Matador Network's Blog, page 1230

American sailors drank bars dry

If the craft beer boom in the US has taught us one thing, it’s that Americans like to drink local. Apparently, that also applies to when Americans go abroad. In mid-October, US sailors and Marines drank all of the local beer at several bars in Reykjavik, Iceland, over the course of five days.

The military was docked in Iceland’s capital for NATO exercises. It was the largest NATO gathering since the Cold War, with between 6,000 and 7,000 US service members taking part. When they weren’t working, they were sampling the local fare at the downtown bars. Well, at least the local beer. According to Iceland Magazine, service members drank so much of the local beer at Sæta Svínið, American Bar, and others that the bars had to ask breweries for emergency supplies to refill their fridges.

Whatever your thoughts are about drinking cities dry on your off time, it’s heartening to know that US service members are interested in the products made in the country they’re in. From small craft breweries to Iceland’s big-brand lagers, they took in all tastes of the nation. Local blogger Eiríkur Jónsson wrote that the popular bars borrowed from others with more inventory, but “they were fighting an overwhelming force.”

H/T: Iceland Magazine

More like this: The perfect one-day walking tour of Reykjavík

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Museum of Illusions pop-up in NYC

Whether it’s curated for dogs or about pizza, New York City is no stranger to interesting pop-up exhibitions, and last month, a new addition to the bunch opened up. The Museum of Illusions aims to bamboozle the senses and show visitors that there’s more to what they see than meets the eye.

Several different installations are available to explore, ranging from entire rooms to holograms. The anti-gravity and rotating rooms will make you feel like you’re defying the laws of physics, the head on a platter display will make it seem as if your head’s been cut off and ready to serve for dinner, and the true mirror allows you to see yourself as others see you. There’s even an infinity room that gives off some major Yayoi Kusama vibes. If you’re worried about not being able to understand what you’re seeing, there are signs next to each illusion that explain the trick, as well as markers that tell you where to stand to take good photos.

The Museum of Illusions is open every day from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and you can buy your tickets here.

More like this: This immersive Houdini show in New York City is the most magical way to spend Halloween

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China legalizes sale of tiger bones

Although China has had a ban in place for 25 years prohibiting the import or export of rhino and tiger parts, it appears the country is dramatically changing course. According to to an announcement from the State Council on Monday, October 29th, if used strictly for medical research or traditional medicine, rhino horns and tiger bones may now be legally bought and sold in China. The statement specifies that the animal parts can only be obtained from farms, but conservationists believe it will lead to a surge in poaching these already-vulnerable species.

Legh Henry, director of wildlife policy at the World Wildlife Fund, told National Geographic that the WWF “urgently calls on China to maintain the ban on tiger bone and rhino horn trade which has been so critical in conserving these iconic species.” Echoing this sentiment is Debbie Banks, tiger campaign leader at the Environmental Investigation Agency. In an email, she said that although China had been considered a leader in conservation following their ban on ivory sale in 2017, that reputation is now shattered. “This news today seriously jeopardizes the future survival of wild tigers,” she said, “by stimulating demand for their body parts instead of eradicating demand.”

With only around 3,900 left in the wild, every tiger counts. But China’s latest move to lift the ban on tiger bone trade threatens to put a dark cloud over the world’s wild

Air France to let you resell tickets

In this day and age, when no one wants to commit to anything more than two days in advance, non-refundable flight tickets are an absolute nightmare. Wait too long to book, and you’ll end up spending more money. Book too early, and you’ll regret not having waited for something better to come along. Air France is trying to take the stress out of non-refundable tickets by giving passengers the option to resell them.

Although the website isn’t yet operational, the new program will be called FlexFly, and it will allow you to post your unwanted ticket online. If someone purchases it, you’ll get back half of the cost. The other half goes to Air France, which allows the airline to offer discounted tickets to the buyer. Purchasing a resale ticket could land you as much as 25 percent off the original price. The only catch is that to sell your ticket on FlexFly, it must have been originally bought directly from Air France, and not from a third-party.

This is the first resale program of its kind, though if it proves successful, we might see other airlines hopping on the bandwagon.

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: The definitive ranking of the world’s best airlines of 2018 was just announced

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Signs your parents are Arizonans

Arizona kiddos had it rough, but those of us raised by the best guardians recognize these signs of being brought up at home — even though our rugged childhood was sometimes a struggle to endure. Here are 13 signs you were raised by Arizonan parents.

1. You were forced to check your sheets before you went to bed.

Goodness knows why creepy crawlies wanted to spend the night next to your bare toes. But all mom and dad knew was, they bit, and hard. And all those trips to the hospital for anti-venom for you and your siblings sure added up.

2. You went through a giant tube of sunscreen every week in summer and every month throughout the rest of the year.

It only took one blistering sunburn and a look at grandma’s moles to realize: the Arizonan rays are not joking around. Your excellent parents ensured you were constantly slathered in SPF 50-plus. It didn’t matter if it was blended in or not, on was good enough.

3. Your immunity to hot sauce began in infancy.

One or more of your guardians spiked your pacifier with pepper juice, you just know it, because all of your friends marvel to this day at your seemingly numb tongue. You can swallow whole ghost peppers almost without flinching, and certainly enjoy downing a bottle of habañero salsa at every opportunity. In fact, you carry the stuff around with you like an adult binky.

4. You had to carry around a water bottle the size of your head, everywhere you went.

Right from the start, your parents knew heat stroke was a real threat. And now you preach to your out-of-town visitors like the champ they raised you to be: drink that H2O!

5. At least half your childhood words were Spanish.

Your mother, father, or your tía, made sure you could code switch about your barrio and how fast it’s gentrifying. And thanks to them, you’re eligible for twice as many jobs as non-bilingual folks.

6. As soon as they took the training wheels off your bike, your job was to locate stray cattle.

Depending on where you grew up, you either had to use your bike or your horse to round up stray cattle. Otherwise what was the use of having a highly mobile, free-range ranch child? Face it, your parents considered you to be free labor, and Arizona kids earn their keep.

7. Swimming in canals and/or irrigation water and/or flooded arroyos led to severe grounding.

Sometimes sprinklers didn’t cut it, so you did what the bad kids did — you ventured into forbidden waters. And when you got caught, you lost all your privileges. Now you know, though, your parents were saving you from washing away into the abyss, getting stuck with used hypodermic syringes, or both at the same time.

8. Cactus needles got picked out of your butt on the regular.

Even though you tried to hide it — maybe even for a few days — your parents would eventually figure out why you weren’t sitting comfortably in your chair at dinner. Yep, you fell into yet another cactus. This meant getting at least half naked, even if you were eight, climbing onto whichever parent’s lap, and having them pull thorns out of your cheeks with tweezers or a comb, depending on the culprit’s species.

9. You went to summer camp in the pines.

If your parents were lucky enough to afford it, they sent you away to a reprieve from the heat at a summer camp with the name “Friendly” in the title. It was in Prescott, Strawberry, or Flagstaff. You learned to make lanyards, you played “Light as a Feather,” and you sang songs that you still remember.

10. You were trained to pan for gold.

Less wealthy parents trained their kids to go out into the woods and pan for gold in stream beds. It was something the family could do together on the cheap, and hey, striking it rich is the stuff of Arizona lore.

11. Your family kept weird pets.

Horny toads and non-poisonous snakes were your bedside terrarium pals. You kept sickly chickens and gnarly goats. Your dog was never groomed and always full of stickers. The coyotes ate cats one through five and you didn’t get a sixth.

12. You learned to drive when you were 13…because of dad.

It was on a tractor or a four-by, and it was a stick shift. You progressed to a hub-locking Scout with a winch at 15, and that was the car you got your permit in. The MVD people didn’t bat an eye when you parallel parked perfectly, by the grace of some god or another.

13. You were sporadically woken up to the sound of a rattlesnake rattle.

If they’re trained properly with a rattle in the middle of the night, an Arizona kid can detect the sound of a diamondback from 100 yards in mesquite underbrush. This is the task of a masterful Arizona parent.


More like this: 10 things Arizonans are weirdly obsessed with

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US cities for vegans and vegetarians

The food landscape in the US was not designed for vegetarians and vegans. Meals typically revolve around meat as the main course, with some veggies here and there as sides. While it’s easier to stick to a meat-free diet these days, the availability of good, affordable vegetarian options varies city to city and region to region. To find the best cities for vegetarians and vegans, WalletHub, a credit score and report company, crunched some data and found the top 100 large US cities for those of us who choose a plant-based diet.

“There are plenty of options for all the vegans and vegetarians out there, regardless of budget,” Jill Gonzalez, an analyst at WalletHub, tells Matador Network. “This seems to be a growing trend.”

To create the ranking, WalletHub looked at three metrics: affordability, vegetarian lifestyle, and diversity/accessibility/quality. The latter category compared the percentage of restaurants with vegan options, farmers markets per capita, juice and smoothie bars, salad shops, vegetarian cooking classes, and other metrics.

“More and more people are adopting a plant-based diet,” Gonzalez says. “However, it can sometimes be difficult to find affordable meatless options in restaurants and supermarkets. We published this study to help people with all kinds of budgets find the best vegan and vegetarian options.”

There’s a good chance that the cities at the top of the list won’t surprise you. There are a few curveballs in there, though.

“Austin, which ranked seventh, might come as a bit of a surprise since Texas is known for its world-famous barbecue,” Gonzalez says. “But the city has low produce prices and affordable restaurants with vegan or vegetarian options that are easily available. Austin also has the most vegetarian cooking classes per capita and hosts vegan and vegetarian festivals.”

While Wallethub ranked a full 100 cities in the US, below you’ll find the top 50 in descending order. Also included is how each city ranks against each other in the three categories. You may find a certain city in the top 50 ranks lower in a certain category, like affordability, but the overall holistic score still keeps these cities at the top of the pack for vegetarian and vegan eaters.

50. Mesa, Arizona

Photo: Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock

Affordability: 36

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 50

Vegetarian lifestyle: 58

Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix, just makes it into the top 50 in WalletHub’s ranking. Two other nearby suburbs, Gilbert and Chandler, made it onto the full 100 list. Phoenix itself comes in at number 14. So all in all, the area is doing pretty well for itself as a vegan- and vegetarian-friendly city. There may not be all that many plants in the desert, but there sure are on your plate. Some of Mesa’s top vegetarian restaurants include Lotus Deli, an Indian restaurant, and Cutting Board Bakery and Cafe, a bakery and juice bar with sustainable wine and beer options.

49. Plano, Texas
Affordability: 18

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 72

Vegetarian lifestyle: 54

Located just outside of Dallas, Plano has an affordable vegan and vegetarian scene, but the city of more than 280,000 isn’t exactly swimming in options. It’s easy enough to make it work with a little planning, though. Some of the local favorites include Malgudi Garden, a buffet Indian restaurant, and True Food Kitchen, which has a range of common dishes made vegan like sandwiches, pizzas, and bowls, as well as wine and beer.

48. Cleveland, Ohio
Affordability: 61

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 79

Vegetarian lifestyle: 23

There are more than 30 vegan-friendly restaurants in the greater Cleveland area, including the Lebanese chain Aladdin’s Eatery, a taco shop called Barrio, and Emperor’s Palace, which has a separate menu for vegans. You don’t have to go vegan on your own in Cleveland, either. The Cleveland Vegan Society helps promote the city’s vegan restaurants and community.

47. Boise, Idaho
Affordability: 10

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 37

Vegetarian lifestyle: 70

Affordable variety is what makes Boise so attractive from a vegan and vegetarian standpoint. BBQ4LIFE has an entire vegan menu alongside its barbecued specials, and the first Ethiopian restaurant in the city, Kibrom’s, is popular amongst vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The Funky Taco has a seemingly fanatical devotion to everything local, and the bar and restaurant rotates its menu depending on what’s in season. Boise is quickly growing and the cost of living is going up, but it’s still an affordable place to eat.

46. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Affordability: 93

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 31

Vegetarian lifestyle: 24

Of all the cities getting attention for new bars and restaurants over the past couple of years, few have been as buzzed about as Minneapolis. It’s an underrated city in many regards, but the food and drink options are some of the most criminally overlooked, and that goes for the vegan and vegetarian options too. Consider The Herbivorous Butcher, which makes a bunch of different meat-free “meats” and cheese-free “cheeses.” Then there’s the new plant-based fine dining restaurant Fig + Farro, which focuses on comfort food without the meat. The food can be expensive, but some sacrifices from your wallet are worth it.

45. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Affordability: 5

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 71

Vegetarian lifestyle: 98

The lack of plant-centric events and meetups bring Fort Wayne’s lifestyle ranking down, but it’s an extremely affordable place to be a vegan or vegetarian. Loving Café makes vegan dishes like soups and vegan hot dogs that are budget-friendly. Pembroke Bakery and Café offers beet burgers, chickpea sandwiches, bagels with vegan cheese, and other lunch and breakfast options. Mad Anthony’s Brewpub has a house-made vegetarian burger with oats and egg whites, as well as award-winning beer.

44. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Affordability: 32

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 30

Vegetarian lifestyle: 68

It’s not all cheesesteaks in Philly. The City of Brotherly Love has become a place of veganly love over the past two decades. V Street serves up lots of beer with spicy street food from James Beard Award-winning chefs. Honest Tom’s has an entire menu of plant-based tacos. But you wouldn’t be in Philly if you didn’t have a cheesesteak — even if you’re vegetarian. Wiz Kid, Govinda’s Gourmet Vegetarian, and Blackbird Pizzeria all have meat-free takes on Philadelphia’s most famous food.

43. Glendale, Arizona
Affordability: 14

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 70

Vegetarian lifestyle: 49

In 2018, Glendale got Veggie Rebellion, Arizona’s first vegan grocery store. It’s also close to Mesa (No. 50) and Phoenix (No. 14). But just because there are options for vegans and vegetarians if they take short jaunts outside of Glendale doesn’t mean those trips need to be taken. Mi Vegana Madre serves twists on Mexican staples, like faux-meat carne asada tacos. Staple pizza places, burger joints, and ice cream shops have added vegan and vegetarian options, and chef Jason Wyrick, the man behind delivery service The Vegan Taste, will soon open a food truck called Bonebreaker’s Vegan Smokehouse.

42. Anchorage, Alaska
Affordability: 84

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 55

Vegetarian lifestyle: 17

There are some greens, albeit some expensive ones, in the cold of Alaska. At Namaste North Yoga Studio Cafe, you can get your stretch on and then refuel with vegan food. Organic Oasis is also a vegan and vegetarian oasis. When in Anchorage, there’s no need to feel isolated as an herbivore. Find your people with events like Alaska VegFest and the Alaska Vegan Society.

41. Long Beach, California
Affordability: 85

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 36

Vegetarian lifestyle: 29

Yes, Long Beach is expensive. If you can afford it, though, there are plenty of places to go and things to eat that fit into a plant-based lifestyle. I Love Vegan is a Thai food place with an appropriately on-the-nose name. Seabirds Kitchen expands what you think can be done with vegan food — and does so just blocks away from the beach. There’s also a strong vegan and vegetarian community, with meetups, cooking classes, and the Long Beach Vegan Festival.

40. Durham, North Carolina

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Affordability: 70

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 61

Vegetarian lifestyle: 10

Having events like the Triangle VegFest helps boost Durham’s vegan/vegetarian ranking. Like other cities with a strong college vibe, Durham has moderate access to restaurants and a good farmer’s market. Say what you will about the youth in a college town, but they bring veggies to the table. Souly Vegan puts a plant-based spin on traditional soul food dishes like jerk “chicken” and barbecue, and try out Pomegranate Kitchen for vegetarian dishes with a focus on local ingredients.

39. Irvine, California
Affordability: 67

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 28

Vegetarian lifestyle: 45

There’s nothing like having a college or university with a strong agriculture program to boost a city’s vegan/vegetarian profile. Irvine has that with the University of California, Irvine. If you’re looking for meals that’re already prepared for you, Butterleaf has plant-based burgers and sandwiches that have the look and feel of meat without any of the animal. Also, helping out on the lifestyle front for WalletHub’s rating, Irvine has events like Plant Fest at Tanaka Farms.

38. Boston, Massachusetts
Affordability: 98

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 19

Vegetarian lifestyle: 18

Boston, like many of the other major metropolises in the US, is expensive. It’s expensive to live there, drink there, and eat a plant-based diet there. But the latter is possible thanks to the city’s many options, and it’s made easier with community groups like the Boston Vegetarian Society. The wide swath of options ranges from vegan ice cream shops to Chinese vegetarian specialties.

37. Charlotte, North Carolina
Affordability: 72

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 34

Vegetarian lifestyle: 34

It’s easy to love North Carolina barbecue, but don’t count out Charlotte’s less-hyped vegan/vegetarian spots. Fern, Flavors from the Garden focuses on locally sourced veggies for its dishes, and Living Kitchen makes barbecue sliders with oyster mushrooms if you want to keep in line with North Carolina’s more well-known barbecue culture.

36. Columbus, Ohio
Affordability: 25

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 78

Vegetarian lifestyle: 37

HappyCow, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant guide, lists 99 vegan, vegetarian, and vegetarian-friendly options in Columbus, Ohio. To say there are a lot of options is an understatement. It also has a strong vegetarian/vegan community with both the Columbus Veg Community group and the Vegan Columbus Facebook group, as well as people in the city working to make it the vegan capital of the US.

35. Baltimore, Maryland
Affordability: 79

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 46

Vegetarian lifestyle: 14

Maryland gets a lot of credit for its seafood — as it should. Vegetable gardens, not so much. WalletHub ranked it No. 97 in terms of vegetable nurseries per capita. The restaurants are picking up the slack with places like Encantada, which devotes half of its menu to vegan or vegetarian options, and The Grub Factory, which makes a vegan cheesesteak.

34. Kansas City, Missouri
Affordability: 33

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 66

Vegetarian lifestyle: 33

Kansas City is another barbecue town that’s making waves for vegans and vegetarians. It hosts plant-based festivals like VegFest, and the city is home to food carts like Peaceful Pig Vegan BBQ. The affordability of Kansas City doesn’t hurt either.

33. Jacksonville, Florida
Affordability: 71

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 42

Vegetarian lifestyle: 27

Jacksonville has Florida’s youngest population. The youth are turning the city by the sea into a nice spot for vegans and vegetarians. The Facebook group Jax Vegan Love keeps people up to date on restaurants and events and is a good place to start for anyone looking for a green place to go.

32. Chesapeake, Virginia
Affordability: 22

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 93

Vegetarian lifestyle: 28

Like nearby Norfolk and Virginia Beach, which both made it into the top 100, Chesapeake is a vegan- and vegetarian-friendly city. Delivery and catering places like Naomi Vegan Meets make it easy to eat vegan wherever you are in the Chesapeake area. It’s also the home of the Hampton Road VegFest, which helps boost its WalletHub ranking.

31. Denver, Colorado
Affordability: 44

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 21

Vegetarian lifestyle: 56

Denver is a good food city, a good beer city, and a good everything city. It hosts one of the largest VegFests in the US and has many farmers markets and restaurants to choose from if you’re looking to skip out on meat. Beet Box Bakery and Cafe is a standout as is WaterCourse Foods, which opened in 1998 and serves only vegetarian dishes.

30. New Orleans, Louisiana

Photo: GTS Productions/Shutterstock

Affordability: 57

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 27

Vegetarian lifestyle: 44

New Orleans is more known for its muffalettas, po’boys, and Bourbon Street festivities than vegan or vegetarian food. To put it bluntly, plant-based meals don’t fit into the indulgent reputation of the Big Easy. Reputation isn’t everything, though. 13 Bar & Restaurant has late-night vegetarian eats, and Killer Poboys offers meat-free po’boys.

29. Buffalo, New York
Affordability: 60

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 41

Vegetarian lifestyle: 20

The best-known food from Buffalo has to be Buffalo wings. Those are decidedly not vegan- or vegetarian-friendly — usually. The city now has three restaurants (Merge, Amy’s Place, and Allentown Pizza) serving seitan Buffalo wings that we can all enjoy. Buffalo is also home to its very own VegFest.

28. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Affordability: 49

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 38

Vegetarian lifestyle: 31

The only New Mexico city to make the top 50, Albuquerque is just good enough at everything vegan and vegetarian to be bumped up to No. 28 overall. The food tends toward a traditional New Mexican vibe with restaurants like Vibrance and vegetarian-friendly tapas bars like Blue Agave Republic.

27. Oakland, California
Affordability: 97

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 26

Vegetarian lifestyle: 5

Oakland is catching up to neighboring San Francisco in the vegan and vegetarian department. VegNews named it a top 10 city thanks to the mix of high-end restaurants like Millennium, soul food places like Souley Vegan, and bakeries like Timeless Coffee.

26. Dallas, Texas
Affordability: 31

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 56

Vegetarian lifestyle: 32

Dallas and the surrounding suburbs are good places to be on a plant-based diet. It was named one of the top vegan cities in America in 2017 by VegNews and doesn’t seem to be slowing down — no matter how many people consider it a barbecue and steakhouse city. Case in point: Kalachandjis from the Dallas Hare Krishnas and the lovingly greasy pub food at Anvil Pub.

25. Honolulu, Hawaii
Affordability: 100

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 8

Vegetarian lifestyle: 19

No one has tried to argue that Hawaii is affordable, especially not the residents. It’s almost too easy to grow things on the islands, though, and Honolulu restaurants embrace that. The all-vegan Juicy Brew is one example, as is the BYOB Mama T’s Ital Kitchen. The Vegetarian Society of Hawaii is based in Honolulu and one of the largest in the US.

24. Indianapolis, Indiana
Affordability: 29

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 57

Vegetarian lifestyle: 35

Indianapolis’s food scene is generally meat-centric. Where you can find vegan and vegetarian meals, however, it will generally be affordable. The much-lauded Three Carrots in City Market — one of the top food halls in the country — is a favorite for both vegans and meat eaters thanks to house-made seitan. Ezra’s Enlightened Cafe is another vegetarian-focused spot that locals love.

23. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Affordability: 45

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 29

Vegetarian lifestyle: 36

Pittsburgh cracks into WalletHub’s top 25 thanks to its restaurant diversity and accessibility, plus its community. It doesn’t hurt to have a steely-eyed group like Vegan Pittsburgh on your side advocating to business owners why menu options are important. Standouts include B52 and Apteka.

22. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Affordability: 11

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 40

Vegetarian lifestyle: 48

When you think of Milwaukee and many other cities in the rust belt, you likely think of meat-and-potatoes type of food. Not so fast. Beans and Barley has been around since 1973 and is still a favorite restaurant and market for vegetarians. Comet Cafe is another popular spot thanks to beer-battered “ribs” and other tofu dishes.

21. San Jose, California
Affordability: 96

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 18

Vegetarian lifestyle: 4

Nothing should surprise from WalletHub’s rankings of San Jose. There are plenty of options, and the residents love healthy, sustainable, and plant-based eating — though the tech capital of the US is notoriously expensive.

20. Madison, Wisconsin

Photo: Francey/Shutterstock

Affordability: 55

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 17

Vegetarian lifestyle: 21

WalletHub’s ranking shows that, for its size, Madison has options. Many of those options only have vegan and vegetarian selections rather than be entirely devoted to a plant-based menu. That skews the ranking slightly higher, but Madison does have reliably good places like tapas and vegan place Fuegos and Mother Fools Coffee House.

19. Houston, Texas
Affordability: 13

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 51

Vegetarian lifestyle: 26

Texas is heavily represented on this list, and Houston is a good example of why a state generally thought of as meat heaven is so herbivore-friendly. The local Hare Krishnas own Govinda’s Vegetarian Cafe with a lunch and dinner buffet, and Les Givral’s has a $3 tofu banh mi that will heal your soul.

18. Nashville, Tennessee
Affordability: 20

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 32

Vegetarian lifestyle: 30

It wasn’t all that long ago that a vegetarian, let alone a vegan, would go hungry in Nashville. Today, the city has plenty of options that are affordable and diverse. The Wild Cow bases many dishes on local produce, and Butcher & Bee makes extremely savory vegetarian meals.

17. Anaheim, California
Affordability: 86

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 47

Vegetarian lifestyle: 1

The home city of Disneyland welcomes one and all. It tops WalletHub’s lifestyle ranking and is middle of the line in terms of diversity. Affordability of the food is like looking at prices to get into Disney, however.

16. Atlanta, Georgia
Affordability: 40

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 13

Vegetarian lifestyle: 38

You might have to drive through 78 minutes of traffic to get there, but Atlanta’s restaurants have options. True Food Kitchen is for people with an “anti-inflammatory diet,” and places like Go Vegetarian make plant-based meals that resemble meat-based meals.

15. Miami, Florida
Affordability: 39

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 9

Vegetarian lifestyle: 53

Miami’s abundant produce helps put it into the top 15. It’s tied at No. 1 for the most juice shops per capita and holds the spot for most vegetable nurseries per capita outright. Places like American Harvest take advantage of that and have locally foraged produce on the menu.

14. Phoenix, Arizona
Affordability: 26

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 24

Vegetarian lifestyle: 11

Phoenix is spotted with vegan- and vegetarian-friendly chains. Other hot spots make vegetarian and vegan meals that resemble meat-based dishes. Green New American Vegetarian is one of the more popular local spots and has a 100 percent vegan menu.

13. Chicago, Illinois
Affordability: 6

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 20

Vegetarian lifestyle: 40

Chicago’s food scene is still pretty heavy on meat dishes, but it’s incredibly affordable for being a large city. It does come in at No. 4 as most salad shops per capita, according to WalletHub. Outside of salads, there’s Yvolina’s Tamales and Lula Cafe, which focuses on local ingredients.

12. Tampa, Florida
Affordability: 51

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 11

Vegetarian lifestyle: 13

Tampa is another Florida city that benefits from its proximity to local produce. It’s No. 2, after Miami, in the number of vegetarian nurseries per capita. Indian restaurants like Udipi Cafe serve traditional vegetarian and vegan meals, and places like Vegan International Co Kitchen & Market are unassuming yet delicious and affordable.

11. Washington D.C.
Affordability: 83

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 6

Vegetarian lifestyle: 8

The nation’s capital may not have representation in terms of voting, but it does it in terms of vegans and vegetarians. It’s the No. 3 city in the ranking of percentage of restaurants with vegetarian options and No. 5 in most farmers markets.

10. Las Vegas, Nevada

Photo: Gang Liu/Shutterstock

Affordability: 27

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 12

Vegetarian lifestyle: 22

After drinking the night away and gambling until you’ve given up, Vegas has plenty of spots you can go to feel better about yourself. Places like Veggie House, with vegetarian Chinese cuisine, and Simply Pure, with plant-based pasta, are sure to comfort you when you’re down.

9. San Diego, California
Affordability: 21

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 7

Vegetarian lifestyle: 42

Just like the rest of the Golden State, San Diego is no stranger to vegan and vegetarian diets. Anthem Vegan serves semi-fast foods like burritos and burgers while others places like Donna Jean have heartier fare, such as pasta and pizza.

8. Scottsdale, Arizona
Affordability: 30

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 16

Vegetarian lifestyle: 3

Just because Scottsdale is a desert city doesn’t mean that it has any shortage of plant-based restaurants. The names alone, like Grabbagreen, Flower Child, and Even Stevens, should pique your interest.

7. Austin, Texas
Affordability: 4

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 14

Vegetarian lifestyle: 39

Everyone’s excited to head down south for the BBQ and meat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be if you’re meat- or dairy-free. You, too, can partake in the delicious fun by going to BBQ Revolution, Biscuits and Groovy (all meat and dairy can be substituted!), and Baton Creole, where you can eat all the usual Southern comfort foods.

6. Los Angeles, California
Affordability: 19

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 10

Vegetarian lifestyle: 16

There’s no surprise that laid-back, health-conscious Los Angeles is high up on this list. With plenty of organic eateries in every neighborhood like Shojin and The Grain Cafe, you’ll definitely find a place to post up in no matter where you end up.

5. San Francisco, California
Affordability: 99

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 2

Vegetarian lifestyle: 2

While San Francisco can be a bit on the pricey side, it pays it back in terms of quality tenfold. We recommend Udupi Palace, with plates of Indian food bigger than you can imagine, and Nourish Cafe, with huge salads chock full of veggies.

4. Seattle, Washington
Affordability: 66

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 4

Vegetarian lifestyle: 6

The home of Starbucks is also home to some delicious food. Family-owned Wayward Vegan Cafe is one of the best examples of such, with its vegan twist on the typical American diner such as the “Tots-In-A Blanket-Burrito,” which is made up of tater tots, scrambled tofu, diced vegetables, and hollandaise sauce, all inside of a tortilla.

3. Orlando, Florida
Affordability: 17

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 3

Vegetarian lifestyle: 15

Known for its famous theme parks and sweltering heat, Orlando’s getting packed with something other than tourists. You won’t have to pay tourist-inflated prices at Dixie Dharma and Valhalla Bakery.

2. Portland, Oregon
Affordability: 15

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 5

Vegetarian lifestyle: 9

There’s no way anyone will ever be able to make their way through all the veg-friendly places in Portland, but they sure can try. PDX is a haven for all things vegan, with events like the Tofurkey Trot (a Thanksgiving fun run) and locales like the mini-mall that’s home to fully-vegan businesses, such as a grocery store, clothing store, and tattoo parlor.

1. New York City, New York

Photo: TTstudio/Shutterstock

Affordability: 48

Diversity, accessibility, and quality: 1

Vegetarian lifestyle: 7

New York is a cultural melting pot, and its food scene reflects exactly that. You can find food for whatever type of cuisine you’re in the mood for, and its vegan- and vegetarian-friendly options are no exception. There’s an online guide that’ll provide you with choices from savory to sweet, like barbecue riblets at Seasoned Vegan or delectable desserts at Cinnamon Snail.


More like this: Can you be vegetarian and still travel?

The post The 50 best US cities for vegans and vegetarians appeared first on Matador Network.

3 countries ban weed smoking abroad

Canada became the second country after Uruguay to legalize recreational marijuana on October 17, 2018. Some countries aren’t letting their citizens partake, though, whether they’re at home or abroad. Japan, South Korea, and China have put out statements that residents could face legal and health repercussions in their home country if they are caught consuming weed in Canada.

It all started with Japan. On October 4, the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver put out a statement saying Japan’s strict Cannabis Control Law applies to what residents do overseas as well as in their home country. The law states that anyone caught growing, importing, or exporting marijuana could be punished by up to 10 years in prison, and anyone possessing weed can get up to seven years.

The South Korean Embassy in Canada followed Japan’s lead on October 16 by tweeting that it’s illegal for South Koreans to consume cannabis, even if the country they’re in allows it. Offenders, the embassy stated, will be “punished accordingly.”

“Weed smokers will be punished according to Korean law, even if they did so in countries where smoking marijuana is legal,” Yoon Se-jin, head of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division, told Korea Times. “There won’t be an exception.”

China is the latest country to warn its citizens about Canadian cannabis but didn’t go as far as South Korea in saying the government would punish those who legally consumed marijuana abroad. The Chinese consulate in Toronto issued a statement “to remind the Chinese citizens in the consular district, especially international students, in order to protect your own physical and mental health, please avoid contact or using marijuana.”

Taking cannabis out of Canada is illegal, no matter where you’re going. But if you’re a citizen of Japan, South Korea, or China, you might want to think twice before lighting up a legal joint or two.

H/T: Vice

More like this: It’s cannabis legalization day in Canada, but edibles are still off limits

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The 12 best winter music festivals

Conventional wisdom says that once the warm weather drifts away, so does the abundance of music festivals where you can see a dozen of your favorite acts all for the price of a wristband. Once the winter wind kicks up it’s all arena tours mixed in with Trans Siberian Orchestra and the Nutcracker until it’s camping weather again.

But the months of November to February aren’t a complete music festival desert. Whether you’re looking to travel abroad or stay close to home, the winter offers plenty of music festivals that are just as good if not better than during summer. From Sydney to Southern California, here are a dozen of the best winter music festivals you can hit this year.

1. Iceland Airwaves — Reykjavik, Iceland

Photo: Florian Trykowski/Iceland Airwaves/Facebook

Considering the general cost of anything in Iceland, this festival is a bargain: four days with hundreds of bands, a handful of which you might have actually heard of. Even if you can’t name an act on the bill, Iceland Airwaves is a chance to experience an Icelandic tradition from before the tourism boom. Local bands play alongside groups from all over the world — which this year include headliners Blood Orange, Aurora, and Cashmere Cat — and the festival engulfs everything happening in the city. It’s one of the few times of year you can go to Iceland and do things other than the usual sites and tours, and it’s the perfect opportunity to delve into the music scene of this often over-touristed country.

Dates: November 7-10

Cost: $182 for all four days

2. EDC Orlando — Orlando, Florida

Photo: EDC Orlando 2018/Johnny Serrato/Facebook

This two-day electronic music extravaganza sits only behind Ultra as Florida’s largest, and it’s the biggest EDM event in America between summer and March. EDC Orlando is held at venerable Tinker Field, a small baseball stadium near downtown, far from the family-friendly environs of the theme parks. In addition to headliners Kaskade, Martin Garrix, Alesso, and Bassnectar, this year’s festival also includes a DJ set from Pendulum and a classics set from George Acosta on Friday, closing with a sunset session from Tiesto on Saturday.

Dates: November 9-10

Cost: One day: $109-119, two days: $199

3. Riptide Music Festival — Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

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Say what you will about Florida, it’s the one place in America you can count on having a music festival on the beach in December. And this year’s rendition of Riptide stretches to three days with a collection of bands appealing to everyone from grunge-loving Gen-Xers to Millennials. Besides headliners Panic! At the Disco, Third Eye Blind, Matt and Kim, and Cold War Kids, other performers include Crystal Method, Bob Moses, and Robert DeLong. You can see Gin Blossoms and Everclear on Sunday or Bishop Briggs and Young the Giant Saturday. Perhaps the most interesting thing will be seeing the age differences at various stages — and maybe exploring a band outside of your generation’s norm.

Dates: November 30 – December 2

Cost: One-day GA: $75-130, three-day GA: $160

4. Rolling Loud — Los Angeles, California

Photo: rolling loud/Facebook

The biggest hip-hop festival on the West Coast descends on Bank of California Stadium in Exposition Park the second weekend of December, with headliners Post Malone, Lil Wayne, and Cardi B. After a hugely successful festival in Miami this fall, this second iteration of Rolling Load will also include performances from Wiz Khalifa and 21 Savage on Friday, as well as Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, and Lil Yachty on Saturday.

Dates: December 14-15

Cost: Two-day GA: $199

5. Contact Festival Vancouver — Vancouver, British Columbia

Photo: Contact Festival/Facebook

Though Vancouver might be the most beautiful city in North America, in December it can be a bit… grey. So if you’re planning to hit the great white north this winter, best to spend some time inside — like you will at BC Place during Contact Festival Vancouver, a two-day festival featuring some of the biggest acts in electronic music. In addition to headliners Skrillex and The Chainsmokers, you’ll also see Galantis, Borgore, Alison Wonderland, and a special DJ set from Phantoms.

Dates: December 28 – 29

Cost: Single day: $83, Two days: $137

6. Rhythm and Alps — Wanaka, New Zealand

Photo: Rhythm and Alps/Facebook

Not that you need a music festival to visit this adventure-sports mecca in the Southern Alps. But when you can end your day of skydiving, waterfall-hiking, and scaling a via ferrata with a 10,000-person concert under the shadow of a towering mountain, it makes the trip that much better. While its winter north of the equator, it’s summer here, and the Rhythm and Alps festival spreads its events throughout New Zealand’s warmest months — with a Carl Cox mobile disco in November and Fatboy Slim in February. But the big festival goes down right before New Year’s at Robrosa Station with over 40 bands playing in three days, including headliners The Black Seeds, Action Bronson, and Vince Staples.

Dates: December 29-31

Cost: Varies by act

7. SnowGlobe Music Festival — Lake Tahoe, California

Photo: SnowGlobe/Facebook

Is there a better winter combination than downhill skiing and electronic music? You don’t see any Bobsled & Blues festivals, so the answer is no. SnowGlobe Music Festival, the annual New Year’s celebration in Lake Tahoe brings the biggest electronic music acts in the world to Sierra Nevada Mountains for three days of performances leading up to the big midnight party. Even if you’re not into skiing and gambling, this festival is a fantastic reason to make a voyage to Lake Tahoe to witness one of the best music festivals in the country in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. This year’s headliners are Above & Beyond, Diplo, Eric Prydz, and Big Gigantic.

Dates: December 29 – January 1

Cost: Three-day GA: $199

8. Sydney Festival — Sydney, Australia

Photo: Sydney Festival/Facebook

With headliners like Neneh Cherry, Suppression Dam, Mulatu Astatke, and the Black Jesus Experience, the SydFest is the biggest annual event in the city and the essence of summer in Sydney. The musical acts are but a fraction of what’s going on around town, with art installations, theatrical performances, dance troops, and talks and lectures happening for the full 10 days. Many of the shows are free, so if you’re planning an Aussie vacation this winter, you won’t have to budget extra to experience the Sydney Festival. And even the shows that charge admission are rarely over $40 AUS.

Dates: January 9-18

Cost: Varies

9. Eurosonic Noorderslag — Groningen, Netherlands

Photo: ESNS/Facebook

Eurosonic Noorderslag is a true music conference where acts of all sizes converge in Groningen to perform, network, and generally promote music from throughout Europe. Last year’s festival saw 352 acts performing in 52 venues, featuring artists from nearly every country on the continent. This year’s headliners are San Holo and Young Ellens. It’s one of the biggest events of the year for European music lovers and industry professionals, and though you may not know many of the bands, it’s a chance to see what making music across the pond is all about — and to come back home with a whole playlist off cool, foreign music none of your friends have heard of.

Dates: January 16-19

Cost: Festival pass: $181

10. IglooFest — Montreal, Quebec

Photo: Charles Prot Photography/Igloofest Montréal/Facebook

At first glance, the thought of standing outside all night on the Old Port of Montreal in the middle of January sounds like the worst idea of 2019. But spend a night at IglooFest and you’ll understand why Montreal locals and thousands of visitors flock here every year. The cold doesn’t feel so bad when you’re packed onto the pier with thousands of people, dancing the night away under colorful lights in the frigid Quebec air. Most of the acts, like this year’s headliners Diplo and Polo & Pan, are electronic, so it feels more like partying at an Ice Bar than it does freezing at a music festival.

Dates: January 17 – February 2

Cost: Single night: $25 CAD, single weekend: $77.50, Igloopass: $100

11. III Points — Miami, Florida

Photo: Adinayev.com/III Points/Facebook

What started as a little independent music festival around small venues has grown into one of the most acclaimed festivals of winter, where acts from rock to jazz to hip-hop converge on the massive Mana venue in the artsy Wynwood neighborhood. III Points is still a huge draw for up-and-coming bands looking to get some exposure, only now they share the bill with names like headliners Erykah Badu, A$AP Rocky, Herbie Hancock, as well as Tyler the Creator, Blood Orange, and Pussy Riot. The festival is also set amidst the most impressive collection of street art in the world, where before and after shows you can wander the endless blocks of murals in Wynwood.

Dates: February 15-17

Cost: Three-day GA: $205

12. Noise Pop — San Francisco, California

Photo: Josh Withers/Noise Pop/Facebook

Noise Pop differs from a typical music festival in that it’s not a massive event in one big venue where a ton of bands perform. Rather, it’s a Bay Area-wide festival with bands in different venues around the area, plus independent films, happy hours, and other events all week long. If you’ve ever wanted to dive headfirst into the Bay Area music scene, this is the perfect way to do it as the festival will take you to clubs and small venues you’d have to discover otherwise. And you’ll see not only the headlining indie acts you came for — Teenage Fanclub and Beirut —

but also some local groups who just might surprise you.

Dates: February 25 – March 3

Cost: Badges: $179, individual acts vary


More like this: Japanese music festivals belong on every true music lover’s bucket list. Here’s why.

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Survey shows top transit annoyances

The thrills and rewards of travel far outweigh its drawbacks, but there’s no doubt we all experience some groan-worthy moments during our trips. This is especially true when it comes to transportation, where we’re confined to a limited space with other passengers for hours at a time. Small annoyances are often amplified by lack of sleep, delays, language barriers, and other byproducts of travel. To find out what irks travelers the most when it comes to flying, public transportation, and ridesharing, Genfare surveyed 2,000 Americans who fly at least twice per year.

Even frequent travelers consider air travel a necessary evil rather than a process to be enjoyed, so it’s no surprise that there are many nuisances associated with flying. Ranked most annoying — with 54% of the vote — was getting your seat kicked by other passengers. Crying children came in second with 27% of the vote, just ahead of body odor, over-talkative passengers, inattentive parents, drunk passengers, and getting your seat pulled back.

To manage these aggravations, many travelers will kick off their shoes and recline their seats, though by doing so, they might inadvertently be turning into one of “those people.” Thirty-six percent say it’s not okay to remove your shoes on a plane and that reclining airplane seats should be banned.

Once the plane lands, that’s unfortunately when many travelers’ transportation woes are just beginning. On public transportation, 54% of respondents said that other passengers talking loudly on the phone was their number one irritation. It was also a top annoyance in ridesharing environments with 32% claiming to be frustrated when the driver uses a cell phone. Other public transportation aggravations include body odor (41%), passengers playing music without headphones (29%), taking up seats with luggage (28%), and failing to give up a seat for the elderly (22%). When it comes to ridesharing, aggressive driving topped the list with 44%, followed by dirty cars (31%), braking too hard (29%), and over-talkative drivers (28%) rounding out the top five.


More like this: The 7 most frustrating airports around the world

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Mandalay Brewery’s anti-aging beer

While traveling through Myanmar, it’s not uncommon to see advertisements for Mandalay Brewery’s Spirulina Beer. But, unlike other beer ads you might be familiar with, Spirulina Beer has the slogan “young forever” alongside claims that it’s an “anti-aging beer.” It’s much harder to find the beer than it is to spot the ads, but the search is worth it. We’ve tasted almost every lager in Southeast Asia, and of every brew we’ve tried, the most memorable beer we’ve found in the region is Mandalay Brewery’s elusive Spirulina Beer.

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Mandalay Brewery’s purported health ingredient is right there in the beer’s name: spirulina. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that grows in ponds and lakes, and it’s abundant in Myanmar. NASA uses spirulina as a dietary supplement for astronauts, and studies have shown it can boost energy, lower cholesterol, and is both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. Today, the algae can be found in beauty products and food around the world. Finding it in the beer we kept seeing in the ads was a little harder, though.

After much searching, the only bar we could find with the beer on tap was in the old British hill-station town of Pyin Oo Lwin (formerly Maymyo). The country’s bus drivers were on strike, so we hitched a 65-kilometer ride up the hill on the bed of a farm truck. Along the way, several villagers came and went, sitting beside us on bags of onions and handing the driver a few kyat for the lift.

Stepping off the onion truck in a daze, we killed time at Pyin Oo Lwin’s sprawling botanical garden and zoological park before the town’s bars opened. Then we headed to Win Thu Zar, a local watering hole.

The Win Thu Zar “beer hall” was, like most in Myanmar, a spartan den with a static-filled TV and some refrigerators full of barely chilled beer. Unlike many other bars, this place had beer on draft. Most importantly for us, the kegs were full of the Mandalay Spirulina Beer we’d crossed the country to taste. Maybe it was the spirulina, maybe it was an especially active day, but this little room had more energy than the other bars we visited in the country. It was lively with locals coming for a pint of youth-giving beer.

We ordered pints of our own and received two lagers that were a familiar yellow color. While spirulina naturally turns whatever it touches blue-green, this beer isn’t tinted because Myanmar Brewery uses spirulina extract rather than the raw algae powder that’s used in smoothies. The beer had a nice carbonation and better head retention than most lagers we’d tried in Southeast Asia. It smelled a bit mossy, but mostly had the aroma of honeyed malts. It tasted a lot like other tropical lagers with a subtle savoriness. The spirulina didn’t add any lake funk, but did leave a lingering bitterness and slightly heavier body — both of which were improvements to the often watery local lagers.

Initially, we were disappointed by the lack of algae flavor, but after a few pints we noticed some notes of forest floor. When tasted alongside the flagship blue-label Mandalay Beer, the Spirulina Beer won on both complexity and drinkability.

Some American breweries like Dogfish Head and Freetail Brewing Company have experimented with spirulina, but Mandalay Brewery is the only consistent producer — and the only one with “anti-aging” on the label. For now, it appears things will stay that way. Japanese brewing giant Kirin bought Mandalay in 2017, and Kirin has reported that they’ll continue brewing it.

Today, the beer remains tough to find, but it’s worth the search. The beer cafes around the U Bein Bridge just outside of Mandalay are a good bet, or Win Thu Zar, the charming beer joint in Pyin Oo Lwin. Several rounds of beer anywhere can relax the aches and worries that come with age, but we’re convinced that it’s travel, not spirulina, that’ll keep us young.


More like this: The 7 most overlooked destinations in Southeast Asia you need to visit

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