A Vegan Hair Salon - Can it Be?!

Have you ever taken a trip to Target for toilet paper and ended up spending ten times as much as you should have? Then, when you get home and unpack your bags, discovering all the things your hands somehow snuck into your shopping cart you stumble upon that box of hair dye you bought? Excited, you rush to the bathroom and start mixing all those little bottles until the colors blend together and you pour this “stuff” all over your head without thinking twice about it. Your scalp starts to burn, your nose bleeds from the fumes, and you have to turn on every fan in your apartment because the stench of toxic chemicals is so overbearing that your cat has begun walking like someone who’s drunk in public? I know you know what I’m talking about. But seriously, does anybody REALLY know what their “natural” haircolor is anymore? I doubt it. We live in an age where looks and beauty and pampering yourself is in the forefront, and yes, even us vegans need to feel pretty! So what do we do? We KNOW that nearly all haircolors bought at Target or at your high-end salon are tested on animals, filled to the brim with harmful chemicals, and just plain aren’t GOOD for you. But you want to look and FEEL a certain way.


My hair color and/or cut changes with the moon phases. Seriously. It’s not a thing of vanity, but of self-expression for me. Being sick, there are many things about myself that I cannot change, but I still have control over my hair, so I express myself through it. And thank Mother Nature that I finally found a salon in Madison that caters to my need to express as well as my desire to be as eco-conscious as possible!




KODE Salon. Founded and owned by three of the most talented hair designers in the Midwest, and as someone who has lived coast to coast, I’d say in the country! You walk into the salon and just *know* that your experience here is going to be different from any other salon you’ve been to. From the hairstylist stations that were built from recycled barn floors, to the amazing nook the salon is nestled in in one of the coolest, most eco-friendly neighborhoods in Madison, to being tossed a beer as you walk in to wait for your appointment, this place has it going on!
KODE strives to source their resources as locally as possible, keeping money in the community.




The products that they use are not only vegan, but gluten-free, too! Now, out of sheer curiosity, I HAD to do some of my own research on this, because, well…I’m not good at taking things at face value. So I researched the brands and products they use and was so happy to see that, as far as a salon goes, this one is about as cruelty-free as it gets, folks! From Davines Haircolors, which even come in eco-friendly packaging on top of their cruelty-free stance and ingredients, to Surface styling products, which are all vegan and gluten-free and amazing in general!




But what about your HAIR? Does it look good when you leave? Let me just say, I’ve been to some of the most expensive and well-known hair stylists in the country and I have never left a salon more happy than when I left Kelly Z.’s amazing hands for the first time. The stylists spend massive amounts of time formulating a look that is not only 100% “you”, but one that is simple to maintain, grows out nicely, and a look that you will be more than happy about. I’ve only seen Kelly Z. when I go, as she’s my go-to-gal there, but I’ve seen the work the other stylists do and it’s also nothing short of awesomeness.




So, if you live in Madison and have been desperately searching for a place to get cut up, dyed out, or waxed off, then hit up KODE Salon. And afterwards, hop across the street to the best vegan restaurant in town, the Green Owl Café. Yes, it’s right across the street! I told you it’s located in the best neighborhood in town! So what are you waiting for?! Check them out and “fan” them on Facebook!


*All photos from the KODE Salon Facebook Page*

Restaurant Review - Bloom Bake Shop

My very first Bloom Cupcake...an experience I'll never forget!



I do have a lot of recipes to share with you all, but I am still wanting to give shout outs to all the yummy vegan goodies the man and me found around and about Wisconsin this weekend with his mother. One place that we took her to has been a favorite of ours for a few months now since discovering it. A vegan bakery. Need I say more?? Well, I’m gonna, because this place is unlike any vegan bakery I’ve ever been to.


Now, coming from Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to have many vegan options surrounding me daily. From local bakeries that baked up goodies sold at our Whole Foods out there to bakeries like BabyCakes, Sprinkles, and the like…there was definitely no shortage of vegan goodies in Los Angeles. BUT...although tasty…they all felt like they were missing…something.


A year later, we discovered Bloom Bake Shop…right around the corner from where I work. I was told about this new bakery from a co-worker, excited to tell me that although they had non-vegan items, that there were vegan and gluten free features each day as well. Of course, you say cupcake to me, and I’m there. So, I headed on down, and was greeted with the friendliest staff I have ever come across. My first vegan cupcake experience was one of the most ultimate decadence…a vanilla cupcake filled with orange marmalade…topped with a dark chocolate ganache and an orange buttercream frosting flower. I bit in, and went straight to cupcake heaven! THIS cupcake HAD what all the other ones didn’t…a touch of local love.


Bloom Bake Shop is a local, sustainable, fair trade bakery. Most of her ingredients come from right in this area…from the free range hormone-free eggs in her non-vegan products to the peanut butter used in some of her decadent treats all the way to the wind that powers her light fixtures…and what isn’t local is still fair-trade, pesticide and synthetics-free. Every inch of this little bakery is blooming (pun intended…haha) with love, and you can most certainly taste that love when you bite into these delicious, moist, dense vegan cupcakes.


So head on down to Middleton, just minutes from Madison, and pick up a box of cupcakes to share with your family, friends, co-workers…or keep them all for yourself (don’t worry, I won’t judge!). But definitely give this kind local business a try! You will not be disappointed! And the man's mother was in cupcake heaven, so take your out-of-town guests here too!!


The insanely moist and delicious vegan blondie I had this weekend!


The "Be Campy" vegan s'mores cupcake...I've had this one two or three times, and it's always a winner...and pretty, too!

Plastic Demons

In our house, we try to be as kind to our planet and to ourselves as possible. Now, we don’t have a ten-thousand page book of rules that we follow or anything, but we do always try to make conscious decisions about the things we do. I’m not going to give up baking just because I know that sugar is bad for me, but I do choose to create recipes using less sugar, and I always buy “kind” sugars. See? Just little things like that. We try to keep our trash down to one bag a week and compost everything we possibly can. When possible, we try to re-use our trash bag if it hasn’t torn or anything, but we don’t guilt and torture ourselves if it isn’t possible. I’m not going to live a life of restriction and rules to fit into some standard, and I want people to know that being vegan doesn’t mean you have to do so! Those small steps you take can make huge impacts!


Plastic waste that has gathered in our oceans...so sad.

One of the easiest things that we have done to lighten our footprint is to try and rid the household of plastic. Now, you’re probably wondering what on earth is so bad about plastic. Well, there’s a LOT bad about plastic, and reducing the amount that you use is something that is so simple that you can do that will not only benefit you, but benefit generations and generations to come.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American creates half a pound of plastic waste a DAY. That’s 182.5 pounds of plastic waste each year from one single person, which equals about 5 BILLION pounds a year in the US alone! Now, most plastics cannot be recycled, so the majority of this is filling up landfills, filling our oceans, wreaking havoc on our ecosystem and killing thousands of plants and animals each DAY. Not to mention, storing and microwaving foods using plastic releases dangerous chemicals and carcinogens directly into our food…now really…why on earth would we want that?!

But HOW do you get rid of all the plastic?! You really don’t realize how much you use until you try and cut it out of each part of your life. I suggest starting small and working your way up to the bigger things. As far as our house, these are some of the steps we have taken to remove plastics:

Shopping: This is the easiest and cheapest thing you can do…buy re-useable bags!! We got a bunch of them for fifty cents apiece at our local grocery store. They also hold a lot more than a plastic shopping bag, and you can fold one up and keep it in your purse just in case you have to run somewhere and pick up a few things.

Trash: If you don’t compost, or don’t have room to do so, don’t worry. There are brands of trashbags out there that are not made of plastic, and even more that are made out of recycled plastic. The brand we use are made of biodegradable bio-resin by Nature Friendly. You can find them at any grocery store, and they are only about a dollar more than regular trash bags. We buy the large box of 50 and it lasts us about a year!


Food Storage: Most people have a cupboard dedicated to “tupperware” or like products. Storing your food in plastic totally defeats the purpose of trying to eat right in the first place, because you are allowing your good foods to soak up toxic chemicals into them. The best things that I have found, and they are super cheap, too, are Ball canning jars! Not only do they look cool, but you can see exactly what is in them, how much you have, and you can get them in all sorts of sizes! We keep our dry storage (grains, beans, etc.) in the largest size, homemade condiments (vegan ranch and other salad dressings, etc.) in smaller ones in the fridge, and they are a great way to transport leftovers if you take them to work and such! Not to mention, they are easy to replace, and really inexpensive (I bought a new box of 16 of the large ones a few months ago for $6). Plus, when I go grocery shopping, I can look in the pantry and easily see what I need to stock up on.


Now, there is a LOT of other things you can do to reduce your plastic waste, but these three are small ones that have a truly ENORMOUS impact on our world and our health. If anything, start with these three, and educate yourselves on how to further eradicate plastic from your life when you’re comfortable with these. Best of luck!!!


Vegan MoFo!!!

Make the World a Better Place...One Purse at a Time

Hello blogosphere! Sorry it’s been a hot minute since I’ve updated, but it’s just one of those weeks where you’re pulled in 500 different directions, ya dig?! Anyway, I wanted to share a pretty rad story with all of you, while letting you know about a freaking amazing vegan product. If you haven’t heard of her already, than now you will, and I would HIGHLY suggest getting up close and personal with the amazing products of Susan Nichole. Susan Nichole is your one-stop shop for all things stylish and trendy when it comes to handbags a la couture…and cruelty-free to boot! I mean seriously, does it get much better?! Not only are her bags of the finest quality, but this is definitely one of the most “kind” businesses I have ever come across…not only to the customers, but to the world. From purses full of essential supplies shipped to Haiti by the boatload after the earthquake, to using sustainable kind materials in her purses, to her WEEKLY FACEBOOK GIVEAWAYS just for being a fan…this company is truly one of a kind. Following is a guest blog by one of the coolest people I know…my mom. Take a look at what she has to say about Susan Nichole, and afterward, definitely check out her website, and “like” her on Facebook

I clearly remember a Saturday in Oak Harbor, Washington in 1970 when I was 9 years old walking to the dime store to buy my weekly 45 record (3-Dog Night…just sayin), when I stopped dead in my tracks at a display window in our only shoe store in town. There was a light brown suede purse, with colored suede appliqué of a desert scene. The sky opened and I literally heard angels sing. A week later, after many odd jobs…it belonged to me. That purse started my love affair with bags that has never wavered in the 40 years since that day.

My closet’s built-in shelves hold one of a kind Dior, Choo, Gucci, and Furla bags to name a few. I hold more equity in these bags than I do in my home. I can spot a cheap bag or a fake at 500 feet.

I am not a Vegan or Vegetarian. (Had to look up how to spell vegetarian….) But, this year I have started paying more attention to the amounts and source of the meat and fish I choose to consume. My daughter, a Vegan, has educated me on the importance of locally and humanly raised meat. I only shop at markets where meats are locally and organically grown. No factory farms. I buy fish after checking the Sustainable Fish List (which changes weekly, btw.) No fish farms where fish are fed dangerous corn pellets, breaking every law of nature.


I feel good. I feel proud, until I wander into my Mecca. My Church. The Versace Store. As I lovingly hold (hug) a bag that literally brings tears to my eyes, the genetically altered (because she’s impossibly beautiful and airbrushed) shop girl says, “Isn’t that leather just like butter?” I stopped in my tracks. All the arguments of leather being a bi-product of the meat industry, ie.; factory farms, roared in my head. By purchasing this bag…I am still supporting factory farms. Even though the farm was Italian…it was still a factory farm. I could not guarantee that the animals were humanely raised and killed. I felt sick.

My daughter had once told me about Susan Nichole Handbags. A grassroots, cottage based company that designs, creates and sells 100% vegan bags. I “friended” them on Facebook to support my daughter, but never really paid attention. But after this experience, I ordered one. $65? Are you serious? If I didn’t like it, I would put it in the Christmas closet for Danielle. (sorry honey). I also ordered a bag from Shoe Dazzle, claiming all man made materials. ($39.95) The Shoe Dazzle came first, and I looked and looked at it. Not bad. Took it to Starbucks on a weekend…I was asked if it was the new Jimmy Choo! My real Jimmy Choo ($2795.00)…never gets attention like that! When my Susan Nichole bag arrived….I kept it near me for three days. Talk about butta? This is a gorgeous, gorgeous bag! I have a few SN Bags now and they sit proudly next to their Italian, less humane cousins.

In my research of vegan friendly bags, I’ve found many mainstream companies and designers have started vegan lines of business. My daughter and I agree to disagree on the merits of these companies. Susan Nichole ventured out to make humane and fashionable bags as their core line of business. Not a side line, but the life line of this integrity and quality driven company. My daughter, Danielle and this company have changed my philosophy not only on my food consumerism, but my fashion consumerism. There are many companies like Susan Nichole Handbags who are out there doing the right things, for the right reasons. I’m honored to carry their bags and to support them.

Photo Credit for all photos: Susan Nichole Facebook Page


Doesn’t my mom totally rock?!

Shoutout to Tom's Shoes!!

So yesterday was a very sad day for me. I’m a mini-hoarder, you may say. To me, if something is still useable, than there’s no way you are going to get me to give it up! Well, I decided it was finally time to do some cleanup. I ended up loading two bags of stuff to take to Goodwill, and unfortunately, throwing some things away that just couldn’t be salvaged. One of those things were my beloved Tom’s Shoes. I have had this particular pair of shoes for almost five years. Beautiful olive green plaid canvas shoes that were the most comfortable things I have ever owned. Even recently, I slide them on to go to the market or wherever, regardless of the holes in them and the large holes in the soles. Alas, all good things must come to an end. But, on the bright side, this just means that I can get a new pair now!! I absolutely love supporting this company, and if you haven’t heard of them, I definitely think you should all take a look at what they have to offer. Most of their shoes are vegan, but not 100% of them, but if you go on their website, it’s easy to navigate directly to their vegan shoes. The best part about these shoes? Well, for every pair of shoes you buy, the company donates a pair to a child in need. Even in an economy like this, there is a company that is still totally about helping save the world, and not just about the bottom line. Some people may think that spending $50 on a pair of fabric slip-on shoes is a lot, but when you think about it, you’re actually buying two pairs of shoes! And seriously, these shoes are super cute, ultra comfy, and they last forever! I honestly wore mine at least 4-5 times a week, basically any time I wasn’t working, these were the shoes I wore! You definitely get your money’s worth from these shoes, and at the same time, you are helping a child in need! Plus, no animals are harmed in the making of these shoes, and some are even made out of recycled items like tires and plastic bottles and such! The company ensures that human rights standards are constantly adhered to in their factories, and they don’t pay their workers crap wages either. Eco-friendly, animal-friendly, people-friendly…what is not to love about this company?!

Learn more here: http://www.toms.com/movement-one-for-one