under the sea and in the lavendar fields.

Last weekend, my family and I took a weekend trip to Long Island. I had forgotten how much I loved it out there. Memories of Montauk on the Southfork and East Marion on the Northfork flood my mind of vacations in the carefree country and seaside living. I love both the Southfork and the Northfork, but I feel the Northfork has a lot of exciting potential as it has not been completely developed as a tourist destination yet. Now that I am older, I can realize its growing potential (and its great local vineyard vino). It is certainly changing fast, each year it becomes a little more developed, as Manhattanites venture from the Hamptons and Montauk to the Northfork. When I was little, I recall Greenport only had a few smalltown stores, restaurants and churches on the port. Now, the downtown boasts chic lounges and bars, cool eateries, and even a Calypso clothing store. Once a bunch of sleepy fisherman's towns, the Northfork of Long Island is now being woken up by young Manhattan families and singles itching for a quick weekend escape from the city. Of course, still there is one of the best Greek restaurants I have been to on this side of the Atlantic. Everytime we go to East Marion we eat at The Hellenic Snack Bar & Taverna by default. It is located literally in the middle of nowhere, but it has become a landmark restaurant since it first opened in the mid-seventies. Eating their fresh Greek food and homemade lemonade on the garden patio is always a great dining experience.

One of my favorite and little-known places is a beach that only few go to on Rocky Point Road. Carved off a cliff, the beach is not made of sand, but stones, which makes for a painful (but cleaner) beach experience. It is a very picturesque place to just sit for hours with a good book.

Down the street from the beach on Rocky Point Road is a lavendar farm, another new addition since we had been there last. Owned by a French family, who was sitting out amongst the lavendar on a picnic table, eating Brie on flatbread and drinking local wine, like true Europeans, the Lavendar Farm boasts over twenty types of lavendar over acres of land. You can pick your own lavendar and they also sell the honey cultivated by the bees. At the store, lavendar oils, soaps, candles are also sold. A trip to this farm will make you feel like you are far off in some Provence in the French countryside. Long Island is a quick escape and a world away from Manhattan. All in all, it was a great weekend. I couldn't help but appreciate the simple beauty of nature and how much New York has to offer. The Northfork has been Long Island's best kept secret. But not for long.