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 Yvonne Bonasera holds a Bachelors degree in International Business from LIU and JCU in Rome, Italy. She is a travel consultant, blogger and teaches Italian, and has visited over 26 countries across 5 continents. Yvonne can be reached at ymbtravel@gmail.com. |
| After the holiday excitement has passed, January’s cold weather typically brings a sleepy lull. Most of us would prefer to stay in PJs all day and binge watch tv, but there’s plenty to do this winter! Warm Up with a Cup – Coffee and tea rooms are a perfect opportunity to take a midday break. Visit Robinson’s Tea Room (Stony Brook), Soul Brew (St. James), Infuse Tea Bar (Sayville), Clipper Ship (Northport) and Chat Noir (Rockville Center) to warm up, cozy up and catch up with friends. Paint Night – Explore your creative side and paint the town for a girls’ night out. Create your own work of art- each design is broken down step by step with easy to follow techniques. Everyone is an artist! Studios such as Pint Sized Picassos (North Merrick) or Paint a Piece (Commack) host sessions for children. Spa Days – Treat yourself to a spa day (you deserve it)! There’s no better way to spend a cold day then at a spa. Chose a service that is both relaxing and invigorating. Some ideas include salt caves, saunas, hot stone massages, and hydrotherapies. Look for special rates and discounts online for amazing services offered by local businesses. Winter Festivals – There are a ton of winter festivals to explore this year. Food festivals are among the most popular, ranging from Chowder (Oakdale) to Soup (Super Bowl, Port Washington) to the Hops and Props Craft Beer Festival (Garden City) and, Winterfest, a wine festival at the East End vineyards. In Nassau, the Fine Wine & Food festival is offered January 20th at the Nassau Coliseum. Explore LI’s History – The Island’s museums are open and buzzing with visitors as most introduce new exhibitions monthly. A free event, on January 28th, is offered at the Planting Fields State Park. Paradise Garden Festival offers live music and in its greenhouse, winter plants and blooms are on display. Sag Harbor hosts Harborfest to honor the town’s history. Don’t forget to visit the Vanderbilt Planetarium. Indoor fun – The list of indoor, athletic, arenas and venues is infinite. Don’t let the chilly temperatures prevent your family from staying active. Some fun ideas include indoor trampoline parks, laser tag, bowling, glow in the dark mini golf! Turn the afternoon into a “pool party day” by using an indoor pool; splash around & forget the subzero temperatures for an hour or so. To embrace the cold, go ice skating! Both indoor (Port Jeff), the Rinx (Hauppauge) and outdoor (Roslyn’s Morley Park) can be a family activity or a date-night idea. New Year, New You – Honor that New Year’s resolution to try something new! Check out your local library for cooking classes, kids clubs and teen nights to keep the whole family busy, socializing and learning new skills all winter long. Best of all, most of the offerings are free. The winter is a great place to explore the Island’s history, try new foods, or take up a new hobby. Brave the cold and you’re sure to be in for an exciting season ahead! |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 