Vegan Pizza Party at Patxi's!

Who: VegNews Managing Editor Elizabeth Castoria

What: Vegan Pizza Fest at Patxi's Chicago Pizza

Where: San Francisco, Calif.

When: June 16, 2011

Why: Vegan deep-dish pizza and wine is an offer you shouldn't refuse.

The Scoop: It's no secret that the VN team is ever-so-slightly obsessed with Patxi's deep-dish pizza. Since long before I wised up and realized that the multi-location, SF-based pizzeria actually does offer vegan options, I'd run past one location fairly frequently, and always inhale deeply on my way by, dreaming of deep-dish. Well, suffice it to say that when I finally found out that there actually were dairy-free pies just waiting for me to demolish, demolish I did.

When Laiko Bahrs, Patxi's very astute PR gal, invited the VN team to be part of the shop's first dedicated vegan pizza event, we jumped. After work, I eagerly headed for the Fillmore St. location. The mezzanine level of the restaurant was reserved for the pizza fest. The first thing I noticed was the extremely long table of pizzas. Deep-dish, thin-crust, and whole-wheat crust versions lined the table, all topped with Daiya cheese and combinations of vegetable toppings galore.

 Holy vegan pizza, Batman!

If there's one surefire way to make a group of hungry vegans happy, it's a table of fresh-from-the-oven, glorious pizzas. Patxi's had hosted a contest on Facebook where fans could create topping combos, and a few were featured at the event. Honestly, the flavors are a bit of a blur, as I pretty much inhaled a few pieces, and then fell promptly into a highly contented pizza coma. Oh, and I had the help of The Vegan Vine wine to completely relax. 

 The Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc

Even though I'm not typically a big wine drinker, both of these offerings were really lovely, and paired perfectly with the pizzas. On hand to document the evening was Vegan Kitchen TV, and you can catch the recording of the entire live broadcast here. 

We came, we gorged, we rolled (slowly) back to the car. Yummy wine, great food, and warm, welcoming people? That's our kind of party. Thanks so much to Patxi's for organizing this event, and here's to vegan options in establishments of all stripes!

NYC Tour 2011

Who: VN Managing Editor Elizabeth Castoria

What: An East Coast Jaunt

Where: Brooklyn & Woodstock, NY

When: April 28–May 2, 2011

Why: Because New York is there!

The Scoop: I lived in NYC for two years during grad school, and after this little trip, I can't fathom why I left. New York (especially in the springtime), is phenomenal. With the excuse of a friend's wedding and a long weekend, I recently returned to my erstwhile home for a few days of friends, food, and farm animals. 

Bekah officially thumbs up Lula's

My first stop this trip was Lula's Sweet Apothecary. Holy freaking crap. Not only is this LES institution just about as cute as can possibly be, but let's talk about the ice cream. My nearly vegan and highly awesome friend Bekah Brunstetter (who was kind enough to host me), said that the towering sundae we ordered of Rocky Road and strawberry ice cream topped with hot fudge, coconut whipped cream, roasted peanuts, and, of course, a cherry, was better than dairy ice cream. Take that, dairy!

After feasting on said sundae, we tooled around town, and that evening I saw Bekah's latest play, Be A Good Little Widow, which was fantastic. Even The New York Times thinks so! Flowers were in bloom all through the city, the weather was gently warm and not yet the sticky heat of summer (which I actually love), and there was more eating to do! After the play we headed back to Brooklyn, and dined with The Discerning Brute himself, Joshua Katcher, at Vinnie's Pizzeria. Um, again, holy crap. The pie was enormous, delicious, and covered in Daiya, vegan sausage and pepperoni, mushrooms, and broccoli. The four of us who ate it had our work cut out!

Pie a la Vinnie's

The next morning was serious business. Let's talk for a moment about Champs. All I can say is go-lly. I could have probably eaten every single meal here and been totally fine, and I think I made a total of six or so visits here during the weekend. Lemme just say: SCONES! Really, really, really good vegan scones. Pictured below are the strawberry cream cheese and chocolate chip walnut flavors. I love scones, and these were perfection. Champs also offers extremely wonderful black-and-white cookies, bear claws, and a variety of sandwiches. On weekends, you can also score Dun-Well Doughuts there, and score I did. Though I ate them too quickly to snap pictures, the coconut and chocolate with peanuts flavors were both delicious.

Champs' scone perfection

After Champs, it was off to Woodstock to visit Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. It had been an unacceptably long time since I was last at a sanctuary, and this place was fantastic. I fell head over heels for Dylan the cow, and loved the way these big, sleepy pigs nestled into their comfy straw beds. 

Pig pile!

Altogether the trip was amazing, and I'll now begin working non-stop on establishing an east coast branch of VN, preferably one located in Champs and Lula's, simultaneously.

Holistic Holiday at Sea

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly

What: Taste of Health's 8th annual Holistic Holiday at Sea

Where: Key West, Fla.; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Cayman Islands; Cozumel, Mexico

When: Feb. 27–March 6, 2011

Why: VegNews is a sponsor!

The Scoop: For the eighth consecutive year Sandy Pukel and John Belleme (collectively, the "Taste of Health" guys) organized a late-winter cruise that combines elements of macrobiotic conference, tropical adventure, and liquid relaxation into a week-long sail around the Caribbean. After seven years on board a Costa cruise liner, the men jumped ship to a relatively new entry into the world of high-end cruising, MSC. Our home for the week, seen below, is a two-year-old little boat christened the Poesia ("poetry" for those who don't speak Italiano). Poetry it was.

The mighty ship that could: The MSC Poesia

Departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida last Sunday, we stopped in Key West, Fla.; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman Islands; and the Mexican island paradise that is Cozumel. Each stop offered numerous excursions, or free time for those who prefer to swim, sunbath, or explore on their own.

Back on board I attended lectures, shared meals, or interviewed such vegan and macro luminaries as T. Colin and Tom Campbell, co-authors of The China Study; Vegan Bodybuilding.com's founder Robert Cheeke; Qi Gong instructor Marcus Gary; Post Punk Kitchen's Isa Chandra Moskowitz; cancer survivor, VN columnist, and TV host Christina Pirello; and four-time NBA champion John Salley, whose smile and charm captivated all around him.

The food, expertly prepared by 35-year vegan chef Mark Hanna, author of Greens & Grains on the Deep Blue Sea, consists of a full breakfast, five-course lunch, and another five courses for dinner (plus a gluten-free option from a recipe provided by Isa). The cruise began in 2005 as a strictly macrobiotic adventure, and has evolved since into a "modern vegan" menu that still offers ample macro dishes. Something for everyone.

Colorful Kale Salad with Ginger Dressing... yum

When not eating or excursioning, exercise classes, lectures, and late-night gatherings—which included three ice cream socials, a Daiya cheese pizza party, and a cookies and "milk" night—take up the day. Translation: If you are coming on the cruise to relax, you might have a little problem with so much stimulation buzzing all around.

A few of my many highlights:

In Key West I climbed aboard a catamaran and went snorkeling in the open ocean...

Yes, the water really is that color!

Went river tubing with Robert Cheeke in Jamaica on his 31st birthday...

The one and only Robert Cheeke

Made many new friends including the wonderful Karpel Family.

All "decked" out: Vegan life is better!

To see more photos from the holiday, stop by the photo album on VegNews Facebook page.

This was my second year on the cruise. I admit I had been skeptical of the industry, and I'm not sure I'll ever go on a non-educational cruise (I'd never been on one prior). The Holistic Holiday at Sea is a health conference that takes place on a floating hotel, which the organizers have perfected by creating an immensely enjoyable and memorable experience. VegNews is a proud supporter of the event, and I suspect our partnership will continue for many years to come. After all, the Holistic Holiday at Sea is #28 on the just-released Vegan Bucket List!

Madeleine Bistro + Cruzer's VegNews Pizza

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly and VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Finals stops on the spring tourWhere: Tarzana, Hollywood, and Los Feliz, Calif.When: May 8, 2010Why: Three vegan restaurants in half-a-day: Why not?
The Scoop: One (half) day left in LA, two Maggie Awards last night... how should we celebrate? Three restaurant visits, of course!

We treated ourselves to brunch at Madeleine Bistro, our longtime fave Los Angeles restaurant. You must start with an order of beignets (the French can even make "doughnut" sound good). Check these out:

The Doughnuts, er, um, "Beignets," at Madeleine Bistro

For our main courses I had the apple-filled fruit crepes while Colleen ordered bananas foster waffles. Madeleine's food is so innovative, it can't be said often enough how much a vegan genius Chef Dave Anderson is.

Is it bananas foster? Waffles? It's magic!

Post-brunch it's onto Hollywood to check in on LifeFood Organic, a restaurant I first blogged about two months ago in my LA Whoa! Man post. Nestled between Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, LifeFood serves up raw and living cuisine, mostly pre-packaged, for those on the go (or sitting in the car trying go—no, wait, that didn't sound right). Scrumptious salads, savory sandwiches, and delectable desserts make up the menu, all at reasonable prices. Give this place a try.

LifeFood Organic has it all

Final stop: Cruzer Pizza & Pasta, to taste-test the forthcoming VegNews Pizza. What's a VegNews Pizza? Glad you asked. How about perfect-o pesto topped with white Daiya cheese, artichoke hearts, way-too-much garlic, sliced tomatoes, and leaves of basil? Here's Colleen and our Cruzer connection, Michelle Sass, showing off the final protect:

We even managed to smuggle home a whole pie for the staff to try on Monday, when it tasted just as good. Read about it on Café VegNews. We'll let you know via Facebook and Twitter when our pizza actually hits the menu. And that closes the VegNews Spring 2010 tour. Thank you and good night.

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.

Sugar Plum Vegan Bakery

Who: VN Managing Editor Elizabeth Castoria, VegWebmistress Laura Hooper Beck, and three honorary VN staffers
What: Northern California's first all-vegan bakery!
Where: Sugar Plum Vegan Bakery, Sacramento, Calif.
When: April 18, 2010
Why: The reason why we do most things: awesome vegan food

The Scoop: Maybe you've never considered the California state capital to be a "destination" city. Perhaps you've heard that it's not as glamorous as Napa, not as hip as San Francisco, and not as savvy as San Jose. Maybe you are wrong, dead wrong. On a recent staycation Sunday, a few brave adventurers—namely Laura, Peter, Khane, Cal, and yours truly—made our way up highway 80 to Sactown.

The case o' greatness at Sugar Plum Vegan Bakery

First of all, it was a gorgeous day, which always helps when falling in love with a new city. Second, we went straight for the good stuff—aka Sugar Plum. Having already thoroughly oggled the online menu, we were pleasantly surprised to arrive just as a batch of SPV's oversized cinnamon buns came out of the oven. Yes. We ordered two immediately.

Hello, cinnamon bun. Do you see that frosting?!

When the general excitement of the cinnamon smell abated long enough for us to be able to read again, we picked a tofu breakfast burrito, tempeh Reuben, and chef's salad. Um, let's talk for a second about Reubens, and why we should all eat one every day. It's because they are delicious, insanely so. SPV's version featured lightly toasted rye, crisp pickles, punchy sauerkraut, and perfectly flavored tempeh, all enveloped in vegan cheese and thousand island dressing. Heaven? Yes. Everything we ordered came out of the kitchen in record time, and was incredibly delicious. While we sat in the sun-drenched front patio and gorged, a steady line of eager diners marched into Sugar Plum, which we took as a good sign for the very recently opened eatery.

Tempeh Reuben. We could have eaten a dozen of these.

We easily could have eaten twice as much as we did, but only if we'd also thought to bring our extra stomachs with us. Instead, we took a leisurely (read: stuffed) stroll around the tree-lined neighborhood, sprawled for a while in a grassy park, stumbled upon Gluten Free Specialty Market—a totally gluten-free store, which carried a bunch of vegan goodies like the new retail packages of Daiya—and then headed back to SPV to pick up some sweet treats for the ride home. Among them were a chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing, an oatmeal-cookie sandwich, a burger (OK, that one's not-so sweet), and a cheddar biscuit. Amazing. Every last one. We are thrilled to announce that as soon as we convince the rest of the team, VegNews is officially moving to Sacramento. We're pretty sure the only convincing they'll need will be a taste of SVP's fantastic food.

Vegan Pizza Party!

Who: VegWebmistress Laura Beck and 40 pizza-hungry vegans!

What: Vegan Cheese Smackdown!

Where: Delisi's Pizzeria & Bar

When: December 13, 2009, Chicago, Ill.

Why: Because eating vegan Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is pretty much all anyone ever wants to do.

The Scoop: Vegan pizza is an elusive beast. For many of us, the only vegan pizza we ever get to indulge in comes from our own kitchen. If we're able to find a place with vegan crust, the pizza is usually cheeseless, dry, and bo-ring. However, if you're lucky enough to live in Chicago, Delisi's Pizzeria & Bar has your back. They regularly offer a menu that features not only Teese vegan cheese from the geniuses at Chicago Soydairy, but also several vegan meats, including pepperoni, seitan chorizo, and sausage. All of the meats are from Upton's Naturals, a local company specializing in blow-your-mind delicious seitan.

On Sunday, a group of 40 vegans gathered at Delisi's for a taste challenge to end all taste challenges. Organized by Julia from Snarky Vegan and Melisser from The Urban Housewife, the event promised to be a delicious battle of epic proportions. Our goal was to try several different types of Chicago deep dish pizza—half made with the pizzeria's regular vegan cheese, Teese, and half made with new vegan cheese wunderkind, Daiya—and declare a winner! This was a contest I could physically, emotionally, and spiritually get behind.

When we arrived, we paid our entrance fee (only $12, including soda, tax, and tip! Chicago prices, I love you!) and were given name tags. Next, the chef brought out a panzerotti, which is basically a deep-fried calzone. Hello, obesity! It was filled with tomatoes, Teese, Daiya, and a selection of Upton's seitan. I imagine it's what is served in heaven. SO GOOD. After that, the deep dish pizzas started to come out. They offered up a meat lover's special, Hawaiian pizza (complete with vegan ham), veggie special, and more. We loaded our plates and got down to the taste test.

A sight for hungry, pizza-lovin' eyes.

One bite into this marvelous deep-dish pizza and you'll wonder why you ever bothered eating anything else. Classic Chicago deep-dish pizza has no worldly match; it is spicy, hearty, and flat-out amazing. While opinions varied on which cheese was superior, the consensus was that both cheeses were delicious in their own right. Delisi's agreed and soon will most likely be offering both Teese and Daiya! How's that for service?

Attendee Jon enjoys his pizza afterglow, while Joy longs for her chance to indulge.

It's exciting to walk into what seems to be your typical, unpretentious, neighborhood pizza spot and find they're looking out for vegans, too. Awesome! Co-owner Brian Esterline estimates that about one-third of his clientele is vegan. That's a fact we can all use when we go into pizza places and request vegan options. I don't mean to get all cheesy (ouch!) on you, but if you build it, we will come. We will travel across states, climb mountains, and swim oceans for a tasty vegan treat. I've been known to forsake family and friends for a good vegan milkshake.

Speaking of ice cream, the kind folks of Chicago Soydairy were at the event and brought dessert! We all quickly found room in our expanded stomachs for cherry-vanilla, pineapple, and peppermint ice creams. I don't know how we did it, but what can I say? We were a strong group.

Chicago Soydairy's tasty frozen trio.

The event ended when we were all nearly incapacitated due to our overwhelming consumption. We laid in the booths and begged for relief. And then, we went for more pizza. Many thanks to the co-owners of Delisi's, Brian Esterline and Sean Anderson, and all of their fabulous staff for hosting the event. Now, who else is up for organizing one of these? It's an amazing form of outreach, to the pizza place and to other vegans in your community. When you do accept the challenge, be a doll and invite us, okay? We'll be there with our eating pants on!

Boston Veg Rocks!

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Liz Miller and VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig
What: Boston Vegetarian Food Festival
Where: Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, Boston, Mass.
When: October 31-November 1, 2009
Why: To celebrate all things veg (including the city's new vegan pizzeria).


While we love our mild, West Coast climate here at the VNHQ, it is easy to get nostalgic for autumn traditions, like trees glowing with vibrantly colored leaves and the feeling of crisp fall air against warm, winter coats. Fortunately, the 2009 Boston Vegetarian Food Festival offered us the perfect chance to satisfy our fall season craving. The festival, hosted by the Boston Vegetarian Society, celebrated its 14th anniversary this year. Traditionally a one-day event, the festival stretched over two days this year, ensuring that VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig and I would have ample time to indulge in the many food options available. Of course, our main objective was to make new veggie friends, meet our awesome readers, and spread the good word about veganism by selling VN subscriptions. We were lucky enough to have help from VN superstar volunteer Alexandra Santilli, who helped us man the booth on Saturday. We were also lucky to have two amazing booth neighbors, with Vegan Treats to our left, we found ourselves trying (and failing) to resist sugary temptation with the good people situated to our right, the amazing folks over at GREY2K. As the long first day wound day, Lyndsay and I shared (read: devoured) a miniature peanut-butter cheesecake, packed up for the day, and headed out for our next out-of-town adventure.

Daiya breadsticks and marinara: leftovers never stood a chance

Not surprisingly, it was an adventure that involved pizza. All day we'd been anticipating our visit to Boston's only vegan-owned and -operated pizzeria, Peace O'Pie, and we were not disappointed. The menu was stacked with delicious, utterly mouthwatering pizzeria classics, with options ranging from savory calzones to hearty build-your-own vegan pizzas (vegan pepperoni and extra Daiya cheese, please). Excited and a bit overwhelmed, Lyndsay and I finally settled on Daiya breadsticks as an appetizer, and a medium "The EP" pizza, topped high with smoked tempeh, sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed spinach, and garlic on a regular crust, as our main course. Never have vegans so voraciously consumed (nay, inhaled), a meal. In true go-big-or-go-home style, we entered the meal with no intention of leftovers, and no leftovers there were. The breadsticks were warm and gooey, and complimented perfectly with a healthy dollop of marinara. Our pizza was also beyond tasty, with soft, doughy crust; stretchy, flavorful cheese, and savory toppings. Being able to order a legitimate, satisfying pizza—and wash it down with root beer—made us feel exactly 10 years old again, in the best ways possible. The resulting food-coma was completely earned—and surprisingly short-lived, as the meal didn't leave us feeling heavy. Aside from being pizza-crafting geniuses, the folks at Peace O'Pie were also more than generous, gifting us complimentary peanut-butter-and-maple-syrup sweet rolls as a parting gift.

Boston's Peace O'Pie serves up tasty eats, food comas

On Sunday, the festival was almost just as exciting and crowded as Saturday had been. We were overjoyed to find a special gift left at our booth by Edward & Sons, complete with The Road's End Dairy Free Mac & Chreese, Lets Do...Organic Classic Gummi Bears, and more. As the day progressed, we were happy to meet and chat with a whole batch of VN fans, new and old, and learn about the ins-and-outs of Boston's vegetarian community. As the festival wound down, Lyndsay broke away from the table long enough to procure one last sugary treat: chocolate-covered ice cream bars made by Wheeler's Frozen Dessert, the creative confectioners behind some of the best desserts around. With dessert in hand, we packed up our VN tables and headed out to catch our flight home. Thanks for the great weekend, Boston!

Perfect Pizza + Talk Show Exploits

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Sara Constantineau and the rest of the VegNews crew
What: A pizza-filled lunch followed by a stint as a studio audience
Where: A local pizzeria and ABC studios, San Francisco, Calif.
When: October 20, 2009
Why: To put our Daiya shipment to good use and support a fellow veg superstar

The Scoop: When we received a 10-pound shipment of Daiya this week, there was no doubt that we had to make the most of it. Armed with two pounds or so, we headed to a local pizzeria for a full-on, dairy-free pizza experience. Our menu consisted of one huge, gooey cheese pizza, another pie piled high with artichokes, baby spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, and a giant veggie-stuffed calzone for dessert.

One beautiful, Daiya-smothered pie

Thoroughly stuffed and fortified with many soda refills, we traveled toward the Embarcadero and lined up to watch the live taping of The View from the Bay, since Alicia Silverstone was making a guest appearance to promote her vegan lifestyle book, The Kind Diet.

Once comfortably seated in the studio, we learned how to clap and cheer on cue. After we were welcomed by hosts Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang, the show finally began. We were treated to segments including male-model makeovers and the CEO of 1-800-DENTIST, who taught us how to floss properly (hint: you use a lot of floss). Finally, the most anticipated guest arrived to talk about her book and show off some veg-friendly food.

Alicia Silverstone, VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, and SFVS president Dixie Mahy

Silverstone and Christian raved about Café Gratitude's Key Lime Pie, and she showed off her pantry must-haves, such as Earth Balance buttery spread, brown rice syrup, and Vegenaise. Christian and Wang sampled recipes from The Kind Diet, including tacos, peanut butter cups, and Caesar salad. The hosts raved about the food, and a few lucky audience members went home with a copy of the book. It was just another day all about tasty, veg-friendly eats. No biggie!

Green Stylin' It in the DC

Who: VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig
What: DC Green Festival + Sticky Fingers Bakery
Where: Washington, DC
When: October 10–11, 2009
Why: To catch up with old friends and to promote the green movement in our nation's capital

The Scoop: Being an East Coaster for most of my life, I was very happy to travel to Washington, DC, this past weekend for the Green Festival and to see some old friends, including Kellie, who is a dear friend all the way back to the age of 12. Yes, there were quite a few slumber parties in our past, and I was so excited to revisit those memories once again by bunking at her home. It wasn’t non-stop movies and giggle fests as before, but there was good food and fun, as well as some much-needed catching up.

Kellie and me at the Green Festival

Being the doll that she is, Kellie helped me out at the Green Festival. As you’ve read before, the festival is a sustainable event sweeping the US that strives to spread the green movement by inviting individuals, businesses, and community leaders to come together and share their issues, ideas, and products focused on restoring the planet. The festival is currently held in five cities—Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Washington, DC, and San Francisco—and VegNews has had the pleasure of participating in all of them this year (excluding San Francisco, which is coming up November 13 to 15). It’s fun and educational, not to mention tasty with vegetarian food galore. I don’t want to make you jealous, but I feasted on some amazing vegan soul food from Soul Vegetarian, including some of the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever tasted. You may want to check out a Green Festival happening near you—it’s definitely a good time.

An everlasting friendship

The Green Festival was the focus of the weekend, but I was also able to hang out in the District of Columbia as well. Along with seeing Kellie, I caught up with an old friend, Matt, and his band-mate from their up-and-coming group from the Hampton Roads called The Poly Opto. Last, but certainly not least, I visited another friend who I had not seen in a very long time, named Sticky Fingers Bakery. Let me just say that a Daiya grilled cheese with tempeh bacon and tomato is about the best breakfast in the entire world, and a box full of fresh baked goods (hello, Cowvin Cookies) isn’t too shabby either.

Best. Breakfast. Ever.

Yes, it was a wonderful weekend, and one that I was very sad to see end. Though I absolutely love the West Coast and don’t plan to leave anytime soon, the East Coast definitely has a part of my heart. It’s always a beautiful thing to come back to old friends.

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!