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.

La La Land

Who: VN Managing Editor Aurelia d’Andrea + Senior Editor Jennifer Pickens
What: Restaurant soft opening for media
Where: The Veggie Grill, El Segundo, Calif.
When: January 18, 2008
Why: Business

The Scoop: Our fun- and food-filled weekend excursion to Los Angeles began at Veggie Grill which is not technically in LA, but in El Segundo, of all places. It’s a little tricky to find if you don’t know this area, but after accidentally driving into a local air force base, we finally discovered the restaurant tucked away in a mini-mall behind the largest Whole Foods either if us had ever seen. Gregarious owners Kevin and TK met us at the door and gave us the VIP treatment. Choosing which amazingly yummy dish to order off the all-vegan menu proved challenging. Jen opted for the Chop-Chop Chef salad, sprinkled with quinoa and served with a creamy, chipotle-infused dressing. Jen swears it’s the best salad she’s ever eaten. Ever. For reals. Aurelia’s Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’ Sandwich came with the crispiest, most heavenly sweet potato fries, and left her feeling full and happy for hours. After an afternoon of shopping for vintage clothes on Melrose, we drove to Venice to meet up with friends and dine at Real Food Daily in Santa Monica—where we immediately spoiled our appetites with the best starter in the world: vegan nachos. They were perfect, right down to the cheesy sauce drizzled all over them. We both wished that we’d ordered individual platters. Not that dinner wasn’t great, mind you. But come on. Vegan nachos?! Yes, please.

Here's a close-up on the awesome grub at Veggie Grill: