Shoreham-Wading River scores the insurance goal. Photo by Bill Landon
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Mae Kilkenny settles the ball for the Wildcats. Photo by Bill Landon
Elysa Corso grabs the rebound. Photo by Bill Landon
Maddi Herr breaks toward the box. Photo by Bill Landon
Midfielder Juliet Gianfrancesco pushes up the sideline. Photo by Bill Landon
Olivia Eusanio passes upfield. Photo by Bill Landon
Harborfields defender Carina Bennardo clears the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Harborfields defender Carina Bennardo clears the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Harborfields goalie Lily Viscusi protects the box. Photo by Bill Landon
Harborfields defender Mackenzie Conversano passes. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats score. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham-Wading River scores the insurance goal. Photo by Bill Landon
Wildcats WIN! Photo by Bill Landon
It was the quarterfinal round of field hockey playoffs when the Wildcats of Shoreham-Wading River (No.3 seed) hosted sixth-seeded Harborfields in a Class B matchup Tuesday night, and the Tornadoes would have their hands full at Thomas Cutinella Memorial Field.
Jocelyn Kavanaugh broke the ice for Shoreham-Wading River off an assist by Haylie Abrams at the 4:27 mark of the second quarter to put the Wildcats out front. Harborfields had several opportunities to even the score from penalty corner shots, but the Wildcats defense was able keep the Tornadoes at bay.
Sophia Minnion would provide the insurance goal for the Wildcats off an assist by Ellie Arena to take a 2-0 advantage three minutes into the third quarter. The Tornadoes wouldn’t go quietly, with Wildcats goalie Maggie Andersen stopping nine in the box. Harborfields keeper Lily Viscusi had eight saves on the night.
The 2-0 win sends the Wildcats to Eastport-South Manor (No. 2 seed) Saturday, Oct. 28, for a 10 a.m. semifinal matchup.
The Town of Smithtown was joined by local community leaders, the Greater Commack Chamber of Commerce, State and local officials to cut a ribbon on completed renovations at Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve located at 200 New Highway in Commack. Upgrades to the grounds included the installation of brand new bocce courts, pavilions, and picnic area. Renovations were also made to the playground, bathrooms, all new surfacing, concrete walkways, drainage, and retaining wall. The makeover compliments the popularity of the grounds where concerts are hosted and large scale events take place, for the community throughout the calendar year.
“There’s been quite a bit of renovations here at our flagship park. This makeover compliments the popularity of Hoyt Farm, where concerts are hosted and large scale events take place, for the community throughout the calendar year… And it really symbolizes what the Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve is all about. Community, collaboration and celebration. It is an oasis for the whole community to enjoy. And that’s why we invested in these wonderful renovations,” said Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.
Earlier this year, the Town of Smithtown Planning Department, and the team at Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve coordinated with Cosentino Realty Group on the total restoration and installation of the water tower. The project was donated to the Town of Smithtown by Cosentino Realty Group in memory of local resident, Vietnam veteran and builder, John E. Baker. At the beginning of the Summer, Hoyt family members; Tom and Mitch Stokes drove from Massachusetts towing a utility trailer which contained large fieldstones, embedded with bronze plaques to pay homage to their Mother and Aunt. The team at Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, also upgraded the butterfly garden areas to be deer-proof over the Summer. The project was spearheaded by Dominick Guadio who raised the walls and added an array of native plants which is nicely accented by the flowing waterfall.
A Brief History of the Hoyt Family Farm: The Town of Smithtown purchased the property in 1965 from Maria Hoyt, and the 133 acres of land developed into Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve. Today, the Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve Team, led by Jeff Gumin works to keep the Hoyt Family legacy alive and well with various educational programs, events, concerts, and historic tours of the Hoyt House and grounds. Educational programs range from marine, wildlife and indigenous plant life on Long island, to Native American artifacts, and maple sugaring classes. Additionally, the preserve boasts beautiful nature trails, pollinator gardens, mature oak forests, pastures, ponds, the picnic grounds, playground & pavilion and is home to historic buildings and monuments such as two World War I cannons, formerly located at Town Hall, the Hoyt House and the Water Tower, which was recently restored by the Cosentino Family in honor local Veteran, Smithtown Resident and Builder; John Baker.
From a spooky train ride in Huntington to a Halloween festival in picturesque Stony Brook Village, from a Haunted Hatchery in Centerport to a Halloween hayride in Northport, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the most fun time of the year on the North Shore!
Halloween at the Heckscher
Families are invited to celebrate Halloween at the Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington on Oct. 27 from noon to 5 p.m. Create a spooktacular art activity, make a haunted Digital Action painting, and take home a festive treat! Free admission for kids in costume and their families Register at 631-380-3230, www.heckscher.org
Photo from Celebrate St. James
Halloween Painting Fun!
Celebrate St. James hosts a Halloween Painting Workshop for children at the Calderone Theatre, 176 2nd St., St. James on Oct 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Costumes encouraged. $25 per child includes painting, all supplies, candy, bagels (a.m.)/cupcakes (p.m.) To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org. 631-984-0201
Heritage Halloween Fest
The North Shore Youth Council presents a Halloween Fest at the Heritage Center, 633 Mount Sinai Coram Road, Mt. Sinai on Oct. 28 from noon to 3 p.m. Enjoy pumpkin picking and decorating, a spooky walk scavenger hunt, costume parade, a goodie bag, dance party and more! Registration is $15 per child 12 and under. Parents and guardians are not required to register. Advance registration only at www.nsyc.com.
Trick or Treat Trail
Join the Farmingville Historical Society on Oct. 28 for a Trick or Treat Trail at Farmingville Hills County Park, 503 Horseblock Road, Farmingville from noon to 3 p.m. Come in costume and trick or treat along a trail while learning about the history of candy. Fill your bag with real, full-size candy treats. The entry fee is $15 per trick or treater. Parents are welcome to escort their children without paying. Please note this is not a haunted trail. All Trick or Treaters must pre-register at www.farmingvillehistoricalsociety.org
Lil’ Monsters Halloween Workshop
Children ages 4 to 7 are invited to join Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, E. Setauket for a Lil’ Monsters Workshop on Oct. 28 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Make a tye-dye craft, decorate a cookie, create a lil’ monster or bat craft, and take a tour of the farm with a tractor ride. Come in costume if you like. $55 per child. Call 631-689-8172 to register.
Haunted Hatchery
Calling all ghosts and goblins, spiders and bones … Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will host a Halloween event on Oct. 28 from 2 to 5 p.m. Families are welcome to join them for a not-so-scary Haunted Hatchery. Trick-or-Treat your way through their outdoor grounds. Admission fee is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768, www.cshfishhatchery.org
A Halloween Princess Party
You are invited to a special Halloween Princess Party at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown Performances will be held on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. and Oct. 29 at 11 a.m.Learn about Halloween traditions from different kingdoms and meet new friends. Be sure to wear your best princess attire OR your Halloween costume — this non-scary experience is a royal trick-or-treat! *Please note that this is a theatrical experience and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets are $16 per person. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org or call 1-800-595-4849.
Spooky Walk
Setauket Fire Department, 394 Nicolls Road, Setauket hosts its second annual Spooky Walk on Oct. 28 from 6 to 10 p.m. Come down for some family fun and trick or treating! 631-941-4900
Spooky Train Rides
Join the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association for a Spooky Train Ride at John Gardiner Farm, 900 Park Ave., Huntington on Oct. 28 from 3 to 6 p.m. Ride the Lollipop Train, take a hay ride and make a craft (fee). Pies, cider, popcorn and hot chocolate will be available for purchase. $13 per child. Advance registration required by visiting www.greenlawncenterporthistorical.org.
Haunted Boo-seum & Festival
Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for its spookiest event of the year, with fun activities for all ages, on Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. You are invited to go on a spooky walk-through museum exhibits with haunted sea-inspired activities at every turn including Castaway Creatures and Davy Jones Locker where you can meet live critters, sponsored by Gellerman Orthodontics. Tickets in advance are $20 children, $8 adults; $25 children, $8 adults at the door. 631-367-3418, www.cshwhalingmuseum.org
Halloween Hayride
Northport Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Halloween Hayride in Northport Village Park on Oct. 29 from noon to 4 p.m. with hayrides, pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, live music, petting zoo, costume contest & refreshments. Fun for the whole family! 631-754-3905
Halloween Parade
The Community Association of Greater St. James presents its annual Halloween Parade on Oct. 29 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at the Gazebo on Lake Avenue dressed in your Halloween best to parade around the park. 631-360-7620
Halloween Family Fun Day
Family Fun Day is back at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook just in time for Halloween! Join them on Oct. 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. forpumpkin painting, trick-or-treating, Día de los Muertos crafts related to the ofrenda in the SOMOS exhibition, puppetry from Mascara Viva Puppeteers and much more! Wear your Halloween costume if you wish. Free admission. 631-751-0066, www.longislandmuseum.org
Photo from TOB
Barktoberfest!
The Town of Brookhaven will host the Brookhaven Animal Shelter and Adoption Center’s “Barktoberfest” Howl-o-ween pet parade and costume contest on October 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Fireman’s Park, 724 Middle Country Road in Ridge. Children are encouraged to come in costume, ready for Trick or Treating. 631-451-TOWN
Safe Trick or Treat at The Shoppes
The Shoppes at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River invites all goblins & ghouls & children dressed in costume to enjoy a safe outdoor Trick or Treating on Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 631-929-3500
Halloween Festival
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization hosts its 33rd annual Halloween Festival at the Stony Brook Village Center, 111 Main St., Stony Brook on Oct. 31 from 2 to 5 p.m. with trick or treating in the shops and restaurants, children’s games and Monster Mash dancing — wear your Halloween costume! See if you can scare Monster Merlin and take part in a costume parade at 4 p.m. Free. 631-751-2244, www.wmho.org
Halloween Costume Parade
The annual Downtown “Hauntington” Village Halloween Costume Parade returns to the Town of Huntington on Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. Line-up at the Huntington Post Office, 55 Gerard St., Huntington for a parade through Huntington followed by trick or treating at designated village merchants. No registration necessary. Call 631-351-3173 or 631-351-3085
Commack
Commack United Methodist Church, 486 Townline Road, Commack presents its 6th annualTrunk-N-Treat event on Oct. 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. Children can trick or treat for candy at festively decorated car trunks and truck beds and enjoy games, crafts and activities. Free. 631-499-7310, www.commack-umc.org
Dix Hills
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 20 Candlewood Path, Dix Hills will hold a Trunk or Treat event for children up to age 11 on Oct. 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. Attend dressed in your Halloween costume and play games out of the trunks of cars to earn candy and prizes at St. Luke Lutheran Church. If it rains, the event will be held inside the school. 631-499-8656
East Setauket
Messiah Lutheran Church, 465 Pond Path, East Setauket invites the community to a Trunk or Treat on Oct. 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. with games, candy, prizes, and fun! Rain date is Oct. 29 same time. www.messiahny.org
Hauppauge
Hauppauge Public Library, 1373 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge invites the community to trick or treat in their parking lot on Oct. 27 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Community members will be decorating their trunks in fun and spooky themes and will pass out candy to trick or treaters. The library will also have snacks, games, crafts, and other activities. Open to all. 631-979-1600.
Rocky Point
The North Shore Youth Council and the Rocky Point PTA present a Trunk Or Treat event at the Joseph A. Edgar School, 525 Route 25A, Rocky Point on Oct. 29 from 2 to 5 p.m. with decorated cars and trunks, candy and non-edible treats, face painting, crafts and photo prop. Costumes encouraged. www.nsyc.com
St. James
Deepwells Farm Historical Society, 2 Taylor Lane, St. James will present Deepwells Trunk or Treat event on Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to noon. Bring your little ghosts and goblins for a spectacular event!
Yaphank
Suffolk County Farm & Education Center, 350 Yaphank Road, Yaphank will host a Truck or Treat Farm Halloween event on Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission of $15 per child, $5 adults includes truck or treating, trick or treating around the farm, farm animal visits, kids crafts, unlimited wagon rides, corn maze, family games and activities. Come in costume! Tickets available on eventbrite.com. 631-852-4600
“There’s nothing like stories on a windy night when folks have found a warm place in a cold world.”
— Stephen King, “The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole”
As the air gets chilly, and the season drifts from spooky toward snowy, there’s no better way to spend the long stretch of time indoors than slipping into comfy clothes, pouring yourself a hot drink, and curling up with a good book. We asked eight local librarians about their favorite novels and new recommendations to ensure you’ll be enthralled, entertained, and enriched in the coming months.
Lorena Doherty
Lorena Doherty
North Shore Public Library, Shoreham
What is your favorite book and why?
That’s a hard one because you have a favorite book in every period of your life. One of my favorites is an international book called “The Murmur of Bees” by Sofia Segovia and translated by Simon Bruni. It’s a book about love, family saga, history, healing, bees, Valencia oranges, a special boy, and really the ties that bind us as human beings. It was charming, delicious, and had a huge impact on me because of her ability to weave this brilliant story as a window into her culture. And the translation into English was done very well. Simon Bruni did not lose its essence or lyricism.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
“Flags of the Bayou,” a standalone historical fiction book by James Lee Burke. This is his 42nd book. What I love about him is that he writes from the landscape in which he lives, which is New Iberia, Louisiana. If you are new to this book and you’ve never read him, it is I think the best book he’s ever written and I felt that two-thirds of the way through. This is a work of historical fiction that is centered in the timeline of events near the end of the Civil Area in the area of New Iberia, the Bayou Teche, and the Mississippi River, where the North is waging and winning battle against the Confederates. It’s a unique window into the culture of plantations, social castes, freed men and women, those who live in servitude. There’s abolitionists and mixed cultures in that area. And in the midst of all the cruelty and chaos of the war, it’s also a love story. The characters are so fleshed out and the reader is carried away with the nuances of changing allegiances and how they choose to live with the possibility of their own deaths. He grounds you in there and there’s a huge level of the spiritual connection to the greater world. And if you love language and appreciate a writer who writes prose, he’s the kind of writer where I find myself going back and reading a sentence over and over again, like “Wow!” It’s a damn good read.
Jeff Walden
Jeff Walden
Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, Setauket
What is your favorite book and why?
Yeah, it’s an old classic but it’s my favorite book and I just reread it recently again. It’s “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien. For me, it’s just a great adventure story. It’s got dragons, hobbits, dwarves and elves, treasure, adventure. It doesn’t get old, it never ages to me. It’s a book I can read and enjoy just as much the fifth time as I did the first time. Tolkienwas just a great storyteller and for that genre, he was really the first to create that whole other world that you can immerse yourself in very easily. It’s the ring, it’s Gollum, there’s just so many amazing parts to it. It’s just a fun story to read over and over again. I was just reading an original book review by C.S. Lewis [“The Chronicles of Narnia”], Tolkien’s contemporary, and even he predicted in 1937 that it was going to be a book that was going to be read over and over again. It came out to be, for me, true.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
I have one I’m reading right now, “The Armor of Light” by Ken Follett. It’s the fifth installment in his Kingbridge series. He’s another great storyteller with good, deep characters that you really get to know. It does mention some of the other books because it’s set in Kingsbridge, this fictional town in England over the course of hundreds of years…I think they’re up to the French Revolution in the late 1700s…but it has totally different characters. There’s creative license with it but he does incorporate a lot of historical facts about the time period in the books. And I think you can still read this new one if you haven’t read the other ones and it might interest you in going back and reading the other ones. It does help to have a little bit of the background but I think they can stand on their own.
Jenna Ely
Jenna Ely
Comsewogue Public Library, Port Jefferson Station
What is your favorite book and why?
One of my favorites is “True Believer” by Nicholas Sparks and it’s actually what made me want to become a librarian. I worked in a different industry before this and worked in television, and I would read this book just as a way to escape while on my commute. The main character in this book is a librarian and while I was reading it, I was like, “Oh my gosh, that sounds like a dream job. Why did I never think of becoming a librarian?” and then I ended up going to library school and pursuing this career. So that book was really monumental and influential for me in that way. And it’s Nicholas Sparks, so it’s a great love story.
And then if I had to pick my favorite book of all time, it would be “Beartown” by Fredrik Backman, who blows me away with all of his books. I’ve read all of them and he just continues to outdo himself. “Beartown” was the first book in a trilogy and in it you’re introduced to this hockey town and the obsession with sports and teams and the impact that it has on the community as a whole. And there’s a tragedy and the town has to choose sides. A lot of people’s hearts are broken, someone is killed, and it’s really dramatic. I feel like the winter is a really good time to dive into it. All the books in that series are so worth the read.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
So this is a new book that I think is just phenomenal. It’s called “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. It is actually her debut novel, so it was incredible that someone’s first novel really took off and was so astounding. I actually loved it so much that I wrote a mini review of it on Goodreads. I was so moved by it. The characters, the stories…it hooked me from the first page and I devoured it in like 48 hours. It was so good I couldn’t put it down. There’s so much heart in these characters and there’s so much love, you really root for them. They’re flawed and they might do something that aggravates you but almost like how your family or friends might do. Not a protagonist where you’re like “Oh my God I hate this person, why are they doing this?” but more like “I feel for you and want you to find happiness!” And one of the narrators is a giant Pacific red octopus, which is really cool and I felt like I got to learn so much.
Donna Brown
Donna Brown
Northport-East NorthportPublic Library, Northport and East Northport
What is your favorite book and why?
That’s a pretty easy one for me to answer. I am a Teen Librarian right now but I do read a lot of adult fiction, nonfiction, everything…I used to run the Adult Book Club, so I definitely have a broad range of reading. But for me, my favorite book of all time is “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. The movie came out in 1983, I was 10 years old and my mom would not let me see it but I read the book and it changed my life and the way I think forever. It is, I think, one of the best books of all time. I think it transcends. It’s a story about teenagers struggling to fit in, fighting, and bad incidents…but at the end of the day, all of them are pretty good kids and that’s one of my favorite things about that book. I can hand it to a teenager or an adult now and I overwhelmingly get such a great response. Most people want to meet a celebrity or a professional athlete, but it’s my dream to meet S.E. Hinton!
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
My most recent one, which I’d recommend to anyone who likes to read realistic fiction with a little bit of imagination in it, is “Remarkably Bright Creatures.” It’s one of the only books that has made me sob in recent years because of what a beautiful story it is. It is the story of an octopus and the octopus’ caregiver in a marina in the Pacific Northwest. It is such a beautiful story that teaches you about humanity and mankind and how much every single person has worth in this world and makes a contribution in some way or another, even though a lot of the time people don’t see that. I run a book group and it overwhelmingly touched the hearts and minds of every single person.
Anne McNulty
Anne McNulty
Port Jefferson Free Library, Port Jefferson
What is your favorite book and why?
My favorite book has been my favorite book since 2013 when it came out…it is “Ancillary Justice” by Ann Leckie. It’s a sci-fi space opera novel and it won the Hugo and the Nebula awards. It is absolutely amazing. It’s just one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. I’m a really big fan of sci-fi and space operas, so I really love the kind of alien worlds they can make with them, and Ann Leckie did such a great job building the worlds and societies in her book. And she also did interesting things with playing with pronouns. So, in her book, everyone uses she/her pronouns, even if they’re not technically women. It’s very, very interesting and I love it. I love Tolkien so much and have read all of his books.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
So it is Halloween time and I do love horror as well. I’m actually in the middle of this book “Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology.” It’s an anthology of short stories, which is nice if you don’t have time to sit andread a whole book. All the stories are written by Native American authors and it’s really good so far. It’s horror so it’s perfect for the season and the stories I’ve read so far have been really creepy. I also love all Stephen Graham Jones’ books, especially “My Heart is a Chainsaw,” one of my favorite horror books.
Jennifer Zwolak
Jennifer Zwolak
Comsewogue Public Library, Port Jefferson Station
What is your favorite book and why?
I would say my favorite book in recent years has been “The Maid” by Nita Prose. It’s been popular but it’s very interesting for anyone who likes murder mysteries but ones that aren’t too graphic. The main character has a very unique perspective, which I enjoyed a lot. I’m actually rereading “The Maid” right now because I enjoyed it so much. I would recommend cozy mysteries when you really want to get that fall-winter feeling.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
I would recommend reading “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. It’s about a female scientist in the 1950s and all the struggles she goes through. Again, another unique perspective that gives a different type of person a voice. There’s a lot of science and a lot of feminism in it.
Erin Schaarschmidt
Erin Schaarschmidt
Port Jefferson Free Library, Port Jefferson
What is your favorite book and why?
“High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict’s Double Life” by Tiffany Jenkins, a nonfiction book about a woman who overcame a drug addiction. And she was married to a police officer so she had a double life. I love nonfiction and to read how she was able to hide from the police officer who she’s married to and all that was just amazing and then they all found out she was a drug addict and she went to rehab. And then something I read around this time every year is…I’m a huge Edgar Allan Poe fan so I always do his collected stories, like “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Cask of Amontillado.” I re-read them every year just because it’s the spooky time of year and it’s very nostalgic.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
I just finished reading “The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up” by Andy Cohen. I really like nonfiction and it was a fun read about his family because you don’t usually hear about his kids and stuff like that.
Connor McCormack
Connor McCormack
Northport-East Northport Public Library, Northport and East Northport
What is your favorite book and why?
It’s like choosing your favorite kid, but probably “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin in terms of fiction. It’s really well written. Ursula Le Guin is one of the most prolific sci-fi writers from the 60s and 70s, and this one is considered her best work. It’s just really unique world-building and explores a lot about human condition, psychology, gender roles…just explores a lot of themes in a really well-done way. And for nonfiction, I read a lot of military history such as “The Guns of August” by Barbara W. Tuchman, and “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland” by Patrick Radden Keefe. Those are probably my two favorite nonfiction books.
What is a new book that you would recommend and why?
For a favorite one I’d say “Sea of Tranquility” by Emily St. John Mandel and then “Memory Police” by Yōko Ogawa. And then for nonfiction, there’s this book called “Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia” by Christina Thompson that I think I’ve recommended to everyone in my family at this point. It’s all about how the Polynesian culture spread across the Pacific Ocean — how they traveled between the islands, what their navigation methods were, the myths that they told, just like a whole view of their culture, and how it spread.
A special thanks to all of the librarians who took part in this article.
From left, David Finckel, Eugene Drucker, Larry Dutton, Philip Setzer and Paul Watkins with their trophies after the concert. Erica Burns Photography
The Emerson String Quartet at their final performance at the Staller Center on Oct. 14. Erica Burns Photography
The Emerson String Quartet takes a final bow at the Staller Center on Oct. 14. Erica Burns Photography
The Emerson String Quartet performed its final concert at the Staller Center for the Arts to a packed house on October 14, signaling the end of the quartet’s nearly 25-year-long history as Artists in Residence at Stony Brook University. They were rewarded with four standing ovations from the sold-out 1,000-member audience.
The program featured Beethoven String Quartet in Bb Major and Schubert String Quintet in C Major. Special guest and former Emerson cellist David Finckel joined the ensemble — including cellist Paul Watkins, Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer on violin, and Larry Dutton on viola — for the Schubert piece.
Following the concert, a reception for the group and honored guests was held in the Zuccaire Gallery, with remarks from Stony Brook President Maurie McInnis; Alan Inkles, director of the Staller Center for the Arts; former Provost Robert McGrath; Gilbert Kalish, professor in the Department of Music; Judith Lochhead, professor and former chair of the Department of Music; and Christina Dahl, chair of the Department of Music.
McGrath, Kalish and Lochhead, along with former Stony Brook President Shirley Strum Kenny, were instrumental in bringing the group to campus as Artists in Residence.
Following the remarks, Inkles awarded the group members with trophies in recognition of their years performing as a group in the Staller Center. Despite a busy touring schedule over the past two decades, the group members have always made time to serve on faculty committees and to be available for music students.
Dahl described to the group a recent faculty meeting in which Setzer participated in a faculty meeting on a Sunday evening while he was on tour in Milan, where the time was 12:30 am.
“They come to faculty meetings, serve as lecturers and advisors and sit on dissertation committees,” Dahl said. “The rest of the world sits in on their concerts, but one of the most remarkable things about their long association with the department is that they never stood on ceremony, or acted as if they deserve special consideration.”
President McInnis looked toward the future with the group members as they continue to serve as faculty within the Department of Music.
“Through the Emerson String Quartet Institute in the Department of Music, group members Eugene Drucker, Lawrence Dutton, Philip Setzer and Paul Watkins, along with the quartet’s ex-cellist, David Finckel, will remain at Stony Brook to coach and mentor student string quartets,” she said.
President McInnis continued, “It was such an honor to be in the audience to celebrate the Emerson String Quartet’s nearly 22-year-long history as Artists in Residence at Stony Brook University and the Grand Finale Concert of what has been nearly 100 sold-out concerts held in the Staller Center on our campus. While it is bittersweet to join together for the final farewell Staller Center concert for the Quartet, we are grateful they will remain as colleagues in Stony Brook’s Department of Music where they will uphold their legacy, sharing their gifts with our students in the Emerson String Quartet Institute.”
Stony Brook Village’s Look-Book Luncheon series will return in November for a three-part series of luncheon fashion shows. Enjoy your lunch while models stroll through the restaurants, sharing information about the Fall fashion and accessories they are wearing. Each part of the series will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at a different restaurant.
The Luncheons kick off on Nov. 2 at the historic Three Village Inn (c.1751), 150 Main Street, Stony Brook with a return to where it all began 82 years ago. The same location where Ward Melville first announced plans to rehabilitate Stony Brook Hamlet. While participants enjoy a three course meal which includes options such as trout, short-ribs, sirloin, cod and a vegetarian choice, models will stroll through Mirabelle Restaurant at the Inn, sharing information about the fall fashion they are wearing and historical facts about the Three Village Inn. Tickets are $35 per person.
Moving to the historic Country House Restaurant (c.1710), 1175 North Country Road, Stony Brook the following week, Nov. 9, participants can enjoy the prix fixe creations that include a salad starter, a choice of chicken francese, salmon burre blanc or eggplant rollatini for the main course, and then an option of cheese cake, chocolate brownie or sorbet to finish it all off. Tickets are $40 per person.
The next and final Look-Bookluncheon destination is Luca Modern Italian Restaurant, 93 Main Street, Stony Brook on Nov. 16. Participants can enjoy the reverie of the fashions while dining, making their choices from options from Luca’s special menu for the day. Tickets are $35 per person.
Each Look-Bookluncheon will feature different fall styles from Ecolin Jewelers, Mint, Chico’s, Ariti Kaziri and Loft. Some models will feature the styling of Village Hair Studio.
To make your reservation, please contact the restaurant directly.
Winners of the 2023 Helen Stein Shack contest display their picture books. Photo courtesy Emma S. Clark Library
This coming year marks the 10th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest for junior high and high school students, hosted by Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket.
This contest, which asks participants to create an original picture book for children, is now open to those in grades 7–12 who reside in the Three Village Central School District. The winning teens receive a significant monetary award, are honored at a distinguished ceremony and have their original books added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection.
Ten years ago, the family of the late Helen Stein Shack came to the library with an endowment from their mother, who had always loved Emma Clark and often brought her children and grandchildren there, as it was one of her favorite places. The four siblings — Sherry Cleary, Barbara Kelly, Karen Shack Reid and Edward Taylor — met with library staff and shared fond memories of their mother’s enthusiasm for the library. This was the impetus for launching the contest in Shack’s memory and using the endowment for prize money each year.
Students in grades 7–12 who live in the Three Village district may enter the contest by creating a children’s picture book. This is an opportunity for teens to showcase their creativity through words and art and make something for the children in the community. Participants may submit their entry as an individual or collaborate with a friend. Winners are announced in March, and there is a ceremony in April — the birth month of Shack — honoring the winners and their talents. In addition to library trustees and staff, in the past, teachers and top school district administrators, as well as representatives and elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County and Town of Brookhaven have all been in attendance at the event.
Last year’s grand prize winners were Julia Hou (Grades 7–9 category) and Celia Gordon (Grades 10–12 category). The public may view previous year’s winning entries at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.
Contest details
The contest is divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one first-prize winner and one second-prize winner selected from each group. Each entry can be the work of a single author/illustrator or can be a joint effort between an author and an illustrator. The picture book entries must be their own original work (both artwork and text).
How to enter
Those in grades 7–12 who reside in the Three Village Central School District may obtain an Official Entry Form in person in the library’s lobby or at emmaclark.org/picturebookaward starting Oct. 17. Included with the form are the contest procedures and guidelines. Entrants should bring their completed picture book, along with a completed Official Entry Form, to the Children’s Department by the contest deadline, Jan. 31, 2024.
Prizes/winner information
Each of the firs-prize award recipients will receive $400, and each of the second-prize award recipients will receive $100 (in the event that a winning entry is a collaboration, the prize will be shared). Winning entries are bound, made into a hardcover book and added to the library’s shelves. Additional copies of the winning books will also be available for purchase by family and friends. Winners and their families will be invited to an awards ceremony on Monday, April 8, 2024. All entrants will receive a Certificate of Participation.
Please note: A maximum of one entry will be accepted per individual. Entries may be a collaboration of no more than one author and one artist/illustrator. Entrants must live within the Three Village Central School District. Emma Clark employees, trustees and members of their households are not eligible to enter. For a complete listing of the rules, visit emmaclark.org/picturebookaward.
Norma Watson and Steve Englebright shake hands as Johanna Watson, John Cunniffe and Three Village Community Trust board member Robert Reuter look on. Photo by Herb Mones
Abraham Woodhull’s ancestral property to be preserved, showcased to the community
By Mallie Jane Kim
Several blue-and-yellow historical markers dot Setauket streets, and the hamlet can truly boast “George Washington slept here.”
But none of these signs feels more out of the way than the one on the road to Strong’s Neck, in a peaceful corner of town overlooking Little Bay. And yet this sign marks the ancestral property of an important player in the Revolutionary War: Abraham Woodhull, “chief of Long Island spies under Gen. Washington,” the sign reads. In coming years, the marker won’t be the only way history buffs can enjoy this important piece of the past, which was at the heart of the historic Culper Spy Ring.
Three Village Community Trust is in the process of purchasing this property, with plans to preserve and eventually use it as a setting for community historical events. In a press release about the purchase, TVCT President Herb Mones wrote that he wants to “have children walk in the very steps of the founders of our country.”
Woodhull, code name Samuel Culper Sr., was one of the primary members of the group that tracked British troops and provided key information to Gen. George Washington and the American forces during the Revolutionary War, using espionage tradecraft like secret codes, invisible ink and dead drop secure communications. An article on the Central Intelligence Agency’s website identifies the Culper ring among “the founding fathers” of intelligence gathering by Americans.
“It’s a tremendous win for the community to be able to protect it and preserve it going forward,” Mones added.
The trust, a community organization focused on preserving local natural resources and historical properties, owns several Three Village spots with Revolutionary War-era significance, including Patriots Rock Historical Site and the Smith/de Zafra House, home of Timothy Smith who, according to the TVCT website, mounted a broken musket over his fireplace to divert attention of suspicious British soldiers from his real cache of weapons hidden nearby.
“We’ve had a collection of properties that represented the foundations of the American experience,” Mones said. Thanks in part to “Turn,” the AMC television series about the spy ring popularizing Setauket’s history, the Woodhull property has the potential to draw even more interest in local history. “It’s important — it’s a feather in the cap,” the trust president said.
TVCT confirmed in a press release that the sales contract has been signed. The trust is in the process of submitting other required documentation to the state to finalize the purchase, which was made possible by a $825,000 grant secured in 2022 by then-New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket).
Norma Watson, who currently owns and lives on the property, will have a life tenancy, according to Mones. Watson herself has a history of advocating for natural and historical preservation, and she was involved with the trust at its inception.
According to Mones, the Woodhull property currently houses a pond and a barn — with a history of its own — that was reclaimed and converted around the 1950s into the home where Watson now resides. Woodhull’s original 1660 house burned down in 1931.
Pirates, puppies and pumpkins in Port Jeff … oh my!
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A family featured dogs dressed as Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep, Jessie the Cowgirl and an alien in a group ‘Toy Story’ effort. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A dog dressed as a peacock during the costumed dog parade. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Emma Darling posed with a tall pumpkin-headed character outside the Village Center. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Kids were able to pick pumpkins at a patch after running through a hay maze. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A dog dressed up as a chef during the costumed dog parade. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A dog dressed as a UPS driver during the costumed dog parade. Photo by Julianne Mosher
By Julianne Mosher
Another rainy weekend might have canceled some of the Port Jefferson Oktober Harvest Fest’s first day of events, but it didn’t stop people from flocking to the village on a finally sunny Sunday.
Sponsored by the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce and the Business Improvement District, in cooperation with the Village of Port Jefferson, the 2023 Oktober Fest’s original program had events starting at 7 a.m. — some indoors, some outside. While the show still went on during the rainstorm on Saturday, Oct. 21, for some, one big event had to be rescheduled to the following day — the annual costumed dog parade.
Located outside of Fetch Doggy Boutique on East Main Street, dogs from across Long Island suit up the week before Halloween every year and head with their owners to show off their adorable canine costumes. This year, on Sunday, Oct. 22, people still came out with their furry friends despite the original date’s cancellation, marching downtown resembling an array of characters including the toys from “Toy Story,” a cowboy, a race car driver and a peacock.
But that wasn’t the only fun thing happening. A chowder crawl featuring local restaurants had participants warmed up on Saturday, and country line dancing was set up once the clouds cleared later in the day.
On Sunday, with warmer and sunnier weather, families were able to enjoy a pumpkin harvest maze and patch outside the Village Center, admire scarecrows — fake and real — out and about throughout town or participate in a variety of events, including a pirate scavenger hunt, pumpkin decorating contest and a pie-eating contest. The possibilities were endless.
Walking throughout town were big-headed costumed characters as local businesses used the weekend of fun for other opportunities. Tabu Boutique opened its doors not to just sell its usual earrings, clothing and accessories but invited East Coast Canine of Manorville to help get French bulldog puppies adopted.
The line was out the door for people of all ages to play with, pet and sit with the puppies — who were just a few weeks old — in hopes of giving them a new home.
Emma Darling, a fourth grader at Edna Louise Spear Elementary in Port Jeff, was one of the eager kids waiting patiently on line to get a glimpse of the pups.
“This is my favorite part of the day,” she said. “The baby puppies are just so cute.”
Art traverses the boundaries that reality calls home. Silhouettes illuminated by soft sunlight; seascapes awash in mist; hints of humankind identified by what is left behind, Smithtown Township Arts Council’s latest exhibit at Mills Pond Gallery, Celebrating Nature and Light, explores environmental elements of everyday life.
On viewfrom Oct. 28 to Dec. 9, the gorgeous show features 66 works of art. All watercolor or gauche, the pieces were created by 49 artists from 28 Long Island communities, as well as the greater state of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio, and South Dakota.
Although other exhibits at the Mills Pond Gallery have featured watercolors, CelebratingNature and Light highlights the medium’s malleability in conveying the nuances of the natural world.
“I believe that watercolor possesses a radiant quality that best conveys both light and mood. It imparts an airy and transparent quality to the skies while infusing the landscape with a vibrant array of colors,” said juror and watercolorist Joel Popadics, Vice President/Treasurer of the American Watercolor Society.
Shades and tones, whether muted or ebullient, entice the audience to immerse itself in the places portrayed in the paintings. Watercolor blends edges of reality with intrinsic openness of imagination. Realistic scenes are imbued with an ethereal essence that feels both intimate and expansive.
Such qualities inspired Popadics in choosing the exhibit’s underlying motifs of nature and light. “I’ve always been drawn to watercolor and I have worked with it my entire career. The unpredictable quality of watercolor makes this medium special,” he said. “As a landscape painter, this theme is particularly close to my heart.”
It is an appreciation shared by Mills Pond Gallery’s Executive Director Allison Cruz. She organizes a few landscape shows a year, but had never before organized a juried watercolor exhibit at the gallery.
“Landscape is of course a popular subject, especially here on Long Island. Watercolor paints are transparent and fluid, making them a perfect medium for capturing light,” Cruz said.
The accessibility of watercolor is not limited to locations familiar to locals, but encompasses those vistas that may only be known to the artists themselves. Natural light enhances evocative views that are demurely dappled or boldly bright, accentuating humanity either in the signs of its presence or the abundance of its absence.
“Art is subjective so it’s important to respect the diversity of artistic expression…I also think it’s fascinating to see the unique personal interpretations that each artist brings to the theme,” Popadics said, a sentiment also shared by Cruz.
“I look at every new exhibit as an opportunity to create new art lovers…to get more people to enjoy art and to help artists get their creations to new audiences,” said Cruz.
Exhibiting artists include Alexander Kaluzhny, Alisa Shea, Angela Mirro, Ann Shoshkes, Antonio Masi, Brenda L Bechtel, Carol Koch, Catherine Rezin, Christine Verga Maday, Christopher Buckley, Daniel Walworth, Denis Ponsot, Diana Aliberti, Ellen Ferrigno, Felecia Montfort, Gentry L. Croshaw, Gisela Skoglund, Jan Guarino, Jeffrey Van Esselstine , Joan Vera Martorana, Joanne Teets, Joyce Bressler, Karen Bennett, Karen B Davis, Karin Weibert, Kathleen McArdle, Khrystyne Robillard-Smith, Kirsten DiGiovanni, Lisa Claisse, Liz Jorg Masi, Lori Scarlatos, Lynn Staiano, Lynn Liebert, Marsha Abrams, Mary Kiernan, Mary Waka, Myungja Anna Koh, Patricia Morrison, Patty Yantz, Robert Tuska, Roberta Rogers, Robin Foreman, Sally Anne Keller, Susan Toplitz, Susan Herbst, Teresa Cromwell, Tianzhou Zhao, Tracy Tekverk, and Victoria A. Beckert.
The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James is open Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. (Closed Thanksgiving weekend). The public is invited to an opening reception for ‘Celebrating Nature and Light’ on Oct. 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet the artists and view their work. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.
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