Whenever someone finds out about Plant Life, they have nothing but endless questions and curiosity. Eventually however, they always have a gripe about living the Plant Life themselves. I haven’t found the secret to convincing someone that they can overcome difficult issues faced with a lifestyle they’ve never tried, and maybe it isn’t a problem with my approach, but more so, a problem with how difficult the lifestyle currently is to manage.
It’s interesting to hear what makes people hesitate. People who actually are trying or considering the Plant Life often echo similar sentiments.
One of the gripes I hear most often is that the Plant Life keeps people from having fun. The demands of finding plant-based meals aren’t the easiest, and, in social settings, it can be even more difficult. Bars, sporting events, concerts, festivals--none of these make a strong effort to make it easy for people living a Plant Life.
That’s why I love when I come across something so fun and normal that not even the most socially oriented meat person can argue that their foray into the Plant Life would be hindered.
As a huge fan of music--especially live music--I’m always looking for great venues and opportunities. Bottle Rock Napa Valley came on my radar as I was looking for a chance to see Imagine Dragons live, and I’m pleased to report that events like this make living the Plant Life about as fun as it can get!
According to the press release, David Graham, the CEO of Latitude 38 says, “BottleRock Napa Valley is all about blending great music, food and wine.” Latitude 38 Entertainment puts on the festival, and in the setting of Napa Valley, they are wise to incorporate the incredible culinary and viticultural assets available! As I looked over the description of the festival, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to prove that living the Plant Life doesn’t require one to miss out on incredible experiences like music festivals!
As soon as we entered the Napa Valley Expo grounds, we knew it was going to be a great time. The venue had four stages. Around the edge of each of them were various booths like Napa’s vintners serving an amazing selection of wines. In the center of the venue was a huge area of food booths with a giant picnic area, and various other food trucks/booths scattered in the remaining walkways.
As opposed to a typical music festival where food items range from greasy stadium food to funnel cakes, and the only beverages were watered down beer and expensive bottled water, Bottle Rock was just the opposite. There was an amazing selection of local restaurants serving a wide array of culturally and lifestyle diverse foods. There were no shortage of vegan and vegetarian food options: Mexican-inspired tacos with fresh tortillas, an amazing food truck tortilla salad, empanadas stuffed with steaming mushrooms, fresh, locally grown salads, rice dishes, and even veggie substitutes, like vegetarian sausage dogs! Whole Foods even had a food truck there with several great choices! Of course, the beverages were all Plant Life compatible--it was great to pair the tasty foods with delicious wines, a couple of Bottle Rock’s creative cocktails, and local beers.
I did my “duty” and tried to sample as much of the food above as possible :)
As great as all that was, it didn’t end there. I got a kick out of waiting in line with everyone else between music groups. Normally, one might find it tedious to do this, but it felt nice to be able to walk into the festival without a packed lunch, or without having to gorge myself on homemade fare beforehand, then sit down with all the rest of the music lovers and enjoy one of several meal options, before returning to the tunes. One of those rare times where living a Plant Life felt just like living Life. That’s ultimately what we are trying to do with Plant Life, make living these lifestyles feel normal and uncomplicated. I’m grateful and excited to give Bottle Rock Napa Valley a thumbs up for creating a welcoming environment. You guys need to check this event out.