Local Gems

You know, it's really easy to feel off the Vegan grid, not living in LA, NYC or Portland...but we have some amazing local businesses rockin' it out nearby, SLOdown style!! In no particular order, here goes...

I really love tea. And I know not everyone is as obsessed with tea as I am, but I also know there are those who are much more obsessed, so there you go. If you're a pro-tea pal, The Secret Garden is your sanctuary, your new hole-in-the-wall hideout. The owner blends freshly dried herbs and plants into her own proprietary blends, with all sorts of fun and relaxing names to get you into the mood. And if you're not so into the idea of drinking tea, there are spices, bath blends and a kickin' clay mask. If you haven't yet been there, go. It's on the creek side of Higuera, to the left as you walk out of the alley with the Birkenstock store. Got it? I repeat, it is facing the creek, not on Garden. The address on Yelp is WRONG.


The Secret Garden
(see above)
Mon.-Sun. 11am-5:30pm

***

You know what else I love? Sprouts. They're cute little miniatures of those less exciting salad blends. And as I munch I can't help but feel like I'm grazing with my animal friends. All around a fresh, crunchy and delightful experience.
Ok, maybe you don't feel the same way about sprouts. But I think you will after you meet Bloom Microgreens. Located not too far away in Los Osos, they grow some of the best greens I have ever tasted--they're crisp and beautiful in texture and color! And you can find them at many of the local eateries, including Sally Loo's; they are also sold at New Frontiers. I'm quite fond of the onion sprout variety bc it gives you the kick without the breath. What a treat on a hummus avocado sandwich!!


So go out and support our local biz!!

No more slacking here at VeganSLOdown!!

Hello lovelies,

We could give you a list of excuses as to why we've been so neglectful, but they would still be excuses, so we'll skip it. Welcome to a new year of vegan greatness!!

What's been keeping me busy? I'm really enjoying Alicia Silverstone's acclaimed book, The Kind Diet; it's full of yummy recipes and some solid discussion of the main vegan issues. She also has a rad blog, called The Kind Life, a great source for animal rights issues, as well as vegan-friendly products such as apparel, cosmetics, household items, and of course food.

I'm also kind of obsessed with SNL's superstar, Fred Armisen's new show, Portlandia. I've worked this out, calculation-style:

Fred Armisen=hilarious

AND

Portland=Vegan Mecca

THUS,

Portlandia=The best of everything for a Vegan



And yes, we know that's a huge jpg. We love the show THAT MUCH.

Check out this clip of our new favorite spoof show:

PORTLANDIA

We're crazy for The Sanitarium!!

Did you know that right around the corner from Sally Loo's, there's the quirkiest little bed and breakfast you will ever (I mean ever!) find? Let me introduce you to The Sanitarium. I can't do the place justice in words, so stop by and check it out. Occasionally they'll host live music and art events in the beautifully open lower level.

If you're lucky, you'll stumble on one of their morning gatherings, featuring freshly baked scones and tea/coffee. The head chef, Suzanne, baked up some scrumptious Vegan Coconut Almond Scones just this morning! Divine. Pure and simple. And at around $3 per person, it's the cheapest breakfast around.

Check it out:

The Sanitarium
1716 Osos St.
San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401

LA outreach: SHOJIN

It's a first for the VeganSLOdown: an LA post. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to step on QuarryGirl's toes (we adore those little toes), but I just think that Central Coast vegans should know about this lovely gem in the quiet hood of Little Tokyo. Oh Shojin, you're repped by Alicia Silverstone, you use mushrooms in so many fine ways, your raw desserts are to-die-for. And let's just say how freakin cute your little place is.

Some highlights:

*Spicy Rock Shiitake Tempura: Shiitake mushrooms lightly battered and fried, tossed in spicy wasabi mayonnaise (OMFG!!)

*Shiitake & Avocado Roll

*Raw Chocolate Cake: RAW IS GOOD (so don't believe what people say)

Perhaps what is so cool is that the peeps at Shojin really stand behind veganism as a lifestyle and not just a fad--they seem to practice what they preach. Oh did I mention they have a pretty sweet lunch menu?!

So if this hasn't already inspired you to take a trip down to LA, hit it up next time you're down south. You will not be disappointed. And parking is so easy!!

Shojin

333 S. Alameda St. (Ste. 310)

Los Angeles, Ca 90013

Natty Caf

DT SLO is pretty dismal for us vegans, but Natural Cafe has some simple but tasty options. The Zen Burger is your basic veggie patty, served with tortilla chips and salsa (I usually ask for hummus on the side). My standby is the Local Favorite: the typical "California" sandwich, with avo, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, red onions (ask for Veganaise), also served with chips and salsa. I mean come on, put avocado on anything and I'll eat it.

If you're feeling like something sweet, the Soy Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake is pretty bomb on a hot day. Or whenever. Literally any time. 

All of this chocolate is VEGAN

Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates, on Monterey Street between California and Johnson. All the chocolate is fair-trade, organic, and soy-free. It's not all vegan, but they have five vegan truffles (Almond, Espresso, Classic, Coconut, and Cardamom/Ginger), a few vegan barks (Cherry Almond, Almond, Chili Orange Walnut), a handful of vegan caramels (Sea Salt--My favorite!, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Hazelnut), dark chocolate covered grahams, vegan turtles, vegan peanut butter cups, vegan peppermint patties, vegan coconut cups (think, "classy Mound's bar), vegan milkshakes made with coconut bliss, dark chocolate filled with apricot habanero jam, vegan chocolate-covered bananas, vegan cocoa, vegan chocolate chips, and the list goes on and on and on.

The chocolate is absolute divine, and the shop is adorable. SEOC also sells several arts and crafts from local artists, which are scattered around the shop. Come in ready to spend some time looking around at all the impeccable details of the "Chocolat-themed" store. Also, get your imported chocolate bars from all over the world! I like to buy gifts from SEOC--what's better than receiving a box of chocolates?

Sweet Earth Chocolates

This lady is a RAW GENIUS!!

On a whim I stopped by BeLove Cafe yesterday, and look what I found...

RAW PUMPKIN PIE WITH COCONUT CREAM AND FIGSSSSS!!! yessss...

I literally had to stop myself after one bite to take a pic for all of you lovely people. But I mean let's give it up for Brandie Michelle--the mastermind behind all of the raw pies and cakes at BeLove, as well as their refreshing juice concoctions. I am generally not a fan of pumpkin pie, but this gently erased all of my negative preconceptions of canned pumpkin pie filling and dry pie crust with Cool Whip topping. Bye bye sad average holiday pie, hello raw bliss! Oh and the best part? THE CRUST. Nuts, dates, yum.

Be Smart. BeLove.