Collective Nouns for animal groups are so charming (like hummingbirds) and unexpected. Although there are some that are not agreed upon (is a group of zebras a a dazzle, a zeal or something else?) there are many standard words - some you probably know but hopefully there are some new and interesting words here to celebrate animal families and groups. What would you call this? A group of both rays and sharks? Perhaps a shivering fever? Obviously, a group of owls, the bird a

For the past six months we have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen, exploring so many new cooking techniques and foods. After finishing the first literary cookbook, we, of course were still reading awesome novels and I noticed many incredible foods, so I started a list. Here are more than 50 recipes that we found in literature and adapted to be vegan and gluten-free, while hopefully inviting you into world that the author has created. There is a PDF below, but if you pr

I have lived in NYC my entire life and I see pigeons all the time. They are beautiful and I have always enjoyed seeing them and I experience them as being sweet and kind. Last spring and summer, we had the honor of watching two pigeons in our neighborhood build a nest (under someone's air conditioner, on a windowsill). We saw the two babies, as they grew to fledging stage and then - the family was gone to the clouds. We hope that we still see them in our neighborhood, but th

For a few months, I have been working on a second literary cookbook; after finishing the first one, I found more foods to explore and share. If you liked the first literary cookbook, you'll recognize the idea - novels that I have read which mention a specific food. However, this new cookbook features more recipes from around the world, with more diversity of cooking techniques, types of food and books! I chose this recipe to share because I feel like it reflects the contrast

There are so many products available these days and thankfully there are more and more companies that care about the environment and are vegan and cruelty-free. While our family does make a point to support those companies, we also make a lot of things we use in daily life and wanted to share some of the recipes with you. We have ideas for cleaning, self-care and plant care. In addition to knowing what is in everything when you make products at home, you also prevent many

Endangered Species Day is honored on the third Friday of May, and to help the energy of that day keep us moving forward, we wanted to celebrate a few friends who are sadly on the endangered list and provide ways to help! Where are you most comfortable hanging out? A) Peaceful forests where I can have quiet time B) Forests where I can hang out and play C) Beachside, in and out of water D) Deep in my thoughts, or deep in the ocean E) only at home - I don't like to go far away

Farm Sanctuary is as its name implies, a sanctuary for farm animals who have escaped or been rescued from horrible situations. April 17th was Sanctuary Day - celebrating animal sanctuaries around the world, and this year marked the 40th anniversary of Farm Sanctuary, so it seemed a good time to share about this wonderful book. This book shows the beauty of farm sanctuaries. Gene's experiences and stories of specific animals bring such joy to the reader. For example, Jessie t

In daily life it's easy to come across mammals (you are one!) and birds, even insects, but most of us don't see reptiles on a daily basis, so perhaps that is why some people assume they are slimy, unappealing or unimportant. I hope to help you understand the beauty of reptiles, and learn some facts about the diversity of these amazing creatures. So, let's explore together! Some of my favorite reptiles My mama's favorite is this Butaan (Gray's Monitor Lizard) because its swee

It's the year of the Horse (and the Fire Horse) so I wanted to share some amazing horse facts to celebrate. When I think of horses, I am reminded of... One of our favorite lullabies, "All the Pretty Little Horses" sung here by Starling Arrow. Horses are highly intelligent, and are very social. Horses have evolved a lot over time; the earliest ancestors lived around 55 million years ago. Horses can see in almost every direction (to keep them safe), since their eyes are on th

A Brown-Banded Bamboo Shark at the NY Aquarium. As you know, I like sharks and feel that they are largely misunderstood. If your perception of sharks is from movies or scary photos, I wanted to share with you some facts about small sharks (and two rays, a skate and chimaera, too), to help change the image of sharks. Tiny Sharks There are quite a few types of tiny sharks. The first time I went to NY Aquarium, I loved seeing the smaller sharks (the epaulette shark, brown-banded

Taco jokes aren't all corny... they just get a bad wrap! Use any taco shells, burrito wrappers or salads you like for this versatile taco filling. The recipe is posted in PDF format at the bottom for ease of printing. Taquitos made with Vegan Taco Filling (with a Chanchito pig for luck!) Vegan Taco Filling from Vegan Boy in the City This recipe takes a little bit of planning/preparing, but it’s super delicious and nutritious and once you hav

Cozy food goes well with windy days, snowflakes or rain. I hope this delicious side-dish inspires your vegan eating. The recipe is also a PDF at the bottom of the page for easy downloads. Potato the gnome was excited to try these Bubble and Squeak Bites. Bubble and Squeak Bites from Vegan Boy in the City Throughout much of the UK there are similar foods – colcannon, Bubble and Squeak, Rumpledthumps… They are all a way to use up the extra vegetables (potatoes and cabbag

International Wombat Day is October 22nd - the perfect reason to celebrate this amazing animal! Silly the wombat (a stuffed animal) with The Worried Wombat by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams. Why are they wonderful? So many reasons... 1) They are well-known for this fact, but it is very funny. Wombats are the only animal that has cube-shaped poop. When they mark their territory with poo, it doesn't roll off of rocks or flat surfaces. 2) Wombats are marsupials, b

For the past few months we have been developing a new cookbook to share. Inspired by foods mentioned in novels that I love, we hope you enjoy making, baking and tasting some recipes, both savory and sweet! If you want a printed copy, feel free to email or send a message and we'll happy send a copy in the mail. Cinnamon, a donkey from the Bronx Zoo

Strikingly beautiful, an important part of the ecosystem, and extremely misunderstood. I am drawn to animals that seem to be"disliked"...

The Bronx Zoo, one of my favorite places to go, recently opened an exhibit " World of Darkness " and it includes naked mole rats (so...

Seeing baby animals is a distinct pleasure and whenever we visit the Bronx Zoo, we check the babies in the nursery of the reptile house. ...

Yes, there are many species on the Endangered Species list and there is a lot of work to be done. But, there are some successes that we...

The world's largest rodent, capybaras are sweet, cute and surprisingly popular in photos and icons, but are you curious to learn more...

Spinach in muffs? (If you recall, a muff is our family's word for a savory, healthy muffin). Yes, delicious and nutritious, forest muffs...