I boarded said goodbye to my husband and children and walked into Hartsfield Jackson Intl. I didn't even look back. With two carry-on bags, I printed my boarding pass and walked through security. Of course, the line was long, I didn't care. People were scanning their eyeballs at machines and I was tickled. Nothing was going to kill my vibe right now. I was headed to Long Island..... without my family!
This is the second year I have done this annual trip away from my family as I discovered there is so much LIFE given to a mom when she can take a few days off from all of her responsibilities. I was even more excited this year because I was living a real life "Planes, Trains and Automobiles!" I took off from Atlanta and met another MK sister in the airport. Yall this was the funniest thing in the world to me. I walked off the plane, came into the airport, took a left, walked a few feet and was at baggage claim! "Where's the REST of the airport?" I was super tickled. We hopped in an Uber that took us to the Train Station. We went two flights and then back down two flights to catch the train. We ended up on the WRONG train and when the conductor asked for my ticket I swear it was just like The Polar Express! After getting off at the next exit we waited for a NYC MacKid mom to come rescue us and thus ended my 6 hour planes, trains and automobile excursion!
Needless to say after all of this she fed us....Pizza, I mean PIE! And it was amazing. After filling our bellies we were off to our hotel for the weekend. The Hyatt Place East End Hotel, located on the tip of Long Island's North Fork was absolutely beautiful. Getting in after 11pm after all day travel is never a good thing as a traveler but this team greeted us with warm smiles and a speedy check in!.
After entering my room I was elated to take the longest shower ever and snuggle under the covers. We had an nice view of Main Street from our room and I was soon asleep as the next morning was going to be full of surprises!
My newly introduced NYC MacKid mom BFFs brought Bagels and Flagels! As a chef I was in foodie heaven but it didn't end there. We went downstairs and the most amazing breakfast at the Hyatt. The sausage was so good we asked the employees where they got it from! Once we finished we headed off to Love Lane to visit the Village Cheese Shop. This super cute little town was absolutely adorable. After being transported by Tran-star Executive we were able to browse the town, even in the rain this little piece of joy was well worth it. It was like something out of the movies. The shop owners were all very nice and welcoming and seemed to be tickled with our bus load of tourists from all over the United States.
We enjoyed various cuts of meats, fruit and wine with our fondue. It was absolutely amazing. You can catch a glimpse of the fun on this facebook live from when we were there. I must say prior to this trip I was not a wine drinker. (This is my disclaimer).
After enjoying the Village Cheese Shope we boarded the bus and headed to Martha Clara Vineyards. Remember that disclaimer above, that was pre vineyard visit. This was by the most educational experience of my life. As a former non-wine drinker I of course asked our host why is Wine bitter when grapes in the grocery store are not? He smiled and then proceeded to give me the history of various types of grapes, why they are certain colors, sizes, when they peak and how they are processed. If you've never experienced a Wine tasting and class, I encourage you to do so!
Our next stop put me on a fairy! Okay at this point within 24 hours I've been on a plane, train, uber, suv and now a boat! I was in heaven.
We arrived at the East End Seaport Museum and not only did we get a tour of this cute little spot, we rode out on a fairy to the light house. The view was absolutely gorgeous and of course learning about the unique history of this particular light house was incredible because our tour guide was the grandson of the former lighthouse watchman. There is no better account of history then to hear the stories told by someone who was right there!
The Bug Light Cruise was very informative. After we landed back on shore we took a walk around the historic Greenport area.
At this point we were all starving. Dinner was right next door to our hotel at Jerry and the Mermaid.
Being a pastry chef I love all things food! I especially love bakeries but we will get to that in a second. Our dinner was a seafood lovers feast. We sampled multiple items from the menu including fried oysters, Ahi tuna, clams casino with bacon, artichokes, and the most amazing salmon I think I've ever tasted.
Jerry and the Mermaid is a family friendly restaurant and even offers Karoake on certain nights!
Our bellies were full and it was time to retire to the Hyatt Place End for one more enjoyable evening. The next morning we walked down the street to the Blue Duck Bakery followed by the Long Island Aquarium.
The Blue Duck Bakery on Main Street is one of four locations. This Hamptons staple was a delicious way to start off our day. We enjoyed several different pastries, cakes and cookies. This family owned bakery offers a nice variety of sweets that will be sure to delight the young and old.
After filling our bellies we headed over to the Long Island Aquarium. Now I must admit I felt a little mom guilt going to the Aquarium without my daughter. It's okay I face timed her for the cool parts. We had a guided tour with an overly knowledgable associate about animal life cycles. I must admit I was most captivated by the sharks and the fact that you can go into the shark tank (in a cage of course) but never the less you get up close and personal with the sharks!
My MacMama Discovery Long Island trip was nothing short of amazing.
