Monday, November 29, 2010

Celebrate the Holidays in Downtown Oyster Bay!

Oyster Bay is about to have the most active and exciting holiday season in recent memory. Community leaders and public officials will be on-hand to mark completion of the $2.5 million rehabilitation of the Octagon Hotel on Thursday, December 2. This 1850's building, where Theodore Roosevelt conducted his campaign for Governor of New York, will house 6 apartments and 3 retail units. Join us for the Ribbon Cutting & Dedication at 4pm, to be followed by building tours and reception with free food and drink. The Octagon Hotel is located at 67 West Main Street in downtown Oyster Bay.

Late Night Shopping Downtown
Stores will be open late on Thursday, December 2, 9, and 16, to help satisfy all of your shopping needs. Find that unique one-of-a-kind gift. Downtown Oyster Bay has art, anqiues, crafts, collectibles, jewelry, toys, and more.

Free Gift Wrapping
Buckingham's Variety Store at 36 Audrey Avenue will provide free gift wrapping for any item purchased at an Oyster Bay or East Norwich store when a receipt is provided. This will be offerred Thursday, Dec. 2, 9, and 16.

Also enjoy the following special events to be held throughout the month of December.

Wednesday, December 1

Menorah Lighting at the Derby-Hall Bandstand in Townsend Park located at Shore and Audrey Avenues, starting at 5:30pm.

Thursday, December 2


Meet the Maker: Jane Cairns Irvine at Think Long Island First, 5pm-7pm
Renowned glass artist Jane Cairns Irvine will present her glass art at Think Long Island First at 36 Audrey Avenue. Jane runs a successful studio in Glen Head where she creates her own work and introduces students of all ages to the magic of fused glass.

1st Annual Holiday Stroll and Artwalk, 7pm-9pm
Enjoy a stroll through town and visit many of our artists and art galleries that will be open late to satisfy your holiday shopping needs.

Rob Zeller of the Teaching Studios of Art at 115 Audrey Avenue will be conducting a portrait demonstration form a live model, 7pm-9pm. The event is free and open to the public. Artwork of faculty artists Kristin Künc, Bennett Vadnais, Lor Shorin and Jane McGraw Teubner will be on display, as well.

Shangri-la Spa at 63 Audrey Avenue will be hosting a "Meet the Artist Reception" from 7-9pm. A collection of original monotypes and hand-pulled prints, all modern interpretations of the figure, will be on display now through Feb. 18.

Artwork from local area artists will be on display in the Oyster Bay Main Street Association storefront office at 17 Audrey Ave, from 7pm-9pm. Free holiday food and refreshments will be provided.

Friday, December 3

HPS Network Benefit Christmas Concert, 7:30pm
Free concert featuring traditional, modern, and Christmas favorites. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network. To be held at the Oyster Bay High School Performing Arts Center, 150 East Main Street, Oyster Bay

Sunday, December 5

HPS Network Benefit Christmas Concert, 2:00pm
Free concert featuring traditional, modern, and Christmas favorites. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted to benefit the Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network. To be held at the Oyster Bay High School Performing Arts Center, 150 East Main Street, Oyster Bay

Holiday Tree Lighting, 4:15pm
At the Derby-Hall Bandstand in Townsend Park located at Shore and Audrey Avenues

Monday, December 6

Holiday Party at Blue Water Spa, 5pm-9pm
To celebrate the holidays we are offering an evening of Fun Fun Fun! Mingle with your friends, Meet the Staff, learn about new services. We are offering the following FREE services: Candy Cane Facials, Clarisonic Facial Cleansing Station, Mini Lactic Facial Peels, Oxygen Eye and Lip Infusion, Make up Make overs. Discounts on all our products. Champagne and hors d'oeuvres. And we are raffling off a Microdermabrasion Series (6 treatments) worth $1000! Please call us to RSVP. 516-584-6800 We hope to see you there!

Thursday, December 9

Many stores will be open late!

Free Gift Wrapping
Buckingham's Variety Store at 36 Audrey Avenue will offer free gift wrapping for any item purchased at an Oyster Bay or East Norwich store.

Friday, December 10

Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, 6pm
Gates will open at 5:30PM and the tree lighting will take place at 6:00PM sharp. This year, we will light the magnificent thirty-five foot Japanese Umbrella Pine, which is located on the south side of the Camilla Greenhouse. The event will feature several special guests, including Santa and carolers. Guests will have the opportunity to see the holiday decorations on the first floor of Coe Hall. In addition, guests will be able to view the spectacular poinsettia display in the Main Greenhouse. Don’t forget to visit our beautiful café in the Visitor Center and enjoy a great snack. Both the grounds and the building will be open until 8:00PM. Admission is free. For more information, please call 516-922-8600.

Saturday, December 11

Free Horse and Carriage Rides, noon-4pm
Rides will depart every 15 minutes on a first come, first served basis from the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, 102 Audrey Avenue.

Meet St. Nicholas, 12:30pm-2:30pm
St. Nicholas will make a special trip from the North Pole to greet guests at Raynham Hall Museum, located at 20 West Main Street. Children who come with their families will receive stocking stuffer gifts and holiday refreshments. Admission is $12 per family.

Oyster Bay Historical Society Holiday Open House, 4pm-7pm
A program of gospel and seasonal music will be held at the Hood A.M.E. Zion Church located at 137 South Street. This will be followed by a Holiday Reception at the Oyster Bay Historical Society building, located at 20 Summit Street in Oyster Bay.

The Artist Club Gallery Opening, doors open at 2pm, reception 7pm-9pm
The newly opened Artist Club Gallery at 27 Berry Hill Road will have an exhibition featuring work by artists Michael Cavayero, Kathryn Gardner, Odile Montel, and Peter Weeks. This is a "silent auction" gallery where club memebrs can bid for work in person, by phone, or online.

Sunday, December 12

Free Horse and Carriage Rides, noon-4pm
Rides will depart every 15 minutes on a first come, first served basis from the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, 102 Audrey Avenue.

Sunday Barn Brunch, 11am-3pm
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park will hold a Sunday Barn Brunch in the Hay Barn. Live music by Mike Mattia & Friends will be provided. Food will be served buffet style with champagne cocktail. Price is $29.95 for adults and $15 for children under 10. Call Periwinkles Catering for more info 516-922-6700.

Thursday, December 16

Stores will be open late!

Free Gift Wrapping
Buckingham's Variety Store at 36 Audrey Avenue will offer free gift wrapping for any item purchased at an Oyster Bay or East Norwich store.

Saturday, December 18

Christmas with the Roosevelts at Sagamore Hill, noon-4pm
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will host Christmas with the Roosevelts. Activities will include holiday music performed on a harp and flute by Musica Dolce at the park’s Old Orchard Museum and Christmas carols sung by Close Enough around Roosevelt Home. “Theodore Roosevelt,” as portrayed by James Foote, will share his reminiscences of how the Roosevelts celebrated Christmas, both at Sagamore Hill and in the White House. Ranger-guided tours of the Roosevelt Home will feature information about Christmases past and the festivities that the family enjoyed. Behind the Visitor Center, children will have an opportunity to work with a park ranger to make holiday crafts, and everyone is welcome to partake of complimentary hot cider and hot chocolate will be provided by the Friends of Sagamore Hill. 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, New York. For further information, visit our website at www.nps.gov/sahi, or call 516-922-4788. Be sure to follow us on twitter for updates at http://twitter.com/SagamoreHillNHS.




For those who would like to add an event to this list, please contact the Oyster Bay Main Street Association at (516) 922-6982 or visit http://www.oysterbaymainstreet.org/.

'Anonymous' Holiday Shopping Letter featured in Newsday







Oyster Bay offers 'stroll' for local shopping
Thursday November 25, 2010 12:45 PM By T.C. McCarthy

Oyster Bay is using a cheeky campaign to encourage its residents to shop locally this holiday season.

In a humorous letter distributed to drum up attention for the hamlet’s first annual Holiday Shopping Stroll, an “unknown shopper” discussed the monotony of rushing to packed shopping malls and encouraged residents to go to local stores throughout the hamlet for their holiday gifts.

The stroll begins Thursday, Dec. 2, when local shops will extend their business hours, according to a news release. Shops will be open longer on Dec. 9 and Dec. 16 as well. Tourist destinations like Raynham Hall and the Oyster Bay Historical Society will also be open until 7 p.m. offering free admission for visitors.

“We’re sending a message to the malls and big box stores that they can’t compete with us for unique gifts and a great shopping experience,” said Michele Browner, Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce president.

The campaign also supplied residents with a convenient and “scientifically accurate” chart that compares a holiday shopping experience at the mall to shopping at local stores. The chart breaks the experience down into the time it takes to shop, the items that would be available at each location and the atmosphere at each venue.

The anonymous shopper's full letter and associated chart are below.

Every year many of us gas up the family car and work our way through traffic, packed parking lots and long lines to do our holiday shopping. Somehow the malls have convinced us that it makes sense to drive passed our own local stores to partake in an annual shopping frenzy. Like bears picking off salmon, they have us blithely swim upstream participating in an unfulfilling, exhausting ritual. Is anyone looking at the gas prices when they leave town or the monotony of the mass marketed gifts in their trunks when they return?….and, by the way, how was that square burger and the dull cacophony of packaged “holiday” music? When did we lose the holiday spirit and succumb to the production line mentality? Here’s my answer. Let’s all put down the cell phone, take off the headphones to the MP3 player, turn off the GPS and drive slowly through the Hamlet….or better yet, walk and take a close look. Yes Dorothy, we do have quite a selection of stores now. Owned and operated by that good old fashioned institution: entrepreneurs. Collectively, it’s actually a brilliant cross section of unique gifts that make you feel like you’re actually passing on the spirit of the holiday versus filling your quota. We have art, antiques, crafts, confections, collectibles, jewelry, toys, etc. etc. etc. and a couple of chain stores to satisfy any lingering sense of guilt for enjoying the old fashioned hamlet shopping experience. We have a great little hamlet….great shops, great restaurants and it’s ours…and don’t forget the historical sites.

So here’s the dilemma. Embark on a journey to the mall (or big box store, for simplicity, we’ll call it the abyss) or shop right around the corner? For the efficiency experts out there, add up the time travelling to the abyss, finding (and possibly waiting) for a parking spot and walking to the entry of the abyss (take a reading on the stopwatch). Now go into the abyss and search out merchant units with the appropriate SKU’s; hope that whatever you’re looking for is there (admit it, you planned ahead) and wait on the line. After you purchased that item, stop the watch. Now multiply that times each merchant unit visit and add the time it took you to get there to begin with (you can drop the decimals for simplicity or round up or down if you’re feeling giddy). Rather daunting. And don’t forget to buy something, otherwise, like in the game of Monopoly, you can get sent back to the beginning and start all over again….and did I mention returns? OK, the fitness crowd will tell you it’s great for your quads…they got me on that one.

You have something in common with Teddy Roosevelt, Billy Joel and all your neighbors…you chose to live in the Oyster Bay area. We know the first two also set up shop in the hamlet. Maybe they know something? Come home to the hamlet this holiday shopping season. You’ll be glad you did. Go to the Chamber of Commerce (www.visitoysterbay.com) or Main Street Association (www.oysterbaymainstreet.org) web sites (or Facebook) to find out what’s going on.

Apologies to Paul Blart and the gas stations.

Signed,
The Unknown Shopper
(Name withheld to protect author from retribution from big box and mall reprisals)






Saturday, November 27, 2010

Program for Octagon Hotel Dedication, Thursday, Dec. 2 at 4pm ANNOUNCED

Thursday, December 2, 2010, at 4pm
67 West Main Street, Oyster Bay

The Octagon Hotel is rapidly nearing completion of a $2.5 million rehabilitation. This 1850’s building that Theodore Roosevelt ran for Governor of New York State from will house six apartments and up to three retail units. Please join us for the dedication and ribbon cutting on December 2 at 4pm. Building tours and a reception with free food and drink will follow. RSVP for the event on Facebook and share this with your friends so we can have the best sized crowd possible. Thanks and see you there!


The Program

Welcome and Introduction………………………………………………… 4:00pm
John Bonifacio, President, Oyster Bay Main Street Association

Greetings from State of New York………………………………………. 4:05pm
Hon. Charles D. Lavine, Assembly District 13, State of New York
Hon. Michael Montesano, Assembly District 15, State of New York

Greetings from Nassau County…………………………………………… 4:08pm
Hon. Edward P. Mangano, County Executive, Nassau County
Hon. Judy Jacobs, Legislative District 16, Nassau County

Greetings from Town of Oyster Bay…………………………………… 4:10pm
Hon. John Venditto, Supervisor, Town of Oyster Bay
Hon. Steven L. Labriola, Town Clerk, Town of Oyster Bay

Comments from Members of the Project Team……………………. 4:15pm
Lou Baldino, Architect, Lou Baldino Architects

Comments from Partners…………………………………………………… 4:20pm
Alexandra Wolfe, Society for the Preservation of LI Antiquities
Natalie Naylor, President, Nassau County Historical Society
Ellen Roché, Immediate Past President, OBMSA

Blessing of the Building………………………………………………………. 4:25pm
Peter Casparian, Rector, Christ Church of Oyster Bay

Ribbon Cutting & Dedication………………………………………………. 4:30pm

Building tours and reception with free food and drink to follow.

For more information, please contact the Oyster Bay Main Street Association at (516) 922-6982 or visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Octagon Hotel Dedication & Ribbon Cutting, 12/2, 4pm



The Octagon Hotel is rapidly nearing completion of a $2.5 million rehabilitation. This 1850’s building that Theodore Roosevelt ran for Governor of New York State from will house six apartments and up to three retail units. Please join us for the dedication and ribbon cutting on December 2 at 4pm. Building tours and a reception with free food and drink will follow. RSVP on Facebook and share this with your friends so we can have the best sized crowd possible. Thanks and see you there!

RSVP on Facebook Today!

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association over the past decade has generated over $10 million of investment and improved over 40 buildings. We are the only Non-Profit on Long Island to follow the Main Street Approach® to downtown revitalization.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Concerts at Christ Church presents Strings of Pure Delight, 11/14, 4pm



Concerts at Christ Church
presents...
Strings of Pure Delight

Christopher Morringiello, lute





Chirsopher Morringiello, lute

This Sunday at 4pm
YOU ARE INVITED!
Don't miss our first concert of the season!


Sunday, November 14 at 4pm -- Christopher Morringiello, lute

Concerts at Christ Church proudly presents a delightful evening of exquisite music by virtuoso lutenist Christopher Morrongiello. A graduate of the Mannes College of Music and University of Oxford, Dr. Morrongiello has been actively promoting the lute and its repertoire in concerts, recordings, and even academic journals for more than fifteen years. He has performed for HRM Queen of England and was a prizewinner in the BBC Radio Two Young Musician of the Year Competition. He performs on an authentic gut-strung Renaissance lute, and gives an account of this beautiful instrument’s fascinating history, cultural significance, and playing technique.
This is a free concert

Monday, November 8, 2010

Sagamore Hill Announces Veterans Day Observance, 11/11

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, home of President Theodore Roosevelt, will observe the contributions of veterans to the United States Armed Forces on November 11, 2010 with free admission and lectures about the Roosevelt family’s military service.

The admission fee for touring Colonel Theodore Roosevelt’s home will be waived by order of the Director of the National Park Service: “From everyone in the National Park Service, I extend gratitude to all who have served in the U.S. armed forces and defended the people, freedoms, and resources of this country,” said National Park Service (NPS) Director Jon Jarvis as he announced the fee-free day. “In honor of veterans, entry to the national parks, which preserve many of our nation’s finest natural and cultural resources, will be free on Veterans Day, November 11. I invite everyone to take advantage of this opportunity and savor places that our veterans have kept safe for us.” Guided tours of the home are available on the hour from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Visitors must obtain free tickets at the Visitor Center prior to visiting the home.
There will also be two special free programs offered to the public on November 11th. At 11:00am there will be a ranger lecture on the Roosevelts in the Great War, and at 2:00pm there will be a ranger lecture on The Roosevelt family in World War II. Both programs will be presented under the tent behind the Visitor Center.

Winter Schedule: Sagamore Hill is currently on winter schedule: open Wednesday through Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday. Tours of the home are limited to fourteen persons and are offered on the hour from 10:00am to 4:00pm. On busy days, especially weekends, tours often sell out by early afternoon. Please plan to come early in the day to take advantage of the Old Orchard museum, the nature trail and the grounds of the Roosevelt estate. Tour tickets are five dollars each and tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis for each day beginning at 9am. The grounds of Sagamore Hill are open year round from dawn to dusk.

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. For further information about any of this check out our website at www.nps.gov/sahi, call 516-922-4788.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Potter Donna Ferrara at Think Long Island First, 11/4, 5-7pm


Meet the Maker: Potter Donna Ferrara at Think Long Island First
Thursday, November 4th, 5 pm - 7 pm

Meet the Long Island potter Donna Ferrara who will present her work at the Think Long Island First store in Oyster Bay on Thursday, November 4th, from 5 pm to 7 pm. Donna will be happy to answer questions about her pottery and the creative process behind it.

Donna first studied pottery with the Japanese potter Makoto Yabe and later trained at the Radcliffe Pottery Center at Harvard.
She now runs a successful studio where she creates her own work and teaches students at all levels.

Her artistic explorations into shapes and glazes result in highly functional and beautiful stoneware.

Thanksgiving is around the corner, take this opportunity to stock up on serving dishes, plates, tea sets and more, all made by the artist in her Sea Cliff studio. They make great gifts, too!





Think Long Island First is dedicated to promoting goods made on Long Island by local artists and craftsmen. By selling things made locally, Think Long Island First lowers the environmental footprint by removing the long distance delivery of products. The company also lifts the barrier of anonymity and non-accountability by introducing to the general public not only the local products but also their makers.

Think Long Island First 36 Audrey Avenue Oyster Bay, NY 11771 516.584.3155
http://www.thinklongislandfirst.com/

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Tilles Center for the Performing Arts 30th Anniversary Gala features Oyster Bay artist Jerelyn Hanrahan

Nite Out installation by Jerelyn Hanrahan at Tilles Center


Oyster Bay, New York - Jerelyn Hanrahan , a professional artist who runs her studio Atelier, Studio / Fine Arts located in the Oyster Bay Hamlet was selected to install Nite Out for the 30th Anniversary of the Tilles Center.

The artist worked on the fabrication of this public art installation with local businnesses such as Sagamore Autobody , using their premises and expertise to prepare and paint the 30 foot strand of cast acrylic pearls. The artist also worked with East Norwich Dry Cleaners for the fabrication of a 15 foot mans shirt.

Nite Out celebrates the anticipation and excitement one experiences when preparing and dressing to attend an evening of culture.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Think Long Island Store Opens in Oyster Bay, Oct 7

September 26, 2010, Oyster Bay, NY – Two local Long Islanders will be launching Think Long Island First, a company dedicated to promoting goods made on Long Island, October 7 at the Grand Opening of its first storefront. Born from a deeply-felt desire to support local artisans, Think Long Island First will carry various products such as wood-turned objects, pottery, photography, stationary, metal sculpture, cosmetics, jewelry, knits, honey, jam and jellies – all crafted within the area. The store will be located inside Buckingham Variety Store at 36 Audrey Avenue in historic Oyster Bay.

The launch also follows part of a larger national trend to support local economies for reasons of local sustainability, transparency and greater social responsibility. The long-term goal of the company is to become a catalyst in the development of cottage industries on Long Island.

“We are thrilled to open our doors to the public next week. Think Long Island First will give residents and visitors to the area a great opportunity to enjoy and support the talented artists and craftsmen here on Long Island who just happen to be their neighbors,” said Ewa Rumprecht, who along with her partner Jolanta Zamecka, will both be at the event and available for interviews.


Artist wood turner Harry Wicks from Cutchogue, NY, will be at the Grand Opening of the store to represent the many artists whose wares will be sold there. He executes decorative and utilitarian wood objects - bowls, plates, vases, etc., mostly from Long Island wood.

The company founders started Think Long Island First with clear goals in mind:
  • Address green, environmental concerns
    Transportation of goods takes an enormous toll on the environment. Think Long Island First removes the long distance delivery of goods from the product life cycle. Ewa and Jolanta believe that Long Islanders should not only enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables grown on the fertile soil of the East End, but should also be able to dress in clothes made by their neighbors or decorate their homes with wares made within a short driving distance.
  • Enable guilt-free shopping
    Considering that slave and child labor still exist in many parts of the world, there is a need for a greater transparency in the production of goods. This can only be assured by maintaining close contacts with the manufacturers in one's own backyard. Think Long Island First removes the barrier of anonymity and non-accountability and presents makers to the consumers together with their products by publishing information about the makers on its website, by holding “Meet the Maker” events at the store and by organizing tours of workshops.
  • Promote sustainable Long Island
    Goods made locally and sold locally contribute to the economy of Long Island. Artists and craftsmen who are able to support themselves within their community can continue to develop their skills and create a wider range of products. Purchasing local goods
    promotes the sustainability of arts and crafts on Long Island.
Ewa Rumprecht, a musicologist by education, has years of experience as a programmer and an IT and localization manager in technology industry. Her latest, very rewarding involvement was with Smile Train, the charity helping children in poor countries obtain free cleft lip and palate surgery. She lives in Oyster Bay with three cats.

Jolanta Zamecka is a trained psychologist. Her career has followed many paths – psychology, stock brokerage, museum consulting, preservation advocacy and retail. She currently serves on the boards of Chamber Players International and the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. She also manages her husband Edward's busy medical practice, Z Medical Care. Jolanta is a long-time Oyster Bay resident.

For more information, please visit http://www.thinklongislandfirst.com/ .

ABOUT THINK LONG ISLAND FIRST
Think Long Island First is dedicated to promoting goods made on Long Island by local artists and craftsmen. By selling things made locally, Think Long Island First lowers the environmental footprint by removing the long distance delivery of products. The company also lifts the barrier of anonymity and non-accountability by introducing to the general public not only the local products but also their makers.

Media Contact:
Ewa Rumprecht, President
Think Long Island First
516.584.3155
ewa@thinklongislandfirst.com

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sagamore Hill Days Family Festival, Saturday, October 23



On Saturday, October 23rd Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will host a traditional Fall
Family Festival from 11am to 5pm at the site. The festival will celebrate
Sagamore Hill’s agricultural history as well as Theodore Roosevelt’s 152nd
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 Traditional American Band Music from Theodore
Roosevelt’s era performed by the Sagamore Hill Band.

Demonstrations will include a blacksmith, a bee-keeper and local partners
with a variety of conservation themed exhibits. 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. In
addition, there will be sheep shearing demonstrations. James Foote,
portraying Theodore Roosevelt, will be present all day.


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).

The rain date for the festival will be Sunday, October 24th.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Podcast of Oyster Bay Main Street Association Annual Meeting, 9/16/2010



The Annual Meeting for the Oyster Bay Main Street Association was held Thursday, September 16, 2010. Those in attendance enjoyed hearing updates on the work of the Main Street program, and guest speakers from the Town of Oyster Bay and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Phyllis Harrington. The Keynote Speaker was Nancy Melius-Murton from the Gold Coast Mansions Historic Long Island Alliance and Director of Marketing at Oheka Castle. The meeting was held in the historic Octagon Hotel, at 67 West Main Street in downtown Oyster Bay. For more information, please visit http://www.oysterbaymainstreet.org/.

For past OBMSA meetings, please visit:

Monday, September 13, 2010

Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill Glowing NYT Review


Accent on the Nautical, From a Lover of Sailing
By JOANNE STARKEY

A LOVE of sailing led Bernie DelBello to buy the restaurant Fiddleheads last year with a partner, Michael Ventre, in boat-loving Oyster Bay.

They ran the 10-year-old Fiddleheads under that name while preparing for its reopening as Jack Halyards in July. They added a new room, nearly doubling the dining space, and gave the bar its own dedicated room.

The name Jack Halyards — taken from a 19th-century fictional seaman — signals the sailing connection, as do the nautical flags in the bar. The walls of the new dining room are crowded with paintings, drawings, photographs and models of sailboats.

In a phone conversation after my visits, Mr. DelBello, who previously owned Walk Street restaurant in Garden City, said he wanted a place appropriate for milestone dinners yet casual enough for sailors coming off their boats. One night a family near us was celebrating a wedding anniversary; other diners, wearing shorts, had fresh sunburns attesting to a day on the water.

The menu caters to both groups with sandwiches and small plates, as well as full-fledged entrees with inventive accompaniments. The chef is David Glatzerman, an eight-year veteran of Fiddleheads, and his dishes, with only a few exceptions, were right on the mark. The smiling, attentive wait staff was another plus.

The best appetizer we tried was listed with the small plates, a mound of lush tuna tartare mixed with avocado and mango. We also liked the flavorful Manhattan clam chowder. A special of figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and drizzled with balsamic syrup was a light, appealing opener. The Caesar salad was standard, but the strawberry-endive salad with frisée, baby arugula, feta, mint and a honey-red wine vinaigrette was inventive and delicious.

Char-grilled Cajun oysters, six plump ones, were lightly cooked and had a bit of a welcome kick from cayenne and hot sauce, but the pecorino butter on top was a bit too assertive for the seafood.

Two selections from the small plates roster served nicely as entrees. Lobster sliders consisted of two tasty small sandwiches piled high with lobster, a bit of bacon and a slice of tomato. Seared baby lamb chops, which came with a slightly sweet honey-mint sauce, were initially served purple rare. (Our waitress had not asked how we wanted them cooked.) After a few more minutes on the grill, they were pale pink and juicy. A side of à la carte sautéed wild mushrooms was a treat.

Our favorite entree was the tender, juicy pork chop with a hickory-flavored crust crowned with a chutney of caramelized green apples and mint and set on a charred corn and black bean salad.
In close second place was the grilled mahi-mahi on a bed of potato and string-bean salad and topped with a pineapple-mango salsa. The fish and chips was another winner: the fries were ordinary, but the fish, with its light beer batter, was way above average.

The rib-eye steak, by far the most expensive entree at $32, was juicy and tender, and the roasted garlic Yukon mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus served with it were first rate. However, the meat was topped with a Gorgonzola-horseradish butter that was not mentioned on the menu. I like those flavors, but some diners might not.

Desserts are outstanding. The scene-stealer was a huge wedge of coconut cake, 11 layers of towering goodness: six layers of yellow cake, five of coconut custard, plus a fluffy seven-minute frosting under a blizzard of coconut. As good as it was, three of us could not finish it. A special of warm peach cobbler à la mode was even better, with buttery crumbs laced with brown sugar. An apple crisp was also noteworthy. Toasted coconut crème brûlée was thick and silken, and a flourless chocolate cake rich and fudgy, served with a mound of freshly whipped cream.
Sailors and nonsailors alike will find plenty to like at Jack Halyards. That goes double for those with a sweet tooth.

Jack Halyards 62 South Street
Oyster Bay
(516) 922-2999
jackhalyards.com

WORTH IT
THE SPACE Two appealing dining rooms, one casual and the other less so. One step at the entrance. Restrooms are wheelchair accessible.

THE CROWD A mix of celebratory groups, couples and casual boaters. Some children. The wait staff is attentive and personable.

THE BAR A separate room with a long bar, about a dozen stools and five high tables. Wine list of 48 bottles ($24 to $90) and 14 selections by the glass ($7 to $9).

THE BILL Dinner entrees, $10 (burgers and other sandwiches) to $32 (rib-eye steak). Prices are reasonable, with most entrees under $20. American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted.

WHAT WE LIKED Manhattan clam chowder, stuffed fresh figs, strawberry-endive salad, tuna tartare, lobster sliders, fish and chips, mahi-mahi, pork chop, rib-eye steak, all desserts.

IF YOU GO Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.; Monday to Thursday, noon to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m. Reservations are recommended, essential on weekends.

RATINGS Don’t Miss, Worth It, O.K., Don’t Bother.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Harvest Regatta Celebration Announced for October 8 in Oyster Bay

Oakcliff Sailing Center Clubhouse, 2 South St in Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay, New York— The Oyster Bay Main Street Association and the Oakcliff Sailing Center wish to invite the community to the first ever Harvest Regatta Celebration on October 8, 2010. The event will begin at 6:30pm with a strolling dinner in the quaint clubhouse and grounds of Oakcliff Sailing Center at 2 South Street in Oyster Bay. Festivities will continue later in the night next door with live music and dancing, a unique silent auction, and showing of the work of two talented local artists: Kirk Larsen and Bill Jonas. The Harvest Regatta to be held the following day (on Saturday) will showcase Oyster Bay’s beautiful classic yachts in their final race of the season.

Tickets are $75 in advance and $100 at the door. Online registration for the event is possible by visiting www.oakcliffsailing.org. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Sponsors will receive recognition in the event journal and marketing materials.

Your contribution will help to support the important work of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association. Over the past decade OBMSA has improved over 40 facades and signs, over 20 businesses have opened, and several major grants have been attracted to improve downtown Oyster Bay. Several new events have also been started including the Oyster Bay Sundown concert series and the Oyster Bay Farmers’ Market that have been very successful at attracting new people downtown.

Oakcliff Sailing Center which will also benefit from the event was formed in 2010, to raise the levels of sailors and competitive sailing in the U.S. The center is based in Oyster Bay and has made an overwhelmingly positive impact on the village in the brief time they have been here.

Several businesses have generously provided their support. Those providing food will include Canterbury Ales Oyster Bar & Grill, Christina’s Epicure, Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill, Saggios, and Tex Mex Grill. Sagamore Graphics of Oyster Bay has sponsored printing of the invitation. Dodds & Eder has generously donated decorative plants for the night of the event.

Some of the auction items will include an overnight stay at Oheka Castle, antique and collectible merchandise from Coin Galleries of Oyster Bay, a Sunday bruch for four at Rothmann's Steak House, ballroom dancing lessons at Bliss Studios, a private performance by internationally acclaimed opera singer Anthony Pulgram, and a sail with Oakcliff and dinner at Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill. Gift certificates from AK Salon, Angelina’s of East Norwich, Evolution Fitness, La Pizzetta, Luce Restaurant, Shangri La Spa, The Coach Grill and Tavern, and Wild Honey have also been donated and will be provided for auction.
Tickets may be purchased securely online by visiting http://www.oakcliffsailing.org/. Tickets may also be purchased by check, making this payable to OBMSA and sending this to PO Box 116, Oyster Bay, NY 11771. All proceeds are tax deductible and will jointly benefit the Oyster Bay Main Street Association and the Oakcliff Sailing Center.

Volunteers are needed to help the night of the event. For more information about sponsorship, tickets, or to volunteer please call (516) 922-6982 or write oysterbaymsa@gmail.com.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Sagamore Hill Offers Volunteer Opportunities for Public Lands Day, Sept 25

Call for Volunteers to Assist with Beach Clean-up and Invasive Plant Removal

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will offer Public Lands Day volunteer opportunities on Saturday, September 25, 2010. The activities will include a volunteer beach clean-up and invasive plant removal from 8:30AM to 12:00PM. Following the work period, refreshments and snacks will be provided behind the visitor center complements of the Friends of Sagamore Hill. In addition, participants over the age of fifteen will receive one free admission pass to be used for a future visit to a National Park Service site or other Public Lands in the United States. Participating Boy & Girl Scout groups will also receive Certificates of Participation. Please meet behind the visitor center at 8:30AM and be sure to wear appropriate shoes and old clothes. No reservations are required.

Fee Free on Public Lands Day!!!!

There is no charge to visit Sagamore Hill National Historic Site on September 25, 2010. Visitors will still need to obtain tickets to tour the home of the 26th president, which they should do upon arrival at the visitor center, located adjacent to the parking lot. Tours are offered on the hour, and on a first-come-first-served basis. Tours are limited to fourteen persons and it is very likely that all the tours will be filled by 1:00PM. Visitors are encouraged to come early in the day to reserve a tour time.

--NPS—

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.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

OBMSA Annual Meeting to be Held at Octagon Hotel, September 16, 7-9pm

Octagon Hotel as it appears today

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association will hold their Annual Meeting on September 16, 2010. The meeting will be held at the historic Octagon Hotel at 67 West Main Street from 7-9pm.

The Keynote Speaker for the meeting will be Nancy Melius-Murton, Director of Marketing at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York. This historic home of Otto E. Kahn was built between 1917 and 1919. Following a period of neglect, the home was purchased in 1984 by Gary Melius, and since then the estate and gardens have been lovingly restored. Nancy returned to Long Island a few years ago to spend more time with her family and to develop the family business. Subsequently she founded the Gold Coast Mansions Historic Long Island Alliance, which is working to market mansions and historic sites on Long Island.

Over the past decade OBMSA has been responsible for bringing about needed changes in downtown Oyster Bay. Over 40 building renovation projects, parking and public space improvements, and the opening of several new businesses have resulted.

In the past year alone significant results have come from investing the $200,000 New York Main Street grant. Highlights include expansion of Jack Halyard’s American Bar & Grill (formerly Fiddleheads), restoration of the 19th century Brower House on East Main Street across from the Doubleday-Babcock Senior Center, and new signs and awnings for the building housing Coin Galleries of Oyster Bay. Another project, renovation of the Townsend Inn Annex at 9 Audrey Ave has also yielded the first new business recruited – a furniture consignment business called Mill Pond Consignment.

This summer Main Street offered the second season of the popular Oyster Bay Sundown concert series on the First Thursday of each month. And on July 30 the popular and successful Oyster Bay Farmers’ Market was started. The markett will run every Friday through October 8 from noon-6pm by the U.S. Post Office. Thanks to these and other events, more people are discovering every day what Main Street members already know – that we live in a charming and desirable place.

Main Street's collaborative efforts working with other organizations were shown through special events held at Atelier Fine Arts / Studio, The Teaching Studios of Art, and Oakcliff Sailing Center. OBMSA and the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District recently formed a partnership to promote service learning opportunities.

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.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Author Heather Worthington Will Read "Miles of Smiles" at Sagamore Hill, Sept 4., 1:30pm


Oyster Bay, NY: On Saturday, September 4th at 1:30PM, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site is pleased to host author Heather Worthington who will read her recently published children’s book Miles of Smiles: Roxey the Railroad Dog. Following the reading, there will be a free children’s craft activity and Ms. Worthington will be available to sign copies of her book. Copies of Miles of Smiles are available for purchase in the Eastern National Bookstore and Gift Shop located in the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Visitor Center.

While at the site, children may also want to participate in one of four free Junior Ranger activities. These fun and educational activities teach children about the Sagamore Hill’s history and natural environment. Completion of the activities earns them a certificate and their very own Junior Park Ranger badge. Activity booklets and information are available at the Visitor Center and the Old Orchard Museum every day.

Please note that Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will adopt its five day operation off-season schedule beginning Tuesday, September 7th through Memorial Day 2011. The site will be open to the public on the Labor Day holiday, Monday, September 6th. During the off-season, visitor facilities, including the Roosevelt Home, will be open for tours and visitation Wednesday through Sunday only. However, the grounds of Sagamore Hill are open to the public year round from dawn to dusk without charge.

For further information about these programs or Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, visit our website at www.nps.gov/sahi or call 516-922-4788.

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, and to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his family and the significant events associated with him. Tours of the home are limited to fourteen persons and are offered on the hour from 10am to 4pm. Tour tickets are five dollars each and tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis each day beginning at 9 AM. The grounds of Sagamore Hill are open year round from dawn to dusk. For further information, visit our website at www.nps.gov/sahi, or call 516-922-4788.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Glen Cove Mansion to host Centennial Celebration, July 17



Glen Cove Mansion to host Centennial Celebration

Open House & Garden Party this Saturday, July 17th

Public Invited to Attend

Glen Cove, Long Island, NY ... On Saturday, July 17th, Glen Cove Mansion will host a public Open House and Garden Party from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Included at the event will be guided Mansion and Garden tours, fashions from America’s Gilded Age and England’s Edwardian Era, soccer and volleyball on the expansive Mansion lawns, games from the period including croquet and horseshoes, complimentary snacks, refreshments & beverages, and other assorted games and amusements including an old-fashioned tug-of-war finale! The Open House is in celebration of Glen Cove Mansion’s Centennial. The Public and the Media are invited to attend and admission is complimentary.

Glen Cove Mansion opened its doors to the John Teele and Ruth Baker Pratt family and their glittering society friends and business associates a century ago. The Georgian-inspired country home was one of five Pratt estates in Glen Cove. Mr. Pratt and his four brothers each had country homes constructed next to each other on land purchased by their father and the family’s patriarch, Charles Pratt. Charles Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, forming Charles Pratt and Company in 1867, which became part of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil in 1874. One of his most enduring contributions was Mr. Pratt’s founding and endowing the renowned Pratt Institute.

Although John Teele Pratt, who was an attorney and executive for Standard Oil, passed away in 1927, Ruth Baker Pratt continued to live in the Mansion until her passing in 1965. Mrs. Pratt made New York history following her husband’s death by being elected New York’s first Republican Congresswoman to the US Congress. She represented New York City's "Silk Stocking" district (Manhattan’s Upper East Side).

The Pratt Manor House ~ Now Glen Cove Mansion

Originally known as “The Manor,” the circa 1910, 55-acre estate of John Teele and Ruth Baker Pratt, which remains intact, was considered by England’s respected Country Life Magazine (still in print today) as one of the "best twelve country houses in America." The Mansion was designed by the noted architect, landscape designer and artist Charles Adams Platt (1861-1933) who also designed the Smithsonian Institution's Freer Gallery of Art (1918) in Washington, D.C. The Pratt’s Georgian mansion was set in pastoral surroundings, and was an integral part of the many glamorous estates, which once comprised Long Island's legendary North Shore Gold Coast during America’s Gilded Age.

Guests to the Mansion, now an award-winning Hotel and Conference Center, enjoy the same arrival experience of the Pratt family. Upon traversing the quarter mile drive to the Mansion from the front gates, guests enter the Mansion through a stately two-story stone columned portico entrance where visitors are welcomed by a uniformed greeter. Once inside the reception hall, visitors enjoy an elegant, baronial double staircase, imported paneling, antique crystal lighting fixtures, carved marble fireplace mantles, and original murals on the lunettes of the barrel arched cross hall -- which imparts a feeling of being enveloped in a wonderful bygone era. The Gilded Age elegance of the Pratt Family remains at Glen Cove Mansion, which has proven to be magnificent setting for countless weddings and social affairs as well. Jay Gatsby would feel at home!

For more information on Glen Cove Mansion’s Centennial Celebration Public Open House and Garden Party, or for reservations, please call 516-671-6400 or visit www.glencovemansion.com.

About Glen Cove Mansion

The award-winning Glen Cove Mansion Hotel is situated on 55 secluded and landscaped acres on Long Island's historic Gold Coast, 30 minutes from New York City by car and rail (Long Island Railroad, Oyster Bay line, Glen Cove Station), and close to JFK International and LaGuardia Airports. The spacious Georgian-style mansion features stunning vistas of Long Island Sound and was once part of a prestigious collection of gracious country estates, later becoming one of the nation's first dedicated conference center hotels. Today the elegant property features 187 richly appointed guestrooms, including four suites, the Garden Room Restaurant with magnificent views of the terraces, a large and comfortable Pub 1910, private dining rooms ideal for social and corporate occasions, as well as vast outdoor reception areas overlooking the mansion's Gilded Age gardens. The property offers 29,000 square feet of event and meeting space, with 27 dedicated conference rooms accommodating from 10 to 280 guests, advanced meeting technology, an executive business center and conference concierge services. Wireless Internet access is available throughout. Also provided are complete fitness and recreational facilities, including a sauna, steam and massage rooms, indoor swimming pool and whirlpool, garden swimming pool, racquetball courts, lighted tennis courts, jogging trail and a sports field. Golf is available nearby. Ideal for executive retreats, corporate meetings and social gathering, the Glen Cove Mansion is masterfully designed to integrate gracious accommodations, superb cuisine and attentive service with contemporary comforts and the latest technology. For more information on the Glen Cove Mansion Hotel, visit www.glencovemansion.com.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Sagamore Hill Presents Public Programs on July 22 & 23


Oyster Bay, New York - Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, the home of Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay, Long Island, will present the Oyster Bay Community Band along with an appearance from Theodore Roosevelt as portrayed by James Foote on Thursday, July 22nd from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM with a rain date on Friday, July 23rd. Under the direction of Stephen Walker, the band will perform traditional American music such as marches. This event is free and open to all.

The first floor of Theodore Roosevelt’s Home will be open for visitation. People are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to sit on the lawn. There will be no food concessions available, but please feel free to bring your own snacks to the event.


This event is part of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association organized “Sundown Series,” which brings people out to enjoy local cultural attractions with musical entertainment. For a full schedule of Sundown events visit: http://www.oysterbaymainstreet.org

For further information about these programs or Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, visit our website at www.nps.gov/sahi or call 516-922-4788.

-NPS-

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, and to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his family and the significant events associated with him. The site is open seven days per week. Tours of the home are limited to fourteen persons and are offered on the hour from 10am to 4pm. Tour tickets are five dollars each and tickets are sold on a first-come-first-served basis for each day beginning at 9 AM. The grounds of Sagamore Hill are open year round from dawn to dusk. For further information, visit our website at www.nps.gov/sahi, or call 516-922-4788.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Oyster Bay Sundown with Downtown Earth Duo, July 1, 7-9pm, Oyster Bay


July 1st will herald the Independence Day weekend with the jazzy return of John Bruschini and Dale Kleps as the “Downtown Earth Duo;” this time playing electric guitar and tenor saxophone, respectively. This concert will take place at Renaissance Plaza, in the courtyard on Audrey Avenue behind Chrison & Bellina at 24 Audrey Avenue. In case of rain, the music will set up at Atelier/Fine Arts, 9 East Main Street. Bring along a chair and supper if desired.

RSVP on Facebook!


Also enjoy these other events taking place downtown including...

ART WALK / "FIRST THURSDAYS NIGHT ON THE TOWN"- art, food, wine, and music. The walk features an international spectrum of contemporary artists. Other businesses and sites in town will be displaying artwork. Local restaurants will be exhibiting art and are offering a percentage off on meals, wine tastings, and more. Live music entertainment is scheduled. Cafes and restaurants will remain open late for dessert and coffee.
  • Chase Edwards Gallery (15 East Main Street), Atelier Studio / Fine Arts (9 East Main Street), and Art That Matters (55 West Main Street) having exhibitions featuring contemporary art from around the world, 7 P.M. to 9 P.M.
  • ART(that matters) exhibition opening for "TIME"- an anniversary show curated by Nada Marjanovich, editor and publisher of Long Island Pulse magazine. Refreshments served (courtesy of Canterbury Ales and Syosset Beverage). ART(that matters), 55 West Main Street (just up from Verelli's Market), 7 P.M. to 9 P.M.
  • The Teaching Studios of Art, an art school based in downtown Oyster Bay, will be open with an evening workshop and a tour of their school at 115 Audrey Avenue.
  • The TRA Gallery (20 Audrey Ave) will be holding a special silent auction of select artwork from its current exhibition TR and the Trail, now on view at the gallery on 20 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay. The auction will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. as part of July’s First Thursday ArtWalk. All proceeds from the sale of art will benefit the Theodore Roosevelt Association and its many charitable enterprises.
  • Jack Halyards American Bar & Grill (formerly Fiddleheads) will hold a restaurant grand opening party. Live music by The Blaggards. 62 South Street (formerly Fiddleheads), beginning 5 P.M.
  • Art will be also available for viewing at various downtown merchants, including The Baykery Cafe (124 South St), Canterbury Ales (46 Audrey Ave) with works on display rom the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, and Wild Honey (1 East Main St).

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Downtown Oyster Bay to Receive a Makeover on June 12-13



Oyster Bay, New York – Downtown Oyster Bay has been selected as the site for a 48-hour make-over. DoTank:Brooklyn is a well-regarded national consortium of planners, designers, and architects based in New York City. They will be providing their services for free over a two-day period to help transform a portion of Audrey Avenue Extension in downtown Oyster Bay.

Local leaders and community members will join them to participate in a short-term planning exercise on June 12-13, 2010. Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto has been very accommodating of the event, providing full support of the Town for these efforts. Improvements being made during these 48 hours will build support for plans and actions over the next 48 months, that will ultimately help to promote sustainable design and lasting change over the next 48 years.



Oyster Bay Main Street Association President Ellen Roché, speaking of the event, said “This highly visible high-impact event will provide the Oyster Bay community an opportunity to actively get involved in revitalization efforts. We hope this event will serve as a catalyst attracting interest and attention that will in turn help to attract resources for future improvements.”

Michele Browner, President of the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce which is helping to lead the event, said “This is about economic revitalization of the Hamlet, and the whole community coming together to make Oyster Bay an attractive place to live, work, do business, and play.”

A growing list of participants and groups are represented in the event, including:
  • The Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce is involved in planning and many Chamber members will be represented each of the two days.
  • The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum Preview Center at 100 Audrey Ave and the historic Long Island Rail Road Station will be open both Saturday and Sunday.
  • A Railroad Museum Café will be just south of the station, with food and drinks offered by V’s Hot and Sweet each of the two days.
  • Bliss Studios will offer a yoga class at 9:30am on Saturday, a ballroom dancing class at 6:30pm on Saturday, and a Zumba class 9:30am on Sunday, at 101 Audrey Ave.
  • A Healthy U will have ice cream and drinks on sale, with seating outside their store at 98 Audrey Ave.
  • Children’s art work from Not Just Art will be on display in a pop-up café also located at 101 Audrey Ave.
  • The Oyster Bay pop-up store at 91 Audrey Ave will feature gifts and merchandise from area historic sites and Oyster Bay organizations including Buckingham Variety Store, Raynham Hall Museum, Friends of the Bay, the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the Hispanic Cultural Center and numerous others.
  • Teaching Studios of Art will be offering a free art class at 115 Audrey Ave on Saturday from 3-5pm.
  • Renaissance Property Associates has graciously made several of their buildings in the area available for pop-up stores, workshop space, and a café.
  • For a complete and up-to-date listing of events, please visit www.oysterbaymainstreet.org.

Members of the public are invited to participate in activities to be held throughout the weekend.
  • A Farmer’s Market with produce, prepared food, and numerous other vendors, will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 2pm, in the parking lot north of Town Hall West.
  • Pinata making workshops will be held at 11am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday at the Bandstand between Town Hall and the U.S. Post Office.
  • A Community Planning Workshop will be held on June 12, from 1-3pm at 101 Audrey Ave, where community members and planners will talk about future changes in the next 48 months to 48 years.
  • An Outdoor Movie will take place Saturday, June 12, at 8pm in the pop-up park beside the historic Oyster Bay Long Island Rail Road Station at the end of Audrey Ave.
  • A Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay Tour will start at 91 Audrey Ave on Sunday at 2pm.
  • A Guided Bike Ride will take place Sunday, at 3pm, and leave from the Railroad Museum Plaza.
  • Live music, sidewalk chalk drawings, board games, a water feature, sandboxes, and other activities will provide fun and excitement for families and people of all ages.

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association, which is helping to organize the event, is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to enhancing and promoting an attractive and thriving downtown, while maintaining its historic integrity.

For more information, or if you or your business or organization want to participate in the Oyster Bay 48x48x48 event, please call (516) 922-6982 or send an e-mail to http://www.oysterbaymainstreet.org/contact.php.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Bliss Studio Announces Beach Yoga, Zumba, and other special workshops!

Bliss Studio
Workshop of the Month, Beach Yoga, and Zumba!
Workshop of the Month

Working With Props
with Natalie Mason

Props Are Not Just for Beginners!

Let Natalie Show You How Using Props

Can Help Expand & Deepen Your Yoga Practice


Saturday June 26th - 12PM - 2PM

____________________________________________



Beach Yoga
with Kristin Robillard
Starting this Sunday, June 27th at 7:30AM!
Wake up and Salute to the Sun with Kristin
Beekman Beach
Directions : Take Audrey Avenue straight down (it becomes Shore Avenue). At the end make a right into Teddy Roosevelt Beach. Just before the booths, make a left. Take this road all the way down until you come to Beekman Beach

* Class will be held weather permitting - class will not be held in inclement weather.
___________________________________________________________________________


New Saturday Zumba Class

with Rachel

Starting This Saturday Morning at 8:15AM

Join Rachel and Sweat and Groove in her Saturday Morning Zumba Class!

Save 20%
Save 20% on all Clothing and Jewelry!
June 18, 2010 - June 30, 2010

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Main Street and Partners Planning to Transform Audrey Avenue Extension, June 12-13


Audrey Avenue Extension to be transformed June 12-13 during 48x48x48

The Oyster Bay Main Street Association is pleased to announce that downtown Oyster Bay has been selected as the site for a downtown improvement project. DoTank:Brooklyn is a well-regarded national consortium of planners, designers, and architects whose members come from the Project for Public Spaces, Street Plans Collaborative, and other NYC-based planning, design, and architecture firms. They will be providing their services for free over a two-day period to help transform a portion of Audrey Avenue Extension in downtown Oyster Bay.

This group will work with local leaders and individuals to lead a short-term planning exercise on June 12-13, 2010. Supervisor John Venditto has been very accommodating of the initiative providing full support from the Town of Oyster Bay for these efforts. Improvements made during these 48 hours will help to build support for plans and actions over the next 48 months, that will ultimately help to bring sustainable design and lasting improvements for the next 48 years.

Main Street President Ellen Roché speaking of the event said, “This highly visible high-impact event will provide the Oyster Bay community an opportunity to actively get involved in revitalization efforts. We hope this event will serve as a catalyst attracting interest and attention that will in turn help to attract resources for future improvements.”

Some activities and events being planned are the creation of a “pop-up park” on Railroad Avenue, demonstrating the potential of a future Railroad Plaza project. A farmer’s market will be created in Municipal Lot #0-8 on Audrey Avenue just north of Town Hall West. Special workshops, classes, demonstrations, and events will be held for people of all ages. These activities will be especially focused on how, by working together, we can improve downtown Oyster Bay and other places like it.

To donate, volunteer, or find more info about participating, please call 516-922-6982 or send us a message today!



Oyster Bay Sundown Concerts on First Thursdays at Renaissance Plaza

Thank you for everyone who came out and helped to make our first Oyster Bay Sundown concert at Teaching Studios of Art such a success. Over a hundred people came out for an evening of socializing, entertainment, food and wine (compliments of Fiddleheads).

June 3rd will showcase Tom Licameli, a guitarist and songwriter of the Indie rock band “Knockout Drops” from New York City, and producer of their 2005 rock n’ roll theatre show Escape from Bellevue. For Oyster Bay, Tom will deliver a solo acoustic act of rock n’ roll classics, Beatles favorites, the Who, the Byrds, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Radiohead, and other contemporary greats. The June 3rd, July 1st, and August 5th concerts will take place at Renaissance Plaza, in the courtyard on Audrey Avenue behind Chrison & Bellina at 24 Audrey Avenue. In case of rain, the music will set up at Atelier/Fine Arts, 9 East Main Street. Bring along a chair and supper if desired.

You may RSVP for this event on our Facebook fan page.




TR and the Trail opens at TRA Gallery June 3

TR and the Trail continues the series of art exhibitions featured in TRA Gallery, the beautiful gallery space inside the Theodore Roosevelt Association’s headquarters at 20 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay. The upcoming exhibition, opening 3 June in conjunction with Sundown Oyster Bay and the First Thursdays Artwalk, presents artists from Connecticut and Pound Ridge, New York, as well as prominent Long Island artists.

Exhibiting artists include Sandra Benny, whose color pencil drawings evoke the delicacy and detail of flowers and feathers; James Foote, painter and Theodore Roosevelt interpreter; Hanneke Goedkoop, a master printer who finds inspiration in her Dutch heritage; Kendall Klingbeil, a painter regularly featured in the New York Times; Puneeta Mittal, a ceramicist whose Of the Earth series reminds us of the "preciousness of the everlasting material, clay, used to inform and educate us;” Franklin Hill Perrell, former chief curator of the Nassau County Museum of Art and longtime practicing painter; and Elizabeth Roosevelt, whose photographs range in subject from Oyster Bay to the farthest reaches of the globe.

TRA Gallery is committed to exhibiting the work of contemporary artists who interpret the passions of Theodore Roosevelt’s many-sided life. TR and the Trail evokes the power of nature’s trails to rejuvenate the soul and to provide, as they did for Roosevelt, a source of recreation, contemplation, and solace.

TR and the Trail will open with a gallery reception at TRA Gallery, 20 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY, on Thursday June 3, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. All proceeds from the sale of art will benefit the Theodore Roosevelt Association and its many charitable enterprises. For further information call 516-921-6319 or visit http://www.curatorialservices.com/