Gluten Free Dining Santa Cruz: Crow’s Nest

I discovered that the Crow’s Nest at the wharf offers a rather detailed gluten free menu.  This provides the gluten free diner hope for an informed kitchen, and my server was very gracious and helpful as I pieced together my dinner (taking part of the evening’s special and part of the standard menu.)

The Crow’s Nest receives very high marks for location and view, and that view will bring me back again, particularly because I don’t have to agonize over the ingredients in the menu.

The Crow’s Nest doesn’t usually receive very high marks for the food.  It is good, but not excellent.  Nothing to write home about, save for the fact that I can eat it without anxiety, and I can see the sailboats while I eat it.

Forest of Nisene Marks 5k

“Runner” 594, that was me. 

I wasn’t really a runner, more of a walker, trying to be a fast walker with a little bit of running thrown in for good measure, but I did complete my first 5k this month.  Thanks to the kind and persistant work of my sister Anna (who ran, really ran, the 1/2 marathon, finishing 1st in her category and 33rd over all) and the kind and persistent nudging of my friend Sara, I decided to go for it.  

Can you imagine how nervous I was?  How silly to be nervous, but I was.  I was nervous about finishing last, I was nervous about feeling totally out of place among all the runners, I was nervous, nervous, nervous.  But having set my first personal record at Crossfit earlier that week (213# on the deadlift), I had finally wrapped my head around what everyone around me was trying to tell me-I just needed to do it, take that step, and set a time to beat next time.

All of my nervousness was for not-I didn’t finish last, I didn’t get lost (on that very long, convoluted 5k trail with miles markers and orange cones ), I drank a ton of water and still didn’t have to stop during the 5k like the lady in front of me to visit the bathroom, and no one asked me what I thought I was doing at a race.

Actually so many people were nice, helpful and encouraging.  It was fun and almost other-worldly to be greeted at the finish line by people with huge grins and hearty congratulations, it was a treat to have a free massage because I was a racer, and I now have my first race shirt, a rather hideous, day glow yellow shirt. And now I will have to work up a whole new level of determination to actually wear that thing in public…

A Gracious Blog Award

My friend Renee, from the Add More Chocolate blog, has graciously granted me a bloggy award.  She is very, very kind, obviously offering this in the hope that this blog will in fact live on.  

Thank you, Renee.  You are a wonderful friend, and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Crossfit

Although I proudly blog without obligation, even I must admit that this has been a disappointing dry spell.  It is certainly time to re-enter the blog world, and I have absolutely no reason for the long absence.

No excuses, but I do have something new.  I have entered the crazy world of Crossfit, and Crossfit and I have a very complicated love/hate relationship.  Crossfit is a fitness program that has been pushing me to my physical limits, bringing sore muscles, nausea after a workout, and the feeling that I might not be able to even go one more step.  It also brings strength, endurance, a sense of accomplishment, and the knowledge that I am taking giant steps toward better health and fitness. 

You can go here to see a picture of me and some of my fellow CFers.  I will warn you that a few minutes of browsing the CF West Santa Cruz site with the thought that I go there will probably bring your jaw to the floor.  It is truly shocking, I know. 

I will try to not become a tedious CF workout of the day poster here on my blog, but I just might pop out with something now and then.  I have even discovered that Crossfit is the classical fitness program.  Stay tuned for that fascinating connection!