Haute and Green

FREE DAILY TRENDS

23 MAY 2013

Sneak Attack

Marketers make an impression by staging practical jokes

16 MAY 2013

Sounds Good

Art and tech experiments provide some auditory healing

15 MAY 2013

Share the Road

Smart design puts a premium on the safety of cyclists

14 MAY 2013

Just Add Water

Water-based workouts are making waves

10 MAY 2013

Knock on Wood

Woodworking becomes an aspirational hobby

8 MAY 2013

Put a Spin on It

Food and beverage vendors harness pedal power

7 MAY 2013

Drink Up

Alcohol brands employ innovative digital tactics

3 MAY 2013

First Fridays: James Kennedy, Founder of Apothecanna

Q+A with a modern medical cannabis pioneer

1 MAY 2013

Talk to Me

Language learning platforms offer new tools to improve fluency

30 APR 2013

Trash to Treasure

New initiatives help locate salvageable goods

29 APR 2013

Light It Up

Modern light shows quench the public's thirst for multi-sensory spectacles

26 APR 2013

Meditate Me

Meditation apps offer on-demand serenity

18 APR 2013

Turning Japanese

Traditional Japanese goods are revitalized for modern use

16 APR 2013

Guest Shots

New photo-sharing tools help couples crowdsource their wedding albums

11 APR 2013

Oh, the Horror

New entertainment content resurrects classic horror films

10 APR 2013

Waste Not, Want Not

Community-motivated services facilitate leftover meal sharing

9 APR 2013

(Do) Play With Your Food

Food becomes an artistic medium

4 APR 2013

In Their Shoes

Simulated firsthand experiences encourage an empathetic outlook

2 APR 2013

Vital Signs

Billboards give back, providing disadvantaged communities with food, water, and shelter

2 APR 2013

Now Available: The Winter/ Spring 2013 Cassandra Report

Special Focus: Generation Z

Though the animal-friendly lifestyle has undoubtedly become a slow-growing but solid mainstay, veganism is making its grand entrance into popular culture decisively. Once viewed as extremist outsiders, vegans are pampering their taste buds with an array of grocery stores, bars and gourmet restaurants as well as fast food eateries, celebrity chefs and viral videos.

Plant Food For People: Residents of LA’s Highland Park are gearing up their appetites for this recently announced vegan fast food drive-thru. At its soft opening last month, PFFP wowed diners with its use of jackfruit to create a vegan adaptation of “carnitas” tacos. (Jackfruit closely resembles the texture of poultry when cooked.) Although PFFP is new to the drive-thru restaurant model, the company has been supplying vegan deli sausages to its neighbor, Figueroa Produce Market, for some time now. Far from LA but feeling famished? Fear not, as plenty of fast food joints are adding vegan dishes to their menus daily—and if drive-thru isn’t an option, there’s always delivery.

Tal Ronnen: Veganism is nothing new to Hollywood, but this culinary artist has firmly established himself as the vegan chef to the stars. Deemed by Oprah as “the best vegan chef in America,” he catered the wedding of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, as well as the U.S. Senate’s first ever vegan dinner. The Wynn and Encore resorts in Las Vegas consulted Ronnen when they added vegan dishes to the menus at all of their 22 restaurants. Proof that mainstream dominance may be imminent, Ronnen has been retained as the vegan consultant by—get this—two former McDonald’s executives for their forthcoming chain concept, LYFE Kitchen.

Vegan Black Metal Chef: This home cook (real name: Brian Manowitz) has garnered more than 1.4 million views with his first YouTube video, “Episode 1 Pad Thai,” in which he cooks on a pentagram and uses such epic tools as a mace and daggers. His website, which encourages viewers to “come learn vegan cooking set to Black Metal with a dash of mysticism,” includes information on him and his goth knives, as well as fan merchandise for sale. He may be a little out there for the Food Network, but a personality like this may be just what the food truck scene needs for re-ignition. More episodes are now in release.