SHELTER ISLAND; the secret of an Enchanted Island Retreat within 2 hours from Manhattan

The island’s name provides the essence of this wonderful island get-away: Shelter.

Shelter from the elements historically, Shelter to practice religion for the Methodists in the late 19th century , but nowadays more importantly Shelter from the hassle of our daily life… The island has succeeded to escape the urbanization of the rest of Long Island, and, along with the North Fork, reflects more of the lifestyle of the New Englanders who settled the place, than of the typical Urban dwellers sprawlingly urbanizing the surrounds of New York City. Locals will frown upon divulging this secret in a blog. I am counting they are not online….

So how can you become a part of this special place? Let me divulge the secret of the state of the real estate market here later in this blog: its a great time to buy a piece of paradise…

Count on getting to know the 2250 or so locals who live on this 8000 Acre island, most of which is set aside as a Nature Conservancy Preserve (and Mashomack preserve), by name: if you do it right they will know your’s. Not to worry, New England privacy -maybe reservedness-  is respected and developed into an art on Shelter Island. The island, maybe for that reason, is home to many a quiet celebrity, enjoy the natural beauty of this spectacular place.

The Ferries from Shelter Island to and from either Sag Harbor or Greenport jealously guard the privacy of Shelter Island – the only way to get on or off , protecting the likes of this golden oldie victorian overlooking Deering Harbor.

 

 

 

Summer Rentals provide a great way for people not from the island to get to spend some time. A room at the Rams Head Inn with its great lawn makes you a part of a Merchant Ivory movie scene.

In Summer you will meet Itzhak Perlman who leads a summer camp master class for the world’s most talented musicians-to-be. You can attend practice picknicking at his lawn or attend one of many regional concerts.

“Vine Cafe” and hangout for beautiful people, “Sunset Beach” at gorgeous Crescent Beach overlooking Southold Bay will provide entertainment and people watching, not quite as ostentatious as in the Hamptons, but much more refined. But do not be surprised to meet Grandma’s bridge partners having lunch while movie stars engage in romance at a table in the back….away from it all, protected from the paparazzi, the newst Shelter this Island now provides.

The town fathers have enacted laws making it very difficult to find Real Estate for sale on Shelter Island; no for sale signs can be placed by Realtors. Saturday Mornings you may be lucky to find some temporary Open House signs providing you with a glimpse of what could be your’s…before its really Beach Time.  Realtors are not listing their properties on MLS in general. Values have not suffered from these practices, until now.

I personally have not seen value such as today’s on the Island of Protection, Shelter Island. From small shacks to brand new homes, from multimillion dollar waterfronts to a piece of land overlooking small creeks, opportunity is knocking loudly……

So talk to someone who knows the Island to help unveil its secrets. Now this is enjoyable house hunting. And become a part of Shelter Island, live longer, let Town and Country help you, providing you with Concierge service!

GREENPORT: NORTH FORK BOOM-TOWN

Remember you learned about this great secret at Town & Country’s blog first: a leg up on all the people searching for fabulous real estate opportunities. One for the record books:

(And don’t forget about us when you become rich and famous…..) this is a bit of a long blog: the secret is at the end of the blog!  Shhhh don’t tell anyone…….

The charming and historic maritime village of Greenport, judged by the number and caliber of new business openings lately, this Town is booming. Without any exaggeration. Much of the news centers around the theme of what everybody loves on the North Fork: Fish(ing), Food (Agritourism) and Wine, and the places to go and stay to take it all in. Greenport is in the center of all that is happening in the North Fork, New York’s Wine Country.

Take for example the Greenport Harbor Brewing company opened this summer…just behind Front Street, next to what looks like a Wild West Jail building where Greenport’s mischievous would have been housed temporarily in the past, the hustle-bustle tourist part of the Town.

 

A bit further down Main Street, just past Frank Purita’s  D’Latte (where you will enjoy the best Italian Gelato West of Rome) Nello Balan, culinary celebrity in Manhattan and South Hampton, is re-opening the former “Isle de Beaute” restaurant as “Seaweed”.  Construction is underway there, and ground was broken for the large scale renovation at the site just accross the street where Nello will open a Hotel

 One of my favorite restaurateur’s on the North Fork, Dennis McDermott (FOH) and Hank Tomashevski (who scored a 7 year hit with the Frisky Oyster Restaurant ) opened Frisky Oyster Bar on Front Street…. with dining “al fresco” finally on Front Street overlooking the Carroussel and Souhold Bay/Greenport Harbor.

 

Mayor Kapell oversaw years of redevelopment of the Greenport Waterfront resulting in a quite attractive and family friendly down town in this spectacular yet cozy Maritime Town.

Family style “This little Italian Place” opened this week on Front Street with Southold’s favourite Italian Son, Joe Pagano returning to cooking family style Italian food and again, finally al fresco dining! And all these great places from simple to expensive are all walking distance in a 3 or 4 block area of Greenport’swaterfront Down-town. And don’t forget the welcome additions from previous years: (without getting into the Starbucks love-it or hate-it discussion) : The Loft (& Harborfront Deli), BarbequeBill’s,and if you didn’t bring somethingappropriate to wear -whatever that means on the North Fork- ladies visit Mint Boutique!!!

So now the catch-all secret: Greenport Real Estate, with the most charming fixer uppers on quiet, tree-lined avenues looking for tender love and restoring care, galant Victorians entirely restored, or glorious waterfronts, Greenport real estate has never been more affordable, is basically “ON SALE”.

Check out also the special incentives for First Time Home Buyers, which bring these fixer uppers entirely within financial reach – you may be very pleasantly surprised! Call Town and Country’s family of local Real Estate professionals for more information, or email me at jbischoff@1townandcountry.com.

Buy a home now in Greenport. You’ll be glad you did. Before anyone else finds out what’s been happening!

Hyatt, Indigo Hotels coming to the East End

Newsflash: even a last remaining hurdle for the economy on the East End to thrive -not enough places to stay-  seems to lessen as the summer heat is about to arrive; a few great hospitality companies are now discovering the East End and North Fork Wine Country:

Bryan de Luca of the Atlantis Aquarium -co-founder of the new East End Tourism Alliance, bridging the North and South Forks, and its  East End Getaways website   told me that HYATT (appearing before the Riverhead planning board today for final approvals for parking requirements) is opening up next door to Atlantis Aquarium, giving the Riverhead Down Town a needed shot in the arm! Another part of this needed Down-Town development is a hall for expositions similar to South Street Seaport, certain to reinvigorate Down Town Riverhead, and to attract people to the East End alongside a fabulous plan to allow better access to the beautiful Riverhead river-water-frontage behind Main Street. Almost the only thing left would be the re-opening of the Riverhead theater!

The Atlanta based luxury hotel chain INDIGO is also planning a new Riverhead property coming soon. This all is added to the recent Best Western, Hilton Gardens (opening soon) and Holiday Inn Hotels in Riverhead. (see Long Island Business News)

The hotels that are coming will help enormously as part of the needed improvements in tourism infrastructure, necessary for an economy that can sustain our North Fork Wine Country, while maintaining the nature and character of our hamlets, and protecting a fragile environment of our waterfront communities. It is also important for everyone to know how much the families who brought these hotels to Riverhead have become a beneficial part of our communities, they have proven to be great corporate citizens for our towns and hamlets, contributing generously to our communities.

The implications for Real Estate on the North Fork are obvious: development is going to be carefully managed, increasing desirability of existing housing. The more people come to visit, te more people will experience that sad Sunday-night feeling of “gotta go”. Renting for the summer, or a purchase of a second home are the solution to preventing that feeling -that’s how I ended up here myself- and : we can help you find a rental or home ideally suited for your needs and budgets: call Town and Country in Mattituck at 631 298 0600 or in Southold 631 765 0500, or email joan@1townandcountry.com

Theater and the Arts on the North Fork – May

The Season’s of to a great start for the arts on the North Fork: the North Fork Community Theater is getting rave reviews for its new production of the Sound of Music; May 14-31st in Mattituck, for more infomation click below:

Get your first look at the new ownership of the Jedediah Hawkins Inn and Restaurant 

while visiting the opening of the art show of 30 brand new and never seen before works by Max Moran, one of the East End/North Fork’s most celebrated artists: Opening May 24th, 4-8pm, show ends July 5th, 2009, 400 South Jamesport Ave, Jamesport, NY 722 – 2900

For more information call Town And Country Real Estate or email jbischoff@1townandcountry.com

North Fork Wine Country and Town and Country Real Estate at the Gay Travel Expo in New York

Town and Country and the NFPC at the Gay Travel Expo

Joan and Nicholas participated on behalf of the North Fork Promotion Council in the New York Gay Travel Expo (www.gaytravelexpo.com)organised by HX Magazine. Thousands of interested Gays paraded by the 50 something booths manned by personnel of EL AL airlines, several large hotel chains, a great Luggage Transport called “LUGGAGE FREE” (www.luggagefree.com) company that allows you to travel “hands free” and makes sure your luggage will follow you!

The North Fork economy is heavily dependent on Tourism, and the GLBT community is welcome; the vineyards welcome them any time. Most visitors had heard of the Hamptons but were still unaware of the North Fork.

The North Fork Promotion Council (www.northfork.org) gave out hundreds of North Fork Guides, and many a visitor inquired about the Bed and Breakfasts and rentals available on the Nortk Fork, a great travel destination for those GLBT travelers based in and around New York.. who prefer not to fly this year until the economy gets a bit better, and love to stay within an hour and a half of NYC!

For more information on North Fork Travel and rentals contact NPLANAMENTO@1townandcountry.com or visit www.buyersconnections.com

CUTCHOGUE ST PATRICK DAY PARADE SUPPORTED BY GREEN T&C BALLOONS

Cutchogue St PAtricks Day Parade

 

 

                                                           

Town and Country balloons adorn one of the parade’s major attractions; the horse & carriage courtesy of the North Fork Horsemen’s Association…

Hundreds of people enjoyed the St Patricks Day parade in Cutchogue… the kids of the North Fork and their parents came out in full force to enjoy a very crowded Down Town where North Fork Chamber President Joe Corso announced the participants in fornt of Fisherman’s restaurant on Main Road. Recently appointed North Fork Agent Advisor for T&C, Nicholas Planamento  and his Golden Retrievers Schuyler and Fleur carried the Torch for Town and Country. The people of Cutchogue seemed ready for a celebration, reflected also in the recent uptick in Real Estate activity on the North Fork

 VISIT www.1townandcountry.com for more details

Long Island Winter Fest on the North Fork – Off Season at its best

It’s after the Holidays and the snow is falling…. and the North Fork is getting busier again. The Winter Fest and its 2009 Jazz- theme are allowing daytrippers and weekenders from all over the world, from Manhattan to Tokyo, Boston to London and Munich, to come and enjoy the bountiful harvest of the North Fork, wine, seafood, local produce and potatoes, the waterfront and winter walk beaches, the ferries to shop a day in Sag Harbor or Greenport, Love Lane, Atlantis Aquarium, or just rural landscapes and nature. It’s great, the long lines and crowds are gone and all seems even more enjoyable; plus the rates are much more affordable.  Stay at a B&B or rent a home.

And while you are at it: Real Estate is on sale and who knows how long that sale will last? Join the many apartment dwellers from the city who got their feet wet as country folk on the North Fork (and got a mortgage tax deduction on their income….). A house with a dock for your boat to go fishing in some of the best fishing grounds on the East Coast (catch blues, sea bass, or out in the Ocean some of the sweetest Tuna you’ll ever taste, or just rent a boat with Captain Sloan Gurney and let him do the work while you take the credit and the fish home.

And if you are interested in being shown around and look at some homes, great deals, waterfronts, vacation cottages, weekend homes or retirement paradise are all waiting. Call Nicholas at 631 948 0143 for an appointment, he’s a licenced realtor and loves to connect you to what’s local here and talk about Real Estate…

Great Deals for wine enthusiasts in Wine Country on the North Fork

North Fork Wine Country has great deals to offer in this weak economy; most vineyards are slow during the off season, and even more so now. When I drive by the vineyards I see sales and discounted wines, and some of the vineyards now have sales in  their shops as well. Beat the crowds and visit the vineyards! Also the B&Bs have specials you can enjoy.

And once you are here, you may find Real Estate on sale… your chance to get in and look around, let us help you! Visit www.buyerconnections.com or call 631 298 4646/cell 948 0234. We can help you find your way around the North Fork, and find the best deals end (our opinion) the best wines for the best prices.