Miss April 2012

This month’s Sexy Bad Ass vegan is the funny and beautiful Hayley Marie Norman.  You may have seen her on the big screen or donating her time to support animal rights.  If you think that is something… read more about the Sexy Hayley Just a small portion of her resume: 

Deal or No Deal  –  Hancock  –  The Game  –  Crash  –  CSI NY & MIA  –       Our Family Wedding

And the list goes on. Keep your eye out for this compassionate star!

Name:Hayley Marie Norman

Where do you live and where are you from?  Born in raised in Los Angeles, CA baby!

Age?  I wear a size 9 shoe. Oh wait…what was the question?? 😉

What do you do for a living/profession? Actress

What do you like to do for fun?  Anything involving animals whether that means visiting the animal sanctuary Animal Acres with my  friends, hiking with my dogs, and of course  nights on the town dancing seem to find their way to me. 😉 I’m a big homebody though, I love laughing and relaxing at home with some good company and good conversation.

How long have you been vegan?  Almost three years. Best decision of my life. If only I had known then what I know now, I would have become vegan many more moons ago.
Why did you become vegan?  For me, it was as simple as “Once you know, you can’t un-know.” I randomly got my hands on a book about veganism cleverly titled “Skinny Bitch.” Had I known before I read it that the diet was based on a plant based one, I probably would have written it off without giving it the chance it so obviously deserved. My eyes were totally opened to the myriad of reasons why adopting a vegan lifestyle is truly the only healthy way of living. However, veganism quickly became an integral part of my life, one of the aspects of it that I am most passionate about, because of the severe and disgusting conditions of the factory farms and the unjust torturing of these innocent animals as well as the environmental reproccusions. I hold myself to a higher standard in life than knowingly allowing myself to be part of such an atrocity. Like the old adage says, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”  
How was your transition?  Easy. Once I knew what was in the hamburger or chicken salad I used to so frequently crave, instead of looking at it as a savory meal I couldn’t wait to eat, I saw the ammonia it was washed with, the hormones and antibiotics it was injected with, and more. Instead of looking at something with our sterile and safe vocabulary and nicely calling it “Beef,” I saw it for what it was, an intelligent, helpless cow that was subjected to a life (if one can even call it that) that no living being should be subjected to.
What is the funniest misconception(s) that you have heard about vegans?  “Where do you get your protein from?” “Aren’t you tired all the time and have no energy?” “But you don’t look like a vegan!” has got to be the funniest. I think most people who are unfamiliar with the lifestyle view vegans as hippy extremists who don’t shower and just eat tree bark. Although, I suppose I am sort of a hippy in my own unique way, but I’ve been known to rock a kick-ass pair of stilettos on the regular and definitely shower…at least once a week. Haha…kidding. I promise I shower everyday.
What is your Favorite thing(s) about being a vegan? I feel AMAZING! I’ve never met a vegan I didn’t like (ok, one actually but we can forget about her), so I love that I’m part of this educated and compassionate club that is always welcoming new members. I wish everybody in the world was a vegan! It’s also provided me with a much higher purpose in life than just something self serving, which runs rampant in my industry and current place I call home, Hollywood. It’s put a lot of this nonsense into perspective and it’s helped me realize what is truly important in life and what it really means to make a difference in this world in a way that really has no benefit for me, other than the satisfaction of knowing that I helped raise awareness and therefore have saved hopefully countless animals lives.
What do you think makes a Sexy Bad Ass Vegan?  Well, anyone who is vegan is sexy and bad ass by default. So as long as one is vegan than they are automatically sexy and bad ass and A-Ok in my book!
What is the best vegan dish that you make in your kitchen?  While Hayley didn’t have an answer for this… she shared some great places to go to have a great meal or dish
What is the best Vegan Restaurant you have ever had the pleasure of eating at? Shojin which is Japanese macrobiotic cuisine. SO good! Some of my other regular spots (my life is so go go go…I have almost no downtime so I tend to eat out more often than I would ideally prefer) that I am a regular at are M Cafe, Flore Vegan (also great for hipster watching which c’mon…inevitably makes any meal better! I like to play a lil game I call”how many “ironic” mustaches can I count today?” It’s like Slug Bug from childhood road trips…but waaayyy more awesome) and Veggie Grill (which does curbside pickup….SCORE!)
What advice do you have for those that are thinking of transitioning to a vegan lifestyle? Just do it!
Do you have a website to share with the BAV nation? Follow her right here on TWITTER !!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.