Are you looking for places to purchase vegan candy for Halloween? Here’s some online sources that sell vegan goodies with a Halloween theme:

https://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/vegan-candy
https://www.nowheychocolate.com/Halloween_Chocolate_s/150.htm
https://shop.enjoylifefoods.com/Halloween-Chocolate-Minis/c/EnjoyLife@Halloween
https://store.veganessentials.com/halloween-treats-c205.aspx

Photo from The Wild Oat Bakery & Café

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at:
www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Doggie style
603 West Live Oak St.
Austin, TX 78704
This super fun and creative kitchen on wheels brings the vegan food to your neighborhood! Everything is made in house from scratch or is from a local vegan business or farm. A great vegan interpretation of the classic American hot dog. With cute pun names for all the food on the menu, a great design, friendly staff, and affordable prices you are sure to love Doggie Style. According to them, they only do it one way: vegan.

Mi Vegana Madre
5835 W. Palmaire Ave., Ste. E
Glendale, AZ 85301
Mi Vegana Madre seeks to meld a love for animals, Mexican culture, and food. Options include tacos, nachos, and more, with fillings such as marinated soy meats, or nopales. Daily specials are also available.

Not Your Mother
1346 Queen St., Unit 2
Toronto, ON M6K 1L4 Canada
With a variety of 100% vegan soft serve flavors and toppings, Not Your Mother can appeal to nearly everyone. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and pineapple soft serve are topped with things like cookies, candy, and potato chips to create unique and exciting options. All flavors are available as a cup, cone, waffle cone, or milkshake. Not Your Mother is located in Vegandale, along with other vegan establishments.

Sage and Cinder
613 5th St.
Mukilteo, WA 98275
Sage and Cinder is an all-vegan tapas bar serving an eclectic variety of small plate dishes such as wild mushroom carpaccio with micro greens, shaved fennel and blood orange vinaigrette on baby arugula or braised cauliflower and portobello in fig brandy reduction over creamy sage and spinach polenta.

Sans
329 Smith St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Sans is an all-vegan restaurant featuring small plates of creative dishes, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.

Tivoni
805A Rohrerstown Rd.
Lancaster, PA 17601
This international vegan cuisine restaurant combines casual dining with a bakery in a perfect blend of fun and creative. With a variety of foods on the menu, Tivoni has lots to offer from small plates to power bowls to cupcakes. They occasionally host special events and classes, like there pumpkin cooking class for Halloween and egg-free vegan dessert class. With a Middle Eastern background, its influence is very apparent in the menu.

The Wild Oat Bakery & Café
1305 Cornwall Ave.
Bellingham, WA 98255
A classic American menu with a vegan twist! Wild Oat has everything from a French Dip Sandwich to a Meatball Sub to a Philly Cheeze Steak. They serve breakfast every day and all day on Sunday. The cafe also serves lighter options such as salads and homemade soups. Have an event coming up? Wild Oat Bakery & Cafe is the perfect option for whole cakes and pies, gift baskets, or party platters.

Are you searching for a new pair of vegan boots this winter? If so, there are many vegan online stores and storefronts offering a wide variety of boot styles.

Alternative Outfitters
https://www.alternativeoutfitters.com/
High and low-cut boots for women.

Bhava Studio
https://bhavastudio.com/
Women’s boots and booties in various styles including a hiking boot.

Blowfish Malibu
https://blowfishshoes.com/
Women’s boots.

Brave Gentle Man
https://www.bravegentleman.com/
Men’s casual, dress, and work boots.

Charmone Shoes
https://charmone.com/
They sell women’s boots.

Cri de Coeur
https://cridecoeur.myshopify.com/
Women’s low and high boots and botties.

Drizzle + Shine
https://www.drizzleandshine.com
Water resistant ankle boot.

Elizabeth Detroit
http://www.elizabethdetroit.com/
Women’s boots.

Kat Mendenhall Boots
http://katmendenhall.com/
Men’s and women’s cowboy boots.

Mink
http://www.minkshoes.com
Custom faux fur boot.

MooShoes
https://www.mooshoes.com/
A wide variety of dress, work, rain, and snow boots for men and women.

Neuaura
http://www.neuaurashoes.com
Women’s dress and casual boots.

No Harm
http://www.noharm.com
Men’s boots.

Sudo Shoes
http://www.sudoshoes.com/
A wide variety of dress, work, rain, and snow boots for men and women.

Sydney Brown
https://www.sydney-brown.com/
Women’s boots.

Taylor + Thomas
Website: www.taylorandthomasla.com
Offers luxury women’s vegan low-cut boots.

Unicorn Goods
https://unicorngoods.com/
A wide variety of dress, work, rain, and snow boots for men and women.

Vegan Chic
http://www.veganchic.com/
A wide variety of dress, work, rain, and snow boots for men and women.

Vegan Scene
https://veganscene.com/
Women’s and men’s low boots.

The Vegetarian Site
http://www.thevegetariansite.com/index.htm
Men’s hiking and work boots and women’s work boot.

If you are searching for other non-leather items, visit VRG’s Vegan Guide to Leather Alternatives 2018 Edition:
https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/leather.php

To support this type of research, please donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group: Donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group

The Reasons to Go Vegan Are Endless!
By Alexandra Barletta-Chacon

Being vegan/vegetarian to me means being a better citizen of the world. I personally decided to go vegan in order to improve the condition of my skin. After taking this initiative, I researched more on the topic. Through this, I learned that I am helping to save the lives of animals and our Earth. I believe that being vegan/vegetarian is necessary for our future. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IA2niAlZ4k&feature=youtu.be

The deadline for the next VRG video contest is July 15, 2019
See: VRG Video Contest

View winners of the video contest at:
http://www.vrg.org/veg_videos

For information about VRG’s College Scholarship Contest (One $10,000, two $5,000 awards), see: http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
or The Vegetarian Resource Group, Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203

Video scholarships have been given in honor of W.M. Zahn, who was a great mentor.

We’ve seen Alternative Baking Company vegan cookies sold at Smoothie King in Maryland and other states. These delicious cookies come in several varieties including Colossal Chocolate Chip, Luscious Lemon Poppyseed, Phenomenal Pumpkin Spice, and other flavors.

You can also purchase these cookies online at:
https://www.alternativebaking.com/order-online/

Smoothie King also offers vegan options. See:
https://smoothieking.com/menu/smoothies/take-a-break-blends/

Co-sponsored by the Health Sciences Division and Wellness Center at Howard Community College
Sunday, November 4, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Howard Community College
Smith Theatre, Horowitz Center
Campus Drive,
Columbia, Maryland

Take charge of your health! Join for a fun, informative day-long event to learn how to make the transition to a delicious, healthy, rewarding new lifestyle!

Event Details
8:30 sign-in and networking
9:00 – 5:00 speaker program

Enjoy delicious whole-food, plant-based lunch provided by GreenFare Organic Café (from Herndon, Virginia)

Featuring presenters such as Neal Barnard MD, Joel Furhman MD, Dana Simpler MD, Brenda Davis RD, Sharon McCrae, and Chef AJ.

Cooking demonstration with samples

Mini-fitness breaks with Stephanie Dignan from The Boot Camp Girl

Meet and network with other health-conscious individuals

Handouts, recipes, coupons

Door prizes

For details and to register, go to:
http://eatwell-staywell.com/event/eat-well-stay-well-2018-one-day-immersion/

This time of year, it’s easier to find fresh pumpkin to make vegan dishes. We have pumpkin recipes that previously appeared in Vegetarian Journal that you might want to try out:

See: Must Pumpkin Always Be Pie?
Patti Bess shares recipes for Lemony Lentils with Pumpkin, Pumpkin with Black Beans, Braised Pumpkin, Cream of Tomato and Pumpkin Soup, and Stuffed Pumpkin

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal here:
Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal

If you are a Federal government employee, you can support The Vegetarian Resource Group through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Look for us under Health & Medical Research Charities of America.

Please also remember The Vegetarian Resource Group in other workplace fund drives, matching gifts, etc. See http://www.vrg.org/support.htm for other ways you can donate to VRG.

Thanks for your support!

Intro to Veganism
By NeCole Hilton

No cheeseburger, leather car interior, or milkshake is worth the immense suffering we systematically inflict upon billions of sentient beings in the 21st century. With a growing array of plant based alternatives that don’t involve the avoidable and agonizing theft of someone else’s life, compassion to animals is a moral imperative. There is no “humane” way to needlessly reduce someone else’s life and value to their exploitation, dismemberment & death. Veganism is the best and most effective moral, ethical, economic, environmental, and compassionate stance against needless exploitation, abuse, and killing of other sentient beings. By being vegan, I am contributing toward a more peaceful and tranquil future for all Earthlings, and wish to educate others so that they may join me and the thousands of other vegans globally in fighting for the fundamental rights of animals, the conservation of the environment, and the peace between each other. See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds0GcxNJzzE&feature=youtu.be

The deadline for the next VRG video contest is July 15, 2019
See: VRG Video Contest

View winners of the video contest at:
http://www.vrg.org/veg_videos

For information about VRG’s College Scholarship Contest (One $10,000, two $5,000 awards), see: VRG Scholarship Contest

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
or The Vegetarian Resource Group, Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203

Video scholarships have been given in honor of W.M. Zahn, who was a great mentor.

We received the information below from the head of PR for Tourist Japan. https://touristjapan.com

With veganism and plant-based diets gaining popularity globally, travelers and locals in Japan are finding more suitable vegan options than ever before. Vegan Travel is becoming more recognized and is made accessible by the global vegan community.

Vegan travelers in the past have been wary to visit Japan but recently have been traveling more than ever, as vegan awareness and understanding of vegan diets have gained more attention in the region. While traditional Japanese cuisine inherently offers vegan-friendly dishes with a focus on fresh produce, soy-based dishes like edamame beans and tofu as well as many noodle and rice dishes, there is often fish (like dashi, fish stock) or egg products found within the dishes making it difficult for vegans. However, with more attention and understanding of vegan and plant-based diets many restaurants, cafes and shops in Japan are taking note of the importance of plant-based diets and welcoming vegan travelers eager to explore Japan.

Travel experts at Tourist Japan have seen a rise in vegan travel in Japan in recent years. According to Kylie Goldstein, travel writer for Tourist Japan and a long-time vegan herself, “It can be tricky to travel in a foreign country, in a different language where it can be difficult to read labels and signs indicating vegan-friendly options”. She continues to explain that, “Vegan travelers are seeking tours from all vegan cruises to lengthy group package tours focused on eco-friendly and compassionate travel. Vegan travel often requires extensive pre-trip planning and preparation to ensure that vegan-friendly options which abstain from all animal products including dairy and eggs are available”. It is with this notion in mind, that more vegan travelers are recognizing the expansion of vegan awareness in Japan.

With increased awareness and demand, more vegan-friendly establishments are appearing all over Tokyo. Wendy Werneth, the founder of The Nomadic Vegan, a site committed to empowering vegans, providing extensive vegan information and uncovering hidden vegan gems in unexpected places says, ”In the past few years, veganism has definitely become more popular in Japan. Plenty of new fully vegan or vegetarian restaurants have opened up, and mainstream restaurants are also adding vegan options to their menus”.

Places like T’s Tantan http://ts-restaurant.jp/ is one of the most popular among the vegan community, a well-known hub of vegan activity found inside the Tokyo Station serving up vegan ramen, soy meat, karaage and dumplings, and even take-home instant soup packets to enjoy vegan ramen at home or while traveling. The well-known international vegan chain Loving Hut http://lovinghut.jp/, has a Tokyo location offering a vegan lunch buffet and dinner with cuisine that is a fusion between Japanese and Taiwanese cuisine. Nagi Shokudo https://www.happycow.net/reviews/nagi-shokudo-tokyo-13435 invites vegan and non-vegan diners, serving traditional Japanese cuisine with a vegan twist in a comfortable and cozy atmosphere. There is also Hiroba http://www.crayonhouse.co.jp/shop/pages/restaurant_en.aspx, found underneath the CrayonHouse bookstore, Hiroba is an organic vegan restaurant and vegan grocery store.

Vegan hacks such as traveling with individual packets of soy sauce make it easy for vegan diners to eat street food and kindly ask the vendors to leave the sauce off the dish. Traveling with your own vegan condiments while in Japan opens the possibilities to vegan street dining. Another shared tip among vegan travelers is printing out helpful phrases in Japanese and English to clearly communicate to restaurants that they do not eat animal products. Vegan travelers can use printable cards from Just Hungry http://www.justhungry.com/japan-dining-out-cards to easily and clearly indicate dietary restrictions. Another perk for vegan travelers is that Japanese cuisine offers many soy-based dishes including soy milk, soy ice cream and soy donuts making it easy to find non-dairy alternatives.

Werneth also shares an insider tip about traditional Japanese food that happens to be vegan-friendly. “Onigiri filled with umeboshi plums or other pickled fruit and vegetables are a handy vegan snack, and they are found all over Japan in convenience stores and markets. Inarizushi (sushi rice packed inside a pocket of tofu) is another common snack found in convenience stores”.

Vegan travel involves compassion, awareness, activism, and creativity. As vegans know, it can sometimes be an uphill battle, but as more and more parts of the world understand and recognize the value of plant-based eating, the potential for expansion is endless. There is still room for improvement in Japan, but Tokyo is quickly becoming a very friendly vegan-friendly city thanks to the support of the global vegan community.