Moo Shoes, New York. Vegan Shoes, Boots, Belts, Bags, and Bling in the Lower East Side.

A trip to New York is not complete until I have hit Moo Shoes.  Hemp Hats, Matt & Nat Bags, Combat Boots, Vegan Cookbooks, Herbivore Clothes.....All Cruelty Free.  And they have resident cats.

MooShoes

78 Orchard St

New York, NY  10002

212.254.6512

In a favorite part of New York.  The Lower East Side.  Within a block is TienGarden, BlueStockings, Babycakes, and Gus's Pickles used to be across the street (Think movie "Crossing Delancy") but is now gone.  So basically Vegan Heaven in a city block.

MooShoes was opened in 2001 by sisters Erica & Sara Kubersky.  

Resident Cat.

I think this is the one that sometimes gets shaved like a lion!

Love all the bags, Wallets (both men's and women's), and tennis shoes.

My hubby had to pry me away from this wall last time.  Usually I try to make one stop "husband free"  just so I am not "reminded" that I already "have a bag that looks like that".  Hubby has gotten some goods from here as well.  Some Earth Sandals and a few wallets.

He can't remember the password to the store account.  He wanted to order more cat treats.

Some great heels but whenever I am in New York heels are the last thing on my mind.  Not for a walking city!   

Pleather Jackets from Vegetarian Shoes and lots of veggie shirts and belts.

They also usually have the latest "Vegan Guide to New York" and other vegan information both local & national.

Made out of recycled bottles.

This store is so casual and welcoming, that even your other half will endure your pursuit of pretty feet.  Even if you already do have bags or shoes that "look like that".

www.gatewaypets.com

East St. Louis, Illinois Rescues

Some of the kids on our East St. Louis Feeding/Rescue Route.  Savvy on left is super pregnant and has been rescued!!  She is due anyday now.  Then Knuckles has a hurt "elbow".  Horton is the beautiful Brindle dog and the father to Savvy's kids.  And shy Fingers is on the end.

This Siamese kitty has also been rescued and is up for adoption at www.gatewaypets.com !! East St. Louis.

 RaRa is stilllllll waiting for a foster home.  She has lived her entire life on the streets of East St. Louis and just wants to retire in a warm home.

 This is kind of sad.  Washington Park, Illinois, is a new part of the route and seems even more blighted than East St. Louis.  Except the homes are newer and abandoned.  This poor dog has an embedded chain but would not let Pj close enough to do anything about it.  She has been keeping an eye on it and trying to earn trust so she & GPG can rectify the situation and get this poor guy the medical attention he needs.

 So many chained dogs in this area.  It is not illegal.  However, if the animal does not have shelter or the chain is "too short" (but there is no length requirement), then they may get a knock on the door.  Pj has not seen this dog again.  Very strange.

Mr. Tux is still out there.  The Siamese and Tommy used to be at this house as well but they were rescued.  Maybe Mr. Tux will be next.

Poor Savvy!!!!  This is when she was ready to burst with babies.  We were so lucky that Ms. U agreed to foster her and actually went that evening and by some miracle Savvy was still at the house and let Ms. U take her in the car.  Now Savvy is resting comfortably, just waiting.  Like every other pregnant mom to be!

So happy that we were able to save her!!  I would not have wanted to go into this home to try to get the puppies.  It is half collapsed so not really sturdy enough to stand and still enough to fall on ya.....not good.  February 23, 2012

Here is Pj talking to Savvy. 

The gal on the left is an adorable German Shepard puppy that Pj rescued February 25, 2012.  Super sweet and full of energy.  She is up for adoption.

And Blondie, my current running buddy.  Another East St. Louis Rescue.  She is still waiting for a forever home.

And 30 seconds with RaRa who is still waiting for a foster....
www.gatewaypets.com

Greener Pastures. The sweetest grass in New York. Union Square's Magic Sprout Bus.

Where in the world is sprout juice delivered by magic school buses?  Union Square, New York.  Of Course.  I had read about "Greener Pastures" in the NY Vegan Guide.  Something about "the sweetest grass in the city" being sold out of a schoolbus, many mornings in Union Square.  Handcranked from a manual metal juicer.  Perfect.  And the location is perfect.  First, the GreenMarket is also home to "Body & Soul"  a vegan baked goods stand that is really close to the Grass Stand.  Then Whole Foods is right there.  Jivamukti a few steps away on Broadway.  Um.....aside from the absolute lack of "yard" in the city.....this is one of the island's sweetest spots.

Union Sq W
16th St
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village

We always get "doubles" and they crank it out on a little metal juicer made in Czechoslovakia.  

They sell sprouts and sprout juice.  Lots of photos of all their furkids.  

Isn't this great?  A bus full of sprouts.  Wheatgrass, Pea Sprouts, Sunflower greens.

They seem to have a pretty steady flow of customers.  

Their cats like grass too.

Sunflower Greens.

Green Pea Juice.

I have personal experience with this.  I have had to hide my grass because all of the cats think I have gotten them grazing beds.  They eat the stuff and then they love to just the whole tray of it for a bed.

Bustle in Union Square.  Ignore the Grass Fed Beef.  Ick.  Just because murder is local, it doesn't really romanticize it at all.  It's not like NY brags about their human homicide rate.  

Lots of artists set up shop & sell their goods.

Whole Foods...........Not as crazy as the one in Columbus Circle, but busy.  Can't tell there is a recession when you walk into that place.  

Ahhhh....Just makes me want to grow grass and buy a school bus.  I would want to paint lots of colors on it though.  Just not sure Sprout Juice would be such a hot selling item in downtown St. Louis.

And the street kids of East St. Louis.  They don't want to be street kids forever and they are begging for foster homes.  www.gatewaypets.com

A few of the kids from February 3, 2012.

 Knuckles.  Knuckles may have a dislocated "elbow" and we may or may not be able to do anything about that.  But to find all of that out, we need to rescue this guy & get him to a vet.  Yeah, in order to do that we need a foster.  No, we don't have a brick & mortar shelter yet, so we truly have nowhere to take Mr. Knuckles.

 The homes in the background have been temporary shelter, yet dangerous from the lack of structural integrity, to many of the street kids.  Most of these homes are on the verge of total collapse and the interiors are completely filled with debris. 

 Mr. Tux, Tommy's kitty?, then "The Siamese", and Tommy on the right.  The Siamese acts a bit like ours, and Pj told me I should exchange ours for the one on the street.  Ours acts out a bit.  She is a total diva and a terrible tease and she torments Fatoush......."Fatty" the cat.  But.....she is part of our family so we deal with her being totally bipolar.  I am suspect of any cat that is that cute......so I am not going to exhange ours for this one  :)  However, all these kids need homes!

 Ms. A, an incredible artist and past president of GPG, loved Lloyd. Ms A. went on to make human babies.  I kind of can't believe Lloyd is still on the street.  He may need a special home though, because Pj doesn't think he would get along with everyone.  He might be a little bossy, but at the same time, he is always with this pack.  

 Rebel is a new little girl.  She looks like Wolfgang, but the timing is wrong says Ms. Pj.  So who knows......but she is pretty shy.  You can tell that she really wants to be comfortable around us, she is just still fearful.

This is just a strange thing.  This little "shed" with an "open" sign in the window is on the corner.  Maybe this place does Barbecues at night?  And maybe people hang out on the outdoor carpeting and bed??  I don't know....but the "room" keeps expanding.  Wonder if that counts as an extra room at tax time??  Speaking of taxes, apparently East St. Louis is sort of like Detroit in that one would think that taxes are low because you really don't get many perks living here.  But no, I guess that taxes are kind of high........It may be they are in dire need of money and there are not enough people that can supply that money that live within the city limits, so the taxes are higher than one could imagine.  I know there are beautiful historic homes in Detroit, but that the taxes can break the deal.