Beaches top to bottom

I am halfway between the Gulf and the Atlantic on my two-week work-and-play combo tour of America's beaches. Okay, it's not really that glamorous: I'm just finishing up a week of work in Orlando (which took me to Seminole and Madiera beach, pictured here) and am now sitting in the airport, headed out for much-needed vacation time on the Cape at my annual family reunion.

Living out of a hotel room and working 15+ hours a day, I haven't had much opportunity for cooking or even eating well. Thank you to Lara Bars and Nana's Gluten-Free cookies for keeping me from starving in this land of Denny's and Chik-Fil-A's.

While on the Cape, I will actually do a fair amount of cooking. Our family breaks down the dinners (breakfasts and lunches on your own) so that a pair of relatives works together each night to prepare supper for everyone. I'm "on" with my grandma and stepfather on Sunday night, and I think we're doing polenta with a mushroom saute. My grandma is bringing fresh heirloom tomatoes from her garden in Virginia for a delicious salad. I'll be sure to snap pics of everything that is wonderful in the coming week at our cottage.

Of the record seventeen (!) people coming this year, I am the only vegetarian and now also the only GF foodie, so I foresee some culinary acrobatics on nights when others are cooking. My mom is bringing some GF waffles and pasta for me, so I think we can improvise. (She was a professional cook for many years.) My aunts are each planning GF meals too, and I can't wait to see what they come up with that I can take home to Alex.

I won't be posting anything for at least another 10 days, but I will be basking in the dear Cape sun, biking along trails lined with honeysuckles and blueberries, riding our boat out to watch fireworks on the ocean, and generally trying hard to do nothing. I can't wait!!!!

Till next week- your pale, but soon to be slightly tanner- Foodie.