locate this blog

Simple Really

The North Fork? Where is it you ask? Follow the LIE east all the way to the end. Exit to the North Fork, the sister of the south fork (better know as the Hamptons). A different vibe altogether. Less traffic, more peace. Plenty of hotels, restaurants, places to buy  props, caterers, everything you need for your crew and your shoot. Dare I say a bit less expensive too. View north fork locations. Inquiries at info@locatethis.net and 631.805.6252.

History of Wine 101

Enter vineyard, drive straight past weathered shingle historical house number one on left and barn aka tasting room on right. Keep driving. Pass pond and ice house on left. Keep driving. Pass 30 year old vines on right and left. Keep driving. See historical house number two on left. Keep driving...oops water. Yes folks, we have a vineyard on the water replete with  beautiful trees, vast lawns, gorgeous vines, a swan or two in the pond and an old pick-up in the yard. Sort of storybook I'd say. I'm thinking put a tent next to the water and have a party. View the vineyard.

Please contact me at 631.805.6252 or info@locatethis.net for information on this location. View other locations at www.locatethis.net.

Waterside

This, my friends, is the quintessential waterside cottage. You really can't get any closer to the water without living on a houseboat. You can almost hear the boats rocking in the harbor when you look at these photos. And clearly you would expect it to have a blue and white color scheme. Anything else would be sacrilege. 

Start with the blue and white striped awning which will be covering you while dining alfresco.  Wander inside to grab another beverage and take a look at the mandatory "cottage white"  walls, ceiling and floors. The couches and chairs are the requisite cozy chic white. And then the blue makes an entrance again in the form of pillows and a coffee table. The wall above the fireplace and behind the bookcase is a gorgeous deep   ocean blue. The weathered wood furniture throughout adds to the cottage feel. There's a splash of orange for some summery spice.

Grab a cooler and hitch a ride on a sailboat cruising by. After all isn't that what you're supposed to do when waterside. View location S121. Feel free to contact me about locations and production services at info@locatethis.net or 631.805.6252.

Old School Market

We all have a market or deli we go to every morning for coffee. It's our AM habit that wakes us up and soothes our cranky state of mind. It's even better when the place offers a bit of atmosphere and some tasty snacks to go along with the caffeine buzz. My AM place offers an old school vibe with hardwood floors, chalk board  menus, butcher block counters and light wood wainscoting. The glass cases are filled with homemade goods along with fresh fish and meats. The market shelves are stacked with packaged goods of a mostly upscale variety. Antique furniture including marble topped dressers and pickle barrels are parlayed into useful surfaces. Seating is strategically placed by the front windows so your coffee klatch can gab about the  comings and goings of the locals. I usually pick one of the tall soda fountain stools to  enjoy my caffeine fix while reading the newspaper.

The market blends in nicely with the old school charm of the town. Grab your coffee and wander down to the waterfront park and watch the boats come in. Okay, now take a deep breath, get that caffeine circulating and soak it all in. View location S106. Please feel free to contact me about locations and production services at info@locatethis.net or 631.805.6252.

Where's Ralph?

Where is Ralph Lauren?  Don't you see Ralph shooting an ad here in amongst the horses and stables. The models are leading a gorgeous horse around the beautiful tree lined property. Okay it's a little cliche but you get the picture. Wouldn't you want to throw up a tent and have your wedding here?  Look at that stable. It's huge and fancy with that red roof and copper cupolas. And what about the white fencing and gorgeous mature growth trees. The house is what you would expect to see, a large white colonial with years of history to recommend it. Oh and it is a  hilltop location with a view of the water. I'd say a spring or fall wedding for sure. Now that I am on a roll. It's a perfect backdrop for a hoedown. Bring on the tent, dance floor, fiddle players and BBQ.

View location S118 and imagine your own event. You really can't go wrong. Feel free to contact me about locations, production services and scouting at info@locatethis.net or 631.805.6252.

Rejuvenation!

The year was 1827 or there abouts. The house was surrounded by farmland, smallish in size, it had low beamed ceilings, wide plank wood floors, narrow windows and a brick fireplace for heat.  Flash forward to 2010 and it is surrounded by vineyards, sizeable by any standards and painstakingly rejuvenated. It combines the old house which apparently had good bones with a contemporary addition to provide room for a luxurious kitchen, living room and master bedroom.

First and foremost, the owners wanted to pay close attention to restoring the original house to it's 19th century glory. They retained as much of the old house as possible and lovingly brought it back to life. Once you enter the front door, to your right is the dining room with a brick fireplace. Note the pine floors and wood beams that extend from points on the walls, surround the doors and cross the ceilings. Note the doors and windows, most of which are original, again beautiful warn wood that you cannot begin to recreate. To the left of the front door is a study. A narrow steep staircase leads you up to the two bedrooms, one small with a peaked ceiling and one larger with a wood beamed ceiling. Modern bathrooms on each floor are the only signs that speak to the modern world.

Walk through the doorway to the kitchen and you've entered the 21st century. The transition is not as stark as you would think. Yes, there are all the modern amenities you could want. And yes the ceilings are higher and the rooms bigger. But note the subtle color transition in the floors and walls, the beamed walls and ceilings and the wide plank floors. Wander into the living room with a stone floor to ceiling two-sided fireplace that has a sun-soaked sitting room on the other side. The ensuite bedroom upstairs is an oasis with a stone fireplace extended from the one below and a deck overlooking the vineyard.

To get a look at how old meets new, click on location N206. Please feel free to contact me about this location and others at info@locatethis.net or 631.805.6252.

Have you been to Shelter Island?

Let's face it. If you are going to do a shoot it would be great if it was some place you actually want to go. Now that summer is in full swing, might I suggest Shelter Island. You will feel the stress fall from your body  the minute you step on the ferry. The ease of shooting here is palpable. There are plenty of places to shoot, plenty of places to stay and plenty of places to eat. It a veritable one stop shopping for all your shoot needs.

Need some examples of all of the above. I will take that challenge. Let's start with places to shoot. Click on "Shelter Island" under categories and you will find beaches, homes, galleries, a private island and a chapel.  Now that we've determined that you could shoot here for a week if needed, let's find you a place to stay. You must have heard of the Andre Balaz hotel Sunset Beach. It's hip happening, beachfront chic and the place to be. Dining could not be better. Catering by Planet Bliss is a must. They can supply breakfast, lunch and dinner. All of my crews from various shoots rave about Planet Bliss's food. Looking for restaurant options? Planet Bliss, Sunset Beach, Vine Street and MarkitwithG are among my favorites.

Okay, I am going to stop here and link you to my other Shelter Island shout out posted earlier this year. I regaled you with all of the nitty gritty details, the who, what, where, when and how of production on the island. Seriously folks, take the stress out of your shoot. It's guaranteed the minute you step on the island. Feel free to contact me at info@locatethis.net or 631-805-6252 for location and production needs.

Welcome to my Locate This blog

I am going to make a confession right off the bat. I am a novice in the blog world. I don't know if it is wise to share that information but I lean toward full disclosure. So here's the scoop. I am a producer and location scout residing in the east end of Long Island. I love it here. It's beautiful, peaceful and surrounded by water. And I want to share it. My story and I will make this short is that I am a transplant from New York City. I have been in film and photo production for over 10 years. I have become pretty good at finding great locations for shoots worldwide. My goal is to find a way to live and work in the same place. At the very least I want to maintain my freelance life. I have no problem traveling and have done my share in this business. But as I mentioned before, focusing on where I live sounds like heaven.

My first thought was to capitalize on my skills. Find locations in the east end and put them on a website. I did my research and realized that I have lots of knowledgeable friends. In fact, I have a good friend who knows all about websites and blogs. She runs Funny Garbage, a company specializing in web design and interactive entertainment. If she doesn't have good advice I don't know who does. She led me to John Giordani, a graphic designer who was a creative director at Funny Garbage. Long story short, they both suggested to start with a blog. It took a bit of coaxing but here I am. John is fabulous and is helping me with all things design and technical; logo, blog and web design. He had the good sense to move to hawaii. I say this because I am not a big fan of winter and it is snowing at the moment. 

I plan to post locations that can be used for photo shoots, film and/or events. I also plan to tell you about the east end of Long Island, why you should bring your advertising dollars here and how to go about it. Another special feature I am excited about is sharing worldwide locations. I know everyone wants to think they found the perfect location but why reinvent the wheel. Let's face it, in this economic atmosphere, you may only be able to afford to shoot close to home. And if you can travel, a little help from your friends is always welcome. 

Did I mention my upcoming website?  Truthfully, the economy is hitting me too and this blog will allow me to shamelessly promote my services until my website is up and running. I will keep you posted.

Meanwhile take a look at my first location (S106 under Photo Albums). It is a stunning traditional architecture home refurbished by the homeowner. He put his heart, soul and remarkably good taste into this house. If nothing else you are going to be jealous that you don't live there. I cannot take credit for the photos. The homeowner is a professional photographer and shot these photos.