VegWorcester.com

Oprah is going vegan! How do I know? This is 2008, it’s on her blog. I don’t usually read her blog, but a friend of mine who works for the Humane Society of the US sent me a link. Going vegan shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, this isn’t the first time Oprah has used her TV pulpit to talk about animals and vegetarianism.

From her blog:

“How can you say you’re trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?”

In 1996 Oprah was sued by a horde of Texan farmers after she hosted Howard Lyman on her show to talk about the problems with meat production and his personal transition from a fourth generation cattle rancher to vegan advocate. The Texan farmers argued that Oprah’s show resulted in millions of dollars of damages in the form of lost sales. Boohoo. Of course the lawsuit was thrown out of court. Lyman later wrote Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat. It’s fantastic, definitely worth a read.

Back to Oprah going vegan… She promises to chronicle the whole month-long affair on her blog, starting today.

Again, from her blog:

So this first day wasn’t hard at all. For breakfast, I had steel-cut oatmeal with fresh blueberries, strawberries, chopped walnuts and a splash of soy milk and some agave nectar. For lunch, chunky mushroom soup with wild rice and pecans. As a snack, a handful of roasted almonds. And for dinner, a baked potato drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper with a salad of shredded lettuce, cranberries, pine nuts and tiny orange slices with a vinegar and oil dressing.

If you’re vegetarian, but not yet vegan and need some inspiration try taking the challenge along with Oprah’s for 21 days. Erik from Vegan.com is hosting a daily podcast geared at helping you do it.

4 Comments »

This is coming a little late, but the 57th edition of Vegan Radio is now being served (mp3). Vegan Radio is broadcast live from ValleyFree Radio WXOJ-LP 103.3 FM in Northampton, Massachusetts. Shows are on alternate Thursdays at noon.

In this episode they talk about NYC’s first ever Veggie Pride Parade and Karen Dawn’s new book, Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals.

From VeganRadio.com:

Our 57th show features interviews with two prominent animal rights activists who are involved in fun events happening in NYC on Sunday May 18th, 2008. The first is Pamela Rice who has put together the first ever Veggie Pride Parade which will march through the meat district and feature vegan rocker Cheryl Hill and a marriage ceremony officiated by Vegan Radio favorite Dave Warwak. Our second guest is Karen Dawn who is known in the vegan movement for her activist web site Dawn Watch. Karen has a new book called Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals and is hosting a book release party after the parade. Karen regales us with stories of monkeys and pit bulls.

We also have news stories about the vegan diet being greener than eating locally grown meat, meat recalls including a recall of 406,000 pounds of cattle heads, and the influence of Asia’s growing animal agriculture industry on global warming.

Download the show!

You can also subscribe to the Vegan Radio podcast.

No Comments yet »

A giant chicken gets revenge on the Colonel in Moby’s new music video, Disco Lies:

No Comments yet »

The Orlando Sentinel says vegetarianism is hip. They say it’s getting more and more popular, especially among teenage girls. I happen to agree with them. Vegetarianism is hipper than ever. Yeah, hipper. Not hippier.

Patchouli, your days are numbered.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

…

The fastest growing segment of the vegetarian population is teenage girls. Eleven percent of girls ages 13 to 17 identify themselves as vegetarian or vegan, according to the American Dietetic Association. That’s compared with 7 percent of the adult female population who don’t eat meat.

But unlike the granola-crunching, hippie stereotypes once associated with non-meat eaters, being a vegetarian — or a vegan, which means also abstaining from dairy and eggs — is becoming increasingly popular among fashion-conscious girls such as Grissinger.

…

1 Comment »

If you’re a regular reader of this blog you already know that meat grown in a lab (and not on an animal) may soon be a reality. PETA has even thrown it’s weight behind the idea by offering $1 Million to the anyone who can bring lab meat to market at a comparable price to factory-farmed chicken.

So here’s the big question, would you eat it?

No Comments yet »

Two years ago Pamela Rice asked why haven’t vegetarians and vegans jumped on the pride parade bandwagon and organized veggie pride parade and walks? Afterall, they’ve been doing it for seven years in Paris. So why not here in the USA?

Well, this Sunday Pamela’s wish will come true in New York City. They are having the first ever Veggie Pride Parade in New York City (and the US).

From SuperVegan:

The parade procession will begin at 12 Noon in the Old Meat District of Greenwich Village. The parade will then culminate in Washington Square Park, where a festival of rock music, speakers, and exhibitors will take place. The press release doesn’t mention anything about hook-ups, but if this is anything like Gay Pride, you can expect ample opportunity to spice up your love life.

For updates, check the Veggie Pride Parade Blog.

1 Comment »

Yeah, I know. I’m beating this to death. I know I already asked you to request soymilk at Worcester Dunkin Donuts, but this time you can get some free ice coffee for doing it.

All day today Dunkin Donuts is giving away free iced coffees at all of their locations. What better time to ask for soymilk? DC-based animal rights group, Compassion Over Killing, is taking this give-away as an opportunity for some veg advocacy. They’re asking people across the country to stop by their local Dunkin Donuts, pick up a free iced coffee and remember to ask their local store to get with the times and offer soymilk. There’s even a facebook group about it.

You’re living under a rock if you didn’t already know that there over a dozen Dunkin Donuts in Worcester. If you’re a serious coffee addict you could probably even hit up a couple of locations.

Get ‘er done!

1 Comment »

Here’s a rumor for you: After a great conversation about vegan food with their head waitress at Nancy Chang’s, the restaurant is considering adding a monthly all-vegan buffet. And they are super excited about it too. Like any change, it might take a little time to get it off the ground but you may be hearing news of the new buffet as soon as next month. I’m stoked. Nancy Chang’s is awesome.
So if you’re at the restaurant anytime in the next month (you know, chowing down on some General Chow’s Veg Chicken or some Soy Shrimp) definitely tell your waiter/waitress that you’re pysched about the vegan buffet.

Nancy Chang’s is located at: 372 Chandler Street. Phone: (508) 752-8899

No Comments yet »

Johnny Rockets and PETA are teaming up for a Buy One Get One Free veggie burger giveaway to celebrate World Vegetarian Week (May 19-25).

Johnny Rockets has been offering their Steamliner veggie burger for a couple of years now. They’re good! Unfortunately, there aren’t any Johnny Rockets in Worcester but there’s one in the Natick Mall, just off of Route 9. Johnny Rocket’s website also lists ones in the Boston Logan Airport, the Burlington Mall in Burlington and at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree. So if you’re planning to be in any of those places, you should stop by the Johnny Rockets with a friend and get a couple of Steamliners.

Johnny Rockets is cool and all, but Worcester is the home of the diner. We have a ton of diners in Worcester and there are a handful that stock veggie burger. Ralph’s Diner at 148 Grove Street is good choice. Ralph’s also hosts shows pretty regularly, so if you go at the right time you might get some music to go with your burger.

1 Comment »

My friend Cindy will be delivering homemade vegan cookies by bike this Saturday to anyone who contributes $5 or more to sponsor her in her super-long 60+ mile bike ride fundraiser for Bikes Not Bombs.

So if you want a pouch of yummy vegan cookies delivered to you this weekend, call 860-218-4276 and ask for Cindy.

(The picture on the right was from when Cindy, Nick, Jackie and I biked from Worcester to Boston to get some vegan pizza from TJ Scallywaggle’s, Boston’s vegan house of pizza and subs.)

1 Comment »