London Vegan Drinks has turned into a massive event and I am extremely fortunate to encounter new faces every month. My decision to volunteer as a buddy for the London Vegan Campaigns vegan pledge month has afforded me with the opportunity to meet wonderful new (and hopefully lifelong) vegans, while I’ve enjoyed dining and drinking with some of my blog readers who have been visiting London.

As positive as all of these situations have been, I must admit to being a bit shocked by a recurring admission made by some of these newly-acquainted vegans…. they have never been to the Ms. Cupcake vegan bakery in Brixton. Scandalous!

This blog post serves as nothing more than a polite reminder to all my new pals… get your plant-based bellies down to Brixton as soon as possible. If you need further prompting, check out the scrumptious, cruelty free delights I enjoyed during my last visit to the baked goods outlet.

Cranberry & white chocolate cupcakes

Vegan donuts by Ms. Cupcake

Millionaire’s shortbread

Ms. Cupcake will be at the Bristol VegFest this weekend

Visit Ms. Cupcake online

Follow Ms. Cupcake on Twitter

Like Ms. Cupcake on Facebook

When I was recently approached by the fabulous Australian-based band Sietta and asked where they should eat during their UK tour, I took about two seconds to suggest tibits. Of course I made sure I went along to keep them company.

My latest tibits meal

tibits serve fresh, healthy, nutritious and delicious hot and cold food in what has to be one of the most eye-pleasing eateries in the city. The restaurant somehow manages to be equally sophisticated and relaxing, while the location is the definition of Central London. All of these AND vegan beer on tap!

Caiti and James of Sietta adored the food, while I snacked on all of my tibits favourites including onion rings, dried bean salad, potato wedges, red pepper hummus and sticky toffee pudding.

Sietta & tibits

I am in the restaurant so often these days, tibits is beginning to feel like my home away from home. If you are ever in the area, you should make like Sietta and pop in and say hi. I’ll be the FGV at the pudding tray.

Sietta play Liverpool, UK May 17 & 19, 2012 before heading back to Darwin, AUS for a May 31 gig. Check all of their dates, listen to their tunes and watch their videos on their website.

Follow Sietta on Twitter

Like Sietta on Facebook

London Vegan Drinks takes place at tibits on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Visit tibits online.

Follow tibits on Twitter

Like tibits on Facebook

FGV approved

The marvellous manufacturers of the world’s best vegan chocolate have decided in their wisdom to use a Fat Gay Vegan quote in their eye-catching, full page advertisement for the new line of Mini Moos.

I could get used to seeing my name splashed across the printed page!

Check out the new Mini Moos online.

Buy The Vegan magazine here.

But we don’t just stuff ourselves silly and stroke our bellies. Sometimes London vegans like to give back. In that spirit, we turned the most recent London Vegan Potluck into a fundraiser for Animal Aid. Sponsored by the wonderful Tupperware Man, the event raised approximately £150 for the charity through a raffle and partial sales donations.

(The Tupperware Man can also be found selling his wares this week as part of the super camp Dixie’s Tupperware Party at the Soho Theatre)

Potluck attendee Charlotte and her photographer companion Alicia have kindly offered to report back on the wonderful event. Take it away, friends…

Being a vegan learning about animal cruelty can be demoralising and depressing. However, there is an answer to (my) vegan prayers – Vegan Potluck. It’s the first Wednesday of every month, just 5 minutes from Holborn station. In a bright spacious room, you can fulfil your vegan desires, one cruelty free bite at a time, whilst meeting like-minded people.

Gathering for the potluck

On Wednesday 2^nd May 2012 my friend Alicia and I arrived; with shop brought vegan food (I had an elaborate dish planned but had attend to my vegan duties looking after a stray dog, which was eventually reunited with its owner).

It’s usually torture waiting to devour the vast collection of animal free delights. However at this potluck, I was distracted by Tupperware man and his eye candy collection of kitchen goodies, with a part of the sales of the evening and the week going to Animal Aid! I was spoilt for choice.

Tasty dishes

Colourful delights

Eating normally starts around 6:30. Most people usually start with a savoury main but my sweet tooth prevailed and I had no choice but to start with dessert. Once I was done with desserts I made my way to the savouries, where in no time I was back in vegan food heaven.

For this potluck my taste buds sampled the delights of; chocolate fudge cake, Princess Leia’s cinnamon buns, peanut stew, mushroom Ceviche, jerk seitan, chocolate torte, pasta bake, the list goes on!

Delicious seitan salad

Princess Leia’s cinnamon buns had the perfect cinnamon balance, whilst not being over sweet. The jerk seitan had that ‘kick’ that kept you going back for more and the pasta bake with its vegan ricotta cheese left me lost for words.

The vegan potluck appeals to the taste and satisfies the conscience

I reached the sad time in the night where I can eat no more, my stomach full with delicious cruelty free food. Then it was time for the raffle, a selection of Tupperware prizes with the proceeds going to Animal Aid.

A happy raffle winner

So, it’s back nose-to-the-grindstone planning for the next vegan potluck.

Pictures © Alicia Sadler

Words by @vegancharlotte

The Third Estate of London

(Read all about The Third Estate here)

The day long event has been planned to coincide with World Fair Trade Day and the store will be open from 10am until 6pm.

Some of the treats in store on the day will include:

- 10% discount on all purchases

- gorgeous vegan chocolates by hipo hyfryd will be handed out to visitors

  Visit hipo hyfryd online

- an organic, fair trade, handprinted cotton bag with any purchase (while stocks last!)

- free samples from the gorgeous (and vegan) Premae Skincare range

  Visit Premae on Facebook and Twitter or on their website

- mouthwatering canapes from superstar food craftspeople Vegan Peasant Catering

 Visit Vegan Peasant Catering online, like them on Facebook & follow on Twitter

- delicious fruit smoothies and by Sweetbird

  Visit Sweetbird online, on Facebook or on Twitter

- organic and vegan tea by Cosy

  Visit Cosy online, on Facebook and Twitter

- award-winning vegan cupcakes by the amazing Ms. Cupcake

  Visit Ms. Cupcake online, on Facebook or Twitter

- healthy and nutritious snacks by raw specialists Saf Restaurant & Bar

  Visit Saf online, on Facebook or Twitter

- discount vouchers for the home of London Vegan Drinks, tibits restaurant & bar

  Visit tibits online, on Facebook or Twitter

- delicious and healthy tubs of kale chips by inSpiral Lounge of Camden

  Visit inSpiral online, on Facebook or Twitter

- one lucky shopper will walk away with a £50 voucher for Manna restaurant

  Visit Manna online, on Facebook or Twitter

If you are interested in ethical fashion and vegan footwear, The Third Estate is the store for you.

If you like the look of the surprises and treats listed above, you really won’t want to be anywhere else on Saturday 12th May.

Join the celebration!

The Third Estate, 27 Brecknock Rd, N7 0BT Camden Town

Grand Opening Celebration

12th May, 2012 10am – 6pm

RSVP on the Facebook event page and spread word of the celebration by inviting your friends and family. See you there!

Los Angeles.

Not only does this supercity house some of my favourite vegan eateries in the world, it no doubt possesses the largest number of vegan individuals anywhere on the planet. Lots of vegan people equates a stunning range of plant-based restaurants that are truly world class. Native Foods Cafe. Veggie Grill. Cruzer Pizza. Rahel. Real Food Daily. Seed. The list goes on and on.

And then there’s Flore Vegan. Oh my.

Flore is a tremendously-gorgeous deli/cafe nestled on Sunset Blvd in Silver Lake, just a short amble (in a hybrid car) from downtown Los Angleles. Whenever I am in LA, I not only eat in Flore but I also try to stay within walking distance to ensure multiple visits are possible.

Flore on Sunset

The food is second to none as well as fresh, fresh, fresh. A huge deli case is always stocked-to-spilling-over with fresh fruit, vegan cakes and other irresistible, cruelty-free delights. Their menu reads like my fantasies; tempeh reuben sandwich, Mexican pizza, avocado seitan salad and much more.

Inside Flore

As enticing as the regular menu is, it is the brunch menu where Flore steps out of fantastic and into incomparable. If you can resist waffles, pancakes or griddle cakes this delicious, I don’t want to know you.

My last visit to Flore resulted in me devouring every last morsel on a plate of vegan chicken and waffles. My crispy, breaded chicken sat pretty on top of potatoes slathered in mushroom gravy. This delicacy was perfectly complimented by a banana waffle drowning in maple syrup and soy butter. I adored every crumb.

Of course I washed it down with a mint cooler… mint, cucumber, apple and agave perfection.

Chicken & waffles

Mint cooler

You might never have to choose to stay there forever, but a large chunk of the time you do get to spend in Los Angeles should be spent in Flore. It is FGV approved many times over.

Visit Flore online

Follow Flore on Twitter

Like Flore on Facebook

Food magazine The Jellied Eel is taking votes to discover the best vegetarian restaurant in the capital. The list is huge and I believe all of my favourites are shortlisted. 222 Veggie Vegan are on there as is the location of London Vegan Drinks, tibits. There are so many quality restaurants on the list that it is rather a difficult task narrowing it down.

Click here to vote

Voting closes on May 27 so hurry to be in the running for a dinner for two at the winning restaurant! And of course I would love to know who you voted for… leave me a message in the comments below.

The Third Estate now in London

I write nice words about a lot of people, places and products on this blog but sometimes I get all giggly and gooey when my heart strings are really tugged. One such instance was my glowing review of the shoe and clothing emporium known as The Third Estate. Need a refresher? Go here.

Well, that was a long time ago and things have moved on… and by ‘things’ I mean The Third Estate and by ‘on’ I mean to London. Oh yes, dear FGV readers. This gorgeous, ethical retailer has set up shop in the Camden/Kentish Town region of London. Time to rejoice, give thanks and buy numerous pairs of vegan shoes.

I truly loved the gorgeous interiors, friendly staff and compassionate products of their Leeds outlet, but the owners have managed to replicate all of this in London (and then some!).

Rails are filled with Fairtrade garments and recycled clothing. Rescued timber is everywhere. Stunning decorating makes it a joy to enter and precise attention to the shop layout makes it feel a very special place indeed. Old tree branches from a family member’s garden have been turned into a centrepiece while old packing pallets and cable wheels house environmentally-conscious items for sale. It is simply lovely.

The Third Estate of London

Gorgeous interiors

One of the main objectives of the store is to support and promote ethical clothing manufacturers. You will find mostly local designers featured with a focus on reclaimed fabrics, environmentally-friendly inks and compassionate business practices.

More than just pretty clothes

Gorgeous dresses

Eco-friendly inks

This is all well and good, but like they say to queer kids the world over… it gets better. Hold on to your hats as I introduce you to the unbelievably-awesome vegan wall of shoes. It holds more styles of cruelty-free footwear than you could poke a reclaimed piece of timber at.

Vegan shoes, anyone?

Read all about it!

The Third Estate proudly stock a huge range of vegan footwear. Vegetarian Shoes. Macbeth. Etnies. Ethletic. So much range and so many glorious styles to choose from. I was particularly impressed by the range of dress shoes for men. No matter if you are after  a heel for partying, a trainer for keeping fit or a casual shoe for strolling the streets, The Third Estate vegan shoe wall has you well and truly covered.

Casual black

Boots

Get physical

Ethletic

Dressed to impress

Red pixie boots

Need more reason to get there soon? Good, because I’ve got another good one up my sleeve.

Located directly across the road from The Third Estate is one of the longest-serving health food stores in London. Running since 1980, Bubmlebee Natural Foods is a haven for conscious food shoppers. The store sells an impressive range of vegan products including hygiene products, frozen foods, bulk grains, snacks, wine, household cleaners, oils, tinned goods and much more.

Bumblebee is literally across the street!

I of course was most impressed by their deli where I snapped up two pieces of absolutely stunning cake made by the talented people of Manna Vegetarian Restaurant. Scrumptious!

The arrival of The Third Estate in London is big news for vegan shoe shoppers and lovers of Fairtrade clothing. The shop is open for business now, but watch for news of a grand opening party coming in May. Details on how to attend will be posted by your friendly-neighbourhood fat, gay vegan.

In the meantime… get some ethical shopping done!

The Third Estate, 27 Brecknock Road, Camden N7 0BT

Open Tue – Wed 10:00 am-5:30 pm, Thu 11:00 am-7:00 pm & Fri – Sat 10:00 am-5:30 pm

Like The Third Estate on Facebook

Click here for location map

12 min walk from Camden Road Overground. Short walk from Kentish Town & Gospel Oak. Area serviced by the 253, 29 and 390 buses.

But now and again I make the scary leap into the realm of healthy snacks… and if the good folk of InSpiral Lounge keep doing what they do so well, the leap will happen more regularly than even I could imagine.

I don’t usually opt for a raw snack over something fat-filled, but the delicious cacao and cinnamon dehydrated kale chips by InSpiral have me moving in that direction. These crunchy and sweet delicacies are the stuff of food legend.

Raw cacao & cinnamon kale chips

They somehow manage to tick a lot of boxes. The locally-sourced kale satisfies my savoury desires. The crunchiness makes me have feelings associated with junk food. The coconut palm sugar, cinnamon and vanilla give me my sweet kick. It’s a win-win situation for a chubby, queer plant-eater like me!

InSpiral kale chips

Get on over to InSpiral Lounge to pick up a tub of these beauties as soon as you can. If Camden is a little out of your way, get online to go shopping by visiting their online store. While you are there, check out the rest of the mouthwatering flavours including Wasabi Wheatgrass, Baobab & Onion and my favourite Cheesie Purple Corn.

Damn you, InSpiral. If you keep this delicious, healthy snacks business up my entire FGV schtick could become redundant!

Visit InSpiral online

Like InSpiral on Facebook

Follow InSpiral on Twitter

The finest Loving Hut I have eaten in is definitely the restaurant located in Edgware in London, UK. Yes, it still comes with the sometimes intrusive Ching Hai information espoused in all Loving Hut locations but their menu is by far the most expansive and impressive I have seen.

Of course there is the usual option of eating for a fixed price from their buffet, but this Loving Hut cooks a certain dish that I can never refuse. Vegan fish and chips. Oh, yes. Served with a wedge of lemon, this meal is truly one of my favourite on the planet. I think I have ordered this every time I have been in the Edgware location.

Vegan fish & chips

Everything I have sampled from their massive menu is of a very high standard. During our last trip, Josh and I fought over every last morsel of the salted chicken and crispy/salted brocoli. These items are irresistible and I would recommend them to anyone making their first trip to the eatery.

Delicious vegan chicken & brocoli

I also love the complimentary vegetables crackers accompanied by a spicy coleslaw-styled salad. Every table is presented with these before ordering. It is a lovely touch and a perfect way to kickstart an appetite before plunging into the extensive menu.

Like prawn crackers... but vegan!

During our last visit, Josh also got friendly with a lovely plate of flavoursome Pad Thai. I know this was not his first time ordering the dish, so it must be good enough to get again and again.

Pad Thai at Loving Hut Edgware

The food is sublime. The spiritual propaganda is sometimes irksome. Maybe you should make a trip out there to see if either of these points outweighs the other.

Visit Loving Hut Edgware online

Nearest Underground station is Edgware, the final station on the Northern Line in Zone 5.