TAFA Times

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly, VN Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria, + VN Distribution Manager Katie Donaldson
What: Taking Action for Animals
Where: Arlington, Va.
When: July 19–21, 2008
Why: Because animals need us to take action!

The Scoop: While most tourists tend to avoid the Washington, DC, area during the throes of July's humidity, attending TAFA was reason enough for our troupe to brave the thick, wet air. Luckily, the hotel in which the convention was held was well equipped to deal with our wilting and kept the AC flowing freely. After getting settled, we all enjoyed the welcome reception and met up with multitudes of enthusiastic advocates. TAFA is put on by The Humane Society of the United States, and who do you think was the very first person to welcome us to the conference? That would be president Wayne Pacelle, of course. After mingling to our hearts content and getting to know our fellow attendees, Katie and I decided to strike out on our own in search of some substantial eats. It took us more time to read over the extensive menu at The Vegetable Garden than it had to get there on the Metro. The crispy eggplant, orange beef with pineapple, and organic vegetable delight revived us from our day of traveling.

The next morning we hustled downstairs to the exhibition hall to make sure we were ready for the VN-hungry crowds. Well, okay, they may have had one other reason to stop by our booth: the Sticky Fingers Cupcake Party! That's Sticky Finger's own Ben Adams and Doron Petersan you see holding a hefty box of cupcakes below. It took only 20 minutes for all 200 incredibly yummy treats to get distributed to the eager masses. There are likely better methods of taking action for animals than gorging on vegan cupcakes, but none as sweet!

We spent the rest of the conference enjoying the oratory skills of Gene Baur, VN columnist Rory Freedman, web-media guru Joe Trippi, and anti-puppy-mill crusader Jana Kohl, and munching on the exquisite fare provided by Veg Advantage's Chef Lex Townes. Let me just say that I could have easily eaten 10 of the incredible faux-chicken panini with melty, dairy-free cheese and fresh tomatoes that we noshed for lunch on Saturday. Though, it would have been a shame to be too full to eat at the banquet Saturday night, which featured some of the best freaking mashed potatoes I've ever had, and a scrumptuous faux-chicken breast in an outrageously good herbed mushroom sauce. Another highlight of the banquet was Carol Leifer's fall-down funny presentation. We were lucky enough to have the highly comedic comedian at our banquet table, and she was kind enough to snap a photo with Katie and me (above). Despite the heat and humidity, a great time was had by all!

A Tokyo Tale

Who: VN Senior Editor Jennifer Pickens
What: A long weekend in Tokyo
Where: Tokyo, Japan
When: July 17–22, 2008
Why: To check out a new vegan restaurant + the Tokyo Star Wars Celebration

The Scoop: I'll be honest: Tokyo was never on my list of "Places to See Someday," but when my friend Betty mentioned that the Star Wars Celebration was going to be held in Tokyo for the first time, I couldn't resist. Having never been to any kind of Star Wars convention, I thought Japan would be the best place to experience it for the first time. Also, Mark Hamill was going to be there! I mentioned the trip to my VN co-workers, and like Charlie's Angels, they were on the job. While Aurelia was at Summerfest, she met Mamiko Matsuda, an author from Japan who drew up a couple of maps pinpointing two great new restaurants in Tokyo. Sold.

Our first night in Japan's capital, we found ourselves wandering through a mall near the Tokyo Disney Resort looking for food. Bad idea. I spent $20 on fries and an iceberg lettuce salad with an unexpected, unwanted creamy ranch-type dressing that had to be scraped off. The experience was not unlike an expensive trip to Applebee's … ugh. Surely this can't be a typical Tokyo dining experience?

We spent the next day at the Star Wars Celebration. My veteran Star Wars-convention-going friends assured me that this was a much smaller, mellower version than usual, but since it was the first time for me and my friend Susan, we had a great time nonetheless! The veg options at the convention center were sparse, but we soon discovered something we called "food triangles." They are basically just that—a triangle of rice wrapped in seaweed with various fillings that you buy prefab. Tip: The one in the green package is vegan. Luckily, they're cheap and sold almost everywhere, so we lived on those for the day.


Then it was dinnertime. [Cue ominous "Darth Vader's Theme" here]. We walked over to a restaurant near the convention center and I ordered some noodles with vegetables. What ensued was the third worst meal of my adult life. Instead of mixing the veggies with the noodles, they brought me yet another iceberg lettuce salad with two massive dollops of mayonnaise "dressing." At least I could scoop those off the plate. Then came the plain soba noodles, floating in the most vile-smelling meat broth ever. So, there went $13 for about six bites of plain lettuce and two under-ripe tomato wedges, all the while trying not to gag from the inundating sights and smells.

The next morning, Susan and I set out to find Kappabashi, aka Tokyo's restaurant supply district. Navigating the subway system can be a bit daunting since there are two competing train companies, hence two subway maps are needed to figure out which line to take, which company to use, and if you'll need to transfer between the two. But we found it with just a little local assistance, also discovering the beer and sake vending machines along the way. We skipped the kitchen supply and dishware stores and headed straight for the shops with the fake plastic food models, in all of their kitschy glory.

Then we set out for the Ginza district to find the first of our highly recommended restaurants—Dorobushi—a classy place on the 9th floor above a cosmetics shop. Even though it isn't strictly veg, it's organic, and there are many veg options on the menu. I was thrilled with my meal, which involved miso soup, an array of vegetables, and sautéed green peppers. Now this is more like it! From there we walked through Shinjuku district and had a drink at the Aurora lounge with a view of Tokyo from the 45th floor. An unexpected firework display provided the perfect ending to the day.

The ultimate meal came the following day. Veggie Paradise, which just opened last September, sits on a small street in a residential area that we would have spent a very long time searching for if not for the help of a taxi. But it was so worth the journey. The all-vegan menu includes a choice of raw and macrobiotic meals. This is my new favorite restaurant! Since it was such a warm day, we started the meal with a cool tomato-watermelon soup and a cabbage salad. Susan had the faux-chicken meal, and I opted for the macrobiotic meal. Their wine and beer selections are all organic, so we indulged. After our meal we were lucky enough to meet the owner and chef, Yuki Itoh, and I discovered that she attended the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in Fort Bragg, Calif., and she now teaches living-food and macrobiotic cooking classes in Japan.


Yuki was kind enough to draw us a new map to find our way back, sending us past Levain vegan bakery along the way, where we picked up some snacks for dessert. As we were walking through the Yoyogi-koen Park we found the best flea market (where I scored an adorable vintage dress), before stumbling across some great veg-themed t-shirts at a shop near the Harajuku station. From there, we ran over to Tokyo Disneyland for the night where I had—you guessed it—fries for dinner. Oh well, I still found two really great restaurants in Tokyo, as well as having a great weekend, so it was worth all of the iceberg lettuce and French-fry meals.

Jen + Aurelia's Excellent Adventure, part deux

Who: VN Editorial Director Aurelia d’Andrea + VN Senior Editor Jennifer Pickens
What: Phase 2 of their Manhattan/Brooklyn Adventure
Where: The Big Apple
When: July 11–14
Why: To eat, drink, and be merry

The Scoop: I’d always heard how awesome New York was, but didn’t comprehend the actual degree of it’s awesomeness until getting there and seeing—and tasting—for myself. On a warm, sunshiny Brooklyn afternoon, Jen and I took Dan Piraro’s advice and set off toward Bedford Street to check out the action. First stop: Vinnie’s, an ordinary-looking pizza place that just happens to serve up an extensive menu of vegan offerings, including barbecue “chicken” pizza and "bacon" calzones. What do we have to do to get one of these joints in San Francisco? We weren’t hungry after our Chinatown chow-down, but we made a full inspection of the wares, and chit-chatted with the nice guys behind the counter. I thought New Yorkers were supposed to be all rough and gruff? Not so. Using our vegan radar, we walked out of Vinnie's like happy Stepford Wives and right into the cutest veg establishment ever in the history of the universe: Penny Licks.

Like a kid in a, um, candy store

Dressed up like an old-fashioned candy store, this vegan-sweets boutique made us wish we hadn’t just eaten 29 turnip cakes and 73 tofu skin rolls. Vegan cakes, cookies, candies, bars, pies, doughnuts, dipped pretzels, woopie pies … this place was awe-inspiring on looks alone, and judging by the crowds lined up for the goodies, the stuff was tasty, too (and we can vouch for at least one menu item: Vegan Treats' Peanut Butter Bomb Cake. We’d recognize that anywhere!). A few doors up we passed Wild Ginger, a "pan-Asian vegan café" whose menu—from the Yam and Taro Tempura to the Orange Seitan with Broccoli—looks divine. Next time! Moving along, we poked our noses in a number of crowded cafés, vintage clothing stores, antique shops, and internet hangouts before looping around and back to the Manhattan-bound L train to primp for our evening. Along the way, we passed yet another veg eatery, Bliss, that we hear has a killer tofu scramble.

Back at our hotel, we changed clothes, then moseyed over to Lan Café for a Vietnamese meal made memorable by a surprise visitor who arrived at our table armed with a bottle of wine and an offer to share. Lan Café doesn’t offer "adult" beverages, but they do have a liberal BYOB policy, and since we’re never ones to refuse the kindness of strangers, we sipped Australian Chardonnay as we slurped our noodles. Next, we made like boomerangs and headed back to Brooklyn to meet up with a heap of cool cats, including The Discerning Brute’s Joshua Katcher and the world’s most dazzling vegan stylista/animal savior/newsletter diva, Chloé Jo Berman. One of us (okay, that would be Aurelia) was nervous about meeting up with such shiny, pretty dignitaries, but soon discovered they were really a bunch of friendly, down-to-earth, straight-shooting kids with both smarts and silly streaks. My favorite combination!

The charming Joshua Katcher, gorgeous Emily Elkins, dashing Jeremy Davis, and stunning Chloé Jo

Leaving our watering hole before the witching hour, we made like hungry bandits to the all-night natural-foods grocery store and scarfed vegan "tuna" sandwiches, chewy Primal Strips, and fresh fruit.

Next day, we sauntered over to the fun and funky Chelsea Flea Market at the advice of dessert doyenne Fran Costigan and picked up a few goodies before bee-lining it to Saravanaas Restaurant for enormous silver plates loaded down with idli, vada, utthapam, and sambar. Next stop: 60th St., for a bit of Bastille Day action hosted by the French Institute. From there, it was a hop, skip, and a jump over to Central Park, where we held our noses as we walked past those sad-looking carriage horses weighted down with tourists. Keeping to a leisurely pace, we arrived, at last, at The Met, where, with a mere hour to blast through the entire collection of world-class art, we scanned Monets, Manets, and Man Rays before heading back downtown for drinks, Dinner #1, and Dinner #2, both of which took place at Viva Herbal Pizza. There, we had a small-world moment: As we chomped our humongous triangles loaded with fake meat and tomato sauce, who should walk in but HSUS's Patrick Kwan. A serendipitous end to a spectacular trip.

Russian Spies

Who: Senior Editor Elizabeth Castoria + Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough
What: Dinner date
Where: The Usual Suspects Café in San Francisco, Calif.
When: July 17, 2008
Why: To check out the Russian revolution in North Beach

The Scoop: Abuzz since it opened its doors in May of this year, The Usual Suspects filled the retro-veg-diner void the tummies of hungry SF vegetarians have long been grumbling for. Yelpers, bloggers, and other members of the local vegeratti flocked to the deco, rockabilly-styled hot spot, churning out glowing reviews of their pasta, burgers, wraps, and pizzas. But as word that there had been a sudden chef and menu change, many fickle fans abandoned their new favorite watering hole on less-than-reasonable grounds. Sure, ordering borscht from a hand-written menu and eating it next to a jukebox is all a little strange (after all, the American '50s and Russia don't exactly jive), but the restaurant's identity is still in development. What've they already got down pat? Welcoming service, and a now-vegan menu updated daily according to what's freshest at the market—and it's all prepared from scratch by recent Russian immigrants. People, it's authentic vegan Russian food! From the land of fur and kasha!

On this particular evening, we enjoyed their amazing, creamy-garlic Eggplant Rolls (seriously, order 18 of them), filling and savory mushroom and potato Vareniks, followed by gooey chocolate blintzes. Made fresh with wholesome, rich ingredients, we left feeling sated, spoiled, and suspicious about what this unusual spot has in store for us next ...

Hyperdrive Big Apple Weekend

Who: VN Editorial Director Aurelia d'Andrea + VN Senior Editor Jennifer Pickens

What: A whirlwind weekend in sunny NYC

Where: The Right Coast, baby!

When: July 11–14

Why: Because someone *aurelia*cough* had never visited the vegan epicenter of the universe that is NYC, and really needed to

The Scoop: New York City in the middle of summer? When it’s like, 98 degrees and 100-percent humidity? You bet! According to Aurelia and Jen’s logic, this is the magic time to visit the Big Apple, since half the city is in the Hamptons or at lake houses upstate or maybe just cooling down in their air-conditioned apartments. In other words, the city would be all ours. Well, sort of. But never mind that. Between social engagements, sightseeing jaunts, and stuffing our faces with amazing food, crowds were the least of our concerns.

After checking into our hotel on Day 1, the two of us meandered about the East Village, serendipitously stumbling upon veg restaurant after veg restaurant, including Kate’s Joint, Viva Herbal Pizzeria, and Lan Café. Wanting to hold out for the special meal we were to eat later that night, we skipped those guys in favor of a light snack at Whole Earth Bakery & Kitchen, where, in spite of all the vegan cheesecakes, cheeseless calzones, and egg-free quiches staring at us from behind the glass counter, Aurelia decided on a simple shot of wheatgrass juice and Jen opted for a cooling cup of gazpacho.

Later that night, we cabbed it up to 79th and Lexington for a memorable meal at elegant veg institution Candle 79. Benay Vyenerib, a friend of a good friend, works at Candle and went the extra mile to hook us up with the best table in the house. Hurray! After a glass of wine and shared appetizers that included the to-die-for stuffed squash blossoms, we moved on to our main courses: Seitan Piccata (Aurelia), and Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Cake (Jen). Let’s just say that it was so delicious and so filling that these two chocolate-and-peanut-butter-loving girls couldn’t even look at the words “Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss” on the menu. Ouch. But in a good way. During our meal, we had three surprise visitors to our table:  HSUS’s man about town Patrick Kwan, vegan marshmallow diva Sara Sohn of Sweet and Sara, and VN’s very own contributing photographer Danielle Ricciardi. Talk about a small world! The chance encounters gave us an excuse to make plans with Patrick for the following day. Our rendezvous destination? Chinatown.


from left: Benay Vyenerib, Aurelia d'Andrea, Danielle Ricciardi, and Jennifer Pickens

On Day 2, we woke early and grabbed our respective morning pick-me-up elixirs and made our way in a leisurely fashion to the southern tip of Chinatown for some dim sum with Patrick at his favorite local spot, Buddha Bodai. After slurping cups of green tea and feasting on turnip cakes, tofu-skin rolls, steamed buns and other assorted goodies, we wiggled around the neighborhood, making stops at Animal Haven and May Wah Vegetarian Food before hopping on the L train toward Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And oh what fun we were about to have! Just so happens that Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary was throwing a tag sale that day, and if there’s one thing we love, it’s a tag sale to benefit animals. There we bumped into Mr. and Mrs. Hotstuff, Dan Piraro and Ashley Lou Smith—definitely two of the nicest folks we've ever met. We also ran into new friend Cat Clyne, formerly of Satya magazine, and the lovely Jenny Brown, who heads up the Woodstock Sanctuary. Oh, wait! We also met former VN Vegan Wedding couple Tom O’Hagan and Sara Kubersky of Mooshoes, along with their super-cute baby boy. Phew!

Lest your eyeballs begin to shrivel like two organic raisins, phase two of our Brooklyn/Manhattan sojourn to follow in another post.

Around the World in Saturday

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, Office Manager Jenny Diaz + Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough
What: Gastronomical tour of San Francisco
Where: San Francisco's Chinatown and North Beach neighborhoods
When: July 12, 2008
Why: To be ladies who lunch. And snack. And get treats to go.

The Scoop: Having lived six months in this fantastic town, I'd like to think I've done Arthur Frommer proud, exploring SF's most remarkable nooks, crannies, and vegan venues. But no amount of my own enthusiasm or well-researched trailblazing can compare to a personally guided tour with a long time local—particularly one who happens to be vegan and great company. Colleen planned a jam-packed, epicurean treasure trail, leading Ms. Jenny and me east around the new old-world, making stops in the particularly delicious China and indulgent Italy. First stop: lunch at the Buddhist and vegan Lucky Creation—a tiny, spotless hole-in-the-Great-Wall where, no sooner had we dumped our bags and placed our orders did countless steaming white dishes descend upon our crowded table. Boasting simple and flavorful renditions of won-ton soup, pot stickers, tofu and eggplant, and homemade marinated curry, sweet and sour, and barbecue mock meats, all made with amazingly fresh ingredients. Lingering longer than our business-like hostesses would have liked (you may have to trade your first born for a second glass of water), we stopped for a quick photo op before meandering through the famous Ross Alley to peak in on the hard-working ladies of the historic Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

After so much food, we were in danger of slipping into a food coma, so off we went to North Beach for some uppers in the form of soy lattes and Italian sodas. But first, we had to take a quick Eurasian detour to the now all-vegan The Usual Suspects Café and peek at their recently Ruskied menu which, as we found out, boasts "borsh" and blintzes. Uh, you heard us. Check back here for highlights for our upcoming full-review!

Heading north, we visit Caffe Greco—one of San Francisco’s most treasured Italian spots. Famous for its authentic, fresh tiramisu and cannoli, they also whip up some mean, foamy lattes and a special sweet treat for our sweet-toothed tour-guide: the Greco Sunrise, which consists of Orangina and gourmet strawberry syrup. With the Saturday sun and tourists in full-force, the café's sidewalk seating presented the perfect opportunity to rest our feet, watch the flurry of interesting international fashions, and soak up some vitamin D. With no cuisine more indulgent than that of the French, we had to cap our tour de SF in France—or, at least, a French chocolatier. XOX Truffles’ founding chef Jean-Marc Gorce is nationally renowned for his velvety morsels, and we scooped up some of his vegan dark Chocolate, “l'orange,” and “noisette” (hazelnut) vegan flavors to take home as a sensual souvenir.

Here's a photo of the enthusiastic, albeit extremely caffeinated, trio:

Grand Tahoe Adventure

Who: VN Associate Publisher Colleen Holland and her getaway guy
What: A post-party weekend getaway
Where: Lake Tahoe, Calif.
When: June 28–30, 2008
Why: To relax and rejuvenate after the party festivities!

The Scoop: It’s true. We had one heck of an issue launch party. You know when everything goes just right? Well it all did, the night of our fabulous soirée to benefit the very important Humane California campaign.

But after all is said and done, a little R&R was in order to get back on track. And with a cozy cabin at our disposal that just happened to be a stone’s throw from a handful of veg-friendly eateries, we were happy campers. Oh, we also enjoyed the very close proximity to gorgeous Lake Tahoe, but I digress from what’s of utmost importance: the food.

After a four-hour drive from San Francisco and then quickly getting settled at the cabin, we strolled over to the area’s most talked-about veggie hotspot, Sprouts. Although not completely vegetarian, the restaurant boasts a bevy of veggie options that would keep us satisfied for a much-longer stay than we had planned. Clearly a neighborhood staple, the place was packed with fresh-faced locals (Ski instructors? Hikers? Bicyclists?) in for their fix of healthy, wholesome, generously-portioned food. We grabbed a table outside and tucked into chips and guacamole, a taco salad smothered with tahini sauce and salsa, and the always-dependable brown rice with veggies. After an evening stroll along the lake, we found ourselves at Freshies, a Hawaiian-style restaurant loaded with vegan options. In need of a sweet finale, we shared a slice of the housemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie. Vegan and delicious.

The next morning, eager to go hiking but also wanting to try another restaurant, we stumbled upon Wide Awake Conscious Café. A small but inviting and quite chic café, the menu makes a claim we’d never before seen: 100% vegetarian, except for a few dishes marked with a chicken icon. Okay, we can live with that; at least they’re proudly touting the veggie focus. We again dined al fresco and sipped on freshly squeezed orange juice (with biodegradable corn straws) before indulging in one of the best veggie breakfast burritos we’ve ever had. Stuffed in a flat bread were tofu scramble, vegetables, beans, and vegan cheese, then the whole thing was grilled to perfection (see photo below). Each order arrived with a pair of burritos, plenty to share amongst two people. We loved their self-service water pitchers teeming with edible flowers and herbs, and an all-vegan dessert case is in the works. If you’re in need of free wi-fi (is anyone not in need of free wi-fi?) or a computer to check email, Wide Awake offers both.

Later that evening, after a very long, hot day of hiking, we couldn’t wait to return to Freshies to partake in a Hawaiian-themed meal on their deck overlooking Lake Tahoe. Although we had to wait about 30 minutes, it was so worth it—we were seated in clear view of the setting sun over the lake. We started off with homemade lemonade and tempura-battered vegetables with spicy peanut sauce. Made with rice flour and rice milk, the tempura was super light and downright delicious. We then shared the East Indian Spinach Salad, with fresh spinach topped with curried tofu, green apples, pickled onions, tomatoes, coconut, mango, and scallions in a chutney vinaigrette. The restaurant is famous for its tacos, which can be made with tofu or tempeh, but we opted for the Rippin’ Red Curry, a blend of sautéed yams, sweet potatoes, tempeh, bean sprouts, spinach, and tomatoes in a fiery curry sauce (see photo of curry and salad above). We were in paradise.

The next day, we hit Sprouts one last time for a pre-bicycle-ride breakfast. We went with the toasted bagel sandwiches loaded up with hummus, cucumber, sprouts, and tomatoes. Why do these always taste so much better when someone else makes them? We sipped frosty fruit smoothies and then got on our way. Before leaving town later that afternoon, we stopped by the area’s lone natural food store, Grass Roots, for some road trip fruit and beverages. An institution in South Lake Tahoe, the market has been around for decades and carried all the veg provisions one would need, including freshly baked vegan cookies. We like that.

Music Issue Launch Party Extravaganza!

Who: The VegNews Team + 250 of our closest friends
What: July+August Music Issue Launch Party
Where: The Electric Works Art Gallery in San Francisco
When: June 26, 2008
Why: Why not?

The Scoop: It was yet another historic happening for VegNews: Our first Issue Launch party. To celebrate two other premieres—our first-ever Music Issue and the doling out of our initial veg Bloggy Awards, the staff decided to throw a little party. Our capacity of 200 guests quickly grew to 250, and the waiting list was almost as large. Yes, this was one hot ticket.

Speaking of hot, Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, one of the 50 musicians featured in the July+August issue to whom we were paying homage, performed two hour-long sets of silky vocals and soft jazz, perfect for the intimate venue. Lavay and her long-time partner/keyboardist Chris Siebert, both vegan, were honored and overjoyed to be part of the festive evening. And we couldn’t have chosen a more perfect five-piece. Here's Lavay with the VN gang:


In addition to the Skillet Lickers, several other musicians from the new issue were in attendance, including The Astral Projectionist, Edge with the Dreads, members of Blammos, Cult of Sue Todd, and Zepparella. Bloggy winners who graciously graced us with their presence included Super Vegan’s Susie Cagle, The Urban Housewife’s Melissa Elliot, Vegan Talk’s Billy Amon, Vegan Yum Yum’s Lauren Ulm, and Walking the Vegan Line’s Amanda Mariano. Had so many noted veggies ever been assembled in one place in San Francisco before? We think not.

Then there was the food. And drink. And more food. And even more drink. Can you say “VegNews Rock & Roll Martini,” made with tasty ModMix? How about organic red and white from La Rocca Vineyards? The beer nuts were happy with Mateveza Yerba Mate Ale, and the prohibitionists had their fill with four choices of new Steaz sodas and two flavors of MetroMint H2O.

So much liquid refreshment was needed to wash down the ample and delectable hors d’oeuvres provided by Millennium, Herbivore, and The Usual Suspects, as well as Personal Chef Justin Lucke. All these were followed by dee-lish mini cupcakes by Sugar Beet Sweets, which were gobbled up in approximately 11 seconds. For optimal snacking, roaming candy girls delivered mini Clif Bars, Sjaak's Organic Chocolates, and Tofurky Jurky.

Other noted guests were Matt Gonzalez, former San Francisco Board of Supervisors president and current Independent Vice Presidential candidate with Ralph Nader, and New York Times #1 selling authoress Rory Freedman, who Skinny Bitched herself up from L.A. just for our party (that's her in the top photo with VN Publisher Joseph Connelly). And did we mention authors Karen Dawn (Thanking the Monkey) and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (The Joy of Vegan Baking)? If that isn’t enough, key members of the Californians for Humane Farms ballot initiative were on hand, including Jennifer Fearing, Heather Carpenter, Karin Olsson, and Nora Kramer. Oh, we also had a little silent auction to raise some much-needed funds for the campaign.

Yes, vegans know how to have fun. The gallery was packed all night, and the buzz continued far longer—though that might have been those martinis.

* * *
This night wouldn't have been anything like the success that it was without our dedicated, tireless volunteers, all of whom were rock stars in their own right. Thank you!

The staff of VegNews would like to thank Noah Lang and the very accommodating staff of The Electric Works for opening their doors to VegNews. Will we be back? You betcha!

Oakland Raiders

Who: VN Editorial Assistant Lisa Mickleborough + SF Vegan founders Barna Mink and Kathleen Bennett
What: A vegan-venue food crawl
Where: Souley Vegan + Layonna Vegetarian Health Food Market in Oakland, Calif.
When: June 21, 2008
Why: East Bay soul searchin'

The Scoop: San Francisco, a city abounding in vegan restaurants and vegetarian markets, has yet to produce a venue with real soul. Having tried them all—everything from raw to retro-inspired—I've been yearning for a spot that really knows how to barbecue tofu and season collard greens. You can imagine, then, my reaction when I learned that a vegan soul food joint was opening just around the corner from Layonna Vegetarian—a regional veg institution—across the bay in Oakland. Grabbing the first available Saturday I could, I rounded up my dearest friends, hopped the train to our sister city, and made a day out of these two dream-come-true destinations.

Rounding the corner on 13th, a vibrant read awning emblazoned with the words "Souley Vegan: Vegan Soul Food" beckoned, and we ducked into the bare but cozy vegan-owned café blaring scratchy blues, took a look around the place at other patrons' dishes and, no exaggeration, cursed out loud with joy. Grabbing bottles of very strong strawberry-ginger juice to wash it all down, we picked amazingly textured crispy tofu, smoky-savory collards, and creamy and rich mac 'n' cheese from their mouth-watering menu. With all the anticipation, I was amazed these home-cooked dishes managed to exceed my expectations.

Next up, after saying our good-byes and profuse thank-yous to the chef and owner Tamearra Dyson, we waddled over to Layonna's to gawk at the aisles of mock meat—with everything from codfish steak, giant prawns, yeast "jerks," and beef tendon to their widely consumed chicken chunks and drumsticks. As a first-time visitor I was overwhelmed, but I managed to pick a few interesting meatless meats to try. Stuffed and stunned, we explored the city for awhile before heading back to our homes to recover.

Sunny (Finally!) Summerfest

Who: VN Editorial Director Aurelia d’Andrea and VN Distribution Manager Katie Donaldson
What: Vegetarian Summerfest 2008, the 34^th annual conference of the North American Vegetarian Society
Where: University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Penn.
When: June 18–22, 2008
Why: To connect with the movers, shakers, and everyday people within the greater vegetarian community

The Scoop: This journey to the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania began before dawn last Tuesday, when Aurelia and Katie arose at 4am from their beds in San Francisco and Boulder, respectively, caught their shuttles to the airport, and began a long day of travel to get to this verdant college campus for five days of lectures, socializing, eating, and, yes, working. After setting up the VN booth, we retired to our dorm-room accommodations so we’d be chipper and charged for the next day’s activities, and were lulled to sleep by the sound of rain falling outside our window.

Mornings at this summer camp for vegetarians began with optional 6am yoga classes, which the two of us bypassed in favor of a few extra Zs. At 7am we were out the door and off to our booth over in the student union, where we awaited the throngs of campers on their way to breakfast in the upstairs dining room. While folks ate, Katie and Aurelia traded-off staffing duties while the other stuffed her gullet with the likes of pancakes, fried potatoes, fresh fruit, and oatmeal. There was even a salad bar for those who think Goddess Dressing is an appropriate condiment with which to start the day.

After eating, we waited for the reinvigorated throngs to pour downstairs and visit our booth. In addition to taking subscription orders and chatting up friends old and new, we did our best to generate buzz about our vegan cookie basket raffle prize, and encouraged folks to enter the drawing for Sun Flour Baking Company bonanza.

When the crowds cleared and the student union turned quiet, we knew it was time to head to one of the many lectures taking place on campus. Between the two of us, we attended seminars led by such veg luminaries as Harold Brown, Gene Baur, Rae Sikora, VN columnist Will Tuttle, and James LaVeck. Other notable speakers included Howard Lyman, T. Colin Campbell, Pamela Rice, Milton Mills, and the fabulous Fran Costigan.

Probably the most exciting part of this event was getting to put faces to the names of fellow veggies whom we’ve only ever corresponded with by phone or email. Linda Long, whose first book, Great Chefs Cook Vegan, will be released in early September, is as lovely as can be, as is JoAnn Farb, who just released her book, Get Off Gluten. Michael Greger, MD—one of our featured 25 Most Fascinating Vegetarians from Issue 56—is much, much funnier than you’d expect any doctor to be, and VN columnist Robin Robertson is a bundle of warmth and conviviality. And we can't forget Friends of Animals' Dustin Rhodes, who kept us laughing and entertained with cute photos of his dogs Lulu and Delilah. We also made a friend in Yvonne Smith, aka The Traveling Vegetarian. A sort of vegan Rachael Ray, we expect her to be the Next Big Thing in the glamourous world of television cooking.

Vegan Rules! Jill Nussinow, Cathi DiCocco, Fran Costigan, and Aurelia d'Andrea

The only downside to Summerfest 2008 was the weather; it rained every single day, sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning. On Sunday, however, as we packed up and headed for the airport, the sun erupted from a sea of clouds and shined on us the whole way back to Pittsburgh. Both Katie and Aurelia look forward to a very sunny, non-rainy Summerfest 2009.

First-Ever Press Pass Giveaway!

The Scoop: Congratulations to Vegan_Noodle! Not only has Amanda Mariano, author extraordinaire of Walking the Vegan Line, been awarded a Veg Bloggy award, but she's also the winner of our first-ever Press Pass Giveaway! Her response to our question asking why she deserves the super-sleek Farm Sanctuary Matt & Nat tote bag—which comes chock-full of vegan swag—was our editors' favorite. Here's what she had to say:

The reason I deserve to win this press pass giveaway is because I plan on giving it to a very special person who really deserves it, the founder of our local vegan society (Society of PEACE) who dedicates her time, money, and enthusiasm to spreading veganism in Houston, TX and is doing a dang good job at it.

This is just the kind of attitude we're looking for: generous, and genteel enough to say "dang." We like that. Here's to spreading the vegan-goodie love around!

Mingling and Meandering in Minneapolis (3 of 3)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly
What: Day Three of Their Lives, Our Voices: The Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference
Where: Hubert H. Humphrey Conference Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
When: June 6–8, 2008
Why: Attend a historic “first” + chance to see a new city

The Scoop: In spite of the late nights for many (see yesterday’s blog entry), most folks were able to rouse themselves Sunday morning in time for HSUS’ Senior Director of Factory Farming Campaign Paul Shapiro’s morning pick-us-up keynote speech, “Advances for Farm Animals: How and Why We Are Winning.” Paul presented a well-documented and timely Power Point presentation detailing almost all of the successes farmed animals have gained in recent history, from statewide ballot victories to slaughterhouse closings to the number of ‘tweens, teens, and college students who now identify as vegetarian. Paul accidentally left out that a certain vegan publication was recently named “Best Lifestyle Magazine” in the country, though he promised to correct this faux pas or eat foie gras.

Next up, Lorri Bauston of Animal Acres educated us on the effort to establish humane enforcement agencies for farmed animals in California—basically an SPCA for cows, pigs, chickens, etc. ACI, or “Animal Cruelty Investigations,” is currently in the process of gaining legal status--a worthy, progressive effort you certainly will be hearing more about. COK’s Executive Director Erica Meier followed Lorri, giving new meaning to the phrase “voice for the voiceless.” Doing her best raspy Demi Moore impersonation (did someone stay out too late last night?), a slightly under-the-weather Erica showed her compassion over illness by gamely delivering her presentation, “Veg Outreach: Marketing Our Message.” Erica showed how we can take a page out of the multi-billion-dollar advertising campaigns of fast-food conglomerates to spread the word about veganism, be it via ads on MTV or “feed-ins” where volunteers give away free veg food. You may gargle now.

Lunch in the VegNews Atrium consisted of approximately 14,835 Chipotle Mexican Grill burritos and fajitas, enough so that each conference attendee got, well, more than one. The ever-hungry Nathan Runkle complained that they were “too small. I’m used to football-sized ones” though they were large enough that the one I snuck on the plane for my flight home certainly caught the eye of the fine folks at Homeland Security. Suffice to say, all you foodies out there, there was no problem finding sustenance at this conference. CAA might consider changing it’s name to Chow for Animal Activists.

While the festivities began to wind down post-lunch, as it was getaway day for many, there were still a few more highlights to be had. A session titled “Lightning Talks” gave anyone in attendance the opportunity to test his or her skills in front of an audience with a five-minute rant on a subject of their choosing. Seeing young people nervously speaking in front of a crowd for possibly the first time certainly gave this seasoned citizen a warm feeling for the future, and truly epitomized the nature of this first Midwest conference. The final plenary followed Lightning Talks, delivered by Mercy for Animals’ Director of Campaigns (and University of Minnesota grad) Freeman Wicklund. Freeman borrowed the title of the conference, “Their Lives, Our Voices” for his talk, which focused on why so many people fight for the dignity of non-human animals. It was the perfect ending to this inspiring conference, and I highly recommend everyone view Freeman’s speech, which I am hoping CAA uploads soon.

The only “negative” part of the weekend was departing Minneapolis. I predict that the Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference will grow in size and stature, becoming one of the “must do” events of the year. I’m glad I was able to be at the first.

Manolos or Manilows? Boyz in the City: Matt "Miranda" Ball of Vegan Outreach, Paul "Samantha" Shapiro of HSUS, VN Publisher Joe "Charlotte" Connelly, and CAA's amazing conference organizer, Gil "Carrie" Schwartz

Mingling & Meandering in Minneapolis (2 of 3)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly
What: Day Two of Their Lives, Our Voices: The Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference
Where: Hubert H. Humphrey Conference Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
When: June 6–8, 2008
Why: Attend a historic “first” + chance to see a new city

The Scoop: Following a hearty breakfast of warm local breads, pastries, scones, bagels with vegan cream cheese, and fresh fruit, plus juice, coffee, tea, and an overabundance of Glacéau VitaminWater, the Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference was is full swing. Farm Sanctuary cofounder and president Gene Baur delivered a passionate opening keynote speech centered around his book, Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. The conference host, Compassionate Action for Animals, made a bold yet effective move in focusing almost every plenary and breakout session around just two themes: farmed animals and activism in general. Unlike most other animal conferences this blogger has attended, there was nary a discussion of vivisection, fur, circuses, or hunting. The organizers decided to devote most of the conference to most of the animals, acknowledging that more than 95 percent of animals used by humans are those of the farmed variety. This daring decision centered the conference’s attention, shifting its energy from that of being potentially overwhelming toward one that was decidedly focused. Given the intimate nature of a conference (there were approximately 200 attendees), the strategy was incredibly effective.

Likewise, while focusing on food animals, CAA also focused on the food served, sans animals. Saturday’s lunch was an impressive Asian-African buffet providing by Asase Yaa Catering, and while this front-of-the-line diner was in awe of what appeared to be far too many choices and could only sample about one-third of ‘em, the remaining attendees devoured the food so quickly that a rush order was called in for more vegan pizza (see my Day One blog entry). No one was going hungry, nor was the conference to be renamed, “Their Lives, Our Stomachs.”

Lunch was followed by more concurrent sessions before the day concluded with VegNews columnist and Compassionate Cooks founder Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s keynote speech “Being a Joyful Vegan in a Non-vegan World.” Colleen’s talk was inspiring, emotional, and humorous, the perfect finale for this first day of lectures.

Another decision that worked for TLOV was to end the day’s activities at the dinner hour, allowing attendees to explore Minneapolis while sampling some of the veg-friendly offerings the city has on tap. So 23 of us descended upon Kilimanjaro Café, a short walk from campus in an area with the largest population of Ethiopians and sub-Saharan East Africans anywhere outside of Africa. Who knew? We ordered eight, yes eight, vegetarian combination platters, each one heaped with lentils, greens, and potatoes atop an extra large pizza-sized injera, the traditional Ethiopian bread made from fermented teff flour.

The food was fantastic and inexpensive, and Nathan Runkle of Mercy for Animals (that's him, below) ate two all by himself.
After a pleasant walk around the city and over the Mississippi River, we ended the night at The Local Irish Pub (“The Local” to locals). Minneapolis’ hippest bar is huge, ornate, and used to be the location of a fur manufacturer, a pleasant change to which DawnWatch founder and Thanking the Monkey author Karen Dawn raised a glass in honor of. Next, it was off in search of a bed to sleep in, as we still had a full day of conference ahead of us.

Mingling & Meandering in Minneapolis (part 1 of 3)

Who: VN Publisher Joseph Connelly
What: Day One of Their Lives, Our Voices: The Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference
Where: Hubert H. Humphrey Conference Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
When: June 6–8, 2008
Why: To attend a historic “first” + a chance to see a new city

The Scoop: When approached to sponsor the inaugural Midwest Animal Advocacy Conference, hosted by Minneapolis-based Compassionate Action for Animals, VN jumped at the opportunity. And we’re damn glad we did. Much like now-familiar orgs Compassion Over Killing and Mercy for Animals, CAA is the new wave of animal activism, blending a winning combination of ingredients including youth, intelligence, professionalism, media savvy, and contemporary technology to advocate passionately and successfully for its chosen constituency.

So, I packed my bags and red-eyed it into Minneapolis, watching the sun rise as the 757 descended. Having never been to Minnesota nor the Twin Cities, Day 1 was set aside for exploration. Meeting up with an old friend, together we walked through downtown and all around southwest Minneapolis. We were amazed to discover this jewel of a city: spotlessly clean, refreshingly cosmopolitan, yet historically beautiful. Old buildings blend with new; lakes pop up everywhere, some just a few short blocks from downtown; modern skyscrapers leave their shadows on charming residential neighborhoods of hundred-year-old homes. Is this city for real?!

We lunched at one of the city’s noted veg spots, Ecopolitan, a 100-percent-organic raw-vegan restaurant embedded in a building that also houses a spa, oxygen bar, and art gallery, and that also holds free weekly lectures, making it a veritable one-stop eco-health shop. Ordering the Ginger Lemonade (apple, lemon, lime, ginger), it stunned the senses with such flavor that we quickly ordered a second. Next, we settled on two entrées: Spicy Thai Noodles (julienned "noodles" made with carrot, zucchini, daikon, and red bell pepper intertwined with coconut, pineapple, almonds, and cilantro) and the Savory Casserole (a sprouted buckwheat concoction ripe with avo, veggies, and a herbed cashew crème). Each teased the ‘buds with multiple, complimentary flavors: fresh, savory, ripe, spicy. Is “healthy” a flavor? In addition to the fab fare, Ecopolitan is a happening place. Abuzz at 2pm on a Friday afternoon, diners ranged from hipsters to the health conscious. Oh, and how many restaurants do you know that include a “services” section on its menu? I’d like to order a 30-minute Infrared Cedar Sauna Session, please. Thank you very much.

Next, we meandered back toward downtown, taking in the architecture, crossing a highway on a surreal pedestrian bridge, traversing Loring Park (yes, there were lakes), and visiting antique shops and used bookstores. All in a day’s work, mind you. Next it was on to the opening reception of Their Lives, Our Voices.VegNews had the honor of sponsoring the Atrium, the hub inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Conference Center where TLOV was happening. The Friday night reception was casual; guests mostly socialized and munched delicious vegan pizza from Pizza Luce. Both the venue and the conference were intimate, yet the speaker line-up and lectures were A-list. Check back tomorrow for VN’s recap of Their Lives, Our Voices.

Southern Comfort Night: The Full Belly Report

Who: (Almost) All the VN Ladies
What: Millennium's Annual Southern Comfort Dinner
Where: San Francisco, Calif.
When: May 22, 2008
Why: Who would want to miss when haute cuisine goes lowbrow?

The Scoop: Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain Oysters. Yes, those are the small round items with the skewers on the plate you see above. When dinner starts out with faux-bull balls, you know you're in for a certain kind of night. The VN team has made an annual tradition of attending this outrageously fun, decidedly down-home event, and we pretty much spend all year talking about what will be on the menu. This year's lineup was just as artery-clogging and decadent as we were expecting. Along with the "mountain oysters," appetizers included beer-battered onion rings, pickled okra, pizza rolls (in the foil), corn bread, bacon cheese bread, and large, icy buckets of the finest Pabst Blue Ribbon around.

From there things just got greasier. Deep-fried Tofurky sausages, anyone? How about salad with a highly thick and creamy bacon-ranch dressing? Remember, this was all before our entrées came out. We had the choice of tamales, barbecue seitan, hoisin-apricot tempeh ribs, or Doritos-crusted catfish. Yeah, you try and pick from that roster. Just in case there was any extra room in our stomachs, Miss Jazz's DIY brownie sundae bar—named for VN contributor Jesse Miner's chihuahua—completed the meal with brownies, rocky road ice cream, hot fudge and butterscotch sauces, and a smorgasbord of toppings.

To complement the over-the-top eats, a few of our group dressed to their trashiest nines, complete with blacked-out teeth and faux-pregnant bellies. As if all this weren't enough to make for a memorable evening, Executive Chef Eric Tucker took Colleen and Elizabeth into the kitchen for a quick lesson in deep-frying onion rings. Maybe they were ecstatic about it. Maybe they totally freaked out and blushed like schoolgirls. Maybe it's not, you know, every day that you get into the kitchen at Millennium.

Here's the whole group of lovely ladies, all of whom, amazingly, were still able to button their pants at the end of the night.