HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: For the Wee Ones

Let's be honest: indulging your inner-child is oodles of fun. And what better way to do so than to shop for the bundle of joy in your life? Here are a few presents to set your rambunctious, young-at-heart self all aflutter:

Because your munchkin's finger paintings exhibit the makings of the next Van Gogh.

To bolster their literary genius.

This will add to the already awesomely hipster decor of the nursery.

'cause the thumb they're sucking is all green.

Monopoly ain't got nothing on this (educational!) game.

Is it wrong that I kind of want all of these for myself?? Cheers to never growing up.

xx Love to all kids and big-kids out there.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: For the Glamazon

It can be intimating to shop for the girl who has everything. The utter sophisticate, she's the first to sport the latest trends and is primped to perfection. Fear not! Here are some items that will give her decadent taste level a run for its money:

No fashionista should be without the LBB (little black bag)

She can never get too much Hollywood Retro.

Because her palette is equally as discerning as her taste in clothing.

Her bare nails haven't seen the light of day since she was 15.

Give this only on the condition that she swears to never make the Olsen duck-pout in photos.

xx Here's to a dazzling holiday!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: For the Mountain Man

This charmingly unkempt man often sports some facial hair, loves his hiking and can be caught wearing plaid on any given day. Ruggedly handsome and devilishly adventurous, he seems impossible to shop for. Lo and behold, here's a gift-buying road map to help you on your quest:

A rucksack for all of his manly accoutrements. 

Added bonus: $10 from every purchase goes to the wonderful non-profit Knock Foundation. Learn about how Stone Cloth came to be here.

This jacket - it gets frigid in the great outdoors.

A little somethin' to groom those straying whiskers. 

Because, after all, no meal is complete without hot sauce.

This handy device, for all of his wildlife sightings.

xx Love to all

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: For the Sexy Intellectual

She may not actually work at a library, but this girl always has her head in a delicious novel, is a brilliant conversationalist and is undeniably cute as a button. Here's a selection of gifts to match this bibliophile's dazzling, erudite character:

This gal's Tina Fey hot - as are these frames.

Channeling some serious '30s nostalgia with the Stella McCartney Nathalie Canvas Wedges.

Because she loves to read by candlelight (and this smells so yummy).

For all her bursts of poetic inspiration, she'll toss her Moleskin(R) aside for this.

'cause those late nights at the library can be chilly.

xx And a merry gift-giving season to all!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: For the Dapper Gentleman

On behalf of all the peeps out there who still have some belated shopping to do (ahem, me), I'll be posting gift guides over the next few days to aid you in this final stretch before the Holidays. 

Here are a few present-giving tips for the delightful dandy in your life.  This chap's winning style and enchanting manners are straight from a page of The Great Gastby.

A classic staple of every debonair ensemble: the bowtie.

A snappy pair of oxfords.

The secret to every man's heart: a jar of handcrafted pickles.

Four-eyes.

No self-respecting gent can resist a good grooming product.

xx Happy Holiday shopping!

SNEAK PEEK: Holiday Sample Plate at Hugo's Restaurant!

I can't seem to get enough of all the festive grub of the past month and, fortunately, I don't have to shelf my cravings just yet. Several restaurants in the Los Angeles area have added a special holiday-themed plate to their menus for the month of December, and I'm more than happy to partake. 

The other day, I continued my indulgence in the season's merriment with the Happy Happy Holiday Platter at Hugo's Restaurant. With both omnivore and vegan variations (make sure to specify), the plate delivers up all the classic fixins. 

DISCLAIMER: The amount of food seen in the photo above is only about half of the actual serving. I didn't have the restrain to snap a picture before diving into the delectableness. 

The star of the show is the sliced veggie patty covered with mushroom herb gravy. The plentiful trimmings include harvest vegetable cornbread stuffing (made with GMO-free corn), mashed maple yams, sautéed leafy greens, corn cakes (so, SO good) and cranberry sauce. Not too shabby for this girl, I'll tell you what.

Hit that platter up before it's too late!

xx Happy vegan eats

CYBER MONDAY CRUELTY-FREE DEALS!

Those who have committed to a vegan lifestyle have usually done so due to a strong inner need to devote themselves to the greater good: a life of compassion and selflessness. But, let's be honest, sometimes even the best of people just want TO BUY STUFF. And, on Cyber-Monday, I say we shamelessly embrace our inner consumer.

Alright kids, here's the Cyber-Monday break-down:

FOR ALL YOUR BEAUTY NEEDS

Sibu Beauty is a sustainable and cruelty-free skincare line, with a range of products containing sea buckthorn. Get 60% off all order using code CYBERSIBU at checkout:

Murad is a lovely skincare brand that does not test on animals. Get $25 off a $100 purchase with the code CYBERMONDAY.

FOR ALL YOUR FASHION NEEDS

Cri de Coeur designs the most lust-worthy vegan shoes and handbags. Get 30% off all orders through the end of November with code MANYTHANKS. Added bonus: free shipping for orders over $150. I've been drooling over their Cullen Fringe Bag in gray for some time now:

Lulus has a supremely cute selection of vegan shoes. Get 40% of sale items with promo-code CYBER:

FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE

JP Selects is a one-stop shop for all things sustainable/eco-friendly/animal-friendly: beauty, fashion, accessories, wellness, food, things for the home, the kids - even pets. Check out their Cyber Monday sale here:

Ethical Ocean is a wonderful resource for a variety of - you guessed it - ethical products. Be cautious, as not all of the products they advertise are vegan, but most of them are. They've compiled a great list of deals for Cyber Monday:

Let's be green! Let's be cruelty-free! Let's be vegan! LET'S SHOP!!

xx Happy purchasing!

A VERY MERRY UN-TURKEY DAY TO ALL!

This year's Thanksgiving was riddled with oh-so-much champagne, scrumptious food and - most importantly - wonderful company. I came equipped with an array of vegan, gluten-free goodies: sparkling Moscato, cornbread stuffing, mushroom gravy and a raw lemon blackberry souffle tart.

The first of several rounds.

My darling hosts whipped up some vegan nosh, including cooked greens, spicy sweet potato patties, miso-marinated tofu and creamy non-dairy mashed potatoes. As my multiple trips back to the kitchen for seconds (and possibly thirds...) proved, it was all beyond tasty.

Here are some more visuals of the delectable bounty:

Cornbread Stuffing

With the Mushroom Gravy

Lemon Blackberry Souffle Tart

The recipe called for raspberries, but I ended up substituting blackberries.

We ended the day in a happy - and very full - stupor, lounging on couches with peppermint tea and a romantic comedy marathon.

A respectably messy kitchen = the markings of a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

Wishing you all a belated happy un-turkey day!

WHAT I'M BRINGING TO THANKSGIVING DINNER

On this year's Day of Thanks, I will be dining with some lovely, omnivorous friends. They are graciously accommodating my veganism and, in addition to their more traditional fare, will be serving up some veggie dishes along with a tofu-turkey concoction for Yours Truly. 

For the past couple of weeks, I have been mulling over what to add to the Thanksgiving spread. And, now, in the eleventh hour, the moment of decision is upon me. I opted for classic dishes with a fun spin:

CORNBREAD STUFFING

I love that it  has a medley of veggies AND fruit and can be made gluten-free! 

GLUTEN-FREE MUSHROOM GRAVY

As far as I'm concerned, no Thanksgiving is complete without some cravings-inducing gravy to pour over everything.

RAW MEYER LEMON RASPBERRY SOUFFLE TART

Thought I'd challenge myself with a raw dessert this year.

Here are a couple of the runners-up, very deserving of mention:

BALSAMIC ROSEMARY CARROTS

BOURBON CRANBERRY COMPOTE

And, in the spirit of Save-A-Turkey Day, I adopted this handsome fella from Farm Sanctuary:

His name is Payton - ain't he a beaut? You can adopt your own wonderful turkey here.

What are you all making for Thanksgiving? Please share your pics - I'd love some inspiration for next year! Check back this weekend - I'll be posting my own pictures from the festivities and of all the food. And be sure to follow me on Instagram (@dirtyrottenvegan) on Thursday for a foodie play-by-play!

xx Here's to all the turkeys of the world (and to stuffing our faces with cruelty-free food)

SNEAK PEEK: Thanksgiving Sample Plate at M Cafe!

Suffice it to say, I couldn't hold off on delicious Thanksgiving vegan fare until the actual Day O'Tofurkey.

Too many delectable temptations! I was outnumbered and, joyfully, caved. Behold, the vegan Thanksgiving sampler plate from M Cafe de Chaya:

*drool*

It was a splendorous feast of seitan turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, broccolini, stuffing - all drenched in a mouth-watering gravy. Get on it, LA peeps! This is (obviously) a limited time platter.

Everyday should be Save-A-Turkey Day :)

xx Peace and love to turkeys everywhere.

THANKSGIVING VEGAN RESTAURANT GUIDE 2012 - Los Angeles Edition

I’ll be joining some friends for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. The day will be filled laughter and mayhem (and, if history is any indicator, some champagne cocktails) circling around the kitchen, as we try our hands at mastering some vegan dishes for the ultimate holiday spread. 

But, for those of us who are eager to bypass the mania and inevitable chaos of cooking a T-day meal, here’s a quick guide to where you can find a scrumptious, prepared-for-you vegan holiday meal in and near Los Angeles:

M CAFÉ DE CHAYA  

SHOJIN 

REAL FOOD DAILY 

MADELEINE BISTRO  

NATIVE FOODS 

On second thought, maybe homemade dinners are overrated... *stomach-rumble*

xx