It's obvious that I am an unabashed champion of Chicago and all its messy, loud, beautiful charms. There are cities with more access to nature (hi, San Francisco! Hello, Vancouver!), there are cities with a vegan restaurant on seemingly every corner (yes, we've noticed you, New York), there are cities that seem to be planned specifically by a coterie of vegan cognoscenti on bikes (oh, Portland, how you impress), and there are cities with weather that seems to always be on its best behavior (San Diego, you are so smug) but Chicago is still where my heart is for good reason. Yes, we have famously obnoxious weather and, no, we're not on a coast but we more than make up for that with our glorious attributes. I can't say that I will live in Chicago forever but I do love it with my broad shouldered spirit. It is a fabulous city in which to be a vegan, too. Let's go over some reasons why Chicago rocks for vegans...
1. We're a big, spicy, delicious melting pot. Millions of people means lots of varieties of backgrounds and passions. Lots of people means lots of creativity and opportunities to connect and influence one another. Being a vegan in Chicago means that you will be exposed to a lot of people who will challenge you to flex your advocacy muscles and you will also have a diverse community in which you just relax and be accepted as an herbivore. Urban areas tend to be friendliest to herbivores - in cities we have variety, diversity and a flux of people coming and going - which all adds up to a vibrant and dynamic vegan scene. We have a great one in Chicago.
2. Chicago is a restaurant town. People from all over the world come to Chicago to experience its many legendary and trendy restaurants. This is no different for vegans, many of whom consider Chicago the vegan food mecca of the region. Even beyond the region, Chicago's fantastic vegan food stands up to the very best from around the country. From classic diner food to high-end artisan cuisine, Chicago offers its plant-based residents and visitors everything from chili cheese fries and milkshakes to delicate, seasonal salads and pretty cocktails. With two new meatless restaurants that opened in recent months (Urban Vegan and Quesadilla Le Renya del Sur) as well as three new locations of California's famous Native Foods chain opening in the near future (the one in Wicker Park is opening next week!), we are lucky, lucky people. Check out VegIllinois.com for a list of dining options.
3. Hog butcher overthrow. Chicago was branded by Upton Sinclair's deeply influential exposé-in-novel-form, The Jungle, as Hog Butcher to the World and that label has stuck through the years even as there are few slaughterhouses left within city confines. (Most slaughterhouses are industrial-scale, highly mechanized buildings outside of urban areas.) In any case, I think that Chicago vegans subconsciously feel an extra incentive to help create a city that is in bold defiance of its one-time macabre image. While people who do not know Chicago well often mischaracterize it as a steak-and-potatoes town - and one can certainly find that, especially among the restaurants that cater to tourists - the reality is far more favorable to people who'd rather hug cows than eat them. This is because there is a demand for it among our eclectic population.
4. We've got community love. Okay, not everyone is perfect. It'd be embellishing the truth to say that Chicago is some sort of oasis of bliss in which unicorns frolic in the heather and vegans don't keep score of and try to one-up one another on earning their Vegan Purity Badges. It would be a stretch to say that we're always one big happy groovy family with a psychedelic montage playing in the background who tuck one another into bed each night with a glass of warm almond milk and a kiss on the forehead. Chicago vegans do indulge in pettiness: we're human. I do think, though, that we have an amazing community here. There are meet ups and get-togethers - check out Creatively Caring for activities with children - as well more spontaneous potlucks. We even have a group for vegan families (co-founded by me) we can't advertise because it gets so crowded. By and large, we have a welcoming, warm, lively and fun community here.
5. We're attitudinally well-adjusted. Chicagoans have a reputation as unpretentious for a reason: flashy or snobby attitudes just generally don't fly here. Is it because of our "Second City" label? Because common man raconteurs like Studs Terkel, hard workers like Jane Addams and hilarious actors like John Belushi helped to build the character of the city? I'm not sure. In D.C., it's about where you work. In New York, it's about who you know. In L.A., it's about the name dropping. Here we just sort of don't care. Which is not to say that you won't pretentious nitwits here - you will, I assure you - but they definitely stand out as the exceptions. This makes it easier to meet other vegans and activists, which is part of why we have such a dynamic community.
6. Culture vultures. We have amazing culture here, from world class museums to access to the best theater, music and art you can imagine. Having access to such rich culture challenges us to be more savvy vegans, right? Or maybe more culturally aware and impressive, which makes us pretentious and thus undermines my previous point. Whatever. Maybe I just wanted to throw that in. I'm the one writing this so I get to fudge things a little.
7. Outreach opportunities. The amazing Mercy for Animals is headquartered here, giving local animal advocates a great outlet for channeling their disgust with how animals are treated a productive means of expression. Whether through doing leafleting, tabling outreach or giving out vegan food samples, MFA gives activists lots of chances to get out there in Chicago and advocate effectively on behalf of the animals.
8. Special features. Our glorious downtown, our beauteous lakefront, our festivals, the unique and fun neighborhoods. As with #6, I'm not sure how these things make Chicago uniquely rock for vegans but they all contribute to a happier population and vegans are part of the population so... Okay, I give up. They're just cool, okay? Leave me alone. I'm tired.
9. Plant killers have sanctuary here. The soil in the area is some of the most fertile out there and so we have a bounty of amazing produce when the farmers market season kicks into gear, roughly June through October. With new innovations in greenhouse growing, too, some farmers are learning to extend their produce to a nearly year-round growing season. With farmers markets throughout the city and suburbs, many of which feature organic produce, it is easier and more accessible than ever to be the voracious plant-consuming machine of your dreams.
10. The most excellent vegan festival in the country. This year is the third annual Chicago VeganMania festival, a free, day-long celebration of vegan culture, commerce, cuisine, couture and community. Happening on Saturday, November 5th from 10:00 - 5:00 at the Pulaski Park Field House. Chicago VeganMania features speakers, cooking demos, entertainment, vendors, samples and a whole lot more. It's basically a vegan house party without the threat of getting busted and then showing up in the police blotter. Well, at least it shouldn't come to this. It's inclusive! It's fun! It's fabulous! It is uniquely and utterly Chicago in essence. Come join us: we'll rock your hemp socks off, I promise.
So there you go. No need to thank me. I need a nap.
Chicago. It rocks for vegans.
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