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Shelter Island is located between Long Island's North and South Forks. The 8,000-acre isle can be reached via a short car ferry from either Greenport or North Haven. The beach is more laid back than the North Fork. The shoreline is strewn with rocks and shells while the interior is woodsy and has ponds. Life here proceeds at a slow pace, with cyclists stopping for a family of wild turkeys.
Shelter Island was appropriated by King James I of England in 1620. Shelter Island was acquired by several more people after colonization. After World War II, there were more summer homes and cottages built by wealthy people. In the 2020 census, the island reported 1,600 full-time residents, though that number swells in the summer as evidenced by the weekenders crowding the Sunset Beach hotel and two historic island inns.
Today's residents are more likely to be hotel workers or interior designers than fishing or farming were. Margaret Garrett, an abstract artist who has lived on Shelter Island for 25 years, said that more and more artists are opening studios as well. Some of the creatives who have sought inspiration here over the years are featured in the show.
Just head to the secluded beach at Crab Creek or the miles of vivid green trail in Mashomack Preserve to see for yourself the calm of the island despite a flood of new arrivals. A new mobile payment system makes it easier for non-residents to find parking, which used to be a problem. Working in a studio surrounded by nature can affect my work on a cellular level. It's ideal for an artist to have solitude and community.
The Crescent Beach hotel underwent a face-lift in time for it's 95th birthday. The Petry family and Cape Resorts, which runs Baron's Cove in Sag Harbor and several hotels in Cape May, New Jersey, collaborated on the renovation and management of the hotel. The redesign focused on preserving original details like circa-1927 chandeliers and some of the wicker and rattan furniture while adding bursts of color and pattern via wallpaper from Zina Studios and textiles from Shumacher. The result: 33 Adirondack-inspired rooms with custom-designed oak cannonball beds and scallops-edged side tables in the main house and 16 stand-alone one- and two-room cottages. There is a game room with a ping-Pong table and a vintage Pac Man console, as well as a new fitness center and spa.
The Chequit was renovated by New York's Glen & Co. Architecture + Design after being purchased by the Soloviev Group. The main building has 19 rooms in a minimalist gray, beige and white color scheme with all-new bathroom features. There are 16 more guest rooms that have yet to be renovated. The narrow hallways and shiplap walls are nautical. A small pool is being installed out back, in time for next summer, but the biggest draw for now are the two new restaurants run by Noah Schwartz: Weakfish Sushi & Noodle and the Tavern, with its raw bar and billiards table. Thechequit Hotel has outdoor seating on its wraparound porch and patio.
You can eat here.
A restaurant named after her paternal grandfather, who lived on the East End, will be opened by her father and her mother. It is housed in a farmhouse style building with exposed wooden trusses, canvas-upholstered banquettes, and an open hearth with a blackened steel hood. There are French and Italian inspired dishes on the menu, such as striped bass with spicy peperonata and grilled rib-eye served with herbed crisp potatoes.
Shelter Island has been without a bagel shop for hundreds of years, but when this takeout spot with bright picnic tables and ’80s-era-MTV-inspired décor opened, it was a hit. The eccentricbagel.com is the brainchild of native New Yorker Darryn Weinstein and his wife, Amy.
The co-owners of Little Ram Oyster Co. are located north of Little Ram Island on the eastern side of Shelter Island. They opened a new processing facility in Southold. Guests can sample Little Ram oysters from the food truck or take a tour of the company's floating oyster nurseries, which include shucking instruction and a tasting. They will be able to see the oyster-tumbling machine in action and learn how the environment affects the oyster's flavor. For the record, Little Rams are known for their brisk smiln and medium smiln.
In the storybook backyard of this garden center and landscape-design firm, a few metal chairs and tables are surrounded by flowers. Every weekend through the end of summer, guests can order cheese-and-charcuterie boards from the King Andrew Cheese cart parked on-site, grab a glass of the house wine and play bocce.
Several interior designers have opened studios and shops on Shelter Island. The founder of Ram Design Home has a collection of ceramics, photography, and furniture from well known designers. For the second summer in a row, the Sunset Beach hotel is hosting a pop-up by the Italian fashion label Marni, filled with bold patterned clothing, wide-brimmed platform leather sandals, and a collection of colorful handbags and baskets.
This is something to buy.
Locals suggest what to bring home.
Sarah Zames, the founder of the interior architecture and design firm General Assembly and a regular on Shelter Island, says that the handmade nature of the bowls add some nice texture to a kitchen. The higher it is, the more it distinguishes from a typical fruit bowl. Shelterislandhistorical.org/havensstore.html costs $60.
Marie Eiffel, a French transplant and owner of Shelter Island retail stalwarts Marie Eiffel Market and Marie Eiffel Fashion, says that these are the right materials for cuddling up. Throw them on the floor, pile them up and lay them down, or put them on a chair, sofa or bed and they look great with everything.
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