Golden Era on Golden Gate is a very good restaurant, but of course it was too noisy for a book discussion, which we undertook for a few minutes last night, February 19, 2026, between 5:45 and 7:30, when they close.  Our selection was Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unferth, which a couple of people dismissed but about five of us did our best to discuss between bites of really delicious dishes and 4 desserts.  More later.  

 

I've sent out invitations to a Day after Oscars gathering I'm having, where I'll have on hand dishes from scenes in the Oscar-nominated movies--and they'll all be plant-based.  Last year almost everyone brought wine as their "vegan" contribution.  (It's not officially vegan.)  So many people can't imagine what food item they can bring, and I thought of adding what I added a bit too late for the whole group.  I included it in two of my later invitations and in my response to someone who offered to bring a dish.

Dear Film-Fan Friends,

A small group of us had a very interesting discussion of the most recent "Wuthering Heights" movie even though it wasn't an Oscar nominee this year (or likely to be any other year).  I hope you can join us on March 16th, when we'll gather together from 5 to 7 to discuss the Oscars and the Oscar nominated films of 2025--and those we think should have been/not been nominated.  

I'll also have dishes (plant-based, of course.  Remember Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar acceptance speech?) based on scenes from the movies--like the scene in "Bugonia," where one of our anti-heroes is begging to leave the table to go to the bathroom while they're eating a spaghetti dinner.  (The way I find plant-based dishes  is to Google "Vegan meatballs" or whatever I want to make.  I find that easier than taking a recipe that's not vegan and substituting ingredients, and it's fun to see all the possibilities and not have to resort to processed food.)

And here's a link Nicole Wendel shared of  Wesley Morris telling the NYTimes readers "What I Love about This Year's Oscars."

https://www.nytimes.com/video/podcasts/100000010665474/cannonball-oscars.html?smid=url-share

I ordered all the vegan Girls Scout Cookies today.

 

First meeting of the SFVS's Book Club held at Chinatown Branch Library

 

What lovely people!  We gathered at the Chinatown Branch of the Public Library to discuss The Impactful Vegan by body-builder Robert Cheeke. I was happy to see it was inter-generational because for a long time it seemed that most members where those who began the SFVegan Society back in 1968!  Last night (January 15, 2026) we had people after that!

Some people hated the book because the author, a vegan body-builder, says that, while we should be vegans,  donating $100,000 to vegan outreach would be more impactful because it would save more animals than the ones we don't eat.  

I was startled by the response of the attendees when I told them that I was an extremist and really obnoxious, inviting my friends to  a Day after Oscars party with dishes representing the movies but stating that any food brought in had to be free of animals or animal products in honor of Joaquin Phoenix, who spoke so eloquently in defense of animals in his Oscar acceptance speech in 2020.  They thought that was "awesome."   

Below you see a member showing off his vegan shoes.  

 

I asked Google AI, "Has any mainstream periodical (like the New York Times) reviewed The Impactful Vegan?"  This was the answer:  

While mainstream media like The New York Times covers veganism broadly (discussing trends, health, and culture), specific, prominent reviews for a book titled "The Impactful Vegan" aren't immediately evident in these general searches, suggesting it might be a niche book or the coverage focuses on the broader plant-based movement rather than individual titles unless it's a major bestseller. Searches point to articles about the vegan movement (its perceived decline, media bias) in major outlets like The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Financial Times, but not direct reviews of The Impactful Vegan. 

To find out for sure, you might need to:

• Check book review sections of major papers directly.
• Search specific vegan/plant-based publications, as they are more likely to cover such books.
• Look for the author's name, as reviews might focus on their other works or personal brand.

But it lead to this link:  https://sentientmedia.org/postmortem-on-veganism-is-premature/#:~:text=It%20was%202020%2C%20and%20documentaries,the%20U.S.%20than%20ever%20before.

That's Perspective

Critics Declared Veganism Dead in 2025. Here’s What Those Obituaries Are Missing.

The massive scale and influence of the meat industry shouldn’t be underestimated. by Jessica Scott Reed writing for the Sentientmedia.org  

All worked out for the refreshment part of the Power of Art exhibition.  .  Kit Dai, Dean of the Chinatown/NorthBeach CCSF campus where the retirees' art was exhibited,  had wisely chosen Caravansary for the savory, and I provided cookies without eggs or dairy and some gluten-free balls.  I wound up not eating anything at all, but I was glad it was all there.  
 

Yesterday I tried to find the dark chocolate + cherries bag at Target but didn't have this picture.  I don't really want it for myself, but I want to be able to give it to people who aren't vegans to show them the possibilities!  I did find some other plant-based chocolate.  (Notice that they don't have VEGAN in big letters.)