Neighborhood Spotlight: Roslyn’s Gold Coast Charm

By Bernadette Starzee Wendy Shulman fell in love with Roslyn the first time she drove through the historic village on the North Shore. “It’s a beautiful, quaint town with an old clock tower and landmark houses—one is more gorgeous than the next,” says the South Africa native, who chose the village for the home of her Roslyn Salt Cave , a wellness center that she opened in 2018. “Roslyn has everything—a movie theater, a post office, great restaurants and shops,” Shulman says. “You never have to go anywhere else.” SEASONED PAST One of Roslyn’s most striking features is its historic homes in the Main Street Historic District, one of two historic districts. It includes 50 buildings, mostly 19th-century Federal and Greek Revival homes. House tours are available through the Roslyn Landmark Society ( 36 Main St., 516.625.4363 ). Cedarmere (Photo: David HalperinMedia Workshop) Other historic buildings include the iconic Ellen E. Ward Memorial Clock Tower , circa 1895, which rises 44 feet above the intersection of Main Street and Old Northern Blvd., the Roslyn Grist Mill ( 1345 Old Northern Blvd. ), a watermill dating to the early 1700s that will soon become an education center, and Cedarmere ( 225 Bryant Ave. ), the former home of poet William Cullen Bryant, now a museum. Wendy Shulman SALT AND PEP Shulman’s Roslyn Salt Cave ( 17 Lumber Rd., Ste. 8, 516.629.7089 ) is a wellness center with two caves constructed from bricks of pink Himalayan salt; salt pumped into the air provides a cleansing, calming experience. Also offered are acupuncture, massage, reiki energy healing, and yoga. It is located at the Roslyn Lumber Yard, a luxury mixed-use development featuring retailers and apartments on a former waterfront industrial property downtown. TAKE A WALK Shulman enjoys Roslyn’s walkability. From work, she can walk to bucolic Gerry Pond Park , “which has a pond, paths, and benches where you can absorb the sunshine and feed the ducks.” The movie theater, post office, restaurants, and boutiques are all within a short stroll of the park, as is the Roslyn Long Island Rail Road station. Gerry Pond Park’s replica of an 18th-century Marly Horse statue built for King Louis XV of France. (Photo: Barry WinikerStockByteGetty) ON THE MENU “ Thyme ( 8Tower Pl., 516.625.2566 ) is always delicious, for dinner or Sunday brunch. It overlooks the water and makes you feel like you’ve escaped to a provincial little town. Hendrick’s Tavern ( 1305 Old Northern Blvd., 516.621.1200 ) is excellent and has a great outside area and an amazing brunch.” Kyma (Photo: Bryan Derballa) Other favorites include Kyma ( 1446 Old Northern Blvd., 516.621.3700 ) for Greek food; Roslyn Social ( 1363 Old Northern Blvd., 516.801.4963 ), which has “a casual, sports bar vibe and great food”; and Gatsby’s Landing ( 1362 Old Northern Blvd., 516.277.2318 ) on the water, which “has a superb menu and superb service.” Gatsby’s Landing “ Diane’s Bakery Cafe ( 23 Bryant Ave., 516.621.2522 ) is way too delicious.”Shulman also enjoys Delicacies Gourmet ( 1354 Old Northern Blvd., 516.484.7338 ), “an incredible deli,” and Yolo ( 1355 Old Northern Blvd., 516.200.9191 ) for frozen yogurt and dessert. The Roslyn Hotel, “an old-fashioned supper club, great for dinner, drinks, and live entertainment,” houses the excellent restaurant 1221 at MFP ( 1221 Old Northern Blvd., 516.583.9803 ) serving contemporary American cuisine. Explore your next move in Long Island.