Provincial towns you jog round

Walk on with hope in your heart

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My passion for veganism and my love of Morrissey often intersect, but not usually in such a meaningful manner as they did a few weeks ago.

When I heard world wide web whispers of a vegan fair taking place in the Midlands town of Wolverhampton, I went through my usual Morrissey tragic routine of recalling the significance this UK city holds for lovers of the Mancunian legend. As any Morrissey fanatic worth their weight in NME-related litigation would know, over 20 years ago the artist bestowed the honour of his first solo gig upon Wolverhampton. The Smiths had recently been consigned to pop history and Morrissey wanted to show the world he was ready to tread the boards once again.

The fact that a vegan fair was taking place in this historically-significant (for Moz fans) city was almost enough to get me there. What I found out next sealed the deal and got me leaving the south and travelling north (no horses were harmed).

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Shake, baby shake

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A fat, gay vegan must work hard at a couple of things to qualify as a fat, gay vegan. Obviously, you have to be same-sex attracted in order to fill the gay requirements. If you want to call yourself vegan, don’t eat or wear non-human animals. To stay on top of the fat moniker, consume as many gourmet milkshakes as humanly possible.

This blog entry is a thank you to Shakeaway for assisting this FGV to stay worthy of the name.

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I know I won’t be leaving here

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Josh has taken on guest reviewer duties once again following a recent trip to Glasgow. Take it away…

I am seriously impressed by Glasgow and it’s hard to know where to start.

When I found out that my job was taking me to Glasgow for four days, I immediately looked to HappyCow and was delighted to see that there was not one, not two… but FOUR completely vegan eateries located in the city plus several vegetarian places.  How could I possibly fit them all in?  Apologies in advance for the dodgy phone-photos.

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Alma matters

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As I am busy preparing for London Vegan Drinks (that is, harassing people via email and Twitter), Josh has kindly stepped in to keep you informed of vegan eats and drinks in the town of Oxford.

Take it away, Josh.

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We said meh. M-E-H, meh.

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After spending an entire weekend with other vegan bloggers at the Vida Vegan Con event in Portland, I am buzzing with possibility and new enthusiasm. There were so many interesting and compassionate people sharing news, views and practical advice. I personally got so much from the weekend and hopefully made a few new friends.

One of the themes of discussion I heard throughout the conference was bloggers not wanting to write negative or disparaging comments or reviews about vegan establishments. As much as I understand this approach in the writing of other people, it doesn’t float for me. Yes, I write this blog as a means to help people find veganism and also as a tool to entertain and show off my ready-wit, but I’m not going to say something is amazing when it isn’t in my opinion. I want to give my opinion and I want people to disagree if they feel compelled. It’s called open dialogue.

This is building to something. I’m just preparing you all for a rather negative review of a 100% vegan restaurant. Of course speak up in the comments if you have an opinion on the eatery. Don’t let my fat, gay mouth have the final word.

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Parklife

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When you visit a small town in the UK, the vegan food can be extremely thin on the ground. I often find myself wandering aimlessly around provincial towns in the hope of discovering something cruelty-free to eat.

A few months ago I experienced this exact predicament in Hastings. Hastings is a picturesque seaside town steeped in history, located on the southeast coast of the mainland United Kingdom. The vegan dining options are not abundant but the people of cafe chain eat@ are somewhat redressing this imbalance.

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Gone fishin’

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There is no food more closely associated with living in the UK than fish and chips. Curry might be more popular now but chip shops are still a long-standing tradition. As a child in Australia, I remember watching Eastenders where a lot of the dramatic action centred around the workers and customers in the local chippy. That means chip shop for the uninitiated.

Chippies are everywhere. No matter if you stroll around an affluent suburb or consider the food options near a housing estate, you will never be far from a vendor selling fish and chips. As a vegan, I don’t look twice at these establishments and their very existence is a constant visual reminder of the barbaric fishing industry that is responsible for rapidly-depleting marine life.

But vegans are a crafty bunch and will always find a way to be part of the action without hurting anyone on the land or in the sea. Dear FGV visitors, I give you Something Fishy. Oh yes, this is a vegan fish and chips truck.

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Chelsea don’t eat no meat

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I’m not a fan of festivals. The thought of searing sun, overpriced booze and fools with flags has been deterrent enough for most of my FGV life. Up until a few weeks ago, I had only ever been lured to a music festival once in my life and that was by the promise of seeing Morrissey live. I suffered through a stifling Australian day back in the Summer of 2002 and was forced to listen to some truly dreary supporting bands.

Fast forward almost a decade and Morrissey managed to drag me back to my second ever festival. A few weeks ago, I found myself strolling around a rather pleasant field of people in Kent as a cavalcade of musical legends (including Morrissey) thrilled on stage. Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Prince (yes, Prince!) drew tens of thousands of people to the three day event known as the Hop Farm Festival. Morrissey and Prince were my major draw cards and both artists were close to the best I have ever seen them, but I must say I was also blown away by the copious amounts of vegan food on offer.

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Am I moving too fast for you?

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There is a place in the north of England with crooked lanes paved with old stones. This town knows a brutal and harsh history. Pubs are named after torture devices and methods of execution while a seemingly-benign grass patch hides the remains of a cholera burial ground. It is a location that both delights and astounds with its past of inglorious tales.

It is also a place where many fabulous occurrences take place. Within the space of a few hours in the city this past weekend I ate at a completely vegan Spanish restaurant, had my photo taken with superstar of screen and fashion Chloë Sevigny and witnessed Morrissey perform a stellar concert to a venue packed with adoring fans.

Welcome to York.

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To infinity and beyond

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Infinity Foods in Brighton

I love a quality co-operative grocery store and that love turns to adoration when a grocery store is completely vegetarian.

If you are in Brighton and on the look out for vegan groceries, you couldn’t really do better than stopping by Infinity Foods on North Road. This 40 year old institution contains many of my favourite foods and several I had never seen before strolling through their doors. So what do they have on offer?

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