Models:
@onebusybee @wassamire @jackkx2 @christopherlondoncardenas
Photographer:
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Models:
@onebusybee @wassamire @jackkx2 @christopherlondoncardenas
Photographer:
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Alex is co-owner of Purgatory Pizza which already offers a vast selection of vegan options that I must say are amazing. He has taken his experience there and set out to develop a space that is 100% vegan working tirelessly with his wife Jackie to create the perfect slice. Even down to the homemade ranch dressing which is my favorite!
I asked Alex a few questions about the new spot. You can expect Hot Tongue to open this summer so stay tuned!
BxB: What was your inspiration for starting Hot Tongue and how did you choose the name?
AK: The last band I made a record with was named Hot Tongue. It's also a side dish at the famous “Langer’s Deli” which really has nothing vegan there which is kind of ironic, but is still a badass spot in LA.
The inspirations of Hot Tongue’s birth are immense, so I will pick this one.. I love cooking without dairy and meat because of the challenge. I love eating out. It’s one of my favorite things to do. It’s easy to over indulge, in everything. That’s why I love when I can sit down for a properly portioned meal with healthy ingredients and explosions of flavor, and 30 min after my meal I can feel lite as a feather. I hate feeling lethargic, lazy or “full.” I like feeling fed. Every time I create something I keep that in mind.
BxB: What is your favorite part about creating a recipe for damn good pizza?
AK: Creating something out of nothing. I used to love writing songs. Starting out with a blank logic file and turning it into something other people can play in their car is quite a magical experience. That excitement translates to food. Creating something tasty in the kitchen and being able to share the creation with someone is incredible. Sharing something that is going to literally become part of someone else. It’s pretty astounding taking a step back and thinking about that.
BxB: What was important for you when putting together your menu?
AK: With Hot Tongue our approach has been simple. We don’t want to overdue anything. Everything is minimal. The sauces, the toppings and the dough are straightforward. Down to the names of menu items. The crust, the dough process and the heart that goes into the food that’s where we started, that’s what’s important.
BxB: If you could eat pizza with anyone you admire (like a celebrity or artist etc) dead or alive who would it be and why?
AK: Ye. I think it would be a rather exciting slice.
Idea
Pattern
Trim+fabric source
Shrink test
Sample
Marking/grading
Cut+sew
Dye
Finish
A lot of brands (including us for our tees) source “off the shelf blanks” made by wholesale companies offering garments that are pre-made, ready to order and in stock to be screen printed or decorated by the retailer. It’s easy to call up the wholesaler or place your order online and have your goods within a few days for you to decorate. This is a great low cost way to start up a brand or continue to keep costs low while building your client base to generate a consistent flow of orders. But, this model comes with some restrictions when wanting to produce garments with a little more technicality or specific fashionable styles.
That’s where making garments from scratch comes in. This is a whole other beast that requires much more effort, money, patience, knowledge and time. I only recommend this pathway if you have flexible capitol to do so, have a large client base to make a return on your investment quickly or are ok making small batch quantities while paying a higher premium.
I’m going to explain the process of what goes into making custom apparel and a behind the scenes look at creating our sweat set pieces from scratch.
It all starts with your idea for your garment. You can make a sketch or pick a garment you already own to base your new product from and make modifications to it which is what I did.
Garments are created in pieces. Like a puzzle. Each piece has a functionality and when put together completes the puzzle and reveals the image. A pattern maker will take your sample garment or sketch and add the modifications you want to create a paper pattern with each piece of the garment and instructions for the sewing team. The pattern maker can also help you determine how much fabric and trims you will need to source for the production and what that breaks down to for each garment.
What kind of fabric do you want to use? By visiting a local fabric manufacturer you can look at various swatches of different fabrics they have in stock or even make your own from combining different yarns or specific yarns to create something proprietary and special to your brand.
Since we’re doing basics we are sticking to the basics and using a nice heavy weight french terry fabric. If producing something like a sweater, sweatpants, jackets, etc. those have what are called “trims” which are smaller quantities needed for smaller portions that make up the garment like the arm cuffs, elastic waistband, drawstrings, buttons etc. So, you go to a different manufacture that sources those and find what you need.
Fabrics are going to shrink after they are knitted because they are going to be washed and dyed. This will affect how your pattern is made for your garment. You can chose to either dye your fabric before you sew it or dye it after which is called garment dying. When garment dying, you need to test a sample yard of the fabric first to see how it will shrink so you can accommodate those measurements into your pattern before your first sample is made. This step is very important.
Once the pattern is made it is taken to the sewing team so they can create your first sample to test for fit and shape and make sure all the details are accurate. You will need to make a few pattern adjustments and samples of this to get it accurate before moving on.
What size offering will you have in your line? We like to do XS-2XL. It is more costly the more sizes you add into your range because of the fee to create each size specifications. Sometimes, depending on the type of garment you are creating you have to make a whole separate pattern and samples for plus sizes to get an accurate fit which adds to the cost. This is why some brands are not able to offer plus sizes when starting out so that they can keep costs to a minimum. For the larger sizes you have to account for more fabric which then increases the price as well. The pattern is used as a place to start so usually you will pick a sample size that your pattern is based on. Most of the time it’s size small but can be whatever size you want or that the inspiration garment is. They take these measurements and create digital puzzle pieces for the garment in each size of your range printing it onto a long sheet of paper for the cutting team.
Your fabric is rolled out onto long tables in layers stacked on top of each other like ribbons of thin pasta. Then the long paper from the marking/grading service is placed on top as a template so the cutter can follow the shape pattern. They will start to cut each puzzle piece for each size of the garment and group them together by size for the sewing team to sew each piece of the puzzle together creating a complete garment.
Once the production is finished on your cut and sew you can take your completed garments to a dye house. We used a local one that specializes in tie dye treatments and has eco-friendly practices. You will want to have already taken the time to make a test sample of your dye pattern when you had your initial samples made before production to save time. Samples are a must to ensure the outcome of your production is accurate.
Once the pieces have all been dyed and processed they go to a screen printer to print any graphics onto the garments.
After printing they go back to the cut and sew manufacture to perform finishing services to each garment. This includes everything that will totally complete the garment to be ready to ship to the customer such as quality control checks, pulling aside any damages, adding size labels, hangtags, trimming off loose strings or yarns, and folding and packing for shipping.
Some large brands have all of these processes done in different locations around the world from growing cotton to spinning yarn to making the fabric to sewing and so on. So the amount of transportation involved in all of these situations can cause a lot of environmental impact. We use all local manufacturing for each step of the process so everything happens in close proximity and is therefore much less harmful on the environment.
We hope this general breakdown gives you a better understanding of what is involved in making just one piece of clothing.
Check out our custom made sweat sets here.
*All images shown were taken by us in our manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles.
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I'm proud to finally have been able to share with you our first ever custom made pieces. These sweat sets were made with lots of love here in Los Angeles from fabric to finish. The color options are inspired by current fashion trends and the custom dye pattern was created by me in photoshop. It's so cool to see it come to life. I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I do.
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WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Exciting news! BEETxBEET is making the switch to manufacture our apparel products 100% in Los Angeles, CA! This means getting rid of all existing inventory to make room for the new Made In LA products.
This has been a goal of mine for BEETxBEET since I started the brand and I’m so happy to finally make it a reality. I’ve always wanted to offer transparency into the supply chain for my customers and this is how I can confidently do that. Manufacturing overseas or outside of the US often leaves too much grey area and not enough accountability when it comes to fair wages and ethical production.
I'm always striving to do better with my brand and this is a step in the right direction. I can visit the local factories and meet the people that create BxB products to know the workers are being paid fairly and work in a safe environment.
In the coming weeks I'll be updating the website with more information on the suppliers I work with and also releasing some sweet new accessories to hold you over until the Made In LA products launch. I can’t wait to share all the new products with you! Thank you for your continued support of my small business.
]]>Care not cops. People might think this is a radical idea but ultimately, it means re-funding social services. In communities of color police don't make their communities safe, in fact, they create more oppression and violence. These communities are asking for help that will strengthen and create safe environments for the community.
"Investments in communities is what drives public safety. Well-resourced communities are safer communities. More police isn’t the way to more public safety. More police can actually lead to more crime and distrust of police."
- People's Budget of LA
Defunding the police will not end racist policing but it's a first step towards removing some of the power and presence they wield against Black members of our community. People's Budget of LA has many great resources on this topic that I encourage you to take some time reading.
Learn the origins of policing in this article that explains that police were created as a form of Slave Catching. This is a great Instagram post with common questions and answers about Abolishing the Police. More places you can seek information:
https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home/#resources
Take action in helping support People's Budget LA and defund the Police.
https://peoplesbudgetla.com/actions/
. . .
Mayor Eric Garcetti's decision to reevaluate his budget to find $150 million to remove from the $3 billion LAPD budget is too little, too late. His reapportionment proposal would still leave the LAPD with over 50% of unrestricted funds. We need him to #DefundThePolice.
Every Monday in June, the LA City Council meets to finalize the city budget so we need our friends and neighbors to call & email our representatives every day for the next month to tell them to adopt the LA People's Budget and defund the LAPD. You don't have to live in LA to do this.
https://peoplesbudgetla.com/toolkit/
UPDATE: Smaller organizations that need help
Association For Black Economic Power
Documentaries:
In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.
I Am Not Your Negro is a journey into black history that connects the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter. It is a film that questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond.
Renowned director Stanley Nelson chronicles the inspirational story of American civil rights activists' peaceful fight against racial segregation on buses and trains in the 1960s.
An account of the Ferguson uprising as told by the people who lived it. The filmmakers look at how the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown inspired a community to fight back and sparked a global movement.
Examining the tumultuous period following the verdict in the Rodney King trial in 1992. The acquittal of four police officers for beating a black motorist saw several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles.
In 1989 a jogger was assaulted and raped in New York's Central Park, and five young people were subsequently charged with the crime.
. . .
Informative Black IG Accounts:
#DoTheWork 30 Day Anti-Racism Course By Rachel Cargle
Helpful information gathered into a highlight on my instagram feed.
25 Black Vegan Restaurants
https://vegnews.com/2020/2/these-25-black-owned-restaurants-are-redefining-vegan-food
Black Vegan Influencers
to name a few.
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Follow along to the choreographed moves or do your own thang with instructor Emilia. No judgment or shame here, PonySweat provides a message of inclusivity and body-positivity. It’s all about doing moves that make your body feel good.
Expect to hear music from the likes of Peaches, the Cure, Santigold, Nine Inch Nails, Robyn, Prince, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cyndi Lauper, Bikini Kill and Missy Elliott to name a few.
1 Hour Classes offered via Zoom for $5. Sign up on their website: https://ponysweataerobics.com/live-stream-class
Owner of dance studio, The Sweatspot in LA, Ryan hosts weekly Instagram Lives for free! It’s worth it to note he has been nominated for two Grammy’s for choreographing music videos with Arcade Fire and Sia.
Follow along to this cardio infused dance party with instructions from Ryan throughout. Beginning with some warm up moves you will transition into some yoga inspired poses and stretches into full on dance party and repeat!
Expect to hear high energy electronic dance music (the good kind) for the most part and maybe the Hand Jive while shaking your booty! Playlists also provided on Spotify.
While the classes are free he does accept donations via PayPal. Find out schedule and info via his IG account: @ryan.heffington.
This event has been going on for years and started as an early morning dance party that people could attend before they went to work. Now, it’s exploded in popularity and luckily are offering online dance party streams. Expect some Yoga to start then dancing in your themed get up!
Classes are normally 2 hours and happen every Saturday. The fun part is that they are all themed! Examples are: 80’s Aerobics, Animal Party, Disco House Party to name a few. Check the website to view schedule and sign up for tickets. Early birds start at $11 and go up to $15. Donations are accepted if you’re in a financial hardship. Learn more at @dybrkr.
Fitness accounts to follow that offer great free workout videos!
YOGA W ADRIENE offering free yoga videos for beginner-intermediate skill level. Check out her YouTube Channel here.
by Nimai Delgado & Bianca Taylor offering coaching, programs and nutrition advice
Ana Alarcon offering simple vegan recipes and simple workouts
offering coaching, programs, meal plans, home workouts
Lita Lewis offering a paid app and free videos on her YT or IG account. She also partnered with Self Magazine and has a videos on their YT that are great workouts.
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What are your favorite dance aerobics or workout accounts. Let me know in the comments below!
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The first one is here and is a collection of chill tracks mostly by female vocalists. I love to put on this playlist in the morning, while I'm working or when I'm cleaning around the house. It's pretty versatile, hope you enjoy!
FOLLOW US ON SPOTIFY
to keep up with new released playlists
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Wearing your PJ’s all day sounds fun at first but after a while you start to forget where the work day starts and the job ends. Boost your mood by getting ready as you normally would to go into the office. It will make you feel like you’re switching into work mode instead of staying in lazy mode.
#2: Create A Morning RoutineNow is a perfect time to create a new routine that is going to help your mental health.
If you normally went to the gym before work consider your at home options like jogging in your neighborhood or YouTube videos like Yoga With Adrienne. After waking up do a short meditation to let yourself breath and let go of anxieties for the day.
A lot of people skip breakfast but it’s the most important part of the day. Don’t @ me! Instead of jumping right into work take a minute to eat a chia pudding bowl or peanut butter banana toast. Your mind and body will be fueled and ready to go instead of starving by 11am and scrambling to find something to snack on which, in my case, normally is a bag of chips.
Having a dedicated space that feels like a work environment will help you feel more productive. I don’t know about you but when there’s clutter around me I can’t focus. Try to tidy it up at the end of each day so you’re organized for the next. Before you start working make sure your schedule is set up for the day so you aren’t wasting time figuring out what to do next. Utilize apps like Wunderlist for to-do’s.
Since we’re all lacking in-person social communication now more than ever, video chat apps like Zoom make it easy to connect. Utilize Slack chats and Google Hangouts for casual conversations with co-workers. Have a virtual happy hour or celebrate birthdays via video calls as well.
I hope these ideas will help you get through your work day. I also recommend listening to a Spotify playlist and keeping a full glass of water on your desk to stay hydrated. What are some things you currently do to create a stable WFH environment? Let us know in the comments below.
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You can catch my full process live in the making that I saved on my Instagram Story Highlight here.
The pictures are not the best quality because I did this on the fly and the recipe needed editing but I made those adjustments for you below. I also included the recipe for the Tomato Soup because it was also very good and easy to do.
*Disclaimer: This is not an inexpensive recipe, the JUST egg goes for $8 for one bottle and I recommend you use two for this. Of course you can make this with tofu or chickpea flour or something cheaper but this was the most convenient. I used another specialty product for the feta cheese which is by Violife so it's a bit pricey but worth it! Also, just want to say this is not sponsored.
Frittata
(Makes 8 slices)
Ingredients:
2 bottles JUST egg
1 head of broccoli (chopped small)
1/2 red onion (sliced thin, chopped)
12 baby tomatoes (sliced in half)
1/4 inch piece of VioLife Feta Cheese Block
handful of fresh dill (chopped)
2 sprigs of green onion (chopped)
1 tbsp chives (chopped)
Sprinkle of salt & pepper
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a 8" cast iron skillet, heat up on med heat with 1 tsp coconut oil. Once hot add in the onion, sauté until translucent.
Add in tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Then add in broccoli. Cook for another 2 minutes or so until slightly soft.
Pour in JUST egg bottles. (You will get a nice browned sear on the bottom)
Sprinkle in your salt and pepper. Add in a sprinkle of the dill but reserve some for later. Move around veggies until evenly distributed.
Turn off heat and place the skillet into the oven.
Bake for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and break up the feta with your hand. Place on top of mixture evenly. Don't put too much, leave some room around the mixture.
Place back in oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit for about 5-8 minutes to settle.
Slice with knife and use a small spatula to remove from skillet. Top with dill, chives, green onions. Serve.
I had an idea to add in Tofurky Ham or Turkey slices chopped up to this. There's actually a lot of combinations you can use for this. Let me know if you end up trying any out and comment below!
Simple Tomato Soup
I found this recipe online and modified it.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegan butter
1/2 yellow onion (rough chopped)
1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 1/2 cups veg broth
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan add in some veg broth and sauté the onion until translucent. Add in broth and can of tomatoes with all seasonings. Add in butter. Stir. Bring to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add soup to blender and blend on low until smooth. Serve.
We topped ours with popcorn. I know that sounds weird because I thought the same thing but my girlfriend suggested it and said that's how you should eat tomato soup and she was right, it was actually really good!
Hope you guys enjoy this!
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This is a news stand type of place that sells everything from books to apparel to snacks. They had a surprising amount of vegan snacks including:
Unreal - Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Hippeas Chickpea Puffs - Nacho Vibes Flavor
Larabar - Peanut Butter & Chocolate Protein Bar
Made Good - Granola Bites in a variety of flavors
Lots of nuts and dried fruit snacks
Oh Snap! Pickling Co. - Dilly Bites, Pickle Cuts
Mixed Fruit Cup
Veggie Sushi - California Vegetable Roll
Has Impossible Burger and Fries. *Did not check if bread is vegan.
Grilled Vegetable Bowl with Tofu
*Might want to ask what kind of sauce they use to make sure fish sauce is not in it.
Miso Soup
Vegan California Roasted Vegetable Sandwich
Hummus & Red Pepper Sandwich
Kevita Kombucha
There was also another deli type place in the same area that carried a few flavors of Beanfields chips. Overall I'd say not a bad selection of vegan options in this terminal. Do you know of any other vegan options at JFK? Comment below!
]]>I have lived in L.A. for 6 years now and have never been to one Dodger Game! I'm not really a sports fan but I figured it would be fun and I heard there were some recently added vegan options so that peaked my interest. My girlfriend and her co-workers got us tickets so we headed out on a hot summer night to Echo Park.
]]>Before going I did some research on where to find all of the options at the stadium. I came across one article that was detailed about the locations of vegan options which I'll link below. I think each section has as least one of these options in close proximity to where you might be sitting otherwise it's just a short walk to get to the goods depending on what specific food item you might want. All of the options are spread out and not offered in one spot so it took a little bit of investigating and asking staff to figure out who had what and where to go.
These are the items we purchased:
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From my understanding these are the other current available vegan options at Dodger Stadium:
Beyond Burger - $14 / (Dodger Burger $13.50)
Tempeh Basebowl with Rice
Fries, Salted Pretzel, Veggies with Hummus Cup, Peanuts, Popcorn, Potato Chips, Fruit Cup, Salad
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The food we ate was good but it's not amazing. The tempeh was very bland and not cooked. It said it had a citrus marinade but didn't really have any flavor. Would I go back and eat those things again? Probably. I think it's truly incredible that we have all these options available to us now. I know there's other ball parks around the country who also offer plant-based options. Have you tried the options at Dodger Stadium or other Ball Parks? Let me know in the comments!
Link to Article with locations here.
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(In no particular order)
This unsuspecting donut shop may be tiny but it’s also mighty. Serving up some of Portland’s finest deep fried treats. They offer a selection of sweet and savory donuts including mac n’ cheese, brownie batter and lychee berry to name a few. The special the day I went was a Blueberry Cheesecake donut. I couldn’t resist as cheesecake is one of my favorite deserts. I’ve had Doe once before so I knew I couldn’t really go wrong with the real blueberry glaze, cheesecake drizzle and graham crumbs topping. It was as satisfying as it sounds.
A classic bar with punk rock vibes is right up my alley. The food here is what I like to call, “old skool” vegan. No fluff or fancy plating, just good ol’ vegan food that never disappoints. You’ll find a selection of mostly bowls and sandwiches on the menu. Here I chose to go back to my southern roots and get the BBQ Platter - BBQ tofu, black-eyed peas, collard greens, and toasted baguette for sopping up the sauce. Mmmmm! Mmmmm! And of course you can’t come here without ordering their popular Pretzel Knots. Bring on the carbs!
Speaking of carbs, let’s load up on some more! Are you a sports fan? Me either, but this place is decked out like your Dad’s sports themed man cave from the 60’s. So make sure to bring him here to watch a game and help you finish the pie. For cheese, they use a mix of Follow Your Heart, Violife and Daiya. The menu is extensive and offers crazy pizza flavor combos like Ru’s Dill Pickle Pizza, Chick’n Bacon Alfredo, and Vegan Ru-ban like a Rueben Sandwich. They even have a “Team Pineapple” section with 3 different pizzas that include pineapple. Yaaassss. Don’t worry, you can still order classic pizzas as well. There are lots of sauce, meat and GF options too! Pictured are the Pepperoni Cheesy Bread sticks with jalapeño, Chick’n & Garlic Pizza with alfredo sauce and finally the Dill Pickle Pizza. Time for a nap.
I love the cute little cart markets they have set up all around Portland. And Omg! I have found the best sub sandwich you can buy. Seriously, the Italian sub is my favorite! It’s the size of my head, so massive you could probably break it into two meals or share with a friend, if you’re like, a nice person. Don’t leave Portland without putting this in your mouth. Yeah, I said it.
Calling all pumpkin spice fans! Yep, it doesn’t need to be holiday season for you to get your hands on a decadent pumpkin spice flavored waffle. You know I had to, it was summer but it felt like fall. Formerly known as A.N.D Cafe, their menu offers a variety of comfort classics that make it difficult to choose from since you want to order everything. I went with the “Awesome Plate” 1/2 Waffle, Maple Syrup, Tempeh Bacon, Fresh Greens, Herb Tofu. I also couldn’t resist getting a biscuit with jam on the side. Can’t wait to go back.
What are some of your favorite Portland restaurants? Comment below to let me know!
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DOWNLOAD WISH YOU WERE VEGAN MOBILE BACKGROUND
DOWNLOAD WISH YOU WERE VEGAN DESKTOP BACKGROUND
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DOWNLOAD ANIMAL RIGHTS WOBBLE MOBILE BACKGROUND
DOWNLOAD ANIMAL RIGHTS WOBBLE DESKTOP BACKGROUND
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DOWNLOAD VEGAN VANS MOBILE BACKGROUND (Yellow)
DOWNLOAD VEGAN VANS DESKTOP BACKGROUND (Yellow)
DOWNLOAD VEGAN VANS MOBILE BACKGROUND (White)
DOWNLOAD VEGAN VANS DESKTOP BACKGROUND (White)
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DOWNLOAD LESBI VEGAN MOBILE BACKGROUND
DOWNLOAD LESBI VEGAN DESKTOP BACKGROUND
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BxB: How long have you been vegan and how did you discover veganism?
OLLY: About 3.5 years now! I never really understood or learned about veganism as I was raised so far from it and mainstream media didn’t help one bit. One day I realized I knew quite a few queer vegans and wanted to know what it was all about, since I trust the community. It was something that was subconsciously on my mind for a very long time, as consuming dairy and meat has never sat quite right with me physically or mentally, I just didn’t know why. Once I was mentally healthy enough within myself to make the connection and educate myself to the point of no return, the switch was as easy as breathing. My entire world opened up and I became more excited about food and my own physical and mental health. Having said that, my lifestyle isn’t led by my health or agenda, I am more concerned with morals, all of which go against the meat & dairy industry, factory farming, torture, etc. If it’s vegan - healthy or not - I’ll eat it !
BxB: Do you think there is a link between veganism and gender? Also why is intersectionality important the vegan movement?
OLLY: Not necessarily, but I do think there’s a link between veganism and the queer community. There is also an unfortunate link between veganism and privilege which is why intersectionality is so important. I find a lot of vegans are queer and vice-versa, but sometimes they are white feminists / environmentalists - meaning they put animals before humans of minority (aka POC). For example, white vegans who care about the environment but wear dreadlocks and think All Lives Matter or support only inaccessible vegan businesses or don’t put the same energy into human activism. When they are oppressing/unfairly benefiting from humans but living a “cruelty free” lifestyle but buy sweat shop made nike…. their white & wealthy privilege is clouding their judgement. Humans need their own equal rights, sometimes before they can focus on animal rights. Not to say people don’t and can’t do both, but you can’t judge someone’s choices with less privilege. I can say after fighting for my own rights, my loved ones rights, for intersectional feminism and left wing politics, etc - it’s tiring fighting for animal rights too, but I do it. Some people have a lot more against them, which leaves no room for anything but bare survival. Intersectionality is beyond imperative to veganism, as to feminism, otherwise we’re just regressing. There are plenty of valid reasons why people cannot be vegan (poverty, geography, mental or physical health, etc) and there needs to be space for that. Rather than put them down we can focus on fighting to improve this mess of a planet by using our privilege; which in turn will create more space, education and accessibility to veganism.
The word veganism unfortunately has the same weird negative stigma that feminism used to (and still does to some), but hopefully as with feminism, that will change, because it is misguided.
BxB: Describe your style.
OLLY: Skater boy // minimalist // monochrome // genderless // confused // frustrated ???
BxB: What defines you?
OLLY: My morals, my partner, my success (I’m a Leo), my chosen family, my hair and my socks.
BxB: Can you tell us what pronouns you prefer?
OLLY: they/them - thank you!
BxB: Can you explain what NB means and why you identify with that?
OLLY: NB means non-binary, which means you identify outside the binary, as opposed to within the male or female binary. Whether you’re genderless or fluid or anywhere in between, you’ll essentially fall under this umbrella. Some trans people aren’t non-binary as they are just born in the opposite body. But very often trans people are non-binary, like myself, as regardless of what physical transition they choose if any at all, they don’t fit in the binary of male or female. This is also becoming more common as gender is slowly being blurred and broken down. For example, I know some trans men who are slowly starting to realize they might be non-binary, and only chose the term man because they thought there were only two options.
BxB: Can you tell us how it was for you growing up and if there was a time you felt more yourself than ever before?
OLLY: Growing up was tough. I had all this anger, self-hatred and depression which I now know stemmed from dysphoria. I have 5 brothers - I was always jealous of everything they had and hated everything about myself. I just remember dressing like a “boy” and avoiding the mirror. I have never fit in anywhere, especially school and my family. I now know that societal binaries are the main reason for this…. I don’t fit in, and that’s not a bad thing. I actually recently realized that I demonized my mom and idolized my dad for no reason other than who I wanted to be / look up to. I had this irrational distance from my mom because she would treat me like her little girl and try to bond through womanhood, which made our relationship so toxic and completely enflamed my rage and dysphoria. Hopefully one day she will understand why I was and am the way I am - which is a huge reason I started my project Otherness - I want my family to understand. Obviously growing up in a small town wasn’t helpful, and my world completely opened up when I moved to a major city in Australia, then tenfold when I moved to North America. I feel like I’ve finally found my people (NYC ily), and never really fit in Australia for blurred reasons. So I guess now is the time I feel most myself, and I think it will always be the present, I am growing and learning about myself every day, and society is (though sometimes doubtful) progressing.
BxB: As the LGBTQ+ and gender constructs keep expanding and becoming more accepted, what is it that you think people outside of these communities should know about us?
OLLY: I think some important things would be that there aren’t “boxes” as they’ve created in the outside world. No one is the same - like snowflakes - identity/expression is solely one’s own choice. I feel like if someone from the outside world really took a minute to get to know someone and their feelings and identity, they would be so much more accepting. People are just scared of things they don’t understand or aren’t educated on, and it’s really unfortunate because they’re missing out on some great friends who are now just being oppressed because of it. They should also remember that almost everything is a construct (NOT REAL) and society is forever evolving and progressing. Listen to your kids, listen to the future, listen to love and kindness; not hate or oppression.
BxB: For someone out there struggling with their identity, do you have any advice for them?
OLLY: Find people like you. Move closer to a major city if not into it. If this is not an option or you’re still underage - use the internet to find your people - there’s tonnes of us!! Sign up to magazines/websites (some good ones are them., Out, Posture, DapperQ), find queer folks on instagram + tumblr + twitter, etc, pay attention to the queer & trans celebrities that are showing up. Know that you are not alone, take your time with your own identity. Don’t worry if you can’t figure it out - you don’t need a label! I honestly question myself every day and have quite literally no idea what’s going on. But that’s ok, the world is evolving and we can evolve too. Just make sure you’re safe - you are the future and you are beautiful.
BxB: Tell us about your project called Otherness, what inspired you to create it and what your goal is for it?
OLLY: Otherness started because I was mainly sick of non-binary trans people having no place anywhere, and people thinking “trans” meant only ftm (female to male) or mtf (male to female). I was also sick of people - including family - having a completely warped and stereotypical view of queer and specifically trans people. I wanted to give us a platform and showcase how beautiful and different everyone is. With diversity at the core, I’m hoping to ease people via visual and/or audio stimulation into our world - they need to see the colors, they need to hear the language, they need to feel the fire. A couple of goals would be to make trans people feel heard and important - both the subjects and the audience; to have an art opening/installation in Brooklyn next year, with all the content all over the walls and queer pop-ups and DJ’s, etc etc; and to actively fight the patriarchy.
BxB: How do you want to change the world?
OLLY: I want to break down stigma & stereotypes in the fashion industry and the world in general by being myself! I love confusing people and making them question everything they know, and the more visibility I have, the more people will do that. I want to make this world safer and more accessible for binary and nb trans folks and future models, and I want to use my body and mind as the tools for that. Of course, at the same time I would love to educate as much as possible about veganism and work towards a more intersectional, accessible and diverse vegan community. I put the time and energy that comes with my privilege, into helping anyone who asks and is willing to learn.
BxB: Tell us what you like about BEETxBEET.
OLLY: I love the style and designs so much - they fall oddly specifically along my exact vibe haha - black & white, minimalist and vegan! I enjoy the fact that Jacky herself is queer - as a lot of vegan businesses are run by non-intersectional white vegans. The design of all the product is really on point and the message and approach is super cool and casual - I hope to see them thrive forever!
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Feeling spontaneous, I decided to join her on this trip because I hadn’t been to NYC since I was a teenager. Long before I was vegan and an adult. My dad used to live there and I would visit at least once a year. Unfortunately, he was there when 9/11 happened living and working just blocks away but fortunately survived the horrific event. The city felt different after that day and it sure felt a lot different visiting again some 19 years later. As a teen the city felt a little intimidating but now it’s not as scary as I remember. I wish I had more time to spend there and visit my Dad’s old neighborhood for a trip down memory lane but with our limited time we had to focus on one thing…food.
Our home for the next few days was Brooklyn and the first night we ate at a place called Bunna Ethiopian Cafe where we got some food that hit the spot after our day of traveling. I’d definitely make this place a staple if I lived here.
The next day we set off to a local crepery and tea room called Little Choc Apothecary. The owner was a former model turned entrepreneur and got the idea for the concept after traveling around Paris and falling in love with crepes. It wasn’t until later that she became vegan and decided to open up her new business. MFA has released the video my girlfriend and crew shot here. I have a little cameo appearance in it as well. I was happy to taste food on camera of course. All of the crepes were so good! It was cool to see them making the crepes right in front of us. They have a good handful of savory vs sweet flavors. We got the Burrito Crepe, PB+J crepe and Pizza crepe. The tea room was amazing and offered a huge selection of flavors. You can even order pastries to go with it for an authentic experience. The best part is everything is vegan! I highly recommend this place if you’re in the neighborhood.
After some shopping, relaxing and debating where to eat for dinner we decided to check out chef Issa Chandra’s popular cuisine at Modern Love. I was in heaven with the food here. Everything we had was beautifully crafted and had me shaking my head saying “Oh my god”. For the appetizer we ordered a seasonal Tomato Tart with citrus salad then the main course was a Scampi Pasta which reminded me of flavors from before I was vegan. To satisfy our never ending sweet tooth we opted for the Cherry Pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The menu changes often so you never know what you’ll get when you go except a happy belly.
We called it a night so we could get ready for the first annual Black Veg Fest which was the next day. I wasn’t a vendor there so it was nice to be on the other side of things and hang out. A highlight was seeing Senator Cory Booker who showed up to support the event which was really cool. We ate some mac n’ cheese and cheesecake along with some other naughty things. I would say despite the rainy weather it was a successful event. We even ran into my friends from Compassion Co.
Stephanie and I love pizza so we had to check out Matthew Kenny’s spot Double Zero in Manhattan. I’m a sucker for a good Caesar Salad so we shared that as well as the White Pizza & Mushroom Pizza from the specials menu. Everything was delicious. Since we sat at the bar we had front row seats to the stone oven and saw behind the scenes of making the pizzas. The atmosphere is great for a date night spot. It was a nice night and we had heard about a tiki-bar in the neighborhood called Mother of Pearl. Even though we don’t drink we wanted to check it out and go for a mocktail. I really wanted my drink served in a kitschy shark head glass but they wouldn’t serve it to us that way. I guess that one was for a special type of drink. whomp whomp. The drink we did have was pretty tasty.
The next stop on our food tour was Rip’s Malt Shop. They offer classic diner food like milkshakes, burgers, fries and chili dogs. The burger patties are from Beyond Meat. Since Stephanie was filming we ordered tons of food and had some friends meet us to help us eat. ha. If you’re looking for comfort food classics then Rip’s will not disappoint. They have a back patio area with graffiti walls and social media photo opps. The owner and manager were super cool too. This is a great place for families.
Onto MooShoes where we stopped in to see BEETxBEET merch for sale and hit up Orchard Grocer next door. We got the Breakfast Sandwich and Lox Bagel. It was so good, really some of the best sandwiches I’ve had. One of the employees was wearing a BxB tee so I had to snap a pic with her.
Other notables:
Sweet Maresa's is a cute tiny shop in the city and wow! The best Macaroons I’ve ever had. Luckily they sell these puppies at a local LA spot called CocoBella.
On our last day we got to tour Fine&Raw which is an all vegan chocolate shop. We saw how the chocolate was made and the owner who told us his story on how he started the business. You can also see this video here.
This was just a small part of what NYC has to offer in the way of vegan options. I wish we had more time to visit more places and eat more things. It will just have to wait until next time. What are your favorite New York spots?
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To see the list of winning brands click here or you can buy a printed copy of the Nov/Dec Holiday issue on stands now. Thanks again to all our amazing BEETxBEET fans and to Veg News for this opportunity!
Comment below to let us know what other designs you would like to see or if you could use some desktop backgrounds as well.
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First off, you’ll want to bring some burgers and hot dogs (vegan, obviously). Field Roast has both so you’ve got all your bases covered. They make a great burger, frankfurters for your classic hot dog needs, and specialty sausages to kick it up a notch. The BeetxBeet personal fav is the Apple Sage Sausage. Now if you really want to impress a crowd, bring Field Roast vegan mini corn dogs. But bring a lot because they are addictive. We picked ours up at Whole Foods but you can find their products in many major grocery chains including Albertsons, Vons, Target, and Walmart locations.
Now you have your main dishes like burgers and hot dogs but who wants to eat that stuff plain? That’s right, nobody. Luckily, that’s where Follow Your Heart comes in. They are one of my favorite plant-based companies that has been around since the 70’s and now offering a wide variety of cheeses, spreads, dressings and even gluten free breads and tortilla wraps! We topped our burgers some some tasty smoked gouda (a personal favorite) and sharp cheddar slices. FYH has a ton of spread options because Veganaise comes in so many varieties. The new Garlic Aioli is amazing but the Chipotle flavor comes in a close second. (Fun Fact: BeetxBeet designed 40th anniversary labels for Follow Your Heart’s Veganaise jars!) You can find FYH products in a ton of stores including Lassen’s, Von’s, Target, Whole Foods, Publix and more.
I like big buns and I cannot lie. Pretzilla buns that is! Yes, vegan pretzel buns for your burgers and hot dogs. Dude, I know. It’s real. It’s a thing. It happened. Find them in most Whole Foods locations.
I’m big on probiotics and their health benefits so incorporating those products into my diet when I can is a must! No party would be complete without a lil ‘kraut on your dog. Let’s all remember that even though we are partying this summer, our guts need to stay healthy! Pickled Planet makes all the raw and organic sauerkraut your body could ever ask for to keep your belly nice and digesty. I love that they have a beet style kraut too! You can top burgers, sandwiches and hot dogs with this stuff. MMmmm!
We’ve got to wash down all that good food so on a hot summer day what’s better than an ice cold adult beverage? The coolest thing about 101 Cider House is that their cold pressed juice has zero sugar, probiotics and it’s made locally in LA with herbs and superfoods.
For those that don’t drink alcohol there’s fermented tea. You guys know I’m obsessed with kombucha so I had to pick up some of my favorite booch from GT’s Kombucha. Currently I’m super into the Thai Basil flavor. GT’s mom actually credits kombucha for helping her heal from breast cancer back in the 90’s and that’s when GT made it his mission to make this tea accessible to everyone and started his company. How cool is that? Find GT’s in your area by visiting their website.
What’s a summer party without ice cream? We knew we had to pull through for our guests and Nada Moo saved the day. We set up a cutie ice cream bar complete with cones, lots of toppings from nuts to chocolate sauce, and a sick back drop for photo ops. They have a ton of new flavors out so you can grab your personal favorite *cough Birthday Cake Cookie Dough cough* and grab some classics like Rocky Road or Vanilla…ahhh to please your vegan doubting friends. They also have a ton of new flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake and Cookie Dough Fudge. Are you drooling yet? Nada Moo is available at Whole Foods, Gelson’s, Sprouts, Lassen’s, and most Natural Food Stores. Bonus - They just opened their first brick and mortar in Austin, Texas.
Ok now that you know about some legit plant-based products out there I hope you never leave a summer party hungry again! I love seeing these products available at so many stores and becoming more accessible to everyone. It’s only a matter of time before your great aunt Millie calls you to say she just had the best vegan mac & cheese and wants to send you the recipe. So grab yourself some veggie burgers and a pint of ice-cream and show your crew how good vegan food can be!
What are some of your favorite plant-based products and/or recipes to make for potlucks? Leave a comment and let me know.
Love and Beets!
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However, the majority of the people who makes clothes for the global market live in poverty, unable to afford life’s basic necessities. Many are subject to exploitation; verbal and physical abuse, working in unsafe and dirty conditions, with very little pay.
Our clothes have a devastating environmental impact too. The chemicals used to grow, dye, launder and treat our clothes end up polluting rivers. Read our Why Organic blog post here.
Fashion Revolution encourages as many people as possible to join the Fashion Revolution by asking brands and retailers #whomademyclothes. Brands and producers are encouraged to respond with the hashtag #imadeyourclothes and to demonstrate transparency in their supply chain.
That is why we joined forces with Groceries Apparel creating high quality custom blanks manufactured locally in Los Angeles, CA. They provide seed to skin traceability while empowering human beings through fair-trade, fair conditions and fair treatment across its entire supply chain.
We are joining the global movement for #FashionRevolution by launching a brand new capsule collection locally made in Los Angeles using 100% GOTS certified organic cotton, low-impact dyes and eco-friendly vegan inks.
Here is a photo of Julio & Francisca who are employees at Groceries and took part in making our new organic collection.
We want to let our customer know when you support our business and others taking part in Fashion Revolution you are supporting women, you are supporting human rights, you are supporting better environmental standards and your health.
Let’s create a better place to thrive and live in the world by sending a message!
Learn more about the Rana Plaza collapse and the fashion industry by watching the documentary True Cost.
Visit FashionRevolution.org to get educated.
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Our non-organic blanks supplier manufactures locally in Los Angeles as well and is certified by Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), an independent, non-profit team of global social compliance experts.
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This has been a goal of mine for a long time coming. I am so pumped to share with you our new organic collection launching April 23rd but first I wanted to give you some information around why it’s important to support organic cotton.
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.
Chemical residues from conventional cotton are left on clothes and then absorbed into our skin which is the largest organ on our body. It’s very similar to buying food at the grocery store. You might want to ask yourself, are you an organic or conventional shopper? The same applies to clothing.
Conventionally-grown cotton occupies only 3% of the world's farmland, but uses 25% of the world's chemical pesticides. The EPA considers 7 of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton as "likely" or "known" human carcinogens. Pretty shocking stuff! Over 90% of the cotton grown in the U.S. is genetically engineered, spliced with the Bt toxin and modified to survive the spraying of large quantities of the controversial herbicide, Roundup from the company we love to hate - Monsanto
Sprayed from the air or by hand using pumps, these highly toxic chemicals can drift into surrounding neighborhoods, poison farm workers, contaminate air, ground and surface water and cause major eco-system imbalances. Um, No thanks.
Millions of cotton farmers and garment workers in the developing world are exploited in the global marketplace. India is a large supplier of cotton and also where Monsanto has set up shop for six decades taking control of the seed industry. They have been accused for a long time of overcharging farmers for GMO seeds which claim to be pest resistant but that effect actually diminishes with time. The seeds are only usable once and then you have to buy again for the next year. The high price of seeds and royalties paid to Monsanto left thousands of farmers in a vicious cycle of debt. This sadly led to many farmers suicides when the crops failed.
(Photo: Vikas Choudhary)
As a result, in 2006 the government was forced to start regulating Bt cotton prices. A recent court ruling is now putting a halt against the big ag giant deciding that they can not own a patent over genetically modified cotton seeds in India.
So, to recap the bad stuff:
Bad for farmers, garment workers, your health and the environment.
Now that you are totally bummed out let’s get to the positive vibes!
Organic cotton uses up to 95% less water than conventional cotton during the wash phase and doesn’t contain the harsh chemicals, bleaches or dyes that conventional cotton uses. Nice!
Organic cotton represents a return to safe and sustainable practices while being environmentally and socially responsible. It is grown with natural fertilizers and is free from toxic chemicals. Organic farmers rely on crop rotation to replenish and maintain soil fertility. Mechanical cultivation and botanical or biological means are used to control pests and weeds.
A field must be pesticide-free for at least three years to be certified organic, and the cotton must be processed according to international organic standards. We respect and value the rights of workers and believe in the right to fair and safe workplace conditions that’s why we chose Groceries Apparel to supply us with high quality garments.
We believe the consumer has the right to know what their purchase is supporting. GROCERIES supports family farms, localized manufacturing, living wages, and Monsanto-free, organic ingredients. Its operations empower human beings through fair-trade, fair conditions and fair treatment across its entire supply chain and provide full traceability to its customers. GROCERIES operates its own factory in Los Angeles, CA to ensure that they are able to follow through with their claims.
To recap the good stuff:
Organic cotton is better for your health, farmers, garment workers and the environment.
While we currently do not have the ability to make our entire line organic at this time we are making steps towards creating a better brand overall and doing what we can to make a difference in the industry. We hope you will join us in support of this new collection and sustainable movement.
Love & Beets
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Sources:
https://www.haenow.com/cart/whyorganic.php
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/vidarbha-s-toxic-trail-59173
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