Raw Revolution

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Stacy Blondin + VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria + VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig
What: Alive!’s Chinese New Year Celebration
When: Monday, January 26, 2009
Where: Alive! Vegetarian Cuisine, San Francisco
Why: Because one New Year celebration is one too few

The Scoop: In anticipation of the Chinese New Year, Elizabeth, Lyndsay and I could not resist the urge to spend Monday night out on the town. Three buses, two trains, and a short walk later, we three weary travelers found ourselves at the doorstep of Alive! Vegetarian Cuisine just in time for the party. And—minus the cold food—what a warm welcome we received!

Making our way outside onto the patio, we were delighted to feast our ears upon live, traditional Chinese music, which set the tone for the evening. Under fiery heat lamps we listened to a duet of string instruments—the Guzheng and the Erhu—as we said farewell to the year of the dog and welcomed in the Ox. Chinese lanterns, fans, and ornaments transformed the outdoor garden into a festive feng shui oasis.

After a brief survey of our surroundings, we found—and soon lost ourselves in—the incredible assortment of uncooked edible creations set elegantly before us, almost too beautiful to eat—but not quite. We dabbled in an assortment of appetizing appetizers, delectable hors d’oeuvres, and decadent desserts—all prepared from seasonal, local, raw, vegetarian, and animal-free ingredients. And that handful of adjectives, while impressive on its own, doesn’t dare do justice to the beauty and flavor of the bite-sized works of art displayed on white paper doilies.

Lyndsay and Stacy with empty plates and full tummies

Among the sampling of starter salads in the buffet, we basked in the glory of creations granted titles as sophisticated as their flavors; the Apple-Fennel Salad, Ginger-Carrot-Napa Cabbage Torte, Marinated Kale Salad, and Spicy Asian Pear salad each boasted a unique combination of creativity and crunch. We awarded the Kale concoction, with its tangy dressing and marinated mushrooms, an extra-shiny gold star.

Moving on to more filling fare, we were particularly fascinated by the flax crackers and sesame- seed hummus, a raw version of this traditional veg party favorite. The avocado and cabbage stuffed sushi rolls were nothing to shy away from either. However, the Salmon Paté Sandwich was perhaps the most impressive entrée of the evening, consisting of carrots, sunflower seeds, and sprouts plopped prettily upon a sprouted kamut biscuit slightly sweetened with a hint of agave.

Carrot Sunflower Seed Pate Sandwiches and Spicy Plum Vegan Satay

And last, but certainly not least, dessert. With our choice of Tangerine Cake, Mango-Lemon Cheesecake, Walnut-Chocolate Confection or Asian Pear-Almond Torte, we clearly made the right one: all. The only decision remaining was which to try first. We started on the safe side with the Walnut-Chocolate Confection. After all, it’s hard to go wrong with chocolate. And right we were. These harmless little nuggets of walnuts, dates, cashews, coconut oil, raw cacao, and agave nectar were rich enough to quell any chocolate-lover’s craving. The Asian Pear-Almond Torte and Tangerine Cakes ranked close behind, but it was the Mango-Lemon Cheesecake that took the cake—and every last bit of stomach space.

We departed, none of us ready to part with all things toasty and warm, but exceptionally impressed and intrigued by the raw side of things. An entire meal, and an exceptionally satisfying one at that, created entirely from the highest-quality ingredients available, soaked and sprouted rather than steamed, sautéed, or smoked, earned our utmost respect and left us feeling oh so alive! 

WIPP It Good

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, VN Editorial Director Aurelia d'Andrea, + VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria
What: The Women In Periodical Publishing Women's Leadership Conference
When: Friday, January 23, 2009
Where: The Westin, San Francisco, Calif.
Why: Because ladies do more than lunch

The Scoop: In case you're wondering, it's a really extra-good idea to attend conferences about the industry in which you work. Meeting people, listening to presentations, and having your little neurons going crazy-haywire-rapid-fire with bajillions of new ideas is definitely worth being away from the office for a day. This year's WIPP Women's Leadership Conference was the first of its kind, and happened to be held right here in the City by the Bay. There was no way that Colleen, Aurelia, and I would have missed this.

The morning started off early and got right to business. After briefly mingling with other attendees—and inhaling a few cups of coffee—we were treated to an opening welcome by Michela O'Connor Abrams, the president and publisher of Dwell magazine, who gave a lovely introduction to Jackie Speier, aka our Congresswoman. Speier was inspiring, funny, and informed, which are pretty much the perfect qualities for an early-morning speaker to have. Her latest project is working to ban toxic additives in cosmetics, about which she quipped that if the same chemicals were found in a stereotypically male product, like beer, there would be a new Manhattan project to find alternatives. Thoroughly enthused by Speier's speech, we were ready to get down to the business of talking business.

The day consisted of multiple breakout sessions and panels that discussed topics from how CFOs and COOs differ and how to put a "C" before your title to the growing demand for online content (like, ahem, certain blogs), and how to make publishing profitable in tough economic times. Come lunchtime, we were as hungry for food as we were for more discussion!

Purely by chance, we three VegNews-ers ended up at an all-vegan table at lunch. We were joined by Andrea Kowalski, the web editor at Yoga Journal, and Elisa Camahort, co-founder of BlogHer. Evidently, Colleen and Andrea had called each other that morning to coordinate oufits, as you can see:

Elisa spearheaded the "ask the waiter if the pasta sauce has dairy" effort, and to our relief, it didn't. While we munched our lunches, we were treated to a speech by yet another inspiring woman, Alix Kennedy, who received the 2008 Exceptional Woman in Media award. After lunch it was off to more panels, in which we tackled topics like successful independent publishing (hello, Dwell!) and a generational perspective on women in the publishing world that included Katy Tamony, VP and editor-in-chief at Sunset, and Grace Hawthorne, founder of ReadyMade. Yes, we talked about women's place in the working world (duh, leading it!) and hairstyles.

At the end of the lightning-quick day, we were treated to a wine tasting and more mingling, which was a great time to take off our over-worked thinking caps for the day and enjoy the company of friends old and new—like the lovely Michela, seen below (at left) with the VN crew.

Fab Food With a Veg Vibe

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Stacy Blondin + VN reinforcements
What: The Fancy Food Show
When: Sunday, January 18, 2009
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco
Why: Because if you’re going to eat food, it may as well be fancy

The Scoop: In the words of  "Friends" character Maggie Wheeler, guest starring as Janice Hosenstein Litman Goralnik, “OH ... MY ... GOD!” These three syllables were the first—and only—that came to mind as I descended the steps of the Moscone Center and caught glimpse of destiny: Fancy Food. Everywhere.

Who knew heaven's gates would look like this?

OK, so I had an ever-so-slight inclination that fancy food just might be among the things I’d find at the Fancy Food Show, a hypothesis I intelligently deduced from the pre-show information I’d been provided — namely, the event title and printed PDF brochure. But, it is moments such as these that give true meaning to the phrase seeing is believing. A veg-inspired scavenger hunt was clearly in order. And I’m not talking about your typical fifth birthday party play. This was serious. Armed with the Official Show Directory, a healthy helping of hunger, and my own two feet, I headed into the North Hall, prominently designated as the Natural and Organic Pavilion.

Now, let’s see how many ways the question can be politely and plainly posed: Do you happen to have any vegan options? Do your offerings contain animal products? Are any of your products vegan? Do you carry any cruelty-free fare? That’s vegan, spelled v-e-g-a-n, as in vegetarian minus -etarian, plus -an. OK, so the options are many. As, I came to find out, are the answers—but let's stay focused. I was, indeed, pleased to find this small, albeit significant, two-syllable adjective fending for itself among the cured meat, gourmet cheeses, and candy confections. Amidst the 1,500 exhibitors and 80,000 elegant edibles, I managed to find more than my fair share of meat-free fancies. Rather than bore you with the intricate flavors and textures of everything eaten, which could be fun but would definitely exceed word count, I’ll take you on a brief tour of the show, highlighting a few VN faves.

Because every herbivore sometimes feels like a nut, jump on the latest bandwagon along with Nut Land, Mareblu Naturals, and Mrs. Mays Inc.’s completely vegan lines of crunchy, crackl’n nut clusters. Fun flavors like Cranmango Cashew Crunch, Pom-raspberry Crunch, and Cranstrawberry Cashew Crunch are almost as fun to say as they are to eat. But, if soft is more your style, or you’re just crazy for peanut butter, opt for one of PB Loco’s 11 flavors of gourmet peanut butter spreads, five of which are vegan, and, as far as we know, haven't been recalled in the recent peanut butter recall frenzy! With options such as Sumatra Cinnamon and Raisin, Jungle Banana, and Asian Curry Spice, it is clear that these people take their peanut butter—and creativity—seriously.

Moving right along, if you haven’t already, be sure to Follow Your Heart to Earth Island’s innovative concepts in vegan fare. And whatever you do, don’t forget to sample their show-stopping raspberry cheescake. A couple … three … four more bites can’t hurt! Perhaps best known for their miracle in mayo, Veganaise, this pioneer in vegan alternatives boasts an array of dressings, sauces, faux chicken and cheese to top all of your condiment needs.

Noting the novel, GranoVita definitely deserves an honorable mention for their brand spank’n new — at least in the US of A — selection of soy-based spreads and dessert. Their mayo, salad dressing, and barbecue sauce may need a little texture tweak, but they’re on the right track with their yogurt dessert, Deluxe Soyage, which comes in six fabulous flavors—banana, mango, tropical, plain, black cherry, strawberry, and raspberry. Yum!

If you’re getting a little full, lighten things up with Living Harvest’s new unsweetened hemp milk, which brings hope to Americans who consume an average of 50 teaspoons of caloric sweeteners daily. FYI, that’s 40 more than the USDA’s recommended 10. Thank goodness these sugarless sidekicks can now be found in two fabulous flavors: vanilla and original. Oh, and one more thing (Psssst, don’t tell) ... there’s word on the street of a hemp-inspired frozen dessert in the works. 

Before heading out, be sure to find you faux fix at Field Roast—a booth where carnivores meet herbivores and fall desperately in love. If not with each other, at least with the amazing assortment of grain-based cutlets, sausages, loaves, cheeses, patés and, of course, gravy. No, this company didn’t forget a thing when it comes to flavor—lentil sage, wild mushroom, and smoked tomato—mouth watering yet? Even the savviest of meat-eaters could easily mistake these works of art for the real thing.

Stacy, all smiles for Field Roast's faux fare

If you still have room for dessert, despite having nibbled on assorted shavings of vegan dark chocolate, tortilla chips, sesame crackers, spicy salsas, roasted nuts, and olive oil all day long (or was that just me?), give Silver Moon’s cocktail-inspired frozen desserts a whirl. Try a slushy Pomegranate Martini, Mango Mimosa, or Mojito Ice for a kick in the mouth of the best kind.

Just remember to take VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland’s advice to heart by staying hydrated with a bounty of beverages along the way. With something to quench every type, degree, and lack of thirst, take your pick among endless flavors of coffees, teas, sodas, energy drinks and, yes, water. Metromint’s chocolate mint flavored H2O definitely topped my list. What will they think of next?!

With 33 years under its belt, I think it is safe to say that the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. has got their act together. And if you happened to miss San Francisco’s show (or think you just might be hungry by the time June rolls around), don’t despair; head to New York City for your share of fancy veg-friendly fare.

Crazy-Busy Weekend, Phase Two

Who: VN Editorial Director Aurelia d'Andrea

What: Phase two of a hyperkinetic social weekend

When: January 15, 16 + 17

Where: (Don't call it) Frisco

Why: The usual reasons: Fun, fun, and more fun!

The Scoop: So, after mingling for an hour or more at odoriferous magazine shindig at Ferry Plaza, hoping against hope that some vegan cheese might materialize, VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland and I opted to part ways—she in the direction of South Beach's Shanghai 1930 for dinner with a friend, and I in the direction of Chutney Restaurant in the Tenderloin. Sadly, I was running just a little late, and by the time I arrived at the Jones Street eatery (just down the block from Millennium, where we'll be hosting a small fete for writer Jeffrey Masson in early March, FYI) my friends had already moseyed over to our next destination, the Exit Theatre. Drats. I really had my heart set on some of Chutney's super-tasty bhindi masala. Oh well.

James Judd, star of "7 Sins" at the Exit theatre, and little old me

At the Exit, I met up with Claudia, Deric, Jeff, and new VN writer Josephine Bellaccomo, whose friend James Judd was performing in the one-man show we were all there to see, called "7 Sins." I fell in love with this sweet little theater the second the guy at the door told me they offered secure bike parking inside, and double loved it when I saw they had a little café/bar inside offering a bunch of veg bistro-style fare. Opting to hold out for a home-cooked meal later on, I settled on a glass of wine ($4) and a bowl of pretzels (free!) and shuffled off with the gang to our seats in the little brick-walled performance space. The show was hysterical. From beginning to end, James has us squawking with laughter (OK, that may have been me alone doing the squawking). And at show's end, James was kind enough to be photographed with me. What a guy. And what a performance!

Next morning, that craving for Chutney's bhindi masala hadn't waned, so I convinced my partner in crime to cruise back to the 'Loin with me for a spot of Indian. What we didn't know, as we cycled down Golden Gate Avenue, over to Polk Street, and up Larkin, was that today was Little Saigon's very own "Tet" festival. Tet, aka Vietnamese New Year, is a festive occasion that usually involves noisy firecrackers and tasty food. Never wanting to miss a celebration, we parked our bikes, walked around a bit, and like little sailboats hovering a little too close to the Bermuda Triangle, we were sucked into Mangosteen, a Vietnamese restaurant right in the thick of it all. 

The spicy vegetarian curry at Mangosteen

We were excited about the separate vegetarian menu section, and immediately settled on vegetarian garlic noodles and a spicy curry that promised to contain taro, one of my favorite foods, and one I rarely get to eat. The noodles arrived quickly, and were, well, just OK. A tad oily for my tastes, and the veggies were just a wee bit overdone. Next up was the curry, and it looked promising: delivered by a smiling waitperson, the curry came in piping-hot clay pot with a little glass lid that gave us a tempting glimpse of its veggie-studded contents. And the taste? Delish. But where the hell was my taro? Not in this curry, that's for sure. 

Heading out, we made one last foray into the street-fair chaos, and with amazing, almost-magnetic precision, we found ourselves standing before the Supreme Master Ching Hai booth—those are the folks behind the Loving Hut restaurant chain, as well as local veg favorite, Golden Era—where they were handing out vegan—yes, vegan!—fortune cookies. Sweet! And best of all, is they weren't proselytizing any religious mumbo-jumbo. 

So, now, almost a week later, I'm still craving Chutney's bhindi masala. I think I know where I'm having dinner tonight ...

Crazy-Busy Weekend

Who: VN Editorial Director Aurelia d'Andrea

What: A very social San Francisco weekend

When: January 15, 16, + 17

Where: All over SF

Why: For fun, of course!

The Scoop: Is it just me, or does your social calendar have an ebb and flow whereby some weekends are completely devoid of activity, and others are booked solid from dawn 'til dusk (and often much, much later)? Well, I experienced one of those those jam-packed spells last weekend, beginning on Thursday night at the Paul Mahder Gallery.

This sweet little art space over in the semi chi-chi section of Presidio Heights hosts regular openings for local artists, and Mr. Mahder and his guests are always as friendly as can be, the wine is forever flowing, and the art is predictably stellar. And did I mention there are nearly always veg nibbles? This evening's reception was for Russian artist Elena Zolotnitsky, whose paintings are colorful, beautiful, and just a tad too expensive for my budget. So what's a frugal art-loving girl to do? Browse and admire while munching fresh veggies and hummus and sipping sparkling wine. My favorite painting was titled "Renaissance Boy," and even if I can't afford to take him home with me, I know I can at least visit him until the end of February.

 

The veg couscous at Café Zitouna. Ahhh, memories ....

Friday night's outing was slightly more festive, beginning with dinner at Café Zitouna, on the corner of Sutter and Polk in the lovely TenderNob 'hood. I first tried this place back in May, and loved it immediately. It might have been because it was here that I broke a weeklong fast with a giant bowl of heavenly harira—a thick, chickpea-and-lentil soup served with a lemon wedge and chewy baguette—or it might have been that it reminded me of Paris, what with fellow diners chattering away in French and Arabic. Whatever it was, it's lured me back several times now, and on this night, in addition to a bowl of harira, I ordered the couscous off their veg-friendly menu. Yum! Perfectly steamed semolina was served with lightly spiced vegetables including carrot, turnip, and zucchini. When you add a dollop of the house-made harissa sauce, it's yum squared. The service is friendly, too. 

Next stop: The Bigfoot Lodge, also on Polk Street. Sound scary? Actually, it sort of was. The idea was to meet up with friends for a fun evening of socializing in a new environment—none of us had been here before—and I was stoked when I arrived and discovered that our contingent, which included VN Editor-at-Large Jennifer Pickens, had snared a cozy booth in the back, over by the faux fireplace and conveniently positioned within hopping distance to the toilettes. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before the place was packed to the gills with frat boys and sorority girls getting their Friday night drink on, and what's the fun in hanging out if you can't even hear your friends speak?

Saturday's festivities proved much mellower, but still plenty funtastic. VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland and I had been invited to a magazine party at Ferry Plaza, and while normally we wouldn't be interested in a soirée centered around cheese—we are vegan, after all—we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how another magazine throws its party, and we were curious to see if they might have any dairy-free cheeses on offer. They didn't. But there was plenty of wine, bread, and crackers to be had, and the view over the Bay almost made it worth enduring the stinky cheese smell for an hour or two.

Colleen Holland, Aurelia d'Andrea, and Marsha Rose say "vegan cheese" for the camera

Next stop: A spot of comedy and a new dining adventure in the heart of the Tenderloin ...

Third Time's a Charm

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Stacy Blondin + VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria

What: Dinner and a Book
When: January 12, 2009

Where: Book Passage, Ike's Place, + Sunflower Restaurant, San Francisco

Why: To satisfy our intellectual and gastronomical curiosity

The Scoop: The plan was simple: depart the VNHQ at 5pm, arrive at Book Passage Bookstore at 6pm, engage in Mark Bittman's discussion of his latest book, and grab some grub at Ike's Place on our way home. What a perfect plot for a weeknight out in my new home town! Excited to embark on my first official VegNews outing, I boarded the MUNI along with my very own tour guide and co-staffer Elizabeth Castoria. We took the L line (a name which, btw, is in no way related to the shape of its route) to Embarcadero Station and walked to the Ferry Building Market Place, looking forward to the introduction of Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating.

We arrived just a smidge late and a smudge directionally challenged. Like any ingenious investigators, we consulted our most readily available resource—a map, cleverly placed at the building's entrance. We were close. Very close. In fact, we were so close we could see our destination—along with just about every San Franciscan foodie free on a Monday night. The attendees were packed like, well, factory-farmed animals, to be precise, into the tiny book store with appendages bulging out of both passages. Apparently the trend of arriving fashionably late was sooooo last year.

Since we swapped life stories in lieu of brushing up on our lip reading skills on the way over, we did what any hard-pressed reporters would do: held our ears up to a small crack in the open door. Using this technique, we managed to catch a few unmuffled sound waves and make out the following key terms: battery cages, chickens, torture, vegetables, less meat, local, sustainable and environmentally friendly. These soundbites drifted our way, rousing our literary (and actual) appetites. Although I am sure we could probably find the same words correctly spelled and eloquently arranged on the back of Mr. Bittman's book, hearing them straight from the cow's mouth granted them definition beyond Webster's. The fervor in Mark's voice and expressions paired with the crowd's seemingly canned responses clued us in to good times going on inside—a place we most certainly were not.

In case you are just about as unfamiliar with Mark's new read as we (still) are, perhaps you are less of a stranger to his previous titles, How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. If these predecessors are any indication of the quality of his current work, which makes the case against meat from an environmental and health front, our expectations are high. For more frequent doses of Bittman wisdom, check out his weekly column in the New York Times, The Minimalist. Or, for a daily fix, keep up with his discussion, recipes and tips via his food-inspired blog, Bitten.

Slightly disappointed, but excited to extend our reading lists, we headed down to The Castro, intent on harnessing our hunger with a big, juicy, mouth-watering vegan sandwich. I ruminated all afternoon over VN staffers' rave reviews of Ike's creations, introduced during lunch at VegNews Café. Elizabeth and I approached the sandwich shindig only to discover dimmed lights and somnolent staff. Note to self and fellow San Franciscan sandwich seekers: IKE'S PLACE CLOSES PROMPTLY AT 4:30PM ON BOTH SUNDAY AND MONDAY. OK, well, I guess that gives us ample excuse to plan an upcoming VN staff outing …. and to opt for an alternative cuisine.

Not exactly a sandwich, I know

Slightly more disappointed, but anxious to consume anything edible, preferably nearby, veg-friendly, inexpensive and delicious, we ventured onward, deciding to try our luck down the road at Sunflower Restaurant, another of Elizabeth's Frisco favorites. And what luck we found! A packed (and more importantly, open) dining room on a Monday night can only mean one thing: good food. The large selection of V (Vietnamese, vegetarian, and vegan) options made it oh so difficult to make a decision. Our jovial waiter—apparently the only one on staff—remembered our orders along with those of every other table in place. Impressive! Elizabeth requested the veg noodle soup and I opted for the veg vermicelli; we were both pleased with our choices and the enormous white bowls in which they were delivered. A rainbow of fresh, locally purchased, steamed veggies piled high upon a bed of made-to-order pasta was as tasty as it was beautiful. We left the place having confirmed one profound theory: Food Matters.

Stacy smiles over her hard-earned noodles

Although the evening didn't go precisely, or for that matter, remotely, as predicted, I did come away from the evening boasting first sightings of two noteworthy food icons: Mark and Ike. Reading and tasting will just have to wait for a future date.

Holiday for Hanging

Who: VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria
What: An auspicious art opening
Where: M. Coffee, Half Moon Bay, Calif.
When: January 8, 2009
Why: Art for heart's sake

The Scoop: Sometimes, you just happen to be related to someone who has what people like to call "talent." When this person happens to be your sister, and she happens to have an art opening at your hometown coffee shop where you happen to have spent innumerable weekends together—her working, you taking advantage of her incredible soymilk-frothing abilities—it's pretty imperative that you attend. Oh, and you know that since the artist of the evening shares the same mother you do, there will be no shortage of delicious vegan food.

The evening got going around 6pm, after-hours at M. Coffee, where Sheila—aka the artist—used to work. As predicted, the first thing I saw when I walked in the door was a huge table of food, and then my super-effing-cute sister, flocked with admirers. Since one of Sheila's all-time favorite foods is olive spread, my mom whipped up about eight gallons of it, which I eagerly tucked into with sliced bell peppers and La Panzanella Rosemary crackers. Also on the menu were a couple ginormous trays of roasted vegetables, my mom's signature carrot cake—a traditionally vegan cake recipe, and with a little non-dairy cream cheese, voilá, cream-cheese-frosted carrot cake—and a few bottles of wine.

Sheila's art was mostly compiled from class assignments, and there was a distinct heart theme going on. In addition to red being her favorite color—hence the crimson mounting—she herself has a finnicky ticker that likes to act up on her every once in a while. One day, it started racing a bit and put her out of commission for the afternoon, so the next day she did what any reasonable artist would do: create something awesome. See above for the results.

A few of the pieces sold, all of the wine was drunk, and about an eighth of the food was eaten. It was a well-deserved evening of fun for one super-fantastic sister. Oh, and did I mention that she's just about the cutest thing on the entire planet? Yeah, she is. See below for proof. As art openings go, I think it's safe to say in the words of Rilo Kiley (the band that reigned as Sheila's go-to music on hectic Saturday mornings of latte-making), it's a hit.

Portrait of the artist (left) and her sister

The Best of Macworld (pt. 2)

Who: VN Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Joseph Connelly
What: 2009 Macworld Conference & Expo
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco
When: January 7 + 8, 2009
Why: For the swag

The Scoop: If you missed yesterday’s installment of my two-day adventure to Macworld 2009, where I devour the veg options and meet the students from the Santa Barbara Middle School Teen Press, just click here to get up to speed.

Today we focus on the fun new programs, accessories, and gadgets that I dutifully uncovered for all you Mac addicts and fanatics while I loyally wandered the halls of Moscone North and South for two days last week. There were many, so let’s dive right in.

Accessories

At least two companies are making “removable skins”—of the purely synthetic, non-animal variety, of course—that allow you to customize your iPhone, iPod, and even your laptop, while protecting your device from scratches and UV rays. Seriously. MusicSkins offers a variety of decals featuring music and pop-culture artists, though when I asked if they had The Ramones or Black Sabbath—the favorite bands of VN Technical Advisor Thomas “Mr. T” Russell—the sales guy replied, “No, but we have the Sex Pistols.” God Save The Queen. Meanwhile, GelaSkins offers prints of a more artistic nature, including a panda wearing a headset and the anatomy of a gummy bear. I kid you not.

Speaking of headsets, earphones were the Expo's “it” items, with so many vendors hawking so many styles that I can’t begin to document them all. Suffice it to say that if you are interested, you can find earphones for just about any purpose imaginable (and probably a few unimaginable).

Always on the lookout for green products, I was quite pleased to find several, including Solio, a plug-in hybrid solar charger. This universal device replaces all your chargers (iPhone, iPod, camera, GPS, etc.), harvests its energy from the sun, and can hold a charge for up to a year. Sweet. I can’t wait for the wind-powered charger. Tread, another environmentally conscious company that also happens to have the coolest website I’ve seen in a long time (next to vegnews.com, of course), makes protective cases for your laptop, cell phone, camera, or music player out of recycled butyl rubber … prophylactics for your electronics, so they won’t spread any viruses, I assume. Check them out; this company is worth your support. My third low-impact find was Brenthaven, a Washington-based manufacturer of stylin', high-end laptop bags with a “zero impact” mission and lifetime guarantee. The company promises to offset all purchases with carbon credits, and is introducing a line of bags made of partially recycled materials. 

Brenthaven: Low-impact lap top and messenger bags

Applications

Runners, cyclists, and fitness junkies will love iMapMy, a downloadable application that uses GPS technology to track daily training data on iPhones, rendering obsolete ol’ fashioned watches or pesky GPSs. If you jog or pedal wearing an iPod, you’ll want to get hip to TuneUpMedia, which boldly states, “Your music collection is a mess. TuneUp fixes it. Automagically.” Yes, this download promised to organize and keep updated all the iTunes you have legally downloaded, including cover art. While we’re getting organized, two vendors offer apps for your digital photos. HoudahGeo, for those with an abundance of time, can “pin” photos to the location they were taken, and “geotag” them to Google Earth. Dick Cheney approved, too. MyPictureTown is Nikon’s safe, secure photo storage and sharing website, so you don’t have to store all your snapshots on your own computer. It also offers a Mapview function, similar to Houdah. And my fave foto find was Eye-Fi, the world’s first wireless memory card, which automatically uploads your pics sans cables or those pesky devices some of us still use. Life is good.

Devices

I’m not sure I fully understand the Pulse smartpen. It’s a pen that also records audio and can speak what you have written back to you, is headset-adaptable, has a built-in LED display, a speaker, and connects via USB to your computer. Oh, it has a camera, too. Did somebody say Bond? James Bond. On the practical side, the IntelliScanner mini is a tiny gadget that helps you organize everything in your home using barcode technology. Also works great for collectibles, such as wine or books, and is an asset in case of theft or disaster. The software even includes printable insurance reports.

There was much more, including the SwingSeat SwingChair office chair, the varous NadaChair brand non-chairs, and Tutto, the healthy four-wheel-drive luggage, all designed for people with bad backs. But I’m already over word count, so I’ll leave with the following. The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit outreach program that gives kids a chance to express themselves through music and video. See what they do at lennonbus.org.

And last, PositScience develops brain fitness programs that allow you to think quicker, remember more (I think), and … what's that word I looking for? Focus. Yeah, that's it. I took their “brain quickness” test, and rather than embarrass you with my results, I’ll just leave you with this photo. ‘Nuff said.

Portrait of the blogger after acing the brain quiz

Jobs' Tears (Macworld pt. 1)

Who: VN Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Joseph Connelly
What: 2009 Macworld Conference & Expo
Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco
When: January 7 + 8, 2009
Why: To find Steve Jobs some protein

Macworld 2009 takes over Moscone Center in San Francisco

The Scoop: Macworld hit San Francisco again last week, making news more for what it wasn’t than what it was. First, Apple co-founder, CEO, and former veg Steve Jobs was in the headlines for not delivering his usual info-geek/rock-star keynote address. The official word was that there were no huge new-product announcements from Apple, and Jobs only gets rolled out for the "big" events. News stories such as this one—which broke as the conference convened—suggest another explanation for Jobs' conspicuous absence, reporting that his drastic weight loss had been a “mystery even to him” and that it was only recently discovered that a hormone imbalance had been “robbing” his body of proteins. Right.

The second piece of non-news—that Apple is pulling out of Macworld and that this would be the company’s last appearance—didn’t put much of a damper on the die-hards, though it did seem to keep non-believers away. I visited the Expo twice in two days, and the crowds, like Jobs, seemed thinner than in past years. Certainly not 40,000 enthusiasts, as advertised.

Still, Macworld is a tour de force, a place where there is certainly something for everyone. My assignment was twofold: Scope out the veg scene, and find eco-friendly accoutrements that might be of interest to VegNews readers. I scored big on both fronts, and also met a great bunch of kids in the process. Today I’ll recapture my food experience; tomorrow I’ll fill you in on all of the hip-and-cool “must have” products I stumbled upon.

Apple-a-Day 1

I picked up my creds and headed to the press lounge, where, instantaneously, the first half of my mission bore fruit. Literally. Two large buffet tables offered loads of cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, and grapes, plus bagels, coffee, tea, and juice, courtesy of Fuze, a company that offers “visual, high-definition meetings on your iPhone.” There were some cheese Danishes, butter, cream cheese, etc., but no meat at all. Nice. I enjoyed two ample portions of fresh fruit, and buried a bagel for later.

While breakfasting, I noticed a large contingent of young people at the next table. Yes, the Santa Barbara Middle School Teen Press crew was also covering Macworld. These little whippersnappers are a sophisticated bunch who are already pros at social and professional networking, as evidenced by a follow-up email I received less than two hours after our first meeting:

“Hi! I'm Mary from the SBMS Teen Press. I talked to you earlier and found out about VegNews. I just wanted to say that I think it's really great that you have a magazine that focuses on vegetarianism. Anyways, just thanking you guys!”

The student journalists of the Santa Barbara Middle School Teen Press Corps

My future employers and I exchanged business cards, and wouldn’t you know it? Mary and her colleague, Charlie, are both veg. (follow the above link to see a video of Charlie interviewing Apple co-founder Steve "Woz" Wozniak.)

After my first three-hour venture into the Macworld Expo, which filled every inch of Moscone Center (named for former SF mayor George Moscone, who was assassinated along with Harvey Milk, the subject of this critically acclaimed new film you may have heard about), I used my $15 lunch voucher to pick up some vital vittles from one of the numerous food vendors peddling their edibles in the convention center. While there was plenty of flesh at this juncture, finding veg offerings was a snap. I scored an ample bowl of hearty and flavorful minestrone soup, used the bagel I had stashed from breakfast to sop it up, and complemented both with a nice-and-fresh quinoa salad (zucchini, squash, black olives, mushrooms, a single cherry tomato, parsley). Vegan dessert offerings included more fresh fruit (bananas, apples, pears); since they didn’t give change, I took three bananas, which I gave away to a few housing-challenged folks on my way back to the subway.

Apple-a-Day 2

I returned to Macworld the following afternoon after a VegNews staff lunch featuring special guest Billy Hulting, the Grammy-nominated percussionist in the band Zappa Plays Zappa. Using my Day 2 voucher, I scoped out a different vendor where I procured a pre-made veggie sandwich, fruit cup (cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, strawberries, watermelon, grapes), bagel, and banana. I also nailed the $15 exact this time, leaving no change behind.

All said, eating veg at Moscone proved quite easy—surely a sign of progress. Yes, this is San Francisco, but most of the attendees of Macworld come from afar, and while I didn’t survey what everyone was eating, the abundance of (mostly) healthy, (mostly) fresh vegan options made this conference one Apple you could sink your teeth into.

Sayonara, San Francisco

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Abigail Young
What: One last hurrah in my favorite city 
Where: Millennium Restaurant, San Francisco, Calif.
When: December 21, 2008
Why: To celebrate an incredible internship at VegNews

The Scoop: Since September, I’ve had the pleasure of spending my days at the VNHQ, learning the ins-and-outs of magazine publishing, vegetarianism, and the art of cooking for a large group of hungry co-workers.  It’s been an amazing four months, and I’m still in denial about the fact that I’ll be hopping on a plane tomorrow morning, headed for the Midwest. 

To celebrate my time spent at VegNews, my boyfriend, Bill, and I had the honor of going to Millennium for a farewell dinner. Amateurs in gourmet dining, we knew we were in for a treat. 

Abby and Bill at Millennium in San Francisco, Calif.

Despite the dreary weather and cool temperatures, we made it to Millennium in good spirits and with big appetites. After drying off the December rain, we were seated at a cozy table for two. It took a surprisingly short time to decide what to order, even though the mouth-watering menu made us wish our stomachs were three times as large.

To start, we each ordered a small appetizer, our indecisiveness making it impossible to pick just one to share. Bill immediately singled out the Herb-Dusted Gold Potato Frittes with smoked ketchup, and I pretended to be healthy and chose the Seared Brussels Sprouts.

I initially scoffed at the idea of ordering fries at such an upscale restaurant. You can get fries anywhere, right? Then I took a bite, and happily ate my words (and quite a few fries). Thick-cut potatoes, sprinkled with sea salt and a tasty blend of seasonings, were made even better with a quick dip in sweet and tangy ketchup.  I quickly apologized for doubting Bill’s gastronomical judgment.

The Brussels sprouts were nothing to scoff at either, and were devoured—mostly by me—in minutes. Seared, seasoned, then served with smoky tofu and olives, these little guys were delicious. I don’t think either one of us thought such a notorious vegetable could taste so good.

Brussels sprouts and fries—this versatility is one reason I’m so impressed with Millennium. On one hand, they take something “accidentally vegan” and lowbrow like fries and transform them into a gourmet appetizer. They also tackle stereotypical vegan fare, like Brussels sprouts, that most of the nation considers bland and boring. That is, until Eric Tucker turns those little cabbage look-a-likes into culinary gold. 

The appetizers were finished with gusto, and I started to worry that we had ordered too much. My stomach was filling up and we hadn’t even made it to the main course! Alas, when you’re at Millennium, you always find room.

The meal was in full swing as the entrées came out. Bill had the Winter Spice Tamale, a tasty Mexican tribute stuffed with pumpkin and pinto beans, and served with chocolate-almond molé sauce, fresh avocado, and sautéed greens. I ordered the Cornmeal-Crusted Portobello Mushroom, served with a fresh side salad of marinated greens, carrot, thinly sliced onion, and mandarin wedges. Slices of flavorful Portobello had the perfect level of crisp on the outside while still being tender on the inside. I had no problem sending back a clean plate.

At this point in the evening, we’re finished—tapping out, throwing in the towel, surrendering to the gods of good food. We were ready to ask for the check when our waiter returned, asking “Would you like to see a dessert menu?”

“Yes, please,” we responded without hesitation. Oh, come on! You can’t leave without dessert.

To jolt us from our imminent food-induced sleep while we waited, we sipped organic, fair-trade coffee with soy creamer and a sprinkle of sugar. Our sweet treat arrived to seal the deal—the German Chocolate Torte, complete with classic coconut icing and a sweet scoop of chocolate ice cream. Paired with the full-bodied coffee, it was an ideal ending to a phenomenal meal.

One seriously delectable dessert, courtesy of Millennium 

The dessert quickly disappeared along with our coffee, leaving not one centimeter of empty space in our stomachs. Ashamed of the gluttony but in awe of the experience, we left giddy and grinning. 

It was a bittersweet walk to the Muni stop, as I realized this would be the last time—for now—that I would be in downtown San Francisco. As if to cheer me up, my favorite street performer happened to be at the corner of Geary and Powell, beating an infectious rhythm on his makeshift drum kit of plastic buckets and five-gallon jugs. We danced a little at the stoplight before catching our train home, and I said a silent goodbye to the city.

A Very Veg Thanksgiving

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Abigail Young
What: Thanksgiving feasting and a tribute to The Smiths
Where: Popscene nightclub, San Francisco, Calif.
When: November 27, 2008
Why: To give veg-inspired thanks

The Scoop: Previous holidays have brought me unwanted stress, directly related to being the only vegan in my family. The inevitable, "What are you going to eat?" question arises, and my mother and I scramble to find a solution that the "traditional" folks won't be too offended by. You want to put vegetable broth in the stove-top stuffing? Blasphemy! It generally ends with a few side dishes on my plate and an internal sigh, lamenting the omnivore-crafted meal.

But this year, there were no more excuses for my whining. Being away from my Missourian family led me to host the 100-percent-vegan festivities at my cozy apartment. The dinner quickly gained RSVP’s from fellow 20-somethings seeking a home-away-from-home celebration. As a group, we decided to do it potluck-style, divvying up the dishes to alleviate any stress or financial burden. Needless to say, we went a little crazy and made more delicious food than could fit on the table.

A collaboration of compassionate cuisine

Lauren, another Missouri transplant, took an impressive made-from-scratch approach to her dishes. Her tofu potpie, candied yams, and tangerine-cranberry sorbet were phenomenal. Beca, Jersey-girl extraordinaire, brought her family-inspired classics to the table. A tasty veggie and pita bread appetizer plate with Mediterranean hummus kept us calm during prep time, while roasted asparagus with a crunchy breadcrumb topping, marinated mushrooms, and a trio of colorful roasted potatoes earned her gold stars at the table. The testosterone in the house, Ben and Jake, also fellow Midwesterners, brought fluffy, golden crescent rolls and a sweet salad made with strawberry-marinated greens and raw pecans. I whipped up my mom’s classic stuffing, VN’s famous Mac ‘n’ Cheese, a savory Celebration Roast, and the quintessential pumpkin pie. Are you hungry yet?

There was more food than should ever be consumed in one sitting, but we made a valiant effort trying—and paid for it. Luckily, we had post-gorging plans to help alleviate the food coma/calorie intake/overall bodily discomfort. In honor of our meatless feast, we headed to Popscene to dance our knees off at their 9^th Annual Meat is Murder party, a tribute to The Smiths and their leading veg man, Morrissey.

330 Ritch was already packed with an array of scene kids, aging hipsters, awkward-guys-in-the-corner, and every other label you might expect to find at an indie dance club and/or anything related to The Smiths. The DJs were spinning killer Brit pop to get everyone’s feet warmed up, and the bars were packed with people not quite comfortable enough to show off their skills pre-inebriation.

Lauren Paulk and Abigail Young ready for a night of dancing

After a few impatient dances, This Charming Band took the stage and played a short but oh-so-satisfying set of audience-requested Smiths songs. Tracks like “This Charming Man” and “Cemetery Gates” filled the room, and we danced like fiends. Every classic hit was greeted with cheers from the crowd, followed by in-sync screaming of the melancholic lyrics. Lead singer Orlando’s voice matched perfectly to the brooding Morrissey projected on the club’s video screens. If you closed your eyes, the vocal resemblance was uncanny. We also ran—or should I say danced—into Melisser, The Urban Housewife, who came out for the show. It didn’t get any better than being with veg-minded Smiths fans, shouting the lyrics to “Take Me Out” as This Charming Band closed the set.

The DJs picked up where they left off, keeping the energy too high to stand still. We continued to tear up the floor until nearly closing time, and then headed on the long trek home. While my family was dearly missed, close friends and the all-veg celebration that took their place made for one of my most memorable holidays yet.

Friday Night’s Alright For Eating

Who: VN Publisher/Editor in Chief Joseph Connelly + a pair of pedometists
What: A raw Friday-night dinner
Where: Café Gratitude, San Francisco
When: November 21, 2008
Why: To chew the fat with fat-free athletes

The Scoop: It was a dark and stormy workweek. After the Green Festival, which coincided with what must have been record-breaking temps here in Fog City, we enjoyed a few more days of Indian summer on Monday/Tuesday before someone turned off the heat and the chill-that-can-be-San Francisco returned in full fall fashion. Yes, dear readers in New England, Ontario, Chicago, or Minnesota, the mercury dipped below 60°F here, low enough to send nearly the entire city running for mittens, scarves, and space heaters. We're tough.

Braving the frigid conditions, Canadian triathlete Brendan Brazier, formulator of Vega, everyone’s favorite whole-food meal replacement, and his traveling companion Julie Morris, she of LA (though recently relocated from Portland), were in the Bay Area demo-ing said nutritional supplement at a few Whole Foods Markets. With their duties complete, the pair swung by the VegNews offices for a quick visit with the working-late-on-a-Friday staff, and to pick up complimentary “You Are What You Read’ VegNews t-shirts, which, of course, they promised to wear whenever they are out and about.

Next, it was off to dinner. We spun the big wheel and the needle landed on Café Gratitude, the perfect choice, since all three of us all delve in rawish foods whenever possible. We picked the 9th Avenue (SF) location, though any of the other four CG’s, which you read about in our September+October Food Issue, would have been just fine. This is a chain where the food is consistently good no matter the location.

We started with an order of I Am Generous, which equates to chips, guac, and salsa ($9). The “chips’ being, of course, dehydrated flax crackers. Brendan and Julie shared a bowl of I Am Thankful, or coconut curry soup with avo, tomato, cukes, and shiitakes. I ordered the I Am Giving kale salad ($9.75 for a half portion), thanks to VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria, who at our staff lunch earlier in the day talked about how she could go for a kale salad. This vegan yum yum mixes sea veggies, cukes, shiitakes, cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds, and tasty teriyaki almonds into the marinated kale. It’s as good as it sounds.

Brendan and Julie each ordered the I Am Fulfilled large café salad, which is what I normally get so I was happy to have been corrupted by Ms. Castoria, lest all three of us order the same thing, and how ridiculous is that? For $13 you get a hugemungaloid bowl of mixed greens, avo, carrots, beets, cukes, tomato, more flax crackers, “parmesan,” and those yummy teriyaki almonds, which I vote for adding to the menu as a side. You hear me?

I Am Thankful + I Am Fulfilled, courtesy Café Gratitude

I also ordered the I Am Cool milk-free milkshake—no reason needed. This tempting concoction blends raw hazelnut milk, vanilla, cacao nibs, and mint into a refreshing, light treat that had Julie formulating the recipe in her head for trial at home, using her Vita-Mix, of course. I asked for the large, 16-oz ($9.75), and took half of it back to Colleen because, well, in her not-so-subtle way, she asked me to.

During dinner I learned that Julie had just run her first marathon, in Portland. Regular Press Passers know that I just ran one, as well, making the world famous triathlete and two-time Canadian 50k champion the slacker at our table. At least for the month of October, 2008.

Julie Morris & Brendan Brazier, San Francisco, November 2008

Green (Festival) Day

Who: VN Editorial Director Aurelia d'Andrea + a couple o' colleagues

What: A day at the San Francisco Green Festival + and a post-fest evening on the town

When: Saturday, November 15

Where: South of Market district, San Francisco

Why: For work + for play

The Scoop: I like the Green Festival. It's a fun opportunity to taste a ton of new "green" food and drink (the elderflower kombucha by Kombucha Botanica is my new favorite), to get to meet and greet fellow green-media folk, to become acquainted with green conservation leaders, and to learn more about such things as socially responsible investing, renewable energy, and green technology. Never mind that there was maybe a little too much patchouli oil floating around, that I probably ate way more than my fair share of Clif bar samples, and that I spent more time working when I really wanted to be eating even more samples. It was still loads of fun, and not just because I also got to see a lot of friends and acquaintances who popped by our booth to say hi.

Lyndsay Orwig and Aurelia d'Andrea workin' it at the VN booth

This year, I was paired up with Lyndsay Orwig, VegNews' editorial-intern-turned-office-manager, to work the Saturday afternoon shift at our swanky double-wide booth. Together, we busted our behinds selling subscriptions, fielding queries, and distributing free copies of our current issue. After several hours-worth of shilling for a good cause—and for enduring an hour or more of tantric dance maneuvers provided by some random attendees who thought the space in front of our booth would make an ideal "stage"—we figured we earned the right to relax and have fun.

After retrieving my bike from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's valet parking station, Lyndsay and I headed toward 7th and Folsom Streets to Brainwash, a cafe-slash-laundromat, where Cult of Sue Todd—one of the many bands featured in our July+August Music issue—was scheduled to perform. When we got there, we didn't yet see anyone we knew, so we decided to pop in next door to Terroir, which totally resembled this place in my old Paris neighborhood that I adored, and which, therefore, led me to assume it would be a cozy wine bar. It was, but it wasn't until we'd committed to a glass that we noticed the not-very-vegan-friendly menu. I won't tell you what was on it, except to say that it included animal parts that many in the animal-rights movement are fighting to ban the production of. Oh well. Now I know.

As soon as we'd polished off our Malbec, we headed back over to Brainwash where VN Editor-at-Large Jennifer Pickens awaited us, as did The Traveling Vegetarian Yvonne Smith, VN Volunteer Extraordinaire Paul Saccone, and a few other friends we hadn't seen in a while. I was starving at this point, so after perusing the menu, I decided on a big ol' plate of French fries. Nothing like a spot of grease after all those healthy Green Festival nibbles. They were really tasty, by the way, especially when dunked into barbecue sauce. Yum!

Yvonne Smith, Paul Saccone, and Jennifer Pickens do "cool" like nobody's business

After rocking out to such classic Cult of Sue Todd hits as "Closer" and "Tampa," the band busted out a stellar rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." Even if you, like me, were never a fan of San Francisco's most famous musical hometown heroes, maybe you just couldn't help but wish you had a lighter to flick in the air for this one. When the musical segment of the evening ended, the motley lot of us migrated across the street to a really funky restaurant/bar/swing-goth dance club (really) that just isn't worth mentioning the name of, but let's just say the ambience didn't matter as much as getting to hang out with a cool gang of veggies for one warm November evening.

Prop. 2 Party Play-by-Play

Who: VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria, Peter Ryan, and some of the finest animal advocates on the planet
What: Yes on Prop. 2 Election Night Party
Where: The San Francisco SPCA, San Francisco, Calif.
When: November 4, 2008
Why: To watch and freak out as Prop. 2 passed!

The Scoop: Remember way back in April when a few VN staffers headed out to celebrate the seemingly impossible accomplishment of drumming up enough signatures to get Prop. 2 onto the California ballot? Well, maybe a ton has happened between then and now. Maybe a veritable army of volunteers has leafletted, canvassed, and in all other ways promoted the hell out of Prop. 2 all over the state, and maybe it was officially time to see their efforts pay off. After an excrutiatingly long day of refreshing the online swing-state maps and twitching in anticipation, I headed down to the SPCA, ready to hear some good news.

The scene was quietly energetic when Peter and I first arrived, as most people were glued to the television watching reports of the presidential election results come in. As at any good party, there were tables of food, specifically vegan Mexican food from Flacos and a selection of chocolate-mint mini cupcakes and butterscotch brownies from Sugar Beat Sweets. First things came first: finding and hugging Erin Williams of The Humane Society of the United States, who has worked tirelessly on this campaign. I found her, Karin Olsson, and Andrew Page—also of HSUS—glued to a smaller screen, that of a computer that would soon tell us Prop. 2's results.
What's the hardest part of being so close to victory? The waiting, believe it or not. While some people have been "cautiously optimistic" about the potential of Prop. 2 to pass, a certain senior editor has been convinced wholeheartedly that the passing was imminent from day one, which made the wait even more intolerable. Thankfully, someone thoughtful organized a little distraction called the presidential election. As news that Obama had officially won came in, a massive sigh of excitement and relief went up. Listening to his moving acceptance speech was probably the only possible thing that could have prepared us for the excitement that was about to be announced. Appropriately, the well-oiled, history-making machine that was the Prop. 2 campaign has been compared to the obviously successful, and well-organized Obama campaign.

When the time finally came to make the big announcement, Erin asked us all to keep it down just a bit—we didn't want shrieks of joy from animal advocates disturbing the animals at the shelter! Barely able to contain ourselves, we listened as she told us that, yes, Prop. 2 passed. We died. Some of us may have literally cried—a lot. The excitement, relief, gratitude, and exhilaration of victory was palpable in the room, as people hugged, clapped, and hugged again. Erin gave a brief, lovely speech and thanked everyone profusely, as did Karin and Nora Kramer. By the time the evening came to its close, the world had changed for the better.

An extremely happy Erin Williams and Elizabeth Castoria