Hearing a lot of crickets around the ol' blog lately, eh? That's because I'm at Vegetarian Summerfest! Yes, as I mentioned on Facebook, I am attending for the first time this year, crossing an item off of my own personal Vegan Bucket List. I'm so stoked to be here, and I have plenty to share with you! The days are long and jam-packed, so it's hard to find time to blog, but you'll get the full scoop soon!
Enjoy your weekend, and stay tuned!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Kickin' It
Isn't it great when dreams come true? When all of your blood, sweat, and/or tears and hard work pays off? When you get to see your vision become a reality? I love when people give all of their focus and energy and passion into what they believe in. This is why I love Kickstarter.
In the last two months or so, I've backed three different Kickstarter projects, and I'd like to take this opportunity to share these three documentary projects with you. (And I just now realized that they are all documentaries.)
The first one is Roots of Rescue, a documentary about animal abuse in the South. Clearly this will be a painful, emotional doc, but how can we change something if we don't know anything about it?
Roots of Rescue met (and surpassed) their fundraising goal, so this film is in the process of being made!
Next up is one that I'm pretty sure I shared on Facebook and/or the blog. It's called I'm Fine, Thanks. It's described as "a new, feature-length documentary about complacency. It's a collection of stories about life, the choices we all make, and the paths we ultimately decide to follow." Watch the trailer and let me know if it stirs up anything inside you.
Gosh, I want to hear the stories of these people! This project has met and surpassed its fundraising goal, but is still accepting pledges until June 22nd. (If you pledge $5 or more, you get a free digital download of the movie!) Keep up with the film's progress on Facebook.
Have you read the blog, Advanced Style? It's a fantastic blog of fierce, stylish older women of NYC. Go check it out - their outfits are AMAZING! I only recently learned that they're making a documentary about these women, and after watching the trailer, you'll see that these women were meant to be seen AND heard.
Advanced Style have met and surpassed their fundraising goal, but they are still accepting pledges until June 23rd. (Pledges of $25 or more get a copy of the DVD!) Keep up with the Advanced Style blog on Facebook.
There are so many Kickstarter projects worthy of support. If you can't pledge a few dollars, just spread the word! Share links and videos via Facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. Help make dreams come true!
What Kickstarter projects are you supporting?
In the last two months or so, I've backed three different Kickstarter projects, and I'd like to take this opportunity to share these three documentary projects with you. (And I just now realized that they are all documentaries.)
The first one is Roots of Rescue, a documentary about animal abuse in the South. Clearly this will be a painful, emotional doc, but how can we change something if we don't know anything about it?
Roots of Rescue met (and surpassed) their fundraising goal, so this film is in the process of being made!
Next up is one that I'm pretty sure I shared on Facebook and/or the blog. It's called I'm Fine, Thanks. It's described as "a new, feature-length documentary about complacency. It's a collection of stories about life, the choices we all make, and the paths we ultimately decide to follow." Watch the trailer and let me know if it stirs up anything inside you.
Gosh, I want to hear the stories of these people! This project has met and surpassed its fundraising goal, but is still accepting pledges until June 22nd. (If you pledge $5 or more, you get a free digital download of the movie!) Keep up with the film's progress on Facebook.
Have you read the blog, Advanced Style? It's a fantastic blog of fierce, stylish older women of NYC. Go check it out - their outfits are AMAZING! I only recently learned that they're making a documentary about these women, and after watching the trailer, you'll see that these women were meant to be seen AND heard.
Advanced Style have met and surpassed their fundraising goal, but they are still accepting pledges until June 23rd. (Pledges of $25 or more get a copy of the DVD!) Keep up with the Advanced Style blog on Facebook.
There are so many Kickstarter projects worthy of support. If you can't pledge a few dollars, just spread the word! Share links and videos via Facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. Help make dreams come true!
What Kickstarter projects are you supporting?
Sunday, June 17, 2012
9 veg*ns walk into a Japanese steakhouse...
Amber's boyfriend had a dream. He wanted to round up "The Vegetable Friends" and descend upon one of the local Japanese steakhouses for a vegan-style habachi night. We assembled, excitedly, for this culinary adventure.
When I was The Lone Vegan, I had been to many a habachi-style dinner, but I never ate the food. As The Lone Vegan back then, I would order vegetable sushi while sitting with a group of omnivores beside the grill, sizzling with meat and butter and eggs, ducking every time the chef would fling chicken bits around the table.
Naturally, I was totally on board with reserving an entire habachi table to our vegan selves. Our destination: Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Brandon, Florida.
I have to say, communicating our dining request was very easy. When I called to make the reservation, I explained to the person on the phone what we wanted: no meat, no butter, no eggs. He indicated on the reservation that we were all vegetarian, and he told me to explain everything when we checked in, as well. When we arrived, the host I spoke with was super understanding and helpful. After clarifying the no meat-no butter- no eggs request, he added that we would want the miso soup (as the onion soup was made with beef broth) and that the ginger salad dressing was vegan. He gave me that information without me even asking!
When we were seated at the table, I went over everything again with our server, who apparently was not given any of the reservation information. He wrote down everything we said, and seemed slightly amused that all 9 of us were eating tofu and vegetables.
Miso soup
salad
And then our chef came. He cracked a few jokes about our party ("So, I don't know if you guys saw the sign outside, but it says 'Steakhouse'...") and admitted he wasn't all that savvy in the tofu cooking department, but he did a fine job. We all had a good laugh when the tofu slabs came out.
finished product
During his cooking, the chef commented that it felt so weird for him to not be cooking with butter, and that he typically goes through a tub of butter for each party. He gestured toward the "tub" on his cart and it looked like close to two pounds of butter!
Overall, this was a fun and delicious experience. Making the reservation was ultra-smooth, and we all had a great time. I love my Vegetable Friends!
When I was The Lone Vegan, I had been to many a habachi-style dinner, but I never ate the food. As The Lone Vegan back then, I would order vegetable sushi while sitting with a group of omnivores beside the grill, sizzling with meat and butter and eggs, ducking every time the chef would fling chicken bits around the table.
Naturally, I was totally on board with reserving an entire habachi table to our vegan selves. Our destination: Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Brandon, Florida.
I have to say, communicating our dining request was very easy. When I called to make the reservation, I explained to the person on the phone what we wanted: no meat, no butter, no eggs. He indicated on the reservation that we were all vegetarian, and he told me to explain everything when we checked in, as well. When we arrived, the host I spoke with was super understanding and helpful. After clarifying the no meat-no butter- no eggs request, he added that we would want the miso soup (as the onion soup was made with beef broth) and that the ginger salad dressing was vegan. He gave me that information without me even asking!
When we were seated at the table, I went over everything again with our server, who apparently was not given any of the reservation information. He wrote down everything we said, and seemed slightly amused that all 9 of us were eating tofu and vegetables.
Miso soup
salad
And then our chef came. He cracked a few jokes about our party ("So, I don't know if you guys saw the sign outside, but it says 'Steakhouse'...") and admitted he wasn't all that savvy in the tofu cooking department, but he did a fine job. We all had a good laugh when the tofu slabs came out.
finished product
During his cooking, the chef commented that it felt so weird for him to not be cooking with butter, and that he typically goes through a tub of butter for each party. He gestured toward the "tub" on his cart and it looked like close to two pounds of butter!
Overall, this was a fun and delicious experience. Making the reservation was ultra-smooth, and we all had a great time. I love my Vegetable Friends!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Let's talk about menstruating while traveling
Hey friends,
How do you like that blog post title? I figured I may as well get to the point, rather than draw someone into reading a post calling for input and they become disappointed or confused that I'm really asking people about their periods.
But that's what I'm doing: I'm asking you about your periods while traveling.
Tell me about an experience you had -- mortifying, excruciatingly painful, empowering, whatever -- about traveling during "that time of the month."
Send me an email at HungryVeganTraveler [at] Gmail dot com and tell me your story. Be sure to include your name and your website/blog, as I MAY use your story in an upcoming article. (But if you'd rather remain anonymous, which is totally cool, be sure to clarify that in your email as well.) Put "Period Travel" in the subject line, por favor.
So, what is your most memorable (for better or for worse) menstruating moment while traveling? What helped you get through it?
Dudes: You can contribute to this, too. Maybe you, uh, witnessed something while traveling, or you were there with/for your best gal pal, or something along those lines.
For everyone: Check out this awesome article on Jezebel on how a tampon is pretty much a Swiss Army tool of Awesome. Everyone should keep tampons nearby!
I'm looking forward to reading your stories! Please invite friends to share, too!
How do you like that blog post title? I figured I may as well get to the point, rather than draw someone into reading a post calling for input and they become disappointed or confused that I'm really asking people about their periods.
But that's what I'm doing: I'm asking you about your periods while traveling.
Tell me about an experience you had -- mortifying, excruciatingly painful, empowering, whatever -- about traveling during "that time of the month."
Send me an email at HungryVeganTraveler [at] Gmail dot com and tell me your story. Be sure to include your name and your website/blog, as I MAY use your story in an upcoming article. (But if you'd rather remain anonymous, which is totally cool, be sure to clarify that in your email as well.) Put "Period Travel" in the subject line, por favor.
So, what is your most memorable (for better or for worse) menstruating moment while traveling? What helped you get through it?
Dudes: You can contribute to this, too. Maybe you, uh, witnessed something while traveling, or you were there with/for your best gal pal, or something along those lines.
For everyone: Check out this awesome article on Jezebel on how a tampon is pretty much a Swiss Army tool of Awesome. Everyone should keep tampons nearby!
I'm looking forward to reading your stories! Please invite friends to share, too!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Songs that make me drive faster
I'm sure everyone has noticed that certain songs or types of music somehow increase your driving speed, even if but slightly. Some movie soundtracks and classical music have a knack for increasing (and decreasing) your MPH. While on an uninteresting long drive over the weekend, I got to thinking about what radio-friendly songs do it for me, turning my right foot momentarily to lead.
(Or any RATM song, really.)
Flashback! 1995!
Does it come as a surprise that some of my favorite XM stations are Alt Nation, Lithium ('90s grunge), and 90s on 9? I'm also a sucker for Pop2k (don't judge me!), but those songs don't make me speed. Just sing terribly.
What are some of your favorite driving songs?
(Or any RATM song, really.)
Flashback! 1995!
Does it come as a surprise that some of my favorite XM stations are Alt Nation, Lithium ('90s grunge), and 90s on 9? I'm also a sucker for Pop2k (don't judge me!), but those songs don't make me speed. Just sing terribly.
What are some of your favorite driving songs?
Sunday, June 10, 2012
My Mystery Hosts in Hotlanta
Now that you've heard about the Disappearing Couches of Nashville, you'll understand my apprehension about my arrangements in Atlanta.
When I was preparing for my solo journey to Florida, I considered joining CouchSurfing, but never went through with it because, at the time, I didn't know anyone who used it and I was already a jumble of nerves about moving to begin with. I only wanted to stay with friends or mutual friends.
My arrangements for Atlanta were as such: my longtime Internet friend / pen pal, Sarah, used to work with this guy, Kevin back in San Francisco. Neither of them work at that same place, anymore. Sarah is still in California, but Kevin moved to Atlanta. Sarah got in touch with him and Kevin was totally game to let me stay with him and his girlfriend. We had been in contact via email, and then we spoke on the phone as I was getting ready to leave downtown Nashville. He was very nice and very friendly.
As I was inching toward the Tennessee/Kentucky border, it dawned on me: What if he doesn't know how I know Sarah? Granted, this was late 2010, meeting people on the Internet had been a common practice for many years at this point, but still. Some people are weird about it. Forgetting the time difference between us (especially as I was entering the Eastern time zone), I called Sarah and left a message, explaining my concern. At one of my stops, we exchanged texts. She didn't see any reason for Kevin to be weirded out by the fact that Sarah and I had never actually met, and no, she did not tell him.
I was so happy to arrive at Kevin's house after battling Atlanta traffic. It was past the rush hour time frame when I reached the city limits, but holy hell, that does not matter. Kevin and his girlfriend, Laura were so friendly and welcoming, and their dog was really awesome, too. We exchanged pleasantries, they asked about the trip, got the formalities out of the way. And then Kevin said, "So how long have you known Sarah?"
"Gosh, a few years now."
"Cool. Are you from California?"
"Nope. Never been there, actually."
"Oh. Did you two... go to school together?"
"No."
"So... how do you and Sarah know each other?"
"The Internet."
"Oh, ha ha. That's cool. How many times have you and Sarah hung out?"
"Uh, never."
"Never?!"
"Nope! I've never actually met her in person!"
And then Kevin erupted into laughter and his girlfriend's face carried a shocked-but-amused expression. I explained that, even though Sarah and I haven't actually met in person yet, we're VERY good friends and have been for years (probably 4-5 years at that point). Every time Sarah and I tried to visit the other, something always came up. There was a year where, any time we picked a week in a month, one of us had either a wedding to attend (which always comes with a high cost), a family obligation (non-wedding-related), or some kind of ridiculous medical expense (because getting sick is crazy expensive, with or without insurance).
Anyway, Kevin thought this was hilarious and "SO Sarah!" When I said, "I hope this doesn't weird you two out too much!" he and his girlfriend insisted it was fine. Just really, really funny.
And again, their kindness and warmth and hospitality were beyond appreciated. I'm still so glad that I got to meet those two and make a wonderful new connection in the Atlanta area. Kevin and Laura both had to work in the morning, but Laura had an early day and she and I met up for lunch before I headed down to Florida, where a brand new life awaited me.
PS. I have since gotten over my fear of CouchSurfing.com.
When I was preparing for my solo journey to Florida, I considered joining CouchSurfing, but never went through with it because, at the time, I didn't know anyone who used it and I was already a jumble of nerves about moving to begin with. I only wanted to stay with friends or mutual friends.
My arrangements for Atlanta were as such: my longtime Internet friend / pen pal, Sarah, used to work with this guy, Kevin back in San Francisco. Neither of them work at that same place, anymore. Sarah is still in California, but Kevin moved to Atlanta. Sarah got in touch with him and Kevin was totally game to let me stay with him and his girlfriend. We had been in contact via email, and then we spoke on the phone as I was getting ready to leave downtown Nashville. He was very nice and very friendly.
As I was inching toward the Tennessee/Kentucky border, it dawned on me: What if he doesn't know how I know Sarah? Granted, this was late 2010, meeting people on the Internet had been a common practice for many years at this point, but still. Some people are weird about it. Forgetting the time difference between us (especially as I was entering the Eastern time zone), I called Sarah and left a message, explaining my concern. At one of my stops, we exchanged texts. She didn't see any reason for Kevin to be weirded out by the fact that Sarah and I had never actually met, and no, she did not tell him.
I was so happy to arrive at Kevin's house after battling Atlanta traffic. It was past the rush hour time frame when I reached the city limits, but holy hell, that does not matter. Kevin and his girlfriend, Laura were so friendly and welcoming, and their dog was really awesome, too. We exchanged pleasantries, they asked about the trip, got the formalities out of the way. And then Kevin said, "So how long have you known Sarah?"
"Gosh, a few years now."
"Cool. Are you from California?"
"Nope. Never been there, actually."
"Oh. Did you two... go to school together?"
"No."
"So... how do you and Sarah know each other?"
"The Internet."
"Oh, ha ha. That's cool. How many times have you and Sarah hung out?"
"Uh, never."
"Never?!"
"Nope! I've never actually met her in person!"
And then Kevin erupted into laughter and his girlfriend's face carried a shocked-but-amused expression. I explained that, even though Sarah and I haven't actually met in person yet, we're VERY good friends and have been for years (probably 4-5 years at that point). Every time Sarah and I tried to visit the other, something always came up. There was a year where, any time we picked a week in a month, one of us had either a wedding to attend (which always comes with a high cost), a family obligation (non-wedding-related), or some kind of ridiculous medical expense (because getting sick is crazy expensive, with or without insurance).
Anyway, Kevin thought this was hilarious and "SO Sarah!" When I said, "I hope this doesn't weird you two out too much!" he and his girlfriend insisted it was fine. Just really, really funny.
And again, their kindness and warmth and hospitality were beyond appreciated. I'm still so glad that I got to meet those two and make a wonderful new connection in the Atlanta area. Kevin and Laura both had to work in the morning, but Laura had an early day and she and I met up for lunch before I headed down to Florida, where a brand new life awaited me.
PS. I have since gotten over my fear of CouchSurfing.com.
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