sugar & olives

Sugar & Olives is in its third year of serving ‘farm to family’ style, and its tucked away location draws a steady and curious crowd.

The converted factory space sits on a side street in Norwalk, Connecticut, and without a sign or any evidence that it’s a restaurant, it has become a local favorite for private dining, cooking classes and a swanky spot to sit, eat and enjoy some tasty food.

Want to know where your food is from? Just ask and they’ll tell you—or look it up on the iPad menu. Each guest gets one so they can choose their meal, and search for more information as they wish.

Vegetables, fruit, poultry, shellfish, dairy and eggs are gathered from farms within CT, while grains and other items are sourced regionally from the Hudson Valley to Vermont. Sweet and savory as the name Sugar & Olives implies, with a focus on flavor and simplicity, allowing each item to shine.

The sustainable build-out and best practices of this small shop has earned it three stars with the Green Restaurant Association. The efforts to keep a tiny footprint include waste reduction, pre- and post-consumer composting, recycling, a water filtration system with zero plastic water bottles on the premises, and a rain barrel to boot.

Special thanks to jennifer and cristina, store manager west hollywood, for the inside scoop!

september 2011

photo by: Ron Cogswell In the ten years since September 11th, the towers that fell have became a symbol of strength, and remembrance.

So it’s no surprise that the tons of steel salvaged from Ground Zero are being re-used for these same inspirational ends.

In 2009 for example, 7.5 tons went into building the mighty USS New York.

And since 2001, the Port Authority of NY stored and allocated the balance—approximately 1200 pieces—to various locations across the nation to help create some 225 memorials.

To see a few, visit inhabit NYC—devoted to green living and forward-thinking urban designs, planning and environmental policy.