Vegan Vacation, Part Four: Meeting Naturally Lauren, A Juice Bar, and Adventures in Pizza

When I got into this raw vegan thing a few years back, I never expected that my YouTube stalking of Dara Dubinet would lead me to making new friends in all parts of the country, but what do you know?  After joining the "More with Dara" community, I met some amazing people... Fellow women (and some men, too) who had been through their own health struggles and healed with the help of natural living and healthy food.  It was such a joy to find these other people who understood me and why I live the way I do.  We shared instagram handles and Facebook info, and discovered that a lot of us are bloggers.  One particular MWD (that's what we call ourselves) was something of a kindred spirit.  Both of us with young daughters, we just "clicked".  I started following NaturallyLauren.com and reading about her day-to-day adventures and healthy struggles.  Lauren is a J-poucher, and if you don't know what that is, don't feel bad.  Neither did I until I read her awesome post about her digestive issues and the incredible road she's taken to heal.  You can check it out here:  http://www.naturallylauren.com/#!My-Journey-to-Jpouch-No-Colon-Still-Rollin/cmbz/67EA1602-81D6-49F4-991F-8F330D2FEAB4

All of this to say, Lauren is awesome, and basically, my sister from another mister.  So, when we realized that she only lives about 20 minutes from my mom in New Jersey, we knew we HAD to make time to meet.  On the last full day of our vacation mom, Matt, Aubrianna, Charlotte, and I met Lauren and her daughter, Little A, at Fresh Press Juice Co in Cranford.  I fell in love with this town, you guys.  The juice bar is located right on the main drag in a little modern retail center that resembles as old town square.  It's adorable.  Lauren and Little A were waiting on us, and as soon as we walked in, it was hugs all-around.  I felt like I'd know her for years.  The funny thing is that I was a little nervous on the way there.  You know how they say, "never meet your idols because you're bound to be disappointed."?  Well, that was kinda stuck in my head.  I worried that our in-person meeting would be uncomfortable or awkward, like maybe we'd be different face-to-face.  Silly, right?  These are my insecurities, fellas.  I shouldn't have worried because it was a great time.  She is every bit as warm and lovely as she appears online, and I'm so happy that we were able to spend that time together.  We got to chat for a couple of hours and learn each other's stories.  The kids had an amazing time, as well.  The older girls loved that fact that their names are almost the same, and Charlotte enjoyed chasing them up and down the hallway to the bathroom.  I have to say sorry to the owner at this point in the post.  We were a little rambunctious that day.  But that's what happens when you get hopped up on green juice and acai berry bowls. 

Instant buddies... And stinkers.  So much cute in this picture.  We make pretty kids, let me tell ya.

Acai bowl a.k.a heaven.

Carrot cake smoothie for the road.  This one's not on the menu, but if you ask, I bet she'll whip it up.  So delicious!

Speaking of the owner, what a kind, driven, and knowledgable lady.  And drop-dead gorgeous, I might add.  I sampled a few things, and all of it was delicious!  They offer all kinds of juice, smoothies, superfood bowls, and even some grab-n-go items in the cooler.  Charlotte spotted the beet hummus first thing, so that's what she had.  Lauren's daughter had a cup of banana ice cream with a few little toppings added in, all healthy of course.  I can't wait to go visit again next time we head up there.  I want to try everything!

It was hard to leave, but all good things come to a close.  So, we hugged and said our goodbyes.  I had such a lovely time that day.  

******************

That night, mom's "other half," Gary, picked a place for dinner that he thought would be great for me.  It's called Healthy Garden, located in Piscataway.  It's a nice little natural food cafe that serves a bit of everything... Sandwiches, burgers, pizza, burritos, quesadillas, salads, smoothies, juices, with lots gluten-free and dairy-free options.  I ordered a veggie pizza, and meant to have them leave off the vegan cheese since I'm really not a fan of Daiya.  I know, I'm not a good vegan if I don't espouse the virtues of fake cheese, but I just really think it tastes awful.  (There goes my shot at an endorsement.)  It reminds me of the "cheese-like food topping" that I accidentally bought once back in my omnivore days.  I'll give them props for making a convincing-looking substitute, but I just don't like the flavor at all.  So, as you can guess, I wasn't impressed with the pizza.  The crust was really tasty, but apparently if you order their vegan version of this pizza, instead of swapping the parmesan containing pesto out for a different sauce, they just didn't put any sauce at all on it.  It was crust, veggies, and melted Daiya which came out surprisingly greasy.  I think if I go back, I'll request that they add red sauce and leave off the cheese.  The veggies were nicely seasoned, though.  Everyone else thoroughly enjoyed their meals.  They had some very nice looking sandwiches.  My niece got a veggie burger that was as big as her head!  Definitely a good bargain for the price.  This place has tons to offer, so I'm looking forward to trying it again and getting something different.  It seems very promising, and I'll know to be more specific next time.

The next day, we were leaving for home.  Our flight wasn't until early evening, so we took advantage of the time we had and went shopping before meeting Gary for lunch at Brick House.  I was a little worried when we chose a place renowned for their grilled animal carcasses, but as it turned out, they had an easily-modified flatbread pizza with mushrooms and arugula.  It's totally vegan if you leave off the cheese.  The server was very understanding and helpful, too.  And this pizza, was super delicious, even with very little in the way of toppings.  The sauce had so much flavor, that it didn't need much else.  Granted, I would prefer more vegetables in all my meals, but for making do, it was great.  They fire-grill their pizzas, so the crust was to-die-for!  Definitely calling this one a win. 

After lunch, we started our long, traffic-laden drive back to Newark.  After a stop at Target for some essentials and a hat modeling adventure...

... We said our goodbyes, and parted ways.  Mom, of course, cried.  Aubrianna, of course, cried.  And I tried to be the tough one, but I whimpered.  My brother, though, was totally the strong one.  It's hard to walk away from my momma, no matter how old I get.  But, I sure hope that's how Charlotte feels when she's grown.  

Waiting for our flight.  She just couldn't hang anymore.  

The flight home was without incident, and it sure was nice to get back to my bed, and who am I kidding?... My food.  No matter how nice convenience feels, nothing beats making my own green smoothie or gigantic salad.  I hope that next time we can try more of the raw offerings in New York City.  That will make for some incredible blog posts!  Don't ya think?  

See ya next spring, Jersey!

Vegan Vacation, Part Three: Asbury Park, NJ

I've been slacking on my posts in the past couple of weeks, I know.  Life has just been so darn busy, and with the change of seasons coming quickly (it's 73 today, but promises of temps in the low 40's are set for Friday, ick.), I've been trying to fit in as much outdoor time as possible.  So, bare with me as I try to find balance and bring you some fresh content.

When we last spoke, I'd been all over lower Manhattan and had some crazy-good vegan fare.  Today, we travel southeast to Asbury Park, NJ.  This is, supposedly, one of the nicest beaches in the area, and I'd have to say that, from what I saw, it's understandable.  The official close of the season had already happened when we were there, so a lot of businesses were shut down, but we were able to dip our toes in the (very cold) Atlantic Ocean and snag some seashells.  

I should note that the last two times we took Charlotte to the beach, she was terrified of the noisy water and cried if we got within thirty feet of it.  The sand, however, was her jam.  She even tried to study it closely by ingesting it at one point, obviously while Daddy was in charge.

On this trip, I wasn't sure what to expect of her.  After all, it was almost a year since our Miami adventure, and she's now a big fan of garden hoses and daily showers.  Well, I can report that she was a big fan... To the point that I was a bit nervous seeing just how comfortable she was with the "big pool".  I'm convinced she'd have jumped right in if I'd let her.  It was far too chilly for that, though, so we just swung her feet and let her touch the water.  Her squeals of joy were adorable, if I do say so myself.  

Some things never change. 

This beach, let me just tell ya, was pristine.  I'm not sure what it's like during peak season, but on our trip, it was extremely clean.  The sand was littered only with seashells, and the sidewalks were devoid of trash.  There is some of the prettiest architecture on the drive in and along ocean avenue, as well.  Color me impressed.  I've only ever seen southern beaches, and Santa Monica on one short excursion, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was pleasantly surprised.  

We walked the boardwalk and let the girls play in the sand for a while, then made sure to take lots of pictures.  I couldn't believe how many in-tact shells we found, which was a lot of fun to show Charlotte.  We stuffed a few into her diaper bag and headed off to find some lunch.  

True "stinker" face, if ever there was one.

I pulled up my Happy Cow app, and found a few very vegan-friendly places, but they'd all closed for the season the previous weekend.  Bummer! Mom, however, found a place just a short walk from where we had parked called "Cubacan".  It was (obviously) a Cuban restaurant, so I figured I could find something tasty on their menu.  It was a bit early for dinner, and we almost had the place to ourselves.  Let me tell ya, the decor is amazing!  (And I didn't even think to get a picture, damnit.) It reminded me of our previously mentioned trip to Miami.  I just adore art-deco style, and this place made me happy as soon as I walked in.  Geometric patterns mixed with curved lines, black & white with bursts of bright green, and the bathroom was all red and black... Gorgeous.  We were seated at a table midway through the restaurant where we could still see the beach, and were promptly attended to.  Our server was very friendly.  I glanced over the menu and noticed that most items contained animal products, but I asked him to suggest something for a vegan.  He said their house salad was fantastic, which I had no doubt about.  Most house salads are just plain iceberg lettuce with limp cucumbers, flavorless tomatoes, croutons, and a big red onion ring resting on top.  This salad, though, was listed as baby greens, tomato, red onion, cucumber, and green olives with citrus vinaigrette.  If they go out of their way to add olives, I'm in.  They listed black beans as a side, so I asked if they were vegan, but after checking with the kitchen, he informed me they were cooked in chicken broth.  Poo.  So, I looked again and saw "garlic string beans", which he said WERE vegan, being lightly sautéed in olive oil.  Right on!  Not a big meal, but enough to hold off the hunger for a while.  My brother ordered some gigantic sandwich loaded with all kinds of not-vegan-friendly stuff, and my mom had something with chicken, I think.  Who cares, really?  We are all about the plant-based finds in this series.  

Anyway, the food arrived and was beautiful, as expected.  I always wish salads were bigger when I eat out, but that's just not the world we live in.  Maybe some day.  The green beans were bathed in garlic, and I ate them with my fingers.  No shame!  The salad dressing was so delicious.  It wasn't overpowering, but just added a lovely flavor to the lettuce and fixins.  I truly enjoyed every bite.  It would've been nice to try a vegan restaurant, but this is what we call "making it work".  I can't complain.  The service was impeccable, and the food was great.  

Get these!  You will not regret it.  Holy coconut, Batman!  So delicious!

After lunch, we decided to head back, but not before stopping at a local health food store, Dean's Natural Food Market. I can't pass a health food store or a juice bar.  Ha!  This place is like a mini Whole Foods, with aisles lined with organic fare and fresh produce... Also known as "heaven" to me.  The girls were asleep, so mom stayed in the car while Matt and I explored.  I found a huge tray of mixed sprouts for salads, some coconut chips, AGED VEGAN CHEESE(!), and crackers for Charlotte.  We also discovered that my brother has his own line of apple juice.  Wink wink. 

 

It was such a cute little store, clean and brightly lit.  They even had a fresh salad bar and hot food offerings.  If you're ever in the area, check it out.  It was quite the lovely little find.  

Too much beach fun for this kid. 

I discovered while there, that my fellow blogger friend NaturallyLauren, is from that area.  If you haven't checked out her blog yet, do yourself a favor.  It's full of beautiful pictures and gorgeous food.  She's has quite the health story to tell, too.  Oh, and in my next post, you'll meet her.  We were able to meet in person on my trip, and she was just as lovely as I thought she would be.  It's so wonderful to meet online friends in person, especially those who share your love of all things healthy and happy.  It is such a blessing to find our kindred spirits.  I'm loving life! 

P.S. When we got home, I made a big salad and roasted veggies which looked like this: 

Roasted beets and potatoes, with sautéed beet greens and cannellini beans.  Delish!  And we went to bed happy, with full bellies.  :-)

Vegan Vacation, Part One: New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ

Note: I've decided to make this vacation review a series of posts due to the length. So... Part one...

"Mama!  Airpaaane!  Airpaaane, mama!"

I have to be honest.  When my mom informed me she was moving to New Jersey a couple of months ago, my first thought was "on purpose?".  Because really, who CHOOSES to live there?  I've only ever seen one episode of Jersey Shore, and it definitely didn't add that state to my "must visit" list.  So, needless to say, when my little brother and I decided to use our vacation time to visit mom, I wasn't exactly excited.  (I'd prefer to use valuable time off for things such as beach romps and relaxing island retreats.). However, my mind was completely changed.  I can see now why the northeast is such a desirable destination, especially this time of year.  

Let's start at the beginning...

 

My brother, Matt (isn't he handsome?), my niece, the baby, and myself flew out of Nashville on a Saturday afternoon, and it was a beautiful sunny day, hence the massive wash-out in our picture.  I may be partial, but I think Nashville has one of the nicest airports.  I never have any problems getting through security, and transportation is always a breeze.  The girls did great on the plane, too.  This was Aubrianna's first time ever to fly, and she was like a pro.  Never once did she seem nervous.  Charlotte had flown a few times last year, but this was the first time since she became mobile, and I was worried about having her sit in my lap for two hours.  Fortunately, she only became restless in the last thirty minutes, and I was able to distract her with the iPad.  What on earth did parents do before modern technology?  After a very bumpy landing, we touched down in Newark and began our lovely vacation with Mom and Gary. 

Sure, there are dirty parts just like anywhere else, but most of what we saw of New Jersey was gorgeous.  I can see now why it's called "the garden state".  Everywhere I looked, there was color.  The leaves were beginning to change, and the weather was amazing the entire time.  It was sunny and warm, but not hot, just cool enough to wear a jacket.  

Our first night in South Bound Brook, we had dinner at The South Side Grill, a sort-of Italian restaurant on one side with a sports bar on the other.  The menu was pretty meat and cheese heavy, but I was able to get a lovely salad with roasted red peppers, snap peas, and shitake mushrooms with a side of Asian miso dressing.  The serving size wasn't disappointing either, definitely dinner sized.  Gary gave me his sweet potato fries, too, so Charlotte and I were set.  Not a bad way to begin the week.  

On Sunday, we all loaded in two cars and ventured to Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA for the day.  These two towns are absolutely beautiful!  They sit on opposite sides of the Delaware River and are home to many local artisan shops and bistros.  There wasn't a chain restaurant in sight, and everywhere you looked were historical buildings.  Waterways weave through New Hope lending a fairytale feel to picture-perfect locales.  The old brick sidewalks still remain, giving these towns amazing character.  For a self-proclaimed hippy, it was heaven.  

After walking the entire length of New Hope, we stopped for lunch at Zoubi's, a European-style bistro on West Mechanic Street.  Kate, our server, was very knowledgable about vegan cuisine, and recommended the day's butternut squash soup and their mushroom farro dish for me.  She served us a basket (ok, maybe two) of sourdough fresh from the oven with cold-pressed olive oil and herbs.  HOLY GEEZ, was it amazing!  I rarely eat bread, especially in all of it's gluten-loaded glory, but I was on vacation!  As a side note, sourdough tends to be easier on digestion because of the fermentation process which sours the dough, and I didn't seem to have any ill effects after eating it.  Score!

The soup was very simple, just puréed squash with sea salt and scallions, but it really hit the spot on a fall day. 

Charlotte couldn't wait to dig in to the farro, so excuse the baby hand in my picture.  I promise you, the presentation was beautiful before she mauled it.  It was served with grilled baby bok choi, asparagas, and roma tomato.  I LOVED this dish.  It was so creamy and peppery, not too salty, and the mushroom flavor was the most potent part.  It was quite perfect.  My family all enjoyed their meals as well.  Matt ordered the same dish as me, and he agreed with my review.  Just perfect.  Also, check out this patio!

Gorgeous!  I felt like I was in France. (I've never been to France, so just let me have this, um-kay?)

Toeing the line, so to speak.

Edible landscaping!

Does it get any better than this view?

The mighty Delaware.

You guys, these towns.  I just fell in love.  Lambertville and New Hope are wonderful little green-loving gems.  I can't wait to go back.

Up next, The Big Apple!