VidaVeganCon (& Portland) with My Mom!

One of the best things about this year's VidaVeganCon

 was that I brought my awesome Mom along with me!! It was so fun!

We arrived a day early, and stayed on a extra day after the conference, so that we could also have a little time together in Portland to hang out and visit some family and friends.

With my Momsie at the Galarama

I was really touched by how warm and welcoming everyone at the conference was to my mom. Everyone was just totally awesome and kind and inviting, and a few people even said "I wish I could bring my mom to a vegan conference with me!" (a couple other people actually did! - Hi Hannah!)

My mom isn't vegan, but she is totally down with the program. She is definitely the #1 fan of my blog. She subscribes by email and reads every post I write, and she usually even leaves comments. We always joke that she is my agent, because she is always enthusiastically spreading the word about my blog. I think she enjoyed seeing me in my element, and meeting so many of my bloggie/interwebz friends -- and it was really nice for me to share this part of my life with her!

Here she is, fashioning a podium for our  Vegan Battle Royale game show out of cardboard boxes and packing tape She is very resourceful!

My mom had lots of fun going around to the different vendors and checking out their goodies. In fact, I think she tried more treats and scored more samples than I did! Here she is, beaming happily after her very first time trying kale chips! A momentous occasion!

During the conference my mom attended classes with me, came to my classes (and even participated in the discussions), and she helped out a LOT with our game show prep. She helped us assemble and box up all 300 goodies bags until 2 in the morning the first night of the conference. Way to go, Mom!

Of course, I didn't just death march her through the whole weekend - I showed her a good time too! I took her around to many of Portand's hottest vegan spots for some top notch vegan eating.

Portobello!

My favorite thing was the Arrabiata Pizza. I want to eat this pizza everyday forever. That spicy sausage was outta sight!	My mom's favorite thing was the battered asparagus fries	Since there were 4 of us, we ordered 3 desserts (duh!) - and this one was my true favorite: a rhubarb tart in house-made puff pastry. Dear god, it was delicious.

Our very first night in town, we went out to Portobello (I made the reservation months ahead of time!). We went with our cousin and one of my best friends (from Junior High and High School) - both of whom live in Portland. It was really wonderful to see them both, and neither of them had been to Portobello before, so that was especially fun.

Canteen!

On Sunday, after the conference was over, we reconnected with our cousin and my pal for an early dinner at Canteen. Everyone's been talking about this spot, and after a weekend of serious indulgence I was more than ready for some wholesome nutrition. I ordered the Portland Bowl: quinoa, black beans, tempeh, carrots and kale, and a delicious sauce. It really hit the spot!

My mom was happy because she got the BBQ bowl with tempeh. She really loves tempeh, but (alas!) my dad is not a fan at all. So, in his absence, she could happily have a dinner full of tempeh!

Vita Cafe!

Vita Cafe is one of my favorite spots in Portland. I WAS IN HEAVEN. Here in Santa Cruz, we have such crappy vegan breakfast options; if you want french toast, you're gonna have to make it yourself, sucka. So, I bossed everyone around and (since they love me), they happily let me order four things and shared with me: Northwest Pancakes with Hazelnuts (the. best.), a delicious tofu scramble, french toast (I didn't even have to make it!), and way in the back - biscuits and gravy. My first ever biscuits and gravy!!

this is a crazy doodle of me, in Heaven, 

with floating pancakes and pieces of french toast.

Dovetail Bakery!

After breakfast, I dragged everyone next door to Dovetail, my A#1 favorite vegan bakery. Oh, how I dream of Dovetail. Dovetail was my first stop when we landed, and I also stocked up again before leaving town. I bought a bunch of scones and some muffins to take home with me. We even bumped into Nicole and Dan from Upton's Seitan who were also stocking up on goodies for their flight. Great minds think alike!

Departure!

After a fun day of poking around the Pearl District... we had time for one last dinner together - and after consulting with my various vegan pals, I herded my gang over to PDX's new hot spot: Departure. It was a totally great experience!

This place is a total trip! It's up on the very top of a big, tall building in downtown Portland. You take the elevator to the 15th floor, and when you step out of the elevator, you are in a long space age tunnel-like hallway lit up with pink lights and mirrors. It is a really fun place to goof off!

just a few of the many dishes we tried and loved!

But once you emerge from the dark tunnel, you enter the restaurant/lounge area which is spacious and modern and awash in natural light - with gorgeous views of the whole of Portland. It's a really lovely space.

Plus - let's talk about the real issues here - the food was totally dynamite! Departure isn't a vegan restaurant, but they do have a whole separate vegan menu, with 22 items on it. The dishes are served tapas-style, with the idea that everyone will share and have a few bites. We ordered and ordered and ordered, and in the end we tried 11 dishes AND a dessert. We were all really impressed with the food: great flavor, beautiful presentation, ample options, generous servings, fresh ingredients... I could go on and on. This was food I wouldn't (couldn't??) make for myself at home and it was just glorious to revel in so many flavors and textures that were lovingly assembled and presented. I absolutely cannot wait to get back here some day. Soon!

With our bellies stuffed full of deliciousness, 

and our suitcases all packed full of goodies, we headed off to the airport. 

But wait!

There was still one last adventure awaiting us!!!

We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare, checked our bags, and went through security with no problemos. What's this? A Starbuck's? Let's get a coffee and relax before our flight. 

Or, rather: Let's get a coffee and start checking emails and Facebooking on our fancy little iPads until we miss our flight!! That is what happened, friends. For realz. In all my years of travel, I have never made such a rookie mistake. After a few minutes of totally uncool flustered distress, I realized that the only option was to suck it up and laugh at myself! I was just having so much fun looking at everyone's VVC pictures on Facebook - look at the trouble it caused me! ha ha.

The fellow at the gate was very kind and understanding, but he just couldn't open the doors for us (even though the plane was still sitting right there!!). However, he could put us on standby for the next flight. Yay! However, the next flight was at 6 am the following day. Boo! Ha ha, we really got ourselves in a pickle!

OOOOOPSies!

(I love this picture)

The next morning (at 5 a.m.!!!) we returned to the scene of the crime.

We needed our coffee more than ever, but this time we knew better than to linger there - we took our coffees straight to the gate! Lesson learned, my friends. Lucky for us, we had our stash of scones from Dovetail Bakery, so even our 5 am breakfast was pretty damned classy. Only in Portland!

By the time we landed back home - we both had to hit the ground running: I was off to teach yoga and my mom was off to a City Council meeting (on 4 hours of sleep!). By the time I finally hit my pillow that night, I was truly stoked to curl up with Snoopy and get some sleep. I think I slept 9 hours... dreaming of VidaVeganCon the whole time!

Vida Vegan Con: The Day After!

I knew Vida Vegan Con would be a whirlwind of new friends and presentations and good food and general non-stop activity, so I made sure to give myself one extra day at the end of my trip to explore Portland and visit with my friends and family there.

My sweet friend Sandy picked me up at the conference on Sunday night, and we headed over to Prasad for some dinner. I ordered the "Ganesh Bowl," with half quinoa and half brown rice. After a weekend of all-out gluttony, this healthy and delicious bowl of yumz really hit the spot! Veggies & tofu in a warm coconut milk curry, with a giant heap of fresh kale (lightly steamed). Just thinking about it makes me want to eat it all over again.

Monday morning, Sandy and I made our way over to Vita Cafe, for the first stop in a crazy vegan-errand day of fun. Even though Sandy used to live ACROSS THE STREET from Vita, she had never been here before. The decor was warm and funky, and even though Vita isn't 100% vegan, there were so many vegan options to choose from! So, we got our coffee and started to consider our options.

I ended up with the "2+2+2": two veggie sausage patties, 2 pieces of french toast, and scrambled tofu (equal to two eggs, I guess). I have a long-standing love affair of french toast, and I find it difficult to pass up French Toast any time I see in on a menu. Mmmmm.

Sandy ordered the Huevos Rancheros, vegan style. OMG. I was jealous of it! But luckily it was huge, so there was enough for me to have a little too. Definitely good. Want to go back.

We also got a Northwest Hazelnut Corn Cake, which was freaky good. Oh my gosh. Just looking at these pictures and remembering this all these good meals is making me want to go buy some more plane tickets!

dorky fan pic outside Vita Cafe

You can practically see the drool dribbling down my chin!

Two doors down from Vita Cafe is the beautiful little all-vegan bakery called Dovetail Bakery. The owner Morgan even came out from the kitchen to chat, and she was so kind and friendly. I was still full from breakfast, so I picked out a couple of treats to bring home with me.

In the end I picked out the Apricot Scone (left) & Apricot-Millet Muffin (top). Of course, I also forced Sandy to take me to Back to Eden and there I picked up a Coconut Cardamom Muffin (right) & Blueberry Scone (bottom). Now these tasty treats are all hanging out in my freezer, just waiting for me to eat them. I'll be there soon, little friends... just gotta eat some more veggies for a few days!

We stopped at the Co-op on Alberta St., where I was told you could find Soy Curls in the bulk bins. Score! Of course I had to buy a loaf of Dave's Killer Bread and one of their Peace Bomb mini baguettes too. I'm sure you understand!

Cute bike racks outside the Co-op. Even the bike racks are veg-friendly, for God's sake!!

We stopped to spend some time cruising all the cute shops on Mississippi St. I was worried that with so many vegans roaming the streets of Portland, someone might break into the car for my stash of Dave's Killer Bread and soy curls, so I made sure that Sandy locked the car. Stay away thieves! You can get this stuff in your own city! You lucky turds!

Los Gorditos! A great little taco truck with an extensive vegan menu. A perfect spot for my last meal in Portland, and a final visit with Sandy and my lovely cousin Eliza.

I ordered the veggie burrito. It's not all that exciting to look at a rolled up tortilla, is it? But I'm sure you all know, burritos are magical pockets of rainbows once you bite into them! Also you can see a few of the different salsas I sampled. They had a huge salsa bar, I love that! I love trying different salsas, but my favorites are always pico de gallo and tomatillo salsa. Mmmmmm!

Sandy ordered the enchiladas, which were amazing and also huge, requiring a take-home box.

Friends... Portland is like a vegan fairy land. You go from your vegan brunch to the vegan bakery (and in between those two is a fancy 4-course meal place which offers an all-vegan option every night). Then you get in the car and as you drive down the street you see the word "VEGAN" everywhere - outside the shoe store, on every food cart... it's absolute madness. Then someone tells you that right down the street you can get Soy Curls in the bulk bin. It's enough to make a vegan go crazy! I can't wait for my next trip to Portland... family, friends, food, fun... it's wonderful!

BonusMoFo! A Quickie in Portland

MoFo Bonus post! That's right, folks, we're in Vegan Mecca - aka: Portland, Oregon!

Since I had to fly in and out of Portland on my way to visit my great aunt Tashie, I arranged for a quick, but wonderful, visit with my PDX friends Kittee and Sandy. See our happy faces glowing with friend-love??

You gotta make the most of these visits, so we met up at Back to Eden bakery. Back to Eden is an all-vegan, largely gluten-free bakery that also has candies, vegan cookbooks, soft serve, tea and coffee. It is a magical place. I love it so much. Even though I wish I lived right next door, it is probably just as well that I don't. Seriously the stuff here is a-mazing. Here's Kittee noshing on a gluten free Chocolate-Toffee Bar.

Kittee and Sandy have been telling me, for months now, about the glory of BtE's cheezecakes. I have to admit, I was skeptical. I've had some pretty lame-o vegan cheezecakes, and I had pretty much written them off for good. But Kittee and Sandy pretty much know what they're talking about, so I was interested. When we arrived, it was still morning, and I was more in a muffin mood than a cheezecake mood, but luckily for me, my loving friends talked some sense into me. Sandy and I each got a piece of marionberry cheezecake. OH EM GEE. Amazement! Amazeballs! This cheezecake is totally freaking incredible. It has that perfect tartness that a cheesecake should have... it's light and fluffy and just about heaven on a plate. Plus, they change their flavor every day, and I was very stoked to arrive on Marionberry day. I pretty much LOVE all things blackberry. This cheezecake alone is pretty much worth the cost of your plane ticket to Portland.

But, since I'm no dummy, I also stocked up on goodies to share with Tashie over the long weekend. A lemon custard turnover, a marionberry-spice muffin, and a cherry-almond scone. I don't really need to tell you again how delicious these all were, do I?

Plus, my excellent friends showered me with culinary goodies from Portland. Sandy brought along not-one-but-two loaves of Dave's Killer Bread, lovingly wrapped and decorated! Kittee brought me a Mondo Bag of bulk Soy Curls and a package of Freddy Guy's Roasted Hazelnuts (which we are still enjoying). Thank you Kittee & Sandy!!!!

After all that noshing, we went for a little neighborhood stroll. Of course, Mr. Vee came along too.

Then, on my way back into Portland, there was time for a quick visit with some Portland cousins before heading to the airport. My cousin Eliza runs a very nice B&B up in Victoria BC, and she was saying that it has been hard to make good gluten-free baked goodies. Well! I insisted (selflessly), that we drop by Back to Eden once more, so that she could see just how incredible vegan + gluten-free really can be. We picked up a Chocolate-Toffee Bar, a Lemon Lime Cupcake, and a Maple Pecan Muffin to share for our family visit. Incredible!!!

Amey in Portland: Friends, Food, Family, and Dogs

Not too long ago, I finally got myself up to Portland, even if it was just for a paltry few days. I have many beloved family members there, some dear friends there, and the alluring promise of delicious vegan food pouring out of the municipal water supply. Nonetheless, I hadn't been there in about 15 years. But, when my great aunt turned 95, and her son (my 1st cousin once-removed, if you must know) turned 70, they decided to throw a joint party. This was finally incentive enough for me to book a ticket. Apparently, this is what it takes, people.

I stayed with a very sweet pal, Sandy, a long-time friend from junior-high onward. She is very awesome and was a wonderful hostess with the mostess. Within one hour of arriving in Portland, she had escorted me to a super cool neighborhood near her house, with a totally delicious all-vegan bakery/sweetshop and before I knew it, I was busily eating a swirled soft-serve vegan ice cream cone in one hand while holding a cherry-almond scone in my other hand. Sorry, but there were no free hands available for taking pictures. It was rather urgent. Maybe next time!

When Sandy had to head off to work, I rendezvoused with the lovely Miss Kittee!! It was so good and wonderful to see her again. You can see I am sporting my most beautiful Kittee-bag, like any stylish vegan. Kittee and Dazee and Vee and I went out for dinner and then they even took me to get DONUTS from Voodoo Donuts. Once again, this was a situation where I was too totally stoked to bother with the camera. Really, my first yeasted donut in 10 years. I kept exclaiming "I haven't had a donut in 10 years!" as I plowed through my half of a maple bar and a plain chocolate-glazed donut. Dazee was supposed to share them both with me but wimped out after half of a maple bar. Wimpy!!

The next day, Sandy and I met up with Kittee and family again at Native Bowl! HOORAH! I got to meet Julie of Everyday Dish, and she is as wonderful and lovable as I always thought she would be. I love this happy picture of the three of us. Doesn't Julie look cute poking her little head out the window?!

This is the amazing Broadway Bowl from Native Bowl. Man, I really loved this meal. Fresh, perfectly filling, nutritious, and totally delicious. I think Native Bowl alone is reason enough for a return trip to PDX. Definitely my kind of food, and I want to try all her other offerings as well. Mmmm.

Julie also had some totally amazing macaroons at Native Bowl. One was lemon flavored, and the other had chocolate chips in it. I'm not sure how she makes such crazy-good macaroons without any eggs, but MAN, these babies were rich and deeelish. Naturally, I preferred the chocolate one, because I am a chocolate lover, and that is that.

I was only in town for two nights, but I packed in so much fun. Family festivities, friendly time, doggie snugs, doggie walks, and even a trip to the farmer's market. It was really great. The farmer's market had many intriguing goodies that we don't have here at home, and was a very good stand-in for my regular Saturday morning farmer's market ritual. Sandy and I went and met up with Kittee and Dazee. I purchased these glorious roasted hazelnuts, which were practically a religious experience. So good. Also I got some of the legendary Dave's Killer Bread. I got a "Peace Bomb" baguette and brought it home to enjoy. I was so sad when it was all gone! You can see my google maps there on the picnic table with me. I'm all nerdy like that, so I mapped out all the places I was hoping to visit before leaving home. Be prepared, scouts!

After the market, we all went for a dog walk together, and I met this little dog named Archie. It was love at first sight. Seriously, I wanted to run off with this man's dog. Just look at that peaceful little face!!

In between family fun times, my aunt S. and I had a little break and snuck down to the Vegan Mini Mall. Kittee and I had met there the day before, but I arrived just as most things were closing up shop. So my auntie and I got to peruse the offerings... We split a tasty muffin at Sweet Pea Bakery and had some nice big glasses of water. Then we cruised over to Herbivore, where we both purchased Webly's little popcorn zine. I am looking forward to exploring her special popcorn ideas. Finally, a quick stop in Food Fight for bulk Soy Curls. Santa Cruz has just about everything a vegan needs these days, but we don't have Soy Curls, so I stocked up.

Sandy's dog Sadie kept trying to lick my face. In this picture, she is pretending to be coy, but I'm sure you'll believe my side of the story.

Finally, on the last morning, Sandy and I snuck in a quick eat-&-run brunch at Blossoming Lotus. I have the World Vegan Fusion cookbook, but I hadn't ever eaten at Blossoming Lotus, despite hearing so many great things about it. Even though I was technically headed to a family brunch, I asked permission to arrive with a full stomach... So glad I asked!! I got the French Toast with a side of sausage, and it was really really wonderful. French toast was my #1 favorite breakfast in my pregan days, and here in Santa Cruz the only thing a hungry vegan can order for brunch is a so-so scramble. So now, on principle, whenever given the opportunity to order vegan French Toast, I do not hesitate. I guess you could say I'm a very principled person in this way. I also ordered a side of kale, to assuage my more health-oriented dietary principles.

And Sandy got a really, really delicious tofu scramble with some perfect potatoes and that glorious pile of kale. I don't usually order tofu scramble, but this one was way above average, and next time I go to Portland I will be sure to wake up at 6 am some Sunday morning, and do copious amounts of cardiovascular exercise to work up a huge appetite and then I will go to Blossoming Lotus for Sunday Brunch and eat as much as humanly possible.

And I'm pretty darned sure that I won't wait 15 years before I head back to Portland again. There are too many friends to hug and family members to love and doggies to cuddle and vegan foods to enjoy. See you again soon, Portland!!