The Viva Vine: vol #4, no #1: January / February 1995
Big Apple Vegetarians: The Apple Awards for 1994
by Pamela Teisler-Rice
It's kind of funny, but the first moment, just about, that New York City gets itself a really
viable, and regularly active vegetarian group, it has to have an awards ceremony. . . Welcome to
New York.
I'm talking about Big Apple Vegetarians, of course.
Here in New York City (The Big Apple, remember?), we don't have a national vegetarian
organization on the caliber of a North American Vegetarian Society. We don't even have a
storefront vegetarian community center. But, here, we do have awards. As they say in
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, "Go figure."
The event was not 100% serious business though; it was only about 50% so. Many of the awards
categories it happens were just a little bit goofy. Still, those truly hard working and
dedicated people working for the vegetarian cause (albeit, there are quite a few) did get their
well deserved 15 seconds of fame.
And a fun time indeed was had by all.
The Apple Awards ceremony took place this past December 17 at Vegetarian Heaven restaurant at
Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Some 70 people attended the Chinese vegan sitdown meal. Manny
Goldman entertained us on his electric piano, and I was the emcee. Big Apple founder Jean Thaler
organized the event and the judges were Mia MacDonald, Rynn Berry and Davy Davidson.
As for the awards, nominations were taken right from the floor and after nominations were
closed, the judges made their decisions right on the spot. It was required that nominations had
to be for people in the New York City area. However, a nominee did not have to be present at the
time. Brief biographies on especially noteworthy people were peppered into the program.
The awards were as follows (winner is LISTED FIRST):
> Vegetarian Gourmand: Arthur Brown, Carol Lipton.
> Biggest vegan biceps in the tri-state area Hubert Davis, Rita Mattioli (co-winners)
> Most ubiquitous veg-evangelist: Pamela Teisler-Rice (UNCONTESTED).
> Activist who would rather go naked than wear fur: Cat Kubic, Adela Pisarevsky, Manny
Goldman, Andrea Lieberman
> Activist who will not go naked (but won't wear fur either): Batya Bauman, Joan
Zacharias
> Vegan policeman/woman: Arlen Baden, Jed Civic,
> Most Spiritual vegetarian: Noach Valley (the veggie-rebbe), Rynn Berry, Buddha (though
not from the New York City area, it was pointed out that in the case of Buddha, he really was
everywhere at once).
> Animal activist of the year (takes in more than just vegetarian activism): (all were
honored equally) Martin Rowe, Solveg, Adela Pisarevsky, A. J. Elterman, Connie Salamone, Phil
Goff, Henry Spira, Gary Francione, Anne Earle, Anna Charlton.
(It was declared that to be nominated was an honor.)
> Most visionary business oriented to vegetarianism: Jed and Susan Civic for Environmental
Travel, Conscious Singles Connection, Terra Verde, Herban Kitchen
> Most published (or best quality) letters to the editor or downloads to the Internet:
Richard Schwartz, Henry Spira
> Most non-leather shoes: Kim Rosenthal, Mia MacDonald (declined), Davy Davidson.
> Matchmaker: Joan Goldstein for Conscious Singles Connection
> Author of the Year: Lorna Sass for Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure, Rynn Berry,
Martin Rowe
> All the news that's fit to print award (an award going to the vegetarian publication of
the year): Martin Rowe for *Satya*, Craig Gordon, Pam Teisler for "The VivaVine," Batya Bauman
for Feminists for Animal Rights newsletter.
> Mother of All Potlucks award: Tony White for Break Bread for a Change, Hubert Davis for
Vegan Society of Queens potluck, Jean Thaler for Big Apple Vegetarian events
> Best friend of farm animals: Dawn Hernandez of Farm Sanctuary
> Vegetarian of the Year: Jean Thaler (who tried to decline), Hubert Davis, Patrick
Donnelley and Richard Pierce of Whole Foods Project,
> Longest time vegetarian: No one could out-longevity Manny Goldman, a vegetarian since
1964
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