Happy Valentine's Day

Photo: Oceania Island Living

There's a tiny part of the gigantic Great Barrier Reef where the coral polyps have shaped themselves into a heart. The only way to see it is by air.  I am lucky enough to have gone diving and snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, and I can say it was one of the coolest things I've ever done.  For more information about seeing this reef, which I didn't actually see when I was there, check out this website: http://www.whitsundays-australia.com/.  Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Hop Like a Marsupial

I saw kangaroos in Australia.  Lots and lots of them.  They are amazing animals!  I took these photos at an animal sanctuary where we got to walk around with them.  It was one of the coolest things ever!!!

About to hop!

Aaaaawwww....sleepy joey and mommy 'roo.

I am in awe of their body structure.  So cool!

Wallaby in the sun.

I love to watch them go!

Brisbane Picture Walk

 

When I was in Brisbane, we explored the city under clear blue skies and sunshine.  Brisbane has a special place in my heart.  I met friendly and down to earth people, had delicious soy lattes, found an amazing book store, and generally wandered around and saw cool things while dodging the occasional flying fox and sidestepping around a massive cane toad.  Brisbane was our home base while we explored the magnificent natural attractions nearby (more on that soon!).

Watching Brisbane on the news recently, seeing some of my favorite places completely covered in muddy water, just made me so sad.  My heart goes out to Brisbane.  In honor of this awesome city, here is a little photo journey of my time there.

After flying in from Cairns, we checked in to our hotel and explored the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, which was nearby.  

The mangrove boardwalk was really cool.  It was the kind of day that was just the perfect temperature for walking.

Model shoot!  This was in the background.

These birds were like the pigeons of Brisbane, they were roaming around anywhere people ate food outside.  I'm used to pigeons, but these guys are huge!  And their beaks!  I looked it up, they're Australian White Ibis.  We also saw two kookaburra right in the same spot.

We wandered over a cool pedestrian bridge and ended up in a little park that led to an amazing sculptural path covered in vines with bright pink flowers.

It seems like the perfect city for running!

Ultimately, the cool little path led us to a somewhat disappointing food court area.  I ate something unmemorable, and watched in quiet horror as these giant birds jumped onto tables and tried to eat people's scraps.  They're HUGE!  Just as annoying as pigeons but MASSIVE!  It was crazy, but this guy totally brought it onto himself because he was feeding them.  Yikes.

I was almost tempted to check out the views on the Ferris wheel, but my height tolerance met it's limit for the entire stay in Brisbane because of the fact that our hotel room had an open balcony on the 30-something floor.  I could barely sleep without dreaming about being on the very edge of a great height, so I had to pass.

Of course, we ate delicious vegan food there too.  After working up an appetite one night, we wandered to the Queen Street Mall and passed a Japanese restaurant.  We checked it out and ended up eating there.  Right when you walked in, there was an autographed photo of Willem Dafoe.  We were so hungry, and though we were a little out of our element (it was pretty fancy), I thought I remembered he was vegan, so we went for it.  I didn't take pictures of the avocado rolls I got, but I did take these.

I don't even remember what this was, but we were assured that they were vegan.  Sono is located at 202 Edward Street. 

Located at 124 Boundary Street in West End, The Forest is Brisbane's answer to the organic hippie vegan establishment.  Though we're not hippies in the slightest, we were more in our element in this downtown, casual place.  It was more in our price range too.  I didn't take food pics there because we met up with friends and I got a little shy.  I had an organic and really good burger and salad.  I loved being able to order absolutely anything on the menu!

This tofu and veggie combo was budget-friendly and most welcome. 

We ate at City Wok on 99 Elizabeth Street a few times.  They had meat dishes and vegetarian dishes, the setting was very basic, and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Brisbane at night felt safe and was really fun.  This is the outside of the casino. 

Here is more information about the impact of the flood on Brisbane.

St. Kilda and Lord of the Fries

While staying in Melbourne, we took a day trip to St. Kilda, a suburb just south of the city.  We walked around and headed to the breakwater to look for fairy penguins.  Camera poised and ready, we carefully climbed wet rocks on the lookout for these tiny birds...unfortunately, we didn't see any.  Overall, it was a quiet kind of day.  It reminded me of November at the Jersey Shore, most of the rides and games are closed, few people walking around, and just one or two restaurants open.  St. Kilda sort of had a less seedy Coney Island kind of vibe. 

 

The quiet streets had some fun little shops and some of the houses had Victorian architecture.  The slanted boardwalk surprised me, this was my first time seeing a boardwalk that wasn't raised off the sand. Kind of weird, but cool.

It was the middle of Australian winter with temps in the low 50's F.  The beach was empty, but I could see why this would be a popular destination in the hot summer months.  I don't have food pictures, but we did eat at Soul Mama, a vegetarian buffet-style restaurant with beach views.

After walking around for a while, the cold sea breeze started to get a bite to it.  We walked into the building that housed the St. Kilda Sea Baths, a spa, and Soul Mama.  The place was expansive with a nice lounge area, really fancy restrooms, and a fireplace going.  It kind of had a high end beach restaurant/ski lodge effect, and it was most welcome!  Hunting for fairy penguins works up an appetite, and it gets cold in southern Victoria! 

We settled in and after figuring out that we wanted the option of rice and four selections from the buffet (we had three choices: soup and salad, rice and four choices, and a bigger one that I can't remember), we ate.  Overall, I was happy with Soul Mama.  Some of the selections were a little plain, but their menu does change seasonally and you can definitely taste the freshness of the veggies.   As always, we couldn't turn down a vegan chocolate cake, so we topped off our meal with that and headed back to Melbourne on the tram.

Earlier in the day, after finding enough change to cover the journey and before making our way to the tram, breakfast was in order.  Since Lord of the Fries was right across from the train station, we decided on some vegan fast food.

You would never know that this place was vegetarian if you didn't come up close and read their sign that says, "100% veg".  It was always packed with students and business people.

While their delicious fries are in the name, their other specialty is vegan nuggets and veggie burgers. On this particular day, I decided on the breaded and fried soy protein that is their chicken nuggets.

You had a choice of sauce, and I went with the "Aussie": they call it tomato sauce and vinegar, I call it ketchup.  The "American" sauce is barbeque, and I definitely had that on another occasion.  Sometimes you just have to go for the quick and easy food.  Lord of the Fries was a really fun and economical treat for a couple of traveling vegans!

Happy New Year!

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Happy 2011!  It's a balmy 53 degrees here at the Jersey Shore.  Plows and front end loaders scooped up most of the snow that was blocking the roads, and now the sun is doing the rest.  Yay!  I could almost feel spring and longer days around the corner!

It's time for resolutions, so here are some of mine.  I like to think of them more as wishes or goals because some of them are pretty out there and it's really not a huge deal if they don't happen in 2011.

1.  Go to Southeast Asia. Eat Thai curries in Thailand, scuba dive, see ruins in Cambodia.
2.  Surf.  Anywhere really, but preferably in warm water with waves that are challenging but not completely terror-inducing. A trip to Hawaii, perhaps?  Maybe Puerto Rico or Costa Rica?  I don't know!  I might end up just buying a wetsuit and surfing New Jersey.
3.  Scuba dive.  Somewhere warm, clear, and tropical.
4.  Visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida.  I've read all the books over and over, so to have the book come to life would be amazing!  Is butterbeer vegan?  I don't know, but I'd like to find out!
5.  Use less sugar.  This is coming straight from the sugar-heavy holiday season, I've had too many cookies.  Maybe use brown rice syrup and agave in place of it in baked goods.
6.  Run a 5K.  There's an annual Harbor Seal 5K in Seaside that raises money for the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.  That sound like a good fit for me!
7.  Get crafty.  I want to learn how to make cool stuff like here and here.  I have a glue gun, now I want to use it!

Warm Vegan Travel Wishes, Still Stuck in the Snow

The Jersey Shore/NYC snow situation is still totally crazy!  My car has been completely snowed in for days because of the intensity of the snow.  Major highways have only now began to open one lane.  There's about three feet of snow everywhere!  My snowbound brain has led me to websites that show warm beaches.  My restless feet just want to go to the beach and take pictures.  It seems that other snowbound people have made some footpaths through the snow, so hopefully I can get up there today.  

I've been on a tight budget lately, so upcoming travel is going to be tricky.  I'm determined to make it work though, and dreaming is free!  I have miles saved up on a few airlines, so not including airfare, these options might actually work.  Since I'm surrounded by snow right now and really love the beach life, I want scuba, snorkel, and surfing experiences.  Delicious vegan food and good coffee are sort of a necessity, though I have been known to do without while traveling to really cool places.  Here is a random list of places I've been thinking about lately.

Puerto Rico

Kayaking in a bioluminescent bay, surfing waist to chest high waves, sipping pina coladas after scuba diving...sounds pretty good to me!  There's a bunch of vegetarian listings for PR on Happy Cow.

Costa Rica

Surfing, diving, hiking, I've always wanted to go to Costa Rica!

Miami

Flights from the NJ/NYC/Philly area to Miami are pretty cheap, and I remember finding a hotel bargain in a really good area smack dab in the middle of South Beach.  

Hawaii (remember, this is not including airfare)

I've been to Kauai, and to this day it's one of the best places I've ever been.  Now I'd like to try out Oahu or Maui.   There's gotta be some budget hotels there, right?  I'll find out and keep you posted!

Merry Christmas, Snorkeler Style!

When I was diving at the Great Barrier Reef, I met one of the most peculiar animals.  Unlike wombats and giant clams, I never knew they existed until I saw them right in front of me.  They're reef dwelling, invertebrate filter feeders.  They're a couple of inches long, brightly colored, sort of shy and reactive, they're...

Spirobranchus giganteus photo by Nick Hobgood

Christmas Tree Worms!

Aren't they so cool?  The divemaster I was with would gently touch them and THWUMP!  they instantly retracted into their tiny little burrows in the coral.  Check it out in this video I found on YouTube:

Merry Christmas!

Vegan French Toast and Raw Ice Cream in Key West

 

While visiting the southernmost part of the continental USA, I had breakfast at a little  place called Help Yourself. 

I ordered the vegan version of their French toast and ate it outside at one of the picnic tables set up in the Florida sunshine.

Later, after walking around the quaint streets of Key West, I treated myself to Help Yourself's raw, vegan ice cream.  

If and when I return to Key West, I'll be sure to go to this place again.

Vegan Fast Food in Brooklyn

Recently, I found myself in Brooklyn with an empty stomach and very little time before I had to be somewhere.  Thanks to my little VegOut app, I decided on vegan fast food at Food Swings.  I ate at Food Swings years ago, and I thought it didn't live up to the hype.  Well, I've changed my mind.  Everything was filling and tasty and fun.  The food came out quick, it filled me up, and I was happy VegOut told me to go there.

The Chick'n Caesar Salad was pretty filling, but I still made room for half of these potato skins and a Latte milkshake (coffee ice cream and vanilla soy milk).

Vegan Melbourne-Yummy Soy Lattes, Buddha Food, and Records

When we were in Melbourne, we'd wake up, take the bus into the CBD (Central Business District), and begin our quest for caffeine.  Brother Baba Budan is located at 359 Little Bourke Street.  Starting the day with one of Brother Baba Budan's lattes was always a treat.  Though we had a LOT of great coffee in Australia, this place was the best.  The cafe is small, often crowded, but well worth the effort.  The lattes were strong and whipped up with BonSoy, the best, creamiest, most delicious soy milk offered in Australia's best coffee shops.  We looked forward to seeing the designs made in the froth, this leafy one was one of my faves. 

After getting caffeinated, we were ready for record shopping.  One of the best places to do that in Australia is Missing Link, conveniently located near the best lattes at 405 Bourke Street.  When we needed a juice fix after, we'd head to Tropicana Juice Bar at 213 Elizabeth Street.  When we needed lunch in the CBD, we liked to go to a little Buddhist art gallery.

The Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery can be found at 141 Queen Street.  We walked by it at least twice because there really wasn't any sign indicating that it served food.  When we finally did walk in searching for food, I felt silly because I'd obviously walked into a super zen, Buddhist art gallery.  My hunger kept my feet moving, and I'm glad I did because tucked in the back was a tea room/vegetarian restaurant. 

The waitress was always very good about pointing out the vegan options on the menu.  These light and fluffy dumplings did not disappoint.

Crispy soy-something (their name totally escapes me) were a crunchy and filling protein source.

This dish included fresh bok choy, bean sprouts, noodles, tofu, and some veggie/soy mince mixture.  Their food left me feeling warm, full, and ready for our next adventure.

Vegan Time Travel...A Flight to Australia

Fly from New York City to Australia and you lose a day.  It disappears.  Twenty or so hours on one flight, and as soon as you cross the international date line...poof!  You've lost Thursday.  You can literally leave Los Angeles on a Wednesday and arrive 22 hours later on Friday.  

 Auckland, New Zealand as seen from a seat on Qantas

The experience of essentially sitting down for that long is pretty much an adventure in itself.  Individual TV screens complete with hundreds of free on demand movies, TV shows, and games help pass the time.  An inflatable neck pillow, eye mask, ear plugs, and a blanket helped with sleep.  Though I flew prepared as usual with a stash of Primal Strips and Luna Bars, the vegan meals on Qantas were actually way better than I thought they would be.  Don't get me wrong, it is airplane food, but I found it quite edible.  The event of clearing your space, ordering a drink, getting the tray delivered, eating, finishing up, and waiting for everything to be collected really broke up the monotony. 

Here's a whole wheat roll, canola margarine, a salad with a side of vinaigrette dressing, roasted potatoes, veggies, and roasted tomatoes and tofu.  

After the epic flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, we had a long layover.  We were pleasantly surprised to find the lone cafe at the Auckland airport offering soy milk.  We had a shockingly delicious soy latte that hinted at the awesomeness of vegan lattes to come.  When we finally arrived in Melbourne, I felt like I walked bleary eyed into a parallel universe.  Yes, I was crazy jet lagged, but I oddly felt instantly at home there.  It all seemed very familiar yet totally new at the same time.

  I think this might have been breakfast...it's kind of a blur when you're on a plane for so long.  Honeydew melon and cantaloupe, beans, greens, and mushrooms, another whole wheat roll with canola margarine, and some orange juice. 

It took me a few days to acclimate to the time difference, and it took me months to mentally organize and process all of my experiences from this trip.  I spent about thirty days traveling through the east coast of Australia.  To say it was awesome would be a laughable, massive understatement.  I swam with a shark, held a koala, almost got tackled by a flying fox, and shared some trails with a cassowary family.  I gazed at glow worms in a pitch black cave and watched christmas tree worms catch some plankton.  I ate ridiculously well and met people that I felt like I knew my whole life.  I'm going to attempt to write about it here, but bear with me.  It was a month's experience that I will vividly remember for a lifetime.