Fortify Cafe turns vegan

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OK. This is what we have been waiting for, people. It is time to put your money where your mouth is and support an independent business as it transitions from vegetarian to 100% vegan.

A few months ago, I put word out that I would like to support any non-vegan restaurants in their quest to turn their menu completely plant-based. My Operation: Go Vegan Stay Vegan plan got a great response when announced and I’m thrilled to say it is now able to lend its support to Fortify Café of Maidstone, Kent.

Following my original post, Fortify head honcho James Hooper got in touch to let me know his team had been contemplating making the vegan switch for a while. Their popular Kent eatery has always featured a focus on tasty, plant-based whole foods created from scratch in their kitchen but dairy was still a component of some of the food and drink.

Until now.

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End of an era

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Time marches on, people.

Almost four years ago I started an event that quickly became a staple of vegan London. London Vegan Potluck was established because I couldn’t believe the event didn’t already exist when I arrived to the UK from Australia.

I wanted a monthly food party where vegans and the vegan-curious could make and share homemade, compassionate dishes in a friendly community setting.

What started as a cosy event in the arcade next to the Ms. Cupcake bakery in Brixton soon blossomed into an incredibly busy happening in the longterm location of Faraday House in Holborn. We were even featured on BBC Radio.

A review of the first ever London Vegan Potluck can be seen here. Many thanks must be given to Mellissa Morgan of Ms. Cupcake for her generosity in allowing us to set up next to her business for those formative first six months. Additional thanks to Freedom Brewery who donated beer for the first London Vegan Potluck, thus becoming the first business to support and believe in an event that will have run for four years as it comes to a close in May 2015.

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It’s a wrap

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Hey Leeds people and visitors to Leeds. Get tasty vegan tacos and burritos!

I was slipping down a Leeds side-street a few days ago (I was in town to watch Morrissey perform) when I saw the word ‘vegan’ stamped on a cafe window. Of course I investigated.

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Out-foxed

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I think this is a joke. It has to be a joke, right?

fox cafe
Photo from steviethefox.co.uk

Following a run of animal-themed pop-up cafes and events (see here, here and here), someone has set up a page announcing the launch of a fox cafe in London.

I could be wrong, but I call bullshit on this one.

I’m kinda hoping it is set up by an activist group who plan to collect email addresses and send a message to all signups, letting them know what a terrible idea it is to commodify and objectify animals.

I can only hope. Otherwise, I despair.

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Pizza, pasta & calzone

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You ready for some fucking fantastic news?

You can now buy vegan pasta, pizza and calzone in Dalston, London. Get the facts and then get fed!

News of this vegan-friendly eatery in east London arrived to my inbox thanks to Miriam. She wrote to alert me to the really rather impressive and inclusive menu being offered at Fed By Water on Kingsland High Street in E8.

Miriam sent me the following photo she snapped of the vegan pizza menu. Check it out.

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Eat Brixton

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Need a reason to visit Brixton? You are about to get a damn solid reason for getting to the south London neighbourhood soon.

A new bar and vegetarian eatery called Vegbar is set to impress when it opens to the public on March 28, 2015. Christian, the mastermind behind the London Vegan Drinks gourmet hot dog night (remember?), is in charge of the menu at Vegbar and it’s safe to say plant eaters are going to be well looked after.

vegbar

Check out this list of some of the vegan dishes being lined up:

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Wine night

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I just received this news from the management of The Gallery Café in Bethnal Green.

Anyone up for a vegan wine night?

Do you want to learn about wine in a fun and friendly environment?

At our comedic wine tasting event you’ll sample a selection of wines and our experts will each give you their own notes on what you’re tasting.

The trick? To figure out who’s telling the truth and who’s bluffing. After tasting each wine, you’ll have to guess who’s giving you the real deal and there will be a prize for getting the most correct answers. And you’ll walk away with enough pretentious knowledge to impress your friends at their next dinner party.

Your ticket includes entry to the event, the wine, and a buffet of nibbles throughout the evening.

Friday 10 April. Doors at 7pm for a 7:30 start.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. Click here to buy.

Extra info: all the wine and food at the event will be vegan. Consume compassionately!

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Going vegan

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You all know the London vegetarian restaurant called tibits, right?

The ‘help yourself’ food provider is a favourite for diners looking for plant-based food as the majority of their food ‘boat’ is 80% vegan on any given day. Regular items include super food salads, seasoned potato wedges, sticky toffee pudding and Victoria sponge cake.

It is tasty food with a decent vegan wine and beer selection to boot.

But things are changing slightly over at tibits. Check it out:

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Soho owl-less

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Plans for the owl cafe have been abandoned in Soho.

I’m in somewhat of a celebratory mood but feel we must remain vigilant. The organiser of this event plans to move it to another location out of Central London.

The organiser is also in the process of launching a new app/social media platform, so it is understandable why some of us would be concerned about his true intentions. Is he using birds to build a user base for his app?

Some things to ponder.

annie website

locappy logoThe Annie the Owl pop up logo (on top) and the Locappy logo (below) are extremely similar. Is the intention to build goodwill for the app off the back of animals?

seb youtubeHere is a screenshot of Seb Lyall talking about the Locappy launch. Full video here.

seb press releaseHere is his name at the bottom of a press release for Annie the Owl pop up event, showing that the Locappy Seb is the same as Annie the Owl Seb.

It could appear to some people that Seb was trying to launch his app off the fuzzy affection the public have for owls. It is clear that he has attempted to showcase an owl cafe around the same time as the app launch, using almost identical graphics for both endeavours.

In my opinion, birds deserve a cruelty-free life without the payback of performance. People need to be taught to give a fuck without receiving anything in return. It would have been awesome if the Locappy launch happened and some funds were directed to owl welfare concerns without them expected to be adored in an inappropriate setting.

Bottom line: owls shouldn’t be exploited so an entrepreneur can launch a money making app (if that is the case here).

Keep a keen eye on Annie the Owl.

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