Flippantly Vague Musings of a Quirky Vegan

Chocolate and a few of my favorite things

For some reason, my local Bashas' gorcery store has had some amazing deals in their natural food section lately. A bunch of items have been reduced by almost 50%, if not more, and they aren't damaged or expired. I have been buying surplus oat, soy, rice and almond milk, thanks to this sale of sorts, along with treasures like organic shredded coconut, vegan jerky (which I will taste test as soon as I get up enough nerve), and frozen foods. I guess they are moving some older stock out to make room for new stock, but this still means I have been getting some sweet deals on food that I have wanted to try. Yip yip!

One of the items I bought was a chocolate bar by Green and Black's. I have never been a fan of dark chocolate, due to it's bitterness. My dad was always the one in my family that liked to buy dark chocolate, and I would never feel the desire to sneak any of it. I guess he was lucky, because I am notorious for sneaking bites of other people's treats. Well, it was time for me to try dark chocolate again. I bought a few bars of some different brands before, and liked them so-so, but nothing really jumped out at me as something I would crave or buy again, but I have read a few reviews of Green and Black's Organic chocolate products, and they are generally glowing on how delicious they are. The one I really wanted to try, the Hazelnut and Currant, was on sale for $1.99, so it was time to buy.




I tried it yesterday, after my picky daughter kept bugging me to let her have some. After one bite, I didn't notice too much bitterness! *does happy chocolate dance* And I liked the crunch of the hazelnuts. I didn't notice the currants too much, but I am sure they added the sweetness that masked some of the bitterness that I normally find in dark chocolate. I let both kids have a bite, and they both loved it. I am not overly surprised though.... :-) And I subsequently ate half the bar. I guess that says something!






Now I want to share a few of my favorite vegan face and hair products. These are the items that I enjoy the most out of all the brands that I have purchased lately.



From left to right:
Aveda's Brilliant Emolient Finishing Gloss. This stuff makes my hair so shiny and sleek. Love it!
Dr. Bronners Peppermint Castile soap
ShiKai Everyday Shampoo and Conditioner. I am super picky about my hair products, since my hair is very thin and straight. These make my hair smooth and manageable.
Alba Pineapple Enzyme Facial Cleanser
Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask
In front, left to right:
Alba Aloe and Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer
Tom's of Maine Cinnamint Toothpaste
Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads

I am pretty certain all of these are totally vegan. I am still weeding out my bathroom medicine cabinet of all the items that are not vegan friendly. It's a long process! ...and I know about the issues with Tom's getting bought out by Colgate. I am unhappy about it, but for right now I am still buying their toothpaste until I can find another brand that I like. I do love their toothpaste...

Now, I don't wear a lot of makeup, but I am looking for some ideas on the best brands for non-animal tested or produced makeup. I generally wear mascara and coverup (for my dark eye circles) and occasionally some blush. What brands do you all use the most or recommend? What about hair color?

And one final picture for today...it's the pool! We are about 2 weeks away from swimming, finally! It's hot as blazes here these days, not to mention humid, and I would so love to go take a dip. Soon. Very soon. They are putting the tiles in today...so pretty! And yes, that is our dog Zeppelin's butt in the corner.