I’ve got a game for you. There are dozens (well, like three) versions of Macy*s new Christmas commercials featuring Martha Stewart - “The Magic of Macy*s.” But this one, that you can watch here, has a vegan reference in it.
So that’s the game: Can you spot the vegan reference in this Macy*s commercial?
If you have a moment, I would love your support for my fashion site. I am in a writing contest where the readers can win prizes too - so there is an incentive for you to go check out my entry post and then vote for me at Reality on Bravo!
At the end of last week, I started on the topic of fur in the fashion industry. I got side tracked, and didn’t share with you what I had originally stepped out to talk about.
I wanted to focus more so on fake - or faux - fur as a topic for discussion (yes, discussion, as in I would really love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and feedback too).
Rather real-looking faux-fur trim has been popping up on sweaters, jackets, and boots. 
For awhile, this form of fake animal material was being made so that it was obviously fake: it was bright pink, abnormally curly, or otherwise distinctly not found in nature.
But today’s fashions are featuring imitations that are extremely realistic. My question - is this good or bad? I cannot decide, no matter how long I debate with myself, how I feel about such lifelike animal hairs.
Argument for the fake fluff? It gives some of the people who insist on wearing such fluffernutter an alternative. True, this will not satisfy all as some certainly wear it as statement of status, and cheaper, imitation does not qualify you (apparently) for high status among high society.
Argument against? It looks real. People will mistake you for wearing the real deal, and I never want anyone to make this mistake about me.
So what do we think? Is faux fur positive? Would you wear it?
Leave a comment; or hop on over to Style Fix and leave your anonymous response in my poll about fur in the fashion world.
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It’s not just me that has been prematurely thinking about the dreaded Americanized day for turkeys. PETA sent out a holiday-themed e-newsletter yesterday.
In case you don’t subscribe, here are a few highlights:
* Enter to win one of the newer vegetarian turkey-flavored options for you fall feast. Garden Protein’s Veggie Stuffed Turkey Roast with Wild Rice and Cranberries comes with four-breastlike servings that are cholesterol, saturated fat, and cruelty-free.
* Read about PETA’s undercover investigation at the nation’s most famous (or should I say infamous?) turkey company - Butterball. The abuse shocked even veteran activists. Check out ButterballCruelty.com to see videos and find out how you can help put an end to this pointless suffering.
* Veg Cooking has all the recipes that you need to celebrate without meat!
* On PETA’s Helping Animal’s site you can learn everything you need to about traveling with companion animals.
One little thing that they forgot to mention? I just happened to see an ad on HBO the other day for a documentary all about the one and only president of PETA: Ms. Ingrid Newkirk. The special - I am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA - begins airing on HBO on Monday, November 19 at 8 p.m., and has regularly scheduled airings through the end of the year.
PETA is a good organization for many reasons. Yes, they can be extreme (though many of the cases that come to mind are likely people acting in support of PETA, not actual PETA employees). And no, I do not always agree with their tactics. But dude, check out how many contests they are having right now! I do not deny my love for free stuff and hope to win all of these goodies. But alas, I do not usually have such luck. So I will share these contests with you, and hope that at least one of us will win something.
* Type in your contact info at Caring Consumer and you will be entered to win chemical-free, non-animal-tested, completely vegan products from Nail-Aid and Anise Cosmetics. This contest comes in light of the companies’ president and founder, vegan Tam Tran, being awarded with PETA’s Trail-Blazer Award.
* This one disturbs me, so I will say it quickly: There’s this band All Time Low, and if you go here, to PETA2 you can win their new album and a signed pair of their booty shorts. They don’t like to cut open dead frogs, but apparently are okay with super short shorts that say “GET LOW” on the rear.
* Sexiest, teasingest, tease-of-them-all Dita Von Teese has been seen around town lately. 
The burlesque-style dancer was a guest on America’s Next Top Model two seasons back, is a spokesmodel for MAC cosmetics, and is now speaking up for animals. She posed for PETA’s ABC (animal birth control) campaign that’s all about controlling the pet population. To kick it all off, you can enter to win a gift certificate to MAC.
* Bands have weird names nowadays (gosh I sound old). Scary Kids Scaring Kids (SKSK) is a band name, got it? And they took pictures at Warped Tour. Now, you can win the camera they used - and all the pictures - plus two copies of their new, self-titled CD, signed by all the guys in SKSK … if that’s the kind of thing that entertains you. Me? I just like anything that is free, and I can delete the pictures and then just have a cool, new camera.
* Remember Alicia Silverstone getting naked and Houston getting mad? Well besides all that, she also told us what her fave cruelty-free products were, and now you can win some of them in a cute Matt & Nat (vegan designer) bag.
* If you enter this one and win, you have to give the prize to ActivistMommy because she will love it. You’ll get a Silverstein CD, and a pair of vegan, Rise Against Vans. (Translated, the prize is one band’s musical musings, and skateboarding shoes with the name of another band on them.)
And now you know how to win.
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PETA has a plethora of contests going on right now.
**First up, enter you veggie kids in the Cutest Vegetarian Kid in the Land contest. The winner will be features in Animal Times magazine, their local hometown newspaper, and will receive lots of animal-friendly goodies. All you have to do to enter is electronically send in your info with a picture of your child and a mini-bio on him or her. Don’t worry mom and dad - you’re off the hook. I already checked and PETA did specify that the kid has to be 12 or under.
**Living kid-free, or have ugly kids that won’t win a cute contest (just kidding!)? Try your hand a designing an online ad for PETA. Send in your simple or elaborate, professional or newbie advertisement by September 24 for a chance to be one of the top 10 finalists who will be featured on blogs around the Internet as well as PETA.org. The winner will receive an Apple gift card for $500, and the other finalists will all receive Apple gift cards for $20. Additionally, anyone who creates an (appropriate) ad should feel free to send it to me and I will post it here - just a leave a comment letting me know that you made one and I will reply to you personally.
**In the easiest-to-enter, just-fill-out-the-form contest, you can win a $25 gift certificate and a pair of one-of-a-kind PETA “Fur Free” tweezers, all from e.l.f. Cosmetics.
**Umm … and you can win $100 worth of Thomas the Tank Engine products for not taking your family to circuses with animals. I’m sure they’ll take the lead paint out before they send it to you.
PETA just game up with the cutest game ever to keep you entertained on the Internet. Super Chick Sisters is a play off of Super Mario Bros., and leads you to rescuing Pamela Anderson from the evil Kentucky Fried Cruelty Colonel Sanders while learning about chickens and having a blast. Knock down blocks to find tofu - which will make you grow bigger - and free chickens along the way.
You will not be disappointed, so what are you waiting for? Go and be entertained (and educated).
Since I love contests personally, I have rounded up some good vegetarian-based ones for your potential winning pleasures. Be sure and let me know if you win anything good!
VegCooking is hosting a “Cooking with Kids” recipe contest. Submit your best vegan kid-friendly recipe, or a creation from your child, and win a “Mommy and Me” cooking kit.
Peta2, a site aimed at teens and college-age folks, offers a constant array of giveaways including 
autographs from veg*n celebrities, stickers, trips, books, videos, and more. Plus you can earn points for vegetarian and animal activist activites that can be spent on Peta goods. It’s a must for every animal-loving 14 to 25 year old!
Vegetarian magazine VegNews is holding it’s annual poll to find the best vegetarian everything around. Just by voting you are entered to win some excellent goodies - or even a grand prize California vacation! By voting, you get the chance to recognize your favorite veg-friendly restaurants, books, cities, *ahem* blogs *cough* *livingwithoutmeat*, and lots more. It helps you, VegNews readers, and the businesses.
Happy voting, entering, and - as always - veggie eating! Good luck!
Are you the type of person who could use an extra hundred dollars, or two, or three? 451Press is running a comment contest this month where the prizes - selected at random - will be $300, $200, and $100.
What do you have to do to win? It’s easy! Just peruse 451press Web sites, and leave comments!
Start here with LWM, then visit www.451press.com to see what other sites they have to offer. After all, they are the largest blog community with over 300 blogs!
You can also see a listing of all 451 sites by scrolling all the way down to the bottom of any 451 page.
I have some favorites, but I’ll leave it to you to pick out your faves (besides mine, of course!).
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If you are just discovering my world of LWM (Living Without Meat) for the first time, or missed my previous word association, then you are in for a treat!
Here’s the deal: I give you 10 words; you comment with your first thought. Example: You see: 1. Animal:, copy and paste it into the comments so that it reads: 1. Animal:Rights. And be honest! Don’t feel like you have to post animal-friendly responses.
Let’s play…
1. Sunday:
2. Cow:
3. Movie:
4. Bush:
5. Green:
6. Farm:
7. Horrible:
8. Create:
9. Platform:
10. Humane:
Fiction Scribe just posted Unconcious Mutterings (same thing), so go play there as well.
Ever wanted to throw tomatoes at someone wearing fur? Me neither. I want to tell them why it is wrong and educate them, but I wouldn’t go so far as to throw salad at them. Unless, perhaps if it were virtual …
Click on the image to play Revenge of the Peta Tomatoes!
Forget Frogger, it’s time to free the lobsters! Don’t let the poisonous plants, polluted water, or streaming traffic get in your way as you free the lobsters. Take them from dinner plate to target: freedom!
Go and play Lobster Liberation now!
Do you know how to read? Do you like to receive packages in the mail? Do you like free stuff?
If you answered yes to the above three questions, than I have a fabulous offer for you! David Kamp’s “The United States of Arugula: The Sun-Dried, Cold-Pressed, Dark-Roasted, Extra Virgin Story of the American Food Revolution” 
is not only a national bestseller about the American food scene, but it is also something that you can get for free from me (courtesy of Random House and Broadway Books).
I’m only mid-way through reading my copy so I can only vouch for the beginning, but thus far it is very attention-catching. Kamp does a terrific job of weaving facts into interesting stories, telling the reader about famous foodie’s backgrounds, the history of cultural foods that Americans now consider everyday tastes (i.e. sushi), and more behind-the-scenes quips.
Want your own free copy? Here’s how:
Send me a vegetarian recipe.
That’s it. E-mail it to sandersen at kappapublishing dot com. Make it one that you use regularly, one that you have been meaning to try, or an old family favorite turned veggie. The only requirements are that it be meat-free, and that it is your own (you can alter one from online, but please don’t copy one exactly because I would like to share what you send me with everyone).
*Bonus points if you send the story behind the recipe, too! (meaning I may send you a little craft that I have made or a vegetarian magazine or a puzzle book or such).
What are you waiting for? It’s a freebie!
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I’m a sucker for words, a true word nerd at heart. I love playing word games like Boggle (my fave!) and … okay, you’re wondering what words have to with life as vegetarian, right?
Well over at Fiction Scribe I enjoy my favorite word play - word associations. So for a mid-afternoon, calorie-free, fitting-for-all-diets snack I offer you a vegetarian-inspired free association.
I’m giving you a list of ten words, copy and paste (or re-type) them as a comment adding after each word the first thing that pops into your mind. Remember, honesty is important! Don’t be shy, or think that you shouldn’t write non-veggie words. I want to know what honestly comes into your mind!
1. Chicken:
2. Vegetable:
3. Fish:
4. Animal:
5. Piglet:
6. Free:
7. Dinner:
8. Cooking:
9. Fruit:
10. Diet:
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Anything and everything that you've ever wanted to know about living a vegetarian lifestyle, from recipes and dietary concerns to animal rights and veganism ... and the occasional straightforward, factual post that may make you think like never before.
Living Without Meat Author(s)
» Sally-Andersen
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