benefits

REEL FANCY: SWEDISH FISH TO SCHOOL SAG HARBOR AND BENEFITS TO HOOK YOUR CALENDARS.

🌈 Pride & Paddleboards – LGBTQ+ Network Summer Kickoff

📍Bridgehampton Surf & Tennis Club | 🗓️ May 24, 2025
Support the first LGBTQ+ community center on the East End and sip seaside with the chicest crowd west of Fire Island. Auction highlights include spa days, designer swag, and maybe Andy Cohen if you bid hard enough.
🎟️ Tickets: $250+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: Gorgeous cause, ocean view, open bar—need we say more?
🧣 Reason to Skip: Hoping for Speedos? Sorry. It’s more “coastal grandmother” than “Coachella glow-up.”
👉 More info here

🎣 Southampton Fresh Air Home – The Greatest Yard Sale on Earth

📍Barkers Island Road, Southampton | 🗓️ June 7, 2025
This mellow-meets-moneyed affair supports summer fun for kids with physical disabilities. Expect designer home goods, trips, beauty treatments, and a surprising amount of social clout for a yard sale.
🎟️ Tickets: $250+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: That $4,000 coffee table you almost bought in SoHo? It’s here for $1,200.
🧢 Reason to Skip: If you think “casual attire” includes denim—don’t. Think Nantucket red, not Levi’s.
👉 Details here

❤️ Heart of the Hamptons Heart Ball – American Heart Association

📍Bridgehampton Surf and Tennis Club, Bridgehampton | 🗓️ June 27, 2025
Where glam meets goodwill. This legendary gala helps fund life-saving research and gives you a reason to buy that outfit you can’t expense.
🎟️ Tickets: $500+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: You’ll glow, even if it’s just from the anti-aging serum in your gift bag.
🍤 Reason to Skip: Unless you’re auctioning off a Peloton, don’t expect to burn off the passed hors d’oeuvres.
👉 Get tickets here

🍽️ God’s Love We Deliver Midsummer Night Drinks Benefit

📍Private Estate, Water Mill | 🗓️ July 12, 2025
This one’s for the do-gooders who also love a good garden party. Supporting the NYC-based charity that delivers meals to people too sick to shop or cook, this event is equal parts glam and grounded.
🎟️ Tickets: $300+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: Gorgeous estate of Neil Patrick Harris, heartfelt cause, and cocktails that actually justify the Uber surcharge.
🥱 Reason to Skip: If you’re looking for high drama, this one’s a little more hydrangeas and hugs than Bravo brawls. (Although I’ve seen a few bitch fights over the same xoxoxoxo outfit.)
👉 Learn more here

🐶 Unconditional Love Gala – Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation

📍Southampton Arts Center | 🗓️ July 19, 2025
This one’s personal—because it’s where I found Ralph, my screeching, stubborn, sandwich-stealing beagle who also happens to be the coolest dog in the Hamptons (Bella is sweet but she is not cool). The gala supports the lifesaving work of the no-kill shelter that matched us up, and it’s a favorite for animal lovers, local celebs, and anyone who knows a good rescue story when they see one.
🎟️ Tickets: $350+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: You might just meet your own Ralph—hopefully minus the operatic bark.
👠 Reason to Skip: Only if you hate love, puppies, and open bars.
👉 Fetch details here

🌟 30th ANNIVERSARY Gala – The Ellen Hermanson Foundation

📍Bridgehampton Surf and Tennis Club | 🗓️ July 26, 2025
Dancing, drinks, and dedication to breast cancer support. This gala brings the glam and the good vibes with a high-energy crowd and an even higher heel count.
🎟️ Tickets: $400+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: The dance floor is lit. Seriously, bring your flats.
🎻 Reason to Skip: Hoping for a sedate soirée? This is more Beyoncé than Brahms.
👉 Full event info here

🐾 Bow Wow Meow Ball – ARF Hamptons

📍William P. Rayner Training Center, East Hampton | 🗓️ August 16, 2025
This year’s Bow Wow Meow Ball celebrates 51 years of ARF’s tail-wagging heroism. Expect a star-studded evening with heartfelt tributes, gourmet eats, and the Parade of Animals that guarantees more “awws” than a baby goat video.
🎟️ Tickets: $500+
🔥 Best Reason to Go: Glam, decor, cupcakes, cocktails, and adoptable animals. What more do you want—puppy kisses? (Actually, those too.)
🐕 Reason to Skip: If you don’t like dogs, cats, or compassion… maybe try Wall Street that night and seek help.
👉 Snag your ticket here

Mark those calendars, fluff your tulle, and let the benefit bingo begin. And remember—just because it’s for charity doesn’t mean you can’t be just a little competitive in the silent auction.

Hamptons Showdown Part 1… why, where and how much! And MANGIA in E. Hampton!

Well it’s that time of the year where you need to mark your calendars and your Marc Jacobs outfits to what weekend benefit you’re going to hit this coming summer.    If you ever saw that mini-series by Barbara Koppel “The Hamptons,”  you know it’s all about the benefits.  What you wear, who you’re seen with and what publication takes your picture!  Since there are so many benefits this summer, I’m going to break this into two parts this summer and give you the pluses the minuses of this summer’s benefits.

Kicking it all off on 5/26/12 is Miracle House Summer Kickoff – Miracle House is a non-profit extended stay facility that provides housing, counseling and support for those seeking treatment in NYC and need assistance.   The location is the Bridgehampton Surf an Tennis Club.. and this is a huge event.

While it started as an AIDS charity and therefore has a strong gay following,  it benefits everyone from young to old with any illness.  Tickets start at $300 and go up!

The best reason to go: Taylor Dayne will be performing live and it’s a ton of fun for a great cause.  Potential Reason to skip it:  Most of the “boys” will be better dressed than you and in better shape!

6/2/12
Southampton Fresh Air Home Sale and Auction Benefit Gala – Southampton FAH provides a camp experience for physically challenged youth with sailing, swimming, hiking, etc.   The benefit is held at their facility on
Barkers Island Road in Southampton  It’s one of the more mellow benefits of the season but it’s a who’s who’s mixer for everyone in Southampton.   Tickets once again go for $300 and up.

The best reason to go:  The furniture in the silent auction is amazing stuff… they’re are also great trips and everything from teeth whitening to fishing trips available! Potential reason to skip it:  The auction items here don’t go for TJ Maxx prices (it’s the Hamptons folks, people are generous) and the tooth whitening I won two years ago cost me like $20k after the dentist discovered my need for 3 root canals!

6/16/12
The Retreat – Artists Against Abuse – The Retreat is a safe house for victims of family violence in addition to conducting educational outreach programs that advocate non-violence.   It’s one of the more relaxed benefits of the summer and usually a great time!  The benefit will be held at the Ross School facilities on Butter Lane (same as last year). Tickets start at $150 for the pre-party and go up from there!

The best reason to go: The ART !  Hello everyone from Dan Rizzi (this year’s honoree) to April Gornick and Ross Bleckner have been featured at previous auctions.  The selection is amazing. Potential Reason to skip it:  Have you seen any work from Bob Ross of PBS fame? NO! Plus, add insult to injury, no potential fluorescent works to replace my Led Zepplin poster under the black lightt!!!

6/23/12
 American Heart Association’s Heart of the Hamptons – Widely recognized as a premier philanthropic and festive event in the Hamptons. The Heart of the Hamptons Ball has raised over $2.5 million for the American Heart Association since it began 15 years ago.   The event is held at the Hayground School in Bridgehampton on Mitchell’s Lane.  Tickets start at $500 and go up.

The best reason to go:  The Goody Bag is one of the best of the season!   Have you seen any wrinkles on my face lately!?  NO, that’s because I got this amazing moisturizer in last years bag!   Potential Reason to skip it:   Just because you devour every passed hors d’ourves at the cocktail hour doesn’t mean you have an inside track for winning those training sessions in the silent auction.  FAT ALARM!

Finally, according to their Faceboook page, the new and improved Red Horse Market is open for business!!! I’m totally psyched and once again Pasquale’s fresh home made mozzarella will be a staple for my summer dinner parties.   The hours according to the page are 6am to 9pm!  How cool, I don’t have to rush home from work to make a 6pm closing time!!  The phone is 631-324-9500 if you want more details! MANGIA!!!