If you've been looking forward to kicking back in a comfy seat on the Long Island Rail Road and sipping a cold beer, a swig of whiskey or that extra-special red wine that you bought, think again. Starting this weekend on Friday at midnight, all trains leaving Penn Station between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays will have a ban on alcohol on all lines. The ban extends to carrying a closed bottle or can of alcoholic beverages. And you won't be allowed to carry or drink alcohol on any LIRR platforms during those hours.

Long dubbed the "drunk trains," those late night LIRR lines have been the backdrop for loud, alcohol-fueled verbal or even physical fights. There have even been attacks on conductors.

What do you think of the LIRR's alcohol ban? Please leave a comment below.

Now that spring is here, Hicks Nurseries, 100 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury, NY is offering two FREE garden seminars on Saturday, May 19, 2012.

At 10 a.m., Ask the Experts: Problem Solving Edition will focus on the current wants and needs of gardens. Hicks senior buyer Bob Friedl will start eh seminar with a brief overview of the May garden. Then John Patterson, head grower and production manager, together with horticultural buyer Alison Caldwell, will answer questions from attendees.

You're encouraged to bring pictures and samples. Please arrive 15 minutes before the seminar to submit your questions.

Then at 12 noon, you can attend the second seminar, Contain Yourself! Learn how to create a lovely flowering container. Pat Senne, business manager of Blooming Plants, Tropicals, Ferns and Bulbs for the Ball Horticulture Company, will cover everything from pot selection, soil and sun requirements to creating pleasing color schemes, Pat will cover a wide array of topics pertaining to containers in the garden. One lucky attendee will win a planted container.

Click on the following link for more info on Hicks Nurseries or call (516) 334-0066.

Suggested Reading:

• Gardens on Long Island
• Clark Botanic Garden
• Outdoor Sculpture Garden at the Nassau County Museum of Art

_{Photo © Hicks Nurseries}

It's that time of year again. Before you know it, the kids will be looking for things to do this summer. Here's one great option: the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum is offering fun and creative summer workshops in July and August for children ages 3-4 and K through third grade at the Vanderbilt Education Center. Workshops will begin with an educator-led tour of the museum's collections, followed by hands-in creative projects.

Six pre-school workshops will be offered on Wednesdays from 11 to 12:30 for children ages 3 and 4, accompanied by one adult. The fee is $20 per child ($16 for members.)

The themes of the workshops are the following:

• July 11, 2012 - Dolphin Planter
  Learn about marine mammals and make a recycled planter for a summer garden.


• July 18 - Elephant Paper Sculpture
  Learn about Africa's grasslands and make a paper sculpture.


• July 25 - Fish Print Tee Shirt
  Explore the marine collections and make a tee shirt using the Japanese Gyotaku technique.


• August 1 - Bear Storyteller Mask
  Listen to a story in the Museum's wildlife dioramas and create a bear mask.


• August 8 - Sailor's Valentine
  Explore the seashell collection and create a love letter for someone special.


• August 15 - Butterfly Handprint
  Explore the Museum's collection of butterflies and moths and make a unique work of art.

Workshops for Grades K-3

Sail Away with Mr. Vanderbilt
Week-long workshops for children in kindergarten through third grade will be offered daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Fee: $200 ( $160 for members.) Participants are asked to bring a bag lunch. Monday-Friday sessions: July 9-13, July 16-20, July 23-27, July 30-August 3, August 6-10, 2012.

Beth Laxer-Limmer, manager of Vanderbilt education programs, said students will "travel around the world" with William K. Vanderbilt II on his explorations of world's oceans, African grasslands and Pacific islands, make amazing discoveries, and create works of art to take home.

Advance registration is required for all workshops. For more information and to register, please call (631) 854-5552.

The Vanderbilt Museum is located at 180 Little Neck Road in Centerport, NY.

Suggested Reading:

• Long Island Summer Camps - Nassau County, NY


• Long Island Summer Camps in Suffolk County


• FREE Things To Do With Your Kids on Long Island


• Top 10 Children's Attractions on Long Island


• Long Island Children's Birthday Parties


• FREE on Long Island on Your Kid's Birthday

_{Photo © Linda Tagliaferro}

If you're new to my About.com - Long Island, NY website, you might think it's just composed of blog posts on the home page. Well, there's much more to help you find out what's happening on Long Island. Look near the top of the page and you'll see some tabs: Neighborhoods, Things To Do and Nature & Green. Click on these tabs and you'll be brought to a list of lots of articles on those topics.

Then look to the top left and you'll see Must Reads. Click on any of them to learn about some important events and venues on Long Island.

Just underneath that less-than-flattering photo of me, you'll see My Forum. Click on that and it'll bring you to a community of Long Island readers who share information and comments on neighborhood happenings.

Underneath that, on the home page, you'll see Browse Topic, which lists categories like Neighborhoods, Events & Festivals, Families Singles, Seniors and other topics. Click on any of those and you'll be brought to a list of articles that relate to those categories.

And don't forget to sign up for my FREE Long Island newsletter. It's on the right side of the page ... or just click here: Sign up for the FREE Long Island, NY newsletter. You'll receive weekly updates on goings-on here on Long Island, and you can unsubscribe at any time with a simple click.

What else is on my home page? On the right, in the middle, there are three great Long Island videos. Find out more about The Long Island Children's Museum, the Hamptons and Port Jefferson's great attractions.

Thanks so much for stopping by About.com's website on Long Island, NY! Any time you want to get in touch with me about news, events or more, you can email me at longisland.guide@about.com
-- Linda Tagliaferro, Your About.com Guide to Long Island