Kismet Kapers
Volume 49, Issue 10
By Bradlee White

It’s really the last issue of the season! No reporting on the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Seabay Walk Saturday or the first-time ever Great Balls of Fire “beach informal” dance at the Firehouse from 8-12 Saturday night ($8 donation). Camelot’s Howard and Theresa will DJ Joel B.’s extensive dance CDs. The Arthur Lem Memorial Snapper Tournament for kids happened Wednesday, as well as a bang-up stage production (a fascinating mixture of the “stage-struck and the congenitally shy” according to Tony M.) at the Saltaire Camp. Last week’s flowers were sponsored by Tom and Jacqui Jones. There’s two more community flower sales sponsored by Alice Schultz today and by the Inn next Friday when the Flower Ladies will take charge. The Annual Plastic Classic Bob Kaye Memorial tennis tournament, again coordinated by Joe Barbosa, will kick off early LD Saturday. The semi-finals and finals on Sunday make for exciting viewing. There may still be time to sign up–see Joe or Roz. Quite a number of Kismetians will be heading to Capt. Bill’s for a celebration of Rollie and Janet Mennella’s 50th wedding anniversary LD Sat. Invitations featured a color photo of the M’s now, overlaid by an original wedding picture. Everyone else is invited to Seabay North’s Second Annual Labor Day Block Party Saturday 6ish.

Bravo for the Clam Shucking Fundraiser’s generous sponsors— Kismet Inn, Kismet Market, the Out, FI Ferry, FI Bottled Gas, FI News, FI Tide, Saltaire Yacht Club, Blue Point Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Bayon Crawfish, Coca-Cola, Clare-Rose, Fitness Incentive, JMA Industries, Manhattan Beer, One Way Supply, J. King, Kingston Fish, Tom Leggio, Kenny Goodman, Sysco Food Service, Top of the Line Food, Barry Rosenblum, U.S.P.T.A., West Islip Wine & Liquor, White Cap Fish, Zegal Clam, Lang-Tobia Funeral Home, American Quality Embroidery, Inc., Pat’s Carpet Outlet, Vytra, Margarita Villas and Miss Alice’s. Their contributions insured proceeds went directly to West Islip Breast Cancer Coalition. Honorable mention also for MC Tom Licari who kept things moving on a really tight time table.

The Kismet Krawl two weeks ago was smashing. The creativity and attention to detail of everyone involved is awesome. Yellow House’s X-mas in Kismet had stockings hung for all the cleverly named reindeer and, ecumenically, a menorah. Every window was converted to a porthole at the SS Bananas with house members in Love Boat crew tops. Rio Queen’s convicts walked into a golden photo op when the cops pulled up, but suffered chain chafe and a ‘chain reaction’ when it caught in the deck. Guests at Brown Sugar were greeted by Rush Chairman Eric Stratton: “Damn glad to meet ya!” and Mrs. Worm. Kelly was wheeled around in a shopping cart while frat rats lugged a blow-up doll. Lovers & Other Strangers’ costumes were marvelous and the moonshine wicked. Chalet By The Sea’s Club Sea PI was a send up of tacky 90s LI/Hamptons Clubs with a smoke machine, crystal ball, bubble machine and velvet ropes. Security included the yellow Lab who had his own T-shirt. Last Sat.’s beach party began with Camelot’s Susan, Janet, Karen and Linda greeting 10 a.m. ferry guests with colorful leis. Joel & Miggie and Tom & Cheryl joined, Sal’s delivered pizzas, there were Jell-O shots and naptime at 2.

We are crotchety this time of year. The weeknite noise factor is rising rapidly as vacationers let it all out. Bicycle theft is rampant. Two Thursdays ago a Pier 10 wagon was tossed in the bay and two bikes taken. My bike was “borrowed” and the Lambies lost two – one with two child seats. With thoughtfulness – or guilt – mine turned up downtown Friday. Word is bikes are routinely dumped by the Saltaire shortcut. Kiley P. got her driver’s license and Judi’s old Audi and Judi got a new Volvo…Will Baker bought his dad Jim a bike – the first ‘new’ bike Jim’s owned in his lifetime… Chris J. off to deliver Tessa to college… Caitrin Crawson out for her first walk in shoes–flip flops… Sunday’s movie at the Firehouse will be “ Chicago”, while the kids’ flic next Wednesday is “Pirates of the Caribbean” – Kudos to Grady & Brendan O, Jack M., Justin B. and David S. for running the Wed. shows… Kismet’s book club met last week over “The Life of Pi”… Looney Dunes Sarah and her visiting pals Kayla, Erin and Melissa sold hand-made (that day) beaded bracelets and pins Saturday – very well done… Saltaire’s Marija B. surprised Ron Nyberg with a birthday cake and present after dinner at the YC Sun. nite.

Our beach scraping went off without a hitch, the dune fencing is up and beach access is the best it’s been in years , applause for the hard and surely tedious work that our Beach District Commissioner Marsha Hunter and others put in to protect our houses from the coming storms. Applause also to Sam Wood’s crew and to the open-minded and reasonable approach of the new FINS Superintendent, Mike Reynolds. The sidewalk update is still vague: Islip’s got three bids and intends to start in October but hasn’t selected a contractor yet. As KCA Pres. Bill Jenks indicated, there’s still lots of room for Murphy’s Law.

There was an OB meeting with Ed Boks, Exec. Director of Animal Care & Control in NYC, in regard to the island-wide feral cat population. Mr. Bok’s experience in NYC (and ours in Kismet) is that, though counterintuitive, the “catch and kill” solution does not reduce the population while the Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) methodology does. It was good to network with counterparts from Saltaire, Fair Harbor, Ocean Beach, Corneille Estates and FI Summer Club… Mike Fiore did a fabulous job in imagining and creating the Duck Races and everyone had a lot of fun. Many thanks to those who donated prizes: Frank Boulton for LI Ducks tickets and gear, Sal’s Pizza by the Sea, Miss Alice’s and the Kismet Market. Art Weisser won the 50/50. The Auxiliary’s goal is to make enough to continue funding community events – which they did.