Today on the way back from Southampton we stopped in Bellport, an old town founded over five million blog years ago. After serving us a delicious lunch, our hosts for the afternoon took us on a walking tour, where we saw many interesting things. The above gate is just one example, and like many things in the town, predates Home Depot: it is called the 'Bellport gate.' We were shocked to learn that in years past, some towns in the United States actually looked different than other towns via these kinds of decorative embellishments; such inefficiencies were obv 'phased out' in the modern era (via capitalism).
Bellport is also the home of the original 'ball bearing,' which at the time was an invention similar to an 'iPhone' in terms of its impact on society. Another thing Bellport is known for is the 'Bellport husband,' a term coined during the Revolutionary War but still used to describe men on the 'down low,' i.e., men who like to 'appear' non-homosexual (via marriages to women and breeding) but who are secretly non-heterosexual (via Craigslist M2M). And speaking of the Revolutionary War, another 'George Washington' from Bellport invented 'instant coffee' in WWI: this was like the 'Red Bull' of its day, so he was 'mad rich.' (The 'George Washington Bridge' is secretly named after him.)
As we walked toward town, Stephen and I looked longingly at the trumpet vines, which were blooming magnificently.
We were pretty much prepared to rip out our garden for these.
One thing I noticed about Long Island -- and Bellport is no exception -- is that people really know how to trim their hedges. There are also vast numbers of beautiful trees that were planted hundreds of years ago; to contemplate such trees made me feel very old and very young at the same time.
We arrived at the town marina, from which you can see Fire Island. The bay was choppy and the waves were spraying over the rampart. Just to stand there, it almost felt like we were sailing.
Here's Jeff and John, who have been together for 32 years. They were legally married last year in Massachusetts, and as you can tell from this picture, both they and 'American society' are suffering greatly as a result.
It was hard not to succumb to a certain exuberance on this day, when the wind was strong and the sun bright and the conversation good. My hair, however, was basically 'shellacked' from a week on vacation (via salt water and chlorine), so not a single hair was moving. (This pic was taken by Jeff.)
Returning from the water, we passed yet another impressive hedge, this one made of hemlocks. On the drive back to the city, we fantasized about moving to ____ and having mature trees and hedges (and a non-chlorine pool).
It was a lil difficult to get back after spending the past week living among such lush vegetation and basically doing 'whatever the fuck we wanted' 24/7. It's no doubt a sign of a good vacation, though, when u don't want it to end.
The transition back to 'reality' was made easier by Zephyr, who seemed very happy to see us.
And Dante, whose eyes were even greener than we remembered.
And Elektra, who was a 'teacher's pet' for the cat-sitter.
And of course the George Washington Bridge, whose dignified beauty remained unchanged during the week of our absence.
bingo
160th and Bway, northwest corner.
Not a stalker but used to live at 807 Rvsd and like to keep up with the old neighborhood.
Posted by: Andy Bristol | 09/07/2009 at 12:07 PM