The Metro NY Balloon & Music Festival is slated to take flight Friday, Aug. 8, through Sunday, Aug. 10, at Brookhaven Calabro Airport in Shirley. The events include more than 35 hot-air balloons and 40-plus bands. Tickets are $20 for adults; $12 for ages 5 to 11; and free for kids 4 and younger. For additional information: 516-794-4444;
metronyballoonfest.com.
And while you're en route, here are four spots where you can dine.
Mama Lisa, 1495 Montauk Hwy., Mastic; 631-395-4600
COST $-$$
Pizza and pasta are the primary food groups. But you can get your Parmigiana fix here, too. And how do you resist a combo platter of ziti, ravioli, stuffed shells and manicotti? The pizzas include a white pie, a stuffed pie, and the specialty pie, with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, prosciutto and black olives.
PaintersRestaurant , 416 South Country Rd., Brookhaven; 631-286-6264;
paintersrestaurant.com
COST $-$$
Colorful and entertaining, Painters sends out a palette of cuisines and dishes. Go for pastas or a vegetarian stir-fry with rice, chicken wings and nachos, quesadillas, calamari with chipotle sauce, strip steak, marinated skirt steak, Thai mixed grill, smoked hoisin-barbecued ribs. Variety for sure.
Red Smoke, 2554 Montauk Hwy., Brookhaven; 631-803-0306;
redsmokebbq.com
COST $-$$
Barbecue is the theme at Red Smoke. Come for the pulled pork, smoked chicken, baby back ribs and company. The eatery also offers fried chicken, chicken wings, burgers, chile, nachos and plenty of combo platters, to eat in or to take out.
Spicy's, 509 Station Rd., Bellport; 631-286-2755
COST $
Spicy's is spare and bare, genteel and basic, to eat in or to take out. And it's all about barbecue, from chopped pork to pork ribs, chicken, collards and more - all leading up to the elemental sweet-potato pie. There's a branch in Riverhead at 225 W. Main St.; 631-727-2781.
