Locals brings a hipster vibe to Port Jefferson...

Lynn and I have begun frequenting Locals in Port Jefferson for cofee and macarons (Lynn's thing).  The place reminds me very much of old haunts from college and my mid-20's.  There are almost always students there pecking away on their laptops and a few professorial types wandering in and out.  WIth its re-purposed seating and Banksyesque artwork the vibe and atmosphere would not be out of place in the Village or even Brooklyn.  The coffee is the best we have had of late and Lynn is enamored of the macarons which are light and flaky with interesting flavors (like pumpkin).   The service is crisp and efficient and there is a warmth there despite the hip interior.  M&L

Mark and Lynn are bewitched by The Hatian Spirit....

Lynn and I found this fairly obscure cocktail recipe by chance.  We were going to concoct a Manhattan but had no bourbon. We did have vermouth and for some reason we thought maybe to use rum instead which led to a google search along the lines of "cocktails made with sweet vermouth and rum."  Up popped the Hatian Spirit which is a sweet and savory cocktail made with rum, sweet vermouth and small trace of Amaro.  We have made this our "transition cocktail" going into winter and indeed it warms us up nicely....

In Love with the Love Lane "Mahatituck"......

One of our favorite discoveries of the late summer and early fall has been Love Lane Kitchen in Mattituck.  Love Lane Kitchen manages to balance a family friendly atmosphere with sophistication and a first rate menu, wine list and cocktail offerings.

For now, my favorite restaurant cocktail of the minute is the restaraunt's version of the Manhattan  called "The Mahatituck" which I have had on a couple of recent occassions.  The key ingredients seem to be the use of the sublime antica red vermouth along with (what appear to be) bourbon soaked dark cherries.   This is the best drink I have had since we frequented the late, great Riverhead Project.

The bean in NYC delivers first rate Macarons....

Lynn has been on a macaron trip of late and we picked up a couple from The Bean in their East Village location on 2nd Ave. Lynn got lavender, rose water and dolce la leche.  She particularly liked the lavender and rose water which had authentic flavors and a lightness that a lot of typical macarons lack. 
The place was very busy but the staff handled my questions and requests with aplomb and ease.
M&L

Rise Coffee gets us going....

On a recent Saturday we happened upon the Pop Up store front of Rise Coffee on Stanton Street.  The space is as compact as a closet but the barista functioned with complete expertise and ease behind the counter.

Rise's coffee is pure goodness and responsibility using pure water, sustainably sourced farms, non GMO, local and Organic ingredients.  Just as important (to me) was the extra jolt of caffeine (1.5 more than typical coffee) provided that propelled me to walk several hours around the Lower East Side.