I am a mostly-vegan vegetarian. Vegans eat food only from the plant kingdom, including vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

I became vegetarian in 1992 primarily due to ethical concerns about the horrible treatment of animals on factory farms. I have since learned that this intensive farming does great damage to the environment as well. I have continually minimized my use of all animal products, including dairy, eggs, and even animal-derived clothing, in an effort to tread more lightly on the Earth. The Food Revolution by John Robbins is an eye-opening book about U.S. food production and the benefits of going vegan; I gave away copies of it at my all-vegan wedding reception.

I am fortunate to live in the San Francisco Bay Area where an abundance of fresh produce and vegan-friendly restaurants are readily available. The Bay Area Vegetarians Ultimate Guide is a great resource for local restaurants, food vendors, and other resources.

One food, or actually beverage, I particularly enjoy is tea. I started preparing tea from loose leaves in 2004, and found out how much superior that method is to tea bags (though I do still use those occasionally). I get my tea mostly by mail order from Adagio and Stash, the former of which makes an excellent Irish Breakfast blend which I enjoy every morning. I also created a tea quiz on OK Cupid (where I can also be found as funcrunch).

Thanksgiving, 2004. Photo by Julie Bernstein.