Bowling for Animals & Wedding bells

It's almost time for the ninth annual Bowling for the Animals! I love their little logos...

http://www.bowlingfortheanimals.org/ (Wo)Man, i wish all of you awesome blogsters could participate in this... even if you think you "can't bowl." They should do stuff like this everywhere!

(I posted about this last year: http://piscesplace.blogspot.com/2006/04/regrets.html .)

This is a totally, totally, totally 100 percent fun event put on every year by a few wonderful animal- and vegan-friendly sponsors. Proceeds go to Spay-Neuter Action Project http://www.snap-sandiego.org/ , California Animal Association http://www.upc-online.org/winter0405/sacramento.htm , Feral Cat Coalition http://www.feralcat.com/ and San Diego Animal Advocates http://www.animaladvocates.org/ . There's vegan food galore, prizes, raffles, bowling and the best thing: meeting like-minded animal lovers.

I couldn't go in 2006 because i was out of town, but i'm planning to join in this year's festivities... I'm soooooo excited!


The BFTA photog caught me after
i probably gutter-balled one in 2005:




Urban Vegan asked me recently about our dear vegan friend, the "ferocious killer kat" and "Mumbai Vegan" (among his many nom de plumes)... Remember fellow blogger Kunsjoi? He moved last year from Los Angeles to his home country of India... and guess what?

He's getting married!

Her name is Dipti and not only is she vegetarian, she's also gorgeous...
i am thrilled for both of them!!




... and speaking of India, here's what Russell Simmons, the vegan pioneer of Def-Jam Records, has to say about a simple life, as told to Daily India:
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/128739.php/Wealthy-people-are-not-happy-people-says-Russell-Simmons



And on a tough note, Mattie's going in for an ultrasound tomorrow at a specialty clinic... my little punkinhead's had a recurring bladder infection that my veterinarians & i have not been able to keep in check. i'm going to see more clearly what's going on... please think good thoughts for her!
***UPDATE!!!*** Mattie got a clean bill (never mind the bill i'm
payin'!!) of health after her ultrasound... YAY! We're still trying to
figure out what is wrong, but it's not anything serious. i am very
thankful! i so appreciate everyone's positive thoughts & prayers.
We certainly felt 'em and i know they helped pull her through.
THANK YOU!

Stuff 'n' more stuff

In yesterday's "snail mail" above...
Vicki sent me a sweet little note and a super Pisces magnet...
Awwww!! That made my day, fer realz!

Some leftover photos from my trip up the coast, above & below.
Above, Peter and i stopped off in Dana Point and i scored
this photograph of him in front of a doggie wash...

Inline skating (taking a break, above) in scenic Newport Beach.

Oh, um... Hello! Watch me fall now...

Nah, i didn't fall. We caught a nice sunset though.

Below shows the flat screen TV in our hotel room where we stayed (pretty much right on the beach, it was such a treat!) with one station showing a 24-hour live feed of what was goin' on right outside our window. It was ... really weird!!

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Bought these yesterday at COSTCO. $10 for 14 patties.

They're vegan and VERY good! Not 'meaty' just very veggie...

Not much info available on the internet on these guys,

but they are soooooo good. Haven't seem 'em anywhere else.

Here's a closer view of 'em, chock full of grains,

sunflower seeds, carrots & other delish vegetables...

They're excellent. I wish i could make 'em myself!!

Don Lee Farms, out of Inglewood (near Los Angeles)...

They make all sorts of animal products, so i am a little

hesitant to send you to their Web site... but here it is:

http://www.donleefarms.com/

Peeps talkin' about 'em last year on the "Veggie Boards" :

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=60119

And i'm so sad, i found this site and it's not updated anymore!

http://veganreview.blogspot.com/

Eat your art!

My mom sent me these pix. Kinda cute! Which are your faves?!?

I'm partial to the cauliflower ewes & penguin eggplants, but like 'em all!

Vicki & Art's Great Adventure

... and lucky me, i got to be part of it last Sunday!

The terrific Vicki ( http://veganvice.blogspot.com/ ) and her fabulous husband Art were in San Diego last weekend. Cause for celebration for sure! We made plans to meet in the lush, beautiful and massive Balboa Park ( http://www.balboapark.org/ ) where Peter was showing some of his art. (Amazingly, she found me 'n' Mattie just as she was calling me on my cell phone!) A prolific photographer and multi-talented musician, Peter also makes incredible masks out of palm tree fronds he finds. ("Recycling at its best," as Vicki noted.)

After the initial meeting (or re-meeting, since we'd already met last year!) in which Peter exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, you and Vicki look like you could be sisters!" Art, Vicki, Mattie & i meandered about a mile over to the vegan restaurant extraordinaire Kung Food, across the street from part of the huge Balboa Park. I recommended that instead of the buffet being offered inside the restaurant we try the KF Drive-Thru - http://www.kung-food.com/drive-thru.html - where you can get burgers, burritos and so much more. And we ordered by foot, then sat down in a shady spot in the outdoor patio and ate.

Here are "the sisters" and trouper Mattie at Kung Food:

At my request, Vicki & Art strike a pose on this sunny day, in front of a sign advertising Kung Food, just a few feet away from the restaurant:


Vicki enjoyed her "Bacon Cheeseburger" & i had the same
burger (and same exact reaction). It was really tasty!


Art had the "Bacon Western Cheeseburger" and said
it was made just like a similar fast-food one, even with
a big ol' onion ring on it! He was impressed. YUM!


Back we walked to Peter's table of art and i thought that
i would surprise Vicki and buy her this one mask she liked
best (and it was my fave as well - so bold & colourful!).


Vicki & Art kindly bought another mask, too. Here they are
with the artist in front of Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park.


Peter's parents also were there and they snagged two of his masks. See 'em all here, if you want: http://petechenard.blogspot.com/

Here's his mother, Irene, posing with both of her purchases.


It was a great day!
Thank you, Vicki & Art for spending time in San Diego with me & Mattie!

Natives are NOT restless

Costa Mesa's NATIVE FOODS...

http://www.nativefoods.com/ Do check it out!!

VEGAN. ALL vegan! And SO good. Peter's taken me
three years straight for my b'day... He's such a good pal.

Part of the inside of this remarkable restaurant:

Hey! I've got one of those NF cookbooks. Ummm...
no, i haven't used it just yet... ummm... i should !!!

Our pigtastic napkin-holder and a romantic little candle:


Peter ordered the moist and "meaty" California French Dip:
"Thinly sliced roast seitan, caramelized onions, avocado
on an organic French roll with au jus to dip."

He was a little disappointed in the size. And it was
kind of small. :o( We'd worked up a good appetite earlier
in the day, inline skating in Newport Beach.

Here's my insane meal, Philly Peppersteak Sandwich:
"Sliced and seared peppered seitan, sauteed mushrooms,
onions, bell pepper and Native Cheese on an organic French roll."

I shared it w/Peter as there was quite a bit of it!

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(I had planned on ordering the "Meat Lover's Pizza,"

but it seems they no longer offer that tantalizing treat...)

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We were both still hungry so we got this beauty:

Portobello & Sausage Burger, "Big grilled beauties

with seitan sausage, pommodoro, caramelized onions,

pesto and sweet roasted garlic clove garnish."

Blurry, because i can't seem to grasp the close-up digital thing.

(Sorry!)

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And since it was (almost!) my b'day, the NF folks said

i could have my choice of any dessert "on the house."

(Thank you, Native Foods! Very nice touch there!)

Hmmmm... so many desserts, so little time...

But of course, i had the "Elephant Chocolate Cake," a

sweet dream with cinnamon peanut butter frosting.

Delightful, dense, divine!

Oooh, spooky! There's a fire pit area near

the restaurant and as there was a chill in

the air, we sat out and enjoyed it for a bit.


That's it, Native Foods still rocks my world!

One if Island, Two if by Sea

Oh, hello.
I'll be your tour guide for the day.

Peter took me to Newport Beach and Catalina island last weekend for my birthday. We work opposite schedules and haven't seen a lot of each other so it was very nice to get away for some time alone together.

I must say it was a blast of a trip!!! But honestly, i was missing Mattie a lot and Peter was missing Heidi. We met and pet so many cats and dogs on this trip; we were reminded of our little buddies constantly.

The top photo and the one below these words were taken en route across the beautiful Pacific Ocean from Balboa Island/Newport Beach to Catalina on the Catalina Flyer, sans Gilligan & The Skipper, thankfully. Sing it with me: "A one-hour tour, a one-hour tour."

We saw a pod of dolphins swimming on the way! That was SO COOL. It was incredibly windy going across the water as fast as we did. Like ohmygosh windy! But we stayed on the top deck and "sucked it up."

Here's a better idea of how windy it was!

We stayed at this cute hotel, Casa Mariquita.
It had incredible, sweeping views of the ocean and the island!


Hee hee. Surprised me with this balloon, he did.

There's a VONS grocery on the island and we had
lunch outside. You can see what i ate (not the
yogurt or the salmon, you can bet). Not bad!


I loved the little doggie poop bag holders:
They were everywhere!


In the background of the photos above & below is the famous "Casino," which, contrary to its name, has nary a thing to do with gambling. It's a huge building that has a very rich (literally and figuratively!) and complex background... now the folks who run the Casino show movies and plays, have a gym complete with spin classes, and rent it out for jazz festivals and fund-raisers and such.



A beautiful cat i came upon not long after we arrived.
Peter went to take a nap and i wandered the streets.
This guy was hanging out in some trees and came out
to say hello and get a scritchy scritchy scratch from me.


We went for a walk up into the hills where "the rich folk" live
and a nice couple took our photo, and we took one of each other.
What a view! It was stunning, truly. A few peeps inquired about
my shirt, which is from APRL, and it reads "Friend Not Food."




On our walk back down to town, where the tourist traps,
i mean attractions, are, and back to our hotel, we ran into
a makeshift pet cemetary. It went on and on for quite a bit.
We walked around, quietly... It was both touching & beautiful.

Anyway, that was part of last weekend. The other part

was Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, where we stayed

on the beach, roller bladed and ate at my fave restaurant,

Native Foods. I'll post about that swoon, i mean soon.

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And as i must end this post today, this sunshiney Sunday afternoon i had the complete and absolute honour of spending some quality time with Vicki - http://veganvice.blogspot.com/ - and her husband, Art, who were here in San Diego. I <3 them. We had burgers at Kung Food! (And i hear they went to SIPZ tonight when i was workin'. Luckies!!!) Stay tooned.