Here's an update since we first announced this last October: Californians for Humane Farms volunteers all over the state have gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures already, by asking their family and friends or by going out publicly to gather signatures at busy locations, but 90,000 signatures are still needed, with only days left.

Your chance to be part of this fantastic opportunity to help millions of animals is almost over. To sign up to gather signatures, please go to www.humanecalifornia.org. You can also call the office at 415-772-0952 or email nora@humanecalifornia.org for more information.

Petitions are due into the office by February 22 to qualify this initiative for the November 2008 ballot. Signatures can also be collected during the weekend of Feb. 23 and 24, but they must be hand-delivered to your nearest Humane California office on Monday, Feb. 25. Any signatures turned in after this date will be considered invalid.

We've changed our blog software. So, heads-up! If you have it bookmarked, link to our blogs on your website, access them through RSS feeds, google reader, etc., please note that there are some changes in the blog categories. You may find there are some differences if you've linked to specific blog posts or subscribed to RSS feeds.

You can find them all at:

Wild Greens - what a great name for a veg restaurant - opened in Petaluma, while Vital Ital Calabash and sister restaurant Ital Calabash in Berkeley and Oakland are reportedly closed (phone numbers are disconnected and no longer in service). Gillyflower Vegetarian in Sunnyvale also shut down.

For more details on the above, and regular updates, check out our Guide News blog

Now available for ordering the Winter 2008 Vegetarian Bay Area: The Ultimate Guide.

With 1,335 reviews in the Ultimate Guide, these vegetarian restaurants are ranked the best. Have a Say -- voice your opinion with an Ultimate Guide review.

How to review a restaurant in the Ultimate Guide

Top Ten Vegetarian Restaurants

1) Pizza Plaza, Oakland - 4.52
2) Cha-Ya, Berkeley - 4.5
3) Vegetarian House, San Jose - 4.5
4) Garden Fresh, Mtn View - 4.48
5) Good Karma, San Jose - 4.38
6) Tofoo Com Chay, San Jose - 4.29
7) Millennium, SF - 4.22
8) Manzanita Restaurant - 4.16
9) New World Vegetarian - 4.14
10) Herbivore, SF (Divisadero) - 4.12 new

About this time last year I was busy cooking fussy meals for a local hunk. They did OK—I mean, he didn’t run away or anything–but it was a pot of simple minestrone that finally made him mine (and cherry pie).

Here are two rich and delicious soups that are easy as pie, great on cold winter nights, yet slightly “special” for a romantic evening, and the pie, too.

02/15 Adopt a College Leafleting - SF State University
02/17 Activist Writers Salon - SF
02/19 Letter Writing Party & Dinner - Berkeley
02/21 Fragrance Land Dinner - Cupertino
02/24 KFC Cruelty Protest (date/location change) - SF
02/27 Garden Fresh Vegan Dinner - Mountain View
02/28 Vegan Food & Fellowship Dinner - San Rafael
02/29 Veganauts: Leap Year Mission - SF

03/01 KFC Cruelty Protest - San Jose
03/02 Food For Thought: Making Burros Fly: Cleveland Amory, Animal Rescue Pioneer - Mountain View
03/04 Adopt-a-College Leafleting - Academy of Art University, SF
03/08 Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary Work Event - Stockton
03/15 Have a Heart, Go Veg Leafleting & Lunch - SF
03/16 Vegan Book Club Discussion: Half a Yellow Sun - SF
03/16 KFC Cruelty Protest - SF

Outlook users can use the 'calendar' icon link ()to add this event to their calendar.

For latest news and events for Bay Area Vegetarians, check out the News Blog and Event Calendar. We don't always announce it, but event photos are added periodically to the gallery, too.