May 26, 2010 Wilfred Joseph

The first annual Long Island Wine and Food Festival takes place on June 25-27th and plan to be part of the festivities! The Long Island Wine and Food Festival starts on Friday with a VIP Kickoff Reception at Roanoke Vineyards at 7 P.M. Over four dozen local wines will be tested and local flavors will be prepared by aMano Osteria & Wine Bar.
On Saturday, June 26th, the day will be jam packed with events at local vineyards starting at noon. Renowned chefs will include Chef Lia Fallon, a New York-based chef and food stylist extraordinaire; Chef Arie Pavlou, Executive Chef at the soon-to-open Comtesse Therese Bistro in Aquebogue; and Chef Noah of Noah’s Place in Greenport. Paula Croteaux, owner of the Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking School, will be doing  demonstrations;  organic wines will be paired with chocolate, art shows will be happening, and wine, wine, and more wine will be flowing!
Sunday the weekend wraps up with a Grand Tasting at Mitchell Park in Greenport. Over 50 local wineries and restaurants will participate while overlooking the lovely view of the harbor. Weekend guests of the Arbor  View House Bed and Breakfast will receive two complimentary tickets for the Grand Tasting on June 27th, so make your reservations soon!



May 20, 2010 Wilfred Joseph

The small seaside village of Greenport has become famous for its quaint shops, fine dining, and maritime history.  Greenport has a colorful history and has long been the home of many famous artists in the past including Walt Whitman, playwright William Gillett, and painter Whitney Hubbard .   Today, visitors can spend an entire day just exploring the historic homes of Greenport.   Of course, add a lovely lunch, visit a few museums, and do a little shopping and you have created a lovely getaway to Long Island.
Museums to put on your list to visit should include East End Seaport Museum, Bootleg Alley, and the shipyards of Greenport.  If you are looking for artists, Greenport is still the home of famous artists including award-winning actress Peg Murray, sculptor Arden Scott, crafts-person Gail Horton, and award winning songwriter Hugh Prestwood.  With outdoor theater, live music events, and galleries galore, the arts of very much alive in the Village of Greenport.
Of course, make sure to have some fun and enjoy a visit to Mitchell Park, which overlooks Greenport Harbor.  Mitchell Park has an outdoor amphitheater, harbor side boardwalk, winter ice skating, and public docks which are quite busy during the summer  months.  Combine that with Greenport’s famous 40-foot carousel which was built in the 1920’s and donated to the village of Greenport in 1995 and you are sure to enjoy the wonders of visiting Greenport at any time of the year!



May 12, 2010 Wilfred Joseph

Spring is just a perfect time to enjoy scenic walks and trails on the North Fork of Long Island.  Within the Southold and Greenport areas of Long Island, the choices for nature trails for hiking and bird watching are in great abundance.

Long Island North Fork Hiking Trails List:

Cedar Beach Country Park in Southold is a 68 acre park with over 2,800 feet on Shelter Island Sound.  From the park, visitors can enjoy great vistas of Shelter Island Sound and the saltwater marshes of Cedar Beach Harbor.
Arshamomaque Point in Southold encompasses a 54-acres wooded preserve with several trails that wind through mature woodlands, ponds, and saltwater wetlands.
Arshamomaque Preserve in Greenport is a 120 acre preserved owned by the Town of Southold.  They have 1.3 miles of nature trails that wander through mature woodlands, freshwater wetlands, and open fields.
Inlet Pond Park in Greenport enjoys a 55 acre preserve with 1.6 miles of trails leading to Inlet Pond and Long Island Sound.  The North Fork Audubon has a visitor’s center and also offers nature programs.
Dam Pond Maritime Reserve in East Marion is a 36 acre reserve also owned by the Town of Southold.  Here you can enjoy a small protected bay, grasslands, saltwater marshes and woodlands.  There is also a trail that wanders through the reserve which is 1.2 miles long. This trail is a favorite of bird watchers and I love jogging in this park.  The Audubon Society keeps track of the birds that are found here.   This reserve is about a quarter mile from the B&B. I regularly hike there myself.
It will take some time to try them all, but we will enjoy having you as our guest at the Arbor View House Bed and Breakfast as you explore the North Fork Wine Country of Long Island



May 2, 2010 Wilfred Joseph

In Long Island Wine Country, May is “Run for the Roses” month.  During the month of May, one dollar from the sale of all rose wine (at participating Long Island wineries) will be donated to CancerCare.  CancerCare is a national non-profit organization offering free social services to individuals with cancer and their families.  Cancer is stressful on all families and friends and Long Island has dedicated May as a way to give back and donate to CancerCare.
This year there will be over 20 wineries participating in Run for the Roses and each have created their own special event and offering during the month of May.  Restaurants are also getting in on Run of the Roses and are including offerings such as free corkage and Claudio’s Restaurant & Clam Bar will be featuring special rose wines by the glass.  Vintage Tours will also be held every Saturday and Sunday during May and include visits to all wineries that are participating in the Run for the Roses Promotion and each passenger will receive a complimentary glass of rose paired with their lunch.
This is the perfect way to support the fight against cancer and enjoy sampling great rose wines at the same time.
During the month of may the Arbor View House will be offering a bottle of Rosé wine and cheese from Catapano’s farm when you book the Rosé Room for two nights.

Visit the Arbor House View Bed and Breakfast during the month of May we will be sending a portion of our receipts to support CancerCare.