The following is a guest post by Amy from the VegCooking blog:

compass-group / CC

Let's say you got a big check as a holiday gift. Or maybe you just have the post–New Year's blues and need something to look forward to. Either way, we know what you need: a really great meal. But it can be tricky to find the right place—one that will bring the big vegan yum-liciousness in style. So we've put together a list (you know how we love lists) of the eight most outstanding veggie restaurants in the good ol' U.S. of A.

• Candle 79, New York City: I was lucky enough to eat here a couple of years ago—almost too yummy. It made me a seitan worshipper. And check it out: The food is not only vegan but also organic.


• Madeleine Bistro, Los Angeles: OK, technically, it's in Tarzana, but it's definitely worth the trip! Hey, Proust wrote his seven-volume masterpiece after eating a madeleine—just imagine what you'll accomplish after eating this Madeleine's chocolate soufflé.


• Green Zebra, Chicago: Chef and owner Shawn McClain won the 2006 James Beard award for Best Chef in the Midwest, so it's no surprise that this veggie hotspot features phenomenal food.


• Horizons, Philadelphia: Horizons specializes in "new vegan cuisine." What does that mean? Well, the current menu features delicious dishes such as saffron cauliflower soup and Pacific Rim grilled tofu. If that's new vegan cuisine, count me in!


• Millennium, San Francisco: A pioneer in gourmet vegan dining, Millennium features multi-culture fusion food. Heck, the whiskey chocolate tiramisu cake may be worth a cross-country trek all by itself!


• Sublime, Fort Lauderdale: A fine-dining experience like no other, Sublime offers exquisite, fresh vegan cuisine from across the globe. Known for its creative dishes and upbeat, unique atmosphere, Sublime's delectable entrees—such as the sublime picatta, Bangkok raw, Tuscan quiche, and ravioli—will leave you begging for more.


• Dragonfly Neo-V, Columbus, Ohio: Chef Magdiale Wolmark describes it as "fun, whimsical, and a great introduction to vegan cuisine." That sounds just about right. And the first call any vegan Columbus resident should make after getting engaged is to Neo-V—it caters events too.


• VegiTerranean, Akron, Ohio: Opened by rock legend Chrissie Hynde in her hometown, this sleek, modern eatery offers gourmet vegan fare with an Italian flare.

Of course, if you don't live in any of these cities, don't worry—there are more and more vegetarian (and vegetarian-friendly) joints popping up every day all over the place. And if you need help finding them, we can hook you up.

Know another restaurant that should be on our list? Tell us about it in the comments.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

cbc / CC

We all know that Pamela Anderson is an actress, a mother, and an incredible advocate for animals. But have you ever wondered how she really spends her days or what she eats, for that matter?

The ever-lovely Pamela Anderson is back on television, and to the delight of all her fans—including those of us right here at PETA—this time, she'll be playing the person that she knows best: herself! Her documentary series, Pam: Girl On the Loose, premiers August 3 on E!, and it's sure to satiate the needs of gossip queens everywhere.

Pam says, "Aside from keeping up with my kids, I don't exercise much, so I credit my veggie diet for my good health. Los Angeles is the easiest place in the world to eat vegan."

So while you're anxiously waiting for a hugely fun dose of Anderson reality, check out some of Pam's favorite places to eat at in Los Angeles. And if you don't live in the City of Angels, well, don't fret! It doesn't mean your future is full of boring green salads. Just visit HappyCow.net, and search for vegetarian restaurants in your city. Here's the list from Pam herself:

1. Flore Vegan Cuisine
   You've never—even when you ate meat—eaten a Rueben sandwich as rich and yummy as the one Flore cooks up.
   
2. Madeline Bistro
   Beet tartare to beat the band and you don't have to like beets! And vegan chocolate soufflé.
3. Pure Luck Restaurant
   Fried pickles, vegan sloppy joes and BBQ sandwiches. And they cook with jack fruit, which is an amazing fruit they use to make the mock meat tangy.
4. Astro Burger
   Lastly, if you are a fast food junkie you can always count on the Astro Burger on Melrose near Paramount Studios for veggie chili dogs and soy chicken fajitas.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

This one’s for our campaign to encourage Chicago to maintain its ban on foie gras. With a different slogan, it could probably also be pressed into service as a reminder to tip your waiters. Either way, I’m a big fan of it. It features the wonderful Brooke Johnson, and a plea to Chicago’s alderman to put a stop to the hideous practice of force-feeding ducks and geese so that rich people can pretend there’s something civilized about chewing on their livers. Check it out: