Epcot is my favorite park. I love daydreaming that I've traveled to a far-off country in the World Showcase. I set my silly fears aside to ride Soarin' and Frozen (no, I don't have the guts to ride Test Track or Mission:Space!) And EVERYONE should ride Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land at least once in their life!

There are several great times throughout the year to be in Epcot - especially during their annual festivals. After all, no one knows how to throw a party like Disney!

​In January and February, the newest festival that offers a lot of fun is the International Festival of the Arts. Statues come alive. Paint a picture along the water. Catch a Disney Broadway music stage show. Plus there are Disney animators and artists on hand to discuss, sell, and autograph their work for you to take home. 

A big hit are the (FREE!) paint-by-numbers murals that get recreated every day with a fresh canvas and guest artists - you! 

​Grab a paintbrush and find your numbers in the grid to be a part of the creation. Brushes up!

The murals start to come to life - can you imagine what the picture will be in the end?

One of the most beautiful - and best-smelling! - times to go to Epcot is during the Spring when the whole park is full of gorgeous gardens and topiary plants trimmed into the shape of your favorite Disney characters. My first trip to Walt Disney World was during the International Flower & Garden Festival so it will always hold a special place in my heart!

Stop by the flower-filled butterfly tent to see all the stages of a butterfly's life! This is located right behind the building for Club Cool and the Character Spot. On your way to the World Showcase, check out the colorful landscaping around the ponds below the Monorail.

Wander around the World Showcase and throughout Future World to see all the creative topiaries and fragrant floral displays.

And let's not forget the fresh-grown garden food to sample - after all, it wouldn't be an Epcot festival without it!

Personally, this is where I spend most of my fall weekends and look forward to it every year! The International Food & Wine Festival is a fabulous way to eat and drink your way around the world, without flying across an ocean. World Showcase is home to 11 countries year-round, but during the fall, this grows to represent delicious food, wine, beer, and other delights from 30 countries!

Samples are served tapas style, perfect portions to share with a friend. Food bites typically cost between $4-8 each, alcoholic beverages run $4-14 each, and nonalcoholic beverages are about $3-6 each. I'm a fairly cheap date... usually after 3 kiosks, I'm full! 

One of my first stops is usually in Future World West, where you'll find some lick-the-plate-clean farm fresh delicacies. I also love to swing by the Islands of the Caribbean... they're Jamaican me hungry for a bite, mon!

For years, Disney fans have flocked to Epcot for the Christmas season to see all the countries decked out in their holiday best! The main attraction - Candlelight Processional - has been a crowd favorite for decades! It has been one of the most popular performances in the park throughout the holidays. Running from Thanksgiving to New Year's, you will find the American Adventure pavilion bursting at the seams with holiday classics at the America Gardens Theatre.

With three performances every evening, the air is filled with beloved Christmas carols and hymns by a 50+ piece orchestra and 300+ person choir, including the Voices of Liberty representing a shining Christmas Tree, topped with a star. 

I even passed Whoopi Goldberg while she was shopping in Disney Springs and on her way to Rivers of Light in Animal Kingdom, where she was seated in the VIP section.

The warm weather in Florida isn't as noticeable with the Christmas decorations around the World Showcase, decked out  in all the finest traditional trimmings of the holidays for each country. There are also a number of Epcot's famous food kiosks to fill you with the Christmas spirit and a few holiday treats from around the world. 

The Tampa/St Petersburg metro area is a great place to visit on the Gulf Coast in central Florida. I have lived here for several years now and enjoy taking visitors to a lot of fun places in the area - I've always loved being a tourist in my own city!

Fine Dining

• Bern's Steakhouse - Tampa
• Oystercatchers at Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay

Casual Dining

• Crabby Bill's - Indian Rocks Beach
• Hott Mess Cafe & Food Truck
• Nico's Arepas Grill & Food Truck
• O'Maddy's Bar & Grille - Gulfport
• The Refinery

Tacos, Tacos, and MORE TACOS!

• California Tacos
• Chronic Tacos
• Don Julio's Mexican
• ​Fuzzy's Tacos
• Loli's Mexican Cravings
• Rocco's Tacos
• Taco Bus - check out the original Bus in Tampa!
• Tijuana Flats

Sweet Treats

• ​Haze Ice Cream including allergy friendly options, like dairy free/sugar free/gluten free ice cream and gluten free cones!
• Strachan's Ice Cream
• Sweet Divas Chocolates

Have more places you love to visit in the area? Comment below and be added to the list!

If you happen to be driving along the Atlantic coast of Florida, I would highly recommend planning a stop for a day or two in the beautiful coastal city of St. Augustine, FL, especially for the history buffs in your group. 

Established in 1565 - yes, that's right, long before anyone docked at Plymouth Rock - St. Augustine is the oldest city in America. So it's not uncommon to come across places and artifacts that are hundreds of years old here. I visited just 2 weeks after Hurricane Matthew swept along the Atlantic coast and St. Augustine's fortified walls bore little damage from the storm's raging winds and rising waters.

If you only have a few hours in town, hit the highlights by jumping on one of the Red Train Tours (our train however, happened to be black!) This is about an hour-long tour on a cute little train, driven by a knowledgeable tour guide that will cover a lot of the city's top sites and give you a rich history lesson. For the photographers in the bunch, I recommend sitting on the driver's right side for the best shots along the route.

If you have a day or two to explore, most of the main attractions are within walking distance. So grab your comfy shoes and hit the cobblestone!

Head to the famous 17th-century star-shaped bastion fort along the waterfront - Castillo de San Marcos, a US Park Service national monument (admission fee) and check out a cannon demonstration or talk to the soldiers or park rangers about the rich history of the fort where the British and Spanish clashed.

Run your fingers along the coquina ("shell concrete") and look for the etchings of battleships on the walls of the interior rooms. See the bare sleeping quarters with rows of thin mats on wooden platforms huddled near fireplaces big enough to stand in. 

Head up to the rooftop and check out the rows of cannons and their effective crossfire placement patterns - plus get a great view of The Bridge of Lions, one of the world's most photographed bridges. You might even catch the drawbridge up to watch boats sail through.

Explore the narrow streets of the city and check out the many fabulous restaurants, shops, or museums - like the Pirate & Treasure Museum - there's something for every taste!

Flagler College is a beautiful campus to explore and learn a lot about Henry Flagler, the man responsible for a lot of the expansion of St. Augustine in the 1800s and early 1900s, including hotels, churches, businesses, homes, and more. There are incredible works of Tiffany glass in some of the buildings - including the rounded cafeteria room!

Memorial Presbyterian Church, one of the magnificent churches in town - built in memory of Henry Flagler's daughter - was constructed in under one year. It has a magnificent interior that you are welcome to explore - there are even free pipe organ concerts occasionally if you are lucky to catch one!

Grace United Methodist Church, also financed by Henry Flagler and built in 1887, features incredibly intricate mahogany doors and still holds regular worship services weekly. However you will note that there is no bell in the bell tower - Henry didn't want any distractions if the pipe organ in the other church he commissioned to be built happened to be playing.

One restaurant that I would highly recommend is a little off the beaten path from the tourist area of downtown... might be a little too far to walk? Just jump in your car or Uber it across The Bridge of Lions and head to The Conch House, where you can grab a delicous seafood lunch and request to be seated in the crow's nest, for a bird's eye view of the marina... you might even catch sight of a few dolphins playing nearby!

Now that you've had a filling meal, back to the tour!

​Just north of the main city area is the original Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum! It looks like a castle - as some might remember from the TV show - and has a long crazy history, from a wealthy family with 14 kids and only 1 bathroom, to a hotel where celebrities frequently stayed. Let's just say it definitely lives up to its name of "Odditorium". Whether you're looking for shrunken heads, pirate booty, or spaceships made from matchsticks... and everything in between, head here for an exploration of Ripley's crazy collection! Just be warned, there's some stuff that might make you go "Ew!" or "Gross!"

On the way to our last stop, there's a few more sites to see. The world's tallest free-standing cross can be found at Our Lady of De Leche, a church built for prayer, especially popular for families struggling to have children... many prayers have been answered here!

Wander over to the Howard Johnson's parking lot... odd request, right? Well you want to meet The Senator, don't you? This 300+ year old live oak tree is old, crooked, and a little shady - haha!

From the back of the parking lot, turn left onto Magnolia Avenue - there's not a single Magnolia tree to be found, but you'll appreciate the "tunnel" created by massive oak trees, stretching their branches across the road and the Spanish moss blowing in the breeze. 

Just down the street is our last stop of the day - The Fountain of Youth, founded by Juan Ponce de Leon! Here you can grab a glass of water from the original spring... which tastes a lot like natural Florida tap water... and see if it adds some years to your life!

Wander the park and see the wild peacocks that roam the grounds. Just please don't chase or feed them.

See how the Timucuan lived - explore their huts and how they prepared food, created tools from animal bones, and more.

Another cool cannon demonstration to end the day... this was pretty up-close-and-personal, and the suggestion to cover your ears is definitely one to follow!

I could spend another day of exploring here, but more adventures await me this weekend.

Bitten by the travel bug... and I don't mean Zika!

And let's not forget the gluten-free bakery that's open all week too! Rows of sweet cupcakes in a variety of flavors, along with freshly baked breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and cakes.

Joan, the owner, is a lovely little woman with a passion for gluten free foods and has been offering the very best in Austin since 2002. She also organizes annual small group trips to Meso-America with gluten-free menus so you can enjoy a vacation without worry. These trips were formed after her own discovery of feeling better when she traveled to this area of the world and didn't have digestive issues with their food (but did realize that she felt worse upon returning home).

This past week I had to fly home for my grandma's funeral unexpectedly. I lucked out on some decent airfare on US Airways and had a 3-hour layover in Charlotte - an airport I have normally ran through, trying to make a tight connection. I was able to relax and enjoy some of the things that make this airport a new favorite on my list.

Moving sidewalks - this airport is full of them! They literally saved me from missing a free trip to the Caribbean once because I had 20 minutes to get from one end of the airport to the other to make it onto my next flight. When you're lugging a heavy carry-on and loaded-down backpack, it's nice to gain ground without too much extra effort - whether you're running or lazy. Just be sure to respect the "rules of the road" and stand or walk on the appropriate side.

Great spots to shop or eat - I don't know if there's another airport with as many stores, kiosks, or restaurants per capita? It is so nice to have a multitude of choices - literally every-which-way you turn - when you've got time to sit down for a meal (especially in my case with being gluten-free and having limited "eating out" options). I can vouch for the juicy burgers at Bad Daddy's Burger Bar and tasty tacos at the Jose Cuervo Tequileria being great on-the-go lunch options.

Bathroom attendants - this is just about as Southern as you can get. A smiling woman who whistles or hums Gospel tunes in the bathroom, with an assortment of toiletries like mouthwash, mints, and tissues and the magic touch when the automatic soap or water won't turn on for you. I've lived up north my whole life but have always been a Southern girl at heart and love the small touches of hospitality. Don't forget to tip!

Rock On! These are a little hidden gem that CLT travelers love - the white rocking chairs scattered throughout the airport. I have yet to find someone that has been through Charlotte and hasn't gotten excited to tell of the rockers. It can be tough to find an unoccupied one, especially with a nice view out the window. Perfect for some people-watching or just to sit and relax for a while, pretending you're sitting on a large wrap-around porch on a beautiful summer day. All that's missing from this picture of Southern hospitality is a little Spanish moss hanging from the trees.

One day I shall return, Charlotte. Save a seat for me!

I had heard many wonderful things about how "allergy friendly" Disneyworld dining options could be... but nothing could compare to the first bites of some incredible gluten-free delights!

We had noted my gluten allergy when making dinner reservations at Ohana. The chef came out right after the waitress confirmed which guest had the food allergy and went over the "substitutes" that I would be receiving, as well as which sauces and things were safe for me to eat. The starters for our "family style" meal were great - warm gluten-free buns with melting butter and a citrus tossed salad that I gobbled up in just a few bites (learning to slow down and savor... but we were really hungry after a long day of traveling and walking around the Magic Kingdom!)

The entree only had a slight modification for my meal - everyone else got to dig into a large bowl of noodles but I got a giant scoop of white rice. My chicken wings were also prepared separately and had a hint of cinnamon to the sauce... they were finger-lickin' good! 

The rest of the meats were served from large skewers that came hot off the grill, Brazilian steakhouse style. These were all safe for me - shrimp and steak were my favorites! I had a lot of sauteed veggies too... I was feeling really full until they brought out my dessert...

Ooey gooey warmed Enjoy Life chocolate chocolate-chip cookies - my favorites! - topped with ice cream, fresh berries, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. I ate a few bites of ice cream and polished off the rest of the bowl's treats!

OK I was in a hurry to shove one of these in my mouth and it was nighttime and I didn't do a "fancy food" photograph... don't let that deter you from stopping in and tasting one of these lovelies for yourself!

It was humorous, in my research of gluten-free dining options at Disney, I had run across some posts that people walk into the bakery, see that everything is vegan and gluten-free (many items are dairy-free/egg-free/low-sugar/etc as well) and walk out because they don't think the baked goods are any good. This exact thing happened twice in the 10-15 minutes I and the rest of the food-allergy crowd stood drooling over the glass cases. Haha, they don't know what they're missing out on - more for me!

Gluten-free Mickey Mouse waffles. With bacon. Prepared before my very eyes by a manager, wearing fresh gloves, at a separate waffle-maker in a different part of the kitchen from the rest of the cafeteria-style line. Words cannot express how light and fluffy these little faces were, smothered in syrup. Tears of joy may have hovered in my eyes as I bit into them!

Perfect little powdered sugar-covered, piping hot, fresh-from-the-dedicated-fryer clouds ... these beignets were A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!! I took three buses and a boat to get these and come back to my resort. Totally worth the effort! I honestly had powered sugar from my head to my toes after sinking my teeth into these bad boys... so good!

This fish 'n chips was hands down my favorite meal of the trip - I had been craving it since I saw a post about it online in my pre-travel research. The portions were huge (that piece of fish is bigger than my hand!) and everything was served fresh and hot, right out of the dedicated fryer. I honestly forgot tartar sauce or ketchup when I walked away from the counter and found a seat outside (where you can enjoy the Irish singers and dancers) and the meal was so tasty that I didn't even miss the condiments!

This little gem of a food allergy-friendly kiosk is an oasis in the Discovery Island wilderness! I had rushed to Animal Kingdom to enjoy the last few hours of the day in the park, but had not eaten lunch and needed to hurry to make my FastPass+ reservations. This place is full of gluten-free goodies including bagels, muffins, donuts, chips, fruit, even beer! It's right before you head over the bridge to Africa. I grabbed a muffin on my way to my adventures, just enough to tide me over until I found a little more time to relax.

For dessert, I'd heard the Grey Stuff is delicious (just ask the dishes!) but alas, it's NOT gluten free... that's fine by me because this gluten-free lemon-filled cream puff was the perfect ending to the meal - light and fluffy, not overly citrus-y, with a dollop of cream and fresh raspberry on top, plus a tiny chocolate square almost too pretty to eat (but of course, I devoured it all!)

I've had mixed experiences with dining in hibachi style restaurants in the past (from a fabulous experience at Benihana's in Las Vegas to a terrible New Year's Eve run-out-the-door-crying-and-didn't-get-to-eat-anything situation with a local place where they barely speak English) so I was a tiny bit hesitant when my friend told me about our reservations at their favorite place, Teppan Edo. But take a deep breath - it's Disney so we're good!

Right away, the waitress had noted the reservation remarks and asked who had the gluten/wheat allergy and, from my end of the table, I raised my hand. She immediately marked a giant "A" on her chart indicating my seat and told me that a manager would be right out. Moments later, a lovely woman in a suit came and offered her greetings, noted that I would have rice and veggies prepared separately instead of the noodles, and that all my meal's items would be cooked on the grill and served first. They brought out Kikkoman's Gluten-Free Soy Sauce as well for me.

The chef was awesome and put on a great performance, as well as preparing a terrific and delicious meal. The only other sauce I could safely eat was the "yum yum" sauce... there's a very good reason for it's name - I went through 2 of the 3 "bowls" I was given with my meal!


I ate every last bite of the steak, shrimp, veggies, and rice, becoming quite a good chopsticks operator!

It's been a whirlwind few months and I apologize for my blog getting put on the back burner.

I literally just got home from an AMAZING trip to Disneyworld - my very first trip to Disney EVER! I did shed some tears when it was time to go home... it truly was magical and I can't wait to go back! There was still so much left to do and see, food to eat, and places to stay. I will greatly miss the warm Florida sunshine too!

Here is my Top 10 list of things EVERYONE should do at Walt Disney World - please be sure to add your favorites in the comments below!

7. Go "underwater" without getting your hair wet for the "Under the Sea" ride with Ariel's crew in Magic Kingdom... as well as "Turtle Talk with Crush" at Epcot (I am still trying to figure out how they do it, dude!)

5. Explore "Living with the Land" at Epcot and see some awesome techniques they are experimenting with to grow food in some crazy ways - many are harvested to be served in the Disney restaurants around the parks!

4. Eat and drink your way around the World Showcase at Epcot. (We had a fabulous "dinner & show" at the Teppan Edo hibachi restaurant - so fun and delicious!) !The park was beautifully adorned with the flowers and topiaries of the International Flower & Garden Festival during my visit (early May 2015), which added some extra vibrant pixie dust and fragrance. Be sure to stop by The Kunstarbeit In Kristall in Germany for your sparkly crystal tiaras and beer stein souvenirs - they'll even ship your fragile items home for a very reasonable flat fee.

3. See "Finding Nemo - The Musical" at Animal Kingdom - this colorful performance is entertaining and breath-taking for the whole family!

1. Get to Magic Kingdom before 8:30pm and park yourself in front of Cinderella Castle to get a prime seat along the parade route edges (score a FastPass+ preferred seating area if you can!) for the evening's Mickey's Electrical Parade and Wishes fireworks show! 


Not a night owl? During the day, around mid-afternoon, you can also find a spot along the "Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party" parade route through Adventureland and Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. The "Fantasmic" show at Hollywood Studios is also a great lights, water, and fireworks show for later evening entertainment!)

Again, this was my very first visit and there are still many things on my list for the next time... open to suggestions from others on what they love too! (Also note that my stomach doesn't handle rollercoaster style rides, so I did only the "Any Height" rides!)

Nestled on the main drag of N Lamar Blvd, tucked in the corner of an old strip mall, next to a dry cleaner and behind a clothing store – Wink was surprisingly packed from the time we stepped inside at 8:45pm until we walked out just before 11pm. Extremely small and cozy, with a smattering of tables huddled together, the peach-colored space glowed with lively chatter and candlelight. Clad in plaid shirt and jeans, a very friendly young man named Alex greeted us each with a strong handshake, asked each of our names, and showed us to a table in the back corner.

Our waitress immediately brought out an amuse bouche for each of us – a tiny garlic tart for the gluten-eater and for me, a tasting spoon with small shoestring-cut cucumbers and a spicy pepper sauce to give it a strong kick. She quickly noted that she was also personally gluten free and that put me at ease... until she accidentally brought out regular rolls for me. Because it looked just like the other rolls around us, I double-checked with her (thankfully before taking a bite), and she immediately apologized and cleared off any plate or silverware that it had touched… the gluten-eater happily ate the gluten-filled roll for me, generously slathering up both rolls with fresh butter. While the moment of forgetfulness did make me a little uneasy for the rest of the meal to follow, she did restore my confidence with each plate served after that and noted how they made it gluten-free if any modifications needed to be made to it.

The hamachi poke came out first – a small “cake” comprised of chunks of bonito (sushi-grade fish) and avocado, covered in sesame seeds and a flourish of vinaigrette and greens on top (hold the wonton for gluten-free modifications). The light, fresh flavors of the cake fit the mood of the day and its delightful warm sunny weather – refreshingly reminiscent of late spring days, here in the midst of winter.

Foie gras taco, anyone? Yes, one of the best food ideas ever imagined! I have yet to meet a foie gras I did not like, but this foie gras tostada plate takes the cake! I would have gladly ordered another round of the buttery-rich seared foie gras, atop a corn tostada and surrounded with bright red tomatoes, lettuce, and queso fresco.... for dessert... or breakfast... or any reason, at any time!

For the main entree, my antelope was served with celeriac and mushrooms – a robust blend of spices gave it an hearty winter flavor, yet it was light enough to enjoy on a beautiful spring day.

The duck breast entree was delightfully paired with a cake of sweet potato slices (that added a hint of cinnamon to the dish), cabbage, and mushrooms - a melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful, decadent blend of flavors that was seasoned to perfection.

After missing breakfast to do a plantation tour in the morning, we were pretty hungry by lunchtime. Rolling into New Orleans, we headed for one of the first places that got good ratings - the Palace Cafe - after parking our rental car with a valet lot nearby. The weather was gorgeous - sunny and 70s - and sunshine kissed our cheeks as we selected a table outside along the sidewalk. Our waiter served us drinks - a Pimm's Cup cocktail and lemonade for me - and took our order.

My travel partner got the duck and alligator gumbo (I couldn't try it because it was NOT gluten free.) it was a rich stew of flavors with lots of chunks of meat and vegetables that had been braised all day.

I enjoyed a refreshing shrimp salad – several large grilled and marinated shrimp atop a bed of oranges, grapefruit, eggs, tomatoes, green onions, and chopped lettuce tossed in lemon vinaigrette. It was an excellent feast to fill my growling belly, while not being too heavy to walk around the French Quarter. 

The sunshine peeking through the high rises, a saxophone player serenading us from around the corner, streetcars rolling by, businessmen chatting over lunch, tourists and locals wandering down the street... an overall delightful moment to sit back, relax, and take it all in on a beautiful day. I can't get over the fact that it's the end of January and yet I am transported to a summer day. I may not go home to the snow and cold.