June, 2019
Marin VEG
Below is news about Sanctuary Bistro closing, a celebration of
Animal Place, an invitation to collect school supplies for farm
workers' children, information on two new films (one recommended on
June 26), a guide to veg dining in the Bay Area, an affordable,
yummy fundraiser for Vegan Outreach, a new ready-to-eat vegan meal
delivery service, and much more. Happy reading! Note: You do not
need to be on Facebook to read the FB posts that are linked in some
items below.
But first, I must rave about soap plants:
June is the time to watch soap plants blossom! If you are patient
and arrive early enough (3:00? 4:00?) you may be able to watch the
buds open and the flowers emerge. While I'm certain these can be
found throughout Marin, here is where I see them. Starting now and
until about June 21, on any afternoon after 4:00, walk for about
five minutes or less on the fire road at the end of Glen Drive in
Fairfax. Just as it starts to go uphill (not the down and up dip,
but a real uphill), on your right in about thirty steps are a few
magnificent soap plants with dozens of buds and blossoms on each.
Each bud opens just once, late in the day, and the flower lasts only
12 hours or so. These are delicate white flowers with six slender
petals that remind me of dancers doing back bends. If you passed
this plant earlier in the day you might not even notice it. For
years that's what I did until a few years ago when I discovered the
flowers on a rare late-in-the-day walk. Once you recognize it, look
for it also on your way back to Glen Drive, just as the fire road
comes out of the dip, on your left. Let me know if you find them.
They're my favorite thing about June.
Saturday, June 8
Tour at Rancho Compasion
Revel with the rescued animals at Marin's local sanctuary,
Rancho Compasion, in Nicasio! Meet the cows, goats, sheep, birds,
pigs, ducks and chickens on a tour of Rancho Compasion from 4 until
5:30 on Saturday, June 8. Only a few spots are left, and the next
tour will be on Saturday, July 13. The cost is $20 plus a fee of
$2.85. At the end of these summer tours you can stay for a wine and
(Miyoko's) cheese reception. Sign up is mandatory, and you can do
that for the June or July event at www.ranchocompasion.org/event
Saturday June 8
Vegan Outreach Fundraiser at Veggie Grill
Between 11 AM and 4 PM on Saturday, June 8, Veggie Grill will
donate 33% of your bill to Vegan Outreach if you mention Vegan
Outreach when you order. What a delicious way to support this
influential and effective organization! Veggie Grill is in Corte
Madera's Town Center shopping center (the one on the west side of
101). Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/events/427128244517196/
Saturday, June 15
Goat Yoga at Goatlandia
Check out Goatlandia.org to learn more about this unique
goat sanctuary. Sign up for goat yoga and enjoy 90 minutes of yoga
and a post-yoga smoothie, and, of course, time with the goats! The
cost is $65. Don't be surprised (as I was) that the goat yoga is
offered through Airbnb. You will be re-directed to Airbnb when you
click on goat yoga at Goatlandia's site.
Wednesday, June 26
Film showing: A Prayer for Compassion
And Vegan Dinner
Opera Plaza in San Francisco
Will Tuttle speaking during Q&A
Come see A Prayer for Compassion, a new documentary film aimed at
religious and spiritual people who are not yet vegetarian or vegan.
The movie features leaders from many different religious and
spiritual paths talking about how going VEG is in alignment with and
called for by each of the religions and paths. The film will be
shown on Wednesday, June 26 at the community room at Opera Plaza in
San Francisco. Will Tuttle, author of The World Peace Diet, who is
in the film, will be there for the Q&A following the screening.
Reservations are required. The evening begins with a delicious,
vegan meal prepared by Patricia Koot. The cost for the meal and film
is $15, payable at the event. Reserve your space by email to RSVP@wellnesscentral.us
or by phone at (888) 234-1361 Once you are on the list,
details about how to get there will be emailed to you. I am proud
to be an executive producer of A Prayer for Compassion (which
means I made a financial contribution towards its creation). I
look forward to seeing you on June 26 for this first Bay Area
screening. Learn more about the film and watch a trailer at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/aprayerforcompassion
Saturday, June 29
Animal Place's 30th Anniversary and
New Rescue and Adoption Center
Fund Raising Celebration in Petaluma
Happy 30th Birthday to the wonderful Animal Place! And
congratulations on opening a new rescue and adoption center in
Petaluma! You can celebrate both of these landmark achievements at
a party on Saturday, June 29 from 6 to 9 PM in Petaluma. Enjoy
vegan food, live music, a silent auction and a tour of their new
facility. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at https://donate.animalplace.org/event/animal-places-30th-anniversary/e225588
Hold the date:
Saturday, July 6 (Yes, July)
Noon - 2 PM
Vegan Barbecue and Hope Bohanec's 50th Birthday
Cotati
The Executive Director of Compassionate Living, Hope Bohanec, is
celebrating her 50th birthday with a vegan barbecue in Cotati
Downtown Plaza Park on Saturday, July 6 from 12 noon until 2
PM. Burgers, hotdogs, and all the fixings will be provided. Please
bring a picnic salad to share (greens, potato, fruit, or coleslaw,
for example). Blankets will be available, but bring a folding chair
if you wish. And if you choose to bring a gift for Hope
(totally not necessary), she requests only a houseplant, as she
recently moved and that's the only item in short supply. The
park is at 8167 La Plaza Drive in Cotati. Here is the Facebook page
for the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/348196682496930/
School Supplies for the Children of Farm Workers
Now Until July 10
The Food Empowerment Project is once again collecting new
back packs and school supplies for the children of farm workers.
This is not charity, but a way to thank the families that put food
on our tables. See what's needed and learn more at https://foodispower.org/school-supply-drive/
In Marin you can bring the supplies until July 10 to Marin
Humane (171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato) On Tuesdays,
Thursdays, Fridays Saturdays and Sundays from 2 until 5:30.
Wednesdays from 10 to & PM. Be sure to mark your
contribution: Attention Cindy Machado.
The Vegan RD
On Privilege, Priorities, and Processed Foods
I am sharing a link to a wonderful and important essay by
Virginia Messina, the Vegan RD. She writes about access to healthy
food, and why, as vegans, we should be celebrating all the new plant
based burgers that are showing up at fast food restaurants. https://www.theveganrd.com/
Veg Ready Meals Now
Available
Healthy vegan meals
that do not need refrigeration are now available from VegReady.
Delivered by mail, fully prepared and ready to eat, these meals
are one of the fastest ways to have lunch or dinner ready when
you are. Order one time only or sign up for monthly delivery
and see more at https://vegready.com/
When Vegan Companies
Go Mainstream
I like this essay by
Karen Davis of United Poultry Concerns about vegan foods on
shelves with non-vegan foods in supermarkets. My thinking on
this has evolved in recent years. I can now see the benefit of
having a huge company buy a small vegan one. At the very least,
the marketing budget, store placement and national availability
are all enhanced when a food giant takes on a vegan product. https://www.upc-online.org/diet/190417_vegan_food_products-from_unicorn_aisle_to_mainstream.html
Great New Project from Plant Based News Association
Have you ever been at an airport or hospital and wanted to grab
a quick bite? Have you noticed that the vegan pickings were slim?
Now, the Plant Based Food Association is offering refrigerated and
frozen kiosks plus shelf space for vegan snacks and meals for people
on the go. The concept is called The Power Plant, and when it was
introduced at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago, the response
was positive. Take a look at these Power Plants and learn more
about this brilliant new convenience at https://plantbasedfoods.org/pbfa-debuts-the-power-plant/?blm_aid=18432
Can a Keto Diet Be Healthy?
Dr. Kim Williams, past president of the American College of
Cardiology and a staunch vegan advocate has changed his mind on Keto
diets. Learn what he has to say about this trendy, and usually
dangerous diet at https://tinyurl.com/y2ka748m
This wise doctor is clearly not an ethical vegan, but an
evidence based, health minded one.
Be Counted!
A project called The Big Vegan Count is inviting vegans to log
in and be counted. You can see how many people did this, by
country, at the site. So far the UK is way ahead. Go to https://bigvegancount.com/
to learn more and to be counted.
The Biggest Little Farm, New Film that Glorifies Animal
Agriculture
A number of people encouraged me to see The Biggest Little Farm,
a new documentary about a couple from Los Angeles who start a farm.
What a disappointment! While the movie is well made, this true story
about the creation and growth of the couple's farm seemed to me to
reinforce a myth that says small farms are a humane way to raise
animals for food. Scenes of animals with tags in their ears, chicks
arriving by mail from hatcheries, and farmers retrieving the bodies
of chickens who were killed by a fox were hard for me to watch .
Yes, the animals live better lives on this kind of farm than on
CAFOs (factory farms). But they are still sold and killed in their
youth to satisfy the habits and taste buds of people who enjoy the
taste of their flesh. Eating animals is not necessary for human
health, but you'd never know that from watching this film.
Bay Area Veg Guide
Check out this cool guide to vegetarian and vegan restaurants and
resources in the Bay Area: https://sites.google.com/bayschoolsf.org/crueltyfree/home
Thanks to Amy A for telling me about this. Apparently a high school
student put it together.
Dr. John McDougall on Gluten Free, GMO Foods, Paleo trends
I just discovered this 50-minute video from one of
Dr.McDougall's advance study weekends. He calls gluten free, paleo,
and gmo concerns distractions from the truth about food. While I
find his style off putting, the information he presents here makes
sense. If you have friends or relatives who struggle with weight,
this might be a good talk to share with them. Watch it first,
yourself. https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/videos/free-electures/paleo-gluten-free-and-gmo-distractions-from-real-world-food-problems/
KFC Exploring Vegan Options
When it was determined many years ago that fried food was bad for
our health, Kentucky Fried Chicken changed not its menu, but its
name. KFC still sells fried birds, but now they are looking at what
it might be like to offer also vegan fried food. So many fast food
chains are realizing there's a market for vegans that they're
missing, and now KFC is among them. Read the news at
https://www.businessinsider.com/kfc-considers-vegan-meat-substitutes-2019-5
Belgium Wants to Criminalize Vegan Families
You may have heard that the Royal Academy of Medicine in Belgium
considers raising your children as vegans a criminal offense. The
Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine has this to say about
that: https://www.plantbasednews.org/post/experts-slam-belgian-doctors-vegan
As I learned from Melanie Joy (carnism.org) and Will Tuttle
(worldpeacediet.com), children are "forced" to eat whatever their
parents serve them. Nobody questions this when the parents offer up
what the majority is eating, even when those food choices lead to
disease later in life. When parents want to lower the risk of these
diseases for their children, and thus provide vegan fare, the
families are criticized for coercing their children to eat what
others mistakenly call a dangerous diet.
Southern California Now Has Vegan Smoothie and Juice Vending
Machines They made their debut in and around Los Angeles, and
we can only hope they move north to the Bay Area. Watch for these
vending machines that serve fresh juice and smoothies! Here's the
story: https://vegnews.com/2019/5/vegan-smoothie-vending-machines-debut-in-california
Just
Mayo Not Walking the Talk
I was dismayed to learn from JoAnn F. that the Just company
(formerly known as Hampton Creek) served animal flesh at a
recent party it hosted to celebrate the launch of its Just Eggs
product. As much as I like the taste of Just Mayo, I will be
switching to Follow Your Heart's Veganaise. Follow Your Heart
also makes a vegan egg, and it's a company that always walks its
talk. At the end of this linked piece you will see that Just's
CEO promised not to do that again. Still . . . See the whole
story in this piece from Jackie Day at: https://tinyurl.com/y44lmyot
Free From Harm Replies to Common Challenge
to Vegans
Here is a beautifully written piece by Robert Grillo that answers
the claim "Animals eat other animals, so why shouldn't we?" https://freefromharm.org/common-justifications-for-eating-animals/everything-eats/
Vegan or Plant Based: What's the Difference?
This is one of the clearest explanations I've seen. It
explains that veganism is a lifestyle choice based on minimizing
harm. Plant based is only a way of eating. The writer gets the
last sentence wrong, though. Veganism is a form of
vegetarianism, not the other way around. https://www.elitedaily.com/wellness/crucial-difference-vegan-plant-based-lifestyle/2064465
Sanctuary Bistro to Close
One of my favorite restaurants, Sanctuary Bistro in
Berkeley, is going to close in a few months. The owners are
moving back East to be near family. If you haven't been to this
superb restaurant yet, make your reservation for dinner or show
up for lunch or brunch right away. The food is all vegan, gluten
free, and delicious. The desserts are my favorites in the Bay
Area. The restaurant is not too far from the Buchanan Street
exit off 580, on the west side of Berkeley, and there is usually
plenty of street parking (meters) available. Their web site is
https://www.sanctuarybistro.com/
where you can find their address, phone number, and more.
Here is the text of the email I received with the news:
This
is the hardest email I have ever had to write. It is with both
sadness and joy that we let you know of our intention to move to
Charlotte, N.C. later this year.
The restaurant will remain open until the restaurant sells
so you still have plenty of time to come in and celebrate with
us (and redeem those gift certificates) because we don't have a
closing date at this time. We did, however, want you to hear
this directly from us and not through the inevitable word of
mouth, now that we have put the restaurant on the market.
Opening
Sanctuary has been our proudest achievement. We have celebrated
with you. We have shared so much with all of you - the growth of
our children and life’s joys and struggles; the memories of your
adopted babies’ first week on this planet sharing a meal with
us; holding and training your babies at an early age ... at six
months, eight months, and two years. Together we’ve cried over
our last bowl of chowder right before the passing of our
longtime guest and friend; heard your stories of moving into new
homes. You've shared with us the antics of your feral cats,
about your gardens that you are growing, the businesses and
experiences you are venturing on as you leave for college and
even when it was time for you to move away.
Through
our initiatives and non-profit efforts we have over the
years, all come together to do our part to turn a ripple into a
wave to make this world a better place.
Wow,
just writing this brings tears to my eyes. We truly have made so
many stories together. You have enriched our lives and I hope we
were able to enrich yours.
My
greatest concern is that you feel let down by this news. I want
to be as transparent as possible so you understand why we made
this difficult choice.
Family,
as you know, is so important. Although my family is tough, they
have been through a lot in the last 10 years. My sister is a
rock star of a mom to my niece, a cancer survivor, and three
other beautiful babies. My brother works overseas every other
month and has the most precious puppy. My kids love their crazy
Uncle Bob. My other sister has two beautiful children and just
won a tennis medal. Of late, I have been traveling back and
forth to home to help my mom recover from knee surgery. She is
also a two- time breast cancer survivor.
It
is time to find my way closer to them... so I can see them more
often; so our kids can know each other, play together and share
more than just genetics.
Our
plan is to maintain the momentum on that wave we’ve started
together. Our new restaurant will open soon and we will let you
know when we do. We hope you’ll stop by and say hi if you happen
to be in the Charlotte area.
We
have just put our toes in the water for the sale of our space.
It will take time. (At the very minimum four months.) In the
meantime, please come in - be sure and you use your gift
certificates! And most importantly, let’s share another hug.
We
will keep you updated so you know exactly where we are and so we
don’t surprise you by just shuttering our doors. Again, we are
in this together.
It
is with deep love and admiration for all of you that we share
our news...
Love,
Jennifer,
Chef Barry, Jayden, and Adeline
What Else to Do in June
As always, be sure to look at http://www.bayareaveg.org/events.htm and http://www.meetup.com/marin-vegan/ to find out what's happening in the coming weeks. And check out Compassionate Living in Sonoma County. Their web site is www.socoveg.org/ and The San Francisco Veg Society at www. SFVS.org.
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