The VRG's Maryland Newsletter by Laura McGuiness
July, 2014

  1. "BRING THE WORLD IN" BY HOSTING AN EXCHANGE STUDENT!
  2. SHOP AT THEVEGETARIANSITE.COM AND SUPPORT VRG
  3. VRG DINES AT NEPALESE/INDIAN VEGAN BUFFET - 3RD EYE LOUNGE
  4. VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS
  5. VISIT THE LAND OF KUSH FOR A DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE
  6. DISCOUNT ON INDIAN FOODS
  7. NEW VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT OPENS IN CATONSVILLE
  8. JOIN VRG IN ATLANTA, GA FOR AN ALL VEGAN DINNER
  9. MARYLAND AREA EVENTS
  10. JOIN VRG'S YAHOO PARENT'S GROUP
  11. AMAZON SMILE: PURCHASE THROUGH AMAZON AND MAKE A DONATION TO VRG
  12. VEGETARIAN VIDEO SCHOLARSHIP 2014: ONE $500 AWARD, TWO $250 AWARDS!
  13. DONATE YOUR CAR TO A GOOD CAUSE
  14. BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR FOR VRG
  15. VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP RESEARCH AND NEWS
  16. ABOUT VRG

1) "BRING THE WORLD IN" BY HOSTING AN EXCHANGE STUDENT!

PAX is a non-profit educational foundation dedicated to providing exchange opportunities to teenagers around the world by matching them with placement in a U.S. high school and host family. Host families come in all shapes and sizes and include: single parents, retirees, 'empty nesters', young couples with small children, as well as two parent families with teenagers. As the Baltimore/Baltimore County Community Coordinator for PAX, I am presently seeking host families for two Vegetarian female students from Spain and Germany for the 2014-2015 school year. To accommodate school placement, I am looking for host families that live in Northern Baltimore City or in Baltimore County, areas North and Northwest of Baltimore City.

To find out more about this wonderful opportunity, please contact: Meredith Safford at 410-382-5359 or email at [email protected].

For more information on PAX, visit:
[ http://www.pax.org/ ]

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2) SHOP AT THEVEGETARIANSITE.COM AND SUPPORT VRG

For the month of July, TheVegetarianSite.com will donate a portion of your purchase to The VRG. TheVegetarianSite.com offers non-leather shoes and clothing, cruelty-free personal care products, books, videos, food, and more.

We thank them and we'd like to thank you for supporting The Vegetarian Resource Group!

Shop at: [ http://thevegetariansite.com/ ]

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3) VRG DINES AT NEPALESE/INDIAN VEGAN BUFFET - 3RD EYE LOUNGE

By Karen Leibowitz

The VRG hosted a dinner at 3rd Eye Lounge for VRG interns, volunteers, and office staff. They offered a delicious array of all-you-can-eat vegan Nepalese/Indian food, made in house. The vegan buffet is offered every Thursday. The atmosphere is comfortable, with a dimly lit, high-ceiling dining area filled with a large mural and unique wall art. The menu changes weekly.

322 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Free street parking after 6:00 PM

Note: It is part of Lumbini restaurant so be sure to look for "Lumbini" while driving or searching for the location via GPS, as the sign for 3rd Eye Lounge is small.

This is what 3rd Eye had to say about themselves: A WEEKLY VEGAN BUFFET THAT WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF

Our last Vegan Dinner Buffet was so fantastic we've decided to make it an every week affair. So join us each and every Thursday in the brand-new 3rd Eye Lounge at Lumbini Restaurant Baltimore, 322 N. Charles St., right in the heart of Downtown Baltimore and Mount Vernon.

We are concocting all forms of deliciousness in the kitchen, including dishes you may not have even heard of before. Here's what's coming for you this week: Pumpkin Curry, Tandoori Vegetables with Tofu, Mushroom & Cauliflower Vindaloo, Chana Masala, Baigan Bharta, Onion Bhaji.

Tired of only having Roti bread at other restaurants? We will have Garlic Naan for you. Yes. Naan. Delicious. Vegan. Garlic. Naan. Made with Earth Balance instead of butter.

And how about Mango Lassi. You miss that? Not anymore. We'll have that available as well, made with coconut milk. And if you want to amp it up a notch, you can have one of our spectacular Mango Lassi cocktails.

The buffet costs $15.95 and we promise you one of the best vegan dinners you can get anywhere in Baltimore.

If you are driving, we are on Charles Street downtown, less than 5 minutes from 83, 95, and 295, about 10 minutes from 695, and there is FREE street parking after 6 PM and plenty of garages nearby. The free Purple Line circulator bus stops northbound right in front of 3rd Eye Lounge (Pleasant Street stop) or southbound a block away on St. Paul (Mulberry Street stop). Most of the various city bus lines have stops less than 5 minutes away, and the Light Rail is only three blocks away (Lexington Market stop), and the Metro (Charles Center stop) is just three blocks away as well.

We hope to see you this Thursday, or a Thursday to come. We'll change up the menu weekly depending on what's in season or what we're craving at a given time, so each week will be different. Be sure to tell your friends. And please 'Like' the 3rd Eye Lounge page on Facebook so you'll always know about about other vegan events, open Mics, bands, DJ dance parties, art, and poetry events.

For more information, visit: [ https://www.facebook.com/events/510224649078162/?ref=22 ]

For more restaurants, see:
[ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ]

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4) VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS

MARYLAND AREA OUTREACH EVENTS
32nd Street Market
Baltimore, MD - 7/12
[ http://www.32ndstreetmarket.org/ ]
NATIONAL (OUTSIDE OF MARYLAND AREA) EVENTS:
WNY VegFest
Buffalo, NY - 8/3
[ http://www.wnyvegfest.com/ ]
DC VegFest
Washington, DC - 9/20
[ http://dcvegfest.com/ ]
Albany VegFest
Albany, NY - 11/15
[ http://www.albanyvegan.org/ ]

If you would like to volunteer at any of these events, contact Nina at [email protected].

If you would like to donate towards our veggie outreach, donate at:
[ http://www.vrg.org/donate ]

Donations can also be sent to

The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203

Or call: (410) 366-8343.

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5) VISIT THE LAND OF KUSH FOR A DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE

By Devlyn Perugini

I am an intern at The Vegetarian Resource Group and on my first afternoon in Baltimore I was taken out to sample a local vegan cafe, The Land of Kush. I have previous experience working at a vegan cafe in Hawaii, so it was exciting to go to this one. I ordered the vegan curry and was completely satisfied. They have a small or medium size that a customer can choose from, which is a really good idea. I ordered the medium size and was surprisingly able to eat it all! It was a warm bowl filled with: soy protein, broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and mild curry sauce. Every bite was extremely flavorful. They also have a myriad of entrees, sides, salads, and drinks to choose from, including: The Kush BBQ Ribs, Lentil Burgers, Candied Yams, Rice & Vegetable Medley, and fresh squeezed Lemonade. On top of the food being amazing, the customer service was excellent. There was a strong sense of caring. It was obvious that the employees valued their customers, which makes their food that much better. Overall, I'm really happy that my first experience with trying a vegan cafe in Baltimore went so well. I strongly recommend The Land of Kush.

Their website is: [ http://landofkush.com/ ]

And they are located at:

840 N Eutaw St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

For more information on where to find veggie-friendly restaurants and cafes, follow these links:

For Baltimore area:
[ http://www.vrg.org/travel/baltimoreguide.php ]
For restaurants throughout the USA and Canada:
[ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ]

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6) DISCOUNT ON INDIAN FOODS

Take 20% off authentic Indian cuisine, including: Basmatic rice, "Punjabi chhole" (chickpeas), black beans, organic bean pouches, and more when bought from Jyoti Natural Foods, using the code: JYOTI 20.

Visit: [ http://www.jyotifoods.com/products/ ]

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7) NEW VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT OPENS IN CATONSVILLE

Two vegetarian chefs, Enzo Fikru and Sarah "Katie" Dunn, opened a new restaurant called Sprout Natural Choice in Catonsville on June 30th. The restaurant will serve vegetarian and vegan natural food sourced from local vendors when possible, without refined sugar and using Non-GMO products. The menu offers a wide variety of smoothies (with no added refined sugar), a 10-foot-long salad bar (perfect for customizing your very own salad), sandwiches, faux crab cakes, and a variety of other options. Hoping to offer an alternative to nearby fast-food restaurants, the two chefs hope to transform healthy food that consumers may not find appealing into something tasty.

For more information, visit: [ http://www.sproutnaturalchoice.com/ ]

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8) JOIN VRG IN ATLANTA, GA FOR AN ALL VEGAN DINNER

The dinner will be catered by Soul Vegetarian Restaurant. Choices will include: crisp vegetable tray, garden salad and prince dressing (house dressing made with soy milk), dinner rolls, cornbread, tender greens, sweet potatoes, herb-baked potatoes, green beens, southern style baked BBQ tofu, smothered steak with gravy and onions, cheesy-spinach-tofu lasagna, Mediterranean cauliflower with couscous, apple or vanilla cake, and lemonade.

The dinner will be taking place at Morehouse School of Medicine, GA and the payment is $25 before September 1, 2014 and $30 anytime after that date.

For more information, look at: [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/04/02/vegan-dinner-in-atlanta-georgia-sunday-october-19-2014/ ]

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9) MARYLAND AREA EVENTS

VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN MEET-UPS IN BALTIMORE, MD

The Vegetarian Meet-up happens at Mango Grove, located at 8865 Stanford Boulevard, in Columbia, Maryland 21045, on the first Sunday each month at 12:30 PM. The Vegan Meet-up takes place at Mr. Chan Szechuan at 1000 Reisterstown Rd. in Pikesville on the third Wednesday every month at 7 PM. If you are vegan or vegetarian and would like to eat great food while socializing with others who share your interests, attend a meet-up!

For more information about EarthSave's Vegan and Vegetarian Baltimore Meet-ups,
JOIN EARTHSAVE FOR A VEGAN POTLUCK

Held on the last Saturday every month at the Learning Center of Your Prescription for Health, 10210 S. Dolfield Rd. in Owings Mills, EarthSave presents a vegan potluck and presentation. They eat first, make announcements, vote and present awards for their favorite dishes, and then have a presentation. This month, on July 26th, from 6-9PM, Earthsave will feature a live presentation by Kassy Ortega, on "Effective Vegan Outreach." Kassy is a longtime volunteer with Vegan Outreach, a very successful and influential national nonprofit that publishes several attractive and highly informative booklets that focus on the treatment of farm animals and encourage the adoption of a plant-based diet. Kassy will share some success stories and some tips on leafletting and effective veg/vegan/animal advocacy.

Dinner guests may choose to either bring a dish without animal products (to serve 8) plus a $5 donation, pay $12 to enjoy dinner and a presentation; or pay $5 for presentation only. Let us know in advance, if possible, if you plan to pay for dinner rather than bring a dish. RSVP by calling 410-252-3043, or emailing [email protected].

SPEND YOUR TUESDAYS DISCUSSING CURRENT ISSUES IN WHOLE-FOOD PLANT-BASED NUTRITION

Held at 7:00 PM on the second Tuesday of every month at varying locations, The Baltimore Whole Food Plant-Based Nutrition Meet-Up meets to discuss some of the current topics and issues in whole-food plant-based nutrition.

Meet-up fee is $5.00 per person.

For more information, visit:
[ http://www.meetup.com/Baltimore-Whole-Food-Plant-Based-Nutrition/ ]

VEGAN DRINKS' MONTHLY MEETUP

Vegan Drinks will be hosting their monthly event on July 21st at Pure Wine Cafe on 8210 Main St., Ellicott City, Maryland 21043 starting at 7:00 PM. Come socialize with other vegans and enjoy some great food!

For more information about Vegan Drinks, visit:

MONTHLY COOKING CLASSES

Taking place on Sunday, July 13th from 10 AM to 1 PM in Fairfax Station, VA, is a cooking class that teaches you how to start your day the healthy way. Past classes have included some of the following: eggless benedict, omelet (featured in The Vegg cookbook), french toast, whole grain waffles & pancakes, quiche, crepes, hash brown casserole polenta fries, overnight oatmeal, homemade granola, sticky buns, muffins, scones, smoothies, plus a variety of organic cereals, and dairy-free milks.

No meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, or honey. $55/person; $100/two people; $50/VSDC, VRG, or COK members. Demonstration classes include recipes, organic food samples, manufacturers' samples coupons. Gift certificates are available for purchase.

Email [email protected] or call 703-643-2713 for space availability. Make checks payable to Mimi Clark and mail to 9302 Hallston Ct., Fairfax Station, VA 22039. Sorry, no phone or e-mail reservations and no walk-ins. Seventy-two hour cancellation policy for refund or credit. Class subject to cancellation if minimum enrollment is not met.

Check website for monthly class updates:
[ http://www.veggourmet.wordpress.com ]

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10) JOIN VRG'S YAHOO PARENT'S GROUP

Are you or someone you know raising a vegetarian or vegan child? If so, you may want to join a network of parents interested in exchanging ideas on various vegetarian/vegan topics including: finding a vegan summer camp, vegan dining options at Disney World, what can I pack in my child’s lunchbox, how have you and your child dealt with the dissection issue in school, can you recommend a veggie-friendly pediatrician or dietitian, is there a veggie children’s group in my area, etc.

For more information on this online Yahoo Group see:
[ https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/vrgparents/info ]

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11) AMAZON SMILE: PURCHASE THROUGH AMAZON AND MAKE A DONATION TO VRG

Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Vegetarian Resource Group whenever you shop on AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.

Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at
[ http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-1279034 ]

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12) VEGETARIAN VIDEO SCHOLARSHIP 2014: ONE $500 AWARD, TWO $250 AWARDS!

In a further effort to help young people think creatively about vegetarian and/or vegan advocacy, The Vegetarian Resource Group is pleased to be offering the Vegan Video Scholarship Contest again in 2014! We will be offering one $500 award and two $250 awards. The deadline for this scholarship is July 15, 2014.

Applicants should create and submit a video relating what they want to tell others about veganism.

Some possible topics include: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism, water usage and vegetarianism, veganism and animal rights, or other vegan topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

Click here to find out more about scholarship rules and how to apply.
[ http://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php ]

Not sure where to start? Check out past winner, Noam Lautman’s, “NO MORE MEAT” below or browse other past winners’ videos.
[ http://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php ]

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13) DONATE YOUR CAR TO A GOOD CAUSE

A free, convenient service for converting that extra car, truck, or RV into a tax deductible donation benefiting The Vegetarian Resource Group. You can donate online or call 877-999-8322 to make your donation.

Start now by clicking on "Donate Now" below. If you are not ready to donate, find out about donating your vehicle by browsing all the valuable information and links on our site at:
[ http://www.v-dac.com/org/?id=52127903 ]

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14) BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR FOR VRG

The Vegetarian Resource Group greatly appreciates the support given by our monthly donors. You can join our monthly giving group with a minimum gift of just $10 a month by going to www.vrg.org/donate. You will be part of a network of givers who support our outreach efforts on an ongoing basis. These donations allow us to continue vegan education in a wide variety of venues including schools, doctor and dietitian offices, libraries, various professional conferences, animal rights events, health fairs, environmental festivals, and much more. Thank you for your support!

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15) VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP RESEARCH AND NEWS

SOYFOOD SALES
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/27/soyfood-sales/ ]
VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP BOOTH AT THE RICHMOND VEG FEST
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/25/vegetarian-resource-group-booth-at-the-richmond-vegfest/ ]
SUPPORT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP BY OBTAINING THE VRG VISA PLATINUM REWARDS
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/23/5648/ ]
LANDS IN LOVE: 100% VEGETARIAN HOTEL AND RESORT IN COSTA RICA
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/23/lands-in-love-100-vegetarian-hotel-and-resort-in-costa-rica/ ]
COSTA RICAN FRUITS
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/18/costa-rican-fruits/ ]
CRAFT GLUES AND PAINTS: MOSTLY PETROCHEMICAL BUT CARMINE PRESENT IN SOME TESTORS AND PLAID PAINTS
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/18/craft-glues-and-paints-mostly-petrochemical-but-carmine-present-in-some-testors-and-plaid-paints/ ]
VEGAN RESTAURANTS IN US AND CANADA RECENTLY ADDED TO OUR RESTAURANT GUIDE
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/16/5618/ ]
FORMER VRG SCHOLARSHIP WINNER CONTINUES TO DO VEGGIE OUTREACH
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/13/former-vrg-scholarship-winner-continues-to-do-veggie-outreach/ ]
VRG HOTS LUNCH FOR LOCAL DIETETIC NUTRITION INTERNS
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/11/vrg-hosts-local-dietetic-nutrition-interns-for-lunch/ ]
VRG BOOTH AT THE CHARLES VILLAGE FESTIVAL
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/06/09/vrg-booth-at-the-charles-village-festival/ ]

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16) ABOUT VRG

Our health professionals, activists, and educators work with businesses and individuals to bring about healthful changes in your school, workplace, and community. Registered dietitians and physicians aid in the development of nutrition-related publications and answer member and media questions about vegetarian diets. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a non-profit organization. Financial support comes primarily from memberships, donations, bequests, and book sales. The Vegetarian Journal, a print magazine, is a benefit of membership in The VRG. (For more information, please see the Vegetarian Journal online at:
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/). ]

To sign up for the The Vegetarian Resource Group national email newsletter, please visit:
[ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/. ]

We are also on Facebook and Twitter!!

If you would like to make a donation, become a member, volunteer, or find out more about The VRG, contact us at:

The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203

Phone: (410) 366-8343
Fax: (410) 366-8804
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: [ http://www.vrg.org/ ]

To donate: [ http://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=1565/ ]

Copyright The Vegetarian Resource Group 2014 The contents of this newsletter, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

If you were forwarded this message and would like to sign up for our monthly local email newsletter, please see our website:
[ http://www.vrg.org/local/ ]

If you do not wish to receive the Local Email Newsletter, visit [ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-maryland_lists.vrg.org ]

Instructions for unsubscribing will appear at the bottom of the page.

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