Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

I want to go everywhere I haven't been, and back to everywhere I have been.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

LONG ISLAND'S NORTH FORK: A BIRTHDAY EXCURSION



Wineries, farmland, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


"What do you want for your birthday?"

One of the challenges Mr. Goo Shoes has had 
in his relationship with me over the years
is to figure out what to get me for my birthday.
It's not that I'm so difficult (at least I don't think so) --
but after so many years, it's hard to keep coming up with ideas. 

He's had some home runs (my camera, jewelry, etc)........
and some strike outs 
(we won't mention the salad shooter he gave me the first year we met).
There were gifts I returned.......
and some that I kept even though I wasn't crazy about them.
Of course, there were many gifts I cherished, 
and some that touched my heart.
Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


This year, I really threw him for a loop.......
I didn't want a birthday gift at all. 
Nothing. Zip. Nada.  

Honestly? I couldn't think of anything I wanted.
 Call it maturity, or attribute it to simply getting older,
I have gotten to the point where
I'd rather do something fun than get a gift-wrapped thing.
I thought Mr. GS would be relieved to hear this news;
instead, I set his head spinning.
He assumed it would be up to him to figure out 
just what kind of "experience" to plan for me. 
Getting me a thing for my birthday was one thing;
planning an experience that would be my thing was not his thing. 
Got that?

Thing is, I never intended for him to come up with a plan.
Au contraire, mon amour!
I was more than happy to suggest ideas. 

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


Ideally, I wanted to go away for a couple of days.
However, I would have been happy to go into NYC for the day,
and do something different, 
or take a ride to a nearby quaint town and have lunch. 
But there was one idea I kept coming back to........
going to the North Fork of Long Island.  

Several months ago, I read an article in the New York Times called 
"36 Hours In Greenport."
I was intrigued by the sub-heading:

"On the bucolic North Fork of Long Island: 
oysters, wineries, country roads and water views all over the place."

I didn't need to read any further to know 
that this place was right up my proverbial alley.
It was just my thing, so to speak.

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


If you are unfamiliar with the area's geography,
the eastern end of Long Island literally splits into a giant fork in the road.
Head to the right, and it goes to the South Fork, home of the notorious Hamptons.
Head left, and you end up on the North Fork. 
In between the forks' two tines (😜) is Shelter Island, 
which is reachable only by ferry from both the north and south forks.

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


The weather forecast looked reasonably good,
so we booked two nights at a bed and breakfast in historic Greenport
(more on Greenport another time).
We dropped Sadie off at the dog sitter's, 
and set out on the 117-mile drive 
on a hot and sunny, summer-like day in early September.

The names of the towns we passed along the way 
were as familiar to us as those on the South Fork,
yet, we had never been to them........
Aquebogue, Jamesport, Mattituck, Cutchogue, Peconic, Southold.

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


 An American Indian tribe, the Corchaugs, were the first inhabitants of this area,
but in the early 1600's, Europeans thought it was an awesome place to settle,
 and so they did. 

Riding through these little hamlets, we saw lots of farmland, 
and dozens and dozens of wineries.
It was the perfect combination of rural and upscale,
yet not glitzy like the Hamptons on the other, more famous fork.

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


Our first day was spent in the town of Greenport,  
but the next day.......my actual birthday........
we drove around, exploring the North Fork, 
making stops here, there, and everywhere. 

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


The night before, my weather app gave me fits 
because it looked like my birthday would be a total washout. 
I consider it a gift of epic proportions that there wasn't a drop of rain the entire day!
I was actually grateful for the overcast skies, 
as they made for moody backdrops to my pictures.   

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport



Even though we missed the peak blooming season,
a highlight of our drive was Lavender By The Bay
with its acres and acres of lavender fields. 
Visitors are encouraged to walk through or sit in the fields during peak season,

and inhale the calming fragrance.
I've already marked my calendar to go back next year in late June/early July. 

I won't even need a hotel........just park me in one of those purple chairs, 
and I'll be content to stay right there for the duration.

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport



For now, the gift shop would have to satisfy my lavender 
craving.

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


 Lavender may steal the show in summer,
but sunflowers take center stage in September. 

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


There are little inlets everywhere, and the marshy landscape reminded me 
of South Carolina's low country. 

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport
 
Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


 By late morning, we had come to the end of the fork -- Orient Point State Park.
It's the North Fork's equivalent to Montauk on the South Fork.

We didn't spend much time.........just walked around a bit on the pebbly beach,
and watched the car ferry load up for its trip across Long Island Sound to Connecticut.  

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


We got back to Greenport just in time for lunch,
and in the afternoon, we ventured over to Shelter Island on the car ferry 
(more on Shelter Island another time).

The next morning, on our way home, 
we stopped at Kenney's Beach on the Long Island Sound in Southhold, 
just to see what it was like. 
One thing is for sure - you wouldn't want to walk barefoot!

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


In two days, we got just a tiny taste of the North Fork.
We didn't get to any of the wineries, or the nature preserves, or farmstands, 
or the wineries (did I already say wineries?).

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport
 

Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport


Our conclusion?
If we want a beach vacation, the South Fork wins hands down.

The Hamptons' ocean beaches are among the best in the world.
However, we absolutely loved the North Fork and will go back again in the off season.
Chances are, we'll stay on peaceful Shelter Island next time,
maybe in early September. 
When we want a little action, we'll take a ten-minute ferry ride 
to either Greenport on the North Fork, 
or Sag Harbor in the Hamptons on the South Fork. 
That way, we can have our cake, and eat it, too).........

.......with two forks.
Wineries, farm stands, beaches, marinas, nature preserves and more. The North Fork of Long Island is a special kind of paradise. | Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #northfork #greenport





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Vacation In The Hamptons: Unglitzed




12 comments:

  1. What a lovely birthday trip! Isn't it fun to get all of those great pictures?! The stork (it has another name?...)-- a great picture!

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  2. Your take on the north fork is spot on Amy. It’s so much more laid back than the Hamptons. If I have any issues at all it’s that the beaches are a little rocky but that’s a small price to pay for the serenity of that area

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  3. I loved your birthday trip!!!! Wonderful images.

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  4. Hi Amy, I loved reading and looking at the photos of your trip there. I love the lavendar farm and I always buy the flowers from that farm. I love Harbes too and I could go on and on about all the things that I love it. :)
    We go out there every summer!! This is where we spent every summer at our beach house while I was growing up!! It has changed so much since when I was little. It's my favorite place and I love it. You are lucky you went to visit when you did as the summer is the busiest time and sometimes the town is just so packed with people and hard to find a place to park the car! The Aldo's coffee is the best. Where did you stay? I'd love to know.
    Thanks too for sharing this at our Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
    Enjoy the week.
    Julie

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  5. Sounds like a very nice couple of days. The pictures show me that it is definitely my kind of place too. I am with you in that I would rather have an "event" for my birthday than a gift I could probably buy for myself! Not much to do at the end of January unfortunately. I keep threatening to celebrate my half birthday at the end of July!

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  6. Lovely capture . Please tell something about my capture on my blog.

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  7. What a fun visit. Thanks for sharing your lovely pics.

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  8. Such a perfect trip! I asked for a trip instead of a gift this year too. I love having experiences instead of "things."

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  9. Very Informative blog article around the topic trip although this is perhaps the second or 3rd time for me that I am here in your blog. Good work is always appreciable. Keep up the good work, dude! I just wanted to say hi and show my thanks for the information provided.

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  10. What a fantastic place to visit, Amy. Great photos.
    Amalia
    xo

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  11. This is wonderful. I love seeing the north east through your eyes. You are featured this week at Keep In Touch.

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  12. What a perfect place to celebrate your birthday. So many pretty photos...thanks for linking up to Take Me Away again!
    Shelley

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