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Stony Brook Village Center

Look Book Luncheons

Foodies and shopaholics unite for a three-part series of luncheon fashion shows in Stony Brook Village. Each part of the series will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at a different restaurant and each will feature different fall styles from Mint, Chico’s, Loft and Madison’s Niche.

As guests enjoy their lunch, models will stroll through the restaurants, sharing information about the fall fashion they are wearing. The three-part series will take place on Nov. 3 at the Country House Restaurant; on Nov. 10 at Luca Modern Italian Restaurant; and Nov. 17 at Mirabelle Restaurant and Tavern at the Three Village Inn. Tickets are $35 per person at each restaurant for a prix fix lunch. 

To make your reservation, contact the restaurant directly. The Country House Restaurant’s phone number is 631-751-3332 and is located at 1175 North Country Road in Stony Brook. Luca Modern Italian Restaurant’s phone number is 631-675-0435 and is located at 93 Main Street in Stony Brook Village. Mirabelle Restaurant can be contacted at 631-751-0555 and is located in the historic Three Village Inn, at 150 Main Street in Stony Brook Village. 

Photo from WMHO

Black Friday returns to Stony Brook Village Center on Friday, November 25. Shop Black Friday deals all day long throughout the village, with carolers, live music, and a petting zoo from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., as well as the opening of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Enjoy carolers throughout the day.

Rocking Horse Farms will be set up in front of the Rustic Loft with a variety of animals for children to pet.  Burke and Brenda will be performing original and cover songs in the genres of R&B, Roots, Blues and Contemporary Acoustic at the Stony Brook Post Office. The Celestial Holiday Carolers will be performing holiday music throughout Market Square (shops between Luca Modern Italian Restaurant and Harbor Cleaners). Black Friday deals will be available all throughout the open-air center. A full list of Black Friday deals and sales will be available online at stonybrookvillage.com mid-November.

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame will be open to the public. The upstairs exhibit space will feature a permanent “Hall of Fame” with plaques and exhibits recognizing the over 100 and growing inductees. The main exhibit space will be the first rotating exhibit “Long Island’s Legendary Club Scene: 1960’s – 1980’s”.

Black Friday in Stony Brook Village is sponsored by News 12. For more information on Black Friday in Stony Brook Village, visit stonybrookvillage.com or call (631) 751-2244.

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Elected officials, Ward Melville Heritage Organization board members and philanthropists Harlan and Olivia Fischer announced the restoration of Stony Brook’s Hercules. Photo from WMHO;

A Long Island landmark is looking more vibrant.

The Hercules figurehead near Stony Brook Harbor. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization debuted the restored Hercules figurehead at a press conference on Oct. 14. Recently, philanthropists Harlan and Olivia Fischer, of Head of the Harbor, noticed the figurehead needed restoration and decided to sponsor its renovation. 

WMHO board members thanked the Fischers and the work crew from ART of NYC & Long Island who restored the piece located in the Hercules Pavilion overlooking Stony Brook Harbor, across from the Village Center. The Holbrook-based company was retained for the restoration, which included cleaning, sanding and replastering before repairing, painting and varnishing the landmark.

Richard Rugen, WMHO chairman, said, “It’s a work in progress, but [the Fischers] are actually going to take care of the rest of the pavilion as well.”

Additional work will be done on the weather-beaten pavilion in the near future, including roof work and painting.

Harlan Fischer, president of Branch Financial Services, moved his offices from Smithtown to Setauket in 2020. Every day he passes through the village on his way to work and back, he said, and appreciates how lovely Stony Brook village is. He asked WMHO president Gloria Rocchio if she thought the renovation would be a worthwhile project, and she agreed.

“When we make contributions to places, we like to see the results of it,” he said. The Fischers are also donors to The Jazz Loft and sponsor a monthly concert series at the music venue and museum.

The full-color Hercules carving, located in Stony Brook since 1951, features the head and shoulders of the Greek demigod — known for his exceptional strength — draped in a lion’s skin. The bust was once the USS Ohio’s figurehead. The ship was the first to be launched from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1820.

Rugen said the figurehead was saved when the ship was decommissioned, destroyed and sunk in Greenport Harbor in 1884. It was bought by the Aldrich family of Aquebogue for $10 at the time, and from the late 1800s until the early 1950s it sat at the Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays after the owner, Miles Carpenter, purchased it for $15. Ward Melville bought it from the inn to be placed in Stony Brook.

Brenda Sinclair Berntson, president of Hampton Bays Historical Society, said when Hercules was located at the inn, it was popular for young women to kiss his forehead, believing that the person would be married within the year.

She said the figurehead wasn’t in the best condition, rotting and termite-ridden when it was brought to Stony Brook.

“We’re very glad that Ward Melville had the foresight and saved it,” she said.

Danielle Parisi, business development manager of ART of NYC & Long Island, said as someone who grew up and still lives in Stony Brook, it was an honor to work on the project. Parisi’s co-worker, art restorer Jessie Kefalas, said in walking by the figurehead in the past it was obvious something needed to be done. There was significant damage including the rotting of the chest of Hercules, which is constructed of plaster and wood.

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) was also in attendance and commented on the efforts.

“We’ve seen projects like this before, and so often it’s because of the community spirit of  ordinary residents who love where they live or business people who reinvest in their community,” he said.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) called WMHO “one of the custodians of our heritage.”

He added that places such as the pavilion are in danger due to rising sea levels brought on by climate change, and the spot around the structure has experienced flooding after significant rain events. In the future, he said, the Hercules Pavilion could possibly be raised to protect it further, and when such a plan comes to fruition he pledged a $125,000 matching state grant to help with the costs.

Photo by Heidi Sutton

TIME TO VOTE!

Voting for the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s 32nd annual Scarecrow Competition has begun! Visit the scarecrows at the Stony Brook Village Center and vote for your favorites with a ballot from any shop through Oct. 26. The winners will be announced at the WMHO’s Halloween Festival on Oct. 31.   Photo by Heidi Sutto

Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]

 

Unveiling of the Jennie Melville garden. Photo from WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) has announced that the garden on the Jennie Melville Village Green in Stony Brook Village has been unveiled, thanks to PSEG Long Island and the Three Village Chamber of Commerce. The garden was originally planted in honor of Jennie Melville in 1948 by the Three Village Garden Club, which she founded. The Three Village Chamber of Commerce was the recipient of a $2,300 Beautification Grant funded by PSEG Long Island. The Chamber selected the Jennie Melville Village Green garden to receive a restoration including various plants, shrubs and flowers.

“PSEG Long Island is pleased to support the efforts of Three Village Chamber of Commerce to create this lovely garden in its shopping district,” said John Keating, manager of Economic and Community Development at PSEG Long Island. “The PSEG Long Island Beautification grant was crafted to help local businesses in downtowns and shopping areas that struggled through the pandemic. We are proud to fund this project that will help increase foot traffic to the area and enhance the shopping experience for everyone who visits.”

Pictured from left,  Jonathan Kornreich, Town of Brookhaven Councilmemeber; Mary Van Tuyl, Trustee, WMHO; Michael Ardolino, Board Member, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Jane Taylor, Executive Director, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Bill Faulk, Regional Public Affairs Manager, PSEG Long Island; John Keating, Manager of Economic and Community Development, PSEG Long Island; Dr. Richard Rugen, Chairman, WMHO; Charles Lefkowitz, President, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Gloria Rocchio, President, WMHO; Carmine Inserra, Board Member, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Nicole Sarno, Board Member, Three Village Chamber of Commerce; Kathleen Mich, WMHO Trustee; and Charles Napoli, Trustee, WMHO.

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation founded in 1939 by businessman and philanthropist Ward Melville. Inspired by his legacy to preserve historic and environmentally sensitive properties, the WMHO continues to protect and interpret these Long Island treasures. The organization creates interdisciplinary educational and cultural experiences that integrate history, art, theater, music, science, and technology for all ages. The organization owns and manages properties deeded to it by Ward Melville, including the Brewster House (c. 1665), the Thompson House (c. 1709), the Stony Brook Grist Mill (c.1751), which are listed on the state and national register for historic places, the Dr. Erwin Ernst Marine Conservation Center, the pristine 88-acre wetlands preserve at West Meadow, the 11-acre T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond and adjacent park, two-acre Upper Pond, and the two-acre Jennie Melville Village Green. To learn more about the WMHO, visit www.wmho.org or call (631) 751-2244

The Groomery won first place in the professional category in last year's scarecrow competition. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Photo from WMHO

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization is currently accepting submissions for its annual Scarecrow Competition. This will be the 32nd year the spooky and silly six-foot creations will adorn the pathways of picturesque Stony Brook Village Center for visitors to enjoy and vote for their favorite.

You can pick up a registration form at any of the shops in Stony Brook Village, or you can download it digitally from the events section of the Stony Brook Village Center website. To enter this competition, please return the completed registration form to The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, P.O. Box 572, Stony Brook, NY 11790, with the entry fee of $30 by Sept. 23.

Vote for your favorite scarecrows by picking up a ballot at any of the shops and restaurants at the Stony Brook Village Center from Oct. 1 and 26. Deadline for voting is Oct. 26. Winners will be notified on Oct. 28 by 5 p.m. and will be announced during the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Halloween Festival on Oct. 31.

For more information on the Scarecrow Competition, please call the WMHO at 631-751-2244.

 

Park sitting at his favorite bench in Stony Brook Village. Photo by Barbara Anne Kirshner

By Barbara Anne Kirshner

SWEET 16! A milestone in the life of a teenager-a threshold into exciting adventures on the horizon whether it be college, military service, work, Sweet 16 ushers in all of life’s expectations with parents right there to rejoice and take pride in accomplishments awaiting their child.

BUT what if the Sweet 16 is your precious dog? In that case, 16 becomes a dreaded number foreshadowing the impending end. You look at your little charge and instead of being filled with joys for the future, you are reduced to the dread of that haunting overriding question “WHEN?” When will your companion suffer the ravages of old age? When will our time together run out? When will you experience your last day together and be forced to whisper “goodbye”?

All these thoughts fill me with dread. Park has been the BEST boy, my special little man. I’ve written about how we met; how I was hesitant to take on another dog with two at home already; how he became Park The Christmas Puppy having joined our family on Christmas 2006; how he became my traveling buddy; how strangers marveled at how good he was in his stroller as we toured local stores; and how, on numerous occasions, cars stopped, and people called out, “That is the most beautiful dog I’ve ever seen!”

Park sitting at his favorite bench in Stony Brook Village.
Photo by Barbara Anne Kirshner

Then the day came when my editor asked me to write an article on the 2014 motorcycle exhibit at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Educational and Cultural Center in Stony Brook Village. The curator asked me to come down on July 3, Park’s birthday. I couldn’t bear to leave my boy on his special day, so I asked if he could join and thankfully, Park was welcomed. They were impressed with how good he was as we toured the exhibit and how he let me work just as long as I was in his eyesight.

The curator suggested that Park and I stop off at the Village Green, a lush park-like section fronting quaint shops at the Stony Brook Village Center. Park and I were delighted with this picturesque spot and we rested for the first time on what was to become “Park’s Bench.” That was the first of our annual visits to this special bench overlooking Stony Brook Harbor. Every year since then, no matter what we have planned for his birthday celebration, we pause at his bench — two friends sitting and enjoying a few quiet moments together before the rest of his birthday festivities begin.

Last year Park was paralyzed, having gone down May 15, 2021, through the summer including his birthday. Then miraculously, through constant visits to the vet for treatments, he regained the use of his hind legs in late September 2021.

Now, at 16, his face shows signs of age though amazingly, he hasn’t grayed, but his eyes now lack that playful sparkle once so prevalent and that constant energy is gone. He has a decided tremor that seems to be more apparent with each passing day and lately he’s faltering again when he walks.

Yet I am blessed to have my little man at Sweet 16, to still be able to pet him and look into those loving eyes. But TIME and the BIG question “WHEN” loom large.

When Park decides he has had enough of this world, it will be one of the greatest hits in my life as there is no consolation for the loss of a loved one. The only solace for me comes from an adage from Brandon McMillan of the original Lucky Dog series:

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

A resident of Miller Place, Barbara Anne Kirshner writes theater reviews for TBR News Media and is a freelance journalist, playwright and author of “Madison Weatherbee — The Different Dachshund.

Luca Restaurant ribbon cutting. Photo from WMHO

It’s official! Luca Restaurant, 93 Main St. in Stony Brook Village is set to open on Tuesday Aug. 30. In anticipation, a soft opening and ribbon cutting was held on Aug. 18.  

“We are excited to bring Luca and modern Italian cuisine to Stony Brook Village Center with exceptional food and service, great vibe and beautiful ambiance. We look forward to serving the community for many years” said David Tunney, partner, Luca Restaurant.

“Luca will be a great addition to the Center. Their modern Italian cuisine is superb and brings an exciting new style to the area” added Gloria D. Rocchio, President, Stony Brook Village Center.

Old Fields Hospitality Co. partners David Tunney (Ward Melville graduate and partner of Besito Mexican) Rory Van Nostrand, Anthony Argiriou, and Chef Luke DeSanctis are a great team with decades of fine dining and hospitality experience.

Dinner will be served Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 4 to 9 p.m. Lunch hours will be available this Fall. To make a reservation, visit their website at www.lucaitalian.com or call 631-675-0435.

Pictured from left, Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) Trustees, Andy Skitmore, Charles Napoli, Mary Van Tuyl, Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, WMHO Chairman, Dr. Richard Rugen, Luca partners Rory Van Nostrand, David Tunney, Anthony Argiriou, and Executive Chef & Partner, Luke DeSanctis, WMHO President, Gloria D. Rocchio, Head of the Harbor Mayor Doug Dahlgard, WMHO Trustees, James Murdocco, Laura Ernst and Graham Scaife.

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After being vacant for nearly a year, 93 Main St. in Stony Brook Village Center will be filled with the aroma of food once again.

The location that was once occupied by Pentimento Restaurant will now house Luca restaurant. Specializing in modern Italian cuisine, it’s set to open on Aug. 30, serving dinner Tuesday through Sunday. In the fall, the owners plan to also open for lunch.

“Luca will be a great addition to the center,” said Gloria Rocchio, president of Stony Brook Village Center in a press release. “Their modern Italian cuisine is superb and brings an exciting new style to the area.”

David Tunney, who grew up in Setauket and graduated from Ward Melville High School, is one of the partners along with Rory Van Nostrand, Anthony Argiriou and chef Luke DeSanctis. Tunney, pictured on the front page second from right, has been in the restaurant industry for nearly 40 years. In 2019, he bought the former Raga Indian restaurant on Old Town Road and turned it into Old Fields Barbecue, now renamed Old Fields Tavern. In addition to the Setauket and Stony Brook spots, he  owns Old Fields restaurants in Port Jefferson and Greenlawn, and Old Fields Barbecue with Ella’s in Huntington. He is also one of the founders of the Besito Restaurant Group along with his brother John and co-owner of Besito Mexican restaurants in Huntington and Roslyn.

A reception at Luca was held Aug. 18 to give invitees a sneak peek at the new place. Those in attendance included members of the Three Village Chamber of Commerce, The Ward Melville Heritage Organization trustees, elected officials and more.

The night included a sample of appetizers and cocktails with invitees enjoying the modern interior of the restaurant and bar area as well as an outdoor dining area. Tunney said he and his partners envisioned the look of Luca even before construction began earlier this year.

The restaurateur was involved with construction and setting up the new place, including driving upstate with a U-Haul to pick up decorative columns made of red pine trees that were hand-peeled, cut and treated. 

Tunney said it’s nice owning restaurants in his former hometown and seeing familiar faces. Luca will seat 80 to 90 people, and he said the dining experience will include a four-course menu, which he described as a great value, but food can also be ordered a la carte.

Tunney and his partners are currently working on a few finishing touches before the restaurant opens for dinner on Aug. 30.

For those who plan to dine at Luca, Tunney said they promise “exceptional service, amazing food, a great vibe and a beautiful atmosphere.”

By Serena Carpino

During the summer, Stony Brook Village Center is often bustling with friends grabbing iced coffee from Crazy Beans and families enjoying Sweet Mama’s ice cream after a long hike at Avalon Nature Preserve. Last Saturday, they were greeted by a friendly quartet of critters during one of Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s Pop-Up Saturday events. 

The animals were visiting from the rehabilitation program run by Sweetbriar Nature Center. Sweetbriar is a non-profit organization that provides shelter for injured animals and educates the public about the environment.

At the event, families met four different animals: Stitch the red-tailed hawk, Oreo the hedgehog, Holly the box turtle, and Turnip the eastern screen owl. They were able to pet Oreo and Holly as Christionna Carini, a Sweetbriar employee, told their stories. Oreo’s previous owner gave her up after learning that hedgehogs are nocturnal. Holly is one of many box turtles at the center.

“We have a lot of box turtles because they are at risk for habitat loss or injuries,” Carini said, “We also have box turtles that are perfectly healthy but since we don’t know where they came from we can’t release them.”

Though the families were not allowed to pet Stitch and Turnip, Carini shared their stories as well. Stitch was injured by a truck and suffered multiple injuries.

“Oftentimes what happens is people might throw an apple core out the window, a squirrel might run across the road for it and then the hawk goes for the squirrel,” Carini said.

Though Stitch lost an eye and part of her wing after the accident, she was fortunate that her bone breakage was not severe. Turnip has bad vision, which currently prevents him from surviving in the wild. 

During the afternoon, about 60 people attended the Pop-Up event. This is not the first time Sweetbriar employees have brought animals to community events. Gloria Rocchio, president of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, said, “Over the years we’ve had them come to different events either in our cultural center or on the property. They are a very good nature preserve and rehabilitation facility.”

According to Rocchio, the Pop-Ups have been a popular source of entertainment for families throughout the summer.

“With the success that we’re receiving from the general public … we will definitely be doing more of them next year,” she said.

Pop-Up Saturdays, which are sponsored by Edward Jones of Stony Brook, will continue at the Stony Brook Village Center until Aug. 27. Rain dates are the following Sunday.

Aug. 13 features storytelling and sing-alongs for kids with Johnny Cuomo from 2 to 3 p.m. at the inner court and Burke & Brenda from 2 to 4 p.m. in front of the post office. Aug. 20 there will be adoptable dogs from 2 to 4 p.m. and a free martial arts class from 2 to 3 p.m. Marty Macaluso will be on hand Aug. 27 for caricatures.