There will be a meeting at Palumbo Recreation Center on Wednesday June 10, 7pm to explore converting BVNF from a conventional retail space to a cooperative grocery.

We have been entertaining the idea of becoming a co-op for several months and have gotten an enthusiastic response from our patrons and neighbors. But what does becoming a co-op mean, exactly? What does it take to get it started and how can we sustain it and grow it into the future? Come learn how you can be involved in the future of BVNF and how BVNF can be a vibrant part of the community.

BVNF owner Molly Russakoff, Glenn Bergman (general manager of Weaver’s Way Co-Op) and Alex Moss (founding member of Praxis Consulting Group) will give an overview of the current situation and the options that are available.

Palumbo Rec Center is located at 725 S. 10th Street, on the corner of 10th and Fitzwater.

We hope you can make it. And let your friends and neighbors know too. Forward this email along to anyone who might be interested

Volunteers Needed

We need a few people to donate some time and energy to make this initial meeting a success. If you are able to create or post flyers, help with set up or facilitation of the meeting or assist with organizational tasks, please contact Molly at bellavistafoodcoop@gmail.com or call 215-923-3367 or stop by the store anytime during business hours.

Affordable Local Produce and Cookbooks on our Curb Market

Fresh local produce will be on sale under the awning starting this weekend. Come check out our first selection of the season. Also take advantage of our cookbook clearance…$1 for paperbacks and $2 for hardcovers.

Bella Vista Natural Foods is located at 1010 S. 9th Street. We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am till 7pm and Sunday from 9am till 6pm.

This information came from the BVNF mailing list. I have no stake or investment in BVNF; I just really dig the place.

And I’m apparently almost down to my vegan weight (and only outweighing Roommate #1 – the skinny bitch that she is – by under 15 lbs)?  How the fuck did that happen?

And I have one of my most favoritest professors ever this semester, who is a bit of a bitch, but in the way I adore.

And I can probably talk the head of the Women’s Studies program into counting that history course towards my WMST portion of my degree.

And Libertarian Boyfriend and I will have another class together starting in about 20 minutes.  (HIS IDEA, NOT MINE.)  It should be one of the lulziest academic experiences in my life.

And Roommates #1 & 2 are good people who you should be honored to have in your life.  Srsly, you have no idea.

And I’m already planning my birthday drunken banger.  CAUSE 3-0 FALLS ON A FRIDAY.  EVEN MY 21ST FELL ON A CRAP DAY (Monday).  THIS IS THE FIRST WEEKEND BIRTHDAY I’VE HAD SINCE, LIKE, 23.  (And considering that 29 got ruined due to my most recent ex’s bullshit, as well as her and a former friend bickering like little assholes, I am determined to make 30 my most banginest birthday to date.)  I am ready to start a countdown until April 24th.  SO PSYCHED.

So, 2009, could you plz not crap out on me in March?  Cause laid out on paper, shit is great and I’d really hate to be damning 2009 to hell come April.

Okay, so that’s 99% self-diagnosis and 100% unconfirmed (as of right now). But I’m pretty certain I have it. Which means I will have to not so much veganism.

Damnit. I’m going to the ER tonight to have them take blood work, etc. This is gonna suck.

So now I have a bit of a conundrum. My solution comes in true Vicki form of a Pros & Cons list:

Staying vegan and taking iron supplements:

Pro: I can stay healthy without compromising my morals.

Con: I actually pay attention to my nutritional needs a lot more than you might think and I’m still not getting enough iron. What if I don’t get enough even with supplements?

Pro: I was woken up to the nurse telling me my iron levels weren’t that low.

Con: I was half awake when he told me how low my iron was and I was too out of it to think about asking him again…so I’m not 100% certain how he defined “not that low.”

Con: If my iron levels continue to be low, I can’t drink.

Pro: Not drinking is not that big of a deal for me and I am going through a phase of not wanting to get hammered all the time anyway.

Not so muching the vegan thing:

Pro: I’ll definitely get enough iron.

Con: It requires me to eat animal flesh, something I haven’t done in over 3 years.

Pro: I can still incorporate veg*n food into my diet, especially for things I know I will inhale (i.e., baked goods).

Con: I looooooooove meat and cheese and am afraid I will pass up veg*n foods for delicious convenience, thereby causing me to gain weight.

Pro: If I’m that afraid of gaining weight, I can do two things I’ve been meaning to do for a few years: quit smoking and going to the gym.

Con: That requires me to quit smoking and haul my ass to the gym.

Pro: It will be easier to go out to eat.

Con: It will be easier to go out to eat.

I don’t know what to do. I’ve always thought it was fucking stupid to choose your ethics over your health. If your ass is too sickly to get out of bed, how on earth do you think you can be an animal rights activist? I had anemia when I was about 17/18 and it really fucking sucked. I’m no where near as bad as I was then, but I know me. As it is, I have chronic, stabbing headaches because of it, I start feeling tired within an hour or two of waking up, I can’t concentrate, I get hangovers more often than I used to and I have a slew of other issues with it.

But then the thought of ingesting animal product makes me a little “ugh, can I really do this again?” I mean, I know it’s not really my fault if I did give up on veganism for the time being and there’s nothing that says I can’t just try it again later. But there’s just the whole push within the animal rights community that says “oh, limiting your meat consumption isn’t enough. You have to go veg! Ew, you’re ovo-lacto? You really need to go vegan.” So I do kind of feel like I’m not doing all I can… Then again, there’s also the point made by Jello Biafra (aka – THE FATHER OF MY ATHEIST BABIES!) which basically says you have to figure out the ethical lifestyle that’s going to work best for you. Although it’s great to not eat meat or to shop at locally owned businesses or not get married if you’re str8, that doesn’t realistically help if your health is at risk or you have to make the choice between groceries and rent or you really need that health insurance your wife’s job will provide. Nuance and reality can’t be overshadowed by principles.

I’m thinking hard about going pesco again. This is a really difficult decision for me and it’s going to take another day or two to come to a conclusion on this.

These things had better net us at least one new member!

Jerk Seitan, Coconut Rice, Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob and Sweet Potato Fries.

So I’ve been referring to this as “my brain tumor,” because I love making light of any major shit like that. Hey, I’m the same person who — while under the influence of morphine in the ER — rambled “YAAAAAY I don’t have the GRID!” I’m also a ton of fun in the ER on a whole, but that’s another story. Really, I think I should start charging for being an ER escort because I am awesome in the ER.

But this isn’t the point. The point is that I was totally convinced I had a brain tumor earlier today.

After the humor of waking up to Criminal Justice Major* saying “she’s got a pulse” and responding with a slurry, just regained conscience “Iiiii’mmmm…shalive,” I was a little freaked out about this incident. I do not need to have moments of being overcome with my womanly issues unless I’m corsetting my waist down to some Dita Von Teese shit. Once I got home, I looked up Vitamin B-12 deficiencies and found some very interesting stuff. Symptoms of said deficiency (taken from a wide variety of sources):

* Unexplained bruises
* Fatigue
* Inability to concentrate
* Depression
* Low-grade fever
* Intestinal issues
* Pale skin
* Loss of memory
* Chest pains
* Low blood pressure**
* Light headedness, sensations of dizziness

THIS EXPLAINS SO MUCH. I’ve had all this shit pop up multiple times over the summer to varying degrees. Conveniently, this began just a few months after I moved out of Ex-Boyfriend’s house….which is also the last time I was eating ANYTHING that resembled NUTRITIOUS MEALS. The psychological issues are particularly surprising to me, because I had a really difficult time dealing with all the stress of the summer. And I felt like I was losing my fucking mind because my memory was really slipping over the summer. To find out that this shit might be remedied by just taking my damn vitamins is such a relief, but it’s a little sad that I will not be able to say “EXCUSE ME, BRAIN TUMOR COMING THROUGH.” “EXCUSE ME, ANEMIA CAUSED BY A B-12 DEFICIENCY COMING THROUGH” does not have the same ring to it. I guess the fact that I probably don’t have a brain tumor is supposed to make up for that, but whatever.

I suppose I will have to just be inconvenienced and modify my new catchphrase.

* Pseudonym in the interest of protecting privacy on this little-read, very public blog.
** I have never been diagnosed, but despite being a heavy smoker, a lot of bad dietary choices (yep, it’s completely possible even as a vegan!), binge drinking, over-stressing myself, etc., etc., etc., I have NEVER had high blood pressure. Even at my highest weight and during my absolute worst lifestyle choices, I have oddly had normal blood pressure, which leads me to wonder if my blood pressure would be low if I lived the healthiest lifestyle I possibly could.

I know that Gianna’s is a thorn in the side of most Philly vegans, but I’m all about giving people another chance. Part of this is due to the fact that I understand how businesses operate. Also, I’d rather give my business to a company that had one major fuckup than a faceless corporate entity whose practices I likely find more deplorable.

Ahem.

Anyway, I finally tried Gianna’s for the first time in mid-May and I was hooked. Their pizza is absolutely BANGIN and their sandwiches are also to die for. (Personal favorites are the vegan sausage & spinach pizza and the Freebird Italiano with spinach & vegan cheese. New Boyfriend digs the meatball subs and Sicilian slices.) New Boyfriend and I can split a sandwich, order of cheese fries and a slice of dessert and both feel like we’re going to burst. This is no small feat, given that New Boyfriend can literally eat about 4 bowls of linguine with “steak” TVP and two generous slices of Whole Foods marble poundcake before he’s full. Hell, he killed 3 bowls of soba noodles and peanut sauce the other night. (Said soba noodles were loaded with broccoli, shelled edamame, peas, carrots AND “chicken” strips. The boy can eat. Heartily.)

Yet, somehow Gianna’s fills us both to the max. I have yet to eat anything there that wasn’t worth the money, especially when we’re talking desserts. Every dessert I’ve eaten there has been as rich as the average non-vegan cake. DELISH. Yum yum yum. And I like the fact that you can come there with whiny omnivores who can’t bear to part with their precious meat or cheese for one damn meal. (It’s not like most vegans will accomodate those weiners, right?)

So I loves me some Gianna’s. It is yum yum yum. Go eat there and be, like, punk rawk and stuff.

To-Go 2-tier stainless steel lunchbox
Bento sleeve w/ice pack, Vegan Lunchbox & some more utensils
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World…if I can find it anywhere. *e-tear*
Tons and tons of healthy snacks from Pangea
THE BEST SOCKS IN ALL OF AMERICA!!!

Ugh. Why do I have a feeling that my financial aid refund is practically spent already? I still have to get about half of my textbooks and I’ve spent a few hundred on them already!

Last night, Gay Best Friend and I went to Horizons for delicious, delicious food. Since I was in a drunken haze the last time I was there (in July), I completely forgot that I had tried the Portabello Carpaccio when I went for anniversary dinner with Boyfriend. So I was all “YEAH I’M TRYIN’ SOMETHIN NEW,” when in reality, I was eating the same damn thing I had eaten before. (Though, I should be honest, eating the same thing every time at Horizons is far from a terrible punishment.)  When the bartender brought us the dessert menu, I was stoked, because they had Saffron Creme Brulee, which I definitely had never tried before.

Believe it or not, I had never experienced “real” Creme Brulee.  According to GBF, it tasted pretty close to the traditional dairy/eggified version, which he doesn’t care for. Considering that he snuck five spoonfuls of it, I think he may have enjoyed the vegan version better than the dairy-mania. It was so good and I’m happy I don’t live closer to them, or else I’d be spending all my freakin’ money on food and cocktails.

Thinking about the deliciousness that is Horizons is making me way more hungry than I should be at 4:15 am. I’m forcing myself into bed so I don’t inhale everything in the kitchen!

Since we bought so much, I’ve decided to make a cooking related journal on El Jay. It would be nice to be able to get pics and other documentation of especially proud vegan moments in my life, as well as have a place I could point my mom when she is having exceptionally domestically challenged moments. (Oh, the cooking scars my mother has inflicted upon my childhood. She can bake, but otherwise, Dad does all the real cooking…is it a shock that I’m a Women’s Studies major now?)

I don’t think I could ever go back to a non-vegan diet. I’ve been having cravings for non-veg*n food lately, but everytime I smell it cooking, I feel like I might vomit. Ick. My parents have, suprisingly, been very supportive and willing to try various food I eat. I even conned my mother into taking me to Kingdom of Vegetarians! They bought me Silk Nog during Christmas! My parents even wanted the carrot cake recipe from Garden of Vegan.

WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO?!?!?