Thank YOU for hanging out and supporting Darwin Animal Doctors at Vegan Drinks NYC on March 28th. Kudos to Fontana’s Bar for hosting and to Monks Meats for feeding us!

And, extra special thanks to those organizations and individuals who made Shout Outs:

• Darwin Animal Doctors
• Mercy For Animals
• Sea Shepherd
• Goosewatch NYC
• VeganMentors.org
• National Animal Rights Day
• Dr. Ostfeld’s Cardiac Wellness Program
• MooShoes
• Veg Strong
• Plant Based Solutions
• MyVeganCookies.blog.com
• Sarah, who is looking for a roommate!
• Anna, an NYU student conducting a study on soy!

The NEXT Vegan Drinks NYC is happening on Thursday, April 25th at Fontana’s Bar (105 Eldridge Street, Manhattan) from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Join us as we benefit HEART and let the world know you’re going by RSVPing at Facebook.

Do you represent an animal rights group you think should be the beneficiary of an upcoming Vegan Drinks NYC? Visit vegandrinks.org/beneficiaries to learn more about how to make that happen.

Get on our mailing list!

And, extra special thanks to those organizations and individuals who made Shout Outs:

• Rabbit Rescue and Rehab
• Sea Shepherd
• Farm Sanctuary
• Vegan Outreach

The NEXT Vegan Drinks NYC is happening on Thursday, November 29 at Fontana’s Bar (105 Eldridge Street, Manhattan) from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Do you represent an animal rights group you think should be the beneficiary of an upcoming Vegan Drinks NYC? Visit vegandrinks.org/beneficiaries to learn more about how to make that happen.

Get on our mailing list!

Join us THIS Thursday, October 25, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm for Vegan Drinks NYC! Find us at Fontana’s Bar, located at 105 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side. Chickpea & Olive will be serving up those great eats you’ve heard so much about lately!

This month, we’ll be benefiting the all-volunteer Rabbit Rescue and Rehab, who has put together one of the finest raffles Vegan Drinks has ever seen. Rabbit Rescue and Rehab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing abandoned NYC rabbits and finding them permanent indoor homes. Stuff some dollars in their donation jar and buy a crap load of raffle tickets so you can walk away with some of the following:

• $50 gift card to Sweet and Sara
• 2 pack of tickets to Forever Dusty at New World Stages ($138)
• Black Matt and Nat “Portland” convertible denim satchel ($225)
• Black Matt and Nat “Doors” clutch-style wristlet wallet ($84)
• Gift certificate to the V Spot
• $50 gift certificate to Best Pet Rx
• $30 gift certificate to Whiskers
• Jewelry from Sequin New York
• Framed original piece of art featuring rescued NYC Metro Rabbits bunny
• $100 gift certificate to Teeny Tiny Rabbits for a custom watercolor portrait of your companion rabbit, dog or cat
• Box of vegan peanut butter cups from Gone Pie Vegan Bakery ($30)
• 16×20-inch Beatles print plus a signed copy of The Lost Beatles Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive 1964-1966 ($205)
• 16×20-inch Rolling Stones print plus a signed copy of The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive 1964-1966 ($205)

Music by our very own Grand Format and his pal DJ Slick Moranis (yeah, we like the name, too) from Toronto!

Have you read the new and improved Vegan Drinks FAQ? Please read it, even if you’re a regular at our event. (Really, please read it. All of it.)

We’ll turn down the music around 8:30pm and encourage people to promote themselves, their groups and/or causes for 30 seconds. If you represent a veg*n or animal rights group, come prepared with your (very short!) spiel and literature.

If you’re not already following our every move, connect with Vegan Drinks on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@vegandrinks), and join our e-mail list.

Vegan Drinks NYC is usually held the last Thursday of the month from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Do you represent an animal rights group you think should be the beneficiary of an upcoming Vegan Drinks NYC? Visit vegandrinks.org/beneficiaries to learn more about how to make that happen.

Thank YOU for packing the bar and supporting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary at Vegan Drinks NYC on August 30th. Hugs to the staff at Fontana’s Bar for being so accomodating and to Clementine Bakery for feeding us! High fives to our very special guest DJs, Arthur Smilios and Jay Johnson!

And, extra special thanks to those organizations and individuals who made Shout Outs:

• Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary
• Clementine Bakery
• Mercy For Animals
• Vegucated
• Harmony Kitchen
• Goosewatch
• Marty of NYC Vegan Mentors (they need volunteers (including a web designer))
• Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos
• Sea Shepherd
• The Humane League
• Bud Burdick
• Joy Askew
• V-Spot Restaurant
• forAnima
• NY Vegetarian Expo

The NEXT Vegan Drinks NYC is happening on Thursday, September 27th at Fontana’s Bar (105 Eldridge Street, Manhattan) from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Do you represent an animal rights group you think should be the beneficiary of an upcoming Vegan Drinks NYC? Visit vegandrinks.org/beneficiaries to learn more about how to make that happen.

Get on our mailing list!

Join us THIS Thursday, August 30, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm for Vegan Drinks NYC! We’ll occupy the Chandelier Room at Fontana’s Bar, located at 105 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side. Clementine Bakery will be there to feed you silly and represent for Brooklyn! (Scroll down for Clementine’s special Vegan Drinks menu!)

Grand Format returns to play great music for us. Plus: Special guest DJ set by Arthur Smilios (Gorilla Biscuits, CIV, companion of Lysaght, the most photographed cat on the internet!) and Jay Johnson (Punk Rock Karaoke Chicago, straight A student!, companion of Liam, definitely not the most photographed pup!).

This month, any money you throw in the donation jar will benefit the wonderful (and easy to visit!) Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (WFAS). Surrounded by the Catskill Mountains in the town made famous for peace and music, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary provides shelter to cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, sheep, and goats who have been rescued from cases of abuse, neglect and abandonment. WFAS is a place where visitors can come face to face with the animals who most only know as dinner and learn about the devastating effects of modern-day agribusiness on the animals, the environment and human health. At WFAS you can frolic with goats in a large open pasture, sit down with a pig who wants nothing more than a belly rub, cuddle with chickens who seek out your attention or get nuzzled by some very friendly sheep!

WFAS will have a slammin’ raffle for all your raffle-winning needs (all money raised goes to WFAS, of course!). Enter to win the following:

Show up hungry to enjoy Clementine Bakery’s menu (all vegan, of course):

Have you read the new and improved Vegan Drinks FAQ? Please read it, even if you’re a regular at our event. (Really, please read it. All of it.)

We’ll turn down the music around 8:30pm and encourage people to promote themselves, their groups and/or causes for 30 seconds. If you represent a veg*n or animal rights group, come prepared with your (very short!) spiel and literature.

If you’re not already following our every move, connect with Vegan Drinks on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@vegandrinks), and join our e-mail list.

Vegan Drinks NYC is usually held the last Thursday of the month from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Do you represent an animal rights group you think should be the beneficiary of an upcoming Vegan Drinks NYC? Visit vegandrinks.org/beneficiaries to learn more about how to make that happen.

Join us THIS Thursday, June 28, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm for Vegan Drinks NYC! We’ll be back at Fontana’s Bar, located at 105 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side, with a food slinger in tow, Heirloom Vegan Eatery. Wear your best loose fitting garments!

And, if the prospect of being able to tell your grandchildren you were at the 50th Vegan Drinks NYC isn’t enough, you’ll be supporting GooseWatch NYC just by showing up! This month, any money you throw in the donation jar will benefit Goosewatch NYC, an advocacy coalition committed to the preservation of New York City’s Canada geese and opposed to the Canada goose roundups which have been conducted in New York City by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Cleverly on-topic raffle prizes will include Faux Gras (thanks for the donation, Regal Vegan!) and Goose Watch Wine! Additional donated raffle prizes include a cooking class from Cassie Karopkin and a painting by GooseWatch NYC Inwood Hill Park organizer Rosemarie Kliegman. We hope you win big!

You will find us in Fontana’s Chandelier Room (don’t worry, it’s not too fancy). There is a (free!) pool table. And a DJ booth up high to make DJ Grand Format that much taller than you, shorty.

Have you read the new and improved Vegan Drinks FAQ? Please read it, even if you’re a regular at our event. (Really, please read it. All of it.)

We’ll turn down the music around 8:30pm and encourage people to promote themselves, their groups and/or causes for 30 seconds. If you represent a veg*n or animal rights group, come prepared with your (very short!) spiel and literature.

If you’re not already following our every move, connect with Vegan Drinks on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@vegandrinks), and join our e-mail list.

Vegan Drinks NYC is usually held the last Thursday of the month from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

Four years of Vegan Drinks!

Join us THIS Thursday, May 31, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm for Vegan Drinks NYC! We’ll be at the fabulous Fontana’s Bar, located at 105 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side. It’s right near the Grand Street and Delancey/Essex Subway stops and very well situated for biking in from Brooklyn.

We’ll be celebrating the fourth anniversary of Vegan Drinks and six years of SuperVegan! Come break cake lovingly prepared by Vérité Catering with us.

You will find us in Fontana’s Chandelier Room (don’t worry, it’s not too fancy). There is a (free!) pool table. And a DJ booth up on a balcony for DJ Grand Format to judge us from.

This month, any money you throw in the donation jar will benefit the not-for-profit Anjellicle Cat Rescue, a Hell’s Kitchen-based nonprofit that has been a lifeline for abandoned, stray, and neglected cats and kittens for over a decade. Be sure to bring your good luck with you as Anjellicle will be raffling off prizes donated by Vegan Essentials and One Lucky Duck, among others!

Have you read the new and improved Vegan Drinks FAQ? Please read it, even if you’re a regular at our event. (Really, please read it. All of it.)

We’ll turn down the music around 8:30pm and encourage people to promote themselves, their groups and/or causes for 30 seconds. If you represent a veg*n or animal rights group, come prepared with your (very short!) spiel and literature.

If you’re not already following our every move, connect with Vegan Drinks on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@vegandrinks), and join our e-mail list.

Vegan Drinks NYC is usually held the last Thursday of the month from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

• Not that you need an excuse to shop, but Mooshoes is celebrating its 10th anniversary this Saturday, Dec. 3, with a 15% discount on all in-store purchases, plus beverages and snacks from Blossom du Jour and Dun-Well Doughnuts.
• Veg Blog has released the third installment of its vegan business profile series, this time featuring cookbook publisher Heritage Press.
• On Wednesday, Dec. 7, head over to Pianos on the Lower East Side for some Freerange Nonfiction and listen while Hannah Tinti, Alison Espach and Alison Smith read from their animal-related books. The event’s $8 cover will directly benefit Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. For more information on this and other happenings in New York City, check out our Events Calendar.
• Speaking of farmed animals, Mercy for Animals has uncovered yet more abuse, this time by Sparboe Egg Farms, the supplier of McDonald’s eggs.
• In other atrocities, the USDA released its 2010 Dairy Checkoff Report, and the results are, well, atrocious: In 2009, $108 million was spent promoting milk, while $283 million was used to push dairy products like cheese. Is this really how we want our tax money spent?
• On a lighter note: Sending out holiday cards? Be sure to order a book of PETA’s stamps featuring veggie celebs, now through January. The stamps, which can be purchased online, are available as of today and feature famous faces such as Woody Harrelson, Chrissie Hynde, Bob Barker and Morrissey, plus historical notables including da Vinci, Tolstoy and Pythagoras. Celebs aren’t always the most consistent carrot eaters, but they do help expose the mainstream to the cause.
• Maybe PETA will consider dedicating a stamp to five-year veghead Jessica Chastain. She’s not the only vegan to make people think the chicken she was chomping was “real.”
• For the young compassionate people in your life: The Vegetarian Resource Group is giving away two $5,000 college scholarships to vegetarian high schoolers graduating in the spring of 2012. If you know a senior who lives and promotes the veg lifestyle, make sure he or she applies by Feb. 20.
• The Clash’s Paul Simonon was arrested earlier this year while working undercover as a vegetarian cook for Greenpeace. He might not have been a vegan pirate cook fighting whalers, but protesting against Artic oil offenders gets a thumbs-up too.
• Jane Brody wrote about vegans’ favorite vitamin in The New York Times: Vitamin B12 Deficiency Can Cause Symptoms That Mimic Aging.
• Arms dealer Viktor Bout, the closest thing to a real-life James Bond villain, is demanding vegan meals in jail.
• Last, I’m sad to say that Marti Kheel has died. I had the privilege of hearing the ecofeminist and the author of Nature Ethics speak a few years ago, and her message was inspiring. RIP, Marti.

• A screening of Forks Over Knives convinced Ozzy Osbourne to go vegan in an effort to stay healthy. Maybe he can take cooking classes with this guy.
• Same thing happened to Russell Brand after seeing the film. Meanwhile, over at Smith, students were in an uproar over rumors that the school was going completely vegetarian and locavore. Like that’s a bad thing?
• Famous veggie Paul McCartney released his first vegetarian cookbook this week, The Meat-Free Monday Cookbook. And on the other side of the Channel, the French government has said Non! to vegetarian meals in schools. What the foudre?
• Chrissie Hynde’s Akron restaurant, VegiTerranean, might be closing, but the singer is set to open up a new vegan eatery in LA with Ellen and Portia.
• Don’t throw meatballs at vegan actress Lea Michele if you don’t want to get kicked off the set of Glee. Well, unless they’re these.
• I don’t know about you, but I don’t get out to Jersey much. Which is why I’m thrilled the Cinnamon Snail Truck is heading to Manhattan and Brooklyn starting in mid-November.

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

I don’t know about you, but I love art. But other than stumbling into the odd gallery on my way to dinner every once in a while, I don’t really follow contemporary artists, and I couldn’t tell you who’s who or what their work is like. That goes double for vegan artists. Right now the Metropolitan Community Church of New York is giving us a chance to change that, by hosting a Vegan Art Show, with an opening night reception this Wednesday, Sept. 21.

The exhibit, which opened Sept. 4 and runs through Oct. 28, features 19 vegan artists working in a variety of mediums (the only participant whose name I recognized was Mickey Z., but you might also know Antonia Barbano, Pam Curry, Alyssa Diaz, Daniel Dunbar, Shoshana Frishberg-Izzo, Danielle Geist, Thomas Good, Valerie King, Lauren Krohn, Les LaRue, Kerry Lea, Sara Pegarella, Jennifer Powell, Jody Rasch, Karen Stevenson, Greg Straight Edge, Frances Wood and Claire Zeaman.) And the free fete this Wednesday, from 5pm to 8pm, will be replete with vegan wine (from Vegan Vine, perhaps?), hors d’oeuvres from Caravan of Dreams, and music. Some of the proceeds will benefit the church and other charities, while a portion of handmade jewelry sales will go to New Jersey’s For the Animals Sanctuary.

I’d be first in line if I could get out of work at a decent hour, but hopefully your job is more conducive to socializing than mine is. If so, get yourself to the church’s Jackson Hall Art Gallery and soak it all in. Then leave a comment and let us know which artists’ work spoke to you. As Georgia O’Keeffe said, “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.”

Illustration by Marcos Caceres

Vegans are good at many things: eating, thinking, acting… We’re also pretty darn skilled at raising money. So, do your part and pack Southpaw in Park Slope, Brooklyn, on Tuesday, May 10th from 7:00 P.M. to 11:30 P.M. for the Benefit for Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support + Americares. (Please bring all of your non-vegan friends with you!)

A wild variety of food and entertainment will be offered throughout the evening, so even the most difficult-to-please folks among us should find themselves having a really great time. The lineup includes:

• A screening of the Oscar-nominated Japanese film Kwaidan
• Live music by singer/songwriters Gretchen Witt and Yukari Roja
• Tunes by New York’s Dj3dg (of Vegan Drinks fame) and DJ Megan Rascal
• Webcast by Terry Hope Romero, author of Viva Vegan! and Veganomicon
• Raffles with fabulous prizes
• Food from V-Spot, Terri Organic Vegetarian, Gone Pie Vegan Bakery, Vérité Catering, I Eat Grass and others

Proceeds from the benefit will support Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, which coordinates relief efforts for animals in crisis, and Americares, which provides humanitarian aid such as emergency shelters and medical supplies.

Buy your $15.00 tickets in advance or at the door!

Sorry youngins’, this event is 18 and over. Bring your ID — it will be checked!

Southpaw is located at 125 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY [map].

Hot on the heels of performances by Chrissie Hynde and Sean Lennon, the folks up at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary recently announced that vegan musician Moby will be playing an acoustic show at the sanctuary on Saturday, September 25th as a part of their Summer Concert Series.

Sanctuary co-founders Jenny Brown and Doug Abel, as well as their crew of employees and volunteers, have been hella busy this summer. In addition to managing the needs of over 100 rescued and rehabilitated farm animals, they have put together this successful series of live concerts on the farm to benefit those rescue efforts. They’re making me feel sort of bad for using my summer vacation to catch up on re-runs of “Glee.”

Opening for Moby is Kelli Scarr, a singer/songwriter who frequently contributes vocals to Moby’s tracks. Following Moby’s acoustic set, he will be joined on-stage by members of the band Mercury Rev to perform a “live soundscape” to the 1956 classic French film The Red Balloon. This multimedia, full-sensory concert will be held outdoors, and there will be vegan food and drink available to purchase. How very Woodstock of them.

This is a great way to simultaneously bid farewell to the summer concert season and support Woodstock’s rescue and outreach efforts. You can get advance tickets online now for $30. Or, if you really want to make it a vegan field trip to remember, you can attend Woodstock’s MOGO Workshop with Zoe Weil that same day and get into the Moby show for half-price.

Tickets and more information about both the MOGO Workshop and the Moby concert are available at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary website. They also have information on transportation to and from the city, including bus routes, so you have no excuses.

Pick Panels Not Noses!

Remember when you learned about new music through those little booklets called “zines”? You read a short paragraph review of a record, took a gamble on it by sending your well-concealed cash to the distro, and a few weeks later the United States Postal Service delivered the record to your door? Well, South By Southwest (SXSW) has been around since those halcyon days, too, but it doesn’t mope around and wax nostalgic about the golden years prior to the Internet Revolution. Nowadays, it still organizes a bazillion live shows, as well as a film festival and a surprisingly diverse interactive portion that plays host to a slew of panels, such as those featuring bloggers who want to talk about blogging to other bloggers! Futuristic stuff!

Our pal Stephanie of The Lazy Smurf’s Guide to Life has envisioned a panel for vegans to call their very own at the next SXSW in March 2011. Here’s the official description of “Internet Activism Vegan Bloggers Take Over the World“:

A surge of vegan bloggers has been using the internet to make change in the way people think about animals through new forms of activism. VeganMoFo (the vegan month of food) and worldwide Vegan Bakesales to raise money for causes and promote veganism are just some of the ways that we are breaking out of the stereotypes of the past and creating a revolution. Learn creative ways to promote your message and engage your community on & off the web and more about food activism and using your culinary skills to promote compassion.

SXSW panels are decided by crowd-sourcing, so please vote if you want to see SXSW get more vegan-friendly next year! Voting was originally scheduled to close last night, but it’s been extended through this weekend, so cast your vegan vote by 11:59 CST Sunday, August 29th, and your vote shall be counted!

Do you know Puppets in South Park Slope? There’s a lot to like about the place: a very vegan-friendly menu, full bar, back yard, late hours, and–most unusually for a veg restaurant–excellent music.

Seriously, live music at veggie restaurants tends to be pretty lousy, right? But Puppets puts the music first, while also providing real good eats. (And don’t get me started on the chicken-finger-and-cobb-salad filled menus at typical jazz clubs!)

Anyways, Puppets is going through some tough economic times and they’ve declaring this weekend “Help Save Puppet’s Jazz Bar Fundraiser.” If you happen to see this post tonight and can make it over before 3am, go for it. Otherwise, head over on Saturday the 28th between 5pm and 3am (happy hour til 8! backyard til 11!) and have burger or hot dog or salad or guacamole (hell, read their whole menu yourself; it’s short). And give them some money. They’re waiving all cover charges during the fundraiser and instead just asking for you to give what you can.

Even if you’re not a real jazzhead, I bet you’ll have a good time. Let’s do our part to keep this place open!

Puppets is located at 481 5th Avenue between 11th and 12th in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Mr. Mraz only eats eggs this big

Jason Mraz is some guy who plays music of some sort. I guess he’s pretty popular. He has a fedora growing out of his head. He was a strict vegan until recently. He’s decided to eat eggs. Not just any eggs mind you: eggs from his neighbor’s chicken. Here’s the scramble from Spin.com.

What made you become a vegan?
I’m actually no longer a strict vegan. I don’t hang out in the cheese section—I don’t even eat cheese. I don’t drink milk. But every once in a while I’ll have an egg. I’m going to eat eggs that come out of my next-door neighbors farm, that’s just the way it is. I just choose not to eat factory food, the processed food, just whole foods, real food. It all started with watching one too many documentaries, or reading one too many books. After a while you just lose your appetite.

I suppose I could go all haterade on the guy. I’m not. I haven’t had coffee yet. I will say two things though: 1. Vegan celebrities can be a double edge sword. 2. Mraz’s song I’m Yours is gonna’ be a big hit someday. It’s really catchy. It could even be in a commercial! Huzzah!

Jack White

I was excited to see Jack White of the White Stripes‘ side project Dead Weather perform in Prospect Park’s Bandshell the other night. But I walked out scratching my head about a couple of things. First, what was the point of the three dead animal heads that his roadie dragged out on stage right before the band came on? Seriously, I know he’s a rock star with Michigan roots but I didn’t take that to mean he was anything like that other one.

Then, as I was bumping around a dark Port-O-Potty during the set, I heard Jack say “I bet you read Brooklyn Vegan too. Any other vegans in the crowd out there? Come on stage and we’ll kill a cow together.” And then it sounded like he mentioned something about bringing an Amish person on stage (again, I was temporarily confined in a small, stinky potty at the time). He continued on to say something about people eating only “salmon and avocado,” which seemed to upset him so he blurted out “get the fuck out of here.”

OK, so a couple of issues: What was the Amish thing about? And since when did vegans eat salmon? (Avocado, well yes, obviously). And finally, WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM JACK WHITE? What did I (or any other vegans in the audience for that matter) do exactly–other than purchase a ticket (with Ticketmaster fees, mind you) and support the Bandshell?

Perhaps he was pandering to the lowest common denominator in the crowd–the frat boys. They were definitely there and aren’t they normally down for some violence-against-animals humor? Har!

Maybe Jack’s got conflicted feelings about the animal heads with which he shares the stage. Kinda like those people who profess their love of meat and then confess to their vegan friends that the blood actually grosses them out. Yeah, like them.

Meanwhile, at another recent Prospect Park show (which I didn’t attend) the band The National dedicated their song “The Geese of Beverly Road” to the slain geese of Prospect Park as reported by Brooklyn Vegan. Though BV’s writer pointed out that the gesture wasn’t made with complete sincerity as the band’s singer Matt Berninger also mentioned that he likes to know he’s safer flying out of La Guardia. Woah boy, if he truly buys into the over-hyped fear of geese hitting planes–an excuse used by officials eager to cull geese populations–then perhaps he should rethink his decision to make a living as a traveling musician.

Just a thought…from a Brooklyn vegan.

Head to the rooftops of Bushwick this Saturday for Vegan Jam which bills itself as “New York’s Premier Vegan Hip Hop And Fashion Event” (and who are we to argue?).

The event will feature performances by rapper Emcee Jermaine, poet Narubi Selah, and singer/songwriter Stephanie Rooker.

T. Leacock, will be showcasing her vegan fashion-line, “reciclaGEM”, and DJ Henry C will be spinning old-school hip-hop.

Of course my first question was about the food, and here’s what they’re offering: “a number of platters made of pasta, and vegetables. There will be raw salads and mock-meat platters. We will also have a home-made vegan cheesecake made from tofu.” Awesome.

The Jam happens Saturday July 3 from 3-7pm on the rooftop of Opera House Lofts at 27 Arion Place, Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Videos from Emcee Jermaine and Narubi Selah below. This is good stuff!

Recently, I reached out to Davin (lead vocalist) of Kingdom with a few questions. She responded in kind; this is what she had to say.

Who is Kingdom?
We’re a hardcore band from Philadelphia (and various other locations on the east coast) named after Philly’s infamous vegan Chinese restaurant- Kingdom Of Vegetarians (11th and Race St.- I highly recommend the walnut shrimp.)

When, where and how did Kingdom get its start?
We formed when Ben (our original drummer), Weezy (our original guitarist), and I screamed Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” at the top of our lungs in Richmond, Virginia from December 31, 2005 into January 1st 2006. A few months later we were all writing songs together in the spare room of my apartment in Philly (which sounded nothing like “Don’t Stop Believin’”, unfortunately.) We recorded a demo, booked a tour, found a bassist who learned our songs the week before we left, and in summer 2006 we hit the road.

Vegan. Straight-edge. These are two ideals that Kingdom carry on their sleeve; can you tell us more about this?
Sure. I know that veganism and straight edge may not outwardly seem connected, but they are for us through punk/hardcore. We were introduced to each by bands like Minor Threat, Earth Crisis, Gorilla Biscuits, and One King Down (to name a few.) For me personally the two are connected by the mutual respect I feel for my own life and the lives of others- right before I became straight edge I got jumped on my way to smoke crack (which is really no way to live) just like, to paraphrase One King Down, ‘to consume to satisfy rather than to stay alive’ is no way to live. I didn’t want to be selfish (eating other beings when I just as easily could not) or lose sight of myself (like I did during days spent high and drunk), and in being vegan and straight edge I found a balance. Each member has their own story, but they all meet at the same place and find a means of expression through our music.

What other topics do you try to bring to light through your music?
We have songs about consumerism (specifically about the Walmart employee that was trampled to death on Black Friday a couple years ago), Philly’s poverty rate (which is extremely high) and the “stop and frisk” law that went into effect in recent years (which allows racial profiling), feminism/sexual double standards (the good ol’ virgin/slut dichotomy), sweat shop labor, pollution, and of course we wouldn’t be a punk band without at least one anti-racist song.　

Switching gears a bit, Can you tell me about Philly vegan food?
What I usually tell people about eating in Philly (and with no small amount of pride) is that vegan food in Philly is like all food in Philly- dripping with grease, battered, and fried. You couldn’t find heathy food if your life depended on it. You can however grab a veganaise-laden fresh off the (all vegetarian) grill vegan chicken cheese steak at Govindas, or hit up Kingdom founder’s other (and far superior) restaurant, New Harmony (which has an all-you-can-eat deep fried extravaganza every Sunday night), or for the best tofu hoagie in town (which is of course the size of my forearm) swing into QT, for falafel and fries (the latter of which is topped with deep fried jalepenos and oily unbattered onion rings) Alyan’s is the place to go, if you want to splurge, there’s Horizon’s (caramel creme brulee? Yes please!), Abyssnia and Cafe Almaz are both great for (oily) Ethopian fare, for the true Philly experience you have to hit up the Pretzel Factory at midnight (when they open) to get 3 soft, piping hot, freshly baked soft pretzels for $1 (don’t forget to bring veganaise), and last but not least, I’ll share with you my favorite meal in the city: it’s from a little hole-in-the-wall Chinese place called “Shiao Lan Kung”- salt baked tofu (which is not baked at all, but fried… very misleading name) and eggplant with garlic sauce in a hot pot. It sounds standard, but let’s just say when my Dad visited last we ate that 3 times in 2 days.

Food-wise, what are you really loving right now?
There’s something that Dave and I make called “Pork Wings” that I can’t get enough of. Homemade seitan, BBQ sauce from the Asian market, and a lot of Earth Balance. I can eat 4 before I get sick. Nonetheless, AWESOME.

What’s overrated?
I’m going to contradict myself a bit here, but mock-meats/dairy. Daiya is amazing and all, but if you want to eat something truly phenomenal grab some broccoli from the farmer’s market. Shit will make your head spin.

I’m in love with the new LP, The Rage That Guides. Can you tell me a little more about it?
Aw thanks! Sure. It came out on Eulogy Records last year. We spent the majority of the year promoting it- Jan/Feb in Europe, March-May in America, and June-Aug in Europe again. The day it came out was in the middle of our US tour, where after driving for 11 straight hours through 3 snow storms, we had a grand release in a little town in Idaho to about 30 kids, one of whom claimed to have been in the Guinness Book of World Records for world’s largest dog (which was definitely untrue, along with everything else he told us that night.) Due to Dave’s influence and our collective love of the death metal band Nile, that record is a lot heavier than our previous releases. As far as veganism being represented within it there is the song “Bathory” which likens consuming animals to stay alive to bathing in the blood of virgins to stay young (pointless, bizarre, cruel), a la Elizabeth Bathory, and “Fire Born”, which was written in support of direct action groups. I also have to tell you the funniest thing that came from the record. In the song “Pythoness” the word “clitoris” is used, and much to our surprise that particular part of the song became a very popular part to sing along to. One night on tour (right after the record came out) a bunch of sweaty, angry dudes charged the stage and screamed “CLITORIS” in my face (of course, while I was also screaming “clitoris” back at them.) All I could think was…”What is my life?” Moments like that’ll make your Momma proud. We all laughed so hard we could hardly play the rest of the song. It happened every night thereafter, and it never got old.

What’s up with Kingdom now; What are you guys working on?
We’re working on a 7″ that will be out later this year, and a 3-song something (tape? digital download? not sure yet…) which will be a fundraiser for a transitional living center for survivors of sex trafficking in Cambodia.

You Should Buy This Album.

Photos Courtesy of Kingdom

For those of you who missed Chrissie Hynde’s new side project JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys’ benefit show at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary last weekend, they will be doing a show tonight at Brooklyn Bowl in W’burg. Doors at 6pm, show starts at 8pm. Admission is free but donations are encouraged; all proceeds collected at the door and from advance ticket sales will be donated to Stray From The Heart, a non-profit dog rescue organization that rescues, rehabilitates and places homeless dogs in good homes.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, lead vocalist for The Pretenders and animal rights activist Hynde joined forces with Welsh songwriter JP Jones and his bandmates and the result is down home, blues-influenced, folksy rock. They played a benefit show last week at Housing Works bookstore with singer and WFAS supporter Tracy Bonham, whose husband Jason Fine of Rolling Stone organized the WFAS benefit–the first of a series of concerts at the farm. Stay tuned for updates about future shows!

HopStop will tell ya’ how to get there. You can RSVP by visiting the event page on Facebook.

Folk Singer. Writer. Poet. Hobo. Modern-day Troubadour. Vegan. Son of a Beef Rancher. These are some of things that I’ve seen used to describe Johnny Houx. He is a man of few words, but his music speaks volumes: catchy without being sugary; poignant without being preachy. He embodies everything a folk singer should be but usually isn’t. He’s the man dressed in green.

He’s on tour now. Stuck on an Amtrak train for the next three days; barreling towards NYC. We had a brief email exchange. This is what he had to say.

Super Vegan: Who’s Johnny Houx?

Johnny Houx: Green Folk Man Shreds. Or so I’m told.

SV: What’s your favorite thing about being vegan?

JH: I taste good. Or so I’m told.

SV: Vegan food: What are you loving right now?

JH: Tabasco kombucha!

SV: Is there any vegan food you think is over-rated?

JH: Tofu.

SV: You spend a lot of your time on tour, all over – what’s it like being a vegan on the road?

JH: Easy. Not evryplace has vegan donuts. Quit whining and eat some plants!

SV: Any things you’ve learned while out on the road? Any tips you can give us?

JH: Don’t say “vegan” unless you love hearing “Yeah, I don’t really eat much meat, but I could never give up cheese. I looooove cheese!” forty times a day.

SV: Any favorite vegan resturaunts?

JH: I can get down at Bliss in Brooklyn, Hans Wurst in Berlin and if yer in a gourmet mood, Plum in Seattle.

SV: You recently asked (via your myspace) people to post what they thought was ‘wrong with veganism’ – what was your motivation behind that?

JH: I’ve got a song brewin.

SV: Let’s talk music. Tell us about your Green Period album.

JH: Well, it’s about lit’racy.

SV: What stuff are you working on right now?

JH: The cutie next to me on the train. It’s a long ride. Yow!

By the time you read this Johnny Houx will be playing his heart out somewhere. You can keep up with him via his website: JohnHoux.com

The NYC Veggie Prom 2010 is tomorrow night, Friday May 14th at Littlefield in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Doors at 8pm. The event is 21+. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Team SuperVegan put together some questions for event organizers Jessica Mahady, DJ Lil Ray (of Vegan Drinks fame), and Robyn Lazara.

SuperVegan: Do people have to dress up fancy?

DJ Lil Ray: It’s highly encouraged, but certainly not required. Theme parties are more fun when everyone plays along, but we’re not haters.

Jessica Mahady: People are wearing all kinds of things … ’80s prom attire, ’60s vintage …

SuperVegan: What kind of music will you be playing?

DJLR: We’ve gotten requests for ’80s and ’90s dance music. DJ iLan and I both love all kinds of music, so we’ll probably touch on party classics from a number of eras. We’ll have a little Top 40, probably some Motown, Disco, and Funk … music that makes everyone feel good!

SuperVegan: Will there be a prom king and queen?

DJLR: Heck yeah!

JM: Nominations for prom court closed on Wednesday. All of the nominees will wear a special “Veggie Prom Court” ribbon so everyone knows who they are. Our emcee, Michael Parrish DuDell of Ecorazzi and VegDaily, will introduce the court about halfway through the party. Voting will then open, and the court will be crowned before midnight!

SuperVegan: Tell us about the vegan desserts that will be available.

Robyn Lazara: We have local businesses making delish donations, including Terri, Rescue Chocolate and Raw IceCream Company, plus a team of volunteers (including former Veggie Conquest chefs) all teed up with egg replacer to bake away for us.

It’s also worth mentioning that restaurants in the neighborhood are having fabulous dinner specials on prom night. Sun-in-Bloom will have 10% off their menu. V-Spot will have 2-for-1 drinks and appetizers, plus 10% off the rest of the menu, and they will stay open for us ’til 2am!

SuperVegan: Will all the booze be vegan?

JM: We’ve briefed Littlefield’s bartenders on which of their drinks are vegan (lots, including 15 vegan beers!), and they will be selling vegan White Russians!

SuperVegan: Do you need a date? Is this a good event for singles?

DJLR: No date required! Singles are welcome and, who knows, maybe you’ll find your veggie king or queen on the dancefloor.

SuperVegan: How many people will be there?

JM: About 100 have RSVP’d yes on Facebook. We’re expecting 150-200 veggie-loving peeps in all!

SuperVegan: You’re having a raffle to benefit Mercy for Animals. What are the prizes?

RL: We have some fantastic prizes! Prizes from Arbonne, Veggie Conquest judge Yoli Ouiya, Rescue Chocolate, Dan Piraro, Vaute Couture, Humanitaire, Organicville, Lantern Books, jewelry from talented activists Ruth Santana and Kate Wolff, gift certificates to Cosmo’s Vegan Shoppe, Lula’s Sweet Apothecary, Moo Shoes, Caravan of Dreams, Curly’s, Sun-in-Bloom … and a signed Veggie Prom poster by amazing artist Michelle Cavigliano!

SuperVegan: The overwhelming majority of SuperVegan staffers skipped our own high school proms. Why should we come to this one?

DJLR: Your high school prom DJs probably weren’t this cool.

JM: And your high school prom didn’t have vegan desserts or a bar.

SuperVegan: If someone isn’t vegan, will they go to a hotel afterward and experience their first vegan weiner?

DJLR: Eeewwwwwww! Super Vegan, why are you so gross?

The restaurant news you/I’ve been waiting for: Teany reopened this week, after many many missed teanychinos.

Aaaand, ‘sNice Soho opened at 150 Sullivan St. between Prince and Houston streets.

Vegan food truck The Cinnamon Snail will leave its usual parking spot in Jersey to find a temporary home in Hell’s Kitchen Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at W. 39th Street and 9th Avenue. Amazing vegan doughnuts, people!

Passout Records in Williamsburg will reopen this summer as a 24-hour vegetarian burger joint. And bring on the vegan shakes, please!

And finally, I encourage you to date Julie! As one astute commentator notes, she is pretty.

Happy weekend!