Welcome to Chateau Squirrel

Hello!

Welcome to Stony Brook. In the spring of 2020, I put in new walls, new sliding glass doors, a new shower & vanity, new floors, a new stove, fridge & kitchen sink and most of the furniture is new. I have inner tubes and inflatable kayaks as well.

Here are some things to make your visit more enjoyable. If you have any problems – any problems at all – please call or text me. I can only help with a problem if I know about it. 202-878-2571

  1. Technology:
    1. Entering the apartment: There is a keypad (the code is on the check info on Airbnb or you can text/call me) to get in. If you run into any problems, please let me know. There haven’t been any yet but there is a first for everything.
    2. WiFi: There are three networks for the house. All have Squirrel in the name and the password is in the check info on Airbnb. You can also text me for it.
    3. TV: The TV has a Roku. I have YouTubeTV installed. It has all the local channels and a bunch more. In January 2021, the Roku channel began offering HBO Max but there are also a few HBO channels in YouTube TV. There are premium channels on the Roku that I have not bought packages for so if you are asked for a pin, you have stumbled onto one of those. I really only watch YouTube TV (unlimited DVR) and Netflix. Also, the remote controls the volume but the buttons are on the side.
    4. Phone: This area is notorious for bad cell coverage. I use WiFi calling a lot. If you need to use it and need help, please let me know.
  2. The creek:
    1. Getting to the creek: You can access the water from the house. Walk down the path with the railing to the road and go left. Before you get to the grass there is a fence. The public path to the water is to the left – there is some mulch on the ground. On the right is private but the left path is public. Please stay to the left of the fence. The area with the grass to the right of the fence is private property. If you have any questions about this, let me know.
    2. Tubing on the creek: I have kayaks, inner tubes and rafts. There is also a cooler raft in the living room.
    3. Walking to the village from the creek: You can walk to the village along the beach as long the tide is between half-tide and low tide. Follow the path to the water and keep to your left. Keep going and you will get to Sand Street Beach. Beyond that, you will reach the Stony Brook Yacht Club and beyond that the village green. It is my favorite walk in the area.
  3. Stony Brook Village: This is a very historic area. You can find shops and restaurants down there that are open for indoor dining. Sweet Mamas is low-key American, Pentimento is higher-end Italian, Crazy Beans offers breakfast and lunch and the Grist Mill Eatery is a great place for lunch and they sell duck food. You can also get duck food at the gas station.
  4. The patio: Feel free to enjoy the patio. I have an umbrella for the square table but it may be down depending on the weather. I have left some citronella candles to keep bugs away.
  5. Bugs: I do have the house treated regularly but this is the woods. There may be a few in the apartment. For instance, there is nothing I can do about spider crickets. They are harmless and look like a cross between a spider and a shrimp. If you see termites or a lot of bugs, please let me know. Also, I am not sure if it is because the house is in the woods but from time to time, I see spiders. If you see one and need help with it, please let me know. I use Aptive Environmental and they are the most environmentally friendly company on Long Island.
  6. Cleaning: Before any guest arrives, I have Cleaned to Perfection come in and clean the apartment. If you find something is not as clean as you would like it to be, please let me know.
  7. Heating & Cooling: The controls are upstairs. I try to keep it comfortable in the apartment but if you are hot or cold, please let me know. The fireplace works and there is a space heater you can use. I have a second heater if you need it.
  8. Lighting: It is much easier to control the living room ceiling light and fan with the remote control.
  9. Towels & linens: If you need more, just let me know. I keep extra towels on the bookshelf in the bedroom.
  10. Kitchen: If there is something you need to cook that isn’t downstairs, let me know and I will see if I have it upstairs. The ice in the freezer is new.

The creek tide this weekend — September 3 – 6, 2021

Note: these tides are really for the West Meadow Beach but the creek tides are linked. You can walk to the Village via the beach if the tide is about half-tide or less. If you want to go tubing, I usually go in right around high tide and the current carries me into the creek and then back out to where I started. Let me know if you have any questions.

It looks like it is going to be very cool this weekend but the water is very warm. Monday may be the best day for tubing/kayaking. If you want to do that on Monday, you can check out whenever.

Friday:

  • Low: 3:24 am; 3:34 pm
  • High: 9:31 am; 9:44 pm

Saturday:

  • Low: 4:11 am, 4:22 pm
  • High: 10:16 am; 10:34 p,

Sunday:

  • Low: 4:55 pm; 5:07 pm
  • High: 10:58 am; 11:12 pm

Monday:

  • Low: 5:36 am; 5:51 pm
  • High: 11:39 am; 11:54 pm

The West Meadow Beach and Wetlands Reserve:

The area across the creek is the West Meadow Wetlands Reserve. There is a nice park along Trustees Road.

If you are interested in American history, specifically the Revolution, Netflix has the series, Turn: Washington’s Spies. It takes place in Setauket (the next town over) they do mention Stony Brook (once, I was too excited about that). Key people portrayed in the show such as Abraham Woodhull & Anna Strong are buried around here. He is in the Setauket Presbyterian Church graveyard and she is in a cemetery in Stongs Neck (a super beautiful spot).

I posted a few guidebooks to the area on the Airbnb website and am usually around if you need recommendations for a place to eat, shop, sightsee… I work from home as a writer, comedian, and consultant (you may hear me doing Zoom shows and workshops — sorry, I try to be quiet) so if you need something, the odds are good that I will be around.

If there is something I didn’t cover or if you need something, please ask me. I really would like your time here to be pleasant and I love telling people about this area. I grew up here — a lot of the time in this house — but never appreciated it until I moved back in 2019.

If you have any problems or issues, please let me know so I can try to make things right. You can text or call me at 202-878-2571.