BREAKING NEWS--Fire on Fire Island Destroys the Pavilion

A fire broke out at the Pavilion complex in the Fire Island Pines community last night, destroying  a dance club, a real estate office, a grocery/gift store, the Sip'N'Twirl bar and a number of other small businesses.

It was apparently a fast moving blaze that started around 9:15pm on Monday night. More than 100 firefighters from Long Island and other Fire Island communities worked hard to bring it under control. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the other buildings like the Canteen, the hotel and the Blue Whale and no one was injured.

Towleroad has all the details, including this photo of the interior of the destroyed Pavilion.  This is where we shot part of the TV pilot "Half-Share" last season and we had our wrap party for that shoot at the Sip'N'Twirl.  It's sad to see this place that is a central part of the Pines community now in ruins.  The remains of the building will likely be razed according to a statement from the owners.  Here's an excerpt below:

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.

.

The Thain Family Forest At NY Botanical Garden

I recently made my annual trek up to the Bronx to do some leaf-peeping in the largest remaining wild forest in New York City.  I was surprised not only by the gorgeous colors of the leaves but also that this 50 acre thatch of unspoiled woods with trees 200-300 years old has been recently renamed The Thain Family Forest.

Thain is a former head of CIT and large donor to the Bronx Botanical Garden, which has a long history of naming things for it's donors like the landmarked Edith Haupfman Conservatory.  But naming a forest seemed a little over the top (and the NY Times City Room blog agrees).  Still a forest by any other name is still a thing of beauty come the first week of November.  So here's some of my photos below....enjoy!