Fire Island 2010, part 13

Written at 9:38 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21, on the Long Island Railroad between Sayville and Oakdale.

Today brought me to the Eastside Kids Arts Show in Ocean Beach, the 30th annual Cherry Grove archives exhibit, to Sweet Licks to interview Linda and her granddaughter Melinda, to my Torontonian friend Bonte’s barbecue on Greene Walk, to the Pines to meet with a Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association vice presidential candidate and back to the Grove to attempt to understand the hamlet’s drag queens through Dallas Dubois and Logan Hardcore's eyes. Aside from the group of city-bound women who obviously don’t understand the concept of inside voices on the train, I am quite content at the moment.

This summer's last print edition of the Fire Island News hits the beach on Thursday, and this time of year is always bittersweet. I certainly look forward to returning to the city full-time after roughly four months on the beach. That said, however, the end of the summer obviously means winter will come—and anyone who knows me remotely well is acutely aware of how much I loathe cold and specially snow. Those days are mercifully months away, but here are three observations and lessons from the previous week.

- Insect repellent is an essential accessory for anyone who visits the beach.
- Gusty Winds jumping in the Ice Palace pool to celebrate Logan Hardcore’s birthday on Saturday, Aug. 21, proved the Grove’s drag queens’ sisterhood is even stronger than I had previously thought.
- Mary calling me the “Carrie Bradshaw of Fire Island” outside Sandbar in Ocean Beach on Tuesday, Aug. 17, is one of the best compliments I have ever received—and I wasn’t even wearing Manolo Blahniks (I was wearing a pair of black Old Navy flip flips that cost less than $3 for anyone who may want to know.)



Birthday Bingo at the Ice Palace on Monday, Aug. 16.



Inside the Fire Island Lighthouse.



Looking east towards Ocean Beach from the top of the Fire Island Lighthouse on Tuesday, Aug. 17.



On the way to Bay Shore on Saturday, Aug. 21.



Gusty Winds celebrates Logan Hardcore's birthday on Saturday, Aug. 21, in her own unique way.



A birthday wish scrolled onto an inflatable penis at the Ice Palace.