My Birthday

[Treen Bean]

So, today is my birthday. But, because of this whole stupid gluten thing no one will celebrate with me. I HATE IT! I'm not at home so I can't bake my own birthday cake. Everyone is simply pretending my birthday doesn't exist. I'm sorry to wine, but it's not been a good day. sniff.... i want my kitchen... i want to go home...

[jerseyangel]

Omg, you poor thing No one should have to feel like this on their birthday.

Wish I was close by enough to bring you a yummy and safe cake. Maybe have your most favorite dinner and do something today just for yourself that's not even food related? A nice gift from you to you, just beacuse!

A very Happy Birthday to you!!

[DingoGirl]

Oh! you poor thing! Birthdays DO suck, some years.....

But where are you? Can you not meet friends for a cup of coffee? A glass of wine (I don't know your age), a cup of tea, a beverage somewhere? You do NOT need to eat with them! I go out with friends all the time, and mostly, I just eat before I leave!

HAVE A HAPPY DAY! It's not too late, you can salvage it!

DON"T LET CELIAC STEAL YOUR SOCIAL LIFE!

[purple]

I can understand how you feel. My dd just turned 20 last Saturday and had no friends to celebrate with. Her birthday card from her nana was 3 days late in the mail. The other grandma got sick with the flu and couldn't mail a card to her. A week later and she still hasn't gotten the birthday card I mailed to her with her gift inside. She was broke so she went window shopping for 4 hours by her self. She bought a pair of slippers and some jeans with her own (not birthday) money, hoping she wasn't overdrawn at the bank. She went to a free concert that night and said it was horrible. She cried on the phone to me in the afternoon, so we drove to go see her (1 1/4 hours away) and took her out to eat. The week before I baked her a birthday cake. She only got one present to open on her birthday from a friend that had to work all day. It was the worst birthday she ever had. I told her that when you move out and are older things are not the same anymore. She doesn't have a close girl friend where she lives or a bf. It is hard. I feel for you.

Grab a friend if you have one. Go to the store and buy some/or lots of ice cream. Eat as much as you want. Watch a good movie. Buy yourself a gift. Buy a gift for someone else and give it to them, a friend or a stranger. Giving/sharing will make you feel better. Call an old friend and talk about the things you used to do. Do something different-swimming, ice skating, miniature golf, visit the pet store, etc.

I wish you a Happy Birthday!!! anyway!

[ravenwoodglass]

I am so sorry this is has been a bad day so far for you. Birthdays can be the worst when you are alone, I am a twinless twin so they are always hard for me but I try to do something that I enjoy, after I have a little private pity party. Sometimes it helps me to try and think of all the things that are good that I do have in my life and I concentrate on those. I also will do something special that I wouldn't normally do. Is there anything you can treat yourself to? A peaceful walk, a new novel if you like to read, maybe rent a movie you have been wanting to see and curl up with some safe treats, a long hot bath with some nice smelling oils anything that would make you feel special. My last B-day was really lonely and sad so I went out and got a bunch of stuff and donated it to the local food bank. I may not have had a party or friends to spend time with but it did help me to think of others that were worse off. I hope the day improves for you and that today is the start of a new, healthy and happy year.

[photobabe42]

Happy Birthday!

I was feeling blah today from something I ate, maybe the chili peppers, who knows... too blah to work out or do much of anything this morning including eat... so I made a double batch of the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies I found on the Cooking & Baking thread and when I finally dragged myself to work, I fed my co-workers my latest Gluten-free Casein-free baking experiment. I got rave reviews for the cookies and ended up feeling better over the course of the day. One co-worker gave me his "secret" recipe for a flourless chocolate cake to see if I could make it to fit my diet. I love the support I'm getting at my workplace and even before I was gluten-free, cooking for others always cheered me up no matter what. I'm going home on my dinner break to spoil my dog with something yummy too. He deserves it since he always makes me smile.

I really hope you can find something to improve your day. I'm sorry it's so sucky! If I couldn't bake, I'd probably go shopping. Would you take a rain check on some chocolate cake??

[tarnalberry]

what do you mean "with the celiac thing, no one will celebrate with you"?

I'm having a birthday party on saturday; we're going out for sushi. (last year, it was at home, and I cooked, because I like cooking. two years ago, it was pf changs. we've done bucca di beppo before, and so on. and always things that don't involve food as well.)

I'm sure you can find a way to celebrate your birthday that doesn't involve wheat!

[Jenny (AZ via TX)]

Happy Birthday to you! I'm so sorry you had no one to celebrate with. When I was first dx'd my friends weren't sure what to do either. I didn't say much about it because I didn't want it to always be about me. But, 6 months later, they know it's not totally weird and we do stuff again. They have even told me about some restaurants that I didn't know about.

Let your close friends know what celiac is. It may take awhile for them to get it, but I think they will. I'm sure your friends love you, just don't know what to do with you right now.

So, make some wishes and have a wonderful year!

[gfpaperdoll]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, Happy Birthday to you...

Sounds like you are in college. That is the worst, especially with no family or close friends.

My birthday is Sunday, I will be ummm over 60... I will be spending the weekend by myself, but at my age, I treasure my time alone. Well, probably because I am still working & gone a lot, I am rarely home. I have all sorts of little treats planned for myself. Mostly I am getting ready for a scrapbook party that I am giving for my friends, next week. They have no idea that it is my birthday, just that we are having a party.

I work for a great company & each department takes their people out to eat for birthdays. So all the people in my department will be going out to eat, & I get to pick the restaurant!!!! Some years that is the only celebration that I have. Our office also has cake once a month for all the birthdays. It really does not bother me, I just do not go, because I do not like to be around all those cake crumbs & people standing near me holding those plates of cake. They really go to a lot of effort, and this time they are adding ice cream so I can have something, & I asked for no chocolate & no nuts in the cake, so a lady in my department that is anaphylactic to nuts & allergic to chocolate, can have cake. She is as excited as we would be to have something gluten-free!!!

You might hate this idea, but if you just dress up & walk in any nursing home, you will feel like a million bucks & all the residents there will love seeing you. You could take one flower & ask for a lady that does not have any visitors. I guarantee you that by the time you get to her room, you will have chatted with at least 3 other people that will have patted you on the hand & told you how beautiful you are.

I hope you try it...

Wishing you many gifts of the heart...

Did you go outside & look at the beautiful full moon? I love a full moon & saw it on the way home from work tonight - very special !!

[kbtoyssni]

Happy Birthday! I'm sorry you didn't have a good day. You should set something up for next weekend to celebrate without food.

Last year I had friends over for a gluten-free dinner I made myself and a movie, the year before that I dragged them all to a gymnastics meet, and the year before that I went ice skating. I plan to go out dancing this coming year. As you can see, my birthdays are rarely about food.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Happy Birthday!

If there is a Cheesecake Factory anywhere in the town where you are, their Godiva Cheesecake IS GLUTEN-FREE!

Note: If you see their Godiva Cheesecake at Sam's Club or Costco, for some reason, that one is not gluten-free. They have a different one for their restaurants, according to their customer service representative,and the one at the Sam's Club/Costco does contain cookie crumbs in the crust. But the one at the restaurant doesn't, and it's yummy, and I hope you can get a slice before your birthday week is over!

[Treen Bean]

Okay! I made it through my no good terrible very bad birthday. Thanks for all of your support. I travel 8 months out of the year with touring Broadway shows. It's fun, but eating can be a challenge. If I were at home it would have been fun and easy. I would have had a gluten-free b-day cake and fun time with my family and friends. However, I am in the middle of nowhere, had rehearsal for most of the day, a show that night, and since this tour just started, no one really understands the whole gluten free thing, yet. They are trying though. In fact, they ended up surprising me later that night with a card from the cast and crew and a fun gag gift. They also found a place that serves gluten free pizza. I got to go there today. It's just hard being away from home on holidays and special occasions. Again, thanks for letting me whine and for your words of encouragement.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

What show are you doing, and what cities will you be in? Maybe people on this board can give you an advance heads-up on the places to find gluten-free food in whatever cities you'll be in.

I tour, too, but with an orchestra, so it's much less time than you spend on the road. Touring is the pits!

[happygirl]

See this thread and response from Cheesecake Factory regarding that cheesecake - Open Original Shared Link

Does anyone have any updated info?

[Treen Bean]

I am touring with the Troika Entertainment national tour of Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out. We will be in Durham, NC next week for a few days. After that I forget! If anyone is interested, you can google Troika Entertainment Movin' Out and find our schedule online.

[Lisa]

I am touring with the Troika Entertainment national tour of Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out. We will be in Durham, NC next week for a few days. After that I forget! If anyone is interested, you can google Troika Entertainment Movin' Out and find our schedule online.

This information is from the Triumph Dining Guide 2006-07 DURHAM

Maggiano's

(919) 572-0070

Outback

(919) 493-2202

There are others in Raleigh and Winston Salem

If you travel to known cities throughout the country, the Triumph Dining Guide would be a great resource.

[tarnalberry]

Remember that being away from a home base, constantly moving, makes it all the harder. Finding a stable foundation is HARD! I'm sure there are lots of other great rewards to what you're doing, but consistent special food finding isn't one of them. You will be constantly reminded of all the hardest parts of the diet (which, I suppose, will make you great at it eventually, through practice). But it's like poking a bruise - it hurts! Know that you're doing something really challenging, and that you *deserve* a pity party every now an then. (And this is from one of those people who's not fond of pity parties. )

[MaryJones2]

See this thread and response from Cheesecake Factory regarding that cheesecake - Open Original Shared Link

Does anyone have any updated info?

The last stuff I have is from 2007 and the email states that while there isn't any wheat flour in that cheesecake the pan coatings are wheat flour. I thought all Godiva chocolate had barley in the natural flavors?

[Treen Bean]

Here is the link for the Movin' Out tour itinerary. I googled Troika Entertainment Movin' Out, clicked "show itineraries" and downloaded the Movin' Out schedule. (just in case this link doesn't work, that's how I found it) I hope you guys will get the chance to come see it. It's an AWESOME show!

Open Original Shared Link

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Hey, you'll be in Pittsburgh! There's a Qdoba just one block from the Benedum--you can get gluten-free lunches there, and the manager's wife is celiac, so he knows all about it!

You can also take a taxi to the Cheesecake factory (but be prepared for a long wait--maybe better to order in advance to go, and have the taxi wait while you pick it up and take it back to the hotel).

Do you stay in hotels near the hall, or do they put you in cheaper hotels further away and bus you in and out?