Live Like A Gatsby In The Hamptons
Victor Ozols
Forget for the moment that F. Scott and crew partied on the north shore. If he were alive today, Fitzgerald would almost certainly set his seminal novel, The Great Gatsby, somewhere in the string of wealthy beach towns on the south shore of Long Island, New York known collectively as the Hamptons. After all, today’s visitors to the Hamptons are living lives that are no less privileged that those of Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, with days spent visiting upscale boutiques and galleries and evenings committing deadly sins in countless restaurants and nightclubs. As visitors throughout the generations have quickly learned about the idyllic area, it’s heaven for those escaping the hell of summer in the city.
Whether you’re shacking up with a half-dozen friends in a Hamptons share this summer, or taking André Balazs’s seaplane out to your 16-room estate every weekend, you can sample the luxe life enjoyed by thousands of stressed out New Yorkers this summer. While towns like Southampton, Water Mill, Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor each have their own distinct personalities, all boast walkable main streets and easy access to the water, perfect for the leisurely pace that summer demands. But that doesn’t mean that residents and visitors don’t take going out seriously. As night falls, flip-flops and swimsuits give way to Gucci and Prada, and the velvet ropes grow as tight as any in the city. So make sure you pack some couture along with your sunscreen, because it’s going to be a wild ride through Gotham’s upscale beach playground.
Parrish Art Museum
Dedicated to American art, particularly art from the east end of Long Island, the Parrish Art Museum is an ideal spot to get introduced to the deep body of work produced in the region of the past century. The focus is on new and recent work, so expect to see plenty of paintings and sculptures from local artists such as Impressionist William Merritt Chase and realist Fairfield Porter. Local “action painting” master Jackson Pollock is well represented, with two untitled drawings, as are Willem de Kooning and Roy Lichtenstein, whose Apple with Brushstrokes seems especially appropriate for vacationing New Yorkers. And you needn’t be deceased to have work displayed here: Chuck Close and Elizabeth Peyton are just two current art stars represented, and an exhibition of the work of very-much-alive abstract painter Dorothea Rockburne entitled In My Mind’s Eye will be on display throughout the summer.
Guild Hall
An East Hampton cultural institution since 1931, Guild Hall’s galleries rival those of the Parrish Art Museum, but many visitors now come for the theatrical performances. Its 360-seat John Drew Theater is the place to catch everything from an HD simulcast of the Metropolitan Opera to comedian (and musician) Steve Martin performing an evening of bluegrass and banjo with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Of particular note this summer: Midsummer’s Night Music #2 by the Eroica Trio.
Southampton Social Club
Sure there’s food, like the raw bar chilled seafood tower, but the slender and beautiful people are here to drink. They’ve come to the right place, as mixologist and cocktail legend Dale DeGroff designed the cocktail list. It’s big on fusion-based and frozen drinks, which use fresh, locally grown produce when possible, and always come with that unique flair common to Ian Duke and David Hilty joints. (Try the Hot Summer Night, Southampton Social Club’s version of the Manhattan.) The interior is done up in speakeasy style, including a handsome 50-seat mahogany bar, but summertime calls for the great outdoors, so grab a glass and dance by the firepit.
South Pointe
As posh as Hamptons nightclubbing gets, South Pointe is all about models and bottles, and sometimes that’s exactly what the night calls for. As the largest of the Hamptons late-night spots, there’s little trouble getting in, provided you have a sense of style and decorum. Once inside, you can sprawl out in your private booth and look up at the crystal chandeliers that class up the former RdV East space. Need some fresh air and moonlight? Head up to The Deck, where canopied cabana beds provide the perfect space to relax under the stars.
SL East
Another satellite lounge from the New York mother ship, SL East comes from the family of swank nightspots that includes Abe & Arthurs, Tenjune, and the Chandelier Room. Music and entertainment is key here, with resident DJ Chachi manning the decks and the Diddy Dirty Money Girls ruling the stage. Come with money and swag, or at least just money, and leave with memories of the upper crust of contemporary Hamptons society.
Ruschmeyer’s
All the way out at The End (a.k.a. Montauk), Ruschmeyer’s takes the motel concept into the glamour age. In addition to a boutique hotel, there’s a restaurant, smoothie bar, beer garden, and late-night disco that goes by the creative name of “Electric Eel.” While there’s no doubt it will be among the most exclusive spots in town, its blonde woods and surf-lodge feel give it a welcoming atmosphere, perfect for finishing a Hamptons beach vacation in high style.
