Meanwhile on the North Fork.............

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

They smashed in the old cesspool.



Then filled it with dirt from the new hole.

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

When the old cesspool was filled they moved a dump truck in to take the rest of the dirt.



Note the characteristic sandy soil of the North Fork.

[Volkonski]

The daylilies are starting to fade.



But the hydrangeas are in full bloom.

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

About 1:30 PM the cesspool guys broke for lunch. A temporary quiet returned to the Circle.

The cesspool company used here is very small. The man running the equipment is the owner and boss. His wife answers the phone. Amongst themselves they speak Polish.

The quiet did not last long.

Inserting the ring.



Inserting the cone.

[Volkonski]

Sekrit Stuffs!

Foggy- report to Soros that the Fogbow North Fork Guided Missile Command has installed its first silo disguised as a cesspool. Immigrant Polish labor was used to reduce the chance of leaks.



The super secret alien technology weapons that will be used to protect the silo.

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

The new plastic sewer line.



The old cast iron sewer line.

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

Collateral damage.

[AndyinPA]

There's always collateral damage to that kind of work.

[Volkonski]

3rd Annual
Long Island Fresh Hop Festival
LI Hops at Plant Connection
September 22nd, 2018
12:30pm - 4:00pm

http://www.lifreshhopfestival.com/index.html

Don't let them fool you.

LI Hops is part of the Jamesport Farm Brewery.

This is all part of making our hamlet a "destination".

[TollandRCR]

Steven Jobnson’s wonderful book, The Ghost Map, discussed the maintenance of cess pools. It seems that cess pool workers expected more than sterling. They also required a modicum of rum. Cess pool annual maintenance is not the most pleasant of jobs, and it stinks. Pumping my septic tank is much preferable. I assume there is no suitable field on Riverhead for a septic tank. I have a maple that loves the septic tank field. In Chapel Hill we had a redbud that loved the field.

City sewer systems are vastly to be preferred to either system. My hospitalization of 2018 testifies to that.

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

Yesterday the cesspool was left in this state for the night-



So far today the cesspool guys have not returned.

[Volkonski]

Our neighbor to the right has put up his canopies. Since it is too early to worry about acorns hitting his car this can only mean that he will be hosting one of his massive family reunions this weekend.



So much for peace and quiet.

[Volkonski]

Northforker Magazine doing its best to increase our tourism.

The magic of Jamesport and Aquebogue

http://northforker.com/2018/04/28/north ... aquebogue/

The big box stores that dot Route 58 in Riverhead suddenly feel hundreds of miles away — not five as the GPS reminds — as you enter Aquebogue and Jamesport.

The first communities flanked by both the Peconic Bay and the Long Island Sound, it’s where the small town coastal ambience that radiates across the North Fork begins.

No. Northville. Why does everybody forget about Northville? Jamesport and Aquebogue only extend up to the middle of the North Fork. Northville is north of both of them. Northville is on the LI Sound.

The juxtaposition between old and new in Jamesport is hard to deny. The centuries old Jamesport Meeting House anchors the downtown and still serves as a place for community gatherings. Just around the corner at the Red Salvage Barn, antique furniture and wood reclaimed from historic North Fork barns and houses gets new life with on-trend painting techniques and treatments.



Jamesport is a hamlet of new and old — quintessentially North Fork in every way.

View of Jamesport-

[Volkonski]

A restaurant owner we know here has gotten fed up with Yelp. He has let a few negative reviews get under his skin.

He posted this to Facebook yesterday. I put it under "sekrit" so he won't see me commenting on it here though I doubt he reads The Fogbow.

After seeing this I went to the restaurant yesterday evening. (Not that I need any special reason to head to that restaurant. ) After fortifying myself with a greek salad and a portion of his amazing lasagna I talked to him while he was working on garlic knots. I told him that Yelp has been sued many times but that because of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 the suits always get tossed. He told me that the local restaurateurs' association had told him the same thing. He just felt a need to vent his frustration about anonymous reviews.
Sekrit Stuffs!

I am appealing to all restaurant owners and small businesses alike , to ban with me getting as many on board to file a class action suit against yelp! Though people are excercising their freedom of speech when they write reviews on the internet , I would like to change or reform their ability to do so . If a person or persons or other businesses are aloud to say anything or almost anything they wish no matter how far fetched it may be , they should be required to state their name in full and where they are from ! This will minimize the ability to intentionally set forth to hurt the reputation of any business .
I have been relatively quiet about this matter because I have a strong and wonderful business serving the wonderful people from all over who patronize our restaurant ,and to those patrons and friends we thank you genuinely . It’s time for the ill minded reviewers to man up and reveal their identity since we are the ones wide open for criticism and they scathe by hiding their identity . I think these type of people would think a little bit more rationally before they decide to bad mouth and willfully try to hurt businesses and their livelihood ! Tell who you are and be fair !
I am willing to put my money where my mouth is and ban together with other businesses to reach out first to our legislators to correct this process , or corporately file suit to end the unfair practice of anonymity ! Please in box me with your thoughts ,we need to do this ASAP.

I really don't mean to pick on him for his spelling mistakes. He started working in his father's Italian bakery in Brooklyn when he was 10 and I do not think he went very far in school. He has mentioned to me more than once that he wishes he had had more education.

His restaurant has a 4 star rating at yelp. The breakdown of his 72 reviews- 5 stars 39, 4 stars 16, 3 stars 3, 2 stars 7, 1 star 7.

I do see his point about some of the negative reviews. Some of them are a little suspicious. Some say things that I know are not true. Some just don't understand what Brooklyn style pizza is supposed to be like. Some examples-

Small caesar salad with chicken $13.

The caesar salad is huge. Almost more than I can finish when it is the only item I am having for dinner.

When I first looked at their takeout menu, what stuck me was how limited it was.

I happen to have a copy right here. It has over 100 items not counting all the possible pizza topping variations. It is the entire dining room and pizzeria menu.

When you call yourself a so called "Italian pizzeria" and you don't even have fresh mozzarella, that should be a good sign the place is a poser.

They have fresh mozzarella. It is used in the caprese salad, the margarita pizza and some other dishes. They use Grande Mozzarella (an expensive premium product) on most of the pizzas.

They can't be this rude on the phone when their food isn't amazing. Just got told by rude lady on Facebook home she won't take my order for chicken roll over phone that I have to come in. I'm at work I need to do this quickly so yeah won't be ordering from them ever again.

Not sure what is meant by "Facebook home". The restaurant doesn't have a "chicken roll" on the menu. There is another restaurant on Long Island with a very similar name that does sell chicken rolls so maybe this was posted by mistake.

We got take out: Mozzarella sticks were undercooked, cold and bland garlic knots, they microwaved white slices, the Greek salad had grape leaves that turned sour.

The restaurant doesn't have a microwave oven. Slices are heated in the pizza oven. The only grape leaves in the greek salad are in the dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with rice) that come canned in a vinegar brine hence the slightly sour taste.

I had ordered take out: two pies, a sandwich and garlic knots and 2 waters, which cost a total of $75. Wow, I thought I broke a window!

This person just didn't do the math before ordering. Don't have all the details of that order but let's make reasonable assumptions- two 18" pies- $34.90, two toppings on each pie- $14.00, an italian sandwich- $10.00, garlic knots- $7.50, two bottled waters- $4.00. That comes to $70.40 before tax. The local sales tax is 8.625% so that makes a total of $76.47. Yes, prices are relatively high on the North Fork. Land is expensive, labor is scarce, etc, etc.

However, expect bad service...really bad and you will enjoy! Had a tap beer, it was local. Not a great selection though. Enjoy!

I've not experienced bad service there. Service can be a bit slow when they are busy. As to the beer, they have four beers on tap, 3 local ones and one from Italy. This is a small bistro with about 15 tables plus 11 seats in the bar area. They can't offer a wide selection of beers on tap. This person's location is given as North Carolina.

Very pricey. HORRIBLE Service in dining room

This person's location is given as Georgia. Yes, New York prices are higher than Georgia prices.

Typical red sauce and pasta place. Nothing special. They use an enormous amount of cleaners which overpower the food.

This person should try the white clam sauce. Don't understand the comment about cleaners. I've never smelled cleaners there.

This is my favorite of the negative reviews-

The pizzas were unfortunately soggy as well as greasy. The so called garlic knots looked like 6 large dinner rolls, baked together, the height of them was about 3 inches with the majority being all doughy bread. I have had plenty of garlic knots in my day but this was a first, maybe they gave me their version of garlic bread instead, but I've never seen garlic bread like that before either.

The sandwich bread was very hard and the crust of the roll tough, not good overall and disappointing.

This person went to the wrong type of pizza restaurant.

I actually agree with the descriptions of the food but for me these are positives.

This place makes all their own bread products. The sandwich rolls are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside just the way I think Italian bread should be. Someone used to the soft bread at, say, a Subway might not like it.

Having now looked at hundreds of photos of garlic knots via Google, I say that the garlic knots are actually quite typical.

As to the pizza, to someone used to pizza from Papa John's or frozen supermarket pizza, yes, the pizzas will seem perhaps "soggy" and "greasy". The round pies at this place are Brooklyn (aka New York) style. Per Wikipedia-

New York-style pizza is pizza made with a characteristically large hand-tossed thin crust, often sold in wide slices to go. The crust is thick and crisp only along its edge, yet soft, thin, and pliable enough beneath its toppings to be folded in half to eat.

New York-style pizza is traditionally hand-tossed,[5] consisting in its basic form of a light layer of tomato sauce[3] sprinkled with dry, grated, full-fat mozzarella cheese; additional toppings are placed over the cheese.[5] Pies are typically around 18 inches (45 cm) in diameter, and commonly cut into 8 slices. These large wide slices[6] are often eaten as fast food while folded in half (like one would fold a cardboard box) from the crust, as their size and flexibility can make them unwieldy to eat flat. Folding the slice also collects the abundant oil in the crease, and allows the slice to be eaten with one hand.

Typical condiments include dried oregano, dried red chili pepper flakes, dried basil, and grated Parmesan cheese.

The pies at this place are textbook examples of New York/Brooklyn pizzas.

[Volkonski]

So how goes the rhythm of life here on the circle this second week of July?

After the 4th of July week many of our summer residents and guests have headed home. Mrs. V. is in New London for 2 weeks. The cesspool is finished. Things are quiet.

My day begins with the cat demanding to be let out onto the upper porch for a sun-drenched pre-breakfast nap.



Then I surf the web until the cat demands breakfast when we both go downstairs into the kitchen.

In the cottage to our left are a brother of Mrs. V's cousin who lives down by the bay, his wife, their two sons and their wives and a collection of (I am not sure how many) small children and a baby. Every morning after breakfast they pile into their 3 SUVs and head down to spend the day at the bay. About 5 PM they return, shower and then head back to the by the bay cousin's house for dinner. The young folk return to put the children to bed about 8 PM. The grandparents return about 10PM. Repeat that pattern for every day they are here. Lots of beach towels drying on their clothesline-



After breakfast I usually sit out on the downstair porch with a glass of iced green tea. Then I force myself to deal with the mail and whatever other chores need doing. This cottage is fully opened up so I can be a little lazy.



Since Mrs. V. is away, in the evenings I usually head to one or another of our favorite restaurants. After dinner I will sit out on the upper porch and listen to the radio or read.

This peace will not last. This weekend our neighbor to the right is definitely hosting his extended family. After his canopies went up yesterday our local handyman showed up to powerwash his patio and outdoor furniture. Oh, well. Maybe I can snag a hamburger.

[Volkonski]

Circle Cesspool Update

Late yesterday afternoon the cesspool guys returned and finished the job.

[Whatever4]

Reading this thread is a vacation.

[Maybenaut]

Reading this thread is a vacation.

[Volkonski]

Things are happening at our neighbor's (to the right) house.

His sister and BIL arrived from Massachusetts yesterday.

His daughter who lives up island, her husband and some of their teenagers arrived today.

The place is a beehive of activity.



They are bringing in chairs, tables, coolers, picnic tables and benches a large charcoal BBQ pit.

This is a BIG bag of charcoal-



And now they have rearranged things.

[Volkonski]

Our neighbor's daughter sounds just like her late mother and she gently bosses her father around just like her mother used to do. It is a bit spooky to hear it.

They also, as a family, all have good loud voices.

[Volkonski]

Our older daughter will fly in on Sunday. Our younger daughter and her fiance will fly in on Tuesday.

This is perfect timing because the local Fire Department Carnival begins on Wednesday!

The Jamesport Firemen’s Association holds their annual Firemen’s Carnival at the George Young Community Center.

July 18 through 21

Carnival open 6 to 11 p.m. Wednesday – Friday and 4:00 p.m. to midnight Saturday.

Wednesday July 18 Parade at 7 p.m.

Saturday July 21st Fireworks Extravaganza 9 p.m.

http://www.eastendbeacon.com/event/jame ... -carnival/

[Volkonski]

A sign of the times. USPS looking for workers on the North Fork.

[pipistrelle]

I wonder why two titles for the same pay?

Rural carrier actually sounds quite charming to me. I assume the pay wouldn't allow one to live there, however.

[Volkonski]

I'm probably having too much fun with this but please see below.

A restaurant owner we know here has gotten fed up with Yelp. He has let a few negative reviews get under his skin.

Small caesar salad with chicken $13.

The caesar salad is huge. Almost more than I can finish when it is the only item I am having for dinner.

When you call yourself a so called "Italian pizzeria" and you don't even have fresh mozzarella, that should be a good sign the place is a poser.

They have fresh mozzarella. It is used in the caprese salad, the margarita pizza and some other dishes. They use Grande Mozzarella (an expensive premium product) on most of the pizzas.



This is my favorite of the negative reviews-

The pizzas were unfortunately soggy as well as greasy. The so called garlic knots looked like 6 large dinner rolls, baked together, the height of them was about 3 inches with the majority being all doughy bread. I have had plenty of garlic knots in my day but this was a first, maybe they gave me their version of garlic bread instead, but I've never seen garlic bread like that before either.

The sandwich bread was very hard and the crust of the roll tough, not good overall and disappointing.

This person went to the wrong type of pizza restaurant.

I actually agree with the descriptions of the food but for me these are positives.



As to the pizza, to someone used to pizza from Papa John's or frozen supermarket pizza, yes, the pizzas will seem perhaps "soggy" and "greasy". The round pies at this place are Brooklyn (aka New York) style. Per Wikipedia-

New York-style pizza is traditionally hand-tossed,[5] consisting in its basic form of a light layer of tomato sauce[3] sprinkled with dry, grated, full-fat mozzarella cheese; additional toppings are placed over the cheese.[5] Pies are typically around 18 inches (45 cm) in diameter, and commonly cut into 8 slices. These large wide slices[6] are often eaten as fast food while folded in half (like one would fold a cardboard box) from the crust, as their size and flexibility can make them unwieldy to eat flat. Folding the slice also collects the abundant oil in the crease, and allows the slice to be eaten with one hand.

The pies at this place are textbook examples of New York/Brooklyn pizzas.

Some photos from the menu-

Note "Fresh Mozzarella" in column 2 under Salads. Also, "Feeds 2".


Margherita and White Clam pizzas also have fresh Mozzarella.


Pizzas are clearly marked as being "Brooklyn Style".


My dinner last night. A wood-fired Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella.

[pipistrelle]

I know a restaurant owner who frets over negative reviews. For one thing, it's a very nice restaurant, not fast food, yet people complain it's not fast food. We tell him not to worry. As a veteran Yelp user, I can spot reviews from malcontents as well as genuinely bad restaurants.

Also, for local restaurants you will sometimes see 4 and 5 star reviews from lots of people. I've learned this means nothing. Some of these places have turned out to be diners that serve defrosted jalapeño poppers and mac and cheese from a box. Taste, I guess.