Where Bloggers Live: Long Island, NY
Welcome to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? Over the next few months, a group of seven bloggers will be sharing their workspaces, their homes, towns and more!
Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Julia at When the Girls Rule
Lisa at Midlife in Bloom
This month’s theme: Mixed. Ha. We all went rogue this month. Some of us are doing our “region,” some of us our state, some our workplaces…I think there’s even one about “animals we live with.” I’m as curious to see it all as you are! Enjoy!
I live on Long Island. I’ve been here for 50 years, since I was nine years old. Long Island is a funny place in that it’s not really A Place. It’s not a county or borough, town, city or hamlet. It’s just an island. Nothing gets addressed “123 Any Street, Long Island, NY.”
Most people, when you say “New York” to them, envision New York City (Manhattan). NYC is a VERY small part of NY. Long Island is larger than the island of Manhattan…and it is, indeed, an island. Surrounded by water on all sides, check. You must take a bridge, tunnel, ferry, or airplane to get off it, check. Yep, it’s an island.
It’s about 20 miles wide at the widest point and 118 miles long, so, no matter where you are, there’s a beach or water pretty close by. The Long Island Sound separates the island from Connecticut and the Atlantic Ocean is on the south and east. The East End of the island is made up of two forks. The North Fork is approximately 28 miles long, the South Fork, ending at Montauk Point, is about 44 miles. Sometimes people say Long Island looks like a fish: Brookly/Queens are the head and eyes, Nassau County and most of Suffolk County make up the body, and the North and South Forks are the tail. You can kinda see it in the map below.
Technically, Queens and Brooklyn are on Long Island, though most residents of those two boroughs will argue that they areย not.ย Yes, they are two of the five boroughs of New York City (Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Bronx), but they are ON Long Island. Sorry, just a little pet peeve of mine.
When you hear of the Hamptons (West, East, South, and Bridge) they are all on the South Fork…with the pretty ocean beaches. The North Fork (and shore) has the rockier, cliff-backed beaches with no waves because they’re just on the Long Island Sound.
There are a ton of facts about Long Island: population (just under 8 million), geography, weather, history (oh gosh lots of history), etc., but I’m going to focus more on Long Island fromย myย perspective, and the pros and cons as I see them.
As my mother used to say, on Long Island you’ve got everything close-by: the beaches, the city, the mountains (upstate and western NY), the culture, the country. Not that she everย went to any of these places, but it made her feel good to know they were within reach if she wanted to.
So for me as an adult, one of the best things about living on Long Island is its proximity to the city and even Queens and Brooklyn. NYC is not like anywhere else and there is so much to see and do there, it is always alive and interesting. And I’m fortunate that I can get there a couple times a month if I want.
From me, it’s about 45 miles into the city – but NY miles are not like other places’ miles. The joke is always, “with no traffic, it’ll take ___ long to get there.” There is NEVER “no traffic.” So it’s roughly 90 minutes to drive into the city, on average. A lot of people take the Long Island Railroad into Penn Station but I think that’s a pain in the butt.
Long Island, for all its eight-million people and the buildings they live in (mostly private houses vs the city which is mostly apartment buildings), has a lot of preserved natural scenery. As I’ve said, there is water within 15 minutes of almost anywhere you are on the Island. Out east (Suffolk County) is still a lot of farmland, vineyards, and protected forest areas. There are charming farmstands and horse farms and little villages with quaint main streets. The north shore is hilly and woodsy even in populated areas and there’s just something about the way the late afternoon light comes through the trees as I’m driving on winding roads that just takes my breath away.
BUT, there’s a lot of area, especially in Nassau County (closer towards the city), that is crammed with uninteresting, repetitive suburbs. Builder developments with cookie-cutter homes built from the 1960s til now. I try to stay out of these types of areas.ย They’re great for families with their convenient shopping and good school districts, but I’m past that stage of my life.
Which leads me to Con #2. Long Island is for FAMILIES. There are TONS of great resources for families with children. But unless you want to sit in a bar, there are NOT a lot of interesting activities for single adults. When I lived in Brooklyn I NEVER felt a shortage of things to do or places to go as a single person, alone. Even if it was just sitting out on the stoop watching people walking by, as they were 24/7. I can go on and on about THAT, but I’ll spare you for now.
We have all four seasons, and Long Island does seasons beautifully.ย In winter we have cold and snow with average daily temps right around freezing. But not like arctic cold. Manageable cold. Then spring is beautiful with so many blooming flowers, trees, and shrubs everywhere. Summer is hot and humid. Long Island is very humid. But I love nothing better than spending a day on the beach and in the ocean on those hot, hot days. Then fall isย soย gorgeous with the trees changing colors. It is really breathtaking.
In spite of all the people and houses (and stores! guh) there are endless places to walk and hike and just be in nature, from beaches to parks, preserves, and arboretums.
Again, for being such a populated area, we have a lot of wildlife. Besides the usual squirrels, rabbits, sea- and song-birds, we have TONS of deer, several areas with Bald Eagles, and back again are whales, dolphins and seals. And a 20′ tall duck.
The best thing about Long Island to me is that my friends are here.
People from other places often poke fun at the “Lawn Guyland” accent. When I first moved here at age 9 I heard it and hated it and have really made an effort all my life to not pick it up. I can hear it a little bit sometimes, but for the most part I think I managed pretty well and when I go other places people frequently tell me that I don’t sound like a New Yorker.
The Long Island accent
So, I’ve been here most of my life because my family then my husband then my child and then my work all tethered me to it. I did make a brief escape, but…I got dragged back in. I love the scenery and natural elements…I hate that there’s not more interesting things to do here. For me. As a single person. Alone.
The End. Ha.
Photos by me of some favorite spots on Long Island.
Liz
Love your blog, where is that beautiful stately home with steps going up each side, it actually looks very British. My daughter lives in New Jersey (I live in Cheltenham, UK) . We visited the Hamptons for a few days last September, thought it was lovely & would like to visit more of the island later this year.
bettyewp
That is the Phipps mansion at Old Westbury Gardens, a really beautiful estate that I visit each summer for the beautiful gardens. That’s my little Katie dashing through the scene ๐
Melissa
I loved this post! Iโm a Texas gal myself that wound up (happily) living on the lower east coast, so NY has always been a bit of a magical mystery to me… until now. NY is quite beautiful through the eyes of a local, especially to someone whose never visited.
Another delightful post with a wonderful story! ๐
bettyewp
Thanks, Melissa.
My mother grew up in Corpus Christi, are you near there? Have I asked that before? Ha.
Melissa
Iโm originally from San Antonio, but I went to college in Corpus Christi. Iโm now in NC and living it! Snow and seasons! ๐
Barb Standridge
What a delight to hear all about your home area! Thanks for sharing!
bettyewp
Thanks for visiting, Barb!
Penny
This is such a lovely post and your photos are wonderful and because of them I feel I simply must get to NYC again and then take a trip to Long Island. I mean I was in NYC twenty years ago (!) but this post is really making me think about travelling once again to the States (I live in Brighton, UK). Thanks again – great post!
PS – thanks for stopping by and commenting!
bettyewp
It really does have many beautiful areas and is worth a visit if you’re in the area!
Iris
Oh I love it – you made a place I never even thought about wanting to see really look interesting and inviting. And, I appreciated the geography lesson.
All your pictures are great, especially the Caleb ones ๐
But, where’s your “where bloggers live” graphic & links? Up too late writing? ๐
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Fixed! Oh my gosh, what a duh!
Karen
I love your tantalizing photos and this geography lesson. I live in Vancouver, Canada and am obsessed with all things East Coast. I visited NYC only one for three days and, like the city, I never slept. I love your blog – I’m a new reader and love your schtick. You’re my kind of woman. xo karen
bettyewp
So glad you stopped by, Karen! Yeah, if you’re only down here for 3 days you’d certainly want to spend them all in the city! Long Island is when you have a little more time and want to lay on a beach or go to some vineyards for wine tastings. Maybe next time!
Marian
Oh Bettye, these photos are simply breathtaking. Have you considered selling photos? Framed…unframed….on your blog or other sites? I would love to buy some.
This was a beautiful post. Your description, all the photos, and the video….just wonderful.
I am a New Yorker, born and raised in the center of Manhattan but I moved away after college. Many tell me I’ve lost the accent but many can still tell I’m from NY in 10 seconds. I knew nothing about Long Island. We went to Montauk for vacation once when I was a child and once visited a relative. And as an adult, every visit to NY is to the Upper West Side for a few days and not much time for anything else. I thought it was a big suburban sprawl and the Hamptons and that’s it.
Thank you for showing off the beauty of your Island and helping me get my bearings of all these places I’ve heard of, right next door, and never been to! I think you’ve just sold me on a trip to visit!
bettyewp
Thank you, Marian, that’s very nice to hear but there are so many photographers miles and MILES better than me with SO many amazing photographs. I did have some listed on a couple sites for awhile (they’re probably still listed there, actually and never had any interest. I think about trying it again from time to time but…(and I feel like I’m saying this a lot lately) There Are Only So Many Hours in a Day ๐
Oh, growing up in Manhattan sounds so romantic and wonderful to me! You’ll definitely need to try and make a little time for a Long Island visit next time you’re in the area!
Marian
Photos – youโre right…not enuf hours in the day. Maybe start with just a few here on your blog for those of us who are already fans. Youโre an artist…weโd be buying from an artist we sort of know!
Romantic Manhattan- it wasnโt romantic in the 70โs. It was a dangerous and dirty place, almost a war zone. Lots to do, never bored but also scary and oppressive. I had a happy childhood and those are my impressions!
Lisa Harris
What a great tour and such beautiful photos! Most of this info is new to me. I haven’t spent much time in your region of the country, as I grew up in the south and have lived in the western US since the 80s. I’d love to explore the east coast more.
Lisa
https://midlifeinbloom.com/
bettyewp
I think I’m fortunate in that I’ve been to lots of different areas of the country. Have lived in NY, Delaware, Florida and Los Angeles, spent time visiting friends and family in Ohio, Texas, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico…and have traveled to Colorado, Nevada and Puerto Rico. And living in NY, I go somewhat frequently to NJ and sometimes CT. I’ve never been OUT of the country (well, once to Aruba), but I’ve spent time in many different parts of the country. There are so many places I’d still like to go – I know I would love the pacific northwest (closest I’ve been is Carmel/Monterey/SanFran), and I would like a trip to the dessert as an adult.
jodie filogomo
It reminds me of Denver in all of the outdoor activities. But at least Denver had a ton of single people things too and city life. It’s absolutely gorgeous…then again, I bet you could take the photos of my area and make it look incredible too!!
XOXO
Jodie
bettyewp
Yeah, the “single” vs “family” vibe is a very important distinction when considering a place to live…and perhaps a difficult one to really ascertain before living there.
I know Rob can make gorgeous pictures there!
Em
Bettye…your pictures are INcredible.
So, so beautiful! As someone who isnโt really a city person, you could plop me in any of your photo locations and I would think it was Heaven. Rocky beaches…whale watching…the colors… the quiet.
You also tell the tale beautifully…
The only disappointing part is how long it takes to get from hither to yon…BUT it looks like the perfect place to drive all around in any season.
bettyewp
Yes, the commute time from me to the city is discouraging. I end up in Brooklyn or Queens more often as that cuts at least 30 minutes off the trip (no bridge/tunnel/ferry/helicopter needed) and there’s tons’o’fun there, too.
Andrea
Your photos are gorgeous! My Mom grew up at the Jersey shore (around Asbury Park) and, to me, her accent sounded kind of like the Long Island accents in the video. Especially the “cawfee” part. She eventually moved to Tennessee. She tried to shake her accent, but never could.
Michelle
Those photos are so gorgeous ! I’ve never been to Long Island – and I grew up in Jersey! (I am very familiar with the accent, tho’. “Lawn Guyland” hahahahaha, so true!) It must be really nice to have so much access to water, but I can also see how living there could feel isolating.
julia
I keep thinking we’re going to run out of topics for this monthly feature but we all keep finding things to highlight. I love all your images and made that area look nice. I always imagined it just one big suburb of NYC but was surprised to hear about so much farmland and wilderness. Love seeing Caleb show his handsome face!
Daenel T.
Such beautiful pictures.
Not gonna lie, I’m one of those people who used to think New York was one big place. I didn’t realize there were so many parts. It’s like D.C., whenever I tell people I was born there, they’re like “What part?” Uhhhh, my sister was literally born on the street corner and I was born between the hospital doors.
bettyewp
You were born between the hospital doors? Whoa! And your sister the street corner? HEY MOM, PROCRASTINATE MUCH?
Leslie Susan Clingan
Hello! We have a few mutual friends and I have been following along on this series through Em, Jodie and Daenel but didn’t realize who was the mastermind behind these fun posts until today. So nice to meet you. I was born in Buffalo or as Em says, Buffalove! Living in Texas now. Enjoyed your post and those travelogue-worthy photographs. Love seeing your area in the different seasons. One of my favorites was the snowy day with your? dog in the midst of the accumulating snow.
If you are ever accepting new members to this series, I would like to throw my name in the hat. Such fun to read!!
bettyewp
Ooh, a “masstermind”! Ha, I don’t think I’ve ever been called THAT before!
Yes, that was my (now gone) dog, Caleb – my heart. He LOVED the snow and I loved taking him to all the snowy places.
I’ll email you about the Where Bloggers Live series tonight!
So glad you stopped by ๐
TheVacationMommy
love the article! I follow another blogger from long island @thevacationmommy, who is gaining some amazing traction and generating great content and photos. Anyways, keep up the great work!
Rob-
bettyewp
Thanks, Rob. Will check out @thevacationmommy !