Vegan Shoe Line Beyond Skin Needs Your Help

Fashionable vegan footwear line Beyond Skin needs your help!

Beyond Skin is a 10 year old, self-funded, indie, UK vegan footwear label dedicated to designing cruelty-free, luxury shoes for stylish, discerning ladies.  Their current line is considered more of a luxury “boutique” one, meaning high style at a slightly higher price point.  Although the luxury line is fabulous, they have aspirations to create a new diffusion line.  This one will feature 10 styles, which have been designed for everyday wear at a more affordable price-point. This to me is a fantastic idea, being it’ll bring vegan and ethical footwear to the masses and a more pocket friendly price.  Plus, they’re all classic styles meaning they go with everything and will last season after season.

To help fund their new line, they created a Kickstarter campaign.  It’s only live for another 15 days, so if you want to support vegan fashion for the masses, be sure to do so today!

You learn more about the Kickstarter campaign as well as it’s perks by visiting here.

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My Summer Vacations / According to Instagram

Sorry it’s been so quiet around here lately. This lucky girl got to go on not one, not two, but THREE extended weekends in a row so far this summer.

The first weekend I went with two of my friends to Vermont to attend the Wanderlust yoga festival. The following week, Jim and I had a wedding to attend in Philly so we hit up the city of brotherly love for a few extra days. Lastly, over July 4th Jim and I did our now annual trek to Boston to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. We love Boston during July 4th because majority the historical sites important to our country’s independence are right there and we are big time history nerds.

I’m finally back in Brooklyn with no joke, around 800 photos to sort through.  I suspect that’s going to take me a while, so for now I wanted to share some of the highlights of each weekend via Instagram.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom // The lodge where we took our first yoga class / Vegan, gluten-free pizza by Pizza for the People / Our pre-hike “hydration” / Gorgeous view at the top of Stratton, which made the difficult hike worth it!

Left to Right, Top to Bottom // The Philly skyline on our first day / Eastern State Penitentiary, by far one of my favorite highlights of summer so far / Vegan ice-cream at Little Baby’s Ice Cream / The Sphinx at the Penn Museum at Penn University

Left to Right, Top to Bottom // The Old State House in Boston, where the Boston Massacre happened (our hotel was across the street! / The Museum of Fine Arts / Brunch at North Street Grille in the North End on July 4th / The Cheers Bar!!

Are you on Instagram?  If so hit me up!  My handle is @BrooklynBliss.

Blogging Breaks and Traveling Pink Lips Vegan Cuts Box Giveaway Winner

image credit: www.wesleyumcwausauwi.org

After the Seed and my work travel to San Antonio, I’ve been crazy busier than expected. All good stuff, but my work hours have been longer, my social calendar more packed, and I’ve just had zero time to blog!

This all bums me out, but I have a lot of great stuff that’s happened since my last post, as well as coming up in the next several weeks so I’m expecting July will be jam-packed with lots of post content.  Between me leaving for Wanderlust in Vermont this week, a long weekend in Philly for a wedding and Jim and my annual 4th of July trip to Boston, I’ll have no shortage of updates once I return from this hopefully short-lived blogging break.

In the event you still want to follow along with me on my travels, you can always feel free to check in with me on Twitter or Instagram.  I’m still relatively active on those during my blogging breaks.

In the meantime, with all this business I totally spaced out and forgot to announce the Traveling Pink Lips VeganCuts giveaway winner!

And the winner is (drum roll please)…

Erica Wollman!

Erica, please contact me for Holly‘s (at Traveling Pink Lips) contact info so you can claim your prize.

I hope everyone’s been enjoying their summer so far and you’ll hear from me again soon!

My Seed Experience

I’m back from San Antonio!  While I had a great time getting to meet up with all my colleagues, customers and vendors I always feel better once I get back to NYC.  I’m such a big city girl it’s not even funny.

So I got back on Friday, just in time for me to prepare to speak at the Seed on Saturday.  The event was beyond my expectations.  I had a great time not only visiting all the vendor tables and trying lots of food, but also getting to meet and listen to many of the other speakers.  I also finally got to try that Cinnamon Snail truck everyone raves about and OMG was it amazing.

If you missed it, I talked about how to transition to a cruelty-free wardrobe, which I had previously posted about here.  To my surprise, during my talk the room completely filled up and was standing room only (aside from the few chairs in the front row, which you see in the photos below).  Cruelty-free fashion is apparently a hot topic!

For those of you who attended the Seed and came to see me speak, it was so great to finally get to meet you in person!  I loved getting to meet everyone and hope to get to participate in similar events in the future.

Come See Me At the Seed This Weekend

If you are in the New York City area this weekend, be sure to check out the Seed Expo.  I’ll be speaking!

The Seed is a huge vegan event being held from May 18th and 19th here in NYC at 82 Mercer. There will be lots of delicious vegan food, products, services, world-renowned speakers, films, and more. Best part about the Seed is it’s designed around a more “veg-curious” crowd, meaning if you are not currently vegan but are interested in the lifestyle, it’s a great place to come on out and see what it’s all about.

To my surprise, the organizers of the event have invited me to be a featured speaker! I’m on at 4:15 on Saturday, and will be talking about how to successfully transition to a cruelty-free wardrobe.

Will you be attending the Seed? If so I’d love to meet you so let me know!

Guest Post and VeganCuts Giveaway / Traveling Pink Lips- CLOSED

To start of, I would like to thank Corrie for having me here on Brooklyn Bliss. Here’s to a check off my bucket list 😉 She has helped me make a very rational decision last week, hair cutting involved. Corrie is the girlfriend you want to have around you! She knows fashion, stands for animals and knows how to cook a meal!

When Corrie asked me to be a guest blogger, I knew exactly what I wanted to share with you all, a review of my 3-month Vegan Cuts Snack Box subscription! For those of you who don’t know, VeganCuts started a movement a little while ago where they ship a monthly box filled with great snacks and coupons.

Let’s start, shall we?

February:

I started my subscription in February. After hearing a few reviews from the January snack box I knew it was time for me to give in. Now, this review is my personal opinion and taste. Let’s keep this in mind 🙂 Alright, back to business, we are. This box was my least favorite of them all.

My First VeganCuts’s Snack Box!

VeganCuts’s Snack Box Of February!

A few of my favorite items in this box were Simply 7 Pomegranate Chips, Dang Coconut Chips, and Surf Sweets Fruity Hearts! This box was sweet and love filled. The Dang Coconut Chips were amazing. I decided to take this box to work and have at it then. I loved them the most. I took the Pure Fit Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip bar with me to a wedding as my “survival snack” just in case this herbivore didn’t find anything to bite on. It was enjoyable and a good call! Along with these came one of The Merry Hempsters’s Organic Lip Balm, Righteously Raw Divine Mint Chocolate Square and more sweets. The coconut chips and pomegranate chips kept me in good spirit from this box.

I give this box a 5.

March:

The month of March was an exciting one! Between my 25th birthday, trip to California and endless work hours, a box in the mail was the perfect wind down! My snack box for the month of March came in right after I came back from LA and I couldn’t wait to see what was in store.

VeganCuts’s March Snack Box!!!

Barre Snack Bar, Nyl Body Lotion and Caramel Pops!

The Vegg, Earth Balance, VBar, Falafel Chips, Nyl Body lotion!

WOW! What A Haul!

Okay, this box was the complete “redeemer”, if you know what I mean! I was SO happy when I opened it. The first thing that caught my eyes and stomach was the Earth Balance Vegan White Aged Cheddar Puffs. I have been hearing about them for a while and I was super excited to finally have a bite at it. Delicious! They taste exactly like the regular puffs but of course MUCH better! Next up, CocomoCorn Caramel Pops, my mum fell in love with them and may have taken the bag from me. That’s a good review, right? I had no idea there was such thing as falafel chips so this was a total surprise for me. I wasn’t too crazy about them. Perhaps it was because I am not too crazy for falafel? Now, the best part of this box was the Sunflower/Cranberry Vbar!

Cranberry/Sunflower Vbar from Benefit Foods.

Vbar Sunflower/Cranberry From Benefits Foods!

It was the best bar I have ever had in my life. The savory Sunflower Nut Butter is what held this snack bar together. I love cranberries so this was another win. The brown rice cereal gave this Vbar a crispy touch and pleasant joy. I loved this Vbar and I can’t wait until I can find it in stores. If you find the chance to try this bar, go at it! You won’t be disappointed! The Equal Exchange Dark Mini Chocolate has been by far my favorite chocolate bar to taste. It was smooth and rich and not too dense. I was expecting a robust taste like other dark chocolate bars but not this one! Overall this box was exciting, I got to taste some awesome new products on the market and fell in love with chocolate.

I give this box a 7.

April:

And this was the month is the end of so ends my snack box subscription. I have had a lot of fun with this subscription. And I hate to see it go. I am thinking about renewing for another 3-month but I guess I will see what the May box holds.. I may have gone for another, hehe.

April’s Vegan Snack Box From Vegan Cuts!

Favourite Box This Month!

Cheeze Me, Please!

The ultimate win of the month! I was very happy, excited and ready to dig into this box. Some of the products sent I already had a taste at. One of my favorite products from this box was the Hazelnut Caffeine-Free Herbal Coffee from Teecciano. Wow! I never thought I’d see the day.

Hazelnut Flavoured Herbal Coffee From Teecciano!

Everyone knows I love coffee! I can’t help it; it is one of the things signed under my name. This herbal coffee was delicious. I was impressed. I didn’t think I would have enjoyed it. The hazelnut flavor was sweet and just right. I must admit, I was little skeptical after reading the ingredient list to find “dates” which I am not too much of a fan of but I couldn’t taste it one bit. Fantastic!

New Products, Yes Please!

I am currently using Meow Meow Tweet Cocoa Lip Balm and I like it a lot, minimal ingredients [candelilla wax, *cocoa butter, *hempseed oil, and *virgin coconut oil (*certified organic)] and the ultimate moisture. I have yet to try Milas’s Roasted Peppers & Artichoke Bruschetta but I can already tell I will enjoy it. Overall, this box was great and I loved it. It was a nice one to end this snack box relationship. Included was one of Teese’s Mozzarella Vegan Cheese was the cherry on the top. Of course I made pizza right away!

I give this box a 9.

Final Verdict:

Vegan Cuts’s Snack Box is a must try! You are guaranteed to find new products and tons of coupons. If you’re not ready to plunge into a 3-month subscription no problem, you can try it for a month for $19.95 shipping included. You can’t say no to that. Each box is filled with great sized-snacks and products to love, forever. Can’t find the products in your local store? Don’t fret, Vegan Cuts also provides a section with a product list of the month www.vegancuts.com/big!

Note: Caring is sharing! This is my personal review and honest opinion, eh! Unless otherwise stated, everything I review has been purchased by me and at my own risk! –TPL

NOW on to the fun stuff, a giveaway! Yes, a giveaway 🙂 One lucky winner will get the chance to experience their very own VeganCuts’s Monthly Snack Box! This box will be given by me, Holly of Traveling Pink Lips and will be for the month of June. And also open to both Canada & US!

TPL & Brooklyn Bliss Giveaway!!!

1. Like Brooklyn Bliss on Facebook/ Facebook.com/BKBliss
2. Follow @Veganadian on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway!
3. Leave a comment below and share with us which one of these boxes would have made it on your favorite list and why.

This giveaway is open until May 24th, 11:59pm EST. Open to both Canada & US!

I’d like to thank, Corrie for having me on Brooklyn Bliss and I look forward to read all of your entries 🙂

You can find more of me on www.travelingpinklips.com where I share restaurant reviews, product reviews and personal rant. It is lovely do stop by!

–TravelingPinkLips

Neon I’ve Missed You

WHAT I’M WEARING // YASSO Faux Leather Jacket // AMERICAN APPAREL Tee // VICTORIA’S SECRET Jeggings // WANTED Studded Loafers // CORNELIA GUEST Bag

The one thing that I didn’t like about having bright red hair is that it clashed horribly with neon. Last summer I went on a huge neon kick and picked up tons of pieces in highlighter yellow.  I absolutely love it!  But alas, I couldn’t have both the awesome red hair and the neon with it, so I’ve gone months without wearing one of my favorite colors.

Now that my hair is back to my natural color, that means I can wear it again.  Oh neon, I’ve missed you!

On a totally unrelated note, this entire week I’ve had to wear flats and I’m so not used to it.  I had broken my foot a few years ago and noticed this week after an intense Crossfit session it was starting to bother me in the same exact place.  For fear I may have re-fractured it, I figured it best I stay off of it and stick to flats for the next week or so to allow it to get back to normal.  I miss my heels though!

Is there a color you love that you feel forced to stay away from?

Vegan Versions / Iridescent

STELLA MCCARTNEY // Iridescent Sequined Top$877.48

Though we’re still pretty early into spring, one big trend you can expect to see a lot of this season is iridescent. Iridescent doesn’t necessarily mean sequins and shimmer, but more of a holographic type look which if you ask me is WAY cool!

Vegan’s don’t have to miss out on all the fun. Here’s some of my favorite pieces out in stores that are vegan friendly and rock this trend HARD. Even vegan designer hero Stella McCartney has several items in her spring line which make being vegan and on-trend totally lust worthy.  I kinda want every piece in her shoe collection right now.

Here’s some great high and low budget items to work the trend.

FOREVER 21 // Iridescent Crescent Necklace $6.80

CHARLOTTE RUSSE // Clear Heel Iridescent Lace-Up Bootie $54.50

 

 

 

 

TOUCH UPS // Tammy Loafer  $37.99

BCBGENERATION // Rockie Dress Sandals $89.00

STELLA MCCARTNEY // Mirror Prism Pump $760

STELLA MCCARTNEY // Faux-Snake Flat Ankle-Wrap Sandal $445

STELLA MCCARTNEY //  Silver Irridescent Snake Print Ballet $395

 

 

What do you think of the iridescent trend?

 

 

 

 

Eating Vegan Paleo / Baked Sweet Potato with Beans and Greens

For the past several months since I’ve gone grain-free, I’ve been on the search for really quick, easy to make “lazy day” meals that will keep me satisfied without hitting up Seamless for takeout.  These types of recipes are especially important for me when my work schedule gets insane and my days really long.

While perusing Pinterest one day I came across this recipe on the Kitchn and have been hooked making variations of it ever since.  The formula is pretty simple.  Take a baked sweet potato, and stuff it with a tasty combination of beans and greens. Depending on how you cook the potato, it can be ready to eat in 10 minutes start to finish.

If I have some extra time, I’ll actually roast the sweet potato in the oven (which takes an hour).  Otherwise, if I’m being super lazy it just goes in my microwave on the baked potato setting.  The beans and greens get sautéed in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and maybe some onions or shallots while the potato cooks.  They also can be mixed and matched depending on what you are in the mood for.

Here’s some examples of the different variations I’ve made:

The Original

(i.e. the Kitchn version)- Sweet potato, kale, white beans.

The Mexican

Sweet potato, spinach, black beans and top with salsa and avocado.

The Italian

Sweet potato, broccoli rabe, chickpeas and a squeeze of lemon juice. (shown above, this one was AMAZING)

The Clean-Out-the Fridge

Sweet potato, whatever greens are in my fridge, whatever beans are in my cabinet.  It can also include other “leftovers” from that week.  One particularly good version included some leftover lentil salad I had made for the bean component.

The possibilities are pretty endless.  Plus it’s pretty damn tasty.

What’s your favorite “lazy day” recipe?

Little Black Dress / The Lack of Sleep Cure

WHAT IM WEARING // KAREN KANE Wrap Dress (very old via Filene’s Basement) // TARGET Vivian Heels // JUSTFAB Cuff // CORNELIA GUEST Nicholas Satchel

As you can see, spring is in full bloom here in Brooklyn!   Here’s my first post with my new hair.  What do you think?

This LBD (little black dress) has been in my wardrobe for probably 8 years now.  Last time it made an appearance on the blog was in 2010 I think!  It’s true testimony that every girl’s wardrobe needs the perfect LBD.  Actually, multiple LBD’s if you ask me.  This is technically my “daytime” LBD.  It works for day or evening, but is a little too casual for cocktail or formal events.  I have a sexier Dolce & Gabbana one that I wear to those.

Not only is this wrap version very flattering on, but since it’s a jersey knit it’s INCREDIBLY comfortable.  Just like jammies.  Any time I roll out of bed, have no idea what to wear and am incredibly cranky I always put this on.  This was the case the day these photos were taken, I had literally gotten only 4 hours sleep due to my cat waking me up multiple times in the middle of the night.  I’m not embarrassed I was so tired I actually cried.  She’s such a brat.

I also like to wear this dress a lot when I travel for work.  Jersey wrap dresses are just as comfortable to wear on planes for hours at a time as leggings and a sweatshirt.

So lesson of the day is, if you’ve gotten zero to no sleep, try a little black dress.  No one will know the difference.

Do you have a go to LBD?