Date Night Dining

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Alexandra Chang
What: Happy Hour at Dash Café and Dinner at Asqew Grill
Where: San Francisco, Calif.
When: April 19, 2011
Why: To go out and have a relaxing time with the boyfriend, while eating plenty of delicious vegan fare.

The Scoop: After moving in with my boyfriend we started spending the majority of our time at home, which is hardly a problem. But getting out is important too (at least this is what people tell me), so I decided to take advantage of our local café’s weekday happy hour. VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig also recently gave me two meal tickets to Asqew Grill, turning my evening into a complete date night extravaganza.

While parking myself on my couch in front of the TV is great respite from a day’s work, there is nothing quite as relaxing and refreshing as grabbing a drink and snacks for discounted dollars. We headed to Dash Café, which recently started carrying vegan cupcakes (pictured below), cookies, and coffee cake*. For happy hour, the appetizers go for $4 and the wine and beer is a dollar off. To top it all off, the staff is friendly, the décor is cute, and the vibe is just the right amount of casual. Granted there were UCSF medical students studying nearby as we chatted away, but they didn’t seem to mind. Or at least they didn’t glare. We ended up ordering a plate of deliciously seasoned fries, a beer, and a vegan chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting to share. Dessert before dinner is always OK in my book.

Vegan cupcakes and cookies at Dash Caf

é

Enjoying some fries and beer

After filling up on all the necessities (sugar, salt, booze), we took a pleasant 20-minute walk to Asqew Grill in the Haight. I had never noticed, let alone been to, the restaurant tucked away between clothing shops. As soon as we stepped inside, however, I felt immediately comfortable. The whole place has a Western feel with a touch of SF quirk. A giant wooden menu is complemented with lopsidedly hanged photos and awards, all lit under vintage lighting fixtures. For dinner I ordered one seasonal vegetable skewer, which included slices of squash, zuchinni, tomato wedges, broccoli, and button mushrooms, and one portabello mushroom skewer. Every order also comes with a side or salad. The restaurant has three vegan options: citrus cous cous, coconut cilantro jasmine rice, and organic baby green salad. I went with the cous cous and ended up enjoying a very delicious meal!

The skewers over cous cous!

With a satisfied appetite, we took the walk back home. Either the food had gotten to us or we were just plain tired, but it took us nearly twice as much time. We meandered through UCSF, went up and down stairs around deserted medical buildings, admired views of city lights, until finally we reached the comfort of yes, our couch and TV. All in all, the night was a success, and we’ll be trying to go out more often than not.

*Dash Café says that they will only continue carrying vegan pastries if they sell well. So if you live in the area, get over to the Inner Sunset and show them how much vegans love sweets!

Cupcakes for Choice

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Alexandra Chang

What: Baking, buying, and eating vegan baked goods to support Planned Parenthood!

When: Outside Mission Bicycle in San Francisco

Where: March 6, 2011

Why: Nothing's better than tasty treats for a great cause!

The Scoop: I love eating baked goods, and have yet to encounter anything too sweet for my sweet tooth. But what I love more is baking for a cause that’s other than filling my stomach. Cupcakes for Choice, organized by Laura Hooper Beck of vegansaurus.com and Robin Doolin, and supported by dozens of volunteer workers and bakers (myself included), all started because Congress voted to cut Planned Parenthood off from federal funding. Thank goodness for government checks and balances; at least now we can hope that the Senate doesn’t let this pass! In the meantime, as the Cupcakes for Choice event site notes, “we’re taking our anger and turning it into something good.” Since I know several women who don’t have health insurance and rely on organizations like Planned Parenthood for reliable healthcare, I decided to join in and spend my Sunday morning baking two-dozen cupcakes.

My beautiful (OK, I love them too much) vegan vanilla coconut cupcakes!

Sure, my kitchen got ridiculously messy and I woke up four hours earlier than I normally would, but it was completely worth it. As the boyfriend and I arrived outside Mission Bicycle on Valencia, we were greeted by rain and a smiling Laura Beck. It wasn’t exactly the weather we’d all been hoping for, but the table of baked goods was growing and looking better with every donation. A crew of UC Berkeley journalism students were also there with their cameras, ready to film the event’s every action and interview people on Planned Parenthood work and Congress’ decision. I overheard one girl saying that the House of Representatives was “turning back time and making archaic decisions.” I wholeheartedly agreed as I packed a box full of whoopie pies, doughnuts, cupcakes, and cookies—which all happened to be vegan—and handed my money over.

People buying vegan baked goods to support Planned Parenthood.

Even with the rain, people were drawn in. By the end of the four-hour bakesale, my beautiful cupcakes were gone, and Cupcakes for Choice raised a total of $1,500 for Planned Parenthood! Here’s to more events that help raise money for those who need it most!

SF Vegan Bakesale, Round Two.

Who: VegWebmistress Laura Beck, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, VN Associate Editor Abigail Young, and VN Editorial Assistant Liz Miller

What: San Francisco Vegan Bakesale!
Where: In front of Ike's Place, San Francisco, Calif.
When: December 5, 2009
Why: Because who doesn't want to eat cupcakes for a good cause? Crazy people—that's who!

The Scoop: As the sun rose on San Francisco this past Saturday, the VegNews crew was already up, preparing mountains of treats for the SF Vegan Bakesale. And we weren't alone; dozens of people from all over the Bay Area had been mixing, kneading, and baking for the big day. Local vegan bakeries, including Violet Sweet Shoppe, Sugar Beat Sweets, Fat Bottom Bakery, Cinnaholic, Idle Hands Baking Company, and In the Mood for Food (Um, when did SF get so many fabulous vegan bakeries? For the record, I fully approve!), along with more than 50 others, came together and served up the most amazing array of vegan treats I've ever laid eyes on. There were cupcakes, cookies, focaccia, tarts, cream pies, brownies, muffins, pecan pie, croissants, and SO much more. We even had gluten-free and raw treats, too. Talk about covering your bases.

This isn't even half of the table space, piled high with baked goods.

The sale started at 11 am and ran until 4 pm. It was a mad house the entire time, with baked goods and cash being exchanged in a fervor I imagine is matched only by a good day on Wall Street. Hundreds of people descended upon the sale to scoop up the goods, leaving with to-go containers piled high with delicious treats. I was lucky enough to help with the selling and organizing, but it would be a lie if I didn't tell you that most of my day was spent stuffing my face and gossiping with friends. I planned on enjoying only a few treats, but those plans were abandoned as soon as the Candy Cane Joe-Joe's cupcakes hit the table. And then again with the peppermint brownies, and yet again with the caramelized-onion focaccia. Forget it! If you need me, I'll be in hibernation until winter is over.

Oh, I almost forgot the best part! All proceeds from the bake sale benefited two amazing local nonprofits: the Food Empowerment Project, who works with youth and low-income populations to make healthier, more informed food choices, and Save A Bunny, who do exactly that. They save bunnies at the shelter and place them in loving forever homes. Okay, now here's the best part: there were bunnies at the event! I'm not sure if I expressed myself clearly, but just in case: BUNNIES! Floppy, hoppy, adorable bunnies. I wanted to take them all home and turn my apartment into a bunny lair but the boyfriend vetoed it. I might have to reconsider this relationship.

Two adorable bunnies keep each other warm.

When all was said and done, the bake sale raised more than $4,200 for the two charities. Yes, I'll repeat that for you. Four thousand two hundred dollars. Sit on that one for a minute. Personally, I was blown away by the truly inspiring generosity and general awesomeness of everyone involved with the sale. It's such a great way to spend a day. Colleen made the observation that it's the new hang out, and I have to agree. Everyone is in an amazing mood, but how can you not be when you're surrounded by vegan cupcakes and bunnies?

Peter and Khane, VN family, pose with Colleen and their box of goodies

This is the kind of event that makes activism fun. The SF Vegan Bakesale puts delicious vegan baked goods into the world (and into my mouth!), while raising money for very worthwhile causes. And as an official sponsor, you'll see VegNews at the next one. We'll be the ones covered in frosting, trying not to bunnynap Tyson.

From Cupcakes to Karaoke

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Kailey Harless, the rest of the VN gang, VegWeb Web Mistress Laura Beck, plus friends
What: An evening of good eats and great tunes.
Where: Ike's Place and The Mint, San Francisco, Calif.
When: Thursday, August 6, 2009
Why: To eat well and let loose.

Though I’ve only been working at VegNews for a bit over two months, there are many things I’ve learned so far. Yes, we love our Parma!, communal lunches, brainstorming issues months in advance, and working hard to make the magazine we all love so dearly. But more than anything, VegNews loves balance. Just when you think you’re going to drop from exhaustion, a day of pure delight and fun rescues you.

Thursday we were all busily working on our countless projects when a lunch guest arrived bearing gifts. Might I mention she arrived with the best kind of gift, especially around this office: an edible one. Tessa Strauss, of the divine blog, Cookies and Candids, and her friend Julie joined the crew for lunch and supplied the most exquisite dessert I’ve had in months. Perhaps years. After staring at the cupcakes throughout lunch, we finally dove in to these beauties:

Almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

What you see here are decadently delicious cupcakes. In the forefront are White-Chocolate Champagne Cupcakes filled with white-chocolate ganache and topped with gold sprinkles, in the middle are Rich Chocolate Almond Cupcakes with a marzipan layer, and behind is the genius baker. I kept shaking my head in disbelief as I bit into these perfectly moist, fluffy, just-sweet-enough delights. How could these be so phenomenal?

As if our afternoon sugary feast hadn’t been enough, the VN crew decided to end the day with a well loved tradition. Somehow, one of the VegNewsies came up with the idea to combine Ike’s sandwiches and karaoke into one night of both pure scrumptiousness and hilarity.

We made the pilgrimage to Ike’s Place after work, where Charlotte and I split a sandwich. (A side note: you will be made fun of for not eating a whole sandwich by yourself when dining with the VN crew.) The perfection of this sandwich helped me ignore the haters. Take a look at the gorgeous vegan “We’re Just Friends” (can’t tell you how many times I’ve uttered that line).

Vegan turkey layered with orange glaze, avocado, soy cheese, tomato, and lettuce all within Dutch Crunch bread

Happily full, we trekked the few blocks to The Mint. Some sang, some danced, some (aka Laura Beck) performed "The Thong Song" with incredible aplomb, and we all enjoyed a much needed night out.

Rainbow Rite

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Charlotte Gordon
What: Rainbow Grocery
Where: San Francisco
When: July 7, 2009
Why: To experience Rainbow Grocery for the first time and secure a place among my vegan peers.

The Scoop: Having heard the name “Rainbow” so many times in the office and not being able to associate it with anything, I figured that it surely was linked to some vegan rite of passage. The sense of camaraderie that followed its mention as stories were shared and foreign (to me) vegan food was discussed only fortified this assumption—I finally decided to make the life-changing trek to this grocery co-op.

I packed my provisions (gum and a bottle of kombucha) and hopped aboard the L train. I got off at Van Ness and ventured to the somewhat seedy side of town. Navigating my way through sidewalk construction, I finally walked under a freeway overpass and saw the green awning that read “Rainbow.” I had made it to the vegan oasis in the urban jungle, and boy, was it worth the trip!

Rainbow's wide selection of veggie cheese.

There were no awkward run-ins with the meat section because, well, there is no meat section! What the store does have are all the vegetarian specialty foods you could ever hope to cram into one place: dairy-free ice cream galore, a fine assortment of vegan cheeses, and massive amounts of grains for stockpiling. The highlight of my trip? The baked-goods section, where label after label read “vegan.” From turnovers to cupcakes, a grip of treats were untainted with moo juice—it had to be documented. With my camera poised and ready, I was about to shoot every fluffy muffin and pinched crust when an employee politely informed me that pictures are not allowed. I pointed to myself and said “VegNews,” and that’s all it took to have free reign with the food photography. (Hmm, what other advantages come with my new VegNews status?)

Behold, vegan cupcakes aplenty.

I kept my eye on the prize (vegan chocolate-peanut-butter cupcake), and made it home safe. Now, with the milestone of discovering Rainbow under my belt, I feel a sense of empowerment. I now know where the widest selection of vegan specialty foods—aka cupcakes—are in San Francisco and am now a full-fledged San Francisco vegan.

The prize.

Lyndsay's Cupcake Adventure

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Lyndsay Orwig
What: Solo time out on the town
Where: Urban Bread in the heart of San Francisco
When: October 5, 2008
Why: To become more acquainted with the city

The Scoop: Being fairly new to San Francisco, there’s still much I have to see and experience in this animated city. Being a newbie to California—having made the trek across the United States from Virginia last April—I’ve been searching for a certain feeling of life and excitement that I was just not feeling back home. Well, I definitely felt it the moment I stepped into San Francisco in early September! This feeling has led me to want to learn and see more about this unique and gorgeous city, so every weekend I’ve been here I’ve tried to discover just a little bit more of what the city has to offer!

This past weekend made it a little harder to make the rounds. First, there was the Vegan à Go Go! Book Bash on Friday, which was a huge hit, and then there was the World VegFest, which I worked all Saturday. To be totally honest, come Sunday, all I wanted to do was relax with a good book, but the city was bustling all around me, so I couldn’t give in. So off I went onboard the L train to Castro Station, where once having emerged from underground I was bombarded by the commotion of the Castro Street Fair. With stage performances in one direction and dancing and singing in another, it was hard not to be caught up in the joy and excitement. But I had a destination in mind, so on I went. My destination was none other than Urban Bread, a quaint little hangout located at 18th and Sanchez that serves coffee and fresh baked bread, which is all vegan excluding the ones that contain cheese in their titles. However, I wasn’t going for the bread, but for the cupcakes! I heard through the grapevine that the bakery also served vegan scones and cupcakes on the weekends, and boy was it true! I got to choose from a plethora of cupcake flavors including Pina Colada, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Strawberry Daiquiri. Yum! Did I by any chance mention that I’m a horrible decision-maker? I finally decided on the chocolate cupcake, and I was not disappointed. It was delectably rich, and the frosting was to die for—so creamy and delicious! It left me wanting more, but I had to restrain myself. I guess I’ll just have to take another trip soon to try the other flavors—such a comforting thought.

So with my sweet tooth much obliged, I decided it was time to head home and get some rest before another big work week followed by another weekend full of exciting discoveries. I know there is still a great deal more to see in this wonderful city, and nothing makes me happier!