Yesterday I went to visit Hamilton College and Colgate University in New York. I went to Colgate first and I was talking to the chef who was making my (delicious!) omelette and asked how they accomadate special diets. He said he had other students on the diet, and pulled out Gillian's gluten-free pizza dough!! I knew I would be fine there. Then that afternoon, we went to Hamilton, and stopped by the dining hall on the tour and asked the guide the same question...turns out she has celiac herself!! And Hamilton is good about the diet as well according to her. We stopped for lunch at a little cafe where I got my boring dressing-less salad...then we left, drove a few miles down the road, and passed a pizza place. On their sign they had "Now serving gluten-free pizza!!!" I was so sad that we had already stopped but I would say it was a good omen that eating in college won't be quite as scary as I thought...I may have to worry about the freshman 15 after all

this is fantastic. It gives me hope. Here in the San Jose area it seems very difficult to eat out. Maybe I just need to try harder.

That's very cool.

Yeah! Congratulations.

I live by San Francisco and travel to San Jose all the time. I can't eat out either I thought the salad bar at Trader Joes in San Jose might be a good choice, but I even got sick from that! So I feel your pain

Yes San Jose seems to be tough on all fronts. Everyone seems so selfish and "me first". I have run into the same thing in the arts. However I am going to start asking more and see what happens. I am hopeful that eventually it will help.

Meanwhile my own family of course thinks I am completely neurotic despite their own gastric etc. difficulties. For most of them they feel its not worth it to be vigilant about it--although my eldest sister is. She like me is accused of the being a Hypochondriac with a capital H. However now both of us have stronger joints and more energy and better overall health because of being more vigilant. Unfortunately however she is in southern CA so I have no close mates here on this issue.

Now I am thinking of refusing to go out to eat with my family--and just share gluten free dessert with them afterwards on special occasions and/or make dinner myself. Recently they ordered things at a restaurant willy nilly with gluten in them despite them knowing I have celiac as does my mother and brother with Down's syndrome. I can control the situation at home but not when we go out to eat--which is usually on someone's birthday (as this was--for my mother). I don't want to make a scene but maybe I need to? I am not giving up but it is a struggle.

I am so jealous of anyone that has a pizza place nearby that can get gluten-free pizza. Don't get me wrong, Amy's pesto w/soy cheese isn't bad, BUUTTT... it gets old really quickly. Sounds like a great place to be!

I was traveling for the first time in a long, long time and had resigned myself to ordering a pasta plate without the pasta. As I usually do, I simply asked, "Can this be brought without pasta? I can't have the wheat." The waitress replied, "We have gluten free pasta. Would you like some?" I came so close to balling. All I could do was nod my head. Then she did it. She offered the choice of penne or fettucini! I told her my choice, so she would go without seeing my (way too) emotional reaction. I've never even heard of a restaurant offering gluten free choices before.

My friend who travelled with me had an awesome suggestion - suck it up and ask for gluten free products wherever we are out. If enough people keep asking for it, resuaurants will HAVE to get the idea.

The 'in' at this particular restaurant, I found out after, is that the chef has Celiac disease.

The problem with this place? It was a 3.5 hour drive from home, and we just happened to be traveling through. That was in Vermont.

I know I would cry right there in front of the waitress. I almost cried just reading this!

What restaurant was it for anyone who might be heading that way?