Vegan Weekend Fun

It was a laid back, time changin' weekend around town! Complete with Matt getting an allergy shot, yum food, theater, meeting other veg folks, promoting and computer stress! Matt's computer is getting repaired so that means my zine is not going to be finished on my personal dead line. I print my hard copy on Matt's printer then go from there. It means I can fiddle with it more. Maybe make it a double issue at 40 pages!

I am part of the Veg News street team, I get to promote a magazine I really dig by carrying this cool new bag and handing out copies of the magazine. Last week in my promo pack I got to try the new Go Max Go Tumbs Up bar - ohh yes!  It was good!It reminded me so much of a Butterfinger!

Vegan fashion fact: the shoes I am sportin' are vegan sneakers that contain faux snake skin, faux suede and faux fur. With all of the Beyounce shoe drama lately I feel the need to wear my cool cruelty free kicks! They are by Akademiks and were really cheap with a bunch of mark downs! I know some people think wearing faux is wrong but I am all for faux. I think it comes down to showing people you can celebrate animals cruelty free and educate the clueless or ill informed. Saying racist things about a celebrity or calling her names will not change her mind or anyone's mind for the matter. 

In my Veg News bag I had my usual Target vegan food haul that I stock up on weekly (Rotel, Luna bars, snacks, chips) but I also picked up the new issue of Rachel Ray because it featured the vegan food truck Cinnamon Snail plus a recipe for their fig pancakes! Awesome seeing vegan food in a mainstream non-vegan magazine!

Camp 4 gave us a preview of a upcoming vegan sandwich on their new spring menu. It is a black bean hummus sandwich with black bean hummus, avocado, onion and a potato crisp (sorta like a thick slightly crisp waffle fry). Matt and I split the sandwich and salad (because Saturday is a sleep in day and we had a late lunch to begin with and would be eating dinner shortly). It was really good, fresh! I am glad they are offering something vegan on the menu and hope they will put another vegan option or two on it! Also I ordered a french press of coffee and they had two almond milks to choose from! Matt does not even like coffee but totally dug on my mug and insists we get a french press.

I am cooking up a lot of new food this week and can't wait to share! I hope your week gets off to a great start!

Teenage Dreams Do Come True

Last Friday as a post Valentine's - Valentine's day Matt took me to see Marilyn Manson! In 96-97 when I was a senior in high school I discovered Marilyn Manson, not as a way to shock my parents but as a way to cope with a bunch of crap going on. Instead of turning to drugs I turned to black clothing. Hot Topic was really new at this point, and if you are in your 30s you will remember Hot Topic being different than what it is now. Everything was black, a lot of Lip Service and goth brands...no cute, colorful rainbow pony things in site! I could not afford anything in HT, the one day I could thanks to a bit of Christmas cash I walked up to the register with a skull sweater feeling so good, only discover someone pick pocketed my coin purse and my money was gone. I went the hand-me-down route, my mom found stuff at yard sales, I had a few band shirts...I even wore some of my favorite stuff to meet MM in San Francisco at his book party. I was so nervous I remember throwing up that morning. My autographed book and my clothing was burned in a fire a few months later due to an electrical problem or as we think someone setting our house on fire.

MM's show on Friday was a great show. Full of costume and set stages. Matt said he would make a great Joker...The only complaint is the crowed. People came to the show looking for a fight, so wound up on drugs and still getting high in the crowed....I think if you can't enjoy a show unless you are high - maybe pick something else to do that you will enjoy. I had a glass of wine before the show and was set...Matt had a beer...We did not need to get wasted to enjoy ourselves. At one point a giant of a man who was 6"8" and about 300 pounds barreled through the crowed with some other giant dudes to mosh with kids...The crowed got would up, people were slammed into me and someone broke my toe...I had sturdy boots on too. A few minutes later some chick fainted at our feet. People were smashing into me and I was concerned about the pregnant chick behind me...There was no security in the crowed, no crowed control. 2 people fainted, parents brought their kids who ended up crying and wanting to leave...People did you loose your brain???

Shows are supposed to be fun. The show was fun! The crowed just sucked. I hope the promoters take word and fix these problems or I will avoid shows from them in the future. I have never been to a concert that did not have some control...I do not go to a show wanting to get hurt...I think people do go to shows looking for a fight. They should not be there...Security should be in place to promote a safe environment for everyone.

Cat fact: Many of you know Mar is named after Marilyn Manson. I use Mar online and in front of strangers because trying to explain why my 19 pound male cat is named Marilyn goes over people's heads!

[Vegan MOFO Day 21]Weekend Round Up: Memories & More Veganized Fast Food

Matt was shooting again this weekend so I stayed home and finally addressed my Halloween cards! I picked them up Friday night from the printers. I am way behind this year!

Saturday was the 9th anniversary of my sister's death. Matt overheard a coworker talking about glow sticks in balloons for a party and I thought that sounded cool so I wanted to bring a few to my sister and some lil things I picked up for her. My mom always is decorating the cemetery with dollar store finds.Some people may find this morbid or weird but I feel it is a way to remember and celebrate someone you are missing. My mom pulled up as we got there and I shared some of my candy loot that Amber sent me!

Dinner was at Thai House, our fave place to eat in Modesto (not that we eat out a lot around here). They really know how to hook a vegan up! The fresh spring rolls with sweet and sour (and for me salty) sauce is a must have! If you are ever in Modesto - go here to eat!
The other place in town we grab food from - Greens Market had vegan doughnuts and brownies so I picked a few up and we had them after buying Halloween candy at Target (again very last minute) for Halloween! It is nice having vegan stuff in town!

Our Sunday dinner plans were flipped. Last minute decision was to create a Carl's JR guacamole burger! This was just a last minute deal with loads of guacamole, organic tomatoes, FYH jack-cheeze on a seeded wheat bun! After looking at the Carl's Junior menu I noticed a 'veg' option that is a bun, guacamole, veggies and cheese...I am not sure how popular that is. Their other option is a turkey-guac burger. I bet the vegan Quorn patty would be a good bet for a fill in. However I have not found them anywhere! So the Gardein fresh patty was what I used! With a side of fries dinner was good!

Hand Born 2011

Hey guys - if you are in Modesto next Saturday please come by and say hi! Matt and I will be vending at Hand Born again this year. I am rolling out some limited edition products like sugar skull ornaments and will have vegan sweets! We will be at Deva this year!