Check out some of the Town of Brookhaven’s upcoming fall programs at your local recreation centers.
Henrietta Acampora Recreation Center
39 Montauk Highway, Blue Point, NY 11715
(631) 451-6163
Yoga
This class includes standing postures, strengthening exercises on a mat, seated stretches and guided relaxation. Our practice supports strength, agility, flexibility, and balance, while reducing stress and having fun. Please bring a yoga mat, yoga blocks or a rolled towel.
Date: Mondays, October 23, November 20,27, December 4, 11,18
(Pre-register by Friday, October 20, 2023)
Time: 1pm – 2pm
Fee: $35.00 per 6-week session
New Village Recreation Center
20 Wireless Road, Centereach, NY 11720
(631) 451-5307
Zumba
This high-energy cardio aerobics class combines Latin and international beats with salsa, merengue, cha-cha, samba, hip-hop and belly dancing.
Date: Mondays, October 30, November 6, 13, 20, 27, December 4
Fridays, October 20, 27, November 3, 10, 17, December 1
(Pre-register by Wednesday, October 18, 2023)
Time: Mondays 10:30am – 11:30am
Fridays 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Fee: $40.00 per 6-week session
Robert E. Reid, Sr. Recreation Center
Defense Hill Road & Route 25A, Shoreham, NY 11786
(631) 451-5306
Jump Bunch Jr. (ages 3-5)
Learn a new sport each week. Sports include soccer, football, lacrosse and volleyball. No equipment necessary. Just bring water.
Date: Fridays, October 20, 27, November 10, 17, December 1, 8
(Pre-register by Wednesday, October 18, 2023)
Time: 4pm – 5pm
Fee: $60.00 per 6-week session
Jump Bunch (ages 6-9)
Learn a new sport each week. Sports include soccer, football, lacrosse and volleyball. No equipment necessary. Just bring water.
Date: Fridays, October 20, 27, November 10, 17, December 1, 8
From left, Hip Hop Legends Half-pint (Son of Bazerk) and DJ Johnny Juice (Public Enemy) will participate in the next TeachRock training workshop for local teachers at LI Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Photo courtesy of LIMEHOF
As part of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHoF) partnership with rock and roll legend Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock organization announced earlier this year, LIMEHOF will host the second in a series of free TeachRock workshops for teachers sponsored by Harmony Insurance at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook location, 97 Main Street, Stony Brook, on Sunday, October 15 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
These workshops are free (registration required) for teachers in the Long Island and New York City area. This workshop has a 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop theme and Hip-Hop artists Half-Pint from Son of Bazerk and DJ Johnny Juice from Public Enemy have recently announced they will participate. Both artists also have backgrounds in education.
“TeachRock champions the integration of arts in public education through a groundbreaking, transformative methodology, promising a paradigm shift for generations to come,” said Tom Needham, LIMEHoF’s Educational Programs Director. “This approach can propel high school graduation rates and foster lasting change.”
These are free workshop events, sponsored by Harmony Insurance, open to local area teachers with registration. Teachers can register on TeachRock’s workshop registration page https://teachrock.org/LIMEHOF/.
The workshops will be taught by TeachRock Star Teacher Stephanie Arnell who is a veteran Freeport Public Schools educator who has helped her district embrace arts integration and had fun doing it! She’s excited to share her tips and the free TeachRock lesson plans she uses with local educators. All attendees are granted free access to the museum following the event and are eligible for NY CTLE credits through TeachRock.
“We are so excited to have two of Long Islands Hip-Hop icons join us in discussing the dynamic growth of rap music, culture and sampling since the early days of the art. These legends share their stories and experiences from the 80s to present,” said Arnell. “Looking at curriculum through a musical lens keeps students engaged while they don’t even realize they are learning. For example, learning the history of MLK Day through Stevie Wonder’s song “Happy Birthday” or using data from Beyonce’s Instagram account to practice calculating ratios. I’ve seen in my classroom the way students’ gravitate towards TeachRock lessons and I’m excited to spread that enthusiasm to teachers and students on Long Island.”
Launched in 2002 by Van Zandt and the Founders Board of Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen, TeachRock.org provides free, standards-aligned resources that use music to help K-12 students succeed in science, math, social studies, and language arts, among other subjects. TeachRock improves students’ lives by filling every classroom with the sound, stories, and science of music. Nearly 60,000 educators—representing all 50 states—are registered at Teachrock.org.
“TeachRock teachers don’t tell kids to take out their earbuds, they ask them what they’re listening to and then make connections between their favorite music and the core curricula they need to master to succeed in life,” said TeachRock founder Steven Van Zandt. “This partnership will help my TeachRock team create more of those educators whose cool class keeps kids coming to school.”
The workshops are made possible by Harmony Insurance. “Harmony Insurance is proud to sponsor TeachRock’s Long Island Music Workshops for teachers, aiming to inspire and educate through music,” Harmony Insurance said in a statement.
“We’ve seen for years how the shared interest in music helps forge connections between teachers and students, and every year we witness how arts-integrated math, science, and social studies classes pull students from the margins and inspire them to participate,” said Bill Carbone, TeachRock Executive Director. “We’re thrilled to partner with LIMEHOF to help as many LI teachers as possible get excited about inspiring their students through the arts.”
In participation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Teen Driver Safety Week, the Brookhaven Highway Department will be offering a Teen Driver Safety Program at Safety Town in Holtsville on Thursday, Oct. 19, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Teenagers 15 and older and their parents are invited to participate in an interactive experience exhibiting the dangers of texting or drinking and driving. During this intense, real-life program, certified instructors with many years of defensive driving and accident investigation experience will talk with participants about the importance of developing safe habits when traveling the roadways. Teens will then use electric cars to complete obstacle courses designed to simulate driving while texting and impaired. Pre-registration is required.
“Programs such as this are crucial in showing young, new drivers the tremendous threats drunken or distracted driving can create,” said Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Daniel P. Losquadro. “We want to make sure students understand that when they’re behind the wheel of a car, it is entirely within their control to prevent a tragic accident caused by driving while distracted or impaired.”
Located at the Holtsville Ecology Site, 249 Buckley Road in Holtsville, Safety Town is a miniature village with an indoor and outdoor educational facility. Throughout the year, Safety Town hosts bicycle safety rodeos, car seat inspections, teen distracted driving programs, and defensive driving classes.
Call 631-451-5335 for more information or to register.
This is a view of the 2021 Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, N.Y. on September 21, 2021.
This is a view of the 2021 Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, N.Y. on September 21, 2021.
This is a view of the 2021 Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, N.Y. on September 21, 2021.
This is a view of the 2020 The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, NY on October 1, 2020.
This is a view of the 2020 The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, NY on October 1, 2020.
By Kimberly Brown
Get ready to be enchanted by the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, an annual family tradition on Long Island showcasing thousands of creatively carved pumpkins crafted by Blaze’s skilled team of carving artisans. From September 22 to November 5, this family-friendly Halloween experience will take place along an easily walkable half-mile loop at Long Island’s historic 19th-century village, the Old Bethpage Village Restoration.
As the county’s largest Halloween event, Blaze has successfully attracted tens of thousands of visitors since its opening in September. Playing a crucial part in honoring Long Island’s history through the exhibition is Michael Natiello, the Creative Director, who has been showcased on HGTV, the TODAY show, and numerous national broadcasts.
“The exhibits are very photogenic, highly artistic, and of course extremely relevant for the fall season,” said Natiello. “Our artisans work very hard to create magnificent sculptural installations, carved and built right on the Old Bethpage Restoration property. In addition to the initial 7,000 jack o’lanterns, over 800 new pumpkins are carved and added to the experience each week, some taking up to four hours each to design and carve!”
Blaze’s latest 2023 displays are sure to impress many, as they celebrate the cultural heritage of Long Island. The exhibition will showcase pumpkin portraits of beloved local icons like Billy Joel and Joan Jett, an enchanting “Bones Beach” tribute to Jones Beach complete with pumpkin deep-sea divers, a colossal octopus, a majestic humpback whale, and many other marine creatures as well as the Long Island Lighthouse and an array of other captivating attractions!
“What sets Blaze apart from other local Halloween-themed experiences is that parents can feel comfortable knowing it’s family-friendly, safe, and a gorgeous feast for the eyes!” said Rob Schweitzer, Historic Hudson Valley Vice President for Communications & Commerce. “Steeped in Long Island culture and history, we design our event so all ages can make memories along our candlelit, easily walkable pathway.”
This year includes live, nightly pumpkin carving by Blaze’s expert team of pumpkin carving artisans, the Blaze Boo-tique featuring seasonal gifts and fun merchandise, and Café Blaze, an on-site café featuring fall treats, pumpkin beer, and wine. Proceeds from ticket purchases support the preservation of Old Bethpage Village Restoration and the educational programming of Historic Hudson Valley.
Blaze has limited capacity and all admissions are by advance purchase timed ticket or FLEX anytime ticket. No tickets are sold on-site, and the event is held rain or shine. Online tickets start at $29 for adults and $19 for children 3-17 and are free for children 2 and under. For tickets and event dates, visit www.pumpkinblaze.org.
Old Bethpage Village Restoration is located at 1303 Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage.
The Songs Of Jimmy Webb concert will be held on Oct. 15.
By Rita J. Egan
Local musicians are preparing to celebrate the music of a Long Island songwriter, composer and singer.
WUSB’s Sunday Street Concert series at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook on Oct. 15 will showcase the music of longtime Nassau County resident Jimmy Webb.
The singer/songwriter has enjoyed worldwide success with hits such as “Up, Up and Away,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “MacArthur Park” and more sung by iconic singers, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt, Tony Bennett, Josh Groban and countless others.
The only artist ever to have received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration, Webb was inducted in the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2018.
Co-producers Charlie Backfish and Pete Mancini have lined up Long Island musicians Gene Casey, Caroline Doctorow, Andrew & Cole Fortier, Delaney Hafener, Claudia Jacobs, Brian Kachejian, Ray Lambiase and Tom Moran for the concert titled The Songs of Jimmy Webb.
Mancini, who has worked with Backfish and Webb, is a singer and musician who will also perform two of Webb’s hits, including “Met Her on a Plane.” His favorite rendition is from country rock/folk rock musician Iain Matthews, who recorded the song on his album Journeys from Gospel Oak.
“I’ve been kind of modeling my version after his just because it’s guitar-based and his vocal is incredible,” Mancini said. The musician described learning about Webb’s discography as a “mind-blowing experience.”
“There are so many tunes that go under the radar,” he said.
Caroline Doctorow said she was thrilled when Backfish called her. Among her favorite Webb songs is Wichita Lineman, sung by Glen Campbell.
“To my ears, it’s still one of the best records I’ve ever heard,” she said. “It has that very iconic electric guitar part. A lot of people have sort of borrowed from that sound.”
She described Webb as a “master” comparable to Bob Dylan and folk singer and songwriter Nanci Griffith.
“When you study their songs, there’s a lot of magic to them, and you can’t quite dissect them in terms of songwriting technique,” she said.
Doctorow is working on “If These Walls Could Speak” and “Galveston.” She said the key to singing an iconic song is picking one that fits the singer’s voice and listening to other versions to get an idea of what one likes and doesn’t like.
Gene Casey said when asked to perform, he knew he wanted to sing “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” a song he has performed in his solo acts.
“I always marvel at the fact that Jimmy Webb was like 23 years old, or around that age, when he wrote a very, very mature song,” he said. “There are thousands of songs about people being left behind, but it’s rare to find a good song about the person who was leaving. I’ve always been attracted to what a great song that was.”
He said he was surprised when Backfish called again and asked if he would consider performing “MacArthur Park,” too. Backfish told him about the Waylon Jennings version. Casey described it as a “stripped down and more countrified” version compared to Richard Harris’ song with orchestrated strings.
“A good song is a good song. It doesn’t matter what arrangement is used,” Casey said.
Backfish described Webb’s music as “a catalog that transcends different genres” and said he is looking forward to hearing what the musicians have planned.
“Each artist will pretty much put their own stamp on a Jimmy Webb song, so it may not be exactly the way it initially was recorded, but it will be an interpretation of it, which I think makes it an interesting evening,” he said.
The Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook presents The Songs of Jimmy Webb in the Carriage Museum’s Gillespie Room on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance at www.sundaystreet.org, $25 (cash only) at the door.
Victoria Wyeth returns to the Reboli Center on Oct. 21. Photo courtesy of Reboli Center
This spooky season, The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main Street Stony Brook Village invites the community to a Costumes & Cocktails with the Wyeths fundraiser event on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 7 to 9 p.m.
“The late artist Joseph Reboli loved the fall, especially Halloween and pumpkins and enjoyed painting the vivid colors of the season and capturing the magic and moodiness of autumn,” according to Lois Reboli, founder and president of The Reboli Center for Art and History. The noted Wyeth family is also enamored by this time of year and Victoria Wyeth will share spooky, seasonal stories and a slide presentation of works of art inspired by the autumn by her famous grandfather, Andrew Wyeth, as well as her uncle, artist Jamie Wyeth. The Wyeths were known to have special fun on Halloween including wearing pumpkins on their heads!
“We are thrilled to welcome back Victoria to our Center for this fun filled event, which includes a Halloween themed costume contest with the best outfit winning a $100 gift certificate to the Design Shop,” added Lois Reboli. Costumes are optional, but everyone is encouraged to express their spirit of the season whether focusing on the intense and vibrant colors of pumpkins and harvests or the mysteries imagined by the gloomy dusk and dark nights. In addition to Victoria’s presentation about the Wyeths fascination with Halloween, there will be time for questions, followed by cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres.
This Halloween event is sponsored by the Ferentinos Family. Tickets cost $100, $75 of which is a tax deductible donation, and may be purchased on line at www.rebolicenter.org or by calling the Center at 631-757-7707. Reservations are required.
The Reboli Center for Art and History is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 631-757-7707.
Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Church, 38 Mayflower Ave., Smithtown presents a “Byzantine Traditional Luncheon — To Go!” fundraiser event on Sunday, Oct. 22 from noon to 4 p.m. Lunch includes Troika platter — stuffed cabbage, kielbasa and pierogi; cucumber salad; rye bread; dessert; and a bottle of water for $25. Pre-order deadline is Oct. 14. To place your order, please call Joanne at 631-332-1449.
The Jazz Loft, located at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook, will be offering an exclusive wine tasting event in the Loft’s Coal Bin, on Thursday, October 12 from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
The tasting, lead by Laura Landor and Tom Manuel, will feature six wines and offerings of gourmet cheeses and hors d’oeuvres that will be prepared with each wine.
The Coal Bin, affectionately refered to as the Jazz Loft’s Speakeasy, transports patrons back in time when special permission was needed to enter such an establishment (HINT: the password is Tom Manuel’s favorite cocktail) and turntables played vintage music using vinyl records on a rare BIG sound system.
The evening is limited to just 12 people, so reserve your spot early. Tickets are $125. For more information and tickets visit thejazzloft.org
On Sunday, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 99th birthday. While he is currently in hospice care, most of his last decade, he has been healthy and active.
Living into your 90s is becoming more common. According to the National Institutes of Health, those in the U.S. who were more than 90 years old increased by 2.5 times over a 30-year period from 1980 to 2010 (1). This group is among what researchers refer to as the “oldest-old,” which includes those aged 85 and older.
What do they all have in common, other than age? According to one study, they tend to have fewer chronic medical conditions or diseases. Because of this, they tend to have greater physical functioning and mental acuity, along with a better quality of life (2).
In a study of centenarians, genetics played a significant role. Characteristics of this group were that they tended to be healthy and then die rapidly, without prolonged suffering (3). In other words, they grew old “gracefully,” staying mobile and mentally alert.
Factors that predict one’s ability to reach this exclusive club may involve both genetics and lifestyle choices. Let’s look at the research.
How important is exercise?
We’re repeatedly nudged to exercise. Why? Results of one study with over 55,000 participants from ages 18 to 100 showed that five-to-ten minutes of daily running, regardless of the pace, can significantly impact our life span by decreasing cardiovascular and all-cause mortality (4).
Amazingly, even if participants ran fewer than six miles a week at a pace slower than 10-minute miles, and even if they ran only one to two days a week, there was still a decrease in mortality compared to nonrunners. Those who ran for this very limited amount of time and modest pace potentially added three years to their life span.
An accompanying editorial to this study noted that more than 50 percent of people in the United States do not meet the current recommendation of at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day (5).
A study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in 2022 found that those 85 and older reduced the risk of all-cause mortality 40 percent by walking just 60 minutes a week at a pace that qualified as physical activity, not even exercise (6).
Does reducing animal protein consumption help?
A long-standing dietary paradigm has been that we need to eat sufficient animal protein. However, many are questioning the value of this, especially as it relates to longevity.
In an observational study of 7,000 participants from ages 50 to 65, results show that those who ate a high-protein diet with greater than 20 percent of their calories from protein had a had a 75 percent increase in overall mortality, a four-times increased risk of cancer mortality, and a four-times increased risk of dying from diabetes during the following 18 years (7).
However, this did not hold true if the protein source was plants. In fact, a high-protein plant diet may reduce the risks, not increase them. The reason, according to the authors, is that animal protein may increase insulin growth factor-1 and growth hormones that have detrimental effects on the body.
The Adventists Health Study 2 trial reinforced these findings. It looked at Seventh-day Adventists, a group that emphasizes a plant-based diet, and found that those who ate animal protein once a week or less had a significantly reduced risk of dying over the next six years compared to those who were more frequent meat eaters (8). This was an observational trial with over 73,000 participants and a median age of 57 years old.
What effect does systemic inflammation have?
In the Whitehall II study, a specific marker for inflammation was measured, interleukin-6. The study showed that higher levels did not bode well for participants’ healthy longevity (9). If participants had elevated IL-6 (>2.0 ng/L) at both baseline and at the end of the 10-year follow-up period, their probability of healthy aging decreased by almost half.
The good news is that inflammation can be improved significantly with lifestyle changes.
The takeaway from this study is that IL-6 is a relatively common biomarker for inflammation. It can be measured with a simple blood test offered by most major laboratories. This study involved 3,044 participants over the age of 35 who did not have a stroke, heart attack or cancer at the beginning of the study.
The bottom line is that, although genetics are important for longevity, so too are lifestyle choices. A small amount of exercise and consuming more plant protein than animal protein can contribute to a substantial increase in healthy life span. IL-6 may be a useful marker for inflammation, which could help predict healthy or unhealthy outcomes. Your doctor can test to see if you have an elevated IL-6. If you do, lifestyle modifications may be able to reduce these levels.
References:
(1) nia.nih.gov. (2) J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009;57:432-440. (3) Future of Genomic Medicine (FoGM) VII. Presented March 7, 2014. (4) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64:472-481. (5) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64:482-484. (6) European Society of Cardiology Congress, Aug. 28, 2022. (7) Cell Metab. 2014;19:407-417. (8) JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173:1230-1238. (9) CMAJ. 2013;185:E763-E770.
Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.
Up next for GalleryNorth, 90 North Country Road, Setauket is a unique exhibit titled Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals: New Work by Kelynn Z. Alder, on view from October 5 to November 12.
Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals is Kelynn Z. Alder’s first solo exhibition at GalleryNorth. It features paintings, monoprints, and drawings that all reference Alder’s Mexican cultural heritage. Many of the paintings are from the artist’s personal experiences in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico during the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities in Chamula, a town run entirely by the Tzotzil speaking Maya. In Chamula, as in most of Mexico, festivities and religious practices are a merging of ancient Indigenous rites, rituals and beliefs, meshed with Catholicism.
By Kelynn Z. Alder
“Día de los Muertos is a celebration of both the living and the dead,” Alder states, “And the underlying theme of this work has much to do with the cycle of life and death — My reaching back to my ancestors… My rising consciousness of my own mortality… The continuation once I’m gone and become myself an ancestor.”
Blending the styles of the Mexican muralists and the impressionists, each painting in Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals evokes the artist’s ancestral searching, yearnings, experiences, emotions and opinions — while encouraging others to reflect upon their own ancestry and personal journeys. Alder’s prints feature the artist’s personal interpretation of La Lotería – a traditional Mexican board game as well as an inspirational templet commonly used by many artists.
The daughter of an immigrant, Alder skillfully weaves the rudimentary pictures of La Loteria into Indigenous, political and religious iconography to create a complex arrangement of memory, political commentary, and symbolism. Indeed, through vivid paintings of Chiapas and the bold imagery of La Loteria, Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals transports us to Alder’s inner visual world, while also offering important messages confronting the migrant crisis between the Mexican and U.S. border.
An opening reception will be held Saturday, October 7, from 5 to 7 p.m.
By Kelynn Z. Alder
As a complement to the exhibition, GalleryNorth will present a multi-site, guided tour in collaboration with the Long Island Museum on Sunday, October 15, from noon to 3 p.m. The collaborative event will include guided tours of Alder’s exhibition, Animal Spirits and Ancient Rituals, and SOMOS/We Are: Latinx Artists of Long Island, an exhibition guest curated by Alder at the Long Island Museum.
GalleryNorth’s portion of the event will include a printmaking demonstration with Alder and Lorena Salcedo Watson, followed by a tour of Alder’s solo exhibition. GalleryNorth will also host an ArTalk with Alder and Lyn Pentecost, former Director and Co-Founder of the Lower Eastside Girls Club on Saturday, November 4 at 3 p.m.
The exhibition, reception, and ArTalk will all be free and open to the public. Information on registering for the guided tour and print demonstration can be found at gallerynorth.org.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by bld Architecture, Jefferson’s Ferry, and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning. The exhibition, reception, and ArTalk will all be free and open to the public. Information on registering for the guided tour and print demonstration can be found at gallerynorth.org. For more information, call 631-751-2676.
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