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Damn It Feels Good To Be A Vegan
February 16, 2014
Guys I have been having so much fun this year! I feel like I may be on a lucky streak. I won't give too much away just in case superstitions are real, but I'll gladly throw salt over my left (or right?) shoulder and sidestep a few ladders to avoid my lucky streak ending. So a few strange things have been happening in KZTown this past month, like that I got a new job! Day job, that is. I'm obviously still a vegan baker and neighborhood watchwoman by night. I got my TV to hook up to my computer finally, got my car registered in the State of New York in just 1 day, got extra money back from taxes, and inexplicably lost weight. It must be all the pasta I've been eating.
I've started doing Yoga. It's crazy hard, and I find even the beginner's videos challenging. But I am doing it at least 4 times a week, for at least 30 minutes. By the end of the 30 minutes I am covered in sweat and in need of a shower, a nap and several cookies, while the yoga instructor (from youtube) looks like she just woke up from a nap in her tanning bed. She calls me a beautiful yogi every time I turn her channel on, so I like her. Does anyone else do yoga? Where's a good place in the city to take classes?
It's been Isa Does It City here in my apartment. I'm into the Bowl Chapter. I love eating that way. It's a strange mishmash of stuff sometimes, but still seemingly healthy. I have made almost all of them and love them all! Here are a million pictures to prove it.
Citrus Tahini Bowl from Isa Does It
Pizza Bowl from Isa Does It
Cozy Hummus Bowl from Isa Does It
Cucumber Ranch Bowl from Isa Does It
For Valentines Day, I couldn't decide which restaurant I wanted to go to, especially since they all seem to do this prix fixe menu thing that is like the price of two people for 1 person. Then you have to pay twice, so it's like you pay for 4 people. Romantic, right? So since I didn't feel like dealing with reservations, fancy attire and an empty wallet after coming home from work on Valentines Day, I thought I'd whip up a nice dinner and stay in. It was plenty romantic and warm, especially considering the foot of snow on the ground from the day before. My BF cleaned the house and lit some candles and put his blazer on before I came home from work. It was so cute! He got me a record, a novel and some PB Cups! I'm really not a flowers and chocolate kind of chick. I don't really want generic gifts that every guy stands in line at cvs on Valentines Day evening to buy. I like gifts that are for me specifically. I'm way too punk for pink flowers and the only jewelry I own is from my mom. but PB CUPS?!?! The man knows the way to my heart. I made Seitan braised in red wine with leeks and mushrooms from Vegan Eats World and some whipped potatoes. I used a potato ricer. So yeah. Pretty fancy.
The February Vegan Shop Up was this weekend!! I love this pop-up market because a) it's free admission, b) there's ethiopian food, c)it's at a vegan bar d) there's a lot of chocolate available e)It's a good excuse for midday drinking. Plus, everyone you meet there is more than likely awesome. So it's a good place to meet new vegan friends. I got a free tote bag because they gave out free totes to the first 10 people in the door, and I was #10! I was the winner! They were selling them for $20 so I was super happy that they were expensive because mine was free. Is that weird? I got my first bloody mary ever, which was this massive spicy concoction with a bunch of food jammed in it. I also got Ethiopian food from Bunna, which I am SO PSYCHED that they opened a new restaurant in BK. I will be there like ALL THE TIME. I got at least $30 in chocolate from Lagusta's Luscious, which was all amazing, and some macaroons (macarons?) from Sweet Maresa's that blew my mind. So pillowy! I loved them. I got a cinnamon bun from Cake Thieves with chocolate and PB CUPS! also a chocolate covered strawberry with chocolate chip armor. I had several beers in addition to all of these high sugar food-like substances, and Alex and I stumbled on the subway home, completely indecent at 4pm. I swore I was going to do yoga when I got home, but very obviously passed out for 3 hours until dinner time just minutes after walking in the door.
Speaking of vegans drinking, Alex and I went to Vegan Drinks in Manhattan last month, where Monks Meats was doling out southern comfort food. I got the Tempeh meatloaf, Alex got the salisbury steak. The sides were maple carrots and mashed potatoes with gravy, The tempeh meatloaf was so amazing, and I didn't try the salisbury steak but I was told it was delicious. The mashed potatoes were obviously great, but that gravy though.. that gravy. I would pour that shit on cereal. I would pour it on my ice cream. I would pour it anyplace that would be near my mouth. Enough I guess.
Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy with mapley carrots
Tempeh Meatloaf, Cauliflower Gratin, and mapley carrots
I got Beyond Sushi today, just cause. I don't know why we don't go there every day. It's so good. I got an orange coconut juice this time. It reminded me of an Orange Julius, except in a good way.
I like that part of town. There's a bunch of vegan spots there and downwards on the east side of 14th. I've been hitting up the East Village hard lately, whether for brunch, coffee, records, spices, ice cream, thrills, whathaveyou. Also WHEN IS DF MAVENS OPENING?!
Plus if I lived on the west coast, I couldn't get brunch like THIS all the time! East Coast: 1. West Coast: 0.
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