October 26, 2022 Wilfred Joseph

 

Diners Having Fun at a Restaurant
Two Couples enjoying themselves at a Restaurant

 

Long Island Restaurant Week 2022

 

Well, here’s what you’ve been waiting for, Long Island Restaurant Week 2022 is here.  The fall edition of Long Island Restaurant Week has now been announced.  It will run from November 6 through the 13th..  For eight days, you can get your foodies on and delight in eating at a place you haven’t yet eaten prix-fixe.

“Restaurant Week (Long Island) is a win-win for the diners and restaurants,” said Nicole Castillo of Long Island Restaurant and Hospitality Group, which operates the tri-annual event.  The premise is that diners will enjoy the restaurant at an affordable price and return for special occasions.  The prices range from $27, $37, or $44 for a three-course dinner prix fixe, depending on the restaurant, with many $22 two-course lunch selections when available.

“Restaurant weeks throughout the country have been successful for many years, and Long Island is no different,” Castillo said.  Now you have the chance to try that restaurant that you’ve always wanted.

Here on the North Fork are the participating restaurants:

Legends Restaurant
(637) 734-5123
Prix fixe menus:
New Suffolk New American

One of my favorite restaurants on the North Fork

Anker
(631) 477-0308
Prix fixe menus:
Greenport Seafood

New restaurant with water view on Front Street

The Dimon Estate
(631) 722-0500
Prix fixe menus:
Jamesport New American

Renamed, it used to be the Jamesport Manor Inn.  Well made and presented.

The Preston House & Hotel
(631) 804-6033
Prix fixe menus:
Riverhead American

Offering fine food in Riverhead, try their lunch

La Plage Restaurant
(631) 744-9200
Prix fixe menus:
Wading River Eclectic

Fine French restaurant on the water.  Excellent food

  • Duration: Approximately 1-2 Hours
  • When: November 6-13, 2022
  • Where: On the North Fork
  • Cost: Dinner $27, 37, or 44  3 course prix-fixe; Lunch $22 two-course prix-fixe

 

CHOOSE YOUR ROOM HERE

 



October 24, 2022 Wilfred Joseph
Apple Picking on the North Fork
Woman Hand Picking an Apple on the North Fork

Apple Picking on the North Fork

Apple picking on the North Fork of Long Island is one of the most fun things to do in the fall.  Did you know New York is only second to Washington State in apple production?  Long Island is one of the smallest producers of apples in the state.  In the fall, the North Fork of the most beautiful times to visit.  There is pumpkin picking, apple picking, and apple cider; generally, it’s harvest time for all farmers.

Here are some of my favorite farms and orchards, with information on what each offers.  It’s always a good idea to call ahead to determine the best time of day, and what varieties of apples are available.

Remember, when coming to the North Fork for apple picking or wine tasting, stay at Arbor View House Bed and Breakfast. 

Breeze Hill Farm, Peconic

Breeze Hill farm orchard has 1,000 apple trees, including Ginger Gold, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious.  Call for the best times, and they will direct you to the best areas for picking.  They are open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays; U-pick is open Wednesday – Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. they are located at 31215 County Rd 48, Peconic; (631) 876-5159

Harbes Family Orchard

The Harbes Family Farm offers agritainment.  That is entertainment on the farm.  The 15-acre Harbes Family Orchard in Riverhead is part of their 78-acre farm and is open for apple picking in September and October.  The farm offers over 20 varieties of apples: Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, Zestar, Blondee, and Ultimate Gala.  Your taste buds will thank you.  No pets or outside food and drinks are allowed on the farm.  The u-pick orchard is open on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  It is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Their location is: 5698 Sound Ave.  Riverhead; (631) 298-0800

Hayden’s Peach Orchard, Wading River

Hayden’s has new owners but may keep the old name.  Apples and Peaches are what this Wading River farm is known for.  Some of the varieties they offer are Ambrosia, Cortland, Gala Golden, Jonagold, and Macoun.  The farm stand is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with u-pick provided only on weekends.  Their location is: 561 Hulse Landing Road, Wading River; (631) 929-1115

Lewin Farms, Calverton

Lewin farms is a family farm and one of the oldest farms, now in the hands of the fourth generation.  They were one of the first u-pick farms on LongIsland.  This new generation is continuing that long tradition.  They have a wide variety to offer with many u-pick fields.  You can cut your tree here at their farm at Christmas.  There is also a five-acre corn maze open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays starting in early September and continuing through late October.  No pets are allowed in the orchard.  Cash only, and you can use their ATM located on their premises.  Their location is: 812 Sound Avenue, Calverton; (631) 929-4327

Wickham’s Fruit Farm, Cutchogue

“Wickham’s Fruit Farm is a historic, bicentennial farm, beautiful to behold against the sparkling waters of Peconic Bay.” from their website.  Wickham’s is not only one of the oldest but one of the largest farms on the North Fork, with approximately 300 acres, of which 200 are orchards.  Wickham’s fruit is grown on some of the oldest continually cultivated land in the country; much of the farm dates from 1661.

For the environmentally conscious, this farm has done its part in curbing development.  A substantial portion of the farm has had the development rights sold.  That cannot be developed and will be “forever agriculture.”

Wagon rides are also available on Saturdays during the apple-picking season, providing a fun way to get to the orchards and see the farm.  Other items, such as apple cider doughnuts, apple cider, pies, and preserves, are available at the farm stand.  No pets are allowed.  U-pick is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.  Their location is: 28700 Main Rd. Cutchogue; (631) 734-6441.

Windy Acres Farm, Calverton

This farm stand also sells fresh eggs, flowers, and doughnuts.  Open weekends 10 a.m to 4 p.m.  Their location is 3810 Middle Country Road, Calverton; (631) 727-4554

Woodside Orchard, Aquebogue, and Jamesport

Woodside Orchard, a hub of all things apples, has been family-owned and operated since 1982.  There are two locations: Both have U-pick groves and baked goods, and the Aquebogue location offers hard cider tasting.   Jamesport is open on weekends, and Aquebogue is for weekday picking.  No opening date has been announced yet, but it is typically in the second week of September.  Check their website for the latest info.  729 Main Road, Aquebogue; Their location is: 116 Manor Lane, Jamesport; (631) 722-5770

 

 

 

 

 


northForkCraftBreweryTour.jpg

September 2, 2022 Wilfred Joseph

 

Take A Long Island North Fork Craft Brewery Tour!

It wasn't that long ago that Long Island could boast only one brewery. Now there are more than 50 on Long Island. The North Fork region is home to many of them. Come take a Long Island North Fork Brewery Tour and discover some of Long Island's best craft beers.

There are several great reasons to come explore Long Island's North Fork: wineries, golf courses, fishing, galleries, shopping, dining, you name it. However, one of the more popular pastimes is going on a North Fork craft brewery tour.
Many craft breweries are happy to show visitors around their operations and explain their processes. Even those craft breweries that don't offer tours will usually have a tasting room or even an onsite brewpub. This is an excellent way to sample a brewery's full line of beers. It's also where you'll find specialty and seasonal beers that may see only limited - or even no - distribution. What a treat!


August 3, 2022 Wilfred Joseph

 

The "Bug Light" Lighthouse
This lighthouse sits on screw piles that, at low tide, it looked like a bug. Commissioned in 1870.

Long Island Bug Lighthouse Cruise and Tour

There’s always something fun to do on Long Island’s North Fork, but one of the more popular attractions has to be the Bug Light. Long Beach Bar “Bug” Lighthouse helps mariners navigate the hazardous sandbar between Orient Harbor and Gardiner’s Bay. The original structure was built in 1870 on screw piles which left an opening beneath the structure and inspired its nickname “Bug” Light because when the rocks were covered at high tide, the lighthouse looked like a giant water bug. After arsonists set fire to it in 1963 `The East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation established ta group to reconstruct Long Beach Bar “Bug” Light.

Considering coming to the North Fork for a weekend, consider this romantic trip to the Bug Light. Come to Greenport, on Long Island’s North Fork, for a Long Island Bug Lighthouse Cruise and Tour.

The lighthouse is a gateway to Greenport, Shelter Island, and Peconic Bay and is officially known as the Long Beach Bar Light. It became known as the “Bug” Light because it was initially constructed on a screw-pile platform that elevated it above Gardiner’s Bay. The name had stuck when the light was converted from a screw-pile platform to a concrete caisson foundation. From a distance, the spindly pilings supporting the structure made the lighthouse look like a giant bug walking on water.
Long Beach Bar Lighthouse was constructed in 1871 and decommissioned in 1948 after a sandbar had grown to make the beacon useless as a channel marker. Various groups tussled over buying the historic light until 1963, when arsonists solved the ownership issue by burning the lighthouse to the foundation.
The foundation sat unencumbered until the summer of 1990 when the organization floated out a replica to replace the original. The “replica” was so complete that, in 1993, the Coast Guard recognized the beacon as federal aid to navigation. The Bug Light has been back in service ever since.
The Greenport’s East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation owns, operates, and maintains the Bug Lighthouse. As part of their funding and outreach, they offer a variety of lighthouse tours from late May through late October.
Bug Lighthouse cruises are narrated, often by a local guide, Bob Allen. Bob was raised in Greenport and is a descendant of a Bug Lighthouse keeper. Consequently, his narrations can take you behind the scenes of the lighthouse, as well as back in time.

Bug Lighthouse Cruise and Tour Schedule

  • Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours
  • When: Saturdays,  September, October, and November 2022, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
  • Where: East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation
  • Cost: $59.00, 10% discount for seniors & veterans
  • Tickets: are available online at

You can also pick them up at the East End Seaport Museum here.
Bug Lighthouse Cruise Lodging
Locally owned and operated, Arbor View House Bed and Breakfast is a Long Island B&B that offers upper-tier amenities, delicious breakfasts, and an insider’s knowledge of the area. Give yourself the reward of luxury, comfort, and uncommon service during your Long Island getaway with a stay at Arbor View House Bed and Breakfast!

“The owner is so very nice,; headvised of places we could go and things we could do! And the beds!!! I have back issues, and it’s hard to sleep comfortably in a bed! I don’t know where they got them from, but I woke up feeling amazing”!!! Kashia B



July 22, 2022 Wilfred Joseph
The Long Beach Bar (Bug Light) Lighthouse
Bug Light – This Lighthouse is one of the 8 Lighthouses here on the North Fork of Long Island
New York's Long Island is home to almost 20 lighthouses, most spread along the northern shore or up at the east end on the North Fork, also known as wine country! Touring the Lighthouses of Long Island is an excellent and romantic getaway.
No Long Island vacation would be complete without at least some time spent investigating the wineries of the North Fork. Long Island’s North Fork is home to nearly 40 wineries and has long been considered one of the best viticultural areas in the country.
Wineries, while one of the biggest draws to the area, are hardly the only North Fork attraction. Long before there were vineyards or a wine country to be enamored of, Long Island was primarily known as a port for its abundant fishing. Consequently, the Long Island Sound shoreline is dotted with lighthouses. 


September 21, 2015 Wilfred Joseph

Explore Southold Indian MuseumDid you know that the Southold Indian Museum on Long Island’s North Fork has the largest, single collection of Algonquin ceramic pottery in existence?
Dedicated to study, preservation, and dissemination of the surrounding region’s natural and human history, Southold Indian Museum was the natural outgrowth of a determined group of avocational archaeologists who formed the Incorporated Long Island Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association in the early 1900’s.