What’s wrong with Walbaums…. it’s Fresh Direct to the Rescue… and since most locals never see it, a peek inside East Hampton’s Baker House!

Soviet Grocery or Walbaum’s check out line?

I often compare the Walbaums in East Hampton to a soviet era grocery store.  I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.    The selection is thin and it takes an hour in line to buy a loaf of bread.   Now, I don’t blame the employees there for the chaos of this EH establishment.   They are for the most part an overworked and very friendly bunch.   The problem is the fact that on a typical day, there are two cashiers scheduled at the height of the rush hour along with those stupid automated self-checkouts that are rejects from Spacely’s Sprockets!  OPEN THE POD DOOR DAMN IT! It’s enough to make someone go postal!!    I’m not even going to mention the “wages of fear” parking lot!

I primarily do most of my dinner shopping at The Red Horse Market, which I love.  But they really don’t have a great selection on things like paper towels and k-cups.    Thus I’m always running to in EH.   If only King Kullen were closer!  But soon I’ll have an alternative.   According to their website, Fresh Direct will be firing up their Hamptons service next week.  So skip the lines… avoid the aggregation and spend more time on line reading this blog and ordering on line!!

Walbaums

I don’t often like to admit this but I grew up going to the Jersey Shore.  But my Jersey Shore was not the one of Snookie and The Situation.    So when I get calls from friends who want to come visit the east end for the first time I have to explain there are no Hyatt’s, Hiltons (well except Paris in SH sometimes) and W’s.   Here in the Hamptons, the choices are fewer but that doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptional places to recommend.   Since most of you who read this have never been inside any of the resorts or B and B’s out here (unless of course you love afternoon delight)  I’ve taken it upon myself to give you a little education and preview.   So you can feel confident telling your friends the perfect place to rest their heads after a day of sitting in traffic on 27.   My first preview is of East Hampton’s Baker House 1650.   You can visit their website for rates and reservations and click below for a video preview starring yours truly!

Southampton permits are now on Sale… and a peek at some of those MILLION DOLLAR HAMPTONS RENTALS!

Get cha’ permits!

REMINDER OF THE DAY!  Southampton Village beach permits are now on sale!!  The cost is free for residents, $350 for non residents and $250 for “local non-residents.”   What you need;  a valid registration for your car and for locals a copy of your tax bill or lease with 2 utility bills.   This will allow you access to park at Coopers Beach, Cryder Lane, Dune Beach (village residents only), Fowler, Gin Lane, Halsey Neck, Roads G and D, Old Town, Wyandanch and Little Plaines Lane.   If you want complete information I suggest you go to the town website.    I’m also including a bonus link to the TOWN of Southampton permit information page!   Oh summer is in the air!

Art is apparently a very good business.   In the latest recorded transfers,

Artist and real estate investor Fischl

artist Eric Fischl has apparently purchased not one, not two, not three but five properties in North Haven.   The properties located in over the river and through the woods total a little over 3 million dollars.   While I have no idea what Fischl and his wife fellow artist April Gornick will be doing with the property located off Ferry Road, I’m dying to know.  If you have any clue fill me in!  Two two have been residents of Sag Harbor for years and both have matching studios here in the Hamptons.

Well It’s May 1st and that means Memorial Day is right around the corner.   In many parts of the country the calendar is marked by the return of various migratory animals.  Here in the Hamptons it’s marked by the migration of the summer renters! In case you didn’t know, the standard rental period for the Hamptons is Memorial Day to Labor Day.  It’s also the time when all of the “masters of the universe” and “glitterati” of tv and film come to rest their weary heads.     Well if you’ve ever wondered how celebrities like Mariah Carey, Beyonce and others live when they’re hanging with Martha, Howard and Puffy… wonder no longer.   I’ve dug deep and come up with some of my favorite MILLION DOLLAR* HAMPTON RENTALS!*or rentals that can at least be priced in terms of millions, i.e. 1/4 of a million, 1/2 million, 8/10ths of a million!

 

Ralph plays a new game of Polo… Old Stove gets a few searing reviews… plus snapshots from Parish Spring Fling!

Ralph Hampton! Polo’s new street Position
In spite of the Arctic blasts we are currently experiencing, summer prepping is in the air.    One of the more notable changes happening right now is the overhaul of the old Ralph Lauren Rugby store.  If you thought for a second the King of East Hampton would be relinquishing any of his main street real estate, you would be wrong!    It turns out the site will not become a home furnishing store as long suspected but rather a Polo store.    The designer is keeping his location across the street where he’ll continue to sell his higher end wears such as “Purple Label.”   Look for the new POLO store to open by the end of this week!
So just in case you forgot just HOW many stores Ralph owns in town, let’s count these together; the original store, the children’s store, the vintage store and now the polo store… oh and let’s throw in his daughter Dylan’s Candy shop and according to some rumors he actually owns the historic village hall?!?!?    One man single handily keeping the Hamptons economy strong.  The only problem I have with all of this is that it’s not me.  The least he could do is give the whole town a friends and family discount!
Meanwhile,  I’m always looking for a great new place to chow down on the
East End.   Well, recently I said to some friends, “how about the Old Stove Pub in Wainscott?”   Well, after four personal and blistering critiques, my friend Simon said to check out the Yelp reviews for the restaurant.  Normally I have to go to the police blotter in Dan’s to get such entertainment.   So what is the consensus?  I’m now highlighting some of my favorite comments for you.  Now, mind you I’ve not yet been to the new Old Stove Pub and I’m hoping to try it myself sometime before the summer.   Here’s hoping I have a better experience and they get it together.   Now for those too lazy to read their own reviews of the restaurant, the cliff notes version.
“The good-the host was friendly and the spanakopita was fantastic…. The bad they killed the cow twice!”  Krystyna H
“Just close Old Stove Pub, it would make a cute antique shop.”  Scott S.
“I wish there was a choice of zero stars… the veggie side dishes were covered in parsley, after our dinner mate had clearly told the server that we had a major parsley allergy at the table.   Fun times!”   Lisa H.
“How can you serve a salad that is still frozen the center?  It took 2 hours before our food was served.”  Allan G.
“Just before our food arrived they served us one piece of random something in a dish that looked like a pig ear.”   Hampton E.

Wow, I haven’t seen these kind of reviews since Sylvester Stallone did King Lear on Broadway.  Anyway, there’s still time to fix this before the season starts guys.   I’ll see you soon but remember, I didn’t write these reviews!!Meanwhile, the Parish Art Museum held their sold out annual Spring Fling this Saturday.  So I took my camera and snapped a few of the merry makers at the event!

 

Debra Halpert, Christine Curiale

 

Kelly O’Halloran

 

Tommy Hill and Ruth Katz
Ken Wyse, Mary Slattery, Andy Volet, John Leonard
Jim Saladino and Elaine Hammond

 

David Gilmartin, Robin Long