Sunday, June 24, 2007

Animals & Veg*nism go paw in hand


This was my family's first dog. Born in 1974, when i was 8, Misty was mostly Golden retriever with a little bit of German shepherd and a wee bit of Collie. We adopted her as a puppy from my family's best friends, whose dog, Shamber, had a litter of pups... Misty lived a very happy 15 years, five in Illinois and 10 in California.

i adored dogs as a kid... i loved all animals, really, which is why, after a visit with classmates on a field trip to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago at age 10, i stopped eating lamb. It wasn't until age 16 that i eschewed all meat; at 21 i nixed eating fish. Still working on kicking out from my diet products that have whey in them and an occasional bit of ice cream... i don't eat cheese and i'm allergic to eggs...

My fave show when i was a kid was a short-lived Saturday morning series called "Animals, Animals, Animals" with Hal Linden http://www.skooldays.com/categories/saturday/sa1395.htm Not sure if anyone knows that show... i also loved Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/W/htmlW/wildkingdom/wildkingdom.htm


When Peter and i went on our trip last month around coastal California, it seemed that we were constantly around animals in one way or another. Camping led us to some close encounters with wild animals and we made friends with dogs everywhere we went it seemed! i was able to get some snapshots of a few of our doggie pals.


Kota the 4 month old, who reminded me of Misty!


Ralph, our 4-legged next-door-neighbor at Limekiln State Park for 2 nights. i adored this 9-year-old retriever mix. i was decidely not a fan of his "family" of four as they left him out in the cold both nights while they got snuggly in their tent. i spoke up on his behalf but was met with disdain and some quizzical looks. Not surprising... the "dad" had murdered a fish and left it hanging in front of my car (with all those veg*n stickers on it) at Peter's and my water spigot. Incredibly horrifying for me...

Anyway, i digress!


This gorgeous gal waited for her fisherman father come up from his boat at Morro Bay. i thought she was a Chesapeake Bay retriever but she was a very sweet, chocolately Labrador!



This is Blue, who lives in Pacific Grove, lucky boy!

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In yet another coastal town in which we stomped around, Cambria, we stopped at what we thought was a fresh fruit stand but what turned out to be something much bigger... Linn's Fruit Bin Farm Store. http://www.linnsfruitbin.com/


One of the Linn family's 10 dogs... on the prowl.

The Linn family owns and operates this cute little store and among other things, makes preserves, jellies, jams and pies from all sorts of fruit, including the "olallieberry" which is a confounding, confusing (make believe?) berry that i'll leave this place to explain: http://www.linnsfruitbin.com/faqs#1

They also had 10 dogs - and a peacock - on site.



Another Linn family dog. Ralph Nader's his name!


Peter and i snuck up behind the store up a semi-private road to catch a closer glimpse of the Linn family home, check out the view (amazing!) and the farm (so many trees, so little time) and to meet some more of their dogs. We had befriended three of them at the store as well as the peacock, which seemed to like hopping up on the roof and jumping back down again. And again. And again.



The Linn family peacock. Gorgeous.

We decided to eat lunch at the family restaurant "Easy As Pie Cafe" back in town, a few miles away from the store. Not a lot from which to choose, but they had a fantastic roasted veggie/hummus wrap that was a tasty, filling treat!

i also got to meet Mrs. Linn and one of her sons, who runs the restaurant. i told them we'd met quite a few of their dogs and they kind of raised their eyebrows... good thing i didn't tell them about the road less traveled to their home. (Can you say "illegally trespassing"?)


Tasty vegan wrap at Linn's Easy as Pie eatery.


Some last few memories of our trip...

A goat right next to the road in Cambria, and on a leash... Why?
A sweet goat, i wanted to "kid"nap him for REAL.


A wild turtle in San Simeon State Park.



Peter in Pismo Beach, trying to help... too bad it was only a mural!


Peter looking the wrong way in Morro Bay, where we picnicked. The rock is truly AWEsome, isn't that right, Crystal? http://www.slostateparks.com/morro_rock/default.asp


Where all good hikes in Limekiln State Park end. Stellar waterfall.

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HERE'S TO A HEALTHY, HAPPY & COMPASSIONATE WEEK FOR ALL OF US!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Vacation eats & delivered treats


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During our camping travels up the California coast last month, Peter & i had the opportunity to eat out a few times. In Pacific Grove, we happened upon the Central Avenue Bakery, not far from the famed Monterey Bay Aquarium.

This is a terrific bakery and restaurant, with tons of vegan options. It's also kosher, which was pretty interesting and rare. I talked to one of the owners, Tina, at length about her place and she was candid and refreshing. She also made her own vegan cheez which i sampled and then bought. So good. Highly recommended: http://www.centralavenuebakery.com/

They had a couple of bookshelves making up a nice library with books galore on everything from central coastal California to John Steinbeck (my fave author!) to vegetarianism and animal activism to kids' books and a bunch o'chairs and couches on/in which to read, snack, chat & lounge! How cool is that?

The view looking out the window.

The view toward the kitchen where chefs & bakers work magic.


I ordered the vegan pizza which was outrageously good. Peter had a breakfast burrito (and an Odwalla). For dessert we snacked on samples of their vegan Mexican chocolate cake. They were sold out of 'em so we only got to have a few bites (which is why there's no photo) but they were stellar.
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In Morro Bay (hi Crystal!!), another fave place of mine, we stumbled upon Sunshine Health Food and stopped in twice, both on our way up the coast and again on our way back down (the second time just to eat there!). A terrific health food store, they also have a sweet little eatery in the back. "Shine Cafe," with its solitary wood picnic table that everyone shares in the back in sort of a group setting, is very fun! Both times we ate there we ordered the same things because we so enjoyed 'em. Peter had amazing pancakes while i had two of the hugest, best tofu scrambles ever! (One is pictured below.)





A great place with cool peeps working there. Highly recommended!!
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Thank you to that great gal at http://thehouseofsimon.blogspot.com/ for my groovy CARriE package of Canadian sweets. My mailman delivered the box these goodies were in right to my door and handed it to me, swooning over the words "chocolate inside" so i gave him half of the Coffee Crisp. After i had a bite of it, i was REALLY sorry i had shared! HA! It was that good. The card was super sweet and the Canadian magnet & pins are SO cool... And she knew i'd been having a hard time finding Primal Strips so she sent me four different kinds!! Those maple leaf cookies are my faves...

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Here's an excellent read from The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer:
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A link to get info sent to you on veg stuff - books, clothes, food (even vegan dog food!), etc.:
Hope everyone is having a great week!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Ewe are what ewe eat


Central coastal California, Big Sur, Pacific Grove, i miss you so...
That's Peter, above, as we both stood awe-struck staring at the sunset.


A sweet seal basking in the Pacific Grove semi-sun...
saw him on a nice little afternoon run...
(see next photo)


Oh, hey! Just passing through with a message or two:



--->VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN<---
Fun quiz time! Go for it! http://www.veganstreet.com/funhouse/virtualvegan.html
--->VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN<---


A Web site that's tough but terrific:
http://www.rootsofcompassion.org/
ROOTS OF COMPASSION




Peter & i heard and saw "Weird Al" Yankovic in concert last night. (At the [icky] San Diego Fair [icky because of the animal abuse and the hypocrite behaviour that goes on at county fairs]). Such a great show he puts on. And i love him more for his animal-loving, vegan WAYs...

http://weirdal.com/

http://www.myspace.com/weirdal

i've written it before and i'll type it again, Alfred's an engaging, witty artist, a bit tied to the past (he's got that '70s vibe i'm attracted to) while fully engaged "in the present" with a keen eye on the future.

If he's comin' to a venue near you, what can i tell ya? GO! Really. Trust me. He's got a rockin' band behind him that blows me away. But be warned, Al seems to attract bookish, somewhat eclectic (read: odd) "word nerds" (such as myself)... *shrugs*... there are worse things, to be sure...






Uh, can i just say for the record?
i love peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. always have.

hewwo wittle, pb&j. i wuv u.

Saving the world one PB&J at a time...
http://www.pbjcampaign.org/

Who knew?And thank you, Dr. John McDougall...
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007other/nytimes.html


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Click it (if you have Adobe Acrobat) for a coupon for $2 off the Minis:
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/eCard/miniscoupon.pdf




Or visit their site:
http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/minis_vanilla.html

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Which witch is which?


Have a stellar weekend!
(i'm gonna be visiting blogs this weekend! YAY!)

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

a STOP OPTS POTS SPOT TOPS POST!


... and be grateful for the things that make life grand!

This sweet, tweeting little birdie was spotted taking a breather atop this stop sign as my pal Peter & i opted for a break during our recent week-long travel up the coast of California.

HOW ARE YOU!?! i have been thinking of every one of my blog pals so much of late...

I got an e-mail from a friend of mine who lives in Minnesota today and i am hopeful that you will indulge me in "finishing this sentence" (sentences)... i would LOVE to see your answers, either here or on your own blog or e-mail me... these are mine from earlier this a.m.

1. I love...
... my family... my dog... my friends... animals... happiness... music... sunshine... long runs... laughter... kind people... cookies... honesty

2. Right now I want...
... peace in the world... Twinkies to be vegan... to swing on the swings in Pismo Beach


3. I feel like...
… singing... laughing... dancing... crying...


4. I hate it when...
… people hurt other people... animals die needlessly... things go wrong... i get lost


5. I fear...
... war... rejection... hatred... angry people... losing loved ones

6. I'm lonely without...
… my family... my friends... my dog... writing


We had a fun trip. Here we are in "The Natural Cafe" in San Luis Obispo.



7. I need...
… to be healthy... to be happy... to write...

8. Today I...

... am enjoying the morning and day

9. Tomorrow I'm...
… going to celebrate my nephew's 15th birthday - how did he get this old so soon?

10. I just...
… sent a bunch of my vacation photographs to myself

11. I want to meet...
… Barry Zito again

Hi Barry! He was an awesome teen.
(i didn't take this photo... but i wish i had!)
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12. I'm hungry for...
… a huge tofu scramble from Sunshine Cafe in Morro Bay and a Mexican chocolate brownie from Central Avenue Bakery in Pacific Grove

13. I love it when...

… the sun is shining and i'm out enjoying it... peeps i love are happy and healthy... my dog wags her tail

14. I'm afraid of...
… fighting... war... anger... mean people... hunters


The buck stopped here... safely... in San Simeon State Park!



15. I'm listening to...
... birds outside my door singing, my dog snoring

16. I'm wearing...
... a long-sleeve Arcata High shirt, cutoff shorts, white sox and running shooz

17. I wish I was in...
… Hawaii (never been there... they tell me it's nice!)

18. I'm craving...
… a day on the beach


19. I want to get...
... my hair cut soon

20. I can...
... do anything if i set my mind to it


21. I can't...
… deal with life sometimes


Street sign in Pismo Beach... Mattie's famous!!!

22. I have...
… too much clutter


23. I haven't...
... done so many things i want to...

24. I'm nervous...
… about the future of the world

25. My Mom thinks I'm...
… the greatest and i'm so honored to be so loved


26. My Dad thinks I'm...
… in need of a lobotomy
Nah, not really, but he doesn't quite "get" me...

27. I think...
… people need to think about others more than they think about themselves


28. I'm happy when...
… i know my loved ones are safe... i'm eating something i love... i'm running free

29. I'm sad when...
... there's unhappiness/unhealthiness in a loved one's life


30. I like eating...
… just about everything that's not animal-based and i have for 25 years!


This gorgeous cow, like so many others i saw behind "enemy lines" from the road... my heart went out (and goes out, still, and always) to them all...



31. I hate eating...
… animal products (so i avoid them!!)

32. I love watching...
… sunsets

Stellar sunset just south of Big Sur

33. I love listening to...
… birds singing... my dog snoring... (as i am at the present time!) ... the roar of the ocean... animal noises... my family and friends saying "I love you."

34. I love playing...
… Boggle with my mom... catch with baseball gloves... football... ping-pong (thanks for the reminder, Vicki!)... Scrabble with friends... anything with my dog... tennis... "hide the keys"... Red Rover... crossword puzzles (do you "play" them?)...

35. I hate waking up to...
... a loud noise... people arguing... trash collecting in my Dumpster... drunk peeps being obnoxious in the hot tub under my window at my condo at 3 a.m.

36. I can see...
"… clearly now the rain has gone - i can see all obstacles in my way"


"Hold on to 16 as long as you can, changes come around real soon, make us women & men." - John Cougar, and there i am livin' it up at 15 on the "L" in Chicago with my friend of 34 years and counting, Heidi (a vegan living in Arizona who sent me this 26-year-old photo!)


37. I'm glad that...
… i have a lot of living left to do and family and friends to share it with


38. I'm disappointed that...
... many of my family and friends have gone away, one way or another...

39. I look like...
… i need less sun... i'm going to have a long week ahead


40. I wish I looked like...
… Natalie Portman for a day...



Photo taken in "Gum Alley" in San Luis Obispo.