Livin’ Veg

New Arrivals For Spring At Cow Jones Industrials March 10, 2010

I love the change of seasons. For the past two days in NY the temperature has been in the 50’s. It’s March and the sun is rising at 6am. It makes me think of tank tops and dresses and shoes for the spring and summer.

Cow Jones Industrials, a fabulous vegan boutique in Chatham, NY is starting to get the spring looks in from vegan designers like Olsen Haus and Neuaura. Sandals and silver heels and sweet flats. It’s just the start.

And for those of us still looking for a deal on fall/winter items, check out the winter sale as well as many of the shoes from Cri de Coeur.

Cow Jones Industrials has clothing, purses, shoes, belts and pretty much anything and everything you would expect from a high end fabulous boutique.

A Vegan Belt By Matt and Nat March 3, 2010

If you’re like me, most of the time you just don’t wear a belt. Vegan belts are usually expensive, ugly and not worth it. They tend to be clunky. And clunky does not go with my second hand skinny jeans.

Happily Matt and Nat has come out with a sleek vegan belt that a gal can wear to be dressy or casual. And for only $28 pretty much all of us can afford it! Nothing makes me happier in the vegan world than when style meets affordability meets function.

And while you’re on the Moo Shoes website, check out their sale section. They have a zillion items on sale for your perusal.

Vaute Couture At Fashion Week’s Green Shows February 19, 2010

Vaute Couture previewed next years incredible new coats in NYC on Monday at the green shows. As an owner of the El coat from their debut season, I can say first hand how warm, comfortable and gorgeous these coats are. These coats have it all: They are vegan. They are eco. They are made in the USA. And the people who sew them are paid a living wage. Leanne Hilgart, the mind and heart behind Vaute Couture, outdid herself again with a new line that will go on presale this summer. The colors are going to be pinks, browns and fire engine red for those ladies who like to make a statement.

See all the images of the new coats on Leanne’s blog On Our Sleeve.

And for those of you who have male veg friends who have been envious that your coat is totally vegan and fab, please know that Vaute Couture is releasing their first men’s line! To see some images of those (including gloves!) go to The Discerning Brute here.

Want to see a coat in action? Check out Emily Deschanel’s character Temperance Brennen in the hit show Bones sporting the blue El. (My exact coat!) She wears it in the first five or so minutes of the show.

Pala Pizza In New York City February 15, 2010

I think one of the biggest things that vegans miss when they give up dairy is pizza. It’s easy, great for parties, and a perfect comfort food. Happily, Pala Pizza on the lower east side offers a vegan menu with seven vegan pizzas to choose from. (They are not a vegan restaurant but they certainly cater to vegan needs and their pizzas use daiya cheese.)

On Saturday night while there with my husband and our two friends, we had a fabulous time in the small stylish restaurant. I shared the Patatosa with my fellow vegan friend and WOW! I mean seriously, wow. The Patatosa has: shaved patatoes, zucchini, rosemary and daiya cheese. It was beyond delicious. I wish I had brought my camera so I could have a picture for you. But you can see pics over at the blog that made me curious about this fabulous find, The Discerning Brute. Also click here to visit Pala’s site and see all their vegan pizza options. They also deliver.

I’m not a big drinker but their alcohol menu looked so delightful that I had a beverage. For those serious about their cocktails, they were on the weak side, which is kind of frustrating when you spend ten bucks. That was my only real complaint.

Note: If you’re going on a weekend evening, be sure to make a reservation. They were turning people away when we arrived with our 8pm reservation.

Also, one more word to the wise, make sure the door is locked to the bathroom. My friend walked in on some poor woman who claimed it didn’t lock and he saw…everything. The door did however lock for him. A possible vegan exhibitionist? Who knows.

HSUS Enters The Dog Food Business February 11, 2010

This is bound to cause controversy even though it shouldn’t. HSUS has just released a new brand of dog food called Humane Choice. Humane Choice is an organic (almost) vegan dog food full of quality ingredients and made without animal suffering. Apparently there are some by products… I think in the supplements that are in the food.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS has this to say about it:

We created Humane Choice to give pet guardians an option to feed their dogs a complete and balanced food that is also sustainably grown and helps us in our work to combat inhumane factory farming practices. Humane Choice is certified organic…Our formula contains only vegetables and grains that are grown without the use of synthetically produced fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, or genetically modified organisms. Our product is cruelty-free and contains no fats or protein derived from animals. Most importantly, Humane Choice is nutritious.

For you skeptics out there, dogs are omnivores - kind of like people. They can eat meat but they don’t have to as long as they get a balanced diet through plant based sources. Note: puppies are a different story. This food is only for adult dogs. And like with any change in food, HSUS recommends you speak with your veterinarian.

I’m sure all you dog lovers out there are thrilled to have experts like HSUS supplying dog food. An extra bonus: 6% of the whole sale price will go to HSUS. Which means you can support them while feeding your dog! Visit the site and read all about it. So great!

Affordable Super Cute Vegan Shoes February 10, 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a super cute pair of affordable for everyone vegan shoes. Alternative outfitters is always a great place to find shoes with those qualities.

These sweet pleather flats come in black and taupe and are perfect for jeans or a skirt. The ruffled detailing in the front makes them have that soft country chic Anthropologie feel.

At $34 these shoes certainly won’t break the bank, but they will allow you to soften up an outfit during any season.

For those of you in NY, happy snow day. Last night I prepared the Creamy Broccoli Dal soup from the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook so I have some yummy comfort food while stuck indoors today. Many people have already had tons of snow but this is NYC’s first big snowstorm. So exciting!

Eating Dog No Different Than Eating Pig February 8, 2010

In the NY Times last week there was an Op-Ed on the outraged reaction so many people give when they hear about the consumption of dog. In many countries eating dog is considered a delicacy. In the U.S.A. dogs are pets and therefore not an animal that we consume. Other cultures don’t feel so emotionally connected to the animals and find them socially acceptable to eat.

The Op-Ed tells us about some pending legislation in China:

As it happened, our meal came shortly before the eruption of a furious online debate in China over a proposed “anti-animal maltreatment” law that would outlaw the eating and selling of dog and cat meat, making it punishable by fines of more than $700 and 15 days of detention.

But seriously, how can it not be hypocrisy to say that killing dogs is bad but killing pigs or chickens or cows is fine. Are dogs and cats superior in some way that makes them above eating? We share our homes with them. Is that a good enough reason? Some people share their homes with a pig. Did George Clooney stop eating bacon while sharing his home with his companion pig? For a vegetarian or vegan, all animals are superior and should not be eaten. But does an omnivore have a leg to stand on when they take an ethical position against the eating of companion animals? In my opinion, no.

The Op-Ed had this to say about it:

However I cannot see a rational argument for saying eating dogs or cats is barbaric while eating pork or beef is fine. If you eat meat you cannot logically find it morally or ethically repugnant to eat a particular meat.

Basically, it’s saying put up or shut up. Be a vegetarian or stop being so hypocritical when making racist remarks about how horrible it is that people in other countries and cultures eat dogs and cats. If you wouldn’t eat your cat, but you would eat a farmed animal, well, your simmering daily in hypocrisy. Your comments are not only racist, but also specieist.

What Do You Say When People Ask Why You’re Veg? February 4, 2010

I asked that question on twitter yesterday to see what kind of responses people give. It’s a common question veggies are asked when they encounter a new person in a social setting.

Here are some of the answers people gave:

“Lately I have been telling people I am vegan because I believe in non-violence.”

“For animals, one’s health and the environment. Consuming animal products–dreadful, inefficient way of feeding people.”

“It depends on their intention behind the question. I usually say ethics and health.”

All good answers. Although I try not to overwhelm the person by listing more than one reason. I really like the “I believe in non-violence” answer. That’s a phrase usually reserved for humans but this person turned it and made it about all beings.

When people ask me, I have a few quick answers ranging “Because I wouldn’t eat my cat” to “Because in order to be a healthy happy person, no animal has be harmed.” I try to make the answer short while still leaving room for them to ask more questions - hopefully resulting in a discussion.

What is your short answer when the random person at a party asks you why you’re veg?

Cri De Coeur Makes My Heart Happy February 1, 2010

Over the weekend I went to a sample sale…not just any sample sale. A totally knock your socks off vegan sample sale featuring Vaute Couture, Cri de Coeur, Olsen Haus and Lara Miller. I wasn’t planning on buying anything actually. I already have my fabulous Vaute Couture coat. (My husband surprised me with it for my birthday.) I figured I’d look at all the eye candy and say hi to Leanne, the fabulous mind behind Vaute Couture. As much as I LOVE shoes and would have been happy to go and shop, I’ve had some chronic feet problems so I rarely get to wear the stylish shoes I adore.

Thankfully that didn’t stop me from trying on a few pairs of Cri de Coeur boots just to see how they feel. Well, they felt so amazing that I bought two pairs! The croco that you see in the image to the right. Those are one of my fabulous new pairs. The other is the Ariel, a sexy black boot that goes above the knee.

I wore the crocos absolutely everywhere over the weekend and received countless compliments and gasps at their vegan label. I almost feel strange walking around in such wonderful boots that look like a reptile. I’m just waiting for someone to ask, “Are those alligator?” Then I can say, “What kind of jerk wears alligator! These are vegan:)”

They are so comfortable and so sexy. If you’ve never tried on a pair of Cri de Coeur, I highly recommend it. You’ll be in shoe heaven. The creator of Cri de Coeur, Gina, is also awesome. It’s nice to get to know the minds behind these vegan enterprises. I feel like it’s important to support the work that they do. Vegan entrepreneurs make veganism more mainstream by offering the public items as fantastic as their non vegan competition. Even if you, like me, can’t afford the ticket price for a pair of shoes, a coat, or a purse from a great vegan designer, pick something up when it’s on sale. Right now, it’s the later part of the winter season so you can pick up great deals and at the same time, support these vegan pioneers.

Daiya Cheese On Everything! January 27, 2010

Last week my Whole Foods finally started carrying Daiya cheese. For those of you interested, it’s in the prepared food section near the pizza dough, pizza cheese and sauce. It’s labeled “vegan cheese” and says Daiya.

The first thing I made with it - because I missed them so so much - were nachos. Yep, the ones in the picture to your right with black beans. I have also made pineapple/onion pizza and tomorrow night is taco night. I am living in cheese bliss. I really can’t remember the last time I had a nacho. And as much as I adore salad pizza, I’m super happy with my new daiya cheese pizza.

When you get your fancy new daiya cheese make sure you note that you don’t cook it like regular cheese. You put it on when the dish is nearly cooked just long enough so that the cheese can melt. Cook it too long and it will burn. Read more cooking instructions here. For pizza, I cook my dough with thin slices of tomato/onion first, then when the dough is just turning brown at the edges, I take it out, add my daiya and my pineapple and put it back in for a few minutes. I keep an eye on it and as soon as the daiya is melted, I take it out and enjoy.

Has anyone else tried cooking with it yet? What have you made?