24 Oct 2014 9:35 PM PT
Original Article posted October 24, 2014 at 8:35 AM ET by Vanita Salisbury
“I have loads of water and vitamins, but also loads of vodka sodas.” Photo: Noah Fecks
Long before Alan Cumming transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism — or, as he puts it, went “whole hog” — he pretended that he was vegan on airplanes so that he could get better food. It’s a trick that clearly works: This week, the singer and Cabaret and Good Wife actor did a lot of flying, as he did coast-to-coast promotion for his new memoir, . Read all about his vegan leanings and strong feelings on melon, straight ahead.
Friday, October 17
First, I had an Americano before I got into the car with Carmine, my driver, and Katherine, my publicist, to go to a photo shoot at the incredible Diamond Horseshoe. I didn’t have time for breakfast: I know I should try and have granola and things in the morning, and I always mean to, but I tend to rush out. So Carmine went and got me a bagel and a fruit cup. It was a plain bagel and I didn’t like it, so I ate an eighth of it, and then took the strawberries and blueberries and pineapple bits out of the fruit cup and left the melon, because I hate melon with a passion. And melon is everywhere. It’s the potato or rice of America, if you ask me.
Then I went to Peacefood on 11th and University with my assistant, Jimmy, and had some coffee and a kale-and-coconut-oil shake thing. We shared Shanghai-style dumplings, chickpea fries, and a Caesar salad. I love Peacefood, and I go there all the time. I also had a load of vitamins. Jimmy took the leftovers home for me to eat later.
When I got to the theatre, I had a cup of tea with a BBC lady, because my book has been chosen as Radio 4’s book of the week. Then Kimberly, my dresser, came in at 7 p.m. with an Americano, and I began to get ready.
During the show, I had a handful of chopped almonds and some soup at intermission. Club Cumming — the party in my dressing room that’s since evolved into somewhat of a brand — was in full swing Friday night, so I had several vodka sodas. Then, when I got home, I had some leftover chickpea fries, a pretend-chicken goujon, and some cauliflower that I found in the fridge.
Sunday, October 19
I had the remaining bit of paratha dunked into some dahl and leftover vindaloo for breakfast. And then I heated up some vegetable soup in my dressing room when I got to the theatre. I had my Americano when Jimmy came in, too.
After the show, I went to the airport to fly to L.A. to do promotional work for my book, and on the way, I had a bit of a vegan meatball wrap. I had also ordered from Blossom yesterday. It was a little too much wrap, and so I just ate the meatball bit in the airport lounge, and also had some olives, carrot and celery sticks, and some pretzel mix with a Bloody Mary and a soda water. (I always have a Bloody Mary before getting on a plane.)
The flight was delayed for three hours, and the only thing I could use my $12 meal voucher on was two bags of salted nuts. I really hate American Airlines because I always approach flying with them as giving them another chance, and in such a positive way, but they continue to just totally balls it up. I will look great on Good Day L.A. at the crack of dawn tomorrow, I thought, drinking red wine and eating salty nuts.
On the plane, my vegan meal did appear! It was quite nice. Lentils with a polenta thing and a little quinoa salad. I had half the salad and half the polenta and all the lentils.
You’ll have realized by now that I am a grazer. I haven’t really had a full meal in all the time I’ve been tracking my food. And actually, when I do, I get really full and sleepy. But it’s better to graze like this. It makes you lighter and more efficient.