Happy Monday folks. Last week was kind of a disaster for me personally, so I neglected this write up for a bit. Sorry about that, especially for those of you who were asking for the link to the Airbnb we stayed in.
First things first, you can find that right here: Airbnb Cottage in Jamesport
Here’s the summary of our trip: rain. Lots of rain. We barely got to enjoy the scene out there on Long Island because of it. Most things these days are outdoors, so the rain quite literally put a damper on all of our plans.
The house was really cute, albeit a little “dark”, so if you’re someone who thrives on natural light (me), it may not be the best bet. Even on the one day where we got some sun, it was still not very bright inside. Also, it’s an old house, and while I love the retro vibes (that stove!! the record player!!), I don’t love the random noises at night. Perhaps I’ve seen too many ghost movies.
The house sits on an old camp ground circle in Jamesport, LI, in its own little cul de sac with other houses. Some people live there year-round, but most of the owners rent them out to places like Airbnb. Upon arrival, one of the neighbors showed us around and gave us the lay of the land, including some restaurant recommendations, which was really nice. Again though, didn’t get to enjoy a lot of them thanks to the weather, but it was still appreciated. The house also has a really nice hot tub, which we enjoyed on our last night there. No rain, just a cool Autumn breeze, hot water jets, and red wine in plastic cups. Perfection.
There’s a nice big picnic table outside, as well as comfy couch-like chairs (which got soaked thanks to the rain so we couldn’t use them), and a TIRE SWING! I actually tried to use that and you can imagine how it went: ungracefully.
If you like to cook, be advised that the oven here is very small, and you have to light it yourself to get it going. I did not trust myself to do that without burning the place down, so I stuck to the stove, which worked very well considering it was probably from 1950 or something. I made eggs, breakfast potatoes with onions, pasta, tomato sauce, and stir fried bok choy with garlic. Didn’t go crazy obviously, but we made it work. I brought my own knife though, because I find that cooking in someone else’s home is always frustrating if you don’t have a good knife; and I use Nakano Knives, which comes in a nice case that’s easy to travel with. If you use my code “SKINNYPIG” you’ll get 10% off! Link here: Nakano Knives
Jamesport is really close to a lot of beautiful wineries and farms, so that was the main draw of our visit. If you do get the chance to make it out there before it gets freezing (and it doesn’t rain on your parade), here’s a few suggestions.
Briermere Farms – I got the Raspberry Cream pie and it might be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Be prepared for a line, but even in Covid times, it moved fast.
Harbes Family Farm – we didn’t make it here on this trip, but I’ve been before and had a great time pumpkin picking and fresh corn-eating.
Macari Vineyards – need to make a reservation ahead of time, but it looked really pretty with a nice outdoor area.
Jason’s Vineyard – close to the Airbnb, and there were llamas outside. Do you really need more reasons than that?
Laurel Lake Vineyards – they didn’t have any place to sit outside from what I saw, but if you were looking to grab some bottles to take home, they make a lovely pinot noir and Gewurztraminer.
Martha Clara Vineyards – we didn’t go here on this particular trip, but I’ve been in the past and it’s really nice. Open 7 days a week as well, but closes at 5 pm.
And here’s some of the restaurant suggestions in and around the area (Greenport, Mattituck), with an asterisk next to the ones we actually got to visit:
Jedediah Hawkins Inn* – beautiful townhouse right down the street from the Airbnb, and great food. We were able to eat inside, but the outdoor space is positively beautiful. A lot of weddings happen here, just to give you an idea.
Claudio’s* – I used to come to this popular spot in Greenport back in the day – it was where we got our drink on. This was the first time I actually sat down to have a meal. We had a beautiful spot right outside overlooking the water, and enjoyed some delicious seafood. I highly recommend the Mahi Mahi Reuben!
Cliff’s Elbow Room – we didn’t get a chance to eat here, but this small restaurant (hence the name “Elbow Room”) is also very close to the Airbnb, and is like a little steakhouse. Would have loved to try it!
Pizza Rita* – we grabbed a Margherita pie to go and enjoy in the backyard (that one glorious day when it didn’t rain), and it was delicious. If you like that chewy Neopolitan style pizza like I do, definitely make a point to stop here!
Lucharito’s – didn’t get a chance to get here on this trip, which was disappointing, but I’ve been to the one in Greenport before and always enjoyed it. Good margaritas, good tacos, and good vibes.
The Original Goldberg’s* – this is an awesome deli chain scattered all over LI, but don’t let that fool you – they make delicious bagels and breakfast sandwiches. There’s one right by the Airbnb, so we grabbed breakfast and coffee here almost every day. I also dropped a giant iced coffee all over their floor on the day we were leaving. It was embarrassing, I don’t want to talk about it.
