Navigating the Upper Crust of the East End

The Hamptons continue to increase in popularity, and unfortunately, with popularity comes notoriety, and it seems as if everyone is trying to get in on the once-exclusive action. When you hear that train wreck Lindsay Lohan’s dad Michael Lohan (a train wreck himself) is opening a club in the Hamptons, it’s clear that the high-end East End has been raided by the masses. But don’t let that deter you from heading to the Hamptons this summer (or keep you hiding in the privacy of your home once you arrive, although that sounds like a lovely way to spend a weekend—just not the whole season); we’ve got the inside scoop on the new haute spots and the established favorites where, while you may encounter a Black AmEx or two, you won’t find wannabes.

Hamptons 101

For those who spent the past few summers in the Côte d’Azure rather than the East End, here’s a quick refresher course for you: About 120 miles outside of Manhattan, Long Island splits into the North and South Forks. The North Fork is where you will find vineyards and quiet villages, while the South Fork is home to the Hamptons. While technically divided into two “main” towns of Southampton and East Hampton, there are a number of incorporated villages under those umbrellas, each with its own personality and history, which affects the types of people (and locations that cater to them) found there. While the Hamptons technically begin with Westhampton, we suggest you keep heading east until you hit one of the five villages that embody the true Hamptons spirit:  Southampton Village (generally just referred to as “Southampton”), Sag Harbor, East Hampton Village (again, just call it “East Hampton”), Montauk, and Shelter Island. Don’t let the reports of a housing crisis fool you; after a slow year in 2009, the Hamptons have bounced back, and as a whole, real estate is up 33 percent this year, with an average selling price of $1.74 million, according to appraisers Miller Samuels. A thriving real estate market means a thriving economy, which is reflected in the many offerings in the East End.

Getting There

Traffic from Manhattan to the Hamptons is all but guaranteed, and traffic sucks, unless it’s seen from a bird’s-eye view as you cruise over it in the comfort of a private jet. The East Hampton Airport can accommodate jets up to a G5; larger aircraft should head for the Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach. If a helicopter is your bird of choice, a helipad on Southampton’s prestigious Meadow Lane allows you to touch down amidst the action. From there, all of the luxuries of the Hamptons are at your fingertips. Given the abundance of locales permeating the scene, here are our choices for establishments that should grab your attention in 2010.

Southampton

With a history dating back a few hundred years, Southampton is considered by many to be the social center of the Hamptons. Not only does it have seven miles of oceanfront with 11 beaches—including Cooper’s Beach, which was just named the No. 1 beach in the U.S.—its quaint town center offers a plethora of restaurants, shopping boutiques, and art galleries that visitors and locals alike flock to.

Dining

Even in the Hamptons, the ladies-who-lunch set can enjoy all that they have come to expect at Nello’s on the Upper East Side, thanks to Nello Summertimes (136 Main St.; 631.287.5500) serving up its signature inimitable Italian fare. If it’s a scene you’re craving, the space transforms into a thriving nightlife enclave after dark. A little more low-key is Savanna’s Southampton (268 Elm St.; 631.283.0202), which serves delectable eclectic cuisine (with a focus on local seafood) in inviting surroundings. The Driver’s Seat Restaurant (66 Jobs Lane; 631.283.6606) has one of the region’s longest histories; the building that is now the front bar room was built in 1888, and the restaurant first opened in 1960, albeit under different ownership. The current proprietors took over in 2005 and restored the facilities and updated the menu, which calls to guests looking for superior food in that coveted laid-back Hamptons environment.

Shopping

The allure of treasure hunting in Southampton comes from the unique boutiques and antique stores filled with goods you won’t often find elsewhere. For fashion, trend-setting beauties should pop into Theory (60 Jobs Lane; 631.287.5121) where model-types can find coveted jeans and pants with long and slim cuts, and Alice + Olivia (56 Jobs Lane; 631.204.0164), whose clothing appeals to the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Mena Suvari. This year, British luxury company Asprey delighted shoppers by opening a pop-up store, dubbed Asprey Summer Shoppe (45 Main St.; 631.488.4016). The concept for the boutique is a walled-in English garden, achieved through back-lit white lattice walls and antique stone garden tables. The 1,500-square-foot space is filled with signature sterling silver gifts, crystal, china, jewelry, leather goods, and iconic games such as backgammon.

Bridgehampton Polo

Once again, Bridgehampton Polo Club will host the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge at Blue Star Jets Field (849 Hayground Road, Bridgehampton). The season will kick off on July 24 and continue for the subsequent six Saturdays. As has come to be tradition, merely attending a match is not enough; the “hautest” ticket in town gives access to the exclusive VIP tent that will welcome the host of notables, celebrities, and media who flock to the field every year.

Sag Harbor

With an abundance of quaint charm, many people choose to call the two-square-mile Village of Sag Harbor their year-round home rather than just a seasonal address, so property is a hot commodity. While the real estate market dipped a bit in 2009, this year already saw a record-breaking $13.75 million sale close. The historic maritime village is on a port that has hosted everything from whaling boats of yesteryear to today’s grand yachts, which dock right on the edge of town. Sag Harbor Yacht Club (27 Bay St.; 631.725.0567) has one of the few marinas in the Hamptons equipped to handle vessels more than 200 feet in length, and Sag Harbor’s centrally located Malloy’s Waterfront Marina can handle boats up to 195 feet. (However, it only has 10 slips available for transients, so reservations are recommended during peak summer months.)

East Hampton

When one thinks of the Hamptons, they likely conjure up images of East Hampton, home to many of the summer estates and vacation shares that embody the spirit of the region, helping cement the village’s nickname as the Playground of the Rich. At the height of the real estate boom, Ron Baron of Baron Capital Management sold 40 oceanfront acres on East Hampton’s Further Lane for a then-record $103 million. Two former First Ladies (including Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who was born at Southampton Hospital) summered in East Hampton during childhood, and President Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton found weeklong solace here for two summers in the late 1990s.

The natural landscape and sprawling estates make for a creative environment that has called to artists over the years. The artist’s colony reputation began with Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner in the mid-20th century, and continued with Willem de Kooning, which accounts for the annual Artists & Writers Charity Softball Game, where the teams have included the likes of Alec Baldwin, Christie Brinkley, Dustin Hoffman, and John Irving. Continuing in the artist tradition in 2010, Eric Firestone Gallery (4 Newtown Lane; 631.604.2386) is hosting an exhibition titled “Andy Warhol: Dylan to Duchamp,” featuring 150 photos of the artist, including never-before-seen shots of Warhol at work. There are art galleries found at virtually every turn, even where you don’t expect them: Tiffany & Co.’s boutique (53 Main St.; 631.324.1700) is dedicated to hosting East End artists. The wealthy flock to East Hampton every year, where they find a stable of established and new locales ready to cater to their whims.

Shopping

East Hampton’s reputation as the heart of the Hamptons is reflected in its plethora of high-end boutiques and stores. Some of the world’s most respected brands literally “pop-up” over the summer; last year, shoppers were able to peruse the temporary stores of Hermès, which opened its first-ever seasonal boutique on Main Street, La Perla, and Jimmy Choo. Trina Turk (79 Main St.; 631.324.7075) experienced such great success with its pop-up shop in 2009, it is back again this season with a “chic beach shack” featuring limited-edition vintage prints by artist David Weidman. It is joined by Balenciaga (54 Main St.; 631.324.0107), which opened its first-ever pop-up store in East Hampton on Memorial Day weekend. The 1,000-square-foot boutique, developed by artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière and French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, sells an assortment of women’s accessories, including coveted handbags, sunglasses, shoes, and jewelry. Ralph Lauren’s Polo County Store (31-33 Main St.; 631.324.1222) is not going anywhere after the summer, however. It first opened in 1988, back when the town wasn’t quite as well known amongst the jetset. As the audience grew, so did the storefront, which continues to expand, firmly rooting itself in the history of the village; the framework of the building that houses its children’s store is the oldest structure in the entire town. This led Lauren, who himself is a familiar face in the Hamptons, to partner with the East Hampton Historical Society, and the Polo County Store now sells an exclusive t-shirt, with 100 percent of proceeds going to preserving the community. London Jewelers (2 Main St.; 631.329.3939) is also firmly rooted in the region, as the brand’s first locale opened in 1926. Today, the well-known local Udell family, respected throughout the East End, operates five London Jewelers outposts in the Hamptons, where customers can peruse collections from the likes of Audemars Piguet, Cartier, H. Stern, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Bulgari. For the most intimate shopping experience, the East Hampton showroom’s third floor features an audiovisual room that also serves as the venue for private shopping.

Dining

The culinary options in East Hampton reflect the discerning tastes of its wealthy denizens. Those who hail from Manhattan are most excited about this year’s debut of Serafina East Hampton (104 North Main St.; 631.267.3500). Owners Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato took over the former Matto location, which now offers northern Italian cuisine made from family recipes. It joins Babette’s (66 Newtown Lane; 631.329.5377), an established, low-key favorite where celebrity sightings happen as often as customers rave about the organic dishes. At Hunting Inn, The Palm (94 Main St.; 631.324.0411) offers heartier fare in a setting that is far more quaint than most of its other establishments.

Nightlife

On Saturday nights, the beautiful crowd flocks to Lily Pond (44 Three Mile Harbor Road; 631.324.3332). The celebrity-speckled Manhattan-style club scene kicked off the 2010 season with sets by international DJ superstar Paul Oakenfold, who was followed by house DJ, Sharam. Once the scene inside the 7,000-square-foot space gets too hot, guests can take reprieve on the 3,000-square-foot, temperature-controlled terrace.

Events

What 11th Annual Art for Life

Where
Russell Simmons’ East Hampton Estate

When Saturday, July 24

Why Raise funds for Rush Philanthropic’s core programs and non-profit arts and education organizations

Who This year, honorees will include Deepak Chopra and Alison & Chip Brady

How www.rushphilanthropic.org, and then don’t forget to wear white with a splash of summer colors to the star-studded bash, which in the past has been attended by everyone from Forest Whitaker, Alicia Keys, and Jay-Z to Martha Stewart, Donna Karan, Naomi Campbell, and a ton of other A-list names.

Montauk

Carl Fisher, the same developer single-handedly responsible for transforming an uninhabited Miami Beach into one of the most popular resort destinations in the world, also played a huge part in the development of Montauk. After establishing Miami Beach, Fisher went in search of a new challenge and found it on the tip of Long Island. He purchased 10,000 acres in 1925 and began developing what he hoped would become the Miami Beach of the north. (“Miami in the winter, Montauk in the summer” was his slogan.) He opened the Montauk Yacht Club in 1929, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina (32 Star Island Road; 631.668.3100) underwent a multimillion-dollar redesign and renovation in 2009, which preserved its history while adding the modern comforts discerning travelers’ demand. While the property features fantastic hotel accommodations and villa cottages, a full-service spa, fitness center, private beach, three swimming pools, tennis courts, and more, the world-class marina, part of the Ft. Lauderdale-based Island Global Yachts’ portfolio, is the crown jewel of amenities. The 232-slip, full-service marina can accommodate megayachts up to 275 feet, one of the few marinas on the entire East Coast that can do so. Continuing the property’s South Florida ties, Gulf Coast Kitchen by Robbin Haas (who established himself as one of the top Miami chefs in the 1990s) opened for the 2010 season. It’s fitting, given Fisher’s original vision for the town.

Shelter Island

Nestled between the North and South Forks, this once-secluded island (accessible by ferry from either Fork) got infused with hotelier André Balazs’ unique form of hip with the opening of Sunset Beach (35 Shore Road; 631.749.2001). But traditionalists needn’t fret; this seasonal property embraces the island’s laidback mentality, which called to a scourge of international high-profile types who have been snatching up property on the island for years. The hotel only offers 20 guest suites (each with a private sundeck), but visitors are welcome at the beachside Restaurant + Bar, featuring French bites that are perfectly complemented by a glass of Balazs’ Reserve Rosé.