On the Avenue

There's a new place in town and we're loving it right from the get-go. The Avenue Cafe may just be the thing that finally puts the old Corbin & Reynolds/Monterey's space to fruitful use.

It's been open just about a month by now, and already we've experienced it every which way. We've been to a birthday party in the private party room, we've had dinner a couple of times, we've sat at the bar (the nicest in town, hands down) and we've had breakfast.  Each of these was its own experience, with distinct plusses and minuses, but all in all, it's a definite keeper, and we're rooting for George and Chris (the owner-brothers) for the long-haul. 

For those not in the know, these are the people who brought us Ocean Park Diner, just down the block. George and Chris have always had a loyal following, thanks to very decent diner fare, good prices and friendly service. Now they've taken that formula to the big time, and so far it's working out great.

For starters, they padded up the big room with sound absorbing decorator touches, so for the first time in memory, you can hear yourself think.  Not only have they upgraded the decor, they've laid in a sound track worthy of an intimate lounge.Very impressive.

For another thing, they've staffed up with professional waiters and busboys -- no kids (I inquired for my 14 year old) -- so the service is good.  With only one exception so far... breakfast this morning, a Saturday.

My theory is that the kitchen, which they took over from the previous owners, was not designed for short order. It was designed for dinner, which is a much more leisurely operation. Drinks and appetizers buy the chef time for meal preparation that breakfast just doesn't, but I have faith in George and Chris. They'll figure it out because they want to do it right and they're in it for the long haul.  

As far as dinner goes, the Avenue Cafe is the first diner where I've ever ordered anything beyond a burger, turkey sandwich or eggs. On two Friday nights, I ordered first fish and veggies, and then chicken and veggies, and both times, was very happy. Not only that, but while you wait for your order, the fresh bread basket comes with a homemade trio of hummus, tapenade and garlic oil.  Yum!

Upstairs in the party room, the catering was equally if not more enjoyable. Attractively presented and well served, a great time was had by all.

The only part of the Avenue experience that I still have to get comfortable with is the bar. I'm having trouble getting past the diner menu, served with my pinot grigio or my husband's Macallan's 12 neat. But where there's a will, there's a way, and it's just sure to be just a matter of time before I'm settled in on my bar stool.

In fact, the place is already starting to feel like home. This morning at breakfast, we had just been seated when two of our closest friends came in. And as soon as the four of us had resettled at another table, two more friends came in and joined us. What more could you want?

So cheers, George and Chris. Here's mud in your eye!

P.S.  George and Chris plan to turn Ocean Park into a bakery - look out, Country Boy.

Sink, Swim or Surf

Disclaimer: My son is on the Long Beach High School surf team (the first in New York State), and that makes me a proud surf mom. By definition, it also makes me a surfing advocate. Go team!

Nonetheless, I have to admit that the sudden surfing craze in LB is making me very nervous. The $1 million Quiksilver Pro NY competition, which is contracted to take place in LB this September, is about to put our barrier island on the international surfing map. And that will only mean one thing: a deluge of surfers swarming our fragile beach, and not just during the competition, but forever after (Long Beach is a heck of lot closer than Montauk for people from the city and even for most Long Islanders). Residents: prepare for the onslaught!

Among the distinct possibilities:

• Out-sized commuter crowds, especially on the Riverside to National stretch of beach.
• Litter - on the beach, on the streets and on private lawns.
• Parking wars.
• Traffic - coming, going and circling.
• Mayhem on the waves, resulting in injury and even (God forbid) fatality.

 And for those of us who live in the prime corridor connecting the LIRR to the beach:

• Pedestrian armies blocking the intersections.
• Trampled lawns and trampled strangers perched on curbsides and property lines.
• Overflowing trash receptacles on street corners.

In addition to these injuries, we may well sustain the most mortal of insults: being squeezed off our beach by visitors and forced to emigrate westward for more peaceful sands.

The Crew (sans Egans)

The Final Trek: Labor Day 2010

As far as I'm concerned, the only reason to live in Long Beach at all, the only possible excuse for paying the exorbitant taxes that we endure, is the right and ability to stroll three leisurely blocks due south, to cross under the boardwalk, pass the lifeguard shack (Hi, Paul! Hi, Frank!) and plotz in "our spot," the one we've been gravitating to since our kids were small, along with our neighbors and friends. The one where anyone in town knows they'll find the Gelfands, the Cabasinos, the Conners, Egans and Akalskis, without even asking.



The prospect of losing that legacy is just too sad to contemplate, too unacceptable to even take seriously. So for now, I'll just keep my eye on the doings of the newly sprung Long Beach Surfer's Association and my ears open for hints of what's to come. Let's hope it's not a wipe out.