Special Report: VegNews in NYC (Day 1)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: Day one of a five-day business trip
Where: New York City
When: May 14, 2008
Why: Farm Sanctuary Gala + Veggie Pride Parade + meetings galore with colleagues, friends, and magazine partners

The Scoop: For vegetarians, there’s no place like New York for an astonishing range of what may be the best meat-free fare on the planet. While New Yorkers feel their city is the epicenter of the world, many argue that it is the center of the veggie universe. Although we have it very good in San Francisco, can any city really compete with NYC? Think Korean Buddhist food, Indian dosa carts, vegetarian dim sum, high-end hotspots, vegan bakeries, falafel stands, organic juice bars, farmers’ markets, cheese-free pizza, veggie fast food, raw eateries, Asian fusion, and the list goes on. Too bad this is the city of $3,000 studios.

At least once a year, we find ourselves in this veggie mecca. With the swanky Farm Sanctuary Gala on Saturday, we decided to build our annual NY trip around the event. We arrived Tuesday night (SFO to JFK via JetBlue—love it) and began our journey with lunch on Wednesday with VN Publisher Joseph Connelly’s parents, Ed and Josephine. Always up for a good South Indian meal, we hit House of Dosas on Long Island for delicious masala dosas (the star dish of South India, it’s an oversized crisp lentil crepe filled with spiced potatoes, onions, and cilantro—see photo below), pakoras (deep-fried eggplant, cauliflower, and potato fritters in a chickpea batter), and uthappam (a savory Indian pancake served with coconut chutney and sambar). A favorite spot of the local Indian community (the place is always packed), you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the subcontinent for a truly authentic dining experience, complete with stainless steel dishware, highly efficient service, and the tunes of Bollywood streaming in the background.

We head into Manhattan to officially begin the trip. With a few hours to go before our dinner engagement, we wander the streets of Midtown to take it all in. We visit two Whole Foods (VegNews was displayed front and center at both stores. Yeah!), the Union Square Greenmarket, and a handful of newsstands to check on distribution. We notice that Jamba Juice has now taken over the city, which was not the case five years ago when smoothies were impossible to find. In true NY form, they’re six bucks a pop!

For dinner, we’re meeting friends Teresa and Jack at one of New York’s most acclaimed vegetarian restaurants, HanGawi, for Korean cuisine. As we walk through the door, the chaos of the city quickly subsides and we enter this calm and peaceful refuge. We slip off our shoes, slip into the sunken table, and begin our multi-course “HanGawi Emperor’s Meal” while sipping ginger tea and wine. We start with small clay bowls of pumpkin and sweet corn porridge—each were smooth, subtle, and warming. Our server then delivers parchment-paper-wrapped vermicelli that was absolutely divine (we would have been satisfied with just a large plate of these sautéed noodles) before bringing out a trio of appetizers for each person. We dove into stuffed shiitake mushrooms, vegetable-filled fried tofu triangles, and a bowl of mountain roots and greens. After a brief period to digest, and enjoy the zen-like ambiance, the entrées were served: Bi Bim Bap (sizzling rice and vegetables in a stone pot) and sautéed eggplant and mushrooms with multi-grain rice. To finish off the meal, we sipped a sweet broth laced with cinnamon. The food, company, and atmosphere were incredible—no visit to New York would be complete without a meal at HanGawi!

Mother’s Day at Millennium

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, and VN Assistant to the Publisher Frankie McGee
What: Mother’s Day Brunch
Where: San Francisco's renown Millennium Restaurant
When: May 11, 2008
Why: To express our appreciation for our dear friend and VN volunteer, Frankie McGee

The Scoop: Frankie McGee is a San Francisco institution. A long-time vegetarian and super-supporter of local veg organizations, she's an amazing asset to the VN team—giving, wise, and gracious. Frankie assists us with everything from mailers and filing to kitchen maintenance (if we need a garlic press, one miraculously appears the next day) and organizational systems. Since opening our offices four years ago, Frankie’s been with us every step of the way.

To show our gratitude, we remind Frankie frequently how thankful we are. From time to time, we throw a “Frankie Appreciation Day” with gifts and her favorite lunch. For the past two years, we’ve treated her to Mother’s Day brunch at Millennium, since, in many ways, she is the matriarch of VegNews.

A warm, sunny day in San Francisco set the tone for a delightful midday brunch. As soon as we were seated, Frankie was served a bellini (peach nectar and Champagne—see the May+June issue for our favorite recipe), an on-the-house treat for all "moms." We then shared a plate of freshly baked breads: walnut chocolate-chip banana bread, almond-huckleberry streusel coffee cake, and cornmeal black-pepper muffins with spiced pecan butter. Salads arrived next, featuring mixed greens, shaved fennel, and organic strawberries in a sherry-hazelnut vinaigrette. We enjoyed every bite of our sumptuous entrées—Joseph and Colleen tucked into The Benedict (grilled, smoked tempeh, sweet onions, and sautéed spinach atop house-made focaccia drizzled with a Champagne béarnaise sauce), while Frankie savored walnut waffles with coconut-vanilla bean crème and strawberry-mango compote alongside rosemary roasted potatoes. Oh, and there’s more. Yes, that would be dessert. We had a choice of strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with orange blossom ice cream (absolute perfection) or a mocha-chocolate torte with a fig compote and hazelnut-butterscotch sauce (see photo below). As always, service was impeccable and the ambiance just right.

And VN has scoop! We’ve learned that Millennium will soon be bringing back its monthly brunch. Now we can relax over meals like the aforementioned each and every month. The restaurant’s other popular events include Aphrodisiac Nights and the upcoming Southern Comfort Dinner (where the VN staff will be celebrating VegNews' 8th Anniversary).

Political Party Animals

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Managing Editor Aurelia d'Andrea, VN Senior Editor Jennifer Pickens, plus independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader, his would-be VP Matt Gonzalez, and a roomful of their supporters
What: A fundraiser/meet-and-greet
When: Sunday, May 11
Why: To raise money for the Nader/Gonzalez 2008 ticket
Where: Tony Serra's North Beach law offices in San Francisco

The Scoop: If you caught the last Clinton/Obama debate, you know all about contemporary politics' snoozefest potential. Whatever happened to revved-up rallies and energetic, heartening debates about issues that really mattered? Where have all the good politicians gone? Well, turns out we had a couple of 'em right under our noses in San Francisco last weekend, just waiting for folks like us to turn up to their fun, feisty fundraiser.

Lucky for us, we heeded the call and got a much-needed political recharge. Stoked! 

Ralph Nader, a three-time presidential candidate, is best known as a consumer advocate (his most famous book, Unsafe at Any Speed, exposed the auto industry's dirtiest secrets and became a national bestseller in the '60s). Former San Francisco supervisor Matt Gonzalez is a local hero, having run for mayor as the Green Party candidate in 2003 (he lost, but by a slim margin). Together, they're presenting themselves as a smart alternative to McCain, Clinton, and Obama, and had at least one VN staffer mesmerized with dialog about the dominant power of corporations over politics, and why you can't be anti-war yet still authorize excessive military spending.

To temper the soaring blood-pressure levels (which were rising in a good way), there was plenty of wine, food—all veg, hurray!—and fun people to chat with once the speeches were complete. The evening ended with a Nader booksigning (that's Joseph with Ralph Nader, below. Note the autographed copy of Unsafe in Joe's hand) and a series of photo ops. Look for Nader and Gonzalez on a ballot near you this November, if you dare!

Magical Madeleine Bistro

Who: VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria + Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough
What: Pre-flight dinner
Where: Madeleine Bistro, Tarzana, Calif.
When: May 10, 2008
Why: How could we be in LA and not go?

The Scoop: As you've already read, Lisa and I enjoyed quite the event at WorldFest. After a day full of talking with people, checking out other exhibitors, and, of course, playing with puppies, we were famished. Was it fate that WorldFest was held in Encino—mere minutes away from Madeleine Bistro? Whether our dinner there was pre-destined or not, we knew there was nowhere else we'd rather go.

Since we had to keep an eye on the clock—missing our late-night flight back to SF was not an option—we decided we'd order just one entrée each and forgo all the incredibly tempting appetizers, first courses, and desserts. When we walked in and met Molly Anderson—who owns the restaurant with her husband and executive chef, David (whom you may remember from a little something called the 2007 Veggie Awards)—our plans took a turn for the delicious. Molly graciously did a bit of extra ordering for us. The first thing to arrive at the table? Doughnuts!

With such an auspicious beginning, it was hard to imagine what would come next. To our utter delight, plates arrived bearing the creamiest mac 'n' cheese either of us had ever tasted. Next? Very yummy mushroom potstickers, and Madeleine Bistro's signature appetizer, the beet tartare, which comes served on a disc of homemade vegan cheese (see above!). Are you sitting down, already? Because there's more: While we were still revelling in the appetizers, Molly came to the table with a burger and said, "You have to try the Bigger Maque." It was, literally, a vegan Big Mac. We died. Then, the entrées arrived. We died again, but rallied enough to thoroughly enjoy chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes and rich, delicious gravy, and tofu scallops atop a bed of green beans and shiitake mushrooms. So that was it, right? Well, no, actually. But what kind of dessert could follow a meal like that? Oh, I think the chocolate soufflé that came next did a fine job. No joke: vegan chocolate soufflé. It was like eating a little cloud of heavenly chocolate cake batter. See its majesty below, in a photo that in no way does it justice. And, as though we hadn't been spoiled enough, there was also cannoli. You read that right. Cannoli.

It was absolutely worth it to run from the security checkpoint all the way to the farthest possible gate at LAX to have the opportunity to spend time with Molly and enjoy what was, without exaggeration, the best meal either of us had ever ever eaten.

WorldFest 2008 (aka "Vegan Food & Puppies")

Who: VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria + VN Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough
What: The WorldFest 2008 Earth Day Festival
Where: Encino, Calif.
When: May 10, 2008
Why: To represent the magazine and support the vegan community

The Scoop: Having encountered delayed flights, extremely tardy rental-car shuttles, closed restaurants, and less-than-scrupulous driving directions—only to arrive at our hotel to discover that the hot tub had closed for the evening—well, let’s just say that we were happy to hit our Sleep Number beds and begin a new day.

With the aid of a good night's sleep, hot showers, and a sparkly blue PT Cruiser, we made our way to LA’s largest Earth Day Festival to staff the VN booth and check out the cool roster of speakers and exhibitors. We were particularly interested in what was going on at the Field Roast booth, (um, hello apple-sage sausages!), but equally drawn to the non-food-centric Angels in Fur Dog Rescue booth, one of several non-profit dog-adoption groups present.

Event organizers Jill Hahn and Billy Hulting made us feel right at home, greeting us with warm smiles and much-appreciated VIP passes. Having plenty of trade- and consumer-show experiences under our collective belt, we knew to expect inquisitive, hungry crowds, but we were both surprised and downright moved to discover a solar-powered, completely vegan celebration of the earth and its inhabitants. Watching the diverse, upbeat crowds filing in under the bright SoCal sun and perusing the aisles of planet-friendly booths, it became clear that this event was about more than just subscriptions-hustling or networking. This was a chance to witness all kinds of compassionate folk coming together to honor and learn about the importance of empathy, non-violence, and responsible living, as well as the interdependence of the environmental-, human-, and animal-rights movements.

Okay, that's enough. I promised myself I wouldn't cry.

Lasagna-palooza 2008!

Who: The VN staff, the Castoria family, and hungry hordes from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area
What: Lasagna-palooza!
Where: HMB Parks & Recreation Department Community Center, Half Moon Bay
When: May 10, 2008
Why: Um, unlimited vegan lasagna!

The Scoop: While most of us VN staffers have families who support our animal-friendly lifestyles, no one on staff is more enthusiastically supported than our lovely Elizabeth Castoria of the now-legendary Castorias of Half Moon Bay. While still living with her folks, she would arrive home each evening to an abundant, homemade vegan spread. But it wasn’t enough for Louis and Susy to honor their daughter’s personal ethical choice; they decided to open their arms (and kitchen) and throw an open-community food festival to celebrate veganism. The entire family, having spent several weekends slaving over enough tofu-ricotta filling and secret-recipe tomato-“meatball” sauce to feed a small army (okay—make that 160 hungry people), served up heaps of green salad, fresh bread, and great hunks of warm, flavorful lasagna smothered in Teese (pounds of which were donated by the generous gents at Chicago Soy Dairy). After mingling with a diverse crowd of vegans and the veg-curious—not to mention a surprise run-in with Zepparella’s Gretchen Menn, one of our featured vegan musicians in the upcoming July+August Music issue—a few heartfelt speeches, and a meal so delicious it had many of us adjusting our belts and lining up for more, we all left inspired, sated, and a tad sentimental. Here is Elizabeth's fabulous familia: Susy, Louis, and sister Sheila:

And the Winner is …

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly + VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland
What: The Maggie Awards, an annual magazine awards banquet
Where: The Westin LAX in Los Angeles
When: May 2, 2008
Why: With two Maggie nominations this year, we had high hopes for bringing home the top prize!

The Scoop: About two months ago, Team VN learned it had secured two nominations in the 2008 Maggie Awards. The Maggies, affectionately referred to as “The Oscars” of the magazine publishing world, is no small feat. This year, VegNews was up for one of the major awards, Best Lifestyle Magazine, as well as for Joseph Connelly’s compelling profile on activist Gretchen Wyler (“The Actress and The Elephant”) from the September+October 2007 issue. Needless to say, we’ve been sitting on pins and needles ever since.

Finally, the big day arrived. We flew down to Los Angeles on our favorite new airline, Virgin America (great service, affordable fares, and cool cabins). In need of a quick bite to calm our nerves, we head over to the only spot nearby to secure a veggie meal, Subway (gotta love the plethora of veg options near airports). We enjoyed a pair of Veggie Delite sandwiches (cheese-free, with avocado, toasted bread, and vinaigrette, thank you very much). No complaints!

The pre-ceremony cocktail party commenced at 5:30pm, and we had a chance to mingle with publishers from all over the country. There were racks filled with the nominated publications, and it’s always fun to flip through magazines in a range of categories (sports, automotive, health, epicurean, etc.). At 7:00pm, the ballroom doors swung open, and a sit-down dinner was served. Despite requesting a vegan entrée every year, we always end up with same thing: a salad, cheese-filled ravioli topped with roasted vegetables (the veggies were great), dinner rolls, and a decidedly non-vegan dessert. Thank god for Subway.

At last, the ceremony began. A high-tech multimedia show featuring all of the nominees kicked off the program (think glossy mag covers buzzing all over the film screen set to cool tunes). We then wait anxiously for the biggie: Best Lifestyle Magazine. Up against Vegetarian Times, Alternative Medicine, Mothering, and The Advocate, this was our year. We won! Oh my god! It was fantastic. VN publisher Joseph Connelly gave a heartfelt speech to the audience of 600+, making sure to acknowledge our fellow nominees (who were all in attendance). Unfortunately, we didn’t take top honors for our second nomination, but we’re still absolutely elated. Our staff works hard to deliver the best vegetarian magazine on the planet, and it’s wonderful to be recognized. Yeah!

Fashion Goes Green

Who: VN Managing Editor Aurelia d'Andrea
What: A fabulous fashion show/auction/charity benefit
When: Saturday, April 26
Where: Acadamy of Art University, San Francisco
Why: To support a local non-profit (and see some pretty clothes, too)

The Scoop: It was one of those rare, gorgeous, hot spring days in San Francisco, and after a steamy afternoon gallery hopping downtown, what better way to cool off than to sip cocktails and munch (hopefully) vegan hors d'oeuvres at a fashion-focused South of Market soirée? As the afternoon winds picked up, I climbed aboard my trusty bicycle and followed the breeze toward the Academy of Art University to see what the Discarded to Divine event was all about.

Pulling a pair of high heels out of my bag, I did a ninja footwear change before heading toward the big tent with the mile-long line of dressed-to-the-nines urbanites snaking out of it. Standing in line, I met Bay Area designer Cari Borja, an amazingly talented artist who's "Cotton Candy Kelp" dress was one of many gorgeous creations up for auction. (That's her, above, with her daughter, Royal.)

Inside, it was a non-stop fashion extravaganza: One-of-a-kind dresses in every shape and hue filled the main room, while stylistas cruised the floor looking for that perfect oufit to bid on. Everything on display was created by local designers and design students from throw-away clothing donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, whose mission is to help the poor and homeless through a variety of programs. The event was a dazzling allegory for how lives, like clothing, can be utterly and completely transformed with the right resources and a bit of creativity.

My stomach really started rumbling just as the announcement was made that the fashion show was about to begin, so I, and several hundred others, shuffled over to the big tent to see the spectacle. It was straight out of a "Project Runway" episode, and I loved every second of it—even if I was a little preoccupied by the idea of eating. Thank goodness for Indian restaurants that stay open late. Chana masala never tasted so good!

A model struts her stuff wearing the "Shadow Box" dress by student designer Nancy DeLos Reyes.

Stuffed Silly in Seattle

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, and VN West Coast Sales Rep Laurie Bradley
What: Seattle Green Festival + vegan food tour
Where: Washington State Convention & Trade Center
When: April 11–14, 2008
Why: To share VegNews with 25k Green Festival attendees, as well as hit some great veg restaurants

The Scoop: In town for Seattle’s first-ever Green Festival, the VN team was eager to share the mag with the Seattle community. A long-time sponsor of the Green Festival, we travel each year to cool cities like Chicago, Austin, Washington DC, San Francisco, and now Seattle to promote the magazine at this wildly successful event—each attracts an average of 25,000 attendees, and the food is always vegetarian (and mostly vegan). It’s nice to be a part of a green event that gets its on the food level. After all, going veg is the single most important thing we can do to stop global warming, but, then, you already knew that.

Of course, VN business trips always include excursions to the city’s finest vegetarian eateries. It’s our duty, after all, to share the very best of all things veg with VN readers, so we’re just doing our job. Let’s just say that Seattle makes a great veggie getaway, whether for a weekend or a week. The options seem limitless, and we barely scratched the surface. So let’s get started:

Friday lunch: Cyber-Dogs
Located next to the convention center in the heart of downtown (see photo above), how could we pass up an opportunity to hit a café featuring exclusively vegetarian hot dogs and coffee drinks (this is Seattle, after all, birthplace of Starbucks). We savored the El Bandito (veggie dog topped with chili, vegan cheese, avocado, salsa, and onions) and Dog from Ipanema (smothered in rice, black beans, tomatoes, hearts of palm, and cilantro simmered in coconut milk).

Friday dinner: Teapot Vegetarian House
When asked about their favorite veg spot, many locals immediately respond “Teapot.” If you like faux meats, you’ll love this place. Three of us shared two of their house specialties: Rose Drummettes (tofu and seitan drummettes with a rose-tea dipping sauce) and Sweet and Sour Nuggets (made from mushrooms in a tangy sauce). We couldn’t resist the traditional Malay dessert called Gulu Malacca: tapioca pearls with sorbet, coconut syrup, soy whipped cream, and crushed peanuts.

Sunday breakfast #1: Flying Apron Bakery
We could have relaxed at this cozy vegan bakery for hours. Antique tables and chairs filled the eating area, where we nibbled on a warm gluten-free cinnamon roll and raspberry oat bar, and sipped peppermint tea and a soy chai latte. Free wi-fi and good people-watching made it extra special.

Sunday breakfast #2: Mighty-O Donuts
How could we pass up an opportunity to indulge in organic vegan donuts at the world-famous Mighty-O? An institution in Seattle, this friendly spot was packed, and we split a Chocolate Cake Don King (chocolate donut drizzled with vanilla icing and sprinkled with sweet coconut). If we lived in Seattle, we would house-hunt as close as possible to this joint to ensure a daily dose of the best damn vegan donuts we’ve ever had (see below photo for visual proof).

Sunday breakfast #3: Sidecar for Pigs Peace
Okay, we didn’t eat a third time, but we did make a stop at the vegan boutique, Sidecar for Pigs Peace, a must-visit on our trip. Located in the University district, this well-stocked shop donates all proceeds to Pigs Peace Sanctuary. What a great concept—and they sell everything from handbags and handmade soaps to vegan ice cream and dog food. We did buy some drinks to keep ourselves hydrated after the morning sugar overload.

Sunday dinner: Café Flora
This was the perfect place to enjoy a meal with friends on a cold, drizzly Seattle night. One of the city’s most celebrated vegetarian restaurants, we kept warm inside over yam fries with cayenne aioli, French dip sandwiches, flat-bread pizzas, organic green salads, and pan-fried yucca cakes. This is the place to impress non-veg friends or celebrate a special occasion.

Monday lunch: Chaco Canyon Café
In need of a healthy meal, this bright, airy organic café came highly recommended. Completely vegan, we sipped freshly squeezed juices (the 7003—apple, orange, carrot, kiwi, and ginger—and the Tummy Tickle (grapefruit, apple, ginger, and lemon) before sinking into a Hippy Bowl (quinoa topped with baked tofu, carrots, sprouts, and a garlic-tahini sauce) and a Thai Peanut Bowl (brown rice with baby bok choi, spinach, black sesame seeds, and a spicy peanut sauce).

Monday snack: Mighty-O Donuts
How awful would it be to return to the VNHQ without souvenirs from Seattle? And VN staffers deserve nothing but the best. So we picked up two dozen freshly-made, still-warm donuts from Mighty-O and got a full tour to boot, where owner Ryan Kellner shared the inner workings of a vegan donut shop (we found it fascinating). The VN staff will thank us in the morning.

And that completes our veggie food tour of Seattle. Hope you’re satisfied!

Seaside Rendezvous

Who: VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria and VN Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough
What: A weekend by the sea
Where: M. Coffee's, Half Moon Bay, Calif.
When: April 5, 2008
Why: Because everyone needs a leisurely coffee-filled Saturday morning

The Scoop: Growing up in Half Moon Bay, I took for granted that every coffee shop carried soymilk and served something delicious and vegan for breakfast. M. Coffee's, a local institution, makes sure that all your vegan needs are met with their bevy of soy-based beverages, bagels, and buns. Yes, even the extremely fluffy and wonderful rosemary buns—procured daily from the bakery next door—are vegan. Lisa and I, having thoroughly enjoyed ourselves the previous night at fellow editor Jen Picken's art show and website-launch party, decided to head down the coast and see if we couldn't find ourselves something for breakfast in my hometown.

There's nothing like having an "in" when it comes to the coffee shop. My gorgeous sister Sheila (see her cuteness for yourself, above) is the weekend manager at the shop, and she made sure that Lisa and I got the most delicious breakfast sandwiches the kitchen could provide. We both got variations on the "Mac special," a menu item that's always vegan and involves the aforementioned rosemary buns, tomatoes, kalamata olives, fresh basil, avocado, and seasoned salt. Lisa's also included a Boca burger, and mine was topped with grilled artichoke hearts and bell peppers.
Yum! If there's a better way to start the weekend than washing down delicious sandwiches with soy Mexican mochas, I don't even want to know about it. As Freddie Mercury would say, what a damn jolly good idea!

V is for ... Victory!

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, Managing Editor Aurelia d'Andrea, Senior Editor Jennifer Pickens, and a whole herd of hard-working friends of farm animals
What: A food and drink-fueled victory party
Why: to celebrate signature-gathering success and getting animal-friendly legislation on the November ballot
When: Saturday, April 5
Where: The San Francisco SPCA

The Scoop: After nearly five months spent signature-gathering throughout the state of California as part of the Humane California ballot initiative project and reaching the lofty goal of collecting 500,000 signatures, Bay Area farmed animal advocates definitely earned their right to party. And that they did.

On an early spring night in the Mission-slash-Potrero district of San Francisco, a couple hundred signature-gathering heros met and mingled over fresh crudités, mini cupcakes, and glasses of Frey Vineyards wine, and listened as the amazing Nora Kramer—a good friend of VegNews and a dedicated animal activist who worked non-stop to make this project a success—gave props to the people who made the ballot initiative a success. At her side this evening and throughout the campaign was Karin Olsson, another amazing young animal advocate who we hear just landed herself a coveted job at HSUS. (Congratulations, Karin!)

After speeches were made and kudos doled out, guests bought raffle tickets for a chance to attend the May 3 Farm Sanctuary Country Hoe Down*, then proceeded to eat, drink, be merry—and eat some more.

Nora brought the evening to a close by reminding everyone to get involved in Phase Two of this project: getting everyone in the state to vote yes on the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act this November. It's a no-brainer that farmed animals should have the right to stand up, lie down, and flap their wings, right? Mark your calendars for November 4!

*Certain guests, who happen to work for VegNews Magazine, were not among the prizewinners :O(

A Picture's Worth A Pretty Penny

Who: VN Editors Jennifer Pickens, Aurelia d’Andrea, Elizabeth Castoria, and Lisa Mickleborough + Oakland’s artsy-fartsy glitterati
What: Blackbird Photograpy Gallery Show & Website Launch Party
Where: Pretty Penny, Oakland, Calif.
When: April 4, 2008
Why: To support local vegan artists

The Scoop: We here at VegNews like ourselves some art, especially local vegan art. But, truth be told, our favorite art of all is the kind made by local, vegan artists who happen to be VN Senior Editors, like Ms. Jennifer Pickens. Jen, along with her partner Tiffany Black, established Blackbird Photography in 2001 when they met while studying photography in college. While initially compelled to photograph companion animals, they’ve since expanded their portfolio to include portraits, weddings, photojournalism, and print editorial.

Having traveled to all seven continents, Jen has brought a seasoned and sensitive eye to a body of work described as “timeless,” “emotional,” and “quiet.” Sound like a lot of shameless plugging? Maybe. But we went to check her work out for ourselves. Arriving at Pretty Penny vintage clothing store’s charming Oakland location, we squeezed past hipsters clutching bright old-lady purses and sporting ill-fitting cowboy shirts and stood, agape, as we took in Jen and Tiffany’s (digital of course, not gelatin-procured!) collection. Displayed in an assortment of unique frames hung their best pieces, including candid shots at awkward family gatherings and haunting, Hitchcock-like bird stills. We truly were surprised by their beautiful work. We could have stood around all night being impressed—but we were also there to schmooze! As VN editors, it was our solemn duty to chat with other attendees, fanny about amidst fantastic, one-of-a-kind frocks, sip some wine, and toast Jen and her continued success. You can find her work on Pretty Penny’s walls for at least a couple more weeks, but you better act fast because, by the time we’d departed, a number of pieces had been slapped with a big ol’ “SOLD!”

Sun-drenched Venice Beach Brunch

Who: The VN gang, superstar chef/writer Moira Nordholt, and SoCal friends of VegNews
What: Our annual post-Genesis Awards brunch
Where: Moira and Ron's Venice Beach bungalow
When: March 30, 2008
Why: To socialize and make merry over a lovingly prepared vegan feast

The Scoop: There's nothing quite as fabulous as a gathering of friends on a lazy Sunday, taking in the sunshine on a verdant backyard patio while chatting away over coffee and mimosas, fresh-baked scones, warm spanakopita, and cool salads. What could be better? Throw in some homemade chocolate truffles and a gentle sea breeze, and you've got a pretty good idea of the cozy camaraderie we all experienced at the annual Sunday brunch at Ron and Moira's seaside abode.

Between bites of pancakes topped with warm cherry compote and forkfulls of spicy tofu stirfry, the VN staff learned about raw food chef/entrepreneur Ani Phyo's recent trip to Baja, listened in awe as Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's pioneering leader Paul Watson shared his tale of bullet dodging on the high seas, talked farmed animal rescue with Animal Acres founder Lorri Bauston, and swapped travel tales with the beautiful-inside-and-out Ashley Lou Smith and her funnier-than-heck hubby Dan Piraro (who we were all amazed to see up and walking after his death-defying dance-floor moves the night before). And then we helped ourselves to thirds and fourths.

It's a tough job being a VN editor, but somebody's got to do it.

The After-Party

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, VN Managing Editor Aurelia d’Andrea, and VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria
What: The Genesis Awards After-Party
Where: The Beverly Hills Ballroom at The Beverly Hilton Hotel
When: March 29–30, 2008
Why: To party, dance, and schmooze with a glam group of animal lovers

The Scoop: Just when we thought the evening couldn’t be topped, the doors swing open to an after-party that went until the wee hours of the morning. With leatherette lounge seating, soft candlelight, and long tables displaying rows of vegan French pastries, this may have been veggie heaven. And let’s not forget the rockin’ disco and '80s tunes that kept us dancing all night long—let’s just hope no blackmail footage of a certain trio of VN staffers surfaces anytime soon. Busting the moves alongside us on the dance floor were Rory Freedman, Paul Watson, Karen Dawn, Gene Baur, Samantha Ragsdale, Lorri Bauston, Rey Ortega, Ari Solomon (love his line of soy candles), Denise Borchert, Susan Weingartner, and a bevy of other fabulous veggies. To loosen things up even more, the Champagne, wine, and cocktails were flowing.

But let’s get back to those French pastries. They were stunning—in fact, we poked and prodded around just to make sure the confections were indeed vegan. Our hosts and the hotel staff assured us they were, so indulge we did. Envision mini tartlets topped with a whipped soy meringue, chocolate mousse towers draped in chocolate shavings, pots of warm chocolate fondue with fresh strawberries, European-style cookies, petites gateaux—oh yes, these were as close to the real deal as they come. The pastry chef on staff deserves some kind of medal.

While some party goers danced, others nibbled, sipped, and chatted with fellow vegetarians. There’s nothing like being surrounded by great people doing great work—it’s incredibly inspiring and gives us hope for a more compassionate future. We also need to remember to have fun and kick up our heels every once in a while. Mission accomplished.

Fancy-Pants Awards Show

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, VN Managing Editor Aurelia d'Andrea, and VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria
What: The 22nd Annual Genesis Awards
Where: The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, Calif.
When: March 29, 2008
Why: Because we're fancy. Also, because VN is a longtime sponsor of the Genesis Awards.

The Scoop: The Genesis Awards are kind of a big deal. By that we mean they're basically the Oscars of the animal-rights movement. Presented by The Humane Society of the United States, they honor major media's efforts to raise awareness of animal issues—a category into which fall news teams who report on slaughterhouse horrors, comedy writers who joke about burgers not looking anything like cows, and documentarians who bring the reality of our environment to life. So, the room ends up packed with people who, in some way, are working to make life better for animals—and who just happen to be dressed to the nines.

The VN table was in no short supply of lovely people, as we were joined by good friends Rey Ortega, Jill Hahn, Denise Herrick Borchert, Walter Borchert, Billy Hulting, and Andrea Gullo (all captured glamorously above). The all-vegan dinner featured a light salad with grilled tofu, a main course of faux chicken, pasta, beets, carrots, and broccolini, and an indulgent dessert of chocolate mousse cake decorated with a flourish of raspberry and peach coulis.

After dinner, the awards ceremony began. After introductions from Bill Maher, HSUS President Wayne Pacelle, and Senior Director of the Hollywood office of the HSUS, Beverly Kaskey, awards were handed out by the likes of Kyle MacLachlan, Persia White, and Linda Cardellini. Winners included Rob Stewart's Sharkwater, 60 Minutes, CSI:Crime Scene Investigation, and Hayden Panetierre took home this year's Wyler Award—named for the Genesis Awards' founder, the late Gretchen Wyler. Since many of the nominations were for news series dealing with issues such as dog fighting, puppy mills, and slaughterhouses, it was certainly a plus to have so many stars to ogle and distract us while graphic footage was broadcast on giant movie screens. Speaking of cute stars, can anyone get enough of Rory Freedman? Judging by the looks of the guys below, we're guessing that'd be a "no."
Be sure to check out our full report from the after-party, coming soon on Press Pass!