Visiting Long Island
I have not reported on recent trips to the center of the modern world, New York City. I have steered away from that area of the state for the time being. New York State is truly a place with many attractive places. One of them is Long Island. It is truly in a position of advantage in the geography of the state. So very close to the Big Apple. It has the advantage of being ajacent to the cultural soul of so many creative artists. Be it in theater, fashion, the opera and pop music. As well as museums and cultural centers. .
 |
| L.I. Railroad |
Most of all the base of many creative accountants and bankers. Concocting all sorts of money making schemes. A good reason for being where it all happens. Hundreds of thousands of employees enter and depart from the skyscrapers that house institutions of finance. Along with these comes jobs that service them. Which, the city folk and Long Islanders fulfill the the need of providing. The ability to travel into N.Y. City via auto and rail, as well as moving around town easily Is as big a plus as you can get. The suburbs also have the advantage of not being part of the city of N.Y. Therefore insulating themselves from the noise and unpleasantness of living in the big city. That is as good as it gets.
I love L.I. and always have. Beaches and green areas of parks that are numerous and spacious. Makes it a place you want to be. Mostly in the summer, but for many all year long. It is understandable, as I have enjoyed it in all seasons. But for me summer time is the best time to be on Long Island. So that is where I have been going throughout my stays there. Very happily I might add. I am not interested in taking advantage of what the metropolis has to offer. Even when it comes to food. Good and excellent food can be found all over Long Island. You have to find the great spots for yourself. Summer time eating establishments all serve fine agricultural products from Nassau and Suffolk counties. The seafood is fresh and sweet. Try the wines of the North Folk wineries. Beaches are wide clean and beautiful. The surf wild and refreshing. There are miles and miles of them. On the rocky northern shore as well as the fine sandy ones of the south shore. From Coney Island to Montauk Point. A distance of about 100 miles from west to east. The widest part being about 15 miles. This make the island the largest in the continental U.S.
The swinging and swaying elements have plenty of places to go. To swing and sway anyway they want. Sometimes going a bit to far with the swaying and swinging. Well why not? Long Island is vacation town in the summer. Everyone has time to enjoy the short lived and precious warm days. The light after the darkness of winter. Initiating with intense sunlight, the path to your brain through your eyes. Great stuff, the sun. Greater to some than to others. I am one of those.
My last trip was to take part in a monumental moment in the life of my oldest grand son. That of receiving his first holy communion. A sacrament that must be embraced by all Catholics. He sported a white suit with white shoes. He was the only one that was dressed in that fashion. All the others dressed handsomely as well. He looked almost angelic in that suit of pure white.. His demeanor surprised me. Comfortable that his suit of white allowed him to stand out amongst the other boys. The sun that day was bright. Enhancing the brightness of the jacket, blouse, trousers, and shoes of his attire. A special day attended by his brother Joseph and little sister Lillian. His dad and mom. Grand parents, uncle Joe, aunt Lilian and cousins. Lunch followed the taking of the sacrament.
A wonderful party followed on Sunday. There were many guests and all ate well. Italian food being prevalent. The eggplant was scrumptious and pasta great. The meat balls were exquisite. Perfectly round, and of equally sized red spheres. Well almost perfectly round. Roast pork and other culinary delights graced the buffet table as well.
The bread was Italian and crusty. Many a piece got eaten in combo with the eggplant parmigiana. Along with all the rest of the food. Except for the pasta. No bread with pasta, is the rule in our homes. Beer was the drink of the beautifully warm spring like day. Along with some good wine from the north folk wineries. Long Island is no longer just known for potatoes. Easily rivaling the Idaho, potatoes still are grown on L.I. and make up part of the agricultural economy of the area. With much of the north shore acreage being devoted to vineyards. Making for varied and desired agricultural production. Long Island ducklings are a famous menu item all over the world. Raised in Long Island and can only be identified as such by raising them on L.I. By court order I may add.
Along with tourism, wine production and fishing Long Island also has a rich history. Indian Reservations and museums reflecting the native American presence and early settlements, are spread across the area. It has been the center of the Aeronautical industry. Grumman, Sperry Rand, Fairchild , all involved in making the planes that changed the direction of WW2. Later, making their mark as innovators in the aerospace industry. It is only logical that it would follow pioneers of air travel such as Lindbergh and others. Roosevelt Field being the place of departure for many an adventurous aviator.
Folks who know, will tell you there is no clam or oyster sweeter than those off Long Island. Lobster is also found in Long Island Sound, along with other shell food and fish in the surrounding waters. Montauk Point is at the very end of the island that starts at the beginning of Brooklyn. With two counties of New York City and the independent counties of Nassau and Suffolk. All lined up eastward dotted by small cities and towns. There you will find fives star restaurants and resorts. You can sit on Gosmans Dock. Famous for it's food and atmosphere of the marina and waters that it sets in. Have a great fresh seafood right from the boats that dock there to off load their catch. The fish and lobster so fresh you will want to send them to the principals office. There are a number of islands that are close to the main island. Whales swim in and around them in the L.I. Sound and whale watching is becoming a popular pass time. You can charter a fishing boat from one of the many that are docked along the many marinas. You can try your luck with the help of the captains and crew members of the charter fleets.
Shark fishing is especially exciting. Great Whites frequent the waters off the tip of the island. Daring you to catch a trophy fish. Blue fish schools visit the island in late August through Oct. The wolf of the sea and renowned predator, is fun and exciting to hook into and bring on board. Catching a 15 lb blue fish can give you a fight you would expect from a much larger fish. In addition to giving you an exciting time before landing it. It is a food fish that has few equals in taste and texture. Flounder, fluke and stripped bass are also plentiful. All delicious and enjoyable to eat.
All in all it was a wonderful trip to a state I called home for 50 years. Living in the city and also in the suburb of Nassau county. Enjoying the east end with it's beaches, restaurants, and farmland. Finding quiet lounging on Shelter Island located in the middle of Peconic Bay. Where the finest bay scallops are found. Tender sweet nuggets of the calm bay water's bounty. A trip to Fire Island would always be in the summer's plans. The hot spots of the Hamptons, always a top priority when hankering for a late night foray on the wild side.
I have since returned to my home in Florida. It is a bitter sweet return to what we call paradise. Florida is a great place to live and retire. I joined the ranks of residents and then retirees, twenty years and 4 years respectively. It was a place I always wanted to be. The sun being an elixir for my very being. Living almost on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, is not like living on the Atlantic With it's crashing waves and water that gives you a chill even in the hottest days of summer. On the contrary, the Gulf is a placid bath tub and just as warm. The winds of a sudden storm can turn it into very ruffled body of violent peaks and valleys. Almost as you would flip a switch from off to on. Then back again just as quickly. There is a saying down here, "that the weather changes more in a day, than it does in a month in most parts of the country".
The seafood is not like up north. I guess because of the lack of fatty oils in the fish. Oysters from the Gulf are not what a Long Islander is used to. Puny in comparison to those of Oyster Bay and not quite as seafood-ish. If indeed there is such a term. Restaurants are great if you can afford to frequent a four star restaurant. That maintains it's help. Most times the food is all the same in most places. Just with twists as to what it is called on the menu. The biggest problem with most restaurants, except for the chains.Who's food production takes very little thinking to prepare. Is that the food is not consistent. The quality changes with the transient habits of the help. Unlike many cosmopolitan northern cities and suburbs, where food service is a career. Not a part time filler of your time, 'till something better comes along.
Good bread is a notion that is a dream. Except in rare instances that are wide and far between. In the past few years the super markets have been bringing in bread from out of state. Sometimes even from Toronto. It fills the need. It is a bit more expensive, but it is a welcome respite from supermarket "in house" baked bread. That changes in it's texture after just a few hours. Turning into a porous empty loaf of air that tastes like cotton. Then not resembling bread at all. You learn to live with it and it keeps your waist line down.
The idea of being able to walk around with as few clothes on as possible. Is something you can certainly get used to. It does not however, beat the joy of seeing your grandchildren any time you want to. Or, of feeling the security of having your children near you. Especially when they show you love and forgive your past transgressions. The women they married also show me a great measure of love and let me know that I am always welcome. Showing disappointment when I tell them my scheduled departure date. With the passage of time I know I will not get to see them as often in the year as I am able to now. That is just the way it is. It is the price you pay for making a decision to leave many years ago. A choice I made myself and do not regret. Well at least not always. As it is in other places, it is here. There are times of sorrow and turpitude. Times when you feel lonely and times when you are sad. There are also times when you are glad you are living in the Sunshine state. Especially when you observe on news casts, the snow and cold that is part of living up north. Health issues seem to grow and proliferate your other wise simple well worn regimen. Doctors office visits always taking precedent over all other "things".
It is quite common for me to think of getting up north again as soon as I get home. Or, for that matter as soon as when I get on the plane and begin my trip back to the sunshine state. So until I can return, I will think of my family and friends and my beautiful grand children. Who I will miss more and more with the passing of each minute. Until I make my way back again to enjoy everything that is Long Island.
No comments:
Post a Comment