I was waiting for the #38 Geary at the corner of Geary and Divisadero, when one of three teenage boys asked me, "Could you spare five dollars so I can get a hamburger."

I was keeping my five dollar bills for servers who take pictures of us at the table because I don't think that's part of their job description, and I want to reward them.  But I really didn't need the five dollars that day--no eating out plans--so I gave him the five dollars.  Then it occurred to me that I didn't want him to get a hamburger.  

"Oh, my goodness!  I forgot!  I don't want you to get a hamburger.  They're the worst thing for animals and the environment.  Please get something else."

"He can get a salad," one of the other boys said.  "or a veggie burger."

He asked me, "Are you a vegan?"

"Yes," I said.

"Now I hate you."

"Then give me back my five dollars."  

I couldn't believe I was losing an opportunity to give him a little lesson.

He said, "We need meat for our bodies."

"That's what a lot of people believe," I said.  I could have said so much more.   I should carry around a flyer showing how animals are treated every day of their lives.

I really failed to rise to this occasion!  

The #38 bus was soon there.  

We ate well--and always vegan--in NYC this month!  (But the dish with the halved avocados wasn't in NYC.  It was at the Mission Rock Resort.  
 

You can see the variety of plant-based dishes we enjoyed in New York City between January 10th and January 18th.  We ate at Luanne's Wild Ginger, Aunt and Uncles (in Brooklyn) and Coletta, Mitr Thai, Frenchia's, Ras Ethiopian, and PS Kitchen among other places.  I even found a good vegan dish at Campbell's Bar and at a sandwich shop across from HELL'S KITCHEN! 

 

I forgot to take pictures of my buffet on January 6th--all vegan dishes-before people started eating, but here you can see some of the dishes after a few minutes of friends serving themselves.