Dinner at Toddy's in Mastic Beach

Saturday cruised through Toddy from Endless Bummer's house for an evening dinner party. Hinging on the mexican theme, the food was dope. Great conversation with a whole group of new friends who are all week-ending in Mastic. I am excited to know there is a household local that includes interesting people rolling through.

Here's some shottys from the night.

A close to another weekend.

It was another great one. A sizeable swell graced a morning sesh with Toddy and Thad. Fun stuff.

Digging...

Today, on this Friday eve, I am looking through forecast's containing sun and water. I keep jumping back to Hiroshi Sugimoto's images to build the anticipation even more so.

Watch Out!

From Endless Bummer

The other day I met up with Toddy out among the shitty mushie swell at Smith Point. As I was walking back to the car, Toddy was armed with a fine machine. A Hasselblad. And here is the results, and I especially love the loupe stylee.

Camping...doing it right

Photo: Nicole Orlando


A few friends of mine were up in the Catskills a couple weeks ago. I always regret not going after the fact because of photos like this. I was moseying the shores of Mastic while they were rolling KEGS into the woods. This KEG made it via my good friend Nicole of THE HABITAT, she grew up with me in the mean streets of Mastic. She spent a night alone with this guy awaiting the arrival of all the other friends. It's a mirage to see this after a long days hike, only this turned to something tangible.

July 11th and 12th

Surfed a bit. Met up with Toddy of ENDLESS BUMMER for a messy morning sesh. Did a lot of house chilling. A few friends from the city rented rooms, Scrabbled late night. A surfcaster threw in right where everyone was surfing of course. Sunday evening surfed in skins. Perfect.

That there clock...I bought in Sarajevo, its from a bombed out home from The Balkan War.

A friends dope surf mobile.

When I see this I get giddy. I need something of this sort. I've also been thinking of getting a moped with surf racks.

1Q84

Haruki Murakami. I love him. Can't wait till 1Q84 is translated to English.

Anna Wintour expanded her Mastic Crib

Anna lives in one-a-the most beautiful parts of Mastic. Its known as Old Mastic. It upholds its woodsy LI feel when this area was carpeted in estates of a richer city-folk. Anna hit up a little upgrade a few months ago. I wish others would follow this fashion icon and start bettering their places. The car on the lawn is pretty sweet though.

I wanna see Anna's spot in person.

Those islands out there in The Twin Ponds

I use Barnes Road often to leave Mastic. Its a road that has maintained the country feel that I believe most of the Mastic Peninsula probably once wore. Its winding with not too much construction. At its start, it has two ponds straddling each corner like two ballies straddling a shaft. Lately, as I drive by I noticed two islands out there, now I have found who is responsible.

Fireworks and Mastic

Photo Jay Rooney


It seems almost that fireworks are legal in Mastic. They are everywhere. No need to gander at Grucci's display. Just walk the streets in the Mastic's and there will be plenty of show going on around you. The recession-proof hobby of a pyromaniac.

...and she burns...

Here is the aftermath of tiki-torch fluid to the crotch area and being packed with a load of firecrackers.

The campfire

Photo Jay Rooney


I love sitting by this bitch. Every Saturday night it be ripping with faces from all over the world sitting at its side.

Whoa! The town actually did something!

Newsday photo

Of course there has to be a detail that would make you say "WHAT" otherwise it wouldn't be in true Mastic nature.

The son had to threaten the father with a hammer. And what the hell is someone collecting so much garbage for. I hear of this in the city happening in the past, Mastic today mimics many of the cities past problems.

City dudes on sand

Pic 1- Erica Recto, fashion designer for a lot of cloth you sheath your body in.
Pic 2- Jim Kim Miyagi, Art Dealer of Fine Art.

The Burning

A friend of mine always brings a friend that we sacrifice to independence on The Fourth. This year Hillary went up in flames. Now this is not a political statement. Its just that Bush's head was 25$ and Hill's was only 20$.

Prior to nightfall here, you see custom made jeans and Velour Dior top.

Forge River and Smith Point at Sunrise

Friday before the crowd from the city arrived I had a day of quiet in Mastic. Went down to the river with some coffee to see the tranquility. Hopped in car to hit a dawny session at 6am down at Smith Point. Was some amazing lighting show going down. They even brought the smoke machines.

The Fourth in Mastic

I've done it all for the Fourth. When skateboarding succumbed most of my time, I always went to Philli, skated, drank alot and watched the firework show at the Art Museum. I did the Brooklyn rooftop party, I went to Summerstage to see Sonic Youth and was a peice of the family party population on numerous occassions. No celebration matches the excitement and rawness the holiday takes on in the streets of Mastic. Theres a lawlessness that most other places has lost. Smoke sheathes the streets and it seems like everyone has recieved "THE LIST". I grew up with THE LIST as a staple piece of 4th ettiquette. In the weeks leading to that special celebration, a photocopied-a-million-times sheet shows up in your mailbox. On it lyes some of the finest firework names. You circle and than get THE LIST back to your source. The explosives show up. Mastic turns to a complete warzone during the Fourth. I watched from Fire Island, looking back at the mainland where Mastic/Shirley juts out into The Great South bay and watched the greatest firework show ever. It was a poormans paradise in flames and sporatic performance as far as the eye can see. Mastic knows how to do The Fourth of July. Be careful out there.

Lets burn some shit.

Hope I stumble upon something like this again.

Last year I stopped over a friends house where I caught word down at the beach that there was going to be a pigroast. A few of us went and devoured pig parts. I found this on the information super highway, a photo of the pig post-pieces.

Check out Grocery Guys blog for some good stomach pleasing reads.