Finally, I’m sharing the highlights from this Dallas vegan pop up event that I went to back in November! My apologies for posting this so late–grad school has been my only priority these past few months. My finals ended last week and I still don’t feel caught up on rest yet. But enough about my life as a design student–let’s talk about this amazing event!

lots of flowers and leaves
+
all the delicious food
+
sweet, inspiring people
+
cozy, lovely atmosphere at Common Desk

Our evening began with a delightful floral workshop taught by Lauren Clinkscales of The Backyard Bouquet. Lauren’s focus on seasonal, local and foraged plants gives her floral designs an authentic sense of season and place. We found beauty in seasonal finds such as kale blossoms, vibrant fall foliage, mums, young wheat, and fragrant sprigs of rosemary.

We made a huge, beautiful mess with our creations. Plants were scattered everywhere!

After our floral workshop, we enjoyed an elegant three course vegan meal and dessert, wonderfully prepared by Three Twelve Co., Lala’s Cakes, We the Birds Macarons, and Vegan Noms. The meal was perfectly accompanied by bubbly, organic Kombucha from Clearly Kombucha. Everything was incredible.

Course No. 1
butternut squash bisque + Wheat and Sour’s sourdough bread
Creamy and comforting, with a kick of cayenne.

Course No. 2
arugula + Asian pear + radish + lemon vinaigrette
Refreshing and nourishing.

Course No. 3
roasted spaghetti squash + red sauce
caramelized veggies + vegan provolone + sunflower sprouts
Savory satisfaction without being too heavy!

Dessert
vanilla chai macarons + orange spice filling 
dark chocolate pepita butter cups
banana chocolate chip cookies 
vanilla sponge cake soaked in spiced pear reduction + cinnamon buttercream
Sweetly exquisite–I was particularly taken with the macaron and sponge cake!

Before the end of the evening, my dear friends Courtney Garza and Zak Shelton each shared their stories about their journeys to a compassionate vegan lifestyle. More than half the attendees were not vegan, which absolutely thrilled me. I am so glad that they got to experience such a beautiful array of vegan dishes and discuss compassionate choices, in such a friendly and inviting atmosphere.

After that evening, I think we could all agree that a fun dinner with friends can be enjoyed without animal cruelty. I love events like this because they bring people together and inspire the community!

Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.
— Arundhati Roy

I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the gorgeous aftermath. I left the event feeling inspired and invigorated, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one!

The next day, I gave my mom the bouquet I made. Her response was hilarious to me, so I documented it on Twitter. 🙂

Many thanks to the event organizers and collaborators who worked hard to create such a wonderful evening for the Dallas community:

Three Twelve Co.
Lala’s Cakes
Vegan Noms
We the Birds Macarons
The Backyard Bouquet
Courtney Garza & Zak Shelton
Clearly Kombucha

I had the best time and I look forward to more experiences like this in the future, as the Dallas vegan scene continues to bloom and grow!

Speaking of blooming and growing, my aforementioned friends Courtney and Zak have recently launched their passion project called The Harvest Hands. This project is dedicated to bringing compassionate folks together and raising awareness of a more conscious lifestyle, through a variety of events and experiences.

I love Courtney and Zak so much–they are dreaming up big and beautiful things! Their first event was last week, and I will be sharing the experience with you tomorrow on the blog. Here’s a sneak peek: