Gluten Free All-Around

My boyfriend's cousin (Josh) got married (to Tami) last week in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The Mazzolini clan first descended on Mr. & Mrs. Mazz's house in Cleveland before making the drive up to Michigan.

Momma Mazz had a few GF treats for me at home, bought at Heinen's. Thursday Nick and I hit up the zoo, before his brothers and their spouses arrived. Although Nick and I had the best intentions of trying a Cleveland restaurant or two after visitng the zoo, the rain (and consequently our wet clothes) drove us back home. All of the food we ate in Cleveland was cooked at home- 98% of the produce being plucked from the Mazzolini's garden.

We arrived in Mount Pleasant on Friday with just enough time to check into our hotel, say a few hellos to some of the other family members, and get ready for the rehersal dinner. We ate at the POHLCAT. The food was brought in. Although they made sure my meal was GF, they lacked GF dressing and EVOO for the salad. I had no complaints, though. Spending time getting to know Nick's extending family was wonderful.

Saturday we bummed around before the 2pm ceremony. The wedding guests filled up a church- all 340 people. Nick and I snuck a nap in after church and before the reception, held at the hotel. Josh and Tami's reception was beautiful- a very classily decorated room filled with love and support from family and friends. Instead of a buffet or a sit-down dinner, they kept things flowing by having food stations- Mexican, a meat carving station with veggies, an icecream bar, a kid's table, and a 10:30pm hot dog station. The chef came out to talk to me about my food needs, and made me a GF plate of roast, chicken, and grilled red peppers and onions. Since I could eat the roast and the potatoes, I was really not expecting to have any additional accomodations. After Nick and I filled our bellies, we made sure to hit the photo booth and the dance floor. Josh and Tami's wedding was great because of the way everything was freely moving- it kept the reception spontaneous and fun.

Yes, we enjoyed every quick-moving minute. By the time I was back home in the ATL, I realized we'll (oh darn) just have to go back to enjoy some of the GFness Cleveland has to offer.

The best part of the trip through the Midwest: Time with the Mazz Clan
The second-best parts: feeding fish to a Sea Lion; ballroom dancing (i.e., waltzing) to Journey
The worst part of the trip through the Midwest: Rain! Wind!