You know you're at a celiac event if...

There is a stampede of people who look as if they've never seen food before and have been starving their entire lives! Seriously!

I signed up for this Celiac Cooking Spree with a few other celiac friends. The gist of it was that they team up doctors, chefs, and journalists to create gluten free meals. Over 450 celiacs in the DC area attended the event at the Bethesda Hyatt. As soon as I arrived, I was ushered into the vendor room, where all the makers of gluten free brownies, cookies, cakes, crackers, etc. were there giving a way free samples. I filled a plastic bag they gave me when I arrived and then some!

Next it was over to the ballroom for the main cooking event. Each team had a table where they were giving away samples of their creations. But the lines were so long at each table that I didn't get to make it to all of them before they ran out. After the main course, Lilit Cafe of Bethesda provided an enormous selection of gluten free cookies, cup cakes, and cakes. It was somewhat reminiscent of my college days where I would go to the dining hall and leave with several pieces of german chocolate cake. Despite being stuffed, I could not resist the cake. I managed to control myself somewhat and only get 3 slices (1 coconut cream, 1 chocolate cream cheese, and 1 carrot cake) and brought them back to the table. I think we each took one bite of each one and that was all we could manage.

Then Mary, one of my friends, went up to the Wegman's table and said "Oh, I just love your food!" Naturally, they started giving it all to her (microwave popcorn, gluten free pretzels, etc.) So she came back to the table and distributed it amongst all of us.


Stuffed, I climbed back on the metro for the ride home at the end of the night, weighed down with by bags of gluten free goodies.

A Trip to the Pink Bubble

In an effort to recover from my scientology experience, I made a trip to the pink bubble last week. Well, really it was to be on a career panel for math/engineering majors, but regardless, it was such a welcome break from the DC rat race.


Jane and I were both on the panel so we drove down together on Wednesday afternoon, arriving in time to visit the bookshop to stock up on all things Sweet Briar. Even the lady working in the new cafe recognized me. She used to work in the dining hall and said she remembered seeing me come in every day. Frightening!! I just hope she doesn't remember the time I went in and walked out 2 min later with ~5 pieces of german chocolate cake...


We had dinner in the Bistro with "the happy math family." It was so awesome to see the Kirkwoods and Wassell, they haven't changed a bit. The Bistro, however, is NOT what it used to be. Gone are the brick floors and cozy wooden booths as well as the crazy shakes. The only redeeming thing is that potato skins are now back on the menu. Apparently 10 years later - Erikka's and my flooding of the suggestion box finally paid off.


I woke up early Thursday morning so that I could go for a walk around campus right as the sun was coming up. I walked down to the boathouse. It was so peaceful and quiet and calm. I could have walked for hours. I wish I'd taken my camera with me on the walk. There was a light fog over the surface of the water, the sun was shining, and I saw about a dozen deer in one of the fields.



Before heading back to DC, Jane and I drove out to the new art barns which are spectacular. It's about the only renovation I'd say Sweet Briar really did right. The new entrance is not welcoming, and the bookshop and Prothro - though very nice, lack the charm of the old buildings. They've changed the crest too - one of the students was showing us her ring and the crest is totally different. And the new pledge - what is up with that?? Part of indoctrination into the bubble as a freshman was to memorize that seemingly unending pledge! I wish I could remember it now...if you can, please email me. What a cop out the new one is!


Thank goodness reunion is only a month away and I can spend 3 whole days on campus. I can't wait. I may never leave.

Scientology - The Study of Truth

The truth of the matter is, dating SUCKS! I hate it and was reminded tonight of why. A few weeks ago, while out on a bike ride, I was passed by a guy on his bike who stopped to bike with me for a stretch and chat. After about 20 min or so, when we were about to part ways he asked me out. I said sure, he seemed nice enough so I figured I might as well.

So, Date #1. I thought he was a very nice guy, but was somewhat undecided about whether I wanted to go out with him a second time. But he emailed me and asked me out again, so I decided what the heck, I'll go out with him one more time before ruling him out entirely.

Date #2. We went out to dinner tonight at one of my favorite restaurants - Lauriol Plaza in DC. After leaving the restaurant, we were standing on the street corner about to head different directions and saying good night when he asks me "Are you a religious person?" Ummm....hmmm...caught entirely off guard, I stood there pondering for a moment about how best to answer the question. Before I could answer he asked me how I was raised and I replied "Methodist." Then he proceeds to reach into his coat pocket and pull out a DVD on Scientology (see picture) that he says he thought I might be interested in.


Huh? I'm thinking to myself as he rambles on about scientology, is he trying to recruit me or something? It seems he arrived at the restaurant early, so he went into a scientology museum or something to kill time before dinner because he'd always been interested in learning more about it (and apparently thought I had some burning desire to learn more about it too....) Then he proceeds to show me a card with details about an open house and free tours of the place. I asked him how he was raised....Catholic.

I don't get it. I really don't get it at all. But I will say one thing for the date, I've spent the last 2 hours laughing hysterically on the phone with friends who can't believe the story. Ahh...if only I were making it up!

There will be no date #3.

But here's the link for anyone who might be interested in ordering their own copy of the DVD...
http://www.scientology.org/interview/orderscn.html