vegansaurus!

Eat this: Easy Creole in San Francisco!  »

On Wednesday nights, Easy Creole, a New Orleans-style pop-up kitchen, sets up shop at The Residence in San Francisco. Cocktails and vegan dinner? Just twist my arm to get me out of the house, why don’t you, Easy Creole?

For $8 I got a plate of the Red Bean Succotash. I was mildly disappointed that they had run out of the $9 Spinach and Mushroom Étouffée earlier that day during their lunchtime hours in North Beach—it just means I have to go back and try it! Which I will, because the succotash was delicious!

Succotash

A hot sauce spread I think Quarrygirl would appreciate.

Jess and Grant, the two guys behind Easy Creole, are super cool, and very much looking forward to opening a restaurant of their own and the idea of hiring their first employee. We can help them do this by eating their food! Let’s go when they re-open shop after the holidays!

Easy Creole is available at many locations throughout the week! They’re at 450 Broadway (between Montgomery and Kearny) from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, The Residence at 718 14th St. from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, and at La Victoria Bakery at 24th Street and Alabama from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Fridays.

New Groupon Clone is For Us!  »

Even though the whole daily deal thing feels like the housing market circa late 2007 (a bubble well on its way to bursting), I’m still pretty psyched to let you know there’s a new one focusing just on vegetarian and vegan-friendly small businesses!

It’s called TimeToVegOut and it just started like, this week (we’re so on top of shit. It’s because I have a Google Alert on the word “vegan”).

The best thing, for New Yorkers at least: Right now they have a coupon for Stogo, which is my favorite ice cream shop in the entire world. 

TimeToVegOut is launching in a bunch of cities, including SF, Chicago, and DC. For everyone else, you can also sign up for nationwide deals, which essentially means stuff you can buy online.

The site’s still working out some kinks—I had trouble registering but eventually got it to work. Anyway, this could be awesome. In the comments on the “About” page, the founder tells you how to help the site grow and get your favorite places involved. 

Yum!

Also, can someone mail me some Stogo? Thanks.

Check out the SF SPCA’s holiday windows at Macy’s Union Square!  »

MERRY CHRISTMAS LITTLE DOG!

I know, it is basically the SF SPCA blog over here lately, but we are on Krista’s mailing list and she has a lot to say right now! Hi, Krista!

Every year the SF SPCA and Macy’s Union Square get together to promote local animal adoption, by designing fancy winter-holiday (Christmas) windows to show off all the cutie-pie puppies and kittens you could adopt as your winter-holiday present to yourself, because you’ve been super-good this year and besides of which, giving a needy animal a home is a total mitzvah, better than getting all your loved ones exactly what they put on their wish lists.

Last year “about 300 animals featured in Macy’s holiday windows found new homes from the adoption center on the Main Floor and more than $70,000 in donations was raised for the SF SPCA.” Awesome job, shoppers.

If you’re not ready to adopt a new best friend right now, you can at least go see the animals and get in the holiday spirit—it’s too late to complain, CHRISTMAS IS HERE—when the adoptable animals are unveiled in their windows this Friday, Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. at the Macy’s Union Square. Go be charmed! The SPCA windows will be up through Jan. 1, 2012.

[photo from the SF SPCA’s 2010 holiday windows; see more here]

Pamper your pets at animal-only resorts and spas  »

I have long been an animal-lover who also enjoys traveling. As a result, I have often hired a petsitter or boarded my pets in kennels before heading out of town. Times have changed since I bid temporary farewell to my first pet, however; nowadays, pet resorts and spas are popping up all over, giving pet owners the chance to treat their companions to a little luxury while their humans are at play. As someone who thinks “roughing it” is a hotel without room service, I have been more than happy to board my spoiled pets in a little style.

The simple fact is that some of the pet resorts I’ve researched treat pets better than humans. Specialty services I’ve seen offered include “pawdicures,” and dog treadmills, where canines can get some indoor exercise. At first I didn’t think there was a difference between treadmills for humans and treadmills for dogs, but I was wrong. I hadn’t considered how much pets shed—my life is so covered in animal hair that it’s second nature to have a lint brush in my hand. Dog treadmills are equipped to handle inconveniences like that pet fluff and, like human treadmills, can be a great way for animals to get a little exercise, especially during inclement weather or if they’re unable to get outside for regular activity. I like knowing that my vacation means a vacation for my pets as well, and that they’ll be well looked after when I can’t take them for daily walks.

Some pf the amenities that pet spas offer are a little silly—limousine rides and spa treatments? I love my animals dearly, but my cat normally spends her day sleeping on top of a box lid, and my dog, although discouraged, drinks out of the toilet. I’m thankful for realistic-sounding folks like those at San Francisco’s Pet Camp. The services offered make me want to move to the West Coast so that my dear feline could experience the Cat Safari or my pup could romp with dogs his age and size at Dog Camp, as well as go for a dip in a heated indoor pool. It’s great to know that there are pet get-aways that treat animals well—probably so well that I would have trouble getting my buddies to come back home!

As people travel to see family at holidays and look for reliable and fun places where four-legged family members’ needs will be well looked after, I think they’ll increasingly turn to high-end pet-boarding. Amenities like catered meals, beds that look more luxurious than those humans sleep in, and fancy meals certainly make a gal want to vacation with her pets instead of boarding them.

Danielle Rhodes, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys baking vegan brownies and volunteering a few times a month at her local animal shelter.

[photo by Jorge Quinteros via Flickr]

SF SPCA says, please don’t bring your dogs to Occupy camps!  »

At least, not in the Bay Area. The SF SPCA has confirmed three cases of parvovirus in dogs that were part of the OccupySF camp, all of whom are now being treated.

Parvo doesn’t fuck around! It is highly contagious and when left untreated will almost definitely kill your dog. Not everyone has vaccinated their animal pal, and if your dog hasn’t finished the series of shots that comprise the parvo vaccine treatment, don’t bring it around other dogs, OK?

Further, writes friend of Vegansaurus Krista of the SF SPCA, during the organization’s free veterinary clinic at OccupySF on Monday, “workers noted several dogs with signs of kennel cough. Symptoms of this highly contagious disease include dry ‘honking’ cough, nasal discharge, and general malaise that may progress to pneumonia.” They also noticed “several dogs with symptoms of Giardia.” NOT GOOD.

While dogs don’t suffer from the same week-long multi-symptom illness cycles that we humans do, they are still susceptible to communicable diseases, and the risk of contracting such diseases increases significantly when they’re sharing space with lots of strangers.

Of course we want to be with our dogs every minute of every day, but right now, Occupy camps are not the places to hang out with your best canine friends. Can you afford a pet-sitter? Or maybe you can take breaks from Occupying to walk and spend quality time with your dog, away from potential disease breeding grounds. The 99 percent does not have money for giant vet bills! And we love our dogs too much to risk their health.

[Thanks to Krista at the SF SPCA for sending us this announcement! Read the full text here. Photo of Occupy LA dogs by Jessica Gottlieb via Flickr]

Thanksgiving 2011: Where to eat outside of your home in the S.F. Bay Area!  »

We love cooking! But maybe you don’t! Or you find a huge Thanksgiving dinner way too much work. That’s OK! Here is a list of places you can celebrate your Thanksgiving, at restaurants or homes. You can volunteer to work and eat for free, or bring a dish to a potluck, or just show up, eat yourself silly, and roll on home. So many options!

What’s the difference between this and our earlier post on vegan Thanksgiving celebrations? These are happening in the SF Bay Area! We’ll add to this list as we get more information, so please, send us tips!

We also have a list of places to buy your dinner to take home, and where to get delicious baked goods like pies! Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, Nov. 16BerkeleyThanksliving at U.C. BerkeleySee our earlier post for details!10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

San RafaelMarin Vegan Drinks Does Thanksgiving!Sampling Tofurky, $1 vegan cupcakes, $5 drink special is a Spiced/Spiked Cider.6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19PetalumaNorth Bay vegan Thanksgiving potluck!Bring a dish to share! Mulled spiced cider provided6:30 p.m.

Every day until Thanksgiving Golden Era is offering a three-course vegan special (but they’re closed on actual Thanksgiving!)

Thursday, Nov. 24Berkeley, San Francisco, San RafaelFree Thanksgiving meal at Cafe GratitudeContact the three participating locations to volunteer (they need servers, bartenders, dishwashers, line cooks, and opening and closing crew), or call (415) 824.4652.noon to 3 p.m.

Menlo ParkRaw vegan Thanksgiving food partyHosted by Elizabeth and Charlie of Bay Area Vegetarians; RSVP required.noon

San FranciscoBAV Vegan Thanksgiving CelebrationHosted by Kim and Jamie; RSVP required.2 to 5 p.m.

San FranciscoFive-course Thanksgiving dinner at MillenniumReservations no longer taken, but first-come, first serve places available at the barContact Millennium for more information at (415) 345.3900, ext. 10.2 to 6 p.m. [time is for bar seating only]

San FranciscoPlant Cafe at Pier 3/the EmbarcaderoTwo $60 prix fixe menus, one “traditional” with turkey, and one vegan!Contact Plant Cafe for details via email, or call (415) 984.1973. Reservations required.3 to 9 p.m.

San FranciscoVegan Thanksgiving at Source, including pumpkin spice snowballs by our Jenny Bradley!Contact Source via email, or call (415) 864.9000 for details/reservations.

Saturday, Nov. 26San RafaelPost-Thanksgiving Vegan Food PartyHosted by Alicia of BAV; RSVP required.3 to 6 p.m.

Anywhere in the Bay Area, throughout the four-day weekend!Want to host a vegan Thanksgiving with BAV pals? Contact Tammy of BAV to volunteer!

[photo by Emilie Hardman via Flickr]

Vegucated screening tickets: We have winners!  »

Thank you so much for participating! And thank you for all the movie recommendations, there were lots of good ideas.

And now for a movie you all want to see: Vegucated! For the Berkeley screenings, congratulations commenters Woog and Caroline Miazgowicz. For SF, commenters Tierny, meowberto, and tofupuppy! Please contact Karine Brighten to collect your tickets!

Everyone can purchase tickets for the Berkeley screening on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the David Brower Center here, and for the San Francisco screening on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the Victoria Theater here.

Karine Brighten is looking for volunteers at both screenings as well! If you volunteer, you get free access to the screening and reception. Awesome! Contact Ms. Brighten to volunteer!

Thanks to everyone who entered, and to Karine for offering the tickets!

CONTEST CLOSED: Win tickets to a Bay Area screening of Vegucated!  »

Thanks for participating, everyone! And congratulations to the winners!

I keep thinking I have a short attention span, but I love to read, so maybe it’s a problem with audio-visual stimuli: I have a really hard time watching an entire movie. I pause it so often it takes me three days to finish, or I’ll keep it on and do a bunch of educational quizzes on Sporcle (Always Be Self-Improving), or I’ll put it on as background while I cook or clean—I am bad at watching movies.

A movie that did keep my attention for its entire run was Vegucated, the documentary about three omnivores who adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. It’s only about 90 minutes, but it’s well made and totally compelling. Despite not being its target audience—I don’t need like 10 minutes of animal-abuse footage and slaughterhouse stats to convince me my lifestyle choices are morally correct—I watched the entire thing without getting wiggly or checking my phone-clock once.

Vegucated documents an interesting experiment in an entertaining way, the director/editor/writer/narrator, Marisa Miller Wolfson, is smart and funny, and she chose her subjects well. They’re totally sympathetic: You cheer when they succeed; you feel bad when they cry. I absolutely recommend Vegucated. Go see it! With your friends! And family! And everyone you know who isn’t vegan, because duh they should be and Vegucated can help get them there!

Specifically, you in the Bay Area have two chances to see it, on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, and on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the Victoria Theater in San Francisco. Buy tickets for the Berkeley screening here, and for the S.F. screening here. Best part: You can win tickets for either event, thanks to our pal and event producer Karine Brighten! Isn’t she great? Thanks, Karine!

We are giving away one pair and two single tickets to the SF event, and two single tickets to the Berkeley event. To win, leave a comment with two pieces of information: 1. Which screening you’d like to attend (“Berkeley” or “San Francisco”); and 2. Recommend me a movie that isn’t totally boring! I will pick winners by Friday, Oct. 14. This should give all you non-winners plenty of time to buy your way in.

You want to see this movie! So come on and enter the contest, already.

[photos by Jessica Mahady for Vegucated]

Eat these: Gluten-free, soy-free, vegan pancakes at Source!  »

That’s right, this delicious platter is a new brunch item at Source in San Francisco. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. I know the baker and she really likes it when you come say hi and tell her how much you like the desserts and pancakes.

See you there!