Dumpster Pools Return, Solar Powered Carousel, & Bernie Madoff's Pants Turned into iPad Cases - InhabitatNYC August 12th

Dear NYC Inhabitants- The dog days of summer are upon us, but that doesn't mean our fun in the sun is over. In fact, with all the new events and activities happening, you'd think that summer was just getting started! This week, we visited GE's brand new solar powered carousel at the South Street Seaport, and we found out that the much-loved dumpster pools are returning this weekend! Plus, Summer Streets is still in full swing, once again banning cars from 7 miles of Manhattan this Saturday. In quirky green news, an entrepreneur is turning Bernie Madoff's old pants into iPad cases and Studio Dror transformed an old Gucci store into a stylish synagogue! EVENTS THIS WEEKEND Through September 7 -- GE Solar Powered Carousel Friday, Aug. 12 -- New York Premiere of Unfinished Spaces Saturday, Aug. 13 -- Summer Streets Saturday, Aug. 13 -- Opening of The Palms THIS WEEK'S NEWS PICS: GE's Solar Powered Carousel Opens at the Seaport The Palms Brings Dumpster Pools Back to NYC Bernie Madoff's Old Pants Reborn as iPad Cases A Look Inside Karim Rashid's Eco-Friendly Chelsea Office Studio Dror Turns Old Gucci Store into a Chic Synagogue Poll Shows Two-Thirds of New Yorkers Support Bike Lanes Drawings of Jean Nouvel's MoMA Torre Verre Revealed GREENHOMENYC DESIGN CHALLENGE Hey green designers! Show us your design chops by entering GreenHomeNYC's Green Design Challenge, which is searching for innovative and eco friendly furniture to outfit GreenHomeNYC's lounge space at this fall's NEW New York block party. Inhabitat is a proud sponsor of the event, and the ten winners will work with an acclaimed panel of judges (including Inhabitat's own founder Jill Fehrenbacher) to make their pieces a reality using materials donated from Film Biz Recycling and Build it Green! NYC. What are you waiting for? Enter now! LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT this week: Eco & Organic Dining in the East Village Angelica Kitchen -- The epitome of a green restaurant, Angelica Kitchen uses 95 percent sustainable and fair trade ingredients and the building is powered by renewable energy. Plus, Angelica reclaims and filters its water, and they participate in an active compost and food donation program to ensure nothing goes to waste. To top it off, the cafe serves up some of the most delicious vegan dishes in the city. We particularly love the walnut-lentil pate, the dashi and noodles, and the open-face tempeh sandwich! The Organic Grill -- As the name implies, the Organic Grill is committed to using and promoting organic and sustainable agriculture. To create their seasonal American-style vegan and vegetarian menu, the Organic Grill sources ingredients from local artisans and farmers. Their tasty food has made them one of our go-to restaurants for lunch with friends or a casual dinner. Stand-out dishes include the BBQ seitan (our favorite!), vegan pierogies, and veggie burger. Thanks for reading everyone - catch you next week! Jill and Jessica Your Fabulous Inhabitat NYC Editors