vegansaurus!

Awesome art, crazy-ass email, superlative videos, puppy birthday AND MORE in this week’s link-o-rama!

Hey, let’s wish happy birthday to my parents’ dog, Oliver, who turns three big years old today! Oliver (at left, shown here with his older brother, Beauregard) works as a therapy dog, has a charmingly insouciant underbite, and wants to be your bestest friend. Happy birthday, little fellow!

Fun times vegan-style events!
The Out of Place art show at SPACE Gallery (1141 Polk St. at Hemlock Street) tonight, Friday Mar. 12, features your Vegansaur Jonas! It costs $3 and runs from 8 to midnight, and will be catered by Black Orchid Bakery. Is there enough culture in your life? Probably not, you philistine, so get over there and appreciate some damn art.

On Saturday, Mar. 13, you can attend “The Nutrition Prescription” lecture by Donald Forrester, M.D., presented by the San Francisco Vegetarian Society, at the Institute of Aging at 3600 Geary Blvd. (between Arguello Boulevard and Palm Avenue). The lecture begins at 8 p.m. and costs $10, or participate in the veg potluck at 6:30 p.m. and pay just $2. Contact the SFVS for further information.

Late update: The LGBT Army of Compassion will hold a demonstration against animal cruelty on Sunday, Mar. 14 from 8 to 9 a.m. in the northeast corner of the Heart of the City Farmers Market (UN Plaza) in San Francisco. Brochures (such as this pdf) and signs will be provided. For further information, contact the LGBT AC.

Washington, D.C., home of scrumptious vegan baked goods and now Hush Supperclub, a vegetarian Indian “underground restaurant” that sounds amazing.

Items of social and political import!
Phil Bronstein isn’t sure about the ethics of an animal abuse registry when animal abuse is condoned every day in our kitchens and laboratories.

The ethics of zoos come again under scrutiny as the three polar bears who live in San Francisco get older and become more difficult and expensive to “keep.”

Switzerland denies animals dedicated legal counsel. Apparently Swiss animal protection laws are ” among the strictest rules anywhere,” but proponents don’t think they’re enforced enough to matter. Keep trying, Switzerland.

Stop, video time! It’s JSF on Ellen’s Thursday, Mar. 11 show! [note: if you can’t see the video, please visit the link-o-rama at Vegansaurus.com!]

Oh, does someone think s/he invented the Elvis cupcake? Sorry, vegans have been doing it for four years, now.

OK Canada, for most of the items on this list of “10 foods of the future,” you’re cool again. Or at least acceptable (we don’t go in for that “non-traditional fish” or “new fabricated cuts of meat” nonsense).

Probably better that you eat Canadian meat, anyway (if you’re going to eat DEATH and all) as the U.S. is one of the top-five” least safe food producers in the world, along with China, Turkey, Iran, and Spain. I am SO PROUD.

Seriously, Walnuts? “Vote McCain, because BACON!” You nasty.

OK, Bob Barker has always been a total sleazy lecher, but his love for animals is pure and true: he just gave $2.5 million to renovate a building on Sunset Boulevard in L.A. for PETA—it’ll be called the Bob Barker Building, natch.

Beloved blog Sociological Images present maps that illustrate where animals for food and crops for food are grown in the U.S. Fruits, nuts and vegetables and chickens come from California!

That milk that makes you roll your eyes every time you open the fridge because ew is from California, too, right? Maybe not! Make your friends and relations find out where their dairy products originate at where is my milk from (also useful for soy milks).

Read the first article from The Awl’s vegetarian columnist, Jaime Green! It’s about visiting a Manhattan farmers market in the winter.

If little Oliver weren’t too stubborn/dumb(?) to play any version of “fetch” (because “fetch” does NOT mean “I throw the ball and you chase after it and hide it”), I would have definitely gotten him this for his birthday. [link and photo from Pawesome!]

Food & Wine magazine is shocked to find Berliners eating vegetarian food, as opposed to “Wiener Schnitzel and Currywurst.” Being very well traveled vegans, we are not.

Did you know that East Asian people eat CATS and DOGS? How SAVAGE!! The Chinese government is at present “considering legislation” to ban eating these particular animals, which is probably good considering how awful their living conditions are prior to slaughter. It of course does NOTHING for the rest of the animals raised for consumption in China, but as long as our precious puppies and kitties are protected, we can all sleep at night, right?

Holy Mary in a handbag, have you read this insanator email from an anti-The Cove wacko to Rich FourFour? It is the craziest best: “The humans being protecting wolfs(the whales / dolphins)is the devil! Devil! Devil! Devil! Destroy the devil for protect the human fish! The shark is a friend of the fish. The shark eats only the fish that dead / was damaged.”

Despite the horrors of whaling, Slate, however, wants you to know just what dead whale meat tastes like—and did you know that “many schools of Buddhism favor eating whales”? SEE, IT’S OK BECAUSE THOSE HIPPIE WEIRDOS SAY SO.

How about another photo? Party penguin has stripped off his dress whites and is ready to get down! [Photo via Andrew Evans of National Geographic]

Delightful Ruben Studdard went vegetarian 18 months ago, switched to a vegan diet six months ago, and lost 100 pounds! Man, when I went vegan for keeps I lost like zero pounds, WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, AMERICA, WHY DO I STILL HAVE FLESH ON MY VEGAN BONES?? Seriously, we’re super-happy for you, Ruben, keep living your wonderful, cruelty-free life.

DYING OF AWESOME: this amazing retort to Abby’s “Vegan Boys Are the Worst” called “Vegan Boys Are the Best,” complete with KAZOO SOLO, by Brownbird Rudy Relic of SuperVegan!

Product Review: East & West Gourmet Afghan Food and the Bolani!

East & West Gourmet Afghan Food is a local company that makes these great bolanis. A bolani is a stuffed flatbread and it’s SUPER and VEGAN—yay! I happened upon this little meal when I was walking around Whole Foods one day and I walked by this guy who was set up with a little sampling table and whatnot. He was like, “want to try some blah blah blah?” And I was like “no.” He got all persistent so I was like, “No thanks, I’m vegan.” He’s like, “this is vegan!” That’s how they get you! But yes it was vegan so I had to try some and then the guy was totally all, “you should listen before you say no to something.” Megan Rascal: “I don’t know if that’s true.” What is true: I don’t like dudes I don’t know telling me what I should and shouldn’t do. Homeboy was lucky the bolani tasted good—otherwise, who knows (Pow! Right in the kisser!)!

They have four different kinds of bolani: spinach, potato, lentil and pumpkin. Thus far, I’ve only had the lentil because I was trying to be healthy-like. I would have gotten the spinach one but it’s never in stock! According to their website, spinach is the most popular bolani. However, the lentil one does have a bit of a spanakopita taste to it anyway which is great. I heat it up for 30 seconds in the microwave, but you could also toast it or whatever. It’s a free country.

The bolanis are a bit dry but have no fear! East and West Gourmet Afghan Food makes sauces too! How convenient! And seven of their eight sauces are vegan—more yay! I’ve been getting the bolanis at Whole Foods but they are also available at a bunch of farmers markets’ throughout the area—including Island Earth. (Island Earth has been shut down, unfortch)

[Picture from http://www.bolaniandsauce.com]

Island Earth Farmers’ Market shut down by Board of Health!?

According to friend of Vegansaurus, Kim (Hi Kim!), The Island Earth Farmers’ Market at the Metreon had all their hot food vendors shut down by the Board of Health today. Those mothers don’t play. It’s apparently some kind of permitting/bureaucratic crackdown (and not a health code violation! Phew!).

One of the vendors told Kim that there’s some kind of appeal meeting tomorrow. Trying to find out where it is because I’ve been quite enjoying that market, 3rd World feel and all.

Crocker Galleria Farmers Market

Farmers Market Thursdays can make a work week. The Crocker is attached to the Hunter Dulin building, a.k.a 111 Sutter (one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, incidentally), which makes it ridiculously convenient for the suits on the West Coast Wall Street, and because it’s so small, the nice vendors don’t have to make much of an effort to get to know you. The people I used to buy my bread from whose name I cannot remember — they do French-style breads and pastries (god how I lust for those little croissants) (damn you real butter) — they would remember what I want, and we had silly running jokes, and it made me happier to buy from them.

I think that the produce selection is very good. Yes, it is smaller than other markets, which to me is a selling point. You can see everything and make good choices without feeling overwhelmed or rushed. Everyone I’ve spoken with has answered my questions, and helped explain plant items with which I was not at all familiar. For example: yam greens. I neither knew that yams had greens, nor that they were edible. According to the vendor, they are a little bit sweet, and indeed they were.

The blueberry sellers have excellent blueberries. The summer fruits look delectable, and I never had a bad one. Prices are cheaper than supermarkets, although how they compare to the fancier, more popular markets I cannot say, being a lazy person who preferred the convenience of taking an elevator and walking 50 steps to the market each week. This was before the days of my CSA, of course. Now I shop farmers markets to supplement what the farm doesn’t bring me.

The size of the produce isn’t frightening, either, which I think is a big selling point. When melons made their first appearance, the cantaloupes were exactly what I expected cantaloupes to look, feel, and smell like. The Crocker farmers market is smaller than Heart of the City, and it’s only once a week, but I think the quality of the the produce is higher, and nearly everything is organically grown as well. If you are anywhere near the Crocker Galleria on Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., you must check it out. At least get an apple or a peach (depending on the season, of course).

Ultimately this place is great. I would like it better without the salmon guy always hassling you to eat his fish carcass, and some of those office ladies can be extremely pushy around a table of vegetables; those are personal irritations though, and don’t reflect at all on the high quality of produce and friendliness you get at this market. Buy a bunch of greens you’ve never tried before, and spend a little too much money on the homemade applesauce, because it is delicious and you won’t find it anywhere else.

Flacos!

Flacos is an all-vegan Mexican food cart that is at many of the Berkeley Farmers’ Markets (schedule here)!

Did you hear me? I SAID, ALL-VEGAN MEXICAN FOOD!!!

Taquitos, enchiladas, chicken pozole (a hominy-and-veggie-chicken stew of sorts, YOU MUST EAT THIS), tamales, MOTHERTRUCKING CHALUPAS! I’m running for the border, bitches! What?!

Flacos uses all-organic, local ingredients whenver possible and lists their vendors on the website. I love knowing exactly where my food is coming from and that you know, it’s not coming from Monsanto or some shit. But the best part about Flacos is that the food is INSANE. My favorite is the veggie-chicken tamales with homemade sauce, capers, green olives and potatoes inside corn masa and steamed in a banana leaf! It’s truly enough to bring tears to this vegan’s eye. Which is sad because I haven’t cried because of my own emotions in something like five years. But I’ll save that for therapy, not my blog. OR WILL I? Only time will tell, therapy is expensive and this blog is free! Prepare to know more about my mom than you do about yourself.

Anyway, Flacos would be on my I-only-have-24-hours-to-spend-in-the-East-Bay-because-I-don’t-know-maybe-someone-has-a-gun-to-my-head-and-I-have-to-get-out-of-town-really-fast list. So if you actually live in the Bay Area, there’s no reason why you’re not at Flacos right now. I DON’T CARE IF THEY’RE NOT OPEN! I SAID NO EXCUSE!*

*Ignore me, please.

Souley Vegan!

July 26 2009: BEST MOST HAPPY NEWS: SOULEY VEGAN HAS RE-OPENED: 301 Broadway at 3rd Street in Oakland. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.! YES!!!

BETTER HAPPIER NEWS: Souley Vegan is now on sale at Rainbow Grocery in SF! Ow! They’re selling red beans & rice, collard greens, mac n cheese, BBQ tofu, and full meals, ranging in price from $4.29 to $9.99! Completely worth it!

BAD SAD NEWS: Souley Vegan has shut their doors permanently. I guess some shit went down with the stability of their building so unless some rich vegan (you?!) gives them tons of money, they will stay closed. Super sad. Bright side: they still sell at the farmers’ market in Oakland on the weekends so for sure stop in and buy their delicious food and let them know that we will raise funds and fists to get them back into a store front!!

Souley Vegan is vegan soul food. I know, the name is kinda lame. What can you do? Not every place can be named, “Magical Unicorn Palace” like it should be. I don’t know why exactly. Anyway, Souley Vegan is family-owned and -operated with mom in back cooking, dad helping to run food and the adorable, almost competent son as the cashier. He is very adorable and ALMOST good at working. Whatever, the kid is like 12 and has a more demanding job than I’ve ever had so I’ll cut him some slack. I just had a minor personality split right there. Pray for me.

The menu consists of BBQ tofu, crispy tofu, yams, collard greens, MAC N CHEESE, POTATO SALAD and MASHED POTATOES (the holy trinity of hard to find vegan foods! I hear angels weeping! Or singing! Which is it, I don’t understand religion!) Homemade drinks like ginger-strawberry lemonade (SO GOOD) and usually a peach cobbler in the cold case (they will heat it up for if you eat there!). No alcohol but you can go next door to Radio if you need a drink to get through the day, I’m not judging you!*

The only thing I could see someone complaining about is the ambiance, which resembles the mess tent in M.A.S.H. I guess I wouldn’t recommend this place for a first date or to impress your parents. Unless your dad is a major cheapskate like mine and has an entire storage unit in his closet to store all the various shampoos and shower caps he takes from hotels (read: motels) so that he never has to buy toiletries and therefore, save a measly buck.**

Oh and one more bit of advice, I would call ahead to make sure they are open!  Although their hours are supposed to be Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., I’ve been by during those hours, only to be forced to eat a soy latte at the cafe next door for lunch! Not cool!

*You are pathetic!

**UGH IT KILLS ME! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY AMAZING HAIR DYE JOBS WERE RUINED DURING MY YOUTH BECAUSE I HAD TO USE SUPER 8 BRAND SHAMPOO?! THAT IS BASICALLY LIKE WASHING YOUR HAIR WITH PAINT THINNER UGH!

UPDATE: Now open for brunch on Sundays! Pancakes, tofu scrambles, potatoes and sausage are all available… plus rumors of biscuits and gravy!?