69. Stories From a Vegan Jazz Musician & Mobster

A pacifist vegan with ties to the mob who fight-fixes, but also would never hurt a fly? Sounds like one big oxymoron, but in fact all of this (and more) is embodied in jazz musician and longtime animal advocate Charles Farrell. Charles shares how he would often take boxing and musician friends and clients to Buddha’s Delight, a vegan restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown, to share animal-free cooking with unlikely customers who were always won over by the delicious food. He mentions how he moved tarantulas safely out of his path while walking barefoot through the rainforests of Puerto Rico, and how he often came up against the classic “You don’t eat meat?” incredulous question from hard-boiled Boston and New York mobsters. Enjoy this fascinating episode!   Visit the Plant-Powered People Podcast website and show notes at: plantpoweredpodcast.com Find vegan recipes, guides, and resources at Plant-Based on a Budget and World of Vegan.   Show notes: Navigating being the only vegan/vegetarian among family & friends in Boston Fluctuating between being a working musician & being a gangster Getting out of dangerous situations Ethics & decision making Exercising empathy & connection with others Natural empathy vs. learned empathy Making conscious decisions to avoid harm towards all beings Tips for maintaining kindness & compassion within different social circles Turning bad habits into good ones The plant-based food industry & how it is promoted Dealing with a population who thought the vegan lifestyle is not healthy Charles’ advice for new vegans & those considering the vegan lifestyle Thank you to our sponsors, Better Than Bouillon & Maxine's Heavenly!    Resources: The Friendly Vegan Cookbook (Low)life: A Memoir of Jazz, Fight-Fixing, and The Mob by Charles Farrell