Montauk Columns

Staying Toasty Some of our favorite local surfers insist on wearing booties year-round but paddling out over the winter makes them an obvious necessity.  While …more

Dear EarthTalk: Do houseplants really improve indoor air quality? Which ones are the most effective as such?              ~ Kay Hamm, Los Angeles, CA In recent …more

by Nanci LaGarenne We lost a legend. A woman in our community who loved Montauk with her whole heart and graced us all at karaoke …more

The Henna Artist, by Alka Joshi Happy New Year to all! This month’s book is The Henna Artist, by Alka Joshi.  It was a title …more

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS I love the holidays, especially during Thanksgiving. It makes me appreciate how blessed we are to be living in beautiful and …more

Intentions from Babylon Are you reading more articles about becoming a Vegan, taking a break from alcohol, joining a gym than you have all year?  …more

On the first Saturday of 2023 I drove from Montauk to Iona University in New Rochelle for the Slam Dunk Showcase and Crusader Classic. The …more

January 2023 There was a Full Moon on January 6, 2023. This first full moon of the year is called the Full Wolf Moon. People …more

February 2023 There will be a Full Moon on February 5, 2023 As the snowiest month in the United States, February’s full moon is known …more

Upcoming Free Virtual Lectures… “The Astronomical Calendar” – Thursday, January 19, 2023, 7-8pm SPEAKER: Lydia Maria Petrosino, Lecturer, Hayden Planetarium CO-HOST: Amagansett Library Price: Free …more

by Debbie Tuma Riverhead is still a happening place in the wintertime, and there are plenty of great restaurants, entertainment venues, and places to stay. …more

by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel As a huge fan of Elvis Presley way back from my early teen years, to the present, I listen to his …more

While at Thanksgiving dinner at my brother’s house, he and my niece began talking about the sugar cookies my mom used to make every holiday …more

An Alpine Town for Christmas…in Georgia! To be honest, we’d never heard of Helen or the longest running Oktoberfest in the country until our friends …more

by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel I often catch up by phone with friends that live in other states and find it more enjoyable than just texting …more

Alright, I confess…this month I’m killing two birds with one stone. I told my sister-in-law I’d bring dessert for Thanksgiving dinner. Since I would have …more

California Dreaming it’s not…but surfing in the east in the winter does have redeeming qualities. A less crowded line-up, neoprene makes you stronger, you are …more

by Patria Baradi Pacis Happy Birthday, October born, and beloved, Ann Petersen. Glad you came to the Center on Halloween for lunch, to cut your …more

Solito: A Memoir by Javier Zamora Solito is a gripping account of young Javier Zamora’s three-thousand-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala …more

Animals of the Month MS. CRABTREE: Affectionately named Ms Crabtree, this eight-year-old beautiful tabby cat came to ARF through the Operation Cat Program. A bit …more

by Patria Baradi Pacis On Sunday, November 6, Program Director Carolyn Balducci welcomed Yamaha Piano Artist, Alexander A. Wu, to a newly built, state-of-the-art, renovated …more

by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel For over 30 years the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) has provided a favorite holiday tradition to make wonderful memories for …more

Wednesday Movie Series: 2:30pm & 6:00pm December 7, 14, 21 & 28 Check our website for further information: www.montauklibrary.org/calendar/ Classic Film Series: Fridays at 5:00pm …more

December 2022 There will be a FULL MOON on December 8 in Gemini. The full Moon in Gemini makes everyone more impulsive. Try to reign …more

Esau: by Lawrence Spiro Grasped by the heel, I pull him out. Pulling two flush me red. I am powerful. He is not. I am …more

The Middle Way Ours is a culture of extremes. Most prominent examples of this are evident in how we approach the holiday season.   All year …more

My Thanksgiving college basketball Feast Week started with a matchup between Rutgers and Temple at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on Friday November 18th. …more

by Debbie Tuma Artist Kevin Berlin has always been drawn to original, sensual, and even outlandish subjects, which make you see things in a new …more

by Debbie Tuma If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, depressed or even a bit sluggish over this holiday period, here’s a good way to beat the …more

by Sue Giustino Don’t wait for the last minute! The holidays are just around the corner and Winick Fine Jewelry has the special something for your …more

Dear EarthTalk: How are reptiles faring these days in the face of climate change and other environmental threats?           ~ L.M. Smith, Boston, …more

November 2022 This month significant changes and impressive transformations will be happening for all. These changes will occur in a blink of an eye. This …more

The Star of Roanoke, Liberty Trust & Salvage Dawgs!   To be honest, during the last two plus years of the lockdown, we have never …more

Animals of the Month Cherry: Four-month-old Cherry came to ARF earlier this summer through the Operation Cat program, and she is as sweet as her …more

by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel With autumn colors now in full swing, along comes a renewed energy to enjoy the season and change of temperatures. While …more

Upcoming Free Virtual Lectures… “HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FALL SKY” Sunday, November 6, 2022, 2-3pm SPEAKER: William Francis Taylor, NASA Solar System Ambassador CO-HOST: Friends of …more

by Debbie Tuma Driving up the small winding road to Bennett Shellfish in Montauk, you get a sense of its nautical and rural flavor before …more

by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel As the November air begins to get nippy, autumn leaves cover the lawns, we can count the days until a favorite …more

by Debbie Tuma It was a special feeling being at this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival, maybe because of the 30th Anniversary, or the perfect …more

Years ago I did a commercial tuna trip with two brothers. One was a caretaker on Gardiners Island. I’ve had a fascination with America’s oldest …more

On-Season Surfing Some think of summer on the East End as the off-season, gearing up for the fall swell and travel domestically and abroad in …more

Light at the End of the Tunnel Pumpkin lattes, darker mornings, and Ugg boots; signals that fall is here and it is time to gear …more

by Debra Rose Of the many ways to give back to the community, having a pint of beer with your dog on the patio is …more

by Patria Baradi Pacis Detlev Wilhelm Zimmermann was a man of few words. A man who didn’t say much…but when he did, people listened. I …more

WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza Striving for realistic perspectives of a very real- ripped from the headlines- topic, the …more