Love Letter to Fall

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

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

"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?

* 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

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

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

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.