One Lovely Blog Award

I am so honored. Reia of  The Cruelty-Free Review and fellow Coloradoan, nominated me for the Lovely Blog Award! It was such a lovely surprise. Since I started Epicurean Vegan 2-1/2 years ago, I have come to know so many wonderful people and their blogs. This is a great opportunity for me to pass on the award and nominate some of my favorite bloggers. Thank you, Reia for the nomination!

So, here’s how this thing works . . .

• Link back to the blogger who nominated you
• Paste the award image somewhere on your blog
• Tell readers 7 things about you
• Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award
• Contact your nominees and let them know about the award

Well . . . here goes:

1.) I love anything to do with the creative arts: writing, drawing, painting, DIY projects, sewing, you name it. I even owned my own handmade greeting card business for 10 years and sold cards to stores throughout the state. I hope to break into the children’s book market someday soon. My historical nonfiction will be out next spring and I’m toying with the idea of making a novel I wrote, an e-book.

2.) I’ll admit it. I’m a bleeding heart liberal, (which I wear on my sleeve—the heart, not the liberal).

3.) I have lots of fears: flying, water/boating, sometimes biking…and I’m a total worrier (but getting better, including about to board a four-seater plane this Thursday for Jackson Hole—what was I thinking?!)

4.) I love all kinds of music, but my favorite is Pete Yorn. You must check him out if you haven’t already. But my first music crush was Corey Hart, as in “Sunglasses at Night.” Memorized every word to every one of his songs when I young.

5.) I’m an avid reader. One of my favorite books is The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kay.

6.) I would love to open a vegan delicatessen someday (after I win the lottery).

7.) I have a tattoo of a guitar on my right arm, in honor of my father who passed away 5-1/2 years ago.

My nominees are . . . (in no particular order)

1.) Crash Test Vegetarian Such a fun blog! Izzy combines humor and honesty in her posts and cooks up some pretty awesome recipes. Her potato soup is outstanding!

2.) That Was Vegan? Barb is another fellow Coloradoan, but that’s not the only reason I like her! Her recipes are always fun, colorful, and tasty. I love that she’s not afraid to throw in a few vegan “junk foods” every once in while. I’m really anxious to try her Strawberry Jalapeno Salsa!

3.) Anecdotes and Applecores I absolutely adore Monet! And who wouldn’t?! She is so kind and always leaves the sweetest comments on my blog. She’s such a delightful blogger and fellow writer. She’s also a baker extraordinaire. You must see her beautiful creations—she a whiz with flour and frosting! Not all of her recipes are vegan, but are mostly vegetarian, many of which I have bookmarked.

4.) Hooked and Happy Another Coloradoan and dear friend. Carolyn and I met in a novel-writing class back in 2003. If you’re ever looking for a clever tip or trick, Carolyn is the one to ask! As a mother of two young daughters (and totally type A—love ya, Carolyn)! she is full of fantastic ideas to keep kids busy, keep yourself organized, and maintaining your sanity. She crochets some pretty awesome baby/toddler hats, too and plans on opening an etsy shop soon. Can’t wait!

5.) New Age Vegan  This blog is packed full of awesome vegan-ness! Aiming to spread vegan awareness, the thoughtful and insightful contributors on NAV hold discussions, interviews, and support the efforts of vegans everywhere. This blog is a great resource for even the veteran vegan!

6.) Please Pass the Tofu Teresa offers unique vegan recipes one pink plate at a time! Teresa always has a kind word to say when commenting about others’ posts, too. Her tater tot casserole is brilliant!

7.) The Gay Vegans I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and Dan at the Sustainability Fair last year (yes, more fellow Coloradans!) They are the nicest, kindest, folks who care so much about their community and making it a better place. They’re never afraid to step up to the plate and rally on behalf of animals and fellow human beings, and fight against injustices. They are such a delightful pair! (And Mike’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls are to die for)!

8.) Suburban Snow White Such a fun blog! SSW is always insightful and creative in her posts, from vegan food to vegan news to vegan awareness. She poses great questions and gets you to think about issues and new perspectives—all with humor and wit.

9.) The Veracious Vegan I had the great opportunity to meet Angela when she visited Boulder last year from Washington D.C. A total adrenalin junkie (car racing, cliff jumping, skydiving), Angela kicked my butt on a hike around the Flatirons before we grabbed lunch and some quick shopping on Pearl Street. She offers restaurant reviews from all over the country (I could see her flying her own plane), vegan product reviews, and recipes.

10.) Vegan Thyme Kelly of VT will entertain you with her fun anecdotes and musings while offering an amazing vegan recipe! And her pictures are always gorgeous—they make me want to visit her for tea and scones. I’ll just listen while she chats and knits something beautiful.

11.) Mile High Healthy Yep, you guessed it. . . another Coloradoan! If you need some inspiration to get healthy, you’ve got to meet Shelley. She’s the epitome of a healthy vegan—and lucky for us, she shares her secrets! From her workouts to what she eats to her amazing hiking adventures, she’ll get you off the couch and signed up for exercise boot camp!

12.) Luminous Vegans LV offers great vegan resources as well as delicious recipes and everything veg. Always with wit and humor, LV’s posts are fun to read—not to mention look at because the pictures are great!

13.) The Vegan Road Patrick and Kristine offer great recipes with beautiful pictures, as well as useful vegan news and advice. It’s also just a nice-looking, easy to navigate website that makes you want to stay a while.

14.) Carrie on Vegan If you like kale, nuts, and smoothies, you’ll love COV! Her recipes always look so good and are most definitely healthy. Carrie also takes readers with her when she travels, giving practical advice and amazing recipes for car food!

15.) Olives for Dinner OFD is such a well-put together blog with beautiful photography and amazing dishes. (The ricotta-stuffed french toast with butterscotch sauce is simply brilliant). Her unique (but very doable) dishes look like something out of a gourmet magazine!

So there you have it! I hope you have a chance to visit these fantastic bloggers and say hello. Thank you again to The Cruelty-Free Review for the lovely nomination!