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Nigerian born chef in London preparing vegan dishes africanews When I found out I was coming to a vegan restaurant, I was quite intrigued what the food was going to be like. I've never had Nigerian vegan food before. It was really tasty. I really liked the lentils, the lentils were really well done. The couscous ...

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Nigerian born chef in London preparing vegan dishes - africanews

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Vegan Restaurant Bans Bottle-Feeding Cow's Milk Newser (Newser) A vegan restaurant in Spain has caused quite a ruckus by posting this on its door: We like mothers, of all species. That's why we don't like bottle feeds based on cow's milk. Please don't use them in the restaurant. According to El Pas ...

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Vegan Restaurant Bans Bottle-Feeding Cow's Milk - Newser

It wasn't an April Fools joke: On Saturday, chef Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook really did open Goldie, an all-vegan falafel shop that no one in this restaurant-obsessed town knew was in the works. But once the secret was out the crowds arrived, with lines stretching out onto the sidewalk. Even a rainbow showed up (in the photos, anyway) to shine down on Goldie and, right below it, CookNSolos Rooster Soup Co., the new luncheonette that gives all of its profits to the Broad Street Ministrys Hospitality Collaborative.

Goldie (1526 Sansom Street) has a short menu, with falafel sandwiches and salads, fries, and tehina shakes a vegan version of a milkshake made with ground sesame seeds. Chef Caitlin McMillan, who was already with the CookNSolo group, runs the kitchen. The restaurant is named for baby Zahav: The venerable Zahav gets its name from the Hebrew word for gold. Its open seven days a week, for dining in (there are cafe tables and a standing counter) and take-out. Good luck getting a seat.

Goldie [Official]

1526 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) 454-6939

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Vegan Falafel Shop Goldie Opened Over the Weekend - Eater Philly - Eater Philly

Photo: VeganSmart

Tia Blanco isnt your average surfer. At 19, shes a killer athlete whose resume ranges from working with Playboy to starting a strong and promising competitive surfing career with the possibility of becoming an Olympic athlete in her future. Oh, you might have forgotten that; surfing in the Olympics is actually a thing now. So what more could a girl straight out of high school actually want?

Im not sure where I went wrong on the trek through life, but it looks like I need to start following in the Blanco footsteps. One of the many pieces of Blancos brand is that shes vegan, and has become recognizable as one of surfings influencers in living a healthy lifestyle. Yes, an up and coming pro surfer who won the gold medal both in 2015 and 2016 in the ISA Open Womens World Surfing Championship is a vegan. In 2014 she won PETAs Libby Award in acknowledgment of her work as a vegan ambassador and is currently up for another award from the organization asWorlds Hottest Veg Celeb. All this recognition has now parlayed itself into a role as a wellness athlete for the company VeganSmart. Shes teamed up with the brand and rolled out her own signature peaches and cream protein shake.

Its very important to me that I partner with companies that I really believe in. I travel around the world competing, and having such an incredible support system with the VeganSmart team has really helped to drive me even further, said Blanco.

For anybody unfamiliar with the brand, VeganSmart is a premium line of plant-based nutritional protein shakes working with athletes from around the globe, all swearing by the product. Now they just happen to have one of surfings up and coming names on that same roster. Shes cute, athletic and seems to have her life right on track for a 19-year-old, but is going vegan a new lifestyle the surf community might soon come to follow? I sure hope not, because Ill exclude myself from that group right now. But whatever it is, Blancos killing it.

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Health How Tia Blanco's Building a Brand as a Vegan Ambassador - TheInertia.com

With the spring bloom of weddings, parties are on everyone's mind to fete the upcoming nuptials. Think beyond the box for celebrations when you can count on springs mild temperatures, fresh backdrops and steady weather patterns of the following weeks.

Of course, the bride's friends have long put their heads together to pull off a memorable shower experience that all parties remember and treasure for years to come, but a few reminders help preserve the occasion when throwing a shower:

Shower ideas

Be aware of the brides likes and dislikes so she will enjoy festivities. If the outdoors makes her uncomfortable or sneezy, a day-long event filled with lawn games probably is not the best bet. Be creative, be practical and, most of all, be willing to entertain new ideas. On the other hand, a hospitable home where the event can be held often keeps the occasion comfortable and fits the budget of people who plan and share it.

Spa party

A spa bridal shower is a great way to relax a bride during this anxious time. Consider booking a local spa. Another idea is to hire a couple professionals to come and create a semi-spa event with a DIY station that includes a massage table, space for facials and a mani-pedi seat for guests to frequent. Play relaxing music as a soothing backdrop, offer plenty of pillows on comfy chairs and provide a take-home gift of bath salts or bar of relaxing soap.

Food party

A bride who loves food and who doesn't? will appreciate healthy food so she stays trim and fit for her special day. Set up a party where guests help themselves to a variety of foods, including vegetables and fruit salads, whole-grain crackers and self-serve options for those who limit carbs and pass up meat.

Perfume bar

If a preferred venue allows, a perfume bar is a unique addition to your bridal shower. This is a great complement to a spa location.

Ask the companys management if they would permit putting together a table area full of perfumes or relaxing aromatics for sampling throughout the shower.

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Spring into bridal showers - STLtoday.com

KINGWOOD The Blues Brothers tribute artists, The Soul Men, made a triumphant return to Kingwood a few weeks back as they performed in front of a packed house at the Preston Community Arts Center.

The people here just really loved the show, and we had a show in Pittsburgh last night and it was close enough we could piggy back it off the trip and we called and said if you enjoyed the show in July, we can give you the same show for the same price tonight, and we had an even better turn out tonight, Elwood Blues said.

We had a great time last year, and we had an even better time this year, Jake Blues said.

From their knuckle tattoos to their signature hat and sunglasses, The Soul Men impersonated Jake and Elwood Blues to perfection. The Soul Mens performance was fast paced, high energy and included a lot of audience participation. The Soul Men performed all the classic songs featured in the original film: Soul Man, Gimme Some Lovin, Rawhide, Everybody Needs Somebody, Flip, Flop and Fly, Minnie the Moocher, Mustang Sally, Do You Love Me? and New Orleans.

Almost 39 years after the original debut of the Blues Brothers on Saturday Night Live the humor, music and spirit of the Blues Brothers still attracts new fans. The show drew participation from audience members of all ages, with the youngest being a small child all decked out in his own black suit, hat and sunglasses.

The Blues Brothers go way back to before the 80s and its just awesome to see, especially when the parents pass the music down to their kids and they really enjoy it, said Jake Soul of the Soul Men. We had a girl the other night tell us, We listen to this CD every day in the car on the way to school on the way home, and they just love it, and she was about 8 years old. And blues music is a dying art, and its just so good to see these parents passing it down to their kids. We had a few kids in the audience tonight and they were having a ball, so we inspired them to listen to a little blues music, said Jake.

Preston Community Arts Center Vice President Paul Burger was on hand as the shows sound engineer for the night.

Of course, everybody enjoys music and dancing, relaxing and enjoying each others company, so its always a good social event to have art and music together to bring people together, Burger said. We need to get together. There are a lot of people in the community who are homebound and theres nothing much to do, and weve got to bring the arts to the community and make it happen, said Burger.

News Correspondent Daniel R. Miller can be reached at 304-329-0090 or by email at news

@prestonnj.com

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Preston Pride - Blues Brothers tribute band perform in Kingwood - The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)

Imagine going to the doctor's office. Noticeably absent are any modern tools -- laptops, DNA tests, X-ray scanners. He likes to do things the old-fashioned way. Medicine was better 100 years ago. How long would it take before you ran screaming out the door?

Yet, that's precisely the attitude the organic food and "back to nature" movements embrace.

In most things in life, we desire cutting-edge technology: Faster computers, self-driving cars, virtual reality, high-definition TV1. From telecommunications and transportation to healthcare and entertainment, we demand the very best that money can buy.

But not food. We don't want technology anywhere near that. Neanderthal know-how is perfectly fine, thanks. What is going on?

Organic Is the Sacrificial Food of a New Religion

Whether we like it or not, humans are spiritual creatures. We seek meaning in our lives and a greater power outside of us. As mainstream religions in Western societies fade away, people are replacing them with a new religion: One whose focus is on sustainability2, postmodernism(anti-intellectualism),and technophobia. Organic is the sacrificial food of this new religion.

In a recent article, Eric Asimov, a food and wine critic for the New York Times, extols the (imagined) virtues of organic wine. He even warns his readers that a commonly added preservative, sulfur dioxide, corrupts the wine because it isn't natural3. Of course, all wines contain sulfur dioxide because the compound is a byproduct of yeast fermentation.

Read how Mr. Asimov writes about his favorite subject:

These [processed] wines are not the simple, pastoral expressions of an agricultural culture. They are assembly-line wines, farmed industrially with chemical sprays, churned out in factories with technology and machinery and additives, and tailored, just as processed foods are, to specifications derived from substantial audience research and the use of focus groups.

"Processed" wines (whatever that means) use modern technology, including machines and chemicals? Focus groups? Oh, the humanity! In the NYT's magical world4, food must be prepared in a very precise manner, otherwise it is contaminated. Never mind that these food standards are arbitrary and not based on science; failing to follow them makes our food "unnatural." In other words, machines and chemicals (and the taste preferences of the unwashed masses) are the sins that corrupt our food and our bodies.

This isn't nutrition science; it's religion. That's why mocking organic foodies makes them so upset:It is blaspheming their Holy Communion.

Notes

(1) Even FIFA (international soccer's governing body) is finally embracing the21st Centuryby implementing goal-line technology.

(2) The concept of sustainability is perfectly fine. However, anti-scientific nonsense is often promoted in the name of sustainability. Contrary to conventional wisdom, organic farming is not more sustainable than conventional agriculture.

(3) Organic wines cannot contain added sulfur dioxide, showing just how arbitrary and ridiculous the definition of "organic" actually is.

(4) This is why our rating of the New York Times as borderline "junk science" was incorrect. In truth, it's only a few steps removed from the "Pure Garbage" category.

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Technophobia: A Key Tenet of the Organic Food Religion - American Council on Science and Health

Singer-songwriter Jewel is best known for ballads such as You Were Meant for Me and Who Will Save Your Soul, but lately shes been focused on promoting mindfulness and sharing her mental health story. Late last year she launched Never Broken , a site dedicated to emotional fitness through online tools. And last week, on a new episode of Dan Harris podcast 10% Happier, the 42-year-old Alaska native explained how she used the practice to take control after ending up homeless and plagued by panic attacks at age 18.

"The word mindfulness wasn't even around back then, but I went back to this idea of how can I rewire my brain," she says on the podcast. I remembered this quote by Buddha: 'Happiness doesn't depend on who you are or what you have, it depends on what you think.' I had the distinct pleasure of only having what I thought left. I had no family, no house, no foodnothing to distract me, if you will.

Looking through her journals, Jewel realized shed been addicted to negative thinking and knew she needed to make a change. To do so, she created her own series of meditations to help her be more mindful every day and also to aid her in specific difficult moments. Her quick visualization to cope with panic attackswhich started plaguing her at age 16is one such example:

"I learned to do this meditation where I imagined I was on a very stormy ocean. Id imagine myself sinking through the ocean, allowing myself to relax, I would get calmer. I would notice the color of the ocean change. Id notice the taste of salt on my lips. Id notice the rays of sunlight coming in and the further I got down to the sandy floor, it got calm, it got tranquil by then, and I would look up at the stormy surface and it was in the distance."

Jewel's panic attack visualization both distracts her and calms her downtwo key ways to ease up the discomfort of a panic attack. And it's a perfect visualization to bookmark for the next time you're feeling a panic attack set in.

It makes sense that meditation would help Jewel cope with her anxiety. Meditation can actually change the way your brain works . Studies have shown meditation amps up activity in the parts of the brain dedicated to focus, calmness, and processing stressand this makes it an effective treatment for mental health issues like anxiety , depression , and PTSD . Experts have previously told SELF that to see the results of meditation, it's important to be consistent and ideally practice every day.

Jewel says meditating helped her learn to observe her thoughts rather than let them run amok. "I would notice my anxiety, and I would force myself to...track the thought to see what the lie was my brain was telling me, and I'd tell myself the truth," she said. "For me, the truth was: I am capable of learning and I will learn more today. That calmed my anxiety down and helped me rewire, and that started creating resilience and that started creating a tenacious attitude, which is a much better thing to get addicted to [than negative thinking]."

Jewel credits this practice with helping her find happiness after a tough childhood. The singer grew up in Alaska, surrounded by people who used "relationships, drugs, [and] alcohol to try to numb and medicate feelings." Her voice was her way out. At age 15, she got a vocal scholarship to a performing arts school in Michigan. But by age 18, she found herself homeless, shoplifting, and plagued by panic attacks. Determined not to become a "statistic""I was going to end up in jail or dead, in short order"Jewel used mindfulness to take control of her mental health and life.

"You have to get rid of believing every single thought that comes into your head," Jewel told Harris. "When I meditate, I just count [to 20]one is an inhale, two is an exhale. The whole point is just to observe and be curious because that's the state of mindfulness and of being present."

Watch Jewel's full interview with Dan Harris on "10% Happier" below.

h/t ABC

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The 15-Second Meditation That Helps Jewel Calm Her Panic ... - SELF

Its 11:30 p.m., and Im waltzing, rather awkwardly, around my room. If you were to walk in, youd see me performing the slowest of slow dances, my iPhone clutched in my left hand, my AirPods nested in my ears, and my feet shuffling over my small, blue carpet.

What may look like a drug-fueled trip is my attempt at meditation using Sway, a movement-based mindfulness app for the iPhone. Since I picked it up over a weekend, Ive been setting aside moments of my day to perform my tiny routine and attempt to center my mind.

I think it might be working.

Although you might not move the same way I do, Sway will require you to you guessed it sway back and forth. Its what the developers call interactive meditation, an experience that requires you to slowly wave your phone from side to side.

The premise is that through movement and the ambient sounds and music being pumped into your headphones from Sway, youll be able to focus on the relaxed activity and calm your mind. With six different levels, Sway attempts to push you toward significant mindfulness habits by requiring you to accomplish a daily goal before unlocking the next level. If you miss a day, Sway will bump you back a level, so you have to complete it again.

Between its use of sound and goals, Sway goes beyond reminders, acting as a sort of meditation companion. Each level provides similar experiences that are pleasantly familiar, yet distinct enough that they also feel new and memorable.

As I use Sway, Im continuing to find new reasons to open it daily: colorful animations, pleasant audio, and more. But what ultimately keeps me coming back to it is the basic experience it offers me, one that Ive never had before.

Finding myself dancing around my room is bizarre to me not because of what Im doing, but because Im doing it at all. Ive never been able to consistently meditate, and my previous attempts never quite left me in a state of mind that I desired.

With Sway, my experience has been different. Through getting me on my feet and moving in a methodical way, the app has helped me relax and focus. Ive gotten lost in the audio, the sounds of rain, the beach, or birds chirping. Ive found myself craving time to open Sway, hoping to unlock further levels and maintain my streaks. Sway is very different from so many other tools I use everyday because it offers immediate, short-term benefits, rather than incremental progress like checking off tasks on a long-term project.

Of course, your mileage may vary, but I've found that Sway has all the right elements that make it a stellar productivity app: fantastic audio, an intuitive interface design, and motivational features, all of which keep me coming back for more. Although I havent built any long-term habits with Sway, it's had the same sort of initial staying power that has kept other apps on my Home screen for years.

For those looking for a fresh and effective meditation tool, I cannot recommend Sway enough. At $2.99, it feels perfectly priced for its value, especially for users who log many hours of mindfulness.

You can pick up Sway in the App Store for $2.99 here (iPhone only).

Jake Underwood

Jake is a contributor at MacStories, a public relations major at Ball State University, and an iOS app fanatic. His life is full of listening to podcasts and playing Nintendo games, as well as watching sporting events and spending too much money on Apple products.

| Email: jake@macstories.net

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Sway Review: Meditation Through Movement - MacStories

After a busy winter season, relaxation might be at the top of your to-do list.

On Sunday, April 9, Denver-based yoga teacher Jeremy Wolf will lead "Yoga Nidra: A Sleep-Based Meditation" at the Vail Vitality Center to help with that goal.

During this powerful practice, Wolf will lead a guided meditation in savasana (corpse pose), which induces a complete state of physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Yoga Nidra benefits include a strengthened immune system, an increased capacity for self healing and the release of self-limiting beliefs.

To begin the workshop, Wolf will talk about how the practice is designed, the philosophy behind it and then will skillfully guide attendees through a one-hour meditation in the corpse pose. There will be time for questions following the meditation.

The workshop is designed for practitioners of all levels.

"If one is new to meditation, this is a wonderful entry point because you can lie down and allow your physical body to relax," said Vail Vitality Center instructor Morgan Flahive-Foro, who has taken part in this workshop before. "If you are an advanced meditation practitioner, Nidra can help you access the deeper layers of repetitive thought that might keep you stuck like a mouse in a wheel. It boosts creativity, helps one manifest intentions and restores the nervous system."

Flahive-Foro considers Wolf, one of her three primary yoga teachers, to be a "thoughtful, clear and eloquent teacher."

"After studying with him I leave with a strong sense of understanding over the subject matter," Flahive-Foro said. "He's also funny and open-hearted. When it comes to Yoga Nidra, Jeremy has a true and innate gift."

Wolf has been meditating since 1993. He began studying yoga in 1998 and received his classical yoga teaching certification in India. Wolf is certified in the Amrit Method of Yoga Nidra and completed Rod Stryker's ParaYoga 500-hour teacher training. Along with being a reiki master, Wolf co-organizes and teaches multiple Front Range yoga teacher trainings.

The cost for the Yoga Nidra Workshop is $35 in advance or $40 day of (if there are spots still available). Call 970-476-7960 to register.

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Vail Vitality Center hosting sleep-based meditation April 9 - Vail Daily News