Welcome tcrum!!! Hey, I'm taking my horse to Iowa State on Friday (he got an injury and no other vets can do anything for him so we're going to try to see if anyone can help him there).

Why am I not surprised that there aren't a lot of Iowans here?

Ahh well, at least I'm in Iowa City, where there are two veg*n restaurants and an awesome co-op. Still wonder sometimes if I should be moving to Europe, especially since Sicko came out.

Well I'm here, and since you're in Iowa City, I'd love to gossip about the erstwhile Grounds for Dessert or something.

I find Europe to be like a thousand times less vegan friendly than IC.

Hey! Grounds for Dessert, is that what the Fair Grounds used to be called? I don't spend too much time downtown, but looking for good veg food at a restaurant is hard, makes going out of my way worthwhile... how are they?

Hey everyone, it's been awhile. Anyone near the Omaha, Nebraska area is encouraged to come to a Fur Free Friday protest at the Overland Sheepskin Company at the Old Market. The Overland Sheepskin Company is responsible for the slaughtering of mink, sheep, cattle, foxes, beaver, lynx, and a host of other animals for coats, home furnishings, and shoes. Please let them know we are fed up with their greed!

When: November 23, 2007 from 9:00am-12:00pm or later

Where: Overland Sheepskin Company
1011 Howard Street
Omaha, NE 68102

Feel free to bring any campaign materials you like to make your voice heard. Some posters, pamphlets, and leaflets will be available to hand out.

Speak out for the animals and make new friends in the process!

Hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, or would like to verify your participation, email me at tuffenoughtorock@rock.zzn.com

Hey! Grounds for Dessert, is that what the Fair Grounds used to be called? I don't spend too much time downtown, but looking for good veg food at a restaurant is hard, makes going out of my way worthwhile... how are they?

Yeah, that's Fair Grounds former name. You said there are two vegan restaurants. Red Avacado and ??? I can't think of any other exclusively vegan restaurants.

Where do you spend your time if not downtown?

I would go to Fair Grounds. They have great french toast and grilled faux-cheese panini sandwiches. Even if you don't normally enjoy vegan "cheese," and who does, it's homemade and tastes good. The waffles are all vegan also, but I don't think they're that spectacular in comparasion. The desserts are good too, but pricey.

But a word to the wise, try to aviod going there Sunday mornings and probably any busy time for breakfast restaurants because it's packed. My problem is I also don't want to go when it's not busy, because I'm afraid the owner, Christine, will wanna chat with me. I lived less than a block away from there when it opened a little over a year ago, so I went there all the time between me wanting somewhere to study and it being the only quality breakfast restaurant for vegans in like a 1000 mile radius. So she always wanted to be friendly with me. The weirdest was when she asked if I'd broken up with the boyfriend I'd taken there. I said yes and she was like "We all wanted you to break up with him, he seemed like a jerk!" Who says that?

Hi. I live in Iowa City and am a vegan (vegan for two yrs, vegetarian for over 25). I would like to meet more vegetarians in Iowa city...but am older (than college age) and find it difficult to meet new folks.

In any case, I think it's a little hurtful to name people and dis them on a public forum...I, for one, love the fact that there is an affordable, non-pretentious vegan food haven (Fair Grounds) in Iowa City. I'm crossing my fingers that the business thrives and grows. I would be honored to befriend someone as industrious, entrepreneurial and dedicated as the owner of Fair Grounds.

I have a large room to rent in Iowa City in a vegetarian household. Does anyone know of anyone who might need a room and is veg?

I find it a little hurtful when someone I don't know very well tells me someone I care about is a jerk. So whoever can get their non-pretentious vegan food without being made to feel uncomfortable is a step ahead of me. And if my publically saying that someone makes me feel uncomfortable qualifies as "dis"ing someone, then I probably deserve to have it that way.

If you go there when it's not crowded, I would imagine it would be quite easy to introduce yourself and become acquainted with the people who work there, including the owner. Plus they seem to have events sometimes, don't they. I was personally curious if the vegetarian speed dating I saw they were hosting drew a majority of undergrads, townies or what? Unfortunately, I'm not looking for romance and couldn't justifiably go and find out.

When I said veg*n, I meant Fair Grounds and Red Avocado, since veg*n signifies both main forms of veg to me. Also, since everything at FG is available in a vegan form, I think it qualifies pretty well as a vegan restaurant.

I live in the southwest corner of IC, and am something of a homebody, to be honest. When I'm not working, I'm usually at home with my husband. I got all the 'out' I wanted back when I lived in Las Vegas, don't really have any interest in the Iowa club scene.

Presuming that the owner was the blonde 30-something (possibly 40?) who made my lunch the time I went there, she was reasonably nice to me. Maybe she was just more comfortable with you than you were with her? The food was very good, and I'll probably go back just for that. The happy cow does have a less-than-pleasant review of them, which made me nervous about going there, but the owner's response to the review was pretty reasonable to me.

Oh I see, I had thought that you meant Fair Grounds was the second vegan restaurant you meant, but after the second post you made, I thought you were saying it wasn't... I was confused. But yes I would say it qualifies as vegan, since everything can be made vegan if it isn't automatically.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that she isn't nice, she certainly is! I guess like you said, she was just a bit more comfortable with me at the time that I would have imagined. I guess I just didn't get her sense of humor as applied to my love life. One time they ran out of bread for like 30 minutes and she offered to make me two waffles instead of my french toast and then let me have the same french toast free the next time I came in. Quite possibly a highlight of my year 2007.

I'm surprised that they would get a bad review! Everything is so good! I'll have to look this up.

Having read the reviews on Happy Cow, I would say that they are grounded a bit in reality. The service can be frustratingly slow when it's busy. I've also heard second hand that many employees have been displeased with their experience working here, but only second hand.

I find it a little hurtful when someone I don't know very well tells me someone I care about is a jerk. So whoever can get their non-pretentious vegan food without being made to feel uncomfortable is a step ahead of me. And if my publically saying that someone makes me feel uncomfortable qualifies as "dis"ing someone, then I probably deserve to have it that way.

I think their service is getting better than it used to be.... :)

I agree she shouldn't have said that to you....I was just trying to say that maybe you should have said something to her instead of naming her on the forum....that's all. Heck, she'll probably say that my STBX abusive (vegetarian) husband is a really nice guy. (Who has swung a hammer at/near my head for next to nothing amongst other things). He goes there all the time. Speed daters beware. :)

good to hear the service is getting better!

you know, maybe she was on to something. not only is my bf not vegetarian, he doesn't even like french toast. if that last point doesn't make his suspect, i don't know what does!

good to hear the service is getting better!

you know, maybe she was on to something. not only is my bf not vegetarian, he doesn't even like french toast. if that last point doesn't make his suspect, i don't know what does!

:stinkeye: omg! How can anyone not like french toast? :D

:stinkeye: omg! How can anyone not like french toast? :D

I know, right! We had this conversation at Fair Grounds:

"Try some of this french toast."
"No thanks."
"But it's so good!"
"I don't really like french toast."
"kvknscil;,xok mi t39l.xcb jfcxxc!!!!!"

He did try it though and insisted it was the best french toast he had tasted. Which was obvious because better french toast is scientifically impossible. Probably some sort of University experiement to figure out how many people they can get to buy novelty waffles when also presented with the option of amazing bread cooked in delicious vegan goo. The answer: too many!

Is anyone in Iowa City interested in getting together to meet more v*gans? It's just a thought...it would be nice to meet more people with a similar mindset.

I am near Ames. I LOVE Wheatsfields like some of the others who have posted. I cant wait until they expand. They keep talking about it and I wish they would hurry and do it.

I live in Davenport. Slim pickin's round these parts!
But we deal.

Hey - I'm stuck going out to Cedar Rapids on Business for Valentines Day :cry:. I told the guys I'm going with that I'm dragging them somewhere for vegan food ( last time eating out was near impossible. I lived on french fries and ice berg lettuce, although Granite City brewpub made me a nice meal). Is the red avacado and fairgrounds the only veg places in Iowa? I think its only 45 minutes from the hotel, but it still might be tough to get them to drive.

Anything good in Cedar Rapids? or at least veg friendly? anyone want to have me over for dinner and maybe pack me lunches :D j/k, kind of... I could pay you.

Thanks!

I can't stop lurking on this thread even though I left Iowa City last year. Lefty sorry to say there is big fat nothing veg friendly in Cedar Rapids unless you count a Subway veggie sandwich, minus cheese for vegan. Iowa City has loads of options however. I'll just mention my personal favorite. Get awesome delicious veg take-out at the New Pioneer Co-op. If your friends don't want to drive, go over there, pick up a small veggie feast, and bring it back (call ahead if you really want a lot of food). There are 2 locations, Iowa City and Coralville, they both have delis. Try a Papagayo sandwich with soy cheese or any of the sandwiches, they are all great. Double check that they remembered the soy cheese when you pick it up. Their other takeout is very well labeled veg and vegan. The quality of the food is outstanding.
http://www.newpi.com/
edit: note that you can download the sandwich menu. looks like they've got a full list of their stuff on the "catering" menu and you can pick that up yourself, just call ahead. maybe you could convince them to deliver to CR.

I miss my Co-op :cry: :cry: :cry:

Thanks! I wasn't sure if I would get any replies. I might end up packing some lunches, but it would be awesome if they would deliver. I feel like its such a bad deal to not eat well, since a big plus of being on travel is the free food. I will probably spend my meal allowance on beer.

So I managed in cedar rapids, and it was almost vegan.

Granite City Brewary actually made me a pretty good meal. I had the salmon oscar minus the salmon and oscar. So sauteed veggies, wild rice pilaf, asparagus and a salad. Much better than my lunch which was a fish sandwich with no fish lol. So bread, lettuce and fries. yum.

:hi:Vegan (for the last month) living in Cedar Rapids here! Recently discovered Fair Grounds in Iowa City - YUMMY!!! :drool: I have found the co-op to be great, too. They Hy-Vee's in Cedar Rapids have a surprisingly nice selection for veg*n/organic stuff, but it could be better. Like, how about a Whole Foods?? A vegetarian girl I work with went to the Whole Foods website and wrote them an email aksing why they don't have a store here. Basically we think between Cedar Rapids and IA City would be perfect! Anyway, would love to chat with any local vegans - I've only met one in real life, and that was like a million years ago!

I live in Davenport. Slim pickin's round these parts!
But we deal.

Are you still on VB? I am just across the bridge from you. :hi:

Now that each state has its own forum I'll be closing the state threads. Please continue any discussion by starting a new thread in this forum. Thanks!