MEGHAN BOLEDOVICH IS one of New York City’s full-time restaurant foragers.
She recently joined photojournalist Michael Fiedler as she collected fresh produce for PRINT restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen.
MF- How would you describe what you do for a living?
MB- I truly would call myself an “urban forager” since I spend many mornings at the Union Square Market sourcing produce from the region’s unique growers. Oftentimes I can be found on the rooftop garden of PRINT restaurant tending to native plants and herbs that we use in the kitchen and bar program.
MF- Do you always find everything you’re looking for in the markets?
MB- Mostly, but every once in a while I get to escape the city and visit the farms we work with and learn more about their process and their stories.
It’s this mash-up of nature and urban landscapes that makes my position unique. From time to time I also go on actual foraging expeditions for wild edibles which is always an eye-opening experience.
MF- Why is that?
MB- Unlike farming, foraging is fully controlled by nature and you are working directly with the land and its untamed bounty. All of these combined aspects of my job help me to have a deep connection to the land, the farmers who work it, and the kitchen workers who clean and prepare it into nourishment for others.
MF- How does this approach help a large urban environment like New York City?
MB- Sustainability, with a low impact on our city and planet is an important endeavor we can all take a part in.
Personally, I am proud to play a role in this process for a restaurant that takes this mindset seriously.
MF- How can New Yorkers be more mindful and helpful with issues such as sustainability and renewable food sources?
MB- Whether it’s by donating excess food, separating our compost,
or sourcing from biodynamic farmers, there are myriad ways we
can strive towards zero impact.
We can always do more. I’m looking forward to the next decade where we will continue to feed people and spark joy sustainably.
About Michael: I discovered my talent and passion for photography more than 30 years ago aboard a Navy aircraft carrier. While traveling the world and experiencing the diversity of many cultures, I was naturally drawn to chronicling the experiences of people, especially in their vocational settings, telling their stories through my images.
I have a distinct documentary style, often using available or low light, creating pictures with a more intimate, realistic feel. My photographs are visual representations of the message my client wants to convey. Whether photographing a CEO in a board room or a farmer in the field, I can capture their individuality and uniqueness of their lives.
A good photographer is curious, confident, and even a bit nosey. I interned with the accomplished Magnum Photographer, Hiroji Kubota. In traveling all 50 states with him, I learned that it isn’t so much the technical mastery of a camera that ensures a good photographer – but it’s the love of people, the sensitivity of the situation, and the drive to capture the story. This is what I strive to give my clients with every project.
Paradoxity, which opened at 10 Greene Street, SoHo October 24 and runs through November 24, invites guests to venture urban life with a theme of paradox.
Influencer Karina Blackwood at Paradoxity, Photo Courtesy of Sandy Fan
Paradoxity, meaning “paradox in the city,” uses city as a prototype.
Paradoxity features four large settings, Nowhere Station, Green Pollution, Transparent Bathroom, and Addictive Office. These four settings, respectively, illustrate the ideas of the sense of being lost in life, environmental issues, privacy and sexuality issues, and working pressure.
Influencer Carty Caruso at Paradoxity, Photo Courtesy of Sandy Fan
Paradoxity is more than a space for “Instagram-friendly” pictures.
Throughout the exhibition, designers embed their reflections upon both the ever-busy city life and the humanities through a variety of visual devices and plenty of interactive installations. While encouraging its audience to interact with the installations, the team at Paradoxity also prompts the audience to explore these issues further and arrive at a new understanding of their city.
All designs are created by student designers from the Top 4 Design Schools in NYC.
This exhibition is organized by the four art schools’ CSSAs (Chinese Students and Scholars Associations in Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, School of Visual Art and Fashion Institute of Technology). They want to strengthen their partnership and create a friendly atmosphere for teamwork among the designers. CSSAs aim not only to provide a platform for students to showcase their talents, but also to build a space for interdisciplinary art practices. Paradoxity has eight designers specialized in different fields including interior design, graphic design, industrial design, and fashion design.
Sustainability is highly valued by the team, therefore, some installations are made from trash which was collected from streets in New York City. Paradoxity will donate its profits to other non-profit organizations that are dedicated to environmental issues and sexual politics.
Influencer Bella Dong at Paradoxity, Photo Courtesy of Sandy Fan
Earth Day Initiative, a non-profit that promotes environmental awareness and solutions through partnerships with schools, community organizations, businesses, and government agencies, announced the expansion of its Do Just 1 Thing campaign leading up to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020 with a large-scale art installation and action center at its annual Earth Day event taking place on April 23, 2019 in Union Square.
The Earth Day 50 art installation will consist of artists Tim Peacock, Haleigh Mun, Helen Oh, Amit Greenberg, Lizzy Itzkowitz, Vinnie Neuberg, Jovanna Tosello, and Molly Egan creating large-scale pieces of art on site. The artists will be painting canvases around environmental themes relating to the Green New Deal to call attention to the sustainability solutions we can strive for as we approach the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. A Do Just 1 Thing action center adjacent to the art installation will provide attendees with simple action items they can take to make a positive environmental impact. The action center will also ask attendees to share their own sustainability stories by offering solutions they see or would like to see in their own lives and communities. The project is being supported by Milton Glaser, creator of the iconic I Love NY logo (consisting of black letters and a red heart), who will be creating a poster for the event.
“With the Earth Day 50 art installation, we hope to capture the public’s imagination around how we can solve our most pressing environmental challenges,” said Earth Day Initiative Executive Director, John Oppermann. “The enthusiasm we’ve seen over the idea of a Green New Deal reflects how ready people are for positive action and real solutions when it comes to our environmental and societal challenges. The artists’ creations live on site at our event will stimulate conversation while our own action center and year-long campaign will keep the conversation going and empower people to take action in their own lives.”
One action item Earth Day Initiative is promoting is its campaign to empower individuals across the country to support clean energy with their monthly utility bill simply by filling out a quick form online. With a few clicks of a button, people can make an ongoing real-world impact with each month’s utility bill. With community solar projects in New York City, Earth Day Initiative’s partners are building brand new rooftop solar farms in the Bronx and Queens and anyone living in the five boroughs of New York City can lease portions of the panels, allowing them to support the development of brand new renewable energy in New York City, while saving them money.
“In recent years, we’ve encountered so many people who are eager to move things in a positive direction with regard to the environment and climate change,” said Oppermann. “We’re empowering people with simple actions they can take in their own lives and also asking the public to share their own sustainability stories so that we can learn from one another and work together toward a more sustainable future.”
The Do Just 1 Thing action center will be featured at the most popular Earth Day event in the country, taking place in Union Square on Tuesday, April 23rd from 12pm – 7pm. Free and open to the public, the annual festival celebrates Earth Day and offers visitors easy, actionable ways to make more sustainable and environmentally conscious choices in their everyday lives.
Event highlights include:
A live art installation where artists will paint large-scale canvases on various environmental themes relating to the Green New Deal live on site. The art will be sold with proceeds going to support Earth Day Initiative’s year-round environmental education programs.
An Earth Day action center where people can learn about simple things they can do to make a positive green impact in their own lives and also share their own sustainability stories of environmental solutions they see or would like to see in their own communities.
Dozens of exhibitors, including green lifestyle products and services.
Live performances, talks, entertainment.
Activities for kids and adults alike.
Local food and beverage vendors.
A special zero-waste fashion art installation and sustainable fashion-focused exhibition supported by H&M.
On Monday, April 22nd, Earth Day New York will organize the 5th annual Earth Day 5K Green Tour. New Yorkers are invited to get outside and visit green organizations around the city. The tour will include a visit to a river ecology school right on the Hudson River, a zero waste office, and a rooftop farm on top of an office building, among other unique destinations. Lunch will be provided by Just Salad. The tour is a great way to get outside in advance of Earth Day to support great green sites and find out how to get involved, volunteer, and stay connected with green NYC throughout the year. For more information or to attend, visit earthday5k2019.eventbrite.com. We’ll see you there!
Consider Earth Day on April 22nd the final straw, or at least the final plastic straw at wagamama restaurants in the US. Following action the UK-based restaurant has already taken in Britain and locations around the world, the wagamamas in New York and Boston will offer only biodegradable paper straws for its fresh juices and no longer use them at all for its other drinks. As an additional sustainability measure, the eatery is doing away with the cardboard sleeve, aka the belly band, on its recyclable takeaway packaging at its 135 UK and U.S. locations.
Why is the common plastic straw on the chopping block? What seems like a convenience is a killer as plastic finds its way into our oceans, into our marine life and into our food, contributing to an environmental disaster that’s literally a whale of a problem and should only be used for professional or DIY uses which what Simply Plastics offer – big or small projects
UN Global Director for Ocean Lisa Svensson said recently: “This is a planetary crisis. In a few short decades since we discovered the convenience of plastics, we are ruining the ecosystem of the ocean.”
The single-use plastic straw is one culprit. According to The New York Times, market research firms say Americans use between 63 billion to 142 billion straws per year. A study by Science Advances estimated as many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches, many destined to wind up in small pieces in the fish we eat.
And, as wagamama’s biodegradable placemats note, “It can take up to 200 years for a single plastic straw to decompose. Did that catch your attention? It did ours.” (Like the vast majority of the business’s paper goods, the placemats have Forest Stewardship Council certification indicating that they are sustainably sourced.)
Photo by Danielle Adams
So, while many states like New York are declaring war on single-use plastics, and cities such as Boston are considering legislation to eliminate them, wagamama isn’t waiting to step up its efforts to operate in more sustainable ways.
As part of its International Earth Day sustainability initiative, wagamama is also teaming up with environmental activist Max LaManna, a zero-waste vegan chef who started the Instagram account Eating with Max to encourage reliance on more plant-based food. The restaurant will donate $.25 from every green juice sold between April 22nd and May 22nd to LaManna’s chosen charity — Lonely Whale Foundation — which spearheaded the campaign that led to Seattle banning plastic straws. During the month, LaManna will promote living more sustainably across influential social media platforms.
The trendsetting restaurant has built a worldwide following in 27 countries with its playful take on casual dining, providing modern Asian-inspired dishes designed to nourish the body and feed the soul in an inviting, lively ambiance. Its success derives from a simple philosophy of striving to always be better than the day before, a pursuit that cuts across every area of its business, including wagamama’s impact on the environment.
“wagamama was founded in 1992 with a philosophy of ‘positive eating, positive living’—the notion that feeding ourselves well equips us to face the rigors of life,” Chief Marketing Officer Ross Farquhar says. “Twenty-six years later, it’s no longer just about what we consume, but how sustainably it has found its way to our plate. In the spirit of continuous improvement, or ‘kaizen,’ we’re striving to be a more sustainable business every day, from the sourcing of our ingredients to the powering of our restaurants to the impact we have on the environment.”
Sustainability in the design industry, otherwise called “green” interior design, is known to be an increasingly-growing segment. Staying trendy and keeping up with the hot style can be tough, but remaining in the sustainable design industry is starting to become easier and easier with designers switching over to green design.
According to the Green Building Initiative (2014), the “three performance indicators for sustainable design are energy efficiency, materials choices and resource consumption, and indoor environmental quality.” The benefits of sustainable design fall into three different categories, the WBDG sustainable committee states. Those categories include environmental benefits, economical benefits, and societal benefits, all of which can be affected directly or indirectly. Along with the outside benefits, having a sustainable environment can affect you positively by providing a healthy, safe, and comfortable living space.
Knowing the background of sustainable design is essential, but once you know that, the next step is finding different design companies who focus on green design who are also trendy and stylish. Below are companies with interior designs that are sustainable and trendy.
MINNA was founded in 2013 by Sara Berks and is a New York-based home textile brand. MINNA uses traditional craft techniques along with employing a cottage industry approach to produce ethically made goods with a contemporary edge. The designs are lively and inspired by Feminist art, the Bauhaus, traditional craft, and vintage textiles. Berks shoots for the type of feel and story: “nostalgic with a touch of rebellion.” To ensure craft preservation and job creation, MINNA partners with master weavers and artisan collectives in Mexico, Guatemala, and Uruguay. Although MINNA doesn’t create furniture, you can find all types of decor like blankets & throws, kitchen textiles, rug, pillows, wall hangings, etc. to keep your home ethical yet modern day style. All in all, MINNA is a perfect choice to decorate your home.
Urbangreen is home furnishings professionals based in Brooklyn, NY. Their team locally designs and handcrafts real wood furniture that are sustainable and stylish, thoughtfully built to last. They design in all different styles from “iconic” trends from the past to modern styles of traditional, or classic, styles. They’re committed to organic, sustainable concepts in their products and practices to contribute to a healthier indoor air at home and in the workplace. Their furnishes are crafted and finished by Brooklyn artisans utilizing durable materials and finishes without toxins and allergens. They categorize their furniture by bedroom, kids, living, dining, office, collections, accessories, sale, and custom. Urbangreen is there for you from designing your perfect home to giving you a great shopping experience.
Founded in 2004 and based in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Uhuru is a multi-disciplinary high end, custom design furniture firm focusing on timeless, sustainable design. They focus on high-profile projects in the commercial, residential, and hospitality sectors. From the beginning, Uhuru has been accepted as one of America’s most innovative design firms and an image of Brooklyn. They believe that each piece made, designed, and produced should add to a greater good in the world. Of exceptional quality furniture and spaces, Uhuru is there for you providing vibrant, creative living spaces.
Canvas Home was founded in 2008 by Andrew Corrie. His vision was to incorporate a combination urban chic and a more relaxed country aesthetic. Canvas Home is a “collection of modern, sustainable home goods, inspired by the beauty of hand crafted objects. Their motto ‘simple, sustainable, style’ perfectly summarizes their design philosophy and world goals.” Some of their core beliefs include artisans who know and love their craft, creating things that live happily in a city, country, or beach home, designing beautiful things you’ll want to live with forever, non-profit organizations their big fans of aid to artisans, sourcing American-made products, beauty imperfections, and more. Their goods are categorized by home, dining, flatware, decor, furniture, and collections. Canvas Home states “the home is a blank canvas, let us help you paint a unique picture, reflective of the life you lead.”
Starting over 48 years ago, Cliff Young Ltd. aims to bring to life an extraordinary, modern furniture collection combining modern day sophistication with the warm, inviting feel of old world craftsmanship throughout well-thought functionality, solid engineering, and eco-friendly mindfulness. Their design team has created award-winning furniture designs, custom pieces, and built-ins. Starting with Alberto Azzolina, he founded Cliff Young Ltd. in 1968, but later on changed his name to Cliff Young. Following in her dad’s footsteps, Leslie Young joined the firm in 1988, creating a trendy furniture business, keeping up to date with lifestyle trends and constant innovation in the use of materials and textures, leading to sustainability and the creation of their LuxeGreen program. Although Cliff Young Ltd. collections have gradually evolved overtime, they make sure to keep tune with their modern aesthetic and sensibility to the way we live today while keeping an eye out to the future.
Whether you take the route of MINNA, urbangreen, Uhuru, Canvas Home, or Cliff Young Ltd., or a mix, or upcycling old furniture, Downtown Magazine is confident that along with helping the environment, your design aesthetic will create a positive, comfortable atmosphere you will love.
With Earth Day coming up this Sunday, Apr. 22, many New Yorkers will be reminded of the need to incorporate more sustainable concepts into their everyday living. Fortunately, New York has many options that are both fun and environmentally-sound, making it easy to go green.
Downtown had the pleasure of speaking with four people who have great food and wine offerings for Earth Day and beyond:
How would you describe your restaurant to someone who hasn’t yet experienced it?
David Stockwell, Faun: The faun is a mischievous mythical Roman pleasure-seeker of the wild, and that speaks to our approach with the menu and really the entire guest experience. The garden is a constant focal point, overflowing with flowers and fruits, it defines the atmosphere while providing hyper-local, seasonal components to our Italian-inflected dishes. A second course of house-made pasta will anchor your dining experience at Faun, but we recommend starting on the playful side with a round of shareable starters, and finishing with a soul-satisfying slow-cooked meaty main dish.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: Serious food, serious wine, casual atmosphere. French food with a Provencal touch, extensive wine list focusing on organic, biodynamic and natural wines.
Jay Nir, River Coyote: There’s no place like it, and the experience is everything, as the casual atmosphere of a coffee bar combined with the elegance of a wine bar is a charming atmosphere to experience. But one way to describe it would be a uniquely approachable, all-day wine and coffee bar, with a high standard of quality in every detail, offering 16 consciously curated red & white wines on tap, along with a truly-exceptional coffee program, and a menu of shareable plates from the kitchen. Deeper than all that, River Coyote is a place where everyone feels welcome and at home. We’ve been called a “gathering hall,” as different people come in at various times of the day for different reasons, yet are all present together in the same space. Come alone, with a friend, to meet friends, to make new friends, for the best coffee, for fresh wine, for hot food…There are so many reasons to come by anytime, without having to spend too much time planning and instead just being in the moment and doing what you feel.
How did you go about creating an earth friendly wine program?
Bill Fitch, Faun: Decades of working with the world’s wines has led me to the conclusion that sustainably-farmed, organic or biodynamic grape vines produce better grape juice for the yeast to turn into wine. It isn’t just for the crucial ethical issues that one prefers such wines. It should go without saying that all possible efforts should be made to preserve the biodiversity and natural heritage of the one single planet we know with life on it; it is also crucial to preserve the integrity of the very notion of wine, ontologically and aesthetically. When you know that the wine you are drinking has submitted itself to the vicissitudes of climactic contingency, courageously faced what nature offers without the cosmetic surgery, the nip and tuck of the vast array of chemical additives and hi-tech subtractions and polishes, then the context of our subjective enjoyment of the beauty of wine can remain unpolluted.
There is no such thing as “natural” wine. Viticulture is mostly a monoculture of artificial selection. Feeding your poodle organic dog food does not make it a “natural” dog, but I think if we can resist the excesses of artificiality, in the vineyard and in the cellar, not only will the planet be better off, but so will our sense of taste.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: The wine list was not created to follow a trend or hype. It is what we love and what we believe in. And organic, biodynamic and natural wines are the wines we love. They show more purity than others. And on top of that, people behind those wines care about the earth, now and for the next generation. No pesticides, insecticides, no chemicals are used — if they have to be used, it’s a minimal dose.
Jay Nir, River Coyote: I was looking for the best way to offer quality wine by the glass for my guests, and wine on tap is exactly that, while also being environmentally sustainable. One reusable keg eliminates the use of 3,000 bottles, corks, closures, foil, labels, boxes and packaging over its lifetime. Kegs also lessen the transported wines’ weight, which has a large impact on the transportation industry’s carbon emissions. Wine bars serving wine by the glass from bottles have an incredible propensity for waste and inconsistency. Once a bottle of wine is opened, there is a short window to how long the wine can be served before needing to discard it, since oxygen quickly ruins wine. Wine on tap solves this by running nitrous into the keg to keep all oxygen out, so the last glass from a keg is as fresh as the first glass. Wine on tap also minimizes waste.
Do you have a favorite wine region? Is there anything new that really excites you?
Bill Fitch, Faun: It is difficult to pick one region. Middle Europe is certainly up there, as well as Austria, Moravia, and Slovakia. The warming planet has made it easier to ripen pinot noir in places like Switzerland and Germany. As bittersweet as it is, I have been very curious about the pinots and other reds from these traditionally white wine dominant regions.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: I don’t have a favorite region, it really depends on my mood, the food I’m going to eat, the people I’m drinking with. But I definitely prefer old world wines and French especially. In terms of a new region, I love Corsica. Any new/old vignerons crafting amazing wines with many of them working with biodynamic practices and natural — no sulfur.
Jay Nir, River Coyote: As I explore more wines to continue identifying and offering the best wine available, my appreciation for certain regions is always changing. For some time I’ve been in love with Willamette Valley, Oregon for its Pinot Noir, but more recently I’ve been impressed with the variety of biodynamic options coming from Italy, and now I’m looking forward to the previously-inaccessible French options that are just now becoming available on tap.
Faun owners David Stockwell & Carla Swickerath
What are some other ways that you try to be environmentally-conscious?
David Stockwell, Faun: Sustainability is a constant goal. Here are a few of the choices we’ve made in its service: Sourcing seasonal product as locally as possible. We buy from a long list of local farms and fisheries, as well as sourcing what we can from our very own on-site garden. We compost as many of our kitchen scraps as possible for the garden, keeping a few thousand pounds each year of refuse out of landfills. We installed a filtration system to fill our own still and sparkling water bottles in house – negating the need to continuously transport glass bottles to and from Faun. We built out the interior and patio areas with re-used elements from Build It Green, a local company that salvages and re-sells building materials.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: We decided to make our own sparkling water so that we don’t have to order bottled water every day. Same thing with still water. We’re using a purifying system and don’t ever order bottles of water. We also limit the amount of paper — menus, wine list — we print every day. You would be shocked at how much paper you can just waste if you don’t pay attention to it. We are also recycling everyday; paper, glass, cans…
Jay Nir, River Coyote: River Coyote represents quality, passion and consciousness. We’ve gone above and beyond to properly-represent these values in our build-out, service and products. Not only no bottled water, but no bottled anything. It’s not just the wine that’s strictly on tap, the beer, cider, organic kombucha, cold brew, nitro cold brew, carbonated water and drinking water are all on tap as well. We also work closely with NobleTree Coffee, who has spent the past few years working the coffee farms they own in Brazil to understand how they can create sustainable practices to ensure the longevity of the environment. We reused a lot of materials in the buildout of the place. The marble window-counter is repurposed from the old bar that was here prior to our rebuilding the place, the communal tables are made of reclaimed wood, and more of the buildout was done with reused or repurposed elements such as the dining table-tops, the shelves, even the wood wine-barrel that holds our brass wine taps. Our lighting looks vintage but we actually have LED Lighting throughout the bar, and installed XLERATOReco hand-dryers to both minimize electrical usage and remove the use of hand drying towels. We choose organic wherever we can, with organic kombucha, selection of organic teas from Rishi, even our Housemade Vanilla Syrup and Raaka Chocolate for our Vegan Chocolate Ganache are all organic. One of the only bottles we have is for the all natural local milk we get from Battenkill Valley for our espresso with steamed milk. I actually looked extensively into getting our milk on tap to cut out milk bottles as well, but the technology is still improving and not yet at the standards we demand of quality, so we have milk bottles.
Racines NY / Photo: Cassandra Giraldo
Earth Day aside, what is coming up for your establishment?
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: Lunch is around the corner. We have many winemakers events as well as wine dinners throughout the year. We are starting Tuesday night flights on Apr. 25 with new arrivals from Rhone. On May 9 we have an incredible dinner with a vertical tasting of André Beaufort Champagnes. And of course, with spring here, we have exciting new items coming up on the menu.
Jay Nir, River Coyote: We are in the process of expanding our kitchen hours to offer food from early ’till late every day, so that we can do an even better job at blurring the lines as a place you can come any time of day.
When not busy with work, how do you like to spend your free time?
David Stockwell, Faun: “Free time” is a foreign concept to me right now, but I dream of surfing once again on a regular basis. It doesn’t need to be Costa Rica, I’d take the Rockaways — anything! But I am lucky and eternally grateful for the small but regular bits of time I get — mostly eating breakfast — with my daughter Ramona and “wife” Carla.
Bill Fitch, Faun: I enjoy reading, writing, hiking, biking, swimming. Luxuriating in as naturally wild a place as I can find. Stargazing.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: I don’t have a lot of free time but I try to spend as much time as possible with my family or playing ice hockey.
Jay Nir, River Coyote: Walking around the Lower East Side, feeling at one with the city, interacting with strangers, spending time with family, taking inspiration from the art — both street and indoors — listening to all the sounds, appreciating the complexity & beauty of it all, taking it in.
River Coyote wine pouring / Photo: Michael Tulipan
Other than your own spot, do you have a favorite restaurant in Manhattan?
David Stockwell, Faun: I’m a big fan of Ivan Ramen.
Bill Fitch, Faun: If someone else is buying, Le Coucou. If I am cast upon my own resources, I would say Amali in Midtown, where Dan Ross-Leutwyler is the chef. I would follow him anywhere.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: Rouge Tomate, Rebelle, Marta, The Modern, to name a few.
Jay Nir, River Coyote: We are already blessed to be in Manhattan, even more so to be on Ludlow at Rivington surrounded by so many fantastic places. Immediately around us are a dozen places where I have special memories and have a personal connection to. So I’d have to say my favorite restaurants are my neighbors.
Finally, any last words for the kids?
David Stockwell, Faun: If you’re an architect — with a job — and are thinking about quitting to open a restaurant…well hell, go ahead and do it! You’ll be poor and stressed out, but somehow, something about life will be better.
Arnaud Tronche, Racines NY: You have to lead by example especially with kids. Show them what to do on Earth Day and every day after that. You should also take them to restaurants! My six-year old daughter comes once a week to Racines and discover new flavors all the time. Yes, we are kid-friendly at Racines!
Jay Nir, River Coyote: For the kids…Enjoy the present moment, while looking forward to the future. Live consciously. Do what you love. Be happy now.
