Palm Springs. The land of vintage stores and Bob Hope’s house that is well-hidden behind a very large gate complete with cameras and threat of arrest. It’s magical.

And I was lucky enough to spend a few days with some super rad friends last week/weekend and one of the other people in attendance was also gluten-free! Woot! Hooray for food issues! (Also she was dairy-free and was able to find good gf/df dishes in ALL of these places, so heads up GFDFs.)

Right after picking up my ladies at the airport, we were starving. Me especially, what with the very short drive from my house. The flight attendant insisted that “everyone who was anyone” lunches at Lulu, and being “anyone” we totally went there. Gluten-free menu in the house!

With that I kicked off my orgy of potatoes and beef for the next few days as I insisted on mashed potatoes and a Kobe beef burger on a lettuce wrap. Top that off with a Negroni followed by a “That cocktail might have been a mistake,” and you’ve just described damn near every move I made for the next three days.

We were staying at the Ace Hotel, which is rad, and I decided my goal should be to consume at least one full order of their Parmesan french fries every single day, preferably poolside if possible. Here’s my first gluten-free meal there of a juicy ol’ steak with fries.

Then this is the “just tips” BBQ with fries.

And this is just me with fries.

A note, my df friend left off the Parmesan on her gluten-free fries and I enjoyed some of those as well.

The last time I went to Palm Springs I was tipped off that Cheeky’s has the best breakfast around. They still do.

That was the freaking ah-mah-zing Huevos Rancheros but they’ve also got a buckwheat waffle for your gluten-free pleasure. Yep. I thought I’d try and convince everyone that every breakfast should be at Cheeky’s, but my GFDF friend had discovered the Palm Greens Cafe that ALSO had vegan foods, juice bar, and basically everything was gluten-free. Also a kick-butt breakfast soundtrack and super cool dude working there who was not at all irritated by all of our food issues. I had to order oatmeal and a carrot juice, you guys. After all that beef it was really my only option. Really.

Of course this cleared the way for dinner, which was at this fab joint called Trio where they ALSO had gluten-free options, and I had myself a roasted chicken and more mashed potatoes. What was UP with me and the taters? This is what happens when you try to live paleo during the week, you guys. You go ‘tater crazy on vacation!!!!! SO GOOD.

And my GFDF pal had the salmon and it was also pretty flipping awesome. (Although a note, she is gluten intolerant and does not react to cross-contamination, and those sweet potato fries were fried in the same fryer as gluten stuff. I stayed away, as I was not willing to poop all of that good out. Not immediately, anyway.)

Palm Springs is super easy for us gf types. Also for us thrift store shopping types. And us cocktail loving types. So yeah, basically, BEST VACATION EVER.