Breakfast: The big day was here and things were tense. The whole family was meeting my parents for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. They didn’t know my sister and brother-n-law were in from Florida along with my nephew and his girlfriend from Michigan. They were going to pick up Gary and me in their rental car and head out east on Long Island. I grabbed a banana before we left.
Lunch: We could all relax after everyone arrived at the restaurant, the surprise was a success. I wasn’t driving and decided to celebrate with a Bourbon on the rocks with my nephew. They serve Maker’s Mark Bourbon at the Cheesecake Factory which is vegan.
I have avoided the Cheesecake Factory for a long time, not being fond of chains or dairy. I was delighted to see the Vegan Cobb Salad listed under their specialties. Gary got the Veggie Burger with no cheese. It was a fun lunch and the servers were great. My only complaint? Where’s the vegan cheesecake? It’s so easy to make and it’s delicious. Here’s our New York Style Vegan Cheesecake recipe and it’s gluten-free.
Dinner: Back at my parent’s house we had the traditional fresh fruit and nuts. My mom is the official fruit cutter. We had Pineapple, Oranges, Strawberries and Kiwi with Raisins and Peanuts.
Dinner: We had a fun day with the family by the pool at my parent’s residence clubhouse. My youngest nephew who is 9 asked, “where are we having dinner?” It is, after all, all about food. We did not have plans for dinner but decided to head back to the Walt Whitman Mall where we had lunch and visit another chain, the California Pizza Kitchen. I have to admit these two chain restaurants do a great job to accommodate the different dietary choices out there today and offer certified gluten-free options. I got the Roasted Vegetable Salad, with no dressing. It’s really good.
Gary ordered the Vegetable Pizza with no cheese. Halfway through our meals, we both switched.
Evening: Gary and I stayed at my parents that evening. I discovered some Soy Creamy in the freezer that we had with some Trader Joe’s Vanilla Cinnamon Black Tea.
