Ashton Michael Black Label

When was the last time that dressing like a rebel was actually rebellious? Ashton Hirota, founder of the Ashton Michael label, first made his debut at Los Angeles Fashion Week in 2002 and has since taken the fashion and entertainment industry by storm with a black-book of clients you wouldn’t believe. Hirota is pushing boundaries and always redefining counter-cultural aesthetics, remembering that being counter-cultural requires digging deeper than visuals alone. As a stylist and designer, Hirota’s most recent collection, Ashton Michael Black Label,  featured garments constructed entirely of fabric made from recycled water bottles (PET) provided by Reth¿nk Fabrics, tencel, bamboo, and coconut. The collection was inspired by post punk, androgyny, and military masculinity – an uncommon combination of the power and intimidation communicated in military and punk fashion with a truly urgent (and rebellious) need to shift how we acquire and produce raw materials. Click HERE for my video interview with Ashton!

Ayinde Howell’s Gracious Gourmand

The third Gracious Gourmand took place on Friday September 24th, 2010. It was fantastic to see both familiar faces as well as newcomers! Chef Ayinde Howell created a six-course experience that was innovative, bold, and satisfying. From breadfruit and spicy quinoa hash to jerk bolognese, red velvet cake and caramelized pumpkin seeds – each dish has something delicious and comforting fused with unfamiliar yet exciting elements. The organic, vegan meal was complimented by Hibiscus Yerba-Mate Martinis with organic vodka compliments of Kanon Organic Vodka.

Chef Ayinde Howell will again be preparing a meal for Gracious Gourmand on October 22nd – but don’t miss our October 8th event with Chef Yoli Ouiya.

Please see the images of Ayinde’s menu below, and to find out more about Mr. Howell, check out his website I Eat Grass.

Neal Harden’s Gracious Gourmand

On September 10th 2010, Gracious Gourmand 2 featuring Chef Neal Harden stimulated the palates of a lucky handful of New Yorkers. The four-course organic, local meal featured ingredients from NYC’s Green Market and was excitingly complex, handsomely presented and very indulgent. Please see the images below for a visual taste of what was offered to attendees. Kanon Organic Vodka sponsored the spike in our local berry-muddle cocktails. See Neal’s full menu here.

Don’t miss the next Gracious Gourmand on Septmeber 24th, 2010 featuring Chef Ayinde Howell.

Gracious Gourmand, Launch

The Launch of Gracious Gourmand on Friday August 28th was a huge success! Tucked in the cozy, candle-lit Second Stop Cafe, 30 foodies gathered to dine on the meticulous, visually stunning and delicious creations of Chef Lagusta Yearwood, featuring produce from Taliaferro Farms and Second Wind CSA . Our sponsor was Kanon Organic Vodka, and we created some delicious, freshly-juiced watermelon-mint and apple-beet libations.

Take a look at some of the highlights from our opening night below, and make sure to get tickets to our next dinner – they’ll go fast.

Lagusta Yearwood is a chef and chocolatier in New Paltz, New York. Since 2003 she has run a  gourmet meal delivery service bringing fresh, seasonal, handmade meals to busy New Yorkers on a weekly basis. In addition, she sells three lines of vegan, organic, and fair-trade chocolates at her website at lagustasluscious.com.

DB presents: GRACIOUS GOURMAND!

GRACIOUS GOURMAND, a biweekly dinner event presented by The Discerning Brute & Second Stop Cafe, is not for the weak of palate. Featuring a rotating cast of chefs specializing in avant-garde, gourmet, sustainable fare, our series aims to challenge ordinary perceptions and preparations of fine food, expose visionary talent, and celebrate conscientious hedonism.

The launch is Friday August 27th, 2010, featuring Chef Lagusta Yearwood.

PURCHASE YOU TICKET, $50 PRIX FIXE, click below:

Lagusta Yearwood’s Six-Course, Summer-Harvest Menu:

featuring produce from Taliaferro Farms and Second Wind CSA.

AMUSE BOUCHE: Baked scalloped local corn in cashew cream sauce.

STARTER: Yellow tomato aspic, red tomato aspic, green tomato aspic, and tomato essence aspic with yuzu juice, micro basil, aged cashew cheese, and smoked Hawaiian guava wood sea salt.

SALAD: Timbale of watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, and Chioggia beets with Kalamata olive vinaigrette and amaranth chiffonade.

ENTRÉE: “Eggplant and squash, inside and out:” Syrian-stuffed eggplant with deep-fried spaghetti squash garnish, heirloom tomato sauce, and eggplant caviar-stuffed fried squash blossoms.

DESSERT: Local stone fruit pudding parfait with coconut cream

DESSERT: Lemon-verbena pine nut cookie sandwiches with creamy fruit fillings

DESSERT: Chocolate truffles with olive oil ganache infused with Genovese basil, rolled in corn powder

ABOUT THE CHEF:

Lagusta Yearwood is a chef and chocolatier in New Paltz, New York. Since 2003 she has run a  gourmet meal delivery service bringing fresh, seasonal, handmade meals to busy New Yorkers on a weekly basis. In addition, she sells three lines of vegan, organic, and fair-trade chocolates at her website at lagustasluscious.com.

Ultramarathoning, Whiskey, Donuts and a Prom

• Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek, is changing the world of sports. The New York Times’ article yesterday by Mark Bittman outlined Jurek’s plans for Thursday and Friday: a “24-Hour Run world championship in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, on Thursday and Friday. It is a grueling race to determine how many miles runners can complete on a 1.4-kilometer road loop (about nine-tenths of a mile) in a 24-hour period.

Scott Jurek is a vegan, and his diet certainly isn’t slowing him down. He holds the fifth-, sixth- and eighth-fastest times in race history on the 153-mile course between Athens and Sparta. He is tall, strong and shows boundless energy – completing training-weeks of 140 miles or more.  “He said he needs 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day, “and I get that all from plant sources.  It’s not hard, either. I like to eat, and I don’t have to worry about weight management. All I need is a high-carbohydrate diet with enough protein and fat.”

Read the rest of this inspiring article HERE.

• How I wish Dunkin’ Donuts were totally vegan. Too bad they use rotten eggs. Thank your lucky stars that Danielle Konya of Vegan Treats whisks icing with brass knuckles and turns dust into earth-shatteringly amazing donuts. Now through May 21st, you can vote for the next Vegan Treats donut flavor! Time to make the donuts...

http://viviangrant.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/daniellekonya-vegantreats-bethlehem.jpghttp://dunkincruelty.com/sites/dunkincruelty.com/files/vote-donut.jpg

Tuthilltown Spirits, my favorite distillery,  is embarking on a three year program to exit the Grid by converting all its waste byproducts to fuel. They just won awards at American Distillers Institute Annual Conference.

“It’s an exciting time for us. The distillery is really established and our products are well received,” founder Ralph Erenzo said. Economy of scale andrecycling of heat and materials are high on the list of improvements.

Brian Lee, the engineering mind behind Tuthilltown Spirits, estimates the distillery could be independent of outside sources of fuel by making use of the waste stream. “We have unpotable alcohol at high proof that burns clean and hot. Our dry distillery grains, grain stalks and chaff can be burned in a furnace to make steam to fire the stills and cookers.

“The CO2 created in the fermentation process is destined to be pumped into a greenhouse where we will experiment with starch bearing algae that can be fermented and distilled to be used as fuel. And then there’s cellulosic fermentation of stalks, cobs and other grain parts for distillation to ethanol. Don’t get me started.”

Lee is enthusiastic about the prospect of a business without fuel bills. “It’s the way of the future for the agricultural distiller.”

All this has a practical side. Virtual elimination of transportation costs for fuel delivery, thereby lowering carbon emissions. Near elimination of dependency on typical fuel sources. No matter what happens out there in the world, says Erenzo, “We’re still making whiskey.”

• Go to the Veggie Prom!

  • • Artwork for this flyer was created by the incredibly talented Michelle Cavigliano.
  • • Veggie Prom is 8 p.m. Friday, May 14, 2010. It will be at Littlefield in Park Slope: 622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217.
  • • Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. 21 and over. Buy tickets here. There is a cash bar, and VEGAN desserts are free! Music will be provided by veg*n DJs Lil Ray and iLan. A raffle will benefit Mercy for Animals. Creative prom attire is encouraged! Couple themes are welcome too! No date necessary to attend!

Kulte of Waiting For The Sun

Kulte 2010

The French store Kulte collaborates with Waiting For The Sun to make some rad teawood sunglasses. I think they are spot-on with their packing designs as well. All of WFTS sunglasses cases are one-of-a-kind artist collaborations, and are aimed at reducing waste. For just six weeks, this French frill can be purchased in NYC at Kaight‘s Pulp Lab pop-up shop. If you are in NYC and want to party at the pop-up shop, jot this down:

waitingforthesun-01

WHEN: Thursday, May 6, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Kaight: 83 Orchard St. NYC, tel. 212.680.5630, e. info@kaightnyc.com
WHAT: The launch of Kaight + Pulp Lab
WHY: You don’t want to miss this exclusive opportunity to shop the Pulp brand, in NYC for a limited time only and enjoy a cocktail with artist Seb Gorey and Pulp founder Kate Pawlicki.

Biz Stone’s Hoe Down & Must-Know Designers

• The final part to my Top 20 Eco Designers Special is up over at Hint Magazine. The final installment features Stella McCartney, Melissa Plastic Dreams, Collection Pas, Trousers London, and Loomstate.

• I shot a video interview with the brains behind Collection Pas, featured in the above article, at their Soho office. Check back later his week for the video interview with founder Pierre Andre Senizergues (pro skater, Etnies founder, exec. producer 11th Hour) and designer Pierluigi Pucci!

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/farm/calendar/ca_hoedown/hd10_biz.jpg• Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and his wife went vegan in 2001 after visiting Farm Sanctuary. Now, Biz will be a presenter on May 1 & 2nd at Farm Sanctuary’s California Shelter for their annual Country Hoe Down. If you are on the left coast, get over to the farm and say hello to Biz (in 140 characters or less).

Eco Designers Earth Day Special, Part 3

Part 3 of the 4-part Earth Day Special I wrote for Hint Magazine is live! Featuring Novacas, Imposter, Bassike, PAZ Aparrel, and  Turk & Taylor. Please go check it out and show the ethical and vegan lines some love by leaving comments!

DBTV: Red Carpet, 24th Annual Genesis Awards

The red carpet is no place for talking about things with substance…or is it? These celebs who strutted their stuff at the 24th Annual Genesis Awards had some interesting things to say about animals – and clearly, the ladies like compassionate guys.

I caught up on the red carpet and talked with Matt Grant of “The Bachelor: London Calling”, Kelly Carlson of “Nip Tuck”, Emily Deschanel of “Bones”, Wendie Malick of “Hot in Cleveland”, Michael Vartan of “Hawthorne”, Jon Lovitz, Owain Yeoman of “The Mentalist”, politician, Pedro Nava, Dominic Scott Kay of “Pirates of the Caribbean”, recording artist, Daniel Landers, and Twilight’s Booboo Stewart.

If you missed my interviews with Moby and Jeff Corwin, just click!

Special thanks to my sis, Joelle Katcher for shooting the vid!