Restaurant Review: SunCafe in Studio City, CA

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

Last month Mister Spooky and I were having a fun morning at Universal Studios (read all about it and their vegan options), hanging with the Universal Monsters, Beetlejuice and Norman Bates, but we finished up around lunch time and were looking for a nearby vegan place to eat. Lo and behold, just down the street (or down the hill) was a small restaurant called SunCafe, which is a mostly-raw vegan restaurant serving up organic and healthy food. We decided to check it out since it was so close.

The street parking is metered, and they don't have their own parking lot as far as I could tell. We had to park a ways down the street and walk back up, which was no biggie, but I can see parking being an issue, especially on busier days or weekends. When I walked in, the place was pretty packed (it was Friday at lunchtime, so it wasn't surprising), but we were seated quickly and the service was attentive.

We had actually eaten previously at Universal Studios, so we decided to go easy and just order appetizers and drinks. I could not resist ordering their Orange Cremesicle Shake, which is a raw drink containing just fresh orange, pineapple and agave, topped with coconut shreds and goji berries. It was delicious and tasted just like an Orange Julius (confession: I used to get those all the time at the mall as a teen in my pre-vegan days!)! This Orange Cremesicle was dreamy and definitely hit the spot!

SunCafe's Orange Cremesicle Shake

Food Review: Trader Joe's Chicken-less Salad

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I love Trader Joe's and always love how they have neat new vegan options! Last month, I noticed they had a new Chicken-less Salad and I just had to try it!

Trader Joe's Chicken-less Salad

The "chicken" salad is made from vegan chicken, carrots, celery, currants in a light, mayo-like (vegan) sauce (sorry I don't have a more comprehensive ingredient list - I didn't photograph the ingredients and I can't seem to find an ingredient list online). Upon opening the package, it looked pretty good. The only thing I wasn't too enthused about was that the sauce seemed to be a bit runny. Nevertheless, I felt like I was ready for a picnic with this Chicken-less Salad!

Restaurant Review: Au Lac in Fountain Valley, CA

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I apologize for the long absence, readers! I've been busy with the day job and have just been so exhausted lately...so exhausted, in fact, that I actually came down with a nasty flu bug, which is why I actually have some time to write now! However, I do plan to make more time to write because I have lots and lots of posts to share with you!

First off, I wanted to share with you the lovely birthday dinner I had at Au Lac restaurant in Fountain Valley, California (way back at the beginning of January...that is how far behind I am, yikes!) with my Mister Spooky. Au Lac is a vegan and living foods restaurant that focuses on Asian food. All of their items are vegan and they have a separate menu for their "living foods" or raw foods. They also carry many teas and health elixirs as well as a variety of desserts. It is considered a higher-end vegan restaurant, and their Chef Ito is world-renowned.

It was my first time at Au Lac, and while it is in the middle of a weird little strip mall that doesn't really make you think "vegan haute cuisine", the inside was pretty cool. The dark red walls, red lighting and Asian decor made it feel opulent. We had reservations and were seated quickly. I felt like there was some confusion as to who our waiter was initially, but that was soon cleared up as we had a very helpful and friendly waitress.

Wild Orange Blossom Tea

Restaurant Review: Bodhi Tree Vegan Cafe in Huntington Beach, CA

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

For one reason or another, I had never been to Bodhi Tree Vegan Cafe in Huntington Beach, though it is on the busy Main Street and I must have walked by it a dozen times! It is tucked into a row of storefronts slightly up from the hustle and bustle of the Main Street and offers a welcome respite from the crowds and traffic. Mister Spooky and I went on a Sunday around lunch, and we were the only ones there.

We were greeted by a friendly hostess and seated. I was surprised how large it was on the inside with lots of tables, plus outside seating as well. This would be a perfect place for large groups and/or meet ups! The ambiance was warm and inviting, even peaceful (despite the Christmas music still playing). Maybe it was just that we had the whole place to ourselves or that our hostess/server was so welcoming, but I felt totally relaxed there.

My Top 10 Horror Movies of 2013

Happy New Year, fiends!

I didn't post much horror content on this blog in 2013, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the hell out of a lot of horror movies this past year! I've had a blast with the releases in 2013 and thought it was a pretty decent year for the horror genre overall.

That said, 10 horror movies stood out for me in 2013. Please keep in mind I haven't watched every single horror release, so feel free to let me know what I missed, but also please respect my opinion on *my* favorites, which may differ from your own. Also, I've included films that may have had a limited release in 2012 (whether on the festival circuit or limited release) but were given wide (or wider) release in 2013, so please don't come at me with "well, technically, so-and-so is a 2012 release". I know and I don't care since I am going by the wider release date, k?

So without further ado, here is a list of my favorite horror movies from 2013:

Restaurant Review: Veggie Grill's New Winter Menu

Harvest Bowl from Veggie Grill

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

Veggie Grill introduced their new winter menu items this week, which include several new bowls, mini-wraps, regular fries, salads, nachos and more! I was excited to try their new items, so I got together with a few friends to have a family-style tasting! We ordered the Bombay Bowl, Harvest Bowl, BBQ “Steak” Sandwich, Mondo Nachos, Buffalo Mini Wraps, Mexi Mini Wraps and Yukon Gold Fries. We each sampled a bit of everything and were overall pretty pleased with everything we ordered. Below you’ll find a breakdown of each dish that we tried!

Beauty Review: Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I am constantly putting my hair through hell – dying, drying, and straightening all leave my already naturally-coarse, thick hair dry and damaged. So, I am always on the lookout for new cruelty-free, vegan shampoos and conditioners that will gently cleanse and repair my hair without too much of a fuss.

I have had my eye on Acure Organics' Moroccan Argan Oil and Argan Stem Cell shampoo and conditioner for a while now, and when I found them on sale at my local health food store I snatched them right up! I have used argan oil for my hair in the past (when I used harsher dyes on my hair) and always thought it did an awesome job of conditioning my hair, so I couldn't wait to try a shampoo/conditioner combo with argan oil!

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.

Beauty Review: Mystical House Organic Skin Care

I am always thrilled to find new vegan options for skin care. It is always great to see more companies who believe in offering cruelty-free and compassionate products, and while there are a lot of larger companies doing this, I still love supporting the smaller, independent companies who offer vegan products. Companies like Mystical House, who specializes in handmade, organic, and good-for-you skin care!

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!