I LOVE LUCY’S… ONE OF THE CHEESIEST POSTS I’LL EVER WRITE.

Located on North Main St., just west of the IGA is the amazing LUCY’S WHEY. You’ll love every aisle of Lucy’s!! (heheh) As you can tell from the picture to the left here, it’s a purveyor of “American artisan cheese.” I’m not sure exactly what that means but the stuff is good. I’m not a cheese snob, in fact I’m from the Philly area and up until very recently my very favorite cheese came out of a can! The staff at Lucy’s is friendly and really helpful, without being snobs and making you feel like an idiot for not knowing the difference between a Roth Kase Grand Cru Gruyere Surchoix and a Manchego. I love cheese and despite what a certain broker told me once “A fondue in June!?!?.. I say who cares.. do you eat grilled cheese in the summer?! The Swiss and French eat fondue year round!! I’m sailing now to the Isle of LUCY’S ..NOW OUT OF MY FACE!

You know there are other other cheese shops around… but Lucy’s is by far the friendliest and the most reasonably priced. GO… it’s good stuff.
Hermes has hit the Hamptons. PERFECT!! WE REALLY NEEDED AN HERMES IN EAST HAMPTON… it felt like we were all hicks
without one!! So what’s better to take to the beach than a $500 terry cloth beach towel!?!? I kid you not!! For $500, you can sun and swim with the fishes (not since Luca Brasi has it been so expensive to do that!) But before you trade in that Martha Stewart Living towel for something more glamorous, I’ll make you this offer. I’ll personally bring you a fluffy Martha towel and shake martinis for you all afternoon long. And no I won’t be wearing a bathing suit!! Don’t even go there!!
REAL REAL ESTATE DEAL!! OK, I have a really great one for my deal of the day… 2+ wooded acres built about 10 years ago.. the 4 bedroom, 3.5 baths modern home also has extra bonus rooms. It’s close to town and and asking under $1,500,000. Call me for the details or e mail me. patrick.mclaughin@elliman.com

Retail Roundup…. Busy, Busy, Busy…. What Recession!?!?!??!?

Summer 2009 is officially here and despite all the predictions of doom and gloom the Hamptons were HUSTLING! East Hampton town was a virtual gridlock of traffic, even with the sunny weather and warm temperatures. Are they coming to town to shop or to go to the beach!?!? Whatever, local merchants were happy and the cash registers were ringing!

Frank Calvo of East Hampton Pharmacy and Bridgehampton Pharmacy told me he did “THREE times the business he did last year!” In case you haven’t been skip the big chain place and go visit Frank, you’ll get
the personal service and he stocks some of the best and most exclusive sundries (great shampoos and soaps,etc.) found anywhere in the Hamptons. I only have one complaint he doesn’t stock any “Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific,” I’ve been having a miserable time finding it anywhere in the past 30 years!

In Sag Harbor, David of IN HOME said it was much busier than last year. Monday was a winner day for him he told me, this in spite of Main Street being closed for parade early Monday afternoon.
How did the restaurants do!? Killer apparently… The Lodge in East Hampton was packed all weekend… The Pear was Golden in SAG, EH and Southampton… Beacon in Sag Harbor had customers lining up non-stop… and the Palm was filled to the rafters!! So for all of the nay sayers out there… THE HAMPTONS ARE STILL THE PLACE TO BE FOR SUMMER!! It was a great weekend for all, except maybe Rudy Giuiliani who got heckled and verbally assaulted in Bridgehampton. I’m not getting into it… but if you want to read more go here: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/05/23/2009-05-23_rudy_giuliani__wife_judy_confronted_by_heckler_in_the_hamptons.html#ixzz0GRUYsoZy&A
See you tomorrow!

SOMETHING NEW AND HEALTHY… AND FIND YOUR OWN ZEN DEN FOR $7.2 MILLION

Being healthy in Southampton just got a little easier… and a bit more affordable. TODAY, my friends Jessica Greenfield and her husband Dominic Chiapetta (gosh I hope I spelled that correctly) have just opened up Annie’s Cafe and Grocery or as we say in the south of East Hampton, charcuterie. Located on Nugent Street in the village, Annie’s has an awesome menu, great wraps, quesadillas, omlettes, salads and more. I stopped by the other day before they even opened to sample some of the dishes and eat for free (yes, I’m cheap). It was awesome. To give you some idea of what Annie’s is like, think Provisions in Sag Harbor but with friendly people working there. They also carry a full line of healthy groceries, vitamins and fruit drinks and smoothies for a fraction of what some other health food restaurant in the village charges.

Outdoor seating is available and the inside of Annies is comfortable and friendly! GO NOW!!! Buy your vitamins and organic groceries there and save money!

Finally, actor Richard Gere’s Water Mill home has just been reduced from $8.8 million to $7.2 million. This rather expensive blue light special is a beautiful 1890’s farmhouse that has been completely renovated. The house boasts 7 Bedrooms, 10 and a half baths, 5 fireplaces, gunite heated pool with pool house on 1.20 acres. While the house on Halsey Lane it does have distant waterviews. It also features a quaint meditation room on it’s 3rd floor with portraits of the Dahli Lama (this is similar to a meditation room I have in my house with a portrait of a deli and a lama – i know bad joke… but i really do have a cool b+w photo of 2nd Avenue deli in my meditation room). In case you didn’t know Gere and his wife former Bond babe Carey Lowell bought a home in the Actor’s Colony area of North Haven that is currently undergoing renovation.

Got any real estate questions… e mail me!!! Have a great holiday weekend everyone!!!

IT’S NOT TOO LATE…. IDEAS OF WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND!!!

(Bethany Frankel of Real Housewives of NYC)

GUYS SORRY I TOOK YESTERDAY OFF! What’s going on this weekend in the Hamptons??? The top event for me this weekend will be the MIRACLE HOUSE SUMMER KICKOFF PARTY ! Miracle House is a non-profit organization that provides temporary housing, meals, and advocacy to caregivers and patients coming to New York City for critical medical treatment. Their services consist of three major components: temporary housing, counseling and advocacy!

The event is this Saturday starting at 6 pm til 8 pm at Bridgehampton Tennis and Surf Club for cocktails hosted by Bethany Frankel of Bravo’s THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY.. and singer Jennifer Holliday. If the event goes well… we can hope for a good NYC HOUSEWIFE CAT FIGHT!!! This is followed by a V.I.P. dinner beginning at 8pm. I encourage you to go to the website for MIRACLE HOUSE http://www.miraclehouse.org/index.html to learn more about MIRACLE HOUSE and get the details on this amazing amazing organization.

If you’re not going to the dinner you can get caught in what I have no doubt will be another wonderful bump in the already rocky road of what is known as the parking lot of Route 27!!! The former Hampton market in Bridgehampton is now the site of the third Hamptons CITARELLA.. YEAH!!! Now traffic can be backed up straight from Watermill to Ocean Rd. Listen let’s be honest most city residents don’t drive… they use their cars two days a week .. summers only … and think it’s always a good idea to completely stop their car before making a right hand turn off of a busy highway!!! Except the people who work with me… they’re all good drivers… me too!! Look at those treats in the picture above, they’re worth the points on your license and higher insurance premium!!! They also think it’s ok to hit their brakes suddenly to see if they really is that person from their spin class at the gym. Hey, I get it.. i used to be a city driver too… but I have more experience at being a good driver… I’m originally from New Jersey!!!

Finally… who said you can’t find a deal in East Hampton village… right now.. there’s a newly constructed home with 5 bed, 5 bath, on a half acre with gunite pool and garage… just reduced by $1,500,000 and priced close to $2 million. e mail me if you want details! patrick.mclaughlin@elliman.com