Long Island

Tuesday morning after Macy went to school we dropped Bella off at the airport, dropped Tate off at college and off Brian and I went to Long Island! The reason for our overnight trip was twofold- we'd wanted to get to Long Island to see the house that Brian lived in as a kid and also to see one of my friends from SK, Leasa, who was visiting from North Carolina.

We took the ferry over instead of driving-

I remember taking this same ferry once as a kid!

Of course we had to try a Long Island winery. Roanoke Vineyard in Riverhead was quite lovely.Plus it was the perfect day for an outdoor tasting in a vineyard!

Leasa was one of my closest friends our first year in SK. When she said she was coming up to NY from NC, I said I was for sure meeting her there!

That night we met up with Leasa and her friend that she was there visiting for a great dinner. We were so lucky that her friend lived close to the town where Brian grew up that we wanted to visit, so we didn't have to traipse across the island to see her. Although I would have!

Oh yeah, Brian was there too!

Wednesday morning we reunited again with Leasa for breakfast and then drove over to see the Amityville Horror House. This is the actual house that the Amityville Horror book & movie were based on. Yes, Amityville is a real town in NY!

It was not at all enough time with Leasa, but I was so grateful for our quick meet up in the lookalike Gilmore Girls town!

We visited Jones Beach, where Brian used to play as a preschooler!

It is said that Jones Beach is the most popular/heavily visited beach on the East Coast

Quick stop around the corner to the beautiful and historic Beth Page golf course-

The flowers, the cute cutouts in the shutters- all so precious. 

I love a free little library- this one had a twist as it was seeds instead of books!

Next up- Hicksville! We had no problem finding Brian's old house, where he first lived in America when his family moved here from Bermuda-

He facetimed his mom- 

And right around the corner, was the elementary school where he attended K & Grade 1.

No one in the family had ever been back since moving, so it felt pretty wonderful that we were able to finally make it back 40+ years after the moved!