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29 Before 30: Take Ani Out on a Gluten-free Girl Date

enjoying a peanut-butter chocolate bar from Wendel's in Ft. Langley

My 29 Before 30 list still has another two months on it, but I've really slacked this year. One item I knew would make it was "take my girl out for a gluten-free cupcake date". Out here there are enough gluten-free bakeries and shops to find and explore, and it just so happened I found one that I'd first heard of at the Vancouver Gluten-Free Expo, right near where we had to drop Lukka off for a class. Perfect!

They didn't have cupcakes, so we got the next best thing: a chocolate peanut butter bar. This gluten-free bakery shared space with a bookstore in a historic part of the lower mainland that had beautiful scenery and adorable little store fronts along the main street. We visited Wendel's around 1:45 and it was still packed with the lunch crowd. The cafe is very tight quarters but all the employees shuffling around us were apologetic and very nice. We found a great spot outside on the sunny day and enjoyed our bar together.

Ani loved spending the hour and a half together, and I'm thankful I get two more of these days with her while Lukka is in his class. She was happy to walk down the main street, wanting me to stop and read the historical information signs that dot the sidewalk every few store lengths. She wanted to check out the bookstore, too, and sat quietly reading in the kid's nook while I got to nose around myself. We were two little book-loving introverts with happy hearts, and a chocolate peanut-butter cherry on top. Next time I'm taking her to a little cafe on the same street that sells bubble tea!

***
The yearly list is just a way for me to write down things I want to do and be intentional with my time. Sometimes a lot of them get checked off, sometimes not, but there is no excuse for boredom in my book. There's too many places to explore, too many new experiences to try, and too many gluten-free cupcake shops to scout out! 

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