Dutch Christmas at Meadow Croft, 2011

Photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

A DUTCH CHRISTMAS AT MEADOW CROFT

Bayport Heritage Association invites all local-area residents to their

DUTCH CHRISTMAS AT MEADOW CROFT,

which will be held on

Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3rd, and 4th, 2011,

at the Meadow Croft estate located at

299 Middle Road at Brown’s River on the Bayport Sayville border.

Meadow Croft is the 1891 estate of John E. Roosevelt and family. The Roosevelts were, of course, Dutch by ancestry. The house will be decorated in a Victorian/Edwardian motif with beautiful wreaths, poinsettias and greenery magnificently reminiscent of a hundred years ago and tied in with a Dutch flavor.

Musical selections will be played on the original Roosevelt grand piano filling the house with the music of the season.

Upstairs, special exhibits, including electric trains, vintage clothing, woodcarvings, and Christmas specialties, will be on display for public enjoyment.

Hot chocolate and cookies will add to the coziness of the occasion. St. Nicholas, the Dutch version of Santa Claus, will be there to look up individual children’s names in his ledger and he’ll find out who’s been ‘naughty and nice’ in 2011.

This Dutch Christmas at Meadow Croft is open from

noon to 4 PM both days.

Admission is only $5 for adults and $3 for seniors & children age 4-12.

Not suitable for children under 4 years of age.

All the decorations will be raffled off.

Info: 631-363-6487

October 16, 2011 House Tour

The Bayport Heritage Association is having their 25th Autumn House Tour,

Sunday, October 16th.

Tickets are $25 per person and all proceeds go to the Bayport Heritage Association.

A limited number of tickets will be sold!

Ticket are now available at these locations:

• Country Junque on Middle Road
• Bayport Flower House
• Bayport- Blue Point Library

After the tour, refreshments will be served at Meadow Croft on Middle Road in Sayville.

The tour takes place at seven different locations throughout Bayport and Blue Point. Six homes and Meadow Croft are featured, including the estate home designed by George B Post, architect of the NY Stock Exchange.

• Website: http://bayportheritage.blogspot.com
• Phone: 631-419-6044
• Email for questions: mont4@optonline.net

• Price: $25

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Dahlia Garden in Oakdale

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Oakdale has a beautiful Dahlia Garden.

The dahlias are in full bloom and spectacular in color and design.

Take a ride over there. For directions, visit their website: http://www.bayardcuttingarboretum.com/

~

From their website:

The Dahlia Garden is located in the easterly end of the park behind the Cow Barn. It was planted and is maintained by the LONG ISLAND DAHLIA SOCIETY. There are currently approximately 500 plants and over 400 varieties. This is one of the largest dahlia gardens on the east coast. The garden peaks in September and October. The LIDS holds flower shows at the Arboretum in the fall of each year. Membership in the society is available. For further information contact the Arboretum at 631-581-1002.

~~~

Problems with the National Flood Insurance Program

The National Flood Insurance Program, run by FEMA, comes up for renewal again in September. There have been several lapses in the program in the past few years because it gets used as a political football. Members of congress who are NOT in flood-prone states hold up their votes to force others to support their particular bills and projects. Congress is trying to start work early on the process, but there are several obstacles.

The biggest obstacle is that the whole FEMA Flood Insurance program, both here in New York and around the country, has been losing money for years, where it is supposed to be self-supporting. Naturally that means higher rates but that is not a very popular idea with members of congress.

Another area they have been looking at is whether catastrophic windstorm (hurricanes) should be added to the flood insurance program. Hurricanes are not so much of an issue in the Midwest where they are experiencing record flooding because of record snows this past winter. But here on Long Island and all along the east coast, hurricanes are a HUGE issue and something that needs to be addressed.

So some politicians want to add wind coverage to the flood insurance policy. But others are against it for several reasons. First, it is available in the private market and our system of government is based on private business wherever possible. But also, if they have been losing money on the flood insurance, chances are they would just lose even more money if you added windstorm coverage.

Today the GAO (General Accounting Office) issued a report that severely criticized the management of the National Flood Insurance Program, and says that if they don't make significant changes, they will never become profitable. So again, the fear is that if they were to add windstorm coverage, the program would lose even more money.

I just hope they figure it out quickly enough that the basic program is renewed in September.

Take a ferry ride this weekend!

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Check the ferry schedules for the new spring/summer runs.

Nothing to do this weekend?

Take the ferry to Fire Island or Connecticut!

Check the schedules here!

They leave from various towns and there are activities everyone!

Combating weekend boredom on Long Island

Now that the weather has finally broke and summer is right around the corner, the pressure will really be on to find things to do on Long Island and entertain your family come the weekend.

With gasoline prices sticking above $4.00 a gallon, more people are saying that they will forgo the plane rides and stick close to home come their vacation. And Long Island is an OK place to be.

Of course, you have the beaches and parks. You have the great wineries on the north fork of the east end and the Hamptons and Montauk on the south fork. There are over 100 museums. You even have amusement and water parks.

But don't forget to look for the great events featured on Long Island. Each weekend, there are countless events taking place that will cater to almost every taste. The events section is the most popular category on LongIsland.com. Some are free while others charge a nominal participation fee.

Check out the local Long Island Events.

Find a local Long Island Business

Until next time...

LongIsland.com is on the move

The long awaited renovation of LongIsland.com is finally in the starting blocks.

As the new kid on the block, I hate to bash the LongIsland.com design. After all, in it's day, the website was state-of-the-art. Unfortunately, it's day was 2002.

The process to get here was painstakingly slow. There are hundreds of categories and thousands of pages to deal with, and the project was not taken lightly. But in the end, the wait will be well worth it.

We have looked at dozens of other geo sites to come up with a template for what we want. Sites like www.SanDiego.com gave us inspiration and a feel for what our end product can look like. We knew we were close because in recent weeks, we went from frustration to excitement.

I will share the process with you. I can't wait for you to see what we already can. The aesthetics will only be topped by the exceptional content we promise to deliver. Whether you are looking for restaurants, things to do with your kids, or just about anything Long Island, LongIsland.com promises to deliver.

Stay tuned. Your new and improved Long Island resource for everything is right around the corner.

Until next time...

Updates in the Insurance Market

It's been a while but the insurance marketplace has been quiet. Still, there are a couple of new items to report.

Across New York state, a law was passed a while back making it illegal to be using anything other than a hands-free phone while driving. I don't know how it is in the rest of N.Y. but here on Long Island it seems that almost half of the drivers going by my office every day are on a hand-held phone. But now the law has been given more teeth. As of yesterday, a cel phone violation will now add two points to your NY driver's license and motor vehicle record. That means that if you get a couple of other tickets, a cel phone violation could be the difference that causes your license to be suspended (for accumulating more than 11 points in an 18 month period). Insurance companies will also be more likely to charge for cel phone violations now, although New York car insurance companies use a different point system.

Research has shown that driving while talking on a hand held phone gives you about the same chance of having an accident as driving while under the influence of alcohol. So this is a real issue. Of course, so are other distractions such as applying makeup, texting (possibly the worst) or reading the paper while drinking coffee. The bottom line is that when you get behind the wheel you are now in a potentially deadly weapon, and we all need to be more careful.

Meanwhile in the Long Island homeowners insurance market, if anything it has eased up a little, though the larger carriers continue to cancel and non-renew some homeowners policies, especially along the south shore in Suffolk County. But some new, smaller insurance carriers have come into the market, and competition has caused some pricing to drop. So if you had to buy expensive homeowners insurance because you were canceled or you bought your waterfront home in the past couple of years, you might want to contact your agent to see if he or she can shop around for you a little.

Christmas at Meadow Croft 2010

The "1910 Christmas at Meadow Croft"

will be on held on Saturday and Sunday

December 4th and 5th, 2010

12 noon to 4 pm

Visit Santa, see exhibits, eat cookies, drink hot chocolate,

hear carols on the Roosevelt grand piano.

Holiday displays and collections are on exhibit upstairs and rooms will be beautifully decorated by local flower houses, garden and community clubs.

The rooms will be gorgeous in Holiday Finery, all donations by the organizations listed here:

• Bayport Flower Houses
• Bayport Homemakers
• Daisy Garden
• Lea Rose Interior Designs
• Le Soir
• Neighbors & Gardners
• Audrey's Bakery
• Rambling Rose
• Sayville Flowers
• Sayville Flower & Garden Shop
• Sayville Garden Club

All arrangements will be raffled,

with the winners to be called December 6th.

If you haven't purchased raffle tickets already,

they can be purchased at Meadow Croft, December 4th & 5th.

Admission: $5 adults, $3 seniors and children 12 and under.

(This event is not suitable for children under 4. Please no strollers.)

~~~

Bayport Heritage Association and the Bayport Memorial Park Board will decorate the

Memorial Park Gazebo

again this year with a lighted tree, roping and bows, the first week of December--

-our own Norman Rockwell lovely holiday scene for the community to enjoy.

Stop by to see the decorations!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hope you have a happy, healthy, thankful, Thanksgiving Day!

Photography Exhibit

Do you love nature photography?

Well, if you do, don’t miss this show!

The NWPLI (Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island) will have its annual Autumn Exhibition beginning

November 7th through December 5, 2010.

The reception, with refreshments, will be November 7th from 12noon-3pm.

It is being held at the

Castello di Borghese Winery in Cutchogue.

The exhibit will showcase the group’s best work in nature,

wildlife and landscape photography.

NWPLI has been awarded numerous honors for its work, most recently winning the Nature’s Best Photography International Awards (Camera Club Category) sponsored by Nature’s Best Photography Magazine.

Visit the group's website: http://www.nwpli.com

The photography on display will include natural subjects that have been captured with digital and film cameras.

Photos are from Long Island's own natural surroundings.

Some selected images will also be available for purchase.

The Show will run from Sunday, November 7th - December 5th, 2010,

during winery hours.

For directions to Castello di Borghese…Click Here!

For additional information, contact Lou Buonomo at lou@nwpli.com

I hope you have the opportunity to stop by the exhibit on your yearly autumn visit to the wineries and to the pumpkin farms!

It’s nature photography at its best!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

24th Autumn House Tour-Bayport

The Bayport 24th Autumn House Tour will take place on

Sunday, October 17, 2010.

1 pm to 5 pm

Tickets, $25, go on sale Friday, October 1st at Country Junque on Middle Road in Bayport

and the Bayport-Blue Point Library.

'Tis the Season (Hurricane Season, that is)

We will all be watching carefully as Hurricane Earl chugs up the coast this week towards Long Island and the rest of the eastern seaboard. If you want a little more info on hurricane preparedness, here are some handy links:

www.ready.gov is fema's site. www.southamptontownny.gov has a cool book you can download. Suffolk has info athttp://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/departments/firerescue/ and the Town of Babylon info can be found athttp://www.townofbabylon.com/emergencyinfo.cfm

Home Insurance - Going to the Dogs?

I read an interesting statistic recently. These days one out of every three homeowners insurance liability claims across the country is coming from the family dog! Those are lawsuits since they fall under liability, not cases where the dog chewed up a piece of furniture. And that is a national statistic, not limited to New York or Long Island.

Anybody who has changed (or been forced to change because you are 'too close to the water') home insurance in the last few years knows that you now have to answer a bunch of questions about your dog if you own one. Certain breeds are not wanted by almost any insurance company here on Long Island, where lawsuits are even more common than they are in other areas.

The latest development is that ISO, the Insurance Services Office who comes up with the standardizes policy forms used by many insurance companies all over the country, is including a canine exclusion in their next major revision to the homeowners policy form, due to come out later this year. That does NOT mean that all policies will immediately exclude dogs, but it DOES mean that, if approved by the N.Y. State Insurance Department, the exclusion will be available for insurance carriers to use.

I believe this has become one of the 'dirty little secrets' of why there have not been more insurance companies coming in to the Long Island area to write new homeowners coverage after the massive pullout by the 'big companies' that has been happening for several years now (think good hands, good neighbors, etc). I am not criticizing those companies for reducing their exposure to major storms in the New York coastal areas, because they definitely had too much financial exposure to large losses from the inevitable big hurricane.

But the companies that HAVE come in to fill the gaps, including Lloyd's of London, and other 'non-admitted' insurers, have all included dog exclusions in their policies. They can do this because as non-admitted or excess lines insurers, they are not subject to New York rules. So while their hurricane exposure is greater, the day-to-day problem of dogs is gone. This also applies to their exclusions for trampolines, another seemingly minor thing that has become a major issue.

One company has even come up with a specific liability insurance policy to cover dogs. Unfortunately it costs $800 PER DOG! But the reason it's so high is that they feel the only people who will buy the policy are those who feel they have the kind of dog who needs to be covered. So it's not like most folks with a sort of normal, happy-go-lucky dog will feel they need it, but the ones with the pit bulls, dobermans, and rottweilers might.

Ferries from Long Island

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Are you looking for a one day adventure?

There are many choices and a ferry ride to somewhere new is always an adventure!

Here are some ferries and a list of the destinations.

From Sayville to the Pines, Cherry Grove, Sunken Forest and Water Island:

To New London Conneticut from Orient Point:

From Bay Shore to Atlantique, Robbins Rest, Ocean Beach, Seaview and Ocean Bay Park:

From Port Jefferson to Bridgeport, Connecticut:

From Montauk to Block Island:

To Shelter Island.

Hope you enjoy the day!

~~~

Happy July 4th!

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

~~~

Hope you have a wonderful Independence Day celebration with family, friends and good food!

Be careful of those fireworks and play safely!

Happy July 4th!

~~~

Hometown Huntington

Exclusive Premiere

Monday, June 7th at 8 pm on WLIW21

Visit wliw.org/huntington for more information.

~~~

From the WLIW website:

There is no place like Huntington. With its harbor villages and picturesque towns it has long been a haven for residents and tourists, ripe with glorious beaches, abundant fishing and a sense of place that embraces both the quintessential Main Street and the height of sophisticated culture. A place where Gold Coast mansions were matched in riches by the cherished storybook childhoods and close-knit communities of post-World War II suburbia. If you were lucky enough to grow up here, you knew Freddie the Shoemaker and Tony the Fruit Man, not faceless chains; the joy of a burger served hot off the train at Hamburger Choo-Choo; and many other special shared memories. WLIW21’s new productionHometown Huntington brings together past and present residents, including Tony Award-winner Patti LuPone, actor Ralph Macchio, cartoonist Bunny Hoest (The Lockhorns), historians, and renowned Huntington families like the Finnegans and Sammis, plus home movies, photos and letters to celebrate a place rich in history, natural beauty and charm. Hosted and narrated by Lloyd Harbor resident Bernadette Castro.

Memorial Day

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Memorial Day

Remember why we celebrate this holiday......

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May.

Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died

while in the military service.

First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War

(it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War),

it was expanded after World War I.

~~~

Suffolk to hold meetings for info on Hurricanes, Flood and Home Insurance

Starting tonight and for the next several weeks, the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services is holding a series of meetings around the County where the topics will be Hurricane Preparedness, as well as how to understand your homeowners and flood insurance and make sure you have the protection that you think you have.

Each meeting will have a presentation from the County, as well as a representative from the Board of Directors of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Suffolk County. I will be at the one tonight (May 26) at the Tanner Park Senior Center in Copiague, as well as the one in West Islip next Thursday at the American Legion Hall on Union Blvd. Times are 7-9. Other agents from our Association Board will be at the various other meetings. Check the link below for the schedule.

For more information please visit www.suffolkcountyny.gov/MEND

Fishing from Captree

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Fluke season opens Saturday, May 15th through September 6th, 2010

Fish size, 21-inch minimum and two fish per day, per person

The fishing season is in full bloom with bass, blues, fluke and flounder being reported.

Check out the links for fishing on the sidebar. The photo above is part of the Captree Fleet.

~~~

Earth Day Celebration: Seatuck

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Celebrate Earth Day and

the Grand Opening of the Suffolk County Environmental Center.

SEATUCK presents the

Eco-Carnival

April 24th, 2010. 10 am to 7 pm.

Located at 550 South Bay Avenue, Islip, NY.

The Eco-Carnival will be a full day of family fun featuring nature programs, storytellers, animals, face painting, live music, art, games and food!

Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the NEW Environmental Center.

Enjoy the 70-acre property.

There will be hands-on activities:

Nature Stations

Salt Marsh Exploration

Birds in the Woods (Bring binoculars)

Insect Adventures (Dig in the dirt)

Green on the Scene (Learn some botanical basics)

Nature Journals (Use art and journal writing)

Food: Taste of the South Shore

Food Court featuring samplings from local restaurants!

Music throughout the day! Live animal show!

Hope you will join us for a day of fun and learning!

~~~

Feds Allow FEMA Flood Insurance Program to Expire

Greetings all, and sorry it's been a while since I have posted. But there has not been a whole lot of news to report until now. 

The Federal Government, in its infinite wisdom, has allowed the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to expire as of yesterday, March 1 2010. This is due to the fact that one senator from Kentucky is currently blocking ALL legislation. The Flood Insurance Program has often been used as a political 'football', with senators and congresspeople in non-flood prone areas using renewal as leverage to get things they want.

The good news is that if you currently HAVE flood insurance, it will stay in force until your renewal date. We expect that Congress will take action very soon. The bad news is that if you were getting ready to buy a house, you can't currently buy FEMA flood insurance here on Long Island or anywhere else.

This will probably be taken care of within a few days, but if it's not, there are alternatives to the FEMA program that would enable you to go through with the purchase of your home. Contact us for more information.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

St. Patrick's Day on Long Island, 2010

Here are some ideas to help you celebrate St. Patrick's Day with parades and other activities. Be sure to check their websites and confirm the information in case there is a change in plans.

Saturday, March 13

Bay Shore Patrick’s Day Parade. St. Patrick's Church, 9 North Clinton Avenue, Bay Shore. Mass begins at 12 noon. The parade starts at 2 pm on Saxon Avenue and travels west onto Main Street to St. Patrick's Church. For more information: http://www.stpatricksparadebsbw.com/

Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14

The Long Island Children's Museum presents Pinch Pot O'Gold at 3 p.m. on Saturday. This program for ages 5 and up will feature some of the famous myths and legends of Ireland, including those of leprechauns. Children then crafts their own pinch pots to fill with treasures of their own. Fee: $3 with museum admission ($2 for LICM members.) Celtic Fun with Darlene Graham at 1:30 p.m. each day. At the LICM Theater, this performance explores traditional Irish music. The audience is welcome to join in and sing. For ages 3 years and up. Fee: $4 with museum admission ($3 for LICM members), $8 for theater only.

Sunday, March 14

Long Island’s oldest and largest parade, the 76th Annual Huntington St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 2 p.m., north of the Huntington Station along New York Avenue, then turns west onto Main Street, and ends at Saint Patrick’s Church.

Sunday, March 14

Come to the Ward Melville Heritage Organization Educational & Cultural Center in Stony Brook for a St. Patrick's Day Celebration. Click here for more info: http://www.wmho.org/WMHOEventCalendar.asp

Sunday, March 14

The 19th Annual Bayport-Blue Point St. Patrick’s Day Parade,, starting 11:30 a.m. from Snedecor Ave to Blue Point Avenue along Montauk Highway, usually entertains 25,000 onlookers.

Sunday, March 14

The 60th Annual Miller Place-Rocky Point Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. More info here: http://friendsofsaintpatrick.com/index.html

Saturday, March 20

At 12 noon, Rockville Centre presents its 14th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Click here for more information: http://www.rvcstpatrick.com/

Sunday, March 21

Montauk: Starting at 12:30 p.m., Montauk will host its 48th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, starting at Edgemere Road. Go here for more information: http://www.montaukfriendsoferin.com/parade.htm

Sunday, March 21

Glen Cove presents its Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade starting at 1 p.m. Go to: http://www.glencoveirish.org/category/parade-news/

Sunday, March 29-Patchogue: The Patchogue St. Patrick’s Day Parade kicks off at 2 p.m., starting at Main Street.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from LongIsland.com!

~~~

Mardi Gras 2010

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

Mardi Gras this year is Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Do you have plans?

~~~

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is here!

Are you planning a special day?

Long Island has an excellent selection of wonderful restaurants.

Make plans now to show your "special" valentine that you care!

~~~

Win FREE tickets to Oleanna, the Broadway Play!

Come to Cutchogue for the Photography Exhibit!

See the information below.

~~~~

Award Winning Photography Show

Award Winning Photography Group Announces Upcoming Show.

Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island (NWPLI)

is proud to announce their annual Autumn Exhibition of Nature Photography.

The Exhibit will once again take place at the Castello di Borghese Winery in Cutchogue, New York and will showcase the group’s work which presents nature, wildlife, and landscape photography at its best.

NWPLI and its membership have been awarded numerous honors for their work.

Exhibition photography will encompass a diverse variety of natural subjects that have been captured with digital and film based mediums, many from Long Island's own natural surroundings. Select images from the exhibition will be also available for purchase.

The exhibition will open Sunday, November 15 and will run through Saturday, December 12, 2009.

The exhibit is open to the public, free of charge, during the winery’s regular business hours.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, November 21 from 12-3 PM. Many club members will be in attendance. Light refreshments will be served.

Castello di Borghese is located at:

Route 48 (Sound Ave) and Alvah’s Lane

Cutchogue New York 11935

Tel. (631) 734-5111

Directions are available online at: http://www.castellodiborghese.com/directions.html

For additional information, please contact Terry Buonomo at nwplisec@optonline.net or at (631) 877-1036.

About NWPLI

NWPLI is Long Island based photography organization whose members have combined a love for nature with a passion for photography. This award winning team is comprised of approximately 65 members, many whom have also received individual recognition. The main focus of the group is capturing the essence of nature while not disturbing the elements. Their team approach promotes the exchange of ideas and knowledge, fostering the growth of each team member’s photographic skill. While photography from exotic locales is always welcome, the group’s main subject matter is the diverse natural beauty of Long Island.

Learn more at: http://www.nwpli.com

~~~

Fishing on Long Island

photo courtesy of Alida Thorpe

~~~

There are many opportunities for fishing on Long Island. The photo above was taken at Davis Park on Fire Island at sunrise.

These fishermen/women were fishing for bluefish and striped bass. There are many places on Fire Island where you can surf cast.

Follow the links on the sidebar right for fishing information.

Take advantage of all that Long Island has to offer!

~~~

Great South Bay Baymen

After Labor Day the Great South Bay is reclaimed by the baymen.

No more vacationing boaters to create turbulence around them, the clam boats and eel catchers can work undisturbed.

~~~

Photo © and courtesy of Alida Thorpe