Jedediah Hawkins Inn

August 6, 2019

I used to think that Long Island was just good for the mall and beaches, and that it was just really boring growing up, but slowly and surely I’m uncovering gems here and there as I adult through life. For the past few summers, I’ve been on a mini mission to explore more of Long Island on my days off when I’m not in NYC. I live on the north end of the fishtail now so I’m slowly going out east to see what’s out there. I’ve finally developed an appreciation for Long Island after living here all my life. Don’t get me wrong, I still love NYC, but it takes me about 2 hours to get there so if I don’t have a full itinerary planned, I prefer to not waste the gas out there.

Jedediah Hawkins Inn is one of Long Island’s best kept secrets on the North Fork. One of my good friends attended a wedding here a few years back and recommended me it to me and I finally had a minute to stop by and check it out this summer. Now I’m kicking myself for not stopping by sooner! I’m a huge fan of lobster rolls and I think I may have just found my favorite new spot. We had brunch here after visiting the East Marion’s Lavender By The Bay fields and it was just perfect. Tucked away on a side road, is the cutest boutique hotel you’ll ever find. Driving up to it alone is something magical. The house is so grand and beautiful and yet still intimate, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into somewhere special in time walking through the door.

The staff was so friendly and accommodating and the service for brunch was attentive. We sat inside in a sun room dining area as it was too hot to sit outside on the patio but alas, another visit! The inside dining area did NOT disappoint, however. The plush seating was just as cute and the view of the grounds from the sun room was beautiful. Presentation is everything to me and at Jedediah, they definitely paid attention to every detail. I mean, even the food we had was not overlooked, as each dish was as beautiful as it was delicious and fresh. We had the burger, the french toast, the avocado toast and the lobster roll. My lobster roll came with a side of fries and a salad which was the cherry on top since I always want both and hate paying extra. You can't beat the price for the generous portion size and what it included, as well as to how fresh and amazing it tasted! If you've been following me on Instagram, then you know I've been on a mission to find and eat every lobster roll this summer. So far my least favorite was the dinky one in DUMBO from Luke's Lobster, which was 1/3 of the size of this one, and only included a very small side of soup or bag of chips for the same price as Jedediah's and it wasn't even that good, unfortunately. Money and time wasted. But this! This beautiful thing at Jedediah, it's definitely now one of my highest rated lobster rolls I've ever had.

After brunch, we walked the grounds for a few photos and literally everywhere on the property is photogenic. From the entrance to the entire perimeter surrounding the house at each wall to the beautiful archway path, gazebo sitting area and barn. We even saw cute little bunnies on the property constantly as we walked around. Not only is this a great place to stop by for a bite if you’re out on the North Fork farm hopping or wine hopping, but I can also see this being a great venue for birthdays, bridal or baby showers and other memorable events to celebrate with loved ones. There’s even a speakeasy downstairs in the basement if that’s your sort of thing too. Everything there is so instagrammable and picture perfect for all those occasions, or even if there’s no occasion and you just want that beautiful quintessential North Fork photo or grab a bite or drink. There’s something incredibly charming about this side of Long Island.

I’m so glad I finally got to visit and experience this hidden gem and I can’t wait to return again over the summer for another lobster roll. Especially since NYC is far and sometimes I just want something closer to home. One day I will complete my mission of trying all the lobster rolls on Long Island. So far, Jedediah has shot its way to to the top next to Bellport’s Porters On The Lane as my top favorites! Both are so beautiful to sit and dine for a summer meal as well as reasonably and moderately priced for what you get, portion and presentation wise. I can't wait to find more gems like these hidden on Long Island. 💖

Jededidah Hawkins Inn is located on 400 South Jamesport Avenue in Jamesport, NY 11947.

Photos by: Ismael Ordonez and VBS Portrait

East Wind Long Island

July 26, 2019

East Wind Long Island is a hotel and spa on the North Fork side of Long Island, well known for weddings and other grand events held there. My siblings had their prom held here. I attended a family wedding there last winter. And this summer, on my venture out to discover what the North Fork has to offer, I decided to stop by and see for myself what East Wind is all about.

There’s the main hotel where events are held, along with the spa center and then they have their own little center called The Shoppes where you can grab a quick bite to eat or even enjoy table dining, shop around in little boutiques, get ice cream and even ride their carousel. It’s like a small village, the way it’s beautifully built and the grounds well taken care of. Everything was super instagrammable to boot too! Their ice cream shop, Tweets is amazing. They serve everything from hard ice cream with unique flavors like a blue cookie monster to dole whip to even bubble waffle cones! They even custom make their own cones. You can get your regular cake cone or a pretzel cone or even a chocolate chip cookie cone! NYC, who??? Now I don’t have to go all the way to the city if I’m craving one of these quick ice cream fixes. This is key because honestly, on Long Island, we have a shortage of cute ice cream stops with unique creations and this place is literally minutes away from my house! The staff is also super nice and was very patient with me as I was annoyingly indecisive on what I ultimately wanted to order, hahaha.

Even if you’re not staying at East Winds, if you’re along the North shore, I definitely recommend stopping by The Shoppes if you’re in the area. The carousel itself is a super adorable photo op as you stroll through and grab a quick bite at their pizzeria or their ice cream shop.

Last week, I was invited to spend a night at the hotel and treated to a basic cleanse facial. Can you believe I’ve never had a facial before? All crude jokes aside, for real I’ve never had “a day at the spa” before. Growing up pinching pennies, I never bothered to indulge in one when I could afford it because it’s just something I didn’t see as unnecessary. But after this experience, I might have to say, I’m a changed woman. And I’m not saying that just because. My skin doesn’t have a lot of issues to begin with, but I do notice the damage I’ve dealt to it over the years wearing a full face of makeup regularly and not letting it breathe more often. I don’t moisturize as often as I should and I don’t have a regular skincare routine. My main problems are dark undereyes, dry skin from time to time, unevenness and I can tell my skin is definitely aging. I discussed this with my esthetician and I swear to you, she performed witchcraft on my face. I left the facial with a brand new face. It was like she peeled off all those years of damage and gave me my college skin back again. That day when I left, my face was super shiny and my skin felt ultra rich with moisture for the remainder of the day. The next few days I tried to cool it with the makeup, wearing just mascara and brows and I could definitely see the difference in the effects from the facial. My skin was brighter, smoother, and my dark undereyes were nowhere to be found. When I finally did go back to wearing makeup, the application was a lot nicer too. Everything went on so smooth and blended so nicely. Lord, have you converted me, East Wind!? You’ve convinced me to start pampering my skin and more frequently!

I love that their spa center is so peaceful and relaxing. From stepping through the front desk, going through the changing area/locker room and then to the waiting area and then to the rooms itself, you’re immersed into a different dimension. Even the music played soothes you as you relax and let yourself slip away into tranquility. The changing area also has a sauna and steam room for you to indulge in before starting your treatments. Along with facials, they offer massages and body treatments. There is also an in-house salon for all your hair and nail needs. Basically, it’s a one stop shop to truly pamper yourself if you’re in need of a treat yourself day. I’m honestly thinking of booking an entire day of services one of these days to just truly relax. They offer couples services too and I’ve never done this with my husband and after my experience, I really think he’d like it too. He’s a princess after all sometimes and his vacation mode is the relaxing type while I’m the run and explore type so this is definitely something he’d appreciate.

Sometimes I think about toning it down some and using less products or giving myself more makeup free or minimal makeup days to help slow down my skin’s aging and reduce damage. I had thought about looking into repairing my skin back to my pre-foundation days, getting microblading done and lash extensions to possibly decrease the time it took me to get ready for anything in the morning so I could just run out the door whatever the occasion. But baby steps. I still love experimenting with makeup looks and colors when I have the time. But for work I would love to be able to shower, get dressed and walk out the door.

I did a little shoot after my appointment and I would like to note that this is my skin and face right after the treatment with no makeup except brows, some lashes and a light lip gloss. So what you see is what you get. That shine is all from the treatment, I’m not wearing any foundation, concealer, highlight or anything. This is actually the first and only photo shoot I’ve done with barely any makeup and I actually love how I look.

All I can tell you is, I’ll definitely be heading back for more treatments if these are my results after just a basic cleanse facial!

I also wanted to note, for my overnight stay, I stayed in one of the traditional rooms and the rooms are more than PLENTY spacious. The bedroom is huge and the bathroom has more than ample space as well. I’m not a fan of cramped spaces, although if given the limited resources, of course I can make it work. But I most certainly appreciate when hotels don’t skimp on that square footage. The bed was nice and comfortable and I love that they had white sheets. I hate when hotels have weird prints. The look of these rooms is very classic with their wood furnishings and gold details. You could tell they pay attention to the little things. My stay was very short but I definitely felt bathed in luxury while I was there.

If you’re out on the North Fork visiting wineries and such, I definitely recommend stopping by and having a spa day with your friends while you’re out here. The rooms are moderately priced and the cost of spa and salon services are also great because they have a wide range of services in different price points to meet different budgets and needs, like my basic cleanse facial which was $50 for 25 minutes or $98 for 50 minutes. It’s a relaxing touch to your Long Island experience. Or even if you’re a local like me, you can always stop in for a treatment on your day off. I haven’t had a massage or body treatment yet so that may be next on my list to try next time I stop in and report back. My thoughts on my experience are all my own as always!

East Wind is located at 5720 Route NY-25A in Wading River, NY 11792.

Photos are by: Boris Quezada, Ismael Ordonez and Chris Lobello