I meant to get this post out on Monday or Tuesday, which would have made the following gush-fest seem more appropriate, but, hey, better later than never. And just because we’re now winding down this week into another weekend, it doesn’t change a thing about last weekend. So, let’s take a minute to talk about last weekend. The weather: sunny! warm!  The walking: roughly 15 miles of straight up strolling around the ‘hood. The food: Bliss Grand for brunch, bacon cheddar ranch beet burgers from Chickpea & Olive, a sampling of Juice Generation‘s new vegan/GF pastries, and crepes (and a nap 😉 ) at Little Choc Apothecary. I can’t even handle all the goodness that was last weekend. As we were walking along, drenched in sun, I realized aloud to Chris, “This is what our days are going to look like again.” Sorrynotsorry, Winter, but I am oh so glad you’re gone.

• Sunshine in McGolrick • Matcha, chocolate, and cinnamon sugar doughnuts and an acai pastry from Juice Generation • Daffodils everywhere! • Basking in McCarren • Peanut butter banana crepe at Little Choc •

Just a heads-up to this weekend: I am totally ready for another beet burger…or two.

And if the sunshine and abundance of awesome vegan eats weren’t enough, lots of good things have been making their way out into the world over the last couple weeks via various media platforms. Here are a handful of my favorites. Enjoy!

 

Farm Sanctuary’s Gene Baur on The Daily Show
Gene Baur, the president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, was on The Daily Show recently discussing his new book Living the Farm Sanctuary Life, and the interview basically couldn’t have gone better. Gene was well-spoken, sharp, and his talking points were spot on, and Jon was open and receptive, keeping the joshing to a friendly and respectful minimum. The fact that an interview like this, discussing animal rights and veganism in such a clear and candid way, even happened on such a mainstream outlet is a clear indicator of the credibility and momentum that the movement is gaining. A must-watch.

This Instagram Photo of Esther the Wonder Pig
The dads of internet sensation and Twitter superstar Esther the pig posted a photo on Instagram a few weeks back with this incredibly moving and insightful caption:

“We have a favour to ask you, please read and share.
We want you to put the smiles and laughs aside for a minute and consider what Esther’s life could’ve been like. She’s one of the lucky few who got a chance and was given a name, but it’s a very different story for her mother, her father, her 10-12 brothers and sisters, and the millions of other pigs just like her that she had to leave behind.
Esther is no different than those other pigs that we didn’t give a second thought to. Her smile, her unbelievable personality, and her mind boggling intelligence aren’t unique traits, we just gave her a chance to let them shine for all of you to see. We allowed her to grow up knowing what it feels like to be loved and part of family, just like all of you do with your dogs and cats. The only thing different about Esther….aside from the obvious….is our perception of her.”

We all have a choice regarding how we view and interact with the world and whom we will include in our circle of compassion. The lines of moral consideration that we’ve drawn between species (or even around specific members of a given species) are arbitrary, and each of us has the power to erase them and sketch out a new, more compassionate picture instead.

Do Animals Grieve?
This poignant video from Emily over at Bite Size Vegan explores the depth to which other animals experience grief and loss, begging us to consider not only how we perceive these individuals but our species’ role in precipitating their emotions.

The Myth of High Protein Diets
Dr. Dean Ornish, one of the doctors known for reversing heart disease using a whole foods, plant-based diet, breaks down the myths and risks associated with animal-based diets in this thorough yet concise op-ed for the NY Times.

How Much Fruit is Too Much?
We’re still unfortunately in an era of carbophobia, which has led many people to put foods like fruit and cake together in the same category. But does sugar from fruit affect the body in the same way as refined sugar? What if you eat a whole lot of it?

Water Wasted On Livestock During California Drought
and
How Our Dinner Menu Can Help Solve California’s Water Crisis
The situation in California is getting a lot of attention lately, but the vast majority of media outlets are dancing around the biggest culprit in the shortage and what we can all do about it. (Hint: taking shorter showers isn’t going to help.) These two articles—the first by James McWilliams, second by Richard Oppenlander—don’t play coy. And they don’t ignore the fact that this isn’t just a local issue for California…or America. There is one industry wreaking havoc on the global environment from every angle, and each of us can decide whether or not to support this destruction at least three times a day. (For more information on the relationship between animal agriculture and the environment, I strongly recommend watching the documentary Cowspiracy.)

Related: Almonds are being used as a sort of scapegoat in the reporting on California’s water shortage. Thanks to Vegan Street for this clarifying graphic.