Jon Stewart, I Love You.

I am so in love with everything Jon Stewart right now. 

First, I find out his wife is vegan.

Second, I see his amazing interview with Gene Baur, 

founder and president of Farm Sanctuary. 

Now, I see that he and his wife have purchased land 

to create a farmed animal sanctuary of their own.

Next, will I see news that Jon Stewart has... 

dun dun dun... 

GONE VEGAN?!

We shall see. For now, I have a major reason to smile today. 

Thanks Jon!!!!!!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

The Gentle Barn.

After having already experienced the joy that is The Gentle Barn a few years ago, I was lucky enough to share this beautiful place with Matt and his daughter, Bella, on Sunday. For those of you who don't know, The Gentle Barn is a farmed animal sanctuary with a different agenda than most - this safe haven for formerly abused and discarded animals also serves as a place of healing for at-risk, developmentally disabled, and other groups of children and adults, by providing tours and volunteer opportunities during the week to allow for connection between the animals and humans they encounter. While GB 100% supports a plant-based diet & vegan living as the #1 action humans can take to help our Earth, this sanctuary also wants to leave a legacy that bridges the emotional, physical, and psychological difficulties so many people face with the extraordinary transformation the cows, chickens, goats, turkeys, pigs, and other creatures at GB experience. The best part? This transformation is all a result of the love, kindness, patience, and compassion of their GB human caretakers. 

Ellie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn

Ellie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn, gives regular speeches on Sundays before people are allowed to enter the upper areas of the sanctuary. In this rousing speech, Laks encourages every interested person visiting - child and adult alike - to remain gentle with the animals they encounter, a quality that is inherent in every aspect of her sanctuary. It was captivating to watch an entire audience of such a variety of people unite with Laks' words, especially that one main word - "gentle". I decided to look up the word "gentle" in Merriam-Webster and found the top definition to be: "having or showing a quiet and kind nature; not harsh or violent." I left Laks' speech with a renewed love of what it means to be a gentle being in this world. I left the sanctuary that day with a renewed commitment to the animals and humans I honor every single day with my vegan living. And man, was it fun to introduce this kiss-worthy place to Matt and Bella.

Below are some pictures capturing the day. I encourage all Southern LA residents and beyond to take a Sunday to visit this extraordinary place. 

Bella and I with Buttercup, a rescued cow. 

Matt meeting Lela, one of the sanctuary residents.

Bella & her new friend Zeus, after she gave her very first pig belly rub!

Me with Ellie Laks and her daughter

I couldn't resist giving a belly rub to Zeus myself! 

McKenna, one of GB's turkey residents

Faith, a blind rescued cow who gives new meaning to the word "faith"

Belly loved brushing the cow's hair!

For more information, please visit www.gentlebarn.org.

Plus One.

It has most certainly been a while, friends. 

Seven months to be exact. 

But a lingering, little voice inside seems to keep whispering to me, beckoning me back to writing a blog post on here.

"Lindsay, write to the people!"

And tonight, I'm listening.

On my mind at the moment - growth. The growth a person does in trying times. The growth a person experiences in the happiest of moments. The stretching and growing we do as we navigate this lifelong journey. For me, living as an openhearted ethical vegan has had its fair share of bumps along the way. While my resolve and daily commitment has never wavered, the heaviness of life has managed, at times, to challenge my belief in the possibility of worldwide change. I've also found myself focused so much on my art that I tend to forget to give time to causes that I hold so close to my heart - the animal rescue organizations, vegan advocacy groups, and the other amazing heroes of our movement who remind me to carry on carrying on. But that is life, I think. To ebb and flow, to allow certain parts of you to play solo. To forget, and then to remember.    

A lot has changed for this vegan lady. 

A few things that have stayed the same: I'm still living in Los Angeles living my dream of being a film and television actress and filmmaker.  I've still got my rescued cat Vicki by my side. And I'm still quite possibly the happiest vegan you may ever meet (going on six and a half years now!).  

A few things that have changed: As I wrote in my 2014 post, while Steve and I remain friends, we are no longer together romantically. It has been a transformational year on my own, and one that brought me to the realization that I want to start a family, to find a partner I love, and to carry on with my dreams beside that person and family. What I ended up finding was even more than I bargained for - a loving, sweet, funny, and kind man, his beautiful, beautiful daughter, and one more recent addition...

When I was a little girl, in response to the classic question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I listed my reply in this order: 1) Artist, 2) Teacher, and 3) Mommy. Becoming a mama has been a lifelong dream of mine, and one that I had been pushing aside so that I could prioritize a growing creative career. But life has a very funny way of showing up when you least expect it, and here we are. Honestly, I couldn't ask for better timing in the long run. Because having lived vegan for as long as I have has shaped me into learning the kind of mama I really want to be. And thankfully, my partner, animation artist Matt Garofalo, is just about the most supportive person I could ever ask for. Even though he's not entirely vegan, he's 100% vegan friendly and open to raising a vegan kiddo.

Life lately has involved vegan pregnancy books, walks, emotional ups and downs, doctors appointments, and a reorganizing of my formerly busy, overly productive life. Making room for this new chapter has really overhauled my whole attitude. I want to make sure, of course, to still be actively working towards my creative goals and participating in my own wholehearted evolution, but now, I also want to make sure I leave... well, room. Room for more. More surprises. More presence. More growth in ways I never dreamed possible. 

What does this means for you, my kiss-worthy readers? Well, it means I want to start writing it all down and sharing it with you. The whole thing. Of course, I will be sure to have my vegan lifestyle at the heart of each post, but I also feel like it might be nice to leave a little extra piece of me with you here as well. So I'll be getting personal as I go. One thing you can expect soon - a rundown of my experience taking Matt and his daughter to The Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita tomorrow. Beyond that, we will just have to see where the inspiration takes me.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. For being here. For cheering me on along the way. I hope that in the sharing of my experience, I can leave you with something positive as you approach your own life.

Alright, I think I'll get back to finishing "Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven." It's fabulous so far, BTW.

I leave you with a quote that I will be carrying alongside me as a new mama: 

"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar." - Bradley Miller

Love and Vegan Kisses,

Linds