A Vegan’s View of NYC

Let me first state that I am in no way qualified to give “expert” guidance to this incredible, eccentric, fantastic city. I wanted to share my experiences, but (of course) with a vegan twist, ‘cause I’m just that crazy!

First of all, I highly suggest you plan a trip to NYC…now! For those who have never been to The Big Apple, you literally do not know what you’re missing. The energy, creativity and vibe is phenomenal. I have never seen or felt anything like it; I was immediately hooked. From the first sighting of the Statue of Liberty in the plane to the white-knuckled cab rides to the copious choices of cuisine and unending culture, I was unquestionably addicted to this city.

I’ve had opportunities to visit New York, but have passed. My ideal vacation consists of a warm, tropical location featuring a beach; a scene not typically associated with The City. Fortunately for NYC, my tropical dreams may have detoured slightly to the left of sand and palm trees and into frenzied crowds and skyscrapers. I may have traded the white noise of an ocean for the din of the city.

I want to point out the highlights of my travels (some touristy, some not).


1. Walking.  Seriously, this is by far the best way to see the city. You will see it all, trust me. You’ll see things that confuse and confound you; you’ll see the sadness of the streets, the success of immigrants, the extreme of fashion and perhaps even a fist fight or two. Manhattan is a small island, so pack your walking shoes and plan on pounding the pavement.

2. Food.  There is a double-meaning to The Melting Pot in NYC. Every country and culture is represented; you could eat a different ethnic food for breakfast, lunch and dinner for weeks! If your diet is more limited – a vegan diet, for example – you’ll still be in Vegan Hog Heaven. Check out HappyCow for some really good restaurant suggestions. I was happy to see that many restaurants also have vegan options. Since our first night was my friend’s work-related dinner at Carmine’s, I was a little concerned. It was a pre-planned dinner and they just brought out various menu items. I asked if they had any vegan options and they were more than accommodating. The chef made a lovely roasted garlic and olive oil (eggless) pasta that was not on the menu and they brought me a large garden salad with all kinds of yummy [vegan] antipasti scattered within. The chef and maitre d’ even came to check on me to make sure everything was suitable. I have never had a non-vegetarian restaurant be so compliant. It was very refreshing to be treated like a regular patron!
Then there was the fabulous Ethiopian restaurant, Queen of Sheba. They had many vegetarian options and several vegan options. My friend, Paul, thoughtfully made sure everything was we ate was vegan – it was delicious!  I will rally Knoxville to get an Ethiopian restaurant of its own!
Finally, my crown jewel: Blossom. Blossom is a completely vegan and kosher restaurant. This is the first 100% vegan restaurant I have ever been to, so I was very excited. The seating was a little too close to the next table and the dining area was very loud, but this is just something you come to expect in NYC. Once the wine and food came out, any shortcomings were forgotten. We had the Cape Cod Cakes (a blend of seaweed, tofu, herbs and spices, served with a vegan tartar sauce). I literally do not have words to describe these: delectable, heavenly, scrumptious? Words don’t do them justice. My friend (a meat-eater) said it was the best tartar sauce she’d ever had! My main course was the Pistachio and Pepper-Dusted Tofu. This was served over a roasted root vegetable crepe with a lemon truffle sauce; a mixed greens salad tossed in red beet vinaigrette finished the dish. $20 is much more than a vegan typically pays for an entrée, but this was worth every penny (and then some)! I have never tasted anything so blissfully luscious. I am still sad I didn’t have room for dessert, but that will have to wait for my next visit!


3. People.  Forget everything you’ve heard about New Yorkers being foul-mouthed and rude. Wait…Keep the foul-mouthed bit, but toss the rude! Every time I asked for directions, I luckily did so of a local and they were always very kind and willing to help. Retail associates were generally more helpful than people in the South! I love how New Yorkers can be very direct, tell you what you need to know and leave it at that. Being direct in the South translates into you being rude or short-tempered. Any rude people I encountered, were actually tourists themselves! Go figure.


My friend, Jannae (who lives in NYC), summed it up perfectly when she put it something like this: “We all live in such small spaces that the city is like our living room. We hang out together in the parks and bars and restaurants. We’re all in this together and it just works.”
And it does work. No one stands alone but everyone can make their own path.


“It isn't like the rest of the country - it is like a nation itself - more tolerant than the rest in a curious way. Littleness gets swallowed up here. All the viciousness that makes other cities vicious is sucked up and absorbed in New York.” - John Steinbeck

The Politics of Eating

I came across an interesting article recently. It discusses food politics between a couple: she is a vegan, he is an omnivore. Wow, doesn’t this sound familiar?! I was not a vegetarian when I met my husband. The only thing that was not a part of my diet at the time was red meat which I cut out when I was 18.

My decision to stop eating animals was twofold: Health and Compassion, in that order. My passage into the world of vegetarianism was not a hurried one. First, red meat, then other mammals (chicken, pork, turkey, etc…), lastly, fish got the boot. Then, I decided to give up dairy for two reasons. First, I am lactose intolerant. My body rejects milk and milk-based products for a reason; I shouldn’t force it to accept something I don’t need. Secondly, I had my gall bladder removed in April of 2007. After undergoing a surgery, albeit a minor one, I never want to go through that again if I can help it; eating a plant-based diet is the healthiest/best way to ensure that.

I still eat food that tastes good and I can still indulge my sweet tooth! I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything; I actually feel like I’ve gained so much.
You can’t watch what goes on inside a slaughterhouse and push those images to the back of your mind. You can’t watch animals writhing in pain, being treated with the same respect you give gum on your shoe and comfortably swallow your Big Mac.  (What happens after you swallow that burger??)

But, what about “organic meat”? It still carries hormones, cholesterol and the fact that a living being is being raised only to be killed. Plus, organic meat wastes precious resources like water, grain and land and pollutes the air we breathe. I’ll spare you the details, but if you’d like more info GoVeg.com is a fantastic fact-based site.

Back to my original reason for this post: Can vegetarians and omnivores live in harmony? In a [vegan] nutshell, yes! The hubby and I do it all the time. It’s called compromise. It takes practice and some juggling of viewpoints. Ultimately, food is a basic element in everyone’s life; we all need it to survive. Start there.

I try not to bring up the “V word”, but seems like there is food everywhere. Nearly every social gathering will include food. “Piggies” in blankets, crab puffs, sausage balls, cheese balls, veggies w/ some kind of sour cream/mayo concoction – all things taboo in Monica’s Book of Ethics. In the south, there’s even bacon in the veggies! Oh, the horror!

Bringing up your views of religion, abortion or politics tends to go over easier in a social situation than mentions you’re a vegan. Sometimes it really sucks being a vegan in a meat-eaters world. I’d be lying if I said it was easy. No fancy Italian leather shoes or handbags for me! I can’t pick up a lot of my vegan necessities at a regular grocery store. I can’t go to just any restaurant. I must always bring food to gatherings (but I would do that regardless); a girl can’t live on raw veggies and crackers alone! Well, she can, but she’d get bloated/gassy and that isn’t cute!

Having reservations about what someone else chooses to eat can be as insulting as questioning their religion. Trust me, I’ve had years of experience with people giving me the Stink Eye as soon as the word vegetarian – or worse, vegan – comes out of my mouth. It’s like living in a Marilyn Manson concert when you’re the only member of Young Life.

It’s hard to connect with people when they feel you’re judging them. Food isn’t just nourishment; it is a major bonding experience. It conjures memories of family dinners, holidays, special events like graduations, birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. These moments bond us and the dishes we make for these moments speak volumes. You can tell who cooks with love and who shops hastily in the frozen food section.
But, yeah, I do judge others; I judge them as soon as they judge me. As soon as my morals and values are diminished and disrespected, you can be sure I will lose any respect I had for your right to eat what you want to. Deliberately shoving meat through your plump cheeks while ill-mannered moans of ecstasy waft out will guarantee a place for you on my No Likey list. (Yeah, this has actually happened…several times). I won’t waste my breath on the horrors of factory farming or the global impact the meat industry has on our delicate planet because they won’t appreciate any of it and they aren’t worth it.  At the end of the day, it’s their heart being destroying, so go on and have another burger.  I will not respect anyone's right to act like a total jackass. This is what irritates me the most; the ignorance of where food comes from and how it gets to your table.

Respect my right to eat compassionately and I will respect your right to eat meat.

There must be compromise in everyone’s life. It is an essential tool of existing in peace. This philosophy can be applied to nearly every conflict on the planet. If we all learn to give a little more, bitch a little less and make a little room next to our beliefs, this world would be a more peaceful place. Be open to a new experience, influence or behavior, you may find it makes you a better, more successful person. Omnivores and Herbivores (i.e. my husband and I) can cohabitate in peace and harmony because of our mutual love of so many other things. The majority of my friends, co-workers and family are meat eaters. I get along perfectly fine with them all. And it is always a joy when someone asks for diet/nutritional advice or is simply curious about my lifestyle. It isn’t my evil plan to turn the world vegetarian. I just want us all to get along.

Peace, love and compassionate eating,
                   - Monica