A slide talk sponsored by the Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons, "Botanical Treasures From the Sierra Madre Oriental," will take place at the Bridgehampton Community House on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

John G. Fairey and Carl M. Schoenfeld, nurserymen from Texas, will narrate the show. Mr. Fairey and Mr. Schoenfeld have led over 60 expeditions into remote regions in northeast Mexico to collect seed and plants for testing and distribution in the United States, Europe, and Korea - work for which they received the American Horticultural Society's 1996 Commercial Award. In 1990, they provided the National Cancer Institute with a specimen of Taxus globosa to be used in a research project.

The discussion of unusual plants, many of which are hardy north of Texas, is free to Horticultural Alliance members; nonmembers are asked for a $5 contribution. Refreshments will be served

Garden Club

Another organization for green thumbs, The Olde Towne Garden Club, will meet on Monday at noon at the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street in Southampton. A lunch, prepared by Catherine Cary, Dee DeNiff, Charlotte Gleason, Mary Maran, Diana Seuringer, and Pat Bauer, will be served before the installation of new officers.

Also at the meeting, the club historian, Ann Lingwood, will narrate a slide presentation called "Out With the Old, In With the New."

The South Fork Natural History Society is going in search of the rare blue-spotted salamander in Montauk on Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. Anyone curious to see one of these endangered amphibians has been asked to call the society's Natureline in Amagansett.

Ospreys will be the focus of a two-day mission launched by the Group for the South Fork on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., to repair existing rookeries and build new ones. About 250 ospreys are expected to return to Long Island this year - fewer than the number of ospreys inhabiting this area before the pesticide DDT was used. Osprey eggs were rendered so thin that they broke because of DDT ingested by the birds. The chemical has been banned for over a decade, but the osprey population has not fully recovered. For more information, those interested are asked to call the Group's headquarters in Bridgehampton.

The East Hampton Trails Preservation Society is heading east on Sunday for a "guest speaker" hike along the shore at the Montauk Lighthouse. The hike will follow a tour of the lighthouse and its museum guided by Marge Winski, the lighthouse keeper. Hikers are asked to meet at 10 a.m. at the entrance to the Camp Hero community located about a mile east of Deep Hollow Ranch.

Although LaCarrubba's clothing store, a fixture on Amagansett's Main Street for more than 60 years, has been sold, one of its new owners said customers can expect things to remain pretty much the same.

"I want to sell quality clothing at competitive prices, provide good service, and cater to the local clientele," said John Pawlukojc of East Hampton.

Mr. Pawlukojc owned the Southampton Outdoor Store and formerly managed a store in Huntington. He and his partner, Barry Adelman, who also owns a clothing store in Chester, N.Y., took over the business on Saturday.

The LaCarrubba's name will remain, at least for now, because "I wanted to keep that hometown feeling," said Mr. Pawlukojc. "I don't want people to think it's some fancy-schmancy shop."

Won't Retire

The former owners, Joe and Sal LaCarrubba, grew up in an apartment behind the store and worked there since graduating from high school in the 1950s.

"It was time," said Joe, who will turn 65 in June. Sal added that he was ready to try something new after being in the clothing business all his life and will open a small home-repair business. Joe said he would also seek some type of part-time work. The brothers still retain ownership of the building, however.

While the new owners plan to sell a similar type of casual, outdoorsy merchandise for men and women, Mr. Pawlukojc said the store's existing lines, like Levi's, Woolrich, Timberland, and Carhart, will probably be expanded to include Patagonia and Polo "just to add a little flavor."

Coveted Dump Shirts

But the LaCarrubbas have already advised Mr. Pawlukojc not to tinker with success: One of the store's staples and a much-sought-after item, the East Hampton Town Dump T-shirts, available in navy blue and red, will still be sold.

The dump shirts have been spotted as far away as San Francisco, according to Joe LaCarrubba. Another customer spotted a LaCarrubba's T-shirt and hat in Moscow, to boot, he added.

Over the years, "we went through all the fashions," he said, recalling how style had changed from chinos, to blue jeans, to bell-bottoms, and back again. "Everything goes in cycles," he said.

'I wanted to keep that home town feeling. I don't want people to think it's some fancy-schmancy shop.'

John Pawlukojc

LaCarrubba's New Owner

"There was the time when everyone was wearing polyester," added Sal. "Now you can't even look at it." The memory of early 1970s garishly colored leisure suits, arguably the low point of American fashion, caused him to chuckle. "And people actually wore them," he said.

Began With Shoe Repair

The family business was started as a shoe repair shop in 1932 by the LaCarrubbas' father, Salvatore. He soon expanded. "Right after he open ed, the salesmen came out and said, 'Why don't you sell some shoes?' " said Joe. Their father quickly moved into clothing as well and enlarged his building in the 1950s.

Joe joined his father after graduating from East Hampton High School in 1951, Sal in 1957. Both "took two years off for Uncle Sam," said Sal.

The brothers eventually expanded to Southampton, building the store that now houses Deerfield Clothing in 1957, before selling out 25 years ago. For 16 years, starting in the early 1970s, they also ran a bicycle shop in the space next to the clothing store that now houses Cycle Path. "We've still got a lot of bikes pedaling around," said Sal.

The two biggest changes to come to Amagansett during their years in business, both men agreed, were the widening of the Montauk Highway in the early 1950s and the development of the Amagansett Square shopping center starting in the 1980s.

First Aid, Too

Although community groups had sounded the alarm that the retail complex with its factory outlet shops would siphon local business when it expanded in the early 1990s, "we didn't think it would affect us," said Joe. "If anything, it has helped us because it has brought more shoppers to Amagansett," he said.

Over the years, the LaCarrubbas developed the trust of the community. "Parents would send their kids. They knew we wouldn't oversell them. Everyone was a friend, but you happened to do business with them," said Joe.

The store became something of a village center, with people stopping in to ask directions, get the name of a good carpenter, or have a package or fax sent - a practice Mr. Pawlukojc said he would continue.

Others have come in seeking more serious help: "Once a guy cut his hand badly and came rushing in," recalled Sal. "We bandaged him right up." The LaCarrubbas, who are both members of the Amagansett Fire Department and ambulance squad, even took regular blood-pressure readings for some customers, according to Joe.

The brothers have promised to pitch in during the transition. "You're still going to see us around here once in a while," said Sal LaCarrubba.

The Coalition for Hither Woods is back.

Formed in 1982, the group killed the largest subdivision ever proposed in East Hampton Town and by 1989 had won preservation of 1,335 acres of Montauk wilderness. Its members, some of whom went on to work in town government, have joined forces once again, this time to fight a rumored proposal to build an 18-hole golf course in the adjacent Hither Hills State Park.

"This idea will be violently opposed. . . . It'll get nasty if Mr. Wankel tries to put a golf course in the heart of the largest coastal forest preserve in the entire northeast United States," said Richard Whalen, a deputy town attorney, coalition co-founder, and member of the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society.

Not At Camp Hero

Under Edward Wankel, a deputy state parks commissioner and a golfing enthusiast, the Parks Department had proposed to build a golf course at Camp Hero, near the Montauk Lighthouse. The plan met with widespread opposition, and state officials are now saying it is on a back burner.

George Gorman, a Parks Department spokesman, said a Camp Hero course was "no longer a top priority."

"Hiking, biking, camping, and more passive recreation is what we're thinking about there," he said.

The state's change of heart came after the National Park Service, which gave Camp Hero to the state but retained a proprietary interest in it, rejected the idea of a golf course.

State Eyes Other Sites

However, saying it is faced with a demand for more golf courses and a need to maximize revenue, the Parks Department is now "evaluating" its other holdings in Montauk as possible sites of a golf course, said Mr. Gorman.

He denied that Hither Hills was among the possibilities, although several local officials have reported receiving inquiries from state parks officials about how the idea would be received.

Lisa Liquori, the town planning director, said such an inquiry had been made of her, and Lisa Grenci and Rav Freidel, the current and past presidents of Concerned Citizens of Montauk, said the same.

"We are only evaluating the recreational uses in all our holdings in Montauk," said Mr. Gorman yesterday.

The state owns Montauk Downs and has received innumerable complaints from golfers who have been unable to book a tee time at the course there, said Mr. Gorman. He said he did not know if the state was considering privatizing the Downs as well.

Three Possibilities

"There is an undeniable demand for another golf course in Montauk," he said.

Within that area, the state now owns just three parks large enough for 18 holes, a parking lot, a clubhouse, and other golfing amenities, comprising some 250 acres at least: Camp Hero, Hither Hills, and Napeague Meadow State Park, which is all sand and marsh meadow.

The residents who fought years ago to preserve Hither Woods said they are convinced the state is zeroing in on Hither Hills, and are organizing a full-scale attack.

Will Mobilize

"We will follow through regardless of whether they say there are plans at this point," said Mr. Whalen. "Mr. Wankel's only objective as a government employee seems to be to increase the number of golf courses out here. . . . Hikers, bikers, and birdwatchers don't produce revenue for state parks."

Mr. Whalen and Thomas Ruhle, a co-founder of the coalition who later became a Town Councilman, have begun meeting with some of their old coalition comrades, as well as supporters from Concerned Citizens of Montauk, the Trails Preservation Society, and other local groups.

State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., who is leading the attack on the state's proposed gentrification and privatization of the Sag Harbor golf course on Barcelona Neck, is also a coalition supporter.

Hither Woods

The parkland between Napeague Harbor and Fort Pond Bay is known collectively as Hither Woods but is actually made up of three contiguous parks, 3,165 acres in all.

The state-owned Hither Hills is the westernmost, stretching from ocean to bay and taking in a campground, the Walking Dunes, Fresh Pond, and Goff Point - 1,855 acres altogether.

The 777-acre Lee Koppelman Preserve to the east is owned by the county. Hither Woods proper, 558 acres owned jointly by the state, county, and town, lies to the north of the Koppelman Preserve and at the eastern headland of Fort Pond Bay.

Sag Harbor Course

As a result of his meetings with the coalition, Mr. Thiele said he would expand a bill he was introducing this week on the Sag Harbor golf course. It would require the Parks Department to create a management plan for the park and would impose a moratorium on any development there until the plan is in place.

Mr. Thiele said there did not appear to be a management plan for Hither Hills either.

In 1968, the Parks Department proposed an 18-hole course and clubhouse there, between Montauk Point State Boulevard and the train tracks, but the idea was shelved when the state bought Montauk Downs.

Hanging Around

However, the plans still hang in the department's regional headquarters at Belmont Lake in Babylon, confirmed Mr. Gorman, and show golf links scattered from the highway to the edge of Fresh Pond.

Mr. Wankel told some Montauk residents that the death of the Camp Hero proposal was the rebirth of the one at Hither Hills, which won approval with the help of then-Assemblyman Perry B. Duryea Jr., a Montauk resident.

Thiele's Management Plan

The state's plan for the Sag Harbor golf course could involve a new clubhouse, higher greens fees, and an irrigation system. Its critics have been angered in part by the lack of public disclosure about the Parks Department's intentions.

"The discussions occurred in the back rooms of agencies in Albany," charged Mr. Thiele. The process for adopting a management plan would include public hearings, though.

"The local community and local government would be invited to participate," said the Assemblyman. "Once it's out in the open, we can all look at the environmental impacts and the full realm of possible uses, and make rational decisions."

Original Coalition

Mr. Whalen said the reconstituted Coalition for Hither Woods would look very much like the old one, which ceased having any reason to meet after the Koppelman Preserve was created in 1989.

He recalled that "within a week" after he and Mr. Ruhle, a college friend and now the deputy town housing director, decided to push for the preservation of Hither Woods, a large group of residents, environmentalists, sportsmen, and outdoor enthusiasts had assembled under the common goal.

Among them were the then-president of C.C.O.M., Richard Johnson; Larry Penny, now the town natural resources director; Russell Stein, then counsel to Group for the South Fork and later a town attorney; Charlene Briand, who went on to become a member of the Zoning Board of Ap peals, and Mr. Freidel and Carol Morrison, future C.C.O.M. presidents.

Natural Features

They argued that Hither Woods sits atop a major groundwater aquifer (the Suffolk County Water Authority later kicked in $1 million to help buy the Koppelman Preserve) and contains irreplaceable natural and historical features.

These include the Old North Road, a pre-Colonial Indian trail used in this century by bootleggers; the Ram Level prairie, the cavernous Devil's Cradle kettlehole, dunelands, and more.

Hither Woods has since become a significant link in the Paumanok Trail, which runs from Montauk Point to Rocky Point in Brookhaven. Completing and maintaining the trail has become a unifier for hikers, mountain bikers, hunters, cross-country skiers, birdwatchers, and others.

Right To The Top

"It would be crazy to cut the heart out of Hither Woods," said Mr. Whalen. "A golf course is a development, and traditionally is dependent on chemicals. You have to clear-cut 200 to 250 acres."

"And it's not just a golf course. There's infrastructure - a parking lot, street lights, a restaurant, a pro shop. It would be insane."

He said the same people who were opposed to golf at Camp Hero are op posed to it at Hither Woods, and they were all planning to "go over Mr. Wankel's head" to get "formal protec tion, so we don't have to fight off any other stupid proposals in the future."

Dead Bodies

Mr. Freidel said he was back on board too, and that many newcomers were joining up: "There's this diverse group of people all saying, 'This will happen over my dead body.'"

"We're all sympathetic to the recreational needs of this community, but it's not like we're making any more forests. I'm not a hunter, but if you put in a golf course, then where will they hunt? I'm not a trail biker either, but if you put in a golf course, where do you do your trail biking?"

"Hither Woods is the largest undeveloped parcel on the East End, outside of the pine barrens. It would be a shame to make it a lawn," said Mr. Freidel.

"Bethpage already has five golf courses," he added, "and the state is going to put in a sixth. If they put another one in Montauk, will it stop there?"

With their conventions a few months off, the East Hampton Town Democratic and Republican Committees have begun their search for residents interested in running for town office.

Sifting through names of the qualified and willing, the Republicans have so far come up with two that are more familiar in Southampton Town Hall.

Edward Deyermond, Southampton's appointed head assessor, confirmed last week he is considering a run for the East Hampton Town Board, possibly for Supervisor. Brian Gilbride, who was ousted in the fall as head of sanitation, said he too has been approached, to run for Highway Superintendent.

Both men live on the East Hampton side of Sag Harbor Village and are members of the Sag Harbor Village Board.

Sixteen Vacancies

Every two years, 16 town positions fall vacant. This year, they are Supervisor, two Town Board members, Town Clerk, Highway Superintendent, one Justice, one Assessor, and all nine Trustees.

Eleven of the 16 jobs to be voted on are now held by Republicans.

The Republican town leader, Perry B. (Chip) Duryea 3d, said his party, boosted by its majority position, is finding no shortage of interested residents.

The process of screening prospective candidates may move along so swiftly that the committee could hold its convention in the first week of June, he said, a month earlier than usual.

Incumbent Democrats

The Democrats are keeping their plans a little closer to the vest, although one insider thought they too were looking for an early convention.

The party's leader, Christopher Kelley, declined to discuss specifics, saying only that the Democrats would run their five incumbents: Supervisor Cathy Lester, Town Clerk Fred Yardley, Highway Superintendent Christopher Russo, Justice Cathy Cahill, and Trustee Harold Bennett.

"No one seems dissatisfied with their job," said Mr. Kelley, adding that neither did anyone on the committee seem dissatisfied with the job any of the incumbents are doing.

He said a subcommittee was screening prospective candidates, especially for the two Town Board seats now occupied by Councilman Thomas Knobel and Councilwoman Nancy McCaffrey, both Republicans. It has not yet begun screening for Trustee candidates, though.

G.O.P. Eyes Sag Harbor

The Republicans, who already have a long-standing stronghold in Montauk, are expected to zero in on Sag Harbor this year, where they are outnumbered.

Hence the interest in Mr. Deyermond, Mr. Gilbride, and in the G.O.P.'s 1995 Highway Superintendent hopeful, James Bennett.

Mr. Bennett came closer to ousting Mr. Russo, who was elected by wide margins four times and who ran unopposed in 1993, than previous contenders.

One committeewoman said that should Mr. Bennett want another shot at Mr. Russo's job, Mr. Gilbride could be invited to take the ninth Trustee spot.

Gilbride Likes A Fight

Mr. Gilbride confirmed he was approached "by a few people."

"It's not something I'm chasing after, but a good fight never hurt anybody," he said, adding he has not worked since November. "I'mspending time with my family," he said. He was fired last autumn from his $60,000-a-year job after six years as sanitation chief and a total 26 years on the Southampton payroll.

The Southampton Town Board said the firing was part of its plan to overcome a department deficit, exacerbated by the disappearance of $86,000 worth of trash bags the town sells for recycling and $8,000 from a safe that was found pried open. Mr. Gilbride was not implicated in the thefts.

For Town Trustee

There are eight East Hampton Town Trustee seats now held by Republicans. The lone Democrat, Harold Bennett, has been scouting out fellow candidates, and the name of Frank Kennedy, a town code enforcement officer, has been mentioned.

His predecessor, Anita Miller, will reportedly be interviewed by the Republicans. Ms. Miller quit her code enforcement job suddenly last year.

Democratic organizers are said to be once again trying to recruit Roberta Gosman, a Planning Board member and well-known restaurateur from Montauk, to run for Town Board.

She came within a handful of votes of taking the seat held this past year by Councilman Len Bernard, whose 1995 win gave the G.O.P. its first Town Board majority in a dozen years.

Knobel Seeks Top Spot

And, Job Potter, a fellow Planning Board member who made two unsuccessful bids for Trustee on the Democratic ticket, has reportedly been interviewed for a Town Board slot.

Mr. Duryea said that all 11 Republican incumbents were welcome to run again, confirming that Councilwoman McCaffrey is interested in a third term.

The party leader confirmed that Councilman Knobel was interested in the nomination for Supervisor.

"Tom is held in high regard and wherever he decides to place his political eggs, he will be given due consideration," said Mr. Duryea.

He noted, however, that Mr. Knobel won his board seat in 1993 by an impressive margin and said the Councilman might "have an edge as an incumbent" for that job that he might not have for Supervisor.

Deyermond May Run

Mr. Deyermond was one of East Hampton's three elected Assessors for 12 years, but left in 1990 for an appointed job as Southampton's sole assessor.

He was recently given an additional six years on the job. He earns about the same there as he would as Supervisor, but at least $20,000 a year more than he would as a Councilman.

"I'm considering it," Mr. Deyermond said. "It's something I've always wanted to do. This may or may not be the right time."

He added that if he decided to run, it would be a quality-of-life decision: "It certainly wouldn't be for the other thing," the money.

Republican Majority

In assessing the various prospects, Mr. Duryea said he was looking at "the ongoing record of the Town Board majority to date" and the willingness of candidates "to fall in line with our overall philosophy: streamlining government, cutting costs, and redirecting personnel to make things more efficient."

"Ed certainly has that track record," said Mr. Duryea, noting Mr. Deyermond was known in East Hampton for working easily with Democrats and Republicans alike and for modernizing the assessors' office.

The five-member Town Board has been dominated by its three Republicans for 13 highly contentious months. During that time the majority has rolled back the recycling program, appointed supporters to various boards and jobs at Town Hall, and restructured various departments.

For Town Justice

One of their first moves was to name as town attorney Robert Savage, who had run unsuccessfully the year before for Town Justice. Friends said at the time of Mr. Savage's appointment that he was clear about his desire for a second chance at the bench, but he declined to confirm or deny that for The Star.

Last week, a Republican committeeman said Mr. Savage and Robert Kouffman, who founded the Town Independence Party Committee and shortly after stepped down as its chairman, would both be screened as Justice candidates.

Mr. Kouffman is a former East Hampton Village prosecutor who sought the Republican nomination before joining the Independence Party. He has a private practice in East Hampton, as does Mr. Savage, a former assistant district attorney.

Sidney Green, who resigned Tuesday as Southampton College's men's basketball coach, said yesterday that it had become abundantly clear to him during a telephone conversation with his 10-year-old son, Taurean, last week that he should return to Florida "to do the fatherly thing."

"He had been up to some mischief, and I wanted to correct him," said Mr. Green. "At first, he didn't understand. It took me five times to explain myself. My son and my daughter [LaShawn, 12] need me. I want to wake up with them in the morning, see them off to school, and be there for my wife [Deidra]."

The former National Basketball Association power forward, who played with the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, among other teams, had commuted between the East End and Orlando, Fla., where his wife and children had remained in residence during the two seasons he was the Runnin' Colonials' coach. In that brief tenure, he turned Southampton's program around, compiling a 29-26 record - 16-13 last year, and 13-13 this season.

"Very Emotional Meeting"

He told the team of his decision Monday night "at a very emotional meeting. I said I hoped that in some way, shape, or form I had had a positive impact on their lives, and that I was sure they'd be successful in whatever endeavors they chose. And I said that if in their view I had done some negative things, that when it came to those instances they had learned what not to do."

The talk had been when he first arrived at Southampton that Mr. Green had planned to stay for three years, though he said yesterday he had had no particular plan in mind. He was satisfied, he said, that the attitudinal change he sought had been brought about, and that therefore there was no reason why the men's basketball program could not continue to thrive.

"Of course, to a coach, winning is important, but it's the way you play that is the most important," said Mr. Green. "I've always told my players that there's no disgrace in losing, but it is disgraceful when winning or losing no longer matters. You don't want losing to become a habit, either on the court or in life. The attitude that I found when I came here has changed immensely. . . . It's the maturation of these kids that I've loved the most. I have nothing but praise for all my players. There is nothing but success written on this program."

While the 1996-97 team had not fared quite as well as last year's, which had posted the most wins for a Southampton College men's basketball team in many years, Mr. Green said, "Look at how we played," noting that the 96-97 Runnin' Colonials had won five of their last seven games to finish at .500.

Ryan Urged To Apply

Mr. Green said that he had urged the underclassmen whom he had recruited - players like Greg Testaverde, Kosta Diamantis, and Kevin Fleming - to stay on, and that he had turned over to the college's athletic director, Mary Topping, the names of all the players he'd been interested in recruiting for next season. "It's a big list . . . players throughout the country. I hope they'll still come to Southampton College."

Kevin Ryan, Mr. Green's chief assistant the past two years, has been urged by the outgoing coach to throw his hat in the ring for the head-coaching job. Mr. Green will serve as a consultant in the search for a replacement.

His and Mr. Ryan's philosophies were "pretty much the same," he said, adding, in reply to a question, that "one person is not the show. I told the kids, I'm the director, they're the stars. The stars will always shine if they apply what they've been taught."

As for his coaching future, Mr. Green said he had nothing in mind at the moment. "My objective now is to go back home to my family - a.s.a.p."

As for Southampton, he said, "the administration, the faculty, the staff, the students, and especially the student-athletes I've coached will always have a special part of my heart. They've been immeasurably nice to me. I give them my thanks."

March is the month when the Hamptons plays musical restaurants. Old names crop up in new places, new names appear with a fanfare on the site of old favorites, and some of last year's blazing stars disappear over the horizon. It's a fact of life in any resort area with busy summers and a long off-season, but it's unsettling.

And that makes it all the nicer when a restaurant, particularly a small, independent one, finds its niche and can be found in the same place spring after spring. It's as reassuring as the first crocus.

Cafe Max, housed in a little dollhouse of a building beside the highway in East Hampton, is one such. It has put down roots, collected a loyal clientele, and looks as if it's here to stay.

The chef and owner, Max Weintraub, ran the restaurant at the Maidstone Arms for many years until new ownership prompted him to make a move. That turned out for the best, as it has given him a chance to provide a more informal atmosphere and set his personal stamp more firmly.

The informality starts with the sensible message on the answering machine when you call to make a reservation. Last week it announced that there was no need to make a reservation for Friday, just come along, but leave your name and number for a Saturday reservation if it was for more than three people. So civilized.

The small dining area is attractive and cozy and, thanks to the high barn ceiling, does not seem overcrowded even when every table is packed, as it was one night last week.

Cafe Max has an excellent wine list with one helpful feature that should be copied by others. It marks the wines with one or more stars, according to the ratings system from the Wine Spectator.

In the old days, if you wanted a red wine you turned to the Bordeaux section or the Burgundy section and it was all pretty simple. But now, with good wines coming from California and Australia, Spain and Chile, Long Island and Outer Mompopoland, who can keep up, let alone know what was a good year?

The house Merlot is a fine choice and we would have happily continued with it had it not been outshone by a bright, eye-opening Beringer cabernet sauvignon which spoiled us for anything less.

Mellow Offerings

Good warm bread and little plates of excellent olives and roasted red peppers put diners in a mellow mood while they order. The appetizers, ranging from $4 to $8, included crab cakes with a good, strong crab taste and a nice crunch.

The lump crab meat was no more and no less. The fried calamari - yes, they're everywhere - were lovely, though the sauce lacked its usual zip on this occasion.

Highly recommended is the plate of roasted peppers, goat cheese, and anchovies. It sounds rather modest but the taste and texture combination is perfectly balanced.

The only disappointment was the Caesar salad, which was made with a rather dry, light-green lettuce instead of crunchy green Romano and lacked the distinctive Caesar salad flavors. The mixed salad, on the other hand, was a nice bouncy mix of ingredients with a pleasant, slightly sweet dressing.

Angelic Liver

The entrees range from $15 to $20 and always include a good selection of fresh local fish. Dishes tried with approval on earlier visits include cioppino, a saffron-flavored seafood stew, and the blackened Cajun bass, which is a winner.

I ran into a friend who ate there on Friday - she and her guest had had coq au vin and a sea scallop dish, about which she waxed poetic for some minutes.

The special the other evening was calves liver, which can be heaven when it's cooked right and hell when it isn't. On this occasion it was on the side of the angels, served with onions, herbed mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables.

Main Dishes

Perhaps the stars of the main dishes were the baby lamb cutlets, which were cooked to perfection, tender, and full of flavor.

Calves liver can be heaven when it's cooked right and hell when it isn't. It was on the side of the angels.

But the Veal Theresa, sauteed medallions of veal in a garlic and white wine sauce topped with shrimp, came a close second because of the subtle and interesting combination of flavors. It was served with some kind of polenta, dark and laced with herbs, that was totally delicious.

We tried two different pastas. One was an interesting combination of pesto, broccoli, garlic, and grilled fresh tuna. The tuna was a bit overdone, but it was a thought-provoking combination.

The other was lobster linguine, which comes with chunks of lobster meat in a garlic and tomato sauce. This is usually a surefire hit at Max's but on this occasion was a little underseasoned.

The pastas can be ordered in half portions or meatless, which is a nice customer-friendly touch.

Fabuloso!

All the desserts were spot on. The creme caramel was obviously freshly made in the kitchen. The strawberry shortcake was all it should be, with berries that weren't sour and real whipped cream.

There was a lime mousse pie that was very nice, a cranberry and nut concoction that was tasty and crunchy, and a chocolate mousse cake that was fabuloso.

Just like the restaurant itself, the food is fresh, down-to-earth, and pleasing.

Back And Back Again

One got the feeling that the diners had come back again and again (there was even one of those birthday moments - such fun for some and such embarrassment for others - when, with lights dimmed, a twinkling disco ball, and special music, a birthday cake is brought out to the table).

Toward the end of the evening, Mr. Weintraub emerges from his tiny kitchen and goes from table to table greeting diners and checking to make sure everyone is content.

Cafe Max is just about to close for a few weeks for its annual vacation, but will then be back as a firmly established and welcome part of the East End eating scene.

Hope To Lease East Hampton Station

East Hampton Village Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. has been workin' on the railroad. He is looking for a way for the village to take possession of the former ticket office at the Long Island Rail Road's East Hampton station, which its owner, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, wants to use as a revenue producer.

The L.I.R.R., an agency of the M.T.A., has put the building up for rent, along with stations in Southampton, Westhampton, Bay Shore, Glen Cove, Garden City, and Roslyn - none of which employs ticket agents any longer.

A Few Callers

To get the word out, the railroad last week ran ads in The New York Times, Newsday, and several local newspapers requesting proposals from commercial as well as nonprofit organizations for the spaces. The M.T.A. also wants to lease several stations on its Metro-North line.

"A handful of callers" responded by telephone this week about the East End stations, said Michael Charles, an L.I.R.R. spokesman, a couple of whom expressed an interest in renting both the East Hampton and Southampton stations.

"We might even sell," Mr. Charles said, "but the railroad would want to retain some rights." That's probably "not in the cards," though, he added.

The idea is to provide a "presence"in the now vacant stations, said Susan McGowan, of the L.I.R.R. public affairs office, and possibly a service for railroad patrons.

"We are sensitive to the historic nature of the East Hampton station," Ms. McGowan said. She added that it is "early in the process," and that the M.T.A. is "looking to generate interest and ideas." She said the agency would communicate with the Mayor and the Town Supervisor "as we get closer to choosing" a tenant.

Exempt From Zoning?

Protesting the move to "privatize" the station by leasing it, Mr. Rickenbach urged the transportation authority Monday "to donate the facility to the Village of East Hampton."

"God knows what might go in there," said Mr. Rickenbach. "We're very sensitive about that location," he said, adding that he was also concerned about extending the village's commercial district.

"We could be in treacherous waters," said Larry Cantwell, the Village Administrator, explaining that the M.T.A. is exempt from village zoning, planning, and review control. The question, however, is whether the agency remains exempt if it leases its space to a third party.

Agents Eliminated

The railroad eliminated ticket agents at several stations, including East Hampton, last September for economic reasons. Since then, East Hampton riders have used a ticket vending machine.

A promotional brochure describes the former ticket office/waiting room as a "one-story brick structure with canopied area, quaint interior." The roughly 22-by-43-foot structure sits on a 75-by-700-foot property parallel to the tracks, which includes "a walkway, parking, and automobile drive-through lot in front of the station building."

In a letter to the M.T.A. Monday, Mr. Rickenbach, characterizing the agency as "determined to abandon its responsibility for operating and maintaining the station," said the village would preserve the building's "historical significance." Indeed, East Hampton spent $750,000 in 1993 to improve the parking and traffic around the station, including on M.T.A. property, recalled Mr. Cantwell. "We couldn't get them [the railroad] to spend a dime."

"A Certain Dignity"

In addition, the East Hampton Ladies Village Improvement Society and the Garden Club jointly have spent some $12,000 in the past few years landscaping the area, maintaining the lawn, and planting roses and trees.

Robert Hefner, the village's historic consultant, noted that under L.I.R.R. control, the station's roof joists were "rotted and water was eroding the mortar of the brick walls."

The building has "a certain dignity in its original use as a train station," added Mr. Hefner. "It will be hard to find a compatible use that won't detract." He noted that the new roadway and proposed elevated platforms all take away from its "character of a rural resort station."

People here probably will find the scheme "appalling," said Mr. Cantwell. East Hamptoners, he added, have an "attachment to that station."

Citizens Want Montauk Spruced Up

Nicholas LaRocco, director of infrastructure for the Long Island Rail Road, visited the Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee on Monday night to present the plans for changes and improvements to the Montauk station. Members of the committee seized the opportunity to reprimand Mr. LaRocco for what one member called the "sorry state" of the existing yard.

The proposal calls for raising the existing platform four feet in order to accommodate the new bilevel cars that the railroad plans to introduce. The rest of the East End's train stations will have to be similarly modified.

The new trains will bring the railroad into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and will enable East End riders to travel directly to Penn Station without transferring at Jamaica.

Faster Speeds

The L.I.R.R. and its parent company, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, were criticized byEast End officials last winter when they first revealed plans for the new platforms as well as the elimination of ticket agents at the Southampton and East Hampton stations.

At a meeting with East Hampton officials at the time, Town Supervisor Cathy Lester had sternly suggested that the railroad discuss its plans with the various citizen advisory committees.

The new stainless steel trains proposed by the L.I.R.R. will be able to travel 80 m.p.h., much faster than the current 65 m.p.h. A dual-mode design is planned, enabling the trains to switch from diesel to electric operation. Better pickup and swifter brakes are other advantages, according to Mr. LaRocco. The trains will have larger, more comfortable restrooms and wider two-by-two seating, all handicapped accessible.

The existing platforms will be shortened to 510 feet from the current 1,300 feet and will accommodate six bilevel railroad cars, instead of the current nine single-level cars. The shorter platforms will allow more parking spaces in the lot.

On the platform will be gooseneck lighting along with a covered shelter made out of metal with a corrugated roof. Mr. LaRocco assured the committee that the design had been carefully planned to retain a rustic, East End-type of look. And that statement was what drew the ire of committee members.

When asked if landscaping or paving the dirt parking lot was included in the $1 million-plus that would be spent for the improvements in Montauk, Mr. LaRocco said no.

"Why not?" asked Harry Ellis, chairman of the committee. "It's sorely needed down there." Also mentioned was the dilapidated trailer and HazMat shed on the property. Mr. LaRocco said the trailer was used for crew quarters. He had no idea what was in the shed. "If anything, it would be diesel fuel," he said.

Willing To Listen

Referring to beautifying the area, he told the group that although landscaping wasn't included in the proposal he would be willing to listen to ideas.

Most committee members seemed indifferent to the plan, except for John Gosman Jr. "We've lost a lot of business out here because of transportation. I'm thrilled with this proposal," he said.

The committee also welcomed new members recently approved by the Town Board. They are Kathy Vegessi, Rosemarie Nolan, Ray Cortell, Wayne Schoenbrun, and Linda Barnds.

Michael Maren, author of the newly released "The Road to Hell: The Ravaging Effects of Foreign Aid and International Charity," will read from and discuss his book at Book Hampton in East Hampton on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

"The Road to Hell" is a narrative of good intentions gone awry, showing how the rich countries of the Northern Hemisphere have been propagating a culture of destructive dependency upon their southern neighbors.

Using Somalia as his chief example, but also discussing Rwanda, Kenya, and Bosnia, Mr. Maren shows how aid money and food have destroyed governments, subverted economies, and corrupted international charities.

More Than An Expose

The author has spent much of the past 20 years in Africa, first with the Peace Corps, Catholic Relief Services, and USAID, and later as a journalist, writing for Harper's, The Village Voice, and The New Republic.

His expertise is such that he will be testifying before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

But the book is not just an expose of the effects of charitable giving in the third world, it is also an engaging and humane story of a young American whose dedication to his development work destroys his own family and may, in the end, have done more harm than good.

Three Novelists

Gurney's Inn in Montauk will also host a reading on Saturday. Three local authors, Susan Pashman, Vincent Lardo, and Stacey Donovan, will read from their recent novels at 4 p.m. in the Cafe Monte.

Ms. Pashman, who lives in Sag Harbor, will read from her first novel, "The Speed of Light," which will be published in August by Permanent Press. The author taught philosophy for 15 years at Adelphi University and went on to practice corporate law for 10 years in Manhattan before settling in Sag Harbor to write full time.

Ms. Donovan will read from her second young-adult novel, "Who I Am Just Keeps Happening." She is a freelance writer/editor and also runs HamptonClick, a Web site (www.hamptonclick.com) for local artists and writers wishing to publicize their work.

Her first young-adult novel was "Dive." Like Mr. Lardo, she lives in Amagansett.

"Two Holes Of Water"

Mr. Lardo will read from his new mystery, "Two Holes of Water," two chapters of which have been published in The Star. The book, it may be guessed, is set in East Hampton.

For many years, Mr. Lardo wrote a column on the entertainment industry for The Advocate, a biweekly California magazine. His previous books are "China House," a modern Gothic tale, and "The Prince and the Pretender," a mystery.

All three writers are members of the Ashawagh Hall Writers Workshop.

Jose's Life

Water Mill

March 3, 1997

To The Editor,

The lead-off letter from the MacNiven family in this section of last week's Star completely astounded us. You see, we were Jose's owners for the second half of his life. Never in a million years did we ever think we would learn anything about his life prior to our adopting him from the Animal Rescue Fund in the spring of 1990. The MacNivens' letter provided us with a needed sense of closure to Jose's life.

As our letter brought tears to their eyes, rest assured that theirs did likewise to ours. I am reminded of that famous radio commentator and author Paul Harvey. For now, both our families know "the rest of the story."

By the way, on display in the reception area at ARF's adoption center in Wainscott is a large cutout photograph of a sheepdog that could very well have been that of Jose with his summer cut. It's exactly how he looked when we first encountered him. And if you do visit ARF, think about opening your heart and home to one of its dogs or cats. We just did. Our new dog is appropriately named Buddy. He is quickly living up to his name.

Sincerely yours,

PETER J. DONALDSON

Letter Home From Boynton Beach

February 26, 1997

Dear Editor:

People who resided in some areas of the Town of East Hampton in the early years of this century did not live much differently from their grandparents. Electrical distribution lines had not been installed in many sections of the town, thus denying many homes the marvels of electrical energy. Thoughts of having a comfortable home equipped with an electrically operated well pump, an interior hot and cold water distribution system, an interior bathroom, and a clothes washer and dryer were remote in the minds of the ordinary folks.

Homes were heated by coal and wood-burning stoves. Some homes with cellars had hot-air furnaces, either with a large grill-like register equipped with shutters to control the flow of heat in a centrally located area of the first floor, or by a duct system, which provided heat to each room. Many homes had parlor stoves that heated the living room area. They were designed a little more elaborately than the large multipurpose kitchen stove.

Bedroom doors were left open to allow heat from the parlor stove to warm the sleeping areas. On cold nights, though, an extra blanket or two seemed to ward off the cold a little better than the heat from the parlor stove, which lost some of its enthusiasm by the time it reached the sleeping occupants.

After arising in the morning, one would rush from the frigid bedroom with an armful of clothes to get beside the stove and dress. After getting dressed, off to the kitchen you'd go to, where Mother was waiting at the sink with a basin of hot water. She washed your face, neck, and upper arms, while you washed your hands. When she washed your ears, you were forever, it seemed, telling her not to rub so hard.

Every home had an icebox, which was usually made from white oak and stood on four short legs, high enough to allow a drain pan beneath it. It came with two compartments, the top one that held a block of ice, and the larger bottom unit that had shelves and was used for storing the perishables. Some, who had wells, kept their perishables in a container, which was lowered by a rope into the cool interior of the well. When my Grandmother Hawkins lived on Old Stone Highway in Springs, she used such a rig with good results.

Outdoor toilets left very much to be desired, as they were far from comfortable at any time, and as wretched as anything can be on those cold winter days, especially when those cold northwesterlies blew over the countryside. At night, slop jars or urine pots were used in lieu of a trip to the Chick Sale. It was better than walking half asleep in the dark to answer the call of nature.

Kerosene lamps were used for illumination. There were a few homes, usually where the family income was higher, which had the elaborate and more expensive gas lamps that provided a brighter and more efficient illumination. The home of the ordinary family was illuminated by the common kerosene lamp. At best, it left much to be desired, as the light it gave forth lacked the luminous intensity and incandescence necessary to sufficiently light a work area or small room. Its dim orange glow made working or reading within its limited scope difficult. Furthermore, as the source of light was close to the objects and area it was illuminating, shadows cast by objects were extensive and sometimes annoying.

Usually, the principal kitchen lamp had a larger reservoir and stood higher than the conventional wall-mounted lamp. The large lamp usually was fitted with a decorative glass globe, frosted on the inside so the lamp's light would reflect downward. It was placed in the center of the table, and while eating, one had to be careful passing food, lest he upset the lamp or shatter the globe.

An ordinary housewife of long ago lived an arduous life, under trying conditions, maintaining a comfortable home full of cheer and devotion. One of her most laborious tasks commenced on Monday morning. It was called wash-day. When she awoke, she was keenly aware of the long, tiresome, and toilsome day that lay ahead. Washing machines and clothes dryers were the machines of the future.

After the husband left for work, and the children were fed and properly clothed for the day's activities, she commenced her wash day. She brought out the copper boiler and placed it on the stove over the firebox. It was elongated and rounded at the ends, on which were two wooden handles. It was about 27 inches long, 18 high inches high, and about a foot or so wide. It came with a lid, which fitted snugly, but was easily removable.

After being placed on the stove, the boiler was filled with water from the pitcher pump and then heated. After the water became hot, it was transferred to the chair-mounted, galvanized or wooden washtub. The laundry was placed in the tub and left to soak. Water was then replenished in the boiler, where it was heated to be used as rinse water, or, if needed, for additional wash water. At times, depending upon the size of the wash, laundry and rinse water had to be changed several times.

The laundry was scrubbed by hand over a corrugated washboard with strong yellow laundry soap. At the end of the wash day, the hands of those dedicated mothers and wives must have been sore, chafed, and inflamed from the workout they had received. After each item was scrubbed clean, it was wrung out by hand. Back then, not every household possessed hand-operated hard rubber rollers to wring out the wet clothes. As each item was wrung out, it was placed in the rinse water tub, where it was, once more, wrung and pinned to the clothesline.

White items such as sheets, pillow cases, underwear, etc., were then placed in the bluing tub. Bluing came in small cubes and was put into a cheesecloth bag and swirled about until it dissolved in the cold water. Water for bluing did not require heating. The white laundry was left to soak, so that the bluing would remove the unwanted gray and yellow appearance often seen in white laundered items.

Finally, when the laundry had been scrubbed, rinsed, and wrung out, it was pinned to the outdoor clothesline to dry. If it was raining, the items were pinned to an indoor line, wherever space allowed in the kitchen or summer kitchen. A summer kitchen was usually an unfinished room behind the kitchen and had a kerosene stove with four burners and a baking oven. Using the regular kitchen stove in the summer made the kitchen unbearably hot.

On cold days when the temperature dropped to below freezing, each item froze as soon as it was pinned to the line. The most discouraging thing that could happen, after the laundry was put on the line, was to have the line break from excessive weight and fall to the ground. If the ground was muddy from recent rains or thaws, the clothes would have to be rewashed and rerinsed. To prevent that from happening, the lines had to be frequently examined by Father, who carefully looked for frayed sections and partial breaks.

When lines were not propped up midway between the clothes-posts, the weight of the articles often caused the line to sag to the ground. Oak and hickory poles about one and a half to two inches in diameter, six or seven feet long, and with a "V" at the small end to hold the line, were used to prop up the sagging line.

The more affluent housewives sent their laundry to a woman who took in washing to supplement the family income. There were many residents, mainly from the summer colony, who had their laundry picked up and taken to the East Hampton Steam Laundry, where it was laundered and mangled.

During the summer, when days became uncomfortably hot and humid, many a housewife did the family wash beneath a shade tree, where conditions were a bit more pleasant.

When clothing, especially work clothes, were excessively soiled, they were boiled in the copper boiler until cleaned. While the clothes were boiling, they were stirred and agitated with a wooden paddle. When clean, they were removed by placing the paddle beneath each article, and transferred to the nearby rinsing tub where they were rinsed, wrung, and put on the line. The wonders of that strong, effective dirt-removing yellow soap never seemed to cease.

Diapers were laundered in the same way. It seemed that mothers were forever washing diapers. To enter a kitchen, often one had to walk around or beneath a line of diapers. Regardless of weather conditions, there existed a constant requirement for clean, dry, soft diapers.

Tuesday was reserved for ironing. The flat irons were brought out to be heated on the stove. Some had fixed handles and others had detachable handles which allowed the user to release the cooled iron and pick up a hot iron from the stove top. As soon as everyone left and the house had been tidied up, the items to be ironed were placed near the ironing board. While the irons were being heated, the ironing board was set up and the laundry was dampened. Clothes and bed linens were dampened with a water-filled bottle that had a multiperforated cap. After being dampened, each item was rolled up in a towel, which made it less difficult to remove wrinkles as they were ironed.

During the time of the year when the kitchen stove was in use, flat irons were heated on the stove top. In summer, when the kerosene stove in the back kitchen was in use, a thin sheet of metal was placed over the burners to prevent the irons from being blackened by the direct flame.

The average ironing board was approximately four and a half to five feet in length, and 15 or 16 inches wide. The board was usually made of two 1-by-8-inch white pine boards battened together on the bottom side. At one end of the board, the corners were rounded, and at the opposite end, it was tapered and rounded at the narrowed tip.

A piece of bed padding was neatly and tightly fitted over the board and tacked on the under side. Then, a piece of blanket was fitted over the bed padding and tacked. Finally, a piece of white-canvas or sail cloth was fitted and tacked over the blanket, making it a rather nice ironing board. It was not equipped with folding legs like the ones of today. The backrests of two kitchen chairs were used in lieu of legs and served the purpose nearly as well.

Women who took in laundry for a living had two or three saw-horses of different heights to set their boards upon. The purpose of the higher boards was to prevent large items, such as sheets and table linens from touching the floor and becoming soiled. For ironing large items, many women used wider ironing boards to better accommodate them. A few women had a special narrow ironing board for ironing shirt and blouse sleeves.

After each item was ironed, it was hung to dry. After drying, it was folded and placed in a laundry basket. Shirts and blouses were buttoned at the neck and at every other button. They were then folded so they could be properly placed in a bureau drawer. They, too, were placed in the laundry basket to await pickup.

Embroidered linens had to be delicately handled or the elaborate designs might be spoiled. Tablecloths, scarves, and similar articles of decorative design had to be placed topside down on a white bath towel. The linen was ironed on the underside to enable the design to emerge in distinct detail as they were placed on a table or bureau top.

In those days, a housewife and mother worked very hard maintaining a pleasant home, providing the family with clean clothing, and preparing meals. On days when she did not feel well, she had to overcome her listlessness and proceed with her household chores to the best of her ability. In addition to her household tasks, she was a disciplinarian. Whenever she directed the children to do something, she expected to be obeyed. Because of her multiple household workload, there was no time for unmanageable children to interrupt and prevent her from doing her daily work.

Disciplines commenced at an early age in a child's life. A youngster soon learned that he could not do everything his way. Whenever a mother saw her child do something wrong, she corrected the tot. If it occurred again, a scolding would suffice, but when it was repeated a third time, Mother took corrective action.

Usually, each mother had her own method of administering corrective action. Generally, a scolding was sufficient, for to be reprimanded by an upset mother, especially if she were behind in her housework, was not soon forgotten. A mother had to be just, but she had to be firm also. She could not vacillate, for if she were to do so, a child saw it as a weakness to be used to his advantage. Most mothers did their very best to teach children the difference between right and wrong.

When disciplined children went to school, teachers encountered very few problems requiring disciplinary measures caused by unruly students. An uninterrupted class allowed the teacher to do the job for which he or she was hired. Children were taught to say "please" and "thank you" before going to school, and not to interrupt when someone was speaking. Also, a child, early in life, learned the definition of the word "no." The teaching of discipline was part of a dedicated mother and father's obligation in raising a family.

The average wife and mother of 60-80 years ago was hard-working and devoted to the care of her family. Her married life was not easy either, as the trials of daily life were confronted all too frequently. When a serious illness, such as poliomyelitis, struck a community, her immediate thought was, "Pray God, spare us."

Those remarkable women worked their fingers to the bone, and they did it all in the name of love. So when you pass an elderly lady in ordinary dress, salute her, for she might be one of the few remaining mothers of long ago.

Sincerely,

NORTON (BUCKET) DANIELS

Please address correspondence to [email protected]