10 ways to express your eating preferences around the world.

我食齋 (ngóh sihk jāai) – Cantonese

Je suis végétarien (male) (zhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-ree-a) / végétarienne (female) (zhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-ree-ehn) – French

Ich bin Vegetarier (ikh bin vay-gay-TAH-ree-er) –German

Eimai hortofagos (EE-may hor-to-FAH-gos) –Greek

Vegetarianus vagyok (veghetarianush vadiok) –Hungarian

Sono vegetariano (male) (SOH-noh veh-jeh-tah-RYAH-noh) / vegetariana (female) (SOH-noh veh-jeh-tah-RYAH-nah) –Italian

ベジタリアンです(Bejitarian desu) –Japanese

Я вегетарианец (male) (yah vee-gee-tuh-ree-YAHN-eets) / Я вегетарианка (female) (yah vee-gee-tuh-ree-YAHN-kah) – Russian

Yo soy vegetariano (male) (yo soy ve-heh-TAHR-eee-ahno) / vegetariana (yo soy ve-heh-TAHR-eee-ahna) (female) – Spanish

Toi an chay (toy ahn jay) – Vietnamese

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Image: Elmastudio

 Raw food reinterpreted into 11 mouthwatering recipes.

I used to think that raw foodism was reserved for the kind of girl who only eats salads.

Nevertheless, the raw food movement has always intrigued me. Raw foodies claim that eating unprocessed plant-based foods in their natural state provides the body with more nutrients, leads to more energy, and has the power to cure disease. Critics dispute the science behind these claims, saying that a diet consisting solely of raw food can lead to nutritional deficiency.

Whichever line you believe, embracing a diet with more natural greens can’t be bad, when done right. And it turns out, there’s more to raw food than just salads. This week’s Foodspotting Friday highlights 11 dishes, including takes on pizza, tacos, and chocolate cake, that are hearty, substantial, and haven’t been anywhere near a stove.

(above) Veggie in a Flaxseed Cone @ RawDaddy’s

Raw Lasagne @ Pure Food & Wine

Bruschetta @ Kensho

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse @ Cru Organic Raw Food Restaurant

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Truffle Shallot Cashew Cheese @ Pure Food & Wine

Raw Vegan Sushi @ Rasayana Raw Food Café

Soft Shell Tacos @ Live Organic Food Bar

Chia Seed Pudding @ Quintessence Restaurant

Maui Waui Pizza @ Gorilla Food

Nori Rolls @ Bonobo’s Real Food Restaurant

Raw Chocolate Hemp Seed Pie @ Gorilla Food

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

Images: james, FrancesRenHuang, Heather Park (x2), Sarah Cooley, allen wolf, MountainCatKing, Meng, cynspiredbyfood, SweetOnVeg

This week’s theme may have something to do with me being on vacation in the Canary Islands. But, no matter where in the world you’re in and how cold the outside temperature happens to be, these tropical-themed pieces will liven up any wintry ensemble and make you feel like sunny days are still here.

Manimal Scrap Earrings
If you have to wear a knit hat you can still make your style shine through. These attention-grabbing earrings are made from repurposed scraps from the making of Manimal´s cute moccasins.
$40 for one, Manimal

Cheek.ie Floral Bracelet
This gorgeous cuff is hand made in Brooklyn, NY, from six layers of knotted vintage fabrics.
$48, Kaight

Embroidered Hemp Coin Purse
This cute little coin purse is made from hemp and lined with silky bamboo. It´s 100% vegan and will make you happy to reach for that spare change at the bottom of your bag.
$21.95, apple & bee

Amazon Necklace by The Andean Collection
This bright and cheerful statement necklace is made using a combination of açaí, jaboncillo and tagua discs in bright colors, that all come together with a twist.
$125, The Andean Collection

Strappy Floral Sandals
These sultry heels from H&M´s latest Conscious Collection will work well with your favorite LBD and thick black stockings through the winter.
$69.99, H&M

Lalesso Maradufu Dress
Wear this summery print dress with black tights or skinny jeans and a blazer to instantly brighten up a gray day.
$44, Lalesso

In L.A., Fōnuts are replacing donuts.

Fōnuts have nothing to do with phones. Or nuts. Instead, these mostly vegan, gluten-free donut alternatives are shaking up Los Angelenos with their similarity to those lovely fried rings of dough we all know and love. But unlike regular donuts, Fōnuts are baked, transforming it from a once-in-a-while treat into something we can actually feel good about eating every morning.

Don’t go looking for a maple Long John, powdered or jelly-filled here. Owners Waylynn Lucas and Nancy Truman have created a menu rife with exotic flavors, including rosemary olive oil, rum and chorizo cheddar. Need some joe to wash it all down? Try the Fo-Shaken, Lucas and Truman’s take on iced coffee, a reportedly decadent combination of condensed milk, regular milk and multiple shots of espresso.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

Image: LadyDucayne

Feminine oxford shoes are a versatile replacement for fall’s flats.

Following on the heels of the classic, tailored menswear trend is the versatile oxford which celebrities from Jessica Biel to Sienna Miller love to pound around town in. We like how quickly it makes a feminine silhouette just a little edgier, and it’s a welcome respite from wedges and platforms.

Worn with skirts, pants, or leggings, oxfords are wardrobe multi-taskers and with or without tights, we are smitten and ready to go kick some fall leaves around. Here are a few sustainable options for you:

Sang Low Heel Oxford from Coclico

Megumi Ochi 1984 Black

Osborn’s Justine Ashbee Oxford

Neuaura’s Cedar in Washed Sand

Melissa Enjoying Vanilla Oxford

Image: Chanel and a Cup of CoCo

Top five delicious and vegetarian friendly dishes in Long Beach, California.

Earlier this summer we ran a contest to find your favorite locavore picks. Reader Annabel Adams sent us her top five from Long Beach, California, and we couldn’t stop drooling over the vegan friendly list, so much so, that we had to choose it as our winner.

1. Grilled Veggie Rice Bowl at Kafe Neo
2. Fried Cauliflower at Magic Lamp 
3. Fried Potatoes at Open Sesame
4. Coconut Oatmeal at Roots Gourmet 
5. Teriyaki Tempeh Bowl at Zephyr Cafe 

Head on over to Foodspotting and start spotting – and testing – these dishes yourself!

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

Image: Magic Lamp

A celebration of men’s urban street wear.

Fashion for the urban man’s newfangled eclecticism is defined by shortcut tailoring of preppy classics paired with offbeat hats, bespoke and on-trend sneakers, designer shades and the accessory fixture that has witnessed high speed travel from Paris this summer – the essential neck wrap.

If it first took its cue from the skater-sneaker culture and hipsters on New York’s Lower East Side, the more refined hybrid still harnesses youthful flair while appealing to the 30-something working man. Metro eco means pulling off fashion jewelry and solid perfume balm by adding the edgy factor to trump any preconceived girlish references.

“Skinny style bow ties, watches, and masculine bracelets are some of my personal favorite ways to deepen my own look right now, and walking the streets of New York every day, it seems others have come to the same realization,”  shares Dan Mims, founder of The Ethical Man site catering to the upscale working man. He adds that style for men is on the march.

“Men are so much more psychologically open to it now and also the economy is tight and men have realized they need to up their game in new ways to keep the job they like and to get the one they want. The urban working man is really going for looks that can be described as sophisticated, unique and confident. This means balancing universal tenets of style with personal tastes. ”

We’ve marched out a few looks to this end:

1. The Tightly Cut classic Suit

Skinny silhouetting tweaks the Brooks Brothers classics in new sexy tailoring for suits like designs by Topman – a  leader in color and fabrications in this category.

2. Hip Sunglasses

The Proof is in the bamboo and sustainably harvested woods in the break out shades by Proof, which has a mission to look good and do good. For every pair sold, a portion goes to causes such as aiding an eye clinic in India and replanting depleted forests in Haiti.

3. The Skinny Bow Tie

Bow ties are always a statement for young men, so make sure you’re ready for the heat that comes with them. These gingham checks are handcrafted from preppy Pierrepont Hicks.

4.  Canvas Slip-Ons

Nail nautical chic with these kickers from Generic Surplus.

5. The Unisex Wristband

Bracelets, I mean wrist bands by The Ethical Man are billed as less 80′s gym class and more gladiator contest. Each piece is comprised of both software and hardware like this gray faux suede and black accent wire with a worn brass chain and hook.

Tough and cool.

6. Vintage Chambray Scarf

This chambray scarf from by Steven Alan is our top pick for cool nights.

7. Military Watch

This classic military watch by Citizen called the Eco Drive is made from stainless steel, is water resistant and never needs a battery.

8. Sustainable Sneakers

Macbeth Matthews Vegan shoes in black and grey can suit up or denim down with thin soles that are more office ready than their boarder bound cousins.

9. Skinny Neckties

Jaan J’s skinny neckties are vegan and versatile. Pluck from variety of patterns from wide stripe to tartan to a solid.

10.The Fedora

Boxcar Willy’s Fedora from Sturbanclothing has sustainability topped. The trend has no end in sight. Expect to see the fedora through to fall and flannel.

Images: The Ethical Man; Topman, iwant Proof, American Apparel, Citizen Watch, Amazon, Alternative Outfitters, Jaan J Culturata

Foodspotting’s top pick for vegan pastries in Portland: Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pie.

We launched our Foodspotting channel last week, and since then we’ve gotten plenty of tips and recommendations for readers’ top locavore picks. In conjunction with our guides, Foodspotting is kindly highlighting their top recommendation from our list.

This week we’re featuring our Vegan Pastries in Portland guide – a list of eight mouthwatering vegan goodies in this sustainable foodie capital. Here’s Foodspotting’s top pick:

Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies @ Back to Eden Bakery Boutique

Whoopie pies were said to be the next dessert trend, and while these cream filled cake sandwiches haven’t taken the mainstream by storm quite yet, they have found a home in bakeries everywhere in a myriad of flavors to compete with the cupcake. At Back to Eden Bakery Boutique, an adorable bakeshop specializing in vegan-friendly sweets, the strawberry shortcake whoopie pie offers dessert lovers a summery treat free of all animal ingredients. – Amy Cao

- Spotted by Vegiegail

Check out the full guide and enjoy!

Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

ColumnHe’s smart and strong, beautiful and brave, kind-hearted and…carnivorous.

At the dawn of a relationship, any faux pas is sufficient grounds for termination – far better to wield a blunt axe than be blinded by short-lived charms. Certain obvious criteria warrant immediate demotion from maybe-boyfriend to totally-not-lustable such as: ignorant homophobic, racist, or sexist slip-ups; failure to exhibit kindness and humanity to baristas, waiters, and people otherwise employed in the service industry; too-liberal use of ‘emoticons’ in emails, gratuitous text messages, or other similar demands on your time and patience all come to mind. Not to be too specific.

But what if the fellow is smart and strong, beautiful and brave, and an all-around incredible, kind-hearted individual? It’s this juncture of clear, mutual attraction where questions of ethics and their long-term implications make dating a stickier, less cut-and-dried issue altogether. Namely, can a principled vegan woman find it within herself to fall for a meat-eating man? Marinate on that a minute.

Let’s say you unequivocally believe that meat is murder. Now, imagine somehow reconciling that firm, clear conviction with a well-mannered, scintillating conversationalist with whom you’re on a date with at a new French restaurant who, along with a tastefully-selected bottle of Bordeaux, just ordered the foie gras starter and veal main.

As a no-turning-back vegetarian since my teenage years, I’ve never taken a long-term lover whose moral and philosophical compass regarding animal rights and welfare didn’t approximate my own. Were any of these shy and smiling boys so inclined from the outset of our relationship? No, absolutely not. But they were uniformly intelligent, curious creatures with the good sense to reexamine their ethical presuppositions and accordingly recalibrate their practical, day-to-day affairs to reflect an evolving value system.

My mission to change the hearts and minds of carnivores one-guy-at-a-time? Accomplished. Well, perhaps not quite. After breaking up, all but one, lone ex-boyfriend shortly, summarily abandoned his conscientious ways in favor of fried chicken. Gross. Hey, what better way to work out some breakup angst than to stick a fork in it? Revenge, for some, may be a dish best served medium-rare.

Older-and-wiser is perhaps the surest and truest of clichés. Age endows us (or should endow us) with the willingness to hold a magnifying glass to our  own shortcomings, frankly examining how we all can be selfish and small, prideful and petty.

This is easier said than done. In the lofty words of essayist Brillat Savarin: “There can be no warm, rich home-life anywhere else if it does not exist at the table; and in the same way there can be no enduring family happiness, no real marriage, if  a man and woman cannot open themselves generously and without suspicion one to the other over a shared bowl of soup as well as a shared caress.”

Food, from an arugula plant photosynthesizing the sun’s energy, to the farm worker who harvests the leaves, to the intimacy of a couple collaborating in the kitchen to prepare a lavish green salad, is greater than a preference for taste. Its preparation and consumption is a radical, sensual act encompassing everything from environmental sustainability to immigrant labor rights. This is to say nothing of animal welfare.

As much as a man’s virtues and joie de vivre might make my heart sing, I simply cannot conceive of spending my life – much less creating a family – with someone who chooses to overlook the implications of his morning bacon and eggs.

Love isn’t the exclusive domain of romantic partnership. Love is a choice about how you will show up in the world. Love drives my opposition to the death-penalty in America; it governs my decision to ride a bicycle rather than drive a car; and it motivates me to extend equal consideration of interest to animals. I am an animal. I am also an animal who doesn’t eat other animals.

Female animal seeks male animal who doesn’t eat animals. (Must also possess athletic build, international sensibility, and fulfilling career that makes him happy.)

Worst personal ad of all time? Maybe. Or it’s honest and realistic: the foundation of a sustainable relationship based on a commitment to common values.

A man and woman who can companionably, conscientiously dine together – not to mention cook, host festive dinner parties for friends, and indulge in regular postprandial love-making – stay together. As Brillat Savarin said, “Happiness at the table leads to happiness in bed.” And, with that, Guten appetit.

Sex By Numbers is an ongoing look into the emotional and sexual lives of the modern day woman. Follow Abigail Wick weekly here for insight and inspiration as she explores the “sex” of women and the terrain they must travel.

Image: Bolshakov

SeriesPart 2: The fashion industry is emerging from its cocoon post-recession, a changed sector where consumers are more cautious, manufacturers are on their toes and designers are struggling to stay afloat doing business as usual. In this five-part series, we take a hard look at the fashion world, speaking with industry leaders, luminaries and experts. This week we ask: Has the recession turned us into cheapskates so we can feel like fulfilled consumers?

Since 2007 they’ve popped up like dandelions: The discount clothing venues we love for all the hot bang we get for our hard-earned buck.

Gilt, My Habit, FashionStake, eBay Fashion, and now even discount eco-commerce sites like the recent launch of JP Selects and LovingEco tantalize us with a designer discount warehouse vibe that appeals to our need to shop. Recession? Heck no, we’re all the same when it comes to discounts whether wealthy or middle class, hoarders or sample salers who need to get more for less. If you think this concept is something new, just look back to post World War 2 consumer habits and you’ll see a direct link to the burgeoning of low-profit-margin strategies designed to attract price-conscious consumers.

The only thing that’s changed is the technology and marketing to hungry consumers and struggling designers.

NOW Showcase, 2011

Joslin Van Arsdale, owner of San Francisco’s Ecocitizen boutique, says sites like Gilt affect eco-commerce because they encourage the quick consumption of cheap, mass produced and disposable goods, and therefore skew the consumer’s perception of value.

“In the past a sample sale was last seasons leftovers. Today, designers who participate in Gilt sales are selling are specifically commissioned by the site and its buyers. Most of the items offered at flash sale sites, are past season designs, or popular designs reinterpreted into cheaper versions of  the original which enable companies like Gilt to maintain healthy margins while also offering  60-70% off.  This is similar to how Target and H&M do their designer collections, same name and design, just cheaper labor and lower quality fabrics,” says Arsdale.

If we think about low-pricing power in the classical sense of the term, we might look at the Wal-Mart volume model, with the idea that the more powerful you are (thousands of locations), the more you can drive your cost down. While we can understand that lower prices drives more sales in the short term, what about the integrity of the brand being sold? Do thoughtful designers really want to brand themselves as deep discounters offering bottom-barrel markdowns?

Designer Eliza Starbuck says it’s become a fear-based business for sustainable designers.

“It’s hard enough to be eco and fashion, an oxymoron in itself, but then having to go against the sustainable model and sell a whole lot of stuff seems pretty counter-intuitive,” says Starbuck.

Van Arsdale says sites like these are training shoppers to expect sales all the time and while in the short term this business model can be a great marketing opportunity for designers, in the long term, it erodes a brand’s perceived value.

“Judging from the success and proliferation of flash sites, it seems that the consumer is unaware that there is a difference in product and quality and mostly doesn’t care,” she says. “Shopping is evolving to a scale of extremes between the very cheap and the very expensive, with nothing in between, similar to what is happening to our middle class.”

But with a current valuation of some $400 million, Gilt Groupe appears to have more staying power than most fashion trends struggling to stay afloat in a traditional way. New York Magazine likens it to a safe haven for designers.

“Last year, as incomes tightened and the fashion industry was left with ruinous amounts of inventory, the company’s business model proved to be a counter-cyclical savior, sucking up goods that otherwise would have moldered,” says the magazine’s writer Andrew Rice, adding that some designers have found “Gilt’s model lucrative enough that they’ve decided to do away with their brick-and-mortar sample sales; others are now making clothes specifically for the site.”

As a result, more and more shops are turning to online sales only and closing brick and mortar venues.

Closed boutique on Newbury Street, Boston

We asked an eBay Fashion spokesperson, who insisted on anonymity, about traffic patterns since the company changed its selling model from what was already in the waste stream to recent high-profile collaborations with Alexander Wang and the CFDA. While they weren’t willing to release statistics at this time, they did respond with this statement:

“Fashion has a new home on eBay at fashion.ebay.com – a dedicated destination that delivers an enhanced shopping experience with new features and sales channels like Fashion Vault that make it easier than ever to explore, find and buy items based on favorite styles, brands and popular trends.”

No longer a hot spot solely for automotive enthusiasts – who in 2005 were eBay’s biggest audience -  eBay has evolved into a clothing and accessory mecca for all financial brackets. And sites like Gilt and eBay Fashion aren’t alone when it comes to selling luxe labels for less.

Trista Dedmon, consignment manager of Brooklyn’s best secret Eva Gentry, sells higher end designers that include Zero + Maria Cornejo, Helmut Lang, Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, and Marni.

Dedmon says business has picked up with both customers and consigners each season since it opened about five years ago.

“There are definitely a wide variety of shoppers we cater to from the college students looking for affordable Alexander Wang to the established professional who wants to save on a mint condition Balenciaga piece,” she says.

Brooklyn’s Eva Gentry

When asked why, Dedmon says, “It is more than likely due to the current economic climate and everyone reassessing their values. If we become more conscious of our spending habits, this doesn’t necessarily mean our taste level changes. Customers still want designer level garments, but like to stay within their new found budget, which is where a store like ours comes in.”

As recently as 2008, stores like Eva Gentry were gaining popularity quickly, not only college students but with wealthy shoppers accustomed to pricey labels. USA Today writer Laura Petrecca wrote: “There have been many euphemistic labels applied to secondhand goods, including ‘gently used,’ ‘pre-owned’ and ‘like new.’ But in the current economy, they have a new and candid label: ‘hot sellers.’

In the same article, Petrecca notes that three-fourths of resale stores polled said they had higher sales in September and October than in the previous year, and according to the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops, “The average sales increase was about 35%.”

So what of the plight of the sustainable boutique owner, the entrepreneur supporting conscious consumerism?

Mission Savvy’s brick and mortar store

Vegan boutique owner, Jennifer Miller, has her hands full with her shop, Mission Savvy. Miller has had to forge her way forward through the muck and mire of retail since she opened two years ago in the midst of the recession.

“People want to get more, pay less. Despite its goodwill, the price point on ethical fashion for the average consumer is a big turn off – and I’m in the market to turn people on. Better to purchase something from my store, support the ethical fashion industry, feel good about it with no guilt of over spending and therefore continue to return than not shop at my store at all,” Miller says.

She says her nontraditional approach to operating a boutique has her stocking ethical products but selling at a less than average mark up which is challenging – but it keeps her customers happy and coming back.

“We’re just not there yet as an economy and in commitment. Especially if you are far removed from the fashion industry and the appreciation of the art of it, so that leaves a lot of people spending lots of money on clothes with absolutely no purpose other than to buy something new that looks awesome,” says Miller.

“And as much as people do understand the concept of responsible consumerism, it still comes down to what money can buy and for a lot of us money does buy happiness. Spending too much money on very little is not as appealing as spending a little on a lot.”