Farmingville’s Retro Source doesn’t need a DeLorean to fly back in time
By Xiomara Trinidad Perez As nostalgic music played recently through the speakers at Retro Source in Farmingville, customers were welcomed by colorful walls, neon lights and a seemingly infinite number of retro games, toys and electronic devices from the 1980s through the late ’90s, with many items for sale paying homage to the TV shows, […]
Mother-daughter honor their Peruvian culture through a Great Neck cafe
By Xiomara Trinidad Perez Marjory Moreno, 24, and her mom, Nelly Ponce de Moreno, 55, undertook a journey to build their own restaurant this past summer when the Morenos opened InkaFé (ing-kuh-fe) July 15. In doing so, the mother-daughter duo pays homage to their Peruvian heritage through their food, becoming one of the key representatives […]
The last Montaukett: Canoeing to raise awareness of Indigenous sovereignty
By Cody Hmelar Indigenous peoples recently paddled from Maine to Long Island and up the Hudson River to Albany to raise awareness for the Montaukett Indian Nation and other Native American tribes. The Long Island Advocate’s Cody Hmelar was there to meet them as they stopped off at Jones Beach and in New York City. […]
My travelogue: Bulgaria, a land steeped in nature and history
By Scott Brinton Long Island Advocate Faculty Editor Scott Brinton recently returned to Bulgaria, where he served in the Peace Corps from 1991-93 and met and married his wife, Katerina. I immediately noticed the interlocking pattern of shadows that fell from the canopy of deciduous and evergreen trees onto the tombstones covered in brambles and […]
The post-pandemic survival of independent bookstores on Long Island
By Alexis Friedman Online book sales surged by 5.6% in 2022, to $12.3 billion, Bookstat reports, making it all the more difficult for independent brick-and-mortar bookstores to stay afloat these days. Nassau County is home to a handful of independent bookstores, with more new and used independent shops in Suffolk County. Meanwhile, the Island has seven Barnes […]
Uniondale High grad learns lessons through a lens
By Ahjané Forbes Editor’s note: This is part eight in a long-term series on Uniondale by Hofstra University graduate journalism students enrolled in Community Journalism this past fall. Capturing a subject from the right angle is nothing new for one Uniondale High School graduate. Joshua Watson, a current freshman computer science major at Nassau Community […]
All aboard! L.I. Railroad Museum hosts annual Holiday Open House
By Amelia Sack Christmas lights, pieces of history, and the sounds of laughter and locomotives can be found at the Railroad Museum of Long Island. On Dec. 3 and 4, the museum held its annual Holiday Open House at its Riverhead and Greenport locations. Visitors of all ages enjoyed refreshments, Christmas music, train rides, views […]
In Uniondale, Haitian artist’s work represents home nation
By Taylor Nicioli Editor’s note: This is part one in a long-term series on Uniondale by Hofstra University graduate journalism students enrolled in Community Journalism this past fall. Capturing the essence of an entire culture in one work of art would be notably difficult, and arguably impossible, but that doesn’t stop local artist Frenal Mezilas […]
Oyster Bay eatery marries bagels, pizza in one shop
By Taylor Nicioli Bagel delicatessen by day, pizzeria by night — IT Bagel and Pizza in Oyster Bay epitomizes Long Island’s entwined cultures and cuisines. Combining two long-heralded classics, this eatery is not your traditional fast-dining experience. With daylong, slow fermentation of the dough and a blazing wood-burning oven that can bake both counterparts, IT […]
L.I. Aquarium gets wet and wild for Halloween
By Taylor Nicioli Fish weren’t the only creatures lurking at the Long Island Aquarium Oct. 29 as people of all ages dressed up in Halloween garb to explore the exhibits. Donning costumes from sharks to dinosaurs and hot dogs, Riverhead kids no doubt enjoyed a special All Hallows’ Eve this year. Held annually, except during the coronavirus […]
Annual Woodbury fest celebrates Egyptian faith, culture
By Dorothea Armijos For the second time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, Saint Mark Coptic Church in Woodbury hosted its annual Egyptian festival, celebrating and teaching about the diverse culture of Egypt and its Christian community. The word Coptic comes from the ancient Greek for Egyptian, but many Egyptians are […]
Jen’s Pretty Pegs leads to big career change in Bellmore
Jennifer Stone was a lawyer for a decade. That was until her passion for painting reemerged during the coronavirus pandemic. Soon after, she decided it was time for a career switch. Long Island Advocate Editor Yaw Bonsu reports.