Do you live in a vegan "grey zone?"

[Healthy]

I said it represents that in "my area" -- I made it clear it's not that way in other areas.

And yes, they do mislabel things. I do not trust them. If I shop there, it's only for organic produce and the macro vegan bento boxes (from One Stop Shopping company) ... I won't go anywhere near their salad bars or buy anything that they package.

[bradders]

I was agreeing with you about them representing snobbishness btw

[Healthy]

Oh, I'm sorry, I misunderstood what you wrote.

[bradders]

no problem.
if you don't mind me asking what part of NJ do you live that you have to drive everywhere? or are you out in the sticks as it were lol

[Healthy]

It's Union County. It's really beautiful here. Lots of parks, natural wildlife, deer. They don't kill them in this town, like they do in other towns. The air is nice and fresh. It's a family oriented area. Hardly any smokers. We have big concerts in town too. Saw Chuck Berry in walking distance from my house.

When I lived 12 miles west of Manhattan, I went without a car for 11 years. I took mass transporation or walked everywhere. I'd go to NYC, walk from Port Authority down to the East Village and back! Rarely took subways.

[bradders]

i couldn't go back to living in the countryside after living in cities, i need my buses, trams, trains and the underground. I have the best of both worlds, I'm next to an underground station that links with the express train to central london so I can be there in half an hour, have most of what I need in the village and a 24h bus link to local towns and central london too and at the same time I have clean air, country parks, a wildlife reserve (not for hunting either) all very close by so I have the joys of living in london and the joys of living 20m from central

[Healthy]

I don't live in the country. It's suburban and I, too, feel I have the best of all worlds.

Just a 20 minute ride from New York City. Just a half hour from the beaches. And best of all, living in an affordable area so I can have lots of extra cash to take vacations three or more times per year.

I feel very blessed.

[bradders]

i could never live where i need to drive though (aside from the fact that I can neither drive nor learn to drive)

[Healthy]

Yeah, I felt that way too ... for a very long time. But being a woman and getting hit on a lot when dealing with mass transit and strangers constantly asking if you need a ride, trust me, a car is a much better bet.

[bradders]

at least tell me it's NOT a Prius (due to their manufacturing environmental damage they are worse than a land rover over the course of their life!) or an SUV but a small sensible hatchback of somekind

[mariana]

I used to live in a 'grey zone'--a very small town in central Iowa. At least I knew other vegans at my uni, but in terms of food there were only 3 grocery stores in town and while they did at least stock soya milk, that was about it. Aside from that, the town consisted of bars, pizza places, and 2 Chinese restaurants. But now I live in London and I find it amazing how easy it is to find vegan food.

[mariana]

at least tell me it's NOT a Prius (due to their manufacturing environmental damage they are worse than a land rover over the course of their life!)

Really? I'd never heard that before! Do you have a link to an article on that? That's kind of crazy.

[bradders]

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=14304

one of the problems is the prius is expected to have a very short life cycle and has all its componants built in different parts of the world and for most consumers the finished product is shipped from the other side of the world. Compared with a more durable vehcle such as a VW Golf, a land rover or even a Hummer it's life span is about a third so you in theory would get through three Priuses in the time you would have just one VW Golf

[bradders]

http://clubs.ccsu.edu/Recorder/edito...asp?NewsID=188

however we will see what the situation is when they switch to lithium ion from NiCad and if they actually think about making the whole think in one place instead of turning the world into one big production line (similar issues on that score in the production of the airbus A380)

[Healthy]

I wouldn't be caught dead in an SUV!

[bradders]

thank goodness for that

[jonnie falafel]

Not that far from me in the grand scheme of things there are loads of places for vegans to eat:

Thai Jantra (Boston Spa) - very good
The Retreat (Grassington) - very good
Blakes Head Bookshop (York) - good
El Piano (York) - not so good
Hansas (Leeds) - very good
Relish (Hebden Bridge) - amazingly good
Organic House (Hebden Bridge) - not so good
World Peace Cafe (Halifax) - good
Magic Number Three (Saltaire) - very good
Green & Bousfield (Ilkley) - very good

& to shop:

KiyiPo - York (vegan grocery)
Out of this world - Leeds (whole food shop)
Love Organic - Leeds (organic grocery)
Lengs grocers - Harrogate (Greengrocer & wholefoods)
Weetons - Harrogate (urban farm shop)
Archimboldos - harrogate (Italian deli)
Regal - Harrogate (greengocer & more)
Magic Number Three - Saltaire (veggie & fair trade)
Mungo Deli - Knaresborough - (Ethical Grocery)
Fashion with Compassion - Harrogate (Clothes/jewlery/crafts)
Spider Shoes - Leeds (vegan shoe shop)

[Gorilla]

Healthy, it sounds like you live in a wonderful place!

i'm (hopefully) moving a little way out of the veg*n paradise that is Brighton to somewhere cheaper and quieter, but it'll still be easily accessible by public transport, and the town i'm moving to seems to have a couple of good health food shops and restaurants. i'll also still be near the sea. not as good as Brighton in some ways, but i'm finding it too crowded and noisy these days. plus i think i appreciate Brighton more when i'm not there all the time

[bradders]

yeh you can start to take a city for granted after a while, like so many people do with London

[Ruby Rose]

You can say that again - boy, I miss London now I live in Salisbury! And although I'm pleased for Johnny F that he has so much vegan-world around him, it just makes it a bit more depressing for those of us who don't.

[bradders]

indeed, another good reason for me not to live back in Bolton

[jonnie falafel]

You can say that again - boy, I miss London now I live in Salisbury! And although I'm pleased for Johnny F that he has so much vegan-world around him, it just makes it a bit more depressing for those of us who don't.

I forgot the most amazing place of the lot: Dandelion & Burdock in Sowerby Bridge. Completely vegan! Not even the ususal concession of keeping cow juice under the counter for dairy addicts. Lovely surroundings, gormet food, completely vegan wine list....

[vintagenarcissa]

I go to school in Buffalo which is surprisingly vegan friendly. Wegman's, one of the main grocery stores here has a very extensive vegetarian/health section. It's like several isles and everything. I love shopping there. The other grocery store Tops isn't as extensive, but it does have the small vegan corner near the fruits and vegetables and one in the frozen food section. There you're more likely to find things on the accidentally vegan list. But still, it's not bad. There's actually a Falafel Bar across the street from the south campus of my school. And I know there are some other restaurants with vegan option or that are geared toward vegans and vegetarian.

But I've only got one more semester here before I graduate and move back to NYC, which is more or less vegan heaven. I can't wait to make Whole Foods my regular grocery store.

[Wayfare]

The last time I was in upstate NY I heard about Wegman's. There was some group doing an egg investigation. Seems they have a questionable history with that.

I don't know about living in a grey zone but I drove 2 1/2 hours last week for some panang curry. It wasn't my only reason for traveling but it sure was the best reason!

[DiaShel]

I live just outside NYC which has amazing vegan food but in my county itself... NOTHING!!

[laylalamb]

So apart from the acclaimed Brighton (which I am considering) does anyone have a uk based vegan friendly place to live, to recommend?

xx