Did you forget to get yourself a special Vida Vegan Con water bottle or t-shirt at the conference? Sort of wish you had an extra mug? Or maybe you didn’t go to the conference this year but still want to pick up some new VVC gear.  We get it, and we’ve got it for you in the Vida Vegan Shop.

The truth is, we strive to keep our registration pricepoint low (free for some) and our sponsorships accessible, so more people have the chance to join us at our events. And we have lost sponsors for refusing to give them our mailing lists, send out sponsored emails, or allow them to present demos at the event—and we feel OK with that. We’re proud to stand up and say no to demands we feel would upset the positive, inspirational, creative vibe of the Con. (Obviously, our sponsors help make these things happen, and we truly do love the ones we work with—and hope you do too.)

That means it’s largely the three of us ladies doing as much of the work ourselves as possible to keep costs down. That also means when you buy a t-shirt, you help us put together a deposit toward the next event without us having to compromise the integrity of Vida Vegan organizers and attendees.

You have no idea how greatly we appreciate that. We’ll hug you all next time we see you, seriously.

While supplies last, we’ll be putting extra little treats in with your order. Could be a PB&Co tote, could be a button pack. Thank you, and enjoy!

This event, the now three-day extravaganza (plus, another Galarama), has grown so much, and we thank you all so much, for making it even more than what we ever thought it could be. Your friendly organizers have spent the past two years pouring our hearts and minds into this event, and constantly get chills from the community that’s grown from our vegan bloggers conference—for writers and readers alike.

There’s so much more to say, and so much to reflect on, but we need some sleep (and kale), and we’re sure you do too.

We’re emailing our attendees for feedback (and a ticket giveaway to the next Con, what the hey?), so be on the lookout for that, and as always, stay tuned right here for updates on what and when and where our next shindig(s) will be.

In the meantime, go blog (better than ever!) and peruse all the #VVC2013 hashtags on Instagram and Twitter and all over. We’ve seen lots of folks live-blogging and recapping already, and remain in awe.

VEGANS!

We can’t say it enough: THANK YOU!

Advance tickets sales are now over, but there will be tickets for $20 at the door. Bring your local friends and plus-ones!

Here’s our bar menu reposted from Galarama.org:

#Galarama Bar Menu

Grain-Free Vodka   +   Choice Of:

Spindrift Raspberry Lime Seltzer Water

$6

Root Beer or Soda Float $4*

with any of the above flavors and a scoop of So Delicious Vanilla Ice Cream

*Made with Vodka $6

***Any drink in keepsake VVC mug $10***

Beer + Wine

BridgePort Summer Squeeze (bottle) $4

Vegan Wine (Red or White) $5

 Bottle Service:

Loise d’ Estree Brut Sparkling Wine $20

Jello Shots! $3 or 2 for $5

assorted flavors ~ vegan, organic, made with Monopolowa grain-free vodka

Bottle of Spindrift, Hot Lips or Jarritos Soda $2

Coffee $1

Plus: The Sexy Vegan, Tandem Treats, Taco Pedaler, Artisan Vegan Cheeses from Miyoko Schinner, Eastside Distilling, our exciting Silent Auction for Chimp Sanctuary Northwest, and the So Delicious Ice Cream Spectacular.

Your host for the evening: Brian “Sexy Vegan” Patton

Location (!!): Staver Locomotive, our unique home for the evening, is located at 2537 NW 29th Portland, OR 97210  Trimet.org #15 bus and Portland Streetcar to NW 23rd. Use the Trimet TripPlanner to easily figure it out! There is street parking and free parking in the Powells Warehouse lot.

Here’s the scoop with our full lineup of 2013 Exhibitors, listed in alphabetical order. Any new product picks they’ve told us about are included below, but hey, every table will have plenty to share and discuss, no doubt! 

• Attune Foods, Erewhon Buckwheat & Hemp cereal
• The Better Bean Company 
• Bob’s Red Mill new Grains of Discovery product line features Amaranth, Chia Seed, Farro, Kamut, Millet, Quinoa, Sorghum, Spelt and Teff from around the world
• Chicago Vegan Foods > We haven’t heard about a new product just yet, but there will be S’mores at the Friday night Pop Up and Nacho Teese at the Saturday Build-a-Bowl lunch buffet. You know what to do.
• Coconut Bliss Salted Caramel & Chocolate Pint, Strawberry Love Bars, Cafe Latte Bars
• Compassion Couture Cornelia Guest Roxy Clutch, Neuaura Arisa, Cri de Coeur – Pia & Matt & Nat Cara in Ocean (tabling on Saturday & Sunday!)
• Earth Balance Vegan Aged White Cheddar Puffs, Vegan Buttery Flavor Popcorn, Vegan Aged White Cheddar Popcorn & P.B. Popps, travel-sized coconut peanut butter
• Go Veggie! Strawberry Cream Cheese Alternative
• Heidi Ho Cheeses Chia Cheese Sauce
• KeVita Mojita & Daily Cleanse flavors
• Missionary Chocolates Coconut Palm Sugar Truffle (tabling on Friday & Sunday!)
• Nasoya Nayonaise Original & NayoWhipped
• Pacific Foods Organic Refried Pinto Beans, Organic Baked Beans, Organic Refried Black Beans, Organic Refried Black Beans with Green Chiles, Organic Vegetable Lentil & Roasted Red Pepper Soup, reduced Sodium – Organic Spicy Black Bean & Kale Soup, Unsweetened Hemp Original Non-dairy Beverage, Unsweetened Hemp Vanilla Non-dairy Beverage
• Pacific Northwest Kale Chips Cascade Ranch flavor
• Peanut Butter & Co bigger 28 ounce jars of all their flavors
• So Delicious Dairy Free Chocolate Coconut Milk Beverage, Barista Style French Vanilla Creamer, Barista Style Orginal Creamer, Gluten-Free Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert (look for this last one being debuted during their Sunday Ice Cream Social)
• Tofurky Artisan sausages: Andouille, Spinach Pesto and Chick’n & Apple
• Upton’s Naturals Bacon Seitan. They’re not sampling at their table, but, it will be in Sunday’s ‘The Sandwich Board’ lunch buffet so go get some!
• Vegan Cuts the latest Vegan Cuts Snack Box, featuring 7 or more vegan products, ranging from sweet treats to household fun stuff.
• Wayfare  ♥ We Can’t Say It’s Ice Cream

More to come at 11:30am on Friday…

If you’re tabling and have a new product to include, let us know and we’ll announce it all on Friday at the Spotlight.

The full list of exhibitors and sponsors is located here.

Your vegan vacation has finally arrived and we bet a few of you might be thinking, ‘so what’s going on after the Galarama?’ Fret not, Portland has quite a few late night options for those looking for beer as well as those seeking a place to hang out with fellow vegans. And if you’re seeking just another bite of vegan Portland, you’re in luck – the OLCC (Oregon’s liquor commission board) requires bars to offer food, and it’s often some of the tastiest food in town. 

The quintessential Bye & Bye

Here are some recommendations for where to go in Portland after 9:30 pm (when the Galarama ends), starting with NW Portland and the Pearl District, the closest to Staver Locomotive:

NW/Pearl District

• Slabtown for vegan gyros & falafel (all vegan menu!)

• BridgePort Brewpub for microbrews & fancy vegan bowls, open til midnight on weekends

• Coffee Time cozy spot on NW 21st that’s open til 1am on weekends

Downtown/SW

• Ground Kontrol amazing arcade open til 2:30 with tons of vegan options for a few bills, including cashew cheese nachos & pretzels to pair with your pinball delights, and a special late night menu, too  (21+ after 5pm)

• Petunia’s Pastries gluten-free, vegan bakery with Stumptown coffee & cocktails, open til 10 on weekends (and offering 15% off for VVC folks)

• Powell’s Books wander the multi-block bookstore til 11pm, and then pick up a slice at…

• Sizzle Pie is seriously vegan-friendly and seriously open til 4am on weekends, plus, has gluten-free crusts for personal pies

• VooDoo Doughnuts the downtown location has outdoor seating for you to stop and enjoy your yeasted or cake (or both) vegan doughnuts

• Tube it may be divey and packed, but we hear there’s a new menu and they’ve still got the Professor Nanotears (lil english muffin, ham tube, cheeze & chipotle delights)

• XV in case you want a little yam fries and curried ketchup while you dance the rest of the night away… there’s also the seriously delicious EmergenC mojito

• Backspace gamer cafe with Stumptown Coffee, Tao of Tea, and plenty of vegan sandwich and salad options. Open til 12am on weekends.

• Lúc Lác Vietnamese restaurant & lounge that’s open til 4am on weekends. Vegan & gluten-free options. We recommend the Tofu Salad Vermicelli Bún.

Downtown VooDoo Doughnuts…..the line is usually shorter when night falls

Inner Eastside

• Sizzle Pie yeah, there’s two on the street. Go Portland. This one is also open til 4am with vegan options in the case.

• Star Bar has a vegan lemongrass banh mi, which is always a plus in our book, plus, a bunch of options that are vegan or can be veganized with Field Roast and whatnot.

• Robo Taco vegan-friendly taqueria with a grilled pineapple Soy Curl filling that’s open til 3:30am on weekends

• Dig a Pony Hip bar with sweet drinks, a BBQ tempeh sandwich and fried plantains for the vegans. Open til 2am.

And Southeast…

• Hungry Tiger Too …the legend of the vegan corn dog (and tofuffalo) is true. Open til 10pm daily.

• Pied Cow SE Belmont cafe with outdoor garden, hookahs, tea & beer (get food elsewhere). All ages & open til 1am on weekends.

• Rimsky-Korsakoffee House intimate coffeeshop ‘speakeasy’ open til 1am on weekends

• Southeast Grind 24 hour coffeeshop with Stumptown Coffee, down on SE Powell Blvd

• Sweet Hereafter damn fine cocktails, mocktails (ask at the bar) and equally tasty all-vegan menu (the Buffalo Soy Curl sandwich is bomb – and available as a bowl or gluten-free wrap, and they have the best miso chive cheese), plus, raw cheesecake. Gets packed at night, heads up!

• Townshend’s Division Street Teahouse open til 10pm with possibly the loveliest tea selection in town

• Whiffies the one-and-only fried handpie cart with sweet and savory vegan options. Go get it.

  

  BBQ Tofu fried pie, Whiffies

• Potato Champion! located across from Whiffies with vegan poutine and mini dipping options for their Belgian-style frites

• White Owl Social Club Come on, you know we love them. Surely, a few of you are ‘members’ by now!

• Dots Cafe This Clinton Corner joint is pretty much a Portland institution (even under new owners) with their tofu sauce, cocktails, sweet booths and velvet paintings.

North/Northeast

• The Bye & Bye Once again, you know it, you love it, and you’ve probably got a Mason Jar of *something* in your hands, and are awaiting a Meatball Sub or Weeping Tiger sandwich.

• The Old Gold This bar on N. Killingsworth offers signature cocktails, house-popped popcorn and a tofu banh mi – they pretty much expect Janessa *all* the time.

• Townshend’s Alberta Street Teahouse open til 10pm, just like the one in SE, but this one gets even more bonus points because you can bring Back to Eden treats and sundaes inside. Duh.

Karaoke Spots

• Suki’s You may fondly remember this from our visit post-Con in 2011, and just a lovely, lovely, divey dive. Practically speaking, it’s still your best bet for karaoke fun downtown!

• Voicebox If you like singing in the shower, you just may prefer karaoke in private rooms. Open til 2am on weekends (all ages til 9pm).

• Chopsticks Fun karaoke spot on E Burnside located by plenty of bars on NE 28th. Offers vegan fried rice (have to ask for it) Open til 2:30am on weekend.

• The Alibi Tiki Lounge Intense and vibrant karaoke spot with a tropical theme. Located on the Yellow MAX Line. Also open til 2:30am on weekend. Great if you’re staying in the neighborhood.

Skip: The Boiler Room downtown and their stupid cover charge.

Late Night Delivery

• Taco The Town really, late-night, taco delivery totally exists……via bike, no less (with vegan options, naturally)

• Hammy’s Hey baby, this pizzeria delivers to the Eastside til the wee hours and has both housemade vegan Parmesan and Field Roast Italian sausage. Holler.

If you have a suggestion, add it below!

Feel free to start your own informal VVC meet-ups…..karaoke, anyone?  For more Portland Vegan Dining, Shopping & Tourist ideas,check out our official While You’re in Town selection and the VVC 2013 Google Map

Soy Curl sandwich from Homegrown Smoker. Good gravy Marie!

VVCers, Portland loves you! We put the call out and Portland responded, with a whole slew of local, independent businesses rolling out discounts for all attendees.

Check the list for the effective dates—they’re all a little different—then show ‘em your VVC name badge or proof of registration  and enjoy the savings (and then be further delighted when you remember Oregon is sales tax–free).

A.N.D. Cafe 10% off • 5/23-5/26 Vida Vegan Headquart…East-side vegetarian cafe with lots of vegan and gluten-free options.

Back to Eden: 20% off • 5/20-27 All vegan and gluten-free, up on Alberta. Sweets and savories!

Blossoming Lotus: 10% off • 5/23-27 A Portland vegan standard in NE. Lots of raw dishes.

Cheese Plate: 15% off • 5/24-26 This vegetarian cart just two steps down from Back to Eden has some gorgeous vegan eats.

Homegrown Smoker: $1 off $8 purchase • 5/24-26 Wear your stretchy pants to this Mississippi Marketplace cart.

Masala Pop: free snack bag with any purchase • 5/23-26 Organic, vegan, non-gmo, gluten-free, Indian-spiced popcorn. Use code VVC2013 for online orders!

Native Bowl: $1 off bowls • 5/23-26 The epitome of Portland, bowls at Mississippi Marketplace.

Petunia’s Pies & Pastries: 15% off • 5/23-27 New brick-and-mortar for this gluten-free sweets shop (with cocktails).

PlantFit Training Studio: FREE workout • 5/24, 7:00 am (You know, if you’re into that.)

Red & Black: happy hour prices on local beer, discounted kombucha pints, and happy hour snacks • 5/24-26 Worker-owned vegan space.

Skeleton Key Tattoo: 15% off ($65 minimum, tip not included) • 5/22-27 It’s where we got our beets & berries!

And stay tuned—we’ll update as the offers come in!