More new businesses that opened here this summer
Pickles at a garden center, group acupuncture appointments and insurance for classic cars are just a few of the new products and services that are making their debut on Shelter Island this summer. Existing restaurants are fine-tuning their menus and solidifying their chefs, Clark’s Fish House is opening in what used to be Two Eds, which closed last year, and the owners of Vine Street Café are expanding to Greenport.
Read on to see what else is new and novel for the summer of 2012.
NEW FITNESS OPTIONS
Cassandra Bliss has opened the “betterbeing wellness center” (she doesn’t use capital letters) at 36 North Ferry Road in the space formerly occupied by Melina Wein’s real estate office, which moved next door some time ago. Ms. Bliss had a small massage studio at the boltax building (owner Karen Boltax also eschews capital letters) last summer but her new, larger quarters allow her to provide “more of a wellness center that will meet the needs of the summer population, as well as being a health resource for people here year round.”
In addition to massage, Ms. Bliss will be offering classes in yoga, bodywork and meditation. You will be able to book a private appointment with a licensed acupuncturist or take a group “communal acupuncture” session that is great for “tune ups” and allows you to do “as much as you possibly can for yourself in the course of a weekend,” she said. Come fall, she plans on offering an after-school program for kids. For more information or to book appointments, call 749-6089 or email Ms. Bliss at [email protected].
Manhansett Chapel is the setting for Glow Yoga classes that will take place daily from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. beginning this Saturday and continuing through July and August. According to the website (shelterislandyoga.com), owner Michelle Macintosh teaches an “energetic Vinyasa-style class where movement is linked together with breath.” The classes are vigorous but are purported to provide “inner calm and an outward glow.”
Classes are $20 each or $180 for ten. Students are encouraged to bring water, a towel and their own mats, though mats may be rented for $2. Ms. Macintosh may be reached at (203) 918-6128 or by email at [email protected].
If you want to try stand-up paddle boarding this summer or are looking to buy or rent a board, contact Pete Johnson of PDJ Boards. Mr. Johnson hand shapes and custom decorates all the boards that he sells and his entire line is made in the USA. He also offers private and group lessons for beginners, intermediates and advanced boarders as well as “workout” sessions and rental boards. Contact him at PDJBoards.com or at 749-5005; he’s always looking to meet people who “share a passion for paddle boarding.”
Over at the Dering Harbor Inn, Shelter Island Yoga & Fitness has undergone a facelift with new cardio and strength training machines, as well as the addition of a TRX system. Owner Moussa Drame has put together a full line-up of group classes, including newly-introduced TRX and circuit training sessions, spinning, Pilates, Zumba, meditation, yoga and aerobics. One-on-one training and massage sessions are also available. Check out the weekly class schedule at shelterislandyoga.com or call 749-0160 for information.
PICKLES, PIES AND HONEY
Drive past Grady Riley Gardens and you can’t help but notice a sign that reads “Pickles, Pies, Honey.” What is Gerry Siller growing over there on Menantic Road?
In addition to the extensive assortment of flowers and shrubs, soil amendments, gardening implements and great sun hats, Grady Riley has begun carrying a diverse but carefully selected line of artisinal Long Island-made items. There are five varieties of Horman’s Pickles out of Great Neck, a selection of fruit pies from Holy Moses in Westhampton, honey from Shelter Island’s own Brigham’s apiaries, locally made, all-natural dog treats, as well as Linda Kraus’s handmade soaps and Holly Cronin’s lavender sprays.
“We wanted to sell these great pickles and pies at the store” and things just took off from there, Mr. Siller said. The nursery has also taken a booth at Saturday’s Shelter Island Farmers Market, where all these items are also sold. “We wanted to take advantage of the market’s great location and traffic and to sell items made by people who couldn’t justify having a stand themselves.” But really, he added, “My goal in life is to become the pickle king of Shelter Island.”
TENDRIL IN GREENPORT
Lisa Murphy Harwood and her husband Terry, proprietors of Vine Street Café, are branching out across the moat to open the Blue Canoe Oyster Bar and Grill in Greenport, on the site of the old Chowder Pot restaurant.
“It’s going to be an old-fashioned restaurant by the sea with a fresh feel to it,” said Ms. Murphy Harwood. “It’s a modern take on an old idea.”
With lots of outdoor seating on the waterfront, the Blue Canoe will be “more casual and more fun,” with slightly lower prices than Vine Street, but with the same commitment to freshness and quality. There will be plenty of fish and seafood and lots of salads.
“Just because we’re a casual fish place doesn’t mean that everything on the menu has to be deep fried,” Ms. Murphy Harwood said.
With their place’s proximity to the North Ferry terminal, the Harwoods are hoping that Shelter Islanders will walk over for a drink, dinner or one of Ms. Murphy Harwood’s signature desserts. A late July opening is planned.
TASTING ROOM
The Tasting Room at the Island Boatyard, the sister venture to Salt, officially made its debut this past weekend. Manager Jake Perdy says the Tasting Room is offering a selection of wines by the glass, as well as wine flights, tastings and bottle sales. Initially, the wines will be from Jamesport Vineyards, Salt’s partner in this venture, but as the summer progresses “we’ll begin to add wines from other New York State vineyards,” Mr. Perdy said.
The Tasting Room will be open Thursday through Sunday, from lunch time through dinner. Watch for special events as well as themed food and wine evenings throughout the season.
CLARK’S DEBUT
Clark’s Fish House on North Ferry Road, in the former Two Eds space, will have its grand opening this Thursday night, June 28.
The restaurant will be offering “easy food, in a throwback to when the space was known as Chip’s,” said Joe Clark, as well as a small fish market featuring fish caught by Mr. Clark’s brother, Kenny, and Joe’s son, Sawyer. “They’ll be out fishing in the morning and we’ll be serving up their catch in the evenings,” Joe explained. The market will be open daily from 11 a.m. The restaurant, which will initially serve only dinner and will have a license for wine and beer, will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. Both businesses will be closed on Tuesday.
QUICK BITES
Glen Petry, the manager at the Pridwin, has confirmed that Marcel Iatoni will be collaborating with the Pridwin’s Executive Chef Keith Marty this season. Chef Iatoni will be bringing some of his signature dishes from his time at the Olde Country Inn to the Pridwin’s waterfront location on Crescent Beach.
Over at the Dory, Jack Kiffer has opened a Tiki Bar on the back patio, serving “late night food” including sliders, pizza, hot dogs and a full array of frozen drinks in a “tropical” setting. The Dory will also be offering live music most weekends and, according to Mr. Kiffer, Freddy Cole will be returning for a four-show engagement the weekend of August 4 – 5.
The Legion Hall will be open for dinner Friday nights this summer, thanks to a volunteer staff. The bar opens at 5:30 p.m. and dinner starts at 6 p.m. Call 749-1180 for information.
Stars Café has updated its menu for the season and is reprising the weekend dinner service that it offered last summer, according to owners Lydia and Pepe Martinez. Dinner will be served Thursday through Saturday until 10 p.m. during July and August. The Martinezes have also added a juice bar to their cozy lower level ice cream parlor. “We’re serving organic vegetable juices and fruit smoothies throughout the day and evening,” Ms. Martinez said. And early risers take note: you can get a cup of Stars’ organic coffee from 6 a.m. onwards.
AGENCY MAKES CHANGE
The venerable Brady Agency on North Ferry Road, a fixture on Shelter Island since 1928, has a new name, Shelter Island Insurance Services, and a new partner, Rich Tarpinian, who has added classic and collector car insurance to the agency’s product offerings.
“I came aboard about four or five months ago and since I’m highly interested in automobiles of all kinds, it was a natural for me to add custom and collector car insurance to our product line-up.” According to Mr. Tarpinian, these types of policies are very different from traditional automobile insurance and the agency was able to partner with Hagerty, “the firm that is the number one specialist” in the field.
Despite these changes, Shelter Island Insurance remains true to its roots as an independent agency, he said, representing many of the largest names in property, casualty, health and auto insurance. Their new website is shelterislandinsurance.com.
