August 19, 2017
Another day in one of our nation’s national parks, my #21, Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. This park, like Shenandoah, feels more like home. Though spectacular they are, the geology of the western parks in their different biomes can be almost otherworldly. There is a slight uneasiness underneath Read more…
August 11, 2017
This little Italian girl always loved lasagna. Even though lasagna uses the same basic ingredients as other Italian dishes (noodle, sauce, cheeses), it’s the structure of lasagna I love. Â It is organized. Â And I am a big fan of things being organized. Â I always was. As a child I remember Read more…
July 26, 2017
Vegan options are popping up all over the place on Long Island. So I try to squeeze them into my daily routines and errands right away. After a recent hot tip, I checked out Radio Radio in Huntington Village for lunch. They have some promising-reading vegan options on their Southern/BBQ Read more…
July 18, 2017
On my last day in my second favorite city I headed to Chinatown. Mostly because when I saw the huge drive-in line at In-n-Out Burger I felt slightly disappointed I couldn’t partake in such a characteristic LA sociological gathering. But my friend told me that Burgerlords, which was on my Read more…
July 13, 2017
Today is day one of a California summer adventure! And day ones are about getting acclimated, adjusting to the road and a totally new lay of the land. This land, our land/your land, is coated in a sun-dried muff; it’s baked, the high and mighty ball of fire sucking out Read more…
April 13, 2017
After the world’s most perfect train ride, I was back in Paris again, finally learning how to take the Metro. I was also back in the room I stayed in days before. With Eiffel Tower views. Can you see it over there across the way from my balcony? And what Read more…
April 2, 2017
The Refuge in Melville recently created an all-vegan menu… so that I can be fully satisfied. Well, not really me but, let’s say, more people in general. Such exciting twists are born of the changing tides in the food world. Plant-based is being embraced is a huge way… and beyond salad or Read more…
August 5, 2016
Guess where I am…Yes, I’m in Iowa! Vegan Victuals is now reporting in 48 states! So let’s get to my lunch. I decided that Krunkwich Ramen House in Des Moines, Iowa had the best vegan options in the whole state. Krunkwich has a wonderfully appetizing selection of clearly identified vegan options, from Asian Read more…
August 4, 2016
First: The Sunflowers on I-90 in South Dakota. As I travel west on the I-90 a couple of days back, I noticed a dramatic yellow hue contrasting the prairie’s muted landscape on the eastbound side of the interstate. Sunflowers. I did some recon later on and learned that South Dakota was Read more…
April 29, 2016
The Pacific Northwest is heavy. Such things I forget. Having no appetite (!) I barely nibbled on the Mighty Mofo at Chaco Canyon Cafe, A vegan Reuben sandwich with housemade seitan, sauerkraut, mustard, cucumbers & sprouts, served on a soft sourdough. And sprouts. In Seattle, wherever you are, it’s grey. Read more…
March 14, 2016
Brunch is a âthing.â Itâs different than other meals. Maybe because itâs like two of them. Stakes are higher. Like a bad brunch is doubly bad, a great brunch can make the day. Brunch at Daya, an all-vegan restaurant in the pretty Winter Park downtown, was perfect. Their half-plate option Read more…
January 23, 2016
I’m near Penn Station every so often. And now Cinnamon Snail has a home there: The Pennsy! The Pennsy is a high-end food court attached to Penn Station / Madison Square Garden. It was pretty slow at my arrival during peak rush hours… except for Cinnamon Snail. I asked the Read more…
November 26, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for a successful Thanksgiving meal created in our new kitchen. The renovated space improved work flow in a tremendous way. And the dishwasher–a game changer. Here are the food highlights: A flavor-packed stuffed seitan roast, mashed potatoes, apple pomegranate pumpkin rice, and creamed corn.Check out these amazing Read more…
October 14, 2015
Match #6 of the V.V. Burger Showdown: The Upper East Side’s Battle of 16-14. Candle Cafe vs. V-Note 16-14 refers to the prices of these fancy pants vegan burgers. After the “draw” of the last showdown, I needed some housemade high quality offerings. After all, paying $16 for a vegan burger includes the tacit promise Read more…
September 27, 2015
Robibero Family Vinyards in New Paltz, New York had its annual grape-stomping festival this weekend, the first weekend of autumn. It was the perfect excuse to run north for the day with CP. After managed expectations, I was delighted by the peaceful, bucolic property and the opportunity to check another item off my bucket Read more…
September 23, 2015
With the start of the school year, I am in Brooklyn everyday again. Urban machinery and subterranean air have united me with 8 million more parts. I remember why I love her. And I remember why I hate her. She’s like me–impractical and strained while magnificent in her own norms. She has Read more…
August 7, 2015
Maywood Pancake House, in Maywood, New Jersey, is kind of a second location of Rutherford Pancake House (blog report on their vegan challah French toast is here). Both locations feature vegan breakfast options, which is far more a special than lunch or dinner options. I was delighted to arrive here pretty Read more…
August 5, 2015
Travel tucks you into new environments, which facilitate different experiences. And experience is the basis of all learning, all growth. So, travel is enlightenment…. Luckily, there is no need to head to an ancient Buddhist temple to derive this wisdom. There is plenty of beauty, adventure, inspiration, oddity (and vegan eats) just a couple of hours away. Read more…
July 19, 2015
I took several winding mountain roads inside morning’s low-hanging clouds, much to the surprise of feasting deer families, to reach Unger, West Virginia’s Farnham Colossi, the home of George and Pam Farnham… and their collection of colossal lawn ornaments. I had driven the extra mile for roadside attractions before, but I was very eager to Read more…
July 17, 2015
Another jam-packed day ahead of me and needing the boost, I had the tart from Louisville’s Flora Vegan Treats for breakfast. Clearly by observing Exhibit A below you can see it was light and crisply satisfying–like you want these kinds of tarts to be. The filling was blackberry, the ideal partner for the lemon zested Read more…
July 15, 2015
I woke up in Cincinnati ready to say goodbye to Ohio. Ohio is chock full of metropolises… Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and other such C-words. But with this being my third day about, the inevitable turn back east had to be soon. So it was fare thee well, Ohio… But not Read more…
July 3, 2015
We were not the only folks looking to doorbust for one of the all-vegan breakfast options at Pingala Cafe & Eatery in Burlington, an Earthy spot for simple vegan fare. Two minutes after opening time, there was a line at the counter. Perhaps if this sculpture and the wild flow of the Winooski river Read more…
July 1, 2015
Last time I spent any time in Vermont, I was just a young punk snowboarding on the motel bed. This time, like twenty years later, it is summer here in Vermont. The blazing sun, blue sky, and green mountains made for a beautiful scenic drive–off the interstate, behind careful trailers Read more…
May 31, 2015
…when I didn’t know how to cook, I’d find Long Island’s vegan options much more appetizing. But, once in awhile, “90’s vegan” serves as a nostalgic reminder of my history. Take The Witches Brew in West Hempstead… Last time I was there, I looked like above. Baby fat. Straightedge. Snapcase t-shirt. Read more…
May 29, 2015
It’s a bit of a mystery when an eatery doesn’t have a “for real” website. Yelp reviews (The forced double negative Yelp effect–if someone with bad taste writes a good review, it means it’s really bad.) and a Facebook page reveal very little. Many social media leads stay on the radar, but Read more…
May 9, 2015
You come upon things… in the best way: naturally, without looking. You’re going about your day… and there it is. Something new for you. It’s special because it found you. No google searching. Just life’s natural search results delivered to your path. [pause for a moment of awed appreciation] Sometimes, Read more…