vegansaurus!
05/20/2013
Produce: for growing, eating, and portraiture! Giuseppe Arcimboldo painted these crazy portraits/still lifes/reversible portraits that were simultaneously still lifes in 16th century Italy, including a series of the four seasons. Those four paintings were later turned into massive sculptures by Philip Haas, and they are now on display through October 27 at the New York Botanical Garden. Just look at Summer!
Amazing, right? Apparently some of the vegetables—like the eggplant and the corn, and is that an artichoke?—were brand-new to Europe at the time. Get more details at The Salt blog, and let’s go visit them and appreciate their massive scale for ourselves. When the rain lets up, of course.
[Photo courtesy New York Botanical Garden via NPR]
∞ posted at 12:20 by seriousmeaveness 
05/17/2013
Great job, humanity: Global warming forces ocean fish to new waters »
Global warming is fucking with the fish, and the fish-catching economy is finally catching on. From All Things Considered:
The new study in Nature shows these anecdotes aren’t simply a fluke. Data from fish catches from around the world show it’s happening everywhere the ocean is warming—which is just about everywhere.
So they’re seeing swordfish in Denmark, Mexico-based Humboldt squid in British Columbia, and Atlantic mackerel in Iceland. I wonder what it’ll be like when we’ve made the oceans so hot fish can’t live there anymore. What’ll become of the pescatarians?
“This is suddenly a wake-up call,” [Mark Payne at the National Institute for Aquatic Resources in Denmark] says. “It’s a strong suggestion that climate change is here. It’s real, and it’s really starting to affect what we catch and, therefore, what we eat.”
Bye, environment! Nice polluting you!
[Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel photo by Klaus Stiefel via Flickr]
∞ posted at 08:05 by seriousmeaveness
05/16/2013
![Poor little spotted kiwi! Like all of New Zealand’s national birds, it used to be super-duper endangered. Then the Department of Conservation established new colonies in areas without predators in the ’80s, and the population boomed. But a recent analysis of these colonies reveal a serious problem with the little spotted kiwis. Per Becky Crew at Running Ponies:
[T]he birds upon which all hopes of substantial genetic diversity rested – had never actually bred. They didn’t even produce one chick. Which means that all the little spotted kiwi on the planet, from every population, have come from the five birds that were originally put on Kapiti Island in 1912.
Genetic diversity is vital to a species’ survival. So what are scientists going to do about it? First, further analysis. They might have to revert the little spotted kiwis’ status back to endangered. If only all humanity had left New Zealand alone. We might still have moa!
[Photo of little spotted kiwi chick by Andrew Digby via Running Ponies]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/62ae542492d15b256ea4d7bc96849129/tumblr_mmw8e9Bvc71qzq14lo1_500.jpg)
Poor little spotted kiwi! Like all of New Zealand’s national birds, it used to be super-duper endangered. Then the Department of Conservation established new colonies in areas without predators in the ’80s, and the population boomed. But a recent analysis of these colonies reveal a serious problem with the little spotted kiwis. Per Becky Crew at Running Ponies:
[T]he birds upon which all hopes of substantial genetic diversity rested – had never actually bred. They didn’t even produce one chick. Which means that all the little spotted kiwi on the planet, from every population, have come from the five birds that were originally put on Kapiti Island in 1912.
Genetic diversity is vital to a species’ survival. So what are scientists going to do about it? First, further analysis. They might have to revert the little spotted kiwis’ status back to endangered. If only all humanity had left New Zealand alone. We might still have moa!
[Photo of little spotted kiwi chick by Andrew Digby via Running Ponies]
∞ posted at 11:03 by seriousmeaveness
PETA continues its quest to be the weirdest pro-vegan organization on earth—not that there’s a lot of competition, but definitely it’s steep—with PETA Europe’s sexxxxy sexxxxxxxy animals-doin-it video promoting the “bigger sexual appetite” of us vegans.
Maybe it’s spring and all the pigeons out are strutting for each other, but I’m not in immediate hate with this thing. What do you guys think? Puerile and great, or just puerile?
∞ posted at 08:35 by seriousmeaveness
05/15/2013
Have you watched Isa’s video of her wild backyard bunny, Falafel, aka my new best friend? Man I wish we had wild bunnies in New York. Rats are fine and all, but there’s nothing like a lightning-quick little bunny darting into your path and surprising you with cuteness. Adorability sneak attack!
(via our Laura at Jezebel)
∞ posted at 13:48 by seriousmeaveness
05/09/2013
Guys, this is Ajabu, an orphaned elephant rescued just a month ago in Kenya.
Ajabu was just a day or two old when she was spotted all alone in Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park on 4th April 2013. When it became apparent that there were no other elephants in the area, a call was put into the DSWT to rescue Ajabu.
Two weeks on and this tiny orphaned elephant is making good and steady progress at the DSWT’s Elephant Nursery in Nairobi National Park. Read the full rescue update on Ajabu and support her future by fostering her at DSWT.
Guys, she’s so little and she has to wear sunblock to protect her baby skin! What a darling. Thank goodness for organizations like the DSWT, who can rescue orphaned elephants and provide for their needs. Keep up with Ajabu and sponsor her and her fellow residents at DSWT online.
∞ posted at 15:13 by seriousmeaveness
Come to the Oakland Cat Vid Fest on Saturday and support the East Bay SPCA »
Saturday is FULL of events on both coasts, you guys. And this one sounds like so much fun: the Oakland Cat Vid Fest! How much fun? Let’s see:
The Great Wall of Oakland is collaborating with the Walker Art Center to bring the Internet Cat Video Festival to Oakland! On Saturday, May 11, from 3 to 10 p.m., an estimated 5,000+ cat-lovers and friends will be celebrating felines and exploring the low-art of Internet cat videos together, in real-time, as we transform West Grand between Telegraph and Broadway into a cat-lovers wonderland. Best of all, proceeds benefit the East Bay SPCA!
During the day, cat-lovers and their allies can peruse cat and pet products and arts and crafts from a host of vendors, adopt cats from local rescue centers, learn about kitten fostering, listen to live bands, nom delicious human food from local food trucks, and participate in a plethora of cativities, including art projects.
As the sun sets, festival attendees will gather in front of the Great Wall to view the Bay Area premiere of #catvidfest, [Minneapolis, Minnesota’s] Walker Art Center’s curated collection of Internet cat videos. See your favorites: “Henri,” “Cats Playing Patty Cake,” and “Cat Says NOM NOM NOM.” The Great Wall’s artist in residence group, Bandaloop, will perform a cat-themed aerial duet off the 100-foor wall before the screening.
The Oakland Internet Cat Video Festival is a unique community event celebrating cats, art and technology while educating the public on the importance of cat adoption and kitten fostering.
Ridiculous and delightful, right? Check out this recap of the original CatVidFest that now works as a preview for Saturday’s event!
For more information, visit Oakland Cat Vid Fest online.
Got a tip about an awesome vegan-friendly event? Let us know! We love fun!
∞ posted at 11:36 by seriousmeaveness
05/08/2013
![Hey New York! It’s time for the May Vegan Shop-Up!
This month the Cinnamon Snail has a prior engagement, but that means more room for Bunna Cafe, whose Ethiopian food I have yet to try (because of this I’m kind of obsessed with it). As a one-Shop-Up veteran, I recommend getting there on the early side; I rolled up to the April Shop-Up around 4 and almost everything was sold out. And then the Cinnamon Snail truck’s battery died, and they had to stop taking orders! It was nuts! At least there were scrumptious, not-too-strong bloody marys.
Check out the full list of vendors, and bring your cash. Mother’s Day is Sunday, so if you can bring your mom, too! Moms love bloody marys (and sober moms love virgin marys, because moms love tomato juice).
The Vegan Shop-Up runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at Pine Box Rock Shop, 12 Grattan St., off the Morgan L stop in Bushwick. See you there? Ice cream and Ethiopian food and macarons, oh yes! [And Alchemy Creamery will be there! And they should have their new espresso ice cream! OMG! -Megan]
Got a tip about an awesome vegan-friendly event? Let us know! We love fun!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/f7b023fa0983a7c85e431180376e96eb/tumblr_mmcl5viZPT1qzq14lo1_500.jpg)
Hey New York! It’s time for the May Vegan Shop-Up!
This month the Cinnamon Snail has a prior engagement, but that means more room for Bunna Cafe, whose Ethiopian food I have yet to try (because of this I’m kind of obsessed with it). As a one-Shop-Up veteran, I recommend getting there on the early side; I rolled up to the April Shop-Up around 4 and almost everything was sold out. And then the Cinnamon Snail truck’s battery died, and they had to stop taking orders! It was nuts! At least there were scrumptious, not-too-strong bloody marys.
Check out the full list of vendors, and bring your cash. Mother’s Day is Sunday, so if you can bring your mom, too! Moms love bloody marys (and sober moms love virgin marys, because moms love tomato juice).
The Vegan Shop-Up runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at Pine Box Rock Shop, 12 Grattan St., off the Morgan L stop in Bushwick. See you there? Ice cream and Ethiopian food and macarons, oh yes! [And Alchemy Creamery will be there! And they should have their new espresso ice cream! OMG! -Megan]
Got a tip about an awesome vegan-friendly event? Let us know! We love fun!
∞ posted at 05:21 by seriousmeaveness
05/06/2013
Jay Kitchen Pop-Up Dinner: Fine dining by vegan wunderkind Jay Astafa »
Late last month, your Vegansaurus was invited to attend a fancypants vegan pop-up dinner by up-and-coming vegan chef Jay Astafa. As part of our constant effort to bring you the most important news on the best vegan dining, we accepted.
The pop-up was an eight-course tasting menu of Jay’s savory vegan delights, with dessert by vegan pastry chef and fellow wunderkind Dani McGrath, and wines by the Vegan Vine.
Here are some photos that I took. They’re … adequate.
First course: King oyster mushroom scallop with aged balsamic caviar and green pea purée
Second course (one of my favorites!): Spring crostini duo (ramps & cashew chèvre; sorrel-mint pesto, micro pea tendrils, green peas, cashew parmesan)
Third course: Chilled potato and leek soup with chive olive oil foam
Fourth course (SO GOOD YOU GUYS): Ravioli with asparagus and ricotta (house-made cashew cream butter, cashew parmesan)
Fifth course: Smoked cauliflower steak with sunchoke purée, morels, fava beans, snap peas, green garlic, truffle vinaigrette, shaved black summer truffle
Sixth course: House-made cheese plate with aged cashew cheese and brie, strawberry-rhubarb compote, orange-infused vegan honey, rosemary-almond crackers
Seventh course: “Dragon Breath” caramel popcorn
Eighth course: Grand Marnier-infused chocolate rart with pistachio gelato, raspberry coulis, pistachio tuile, raspberry pop candy, fleur de sel salted caramel powder
Lucky for you, Ms. Hannah “Bittersweet Blog” Kaminsky took much better pictures of the menu that really do Jay and Dani’s dishes justice. She also has Jay’s recipe for the sorrel-mint pesto crostini, which was one of my favorite dishes and which I fully intend to (attempt to) reproduce, because holy moly, it was so good. Go see for yourself!
To find out more about Jay Astafa and Jay Kitchen, follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He also catered Farm Sanctuary’s Fashion Loves Animals event (which we attended, too!) last weekend. Keep an eye out for more from this super-talented kid; he is amazing, and we are lucky to have him on team vegan.
(And seriously check out Hannah’s photos, they are gorgeous.)
Got a tip about an awesome vegan-friendly event? Let us know! We love fun!
∞ posted at 12:06 by seriousmeaveness
It’s time once again to veganize BART! »
Last year your votes helped place some great ads from the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition on BART. Now you can help FFAC get a new round of free BART advertising this year by voting again via the BART Blue Sky program Facebook poll.
Voting closes on Sunday, May 12, and the top three finishers will receive $50,000 worth of BART ads in stations and onboard trains. All voters can also enter to win a $500 Clipper card.
If you want to see more ads like this during your commute, get clicking! Help out FFAC and promote cruelty-free living.
[BART photo by Thomas Hawk via Flickr]
∞ posted at 09:48 by seriousmeaveness
