2012 Hamptons… a year in P.U.review …. The worst of the worst!

Horatio:
Have after. To what issue will this
come?

Marcellus:
Something is rotten in the state of
Denmark.
Well Shakespeare could have been writing about the Hamptons in the year 2012.   Luckily there was no Mayan Apocalypse – much to the disappointment of the  History Channel – so it really wasn’t all that bad – but there were a few flops and misfortunate incidents that are worth mentioning.    Here they are in no particular order;

Hurricane Sandy, trouble in the end.

The LIPA response to Hurricane Sandy – Sure it was fun for the first night but when it came time to empty my refrigerator the fun had worn off… and I don’t think candlelight is much fun anymore after using it non-stop for two weeks.  Listen we know it was tough but at least give us some idea of when you think we’ll be back on the grid.  This way we make decisions as to where and how we are going to eat, live and watch Revenge on Netflix!

They look so friendly!

The Mitt Romney Fundraiser – So Ron Perleman decided to throw a little party for his friends and low and behold it turned into mass chaos with rumors of cheap booze, man on man kissing, water boarding and worst of all no Chex Mix! In case you don’t remember what happened, click here for a little recap. Now, I happen to have some inside scoop on the whole situation. Apparently it was all some big misunderstanding. The said protesters/crashers were actually just hoping to borrow some Grey Poupon. How embarrassing! I guess uber-rich people aren’t really as friendly as they appear in mustard commercials.

The Whole Foods Pop Up Store – What happens everyone waits with baited breathe for arguably one of the best stores around to open up in the Hamptons. Well if it was the Whole foods in Wainscott they will stay away in droves. Now, how did that happen!?!? Well, If you want my two cents… and apparently you do… I can sum it up in two words. SOVIET SUPERMARKET… there was nothing on the shelves and what little there was had a hefty price tag. Now, I love Whole Foods in the city but I’m not going to make a special trip to Wainscott just to buy their store brand of Cheerios! Hello! WHOLE FOODS, IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO IT… DO IT RIGHT! By the way, we love you, please come back and try again!?

 

Curbed Hamptons

The Yummylicious sign – sure the frozen treats may be yummy but the sign itself made the town of Sag Harbor look scummy!   Imagine if the makers of Hello Kitty decided to open up a brothel in the middle of the village.   Think about it!   You get the picture!  A few years ago they held fundraisers to preserve the Sag Harbor Cinema sign, now they need a fundraiser to buy Yummylicious a new sign.  Come to think of it, the name of that place bothers me too!

ATT Hamptons Cell Service –  NO!  I did not hang up on you I was just driving through Sagaponack…. or at my house…. or on the beach…. or in the Northwest woods…. or on Noyac Road… or… oh enough.    I don’t know if Verizon is any better but I’m getting tired of paying for an I phone that I primarily use as an Ipod!   But you know the good thing is I called ATT and they’re getting back to me on why I have such lousy reception.  Apparently it’s just me.    I just hope they don’t call me back on my cell phone!!

Stay tuned…. the best of 2012 next week!  I’ll probably even talk about where the market is going for real estate!

Something to chew on for Sag Harbor and East Hampton Rugby is in overtime

Bella!

Hi everyone, it feels good to be back.    I took a few months off (as I often do from this blog) and I promise I’ll be more consistent this time (I promised that before too).  So much has been going on but if I seem a bit blurry eyed, it’s mostly due to my puppy Bella.  Yes, I have a new dog since the passing of Boo.  But I have to say, that while she does look a lot like her older sister, she’s her own girl.  She’s full of spunk and quite the terror on my other dog poor Russell.  In fact, when we asked Russell what we should name her, he suggested Bu-jo (think Boo with Cujo).   So, if I’m a bit rambling here it’s because of my need for sleep.   I’ve been doing too many 2 am bathroom breaks.  Here she is!  Yeah, it’s actually easier when they’re cute!

 

A new tenant!

Well you might have already heard but the “Paradise Cafe” in Sag Harbor shuttered it’s doors a few months ago.   Apparently, negotiations to renew the lease went nowhere.    Luckily,  you can still enjoy Chef and owner Robert Durkin’s cuisine at “Robert’s”in Water Mill.   Well last night I ran into restaurateur Michael Gluckman who told me he’s going into the space that was Paradise right in the heart of Sag Harbor.    While I’m disappointed to see Paradise go, I’m happy to know  there will be something good going in it’s place.   Michael has always had solid restaurants that were reasonably priced with a great menu and good food.   I found his “Lodge” to be one East Hampton’s best watering holes with a diverse and satisfying menu, he tells me he’s hoping to do something similar here.

In the meantime, I’m hoping Paradise returns to Sag Harbor soon, I miss the Bolognese pasta, the best I’ve ever had and the Roast Chicken with Rosemary was sublime… wait I can’t say sublime, that sounds pretentious… It was AWESOME.   Better.   Anyway, maybe Paradise can go into the spot that was Phao in Sag Harbor,  because apparently twice wasn’t the charm and according to sources, they’re going the way of the 8-track tape.
Soon to be a collectors item!
OK, enough talking about food.  I’m getting hungry and I have to work out first.   If I don’t I won’t be able to fit into my Ralph Lauren Rugby shirts, which will soon be collectors items.    Yep, it’s true the Rugby brand will soon be no more.   I’m not sure why because the store in downtown Manhattan and the one in East Hampton were always packed.  But fear not lovers of the Earl of East Hampton (Ralph Lauren-he virtually owns EH  retail) my poorly placed sources have hinted that it will soon be a RL Home store.   I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Finally, I hope I made up for a long, long, long absence from the blogosphere.   If I haven’t here’s one last bit of good advice, at STAPLES they’re selling cases of Pelligrino water for $4 a case!  Yes, $4 a case.  It’s an amazing deal.

Time and Again … I’ll be back.

Sorry, it’s been a rough couple weeks… ok, two months.   After 10 years, I lost my girl Boo.   It’s not that I did any soul searching … well maybe just a little.. but I just didn’t feel like blogging or trying to be funny.  There of course have been good times in between now and then.   I tied the knot with my partner of 22 years and adopted a new rescue dog who you’ll meet named Bella.   These are the things that kept me sane and from sobbing every day.

This is Boo above and I miss her every day.  But to paraphrase Dr. Seuss, “don’t cry for what you lost, smile for what you had.”    I’m finally doing that.   Anyway, HAMPTONS CHATTER is not disappearing for good but took a much needed break.   Look for a new postings soon.    I hope you’ll be there.   P.