Wednesday, July 30, 2008
I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to. -Elvis Presley
I have some great updates from a few sources for tonite's entry! And best off...these updates I'm adding in now do more than meet Cheap Date standards...they're all FREE!!!!
Some more night music...
There's a reason I hang out with certain people. I prefer to keep company with fun and intelligent people, and my galpal Sandy is one. She hooked me up with some great info for you classical buffs out there:
"Hey, here is a link to free concerts out east and for the remainder of the season. Maybe you can post on your website. It is really good, it is the top musical students and teachers from around the island that were picked. I heard that last weekend in Westhampton was great and that a lot of people that were just walking by stayed the whole time. It had a really nice crowd and people really enjoyed it. AND IT’S FREE!"
http://soundsymphony.org/
Thanks, Sand! See ya this weekend!
Cinema buffs, we have something for you!
How about a little culture and a movie for FREE? The Cinema Arts Centre is hosting Cinema in the Library, with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly at Harborfields Public Library on July 31 at 7 PM, and Divan at the East Meadow Public Library on August 4 at 7:30 PM.
And now for something completely different...
How about an origami festival? Don't laugh...this is some really cool paperfolding! For someone who struggled with making paper fans and airplanes in my younger days, this is just jaw dropping! Even if it does not interest you, take a look at the website.
Slam poetry is alive and well here on the Island. For a schedule of upcoming events, click here.
"To be, or not to be..."
Like Shakespeare? But maybe not enough to pay for a tankful of gas, drive upstate, buy tickets, wait on long lines, and fight off other festival goers in SpendePennye Lane? The Shakespeare Festival is still going on here on LI...take advantage of it!
Not too sure about this one...
I see no info about admission fees, but this looks like one GREAT exhibit...3rd Annual Outsider Art in the Hamptons. Really hoping it's free as I want to head over on the 9th for the North Sea Poetry thing (as Miss Chris is a HUGE poetry fanatic...not prose, POETRY...there is a difference!)
Just a reminder...
Patchogue has Alive After 5 again this week...and even though I try to avoid cover bands...Ed Travers is playing (yeah, that Jimmy Buffet guy!). Come on down, say hi to me as I will be at the table next to where Ed is playing and grab a beer. Life is good!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
"Would those of you in the cheap seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you could just rattle your jewelry?" - John Lennon
I saw fireworks! Was it good for you, too?
Ok, I know that was a bit of a naughty double entendre, but my friend Sean said there wasn't nearly enough "adult" content on this blog. So that line is for you, Sean, but that's as bad as it gets...this is strictly a PG show! And now, let me get back to business...
Just because you are on a budget doesn't mean you can't have an incredibly romantic date! Think about it...a beautiful night staring at the stars, laying on a blanket on the grass, maybe having a little wine, sharing some comfortable silence, and then it happens...fireworks! I'm not talking about that electrical spark that tends to fly when having a wonderful night with that someone special (though that's great too!), but those big, loud, beautiful, sparkly visions that get the heart racing all on their own. Here's a list (courtesy of Explore LI):
AUGUST
2
Davis Park Beach Blast
Fire Island
Davis Park
Grucci
Long Island Ducks
After game
Central Islip
Citibank Park
Grucci
3
Knights of Columbus Summer Carnival
9:45 p.m.
Center Moriches
313 Frowein Rd.
Bay Fireworks
7
Port Washington Sons of Italy
9:30 p.m.
Port Washington
Bay Fireworks
9
Metro NY Balloon & Music Festival
Shirley
Calabro Airport
Grucci
14
Holbrook Chamber of Commerce
10 p.m.
Holbrook
Seneca Middle School, 850 Main St.
Bay Fireworks
Long Island Ducks
After game
Central Islip
Citibank Park
Grucci
16
14th annual carnival, craft & festival
10 p.m.
Holbrook
Seneca Middle School, 850 Main St.
Bay Fireworks
Bethpage Chamber of Commerce
10 p.m.
Bethpage
Bethpage LIRR Sta., Stuart Ave. and Jackson Ave.
Bay Fireworks
23
Cellini Lodge Carnival
10 p.m.
North Hempstead
Tulley Park, 1801 Evergreen Ave.
Bay Fireworks
Town of Babylon 14th Annual Beach Blast
9 p.m.
Babylon
Overlook Beach, Ocean Parkway (at Cedar Beach)
Bay Fireworks
23
Riverhead Raceway
8:30 p.m.
Riverhead
Riverhead Raceway, County Road 58
Bay Fireworks
Mother Cabrini Carnival
10:10 p.m.
Brentwood
Suffolk County CC-Grant Campus, Wicks Road
Bay Fireworks
Hellenic Festival
9:30 p.m.
Port Jefferson
Church of the Assumption, 430 Sheep Pasture Rd.
Bay Fireworks
30
East Hampton
9:15 p.m.
East Hampton
Main Beach
Bay Fireworks
31
Mother Cabrini Carnival
10:10 p.m.
Brentwood
Suffolk County CC-Grant Campus, Wicks Road
Bay Fireworks
SEPTEMBER
8
Long Island Ducks
After game
Central Islip
Citibank Park
Grucci
13
Long Island Ducks
After game
Central Islip
Citibank Park
Grucci
OCTOBER
4
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Central Islip
Citibank Park
Grucci
11
Stars over Montauk
Montauk
Umbrella Beach
Grucci
A Little Night Music...
We're not talking about Mozart here...but some great shows for the whole family. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs, and as always, call ahead to check for handicap access and cancellations due to weather.
August 2-Janine DiNatale and Friends at Gardiner County Park. Country to jazz to blues from the 1960's and 70's.
August 3-Long Island Brass Guild at Bayard Cutting Arboretum. A six piece brass ensemble formed in 1975 that performs all over Long Island. Cost: $6 to park
The Town of Huntington is holding a “Summer Barn Bash” at the Lewis Oliver Farm on Burt Avenue, Northport, on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 3 to 8 PM, featuring hay rides, a country western band, a pie-eating contest and the opportunity to visit the newly opened Country Store. Cost: FREE, but there will be a fee for food and hay rides.
The Monthly Music Night from the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce will be hosted by Vision Board member Bert Donley on Thursday, August 7th from 7:30-11pm at 124 South Street in Oyster Bay. There’s no cover and no minimum, but tips will be donated to the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network).
On Tuesday, July 29th at 8pm come and hear an oldies show featuring the band, “Risky Business,” one of the top nostalgia bands in the region on Main Street in Rocky Point. Cost: FREE
Acoustic Long Island at Deepwells Mansion in St. James will be featuring Andy Mac on July 30. I like this guy. Make a point of checking him out. Cost: FREE
Christine Lavin will be playing at the Huntington Arts Council's Summer Arts Music Festival on August 2. Don't miss this show!
Sam "Bluzman" Taylor plays every Tuesday night at Bobbique in Patchogue, and at Port Jazz in Port Jeff on every first Thursday of the month. If you like blues, check him out!
This one is a MUST SEE! Tornado Alley will be playing at the Common Ground in Sayville on Thursday, July 31. Ken "The Rocket" Korb is known to appear with them from time to time...bring a lawn chair and I'll see you there!
Mambo Loco is a well known Havana-style music group that plays all over Long Island. Catch them this Thursday at Gallo Tropical (a Cheap Date fave).
Summer Camp lives!
The Summer Camp Series is alive and well at Cinema Arts! Next weekend, a double feature of Pulp Fiction and Taxi Driver...what could be better?! $9 per person to get in.
Chocolate IS a food group! (So is pizza!)
At least in my eyes, it is...and to gratify my incessant chocolate craving, I make a point of hitting Godiva in Stony Brook. Through the 31st, they are running promotional giveaways, and every few weeks they have a "Dipping Theatre" where you can dip strawberries in Godiva chocolate. How sexy is THAT?!
I scream, you scream, we all scream...
...for ice cream! On a hot summer day, what could be better than a yummy, drippy ice cream cone? Check out Sprinkles on Montauk Highway in Blue Point, In the Mood in Woodbury, or Carla Marla in Bellport.
I'll have more in a few days! in the meantime, if you know of something that should be on this blog, let me know. And as I had mentioned pizza before...I want to hear from you! Tell me where you think the best pizza on LI is and why! Email me at cheap.date.long.island@gmail.com
Chat soon!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
A couple of quick add ons...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
"The tooth fairy teaches children that they can sell body parts for money." - Richerby
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Dinner and a Little Music
Saturday, July 12, 2008
A whirling dervish's brain dump! -Rosenbrock (friend of Miss Chris)
Culture Vultures
Long Island Museum in Stony Brook is the little gem in our backyards that many of us went to as kids on field trips and kind of forgot about when we grew up. With period buildings, an old cemetery, an art museum, and changing exhibits (a new one featuring the Art Student League of New York is opening on the 26th and looks very interesting), this is a great cheap date. Next week there will be a performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night on the lawn, and coming soon is a fiddle festival I really do hope to attend. If you haven't been there since the Carriage Museum has been remodeled, you really need to stop in! Cost: $7 per person.
Caumsett State Historic Park will be hosting the play "Anything Goes" on the lawn next Sunday. No pricing information is available on the website, but I'm willing to bet it meets Cheap Date Long Island's Guidelines.
Don't let a rainy day get you down! Heckscher Art Museum has constantly changing exhibits and at $6 per person is a relative bargain. And since you'll already be in the Huntington area if you visit this museum, check out Book Revue, Long Island's largest independent bookstore. (For Miss Chris, this could be a very expensive date...if you have been to my house, you would understand! Books, books, everywhere!)
Music and Dance
Everyone knows I have no problem trying something new, even if I make a fool out of myself trying. One thing I have been trying to get more information on is contra dancing. Martha Clara Vineyard will be hosting a 4-H BBQ and Barn Dance event on July 27. $25 per person and it goes to a good cause. (Wait, doesn't this exceed Cheap Date Long Island's $30 limit? Well, yes, but 1. This is MY blog and if I say it belongs here, then it's being listed! 2. Contra dancing is a great SINGLES event! So if you are looking to meet someone to do some of the other things featured on my blog...you may just meet them trying this!)
Since I just mentioned a vineyard (and making a fool of myself) in the last post, I might as well keep going on that same note. And what better combination than wine and karaoke, two of my favorite things? Palmer Vineyards, $8 per person. (If you are anything like me, you know this is a MUST ATTEND event in your Outlook calendar!)
Cinema
Old Field Farm will be hosting an outdoor viewing of North by Northwest on July 17. Bring a chair or blanket for a great night viewing a classic movie shot right here on LI! Cost: FREE
Take a Hike, Pal!
Moon walks aren't just for Michael Jackson...LI Greenbelt Association will be hosting a Moon Walk-8:30 PM in the Pine Barrens. 4 miles, moderate, flat. Bring a flashlight! Membership cost for LI Greenbelt Association is only $20 a year...and you could literally get hundreds of cheap hiking dates out of it!
A Little Romance
To me, nothing says romance like farm fresh veggies. (Uh, what?) No, you heard me right. Think about it. You and your partner going for a nice car ride, finding some cute little farm stand, and picking out some nice fresh fruits and vegetables, maybe some eggs, honey, and home baked goodies together. You then head home, cook a simple summer meal or make a salad together, have some wine, and kick back and watch the fireflies, watch a movie, or just read (maybe one of the books you picked up at Book Revue), knowing that sometimes it's the simple things that make for the best dates. To make this a bit easier for you, I've provided you with a list of farmstands, farmer's markets, and a discount oldies movie link you can get to by clicking here.
A little more music...
Now, normally I don't push the big events, but I just wanted to mention that next weekend is the Riverhead Blues Festival and some really great musicians are going to be there. Make a point of checking out Toby Walker, Ken Korb, Phil Minissale, and Sam Taylor. $10 for a bracelet that will get you in for both days of the event. Do as I do when in Riverhead for the festival--pop on in to Spicy's Barbeque Restaurant. Yummy!
I do want to point out that most of these events ARE handicap accessible. However, the farmstands and some of the outdoor events may be a bit difficult to navigate a wheelchair through. Always call ahead to confirm accessibility.
That's all for now. Please put a shortcut to this blog on your computer desktop and keep checking in for new events. And...let's go viral! Send this out to at least two friends that would appreciate this. If you have a web page, add me to your links. I'm not looking to take over the world, just Long Island!
Ciao for now!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
And the first mentions on my blog...
I'm going to start off with a mention of a sushi restaurant: Hazy Moon, located in Patchogue NY. Thursday nights feature a sushi buffet and drink specials, plus live music (usually some solo player doing cover songs, but hey...). Total bill for a friend and me--$26.76.
Howard's Cafe--404 S Service Rd. Patchogue, NY 11772(631) 758-6161 Good burgers, pitchers of sangria, noisy bar scene, but inexpensive and good. My typical bill for two people with burgers, sangria, and two beers is right around $25.00.
Gallo Tropical--One of my favorites. Columbian food, streetside dining, and absolutely killer 5-milk flan! Service can be slow, so do not go here if you are in a rush. Dinner for two with wine OR dessert will run you just shy of $30.00. Have both and you are looking at about $36-38.00. (My suggestion...get a pitcher of sangria and split the dessert!)
Original Music
Alive After Five is back and this year is looking like it's going to be a great one. On July 18th, one of my all time favorite bluegrass bands, Miller's Crossing, will be playing on the theatre stage. If you caught them at Fadeley's, Patchogue Theatre, or the Acoustic Long Island Concert at Deepwells, you know that they are an outstanding band worth coming out to see. Price: FREE
And speaking of Acoustic Long Island, I would be remiss not to mention them here. Great music at a historic home...what could be better? Make a point of checking it out! Price:FREE
A new music venue is gathering some buzz. Christopher Capobianco of Patchogue Theatre's "Live in the Lobby" series (for those of you familiar with the series, it WILL be back in the fall) has started a new project, the Bellport Songwriter Series. Coming up on July 27th will be Caroline Doctorow and Jay Scott. $5 gets you in the door.
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum hosts a series of concerts co-sponsored by the Town of Islip. Enjoy an afternoon on the lawn with the kids listening to some great music. $5 parking.
http://www.bayardcuttingarboretum.com/Pages/program.htm
Culture Vultures
Spend some time at a historic vacation home, take a house tour, and afterwards head back to the vineyard for some wine tasting. Think you have to go all the way out to the Hamptons to do this? How about Sayville? The MeadowCroft Estate is open on Sundays from June through September and does house tours at 1 PM and 3 PM. When you have finished the tour, head on back to Laughlin Vineyards for some wine tasting. $5 per person for the house tour.
Gallery North's Wet Paint Festival is this weekend, July 11-13th. DO NOT MISS THIS! Cost: FREE
Greenport features its own Gallery Walk the third weekend of every month. See both established and up-and-coming artists. Cost: FREE
Cinema
The best of the worst at the Cinema Arts Center--Summer Camp Cinema! $12.00 per person for a double feature. Coming soon--the 4th Annual Pay to Get Out Horror Marathon!
The Staller Center for the Arts presents its 13th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival. Independent filmaking at its best! $8.00 per person, Senior rates available.
This wraps up my first installment of Cheap Date Long Island. I realize it is very Patchogue-centric, but this is just the first post right off the top of my head. I like to travel! Let me hear from you!