Sometimes it is actually thrilling to bask in ceremonies, captured by the whole ritual of dressing up to celebrate a particularly special day.

We indulged ourselves with that feeling yesterday, starting with an uplifting yoga practice for me and an intense weight-lifting session for him, then a relaxing massage for the both of us, and a relatively sinful dinner to cap off the day. Donning a short printed dress and a proud pair of heels, I pranced past wine bottles with my hand on his arm, and beamed at his smart long-sleeves, dark jeans, and gorgeous coat.

He called ahead of time to mention that while we trust the talent of Chef Marco Legasto, he might as well be armed with vegetables so we would not limit ourselves with the usual fare of salads. We were led to a table by the couch area, and we started the night with light semi-sweet red wine.

The place is known for excellent wine and impeccable freestyle cooking, which naturally excites any pair into gastronomic adventure. Cozy even with the stormy weather, the Chef and his army were very easy to talk to and very accommodating. After aligning expectations on taste preferences and black-listed ingredients, we agreed on portobello mushrooms sans cheese to welcome the main course of spicy tomato-based Moroccan dish and vegetables pureed into patties.

We were far from disappointed. The dishes were delightful sights, and the sour-smoky mushrooms aptly set the tone for our food fest. The fried spinach on top was tasty and surprisingly not excessively oily. The portion size was just right to be satisfying while enticing our appetite for the main course.

The Moroccan vegetable dish had a good kick without enslaving us with fiery taste. Slices of zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and peppers in a bed of noodles of carrots wet with fresh tomatoes made it filling and satisfying without going over the top.

The vegetable patties dish, however, was really heavy. Apparently, this is the most popular vegetarian dish in the menu. Tomatoes between layers of patties did not exactly look enormous but a few bites made me surrender. It was delicious with a starchy consistency, but hardly offered a unique memorable experience. It was a good complement to the Moroccan dish, though, as while it was rich in a sense that it made the whole meal feel gluttonous, it did not strive to compete with the other two dishes in taste.

We capped the night with a cup of green tea for me, and homemade vanilla ice cream with caramel for him (let me reiterate…I am the vegan here haha).

All in all, this place goes to show that snooty eating (haha) can also go vegan. I would love to come here once again to try out the chef-recommended curry.

Total damage: P2,000+

Purple Feet
217 Nicanor Garcia (former Reposo Street)
Bel-Air, Makati City

Tags: great food

Mood:	happy
Music:	Vikter Duplaix - I See The Sun

vegan_manila

(no subject)

No to greyhound racing
Companies
Written by By the rule / Emeterio Sd. Perez
Monday, 27 July 2009 21:46
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/13745-no-to-greyhound-racing.html

THE organizations of animal lovers and protectors, like People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, are now united for a common cause: stop Congress from giving franchise to greyhound racing. Their targets are the proponents who have banded themselves under Fox New Millennium Amusement Club Inc., apparently their corporate vehicle in promoting their new kind of game in Cebu. As the name of the entity suggests, greyhound racing—which is now pending passage in Congress—is a form of amusement when it is not. It is, in fact, more a form of gambling than an entertainment that its sponsors in Congress want Filipinos to believe it is. Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz, Benhur L. Salimbangon and Ferjenel Biron, are its sponsors in the House of Representatives, where they have successfully defended House Bill (HB) 5291, an “Act granting Fox New Millennium Amusement Club Inc. a franchise to construct, operate and maintain a greyhound racetrack in any place within the City of Mandaue, province of Cebu.”

Well, the three lawmakers may be right in supporting the bill. After all, Soon-Ruiz, Salimbangon and Biron—like the other members of Congress—are paid to legislate and granting franchise to Fox New Millennium is a task they would only be willing to do because they are being paid to make laws. Unfortunately, their bill tells us all about the business of racing but does not say a thing or two about animal welfare because the proposed law on greyhound racing falls under “franchising,” which is strictly a business venture. It does not contain any provision on the care of greyhounds when they grow old and retired or incapacitated that they could not run anymore. In short, the question that should be asked is: where will these dogs end up when it would no longer be profitable for Fox New Millennium to allocate funds for their upkeep and care?

HB 5291 speaks more about gambling, a word which, of course, the bill has not mentioned. Or are its proponents afraid to mention gambling, which is an illegal activity. Yet, it uses the words “betting” in generating revenues when it allows the “establishment of off-track betting stations (OTBs) anywhere in the country.”

Speaking of bets, Section 8 of the bill provides for corporate social responsibility because it requires the racing operator or operators to set aside certain amount of its revenues for government hospitals in Cebu and for the rehabilitation of drug addicts—as if this CSR projects can justify gambling two ordinary days a week, Saturdays and Sundays and legal holidays. This means there would be four racing days a week from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. If these dogs don’t die from old age, they might die of exhaustion from running too fast to beat each other. Poor animals!

By the way, Fox New Millennium plans to raise funds by selling 25 percent of its outstanding shares to public and listing these on the Philippine Stock Exchange. Any stockbroker who wants to gamble on Fox?

The proposed greyhound racing of Soon-Ruiz, Salimbangon and Biron will be based in Cebu but it will take bets nationwide through OTBs. This will make Fox New Millennium just like Philippine Racing Club. The latter relies on OTBs for much of its revenues. In 2008, PRC’s revenue mix shows 90.27 percent came from bettors through OTBs and only 8.56 percent from main track. A financial report shows PRC generated P330.193 million from racing in 2008; P343.728 million in 2007; and P339.302 million in 2006. But its net profit dropped to P12.797 million in 2008 from P52.442 million in 2007 and P50.445 million in 2006.

Greyhounds and horses are both race animals. But horses may be more fortunate in that when they are retired, they are either used for breeding or are sold to enterprising entrepreneurs who operate horse riding in some tourist places like Tagaytay City and Baguio City. This is an option that prolongs their earthly existence away from the racetracks. Of course, there are also some horses that end up in the slaughterhouse of Malabon when they are either too old or too weak to run or when they become incapacitated that their legs could not carry their weight anymore.

There may be a group of businessmen who, because of vested interest, may be interested in providing moral support to Soon-Ruiz, Salimbangon and Biron and whoever pushes for the bill’s passage in the Senate: they are the entrepreneurs who resort to stealing dogs for their steady supply of meat. If greyhound racing is allowed in the Philippines, these businessmen won’t resort to buying stolen dogs. Instead, they would wait for retired greyhounds to be sent to the slaughterhouse. This should make killing greyhounds a profitable activity in this country.

Will the good senators sacrifice the life of animals for a few people to enjoy profits?

Tags: good reads

Mood:	shocked
Music:	Lounge Music at Coffee Bean

vegan_manila

(no subject)

Almost done with a week of plain suffocation and enforced disappeance of sanity. After PIL class tonight, I can finally sleep with no worries!

I tried hot flow yoga yesterday at Fitness First Eastwood and while it made me feel great after (I dunno...yoga has that effect on me...better than great food or heavenly sounds), it did not strike me as much as Bikram yoga. It is interesting to try new poses and to practice in a different setting, but it felt too detached and disjointed. Besides, I could barely hear the lady teacher! But then again, the lady teacher was pretty cool. She was very accommodating after the session when I asked her about some poses so I could execute them properly the next time around. She was also very encouraging about the practice, and appeared genuinely concerned. Plus, it was the first time I went to a class with him, so it was pretty cool to emulate a pretzel (gracefully, mind you) beside someone equally sweaty while breaking in my new Aquazorb yoga towel.

In any case, new knowledge is always exciting. I am sure the next session would be better as the poses will not be as alien. Plus, from what I gathered, flow yoga varies per teacher, so I might try to go to other branches and check which classes suit me the most.

But at the end of the day, I still find solace in the first practice that woke me up from that sedentary lifestyle I shelled in millions of excuses - Bikram yoga.

Namaste!

Tags: clear mind and body

Mood:	amused
Music:	Starbucks Music

vegan_manila

Shameless Plug for Yoga

improve-athletic-game-yoga.html

Improve Your Athletic Game the Green Way With Yoga: How Yoga Can Make You Better at Any Sport

Yoga is more than a green exercise that calms the mind; it can better your game by focusing on stretching, stability, and strengthening the small muscles that support your movement.

By Laurel House
Santa Monica, CA, USA | Tue Jul 07 08:00:00 EDT 2009

Inga Ivanova/istockphoto

READ MORE ABOUT:
Biking | Exercise | Games | Health | Outdoors

Yoga is more than a body-bending, mind-calming green exercise practice for granola crunching yogis. Fact is: yoga can actually be a seriously sweat-drenching workout that has the ability to bring even the most muscle-wrought workout maniac to their knees. But more than providing a great green workout, with no machine, no equipment, no electricity required, yoga (especially when practiced on an eco yoga mat is the magic bullet green exercise program that has the ability to keep your body strong and improve your game—no matter what game that is.

Desi Bartlett M.S., CPT, who holds advanced certifications in Yoga, Personal Training, and Group Fitness, a degree in Kinesiology, a Master's degree in Corporate Fitness, and a continuing education provider through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Council for Personal Trainers, trains tons of athletes with yoga. "Outdoor athletes naturally incorporate many of the elements of yoga into their chosen sport. The connection to the body, breath and mental focus are all present in sports like running, rock climbing and cycling."

In order to maintain balance in the body, practicing a few basic yoga poses after your outdoor activity can help keep the body strong, flexible and healthy. How? Desi says that "Depending on your particular sport, there may be a need to stretch and lengthen a specific muscle group, or there may be a need to strengthen it. By practicing specific Yoga poses, you can keep your joints strong and healthy for many years, and help to ward off overuse injuries." Generally speaking, it is optimal to stretch the muscles that are being used over and over again, and to strengthen those which are constantly being stretched. Yoga can do both.

Get in the Game

Yoga is obviously great for clearing the head. But how does it help your game?

For your head Yoga can:

Decrease stress
Help you to relax
Develop better self awareness
Improve your mental performance
Give you a positive mental/emotional state

For your body Yoga can:

Improve flexibility
Improve balance
Increase range of motion
Help to correct your posture
Improve strength

Desi breaks down how Yoga can help better your game:

Better your Basketball with Yoga

Basketball requires a lot of arm strength in order to dribble, aim and throw the ball up into the basket. Because the shoulders (front and side), biceps and triceps are the main body focus in basketball, yoga can help increase joint and muscle mobility and flexibility with chest and shoulder stretches.

Jelani Memory/istockphoto

Better your Volleyball with Yoga

Volleyball heavily depends on quad, glute, ab, and shoulder strength throughout the game in short intense bursts of movement that have a tendency to both tighten and build the muscles. Yoga can help by stretching and opening the entire upper body with poses like backbends to create a fuller and more effective range of motion.

Nicholas Rjabow/istockphoto

Better your Tennis with Yoga

Tennis targets the shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms, intercostals (the small muscles between rib muscles), quads, abs and adductors with quick, forceful movements. Yoga can help loosen the tightly wound muscles and allow for fuller and more effective follow-through with shoulder stretches and balance poses that help to maintain strength in the inner and outer thigh areas.

Skip ODonnell/istockphoto

Better your Golf with Yoga

Golf is similar to tennis in terms of movement, but with even more focus on the rotator cuff (girdle) of the shoulder. A good golf game requires controlled flexibility and deep spinal twists for club follow-through. Yoga can help with chest opening stretches and poses that focus on twists. Within the twists, yogic breathing during rotation can help better the swing.

Skip ODonnell/istockphoto

Better your Swimming with Yoga

places a lot of emphasis on the lats, shoulders, and hamstrings depending on the particular stroke. Yoga can help by focusing on the release of the shoulders down from the ears, training them to relax in order to create your spacec along the neckline and creating a greater freedom of arm movement and speed.

technotr/istockphoto

Better your Running with Yoga

Running requires the repetitive and enduring firing of the quads and hamstrings, plus a little bit of ab and low back. Yoga can help your running by paying attention to the joints in the knees and hips helping to simultaneously strengthen and stretch them with poses like hip openers.

Ana Abejon/istockphoto

Better your Kayaking with Yoga

Kayaking places primary attention on the upper body—the lats, biceps and shoulders, plus a little bit of abs in a repetitive and enduring action. The frequent firing of those arm and chest muscles can make them become tight and contracted. Yoga can help with chest stretches.

Paul Morton/istockphoto

More on Green Exercise
Try Chi Running: Remain Injury-Free, Naturally
How to Go Green: Outdoor Sports
Green Golfing Tips
Score Big by Taking Care of Your Basketball

Tags: clear mind and body

Mood:	bouncy
Music:	Dredg - Bug Eyes

vegan_manila

Raw Munch and The Fruit Store

I honestly love the taste of fruits and vegetables - unadulterated, unmasked, untamed, and unviolated. So while I hear some get their protein fix through meat substitutes and tofu abuse, I do mine through soy protein powder and nuts. But everybody close to me would know how much of a slave I am of Starbucks - soy latte or green tea soy latte (no classic syrup) - so I guess I would hardly qualify as the bastion of healthy living.

So I thought that since I have been pigging out on blanched vegetables and fresh fruits and have been raving about that diet for the longest time, I should just do raw veganism deliberately. Of course, I still stand by my mantra - go with principle, not perfection. So I will not claim to be purist about it, but I will do the best I can.

I am currently in touch with Monica Siembor, whose discipline and utter positive vibe radiate through leagues and miles, to help me shape a healthy raw vegan diet.

In any case, yesterday marked the first day I successfully banished caffeine from my system. I sure hope organic rolled oats would not violate the principle of raw veganism, or else I would weep. I had oats for breakfast, mixed fruits and vegetables for lunch, and fruits for supper. I did visit Starbucks yesterday to study, but I ordered hot green tea instead.

In relation to my improved take on my diet, let me share with you one of the places close to my heart that he enjoys as well - The Fruit Store.

The Fruit Store is a quaint diner just behind Haagen Dazs and right in the middle of several dessert places. It exudes a light atmosphere with a dining ambience defined by a fresh garden assault on five senses typically used to heavy and complicated processed food. For personalities perpetually on a slimming diet, the first step inside The Fruit Store automatically convinces one that a right decision was made - that each bite would give one's body a break from the stress of city life...and that each calorie consumed would be well worth it in taste and in satisfaction.

The Fruit Store is not limited to dining in, but allows one to shop around even in bulk for home use. They offer shakes and juices, and even extend to heavy meals like waffles, fruit pasta, and fruit pizza.

I opted for mixed fruit bowl while he ordered oatmeal and fruits and grape and mango shake.

Considering that my incessantly ~~audibly~~ grumbling tummy is hardly satiated by salad, I found what I ordered filling and very satisfying. I did not find the need to order tea to conclude the meal. He was also very happy, although it was more of a prelude for him to a late dinner we have scheduled at Penang Hill.

Total damage: about P250

All in all, The Fruit Store is slowly becoming one of our default stops whenever we go to Greenhills, along with Fully Booked, Baker's Fair, among others.

The Fruit Store
Ground Level
Greenhills V-Mall
San Juan, Metro Manila

Tags: great food, healthy kitchen

Mood:	happy
Music:	The Sounds - No One Sleeps When I'm Awake

vegan_manila

Stinky Mat

So I made a serious oversight haha.

I sweat like my body is on fire every time I do Bikram Yoga, so you could just imagine the punishment my yoga mat endures almost everyday. Armed with an energetic mind, a hydrated body, an empty bladder, and a strong resolve, I brought my new yoga mat to class last night for her break in session.

Oh goodness. When I got home, I realized that I forgot to buy a yoga mat cleaner - be it the commercially available ones or the environment-friendly homemade concoctions.

So I guess it is back to renting a mat for today since I plan to go to the morning class. Will just fit in mall time in my itinerary for the day.

Bahhhhh.

Will write a Part Deux of this article when I get home later re my quest for the best options in Manila. Namaste.

Tags: clear mind and body, cruelty-free products

Mood:	amused
Music:	Oasis - She's Electric

vegan_manila

PMSing Like Crazy

PMS - Pantry Management System.

Haha.

I had a couple of ideas on what the first feature should be while I was strolling along the aisles of Shopwise Libis donning a tattered Esprit top, faded tiangge jeans, and overworked Havaianas platforms over my favorite Arena yoga wear.

The first entry should be a tribute to my beloved pastime and never-fail picker-upper – grocery shopping. Haha.

In my view, the biggest challenge that a new vegetarian/vegan would be facing is meeting the daily requirements of the human body in terms of calories, vitamins and minerals while exciting the 5 senses. Effectively conquering this challenge answers the common reasons why people either give up or believe that going veg is a heartless sacrifice.

First off, calories. Do remember that fruits and vegetables generally provide fewer calories per serving than meat. A plate of tomato-based pasta with no butter and cheese would usually be lighter than a plate of creamy pasta with bacon and cheese. So it is important to adjust the variety, quality, and quantity of food consumed (let me stress variety and quality) throughout the day (please, do not overreact and chow food like 2 people saving up for the rainy day) to prevent irritability, dizziness, and fatigue.

Second, vitamins and minerals. I have not perfected this part just yet, but I am making small changes every single day. I intend to write a separate article to exhaust the topic of nutrition, so please stay tuned. In any case, it is crucial for a new veg to jot down his/her food intake to monitor the level of (1) protein, (2) calcium, (3) B12, and (4) omega-3s taken. While supplements work, I am a bit wary of this practice given that (1) I am at a loss as to how to mix supplements to maximize absorption in the body, and (2) I love food, so if I could eat my vitamins and minerals in a tasty meal, then so much the better.

Let me share with you the items dominating my pantry:

Quaker Oat Bran – What can I say…I love cereals! It is my version of potato chips when I study late at night either for Law subjects or Management teaching classes. I eat this in a small breakfast bowl from Gourdo’s to control portion size with walnuts and flaxseed drowning in almond milk or soymilk. I prefer oat bran to those sugary cereals because it fills me up faster, it lasts in my tummy longer, and it kicks up my fiber levels higher. Substitutes - Fiber One Oat Bran; Quaker Quick Cooking Oats.
Almond Dream Unsweetened Almond Milk (Original or Vanilla) – Absolutely divine. I get a load of this from Healthy Options. The unsweetened ones give about 30 calories per serving, while the sweetened ones reach up to 90 calories. Substitutes - Silk Organic Soymilk (Unsweetened or Original); Westsoy Fat-free Soymilk (Plain or Vanilla).
Blue Diamond Walnuts – Walnuts add a bittersweet nutty flavor to oatmeal, muesli, and cereals, although it is crucial to keep portion size within sane levels because of fat and sodium content. Good source of omega-3s and protein. Substitute - Healthy Options Organic Walnuts.
Healthy Options Soy Protein Powder – 1 scoop is equivalent to 24 grams of soy protein. I use 2 scoops a day to make sure I exceed the minimum 50 grams of protein per day (the formula goes something like 0.4 x healthy body weight for your height). I blend it with carrot-apple juice from Fruit Magic, dissolve it in green tea soy latte (no classic syrup) from Starbucks, or top it over breakfast cereals. Tastes like vanilla and makes everything it touches very creamy.
Bob's Red Mill Ground Flaxseed – Omega-3s galore in a tablespoon. Nutty and sweet, it is a great complement to walnuts and almond milk. Note that ground flaxseed is absorbed more easily by the body than whole flaxseed, although both can be eaten straight out of the pack and taste amazing. Substitute - Flaxseed oil from Healthy Options…loads of brands available.
Greenmax Purple Yam & Soybean – A great discovery from Daily Veggie Café in Banawe (waves at Susan, the owner of one of my personal heavens in Manila – nin hao!). Creamy and yummy source of protein, fiber, calcium, and vitamin E. I mix it with coffee in the morning to replace my Starbucks ritual. Haha.
Calcium-enriched juice – I am currently into Healthy Balance Apple-Cranberry Juice and Tipco Orange Juice, but I discovered a better option in terms of calcium per glass: Florida’s Natural Calcium-Enriched Orange Juice. Might have to tweak my budget a little bit, but buying this would come out cheaper (and way tastier) than opting for Solgar calcium capsules.

I think my list would be more helpful if I were to include a price list, so anyone reading this can just head to the grocery store and update his/her own stockpile at home in a heartbeat. Let me update this soon…just have to get through a marathon of court hearings for law class this week.

All in all, what is important in starting a new lifestyle (and I stress lifestyle…veering away from calling veg as a mere diet) is to enjoy the whole shift in perspective. Aim for growth, and not for perfection. Look at the underlying reason for each change that you decide to make. Always make that conscious decision out of your own belief, and not out of an attempt to be faithful to the definition of what it means to be veg.

Make life a daily affirmation of the unique wonder that shines in you.

Tags: healthy kitchen

Mood:	energetic
Music:	U2 - One

vegan_manila

Maiden Entry

I hardly thought it possible for me to actually start a lifestyle blog considering that my personal blog is mainly an attempt at paying homage to word play.

However, I guess this site is not exactly out of character considering that a lifestyle blog is a celebration of life - a nutshell of experiences, beliefs, passions.

Several thoughts inspired me to start a lifestyle blog that covers vegan living in Manila:

Private messages in Multiply and Facebook asking me about the challenges of veganism - starting vegetarianism, surviving eating out, managing costs, balancing dietary requirements, among other questions;
Frustration at the lack of information talking about veg options in Manila - where to buy stuff, where to eat, what native products are not animal tested, and the like; and
Jenni Epperson's reply to my comment on her page - here is the link...just scroll down haha.

While I do not claim to be an authority on this subject, I do write out of a genuine love for the lifestyle, stripped of the thirst of imposing my beliefs on everybody else and of the smug self-righteousness of staunch advocates.

I just love writing, eating, and finding new things.

And I want to share my journey with you.

Welcome to Vegan Manila. *giddy grin*

Site Map

Great Food - places in Manila (and hopefully we get to expand to Luzon) where vegetarian and vegan options are available;
Healthy Kitchen - covers meal plans and menus for vegetarians and vegans...mostly easy and fast cooking since I have yet to conquer my own kitchen haha;
Cruelty-Free Products - features cosmetics, home improvement tools, fashion items, and everything under the sun that you might want to purchase that are not tested on animals;
Clear Mind and Body - cruelty-free living is definitely not limited to shaping your diet...it is all about living in harmony with yourself and with everything and everyone around you; and
Good Reads - materials that help me continuously learn about veganism and organic living.

About Us

She - vegan law student/teacher/researcher who is addicted to bikram yoga and hopelessly enslaved by the whims of her pen.

He - almost pescetarian teacher/food-lover who is the glitter that sparks ideas that fish her out of mundane murk.

Cheers!

Tags: clear mind and body, cruelty-free products, good reads, great food, healthy kitchen

Mood:	happy
Music:	Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger

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Improve Your Athletic Game the Green Way With Yoga: How Yoga Can Make You Better at Any Sport

Yoga is more than a green exercise that calms the mind; it can better your game by focusing on stretching, stability, and strengthening the small muscles that support your movement.