A sympathetic Scot summed it all up very neatly in the remark, "You should make a point of trying every experience once, except incest and folk dance.

I've given up fighting with Blogger for now...

Visit the new blog on Wordpress...

http://cheapdateli.wordpress.com

I may be back...it depends on how goes the learning curve on Wordpress!

Kryzukna, come-a he-ya! - my Babcia

I have been on the phone all night listening to people with computer problems and trying to help them. I've been trying to get to the bottom of error messages, explaining how to use wysiwygs and set up folders, and trying to help friends get their Internet back to where it was. Granted, I am working towards a Master's in Library Science (which is a type of IT degree these days) but this was my one night off! I LOVE computers and how easy they have made many things, but I truly wish that we could go back to the way things were...no cell phones (how did we ever survive?), no email, and Blue Laws. I love Blue Laws! For those of you who are to young to remember, stores used to be closed on Sundays. The only things that were open were the supermarket (for a few hours), the druggist (same), the bakery (again, same), and families used to go to Church and have Sunday Dinner with the family (hence why I was thinking of my babcia...that's grandmother in Polish for all you non-Polish folk! I miss her cucumber salad and her beets with beef bits and especially the cherry soda and cookies from D'Amicos in Brooklyn!). There was a much simpler time not so long ago, where the things that gave us so much joy were not quite as complicated as they are now. For a girl who loves her toys, I truly miss having nights where I could just crack open a book, make some tea, and unplug the RJ11 from the phone and have a quiet night! This edition is about things that could take place now and could have taken place then...some things have not changed! There are still some great places to hear live music, places to walk while holding someone's hand, and great old movies to see again!

Oh, and the quote above? My babcia didn't speak much English, though she tried. She spoke this strange pidgin language that was a combination of Polish and English that I called Ponglish. She has been gone for about eleven years now, but the one thing that can take me back oh so quickly is hearing my friends scream that at me (they thought it hilarious). That and hearing, "Ranoush? Ranoush? Kryzukna no he-ya...where Kryzukna? Where Kryzia?" In case you haven't figured it out...Kryzukna and Kryzia are Little Christine and Chrissie in Polish...yup, that would be my name! Kind of sounds like I should be rooming with Nanook of the North!

Got a case of the blues...
Since I started the new drug therapy, I've been wired, a bit irritable, and very melancholy. (I did lose five pounds this week though...woohoo!) It's a perfect week for me to go see a blues band. I'll be able to relate! And I'm in luck...a great new blues band that is starting to get booked for more and more gigs is playing. I don't usually post cover bands, but my buddy Jay F. is the drummer, and they really are good! Make a point of checking out Smokin' Gun at the Handlebar in Port Jeff on the 18th! (Hey, Jay, what do I have to do to get a shout out for this blog on your site? Be nice!)

Speaking of Jay and Port Jeff, Jay Scott will be playing at Lulu's Village Pub on Thursday!

Thursday, Phil Minissale will be playing at Bobbique and Friday at Cool Beanz! If you have not seen him, make a point of going...he is the future of blues! And with no cover on Thurs and a kick-butt beer list...how could you not? I may just pop down after I get off at the library!

Saw this great band at the last Lobby show...Last Charge of the Light Horse. To me, it sounds like what would happen if Phish and Cake had a baby...I have been playing the CD in my car since the show! It's kind of jam band meets punk/alternative, and the singer definitely sounds like the singer from Cake. Just got an email from them...and I know it's way early, but mark your calendars as they will be playing the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall on November 20.

It's all Greek to me!
This weekend is the St. Paraskevi Greek Festival in Greenlawn! I love Greek food (though no one wants to be near me after I chow down on a gyro with extra onions and yogurt sauce!) and what better way to partake in the epicurean delights, the music, and maybe a little ouzo (I hope I spelled that right!)...Hey, Soren and Rich...I hope you're reading this! Hopa! (And Mitch, since I do know that you read this regularly, tell your partners in crime!)

Lon Chaney, anyone?
Got an email from Ben Model...he's the gentleman who plays at the Cinema Arts with the silent films, he also plays at the MoMA and is one of the very cool people mentioned on this blog a lot. He's a very talented organist who plays accompaniment for those silent films I mention on here (If you haven't gone to see one of these shows, you should! Back in the day, movies didn't have soundtracks or even a voice track...they were silent and musicians would play in time with what was happening in the movie...). Well...Ben will be playing at Cinema Arts on the 28th with a showing of the flick "West of Zanzibar" with Lon Chaney! It's (and Ben, I'm going to quote you) a creepfest not available on DVD! As I am a girl who loves old horror flicks, I may just have to end class early to see this!

Also at CAC, the Theatre of the Wild is presenting "Know Your Enemy" --a retrospective of American war propaganda. Sound lame? I don't think so! Click on the link and you'll see what I mean!

All for now! I'll try and update again on Saturday before I go to Bruce's fundraiser! Hope to see you all there!

You know the deal...have a gig? Email me at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com! And please note...I am probably hooking the URL to a Wordpress page in the near future, so I can get the best of a blog and a website at one time! Keep an eye out for the upcoming new, HOT site!

If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happen if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it? -- Wright

Ah, the autumn...the leaves are falling, the kids are in school, the temperature can't make up its mind as to what it wants to do. For the next few days, it's going to be incredibly beautiful outside...much too pretty to spend your days cooped up indoors! Pretty soon, our Indian Summer will be replaced with bitter temps and our leaf peeping with hot toddies by the fireplace. I love all the seasons, but to me there is nothing better than the time of year when it's just too nice not to take a walk during the day and feel the wind and sun on my face; at night I cozy up with a shawl and some tea in front of the fire to dissipate the slight chill that now is about. Days like these are the ones I wait all year for!

Of course, I had a reason for the quote I listed above...have you ever pondered about something that just does not have an answer? Something that most people would find ludicrous or just plain silly? Like why the commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken sometimes play "Sweet Home Alabama" in the background? Why if men are from Mars and women are from Venus, wouldn't we all be aliens? Why are golf clothes so hideous? Why people like me have not had their laptops taken away by their friends yet? I question everything these days...


These boots were made for walking...
There are lots of great places to get out and see the leaves changing color! I'm a leaf peeper myself, and I have missed some of the brilliance of the maples, but my daily walks in the woods are proving to be a visual treat. Check out the following parks for a hike or picnic:


Lakeland County Park with its boardwalks is handicap accessible and wheelchair friendly as is El's Trail.


West Hills features the Walt Whitman Trail and Jayne's Hill, the highest point on Long Island.


The William Floyd Estate is still open, and FREE house tours are available from 10-4. There are some in depth programs as well, including Three Centuries of Floyd Furniture and Old Mastic House: Simple Architectural Tour. Call 631-399-2030 for more info! (Note to my design students...this would count as extra credit on your project!)


Make me laugh!
Home movies can be a great way of capturing some of life's sweetest (and some bittersweet) moments. Cimema Arts is presenting Home Movie Day! Click on the link to find out more, or if you have a movie you might like to present!



I'm kind of bummed as I found out about a cool event these guys had going on a wee bit too late! This one I'm going to post kind of early so you can make plans...The Silent Clowns film series is the longest one of its kind in NYC...coming up is a Halloween special featuring John Barrymore in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the 26th.


Walk to the beat of your own drummer...
The Staller Center presents the Contemporary Chamber Players--Percussion Plus on Wednesday, October 15. No ticket information is given for the others in this series, so I'm willing to bet it's FREE!


Now, this one exceeds Cheap Date guidelines, but I'm putting it out there as it's worth a mention...advance tickets for Marshall Crenshaw at University Cafe are $25 each...he'll be there on the 19th.


On Saturday the 18th, Lara Herscovitch and David Bailey at the Hard Luck Cafe, $10 per person.



Caroline Doctorow will be playing at the Amvets Hall #18 on Carlton Avenue in East Islip on the 18th. Not sure of the price, but she's worth seeing!



Also on the 18th, a Miss Chris fave...Miller's Crossing will be playing at Palmer Vineyards.



The Nancy Atlas Project will be at Stephen Talkhouse on Friday the 17th, $15 general admission.



The 18th also brings us Mary Lamont at Millhouse Inn.



Wow...these guys are still playing! The Moroccos will be at Brookhaven National Lab on the 18th! Order your tickets online and they are only $15 each (will be $20 at the door!).



On Saturday the 18 (Again! There's just too much good music this weekend!) Shenole Latimer will be playing with Gail Storm at Sparky's Texas BBQ.



We're coming to get you...
Halloween happenings are going on all over! Here's some family friendly events:



From the 30th-November 1st, the Long Island Ducks will be hosting a Haunted House at Citibank Park...$5 get you in the door. If you go on Halloween night, there will be QuackerJack's Halloween Extravaganza ($10 per person) with costume contests, trick or treating, and Grucci fireworks!



BBGG Farms in St. James on 25A (North of Deepwells) has a great little pumpkin patch, crafts and plants for sale, a corn maze, and MORE! Free to get in, but everything is priced separately, so read the signs.



Also coming soon...the Long Island Maritime Museum's Annual Halloween Boat Burning! I never miss this!

The Girl Scouts present the Horrible Haunted Trail of Terror in Bayport for the next two weekends, $10 per child, adults FREE!



One more...the Cradle of Aviation is hosting Haunted Hangars...daytime is for the kiddies, but the nighttime is for the groovie ghoulies like me! (Hey, anyone else remember that cartoon? That was one of my all time favorites as a kid! And for those of you who know me now, you're probably all thinking, "Why does that NOT surprise me?)



Pumpkins and cornstalks and mums, oh my...
I started new medication for my thyroid a few days ago (THAT was what was causing all the other problems...my thyroid shut down! Who would have thought? Now I have to take synthetic hormones to get my pituitary to slow down...mood swings are supposed to be one of the side effects. Wonderful...This is what the new man in my life gets to deal with, me swinging wildly from teddy bear to Godzilla. Get yer boxing gloves ready, honey!) and I was WIRED today! I rearranged all the furniture, scrubbed everything down, and did up my deck for the season...I was all hopped up! I got all of my plants and cornstalks at Daisy Garden in Bayport...I LOVE THIS PLACE! Mums for $2.50 each, cornstalks for $7, how can you go wrong? (However, trying to get the cornstalks home was a bit more problematic as they were over 8' high and I drive a Yaris hatchback...a lot of people got a good laugh seeing my little tiny speck of a car driving home at fifteen miles an hour with the hatch open, the hazards on, and about four feet of cornstalks sticking out the back...)



For Bruce...
As I had mentioed in last post, there will be a benefit for Bruce Parker this weekend at the Off-Key Tikki in Patchogue, $10 gets you in. I'm asking you all to do me a favor and try to attend (including all of you that don't know me personally, don't know Bruce, etc...). I know the guy. He's incredible. One of the nicest guys I know. Make a point of going. Email me if you have questions.





Ok, you kooky cats, all for now. You know the routine...if you have an event that should be here, let me know at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com.

I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters.-Short

Boy, howdy! This is turning out to be some week for me. I've been dealing with some personal drama (no, not going to talk about it here, but to my good friends...thank you for being there for me! It helps to be able to talk sometimes!) and I've been really stressed out. This blog has actually been one of the bright points this week. Quite a few people have told me how much they like it, and I've been INUNDATED with emails of things to post on here. As I am a frustrated writer (I've been working on a compendium of short stories I've written for a few years now that I'd love to get published, but there's something kind of cool about having that unfinished book that you want to finish, PLUS I do get pieces published here and there with my freelance gigs, so I do get some gratification!), seeing all the emails lets me know that people really do read this thing and that THEY LIKE IT--It's a good feeling!

Quirky, but cool!

I'm going to list for you some sites that are just really neat for all sorts of reasons...

One of my library amigos told me about this really cool site called Pandora--it's an intuitive online radio station that lets you load songs up and then starts recommending songs based on your picks.

Looking to track the latest tropical storm? Click here!

How about video tutorials on everything from C# to erotic massage? Yobler has the answer!

I'm not even going to try to explain The Museum of the Obvious!

For a good cause...

Most of you have no idea who Bruce Parker is. That's okay, I'll fill you in. Bruce is one of the nicest guys to ever walk the planet. If you have been to one of the Patchogue Riverfront Committee events (such as the SeaFair), Bruce has touched your life as well. He is always the first person to jump in and help someone, and now it's time to help him by attending a fundraiser in his honor on October 18 at the Off Key Tikki. For more info, take a look at the postcard/flyer below:

Rock and roll hoochie koo...

This little hoochie mama (and I mean that in a nice way) has been hearing about some great acts coming our way...

Raina Rose at Once and For All in Patchogue on Thursday, October 9.

Johnny Cuomo at Grounds and Sounds Cafe on Friday, October 10.

Homegrown String Band at Heckscher Park this weekend...love them!

Iain Campbell Smith Saturday night at the Eclectic Cafe.

Bob Malenky at a house concert on October 10, reservations required. Call 212-662-6575.

Ghost stories!

Here's a spot for the whole family...White Post Farms does child friendly hayrides, $8 per person, FREE during the week!

This one is great, from what I hear! Camp Pa Qua Tuck does a spooky walk that gets a five bat rating!

This sounds cool...a brand new Halloween adventure! The Twilight Pumpkin Spectacular features over 3,000 lit up jack o' lanterns...I must see this!

Apple dumplings...

October 11 and 12 brings us Mill Neck Manor's Fall Harvest Festival! With a country store, baked goods, and a pumpkin patch, plus lots of things for kids...this is a must attend!

The Jericho Cider Mill is one of my favorite places this time of year!

Naughty cartoons!

The Cinema Arts Center brings you some rather adult content this week in what would normally be thought of as a children's format...The Dark Side of Dr. Seuss and another one that I will not put the title of here as this is strictly a PG format will be featured!

Life on an island...

is wonderful, to be sure! Thank you, Paula from FINS, who forwarded so much to me...as this one is relevent right now, I'll take the liberty of cutting and pasting right now:

Special Fire Island Lighthouse programs in October include the Columbus Day Hike, at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 13, and Ghost Stories and Legends of Fire Island, to be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 25. Both of these programs are free.

I'll add more of Paula's info as the time comes!

Now, I promised I'd do a Best and Worst Dive Bar edition...I could name a few, to be sure! But I'm reaching out to all of you--tell me about the best and worst dive bars you have found. Feel free to elaborate!

All for now...I'll be back in a few days with lots more! Got something that should be here? Let me know at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com! (By the way...the spacing issues are something with Blogger! I keep going in and fixing the HTML, but mysterious tags keep magically appearing! UGH!!!!

J.P Morgan, when asked what the stock market will do, replied, "It Will Fluctuate."

Boy, I'll tell you, for those of you who watch the market, the past few days have been a hell of a ride! I was listening to the news and after the close on Monday, the amount of points the market fell just kept rising and rising. Last I heard was somewhere around 770. Then it rose 400 odd points, and now, well, who knows? Everyone has a different opinion of what is going on, who is to blame, and how this whole mess should be fixed. The fact is, people, that we are going through something that is a history making event right now. Whether or not the bail out would have worked if it had passed, or if it will pass when they vote on it again is something none of us know. I think most of us are looking at the next few days with trepidation, wondering just how much this is going to affect the general public. My opinion? Go after all the CEO's who could potentially be coming out of this with a golden parachute, let them plummet to the ground like a stone, and let the rest of us benefit from what they would have gotten. (Not that I have anything against CEO's...I have a problem when I see people close to me losing their jobs while I'm reading articles in the Journal about packages that some of these CEO's are getting...NOT COOL!. Share the love, is all I'm saying!) The media is making it sound like we're about to go through some kind of nuclear holocaust, and that the stock market crash is almost the end of the world...and all that will be left will be cockroaches and door to door salesmen. If it's really going to be like that, just let me hunker down with my honey and four furbabies (one of which has really bad breath...someone email me a reminder to pick up kitty breath mints!), some good wine, coffee and chocolate, crank up some Ella, and come what may...I'll be just ducky!

And while I'm in the process of hunkering down, I'll make a point of catching up on my reading. Did you know this is Banned Books Week? Every year, librarians celebrate the freedoms provided to us by the Constitution, including the freedom of speech and the freedom of information. And every year, there are new books that are challenged, pulled from shelves, BURNED, in some cases. Books are a form of expression, just like art and music. NO ONE has the right to say that someone can't express themselves in literary form, and NO ONE has the right to keep someone from reading something that they wish to read (except for parents with their kids...I wish MORE parents would get involved with what their kids read!). Click here to view some of the literary classics that were almost lost to us by censorship.

And since many of us are living closer to the vest these days, what better time to take advantage of the Cheap Dates I list here?

Unfortunately, I've got the serious time crunch going on this week, so I'm just going to post some things now, and I hope you'll check back Saturday after I add more updates...and I'd like to also say one last time--I DO NOT LOOK LIKE SARAH PALIN! (OK, I feel better now!)

Rock me gently...

Some good grooves coming up this week and I'm going to list them quick and dirty for you:

Live in the Lobby features Last Charge of the Light Horse and The Corduroy Sky this Thursday. $10 gets you in the door. By the way, I WORK THE DOOR AND THERE IS NO GUEST LIST! So please, don't even try...

Huntington Folk Music Society presents Little Toby Walker at their 1st Saturday Concert...he'll also be hosting a guitar workshop!

Don't forget this hot ticket--Eilen Jewel and Phil Minissale this weekend at University Cafe!

The ghost with the most...

It's that time of year...when Miss Chris gets her scare on! Grab the arm of your favorite honey and rock the world of that witchy woman or man by taking them to one of my favorite haunts...pun definitely intended! See below for my pics from Sleepy Hollow Cemetery!

Mills Pond House of Horrors...print the ad linked to this post to get $1 off your admission!

Darkside Haunted House in Wading River is one of Miss Chris' faves! I remember the first year they opened. A couple of us were the last ones they let in for the night...they proceeded to chase us out to my car saying, "We want beer...we'll let you live if you bring us beer..." How can you not love people who have so much fun doing this? At $18 per person it is just over guidelines, but click on the link above to find out how to save on admission.

Miss Chris' all time LI fave requires a bit of a drive and a wait on a heck of a line, but it's worth it! The Bayville Haunted Fire House just kicks some scary butt! Last year it was $13 per person to get in, but soooooo worth it! I have been going for ten years (at least!) and made the mistake one time of bringing my dad after having heart surgery (OOOOPS!). The little ones dressed up in scary costumes and the people who chase you around on line make the hour wait go quickly.

Now, this one TOTALLY blows the guidelines out of the water! But as a gal who has travelled the East Coast looking for the best of the best, well, little comes close to this! Make reservations at some fleabag motel if you must, but take the drive to Ulster County and go to the Headless Horseman Haunted Hayride! MAKE RESERVATIONS or you won't get in. This fright fest takes THREE HOURS to get through and with more entertainment than you could shake a bone at, this is the be all end all of haunted houses (villages? It's that big!) to visit!

More to come...check back...IF YOU DARE!

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charie Brown!

Pumpkin picking is also one of my favorite things to do. How can you not love pumpkins? They're round, funny looking orange squashes that lend themselves to some good eatin', decorating, and a great time when you search for the perfect one. (Miss Chris was once at her financial limit with all the little squashes I snapped up when I found the perfect pumpkin. Knowing I couldn't afford it, I wedged it under my hoodie and pretended I was pregnant. I still don't know if the guy believed me, or felt sorry for me being about sixteen and "knocked up". I don't do things like that anymore, but the search for the perfect pumpkin continues to this day.) Here's a link to some places to go that are fun for the whole family.

Ghosts and shipwrecks...

Many of you know that I have a fascination with shipwrecks. They are an important part of our Long Island history. The Cold Spring Harbor Gallery has an exhibit called Claimed by the Sea--Long Island Shipwrecks. Learn about our maritime past with features about Hell's Gate (been through there on a 23' center console on a bad day and kissed the ground when I got back! One rough patch, I must say!) and the Louis V. Place--one of my favorite topics of research. Eleven men, a stormy night, and sailors frozen to death in the riggings, all buried right here in Patchogue. Email me if you'd like to know more about the wreck or the story of Whistling Sam (a local ghost). I could go on for hours about it...See below for some pics from Lakeview Cemetery and the graves of the shipwreck victims.

Men in leiderhosen!

Oktoberfest is not only a time to celebrate the harvest. The first Oktoberfest was actually a wedding celebration. Now, you already may be married, on a date or flying solo, but Oktoberfests are a lot of fun! Black Forest Brew Haus and Rowdy Hall, the Snapper Inn and Pumpernickels in Northport are all celebrating. Prosit, skaal, proust, nazdarovie! See below for some of my pics from Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain.

I'll be back in a few days with lots more, so keep checking back! Know of an event that should be posted here? Let me know by emailing me at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com!

"I could dance with you til the cows come home. On second thought, I'd rather dance with the cows until you come home." - Groucho Marx

I love life. There are so many things, little things, that are amusing when we come across them every day. The problem is that too many of us don't take the time to see all those little things around us and live life to its fullest. I try to do just that. For the longest time I held back on the things I wanted to do as I was afraid of upsetting people. I was also afraid of going out and doing them on my own...like I needed a companion - a partner in crime, if you will. I know that I really tick off some people as I dance to the beat of my own drummer (as Mother always says when I am showing my headstrong tendencies and she's aggravated with me), but the fact is that I do get on out there and dance...and if I slip and fall while doing the shimmy, well, I'll just lick my wounds and get back up and out on the dance floor again, because even with the medical dramas and being really tight with a buck lately, I don't think I have ever been happier and more comfortable in my own skin. Life is good, people! Get on out there...onto the dance floor...and whether it's the tango or the Electric Slide...or even a polka...give something new a try!

A little bit country...
Mary Lamont will be playing at the 22nd Annual Bellmont Street Fair on September 27th.

Friday, September 26th Patricia Shih will be playing at Saxton Middle School in Patchogue.

A NEW series, Acoustic Strings and Things, is part open mic and part acoustic showcase. Mill Pond House on September 24, 7:30PM. (No website, 660 Mill Pond Road, St. James.) FREE.

Also on the 24th...The Cup, open mic, $1 cover. 3268 Railroad Avenue, Wantaugh.

Buddy Merriam and Back Roads have two gigs coming up this weekend! Get yer bluegrass on!

The 27th is ROCKING!!!! Phil Minissale and Nina and Her Band at Last Licks Cafe!

Martha Trachtenberg and Tom Griffith at a house concert...$10 per person and bring something for pot-luck. Call 516-579-5365 for reservations. I have seen them...they are AWESOME!!!

Cathy Kreger and What it Iz at Elijah Churchill's Public House on the 27th.

Gettin' back to nature...
LI Live Steamers is having their Run Day on the 28th at Southhaven Park. Take a train ride through the woods!

Fall Nature Walk at Cathedral Pines this weekend! Click here to reserve your spot!

Wildwood State Park is hosting a Fall Festival this weekend!

Connetquot State Park is providing house tours for only $3 per person!

Culture vultures, there's something for you too!
Poets in Port, a poetry series in Northport, will be hosting an event this Friday!

Also in Northport, the Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar will be hosting a reception for the works of Michael Krasowitz.

All About Color at Phoenix Fine Art Gallery...

All for now, you kooky cats! Get on out there and check some of these out! I'll be back next week sometime with lots more for you to do! Have an event that should be listed here? Email me at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com.

"Marriage is based on the theory that when man finds a beer exactly to his taste he should at once quit his job and go work in the brewery."-Nathan

No, Miss Chris is not running off and getting married...it was just a really fun quote about beer! I could have quoted Homer Simpson, but that would have been way too easy. Miss Chris has beer on the brain as it is Oktoberfest season and I'll be away next weekend doing just what the doctor ordered--getting more grain into my diet (I know, that's not what he meant!) -- I can't wait! I have every intention of sitting in front of a large fireplace, nursing a dark and brooding brew, and meeting other like minded beer folk (and watching men in leiderhosen). It's my last big hurrah before I give up beer for the next few months and I plan on going out with a bang!

No sense crying in your beer!
As I was reshelving books at the library, I noticed a book I just had to borrow--Brewing Battles, a History of American Beer--by Amy Mittleman. I started perusing it, and it looks really good...it's only about 200 pages, so it's a pretty quick read.

I am one gal who loves her seasonal brews--the saisons, pumpkins, Oktoberfests--and I could not be happier that they are all widely available right now. Some to look for are Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Southampton Publick House's Saison and Pumpkin Ale (I heard a rumor that they were bought by the conglomerate that also bought Budweiser...can someone confirm that for me? Thanks!), Saranac's Pumpkin Ale, Harpoon's Glacier Harvest '08 Wet Hop Beer (a pale ale), Spaten's Oktoberfest, Ommegang Rouge Flemish Red, and Samuel Smith's Organic Cider. YOU WILL NOT FIND THESE AT THE SUPERMARKET! Get yourself to the local beverage center and make a point of checking these out!

Have you ever thought about homebrewing? Of course I have (as I want to try EVERYTHING!) but it's just not in the cards for me at this time. However, if you have the room and the desire to give it a whirl, there are some great websites out there that let you shop for supplies from the comfort of your La-Z-Boy. Take a look below:
http://www.homebrewery.com/
http://www.homebrewmart.com/
http://www.brewery.org/

A pint here, a pint there...
Did you know that only 2% of Long Islanders donate blood as compared to 7% nationwide? Briarcliffe College in Patchogue is running a blood drive on October 7 from 10-6, and it's open to the public! Do your good deed for the day and help alleviate a critical blood shortage!

Friends of the Dead...
No, this is NOT a Grateful Dead thing...the Cemetery Restoration Committee is looking for donations for a yard sale to help raise funds to keep their work going! Please donate!

Do you hear what I hear?
Patchogue Theatre's Chamber Music Series features Svet Stoyanov and Moni Simoenov this Sunday, September 21st at 3PM, tickets are $15 per person.

Annette Perry and Vytas Baksys will be playing a selection of Bach, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven at Bayport-Blue Point Public Library on September 28. FREE.

It's back...Live in the Lobby! With shows two weeks in a row! Come on down and see some of Long Island's great original musicians in an intimate and cozy venue, and say hi to me...I'll be the gal who breaks your horns as you try to sneak outside with a beer! $10 admission.

Kissin' cousins to Live in the Lobby is the Bellport Songwriter Series, coming up on September 28. Another cozy venue with a breathtaking view of the Great South Bay and great original music...$5 gets you in the door!

The Sunday Street Concert Series at University Cafe starts in two weeks...get your tickets NOW for Eilen Jewel and Phil Minissale! Advance tickets are $15, $20 at the door!

Shane Alexander at Stephen Talkhouse on September 27, $10 gets you in.

Sayville at the Common Ground on Sunday the 21st--The Swingtime Big Band! FREE.

Calling All Artists!
The Brookhaven Arts and Humanities Council is looking for you! Do you work on a large scale? Their Big Stuff show was made just for you! There will also be a Portait Show coming up! Register NOW!

Viva la difference!
Unity Day is coming up on September 26th...celebrate our diversity and learn about new people and things!

Cinema geeks, this one's for you!
Before the Rains and Reprise will both be shown this Friday, September 26 at the Staller Center.

Check out Cinema Arts Center's Theatre of the Wild this week! Mr. Lonely and Machine Girl are the featued films!

I'll be back in just a few days listing lots more Cheap Dates to check out! Have something that should be here? Let me know at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com.

Chat soon!