Category: Consciousness - WELCOME TO PLANET VEGAN

WELCOME TO PLANET VEGAN

The Vegan Business - featuring Maya Epler

11/10/2014

Welcome to Planet Vegan presents business owners, their vision and their journey to success through creating, designing, inventing, manufacturing and selling their vegan products,
while actively contributing with their work to end animal exploitation by humans and acknowledging the value of all life on Earth.

Submit a vegan business to be featured
(No associate, consultant or pyramid businesses)

Israel native and fashion designer Maya Epler creates classic vintage inspired garments entirely made from all vegan materials. Her very unique style and her creations reflect the young woman’s personality and her love for nostalgic charm and feminine, graceful appearance.

While drawn to diversity and finding grace in each decade’s fashion style, what seems to inspire her work most is the Victorian era with its noble, somewhat “dark” royal clothing, flattering fits, patterns and stiff fabrics, and the traditional Japanese style with the classic, sometimes “mysterious” look and the contrast of bold colors.

For the ethic vegan business woman her chosen lifestyle clearly goes beyond the dinner plate. Maya says, “Animals are exploited in so many different ways and I believe with all my heart that this wrong doing must stop! I love my work and I select fabrics that are 100% vegan. Designing patterns and sewing modern garments with a vintage touch and at the same time contributing to animal welfare makes me feel very happy inside. Seeing my customers enjoying my work and appreciating my line of conscious clothing is incredibly rewarding for me.”

After relocating from Israel, Maya now calls Berkeley, California her new home. She enjoys every minute of going out and is excited about the abundance of vegan options and restaurants she discovers in her new environment, and the many like minded people she gets to meet, who like her, support a life style without the use of any animal products.

Links:

http://www.mayaepler.com/

https://www.etsy.com/il-en/shop/MayaEplerFashion?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Like her on Facebook - Maya Epler Handmade Fashion Designs

realizing The amazing potential of change

11/10/2014

There is no better motivation to switch and stick to a plant based nutrition than compassion and empathy with the animals. Not consuming animal products of any kind however doesn’t make a person a true vegan. The vegan philosophy goes way beyond the dinner table; it is a commitment to a life style free of any animal products, which is not limited to foods but includes clothing and everyday merchandise as well.

The growing popularity of veganism and demand for vegan products represents a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs and for those who realize the amazing business potential that comes along with this fundamental change in our society.

Welcome to Planet Vegan presents business owners, their vision, passion and their journey to success through creating, designing, inventing, manufacturing and selling vegan products, while actively contributing with their work to end animal exploitation by humans and acknowledging the value of all life on Earth.

Submit Vegan Businesses to be featured
(No associate, consultant or pyramid businesses)

Maya Epler, Fashion Designer

The liberation process of the cash cow

7/28/2014

Susan Placek, Owner of THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

The famous question, "Got Milk?" has already been dropped early in 2014 by the dairy industry to be replaced by "Milk Life", and obviously that's not done to keep the slogan fresh but a sign of despair and an ongoing rescue operation by the U.S. diary giants to save their cash cow and to gain back ground, preventing what can't be denied anymore: Milk sales are going downhill.
More and more consumers are not drawn to the white mustache anymore and are turning their backs on fluid milk. Whether that decision is based on lactose intolerance or compassion with the animals (also known as "cultural changes"), clearly, a segment of those who make a living based on the extortion of sentient living beings and their bodily fluids is getting worried.

While the decline of milk sales in 2011 and 2012 was the highest in more than a decade, 2013 was even worse than the previous three years.
The trend of switching from milk to other beverages or non-dairy milks isn't new at all, in fact it started almost 40 years ago but the latest numbers speak for themselves.
The credit clearly goes to a rapidly growing world wide community of people, activists, bloggers, scientists, doctors, organizations, groups and every day social net workers who dedicate their time and hard work to raise awareness, and to educate the masses about the negative and severe health effect dairies can have on the human body, undermining the dairy industry's decades old brain washing strategies while exposing the ugly and cruel truth behind the "Happy Cow" fairy tale. There is really nothing white about milk.

What used to be considered "fake food for weirdos" turns out to be the future real food for real people. Soy milk has gotten company and today store shelves are filled with a variety of nut milks (almond, hazelnut, coconut and cashew) as well as rice milk and hemp milk, and making nut milks at home is as easy as brewing coffee.

WhiteWave Foods Co. - a daughter company of the traditional 90-year-old dairy company Dean Foods Co. - manufacturing plant-based foods and beverages, reported 62% profit increase during the past 12 month.
"Getting drinkers back in the barn won't be easy. "It is going to be tough to buck the trend of declining consumption of [cow] milk in the U.S.," says Ryan Oksenhendler, an analyst with Arlon Group LLC, a New York-based fund manager that owns WhiteWave shares. He says shoppers quitting cow milk and embracing soy, almond and coconut milks are feeding WhiteWave's gains." (1)

And who needs dairy milk for calcium when so much plant based calcium is available to us, always has been. Slowly people begin to realize the irony that even gallons of cow milk consumed daily does not prevent osteoporosis from happening; it isn’t a lack of dietary calcium causing the weakening process of the bones but in reality the excess of animal protein taken in, which leaches calcium from the bones.

The liberation process is well on its way - for the animals,
for the planet and for human kind.

Links:

http://www.allergiesexplained.com/pages/Milk%20Effects%20on%20Brain%20Function.htm

http://engine2diet.com/question/can-i-get-enough-calcium-eating-a-plant-based-diet/

http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/americas-move-to-soy-hobbles-dairy-1405729869?mobile=y

LKM is the answer to the missing GG

6/23/2014

Susan Placek, Owner of THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

Observing life on this planet and following the news feeds one wonders, what the hell is wrong with people? How on earth is it possible that mankind is capable of committing those gut wrenching crimes and atrocities, not just against each other, but also against other sentient beings, against nature and ultimately against the very foundation necessary for the survival of our own species.

While there are many different factors playing an important role in the madness, it all boils down to a simple conclusion: Mankind suffers from a serious lack of Compassion, one’s ability to be concerned for another being’s welfare.

Immanuel Kant, a respected figure of modern philosophy, considered Compassion a weak and misguided sentiment: “Such benevolence is called soft-heartedness and should not occur at all among human beings,” he said. Unfortunately his thoughts continue to have a major influence in contemporary thinking even though the guy clearly must have been born with a huge biological deficiency: The G gene.

Human genes are made of bases, the nucleotides, which come in four types: A, T, C, and G, which again appear in combinations, AA, AG or GG, the latter one being associated with empathy, positive emotions and sensitivity to the weaker links and the underdogs of society. People carrying the GG gene are believed to be more caring which reflects in their body language, such as smiling, loving gestures, head nodding, eye contact and the willingness to listen. Furthermore a person’s hormonal balance and small differences in it can have far-reaching effects on empathy. This fact in itself should raise a gigantic red flag and opens another can of worms: Mankind’s mind boggling consumption of hormone loaded meat and dairies and all the misery that comes from and with it.

But let's not blame it all on the genes. We as a species have come way too far to let a genetic footprint get in the way of mental enlightenment and global change.
Remedy may be here in a practice which in recent years has become not only main stream in the Western world but has grown in popularity: MEDITATION.

Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism and seems to be most needed in this world. It refers to a mental state of unselfish and unconditional kindness producing all four qualities of love:

Friendliness (Metta)
Compassion (Caruna)
Appreciative Joy (Mudita)
Equanimity (Upekkha)

Meditators begin with cultivating loving-kindness towards themselves, then towards their loved ones, friends, strangers, enemies and all sentient beings, replacing negative and destructive emotions with positive ones. Ancient Buddhist collections of texts “Pali Canon” define the benefits of Loving-Kindness meditation (mettā bhāvanā) as followed:

“One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One’s mind gains concentration quickly. One’s complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and – if penetrating no higher – is headed for the Brahma worlds”. (Wikipedia)

If only Kant would have had LKM meditation available at his time, his soul might have been nourished with Kindness and Compassion and some of his thoughts might have never been published in the first place.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett%C4%81

http://www.inner-light-in.com/2012/09/empathy-meditation-and-loving-kindness/

http://www.stwr.org/economic-sharing-alternatives/the-biological-basis-of-compassion.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

http://buddhist-meditation-techniques.com/loving-kindness-meditation/

lake shrine, temple of serenity, compassion & kindness

5/24/2014

Susan Placek, Owner of THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

Heading to my friend's book signing in Venice Beach I decided to pull myself away from the computer a few hours earlier and take a break at the nearby Meditation Center of Lake Shrine, "nearby" of course in Los Angeles standards that is.

The serene Lake Shrine Meditation Garden and Temple is located in the beautiful Pacific Palisades off Sunset Boulevard featuring a spring-fed lake, nestled in the center of the Garden.

Entering through the upper parking lot one is immediately captivated by the soothing sound of water coming from the court yard fountain, and the bright white Temple with the golden lotus flowers in sharp contrast to the deep blue sky, which visitors have a good chance for here in Southern California at most days of the year.

Knowing the quite interesting history of this place makes a big difference in the whole experience. Being on a schedule however I decided to focus on the Garden during this visit and walked straight through the double doors to the stairs, leading down to the lake.

The sheer existence of what used to be Lake Santa Ynez can be seen as a co-production between men and Mother Nature. Extensive earth moving activities in the Santa Ynez Canyon, which used to be a silent movie production site of the then-famous Inceville motion-picture studio in the early 1920ies, were followed by water coming from nearby springs, quickly filling the basin, and bringing a halt to plans for future land development.

During the following 10 years the area remained untouched and more than a decade later the land, which meanwhile had turned into a forgotten swamp was purchased by H. Everett McElroy, assistant superintendent of construction for 20th Century Fox studios, and developed according to his vision of a unique private paradise, including the construction of a new residence situated across the McElroy's double-deck Mississippi-style houseboat which had been relocated from Lake Mead, followed by a boat deck with landing and a Dutch Windmill with a fifteen foot water wheel connected to an irrigation system.

And now the story becomes really fascinating.

In the late 1940ies Mr. McElroy sold the property to an oil-company president who's strange re-occurring dreams of his new home becoming a "Church of All Religions", inspired him to write a letter to the Self-Realization Fellowship Church of All Religions in Hollywood, in which he offered his property for sale.
Deeply moved by his dreams he decided to quickly call instead of waiting for his letter to arrive, and when he did, the founder, Paramahansa Yogananda himself answered his call. Before the man had a chance to introduce himself, he was asked about the property he had for sale, even though his letter had not arrived yet.

After change of ownership made possible through generous benefactors, once again construction began at Lake Santa Ynez. Paramahansa Yogananda himself directed and oversaw the ongoing work and the creation of his spiritual legacy from his new and temporary headquarters, the houseboat.
1,500 people attended the formal opening to the public on August 20, 1950 of what was now Lake Shrine.

All of Mr. McElroy's buildings still exist and are part of today's site and landscaping.

New constructions added under the vegetarian Guru's supervision were the Court of Religions honoring the five principal religions of the world, the Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial, home to a portion of Gandhi's ashes, and a Museum which exhibits Paramahansa Yogananda's work.
The white hill-top Temple and Retreat, looking at the lake and the Pacific Ocean was built in 1996, 44 years after Paramahansa Yogananda's passing, fulfilling his last wish for a construction of such a building.

Yogananda also designed the Golden Lotus Archway, or "wall-less temple, topped by golden lotus flowers, the Indian symbol of divine unfoldment and the awakening of the soul to its infinite potential.
The orange-red flowering plant next to the Archway looks like a shrub on fire, and I wonder if this species was purposely chosen to be planted there as a symbol of the eternal flame of life.

Swans, ducks, turtles, fish and many other animals call Lake Shrine home and the park itself with its lush landscaping, rocks, waterfalls, trees, tropical plants, flowers and shrubs is a sanctuary for people looking for a place to unwind, to meditate or simply to enjoy this spiritual place and the stunning scenic beauty.

With the Windmill Chapel currently under construction, to be re-opened again in Fall, and part of the Garden including the Visitor Center and the large statue by the waterfall not accessible at this time, there was only one more place to go to:

The Lake Shrine Gift Shop and Museum offering a variety of inspirational gifts from India, from books to statues, candles, incense, singing bowls, jewelry, clothing and hand made Indian arts and crafts.

The moment I entered the store a colorful scarf begged me to be allowed to come home with me - how could I not practice kindness and compassion at a place like this. I couldn't.

Links:

http://www.lakeshrine.org/

http://www.yogananda-srf.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramahansa_Yogananda

Photography: Susan Placek/CocoonWorx http://www.cocoonworx.com

Kindness & Compassion Gifts http://www.welcometoplanetvegan.com/store.html

Where kind food is on the rise

5/18/2014

Susan Placek, Owner of THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

If you think Austria is all about The Sound Of Music, white horses and Mozartkugeln, think again.
This tiny little state in the heart of Europe seems to become a trendsetter for change into the right direction and for a new lifestyle, and I must say, I am mighty proud of my old home country.
Not a day goes by without exciting news about new vegan shops, restaurants, bakeries and ice cream parlors opening up. I will gladly write about them in the WELCOME TO PLANET VEGAN Blog and feature them one by one as each deserves special attention.

If there is one place that I can't wait to see and visit, it is the one in Vienna, where the feast starts visually with the restaurant design and interior.
What used to be an Indian Fashion Boutique "Dancing Shiva", is now an explosion of colors, and the brand new gourmet temple "Dancing Shiva Superfoods", specializing in raw vegan foods and dishes. Cocoa, Goji Berries, Maca Roots and other Superfoods are processed into delightful dishes, satisfying eyes and taste buds.

As Professional Master Pastry Chef, having had my training at "Demel", one of the most prestigious Viennese pastry shops, I especially appreciate what "Simply Raw Bakery" has to offer: Sweet raw vegan delicacies made from the best of nature's treasure chest, organic fruits, nuts, seeds, superfoods, vegetables and herbs. Pastries for a new age, loaded with Love, Compassion, Kindness, Vitamins, Enzymes and Trace Elements. Simply raw, available in Vienna.

About 45 minutes outside of Vienna is another stunning vegan restaurant, "Schillinger", cooking for the local community since 1793.
After 200 years of serving authentic Austrian cuisine based on meat and tons of dairies, Schillinger's owners made the impossible possible and turned their place into a vegetarian restaurant at first, before converting it into 100% vegan, without sacrificing a single classic Austrian dish from their menu. Meat and dairies have been replaced with numerous national and international awards for this remarkable transition.
Who would have thought that Fritattensuppe, Gulasch and Schnitzel can actually be kind and peaceful!

Austria, here I come!

Dancing Shiva Superfoods

Simply Raw Bakery

Schillinger

All images published in this article have been downloaded from the internet to support promoting the featured businesses, hoping that this doesn't cause any copyright infringement in any way. Please do feel free to contact me should there be an issue.

Links:

http://www.dancingshiva.at/

http://www.simplyrawbakery.at

http://www.schillinger.co

deliciously guilt free fast food at 24 locations

5/16/2014

Susan Placek, Owner of THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

Driving back home from the airport the other day I came across one of the VeggieGrill locations here in town. I had left LAX hungry as currently all restaurants at the International Terminal are closed due to construction. The VeggieGrill had been on my "vegan restaurants to go to list" anyway, so it seemed like perfect timing to pop in for a bite and a sip.

The fast-food style restaurant offers a nice variety of dishes, from Starters to Bowls - the Bombay Bowl with herb-roasted veggies, super grains, steamed kale, cannellini beans, cilantro/green curry sauce with coconut milk, almonds, hemp seeds was very tempting - Homestyle Plates, Burgers, Sandwiches, Soups of the day, Taco Plates and plenty of Sides to choose from. Patrons may pick pairs from each menu category.

After some consideration I decided to order 2 Sides, Steamin’ Kale for $ 3.50 with ginger-miso dressing, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and Cauli-Mashed Potatoes + Gravy for $ 3.25, made from fresh cauliflower blended with mashed potatoes, topped with porcini mushroom gravy with fresh rosemary, a combination that's right up my alley.

The Strawberry Lemonade from the drinks bar was most refreshing, I mixed it with organic unsweetened green tea and while waiting for my food to be brought to my table I noticed that the VeggieGrill even offers locally produced craft beer and wine choices.

Even though the interior has "fast food" written all over, the silverware sets wrapped in napkins already waiting on each table give the place a bit of a more upscale feel.

The steamed kale was just right, tender but not overcooked, and so was the perfectly seasoned ginger-miso dressing. Mashed potatoes is one of my comfort foods, the blended in cauliflower and the savory mushroom sauce turns this simple dish into a creamy and fluffy delicacy.

There was no room left for one of the reasonably price desserts, Carrot Cake for $ 3.75, with fresh carrots, walnuts, topped with cream cheese frosting. Maybe next time.

I must have liked the food, when I was done the bowls were (almost) licked clean.

Links:

The VeggieGrill has currently 24 restaurants in Southern and Northern California, Oregon and Washington.
http://www.veggiegrill.com/index.html

Photography: http://www.cocoonworx.com

SEEDS FOR SOWING GOODNESS

5/8/2014

Don't we all have those days when we wish things would be as simple as black and white with nothing in between, without the millions of shades of grey that make our world as complex as it is? All the madness on this planet might be fixed easily if there was only either "good" or "bad".

For some unknown reason though the Universe doesn't work like that. Instead, we are all part of that mind blowing web called "life", where all is connected, where each single action of each single person matters and all is one.

It is my deepest desire to be part of something good, to be one of the many tiny little seeds in our society who crave for fundamental change on this planet, and who want to contribute somehow with something in this process of awakening the kind of human qualities that are lacking, but essential in becoming what we claim to be: HUMANE.

I chose Vegetable Seeds as a symbol of life, of new beginnings and of nurturing the human mind and soul, and combined them with one of my passions - being creative - for sowing Goodness and ultimately growing KINDNESS, COMPASSION, PEACE, HARMONY and HAPPINESS, envelope by envelope and seed by seed.

Contact for free logo personalization for businesses, organizations and non-profits and for wholesale.

Links:

http://www.welcometoplanetvegan.com/store.html

http://www.thecreativeideashop.com/seed-gifts.html

why are carrots good for your business?

5/7/2014

Originally - and that is 5,000+ years ago, Carrots were not grown for food but for a variety of ailments.

Based on the information historical documents and paintings provide, that's how long Carrots have been around and planted by humankind, also often mistaken for parsnips, one of their close relatives. Carrots were anything but orange back then, they were purple, red, white, and yellow. That is until the 16th century, when Dutch carrot growers invented the orange Carrot in honor of the House of Orange, the Dutch Royal Family. Cross breeding pale yellow with red Carrots resulted in the bright orange colored Carrot we know today.

With its measly 25 calories and 6 grams of carbs, but 2 grams of fiber per average size Carrot, this vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin A, giving you more than 200% of your daily requirement in just one Carrot. Furthermore these pretty edible roots are loaded with beta-carotene, a compound that is naturally converted to vitamin A when consumed. The deeper orange the Carrot, the more beta-carotene you’re getting.

Carrots are good for your eye-sight, for your bowels, for preventing or treating allergies and rheumatism, killing germs in the mouth and maintaining healthy gums, supporting liver function, and improving your skin and its tone. Carrots help reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood and the risk of heart disease, regulating blood sugar and lowering the risk of cancer development.

You may have known all of the above. But ...

Did you know that Carrots also provide excellent medicinal uses for your business too?

Carrots given out as Seeds are a powerful promotional ailment with health benefits for your business kicking in from the moment they are given out. The initial impact this giveaway causes what is known as the mental and physiological state of "surprise", triggering positively valenced emotions, followed by anticipation and the excitement of planting and experiencing the growing process from seeds to edible vegetables.

The carotene content of the harvested Carrots, providing a powerful anti-oxidant, becomes invaluable in the second phase of this all natural and organic treatment, which through consumption, helps your clients and prospects to protect their brains from oxidative stress, and ultimately supports the three main stages in the formation and retrieval of memory:

ENCODING - receiving, processing and combining the given information
STORAGE - creating of a permanent record of the encoded information
RETRIEVAL - calling back the stored information in response to your efforts

In other words - Carrots make your business more memorable.

Contact THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP with your inquiry for a Carrot business treatment tailored to your needs.

Click here for more information about Carrot Seed Cards with FREE Logo Personalization and many other ideas for creatively using Seeds for GREEN, VEGAN AND ORGANIC business marketing and promotions.

Links:

http://www.TheCreativeIdeaShop.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot

The farm bistro in the big city

5/6/2014

Susan Placek, Owner of WELCOME TO PLANET VEGAN & THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

A tractor is not necessarily what one would expect to find in the middle of a big city like L.A, you'll find it in front of the Sage Vegan Bistro though in Culver City, California. After planning on going there for a long time, finally last weekend I made it happen.

Flowering artichokes, herbs, fruit and greens planted along the parking lot give patrons a nice first impression. The spacious outdoor beer garden is the perfect place for those sizzling hot Southern California days where olive trees provide plenty of natural shade for enjoyable meals.

The simple but unique look of the restaurant interior design, a combination of rustic wood and metal supported by farm themed decor is an invitation to come for dinner, to be part of the crowd and indulge in a plant based feast at the long main table of Sage Vegan Bistro.

Arriving later in the afternoon we were able to choose from both, the lunch and the dinner menu and I must say, I had a hard time making up my mind with every dish being guilt free and many choices offered.

Sipping on green tea and just this time passing on the many beer, drink and wine choices, we decided to order the Jamaican Jerk Burger, a patty made from black beans and walnuts, with jerked crimini and leeks, sliced refreshing mango, caramelized onions and mango saffron aioli. Who needs meat?

Our second choice was the "Fish" Taco made from Jackfruit with avocado and spicy cashew cheese.
On a side note, next time I'll trade the chips for the optional lettuce.

For dessert we sampled a scoop of "Vacation" ice cream with banana, coconut and chocolate flavor. The dessert menu isn't overly big and the lack of desserts featuring fresh fruit was a bit disappointing to me but overall, it's a great place to go for good and very tasty food.

We'll be back on a Thursday or Sunday evening, when live music adds to the vegan dining experience, slowly working our way through the menu.

The lunch invitation I owe to a friend of mine gives me the chance to check out the second location, in Echo Park. I am thinking of Saturday or Sunday Brunch ....

Links:

Sage Vegan Bistro
http://sageveganbistro.com/index.html

Photography Susan Placek/CocoonWorx
http://www.cocoonworx.com/
http://www.TheCreativeIdeaShop.com