YES, my gorgeous glitterbugs, the rumours are true!
The Vegan Sparkles tour of the U.S.A. is about to commence! (excited squeeeeal!)
No more relying on my imagination to translate the amazing taste descriptions delivered by my favourite American bloggers. I’m finally heading over to check out all the infamous tempeh reubens, rye bread sandwiches with pickles, Daiya pizza, corn bread biscuits, and red velvet cakes for myself! And in true Entourage style, I’m bringing seven friends along for the ride! Oh my!
Naturally my highest priority is making sure that I eat my way through as many vegan joints as possible so I can come back to Australia and re-create them for you. I’ve made a list of the recommendations I’ve received so far and would be thrilled to hear any more that you have – especially anything involving Daiya, vegan food trucks and/or Mexican food.
Lay them on me, baby!
First Stop: NYC ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
- Wholefoods!
- Pure Food & Wine
- Candle 79
- Blossom
- Caravan of Dreams
- Cafe Viva Natural Pizza
- Pala Pizza
- Slice Perfect
Fashion (to wear to all the groovy vegan places)
photo credit: – Dave Morrow – via photopin cc
Next Stop: Santa Cruz ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc
Next Stop: San Francisco ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
photo credit: Peter Gorges via photopin cc
Last Stop: L.A. ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
photo credit: red.dahlia via photopin cc
Blogging on the Road ♥••*´¨`*•.☆•
I thought long and hard about taking my laptop on the trip and blogging throughout the journey but in the end I decided to spend the time soaking everything up to the max and to just take notes in my sparkly new notebook and share my stories (and recipes!) with you when I get back.
I will absolutely Instablog on the road, though and thanks to recent changes to Instagram you don’t even need a smart phone to come on photo tour with me, YAY!
Click HERE to check out my snapshots through Instagram or follow along on Facebook. ♥
I’ll return the week beginning 10th December with some exiting ideas and new directions for you that I hope you’re going to love. In the meantime you might want to check out a few of my favourite sites:
- Olive on Blonde – for eco-harmony living and DIY natural beauty products.
- Jia Ni Teo – for happy, healthy, abundant life inspiration.
- Eclectori – for beautiful clothes and gifts from talented West Australian designers.
- Keepin’ It Kind , Vedged Out, Tofudie and Veggieful – for incredible vegan food.
Take care, beautiful souls! I will miss you!
Love, light and sparkles,
Bex xx
photo credit: Linh H. Nguyen via photopin cc
This is quite the trip you have planned! I can’t wait to hear about it 🙂
Thanks Gabby! It’s the furthest I’ve been in about ten years, so I’m super excited!! 🙂
I can’t wait to read and see the food you try in USA! 🙂
Thanks Lisa! I can’t wait to start taking snaps for you guys! 🙂
I am so excited for you!! Enjoy your trip and have a BLAST! I can’t wait to read all about your adventures.
Thanks so much, Britt! 🙂
Your San Francisco list is giving me homesick hunger pangs for Northern California! Your trip sounds like a blast. Eat, drink, be merry, and have SO much fun!
Thanks so much, Katie! If you have any other Cali tips, I’d love to hear them. 🙂
Oh that sounds like a wonderful trip! Hope you have a great time, I’m looking forward to drooling over your food pics.
hehe, thanks so much, Mel! I just need to remember to take pics before inhaling it all! 😉
Can’t wait to hear/see all about it! 🙂
And thank you for saying I was one of your fave sites… what a big sparkly honour. 🙂
Also wanted to let you know – go find The Tree Kisser on Instagram. She is in USA and always has THE most amazing vegan nom nom pictures! Could be an awesome resource.
SAFE TRAVELS
xxx
Oh I will! Thanks so much, Em! xxx
Hi Bec,
Enjoy the degustation… I loved The Stinking Rose restaurant in San Fran, It’s motto is “they serve a little food with the Garlic!” Not too sure if it is vegan but did have vegetarian dishes…you just gotto luv GARLIC! google it!
In the Mission District (SF) try Petes’ Coffee. designed around your personality, my personal tour guide Lily Cole works there part time also., grt coffee. loads of vegetarian treats too. Very quirky.
Have THE best time… We loved the Wholefoods stores and the LA Farmers Market and especially SPROUTS farmers Market. Alyce is vegetarian and we had endless choices.
Forgot to mention she is selling Lara bars ( The original fruit and nut food bars) for her fundraiser for her next trip to work in The Dominican Republic Nov 2013. ctns of the darn things in her room imported from the US so it looks like a warehouse..
They are 3 for $7.00. try them in the US,way cheaper… they are totally Vegan,, soy free, non GMO, dairy free kosher, gluten free,no additives. mostly dates, almonds, cashews, pecans, coconut, taste yummy and she eats 2 a day. they come in Blueberry muffin flavour, pecan pie, coconut cream pie, lemon, and about 10 other flavours. You will be hooked.
You might like to try the snack food, snap pea snacks… they are like a green cheezel in texture, vegan and bean shaped.
yummo.
Souplantation has the best corn biscuits…like pumpkin scones… $10.29 for all you can eat and puts Sizzlers to shame.
Ok back to work for me . enough info to fill your head..
have fun. Kerry x
Thanks so much, Kerry! 🙂 Wholefoods was AMAAAAZING and I definitely scoffed my fair share of Lara bars on the run! I didn’t see the snow pea snaps, though! They sound delicious! WANT! xx
Fun fun!!! What an amazing trip. Welcoming you to the US with big, open arms. I’m so glad you are going to Millennium in SF. Amazing. Safe travels!
Thanks so much, Annie! 🙂
Aw man, too bad you’re not coming to Michigan! BUT you’ll find plenty to eat in New York. I’d recommend heading to Chinatown to try some of the food they sell on the street outside the markets. You might need a translator…but the food is so good and SO cheap.
My favorite restaurant ever in New York, though, is Teany. It’s owned by Moby (and sometimes you might even find him there). All the vegan food is good, and if they have any Peanut Butter Bomb cake when you visit, you’ll really be in luck. Have fun!!!
Thanks so much, Katherine! 🙂 I LOVED your recommendation and tried so hard to make it to the Moby cafe but sadly ran out of time. It’s on the list for next time!!!
What a great trip you have planned!! 🙂 Have fun and PLEASE teach us how to make the po’boy sandwich from Sage (one of my fave restaurants here in LA!!) I would also like to hear your take on Shojin (vegan, Japanese, macrobiotic) if you get a chance to try that place. YUMMMYYYY! Bon voyage and welcome to LA!
Thank you so much, Lori Jo! 🙂 Sadly I didn’t get to either of those places BUT I do have lots of other meals to share!
That’s great news for you, bex! Enjoy your vegan travels in the US of A! 🙂 Yeah! Lucky you!
Thanks so much, Sophie! 🙂 x
I am so jealous! What an ambitious and exciting trip you have planned. Enjoy every minute and I can’t wait to hear about it all!
Thanks so much, Reia! 🙂
OH so exciting! I wanted to dine at Blossom last year, but they did not have outdoor seating; and my dog accompanied me on the trip! Couldn’t leave Gwendolyn in the hotel room! Have a fabulous time, and report back!!!
haha, no way – Gwendolyn must dine too! 🙂 Thank you so much and a full report is imminent!!
You might want to throw Veggie Grill in the mix while in LA if you can… you are going to some of the best places in the US of A – makes me a wee bit homesick. While there try to talk Daiya in to exporting to NZ/AUS… 🙂
Ohhhh, the shredded Daiya available in all the Wholefoods stores over there was just fantastic! 🙂 I’m still a fan of Notzarella in the meantime, though. 😉
OMG you are going to have so much fun!!
I sure did, Barb! 🙂
Have SOOOO much fun Sparkles! I wish I could pack up and join you! Next time come to Utah and we’ll go snowboarding and feast at all the veg restaurants downtown! xx
haha, DEAL, Somer! 🙂 xx
Welcome to the states! I hope you have a blast and eat your vegan heart out! : )
Thank you so much – I sure did!!! 🙂
When are you coming to Canada? Just a skip up to Vancouver 🙂 Also I nominated you for the Sunshine Award! http://lindsayisvegan.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/the-sunshine-award/
Ohhhh, thank you so much, Lindsay! You just made my day! 🙂 And Canada is definitely on the bucket list! xx
That sounds like a wonderful trip!!! I hope you have a great time in America! These are a yummy list of restaurants! I can’t wait to hear about your trip.
Thanks so much, Alaine! I can’t wait to share them all with you! 🙂
Definitely veggie grill, whole foods and vegan glory in LA. If you eat at non vegan places, I’ve found there are a lot of animal additives that vary from aus.
Thanks Kel! 🙂 How amazing is Wholefoods??? Oh my WOW, I wanted to live in there!