Wednesday Night

Our team at work had a great evening of team building like most sales teams - a great dinner, a concert, and a late night at a bar. It's what we do best.

I had a choice. I chose not to deviate from their playbook, just mine. I've only been there 6 months, and this was the first time we were all out together. It is hard to explain, but I really needed to slip into my old life - eat what they were eating, and drink what they were drinking. Camaraderie was needed here.

We ate at Lugo Caffe which is one of the few fine restaurants in the area of Madison Square Garden. It is very good, and the last time I was there I ordered the salad while entertaining a client. This night, however, I ate the food that was prepared for our table of 16 - meat, sauces, fish, etc. We then went to the Jack Johnson concert - a mellow, but very entertaining show. I had no idea who he was, and said as much on my Facebook wall - the onslaught of fans from my friends told me he was going to be a good show. They were not wrong. I gathered beers for my colleagues and we had a terrific time. Now looking to me for where to go after the concert I suggested a terrific Irish bar across the street, Tir Na Nog. With the team throwing back shots and laughing and drinking I was certainly in my old element. But, on this night I did not regret it, I just wanted to be the old self just for the evening.

 Yes, I had fun, but I was repulsed by the sight of the Ray Bary pizza box the following morning.

Things would get worse this week before they got better.

Tackled at the 50 Meter Line, Still Have Possession of the Ball

Sorry for the absence! From Wednesday evening to Sunday evening I lived many lives, relived many memories, and in the end I am not pleased with myself as a whole even though I corrected my mistakes and made new changes for the positive.

This blog has certainly taken a life of its own and as a result I have publicly revealed things that a more sensible man would not. The problem with presenting personal triumphs and set-backs in such a public forum is the immediacy of it all.  Therefore, I am saving some of my stark, personal, internal struggles for my book. It is much easier to confess one's struggles in a book because it is then followed by some victorious action and insight that ends the story. Basically, short of murder everyone can reveal their struggles in a book, and then how they beat them, and everyone applauds. With a book it's now alot easier to point to victory no matter how grueling, and challenging the struggle. The end is known.

With the blog, the immediacy is so raw I am often left thinking, "What is the person reading this thinking? Do they think I am a loser, that I am going to fail?"

Anyway, I have lots to write about, and will make the time tomorrow to bring you up to speed on the past 5 days.

Real Men Need Sustenance!

Sustenance - what every man needs in their diet. Although technically it means nourishment, men know it to mean - nourishment, plus gut-filling happiness.

One of the most famous stories from my apartment of 11 years on Third Avenue was the Christmas party I threw that began and ended with the scolding comment, "Why is the oven on?!"

My girlfriend at the time and I threw a Christmas party, and being a small apartment she took care of all the hors d'oeuvres, and I took care of the booze. Her beautifully made little appetizers perfectly fed 12 people, while my contribution could have sustained all the speakeasies in Kansas City from 1927 through most of '28.

My good friend rightly pointed out that my party would include a majority of professional drinkers, men and women alike, and that this rumored hors d'oeuvres platter would simply not suffice, nor provide the sustenance required for one of my famous parties which usually flirted with excess...think "Mad Men" on steroids. So, he took it upon himself to bring two giant tins of frozen lasagna. This caused considerable disruption with my girlfriend's perfectly crafted and elegant, bite-sized spread. Arriving after the lasagna went in the oven she was not pleased when she saw that little orange light on  (Oh, yeah, when she caught wind of my friend's idea earlier that day to add sustenance to the party, she expressly forbade it). Needless to say, there was less tension in the Middle East that night.

So, when I speak of my vegan quest most guys state firmly that living on salads only is impossible, and improbable, to sustain their own life day in and day out. But this diet is not that little salad one gets before their meal, rather, my plant-based diet is everything under the sun that grows and provides more sustenance, and happiness, than that slice of pizza or burger in your hands.

Case in point: Yesterday was my typical - oatmeal with raisins and walnuts in the morning, a salad of different types of lettuce, plus carrots, broccoli, cucumber, black beans, chickpeas, (the kidney beans looked suspect), nuts and seeds. Again, with no dressing at all, and again, it tasted great, and was not dry, nor tasted like dirt. For dinner, I was determined to make something and not rely on a restaurant.

I went to the store and loaded up on frozen fruit for my smoothies, cherries (my favorite fruit), and vegetables for my vegan wrap. I grilled in a frying pan (the one with ridges - a grill pan?) slices of squash, zucchini, extra firm tofu, and onions. I sliced up a tomato, and avocado. Spreading a whole wheat tortilla, which I slightly toasted in the broiler, with fresh humus I added the vegetables and rolled it up into an amazing wrap. I would pit my vegan wrap against any burger or sandwich or slice of Christmas lasagna in a lumber jack or steelworker's diner for taste AND sustenance. It is that good! And I enjoyed with a smoothie of mixed fruit, a banana, some almond "milk," and it was a perfect meal.

Well, perfect until the American League lost in the baseball All-Star game.

Interesting Statistic

Read this in this weeks New York magazine:

There are now 171 Subway sandwich shops and 147 actual subway stops in Manhattan.

Live webcast by Dr. Fuhrman

This week is Dr. Fuhrman’s annual Health Getaway, which this year is taking place in San Diego, California. Please join us for a sneak peek into the event on Tuesday, July 13th, when Dr. Fuhrman gives a lecture on food addictions and weight loss. For the first time at a Dr. Fuhrman event, we will be streaming LIVE over the internet.

According to Dr. Fuhrman, toxic hunger is an extremely important nutritional concept to understand when adopting a health-promoting, high nutrient diet. In this webcast, Dr. Fuhrman will discuss the difference between true hunger and toxic hunger, the addictive properties of unhealthy foods, the societal and emotional aspects that cause resistance to dietary changes, and the mindset required to overcome this resistance, lose weight, and keep it off.

This webcast is free to the public – please join us on Tuesday at
9:45am-11:00am Pacific
10:45am-12:00pm Mountain
11:45am-1:00pm Central
12:45pm-2:00pm Eastern

on:

http://www.drfuhrman.com/live/

A Forgettable Weekend

Although I enjoyed staying in the city this weekend I ate out too often, and therefore not terribly pleased with my effort. Plus, I had a serious desire for Chinese which I ordered, ate, and regretted. I had really not had any Chinese food since the end of my vegan quest, and though it was good, I was not really satisfied after I finished - I felt unhealthy.
I was reminded, however, why it is so much better to make my own meals. I had the vegetable salad, and side of brussel sprouts at P.J. Clarke's. Half of Italy's oil was on both of these dishes -- it was not good at all. I wish I had a BBQ on my apartment roof, I'd grill everyday! One time, about 15 years ago I was grilling on a little Hibachi grill on my fire-escape before a fireman on the street yelled up to put it out, or he'd do it for me!

I stayed pretty disciplined with the drinking until the World Cup, and my workout regime was limited, so all in all, I have had healthier weekends. 

Below is a great news segment that is certainly welcomed in this age of obese children:

Hot

Friday I read a story about a new ramen noodle restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, not far from work. I absolutely love Men Kui Tei, and though noodles have more simple carbs than I should be eating my mind was in a noodle focus, and wanted to try out this new restaurant Totto Ramen. There was a small line for this smaller restaurant already at noon when it opened. I love little, unique places like this. Just a couple of blocks away when I lived in Hell's Kitchen in the 1990's there would be huge lines, even in the summer, for the delicious soup from the Soup Man...a few years later, thanks to Seinfeld, this real person became a character known as the Soup Nazi.

Anyway Totto is down a few steps from the street level and has exactly 19 chairs, including bar stools, in this tiny place. The weather was in the 90's as was the humidity, so only mad dogs, Englishmen, and ramen lovers ventured out for some piping hot ramen noodles today. The stove is feet away, and that means the stove fan was blasting hot air on a hot day. In short the experience could have been miserable. However, I unbuttoned my shirt to Elvis levels and dug in to the vegetable ramen. The noodles were a little different than Men Kui Tei, and the broth was "crisper" and more spicy. However, I prefer MenKui Tei. The internal sprinklers did a job on my whole body, so I had two choices: Buy a new shirt before going back to work, or taking some time to cool off, and dry off. I chose the later and popped around the corner into my old local McCoys. I used to go to McCoys when I first moved to the city on 51st between 8th and 9th just when it started to turn around (one of the selling points my rental agent said back in '95 was that, "there were hardly any murders in the neighborhood last year." OK, sign me up...it's amazing how a cheap, rent stabilized apartment eradicates fear!) I'd meet old guys in McCoy's who would talk about the Westies, the famous Irish Gang that used to run Hell's Kitchen.

Feeling nostalgic (when am I not?) I went into McCoy's. The place was sanitized to almost Applebees-like standards, but the bartender was a friendly actress, the place was cool, and she had no problem delivering 6 pints of ice water to me while I read the Post.

After work on a warm day I accompanied a friend and colleague to the Bryant Park Grill rooftop where I really wanted a cold beer, but decided I really didn't deserve one so I stuck with seltzer water. Dinner had me back at Taksim.

Success, then Struggle

Last night was a going away party for a well-known advertising executive which means scores of advertising salespeople in suits line up to buy drinks and curry favor from the hordes of advertising agency people milling about. Although many salespeople are genuinely friends with some in the agency, there is still this dance that I find really sad. Being in the business so long I shun this breathless attempt to chat up, in an insincere Eddie Haskell way, every 23 year old media planner with millions of dollars in advertising decisions at their finger tips. I go to see friends in the agency, and former salesperson comrades. Usually, these are booze-filled nights that last until the wee hours. And back in the day I was leading this charge.

I knew I was not going to drink, but I had to load up on food anyway knowing it would be a while before I could have dinner. I popped over to Haru at 6:00 for a couple of rolls. Yeah, that is the second meal of fish this week, and white rice to boot! I think I was on autopilot and was thinking I needed to coat my stomach with some carbs before a big night out. I basically ate without really thinking.

Went to the Frying Pan, an old boat that is tethered to the pier on the west side of Manhattan. Both the Frying Pan and the pier serve as a giant outdoor bar populated by thousands. It is quite the scene!

Seeing old pals was fun, and one guy commented, "Terry looks so wrong thin." I guess that goes to the fact I established myself as a heavy-set, good time Charlie with a drink at the ready, always eager for a steak house, and always filled with stories. So, since I "look" different it must mean I "am" different, i.e. less fun. I drank seltzer all night in a cocktail glass. More than a few asked me if I was drinking again, and I assured them I was while sipping my seltzer and lime - "Good, we can hang out again!" They say in half-jest. This are friends from the industry and not close friends so I really don't care one way or the other, but I wanted to illustrate the importance of booze on our industry and how easy it was for me to swim in it for so long.

Late in the evening I ended up at P.J. Clarke's where in the midst of holding court with new friends I allowed myself a glass of rye. I really should not be rewarding myself for not drinking with a drink, but not drinking at The Frying Pan is like parachuting into the middle of D-Day and not firing your weapon. It was unprecedented. So I was one and done...or so I thought. I got a text from a friend that a great Irish singer was belting them out at Doc Watson's. So, I recruited my new friends and headed up there. However, knowing it had the potential of becoming an all night affair, I pulled the rip chord after one glass of Smithwicks and headed home leaving the party still rollicking at 1 AM.

OK, so, those sushi rolls at 6 PM had long stopped filling my belly and I had a slice of pizza. Shoot! Stupid! It never fails - I reward myself with one tiny drink, that turns into two (again, light-years away from the old days when I would have downed two drinks before I stepped onto the Frying Pan), and those two drinks turn into a slice of pizza while I justify it to myself with, "I'll work out extra hard tomorrow." When you make concessions and little deals with yourself, you are really making deals with the Devil.

"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"

Yesterday I had a client lunch with a friend who was also a college athlete and then later let the best of this active NYC lifestyle get to him and gained a significant amount of weight. He is now doing Triathlons and has lost about 25 lbs. I always get motivated discussing health and fitness with like-minded friends. We met for sushi at the great Natsumi, and I had a seaweed salad, and some sashimi. It is also worth noting that when I first started this quest he ridiculed me, good-naturedly, a few times. Then I started to think -- you know, every person who ridiculed me in the beginning (albeit in jest) are impressed with my resolve, and now treat my veganism (or modified veganism, or more accurately, nutritarianism) as something quite normal. In the beginning, this client made a joke about only meeting me at steak joints for our businesses luncheons, but yesterday, he suggested a few places with a good vegetarian menu. My good friend at the Shore used to rake me over the coals, but now, he accepts this new diet as easily as he buys one set of food for him, and one set for his kids. It has become normal.

And that is something I really cherish. No longer is my restrictive (too harsh of a word), no longer is my enlightened diet a circus side-show, for it has entered the mainstream of my life as others see me.

Last night I met the Nurse for iced coffee, or iced mocha? Cappuccino? Oh, I don't know, I really am the most coffee-illiterate person around. I don't drink much coffee, and I swear there is zero difference between the cup of joe at work, and what you get at Starbucks. Yes, I know you coffee lovers, you pity me; just like I pity the person who can't tell the difference between a 16 year old Lagavulin scotch whiskey, and an 18 year old Maccallan scotch whiskey (if you're buying me a Christmas gift, chose the former). So, at the coffee shop, and in the spirit of camaraderie, I simply said, "I'll have what she's having." Since I mostly drink water, this iced coffee/mocha/latte, whatever, did nothing for me except make me feel like I should not be drinking it. It was like a watery milkshake. I didn't finish.

The coffee shop we went to is a tiny place on York Ave. between 75th and 76th. It also had lots of vegan cookies and cakes. Some aged, tie-dye, gray-haired woman who fought the imaginary "power" 40 years ago came in and was asking all sorts of questions about each of the vegan sweets. 9 months ago I would have rolled my eyes at this septuagenarian hippie, but last night I listened in with interest, and dare I say, embarrassingly, kinship!

I went to dinner at A La Turk (formerly Sultan), a very good Turkish restaurant. I was interested in only their humus and lentil soup to compare to my favorite takeout place, Taksim. Well, it was a close call. Both lentil soups are superb and the fact that no cream is used is astounding! There was enough of a difference that all I could say is that they are both excellent, and I would have to do a true side-by-side to pick the best. No point in doing this other than humour myself. The humus was creamier at A La Turk, but both are good and I would not prefer one over the other. The hostess was one of those bubbly, beautifully exotic women that punctuate NYC and add such flavor to this wonderful city that when I visit either my brother in Dallas, or the other one in Orange County, I feel like I am in some sort of homogeneous Twilight Zone. The hostess was half Turkish, and half Greek, so her nickname immediately become, "War."

The owner came over and explained how this humus came from a special recipe from his village. If he said that about the lentil soup I would have been all in since it was such a unique and wonderful taste. The humus was excellent, don't get me wrong, but I think Taksim's was just as good and tasted similarly. But how hard is it to even make humus?

Here is Dr. Fuhrman's recipe:

1 cup chickpeas (canned or cooked)

1 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/3 cup bean liquid, from the canned beans or water

1 teaspoon horseradish (optional)

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a blender until creamy smooth.  Makes an awesome spread or a dip for raw and lightly steamed veggies. Or spread on bread and top with salsa

So, regarding my heading, "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)",  I was referring to the popular song by They Might Be Giants from 1990. However, I had no idea how old that song was, and who covered it! Just a partial list: Bing Crosby with Ella Fitzgerald (1953), Frankie Vaughan (1954), Santo & Johnny (1962), Bette Midler for the live album "Live At Last" (1977), They Might Be Giants (1990), Trevor Horn Orchestra, for the soundtrack to "Mona Lisa Smile" (2003), etc.

Forging Through the Furnace

The temperature yesterday was record breaking - 103 degrees! Today is supposed to smash records too!

I went into Dante's Inferno, otherwise known as the New York City subway, and took the N train down to Union Square. Usually bustling, even without the great Farmer's Market which is only open M,W,F, Union Square was quiet - the oppressive heat curtailed mid-day strolls. For lunch I had the vegan wrap at the Coffee Shop, and it could not hold a candle to the one I made on the 4th of July. Still delicious of course, but I prefer my freshly grilled concoction. I was still hungry, but I made myself wait, and sure enough :20 minutes later I was fine. Plus, I didn't want to feel overly full before my workout in the Park - I needed that room for all the water I needed to drink!

Walking to Central park in my gym clothes is a great feeling of accomplishment because I was tired from the weekend, and my knees were sore - it would have been quite easy to beg off. But I didn't and I think I got a few looks of health envy from passing sweat-stained businessmen. I would always feel guilty walking home from work or to the bar and see people in their workout gear; now I was one of them.

My trainer and friend Chris, who has 20 years in the business and teaches around the world, wanted to try some things out with me before the class that would cater to my painful knees. These are not aches, mind you, but significant pain exacerbated when walking up steps or, of course, doing any strenuous running activity. Through trial and error we found what exercises were too painful on my knees, and which ones weren't. This is significant because of how many people who say, "I can't exercise because I have bad knees." If you can get a good trainer that knows movement, and knows the body, he can find ample exercises that works out muscles and spares the joints.

The team was smaller last night, just 5 of us. Most of the things we do that are not on the TRX are, as I mentioned, stuff you did in Physical Education class or on a sports team. Some of it not too strenuous in and of itself, but we are always moving. That is the key - none of this is called exercise, it is called movement. There are no "reps" and "sets" -- it is all about the quality of the movement over the quantity. After an hour of doing routines that work out your entire body I was exhausted. Chris wants to make me a project, so you may see video of me doing these exercises on my blog. Last summer out in the Hamptons while socializing, I was complaining about my knees (also holding up a 290 lb body at the time) and told Chris about the exercises my Physical Trainer had me doing after my knee surgery. Squats were still excruciating for me so Chris took a 2"x4" piece of wood and placed it under my heels and it alleviated much of the pain. The guy really knows how to get the maximum amount of success from your body. Check out his website: http://www.movementfirst.com/

After a circuit of various movements that look simple but are quite effective at burning your muscles and getting your heart rate up, and then some more work on the TRX, we jogged over to two iconic places in the Park. We ran past the famed bandshell, which has been entertaining audiences in the Park since the 1920's {see New Yorker, 1927} with everyone from Duke Ellington, to Irving Berlin, to even The Grateful Dead, and then on to Bethesda Fountain. Jogging past the bandshell there was a classical music concert going on and I was reminded yet again how lucky I am that Central Park is my playground. We then ran up and down the steps, then push-ups around the beautiful Bethesda Fountain. We took plenty of water breaks because of the heat and humidity, but I was drenched from head to toe when the hour was up.

Part of their tradition after a hard workout in 100 degree weather, I learned, was a trip to Harry's Burritos to sit outside and sip frozen margaritas. For those of you wondering how it is possible for one man to have so much temptation and alcohol around him, walk a mile in my, nay, walk seven steps in my shoes!

As we sat outside in the heat, already drenched to our socks, the discussion was all about diet, and the confusion around it. Chris talked about someone who heard that vegetables should be eaten raw, others say steamed, and others say that when they are boiled they lose all their nutrients. So this person said that

because there is so much confusion she doesn’t eat any vegetables anymore. This, obviously, is a cop-out. In fact all statements above have truth to them, so the answer is EAT VEGETABLES regardless! Yes, if you boil your vegetables like my Grandmother to the point of mush, you will lose most of the nutrients, but that does not mean popping a cracker with some Cheez Whiz is going to be better for you! Yes, there is confusion, and way too many books, but when in doubt use common sense! Or look at it this way, eat more like a gorilla, and less like a 12 year old at Coney Island with a $50 bill in his pocket!

I had another unlucky incident with food (remember the kidney beans in the cafeteria?). While at Harry's I munched on some chips and guacamole (it's terrible. For good guac in the city go to Rosa Mexicana, for great guac, come to my apartment). Everyone was eating a meal, and I was not that hungry - filled up on water and chips. But I decided to join the group. Somewhere between my pontificating on the importance of Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live, and a story by the woman in the group about finding a spider in her bra at work, I bit into my vegetable burrito only to find a 2 inch twisty-tie, or whatever their name is. The thin, pliable tie that goes around plastic bags of bread. I was pretty upset - I mean, how hard is it to keep foreign objects out of food in a restaurant?! Yes, folks, that's Harry's Burrito on 71st and Columbus. The manager asked if I was, "hurt," -- read: injured, thus involving litigious behavior on my part. I said I was fine, and reading her real concern said I was not going to sue, but I was not happy about it! So she comped my half-eaten meal. I also had ordered a side of asparagus, but they were drenched in oil and not good, but what do you expect from a Mexican restaurant - I should have just waited while the team ate, and had a salad at home.

Really, I am much better off making my own fresh food!

Tuesday Notes

1.) Two minutes ago My Vegan Quest just got its 30,000th page view! Thanks for continuing to read this blog!

2.) Today is oppressively hot, supposed to reach 102 degrees (38.8 Celsius), and brutally humid. Tonight I have my team work-out in Central Park which will be a good way to forget my few transgressions over the weekend. Not to mention, I am sure to have lots to write about -- although not quite expecting the Bataan Death March, it will be less than comfortable to be sure!

3.) Blogger Comments Moderation is down today, so I will post them here, and my responses:

* Hello Terry, Now that you have tried Vegan you might want to check out on a Lovegan diet. Its kinder to oneself and the environment........Ashok

** Thanks Ashok, I read the blog you sent me. It is very interesting, but I decided 8 months ago that this vegan quest, and nutrient dense focus will be for dietary reasons only, and that is why I very rarely write about the ethical or spiritual issues associated with it. Thanks for reading! Terry

* Terry, I've read your entire blog over the past few weeks and am truly impressed! Your desire to share with us your successes and and slip ups is a refreshing change in today's society...where everyone wants to pass the blame onto someone else. I recently started the vegan journey. I've read Dr. Fuhrman's book "Eat to Live" and want to read the other two sequel books "Eat for Health." Anyway, just had to let you know that your posts are a joy to read and I look forward to reading more about your vegan quest. Trish

** Thanks so much Trish! Yeah, I found during my 6 month journey (which continues) that the best way to deal with one's weight issues is to look in the mirror. I think following Dr. Fuhrman's books are an exceptional way to change your life. Along the way to weight loss, it's OK to lose yardage, commit errors, have runs scored against you, muff penalty kicks, get sent to the sin bin, and roll gutter balls, but in the end as long as you win the game that is all that counts! And when it comes to your health, winning is most definitely everything! Terry

The Long, Hot Weekend

On Friday I went down to the Jersey Shore with high hopes of a spectacular weekend. It was nice and relaxing, and I spent a significant amount of time on the beach which was great. But, I found myself still chasing fun standing in the middle of the Parker House feeling wildly out of place and 20 years older than everyone else. I have had some great times there in the past, but this weekend was similar to others spent there this year -- people watching and trying to shoe-horn in college-age thrills to fill some temporary personal void, and failing. Hours earlier I was loading up my shopping cart with gorgeous fruits and vegetables and grilling a fabulous vegan wrap - then in some weird fit of pathetic loneliness at a crowded bar I tried to emulate the younger guys in their frat-boy surges. It is in moments like these I stupidly resist the need to be a grown-up because my mind wanders to many years ago when I had a few great times in this place.  Oh, well, I ended the late night only eating half a slice of pizza after purchasing two of them.

But the best thing about the weekend was buying a weekend's full of cherries, watermelon, peaches, tangerines, and plums. I also got zucchini, summer squash, onions, tomatoes, and shitake mushrooms.

The 4th of July weekend is all about tradition for me, and that means having a BBQ. We certainly grilled, but next to the hot dogs and hamburgers were my pristine vegetables. In a tortilla wrap I spread with a generous helping of humus I added the perfectly grilled vegetables, and tofu -- although the presentation was not as good as the vegan wrap at the Union Square Coffee Shop, it was twice as good! I have no problem making it my new traditional Independence Day meal!

I did have some minor victories as well. When my good friend took the flavored Vitamin Water bottles out of the freezer to fill half way with vodka for the beach I refused. He jokingly said, "screw you," but decided to not take the bottle to the beach either. Again, it is all in the socialness of the desire to drink. He didn't want to bring his plastic bottle cocktail if I was not going to be joining him.

Saturday night was a party at a friends house where for the first time I was surrounded by people my own age and older. But even that was not the knee-slapping good time I wished it to be. And this goes to my core, the thing I have battled - my desire for all or nothing. I used to be a prisoner to the adage: If one is good, ten is better, and when it came to this over-indulgence, one was too many, and ten was not enough. Well, I conquered that in the area of food. I am winning, all things considered, in the area of drinking. But even with weekend parties and nights out I wanted it to be the greatest time ever or the night was a failure.  As I better myself, as I reach my goal, as I do things that improve upon who I am that is sure to go away too.

At the party there was an enormously obese women in her mid-40's sitting by herself and not talking to anyone. She looked a little lonely (for all I know she could have been perfectly content, but in my narrow mind if you are not holding court with a crowd of people then you are lonely). I dragged my chair over and introduced myself -- unfortunately, she was terrifically boring and I regretted my effort to make a new friend. It was my fault for taking pity on this woman because she was heavy and seemingly alone. I should not be so judgemental of people in how they look no matter how well intentioned.

The weather was remarkable and the ocean was cool and refreshing...you know, I thought I saw something in the distance and my heart raced a bit. 35 years after I sat in my parents little Honda at the Drive-In (eating a chili cheeseburger from the famous burger place Tommies, I seem to remember), I still think of Jaws when I am in the ocean!

Yesterday was an interesting lunch, and very good! My buddy's girlfriend made Hiyashi Chuka - cold ramen soup. Perfect for a scorching summer day! It was ramen noodles in a cold soup with vegetables. I loved it.

Today I went to Klein's seafood for lunch. It is quite famous, but honestly, it is not that fantastic. I had an urge for fried clams. Why? Because it's summer! And I remember that awesome time back in 1991 when I would eat fried clams in Hyannis Port, Cape Cod and the world was at my feet! My mind works that way sometimes. I remember having an awesome time at the Parker House in 2004 and I try to recreate it come hell or high water. I remember enjoying fried clams back when the first Bush was in the White House, and I think I could recreate that time for me now. Well, I knew better, but I ordered them anyway and it felt like a gallon of grease was eating away all the wonderful nutrient dense food I ate all weekend. Maybe I just needed to remind myself that living on past enjoyments is not the best path to take. It worked.

The stupid fried clams was by far the worse thing I ate - 1 out of 10 ain't bad.

Actually, the best moment of food choices came one morning when a house full of hungover people were choking down greasy bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches and I made my oatmeal with peanut butter and raisins. The fact that those bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches looked gross to me, even after a pathetic chase for fun the night before, speaks volumes of where I have come in this quest to change my life.

Happy Independence Day!

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...

Entire declaration in link: 

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/doi/text.html

Where are You in the Remaining 8?

Happy Friday! I hope everyone has a healthy and fun-filled weekend celebrating the birth of this great nation! And for those of you in the 39 countries around the world who read this? Thank you, and have a terrific, healthy, weekend!

Now, looking at my Google metrics, I have discovered that My Vegan Quest is read in 42 states plus the District of Columbia. That means we only have to reach one person in 8 states so this blog can be read in all 50!

So, as a huge Independence Day favor to me, if you know someone in one of these states, please forward along http://www.myveganquest.blogspot.com/. Thank you and Happy 4th of July!

The silent 8:

Hawaii, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and Louisiana (my knock on La. and their obesity rates may have resulted in a boycott).

Crossroads of the World

I had a craving for something different yesterday. My client luncheon at The Palm steak house  rescheduled so there was no salad eating at a table of rare, blood and butter dripping steaks...child's play for me now. So I went to a Mexican place across from The Palm for some guacamole, salsa, black beans, and chips. It satisfied my appetite and taste buds and I didn't feel too guilty about it. It was a gorgeous day and I decided to pick up a blueberry concoction smoothie at Jamba Juice for the walk back to the office --- a simple bag of frozen blueberries, and a banana in a blender is just so much better, and at least half the calories.

After work I went to the gym to work my still aching legs. It felt better riding the bike, walking on a steep incline and doing the elliptical. I also did some arm presses, but it was a truncated work-out today. However, I have never been to this gym after work. I always go at lunch, and when I go after work I hit the one near my apartment on the walk home. Working out at my "work" gym in the evening was different. The clientele were different. In fact, at least 20-30 of the women in there were absolutely gorgeous, young, and in amazing shape!  I'm in Times Square, so maybe they are actresses? Dancers? No, they looked too pert, and perfect and not exceptionally tall. It was quite a site, a jaw-dropping, gut-sucking-in site! And they seemed to all know each other. It was like another universe separate from the same gym patrons I typically see!

On the way out I asked the Assistant Manager, "OK, what's the deal? Where did all these beautiful women come from?" The Assistant Manger is not a guy who would particularly care for such a beautiful site, and sniffed, "Oh, they're the Jet's cheerleaders. They work-out here." "Wow!" Looks like I may have found a new favorite time to exercise!

I met up with the lady of London, before she heads back across the pond, for dinner. Wanting just a salad I took her to my favorite, Chop't, just south of 42nd and Broadway (my vegan wrap at the Union Square Coffee Shop would have to wait). Being a spectacular evening we ate out on the the tables that were once Broadway the road, and now a pedestrian walk way.

Currently, as an art project, there are pianos strewn across the city. Wed. night the Nurse and I tried our hand at Chopsticks on the piano at the entrance to the Astor Place subway station. I'm not good. This piano was right below 42nd and with the Crossroads of the world at our feet, and thousands of tourists milling about we ate and enjoyed the continuous stream of people -- all ages, races and creeds, hop on this piano to play their favorite tune. It was amazing. Just another reminder of how lucky I am to live in such a place! An old black man "ragged it up " on the keys like it was Scott Joplin ca. 1895, then a kid, about 12 with a Dallas Cowboys jersey banged out something familiar, then some Asian girl fiddled about with Mozart, then a tall Middle Aged man played some popular theme songs, then some child who looked 5 who played quite well, then a Middle-Aged mother, who looked like a piano teacher, played Chattanooga Choo Choo. Her daughter in her early 20's then accompanied her in song and sang Edelweiss, and then God Bless America. It really was the most beautiful sight in the world. All impromptu, all random people drawn to play and listen to music at the busiest intersection in the Galaxy.

My friend said I looked 10 pounds lighter than when she first saw me last week at The Lion. Clearly it was that alcohol puffiness that went away, and my renewed energy to eat and drink the way I need to. We had a terrific conversation and mentioned how she showed my blog to a guy she does business with who is 6'5" and 350 lbs. He was convinced that I had taken some sort of pills to lose that weight! I laughed as hard as I did when she told me her new French boyfriend could lose a few pounds. But, our talk was on a different plane now, and it was far cry from that night last year when she suggested that Heather was curious to know if I'd go vegan for 6 months and I spat my beer through my nose and bellowed, "Vegan? I don't need no stinking vegan!"

Times change.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye...

Still sore today. OK, it's official, I really did over-do it on Monday. Heading to the gym now, so we'll see how it goes.

Last night we went to the 100 year old Sunshine Cinema (an old Yiddish vaudeville house) on the Lower East Side to see the Italian film, "Lo Sono L'amore." (I Am Love). Also, there was a movie premier happening at the same time for the film "The Kids Are All Right" with stars Julienne Moore and Annette Benning to add to the excitement of living in the greatest city in the world.  It's not often you have to push through security and photographers to go see a movie on date night! "I Am Love" was one of those artistic films beautifully shot that critics love, and I was left saying, "I don't get it." I mean a few years ago I would have thought, what the hell was that film about? But now that I study film, am writing a screenplay, read books about film, and attended classes, I can certainly appreciate it as a piece of art; but as human drama it appeared irrational...maybe it was a cultural thing being Italian? Regardless, what I really enjoyed was the cinematography, and the sensuousness of food. Although the scene of ecstasy was over prawns, the real hero, food-wise, was fruits and vegetables. And I don't mean a cheesy after-school special!


The purity of grown vegetables and fruits in the Italian countryside has a part to play in this melodramatic, well-acted film. It really made careful food preparation, and fresh produce, and refined dining a showcase. It was very Italian , very beautiful, and very un-gluttonous. It made food, real food, unprocessed food, food not made by machines, nor people with hairnets and gloves, but rather humans passionate about growing and cultivating their food -- it made plant-based food (and flora and fauna) the height of beauty, and for that, I really enjoyed it. But, in the end, I thought it just had too many questions. A beautifully shot film should not leave a reasonably educated person saying, "So, what was in that note he sent his mother?" And "Wait, you mean they didn't know she was pregnant?" And, "Oh, you think he was in love with the chef too, no way!?"  FYI - Hardly spoilers, so don't sweat it!

Afterwards, we walked to get dinner. I was craving some fresh, meticulously prepared vegetables from a chef from Nice, but we settled for the restaurant at the new Crosby Street Hotel. After randomly running into the lady of London (a slight awkwardness as the ex met the Nurse), "Of all the gin joints, in all the world..."  all was fine and we sat outside on a gorgeous night and had a lovely meal. The appetizer was an exquisite plate of freshly prepared guacamole, hummus, and babaganoush. I broke a little and ordered the asparagus risotto, but it was not too cheesy at all, and quite good.

We then debated and discussed to the point of annoyance whether I should have a nice bordello on this beautiful evening outside in an opulent space after an Italian film that mixed sex and food like a horse and carriage. I was con, she was pro. I really am sick of discussing this issue. Really, really sick of it.

The Thursday before 4th of July weekend, and I am heading straight to the gym! But later on I am going to the Coffee Shop where I can have my favorite vegan wrap!