Earlier this week, all of the dozen or so Burritovilles left in the city abruptly closed. Yesterday, The New York Times' Tina Kelley quotes an owner of a jewelry store next to the Burritoville on Water Street: "A couple of days ago the workers, the chefs and delivery boys showed up around 10 in the morning and were waiting on the stoop out front. Eventually they went home because no one showed up to open the store.”

If you think you've heard of something similar happening at another veg-friendly establishment, you're right.

Burritoville was founded and later sold by Steve Lynn and David LaPointe (who, now with his wife, Jean LaPointe owns Curly's Vegetarian Lunch). They (and another partner Bob Salamack) also started Veg-City Diner which had a 14th Street and Sixth Ave location and another at Third Ave off 9th Street.

The Third Ave location opened just days before the 9/11 attacks and shuttered weeks after. The remaining Veg-City Diner on 14th Street remained open for another couple years and had quite a following before it abruptly closed due to a reported kitchen fire. (It was Veg-City Diner, with its incredible revolving vegan cakes display, that made Danielle Konya's VeganTreats famous.)

Strangely enough, some waiters and chefs who worked at the Veg-City Diner reported that they had not been paid for weeks before that fire.

Some things that raise interesting questions have been collecting in my browser tabs bar. I thought I'd share them with you.

• There's a thorough post over at U.S. Food Policy about the scope of meat in rising food costs. It takes into account the rising cost of animal feed (and competition from the biofuels industry) and also the dramatic increases in meat consumption, especially in developing nations.
• A turtle named Myrtle, who was well known in the backyards of her block in Williamsburg was painted pink, presumably by some construction workers. It became quite a local "human interest" story. It seems like Myrtle will be OK, which is great, but I'm sure that most of those sympathizing with her story would have no moral qualms eating turtle soup.
• I've been noticing a similar disconnect in regards to Eight Belles, the racehorse who was driven to her death last week at the Kentucky Derby. The mainstream seems sort of upset about the abuse and effective murder of Eight Belles, but not really enough to realize that horse racing can be just as evil as their favorite bugaboo, dog fighting.
• And finally, Paola Antonelli, a curator at the Museum of Modern Art has "killed" a piece by artists Oron Catts and Ionat Zurr called Victimless Leather. The tiny jacket-shaped object/creature was made of mouse stem cells and was kept alive via a nutrient tube. It (I actually feel OK using an inanimate pronoun here) grew faster than expected and clogged its own life-support system. Says Antonelli:

  [It] started growing, growing, growing until it became too big. And [the artists] were back in Australia, so I had to make the decision to kill it. And you know what? I felt I could not make that decision. I've always been pro-choice and all of a sudden I'm here not sleeping at night about killing a coat...That thing was never alive before it was grown.

  I wonder how Antonelli thinks other "things" become alive?

These are sad days for vegan hot dog fans. Dash Dogs on the Lower East Side has closed, and Schnäck (on the wrong side of the BQE in Carroll Gardens) is about to close. I haven't eaten at Schnäck yet, but I hope get there before they're gone for good.

I've been burned a couple of times recently trying to find cheap, filling late-night food on the Lower East Side. "Let's just go to Dash Dogs!" Nope. It's strictly crappy falafel and potato chips from now on. Like I needed another reason to avoid that neighhborhood. Dash (and soon Schnäck) joins Broome Dogs and Sparky's in our Restaurant Graveyard.

So, looking at our Vegan Hot Dog Map of New York City, it looks like the main games left in town are Crif Dogs, Willie's Dawgs, and I guess the various F&Bs. Lots of restaurants may have a veggie dog on the menu, but there's something special about places where it's the centerpiece. Are we missing any veg-friendly dog joints?

From reader Linda and also the New York Press via Brooklyn Vegan, comes news that Flatbush's Veggie Castle will be closed after today, December 24, 2007. Today is the last day. And I'm out of town, so I can't even go for a goodbye binge. But you should go swarm the place!

The end of a 10-year lease is to blame, according to Cindy Bernard, daughter of owner Viburt Bernard. She said the landlord wanted to sell the lot to someone who plans to tear down the building and develop a new commercial space. In the meantime, "distraught" describes the mood among her regulars.

Veggie Castle was truly unique place, and the novelty factor (a White Castle taken over by Rastas) was backed up by delicious, inexpensive, food. We'll miss you!

Happy Halloween and Day of the Dead from all of us at Team SuperVegan! We've been busy in our lairs and dungeons and mad science labs, and we're thrilled to announce the launch of the New York City Vegan Restaurant Graveyard. This is a special section of our site providing an eternal resting place for all the restaurants in our database that have closed. Old reviews remain visible, and you can still leave new ones-- eulogize your martyred heroes and curse your vanquished foes in the war for decent eats.

Some notable recent additions include Zen Palate's Union Square location (they just closed, citing an "unreasonable rent increase") and Brooklyn Heights mainstay The Green's.

The Graveyard is currently populated with places that have closed since we started SuperVegan in early 2006. Over time, we may add older places that live on in our hearts. (O Bachué! O Helianthus! How I miss thee!) Where do restaurants go when they die? Now you know.

Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

Animal rights activist and stage actress Gretchen Wyler died last week from complications of breast cancer at the age of 75. Wyler, who is known for such Broadway hits as Guys and Dolls and Damn Yankees, first became interested in animal rights in the 60s when she spent time at dog pounds visiting with abused and abandoned animals. Her inspiration lead her to become a prominent figure in the ASPCA where she later became the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors. Among her many accomplishments were the 1981 movement to eliminate "pound seizure," or the selling of sheltered animals for use in medical experimentation, her influence of animal-rights activism in Hollywood pop culture and her work with The Ark Trust, an organization she founded to which most of her efforts were later invested. In her lifetime, Wyler worked with over a dozen animal advocacy organizations. She will be remembered and missed for her direct action against standard cruel practices and her passion for the animal world.

Mommies and daddies of victims of the Menu Foods pet food recall have started a Flickr group, and a new blog, Menu Foods Victims, has also been created to post photos and stories. Please note that the Menu recall has been expanded and other manufacturers have joined voluntarily. The new list includes dry cat food by Hill's as well as dog and cat treats by Del Monte.

In addition to photos and stories, the Flickr group has links to several petitions (one at the popular PetitionSite.com), a class action lawsuit group, and online as well as over-the-telephone grief counseling. There are also links to organizations that help with vet bills, and an up-to-the-minute list of foods added to the recall (and the sources of that information).

• We mourn the passing of Sara Whalen of Catskills no-kill shelter Pets Alive. Sara saved thousands of animals, and should be an inspiration to us all.
• Ryan at the Veg Blog's Tips for New Vegans: Restaurants reminds us that "veganism's not about sacrifice, it's about doing what you know is right."
• His advice is no help for Pamela Anderson, as Hooters prevents her from hosting a faux-winged book-launch party for PETA.
• I'm scared to eat at Hooters, and even more scared of trying eat in meat-laden foreign countries. But here's some great vegetarian travel roundups for Moscow and Buenos Aires.
• Vegan actress Emily Deschanel tries to convert David Boreanaz to veganism. (I know, a few readers are thrilled to hear this; everyone else is shrugging.)
• And only movie stars can afford the hot new vegan footwear from Mink shoes.
• Remember that vegan cupcake eating contest in New Haven? Read all about it and see the shirtless carnage.
• There are stories running around on less reliable news sites that mad scientists have created a sheep that's 15% human (in it's internal organs). I'm not convinced it really happened, but it's scary to think about!
• The metaphor of the week award goes to Dennis Kucinich, for his quote about facing Fox News: "I have to be ready to go into the lion's den. I'm a vegetarian and a vegan -- I mean, maybe the lion doesn't want to eat me because I'm a vegan." How can you not love the guy!

The June/July 2007 issue of Satya will be the last. The venerable magazine, which espoused the often intertwined virtues of "Vegetarianism, Environmentalism, Animal Advocacy, and Social Justice," has been a mainstay of the New York City scene. It's unlikely that anyone will fill their newsprint-scented footsteps at the entrance of so many stores and restaurants.

They haven't announced exactly why they're closing up shop, but Publisher Beth Gould mentions the desire to focus "attention and energy to other interests and projects" and also cites the inevitable expensive and labor of regularly publishing a print magazine. I'm sure there are great things to come from the entire Satya team and we thank them for the support they've lent SuperVegan in our relative infancy!

They're collecting submissions now for the final issue, "A-ha! Moments that Changed Your Life." Get in touch with them to contribute your "essays reflecting on the central tenets of Satya ... about your own life-altering moments; who or what has changed your life, or what changes you have brought about through activism."

Read Beth Gould's complete letter below.

The good grocers of FoodFight! report that vegan tuna fish substitute Tuno has been discontinued. Apparently the canned variety was dropped a while ago, and now the frozen kind is gone as well.

Like li'l Shmoo at Vegan Lunch Box, I never liked the stuff. But if you did, sucks to be you.