SUNDAY August 20th:
Sketch the Picturesque Hamlet
of Oyster Bay
A wonderful day planned and coordinated by Suzala
With views of ships moored, estates out on a peninsula across the water as well as the main street of a "New English" village. There is something to draw from every vista. The main street of Oyster Bay is conveniently located less then a one block from the LIRR Station, and less then one block from the beautiful Oyster Bay Harbor of the Long Island Sound.
Oyster Bay is a charming 1800 fishing village located on the Long Island Sound on the North Shore of Long Island, first mentioned in 1639, then again in 1889 when the LIRR arrived. The 26th President Theodore Roosevelt had his office right on the main drag in the Historic landmark, Moore's Building at 1-9 East Main street ( a 2 block walk from the LIRR) in 1901. It is a town with 30 registrations on the Historic Preservation List and they are all accessible in a one mile loop.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_Bay_History_Walkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_Bay_History_Walk.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Town_of_Oyster_Bay_Landmarks
History:
Named “Oyster Bay” by the Dutch for its abundance of shellfish, many of the Bay’s European settlers became shell fishermen. By the mid to late 1800s Oysters had become the main source of protein for New Yorkers, rather than beef. Oyster carts replaced hotdog carts and the poor fed their families with heaping buckets of shellfish that they gathered from beaches themselves.
While still a prosperous source for oysters, the sound is also home to many large beautiful estates and if you know exactly where to look, you can see Billy Joel's compound directly across the way.
In addition to these Landmark locations, not to be missed is Century Cycles located just behind the gazebo. It is not a store, but the location of Billy Joel's motorcycle collection and is open to the public for viewing for free.
Do NOT leave town with out a visit to the Bonanza Ices Stand. I can personally attest to too much of the food here. One should not leave town without having eaten one of their "Italian" ices.The Chocolate ( made with Ghirardelli chocolate) and the coconut are amazing but so is the pine-colada and the mango. Sadly I have not had a bad one yet! It is a great down and dirty place for lunch as well serving up hot dogs with toppings and amazing steak fries with convenient wooden picnic tables in the rear. ( I have been going there since I was knee high and have sketched it's charm from the far corner many a time: it truly is a long Island institution.)
Details
Where: Oyster Bay Gazebo on Audrey Avenue. (Note: This is one of our rare events outside of NYC's five boroughs.)
When: 10:00am
Lunch: 12:45 Let's break for lunch, we will meet at the gazebo and go from there. The lunch plan: Grab Grub and Plenty of Gab.
Afternoon: 1:45 - back to sketching this incredible town.
Show and Tell: 3:00pm on East Main street; share your images and your adventures from today and enjoy some Italian snacks, both sweet and savory or just an espresso if you like.
Directions from Penn Station:
There is a train leaving Penn Station at 8:12 am arriving in Oyster Bay ( practically on E Main street) at 9:46.
The following train is at 10:12 am arriving at 11:46.
Suzala will be at the gazebo at 9:45 and then at the corner of Maxwell and Shore Dr at 11:46 to welcome any stragglers.
Return trains to Penn run 4:19, 5:19 6:19 and 8:19 pm
Coming from Long Island, grab your GPS!
NOTES:
1.) We attached a map (see below) for a assistance in getting around this small town. ***Shore Avenue, Audrey Ave and East Main street are all the SAME street.
2.) While the map makes everything look big. Suzala says - "Even I can walk the whole joint. Trust me, when I say small town I mean it."
3.) Bring a stool or a sit-upon, it always gives you greater sketching flexibility.
4.) The times highlighted in yellow are the correct times. (Thanks to Margaret Montgomery for pointing out that we originally used the weekday schedule.)
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If you can’t find us
call or text Mark at 973-809-9128
or Suzala our native resident at 516 238-0220
There are no fees. All drawing skill levels are welcome.
