Just a Prank (April’s Ghoul runner up)

Horror Scribes

by Dean Moses

The video ends. I gently guide the cursor and click replay. The screen flickers back to life, dressing my otherwise dark room in a pale glow.

“Welcome, peeps!” An energetic man says into a handheld camera. “Lester the Jester here. I just reached two million subscribers, wow. As a thank you, I will be teaching you guys five awesome April Fool’s Day pranks to pull on friends and family.”

I listen to every word, imagining the expression on dad’s face when he discovers the prank tomorrow. The distance he created between us since mom’s death is about to close.

“All you need is fake blood, which you can pick up from any party store.” Jester holds up a plastic tube: Bloody Good Time. “I use this. It’s cheap.”

Mimicking the movement onscreen, I lift my tube of Bloody Good Time—I’m ready.

****
The scent of burned breakfast…

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Audio slide show: Pinching a Penny

Hey Vegetarians,

Today I have finished up my audio slide show, which will show you how to Pinch a Penny.  I will refer to every single place I every spoke about in this blog and pretty much break down the cost.

I know what you are thinking, Mrs. Vegetarian is just going to go on about Trader Joe’s.  Yes, I will indeed mention them because of their easy to use Vegetarian list.  Which I find to be like Jack Sparrow Compass, it helps you find what you want the most.

But Trader Joe’s is a pain in the ass.  It is always crowded and the food is almost all gone by 5 pm.  Oh and not everything they have is cheap, like !00% Maple Syrup is $16

Oh and Myers of Keswick, yeah I thought it was better in price then Tea and Sympathy, boy was I wrong.  I stupidly took a list from my husband and threw everything in the shopping cart and swiped my card to a grand total of $98 on FOUR days worth of food.

Shopping isn’t easy, and the fact that the United States doesn’t practice in labeling their products vegetarian or vegan makes it harder.  But that is why I am here.  I will worry about looking up and hunting down food.

In the end you can visit any grocery store, all you need to do is look at the ingredients.  And to make it easy you could use PETA’s Accidently Vegan’s list.

So Enjoy my Audio Slide Show, and here some links of the places I am talking about:

1. Trader Joe’s
2. Whole Foods
3. Gracefully
4. Myers of Keswick
5. Tea and Sympathy

Disclaimer: A few of the pictures I had to obtain from google or from stores actual website.

Image Sources: 

Key Food Picture

Ctown Picture

Caravan of Dreams

Hey Veggies,

Not so long ago my husband and I went out to dinner to a place called Caravan of Dreams.  Well, lets just say this place was not exactly dreamy.  Caravan of Dreams is located on

405 E. 6th Street,

New York, NY 10009(212) 254-1613

The Caravan of Dreams looks like a romantic dinner spot.  Its on a secluded corner that you can easily pass by without noticing.   Dim lights, brick walls, and piano in the back, the Caravan of Dreams restaurant service  and ambiance  is what attracted my husband and I to stop by for some dinner.

The menu had several exotic choices that we thought would delicious. For an appetizer we were served radishes dipped in virgin oil.  It tasted okay, if you added a lot salt.  For dinner, I ordered the Caravan Burrito, which tasted terrible and expensive.  My husband ordered the vegetarian burger, which he could barely take a few bites out of because it tasted horrible and instead of buns it was with sliced bread.  The patty was green and mushy.  And while we were attempting to eat our crappy food, some man in the back banged on the piano playing “music.”

However, everyone has different tastes, and the New York magazine spoke about the Caravan of Dreams more kindly.  The New York Magazine writes,

The kitchen has a knack for making simple flavors work in unexpected ways—so the burrito doesn’t taste like the stir-fry with a whole-wheat tortilla around it. Mexican dishes, like the tempeh burrito, marinated-tofu quesadilla, and the addictive nacho starter are made with vegan sour cream; the lack of dairy grease makes the sweetness and tang of homemade guacamole and salsa pop.

Also UrbanSpoon.com reported that 87 % of people that visited Caravan of Dreams liked it, so I guess its a place that you will have to judge for yourself .

Baby Cakes Vegan Bakery

Hey Veggies,

So on June 3 I will be graduating from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  So after my graduation, which I was only given three tickets for because my college is CHEAP and has small hands with deep pockets and decided to have our graduation at Jacob Javits Center rather then Madison Square Garden (oh yes I am bitter,) I will have a small party.

I am in need of a cake and after some research I found a shop in Lower Manhattan called, Baby Cakes NYC.

248 Broome Street (Btwn Orchard & Ludlow)
New York City, NY 10002 (Google map)

Telephone 212.677.5047
Email info@babycakesnyc.com

[Picture from Baby Cakes NYC]

Baby Cakes describes themselves as;

BabyCakes NYC is a specialized bakery dedicated to creating high quality, vegan, mostly organic and gluten free confections. Customers can take comfort in the fact that we will never use refined sugar in our baking. Most of our desserts are even sweetened with agave nectar, a low-glycemic syrup. We also proudly use cold-pressed coconut oil. This oil, when taken regularly, is easily digested and high in lauric acid. Studies indicate it can help kill bacteria and yeast, promote healthy heart function, regulate cholesterol levels, fight viral infections and boost metabolism. Please be advised that we do bake with coconut and therefore cannot claim to be nut free. Also, some of our purveyors are not 100% nut free.

Many of their items are expensive, so this is a place I would save for SPECIAL occasions.  I recently made a call and the young woman that answered told me that they bake cakes, about 6 inches and it would cost $50.  And I have to make my order 48 hours before pick up.

I am not sure if I will be placing that order anytime soon.  $50 for a cake that is only 6 inches is overpriced.   I just don’t understand why having a vegetarian cake cost so much!!.  I guess I will have to bake it myself to save some money. 😦

Blogcast

As I am fixing up my blog, for the final review today by my professor, I see that I forgot to give a decent post about my last blogcast.

My last blogcast: Conversations with Mrs. Vegetarian, where I interviewed my husband and found out about a few celebrity Vegetarians that he admired.  The few that he mentioned were;

• Morrissey, an English singer and vegetarian activist.  In the 80s he sang for a band called the Smith’s and wrote the revolutionary song, “Meat is Murder.“
• Russell Brand: An English comedian, radio show host, actor, and ex show host.   Russell brand is known for his blase humor and well just being a funny naughty Englishman.  Brand became inspired by Morrissey’s vegetarian diligence and converted to Vegetarianism.

During our presentation I found that being Vegetarian is not just about food.  It is about being environmentally  friendly and being involved in activism to protect animals from senseless murder.

So I left a bunch of treats for you all and I hope you enjoy the Blog Cast.

Animal Rights Foundations

Hey Veggies,

I finally finished my undergraduate classes, just a thesis and one final left!   Today I wanted to let all my veggie know that this blog was created for a Digital Journalism Class.  My Professor encouraged us to create a journalistic blog with links, videos, and slide-shows.   Now that the class has come to an end, I would like you all to know that I will continue with the blog.

Today I wanted to do something a bit different.  Instead of talking about vegetarian food, I wanted to bring some awareness on animal activism.  There are several sites and ways you can help animals by donating or volunteering.  I know I saw a few on Facebook, but I would be a bit wary on sites that are not official.

However, there are two PETA and ASPCA that I like to visit.  PETA has an action site that allows you to help in small ways, like using twitter which allows for widespread awareness for animal rights.

Now, there is one action link PETA has that broke my heart.   They have a campaign called the Tragedy Seal, which is about Canadians mindlessly killing seals for their skin.   The best way to help, for those who are not Canadian, is to bring awareness to what is happening in Canada.

For those in the United States the ASPCA allows you to become a guardian in which you help by donating.  The donations help animal rescuers reach and help the animals they rescue.   I think the most prevalent thing they need help with is getting animals out of shelters and into homes.

You can explore PETA and ASPCA sites to find out more on how you can help.

Vegetarian Lunch

Good Afternoon Veggies,

Recently my husband and I explored the 14 street Vegetarian Shops, and to our luck we found a cozy spot on 14 Street and 1st Avenue.   In between Led Zeppoles and Artichoke Pizza is a lovely little Vegetarian spot called Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch.   At first glance Curly’s looks like another little expensive Veggie with typical cardboard vegetarian food and with limited seating.  However, after putting aside our assumptions, my husband and I ordered out breakfast at 9pm.  Their website allowed for us to double check that all of their products are both Vegan and Vegetarian and we were able to view an online menu.

• Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch: 

328 E 14th St # B
New York, NY 10003-4230
(212) 598-9998

The young lady who answered out call was kind and we could here that around 9pm the place was bustling with customers.  For our order my husband chose French Toast, which is an “8 grain bread dipped in egg batter and griddled to a golden brown with butter, syrup, and fruit.” Ugh as I write this my stomach is starting to growl, I skipped breakfast today and a French toast from Curly’s would hit the spot right now.  Anyway, along with your French Toast you can order bacon, sham, or Vegan sham or just add another stack of French toast.  (I am not exactly sure what Sham is, but next time I stop by Curly’s I will ask).  This order, without the bacon or sham stuff costs $7.50, which is about the average price a dinner would charge for French toast and a packet of fruit.   Next we ordered Freshly squeezed orange juice (hey if your having breakfast why not have the whole Shabang) which costs $3.50 for 12oz.  Finally, for desert we shared a Mexican Sundae, which is “vanilla ice cream over bananas topped with Mexican chocolate sauce,  strawberries, walnuts, and whipped cream, [and they can] make it vegan [and not add] whip cream, which costs $6.95.  The cost of this lovely meal with taxes was $20.

Of all the dinners and lunch places we have been too, I feel that Curly’s is the best both in food quality and service.  Try ordering out from them or stopping by, and please try the French toast, its Delicious!!!

Vegan Clothing

Hey Hey Hey,

I hope all of you are enjoying this beautiful weather.  What I like about the spring and summer is the fashion.  You do not have to worry about thick sweaters, snow worn boots, or coats.  Get out those cotton summer dresses, short skirts, shorts, and sandals, its SPRING TIME.

Vegans shouldn’t worry about fashion limitations when it comes to shopping, especially with shoes.  Designers and celebrities like Natalie Portman, have created fashionable vegan footwear and clothing.  And or those of you not familiar with vegan clothing, a blog called Vegan Apparel breaks it down,

So what is vegan clothing exactly? Technically, its anything that doesn’t involve the use of animal products or by-products. By definition, synthetic fibers and conventional fabrics such as conventional cotton are OK and considered ‘vegan,’ However, if we also consider the fact that veganism also embraces environmentalism (as a philosophy and way of life), then synthetics and conventional fabrics would be excluded, or at least frowned upon.

Now Natalie Portman’s shoes are expensive ($200 for shoes is a bit much for me).  But, sites like Lulu’s  cater to inexpensive yet fashionable shoes.  So you can either by your Vegan shoes online or visit the following shops in NYC:

1. Moo Shoes Located on 78 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002 (212) 254-6512

2. Stella McCarthy located on 29 W 14th St
(between 9th Ave & 14 St)
New York, NY 10014 (212) 255-1556

3. Sustainable NYC located on 139 Ave A
New York, NY 10009

(212) 254-5400

-Information Provided from Yelp.com

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****To be honest although these shops are located in NYC, they are over priced for the sort of shoes they sell.****

**I would Suggest ordering your products online from shops like Zappos, DSW, Lulu, and Vegan Chic because there cheap and fashionable.  Just type in Vegan or vegetarian in the search engines.

Mrs. Vegetarian’s 14 street guide

Summer Cravings

Summer is almost here and boy is it hot out.

As the scorching sun burns my skin as I walk towards Union Square, I can only think of one thing….Jamba Juice.

Nothing can beat a large smoothie in this heat, well maybe an air conditioner.  All of Jamba juices products contain natural fruit, and their site states that most of their products are Vegan (except the ones that protein additives).

Some of their Smoothies are:

Carrot Juice

Five Fruit Frenzy

Mega Mango

Mocha Marvel

Orange Carrot Karma

Orange Juice

Orange African Nectar

Peach Perfection

Pomegranate Paradis

Strawberry Whirl

And a few of their treats are:

Apple Cinnamon Pretzal

Greens and Grain Wrap

Pops Chips

But if your in the mood for a smoothie and can’t find your nearest Jamba juice there is an alternative.  Odewalla makes Vegetarian and Vegan smoothies, which you can find in almost any convenient store.   In the back of some of their drinks their products state Vegan.  But usually, if you read their ingredients, all of the products listed are suitable for vegetarians.

 [From google images]
You can easily buy a smoothie from any convenient store or corner vendor, but remember to always look at the ingredients.  And just because something says organic it doesn’t mean its vegetarian.