Happy Post-Labor Day!

Believe it or not Labor Day has come and gone and we are left here wondering what happened to our summer? The good news is I recently heard about a new vegan restaurant that just opened in Watertown called "Red Lentil" - I will have an update for you soon on this!

Enjoy what is left of our summer and please share any kind living moments you may have!

Independence Day 2009

Happy Independence Day!

This independence day I am giving thanks for all that I have including the freedom of being an American citizen. I am grateful to all the friends I have, my support system, my family, my health, and all the intangible gifts I have been given in this world. I realize this isn't new year's day but I feel that this is a new beginning and a time to really put out my best in this world and reach out to others who share a desire to make this world a better place. I am hoping to attract more members to this blog and hope that others will share in their experiences of bringing more light and happiness here. A lot has changed in the short time that I have had this Kind Living blog. It is my intention that the changes that are occurring will bring me more into alignment with others and my source and that together we can make changes that bring peace to all living beings.

I was supposed to be in Boston this weekend to celebrate the holiday but circumstances made it impossible for me to leave NY so enjoy the pictures I posted above of the celebration on the esplanade and the beautiful fireworks bursting over the Charles River - Happy Independence Day to everyone!

Give to the Humane Society and Have your Company Match the Donation - Check the Matching List to see if your company is on it!!! A great way to give!

The Humane Society is a wonderful organization that helps LOTS of animals. I just found out that if you donate some money to them your company may match it. They have a company matching list - just enter your company name and if your company is on the list, they will match your contribution!! This is a kind Living opportunity for all of us.


http://www.matchinggifts.com/humanesociety/

Happy Spring!

Spring is finally here! Here are some beautiful spring scenes from Boston where I hope to be visiting again soon. Enjoy!

Lenten Organ Recital - A piece to remember

This past Sunday, I was fortunate to hear a beautiful concert at Grace Church in Brooklyn Heights. The concert was a Lenten Organ recital and the organist was Dr. William F. Entriken of the First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. He performed 5 beautiful pieces, one of which I have posted below for your listening pleasure. The piece is Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BMV 543"
This Youtube version is played by the masterful Virgil Fox. This song makes my heart sing - I hope you enjoy it.

Kind living Moment of the Day - A seat made for me on the Train

Just to remind myself that there are always kind moments even if we can't see them, I am posting one moment today that represented a kind living moment - a moment that I could easily forget if I let myself. Two people squished over on the train this morning so I could have a seat. It was very kind and may seem insignificant but it meant a lot to me. Do any of you have kind moments that you would like to share? I believe that remembering and sharing the kind acts in our lives enable us to create more of them.

Be Kind to Animals - Adopt one of the many homeless Pets

There are so many homeless animals now because so many people are losing their homes. Dogs and cats and other animals need homes now. I have often heard people say that they aren't home enough to give a cat a home but a cat would much rather be in a warm house alone all day with a nice sunny window sill then in a shelter crammed full of hundreds of cats feeling hopeless. Cats don't need and often don't want a lot of attention. They are usually happy to know someone loves them enough to feed them and give them a nice home to sleep the days away and play. Please consider adopting a pet now. You will be happy too with a loving pet in your life.

Please encourage those you know to adopt a homeless pet and not to breed or purchase a pet from a pet store. Pet stores profit from breeding pets and breeders continue to breed animals despite the millions of homeless pets in shelters waiting desperately to be rescued.

Thank you.

Kind Living of the Day - Quantum Leap Restaurant in NYC

Rakel from the restaurant Quantum Leap in Greenwich Village in NYC wins the Kind Living award of the day. Quantum Leap is located at 226C Thompson St. New York, NY 10012 (phone: (212) 677-8050) and serves delicious vegan food!

I had dined here about a year ago. That day I had purchased a beautiful painting for my apartment at a street fair in the West Village and I asked our waitress at the time if she would mind putting it behind the counter as there really wasn't room for it near our table. A few days later I realized I had forgotten to take the painting with me when I left. I called the restaurant and they told me to come by anytime to get it. Then I got busy and time passed and well, I just never went back! Fast forward to today - Sunday March 1, 2009. I was dining there again when I remembered the painting. Not expecting them to have it - I asked Rakel, who was working there this evening if she would check and see if my "art" was still in the basement. I told her it was a painting but I could not at all remember what it looked like. She said she would call someone and let me know. Later as I dined she came walking over with this really cool painting and presented it to me expectantly. I glared at it not knowing if it was my painting or not. I sat staring at it waiting for something to pop out of my memory. Then I asked her to turn it sideways and saw two eyes looking back at me and there it was - my painting! I remembered it and not only that, I remembered how much I loved it.

I am so grateful to Rakel for getting the painting for me and for Quantum Leap for holding on to this painting for me for almost a full year! This was a wonderful kind moment! This is the painting in the picture.

Schumann Arabeske C Major Op 18 Rubinstein

My friend is learning this piece by Schumann. This rendition played by Arthur Rubenstein is so beautiful, I am posting it here:

Yummy Vegan Companies

Here are just a few vegan companies that sell yummy things online or in their store. I will be adding more soon:

• Sweet & Sara Vegan Marshmallows
  http://www.sweetandsara.com/
• Vegan treats
  http://www.vegantreats.com/
• Vegan Doughnuts at Atlas Cafe in NYC - as reported on VeganFriendlynyc.blogspot.com
  http://veganfriendlynyc.blogspot.com/2007/07/vegan-treats-doughnuts-at-atlas-caf.html
• Cafe Indigo - Online vegan bakery and more (located in NH)
  http://www.cafeindigo.com/
• Wheeler's Black Label Vegan Ice Cream - Excellent vegan ice cream. If you live in the Boston area they throw free taste testing parties!
  http://wheelersblacklabelveganicecream.blogspot.com/
  

Warm Weather Stops by to say Hello in the Northeast!

Just to remind us that spring is right around the corner - the sun has come out to say hello this weekend and is supposed to stick around through the week!

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso

One of the most beautiful pieces by my favorite composer Ennio Morricone. Here he is conducting his Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso:

New Veggie/Vegan Restaurants in the Boston area

There are two new restaurants in the Boston area that I am aware of but if anyone knows of others, please let me know! I have only tried VegNaturals so I would appreciate any feedback on Grezzo.

• Veg Naturals
  264 Washington St.
  Malden, Ma 02148
  (781) 388-0990
  www.vejnaturals.com
  
  This is a delicious homemade style vegan restaurant/cafe run by a former chef of Wild Oats and his wife - a whole foods/organic/vegan advocate and all around wonderful person. I took my best friend here and we were served delicious and abundant vegan food. This is comfort food for vegans! One thing to note is that the restaurant is really small, I mean really small (think small cafe) so if you plan on bringing several people with you may be in trouble as the seating is very limited. Veg Naturals does, however, have special event dinners where it rents out a space nearby so check for these on their website. They also offer a wonderful takeout service and have amazing seasonal offerings for special holiday events. Atmosphere is very casual and boasts a down to earth vegan crowd.
  Special Event: Check out their Mardi Gras dinner on Tuesday February 24th from 5-9. Their Fat Tuesday menu looks delectable!! www.vejnaturals.com/special_events
  

• Grezzo
  65 Prince St
  Boston, Ma 02113
  (857) 362-7288
  www.grezzorestaurant.com
  
  I have never been to Grezzo but from the photos on the website it looks fabulous. The food here is Raw Vegan. Please check out their website and see how delicious the food looks! I have limited experience with raw food but when it looks this good, I'm all for it. I hope that those of you who have been to Grezzo will write in and tell us about it.
  

Best Veggie/Vegan Resources Online

www.happycow.net
This site is so great and makes it easy to locate a veggie/vegan restaurant wherever you are. They even list restaurants that are veg-friendly and have vegan offerings. Of course, you can add to the listings yourself as a member and write reviews, which makes it a great resource.

www.supervegan.com
This site is great in general for all vegans and vegetarians but for the restaurant finder- Supervegan focuses exclusively on NYC and she does a great job! I use this site often when dining in the city but also for reviews and news about the vegan world.

www.Chow Vegan.com
Chow Vegan has the most delicious vegan recipes! The vegan owner decided to create this site to "show how vegan food can be delicious and satisfying," according to the site. I have tried many of the recipes from Chow Vegan and they have tasted really good. Beautiful pictures accompany each recipe so you can see if it looks appealing first. Highly recommend.

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens!! February 7, 1812

I was in the musical Oliver Twist when I was a child so I have a certain affinity for Dickens. Happy Birthday Charles; wish you were here!

Some of the Best Vegan Restaurants

NYC

• Candle Cafe
  1307 Third Avenue
  new york, ny 10021
  (212) 472-0970
  www.candlecafe.com
  
• Candle 79
  154 East 79th St.
  New york, ny 10021
  (212) 537-7179
  www.candlecafe.com
  
  
  

• Red Bamboo (Brooklyn and Manhattan locations)
  140 W 4th St
  New York, NY 10012
  (212) 260-7049
  www.redbamboo-nyc.com
• Brooklyn Location
  271 Adelphi St
  Brooklyn, NY 11205
  (718) 643-4806
  www.redbamboobrooklyn.com
  
  

Boston

• My Thai Vegetarian Cafe
  404 Harvard St
  Brookline, MA 02446
  (617) 739-8830
  

• Tj Scallywaggles Pizza and Subs - As a vegan, it's really nice to walk into this sub shop and order a meatball or sausage sub or a large cheese with pepperoni and have it all be vegan!
  Calzones deserve special attention too.
  Vegan House of Pizza & Subs
  487 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 02134
  617-787-9884
  www.scallywaggles.com
  

• Deluxe Town Diner (Not entirely vegan but but they do have vegan pancakes and vegan sausages and will hopefully add more options. Vegan breakfast in a real diner is very cool so this had to go on my best of list even though it's not 100% veg.)
  627 Mt Auburn St
  Watertown, MA 02472
  
  (617) 926-8400
  www.deluxetowndiner.com

Philadelphia

• Govindas to Go Restaurant - The Chicken Cheesteak (vegan) is amazing and so is the Chicken Burrito (vegan) - in fact everything I've tried here was really great. The staff working behind the counter are very friendly vegans.
  *This is a more casual version of their other restaurant upstairs Govinda's Vegetarian Restaurant.
  1408 South St.
  Philadelphia, PA 19146
  (215) 545 5452
  Govinda's vegetarian Restaurant (upstairs): (215) 985-9303
  
  www.govindasvegetarian.com
  
  

I realize there are many more cities to write about so Please contact me with more cities and favorite vegan restaurant suggestions!

Best Pizza ......................mmmmmm

*Note for Vegans: Most of these pizza parlors will allow you to bring in your own Follow your Heart Vegan cheese to put on the pizza in place of their own cheese- so go for it! Of course TJ's in Allston is a full vegan pizza/sub house so it gets extra points.

Boston
South Shore
Napoli Pizzeria -Sooo good! By far the best pizza around - huge pizza, thin crust, excellent sauce and good price.

1570 Hancock St
Quincy, MA 02169
Phone: (617) 471-9090
www.napoli-pizzeria.com

Cambridge area
Emma's Pizza -Everyone I've known who has tried it loves it.
40 Hampshire St
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 864-8534
www.emmaspizza.com

Brighton Area
Tj Scallywaggles Pizza and Subs -All vegan all the time!
Vegan House of Pizza & Subs
487 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 02134
617-787-9884
www.scallywaggles.com

Cape Cod
Sweet Tomatoes -Thin, delicious crusty pizza with a sweet and fresh sauce. Best on the cape!
791 Main Street
Osterville, MA
(508) 420-1717
www.sweettomatoescapecod.com

New York City
Manhattan
John's of Bleeker St in Manhattan - excellent thin crust pizza.
278 Bleeker st (between 6th/7th)
New york, NY 10014
(212)-243-1680
www.johnsbrickovenpizza.com

Brooklyn
Monty Q's in Brooklyn Heights. Huge, nice crust, excellent pizza made perfectly with vegan cheese too!
90 Livingston Street
(between Boerum Pl & Court St)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 855-0110
www.montyqs.com
Note: There is another one on Montague st. but we like this one best.

La Villa - in Park Slope. The absolute best focaccia bread served immediately once you are seated (free) and delicious wood-fired oven pizza with many styles to choose from (sicilian, Napoletana, Margheritia, etc.). The chefs are always happy to use our cheese to make a vegan pizza pie !

261 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215

(718) 499-9888
www.lavillaparkslope.com

Philadelphia

Pizza Rustica- Great pizza and very authentic Italian atmosphere. The owner Michelle was nice and more than willing to use our vegan cheese to make a delicious pizza for us and said she would even consider stocking the vegan cheese for pizzas in the future - so go support this place so she will!
3602 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 895-3490
www.pizzarustica.com

*I also know there is a nice place in the historic district that serves unbelievable pizzas (smaller size but good price) - if anyone knows of this place let me know!
Please write in with your sugestions

Chicago
Please write in with your sugestions

I realize there are many more cities to write about so Please contact me with more cities and favorite pizza suggestions!

Some great Pat Metheny to start your day

I am BIG!

Something Funny! Early Jay Leno -

Meditative Music: Here is some peaceful music by Merlins Magic

Volunteer to Walk a Dog at a Shelter! Make a homeless dog happy for a Day!

Resource: the following article was taken from The Humane Society's website -see reference at end. Every time you take a dog for a stroll, you're teaching him how to respond to his caretakers and his environment. If you can spend a few moments teaching an unruly, overanxious dog how to behave, you'll not only make future walks go more smoothly but also increase that dog's chances of finding a lifelong home. How to Walk a Shelter Dog Taking a dog for a walk might seem as simple a task as tying your shoelaces, but giving shelter dogs a little exercise involves more than just grabbing a leash and running out the nearest door. As a volunteer you'll need to do a few things to ensure your safety, the safety of the animals, and the safety of shelter workers and visitors. Talk to a supervisor about the possible need for a rabies vaccination and any other preventive measures, then sit down and learn all you can about the system in place to exercise and socialize shelter dogs. A well-organized dog walking program provides name tags or even color-coded T-shirts for volunteers so there's no mistaking who's who. And many shelters have systems in place—color-coded clothespins or whiteboards, for instance—to indicate which dogs need to be walked and which ones may have health problems that will leave them out of action for a while. Make sure you know the ins and outs of your shelter's program before heading out the door. © Susie Duckworth 1. First Things First If you're a volunteer scheduled to walk dogs, check in with a supervisor or sign in as soon as you arrive, so that everyone knows you'll be working in the kennels. And before you pick out your chaperone for the next few minutes, stash a few treats in your pockets and pick up a few plastic bags and a leash. But don't put that leash on the first dog you come across. Check to see if the animal has been out recently, and make sure there are no health problems that might keep a dog out of commission for a few days. If you come upon an unruly animal or one who's bigger than you, leave him to a more experienced staff person or volunteer. © Susie Duckworth 2. Select the Proper Attire Your shelter may use one of a few different collars, any of which will do the job. Though "choke chains"were once popular among shelters, dog trainers are finding that there are better ways to teach a dog how to respond to a handler. Some shelters are turning to simple "noose"collars, or looped leads, which provide just as much control but which can't be used for firm "corrections."So-called "martingale"collars also provide control while preventing the risk of injury to an animal. Halter collars are very effective and perhaps the most humane, but may be more difficult to size and fit for use on different animals. Whichever collars your shelter prefers, be sure to use them properly to gently guide dogs rather than to forcibly move animals against their will. Once the collar is in place, attach a six-foot nylon leash, place your hand through the loop and grasp the lead; or hold the loop with one hand and grab the middle of the leash with the other. Wrapping the leash around your wrist or individual fingers won't give you much control over the animal, and may even cause you to injure your hand the first time a big dog lunges at a squirrel, a bird, or another dog. © Susie Duckworth 3. Don't Let 'Em Walk All Over You Before you open the kennel gate, have the leash ready and be sure you know how to work the latch. Most kennel doors are designed to thwart escape by even the craftiest canine, so the latches may be difficult to open with one hand. Take a few moments to practice on an empty cage until you get the knack; the ability to quickly open and close a cage door will be important when you're leaving and even more so when you come back. Many dog walkers like to walk into the kennel, crouch to the animal's level, and "introduce"themselves before venturing out. More experienced walkers simply open the cage door a few inches and anticipate the dog's next move by holding the collar at "dog-level"and allowing the animal to stick his head through the opening on his way out. Either way, before you and your companion leave the kennels, look out for other dog walkers and members of the public, and wait until the coast is clear. © Susie Duckworth 4. Walk This Way The first lesson to teach a shelter dog is that nobody's going anywhere if the leash isn't slack. If the dog is constantly pulling, stand in place until he slows down or returns to you. In time, his newly learned manners will make for nicer walks and a nicer chance for adoption, too. (Some shelters ask volunteers to insist that animals sit before allowing them outside or giving them food, a great way to train an animal during his stay, one that requires consistency from every walker.) Try to avoid high-traffic areas near automobiles and members of the public. Be sure to clean up after the dog, too. And if you notice anything wrong with the animal's stool, contact a member of the animal care team when you return. © Susie Duckworth 5. Guarantee a Happy Ending Unfortunately, few dogs are aware of the saying, "All good things must end,"so you may encounter a little resistance when your companion realizes he's about to return to the kennel. Some dogs are happy to return to their temporary den, but for those who refuse to cooperate, try tossing a treat into the back of the cage, releasing the collar, and quickly closing the door. Or you can enter the kennel with the dog, stand between the dog and the kennel door, close the door, remove the collar, open the door toward you, and squeeze through the narrow opening. Before you leave, make sure the kennel is relatively clean and the water bowl is full. Record when the animal was walked and write down anything noteworthy. If a dog is well behaved or if he's frightened around larger dogs, the information may help fellow staffers find the dog an appropriate home. Lastly, dispose of any waste, wash your hands, grab another baggie, and move on to the next grateful creature. Even if you can only spare a few minutes of your day to walk an animal or two, the dogs, the shelter staff, and other volunteers will be glad you did.

source: http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/mar_apr_1999/how_to_walk_shelter_dog.html

Some of my Favorite cats : Bowie, Jet, Aslan, Tonga, Gary, Anya, Owen, and Dune

Followup to Spaghetti Cat

Spaghetti Cat Makes his Debut

This cameo appearance of Spaghetti cat is worth watching!!

Volunteer or Donate to Keep MSPCA Shelters Open! They are So important to the animals and deserve our Help!

MSPCA Shelters - Wonderful People Helping Animals

Let's Help Them Stay Open!

Please donate to the MSPCA to help save these shelters - just a small donation by many people will make a huge difference. There are many different ways to donate. This is a difficult time for everyone so even a tiny amount will help. Offering a temporary home or permanent home would also help.

http://www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=waystohelp_Ways_to_Donate


Three MSPCA Shelters to close - leaving less room for many animals

BROCKTON - It was almost business as usual yesterday at the city's largest animal shelter, as the staff went about its daily routine of feeding and caring for the 134 animals housed here while prospective pet owners stuck fingers through cages and made baby talk to dogs, cats, and rabbits.

574

Number of animals

surrendered to MSPCA

facilities statewide in the first 11 months of 2007.

11,000 Estimated number of

animals cared for in 2008

by the three shelters

scheduled to close in Sept.

Come September, this shelter and two others run by the nonprofit Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will close their doors, the latest victims of a declining stock market that drained the association's endowment of $11 million, about a quarter of its value.

"Not even animal shelters are immune to what's going on with the economy," said MSPCA spokesman Brian Adams, standing in front of a wall of cages containing cats. The shelter takes in dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, and other animals.

The shelters are scheduled to close as more pets are being abandoned or surrendered by owners no longer able to care for them due to foreclosures or other financial problems. In the first 11 months of 2008, 836 animals were surrendered to MSPCA facilities statewide, compared with 574 during the same period last year.

The organization will close its Springfield facility by the end of next month and another on Martha's Vineyard by May 1, leading to the elimination of 27 more jobs, including 11 in Brockton. All three shelters cared for about 11,000 animals in 2008, Adams said.

The depletion of the endowment will also result in the loss of 19 administrative jobs in Boston, as well as several programs, including one that cares for the pets of people incapacitated by HIV or AIDS.

The Brockton facility, known as the Metro South Adoption Center, first opened in 1944 and moved to its current location on West Elm Street in 1994. Manager Kim Heise said she and her staff learned of the closing Thursday.

"It was a shock to all of us," she said. "We knew that there were troubles, that things were difficult, but it's really hard to wrap your head around this."

Heise, who has worked at the shelter for 15 years, said the staff's first concern was the animals.

The shelter will continue to take in animals, and any pets remaining by September will be transferred to four remaining MSPCA shelters in the state.

The city of Brockton operates an Animal Control Shelter, and Heise said it will become an alternative for residents who can no longer care for their pets.

The MSPCA shelter in Brockton has the capacity to care for up to 4,200 pets a year, but the city-owned shelter cannot accommodate even half that number, Heise said.

"They know it's going to be tough when we're not here anymore," she said.

Carrie McInerney of East Walpole took home a rabbit yesterday. She said that she had heard about the closing Thursday, but that her children had been begging her to get them a pet for some time, and that's why she went to the shelter.

Clutching a black and white rabbit to her chest with one hand and patting it with her other hand, she said, "It's really sad that this place has to close, because in these economic times, there's a greater need for places like these."