Texas State Veggie Fair, Take Two!

Who: VN contributor Eddie Garza
What: 2nd Annual Texas State Veggie Fair
When: October 23, 2011
Where: Dallas, Texas
Why: To bask in vegan fried goodness deep in the heart of Texas

The Scoop: Jamey Scott of Dallas Vegan is obsessed with fried foods. He’s a native Texan. And like most Texans, Scott grew up anticipating each year’s state fair, where he would relish in deep fried comfort foods of Texas-sized proportions.

That is, until he went vegan.

At the State Fair of Texas, typical foods found are fried bacon, fried butter, fried bubblegum, I could go on. You’ll also find penned-up piglets waiting to be auctioned. Scott’s retort: parody the country’s largest state fair by hosting an all-vegan version just blocks away.

The Texas State Veggie Fair falls on the heels of its ugly step-cousin, the State Fair of Texas, but you won’t find any farmed animals here. Instead, they’ve corralled a host of animal-advocacy and rescue groups, renowned speakers in the animal rights movement and vegan chefs, mixed in with traditional state fair foods and entertainment. “The fair is an opportunity for people to enjoy a fun and festive experience without supporting animal agribusiness,” says Scott.

That fun includes a vegan fried foods competition, with a panel of judges comprised of some of Dallas’ top food journalists, and two winners taking home sizable cash prizes. Sabali Mpozi Earth of Vegan Comfort from Houston took this year’s “Best Tasting” award for fried spicy chicken-less strips, and Arlington home chef Meredith Whitley’s fried banana pudding snagged “Most Creative” nods.

 The fried-food challenge winner: spicy strips!

Fairgrounds were lined with over a dozen vegan food vendors serving a lip-smacking spread of fair faves including caramel apples, Frito pie, fried pizza, fried pickles, corny dogs, and coconut ice cream sundaes. Clowns, jugglers, and alt-country rockers kept crowds entertained as they waited in hour-long lines for vegan fried foods.

Bravo to the incredibly creative crew at Dallas Vegan for hosting another successful, inspiring and imaginative event!

Photos courtesy of Sylvia Elzafon

Mercy for Animals' Honoring Hidden Heroes Party w/ Bob Barker

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly
What: MFA's Honoring Hidden Heros Party
Where: The Hollywood Hills home of James Costa
When: Saturday, June 4, 2011
Why: Donations of various kinds

The Scoop: I've heard that it is better to give than receive, and given the opportunity to sponsor anything Mercy for Animals does is pretty much a no-brainer these days. When VegNews learned that Team MFA was throwing itself a party ... to honor their undercover factory farm investigators ... at James Costa's stunning home in the hills above (and overlooking) Hollywood ... and that 87-year-old game show legend Bob Barker was going to be the guest of honor, we just had to "come on down." Um, sorry.

Joseph Connelly, Bob Barker, and Nathan Runkle
(photo courtesy of David Sobel Photography)

We jumped on board because pound-for-pound no organization is doing as much as MFA, with seemingly endless undercover investigations generating press, exposing the horrors of factory farming, and often leading to charges against the morons who kick cattle, punch pigs, and choke chickens.

Founded less than 12 years ago by then-15-year-old Nathan Runkle, MFA has fast become a force to be reckoned with. The org does so much it's nearly impossible to keep up. In addition to the undercover investigations, there's its Farm to Fridge Tour, dishing up viewings of their DVD of the same name in public places; its use of both traditional and social media to reach millions with messages of compassion; and rapid expansion, from humble beginnings in an Ohio attic to offices in Chicago (the group's HQ), New York, Columbus, OH, and most recently Dallas.

Don't take my word for it. A who's-who of animal supporters made the trek, many from across the country, including author Victoria Moran, animal-rights attorney David Wolfson, and activist extraordinaire (and birthday gal) Ashley Lou Smith (all New Yorkers). Here's Ash spotted with Mr. Barker's right-hand man, the equally charming Henri Bollinger.

Ashley Lou Smith with Henri Bollinger

Since this was Hollywood, what would a party be without filmmakers? I counted four: The always beautiful (and 2008 VegNews wedding bride) Marisa Miller Wolfson (creator of the forthcoming Vegucated), the equally stunning Shannon Keith (Behind the Mask, Skin Trade), buff and tanned Shaun Monson (Earthlings), and NKOTB Brian Wendel, the force behind 2011's must-see Forks Over Knives.

Passed savory and sweet hors d'oeuvres from Veganics Catering included Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas, Nuttin' but Nut Cashew Cheeze Balls, Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge Delites, plus Snickerdoodle and Raspberry Shortbread Cookies. All were tasty and plentiful.

What do vegans eat? How about Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge Delites!

And finally there was the evening's program. Bob Barker spoke about the effectiveness of MFA's work, encouraged us all to break into laboratories, reminded us to spay and neuter our companion animals, and then presented MFA with a check for $250,000 to help fund its undercover work. VegNews wanted to match the donation, but we fell slightly short. A bit later, Nathan allowed me to briefly hold the check (you'd be amazed what it feels like to have a quarter-million dollars in your hands) before introducing me to his father, Mark Runkle. Standing next to me at that moment was Jenny Brown, co-founder and firebrand of the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. When Jenny learned of Mark's identity, she shouted "Thanks for the sperm!" A different kind of donation maybe, but given what Nathan and MFA have accomplished, without a doubt just as valuable.

Texas State Veggie Fair

Who: VN Contributor Jasmin Singer
What: DallasVegan’s inaugural Texas State Veggie Fair
Where: The Phoenix Project, Dallas, TX
When: October 16, 2010
Why: To rival the “other” Texas State Fair and celebrate compassion

The Scoop: At the Texas State Fair in Dallas, the “entertainment” includes penned-up, branded animals sitting in the hot sun, a rodeo, and a livestock contest. At the petting zoo, I see a giraffe, his head an inch beneath the ceiling, take bites out of the fence holding him captive. You can smell his fear.

Meanwhile, just a few blocks away, you can smell the compassion (and the fried vegan cookie dough) wafting from the Texas State Veggie Fair. The Veggie Fair, the antithesis of its ugly cousin, is the brainchild of Jamey Scott of DallasVegan. For vegans craving the state fair experience sans cruelty, it offers a fried vegan food contest, vegan fair food (funnel cakes, anyone?), carnival games, prizes, bands, and, of course, clowns. As for the Veggie Fair happening on the same day as, as Scott puts it, “the other fair,” it’s hardly a coincidence.

Fried Funnel Cake (photo courtesy of Silvia Elzafon)

Eddie Garza, Mercy For Animals’ (MFA) Texas Campaign Coordinator, elaborates: “The Texas State Fair is all about making animal agriculture seem like a fairytale… when we know that the reality is that the animals are generally from factory farms, kept in spaces so small and tightly confined that they can’t even turn around or spread their limbs.”

So who can you find at the Veggie Fair? Everyone from kids wearing Texas t-shirts playing in the bounce-house or getting their faces painted, to tattooed 30-somethings (okay, myself included) munching on corn dogs and having their tarot cards read, to the veg-curious learning from groups such as the Black Vegetarian Society of Texas, Animal Connection of Texas, Dallas Vegetarians, and MFA.

Face-painting fun (photo courtesy of Silvia Elzafon)

The Dallas vegan scene is skyrocketing, and it’s largely thanks to Scott and Garza’s outreach. Not only does DallasVegan host a monthly Vegan Drinks event, but thanks to MFA, the city is getting ready to celebrate Dallas Vegan Week, during which upscale Dallas restaurants will offer vegan options. Kudos to Dallas' blue-ribbon activists!

Weekend Warriors, Part Two

Who: VN Associate Editor Abby Young, Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig, and Editorial Assistants Kailey Harless and Charlotte Gordon

What: Animal Rights National Conference, Part II

Where: Los Angeles, Calif.

When: July 16-20, 2009

Why: To represent VegNews at the annual AR conference

The scoop: We all woke up a bit tired from the late celebration night before, but with a nice workout and a cup of caffeine, it wasn't hard to recharge for another Animal Rights 2009 conference day. The crowd was noticeably thinner than other days, as vendors were leaving and attendees were heading home.

As a conference first-timer, I was most amazed by the long-time VegNews readers. We often had people stop by the booth just to say how much they adore each issue, or share how long they've been reading. Seeing their genuine excitement fueled us more than any cup of coffee ever could, and knowing that people thoroughly enjoy what VegNews staffers dedicate their lives to made every moment behind the booth worthwhile.

Over the weekend we met loads of people. We first spied Bryan Pease being interviewed for suprememastertv.com next to our booth, who stopped by the table to chat after his turn on-camera. Since he's an animal-rights attorney and the activism advisor for VegNews, it was nice to meet one of our very own!

We also chatted and posed with Nathan Runkle, founder of Mercy for Animals and the youngest activist ever to be inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Lyndsay, Nathan, me, and Abby

You know what the perfect way to end a long, fun, yet exhausting weekend is? Dining well, of course. Abby and I ventured out into the pavement jungle in search of an affordable, vegan-friendly restaurant. Thankfully, we found the quaint and accommodating Par's Persian Cuisine, which offered both Lebanese and Italian fare.

Within seconds of looking at the menu, I knew what I wanted. Smooth, exquisite, garlicky hummus that I consumed with edible spoons: many, many wedges of warm pita:

Luscious hummus topped with olive oil and paprika

A crisp, fresh, bright tomato-cucumber-mint salad made for a cooling complement:

Diced cucumber and tomato mingle with mint and parsley

With full, happy tummies, Abby and I trekked back to the Westin and fell into a deep slumber. So what if it was only 10 pm? At least we were well rested for the daunting trip back to San Francisco. And by daunting I mean breezy. Virgin America knows how to treat a girl (big cushy seats? Please and thank you!), and San Fran is merely a hop, skip, and jump away from LA.

All in all, the weekend was a success. We learned from the AR lectures, dined well, met incredible people, and laughed constantly. This AR first-timer couldn't ask for more.

Time to Let Live—In Portland, That Is

Who: VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig
What: The Let Live NW Animal Rights Conference
Where: Portland State University
When: June 26–28, 2009
Why: To mingle with fellow activists who are fighting for the animals

The Scoop: Let Live is an animal-rights conference in Portland, Ore., dedicated to teaching skills and strategies to aspiring activists—"For anybody who wants to live and let live." It is a smaller conference, but strong with sponsors and speakers from such prominent AR organizations and companies as Compassion Over Killing, Mercy for Animals, and Herbivore Clothing. I was very excited to be the lone representative for VegNews for several reasons. First being that this was my first time participating in an animal-rights conference. Second, I had never visited Portland, and since it was named the "veg city taking over the world" in the November+December '08 issue of VegNews, it has been on my radar for quite some time.

Two nights and two days is not nearly enough time to explore the entirety of Portland, but I tried to fill in as much as I could. After doing a little research, I decided to check out an Italian restaurant called Portobello Vegan Trattoria, which sounded amazing. It was definitely a trek from the PSU campus, but the meal was totally worth it. The Tiramisu alone would have validated the long bus ride.

The following day, after another harrowing bus ride, which involved going in the wrong direction for about half an hour, I arrived at the famous vegan strip mall—a group of four stores including Sweet Pea Baking Company, Herbivore, Food Fight Grocery, and Scapegoat Tattoo (yes, even tattoo ink is not all vegan). With little time to spare I went into Food Fight and was bombarded with vegan goods of all kinds. Alas, I only had so much to spend, so I purchased some Eco-Planet non-dairy cheddar crackers (taste just like Goldfish), a Buccaneer candy bar from Go Max Go Foods, and a PROBAR. But these were only snacks, and I was in the mood for a substantial meal, so I walked a couple of blocks and stumbled upon Hungry Tiger Too, which appears to be an ordinary bar, but I was tipped off about it having a completely separate vegan menu, and boy was that true! I did what any normal person would do and ordered a club sandwich with a side of fries. It was all that my heart desired: tempeh bacon, faux turkey, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and Vegenaise. Yum!


The rest of my weekend was spent at the conference—two days full of back-to-back workshops and speaking events. I was lucky enough to hear VN contributor Jasmin Singer speak about how to use writing to further the cause of animals, as well as hear vegan cookbook-author extraordinaire, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, speak about cooking vegan on a budget. Both were very informative and interesting with a lot of discussion among the participants. The workshops covered a wide range of topics, all centered around honing your skills as an activist, and the enthusiasm for the cause was infectious. There's no doubt that the participants left with new ideas and strategies under their belts.

Jasmin et moi

So it was back to San Francisco for me, and though it was a short trip (too short, in my opinion), it was a trip full of excitement, new ideas, and good food. You can't beat that!