This fun fabric is perfect for so many items, especially as summertime is approaching. I love the big tote bags — ideal for trips to the pool or beach. And the tablecloths that come in vibrant, bold designs would brighten up any patio dining or picnic table. Other products include cosmetics/travel bags and aprons. There are even some items for companion animals available: I love the food mats for cats (shaped like a fish) and dogs (shaped like a bone).

Jessica at Freckled Sage’s table at the Terminal Market

Fun stuff for the Pup

Large Tote Bag

portabella carpaccio, creamy horseradish, pickled cabbage, cornichons

hawaiian hearts of palm “cioppino”, trumpet mushrooms, fregola, fennel, peas

grilled seitan, swiss chard, smoked tahini, pickled turnips, za’atar

white chocolate panna cotta, served with black truffle elephant ear cookie and blood orange agrodolce

In addition to the small plates and entree plates we selected, Vedge offers a “Dirt List” –  a half dozen vegetable specials of the day featuring whatever is  available at the moment from the local farms. During our visit, we tried the Wood Grilled Broccolini cooked in smoky shitake dashi with crushed white sesame and the Brussels Sprouts served in a light mustard sauce that was out of this world (my fave of the night).

In other dessert news, there were several vegan ice creams and sorbets to choose from: at our table, spoonfuls of coconut and pecan pie sorbets and habanero (!) ice cream.

Vedge also has an impressive wine list and selection of cocktails. Celebrating my roots, I indulged in a wonderful glass of bianco from Sicily.

Tip: even during the week, this place is bustling — be sure to make a reservation.

Special thanks to friends on the Cruelty-Free Faves Facebook page who offered up suggestions.

Dinner

• Vedge
  Upscale, lively vegan tapas place. This place is such a treat, I decided to write a separate piece about the experience, just so I could include a bunch of tantalizing pictures from our meal. So check back at the end of this week for a full report.
• New Harmony
  All-vegan in Philadephia’s Chinatown. The atmosphere is casual, but the extensive menu (including mock meats) gets rave reviews. Once my husband Seth heard that there was a vegan dim-sum nearby, New Harmony became his destination of choice. Vegan pork buns, shrimp dumplings, sesame chicken. No surprise, I loved the steamed spinach dumplings.

Vegan Philly Steaks

• 

  Philly Steak, etc. at Hip City Veg

  Blackbird Pizzeria
  The first place we head to when we arrived — thanks to multiple suggestions. You can buy pizza by the slice here, and some of the combinations look absolutely delicious; but we were steered to the Seitan Cheesesteak and — what can I say? — it’s a must. I hear the Cubano sandwich is pretty amazing, too. We also sampled the chick pea “tuna” salad and cajun coleslaw, both delicious. Cupcakes from Vegan Treats available if you have room for dessert. Cool piece of trivia: the owner of Blackbird previously worked at Blossom in NYC.

• Hip City Veg
  Not far from Rittenhouse Square, Hip City Veg features an all plant-based menu. The burgers and sandwiches are soy and grain-based, but there are delicious salads on the menu, too. Of course, I had to try the Philly Steak — I loved all the grilled onions and tomato on Hip City’s version of the classic. Sweet potato fries with black bean chipotle and a vanilla shake (soy milk, soy ice cream) rounded out this highly indulgent meal. Thankfully, I’d been walking around all day… and did a lot more walking afterwards.

Lunch

• 

  Vietnamese hoagie at Mi Lah

  Mi Lah (Dinner /Lunch)
  This vegan restaurant has a very tempting dinner menu: African Peanut Stew in Tomato Curry Sauce. Brazilan Seitan Feijoado with Pan Seared Red Curry. Grilled Oyster Mushrooms on Brandy-Tequila Tomato Sauce with Vegan Chorizo. Or how about Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, and Potato Cashew Gratin in a Lemon Beurre Blanc? Next time I’m in town, I will be there for dinner. However, on this visit, I stopped in for lunch — an altogether different menu. I opted for the Vietnamese Hoagie with marinated tofu, chili vegenaise, carrots, cucumber, and cilantro. So good. And, if you’re up for ordering a side, I recommend the battered mushrooms served with agave mustard.

• Reading Terminal Market
  One of oldest (since 1893) and largest farmer’s markets in the country, this market should be on any visitor’s agenda. I spent a couple of hours in here just wandering around, taking in the abundance of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and crafts. You’ll also get a glimpse of Pennsylvania’s Amish, who are among the vendors here. Although this is an omnivore’s market, it’s still a great spot for a lunchtime with local flavor. Choose from places like OK Produce, Tootsie’s Salad Express, 12th St. Cantina  for a veggie burrito or tacos, or Kamal’s for a hummus or falafel pita. Old City Coffee makes a good cup of decaf.
• Maoz Vegetarian
  There are two locations of this falafel chain in Philly. I didn’t get to either, but I’m well-acquainted with Maoz, thanks to the NYC location just a couple of blocks from my apartment. So, if you’ve already tried a vegan cheesesteak, keep in mind this other great option for a quick bite. Never underestimate the possibilities of one pita, three falafel balls, and a mostly vegan “as much as you can pile on” fixins’ bar.

Snack, Take a Break, Recharge

• Grindcore House
  If you’re running around Independence Mall and all the nearby landmarks, you may want to take a break at this cool little vegan coffeehouse. Bonus: vegan cream cheese for the bagels.
• Soft Pretzels!
  I grew up with New York pretzel vendors, so sue me if I say that Philadelphia wins the soft pretzel award. If you’re looking for a snack while you’re walking your way through early American history, I highly recommend grabbing one at the Independence Visitors Center or at any one of the numerous local restaurants or food trucks that have them. A little mustard, and I’m good to go!

BUT the real wow was when I bit into one. The texture and taste is unbelievably spot-on. The “white” really is like an egg white in its consistency — I never thought I’d have that experience in my mouth again! Even more impressive: the taste of the “yolk” — the secret ingredient is the black salt. Kezia sprinkled some in the palm of my hand just so I could fully appreciate it. This salt tastes just like eggs. So, find it online or at a local Indian market and prepare to be amazed. We ordered the black salt as soon as we landed back in Tucson and my husband Seth made a batch of these “eggs” (success!) on Easter Sunday.

ingredients:

• 450 grams — about 2 cups — soy milk (unsweetened, unflavored)
• 2 tsp. agar agar powder
• 11/4 teaspoon black salt
• 215 grams tofu
• 2 tbl. Vegenaise
• 2-3 tbl. olive oil
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1 tsp. white vinegar
• 3/4-1 tsp. black salt
• 1/2 tsp. tumeric
• 1/4 tsp. parsley (optional)
• 2-3 pinches curry (optional – but Kezia uses it, and it’s delicious)

directions:

1. Whites: Combine soy milk, agar agar, and 1/4 tsp. black salt. Boil and pour into egg tray (using it as a mold); if you don’t have an egg tray, you can use a cupcake pan and fill each one about 1/3 of the way. Once cooled (about 30 minutes in the fridge), you’ll scoop out a bit of the center of each.
2. Creamy Yolk Filling: Mix remaining ingredients (including the remaining 3/4-1 tsp. black salt) in the food processor; using a pastry bag, pipe into the “whites.” To finish, we sprinkled ours with paprika.

*Kezia credits La Gusta’s as the basis for this incredible recipe.

our Easter Sunday “eggs”

This year’s US VegWeek, starting next Monday (Earth Day!), comes on the heels of a United Nations report urging the developed world to cut their meat intake in half in order to avoid continuing down a path leading to serious environmental damage.

It couldn’t be easier to give meat-free a try and feel good about making choices that make a difference. US VegWeek provides a fun and supportive opportunity for pledgers to explore delicious meat-free meals while receiving support, recipes, and tips via its web site.

And you will hardly be alone in the adventure. In addition to the thousands taking the pledge this year, several cities and counties also have expressed their support for US VegWeek through official proclamations including Washington, D.C., Tucson, Arizona, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Charlottesville, Virginia.

“Every time we sit down to eat, we can stand up for our health, the planet, and animals simply by choosing vegetarian foods,” says COK’s Executive Director Erica Meier. “And US VegWeek offers a fun and supportive way to get started.”

So what are you waiting for? Take the pledge and enjoy being a part of this awesome nationwide event.

While in Tucson, I served as student representative on the Executive Council of the State Bar of Arizona Animal Law Section. During that time, the section organized everything from social happy hours to animal law-focused CLEs and presentations at the annual State Bar convention. When it came time to organize my family’s return to Manhattan, I joined the New York City Bar Association as a recent law school graduate, specifically to connect with its Committee on Animal Law. I’ve already marked April 25th on my calendar: there will be a presentation and discussion at the House of the Association on 44th Street entitled “Sunset for Elephants and Rhinos in the Wild? Illegal Trafficking, Inadequate Enforcement, and Lack of Political Will.” This program is free of charge, open to all members and the general public.

To get a further glimpse into the kinds of issues such a committee tackles — and a look at what is currently happening in New York — here’s an excerpt from the March issue of the NYC Bar newsletter:

Consolidated Animal Crimes Bill
The Committee on Animal Law expressed support for A.775/S.1776 (the Consolidated Animal Crimes Bill), which would relocate many of the criminal provisions currently found in the Agriculture and Markets Law to a new Title Q in the Penal Law. The bill also re-defines statutory terms, creates new statutory terms, re-titles animal crimes offenses, reclassifies existing animal crimes, delineates sentencing provisions, and introduces various new animal crimes offenses and creates a hierarchy of offenses for charging, plea-bargaining, and sentencing purposes. The Committee believes such a change would clarify, modernize, and restructure the animal crimes law of New York State and promote greater enforcement and consistent interpretation of animal crimes.

Humane Education
In a joint report the Committees on Animal Law, Children and the Law, and Education and the Law expressed support for A.2484, which would require the Commissioner of Education to notify every school district of the existing requirement that elementary schools provide instruction in the humane treatment of animals, their importance in the environment, and the importance of spaying and neutering programs. The amendment also authorizes the Commissioner to appropriate grants to teachers for training, workshops, videos, and other resources used for humane education instruction and that all applicants for a teaching certificate or license complete two hours of course work or training in humane education instruction.

Sprinklers in Pet Stores
The Committee on Animal Law supports with recommendations A.972, which would require the installation and testing of fire equipment and sprinkler systems for animal housing maintained by pet dealers. As drafted, the proposed legislation would only apply to pet dealer facilities housing dogs and cats and would not cover pet stores that sell only birds, rabbits, and/or reptiles. The report therefore recommends that the proposed legislation be expanded to cover all companion animals housed by pet stores.

Animal Licensing Exemption
A.1123/S.1700 would provide that commercial dog breeders are only exempt from New York State licensing, vaccination, and control regulations where the breeder sells dogs exclusively to USDA registered research facilities and has obtained a certificate of exemption. The Committee on Animal Law expressed support for this legislation as it would close a loophole that currently allows certain commercial dog breeders to escape the licensing, vaccination, and other dog control requirements simply because the breeder is registered as a Class A dealer with the USDA.

Theft of a Companion Animal or Pet
The Committee on Animal Law expressed support for A.1643/S.2336-A, which would amend the Penal Law to provide for first and second degree felony offenses for the theft of a companion animal or pet. The proposed legislation would create a second degree felony offense where a person steals a companion animal or pet and a first degree felony offense where a person commits pet theft in the second degree and either 1) the stolen pet or companion animal is sold for scientific research purposes or 2) the person who stole the pet or companion animal with no justifiable purpose…intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical injury to such companion animal or pet with aggravated cruelty.

Unweaned Birds
In a letter to the Legislature, the Committee on Animal Law provided comments on A.738/S.1922, which would prohibit the sale of unweaned baby birds by pet dealers. The Committee supports the intent of the law, to protect unweaned baby birds and to protect consumers who may not know how to properly care for these birds, but expressed concern that as drafted the bill would not apply to many bird sellers. Under the proposed law only bird sellers who also sell dogs or cats would be subject to the law. The Committee recommends amendments which would keep the bill substantively the same but ensure that it applies to bird sellers generally. The Committee also suggested two other legislative approaches: establishing a fuller regulatory system for the sale of unweaned birds, and banning their sale altogether.

As you can see, State Bar Animal Law committees are such a positive force within our legal system. A wonderful means of bringing people together, all working towards more and stronger laws for the protection of animals.

Irregardless Cafe

I recently made my first trip to the Research Triangle and enjoyed some great vegan food while I was visiting. Downtown Raleigh and the surrounding cluster of quaint neighborhoods feature lots of shops and restaurants, including some fantastic veg-friendly places.

The Irregardless Cafe (the Literature major in me chuckles at this non-word people still use so often) has a wonderful energy about it, bustling with diners and some great live music, with a cozy setting of warm woods and local artwork.

There’s a “Vegetarian and Vegan” section on the menu, but other vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-friendly offerings, including appetizers and salads, are clearly marked on the menu for the veg crowd. Someone at our table ordered the vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls, which looked and tasted delicious. Meanwhile, I ordered the appetizer special of vegan “oysters” (a blend of seitan and soy, with just the right amount of salty to make a convincing substitute) to pass around the table. For our entrees, I had the Happy Bowl, a heaping mix of steamed vegetables — I got extra vegetables in lieu of tofu — with short grain rice and green lentils with ginger miso sauce. SO good. My husband Seth had what may be one of the best vegan Pad Thai dishes I’ve every had — not too sweet, and it came with vegetables and seitan.

Vegan “Oysters”

Happy Bowl

Pad Thai w/ seitan

Other places to try if you’re in town:

• The Remedy Diner
  This bar/cafe in the heart of downtown (that kind of feels more like a British pub) turned out to be the best surprise of the trip. We started with the flash-fried broccoli bites, which are  seasoned with garlic and served with a homemade vegan ranch dressing. It doesn’t look like anything fancy, but… wow. Then we ordered two sandwiches. The “Tempeh Tantrum,” voted by PETA as one of the Top Five Sandwiches in the U.S. was a delicious combo of tempeh, pesto, and avocado slices; the tempeh reuben may be the best vegan reuben I’ve had. Finally, we topped it off by sharing a slice of rich, super-moist chocolate cake.
• Thaiphoon Bistro
  Sleek, cool zen vibe. I had a mild yellow curry made with coconut milk that came loaded with vegetables and tofu. Seth usually gets vegan Pad Thai when he has the option, but here he ordered the XXX, which I tasted and thought was really good (though more than a forkful would have been a little too spicy for me).
• 

  Chocolate Cake at Remedy

  Blue Mango
  Right across the street from Thaiphoon. I didn’t have time to eat there myself, but there are plenty of veg-friendly options at this contemporary Indian cuisine spot.

• Fiction Kitchen
  Sweet Potato Sushi Rolls. Braised Tempeh with pesto Grits. Crispy Fried “Chicken” and Waffles. This vegan haven gets rave reviews. Unfortunately, we ventured over there on a Monday night — the one night it’s closed. But I did get a peek inside, and it was easy to see why — in addition to its fantastic vegan menu — this place would be so popular. Great eclectic feel. If you get there, please let me know via the CFF Facebook page (and please post a picture of whatever you order!)
• Fresh Choice Cafe (Sanford, NC)
  Sanford is about 40 minutes away from Raleigh, but I spent a couple of days there visiting a lifelong friend who is like  sister to me. We grabbed a late lunch here; the cafe resembles a small diner, and its menu includes several vegetarian and vegan options. I had a very tasty veggie and red roasted pepper hummus wrap. Fresh Choice also has a veggie burger and some vegan salads on the menu.

The sad reality is that beagles are the most popular breed for lab use, specifically because of their gentle and forgiving nature. Beagle Freedom Project was founded by Los Angeles attorney and animal advocate Shannon Keith. Its mission is rescuing and finding homes for beagles that have been used in laboratory research. And, just so you don’t confuse BFP with more radical groups — visions of laboratory break-ins dancing in your head — BFP works directly with laboratories, who often attempt to find homes for adoptable, healthy beagles once they’re no longer needed for research.

Here’s a video of BFP’s most recent rescued beagles, from a lab in the Midwest:

Meeting Frederick & Douglass, Two Very Special Beagles
During our most recent trip to Los Angeles, my husband and I had tons of fun catching up with friends Kezia Jauron and Gary Smith — otherwise known as the power couple behind the public relations agency Evolotus. Kezia and Gary have been amazing in helping us spread the word about Letters To Pushkin; business aside, they’re just two great people doing incredible things on behalf of animals. Among their many efforts, they are huge supporters of Beagle Freedom Project. Having dinner at their home, we had a chance to enjoy great food and drinks… and the company of Frederick and Douglass, two beagles rescued by BFP from a lab in Spain that have become part of the family. LOVE!

with Douglass, rescued lab beagle

Support Beagle Freedom Project
If you’re interested in fostering or adopting a lab beagle, please contact Beagle Freedom Project. Another easy way to support BFP is by purchasing the 2013 Beagle Freedom Project calendar, which features one adorable picture after the next of the rescued pups. Or shop at BFP’s online store for other merchandise, such as t-shirts, posters, and totes — great ways to give this organization a few dollars and spread awareness.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY! VOTE for Beagle Freedom Project!
Right now, BFP is trying to win a free booth at the WorldFest event in Woodley Park (San Fernando Valley, CA) on May 19th. It would be such a great public outreach opportunity! The contest runs until May 6th, so please visit the WorldFest’s Voting Page and click on the BFP icon… then share with family and friends so that they can do the same. Thanks!

My friend Jaya has been kind enough to share photos of her recent meal at Crossroads. The Kale Spanakopita looks like it alone may be worth a plane ticket back to L.A. asap!

mushroom “oysters” on artichoke shells

“crab” cakes with hearts of palm

Jaya’s fave: mushroom scallopini

kale spanakopita

tortelloni with almond cheese

Thanks for sharing, Jaya! As always, you rock. Chef Ronnen: Crossroads NYC? Please?

Our darling “fluffer nutter” Galileo has peanut butter-colored freckles as plentiful as the stars of the constellations, but early on I decided on this story:

Once upon a time, in heaven, a bunch of angels were huddled together. The angel Galileo approached them to find out what all the buzz was about.

Someone explained: “There’s a family down there for one of us. One of us is going to show up for them as a puppy.”

Of course, this meant that whatever angel took on the job would have to leave behind his wings for a while. Galileo thought about it. He took a look at this family of four: he’d have a mom, dad, and two canine brothers.

Galileo volunteered. He was so excited, he started flying around in circles over and over again, just as he runs around and around today (always to the right). With great ceremony, Galileo’s angel friends helped him remove his shimmery wings and hang them in the closet, where they wait for him. Then he became a puppy, covered in marshmallow-soft white fur; there’s an iridescence to the fur — in the sunlight, you can see a rainbow of colors — that’s a lot like his glorious wings.

Then, to say “farewell for now” and wish Galileo well, all the angels gathered around him and showered him with kisses. And they each left their mark – each of the hundreds of freckles, the kiss of an angel.

As we say in our home: another day, another gift. Today — every day — we celebrate Galileo and what a blessing it is to have him as part of our family. Thank you to Tucson’s Foundation for Animals in Risk (FAIR), the foster/adoption organization that brought us together.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Fluffer Nutter” Birthday Cupcakes

We nicknamed Galileo after the combination of marshmallow and peanut butter. So, today my six year-old nephew Nicky and I made vegan “Fluffer Nutter” cupcakes in honor of our birthday boy:

• Yellow Cake Mix by Cherrybrook Kitchen (I use Earth Balance vegan sticks instead of butter)
• Suzanne’s Ricemellow Creme (“fluff” frosting)
• Earth Balance Peanut Butter
• Large Baking Cups by If You Care

I wanted to use peanut-butter chips to more closely resemble his freckles, but there aren’t any vegan ones available on the market yet. I found a simple recipe that combines peanut butter and vegan white chocolate chips (melt, pour into tray, cool, and cut). Maybe next year I’ll give it a try.

As for tonight’s birthday party… G’s older brother Otis is the official host. Nicky has volunteered to help Galileo blow out the candles.

after last year’s birthday party