Together With

Good Morning, North Fork! This is North Fork Buzz, the local newsletter that delivers the same quiet joy as stopping the gas pump right on the dollar.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

• Southold’s Next Nature Preserve

• Celebrating 50 Years

• New Soloviev Subdivision Proposal

Ready, Set, Go!

P.S. Happy Birthday to Nancy Zucker! 🎂

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The Lowdown

Southold’s Next Nature Preserve 🌲

A quiet stretch of woods along Route 48, the kind of place drivers pass without realizing how big it actually is, may soon be permanently protected.

Southold Town and Suffolk County have reached a tentative agreement to purchase 54 acres of woodland off Albertson Lane for about $6.5 million, splitting the cost evenly between the town’s Community Preservation Fund and the county’s Drinking Water Protection Program.

The land, currently owned by Southold Ventures Inc., sits between Route 48 and Colony Road and stretches toward Bayview Avenue near Hashamomuck Pond. Under current zoning it could potentially be carved into as many as 24 two acre home lots, a scenario preservation advocates say would dramatically change the character of the area.

Instead, the goal is to fold the parcel into a growing patchwork of protected land nearby. More than 300 acres in the surrounding area are already preserved, including Arshamomaque County Park and the town’s Arshamomaque Pond Preserve.

If the deal moves forward, the property could eventually become a nature preserve with new trails, potentially adding about a mile of hiking paths and even connecting to the broader Bay to Sound Trail network.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Celebrating 50 Years 🇬🇷

Hellenic Restaurant in East Marion reopens Friday night, marking the start of its 50th season.

The family story stretches back to 1976, when George’s father John Giannaris opened a small snack bar serving hot dogs and homemade lemonade to North Fork visitors. Over the years it grew into one of the area’s most recognizable restaurants, rooted in the idea that food should create memories, the kind you remember decades later.

To celebrate the milestone season, the Giannaris family is rolling out a handful of new weekly traditions.

On Saturday mornings, Hellenic will transform into Little Bean Café, serving coffee roasted by George himself alongside pastries like bougatsa, Greek pita breakfast sandwiches, and house baked muffins.

Locals who work on the North Fork can grab a Workers Compensation Card, which unlocks weekday lunch specials. Tuesdays bring half price gelato in the evening, Thursdays feature a discounted version of the famously overflowing Feast platter, and Friday nights will include a cocktails and appetizers hour with drinks and generous bites for $25.

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

New Soloviev Subdivision Proposal 🌾

Another piece of Stefan Soloviev’s sprawling North Fork land portfolio is heading to the Southold Town Planning Board.

Filed under the name Cole Harbor Conservation Subdivision, the proposal covers 147.7 acres along Oregon Road in Cutchogue and asks the Planning Board to begin sketch plat review, an early, informal step where developers present a conceptual plan.

The project would create 13 residential lots, along with one conservation lot and one beach access lot spread across several Oregon Road parcels.

While smaller than Soloviev’s 372 acre Colusa conservation subdivision proposal from last fall, which included plans for 47 homes and 267 acres of preserved farmland, the new project lands in the middle of the same ongoing debate: how much development Southold should allow in exchange for preserving large blocks of farmland.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Athletes Show Up for Coach Pick 🥍

The North Fork lacrosse community showed up in a big way last weekend to honor Mattituck High School volleyball coach Kelly Pickering, who passed away on Feb. 15.

On Feb. 28, about three dozen players gathered at the Hamptons Field House in Riverhead for an All In Lacrosse clinic fundraiser organized by coaches Jeff Hauser and Logan McGinn. Each player contributed $40 to participate, helping raise more than $3,000 for Pickering’s family, with additional donations still expected.

Many of the athletes had personal connections to Coach Pick. Others simply came because they had heard how much she meant to the Mattituck community.

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

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Happenings: Weekend Preview

Friday

🩺 Understanding Diabetes Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your health. Peconic Landing hosts Dr. Silvana Obici for an informative, engaging talk on understanding diabetes, reducing your risk, and living well after a diagnosis. More Info

🧘 Breathe In, Stress Out (Zoom) Join North Fork Bodies in Motion for a one hour Authentic Guided Qigong/Tai Chi Meditation session over Zoom, designed to reverse the harmful effects of stress and bring balance back to your mind and body. Through gentle breathing techniques, seated and standing meditations, and Tai Chi/Qigong self-healing practices, you’ll discover how to quiet the mind, reduce anxiety, and awaken your body’s natural ability to heal. More Info

 🍜 Vietnamese Pop Up Summer rolls, bánh mì, and steaming bowls of pho gà are stepping into the spotlight as Grace & Grit shifts gears for a Vietnamese pop up this Friday and Saturday. Bright herbs, punchy sauces, and that slow simmered broth that earns its depth the old fashioned way. Open for takeout and dine-in. More Info

🥂 Hellenic 50th A half century milestone calls for a proper toast. Hellenic launches its 50th season with an opening night cocktail hour on the patio, mingle over drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres. More Info

✍️ Media Retreat and Writers Workshop If your notes app is full but your brain feels empty, this one’s calling your name. March 6 and 7, The Shoals hosts a two day Creative Retreat led by Kristen Oliveri, built to help you reconnect with your voice, shake loose the stuck stuff, and leave with actual clarity. More Info

Saturday

🎷 Voices of Vision The Jamesport Meeting House joins forces with East End Jazz for a Women’s History Month concert spotlighting an all-star lineup of female musicians. The night celebrates the women who’ve shaped, and continue to shape, the sound of jazz. More Info

🎲 Casino Night Odds are your poker face could use a little exercise. The Greenport Teachers Association turns the Greenport American Legion into a full-on casino floor with cards, chips, and high spirited bragging rights on the line. More Info

🫕 Cheese Fondue Things are getting deliciously melty at Pindar Vineyards as The French Picnic brings out the fondue pots. Warm, silky cheese made for dunking, plus a glass of wine to keep things balanced between bite and sip. More Info

Sunday

🥣 Soupy Sundays Head to Chronicle Wines for a cozy lineup featuring hearty winter soups from Grace & Grit, fresh loaves from 1610 Sourdough, and your favorite Chronicle wines by the glass. More Info

🥂 Spring Ahead Brunch Losing an hour of sleep? You’ve earned a refill. Rose Hill Vineyards is hosting a Spring Ahead Brunch in their barrel cellar, complete with a glass of Sparkling Brut or a Mimosa along with family style classics, starring the best seasonal produce from Lombardi’s Love Lane. More Info

🛍 Winter Artisan Fair An afternoon of local shopping is coming to Hallockville Museum Farm. Hallockville’s Winter Artisan Fair will fill the historic Naugles Barn with local vendors and handmade finds, perfect for browsing, gifting, and supporting North Fork makers in the heart of winter. More Info

🎨 Uncommon Artist Seaweed becomes sculpture in this artist talk at Sound View with Nell Daniel, whose textile based works pull from North Fork coastal patterns and scale them into immersive, almost otherworldly forms. More Info

^{_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored}}

Local Spotlight

Tour the World 🧀

Who says you need a passport to travel the world?

All March long, Sparkling Pointe is hosting Tour the World Cheese Pairings, a guided tasting experience that pairs four sparkling wines with four artisanal cheeses from around the globe. Each weekend features a completely different lineup, turning every visit into a new flavor adventure.

You’ll be led through pairings designed to highlight how sparkling wine plays with cheeses from different regions and styles.

For anyone who enjoys discovering new flavors (or just loves the simple magic of cheese and bubbles), this is a pretty tasty way to spend an afternoon.

^{_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored}}

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

Thursday

Eastern Front Brewing | Sonic Gumbo | 5-8 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Pec) | Trivia | 6-8 PM
Taps & Corks | Karaoke | 7-10 PM
Southold American Legion | Bingo | 7 PM

Friday

Corey Creek | Jason Dorsa | 4-8 PM
Suhru & Lieb | Julia King | 5-7 PM
Main & Mill | Cassandra House | 5-7 PM
Tucker’s Taproom | Open Mic Night | 7 PM
Touch of Venice | Nick Kerzner | 6-9 PM
One Woman Winery | Angelina Miers Duo | 6-9 PM
Southold Social | K + R Music | 6-9 PM
Jamesport Farm Brewery | Trivia | 6:30-8:30 PM
Taps & Corks | The Earthtones | 7-10 PM
Greenport Harbor Brewing (Gpt) | Open Mic Night | 7-10 PM
The Watershed | TBA | 7-10 PM
Lucharitos | Karaoke with DJ Henry Eau | 9 PM

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THANKS!

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships