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Pg 66 - ON THE ORGANIC TRAIL...
New York City
Manhattan’s Mayor Bloomberg has said that he’s working hard to make the “Big Apple” a green apple—and his efforts appear to be paying off. The city is experiencing a green building boom that’s leading the way in its category, and it has a green municipal fleet that’s growing. In addition to this, New York also boasts the largest urban gardening program in the U.S., supporting 700-plus community gardens. Add a number of new small businesses with an organic focus, and you have a thriving green scene. Here, a tiny taste of the organic life, New York-style.
SPAS
Chopra Center at the Dream Hotel
Each Sunday afternoon, the Chopra Center opens its doors from 2:00 until 3:15 for “Sundays for Peace,” a complimentary meditation session. This special series honors Mahatma Gandhi’s statement, “There is no way to peace; peace is the way.” The Center is home to a spa, as well, and one of its more popular experiences is a session in the Udi room. This is a colorful steam room of sorts where one may experience a hands-on mud treatment (you coat yourself and/or a loved one, in a variety of herbal-infused mud meant to hydrate, cleanse, and detoxify.) The 50-minute treatment is $65.
—Margaret Coventry
www.chopracenterny.com, 212-246-7600
Exhale
We’re fans of this spa for many reasons: Its welcoming, Zen-like décor; renowned Core Fusion and yoga classes; and a spa menu that offers some great healing modalities (the retail area is pretty good, too). One of our favorite treatments here is the Deep Flow Massage (60 minutes, $130), an energizing therapeutic massage that uses flowing techniques. “The intention behind this was to birth a massage experience that is easy to articulate to the new guest and provides deep, therapeutic bodywork that is pleasurable, not painful,” explains Annbeth Eschbach, president and CEO of Exhale spas and an advisory board member of this magazine. There are two locations in the city, one on the Upper East Side, the other in Midtown. —Mary Bemis
www.exhalespa.com, 212-561-7400
Great Jones
It took years for this downtown day spa to finally open its doors, but once it did, it attracted (and still attracts) a clientele looking for a more holistic experience. The spa prides itself on its careful and conscious choice of skin care and uses some organic beauty brands you won’t find elsewhere, including Dr. Alkaitis Holistic Organic Skin Food. The Jurlique Aromatic Deep Cleansing Facial (60 minutes, $130) is a popular choice, here, as well as Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture (90 minutes, $195). The contemporary design aims to combine the elements of earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. The focal point is a three-story waterfall. Great Jones also has one of the nicest—and largest—saunas in the city, crafted from large river rocks, as well as a “chakra-lit” steam room. —M.B.
www.greatjonesspa.com, 212-505-3185
Ohm
This day spa is sweet—literally. The top-selling spa treatment here is the Manuka Honey Facial (60 minutes, $135) that uses organic honey from New Zealand to naturally hydrate the skin. “Honey has special healing properties,” says co-owner Jon Ho. “This highly cleansing facial supplies cells with a wide range of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. This treatment is our top-of-the-line facial.” It was so popular, in fact, that Ho recently added a Honey Hand Treatment ($39 with any facial). Your hands are coated in Manuka honey and covered in heated mitts while you’re having your facial. —M.B. www.ohmspa.com, 212-481-7892
Priti
Biodegradable slippers are the first signs you’re in for a therapeutic green experience at Priti Organic Spa. Oft-neglected hands and feet get a lot of love at this all-organic spa in the East Village, with soothing treatments like the Priti Delicious ($35 for hands, $50 for feet). Hands or feet first soak in fresh sliced oranges and ginger, and then get renewed with a scrub before getting massaged with orange blossom cream. To revive weary feet, try a reflexology session (60 minutes, $100). —Alia Akkam
www.pritiorganicspa.com, 212-254-3628
Shizuka
It was the welcoming quiet that pleasantly awaited us at this Japanese-inspired day spa located on the sixth floor of a high-rise building in Manhattan’s bustling midtown. Noted esthetician and owner Shizuka Bernstein has created a calm oasis where guests don authentic Japanese kimonos and snack on Japanese teas and biscuits. Product lines include Naturopathica, and services such as the Cherry Blossom pedicure—that uses homemade masks and scrubs concocted from soy milk, rice bran, black sesame, and honey—is among the favorites with the loyal clientele. —M.B.
www.shizukany.com, 212-644-7400
Townhouse
Serious spa-travelers, take note! If you have an extra day to spare and can indulge in a four-hour and 15-minute spa package, read on. For an over-the-top treat, book the Orgasmic Organic Spa Getaway at this hip new day spa that’s run by the ever- creative and always-chic Jamie Ahn. This is a four-hour and 15-minute package ($465) that’s designed to improve you from head to toe with a series of invigorating services. It begins with a detoxifying tea and Herbal Detox treatment that’s performed in a multi-sensory Hydro Spa capsule complete with 30 jets, radiant heat, light therapy, and aromatherapy. Before being immersed in the capsule, you receive a full-body exfoliation using a blend of orange, fennel, and lemon essential oils. This is followed by the application of a purifying body mask. After the bath, a 60-minute Cacao Butter Stone Massage ensues. To revive dull skin, a Townhouse Luzern Glow Facial is next in line. The Getaway ends with the Vitapower Pedicure that uses a revitalizing blend of rosemary and other herbs for a nice pick-me-up and includes a welcome reflexology massage. An organic spa salad and Serenity tea are served in the spa’s lounge. —M.B.
www.townhousespa.com, 212-245-8006
SALONS
Cocoon
We were beyond delighted to discover this tiny gem of a salon located on East 70th Street. As its name implies, this small space offers a serene and nurturing natural experience. Created and lovingly run by husband-and-wife team Fabian Lliguin and Anna Ayers—a renowned hair-care expert known as the “hair shaman” and a trend forecaster and fashion designer, respectively—the studio caters to one lucky client at a time. Talk about personalized attention. You’ll find that here, and much more. Lliguin, who comes from a long line of stylists from his native Ecuador, puts his knowledge of indigenous ingredients found in the Amazon Rainforest to good use. It was while on a trip to Ecuador in 1999, that he discovered the healing benefits of the oil derived from the indigenous Rahua nut. According to Lliguin, the women from the Quechua-Shuar tribe have used this ingredient on their hair for hundreds of years. This inspired him to develop two organic products that add an undeniable luster and shine to the hair, Rahua Leave-in Treatment and Rahua Elixir. The couple, who travel often as ecological agents for the Rainforest, educating tribesmen and women, founded Eco Agents, a New York-based non-profit environmental group whose mission it is to protect the Amazon Rainforest. Eco Agents is also responsible for a program called “Eco to Go.” This unique program is geared toward New York restaurants that offer delivery service. Those restaurants that are enrolled in Eco to Go, have made a conscious and serious effort to do away with all of the unnecessary plastic and paper that traditionally comes with take-out orders. —M.B.
www.cocoonhair.com and
www.ecoagents.org, 212-879-5630
John Masters Organics
The day after I visited this wind-powered Soho salon, I awoke in a cloud of jasmine that lasted a good three days, thanks to the stimulating Shiatsu Scalp Treatment that I received from stylist Brian Wallace, a recent New York City transplant by way of Tennessee. This salon stands apart from the crowd in numerous ways. Aside from a great location and terrific staff, it’s run by the smart, soft-spoken John Masters, a celebrity stylist who has been formulating organic products since the early 1990s (he was recently named to the board of Global Green). A visionary in the beauty industry, he has lovingly and consciously outfitted the salon with details that include a front-desk from an old country store in the Catskills, ornate reclaimed mirrors (one is from an old doorway from India), and shelves made from salvaged beams reclaimed from 18th Century buildings—from Brooklyn. An Eco-Garden, an outdoor back garden, designed by Simon Martinez, a landscape architecture student at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, is open seven days a week for clients. —M.B.
www.johnmasters.com, 212-343-9590
SHOPS & SUCH
Buddha Nose
This nicely packaged line of organic beauty and wellness products grew out of founder Amy Galper’s New York City shiatsu practice. She found inspiration in her own experience of healing from a rare kidney disease, as well as in her many female clients who often complained of stress-related imbalances. “I developed little products (which use no preservatives, chemicals, or synthetics) to help quiet the mind, relax the body, and ‘be still and breathe,’” relates Galper, who believes strongly in the symbiotic relationship between beauty and wellness. “I know that in order for our beauty to be present, we must find stillness in our lives.” We’re drawn to the Meditation Bath made with sea salts and wild-crafted essential oils ($20), but Galper’s favorite product of the moment is the Skin Salve-ation ($22) that includes jojoba and hemp seed oils, as well as a calming blend of essential oils. Word is spreading: the chic Mayflower Inn and Spa in Connecticut recently created two body treatments around some of her products. When she’s not practicing shiatsu or concocting skin-care creations, Galper spends her time with her husband, building their “eco-conscious, off-the-grid home” in the Catskills. —M.B.
www.buddhanose.com, 917-586-5868
Moo Shoes
Producing clothing and accessories not only sometimes leads to harming innocent animals, but it may also release harmful toxins into the air. For those prowling around for good-looking affordable shoes, both kind to animals and the environment, vegan Moo Shoes comes to the rescue. NYC’s first cruelty-free retail store, run by two sisters on the Lower East Side, sells a ton of soft, breathable faux-leather footwear from fashionable designers like Vegetarian Shoes and Adbusters. —A.A. www.mooshoes.com, 212.254.6512
Om
The logo for this luxe new organic skin care line is “Sexy Green Has Arrived.” Says founder Angela Jia Kim, “We wanted to take it [organics] up a notch and bring in a sexy and luxurious element. Organic beauty now appeals to the woman who wants to feel beautiful naturally, is knowledgeable about what she puts on her body, and wants quality and simplicity in her beauty ritual.” The line’s new Truffle Trio Collection ($95), shown here, is designed for the modern, stylish woman who wants a multi-tasking cream with anti-aging organic botanical ingredients. Kim was inspired to create the line when, as a touring concert pianist, she experienced a bad reaction to a so-called “natural” body lotion she had applied pre-concert. This led her to research what was natural and what was not, which ultimately led to the creation of Om. —M.C.
www.omaroma.com, 888-443-4885, ext. 701
Organic Avenue
Obtaining the healthy life seems simple once you wander through the Lower East Side’s Organic Avenue, stocked with an appealing array of organic cotton dresses, creamy MSM body lotion, jute yoga mats, and hemp protein powder. Raw enthusiasts may gravitate towards the grocery section, but diehard health fans will partake in the shop’s especially popular detoxifying live food L.O.V.E. Fasts, featuring fresh-pressed vegetable juice and superfood smoothies delivered to your door. —A.A.
www.organicavenue.com, 212.334.4593
Subversive Jewelry
It was the cap of Justin Giunta that called to us at a summer cocktail party in the city hosted by PR maven Alice Marshall. The cap, worn jauntily by this jewelry designer, was loaded with vintage charms that dangled from all angles. It turns out he travels near and far, unearthing all kinds of baubles for his very unusual line of jewelry. We are particularly keen on the Organic Garden collection, especially the seashell ring ($346), shown here, and the Terre Verte Necklace ($680). —M.B.
www.subversivejewelry.com, 212-679-0453
Tina Tang
Tina Tang’s two jewelry shops, Tina Tang Studio and Gold Label by Tina Tang, can be found across the street from one another in the West Village. We were passing by the Studio one day and noticed the delicate
Re-Leaf necklace in the window. Made with “sterling silver and lots of love,” this 17-inch long creation donates 100 percent of its proceeds to benefit American Forests.
(www.americanforests.org). —M.C.
www.tinatang.com, 212-645-6890
Urban Yogis
Ullasini Khwan, a self-proclaimed “die-hard yogini practicing, living, and playing in New York City,” is the founder of this hip organic apparel line that was created to fit the active and busy lifestyles of urbanites. She partnered with some of the most lively yoga teachers in New York City to create the clothing brand’s unique urban flavor.
“Our one-hundred-percent organic line was created from the heart, to support yogis to spread the sacred word Om with the grace of Mother Earth and be conscious about our precious natural resources, while still feeling the sense of comfort and freedom leaping into yoga asanas,” says Khwan about Urban Yogis’s newest organic wear. —M.C.
www.urbanyogis.com
RESTAURANTS
Azza
An organic, French-Moroccan restaurant in midtown Manhattan? The location is undoubtedly odd. But the food is undoubtedly delicious. Azza is the creation of Djamal Zoughbhi, a Parisian of Algerian descent. Zoughbhi’s roots are in the restaurant business — he worked as a dishwasher as a teen, then a cook, then various front-of-house jobs culminating in a position for the uber-cool Hotel Costes in Paris. But when he came to New York at age 39, he had to start all over. First a dishwasher, then a cook. Two and a half years later, he (with two partners) opened his first restaurant.
“The food isn’t exactly like my mom’s or grandmother’s,” explains Zoughbhi,” but I still like it. The menu can change weekly or monthly, depending on available ingredients Zoughbhi sources from local farmers. But the couscous is always the star. Couscous fans note: come with no expectations of what you had on your trip to Marrakesh. As Zoughbhi explains, “couscous is different from town to town, from family to family….the Moroccan style is spicier than the Algerian.” Here, the vegetables are cooked al dente — none of the usual mushy stuff — in traditional tagines made of 100-percent natural clay, with no metal work or intricate painting. The result is familiar, but different. And absolutely delicious. Is it the organic factor? Zoughbhi thinks so. “Organic food is good for the taste, good for the health. Yes, it’s more expensive so we make less money. But it’s worth it.” —Rima Suqi www.azzanyc.com,
212-755-7055
Birdbath
This tiny West Village wind-powered organic bakery takes the cake when it comes to an environmentally friendly and sustainably built space. (A few details: countertops and shelves are crafted from 100-percent recycled paper; the walls are made from wheat; and the cups are made from corn.) Opened in May, this is the second location (the first is in the East Village), and there’s a third one to come in the new uber-green Riverhouse condo (see below) later this year. We are scone fanatics and show up fairly regularly to indulge in an organic Honey-Raisin scone and hot cup of tea (we tried the Blueberry Vegan scone, but didn’t like its texture—too rubbery—or its flavor—not enough). Other sweet standouts include the Plum Miso muffins and the (Save a Polar) Bear Claws. —M.B.
www.buildagreenbakery.com
Blue Hill
While New York may have been slower than some cities from the West Coast to realize just how important seasonal ingredient-driven menus are, chef Dan Barber was eager to embrace the quality life early on, and introduce New Yorkers to the joys of eating local and sustainable foods with his restaurant, Blue Hill. Located on a charming street in the West Village, Blue Hill is the joint effort of Dan, his brother David, and David’s wife Laureen, Since 2000 it’s been revered for its farm-fresh tasting menus inspired by the local produce found on Dan and David’s grandmother’s farm in the Berkshires. This devotion to nature is further exemplified in the family’s second restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, an idyllic restaurant, working farm, and educational center in the Hudson Valley. Many of the dishes from the Manhattan restaurant feature items grown on this Westchester county farm, like the Stone Barns Berkshire pork paired with creamy baby basmati rice, or a vegetable salad, simply dressed with raw and marinated pistachios. —A.A.
www.bluehillnyc.com, 212.539.1776
Counter Vegetarian Bistro,
Organic Wine & Martini Bar
Situated on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Counter is one of the hottest restaurants on the New York “green scene” with a menu that combines unique vegan dishes with a wide selection of organic libations. Starters include a choice of three mezze ($15), such as Artichoke Farci (stuffed artichoke heart), Spinach and Feta Cheese Cigars, Corn Beignets with Remoulade Sauce and Zaalok (roasted peppers and eggplant caviar). Among the selection of vegetarian entrees are Marinated Vegetable Terrine, Cauliflower Risotto and Provencal stew—a provocative mix of amaranth and millet dumplings, plus potatoes simmered in seaweed scented broth. Then there are those one-of-a- kind organic martinis that have to be sipped to be believed. Each is unconventional both in name and in ingredients. For example, there’s the “Cosmic Striptease” made of basil-infused vodka and olive juice. Augmenting the dining experience is an airy, chic interior featuring abstract paintings and a melted wax display. — J.S.
www.counternyc.com, 212-982-5870
Pure Food and Wine
We attended an intimate dinner party here that was hosted by a California spa soon after this restaurant opened its doors in 2004, and we’ve been back quite a few times since then. In fact, it’s a favorite meeting place for those in the spa and wellness fields when business brings them to the city. It’s also a favorite of locals looking for inventive organic and raw cuisine in a warm and well-designed space. Since opening, Pure Food and Wine has gained a reputation as a leader in the raw cuisine scene, thanks to the highly creative offerings of co-founder Sarma Melngailis (check out her e-commerce boutique www.oneluckyduck.com for a very cool selection of products for the “ultimate raw, vegan, and organic lifestyle”). The menu uses organic and seasonal vegetables, fruits, and nuts in ways you couldn’t dream of. The outdoor garden is an added bonus, as is the very nice selection of organic and biodynamic wines. Sustainability goes beyond the menu here: the restaurant uses organic hemp twill fabric upholstery in its dining room, sustainable Epi wood construction elements, and composts all of its organic bio-waste. —M.B.
www.purefoodandwine.com, 212-477-1010
FARMERS’ MARKETS
Harlem Renaissance
Lenox Avenue
Saturdays, 8 AM until 4 PM, Mid-July through December
La Marqueta
East 115th Street & Park Avenue
Saturdays 9am until 4pm, mid-July through October
Tucker Square
Columbus Avenue and 66th Street
Thursdays and Saturdays, 8am until 5pm,
year-round
GREEN MARKETS
Abingdon Square
West 12th and Hudson Streets
Saturdays, 8am until 2pm, year-round
Bowling Green
Broadway and Battery Place
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am until 5pm,
year-round
Tompkins Square
East 7th Street and Avenue A
Sundays, 8am until 6pm, year-round
Union Square
East 17th Street and Broadway
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 8am until 6pm, year-round
RESIDENCES
Riverhouse
Due to open in November, this 32-story, 264-unit luxury condominium overlooking the Hudson River in Battery Park City is attracting nationwide interest for its innovative design combined with state-of-the art sustainable technologies. Not only is Riverhouse one of the greenest structures in New York, but it is also the first residential building in the U.S. encased in a double-glazed, energy-efficient glass curtain. The wall of windows that make up the curtain reduces dependence on artificial lighting throughout the building, while the sealed window frames conserve heat. Solar panels on the roof generate five percent of Riverhouse’s energy requirements, while two 60 kilowatt micro-turbines use natural gas to supply the building’s electricity and assist in heating the water supply.
Each apartment is equipped with programmable thermostats that conserve heat along with water saving faucets and dual-flush toilets. Green building principles extend to the use of renewable and responsibly harvested woods in apartments and public areas. The health of residents is enhanced by filtered environmental systems that heat and cool the apartments. The lobby’s temperature is regulated by geothermal wells and non-toxic paints, adhesives and sealants used in construction eliminate harmful irritants.
Created by a team of architects led by David Rockwell, Riverhouse has attained Gold level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by meeting strict guidelines established by the U.S Green Building Council. LEED recognizes architects who design buildings that have a positive impact on the environment by conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gases while maintaining high indoor air quality that benefits residents’ health.
As we move further into the 21st Century, the success of Riverhouse’s green initiatives should encourage other architects and urban planners to design eco-friendly buildings in which to live and work that substantially improve the overall quality of life in major metropolitan areas.—J.S.
www.the-riverhouse.com, 212-587-1200
ROOFTOP FARMS
For more than 30 years rooftop gardens have brightened the urban landscape with varying shades of green. Nowadays resourceful New Yorkers grow a plethora of plants from delicate ferns to flowering hydrangea to towering trees while vegetable gardens flourish on rooftops and adorn windowsills and fire escapes. Since gardens can grow on high, is it conceivable that farms could soon sprout on rooftops around the city? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” according to New York Sun Works, a non-profit group of environmentalists advocating the use of the city’s 14,000 acres of unused rooftops for that purpose. Sun Works currently operates a science barge on the Hudson River outfitted with a greenhouse powered by solar panels and wind turbines that grows cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. Ted Caplow, an environmental engineer who heads Sun Works, claims that enough fresh vegetables could be grown in hydroponic greenhouses on rooftops to feed 20 million people year round. The health of New Yorkers would also benefit as rooftop farms would significantly reduce carbon emissions since fewer trucks would be needed to deliver produce. Myth or reality, the idea is intriguing—and who knows—someday in the not-too-distant future we may buy vegetables labeled “grown on organic rooftops.” —J.S.
www.nysunworks.org, 212-757-7560