Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 120

My Picks For Kind Thanksgiving Events

 

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I’ll be in NYC for Thanksgiving this year, but I wanted to share the kind menu options and events on both coasts for all you LA/NY kind lifers. I’m sure there are amazing things going on all over the country so please share them here in the comments so everyone can enjoy.

Here are a few of my picks:

Los Angeles

If you’re going out to eat, try one of the following restaurants. They’re all doing delicious-looking menus for Thanksgiving Day, for dining in or take out:

Real Food Daily
M Café
Madeleine Bistro
Native Foods
Lemonade LA (get takeout of a few of their veg side dishes to add to your meal)
The Shojin (macrobiotic)

New York

These great veg restaurants are all offering special menus on Thanksgiving Day:

Candle 79
Angelica Kitchen
Blossom NYC

Farm Sanctuary had a Thanksgiving event at their Acton, Calif. Location on November 10. Did any of you kind lifers attend?

For all you New Yorkers, they’ll have a Celebration for the Turkeys at their Watkins Glen location Saturday, November 17.

Are there any great NYC Thanksgiving gatherings that Bear, Christopher, and I must attend?
Tell me in the comments below!

Photo source: flickr.com/Arvindgrover

Vamping It Up With Kind Lifers

 

 

I was so thrilled to watch Vamps with kind lifers Beth, Corinne, Melyssa, and Katie in the East Village on Sunday. They all came this weekend to the play I’m in The Performers, then I invited them to join me, a bunch of friends, and some of the cast from The Performers for the evening show of Vamps at the AMC Village 7. We had a great time! Here’s what they said about it:

 

"The movie was really terrific (I cried at the end) and the energy in the theater was really nice. There was a feeling of camaraderie that you don't normally get in a movie. Even though I didn't personally know anyone else it felt like I kind of knew everyone else. It was especially nice to watch the cast & crew walk in and hug their friends who were there. And everyone clapping for Alicia's name during the opening credits. Just a feeling of family in a way, that I felt privileged to experience."

- Beth

 

“I've been looking forward to Vamps for quite awhile now. Another Amy Heckerling film with Alicia in it is just so exciting! The movie was really adorable and sooo much fun to watch, really quirky and smart. I thoroughly enjoyed the outfits Alicia wore (done by Mona May who also did Clueless!) and Krysten Ritter was awesome. And just like when I was thirteen after watching Alicia in Clueless, all I wanted to do was act like her, dress like her, and watch the movie over and over again! I can't wait to watch it again!” 

- Corinne 

 

"My husband and I were lucky enough to join Alicia and the cast of her play on the night they were going to see Vamps in NYC. Even though it was a dark theater, the camaraderie we felt by sitting in a room surrounded by working actors who obviously love theater and film, was so exciting. I thought Vamps was a lovely comedy about being young, growing old and all of the relationships a person experiences in her life. It made us laugh and cry. I loved how Alicia's character, Goody, seemed so fitting to her. Goody portrayed just that: goodness, caring and often selflessness for anyone she came into contact with, except for the poor rats, of course... she was a vampire after all! By the way, it was so odd and at times, cringe-worthy, to see the biggest animal lover on the planet sucking the blood of rats. Gotta love make believe! Alicia, the scenery throughout Vamps and the ending montage were just beautiful and truly heartwarming."

- Molly

 

"As if meeting Alicia backstage at The Performers wasn't enough, she invited us to go with her and the cast of the show to see Vamps later that night. I had to clarify with her that she was genuinely inviting us to go with her, and not just making a pitch to us to see her movie! We showed up at the theater, still unsure of whether it would all be a bust, whether security would not allow us in, or whether we got the theater or timing wrong. But then the pack arrived; Alicia, her husband Christopher, Ari Graynor, Daniel Breaker, and many more (unfortunately no Dan Stevens, the incomparable Matthew Crawley and Alicia's co-star in Vamps). Some more hugs were exchanged, and then we all headed upstairs for the hilarious, silly shenanigans of Vamps. After the show, we waited downstairs to thank Alicia for everything. How many movie stars (or vegan idols) are so open and receptive as to allow their fans into their lives the way Alicia has? And to cap it all off, the very next day, I discovered a raw vegan/juice bar place a couple blocks away from my office!  It must be fate.  Now excuse me while I go eat some kale." 

- Sara

 

It was so nice meeting all of you and also Katie and to see Tara again! If any of you NYC kind lifers haven’t seen Vamps yet, please run to the theater and see it! This may be the last week it plays, so go!

Get tickets for the NYC AMC Village 7

Do you have any behind-the-scenes questions for me about Vamps? 

Ask in the comments below!    

Photo source: dreammoviecast.com

Adopt a Turkey for Thanksgiving

As you know, turkeys suffer terribly at this time of year (and all year, but in greater numbers now). To combat this seasonal cruelty, Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt-a-Turkey program asks you to sponsor a turkey so they can provide it with a loving home throughout the year. Adopting a turkey is a great way to give “turkey day” a new, kind meaning.  

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Show your love for turkeys this year by sponsoring a turkey with Farm Sanctuary. It only costs $30 to sponsor a turkey, and you’ll get a picture of your turkey, plus information about the turkey’s rescue story. Turkey adoptions make great gifts too!

The picture above shows the turkeys that need adoption. Please help Farm Sanctuary provide loving homes for these sweet guys and gals. I’m doing it, and I hope you do too!

Adopt a turkey this Thanksgiving.

As an alternative to turkey, try some of these recipes from my Thanksgiving menu.

Win A Signed DVD of Vamps!

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Vamps hits DVD and BluRay today,  November 13! If you haven’t had a chance to catch it in theaters, or if you saw it, loved it and want to own it, order Vamps here.

If you haven’t seen the film yet, you can still see it in theaters or on demand! Get the info here.

 

Win a Signed Copy of Vamps!

I’m also giving away signed copies of Vamps on DVD to 5 kind lifers.

To enter to win, leave a comment telling me your favorite movie about female friendship.

I look forward to your comments!

 

• You must be a registered thekindlife.com member to enter. Learn how to sign up by clicking here.
• This contest is open to residents of the USA only.
• Winners will ONLY be contacted via private message to their thekindlife.com inbox and by email. If our team does not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected in your place.
• Limit one comment per entry. Multiple comment entries will not be considered. 
This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on November 19, 2012.

Photo credit: Amazon.com

Kind Events: The Green Festival Returns To LA

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The Green Festival is taking over the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown LA November 17 and 18. Presentations by green experts include what to do about GMOs post-Prop 37, an eco-fashion show with Rebecca Mink, a DIY aromatherapy seminar, yoga classes with Shiva Rea, and a talk about hybrid vehicles.

The Good Food Stage will showcase sustainable eats, including plenty of vegan food. Speakers include Russell Simmons, Ed Begley Jr. and Edward James Olmos. The festival will also feature a ton of eco-friendly exhibitors who make everything from yoga mats to raw snacks foods. I’ll be in NYC, so I can’t attend, but the festival looks great!


Get A Free Ticket!

The Green Festival is giving FREE tickets to 250 kind lifers! All you have to do is register for the festival use this discount code KINDLIFELA, and the first 250 registrants will receive complimentary weekend passes.

Hurry and sign up for the Green Festival now! I can't wait to hear what you learn there.

If you've attended a Green Festival in another city, share what you learned in the comments below!

If you miss the giveaway, you can still go! Day passes are only $10 and weekend passes are $15 when purchased online.

Photo Credit: Green Festivals 

Chic AND Cruelty-Free Fall Shoes

Jeffrey Campbell is a fancy pants designer known amongst fashionistas for his killer shoes. Not all his collections are vegan, but for the fourth year in a row, he’s collaborating with eco-friendly, Berkeley-based shoe shop Convert on a 100% vegan line. Yahoo!

 

The collection is available at the Convert boutique in Berkeley and in their online store. Hopefully this will inspire more designers to do the same!

What are your faves from this collection?

Share the links in the comments. I want to check them out!

The Vamps Reviews Are In!

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Vamps opened in Los Angeles last week, and it’s still playing at the AMC Burbank Town Center 8. LA kind lifers, please go see it before Friday if you haven’t already! The film’s opening was delayed in New York because of Hurricane Sandy, but this Friday, November 10, Vamps comes to the AMC Village 7. NYC kind lifers, please see it on Friday. Connect with other kind lifers and make a kind life movie meet up here. My cast mates from The Performers and I are going to take a special field trip sometime this weekend to the theater in New York. I hope to see some of you kind lifers there!

Vamps is such a fun time and a great night out. You don’t have to take my word for it, though. Check out what critics are saying:


“Heckerling always manages to get her finger firmly on the pulse of the contemporary moment, and while her club-hopping heroines may be undead, they serve as adorable metaphors for what the filmmaker sees as a zombified moment in cultural history.” 
- Variety

“[Fans of Amy Heckerling] will have cause for celebration from Vamps, a satire with much of the wit of her 1995 Clueless. The new film is simultaneously a first-rate buddy comedy, a kind of Clueless reunion (Wallace Shawn plays Joey’s dad), and—courtesy of Goody’s cinephilia and a warm, self-reflexive performance from Silverstone—a not-at-all-subtle ode to movies’ power to immortalize.”
– Time Out Chicago

“Heckerling's screenplay strikes an odd satiric tone that's both sincere and sinister, as the filmmaker sinks her teeth into the myth of chic urban life and at the same time celebrates it. Compared to the market standard for vampires these days -- you know the franchise I'm talking about -- Heckerling's sly treatment of the material is a welcome cut above.”
– IndieWire

“Just about everything works in Heckerling's film, a smart, open-hearted piece ofwork that manages to put its seemingly endless supply of clever conceits inservice of a rich and moving tale of friendship, love, and the crushing weight of too much history.”
– Slant Magazine

“Overall, it’s pretty significant that I left the theater feeling that this movie—a vampire movie that follows most of the same vampire tropes as all vampire movies—explores something new. It’s also disappointing that I left with that feeling. Because when I thought about it later, I realized what felt so new to me was the depiction of a female friendship that seemed wonderfully authentic. Their dude problems were fairly secondary; their loyalty to each other trumped all other obstacles. Their friendship, in fact, resembled my real-life friendships with women: we don’t fight over men; we don’t sit around endlessly talking about men; we don’t get together and stuff our faces with entire cakes if a man doesn’t call. That’s why this close relationship between Goody and Stacy is so important to see on The Big Screen in 2012.”
– BtchFlcks.com 


Get your Vamps tickets here or here! And if you don’t live in LA or NY, you can watch Vamps on demand.

That’s So Cheesy: Homemade Vegan Goat Cheese Recipe

Many flirts say the only thing keeping them from going completely veg is their love of cheese. I get it – cheese is addictive! See page 34 of The Kind Diet for great info on the deal with dairy.

Anywho, to address the cheese dilemma, I’m gonna hit you guys with some of the best-looking homemade vegan cheese recipes on the web. The first recipe is this yum-looking vegan goat cheese from C’est La Vegan. If you’ve tried it, let me know. And Enjoy!

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Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese (adapted from Vegetarian Times)

Makes 10 ounce log

• 3/4 cup raw cashews

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns or coarsely ground black pepper

For complete instructions, go to C’est La Vegan!

What kind of cheese should we veganize next?
Leave your suggestions (or links to recipes) in the comments below!

Photo Credit: Flickr/Glue&glitter

Please Go Vote!

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If any of you registered voters are sitting on your butts right now, and you’re not planning on getting to the polls before they close, please go now!! You have so many reasons to vote. If you're a woman, you especially have to vote, because women fought for that right for you. Less than a century ago, we weren’t even allowed at the polls. That alone is a reason to go vote! 

Anyone who says both candidates are lame is missing the point. Apathy is never the right choice, whether we’re talking about eating animals or choosing a leader who will make decisions that affect each and every one of us. If you don't care about the issues, start caring now, because our next President and all of your state and local officials will affect your day-to-day life. Don’t believe otherwise. 

In close elections, every vote counts. I feel so proud that I get to vote. I feel so proud that I know who I want to vote for. I feel excited and fired up about this election, and I would feel so sad if people didn't go out and vote. Don't be lazy. We’re all here because we care, and voting is a fundamental way to impact the issues that affect you and your loved ones, people and animals included.

Go vote.

Love,
Alicia

Photo source: flickr.com/greaterumbridge

The Performers: Tix Giveaway Plus an Awesome Discount

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If you’re a student, you can get a super deal on tickets to The Performers, the Broadway show I’m in right now. Tickets for students are only $22 if you use the discount code STUDENTTXS.

Discount Details: 
Valid all performances except Saturday evenings
Tuesday October 23rd – Sunday November 11th 
To Purchase Tickets: Call 1-800-447-7400 or go to The Longacre Theatre Box office (220 W. 48th St.) 
Limit 2 tickets per order 
Show Times: Tuesday – Friday at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, Sunday at 7PM 
Must have valid student ID when picking up tickets at box office

 

Win Free Tickets to “The Performers”

I have a limited number of free tickets to the show, and I want them to go to kind lifers! I don’t have dates yet, but as soon as I know, I’ll pick winners. Whoever wins will get to see the show for free and meet with me backstage. 

 

To enter to win free The Performers tix and meet me backstage, leave a comment below telling me why you need to see this show!

In the meantime, if you’re a student, be sure to take advantage of the student discount! I hope to see some of you kind lifers there! Tweet me @aliciasilv if you’re going!!