Friday, October 18, 2013

Veggie Festivals!

We are so excited about Tampa Bay Veg Fest this weekend! We actually live in a city that has a Veg Fest! Feel happy for us! We have been counting down the days. And it made me think about the Texas State Veggie Fair, which we attended one year ago. I never blogged about it, so here it is. The Texas State Veggie Fair 2013 happens to also be this weekend - Sunday, October 20 in Dallas. We had a nice time - one of the bad things about living in Florida is that I love Texas, and I can't road trip there anymore. As much as I like the vegan food in Tampa, there's nothing like Spiral Diner here.

Here is a little photo journal of our day:

 all day vegan free samples - love!



Tasty Bite was another one of our favorite sample tables, but I didn't get a pic.

Finally - I found a kombucha I liked! I think this was Holy Kombucha. They were giving free samples, otherwise I would have never bought a cup for us to share. I think I've only tried different brands a couple of times before this, and I thought it was disgusting. So maybe I've just been trying the wrong ones? Suggestions? 

 I've forgotten - perhaps this was Spiral Diner?

I'm pretty sure the mac and cheese was Spiral Diner.


 This crust was really good.

These ice cream sandwiches - good idea in theory, but they were impossible to eat. When you took a bite, the icecream just spewed out of it. The cookies were too crisp with the ice cream, and the kids just ended up a sticky mess.

But Deep Fried Cinnamon Rolls
good idea all around.

I did not partake in the corn dogs because...I just cannot...it's just all too life-like and unappetizing to me. But these are what the kids were probably the most excited about.

Well, except this kid. He was most excited ALL DAY about getting fresh veggie/fruit juice. Poor guy stood in line three times, I think, and every time he made it to the front, the blenders were overheated or something. By the time he got a juice at the end of the day, there was a weird combination of veggies and fruits left, but he was thrilled, regardless.

Kid Yoga!







I've never understood why my kids want to get their faces painted when it is so hot outside! Sounds so...hot to me.

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And if you are ever in Dallas, 
you have to check out Green Spot!

A healthy gas station/convenience store 
which also includes a cafe!

Someone please expand this idea!
I want more healthy convenience.

 We spent a large amount of time deciding which snacks to take for the car ride.

 Daiya at a gas station!

And best of all...vegan soft serve!!!!

 I'm using a lot of exclamation points in this post!!!!

The kids loved picking their toppings from the topping bar. I bought a Justin's PB cup to break apart into my twist cup in memory of my pre-vegan highschool days. It's what I always ordered at the mall.

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Veg Fest will take place at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park

18 comments:

  1. It took you a year to post this? Hope you post a little quicker on the Tampa Veg Fest.

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    1. I don't know why I even take food pics at this point, but I do. I can't help myself.

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  2. The Texas Veg Fest looks great! I hope Tampa has a cool assortment for you all as well.
    All the food looks incredible. Cinnamon rolls especially.

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    1. Yes, it was just as fun! No cinnamon rolls but other yummies; I will post it soon.

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  3. Wow, look at all of those vegan foods! I miss them and can't wait to eat them all in the U.S.

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  4. What a fun day! I'd have gone crazy for that soft serve with the PB cup.
    I bet the kids had a blast too. They look very cute with their painted faces :)

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    1. It was really good. Even better than it's non-vegan clone from the past. Thank you!

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  5. I used to hate kombucha too, but now I love it! There's a local brand, Buddha's Brew, that changed my mind. But now I will drink other brands, even Synergy which I used to hate. Maybe our tastebuds changed?

    The festival looks fun, and that gas station is incredible! I would never have imagined finding vegan soft serve at a gas station.

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    1. Probably - I'm a really picky drinker. I basically only like water and juice. I don't see how people enjoy many drinks that I loathe. But I do like tea better than I used to - so I'm sure it's a possibility to change. Do you guys ever go to Dallas?

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  6. I hope the Tampa fest is as much fun as the Texas one appears to be. Our vegfest isn't vegan, so you have to read labels carefully, which interferes a little with the fun. We like Synergy kombucha, especially the ginger flavor.

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    1. I might get the nerve to buy a store bought kombucha soon. I will let you know. That would be a big bummer to check labels at vegfest. I don't know why they wouldn't just go full-out. Tampa fest was fun!

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  7. I always get so jealous when I see VegFest posts!! The Texas VegFest looks amazing! I love that your son was so pumped about fruit/veg juice, even if all they had left was a weird combo! The cinnamon rolls look amazing and too bad about the ice cream sandwich. At least there was vegan soft serve to make up for it later!! ;) Love the painted faces too, so cute!

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    1. Thank you! It was a great day! I don't know if there is much better than vegan soft serve. I think I could eat it every single day.

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  8. I love vegfests! I want to go to Texas just for that soft serve. :-)

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    1. We have soft serve in Tampa, too! At the Gone Bananas food truck - too bad (or probably very good) that it's not open every day!

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  9. Wow, looks so fun! We went to a veg fest last year and had a blast. Our town hosted one last weekend, but we were at a baby shower out of town and couldn't attend! :-( Next year, I hope.

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  10. I hope you get to go next year! Baby showers are fun, too, though.

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