I always submit several hundred photos and take several thousand at an event like this.  Here is a small sample of shots I took that weekend.

One thing that separates them is the staff is Thai. Many Thai restaurants on Long Island are Chinese run. I know because I speak Chinese and lived in Taiwan for 7 years. They do their best but I haven’t been to a restaurant that can meet Sri Thai’s standards. The staff is extremely friendly and kind; they know our names and seem genuinely happy we are their regulars.

On this visit, we started with the Tom Yum Kung, a sour and spicy soup with Shrimp. My wife loves the spice in it.

Tom Yum Kung

The staff always makes flowers out of the paper they leave on the straws. They make some very intricate and pleasant designs with them. I always see them in their spare time crafting the little flowers. They are wont to focus on the little details that make the experience quality.

straw paper flowers

We tried the new line of ginger ales they started carrying. The fact they use sugar cane and not corn syrup had me excited but I wasn’t used to the flavor of the drink. Next time it is back to Coke.

ginger ales

This dish is my favorite dish in the world. Spicy and a little sweet from the coconut milk, the soupy panang curry with chicken and vegetables is out of this world. I can’t go more than a month without eating this, and this is my favorite place to go for it. If you like moderately spicy food, get this dish.

Panang Chicken and Rice

My daughter loves the Chicken fried rice, and again, they make it better than anywhere I’ve been, including many Chinese restaurants. I can’t help but eat lots of this too when there.

Chicken Fried Rice

For desert, we tried the fried bananas. You can see the presentation is fantastic. It was yummy too. Not a huge desert but there is usually not much room left after the main dishes.

Fried Bananas

14 New Street
Huntington, NY 11743-3569
(631) 424-3422

Open Tue-Thu 12pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 12pm-10:30pm; Sun 12pm-9:30pm

If you think your favorite Long Island Thai restaurant can beat this, let me know and we’ll happily put it to the test!

The first garden area, behind the welcome center, has several wooden chairs for relaxing and just breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the country life. There are flowers planted all around the area and depending on when you go, might have some blooming. They have some blocks for children to play with and an interesting wooden xylophone that any child (or adult) will love to bang on for a while. The grass fields are great for running around, playing hide and go seek, or picnicking, which is allowed. Don’t forget to check out the giant-sized chair too.

After playing around and looking at the trees, flowers, grass, and surroundings, we decided to hit the trail for a hike. It is set up with signs about the ecology and development of Long Island since the ice ages. We saw many chipmunks running rampant and also a small bunny on our trip. Aliya loved our time there and I recommend, to anyone that has kids and a desire to relax in a peaceful environment, go there and have a romp around the premises.

The cost is the best part. It is free, but you can donate whatever you can to help support maintenance there. I like places like this because you can pay a little if you only stay for a short time or pay more if you happen to stay for many hours at a time.

Bailey Arboretum

Address:

Bayville Road and Feeks Lane
Lattingtown, NY 11542

www.baileyarboretum.org/

Phone Number: 516-571-8020

Email: baileyarboretum@optonline.net

Map:

We struck out, as usual, in our hunt for the bounty of the sea. Maybe we didn’t try long enough. The sand fleas were out in full force and were annoying even with a glossy sheen of repellent on. There were other fishermen that came and went, and I always see people fishing there. Seems like our luck is just bad and it is easy to get forced out by the relentless sand fleas.

It appears that since this has been an “ongoing” issue for decades, many residents are growing immune to news and breaking developments. There are still a few obstacles but nothing that appears to be insurmountable for Housing Help Inc. (HHI), the owners of the property, except perhaps the community response. They have fought it this long and it looks like they’ll keep fighting.

There is a group of community residents that have begun a Facebook page titled Stop the Matinecock Housing Development in East Northport, NY. They are trying to alert the community to the recent developments and let them have a say before it is too late.

Here are several talking points against the project from their Facebook Page:

1. Affordable Housing may be already here: The housing market on Long Island is flooded with thousands of already available homes, co-op’s, condo’s and rentals. Mortgage rates are at historic lows, making payments, when qualified, more affordable than ever. Some speculate that Suffolk County home prices have still not hit bottom and may fall an additional 12%, and in addition, foreclosures and short sales persist.

2. Air Pollution: There have been studies done that there are toxins in the soil. Construction and removal of the surface soil may release toxins such as arsenic into the air, into our neighborhoods, and into our surrounding schools.

3. Water Pollution: They intend to place a SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT on the site. Byproducts and Hazardous Materials will exist. This will be built in proximity of our SOLE SOURCE AQUIFER, and the COUNTY WELL FIELD that provides our PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY as well as TWO SCHOOLS, the LIRR and a LIPA substation.

4. School Impact: The Northport School District has recently stated that they intend to lay off staff, discontinue programs, and increase class sizes. No one knows or can predict how many children will suddenly be wedged into classes. Their claim is that a study done 16 years ago is adequate. In addition: The SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT and SOIL REMEDIATION and related hazards are in close proximity to TWO SCHOOLS.

5. Safety: No one disputes traffic will be adversely and dramatically affected, so imagine our children and parents having to fight the intersections and train track crossings – which leads us to:

6. Taking From our Kids: They intend to use eminent domain via the County to grab land from Pulaski Rd. Elementary School to improve Elwood Road access to THEIR project, while destroying ball fields and play areas, and diminishing safety barriers from the roadway to the school property.

7. No experience: HHI have not developed, built or managed a property of this magnitude. It is hard to imagine that they have the skills to manage, maintain and respond to the needs of such a large project.

8. Ask a Question, Get a History Lesson: Feel free to check their documents. Many of HHI’s cited studies that they hold so dear and use to stay “on message” are often 10 to 20 years old. Do you base your family’s decisions today on plans you made in 1994? HHI does. This is a very different world, population, economy, and town as compared to 20 years ago.

As we went down Pulaski Road about 5 minutes, we passed Winoka Village, a completed low income project just down the road. There were multiple signs displaying the availability of apartments. After reading the first point by the Stop the Matinecock group it looks like they may be on to something there.

Check out the new website for the Stop the Matinecock Court Housing Project.

I submitted the photos to the Long Islander so there is a strong likelihood that several of them will be published with the Parade reviews in the next issue. I took many photos, and if you are in any or want to use any let me know. You can contact me here. The photos get squashed a bit to make the thumbnails, so if you like of the 2010 Saint Patrick’s Day Pictures make sure to click on them to see them in a larger size.

It was nice meeting and partying with everyone I met that day. The bars I went to – Finley’s and Meehan’s – were packed and fully loaded with interesting characters. See all ya’ll next year!