The talented and always entertaining Eugene J. Demers, Jr. or as many Fire Islanders called him, “Gene The Machine” has left this world way to early but not without sharing some amazing music and great memories. If you are one of the lucky ones who got to listen to Gene as he played on the deck of Schooners in Ocean Bay Park as the sun was setting, you know just how magical those memories are.

All of us here at FireIsland.com were saddened to hear of this untimely passing, our love, thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Thanks for the great tunes Gene, Fire Island will not be the same without you.

Funeral Information
Home: Islip Terrace, NY
Eugene J. Demers, Jr.

Date of Death: January 18, 2012
Place of Birth: Bay Shore, NY
Birthdate: June 27, 1961
Age: 50
Visitation: Friday, January 20, 2012 2-5 & 7-9 p.m. at Albrecht, Bruno & O’Shea Funeral Homes, Inc., East Islip, NY
Interment: LI Cremation Co., West Babylon, NY
Biography

Demers, Jr., Eugene J. “Gene” of Islip Terrace on January 18, 2012. Beloved husband of Valerie T. (nee) Boos). Loving son of Eugene J. and Evelyn M. Demers. Fond brother of Donald Demers. Cherished grandson of Margaret Byrnes. Dear son-in-law of Vivian Boos. Cremation was private. A memorial visitation will be held Friday January 20th 2-5 & 7-9pm with remembrance and euologys at the evening visitation, at the Albrecht, Bruno & O’Shea Funeral Home, Inc. 62 Carlton Avenue, E. Islip. Pre funeral gathering 9:30 am Saturday at Funeral Home. Interment to follow at Oakwood Cemetery.

Late in the evening on Monday, November 14, 2011 20 fire departments were called to support the Fire Island Pines Fire Department. According to early reports the Fire destroyed numerous landmark buildings including the Pavilion, the town’s premier nightclub, LaFountaine’s, Sip N’ Twirl, and the Pines Bistro.  Unconfirmed reports suggest the fire started around 9:00 pm at the Sip N’ Twirl before igniting gas tanks at La Fountaine which spread to the Pavilion. It is very likely heavy wind apparently played a role in the spread of this Fire.  If these reports are valid this could be the worst Fire in the community since 1959.

Fire Island Pines Fire : Pines Pantry Web Cam

The Fire Island News reported that Walter Boss of the Pines Fire Department confirmed late Monday night that the fire destroyed the Pavilion, La Fountaine and a bay-front home. Businesses north of the Pavilion along the harbor appear to have been unscathed, he told The News.

Walter Boss

Unfortunately, Fire Island has seen its share of disasters from fires to flooding, hurricanes to nor’easters. Fire Island is a very sensitive environment and disaster can be elevated by the very things we love most about it, in particular the lack of roads and the beautiful isolation. As one local resident pointed out “When a fire breaks out on the island, it spreads quickly and access to it is limited”

With a very limited off season population, the pines Fire department was joined by other fire island firefighters from: Ocean Bay Park, Davis Park, Point O’ Woods, Cherry Grove, Ocean Beach, Fair Harbor, Saltaire, Kismet, as well as mainland departments including Bay Shore, East Islip, West Islip, Sayville, Bellport, Green River, to name just a few.

Pines Fire Department

The news of this fire spread quickly through social media outlets. The Fire Island Facebook page that reaches over 12,000 people had 100’s interacting late into the evening and early hours Tuesday.  Fire Island related tweets were also on the rise. Josh Ocean  re-tweeted on the Fire Island Pines Cherry Grove page  “Omg! RT @cherry_grove: A fast moving fire destroyed Pavilion and at least two other structures in the Fire Island Pines”  DJ James Anthony tweeted @fireislandnews - “my thoughts and prayers are with the FIP community this evening” on the Fire Island News Twitter page, and Jess Freund tweeted: “Thoughts with the OBFD. Be safe! @fireisland” Fire Island twitter page.

However, nothing was as moving as what Andrew Kirtzman co-owner of FIP Ventures, which owns the Pavilion, Blue Whale, Canteen, Hotel Ciel, Deck, Rack Gym, Pines Supply Co.  Sugar Shack Spa and whom is largely responsible for the Pines major redevelopment over the past few years posted on the Pines Facebook page. His message was so important I felt it best to attach it in its entity.

“This is is obviously a very difficult night for all of us, and I wanted to give everyone a status report from the scene of the fire. I am outside the Pavilion building, surrounded by over 100 firefighters from across Long Island. The fire is under control but is not completely out. Both the Pavilion and LaFountaine buildings are still standing, but they have been completely gutted by fire and water. Sip n’ Twirl, the Bistro and the stores below them are in ruin. Then roof over the Pavilion is gone, and the high tea deck has been destroyed. Small fires are still burning inside the Pavilion – the dance floor – and it’s too dangerous for firefighters to enter inside. The department has called for bulldozers to be brought here from across the bay, as it may be safer to destroy the Pavilion altogether rather than fight the remaining blazes. It is an unfathomable moment. The air in the harbor is still thick with smoke, but the fire has not spread anywhere else, thanks to the incredible work of the Pines Fire Department and the departments that raced to its aid. Firefighters will be here through the night to ensure that no flames re-ignite and create a new threat to the other properties. Canteen, Blue Whale, the hotel and Pantry are all fine. The Suffolk Country Fire Department believes the fire began outside the LaFountaine office, engulfed that building and then spread to the Pavilion. Officials tell me they don’t believe the fire to be suspicious. Seth, Matt and I want to thank you all for your notes and phone calls. Everyone has a stake in these properties, and the love and passion we all feel for them are ringing loud and clearly this painful evening. Tomorrow morning, Seth, Matt and I will begin the process of renewing this beautiful property and making it even more spectacular than it was before. Our hearts go out to Nicole LaFountaine, Patrick, PJ, Bob Howard and others in the LaFountaine building, and we will help one another get the commercial district ready for summer 2012. There is a lot of hard work ahead for all of us. We feel blessed that no one was injured, and proud to be part of this beautiful community. –Andrew”

It was a long night for all Fire Islanders.  Most of all it was a long night for the hundreads of  Firefighters who worked into the night risking their lives to protect our beloved Island.  I want to personally give thanks to each and everyone of you and a special thanks specifically to the Fire Island Pines Fire Department.

We will rebuild.

It was business as usual for much of Fire Island on Tuesday afternoon, just two days after Hurricane Irene pelted the barrier island with up to 70mph winds and far higher than normal tides.

LIPA restored power to the island on Monday and local town authorities worked through the day to remove downed tree branches and clear debris. Videos on the internet showed walkways in Ocean Bay Park turned to rivers just the day before, as overflow from Great South Bay and the Atlantic Ocean met with rainfall and winds from Irene. Residents were allowed back onto the island on Tuesday morning, with many catching the first ferry out at 7am. By 4pm, little evidence remained that a hurricane had passed at all.

Huge brown puddles remained on Baywalk in Ocean Bay Park, just outside the market and on several side streets. Several visitors donned rainboots and walked swiftly through 6-10 inches of standing water. Over at the Seashore Condo Motel, proprietor Jeremy Geard noted thankfully, “We were all lucky – no damage and the water’s going down already. Looks good!” Geard further noted that once power was restored, there were no issues with phone, internet or satellite, unlike some boroughs of NYC and on Long Island. At the Bayshore ferry docks, one Sayville family was heard to remark “I have no power or phone at home, so I’m off to the beach, where everything’s okay.”

Beach access at Oneida showed the ocean depositing several feet of sand across the area, with the dunes covered anew. Wooden fencing washed onto the dune road, twisted like candy wrappers, while staircases were buried to the 4th and 5th step in sand. At evening high tide, the water reached a high mark only 10 yards from them.

Further west in Seaview, Irene left virtually no mark.

“It wasn’t so bad, just like a bad rainstorm. When they cut off power, we turned on the generator, made coffee, and whoever was around came in for some,” summarized Lynn, owner at the Seaview Market. “We didn’t get the flooding Ocean Beach and OBP got.”

Indeed, Seaview was the perfect picture of an undisturbed beach town, enjoying its last weeks of the season. Only two houses on the bay remained boarded up at all. Music floated from backyards and children pedaled along on bicycles, laughing and calling for a lost puppy named “Rover”.

Still further west in Ocean Beach, the entire dock area outside the Ocean Beach police station was shown on Sunday to be underwater with rain and overflow from the bay. But by Tuesday afternoon, only small pools remained and shops along the main strip buzzed with activity and lazy summer laughter. Over at CJ’s, a staffer worked diligently to remove adhesive residue on a glass door – the giant “X” stubbornly remained long after its silvery duct tape was removed.

As Wednesday dawns, Fire Island is back to normal signs of life. Bicycle bells warn the 8am joggers and pleasant morning greetings pass at the Ocean Bay Park market. Despite reported washovers and temporary evacuation inconvenience, the resilient island is back to pre-Irene paradise.

Friends of FireIsland.com shared: stories, news, images and videos throughout the storm, proving that sometimes the most reliable source of information comes from our peers.

The following video was shared using the Fire Island iPhone App.
This free application has updated Ferry schedules, Long Island Rail Schedules, Events, Pictures, Videos and more. Over 40,000 people have downloaded the Fire Island app since it was released in 2010.

The picture set below came from users of the Fire Island iPhone App as well as through our Fire Island Facebook group that now has over 12,000 fans.

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David Park Dock Davis Park Hurricane Irene aftermath Davis Park Beach Hurricane Irene Davis Park Hurricane Irene aftermath Davis-Park-After-Hurricane-Irene-008 fire island lighthouse Davis-Park-After-Hurricane-Irene-005 Davis-Park-After-Hurricane-Irene-007 Sexton Island Fire Island Hurricane Irene 2011 Fire Island Hurricane Irene 2011 Fire Island Hurricane Irene 2011 Fire Island Hurricane Irene 2011 town pizza fire island ocean beach market fire island fire island ocean beach

Officials assess Damage on Fire Island.
Suffolk county officials have visited Fire Island to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Irene. The report corroborates resident’s accounts that we have been publishing on the Fire Island Facebook page and on FireIsland.com for the past few days.

With great relief we can confirmed that no homes were lost on the island as a result of this storm and damages are minimal, and mostly a result of coastal flooding. Fire Island has a sensitive ecosystem and the effects of this storm could have been a lot worse.

As of Monday, August 29, 2011 Fire Island Ferries has announced it will resume Service to all Fire Island communities on Tuesday, August 30th.

Officials have confirmed:
No major damage to homes on the barrier island.
No actual breaks in the beach.
Protective dunes have been washed away, in numerous areas.
Flooding is still a problem with a few feet of water still in the village of ocean beach as well other low lying areas of Fire Island

Fire Island’s shores have suffered from erosion for years, and every storm that passes over our island is puts us at risk. I want to thank everyone for sharing information and pictures during this event. The best source for information is each other.

Below is a gallery of images posted by members of the Fire Island community.  Feel free to share yours.

So where did the naming of houses come from?
From what I have gathered its mostly a English and Irish custom that has been adapted by many beach communities in the United States. Perhaps because the original settlers of these areas were largely of European or maybe, like Fire Island many beach areas have limited or confusing street structures. After all, most research determines the reason for the tradition is simply because street numbers didn’t exist and naming a house was a way for people to locate and recall a specific residence. Whatever the reason we should embrace it and continue this amazing tradition on Fire Island.

I asked members of the Fire Island Facebook group to list some favorites, the response was huge. You can see the full list here,and feel free to add your houses on the FB page or right here in this post.

I added a photo gallery of some of the homes I was able to take pictures of this summer. You can see that here Fire Island Homes.
If you have a house on Fire Island and you don’t have a name think about it give it time and see if anything evolves. Look towards your house guests as they have a habit of coming up with the perfect title when you least expect it.

If you’re planning to set sail and head to the beaches of Fire Island don’t expect to get paradise at a cheap price. However, if you live in the daily bump and grind that is New York City, an island retreat with a relaxing vibe of the water’s edge can be worth its weight in gold; and what better way to compliment a weekend getaway then tickling your palette with the flavors of summer. So, prepare to drop anchor, shell out some cash, and come aboard to review some of ocean beach’s savory appetizers.

Matthew’s Seafood Restaurant
Tucked away on the corner of the island, and away from the hustle and bustle of the main strip you will find Matthew’s Restaurant, with a bay view dockside. Upon entering you’ll feel a familiar quality, like you just stepped into your relative’s home. This place has history, which adds to its character and you can easily pass hours there chatting with patron’s bar side. The bar tender on call was friendly and knowledgeable with her 25 years experience, and she offered us service promptly. We decided to taste their Buffalo Shrimp that was butter flied, lightly breaded, fried, and accompanied with hot sauce and a mild blue cheese. At $11.00 for seven jumbo shrimp you may want to share this appetizer with a friend, but the robust spicy seasoning left us thinking: do I really have to share? (935 Bay Walk Ocean Beach, NY 11770.

Bocce Beach
Walking into Bocce Beach you can see that this establishment has been given a facelift with it’s strategically placed nautical motifs. But, with most cosmetic fixes, it leaves you feeling that the character and charm with age has been wiped clean from the plate. We sat at the bar and decided to sample a seafood standard, Crab Cakes (fairly priced at $11.00). Service was efficient, but lacked interaction from our bar tender, which matched our first impression of the restaurant. Two hot Crab Cakes came out of the kitchen, unfortunately on a cold plate, which doesn’t help to keep the food warm. The crab cakes were served with a pankco breading (Japanese breadcrumb) and a citrus mayo dip. All around we found the crab cake itself to be enjoyable. Although, we would have preferred a little less salt, which over powered our palette at times. (927 Evergreen Ocean Beach, NY 11770 (631) 583-8100).

The Hideaway
The Hideaway has a classic country French décor with white linen table clothes and glass blue vases throughout. The water’s view makes it a romantic place to grab a cocktail and nibble on an appetizer. Our order was taken by an interactive an energetic young bartender who offered up suggestions on their appetizers and made us feel welcomed. We chose their chili lime ribs, which came to us with a generous half-rack of ribs and a crisp slice of corn bread. This sweet and tangy morsel cost us $13.00 dollars, but was well worth the price with its ample portion that could serve as an entrée. Our only criticism was we couldn’t quit detect the citrus lime flavor in their ribs. All an all the Hideaway lives up to its name and leaves you feeling like you stumbled on an undiscovered treasure (785 Evergreen Walk Ocean Beach, NY 11770).

CJ’s
CJ’s is the only Restaurant open past the summer’s end, and is not big on pretenses. This no fuss restaurant makes it kid friendly and a good place to grab a quick bite or wet your whistle. We kept it simple and ordered their hot wings, which happen to come in a variety of different sauces (Sesame Ginger, Orange Ginger, BBQ, Cajun, and Teriyaki). Our interaction with our bartender was brief, but cordial. The appetizer came with 11 large sized wings and was seasoned with an uneventful helping of plain out of the bottle hot sauce. The wings were not crispy enough for our liking but for it’s price it will serve for a quick fix to fill your belly.
(479 Bay Walk Ocean Beach, NY 11770)

Maguire’s Restaurant
Tuna “Pokie” Tartar ($13.50): Served on a long rectangular plate, this dish featured three medallion shaped molds of chopped tuna tartar, each topped with a deep-fried pot sticker triangle—creating an image reminiscent of tiny sailboats. Avocado scoops, passionfruit puree and wasabi vinaigrette were drizzled around the plate’s perimeter, completing the presentation. The light crispiness of the deep-fried pot stickers, buttery texture of the perfectly ripened avocado, and fresh tuna tartar mingled beautifully, while the two sauces added concentrated sweetness and zing. This appetizer foreshadowed the core culinary theme Maguire’s of Ocean Beach: outstanding ingredients are allowed to shine through, minimally altered.

We wrote this review to highlight some of the more popular happy hour spots. We are also huge fans of: The Albatross, Castaways, and The Sand Bar.

chicagotribune.com
concierge.com
travelchannel.com
travelandleisure.com
usatoday.com
winecountry.com

May 2012