CLOSE
Holidays

by -
0 427
Jessica and Jennifer Morales

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

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

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

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

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.”

———————————-

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. 

 

by -
0 1161
Visitors to NYBG Glow can explore a glowing world of color and light featuring the Haupt Conservatory as the centerpiece. Photo NYBG.

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® at The New York Botanical Garden.

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.

Visitors to NYBG Glow can explore a glowing world of color and light featuring
the Haupt Conservatory as the centerpiece. Photo NYBG.

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/holiday-train-show-2021/

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/holiday-train-show-2021/plan-your-visit/

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

by -
0 2267
METRO photo

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.

by -
0 357
Photo from TVCT

“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.

 

by -
0 540
1 of 8
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Photo by Julie Larsen Maher
Beloved holiday celebration is now a fully outdoor experience

New York is back and so is the City’s premiere outdoor holiday tradition – Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo. Holiday Lights, a family-favorite holiday light experience, will open to the public on November 19, with new light displays that will connect visitors with nature and the spirit of the season.

Holiday Lights will operate on select dates from November 19 to January 9. Tickets for Holiday Lights must be purchased in advance and are date specific.  Tickets are now available online. Visit the Know before You Go page for all details.

This year’s event will be a fully outdoor experience. The experience will encompass an expansive area of the zoo and will be include 5 separate lantern safaris representing animals from different geographic regions; the all new larger-than-life Forest of Color; and activity areas spread out across the park. Fan-favorite seasonal activities include professional ice carving demonstrations and competitions, wildlife stilt walkers, Wildlife Theater performances, holiday train rides, seasonal treats, and more.

In addition to the dozens of new animal lanterns, synchronized light shows, and activities, the zoo has added the one-night-only Holiday Cheers event for adults age 21 and older. On December 1, the Holiday Lights experience will feature unlimited food sampling along with select seasonal adult beverages.  Of course, the evening will also include all of the Holiday Lights displays, lantern safaris, music and activities. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are expected to sell out. For more information visit Holiday Cheers online.

Visit the website for information, tickets and the full schedule of activities.

 About the Bronx Zoo: The Bronx Zoo, located on 265 acres of hardwood forest in Bronx, NY, opened on Nov. 8, 1899. It is world-renowned for its leadership in the areas of animal welfare, husbandry, veterinarian care, education, science and conservation. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is the flagship park of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) which manages the world’s largest network of urban wildlife parks including the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and New York Aquarium.  The Bronx Zoo is the subject of THE ZOO, a docu-series aired world-wide on Animal Planet. For more information, visit www.BronxZoo.com.

 

by -
0 673
METRO photo

Homeowners think nothing of having goblins, nurses, vampires, or astronauts showing up at their doors each October 31 asking for candy. Any other time of the year and these visitors might be turned away. But Halloween is all about the magical and the macabre, and trick-or-treating is a major component of the festivities.

Kids and adults alike cry out “trick or treat” at each house they visit. Many utter this familiar phrase without a second thought and may have no idea how this familiar custom came to be. During the Middle Ages, less fortunate individuals would go “souling,” which was a process of going door-to-door asking for food on November 1 in return for saying prayers for the deceased on All Souls Day on November 2.

Many centuries later, the tradition of “guising” began in Scotland around the same time of year. People began wearing masks and costumes to disguise themselves and prevent evil spirits from harming them. Spirits were thought to cross over more readily around Halloween. The custom also was called “mumming” and was celebrated in nearby England and Ireland as well. Costumes were eventually accompanied by hijinks. Mischief makers would sing a rhyme, do a card trick or tell a story in exchange for a treat. If that treat wasn’t presented, a “trick” could be played.

For 19th century children, tricks included jamming hot cabbage into a keyhole to stink up a house or frightening passersby. History.com indicates that when European immigrants arrived in America, they didn’t give up their annual mischief or requests for treats, and the custom spread throughout the early 20th century in the United States.

While the practice of begging for treats in some shape or form went by many names, Merriam-Webster reports that a newspaper in Saskatchewan, Canada first mentioned the words “treat” and “trick” together in print. A 1923 article indicated, “Hallowe’en passed off very quietly here. ‘Treats’ not ‘tricks’ were the order of the evening.” By 1927, more and more children were uttering “tricks or treats” to solicit candy from their neighbors. Trick-or-treating gained steam throughout the 1950s, with endorsements by major candy companies. The custom also was showcased in popular comic strips. Even though there are tricks to be made on Halloween, treats are the real draw of the day.

by -
0 363
Photo from Vanderbilt Museum
Sponsored by Northwell Health

In honor of National First Responders Day, the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will thank First Responders and their families by offering them free general admission on Saturday and Sunday, October 30 and 31, from noon to 5 p.m. First responders will be asked for ID cards or proof of affiliation.

The Vanderbilt also will offer them discounted tickets for the Museum’s Fall Festival: $13 for kids and $14 for adults.

“We salute the brave men and women who make sacrifices and face danger every day to protect our communities,” said Elizabeth Wayland-Morgan, executive director of the Vanderbilt. (This includes police and firefighters, emergency medical personnel.)

“We’re offering free admission because these people are our neighbors and they provide essential services,” Wayland-Morgan said. “It’s hard on their spouses, families, and children. A fun day at the Vanderbilt is one way to thank them.”

For more information, call 631-854-5579 or visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

by -
0 390
Image from The Shoppes

The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River will host a Safe Trick or Treat event on Sunday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children in costume can find treats OUTSIDE participating shops. Enjoy a Fall Festival and Craft Fair while there. Held rain or shine. Email [email protected] for more information.

by -
0 323
Monster Mash Mudslide

(Family Features) If you’re planning a monster bash this Halloween, brew up drinks so frightfully delicious that it will spook the taste buds of every little ghost, witch and goblin.

The Spooky Smoothie is a flavorful combination of vanilla milk and Greek yogurt, which is blended with ice and topped with whipped cream. The fun is all in the orange-tinted Limited Edition TruMoo Lowfat Vanilla Milk, so make sure to serve it in a clear glass. And ghosts will rise from the dead for the chocolaty Monster Mash Mudslide. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TruMooMilk.

Both of these tasty concoctions feature TruMoo, which is made with 35 percent less total sugar than the leading chocolate and vanilla milk competitor and has no high fructose corn syrup. That’s one thing that won’t scare you this Halloween season

11677 detail image embed2

Spooky Smoothie

Yield: 4 servings

  • 3 cups Limited Edition TruMoo Lowfat Vanilla Milk, orange color
  • 1 1/2 cups lowfat vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 5 cups ice cubes
  • 1/4 cup fat free whipped cream
  • Candy corn for garnish, optional
  1. In blender, combine vanilla milk, yogurt and ice cubes. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.
  2. To serve, pour into serving glasses. Top with whipped cream and candy corn.11677 detail image embed1

    Monster Mash Mudslide

    Yield: 4 servings

    • 4 cups TruMoo Lowfat Chocolate Milk
    • 10 chocolate wafer cookies, coarsely broken
    • 1/2 cup frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
    • 8 mini chocolate chips or mini chocolate candies (orange/brown color recommended)
    1. In blender, blend chocolate milk and chocolate wafer cookies until smooth. Heat mixture in saucepan or microwave until just heated through.
    2. To serve, pour chocolate milk mixture into 4 glasses. For each serving, spoon a large, upright dollop of whipped topping to resemble a ghost. Insert chocolate chips or chocolate candies into dollop for eyes.

    Note: To enjoy a cold mudslide, do not heat in saucepan or microwave.

    Source: TruMoo

 

Prev1...666768...106Next Page 67 of 106
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©