Life-Affirming Thanksgiving Celebration
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday 25 November 2004, noon to 5pm
http://www.vsdc.org/thanksg.html
Celebrate Thanksgiving Day once again with hundreds of people and enjoy
a gourmet vegan feast at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda in Bethesda MD.
This annual gala event, sponsored each year by VSDC, brings together
vegetarians and non-vegetarians to enjoy life-affirming food in a
wonderful social setting. We receive so many favorable comments about
these events and feel confident that you will leave pleased again this year!
Registration and the social hour starts at noon and the buffet starts
around 1 pm (you must plan to arrive by 1 pm!). Our exciting and
abundant vegan menu features:
* * Appetizers / Soup / Salads*
o Vegetable Crudite
o Roasted Vegetable Saffron Soup
o Garden Salad with Pine Nuts, Avocado, and Raspberry Vinaigrette
o Marinated Vegetable Medley
o Bean Sprouts in Curry Sauce
* * Hot Buffet*
o Roasted Potatoes with Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomatoes
o Butternut Squash Baked with Leeks, Vanilla Bean, and Toasted
Walnuts
o Julienne Vegetables served with Asian Peanut Sauce
o Country Harvest Rice Pilaf Cooked in Homemade Vegetable Stock
o Vegan Stuffing & Gravy
o Hearty Thanksgiving Stuffed Tofu in Ginger Citrus Sauce
o Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Tomato and Fennel Broth
* * Extras*
o Cranberry Sauce
o Rolls and Soy Margarine
* * Dessert*
o Vegan Pumpkin Pie
o Fresh Seasonal Fruit and Berries
* * Beverages*
o Lemonade
o Iced Tea
o Freshly Brewed Starbucks Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and
Tazo Teas <http://tazo.com>
* Our guest speaker* this year will be Ms. Miyun Park, President of
Compassion Over Killing <http://www.tryveg.com/cfi>. COK is a
Washington DC-based, non-profit, animal advocacy organization that
promotes vegetarian eating as a way to build a kinder world for all of
us, both human and non-human.
The event will again feature: many door prizes, singles tables, family
tables, sign language interpreter and assistive listening devices (if
requested), and non-profit exhibitors. Light background music will fill
the afternoon, and additional socializing time after the meal is
planned. The banquet hall is smoke-free and disabled-accessible. News
media <press.html> may be present, but you may dress casually.
* Reservations are essential; there will be absolutely no walk-in
registration.* The price of the event <tgcalc.html> (postmarked on or
before Monday 1 November) including tax and gratuity, is $43 for VSDC
adult members and $46 for adult non-members. Children 12 and under are
$30; the cost is waived for children under 3. Highchairs are available
upon request. After 1 November, the price is $3 more for adults: $46
for VSDC adult members and $49 for adult non-members. * All
reservations MUST be postmarked by Friday 21 November 2004* If we
receive it by that day, we'll send you a confirmation, by email if you
provide your email address, otherwise by postal mail. To reserve,
please include a phone number and all names along with a check made
payable to VSDC, and mail to: VSDC TG, PO Box 12265, Silver Spring, MD
20908-2265. (Please NOTE this is a special PO box for Thanksgiving).
Please don't delay - sign up immediately and save money. Bring your
family and friends, celebrate, and give thanks on this day in our very
special way!
Kindly consider bringing non-perishable vegan items to be donated to
those in need at the Community of Hope <http://communityOfHopeDC.org> in
DC. If you want to donate a door prize to be raffled during the event,
contact VSDC <contact.html>.
* Transportation:* The Hyatt Regency Bethesda
<http://bethesda.hyatt.com> is in downtown Bethesda Maryland
<http://bethesda.org>, at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue MD-355,
Old Georgetown Road MD-187, and East-West Highway MD-410, southwest
corner. Parking in Bethesda <http://www.dpwt.com/parking/bethesda.htm>
is free on holidays at on-street meters and at county garages. Garage
47 <http://www.dpwt.com/parking/gar47.htm> is across Wisconsin Ave, and
garage 49 <http://www.dpwt.com/parking/gar49.htm> is behind the hotel.
Parking is $7 for the day in the hotel's garage with a pass obtained at
VSDC's registration table. The hotel is on top of the Bethesda Metro
red-line station
<http://wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=12> at 7450
Wisconsin Ave <http://maps.yahoo.com?addr=7450+wisconsin+av&csz=20814>.