Power to the Peaceful

Who: VN Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Joseph Connelly

What: 11th Annual Power to the Peaceful Festival

Where: Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Calif.

When: September 12, 2009

Why: Michael Franti & Spearhead plus Alanis Morissette

The Scoop: Five a.m. thunderclaps threatened to put a damper on Michael Franti's annual Power to the Peaceful love fest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, due to kickoff at 9:00 a.m. with a two-hour "1,000 Yogis for Peace" morning yoga practice. Maybe 1,000 yogis didn't show, and maybe it did rain a little, but the weather wasn't going to stop this 11th annual tradition that pre-dates yet coincides with 9/11 and which has grown into a call for world peace on the weekend closest to the 2001 tragedy.

PTTP epitomizes San Francisco, as one speaker told the assembled. Where else can you wander into an urban park on a Saturday and stumble across a free concert with top-shelf talent, displays of art, a healing sanctuary, zones for kids, booths for environmental and social justice organizations, and vendors selling eco-products? Oh, and 70,000 close-knit friends.

Power to the Peaceful, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco (9/12/09)

After sets by politico hip-hop artist Truth Universal, San Francisco poet Sellassie, Malinese guitarist Vieux Farka Touré, and the powerful vocalist Cherine Anderson (see her before she hits the big time), sultry songstress Alanis Morissette took the stage. The reportedly newly vegan Morissette, looking happy and healthy, delivered a hits-filled acoustic set that pleased all.

Alanis Morissette in San Francisco

The final act of the afternoon was, of course, Michael Franti & Spearhead, complete with the legendary Sly & Robbie rhythm section and Anderson on supporting vocals. The band was on, which may or may not have had something to do with the sweet smoke filling the air or Morissette's recurring guest star role on Showtime's Weeds. It's all just coincidence. To be honest, there seemed to be more of the herb at the Outside Lands Festival two weeks prior, but then again, who's token?

Franti obviously lives for this weekend (though his tour bus arrived in the early hours of Saturday he was still spotted at the morning yoga session). And he should. The festival he has created has now reached that stage where it is an annual San Francisco tradition, and much better than most of them. In his trademark bare feet he prowled the stage with more energy than anyone should be allowed to have, filling the gaps between songs with stories of his recent appendectomy and how he wrote his current hit song, "Say Hey (I Love You)," while in Woody Harrelson's bathroom. "Woody only has one medicine in his cabinet," confessed Franti, to a roaring crowd.

Michael Franti closes the Power to the Peaceful Festival

PROBAR Pampering

Who: VN Publisher Joe Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland + VN Editor-at-Large Jennifer Pickens + VN Western Ad Sales Rep Lara Bradley + VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig + VN Editorial Assistant Melissa Feineman

What: PROBAR-sponsored evening of yoga and vegan wining and dining

When: Thursday, March 5, 2009

Where: Malibu, California

Why: To decompress before the three days of pure insanity known as Natural Products Expo West

The Scoop: There's a chance that we may have alluded to this fact before, but Expo West is what is referred to in certain circles as insanity of the purest form. Sure, we love having the opportunity to sample all the latest and greatest products on the market, getting to spend some time out of the office, and for some of us, whiling away a day at Disneyland investigating what sorts of options there are for vegan visitors. However, the conditions of Expo West being what they are (trying to cram as many taste and product-sampling sessions as possible into a three-day period), even the most seasoned experts run the risk of succumbing to information overload.

Clearly, the kind folks at PROBAR are well aware of this fact, which is why they thoughtfully extended an invitation to VN staff and other media types to spend a relaxing evening at the property they were renting for their staff in Southern California.

Allow me to paint a little picture for you: as the sun sets, you are welcomed into a palatial home (yes, this home actually had two separate wings) overlooking the shores of a lake. You are then guided to a large heated tent where you are invited to participate in a Hugger Mugger-sponsored yoga session. After you've spent some time stretching and relaxing, you are then treated to an amazingly delicious–and all vegan–dinner, made by PROBAR's founder and resident "Food Evangelist" Art Eggertsen. No, this is not a dream, though it may certainly sound like one.

PROBAR founder Art Eggertsen with his not-so-secret admirers.

As we were enjoying the incredible food (the Italian theme featured delights such as Field Roast-stuffed peppers, polenta lasagna, orzo risotto, and roasted vegetables), we were also recounted with the PROBAR story and briefly introduced to some of the key players in the PROBAR family. The entire VN table was practically swooning as founder Art Eggertsen explained his vegan ethos. While never preachy, he spoke very convincingly about how veganism (and meat-eating) can affect our planet. Several VN staffers noted that Art's heartfelt words were having a clear impact on everyone in the room, and we could absolutely understand why he chose the moniker "evangelist" for himself.

As if we needed any more special treatment for the evening, we were flabbergasted by the sheer amazingness of the dessert selection. Vegan cheesecake and gelato in truly incredible flavors (Amaretto, anyone?) had us pretty much speechless. For anyone who hasn't personally met the VN crew, please note that this is quite an awesome feat.

The evening was, by all accounts, a fantastic success. We left feeling not only stuffed to the gills on one of the most amazing meals ever, but energized by this company's mission, ethos, and all-around incredible team.

Art poses with some of his awe-inspiring cheesecake and gelato.