Introduction

[Guest guest]

I think the introductions are a great idea, and I enjoy reading

them. My name is Karen, and I've been a vegetarian for almost 12

years now, vegan for 11. I am still grateful to my friend, Donna

Marie, for nudging me into that decision. I'd wanted to do it for a

long time, but was just too lazy; she wouldn't let up on me until I

did. (Thanks, Donna.) To paraphrase a quotation I read (can't

remember where), being vegan has brought my diet into alignment with

my heart.

 

I am a 50+ year-old, lifetime bay area resident. I'm a consultant

and am away from home a lot on projects. People always ask me if it

isn't hard to be vegan when I travel so much, often to places that

are not very veg-friendly. I can truly say that it isn't hard at

all – if nothing vegan is being served, I just don't eat. (I can

usually find something anywhere I go, though.) I think that the

reason it isn't hard is that I became vegetarian, and then vegan,

because I didn't want to participate anymore in the horrible

suffering of animals used in the production of meat, dairy, eggs, and

leather. Once I fully faced what they go through, I just couldn't

eat or wear that stuff anymore. Shortly after becoming vegetarian, I

read Diet for a New America. That was the final boost I needed.

Since then, I've never looked back.

 

My favorite restaurant in the entire world is Golden Lotus, at 13th

and Franklin in Oakland. Others worth mentioning are: Café Ambrosia

in Seattle; Millennium and Golden Era in San Francisco; and Dharma's

in Capitola.

 

Veggie heroes of my life are:

John Robbins – for writing Diet for a New America;

Jennifer Raymond – for writing Peaceful Palate, the best vegan

cookbook ever;

Ingrid Newkirk and the others at PETA – for never letting up in their

commitment to ending all forms of abuse for all animals (not just

the " cute " ones);

Dr. John McDougall – for his relentless crusade to get out the truth

about the rich western diet and the benefits of a low-fat, vegan diet;

Ut Dang, owner of Golden Lotus, for creating the best vegan recipes

ever;

Local activists (like many on this list) for being willing to speak

out for animals and vegetarianism.

 

As many others have said, I'm glad that Tammy and Chris created this

list and are willing to maintain it. I enjoy reading what everyone

sends in and have learned a lot through it.

 

Karen