AMF Smithtown Lanes, located at 200 Landing Ave., Smithtown has closed its doors after 60 years in business. The announcement was made their on Facebook page Sept. 2.“We appreciate all of your loyalty and support over the years,” the business wrote and urged bowlers to visit AMF Centereach Lanes and Bowlero Sayville.
Brookhaven Town Councilman Kevin LaValle (third from left) joined representatives of the Selden Civic Association the Suffolk County Police Department for the grand opening celebration of Texas Roadhouse in Selden on Sept. 1. The councilman presented the staff with a Certificate of Congratulations and wished them many years of success.
Construction began last fall at the former location of Ruby Tuesdays at 289 Middle Country Road at the corner of Route 83 in the Selden Plaza shopping center. The steakhouse is the third Texas Roadhouse on Long Island, joining the East Meadow and Deer Park eateries famous for its hand-cut steaks, ribs, freshly baked bread, made-from-scratch sides, bottomless peanuts and 15 different varieties of margaritas.
The 7,163 square-foot space is open Mondays to Thursdays from 3 to 10 p.m., Fridays from 3 to 11 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, call 631-496-3073 or visit www.texasroadhouse.com.
Nissequogue Golf Club, 21 Golf Club Road, St. James hosts the New York Cancer Foundation’s 2nd annual Raising Hope Golf Classic on Thursday, Sept. 24. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Jeffrey Vacirca, the Foundation’s mission is to help relieve the financial stresses experienced by cancer patients undergoing treatment including expenses such as rent, mortgage and utilities. The Foundation also provides transportation to and from treatments through a partnership with UberHealth. Registration and breakfast will be held at 10:30 a.m. with a noon shot gun start followed by cocktails and dinner. To RSVP, email [email protected].
The Huntington Historical Society’s Antiques and Collectibles Shop is now open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Located on the grounds of the Dr. Daniel W. Kissam property at 434 Park Avenue in Huntington, the shop contains items come from outright consignments, estates, downsizing and donations, and range from fine china to men’s tools. Masks are required. For further information, call 631-427-3984.
The Centereach community will soon be able to enjoy authentic, Texas-style barbecue from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit as the restaurant’s owner operator, Gerard Stephan is set to open the full, quick-service restaurant located in Centereach Square at 13 Centereach Mall (next to Leslie’s Pool Supplies), in the next few weeks. The menu will feature southern favorites including mac n cheese, creamed spinach, potato casserole and slow-smoked meats prepared and smoked on-site over hickory wood such as ribs, brisket, jalapeño cheddar kielbasa sausage and more.
“I was born and raised in Long Island and know the community will love the comfort food and atmosphere Dickey’s has in store,” said local entrepreneur and Dickey’s Owner Operator Gerard Stephan. “I’m excited to offer folks in the area a new, unique option for whether they’re dining out, picking up or ordering delivery.” For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.
One Three Village woman is finally able to talk about a lucky winter trip.
It was nerve-wracking but, once you get into it, your adrenaline kicks in and you’re excited and you want to win.’
— Celeste Wells
At the end of February, Celeste Wells and her husband, Bill, traveled to California after she was chosen to be a contestant on the game show “Wheel of Fortune.” Like all participants on the show, Wells, along with her husband and two friends who attended the taping, had to keep quiet about how well she did.
While she taped the show Feb. 27, the episode didn’t air until Sept. 3 as production shut down soon after her visit because of the pandemic and the episode took longer to air than usual. The Stony Brook resident of 15 years, who lived in Kings Park for 30 years prior, said it was difficult to keep her winnings a secret with everyone asking her questions about how she did.
The night of the airing, Wells’ son Bill and his family came over to see the results. She said she turned off her answering machine to make sure her daughter Suzanne, who lives in Rochester, and other relatives who would see the show earlier due to different broadcasting times in other areas, wouldn’t call and give anything away before her son’s family saw the show.
Wells, who will turn 80 on Sept. 11, said at first, she was trailing behind the other two contestants, who had about $11,000 each, and she made a couple of mistakes solving puzzles. With one round, she admitted she forgot to take the clue into consideration. She added that it’s easier to solve the puzzles at home watching, which she has done for more than 30 years.
“Now I’m a little more sympathetic with the players when they make mistakes,” Wells said.
Soon her luck changed and her total climbed to $15,500, even though she was unaware she had taken the lead until host Pat Sajak started approaching her.
“I hadn’t even realized it until Pat walked over to me that I was the winner, and I was going to go to the bonus round,” she said. “I was in shock.”
In that bonus round, Wells solved the puzzle correctly by guessing “group of wild boars.” She then picked an envelope with her prize, which turned out to be $37,000. The amount commemorates the 37th season in syndication of “Wheel of Fortune.”
“It was nerve-wracking but, once you get into it, your adrenaline kicks in and you’re excited and you want to win,” she said.
Wells said she wasn’t sure she would make the Feb. 27 taping due to a scheduled trip to Florida March 1, but she and her husband were able to work it out and flew to California Feb. 26. Wells said the staff produces six episodes a day. She arrived at 7:30 a.m. and had the opportunity to meet the show’s hostess Vanna White before filming.
She and other contestants practiced spinning the wheel, which weighs about 2,400 pounds, before taping. Standing 4 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing in at 108 pounds, she was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to turn it. While it was difficult, Wells said as she practiced, the crew adjusted the small platform she was standing on. She also tried each hand spinning the wheel until she could give it a good spin.
“The entire staff at ‘Wheel’ is just marvelous,” she said. “They can’t do enough for you. They make you feel like a queen for a day when you’re there. They pamper you. They’re constantly touching up your makeup, bringing you water. Pat and Vanna are kind and really humble people that just make you feel so comfortable.”
Wells is still shocked she won or even made it past auditions. More than 10,000 “Wheel of Fortune” fans audition each year and only 600 are chosen to compete.
“That in itself was monumental that they chose me,” she said, adding it was a years-long journey that began when she sent in a video in 2012.
After sending the video, she was asked to audition in Brooklyn twice. Both times 50 applicants took part in two practice games, and then were narrowed down. She made it to the second round both times. Last year, she attended an audition in Manhattan and received a letter shortly after saying she made it.
While contestants pay for their own trip, Wells said everyone walks away with $1,000, which helps with airfare. With her winnings, she is hoping to take a family trip after the pandemic passes with her husband, children, their spouses and her three grandchildren.
Wells had advice for other game show fans. She said everyone who is interested in being a contestant should try out.
“Even if you only win $1,000, it’s a wonderful experience,” she said. “And, don’t give up. Even if you don’t make it the first time, keep going. I’m that kind of person. When I’m determined to do something, I don’t give up.”
We could all use a little humor right now and the Reboli Center for Art and History’s playful new exhibit Wild and Wonderful by artist Vicki Sawyer may be the perfect inspiration. The show opens Sept. 3 and runs through Nov. 1.
Vicki Sawyer is a nationally recognized fine art painter whose whimsical animal and bird portraits have been a sensation. After a three year interval since her last exhibit at the Reboli Center, the artist is back with twenty five new paintings created especially for this unique exhibit.
Sawyer now lives in Franklin, TN but before her move, she was a resident of Stony Brook for fifteen years. During the time she resided on Long Island, she worked with Eva Glaser and Helen Del Guercio doing faux finishes and then began painting commissioned murals. She is one of the artists who attended an outdoor class taught by Joe Reboli. In that workshop, Sawyer says that she learned about being aware of the darkest darks and lightest lights. She applies that knowledge to her paintings today.
Sawyer’s current paintings spring from a walk a few years ago, when it occurred to her that if birds could build nests, they could make hats. For the last 11 years that walk has been her inspiration for her highly successful and collectible bird and animal portraits. She has been quoted as saying that her works are seriously painted, but whimsical. These portraits combine her love of nature and her goal of evoking feelings of peace, joy, and often humor.
Sawyer has painted more than 2,500 paintings of birds and other animals wearing natural hats! Her images have been so popular that they grace numerous products carried in the Reboli Center Design Shop. Vicki Sawyer’s connections to our community, to her many friends here, to Joe Reboli as well as her remarkable portraits make for a fascinating and entertaining exhibit.
The gallery will host a free Zoom Third Friday event with a conversation between Sawyer and Reboli Center President Lois Reboli on Sept. 18. Those who wish to be a part of the Zoom call and who are not presently a part of the email list of the Reboli Center, should contact the gallery by calling 631-751-7707 or by emailing the Center at [email protected] to receive a link to the event.
In conjunction with Wild and Wonderful, an additional exhibit in the History Gallery will highlight the many educational activities and conservation efforts of the Four Harbors Audubon Society.
The Reboli Center for Art and History, located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of artist Joseph Reboli and to foster a meaningful understanding and appreciation for culture and the traditional arts through exhibitions and educational programs.
Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.ReboliCenter.org.
By Heidi Sutton
Doot Ba Da Ba Da Doot Doot Dah! Zip! Boink! Hubba-wha!? Guess what show is back in town?
Through Sept. 13, the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts presents a socially distanced outdoor production of Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We’re In a Play!’ on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society. The author’s award-winning, best-selling children’s books about Gerald the elephant and his “bestus” friend, a pig named Piggie, fly off the pages and on to the stage for an adorable musical experience young children will love.
With script and lyrics by Willems and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, the show centers mostly around Elephant and Piggie’s We are in a Book! but draws from other stories including I Am Invited to a Party! Elephants Cannot Dance!, Should I Share My Ice Cream?, Listen to My Trumpet! and I Love My New Toy!
Directed by Courtney Braun, the fast-paced production follows Gerald and Piggie’s rollicking adventures as they solve problems and learn friendship etiquette with the help of The Squirrelles, Ice Cream Penguin and Delivery Dog.
With every new situation, every dilemma, every disappointment or triumph, the pachyderm and swine prove that they are best friends over and over again and, more importantly, demonstrate to children in the audience how friends should treat each other.
When Piggie is invited to a party hosted by the Squirrelles, she brings Gerald along so he won’t feel left out. When Gerald gets an ice cream cone and it melts before he can share it, Piggie appears with two ice cream cones. When Piggie plays the trumpet badly and everyone at the party leaves, Gerald stays to support her … and so on. Each scene ends on a positive note.
Logan O’Leary is wonderful as Gerald. Funny, engaging, polished, with an incredible singing voice, he portrays his good guy worrywart character perfectly. “I hope nothing goes terribly, horribly, best-friendship-ending wrong in the next hour!”
Aubrey Gulle is amazing as Piggie, Gerald’s “best, best, best, best, best, best, best, best friend.” Always smiling with a powerhouse voice, she shines in every scene with boundless energy.
The two actors are backed by a terrific supporting cast — the harmonizing Squirrelles: Gabrielle Arroyo, Lorelai Mucciolo and Gabriella Fugon; Alia Romanelli as Ice Cream Penguin; and Zachary Podair as Delivery Dog,
The songs and their heartfelt lyrics are the heart of the show. Each number, from the terrific intro, “Lucky to See You,” to the toe-tapping “Swimmy! Fancy!,” “Elephant in the Room” and the big show stopper “Ice Cream Hero” are executed perfectly with musical direction by Melissa Coyle.
Costumes by Ronald Green III are subtle but effectively reflect the character’s animal traits with gray pants, vest and shirt for Gerald; a pink dress for Piggie, brown dresses for the Squirrelles, etc.
Towards the end of the play the cast suddenly discovers they have an audience. Breaking the fourth wall, they invite the crowd to join in the fun by clapping, shouting out “banana” and doing the “Flippy Floppy Floory” dance, a perfect ending to a hilariously fun afternoon.
Recommended for ages 3 to 8, performances of Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We’re In a Play’! will be held on the grounds of the Smithtown Historical Society’s Roseneath Cottage, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown through Sept. 13. Running time is one hour with no intermission. Masks are required. Tickets are $18 per person. For a complete schedule and to order tickets, visit www.smithtownpac.org.
All photos by Courtney Braun
By Melissa Arnold
Since 1964, the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) has worked hard to preserve and share the community’s past with future generations. You’ve likely seen the historical society members and volunteers at local events, like the annual Spirits Tour, Culper Spy Day, Prohibition Night, or the Candlelight House Tour during the holidays.
The society is also dedicated to protecting local historic properties of all kinds. Recently, they were awarded a $350,000 grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to be used to rebuild, restore, and repurpose the Dominick-Crawford Barn, a historically significant building from circa 1847. The barn will have a new home in the field neighboring the historical society’s headquarters. The meadow is currently used to host a farmer’s market every Friday through September.
The pre-Civil War barn was originally located just inside the boundaries of Old Field. It was in poor condition, suffering from the lack of upkeep and long-term exposure to the elements. But TVHS member president Steve Hintze saw potential in the wooden structure.
“The Village of Old Field planned to demolish the barn, but we felt it was historically significant because it was one of the last of its time,” said Hintze, who served as historical society president in 2007.
The barn also serves as an example of two different eras of construction. According to Hintze, You can still see the markings of traditional hand saws, but the work of circular saws is also evident — a method that was still very new at the time. The finished structure was a blending of the old and the new.
It’s been a long road to earn the funding to support the project. Early on, Hintze reached out to Assemblyman Steve Englebright, who guided the society toward a $300,000 grant from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. This additional grant from the Gardiner Foundation will allow construction to move forward with a barn raising this fall.
Of course, such an old structure would need to be entirely rebuilt to meet the requirements of modern safety codes. The historical society chose to use the old timber for the exterior while shoring up the interior with stronger materials. In this way, the barn is getting the best of both worlds.
“It gives us greater structural stability while honoring the original look,” explained Steve Healy, current president of the historical society.
Acquiring the barn also has practical advantages for the society, where space has always been at a premium.
“We always seem to be short on space, and it was one of those things where we were looking for something new and the barn really fit the bill. We’re very happy about it,” said Healy.
In the recent past, the historical society could only allow groups of 25 people at a time into its exhibit space inside its headquarters at 93 Main Street in Setauket. This limit forced them to turn away larger groups, most notably schools that hoped to visit on a field trip.
Once completed, the new two-story, 35-by-50-foot space will be able to accomodate more than 200 people, Hintze said.
It will include teaching facilities, interchangeable exhibit space and archives. The center will allow the Society to supplement the archival space currently being used at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket and provide accessible, climate-controlled storage for the society’s many historical artifacts.
“We are always being offered historical documents and artifacts from the community, so this will give us an opportunity to brush the dust off our archives and share them,” Healy explained.
And as the area recovers from the pandemic, the historical society is looking forward to hosting future large events, including auctions, summer camps, and even hoedowns at the barn.
“We’re excited to bring the community together for historical and educational opportunities of all kinds,” said Hintze. “When you start a project from just the seed of an idea and eventually see it come to fruition, it’s a great feeling.”
For more information about the Three Village Historical Society, visit www.tvhs.org.
Vanderbilt Movie Night
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its movie night series with a screening of “The Greatest Showman” (rated PG), the story of legendary circus promoter P.T. Barnum, starring Hugh Jackman tonight and Sept. 5 at 8 p.m.
Admission for those who sit in their cars is $40 per carload, $34 for members. Bring lawn chairs and sit outside: admission is $30 per carload, $24 for members. Feel free to bring a blanket and arrive at 7 p.m. to picnic on the lawn. Snacks and ice cream will be available for purchase. Tickets for this fundraising event are available online only at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org. No tickets will be sold at the gate. Questions? Call 854-5579.
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