It’s officially fall, so it’s a great time to reflect on some of the highlights of my summer. It was a memorable one for sure; big changes, healing deeply, more nature than ever before, and the occasional event thrown in there to pump me up.

I’m going to kick off the summer recaps with VegFest which was held on July 30. Last year was the first Pittsburgh VegFest. I was swept up in the amazingness of that day for a long time afterwards, and so I jumped at the chance to be a part of it this year. I had a booth and also did a food demo (check out the recipe here). The day was really wild but also really amazing, and it made for a truly memorable event.

For the first couple hours, it poured. POURED. Despite the crazy weather, there was a spectacular turnout. A little (ahem, a lot) of rain can’t keep us away! And major props to the organizers and volunteers who not only had their hands full with the general logistics, but also the weather-related issues.

The most exciting part of the day was that I debuted my cookbook/tip book based on my Vegan 101 class series that I led at Garden of Mind. It’ll be available as an ebook soon, and I’ll post more details about the contents then.

It was awesome to be able to talk to so many people about their vegan journeys, answer questions about veganism, and share my passions. To all of you who chatted with me, thank you so much for stopping by the table and taking interest in Vegan and Beyond Coaching!

As I was stationed at my booth this year, I wasn’t able to visit other vendors this year. I missed the beagle kissing booth (why!?!?), but I did get to meet a really friendly pig. I also sampled plenty of food. My partner played the role of assistant for the day, and he was basically in charge of getting food and otherwise wandering and enjoying the fest.

I couldn’t miss out on Onion Maiden of course,

and the pierogi from Apteka are always a good idea.

Last year, I didn’t get to try White Rabbit Patisserie, but I got to try it this year. So good! The chocolate ginger cookie and brownie were good, but my favorite sweet of theirs was the lavender vanilla shortbread. Perfection. And naturally, I balanced that all out with my favorite juice from Fresh From the Farm Juices: The Healer which is kale, pear, ginger, and wheatgrass.

Lastly, I got to meet Vegan Mojo (super nice guy!) and was featured in his YouTube recap of VegFest. Check it out here, and my interview starts here.

Downpours be damned. Pittsburgh loves VegFest!