The Vegan Good Life

Goodbye and Hello

2011-01-10T06:23:00.012-05:00

"I know, we're not where I promised you we'd be by now. But maybe it's a question of who'd want it anyhow." - The Swell Season, "The Rain"

After much soul-searching, I've decided to retire this labor of love called "The Vegan Good Life" and start fresh with a new blog.

I've made no secret of my struggles to eat vegan in every single scenario as I tried to switch from lacto-ovo vegetarianism. My biggest challenges: some vegan products taste, at best, just okay (ahem, vegan cheese); some things cost more (soy yogurts, for example, are double the sale price most pay at supermarkets); and social situations with an excess of foods, especially ones I enjoy eating. When there's an abundance of pies at Thanksgiving, does it matter in the scheme of animal welfare if I have a slice of pecan pie? Also frustrating was worrying about a dollop of milk in butternut squash apple soup at my local soup place, or when traveling wanting to try tiramisu in Italy (but didn't) or running around looking for soy gelato in 25 places. Vegan clothes are a whole other ballpark. I am an avid thrift shopper and clothes swapper and don't see anything wrong with acquiring a second-hand Irish wool hat for $4 if it's going to help homeless cats or a silk dress at a swap.

"Easy" is the most frequent word I hear touted by vegans, but food choices are anything but. They are emotional, tied to economics, family support, and product availability, among other factors. What's easy for one person might not be so for another. Most people are simply going to tinker with their diets over the course of their life, and I am one of them.

I've kept the name up until now because I wanted to be a different type of voice in the community. I simply can't relate to the blogs of people kissing their cupcakes or non-stop joyous attitudes. That's just not real life, that's an image you're trying to sell. There is a real disconnect to how veganism is being marketed to people, and how difficult people find doing it completely when they try it (so then not doing it at all, a great failure for animals). If I've learned anything, it's how much I dislike dietary labels, which is why I want a blog name without one.

I sincerely wish this absolutist issue was not so taboo and people were able to accept and embrace the challenges and accept not being perfect. People shouldn't be made to feel like a failure, or that we're in a game of "I'm the better advocate than you are." I truly in my heart believe we should focus less on "being a vegan" or "going vegan" and instead emphasize eating a plant-based diet as much as possible, eating smaller portions, and wasting less versus signing up for a 100 percent commitment, which most people won't or cannot be able to do. Theory far too often trumps reality, but I'd rather live in reality, and set goals that are attainable.

Benjamin Button wrote in a letter to his daughter he hoped she'd live a life she was proud of. I live a life I'm pretty proud of. Perfect? Never. Apologetic? No way.

So...it's time for a change, because that's what life is about. My new blog is called American Dream Finder. It is my chronicling of my life in my own pursuit of the American dream. But like this blog, the dialogue will not be limited to any one topic and is welcome to people of all beliefs. And, yes it will continue to showcase all the great vegan and vegetarian food in my life.

If you'd like, I invite you to follow me, link me on your site, or just come on by for a visit whenever you feel like it. I shall be here having "a cuppa" with my musings, travels, eats and the like. As a good friend said (and I use this in the context of bloggers who pour their hearts out), "we don't write for ourselves, we write to be heard." I hope we can continue the conversation together, even if you've only been a reader and not a commenter, and create a better world for ourselves, animals, people, and our planet.

Thanks for reading,
Catherine

But What Do You Eat? Dining Out Edition

2011-01-03T06:32:00.013-05:00

The question every vegetarian or vegan gets. As I wonder, how do people feel comfortable eating factory farmed meat, milk and eggs at every single meal?

During a recent snowstorm, on the news they were interviewing people outside a grocery store, and a woman was listing what she deemed necessities: milk, eggs, butter, and cold cuts. It struck me they were all animal products. I also thought, how necessary are cold cuts? Of course if you ask my family dog, that's another story.

Here's a sample of what I've been eating in the past month:

An Arnold Palmer (a mix of lemonade and iced tea), $2.25, and falafel, $5.25, at Maoz Vegetarian (this location recently opened on Eighth Ave. at 43rd and 44th Sts. in New York City) I was super excited another veg option is available, especially in a high-traffic tourist area, but you can find great falafel at many places.

To go at Maoz: vegan rice pudding, $3.50.

At Empire Hunan, a Chinese and Japanese restaurant in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, bean curd soup, $1.75.

After sharing steamed vegetable dumplings, $4.50, devouring sesame fried tofu with veggies and brown rice, $9.50. A feast, and made more frugal by splitting the dish. Don't waste food (and money) - if you have leftovers, take them home, and bring your own takeout container when you can to reduce takeout waste.

To end, fragrant lychee fruit, $3.95, also to share. After the season of over-indulging (which is thankfully over), fruit is a refreshing and welcome change to complete the meal.

At cozy Mario's Trattoria on Ninth Ave. at 37th and 38th Sts. in New York City, garlic knots, $6.

The Mediterranean chopped salad, $9: green and red peppers, red onions, artichoke, tomatoes, cucumbers with oil and vinegar.

Heck, I can even eat at a steakhouse! My dad choose Charlie Brown's Steakhouse for his birthday dinner. So full from the salad bar (included in the price of the entree), I barely had room for my pasta primavera, $11.95 with garlic bread. I took it home in reusable container, and paired with a salad I got two more portions.

A dining out tip if you're looking to eat veg: don't just look for vegetarian entrees. Look at the other sections and see you can leave off the meat. If you are ordering a meat entree sans meat, ask if they'll give you a price reduction. I've had $1 to several dollars taken off. For example, at P.J. Finnegan's in Westwood, New Jersey, they took a few dollars off the chicken stir fry when I asked since I was just having the veggies and rice. Call me cheap - I prefer frugal. But it's more principal. I don't expect to pay for an ingredient I'm not having. Never feel embarrassed about respecting your hard-earned money. I don't.

Know you can find great vegetarian and vegan food dining out even if you don't have access to all the veg dining options. I dine primarily at non-veg restaurants. If you feel adventurous, ask the waiter or waitress to have the chef surprise you. Don't feel suprised when you don't miss the meat.

A Letter from Benjamin

2010-12-31T09:20:00.010-05:00

Today, simply giving thanks for another year that was granted, and having a grateful heart for another year to follow. Sharing a few words of hope and inspiration to close out the year from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a motion picture based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald tale about a man who ages in reverse.

"It's never too late...to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit. Stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. You can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

My toast, to hope, change, spiritual evolution, exploration, pride, dignity and making the world a better place. Happy New Year.

And So This Was Christmas (Swiss-German Style)

2010-12-29T06:24:00.011-05:00

My parents were both born and raised in Switzerland (not far from Germany), and our Christmas Eve celebration has a traditional Swiss twist: cheese fondue. While not vegan, this vegetarian meal fed 6 people, with no leftovers. I skipped fondue one year because it wasn't vegan, but in communal situations like this, it became harder to pass on it each year, so my own personal rule applies: eat vegetarian when it's something I'll really savor and love.

The ingredients, simple: a mix of Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses, garlic (to rub the pan, then soak in a bit of white wine) and cornstarch. Serve with white wine. We also have kirsch at the table for dipping, but I pass on it. My sweetheart chef prepared the meal.

The napkins and the daisy plates were thrifted. I liked the vintage feel of the plates. I almost always prefer retro looking things over modern.

A stollen, a traditional German loaf-shaped cake with dried fruit, spices and covered with powdered sugar. My father picked this up on his recent travels to Switzerland.

Swiss chocolate. Remembering my travels to Switzerland.

Back at my parents' house on Christmas Day, part of their cheerful collection of miniature Swiss chalets picked up at the markets in Germany. Wouldn't it be cozy to stay inside one?

Beef Bourguignon for everyone else, for me: my favorite vegan Field Roast Grain Meat Co.'s Celebration Roast with sauteed mushrooms, along with red cabbage, string beans, and my mom's homemade spaetzle.

Not feeling deprived at all over not doing gifts (aside from charitable ones). One of the highlights of the season: going to church on Christmas Eve, where I took in the quiet beauty of the sanctuary. Hearing the soloist sing "O Holy Night."

Hope you enjoyed the simple pleasures and beauty of the season!

Welcoming the Winter Solstice at Alice's Tea Cup

2010-12-22T07:22:00.025-05:00

December 21st marked the winter solstice, and I welcomed it with a happy heart. "A forest greets a snowy evening. Year after year, the holly king passes the torch as it was intended," Tori Amos signs in Winter's Carol on Midwinter Graces, a sonic love letter to the season. The summer queen surrenders, as fate and the stars has written she must, but will make her return.

Cold, snowy days await, begging you to stay indoors, linger over a pot of tea or cup of cocoa, make a pot of soup, put on your flannel pajamas and your comfiest socks, read, watch a film, play a board game, go back to bed, dream. Snow play awaits: sled down a hill, make a snow angel or a snowman, or just marvel at the beauty of it all. The heat of summer demands the body rest and soul slow down, as does the brisk cold of winter. Keith Donohue, in his poetic Angels of Destruction (a great winter read), talked about the "endless nirvana of doing nothing at all" that summer offers. The same can be said of winter days and nights. For this, I celebrate.

I gave a proper welcome to winter at New York City's Alice's Tea Cup. Whimsical costumes for the youngest of tea drinkers to get in touch with her inner princess or fairy.

A miniature version of their Alice in Wonderland set for playful tea times at home. A potential guest list: any mix of children, adults, teddy bears and dolls.

For the adult party: a pot of herbal chai (roobis, or red, tea with cinnamon, ginger and anise), with soy milk, $6.

Half a soup and half a salad is $13. Warm pear and belgian endive salad, with watercress, caramelized onions, and port vinaigrette, hold the stilton cheese.

I was told there's always one vegan soup of the day. Today's: carrot, served with a roll with basil.

Blackberry Cabernet sorbet, $6, to end the enchanting meal. No vegan scones or cookies were available that day - they were sold out.

Flashback to the winter solstice tea party at Alice's Tea cup last year, and my Valentine's party there.

A Colonial Christmas

2010-12-21T06:36:00.009-05:00

Back at the Bergen County Historical Society for both their history open house and colonial concert. Was a colonial ghost making an appearance in the far bottom right corner? These mysterious lights showed up in all the photos I took in this room.

Right above the room, the temporary headquarters of George Washington, who stayed in the Steuben House while the army was encamped between Soldier Hill Road in Oradell and Van Saun Park in Paramus.

Back at the Black Horse tavern, soul-nourishing butternut squash soup with an herbed biscuit, $8, and hot mulled cider, $1.

Whimsical Dutch Santas in the gift shop.

A visit to the Dutch out kitchen is a must. Would it be wrong to want to live by candlelight alone?

Roasted brussels sprouts is quickly becoming one of my favorite vegetables of the season.

Notice the kitchen tools. Consider the labor that went into food harvesting and preparation. With no labor required on our own part in growing it, I think sometimes we take for granted the easy accessibility we have to food today, contributing in part, to food waste.

Not milk and cookies, but hay and apples. Why?

To attract the horses of Sinterklaas.

Mistletoe by the fireplace.

In the hustle and bustle that is inevitable this time of year, take time to savor your favorite traditions this holiday season. Merry Christmas!

Out to Dry

2010-12-13T06:30:00.009-05:00

I recently watched the film Winter's Bone, about an impoverished family in the Ozarks. Laundry hang drying was a common back-drop in this dark film, and too often, it is portrayed in media images and popular culture that give it an association with poverty.

My view on hang drying laundry: it is an act of environmentalism, economic empowerment, exercise, meditation, and beauty.

Living in a garden apartment complex in New Jersey that does not allow residents to dry laundry outside, I hang dry year round on a drying rack in my apartment, clothes on hangers on my shower curtain rod, and towels on the racks. Even sheets and blankets air dry.

When I travel abroad, I adore the sight of laundry hanging out to dry. I think of our ignorance on the matter. What is so offensive about the sight of our neighbors trying to save money and energy? If a small act can help provide cleaner air and more money in wallets, I support it. I also ponder how detrimental it would be if everyone consumed resources at the rate Americans do.

Fondly recalling laundry out to dry, on the balconies of Barcelona.

In romantic Tangier.

In a Lisbon courtyard, with bicycles at the ready for a trip to the market.

I spied a laundry rainbow.

Floating over a quaint cafe in Rome.

Above the canals of Venice.

In colorful Burano.

Check out Project Laundry List's Top 10 Reasons to Line Dry.

Frugal? Don't Apologize

2010-12-09T06:29:00.012-05:00

How often I hear an apologetic or guilty tone invoked when uttering the words, "I'm frugal." Do people who live beyond their means and spend lavishly do this? Say it boldly, world, "I'm frugal." That doesn't mean don't travel, don't dine out, don't shop ever. I may dine out, but I'll bring my reusable takeout containers for leftovers (to cut down on packaging waste, but also food waste, which is essentially financial waste), and I may order water with lemon as a beverage to cut down the bill. I will travel, but will look for inexpensive accommodations that offer breakfast to take care of one of my daily meals.

Frugality to me is about not wasting, using what you have as much as possible, and being respectful of your hard earned money. It is an undervalued virtue. Save for winning the lottery or discovering a long lost Great Uncle Hans in Switzerland has bequeathed me a fortune, I don't think I'll ever have a large bank account. Having known what it's like to be unemployed, I take money matters very seriously. Even if I had a lot of money, I'd still enjoy frugal living.

Here are some frugal delights I've been savoring as of late:

Holiday entertainment from the library: books, magazines, CD's, films. Favorite films to watch each year: Elf, Home Alone, White Christmas, and though not technically a holiday film, The Sound of Music. Like Julie Andrews, one of "My Favorite Things" too is "silver white winters that melt into springs."

Writing Christmas cards while listening to holiday music. I picked up an assortment of cards from the C.A.T.S Resale Shop, for just 10 cents each.

Candles, 20 cents each, also from C.A.T.S. Resale. I adore candles, especially in fall and winter, and acquire most of them through thrift shops.

Cozy dinners at home - this one mushroom gnocchi. The pretty blue plate? Thrifted, of course.

Home baked goodies from the church bake sale: brownies to share, 25 cents each, raspberry jam, $4, I passed on to someone who will love it, and granola, $3. Check out Cate's Homemade Gifts on Liberal Simplicities.

Taking in holiday lights. We haven't had a good snow in northern New Jersey yet for a real snowman, but this cheerful lit up version greeted me on a brisk night's walk.

Our new freecycle shelf at work, which I started next to the book swap my co-worker started. Someone left this EO rose and chamomile scented lotion (a $9 value), which I immediately scooped up.

In January, I'll be co-hosting a winter clothing swap at work (I'm a proud frugalista), and we'll be including unwanted holiday gifts to give them a happy, grateful home, and for some frugal fun when everyone's credit card bills will be arriving.

Don't feel deprived - feel emboldened by frugal living.

Gifts Not For Sale

2010-12-08T06:50:00.004-05:00

Not fancy jewelry, nor expensive gadget, nor new winter coat. It is time and a rekindled magic with her loved one that Tori Amos hopes for in "A Silent Night with You." Anyone in a long-term relationship, married or not, can't help at some point but look at new couples and be a bit envious of a phase that is seemingly impossible to recapture. "Young lovers pass me by with their glow, that used to be us not so long ago."

My sweetheart and I will not be exchanging Christmas gifts again this year. We've long agreed we have everything we need, and if we want something, we'll buy it ourselves. I don't feel deprived because I have no pricey bauble or item to unwrap - quite the opposite, my life feels very rich. Much like Tori does, I will be hoping for precious time, which so slips through our hands quicker and quicker. You can't unwrap it, but it's more valuable than anything you'll find in a department store.

Also on her Midwinter Graces, in "Pink and Glitter," Tori declares "our joy isn't about a present or a grown up motor toy" - it's the celebration of a daughter, present enough for so many.

Here's to appreciating all the love in our lives this holiday season - of family, of romantic partners, of friends, of a pet.

Christmas Time, New York City

2010-12-06T06:40:00.009-05:00

No matter how many times I've seen it in my life, the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center never fails to fill me with childlike awe and wonder. With warm chestnuts in hand, I marveled at it all.

Skaters at Rockefeller Center.

Magical angels line the pathway to the tree.

A pop-up book in a window at Rockefeller Center.

The holiday windows at Bergdoff Goodman pay tribute to travel and adventure.

Even the buildings (this one Cartier) are wrapped in bows.

The UNICEF Snowflake.

I dreamt I had an Eloise adventure at The Plaza, but alas, it's back to New Jersey I go, grateful, still, to be part of the excitement of it all.

Out with the girls

2010-12-01T21:06:00.008-05:00

Sometimes, you just need some time out with the girls. Over the past few weeks, I've been enjoying some much needed catch-up time with cherished friends and co-workers.

After all day in our cubicles glaring at a computer or in meetings, this was looking pretty good! Sangria, $28, (split five ways) at Empanada Mama.

Guacamole with plantain chips, $6.95, a refreshing change to tortilla chips. The cost of this was also shared.

My corn flour empanada with steamed potatoes, carrots and lima beans, $2.40, and a spinach arepas, $5.40, a traditional South American corn patty.

Frugal: bringing your lunch to work, which I do most days. But I also like to partake in the many dining options in New York City. Said it before, will say it again: if you're going to spend money eating out - eat it there, not in front of your cubicle checking e-mail. Note to self: follow your own advice, stop eating lunch (even brown-bagged) checking e-mail!

Better idea: at Hummus Kitchen, enjoying a pomegranate lemonade with fresh mint leaves, $2.50.

The mezze trio: $9:50. I chose for my three choices hummus, curried cauliflower and couscous tabule (good, little less parsley, please!) Served with warm pita bread.

Cheers! A raspberry margarita, $4, at Blockheads.

My single friend and I had a laugh over Jane in Britcom Coupling wincing over that they make you check off a box for single on the census form, but leave no room for an explanation. True!

No laughing matter: the great vegan options at Blockheads. The no-dairy burrito (with black beans and organic brown rice) in a a whole wheat tortilla with side salad, $8. Check out the tofu sour cream!

Not laughing, but simply smiling and grateful, for the many strong, independent and intelligent women I know. Women need positive spirits in their life - and I have them. Sharing good food and drink along with conversation - all the better.

Black Friday Now? Make That Never

2010-11-26T10:51:00.007-05:00

At 5 a.m. this Friday, I was not to be found at any department store. I was sleeping "like a baby, endlessly rocking, gone from this world of cares," as Keith Donohue eloquently stated in his novel Angels of Destruction. I was not online after eating apple crisp Thanksgiving Day looking for deals on electronics, jewelry or apparel. An NBC News piece showed how you can take your over-priced gadget to the store and shop for even higher priced gadgets to get the best "deal." Even amid the Great Recession, upgrading from what we already have seems to be a national obsession.

Was Lucy on A Charlie Brown Christmas right - is Christmas run by a big Eastern syndicate?

Instead of running around a mall, I'm supporting the economy by....

Patronizing main street, independent restaurants, like Chapala Grill, in Bergenfield, New Jersey, which I picked to try for a belated birthday dinner my friend treated me to.

Feasting on vegetarian fajitas, $11.95, and a pineapple margarita, $6. We also took advantage of a 15% off coupon for the food items in the mail.

Giving business to the town cinema (this one in Westwood, New Jersey), which supplies jobs to local youths. In good times and bad, movies make a fun escape for all ages. Harry Potter: loved!

Donating to and shopping at charitable thrift shops (find one through ThriftShopper.com). While dropping off donations at a thrift shop of Housing Works, which helps homeless HIV-positive New Yorkers access medical services, housing, and employment, I picked up a brand new copy of Little House on the Prairie, a 6-disk season 1, for $18. I'll pass this on to a relative who so cherishes this show (as do I), not as a Christmas gift, but simply, "I saw this and thought of you at once gift."

Supporting animal friendly establishments, like New York City's all-vegan Blossom Cafe, where I dined after the Macy's Parade balloon inflation viewing.

Their seitan marsala: sautéed kale, roasted fennel, Yukon gold mash, mushrooms, and pan sauce, $21. A humane version of a dish more associated with chicken or veal. I shared the dish to off-set the high (for me) price of the entree.

I also shared their chocolate cake, $6: always a winner.

Supporting local food drives, like the one at my church. Find a local food bank through Feeding America. In Northern New Jersey, donate to the Center for Food Action.

Buying a charitable gift for a child in need. My church has an "Operation Santa Claus" program where you can purchase a gift (two gift suggestions are offered). I will be hitting Target to pick up the gift card that was requested - but to me, this is what holiday shopping is about - charity and children.

I also plan on attending a Colonial Christmas concert at the Bergen County Historical Society; purchasing Sting's If on a Winter's Night cd at an independent, main street record shop; having a tea party to celebrate the winter solistice, and will mail checks to any of my favorite charitites I haven't yet given to this year.

Depriving the economy by not shopping till I drop at the mall? I don't think so.

Let's Make It a "Good" Christmas and Hanukah

2010-11-26T10:37:00.006-05:00

My first repeat post on this blog, but a message that feels as relevant for our times as ever, and worth revisiting on Black Friday. Here it is.

Kmart, Walmart, Gap, Banana Republic, among others: all open for business Thanksgiving Day, according to my local paper. Right below the story on the pre-Black Friday rush - an article on food pantries seeing record demand.

The day of dietary excess is always followed by a day of materialistic excess, but now they seem to be on the same day. I once heard the saying, "It's not a bargain if you don't need it." A simple yet powerful mantra to reflect on. No doorbusters for me today, only busting the myth that over-spending and shopping need to be part of a holiday.

"We've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy," The Chicago Tribune lamented on Christmas Eve 1986. This statement can just as easily and accurately be invoked today.

Even two years after Ben Stein reflected on what makes a "good" Christmas or Hanukah, his sentiments seem as relevant as ever, and creates clarity on what really matters most.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Says Stein:

"Maybe a good Christmas for this most blessed of nations would be when we as a nation and as communities made sure the homeless had a warm, safe place to sleep.

Maybe a good Christmas would not be about buying your kids the latest gizmo for listening to obscene lyrics, but about teaching them that if they are fortunate enough to have extra time or extra money, they can help out at the old age home or at the local animal shelter.

Maybe a good time would not be buying your parents sweaters they will never use, but taking a trip to see them and telling them how much you appreciate that they spent the heart of their lives taking care of you, feeding you, teaching you, putting a roof over your head, warming you with their love and concern.

Maybe the best time of all would be telling your husband or your wife or love partner that you would be lost without him or her and that you're sorry for the selfish things you did that year, and you'll be better next year.

Christmas and Hanukah presents rarely fit and rarely are to your taste. They sit in your closet and collect dust forever.

But gifts in this special, sacred time of love and caring to your family, your friends, and your neighborhood - those are never forgotten. They bring peace of mind for years."

Read the full commentary.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:07:00.017-05:00

NorthJersey.com was at the Bergen County Historical Society's New Bridge Landing, recreating what the first Thanksgiving might have been like. Read more. I'll pass on the venison and goose, but sign me up for the stewed pumpkin and corn grits.

While not appealing for those of us who shun meat, the video does interest me as a history lover, and gives you perspective the labor that went into food preparation. Think how much we rely on convenience foods, and of the long list of labels with ingredients we cannot even pronounce. I also reflect on how animals used for food may have led a more natural life, while today's food animals are full of growth hormones, antibiotics, and live in completely unnatural conditions.

On a more light-hearted note, I leave you with some snapshots from the Macy's Parade balloon inflation viewing.

A Very Gentle Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T22:39:00.002-05:00

This Sunday past, I gathered with 55 individuals - some vegan, some vegetarian, even some meat-eaters like my mom and sweetheart who shared in a cruelty-free feast for the third annual Gentle Thanksgiving held by God's Creatures Ministry in Wayne, New Jersey.

To start: Trader Joe's white bean hummus and garlic hummus, with mini pita bread and chips. Check out their vegan list of offerings. My vegan TJ staples are tofu for eggless scrambles; soy creamer for coffee/tea; and almond milk for cereal. Also heart their vegan apple strudel and meatless meatballs (great for spaghetti or in sub sandwiches). To name just a few.

Trader Joe's pumpkin bread and cranberry sauce. I've veganized this mix at home using Ener-G egg replacer.

Tofurkey and the works: green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and a biscuit.

Joe Dwyer, author of Shelby's Grace, was on hand. Shelby, found chained in a gas station, scared and hungry, now works as a therapy dog, and is a glowing example of how animals can forgive even after suffering the most egregious cruelty.

I coveted, but did not go home, with any of the fine raffle prizes. Love cozy pasta nights at home.

I could so picture this green candle and cheerful holly plant on my coffee table.

Sweet potato soup for frugal office lunches, apple crisp mix, cranberry trail mix, couscous: it's as if the person creating this basket thought of me personally!

Sweet ending: apple crisp and pumpkin pie.

My turkey that my family sponsored from Farm Sanctuary as a birthday gift arrived in the mail. Daphne was seized in a neglect and cruelty case this year, and lives at their Watkins Glen, New York shelter.

Said it before, will say it again: stand proud if you are shunning turkey this year, even if you are the only one at your table doing so (which is usually the case for me). I don't feel the least bit deprived I'm not doing something millions of others are doing just because that's what "they" say we should.

That said, educate, but be accepting of others choices. Someone at the dinner said he walked out of a Thanksgiving dinner and is no longer friends with the hosts because they didn't 'get it' about turkey. This gives vegans and vegetarians a bad reputation. Isolation is no way to foster a world of compassion. A veg lifestyle will simply not be everyone's choice - but reducing animal consumption through non-dairy; meat-free; and eggless alternatives is something realistically all can strive for to some level. If people can go veg, even better. Food for thought as we strive toward our goal of reduced animal suffering.

Love Letter to Fall

2010-11-23T06:36:00.008-05:00

Why is the world in such a rush to get to Christmas? Can't we just savor each season without retailers demanding we get ready (read: shop) for the next? Frosty and Rudolph, you'll have to wait your turn. I'm still busy savoring the delights of Fall.

At the farmers market Thursdays at New York City's Port Authority, these vegan orange cranberry muffins from Prospect Hill Orchards are available year-round, but it feels so right to eat them on a crisp autumn morning. Vegan, sugar-free blueberry muffins are also available.

Also at the farmers market, homemade soups from Katchkie Farm, $4. Fall welcomed the arrival of their butternut squash soup.

At Abram Demaree Homestead in Closter, New Jersey, enjoying a baked apple, $2, on their pumpkin-dotted patio.

Staying cozy warm on their patio with the fire burning.

Seating for the younger farm-goers.

Cranberries in my stomach, cranberry-painted trees.

"Nature is the best painter," my mother declared as we were driving to a local farm. I couldn't agree more, and thought of this orange hued tree in Pascack Brook Park, which like a peacock, only sprouted its delights for the world for a short while.

Magical walkways in Van Saun Park.

Weather permitting, I hope to attend the balloon viewing of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on Thanksgiving Eve. Learn more. Flashback to my photos last year.

My favorite: the Smurf balloon! Ah, wasn't the world happier with the Smurfs on Saturday mornings instead of infomercials selling ab machines?

Savor the delights of autumn. They won't be here much longer.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

2010-11-17T06:34:00.013-05:00

Why? Because it was my birthday! As if I need an excuse!

A dear friend treated me to a birthday eve meal at one of our favorite haunts, New York City's Tea & Sympathy. The mushroom shepherd's pie with peas and carrots, $13.95, and a pot of decaf Earl Grey, $4.50.

A Mrs. Bucket-approved dessert: Victoria sponge cake, $8. Loved the post office tea pot, and thought of Hyacinth's poor postman. She only uses first class stamps, you know!

I always save one vacation day to take my birthday off. Do I want to spend my birthday in my cubicle? No! Instead...

At the Rutherford Pancake House in Rutherford, New Jersey, I shared vegan sliders with a tamarind date sauce, $5.95, and vegan cheese quesadillas with roasted red peppers, spinach and portabella mushrooms and the most sweet potato fries I've seen on one plate! $9.95.

At all-vegan Sweet Avenue Bake Shop, also in Rutherford, a Boston cream cupcake, $3.50. Kind of makes you want to move to Rutherford, doesn't it?

To go: their classic white room cupcake - vanilla cake with vanilla bean frosting, $3. There's something so timeless and comforting about vanilla, isn't there?

Toasting to a California sparkling rose at the The Kitchen in Englewood, New Jersey, which celebrates the cuisine and the era of the 1930s. Love this unique concept, and the BYOB saves a fortune. I don't care if it is organic, I'm not paying $12 for a glass of wine anywhere.

About five complimentary passed appetizers come (they accommodated vegetarian), and I also had a small taste of their daily soup (roasted garlic and cauliflower soup - some of the best soup I've had in recent memory). Then it was time for the entree.

The vegetarian gratin, with butternut squash with faux bacon, caramelized onions and greens, $19. Entrees come with two sides: sweet potatoes with nuts and marshmallows, and collard greens. Classic comfort food, done right.

I know, the apple cranberry crisp is more seasonable, but the caramelized banana napoleon, $8 - just so tempting and delicious.

An aside about how good the food was at The Kitchen - a lively table was next to mine with about a dozen people also there for a birthday celebration. When the food came - silence soon followed. A man at the table declared, "It must be good - the conversation has ceased!" Ever notice how when the food is amazing you zone into your own little world? I also smiled thinking about how food brings us together - yet another reason it is one of life's great pleasures.

Depressed about being another year older? No way. Remember the words in P.S. I Love You expressed by Harry Connick Jr.'s character, "We're so arrogant, aren't we? We're so afraid to age. We do everything we can to prevent it. But we don't realize what a privilege it is to grow old."

I'm privileged to celebrate another birthday, and hope you view your own next birthday and each one after with a happy and grateful heart.

Event Alert: Gentle Thanksgiving Dinner in Wayne, NJ

2010-11-15T06:44:00.010-05:00

"Animal cruelty is not an American value. But for the entirety of their short lives, turkeys on industrialized farms know nothing but fear and pain at the hands of humans." - Farm Sanctuary's Thanksgiving's Toll on Turkeys. That's nothing to celebrate, if you ask me, and I will not feel the least bit deprived passing on the turkey again this year.

As I so enjoyed last year, I'll be feasting on Tofurkey instead at God Creatures Ministry's Gentle Thanksgiving celebration on Sunday, November 21st in Wayne, New Jersey. Learn more about this event if you are in the area. Please mail checks for the dinner by November 17th if you plan on attending. Flashback to last year's celebration.

Learn more about Gentle Thanksgiving, and get cruelty-free recipes.

Fashion Whys?

2010-11-13T09:10:00.016-05:00

* Why do so many people buy (literally and figuratively) into "they" (who are they?) telling us what the "must haves" are this season and we should purchase the latest "trend" (but don't wear it next year, you'll be out of style!) If something is a "must have" perhaps "they" should send us all one - for free.
* Why should we drool over and purchase expensive fashion way beyond our means. No matter how much I love an article of clothing, I'll inevitably tire of it or no longer fit into it and pass it on. How many $100 skirts and tops did I used to buy at Anthropologie, seduced by catalogues of women basking in a French farmhouse or in a field? How I wish I had the cash instead. Those purchases were frivolous looking back, not a "splurge" or "treating myself" - my old way of thinking.
* Similarly, that if a celebrity is wearing something, you should go out and get it too. I hear all the time in the vegan community that an expensive coat or shoes have been worn by vegans such as Emily Deschanel, Alicia Silverstone and Natalie Portman so we should be coveting them. I understand the marketing value in our celebrity obsessed culture, however, I DO NOT have their bank account, nor do the majority of women.
* Why do we think that just because something markets itself as "eco-friendly" it must be. Are "natural" food products all really "natural?" A colleague who works in marketing expressed his view that Americans cannot tie themselves to a social movement (we were talking about the environmental cause) unless consumerism is attached. We definitely want to support companies that reflect our values, but we need to do our homework or it's buyer beware.
For instance, bamboo is still regularly promoted on environmentally minded blogs, but the FTC has issued numerous advisories on it (such as this one).
* Why should people interested incorporating veganism more into their life get rid of perfectly good non-vegan items in their closets that were purchased before becoming interested in animal welfare? I still have non-vegan items in my household I bought years ago, and use them unapologetically. I will even acquire non-vegan items second hand through swaps and thrift. I don't let any activist shame me for my decisions or let them try to micromanage my life.
*Why does the label affixed to the clothing or accessory have such an impact on how we view it? How much of it is psychological? Recall the I Love Lucy story of Lucy, Ethel and those "Jacques Marcel" dresses. While browsing at a consignment shop, two women were shopping and one announced the label of every item of clothing she picked up from the rack. Even once declaring, "Made in Italy!"

One major source of clothing for me now: seasonal clothing swaps I co-organize with two lovely co-workers. Leftovers went to charitable thrift shops, including New York City's Housing Works, and the C.A.T.S. Resale Shop in Weswood, New Jersey.

We provide light refreshments during the lunch hour swaps from wallet and vegan-friendly Trader Joe's. For fall: olive hummus and reduced guilt pita chips; pomegranate sparkling cider and spiced apple cider, maple leaf and snickerdoodle cookies, and apples.

Here are some of my finds.

I recently saw vegan sweaters touted on a popular vegan fashion blog. The cheapest one: $150. My "new" Heather B vegan sweater for fall/winter, free.

A cotton Old Navy skirt. Loved the autumn-inspired leaf pattern, and the whimsical pink trim.

The cheerful polka-dot shoes from Nine West, never worn; a black cotton cardigan, American Eagle Outfitters, and a Janette John 3:16 cotton dress that someone brought back from the last swap since it didn't fit her. I'm wearing the dress in fall with boots, leggings and a cardigan, and will pair it with ballet flats in spring and summer.

Lest you think I'm immune to the label lunacy: I confess this story to be true. This top was put out as a "preview" item early the day of the swap to advertise. No one claimed it before or during the swap, until my coworker who brought it in said, "You should take it, it's from Anthropologie." Suddenly, it was more attractive. I did take it, and have worn it with a long sleeve white Banana Republic swap shirt underneath. It goes perfectly with my Old Navy skirt.

Consider hosting a swap of your own for frugal fun everyone can enjoy in today's economic climate. Swap with friends, co-workers, family members - anyone! Include beauty products, gift items like candles and frames, and accessories so everyone can find something if there's an excess of one size. Donate the leftovers to a charitable shop (find one through TheThriftShopper.com).

This female blogger's "in's": financial empowerment, embracing your own sense of style, a closet (and household) filled with only items you truly are using and love, and independent thinking. Out: uniform thinking, living beyond our means, trends and "must have's."

Veterans Weekend, With a Visit from our 16th President

2010-11-11T06:33:00.030-05:00

My kind of star sighting: the honorable President Abraham Lincoln and his lovely wife Mary Todd Lincoln, at Bergen County Historical Society's Veterans Day weekend festivities.

Imagine the energy our modern world spends on vapid reality stars who are garnering fame to sell books, weight loss drugs, beauty cream - anything. Why bother with them, when history offers such more intriguing figures.

Reflect on the life of a soldier hundreds of years ago, and now. Give quiet thanks for their sacrifice.

Home of the brave. During a speech, it was reminded that if you see a hair of gray with a military cap on, know that in their younger years, they stormed the beaches, they scoured through jungles. Far from all familiar and loved, they fought for freedom. They deserve this time of recognition and gratitude.

To all veterans and to the families who have made such sacrifices, the words you cannot hear enough: thank you.

Now, for a bit of time traveling. Putting on her Sunday's best.

Fresh baked rolls out of the Dutch oven.

Cranberry sauce and potato leek soup on stand-by to nourish hungry volunteers and servicemen and women. Butternut squash and potatoes were nearby. All, making my mouth water.

Apple crisps ready for the oven.

Event goers could enjoy refreshments in the Black Horse Tavern, including slices of apple pie, pumpkin cake and apple cake, and hot mulled cider, $1 each for all.

The sign on the mantelpiece declared, 'Hard Times in Jersey." Indeed.

The garden, thriving in summer, now just a ghost of the season's past.

Wood for winter fires to keep home, body and soul all warm.

Lincoln spoke to the room about how horribly divided we are. Sound familiar?

On my long "to read" list is Bloody Crimes, James L. Swanson's tale of the chase to apprehend Confederate president Jefferson Davis after Lincoln's assassination and the nearly three week funeral that brought Lincoln's body back Springfield. His book "Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer" was 'can't put it down' material for me.

Thanks to the Bergen County Historical Society for putting on yet another thought-provoking, introspective event.

A Harvest Homecoming

2010-11-05T06:30:00.049-04:00

On All Hallow's Eve, I partook in the festivities at the Bergen County Historical Society's Harvest Homecoming. Aside from the cost of refreshments, the events are free for members (an extremely reasonable $20 yearly dues).

The world just seems so much more magical when lit by candles.

Doesn't the Black Horse Tavern look even more cozy by night?

The October's night was cold, the wind: punishing. A mug of hot mulled cider, $1, warmed the body, and the cider donut, $1.50, warmed the soul. Pumpkin or apple pie were also available for $2.50, as were cold cider, coffee or tea. Apples on the table: 25 cents a piece. An autumn day feels a little less complete without a crisp apple.

The back kitchen by night.

The candles were aglow, and the fire (one of my favorite scents in fall and winter) was crackling.

Perusing their fine collection of artifacts, this caught my eye: the pan Rachael Burdette is said to have served George Washington Indian cakes in November 1776. Consider all the possessions we have in our modern world. Will they survive for years to come? Centuries?

I admired the craftsmanship of the Betsey Haring quilt, and reflected on how little craftsmanship goes into many of our possessions today.

Note the roping on the bed. Walking through the historic homes, I longed for a home less cluttered filled with only functional and/or cherished items. I vow to make that happen by donating items, little at a time, to family, friends, colleagues and through charitable thrift.

What would a Hallow's Eve night be without some ghost stories? The "Van Duyne's Midnight Dinners" skit had visitors from beyond: a child who had passed away in the war; a bride who was accidentally buried alive after falling into a coma, has her grave robbed for her ring and after escaping only to die of exposure from the cold; a witch, crying out how age was once revered but now an old, ugly woman with no family to care for her is blamed on spoiled crops and cows who provide no milk; and the famous Jersey devil all made an appearance.

Regina Haring discussed the Haring Burial Ground in Norwood, and of her family history. What will become of our own legacies? Will our descendants be intrigued by the lives we led, or will we be forgotten?

Take time to reflect on and learn about the past - of your state, your nation, our world and also your family. As was observed during a discussion, so often it is the women who pass down the stories. But if we don't inquire, those stories are lost.

I am grateful for the Bergen County Historical Society, for leading us down an introspective road to remembrance, with a good dose of merriment along the way.

Walk for Farm Animals: New York City

2010-11-02T06:55:00.023-04:00

I walked. To take a stand against factory farming, a black mark on the heart and soul of humankind. To support the animals who live at Farm Sanctuary's Watkins Glen, New York and Orland, California shelters, who have endured the horrors of this very system. To spread the good word about a veg-lifestyle.

Upon seeing the large crowd in Central Park for Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals (one of many walks nationwide), I thought of Michael Stipe's words in R.E.M.'s call to activism in "These Days."

"All the people gather...We are young despite the years. We are concern. We are hope despite times. Take this joy wherever you go."

This chicken and cow put a smile on the faces of the people they encountered, including my own.

President and Co-Founder Gene Baur's "Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals in Food" dispels all those childhood visions we have of happy cows, chickens and pigs out on open field with the red barn. Very few of the 10 billion land animals killed for food know such conditions. He introduces us to some of the animals Farm Sanctuary has rescued over the years.

I have a November birthday, and when my family asks what I want, my answer is always the same: a turkey from Farm Sanctuary! Learn about the Adopt-A-Turkey program, where for $30, you can sponsor a turkey that lives at their shelters. Sign their petition urging President Obama to send the turkeys pardoned each year at the White House to Farm Sanctuary.

I was so coveting the raffle prizes, including this one which included a $50 gift certificate to Blossom Cafe, one of my favorite vegan restaurants in New York City, which serves the best vegan chocolate cake, ever (in my humble opinion). Didn't win.

Every walker got an apple for breakfast, and assorted bagged lunches. Mine included a breakfast empanada from V-Spot Cafe. A humane way to refuel after our walk.

Eating chocolate for charity, oh yes! Rescue Chocolate donates all of its net profits to animal rescue organizations around the country, and its featured charity in October was Farm Sanctuary. Worth every penny of the $5 cost per bar. I wish I had some now...

Dapper Joshua Katcher (check out The Discerning Brute) was a featured speaker as was Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart from Vaute Coture, a super-stylish vegan fashion house. She also designed our walk t-shirts that simply but eloquently stated, "Compassion for All." Why do so many show compassion for cats and dogs, but choose to ignore the horrors of factory farming simply because it doesn't suit them?

I'm just saying, this man, NBA champion John Salley: a vegan! He was the shining New York City walk marshal.

Gene Baur spoke about in our world there is so much beyond our control. We can't stop the war. The state of our economy can leave us feeling helpless. But we can control our food choices.

Today is election day, and I hope every citizen of age is going to vote. I'll be enthusiastically voting at the booth, but I'll continue to vote against factory farming whenever I can when I sit down to eat, and hope you will too. No one can make ideal food choices all the time (I certainly don't), but we can strive for them as much as we can.

I vote: for family farms, clean waterways and air, animal and worker rights, and a better world than what exists now. Farm Sanctuary is helping us get to that better world, and I thank them.

I Love Lisbon

2010-10-31T08:16:00.010-04:00

I had a friendship with Barcelona and Madrid, a steamy fling with Granada and Seville, and short but very heated romance with Morocco. But above all, Lisbon had my heart. I loved it as soon as I stepped out of the train station. Remembering fondly...

The Castelo de São Jorge...

where cats sunbath, and...

peacocks roam.

Its charming trolleys.

Even this young park goer took a special ride.

Its unique architecture, from its color-tiled buildings,

to its inviting squares,

to stunning details that appear everywhere.

It was just all so magical.

The Belém Tower, which has stood guard over Lisbon's harbor since 1520. I took the harrowing narrow staircase to the top.

Its Monument to the Discoveries pays tribute to Prince Henry the Navigator and the nation's leading explorers. I vow to explore as much in this life as possible: books, places, food, people, ideas. Learning, a lifelong process, which we should embrace and never take for granted its rewards.

I still remain in awe of it all.

Lisbon Eats, and How I Can Travel

2010-10-30T09:13:00.019-04:00

Before a Lisbon tour, one of my favorite topics: the food!

I lunched at Oriente Chiado, an all-vegan buffet I'd read about on HappyCow. Lunch was 9.80 euros, not including drink (I choose free tap water) or dessert. I arrived just 20 minutes before it closed for the afternoon, but still found some wonderful items.

A sampling of quiche, couscous, grilled tofu in a curry-spiced sauce, pasta salad, beet salad, and more. Of course I had seconds! Seitan in a savory sauce was also divine.

Left for dessert were mango or chocolate mousse or coconut pudding. The winner: chocolate mousse, 3.40 euros. My sweetheart, a chef who is not shy when saying he doesn't like something vegan, said this was the best vegan chocolate mousse he's ever had, and that it could pass for the real, non-vegan, thing.

A couple from Denmark we met recommended Botequim, a local cafe we would have never found.

I asked for whatever they could come up with that was vegan: I like they way they think! For 6 euros, a bed of couscous with cherry tomatoes and capers, spinach, arugula and red leaf lettuce, and drizzled with olive oil.

To end, a glass of ginginha, a sweet liquor made from the sour cherry-like ginja berry, sugar, and schnapps. I also tried the port wine here too.

There was an enormous line outside of Casa Pasteis de Belém for good reason. They are the birthplace of pastel de Belém, these warm cream filled tarts. Sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar, just 0.90 euros each.

Both nights in Lisbon were rain-soaked, so I took advantage of dining in at the adorable Alfama Patio hostel I stayed at. This was my favorite place we stayed at, and I recommend it for location (in the historic, older quarter); price; hospitality; and all the fun events they put on.

Saturday night they offer a bbq with a dj, for 7 euros a person. Golden potatoes with paprika, a green salad with corn, tomatoes and onions, pasta salad, a few chips and a roll and what I didn't eat in the assorted meats I made up for in consumption of their tasty sangria.

Sunday night is their 2 euros per person pasta night (they use a meat sauce, so I requested vegetarian). My comforting pasta in tomato sauce with garlic, with a glass of sangria, 1 euro, savored under a fleece blanket by candlelight on their (thankfully) covered patio. Isn't some of the best food sometimes the most simple? I adore pasta nights at home (and so frugal too!)

For breakfast at the Alfama hostel, European-style pancakes with cherry jam (breakfast was included with our stay).

Sipping on a Lipton Andulicia tea (with citrus fruits and orange blossom) on my last night.

Grateful and blessed for my time traveling. We had a good laugh at the airport over some thinking we are rich because we travel (as I was reading my library book, wearing my $2 thrifted jeans and $6 second-hand sneakers, a clothing swap top and sweater). This is where we spend our money for the year. No anniversary, Valentine's or Christmas gifts (maybe something little for birthdays). If we need something, we buy it ourselves. I love you doesn't mean sending sweethearts to the mall for overpriced jewelry or gadgets we don't need. I have a 10-year-old-plus television set, an ancient cell phone no one would ever steal, I get almost all my clothes through swaps and second-hand stores, get $15 haircuts at SuperCuts, use the library extensively, brown bag lunch as often as possible and more, not only to save money for the future, but to indulge in my passion for travel. We also stay at budget-friendly places we find on hostelbookers.com and other sites (I recommend TripAdvisor as a source for reviews).

One last post coming on Lisbon, and then I'm excited to share some fun events since I've been back: my Farm Sanctuary walk in New York City, my latest clothing swap, and some other seasonal happenings.

Madrid, I Remember This

2010-10-27T06:19:00.016-04:00

Hovering over a statue of King Charles III, Madrid's first billboard, the Tio Pepe sign, advertising a famous sherry for more than a century, at the Puerto del Sol.

A dark story behind this statue: bears once lived in royal hunting grounds outside the city.

Drooling over olives with red and green peppers at the Mercado de San Miquel.

Olives, bread, fruit, sweets: the perfect fare for a picnic in the tree lined Retiro Park.

Boaters enjoying a sail on the lake at Retiro Park.

A home Mrs. Bucket would admire: the Royal Palace (Palacio Real).

Imagine the candlelight suppers that are thrown here.

Doesn't everything seem more magical at night?

Enjoying toasted bread with grilled eggplant, tomatoes and olive oil at El Arbol Y La Tosta, just outside the park.

Savoring a soy cafe con leche, 2.50 euros, at Le Pain Quotidien at Plaza Mayor. Also find soy milk at Starbucks, where a cafe con leche will run 1.90 euros, plus a .40 euros charge for the soy milk.

Directly across from McDonald's and KFC, making a more humane meal choice at Maoz Vegetarian. The bowl came with refills: I choose olive pate, a spicy chickpea stew, carrots, couscous, and roasted cauliflower. With an orange juice and falafel, the cost was 5 euros. Find Maoz in the U.S. as well, including in New York City. Even non-vegetarian food blogger David Lebovitz sang the praises of Maoz.

Outside of Chocolatería San Ginés, a dog enjoying the canine good life of a mid-morning respite as his guardian lingers over the paper.

The good life it all is, indeed.

In Sweet Seville

2010-10-26T06:42:00.003-04:00

A captivating city awaits.

The Plaza de España beckons a stroll.

At the Alcazar, a 10th-century palace...

gardens ask to be admired.

The imagination is awakaned.

Columbus shadows you. In the United States, Columbus Day seems to be just another excuse to have a department store sale.

The Virgin of the Navigators altarpiece, which contains the earlier known portrait of Columbus. From Rick Steves Spain 2007:

"Notice how the Virgin's cape seems to protect everyone under it-- even the Native Americans in the dark background (the first time "Indians" were painted in Europe).

"A model of Columbus' Santa Maria, his flagship and only one of his three ships not to survive the 1492 voyage. Columbus complained the Santa Maria - a big cargo ship, different from the sleek Nina and Pinta caravels - was too slow. On Christmas Day, it ran aground and tore a hole in its keel. The ship was dismantled to build the first permanent structure in America, a fort of 39 colonists. (After Columbus left, the natives burned the fort and killed the colonists)."

Th Cathedral, the third largest church in Europe (after St. Peter's at the Vatican and St. Paul's in London), and largest gothic church anywhere.

Inside lies the Tomb of Columbus.

"Columbus even travelled a lot posthumously. He was buried first in Spain, then in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, then Cuba, and --when Cuba gained independence from Spain, around 1900-he sailed home again to Sevilla. Are the remains actually his? Sevillans like to think so." The mural is St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers. Thank you, Rick. I shall always bring you along as a tour guide in Europe.

Stunning views are to be seen from the top of the cathedral's bell tower.

Upon seeing this statue, I recalled the delight of being surrounded by books. I also pondered how different our society would be if we placed as much effort on expanding our minds and making the world a better place that we do on obsessions with vanity and trying to maintain a youthful appearance.

Flamenco shows entertain. My ticket was 17 euros (you can spend much more, or find a free show which I didn't research).

Dining outdoors amid the beauty of it all on a quiet evening. Tapas time at Levies: gazpacho, as it was everywhere, served pureed, this time with an ice cube, and sangria.

Spinach with chickpeas. I love the idea of smaller plates. Getting a massive plate of food has become totally unappetizing to me.

Cinnamon tea, the perfect ending for my time in sweet Seville.

A Visit to Veganitessen

2010-10-23T19:40:00.010-04:00

My next stop in Spain was Seville, and I visited Veganitessen, an all-vegan bake stand in a local market that I'd read about on HappyCow. I was in Seville Monday (when it's closed) and Tuesday (from what I read, when the selection is limited to sweets. Other days there are savory items like vegan quiche).

A cute seating area to devour your humane treat.

Cakes, tarts, cupcakes, oh my!

A chocolate mousse tart, 2.50 euros. All that's missing was a soy café con leche (they don't offer coffee drinks).

A vegan French apple tart, 3 euros, for the road to Madrid.

Find vegan baking tips from Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale.

Greetings from Tangier, Wish You Were Here

2010-10-22T06:21:00.012-04:00

From Tarifa in Spain, I hopped on the ferry to Tangier, Morocco. A round trip ferry ride costs 65 euros, but book a guided tour (I went with Comarit) where you catch the ferry for 60 euros, and have lunch included. What's the catch? The tour company gets group rates on the ferry passage, and the guide zips you by many shops and from my understanding gets a commission if you buy something. Too bad frugal me is on board, who is not a big shopper ever. Do watch for aggressive street peddlers (one was trying to sell Moroccan hats he was calling "Bruce Willis hats"!) while, as soon as we got off the boat, someone was trying to pose as our tour guide, who was running a few minutes behind.

Sipping on the Pakistani tea (black tea, cinnamon, cardamon, orange and vanilla, with, so exciting, soy milk), 3 euros, at Bamboo Tea's before hoping on the ferry at Tarifa.

In Tangier, a quick drive to the more modern part of the city.

Did I take the 5-minute camel ride for 1 euro? Of course not! Why animals need to amuse tourists is way beyond me.

The older part of the city had my heart and soul.

A woman selling fresh vegetables.

If you are a woman, imagine the fashion you'd covet if you were a Moroccan woman. Imagine how different your life would be if you were born a woman elsewhere.

At the daily market, spices delight the senses.

On the plane ride, I watched an episode of Frontier House, a series that followed three families recreating life on the American Frontier (I highly recommend it). In a scene where the families witness a chicken being killed, Karen observes how if we connected it to the animal maybe people would waste less. Those clean packaged chickens in the supermarket don't make much of a connection to a living, breathing animal. I thought of that when I saw this vendor.

In shops, bread for sale.

I had seen Poor Little Rich Girl, the story of troubled Barbara Hutton, heir to the Woolworth fortune who died nearly penniless, but had forgotten she'd lived in Morocco.

Most of these rugs wouldn't interest strict vegans who shun wool (learn why), but it was an interesting education. View some rugs from one side, and they appear lighter, another darker; some are reversable, cooler for the summer, warmer for the winter. This vendor was pretty aggressive, but no sale.

A mosque door.

Lunch at Mamounia Palace, with music.

Spiced chickpea soup for all to start.

While everyone else had meat skewers, I savored this cold, stewed tomato and pepper salad with Moroccan spices. My meat-eating sweetheart seemed more interested in this than his meat (he also loved his vegetarian burger at GOPAL. Progress!)

No chicken infecting this beautiful dish: couscous with plump raisins, chickpeas, cabbage and carrots.

Green tea with fresh mint leaves and sugar, with a semolina cookie.

Remembering my time in Tangier warmly, and longing for more.

One Fine Day: A Visit to the Alhambra

2010-10-20T06:08:00.018-04:00

The magnificent Alhambra, Granada's Moorish palace.

Within the palace's walls, Columbus sold to Isabel and Ferdinand a sea voyage to the Orient. From our friend Rick Steves' Spain 2007:

"Imaging the scene: the king, the queen, and the greatest minds from the University of Salamanca gathered here while Columbus produced maps and pie charts to make his case that he could sail west to reach the East. Ferdinand and the professors laughed and called Columbus mad-not because they thought the world was flat (most educated people knew otherwise), but because they thought Columbus had underestimated the size of the globe, and thus the length and cost of the journey."

The rest is history...

Its lush gardens.

"Water-so rare and precious in most of the Islamic world-was the purist symbol of life to the Moors. The Alhambra is decorated with water: standing still, cascading, making secret conversations, and dripping-dropping playfully." - Rick Steves.

Looking at the banister...flowing water.

Honey-combed ceilings.

The Alcazaba, the oldest part of the complex.

A view from the top of the Alcazaba.

Washington Irving, the American author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, also penned a biography on Columbus and Tales of the Alhambra.

Charles V's palace, "financed by a salt-in-the-wound tax on Granada's defeated Muslim population." - Rick Steves.

Granada at nightfall.

Admittedly, I didn't even know all of this existed until my travels to Spain. One of the many reasons I travel is the educational aspect and to broaden my horizons. This was by far one of my favorites on our Spanish itinerary.

Next, one more stamp is now on my passport.

Barcelona: I Was Here

2010-10-19T06:44:00.010-04:00

At Antonio Gaudí's Sagrada Família. Gaudí worked on it from 1883 to 1926, and construction is still underway.

Studious, witty, budget-minded and a born storyteller, I always bring Rick Steves along (via library book) as my personal tour guide. I'll be quoting from him throughout my visit.

From Rick Steves' Spain 2007:

"Part of Gaudí's religious vision was a love for nature. He said, "Nothing is invented; it's written in nature." His columns blossom with life, and little windows let light filter in like the canopy of a rain forest."

Gaudí's Park Güell. On this day, a city-wide transit strike was in place until the early evening, which meant walking everywhere. I walked uphill to this park, and a total of 12 miles for the day (I had a pedometer on to track it). Phew!

Citadel Park at dusk.

Elegant elderly ladies everywhere walking with their dogs socializing in tree-lined squares. Barcelona's senior population is some of the most smartly dressed I've seen.

In Parc de Montjuïc, the Sardana dancers statue, celebrating a dance performed by the Catalonia community where people join hands and dance in a circle in sync with the drum taps.

Also visited was the Picasso Museum. No photos were allowed (the same goes for the Prado in Madrid and some other attractions) which I prefer in museums. I've seen too many people in museums take a photo of the artwork, then walk away without even having taken a second to view the art standing right in front of them.

Rick Steves fans will recognize Juan at the Pinotxo Bar in La Boqueria. Rick Steves says he loves to flash a smile and give a thumbs up, but he looked, well, busy. As soon as a seat cleared it was immediately taken.

Women shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables just outside the La Boqueria hall. Disappointingly, flimsy plastic bags are everywhere in Spain versus this more idealized way of shopping with a reusable tote.

Hope: bicycles for rent.

Depressing: birds for sale along La Rambla. Why hold captive a creature with the gift of flight in a tiny cage for one's amusement? I love the beauty of birds, and have an outdoor feeder; the birds have their freedom.

No birds or other animals hurt in the making of this vegetarian paella at the Organic Market in the back of La Boqueria.

Tapas time at Tossa: a vegetarian croquette.

Button mushrooms in garlic and olive oil, and stuffed olives.

Bread with crushed tomatoes and olive oil. All washed down with sangria, some of the best I had in Spain.

Lunching with seemingly all locals at Cal Boter. They have a 10 euros lunch (appetizer, entree, bread and dessert). I was told it was no problem to swap a vegetarian item for a meat one, but I was charged (the first of many times I had problems with the bill in Spain). In any event, this all cost about 12 euros.

After onion soup (no cheese and no egg), I had the vegetarian plate and shared a carafe of the house red wine. The waitress said wine was included, which it wasn't.

Sweet endings: fresh melon for dessert.

Next stop, Granada.

A Go-Go to GOPAL

2010-10-14T06:34:00.008-04:00

Upon visiting Barcelona's Las Ramblas (a little too touristy for my taste), I was searching for Juicy Jones, a vegetarian eatery recommended in my slightly dated Rick Steves' Spain 2007 travel guide from the library. I never made it.

Upon passing by this sign....

I was immediately drawn into GOPAL, a homey vegan eatery.

Check out the vegan charcuterie! In the states, look for soy chorizo at Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's or increasingly in natural foods sections in the produce aisle (where I spotted it at Stop and Shop in northern New Jersey). Add it to Spanish rice, and serve with sangria, or use in Alicia Silverstone's soy chorizo tacos.

Hamburgers are everywhere on the menus of Barcelona. This version is cruelty-free. With a drink and...

potatoes bravas, a popular potato dish you'll also see on tapas menus. A humane and filling meal for 6.90 euros (one of three daily menus combinations offered in addition to the regular menu).

I feasted on one of their daily menus. After a cup of gazpacho soup (served pureed, not chunky, the latter is more typical in the states), I savored a hearty stew of eggplant and chickpeas with a slice of whole grain bread (at last, since white bread is the norm); a polenta square with broccoli; and, oh yes, a small dulce de leche crepe. Yum! All for 5.90 euros.

If these cupcakes can be vegan, why can't all cupcakes be?

So happy to find the animal rights community on my travels. Everywhere, in every language, someone is using their voice for animals. Compassion knows no borders.

Finding GOPAL and other vegan eateries (I sought out a few others with the help of HappyCow) is like finding an abundance of clean drinking water in a desert. I'm already used to being a dieatary minority, but in Spain I felt even more alone. I even had a few shrug when I mentioned vegetarian (never mind vegan). One waiter in Madrid told me, "oh we don't do that here." Do what, serve vegetables?

I am always happy to patronize an animal-friendly establishment, and if I lived in Barcelona, GOPAL would be a regular haunt.

I Was a Holiday Maker

2010-10-12T18:23:00.021-04:00

In Barcelona, taking in the view of the city from Gaudí's magnificent (and still unfinished) Sagrada Família.

I drank more sangria on this vacation than in my entire lifetime. I wish I had some now...

I had café con leche at a local haunt in Valencia. When surrounded by all men, many of whom were drinking beer for breakfast at 9 a.m., I figured best not ask if soy milk is an option! (I did find soy milk elsewhere, more about that later).

Vegetarian paella, 9 euros, at a cafe in Granada, much more humane than the traditional version.

Taking in a flamenco show in Seville.

In Madrid, savoring gazpacho drizzled with olive oil, 3 euros, at Mercado de San Miquel.

Sharing churros con chocolate, 3.50 euros, at Chocolatería San Ginés.

Sipping on mint tea at a cafe in Morocco, I could not believe I never had this delightful beverage before.

I had an unexpected love affair with Lisbon. Its magical Castelo de São Jorge.

Darkening skies would not dampen my spirits in this charming city (remember, I like rainy weather).

More highlights to come, including stops at a vegan deli in Barcelona, a vegan bakery in Seville, and a vegan buffet in Lisbon, oh my my!

That's My Desire

2010-09-26T11:18:00.007-04:00

Over fancy jewelry that comes in little blue boxes; over high-end phones or gadgets that cause a line when the first day of sale arrives; over expensive clothes I will tire of or grow out of; over pricey hair cuts; over keeping up with the Jonses, or anyone else. Over all this: I will always choose travel (food being an integral part of the experience).

Each day in New York City, I pass legions of suitcase-lugging tourists. It's with a happy and grateful heart that I announce I will soon be a suitcase-lugging tourist myself in the cities of Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon and hitting the road throughout Spain (think Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow, but without all their money!)

This humble little blog is on hiatus as I prepare, travel, and recover from it all. I shall be back, hopefully full of sangria, vegetarian paella and a lifetime of memories. Hope to see you then.

Save The Date: For the Earth, Animals, and Your Fellow Citizens

2010-09-25T08:57:00.010-04:00

Three causes, all very close to my heart, I wanted to share with those in my area.

Help fulfill Action Against Hunger's goal of reaching 100 tons of food for their food drive on Sunday, October 3rd in northern New Jersey. Click here for the dropoff locations and most needed items. Please, if you can afford to, donate food to this very worthy cause.

Gather by candlelight, enjoy music based on water themes, and hear readings of river stories at the Hackensack River Story Night to benefit BergenSWAN. This all takes place Friday, October 1st, at 8:00 pm, at the Church of Holy Communion in Norwood, New Jersey. Tickets are $25. Learn more.

BergenSWAN's good work is evident in Pascack Brook County Park in Westwood, New Jersey, where I so admire the trees they planted this year. On the way to my local farms and the park, I drive by the Emerson Woods Preserve, which they were crucial in helping to preserve, and participated in a clean-up of those very woods with them a few years ago. Your money will be well-spent. Communities need these environmental friends and watchdogs.

A favorite ode to the river is certainly Natalie Merchant's Where I Go.

Farm Sanctuary's annual Walk for Farm Animals, a nationwide event to raise awareness and funds, is coming to New York City's Central Park on Sunday, October 24th. Come here Farm Sanctuary Co-founder and President Gene Baur, enjoy a bagged vegan lunch, a raffle and much more.

The Biggest Loser celebrity trainer Bob Harper is the first-ever celebrity spokesperson for the Walk for Farm Animals. Read his interview here.

One of my earliest entries on this blog was about my visit to the Watkins Glen, New York, sanctuary, which I had to visit after reading Gene Baur's moving and compelling Farm Sanctuary. I enjoyed vegan eats all around town, and have fond memories of my visit there.

Welcome Fall!

2010-09-23T06:43:00.008-04:00

Fall is officially here, and I'm welcoming her with big, open arms. The season's delights are everywhere I look.

At this "free iced tea" stand (I left a donation, of course). The chatter: all about the day's 'weigh-in' for football and last night's game.

At the new Goodwill store in Paramus, New Jersey. An aspiring young Wonder Woman was thrilled to find the costume of her dreams!

At a little roadside farm stand on Oradell Avenue in Oradell, New Jersey (right near the post office). Find hardy mums and apples for sale here.

Apple crisp. Baked apples. Apples and peanut butter. Applesauce, so good on potato pancakes, with Field Roast apple sage vegan sausage and red cabbage for an at-home Oktoberfest celebration, which I just enjoyed). Or just on their own.

At Abram Demaree Homestead , cheerful scarecrows are about.

Never tire of this view, ever.

A small pumpkin pie, shared three-ways, one for myself, one for my mother, and one for my dad, $4.95. Good thing my sister doesn't like pumpkin pie, we ran out of slices!

At Demarest Farm, where magical cornfields are set up. The air is filled with the aromas of cider donuts, and apple picking armies have big smiles on their faces.

A favorite seasonal lunch: vegetarian chili, ($4.59/lb.), a corn muffin, $1.90 and apple cider, $1.75.

Inviting picnic tables (my fair skin demaned a shaded picnic bench).

On the heels of news of Demarest Farm being for sale, came this depressing headline: Potential commercial development of DePiero's Farm presented. A big box supermarket seems likely.

A cherished childhood memory of fall is visiting Van Riper's Farm and Tice Farms in Montvale, New Jersey, watching apple cider being pressed, eating cider donuts, and delighting in their holiday decorations. Van Riper's is now an A&P supermarket; Tice's, an upscale strip mall with J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Pier1.

When dining or shopping at the farm, I always think what a lovely way to spend the weekend as opposed to running around the mall buying things I don't really need. Farms or malls? My vote is solid: farms.

Find a local farm near you through LocalHarvest.

Why Was This in the Garbage?

2010-09-22T20:44:00.010-04:00

A question I ask myself all the time. My mother says I would not make a good garbage truck employee - it would never get to the site.

I don't consider myself a dumpster diver in that I'm searching for things. I stumble upon these items. I live in an apartment complex and have a higher exposure to people's trash, but also see things curbside. I'm documenting my finds to draw awareness that our society's disposable ways extend far beyond water bottles and plastic bags. Here is just a fraction of what I've found this summer (all of which has been donated to thrift shops, unless otherwise stated).

Four chairs, pulled out of the dumpster one evening (the garbage truck was due the next morning). One had a broken seat which needed repairing, but otherwise, they were fine. The greatest quality, no, but someone must have a need for them.

Gift bags, which based on the card envelopes outside, were for a 30th birthday. I saw the guy bringing these to the dumpster, and swiftly took them out.

I always thought gift bags were a more eco-friendly option than wrapping paper since they are reusable (my family has always reused them), but so often, they are tossed.

This sweet little 3 foot tall tree, which rotates when plugged in, almost never saw another Christmas. It was tossed into the dumpster in a white garbage bag.

In a box by the dumpster: a peach Eileen Fisher top (my mom claimed it immediately, and could not believe it was tossed), two bags, and a wine caddy.

A baby's seat, on the side of the road. I rescued it, but couldn't fit all the baby items into my car, including a high chair.

I stumbled upon a huge bounty of garage sale leftovers on a main road that were destined for the landfill. I couldn't salvage some of the bigger items, such as furniture, but I did rescue many smaller items, include an entire box filled with Halloween costumes. This is the perfect time to be donating Halloween, Thanksgiving and winter decorations to thrift shops (this house was right down the road from two of them).

Along with the costumes, sweet little girls clothes. I washed the clothes and costumes before donating them.

Stuffed animals. Made in China, snuggled with for a bit, then tossed in the landfill.

The list is endless, and dispiriting. So many people are in need right now in this country, and throwing these items in the garbage is money thrown down the drain for everyone.

Reporting from Bergen County, New Jersey, the land of excess for some.

Soup's On, Soul's Smiling

2010-09-20T20:19:00.006-04:00

Give me soup...any day, any season. From scratch is preferred. My ingredients are simple: olive oil, onions, vegetable stock (I get a little help from Rapunzel which I pick up at Old Hook Farm), veggies of choice, spices. Sometimes a little soy creamer to mock dairy creamer.

These leeks from Abram Demaree Homestead are just begging to be paired with potatoes for a homemade potato leek soup. Celtic Kitchen in New Milford, NJ, sells brown bread from Ireland, which would be a delightful partner.

With a spinach Swiss cheese quiche and Fall's favorite drink, apple cider, at Abram Demaree's quaint patio overlooking land that has been farmed since the 1750s. The soup: vegetarian split pea, my dining companion, my lovely mother.

At a cozy French cafe, with Edith Piaf piping from the sound system. Add crusty bread, olive oil for dipping, and a bottle of tap water. This tomato basil soup was savored at a now shuttered cafe in the Chelsea section of New York City.

With salad, this one topped with blackberries and candied cashews, and a buttermilk herb scone from Rolling Pin Cafe in Westwood, NJ. The soup, dairy-free butternut squash soup.

With a Mexican flair, and loaded with protein and fiber rich beans. The black bean soup at La Batalla in Bergenfield, NJ, is hearty enough for a meal. Their homemade flan, so hard to resist.

With a touch of Asia. At Empire Hunan in Fair Lawn, NJ, a cup of miso soup. The perfect starter to feasts of steamed vegetable dumplings and brown rice or bean curd with veggies. Lychee fruit to end for dessert. I haven't been here in far too long.

With soup's best good friend: Saltines. Some would say tomato soup's soulmate is grilled cheese. The tomato soup here, Campbell's, from Conrad's Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant (open May through Labor Day; after which it stays open as a chocolate shop, which it is year-round).

An aside, the last time I dined at Conrad's counter, where I enjoyed a strawberry sorbet on a sweltering summer day, a man beside me told the owner the last time he was in was in 1957, and the place hadn't changed at all. There's something to be said for that in the age of obsession over modernizing and upgrading to the next best thing. There's comfort in the constant.

One thing that will never change, the comfort to body and soul soup always provides.

Praise to the Mother, Long Live the 80's Memories

2010-09-17T06:24:00.035-04:00

Feasting on humane, delicious fare outside on a sunny, crisp day in New York City. Enjoying good conversation with two positive, lovely souls. The good life it is.

At Mother Burger (a sister restaurant of vegan-friendly Blockheads), I snacked on complimentary peanuts (love that offering!) while sipping on an Arnold Palmer (half iced tea, half lemonade), $2.

Their veg version of the Mother Burger: toasted bulgar wheat, carrot, chick peas, onions, sauteed red and green pepper, tahini and spices. Without cheese it's $6.95, but I added the vegan soy cheese for $2 more since having that as an option is a real rarity and treat. Two words: happy dance!

I also dined solo at Two Boots (Hell's Kitchen location). Of course I choose the Earth Mother!

What's more quintessential New York City than a slice and a soda? I try and limit my soda consumption, but it just goes so well with pizza. A small Pepsi, $1.25.

I sat by the window, the perfect place to people watch. Other than the supermarket (the ultimate place to people watch for me), New York City is one of the best places to do it.

Visit various locations in New York City, or find them in LA, Baltimore, and Bridgeport, Connecticut. The boots - the geographical shapes of Italy and Louisiana. Two Boots was founded in 1987 by two indie filmmakers in homage to their loves of pizza, beer and New Orleans, and it definitely has an eighties vibe.

Other cool things in 1987: Dirty Dancing was on the big screen (I still remember seeing it with my best friend, and may have the soundtrack on cassette in my childhood bedroom. Note to self: look for that the next time visiting). Tiffany and Debbie Gibson were on the airwaves. I pick Tiffany. Confession: I once brought a picture of her to a hairdresser. That was when teenagers still looked like, well, teenagers. Seems like 16 going on 27 too often now.

I feel sorry for today's youth that does not know the awesomeness of the eighties. The decade was just so campy. Check out "You Know You Grew Up in the 80's If" for a trip down memory lane. I, for one, did not think Doogie Howser was hot, but did rock the stone wash jeans and had a fluorescent pink purse.

Admit it: You reenact this scene in your living room when it's on TV (at least the last 20 seconds). We all do.

At the Picnic: Pass the Cheese, or Pass on the Cheese?

2010-09-16T06:17:00.014-04:00

Each September, I attend a fundraising picnic for the retirement home of the chef's association my sweetheart belongs to. You may recall the dinner dance we attended last winter. A picnic table is much more my speed. While he cooked up a storm, I enjoyed the festivities with my parents.

Petit dejeuner: a croissant, $1, and coffee, $1.

Tombola, 3 chances for $1. Push the paper out of the plastic, and if it has a number, you've won!

Prizes included everything from Pepperidge Farm cookies and chocolates to cookbooks and champagne. After about $25, I walked away with a bottle of red Bordeaux and two white Bordeaux.

Marching for the last time in this year's picnic, Les Cadets Lafayette. They said they are having a difficult time getting younger people joining. I've read of similar issues with a local VFW, which was closing down its hall.

An enthusiastic show of patriotism.

Now, for the feast...

You can't not have bread at a French picnic? I love the simple centerpieces: flowers picked right from the garden in Orangina bottles, which they reuse each year.

Hors d'oeuvres. No pate, seafood salad or sausages for me. I savored the tomato salad in a mustard vinagrette, and mixed bean salad. Apples and plums also adorned the table, as did French wine, bien sûr: Côtes du Rhône and white Bordeaux.

The entree: grilled beef with mushroom sauce. Pass. For me: string beans, carrots and pearl onions, sauteed in garlic and onion.

Salad with a huge brie cheese came to every table (about eight people per table, and this was the equivalent of buying six brie cheeses individually at the shop).

For dessert, a mixed berry tarte, and watermelon. This was the only thing different from last year (a pear tarte was usual).

People wanting to eat vegan often deal with scenarios where they must decide for themselves the merit of passing on certain foods that they would love to eat. Communal situations are particularly difficult, and what to do when there's an enormous amount of something you love in front of you? And then factor in reality: it may likely get thrown out even if you don't consume it. I constantly hear the drum beaten of "veganism is so easy," which I don't find helpful, and often, it's not so black and white.

Cheese often tops the list of tempatations, and even Alicia Silverstone has admitted to eating cheese occasionally. I love her honesty and relate to her and Sarma Melngailis (read I'm Not a Vegetarian) more than the "there's no slipping ever" crowd. Almost no one will want to explore a diet if they think they have to be perfect in every situation for the rest of their life.

As for "perfect" vegans who are judgemental, I think a) They're misleading about how strict they are. I'd love to see a list of what they eat. Really - no honey, no pat of butter, no dollop of cream, no eating a slice of non-vegan birthday cake, no piece of your co-worker's banana bread when your stomach is growling at 10 a.m. ever ever ever? Or B) They are secretly annoyed they are held to such high standards (although shouldn't we set the standards for ourselves and not others?) Who wants a vegan police discouraging people? I don't.

I savor the vegetarian, non-vegan fods I eat at events like the picnic. No apologies, no guilt.

At the Renaissance Fair: Vegan Fare, Check!

2010-09-10T06:32:00.032-04:00

With two complimentary tickets in hand from an acquaintance, my sweetheart, his mother and I attended the New York Renaissance Fair. Admission is $20, and aside from the free shows (where tips are requested, but not required, and many performers were selling their CDs and DVDs), capitalism is alive and well in the Renaissance.

Don't try this at home: most of what thrill performer Dextre Tripp does at his entertaining show.

Dancing a jig for the queen's court.

Flowery headpieces for sale, $16-$18. They are pretty!

Hair braiding at the Rapunzel booth. Confession: I was pretty tempted to do this. You could spend $20 and upwards depending on the style. Much more charming than some of those horrendous and even more costly updos bridesmaids have to sport for weddings, in my opinion.

Whimsical toys.

I admired the craftsmanship of these Cornish mushrooms, $39 (not sure if the price varied for smaller ones). They would add a touch of charm to any garden.

A visit to the candle maker. He was encouraging giving them as holiday gifts saying everyone loves candles, but based on the number I see at thrift shops just after the holidays, I'd beg to differ. Although I, for one, adore them.

But alas, "money is no object" does not roll off my tongue. We only spent money on food and drink.

Fairgoers enjoying a libation in the lush forest amid campy signs that read, "Wanted: Robin Hood." I had a Hardcore cider, $6. I'm not a beer drinker, and hard cider is my favorite alternative. Did you know cider was once the most popular drink in America?

The Super Vegan wrap was pretty tempting, but just as alluring: the vegan "Night in Tunisia" special: couscous with stewed vegetables, $9. A hearty, healthy and humane option for any era.

At another booth, I also spotted Cuban black bean soup in a bread bowl for $7, which the vendor confirmed was vegan. You could find everything from salads and pickles to organic, fair-trade coffee.

On the way out, I thought I spotted Dumbledore! A fine end to a day at the fair.

The Word on the Street: Vegan

2010-09-08T06:48:00.021-04:00

With more consumers interested in vegan options for a host of reasons (health, animal ethics, and environmental, to name a few), vegan food, as it should, is taking its rightful place in society - closer to the mainstream. Here are some places it's showing up:

At non-vegetarian restaurants, like New York City's Blockheads (various locations). Co-existing alongside meat and dairy dishes on the menu, you'll find tofu, tofu sour cream, and vegan soy cheese.

Two grilled tofu tacos (hold the Monterey Jack cheese) with fresh grilled corn salsa, served with rice and beans, and of course, I requested tofu sour cream. A feast for $8.95, at lunchtime it came with chips and salsa and a drink (my pick: fresh brewed iced tea).

Great vegan good is not just in New York City or Los Angeles (find veg eats near you with help from Happy Cow). In New Jersey, the owners the Rutherford Pancake House have crafted a loyal following, knowing veg enthusiasts will 'follow the tofu' so to speak. The vegan menu has expanded to offer comfort foods like sliders and pizza. But at a diner or pancake house, breakfast food just calls my name.

The vegan Roman tofu scramble: garlic, scallions, tomatoes, peppers, Italian sausage, and mozzarella, $9.95, served with home fries and...

toast with strawberry jam and soy butter. Coffee $1.79, with soy milk (rice milk is also available), and orange juice, $1.99 for a small.

In every media outlet from non-vegan blogs (check out food writer David Lebovitz raving about New York City vegan bakery Babycakes) to The New York Times, which had a headline that said it all: "Tasty Vegan Food? Cupcakes Show It Can Be Done."

My favorite vegan bakery: Sweet Avenue Bake Shop in Rutherford. Behold the sight of their seasonal pumpkin spice cupcakes, $3.50 each.

At street festivals and fairs. Remember the vegan coconut macaroons at the Bastille Day celebration in New York City? Well, my heart went aflutter when, surrounded by people eating turkey legs at the New York Renaissance Fair in Tuxedo Park (more about my visit and eats there later), I saw this sign at a Mediterranean food booth. Super Vegan is not only a fitting name for a wrap, but also a vegan cartoon character! Now if only I could sketch...

In the movies.

Okay, this technically counts as a vegetarian reference, but still!

In the film Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert's (via Julia Roberts) first boyfriend after the end of her marriage is a vegetarian. There's a scene at a dinner party where someone asks him why he became a vegetarian and he mentions seeing cows being slaughtered. At night's end, the same man asks for the slaughterhouse video and that he's interested in learning more about factory farming. In a film largely about personal and spiritual growth and enlightenment, being enlightened about what one puts in their body, and the reality behind, seems only logical. I was thrilled for the reference, and cheered silently in the theater.

And I'm cheering here, out loud for the animals, that slowly but surely, great vegan food is becoming more available and accepted.

Last Call at The Loving Hut

2010-09-03T18:23:00.006-04:00

The office where I work is relocating to another part of Manhattan, which means no more lunchtime dining at the Loving Hut.

I shall miss this humane, cheerful little eatery, which spreads the good word about vegetarianism and veganism, both through images adorning its establishment, and its tasty food. It also stands in defiance to the many fur shops just around the corner from it, and the very un-animal friendly fast food restaurants which flood the Penn Station/Madison Square Garden area where it is located.

Vegans and vegetarians can often review most mainstream menus pretty quickly, as the veg options may be few. Here, an entire menu to choose from, plus specials!

The best entree I had there: vegan beef fried rice, $7. With five-grain rice and loaded with seasonal veggies, this was healthier and cruelty free version of the real deal.

A Snickers cookie, $1.50. Yum! I love when you ask for a glass of water, it comes flavored with lemon and in a pretty reusable cup.

Whenever we're eating, our rescue dog watches my family with envy and is licking his chops with a hopeful heart he'll get a taste.

When this organic chocolate cake, $5.75, came out, the people on line waiting for takeout and diners next to me had a similar expression!

I rarely order smoothies out since they are so simple (and less expensive) to make at home, but on a steamy August day, a strawberry smoothie, $4.50, was calling my name.

Business at the Loving Hut was thriving every time I went in, and I was happy to support this establishment and its quest to bring another vegan dining choice to New York City. Thanks for the memories, Loving Hut, and your work in helping animals, one meal at a time.

For Sale: Demarest Farm

2010-09-02T07:10:00.005-04:00

The headline was common, and depressing: "End of an era: Demarests enter new season as farm is for sale," read the front page banner of the August 30th edition of Pascack Press, a local hometown read.

The Demarest Farm has been around since 1886. To put that year into perspective, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated and Grover Cleveland (remember him?) was in office.

Two parcels of land are owned by the family. The 15 acres in Hillsdale, which most residents know, thankfully, is preserved as farmland. The other, 17.5 acres in Saddle River, is "deemed residential, thus allowing for development." McMansions anyone? I wouldn't be surprised in the least.

On a sunny August weekend, my mom and I paid a visit to Demarest Farm for lunch, as we have so many times before.

A charming recreation of the farm.

A perfect late summer picnic: homemade corn chowder, $4.59/lb., an onion roll, $1.10, from their on-site bakery, and fresh squeezed lemonade, $2.50. Enjoyed on the picnic benches while a small army on satisfied peach pickers walked by with their bounty. I thought what a fine activity for families do.

A source of New Jersey pride: juicy peaches every summer.

Sweet endings: watermelon Italian ice, $1.50.

Signs of fall: these cheerful scarecrow hovered over applesauce jars. Crisp fall nights will soon be here, and I'm looking forward to them.

Fragrant vegetable oil soaps. When I saw the lemon verbena one, I couldn't help think of Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie, a favorite childhood show.

When I made a plea to support New Jersey farms, I meant it. Please support your local farmers wherever you are, even if just to buy a bag of peaches or apples. These farms stand in defiance to the retail behemouths and housing developments that have taken over our communities. But they need to remain lucrative enough for the next generations to carry on the tradition.

Every Farm Animal Deserves

2010-08-31T06:19:00.013-04:00

Americans have a bill of rights, but what about the rights of farm animals, 10 billion killed annually in the United States? They live (if you can call it living, it's more like endure) in the shadows, forgotten by most of society who seems to comfort themselves with the notion that if they don't think about the suffering, it doesn't exist, or it's someone else's fault.

Whatever your dietary stripe, here are some basic rights I believe all farm animals should have (and hope you do too).

To never see the inside of a gestation stall, ever.

To not be cramped into a wire cage the size of a filing cabinet with five or six other chickens so we can buy 99 cent cartons of eggs. A chicken's labor should be worth more than 8.25 cents an egg.

For poultry, to be included in the federal Humane Slaughter Act.

To not be de-beaked, de-clawed, de-anything.

Never to be force fed, ever.

To have free range conditions be, indeed, free range.

To be treated with kindness and respect by the farmers raising them. The consumers eating them should not shift the blame to the producers for deplorable conditions if they are contributing to the demand.

They should not be viewed as just another dish on Thanksgiving (or any other time) without any thought to the life of the turkey that ended up on your plate.

All farm animals deserve these rights.

A moment of solitude on a fine summer day at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary for these animals, who are victims of a factory farming system which have found safe refuge here.

Veganism or vegetarianism may be not everyone's path in life, and I respect people's choices, but know that deplorable factory farming conditions exist because of society's demand to have a meat, milk and eggs so heavily in daily diets at the cheapest prices available. Eating veg as often as possible is the ideal. But at the very least, if everyone ate a little less meat and animal by-products, paid a little more, and wasted less food, the conditions of these animals would improve exponentially. They are living, breathing, sentient beings the same as our cats and dogs and deserve to be treated with common decency - and not viewed just a commodity - especially if they are going to give up their lives for a meal.

That is my declaration for farm animals.

I Heart Rainy Days

2010-08-25T19:27:00.025-04:00

Sun go away, just for a few days. Bring on the rain...it just feels so much cozier. Where will you find me?

Perhaps at my favorite Irish pub, PJ Finnegan's, in Westwood, New Jersey.

Of course, I'd be having my favorite Irish beverage: Magners cider, $5.

And feasting on some veg pub grub: a portobello mushroom burger with roasted red peppers on focaccia bread, with a mesclun salad, $8.95.

I will definitely have the kettle on. A good "cuppa" does wonders for the soul.

Whenever rainy weather strikes, it always feels like a good "Tea and Sympathy day" - one of my favorite haunts in New York City. I used to work nearby, and would eat like a queen. Visits here now are less frequent, but just as cherished.

Cream tea: a pot of tea, my choice, their Rosie Lee (half English Breakfast, half Earl Grey) with scones, clotted cream and strawberry preserves, $10.75.

I think Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet!) would approve. My parents introduced me to the campy Keeping Up Appearances, a witty British comedy from 1990-1995, which reruns on public television regularly. I've admittedly seen every one of her crazy candlelight supper antics, and when viewing the sad state of television today often think, they don't make them like this anymore.

Maybe I'll be making a pot of soup, listening to some Celtic music, like WFUV's A Thousand Welcomes archives, watching a DVD from the library, or reading a thrifted or library book under a blanket. Almost certainly, I will hope for a nap, and if home, be indulging in one.

All these things make me wish for the rain to linger just a bit longer.

Forgotten: One Tradition, One War Hero, Now Remembered

2010-08-23T18:56:00.019-04:00

This August marked the first time I celebrated Winu Gischuch, the Corn Moon, at a Bergen County Historical Society event.

According to the group, "the Dark Moon of August, Winu Gischuch, was associated with ripened corn, ready to roast. At this time, native farmers pulled cornstalks that produced no ears and sucked out the sweet sap or syrup. Fresh ears of corn in the milk were roasted."

Kevin Wright, author of 1609: A Country That Was Never Lost who was speaking at the event, says such gatherings simply highlight the natural movement of time.

I stepped back in time in the Campbell-Christie House.

I sat in their candlelight, cozy tavern.

You can't go to a corn festival and not partake, can you? A modest donation was asked for the refreshments. The corn, 50 cents.

Corn cakes, two for $1.

On an unseasonably cool rainy day, homemade peach plum crisp, $3.50, nourished both body and soul.

The back kitchen is always a must visit stop. Among items on the menu: corn chowder, potato and leek soup, a side dish of squash and apples and corn cakes with blueberries.

Another highlight was a preview of documentary Lafayette: The Lost Hero. It makes its debut to the nation September 13. A glimpse of the documentary:

Lafayette: The Lost Hero from The Documentary Group

A modest blue sign, on a very car-heavy road, Kinderkamack Road (at Soldier Hill Road), marks where Lafayette and his troops once traveled.

A lifelong Bergen County, New Jersey resident and someone who has traveled Soldier Hill Road thousands of times, I crossed the path those who fought for freedoms we often take for granted had. Thanks to the Bergen County Historical Society, I have a newfound appreciation.

Learn more about upcoming events.

I couldn't help think of the haunting Lydia Huntley Sigourney poem "Indian Names," brought to life by Natalie Merchant on Leave Your Sleep. "Our injustice and hard-hearted policy with regard to the original owners of the soil has ever seemed to me one of our greatest national sins," Lydia reflected. All that's largely left behind are their traditions, resurrected by groups like the Bergen County Historical Society, preserved artifacts, and their names - on lakes, streams, rivers, towns and monuments.

"Ye say they all have passed away,
That noble race and brave,

Their light canoes have vanished
From off the crested wave.

That 'mid the forest where they roamed
There rings no hunter's shout.

But their name is on your waters,
Ye may not wash it out."

How to Succeed in Economic Stimulus, Without Really Trying

2010-08-17T06:36:00.014-04:00

"Spending money for an experience — concert tickets, French lessons, sushi-rolling classes, a hotel room in Monaco — produces longer-lasting satisfaction than spending money on plain old stuff," The New York Times reported in an article on changing consumer habits (thanks to Consciously Frugal for her thoughtful blog post on this article).

What a concept that we could enrich our minds and souls, while stimulating the economy - by spending money on experiences. Some news stories leave the impression our economy is doomed if Americans don't head to the mall in droves. Is that what our economy is based on? I hope not.

With that, here are some of the experiences I had, providing an economic lift in the process, on a recent visit to Woodstock and Phoenicia, New York.

I experienced a cool night of 1920s and 30s inspired New Orleans-style jazz music. I saw Tuba Skinny busking at the Woodstock Flea Market last June, became smitten with their music, and am full fledged in love with it now. I have spent many a hot summer night listening to their two wonderful albums, which I whole-heartedly recommend.

I stayed at an adorable bed and breakfast, the Phoenicia Belle, just 15 minutes from Woodstock. Bonus points for cruelty free toiletries (including Kiss My Face) and emphasis on organics.

You can select what you want for breakfast (which I love, reducing food waste). Each guest had a choice of cranberry muffin, plain or vanilla yogurt, homemade granola, toast with jam and butter, orange juice and coffee or tea.

The pot of fragrant Earl Grey: fair trade and organic. Heavenly with cinnamon raisin bread with raspberry jam, fresh fruit and orange juice.

Take your cup with a book or newspaper and read it on their lovely porch. At night, you can take a bottle of wine to the porch and enjoy the candlelight and peace away from the hectic pace of daily life.

Just moments away, the river. One can go tubing, rent a bike (or bring your own), or just take in the view.

Support not malls, but the second-hand market. Check out this New York Times article on the Brooklyn Free Store.

I purchased this blue and white cup for $3. These prints bring me back to eating dinners at my grandparents' house as a child.

I supported a charity: the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The farm was booming with visitors, including many young children who had their first encounters with farm animals and learned some of the realities. I'll devote a proper blog post to my visit here later on.

I indulged in a cruelty-free veggie dog, topped with mustard and sauerkraut, $2.50 at the Woodstock flea market on Sunday afternoon.

Guess who I stumbled upon again? A perfect ending to the weekend.

Tuba Skinny, He Likes it Slow

Switzerland, Remembering

2010-08-13T06:22:00.009-04:00

Picturesque villages. When walking crowded New York City sidewalks, I sometimes consider pulling a Swiss "Under the Tuscan Sun" move.

Farm animals basking in open pastures. No crates, no cages, no lifetime jail sentences. Wondering why all farm animals aren't entitled to such freedom. Factory farming is a crime against the animal kingdom, and a black mark on humanity.

Marveling that even on the highest mountaintops, you will find places of worship.

Being blessed with a clear view of the Matterhorn.

Cozy alpine restaurants.

Swiss chocolate. Need I say more?

Forrest Gump, recalling the humbling beauty of our world, declared it was hard to tell where the Earth ended, and heaven began.

After a tram ride up, taking in the view from top of Lugano.

Walking by the lakeside at Lugano.

Taking the street car in Zurich, as I did often during summer vacations in my youth.

After a cloudy day...

the sun always returns.

The force of nature in Tori Amos' Mountain, "So the city spits you out, rejected. She'll be down when the mountain lets her go." Not wanting to let go of the mountain.

A Taste of Switzerland in New York

2010-08-09T06:48:00.008-04:00

Generations young...

...and young-at-heart, some Swiss-born (like my parents), some Swiss-American (me) and some honorary Swiss for the day (my sweetheart) were on hand for New York City's annual Swiss National Day celebration.

Some even sported cool cow hats.

In the act of making raclette.

Raclette is a traditional Swiss dish of melted cheese, boiled potatoes, Cornichon pickles and pearl onions. Aspiring vegans struggle with cheese for good reason.

My general rule when deciding to eat vegetarian instead of vegan (remember, I don't strive for unrealistic perfection) is to make sure it's something I absolutely love and will savor. (Note to self: do not eat the horrendous non-vegan sheet cake at office birthday parties. Those lapses aren't worth it).

Black Forest cake, and slices of cake filled with Kirsch, a cherry brandy.

Hazelnut cake.

Swiss wine. Behind it, some very un-Swiss Bud Light.

A $5 donation garnered a Swiss pin, with proceeds going to the restoration of a painting in Geneva.

The Swiss ambassador gave a speech focused on economic discipline, and when he mentioned the importance of living within your means, the crowd applauded. A concept we should all resolve to import.

Flashback to last year's Swiss Day festivities.

Never been to Switzerland? Let's go. More in my next post.

Seasonal Delights at The Rolling Pin Cafe

2010-07-30T06:58:00.004-04:00

Recently, my mom and I lunched at Westwood, New Jersey's quaint Rolling Pin Cafe. Typically, this place is packed to capacity, leaving it too noisy for us most times. Many must of have been at the beach or elsewhere the steaming July day when we visited.

Quaint tables are inside. We adore sitting outside at one of their two tables, but it was just too hot.

Rolling pins!

Raspberry lemonade, $2. My lemonade consumption goes up exponentially in the summer. I love all varieties.

Half a grilled zucchini and beefsteak tomato sandwich with roasted garlic and onion jam, and their weekly salad special with peaches, strawberries and candied cashews, with a side of sweet potato salad, $8.25. I held the cheese on both. I love adding seasonal fruits to salad. What's more seasonal than zucchini and tomatoes?

In season: peach blueberry crisp. This one looked mouth-watering. Crisps are easy to veganize at home with the help of Earth Balance or other non-dairy substitutes.

They do have soy milk available for coffee or tea (hard to believe so many places don't carry it). Do try the toasted coconut coffee.

The Loving Hut, Revisited

2010-07-27T06:56:00.005-04:00

Seeking flight from cramped cubicles, computer screens, and interruptions, I dined with a friend for lunch at New York City's vegan eatery Loving Hut.

Several pro veg messages adorn its walls. Learn about the effects of factory farming on the environment from Farm Sanctuary.

As do photos of famous vegetarians and vegans.

Did you know that Princess Diana shunned fur, refused to participate in hunting expeditions with the royal family and was responsible for a 17-course meatless dinner served by the British Embassy during her first visit to the United States in her honor? This according to European Vegetarian Union News.

My friend's udon noodles with tofu and veggies, $7.50. I sampled this, and liked it better than what I had.

My mushroom, corn, and pea quesadilla with Daiya vegan cheese, guacamole and a side salad, $7.50.

In a Seinfeld episode, Jerry compares black and white cookies to a metaphor for racial harmony and that people should "Look to the cookie!"

I looked to this cruelty free, and tasty, version, $1.75. Veganize it at home.

Channel Your Inner Flapper or Gent at the Jazz Age Lawn Party

2010-07-20T06:37:00.017-04:00

Who wants to go to a Jazz Age Lawn Party on New York City's Governors Island? My hand is high up in the air.

Let's go. She looks like she just stepped out of her time machine.

Listen to music of an era gone by but not forgotten by Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra.

Grab a sweetie and cut up the rug. My heart's desire doesn't dance I'm afraid.

Admire Zelda, which calls itself, "The Magazine of the Vintage Nouveau."

Peruse the vintage clothing from Odd Twin. Wonder why hats ever went out of fashion.

Admire the style of the bathing beauties, including the stylish lady on the right. Reflect on how sultry a bit of modesty can be.

Take part in a vintage photo shoot.

Check out classic cars. Wonder if any cars today will be considered a classic in the future. I know mine won't be. The one word I think of when pondering the clothes, music and fashion of the 1920s era: style.

Enjoy St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur mixed with soda water and a twist of lemon, $5. I could get used to sipping on these on a hot July day on a picnic blanket with some great reading. All that's missing are tunes from The Big Broadcast.

My thrifted copy of The Great Gatspy, just 50 cents from This n That in Hillsdale, New Jersey. The classic Fitzgerald novel, set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City during the summer of 1922, seems like a fitting summer read.

While vegetarian fare is usually the minority on the menu, here it ruled. Three of the four items listed on the flier were veg: caramelized onion and spinach tarte with cheddar cheese; roasted zucchini, squash and red pepper sandwiches with maple mustard glaze; and pesto farfalle pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes. Sound delicious? Others thought so too - they were all gone by the time I arrived (as was the homemade lemonade and baked goods).

Luckily, my boyfriend and I arrived with our own picnic of sandwiches, carrot raisin salad, peaches and lemonade.

Miss this weekend? The Lawn Party resumes for the weekend on August 28th and 29th. Admission is $10 at the door, $7 in advance.

While there, take a walk (or rent a bike) and go around the island. Admire sweeping views of the Statue of Liberty. The ferry ride to Governor's Island? Free.

It's Bastille Day!

2010-07-14T06:35:00.014-04:00

A little history on why we're breaking out the baguettes and Edith Piaf records today.

Let's visit New York City's annual Bastille Day Fair and have a picnic: gazpacho with a piece of baguette, $5, and an Orangina, $2.

Fruit jellies, everything from cassis to apricot to mango (made with pectin) from Burdick Chocolate, 2 for $1 or 12 for $5.

Mon Dieu - vegan cookies at the Bastille Day festival?!? This is almost as exciting as David Lebovitz's post on vegan strawberry ice cream.

I had a coconut macaroon, $2, from Vegan Divas. They also had vegan brownies and oatmeal raisin cookies - not very French, but a great sign of progress how vegan food is showing up all over the place.

Veganize Nutella, a favorite spread for bananas, crepes and crusty bread everywhere. I haven't tried the recipe, and the real thing is a major weakness of mine.

"A girl should be 2 things, classy and fabulous," Coco Chanel declares on this cute reusable tote from Girls' Guide to Paris.

French women are famous for their scarves, and even this adorable chien got into the act. Flashback to Gillian Young's advice on how to tie a scarf like a Frenchie.

Cheerful books for the youngest francophiles.

Buttons from FIAF (French Institute Alliance Française).

Music from Les Sans Culottes.

Learn about the symbolism of the French flag.

Flashback to last year's festivities.

Carol from Paris Breakfasts also covered the fun.

I'd Rather Be....

2010-07-09T06:25:00.011-04:00

Not feeling like being on the computer lately, especially when I'm on one at work all day and the lazy days of summer are here.

I'd rather be....

Enjoying a Field Roast Grain Meat Co.'s smoked apple sage vegan sausage off of the grill with some cold summer salads.

Or feasting on a BLT made with vegan Smart Bacon, followed by a dip in the pool.

Watching the Macy's fireworks in Weehawken.

Having some petit dejeuner at my favorite French cafe, Macaron. A baguette with strawberry jam, $2.50, and fresh squeezed orange juice, $3.50 (they squeeze it on the spot).

Going to the Bastille Day celebration.

Catching up on my French. I won a French in 3 Months cd and accompanying book in my community school French class.

Reading a good book. The Jane Austen classic? Just 25 cents at Our Thrift Shop in Westwood. Thrift shops are a treasure trove of books for your beach outing, summer getaway, or just respite indoors on a steamy day.

Sipping on a raspberry margarita on the outdoor patio at Pancho's, $8...

while enjoying a California tostado, $7.25. Check out the tofu sour cream!

Eating a piece of my co-worker Kathy's chocolate zucchini cake at a weekly tea break. The zucchini - straight from her garden. It's not vegan, but in communal situations like this, I don't fret too much about a small piece of cake.

Eating a veggie burger. Check out Everyday with Rachael Ray's Taste Test: The Best Veggie Burgers. Not everything is vegan (burgers included), but they give you creative ideas for dressing up your burger. Substitute dairy with products like Tofutti Sour Supreme, Vegenaise or your favorite non-dairy cheese, or just omit those ingredients.

Hope you are savoring the days of summer.

Summer Harvest: From the Farm

2010-07-01T06:56:00.010-04:00

A weekend highlight for me is visiting local farms. I'll take this over stifling, over-sized mega supermarkets any day. Summertime means an abundance of local delights.

At Old Hood Farm in Emerson: New Jersey sugar plums and raspberries. Both are like nature's candy.

Blueberries. Love seasonal berries over granola and either almond milk or soy yogurt as a simple summer breakfast.

Jersey beans. My mom sautés these in Earth Balance (or use olive oil), garlic and parsley. Mine never come out as good as hers. I think even peanut butter and jelly tastes better when your mom makes it.

At Abram Demaree Homestead on Old Hook Road in Closter, some new items were offered from last week's visit.

Bruschetta, the perfect recipe to make with summer tomatoes and basil. I topped it on a crusty bread I picked up at nearby Old Hook Farm. Served with their chopped salad (assorted greens with diced celery) and you've got a light summer meal.

Charbroiled zucchini, topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Veganize at home: just leave off the cheese.

Salsa bites: tomato, garlic, onion and chipotle in a pastry crust.

I eat a little something sweet every day. No apologies. Burnt sugar cookies.

Home grown flowers.

Wishing you were here...

I left thinking of 10,000 Maniacs delightful ode to the infectious pleasures of summer, "Stockton Gala Days," and its declaration:

"That summer fields grow high.
We had wildflower fever.
We had to lay down where they grow."

Catch wildflower fever, and delight in all the season's bounty.

Greetings from Cupcakefest 2010

2010-06-29T06:41:00.007-04:00

Cupcakefest. Noun. A day of music and vegan cupcakes to benefit Passaic Animal Shelter held annually by Sweet Avenue Bake Shop in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Flashback to last year's festivities. Now to this year's:

Donations of food and supplies. Have unwanted bedding and towels? Bring them to your local animal shelter.

For the Animals Sanctuary, located in Blairstown, New Jersey, was on hand.

Wear your love for animals.

Check out Compassion Over Killing's Easy Vegan Recipes. Find everything from an egg-free scramble, French toast and carrot muffins, "chicken" salad sandwiches and Sloppy Joe's, and apple enchiladas and chocolate peanut butter pie.

There were free mini cupcakes outside (chocolate and red velvet). Inside, the shop was more crowded than I'd ever seen it. It was great to see a humane business flourishing.

Modern science has veganized Snickers and Milky Way bars.

Cheers! margarita and piña colada cupcakes, $3.50 each. I sampled both. Two paws up! Heck, four paws up!

Two of my favorite summer flavors, lavender lemon and lemon raspberry, also $3.50 each (prices vary depending on flavor).

How I feel after eating a vegan cupcake from Sweet Avenue Bake Shop.

Support New Jersey Farms

2010-06-25T06:34:00.012-04:00

Don't want your local farm stand to be sold and developed into a housing complex, strip mall or yet another CVS Pharmacy (how many does New Jersey need?) Simple: spend some of your dollar there.

I paid a recent visit to Abram Demaree Homestead on Old Hook and Schraalenburgh Roads in Closter, New Jersey. Check out this 2008 profile of the farm from The New York Times, which been a working farm since the 1700s. Let's keep it that way.

You can lunch outside on their quaint patio Tuesdays through Sundays. Vegetarian options include a spinach Swiss cheese quiche, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, chopped salad, and split pea soup - all made on the premises.

The view.

Fresh baked cookies. Ever look at the ingredient list on those grocery store baked goods? Alarming. If you made a rule, 'don't eat it if you can't pronounce all the ingredients' you'd go hungry fast in American supermarkets.

Homemade blueberry pie, $4.95. We bought one of these, and a strawberry rhubarb pie. Yummy à la mode or on its own.

Have strawberries? Try this easy and vegan strawberry pie recipe.

Jersey Girl tomato sauce. Love the vintage pie sign. Pie is the ultimate comfort dessert for me.

Lavender grows on the fields as you drive in. Buy it here.

For organic and local produce, right down the road at Old Hook Farm in Emerson (also featured in the Times), the first corn of the season! I feasted on this corn at a summer solstice supper.

A wonderful selection of organic, homegrown lettuce. So many pay 'convenience' costs of purchasing salads at lunch, but with a little effort, it's so much cheaper to bring your own. Who wants to pay $7 for lettuce and veggies you'll eat while checking e-mail?

When Anton Ego takes his first bite of ratatouille in the film of the same name, he in a flash mentally time travels to a day in his childhood when his mother made the soul-nourishing dish. Upon taking a taste of these New Jersey cherries, my mom and I were instantly transported to a family farmhouse in Switzerland with its cherry trees. Reflect on the food memories you have from your childhood.

Sunflowers from, you guessed it, the beautiful state of New Jersey: $5.99 a bunch.

Find a family farm near you through Local Harvest.

Summer Clothing Sale: 100 Percent Off

2010-06-23T06:45:00.020-04:00

On a preview of an upcoming segment on online shoe retailer Zappos.com on CBS Sunday Morning, the commentator said what's constantly being drilled into all our heads: If Americans want to get the economy going, they're going to have to start shopping. Always, the consumer as the savior, as Alea wisely put. I say enough is enough.

Meanwhile, while walking out of Trader Joe's, I spotted a girl (about 12 I'd guess), carrying a Coach bag. The owner of a consignment shop told me teens come in there and refuse to purchase the copies, insisting they only carry "the real thing." Marketers are getting to females younger and younger, and Sex and the City and other media images don't help matters. Product placement ladies, we don't fall for it.

That said, I went on a shopping spree - for free - at our annual summer clothing swap, which I co-organize with two other women at work.

We offered light refreshments from budget-friendly Trader Joe's: guacamole, pineapple salsa, multi-grain tortilla chips, with strawberry lemonade to wash it down. One co-organizer requested their maple leaf creme cookies. They may seem more fall-like, but people seem to LOVE these year round. Plus, they're vegan!

Clothes!

The above was a fraction of it. We received a lot of fall items so set up a section with colorful posters that said, "Fall Preview," and also had a Sleepwear section. Someone even brought four pairs of new boy short panties (yes, new, with the tags still affixed). Many had quite a laugh, but guess what - they were all taken!

I don't know who can wear these types of heels. While I secretly wish I could sport black heels a la Diane Lane in the film Unfaithful, my feet beg for Sophia Petrillo shoes a la the Golden Girls.

These shoes are a bit more my speed. Cute polka dots. Not my size.

Necklaces, and a brand new satin clutch bag. I returned the black necklace I got at a prior swap (next to the red).

Brand new watch with rotating bands in a case.

A sampling of unwanted beauty products. Over half of these were taken, include new soap and bubble bath from Bath and Body Works, and Burberry and Tommy Girl perfume. Have unwanted lotion? Put it in your office bathroom for communal use after handwashing, which we did with the leftovers.

I'm not a fan of gifting scented lotions, sprays and such to someone unless you know they love that scent. Even then, I once received a pricey Origins set (which my friend knew I liked, but didn't know that I no longer did) and I ended up donating it. I also once got a White Musk Body Shop gift set from a friend - but that was her favorite scent, not mine (I actually wondered if it was a re-gift). I exchanged it for something else. Truth be told, I've received so many unwanted gifts (and I'm sure given many myself), I stopped doing gifts period.

My finds (I'm disclosing brand names as an FYI):

White top with black trim, Old Navy; white sweater, H&M; black beaded skirt, Express; and black sandals, Anne Klein.

Old Navy was advertising these long flowy skirts on television, but mine (brand JJ Club) was free. Green Abercrombie & Fitch top.

An Edme & Esyllte cotton top (about twice the length in the picture) and white cotton Gap cardigan. I also scored a cute beige sweater (not pictured), which will be perfect on the air conditioned bus and office.

Leftovers? To Salvation Army in Chelsea, New York City, C.A.T.S. Resale Shop (to benefit homeless cats and dog), and This-n-That Thrift Shop in Hillsdale, New Jersey, to benefit Shelter Our Sisters.

Okay to acquire second-hand wool, silk, and leather at swaps, thrift shops, eBay or other outlets for used goods? I say yes. Take a look at the 50 cent bin at the C.A.T.S. Resale Shop. The second hand market is flooded with unwanted clothes and shoes. I'd rather acquire a second-hand item, even non-vegan, versus going to the mall and buying something new. I'm now relying on swaps and thrift and consignment shops for my clothing needs.

I Like Lucy's, I Love Outdoor Dining

2010-06-22T05:35:00.007-04:00

Perhaps because I'm an apartment dweller with no balcony, and reside in a cramped cubicle for eight hours five days a week that I love al fresco dining so much. Even without those elements, I'd adore it period.

A park bench, a picnic blanket, on my family's patio furniture on the porch, a side walk cafe - all favorites for a meal under the sun or the stars.

Escaping my cubicle temporarily, I paid a first time visit to festive Lucy's Cantina Royale, with its cheerful outdoor seating area. Dining here, my two co-workers and I declared we felt like we were on vacation!

The view: New York City's Madison Square Garden.

A virgin guava margarita, $4. So refreshing on a hot June day.

I love guacamole. I don't love how expensive guacamole seems to be everywhere (especially in Manhattan). Here it was $9. I split the cost of this three ways though.

A vegetarian burrito, filled with Spanish rice, beans, corn, tomato, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a pinch of happiness, $10. Hold the sour cream and cheese. Note the Lucy's logo stamped on their tortilla.

Good thing I brought a reusable container - I ate half and had the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Summer's Here, Slow Down, Unplugged

2010-06-21T05:51:00.018-04:00

In The Shawshank Redemption, senior citizen Brooks gets out of prison decades after he went in as a young man. He took one look at modern life, and declared the world went and got itself in a big, damn hurry. I think that might be the mantra of today.

Step Away from the Blackberry

One need not look far to see the modern world has an affliction of technology ADD.

"It seems like he can no longer be fully in the moment," Brenda Campbell said of gadget-obsessed husband Cord in a New York Times article, Your Brain on Computers, Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price.

On the first night of a family vacation with their 16-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter at a cottage in Carmel, California, "We didn't go out to dinner. We just sat there on our devices," Brenda bemoaned.

I recall seeing an ad for new Sprint device that allowed users to be working while at a fancy restaurant, or on the beach. The ad tried to reflect the message you would be away from your desk. It left me with what I observe: people are always working.

And it also seems so many cannot put their devices down. While people talking on their cell phone used to be the norm, almost every time I'm savoring a meal at a restaurant, someone nearby is furiously typing away on a device. While enjoying grilled vegetable cheeseless pizza and a cider on the patio of Jersey Boys Grill, a young woman (21 I'd say) was with her parents and she spent half the time texting and e-mailing. Conversation is becoming a lost art. Remember when it took a major storm for families to sit down and converse? Children younger and younger are already hooked on gadgets. The makers of these devices are no doubt thrilled.

According to the Times article, "At home, people consume 12 hours of media a day on average, when an hour spent with, say, the Internet and TV simultaneously counts as two hours. That compares with five hours in 1960, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego."

While my job requires me to be in front of a computer all day at work, I am blissfully unplugged on the weekends. My cell phone is almost always off. I rarely send a text message. I'm not on Facebook (Paul Rudd wisely remarked that if he wasn't friends with you in high school, he does not want to be friends with you now). Amen. And I don't want to project every emotion I'm having at every second. The only tweeting I want to hear? From the birds. I do love my iPod, but would return it in a hearbeat to live in a world before all this plugging in.

Tonight marks the summer solstice. The heat is on, and the body must slow down. Mother nature insists upon it. This summer, unplug unapologetically and unabashedly for hours at a time. Remember the world was once quite functional without cell phones or Blackberries.

Savor the season. Delight in the simple pleasures of a cold glass of lemonade on sultry day. Relish in a mid-afternoon nap on a weekend when it's just too hot to do anything else. Read a library book in the shade. Enjoy a swim at night. Do as Natalie Merchant did in "Where I Go," - go to the river and "ponder over the crazy days of my life. Just sit and watch the river flow." Be fully in the moment.

Happy Summer to all.

Destination Landfill? Not Anymore.

2010-06-18T06:54:00.010-04:00

What are New Jerseyans tossing away as of late?

A wooden coat rack, in perfect condition. My rain coat, favorite Irish cap and umbrellas now hang from it.

A gorgeous arm chair, also in perfect condition. I've kept it, and am amassing quite a chair collection. There was also a pillow with it, which I've hand washed and donated.

Books. My sweetheart has an organic garden at work, and was happy to take the gardening book. I've kept the other.

A nice basket, two picture frames, brand new blueberry scented lotion and bath salts, and a still in the packing Winnie the Pooh t-shirt (there was a second identical t-shirt outside the package).

I've kept the basket, and will pass on the other items through donation, swaps or family and friends.

Two stuffed bears, the pink one with the tag from Kmart still on it. I bet a lot of little girls would love both, especially the cheerleader bear. I've donated both to a local charitable thrift shop. They will be snuggled with once again.

Shopping for stuffed animals, or want to donate? Consider a thrift store. To wash these, I use the method my mom uses: put in a pillowcase and wash in the machine.

A stylish top from New York and Co. Now freshly laundered, I've passed this on to a loved one.

Did you know the average American consumer - man, woman and child - consumes about 80 pounds of clothing a year, 85 percent of which ends up in the landfill? Check out this piece on USAgain, which collected 54 million pounds of clothing in one year. Visit USAgain to find a drop box.

The possibilities are endless: freecyle, eBay, garage sales, thrift donations, clothing swaps. The garbage - the easy way out - but not easy on the Earth.

Unwrapping a Birthday Dinner at Salsa y Salsa

2010-06-14T06:47:00.012-04:00

Instead of exchanging birthday gifts with my friends, we go out for a festive dinner at a restaurant of the birthday girl's (or boy's) choice. For me, this is so much better than torturing myself over buying a gift who knows if they'll like. And how many times have you received an unwanted gift? I'd quickly lose count. I know many people who get undesired presents who just pass them on or worse, throw them out.

This way we're still stimulating the economy, providing jobs to wait staff, the kitchen crew, suppliers and so on, and not adding to clutter or the landfill. Now, on to the dinner!

For my friend's June birthday, she picked cheerful Salsa y Salsa. Isn't it cute? Love the checked reusable napkins.

Margaritas! Mango lime and cactus pear, $7.50 each (happy hour special, hello New York City prices).

Guacamole, $8.95. I LOVE guacamole. Even the name of it. It just sounds like it's going to be something fun.

Her meal, chili relleno: cornmeal coated poblano chili with three cheeses, roasted tomato salsa, black bean sauce and crema fresca, $11.95.

My friend eats meat, but feasts on vegetarian meals all the time. I think that's terrific. So many can't even imagine one meal without meat.

Mine: watercress salad with mango, avocado, pineapple, toasted pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds with ancho chili, cumin and cayenne pepper) in a lemon-line cilantro dressing, $7.95. I held the manchego cheese.

Her dessert, roasted coconut covered vanilla ice cream in goat milk caramel sauce in sweet sugar tostado, $6.

I may just have to try roasted coconut on some non-dairy ice cream, soon!

I had a dessert too: cinnamon sweet potato flan, $6.

We left with our stomachs full, and our spirits lifted by delicious vegetarian food (no meat missed here), great conversation (including one or two laughing attacks), and were already pondering what we'll have on a future visit.

Flashback to other yummy Salsa y Salsa outings, when I had veggie fajitas, veggie tacos, and sweet fried plantains and black bean and radish tostada salad.

Angels, Devils and Horses

2010-06-10T19:42:00.021-04:00

If you are aspiring to follow a vegan lifestyle as much as possible like me, you may have two powerful forces pulling you into opposite directions. Here's me, for instance, in front of a communal cheese tray:

Angel: You should skip it, you'll only feel guilty after. Think about the cows.

Devil: But you love cheese! Mock cheeses are coming along, but you can't recreate a creamy brie or goat cheese. And isn't it better to eat it in communal situations instead of buying it at the store?

Angel: Stay strong! You were 10 pounds thinner when you were strictly following a vegan diet (true.) Remember how much better you thought you looked in your clothes?

Devil: You don't have to be perfect all the time. People aren't looking at you like you are pillar of morality - they are saying, "See, that poor vegan can't eat any of this."

It goes on and on (and in multiple scenarios), but you get the idea. The devil often wins. For all the vegans talking about how joyous it is, and how many videos I've watched online, I remain conflicted. Vegans can quote the UN Report on Livestock's Long Shadow all day long, but who really thinks about climate change when they sit down to eat? Food is emotional. Food is carnal. Food is often impulsive. Intellectual, no.

Now, to those horses. The high horses. Anthony Bourdain once made a snarky remark about vegans taking the joy out of life. I've encountered the vegans that he means. Those vegans, I agree.

For instance, there's a woman commenting on a popular eco-web site who has only given up cheese and made the vegan switch in the past six months, and suddenly, she's calling out celebrity aspiring vegans or vegetarians for not doing enough. Most people become a vegan or vegetarian later in life, but then so often the attitude becomes, "why isn't everyone as perfect as me?"

The lowest of the low to me are the vegans who almost seem to root for failure. Consider some of the comments on this Ecorazzi story about chef Mario Batalli joining the Meatless Mondays movement, rolling out at least two vegetarian entrees on Mondays at all of his 14 restaurants:

A "PR ploy to get free publicity," "a case of greenwashing your business image" and this:

"I would make a bet that those veggie options get almost no takers and after a few weeks they will be dropped from the menu because of poor sales, but when they are drop there won't be any press release and no one will hear anything about it."

So if his entrees don't sell, and vegetarian options at meat-centric businesses fail, the message will be loud and clear to them that there is no demand for vegetarian food. That is bad for animals.

The cynicism is overwhelming at times. Is no small step toward change is a good thing? Only a full fledged conversion, or nothing? There's no A to B to C and so on? It's A to Z?

I've even seen some criticize people's reasons for going vegan (should be for animals, not health) and that if a celebrity says they are vegan, they might not be technically a vegan, because they might not have fully rejected all forms of animal exploitation. Take it a step further: people start saying what Donald Watson, the founder of the Vegan Society who coined the term "vegan" would say about all this. Nothing like speaking for a deceased rights leader.

A web site, Let Them Eat Meat, run by an ex-vegan, interviewed another ex-vegan Jessica Pelkey, who said this of veganism and its comparisons to a religion:

"It's hyper-moralized and the members try to outdo each other. It can extend beyond just diet, clothing and product use into fighting the man however possible: don't wear Nike, don't support Silk Soy, don't feed your dog Iams, don't shop at Safeway, don't don't buy any clothes produced overseas, don't do anything at all ever again."

Sadly, I think a very vocal minority of the vegan community perpetuates this. While I love a good debate, I rarely feel motivated to get into online discussions anymore on vegan-friendly sites, since few people seem genuinely interested in dialogue. If you say anything critical of vegans or their tactics, they will generally start leaving comments disagreeing, ending with them patting themselves on the back for what amazing animals advocates they are. I actually had someone have the nerve to say I am not being a voice for animals if I continue to wear my old smelly leather track sneakers, which I indicated I wear at park cleanups or to walk my family's rescue dog. What happened to a warm, welcoming community?

I avoided even thinking about veganism for two decades of being a vegetarian because I thought it was too restrictive. I used to put half a gallon of milk and eggs in my shopping cart, and consumed a dairy yogurt a day. Now, I put organic almond 'milk' and soy creamer in my cart, bake with Ener-G egg replacer, make tofu scrambles at home instead of scrambled eggs and opt for soy yogurts the majority of the time. But if I hadn't been afraid of the "vegan" label for so long and living up to it, I might have made those changes years ago.

Remember, the emphasis I believe should shift toward "being" a vegan toward trying to follow a diet the best you can. Almost no one is going to want to "be" a vegan when they have to say no to everything all the time. As for the perfectionists and the "there's no cheating on veganism ever - that's like cheating on your spouse" or other far-fetched comparisons, I don't let the high horses make me feel like I'm not advocating for animals because of my choices. Perfection is more for reassuring people's egos, not about implementing real change.

Three Dresses: A Thrift Story

2010-06-08T06:29:00.015-04:00

While visiting The Family Jewels Vintage Clothing, I was drooling over this 1920s era blue print dress, with its adorable red trim and red buttons on the back. I even admit to going back and considered purchasing on it. The price: $109, less 10 percent off.

I didn't. Party because those cute red buttons would be impossible for me to button by myself. I could just see myself knocking on my neighbor's door asking for help in the morning.

Buttons aside, I passed for another reason. I've bought many $100 dresses in the past. I used to think I was "treating myself," worked hard and deserved nice things. But eventually, I've tired or don't fit into every $100 dress I've purchased. I've donated some to thrift shops, brought others to the clothing swaps. With almost all of them, I experienced regret over the money I spent (especially when adding it all up).

Well, I knew the thrift world would deliver more budget friendly options.

White cotton dress, $8, from Our Thrift Shop in Westwood, New Jersey, which benefits a local arts school. It has the label cut out, so I'm not sure of the brand.

Forever dress, $8, from Revived Attire, a consignment shop in Hillsdale, New Jersey.

Once you catch the thrift bug, it's almost impossible to go back to conventional retail or justify paying high prices in vintage shops or for eco-fashion. The Sierra Club's The Green Life blog had a post about $180 organic jeans. I pay $5 at my local thrift shop for jeans, and think those jeans are just as good, if not a better, choice as a shopper mindful of the environment.

I no longer get seduced by ads showing models in rustic farmhouses or lush fields. I don't buy $500 vegan coats or $200 vegan shoes because Natalie Portman or Emily Deschanel does. I don't listen to female bloggers telling me I should covet these things. I scoff at the term "must have." I don't ask relatives or my sweetheart to spend their hard earned money buying me these things for birthdays or holidays. I don't feel I'm depriving the economy, as I'm still supporting businesses like consignment and thrift shops as well as local charities. Above all, I feel no personal deprivation. I only feel empowered as my bank account and sense of financial security grows.

Find a consignment or thrift shop the ResaleShopping.com, or a charitable thrift store through TheThriftShopper.com.