Stonybrook
Friday, August 1, 2008. Today, I took a drive to Stonybrook, a small town on Long Island Sound an hour or less from Northport. I used to go here for lunch with my parents––I was also here with Eddie in 1994. Each time back, I have tried to find a restaurant that we ate at that overlooked the water. I still haven’t found it. Stonybrook is a cute village on a harbor. Photo: the post office at Stonybrook.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
More of the village.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
The harbor past the town.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
Close–up of the building in the last photo.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
The Old Grist Mill––it wasn’t open for tours when I was there.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
Many geese in a park next to the harbor.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
More geese.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
Ducks swimming in the harbor.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
Duck feeding frenzy.
Stonybrook
Stonybrook
One of the many new vineyards on Long Island. Near the Hamptons, there are at least 20 vineyards/wineries.
Stonybrook
Port Jefferson
Another harbor town near Stonybrook.
Port Jefferson
Port Jefferson
You can catch a car ferry here that will take you to Bridgeport, Connecticut. The ferry coming into the dock.
Port Jefferson
Port Jefferson
The ferry already getting ready to dislodge the cars.
Port Jefferson
Port Jefferson
My lunch in Port Jefferson––1 pound lobster for $9.95. Most of it was tasty. I didn’t walk around Port Jefferson as it was too hot and humid to enjoy doing so.
Port Jefferson
Crabmeadow Reunion
I drove back to Northport and then picked Jane up to go to this evening’s Crabmeadow Reunion. Every year, on the first Friday of August, the Crabmeadow Reunion is held (of course, at Crabmeadow Beach). It is a chance for all the old Northporters who still live in the area to see each other and also a time when ex–Northporters make their back home to see old friends. Doody Lindstadt is the reunion’s sponsor. It was great fun seeing people who I hadn’t seen for about 50 years and, yes, I recognized most of them.
Crabmeadow Reunion
That Guy Again
Saturday, August 2, 2008. My daughter Britt took the train from Manhattan to Huntington this morning, where I met her. She was to stay with me through Sunday in Northport. She has been here once before––Kathy Plubell Ruvolo so wonderfully gave her the grand tour of the area. Doody wanted to meet Britt so I took her over to see him. Freddie Ostuni, Ozzie Smith, and Ray Moloni were also there. Britt loved her time with all these guys––she felt that she was in a movie listening to all the New York accents and the New York humor. She kept thinking about the Sopranos because of the New York accents––she was not far off: Edie Falco of the Sopranos grew up in Northport and her accent probably mainly comes from this area.
That Guy Again
Southampton
Britt wanted to see the famous Hamptons, home of the rich and famous, out farther on the island near Montauk. The weather report was not good––thunder and lightening showers. However, our Chalet hotel clerk had just come in from the Hamptons and told us that it wouldn’t rain there. So we took off, but did run into a cloudburst on the way. When we got to Southampton, after looking at the threatening sky, we knew there was soon going to be a very big downpour. We made it into a restaurant just before the sky opened up, then took our time eating so that the storm would be over when we finished. Photo: the boutique, art gallery, etc., area of Southampton.
Southampton
Southampton
I didn’t remember ever being in Southampton until I recognized this building.
Southampton
Southampton
And this one as well.
Southampton
Southampton
The shopping area of Southampton has a Saks, many boutiques, many art galleries, antique shops plus restaurants, etc.
Southampton
Southampton
A store window.
Southampton
Southampton
In another store window.
Southampton
Southampton
Cute clothes for men.
Southampton
Southampton
Decorated eggs.
Southampton
Southampton
Sidewalk dining.
Southampton
Southampton
We rode a bit around the residential area of palatial properties. There used to be a number of “saltbox” houses on Long Island, but this is the first one that I saw––the Old Halsey House, circa 1648, the oldest house in Southampton.
Southampton
Southampton
A private beach club.
Southampton
Southampton
A Southampton house.
Southampton
Southampton
Another Southampton house.
Southampton
Southampton
Britt on the beach at Southampton on the Atlantic Ocean.
Southampton
Southampton
Another good beach shot. We drove back to Northport with the only eventful occurrence was that the GPS that I rented from Budget Rent A Car stopped working. Luckily, I had taken the same route back from Montauk and was able to recognize the turnoffs.
Southampton
Back at Crabmeadow Beach
Tonight Britt and I were guests of Doody and Lynn at the upscale restaurant at Crabmeadow Beach––the La Casa. Photo: Waiting for a table at La Casa. From left: Doody, Lynn, Bobby Vaughn, and Britt.
Back at Crabmeadow Beach
Crabmeadow Beach
La Casa specials.
Crabmeadow Beach
Crabmeadow Beach
Inside La Casa.
Crabmeadow Beach
Sweet Mama’s
Sunday, August 3, 2008. My last day on Long Island. Britt and I had a great breakfast at Sweet Mama’s, a 50s–themed restaurant. We ate outside and watched the traffic at Five Corners. This restaurant is located right where the old Carvel ice cream store was––another one of our teenage hangouts.
Sweet Mama’s
Sweet Mama’s
A 50s’ car on the roof of Sweet Mama’s.
Sweet Mama’s
The Enchanted Forest
Britt noticed The Enchanted Forest lit up on Waterside Road on our way back from Crabmeadow Beach last night. We came back to look at it. One of its themes is the Wizard of Oz, including the Yellow Brick Road. We followed it per instructions.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
Walking along the Yellow Brick Road (it is made up of 4,666 yellow bricks), we found the Wicked Witch, the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow, but we didn’t see Dorothy or Toto. We did figure out that we were Dorothy and found out that Toto had been stolen.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
The Wicked Witch.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
The Scarecrow.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
The Lion.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
The Tin Man. In July, vandals attacked the Tin Man, damaging him so severely that a wake was held for him. He was placed on a table with a white sheet covering most of him. Sunflowers were placed on his chest. He was put in plain view of the street with the sign, “Vandals have no heart, no brains, no courage. Losers.” The Tin Man has been put back together.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
We met the owner and creator of the Enchanted Forest: Randal Rowe.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
He also makes bird houses. Britt bought one of them.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe birdhouse.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
Other creatures in the Enchanted Forest.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
And another.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
And getting ready for Christmas.
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest
One more view of the Enchanted Forest––the cactus is fake.
The Enchanted Forest
Eaton’s Neck Beach
Next, we drove to Eaton’s Neck from Waterside Road. We didn’t come to this beach often as teenagers, but did come here after water skiing.
Eaton’s Neck Beach
Eaton’s Neck Beach
Another view of Eaton’s Neck Beach.
Eaton’s Neck Beach
Eaton’s Neck Beach
The other side of the beach on the Northport Harbor side.
Eaton’s Neck Beach
Northport Harbor
A view of Northport Harbor from a hill above it.
Northport Harbor
Northport
The smokestacks of the Long Island Lighting Company which can be seen from all over Northport. I remember always hearing its noon whistle.
Northport
Northport
Before heading back via train to Manhattan, Britt and I walked along Northport’s Main Street. Photo: One of the many flower arrangements on Main Street.
Northport
Northport
On the awning of a candy store.
Northport
Northport
Inside the candy store.
Northport
Northport
The Bistro where we had lunch.
Northport
Northport
On the Bistro’s menu: pulled duck sandwich and fried oyster tacos.
Northport
Northport
Patio dining at the Bistro.
Northport
Northport
We had ice cream for desert at the Sweet Shop.
Northport
Northport
They still make their own ice cream and still make black raspberry, which I ordered and enjoyed.
Northport
Northport
An old menu in the Sweet Shop’s window.
Northport
Northport
One of shops: Northport’s smallest restaurant. After our Northport walk, we took the Impala back to Budget Rent A Car (I complained to their headquarters when I got home and got a partial refund on the rental), took a taxi to Huntington Station, then boarded the train to take us back to Penn Station in Manhattan. Even with all the mishaps, I am very glad that I finally did go back home.
