Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 151

vegan cupcakes and art!

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If you live in LA and you love cupcakes listen up! Urban Food Crawl is hosting LA's first vegan competition Cupcakes Art on Sunday November 6 at Hold Up Art. Attend to enjoy a tasting of a bunch of mini cupcakes from super talented vegan bakers around LA and admire the cupcake-themed art.
 
Here are the bakers who will be participating:

Amanda's Bakery and Cafe
Babycakes NYC
Bake You Happy
Clara's Cakes
Courtesan Cupcakes
Crushcakes and Cafe
Jamaica's Cakes
Raw Bites
Sweet Alexis
No Udder Desserts
 
Tickets are 35 – you can purchase them here. It's a sugar fest for sure but sounds like a lot of fun and a nice way to meet some fellow vegans.
 
Have you been on a vegan food crawl in your town?

More Food Stories:

A Quick Healthy Meal in NYC
My Husband's Fave After Breakfast Snack
Delicious Sunday Dinners
Vegan Oktoberfest

meet my new love rocko and bring him home!

In my last post I briefly mentioned my new friend Rocko. But as promised I want you to get to know him a little better because once you do I know you won't be able to resist him just like I couldn't. He's the sweetest dog and he can change your life.
 
When I first met Rocko he was on death row. As you might have read in my last blog I learned long ago that I can't save every dog but he had a face that I just couldn't get out of my head. With a 5 month old newborn baby that's getting all my attention and knowing that we're going to have to move out into a rental while our house undergoes some remodeling I was aware that the timing is absolutely not ideal to add a new member to the pack. But Rocko is no ordinary dog. With just a look he charmed his way into my heart and I couldn't let him be euthanized. So I decided to bring him home but I made the bargain with myself Christopher and Bear that I'd just provide a foster home until he had a permanent place of his own.

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Of course now Christopher and I have fallen in love with Rocko. Everything he does is adorable. He takes treats so gently from my hand and when I feed him I ask him to sit and he does so patiently…such a good boy. He rolls over for belly rubs and curls up in his bed like a cute little muffin. He's just a lovable sweet little guy who loves Bear loves other dogs and loves other people. He wants a playmate really badly! Lacey wants nothing to do with him – she is 16.5 years old for god's sake. She is the last dog standing from the original pack so she wants her shining moment – not to play with a puppy.

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I am so happy we saved Rocko's life but all the reasons that I knew we could only keep him for a while are still there. It's just terrible timing – otherwise we'd make him a permanent member of our family. He already feels like one! So the best thing we can do for Rocko is find him a home where he'll be happy and get all the attention and love he deserves!

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Here's what we're looking for: A strong loving alpha guardian who can give him a home that has structure and boundaries but still allows him to play like the 1 year-old he is. He needs a good brisk walk twice a day for half an hour or more. When we walk we try to apply Cesar Millan's techniques every day which means having him walk alongside you rather than ahead. That's how he knows you are the head of the pack.
 
It's so important to start off a relationship with a rescued dog on the right foot and Cesar has great ideas about how to bring a dog into your home. I've heard some of the opinions about Cesar's techniques pro and con but they have really worked for me. So I'd highly recommend reading his book and I think Rocko would benefit from being in a home with the kind of boundaries love respect and sanity that Cesar teaches. I wish I had learned all this when I was younger! I want Rocko to stay a good boy for you. By being alpha you can have such trust so you don't have to worry about him running in front of a car and you can have a meal without being pawed at constantly. By giving rewards including food after exercise and making sure your dog is calm before feeding it teaches them the kind of behavior you want. Boundaries don't diminish affection they reinforce it in a healthy way. Wow wish I had learned that when I was younger.
 
Because he's still a playful 1 year-old I'd love for Rocko to find a guardian who can lovingly enforce these boundaries. He still gets excited when he sees a bird or another dog because he loves to play. He is such a quick learner and a good boy. He's totally submissive and not aggressive at all. However he is strong so he needs a guardian who can handle him when he gets all excited to run after a bird!
 
What do you get in return? Just the sweetest dog! One who will curl up with you on your couch or bed he's snuggling with Christopher even as I write this!. Or next to you on a nice doggie bed if you prefer…I can give you a nice one that he is loving. I can also give you his leash and some toys for teething. He'll follow you around with total devotion and give you love and gentle kisses whenever you want. He's sooooo sweet and he's got the cutest little lips. I highly recommend touching them often!

 

By the way did I mention he is also the best ball catcher I've ever met? He could play for the Dodgers! He also has the cutest way of running sort of like a bunny hop. It's pretty amazing to see. He will get you great exercise too – he'll get you outdoors enjoying the trees and sun and all the beauty of the fall season. You'll get to connect with your new best friend and be focused on nature and get lots of exercise all at once!
 
I think you're getting the picture by now. This dog will steal your heart!  Just take a look at this video we made of him and see for yourself.
 
I love this dog so much and want him to have a great home. I will sweeten the deal trust me with Rocko it doesn't need sweetening. When you adopt him I will gladly pay for a trainer to come work with the two of you at your first meeting so your relationship gets off on the right foot! Once you meet this lovable doggie you'll thank me for bringing him into your life and I know he'll bring you so much happiness for years to come!
 
Oh and one last thing:  If you live too far away to consider adopting Rocko please consider saving a dog from your local shelter. there are so many dogs just as beautiful and lovable with amazing unique personalities of their own out there who are on death row right now and need you to save their lives! Be their hero…they will never forget it. You can also adopt through rescue groups so you know exactly what you are getting. Rescue groups have had some time to be with the dogs and they rescue from death row anyway aka the shelter.

Rocko Seeking Forever Home

Great with babies and kids other dogs; loves life loves to play


Male one year old neutered


Needs another dog to play with or access to lots of dogs to play with often


Needs walks every day


Needs love

If you are interested in adopting this amazing dog send an email to AdoptRockogmail.com

save a life and change your own!

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Rocko

I've been rescuing dogs my whole life.  In fact if I trace it back so much of my commitment to animal rights and environmental issues really grew out of my first childhood interest in saving dogs which I picked up from my mom.  At one point I was even planning opening an animal rescue called Alicia's Animal Haven because I kept finding dogs that needed homes. But the deeper I looked into this the more I found that there were so many other animals in need. It began to seem like I'd be more effective by trying instead to use my voice to educate and inform people so that hopefully we could change some of the root problems that lead to so many at-risk animals.
 
However all this time I've still continued to save animals that I've come across. My first rescue came when I was 17 years old. That's when I met Sampson – the first love of my life. Of course since then Christopher and Bear have become the loves of my life too! But at the time Sampson swept me off my feet – and he was so big I mean that literally! I knew so little about caring for dogs compared to what I know now so he was the boss! He didn't come when I called him and begged all the time he was homeless after all and he slept with me and we were inseparable and in love! I didn't know how to set boundaries and structure for dogs or anyone else for that matter so he got away with an awful lot but there's no relationship quite like the one you have with the first dog you rescue. I will forever miss Sampson…the coolest most awesome guy ever! He was so proud deep and soulful…anywho I digress.
 
A few years later I added Kale to the pack. Then one day I was giving a press conference at the Lacy Street Animal Shelter in downtown Los Angeles to encourage adoption and I wound up going on a rescue spree of my own. At the time the film 101 Dalmatians had just come out and even though I liked the film I was really disturbed to learn that lots of people were buying dalmatians from breeders because they wanted cute playful dogs like the ones in the film only to realize that they can take a lot of work. As a result tons of dalmatians were ending up in animal shelters – adding to the already overcrowded pounds full of animals facing imminent death.
 
I remember I made a point not to go inside the kennel area. I was 19 at the time and living alone with two dogs so I wasn't looking for more housemates and I knew I'd need some help resisting.
 
Of course once we were there someone lured me inside and that was when I saw a dog being dragged out of its kennel. I asked one of the workers where they were taking him and they said he was on his way to be euthanized. I couldn't take it. I said "I'll take him!" Then I went through and took every dog that was scheduled to die that day. Looking back I realize it was a little ridiculous because the next day the same thing would happen all over again with a new batch of dogs. Even my saving all of them would just be a drop in the bucket but I wasn't thinking about that. I was just overcome with emotion.
 
Long story short I came home with eleven dogs that were scheduled to be put down that day – all crammed into the back of my Bronco at the time and my friend's SUV! It was crazy but it was great. If any of you have ever seen that Mike White film Year of the Dog he mentions me in the credits because the scene where Molly Shannon rescues all the dogs is actually based on this incident.
 
Anywho I quickly found homes for all but two of the dogs I brought home that day. I named those two Jeffrey and Lacy. A short time later when I was shooting a movie called Blast From The Past I found another three strays. I found homes for one of the puppies and kept two – Sweety and Peanut Butter. Finally I found Butterfly aka "The Pig."  So now I had seven dogs…and that's how I've lived since I was 21.
 
Over the years my pack grew old and happy and one by one passed away. Now we're down to just one dog – Lacy. She's 16 and a half years old now – almost as old as I was the day I met her!
 
The house seems a bit emptier than it did when we were at full capacity but our newborn Bear is 5 months old and we're doing some renovations to the house and need to find a rental for a while so it's very necessary for the time being.
 
With my focus on Bear who's breast feeding and starting to teethe so you know not a lot of sleep happening around here not to mention all my other projects like EcoToolsThe Kind Life and my acting jobs we weren't looking to adopt another dog again just yet. But then I saw Rocko and just like that day 15 years ago I couldn't help myself.
 
Rocko is such a sweet little muffin and I really want you to get to know him so I'm going to do a whole other post that's just all about him but the reason I'm telling you about all my rescue experiences is to show you just how meaningful saving a single animal can make your life. Ask anyone who's done it. Or just look at the joy on the face of my Vamps co-star Krysten who recently adopted this stray that a friend had found on the street after it had been hit by a car!

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If you're a regular reader of this blog there's a good chance you might already love animals as much as I do. If so I hope you'll consider adopting a rescue and never buy from a breeder or pet store. Nearly every community has a huge animal overpopulation problem that ends with countless souls being euthanized every single day. It's so very sad and the stories I hear from animal shelters break my heart and make my stomach turn. For example the bodies of dogs and cats that are killed are often sold back to dog food companies to be ground up into meal as a rule if you want your pets to be spared from eating their own kind avoid pet food with any kind of meat ingredient that says "meal" after it – another great reason to feed your pets veg. You can see my blog about how I feed my dogs here if you're interested.
 
With more and more people losing their homes these days animal pounds are more crowded than ever so there's never – I mean never – a reason to buy from a breeder or pet store. If it were up to me breeding dogs would be illegal until every last animal facing certain death had a home. Let's make buying dogs obsolete!
 
Equally important if you have a pet is to please have him/her spayed or neutered. Otherwise you could be contributing to the problem whether you know it or not.  There is an animal overpopulation problem of epidemic proportions and there are millions of beautiful creatures in need so please be a part of the solution – not part of the problem! It will make an enormous difference in your life just as it has in mine!!!
 
The benefits of adoption are amazing. I feel so proud to have saved the lives of all the dogs I have rescued and found homes for. Being a foster parent is an incredible thing. It's hard because you fall in love. But it feels wonderful to save a life.
 
The dogs I have rescued have been family members and have been the source of much entertainment through the years. They make me laugh so much; they've been there when I was sad. They are full-blown love machines! A rescued animal is such a great partner to walk through the world with and there's nothing like the deep connection you have with animal you've saved.
 
What Can We Do To Help?
 
Even if you're not able to adopt a new companion there are many ways you can help to stop pet overpopulation. Your contribution can be as simple as tweeting or posting pet adoption notices to Facebook. Find a rescue organization near you and get on their email list. Encourage everyone in your network to spay or neuter their pets and repost pictures of adoptable dogs who need forever homes.
 
Rescue organizations are always looking for volunteers. If you have the time and space you can foster a dog or you can volunteer to walk dogs that the rescue organization is trying to adopt out. Giving adoptable dogs lots of exercise and love makes them better candidates for adoption because they haven't been stuck in a cage for days or weeks on end which would drive anyone nuts. Even my sweet foster Rocko who I'll tell you about next was a little hyper when he came out of his kennel at the shelter. But he calmed down when we gave him exercise and some love.
 
Obviously if you're looking for a pet rescue is the way to go. And if you have pets already absolutely spay or neuter them. Be sure to support legislation in your community that bans puppy mills and pet stores. We must stop breeders and pet stores from contributing to pet overpopulation and the horrifying dumpsters filled with dead dogs to be ground of for dog food. Let's commit to ending these atrocities. Even the smallest contribution is meaningful so do something today to help the millions of animals out there who are relying on your voice and passion.
 
Have you rescued a dog or other animal? Tell me about your best rescue story in the comments below.

win a bag of vegan dog food from v-dog

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We kind lifers reap the benefits of living a healthy vegan lifestyle so why should our dogs be any different? If our best friends want veggies let's give them veggies. They deserve to be healthy dogs!  
 
V-dog is a family-owned vegan dog food company that sells all over the USA.  Currently you can find our product in some Whole Food Stores in Northern California and we hope to get into many more in 2012. We are super excited about the introduction of a brand new formula that we have been developing over the past two years. This formula will be wheat corn soy and gluten free with lots of super grains veggies and fruits. It will like our current formula contain all of the essential amino acids vitamins minerals and protein a dog needs to thrive.
 
People are loving the new formula too. We have sent out over 200 samples and have received over 160 responses to date all positive! We can't wait to introduce it in mid-December 2011. That is if Bandit doesn't eat it all first.

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At V-dog our operating principle is to provide the healthiest plant-based products while supporting a large array of animal advocacy organizations. In 2005 for example we won the PETA Proggy award for best vegan dog food. Moreover we will be conducting joint campaigns with PETA Born Free and In Defense of Animals in 2012 to foster a better understanding of why it is important to feed a dog a well-balanced vegan formula; for both the dog's health and the health of the planet. Our new bags will be 100 compostable and recyclable making a smaller "paw print" on our ecosystem.
 
Our healthy dog food is also easy to get. We ship via FedEx all over the USA and shipping is free.  We will also be shipping to Canada in 2012. We guarantee all of our products and will refund the purchase price to anyone not completely satisfied with our products.
 
We know some of you need a lot of food for your pup or pups and some only need a little which is why we have three convenient bag sizes:  5.5 lb bag for 13.00 20 lb bag for 27.00 and a 33 lb bag for 49.00.
 
If you'd like to place an order you can visit our website or call our toll-free number at 888-280-8364.
 
Would you like to win a bag?
 
We're giving away 10 free bags of our new formula when it is available mid-December. To enter simply Like us on Facebook and leave a comment on this post telling us about the special dog in your life who would love to munch on our vegan dog food. 
 
Good luck!

Today's post is proudly sponsored by:

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a quick healthy meal in nyc!

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When I was in New York filming Gods Behaving Badly I needed a quick meal. I was rushing to rehearsals so I went to Japanese-vegetarian restaurant Gobo and had the Seitan Kale Special. It came with rice and seitan and the kale was delicious.

I also went to Whole Foods in the village for a couple of other yummy treats...a really good split pea soup.

What quick and simple dishes are you loving right now?

Related:

My Favorite NYC Restaurants
Doug and Organic Avenue Are Awesome
My Delicious Dinner at Jean-Georges
A Kind Wedding

success story: ara gets rid of acne and gets inspired to start a bakery

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Kind Lifer Ara recently shared how he was able to clear up his acne by following a kind diet. He was so inspired by the changes he experienced he opened a vegan bakery. Check it out:
 
"I had been a very passionate vegetarian for seven years who always struggled with the fact that I really wanted to become fully vegan but had never enjoyed cooking. I found it too hard to keep a vegan diet when I had to eat out so frequently. In August 2010 I was finally beginning to cook some at home and trying to get healthier. That's when I came across your book. The Kind Diet is the only book I have ever read from beginning to end in one sitting and it really changed my life right away. I have struggled with acne for almost 15 years and after quitting my cheese addiction my face has been doing so much better. I have so much more energy. And most importantly I feel good about myself because I am finally doing all I can for animals and myself!
 
After getting hooked on cooking recipes from your book and others you have recommended I actually began baking as a hobby. I've been unemployed for over a year so I began a small vegan gluten free online bakery that helped me get out of my depression and has given me the opportunity to meet many people with my same beliefs. It has been such a rewarding experience."
 
Congrats Ara and keep us updated on your bakery! If you'd like to check out Ara's bakery go to Ara's Petite Treats.
 
If any of you kind lifers have a success story you'd like to share private message me or add a note to your profile and "like" it. I may feature you on the homepage of The Kind Life!

More Success Stories:

Elizabeth Cures PTSD
Justine's Dramatic Weight Loss
Kaisey Celebrates a Year of Eating Kind
Arisa's Kind Pregnancy

kind classics: halloween from a 14 year old's perspective

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My friend Zoe Giordano wrote a blog for all of you about what it's like for her to be a vegan especially during Halloween. I have known Zoe since she was a little under 2 years old. She was adorable then and is adorable now! She's always been a smarty pants. Check it out:

"I am a 14 year old girl and have been vegan my entire life.  People always ask me 'Why are you vegan? Isn't it so hard?' But the truth is it's so easy to be vegan. Maybe that's because it's been my lifestyle for 14 years who knows? Sure there have been times when I've walked past a dessert store and have seen delicious cakes but I know that if I took one bite of any of those cakes it wouldn't appeal to me. I think that's because I grew up without that kind of food and I'm not used to it so it just doesn't sound good to me.

So many people say things like 'I could never be vegan because I hate soy milk and fake meat' but I think that those people think that way because they're not used to those foods the same way that I'm not used to dairy-filled cakes.  

People always think that as a vegan your food options are so minimal but that is because those people haven't actually tried to be vegan when in fact it's so easy to find vegan options.

As the holidays come around I am asked the same questions. Especially around Halloween kids wave around Kit Kats Snickers Hershey's chocolate bars and other various sweets in my face saying 'Oooohhhh too bad you can't have this stuff!' But the truth is I have no cravings for those sweets and there are so many other options – much healthier options. On Halloween parents always think that it's OK to let their kids eat all of those sweets because it's just for one night. But one night can change a life – there are poisons and chemicals moving throughout the body as people digest these unsafe treats.  

I spend my Halloweens just like any other kid going around to each house asking for candy.  But at the end of the night instead of eating all of that candy I give it to my friends.

It is so easy for me and it's my own personal life choice – my parents aren't forcing this lifestyle on me; it's my decision. I remember when my dad sat me down once and said 'Sweetie if you ever decide to go another direction with your diet just tell me first.'  He was probably saying that so that he would be able to talk me out of it but now I see that I won't need to have that conversation with him because it's my life choice and my life choice is to be vegan."

Thank you Zoe! How are you kind lifers celebrating today?

Related Stories:

Have a Green Halloween

win tix to this weekends los angeles green festival!

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Hi everyone!
 
The folks at the Los Angeles Green Festival are giving away three pairs of tickets to three kind lifers who'd like to attend this weekend's festivities!
 
The Green Festival is a two-day celebration of eco-friendly solutions that are working in our communities. It's happening this Saturday and Sunday October 29-30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Festivities include presentations by more than 125 green experts DIY workshops films kids activities organic beer and wine organic veg cuisine music and a marketplace of local and national green businesses and organizations. The festival is now in its tenth year and 25000 people are expected to attend the Los Angeles event. One of my favorite eco experts Mary Cordaro is speaking on Sunday about pregnancy babies and healthy home interiors. Even if you don't have kids Mary has a ton of great tips for making any household healthier.
 
Anywho if you and a friend would like to attend the Los Angeles Green Festival leave a comment below telling me what you're most excited to see or do there! Each winner will get two tickets they can pick up at will call tomorrow.
 
I'll pick the three winners at 5PM PST today so start commenting!

my husbandsfave after breakfast snack

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Lately Christopher has been having Barbara's Puffins cereal with fresh peach slices on it. You can get the cereal at most normal supermarkets as well as specialty stores like Whole Foods. Yum!
 
What's your favorite cereal?

Related:

Delicious Sunday Dinners
Vegan Oktoberfest
Sugar-holics Anonymous
Incredible Cruciferous Veggies

kind classics: what's the deal with wool?

It's starting to get chilly so I thought it would be a good time to share this blog from the archives. If you're thinking of buying a new coat be sure to read this first!

Where does wool come from? How do we get it? We just shave the sheep gently right? And make them feel better in the heat? Uh no!!! Animals are cut and hurt in the process of collecting wool - there is nothing gentle about it. Then at the end there isn't a retirement farm for these sheep. They are sent to slaughter.
 
According to PETA a gruesome practice called "mulesing" is still inflicted on sheep in Australia where millions of Merino sheep are raised. These sheep are bred to have wrinkly skin because that produces more wool. In the Australian heat however the excess wool causes sheep to die from heat exhaustion – but worse for their wool to get infested with maggots which literally eat them alive. Farmers' solutions to this is to cut off chunks of skin from lambs without anesthesia so that the scarred flesh will deter maggots. However the lambs' wounds often become infected before they heal.
 
The good news is there are many alternatives to wool. Now I know wool seems more environmentally friendly than say vinyl. But consider how bad it is for the environment to raise these animals and use all the resources and land it takes to feed them. Unless you rescued a bunch of sheep from a slaughter house and live somewhere where in the summer they beg you to free them of the wool and you gently take it off and always treat the sheep with kindness and respect I am not a fan. In order to collect wool in a kind way you would not be able to run a business – it would have to be a sort of hippie side fun project. I'm not sure how many situations there are like that but I can assure you that 100 of the wool you purchase in the store is not produced like that.
 
In winter I do just fine – you can read about some awesome vegan winter clothes here. If you have wool already use it and love it until it's time to give it away or say goodbye to it. Just try not to support cruel practices by buying new wool. If you feel comfy in wool get used wool – although I have to say it always made me itch! But if you are going to buy it it's better to get a used product.

Now I'm sure that there are some exceptions to all of this... I recently read about The North Circular a company started by models Lily Cole and Katherine Poulton. The North Circular rescues sheep and works with grandmothers literally! to knit chic apparel and accessories. It sounds pretty decent but again this is not the wool that you purchase in any mainstream store. So if you find a story or situation that sounds really compassionate then that might work for you. I'm usually pretty suspicious when I'm told that certain wool came from a good cruelty free place... I always wonder well what exactly happens to those sheep?  How are they sheared? Is this a business? I would need to fully research each situation that I hear about to make sure it seems kosher to me.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Related Stories:

My Thoughts on Fur
Where Do You Get Eco Undies and Tanks?
Nola Singer's Kind Jewelry
Are Bras With Underwires Bad for You?