Author Archive: Anna Levinson

How New York City Is Ramping Up Its Compost Efforts

On a quiet Friday morning, volunteer Elizabeth Schad jabs her pitchfork into a mound of browning organic material — including things like leaves, peels, and other food scraps — at the Red Hook Community Farm. Organized into long piles called windrows, the mounds reach about waist-height. They will be turned […]

 
 

Two Birds One Stone: Curbing Food Waste and Feeding the Homeless

Two Birds One Stone is the name of an NYU volunteer organization that takes hot, edible food leftover from dining halls and delivers it to homeless shelters around the city. As the name suggests, the goal is twofold: to combat food waste while also providing those in shelters with the […]

 
 

7 best cheap eats at Vanessa’s Dumplings

7 best cheap eats at Vanessa’s Dumplings

Nestled in Chinatown is Vanessa’s Dumplings, a New York staple for those on a budget. The bustling, no-frills spot on Eldridge Street has a variety of options, from soups and sides to noodles and, of course, dumplings. Prices at Vanessa’s range from $1.50 for four dumplings to as cheap as […]

 
 

Hunt’s Point: Food Mecca of the Bronx

While customers dive into fresh produce stands spanning 113 acres, Ricky Esposito, 36, sets up shop. He works for Go Fresh, one of the food retailers spread across the South Bronx peninsula, Hunts Point. Here, fresh produce is the specialty, with a selection of fruits and vegetables delivered daily via […]

 
 

Refugee Food Festival Provides Refugees with Economic Opportunity

Refugee Food Festival Provides Refugees with Economic Opportunity

The stories poured in over steaming bowls. People who had been forced to leave their countries were sharing their lives with New Yorkers, all while sharing the dishes from their homes. The Refugee Food and Arts Festival in New York City brought locals together with refugees for a weekend in […]