Vex in the City: Part 12 Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival

I attended the 27th Annual Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival last weekend on the Friday evening and much of Saturday. (See my promo for the event by clicking here.) I felt like I was in my element. As I mentioned in a previous blogpost, I have a wealth of vegan resources "right in my backyard". So I don't need to go too far. The Food Festival took place from Friday, September 9th to Sunday, September 11th, 2011 at the Harbourfront Centre one of my favourite hangout spots in the city. The Harbourfront is really an exciting place to be in the summertime due to its free, vibrant, and diverse summer festivals. I have seen such amazing acts as Queen Ifrika, Femi Kuti, Tony Rebel, The Scientist Lee "Scratch" Perry, Roy Ayers Band, Ernest Ranglin, the Abyssinians, Los Lobos, and Frankie Paul at the Harbourfront... for free. (Plus, my fiance has performed there a few times.) I even won a singing contest at the Harbourfront in 2004 called Miss Hot and Spicy. The contest was based on the announcer giving you a word and you had to think of a song with that word.

Not short of excitement or buzz, the festival had an amazing turnout especially considering that there are so many things were going on in Toronto that weekend including the Canada's Bridal Show, The National Bridal Show, Ethiopian New Year (attended it last year and loved it), Toronto Independent Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which I also had the pleasure of working for in years past. There I got to meet a lot of Canadian actors as well as actor Mario Van Peebles and Taye Diggs, film critic and Thy'Ca survivor Roger Ebert, late father of African cinema Ousmane Sembene,and blockbuster actor and activist Danny Glover. (If you read about this blog, you know I'm all about the name dropping and networking.) It's an amazing event to be a part of both as an audience and a co-ordinator but it's H-U-G-E and a little overwhelming. Huge line-ups! Lots of buzz! So I really appreciated the low-key vibe of the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival.

The Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival is known for the following:
- lots of food samples
- vegetarian and vegan food vendors
- expert panels
- cooking demonstrations
- speakers and book talks
- lots of baked goods
- book sales
- music
and more.

My Vegetarian food festival highlights: carrot cake (my favourite type of cake), sticky buns, hemp butter, soy cream cheese, and Pastel de Choclo, FREE food samples, nice Hare Krishna chanting, I enjoyed this weekend immensely and enjoyed being around a lot of like-minded folks who love plant-based foods. I loved the diversity of food vendors-- Jamaican/Ital (One Love), Mexican (El Cilantro), Indian (Govindas and Udupi's), Chinese (King's Cafe), and lots and lots of vegan baked goods. I was not able to attend the meditation on Sunday but I loved the chanting on Saturday. Although, I watched and participated for a little bit, when the chanting was finished, I felt very tranquil. The amount of vendors was dizzying in number as I tried to go back to my favourite vendors but could not remember. I also got to meet Terry Hope Romero, see her speak about vegan blogging (same talk she did at the Vida Vegan Blog Conference I tried to win a ticket for through my Burrito Bonanza contest) and do a cooking demonstration, and got an autograph. I also loved the speakers and panels. They were informed, well-researched, and published. Also there were a lot of friendly and enthusiastic volunteers to help.

The festival downfalls: lack of cultural diversity in speakers, cooking demonstrations and musical acts (Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world but you wouldn't know it by this, the Hare Krishna group did chanting in an Indian tradition but this was not a performance); the music kind of sucked and needed some more "liveliness" (I say, at least one reggae band in next years' festival. Chances will be pretty good that the members are vegetarian especially if they are observant Rastafarians); accurate and up-to-date program books were not available until the second day because they were still at the printer; I was sick with a cold :-( and had to leave earlier than planned.

It was wonderful and I would have stayed the entire weekend, mind you, but I felt a cold coming on and it symptoms became a bit too much to handle. (By Saturday afternoon, both of my sinuses were blocked and persistently running. I was sneezing a lot and starting to feel woozy. My bed was calling me. I stayed home and slept for the rest of the weekend.)

So here is my re-cap of the weekend... in photos. Please note that although this post may seem like an advertisement for several businesses, I have not received any royalties. Not one penny.

Now enjoy!!!

Friday, September 9, 2011
Cute slide from Terry Hope Romero's vegan blog talk. She's really funny and gave me some great advice when I asked her how to reach out to you guys, my readers.



The Secrets of Nutrition Revealed! panel







Did not get to try out these vegan churros because the line was too long.






By the end of the evening Govindas, in true Hare Krishna-style, started giving away their food for FREE. I got there by this time but it was so funny to see two guys yelling, "Free Indian food!" across the field at the Harbourfront Centre. These are three extremely potent words in Toronto. If you yell them out, you might get a stampede which is exactly what happened. Luckily, I got this amazing meal on a bamboo plate in time.


Toronto city skyline... you can see part of the CN Tower in the back.


Saturday, September 10, 2011
King's Cafe serve up some great Chinese-vegan food. They also have a grocery store and tea shop.


I got a soy drumstick, spring roll, veggie dumplings, and TVP satay skewer.


So this is the soy drumstick... gonna' make me some curried un-chicken one of these days.


Hare Krishna chanting




Yummy vegan jujubes and gumdrops. Science at its best.


This entrepreneur was so happy to show off her wares and was very friendly unlike one other vendor who will remain nameless.


This vegan sticky bun was a highlight of my TVFF experience.


I love pretty desserts.






This is Shannon... and she seems to be everywhere. The night before she was giving me a hand massage and telling me about Arbonne, a vegan cosmetic company for which she sells (kind of like Avon). Here she is promoting a vegan bake sale which will raise funds to get these ads on to the TTC (Toronto's public transit system). Last year they were successful and raised enough money.






There is an actual sanctuary for primates in Ontario called Story Book Farm. I asked them where the primates come from and they said the exotic pet trade and research facilities in laboratories and universities.


Terry Hope Romero's cooking demonstration where she is making a famous Chilean dish called Pastel de Choclo. I had this dish years ago when I used to date this Chilean fellow. The relationship didn't work out since it was long distance (he didn't live in Chile, but Montreal instead. I know it's a lot closer than South America but still an 8 hour drive and I didn't have a car). So although I ditched the boyfriend, I didn't ditch my appreciation of great Latin food. (Can someone say empanadas?) Thankfully, Terry Hope has made a cookbook to satisfy that... Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers. I bought a copy and got it autographed.


Pastel de choclo... mmmm.


Terry Hope, you so crazy!


The Rooster's Inn is a rooster sanctuary. I wonder how all these roosters establish a pecking order. Did you know that there are like hundreds of species of chickens? But the chickens we tend to see in North America are bred from very few select species and outnumber the others. I read it in a book about chickens.




Free Larabar samples






I love a good carrot cake and this one is vegan.




Yellow or green kiwi... they taste quite different.


Another happy entrepreneur who runs an online store. Her husband is the artist who comes up with these catchy images.


Love this one. It's so cute. I wonder if they have my size in a baby t?


I bought these three buttons. The one on the left is for me and the one on the right is for my fiance. The one in the middle says "eat like you give a @#%!" I'll take that one too.


This is hummus... HUMMUS. (A Middle-Eastern spread/dip made from chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and tahini. It's great with pita bread and/or vegetables. There are other variations to this recipe as well but that is the basic formula.) I wonder if the guy in the Manhattan healthy sandwich shop who didn't know what hummus was or the owners who did not stock the shop with this food staple are reading this blog right now?


The people at Gardein preparing some barbeque.


This was amazing BBQ glazed un-chicken. The guy at this table is a total fan of Crazy Sexy Diet.


Camino makes cheap, great-tasting, fair trade juice.


You can make so many things from Hemp like rope, clothes, oil (they had free samples of oil, I drank this green oil and it can also power engines too), milk (as pictured here for free sampling), and...


butter (so good). Very nutty.




A vegetarian foodbank is amazing especially because fruits and vegetables tend to be more expensive. It is hard for poor people to access affordable fruits and veggies and at foodbanks, there are no fresh fruits and vegetables. Everything is canned. (I should know. I volunteered at a foodbank and worked at a soup kitchen.) The soup kitchen was a little better. They got fruit that nearly went bad that was donated by supermarkets. One of my jobs was to sort through the fruit and separate the moldy fruit from the ones that were still good. I also like that this foodbank is located not downtown but in the diverse, poorer "outer city" of Toronto: one is at Jane-and-Finch (I used to live there) and the other is in Scarborough (I used to work there). Poorer people do not need to go so far to access high quality, affordable food.


Kindfood is expanding its reach to Toronto and beyond


A new coconut flavoured cupcake


Can't find organic produce? What out Front Door Organics, there's a new organic delivery service in town. Mama Earth.


Forks Over Knives... first came the movie and now the book. Check out this movie if you can. It is based on research of Dr. Carl Esselstyn and Dr. Colin Campbell (The China Study).

New Butterfly Tales

I have added some new Butterfly Tales. Check them out! Click here to read more. I am still looking for more to add. Click here to find out how you can submit your Butterfly Tale.

Vex in the City: Part 11 Hogtown Vegan

BUTTERFLY VEGAN RESTAURANT RATING
(Written in Jamaican English with approximate Standard English translation)

>< >< >< >< >< A dis' ya' top of de' line someting (Outstanding)
>< >< >< >< Everyting irie (Good and very good)
>< >< >< Alright still (Just okay)
>< >< C'mon man! You c'yan do better 'den 'dat (Needs improvement)
>< A what de ras'? (Deplorable)

Taste of the food
Look of the food
Environmentally-Responsibility (use of environmentally-friendly practices including reusable utensils and dishware, composting, biodegradable utensils and cookware)
Health Savvy (organic food, do they know a lot about the food or the plant-based foods, intentionality, informative, resourceful)
Hospitality/Warmth (friendliness, service with a smile, my bias is for chatty restaurateurs and chefs, do they like to chat, do they listen to their clients, outgoingness, caring about the customer)
Décor/Vibe (includes a good musical selection, choice of paint, patio, etc.)
Added Perks (if they gave me any free stuff or that something extra for reviewing their restaurant for free, yes I am an opportunist)
Ethical and Community-Minded (are they connected with any larger community? e.g., community info board, Toronto Vegetarian Association, events, etc.)

Price
$0-$10
$10-$19
$20-$29
$30-$39
$40 and up

Taste of the food >< >< >< >< Nachos were definitely 5 butterflies and I liked my un-chicken and waffles were about a 3. So I find a happy medium with 4 butterflies. I struggled on whether or not to include my fiance's rating of the sweet potato sandwich since he was not so big on it but this is my blog.

Look of the food >< >< >< >< >< I think Hogtown Vegan does food presentation really well. The food looks very appetizing in the photos.
Environmentally-Responsibility >< >< >< (I did not get to ask the owner about this one but they use reusable utensils and dishware. Plus their food is all vegan as we know so maybe I'll give 3 butterflies for this one.

Hospitality/Warmth >< >< >< The waiter was very friendly and courteous. He checked on us a few times. The other staff were polite too.

Décor/Vibe >< >< >< The decor is nice, clean, and pretty simple. The walls are painted turquoise and there are a few vintage-style chandeliers. I love the dark hardwood floors and par which give it a classy feel. There are vintage paintings framed. It's den meets bar meets dinner lounge.

Added Perks >< >< There were no special perks for reviewing Hogtown Vegan although I have a feeling this restaurant could take off in a big way.

Ethical and Community-Minded >< >< Hogtown Vegan did not give me the feeling that they did a lot of community outreach or even participate at events like the Toronto Vegetarian Festival. The Hogtown Vegan/Hot Beans- franchise seem most focussed on the food. They don't do heavy outreach or anything like that. They have become known by word-of-mouth. I think by existing as a plant-based business they are helping to change the collective ethical conscious but I would love them to do some sort of outreach.

Price (for a full meal including side and drink)
$$ 10-19 For my half of the nachos and my un-chicken and waffles, this was a steal. If you include my fiance's meal, we only spent around $30 including the tip. This is a very good deal considering that it's all plant-based.


Can someone say "Hipster Haven"? It sort-of rhymes with Hogtown Vegan and even matches the clientele. (I said "sort-of" in a children sing-song sort of way.) Don't matter, though. I'm kind of a hipster too. (Now that I know what one is. The irony is that a hipster will rarely admit that he/she is a hipster.) I'm probably more accurately a blipster for that matter (READ: Black hipster). What's a hipster or a blipster you may ask? Check out this helpful video.


Evolution of a Hipster

Okay, maybe this video was a little inaccurate or maybe I'm really not a hipster since I don't have any tattoos, moustache, and I am not smelly. But I do like hipster-things like their fashion, vegan food choices, and admiring a good tattoo once in a while. Although I mostly wear glasses (actual real prescription ones to make me see better), I am not secretly rich (well, not yet anyway) nor smelly (I try to keep my BO- body-odour- under control). I am such a faux-hipster but you probably wouldn't understand. (Hipsters feel no one understands them.)

Mind you the definition of a Blipster is very different from that of a hipster. A Blipster would be someone like Kanye West,


Lupe Fiasco,


the Neptunes,


as well as my homegirl Janelle Monae


and M.I.A.

Although she is an English-born Tamil with Sri Lankan roots, she is still Black by the British definition. Plus her baby's daddy, Benjamin Bronfman, is Black (half-African American and half-Jewish).

Just check out this blog about Blipsters. Alright, now that we got the hipster/blipster thing straightened out, let's get back to the food. I can tell you about my trip to Hogtown Vegan aka Hipster Haven. The vegan movement has been co-opted by hipsters and all of the Toronto hipsters love (LOVE) Hogtown Vegan, sister restaurant to Hot Beans. (Read my Vex in the City: Part 3 Hot Beans.) Hogtown Vegan is so named because "Hogtown" is an old nickname for Toronto referring to its porcine packaging past. Just to show you how hipster this joint is, there is no hog, pig, or pork served at this place. Now that's ironic! (Hipsters love irony.) Pegged as Toronto's first vegan comfort food place, one can enjoy old-fashioned favourites of macaroni and cheese, nachos, Ruben sandwich, sliders, and cheesecake VEGANIZED! The food here was okay. The nachos were to die for and were very cheesy, saucy, and filling. I ordered the un-chicken and waffles which allowed me to remember the treasured dishes of yester-time when I was an omnivore. I liked the crispiness of the un-chicken and its dense texture. The waffles were a little warm and chewy but I enjoyed the dish "on the whole". My fiance had the sweet potato sandwich but wasn't all that pleased with it. Being the good foodies we are, we ate everything leaving no room for any birthday ice cream or cake. (The meal was very filling.) Oh yes, I forgot to mention that it was my birthday and my fiance surprised me with a visit for dinner here despite the bad reviews online. I am soooo glad that he decided to go ahead with planning this, my dinner venue. I think that the reviews were wayyyyy too harsh and did not do Hogtown Vegan any justice. Being a brand new resto, there are going to be glitches. I was so glad that we didn't have to experience them and had a fairly decent dinner and a nice time. Mind you, I didn't get any birthday freebies even when it turned out that my fiance knew the owner/chef from a previous musical collaboration. (Not that I was expecting anything, though. I'm just saying!) The owner didn't care at all for the blog review of his vegan restaurant. In fact, he was the first vegan restaurant proprietor to say he doesn't read reviews. I don't blame him though. The reviews have been a bit harsh, as I mentioned but you don't need to listen to the haters to come in and try Hogtown Vegan. See for yourself!


Hogtown Vegan looks really sophisticated at night.


The bar stools are cute but no one was using them. Maybe since Hogtown Vegan has not got its liquor license yet.


Very simple yet nice decor. Love the wildlife painting.


You know I had to get a photo of this painting. D'uh!


Mmm... these nachos were finger lickin' good! Oops can I say that? Okay, I will give credit to KFC for the origins of that line.


My fiance had a sweet potato sandwich with fries.


I had the "Un-chicken and waffles". Mmmm.... vegan junk food is a treat once in a while. Just not everyday. :-( But I did enjoy these un-chicken and waffles and I have been craving them a bit. It's so good to know that going vegan doesn't mean I have to miss out on the treats I liked before (like chicken). This un-chicken is made from some sort of processed soy product but my tastebuds didn't know that. Very tasty. I also had the Caesar salad, my very first vegan one.

Funky Sexy Manifesto #57 Do a Speaking Gig Part 2

Remember my Funky Sexy Manifesto #57 Do A Speaking Gig post? Well, I have had the honour of being invited to speak at another event this Thursday, September 15th. Twin sisters Sonia and Saunia Watkis are are giving back to women in a big way. Their first event was a success and now they are organizing another opportunity for women to celebrate themselves and feel empowered. Learn more about their story here.

.::Satisfying Her Soul Event::.

♥[ATTENTION LADIES]♥
The 3rd "SATISFYING HER SOUL" event is here!
Ladies, Let's Make this a Ladies Night Out! The first two were a SUCCESS leaving many Women anticipating the N•E•X•T! So here it is:

The platform of the night is:
InSpiration: HOPE|FAITH|LOVE
..:::SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 :::..

...:::JFK LOUNGE :::...

4230 Sherwood Towne BLVD, Mississauga

...::: Advance Tix $10 :::...

...::: Doors open 6:30pm :::...
The night will include inspiration such as::..
Singer Charlene, Toronto Dub Poet Lamoi, Toronto Author VJK of "The Cheaters" series, Guest Speaker: CEO/Owner of Daray's Essential LaKiecha Mclean, Dancer Hope, & many more

This monthly social/networking women's outing will have a holistic approach to promote healing and empowerment through various "Life's Experiences" & everyday opportunities that we may over sight, taking for granted or haven't taken the time to enjoy.
Let's have fun with a purpose

We leave you with a quote:
"Into the house where joy lives, happiness will gladly come"
-Unknown

Please Pass ON!

Web: www.viixvbymirrorimages.com
FB: TWIN WATKIS
Twitter: @byMirrorImages
Blog: MiSistersCloset.Blogspot.com
✉ : vii.xv.bymirrorimages@gmail.com

"SATISFYING HER SOUL"

Sponsored by:
VII•XV by MirrorImages |PHOTOGRAPHY|

27th Annual Vegetarian Food Festival

Okay, y'all know how heartbroken I was over losing the Burrito Bonanza contest to attend the first annual Vida Vegan Blog Conference in Portland, Oregon this year. (Oh yes, about three weeks before the conference, they told me that I got through on the waiting list but by then, it was waayyyy too close to the date and I could not afford the registration fee plus travel and accomodations.)

I say all that to say this, who needs some Vegan Blog Conference? (Yeah, I know, I know, I was not saying that in June when I wrote Not Winning.)

Why fly to Portland when I have a goldmine in my own backyard?

The 27th Vegetarian Food Festival



D'uh! How could I forget?

It's like North America's largest vegetarian event and it has been going on since the 1980s. That counts for coolness. And plus it is held in Toronto... EVERY YEAR!!!

Oh yes. And it's FREE! I love me some FREE!

There will be speakers, cooking demonstrations, performances, food, samples, books, children's area, etc., etc., etc...

It is organized annually by the Toronto Vegetarian Association of which I am a member.

I have been to and blogged about other TVA events including Compassion Week Marketplace, Social Dinners, 10, 000 Tastes, Ten Billion Reasons, and the Veggie Pride Parade.

I attended the Vegetarian Food Festival years ago and tried the imitation fish. I guess it tasted too real because my body had a reaction (I am allergic to real fish).

But I'm not letting that experience stop me from attending this event that has been promoted in many media publications including my favourite veg magazine, VegNews.

I decided not to volunteer at this event since September is a crazy busy time for me and I just wanted to enjoy the festival from the perspective of a visitor and fellow blogger.

I am really hoping to check out Terry Hope Romero's workshops about Vegan Blogging and her cooking demonstrations. Terry Hope is the co-author of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, her recipes have won me friends and the accolades of my dearest.



Terry Hope Romero, vegan baker extraordinaire



Her famous Cupcakes that I made for the Sunday School picnic




Her red velvet and carrot cake cupcakes that I made for my ICanSurvive Picnic pre-*$&#in' awesome cream cheese frosting. Everyone loved them and could not get enough.



Check out the schedule here.

I was going to check out a bunch of wedding shows this weekend but who needs wedding shows when you got all of Vegetarian Canada/Toronto/North America in town? (Plus, I went to last year's wedding show.) There's also The Neck Check organized by Thyroid Cancer Canada happening this Saturday, September 10th at Sherway Gardens.

Can't wait!

Help! What do you think is my best blog post?

Dear Blog Readers,

I need your help.

I am filling out my application for a creative writing program and wish to use my blog as part of it. Please let me know what you think are my best (that is, well-written, interest-generating) blog posts. This will help me a-l-o-t!

You can get the answer to me in four ways:

1) Post the comment here on the blog,

2) E-mail me here: bluebutterflyblog33@gmail.com,

3) Twitter me: @blubutterflygrl,

or

4) Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Butterfly/126428007434121

Thank you!!! Merci, arigato, obrigado, grazie, gracias, ekshyamatz, shay shay, spasiba, danke

Meaty's Day Out (In Photos)

Two weeks ago...

I got a second opinion from a dermatologist on whether to inject Meaty with steroids or not. Since Meaty is my keloid thyroidectomy scar, the steroids are supposed to help flatten him out. When I asked my surgeon about this in January, a few days after my surgery, he said that he would not inject it. When I saw my surgeon in June for a follow-up, he said "yes" I could inject Meaty since he was a keloid (which is what I feared in the first place). Injecting Meaty has some risks associated with it including possible indentation and lightening in the area. When I saw the dermatologist, I asked her if I'd need numbing cream or if the injection would hurt. She said not too much. In the end, I decided to go with the dermatologist to give Meaty his injections.



Today...

Meaty's on his way to see the dermatologist. He looks ready.


This is the bottle of "poison". This is going to take Meaty down. Check out my grey nail polish. (Had to get that in the shot.)


The syringe awaits for the "lethal" injection. "This won't hurt too much," says the dermatologist. I figure that it could not hurt as much as my fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy that I was told was not going to hurt but did hurt like *&#$. (My FNA was done last November to collect cells from my thyroid gland to check if they were malignant. The FNA revealed both malignant and abnormal cells. No anesthesia was used for my FNA.) Regardless of my past FNA experience, I was still nervous about the injection (especially since Meaty is still sore to the touch). To avoid any side effects, the dermatologist suggested a small area injected. I agree. So I poke myself in my hand with my fingernail so that I could distract myself from the pain of the injection. I held my breath through both injections. And it wasn't that bad.

Sacred Woman

If Crazy Sexy Diet was written by Erykah Badu, Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind, and Spirit by Queen Afua would be it. Where Crazy Sexy Diet is written in magazine-style, Sacred Woman is a manual of how to self-heal the female body focussing on the womb. Why start with healing at the womb? Queen Afua believes that beginning with the womb helps to heal the world of its problems as well as the spiritual, physical, and emotional body of the woman. The book really gave me an insight into the spirituality of Erykah Badu who is one of my favourite singers/artists and an observer of the ancient Khemitic (Egyptian faith). (Listen to the Baduism Live album where she talks about the ankh, ancient Khemitic symbol for life.) She is also listed as a 'Sacred Beauty Contemporary' in Sacred Woman and has a quote praising the book on the first page. (Erykah Badu is also licensed as a Holistic Health Practitioner which follows the "professional footsteps" of Queen Afua and precedes those of Crazy Sexy Diet author Kris Carr.)




What do these 3 women have in common? Holistic health practitioners.


Like Crazy Sexy Diet, Sacred Woman focuses on the foods we eat (mostly raw vegan is recommended, although Queen Afua does not use this term), juicing, cleansing, colonics, meditation at an altar, and yoga. At first, I wondered if Kris Carr rewrote Sacred Woman as Crazy Sexy Diet because her tips were so similar to those of Queen Afua. Sacred Woman was quite dense and detailed and, at times, I felt a bit lost wondering what exactly was the bigger picture. This book is like a whole course on Africentric (more specifically Khemitic) spirituality, womb healing, nutrition, and alternative healing practices. Queen Afua uses an instructive, very prescriptive, and disciplined plan (she recommends rising at 4 to 6 am everyday to begin the healing program) that is a series of 9 Gateways of Initiation to be completed over several weeks for each one. One may interpret this book as trying to convert one to practice a particular religion, yet on page 133 Queen Afua depicts how women of nine faiths (Christianity, Yoruba, Nubian/Khamitic, Rastafari, Islam, Hari Krishna, Hebrew Israelite, Buddhism, and Aboriginal) may find a connection to this text. Sacred Woman is very specific with such things as the elements, oils, prayers, colour visualizations, and herbal tonics designed for each gateway. Other more general practices which apply to all the gateways include libations, prayers, fire breaths, and chants. I did not read the entire book but stopped at page 137 since Queen Afua devoted the next 225 pages of very detailed rituals, recipes, homeopathic, and herbal recommendations for each Gateway. Each Gateway has creative suggestions that I like too for literature, movement, music, and even hairstyles to celebrate the woman. I find many of her suggestions helpful but it is a lot to wrap my head around. This healing plan does have some proven effectiveness since it shrunk the uterine fibroids of A. Breeze Harper, the author of Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society. Click here to listen to her speak about how Sacred Woman helped her. There is some "taken for granted"-ness in Sacred Woman that the reader fully understands Queen Afua's healing philosophy. It feels a lot like getting a textbook for a course that you know bits and pieces about without having an instructor to guide you through. Nevertheless, I am interested in reading more Queen Afua books like Heal Thyself which I thought Sacred Woman was when I first bought it in Harlem. Perhaps, a re-read or comparison of other works will help me to gain a better understanding.

Coming Up Next: Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food by Gene Baur and God, Faith, and Health: Exploring the Spirituality-Healing Connection by Jeff Levin, Ph.D.

September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month

September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month

And if you didn't know it already, September is thyroid cancer awareness month.

Here's a list of some events that are going on around. Please send me more information if you know of other events that I could add to this list. (Remember, I love lists.)


TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA: Another reminder about the NECK CHECK for Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month event at Sherway Gardens in Toronto on Saturday September 10, 2011. Get your neck checked by medical professionals. Click here for more information.


CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA: There is a NECK CHECK RUN/WALK taking place on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at Eau Claire Park at 9:00am. Click here for more details. All proceeds are going to Thyroid Cancer Canada. This event is being organized by Donna, a reader of this blog and also a Thy'Ca survivor. Way to go Donna!

Funky Sexy Manifesto #1 Have a "Celebration of Life" Party

I did this Funky Sexy Manifesto #1 but it had to undergo a name change. You see, "Celebration of Life" was the name that my fiancé's aunt gave to her funeral. I did not learn that until after I shared my Funky Sexy Manifestos with my fiancé. This woman was the twin of my to-be mother-in-law and she passed away from cancer that metastisized throughout her body. So to honour her memory, I decided to select a new name for the event I wanted to celebrate my "cancer-free"-ness. I decided to call it the ICanSurvive Picnic and Potluck which I feel is an equally positive moniker. I wanted to celebrate my new lease on life, express gratitude for my healing, and share these special moments with my friends. On top of that, it was my birthday week (see Funky Sexy Manifesto #73) and I also wished to raise money for a good cause too. So I invited guests to bring a dish, $ 10, or both. The collected funds will be donated to Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) which organized an annual young adult retreat in Newfoundland that I attended.

Although, I invited almost over 700 people in the end (I opened it out to my facebook list when I realized I had a-l-o-t of space for guests), my numbers were modest. When I had two friends come within the first two hours, I became fixated on the fact that no one else showed up. But then I stopped myself. I decided to cherish this precious moment with these friends and eventually over the hours that proceeded, there was a steady trickle of guests. Some got a little lost along the way, others were coming from other engagements. My friend Alydia led a thanksgiving service in which we anointed participants with oil and had a moment of silence for Jack Layton and others who passed away. It was important for me to honour those survivors who died from cancer.

The setting was idyllic in lush and beautiful High Park. So much wind meant that the table covers needed to be tied down and that the burners under the aluminum heating tray were barely flame-worthy, so the hotdogs went uncooked and the burgers were barely warm. Since there were twenty of us, we had lots of food leftover and plenty to pick from including several vegan options like quinoa salads from Mylene and Agnes, avocado pie brought by Denise, and my specialties red velvet and carrot cake cupcakes, Bajan macaroni bake, Mixed Fruit Cobbler, and my newest invention (caused by error and reinvention) Jamaican beef patty pie. (Vegan of course.) I was so busy cooking and I ate them so fast that unfortunately I didn't get too many photos.

At the end of the event, as I cleaned up, I felt sad. It felt like "the end of summer" and it was sad to see my friends go. My fiancé and I packed everything back into the car. Interestingly, a father and baby walked towards us from the picnic table further down. Although, I booked site 19 for the ICanSurvive picnic since the numbers were lower than expected, and my event was almost finished, I said it was okay that the family could use the tables there. The family was there to celebrate the baby's first birthday. Since I had a big blue ball that was intended for children who might show at my picnic, I gave it to the boy since he was eyeing it with interest. (He was so happy.) A few minutes later, toddling unsteadily with his father, they presented a huge slice of chocolate birthday cake to me. I thanked them and my fiancé ate most of it (although we were already full from the potluck.)

Here is a poem that I wrote about this event. The original version contained names in the brackets but I took those out.

Thanks for
"A Tale of two quinoas",
East Coast representation,
Dogs that love squirrels,
Wedding dates,
Desserts galore,
Saved by the Perrier,
Sisterly love,
Blessings and frostings,
Lots of love and positive vibes,
Manitoban mavens
Vamps of Vegan
and Sexy Survivors.

I know it doesn't rhyme.

If you were unable to attend the ICanSurvive Picnic or like the work of Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC), I encourage you to support by making a donation. Young Adult Cancer Canada is the foremost organization which represents the small young adult cancer demographic. Young adult cancers are the most underfunded. Young adult cancers are often diagnosed later which often increases the chances of serious health risks and death. Young adults with cancer often experience isolation are dealing with a serious illness or possibly death, as well as other issues like infertility and lack of income in the "prime of their lives".

Although, I originally planned to host an event at a local jazz club to raise money for YACC months ago, I realized that this was too large an undertaking at the time. I was simply not well or full of energy enough to plan such an event so I cancelled my booking. Although the ICanSurvive picnic was quite a different undertaking altogether, my guests and I raised $ 120.

Thank you everyone for helping out for a great cause.

Here are some photo highlights of the day. Thanks Mylene for a lot of great shots.