Creamy Chickpea and Tahini Casserole

DISCLOSURE: The photo below will NOT do this recipe justice!

OK, so thanks to Facebook I recently discovered that a friend from high school has adopted a cruelty-free diet! LOVES IT! So, I have been stalking her cooking pursuits (well, maybe we both have) and a few months ago she caught my eye with the words "Chickpea" and "Tahini" in a caption on one of her photos. I have since made this dish THRICE times and have changed it up each time to make it even more delicious than the last. The original recipe is here and my friend's new, fancy-schmancy blog is here, so check it out!

*** Perfections to the recipe ***

-2 cups instead of 3-4 cups rice (I cook mine in a rice maker)

-double all the spices

-mix in cayenne pepper ( I like it HOT!)

-28 oz can diced tomatoes PLUS a 15 oz can (leftovers keep better w/ the extra moisture)

-Smother the top with Daiya brand cheddar cheese (I almost wish I didn't experiment with this because it definitely upped the calorie factor and now it tastes too amazing to skip!)

-Tastes better at room temp, and the next day, than it does fresh out the oven!

-If you're especially daring, I mixed some sliced jalapeños into my bowl ;)

I promise to take a real picture next time!

Happy 25th Birthday, Roomie!

So, grad school has turned me into a slacker in the cooking department but even more of a slacker in the blogging department!

My not-so-new-now roommate turned a quarter century old in early October and I was set on impressing her with a vegan treat. She is not a believer in veganism but she is a believer in cake! I asked her what her favorite type of cake or cupcake is and she responded, "Seriously, I LOVE any cake!" OK, easy enough. Well, I have a go-to cupcake recipe but I decided to think outside of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and try something new. So I did! I was inspired by the recipe here and made a few minor adjustments. I only had gluten-free flour so I went with that and used So Delicious brand coconut milk instead of soy milk. They were a HUGE hit! The birthday girl was their biggest fan. One point for veganism AND another for GF!

Here they are, pre-frosting! (I made frosting by whipping up Earth Balance, vanilla, and powdered sugar in no particular order):

Across the USA 2010

Las Vegas, NV

Go Raw Cafe

2910 Lake East Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89117

To start off our trip my driving companion, who was to drive me cross-country in an effort to help me move, and I spent a night in Las Vegas. There was some debauchery of sorts but what's more memorable is the food we had here to jumpstart us on our following adventurous. Fresh, healthy, and made me feel 1000 times better, and ready for the inevitable junk food I would have to eat on 10 hour jaunts through the middle of nowhere. Read my review of Go Raw Cafe here, but for now enjoy this photo of the Vegi-cotti (half-sized portion, by the way) that I had the pleasure of chowing down on!

and I can't forget about these raw coconut macaroons! Compliments to a creative chef!

Albuquerque, NM

Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine & Chai House

2201 Silver St. SE

Albuquerque, NM 87106

This was my first unplanned night alone. With only 1,000 miles down with a copilot and 2,300 left to go alone I set out to find some yummy food to lift my spirits. I had never dined at a Ayurvedic restaurant before so it was a natural choice to go here. I ordered a samosa and the bowl of the day ( I forget what the specific term for it is) and a cookie for later. I was a bit disappointed in my meal, regretfully so. I don't even have any photos to share! If I were to ever return to this supposed oasis in the desert I would definitely order something more extravagant but considering I didn't have much of an appetite, nor anyone to share it with I stuck to the smallest basics that were on the menu. The chutney was definitely delicious but I have had much better samosas in my lifetime that have stood on their own sans the complementing taste of chutney! Also, if a nonvegan were to bite into the cookie that I myself had to force myself to swallow it would be a great turn off! The word "cardboard" comes to mind. The atmosphere of this place is definitely top-notch, I'd advise getting some chai and taking advantage of the wi-fi and NOT take your order to go if you ever find yourself in my position, on the course of a long drive. I had left my laptop behind in my hotel so this wasn't a choice I had at the time.

St. Louis, MO

Foundation Grounds

7298 Manchester Rd

Maplewood, MO 63143

I stayed the night in Missouri but nowhere near St. Louis. I had this place in mind when I hit the road and after approx. 5 hours of driving without having had a meal in at least 16 I was so ready to get here! Especially since I planned on driving at least 4 more following this heavenly lunch. It is a bit outside of the city, as you can see by the address, in a very unassuming part of town. The atmosphere is chill but I wouldn't call the mood "chill", instead the guy who took my order came off as unfriendly and I must say I was expecting a little more warmth from the midwest. If he had anything to do with making my sandwich, however, then he can consider himself forgiven! This place caught my eye on Yelp after I read a mention about likening it to a cafe in Santa Cruz, CA... that's all it took and I was sold. I ordered the sandwich and soup meal dealio and it was bombastic! They are lacking on having many vegan selections but the "chicken" salad sandwich is clearly marked vegan on the menu, as was the carrot-squash soup of the day. I'm always a sucker for squash soups.

Indianapolis, IN

3 Sister Cafe & Bakery

6360 Guilford Ave

Indianapolis, IN 46220

Out of all of the places I ventured in and through during my first trek across the country Indianapolis is a place I definitely want to visit again! I only spent the night, then woke up to a hazy morning, and set out on my way to 3 Sisters before making my way to DC (being alone caused me to be on overdrive instead of taking our time as initially planned). This place is adorable and the people are VERY friendly. Having options on the menu, clearly marked, made it very difficult for me to pick a meal! I am happy with my choice and you can read my full review of 3 Sisters via the trusty Yelp. Here is a picture of my super hearty sandwich for your viewing pleasure! Sorry about the quality, my camera was left behind so all but the first photo are from the archives of my mobile device!

Washington,DC

Soul Vegetarian's Exodus

2606 Georgia Ave NW

Washington, DC 20001

How could I not go here with a name like that?! It was beckoning me the moment I read the name of it, and the reviews just inspired me to salivate with no control. The photo below doesn't look like much but I assure you this was QUITE the novel dining experience! It's fittingly on Georgia Ave as it is definitely soul food that can rival anything of the meat variety in the southern states, not that I have ever had any meaty southern food! But I can imagine and the popularity of this restaurant to visitors as well as those who live in the neighborhood, where fried chicken is on every corner, speaks volumes more than my written words can! I got a platter for myself and sat down and read a book determined to eat every morsel. Upon seeing the mac and cheese and the country-fried "steak" I was definitely expecting to feel disgustingly full and greasy upon leaving this establishment but some sort of miracle occurred and I did NOT! Something to be said about only using vegetable oil and avoiding trans-fats because generally speaking I do not do well with anything fried if I have more than an average of 3 bites. I felt fine and not at all uncomfortable after leaving here, well not uncomfortable in terms of the food anyway.... walking the neighboring streets alone is another story. It was very cool to be able to eat this type of food, as I never had before. I wouldn't do it everyday but chicken-fried "steak" is not a word I had ever really used in my food vocabulary before. To be honest I think the cabbage was my favorite part! This place is a must for vegans, everything is on-limits, especially those of you who miss this type of food from your previously carnivorous days!

Boston, MA

Peace O' Pie

487 Cambridge Street

Boston, MA 02134

So apparently this place is technically in Boston although it's on the Cambridge side of things (aka MIT and Harvard, with the smarties). ALL of the pizzas are vegan and therefore, per usual, my decision was hard. It all came down to the fact that I have never had a BBQ chicken pizza in my life and thus why we chose the, guess what!, BBQ "chicken" pizza. Wanna see a pic? OHHHH welll.... here ya go! SOOO DELISH!!!!

Summary: I am determined to teach people that it is possible to survive as a vegan while traveling, and in this case across my OWN country! Mission accomplished, although I feel like I've gained 12 lbs, I did not. I strive to eat fresh ingredients and something is to be said about doing so on a road trip! The 2 meals in a 3 day period equation complemented by fruit and nuts plus the occasional walk through a city lead to me feeling my possible best during this adventure. I had fast food only once during the duration of driving 3000+ miles. Peace and love, until next time,

Bailey

Sopa de Tortilla

This recipe was inspired by Susan V's recipe on http://blog.fatfreevegan.com but I made some adaptations of my own! Very good... my mom is hooked and we've made 4 huge batches in the last month! Freezes well, too.

2 large dried chiles

1 small raw chili pepper

1 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted or "mexican-style"

1 medium white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)

1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash's chipotle powder (or to taste)

4 cups vegetable broth or no-chicken broth

3 cups water

3 cups pinto beans, cooked

1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)

salt to taste

6 corn tortillas

1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges

2 ripe large avocados, cut into 1/4-inch slices or cubes

4 cups FRESH chopped spinach ( the kind you buy in the bag in the lettuce section)

Toast the chiles (dry and raw) by putting them in a dry skillet over medium heat and press them flat for a few seconds on each side.

When the chiles are cool enough to handle, stem and seed them, tear them into pieces, and put them in a blender along with tomatoes and their juice.

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Spray lightly with olive oil (optional) and add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, this should take 4 to 6 minutes.

Pour it all into the blender along with the chipotle powder and process until smooth.

Return the pot to medium heat. When hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. (Careful--watch for hot, bubbling "eruptions"!) Add broth, oregano (if using), pinto beans and water LAST because you may see that there is too much liquid. Dependent on your consistency add most to all of the water. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the tortillas. Preheat oven to 375F. Cut each tortilla in half (can be done in a stack if you have a sharp knife). Then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Place the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool uncovered until soup is ready.

Add spinach to the soup and season with salt to taste, depending on the saltiness of the broth. I also added more chipotle powder. Cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes for spinach, longer for chard or kale.

Let cool until desired temperature and serve garnished with a wedge of lime and as much avocado and tortilla chips as your tummy desires!!

Crazy Vegan "Craisin" Cookies (born w/ love in Elk Grove, CA)

These were inspired by another cookie recipe I found online via my BlackBerry when I was fresh outta internet and living in the dark ages with a hankering for the oatmeal cookies my aunt would always make me when I was a kid. After eating these I must admit I kind of forgot what hers taste like! I adapted the original recipe to have less sugar, added craisins and doubled the batch (among a few other things) because the cookies were very small and if you're an "I'm only having one.." type of person then you are deserving of having a perfectly sized cookie! So these are not-so-but-mostly-uniquely my own. If you're an oatmeal lover I GUARANTEE you wont miss the eggs or milk in these...

Ingredients:

1.5 cups whole wheat or unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 scant teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon ( I love cinnamon so I am more of a "eyeballer and then some" rather than a measurer when it comes to cinnamon!)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup raw or turbinado sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup rice milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I tried to use a tad less oil and the cookies stuck to the pan a bit so use precaution if you happen to be kind of an oil phobe as am I)

1 teaspoon vanilla (as with cinnamon, I don't measure vanilla... more is better IMO)

3 cups rolled oats

a handful to a cup of dried cranberries (whatever your preference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with cooking oil spray.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

Mix both sugars, maple syrup, rice milk, oil and vanilla together in a larger bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the oats, followed by raisins. (no electric mixer necessary)

Let sit for a few minutes.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet. Cookies will not really grow while baking so the size you make them will be the size they come out as. I prefer cookies taller and not so wide because they seem "fluffier".

Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for about 5-8 minutes on cookie sheet(s) then carefully spatula those babies off and place them wherever your heart desires.

ENJOY!

Risotto a la Italia en Espana!

I made risotto for Jennifer and her boyfriend, Manuel tonight!

I cooked based off of my memory of the risotto my hosts in Venice made for me (I peeled the squash!). It turned out well! I lost the cord for my camera so I am unable to download photos right now but I felt encouraged to write regardless! I have decided that I will keep this blog updated when I am unable to travel by posting worldly recipes and vegan rants when I have use of a kitchen wherever I happen to be "home" aka for now, my mama's or my daddy's!

Squash/pumpkin risotto:

-Get a large saucepan and drizzle olive oil in the bottom of it

-Dice up your preferred amount of garlic and onions (I used half of a sweet, white onion ( I am new to onions!) and 4 cloves of garlic)

-Peel and cut a full half of a butternut type squash into squares. They are very difficult to peel so pick one with a good shape!

-Put saucepan on burner and turn to medium heat and put all of the veggies you've cut up into the pot

-Stir and keep on burner about 10 mins, add 1/4 cup water, and keep cooking for about 10 mins, squash should be tender

-Measure out desired amount of rice ( I apologize that I am not definitive with measurements!) I'd suggest around a cup and a half for half of a squash, and put into the saucepan

-Stir in oil and veg mixture for about a minute and then pour a cup of water into the mix, keep stirring!

-If you're using a nonstick pot then you don't have to stand over it however if you aren't you need to stir quite a bit and be near at all times!

-The process takes about 30 mins but every 10 or so minutes add a cup of water until you have added 3-4 cups

-Simmer and stir until the rice is cooked. Add seasonings to taste and let sit 5 mins before serving!

( I added salt, olive oil, and pepper during the course of cooking...per usual)

The land of 500 cheeses

Nope, not a rumour 'tis true! France has MORE than 500 varieties of cheeses! It's just harder to eat in some places... c'est la vie.

My time in France has been brief but I am spending the night in Montpellier, unplanned, before I embark on my journey to Spain tomorrow. After some consideration of the short time I have left here in Europe, the weather up north and the romance of Paris I have decided NOT to go to "The City of Light/Love". All the more reason to come back another time! There are just some things I don't want to do alone so hopefully one day in life I will be so lucky to venture to Paris with an equally lucky someone. I could go alone, and had every intention to do so but after looking over my calendar and seeing that I had unintentionally planned to get there today (Valentine's Day) the girl in me just screamed "NO!!!!". I tend to torture myself but enough is enough. Not only would it be torturous to my chronic singledom but can you imagine the crowds?!? EEK.

C'est la vie...TMI? I can't help it; Europe has such a romantic vibe...moving on. I spent the last few days in Lyon, France... a place hardly touched by Americans according to the locals and the lack of English knowledge in the area. My friend Jessica lived in Lyon for a year and is OBSESSED with it so I HAD to go. I found a couch to surf, with a vegetarian from England who is planning on turning vegan once she gets back to the UK in the summer. We discussed veganism and the difficulties France presents for a vegan more than we actually ate. I drank more wine than I ate real food and well I have nothing particularly exciting to share on the food front! Lots of baguettes and an interesting chestnut spread were consumed but nothing remarkable or noteworthy. The dreaded peanut butter craving is definitely sinking in right about now. Amy, my CS host, did share a vegetarian restaurant with me but when I made my way there it was already closed! Oh, Europe... so I am not completely to blame for my lack of interesting food info. HOWEVER, I do know how to get there if any of my readers and future readers have an interest in going I would really love to hear about your experience! It's a cute little place not far from a well-known Metro stop:

Toutes Les Coleurs

26 rue Imbert Colomes

Take Metro "C"/yellow line to Croix-Paquet

Walk up and out through stairs, go to the right and continue walking up another set of stairs. Turn right when you get to the street and as it forks go left. You will be on Rue Imbert Colomes and the restaurant is basically on the corner on the left side. I can see it in my mind, now!

It retrospect, because today's journey led me to an unplanned night in Montpellier I could have stayed an extra hour in Lyon and had lunch at Toutes Les Coleurs but then again it is Sunday and everything is closed because France, and much of Europe, really does practice "the day of rest"! Next time...

Lyon is a really cute city, just the right size. I thought I had seen the last of my snowy days but because it is in the more northern part of France I met my new friend Snow once again! Snow plus wind is really something...

I spent a lot of time with Amy but she works nights as a bartender at a nearby pub so the first night when I arrived I met her at work after my train-ride from hell. The second night her flatmates invited me to a "concert" where one of them, Pierre, was playing with 2 of the numerous bands he allegedly works with. It was SOOOO much fun and really reminiscent of California, although I have never felt so uncomfortable language wise it was definitely my kind of scene. It was a house party in Terreaux where Amy and her flatmates live. Terreaux is the alternative, "hippy" part of Lyon. This particular flat (apartment) is apparently an notorious destination for concerts, art expos, etc. The couple who lives there doesn't charge a cover but does provide beer and wine for a euro each. Everyone must take off their shoes upon entering and head upstairs where there is a loft of sorts with art all over the walls, pillows and a loungy vibe. Pierre and his band played Yiddish music, self-written songs in English and some 60's and reggae covers of The Beatles, Marley etc. It was really comfortable if only because the vibe felt so good but it's true, French people are really not the friendliest to outsiders. I didn't want to believe it and I hate stereotypical generalizations but even French people tend to agree! They are, however, very friendly and happy amongst themselves and do not fit the stereotypical "stick up the butt" image they are sometimes known for. Luckily Pierre and Macko, Amy's flatmates, are really chill and know enough English to have some conversation. They tried to make me feel at home but some of the girls there were CLEARLY unhappy about my presence so it was an odd feeling I can't exactly explain but I had fun anyway and I recorded some of the performances and promised the guys I'd get them famous in the states. haha.

I also had the opportunity to meet and hang out with my friend Jessica's friend Florence who she met in Lyon when she studied there a few years ago. She met me in a city square on Saturday, the 13th, and we walked around FREEZING Lyon. We did a tad of shopping (bad Bailey) and then explored the old city across the bridge and had coffee to warm up. We went our separate ways in the late afternoon to meet up later at night and she invited 4 of her friends to get dinner with us and hit up The Smoking Dog Pub, per Jessica's request. Smoking Dog is an English pub and it closed around 1 so after we drove to Boat Q, a club on the river inside of a boat. I was tired and not at all tipsy so after about an hour of dancing to trance music both Florence and I had had enough of the scene so she drove me back to Amy's around 3 and that basically sums up my time in Lyon!

2.14.10

My plan was to get to Montpellier, France and make my way to Barcelona from there. This was going to be tricky because I would have to transfer trains. My original plan was to spend some time in Montpellier because a girl I met on my trip to Israel last year is currently living there however she had left on the 13th for vacation so the timing was off. I woke up and got dressed in a hurry and chose to walk to the train station expecting it to take a max of 30 minutes. I was wrong. The directions were straight away and not confusing but it took much longer than 30 minutes to get there so I missed my train and thus was going to miss the transfer to Barcelona. I got a Subway sandwich, haha, and tried to figure out if there was any way to get to Barca with the aid of one of the station's personnel. There was a way but it was 150 Euros, uhhh, no thanks! So, I hopped on the train and went to Montpellier. Because I had done no research of the place after finding out that Lisa was no longer going to be there I had no idea where to go or what to do when I arrived but I was totally happy to be hugged by warmer weather and sunny skies when I made it to the little coastal town. I found the cheapest hotel nearby and ventured around for a bit and found some food. Unfortunately I have bad news to report regarding the food of choice. I got a pita with veggies and when I was nearly finished a creamy substance started oozing out of the pita. It resembled mayo and upon further inspection I saw that it was IN BETWEEN the pita bread layers? Not even inside of the "sandwich"?!?! So disgusting. Needless to say I threw the rest of it away and didn't figure out the mystery of WTF it was but never had I ever, EVER, seen any sort of creamy substance in pita bread especially since last I checked cream isn't necessary to make pita. It wasn't like a flour and water texture either so the mystery will remain unsolved however I had an icky taste in my mouth and negative thoughts swarming my mind so in honor of V-day I bought myself some dark chocolate with hazelnuts for dessert.

2.15.10

I stayed in a very funny hotel that reeked of something moldy and musky but I eventually got used to it, which isn't exactly a humbling thought! It was nice to have privacy and my own space for a night but definitely not worth the cost. When I checked out I left my luggage at the reception desk and went out to see as much of Montpellier as I could in the 4 hours I had before the train to Barcelona was to leave. I discovered a vegetarian restaurant with vegan options that opened around noon so after I walked around for an hour and a half I had worked up an appetite and made my way to Tripti Kulai. It's location is very easy to get to from the center of Montpellier; it's pretty much a straight shot from the Polygone if you're walking away from the tourist office. I will update links and directions when I do some editing once I am back in the states!

The interior of Tripti Kulai is adorned with calming pastel colors and Buddha statues. The women who work there are very nice and all clad in colorful saris. They offer a menu of the day that comes with an appetizer and a main course. I probably would have been fine and dandy with just a meal sans an appetizer but when I come across these places my excitement truly gets the best of me! I ordered the plate of the day "Tofu a la mexicaine, riz, salade verti" and decided upon the pate instead of a salad as my appetizer because pate is an integral part of French cuisine. I was so full! Although my meal was good it was definitely not up to my taste buds' standards of "mexican" it was actually rather bland and in need of sriracha but I am getting used to blander food and there was no pepper in sight. I hadn't had a good source of protein in a few days so it was definitely fulfilling to have tofu in my system! The pate was really good and I will definitely be adding pate to the list of things I must make once I get back to a kitchen at home. They even offer some vegan desserts at Tripti Kulai but because I was without someone to roll me out of there I asked for my check once I was done with my meal and didn't try the tarte, sadly.

Vegan Pate

"Mexican" tofu and rice

http://www.triptikulai.com/

Rain, rain go away...

... I want to thoroughly enjoy my Roman holiday!

When I was a child the sound produced by a storm or a passing train always comforted me and as I'd try to analyze why I'd eventually fall asleep and wake up in the morning to the squawk of a nearby rooster, a sound that didn't comfort me so much, haha. I am not exactly sure why I liked the sound of trains and thunder as a kid (feel free to psychoanalyze) but I must admit that the childhood feeling of comfort I'd get from a storm didn't make it into my adulthood. Storms somewhat terrify me now and my mind races to tsunamis, floods, and hurricanes immediately without intention. Last night I slept very little and very terribly thanks 1) to the cot excused as a bed I've adopted whilst here in Rome and 2) because the storm making its way thru Rome was one of the most intense I've heard in awhile! It's now morning but the aftermath of the storm has left the streets wet and vacant so before getting myself together and venturing out I will give them some time to dry, and also try this blogging thing again....

So, I've been in Italy for five days! I arrived in Venice by way of Zurich and Milan on Monday via my favorite method of transport, rail of course. Not only was I thinking of the environment when I opted to purchase a Eurail pass pass instead of various flights some months ago but I was also really looking forward to experiencing European "countryside" through the window view trains provide. The ride from and through Switzerland to Venice was phenomenal! I can only imagine how much prettier these two countries are when the weather is better and the existence of greenery is present. Italy and Switzerland may provide some of the best camera-ready panoramic views in the summer and spring, as seen in many movies, but winter is real 'round these parts so snow adds a true characteristic of its own and although it deterred somewhat from film images I've seen many a time it was still beautiful and enjoyable and alas, novel for my California-American eyes.

2.1.10

The Santa Lucia train station, not to be confused with station Mestre, in Venice is easy to find and provides for a landmark by which to navigate yourself around in the city that is famous for its canals, bridges and gondolas. I arrived at Santa Lucia and was by some miracle,apparently, able to find my hotel/ hostel in about 20 minutes after arrival. After checking in I made my way to my room of 8 beds to find no one there so because it was nearing dinner time and as usual on a day of train transit, I had yet to eat a meal, I left the hostel in search of a supermarket. My goal was to find something I could easily prepare and consume without the use of a stove, microwave, plates etc. I found Coop market without confusion and began to wonder if the horror stories I'd heard about getting lost in Venice were all just myth? Venice is shaped like a fish and therefore rather circular; how hard can it be? The market was fascinating and just like I pictured; very "Italian"! I am such a food and travel dork that it may or may not always be amusing to you but I was happy. There are rows of wine and olive oil, a fresh olive bar with a man in a big white chef hat to serve you, fresh-baked breads of every sort, and a non-smelly meat department that I could only appreciate for not only the lack of stench but also because it made the visual I had imagined complete in reality. The best part for me at the time is that in the fresh and vibrant produce section I found pre-packaged salads sans meat, eggs, or cheese (you'd be surprised how hard it is to find a simple vegan salad in Europe) and there next to the salads were cute individual bottles of olive oil infused with various vegetables including pepperocinis and garlic... mmmmm! I settled on a vine-ripe tomato, half a baguette, a salad, oil w/ garlic and 2 clementines for dessert and headed back to the hotel eager to eat the fresh veggies but let's face it I was more excited about the bread and oil... this is Italy after all! When I got back to the room I again found nobody else there so I tried to eat as cleanly as I could at the end of my bed. As I was finishing my dinner up a girl from Ukraine named Anastassia came in; we shared conversation about travel, life, education and politics over the clementines that we had each separately purchased. Time flew by and it was nearly bed time. As we were brushing our teeth and getting ready to sleep two guys from Japan came in with the intention to drink a liter of Heineken and inquire about our lives in between hysterical laughter so, it ended up being a typical hostel stay! haha...

2.2.10

I was able to secure a place to stay with Marta from CouchSurfing who had responded to my somewhat desperate request in record timing. Her and her flatmate, Gaia, are studying for their Masters in Contemporary Art and have nearly identical schedules during the day that allow for a mid-day siesta, of course. We had arranged to meet at their place between 1 and 2:45 pm. I checked out of the hostel at 10, left my bags behind and made my way through "streets", across bridges and over canals to spend the morning in Piazza San Marco. I walked around and inside the basilica most commonly known as St. Mark's Basilica, the namesake of the piazza, took in the sight of Doge's Palace that was undergoing typical winter renovations and took in the breathtaking view of Venice. The piazza is not only a central meeting grounds in Venice, full of history, but it provides a great vantage point of experiencing the ways of the water transit system as it opens up into a lagoon connected with The Grand Canal, Venice's main waterway. The sun was shining and the Vitamin D immediately had a positive and sunny affect on me and my zealous photo-taking!

L to R: St. Mark's Clocktower, The Basilica and Doge's Palace AKA Piazza San Marco!.. the stages around me were being set up in anticipation of Carnevale.

View from the water's edge at Piazza San Marco

After visiting THE piazza, I continued walking and came across the Royal Gardens and went to The Accademia where I paid a 10 euro entry fee to only find out that the pieces of art I wanted to see most, particularly those by Bellini e.g. Madonna and Child Blessing, were being restored and many of the rooms were closed! I love art, don't get me wrong, but there are only so many pre-19th century, faded, depictions of Jesus Christ and his disciples I can look at in silence before I crave running through the halls hoping to find something modern or contemporary, to no avail. After I completed my hour in The Accademia I started heading back toward the train station to orient myself in order to find Marta's flat. On my way to Santa Lucia I felt some hunger building up so I started checking out menus at the street cafes I was passing and instead chose a "self-service" ristorante because the prices seemed decent and the food looked appetizing! I ordered fettuccine and mushrooms doused in oil and parsley. The color was a bit yellow so I was sure to ask if it was oil and not butter used and if the noodles were eggless. The woman who served me spoke English pretty well and understood my broken Italian so I trusted her answer! It was really quite yummy for being cafeteria style! Also it was nice to have a place to sit and read w/ a really awesome view of the bustling Grand Canal.

My "self-serve" meal of fettuccine and funghi. I wrote down the name of ristorante but the page fell out of my planner... hopefully I'll recall it soon!

After my solo-lunch ( I am getting really professional at eating alone) I headed back over the canal, through the windy streets and to the other side of Venice where I was to meet my hosts. The other side of Venice is basically the right side of Venice as you walk out of the Termini train station. The left side is definitely the more touristy side whereas the right side is more residential and university oriented. Marta and Gaia met me near a bridge near their flat (explaining directions if you haven't been there is really pointless so I'll spare you!) and we went upstairs for some chit-chatting before we separated them, for class and me for some book reading at a cafe nearby. When we met back up at their flat later we went out to a local bar and I had my first "spritz". A spritz is basically a wine spritzer and not really a favorite of mine but when in Venice, I had to!

2.3.10

I spent the better part of the day doing random activities with Marta and Gaia. Marta took me to the bottom part of "the fish" aka Venice where you stand on this really small peninsula and are surrounded by water on both sides. It was a really awesome view and this particularly famous statue locally translated as "naked boy holding frog" was being guarded by a very awkward guard man who was even more awkward than the idea of a naked boy child statue.

On our way back to the flat we stopped to buy ingredients to make pumpkin risotto! My hosts thought intently about what we could make that fit into vegan parameters. It was really delicious, simple and I am happy to have a new recipe to add to my worldly collection!

Gaia and Marta peeling the squash for the risotto; I helped too!

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich, Switzerland, the biggest city in a nation most notorious for the Alps? No, I think its cheese and milk chocolate are even more renowned… mmmmm… am I going to starve? Good thing I ate some pomme frittes before I boarded the train from Munich. Barf. The fact that people in this part of the world can eat pomme frittes so leisurely w/ liberal amounts of mayonnaise REALLY concerns me. I’ve been away from the US for nearly 10 days and went until this very day without consuming even one fry… I figured because I was short on time and because my pants are too big in not a good way I could “splurge” for convenience. Bad idea. I wish I took a picture of the serving of fries I was handed. Holy Cow. Everyone else was doing it so I figured it couldn’t hurt… I was wrong. Fried food doesn’t do my tummy well in ANY country. I threw the second half of my ketchup (and curry sauce) drenched fries away as the guy who had ordered before me was finishing his entire cone of them?!?!?! What is this? An Olympic sport? I think you have to have a lifetime of training to eat that many fries at noon while in transit at a train station. I could seriously sit at the fry stand all day and people-watch the fry eaters… big, small, male, female, fat, thin… I just have no more words. See for yourself:

(Thank you bestinchow.net for allowing me to re-publish this photo... I may be strong but not strong enough to even stomach taking a photo like this!)

"My mindset is Munich..."

That's a Madeleine Albright quote of which the rest doesn't pertain to me!

I LOOOOOVE Munich! I think after a few days here I feel completely comfortable with the city in terms of the weather (k, not COMPLETELY), the people ( if only I knew German) , and especially the superb transportation system! I don't know if it's because I become more secure with myself the older, wiser and more traveled I am but I honestly feel more and more at "home" when I go places rather than just feeling like an observing outsider who is merely passing through. I think the art of traveling encompasses this. My motto has always been to think and behave as an explorer rather than a tourist and perhaps I'm just getting better at it. This place is great, accessible, clean and really safe. I am truly sad to be departing today but another adventure awaits ahead!

1.25.10

I arrived to Munich in the late afternoon. The view greeting me when exiting the rail station was a picture replica of the set-up and view from the Frankfurt station. I had to search for some dissimilarities before I was convinced I was in the right place and to keep walking ahead. I was unable to secure a couch with CouchSurfing my first night so I booked a bed at Euro Youth Hostel and it was in very close proximity to the rail station. As I was checking in a crew of about 30 Irish guys crammed in thru the entrance and my immediate thought was "AHHHHH!". I was in no mood to be sociable at the moment and really couldn't get my mind off of taking a shower but in their extremely strong accents some of them insisted on exchanging banter with me about nothing other than beer (typical) and eventually I was able to scurry off to my room. For the next few hours I did boring things like shower, brush my teeth, and check my email. As the sun was setting I realized I had not eaten since dinner in Prague the night before so I ventured out to purchase a baguette and tomatoes, sooooo nutritious! haha.

Atfer eating I decided maybe wearing make-up would do me some good so I went downstairs to the bathroom and met another girl while she was applying her mascara. Her name is Cassandra and she went to USC so we immediately had a California connection to which our partnership for the night was formed. She's also traveling alone so we naturally decided to hang out and explore some Bavarian nightlife. By Bavarian nightlife I mean bouncing between a few Hofbrahauses in the area. First we went to a "non-touristy" one and then to the overpriced touristy one. We shared some beers, some conversation, an over-priced cab after walking in the wrong direction,

and people-watching. It was a good way to orient myself into Bavarian society!

1.26.10

I had arranged to "surf" the couch of a nurse named Katherina who lives in the south of Munich. Because of her hectic work schedule I had to be at her flat before 12:30 pm or after 9:30 . I checked out of the hostel at around 10, bid "Auf Wiedersehen" to Cassandra, and made my way to the U1 subway in order to meet Katherina by noon. Good thing I left 2 hours early! Her directions seemed easy enough and make perfect sense now but I was so disoriented when I finally arrived to her street by bus. I keep blaming my mishaps in direction on the snow so let's not make this an exception! I walked the wrong way a half dozen times before my mind went into overdrive wondering where on earth I was going to seek shelter because I was sure to get frostbite any second. Luckily my phone works internationally so with it beeping red and dying on me I was able to reach Katherina and 3 dropped calls later I found my way! ( like a movie, for sure) I was so happy to see her when I made it to her 4th floor flat that I immediately grabbed her in an embrace before I let myself in to defrost. We chatted for about an hour before we walked out together. My destination: The Residenz of Munich, hers: the hospital down the street for work.

When I arrived, assumably where I was supposed to be, in the Residenz area of Munich the damn snow disoriented me yet again. The subway station exit opens up into a huge courtyard, currently covered in snow, that is squared in by 4 very impressive and presumably important buildings that in some way relate to the Residenz-my destination. There were some people walking about but none anywhere near me and all of them were walking away in completely opposite directions. I was definitely alone in this huge snowy courtyard and it didn't take much to come to the conclusion that of course I was alone! There's half a foot of snow on the ground and snow falling from the skies... who in their right mind goes sight-seeing in such conditions? Oh, well... that'd be me. So, I walked around somewhat aimlessly but with the right intentions, in and out of the buildings unsure of what I was actually looking at. I took lots of pics and marveled at the architecture but eventually I couldn't feel my fingers or toes so I had to seek safety in a cafe with the rest of civilization. Tucked in between all of these important Munich buildings, monuments and statues is San Francisco Coffee Company. My immediate train of thought was: "San Francisco? then they MUST have soy milk!" but because it was called something so familiar and was smack dab in the middle of a tourist hot-spot I masochistically kept walking in search of a more genuinely "Munich" cafe, whatever that means. Moral of the story is: Why do I torture myself? San Francisco Coffee Company was warm, hip and gave me a great place to perch and read whilst drinking my coffee for awhile... and there was only one loud American in there who I am 99% sure is from SF!

After I decided I was satisfied with my wee coffee break I set back out into the world to explore some more. I mostly just wandered around aimlessly but with the right intentions like before and once the overcast sky turned to dusk I set my course straight for Katherina’s flat. I’m afraid I don’t have anything monumental to report about the rest of my night in terms of activities or food. I just finished my baguette and tomatoes from the day before as my dinner and had a banana that I pocketed from my breakfast at the hostel for dessert. I can’t afford to take myself out to eat for EVERY meal! It’s either a real meal… or not much of a meal at all, haha, so far I’ve got a good balance going on! 1.27.10 Let’s Go Europe: 2010 describes Café Ignaz as a “rockin’ eco-friendly café”. Nowhere in the description does it refer to Café Ignaz as a vegetarian restaurant but lo and behold it is! I figured so much when I read “eco-friendly” because IMHO meat has no place in being prepared and/or served anywhere where deserving of being called “eco-friendly”. In the snow and cold everything is harder to find, story of my life; I’ve accepted it. So, because of the lack of humanity within sight I felt lost most of the time I was walking to Café Ignaz. To get there you take the U2 subway to Josephplatz and exit on Adelheistr. to the right where you turn right on Georgenstr., walk about 4 blocks and Café Ignaz is located on the right side of the street at Georgenstr. 67. It’s a warm and small hole in the wall that also doubles as a walk-in bakery (none of the baked goods were vegan to my knowledge).

They supply English speakers with an English menu that makes life that much easier! Things are listed as Vegetarian or Vegan. They serve a buffet at both breakfast and lunch that is a much more economical option that ordering from the menu (approx. 7 euro). I arrived in between breakfast and lunch and was wary to wait and order the lunch buffet because I would have no way of knowing what was and wasn’t vegan because a) the waitress didn’t speak English and b) nothing was labeled. I ordered from the regular menu and got myself .4 L of orange juice to hold me over as I waited for my nudel-gratin. The menu had other things that appealed to me like a stone-oven baked tofu pizza, various stir-fries, and risottos but I felt like ordering a “gratin” would be the most German thing to do! In retrospect I wish I had gone with the pizza. My meal was inspiring because it had dates and I’d never think to make a pasta with dates in it but aside from that it was rather simple for upwards of 8 euro. I’ll admit, there’s something left to be desired when there isn’t cheese holding an oven-baked pasta dish together; perhaps I should’ve opted for a potato gratin instead?

All in all the experience was satisfying. I would in no way call Café Ignaz “rockin’” as Let’s Go did… I think quaint and homey are better adjectives for the atmosphere. With a name like Café Ignaz and a “rockin’” reputation I was picturing something with a Latin vibe or something, but it’s not as such. I would’ve probably gone again during my time in Munich to try a pizza or something but the price of my meal was definitely the only thing worthy of being called rockin’, and not in a good way but in a far out price kind of way. I paid just under 13 euro for my food. Check out a currency converter and you will see that that far exceeds the price of a one person meal at a mid-range restaurant ANYWHERE in the states and is much too much for a lone-traveler with no job and only the money in her checking account to survive on. But, alas, I did it for blogging’s sake. ☺ After eating I made my way to find the Pinakotheken. There are three Pinakothek that make up the Pinakotheken; they are: Pinaktothek der Moderne, Alte Pinakothek, and the Neue Pinakothek. The directions I used to get there were fairly simple but failed me. I walked around the snowy streets void of human-life for about 30 minutes before finding an advertisement that led me to believe I was close and eventually I found my way. (If you know me, you know I am not exactly direction-challenged. I have a photographic memory but have an aversion to maps… there’s something to be said about getting lost in this manner, though, how to verbalize it is another thing… )