booooooze

I'M 21 NOW BITCHES!!!!

well okay, I've been 21 for a few weeks, but hey, it's super cool still. In honor of my new found freedom I want to make it my personal mission to go to all of the vegan bars and happy hours in Portland (yes, even including the vegan strip club). Today I'm starting with the Bye and Bye, an all vegan bar in NE. This was the first real bar I went to on my 21st birthday. I dragged a few omni friends with me and we gave it mixed reviews. Some of my friends said it was a little "yuppy" and that they felt out of place amongst all of the hipsters. If you don't like hipsters don't come to Portland... or come anyway and laugh at them. My friend Alexa also thought the prices were too high. (In reality she was just upset that they didn't have everything to make a "long beach".) The first time I came, I only stayed long enough to have the "Vitrola," and sadly I can't recall everything that was in it, but it was delicious! We weren't there for long before we noticed many people with this monstrocity.

This craziness in a mason jar (so very Portland) is called the "Bye and Bye", so naturally I had to come back and try it for myself. It may look sweet and innocent, but this drink could clearly get you into some trouble! (especially at only $7!) It has a peach infused vodka, peach infused bourbon, cranberry juice and a lemon. After trying this drink, I have no complaints about this bar (maybe it's just because I'm kind of tipsy... oh well). The food is all fairly priced, even more so at happy hour, which they have every day from 4-7 PM. True, the crowd can seem kinda yuppy, but it's a vegan bar in Portland, what did you expect? I'm just excited to go somewhere where I don't have to scrutinize the menu or the drinks after I've had a few. 

The Vegan Guide to SE 12th st

I consider Portland to be one of the most vegan friendly cities in the U.S. right now, but on an even smaller scale, SE 12th st. might be the most vegan friendly street in this whole city. I didn't always notice this until I started making frequent trips to the vegan mini mall (which is located on 12th and Stark).

 [Black forest cake from Sweetpea]

The vegan mini mall is possibly the most ingenious thing Portland has ever come up with. It has a tattoo parlor, grocery store, clothing store, bakery, and a cafe. You wont find a single thing on that block that isn't vegan! I am proud to say that I have two tattoos from Scapegoat Tattoo and would highly recommend their work to anyone, vegan or not. Food Fight! grocery has just about anything your heart desires from vegan marshmellow creme to queso! The cutest vegan threads can be found at Herbivore Clothing, they even carry shoes now! If you start to feel hungry stop in at Sweetpea Baking Co. for a slice of cake, one of their sandwiches, and a latte. They even offer free Wi-Fi for those of us who feel like taking up space while we write on our blogs. (*cough* like me *cough*)

[courtesy of Portobello]

This is just the start of the great things that await you on your vegan adventure on 12th st! For a fun, fancy night out, be sure to make a reservation at Portobello on 12th and Division. It's an all vegan Italian restaurant that's open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturday. The menu changes due to the season and has plenty of options for the gluten free folk (you can find all of their current menus on their website). Some people might say the prices are a little high, but if you consider the quality of the locally sourced vegan foods, I would say that it's a bargain! I guess the best way to find out is by checking it out for yourself, just don't forget the reservation. The wait can be up to an hour for a table on any given night, so be prepared!

[the Potato Champion]

If having a nice sit down dinner isn't your thing then the food cart pod on 12th and Hawthorne is the place to be! I am sad to report that currently none of the food carts featured here are exclusively vegan, but you'll be able to find vegan options at just about every cart before you can say "I'll have the vegan poutine please!" (try saying that five times fast!) If you have never heard of poutine then make your way over to the potato champion right now! It's basically fresh french fries covered in a savory gravy and vegan cheese (be sure to specify you want the vegan one! You'll end up with a real cheesy disaster if you don't). Pyro Pizza also allows you to sub vegan cheese on any of their fire roasted pizzas. Once you've ordered your meal take some time to chill out at one of the covered picnic tables in the area and make some new friends or be all lame and eat in your car, I wont judge...
If the food carts don't seem classy enough for you, then take a trip to the Hungry Tiger Too. They have $1 vegan corn dogs and PBR. Nuff said.
No trip to SE 12th would be complete without at stop at Microcosm Publishing for a little literary fix. Granted they aren't actually on 12th (they are on 11th one block southeast of the vegan mini mall), but they are close enough in proximity to it that I had to add them to this fancy little list. Microcosm carries and decent amount of vegan/ vegetarian books and zines for your browsing desires. If your brain hurts from vegan overload (highly unlikely!) check out any of their other zines and books covering just about any random topic you can think of. They even carry those fancy stop sign vandalism stickers so you can get in trouble with the law.
I didn't think it was so possible to pack so much vegan awesomeness into such a few blocks, but thanks again to Portland, SE 12th will forever be my vegan haven and maybe it can be yours now too!

Easter Bust

Yesterdays Food Day in the Oregonian was a super big let down for me. Most weeks they have an article on something vegan, whether its a recipe, book review, or whatever. But this week there wasn't anything! I expected there to be a few vegan recipes this week because Easter is on Sunday. Maybe I'm just crazy (don't answer that) but I like to try new vegan recipes for holidays to share with my family. I still have many vegan skeptics within my family so it's fun to impress them with something new and fancy, but no thanks to Food Day this year! Good thing I know I'm cooler than the writers of Food Day anyways, so I'm giving you some recipes to jump start your own vegan Easter brunch ideas!
start your meal off right with these hot cross buns from the crazy cool Vegan Dad and make a huge batch of raspberry jam swirl crumble cake to share! (or to hoard in your room. I wont judge.)
also any breakfast or brunch wouldn't be complete without "bacon" or some jazzed up tofu scramble!
most importantly, enjoy a few mimosas and spend some quality time with family and friends!

The Biggest Vegan

until this morning i was unaware that Bob Harper from the biggest looser was a vegan! ever since i started watching this show i have been in love with Bob. him with all of his fancy tattoos and positive attitude. i mean how could you get better than that?!?! have him be vegan as well! duh.
he will even be appearing on Rachel Ray and making this tasty stir fry! (all vegan of course) i think i'm going to start declaring today happy bob harper day today. everyone should make that stir fry and eat it while watching the new episode of the biggest looser tonight. and uh if thats not your thing you could join me later in eating some chocolate and crying because i'll never get to marry bob.

Awww

http://i.imgur.com/9vlI9.png

How cute is this?!

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My mind is blown

chelsea catchpole (@crcatchpole144) has shared a Tweet with you:

"sweetpeabaking: Maple bars with chocolate covered bacun? Yeah, we do that."
--http://twitter.com/sweetpeabaking/status/59278659189616640

I have to get me one of these!!!!

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portland hotlist

check out this weeks hot list here! i normally don't get too excited about things in the news paper (unless we are talking about coupons for almond milk! save that shit for me) but this hot list is super cool for two reasons.
1. there is a film coming out on HBO about a pelican and its journey after the oil spill in the gulf. be sure to tevo that!
2. there is a sale at buffalo exchange and the proceeds will be going to the humane society. this gives me a reason to blow a bunch of money i don't have to support something i love!
i think this is the sign of a good weekend here in stumptown! :)

i got the new babycakes cookbook yesterday and was SO FREAKING EXCITED! so i made crepes and fed them to an omni friend to celebrate. gluten free soy free vegan crepes with carmelized onions and cheddar cheese to be exact. (yes all vegan!) the night was a success.

vegan friendly rock climbing

I wasn't a vegan when I started rock climbing a few years ago, but I was lucky enough to already own a pair of synthetic climbing shoes when I decided to become a vegan. For all of you climbers who weren't so lucky or if you're a vegan and new to climbing I did some research on some of the top synthetic climbing shoes to share with you all. :)

defy's are my original climbing shoe love. They are great for beginners or any level for that matter! they even come in purple for the ladies! or ya know... for whoever.

If you are looking for something a little bit more agressive you might like the Five Ten blackwing's. These shoes provide stability and comfort while giving you the edge to tackle the more advanced climbs.

and these are just hella cute! Can anyone say avril lavigne??

For you mini climbers you can check out the venga's by evolv. Nothing better than a day at the local craig with the kidlins :)

In general evolv is going to be your basic go to company for climbing shoes. They offer the most vegan friendly climbing shoes out of any climbing company. Vegan win! When you go to purchase climbing shoes I deffinately recomend going into an actual store and having someone fit you. Buying climbing shoes is nothing like buying your trendy Toms. You want them to fit very tight (but not painful) and have to know what you'll be wearing them for. It would be a huge waste of money to buy some advanced shoes if you are just a beginner. If you already know how to fit yourself and don't mind waiting for a package to come in the mail then feel free to try ordering a pair online. If you live in the Portland area I think you should check ClimbMax. They don't have the biggest selection of vegan climbing shoes but everyone who works there is very knowledgable and will do their best to answer your questions. ClimbMax also carries ropes, quick draws, cams, guide books and just about anything you could think about needing for your climbing adventures. For all things outdoors make sure to take a trip out to Next Adventure. Always start in their bargan basement for gently used products such as tents, sleeping bags, and hiking shoes! If you prefer shiny gear, stay on the main level and don't forget to head upstairs for camp cooking utensils and gear.
Next to having the right gear, I'm all about planning what to eat when I go climbing! Don't make the mistake my friend made on one unfortunate climbing trip. He decided to leave the house with only a Costco size box of danishes. FOR A WHOLE WEEK! Needless to say he was crazy, and lucky for him I showed up with a car full of food. When planning what to eat you have to take into consideration your surroundings. Will you be in a traditional camp site? Are you staying in someones house or a hotel? Or are you just going out for a day? No matter what the case, always remember that you are classier than PB&J and veggie dogs (gag). For ease prepare what you can at home. Plan on having stir fry? Portion out your rice or grain of choice and have your vegetables pre sliced. For climbing trips some of my favorite foods to cook include
-Curries
-Stir fries
-Soups
-Pita pizzas (super easy to make if you have a dutch oven)
And really just about anything you can think of! I love being the envy of the cooking site when I go out on climbing trips. For breakfast try to keep it simple, oatmeal with some fruit mixed in is a perfect hearty meal to start your day with. It's fast and clean up is fairly easy. The goal is to get the job done and beat the other climbers to the best climbs, or ya know... to try to catch up to the other climbers because your alarm didn't go off. Lunch is always best kept in snack form. I always keep an assortment of Cliff bars, mixed nuts, and dried fruits in my pack (and sometimes a PB&J *gasp*). But most important of the food rules, DO NOT FORGET YOUR WATER! I know from experience that it can get above 100 degrees very fast at Smith Rock State Park in the summer and you would be a dead climber walking without your water bottle. (on a side note, vitamin water and crystal light do not count as water! Only plain Jane water will do.)
When you're out there climbing just remember to have fun, be good and learn something new (like how to apply your vegan ethics to the basic ethics of climbing)! So vegan brothers and sisters, there are no more excuses. Get some shoes, get out to smith rock or whatever, and do your thing!