Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned I will be at VegfestUK Brighton this March?
Well, check this out!
Provincial towns you jog round
Brewed soda
One of my favourite things I consumed this year was not fried, baked or boiled.
It was brewed.
Mono is just one of the many, many locations in Glasgow packed with vegan options. The delicious-looking food menu is 100% vegan but it wasn’t what I ate that left me with fond memories of Mono.
It was a drink.
FGV is judgemental
I know I’m not a celebrity, but it is still fun to be called one as part of this event taking place at VegfestUK Brighton on March 28th & 29th, 2015.
One component of the jumbo two-day long event is the New Product Showcase, where suppliers can enter their products into the competition.
Here is the lowdown from VegfestUK organisers:
Goodie bag of glory
My first ever Vegan Coach Trip is this weekend (Sunday December 21, 2014) and I couldn’t be more excited.
We are going to have a blast on our day trip, eating delicious vegan food and supporting independent vegan businesses. This is a rare opportunity for London-based vegans to get out of the capital and see what plant-eaters are doing in other parts of the country. Read all about the trip here.
One of the coolest things about Vegan Coach Trip is the wonderful vegan goodie bag I have assembled for passengers taking part. Every single attendee will be given a bag featuring contents worth more than the actual price of the coach ticket.
That’s right!
By spending £13 (plus fee) on a Vegan Coach Trip ticket, not only do you get an amazing day out but you also get a goodie bag worth just over £30. This is better than good value. You are actually getting paid in vegan goodies to attend this wonderful day out in support of vegan businesses. The treats you get are worth more than the ticket price!
Wanna know what is in the bag?
- One mini cheesecake by the wonderful Tickled Tastebud – get your hands and lips on your very own cruelty-free passionfruit cheesecake – follow Tickled Tastebud on Twitter
- One sample of compassionate skincare products by glorious vegan business Premae Skincare – you can visit their new flagship store in the Whiteleys centre, follow on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Our friends at Moo Free Chocolates have donated one Mini Moo bar featuring vegan honeycomb for each bag – follow them on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Pulsin’ are part of the goodie bags with inclusion of their Orange Choc Chip bars – a tasty inclusion – you can follow them on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Each bag will receive two samples of Orzo Coffee – the caffeine free barley coffee – follow them on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Brand new magazine Vegan Life is making sure each goodie bag will contain the latest issue of their compassionate publication – follow them on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Vegan Tuck Box deliver boxes of vegan treats all over the country and they have kindly donated packs of Ten Acre crisps for our goodie bags – follow Vegan Tuck Box on Twitter and like them on Facebook
- A goodie bag wouldn’t be complete with sweets from Goody Good Stuff – surely the most-loved vegan sweets in the UK – follow them on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Veganuary are helping people go vegan for January and want our passengers to have one of their chunky charity bands to wear or share with a friend – follow them on Twitter or like on Facebook
- Ombar is joining the Vegan Coach Trip party by supplying delicious chocolate for the goodie bags. You can follow them on Twitter and like on Facebook
- Chai tea specialists Happy Happy Chai Tea are including mini bags of their secret chai mix so passengers can make their own delicious cup when they get home – check them out online
- Rebel Kitchen are going to have delicious, irresistible samples of dairy-free mylks in the goodie bags – you can follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook
- Each bag will contain a 10% discount voucher for London’s only vegan boutique and grocery store, Vx – you can follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook
Wow. What a list.
Please take a moment to tell these companies how much you appreciate them supporting this initiative to help independent vegan business.
Let’s recap:
- For just £13 plus booking fee you get a seat on the coach that will visiting the Christmas market at Hatton in Warwickshire, departing from and arriving back to London in Holborn.
- There will be an on board quiz with prizes.
- The Vegan Grindhouse will be serving delicious vegan food at the market, including a special burger meal deal just for our tour group. Read about it here.
- The Blue Lemon is a vegan soap and skincare shop located at the shopping village. They are offering our trip 20% off purchases over £20.
- The shopping village has many opportunities for last minute Christmas present buying, including a clothing department store offering labels up to 70% off.
- You can spend as much or as little time with the group as you like – we won’t make you hang out with us once at the shopping village if you are not keen. We also welcome people attending on their own – it is a great chance to meet people.
Get involved with this incredible day out. Support the vegan businesses of the West Midlands. Have fun. Go shopping. Eat food. Make friends.
Book your tickets now. Click here to book. Please share this blog post far and wide.
Christmas burger meal deal
Have you been considering booking a spot on my first ever Vegan Coach Trip but unsure if the day out is for you? Well, this menu update from The Vegan Grindhouse could very well be the piece of info you need in order to be convinced.
The Vegan Coach Trip will be stopping at Hatton Shopping and Christmas Village for 5 hours to allow tour attendees to partake in some last minute Christmas shopping. Not sure what I am talking about with all the Vegan Coach Trip mentions? Click here to read all about it.
Of course we will be hungry and in need of food, so the good people of The Vegan Grindhouse have put together a specially priced seasonal menu just for our group.
For £10 you will get:
- Xmas burger (Turkey Style burger, homemade sage & onion stuffing and cranberry jelly)
- ‘Pigs’ in blankets (side dish)
- Mince Pie and custard
- Hot Mulled winter punch (non-alcoholic)
How delicious! Of course the food vendor will be serving other tasty treats as well.
Book your coach tickets now for what is sure to be a fantastically fun day out. Coach tickets cost £13 plus fee.
Remember, every Vegan Coach Trip attendee will receive a goodie bag containing treats. Watch for full blog post about bag contents in a few days but I’m happy to give a sneak peek by saying Premae, Tickled Tastebud and Moo Free Chocolates will all have samples included.
Vegan cafe for sale
This is the moment for which all budding vegan entrepreneurs have been waiting.
But the sad news first.
The much-loved Moose’s Kitchen in St. Leonards-On-Sea (Hastings) is set to close. The owner is moving on due to the arrival of a baby in her life and she is super keen to keep the location completely plant-based, hence her desire to find a vegan buyer.
The photo below is a screen shot from the commercial property website listing the sale. Click here to visit the website.
It is a gorgeous-looking cafe on the shop-lined Kings Road. The spot is a one minute walk to the train station and not much more to the seafront.
What a wonderful opportunity for vegan food lovers. Get your finances in order and snap this place up. Keep it vegan!
13th Note Glasgow
I am slowly working my way through reporting back to you on the vegan wonders of Glasgow. I can see why it has often been named ‘Best vegan UK city’. The place is absolutely heaving with vegan-friendly eateries.
Take The 13th Note as one example.
This vegetarian cafe is primarily a live music venue, but food certainly doesn’t take a back seat. My group ate extremely well as you will notice from the photos below.
Vegan food in Exeter
I’ve never been to Exeter. I don’t think. I would remember if I had been to Exeter in my life, right?
I’m pretty certain I have never been to Exter in Devon but if I wanted to go, I now know of two pubs that each have a vegan menu for me to work my way through.
The Farmers Union and The Twisted Oak are two pubs owned by the same people and fortunately for the vegans and vegan-curious of the region, these people have decided to add an entire selection of vegan meals to their menus.
Check it out!
Vegan pub food
Glasgow has got the goods for vegans. You can’t walk a few blocks without stumbling upon a vegan-friendly eatery or bar in the city centre.
Of course the plant-based eating isn’t just confined to the town centre and a short bus ride or taxi fare will deliver you to the most wonderful venue with a 100% vegan food menu.
Check it out!
Vegans cooking for vegans
I think you need to make plans to visit the West Midlands before the end of the year.
As you all know, a fabulous 100% vegan food truck launched a while back called The Vegan Grindhouse. The idea behind the business was to supply events in the local area with completely plant-based tea, coffee, cakes and treats. I wrote about them here.
The truck has enjoyed an incredibly successful start, but things are about to change slightly for the vegan business.
I reached out to Lisa, the owner of The Vegan Grindhouse, to see how things were progressing and I received some not so good news and some excellent news.