- This year we both resolved to become vegetarians and so far we've stuck to it.
thundara, I too have a hard time when out to "fancy occasions". I just returned from a night out with my wife. We had dinner at Magnolia Grill, Gourmet Magazine named the top 50 restaurants in the US and it was #11. Fancy schmancy... well, it turns out they have only 1 vegetarian entree. LAME. All of the entrees with meat sounded, looked and smelled so good. It was difficult. I'm not staying a vegetarian once this year is up, I know I'll eat meat again. In fact, I'm not so sure I'll last much longer.... For me, breakfast is the hardest meal. Bacon and sausage are so damned good.
I have a restaurant I LOVE because they have the best cocktails in the state. But not a ton of vegetarian options.
As long as I don't regularly eat meat, I don't feel like I'm letting myself down, as the entire point was see how to do it pragmatically, whether I could go without it at all or even if I'd want it. On the occasional date or night out with friends, it makes it a bit more special, too! (And convenient)
- newgameplus, vegan is something I don't have the resolve for. I just couldn't do without cheese.
Really what it comes down to though, is it's actually quite easy to be vegan where I live here in Southern California. There's a Trader Joe's near me, a Whole Foods currently being built close by, at least 4 nearby fully vegan restaurants, a vegan bakery up the street and at least one vegan food truck that moves around the area. Add to that all the places that have vegan options and I really have no complaints. Not to mention what I eat now tends to taste much better than the fast food I was practically living on before. Also, I already get regular blood tests so it's easy to throw in a test for B12 levels and such to make sure I'm staying healthy. For many other people, I think going vegan would turn out to be a much greater commitment.
The last guy to do it happened to come in like right after a bunch of pizza was delivered and was super drunk. He stacked 5 or 6 slices on a plate then just found a place to sit down and started eating. My brother-in-law had to talk him into leaving, but he let him keep the pizza. So all yah gotta do is grab and run.
This wasn't it but here's another article about it.