Bethel AME Church, 33 Christian Ave., E. Setauket presents its world famous Harvest Home Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. PICK UP ONLY. Menu includes fried turkey, roast beef, collard greens, string beans, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, candied yams, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn bread, roll and dessert.
Donation of $20 adult, $10 child. Pre-orders only by visiting https://bit.ly/HarvestHomeDinner by Nov. 8. For more information, call 631-751-4140.
By Heidi Sutton
Parking spaces were a hot commodity at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s 31st annual Halloween Festival on Oct. 29. The spooktacular event, which took place at the picturesque Stony Brook Village Center, attracted hundreds of families who spent the afternoon trick-or-treating at the many shops and restaurants, playing games, and dancing to the Monster Mash, courtesy of WALK 97.5.
One of the highlights of the festival was a Halloween parade throughout the center led by the 12-foot-tall Monster Merlin who took photos with visitors throughout the day. The winners of the annual Scarecrow Competition were also announced. (Visit www.tbrnewsmedia.com for winners)
“It’s so wonderful to see everybody together again,” said Gloria Rocchio, WMHO president.
The fun event was sponsored by Suffolk Center for Speech and Myofunctional Therapy, the RJG Consulting Group, Dr. Robert Quilty and Gold Fish Swim School.
Up next for the WMHO is its 42nd annual Holiday Festival on Dec. 5 and the annual Holiday Tree Competition from Dec. 5 to 20. For more information, visit www.wmho.org.
THE MAGIC OF LIVE THEATRE
The holidays have arrived at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson with Barnaby Saves Christmas from Nov. 20 to Dec. 26 with a sensory sensitive performance on Nov. 21. Come join Santa, Barnaby, Franklynne and all of their friends for a wonderful holiday treat. As Santa’s littlest elf and his reindeer friend set off on their journey to save Christmas, they meet some new friends along the way and learn the true meaning of Christmas, Hanukah, and the holiday season. All seats are $10. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Going door to door for candy and treats is part of many families’ Halloween traditions, and the routine almost always ends with a kitchen loaded with treats. When the spooky season comes to a close, consider these ways to use up those delectable goodies.
Take Some to Work
A tried and true classic. It’s likely you won’t be the only person in your office bringing in leftovers a few days after Halloween, but there’s a good chance you have coworkers without kids who may not be as tired of treats as parents.
Freeze It
Certain candies like chocolates freeze better than others, so be conscious of what you’re putting in the freezer. This method keeps your sweets better longer and allows you to use them as ingredients in baking desserts throughout the year, or you can simply thaw a few at a time for snacking.
Make Trail Mix
The traditional recipe calls for peanuts, raisins and small chocolate pieces, but you can take matters into your own hands with a creative hodgepodge of just about anything you’re left with after Halloween passes. Candy corn, pretzels, chocolates and other sweets are perfect for mixing up as a snack to put in baggies for work or school – just choose your family’s favorites and toss together.
Set It Out for Guests
Leftover goodies don’t have to be hidden in the pantry. Grab a small glass dish, fill it with wrapped fun-size candies and place it on an end table, kitchen island or anywhere guests often gather and would feel invited to take one.
Donate it
Groups like Operation Shoebox, which supports our troops, will gladly take donations. Halloween Candy Buy Back, a nationwide program, partners with participating dentist’s offices to “buy” kids’ Halloween candy in exchange for money, raffle tickets for prizes, toothbrushes, local business coupons, and other items.
Other ideas:
Visit Culinary.net for more Halloween treats and recipe ideas.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine has announced that the Youth Bureau INTERFACE Program’s Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive will run from October 15 to November 15. INTERFACE is a partnership between individuals, generous corporate neighbors and the Town of Brookhaven united in a shared effort to provide assistance to Brookhaven’s less fortunate residents all year round.
Supervisor Romaine said, “Every year, our Thanksgiving Food Drive provides healthy holiday meals to families in need throughout Brookhaven Town. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Youth Bureau staff, and volunteers have risen to the challenge by collecting donations are committed to make the holidays.”
“Many families struggle to make ends meet and our Thanksgiving Food Drive eases the stress of how they will pay for Thanksgiving,” said Councilman Michael Loguercio, Town Board Liaison to the Youth Bureau. “Thank you to the Youth Bureau and all the local businesses and residents who contribute to this drive each year.”
Last year’s Thanksgiving Food Drive provided hearty Thanksgiving meals for 956 families in need, feeding a total of 4,342 people. Without the generous contributions received during this drive, this would not have been possible.
Drop off locations for this year’s Thanksgiving Food Drive include:
Suggested food items for donations include all non-perishables, including, but not limited to canned cranberry sauce, stuffing, canned vegetables, canned sweet or white potatoes, instant mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, soup, jar or canned sauce, pasta, canned pasta, macaroni & cheese, cake mix, icing, pudding, jello, cookie mix, cereal, and juice. Due to refrigeration requirements, the Town cannot accept frozen turkeys. However, residents can donate $10 gift cards from local supermarkets, enabling families to purchase turkeys. For more information about the Town of Brookhaven Youth Bureau INTERFACE Program’s Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, call 631-451-8011.
One of the area’s favorite fall events, the Middle Country Public Library’s Women’s EXPO is back in person on Nov. 5 and, for the first time, outdoors. The annual event, which will feature more than 40 exhibitors this year, celebrates women entrepreneurs by connecting them with their peers, local business women and potential customers.
“We are eager to see some of our favorites and to meet a great selection of new women entrepreneurs at this year’s EXPO,” said Elizabeth Malafi, coordinator of the library’s Miller Business Center.
As always, the EXPO welcomes a diverse group of entrepreneurs with something for everyone. Shoppers can find items such as jewelry, pottery, handbags and home decor. Library director, Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, reminds us that the EXPO is much more than a trade show. “The library’s Miller Business Center works with these and other entrepreneurs all year, educating them on business topics and offering them ample opportunities to network with business professionals from throughout Long Island.”
TD Bank has been a sponsor of the EXPO since 2007. Maryellen Ferretti, Retail Market Manager, V.P./Long Island East Region says, “The Middle Country Library is a great partner with TD Bank because we both believe in giving back to the community in which we live and work. The Women’s EXPO is a great example of TD Bank’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs and business on Long Island.”
Let’s learn more about some of the women you’ll meet at the EXPO.
Jessica and Jennifer Morales, Luv Chic Boutique
On their birthday in 2019, twins Jessica and Jennifer Morales tossed around the idea of starting their own clothing business. They wanted Luv Chic Boutique to help “women feel beautiful, comfortable and confident.” Having worked at the Middle Country Library since 2014, Jessica knew the Miller Business Center can help entrepreneurs like her and her sister. Librarians at the Center connected them with the Stony Brook Small Business Development Center, where they were able to get their business going.
Learning as they went, Jessica and Jennifer started with big clothing drops, promoting via social media, but soon found that smaller collections were more successful. Both women look forward to growing their business, eventually adding accessories and even a store front. Jessica and Jennifer are eager to finally be a part of the EXPO as exhibitors as they have seen the energy of the day. “We are excited to do the show because it is such a big and important event.”
Shannon Messina, North Fork Creations
Shannon Messina of North Fork Creations is an EXPO veteran. She worked with her business partner and mother-in-law, Elaine, to create beautiful hand painted glassware. After Elaine passed away, Shannon had a difficult time picking up a paint brush so she tried something new. She started hosting paint parties at wineries out East and was building her new niche when Covid happened.
Like most small businesses, Shannon pivoted to survive, creating kits for people to paint at home and investing in a laser cutting machine. She loves the creativity involved with both painting and designing laser cut items and is looking forward to showing her new products to EXPO shoppers. “What’s so nice about the EXPO is that you speak with so many different types of people. Whenever I meet another woman [business owner] from Long Island, I tell them to do the EXPO.”
Cathy Buckley, Cathy Buckley Cat’s Meow
Cathy Buckley always loved seeing the beautiful, unique handmade jewelry when she attended art fairs and felt inspired to make her own. Being a registered nurse, designing jewelry with copper, brass, silver and vintage items is also a way for Cathy to keep her sanity. During the pandemic, she shifted sales to online and worked hard to increase the presence of Cat’s Meow on Instagram and other social media outlets. Cathy even participated in the virtual EXPO last year but is eager to get back to in-person events. “I love the EXPO! It’s very empowering to be in the presence of so many women entrepreneurs.”
Diana McDonough, ACD Vinyl
Diana McDonough is BUSY! She works full-time and is a full-time grad student in Cyber Security at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in NYC. Oh, and did we mention she runs ACD Vinyl? As many entrepreneurs did, during the start of the pandemic, Diana took her graphic design background and turned it into a business. She was happy to be able to use her creativity to make her own designs in cake toppers, stickers, cards, banners and more.
Each month, Diana donates a portion of sales to an organization focused on getting women & girls into STEM such as Girls Who Code. While most of her sales are online, Diana loves to attend shows so she can network with other small businesses. She is excited to attend the EXPO for the first time because “celebrating women and helping women is something I am extremely passionate about.”
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The annual Women’s EXPO will take place outdoors on Friday, November 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd, Centereach. Admission is free and there is ample parking. The rain date for the EXPO is Friday, November 12th. For further information, call the library at 631-585-9393 x296 or visit www.womensEXPOli.org.
Tickets are on sale now for the 30th annual Holiday Train Show® and the return of NYBG GLOW at The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). The Holiday Train Show—a favorite holiday tradition—is back at NYBG for its 30th year. Returning for its second year, NYBG GLOW will offer more displays to wander through and explore.
The annual Holiday Train Show is a treasured holiday experience for New Yorkers and visitors to the city. It marks the start of the festive season in New York, a magical tradition as essential as a stroll past colorful department store windows on Fifth Avenue and ice skating at Rockefeller Center. A day or an evening at NYBG is one of the city’s top holiday experiences and the perfect outing for families with young children, friends, or date night.
The Holiday Train Show
The Holiday Train Show features a miniature wonderland in the warmth of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Famous New York landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, and many other favorites, are crafted from natural materials such as pine cones, acorns, and seeds. To celebrate the 30th year of the Holiday Train Show, a showcase of NYBG’s buildings and structures will feature a new replica of the majestic LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building along with the iconic Haupt Conservatory. Both are designated New York City Landmarks.
Visitors will marvel as model trains zip through an enchanting display of more than 175 New York landmarks, each delightfully re-created from natural materials such as birch bark, lotus pods, and cinnamon sticks. As day turns to night on select dates, families and friends can start a new holiday tradition exploring the Botanical Garden’s festively illuminated landscape and enjoying music, dance, food, and more at the expanded outdoor color-and-light experience NYBG GLOW. It will be the perfect night out this holiday season.
NYBG GLOW
Returning for its second year, NYBG GLOW will offer more displays to wander through and explore. The beauty of the Garden’s landmark landscape and historic buildings will be breathtakingly illuminated with a newly expanded 1.5-mile colorful experience. NYBG’s iconic sights and buildings will become dramatic, glittering canvases with the Haupt Conservatory and Mertz Library Building as the centerpieces. Washes of brilliant color, thousands of dazzling, energy-efficient LED lights, illuminated plant stories, and whimsical, picture-perfect installations reflect the surrounding gardens and collections, creating a spectacle not to be missed.
Hours
The Holiday Train Show opens to the public on Saturday, November 20, 2021, and runs through Sunday, January 23, 2022. NYBG GLOW will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. on 25 select nights starting Wednesday, November 24, 2021, and running through Saturday, January 22, 2022.
During NYBG GLOW evenings, beverages and light fare will be available at one of NYBG’s outdoor bars or the Bronx Night Market Holiday Pop-Up, and festive offerings will include artistic ice sculpting, music, and pop-up performances around the Garden to add to the seasonal atmosphere.
NYBG GLOW will take place on 25 select dates: Wednesday, November 24; Friday, November 26; Saturday, November 27; Thursday, December 2; Friday, December 3; Saturday, December 4; Thursday, December 9; Saturday, December 11; Thursday, December 16; Friday, December 17; Saturday, December 18; Thursday, December 23; Sunday, December 26; Monday, December 27; Tuesday, December 28; Wednesday, December 29; and Thursday, December 30, 2021; Saturday, January 1; Thursday, January 6; Friday, January 7; Saturday, January 8; Friday, January 14; Saturday, January 15; Friday, January 21; and Saturday, January 22, 2022.
Tickets for both the Holiday Train Show and NYBG GLOW are on sale now for NYBG Members and the general public. https://www.nybg.org/event/
If you go:
NYBG is just 20 minutes from Midtown Manhattan, via Metro-North Railroad. On-site parking is available at the Main Entrance of NYBG at 2900 Southern Boulevard as well as at the NYBG Parking Garage at The Peter Jay Sharp Building at 401 Bedford Park Blvd.
Tickets for the Holiday Train Show are $32 for adults and $18 for children (ages 2–12). NYBG GLOW tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for children. Combination tickets are $49 for adults and $34 for children. Children under 2 are free. https://www.nybg.org/event/
Advance timed tickets are recommended to guarantee admission as tickets do sell out.
The New York Botanical Garden is located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10458. For more information, visit nybg.org
The toothy grins of jack-o’-lanterns are as much a part of Halloween as candy corn and costumes. Even though these carved pumpkins have become synonymous with Halloween, the festive gourds weren’t always tied to the October holiday. The history behind jack-o’-lanterns is not entirely known and there are multiple origin stories, but people may have been making these carvings for centuries.
One tale traces the origin back to Ireland and a popular Irish myth. According to History.com, the tradition involves a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” As the story goes, Stingy Jack invited the devil to share a drink with him. Being the cheapskate his name implies, Jack didn’t want to pay for the drinks, and he convinced the devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy the beverages. After the devil transformed, Stingy Jack instead pocketed the money and placed it next to a silver cross, which prevented the devil from changing back into his original form. Jack made the devil promise that should Jack die, he wouldn’t claim his soul.
Eventually Jack freed the devil, but not before he tricked him again with another con. When Stingy Jack eventually died, legend states God would not allow such a trickster and unsavory character into heaven. The devil could not claim Jack’s soul as promised, but he was upset by the tricks Jack had played. In turn, the devil then sent Jack off to wander the dark night infinitely with only a burning coal to light the path. Stingy Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been traversing the planet ever since. Irish storytellers first began to refer to Jack’s specter as “Jack of the Lantern.” Eventually the name was shortened to “Jack O’Lantern.”
There are other origin stories regarding jack-o’-lanterns. Some say the term originated in 17th century Britain, where it was often customary to call men whose names were unknown a common moniker like “Jack.” Night watchmen who carried lanterns might have been called “Jack with the lantern.” Other theories connect jack-o’-lanterns to the Celtic pagan practice of hallowing out root vegetables and carving them with grotesque faces. Illuminated by coal or candles, these items served to ward off evil spirits. When settlers came from Europe to America, where turnips and other root vegetables were scarce, they used native pumpkins instead. Jack-o’-lanterns are often seen lighting up the Halloween night.
There are various theories regarding the origins of the carved gourds. While the truth may never be fully known, it is fun to learn about the various origin stories connected to this popular symbol of Halloween.
“Protecting the Places You Love”
The Three Village Community Trust will hold a Thanksgiving Food Drive through Nov. 11. This is a wonderful opportunity for residents to help feed the needy by dropping off food goods at the Trust’s headquarters, which is conveniently located at 148 Main Street, Setauket (across the street from Assemblyman Englebright’s office.)
The Trust encourages community members to drop by its headquarters to leave items such as canned goods, rice, pasta, hot and cold cereal, and supermarket gift certificates. Simply place the items on the front porch where it will then be boxed and delivered to food pantries in time for the Holidays.
The Trust’s Food Drive is being held with the help and support of Three Village School District students.
It is a time of giving, and it is the hope of both the Trust, and the students running the drive, that your
donations will bring joy, and support many of our local families.
For more information, call 631-428-6851.
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