If you plan on taking the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) this weekend, May 18-19, 2013, please note that buses will replace train service on the Port Jefferson branch between Huntington and Port Jefferson, starting at 12:35 a.m. on Saturday and continuing through Sunday. Workers will be replacing concrete ties and renewing the crossing at Lawrence Road in Kings Park.

If you are traveling on this line during these times, please allow for extra travel time. Please note that during these times, eastbound trips will take longer than usual, and westbound buses will leave up to 18 minutes later than scheduled train departures. Regular train service will resume early Monday morning. Because of these changes, about 1900 customers in each direction will be impacted each day.

Eastbound customers will board buses at Huntington for stations from Greenlawn through Port Jefferson, and will arrive at the destinations up to 26 minutes later than usual. Westbounc customers will board buses at their home stations up to 18 minutes earlier
than normal for Huntington, where train service will resume.

For more info, you can pick up a copy of the "Special Timetable: Lawrence Road Crossing Renewal," or view it online at the LIRR website. You may also call 511, the New York State Travel Information Line, and when prompted, say "Long Island Rail Road."

Attention all chefs/cooks on Long Island, NY: Fox TV's hit show, Hell's Kitchen, starring Gordon Ramsay, is casting. If you think you have the cooking skills needed to compete and you'd like to audition, please email HKCASTING2013@gmail.com. Please put your name and city in the subject line... for example,"John Smith/Merrick Long Island."

In the email, please include your name, where you live (city/state), your age, your present occupation and a photo of yourself, CONTACT INFORMATION, your culinary experience and why you think that you would be a good fit for the show. The more info, the better!
_{Photo © Hell's Kitchen}

The Fourth Annual Montauk Music Festival kicks off today, Thursday, May 16, 2013, and continues through Sunday the 19th. The four day event features talent, up-and-coming independent artists, and it's all happening in beautiful Montauk, Long Island, New York. From folk to rock to reggae, blues, bluegrass, hip hop, rap, country and more, there will be 108 live performances for every taste. The concerts will be at diverse venues throughout the area, including Gurney's Inn, Navy Beach, Sole East, the Montauk Yacht Club, Montauk Manor and more.

Meet the Musicians at the Montauk Music Festival Opening Party is tonight, Thursday, May 16, 2013 at Gurney's Inn at 8 p.m. $35 per person - open bar and hors d'oeuvres.

For more detailed information, please visit www.themontaukmusicfestival.com.

Ever since Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" film opened on May 10, 2013, everyone who's seen it has a different opinion. Some think that it epitomizes the glamour and decadence of the Long Island Gold Coast during the Roaring Twenties. Others wonder why Jay-Z tunes are in the film. Did Luhrmann think "rappers" instead of "flappers?" The opulent costumes and sets have been hailed by some, while others question the use of 3-D in the movie. (fyi, you can choose to see the movie in 3-D or in regular 2-D. Make sure you check the times for each at your local movie theater.)

Have you seen the film? Please vote in our poll below.

And while you're at it, you should read about the real inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel and all of the Gatsby movies at Long Island's Gold Coast Mansions.