Montauk Monster Mystery Solved - Or Not?

Remember the Montauk monster? It arrived ashore near the Ditch Plains of Montauk in the middle of summer and had everyone asking – it is a dog, is it a raccoon or is it an alien? Apparently, it's none of the above. After talking to the girls who capture the deceased beast on film, the carcass disappeared. There were stories it was in hiding and tales a man took it into his backyard to have mounted for his wall. Needless to say, no body appeared for scientific analysis.

After questioning Plum Island and considering the Men in Black, it seems the Montauk Monster is a publicity stunt. Rachel Goldberg, who discovered the beast, is the sister of producer Darren Goldberg who is making a monster movie called Splinterheads. On the other hand, Christine Pampalone from East Northport also took photos that day – check it out:



So is director Goldberg just hopping on a ready-made situation to start his own cheap viral campaign promoting Splinterheads? Did the second photographer photo a different beast? Although the questions seem to be answered, are they really? I don't think so but apparently Nicky Papers, owner of the www.montauk-monster.com thinks so because he's already selling the domain name. He says, “Maintaining this website has become too much work for me and it's been hard finding time because I have a full-time job. Additionally, I need to spend more time with family.” Hmm...still wondering what the real story is...

4th Annual Blue Claw Crab Festival

Did you catch the 4th annual Blue Claw Crab Festival thrown by the MBPOA at Marina 1? We had a great time again, despite the fact we missed the crabs. It's the second year in a row we missed out on getting the blue claw crabs the festival is named for. You really have to be the early bird to get a worm at this festival!

The entertainment was great. Remember the Drifters? We were privileged to have the DelSatins, featuring an original from the band. The music was excellent and really got everyone in the mood for fun.

Although we missed the crabs, the other food was tasty. Burgers, hot dogs, gyros, zeppoles, Italian ices, soda, beer and wine were all readily available. The vendors were interesting, with music playing and incense burning. I bought an adorable "Beach Party" lawn sign (what better to display if you live in Mastic Beach) and two wire pumpkins for fall. We all got t-shirt and sweatshirts for $2.50 apiece - who can beat that?

We enjoyed seeing Kate Browning, who always appears on the local scene. We gave her a hug and kiss and thanked her again for all she does. Bless you, Kate!

I had to reflect on the many things I like about Mastic Beach. Although we were disappointed they ran out of crabs again, it's part of what makes this place what it is. There is no waste and no excess. If you get there first, you deserve to get the goodies. It was so comfortable to hang out on our marina and relax. On Saturday, we went to a friend's party in Southhampton. Though it's a lovely place, the people have a different attitude. I love the unpretentious, laid-back attitude in our neighborhood. We're surrounded by beauty and yet act so natural and down-to-earth about it all. It's great to celebrate our neighborhood and waterfront delights every year with the Blue Claw Crab Festival - thanks MBPOA!

Krusty Krab Arrives In Mastic Beach - 4th Annual Blue Claw Crab Festival

Admittedly I watch too much children's television with my kids but I can't resist announcing the Krusty Krab has found it's way to Mastic Beach for all the Sponge Bobs who love crabby patties (better known as crab cakes in these parts).

On August 24, the Mastic Beach Property Owners will hold their 4th annual Blue Claw Crab Festival at Marina 1 on Riviera Drive. The festivities will start at 10 am and continue until 6 pm. With performanced by the Del-Satins along with country dancin' and singin', the event promises to be great family fun. We went last year and had a complete blast with our friends and neighbors. Admission is free and you can find out more by calling 631 399 6111. If you are an interested vendor, contact 631 281 2231.

Food served includes blue claw crabs, shrimp, crab cakes and clams. Beer, wine and soda are served to add to the good times by the beach. With face painting, sand art and a variety of craft vendors, there's something for everyone, young and old.

I am a major crab fan and have even visited Baltimore Maryland to feast on the best blue claws in the world - got news, Maryland has nothing on Mastic Beach! The locals whip up some fabulous crabby cuisine you just have to try. My family and I won't miss it - see ya there!

Metro Balloon & Music Festival Is Lots of Hot Air

I was excited about the Metro NY Balloon and Music Festival when it came to town last year. Imagine such an event right around the corner with performers from my youth such as Joan Jett! After finding out the cost of tickets, I decided to volunteer to offset the price. The only problem is volunteers have to arrive at 5 AM, a tall order when you have children and a business to run.

I wondered if I was being cheap when I thought $10 parking and $25 entry fees were outrageous - never mind the hundreds of dollars it costs to actually go up in a balloon. We are a family of four so I spoke to friends in the same situation. Both felt the prices were outrageous and were more beneficial for those profiting from this event rather than this area. In fact, my friend estimated for a family of four to experience the entire event (ride bracelets, a snack, balloon rides for everyone) would cost more than her last vacation to Disney. When I received a call to volunteer this year, I just chuckled and passed. In fact, we went camping in East Hampton instead to get away from the hectic pace in the neighborhood (we've grown accustomed to the quiet). Our entire weekend cost about 100 bucks and the kids had a great time.

After returning home, I still felt a bit guilty about skipping the festival another year. After checking out this blog, I realized my friends and I have plenty of company from the comments:

http://longislandnewyork.blogspot.com/2007/08/metro-ny-balloon-music-festival-august.html

I am sure many people enjoyed this event, though I doubt many are from around here. With the foreclosure rates so high in our area, people can barely keep a roof over their heads never mind attend such as pricey festival. How is this fun for the majority of our residents, who really can't afford it? Even those who are making ends meet, such as my friends and I, worked hard to get there and aren't ready to fritter away funds for a day trip.

There are things that would be fun and affordable for everyone. I am still concerned about the everyday quality of life in our neighborhood. What happened to our million dollar pool? Another summer goes by with no pool for our residents to appreciate. A decent town pool in our area is long overdue. Will there ever be a skate park or rec center for our kids? While people cluck at the kids skateboarding by the Community Library, they have no suggestions for alternative recreation. Where are they supposed to go? There are the things I want to see happening in our neighborhood...how about you?

Montauk Monster

Real life is stranger than fiction. As my husband and I were discussing scheduling our annual autumn getaway to Montauk Lake, the news flashed a story about the discovery of a Montauk monster.

Apparently a 26 year old girl, Jenna Hewitt, and her friends were walking along the Ditch Plains area of Montauk when they discovered a gruesome, leathery looking creature on the shore. Jenna took pictures of the purplish deceased beast before an older man shuffled the creature away to keep in his backyard. Nobody is sure who removed the creature but the photos are all over the Internet today. According to Newsday, County Executive Steve Levy stated if the creature could be certified as a Suffolk Loch Ness monster, the county would collect plenty of revenue from the tickets sold.

Several theories exist including a rumor the beast is really latex and intended to be a viral marketing campaign for Cartoon Network television show 'Cryptids are Real'. Other resources question whether this is a decomposing dog, turtle or raccoon. Still other people believe it's a Photoshop experiment. Finally, residents are questioning whether the creature is an experiment gone wrong from Plum Island.

On Friday, the girl who took the pics and two witnesses will appear on the web show 'Juice', released by Hamptons based website Plum. Do you think the discussion will shed any more light on this situation? Do you think the Montauk monster is a legend, a viral marketing campaign or a strange creature that requires additional scientific explanation?

St. George's Manor Overrun With Mosquitoes

Just a heads up to anyone who wanted to participate in Saturday's library program at St. George's Manor - it's been canceled because of excessive mosquitoes in the area. We loved the program last year because it is one of the few opportunities residents have to tour the premises and find out the rich history in our area. We're sorry to miss it this year!