Get Ready for Redding, CA!

One more stop before we headed once more through San Fran to visit friends and then home again. We were told that the Sun Dial Bridge was pretty neat so that was enough to get us of the 5 South and into Redding. This small northern California town had a neat bridge, a cute nature park & gardens as well as some tasty treats to satisfy my healthy appetite!

Since we were only there for 24 hours, I knew I had to fin some quick eats. Greengo's was just the place and they offer tons of vegan, gluten free and other special diet dishes. I went right for their rice & bean salada and a cup of their vegan soup of the day, tomato basil, mmmm ; )  Super cute, super quick, super healthy, it's Greengo's!

For din din, we grabbed a seat at The Downtown Eatery.  Along with our meal we got some great local live music. I devoured my portobello mushroom sandwich with cashew cheese along with my sweet potato fries and vegan garlic aioli dip.  It was really nice to chill out, listen to some fun tunes, take in the local scene and grub!

Sue's Java Cafe was a nice departure from my usual on the road Starbucks (they always have soymilk so it's just a no brainer). Their soy chai was delightful as was their freshly baked bread & the vegan chili I took with me for the ride home. Really cute and really yum, who could ask for a better way to start the day!

Redding was quick but I had enough time to enjoy the local vibe.  If you're passin' through to see the Sun Dial bridge, now you know where to eat too!

Eureka! in NorCal

I was charmed by this little seaside town in Northern California. It somehow has kept a lot of its history, making you feel like you've stepped into the early years of the state. You can just picture horse drawn carriages and ladies in big Victorian dresses. But I will say that the food and folks are very much modern and forward thinking ; ) I was excited to see how many options there where but maybe that's because they are in Humboldt county, heehee ; )

We pulled in after a long day of driving and lunched at Hurricane Kate's. I was famished so I shared the delicious portobello sate and then chowed on their awesome nut burger. They've got all kinds of healthy fare and it was a nice place to eat on our first venture in town.

Later that night we wanted to get a taste of the night life in town in headed over to the Lost Coast Brewery. Not only do they feature a bunch of local brews, but this watering hole dished out some pretty yummalicious food! Lots of healthy fare that included tofu tacos, Humboldt green party veggie burger or even a  tofu burger. There's nothing like being able to order up a healthy meal to go with your organic beer ; )

The next day we breakfasted at the eco & healthy diner, Golden Harvest. I started my day right with the Popeye Scramble made with tofu and sans the cheese. Everything at Golden Harvest is made  with the best local ingredients and a lot of it is made from scratch.  Definitely a must for the first meal of the day and their lunch menu looks great too!

For our last meal in town we decided to splurge and go fancy shmancy so we dined at Avalon. Very pretty and suiting for downtown, Avalon serves up nothing but organic and local fare.  I was able to find a deleicious veggie item in their home made gnocchi (with no cheese) that followed my fresh field green salad. It really was a nice meal and a treat from our usual road trip meals ; )

We were in and out of Eureka but I would recommend that if you ever drive up the western coast to add it to your stop and dine list!

You need to dine in Eugene!

Not far from Portland is another healthy town, one that Jack Kerouac once hailed from (his statue is reading me a story in that photo). And that town is called Eugene! On our Pacific North West road trip, we were told to stop in Eugene on our way back home.  Good thing we listened as there was much to grub on and I'm going to share all the info with you now!

The main reason we stopped was to be sure we visited the Pizza Research Institute. It was more then well worth it, I wish we had one in LA!  A converted mechanic shop, the PRI has an ever changing menu but always scrumptious regardless of what's on it. It is completely vegetarian and veganizing items is not hard at all. They really do have some wonderfully experimental dishes but each is a hit.  The day we popped in I had a killer spinach soup with their ridiculous spiral garlic rolls and a slice a spicy tofu vegan pizza. I was in heaven!  Check them out and even if it's your only stop in Eugene, you must dine at the Pizza Research Institute!

I'm sure I've said this a thousand times and I'm glad to say it again, you can always find a healthy dish with Asian cuisine. Sweet Basil Thai is just that kind of place.  All kinds of authentic Thai dishes, it wasn't difficult to fin something that suited any special diet. I went straight for the I Love Veggies Stir Fry and requested the vegan sauce that went with it. They offer tofu, tempeh or veggies with any dish and are very helpful with all sorts of food allergies. If it's Thai you're craving, let Sweet Basil scratch the itch ; )

Just because I'm The "Healthy" Voyager, doesn't mean that I don't let myself indulge in a sweet or 2 every now and again.  And I chose to indulge at Sweet Life!  Organic and many vegan desserts, you can anything here from a pie to a custom wedding cake - yummmmm! I went for their Vegan Chocolate Silk Torte and savored it for most of my trip home.

An awesome lunch spot I stumbled into was the Laughing Planet Cafe. I went to town with all the healthy, low fat, veggie options that I had to take some on the road with me in our cooler to enjoy later ; )  I started with their plantain chips & spicy bbq dip and moved on to their Soylent Green Bowl wchich was full of healthy grains & greens topped with tempeh & delicious mushroom sauce. Mmmm! Then i took a vegan deluxe burrito for the road ; )

Finally, I will confess that I stopped into yet another bakery ; ( But I had no choice!! It was 100% Vegan!! Woot woot!  Gotta support veggie businesses even if it means I must eat cupcakes ; ) And eat cupcakes I did at Divine Cupcakes. They've not only got vegan cupcakes but they have gluten, sugar & wheat free options so no one is left out of the sweet mix. You can pop in for freshly baked cupcakes (might I recommend the Red Velvet or the Lavender?) or take & bake options. And if you are so inclined, they ship!  No more excuses, get yourself a cupcake ; )

I'm more then excited to get back to Oregon and Eugene is definitely on my return list ; )

A Very Yummy Valentine's Day

Yep, we have arrived once again to the day of hugs, kisses, chocolate and all around romance. For some this is a nauseating and even infuriating Hallmark holiday while others live for the hearts filled with sweets & gestures of love. Either way, in year's past I have illustrated ways to make your accompanied, as well as unaccompanied, Valentine's day a healthy and eco hit.  You can check out past tips & recipes right here and here ; )

But for a few quick eco &/or healthy gift ideas, check out the Valentine's Gift Guide at EcoStiletto.com as well as some of these unique goodies:

• Thrive Fitness by Brendan Brazier - Show the one you love that you want them around for a long time! The book just came out & is a great idea for the one you love.The couple who works out together, stays together!
• Eco-Panda Swimsuit - A great bikini for the upcoming swim season will be a sure hit for the lady in your life. And she'll love you for finding a cute, sexy & super eco-friendly suit ; )
• Sovereign Earth Water Bottles - For the adventurous sweetheart in your life, this is the perfect thing. These bottles are not only healthy  & eco (no bpa, no plastic, no leaching) but they have built in filters that can save you from harmful chemicals, bacteria and more. Take this baby camping, hiking wherever, and your water supply will always be pure & drinkable. Keeping your honey safe is just another way to say I Love You ; )

This year I'm getting right to the recipes because some may choose to drown themselves in indulgent food, alone, until the morning of the 15th while others might want to share it. Either way, no sense in blowing your New Year's resolutions whether you're happy or sad, so at least enjoy yumminess with these healthier than usual V-Day treats!:

Passionate Pomegranate
6 ounces organic vodka (remove for a non-alcoholic beverage)
2 ounces seltzer
4 ounces Triple Sec (remove for a non-alcoholic beverage)
4 ounces pomegranate juice
2 lemons, juiced
1 pomegranate, seeded

Combine vodka, seltzer, Triple Sec, pomegranate juice, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker over ice; shake. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass; garnish with pomegranate seeds.

My Heart "Beets" For You Salad
1 bunch of beets (4-5), leaves removed
2 large navel oranges, peeled and sliced
1 bunch of arugula leaves, cleaned, and stems removed
Sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Dressing
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
(mix all the ingredients in a glass container)

Salad Prep
Cook the beets with their peel on. Cover the beets with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes or until beets can easily be pierced through with a fork.  After cooking, allow the beets to come to room temperature and remove their peels and then slice them. Place them in a small bowl and marinate them in half of the dressing recipe above. On individual salad plates place the arugula, a few slices of orange, a few beets, a few slices of red onion and some chopped walnuts. Sprinkle dressing over the individual salads.

Sweetie "Shepherd's" Pie
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 large carrots
2 T thyme chopped
1 cup red wine
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
2 vegetable stock boulion cubes
1 16 oz can green lentils
4 cups sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into chunks
2 T vegan butter
1/3 cup vegan cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion until golden. Add the carrots and all but a sprinkling of thyme. Pour in the wine, 3/4 cups of water and the tomatoes, then sprinkle in the stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins. Tip in the can of lentils, including their juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy. Meanwhile, boil the sweet potatoes for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with the butter and season to taste. Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over the cheese and remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook for 20 mins if cooking right away, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through.

You Make Me Melt Molten Chocolate Cake
5 - 6 ounces dark chocolate
6 T vegan butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg replacers
1/2 cup flour
Vegan whipped or ice cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease four 4-ounce custard cups. In double boiler, melt chocolate and butter. Stir in sugar. In a small bowl, lighly beat egg the replacer. Add some chocolate mixture to eggs to temper eggs. Carefully, stir "egg" mixture into chocolate mixture. Add flour and combine completely. Add batter to custard cups. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Centers should be soft but sides should be done. Invert cups on individual serving plates. Remove cups after 2 minutes. Serve warm with whipped or ice cream.

Make it special no matter who you may be with - your sweetheart, your friends or yourself - after all, every day is what we make it & if we love ourselves first & foremost, then all the rest is gravy ; ) Happy Valentine's Day!!

So Sweet in Sonoma

You can't deny that that Sonoma & Napa are best known for their wine. And what goes best with wine? Delicious food! There is no shortage of scrumptious cuisine in this quaint California area so let's not waste any time and get right to it, shall we? Yes!

When in doubt, always go for Japanese. Shiso was the perfect place for a light and healthy bite.  Minimalist and crisp, Shiso offered nice options for me like the Agedashi Tofu along with my faves, seaweed salad and miso soup. Light and clean foods really hit the spot after a day of wine tasting ; )

For an al fresco brunch or just an all around fresh meal, visit The Sunflower Cafe. Since everything is made from scratch, and to order, they are super accommodating to special diets. Their home made hummus is to die for and is delicious on their roasted veggie panini. Find out more about them at Sunflower Cafe online.

If you're looking for shi-shi Mediterranean, The Plaza Bistro is your place.  Tasty Italian fare with lots o' flair ; )  Lots of their dishes are creamy and meaty however, if you know how to navigate the menu, you can have a fabulous meal. I loved the bruschetta and veganized the house made gnocchi dish.  Me and my belly left quite happy and so will you!

In need of something casual and affordable? Try Mary's Pizza Shack! Fun for groups and families, this is more then just a pizza joint. And in Cali, of course they offer stuff for veg heads, low fat eaters, fiber wanters and passionate proteiners ; )  Something for everyone at Mary's, including the health nut in me ; )

Lastly, I wanted to mention the Pharmaca Intergrative Medicine Pharmacy.  Located right by a beautiful Whole Foods, this is just an added bonus if you're in need of any health or medical attention when in the area. Their store offer a range of products (holistic as well as commercial) to help you maintain good health, as well as traditional treatment options along with a knowledgeable staff of health care experts. It's good to know they are there if you need them ; )

There is plenty more to see, eat, drink & do up here so stay tuned for more California wine country posts ; )

Best of 2009

2009 was definitely the year of the Veg & Green lifestyle.  From Ellen to Oprah, Tal Ronnen to Alicia Silverstone, Gardein to Daiya, the last year of the decade was a veritable vegan, health & eco fireworks extravaganza! So I figured I'd compile my faves of the last year in case any of you missed them so that you can enjoy them well into the new decade ; )

Restaurants

• Veggie Grill -  www.veggiegrill.com - Los Angeles & Orange County, CA -Hands down, Veggie Grill made it's biggest waves in 2009.  One of the best vegan fast food chains, everyone is hoping to spread out nationwide in the new decade.
  
• Pizza Fusion - www.pizzafusion.com - Nationwide - Angelenos were so excited when Pizza Fusion came to town from the North East! Featuring all sorts of pizzas including vegan and gluten free, you can't go wrong here.
  
• Z Pizza - www.zpizza.com - Nationwide - Yet another Pizza chain that has crossed the country and delighting the dairy free folk! Z Pizza switched to the remarkable Daiya Vegan Cheese this year bringing smiles to their new vegan patrons nation wide ; )
  
• Cruzer Pizza - Los Angeles, CA - A local pizza joint that got wise to the untapped vegan market and began offering vegan pizzas, lasagnas, chik'n parms & more! In addition, their first location ditched traditional pizzas and went completely vegan - woohoo!
  
• Locali - www.localiyours.com - Los Angeles, CA -  This awesome convenience store has everything a veggie and/or treehugger could need in addition to a rockin' deli and ice cream cart! So glad they came on the scene strong in '09!
  
• Portobello Trattoria - www.portobellopdx.com - Portland, OR - Having just opened before my visit to this vegan mecca of a town,  Portobello has been filling up  every day since they opened their doors.  And rightfully so, incredible food!
  
• Plum - www.plumbistroseattle.com - Seattle, WA - One of the newer veggie locales in Seattle, it's  chic and cool and stands out amongst the wide variety of veg options in the capital of the great North West.
  
• SAF - www.safrestaurant.co.uk - London, England - The premiere, all raw, vegan joint in old blighty. Classy, gourmet and delish, Great Britain is really picking up speed in the veggie food world.
  
• V Bites - www.vbites.com - London, England - Another new and rockin' veg spot in London Town. Owned by Ms. Heather Mills, whether you like her or not, V Bites is pretty boss ; )
  
• Loving Hut - www.lovinghut.fr - Paris, France - There are Loving Huts all over the world but finding vegan fare in France is next to impossible. They were smart to open up in the city of love in '09 so if all else fails, you know you've got at least 1 spot to chow ; )
  

Hotels

• Kimpton Hotels - www.kimptonhotels.com - Nationwide - Some of the hipest, neatest, artsiest hotels around that are hugely eco, greatly accomodating to veggies & special diest on top of being uber pet friendly. Check them out to see if there is a Kimpton at your next destination - they've got the U.S. covered and continue to grow!
  
• Olive 8 - www.olive8.hyatt.com - Seattle, WA - Brand spankin' new in '09, this is a state of the art eco hotel in the heart of Seattle. So awesome!

Food & Beverage Products

• Daiya Cheese - www.daiyafoods.com - To vegans, this has become the holy grail of vegan cheese. Melty, yummy and totally allergen free, it's no wonder we are all head over heels for Daiya!
  
• Gardein - www.gardein.com - Made most famous by Veggie Grill & Tal Ronnen, this line of mock meats is to die for.  Made with wonderful ingredients and not processy or chemically like most phony bolognas, '09 was a great year for Gardein. We're all excited to see more from their product line as well as finding them pop up in all sorts of restaurants.
  
• So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream - www.turtlemountain.com - Debuting their non-soy ice cream alternative, the pioneers of non-dairy ice cream did it again. And even better if I do say so myself!
  
• Veev - www.veevlife.com - Accai Spirit, great straight or mixed! A great spirit that is eco and even healthy!
  
• Go Max Go Foods - www.gomaxgofoods.com - Vegan Candy Bars! Need I say more??
  

Health Products

• To Go Brands -  www.togobrands.com - One of my fave fins of '09. Packets such as Go Greens that gives you 6 servings of green veggies in 1 pack as well as Green Tea Energy, Vitamin C and more, you can't pick a more healthful option this year!
  
• Vega - www.sequelnaturals.com/en/vega -I know vega has been around for some time however, it has gotten some big attention this year by so many veggie advocates. it is THE best whole food supplement out there being allergen free and full of the best stuff on earth ; )
  
• Psi Bands - www.psibands.com -  I used these all years for all my crazy road trips and they rule! Acupressure wrist bands for the relief of nausea due to morning sickness (pregnancy), motion sickness/ travel, chemotherapy, and anesthesia. They are stylish, drug-free, adjustable, comfortable, waterproof, reusable,  and affordable.

Lifestyle Products - Home

• GameWhys -  www.thegreenboardgame.com -Anotehr one of my absolute favorites of 2009. The prettiest, smartest, most entertaining & beautifully messaged games I have ever played.  I love the board games as well as the card games. Fun for all for years to come!
  
• Wow Green - www.wowgreen.net -I fell in love with these enzyme based household cleaning products this year and so will you. Eco friendly, safe for your family & pets and the best part is that they really work!
  
• Ionator - www.activeion.com - The coolest, eco & money saving cleaning product ever! The ionator is a powerful appliance that uses ionizing technology to convert tap water into a safe, effective cleaner and sanitizer.
  
• Pillo1 - www.pillo1.com -  It's unique design is built for side and back sleep and gives ultimate neck support which keeps your back aligned all night long.  Great sleep equals great days, health & productivity.
• Pong - www.pongresearch.com - After much research, the Pong Iphone case came out this year to keep us safe from cell phone radiation. Coming soon for blackberry, this stylish case reduces over 85% of "hot spot" radiation, redirecting the flow of energy away from the head. And it's the only FCC certified case on the market!

Lifestyle Products - Travel

• To-Go Ware -  www.to-goware.com - Fabulous utensils & containers to take with you anywhere you go! Made of bamboo and recycled materials, a To-Go Ware set is the perfect stocking stuffer for the eco person on your list. Definitely in my top 5 fave finds of the year!
  
• Love Bottles - www.lovebottle.net -  The rage is BPA free bottles and the slick aluminum ones with neat designs. But drinking from glass is the best way to imbibe your daily H2O and Love Bottles has the neatest designs around.  Carry your healthiest water in style and be the envy of all your work out friends ; ) I use mine every day!
  
• Select Wisely Cards - www.selectwisely.com -The neatest thing for travelers with dietary restrictions. Affordable, portable and smart - select wisely!!
  
• Green Garmento -www.thegreengarmento.com - This eco bag is a hamper, laundry bag, duffel bag and also a great way to pick up your dry cleaning without wasting so much plastic.
  

Fashion

• Annatarian -  www.annatarian.com -Again, this line has been aorund but in '09, their PeaceLoveEarth eco jewelry line took the cake.  Gotta love the 7 wishes bracelet no matter what time of the year.
  
• Matt & Nat - www.mattandnat.com -  For luxury, vegan & eco handbags and accessories, you can't go wrong with anything from Matt & Nat.  Super chic bags, no one will know they aren't fresh off the European runways. From clutches to diaper bags, introduce your gal to accessorizing the eco way! (they've got some nice goodies for men too!)
  
• Espe -www.espe.ca - I found them this year as well - 100% vegan, cruelty free accessories such as wallets, cell phone pouches, computer bags and more, their colorful and handcrafted designs are great for gals of all ages. And they too have not forgotten about their male counterparts. Super cute stuff!!
  
• Beyond Yoga - www.iambeyond.com -  Their new organic line is beautiful! From yoga pants to jackets, built in bra tops to wraps, they've got it all. For your work out or you night out, Beyond Yoga helps you strike an organic and stylish pose ; )

Books

• The China Study - www.thechinastudy.com - It will change your life, enough said. Best book of '09!
  
• Why We Don't Eat Animals - www.wedonteatanimals.com - Adorable, sweet and thought provoking.
  
• Quantum Wellness: A 21 Day Essential Guide to Healing Your Body, Mind & Spirit - www.kathyfreston.com - Kathy explains her ideas so well and in an easy to understand fashion that anyone can grasp how to help themselves live better. With help from lots of health pros, this is just a great read with tons of helpful advice.
  

Cookbooks

• The Conscious Cook - www.talronnen.com - One of the yummiest vegan cookbooks around
• The Kind Diet - www.thekindlife.com - A nice intro to veganism from beginners to advanced plant eaters. Filled with delish recipes too ; )
• Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar - Dude, how can this brand new book not rock with a title like that!
  

Cooking Products

• 360 CookWare -  www.360cookware.com - Vapor cooking technology in beautiful, eco-friendly pots and pans that are not only durable and sustainable but healthy ; )
  
• Eat Cleaner - www.eatcleaner.com - This is a great, affordable and health promotion gift. The coolest is the "Wash & Dryer" kit for veggies!
• Green Pots - www.greencookingpots.com - Giving La Creuset a run for their money, these eco-enamel pots and pans are the healthiest, most stylish way to cook ; )
  

Shopping Websites

• Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe - www.cosmosveganshoppe.com -A virtual vegan market
• Allison's Gourmet - www.allisonsgourmet.com - Who can deny that the gift of killer chocolate isn't on their top 5? Allison's offers a wide variety of scrumptious vegan confections and cookies that are available as single items, gift baskets or "of the month" club deliveries.
  
• Herbivore -  www.herbivoreclothing.com -Vegan clothing, books, accessories, nick knacks and more!
• Vegan Collection - www.thevegancollection.com - Guys get left out a lot when it comes to shopping, especially for vegan clothes, shoes, etc.  Not anymore thanks to these guys!
  
• Healthy Voyager Wine Club - www.healthyvoyager.com - Featuring organic, biodynamic & sustainable wines, delivered to your door, every month!

Resource Websites

• VegNews.com - www.vegnews.com - Their new and improve site offers up everything from great recipes to veg celeb gossip - great stuff!
  
• VegWeb.com- www.vegweb.com - Sister site to VegNews, this site is chock full of great recipes and other veggie goodies ; )
  
• PCRM.org - www.pcrm.org - Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine is one of the best resources of 2009. From their 21-day vegan kickstarts to directories of holistic physicians, PCRM is the place for ultimate health.
• Vegetarian Times Magazine – www.vegetariantimes.com - Eat green, live well
  
• Ecofabulous – www.ecofabulous.com - All you need for a chic, sustainable lifestyle
• EcoStiletto.com – www.ecostiletto.com - Making your carbon footprint small & fashionable
• FitMenu – www.fitmenu.net - Find low fat, low cal, healthy, meals a your favorite eateries

Movies & TV

• Food Inc. - www.foodincmovie.com - You'll never look at dinner the same way again!
  
• The Cove - www.thecovemovie.com - An unabashed look at what goes on when big business meets the deep blue sea
  
• Planet Green - www.planetgreen.discovery.com - The station for everything Eco
  
• Sea Shepherd - www.seashepherd.org - On Discovery as well as Animal Planet, this groundbreaking show has made a big splash in prime time ; )
• District 9 - www.d-9.com - I loved this movie just for pure entertainment value but it's also such a great illustration of spec-ism!
  

Celebs

• Ellen Degeneres - www.ellen.warnerbros.com - Coming out as a vegan this year and launching her Halo brand of food for pets gets her tied for my #1 spot.  People love Ellen and I love what she is doing for the health of her viewers ans their pets. Keep dancin' girl!
  
• Tal Ronnen -  www.www.talronnen.com - Tied with Ellen for 1st place is my buddy Tal.  Helping Gardein become the yummiest meat substitute around, helping Oprah with her 21 day vegan cleanse and writing and insanely awesome vegan cookbook all in '09? I can't wait to see what he's got up his sleeve in 2010 and beyond ; )
  
• Dr. Oz - www.doctoroz.com - Getting his start from the queen of daytime, Doc Oz has shed light on healthier living and knows how to get folks to listen. Taking us all to the emerald city of health & eco-ness!
  
• Alicia Silverstone - www.thekindlife.com - Making her big comeback in the most positive of ways was former teen sensation, Alicia Silverstone.  Launching her Kind Life blog and her beloved new book, The Kind Diet, she sure knew how to make her re-entrance ; )
  
• Kathy Freston - www.kathyfreston.com - Another gal who made her way into our healthy zeitgeist. She has aligned herself with the health world's top people and been able to connect with the top celebs to get the healthy word out. Keep on keepin' on!
  
• Jason Mraz - www.jasonmraz.com - The vegan songster has done it again with a new hit record and tour (named after a raw vegan restaurant in San Fran). He's just fun and uplifting and so I thought I'd give him some props for a good show in '09 ; )

Cities

• Los Angeles - Having lived here as a vegan for more then a decade now, I saw LA blow up the vegan landscape this year like no year that preceded it. My few options are now almost to many to choose from!
  
• Portland - I've said many times before that Portland is Vegan Heaven. And having freinds in the area over the years, I know that this year it held on to its title by continuing to add more for us health nuts ; )
  
• London - England has always had a bad reputation when it came to its cuisine. I'm here to say that that they have overcome that with flying colors and this year, the advent of even more Veg friendly options and eateries puts London in my top 10 best cities to dine ; )
  
• Bogota, Colombia, S.A. - I never thought I'd see the day that my home country of meat, potatoes and rice would be growing into it's own little vegan paradise.  I've seen so many veggie spots pop up there this year and I'm so very proud!
  

Charity

• HOW - www.helpinghow.com - Growing exponentially this year, HOW is a wonderful organization. Check in to how to donate time or money to helping orphans all over the world.
  
• Talk About It - www.talkaboutit.org - Founded this year and helped along my Hollywood's elite, this organization is doing wonders for those who suffer from epilepsy. Help those who have trouble coping with epilepsy as well as helping spread awareness.
  
• Generation Rescue - www.generationrescue.org - Jenny McCarthy's loud mouth helped this foundation quite a bit this years. Help families affected by autism by donating time and money to help promote therapies, awareness and more.
• Twitter-A-Critter -  www.adoptapet.com - Also launched this year as a spin off of adoptapet.com and using the booming social networking site Twitter to its advantage.  A quick and easy way to help an animal in need, genius!
  

I urge you all to look into these products, services, places & people as they are all helpful in living a healthier and happier life. I'm sure 2010 will be even bigger and for that, I'm uber excited!!