Taking the long way around

Swansea’s first 100% plant-based coffee shop

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Two entrepreneurs from Swansea have joined forces to open Swansea’s first 100% plant-based coffee shop.

Ground Plant Based Coffee, based on Francis Street in Brynmill, is a joint project between three times national Stand-Up-Paddleboard Champion, Matt Barker-Smith and Helen Wilson, founder of Womankind Yoga, who runs Europe’s largest Beach Yoga Class on Swansea Bay.

Matt and Helen found common ground in a passion for paddle boarding, the environment, better health and plant-based food which led them to make the commitment to create a new coffee bar in Swansea, where oat milk is served as standard.

Ground Plant Based Coffee has also committed to not selling any products in plastic, serving drinks using 100% biodegradable cups and lids.

All the food is made by hand by Helen, in her home kitchen in Craig Cefn Parc, near Clydach.

The takeaway only coffee bar is based within The Sup Hut, on Francis Street.

Matt says, “We wanted to open a business that represented all the things that are important to us, protecting the planet and encouraging people to lower their carbon footprint through food and drink choices. We have strived to do this with great barista coffee and sweet and savoury bites to eat, made only from plants.”

“The popularity of people taking up SUP, has led to a greater understanding of how important our oceans and our responsibility to the eco system that we take so much fore granted – which goes hand in hand with an increasing awareness that the impact of our diet plays on our personal carbon emissions and the future of our marine life and environment.”

Helen, who opened the doors also in celebration of her 40th birthday, says: “We have had a fantastic welcome from the local community and businesses and have been delighted at people’s reception to a coffee bar that serves only plant milks.”

Helen has worked in the vegan industry for 14 years as a professional animal rights campaigner, educator, consultant and chef. She has been following a vegan diet for 14 years and gave up meat when she was 10.

You can visit Ground Plant Based Coffee online and be sure to follow the cafe on Instagram and Facebook.

Are you ready to vegan cruise again?

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Didn’t that year and a bit just fly by?

When I think back to the beginning of 2020, I remember so much to be excited about… not least the vegan cruise I was organising to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fat Gay Vegan.

Cabins were being booked and special guests were being organised. I was busy creating a list of vegan places to visit during each of our stops. I met with out head chef and carried out tastings.

It was my dream trip to mark my first decade as FGV.

But then reality hit. Hard.

You don’t need a recount of the past year as I’m sure you are as acutely aware of what went down as I am. The basic facts relating to the cruise are that it was cancelled and I knew I wanted to bring it back as soon as possible.

In celebration of the world rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the past year, and me marking the 11th year of being Fat Gay Vegan, please join me as we set sail for an end of the year celebration like no other.

Let’s cruise! We really deserve it this time.

Commencing in historic Nuremburg on December 20, 2021​, our unforgettable week-long celebration takes in picturesque towns and cities scattered along the beloved Danube including Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and the World UNESCO Heritage Wachau Valley (Durnstein, Melk, Linz, and Passau).

Did I mention this cruise will be 100% vegan. All food is completely plant-based and we take over the entire ship.

This unforgettable trip on the Danube has been personally curated by me, FGV, and will include:

  • Welcome night gala dinner and holiday celebration party
  • Karaoke party, disco nights, pub-style quiz, and socialising in the lounge
  • Up close interviews and panel discussions with extra special guests
  • Sumptuous cuisine crafted by our Vegan Culinary Cruises chef
  • Morning yoga classes
  • Gorgeous views of famous European landmarks from luxurious cabins, the on-board restaurant, and the lounge
  • 100% vegan toiletries in each cabin
  • Optional shore excursions, vegan food tours, and all-inclusive drink packages available at extra cost

This journey with Vegan Culinary Cruises and Fat Gay Vegan along the Danube is going to be more than just a cruise. It is set to be an unforgettable celebration of everything vegan. Think of it as your very own vegan festival on water.

The cruise will finish in breathtaking Budapest on December 27, 2021 which will give you enough time to travel home for New Year’s Eve or choose to stay a few extra days and ring in the New Year in style.

If this sounds like a wonderful way to get back into the swing of vegan travel and celebrate a brighter future, please click here to read more about the cruise and to book your spot.

Of course, you can sign up now with no financial obligation until the cruise is deemed completely safe and it has been confirmed.

EXTRA NOTE

I have also curated an extra special USA National Parks land tour for 2022 in conjunction with VCC.

Our Vegan Desert Adventure is open for bookings (which are already rolling in!) and I am extra excited for this trip as it takes in some of the most gorgeous scenery on the planet.

This is hotel based and we take coaches for day trips including the Grand Canyon. Maybe this is for you if ships are not your thing? Or perhaps you want to do both trips? I’ll be on both, so let’s hang out!

Click here to discover more about the Vegan Desert Adventure 2022.

This is a HUGE moment for me. Having to commit to undertaking these adventures after such an uncertain time in history takes a lot of belief and optimism.

Thankfully, I am working with wonderful partners in Vegan Culinary Cruises and we are fortunate to be in a position to take provisional bookings on these trips with no deposit needed.

We will only request deposits and bookings when the departures are deemed safe and secure. We won’t ask you to confirm until we have confirmed. You can dream now, pay later. We all need something to look forward to after the year we’ve had.

Help me celebrate and let’s see the world in vegan style.

Visit the Vegan Culinary Cruises website now.

FGV on a podcast

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Just dropping by to share some fun news with you all.

I was the guest on the latest episode of Two Vs & A Pod podcast!

It was a great chat that left me longing for future travels and food adventures. I can’t wait until I can get back on the road.

Here is the overview of the episode:

Join Issy and Ben this week for all things Travel! Earlier this week it was announced that we should be able to go and visit some of our favourite countries this summer, and for some of you it might be your first time going abroad as a vegan. Issy and Ben share their travel stories and top tips for eating abroad. They’re also joined a real travel expert; Sean O’Callaghan (AKA @FatGayVegan) to discuss his vegan cruises and vast experience around the world as a vegan.

Listen to the episode online here!

Vegan store celebrates one year

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Imagine opening a vegan store and then the world economy… well, the entire world itself, goes into shutdown.

Iwtopia in Wales did just that and they are still here to tell the tale.

They are survivors.

Sue from Iwtopia reached out to me from her independent business in Aberystwyth to let me know they are still hanging in there. I was so bowled over, I just had to share with you all.

Iwtopia is a vegan shop and deli, meaning you can stock up on all your essentials AND treat yourself to some gorgeous-looking vegan treats.

Head on over to the Iwtopia Instagram account to see photos of all the fab stuff Sue and the team are serving up.

If Facebook is more your speed, be sure to follow the shop to stay updated and be inspired.

If Aberystwyth is home for you (or nearby), you can even shop online for delivery. Head on over to the Iwtopia website to find out opening times and delivery details.

You can see the exact location of Iwtopia thanks to Google Maps.

Vegan restaurant chain has explosive expansion

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San Diego-based Plant Power Fast Food, a chain of 100% vegan fast food restaurants, is announcing seven new locations coming in 2021.

That is impressive growth!

The company’s new locations include their first Los Angeles area restaurant in Hollywood on Vine Street near the Paramount Studios, their first Northern California location in Sacramento, and a new restaurant in Laguna Hills complete with a drive-thru, patio dining and even a geodesic dome dining area.

Since its humble beginnings in the Ocean Beach section of San Diego in 2016, Plant Power Fast Food has built a rabid customer base and has seen impressive growth, even in 2020 when much of the restaurant industry has been adversely affected by COVID.

A sampling of the massive growth Plant Power Fast Food has experienced:

· 2020 brand-wide sales are forecast to hit $14 million
· 2020 sales are an increase of 46% increase over 2019
· 1172% growth since inception

Next time you are in the area(s), do yourself a favour and eat with Plant Power.

I dined with them a few times when I was in Southern California and I still cherish the memories.

Follow Plant Power on Instagram.

Toyota and Lexus helping drivers eat vegan

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This is super interesting and kinda huge news.

HappyCow is thrilled to announce that Toyota and Lexus are making vegan-options easier to find.

Huh? Big name car manufacturers and plant-based eating don’t go together, do they?

Toyota Connected North America has integrated HappyCow’s guide to vegan and vegan-friendly eating into the Destination Assist feature on select 2020 and newer Toyota and Lexus models.

USA-based Toyota and Lexus Destination Assist subscribers will now benefit from HappyCow’s dining guide by pressing the ‘Destination Button’ from the navigation menu.

When speaking with an agent, they simply mention that they’re looking for a vegan or vegetarian restaurant and HappyCow will be used to direct them to nearby vegan and vegan-friendly options.

If you are drawing a blank when reading the name HappyCow, let me fill you in.

HappyCow is the leading vegan guide on the planet. The user-driven platform helps vegan and vegan-curious people location cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, stores, salons, bakeries, markets, and bars that offer vegan and vegetarian goods and services.

I’d love to hear from any Destination Assist users who have used the feature successfully. The rest of the world will need to wait patiently for it to be rolled out globally.

Visit HappyCow online and follow the guide on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Join me for a vegan desert adventure

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Times are changing and the way we do a lot of regular activities has to change, too.

As you probably know, I recently co-created Vegan Culinary Cruises to host 100% vegan cruise vacations with our first departure was set for New Year’s Eve 2021/2022.

Everything was set and bookings were coming in and then… yep. The global crisis happened.

All cruise lines around the globe have put everything on hold. Our VCC departures will be back in the future, but in the meantime I wanted to help people plan vacations for 2022 so we came up with the idea to host land tours and vacations.

Say hello to VCC Adventures.

VCC Adventures showcases our land-only-based adventures for vegan and vegan-curious travellers looking to enjoy a 100% plant-based adventure holiday filled to the brim exciting exploration coupled with our signature delicious vegan cuisine. With exciting itineraries taking in some of the most beautiful, fun-filled destinations on the planet, VCC Adventures is the perfect vacation for compassionate travellers looking to get the most out of a vegan travel experience.

WHAT ABOUT THE 2022 ADVENTURE?

Join FGV and VCC Adventures for a vegan desert vacation in Utah, one of the most naturally breathtaking locations on the planet.

Our hotel-based adventure scheduled for May 15-20, 2022 is the perfect way to ease back into vegan travel as we all patiently wait for the cruise ships to hit the waters again.

Our 5-night, 6-day getaway is packed full of food, fun, and unforgettable sightseeing.

Nature set Bryce Canyon, Zion, and the Grand Canyon ablaze with copper-hued chasms and theatrical formations. Explore the diverse symphony of forest, desert, plateau, and canyon in this spectacular combination of National Parks. No postcard could possibly prepare you for the chiseled vastness of the Grand Canyon, the monolithic oddities of Bryce Canyon, or the stunning cliffs of Zion.

Explore the wonders of the USA‘s Southwest, known as Colour Country, with our travel experts at VCC Adventures. Through the eons, the wind and water’s harsh power has created the red-rock formations, deep canyons, and towering cliffs that have become many of the world’s most famous natural attractions. This enormous geological playground features nature’s intricate forms and brilliant colours combine to offer a Western landscape getaway of incredible diversity and some of the most exhilarating outdoor adventures on earth.

Activities include park walking, bus and hiking tours, outdoor nature and wildlife lecture series, vegan inspired evening programming, and a special behind the scenes day and actives at the world-famous Best Friends Sanctuary.

THE PROGRAM

Our exclusive VCC Adventures tour program is perfect for every activity and ability level. On touring days clients can choose from two levels of walks/hikes in the National Parks:

  • Moderate: Easy walks and/or park bus tours with guided interpretation perfect for all ability levels
  • Adventure: More adventurous hikes with guided interpretation over varying terrain and elevation gain

You will also enjoy:

  • Education & Guiding: All tours are accompanied by our full-time naturalists and educators who bring to life the natural wonders, geology, ecology, Native American history, and so much more!
  • Special Guests: Sean O’Callaghan of Fat Gay Vegan oversees a unique line up of special guests. These experts and personalities from the vegan world will be on hand to regale guests via up close and personal storytelling, Q&A sessions, and insights into everything plant-based. These special guest sessions are unique to VCC Adventures and will conveniently take place during our bus trips, making our time on the road fun, informative, and engaging.
  • Vegan Cuisine: Our VCC Adventures staff bring to you our 100% plant-based signature vegan dining experience all from our very own on-site private kitchen and meeting dining facility, all included for the duration of your tour. Just as we do on all Vegan Culinary Cruises and VCC Lite journeys, our culinary team ensure the highest standards of vegan cuisine. All products are specially sourced, and our menus are created to be fun, unique, nutritious, and delicious.
  • Accommodations: We are based at our hotel in St George, Utah for the duration of the stay so there is no need to pack and unpack. St. George is the perfect location, centrally located for all nearby National Parks. We will enjoy our own beautiful private meeting space for all meals and programming.

If this desert land tour adventure sounds like the vacation for you, click here to find out more information about the itinerary and book your spot.

This is going to be a dream vegan vacation in the desert and a trip of a lifetime that you (and I) will never forget. I hope you can join me for a wonderful week.

Book now.

Vegan International Film Festival

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VEGAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FREE ONLINE FILM STREAMING ON EARTH DAY, PHOTO CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES

Films that could once only be seen by attending one of the festivals’ world tour dates are now available online for streaming until at least June 30, 2020.

Ottawa, Canada (April 20, 2020) — With the spread of COVID-19 and the international quarantine, the International Vegan Film Festival – World Tour has come to a halt. Starting on EARTH DAY, April 22, 2020, until June 30, 2020, eleven of the twelve short films that were available on the world tour will now be free to watch and can be viewed online at the festival’s website.

For the last two years, the International Vegan Film Festival has brought some of the world’s most relevant vegan-themed stories and visual artistry to theaters around the world and in these uncertain times, the International Vegan Film Festival is proud to bring the festival’s world tour to everyone, everywhere.

Most of the films that were scheduled for touring—the only exception being “Planet Vegan”— are now available for free viewing online with no purchase necessary. The total screening time is approximately 90 minutes in length with films covering all of the four Festival categories. 


Festival Director Shawn Stratton said, “Connecting with friends and strangers alike at our theater screenings is at the heart of the World Tour, however, with the current cancellation of the Tour we don’t want our audiences to miss out on viewing these important films. So we are adapting and responding to “social distancing” to offer 90 minutes of films from our World Tour screening, free of charge. This is our hometown, feel-good, theater experience, streamed into the comfort of living room’s around the world.”

The International Vegan Film Festival is an annual film event. Now in its third year, the festival kicks off every October in Ottawa, Canada. The festival showcases vegan-themed films from around the world covering a wide variety of topics. Some of these include animal rights, food choices, ethics, sustainability and climate change.

Since 2018, the International Vegan Film Festival has embarked on a world tour. Anyone can sign up to be a host and then pick where and when they would like to have their own Vegan Film Festival screening. It is a great way to build the local vegan community, interact with friends, and raise money for a cause all while watching great independent vegan films.

Note: The International Vegan Film Festival screenings are primarily intended for older audiences and may include coarse language, mature subject matter, intense scenes, and other adult content. Viewer discretion is advised.

Vegan Photo Essay Contest

While the world tour has been cancelled, the IVFF Vegan Photo Essay Contest is on! Until August 31, 2020, applicants can submit a series of 3-5 images depicting vegan lifestyle, health and nutrition, animal welfare, or environmental protection. Winners will be announced during the festival in October and will also receive a $250 CAD cash prize.

The jury is seeking a sequence of images that conveys a compelling story or message – with each image strong enough to stand on its own while conveying a greater narrative when viewed in the photographer’s desired sequence.

Stratton says “The Vegan Photo Essay Contest is a great way for anyone with a camera and a story, not just professionals, to be involved in the festival.” The contest even has a Youth category to encourage young people to become more involved in sharing vegan-themed stories.

CATEGORIES:

  • Lifestyle – Vegan choices in clothing, travel and highlighting the ways that vegans spread their message through activism, art, community etc.
  • Health and Nutrition – Exploring the positive benefits of a vegan diet, what’s involved in “going vegan”
  • Animal Welfare – How eating plants can break the chain of suffering that is endemic in factory farming and the role of animal activists
  • Environmental Protection – How meat production harms the planet, and how plant-based eating can help to save it
  • Youth – Any vegan-themed subject shot by a person under 18 year of age as of August 31, 2020

Note: During COVID-19, the IVFF does not advise applicants to take photos anywhere that may pose a risk of spreading the virus. Social distancing is still strongly recommended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

http://www.theivff.com/

http://www.theivff.com/photo-essay-contest-info.html

http://www.theivff.com/photo-essay-winners.html

Award winning vegan food in Jacksonville

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Have you seen this incredible vegan comfort food spot in Jacksonville, Florida?

Murray Hillbilly is a much-loved independent vegan restaurant in the Murray Hill neighbourhood of Jacksonville, a city that sits about 5-hours drive time north of Miami.

I don’t know a lot about Jacksonville, except that the major sports team is called the Jaguars and I only know that fact because it was mentioned many times by a character on drama/comedy series The Good Place.

However, I am starting to get a lot more interested in Jacksonville thanks to the food photos coming out from Murray Hillbilly.

This multi-award winning restaurant opened in late 2017 and has since built up a huge number of loyal locals who can’t get enough of their cuisine.

Check out some photos below:

My friend Steven and his husband Nate live in Jacksonville and can’t say enough great things about this place. In particular, they rave about the weekend brunch.

I need to visit soon. For food and friends.

You can see the exact location of Murray Hillbilly online thanks to Google Maps. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Vegan restaurant makes cheesecake deal with Whole Foods

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I recently discovered with my own tastebuds that Plant Power Fast Food is one of the best places on the planet to buy vegan food.

The fast food chain with locations scattered around Southern California is almost without peer when it comes to plant-based comfort food. Their burgers, breakfast sandwiches, fries, and shakes are all the stuff of legend.

And let’s not overlook their decadent cheesecakes.

The cheesecakes by Plant Power are such a standout item, the chain has recently inked a deal with Whole Foods Market stores.

You can currently buy the cheesecakes by the slice in the following locations across Southern California:

  • Hillcrest
  • La Jolla
  • Del Mar
  • Laguna Niguel
  • Irvine
  • Jamboree
  • Huntington Beach
  • Brea
  • Redondo Beach
  • Torrance
  • El Segundo
  • Newport Beach
  • Long Beach

Plant Power has announced that this list is just the start and more Whole Foods locations will be added soon.

If you live in Southern California or are visiting soon, grab some vegan cheesecake from Whole Foods and visit one of the Plant Power Fast Food restaurants for exceptionally good eating.

Follow Plant Power on Instagram and see all locations on their website.