London vegan news, reviews & events
Wow.
PETA has pulled some questionable stunts in their time but this takes the dairy-free cake.
My cousin Muriel in Australia scanned this news article that appeared this morning in her local paper, The Porpoise Spit Bugle, and sent it over to me.
Have a read below, but the gist of the article is PETA’s attention-seeking stunt to have scientists rename the Milky Way.
Check it out and let me know how you feel about these type of publicity campaigns. Do they help or hinder our vegan cause?
Vegan means vegan.
Every single day we see another mainstream misuse or misapplication of the word ‘vegan’. The tipping point for me was this sentence from a recent article about vegan trends posted by The Metro:
Whether it’s a bid to lead healthier lifestyles, be more considerate for the planet or save money, more people are opting for plant-based choices.
In a ‘news’ story titled Vegan restaurants, meal ideas, recipes and more – the hot trends coming for 2017 and specifically in the section designed to explain to the reader why more people are exploring veganism, the author doesn’t mention animal protection or compassion.
Vegan does not simply mean plant-based eating (although that is obviously part of veganism). Vegan is not a term to be co-opted by mainstream media and people pushing ideas or topics that are unrelated to veganism.
The power of veganism rests, in part, with the rigidity of its meaning. A meaning that vegan activists need to work hard to protect.
Someone who chooses to live vegan has committed to remove use of, or dependency on, animal-derived products as much as they possibly can in order to reduce harm and suffering to non-human animals.
If you don’t follow that train of thinking or living, you are not vegan. Simple.
This is not an attack on non-vegans. I used to be one and some of the people I love most on the planet are not vegan.
This is to clarify that vegan means vegan.
I believe that protecting the term vegan is an important form of animal-centric activism. Vegan is a strong identifier with a clear message that is too valuable a tool in the fight for animals to be watered down or mis-applied. We use it to apply pressure to non-vegan businesses, we use it for identification purposes, and we use it to mark real compassionate change.
We don’t use it to mean plant-based eating trends devoid of animal consideration. It doesn’t mean that and never will.
Yes, you can eat plant-based food in a vegan restaurant and not be vegan and yes, I think that is a good thing. Yes, you can go to a vegan event but not be a vegan. I spend my whole life trying to make non-vegans do just that.
Of course I welcome non-vegans to my events and celebrate the proliferation of vegan-suitable products, but I will not give up the fight to define what vegan means.
It exists as a narrow term for a damn good reason and that reason is to improve outcomes for animals.
And if you want to write a story about why people are vegan but not mention animals once, there are a few of us who will passionately point out where you have gone wrong.
Old quote from People for the ethical treat of animals:
PETA exists to stamp out oppression in all its forms. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Tonight in Washington D.C., People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals is hosting a black tie gala called Animals’ Party to honour people they say have done great work for animals.
Good for them right?
PETA can piss off.
One of those being honoured at the gala tonight is Dan Donovan, an elected official who is the current United States Representative for New York’s 11th congressional district.
I can only assume that Dan Donovan is being recognised by PETA due to his cosponsoring of a resolution to condemn the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China.
This recognition of Dan Donovan by the most visible animal rights group on the planet is such a hot mess of conflict, disregard and downright insult that I am not sure how to verbalise my protest.
Maybe bullet points will help me:
I could go on for a while, but I think you catch my drift.
PETA. It is not enough to care about dogs. A person shouldn’t be heralded as an animal rights champion in front of celebrities and dignitaries during an expensive gala event in Washington D.C. because they simply signed their name to a speciesist and arguably racially-driven resolution.
PETA. You have a grave responsibility to protect and champion the rights of humans as well as animals. Millions of people look to you as a voice of compassion and honouring a known homophobe, anti-choice politician who holds beyond dubious records when it comes to the protection of black people is an abomination and severe mark against your legacy.
PETA. Your celebration of Dan Donovan hurts people of colour, women and members of the LGBT community.
PETA. I call on you to rescind your honouring of Dan Donovan for all of the reasons listed above. You cannot build a kind and compassionate world for animals while you lift up those who work hard to diminish people of colour, women and members of the LGBT community.
I am publishing a new micro and very DIY video series over on Facebook called FGV Devours.
I’ll be sharing the videos here as well in case any readers don’t like to visit the dreaded FB space.
First episode of the series features one of my favourite food places on the planet, Los Loosers.
You can follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
If you are into end of year lists, check out the top ten MOST read posts from my blog this year:
New vegan burger bar in Sheffield – the title of this post says it all and people loved the news about BurgerLolz.
Vegan Quorn in the UK – enough people read this 2015 post to take it to number 8 on this list.
Vegan ice cream in London – enough people were interested in this chilly news to get Yorica onto this year end list.
Pizza Express – another old post that readers can’t get enough of is this 2015 outing about vegan options at this chain restaurant.
Toilet paper not vegan? – this story sent us all into a tailspin.
Vegan at Wagamama – this blog post won’t go away. Having been first published in 2014 didn’t stop it from being the 4th most-read of 2016.
Breaking news: vegan fried chicken shop – the story about Temple of Seitan that almost broke my blog, was lifted by news outlets all over the world and got enough views within about 4 hours to make this list.
Christmas – the post associated with my first ever vegan Christmas market drew an unprecedented number of people… just like the market itself.
New vegan grocery store for London – the readers have spoken and this post about the opening of GreenBay London is the most-read post on fatgayvegan.com during 2016.
Thank you to everyone who visited my blog and shared posts.
December 2016 was the most visited month in the entire 6 year history of my blog. It feels great to have a committed and appreciative audience! xx
Hey!
The huge Vegan Life Live show is rolling into London on January 7 and 8, 2016.
This is the first outing for the show put on by the publishers of Vegan Life magazine and will feature new product displays, a beer bar run by the amazing Brass Castle, cooking demos, a food court and presentations.
The presentation part of the line up is how I am involved in the show. Come along to see me talk about how I became a vegan blogger, why I do what I do plus a few other sassy anecdotes.
If you want to attend Vegan Life Live London, here is a special deal just for friends of Fat Gay Vegan.
Click here to buy a 2-for-1 ticket. That’s right! Buy one of these special tickets and two people can enter on it. Save money!
Extra note: I don’t mind if you use this deal to enter but don’t watch my talk on the Sunday. I won’t be offended!
London. I just about survived running Vegan Christmas Market yesterday.
This blog post is not designed to moan about how hard I had to work, but rather to inspire you to take action and become personally invested and instrumental in the growth and sustainability of independent vegan events and businesses in your city. Don’t you want to be a part of the wellness of your community while you save animals from harm?
Thousands upon thousands of people turned up to Hackney Downs Studios yesterday. So many people attended that the food vendors could not feed everyone. Look at this photo I took just minutes after opening the event:
Yes, within minutes of the event commencing it was completely full with an instant queue of nearly 100 people for Temple of Seitan alone. The market was packed solid with close to 1,000 people instantly and stayed that rammed for several hours.
There were a few rumblings on social media that the event was poorly planned and/or vendors didn’t prepare enough food.
I won’t spend much time on that, apart to say that is bullshit. This artisan, independent food market was painstakingly organised to be a low cost local market for businesses to make as much money for as little outlay as possible. It opened on time, we kept lines organised and moving, and vendors prepped and cooked as much food as they physically could. And people got to enter for free.
What went ‘wrong’ is that thousands of people showed up for an event that realistically could handle 1-2 thousand.
And do you know why thousands of people showed up?
Because there should be multiple vegan markets going on all over London all the time but people aren’t doing it. London vegans have slipped into the trap of seeing value in being served, paying top money for it and not getting their hands dirty to make their community one that can grow while remaining inclusive.
London is tearing us apart.
The cost of living here is untenable for most and many of our citizens can barely afford the basics let alone the funds to start or maintain a business. The vendors at my market paid between £30 and £60 to trade, meaning they could maximise profits to help prop up their business in a brutal financial climate. I made about £2.00 an hour for my time, effort and physical labour across the months it took to organise including the day itself.
The market was free to enter because I didn’t want to exclude anybody based on financial means. No shade intended at the bigger exhibition shows because they have a space in our vegan world, but low cost and local markets should be all over the capital to encourage start ups, keep money in neighbourhoods, perform vital vegan outreach to non-vegans, help people create jobs and pay wages, as well as build social capital.
In a city drowning in a sea of Tesco Extras and coffee chain stores, we need a vegan revolution that works to share wealth. For instance, by supporting Club Mexicana with an inexpensive market stall we are helping an independent business employ close to 30 people while keeping profits in the local community.
When you sit there and call for bigger vegan events, more food, more options, multiple markets and just plain more, more, MORE served faster, you are perpetuating the very climate that is making London unliveable.
I want people to think outside the limited realm of being a consumer or only putting on an event that turns a huge profit. We are being driven from our private and public spaces by property magnates, meaning our community can’t even gather without it costing a small fortune. The rental fee of the venue where I held London Vegan Beer Fest in King’s Cross two years ago was £6,500 for one day which my partner and I had to fork out in advance. But of course nobody wants to pay the true cost of entry which instead of around £5 would be closer to £20 to ensure the venue is paid for, the costs are covered and I’d be able to draw a meagre payment for close to 6-months’ work.
Instead, I was left with a situation that found me breaking even the night before the event and walking away with £600 profit for 6 months’ work.
As my friend Faridah just wrote on Instagram, “this community should be one of active participation and cooperation, not mere passive consumerism”.
Get off your arse and do something.
Got no money? Start a potluck. I ran one almost every month for 4 years. It was low cost and served as a community hub for hundreds and hundreds of people over its run. Don’t have a lot of time? Too bad. You want a thriving and cared for community that works to include everyone? It takes your commitment. Not everyone has time or ability to run a potluck, but tens of thousands of us do. Do something!
I ran London Vegan Drinks nearly every month for 4 years, sometimes calling in volunteers to help when I couldn’t attend. It was free entry, low cost, social and inclusive. Do something in your neighbourhood. It doesn’t have to be 10,000 people strong to be successful. Your community needs you to take action. Do something!
You have some money but don’t think you have skill/time? Invest your money into your community. Support vegans who are doing crucial work to build community and protect animals by raising awareness. Give me a few pounds a month if you can/want. Donate money to or pay for classes at Made in Hackney. Shop for pantry staples at GreenBay or FareShares. Find out who is selling vegan food in your area and dine with them. Open a vegan business. Partially fund a vegan business. Buy gifts for independent vegan businesses. Ask them if they need any vital equipment that they can’t afford. Give a vegan food truck a pre-paid fuel voucher. Put your money where your ethics are, support us and don’t always expect the world in return. Do something!
What not to do?
Do not come to a free entry event filled with independent traders and say it should be bigger. Do not expect someone else to always run your events for you. Do not think your community is not your responsibility. Do not take the hostile corporate takeover of London gently. Do not become a vegan consumer with no activist or political concerns.
Reclaim vegan spaces. Make new vegan spaces. Champion independent business. Create social opportunities that don’t cost the Earth. Consider value outside of what you can own or consume. Train yourself to see the worth of not always making the most money in the room. Care for vulnerable vegans. Remember animals.
Be kind. Be aware. Be active.
Extra note: today just happens to be the 6th anniversary of this blog. How time flies when you are being sanctimonious, huh?! LOL. xx
If you can’t get enough of my self-involved online ramblings, how about watching me in person?
I am delighted to have been asked to talk at the first ever Vegan Life Live show taking place at Alexandra Palace in London on January 7 and 8, 2017 (my talk is on Sunday 8).
Click on the image above to visit the Vegan Life Live website.
My talk will be a journey through my life as a vegan blogger made up of a few anecdotes and sassy asides.
Topics I’m likely to cover include:
Of course there will be plenty of time to ask questions and I’d love to hear from anyone who already has a ticket if they want to hear me discuss anything in particular.
The show itself looks fantastic with all sorts of food stands, information sessions, cooking demos and more. Even my favourite vegan brewery, Brass Castle, are going to be running a beer bar. I think it is going to be a big crowd having a lot of fun!
Hope to see a lot of readers there. Get show details here.
My first ever Vegan Christmas Market is coming up close at a rapid speed and I’m beyond thrilled with the fabulous vendor line up I have gathered together.
If you missed the initial announcement of food traders, you can get updated by clicking here.
But this blog post belongs to only one piece of news.
In a London exclusive, award winning vegan meat company Sgaia will be trading at the Vegan Christmas Market in London on Saturday December 17, 2016.
Sgaia is nothing short of a phenomenon. This company burst onto the UK vegan scene only a short while ago and has quickly developed into one of the finest brands on the planet.
But what will they be selling at the Xmas event?
You will be able to get your hands on their brand new festive fillet. This gorgeous looking slice of vegan meat is perfect for rolling and filling with your favourite filling as a roast dinner centrepiece.
Check it out!
In addition to this AMAZING festive fillet, Sgaia will also be selling ready to consume sandwiches stuffed solid with all sorts of tempting seasonal fillings.
I predict a stampede for this food. Sgaia will also be selling other packs of their incredible slices and burgers, so bring a few shopping bags.
Get over to the Facebook event for Vegan Christmas Market, invite your friends, dress warm and get there early on the day so you don’t miss out.
You also need to follow Sgaia on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Order your own home delivery of their food via their website if you can’t join us on the day.
I love a good dinner party.
Get me over for a few homemade dishes, a drop or two of drink and a healthy dose of conversation and I’m one happy FGV.
My buddy Mark treated me to an incredible dinner at his house last night and I really wanted to share the photos with you on here. He is a talented chef!
What do you think? Pretty spectacular, right?
I’m trying to convince Mark to start running supper clubs at his West London house for paying guests, so follow him on Instagram to keep updated on any developments. Plus, his food photos are gorgeous.