Fund the Future of Fashion With Legends and Vibes

I am not the most fashionable person by any means. I prefer my look to be like the vampires from What We Do in the Shadows, "dead but delicious." Or rather, distressed, tattered black clothing like I just rolled out of a grave (so maybe not as delicious as I'd envisioned!).

Nevertheless, I am always looking for new, eco-friendly clothing brands that are vegan and ethically conscious. I'm glad to say that a new brand, Legends and Vibes, has caught my eye, and they are currently fundraising to make all our fashion dreams come true!

Vegan Horror Film "Revenge of the Hamburgers" Seeks Funding

The vegan horror film Revenge of the Hamburgers has launched a crowdsourcing initiative to help raise funds for this film to be created. The film sounds like a madcap, bloody, and all-together satisfying horror film for animal-lovers as farm animals finally get their revenge...

Green Saturday LA Market Returns this Weekend

Green Saturday LA returns this Saturday, August 20th, 2016 to the Alpine Village in Torrance for an end-of-summer market! For just $5 (or pet food, etc. donation - see event details below) you can shop to your heart's content for vegan and cruelty-free housewares, crafts, and more while you enjoy some delicious vegan food and beer. There will also be a pie-eating contest (mmmmmm pie!) and raffles to win some amazing prizes! Plus, all this fun is for a good cause - a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Whiskers and Tails Foundation, a local organization that rescues and adopts various animals, from cats and dogs, to ducks, pigs and goats.

The event is bigger and better, and will feature vendors both inside and outside the Alpine Village. You'll be shopping cruelty-free clothes, trying Jaycelab's delicious and innovative vegan eats (like a vegan deviled "egg," oh my!), cooling off with some ice cream or popsicles, making some cute stuffed animal friends from Stacy Michelson, smelling the wonderfully relaxing creations of Simply Wicked and Spirit Spa Soap, stocking up on Kelly's Croutons (you really can't eat just one!), draping yourself in the beautiful jewelry of Larra Mirk Design, and nomming on Your Vegan Friend's delicious vegan conchas, among many other yummy food vendors! It's gonna be a fun day full of amazing cruelty-free goodies, food, and people!

Event Details:
Location: Alpine Village – 833 West Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90502
Time: 11 AM – 5 PM
Admission: Children are free, $5 (per adult), or FREE with a donation of cat or dog food, new cat or dog toy, or a clean blanket for The Whiskers and Tails Foundation

For more info, please visit Green Saturday's website, Facebook, and Instagram!

Support "V Marks the Shop", a Vegan Convenience Store Coming Soon to Philadelphia

I've always wanted to visit Philadelphia - there are so many places to I want to go in and around the City of Brotherly Love, and my bucket list includes the fancy and highly rated restaurant Vedge, the gorgeous Laurel Hill Cemetery (oh, to explore the old gravestones there would be heaven), Grindcore House coffee shop (metal music and vegan goodies?? YES PLEASE), the Mütter Museum (housing a collection of medical oddities, anatomical and pathological specimens, wax models, and antique medical equipment),  Charlie Was a Sinner bar (slinging vegan drinks and eats), Vegan Treats (a few hours outside the city, but I'm sure their treats are well worth the drive!), and, now, V Marks the Shop, a new vegan convenience store that wants to join the burgeoning vegan scene in Philly.

Everybody Dies at ScaryCon - A Horror Convention Movie for Horror Fans by Horror Fans

Everybody Dies at ScaryCon

Ok, how does this sound for an awesome horror movie premise:

Everybody Dies at ScaryCon is the story of Ed Stryker, a horror director who made a huge splash in the independent film renaissance of the early 90's with his grungy, black and white, zero budget movie, Machete Betty.  Now, Ed is a shell of the man who dreamed of entertaining the world through his films.  The passion is gone and the flame's died down.  Even though the quality of his films deteriorate with each release, he still finds loyal fans eager to meet him at the annual horror convention, ScaryCon.  But this year will definitely be his last. After a long night in the hotel bar, Ed discovers that the patrons sitting next to him are no longer the typical convention fanboys and cosplayers.  They're the blood-thirsty monsters from his movies.  They're alive.  They have their customary machetes and chainsaws.  And they're pissed.

Help Fund Vegan Southern Comfort Food Truck 'Clean South'

Husband and wife team Daniel Weisberg and Jessica Parker of Clean South need your help to fund their vegan Southern comfort food truck.

Creative, convenient Southern comfort food like Grandma makes, minus the meat. Every meal feels like coming home again. Clean South specializes in vegan high-protein meals that replicate the texture and sensory experience of eating meat-based Southern comfort food. With vegan versions of nostalgic dishes such as fried chicken, buffalo wings, and pulled pork, Clean South is committed to creating comfort food with a conscience. Taking inspiration from authentic Southern recipes and chefs such as Sean Brock, Clean South has created a menu with a commitment to the history and heritage of Southern food, adapting traditional meat prepping and cooking techniques to their seitan and soy-based proteins.

A Vegan Horror Movie, Vegan Convenience Store, Vegan Ice Cream Parlor, and the Urban Death Project - Four Crowdsourced Campaigns Worth Supporting

Crowdsourcing is the way to get things done these days, and there are so many worthy causes out there trying to raise money to start their business or take their business to the next level. Sometimes the amount of fundraising campaigns can be overwhelming, making it hard to decide where your hard-earned money should go. I too usually struggle with the over-abundance of crowdsourcing campaigns, but recently I discovered four very different businesses that really caught my attention and that could use your support!

Vegan Bake Sale to Benefit The Gentle Barn this Sunday

Come buy some delicious vegan holiday treats this Sunday, December 7th at The Gentle Barn animal sanctuary in Santa Clarita, California! This is the first holiday-themed bake sale that is happening at the Gentle Barn, and it looks like it will be the biggest one yet! That means you can stock up on baked goods for the holidays to gift or just enjoy them yourself! Here is a sneak peek at the goodies you could be enjoying:

• Cupcakes from Courtesan Cupcakes, Luscious Organic Desserts, Sprinkles and Sensitive Sweets
• Bundt cakes from Biggie Bakes
• Various goodies from Life is Sweet Bakeshop 
• Brownies from Native Foods
• Cheesecake and cookies from Bloom Confections
• Raw desserts from Feel Good Desserts
• Various desserts from other bakers, including snowballs, gingerbread and candy cane muffins, sticky buns, holiday cookies, s'mores bars, and much, much more!

Besides the bake sale, a trip to The Gentle Barn will let you meet some truly amazing rescued animals. This sanctuary takes in abused and neglected animals that no one else wants and rehabilitates them, letting them live the rest of their lives in peace. In turn, they use rehabilitated animals to teach their visitors about these amazingly resilient and loving animals. You can pet, hug, cuddle, and spend time with most of the animal residents, which is truly a life-changing experience in itself!

Go for the treats, go for the animals, and spend time with some inspiring people and animals!

Here are the details of the event:

LOCATION: The Gentle Barn
ADDRESS: 15825 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
DATE: Sunday December 7th, 2014
TIME: 10am – 2pm
FOR MORE INFO: Facebook Event

You can read about my past visits to The Gentle Barn here!

Help "Change the World One Bite at a Time" with Bikini Bites' Fundraiser

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

Bikini Bites embodies the DIY punk spirit, as its creator Betty Mankiller is a one-woman vegan catering rock star specializing in tantalizing on-the-go food! She regularly serves up her all-vegan noms at various concerts, record release parties, and other special events around Orange County and LA. Besides running her own catering business, she recently created the all-vegan menu for the Black Rose Tavern in Los Angeles, regularly hosts fundraisers for animal rescues, and donates a portion of her profits to animal welfare causes.

Pre-order Phoney Baloney's Four NEW Coconut Bacon Flavors (Hurry, Limited Time Offer!)

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

A few months ago I attended the Natural Products Expo West, and one of the very first booths I visited was Phoney Baloney's! I was so stoked to try their four NEW coconut bacon flavors, which they unveiled at Expo and certainly didn't disappoint! They even made my list of top 10 products at the Expo!

The new Phoney Baloney's coconut bacon flavors include Apple Fennel, Chipotle BBQ, Candied, and a soy-free, reduced sodium product! I tried them all at Expo and can attest to their supreme tastiness!

SoCal Vegan Bake Sale at The Gentle Barn this Sunday!

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

Eeeeeek...I apologize for the last-minute announcement, but I have been so crazy busy lately (traveling, new job, moving, and so on) and I am sad to say I haven't had much time for blogging! BUT I did want to tell you about a magical upcoming event this weekend in SoCal! In honor and in support of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, The Gentle Barn, an animal sanctuary in Santa Clarita, CA, will be hosting a vegan bake sale this Sunday, May 4th, 2014!

My Visit to The Gentle Barn and Vegan Bake Sale Fundraiser

November's visit to The Gentle Barn - 

(from left to right, clockwise) Vegan Bake Sale, vegan baked goodies, 

a cute piggie, me grinning (I was so happy to be able to buy so many vegan 

sweets and support The Gentle Barn at the same time!), and a turkey friend!

Last weekend I had the pleasure to visit The Gentle Barn, an animal rescue and sanctuary located in the hills of Santa Clarita, California, to participate in a vegan bake sale that raised money for the sanctuary. This was my second time to this magical place, and it was so amazing to spend time with the loving animals, be around like-minded individuals, and help raise money for a worthwhile cause.

Vegan Bake Sale to Benefit The Gentle Barn this Sunday in Santa Clarita, CA

Hi Boils and Ghouls! It is time for another vegan bake sale at The Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA!

What: Vegan bake sale to benefit The Gentle Barn
When: Sunday, November 10th, 2013 from 10AM - 2PM
Where: The Gentle Barn, 15825 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, California 91390
Tips: A $10 donation is required for entry into The Gentle Barn. I also recommend bringing cash for the vegan bake sale (plus a container if you plan on buying several items), The Gentle Barn's own snack bar and gift shop, and vegan hot dog stand Frankens, who will be vending this Sunday! Spend your money on a good cause and local business! More info after the jump!

A Visit to The Gentle Barn Animal Sanctuary

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to visit The Gentle Barn, an animal rescue and sanctuary in Santa Clarita, California. The Gentle Barn was founded in 1999 by Ellie Laks as a place to rescue, rehabilitate and provide sanctuary for animals. The 6-acre Santa Clarita location has been open since 2003 and currently provides a safe haven for more than 170 animals! Besides saving animals, The Gentle Barn also provides rehabilitation to children and adults from the inner-city, group homes, mental health care facilities, foster homes, and schools by giving them an appreciation for all life through interaction with the animals.

 Vegan Bake Sale was a huge success and raised more 

than $1,300 for The Gentle Barn!

I wanted to show my support for all the wonderful things The Gentle Barn does, so I went last Sunday since they were having a vegan bake sale to raise money for the sanctuary! All proceeds of the bake sale were going directly to The Gentle Barn - vegan sweets for a good cause?! How could I not go?!

Petting Faith the cow!

This was my first time going to The Gentle Barn, and it was a very special experience! I got to hug cows, brush pigs, feed horses, scratch goats, and spend time with chickens, a peacock, turkeys, sheep and all the other animals! Founder Ellie gave a touching talk about starting the sanctuary and everything they do for animals.

One of the Barn's beautiful rescued horses

Her talk was really heartfelt and she spoke how all animals feel and experience emotions just like humans. Just because we have different bodies, we are still all same on the inside and feel pain, joy and sorrow no matter what species we are. I am sure her talk inspired others to respect animals and truly love them by not eating them. Ellie even recommended a vegan diet and provided hand-outs to people who wanted to learn more about a cruelty-free diet.

Jewel, the Barn's resident peacock!

Of course, I enjoyed the vegan bake sale and got to try some yummy treats! I also got to meet fellow vegans that I had only known through Facebook or Instagram! It was so cool to connect with people who shared the same values and beliefs as I did!

 Giving Linus the pig a nice brushing!

Above all, though, the most special part of the trip was being able to see animals happy and seeing people being able to connect with the animals. I'm hopeful that many made the connection that these loving creatures don't belong confined in a factory farm or on a plate, but free to live their lives in sanctuaries like The Gentle Barn. 

Brave Heart was such a sweetheart! He loved getting

scratched behind his ears 

The trip to The Gentle Barn was really amazing...it really made me re-connect with the reason I went vegan in the first place - the animals! It was so great to see all the different animals with their different personalities and to see them so happy! And eating some vegan treats was an added bonus!

A vegan candy apple from the bake sale! 

It was soooooo good!

I highly recommend everyone, vegan or not, visit an animal sanctuary like The Gentle Barn. It is a wonderful experience to connect with other sentient beings and show them they love they deserve. 

To learn more about The Gentle Barn, please visit their website. 

Dead Ringers Drive-In Coming to Orange County

Is Orange County getting its own drive-in movie theater?! That's what it looks like, at least if Dead Ringers Ride and Drive-In gets enough support to open its gates this fall!

With Dead Ringers Ride and Drive-In, founders Amy Hood, Lindsey Bro and Jennifer Hood want to create a monthly event that features classic cult films, food trucks and concession stands, live bands, carnival rides and a fun, retro atmosphere, all tucked away in the scenic foothills of Orange County.

Just check out the description from their website:

Dead Ringers Ride and Drive-In will be a monthly drive-in movie theater in Orange County, CA. Founded by local Orange Countians Amy Hood, Lindsey Bro and Jennifer Hood, Dead Ringers will feature cult classic and classic films, delicious fare from local food trucks, movie snacks, beverages, and beer. Pre-show festivities will include live music from epic local bands, carnival rides, classic cars and motorcycles from the Hubcat Originals, and a Dead Ringers photo booth.

Dead Ringers Ride and Drive-In will be set against the backdrop of ruggedly beautiful Santiago Canyon on the grounds of Oak Canyon Ranch. Located in Orange County just off the 5, the 241, or 261, it’s close enough to be convenient while still feeling miles away from the fast paced hubbub of Orange County. Think 1950s cinema escapism with a modern twist.

While watching the feature film on our 4 story-high movie screen, you can steal glances of the eerie moon looming over Irvine Lake, count the twinkling stars above, watch cooing lovers floating in love boats on the miniature fishing lake, hear the distant growl of motorcycles winding around the canyon roads to the ranch, or listen to the faint laughter from the ferris wheel. Before settling down to the feature, stroll over to the concessions area and grab a bite from one of the four featured food trucks. While you’re at it grab an ice cold beer or Coca-cola and catch a live set from our lineup of killer local bands. On the way back to your ride, impress your date by talking shop with the moto enthusiasts lined up with their classic cars and bikes. Then turn on the engine, tune into our FM transmitted station, and drop out into the pre show retro playlist and subsequent cult classic reel.

Tickets are on sale now for the grand opening, where they will be showing the classic The Lost Boys! How cool is that?!

They need your help to make this happen, though! They need to sell at least 1/2 their tickets to show there is real interest in this project, so please visit their website and their Indiegogo to pre-purchase tickets for the event! There are even some extra goodies for people that pitch in extra!

Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals 2012

Farm Sanctuary has announced their Fall 2012 Walk for Farm Animals! They will be hosting the Walk for Farm Animals from September through November in a city near you.

When you Walk for Farm Animals, you help to raise vital funds for Farm Sanctuary's rescue, education and advocacy work while also creating awareness about the horrifying plight of farm animals. Events will take place in cities across the U.S. and Canada and will include special speakers, live music, food, prizes and much, much more!

Join a movement for change and register for an event in your area or participate online through the "Sleep In for Farm Animals" virtual walk! Just visit walkforfarmanimals.org to learn more and register!

I Adopted a Turkey for Thanksgiving!

The adorable Payton

This year I solidified a new Thanksgiving tradition for myself...adopting a turkey for the season from Farm Sanctuary! I've been meaning to do this for YEARS now, but for one reason or another (finances, running out of time, etc.) I never got a chance to donate to this very worthy cause.

I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving (or as I call it, Thankskilling, which is also the name a pretty hilarious horror movie where a badass turkey turns the tables and massacres humans!), which seems like a silly holiday since we Americans have lost sight of what it really represents, instead treating it like a free-for-all glutton fest. And of course, it puts me in a very fowl (mwahaha...couldn't resist a poultry joke) mood to see turkey carcasses littering grocery stores. You can learn more about Thanksgiving’s toll on turkeys here.

This year is different, though, since donating to Farm Sanctuary and adopting the cute Payton (seen above) has put me back in good holiday spirits! I saved a life this Thanksgiving and realized I can and do make a difference for turkeys. I plan on adopting a turkey every year from now on and joining many others in making the compassionate choice this holiday season.

Adopt your turkey this Thanksgiving instead of eating one! Save a life instead of senselessly ending one!

Learn more about the Adopt-a-Turkey project (the rad Ellen DeGeneres is the spokesperson for the cause!) by reading the official press release below:

Who can resist the adorable faces of turkeys gobbling for compassion at Thanksgiving? Not Ellen DeGeneres. That’s why she’s back for the second year in a row to serve as Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey Project spokesperson, inviting everyone to save, not eat, a turkey this holiday season.

Says DeGeneres: "Did you know that every year between 250 and 300 million turkeys are bred for slaughter in the United States? More than 46 million for Thanksgiving alone. So, this Thanksgiving instead of eating a turkey, please join me in adopting one from Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-A-Turkey Project and you can give a turkey something to be thankful for."

For 25 years, the Adopt-A-Turkey Project has put smiles on the faces of both carnivores and vegetarians alike, while providing support for the care of more than 1,000 rescued turkeys and inspiring people everywhere to make more compassionate choices. For a one-time donation of just $30, adopters or a recipient of their choice will receive a special Adopt-A-Turkey certificate complete with color photo of a rescued turkey who resides at one of Farm Sanctuary’s shelters and fun details about their adopted turkey.

This year’s irresistible flock of “adoptable” turkeys include Skip, who advises prospective adopters “When preparing Thanksgiving dinner, skip the turkey!;” Antoinette, who declares ”Let them eat squash!;” Elizabeth, who demurs “This Thanksgiving, give a turkey the royal treatment;” Victoria, who proclaims ”A holiday feast that’s cruelty-free is one fit for a queen;” Payton, who counsels “In a ton of ways, compassion pays;” Amelinda, who reveals “I’ll be having a happy Thanksgiving, thanks to kind people like you;” and Raphael, who pleads “Picture a more compassionate world. Start with Thanksgiving.”

“We’re thrilled to have Ellen’s support again this year,” says Farm Sanctuary President and Co-Founder Gene Baur. “Here at Farm Sanctuary, we live with turkeys, so we know they are interesting and intelligent and have complex emotional lives like dogs, cats and other animals. Sadly, the meat industry subjects turkeys to intolerable cruelty and treats them like inanimate objects with no feelings or personalities. Fortunately, each one of us can choose not to support this cruelty by adopting a turkey at Thanksgiving instead of eating one.”

You can learn more about Thanksgiving’s toll on turkeys here.

To join Ellen DeGeneres in starting a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one and to view this year’s “adoptable” turkeys, visit adoptaturkey.org or call the Turkey Adoption Hotline at 1-888-SPONSOR.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, promotes legislative, policy, and individual lifestyle changes to help farm animals. Farm Sanctuary’s shelters in New York and California provide lifelong care for nearly 1,000 rescued farm animals. For more information, please visit farmsanctuary.org.