Veganism continues to grow. This is the THIRD YEAR I have been invited to design the gala dinner menus for Oxford Literary Festival. Each year, a standing ovation from hundreds who dine on a delicious four-course meal, cooked by the chefs (who love learning my way of combining foods), from my teaching of TCM and Macrobiotics.
These skilled chefs have never used many of my ingredients before and loved learning from me. On top of that, we hosted our first WHY VEGAN? event at Oxford. The workshop is a full-day event that we held at Reuben College, where the chefs there cooked my 4-course vegan meal. We will once again teach this workshop in 2026.
My husband Bill Tara presented his last book HOW TO EAT RIGHT & SAVE THE PLANET, and I presented my last book GO VEGAN. Thank you for this article and all your work Alexis.
I became a vegan in 1976 after two years of being a vegetarian. My personal transformative moment was working one summer (1973) when I was studying the business of managing hotels and restaurants on a three-year course. I worked in a chicken slaughterhouse. Participating in nearly 50 years of vegan living, I've witnessed the public and media interest ebb and flow. But what is clear is that 50 years later, veganism is on the ascendency. Notwithstanding declarations of its demise.
Thank you for your wisdom and encouragement! I am a children's musician and vegan educator/sometime-activist. I created an album of vegan songs for children and families in 2024. It has been very challenging to get these songs out into the world, and tempting at times to feel demoralized and deflated that the message of love and compassion isn't being received. You've reminded me here that if even one person somewhere is moved even a millimeter along the spectrum by hearing one of these songs, it was all worth it. These drops in the bucket are what eventually fill it to overflowing. This: "The victory will not look like mass epiphany. It will look like future generations regarding our habits as strange, even cruel, and choosing compassion as their normal." Thanks for all you do!
You write in such an elegant and eloquent way about an issue that makes so many go insane. I assume that is the unrecognized guilt making its appearance. Guilt over the way animals are treated and guilt over the way a body is treated when it is fed a steady diet of dead flesh.
Thank you for reminding us that lasting change is a slow evolution into the light. This American vegan adores you!
Thank you for sharing this longer view. Before the crash brought about by lockdowns and covid, veganism was thriving in Cape Town. Vegan restaurants were doing well and others had vegan options. There was support and demand for specialties such as vegan waffles, ice cream, donuts. Now we have only 1 exclusively vegan eatery and it's a tiny daytime restaurant - the larger original venue closed after a drastic drop in numbers. We've wondered what has happened to cause this slowdown.
I thought the movement towards vegetarian diets would catch even more people. Oftentimes people stop eating meat for 2 years or even 7 for example, before going back to eating meat.
Why do you think, was the shift not as clear as the „hype“ made many think? And why are some so convinced veggies turn back?
I'm in my early 50s and growing up there seemed to be such a dichotomy between those who were vegetarian and those who weren't, and veganism, well never. It was rare, at least fringe here in the US and took a serious commitment because typical life didn't support it.
But now, I see so much more inclusion! It's so damn easy now to find not only vegetarian, but vegan dishes when dining out, when shopping in regular in groceries that it's so much easier for people to casually be vegan -even if just for a meal. I understand the sentiment many have that it's all or nothing, but it's such a benefit to animals, to the world, and to ourselves to have the part timers, the sometimers rather than the nevers.
Veganism continues to grow. This is the THIRD YEAR I have been invited to design the gala dinner menus for Oxford Literary Festival. Each year, a standing ovation from hundreds who dine on a delicious four-course meal, cooked by the chefs (who love learning my way of combining foods), from my teaching of TCM and Macrobiotics.
These skilled chefs have never used many of my ingredients before and loved learning from me. On top of that, we hosted our first WHY VEGAN? event at Oxford. The workshop is a full-day event that we held at Reuben College, where the chefs there cooked my 4-course vegan meal. We will once again teach this workshop in 2026.
My husband Bill Tara presented his last book HOW TO EAT RIGHT & SAVE THE PLANET, and I presented my last book GO VEGAN. Thank you for this article and all your work Alexis.
I became a vegan in 1976 after two years of being a vegetarian. My personal transformative moment was working one summer (1973) when I was studying the business of managing hotels and restaurants on a three-year course. I worked in a chicken slaughterhouse. Participating in nearly 50 years of vegan living, I've witnessed the public and media interest ebb and flow. But what is clear is that 50 years later, veganism is on the ascendency. Notwithstanding declarations of its demise.
Thank you for your wisdom and encouragement! I am a children's musician and vegan educator/sometime-activist. I created an album of vegan songs for children and families in 2024. It has been very challenging to get these songs out into the world, and tempting at times to feel demoralized and deflated that the message of love and compassion isn't being received. You've reminded me here that if even one person somewhere is moved even a millimeter along the spectrum by hearing one of these songs, it was all worth it. These drops in the bucket are what eventually fill it to overflowing. This: "The victory will not look like mass epiphany. It will look like future generations regarding our habits as strange, even cruel, and choosing compassion as their normal." Thanks for all you do!
You write in such an elegant and eloquent way about an issue that makes so many go insane. I assume that is the unrecognized guilt making its appearance. Guilt over the way animals are treated and guilt over the way a body is treated when it is fed a steady diet of dead flesh.
Thank you for reminding us that lasting change is a slow evolution into the light. This American vegan adores you!
Thank you for sharing this longer view. Before the crash brought about by lockdowns and covid, veganism was thriving in Cape Town. Vegan restaurants were doing well and others had vegan options. There was support and demand for specialties such as vegan waffles, ice cream, donuts. Now we have only 1 exclusively vegan eatery and it's a tiny daytime restaurant - the larger original venue closed after a drastic drop in numbers. We've wondered what has happened to cause this slowdown.
That is so sad. I assumed Cape Town would be full of vegan eateries; well, I hoped so as I will be there in 20 days.
I thought the movement towards vegetarian diets would catch even more people. Oftentimes people stop eating meat for 2 years or even 7 for example, before going back to eating meat.
Why do you think, was the shift not as clear as the „hype“ made many think? And why are some so convinced veggies turn back?
Great article
As always, thoughtful and hopeful writing. Thank you.
I have a solution…how to get in touch?
I'm in my early 50s and growing up there seemed to be such a dichotomy between those who were vegetarian and those who weren't, and veganism, well never. It was rare, at least fringe here in the US and took a serious commitment because typical life didn't support it.
But now, I see so much more inclusion! It's so damn easy now to find not only vegetarian, but vegan dishes when dining out, when shopping in regular in groceries that it's so much easier for people to casually be vegan -even if just for a meal. I understand the sentiment many have that it's all or nothing, but it's such a benefit to animals, to the world, and to ourselves to have the part timers, the sometimers rather than the nevers.
Well said and reasoned. Seasoned with wisdom and hope. Love your musings. Thank you for keeping us on track for the long haul. 💚🌱🌍