Friday Night’s Alright For Eating

Who: VN Publisher/Editor in Chief Joseph Connelly + a pair of pedometists
What: A raw Friday-night dinner
Where: Café Gratitude, San Francisco
When: November 21, 2008
Why: To chew the fat with fat-free athletes

The Scoop: It was a dark and stormy workweek. After the Green Festival, which coincided with what must have been record-breaking temps here in Fog City, we enjoyed a few more days of Indian summer on Monday/Tuesday before someone turned off the heat and the chill-that-can-be-San Francisco returned in full fall fashion. Yes, dear readers in New England, Ontario, Chicago, or Minnesota, the mercury dipped below 60°F here, low enough to send nearly the entire city running for mittens, scarves, and space heaters. We're tough.

Braving the frigid conditions, Canadian triathlete Brendan Brazier, formulator of Vega, everyone’s favorite whole-food meal replacement, and his traveling companion Julie Morris, she of LA (though recently relocated from Portland), were in the Bay Area demo-ing said nutritional supplement at a few Whole Foods Markets. With their duties complete, the pair swung by the VegNews offices for a quick visit with the working-late-on-a-Friday staff, and to pick up complimentary “You Are What You Read’ VegNews t-shirts, which, of course, they promised to wear whenever they are out and about.

Next, it was off to dinner. We spun the big wheel and the needle landed on Café Gratitude, the perfect choice, since all three of us all delve in rawish foods whenever possible. We picked the 9th Avenue (SF) location, though any of the other four CG’s, which you read about in our September+October Food Issue, would have been just fine. This is a chain where the food is consistently good no matter the location.

We started with an order of I Am Generous, which equates to chips, guac, and salsa ($9). The “chips’ being, of course, dehydrated flax crackers. Brendan and Julie shared a bowl of I Am Thankful, or coconut curry soup with avo, tomato, cukes, and shiitakes. I ordered the I Am Giving kale salad ($9.75 for a half portion), thanks to VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria, who at our staff lunch earlier in the day talked about how she could go for a kale salad. This vegan yum yum mixes sea veggies, cukes, shiitakes, cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds, and tasty teriyaki almonds into the marinated kale. It’s as good as it sounds.

Brendan and Julie each ordered the I Am Fulfilled large café salad, which is what I normally get so I was happy to have been corrupted by Ms. Castoria, lest all three of us order the same thing, and how ridiculous is that? For $13 you get a hugemungaloid bowl of mixed greens, avo, carrots, beets, cukes, tomato, more flax crackers, “parmesan,” and those yummy teriyaki almonds, which I vote for adding to the menu as a side. You hear me?

I Am Thankful + I Am Fulfilled, courtesy Café Gratitude

I also ordered the I Am Cool milk-free milkshake—no reason needed. This tempting concoction blends raw hazelnut milk, vanilla, cacao nibs, and mint into a refreshing, light treat that had Julie formulating the recipe in her head for trial at home, using her Vita-Mix, of course. I asked for the large, 16-oz ($9.75), and took half of it back to Colleen because, well, in her not-so-subtle way, she asked me to.

During dinner I learned that Julie had just run her first marathon, in Portland. Regular Press Passers know that I just ran one, as well, making the world famous triathlete and two-time Canadian 50k champion the slacker at our table. At least for the month of October, 2008.

Julie Morris & Brendan Brazier, San Francisco, November 2008

NY Veg Expo + Liz Lovely Factory Tour

Colleen Holland and Joseph Connelly at the VegNews booth

Who: VN Publisher/Editor in Chief Joseph Connelly + Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Business, but all pleasure
Where: Saratoga Springs, NY, and Waitsfield, Vt.
When: September 13–14, 2008
Why: To promote VegNews and continue our obsession with vegan cookies

The Scoop: Each year, VegNews sponsors or exhibits at nearly 25 vegetarian-related shows. We send staff to Chicago, Seattle, Austin, Toronto, Sedona, Portland, Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Boston, Raleigh, Washington DC, and, for the second year in a row, Saratoga Springs, NY. Not only do we love meeting VN readers and signing people up for magazine subscriptions, it’s important to connect with local vegetarian communities and support their efforts to promote the veg message.

And the folks in Saratoga Springs are doing a great job. Led by husband-wife-daughter team Dave, Jan, and Kristin LaJeunesse, they have built local awareness and organized the ultra-successful NY’s Capital Region Vegetarian Expo. This year, the one-day show attracted 3,000 attendees and 100 vendors, and was buzzing from start to close. Held in downtown Saratoga Springs, a quaint, picturesque town approximately 30 minutes north of Albany, the expo featured veggie food companies (with lots of samples!), animal sanctuaries, non-profits, vegan bakeries, and more. On our way out of town, we peeked inside Saratoga Spring’s beloved Four Seasons Natural Foods and only wished we had the appetite for its famous smoothies and hot and cold entrée/salad bar. In San Francisco, where Whole Foods and Rainbow dominate, it’s always fun to visit these old-school health-food stores.

At the show, we hook up with longtime colleagues Dan and Liz Holtz, who invite us to visit their Vermont cookie company, Liz Lovely. Forget the Ben and Jerry’s factory tour (which happens to be just up the road from Liz Lovely)—it doesn’t get better than this. If you haven’t sampled the company’s soft, gooey cookies with such clever names as Mochadamia Mountains, Chocolate Moose Dragons, and Ginger Snapdragons (Liz Lovely’s best-selling cookie), we suggest you do so immediately. These babies won our 2005 Veggie Award for “Product of the Year,” so you know they're good.

On Sunday, we make the leisurely (and stunning) drive to Vermont, stopping for lunch at a roadside organic smoothie shop operated out of a farmhouse kitchen. We then head to Waitsfield, a progressive rural pocket known for its laid-back ways. When we reach Liz Lovely, we’re greeted by Dan, Liz, and Bruiser (their very sweet canine companion), hear all about the company’s early days, their move from Philadelphia to Vermont, and company perks (which includes a daily staff lunch). We then get the full bakery tour and learn about the cookie-making process, from the proprietary spice blends to the secret behind their luscious chocolate coating (we know, but we won’t tell!). After our delightful afternoon together, we couldn’t be more thrilled for their success and look forward to watching what’s next for this vegan cookie company.

Liz Lovely's Liz Holtz and VegNews' Colleen Holland flank the just-made cookie shelf

Around the World in Saturday

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, Office Manager Jenny Diaz + Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough
What: Gastronomical tour of San Francisco
Where: San Francisco's Chinatown and North Beach neighborhoods
When: July 12, 2008
Why: To be ladies who lunch. And snack. And get treats to go.

The Scoop: Having lived six months in this fantastic town, I'd like to think I've done Arthur Frommer proud, exploring SF's most remarkable nooks, crannies, and vegan venues. But no amount of my own enthusiasm or well-researched trailblazing can compare to a personally guided tour with a long time local—particularly one who happens to be vegan and great company. Colleen planned a jam-packed, epicurean treasure trail, leading Ms. Jenny and me east around the new old-world, making stops in the particularly delicious China and indulgent Italy. First stop: lunch at the Buddhist and vegan Lucky Creation—a tiny, spotless hole-in-the-Great-Wall where, no sooner had we dumped our bags and placed our orders did countless steaming white dishes descend upon our crowded table. Boasting simple and flavorful renditions of won-ton soup, pot stickers, tofu and eggplant, and homemade marinated curry, sweet and sour, and barbecue mock meats, all made with amazingly fresh ingredients. Lingering longer than our business-like hostesses would have liked (you may have to trade your first born for a second glass of water), we stopped for a quick photo op before meandering through the famous Ross Alley to peak in on the hard-working ladies of the historic Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

After so much food, we were in danger of slipping into a food coma, so off we went to North Beach for some uppers in the form of soy lattes and Italian sodas. But first, we had to take a quick Eurasian detour to the now all-vegan The Usual Suspects Café and peek at their recently Ruskied menu which, as we found out, boasts "borsh" and blintzes. Uh, you heard us. Check back here for highlights for our upcoming full-review!

Heading north, we visit Caffe Greco—one of San Francisco’s most treasured Italian spots. Famous for its authentic, fresh tiramisu and cannoli, they also whip up some mean, foamy lattes and a special sweet treat for our sweet-toothed tour-guide: the Greco Sunrise, which consists of Orangina and gourmet strawberry syrup. With the Saturday sun and tourists in full-force, the café's sidewalk seating presented the perfect opportunity to rest our feet, watch the flurry of interesting international fashions, and soak up some vitamin D. With no cuisine more indulgent than that of the French, we had to cap our tour de SF in France—or, at least, a French chocolatier. XOX Truffles’ founding chef Jean-Marc Gorce is nationally renowned for his velvety morsels, and we scooped up some of his vegan dark Chocolate, “l'orange,” and “noisette” (hazelnut) vegan flavors to take home as a sensual souvenir.

Here's a photo of the enthusiastic, albeit extremely caffeinated, trio:

Grand Tahoe Adventure

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland and her getaway guy
What: A post-party weekend getaway
Where: Lake Tahoe, Calif.
When: June 28–30, 2008
Why: To relax and rejuvenate after the party festivities!

The Scoop: It’s true. We had one heck of an issue launch party. You know when everything goes just right? Well it all did, the night of our fabulous soirée to benefit the very important Humane California campaign.

But after all is said and done, a little R&R was in order to get back on track. And with a cozy cabin at our disposal that just happened to be a stone’s throw from a handful of veg-friendly eateries, we were happy campers. Oh, we also enjoyed the very close proximity to gorgeous Lake Tahoe, but I digress from what’s of utmost importance: the food.

After a four-hour drive from San Francisco and then quickly getting settled at the cabin, we strolled over to the area’s most talked-about veggie hotspot, Sprouts. Although not completely vegetarian, the restaurant boasts a bevy of veggie options that would keep us satisfied for a much-longer stay than we had planned. Clearly a neighborhood staple, the place was packed with fresh-faced locals (Ski instructors? Hikers? Bicyclists?) in for their fix of healthy, wholesome, generously-portioned food. We grabbed a table outside and tucked into chips and guacamole, a taco salad smothered with tahini sauce and salsa, and the always-dependable brown rice with veggies. After an evening stroll along the lake, we found ourselves at Freshies, a Hawaiian-style restaurant loaded with vegan options. In need of a sweet finale, we shared a slice of the housemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie. Vegan and delicious.

The next morning, eager to go hiking but also wanting to try another restaurant, we stumbled upon Wide Awake Conscious Café. A small but inviting and quite chic café, the menu makes a claim we’d never before seen: 100% vegetarian, except for a few dishes marked with a chicken icon. Okay, we can live with that; at least they’re proudly touting the veggie focus. We again dined al fresco and sipped on freshly squeezed orange juice (with biodegradable corn straws) before indulging in one of the best veggie breakfast burritos we’ve ever had. Stuffed in a flat bread were tofu scramble, vegetables, beans, and vegan cheese, then the whole thing was grilled to perfection (see photo below). Each order arrived with a pair of burritos, plenty to share amongst two people. We loved their self-service water pitchers teeming with edible flowers and herbs, and an all-vegan dessert case is in the works. If you’re in need of free wi-fi (is anyone not in need of free wi-fi?) or a computer to check email, Wide Awake offers both.

Later that evening, after a very long, hot day of hiking, we couldn’t wait to return to Freshies to partake in a Hawaiian-themed meal on their deck overlooking Lake Tahoe. Although we had to wait about 30 minutes, it was so worth it—we were seated in clear view of the setting sun over the lake. We started off with homemade lemonade and tempura-battered vegetables with spicy peanut sauce. Made with rice flour and rice milk, the tempura was super light and downright delicious. We then shared the East Indian Spinach Salad, with fresh spinach topped with curried tofu, green apples, pickled onions, tomatoes, coconut, mango, and scallions in a chutney vinaigrette. The restaurant is famous for its tacos, which can be made with tofu or tempeh, but we opted for the Rippin’ Red Curry, a blend of sautéed yams, sweet potatoes, tempeh, bean sprouts, spinach, and tomatoes in a fiery curry sauce (see photo of curry and salad above). We were in paradise.

The next day, we hit Sprouts one last time for a pre-bicycle-ride breakfast. We went with the toasted bagel sandwiches loaded up with hummus, cucumber, sprouts, and tomatoes. Why do these always taste so much better when someone else makes them? We sipped frosty fruit smoothies and then got on our way. Before leaving town later that afternoon, we stopped by the area’s lone natural food store, Grass Roots, for some road trip fruit and beverages. An institution in South Lake Tahoe, the market has been around for decades and carried all the veg provisions one would need, including freshly baked vegan cookies. We like that.

Southern Comfort Night: The Full Belly Report

Who: (Almost) All the VN Ladies
What: Millennium's Annual Southern Comfort Dinner
Where: San Francisco, Calif.
When: May 22, 2008
Why: Who would want to miss when haute cuisine goes lowbrow?

The Scoop: Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain Oysters. Yes, those are the small round items with the skewers on the plate you see above. When dinner starts out with faux-bull balls, you know you're in for a certain kind of night. The VN team has made an annual tradition of attending this outrageously fun, decidedly down-home event, and we pretty much spend all year talking about what will be on the menu. This year's lineup was just as artery-clogging and decadent as we were expecting. Along with the "mountain oysters," appetizers included beer-battered onion rings, pickled okra, pizza rolls (in the foil), corn bread, bacon cheese bread, and large, icy buckets of the finest Pabst Blue Ribbon around.

From there things just got greasier. Deep-fried Tofurky sausages, anyone? How about salad with a highly thick and creamy bacon-ranch dressing? Remember, this was all before our entrées came out. We had the choice of tamales, barbecue seitan, hoisin-apricot tempeh ribs, or Doritos-crusted catfish. Yeah, you try and pick from that roster. Just in case there was any extra room in our stomachs, Miss Jazz's DIY brownie sundae bar—named for VN contributor Jesse Miner's chihuahua—completed the meal with brownies, rocky road ice cream, hot fudge and butterscotch sauces, and a smorgasbord of toppings.

To complement the over-the-top eats, a few of our group dressed to their trashiest nines, complete with blacked-out teeth and faux-pregnant bellies. As if all this weren't enough to make for a memorable evening, Executive Chef Eric Tucker took Colleen and Elizabeth into the kitchen for a quick lesson in deep-frying onion rings. Maybe they were ecstatic about it. Maybe they totally freaked out and blushed like schoolgirls. Maybe it's not, you know, every day that you get into the kitchen at Millennium.

Here's the whole group of lovely ladies, all of whom, amazingly, were still able to button their pants at the end of the night.

Special Report: VegNews in NYC (Day 5)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Day five of a five-day business trip
Where: New York City
When: May 18, 2008
Why: Farm Sanctuary Gala + Veggie Pride Parade + meetings galore with colleagues, friends, and magazine partners

The Scoop: Our NYC trip was winding down, but we still had a full day of activities ahead. After all, it was the first annual Veggie Pride Parade!

We met friends Paul and Linda Saccone for breakfast at one of our favorite vegetarian cafés, ‘sNice. We were still full from the previous night’s gala banquet, so we ate light: herbal tea and a shared apricot-bar. We never seem to make it to ‘sNice for any meal other than breakfast, but we hear its sandwiches are some of the best in NYC. Both the sesame “chicken” wrap with spicy peanut sauce and Philly-style seitan sandwich with peppers and onions come highly recommended.

We then headed over to the parade’s starting point in Greenwich Village (in the former meatpacking district, to be exact). People came dressed as fruit, vegetables, animals, and oh, rotting colons. Designed and created by VN columnist/comic extraordinaire Dan Piraro, this contraption was actually a mini-float complete with signage to explain the ramifications of meat-eating on one's system (namely “colostomy bag,” “butt cancer,” and “polyps”). We grabbed signs, and the parade began. We should mention that the decaying colon was actually representing the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, a wonderful organization in upstate New York.

Hundreds of us meandered through the streets of New York before ending up at our final destination, Washington Square Park, for a post-parade rally. Hungry from the hike, we munched samosas from Thiru Kumar’s dosa cart, a vegan institution in NYC. VegNews, as a sponsor, distributed complimentary magazines to attendees from our table. We were treated to a concert by The Cheryl Hill Band and a mock-marriage ceremony between parade mascots Penelo Pea Pod and Chris P. Carrot. Unfortunately, the rain was kicking in, which sent most people scrambling for cover. Four of us ducked into nearby Red Bamboo, famous for its faux meats. We shared the Creole Soul Chicken (crispy faux soy meat battered in breadcrumbs and Cajun seasonings), Buffalo Barbecue Wings (spicy soy chicken drumettes with garlicky bleu cheese dip), Dragonfly Dumplings (rice dumplings filled with shredded soy meat, veggie shrimp, carrots, and cabbage), and the Mediterranean salad (seaweed, carrots, sprouts, grilled tofu, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives on mixed greens). We lingered until the rain finally subsided.

It was then time to freshen up and head over to the NYC launch party for Karen Dawn’s Thanking the Monkey. Having received the “Outstanding Activist for Farm Animals Award” from Farm Sanctuary the previous evening, Karen was the belle of her ball (held at the very-fabulous Soho Grand hotel). Guests nibbled chips and guacamole, sipped sangria, and listened to readings by Karen and such luminaries as Paul Watson, Heather Mills, John Schneider, Persia White, and Rory Freedman.

Ahhhh, our trip to New York was coming to an end. We certainly made the most of every day and hope you have enjoyed getting the complete lowdown. Don’t forget to enter our Press Pass giveaway for one very spectacular goodie bag!

Special Report: VegNews in NYC (Day 4)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Day four of a five-day business trip
Where: New York City
When: May 17, 2008
Why: Farm Sanctuary Gala + Veggie Pride Parade + meetings galore with colleagues, friends, and magazine partners

The Scoop: The sun was shining, and we were back in business. Today, Manhattanites were out in full-force, including 8,000 of them running a 10k race in Central Park. Our very own Joseph Connelly and Lantern Books’ Martin Rowe were also running today’s race and both performed exceptionally well (despite the humidity, according to California-based Joseph, and hilly terrain, said East Coaster Martin). To celebrate their achievement, we headed over to Whole Foods Columbus Circle for coffee and vegan scones (loved the oatmeal-cranberry) and spent the next several hours catching up. Martin, a very proper Englishman-turned-New Yorker, not only runs Lantern Books but also writes, edits, and works with wife Mia at her non-profit, Brighter Green. We decided to burn-off breakfast by meandering through the streets of NY back to our hotel. Before we knew it, it was time to primp and prep for the night’s big event: the annual Farm Sanctuary Gala.

If you have a chance to attend one of these glitzy fundraiser galas, do it. Not only does the money go to great organizations, you’re guaranteed a divine multi-course meal, celebrity sightings, engaging conversation with tablemates, and a fabulous goodie bag. In fact, we will state for the record that Farm Sanctuary galas have the best goodie bags of any event. But we digress …

Held at the unbelievably gorgeous Cipriani Wall Street (a former bank-turned-event-venue), we hit the cocktail reception at 5pm. Held on the mezzanine overlooking the grand ballroom, we sipped bellinis and nibbled on heirloom cherry tomatoes filled with pesto, faux chicken with spicy mango chutney, and sautéed mushrooms in crispy phyllo baskets. We had the opportunity to chat with David Life and Sharon Gannon of Jivamukti Yoga School, Russell Simmons, Dennis Kucinich, Shawn Colvin, Persia White, and many other wonderful individuals who are truly making a difference. We bumped into soy-candle entrepreneur Ari Solomon and green goddess Chloé Jo Berman—check out our sizzling July+August 2008 summer edition for features on both.

We sauntered down to the main dining room where 600 guests were being seated for dinner. Host Heather Mills (the former Mrs. Paul McCartney) had been working with the Cipriani culinary team to create an incredible three-course meal for the evening (rumor has it that she’s launching a line of vegan food products and has a cooking show in the works). We normally wouldn’t dwell on a dinner roll, but this was the best vegan dinner roll ever. It was warm, flaky, and buttery—we must learn how they did it. We begin with a “chicken”-minestrone soup, which was flavorful and delicious. We move on to a large arugula salad tossed in a light vinaigrette. For the entrée, Heather created a lasagna with béchamel sauce and tomato ragu—a unique take on the traditional Italian dish. Finally, slices of chocolate torte are served with fancy trays of hazelnut clusters and chocolate-dipped strawberries, and the evening’s festivities begin.

Television personality Melissa Rivers was the emcee of the night, and presenters included VN’s Rory Freedman, Emily Deschanel, Loretta Swit, and Persia White. A wonderful and moving speech by Farm Sanctuary’s Executive Director Jeff Lydon brought the crowd to its feet. We learned about this year’s victories, challenges, and, in two poignant videos produced by Joshua Katcher, met many of the animals rescued by the organization. The evening was truly inspiring.

Then, Susie Essman (funniest comedian ever) of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” hosted a live auction, where a Peter Max painting went for $15,000 and lunch in Los Angeles with Rory Freedman sold for $3,000 (see photo below with VN Publisher Joseph Connelly flanked by VN columnists, Rory and Dan Piraro). A special performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Shawn Colvin got people moving, and a mega-dessert buffet hosted by the famous VeganTreats carried us into the late night. On our way out, we picked up our goodie bags, bid farewell, and ended another perfect NY day.

Press Pass Giveaway! As we mentioned, the Farm Sanctuary galas have, hands-down, the best goodie bags of any event we attend. Swag includes cookies, soy candles, a cookbook, body wash, dog food, body crème, tea, chocolate, energy bars, and more, all packed into a Matt & Nat metallic tote bag. So just for you, we’re giving away one to a very special Press Pass reader. Just tell us why you deserve this bag by June 15 at noon, and we’ll choose one response. Good luck!

Special Report: VegNews in NYC (Day 3)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Day three of a five-day business trip
Where: New York City
When: May 16, 2008
Why: Farm Sanctuary Gala + Veggie Pride Parade + meetings galore with colleagues, friends, and magazine partners

The Scoop: May is one of the best times to visit New York City, but we seemed to have hit a bout of bad weather. With our fully loaded schedule, we had to persevere and keep moving on our food-foraging adventure through Manhattan.

The city's trendy Chelsea neighborhood welcomed a new vegetarian restaurant in 2006 called Blossom. Owners Pamela and Ronen have recently opened the doors to a second location, the more casual Café Blossom on the Upper West Side (just a block from Central Park). While the original location boasts a two-story townhouse complete with a fireplace and cozy banquettes, this new space was sleek, modern, and very cool. With the drizzle outside, we took it slow and enjoyed a wonderful lunch with one of our NY colleagues. Our table shared the Autumn Sweet Potato Rolls (raw shavings of sweet potato filled with coconut noodles, jicama, carrots, and red pepper with a ginger dipping sauce). Given our Candle 79 meal the night before, we opted for salad entrées to keep things light. We had the Rocket Arugula (organic arugula tossed with green apples, marinated tofu, cherry tomatoes, and plantain chips with a lemon-tahini dressing), the Grilled Tofu Salad (grilled sesame tofu over mixed greens, arame seaweed, and sprouts in a carrot-miso dressing), and the Caesar Salad (fresh greens with herbed croutons tossed in a creamy dijon caesar dressing). All were delicious and very fresh. Lingering longer than we should have over steamy mugs of soy hot chocolate, we shared a slice of lemon cake and biscotti. On a gray day, there was no place we would have rather been.

But the day had to go on! We hopped on the subway and headed down to the Lower East Side to one of our favorite stores, MooShoes. An absolute must-visit on any veggie’s NYC itinerary, we ducked into its über-swanky new storefront on Orchard Street. The studio-like interior showcases gobs of vegan footwear—from sexy leatherette heels to summer espadrilles to casual sandals. They also sell handbags (love the Matt & Nat line) and a hand-picked selection of veggie cookbooks. Oh, and VegNews. That makes us happy. After catching up with co-owner Erica Kubersky (who, along with her sister Sarah, started MooShoes in 2001), we walked out with two new pairs of shoes. We just couldn’t help ourselves, and how could we not support this fabulous veg business? In the same neighborhood, one can also visit Bluestockings anarchist bookstore, Tiengarden Chinese restaurant, and Babycakes NYC vegan bakery, making it a great destination for visiting vegetarians.

Later that evening, we headed back uptown for another meal at—you guessed it—the award-winning Candle 79. We just can’t get enough! Meeting a business associate, we attempted to order conservatively so that we could make it through the weekend. We won’t go on and on about meal #2, but standouts included the housemade ginger soda, cornmeal-crusted oyster mushrooms, the live zucchini enchiladas, and the Chocolate Brownie Sundae (served in a martini glass). The restaurant was packed solid, and sitting nearby were VegNews columnists Dan Piraro and Rory Freedman (along with some of their friends, including our July+August 2007 cover gal, actress Emily Deschanel). Even in this city of eight million, you still bump into people you know everywhere you go.

Special Report: VegNews in NYC (Day 2)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Day two of a five-day business trip
Where: New York City
When: May 15, 2008
Why: Farm Sanctuary Gala + Veggie Pride Parade + meetings galore with colleagues, friends, and magazine partners

The Scoop: It’s true what they say—New York City never sleeps. While we were blessed with our Midtown accommodations, it took a few nights to acclimate to the all-night acoustics (read: blaring sirens and street noise). With no time to spare, we jump started the day with smoothies before heading over to visit Farm Sanctuary’s NY office. Located in a gorgeous old building near Union Square, the FS team was busy with final preparations for Saturday’s night gala. Former Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich had just confirmed, so last-minute changes were being made to the program, along with a thousand other tasks. Kudos to Development Director Samantha Ragsdale and her amazing team!

Next, we headed uptown for a lunch date which we were greatly anticipating. If you haven’t heard of Zen Burger, you soon will. Started by the owners of Zen Palate (a NY veg institution), Zen Burger is a vegetarian fast-food chain about to go national (see photo above). The restaurant across from Grand Central Station is its first, and a second location is scheduled to open this September in West Hollywood. On a block littered with every major fast-food chain, the façade has the look of a traditional establishment but with a cleaner, more modern feel. With a goal to match the flavor, price point, and convenience of the real deal, the place was teeming with business. Customers can order burgers, hot dogs, fish sandwiches, nuggets, breakfast items, soups, fries, salads, shakes, and sundaes. We, of course, opted for the vegan options—the ZenHarvest Burger (complete with ZenBurger’s “special sauce,” a zesty blend made with Vegenaise), a steamy cup of curried lentil soup, French fries, a chocolate shake, and a soft-serve sundae (the restaurant’s ice cream is provided by our friends at Chicago Soy Dairy). Our lunch date, and one of ZenBurger’s partners, Chad Carpenter, tells us that more vegan options are coming soon, including a scrumptious barbecue chicken sandwich).

Early that evening, we hit a fundraiser at a private home on the Upper East Side for Wellness in the Schools, a sister organization to the New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods, an organization working to get plant-based foods in the school system. If you have children, this is a wonderful, highly effective group with which to get involved. Healthy food for our kids results in higher productivity, fewer illnesses, and greater self-confidence. That’s a good thing.

Finally, we head off for what we know will be a sumptuous supper at Candle 79 with owners Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza (see photo below with Bart, Joy, Colleen, and Joe). We tuck into an upstairs banquette for what turns out to be a four-hour dinner. The meal was nothing short of magnificent—we start with an amuse-bouche of fresh cornbread with avocado butter; a watercress salad with strawberries, wild asparagus, and toasted pistachios in a lime dressing; a stuffed manicotti appetizer filled with sautéed mushrooms, tofu-basil cheese, and cashew parmesan drizzled with roasted tomato sauce and pine nut pesto; and grilled artichokes, served with blue-cornmeal battered onion rings, grilled asparagus, arugula pesto, and red pepper coulis. Oh, and we’re just getting started. Our table shares three entrées—a Moroccan-spiced chickpea cake with spring vegetables, red pepper-coconut curry, and apricot-date chutney; chipotle grilled seitan with potatoes, leeks, spring peas, and avocado salsa; and a wild mushroom fricassee with broccoli rabe, fiddlehead ferns, fava beans, and truffled polenta). I think it’s becoming clear as to why this dinner lasted four hours. For the meal’s finale, we dip into the housemade sorbet sampler along with my favorite, the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bliss, a whipped peanut butter mousse encased in a chocolate shell with a berry coulis. Let’s just say that we walked the nearly 60 blocks back to the hotel to ensure proper digestion, and, well, make certain we were ready for our next veg-fabulous meal the following day. Bon nuit!

Special Report: VegNews in NYC (Day 1)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Day one of a five-day business trip
Where: New York City
When: May 14, 2008
Why: Farm Sanctuary Gala + Veggie Pride Parade + meetings galore with colleagues, friends, and magazine partners

The Scoop: For vegetarians, there’s no place like New York for an astonishing range of what may be the best meat-free fare on the planet. While New Yorkers feel their city is the epicenter of the world, many argue that it is the center of the veggie universe. Although we have it very good in San Francisco, can any city really compete with NYC? Think Korean Buddhist food, Indian dosa carts, vegetarian dim sum, high-end hotspots, vegan bakeries, falafel stands, organic juice bars, farmers’ markets, cheese-free pizza, veggie fast food, raw eateries, Asian fusion, and the list goes on. Too bad this is the city of $3,000 studios.

At least once a year, we find ourselves in this veggie mecca. With the swanky Farm Sanctuary Gala on Saturday, we decided to build our annual NY trip around the event. We arrived Tuesday night (SFO to JFK via JetBlue—love it) and began our journey with lunch on Wednesday with VN Publisher Joseph Connelly’s parents, Ed and Josephine. Always up for a good South Indian meal, we hit House of Dosas on Long Island for delicious masala dosas (the star dish of South India, it’s an oversized crisp lentil crepe filled with spiced potatoes, onions, and cilantro—see photo below), pakoras (deep-fried eggplant, cauliflower, and potato fritters in a chickpea batter), and uthappam (a savory Indian pancake served with coconut chutney and sambar). A favorite spot of the local Indian community (the place is always packed), you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the subcontinent for a truly authentic dining experience, complete with stainless steel dishware, highly efficient service, and the tunes of Bollywood streaming in the background.

We head into Manhattan to officially begin the trip. With a few hours to go before our dinner engagement, we wander the streets of Midtown to take it all in. We visit two Whole Foods (VegNews was displayed front and center at both stores. Yeah!), the Union Square Greenmarket, and a handful of newsstands to check on distribution. We notice that Jamba Juice has now taken over the city, which was not the case five years ago when smoothies were impossible to find. In true NY form, they’re six bucks a pop!

For dinner, we’re meeting friends Teresa and Jack at one of New York’s most acclaimed vegetarian restaurants, HanGawi, for Korean cuisine. As we walk through the door, the chaos of the city quickly subsides and we enter this calm and peaceful refuge. We slip off our shoes, slip into the sunken table, and begin our multi-course “HanGawi Emperor’s Meal” while sipping ginger tea and wine. We start with small clay bowls of pumpkin and sweet corn porridge—each were smooth, subtle, and warming. Our server then delivers parchment-paper-wrapped vermicelli that was absolutely divine (we would have been satisfied with just a large plate of these sautéed noodles) before bringing out a trio of appetizers for each person. We dove into stuffed shiitake mushrooms, vegetable-filled fried tofu triangles, and a bowl of mountain roots and greens. After a brief period to digest, and enjoy the zen-like ambiance, the entrées were served: Bi Bim Bap (sizzling rice and vegetables in a stone pot) and sautéed eggplant and mushrooms with multi-grain rice. To finish off the meal, we sipped a sweet broth laced with cinnamon. The food, company, and atmosphere were incredible—no visit to New York would be complete without a meal at HanGawi!

Mother’s Day at Millennium

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, and VN Assistant to the Publisher Frankie McGee
What: Mother’s Day Brunch
Where: San Francisco's renown Millennium Restaurant
When: May 11, 2008
Why: To express our appreciation for our dear friend and VN volunteer, Frankie McGee

The Scoop: Frankie McGee is a San Francisco institution. A long-time vegetarian and super-supporter of local veg organizations, she's an amazing asset to the VN team—giving, wise, and gracious. Frankie assists us with everything from mailers and filing to kitchen maintenance (if we need a garlic press, one miraculously appears the next day) and organizational systems. Since opening our offices four years ago, Frankie’s been with us every step of the way.

To show our gratitude, we remind Frankie frequently how thankful we are. From time to time, we throw a “Frankie Appreciation Day” with gifts and her favorite lunch. For the past two years, we’ve treated her to Mother’s Day brunch at Millennium, since, in many ways, she is the matriarch of VegNews.

A warm, sunny day in San Francisco set the tone for a delightful midday brunch. As soon as we were seated, Frankie was served a bellini (peach nectar and Champagne—see the May+June issue for our favorite recipe), an on-the-house treat for all "moms." We then shared a plate of freshly baked breads: walnut chocolate-chip banana bread, almond-huckleberry streusel coffee cake, and cornmeal black-pepper muffins with spiced pecan butter. Salads arrived next, featuring mixed greens, shaved fennel, and organic strawberries in a sherry-hazelnut vinaigrette. We enjoyed every bite of our sumptuous entrées—Joseph and Colleen tucked into The Benedict (grilled, smoked tempeh, sweet onions, and sautéed spinach atop house-made focaccia drizzled with a Champagne béarnaise sauce), while Frankie savored walnut waffles with coconut-vanilla bean crème and strawberry-mango compote alongside rosemary roasted potatoes. Oh, and there’s more. Yes, that would be dessert. We had a choice of strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with orange blossom ice cream (absolute perfection) or a mocha-chocolate torte with a fig compote and hazelnut-butterscotch sauce (see photo below). As always, service was impeccable and the ambiance just right.

And VN has scoop! We’ve learned that Millennium will soon be bringing back its monthly brunch. Now we can relax over meals like the aforementioned each and every month. The restaurant’s other popular events include Aphrodisiac Nights and the upcoming Southern Comfort Dinner (where the VN staff will be celebrating VegNews' 8th Anniversary).

And the Winner is …

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: The Maggie Awards, an annual magazine awards banquet
Where: The Westin LAX in Los Angeles
When: May 2, 2008
Why: With two Maggie nominations this year, we had high hopes for bringing home the top prize!

The Scoop: About two months ago, Team VN learned it had secured two nominations in the 2008 Maggie Awards. The Maggies, affectionately referred to as “The Oscars” of the magazine publishing world, is no small feat. This year, VegNews was up for one of the major awards, Best Lifestyle Magazine, as well as for Joseph Connelly’s compelling profile on activist Gretchen Wyler (“The Actress and The Elephant”) from the September+October 2007 issue. Needless to say, we’ve been sitting on pins and needles ever since.

Finally, the big day arrived. We flew down to Los Angeles on our favorite new airline, Virgin America (great service, affordable fares, and cool cabins). In need of a quick bite to calm our nerves, we head over to the only spot nearby to secure a veggie meal, Subway (gotta love the plethora of veg options near airports). We enjoyed a pair of Veggie Delite sandwiches (cheese-free, with avocado, toasted bread, and vinaigrette, thank you very much). No complaints!

The pre-ceremony cocktail party commenced at 5:30pm, and we had a chance to mingle with publishers from all over the country. There were racks filled with the nominated publications, and it’s always fun to flip through magazines in a range of categories (sports, automotive, health, epicurean, etc.). At 7:00pm, the ballroom doors swung open, and a sit-down dinner was served. Despite requesting a vegan entrée every year, we always end up with same thing: a salad, cheese-filled ravioli topped with roasted vegetables (the veggies were great), dinner rolls, and a decidedly non-vegan dessert. Thank god for Subway.

At last, the ceremony began. A high-tech multimedia show featuring all of the nominees kicked off the program (think glossy mag covers buzzing all over the film screen set to cool tunes). We then wait anxiously for the biggie: Best Lifestyle Magazine. Up against Vegetarian Times, Alternative Medicine, Mothering, and The Advocate, this was our year. We won! Oh my god! It was fantastic. VN publisher Joseph Connelly gave a heartfelt speech to the audience of 600+, making sure to acknowledge our fellow nominees (who were all in attendance). Unfortunately, we didn’t take top honors for our second nomination, but we’re still absolutely elated. Our staff works hard to deliver the best vegetarian magazine on the planet, and it’s wonderful to be recognized. Yeah!

Stuffed Silly in Seattle

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, and VN West Coast Sales Rep Laurie Bradley
What: Seattle Green Festival + vegan food tour
Where: Washington State Convention & Trade Center
When: April 11–14, 2008
Why: To share VegNews with 25k Green Festival attendees, as well as hit some great veg restaurants

The Scoop: In town for Seattle’s first-ever Green Festival, the VN team was eager to share the mag with the Seattle community. A long-time sponsor of the Green Festival, we travel each year to cool cities like Chicago, Austin, Washington DC, San Francisco, and now Seattle to promote the magazine at this wildly successful event—each attracts an average of 25,000 attendees, and the food is always vegetarian (and mostly vegan). It’s nice to be a part of a green event that gets its on the food level. After all, going veg is the single most important thing we can do to stop global warming, but, then, you already knew that.

Of course, VN business trips always include excursions to the city’s finest vegetarian eateries. It’s our duty, after all, to share the very best of all things veg with VN readers, so we’re just doing our job. Let’s just say that Seattle makes a great veggie getaway, whether for a weekend or a week. The options seem limitless, and we barely scratched the surface. So let’s get started:

Friday lunch: Cyber-Dogs
Located next to the convention center in the heart of downtown (see photo above), how could we pass up an opportunity to hit a café featuring exclusively vegetarian hot dogs and coffee drinks (this is Seattle, after all, birthplace of Starbucks). We savored the El Bandito (veggie dog topped with chili, vegan cheese, avocado, salsa, and onions) and Dog from Ipanema (smothered in rice, black beans, tomatoes, hearts of palm, and cilantro simmered in coconut milk).

Friday dinner: Teapot Vegetarian House
When asked about their favorite veg spot, many locals immediately respond “Teapot.” If you like faux meats, you’ll love this place. Three of us shared two of their house specialties: Rose Drummettes (tofu and seitan drummettes with a rose-tea dipping sauce) and Sweet and Sour Nuggets (made from mushrooms in a tangy sauce). We couldn’t resist the traditional Malay dessert called Gulu Malacca: tapioca pearls with sorbet, coconut syrup, soy whipped cream, and crushed peanuts.

Sunday breakfast #1: Flying Apron Bakery
We could have relaxed at this cozy vegan bakery for hours. Antique tables and chairs filled the eating area, where we nibbled on a warm gluten-free cinnamon roll and raspberry oat bar, and sipped peppermint tea and a soy chai latte. Free wi-fi and good people-watching made it extra special.

Sunday breakfast #2: Mighty-O Donuts
How could we pass up an opportunity to indulge in organic vegan donuts at the world-famous Mighty-O? An institution in Seattle, this friendly spot was packed, and we split a Chocolate Cake Don King (chocolate donut drizzled with vanilla icing and sprinkled with sweet coconut). If we lived in Seattle, we would house-hunt as close as possible to this joint to ensure a daily dose of the best damn vegan donuts we’ve ever had (see below photo for visual proof).

Sunday breakfast #3: Sidecar for Pigs Peace
Okay, we didn’t eat a third time, but we did make a stop at the vegan boutique, Sidecar for Pigs Peace, a must-visit on our trip. Located in the University district, this well-stocked shop donates all proceeds to Pigs Peace Sanctuary. What a great concept—and they sell everything from handbags and handmade soaps to vegan ice cream and dog food. We did buy some drinks to keep ourselves hydrated after the morning sugar overload.

Sunday dinner: Café Flora
This was the perfect place to enjoy a meal with friends on a cold, drizzly Seattle night. One of the city’s most celebrated vegetarian restaurants, we kept warm inside over yam fries with cayenne aioli, French dip sandwiches, flat-bread pizzas, organic green salads, and pan-fried yucca cakes. This is the place to impress non-veg friends or celebrate a special occasion.

Monday lunch: Chaco Canyon Café
In need of a healthy meal, this bright, airy organic café came highly recommended. Completely vegan, we sipped freshly squeezed juices (the 7003—apple, orange, carrot, kiwi, and ginger—and the Tummy Tickle (grapefruit, apple, ginger, and lemon) before sinking into a Hippy Bowl (quinoa topped with baked tofu, carrots, sprouts, and a garlic-tahini sauce) and a Thai Peanut Bowl (brown rice with baby bok choi, spinach, black sesame seeds, and a spicy peanut sauce).

Monday snack: Mighty-O Donuts
How awful would it be to return to the VNHQ without souvenirs from Seattle? And VN staffers deserve nothing but the best. So we picked up two dozen freshly-made, still-warm donuts from Mighty-O and got a full tour to boot, where owner Ryan Kellner shared the inner workings of a vegan donut shop (we found it fascinating). The VN staff will thank us in the morning.

And that completes our veggie food tour of Seattle. Hope you’re satisfied!

The After-Party

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, VN Managing Editor Aurelia d’Andrea, and VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria
What: The Genesis Awards After-Party
Where: The Beverly Hills Ballroom at The Beverly Hilton Hotel
When: March 29–30, 2008
Why: To party, dance, and schmooze with a glam group of animal lovers

The Scoop: Just when we thought the evening couldn’t be topped, the doors swing open to an after-party that went until the wee hours of the morning. With leatherette lounge seating, soft candlelight, and long tables displaying rows of vegan French pastries, this may have been veggie heaven. And let’s not forget the rockin’ disco and '80s tunes that kept us dancing all night long—let’s just hope no blackmail footage of a certain trio of VN staffers surfaces anytime soon. Busting the moves alongside us on the dance floor were Rory Freedman, Paul Watson, Karen Dawn, Gene Baur, Samantha Ragsdale, Lorri Bauston, Rey Ortega, Ari Solomon (love his line of soy candles), Denise Borchert, Susan Weingartner, and a bevy of other fabulous veggies. To loosen things up even more, the Champagne, wine, and cocktails were flowing.

But let’s get back to those French pastries. They were stunning—in fact, we poked and prodded around just to make sure the confections were indeed vegan. Our hosts and the hotel staff assured us they were, so indulge we did. Envision mini tartlets topped with a whipped soy meringue, chocolate mousse towers draped in chocolate shavings, pots of warm chocolate fondue with fresh strawberries, European-style cookies, petites gateaux—oh yes, these were as close to the real deal as they come. The pastry chef on staff deserves some kind of medal.

While some party goers danced, others nibbled, sipped, and chatted with fellow vegetarians. There’s nothing like being surrounded by great people doing great work—it’s incredibly inspiring and gives us hope for a more compassionate future. We also need to remember to have fun and kick up our heels every once in a while. Mission accomplished.

Fancy-Pants Awards Show

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, VN Managing Editor Aurelia d'Andrea, and VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria
What: The 22nd Annual Genesis Awards
Where: The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, Calif.
When: March 29, 2008
Why: Because we're fancy. Also, because VN is a longtime sponsor of the Genesis Awards.

The Scoop: The Genesis Awards are kind of a big deal. By that we mean they're basically the Oscars of the animal-rights movement. Presented by The Humane Society of the United States, they honor major media's efforts to raise awareness of animal issues—a category into which fall news teams who report on slaughterhouse horrors, comedy writers who joke about burgers not looking anything like cows, and documentarians who bring the reality of our environment to life. So, the room ends up packed with people who, in some way, are working to make life better for animals—and who just happen to be dressed to the nines.

The VN table was in no short supply of lovely people, as we were joined by good friends Rey Ortega, Jill Hahn, Denise Herrick Borchert, Walter Borchert, Billy Hulting, and Andrea Gullo (all captured glamorously above). The all-vegan dinner featured a light salad with grilled tofu, a main course of faux chicken, pasta, beets, carrots, and broccolini, and an indulgent dessert of chocolate mousse cake decorated with a flourish of raspberry and peach coulis.

After dinner, the awards ceremony began. After introductions from Bill Maher, HSUS President Wayne Pacelle, and Senior Director of the Hollywood office of the HSUS, Beverly Kaskey, awards were handed out by the likes of Kyle MacLachlan, Persia White, and Linda Cardellini. Winners included Rob Stewart's Sharkwater, 60 Minutes, CSI:Crime Scene Investigation, and Hayden Panetierre took home this year's Wyler Award—named for the Genesis Awards' founder, the late Gretchen Wyler. Since many of the nominations were for news series dealing with issues such as dog fighting, puppy mills, and slaughterhouses, it was certainly a plus to have so many stars to ogle and distract us while graphic footage was broadcast on giant movie screens. Speaking of cute stars, can anyone get enough of Rory Freedman? Judging by the looks of the guys below, we're guessing that'd be a "no."
Be sure to check out our full report from the after-party, coming soon on Press Pass!

Expo(sé) West

Who: The whole VN team
What: Natural Products Expo West/Supply Expo 2008
Where: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif.
When: March 14–16, 2008
Why: Big-time business

The Scoop: Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a private showing of the newest natural products held exclusively for you and 52,000 of your closest friends? That is precisely what the VN team found behind the double doors at the Anaheim Convention Center during Expo West. All the major producers of organic-type goodies (like soymilk/faux meat/organic fair-trade chocolate/organic home and body products) were there exhibiting their new product lines, new flavors, and new formulations. It was our solemn duty to test all the exciting new products and meet as many industry insiders as we possibly could during the three-day show. Suffice to say, we came, we met, we tested. We were lucky enough to have a booth adjoining that of Redwood Foods, the makers of Cheezly. All weekend long, they kept us supplied with hot, fresh pizza,  while the good people from Tofurky kept us sated with sandwiches for lunch every day. These may well have been what kept us sane with the intense over-stimulation of literally checking out thousands of booths. We also awarded 12 outstanding new products with highly coveted VegNews Magazine Best of Show awards. For a full list of the winners, be sure to check out the July+August 2008 issue of VN. If that wait is too long to bear, here’s a little inspiration: vegan frosting, vegan-owned companies, and stellar vegan skin care. It was a whirlwind trip, an almost-overwhelming show, and, all in all, a ton of fun.

Native Foods Night Out

Who: VN Staff
What: Kick-off dinner at Natural Products Expo West
Where: Native Foods in Costa Mesa
When: March 13, 2008
Why: Pass up an opportunity to hit Native Foods? We think not.

The Scoop: Every March, the VN clan hits Anaheim in full force for the world’s largest natural products show—three jam-packed days of schmoozing, product testing, and giving out copies of the magazine. To kick-off the weekend, we always hit one of our favorite vegan restaurants: Native Foods. With four locations (and a fifth coming soon), there's nothing quite like a meal at Native. It was a balmy March evening in Orange County, and our party dined al fresco around a large table complete with a fire pit in the middle. We started with Native’s signature appetizers: “Save the Chicken” Wings (housemade seitan deep-fried in a coconut batter with a side of Ranch dressing), Native Seasoned Fries, and Native Nachos (tortilla chips smothered with black beans, soy taco meat, salsa, guacamole, corn, and soy cheese). For the record, we could eat Native’s (un)chicken wings all day, every day. Having spent all afternoon traveling, we were absolutely famished and inhaled the appetizers. We then ordered individual entrées; everything from Katie’s Philly Peppersteak Sandwich (seasoned seitan with sautéed onions and peppers on an organic French roll) to Jenny’s Gandhi Bowl (Jasmine and brown rice loaded with steamed veggies, blackened tempeh, and a curry sauce) to Colleen’s Mad Cowboy (baked potato topped with barbecue tempeh, grilled vegetables, and Native’s famous Ranch dressing—affectionately named after former cattle-rancher-turned-vegan-activist Howard Lyman). We were all in veggie heaven eating this flavorful, innovative, delicious food. We couldn’t leave without dabbling in a few desserts: the Elephant Chocolate Cake (with cinnamon peanut butter icing), the Key Lime Parfait, and the Native Cheesecake. We were especially fortunate that Ms. Tanya Petrovna, founder of Native Foods, joined us for a while. She even had us taste-test her new coconut-battered oyster mushrooms (which were amazing). And VN has some exclusive scoop! One of our favorite veg boutiques, Humanitaire (located in a very stylish space next to Native Foods in Costa Mesa), is opening up location #2 in the rear of Native Food’s Westwood location. Nothing makes us happier than when veg businesses expand and multiply. Yeah!

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.

VegNews Does Dallas

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Lunch in Texas
Where: Spiral Diner, Dallas and Fort Worth
When: February 27, 2008
Why: Why not?

The Scoop: You know what they say about vegans. We will travel to great lengths to get great grub. VN Publisher Joseph Connelly and I were in Austin for a publisher’s conference (where VN took home the top prize for “Best Magazine Design” … more on that in the March edition of the VegNewsletter), Fort Worth is a three-hour drive from Austin, so how could we not extend our trip an extra day to experience a meal at the world famous (and VegNews’ 2007 Restaurant of the Year) Spiral Diner? Lo and behold, the day before our scheduled meal, Spiral opened its much-anticipated second location in Dallas, so to Dallas we went. Housed in an old brick warehouse, the space is bright, airy, and abuzz with exuberant employees and overjoyed customers (overjoyed because they no longer have to make the 30-minute trek to Fort Worth for their Spiral fix). I settled into a luscious Parmigiana Wrap (marinated and grilled seitan covered in marinara sauce with black olives, pine nuts, pesto, and vegan mozzarella plus a side of house-made potato salad), while Joe enjoyed every bite of his Sweet Luv’us Hummus Wrap (layers of sweet potato and hummus, steamed veggies, avocado, and spicy walnuts plus tortilla chips). After chatting with the owner Sara about the challenges and rewards of running a vegan restaurant, we hopped into our rental and made the trek to Fort Worth. Located on a charming street in a historical neighborhood (which we later discover is the most progressive voting district in Texas), we entered the retro-style, ultra-hip abode of the original Spiral Diner. The menu is identical to the Dallas location and filled with appetizers, wraps, burgers, salads, hot plates, shakes, baked goods, and sundaes—it was the most extensive vegan menu I've ever seen. But it was dessert time, so Joe ordered a slice of freshly made blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream, and I went for a slice of chocolate mint cake and a chai latte with almond milk. The cake was incredible—chocolate cake smothered in a peppermint buttercreme frosting and covered with crumbled Oreo’s. So good. We finally met Spiral Diner founder Amy McNutt and had a great conversation with her husband James Johnston and Spiral Fort Worth’s new owner, Lindsay, before making our way to the airport. Fortunately for the VN staff, we returned with a box full of cookies, brownies, and peanut butter cups from the Spiral bakery.

We want to know: What is the furthest you’ve ever traveled to procure a vegan meal? Do tell all! Did your travels reward you with anything as gorgeous as this cake?!