Winter Wellness Week Announced for January 11-17 in Downtown Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay, New York – Over a dozen businesses offering health and wellness services in downtown Oyster Bay, are planning to help you get your new year off to a great start! A “Winter Wellness Week” will be held from January 11-17, 2010.

“Oyster Bay is becoming a major health and wellness destination on Long Island and this week is about showing off the amazing variety of services we have to provide downtown,” said Diane Meltzer, Promotion Chair with the Oyster Bay Main Street Association.



Spas, fitness centers, healthcare practitioners, and physical therapists have combined with restaurants and health food establishments to provide a variety of health and wellness related goods and services.

A sampling of events to be held during Winter Wellness Week follow:

Nutritional consulting and an open house will be held at A Healthy U, 98 Audrey Avenue, on Wednesday, January 13, from noon-6pm.

Nutritional cooking classes for kids age 6-10 will start Wednesday, January 13 at What’s Cooking, 30 East Main Street, at 4pm. To register please call (516) 922-COOK.

A ballroom dancing class will be held at Yoga Rocks!, 127 South Street, on Friday, January 15, at 6:30pm. Registration fee required. To register please call (516) 624-YOGA.

The Wheel of Life monthly personal development workshop, to be held at Yoga Rocks! will start Saturday, January 16, from 2-4pm. To register please call (516) 624-9642.

Reflexology demonstrations and an open house will be held at FootPrinz Reflexology and Massage Therapy, 53 East Main Street, 2nd floor, on Sunday, January 17, from 1pm to 3pm.

Insure the health of your portfolio by giving it a free check-up at Stifel Nicolaus & Co., 50 Audrey Avenue. Please call (516) 624-2702.

Special discounts will be offered at different businesses. At “A Healthy U”, a new nutritional supplement and health food store downtown, a 20% discount on all items will be provided throughout the months of December and January.

Oyster Bay is already home to an American Heart Association Start! Path going through the downtown area. This one-mile path provides an opportunity for people to get daily exercise, while also enjoying historic sites in the downtown. Audio wands and maps highlighting this path may be picked up at the Baykery Cafe, 124 South Street.

Restaurants are getting into the act too. Canterbury’s Oyster Bar and Grill at 46 Audrey Avenue will feature a variety of whole grains, legumes, beans, salads and wraps; along with organic beer, wine and vodka. Fiddleheads Restaurant at 62 South Street will feature heart-healthy seafood items like wild salmon, cod, tuna, sea bass, crab, and oysters. These will be served with healthy accompaniments of whole grains, nuts and the freshest fruits and vegetables.

For a full listing of discounts and special events, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.

Main Street Announces over $100,000 in Improvements to Downtown Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay, New York – The Oyster Bay Main Street Association is pleased to announce that over half of a total of $200,000 in grant dollars have been awarded for building renovation and streetscape improvement projects.


The Brower House is one of several buildings targeted for rehabilitation through the New York Main Street grant program.

The first project to be funded is rehabilitation of the Brower House at 39-41 East Main Street. New York Main Street grant dollars will help to create one to three commercial units on the ground floor and two residential units on the upper floor.

The Brower House was built prior to the Civil War and is one of the oldest remaining residential buildings in the downtown area. Francis Brower, a milliner, is shown to have resided in the building as early as 1869. One of the Brower children, Wilber Brower, would later go on to marry Lois G. Bryant, a direct descendent of William Cullen Bryant. Fannie Brower is the last known Brower family member known to have resided in the family house, passing away some time after World War II.

Fiddleheads Restaurant is the second project to be funded. Investments here will help to stabilize an existing business, and contribute to recovery in the South Street corridor. Dollars are being allocated to facilitate expansion of the existing restaurant into an adjacent unit in the building they are located in. Historically appropriate signage will be added to the exterior, increasing the visibility of this business.

The Coin Galleries of Oyster Bay is being provided funds to upgrade and improve their signage on their building at the corner of South Street and Audrey Avenue. The design for this project is under consideration by the Oyster Bay Main Street Design Committee. This design calls for historically appropriate awnings over the windows, and carved historically appropriate signs above.

Another project tapped for New York Main Street grant dollars is Il Piatto restaurant which is re-branding itself as The Homestead. Grant dollars here will be used to help re-skin the existing awning, and install a new carved sign with gooseneck lighting.

An additional $25,000 is being targeted for streetscape improvements in the downtown area. Particular emphasis is being placed on improving lighting and signage on South Street, East Main Street, and Audrey Avenue Extension.

A second round of applications is being accepted for the remaining funds to be awarded. Projects eligible for funding must be located in the three block “target area” including the main intersection of Audrey Avenue, East Main Street, and South Street, and bounded by Spring Street and Audrey Avenue to the West, Hamilton Avenue to the North, White Street to the East, and East & West Main Streets to the south.

Building or business owners in the project area are eligible to apply for up to $40,000 per building, with an additional $20,000 per assisted residential unit available. The grant will require at least a 25% cash match on the part of the owner.

Oyster Bay Main Street Association will be responsible for selecting projects from applications received. Main Street President Ellen Roché said, “At the direction of the state we are especially looking for projects in the target area that have historic value, are visually prominent on Main Street, or that will, with the assistance of grant funds, realize a stabilization or expansion of a Main Street business.”

Completed applications are due by 4pm on Thursday, January 7, 2010, and may be delivered to the Main Street program office at 55 East Main Street, Oyster Bay. The grant application may be found on the Oyster Bay Main Streets website at www.oysterbaymainstreet.org or a copy may be requested by calling (516) 922-6982 or writing to oysterbaymsa@gmail.com.

Sagamore Hill a National Park Getaways featured site

Sagamore Hill NHS is a featured "National Park Getaway" this week. Was very nice to see that the walking tour brochure of the downtown that Sagamore Hill and Main Street worked on together got highlighted in this piece. To see the whole article and photos, visit http://www.nps.gov/getaways/.


Experience America's Best Idea

National Park Getaways



A New National Park Getaway Every Wednesday

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
New York

From the home of Theodore Roosevelt to the rolling farm fields and woodlands that surround it, there is much for a visitor to explore at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. To understand the nation’s 26th president, you must visit the home that he built – where he raised his family, farmed the land, wrote books, gave speeches, conducted the nation’s business from its highest office, and lived out his final days. Walk in his footsteps. Explore the home known as the “Summer White House.” Watch the sun set from rocking chairs on the porch. Pass the fields where he rode his horses and his children played. Hike through his woods and explore the family beach. Experience the landscape that he knew and loved, and you will understand why he called Sagamore Hill home.

The 83 acres of Sagamore Hill, located 35 miles west of New York City on the picturesque north shore of Long Island, encompass the family’s 1885 Queen Anne shingle-style home, the Theodore Roosevelt Museum, historic farm buildings, an orchard, pastures, woodlands, an estuary, a beach, and even a pet cemetery. In a letter to his daughter Ethel in 1906, Roosevelt wrote, “…there isn’t any place in the world like home – like Sagamore Hill, where things are our own, with our own associations, and where it is real country.”

Join a park ranger and tour the family home, investigating its 23 rooms filled with the Roosevelts’ original belongings and furnishings, including thousands of books, family furniture, artwork, and hunting trophies from an adventure-filled life of outdoor exploration.

After touring the house, explore the park’s historic farm buildings and fence-lined fields on your way to the Theodore Roosevelt Museum. The newly refurbished museum is located in Old Orchard, the family home of Theodore Roosevelt’s oldest son, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., constructed on the site in 1938. The museum explores the fascinating life of Theodore Roosevelt through historic objects and photographs, letters, and video presentations. Families will want to participate in one of four different free Junior Ranger programs, including an educational scavenger hunt through the museum.

A visit would not be complete without hiking the site’s nature trail, which leads to a scenic salt marsh and the family beach with breathtaking views of Cold Spring Harbor. The nature trail and estuary offer great opportunities to view an abundance of wildlife, including birds, small mammals, turtles, frogs, and insects.

To strengthen your acquaintance with Theodore Roosevelt, be sure to pick up a brochure at the visitor center for a self-guided walking tour of Roosevelt-significant buildings, memorials, and sites in historic Downtown Oyster Bay. You may also want to visit the final resting places of Roosevelt and many of his family members at nearby Young’s Memorial Cemetery.

Theodore Roosevelt wrote of Sagamore Hill, “…we love all the seasons: the snows and bare woods of winter; the rush of growing things and the blossom-spray of spring, the ripening fruits and tasseled corn, and the deep, leafy shades that are heralded by ‘the green dance of summer’ and the sharp fall winds that tear the brilliant banners with which the trees greet the dying year.”

We agree with Mr. Roosevelt. Do join us for a visit to Sagamore Hill, where there is much to do and see all year-round.

“Sagamore Hill Days” Fall Family Festival, October 24

Celebrate TR’s 151st Birthday




On Saturday, October 24th Sagamore Hill NHS hosts a traditional Fall Family Festival from 11am to 5pm at the site, rain or shine. The festival will celebrate Sagamore Hill’s agricultural history as well as Theodore Roosevelt’s 151st birthday! Activities will include entertainment for children, old fashioned games and crafts, demonstrations and exhibits, music, pony rides, farm animal petting area, food vendors and more.

The day’s events will include music and entertainment: Local folk favorites Jessica Semmins and Johnny Cuomo will play traditional Irish music. Johnny Cuomo will also perform a solo set of children’s storytelling and songs. Traditional American Band Music from Theodore Roosevelt’s era will be performed.

Demonstrations will include a blacksmith, ropesmiths, and local partners with a variety of conservation themed exhibits; the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center will present their very popular Birds of Prey demonstration. The site will host pony rides and a farm animal petting area will be set up featuring the farm animals housed on the site while the Roosevelt family lived here. James Foote, portraying Theodore Roosevelt, will be present all day.

The visitor center gift shop will be open all day with a variety of gift items and books for sale. Local historian John Hammond will be on hand to sign his new book Images of America: Oyster Bay.

Food service of traditional American fare: hamburgers, hot dogs and popcorn will be available on the site or you may bring your own picnic. Visitors will be provided an opportunity to tour the Roosevelt home and to view the exhibits at the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard as well as walk the grounds and Nature Trail. All of the events, admission to the Roosevelt home are FREE (with the exception of the pony rides and petting area).



On Tuesday, October 27th, the actual birthdate of Theodore Roosevelt, the annual wreath laying ceremony will take place at 10AM at Young’s Memorial Cemetery, followed by ceremonies at Sagamore Hill. A Brass Quintet will perform during a special ceremony to retire the historic thirty-two star US flag to mark the end of a year-long observance celebrating the life and accomplishments of our 26th President. (This flag was first raised on TR’s 150th Birthday last year and recognizes the fact that TR was born on October 27, 1858 when there were only 32 states in the Union.) Visitors will be given the opportunity to tour the Roosevelt Home and Old Orchard Museum. Birthday cake will be served.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend these exciting events. Check the Sagamore Hill website at www.nps.gov/sahi for updates, or call 516-922-4788 for more information.

Saturday October 24, 2009 Family Fesitval Schedule

Sagamore Hill is open from 10 to 4. Visitors may tour the President’s home, view the exhibits at Old Orchard, hike the Nature Trail, walk the grounds, picnic, etc.

Main attractions for the day:

11AM-4PM Theodore Roosevelt, portrayed by James Foote

12PM Birds of Prey Demonstration, present by the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center

1PM Traditional Irish Music, with Jessica Semmins and Johnny Cuomo

2PM Children’s Stories and Songs, with Johnny Cuomo

3PM Traditional American Band Music


Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, located at 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, New York, is a unit of the National Park Service. The site was established by Congress in 1962 to preserve and interpret the structures, landscape, collections and other cultural resources associated with Theodore Roosevelt’s home in Oyster Bay, New York, to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his family and the significant events associated with him. Please check our website at www.nps.gov/sahi or call 516-922-4788 for more information.

Podcast of Oyster Bay Main Street Association 2009 Annual Meeting

Our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 15, was a great success. Public officials in attendance gave addresses including NYS Senator Carl Marcellino, Nassau County Legislator Judy Jaccobs, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, and Town of Oyster Bay Clerk Steve Labriola. A presentation on the past 10 years of work of the program was made, and founding members of Main Street were honored and recognized.

A podcast of the first half of the meeting may be viewed here.


The podcast may also be viewed directly by going to http://blip.tv/file/2616918

The second part of the meeting with an address by Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Superintendent Tom Ross will be posted shortly.

Oyster Bay Made Eligible for $200,000 in New York Main Street Funds

Oyster Bay, New York – The Oyster Bay Main Street Association is pleased announce that their organization will receive $200,000 from the New York State Main Street program for building renovation and streetscape improvements in downtown Oyster Bay.

This grant was among more than $30 million for community development and Main Street revitalization announced by Governor David A. Paterson. “Revitalizing traditional downtown business districts, and rehabilitating and renovating housing for working families will provide much-needed investment and make New York a better place to live, work and raise a family”, according to Governor Paterson.

More details about this exciting grant program and how business owners and building owners might apply for these funds will be announced at the Oyster Bay Main Street Annual Meeting on September 15, 2009, at 7pm, in Christ Church Parish Hall, 55 East Main Street.

Projects eligible for funding are located in a three block “target area” including the main intersection of Audrey Ave, East Main Street, and South Street, and bounded by Spring Street and Audrey Avenue to the West, Hamilton Avenue to the North, White Street to the East, and East Main Street & West Main Street to the south.

Building or business owners in the target area are eligible to apply for up to $40,000 per building, with an additional $20,000 per assisted residential unit available up to a maximum total of $100,000 per project. The grant will require at least a 25% cash match on the part of the owner.

Oyster Bay Main Street Association will be responsible for selecting projects from applications received. Main Street President Ellen Roché said, “At the direction of the state we are especially looking for projects in the target area that have historic value, are visually prominent on Main Street, or that will, with the assistance of grant funds, realize a stabilization or expansion of a Main Street business.”

The application that made Oyster Bay eligible for these funds was submitted in April, and received supporting letters from Raynham Hall Museum, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Save the Jewel By the Bay, and the Oyster Bay Historical Society. Sagamore Hill Superintendent Thomas E. Ross in their letter of support wrote, "The grant you are seeking is a critical piece in preserving and presenting the hamlet to thousands of visitors seeking to learn more about Theodore Roosevelt and the area's rich history."

Business and building owners considering applying for a grant are requested to attend a public workshop on Thursday, September 24, at 8:30am in the Christ Church Parish Hall, at 55 East Main Street. This will give people an opportunity to hear more about the program and to ask questions.

Completed applications are due by 4pm on Thursday, October 8, 2009, and may be delivered to the Main Street program office at 55 East Main Street, Oyster Bay. The grant application may be downloaded at the link that follows or by contacting Main Street at the information below: http://www.oysterbaymainstreet.org/OBMSA_Building_Renovation_Grant_Application.pdf

Contact: Isaac D. Kremer
P.O. Box 116, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
Phone: (516) 922-6982
Email: oysterbaymsa@gmail.com

New Art Studio/School Aims to Energize Local Arts Community; Art Equinox 2009

On Thursday, August 27 Town Clerk Steven L. Labriola participated in a ribbon cutting
ceremony to commemorate the opening of Oyster Bay’s latest addition to its community, the Teaching Studios of Art. For their next community event, Rob Zeller, Director of the Teaching Studios of Arts and his faculty are hosting Art Equinox 2009, an art and music reception at the Studio, located at 115 Audrey Avenue on Friday, September 25 from 7 pm to 10 pm. Light refreshments will be served. The aim of this event is to highlight the art work of students and faculty, and to raise the profile of the school in the North Shore community.

The Teaching Studios of Arts joins L’Industrie Skateboards and the Railroad Museum on Audrey Avenue which may soon become known as the "artsy" end of town. Bill Burke, Organization Committee Chair of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association said, "SOHO has come to Oyster Bay. Teaching Studios is a powerful affirmation of Main Street's decade-long commitment to revitalize the historic Hamlet of Oyster Bay, relying on its unique assets and strengths including history, arts, and culture."

Rob Zeller, Director of the Teaching Studios of Art, is no stranger to the arts community in Oyster Bay having previously taught at the Stevenson Academy of Fine Art, which was once also located in Oyster Bay. “Oyster Bay has a great deal of charm that is very attractive to artists like myself. From the pristine waterfront to the beautiful architecture, a human-scale downtown, access to the LIRR, and, of course, the rich history that is so much a part of this community. This town has all the elements to make it an ideal hub for an arts community and I hope the school will be instrumental in making that happen,” said, Zeller has also taught at the New York Academy of Art and the Long Island Academy of Fine Art and has exhibited his works in
galleries in New York City and across the country. Zeller received a BFA from the Boston Museum School and Tufts University, and an MFA from the New York Academy of Art. He studied with Jacob Collins at the Water Street Atelier and is the recipient of two Posey Fellowships and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant.


The Teaching Studios of Art began soon after Zeller started teaching landscape lessons in Central Park. When it became too cold to paint outside in winter, Zeller moved the classes indoors to an art studio in Brooklyn and thus was the birth of the first Teaching Studio of Art. The new studio in Oyster Bay is the second campus for the school.

The mission of The Teaching Studios of Art is to train artists in traditional techniques practiced for centuries before the advent of Modernism. Zeller and his fellow teachers equip students of all ages with the strengths of time-tested techniques and believe that creating a vibrant artistic environment enriches the aesthetic and cultural life of the surrounding community. "By focusing our efforts on training artists in traditional techniques that are sometimes difficult to master, we feel we are offering a chance for personal improvement as well as artistic growth. Our faculty is comprised of highly trained and skilled artists who have exhibited their work in New York and around the US. Our classes are small, and students receive much personal attention. Our clients are our community, and we take their needs seriously," said Zeller.

To fulfill this mission and to begin building a community of local artists, Zeller has aligned the Studio with highly acclaimed artists to serve as faculty. Instructor Kristin Künc’s latest painting, Owl was featured on the most recent invitation of the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center Gala Ball and was purchased by Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, at the Gala’s auction. Künc graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, studied portraiture with Joanette and Cedric Egeli and impressionistic landscape painting at the Cape Cod School of Art. After teaching at the John Waldron Arts Center in Indiana, Künc moved to New York to study with Jacob Collins at the Water Street Atelier. She was awarded a full fellowship to the Vermont Studio Center and the National Society of Arts and Letters' Career Award.

Instructor Bennett Vadnais studied classical drawing and painting at the Bougie Studio, MN, the Water Street Atelier in NY and the Art Students League of New York. He won the highest honors that the League awards, He also taught at the Long Island Academy of Fine Art and has done various landscape workshops around Long Island. Vadnais’ work has exhibited in galleries in New York City and across the country.

Instructor Nan Carey has a BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design. She has been an art instructor at Wave Hill in the Bronx and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Her work is exhibited and collected in the metropolitan area and beyond.

The immensely talented North Shore pastel artist Jane McGraw Teubner has won numerous
awards for her pastel paintings in the last few years, most notably from the Salmagundi Club in New York City and the Pastel Society of America.

Internationally renowned artist John Morra, a leading figure in the world of contemporary American realism, will be teaching a Still-Life class. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Graduate study brought Morra to New York, where he received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the New York Academy of Art in 1991. Morra has taught workshops on a regular basis at the Gage Academy in Seattle, Washington, and also the Grand Central Academy in New York City. Morra taught in Provence, France this summer.

To learn more about the Teaching Studio of Art, the faculty and the classes, visit
www.teachingstudios.com or call 917.597.2404.

Only 3 Oyster Bay Sundown Concerts Remaining

Historic Oyster Bay will be your musical destination this coming Thursday, August 6, from 6pm to 8pm, and Il Piatto Restaurant will be your stage for the Judy Garland Revue as part of the ongoing Oyster Bay Sundown series held every Thursday night


The trio of Jen Kane, Lisa Berman, and Dawn Klein will present the life of Judy Garland through song.

Jen Kane describes herself as a lifelong fan of Judy Garland, even as a young child. Past credits include Meet me In St. Louis, Pippin, Swing and Anything Goes.

Dawn Klein teaches fourth grade at the American Sign Language and English Lower School in Manhattan and dance at Dance Dimensions in Hicksville. She too has performed in productions of Anything Goes, Hello Dolly, and Gypsy.

Finally, Lisa Berman performs in everything from children’s shows to plays to big musicals. She too is delighted to perform the Garland repertoire.

Il Piatto Restaurant is located at 107 South Street in historic downtown Oyster Bay. For more information please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org or call 516-922-6982.

Also be sure to come out for these remaining Sundown events:
- August 13, Strummin' and Drummin', Planting Fields State Historic Park, 1395 Planting Fields Rd., 6-8pm
- August 20, Sing-a-Long, Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, 134 Cove Road, 6-8pm

Save the date for Oyster Bay Main Street's 10 year anniversary:
September 15, "Celebrating a Decade of Improvements in Downtown Oyster Bay", Christ Church Parish Hall, 61 East Main Street, 7-9pm

Sundown Brings Activity to Oyster Bay this Spring and Summer

Every Tuesday and Thursday night Oyster Bay will be abuzz during the spring and summer months.

Live performances and events will make up the Oyster Bay Sundown Series. These weekly happenings will be every Thursday night from 6pm to 8pm.

“Programming these live events will entice people to visit downtown, which is our goal,” said Diane Meltzer, the Oyster Bay Main Street Association’s Promotion Chair.


The Acts
Throughout the summer, the series will shift from the downtown to a variety of venues in and around Oyster Bay, highlighting the unique historical and cultural attractions in the area. Concertgoers are welcome to bring a blanket and a picnic to enjoy these live concerts in an enjoyable setting each week.


Concerts in Other Places
* Stout! Folk music. Oyster Bay Historical Society, 20 Summit Street, July 16, 6pm-8pm.
* Oyster Bay Community Band. Traditional band music presented on the grounds of TR’s home. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, 12 Sagamore Hill Rd. July 23, 6pm-8pm.
* Strike the Bell. Sea shanties. Raynham Hall Museum, 20 West Main St. July 30, 6pm-8pm.
* Judy Garland Revue. Life and music of Judy Garland presented through song and dance. Il Piatto Restaurant (courtyard), August 6, 6pm-8pm.
* Strummin’ and Drummin’. A fun kids music show. Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, 1395 Planting Fields Rd. August 13, 6pm-8pm.
* Sing-a-Long. Families are welcome for this popular end-of-the-summer event. Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, 134 Cove Rd, August 20, 6pm-8pm.

About the Presenting Organization
The Oyster Bay Main Street Association was started in 1999 with the mission “to create and promote a healthy economy and an attractive hamlet, while maintaining historic character and integrity.” Projects the organization has completed include sign and façade improvements, public space enhancement, and helping to promote sites and attractions in the historic Hamlet of Oyster Bay.

For more information or to become a member of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org or call (516) 922-6982.

Oyster Bay stands in for the Hamptons in TV show

BY SUSANA ENRIQUEZ | susana.enriquez@newsday.com
10:33 PM EDT, May 11, 2009

Oyster Bay residents watched in wonder Monday as someone was rushed from an ambulance into the emergency room of "Hamptons Heritage Hospital" - what on any other day is known as Oyster Bay Town Hall.

The scene played out several times during a taping of "Royal Pains," a new USA television series starring Mark Feuerstein as a private on-call doctor for the Hamptons elite. The series is scheduled to debut June 4.

With the addition of a few signs, 75 crew members and about 25 extras as doctors, nurses, patients and security guards, town hall took on the appearance of a hospital.

Oyster Bay resident Donald Altieri had finished taking a stroll through nearby Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park when he stopped to watch the crew and extras milling about.

"I'm amazed how they set things up and make it look real," said Altieri, 71.

Earlier in the day, the crew turned a nearby pedestrian alleyway into a bustling farmers' market - replete with women in summer dresses and their small dogs - and the deli across the street into an upscale coffee shop.

Supervisor John Venditto said the filming - coming on the heels of several Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie sightings around town - has created a buzz in the community.

"People are having a lot of fun with this," Venditto said. "This is good stuff."

The one-day shoot was the first on town property this year; last year, the town clerk's office issued six permits for TV commercial and movie shoots.

The production company paid $500 to use the town's property and agreed to reimburse the town for public safety officers and for shuttling town employees who had to park in a remote lot.

Town Clerk Steven Labriola said he could see why the hamlet, with its tree-lined streets and quaint architecture, was deemed Hampton-esque.

"This could be a street in Bridgehampton," he said.

From:
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-lifilm1212755077may11,0,609496.story

Make Oyster Bay Part of Your Mother's Day Plans

Oyster Bay is the place to go for all of your Mother’s Day shopping needs, a variety of special events, and finding a place to have that perfect Mother’s Day meal.



Finding that Perfect Gift
Get an early start to Mother’s Day festivities on Thursday, May 7th, at Dodds and Eder (221 South St). From 6pm to 9pm enjoy a Ladies Night and gift-buying extravaganza with special discounts and raffles for attendees. For more info, call 516-922-4412.

Nothing shows you care more than a gift of health and wellness. Come to Blue Water Spa (21 West Main St) with your mother for a spa day and mom will get 1/2 off of the cost for her massage or facial. For more info, call (516) 584-6800.

If sweets for the sweet are in order, consider The Chocolate Lady in downtown Oyster Bay (49 Audrey Ave). Here a delicious assortment of artisan crafted fine chocolates are available for mom. For more info, call (516) 922-2002.

If personal training and fitness are what your mother wants, Fitness Together (123 South St) is offering gift certificates for thee sessions for $165. For more info, call (516) 922-2300.

Healthy Living Therapeutic Spa will provide a perfect gift that's genuine and true just like your love for that special Mom in your life. When you call to make an appointment (516) 624-8244, mention this article and receive $30 off when you purchase 2 or more gift certificates of holistic healing massage, acupuncture or skin care therapy.

Be sure to drop by Buckingham’s Variety Store (36 Audrey Ave) to get materials for your perfect Mother’s Day hat. Heritage Lace is on sale from May 4 – May 10 with a copy of this article.

Satisfy your palette at the Raynham Hall Museum (20 West Main St). Their Mother’s Day Tea from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, May 9. This is sure to be a hit with all mothers. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. To make your reservation, call (516) 922-6808.

Lee Perotta of Oyster Bay’s own “The Chocolate Lady” will provide a mouthwatering talk on the history of chocolate in Colonial and Victorian New York at the Raynham Hall tea.

Special Events on Mother’s Day


A variety of events will occur in Oyster Bay on Mother’s Day itself. Start your day with a free yoga class at YogaRocks! (127 South St). Yoga I will be offered at 8:30am, and Rockin’ Yoga II will start at 10am. For more info, call (516) 624-9642.

For those looking for a formal sit-down meal, many options are available. Fiddleheads (62 South St) will be providing a prix fixe Mother’s Day brunch from 12-1pm. Meals will be served on the hour at noon, 1pm, or 2pm. To make your reservation, call (516) 922-2999.

Wild Honey (1 East Main) will provide classic American food in style. To make your reservation, call (516) 922-4690.

Canterbury's Oyster Bar & Grill is a warm cozy New England chowderhouse filled with historic Oyster Bay and Theodore Roosevet memorabilia. This casual neighborhood American Bistro offers bold American food with sincere spirited service. For reservations, call (516) 922-3614.

If eating in at home is more for you, have Periwinkles put together a delectable meal that you can easily serve at home. To make arrangements, call (516) 922-5700.

For a complete listing of restaurants in Oyster Bay, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.

Main Street Executive Director Among 30 Outstanding Young Professionals on Long Island Recognized

At a ceremony on March 30, 2009, Oyster Bay Main Street Association Executive Director Isaac D. Kremer, was recognized as one of the leading 30 professionals under the age of 30 on Long Island.

Speaking of the honor, Main Street President Ellen Roché said: “We are very proud of Isaac in receiving this award and know that his good work will continue to foster revitalization in our community.”

Thirty recipients were selected to be honored by the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce. Each individual was selected and recognized for his or her outstanding commitment, unique talent and philanthropic spirit within Long Island’s business and civic communities.

Jim Kelly, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce Chairman, further commented, “It is inspiring to see Long Island’s young talent and our future. These young people each set an example within our communities and will ultimately be an essential key to Long Island’s economic recovery.”

The 30 honorees included:
Doug Atkins / Forchelli, Curto, Crow, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Cohn, LLP
Lauren Bayles / Huntington Chamber of Commerce
Alex Borg / Borg & Borg Insurance
Rita Ciaffone / Fern’s Creative Thimble
Erin Colton / News 12 Long Island
Stephanie Condra / Splashes of Hope
Jennifer Enright / BAE Systems
Matthew Ferdon / Office of Assemblyman Andrew Raia
Laura Fisher / RSVP Events NY
Greg Galant / Sawhorse Media
Robert Harper / Farrell Fritz, PC
Nikki Hess / Party 105 Radio
Jason Kalmar / Tranquil Mayhem LLC
Kerri Kankula / Arch Dental of Huntington
Kanishka Kelshikar / Adelphi University
Isaac Kremer / Oyster Bay Main Street Association
Megan Lavery / Town of Huntington
Jennifer Lawrence / JVKellyGroup, Inc.
Cara Long / EKB Interiors/The Long Agency, PR
Chris Lopinto / ExpertFlyer.com
Joseph Maddalone / Entrepreneur
Kelly Manzer / The Safarik Group at Smith Barney
Caitlin Meuser / Walt Whitman High School
Susannah Mrazek / Town of Huntington
Nina Petraro Bastardi / Farrell Fritz, PC
Evan Proios / SC Community College
Andrew Rudister / Maxburst, Inc.
Genevieve Sloup / RSVP Events NY
Jourdan Urbach / Children Helping Children
Christina Walsh / Ameriprise Financial

Among the accomplishments Kremer felt proudest about and included in his application were working with community groups to raise over $25,000 for beautification efforts in the Hamlet; and last year having Oyster Bay named a Preserve America Community, making Oyster Bay eligible for $250,000 in federal funds for heritage tourism.

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association was started in 1999 with the mission “to create and promote a healthy economy and an attractive hamlet, while maintaining historic character and integrity.” Projects the organization has completed include sign and façade improvements, public space enhancement, and helping to promote sites and attractions in the historic Hamlet of Oyster Bay.

For more information or to become a member of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org or call (516) 922-6982.

Earth Day Community Clean Up, 4/25, 8:30am - ???

Calling all volunteers! On Saturday, April 25, starting at 8:30am the Oyster Bay Main Street Association invites you to participate in the biggest community clean up event yet. Many groups and individuals share our wonderful hamlet from the sports fields to the sidewalks and parking lots. This is a chance for us all to do our part in the annual spring cleaning. Whether you are an adult or a child, this is a service that our town deserves!

Organizations that have been invited include:

Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce
Oyster Bay Civic Association
East Norwich Civic Association
Hispanic Cultural Center
Girl Scouts
Boy Scouts
OBEN Boys and Girls Club
OBEN YAA
OBHS Interact Club
St. Dominic’s Community Service Group
The Waterfront Center

The Town of Oyster Bay, Friends of the Bay, and the North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association will be sponsoring their annual event “Harbor and Beach Cleanup” the same day at 9am, so we will be cleaning from ship to shore!

Only together can we make a difference, serve our community proudly, and call Oyster Bay home! Meet at Appliance World at 8:30am for bagels. Bring work gloves, brooms and dustpans.

For more information and to volunteer, please call the Chamber at 516-922-6464 or e-mail obchamber@gmail.com. (Service letters will be provided for those fulfilling community service requirements for school, scouts or church).

LIRR's wee workhorses to be big museum stars

BY Nicholas Hirshon

Tuesday, April 14th 2009, 10:47 AM

TWO LITTLE engines that could are landing the recognition they should.

To mark its 175th anniversary, the Long Island Rail Road is loaning two diminutive locomotives from a Queens repair yard - where they moved massive passenger and freight cars - for display at a Nassau County museum.

Built by General Electric in 1958, the pair of 51,000-pound workhorses - which often pushed or pulled train cars nearly six times their weight - will be on view at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum starting in May.

"We're really excited," said museum President John Specce, describing the miniature locomotives as "another aspect of the railroad that many people may not have been aware of."

Rick Williams, a railroad expert at the Historic Railpark and Train Museum in Bowling Green, Ky., marveled at how the "little guys" moved large locomotives up to 300,000 pounds for repairs and maintenance.

"Bigger isn't always better," he quipped.

Officially known as No. 397 and No. 398, the 150-horsepower tiny tuggers - which measure about 18 feet 2 inches long and 10 feet 4 inches high - are called "dinkies" because of their small size.

Ahead of their five-year loan to the museum, the LIRR is running a renaming contest. "We didn't think it was right to send them off without a proper name," said LIRR spokesman Joe Calderone.

Commuters can submit potential names at www.mta.info/lirr through tomorrow. The winner gets four tickets to the new Cirque du Soleil show "Kooza" this spring at Randalls Island.

Once shipped to the museum's display of rolling stock on Bay Ave., the dinkies will sit beside a pair of antique cabooses and a locomotive cab that was featured at the 1964 World's Fair in Queens, Specce said.

"They represent part of the history of the railroad," Specce said. "They were the workhorses of the yard."

Officials at the fledgling museum - which opened a preview center last year on Audrey Ave. - hope the exhibit will help them escape the shadow of a competing attraction, ex-President Theodore Roosevelt's home at Sagamore Hill.

"We're working in tandem with the Long Island Rail Road," said museum co-founder Gary Farkash, 47, of Baldwin, L.I. "It does add an air of credibility."

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2009/04/14/2009-04-14_lirrs_wee_workhorses_to_be_big_museum_stars.html

Kenneth Jay Lane "Fabulous Fakes" Exhibition to open at The Manor House, Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park

Over the last fifty years Kenneth Jay Lane (b. 1932) has been the single most creative and prolific American master of costume jewelry.

In the early 1960’s, after several years spent designing shoes for haute-couture collections such as Christian Dior - sometimes with faux jewels - Mr. Lane began to focus on chic jewelry that was lighthearted and fun. His first work garnered instant success, and it was he who made costume jewelry a widely sought-after accessory. His jewels were worn by Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and today are the choice of movie stars and celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Paris Hilton, the Olsen Twins and Jessica Simpson.

Mr. Lane’s bold designs are inspired by both ancient and contemporary models. His talent lies in his ability to seek out the best designs, to reinterpret them, and to make them available at prices that are a great deal less than those of the originals. Although fabulous fakes, they are so highly esteemed that they have become sought after collectibles, with many vintage pieces selling at top auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

The exhibition, the largest retrospective to date, with over 350 jewels, is curated by Henry B. Joyce, Executive Director of Planting Fields Foundation and includes many of Mr. Lane’s most popular and exceptional designs. The show begins in the early 1970s when his avant-garde jewelry was featured by the famous editor, Diana Vreeland, in Vogue Magazine. Lane’s history continues with his revival of several spectacular 1920s Art Deco pieces of jewelry that he began to reproduce in the late 1970s. They included the costume jewelry once made in Paris for Coco Chanel. It was originally designed by the innovative jeweler, the Duke of Vedura. Mr. Lane’s reproductions of Vedura’s glamorous Maltese Cross cuff-bracelet, that had been made famous by Ms. Chanel, was worn 50 years later by Diana Vreeland who made it popular again.

Almost all of the costume jewelry in this exhibition is vintage, made between 1963 and 1993, and is in the personal collection of Kenneth Jay Lane.

NEW EXHIBITION
FABULOUS FAKES
THE JEWELRY OF KENNETH JAY LANE
OPENS APRIL 4TH AT THE MANOR HOUSE
Saturday, April 4 - Monday, August 31
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Daily in the Manor House at Planting Fields
$6.50 Exhibition Fee / $5 Seniors / Members and all children under 12 are FREE
(Ticket price includes admission to The Manor House and Coe Hall’s first floor)
Please call Michelle Benes at (516) 922-8682 or email mbenes@plantingfields.org


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXCLUSIVE TO
OUR MEMBERS
EXHIBITION PREVIEW FOR MEMBERS ONLY
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

FABULOUS FAKES
KENNETH JAY LANE JEWELRY EXHIBITION
AT THE MANOR HOUSE

A special preview for Planting Fields Members – FREE of charge.
Tours of the exhibition with Henry B. Joyce, Executive Director, Planting Fields Foundation and curator of the exhibition, will take place at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served immediately
following – free of charge.

Friday, April 3, 2009
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Tours of the Kenneth Jay Lane Exhibition with Henry B. Joyce, Executive Director, Planting Fields Foundation and curator of the exhibition, will be offered on the following dates:

Thursday, April 30
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 7
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Tours are free of charge for Members. Light refreshments will be served immediately following. For reservations and information, please call Michelle Benes, Membership Coordinator, at 516.922.8682 or mbenes@plantingfields.org


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING
Jewelry Making in the Manor House

Come see Fabulous Fakes, the Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry exhibition and let your children be inspired to create their very own costume jewelry! Join jewelry maker Linda Reilly as she demonstrates how to use colorful beads and charms to create necklaces, bracelets and more!

Spring Break Week
Tuesday, April 14 through Thursday, April 16
The jewelry making program is free for Family Membership level or higher.
Non-Members: $10 per person

Jewelry making for 6-11 year old children
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Jewelry making for young adults ages 12 and older
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Space is limited, please call for reservations
Tracy Potavin at (516) 922-8676, or email tpotavin@plantingfields.org

Main Street Helps to Bring Sidewalk Cleaner to the Hamlet of Oyster Bay

Supervisor Venditto and Town of Oyster Bay Officials accept check from Main Street Association Board Member John Bonifacio and Executive Director Isaac Kremer.


Oyster Bay is a lot cleaner now, thanks to efforts of community leaders to raise funds needed to purchase a sidewalk sweeper for downtown Oyster Bay.

The Allianz Mad Vac Model 101 is a four-wheeled, front-wheel drive machine with road lighting package and extension hose. Operators from the Town of Oyster Bay who have used the machine have commented on its enhanced maneuverability, compared with the larger street sweepers frequently used.

The effort to raise funds started with a $25,000 New York State grant secured by Senator Carl L. Marcellino in the fall of 2007. This was followed by an additional NYS grant of $7,500 secured by Senator Marcellino, and a $4,000 NYS grant secured by Assemblyman Walker.

The combined $36,500 was given to the Oyster Bay Main Street Association and then turned over to the Town of Oyster Bay to make the purchase.

The Town of Oyster Bay acted in the fall of 2008 and appropriated additional funds to go towards the acquisition costs. When added to the New York State grant dollars, this allowed for purchase of the equipment.

The equipment is now officially owned by the Town of Oyster Bay, which has assumed responsibility for its operation and maintenance.

Oyster Bay Main Street Association President Ellen Roché, speaking of the new equipment, said “this will greatly enhance our ability to make the Hamlet a clean, welcoming, and inviting place.”

Main Street Association Vice-President and Organization Committee Chair, John Bonifacio, further commented, “a clean downtown helps us to attract businesses, residents, and consumers who are so essential to the success of all of us in Oyster Bay.”

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association was started in 1999 with the mission “to create and promote a healthy economy and an attractive hamlet, while maintaining historic character and integrity.” Projects the organization have completed include sign and façade improvements, public space improvements including resurfacing of two parking lots, and helping to promote sites and attractions in the historic Hamlet of Oyster Bay.

For more information or to become a member of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org or call (516) 922-6982.

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Venditto to Unveil Historic Oyster Bay Walking/Fitness Path

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto invites all residents to join with local community leaders to officially unveil an American Heart Start! Walking Path through historic Oyster Bay on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Fitness Together, 123 South Street, Oyster Bay. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, attendees will be invited to participate in the inaugural walk on the path, the first to be established by a Town on Long Island.


Supervisor Venditto said the Oyster Bay Town Board is proud to partner with the American Heart Association in encouraging residents to embark upon an active and healthier life. “This path, is one mile in length and will provide a backdrop for healthy fitness activity,” Supervisor Venditto said. “In addition, it will also become a destination for visitors interested in a walking tour of local historic points of interest.”


The American Heart Association, which will conduct free blood pressure screenings at the ribbon cutting event, reports that approximately 8,600 people on Long Island die each year from cardiovascular disease, which represents more people than the entire hamlet of Oyster Bay. “It is Long Island’s number one cause of death,” explained Susan Somerville, Chairman of the Board of the American Heart Association. “This frightening statistic, combined with the overwhelming support and interest of the Town of Oyster Bay and the community, provided the impetus to move forward with our walking path through historic Oyster Bay.”


Frank Ulrich, owner of Fitness Together, an Oyster Bay business, initiated conversation with the American Heart Association and the Town of Oyster Bay, to implement a fitness and well being program. With a commitment of all parties concerned, plans were immediately put into motion. Mr. Ulrich has offered his location as the official American Heart Association information center, providing brochures, nutritional information and educational seminars. The Oyster Bay Main Street Association enthusiastically became involved and their Oyster Bay History Walk - a guided audio tour of historic sites and attractions available at www.oysterbaymainstreet.org- became the perfect Start! Walk Path location. Dana Sydney, partner of Dayton and Sydney Wealth Strategies Group generously agreed to be the corporate sponsor of the event. Mr. Sydney had open heart surgery at the age of 29 and dedicates his time, energy and corporate support to heart-healthy awareness.


Supervisor Venditto said the Start! Walk Path ribbon cutting ceremony coincides with the American Heart Association’s National Start Walk Day on April 8, 2009. “We’re delighted to soon have the Start! Walk Path in historic Oyster Bay, knowing it will encourage Oyster Bay residents and visitors to begin a heart health walking regiment,” Supervisor Venditto said. “Regular exercise helps prevent heart attacks and strokes, and hopefully, this concept will be the model for other municipalities and communities.”


Start! is the American Heart Association’s national initiative that calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health to live longer, heart-healthier lives through walking. “Walking is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit physically and spiritually,” Supervisor Venditto. “We invite everyone in the community to join us for the ribbon cutting ceremony and an inaugural walk on April 8th. Don’t forget your walking sneakers.”

A Celebration of Camellias at Planting Fields, Mar. 8th

Planting Fields Foundation invites you to A Celebration of Camellias, hosted by Henry B. Joyce, Executive Director, Planting Fields Foundation, and Vincent Simeone, Director, Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park.

Come see the camellias and learn about their history and cultivation.

Camellia Greenhouse, Sunday, March 8th, 2009, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

FREE admission for Members, $15 Admission for Non-Members. Refreshments will be served.

RSVP by February 27th, Tracy Potavin (516) 922-8676, tpotavin@plantingfields.org.

Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay, NY, www.plantingfields.org

Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center March & April Programs Announced

Sundays, March 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2009 - Project Feeder Watch Workshop
1:00-2:00pm, All ages.
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Become a part of a nationwide research project! Project Feeder Watch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders all over North America. Join Sanctuary staff to help scientists learn about winter bird movements and trends in bird populations. Bring the whole family for a relaxing and fun afternoon bird count. Feeder Watch is a drop-in program, join us for the afternoon, or just a half-hour!
FREE PROGRAM

Fridays, March 6 & 20, 2009 – Owl Prowl at Hoffman Center
7:00-9:00pm
Held at the Hoffman Center
6000 Route 25A, Muttontown, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Owls, the stealth, silent hunters of the night, have become an integral part of myths, legends, and even popular entertainment. Unfortunately, they are often portrayed as bad omens, creepy haunters of old buildings and cemeteries, or evil denizens of the dark. However, they are actually fascinating creatures. Join us for a live owl presentation to discover the lives of owls in your neighborhood. Then venture outside to hear the calls of Great Horned and Eastern Screech Owls. This is a popular program, so register early!
$7 members / $10 nonmembers

Saturday, March 7, 2009 - Building for Bats
1:00- 2:30pm - Families
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Become a Bat Realtor! Learn about bats’ benefits to humanity by blasting bugs, and build your own bat box to banish bugs from your backyard.
45-minute presentation and 45-minute building workshop.
FREE PROGRAM for members / $3 non-members
$15 materials fee per batbox

Sunday, March 8, 2009 – Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge
9:00-11:00am, All ages.
Held at Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
12 Target Rock Road, Huntington, NY
For more information and directions: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
A part of the Long Island NWR Complex, this 80-acre refuge supports a variety of wildlife and their habitats. We will explore the 1-mile Warbler’s Loop Trail leading down to the beach. During this time of year we will observe overwintering songbirds in the wooded habitat, as well as sea ducks on Huntington Bay. Spotting harbor seals offshore is always a possibility.
FREE PROGRAM

Saturday, March 14, 2009 – Crafty Critters
1:00-2:00pm, All ages.
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Our animals are feeling a bit crafty lately. Come to the Sanctuary to find out some of the strange habits animals have, and make a cool critter craft! Take your craft home to amaze your family and friends.
FREE PROGRAM for members / $3 non-members

Saturday, March 21, 2009 - Red-tails in Love: The Story of Pale Male and Lola
1:00-2:00pm, All ages.
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Stop by to learn more about an avian love story happening on 5th Avenue in New York City. Pale Male, the world’s most famous Red-tailed Hawk, has been a resident overlooking Central Park for over 15 years. Along with his mate Lola, they have helped raised dozens of hawks that now fly through all five boroughs. The Pale Male video will be shown and everyone will get to meet a live Red-tailed Hawk in person.
FREE PROGRAM for members / $3 non-members


Saturday, March 28, 2009 – Let’s Take a Hike Series: Jaynes Hill, West Hills Co. Park
1:00-3:00pm, All ages.
Held at West Hills County Park
Meet at the picnic area from Sweet Hollow Road, adjacent to the Sweet Hills Riding Center
For more information and directions: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
At 401 feet above sea level, Jaynes Hill is the highest point on Long Island. Located along a wooded section of the Ronkonkoma moraine and within earshot from Walt Whitman’s birthplace, this hike will be a nice mix of geology, poetry, history, botany, birding, and of course exercise. Hiking shoes, a water bottle, and trail snacks are recommended.
FREE PROGRAM

Sunday, March 29, 2009 – Sanctuary Trio: Shu Swamp, TR Sanctuary and Sagamore Hill
8:30-11:00am, All ages.
Held at various locations
For more information and directions: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
An early spring walk in three sanctuaries, but different habitats of close proximity in northern Oyster Bay. Starting at Shu Swamp we will search for wood ducks and rusty blackbirds, while encountering skunk cabbage and early blooming spring ephemerals. Our next stop will be at the TR Sanctuary to view the bird feeders and look for early spring migrants. Finally at Sagamore Hill we’ll walk down to Cold Spring Harbor to sneak peeks at remaining winter ducks and early shorebirds.
FREE PROGRAM

Saturday, April 4, 2009 – Woodcock Walk
6:30-8:00pm, All ages.
Held at the Hoffman Center
6000 Route 25A, Muttontown, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
The wondrous Woodcock may be found running through the meadow at the Hoffman Center. Join staff as we search for the woodcock and hope to see him show his courtship ritual.
$3 members / $5 non-members

Sunday, April 5, 2009 – Spring Awakening
1:00-2:00pm, All ages.
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
The Sanctuary is coming alive after a long winter sleep. Let’s take a walk on the trails, and see signs of spring.
FREE PROGRAM for members / $3 non-members


Saturday, April 11, 2009 – Egg-stravaganza!
1:00-2:00pm, Children ages 2 ½ to 10 years old with their parents
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
The Birds are acting odd this year… Our feathered friends are laying eggs in all the wrong places. We need your help to collect these strange eggs- as the saying goes “Finders, Keepers” you take home whatever is inside.
Registration required.
$5.00 members/$8.00 nonmembers per child

Saturday, April 18, 2009 – Celebrating Earth Day!
1:00-2:00pm, Families
Visit the Sanctuary to celebrate Earth Day. We’ll have the trails freshly groomed, animal crafts available all day, and live animal demonstrations periodically throughout the day. We’ll showcase Hawks, Owls & Falcons at 1:00pm, followed by snakes, turtles and lizards at 3:00pm. Join us for an hour, or join us for the day. We’ll see you on Earth Day!
FREE PROGRAM

Sunday, April 19, 2009 – Birding in Brooklyn: Prospect Park & Greenwood Cemetery
9:00am – 12:00pm
Held at Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery
Brooklyn, NY
For more information and directions: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
We will visit the birdy borough of Brooklyn for early spring migrants. A visit to the first urban Audubon Center, Prospect Park Boathouse, will be part of this walk along wooded trails along ponds, waterfalls, and a large freshwater lake. The park is an Important Bird Area with over 240 species of birds annually reported. Next we will head to historic Greenwood Cemetery, a wonderful combination of monuments and scenery, with some of the best birding in the city! One of the attractions is the Monk Parakeets, a colorful naturalized escapee that can be found in large numbers.
This is a joint birding adventure with Huntington Audubon Society.
FREE PROGRAM

Saturday, April 25, 2009 – Shu Swamp is for the Birds!
8:00-10:00am
Held at Shu Swamp (aka Charles T. Church Nature Preserve)
Frost Mill Road
Mill Neck, NY
For more information and directions: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Come out for a visit to one of the North Shore’s magical and lesser known preserves. Shu, which is an old Dutch word for cascading waters, Swamp is a wooded wetland featuring towering Tulip trees, Red Maples, and Black Gum or Tupelo. Woods ducks and several species of woodpeckers can be found, as well as countless songbird species, such as thrushes, warblers, wrens and more! This bird walk is always a favorite for birder’s of all types.
FREE PROGRAM for members / $3 non-members


Sunday, April 26, 2009 - Spring into the Sanctuary!
1:00-2:00pm, School aged children and parents
Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY
For more information: (516) 922-3200 or trsac@audubon.org
Spring is in the air, birds are singing and flowers are blooming. Join us for a live animal presentation to find out what animal do in spring and where they come back from. We’ll even make a great spring craft.
FREE PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS / $3 non-members

Oyster Bay Project Featured in National Main Streets Conference

Excerpt from the 2009 Main Street Live Blog (http://www.mainstreetlive09.blogspot.com/) of the National Main Streets Conference follows...


To whet your appetite for great uses of social media for your program, I have a great example to share with you.

When the Oyster Bay Main Street Association in N.Y. realized that another big community meeting was scheduled for the same night as its annual meeting, the group decided to create a video of its meeting so it could expand the audience virtually. Using a hand-held voice recorder, they created an audio MP3 file of the presentations and then used Windows Movie Maker to coordinate the audio with the PowerPoint slides. In just a half hour, a video came together and was posted on YouTube and their blog. Almost 100 people checked out the video, which is more than the number of attendees at the actual meeting. All they used was the software that came with their computer and a hand-held voice recorder. They created the video and posted it and 100 people who couldn’t attend the meeting got to catch up on what they missed out on. How cool is that?!

Want to know exactly how they did it? Oyster Bay Main Street Association’s Executive Director Isaac Kremer created a quick tutorial video just for you.

Rauch Foundation Launches Long Island Index Map

As you may know, the map was officially launched on December 10 after a two-month beta testing period. Media outlets on Long Island provided great coverage – including a terrific editorial from Newsday – and several mapping industry websites have featured the map as well (see http://www.urbanresearch.org/news/new-LongIslandIndex-maps for a full list of coverage).

You can now access the map from the Long Island Index homepage (www.longislandindex.org) or directly at www.longislandindexmaps.org. We encourage you to sign up for free email updates so you’ll receive notice when the maps are expanded and enhanced in the future (the map page itself has an option to add your email to the list).

This Friday (January 30), the Index will be releasing its 2009 report, with a special focus on education issues facing Long Island. They’ll be adding key education statistics and maps by district to the interactive map.

"Dearest Jane...Love L" exhibit opens at OB Historical Society, Feb 14th, 4-6pm

Who: Oyster Bay Historical Society
What: "Dearest Jane...Love L", Jane Bush and her Love Letters from Habana
Where: Earle- Wightman House, Oyster Bay Historical Society, 20 Summit Street, Oyster Bay, New York
When: Hours of Operation: Tues-Fri 10am -2pm, Sat 9am -1pm & Sun 1pm -4pm; Opening Reception: Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14th, 4-6pm
Why: Read beautiful letters and get swept up in the celebration of Valentine's Day in Oyster Bay.

The Oyster Bay Historical Society presents "Dearest Jane...Love L". A collection of love letters from Luis Francke to his beloved Jane Bush. Luis Francke operated a sugar plantation in Cuba from which he wrote many of his love letters to Jane. After their marriage in 1911 they moved to Glenby, the Brookville estate which Luis built for his new bride and which still exists today. During Luis's long absences due to business, Jane designed a garden on the estate and pursued her passion for bird watching. Jane Bush Francke became extensively involved with the Garden Club of America and with the early development of the American conversation movement. The Jane Bush Francke Bird Sanctuary on the grounds of her former estate, still serves as a legacy to her commitment to open space throughout the country and on Long Island. We would like to thank Ellen Curtis the granddaughter of Jane Bush Francke for her support.

Dr. John A. Gable Lecture Series - starting March 26

The Friends of Sagamore Hill will commence the 5th Annual Dr. John A. Gable Lecture Series on Thursday, March 26, 2009 in Oyster Bay, N.Y. This program is free to the public and offers the opportunity to both hear and speak with illustrious experts on subjects and people related to our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt and Oyster Bay history.

Doors open at 7pm and the programs begin at 7:30; at the newly renovated Christ Church Parish Hall located at 61 East Main Street, in Oyster Bay Hamlet. Following lecture and a brief discussion, light refreshments will be served and the public can meet with the speakers in an informal setting.


On Thursday, March 26, 2009, Mr. Charles Markis, Chief of Interpretation at the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, will present “The Literary Antecedents of Theodore Roosevelt” describing the authors and writings that influenced TR as a young man and throughout his life.

On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, CDR Henry J. Hendrix II, USN, Ph.D. will speak on “Theodore Roosevelt’s use of The Navy in Diplomacy”. Commander Hendrix is a Naval Flight Officer, prolific author and National Secretary of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.

On Tuesday, May 12, 2009, Mr. Franklin Hill Perrell, Chief Curator of the Nassau County Museum of Art, will present “TR and the Arts of His Time”, a lecture and video presentation on art in the time of Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Perrell is a noted artist, lecturer and foremost authority on art of the “American Gilded Age”.

The Friends of Sagamore Hill is a chapter of the Theodore Roosevelt Association a 501C3 charitable organization

www.sagamore-hill.com

Eastern Waterfront Steering Committee - PUBLIC MEETING

Who: Eastern Waterfront Steering Committee and members of the public
What: A meeting to review the work of the Steering Committee and to receive public comment.
Where: Town Board Hearing Room, 54 Audrey Ave
When: Tuesday, January 27, 7pm
Why: To be informed and share your opinion on making Oyster Bay an even better place to live, work, and play.

Winter Weekends: Takin’ It Easy in Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay was recently featured in this New York Times article...

Winter Weekends: Takin’ It Easy in Oyster Bay
By DAVE CALDWELL
Published: January 2, 2009

Dutch and English settlers discovered a smooth, scenic bay on Long Island’s North Shore, named it for its oysters and built a harbor town. Three centuries later, Billy Joel wrote, “I wish that I was back in Oyster Bay, takin’ it easy.” Suburbia has encroached, but the hamlet of Oyster Bay is still a charming little place, and the area around it invites exploration.

The most famous local citizen is not Billy Joel but Theodore Roosevelt. Sagamore Hill, the rambling Victorian home he built in 1885, is a National Historic Site (516-922-4788; www.nps.gov/sahi), where winter tours run from Wednesday through Sunday ($5).

From the big veranda to the rooms filled with books and mounted heads of unlucky animals, Sagamore Hill looks like what by all accounts it was — not just the summer White House where Roosevelt brokered a peace between Russia and Japan (earning him a Nobel Peace Prize), but paradise for a big brood of children and a roomy container for the outsize personality of its owner.

The house sits on 83 acres on a peninsula that is an ideal place for a walk, even in the dead of winter. Paths and a nature trail with forests, meadows, a salt marsh and a beach are open from dawn until dusk.

This is the renowned Gold Coast, and another estate lives on as Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park (1395 Planting Fields Road; 516-922-9200; www.plantingfields.com; $6 to park on winter weekends). Greenhouses are open daily; the winter specialty is camellias.

A house tour that paints a picture of life in the Revolutionary War era is at the Raynham Hall Museum (20 West Main Street; 516-922-6808; www.raynhamhallmuseum.org; $5). And just outside of the village, there’s yet another experience at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium, which houses fish, reptiles and amphibians native to New York State (1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor; 516-692-6768; www.cshfha.org; $5).

If Oyster Bay touring inspires an appetite for oysters, you can find them prepared several different ways at Canterbury’s Oyster Bar and Grill (46 Audrey Avenue; 516-922-3614).

The Inn at Fox Hollow (7755 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury; 800-291-8090; www.theinnatfoxhollow.com) is an all-suite hotel with off-season rates from $219 to $339.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/travel/escapes/winteroysterbay.html?scp=6&sq=Sagamore%20Hill&st=cse