My 14 faves of '14: Legal marriage!

#14! Thanks for reading my list!

By far, my favorite thing of 2014 is that Mike and I got legally married on February 14th.

What a day. I still tear up just thinking of it.

We were first married on April 30, 2005, yet that marriage was not legal. That was the best day of my life, marrying my love, my best friend in our church in front of 160 friends and family.

Yet as laws were changing we decided we wanted to be legal. So we went to our favorite spot, Torrey Pines State Beach, and got married. Our dear friend Jim did the honors.

The experience blew my mind. Just getting our marriage license was amazing, and emotional!

Here are a few photos:

Since then legal marriage has come to Colorado, so our marriage is recognized here!

Definitely my favorite thing/day of 2014!

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #13

I am saving the top two for last of my list of faves for '14.

I realize this is very general, but I have to say that my friends and family totally make my list of faves for '14.

To my friends, you are my chosen family.

To all of you, I simply cannot imagine my life or this world without you.

You love me. You support me. You call me out on my craziness.

You say the sweetest, kindest things.

You are a huge part of why I love my life so much, and why my life is so amazing.

And you know who you are. You called me. You dropped by my office. You hung out with me and Mike. You dropped a note on Facebook. You made a donation to one of my causes. You spoke out for those with no voice. I might not have seen you in years, but I know you are there.

And I love you.

Thanks for reading.

My 14 faves of '14: #12

Native Foods is a definite for my list of faves for '14!

Two and a half years ago there were no Native Foods in Colorado. Now there are five!

Including one in our hometown of Lakewood!

Plus, the newest just opened in downtown Denver, just a few blocks from where I work!

We LOVE Native Foods. Not only do they have amazing vegan food, they are also quite philanthropic. They have national dining out days for Surfrider Foundation, Mercy for Animals and Farm Sanctuary! Love all three of those groups.

Of course I can't mention Native Foods without letting you know that my all-time favorite dish there is the Soul Bowl!

I also would like to give a big shout out to the Native Foods in Encinitas, CA. LOVE them!

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #11

I must admit that I have finished a whole box of these. All by myself. I keep telling Mike that they must be putting less into a box.

I love these crackers. Definitely one of my faves for '14.

They are making their way around but I'm not sure if they are everywhere yet. If you have a chance, buy them.

In the Denver area we buy then at Nooch Vegan Market.

Enjoy.

And thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #10

Looking at my list I see food all over the place. And restaurants.

This summer I had the chance to dine at Detroit Vegan Soul and I will never be the same. If you ever get the chance to go, go! Take your time. Try things that you normally wouldn't.

I was blown away by the food at Detroit Vegan Soul. The service was perfect and I fell in love with the owners.

So many positive things are happening in Detroit, and this place tops the list in my opinion.

Many times since my visit I find myself thinking about their food, or wanting to check flights to see if I could make it for dinner.

Even if you think you don't like soul food, go!

http://detroitvegansoul.com/

My 14 faves of '14: #9

Field Roast came out with new sliced cheeses this year and they are unbelievable!

I must admit that I have only used them for grilled cheese sandwiches and for tofu scramble, yet I have eaten a lot them and they are definitely one of the best new vegan products I have tried this year!

The flavors are: Creamy Original, Tomato Cayenne and Coconut Herb with Black Pepper.

My favorite of the three is the one with black pepper but they all rock.

If you can find them where you live, I highly recommend trying them!

In the Denver area you kind find them at Nooch Vegan Market.

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #8

No surprise here.

Linger.

Linger is our favorite restaurant in Denver. Sister restaurant to Root Down a few blocks away and to the Root Down at the Denver airport.

They nail it with what is important to me at a restaurant: amazing service and incredible vegan food.

The menu changes, but my current favorite is the falafel. A true journey of flavors!

And the sweet potato waffle fries!

Make a reservation.

A night out with friends or a night with your special person.

Linger is part of what makes Denver such a great city for dining!

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #7

Legal marriage makes my list of my faves for '14!

2014 was an AMAZING year for marriage equality!

Check this out!

This about says it all. There still is not national marriage equality, yet more than half of the population in the US live where there is marriage equality.

And right at the kickoff of the new year, the first week of January, marriage equality will come to Florida!

Please continue to be the voice for justice and equality. As so many of us can get married, we still have to fight ignorance, intolerance, and hate.

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #6

The list continues!

My next fave is Gracias Madre, a Mexican-inspired vegan restaurant in West Hollywood.

Mike and I were so lucky to be able to dine there TWICE this past summer.

Before I go on, if you are ever in the area and want to dine at Gracias Madre, make a reservation!

Incredible food, great service and the atmosphere is just perfect. Dine outside if you can.

And they have vegan flan!

We can't wait to go back. Gracias Madre is what a night out is all about. They cover it all. To tell you how much we love them, we canceled dinner at our other fave in LA so we could dine with them again!

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #5

I am vegan because of animals. I love animals, and do all I can in my life to do no harm to them and to create a safer, more kind and compassionate world for them.

This year I met, via Facebook, Lucy the pig.

Lucy is my #5 fave of 2014.

This photo is Lucy now. After a few months of being loved and nurtured back to health by the wonderful folks at Rooterville sanctuary in Florida. I met Lucy through my sweet friend at Indiana Pig Save and for me it was love at first site. This next photo is how I first saw Lucy.

She was in super bad shape. Brought to Rooterville after being found, whoever brought her knew what they were doing and saved Lucy's precious life. It has not been an easy road this this sweet being, but with the folks at Rooterville being her voice and loving on her so much, she has a chance that most farmed animals will never even come close to.

For more information on Rooterville or to donate to their crazy awesome work, go here: www.rooterville.org

Thanks for reading!

My faves of '14: #4

Next is Modern Love restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska!

Many times in conversation with restaurant owners I talk about how vegan cuisine has just gone crazy. Modern Love is the best example of this.

Courtesy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and an amazing staff, Modern Love blew my mind this past August when I had the chance to dine there. Every dish I tried was a flavor journey.

If you are ever even close to Omaha or need an excuse for a road trip, go! You will love that you did!

For more information, check out their website: http://www.modernloveomaha.com/

My 14 faves of '14: #3

My third fave of 2014 is Torrey Pines State Beach in San Diego.

I am sure you're not surprised!

We LOVE this beach!

The area we hang out at the most is right about the center of this photo in the beach area.

This is from a hike we took this year. We started at the beach, took the road up, and then paths back down to the beach. Incredible!



And us during the hike!

If you are ever going to be in the San Diego area (we hope to live there one day) I highly recommend that you spend at least a day at Torrey Pines State Beach!

Thanks for reading!

My 14 faves of '14: #2

My next fave of 2014 is Native Food's Soul Bowl.

Native Foods has gone crazy in Colorado, which is awesome for us! Just in the last year three more locations have opened, including in our hometown of Lakewood and in downtown Denver, which is where I work.

I have loved the Soul Bowl for many years. It's on this list because it is truly one of my all-time favorite dishes, and this year I have been able to have it many times.

The Soul Bowl is packed with a variety of veggies, which cover beans and rice, and then is topped off with Native Food's vegan chicken. Before it is served ranch dressing and barbecue sauce is added. I like to ask with an extra side of the barbecue sauce. Oh, and it comes with cornbread!

And when I write that it is packed with veggies, I mean. I would guess there are at least two servings of veggies in the Soul Bowl.

Give it a try. Native Foods is amazing, and I am guessing there might be one near you soon.

Thanks for reading.

My 14 faves of '14: #1

I suppose this is a list.

I have done this before.  A couple of years ago I did a post about my favorite products. I have also written about my favorite women. And men.

This month I had been thinking of all of the wonderful things that have happened in my life this year. I'd like to share them.

These will be in no particular order, except for the post on the 31st which will be my absolute #1 favorite of the year!

So here is my first fave of '14!

Vegan Heartland's Vegan Chicken Pot Pie!

One day at work I pulled up his blog and saw a photo of his Chicken Pot Pie. I salivated all day. On the way home I picked up a couple of products. When I got home I pulled out the recipe and got to work.

Remember, I am not a cook. And I have never made a crust in my life!

A few months later I have made this over a dozen times! Why, because it is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. For us it makes a great dinner and then an awesome lunch with the leftovers.

You must try this recipe!

Here you go: http://www.vegan-heartland.com/2013/05/vegan-chicken-pot-pie.html

Thanks for reading!

No gifts, thank you.

I am super grateful to all of my family who, for years now, have donated to a local animal shelter or HIV/AIDS organization instead of getting us a Christmas gift. It's been at least ten years since my parents started doing this, and every time we are back in Michigan we get to see the results. The animal shelter in Bay City where my mom donates in our name even has a brick for me and Mike!

So many amazing organizations doing so much good work.

Every year around this time I like to write about this. It's pretty simple. We have the power to make an intense amount of change by asking our friends and family to donate to an organization we would support rather than get us a gift. I have altered that for some folks who insist on a gift as it's "what they want to do" to say that if you get us a gift, please make a donation of equal value.

Our friends and family have loved this. So have the small, local HIV/AIDS organizations and animal shelters.

Everybody gets a gift. Plus, those who love us get the chance to know us on a deeper level by being a part of supporting groups we support. And they get to learn why we support these groups.

Thanks for reading!

A few tips to political folks

So much is being written about this past election, as if one party had never controlled both the US House and US Senate, ever. We know this is not the case. As a progressive, I remember that, in not so distant time, both chambers and the presidency were controlled by Republicans and we got through it. Yes, it might have sucked and yes there were some bad things that happened, but we got through it.

After spending a lot of time helping candidates I support get elected, and hanging out at election parties, I was reminded that I have always wanted to write a note to those in politics in regards to my thoughts on what they could do better. This goes to folks in all political parties.

Here you go:

When in public, be kind. Don't be arrogant. This goes for your staff too. Nothing is worse than running into arrogance-filled staff members at events. Anyone representing you or your campaign should be rocking it for you in public.

If you were part of something good, talk about it. Even if it means talking positive about someone who is not popular. For example, the economy seems much better off than it was two or four years ago. Certainly better than six years, no matter who is talking about it. Sure someone who hates the President will tell you, when talking about better unemployment numbers, that this number doesn't include folks who stopped looking for employment, but they never have. Never. So it is still apples to apples.

If you like something, admit it. Don't bs us. I firmly believe that folks will respect someone who sticks to their beliefs, even if those folks don't agree with those beliefs.

Thank people. Yes, you won. It was close. Thank those who took their personal time and decided to do what they could to help get you elected or re-elected rather than spend time with their family, go for a run, or volunteer for a non-profit.

Show up. Nothing sucks more than to see ads with you being attacked for not being present at work. This doesn't fly for most of us, nor should it for you. If you have missed a bunch of work, in any capacity, tell us why.

If you lost an election, don't stop. If it is a four year term that is a bit tougher, but for two year terms run again. And again. If you firmly believe that you are a better candidate and would support the citizens better than the other person, keep going. Rock it in between elections and run again.

Give a shit. This is crucial, although many folks get elected who don't. Many folks in politics want to be mayor or governor or president. If that is the only reason you are running for state house or some other position, please don't tell me that. I want to believe that you actually care about the people who you are asking to vote for you. I get that folks aspire to a higher office, and I also want someone who represents me on any level to give a shit.

And my regular readers would be shocked if I didn't include this part. If you want to make change but do not want to get into politics, the least you can do is vote.

Thanks for reading.

Be nice today

So many terrible things were said during this past election. I thought I had heard/read it all.

Until the President's speech last night.

Holy cow.

I started reading comments on Facebook and Twitter. Then I went to newspapers and TV websites. I have watched horrible things be said about our President and have always shook my head. What I have read in the last 24 hours just baffles me.

So much vile. So much hate. So many terrible words not only about the President but about immigrants, liberals, and anyone who might support anything the writer disagrees with.

I disagree with many when it comes to politics. And I agree with many. Those I disagree with I choose not to hate or demonize.

I'm much more about finding what we have in common and building bridges. Having a conversation. Debating our thoughts, ideas and solutions.

So I am going to be nice to those I disagree with. I am not going to become a person filled with negativity, judgment and hate.

I am just as powerful of an activist while filled with kindness.

Thanks for reading!

Your first vegan Thanksgiving

Me and Suga at one of our Thanksgiving meals (we have dinner outside when the weather is nice).

In the past few months I have connected with many folks who are newly vegan and who are entering into their first holiday season as vegan. I remember my first holidays being vegan and thought I would write some words of support.

Many folks don't like Thanksgiving. I totally LOVE Thanksgiving. I do not celebrate the day in the same way that culture has passed on to me. I celebrate it as a chance to enjoy a day off watching my husband delight in creating a feast for people we love, and celebrating friends of ours who are family.

For Thanksgiving, there are vegetarian and vegan groups all of the country that host some type of meal, whether it's a vegan potluck or a full-on vegan buffet that you pay for. Whether you are going to someones home for a meal or not, I think at least swinging by one of these events and getting to know people is great. You would get to eat amongst your own and may even meet folks who you want to be in community with.

Most folks serve turkey at Thanksgiving. As disgusting as that might seem to you, it is still very normal for many people. If you end up at a dinner where turkey is being served, don't rip your clothes off and scream "I'd rather go naked than partake in a meal that includes a tortured being!". Simply pass on the turkey and go for the vegan items. If there are no vegan items re-read the preceding paragraph.

Keeping this thought in mind, many family and friends will make sure there are vegan options for you when inviting you to the meal. I have always had plenty to eat at Thanksgiving dinner, even when my husband wasn't cooking it. If your host asks you to bring a vegan dish, go all out and bring something that will blow the minds of all of the other guests.

You can also plan to host Thanksgiving dinner at your home. Mike and I have been doing that for many years and we love it. And I am pretty sure our guests do too.

If you decided to become vegan for the animals, remember that you are their voice. Many of you will be at a Thanksgiving dinner where other guests have no clue what being vegan is, or means. This is your chance to be a loving, compassionate voice for those who have no voice.

Thanks for reading!

What an election!

I have always believed that all politics is local.

As I watched the returns on election night from the Jefferson County Dems party, I was once again reminded that the work I do to support local candidates pays off, while at the same time I have little control over whether or not a bigot is elected in Iowa.

To be fair, bigots were also elected in Colorado.

Election night was good locally as both my state rep and my state senator, two men I really like, were re-elected. My state senator was only ahead by some 400 votes, a count that went higher as votes were counted.

My former state senator, whose district we are no longer in due to boundary changes, won by 190 votes.

Talk about close. And about how each vote is vital. There were actually a bunch of close elections in Colorado.

The best part of election day is that we got the vote out in Jefferson County. Our favorite for State Board of Education, who represents our Congressional district, won 89,000+ votes. She was running against a "reformist", tea party candidate, like the three county school board members we have that won election last year. What this election showed me is that people voted. With all of the crap coming from our school board, people have gotten pissed off and have started voting. This is huge as our two amazing county school board members are up for re-election next year.

The point here is to vote. To get active in a local campaign. Get to know the candidates and choose one. If there isn't a good candidate, one that you can support, consider running yourself. I'm not talking about for US Senate. I am totally talking about city council, state rep, county positions and local school board.

If you are dismayed about what happened election night, do something.

Thanks for reading!

Happy World Vegan Day

I had no idea today was World Vegan Day!

I started the day by making brunch for friends, including my favorite French toast recipe and sausage. Then later today Mike is making his famous enchiladas as we have a couple of friends coming over for dinner.

My favorite things about being vegan are that I contribute less to suffering on this earth and that I get to eat incredibly delicious food.

There's a lot to celebrate. And the more I read about World Vegan Day the more I learn. Like, this is even World Vegan Month!

So spread the word. Have a potluck. Or a small dinner party. Let friends and family know why you're vegan. Bring a vegan delight to the office.

We are becoming a huge, diverse community. Let's embrace it. And let's celebrate.

I wish you a very happy World Vegan Day!

Thanks for reading!

Today I got pissed off

I have been vegan for 18 years. I have been out of the closet (openly gay) since 1990for 24 years.

So I am used to dealing with folks who are openly and verbally judgmental towards vegans/veganism and gays/sexual minorities.

Being used to it, many times I just shrug it off. Sometimes I engage in a kind way, especially when it comes to legal marriage or what the Bible says about married gay men living in the 21st century who want to have sex. Or when someone asks "do they really hurt the animals?"

And seldom does this negativity get to me.

Until the other day.

When talking about leaving some vegan food aside for a future day, someone I do not know said "well you definitely don't need to worry about me touching it!" They just said it, not directed to me, but as a public announcement.

Inside I became enraged. Like, WTF. Like, was that really necessary?

The rage stayed inside me for hours. It was tough to let go.

I did, finally.

I do not want to be angry, or carry anger. I don't understand why people judge or shame or ridicule. I don't like it. So the easiest thing for me is to not become those people.

After all, I can't change people. I can only control me.

I like being kind and loving. And I like being vegan and gay.

Thanks for reading.

Accepted violence at animal non-profits

We all have our favorite animal non-profit. Whether that is our local pound or a far-away animal sanctuary whose work we love and respect, most of us financially support groups that are helping animals in some way.

In Colorado we have a variety of such groups. They are a diverse lot, many companion animal groups saving the lives of mostly dogs and cats, some with huge operations and smaller ones with all volunteer fosters. I have worked with and/or fostered animals for many of these groups. I love that there are so many organizations here working to end animal cruelty and working to support companion animals who have been abused.

As a side note, the first time I met a cow, and fell in love with pigs, was at a sanctuary here in Colorado, one that is no longer around. I remember loving on the cow and being a little surprised about how big she was. And strong. And how much she loved it when I scratched her neck.

So many organizations. So many wonderful people working against animal cruelty.

Several months ago an activist friend of mine asked me if I would help with asking a local animal shelter to stop serving meet at their fundraising dinners. It is a fundamental problem that I have always thought about: Why do I have to order a vegan-specific meal at a fundraiser for a group whose mission is to end violence towards animals and to love and support animals? My point being that, in my head, all of these groups would of course be serving only vegan meals at their fundraisers.

I passed on helping for the same reason that I have passed on other actions: time. I have never in my life felt as crazy busy as I feel now. It has a lot to do with my day job, a job I am hugely passionate about, but nonetheless I simply do not have time to jump onto another campaign.

And I haven't stopped thinking about it.

I haven't stopped thinking that those of us who support animal liberation, who want to end cruelty to all animals, who cannot deep inside of ourselves pick and choose which animals to fight for and which ones to not fight for, can make our voices heard via a simple request: please make your fundraising events all vegan.

Any hotel catering manager will tell you that there has been a surge in requests for vegan and vegetarian meals. I have noticed that when people see my vegan dish delivered to the table at an event they decide they want the vegan dish. You see, these days, many hotels and banquet spots have been rocking at vegan meals. It's because we have been asking for better.

I have actually been at a big dinner or lunch and asked for a second plate because my meal was so delicious. The days of pasta with some cold veggies on top as the vegan choice are over. If they are not over where you last ate for one of these meetings/conferences, remind them that we are living in the 21st century, a time when there are a zillion delicious vegan options.

It's time to stop perpetuating violence and supporting violence against animals within the same community that is supposed to be helping animals.

Thank you for reading.

Don't forget what the bigots did.

What an amazing week!

Watching gay couples get married in Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, Nevada. Legal marriage is now in a majority of the states. I wept as I watched couples who had been together 20, 30 years finally being allowed to legally marry.

Of course many are not happy. As I write, the state of South Carolina is doing everything they can to not allow gays to marry.

And as hundreds of couples marry around the country, I ask each of you to not forget.

Please don't forget the bigots and the religious extremists. Please don't forget those who used every waking breathe to keep marriage from us.

Please don't forget those who had the power to simply say yes, or vote yes, and instead said or voted no.

Please don't forget those who demonized us, and continue to demonize us.

Which brings me to my point.

Many of these same people are running for election or re-election across the country. Some of them want people to forget their horrible words and votes against gays and lesbians. Some of them think they will get more votes by demonizing us.

Don't let them do it. Don't let them win.

We have the power. It's called the vote.

Vote. Make sure they know we haven't forgotten. Make sure we speak with a loud voice.

Thank you for reading!

The JeffCo School Board fiasco Part III

This is Part III of a series of posts I am writing about our county school board.

As schools closed and students began walking out in protest of a proposed curriculum committee, all of a sudden Jefferson County Public Schools was in the news across the country.

The curriculum committee would be a form of censorship.

The board is not transparent.

The student's walking out of class are pawns of their teachers and the ever-powerful union.

Students are being manipulated.

This is all really about the teacher's union.

There are certainly no shortage of opinions. Those who have always supported public schools are voicing their opinion. Those who have always disliked teacher unions are voicing theirs.

Some are going hard core. Ross Kaminsky, an apparent conservative who does not care for teacher unions, wrote this in a recent note to our local paper: "But truth is the first casualty of war, and so it was in Jefferson County as the unions implemented their plan to use students as human shields while assailing the school board with misinformation." This was in response to a part of his note in which he wrote that the school board was really fighting censorship.

The student human shields have a lot at stake. Pawns as they might be, AP History is important to them as they can get college credit for it. (I am still learning more about AP topics so will write more in another post.)

As I watched students leaving class in protest and listened to the nationwide name calling against students in JeffCo schools, some coming from our own school board members, my first thought was that all of these name callers have never met a teenager. Pawn? Easily manipulated? Seriously?

Those who support our "reformist" school board say it's all about the money. And union power. My challenges about our new board have indeed included issues about the money. The $80,000 for an additional lawyer just for the three "reformist" board members. The huge increase in pay for the new school superintendent, especially when so many conservatives complained about the pay of our former school superintendent. $300,000 for a charter school that is struggling and money had not helped before.

And one of the semi-funny issues is the pay of the new superintendent. I listened to many folks complaining about how much our past superintendent was paid. These folks are supportive of our current board majority. Yet I didn't hear any complaining when the new superintendent was hired at a salary of about $80,000 more than the past one. 

As the new superintendent said this week, "the past week has been quiet". Indeed it has. I'm curious to see what the next steps are. I'm also looking forward to our local elections to see if tea party candidates are affected in JeffCo based on the support of the board majority. I want to see if more people start voting based on what the board is doing.  

Thanks for reading. 

Chipping away at bigotry

Tony London and Tim Bostic check their marriage license out. Photo from the Virginian Pilot.

You might have heard about a US Supreme Court decision this morning. The Court decided not hear gay marriage cases, which means marriage equality has now come to a handful of additional states and perhaps even more. Before the news had gotten around, couple were getting ready to get married in Virginia. By the time I had a chance to get to my blog site, many couples had married in Virginia and even in Colorado, which has been indirectly affected by the ruling as we are one of the states that is part of the US Court of Appeals for the 10th District, which lifted its stay on marriages right after the ruling.

Whew! I apologize for the run-on sentence. This is an incredible day to me. It has honestly been difficult to not shed tears. Of joy, of course.

Finally.

This morning Colorado's Attorney General told all 64 county clerks to get ready to issue licenses. As of right now, two counties have begun. They decided not to wait.

All of the marriages that occurred in Utah last year but then held up until a Supreme Court ruling are now legal.

The plaintiffs in the Virginia case married in Norfolk just a couple of hours ago. They were the first to marry in Norfolk, my home town.

I am ecstatic.

Yet marriage equality is not law in every state. This was not a ruling making equality the law of the land. Many still cannot marry. Yet.

So please keep speaking out for marriage equality. Please keep fighting against bigotry, in any and every form.

Those who hate gay people and those who are against marriage equality won't stop fighting. Nor can we.

With elections coming up it is especially important to vote for candidates who support equal right and equal marriage. Vote!

Now it's time to go celebrate with Mike.

Thanks for reading.

Restaurant review: Linger, still the one

It won't be a surprise to read a wonderful review about Linger. The three-level restaurant in Denver's Lo-hi are has been our favorite for a couple of years now, and I can honestly say that I have never had a negative experience there. While dining there recently, I decided to do another, updated review.

Here you go.

If you are looking for amazing service and amazing vegan food options, check out Linger. If you're looking for a wonderful place for date night, check out Linger. A night out with old friends catching up over food and perhaps your favorite cocktail, check out Linger. Lunch with an important customer or client, well, you get it now.

First the menu. Every item that can be done vegan is marked with a "v". If you look out for gluten- free or nut-items those are marked as well. Have a particular food allergy? Just let the server know and the chefs will make sure your dish is just as delicious without the item you are allergic to.

Everything is served like small plate, tapas style. International street food at it's best.

We always start with the sweet potato waffle fries. Always.

The duck buns have been my favorite since first going to Linger. Their flavor has changed, but always delicious. The bun is squishy and moist and the tofu is highlighted with peppers and other fantastic flavors.

You see, what Linger completely rocks at is layering flavors. Just when you start enjoying one flavor in the bite you took all of a sudden you are realizing there is another one.

Please note that the menu changes seasonally. This means that what I am writing about now may or may not be on the menu when you dine with them.

Mike and I have recently been loving the falafel lettuce wraps. Talk about flavor! Three wraps are placed right in front of you with a tahini sauce that I could eat by the spoonful. This plate could honestly be a meal, but why stop there.

The beet salad can be easily shared and has several textures and flavors. Even if you have given up beets I would recommend at least trying this.

And then there's the masala dosa. The wonderful Indian dish that they seem to have perfected.

There is always a vegan dessert. These days it's the candy bar, a incredibly journey filled with chocolate and peanut butter. Oh my.

The culinary director at Linger is Daniel Asher. Not only one of the loveliest people you will ever meet but one of the most creative, food-honoring, flavor enticing chefs I have ever met. And he gets vegan food. He not only gets it, he creates vegan dishes that blow your mind. 

As all of my restaurant reviews, the review if half food and half service. You will definitely not be disappointed with the wonderful servers at Linger. Service is hugely important to everyone on staff and you will notice that there is always someone coming by to make sure your water glass has something in it.

Linger has a rooftop deck and a bar that are first come, first served. We usually make a reservation for the main dining area. And do make a reservation.

Thank you for reading!

The JeffCo School Board fiasco Part II

This is Part II of a series of blog posts about the Jefferson County School Board and recent student walkouts.

This month, one of the new "reformist" board members introduced a proposal to have a curriculum review committee and that the committee's first priority would be to revisit the AP History course.

Although many of the student-organized walkouts were based on the AP History portion of this proposal, including what should or shouldn't be taught in history, I am surprised that no one has brought up the process of selecting the committee.

First, I'd like to share an email sent out by a supporters of the board member, Julie Williams, who wants to create this curriculum committee:
 

This is scary. I wonder how this person thinks about the students who attend JeffCo schools. I wonder what Julie Williams thinks about gay students or students who might call themselves progressive. I wonder if the writer of this email thinks gay people are ungodly.

No matter what you think about "reformist" school board members (not just ours but those across the country), I think it's fair to say that they have an agenda. In our case, I truly believe that our school board majority has no interest in all of our students, that they only care about their agenda.

So just say it.

There are plenty of actions that "reformist" board members have taken that show me that they do not care about all students. I wonder what it's like for gay and lesbian students in the district. Or students who live in poverty.

After over a week of student protests, I also wonder how students in JeffCo feel when being called pawns, or that their actions could never have been planned by themselves but had to have been planned by the dreaded union. Newscasters have called them names. Our own board members seem to think that the students cannot critically think for themselves.

This week two high schools closed due to teacher sickouts. There were a couple of student protests but not on the level of last week. The monthly school board meeting is tonight, and the new curriculum is on the docket.

More to come.

Meanwhile, please vote. Please check out your school board.

Thanks for reading.

The JeffCo School Board fiasco - Part I

Evergreen High School students protesting the JeffCo School Board.

If you are connected with my blog on social media at all, you might already know about what is happening with our local school district. We live in Lakewood, which is part of Jefferson County, Colorado. Since last week thousands of students from high schools throughout the county have walked out of class to protest, mainly, a school board member's proposed curriculum committee that would start out by making changes to AP History.

There is no way I can give this story justice with just one post. This will be a series. My first! Seriously, this issue is of huge importance to me and as I have closely followed this I have learned  a lot that I want to share with all of you.

To give you a little background, there are five school board members and last November three new "reformist" board members were voted in. They have a majority and have used that to promote their seemingly right-wing agenda. Now there are those who say that the previous board majority did the same with a left-wing agenda, yet somehow our school district became one of the top in the country.

With each side trading barbs, this is one thing I believe everyone can agree with: That JeffCo Public Schools has a reputation throughout the country as being one of the best school districts nationally.

We are also one of the largest, 85,542 students. And unlike some school districts in Colorado that are very wealthy, ours is a for sure mixture of class, ethnicity and race. We have a very high percentage of students, 34%, who qualify for free or reduced lunch yet we also have many students who come from upper middle class and up families. About 10% of K-12 students in Colorado attended a JeffCo school.

99.86% of our teachers are considered "highly qualified" according to federal standards.

We have the third best graduation rate of the nation's 50 largest school districts.

NOTE: A lot of this information comes from last year's annual report, done before this new "reformist" majority won the election.

Jefferson County is a purple county, with one third each of Democrats, Independents and Republicans.

In January our new school board majority took over and it didn't take long to notice changes.

But before I start with all of that, I want to plug voting. And voting in local elections. And paying attention to your local school board.

This is vital. Otherwise, your local school board could look like ours, if it already doesn't. As I write about what is going on in Jefferson County, please take this to heart. Please vote. Please speak out. I totally believe that if more folks voted in the school board election last year that these "reformists" would have had no chance of winning.

Once in power, the "reformist" majority quickly hired a lawyer. The board already has a lawyer yet these three wanted their own at $80,000 a year paid by the school district.

Then they decided to give $300,000 to a charter school and in the same meeting decided that they should not fund full-day kindergarten.

Charter schools are an issue. And $300,000 is a lot of money. I have read that there are some amazing charter schools, yet I first and foremost believe in support our public schools. I do not believe that all charter schools are as supportive of all students as public schools are. AN example would be me getting calls from teachers and students at two JeffCo schools that were having a tough time from those in power when wanting to create a Gay-Straight Alliance.

So I seriously should either leave the charter school debate to those most qualified or at least wait until I learn more before I write about them.

I think now is a good time to break. While I write my Part II, here is an article from today's Denver Post that will bring you more information on what is happening: student walk outs.

Thank you for reading. I would be delighted if you shared this post with friends.

Your bacon had a face and so much more

Everyone seems to love bacon.

When some folks find out that I am vegan they make sure they let me know how much they love bacon.

I became vegan because I do not want to do harm to any living beings, including pigs. I haven't had bacon for over 18 years.

When I see or smell bacon, I think about pigs and how awesome they are. I don't think about missing bacon or wishing I could eat it.

I think about torture, abuse, cruelty, sadness, intelligence, and squealing.

While considering this post I read articles on pigs. I could have spent months on this. Pigs are quite the intelligent beings. There is plenty of data online if you'd like to learn about that.

For me though, pigs could be the dumbest creation on earth and I would still not want to kill them. I firmly believe that if given a choice, a pig would run away from a dude about to slit her throat. She wouldn't want to die. She wouldn't want to live her life in a gestation crate, unable to turn around and unable to truly care for her piglets.

Pigs are product to those who make money off of them. Pure and simple money.

As I write this I am thinking of a little pig named Lucy. This past week she was found by neighbors of a woman who rocks compassion in my book. I found out about Lucy from friends on Facebook and immediately donated to her care. She is so young and so sick, and so precious. I am grateful that she got in the hands of humans who give a crap.

I'm not sure about Lucy's story, or where she was born. Not sure if her mom was bred so Lucy could be bacon or not. Regardless, she's in great hands now and I hope that with her illnesses she come through everything OK.

If you would like to donate to Lucy's care, click here.  We donated not only because Lucy touched us, but also because we believe that as animal-loving folk, we have to support those who go out on a financial limb to help animals that are suffering when possible for us to do so.

Every time someone buys bacon they support the maltreatment of living, feeling, intelligent beings. They pay someone to inflict harm and cruelty on that same being.

It's totally not worth it.

On our blogs main page we have several links that could be supportive of you if you would like to consider going vegan.

Thanks for reading.

The pain of bigotry

 
It happened this week.

A same-sex marriage was recognized in Arizona.

In the form of a death certificate.

Of course the state of Arizona needed a little nudging from a federal judge.

I can only imagine what Fred McQuire was feeling as he picked up the accurate death certificate recognizing his marriage to his late husband, George Martinez.

Fred and George had been together 45 years.

What's all the fuss in denying couples marriage? What's the hurry? We should wait and think this through and see what the real harm will be?

The reason this was important, aside from being the right and just thing, was that now Fred can receive Social Security benefits and veteran benefits.

Bigotry continues to inflict pain on couples all over the U.S.

The U.S. Supreme Court has said that they will look at some state marriage equality decisions this month.

Meanwhile, many couple, like Mike and I, just wait. Although our marriage is legal in many states, it is not legal where we live.

So we will keep fighting. We will keep demanding equal marriage, and I personally will call attention to those in political power who continually fight against marriage equality.

Thanks for reading. 

A recipe! Stuffed Peppers

I know. This isn't a food blog. I like to do reviews on vegan food, on restaurants and once in a while on vegan products. I have hardly ever passed along a recipe.

Last week Mike and I weren't sure what we wanted to do for dinner. I had bought green peppers at the farmer's market and thought I would finally try to make stuffed recipes. They came out so good that I just have to share my recipe.

This takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, and then the bake time. And so easy!

This is what you need:

green peppers, cleaned out, as many as you are doing dinner for (I made three)
a little olive oil
tomato paste, one 8oz can
Beyond Meat Chicken strips, cut in pieces (I think you could use the Beyond Meat meat crumbles too)
Daiya cheese shreds, your choice of flavor
Veggies, cut and diced up. You're for the picking. I used broccoli, onions, cabbage, kale and mushrooms
black beans, one bag
quinoa (optional) I thought of this afterwards!
salt
pepper
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
.
Preheat the oven to 350.

In a saute pan or skillet, add all of the ingredients minus the green peppers.  Cook on medium heat and mix well. Add in the salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne powder, to taste.

Remove from heat and add the mixture to all of the green peppers. Place the stuffed green peppers in a big enough piece of aluminum foil so the pepper can be fully wrapped. I add a little water in the wrapped foil so the pepper can steam.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. You want them to bake enough so the green pepper can be cut with a fork when eating.

Ready to serve. I served this with an arugula salad. The stuffed peppers were delicious. Play around with the spices, and use whatever veggies you like.

You can make this a completely non-processed dish by not using the Beyond Meat and Daiya cheese.

Please let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

Get local! - 3 simple actions

This won't surprise those of you who have read past blogs posts when I write that this post is about getting active politically.

Many people who read this blog want to make the world a better place for all living beings. Although I often write about animal cruelty issues and issues that tend to be national or international, I believe it is hugely important that each of us takes action in our own backyard.

I am going to offer three simple suggestions that you can take to make your voice heard in your own community, actions that will make your community better, or at the least, get your message out there.

The folks I am asking you to connect with are easy to find. A few minutes on Google and you will be done.

I think all three of these are important based on where I live, and what is going on in my own community.

Ready. Set. Go!

Action #1: Find out who represents you on city council and engage with them. In our case we have two folks who represent our area and I am in touch with them frequently (but not too much!). When local issues arise or when I hear about some vote at city council that concerns me, I send an email to these two. Many city ordinances that support those in need, companion animals, etc. were created because of folks like us who gave a shit.

Action #2: Find out who your Chief of Police is and write them a letter asking them to conduct training around how officers deal with companion animals. This one is of great interest to me as I have read too many articles about police who have killed a companion animal, usually a dog. Training helps. Asking your local folks to be aware of this helps too. You never know whose companion animal you will save!

Action #3: Get to know who is on your local school board and find out whether they support your thoughts around education (or other things). In our county, our school board has been taken over by folks who call themselves "reformists" but in my opinion are only spending public money to support their agenda which seems to be to change public education. This is happening all over the country. And here, the school board seems to have little care for students who are not well off. Even if you do not have children in the school district, like us, find out what is going on in your district.

That's it ! Pretty easy, right? All of these actions will make a difference with issues that are important to you. We cannot be a voice for the voiceless if we do not express that voice.

Thanks for reading!

A day in the life of this blogger

You have a what?

A blog.

A blog?

Yes, a blog. It's called The Gay Vegans.

I've had this conversation many times. While many folks subscribe to many blogs, and others read at least a couple every day, there are still those who just don't get it.

I created The Gay Vegans as a way to be more active as a human rights and animal rights activist, as a way to promote building bridges, to promote activism, and to be a voice for the voiceless.

And I love it.

It's not easy. Being present and active in my marriage. Supporting an amazing life for our dogs and two chinchillas. Working as a fundraiser for an agency that serves young people experiencing the brutality of homelessness. Trying to eat well. Trying to stay fit. And trying my best to carve out a little time every week to write blog posts that I hope others will enjoy reading, get inspired by, and even at times take action based on something they learned from the post.

Life flies by. Some days I totally forget to check The Gay Vegans accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sometimes it takes me more than the 24 hours I would like it to take to get back to readers who have asked a question or have asked for support with something. Life is crazy busy without being a blogger. Being a blogger just adds to the craziness, which I apparently enjoy!

Writing doesn't come easy to me. At first I would say that I wasn't a good writer. I do believe there is a difference in being a good writer and being a good blogger. I also believe that in time, and with writing many blog posts and listening to others about how to become a better blogger, my posts have gotten better.

As you might know, there are a bunch of different types of blogs out there. The Gay Vegans is all about bringing communities together and being a voice for all of the voiceless, including animals who are brutalized to become food, folks persecuted around the world for being who they are (female, gay, transgender, ethnic, religious, etc.) and trying to spread the message that we all really have more in common with each other than not. Kindness, compassion, passion, action. All of these I try to include in my posts.

The Gay Vegans has been around for three years. In that time I have been inspired and filled with hope by responses from readers of this blog, and at times totally blown away by actions taken based on a blog post I wrote.

I have been thrilled to attend conferences or shows with press credentials as more and more outlets consider bloggers as such.

I am super excited when I think about The Gay Vegans in the future. So much to write about. So many actions to ask folks to participate in. So much love and kindness to spread.

Thanks for reading. I am grateful. And please keep the stories, feedback and comments coming!

An angry vegan?

I have written hundreds of blog posts. I always try to focus on the positive, on what we all can do to make the world a better place for all living beings, and that we all have more in common than not.

My motto is: kindness rules.

This post might not come across that way. The main point I want to get across is that any person fighting for a cause becomes a direct representative of that cause. Their actions and behaviors can have a positive or negative affect on the cause.

How fortunate am I to have a place that sells vegan milkshakes within walking distance of my office?!?!

Once in a while, on my way back to the office from an appointment or a special trip to just get out of the office and take a deep breathe, I swing by WaterCourse Foods to enjoy a delicious milkshake.

Several weeks ago I was sitting in the front waiting for my milkshake when a group of three folks walked in wearing animal rights t-shirts. The one that caught my attention was the gentleman wearing a t-shirt that had the words "F%%K MEAT" on it. Keep in mind that I'm not using the entire word, although the entire word was on the t-shirt.

The gentleman was waiting for a table. He didn't seem too friendly. He was well built, no smile. Walking around with his "F%%K MEAT" t-shirt. I'm sure he could be the friendliest guy on earth but that didn't come across.

First of all, I don't like t-shirts with that word on it. For any reason. I think that word stirs up different emotions in people. I definitely think that there are much more creative words to use. I fully admit that I use that word.

It might have made a little sense if the gentleman was walking around a steak house, rather than a vegan restaurant. I'm sure I would still not like the shirt, but wearing it in a place where there is no meat?

I also will admit that I am 48. He was in his twenties. Maybe this is an age thing and I just don't get it.

What I do get, however, is that if I am fighting for the animals that suffer every day to, in this case, become food for folks, then I have the opportunity to be a voice for them. I have the opportunity to engage with people to tell their story, to talk about their plight. I have the opportunity to leave people feeling positive about also wanting to help animals who suffer to become food or leave them feeling that I am just another angry vegan.

I am the voice for the voiceless. I wonder how those who suffer would want me to best represent them.

I have heard the term "angry vegan" often. I hadn't really thought about the term until I saw this gentleman.

Then I take a look at myself in the mirror and ask the question: Am I being a good representative for the voiceless animals who suffer so intensely?

I hope so. With so much suffering, with so many people totally clueless when it comes to animal cruelty, I firmly believe that being positive, kind and non-judgmental when being a voice for the voiceless is the way to go.

I would love to know your thoughts!

Thanks for reading.

Restaurant review: Modern Love in Omaha

I was able to stop in Omaha on my way back from Michigan and boy am I glad I did. The newest (I think) vegan restaurant in the U.S., Modern Love, opened on August 5th right in the middle of beef country. And I got to go!

Isa Chandra Moskowitz is a well-known name in the vegan and foodie communities. She created Post Punk Kitchen and is the author of several incredible vegan cookbooks, including one of my all-time favorites, "Vegan Brunch". She is the chef/owner of Modern Love, and knowing how many incredible meals Mike has made from her cookbooks, I just had to dine there while in Omaha. To be honest, it's the only reason I decided to make Omaha a stopping point on my way home.

Modern Love is located just a few minutes drive west of downtown Omaha. I had an airbnb in the north part of downtown and it took me ten minutes driving. As I parked I practically exploded with excitement. I am not a food blogger or recipe creator or anything like that, but I sure do love amazing vegan food. And I just knew that my world was about to be rocked.

Modern Love is cute. And clean. And packed. It seats about 30 - 40 and has an open kitchen. The hostess was kind and seated me immediately. A friendly face upon arrival is always nice.

I also got to say hi to Isa upon arrival. I met her once, last year at Vida Vegan Con II, and was thrilled to see her and congratulate her.  Her kindness and hospitality made me feel right at home.

As did the kindness and hospitality of my server. As you know, service is half of the equation for me while dining out and he rocked it.

I started with the jalapeño corn fritters. Not surprisingly, before they arrived I had already struck u a conversation with the lovely couple seated next to me. So when the fritters were all of a sudden in front of me and I took my first bite, I realized that I had to pace myself and not totally freak out my new acquaintances. I ended up savoring every bite. The corn was crunchy. The jalapeños not overpowering. Perfect in my mind.

I ordered the Mac & Shews for my entree. It was a tough choice for me as I also wanted the Seitan Marsala. Stephanie, my new acquaintance next door, had ordered that and was loving it. Mac & Shews it was and soon a steaming bowl filled with pecan crusted tofu, creamy cashew cheese, braised kale with okra and BBQ cauliflower arrived at my table.

I thought that I would like the mac n cheese the best. Not surprisingly, having experience with Isa's recipes, I found that I honestly loved all parts of this dish equally, maybe delighting in the okra a tiny bit more than the others. The flavors were crazy delicious. And they all came together perfectly. I took my time with this dish. I was in ecstasy.

The menu is small, and I love that. Four choices for an entree, and as I wrote earlier the decision amongst entrees is not an easy one. Everything is prepared in-house.

Dessert. I ordered the raspberry cheesecake. I have been on an 18-year quest to find the perfect vegan cheesecake. My mission is now complete. Perfect crust. Perfect flavor. Perfect texture. Once again I found myself taking my time. Oh my.

I wanted to order more to give readers a more inclusive review but I just couldn't eat anything else. Everything I look for in a dining experience went way above my high expectations. I wasn't surprised by this, just happy about it.

Go to Omaha. From Denver it is an easy seven hour drive. You gain an hour driving into Central time zone. Omaha is also an easy drive from many other cities in the Midwest. You can make your dinner reservation here. At this time Modern Love is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4pm - 10pm.

I can't stop here. If you are traveling to Omaha and need a place to spend the night, I highly recommend Brent's loft in the north part of downtown Omaha. Affordable, comfortable, clean, and convenient. Brent is super friendly and kind. This is a room, not his entire place. I loved it. Check it out here.

Thanks for reading!

Restaurant review - Detroit Vegan Soul

I recently had to go back to my home state for a family funeral and had the opportunity to go check out Detroit's thriving vegan scene.

Yes, Detroit.

And yes, thriving.

This post was going to be about that scene but it has become all about one place: Detroit Vegan Soul. I enjoyed my time here so much that I need a whole post just for them! I will write a future post about Detroit in general.

My interest was peaked while speaking with one of the owners of The Lunch Room in Ann Arbor (where I was staying and about 45 minutes from Detroit) who told me about Detroit Vegan Soul. I had read about them and am connected with them on Twitter, but I hadn't considered checking them out.

Later that afternoon I called to see what the dress was (casual) and asked about traffic. My conversation ended up being with one of the owners  and she was SO friendly. Because of her friendliness I just had to go, and off I went.

Detroit definitely has it's problems and you see a lot of them while driving to Detroit Vegan Soul. Then all of a sudden you turn a corner and you encounter an oasis of different businesses that includes Detroit Vegan Soul.

I walked in and was immediately greeted by staff, very friendly staff. If you have ever read any of my restaurant reviews you know that staff hospitality is important to me. I was ecstatic to be there. The restaurant was alive with almost a full house and lots of conversations going on.

I started with the Collard Green Spring Rolls which apparently are quite popular. I now know why. They are delicious and a great start to any meal.

I should mention here that the women who own Detroit Vegan Soul started with a food truck. When they opened the restaurant there was a line down the block.

I know why.  My server was friendly and helpful. He suggested, as it was my first time, to try the Soul Platter. Oh my. I loved every bite. The mac n cheese and the yams didn't last long. And the collard greens! All I wanted to do was savor ever bite. And I wasn't alone. I watched as other customers were loving what they had ordered. I just wanted to ask for the menu back and order another dish, but I also had to leave room for dessert. Dessert was Snickerdoodle cake, and I loved it. But keep in mind that the cake changes.

The menu is intense, and I just can't give it justice as I didn't try that many items. I can only imagine how delicious the Okra Stew or the Catfish Tofu are! I am salivating thinking about this place as I write, thinking of what I would order if Mike and I could go for dinner tonight.

I did get to meet the owners, and meeting Kirsten and Erika was truly one of the highlights of my entire trip. I can't wait to see them again and to enjoy more meals at Detroit Vegan Soul. Check them out here.

Finally, I just have to let you know about this photo in the bathroom. It gave me pause. It's hard to see because I didn't catch it in the right light, but the word "History" is etched over the photo.

If you are familiar with Detroit, Detroit Vegan Soul is just a couple of blocks north of Jefferson at Van Dyke. Not too far from Belle Isle.

Detroit Vegan Soul
8029 Agnes Street
Detroit, MI  48214
313.649.2759

Thanks for reading!

Restaurant review - El Camino

The official name of this restaurant is El Camino Community Tavern, a little long to include for a blog post title.

Mike and I were looking for lunch one day and did a search for places around our house. Most of them we had heard of or tried, nothing really exciting. Then we saw El Camino and noticed that they had tempeh tacos! Definitely had to try them!

Lunch was great, but rushed as we had to be somewhere, so we went back for dinner a week later. This gave us a chance to take our time, ask questions, try different items and just enjoy the experience.

And it is indeed an enjoyable experience! Staff is very friendly. We ate once at the bar and once in the seating area and both times had very friendly servers who knew what vegan is and who went through the menu letting us know which menu items could be vegan.

Well we had to get the tempeh tacos. They were perfect. The sauce on them was untypically very hot so the server recommended ordering them with the sauce on the side. She was spot on. The sauce was super spicy and also super flavorful. We like spice with flavor.

The enchiladas can be ordered with spinach and portobello mushrooms. I tried these for dinner and totally enjoyed them. As you might know, Mike makes the best enchiladas at home, so I am quite the enchilada snob. These are right up my alley and I can't wait to try them again.

Vegans can also order chips and salsa, guacamole, and the green chili which is even labeled as vegan on the menu! I will also say that I'm sure the chef would make any changes with items to make them vegan. They also have Soyrizo.

I have always hope for a tavern/bar in the area that would have delicious vegan food and now we have found it. As I wrote earlier the staff is supper friendly, and this includes the managers. We ran into the same manager both times and he was not only very friendly but also very into making sure we were absolutely having a good time and enjoying ourselves.

El Camino is at the southwest corner of Lowell and 32nd at 3628 West 32nd Avenue in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver. Their phone number is 720.889.7946. El Camino is the perfect place for a date night, for a drink with co-workers after work or an easy-going night out with friends. I highly recommend checking them out! Their website is here.

Thanks for reading!