Vegans In Europe

Alright...it is safe to say...

2006-08-08T14:58:00.000+02:00

...that we've put our blog to sleep.

Wiebke's in Montréal right now, then off to New York City for Culinary School and Anna is...

Anna??? Tell them why we've been so bad with our "baby".
ANNA IS OVERWORKED AND UNINSPIRED!!! SORRY, BLOG!

Read Wiebke here.
And check out Herbivore's blog, Sarah's blog, Get Sconed's blog, the Herbivore MashUp blog, and the Post Punk Kitchen's Forum!

Let's POGO again...!

2006-05-17T06:53:00.000+02:00

No posting in over a month from us...ouch! No excuse for that.

But our friends over at POGO café have been as great as always...whenever you'll be in London you should go and get their amazing breakfast plate and some sweet treats. And here's a special event for you all. Go and show your support!

Wanna know a secret...?

2006-04-09T17:22:00.000+02:00

Hush-hush!

"Keulung"

2006-04-08T17:53:00.000+02:00

Sorry, this is in German only because I haven't found any English news yet...
30,000 animals killed in Saxony so far! That's all poultry living with a 3 kilometer radius from the farm where the virus was found.

Veggie Pride Day in Paris!

2006-04-07T08:22:00.000+02:00

Let's go!
And check this piece on my new favorite site Super Vegan.
Is anyone going...?! Can you please write a report and take pictures...?
I'll be stuck in Berlin that day...

Urtekram from Denmark

2006-03-28T08:56:00.000+02:00

I went to buy a new body lotion yesterday and had a hard time finding a vegan one in the "Biggest European Health Food Store" LPG calls itself...there was either beeswax in it, lactic acid,...you name it.

But here's one from a small company in Denmark, callled Urtekram.

Completely vegan, they have perfume free product, and their prices are decent - especially compared to companies like Lavera...

Dia Internacional Sin Carne

2006-03-23T16:00:00.000+01:00

Check Was*Someone and this site for more info and pictures of a great Meat Out Day action in Madrid!

Tom's Of Maine...sold to Colgate

2006-03-23T10:23:00.000+01:00

This news has shocked me even more than the one from last week. Body Shop has always been wishy washy with their ethical standards regarding animal tested supplies for their product.

But Tom's Of Maine seemed to have strong indie values and was loved for their cruelty free product...

Read the press release on their site and this...and check knowmore.org for their info.

Really sorry for all Tom's Of Maine employees who choose their job based on their personal beliefs and values.

L'Oréal 'flattered and seduced me', says Body Shop founder

2006-03-18T11:47:00.000+01:00

...oh, so the 130m British Pound are not part of the picture...sure!

This reminds me of bands going with a major and still believing that they are able to be "in control". But as Russ Rankin from Good Riddance just put it so well: "You can't be against someone you're in bed with!" referring to the band Rage Against The Machine. (Sorry, that interview is in German only!)

Here's the link to The Guardian
and another one to BBC News, read that part about Taking Over an Ethical Business as well. Interesting stuff, doesn't the title automatically imply that the business taking over the ethical business is NOT an ethical business? Or am I splitting hairs here...?

New film to involve real bull torturing

2006-03-02T21:55:00.000+01:00

PETA has received word that a new film, Manolete, starring Adrian Brody and Penelope Cruz, will contain scenes of bullfighting in which real bulls will be tortured and killed. PETA has contacted the producers and director of the film but has received no response despite the advisement that no response would be taken as confirmation that they will be abusing and killing real bulls.

On the other hand, the 2005 film The Matador used carefully crafted computer-generated images (CGI) and stock footage of past bullfights rather than harming more bulls. PETA is asking people to contact the producer and director and urge them not to contribute to the horrific cruelty of bullfighting but to opt instead for CGI technology, which provides the look of a bullfight without requiring additional cruelty and killing. The movie is scheduled to start filming in March, so time is of the essence. You can find Peta's model letter here as well as the contacts to address them to.

I say also contact the actors involved' fan clubs and agents/publicists and ask them to put pressure to change the methods of filming so they don't involve the torture of bulls.

HEATHER AND PAUL MCCARTNEY VISIT CANADA TO CALL FOR BAN ON BRUTAL SLAUGHTER OF SEAL PUPS.

2006-03-02T21:49:00.000+01:00

Heather and Paul McCartney will visit the harp seal nursery on the ice floes off Canada’s East Coast, on 3 & 4 March 2006, to observe beautiful, pure white newborn harp seal pups, sentenced to death by the Canadian seal hunt.

Only weeks after their visit many of these same animals will be clubbed to death as part of the annual slaughter, the largest marine mammal hunt on the planet.

Heather and Paul will be calling on the new Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, to stop this brutal commercial hunt.

The trip will highlight the work of UK campaign group Respect for Animals, which is calling on the UK government to ban the import of all seal products into the UK, and the Humane Society International.

Over the last three years almost one million seals have been slaughtered, 97% of them under three months of age, most of them only a few weeks old. A 2001 independent veterinarian report concluded that 42% of seals examined were likely still conscious when skinned. The pups’ skins are used in the fashion industry.

The hunt is now killing as many seal pups as it did in the 1950s and 1960s when the harp seal population was reduced by as much as two thirds. Worldwide public horror at the hunt and Canadian fish boycotts brought about a EU implemented ban on ‘whitecoat’ (newborn seal) products. Today, sealers kill pups as soon as they have moulted – a process that starts at 12 days old – and these slightly older seal skins can and are legally imported into the EU (including the UK).

• A recent opinion poll found that 79% of UK residents believe the hunt should be stopped. And, 73% think there should be a ban on seal products into Britain.

• An Early Day Motion (EDM 237) calling on the UK government ‘to prohibit the import of all seal products into the UK’, has been signed by 183 Members of Parliament (as at 20.2.06)

• Several countries have recently initiated actions to ban the import of seal products, including: Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Greenland, Mexico. A ban has been in place since 1972 in US.

• A 2001 veterinary report concluded that the hunt results in ‘considerable and unacceptable suffering’

Amsterdam again...

2006-02-28T09:04:00.000+01:00

Most importantly...: Anna, we need to take more goofy pics of ourselves...!

Flew out to Amsterdam on Friday for the Good Riddance show and to hang out with Anna.

We went for dinner at the Green Planet. A really cute place in the city center. Super nice service, and a cute crazy cat which jumped on Anna's lap right after we sat down.

Here's the food review...most of dishes on the menu can be made vegan, they also have a daily special for 9,90 EUR, unfortunately it was Lasagna which couldn't be veganized.

I ordered the "Antipasti salad (Mixed leaf lettuce with delicious homemade antipasti, roasted seeds & nuts and a delicious basamico mustard dressing)" topped with some marinated and grilled smoked tofu. It was really good, loved the dressing and the antipasti (mushrooms, carrots,...).

Anna had the "Teriaki Wok stir-fry (broccoli, paprika, green beans, carrots, onion, shii-take and cashew nuts fried with ginger & chilli, extinguished with a homemade Teriaki sauce and served with Basmati rice"...Anna? Want to write your review here? :)

For dessert we had "Tofu lemon “cheese” cake extravaganza with agar-agar fruit topping and a delicious fruit sauce" - which was a little bit too "crumbly" tasting for me, and very lemony. Plus...6,50 EUR for a piece of cake...?!

Overall I'd say...very nice place, cute cat, but it would be better if they could always offer a vegan or veganizable special of the day. Quite pricy, even for downtown Amsterdam.

Somehow this doesn't surprise me at all....

2006-02-23T13:02:00.000+01:00

According to a Dutch University Professor, humans wiped out Mammoth and other extinct species.
Although it's not yet proven, if we look at Humans' trayectory on this issue, I don't doubt it one bit

Humans were responsible for the extinction of species such as the mammoth, cave lion and Irish elk, Professor Theunis Piersma of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen said on Wednesday. It is often claimed these animals died out as a result of climate change but the professor said humans wiped them out.

Krakow...

2006-02-22T09:29:00.000+01:00

...anyone? I would like to go to Krakow before I'll head over the big ocean. Just read the travel report in Herbivore and wondered why I've only been to Poland once. It is just around the corner from Berlin.

Germany to carry out limited poultry cull against bird flu

2006-02-19T15:51:00.000+01:00

In a German version of this news piece it's been reported that at least 2000 chicken and geese have been killed so far - because their farm is too close to areas were dead wild birds infected with the virus were found.

Still thinking of eating those chicken wings?

2006-02-16T14:19:00.000+01:00

Think again!

Netherlands orders poultry indoors as bird flu nears

AMSTERDAM — A regulation making it compulsory to keep all poultry indoors comes into effect on Monday 20 February in Holland.

Initially, it was intended to confine poultry to hen-coops only in areas where a large amount of wild birds congregate. He extended the measure to cover the entire country after bird flu was detected in Germany.

Concern was increased by the discovery of eight dead swans on the German island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea. At least two of the swans were infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu that can be deadly for humans.

Virologist Albert Osterhaus said on Wednesday he would not hazard a guess as to whether the Netherlands would quickly be added to the list of European countries where the H5N1 virus has been detected.

"It is not impossible that it will be here too within a few days. We must be prepared should it come," he said.

Police dog stabbed

2006-02-14T16:58:00.000+01:00

This sucks...

A 'confused' man stabbed a police dog in Krimpen aan den IJssel (NL) on Monday, the police said. The animal, Biko, was treated by a vet for its injuries. The 34-year-old man became violent when he was visited by health workers and the police. He threw a gas bottle and threatened them with a knife. The police dog was brought in when he threatened to start a fire.
(from Expatica news

So, there's a fire threat and who do they send in? The dog! WTF! Another sad example of treating animals like they're nothing more than "objects" for human use!!

Borsch!!!

2006-02-12T14:48:00.000+01:00

It's snowing in Amsterdam!! Feels like deep red soup.

Prep...

...Borsch
and "Sesame Street" salad (The tofu was fried in sesame oil, seasoned with Tahini, and decorated with sesame seeds. Talk about overusing an ingredient)

Stay warm!!!

Igualdad Animal

2006-02-10T17:08:00.000+01:00

From Spain... For any Spanish speaking readers/"bumpers" into this blog, check out www.igualdadanimal.org

Based in Madrid, this non profit organization has just started running a website with info on animal rights, veganism, etc en español as well as organizing protests and tabling in the street.
They also have a newsletter and shop.
Great to see organizations like this in such a non vegan country as Spain (and believe me, I know).

Thanx to...

2006-02-08T19:27:00.000+01:00

...Wiebke and Peta 2 I can look cool with a message!
Yeah, check my new shirt out!

Do not...

2006-02-07T20:00:00.000+01:00

... I repeat.... Do NOT open a copy of Herbivore magazine while baking.
You'll get sucked right into it and your scones will burn!

Fancy a Gene Simmons kiss?

2006-02-07T10:02:00.000+01:00

Kiss bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons is one of the celebs appearing on a new series of charity stamps in America. Issued in collaboration with the Humane Society Of The United States, this set will be available until February 28.
I'm personally more of a Paul Stanley person, but hey, Gene Simmons will do.
Read about it here

Dioxin again...!

2006-02-01T09:22:00.000+01:00

German only, haven't been able to find an English report yet...
ZDF Heute Magazin

Farms in Germany, Belgium and Netherlands have been closed because Dioxin was found in animal food delivered to them coming from a factory in Belgium. The poison got into the food through filters used for producing gelatine. Food animal factories receive lard from said gelatine factory to blend it into their product.

"There's no immediate danger for public health"...says a Belgian politician...

...does public health include animals I wonder???

Bull "Little Bird" finally gets the chance to fight back!

2006-01-31T13:40:00.000+01:00

...and then gets killed in front of his "fans"...

From BBC News...

Bull charges bullfight spectators

At least two people are being treated in hospital in Mexico City after a bull leapt into a crowd during a bullfight.

The half-ton bull - named Pajarito or Little Bird - breached the safety barrier and landed on the fans.

The rampage ended when a fight participant entered the stand and killed the animal with his sword.

Mexico City's bullring was built 60 years ago and is one of the biggest in the world, with a capacity of 48,000.

Television images of the bullfight showed the beast jump over the heads of journalists and into the most expensive seats at the capital's vast ring.

One woman spectator received a six-inch (15-cm) gash in her chest.

The bullfight resumed 30 minutes after the incident. Little Bird is the first bull in the ring's history to jump into the crowd.

When Sage speaks, you listen

2006-01-27T10:15:00.000+01:00

We love Sage Francis.

A press release from PETA:

Providence, R.I. — Referred to by an admiring music writer as the loudest voice ever to come out of little Rhode Island, hip-hop artist Sage Francis stands up tall for what he believes in. After all, not every musician would be so bold as to come up with a song called "Makeshift Patriot" exactly one month after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Sage makes no exception when it comes to sticking up for abused animals, which is why he jumped at the chance to sit down for an exclusive interview and shoot a pro-vegetarian ad for peta2—PETA’s Youth Division. Holding a plate filled with a mouthwatering vegan sandwich and fries, the ad features Sage next to the tagline "See Through the Lies the Meat Industry Feeds You—Go Vegetarian."

"Just watch an animal get killed and how the meat is handled and how it finally gets to you," says Sage, who began rapping as an 8-year-old while hiding in a bedroom closet and went on to become the first hip-hop artist to sign with punk music label Epitaph Records. "If you go through all that and you can still feel good about what you’re eating, I’d be surprised."

Sage makes no secret of his general skepticism, as is readily apparent with the title of his 2005 hit album, A Healthy Distrust. But despite that skepticism, the University of Rhode Island graduate is optimistic about the trend among young people to be more discriminating than previous generations about where they spend their money. He sees them as "an army of new thinkers, a new breed of consumers who buy differently and support differently."

Sage Francis joins an ever-growing list of musicians—including Peaches, Le Tigre, The Roots, Masta Killa, Common, and Death Cab For Cutie—who have teamed up with peta2 to inspire kids to challenge outdated, cruel attitudes about animals. Also featured on peta2.com are celebrity interviews, message boards, merchandise, downloadable voice-mail recordings, and chances to win great prizes like free concert tickets, iPods, and more.

Check the interview here

New Herbivore Mag is out...!

2006-01-25T15:48:00.000+01:00

You can order it here...check out the list of what's in the issue...! "Vegan punks on tour in Europe" - my report about Deconstruction Tour last summer with Only Crime, Strike Anywhere and Boysetsfire (all partly vegan bands).

And while you're on the site - here's the newly designed shirt supporting the SHAC 7. Get it! Wear it! Support the SHAC 7!

Review Casts Doubt on Soy Health Benefits

2006-01-23T17:58:00.000+01:00

From Yahoo news (yes, you've realised by now, Anna spends too much time on Yahoo news)

So, Soy is not as much the miracle food as some people thought. I can see the hordes of health aficionados and latest food trend followers pouring the cartons of Silk down the drain and rushing back to the meat section... Wake Up! it's still healthier to eat a veggie soy based burger than a beef one.
Read the news item below.

Veggie burgers and tofu might not be so great at warding off heart disease after all.
American Heart Association committee reviewed a decade of studies on soy's benefits and came up with results that are now casting doubt on the health claim that soy-based foods and supplements significantly lower cholesterol.
The findings could lead the Food and Drug Administration to re-evaluate rules that currently allow companies to tout a cholestorol-lowering benefit on the labels of soy-based food.
The panel also found that neither soy nor the soy component isoflavone reduced symptoms of menopause, such as "hot flashes," and that isoflavones don't help prevent breast, uterine or prostate cancer. Results were mixed on whether soy prevented postmenopausal bone loss.
Based on its findings, the committee said it would not recommend using isoflavone supplements in food or pills. It concluded that soy-containing foods and supplements did not significantly lower cholesterol, and it said so in a statement recently published in the journal Circulation.
Nutrition experts say soy-based foods still are good because they often are eaten in place of less healthy fare like burgers and hot dogs. But they don't have as much direct benefit as had been hoped on cholesterol, one of the top risk factors for heart disease.
"We don't want to lull people into a false sense of security that by eating soy they can solve the problem (with cholesterol)," said Dr. Michael Crawford, chief of clinical cardiology at University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
"If they are radically altering their diet where they're only eating soy in the hopes that this is going to bring their cholesterol down, they're deluding themselves," said Crawford, who was not on the panel that issued the new statement.
The FDA in 1999 started allowing manufacturers to claim that soy products might cut the risk of heart disease after studies showed at least 25 grams of soy protein a day lowered cholesterol. A year later, the Heart Association recommended soy be included in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
But as more research emerged, the Heart Association decided to revisit the issue. The committee members reviewed 22 studies and found that large amounts of dietary soy protein only reduced LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, about 3 percent and had no effect on HDL, or "good" cholesterol, or on blood pressure.
They did a separate analysis of isoflavones. The review of 19 studies suggested that soy isoflavones also had no effect on lowering LDL cholesterol or other lipid risk factors.
"Soy proteins and isoflavones don't have any major health benefits other than soy protein products are generally good foods," said Dr. Frank Sacks, a professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston who led the committee. "They're good to replace other foods that are high in cholesterol."
Still, the Heart Association statement notes that soy products like tofu, soy butter, soy nuts and some soy burgers should be heart-healthy because they contain a lot of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals and are low in saturated fat.
"Soy isn't a magic bullet, but it can be a valuable contributor to a heart-healthy diet," said Jo Ann Carson, a professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas who was not part of the panel.
It's important not to think about foods in black-and-white terms, said Dr. Michael Lim, director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
"There's no quick fix," he said. "Our bad cholesterol numbers would certainly get worse if instead of eating tofu burgers we went out and had hamburgers each night of the week."

Because you probably can't be in Portland today...

2006-01-20T10:10:00.000+01:00

...spend some time on the net and read about the SHAC 7, it affects us all, no matter where we are!
Here's the link for all My Space Nerds. You can also listen to an interview with Josh Harper of the SHAC 7 on one of the latest Vegan Freaks podcasts!
And if you can - HELP them!!!

Vegan rat snake?

2006-01-19T12:36:00.000+01:00

Not really, but at least doesn't eat live rodents, instead it befriends them...
Have to wonder at the zookeepers' sense of humour, though. It'd be the equivalent of a farmer calling his pigs "Pork chops" or his chicken "nuggets"...

This from Yahoo news...

TOKYO - Gohan and Aochan make strange bedfellows: one's a 3.5-inch dwarf hamster; the other is a four-foot rat snake. Zookeepers at Tokyo's Mutsugoro Okoku zoo presented the hamster — whose name means "meal" in Japanese — to Aochan as a tasty morsel in October, after the snake refused to eat frozen mice.
But instead of indulging, Aochan decided to make friends with the furry rodent, according to keeper Kazuya Yamamoto. The pair have shared a cage since.
"I've never seen anything like it. Gohan sometimes even climbs onto Aochan to take a nap on his back," Yamamoto said.
Aochan, a 2-year-old male Japanese rat snake, eventually developed an appetite for frozen rodents but has so far shown no signs of gobbling up Gohan — despite her name.
"We named her Gohan as a joke," Yamamoto chuckled. "But I don't think there's any danger. Aochan seems to enjoy Gohan's company very much."
The Tokyo zoo also keeps a range of mostly livestock animals, and promotes "cross-breed interaction," according to Yamamoto.
But Gohan and Aochan's case was "was a complete accident," Yamamoto said.

Benefit show for the Ducth ADL

2006-01-15T12:46:00.000+01:00

Explosive Dutch Punk band Duitse Herder will play a benefit for the ADL (Animal Defense League)on Saturday Jan 21st, 2006 at 10:00 PM on Confusion ( Achterom 20 Ph:(070) 3649243), Den Haag.
The proceeds will go to help some ADL members who protested by occupying the Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC) in Rijswijk (known for testing and vivisecting primates...) a while back and are now facing a big fine. There will not be a door fee, donations are optional but you will probably be emotionally blackmailed by the lovely yet dangerous Duitse Herder frontwoman Romylar Dee to throw at least the equivalent (in MONEY) of one beer in the fund-box.

If you're from the area, be there and help out!!

The revenge of the mouse

2006-01-09T18:23:00.000+01:00

From Yahoo news...

How can anyone throw a live mouse in a fire??
Your house burning to the ground must suck, but i guess this guy deserved it in a weird karmic twist of events kinda way.

FORT SUMNER, N.M. - A mouse got its revenge against a homeowner who tried to dispose of it in a pile of burning leaves. The blazing creature ran back to the man's house and set it on fire.
Luciano Mares, 81, of Fort Sumner said he caught the mouse inside his house and wanted to get rid of it.
"I had some leaves burning outside, so I threw it in the fire, and the mouse was on fire and ran back at the house," Mares said from a motel room Saturday.
Village Fire Chief Juan Chavez said the burning mouse ran to just beneath a window, and the flames spread up from there and throughout the house.
Noone was hurt inside, but the home and everything in it was destroyed.
Unseasonably dry and windy conditions have charred more than 53,000 acres and destroyed 10 homes in southeastern New Mexico in recent weeks.
"I've seen numerous house fires," village Fire Department Capt. Jim Lyssy said, "but nothing as unique as this one."

Amsterdam...

2006-01-09T15:43:00.000+01:00

…no coffee at the club yet so we walk to the Rokerij close to the Melkweg. I don’t even need to spend money on any of the weed and stuff they sell there, I just get high by breathing in the fumes while having two good and strong coffees.

Meet Anna afterwards for another soy latte we drink sitting on a bench by one of the grachten. It is cold but I love to spend some time in clean fresh air outside. Way too much 2nd hand smoke for me over the past few days.

Then, off to the Kantjil, home of the famous tofu balls…we order two different salads, tofu balls, really good marinated tempeh with green beans, yellow rice.

I love the peanut sauce that comes with all the dishes. I just wonder why they put a hard boiled egg on the salad plate. Always good food at this Indonesian restaurant – want to take some tofu balls back to the venue with me for after the show but they’re out of them.

Instead a nice surprise waits for me at the club – my friend Carolina has made cinnamon roles using a recipe I’ve sent her a few weeks ago. They are SO good, so sweet that she made them – recipe is here. Don’t they look just fabulous?

Great dance party after the show – and we’re off to Cologne.

Not much to report from Cologne, I drop my bags at the hotel in the afternoon and return to the venue for some really good Seitan stew…

No photos today…airports are boring and there’s no wireless here for some reason…will be home in a good hour anyways.

Cindy rules...!

2006-01-07T15:52:00.000+01:00

Antwerp – well, I did not want to fill up on greasy fries because Cindy showed up to start making dinner for us. And since she’s vegan – it was vegan! Potatoes, pasta, tofu sauces, it was great.

She is also a really good photographer – check out her photos. I will try to do an interview with her for Herbivore magazine soon.

I had a couple beers today, not this one though…

When we tried to order pizza after the show we had no luck,…so Cindy helped us out, drove our tour manager back and forth. Thank you Cindy, you really are the best!!!

London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Cologne in 4 days tour…

2006-01-07T15:02:00.000+01:00

London – another vegan buffet right next to our old favourite vegan buffet…Right behind the Astoria on Greek Street. Unfortunately some of the food was a bit cold but the spring rolls were delicious. So try Sasa Thai AND Tai next time you’re in London. Cheap, good, vegan food and very nice service.

I didn’t make it back there before our bus left so I snacked on the amazing Bourbon Cream cookies and later on bought some Pringles at a truck stop…unfortunately they were the only vegan crisps or chips, however you prefer to call them. Everything else had some kind of animal product in it. Luckily everything is clearly labelled here. Love it!

Parked in front of the venue in Antwerp now. Will try to get downtown from here and get some Belgian Fries with Peanut Sauce. Hope I can find them…Had some corn flakes with orange juice and a triple PBJ sandwich for breakfast, that’s what I usually eat when on tour. The bread here’s so soft and pale, it needs to be sent on a trip to some resort to get back in shape.

FBI and the "Vegan Community"

2005-12-21T08:47:00.000+01:00

"One F.B.I. document indicates that agents in Indianapolis planned to conduct surveillance as part of a "Vegan Community Project"." - the complete NY Times article here.

And this is even better..."The ACLU said that the documents released today on Greenpeace, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) show the FBI expanding the definition of “domestic terrorism” to include citizens and groups that participate in lawful protests or civil disobedience." Here's the link, thanks to Food Fight Grocery for posting it!

"Punk Pizza Day" 26th December at Pogo Cafe

2005-12-15T09:32:00.000+01:00

I want to go to London...because this sounds like fun!!!
Our friends at Pogo Cafe are throwing a pizza party:

"A double whammy of a day, it's the 26th December which means it's PUNK PIZZA DAY and its also Pogo Nhatt's Birthday so Pogo is open from 3pm (till 9pm) for folk to come and listen to Nhatts awful folk music interspersed with the joyous sound of Punk Rawk. and make Pizza's!!!! YES because it's DIY Pizza day bring toppings, bring imaginative toppings (all vegan of course!). Bring Nhatt a present if you like! Pogo will provide the Pizza base's and all the Pizza's are free of course (Financial donations welcome) for Punk Pizza Day history check here."

Day dreaming...

2005-12-12T20:49:00.000+01:00

...that's what i was doing all day today, about a new dish i made last night as part of the Christmas recipe special for my column on Peta2 which will go up this week. So I had to make another batch of Maple-Mustard-Glazed Potatoes and String Beans, a Vegan With A Vengeance recipe. The perfect comfort food...

Raw Food Feast at Pogo

2005-12-06T15:38:00.000+01:00

Pogo Cafe in London have announced their Midwinter Raw Food Feast for Tuesday December 20th.
The Vegan Cafe, located in Hackney, will "celebrate the Winter Solstice in raw style (...) to lift the spirits and boost the energy with a living foods feast."

The feast will begin with an "opening circle at 7.30pm to welcome everyone to the event and focus our attention on the energy of the Solstice. Feast from a huge, delicious organic eat-your-fill raw food buffet including yummy raw desserts. Chill-out until the 11pm close. A smoke and booze free event."

Price is £9

You lucky ones attending, have some cake on us!!

Veg Fest in Lindau Germany

2005-12-06T05:22:00.000+01:00

Click on the flyer to see a bigger size of the it - and if you're in the "Bodensee" area, southern Germany, northern Switzerland, drop by for some speakers, lots of info and veg*an treats.

Winter soup

2005-12-04T11:14:00.000+01:00

It's definitely winter.
Nothing like a hearty veggie soup to warm up. Just put all vegs you have lying around in a pot with water, cook, and blend (if desired)...
I made this one yesterday with the ingredients you see, plus Parsnips which I forgot to put for the photo, that gave the soup a sweet aftertaste... delish.

Here's the before...

and after (served with a savoury muffin from How It All Vegan cookbook that I had baked that morning)

The SHAC7 and what you can do to support them

2005-12-03T16:37:00.000+01:00

Here's just a quick link to Sarah Kramer's blog. She's selling a lot of stuff on Ebay right now, the profits will go to the SHAC7, scroll down to the "Please read" post in her blog and you'll find more links with the whole story...

Adventurous cat

2005-12-02T17:08:00.000+01:00

Another kitty related post, this one much nicer.

Seems a cat from Wisconsin got herself into an unexpected journey to France after being shipped to Nancy by accident. Luckily, the staff at customs managed to trace her owners and, courtesy of an airline, flew back home on first class...

Read the whole story here

Some people are sick fucks

2005-12-02T14:04:00.000+01:00

As a joke/scam to make money, this website is sickening to begin with, but the fact they had to put these poor cats through this for the photos makes me want to find these fucks and stuff their heads in a glass box... after severing it from their bodies. God, I'm so mad right now!

They don't seem to give a fuck about hate/reproachful/disgusted emails, but do not let it prevent you from letting these beasts know what you think, and don't hesitate to send it to any animal rights and protection services you know see if they can find who they are and prosecute them for animal cruelty!

The Power of Metal will destroy KFC

2005-12-01T10:01:00.000+01:00

Sorry about the title, I couldn't resist writting a line with "Power of Metal" in it. It should have read more like this:
BUTLER JOINS PETA CAMPAIGN
Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has joined the PETA campaign against Kentucky Fried Chicken. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) maintain that KFC treatment of chickens is cruel and abusive.
You can read more about it here
ROCK!

Manchester Anarchist Bookfair

2005-11-30T23:26:00.000+01:00

In or around Manchester...?
Here's something to do this weekend:
Animal rights groups including Manchester Animal Protection and SHAC will be there PLUS the venue "The Basement" is a bookshop with a great vegan cafe!

And if you want to check out some pics of what I'm doing over here in San Francisco - check out my other blog, i simply do not have time to translate it...hopefully next week, Wiebke

Whole Health MD

2005-11-30T20:14:00.000+01:00

This site is not vegan per se, but I find the whole concept of turning to natural rememedies, or knowing what's in what you eat, or what a certain food is good for, fascinating.
Whole Health MD has tons of nutritional information on different foods, recipes, natural remedies for specific ailments, experts' opinions, and a reference "library".

I bumped into it while searching info about the fruit Feijoa. I'd never seen it before until today and its smell (haven't tasted it yet) is one of the most intriguing aromas I've ever experienced.
Thought i'd share...

In London this weekend? Cruelty Free gift shopping

2005-11-28T20:45:00.000+01:00

If you're in London this weekend and need to get some Xmas shopping done, the place to be is the "Christmas Without Cruelty Fayre".
Organized by UK's Animal Aid, this little Fair in the middle of shopping-land High Street Kensington offers a "huge range of cruelty-free items" from cosmetics to shoes to Fair trade goods, so that you can find something for everyone. And if you get hungry, there'll be vegan food available too!
The sellers are all Animal Rights connected "charities, campaign groups and ethical traders who are trying to make a positive difference in the world", so you know your money is not going to a greedy corporation.

For more info, click ici

Sunday 4th December 2005
10am-5pm

Kensington Town Hall
Hornton Street
London W8
(opposite High Street Kensington tube station)

Admission £1
Children (under 11) free

Not to be an alarmist but...

2005-11-28T20:27:00.000+01:00

...Romania is not that far away. I'd like to think something good might come out of this, like the powers to be will realise it's not in our best interest to raise animals the way we do after all. I'm an optimist.

From Yahoo news

Turkey in Romania Tests Positive for Flu

BUCHAREST, Romania - A turkey has tested positive for the H5 subtype of bird flu in eastern Romania, officials said Saturday.

The turkey came from a small farm in the village of Scarlatesti, Agriculture Minister Gheorghe Flutur said.

Authorities will begin culling all domestic birds in the village, which is located near several large lakes. A quarantine will also be imposed on the village. There was no immediate information on whether authorities would carry out further tests to establish whether the turkey was infected with the deadly H5N1 strain.

"We think the virus was brought by migratory birds," Flutur said.

Romania has already confirmed the H5N1 strain of avian flu in three villages in the Danube Delta, but Scarlatesti is outside the delta region. The virus has devastated poultry stocks and killed at least 68 people in parts of Asia since 2003.

In Europe, birds have tested positive for H5N1 in Romania, Russia, Croatia and Turkey.

NL20 mag says vega is mega!

2005-11-27T13:09:00.000+01:00

Amsterdam free guide magazine NL20 has a cover article on vegetarian cuisine and lifestyle in their current issue.
Titled "Vega is Mega! Healthy, delicious, and hip", the 4 page feature talks about how the cliche that vegetarian eating is just for bored cow hugging hippies without taste buds is over.
With the number of vegetarians in The Netherlands having increased from 3.5% in 2003 to 4.5% in 2005, the article cites health reasons, trendiness helped by "herbivore" celebrities, "meat scandals" such as mad cow disease or salmonella, and the bigger and tastier range of options for vegetarian food in supermarkets and restaurants as major reasons for the increase. It also interviews 3 Dutch celebrities who are vegetarian about their reasons for going veg, best and worst part about it, and their fave eateries in Amsterdam.
Nice to see such a positive article on vegetarianism in a mainstream publication like this.

Quick hello from San Francisco...

2005-11-26T19:07:00.000+01:00

...I've posted pictures and a few lines with links to places I've been to on my Wiebke's Vegan blog. English version about my first weekend will be up soon, probably tomorrow after my trip to Otsu!

Week of Global Action Against HLS

2005-11-24T13:37:00.000+01:00

We are a bit late posting this, but all this week is a Week of global action against Huntingdon Life Sciences! As you might know the SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) has been campaigning to shut down HLS and stop their cruel useless torture of hundreds of animals everyday by organizing demos, campaigns, boycotting any companies affiliated with HLS, etc...

If you are in London tomorrow Friday, they have organized a demo. Click here for more info
Friday 25th November
SHAC Suits in London Tour
Dress up smart!

But there's many other ways you can support SHAC, just visit their website to find out how.

Off to San Francisco and New York...

2005-11-24T08:57:00.000+01:00

...a plate with Tempeh Bacon is waiting in the kitchen so I can make myself some nice BLT sandwiches for the long flight to San Francisco via New York...luckily I'll have a more than just a 4 hour stop-over on the way back with loads of time to walk around New York and many of Red Bamboo's Buffalo Wings!!!

My Ipod is packed with podcasts by the Vegan Freaks, Vegan Radio and Let's Get Baked...! And a book our friend Josh from Herbivore just recently recommended in his blog. Review of PopCo soon...

...plus loads of pictures and reports of restaurants, burrito places, shows,...!!!

Anna will feed you with Euro news in the meantime.

See you soon!

Cartoon and info on animal experiments...

2005-11-23T09:52:00.000+01:00

Click here for the cartoon and a lot more info on the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection - campaigning to end animal experiments) site!

The Sparrow Saga

2005-11-23T08:51:00.000+01:00

You may be familiar with the story of the sparrow (protected species in the Netherlands) who got shot dead because it made the fatal mistake of flying into the events Hall where they were preparing a -check this out- attempt to break the Domino toppling world record...
Now, why would any grown men and women spend time setting millions of domino bricks to then tip them over and have them all be toppled in a minute is beyond me (oh wait! sponsorships, TV rights, percentage on commercials,... now i get it), but the story here is that this poor unfortunate bird has triggered a string of cheesy, surreal and/or plainly exploitative actions.
Not only did this make it to the news internationally, but a special website in honour of the bird was created in the Netherlands where people could leave comments and condolences to the family of the bird (seriously)...
Now the latest episode of this saga is that 2 DJs from the Dutch province of Friesland have recorded a theme song for the dead sparrow, which goes on sale today! Judging from the amount of downloads it received in the first couple of days of it being posted on the DJs website - 50.000- the single might enter the charts this week.

This would be almost funny if it wasn't that pathetic. Way to go with making profit of this issue and making animal rights and the unnecesary death of this bird a joke.

This will hopefully be the last we hear of the Sparrow saga, may they let the poor bird rest in piece.

Animal Liberation Festival in Bochum this weekend

2005-11-21T19:36:00.000+01:00

Roots of Compassion will be sponsoring the ANIMAL LIBERATION FESTIVAL happening on November 26th in Bochum, Germany.
They announce on their recent newsletter: "its for a good cause (supporting two AR groups and one sanctuary), so come along if you live close by! there will be great food, lots of other stalls and great music of course! the lineup:Buried Inside Breed Apart Deadlock Destiny Endstand Sunrise To Kill Undying. (...) there will be an anti fur demo before, so if you're planning to go to the festival, be sure to come early to join the demo!"

Tickets can be pre-ordered from: http://matrix-bochum.de/shop/product_info.php?products_id=49

And check the festival website for more details: www.animalliberationfestival.com

Welcome us to the world of blogging

2005-11-20T13:21:00.000+01:00

Hi, welcome to Eurovegans, a blog dedicated to Vegans... and Europe.
Most vegan sites are based in NorthAmerica, and even though they're great sources of info, tips, products, and buddies, we thought a site more focused in Europe could come handy...
We'll try to update often with recipes, reviews of European products, links to sites, city Veg guides, restaurants, news items, etc for both Euro vegans, or visitors from all over.

This blog will also be kitchen nerdy silly pictures girly giggly galore... cos we're like that.

We'd love to know if there's anyone actually reading this, and to get feedback, suggestions, love, presents, bribes, and comments. So, if you read this and want to leave some proof of your existence, comment away!!

Soon, soon.
Wiebke & Anna

This picture was taken in a motel room somewhere on the road between Portland and San Francisco...