vegan chai

preserve razors are awesome except for...

about a year and a half ago, i switched from "mainstream razors" (heh) to the preserve brand. i had been using them as travel razors, and decided to just promote them to full-time. i've had great luck with them, with one exception: the soap scum, which then turns to mildew. gross. if you've ever seen the preserve razors, you'll know what i'm talking about: they have a jujillion nooks and crannies in the handle, which basically serve as soap scum collectors, so my razor slowly turns white, then black. delicious.

 i don't particularly want to buy something even more icky to spray on it (or soak it in), so can some of you help me out and tell me about good natural cleaners that work on soap scum or mildew? i know lots of people whip up their own miracle concoctions of vinegar + whatever, but i'm not one of those people, so it's better for me to ask rather than to accidentally blow up my house. anyone?

the vaute couture peacoat!

well, some things never change. this blog continues to get hits and hits and hits and hits from people looking for "fashionable vegan winter coat" (and other variations) on google. i've done my share of whining here over the past few winters, but as you may recall, this past year i was able to order a fancy-schmancy honest-to-goodness adorable and WARM vegan winter coat. woo hoo! 

i got in on the ground floor and did the 50%-off pre-order when vaute couture first posted their beautiful coats, and i picked the peacoat in blue. it arrived a few weeks ago, but it wasn't quite cold enough yet, so i didn't start wearing it until a few days ago. now that it's december, i feel like i can indulge some winter coat conversation.

leanne did a really nice job with these beauties! the fabric is so soft and lovely, i can't even tell you. it's cozy and sophisticated all at once, and i really think it's going to deliver on its promise of warmth. and the blue! it's a beautiful, saturated, rockstar blue. i'm in love with it. i've only worn it a couple of times, and i've gotten compliments each day. i'm looking forward to being both warm and fancy this winter! 

three times in one week

i have been a cupcake machine this week. well, not really, i'm sure there are lots of you out there who have made lots more than me, but three batches in six days is a lot for me. they've all been pumpkin chocolate chip, with cinnamon icing (from VCTOTW). i think they're my favorites. they're definitely my sister's favorites. a friend of mine at school loves them too. i made them for both of the thanksgivings (once for thursday, once for saturday), and tonight i got the random idea to go ahead and make a third batch to take to school tomorrow. scrumptious!

also, for future reference: two cans of pumpkin, and two batches of icing, is enough for three dozen cupcakes.  

trying some new polish

back in spring, i asked about the "veganity" of nail polish, and whether i should keep buying OPI after the bottles i had in my cupboard finally ran out. i got several comments suggesting new brands to try, but then i never actually found any of them. here we are six months later already, but i finally have news to report: i ordered some SpaRitual stuff! i was randomly reminded of the brand, decided to get to googling, and found that there is still only one place in my whole city listed who carries it (a salon in a hotel downtown). but, i ended up finding it to buy online (at skinstore.com), and they had free shipping and also a black friday discount going on, so it was a pretty good deal. i bought three colors (hypnotic, shrewd, and mood), a quick-dry topcoat, and a small bottle of remover. i'll let you know how i like it once it all arrives!

two thanksgivings completed

every year i attend two thanksgivings, one on thursday and one on saturday. every year i contemplate the idea of not going, but go anyway. i wonder if maybe i should start this process more than a few days ahead, so that i can really think it through and come up with a plan. i'm just really sick of the whole "get together mainly to eat a dead bird" aspect of the holiday. and i *super* hate that, like most families, they always seem to have waaaay more than they end up eating. meh.

death on a factory farm

it took me about nine months, but i finally got around to watching death on a factory farm. i recorded it when it first aired on HBO in march, but i have to psych myself up to watch stuff like this. (also, i always secretly hope a certain someone will watch them with me, but he never wants to, so eventually i give up and watch myself.) aaaanyhow, i finally watched the other day. it features the same undercover investigator as dealing dogs, and it was interesting to see him in a second undercover operation. this one occurred at a large hog farm in the midwest, and focused a lot on the trial (in addition to the undercover footage), which was equal parts boring/slow and interesting, since it's not typical for 'us' to see what happens in the courtroom after initial complaints have been filed. anyhow, if you haven't seen it i do recommend it. there are parts that are very hard to watch, but the documentary is well-done and it has an important message. it will be airing again on HBO starting next week.

happy thanksgiving

i'm a ball of mixed feelings today. last year, due to a bunch of weird circumstances we were suddenly able to host thanksgiving at our house, which meant an all-vegan feast (which everyone loved, by the way). it was my happiest thanksgiving in years and years, no lie. this year, we are back to "normal," kind of, which means back at my grandpa's for the usual turkey & stuffing. i don't have to say how bummed out this makes me, so i won't belabor the point. anyhow, the upshot is that there will be nine people in attendance, and guess how many will be eating the "regular" turkey & stuffing? three. which means that the rest of us have to bring our own food (and also our own milk/butter for our own mashed potatoes). something in this equation doesn't make sense to me. i think once we have such a majority rule, vegan thanksgiving should be the natural result.

i'm very thankful for my husband, because he spent this morning preparing "vegan thanksgiving to go," so that we and my sister's family will have delicious (and cruelty-free) food to enjoy today. he's pretty awesome.

do i want a kindle?

i am fascinated with the idea of a kindle, and then i think things like, "do i really need a computer to read a book?" but then i think things like, "but then i wouldn't have to buy books!" and then i go straight to, "that's what the library is for, dummy." i downloaded the kindle app on my iPhone (it's free!) and i've been playing around with it by downloading the free samples you can get (i.e., the first chapter or two of most books). i like the idea of being able to store a bunch of books on one small/light device, and i like feeling that it might facilitate reading more. i'm just not sure if it's true. also, i have never used a kindle proper. i saw one at the gym once, and it looked cool, but that's as close as i've gotten.

i'm supposed to give a christmas list to my mom tomorrow, and if i really think i want a kindle then i don't want to put "real" books on my list (except for the obligatory vegan cookies invade your cookie jar, which will be on my list no matter what). decisions, decisions. perhaps apathy will make this decision for me. 

the future of food

we screened the future of food on campus tonight, and i have to say, it's not something i would have really searched out on my own, but i'm glad i watched it. it definitely made me happy that we've shifted to LOTS more organic food over the past year, and it also makes me feel more committed to that option. monsanto (and other corporations like them) is scary and irritating and even infuriating. i definitely recommend it if you've never seen it... it's 5 years old, but still relevant. (and apparently they're coming out with a new version sometime soon-ish.)

unlikely companions

yesterday i was driving through a somewhat marshy area on the outskirts(-ish) of town, and i suddenly saw the familiar silhouette of a great blue heron ahead. he was standing very near the side of the road, maybe about 4 or 5 feet away, at the edge of some tall bronze grasses. i love herons and i love being able to see one so close, so i was really excited--especially since it was in kind of a strange spot. i was less than .25 miles away from a major intersection where things turn city-fied again, but apparently that was just fine by him. 

anyhow, as i got closer, i slowed a bit so i could gawk at him, and then i suddenly realized that there was a gigantic red-tailed hawk standing with him! he was also about 4 feet from the road, maybe about 4 or 5 feet closer to me. i was totally gobsmacked, and i quickly checked my rear-view mirror to make sure i wouldn't get rear-ended for slamming on the brakes. it was all clear, so i went ahead and ground to a halt right in the middle of the road so i could watch them for a few minutes. the heron didn't seem to mind me so much, but the hawk was very curious about my stopping, and he kept shifting his head to examine my car. 

suddenly remembering that i could, i started struggling to get my iPhone out so i could snap a picture, but before i could get organized the hawk decided that he'd had enough of me, and he up and flew away. the heron then cocked his head and considered me more carefully, but stayed put. i told him he was gorgeous, and decided to leave him alone. i felt a little bad that i freaked out the hawk, but i suppose that's the way it goes.

afterward, of course, i wondered what the heck they were doing together... whether it was just a coincidence, or what. i hope there was nothing icky going on. anyhow, they were soooo pretty, and it was such an unexpected surprise, i was excited for the next 20 minutes.