caffè macchiato

Monday, July 20, 2009 - Posted by urban vegan at 12:10 PM
Most of you know that, each morning, I reward myself for waking up with a tall soy cappucino. But sometimes during the hot weather, I just don't have the desire for all that steaming liquid. And I don't particularly enjoy cold beverage at breakfast. Nevertheless, I still need the caffeine.

Enter the Caffè Macchiato. It's a demitasse of potent espresso topped with a healthy cloud of foam. If you are especially caffeine-deficient, you can whip up a large version in a regular size coffee cup and call it a Doppio [Double] Macchiato.

The easiest way to foam such a small amount of hot soy milk is with a handheld frother. Handheld frothers are perfect for city kitchens or for anyone who lacks counter space. They take up very little room and you can store them in your utensil or junk drawer.

another day, another stray

Saturday, July 11, 2009 - Posted by urban vegan at 8:55 AM
"This is how I looked when Urban Vegan found me on the street--dirty, but cute."

A few nights ago, I went out for sushi with my friend, Violet. On my way home, I spotted a tiny kitten under a car in Chinatown. She was about 8-10 weeks old and super friendly. Filthy and flea-ridden, but adorable and seemingly healthy–definitely at least part Maine Coon Cat. I picked her up and she purred and immediately started kneading my shoulder. Some drunken 20-something guys emerged from a nearby building, beers in hand. I asked if the kitten was theirs or belonged to anyone. They told me she was a stray and had been hanging around for awhile, taking shelter in a nearby basement stairwell.



"I'm not so sure I like this!"

That was all I needed to hear. I scooped her up, took her home, de-fleaed and de-wormed her and gave her a bath. Even though she was not crazy about the water, she was pretty tolerant.




"Me and my new BFF, chilling at Lois' cat rescue."

The next day, I put out the word and asked everyone I knew if they wanted to adopt this little grey fluffball. When I had no takers, I drove her to Lois' place out in the burbs. Lois is an angel who runs a cat rescue from her home. [Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post about it. She has many wonderful cats and kittens who need homes.] The kitty immediately bonded with her new brothers and sisters.



"Here I am in my new home. This sure beats living in the gutter! I love my new mamma and family."

That night, not long after I got home, Candice, a friend of a friend, got in touch with me. She had seen photos of the kitten and fell in love with her. The next day, Candice drove out to adopt this little grey ball of fluff ... And they lived happily ever after... Don't you love happy endings?

my office mates and fireworks

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 - Posted by urban vegan at 1:13 PM

This is what the 3 stooges do while I toil away at my computer. All I can say is that they must have been really, really good in a past life. Buttons, (far left) is doing great, by the way and regularly asks for cuddles. As it turns out, she is deaf, which is not a problem. But the fact that she likes to wake up the neighborhood at 5am with loud meows certainly is a problem. Her nickname is "Rooster Kitty."



Anenome-like  fireworks after a free Sheryl Crow concert on the Parkway on July 4th. Unfortunately, I was too far away to get a decent shot, but she was fantastic and played a long set.