VegNews Eats New York (2nd course)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly and VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Second of Two Weeks in Veg Heaven
Where: Mostly Manhattan
When: April 18–24, 2010
Why: Someone was having a birthday…

The Scoop: Colleen and I spent the middle two weeks of April telecommuting from New York City. We stayed in the penthouse apartment of the vegetarian Sanctuary Guest Suites, one project of the nonprofit Interfaith Community Services, whose many programs include feeding the homeless. Next time you are in New York, consider a stay at the SGS rather than an expensive hotel. Our East Village “pad” had a kitchen, washer/dryer, and private rooftop deck with northern views of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. No kidding.

If you missed yesterday’s posting of the highlights of week one, click here. Week two was even better. Let's get started... there are many calories to consume.

10. Lantern Books' Martin Rowe and I woke early Sunday to participate in the City Parks Foundation's four-mile run in Manhattan's Central Park (while our female counterparts slept in). Afterward, we ventured over to Martin and Mia MacDonald’s stunning Brooklyn brownstone for a brunch feast prepared by (Super)Martin, who had already kicked my butt in the race (he does have longer legs). Here are Mia and Martin in front of their home.

9. After a quick trip to Long Island, we ended the long day at Atlas Café & Bakery (73 Second Avenue) with this delectable piece of Vegan Treats Strawberry Shortcake.

8. On Monday we lunched at the launch of the world’s newest vegetarian fast-food eatery, Otarian (154 Bleeker Street), the opening of its first two locations just happening to coincide with our trip. Here is The Discerning Brute himself, Joshua Katcher, communing with his VegO burger.

7. A post-lunch visit to BabyCakes NYC (248 Broome Street) kicked off “Sweets Week.” That’s Colleen and BabyCake’s GM (and die-hard Mets fan) Emily Woesthoff with a plate of goodies outside the Lower East Side destination.

6. Another new Big Apple eatery is The Loving Hut (348 Seventh Avenue), one of 159 such restaurants around the globe run by the devotees of Supreme Master Ching Hai. We dined with VegNews contributor Jasmin Singer on this simple-yet-delicious healthy fare.

5. A pleasant post-lunch stroll around the western half of midtown brought us to face-to-face with Blossom (187 Ninth Avenue), Zen Palate (663 Ninth Avenue), and the ultra hip chocolate and wine bar Cocoa V (174 Ninth Avenue), where Margaret and Dwight played show-and-tell with some of the finest vegan chocolate you’ll ever consume.

4. Finally we had time for some R&R. These lucky ducks took in a taping of the Comedy Central fake news show The Colbert Report, thanks to a connection made through our good friend Sarma Melngailis, owner of Pure Food and Wine (54 Irving Place).

3. Yes, it’s vegan. Yes, it’s Daiya. Yes, it tastes as good as it looks. After Colbert, we met up with Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, owners of Candle 79, for perfect pies at Pala Pizza (198 Allen Street).

2. Wednesday marked somebody’s birthday, and with it came this very special delivery from Vegan Treats. Here the fabulous b-day girl poses on our rooftop with da goods. Yes, she shared.

1. Colleen’s birthday lunch at Franchia (12 Park Avenue), the absolutely charming Korean-fusion teahouse and restaurant from the same folks who gave us Hangawi (12 East 32nd Street), turned out quite special. The food was incredible, and we enjoyed the company of VN columnist Terry Hope Romero, author of the new Latin-inspired cookbook Viva Vegan! Then I got a call from the Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, author of The All-Pro Diet. Tony stopped by along with his coauthor, nutritionist Mitzi Dulan, and we ended the meal with a few of the Vegan Treats we’d snuck in, which were, to quote Tony, “unbelievable.” A birthday Colleen will remember, for sure.

There's actually much more from week two, but we are out of time and space. To see all of the pictures from VegNews' fortnight in NYC, visit our Facebook site and click the photos tab. Or, if we get enough demand, maybe, just maybe, we'll post a third course. Simply leave a comment if you want dessert.