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Bruce
Ultra

Meet Ultra

Would you be Ultra’s Valentine? Currently up for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington, this four-year-old Boxer mix is looking for a family with high hopes, an even higher fence, and dog experience, she is ready to put her paw print on adoption papers and change her address to yours! While displaying a calm, dignified demeanor, she’s also quick-witted with a good sense of humor, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Curious about life and eager to explore the world around her, she’s the perfect one to accompany you on all your adventures. Intelligent and loyal, she has all the qualifications of a best friend and lifelong companion. Why go big when you can go Ultra? Stop by to meet her today! 631-368-8770, Ext. 2

Zach & Zoe

Meet Zach & Zoe

Zach, a Morkie and Zoe, a Maltipoo are currently up for adoption at Little Shelter in Huntington. Both eleven years old, they are looking for a home together. Like any old married couple, they can finish each other’s sentences, often adding a few embellishments to their many stories. Zoe is the breadwinner and doesn’t mind “working” the staff and volunteers for treats to take back for Zach, who prefers to stay on the comfy couch with the remote. Both are enthusiastic, however, when it comes to being your loyal companions and confidants. If these two best friends sound like they could be your best friends, stop by Little Shelter to meet them today! 631-368-8770, Ext. 21

Bruce

Meet Bruce

Bruce is a gentle giant seeking a loving forever home! Currentlly at Brookhaven Animal Shelter, this 5 to 6-year-old Cane Corso is already well-versed in commands like sit, down, and come. He’s housebroken and crate trained, making him an easy addition to your household. 

If you have experience with guardian breeds and are searching for an amazing dog to bring into your life, Bruce might be the perfect match. His easygoing nature extends to his walks, and he absolutely loves giving you his paw and enjoying cuddle sessions.

Bruce values human connection over toys and is ready to bring his unique blend of sweetness and loyalty to your home. If you’re ready to welcome Bruce into your life, please visit www.brookhavenny.gov/152/Animal-Shelter and fill out a Matchmaker Application. Your new furry friend awaits! 631-451-6950

Porgy

Meet Porgy

Porgy is a charming 2-year-old Retriever mix at Brookhaven Animal Shelter looking for his forever home. This sweet boy knows his basics like sit and is eager to learn more, especially when it comes to walking nicely on the leash. Porgy, unfortunately, isn’t a fan of other animals, so he’d love to be the sole focus of your affection.

Originally arriving as a stray, Porgy has a heartwarming story of resilience. Initially shy, he’s been gradually opening up, realizing that new people aren’t scary. Porgy is ready to form a strong bond with a loving family.

He thrives in environments with children aged 12 and up, making him a great companion for older kids. Porgy enjoys the outdoors, so a spacious yard where he can run around and have a blast would be ideal for him.

If you’re ready to open your heart and home to this wonderful pup, Porgy is waiting to become your loyal companion. Let’s make his journey complete with a loving family and a forever home! Please fill out a Matchmaker Adoption Application at www.brookhavenny.gov/152/Animal-Shelter to arrange a meet and greet. 631-451-6950

Blaze

Meet Blaze

Waiting at the Smithtown Animal Shelter for his forever home for almost four years now, 10-year-old Blaze is a well-mannered, loving & affectionate boy. He loves pools, food, walks and his people. He hates being cold or in the rain. This sweet boy has stranger danger that must be managed and is easily overcomed (cookies are the way to his heart). He is also protective of his people. Please call 631-360-7575 to set up a meet and greet today!

Rescue is a lifestyle. Adopt, don’t shop.

Check out the next Paw Prints in the issue of March 7.

Paw Prints is generously sponsored by Mark T. Freeley, Esq.

 

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LOVE AND MARRIAGE Tickets are selling fast for the Valentine's Day performance of 'I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change' at the Engeman Theater in Northport. Photo from The John W. Engeman Theater
Thursday Feb. 8

Volunteer Fair heads to Selden

Middle Country Public Library, 575 Middle Country Road, Selden will host a Venues for Volunteering Fair from 6 to 8 p.m. Come find out what volunteer opportunities are available in our area and how you can help. Representatives from over 20 organizations will be in attendance including Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, Friends of the Middle Country Public Library, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County,  Long Island State Veterans Home at Stony Brook, Mercy Haven Inc., Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue, Selden Fire Department, and the Three Village Historical Society. No registration required. For more information, call 631-585-9393.

Reboli Art History Lecture

The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook will host a free art history lecture with award-winning artist  and art history enthusiast Kevin McEvoy from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Light snacks will be served. No reservations are required to attend. 631-751-7707

Staller Center Music Recital

Jennifer Frautschi and Christina Dahl  of SBU Dept. of Music return for another popular evening of duos for violin and piano at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook at 7 p.m. This program considers four very different sonatas written within a twenty-year period that encompasses WWI, and the aftermath of the war. Program includes Szymanowski Sonata in D Minor, Op. 9 for Violin and Piano (1904); Bartok Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, SZ 76 (1922); Marguerite Canal Sonata for Violin and Piano (1922)—selections; and Ravel Violin Sonata No. 2 (1923-27). Free. 631-632-2787

Victorian Valentine’s Day

Join the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport for a Victorian Valentine’s Day at 7 p.m. Make your date night, Gal-entine’s, or early Valentine’s Day celebration unforgettable! Education Coordinator Carol Taylor takes you on a journey from the beginning of Valentine’s Day to modern times while learning (and sampling) wine paired with handcrafted chocolates. Your evening concludes with a gift provided by Nite Owl Promotions. Tickets are $60, $50 members and must be purchased in advance at www.northporthistorical.org. Ages 21+ only. Questions? Call 631-757-9859.

Friday Feb. 9

Game Night in St. James

Join Celebrate St. James for an adult Game Night at the Calderone Theatre, 176 2nd St., St. James from 7 to 10 p.m. Enjoy board games, card games, light refreshments, pizza and a hot chocolate bar. $10 donation. To register, visit www.celebratestjames.org. 631-984-0201

An Evening of Opera

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 270 Main St., Northport hosts a concert by Opera Night Long Island at 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature an entertaining assortment of vocal excerpts from famous and beloved operas followed by a reception. $10 donation, students free. www.operanight.org

Bennett Harris in Concert

The Village of Port Jefferson Dept. of Recreation and the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council continue their Winter Tide concert series at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson with a performance by Blues Master Bennett Harris in the Sail Loft Room (3rd floor) from 7 to 8 p.m. playing tunes by Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson, Blind Blake, as well as his own originals. Tickets are $5 at the door. 631-802-2160

Grounds and Sounds Concert – This event has been postponed to Feb. 16.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 380 Nicolls Road, East Setauket hosts a Grounds and Sounds concert featuring the Claudia Jacobs Band (eclectic mix of folk, blues, pop and soul) with doors opening at 7:30 p.m.  Open mic starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person and are available in advance online or at the door. www.groundsandsounds.org, 631-751-0297

Saturday Feb. 10

February Funny Fest

The Comedy Club@Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson announces the return of February Funny Fest at 8 p.m. with comedians Ellen Karis, Coach Tom Whitely, Richie Byrne and more. Tickets are $40. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Sunday Feb. 11

Valentine’s Day Serenade

Smithtown Historical Society will host a Valentine’s Day Serenade concert by Transitions Saxophone Quartet at the Caleb Smith House, 5 North Country Road, Smithtown  from noon to 2 p.m.. Celebrating a century of songs of love, Transitions will perform the music of artists who have been inspired by love and romance. Wine and chocolate strawberries will be served. Proceeds will go towards preservation and repair of the SHS’s historic buildings. Ticket are $20 per person, $30 per couple. To order, call 631-265-6768.

Chinese Brush Painting

Join the North Shore Public Library, 250 Route 25A, Shoreham for a Chinese Brushwork Painting class from 1 to 3 p.m. where you will learn the basic brush marks, how to use rice paper using Chinese brushes and ink. By listening to the history of this art form and watching painting demonstrations of bamboo, stems, leaves and blossoms, you will create your original piece of Chinese brushwork/painting to bring home. All materials are supplied. Open to all. To register, call 631-929-4488.

Nick Russell in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook welcomes Nick Russell with Sydney Swinson for songs and stories from 3 to 4 p.m. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. For more information, call 631-689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

Ridotto Concert

Huntington Jewish Center, 510 Park Avenue in Huntington hosts a Ridotto Concert, concerts with a touch of theater, featuring pianist Sofya Gulyak at 4 p.m. Program will include works by Chopin, Debussy and Liszt’s Norma Fantasie. Tickets are $35 adults $30 seniors, $25 members and $12 students. For reservations, call 631-385-0373, or email [email protected].

Monday Feb. 12

Sound Beach Civic Meeting

Sound Beach Civic Association will hold a meeting at the Sound Beach Firehouse, 152 Sound Beach Blvd., Sound Beach at 7:30 p.m. The guest speaker will Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon. Also on the agenda will be a representative from Congressman Nick LaLota’s office with an update on the post office closure. All are welcome. For more information call 631-744-6952.

The American Bombshells

The John W. Engeman, 250 Main St., Northport celebrates Valentine’s Day with a concert by The American Bombshells, a modern day twist on the Andrews Sisters, who serve as Ambassadors of America’s Gratitude, traveling the globe with an All-American show that dazzles in three part harmony! Tickets are $45 per person. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Tuesday Feb. 13

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a talk by Rabbi Aaron Benson who will discuss the current issues in Israel in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee will be served. $5 per person, $4 members. 631-928-3737

Shades of Bublé Concert

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Route 25A, Northport continues its Special Event Series with Shades of Bublé at 8 p.m. With three voices singing incredible songs like “Feeling Good,” “Moondance,” “Sway,” “Come Fly With Me,” “Home,” “Everything,” “Fever,” “Save the Last Dance for Me” and many more, the show brings the swinging standards and pop hits of Michael Bublé to the stage in an unforgettable high-energy concert event. Tickets are $45. To order call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Wednesday Feb. 14

Valentine’s Day Breakfast & Trivia

Town of Brookhaven’s Rose Caracappa Senior Center, 739 Route 25A, Mt. Sinai hosts a Valentine’s Day Breakfast & Trivia Game event from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. A continental breakfast will be served. Free. Please call 631-451-5312 to register.

Valentine’s Day at the LIM

Drop by the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook on Feb. 14 from noon to 5 p.m. for a special 2-for-1 admission! Treat your sweetheart to a romantic afternoon enjoying the museum’s new art exhibitions, including the Power of Two, featuring works by artist couples of Long Island; Finding Hidden Treasures: The  Art of Samuel Adoquei; Painting Partnership: Reynold and Joan Ruffins; and Colors of Long Island: Student Art Exhibition. 631-751-0066 See more on page B17.

Thursday Feb. 15

Emerson Legacy Concert

Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook presents an Emerson Legacy Concert in the Recital Hall at 7 p.m. featuring Emerson Members Eugene Drucker, violin, and Lawrence Dutton, viola. Program will include works by Bartok, Dvorak, Mozart and Mendelssohn. Tickets range from $41 to $48. To order, call 631-632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Film

‘The Miracle Club’

Join us at Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station  for a viewing of The Miracle Club starring Maggie Smith, Laura Linney, and Kathy Bates on Fe. 14 at 2 p.m. Open to all. Call 631-928-1212 to reserve your seat. 

‘Casablanca’ at the CAC

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.” Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington invites all lovebirds and lonelyhearts to spend Valentine’s Day with them revisiting a classic, “Casablanca” on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. $20 per person, $15 members. Order tickets in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Theater 

‘I Love You, You’re Perfect …’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St. Northport presents I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, a witty musical revue that tackles modern love in all its forms: from the perils and pitfalls of the first date to marriage, children, and the twilight years of life, from Jan. 18 to March 3. Set in the modern world and told in a series of vignettes and songs, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change traces the overall arc of relationships throughout the course of a life. To order tickets, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Tick Tick Boom!’ *

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson presents Tick, Tick…Boom! from Feb. 17 to March 16. This semi-autobiographical pop/rock musical by Jonathan Larson, the Pulitzer-Prize and Tony Award winning creator of RENT, inspired Lin Manuel Miranda’s 2021 Netflix movie adaptation and explores the sacrifices one man makes and the passion it takes to pursue a dream. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 East Main Street, Port Jefferson presents a production of (Mostly) True Things on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. with stories on the theme Sucker For Love about those times we go to extremes, abandon reason and take big leaps because of love. Four storytellers will compete to win the audience’s choice for the biggest “sucker for love.” Also 3 of the stories will include subtle little lies, but all the stories are otherwise true. The audience gets to question the storytellers, then vote for the person they think told it straight. Tickets are $20 online at eventbrite.com, $25 at the door (cash only).  631-928-6529

Festival of One-Act Plays

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents the 25th annual Festival of One-Act Plays from  Feb. 24 to March 23 at The Ronald F. Peierls Theatre, on the Second Stage. Selected from over 2,000 submissions world-wide, these eight cutting-edge premieres are guaranteed to entertain and engage. Directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, the plays will feature Sean Amato, Ginger Dalton, Jae Hughes, Brittany Lacey, Phyllis March, Andrew Markowitz, Linda May, Rob Schindlar, Evan Teich, Steven Uihlein, Julia Albino, Courtney Gilmore, Gina Lardi, and Cassidy Rose O’Brien. . Please Note: Adult content and language. All tickets are $25. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

Farmers Markets

Huntington Farmers Market

Spirit of Huntington Art Center, 2 Melville Road North, Huntington Station hosts the Long Island Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March. 631-470-9620

Port Jefferson Farmers Market

The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market returns to the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 28. 631-802-2160

Lake Grove Farmers Market

Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove hosts a Winter Farmers Market in the southwestern quadrant of the parking lot (adjacent to Bahama Breeze) on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 516-444-1280

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Are OTC medications really low risk? METRO photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Many of us keep a supply of over-the-counter medications for pain relief, fever and inflammation in our medicine cabinets. Typical “staples” are acetaminophen and a variety of NSDAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and diclofenac sodium. These tend to be our “go to” medications when something ails us.

Americans consume more than 30 billion doses of NSAIDs a year, including both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription-strength (1). As for acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol, one quarter of Americans take it weekly.

Unfortunately, many think these drugs are low risk, because they’re so accessible and commonplace. Many of my patients don’t even include them in a list of medications they take. I have to specifically ask about them. According to a poll of regular OTC NSAID users, 60 percent were not aware that they can have dangerous side effects (2).

What are risks of taking NSAIDs?

Unfortunately, NSAIDs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are responsible for 7,600 deaths annually and 10 times that number in hospitalizations (3). 

NSAIDs increase the risk of heart attacks, gastrointestinal bleeding, stroke, exacerbation of diverticular disease, chronic arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats) and erectile dysfunction. In some instances, the cardiovascular effects can be fatal.

These risks prompted the FDA to strengthen the warning labels on non-aspirin NSAID labels in 2015, advising that those taking NSAIDs should immediately seek medical attention if they experienced chest pain, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, weakness in one part or side of their body, or slurred speech (4).

As recently as late 2020, the FDA added a warning label to non-aspirin NSAIDs about the potential for fetal kidney damage and pregnancy complications beginning around week 20 of a pregnancy (4).

In a case control study using the UK Primary Care Database, chronic users of NSAIDs between ages 40 and 89 had a significantly increased risk of a serious arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) called atrial fibrillation (5).

Interestingly, researchers defined “chronic users” as patients who took NSAIDs for more than 30 days. These users had a 57 percent increased risk of atrial fibrillation. A Danish study reinforces these results after the first month of use (6). This is not very long to have such a substantial risk. For patients who used NSAIDs longer than one year, the risk increased to 80 percent. 

NSAIDs also increase the risk of mortality in chronic users. Older patients who have heart disease or hypertension (high blood pressure) and are chronic NSAIDs users are at increased risk of death, according to an observational study (7). Compared to those who never or infrequently used them over about 2.5 years, chronic users had a greater than twofold increase in death due to cardiovascular causes. 

High blood pressure was not a factor in this study, since the chronic users actually had lower blood pressure; however, I have seen that NSAID use can increase blood pressure with some of my patients.

What are the risks of acetaminophen?

The FDA announced in 2011 that acetaminophen should not exceed 325 mg every four to six hours when used as a prescription combination pain reliever (4). The goal is to reduce and avoid severe injury to the liver, which can cause liver failure.

There is an intriguing paradox with acetaminophen: Hospitals typically dispense regular-strength 325-mg doses of the drug, whereas OTC doses frequently are found in “Extra Strength” 500-mg tablets, and often the suggested dose is two tablets, or 1 gram. At the FDA’s request, Tylenol lowered its recommended daily dosage for extra strength Tylenol to no more than 3 grams a day.

One study that showed acute liver failure was due primarily to unintentional overdoses of acetaminophen (8). Accidental overdosing is more likely to occur when taking acetaminophen at the same time as a combination sinus, cough or cold remedy that also contains acetaminophen. OTC and prescription cold medications can contain acetaminophen.

Of course, if you already suffer from liver damage or disease, consult your physician before taking any medications.

In order to protect yourself from potentially adverse events, you must be your own best advocate; read labels, and remember to tell your physician if you are taking any OTC medications.

If you are a chronic user of NSAIDs or acetaminophen because of underlying inflammation, you may find an anti-inflammatory diet is an effective alternative.

References:

(1) Medscape.com, 2021 Oct 21 (emedicine.medscape.com/article/816117-overview). (2) J Rheumatol. 2005;32;2218-2224. (3) Annals of Internal Medicine, 1997;127:429-438. (4) fda.gov (5) Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(16):1450-1455. (6) BMJ 2011;343:d3450. (7) Am J Med. 2011 Jul;124(7):614-620. (8) Am J Gastroenterol. 2007;102:2459-2463.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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BRAZILIAN GUITAR MASTER Octávio Deluchi returns to All Souls Church in Stony Brook for a free concert on Feb. 3.
Thursday February 1

Unsung Heroes program

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station kicks off Black History month with a program titled Unsung Heroes: Segregated Military Units from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn about history of the African American units that bravely served their country in the face of discrimination. Open to all. Call 631-928-1212 or visit www.cplib.org to register.

An Evening of Jazz

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents a concert featuring The Jazz Loft Big Band, a 7-piece big band directed by Jazz Loft Director Tom Manuel, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children and children under 5 years old are free. To order tickets, visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Friday February 2

Groundhog Day Celebration

Six more weeks of winter or an early spring? The Town of Brookhaven will host its annual Groundhog Day Celebration at the Holtsville Ecology Center, 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville starting at 7 a.m. Come meet Holtsville Hal and find out what his shadow foretells. Following the ceremony, residents are welcome to enjoy complimentary hot chocolate, coffee and bagels provided by 7-Eleven and Bagel Lovers and visit the more than 100 non-releasable, wild or injured animals residing at the Animal Preserve, which will be open at 7 a.m. Free. 631-451-5330.

Black History Night

Town of Brookhaven will host the 33rd Annual Black History Night at the Brookhaven Town Hall auditorium, 1 Independence Hill Farmingville at 6 p.m. The evening’s program with the theme African Americans and the Arts will include performances, art exhibits, a cultural food tasting and the presentation of Academic Achievement Awards to Brookhaven’s top 51 African American high school seniors from 10 school districts who achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. All are welcome. 631-451-TOWN

Cat Jones in Concert

The Village of Port Jefferson Dept. of Recreation and the Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council kick off the 2024 Winter Tide concert series at the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson with a performance by Cat Jones in the Sail Loft Room (3rd floor) from 7 to 8 p.m. The Rhode Island native brings old-school country flavored folk tunes, a perfect way to warm up a winter evening. Tickets are $5 at the door. 631-802-2160

Sound Symphony concert

The Sound Symphony Orchestra with guest conductor Alex Wen will be performing its annual Family Concert at Comsewogue’s John F. Kennedy Middle School, 200 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station at 7 p.m. Repertoire includes: Mozart’s The Magic Flute; Bernstein’s Overture to “Candide”; Peter Gynt’s Suite No. 1; Mission Impossible Theme; and Saint-Saens’ Danse Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah. Admission is $20 adults, $15 seniors, $10 students, children under 12 free. Snow date is Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. www.soundsymphony.org

Saturday February 3

Casino Night Fundraiser

East Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department Station 2, 930 Conklin St., Farmingdale will host a Casino Night Fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $65 in advance, $80 at the door and include a $250 casino chip value, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soda, door prizes and Chinese auction. Event is limited to 100 tickets. 631-249-0474 ext. 2307

Octávio Deluchi in concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main Street, Stony Brook continues its Saturdays at Six concert series with  SBU doctoral student and Brazilian guitarist Octávio Deluchi at 6 p.m. The program will feature a balance between well established and canonical pieces, with new works, with works recently premiered and composed.  Selections will include works by Geraldo Vespar, Vicente Paschoal, Laura Snowdon, Dilermando Reis, Augustin Barrios, Marco Pereira and Astor Piazzolla. Free. 631-655-7798

PJFD Steak Night Fundraiser

Port Jefferson Fire Department, 115 Maple Place, Port Jefferson will hold their annual Steak Night fundraiser from 7 to 10 p.m. $50 per person includes a salad bar, T-bone steak, baked potato, dessert, open bar and 50/50 raffle. To RSVP, call 631-291-8195.

Dinner Theater Fundraiser

Polish American Independent Ladies of  Port Jefferson will present a Dinner Theater titled Cooking with Germs, 4 Comedies and Such by Ed Eriksson at the Polish American Independent Club, 36 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station at 7 p.m. $50 per person includes a buffet, wine, beer and soft drinks. To order, visit Moonbeam.Booktix.com. For more information, call 631-793-9870.

An Evening with Drum Tao

Japan’s No.1 sensation, Drum Tao, heads to Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts’ Main Stage, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook at 7 p.m. for its 30th anniversary tour. Featuring the best in drumming, martial arts, and so much more. Tickets range from $41 to $60. To order, call 631-632-2787 or visit www.stallercenter.com.

Sunday February 4

Caumsett Hike

Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington hosts Just a Hike (On the Roads) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This 4-mile, on road moderately paced walk affords walkers the opportunity to relax, socialize, and enjoy the park’s beauty. Adults only. $4 per person. Advance reservations required by calling 631-423-1770.

Port Jefferson Ice Festival

Rescheduled from Jan. 28. Port Jefferson Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce presents the 5th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival today from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy ice sculptures throughout the village along with live music, dance performances, ice skating demos, live ice carvings by Rich Daly, character photo opportunities, horse-drawn wagon rides and more. 631-473-1414

Narwhal Ball

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St. Cold Spring Harbor hosts its annual Narwhal Ball from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The whole family is invited to a wintry celebration! Explore the world of polar sea creatures through special activities and presentations. Gather around for “Storytime with Elsa” as she shares tales from her icy domain and meet the icy queen herself to snap a photo. Indulge in an icy treat with ice cream sponsored by Kilwin’s of Huntington. Create frosty crafts to take home with you. Tickets online (through Feb. 2) are $20 age 2-17 (all access) $8 adults, $6 seniors at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org; Door tickets are $25 ages 2-17 (all access) $8 adults, $6 seniors. 631-367-3418.

Anastasia René in concert

Join the North Shore Public Library, 250 Route 25A, Shoreham for a 20’s Jazz concert at 1:30 p.m. Join Anastasia René and her band as they take you back to the world of speakeasies, dancing, clubs, music (both early Blues and Jazz), with renditions of the jazz songs performed by artists such as Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and more. Open to all. To register, call 631-929-4488.

Frank Latorre in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will host a concert by Frank Latorre and the King Bees from 3 to 4 p.m. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. For more information, call 631-689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

Monday February 5

DIY Winter Tote

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station will host a DIY Winter Tote program from 4 to 5 p.m. and again from 7 to 8 p.m. Personalize a tote bag for the season using a variety of stencils with Theresa Maritato. Cost is $5 for materials. Open to all. Registration is required by calling 631-928-1212 or visiting www.cplib.org.

Three Village Civic Meeting

Three Village Civic Association will hold its monthly meeting at the Setauket Fire Department Main Building 190 Main St., Setauket at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich. Open to the public. Refreshments will be served. www.3vcivic.org

Portrait of Aretha

CeCe Teneal returns to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport for a Portrait of Aretha concert at 8 p.m. to honor the legacy of the Queen of Soul with personalized interpretations of both popular and lesser-known songs from this 18-Grammy-Award-winning icon’s 50-year career, including “Chain of Fools,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Rock Steady” and more. Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Tuesday February 6

Comedy Night at the Engeman

Join the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport for an evening of comedy at 8 p.m. Come have some laughs, enjoy some cocktails, and listen to some very funny comedians! Tickets are $45. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

Wednesday February 7

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport continues its lecture series with Living Pictures: Gilded Age Portrait Photography at 7 p.m. Erin Pauwels, an author and historian of American art and visual culture, will explore portraiture and identity formation, celebrity culture, and intersections between theater and the visual arts and examine the vibrant history of Sarony, a celebrity photographer once known as “the father of artistic photography in America.” Tickets are $10, members free at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Thursday February 8

Crafts & Cocktails

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for Crafts & Cocktails: Watercolor Wonders from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Explore the science of water through the world’s oldest kind of painting — watercolor! Discover how both sailors and painters learned to exploit the unique properties of water for their own purposes. Harness the power of physics to engineer a colorful layered cocktail to enjoy while you experiment with a variety of fundamental watercolor techniques. Create a nautical watercolor painting to take home. Adults 21+. Tickets are $30 per participant, $20 museum members at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. 631-367-3418

Reboli Art History Lecture

The Reboli Center for Art and History, 64 Main St., Stony Brook will host a free art history lecture with award-winning artist  and art historian aficionado Kevin McEvoy from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Light snacks will be served. No reservations are required to attend. 631-751-7707

Staller Center Music Recital

Jennifer Frautschi and Christina Dahl  of SBU Dept. of Music return for another popular evening of duos for violin and piano at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook at 7 p.m. This program considers four very different sonatas written within a twenty-year period that encompasses WWI, and the aftermath of the war. Program includes Szymanowski Sonata in D Minor, Op. 9 for Violin and Piano (1904); Bartok Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, SZ 76 (1922); Marguerite Canal Sonata for Violin and Piano (1922)—selections; and Ravel Violin Sonata No. 2 (1923-27). Free. 631-632-2787

Victorian Valentine’s Day

Join the Northport Historical Society, 215 Main St., Northport for a Victorian Valentine’s Day at 7 p.m. Make your date night, Gal-entine’s, or early Valentine’s Day celebration unforgettable! Education Coordinator Carol Taylor takes you on a journey from the beginning of Valentine’s Day to modern times while learning (and sampling) wine paired with handcrafted chocolates. Your evening concludes with a gift provided by Nite Owl Promotions. Tickets are $60, $50 members and must be purchased in advance at www.northporthistorical.org. Ages 21+ only. Questions? Call 631-757-9859.

Film

‘Network’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents a screening of Network on Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Sidney Lumet’s stinging rebuke of network television stars Peter Finch as Howard Beale, a veteran anchorman who is being forced out of his post after 25 years. At the end of his rope, he announces on air that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. Beale’s rants lead to a spike in ratings, opening the door for ambitious producer Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway) to develop even more outrageous programming. Hosted by Wallace Matthews former columnist for Newsday, the New York Post and ESPN. Tickets are $16, $10 members in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org or at the door. 631-423-7610

Sky Room Talk at the CAC

The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Sky Room Talk series with Hidden Hitchcock Gems on Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. If another filmmaker made any of Alfred Hitchcock lesser known films, they would be heralded as a cinematic master. Hitchcock’s most popular films cause some to bypass his most classic like Young and Innocent, Saboteur, Torn Curtain and many others. Film historian Glenn Andreiev returns to the Cinema with a look at 12 entertaining but over-shadowed Alfred Hitchcock gems. Tickets are $18, $12 members in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org or at the door. 631-423-7610

‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ 

As part of its Best of the Big Screen series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington will screen The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) starring Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland on Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. With introduction by Philip Harwood. Ticket are $16, $10 members in advance at www.cinemaartscentre.org or at the door. 631-423-7610

Theater

‘The Gin Game’ 

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson presents D.L. Colburn’s The Gin Game from Jan. 13 to Feb. 3. A fierce battle of wits and wills is revealed as a mismatched pair in a retirement facility inadvertently reveal their hearts as they show their hands in increasingly combative rounds of gin rummy. Poignant, powerful, and heartbreakingly honest, The Gin Game shows that secrets held close to the vest are not safe from being put on the table. The production stars Theatre Three veterans Bradlee and Marci Bing. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘I Love You, You’re Perfect …’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St. Northport presents I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, a witty musical revue that tackles modern love in all its forms: from the perils and pitfalls of the first date to marriage, children, and the twilight years of life, from Jan. 18 to March 3. Set in the modern world and told in a series of vignettes and songs, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change traces the overall arc of relationships throughout the course of a life. To order tickets, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 East Main Street, Port Jefferson presents a production of (Mostly) True Things on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. with stories on the theme Sucker For Love about those times we go to extremes, abandon reason and take big leaps because of love. Four storytellers will compete to win the audience’s choice for the biggest “sucker for love.” Also 3 of the stories will include subtle little lies, but all the stories are otherwise true. The audience gets to question the storytellers, then vote for the person they think told it straight. Tickets are $20 online at eventbrite.com, $25 at the door (cash only).  631-928-6529

Farmers Markets

Huntington Farmers Market

Spirit of Huntington Art Center, 2 Melville Road North, Huntington Station hosts the Long Island Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March. 631-470-9620

Port Jefferson Farmers Market

The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market returns to the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 28. 631-802-2160

Class Reunions

•Centereach High School Class of 1974 will hold its 50th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on April 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, email Jean Ann Renzulli at [email protected].

•Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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'Hope and Freckles: Learning to Live in a New Land' cover

By Melissa Arnold

Author Bill Kiley

Four years ago, Bill Kiley of East Northport published his first book for children, Hope and Freckles: Fleeing to a Better Forest. The book follows a mother deer, Hope, and her young fawn, Freckles, as their lifelong home in the Olden Forest becomes increasingly dangerous. Food is also scarce, and the pair have no choice but to run away in search of a safer place to live.

Now Kiley has published a second book in the series, Hope and Freckles: Learning to Live in a New Land.

As the newest residents of the Big Pine Forest, Hope and Freckles each struggle in their own ways to adjust to life in their new home. The language spoken in Big Pine Forest is unfamiliar, and while young Freckles catches on quickly, Hope lags behind and needs help communicating with others.

Big Pine’s reaction to Hope and Freckles is mixed, and not all of their neighbors are kind. Some are curious about the newcomers, who have a different fur color and eat strange foods, while others are suspicious or even rude. Hope and Freckles have to make daily decisions about when to blend in and when to honor their own ways of doing things.

As in the previous Hope and Freckles installment, this story gives young readers a first glimpse into the difficult choices made by refugees and immigrants seeking a fresh start in the United States. The book gently and compassionately explains concepts like asylum-seeking, discrimination, cultural traditions and assimilation in an age-appropriate way.

There’s something for everyone in this book — toddlers will love the vivid wildlife art and adorable faces of the characters. Illustrator Mary Manning has a classic style that’s perfect for a children’s book, and it’s hard not to think of Bambi while moving through the story.

For older readers who are ready to explore the book’s deeper message, a useful collection of vocabulary words, questions and resources will help kick off discussions about real-world issues. Teachers, parents and other adult leaders can easily build a lesson around this material.

Kiley spent more than 30 years in law enforcement and was profoundly impacted by the experiences of immigrants and refugees he met. Their reasons for leaving home spanned from famine and drought to political upheaval and oppression.

Following his retirement, political issues and humanitarian crises around the world led Kiley to do more research on refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates there are currently 37 million refugees around the world.

“I became frustrated by the negative opinions held by some people toward all immigrants, and I wanted to do what I could to change those views. So I thought, what if I wrote a book series geared toward children that could introduce them to the difficulties faced by refugees, while also making an impact on the adults who read along with them?” he recalled.

Since then, he’s spoken in schools and churches about immigration issues, and even visited college students to talk about writing children’s literature.

While the Hope and Freckles books are geared towards younger readers, one especially poignant memory for Kiley came from a visit to a local high school. He told the students to imagine coming home from school and being told they needed to leave their home forever in 30 minutes, and could only bring a backpack.

Their teacher had the students do the exercise at home, then write a reflection about what items they packed and how they felt throughout the process.

“I was so impressed by the feelings they shared about that experience … most importantly, that they had never considered what it would be like to have to leave everything you love behind and that their eyes were opened to what other people are facing,” Kiley said. 

The author hopes that his books encourage readers to reach out to people who are different from them, including those of various races, cultures, economic backgrounds and social identities.

Kiley is currently working on a third Hope and Freckles book that focuses on what causes “othering” and discrimination. He aims to include animal characters with disabilities, as well as different family structures and religious beliefs.

“I have a deeply-held belief that we are all brothers and sisters,” he said. “We can choose to ignore people who are suffering, we can choose to reject or demonize them, or we can educate ourselves, talk to one another and work to find solutions.”

Hope and Freckles: Learning to Live in a New Land is available at your favorite online booksellers. For educational resources, updates and more from Bill Kiley, visit www.hopeandfreckles.com.

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You’ll be surprised at how much better you will feel — and how much sharper your thinking is if you add walking to your daily regimen. METRO photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

What does it take to get us out of our seats? We know that exercise is good for our long-term physical and mental health, but it’s still elusive for many of us. It’s just too tempting to let the next episode of our new favorite series autoplay or to answer those last few emails.

Many of us tried to get out of gym class as kids and, as adults, we “want” to exercise, but we “don’t have time.” I once heard that the couch is as bad as the worst deep-fried food; it perpetuates inactivity. Even sleeping burns more calories than sitting and watching TV.

I have good news. There is an easy way to get tremendous benefit in very little time. You don’t need expensive equipment, and you don’t have to join a gym. You can even sharpen your wits — with your feet.

The New York Times’ Science Times carried an article a few years ago about Esther Tuttle. At the time, Esther was 99 years old, sharp as a tack and was independently mobile, with no mobility aids required. She continued to stay active by walking in the morning for 30 minutes and then walking again in the afternoon. The skeptic might say that this is a nice story, but its value is anecdotal at best.

Well, evidence-based medicine backs up her claim that walking is a rudimentary and simple way to get exercise that shows incredible benefits. One mile of walking a day will help keep the doctor away. For the step-counters among you, that’s about 2,000 steps a day for an adult with an average stride length.

Does walking improve brain function?

Walking also has a powerful effect on preserving brain function and even growing certain areas of the brain (1). Walking between six and nine miles a week, or just one mile a day, reduced the risk of cognitive impairment over 13 years and actually increased the amount of gray matter tissue in the brain over nine years. Whoa!

Participants who had an increase in brain tissue volume also had a substantially reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment. Interestingly, the parts of the brain that grew included the hippocampus, involved with memory, and the frontal cortex, involved with short-term memory and executive decision making. There were 299 participants who were dementia free at the start of the trial. The mean participant age was 78. Imagine if you started younger?

In yet another study, moderate exercise reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment with exercise begun in mid-to-late life (2).

Even better news is that, if you’re pressed for time or if you’re building up your stamina, you can split a mile into two half-mile increments. How long does it take you to walk a half-mile? You’ll be surprised at how much better you will feel — and how much sharper your thinking is.

How does walking affect mood?

Researchers performed a meta-analysis of other studies related to the relationship between exercise and depression. They found that adults who walked briskly for about 75 minutes per week cut their risk of depression by 18 percent (3). That’s only half of what the Centers for Disease Control recommend. 

If you ratchet up your exercise to running, a study showed that mood also improves, mollifying anger (4). The act of running actually increases your serotonin levels, a hormone that, when low, can make people agitated or angry. So, exercise may actually help you get your aggressions out.

How do I reset my sitting ‘habit?’

A particular challenge I hear these days is that working from home reduces much of the opportunity to walk. There’s less walking down the hall to a meeting or to refill your water bottle. Instead, everything is only a few steps away. It’s as if our work environment is actually working against us.

If you need a little help getting motivated, here is a terrific strategy to get you off the couch or away from your computer: set an alarm for specific points throughout your day and use that as a prompt to get up and walk, even if it’s for only 15 minutes. The miles will add up quickly.

A client of my wife’s schedules meetings for no more than 50 minutes, so she can walk a “lap” around her house’s interior between meetings. She also looks for opportunities to have a good old-fashioned phone call, rather than a video call, so she can walk around while she’s talking or listening. Of course, this is one person, but it might give you some ideas that will work for you.

Walking has other benefits as well. We’ve all heard about the importance of doing weight-bearing exercise to prevent osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. Sadly, if you don’t use them, bones weaken and break. Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that helps strengthen your joints, bones and muscles.

So, remember, use your feet to keep your mind sharp and yourself even-tempered. Activities like walking will help you keep a positive attitude, preserve your bones and help increase the plasticity of your brain.

References:

(1) Neurology Oct 2010, 75 (16) 1415-1422. (2) Arch Neurol. 2010;67(1):80-86. (3) JAMA Psychiatry 2022. 79(6), 500-559. (4) J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2010 Apr;32(2):253-261.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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AN EVENING OF STORYTELLING Northport Symphony Orchestra presents a winter concert at the Northport High School on Feb. 26. Photo courtesy of NSO
Thursday January 25

Library Book Sale

Center Moriches Free Public Library, 235 Main St., Center Moriches will hold an Antique, Vintage, and Premium Book Sale sponsored by the Friends of the Library today from 2 to 8 p.m., Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Jan. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All proceeds benefit Library. 631-438-6972

Beyond the Book Club

Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor continues its Beyond the Book Club series with The Soul of the Octopus at 6:30 p.m. Can an animal — not to mention an invertebrate — possess intelligence? Consciousness? A soul? These are some of the questions author Sy Montgomery tackles in her emotional and enlightening portrait of one of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures — the octopus. Explore historical documents from the museum’s collection that reveal how 19th century whalers viewed whales and discover how these views have changed over time. $15 per participant. To register, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.

Native American Drumming

All Souls Parish House, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook will host an evening of Native American Drumming Meditation from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by elder drummer, Ric Statler, drumming meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Call 631-655-7798 for more information.

Friday January 26

Coffee House concert

Celebrate St. James continues its Coffee House series at the St. James Calderone Theatre, 176 Second St., St. James with John Zollo featuring the songs of Tony Bennett at 7 p.m. with special coffee beverages, tea and sweet treats. Tickets are $25, $20 members. For tickets, visit www.celebratestjames.org. 631-984-0201

American Heritage Night

Kings Park Heritage Museum, RJO Intermediate School auditorium, 101 Church St., Kings park presents American Heritage Night at 7 p.m. Featuring the Big Band sounds of The Gold Coast Jazz Band with a guest performance by Robert Levey II. Free admission. 631-269-3305, www.kpheritagemuseum.net

Symphony Orchestra concert

The Northport Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Eric Mahl, will present a classical music concert titled Storytelling at Northport High School, 154 Laurel Hill Road, Northport at 8 p.m.  The concert will feature “Scheherazade” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov and “Magnolias” by Robert Nathaniel Dett. Tickets are $15.www.northportsymphony.org.

Friday Night Face-Off

Friday Night Face Off, Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages 16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door – cash only. 631-928-9100

Saturday January 27

Port Jefferson Ice Festival

Port Jefferson Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce presents the 5th annual Port Jefferson Ice Festival today and Jan. 28 from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy ice sculptures throughout the village along with live music, dance performances, ice skating demos, live ice carvings by Rich Daly, character photo opportunities, horse-drawn wagon rides and more. Rain dates are Feb. 3 and 4. 631-473-1414

Rock N Raptors fundraiser

Sweetbriar Nature Center will hold a Rock N Raptors fundraiser at the Bates House, 1 Bates Road, Setauket from 2 to 6 p.m. with live music, raptor presentations, raffles, games, food and more. Musical guests include 45 RPM, Screamer of the Week (Classic New Wave)  and an acoustic duet with George Tebbitt and Mike Green of Beyond Fab. Tickets are $25 per person, children under 12 free. To order, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Ceramics fundraiser

Join the Art League of Long Island for a Ceramics Department Fundraiser at Vanderbilt Elementary School, 350 Deer Park Ave., Dix Hills at 5 p.m. Titled Made with Mud, Kissed by Fire, the event will feature raffles, an auction, and hors-doeuvres for you to enjoy while helping the Art League enhance and maintain the facilities and equipment in their ceramic studios. $55 admission fee includes a small bowl to go home with. Register at www.artleagueli.org. 631-462-5400

Sunday January 28

Port Jefferson Ice Festival

See Jan 27 listing.

Le Petit Salon concert

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 380 Nicolls Road, E. Setauket hosts a Le Petit Salon de Musique classical concert featuring soprano Rachel Schutz and pianist Andrea Christie at 2 p.m. Titled Silence the program will include works by Morfydd Owen, Grace Williams, Margaret Bonds, Thomas Osborne and Sergei Rachmaninov. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 students $10 ages 12 and under at the door. To purchase in advance, visit www.lepetitsalon.org. 631-751-0297

Ken McGorry in concert

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook will host a concert by Ken McGorry and the Achievements from 3 to 4 p.m. The event is free with general admission ticket purchase. For more information, call 689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

Monday January 29

No events listed for this day.

Tuesday January 30

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a concert by the barbershop quartet  “Once Upon a Time”  —  100 years of combined singing experience, entertaining audiences all around Long Island — in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee will be served. $5 per person, $4 members. 631-928-3737

Wednesday January 31

No events listed for this day.

Thursday February 1

Unsung Heroes program

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station kicks off Black History month with a program titled Unsung Heroes: Segregated Military Units from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn about history of the African American units that bravely served their country in the face of discrimination. Open to all. Call 631-928-1212 or visit www.cplib.org to register.

An Evening of Jazz

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents a concert featuring The Jazz Loft Big Band, a 7-piece big band directed by Jazz Loft Director Tom Manuel, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors, $20 students, $15 children and children under 5 years old are free. To order tickets, visit www.thejazzloft.org.

Film

‘Joke Man’

Join the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, 97 Main St., Stony Brook for a special screening of Jackie Martling’s Joke Man on Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. Famous for being the head writer of the Howard Stern show for 15 years and infamous for leaving that position, Martling’s life story is fascinating, funny, and heartwarming. Joke Man is a universal story of self-discovery and the how humor is one of the keys to happiness. Followed by a Q&A with Jacki Martling. Tickets are $35 per person and includes admission to the Hall of Fame museum. For more information, call 689-5888 or visit www.limusichalloffame.org.

‘I Remember Mama’

Celebrate St. James continues its Classic Movie Series with a screening of I Remember Mama at the St. James Calderone Theatre, 176 Second St., St. James on Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. The 1948 film follows a young writer recalls her ups and downs of growing up as one of four children to Norwegian immigrant parents in 1910s San Francisco. Tickets are $25, $20 seniors. To register, call 631-984-0201 or visit www.celebratestjames.org.

‘Toxic Beauty’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington and Green Inside and Out present a special screening of Toxic Beauty on Jan. 28 at 2:30 p.m. The documentary reveals the truth about harmful health consequences of chemicals found in everyday beauty products, the huge corporations that knowingly use them and the lack of governmental regulations to protect consumers and follows the class action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and the plaintiffs. Preceded by a panel discussion regarding the Toxic Free Cosmetics Act. Tickets are $16, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org. 631-423-7610

Theater
UP FOR A GAME OF CARDS?
Catch a performance of ‘The Gin Game’ at Theatre Three. The show runs through Feb. 3.
Photo courtesy of Theatre Three

‘The Gin Game’ 

Theatre Three, 412 Main Street, Port Jefferson presents D.L. Colburn’s The Gin Game from Jan. 13 to Feb. 3. A fierce battle of wits and wills is revealed as a mismatched pair in a retirement facility inadvertently reveal their hearts as they show their hands in increasingly combative rounds of gin rummy. Poignant, powerful, and heartbreakingly honest, The Gin Game shows that secrets held close to the vest are not safe from being put on the table. The production stars Theatre Three veterans Bradlee and Marci Bing. Tickets are $40 adults, $32 seniors and students. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘I Love You, You’re Perfect …’

John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St. Northport presents I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, a witty musical revue that tackles modern love in all its forms: from the perils and pitfalls of the first date to marriage, children, and the twilight years of life, from Jan. 18 to March 3. Set in the modern world and told in a series of vignettes and songs, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change traces the overall arc of relationships throughout the course of a life. To order tickets, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. See review on page B13.

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 East Main Street, Port Jefferson presents a production of (Mostly) True Things on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. with stories on the theme Sucker For Love about those times we go to extremes, abandon reason and take big leaps because of love. Four storytellers will compete to win the audience’s choice for the biggest “sucker for love.” Also 3 of the stories will include subtle little lies, but all the stories are otherwise true. The audience gets to question the storytellers, then vote for the person they think told it straight. Tickets are $20 online at eventbrite.com, $25 at the door (cash only). 

Farmers Markets

Huntington Farmers Market

Spirit of Huntington Art Center, 2 Melville Road North, Huntington Station hosts the Long Island Winter Farmers Market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March. 631-470-9620

Port Jefferson Farmers Market

The Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market returns to the Port Jefferson Village Center, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 28. 631-802-2160

Class Reunions

•Centereach High School Class of 1974 will hold its 50th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on April 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, email Jean Ann Renzulli at [email protected].

•Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected]

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Our genes are not destiny. METRO photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Heart disease risk is influenced by family history and by lifestyle, including diet. But what if we could tackle genetic issues with diet?

A study involving the Paleo-type diet and other ancient diets suggests that there is a significant genetic component to cardiovascular disease, while another study looking at the Mediterranean-type diet implies that we may be able to reduce our risk factors with lifestyle adjustments. Most of the risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, smoking and obesity are modifiable (1). Let’s look at the evidence.

The role of genes in heart disease

Researchers used computed tomography scans to look at 137 mummies from ancient times across the world, including Egypt, Peru, the Aleutian Islands and Southwestern America (2). The cultures were diverse, including hunter-gatherers (consumers of a Paleo-type diet), farmer-gatherers and solely farmers. Their diets were not vegetarian; they involved significant amounts of animal protein, such as fish and cattle.

Researchers found that one-third of these mummies had atherosclerosis (plaques in the arteries), which is a precursor to heart disease. The ratio should sound familiar. It aligns with what we see in modern times.

The authors concluded that atherosclerosis could be part of the aging process in humans. In other words, it may be a result of our genes. Being human, we all have a genetic propensity toward atherosclerosis and heart disease, some more than others, but many of us can reduce our risk factors significantly.

However, other studies demonstrate that we can reduce our chances of getting heart disease with lifestyle changes, such as with a plant-rich diet, such as a Mediterranean-type diet.

Does diet affect our genetic response?

A New England Journal of Medicine study explores the Mediterranean-type diet and its potential impact on cardiovascular disease risk (3). Here, two variations on the Mediterranean-type diet were compared to a low-fat diet, with participants randomly assigned to three different groups. The two Mediterranean-type diet groups both showed about a 30 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to the low-fat diet. Study end points included heart attacks, strokes and mortality. Interestingly, risk improvement in the Mediterranean-type diet arms occurred even though there was no significant weight loss.

The study included three groups: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts (almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts), a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (at least four tablespoons a day), and a low-fat control diet. The patient population included over 7,000 participants in Spain at high risk for cardiovascular disease.

The Mediterranean-type diet arms both included significant amounts of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, fish, olive oil and wine. I call them “Mediterranean diets with opulence,” because both groups consuming this diet had either significant amounts of nuts or olive oil and/or wine. If the participants in the Mediterranean diet groups drank wine, they were encouraged to drink at least one glass a day.

The strength of this study, beyond its high-risk population and its large size, was that it was a randomized clinical trial, the gold standard of trials. However, there was a significant flaw, and the results need to be tempered. The group assigned to the low-fat diet was not, in fact, able to maintain this diet throughout the study. Therefore, it really became a comparison between variations on the Mediterranean diet and a standard diet.

What do the leaders in the field of cardiovascular disease and integrative medicine think of the Mediterranean diet study? Interestingly there are two opposing opinions, split by field. You may be surprised by which group liked it and which did not.

Cardiologists, including well-known physicians Henry Black, M.D., who specializes in high blood pressure, and Eric Topol, M.D., former chairman of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic, hailed the study as a great achievement. This group of physicians emphasized that now there is a large, randomized trial measuring meaningful clinical outcomes, such as heart attacks, stroke and death. 

On the other hand, the integrative medicine physicians, Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., and Dean Ornish, M.D., both of whom stress a plant-rich diet that may be significantly more nutrient dense than the Mediterranean diet in the study, expressed disappointment with the results. They feel that heart disease and its risk factors can be reversed, not just reduced. Both clinicians have published small, well-designed studies showing significant benefits from plant-based diets (4, 5). Ornish showed a reversal of atherosclerosis in one of his studies (6).

So, who is correct about the Mediterranean diet? Each opinion has its merits. The cardiologists’ enthusiasm is warranted, because a Mediterranean diet, even one of “opulence,” will appeal to more people, who will then realize the benefits. However, those who follow a more focused diet, with greater amounts of nutrient-dense foods, will potentially see a reversal in heart disease, minimizing risk — and not just reducing it.

So, what have we learned? Even with a genetic propensity for cardiovascular disease, we can alter our cardiovascular destinies with diet.

References:

(1)www.uptodate.com (2) BMJ 2013;346:f1591. (3) N Engl J Med 2018; 378:e34. (4) J Fam Pract. 1995;41(6):560-568. (5) Am J Cardiol. 2011;108:498-507. (6) JAMA. 1998 Dec 16;280(23):2001-2007.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Helen Harrison. Photo by Durell Godfrey

This acclaimed art historian transformed the former home of artists Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner into a thriving national landmark and developed the affiliated Study Center for modern American art at Stony Brook Southampton.

Helen Harrison, director of the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center at Stony Brook University, is retiring after 34 years of service to the university. Credited with having the Pollock-Krasner House designated as a National Historic Landmark, securing an endowment for the property, establishing the Study Center and more, Harrison leaves behind a new university-endowed fellowship for studies in abstract expressionism.

“This fellowship will help bring more scholars in to use our resources and the resources that are available in this area,” she says, referring to the bustling artists’ community of eastern Long Island. “This is very important, because the first generation of scholars is dying out, and we need to keep this as an active field of study.”

So far, the House and Study Center have contributed five specialists, four conferences and a publication to the field. Harrison’s fellowship, an annual three-month program, will consistently attract new scholars eager to make a contribution of their own. Harrison hopes the Study Center will continue to expand its archive and offerings accordingly.

Prior to her tenure at Stony Brook, Harrison served as a curator at Guild Hall Museum, guest curator at The Queens Museum, and Executive Director of the Public Art Preservation Committee. She has also worked as an exhibition organizer and an art columnist, commentator, critic and feature writer for several news outlets including the New York Times.

Her multifaceted career has earned Harrison dozens of accolades, including multiple awards from the Press Club of Long Island and a 2021 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. Her love for art and writing inspired her to write a series of murder mystery novels, one of which won a 2019 Benjamin Franklin Gold Award presented by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Harrison looks forward to publishing more in her retirement and remains a resource for the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center should her expertise be needed, she says.

“Helen Harrison’s undertakings for Stony Brook University and the Department of Art have gone far beyond her duties as Director of the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center,” says former Interim Chair and Professor, Affiliated Faculty for Art, Margaret Schedel. “She has served the department in every facet of its entity, and at the highest level. As she ends her service to the University I would like to honor her years of dedication to our mission.”

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White-throated Sparrow. Photo courtesy of Unsplash
Dark-eyed Junco. Photo courtesy of Unsplash

By John L. Turner

John Turner

Walking along the edge of an uneven row of withered goldenrods, adorned with countless fuzzy heads brimming with seeds, I noticed some bird movement in the lower branches of the shrubs interspersed among the flowers. Lots of movement in all directions as the small earth-toned birds flitted up and down, toward and away from me. I was in the presence of a flock of fourteen white-throated sparrows actively feeding on the ubiquitous goldenrod seed. Their presence was a nice welcome to my morning. 

The white-throated sparrow is a most handsome bird, possessing, as its name makes clear, a distinctive white throat patch (its Latin name is Zonotrichia albicollis with albicollis meaning “white-necked”). Even more prominent in this species are the five bold longitudinal black and white head stripes (three white and two black) with a pretty splash of yellow just behind the bill in a place known as the lores on the two lateral white stripes.   

There’s an interesting story about these light-colored head stripes that underscores how the natural world is much more complex than it may, at first, appear.  These stripes come in two distinct colors: white and tan, so a sparrow may be a tan-striped white-throated sparrow or a white-striped white-throated sparrow. This color difference is genetically based, apparently due to a single chromosome part inverting while going through mitosis — remember genetics from high school biology class? In a case of mistaken identity John James Audubon thought white-striped individuals were male while tan-striped birds female, a reasonable assumption given the fact more colorful birds are typically male. You can see this mistake in his illustration of the species in his famous “Birds of America.”

Birds of the same species that display different plumages are referred to as “morphs” or “forms.” The Eastern Screech Owl is another local example of a bird species that exhibits morphs, having two colorful forms — grey and rufous birds. The Parasitic Jaeger, a gull-like bird occasionally seen in the ocean off the island’s south shore has three color morphs — light, intermediate, and dark.

White-throated sparrow

And you might reasonably think that white-striped males would always select a white-striped female as a mate and the same with tan-striped individuals, but it’s actually just the opposite. White-striped males overwhelmingly prefer tan-striped females (and vice versa) while tan striped males select white-striped females (also vice versa), a concept ecologists fancily refer to as “negative assortative mating.” Researchers have determined the morphs behave differently with white-striped birds being more aggressive but with less adept parenting abilities than tan-striped birds.  These two traits seem to balance out as the two morphs are about equally represented in the species overall.  

White-throated sparrows don’t breed on Long Island (with very few noted records) but are common winter visitors and one of the more common species to visit bird feeding stations, often feeding on the millet and other grain that spills to the ground.  If white-throated sparrows come to your feeders try to distinguish the two color morphs and note any difference in behaviors. As mentioned above, research suggests the white-striped forms are more aggressive and tend to dominate tan-striped individuals. Have you observed this? 

As winter melds into spring you might hear the distinctive song of this sparrow. One of the bird’s colloquial names — Old Sam Peabody — comes from its song that seems like it’s saying that fella’s name with a few extra Peabody’s thrown in at the end. Others liken it to My Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada. I think the second description is a wee bit more accurate both because it sounds closer to the bird’s song and because the species breeds across a broad swath of forest in our country neighbor to the North.  

Another common winter visitor to bird feeders is a sparrow that doesn’t much look like  one, as it doesn’t have the earth-tone browns and tans typical of most sparrow species.  It’s the Slate-colored or Dark-eyed Junco or as the famous New York naturalist John Burroughs called them  “snowbirds” since they often appear in New York around the time of the season’s first snowfall.  

A widespread breeder across North America (but not Long Island as it breeds further north) this species consists of 15 subspecies many of which look different, giving rise to distinctive names such as the white-winged, pink-sided, red-backed, and gray-headed juncos. Given their distinctive morphological differences, which is thought to have occurred a few thousand years ago, this species appears to be on its way to evolving into several other species. If we can hang around for a few thousand more years we might find out the answer. 

The junco (it’s Latin name is hyemalis meaning “of the winter”) is a handsome bird with “our” subspecies being dark grey on top with white on the belly and under the tail.  Females are tinged with brown on top. Both sexes have triangular pink bills, the color of bubble gum, which they use to capture insects, collect seeds and berries, and/or the food you put out in your feeders.   

Dark-eyed Junco

Speaking of feeders, according to Project FeederWatch, run by the Cornell University’s Project Laboratory of Ornithology, the Dark-eyed Junco is recorded at more feeders in North America than any other bird. 

Another plumage trait all juncos share are outer tail feathers that range from partially to fully white. These bright white “banner marks” are examples of deflective coloration and are a feature commonplace in birds. It’s hypothesized their function is to confuse predators or deflect their attack to a non-lethal part of a bird’s body but this purpose has not been proven experimentally beyond a reasonable doubt so the purpose remains  conjectural. The Eastern Meadowlark and American Robin are other examples of birds exhibiting banner marks. 

Another interesting aspect of junco life is that not all birds overwinter in the same area. Generally male juncos, both adult and young, overwinter in more northern locales while females migrate further south. The reason for this seems to be the desire for male birds to be closer to prime breeding territories, the adults to reclaim them and younger males in an effort to quickly find an available territory. Females have no such worries and can benefit from more moderate climates to the south.

So, what at first appears to be two nice uncomplicated winter visitors visiting your feeding station actually reveal, like when the layers of an onion are peeled back, a reality with complexity and depth possessed by all living creatures that share our world.

A resident of Setauket, author John Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island” and president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours

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