Iberostar Paraiso Beach resort in Playa Del Carmen was an absolute pleasure, and I highly recommend this resort to anyone with allergies, specifically Celiac Disease. Over a 10-day period during the holidays and new year, I wasn't sick at all! Prior to leaving for my trip, I had been in contact with Iberostar's Public Relations department, who ensured me that I was in good hands. Of course, as a Celiac, you can never be too sure, and I brought my own bread and protein bars, just to be safe! Upon arrival, I was given a celiac notice in Spanish that stated that I required entirely gluten-free meals and snacks, which needed to be made in a clean and celiac safe environment. I was also introduced to the head chefs at Iberostar, Alexis and Markus. They were both an absolute pleasure to deal with. They both went above and beyond to put a smile on my face. Every morning I was provided with gluten-free pancakes, I was even shown the packaging of the pancake mix! Alexis always brought me my favourite natural gluten-free syrup, poured separately for me, that wouldn't have touched any other guests' breakfast. I seriously felt like I was given the queens treatment, which was beyond incredible! At every meal I was shown what I could and couldn't have, and always offered to make anything my heart desired! One day it was tuna steak, another day, pasta, sushi, you name it, I was completely taken care of. Not to mention, at every meal there were nachos and guacamole... which were all entirely gluten free! The chefs would even open a brand new bag of nachos, and make me my own fresh guacamole. It was honestly a dream come true! Iberostar - thank you so much for making sure that your chefs are well-versed on all sorts of allergies and having the knowledge on what type of food guests can and cannot have! You have no idea how thankful I am! Alexis and Markus, thank you so much for putting a smile on my face and answering all of my questions about how foods were prepared. You both are outstanding! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I'll definitely be visiting again. So, if you've been longing for a relaxing, celiac safe resort, look no further! Iberostar Paraiso Beach resort has you covered. Please make sure you go through the appropriate measures, and ensure that you feel comfortable with all of the meals you're offered. Sending love and only the best for 2018! Xo Tarryn
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As we bring in the New Year, it's time for me to reflect back on the year. It's been a crazy journey, beginning my career, growing this awesome community, meeting many of you, traveling lots, getting engaged, planning a wedding and a whole lot more, I couldn't be more excited! Thank you all so much for following My Celiac Life journey over 2017, your encouragement, messages, kindness, support, knowledge and a whole lot more, never goes unnoticed. Truly, you're all the real MVP's of 2017. I couldn't do any of this without your love! 2018 is going to be a year to remember, and there are so many awesome projects in the pipeline. The genuine truth behind celiac disease and daily struggles are so real! We all have our medical and daily struggles, and this year is about YOU! Together we can get through anything. If there's one thing I learned in 2017, it's so important to listen to your inner voice. If your body is telling you to stop something, don't push your body over the edge. Focus on your own health, find your favourite hobbies, and just learn to be you and enjoy YOU time! So without further ado, happy 2018! I am truly blessed to have such an outstanding community out there that really care, love and respect one another. As I always say, Celiac Life ain't easy, let's get through this the only way we know how! Happy New Year to you all! I love you so much! Xo Tarryn With Christmas and the Holiday Season right around the corner, you can’t help but think about if you, your Celiac child, or a loved one will feel comfortable and safe at your holiday dinner. Well – I have AMAZING news for you… My brand of choice during any holiday season is Schar! Not only is all of their food Certified Gluten-Free, but their food tastes so good, your family and friends that visit during the holidays will have NO IDEA that their food is in fact gluten-free. With an abundance of gluten-free options including breads, cookies, crackers, wafers and a whole lot more, you will be able to enjoy all of the incredible foods you would normally enjoy, and no need to worry about cross-contamination! WINNING! Enjoy hot chocolate with your favourite Schar cookies, bake a delicious cake or pie by using Honeygams as the crust, roast turkey and use Schar bread as stuffing to complete your masterpiece, and much more! Something that is always a lot of fun in my house, is decorating cookies! It’s always so much fun getting everyone involved, and creating personalized Christmas themed cookies to enjoy with family and friends! Having someone who has Celiac Disease or is gluten intolerant can easily be accommodated. Again, Schar to the rescue! No need to worry about cross-contamination as Schar cookies are completely gluten-free, and they have the perfect blend of sweetness and crunch. So, for this holiday season, your loved ones can finally feel comfortable, safe, and enjoy an entirely gluten-free holiday with all of your other guests! With the Christmas holidays nearly here, I have teamed up with Schar to give you a weekend of amazing foods and ideas for the upcoming holiday season! For the next 48-hours, I will be taking over the amazing Schar Instagram account and showing you some of my favourite Schar Christmas and holiday treats. Follow their Instagram page for great gluten-free products and recipes: www.instagram.com/scharglutenfree and watch for some of my top picks! You won’t want to miss out on any of the incredible foods, recipes, and even an amazing giveaway! Let’s get Christmas ready, with Schar! To learn more, or see all of their products, visit: https://www.schaer.com/en-u Love to all xo, Tarryn Skuy I was amazed with the shelves upon shelves of gluten-free, specifically Schar products throughout Italy when I went in the summer of 2016. There was not a pharmacy or grocery store that didn’t have TONS of different gluten-free goodies! Every time I went into a different store to choose a snack for the day, I would make sure to try a new Schar product that I hadn’t tried before. That is when it hit me that I had not yet seen Schar in stores back in North America. Within a month of travelling back home, I had started to see a few products at Wal-Mart and local grocery stores. Schar has been dedicated to the Celiac and gluten-free community for the last 35 years! I was amazed at how excellent and user-friendly their website was, and how you can find all things related to their products, helpful information from their in-house dietitian and a whole lot more! Schar sent me every single goodie they could think of, including: Artisan Baker 10 Grains & Seeds Breads, Honeygrams, Vanilla Wafers, Chocolaty Dipped Cookies, Cocoa Wafers, Crackers, Ciabatta Buns, Multigrain Ciabatta Buns, Cheese Crackers, Breadsticks, Artisan Baker White Bread, Artisan Baker Multigrain Bread. Sound like enough? But – I can’t get enough! I got private messages, comments, and everything in between on how individuals have travelled throughout Europe loving these safe products that can be found everywhere, and they have been looking in Canada and the United States for Schar in stores. People from all over North America were so excited to hear that – and I could totally relate to them! Working with Schar has been a dream come true! They are a fabulous group of exciting, creative, and smart individuals! With over 200 products worldwide spanning from amazing meals to snacks and everything in between, I just can’t get enough of their products! Ever since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease 8 years ago, it has been challenging to find a brand of food that actually tastes like regular, non-gluten free food, until I found Schar! Schar’s campaign, #ScharMakesItGrain is so true! With the school year just beginning, packing a gluten-free lunch for your children has never been so easy! Preparing a gluten-free sandwich with tasty slices of bread (especially with my favourite, the brand new Artisan Baker 10 Grains & Seeds Bread), along with delicious and healthy snacks, your kids can go back to enjoying their gluten-free lunch and can feel comfortable knowing that they won’t get sick at school. I absolutely LOVE eating Schar products. Not only do they taste amazing and are completely safe for a Celiac, but they remind me of my European travels. Every bite into a Schar product brings me back to happy memories and thoughts of my travels, and I couldn’t be more thankful that they’re available in Canada and the United States! Seriously, you have to try this brand! You and your entire family will fall in LOVE! AND for the next 48-hours, I will be taking over the amazing Schar Instagram account and showing you some of my favourite Schar tasty treats! Follow their Instagram page for great gluten-free products and recipes: www.instagram.com/scharglutenfree and watch for some of my favourites! You won’t want to miss out on any of the incredible foods and simple meals/snacks coming your way! Oh – and did I mention, there will be an exciting giveaway at the end of this takeover, SO stick around & stay a while, you won’t be sorry!
To learn more, or see all of their products, visit: https://www.schaer.com/en-us Love to all xo, Tarryn Skuy Ste. Anne’s Spa is a breathtaking place. From the hot and cold baths, steam rooms, spectacular outdoor swimming pool, to the delectable food options, it is the perfect place for anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable day or weekend! My day began with an amazing tour of the facilities, which included the hours of operation, benefits of the facilities offered, and a whole lot more! I was given time to enjoy the facilities, before going to my morning yoga class! First stop, I found myself jumping between the cold plunge pool, which is approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit (yup absolutely freezing), and then quickly hopping into the hot tub, which was around 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Although I had never done that before, it was a true pleasure, and I felt so incredibly relaxed. Next stop was the Eucalyptus infused steam room… Wow! I experienced the ultimate cleanse! I could feel the eucalyptus infused steam clearing me from my chest to my nose – what a feeling! The wellness class included an amazing yoga class, which allowed me to calm my body and mind. After a crazy journey to Iceland four days before, and a hectic workweek, this yoga class was just what I needed! The yoga class at Ste. Anne’s Spa was incredible, as the instructor did not push any individual, and modified all of the stretches and techniques to work for each individual participant. In fact, the yoga instructor, Jackie was also a Celiac – which made me extremely excited, as she totally understood me and we had a lot to discuss! Ste. Anne’s is well known for their restaurant, and after my incredible visit there, I can totally understand why! Ste. Anne’s Spa can take care of anyone! With their fabulous gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options, anyone with an allergy or food restriction will feel included and be able to enjoy food without hesitation! As a Celiac, it was an absolute pleasure (finally) being comfortable and having the ability to dine safely. In fact, as soon as I sat down at the restaurant, the manager provided me with a seating card that indicated I was Celiac. This added an extra level of caution in the restaurant and made me feel like they took my allergy seriously and understood how to handle my order. Alas... a resort that could cater to those with Celiac Disease! Check out their incredible menus to see more! http://www.steannes.com/menus.html I was absolutely blown away by the variety of food options, and the delicious meals to choose from. The chefs have clearly taken significant time to perfect their recipes, and all of the food options that I had tried, were incredible! Although I was too full when the waiter came by to offer dessert, I couldn’t resist the gluten free Carrot Cake on the menu! So there I was – eating my Celiac heart away and feeling like a princess at Ste. Anne’s Spa! This Carrot Cake was the best slice of gluten-free cake that I have EVER had, and I truly cherished every bite (I am still dreaming of it to this day!). Full me then decided it was time to do some exercise, as there was still more AMAZING gluten-free foods coming my way! SO I decided it was time to try out Ste. Anne’s Endless Pool. This in fact is a pool with a treadmill inside. I had never done this before, and because I was so full I decided I needed to give it a try! SO cool – what an amazing way to burn calories quickly, and not even feel like you’re working out! Following the Endless Pool, it was time to hike the stunning trails at Ste. Anne’s Spa! And boy, were the trails beautiful! Wildflowers galore, quiet trails, and stunning views, I could go back any time! Bakery tour here I come! Escorted to the bakery, I felt like royalty (which I was for 1 day, I’ll take it!) The lovely staff members at Ste. Anne’s Bakery were so friendly and approachable. They’re passionate about the work they do and very proud of their successful gluten-free bakery. They understand the importance of providing gluten-free foods to individuals, and this made me oh so excited! After getting all clean and ready for a behind the scenes tour in my apron and hair net, I was amazed at how much was going on back there! From the chocolate room, to the ice cream maker, to the bread area, scones, and you name it, it’s being made in their kitchen! The tour consisted of taste testing as well – and all I need to say about that is, I am only a phone call away Ste. Anne’s Bakery, if you ever need a full-time taster! – but I am serious! What a fabulous bakery, I am so happy that I had the opportunity to see the hard work and dedication that goes into the bakery daily! Time to rest and unwind again – FACIAL time! Using the incredible Ste. Anne’s Skin Nourishment products, I was left to enjoy a 1-hour, relaxing facial before driving back to the busy city of Toronto. These products left my skin soft and hydrated, perfect after flying for hours to and from Iceland! Thank you Ste. Anne’s Spa, Bakery and Skin Nourishment products for making me feel like a princess! I definitely will be coming back and telling everyone I know about my incredible experience at your wonderful resort! |
Welcome to MCL WorldI am currently in my 20's, working a full-time job in downtown Toronto, and enjoying the foods I have always dreamed of. I absolutely love to travel, and I am always excited to explore new gluten-free restaurants that I can feel comfortable at in a new city or country!
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