About Vegenista:

The “Vegenista” blog was born when a very dear friend of mine, Andi, & her husband Kevin, decided to adopt a vegan diet. Transition slowly? “Lean” in? Not these two, bless them! They went cold turkey after watching Food Inc. Knowing I was raised vegetarian, & eating mostly vegan at the time, Andi had plenty of questions & I had plenty of answers. After bombarding her email account with forwards, links, & information & spending our work days talking more about food than about work – it struck me! Why not put all of this knowledge into a blog? So I did & here we are.

To me a “Vegenista” is a chic & fashionable gal (or guy) who is devoted to a living compassionate & cruelty- free lifestyle.

A bit about me:

As I mentioned, thanks to my wonderful Mom, I was raised on a vegetarian diet. While I had a few meat eating moments, the vegetarian way of life always resonated with me more, & I am grateful to have had a family that stood behind me & encouraged my choice. I believe that the first step to a healthful life & planet is to adopt a plant-based diet.

My goal is live as consciously, healthfully & compassionately as possible. Over the past year I’ve been transitioning to a “vegan lifestyle” - for both dietary & ethical reasons. That means giving up the “cheese cheats;” reading labels & fussing over trace dairy; slowly weeding out my leather shoes & bags & replacing them with non-animal based goods (that means no leather, wool, silk, & especially not fur); being meticulous about cosmetics & household items & making sure they are 100% cruelty-free; buying from eco & animal-friendly brands, as much as my budget will allow; & being more conscious about animal rights’ issues. Some changes have been easier than others, but I have enjoyed the journey. I’m not perfect, but I do the best I can, for the good of my health, & especially for the animals. :)

I love food, especially when it is 100% plant-based! There is nothing better to me than a massaged kale salad, a veggie sandwich on the go, a cashew cheese plate & a nice glass of wine, or a sinful vegan cupcake (or two).

Secondary to food, I love to shop. For shoes, bags, watches, scarves & cosmetics, you name it. Yet, my shopping habits have changed tremendously over the last few years. While I still hit up the Target shoe aisle now & again, I try to support smaller local stores, independent brands & handcrafted brands. I am always on the look out for items that are eco-friendly, ethically manufactured & sourced, & cruelty free, but still modern & fashion forward.

I am also a dedicated yogini, a Pug owner & lover. I have an extreme fondess for Paris & all things Parisian, but I’m lucky to have been born & raised in sunny San Diego.

On Vegenista you will find everything from my favorite plant-based recipes, to eco-friendly & ethical fashion tips, cruelty-free beauty product recommendations & reviews, information on health & wellness & much, much more! Everyone is welcome here, as this blog is dedicated to sharing, learning & growing together.

Thank you for joining me & thank you for reading! :)

xoxo, Melissa

“Compassion & love are not mere luxuries. As the source both of inner & external peace, they are fundamental to the continued survival of our species.” - His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama