I look forward to the Humane Society’s Genesis Awards every year because it’s a great evening full of delicious vegan food, rubbing elbows with celebrities and honoring people who do wonderful things for the animals. The entertainment industry is usually just that, entertainment, but on this night, Tinsel Town goes all out to shed light on those who love and help the voiceless in all aspects of the media.

This year, I met some exciting new people who I’ve not met in years past and again, got to devour a incredible meal. Back at The Beverly Hilton for the 26th Annual Genesis Awards, the gourmet vegan dinner was prepared by house chef, Chef Suki. Here is what this year’s Genesis attendees, along with my hungry self enjoyed:

• Salad – Arugula and field greens with champagne cashew cheese
• Entree – Encrusted vegan grain cutlet with tomato sauce and braised veggies
• Dessert – Mango custard and vanilla cake encased in chocolate dessert cups
  

  Delicious vegan meal by Chef Suki

After dinner came the award show. A star studded event that was kicked off by the veg friendly songstress, Colbie Calait. Hosted by Dancing With The Star’s Carrie Ann Inaba, the show was full fun highlights, laughs and some tears.  The HSUS’s 26th Genesis Awards celebrity presenters and attendees included Kaley Cuoco, Bill Maher, Colbie Caillat, Deepak Chopra, Ke$ha, Jason Ritter, Sophia Bush, Kristin Bauer van
Straten, John Bernthal, Rose McGowan, Bill Maher, Wendie Malick, Moby, Cloris Leachman, Fiona Gubelmann, Penelope Ann Miller, Pauley Perrette, Michael Vartan, Wilmer Valderrama and Uggie the Dog. Check out who took home top honors this year:

All smiles with Jason Ritter

• FEATURE FILM – RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX/CHERNIN ENTERTAINMENT
• FEATURE DOCUMENTARY – BORN TO BE WILD 3D – WARNER BROS. PICTURES, IMAX CORPORATION
• SID CAESAR COMEDY AWARD – THE COLBERT REPORT – COMEDY CENTRAL
• DRAMATIC SERIES – HAWAII FIVE-0 – “Lapa’au” – CBS

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING

• TEEN – NICK NEWS WITH LINDA ELLERBEE , “Dangerous Crossroads: Human Animal vs. Wild Animal” – NICKELODEON
• PRE-SCHOOL -SID THE SCIENCE KID – “Save the Stump!” PBS KIDS
• TV NEWSMAGAZINE – 20/20 – ABC
• NATIONAL NEWS – NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
• LOCAL NEWS FEATURE – KTLA NEWS AT 10 (Los Angeles)
• LOCAL NEWS SERIES – WOIO-TV ACTION NEWS (Cleveland)
• MORNING NEWS SHOW – TODAY – NBC
• TALK SHOW – THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW – SYNDICATED
• TV DOCUMENTARY – GORDON RAMSAY: SHARK BAIT – BBC AMERICA
• REALITY SERIES – ANIMAL PLANET INVESTIGATES: CAPTIVE HUNTING EXPOSED
• BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL – THE MEDAN CONNECTION – CARTE BLANCHE M-NET SOUTH AFRICA
  

  Uggie mugs on the red carpet

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• MAGAZINE – VANITY FAIR – “Agony and Ivory”
• SERIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES – MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
• ONLINE AWARD – THE ATLANTIC.COM
• BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL – THE INDEPENDENT (UK)
• WILLIAM WILBERFORCE AWARD – PRISM – “A Call to Compassion”
• THE WYLER AWARD – IAN SOMERHALDER, INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN

After the awards, attendees party the night away at a food and booze filled reception. Photo booths, video games and other goodies, the reception is where everyone let’s loose and enjoys the rest of the evening. As always, the yummy desserts and post award show treats are vegan with savory finger foods to decadent cheesecakes. The silent auction is chock full of incredible prizes, with all proceeds going to the Humane Society.

Blowin' it up with Ke$ha

Stay tuned for my red carpet coverage coming soon and maybe you can join me next year!! Be sure to catch the 26th Annual Genesis Awards on Animal Planet on May 5, 2012 at 4pm.

Giggling with Cloris

The HSUS’s 26th Genesis Awards is sponsored in part by Misix, Market Development Group, The InterGroup Corporation, Hilton San Francisco Financial District, One Car One Difference, Prai Beauty Group, Tenet, Euro RSCG Edge, Honda, IMAX, Warner Bros., The Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation, American Dog Rescue and Modern Dog.

Making his big splash this past weekend, The Lorax is a bona fide hit. For kids, it’s a fun world filled with color and whimsy while adults are faced with its eco message. Sure, it’s an animated film where swelling orchestrated music and manipulated characters really lay it on thick but the message is all to real nonetheless.

Despite it’s new 3D debut, the story of The Lorax is over 40 years old. Meaning that the wonderful Dr. Suess had put pen to paper, warning the younger generation about pollution and safeguarding our resources long before it was trendy to do so.

So whether you believe in global warming or not, I think we can all agree that pollution is bad as is wasting our resources. If you have children or even if you can appreciate the complexity and art that goes into making a 3D animated film, it might be worth your time to head to the theater and heed the call of The Lorax!

You may have heard the news that our fave funny gal Ellen and her lovely wife Portia were opening a vegan eatery here in LA. With partners musician Chrissie Hynde and Hollywood producer Steve Bing, along with top vegan chef, Tal Ronnen, the details have been kept on the very much on the d.l.

But the news has leaked just a tad, giving us a hint as to where it is and what it might look like! Taking over a Studio City tapas restaurant, Bokado, the mega anticipated plant based hot spot is set to open in late February.

As Angelenos and veggie tourists wait with baited breath, get a sneak peek of the possible look as it seems they have hired designer Waldo Fernandez to give their locale some chic pizazz!

Stay tuned for more information on the opening, menu and more!

Written by Shannen Doherty

Nope, don’t really know what this means either. My recent stag trip to Amsterdam is making it hard for me to understand the post title I jotted down while I was there! If anyone knows what IP mean by “the season of festivals” I would be happy to know!

Cost saving I can give you some advice on. Hang on – maybe I was thinking about how you could go to a festival as a stag party! That would be pretty cool, wouldn’t it? Pack yourself of to Glasters with a bunch of old buds and more cider than it would take to sink a ship, and you’ve got yourself a ready made mudbath of a stag weekend…

OK, so let’s run with that. If you want to do the festival season on the cheap you are going to have to wait until next summer – unless of course you want to head up to Tromso in Norway to join the light-starved insanity that makes most of the winter months one long festival… Though you know, that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Just keep the noise down a bit when you do, I’m, going there on my honeymoon in February ; )

There are some pretty useful articles here and there about how to save money at festivals: a good place to start if you are thinking of going all hippy for your stag do. SO here’s some advice that should work for everyone, whatever festival they choose to make into a stag event:

1: Book your travel as early as you can, unless you want to end up paying a million quid for a train ticket. If you want to be really clever, get down to the area the day before everyone else, and walk up to the venue nice and early on opening day morning. Then you can set your tents up and get drinking while the rest of the world is still in a traffic jam.

2: Pillows = lame. A festival is about staying awake for three days and eventually passing out in a hedge. If you really have to have a pillow, take a pillowcase and fill it with dirty clothes when you need to sleep.

3: Get a decent tent. Thinking of saving money by getting a cheap tent is false economy. It will break and then you’ll have to buy another one., Or sleep in a puddle.

4: Leave all your good shoes and sneakers at home. The only footwear you need at a decent festival is one pair of willies and one pair of flip flops. Socks are optional (don’t bother). All footwear will end up ruined so make it cheap and waterproof.

5: Take all the cash you think you will need before you get there. Keep it safe with a money belt. Your only other option is to queue for three hours to pay for the privilege of getting your own money out at on site cash machines. Hardly rock n roll, is it.

6: Take cheap clothes only. Festivals are not about looking glam, they’re about rolling around in a mudbath listening to extremely loud music. But a few cheap pairs of shorts and a load of cheap t shirts from your local discount store. You’ll never regret it!

A festival is actually a pretty awesome way to have a stag do. And remember, as it’s your stag, you get to pick which bands you see and when. Make the most of it.

For more information on stag weekends, please contact us!

It’s the new year and you want to make some healthier changes in your life. Some may find it hard to kick the processed or junk food habit so I thought I’d share this video with you on how some of your favorite flavors are actually made in a lab, just the same as out household cleaning products! Yuck!

2011, the first full year of new decade, the decade of many achievements for the green as well as vegan movements. Well into the double digit teen years, we have quite a bit to reflect on from the past 365 days. Before I write up my “Best of 2011″ in the coming weeks, I thought I’d share some of the highlights that may inspire even more greatness in 2012!!

• Forks Over Knives finally makes it to the big screen!
• Ellen announces that she and Portia will be opening a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles
• More celebs like Katy Perry and her hubby, Russell Brand, adopt and advocate a vegan diet
• Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the role of veganism in heart disease prevention
• Vegan food truck, Sea Birds, is featured on the popular Food Network show, The Great Food Truck Race
• The Milk Documentary makes it onto DVD
• More and more vegan experts were featured on national broadcasted shows and print/online media
• The US Postal service launches the Famous Vegetarians stamp series by PETA
• Gardein products are offered nationwide at all Yard House restaurants
• The Veggie Grill and Native Foods open their first stores outside of California
• Texas holds it’s first Veggie State Fair
• The 1st all vegan bloggers conference, Vegan Vida Con, was held this year in Portland
• Starbucks launches vegan food options
• Chili’s launches veggie menu item, vegetarian tacos
• And The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen Cookbook finally hit shelves!

2011 was a great year for the green as well as the plant based and special diet groups. We can only go up from here! 3 cheers for the new year, 2012!!

For those who know me well, they know that the holidays, from Halloween on, are my favorite time of year, with Christmas being my absolute favorite. I LOVE decorating, all the festivities, the food, fun and entertainment. Growing up, I lived to hear the first holiday song played on the radio and announcements for tv specials and movies. In fact, nothing has changed! The week of Thanksgiving I start to get antsy, pulling out all of my favorite Christmas movies and books and changing my radio dial to the holiday station until January 1st.

For many, holiday traditions are what we love most so I’ve compiled a list of my hands down, all time favorite holiday specials, movies, songs and stories to share with all of you! tradition and creating new memories with friends and family are the essence of the holiday season and maybe you’ll find a little bit of nostalgia in my list that you may want to bring back this year! I would LOVE to hear about your favorite holiday memories and traditions too so feel free to comment away!!

Movies

1. A Christmas Story – I hang with Ralphie every single year, no exceptions. It is my #1, all time favorite Christmas film ever! (and iteven makes my top 10 of regular films of all time too!)
2. The Santa Clause – I love Tim Allen and I think this film is super cute, clever and Tim offers up some pretty good laugh out loud moments that play to adults
3. Christmas Vacation – A hilarious classic. I still laugh in all the same places every year!
4. Elf – Come on, Will Farrel rules. One of the best holiday movies to have come out and years!
5. It’s a Wonderful life – Yep, I cry every time
6. Nightmare Before Christmas – Tim Burton take the holidays to a whole new level
7. Edward Scissorhands – Uh, Johny Depp, duh!
8. Miracle on 34th Street (the original one) – Little Natalie Wood steals the show
9. White Christmas – I love old timey musical Christmas
10. Die Hard – Action and Christmas go hand in hand!

TV Specials

1. All Rankin & Bass Holiday Specials – It’s not Christmas until I see the heat miser dance!
2. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss cartoon) – Ah yes, this one makes me cry too!! Love Boris Karloff!
3. The Snowman – It’s a British cartoon, silent film like but to beautiful orchestrated music. It’s magical, whimsical and I adore it!
4. Peanuts Christmas – All of their holiday specials bring me back to being a kid
5. Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas – It’s an old Muppets HBO special from the 80′s. I was so stoked when I found it on dvd!
6. Donnie & Marie Christmas Special – I still have it on VHS from when I taped it off the TV in the late 70′s. It rocks!

Stories

1. The Night before Christmas
2. A Christmas Carol (the original Dickens version)
3. The Snowman

Songs

1. Bing Crosby – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
2. Stevie Wonder – What Christmas Means To Me
3. George Michel – Last Christmas
4. Power 96 – Mi Burrito Sabanero
5. BandAid – Do they Know It’s Christmas
6. Wings (Paul McCartney) – Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time
7. New Edition – Christmas All Over The World
8. Mariah Carey – All I want for Christmas is You
9. Bon Jovi – Baby Please Come Home
10. New Kids on The Block – Funky, funky Christmas
11. John Lennon – Happy Christmas
12. The Carpenters – I’ll Be Home For Christmas
13. Elton John – Step into Christmas
14. Any Christmas by Harry Connick Jr
15. Any Christmas by Michael Buble
16. The Chipmunks Christmas Song
17. Bruce Springsteen – Santa Claus is Coming to Town
18. Winter Wonderland – Jason Mraz
19. Adam Sandler – The Hanukkah Song
20. Run DMC – Christmas in Hollis

Stuff

1. Christmas music
2. Decorations (the brighter and Christmas-ier, the better)
3. Christmas parties
4. Holiday events, tree lightings, etc
5. Christmas tree smell
6. Santa
7. Collectible Christmas villages
8. Jingle bells
9. Carollers
10. Strolling through the neighborhood looking at lights
11. Wrapped gifts
12. Bubble tree lights
13. Cinnamon brooms
14. Pies and cookies baking
15. Snow

The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen hits shelves December 2011 & coming to a city near you!

Be sure to pre-order your copy today so that you are all set to join The Healthy Voyager
at 1 or a bunch of her national book signing events in late 2011/early 2012!

Keep checking back for an updated tour schedule
and feel free to contact us if you’d like to book The Healthy Voyager
for a signing and/or demo event near you!

Tour Cities, Dates and Events

December 2011

Book Launch Party – Los Angeles, CA – December 7th, 8pm-10pm

Book Signing – Miami, FL – Books & Books, Lincoln Road – December 19th, 7pm

2012

• Book Signing – Memphis, TN – The Booksellers at Laurelwood -  January 3rd, 6pm
• San Francisco, CA  – January
• Hawaii – February
• San Antonio, TX – March
• Austin,TX – March
• Dallas, TX – March
• Las Vegas
• Portland
• Seattle
• NYC
• Boston
• Chicago
• Minneapolis
• Denver
• Nashville

The newly vegan Russell Brand is showing his charitable side by getting his fans involved. In return, folks who give a little this holiday season (2 hours to one of his designated non-profits) get to go and see him and Sarah Silverman on December 11th in Los Angeles.

The lucky Branded organizations who reap the sweet benefits of fans are Habitat for Humanity, Rootstrikers, Friendly House, The Art of Elysium, Los Angeles Food Bank and Los Angeles Animal Alliance. Calling it a “love exchange”, You give one of these organizations some love and he’ll reward you with some laughs.

Watch Russell Brand explain it all below, then sign up on his Facebook page for your chance to win, both karmic-ally as well as physically!

THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT “MASTER CHEF” BEGINS WITH OPEN CASTING CALLS
STARTING SATURDAY, OCT. 29 IN LOS ANGELES
Casting Calls Continue in Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Austin,
Savannah, Chicago, Seattle, New York and San Francisco
FOX has ordered a third season of the hit culinary competition series MASTERCHEF, it was
announced today by Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting
Company.
Chef Gordon Ramsay will once again give talented amateur cooks the chance to prove to him, and to
fellow judges, restaurateur Joe Bastianich (Del Posto, Eataly) and Chef Graham Elliot (Graham Elliot,
Grahamwich), that they have what it takes to make their mark on the culinary world. In the series,
Ramsay, Bastianich and Elliot coach and critique the amateur cooks in a series of challenges
designed to test their palates, knowledge and determination to follow their dreams of making a mark
in the culinary world.
MASTERCHEF will travel to more cities than ever before to uncover the country’s very best amateur
cooks. Open casting calls begin Saturday, Oct. 29 in the following cities:
Cities Dates Venues/Times
Los Angeles Saturday, Oct. 29 Le Cordon Bleu
6370 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Boston Saturday, Nov. 5 TBA
Miami Saturday, Nov. 5 TBA
Atlanta Saturday, Nov. 12 TBA
Washington, D.C. Saturday, Nov. 12 TBA
Austin Saturday, Nov. 19 TBA
Savannah, GA Saturday, Nov. 19 TBA
Chicago Saturday, Dec. 3 TBA
Seattle Saturday, Dec. 3 TBA
New York Saturday, Dec. 10 TBA
San Francisco Saturday, Dec. 10 TBA
Additional venues will be announced soon.
Over the past two seasons, the $250,000 grand prize and Master Chef Title have gone to Jennifer
Behm, a realtor from Wilmington, DE; and Whitney Miller, a student from Poplarville, MS. Since
winning the show, Whitney Miller released her first cookbook, while Jennifer Behm is currently writing
a cookbook and already has established a successful private catering company.

Additional casting information, including forms and eligibility requirements, are available online at
www.masterchefcasting.com.
MASTERCHEF is produced by Reveille and One Potato Two Potato and is based on a format created
by Franc Roddam and Shine. Shine International handles distribution for the MASTERCHEF format.
Elisabeth Murdoch, Robin Ashbrook, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Pat Llewellyn and
Ben Adler serve as executive producers. Become a fan of the series on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/masterchef and follow the series on Twitter @masterchefonfox.
For episodic photos and more information on MASTERCHEF, please visit
http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z2z308