It’s the question I get asked most often and one I’m going to try to tackle. Take a look and if you have any questions, you know how to get in touch.
douglas elliman
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HAMPTONS RENTALS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!
Yeah, it’s only two weeks till Memorial Day and things are already starting to heat up in anticipation of the warmer days ahead, especially in Amagansett. Two new dining spots are putting on their finishing touches in hopes of feeding the masses of “Tribeca by the Sea.”
But more on that in a minute. At this time every year, the talk I constantly hear is about summer rentals. It’s funny even sometimes the most seasoned tenants need a reminder of what to expect when moving their lives to the east end. Luckily for those folks and everybody else with questions about what it means to rent in the Hamptons, I’ve done a little introduction. So grab your popcorn and press the play button below. Trust me it’s more informative and entertaining than Sandra Bullock’s “The Lost City.”
As I said in the beginning of this post some good grub is coming soon to Amagansett. One of the more anticipated openings will be for the new “Astro Pizza” on Main Street. Chef PJ Calipa (IG: @chefpjcalipa) is lending his expertise to the menu to include some gourmet pies and premium ice creams. Calapa is the owner and chef behind NYC’s usually packed Scampi restaurant in Chelsea. If his unique Mediteranian seafood dishes are any indication of whats to come, get ready for some seriously interesting pies. By the way, I know interesting pizza. When I was in college I waited tables at the Pizzaria Uno in Georgetown DC. for a few years. But really it’s not as impressive as it sounds.
Meanwhile, across the street some cool Bahamian breezes are sweeping into Amagansett Square. The former site of Hampton Chutney is soon to become a Caribbean themed restaurant. I happened to be walking by and was told it will be called “Doubles.” I dont’ have much more to add but I was told to expect an opening sometime in June. If you get any more details, let me know.
THE ULTIMUTT EVENT THIS WEEKEND!
Walk Your Dogs for a Great Cause in Sag Harbor
For those who don’t know me personally, I’m a major dog lover, and I’m a massive fan of all our local shelters and rescue groups, which gave me my jack russell terrier/beagle mix, Russell, and Bella, my incredibly loud and bark-a-rific malamute/black Lab/Australian cattle dog mix. There are a million rescue organizations to love out there and I love them all (why wouldn’t I?), whether it’s ARF, Last Chance Animal Rescue, Gimmie Shelter, Best Friends—you name it. I’ve also grown very fond of NYC’s No Dogs Left Behind, aka NDLB, which is hosting their inaugural Walk for Awareness Dog-a-Thon starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday, June 19 at Havens Beach (1 Havens Lane) in Sag Harbor. I urge any dog lover or owner who’s able to take part in NDLB’s latest, and local, effort to raise awareness about the reckless slaughtering of dogs in Asia. It must not continue!
You can register for this one-mile walk starting at 9 a.m. the day of the Dog-a-Thon, or, if you happen to see this today, June 17, register online at nodogsleftbehind.com/dog-a-thon/, where you can also find out how to be a virtual participant. The $50 registration fee goes to the very best of causes, and it will get you admission, an event T-shirt, water and doggie poop bags for your four-legged friends. Tables will also be set up with coffee, pastries, doggie treats and water, raffle baskets, NDLB merch, and even dogs to adopt.
One of my fellow Elliman brokers and friend, Jason Walker from our NYC office, is a very active supporter of NDLB—he’s also the one my Hamptons houseguest that refuses to leave (and I have to turn off the wi-fi), but he’s literally a saint for the world’s canines in need. You may have read (click here) about Jason’s amazing work rescuing large numbers of dogs from China’s barbaric Yulin Lychee and Dog Meat festival, where they are literally butchered and eaten. Among them was his beloved Simba who is now his partner in crime and flies with him everywhere and eats at better restaurants than most of us.
Please join Jason and me, and so many more good-hearted dog supporters, on Saturday. Bella, Russell and I look forward to seeing you!
EH VILLAGE BEACH PASS UPDATE… & MY LIFE BEHIND BARS!
I can feel it! The days are longer and the weekends are getting a little more crowded with city folk looking for their summer retreat. So while we all enjoy the re-leaf of spring and increasing temperatures, it’s actually time for beach lovers to think about Summer! Yep, those coveted East Hampton Village beach passes have been on sale for a
while now and the supplies are running low. According to the folks at the Village Clerk’s offices there are currently less than 200 still available for the Summer ’19 season. But don’t panic if you can’t make it out here to pick up your sticker. You can go online and purchase your pass. If you need the link, click here. Remember, you need the pass to legally park at village beaches after 9 am to 4pm from May 15th to September 15th. I know with the cold damp weather it might not seem like it, but summer is approaching faster than you know.
Sometimes you really wanna go where everybody knows your name. One way to ensure that will happens is to get in on what more and more Hamptons homeowners are discovering, bars are the new media rooms. Yep, you heard me right! It’s something I discovered for myself a few years ago when my partner and I bought our “spec” house in East Hampton. In the family room was a big, bulky and industrial looking wet bar. It felt like my college pub without the brok
en glass and funky smell. My first thought was to pull the sucker out but after our first get together we noticed this had become the focal point for the party. Eventually, we renovated and changed the bar to its current state (pictured) where it is still the place everybody hangs! It really makes entertaining fun and apparently I’m not the only one who think so. In just the past few months I’ve listed homes both new and old with expansive set ups; wine fridges, sinks, dishwashers, ice machines, etc. But most important of all buyers are looking for homes that have these entertaining centers. I guess it’s all part of what author Faith Popcorn called cocooning. Home is the place to be and people enjoy bringing the outside world into their homes. Now if I could only get my dog to change his name to Norm. Below some of the more impressive (but far from the only) bars currently on the market. It’s a far cry from that 1970s basement version with the budweiser light and shag carpet.
Lower Level entertaining at 633 Hedges Lane, Sagaponack. $9,995,000. Listed by Douglas Elliman… yours truly! Click for more details.
Arts and Crafts coolness at 44 Little Noyac Path, Water Mill. $5,950,000. Listed by Douglas Elliman Joe Piccininni Click Here for more.
Rooftop cocktails at 6 Union Street, Sag Harbor. $7,495,000. Listed by Compass Kathy Zappola & Scott Strough. Click here for details.
CHEERS!!!