I have to say I am so encouraged by the spreading of the plant-based diet movement that is gradually entering the commercial food chains. When everything from Stonefire Grill to Subway to 7-Eleven are offering vegan additions to their menu, I am delighted.

I am fortunate to live in a major metropolis that attracts all kinds of cuisine so by visiting a site like happycow.net, I can find a listing of over 60 restaurants in LA area alone that are vegetarian and/or vegan friendly. How awesome is that?

Specialty items like Go Max Go vegan candy bars can be found at Fresh & Easy stores, Target carries Morningstar Farms, Gardein, Sweet Earth, and their own Archer Farms versions of vegan substitutes – I truly believe that as the technology to produce better versions of traditional animal products, it will become more accepted. Kind of like the gay marriage initiative – I mean, who would have thought ten years ago that we would have so many states recognizing the right of gay men and women to marry and create families?

But I digress…back to food! My BF Chris and I dearly love micro-brews and I was so happy to find a great place to combine California beers, sausages, an array of board games and dog-friendly outdoor seating. Sound impossible? Nope, it’s Tony’s Darts Away on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank. It’s a great neighborhood bar with a duplicate menu to satisfy carnivores and vegans alike. They recently started serving Sunday brunch but any time is good time to indulge here. My (Best Food Friend) Eileen and I celebrated her birthday here with the brunch and it was delicious. Please support our local businesses who are socially conscious and fun to patronize!

NMRK,

Lisa Lyons
“I smile as a cause and not an effect…”