On Friday, July 17, from 5 to 7 p.m., enjoy wine from winemaker Roman Roth, hors d'oeuvres from Janet O'Brien Caterers, Inc., chocolates from Mische Bacher of Sacred Sweets and a talk by Rick Bogusch on the care and cultivation of roses and lavender. The event will take place at the lovely Bridge Gardens in Bridgehampton. The fee is $50 per person or $40 for Bridge Garden members.

Also at Bridge Gardens, on Friday, July 24, from 6 to 8 p.m., listen to singer/songwriter Ken Morsch play tunes on his guitar. Bring your own picnic basket and sit back and relax. The cost is $5 per person.

To register for these events, please call Robin at (631) 283-3195, extension 10.

To learn more about Bridge Gardens and other outdoor spaces on the Island, please go to Long Island Gardens.
_{Photo © Daniel Gonzales}

On July 10, 1856, Nikola Tesla was born in what is now Croatia. He became one of the leading scientific minds of modern times, yet not everyone has heard of him. He built his Nikola Tesla Laboratory in Shoreham, Long Island at the beginning of the twentieth century. The remains of this laboratory complex, called Wardenclyffe, are still on Long Island. Designed by famous architect Stanford White, the complex is now boarded up in Shoreham.

I wrote a blog post, Can Long Island's Wardenclyffe Be Saved?, a while back, describing how a Long Island group, The Tesla Science Center, hopes to transform the property into a museum detailing Tesla's many contributions to science. The group hopes they can preserve the property before its current owner, the Agfa Corporation, sells it and demolishes the last remains o Tesla's laboratory.

For more information, please go to the Tesla Science Center.

The Peconic Land Trust's annual Farmstand Heritage Celebration is now underway. Every summer, the East End's farm stands and farmers' markets are open for business, and you can buy fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

To help you find over 80 farm stands and farmers' markets throughout Riverhead, Southold, Shelter Island, Southampton and East Hampton, Wading River, Calverton and Eastport, click here for a link to a downloadable East End Farm Stand map.
_{Photo © iStockPhoto}

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 10 through 12, the premier art event in the Hamptons will be held, with modern and contemporary art for sale. National and international collectors will have the opportunity to view and buy sculpture, paintings, drawings, prints and photography. There will also be silent auctions and special guest lecturers.

For more information, please go to ArtHamptons.

There's a video that's been going viral since it came out a few days ago. Congressman Peter King spoke out against the media's coverage of the death of Michael Jackson, who King described as a "pervert" and "child molester." You can view the video on YouTube here: Congressman Peter King [NY]: Stop Coverage....

King said the media should spend more time focusing on others, including the men and women who are serving our country.

Do you agree with King? Or do you think that the Long Island politician has gone too far? Please click on "Comments" below and let us know what you think.

Want to see more of Long Island's sandy shores? Then maybe you should take a trip to Governors Island in New York Harbor. That's where you'll find 300 tons of Long Island sand, brought in to make a small beach for this month's opening of a new performance space, the Beach at Governors Island. The venue will feature concerts with musicians including a Grateful Dead tribute band, the B-52s, Erykah Badu and more.

So if you want to venture into the tiny island off the coast of Manhattan but still long for Long Island's sandy shores, starting this summer, you can have it all. For more information, go to the Governors Island Alliance.

Starting tonight, Monday, July 6, and continuing through Tuesday, August 11th, the town of Oyster Bay will present its FREE "Music Under The Stars 2009" events. The shows will be on Mondays, Tuedays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, all at 8 p.m. at various locations. There will be no shows on Thursdays and Sundays.

The outdoor events kick off with tonight's performance by Dean Karahalis and the Concert Pops of Long Island at Ellsworth W. Allen Town Park, Motor Avenue, Farmingdale.

• Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 7, listen to a "Salute to America" with Lee Greenwood who sang the hit song, "Proud To Be An American."
• This Wednesday, July 8, will feature Body Heat - Music for All Ages at the Syosset-Woodbury Community Park on Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury.
• Friday, July 10, hear Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge perform hits like "Worst That Could Happen" at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Beach, Larabee Avenue, Oyster Bay.
• This Saturday, July 11, bring the whole family to the Children's Festival and Safety Day -- with free food, rides and entertainment from 1 to 4 p.m. at John J. Burns Town Park, Merrick Road, Massapequa. At 4 p.m., listen to Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could.



For more information, call (516) 797-7900 or go to the Oyster Bay Town website. To learn more about what's going on this month, please go to July 2009 Calendar of Events on Long Island


To see photos of the town, go to Walking and Driving Tour of Oyster Bay.

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), the New York Power Authority, Con Ed and other agencies are looking into the possibility of building a wind farm off the south shore of Long Island. It's only in the preliminary planning stages at this point, but if this becomes a reality, the proposed wind farm could conceivably be one of the largest offshore wind farms in the United States.

In 2007, LIPA halted plans for a previously planned offshore wind farm because the high costs of such a project exceeded their expectations.
_{Photo copyright iStockPhoto}

The 2010 Fiske Guide to Colleges is out now, and for the fourth consecutive year, it lists Adelphi University as one of 44 "Best Buys" in higher education. According to the publisher, "Best Buys" are chosen by considering the institutions' academic ratings, pricing and student quality of life on campus.

Adelphi University, chartered in 1896, became the first institution of higher learning for the liberal arts and sciences on Long Island. The university boasts a 75-acre campus in Garden City. Last year, Adelphi added a performing arts, recreation and sports complex.

To compare prices for the book and to buy on online stores, please click 2010 Fiske Guide to Colleges.
_{Photo © Fiske Guides}

Combine your love of the great outdoors with a movie on a huge screen. The Brookhaven Amphitheater features Movie Nights this month and next. The cost is only $5 per car, and you can bring a blanket and relax on the lawn while seeing some great films.

On Wednesday, July 8, bring the whole family to see Kung Fu Panda, or on Wednesday, July 15, watch Speed Racer. July 22, the very popular Twilight will be up on the big screen.

Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and movies start around 8:15-8:30 p.m. as the sun goes down. For more information and the full schedule, go to Brookhaven Amphitheater.

Learn about more July events on Long Island.