New vegan truffle shop

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I suppose weirder things have happened, but this is up there!

A brand new shop selling handmade vegan chocolates and truffles has opened in the unlikely location of Brentford in West London. Brentford is not exactly known as an epicentre of vegan specialty chocolate. Well, until now.

Bianca Márton is the luxury dairy free shop front for a business that started out selling at farmers markets in the local area and Richmond. A handful of the creations contain honey but the huge majority of what is on offer is suitable for vegans.

I am yet to get along to taste for myself but I have heard rave reviews from three separate people and all the flavours listed on the website sound exquisite.

Click here to visit the store online for info on opening times and location.

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Goodie bag of glory

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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.

goodie bagThat’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.

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Eat vegan with non-vegans

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My partner Josh is climbing on board the blogging train today to give you some advice on where to go in central London when faced with dining companions who flatly refuse to go to an entirely vegan restaurant.

Thanks, Josh. Love you. xx

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Queer chai

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Last minute post for the queer and queer-friendly readers out there. (If you are neither of those things, I’m happy for you to never come here again)

There is a super fun Queer XMAS Fayre being held today (Saturday December 13, 2014) inside the Royal Vauxhall Tavern and I think a lot of you would quite enjoy proceedings.

It is kind of like a huge jumble sale and craft show with handmade goods, secondhand clothes, art and more.

You can see the event website here and the Facebook event page here. The fayre runs between 1pm and 6pm today and organisers will be playing tunes to entertain the crowds.

994921_10151784732258393_686888250_nYou might be thinking how this relates to you as a vegan, right?

A brand new Hackney-based hot drinks endeavour is launching at the Queer XMAS Fayre. Happy Happy Chai Tea will be serving their specially brewed concoction, warming attendees on this chilly Saturday and impressing with their mixture of soya milk, black tea, herbs, spices and fresh ginger.

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See you there?

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Feast your eyes

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Last night was a very good night for food lovers.

Everyone in attendance at the first night of my annual vegan Christmas dinner gave rave reviews for the 3-course meal served by The Gallery Café. It was a roaring success.

Want to see what we consumed? 

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Christmas burger meal deal

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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.

Book your spot now!

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Christmas snacks

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One of my favourite things to do in a supermarket is to trot down the seasonal aisle. You know the one. The aisle rammed with novelty gifts and food products related to whatever time of year it is.

It’s where the shops cram the latest gimmicky toys at Christmas time or the One Direction mugs with chocolate eggs in them leading up to Easter.

This aisle is often the site of vegan junk food finds, especially if you are cruising the seasonal aisle at your local Sainsbury’s. Remember when I snapped up these vegan sweets at Halloween time? They were in the seasonal aisle.

The lucky dip that is the seasonal aisle of my nearest Sainsbury’s coughed up some new, never-before-seen vegan snacks for me yesterday and I only bought them in order to share with you all. Of course.

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Hannah Banana

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All I have been hearing for the past few years is “Hannah Banana this” and “Hannah Banana that”. People have been falling over themselves to tell me how the Southampton-based vegan bakery is incredible and my life is worth nothing without eating their sweet treats.

Well, I finally got a package from Hannah Banana Bakery a few days ago and you wanna know something?

Hannah Banana Bakery is FUCKING amazing!

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