B-Town Chowhounds

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Charlotte Gordon + VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig
What: A day in Berkeley
When: Sunday, August 9, 2009
Where: Berkeley, Calif.
Why: To chow across the Bay

This weekend, we braved the belly of the BART beast for a shot at the best brunch in the Bay Area. But when we arrived at Fellini in Berkeley, not one glass was full of freshly squeezed OJ, nor was any vegan paralyzed in a wide-eyed stare at a menu, attempting to process the incredible amount of animal-free brunch options. The restaurant was, unfortunately, as empty as our stomachs and as closed as our minds were to rational thinking at that point—we were hungry, outraged, and ready to claw open the front door. But mark my word, we’ll be back when Fellini reopens on August 21. After gathering what wits we had left, we headed to Herbivore in downtown Berkeley to sample their brunch offerings: some southwestern scrambled tofu, a side of espresso shake, and a mighty green pesto tofu scramble.

The Southwestern Scramble. Um, yeah, that's a lot of food.

Lyndsay enjoys the awesome espresso shake.

It was just the right amount of tastiness to satisfy our cravings for a good brunch and fuel our Berkeley wanderlust. We made our way down Shattuck and lost an hour to thrift-shopping mecca, aka Crossroads Trading Co., before geeking it up at Comic Relief and Other Change of Hobbit, a science fiction and fantasy bookstore where cats roam free. Feisty felines greeted us as we browsed the aisles, then they retreated to paw at strings and used copies of Philip K. Dick novels.

After securing some ample sun damage from walking store to store in the heat, it was time to find comfort in gelato, and tons of it. Cookies ‘n’ cream and pistachio soy-based gelato, that is, at Gelateria Naia. Yum. We just had to forgo the bounty of fruit-based frozen treats—plum, pineapple, and banana, just to name a few—for this variation of the classic peanut butter and chocolate combo.

'Tis soy gelato!

With stuffed tummies as well as backpacks and bags, we headed back to San Fran looking like two bag ladies with all of the day’s purchases. And even though the credit card bills are getting ridiculous, watch out Fellini, because it is so on at the end of the month.

So-Cal Chow

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Charlotte Gordon
What: A weekend getaway to Southern California
Where: The OC and Los Angeles, Calif.
When: July 25-26, 2009
Why: To get a healthy dose of vitamin D and search for the elusive Daiya cheese.

San Francisco has been laying on the fog thick. Especially in the Sunset District where the VNHQ is forever shrouded in Stephen King’s The Mist. What better time then now to brave the one-hour flight to Southern California for an overdose of vitamin D, outdoor entertainment, and Daiya vegan cheese?

That’s where I headed last weekend, and after greeting friends and family, it was time for Mission Objective Number One: Locate a pizza with a ridiculous amount of Daiya on it. Through intensive research (aka receiving the occasional Google Alert for “vegan cheese”), I discovered that Daiya has taken over LA. But has its stretchy, gooey goodness trickled down to the Irvine area? The Tustin Whole Foods answered me with a resounding “yes!”

It stretches!

Mission Objective Number Two: Stock up on vegan snackies for an outdoor nighttime picnic at the Hollywood Bowl, the largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the good ol’ US of A. The vegan pizza from Wholefoods was a pie to be reckoned with—we’re talking a vast stretch of dough and cheese. But the meal would not be complete without a Gardein Chick'n Salad with fresh bell pepper and green beans marinated in a raspberry dressing. My folks and I hauled all this grub up to Hollywood and feasted upon it in our box seats at the Bowl. The perfect accompaniment to this meal? Songstress Jewel performing her chart-topping hits with the Hollywood Bowl orchestra to back her up. This incredible night of song had a grand finale of fireworks to dazzle the senses.

The Bowl and its occupants remain intact while fireworks rage above.

What else was there to do but indulge in decadent raw food the next day at 118 Degrees? I ordered the Merry Monkey smoothie—it was a blend of nut milk, banana, almond butter, and other such tastiness—while my mom and grandma split the brunch special, which ended with an amazing cashew bar smothered in chocolate and raspberry sauce.

A tasty and stylish tidbit from the five-course raw brunch.

After packing away all this food, I did manage to waddle back to the airport to board a plane back to San Fran. Now, I sit in my swivel chair and diligently wait for sunshine and, more importantly, for Daiya cheese to takeover Northern California! In the meantime, I suppose I should get back to work!

Sun-drenched Venice Beach Brunch

Who: The VN gang, superstar chef/writer Moira Nordholt, and SoCal friends of VegNews
What: Our annual post-Genesis Awards brunch
Where: Moira and Ron's Venice Beach bungalow
When: March 30, 2008
Why: To socialize and make merry over a lovingly prepared vegan feast

The Scoop: There's nothing quite as fabulous as a gathering of friends on a lazy Sunday, taking in the sunshine on a verdant backyard patio while chatting away over coffee and mimosas, fresh-baked scones, warm spanakopita, and cool salads. What could be better? Throw in some homemade chocolate truffles and a gentle sea breeze, and you've got a pretty good idea of the cozy camaraderie we all experienced at the annual Sunday brunch at Ron and Moira's seaside abode.

Between bites of pancakes topped with warm cherry compote and forkfulls of spicy tofu stirfry, the VN staff learned about raw food chef/entrepreneur Ani Phyo's recent trip to Baja, listened in awe as Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's pioneering leader Paul Watson shared his tale of bullet dodging on the high seas, talked farmed animal rescue with Animal Acres founder Lorri Bauston, and swapped travel tales with the beautiful-inside-and-out Ashley Lou Smith and her funnier-than-heck hubby Dan Piraro (who we were all amazed to see up and walking after his death-defying dance-floor moves the night before). And then we helped ourselves to thirds and fourths.

It's a tough job being a VN editor, but somebody's got to do it.

Brunch in Santa Cruz

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Brunch in Santa Cruz
Where: Saturn Café, Santa Cruz, Calif.
When: March 8, 2008
Why: Post-yoga indulgence

The Scoop: Looking for a veg-friendly getaway this summer? A funky seaside town full of vegetarian eateries, bookstores, and yoga studios, Santa Cruz just might be that perfect travel destination. Just one-and-a-half hours from San Francisco and the city my Mom now calls home, a weekend in this progressive paradise is always just what the doctor ordered. This past weekend, however, time was short, and I only had a chance to visit one of my favorite dining spots. After finishing up a rigorous morning class at The Yoga Center, I moseyed over a few blocks to Saturn Café for a hearty brunch. A SC institution since 1979, the diner-esque vegetarian restaurant—complete with overstuffed booths, a jukebox, and a lengthy milkshake menu—is popular with locals and tourists alike. I settled into the Vegan Breakfast (a bargain at just $6.50), which included a perfectly seasoned tofu scramble, herb-roasted home-fried potatoes, and two thick slabs of sourdough toast with blackberry jam. It was fabulous, flat-out fabulous. Wanting to linger after I had finished breakfast, I ordered a soy chai latte, which was topped with about three inches of soy foam. I love foam, and if you like foam, you’ll love Saturn’s foam. The one downside to the Saturn Café is the service: it can often be abrupt. My gal was friendly, but I did have to wait longer than normal to place my order and noticed she was sitting at a table with friends enjoying her own breakfast. Other than that, it’s a good stop to make on your veggie tour of Santa Cruz.

Look for the lowdown on all my favorite SC spots in the next few months, only on Press Pass.