livin veg

Over the weekend I was lucky enough to be able to attend a trunk show at Cow Jones Industrials, my all time favorite vegan boutique, in Chatham NY. Donna Oakes, the owner (and kindest person you’ll ever meet), knows how to throw an in-store bash. Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart from Vaute Couture and Gina Ferraraccio and Julie Dicterow from Cri de Coeur were all there to offer their vegan fashions at fabulous discounts and chat to customers about their products. I couldn’t help indulging. The trunk show didn’t just have eye candy. There were delicious nibbles from two amazing companies as well.

So now, without further interruption, five of my favorite vegan companies, that for one day on Saturday, all occupied the same space:

Cow Jones Industrials Vegan Boutique
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve heard me talk about Cow Jones before. Donna has impeccable taste. Her store offers shoes, purses, wallets, clothing, hats and scarves, jewelry, makeup, perfume and more. Unlike many vegan shops, Donna makes sure that all the products in her store are produced ethically. So in addition to being vegan, every product is made without sweatshops and without heavy environmental impact. The world would be a better place if every store lived up to the standards set by Cow Jones.

I personally have shoes, a dress, a skirt, a top, a scarf, gloves, a tee, a bracelet and makeup from Cow Jones. Donna has a real eye for the sexy and elegant.

Cri de Coeur
I love many vegan shoe companies. But I have to say, my favorite is Cri de Coeur. I own three pairs of their boots and have found them to be comfortable and sexy. I get countless compliments on them and find myself wearing them daily. At the trunk show, I bought the Charisma Lace Up Tall Boot. I loved it so much that I kicked off my Melissa Shoes and wore them home. I haven’t taken them off yet except to go to sleep.

Now, ever since I first saw the shoes, I knew I was a devoted fan, but I didn’t know how much I would love and long for their purse and jewelry line. I saw them in person for the first time at the trunk show on Saturday. I tried on each necklace and bracelet. I wanted to take home every single one of them. I’m pretty fussy about jewelry, but Cri de Coeur’s designs were so elegant, I found each piece to be a work of wearable art. And I can’t even describe the softness of the purses. Plus, I’m a girl who likes some size to my purse to fit my entire life inside. These are perfect. If you haven’t checked out the jewelry and purses, head over there now. You’ll be glad you did.

Vaute Couture
I bought my super warm and beautiful Vaute Couture coat last year from their first season. I love it. Since I already own a new coat, I tried to stay away from the new line. But when I tried on the Audrey coat at the trunk show on Saturday, I had to hold back in a big way to stop myself from buying it to add to my VC collection. It was the most beautiful coat I have ever put on my body. The fabric is soft. The cut is sleek. Don’t even get me started on the neck line.

If you haven’t yet indulged in a winter coat, (or even if you have) check out the Audrey. And of course, the other designs. Leanne from Vaute Couture has brought high fashion ethical outerwear to the masses. She deserves a round of applause from each and every one of us.

Lagusta’s Luscious Artisanal Chocolates
In addition to all the beautiful fashions, there were over ten different types of chocolate from Lagusta’s Luscious to swoon over. My favorites were the sea salt caramels, the peppermint patties and the furious vulvas. Yes, they are actually shaped like vulvas.

If you are looking to give the gift of delicious and ethically made chocolate this year, Lagusta’s is the place to shop. She’s located in New Paltz, but will ship anywhere. I had the good fortune to meet Lagusta at the trunk show. She was as lovely as her chocolate.

X’s to O’s Vegan Bakery
The trunk show also had baked goods from X’s to O’s Vegan Bakery, including mini cupcakes, snicker doodles, brownies and blondies. This was my second time eating treats from the bakery. I can’t recommend it highly enough. They are located in Troy, NY and make the most mouth watering treats. If you’re anywhere near the area (Troy is right outside Albany), I suggest you head over there ASAP to get your sugar fix.

Now, a pic of some of the ladies who were there that day. Sadly, Lagusta who was there earlier in the day, is not in the pic, but all the other ladies mentioned are here:

From left to right: Julie Dicterow, Gina Ferraraccio, Donna Oakes, Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart, Ali Berman

Being a humane gal/guy means making decisions on how we can keep pushing ourselves to take better care of our planet and all its inhabitants.  Sometimes it can feel like it’s expensive to always make the humane choice. But really, the costs even out. And perhaps, if you work at it, you even save a bit of cash.

Where to Save:

1. Never buy bottled water. Invest in a reusable BPA free bottle once and reuse reuse reuse. People who buy bottled water and drink it daily spend around $365 a year on something that comes nearly free out of your tap. Want to learn more about water? Watch the film Flow and get ready to be astounded.

2. Say no to paper towels. A paper towel is really a disposable rag. It fills landfills and costs quite a bunch of cash. Instead use a rag or a sponge and wash them when they are dirty. I tend to wear my clothes until they fall apart. Once they are demolished, I then add them to my rag pile. More than enough to live a nearly paper towel free life.

3. I am a clothing junkie. I love fashion. I love designer labels. But I also live on a non profit salary. How does a girl manage? I buy used. I have used Tahari, Seven for all Mankind, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Diesel and so much more. And I pay a fraction of the original price. It saves cash, doesn’t contribute to sweat shop labor and doesn’t take resources from the earth. I would guess that over half of my wardrobe comes from antique stores, consignment shops and clothing swaps.

4. Buy used books. Well, as a writer this one goes in both categories. I’ll say 90% of the time you should buy used books to save trees. However, if you are buying a book from a small press or a first time author, buy new. Support an up and coming artist. They need it. If you’re buying a book that has been in print for a while like Catcher in the Rye, buy used. There are a zillion copies floating around out there.

5. Use something until it’s dead, not merely out of fashion. A good example is my cell phone. I’ve had it for 5 years. Most cell phone companies will give you a credit towards a new phone when you renew your contract after two years. But why throw something out when it still works perfectly? Another example is my ipod. It’s also about 5 years old and there are smaller and cuter ones on the market, but mine still works fine. So why not save some cash and keep using the thing that works?

6. Furniture. Think of the amount of wood used in furniture that comes from freshly cut trees. Instead, save some money and resources by buying used. My home is full of antiques and other used items. I shop at estate sales, antique stores and keep a look out on the side of the road for discards. You save tons of cash and get a beautiful eclectic home. Check out this blog I wrote for the Girlie Girl Army on the beauty of estate sales.

Where to Splurge:

1. Buy fair trade cocoa/chocolate. The vast majority of cocoa comes from Ivory Coast, a country where child labor is rampant. Companies like Hershey’s aren’t doing their part to stop it. So buy fair trade. It’s more expensive, but you’ll be supporting kinder companies.

2. If you can’t find what you want used, then splurge and support companies that have ethical business practices. A good example is Vaute Couture. All items are eco friendly, vegan and the people who make the clothes are paid a living wage. Some stores also only buy designers who live by those standards. Cow Jones Industrials is a good example of a humane (and totally sexy) store.

3. Food. Food is your fuel. It keeps you healthy and energized. So why would anyone stuff it full of junk? Choose plant based whole foods to give you the most bang for your buck. Organic and local too when possible. It may seem like a splurge now, but eating healthy will save you big bucks in the long run by keeping you out of the doctor’s office. It’s also better for the earth.

4. If you own a house, invest in eco friendly changes like rain water barrels to collect rain to water your plants. Or a compost tumbler to give you fresh soil and minimize your garbage. If you are remodeling, look into sustainable materials like bamboo floors.

5. If you’re going to buy something new, spend the extra cash and get something of great quality that will last you a long long time. Cheaping out on a purchase means the item might have a small shelf life and end up in the trash. Do your research and find out what item will serve you the best in the long run.

Can you think of other ways to save or splurge by making the humane choice? What do you do in your personal life?

How do you catch poachers who still hunt deer once deer season has ended? The answer: Robo-deer. The newest brilliant idea in wildlife protection coming straight to you from the Florida police.

Robo-deer is a dummy buck that the cops can control via remote from a distance of 50 feet. It has a few movements that make it look real. The police place it along the side of the road and wait for hunters to strike. Once they take a shot or two at Robo-deer, the cops arrest them for illegal poaching. The sentence can be as steep as 60 days to a year in jail.

Imagine how many animals would be saved if poachers all over the world were potentially falling into law enforcements hands every time they went out with their gun. It’s a proactive approach to catching the bad guys. So many species fall victim to poaching. So far, Robo-deer has been responsible for seven arrests.

Watch the video on Operation Wild by clicking here…

Ladies and gents,

You may have noticed I’ve been a bad blogger lately. What’s the definition of a bad blogger? One who lets their blog sit idle with no new content.

You see, I’m in the process of moving. It’s an insane process and one that has left me little time for anything else.

I’m not quite back to my previous schedule, but soon. Also, I was just offered a blogging gig at another website (a really amazing one). When that’s been finalized I’ll let you know which one.

Until then, again, my apologies. More veg living soon.

Best,

Ali

My mom had to take a picture with a gal who had blonder hair than her.

While on vacation in upstate NY in October, I had the privilege of visiting Equine Advocates in Chatham, NY. Located just two hours north on 140 acres of beautiful land, it is totally worth the trip. One Saturday of every month they are open to visitors.

You’ll get to walk around to each pasture and meet the 79 rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and mules who have found a permanent home at the sanctuary. They have a former NYC carriage horse, a wild mustang, Amish work horses, PMU mares, horses that were on their way to slaughter, and more victims of other abusive situations. Their stories are written in front of their barns so you get to know the history of each horse.

In addition to horses, they also have some alpacas and two pygmy goats. I’m not going to lie. The pygmy goats stole my heart and have been beckoning me to come back with more cuddles.

If you head up to the Chatham area, you should know that Cow Jones Industrials (the fabulous vegan boutique) is in Chatham as well. There are plenty of veg options in town, and the pizza place in Hudson NY offers a yummy vegan pizza. I personally love going up there, and that definitely won’t be my last time visiting Equine Advocates.

On Sunday I saw the most wonderful new documentary called The Queen of the Sun about all the issues affecting bees. From pollution to pests to pesticides to human production. I’m going to discuss one issue the film talks about, but it’s worth seeing the entire thing. I learned a lot in 95 minutes and have a whole new respect for the bee. Now, on to almonds…

80% of the world’s almonds are grown in California. They are America’s biggest horticultural export and six years ago, they were shipped out to the tune of 1+ billion dollars. See that pretty picture to the left? That is what the almond farms look like. For miles, almonds as far as the eye can see.

So how does this impact bees? Thanks to that great new film, The Queen of the Sun, I now know that this huge almond monoculture (the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area) is devastating to bees.

Bees need plenty of diversity to thrive. The almond trees only flower for 3 weeks in the spring every year. So no bee in their right mind would set up a hive where they don’t have anything to eat the other 49 weeks of the year. But the almond trees need to be pollinated. So what do we humans do to fix that? We ship 3/4 of the US bee population to California every year for those 3 weeks so the almonds can thrive. This means shipping bees from as far away as the east coast on big trucks all the way to California and then back again. Many bees die in transport. Many more die in shipping yards waiting to be collected. The hives are wrapped in plastic so they can’t escape and then begin their journey to the almond farms.

In the picture, see those little boxes below the trees? Those are bee hives. Shipped from some distant place. I never knew that when I ate almonds I was supporting such a horrible practice. When will humans learn that nature works best when lots of different species are living together. Diversity is key. Monoculture ruins ecosystems.

This is only one of the problems bees are facing right now. We humans have our fingers in every aspect of their lives. From artificially inseminating their queens to mass producing them for their honey, people are exploiting bees. But here is the thing: unlike all the other species we exploit like cows and chickens, bees are absolutely necessary for the human species. Bees are responsible for 4/10 of our food. Without them, say goodbye to four bites out of every ten you take. As we all know, bees are disappearing. It’s called Colony Collapse Disorder and there are many theories on why it’s happening. But one this is for sure: we have to do something. If we keep exploiting them, we’re not only hurting the bees, we’re hurting ourselves.

On Saturday I had the privilege of attending the Veg Expo in Albany, NY. So many wonderful vendors were there. From Vaute Couture to X’s to O’s Vegan Bakery to Liz Lovely to the New York Coalition for Healthy School Foods. And of course there was the vegan fashion show with gorgeous pieces from some of the best designers.

I ended up helping out at the Vaute Couture booth while Leanne prepared the models for the fashion show. So I got to talk to lots of wonderful people interested in vegan fashion. I also had the chance to see the new coats, soy knits and sweatshirt in person. BEAUTIFUL! And let me tell you, Vaute Couture’s soy knits are so soft and cuddly, you’ll want to keep them on all winter. Same with the sexy off the shoulder sweatshirt. I want one so badly! They go on pre-sale in a few weeks.

Now for the food.

First up, Liz Lovely’s cookies. WOW! Now, what I love about Liz Lovely’s cookies is not just the amazing taste, or the fact that they have gluten free cookie options, but that their company is responsible in every way that counts. Not only is everything vegan, but they are committed to organic ingredients, sustainable practices and fair trade. I bought my husband the Lovely Oh’s, vegan creme sandwich cookies, and oh my. So delicious. Plus, they are available all over the country at places like Whole Foods. Go try some!

I also had the privilege of trying treats from X’s and O’s Vegan Bakery (Thanks to Donna Oakes from Cow Jones Industrials!) I tried a cupcake, half a blondie, half a cookie creme sandwich and half a carrot cake twinky. (I know. Can we say calorie overload?) Everything was delicious. The cookie creme sandwich was my favorite. They are located in Troy, NY. And I met the owner who is perfectly delightful, and has the best vegan cupcake tattoo you have ever seen.

There were many many more exciting exhibitors and friendly people bopping around from speakers to booths. Mostly, I had a blast with Donna and Leanne as we giggled and snacked through the day. The night before had been spent at Cow Jones Industrials, Donna’s vegan boutique in Chatham, NY, doing much of the same: eating, giggling and having a ton of fun. It was a wonderful weekend. I would totally come up again next year for the expo. You should too…

Great news for all those teens interested in focusing on animal studies in college.  New York University announced yesterday that they have created an Animal Studies Program!

What is animal studies? NYU describes it like this:

Animal Studies explores the complex and multi-faceted relationship between animals and humans…The minor offers opportunities to advance understanding of the current treatment of animals and the roles of animals in society, arts, media, culture, communication, ethics, food, literature, law and public policy.

This new program is all thanks to the generosity and support of Brad Goldberg (my amazing boss) and NYU graduate.

Only a few schools in the USA offer an animal studies program as a minor. Hopefully, NYU will inspire other schools to follow their lead and create their own programs. This will also help solidify animal studies as an important field of study.

Read the full press release here…

Dear Animal Shelters, Wildlife Rescues, Conservation Groups and Other Organizations Dedicated to Animals,

It’s so wonderful that you have dedicated your life to the protection of animals. Your work is important and your efforts are appreciated by all. However, when you hold fundraisers and serve meat to your guests, your dedication to animals feels halfhearted.

Even if you aren’t a vegetarian or vegan, can we all agree that serving dead animals to try and raise money to save other animals is a huge contradiction and feels entirely hypocritical?

I’ve seen animal rescues that take in farm animals boast that they are serving beef during their fundraiser bbqs. And marine conservation groups serving fish to their guests. Personally, I wouldn’t attend an event that did such a thing. The speciesism is too much to take.

So perhaps for one evening, while you ask your supporters to spend their time and money to help the animals you have dedicated your lives to, throw some of your compassion over to farmed animals and make the meal veg. The life of a pig is equally as valuable as the life of a dog. We don’t have to pick and choose who we care about. We can, in fact, care about everyone.

Best,

Livin Veg

It would be nice if we could all always afford the items we want, but financial realities means that some of us are on a tight budget (like me right now.) So, for all the ladies who enjoy drooling at the pictures of designer boots, but can’t actually afford them, here are six styles of vegan boots that you can treat yourself to without too much guilt. Each pair is some where between $48 and $99. Click on the image to see details on each boot.

Note: Alternative Outfitters is having a 20% off sale today only with this code: 21SEPT10. The short brown boots below are from there.