pretty amazing little markets, such as Flavorish & Marky’s, and had lunch at Ms. Cheezious (do you know they now offer their sandwiches on gluten free bread???). We picked up so many delicious little treats and fantasized about having picnics with our little one in the future.

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As usual, Jordan Dene’s tanks keep me super comfy. I love that I don’t have to rely on maternity and can still let my geek flag fly as often as possible. I’m loving her new line of tees – this one being a quote from Agent Carter. Make sure to check out her site – it is chock full of goodies for yourself AND the geeky little ones in your life!

Tank; c/o JordanDene.com
Pants; Old Navy
Denim blouse; Target {similar}
Sandals; Luxe House of Couture via Jane.com
Sunglasses; Zara {similar}
Necklace; Slate via Rocksbox
Hair wrap; Ban.do {similar}
Lips; Makeup Forever #42

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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!

What I Wore: Travel Duds

I’ve decided that all clothes from Conversation Pieces are the perfect travel duds. They are soft, easy to pack and basically go with everything! This past weekend I visited New York City with my girlfriends and my wardrobe mainly consisted of pieces from the site. I can’t sing their praises enough. Both the hubs and I are headed to Europe next month and I plan on going straight to Conversation Pieces to stock up on all my last minute cold weather items.

Outfits aside, I totally need to gush about NYC and its gluten free options! I never struggled once with meals – everyone was so accommodating and understanding. I figured I would share where I ate each day so that any of my fellow glutards could follow in my footsteps if they visited the Big Apple themselves. On our first day, I had a great dinner at Bistango including gluten free garlic bread (!!!), delicious wine options and seafood pasta. My tummy was so happy. So happy in fact, that the meal carried me through the rest of the evening (complete with 90’s dance party). Success!

Tunic; c/o Conversation Pieces
Jeggings; Nordstrom Rack {similar}
Cardigan: c/o Conversation Pieces {similar}
Nameplate necklace; Bauble Bar {similar}
Boots; Target

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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.