Live Love Eat Gluten Free - Life in the Celiac Lane

02/13/2026

ALDI USA has more gluten free products! Gonna check it out this weekend and see what we can find. ❤️

02/13/2026

Last weekend I attended the Sojourn Fermentory’s author night. I was supposed to attend with some girlfriends but plans fell through and got the family to come too. The book event was really fun to and I was able to meet a variety of local authors. They had cocktails that were gluten free and adequately washed everything before making my drink at my request.

I ordered the Caprese Salad with gluten free pita. My son later joined us and he grabbed from food from the barbecue place across the street.

02/08/2026

Ladies’ Bubbles Night is a weekly Thursday evening event (6–9 pm) in The Raleigh Room, a refined lounge inside the historic Cavalier Hotel. It’s designed for a relaxed girls’ night out, with champagne specials, live music, and an upscale but welcoming atmosphere. We decided to check it out this past Thursday!

The standout of the night was Chris Keys, a local piano player and singer who completely stole the show and made the night. He took classics like “Ordinary People” by John Legend, “Rocket Man” by Elton John, and Pachelbel’s Canon, reworking them into jazz versions that genuinely melted your heart. He was the reason to be there—amazingly talented.

Drink-wise, champagne specials were paired with special cocktails and thoughtful service. The Aperol spritz came with a full ingredient rundown so you could check for any issues so intries that. I also had a lavender mocktail—made with in-house lavender simple syrup and soda water—was good but very sweet, needing extra water to balance it out.

Food options were more limited for those of us with celiac disease. Truffle fries and Brussels sprouts were marked gluten-free but prepared in a shared fryer, so not truly safe. I ended up getting a charcuterie board without bread and crackers. Overall, the vibe, music, and drinks made the night memorable, even if gluten-free dining options were minimal. I would go back.
Especially just to list to music and bond with friends. Cavalier Resort Virginia Beach

02/07/2026

Such a yummy lunch at The Grilled Cheese Bistro! They can make pretty much any sandwich of gluten-free bread. Any of the fried items can be substituted for non-fried option. The french fries are not an option due to the fact that they are in a shared fryer. I went with the ‘Tis the Season and man my sandwich was like Thanksgiving dinner! The food was great and I cannot wait to come back and try some more! The service was amazing too! I was thankful for all the time they took to make sure my meal was prepared safely. The Grilled Cheese Bistro

01/31/2026

My gluten eating son swims. All of his school meets are in Chesapeake. The place where the meets are has a broken heating system, so the bubble was freezing and the water was freezing. As soon as he was done swimming he begged me to go. I was frozen solid myself. Tried to stop at Starbucks in Kroger for a hot tea but they were closed. My son convinced me to go to Panera in the same plaza. My gluten radar went off obviously. I ordered my tea and he ordered. She asked me if I wanted anything. I made a comment that they had nothing gluten free. She said actually our Autumn Squash soup was good and gluten free. She made sure they knew it was an allergy and gloves were changed. Accommodations were made were the bowl and spoon came from to ensure my safety. I was so cold and hungry, I agreed. The chips were not gluten free and went to my son. She was a young girl and could sense my anxiety. She was great though and the soup was great. I didn’t get sick and I got to eat my soup and drink my tea in front of the “fireplace” unit. I was warm and happy when we left an hour later.

01/25/2026

When you have a hankering for pretzels and Nutella and you can’t find any you start to get a little peeved.

Huge thanks to Publix for carrying them! Target in Chesapeake Square had none. My Food Lion apparently doesn’t carry them anymore. Walmart in Suffolk did not have any. They only had Glutino and they are not my favorite. I love Snyder's of Hanover’s gluten free pretzels. It hit the spot! Thank you and please don’t stop carrying them!

01/25/2026

I am going next week to try it out friends! Can’t wait to share with you! Hotrodders Cafe

Hello everyone! Amber here. Recently, I decided to make some life changes & I have been gluten-free for about 3 maybe 4 months. For me this was 100% a health decision! It has really inspired me to expand our GF menu & to make Hotrodders a safe place for people like myself to go eat. I have been experimenting with dishes & trying to find the best breads, pastas, & desserts to offer! In the next week, I will be receiving a shipment of some products that will really give more options to us! I will be creating a new gluten-free menu & I am excited to share with you! Until then, here is a reminder of the gf options we have on our regular menu! Thank you to everyone for your continued support 🙏 we are blessed 🙌

**Chili, chicken & dumplings, & broccoli
are not always available**

01/22/2026

I admittedly am addicted to Goodie Girl Smores cookies. It’s what I assume the Girl Scouts taste like, but we get them all year round.

Amazon.com suggested these Glutino Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa cookies and I thought I would give them a whirl. I definitely enjoyed them. (I ate them within 2 days!) They are crisp and not too sweet with just the right amount of chocolate to not be too much. I had to hide them from my son who likes to steal my cookies. I definitely do not remember what double chocolate OREO taste like but these are a nice alternative for anyone looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth.

I have not found these in stores and I don’t know if these will be available all year long. I would absolutely add them to my monthly subscribe and save. It was definitely nice to find a specialty flavor in a gluten-free option for a change. What is your favorite goodie that you found this week?

01/17/2026

Celiac / gluten-free PSA:
I wanted to share an update about Catrina Mexican. The last few times I’ve been there, I’ve had growing concerns about cross-contamination, and today I was able to speak directly with the manager. They confirmed they no longer have a dedicated fryer just for the chips, so between that and the fries, it’s no longer a place I’d consider celiac-safe.

This honestly makes me really sad because we’re there so often, but I’d rather share the info than have someone get sick. Catrina’s Mexican Cuisine

01/10/2026

Went toTown Center Cold Pressed today to meet a friend. They have machines to order but I had questions about preparations. They were able to answer all my questions and prepare my meal safely.

1. Oatmeal is not Celiac Disease safe.
2. All the meat (sausage, bacon, ham) are gluten free and they will change gloves and take precautions to ensure there is no cross contamination.

I went with an iced coffee and the gluten free bagel with bacon, tomato and greens.
🥬 🍅 🥓 It was so good!

Parking was easy. I entered the garage on the backside of the building and parked on the first level right in front of the stairs that took me out right next to it. I had a wonderful date with a friend!

Where have you been lately??

01/08/2026

Huge congratulations to Magical Vacation Planner by Meagan Slone!

This is my go to allergy travel planner! She knows first hand what has to be done to keep her clients safe because she has allergies too.

She has kept my family safe on all our Walt Disney World adventures!

Follow her today. Or better yet ask her for a quote for your next adventure!

01/07/2026

We all know there can be gluten in medicine, but we rely on the pharmacist to look out for us.
Recently following surgery, I was given this by pharmacist at my local CVS Pharmacy. Everything else, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen were brands I have on hand that are labeled gluten free. I have been having a reaction the past two weeks that just keeps getting worse and worse. Which leads me to believe that this is not gluten free like the pharmacist said. What over the counter medications do you steer clear of or use as we enter flu and cold season?