Restaurant · Eco-Chick

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Saving the Great Bahama Banks

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to take an incredible trip to the Bahamas. I wasn’t there to relax and enjoy myself for a vacation, though I certainly did some relaxing and had a fabulous time. I was there to see the Grand Bahama Banks- and why they need to be protected.

There are over 700 islands in the extensive collection that together form the Bahamas, and they all have their different charms. New Providence Island is the center of the tourist industry, onto which quite a few resorts and bunches of hotels, bars and restaurants crowd. But if you never leave New Providence, and you take it to be the whole of the Bahamian experience, you’ve seen just 1/700th of this amazing ecosystem and met just a few of its people.

Andros Island (above, from the air), is the largest of the Bahamian islands, and lies just a 10-minute small plane ride from the cosmopolitan New Providence. The Nature Conservancy is working with the Bahamas National Trust and the Kerzner Marine Foundation to protect the Western waters of Andros, called the Great Bahama Banks.

Before I started my work, I explored the beach of Small Hope Bay Lodge (a 60′s-style eco hotel where I stayed) which was natural sand, covered in bits of seaweed, shells, and old coral. I snorkelled in the water below and spotted starfish, anenomes, about 10 different kinds of fish, and some brain and other corals holding on (for information on coral click here, for information on the devastation of coral in the Caribbean, click here.)

Looking out of one of the doors of Small Hope Bay Lodge and the Lodge itself.

The Lodge on the Eastern side of the island was one of the few places to stay, so it took us several hours by van and then on the boat below, to get to the Western side of the island. It is as deserted as it looks; there are no major towns or settlements on this side of the island.

Our guide, the extremely well-informed Shawn Leadon, said sometimes its hard to tell the difference between ocean and sky, and it’s easy to see why (below). This very shallow (about 2-4 feet deep) water is an unbelievable shade of aquamarine, and besides making for great photos, is an incubator and nursery for hundreds of species of fish including tarpin, bonefish, pufferfish, sharks, green turtles, and more that populate the Carribbean seas. Flamingoes, osprey, cranes, egrets, and other birds all like to nest here (due to the fantastic meals maybe?).

birds, car, conservation, Easter, fall, filter, fish, local, marine conservation, Plants, restaurant, style, Tea, teaching, water, wetlands

Nouveau Novo

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by Danelle Brown · 04/23/06

This past Saturday I was meeting a few friends for dinner at a new tucked-away restaurant called Novo on the outskirts of Tribeca/Soho. As we were waiting for the rest of our party, I couldn’t help but notice the finishes and fixtures used in the restaurant’s interior. I asked our waiter if he knew if the restaurant was intentionally designed in an eco-friendly matter. I figured correctly.

The first green flag was the menu printed on recycled paper and then the fact that both the main bar and the open kitchen prep wall was faced with cork tiles. The wallpaper throughout the space is made from hemp, and reclaimed thin brushed metal sheets accent some of the walls. The light fixtures were made from recycled glass and non-bleached paper shades. The over all palette appeared to be neutral crèmes, chocolate browns and petrified woods.

Projectors are used to cast floral graphic images on adjacent screens. This allows for a wide variety of decorative art without have to hang up a new piece of canvas or paper every so often.

Although Novo doesn’t use organic veggies, they do only use local produce and suppliers to create their unique dishes. The overall menu is an eclectic palette of Latin American dishes and drink specials. Being that Novo is still new, they do not yet have their liquor license so its BYO. So although there is no organic wine on the list you’re more than welcome to bring your own and they will even turn it into a fabulous sangria for your table.

I do have to say that the portion size for most of the menu items is fairly small and this is the type of restaurant that you go on a 1^st date because you can share amazing appetizers and not feel ashamed to order what you really want later since it will be a small portion. The food is amazing and an average meal (appetizer & entrée) will run you about $20-$30.

Go There: Novo, 290 Hudson St., New York, NY
Call: 212.989.6410

decor, design, Eco-Chick, Food, hemp, liquor, local, media, NYC, Organic, paper, party, produce, recycle, recycled, restaurant, spa, style, Wine, wood

OBEN is OPEN (in Barcelona)

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by Jennifer Cross · 02/07/06

The 100% recyclable placemat at my table read: “El primer restaurant amb tots els plats 100% ecologics de Barcelona.” For those that don’t speak Catalan, that means: “First 100% organic restaurant in town”

Continuing with my series exposing every organic resource available to eco-chicks passing through Barcelona, today I lunched at OBEN (Organic, Biologic, Environmental, Natural). Based on my placemat, I was expecting an organic meal, though I wasn’t expecting the meal to be in the sleek, modern restaurant that it was. Further – and also surprisingly — the ambiance lacked toes peeking out from Birkenstocks, and instead featured ties peeking out from suits.

During lunch time in Spain, the menú reigns. Lunch is typically a meal consisting of a first and second dish, dessert, a bottle of wine and bread. An average menú in Barcelona is 8EUR. OBEN’s happened to be 9.95EUR — not exactly a price for those traveling on a shoestring.

El menú, however, was extensive, offering five choices for each dish (not all are vegetarian). I opted for the amanida d’ esparrecs (asparagus salad) to start, the spaguettis amb bolets (spaghetti and mushrooms) as my main dish and a very unimpressive crep d’ albercoc (crepe with jellied fruits). The portion sizes were small (to be expected in Spain), but the service was quick and attentive (not to be expected in Spain). The food was tasty and not too filling, making it a menú worth the extra few euros. (There are two locations for OBEN)

Go There: Restaurant OBEN ; Via Laietana, 28 08003 Barcelona
Call: +34 93 295 50 69

Go There: Restaurant OBEN Torrijos, 53 08012 Barcelona
Call: +34 93 237 37 13

Eco-Chick, Food, fruit, fur, lunch, Organic, restaurant, shoes, spa, style, Tea, travel, vegetarian, Wine

Organic in BCN

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by Jennifer Cross · 01/28/06

Spain is the world’s #2 tourist destination following France. In 2003, 51.8 million vacationers descended upon Sunny Spain to bask in the Mediterranean rays and bathe their brains in the best sangria the world has to offer. Not to mention the food — Paella, Jamon Iberico (Iberian Ham), tantalizing tapas, and more olives than you can shake a branch at.

That is all fine and good for carnivorous vacationers eager to slap some fresh salami on their pan (bread) and call it a day. What’s left for those who elect a more organic existence and opt out when it comes to flesh eating carne time? A week-long sustenance on wine from a box and some nuts? Perhaps a few years ago, but even in a slow-to-change country that clings dearly to its three hour lunch break — things are changing.

Spaniards are slowly becoming more open to wholesome living as evidenced by vegetarian alternatives popping up on even the most traditional menus, organic storefronts squeezing their way between carnicerias, and strictly vegetarian restaurants cropping up.

Over the next few postings we will take a look at eco-friendly stores and restaurants in Barcelona. We will focus specifically on Barcelona because it is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in Spain, (those who hail from Madrid will beg to differ), and it is where your faithful correspondent currently resides.