Native Foods Blog

San Francisco Pet Rebellion

SAN FRANCISCANS BAN PETS,EAT VEGGIES & SWIM NAKED

 

My thoughts on the proposal to ban the sale of pets in San Francisco, the rest is just stuff I do anyway.

By Chef Tanya

 

 

 

The City of St. Francis, the patron Saint of the animals, has spoken and the people are rebelling. Hey they rebelled against St. Francis too in the beginning! It's a good time to be a rebel rouser.

1. I've worked with pet animals and their protection since I was in junior high school and the amount of animals that get dumped and then killed in shelters is astounding. In Los Angeles alone 35,000 dogs and 67,000 cats are killed. Divide that by days in the year to see how many per day. Remember this is L.A. alone!! The gas chamber is no longer used in California but it is in many other states still.

Nico is sad....he could be adopted!
 

2. Most of the dogs sold are puppy mill dogs and that's another horrid story (http://tinyurl.com/36amqfx). I watched a guy next to my restaurant in Palm Desert in a truck from Missouri pulling out pups and cards from different cages and carry them into a place that sells pure bred puppies for big profits to wealthy people that don't know the story behind puppy mills. If you like purebreds know that 25% of shelter dogs are purebreds and there are numerous pure breed rescue groups around the country, try them first

 

 

Chanel....a happily adopted pet

 

 

 

Joys of adopting a pet!

 

3.Will the pet stores go out of business? Hopefully they run a good business model and that won't happen. Most stores sell animals to get folks in the door and make money on the accessories that one needs to care for a pet. Much like grocery stores sell produce but the real economics happen in the prepared items and in health and beauty aids. PetCo chain has started a new concept called "Unleashed" which sells no animals so it's already starting. 

 

4. Cooperation with public and private sector can be the answer. A pet store can house and take a donation for rescue pets. Pet store owners Lewis and Paula Turner started www.amodestproposal.org with phenomenal results and is a good "how to" for current or future pet store owners. 

 

5.The San Francisco law says they can only sell fish that means no birds or guinea pigs or bunnies?..  Too late on bunnies, they are already banned for sale in SF. Birds are a sad story. Most birds in cages have their wings clipped. The very thing they were born to do we cut off to watch them in a cage. Again, I'm not a zoo fan either. Unless someone has room and money to let them spread their wings and let them do their natural dance, don't sell them and don't buy them. If you love birds go to Westwood Veteran's Gardens and check out Serenity Bird Sanctuary, here you can volunteer. It's right near Native Foods Café.  This was created from all the unwanted, confiscated and illegally traded exotic birds the stories are sad but now happy! http://tinyurl.com/yrvzxx. Guinea pigs are always looking for homes in shelters check out www.cavyhaven.org in So cal and you will see how wide your choices are. There is a rabbit at the Palm Springs Shelter as I type. Alright I just rescued a horse from a shelter so really what isn't available at a shelter? 

 

6. It's an attempt by PETA to outlaw and ban pets altogether! I love conspiracy theories but I'm not buying this one yet. Let's wait and see if it happens and we will have time to comment if it does.

 

7. People just drive out of the city limits and buy in another city pet shop. Sure they can. Well you have to start somewhere I say. The dialog and awareness that has been created just by the proposal of this law is worth a million lives! West Hollywood and Hermosa Beach already passed such a law, so it's not exactly new news. Listen you can get anything you want in this world legally or illegally and you probably have witnessed this in your life already. Point is if you are striving to make the world a more compassionate place to be then reassessing our responsibility to our animal friends is important and this may indeed help, it certainly can't hurt. 

 

 

8. While everyone is debating this, I have a great idea! Join or get involved in a rescue group of an animal of your choice, I'm sure there is one close by! 

 

 

 

Eat Peace,

Chef Tanya Petrovna

Native Foods Cafe Founder

THE STORY OF COSMETICS-a great documentoonary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq000AF1i8

 

 

I'm not sure what you call a documentary in the form of a cartoon but "documentoonary" sounds like it may be a word in a Cajun dictionary, but this spicy documentary comes from Annie Leonard author of The Story of Stuff, another great documentoonary.

 

This ties in great with Native Holladay's blog on vegan cosmetics as this is about what's in the common stuff we put on. Cause what we put on, goes in and goes out and so it goes. We've been hearing about lead in lipstick that is an approved ingredients but how much of that shampoo you are using is really herbal, or was it what was being smoked by the folks that were printing the labels! Learn about Pinkwashing where the women's health issue is being promoted on labels with ingredients that promote cancer, absolutely wild. If you want to be wild women, run with the wolves, not the skin whiteners.

 

Watch this quick clip and pass it on, plan a viewing party at your casa and in the meantime gain a personal relationship with your deodorant.

 

Eat Peace,

Chef Tanya

Native Foods Café Founder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfq000AF1i8

The Native Bag Swag

 

Vegan Handbags

 

By Holladay Allen
Native Foods Tribe Member

 

I was frantically fumbling through my handbag the other day searching for my inhaler.  Just the idea of accidentally leaving this cylindrical tube of vaporized chemicals at home was enough to mentally induce an asthma attack.  My battle with asthma for the past 19 years is another whole blog in itself as I am extremely leery of pharmaceuticals and the “big business” they seem to have created with those individuals, doctors, who are supposed to be looking out for our best interests.  Any who… so as I am digging through my bag pulling out the smaller patterned cosmetic bags which compartmentalize and organize my handbag, my male co-worker walks in and says, “I just don’t get it.  Why do girls carry around a giant bag full of smaller bags?  What is in all those bags?  Do you really need all that stuff with you at all times?”  Why yes I think I do.?  I mean, first of all, there is my make-up bag.

 

  Then my sort of first-aid bag with my inhaler, some vitamins, skin salve, band-aid, a travel toothbrush and sewing kit.  Next is my bag of lip balms (there are just too many textures and flavors to go with the same one all the time!), a change purse, my wallet, a snack bag (you never want to be caught somewhere starving!  It can ruin your day), Vinnie’s tampon case (Wink-wink to everyone who carries one of these gems around), and finally an old-fashioned metal pencil case filled with sharpies and “Don’t leave your dog in a HOT car” fliers from PETA.  These are just the little bags!  Then I have my Ipod, phone, black book (don’t worry, I am going digital on this one), etc.  Roll your eyes and shake your head all you want, but if you got trapped on an elevator for 12 hours or stranded on a freeway in the middle of the desert, you would probably want to be there with me.  I’d have just about everything we would need.

That being said, the bigger the handbag the better.  But every girl needs a good clutch for those black tie affairs as well.  So low and behold… our latest bag swag for you guys, or in other words, our top 6 favorite cruelty-free handbags at the moment (cause, you know, we are going with the flow, constantly evolving, falling in love with new bags and fashion all the time):

 

Not only does Cri de Couer make a few very lovely handbags, but they also offer some beautifully designed shoes.  I IMPLORE you to check out their website.  The Charlie Messenger Bag is HANDS DOWN my favorite bag at the moment (and for the past month!).  I love the Chocolate color.   Oh, and I heard from the sweetest little bird that if you use the discount code GIRLIEGIRLARMY at checkout, you receive 20% off!  Holy Cannoli!  (Girly Girl Army is a fantastic vegan blog straight outta NYC).

http://cridecoeur.myshopify.com/products/charlie-foldover-messenger-bag

 

Next up is the classic Ms. Betty handbag from Susan Nichole. 

 The purple color is super rad.  And it’s got the kiss lock closure that which completes that vintage look.

http://susannichole.com/store/ms-betty-in-purple-p-505.html

 

 

Crystalyn Kae has long been one of my favorite vegan handbag designers.  Back in the day, I owned one of her exquisite teal green hobos… but alas, it washed away in Hurricane Wilma, with the rest of my parents’ house.  Thank goodness I can reorder it in several different colors.

http://www.crystalynkae.com/hobo-bags-large-hobo-bags-topstitched-c-197_212/

 

Oh Stella!  You know how to get a girl all hot and bothered.  The Falabella Tote does just that.  I love the linen version.  The hard edge of the chain metal accents intertwined with the soft vintage look of the faded canvas creates the perfect meeting place for both worlds.

http://www.stellamccartney.com/us/en/shopStella/Bags/P-Canvas-Falabella-Tote.aspx

 

This little beaded clutch by Ecote for Urban Outfitters is the perfect bohemian glam for you favorite little black dress.  Subtle colored sequins give the glitz without the gaudy.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=&itemCount=80&startValue=81&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=18379859x&parentid=W_ACC_BAGS&sortProperties=+subCategoryPosition,+product.marketingPriority&navCount=98&navAction=jump&color=&pushId=W_ACC_BAGS&popId=WOMENS&prepushId=&selectedProductSize=

The Multi-Color Cielo Duffle will give you a reason to finally plan that weekend getaway to Mexico.  The colors and soft texture of this natural born traveler will inspire some sort of a fun-in-the-sun excursion, if only to your next door neighbor’s pool:

http://www.vionnetboutique.com/product_info.php?products_id=2089

Hey! By the way, Vionnet Boutique is a cruelty-free shop located on the swanky Robertson Blvd in Los Angeles.  Stop in and check them out of you are in the area.

 

Oh, and for the little bags inside the big bag, my favorite ones are made by Yak Pak.  They make the best little cotton zippered bags with a constantly changing lineup of designs.  Yay for little bags!

http://www.yakpak.com/common/pagedetail.aspx?PageCode=1453

 

 

The KIds are All Right

by Ruth Sinfuego
Native Foods Cafe Fan

(Last night Focus Features and Native Foods had the exclusives previews to this film and many Native Foods fans attended the private screening.....here's one fan's review)

 

The Kids Are All Right is a film, a story, and a cinematic web of characters as flawed and layered as are our very own family members.  This is a cohesive quality piece of work that draws the viewer into one non-traditional family’s world wrought with traditional issues of good people struggling with their individuality and transition into the next stage of life.  The lives and relationships of married lesbian couple Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) and their two teenage kids: new high school graduate Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and 15-year old Laser (Josh Hucherson) are forever altered when restless and curious Laser convinces Joni to seek out their sperm donor.  Thus enters Mark Raffalo (another amazing job done) and the entanglements we weave called life pick up real steam.

Director & co-writer Lisa Cholodenko has done one incredible job navigating the complicated waters of this complex mix of characters and relationships and has guided the talent of every performer to rise to the occasion with sensitive, energized intelligent in depth portrayals.  This is the stuff that Oscars were created to honor. Annette Bening skillful performance as Nic, the caring but gruff authority figure in the film and family is so powerful the audience is empathetic even more than sympathetic to her and her families trials and tribulations.  

If you are a parent, be prudent in previewing this film before viewing with your children.  The sex scenes are as potent as the rest of the film and may be more graphic and revealing than you want to share with your youths.  While it may provide some less than comfortable viewing moments together it is far outweighed by the honest and real relationships handled so artistically in this rich theatre experience in which right is right, wrong is wrong, good people and good families are what counts most in life no matter how human we allow ourselves to be.  All said and done, the kids ARE all right.

 

http://www.focusfeatures.com/film/the_kids_are_all_right/video?url=the_kids_are_all_right_trailer

Snarky Snake Talk

This is a long blog about Snakes: why I am deathly afraid of them, how I never want to be near one: EVER!, and why we need to protect them

 

By Holladay Allen
Native Foods Tribe Member

 

It was 1987 and I was seven years old.  My parents had just purchased their first house.  Upon the arrival of my little brother Anders, my parents, my grandfather Gus and I packed up the old wooden blue house across the street from the park and headed uptown to a more spacious abode with a sparkling swimming pool and the ocean as our backyard (well, it was technically a canal, but it connected to the ocean, and we were excited!).  I immediately took to the neighboring backyards and canals exploring.  I tried not to be too invasive, climbing through the mangrove bushes that lined the ranch style homes along the narrow canal.  Our next-door neighbors, the Balances (yeah that was their last name, and they were from Cuba, strange.) had the best backyard for exploring.  They did not venture much past their back patio, so the backyard was unkempt and filled with unmanicured trees and bushes, which made for excellent climbing and hiding. (This was quite the contrary to my backyard, as my mother who was born with two hands of green thumbs, had fandangled our backyard into a perfectly designed forest of linear trees and precisely trimmed bushes which left little room for hiding and disappearing.)  My favorite tree was smack dab in the middle of the Balances’ backyard.  The trunk had a wide thick base with various grooves and humps that made it easy to ascend.  The trunk divided into five branches about six feet up.  At the center, where it branched out, there was a nice deep concave seat, just for me, in the center of this tree.  I loved nestling myself in this small wooden bowl with my legs dangling toward the ground below.  I spent hours here, napping, reading, and daydreaming (I’ve got daydreams galore).

 

One late afternoon, I hurled myself over the concrete wall that separated our houses, skipping the much more subtle route through the mangroves in order to take my seat before the afternoon thunderstorms commenced.  I climbed quickly up the trunk and positioned my arms between two of the branches to hoist myself upward into my throne: but something stopped me in my tracks.  How peculiar!  Someone had left a perfectly coiled rope in the center of the tree.  The clouds were starting to darken the afternoon sky so I reached for the black rope in order to toss it to the ground.  The only problem was that it was NOT a rope.  A small black head shot straight up through the center of the coil and launched itself directly at my face.  Beyond startled, my heart in my stomach, I shimmied down that tree and ran straight back into the welcoming arms of my mother’s suburban forest.  And so began a lifelong fear, disgust, and downright distrust of snakes and all snake-like animals, such as eels (eewwww).

I shared this fear with my mother.  Neither of us could even stand to look at a snake directly without cringing, whether it be in books, movies, and especially in person.  Living in the tropics, our windows and doors were open and screenless most of the time, morning, noon, and night.  I would rather not think about the parade of insects, lizards, scorpions, snakes, and other wildlife that filed through our home at any given moment, finding comfort and solace in the folds of my pillowcase. One vivid example of this never-ending parade that just won’t quit from my memory:  my mother, grandmother and I walked into the kitchen after returning home, to find a five foot black rat snake coiled up on the kitchen counter.  My mother and I flipped out (borderline hysterical) while my grandmother was left to try and “shoo” the reptile out of the kitchen toward the nearest window.  Well, I could list in detail the numerous encounters I have had with snakes and the fear each encounter instilled in me, for whatever reason, but I have made tremendous progress and do not wish to hash up old feelings.  I can now look directly at a snake in a book or on television with only a SLIGHT gag reflex and minimal hair-raising.

So I know you are thinking…. What brought about this rant on snakes and your childhood and blah blah blah?  Well, I was eating my Rockin’ Moroccan at Native Foods this evening while flipping through the latest PETA publication, when I came across the section about various animal skins used for fashion.  I honestly had no idea the indescribable torture that snakes endure at the hands of some of fashion’s merciless elite.

 

Live skinning is a popular method of obtaining the skin from exotic animals, especially reptiles.  Proponents of this despicable industry claim that it is the only way to preserve the skin in its most supple form.  GROSS! 

Biologist and Britain’s leading reptile expert Clifford Warwick describes the process:

'The snakes are often nailed to a tree with a large nail. It doesn't kill them because they have a small brain and there's little chance of actually hitting it.

'The hunters then slice round the base of the head and peel the skin clean off the live animal and then throw the still-living carcass onto a pile and leave it to die. It can take hours or days for them to die from dehydration or shock - it is a really dreadful thing for them to do.'

He continues: 'In other places they will decapitate the animal before skinning. The problem is that decapitating the snake doesn't kill it instantly.

'With a snake the head will be alive for an hour or two hours - completely conscious, completely sensitive to pain, fear and everything else."

Can you imagine a world without snakes?  I would like to, in theory that is. In actuality, I would like to keep them around, all of them, just at a great distance.

Dr. Mark Auliya, a scientific officer who monitors the international wildlife trade, can foresee the eventual extinction of these fashion victims:

“There is clear evidence that large specimens are getting rarer and rarer. It shows that the reticulated python cannot cope in the long term with the high out-take by the commercial skin trade.'

(Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-482849/Pythons-skinned-left-die-The-shocking-reality-fashions-new-obsession.html#ixzz0uPJULWP9)

In reality, our fragile ecosystem would be on the verge of collapse without the snake to maintain the world’s rodent population (which carry a gazillion diseases around all parts of the planet everyday):

“Snakes are THE best natural rodent control on the planet in most parts of the world. I think that alone would be the biggest effect for humans – uncontrolled rodent populations. If you lose the females, there goes all the reproductive output. So, yes, they would face extinction.”

http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1724&category=Environment

 

Another problem that is posing a huge threat to Florida’s ecosystem (my homeland) is the presence of thousands of Burmese pythons which eat just about anything, including alligators, and have no natural predator in the Everglades.  This is the result of uneducated pet owners releasing these foreign reptiles into the wild when they have grown too large to be handled (most of them grow in excess of 20 feet!).

According to National Geographic:

“Second only to habitat loss, invasive species are a leading cause of species endangerment and extinction both in the United States and worldwide. Almost half of the species on the U.S. endangered species list are threatened wholly or partly by introduced species. Steven A. Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, calls invasive species the number one environmental threat to the United States”

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0603_040603_invasivespecies.html

 

So… too many snakes, WE DIE!  No snakes, WE DIE!  The Earth is such a beautifully and intricately designed ecosystem, which really comes down to checks and balances (and I am not talking about my neighbors from Cuba!).  We cannot use and abuse our fellow earthlings without suffering great repercussions in the future, the very near future.  Respect for all living things, no matter how much they give you the heebie-jeebies.

Fourth of July and Chickens!

 

By Kelly Erwin
Native Foods Tribe Member & The Organized Vegan

This July 4th I decided to organize a small group of friends and family to head up to Acton for the Animal Acres Pignic.  My friend Lori grabbed her two little nieces, I grabbed my 95 year old dad and we headed out to Animal Acres.  My dad is a huge animal lover and he grew up with chickens as his father had a hatchery business in San Angelo, Texas.    We got there and of course, all I wanted to do was get to the food!  But, I thought first let’s visit with the darlings that greet you at Animal Acres, the chickens and turkeys.  My dad uses a wheelchair when we go out so when I wheeled him in, these little guys did not know what to think!!  But they weren’t scared or cautious.  The chickens came right up to my dad and were giving him the once over!

 

The geese of course were VERY cautious and would not even give us the time of day but still let us know, loudly, that they did not approve.  Those geese crack me up!  After spending a bit of time with them we continued through shady area where there were clowns painting faces and kids sitting on the smooth grass coloring.  There were chickens and roosters walking all around. It was so great because no one paid them any mind.   We were visiting them in their home and accepted us!  Finally, we headed toward the pig houses where the vege dogs and lemonade was being doled out.  Many pigs were sleeping so we just kept rolling through.  They were so cute, getting a nice misty shower as they slept.  As we ate our lunch, 2 donkeys came lumbering up to the fence.  I had to take my dad over to meet them.  One donkey named Honky took a liking to my dad right away and kept nibbling at his hand! I was a bit nervous to tell you the truth, but my dad just laughed!  Then he tried to give my dad a kiss!  It was amazing!!!  We saw horses and more pigs lounging on the green grass under the shade.

 

After lunch, the 2 little girls wanted to get their faces painted so we strolled over to the middle and sat on the grass.  As we were sitting there, the wonderful animal advocate and actor James Cromwell sat down for some shade as well.  As we were chatting I thought I have to get a photo of this!  Two veteran actors, sitting side by side enjoying watching the chickens peck my back! 

 

As we were sitting there, I saw my dad looking down at the chickens.   I could see he had a contemplative look on his face, and then he said, “People should not be eating these wonderful creatures.  I’m not going to eat chickens anymore!”  I let out a Woo Hoo heard for miles and those geese got all uppity again!!  I am thrilled with his decision of course!!! 

 

We bid farewell to James and continued on to visit with all the goats and sheep.  Those goats are the friendliest of all!  They love to be petted and fawned over.  The little girls were thrilled to be able to touch and pet all of these cute goats and they had no fear and were very loving with all of them.  After hanging with the goats we went to see COWBOY, the little calf that was rescued from an apartment building in West Hollywood of all places!  Cowboy was rescued from the side of the building where he was found standing on concrete, no shade, no water and no food.  He was a bit skittish and shy but the cutest little guy you’ve ever seen!!!  Now Cowboy will have a fantastic and loving life at Animal Acres.

 

The next day I took my dad out to lunch at Native Foods Café.  He LOVES the Native Wings there, but this time he ordered the Chicken Run Ranch Burger.  He flipped over it!!  I enjoyed 2 new items, the Enchachalada Bowl and the Strawberry Shortcake.  Wow!!!  Both completely amazing!!!  Chef Tanya did it again!

 

We had a very fun time at Animal Acres and NFC.  And driving home I realized that, no matter what your age, you can change your mind about what you choose to eat.  At any age, your heart can be wide open, and at any age we can truly see that chickens are smart, funny, cute and very pet-able!  At any age, LOVE is still the answer!!!

 

Organizing Tip

 

To organize earrings: Get an earring tree!  My sister gave me one for my birthday and they are fabulous!  It looks like a carousel with little holes for the earrings.  3 tiers and it holds about 30 pair.  It’s also nice because you can set it on top of something, i.e., a chest of drawers and then you can see in flash which set of earrings you’d like to wear.  To have Kelly organize anything….contact her at Kelly Erwin - Love to Organize! [lovetoorganize@live.com]

 

 

(She is the best!!!)

9 Tips in the Kitchen

 

Wow, I was lucky as I scored front row seats at Chef Tanya’s Cooking Demo on Saturday in Aliso Viejo.  All because of that little red Rewards Card I signed up for at Native Foods Café….one day, about a month ago, I go in for my usual Ensalada Azteca and Strawberry Parfait  (hey, it’s a salad so why not a little dessert at the end) and LO and Behold, my receipt says “You won front row seats for 2 at the next Cooking demo”.  HURRAY!

 

Rad, totally.   Then I find out it’s Paula Deen’s recipes that Chef Tanya is making the native (vegan way).  So cool.   My mom loves Paula Deen so I took her….and there is Chef Tanya in a Paula Deen wig and cracking me up with the Southern Belle’s accent.   And yummy peach cobbler.  Meaty spaghetti.  Oh my.

 

But here’s what I jotted down from Chef Tanya’s talk….

 

1.  Buy a Silpat---they are environmentally safe and great way to make vegan cheese!  NOTHING sticks to them.  Buy them at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Chef’s Catalog, Sur La Table and Macy’s.

2. Use a red bell pepper…they are just a ripe green pepper with better flavor for spaghetti

3. When in doubt, use olive oil as a substitute for butter

4. When making spaghetti sauce, add SALT early on while sautéing your onions as it brings the flavor out and  a sweetness.

5. Where to get Quinoa Noodles for spaghetti (quinoa is the perfect protein!):  Whole Foods, Mother’s and Albertsons

6. Tomato Paste:  Buy the canned paste that is organic from Italy…Fire roasted the best.

7. Paula  Deen calls for “Italian Spice Blend” in her recipes .   Well, super easy to make at home:  Just blend equal parts (dried) thyme, tarragon, oregano and salt.   Save money and don’t buy them pre-blended!

8. To reduce the acid in your tomatoes in the sauce…add a quirt of Agave!

9. Cheesecloth…should be a household staple!  Available at supermarkets and very cheap.   Great for cheese making, straining etc.    My 5 year old does not like onions and celery when I make veggie soup at home so I just wrap the celery and onions in cheesecloth and tie them with a string….still get all the nutritional and flavor benefits and my picky eater never knows!

 

 

Ok and I took a lot of pics!   Thanks Chef Tanya…..

WINNERs...hey I won a mug!

 
Yum...getting the samples ready

 

I won a tote Bag....thanks Native Foods

Paula Deen...oh, Chef Tanya    ooops

The big winners....Native Wellingtons

Peach Cobbler

 

The Lipschtick Files: Part 1

 

By Holladay Allen

Native Tribe Member

 

At Native Foods Café we are in the midst of compiling our top ten favorite vegan-friendly make-up products ever!  This is very exciting since I absolutely adore make-up and its ability to not only enhance natural beauty, but also completely transform somebody’s image.  I am a heavy on the eyes kinda lady, but I love those gals who can rock the minimal eye make-up with a deep red pout.  Oh yeah! 

 

 

I am a bit fanatical about my eye makeup using two different types of pencil eyeliner and 2 different types of mascara in my daily routine.  And I often find myself pondering that age-old question:  If I were stranded on a desert island and could only have one make-up product, would it be mascara or eyeliner?  This question makes me want to cry.  Why would I even consider such a thing?  (Well, I experienced a lot of hurricanes growing up and many were disastrous, so I think I am always kind of awaiting disaster in some form or another.  Just recently, I stopped stockpiling food, it was bad.  But I still can’t stop my overactive brain from analyzing the potential aftermath of something that will probably never happen.  Oh the neuroses!)

 

 

 On one hand, eyeliner is a multi-purpose product.  It can line your eyes and be smudged into an eye shadow.  You are fabulous eyeliner!  On the other hand, mascara just makes eyes pop and adds that touch of femininity that cannot be mimicked.  At the present moment, I am going with mascara.  But I go back and forth.

 

 

I know you guys are just itchin’ to see those top ten products, but there is some research to be done and facts to be confirmed.  We do, however want to share a few ingredients and links that will help you make conscious choices right now.  First, follow the link below to see companies that do and do not test on animals. 

 

Beautypedia.com is a great website created by Paula Begoun that lists reviews for thousands of beauty products.

http://www.beautypedia.com/AnimalTesting.aspx

 

Ms. Begoun also has another website which describes in details every cosmetic ingredient, its origin, and possible allergic reaction:

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary.aspx

 

Thanks Paula!

 

Some common ingredients found in cosmetics that are animal-derived include:

Ø Carmine or cochineal - Coloring made from ground insect.  

Ø Lanolin - Moisturizing agent derived from sheep.

Ø Beeswax/ pollen/ bee products

ØLard

Ø Tallow       

Ø Many waxes

Ø Lactose/ lactalbumin

Ø Milk/Whey products

Ø Silk derivative

Ø Propolis

Ø Elastin (from cows)

Ø Hyaluronic acid

So head out to your local mall, Saks, drugstore, Neiman’s, Sephora, or wherever and polish those investigative skills.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions next time you find yourself at the cosmetics counter trying to decide between that electric blue liquid eyeliner and the aubergine cream eye shadow.  And as always, we would love to hear about your favorite vegan beauty products past and present!

My little hero of the day

by Chef Tanya Petrovna

Native Foods Cafe

 

Last night was opening night for Ringling Bros. Circus in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. That wasn't quite why it was their best night. As you may know here has been questions on how they treat their elephants. My thought is that since they are non domesticated wild animals and if they can't walk 25 miles a day and swim (things they do commonplace and naturally in the wild) they should not be dragged around the country in trucks tied with chains and made to do tricks that quite frankly aren't that interesting. They are forced into positions they never would do in the wild. Up on the back legs is not good for their bodies so why make them do it? Could it be the price of admission?

 

Well here's why it was their best night. Over 300 people gathered to let Ringling and others know that elephants in the circus might not be the best idea. One little girl and her family bought tickets and upon learning some facts decided not to go

. She's my little hero of the day!

 

Actress Olivia Munn came and the helped the press coverage.It was a madhouse of press coverage. I heard that those that were interviewed didn't get to all the press that wanted to interview them! It was a huge PR night to help the elephants. I hope that PAWS Sanctuary is making more room because Ringling will need a place to send those great beings to live out the rest of their lives in peace, just being elephants.

Season's Eatings

Featured today in The Desert Sun about Chef Tanya at Native Foods....the Native Sangria is delicious with the frozen watermelon balls!

Here's a link: http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100714/LIFESTYLES02/7130344/Local-chefs-dish-on-their-favorite-summertime-meals