After five years of business, this beloved allergen-free baker has opened her first brick and mortar in San Diego.

For those who are celiac, gluten-intolerant, vegan, lactose intolerant or all of the above, consider this list your dining guide. READ MORE

One of the many reasons why I love and appreciate San Diego, other than its constant sunny disposition and slew of things to do, is that it’s a city that really turned the tide and has made tremendous strides in bringing recognition to a growing problem that was going unchecked in the restaurant industry. With healthy, food allergy educated establishments popping up left and right, San Diego has made it incredibly easy for someone living with food allergies to enjoy a meal out free of stress and aggravation. No more negative connotations of that gluten f-word for me!

Below are my top four favorite, gluten-free friendly dining spots in North County San Diego that offer great food, a great atmosphere, and understand the struggles of a food sensitive individual…

Gluten-free travel can be adventurous, stress-free, and enjoyable with proper preparation. Article was written for Mediaplanet for their Digestive Health and Wellness campaign, available online and in USA Today! Learn about exciting developments in microbiome research, dietary and lifestyle advice for managing digestive diseases and disorders, the importance of patient-provider relationships, and how thought leaders are fighting stigma and raising awareness for digestive health.

Humboldt County is a beautiful destination for hiking, fishing, kayaking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and all things outdoors related. Once you hit that redwood curtain on the 101 you know you are amongst the hippies. If you are vegetarian, vegan and of course gluten free this will be a farm fresh food haven indeed. I have been navigating the gluten-free world for the past eight years and come to love the following restaurants.

Mexico City aka #CDMX is the 17th largest city in the world, and is full of rich history, from the Aztec, to the Spanish colonials and now, the modern world. Regardless of what you’re looking for, you will likely find it in one of the many unique neighborhoods in the city (I’m partial to the Condesa and Roma neighborhoods). This includes phenomenal cuisine, archaeological sites, museums, lucha libre wrestling shows, live music, boutique shopping, street vendors, and much more. It’s impossible to see it all in a lifetime, let alone in one day. But we’ve created a list of our favorites, so that you can design an itinerary that’s right for you!

Sayulita was once a hidden beach village off the beaten path until Pinterest, Instagram and Bachelor in Paradise took over. It lies just 25 miles north of Puerto Vallarta along Riviera Nayarit and the Madre Occidental Mountain range. It’s not only a small and sleepy beach town, but it’s home to some beautiful artisans, great beaches and surf. Not to mention it’s next to Mexico’s version of the Galapagos, the Islas Marietas. We had a long weekend to explore this colorful town and knock the islands off of our bucket list.  Here’s how to do it all in one day (because you can #SiSePuede)…

Most people agree that Joshua Tree is a magical place. Situated between California’s Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert, it’s home to the native Joshua Tree (hence the name), Joshua Tree National Park and Little San Bernardino Mountains. Due to its beautiful topography and nature, it has a long history of luring in artists, hikers, rock climbers alike. Only located 2.5 hours away from both Los Angeles and San Diego, it’s no wonder why so many Angelinos and San Diegans purchase second homes here. Joshua Tree has quite a bit to offer, whether you’re there for a day, the weekend, or forever. Here’s our must-dos…

Wrote an article for Celiac.com on my travels through Texas' four biggest cities, and the best gluten-free / celiac friendly options I found during my road trip. 

I was able to write about this giant for Redwoods in Yosemite, before revisiting it in June 2018… It is truly a sight to behold.

I attended the Women’s Rally at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas this past January, and although this isn’t my favorite city in the world, or in the USA for that matter, it is surrounded by some amazing natural beauty and delicious allergen friendly eats (perhaps even worth revisiting). If you find yourself in, or passing through Las Vegas, do check out this must-visit-and-eatlist for your enhanced enjoyment on, and off the Las Vegas Strip.

Guanajuato is an old colonial city, college town, and the birthplace of the famous muralist, Diego Rivera. This city is full of history, color, culture, food, and fun. It is built on a series of tunnels, originally designed to prevent flooding, which nearly wiped out the city twice before. The underground tunnels have since been transformed into actual roads, leaving very little surface space above ground. We haven’t stopped thinking about it since we left, and hope to return back soon, especially for Dia de Los Muertos. This is how to do it all, and do it right traveling to Guanajuato in just one day…

The state of Washington is just beautiful. You can have the best of both worlds; the awesome city of Seattle, and the surrounding natural countryside, including majestic waterfalls, mountains and forests. Sitting just 30-45 minutes east of Seattle, the city of Snoqualmie is a stunner and is also known as the fictional town of Twin Peaks. So, rent a car and follow these steps to make the most out of the city and country in one day... 

I’d been wanting to visit Vancouver, Canada for quite some time. Most of my family lives on the east coast, in Toronto, but I had a feeling this little city in the PNW would tug at my heart strings, and I was right. We decided to visit in the spring, which felt like the perfect season. The air was crisp, but not too cold, perfect for outdoor exploring. Although there is tons to see and do, we felt like we got a lot done in just one day with the help of a rental car. Here is our guide... 

I had the privilege of spending a few weeks in South Korea, specifically in the city of Daegu. Although I worked the majority of the time, I had some free moments to explore the city. Through my own trials and tribulations, I can tell you how to do things right, especially in just one day.

Also, yellow dust is a real thing. 

We can all agree that living with an autoimmune disease such as Celiac, or with any food intolerances or allergies is not very fun, or convenient, for that matter. Especially when trying to find something tasty! The amount of San Diego restaurants who cater to these communities, makes it feel almost effortless to find allergen-friendly food! As someone diagnosed with Celiac and other food intolerances, who is San Diego based, I have tried and tested most of what America’s Finest City has to offer time and time again, and the results have been delicious! I have compiled a list of my ten favorite spots that I regularly visit, and I recommend them to anyone visiting or living in San Diego.

We had a lot of fun in Seoul this past spring and I was able to get my fill of Korean BBQ, KoMex (nm, no such thing as too much KoMex), Korean cosmetics, and raccoons (yes, raccoons). The highlight was visiting the infamous (?) Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North Korea from South Korea. Here are my favorite places, and more importantly, food items, and what’s worth visiting if you only have one day.

We had the pleasure of being able to hop over to Japan, after our visit to South Korea. I fell in love with Kyoto, and honestly expected to be overwhelmed by Tokyo. Well, it didn’t overwhelm me, but the quaint neighborhoods stole my heart with their intricate personalities, the new mixed with the old, and the spiritual and historical elements. Although it would probably take living there extensively to see and truly experience the city’s highlight and underrated spots, I came up with this easy one-day to-do list. I hope you enjoy the city as much as we did (minus ending up in the ER for anaphylaxis - long story), and I look forward to returning.

I recently ventured to South Korea with the American Red Cross' Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program to facilitate workshops on Communication for children and adults on military bases. During my free time, I got to venture around South Korea, and even visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the border between North and South Korea. This was a little nerve-wracking, considering I was present for two of North Korea's failed missile tests. Once our program was over in South Korea (City of Daegu), I hopped on a train to the southern city of South Korea, Busan and took a 3-hour ferry across the Sea of Japan to the southern city of Fukuoka. This was so much fun, and much less expensive than a flight. From there we took the train to Kyoto and later Tokyo, to explore and enjoy the culture, food and amazing surrounding Japan has to offer. It was a blast, and I look forward to returning back and exploring more of both countries in the future.

Tucked in the mountains of San Jacinto, and just a hop, skip and jump away (aka 2 hours) from both busy metropolises of Los Angeles and San Diego exists the beautiful and quaint town of Idyllwild. The town serves as nice escape for anyone. Whether that’s a solo getaway, camping trip with friends or family, or a romantic adventure, driving up the hill will sure be worth it.