Friday, October 31, 2008

A Weekend to 'Just Be' and B


Quintessentials Bed & Breakfast



---conclusion----


Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Lured by all the amenities offered at Quintessentials, we happily ditched my plan to do a little bit of everything. When we worked up an appetite from all that lying around, Sylvia made us dinner reservations at some of the best restaurants the area had to offer. The rest of the weekend went pretty much the same easy way, so we stayed nearby until Sunday came – way too soon as usual.

Leaving us with a winery map and brochures to take away, Sylvia bid us adieu after another delicious breakfast and invited us to come back anytime. And, I know we will.

On our last afternoon in the North Fork, we finally got to the wineries! We both love wine - I’m a fan of sweeter varieties like Riesling, and my boyfriend prefers something with a bit more bite like a rich Chianti. Determined to find some local gems, we drove along Route 25 on the way back and finally stopped at Pindar Vineyards, one of the largest in the area.

Once inside the wood-paneled tasting room, we sampled just about everything by sharing two menus, all for little more than the cost of a glass of wine at a Manhattan restaurant. We decided on a couple of tasty bottles - "Autumn Gold," a crisp, floral white, for him and "Sweet Scarlett," a surprisingly easy-to-imbibe red, for me. Because we were driving, we decided one wine tasting was enough, and went for a stroll around the Pindar estate, snapping pictures between rows of auburn vines.

A few hours later, we were back in the pulsing metropolis. And somehow, the city streets felt a lot less cramped after our weekend of bliss. We vowed to go back, and all I would do differently next time--book a massage...and an extra night.

Conveniently, from now until March 7, the NY Board of Tourism is running a “Cozy Inns” campaign in which participating B&B’s are offering a ‘Book Two Nights, Get One Free’ special click here for details. Among many others throughout the state, you can find Quintessentials on that list.

Hope it’s as rejuvenating for you as it was for us!

Jaime Wilson
For Postcards from New York

Address to Remember: Quintessentials B & B, 8985 Main Road, Box 574, East Marion, NY 11939, 631-477-9400 or 800-444-9112, http://www.quintessentialsinc.com/

Pindar Vineyards Winery & Pavilion, Route 25, P.O. Box 332, Peconic, Long Island, NY 11958, 631-734-6200, www.pindar.net.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 7 or S to Grand Central Station & 42nd St. Walk two blocks east to corner of 44th St. and 3rd Ave to take Hampton Jitney to Greenport or East Marion 800-936-0440 or 631-283-4600 call inn to arrange car or taxi pickup. Or, take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station to Greenport via Ronkonkoma. 718-217-5477.

Pindar Vineyards: 90 miles East of Manhattan. Follow LIE (Route 495) East to Exit 73 (Route 58) which turns into Route 25. Continue approximately 12 miles to Peconic. Pindar Vineyards is on your left on the North side of the road.


Photo courtesty of Quintessentials Bed & Breakfast


©Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Long Island Weekend Getaway


A Fellow Beachcomber


----A Weekend to 'Just Be' and B continued---


Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

The sun greeted us the next morning, glistening in pastels through the trees outside our window. We went down for breakfast in the formal dining room at about ten, and it was here that we got the real flavor of Quintessentials as Sylvia served up a gourmet feast with a side of camaraderie and conversation.

The impressive menu had something for everyone, including Frittata Mediterraneo, a baked omelet with olives, veggies and feta cheese, the best corned beef hash I’ve ever had, fried plantains, fresh fruit, and baskets of warm rolls, muffins and biscuits. Sylvia was not only an amazing cook, but also a lively hostess with a knack for finding common threads between people from all walks of life.

Formerly a finance executive for American Express, she enjoyed a successful career traveling the world before leaving Wall Street to open the bed and breakfast 13 years ago. We were there with a couple from Ireland who had settled in a nearby town with their two young boys, and newlyweds from New Jersey celebrating their honeymoon. By the time the plates were cleaned and cleared, we were all still deep in conversation, trading suggestions on which wineries to visit.

After breakfast, everyone went their own way –some to the spa for a treatment (Sylvia is also a licensed aesthetician) and others to meander about. Guests were invited to make themselves at home in the common areas - curling up with a book from the library, playing a tune on the piano in the lounge, or watching a movie while snacking on refreshments replenished throughout the day.

Instead of running out to do the wine tour right away, we chose to spend the afternoon just lazing around and soaking up the quiet of the area. We strolled the gardens, snapped some great photos using the rustic old barn and gazebo as backdrops. After a tête-à-tête on the wraparound porch, we roamed around the block, admiring the neighboring historic homes, and then took a short drive to the water. (The inn is just 10 minutes away from the Long Island Sound to the north and Gardiners Bay to the south.)

Except for a couple of seagulls, it was just us. We perched on a big rock carved out of a nearby cliff, huddled together, and watched as the waves generously washed up treasure chests of sea stones every few seconds. It was idyllic. And to this day, it’s still one of our favorite memories.



A Wealth of Sea Stones

To be continued...

Jaime Wilson
For Postcards from New York

Address to Remember: Quintessentials B & B, 8985 Main Road, Box 574, East Marion, NY 11939, 631-477-9400 or 800-444-9112, http://www.quintessentialsinc.com/

Directions: From Times Square MTA 7 or S to Grand Central Station & 42nd St. Walk two blocks east to corner of 44th St. and 3rd Ave to take Hampton Jitney to Greenport or East Marion 800-936-0440 or 631-283-4600 call inn to arrange car or taxi pickup. Or, take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station to Greenport via Ronkonkoma. 718-217-5477.


Photo by Jaime Wilson


©Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group