East Hampton

…. AND ANOTHER ONE’S GONE AND ANOTHER ONE’S GONE.

Here’s another to add to the ’09 casualty list. Well, I can’t say it was a shock.. but apparently the bell has tolled for Bellhaus! Fashionista (whatever that really mean’s I’m not sure) Sean Bell’s foray into Hamptons Couture officially… or should we say surreptitiously bit the dust last night. Oh my god where can I buy $4000 leather Lacroix pants for next year’s July 4th Beach party?!?!??!?

The store which had it’s grand opening hosted by Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Ripa was a virtual ghost town from day one. By the way,nothing says glamor to me like Jersey’s own Kelly Ripa. Why they just didn’t get Sam Champion I’ll never know. No telling what will go next into what I think is a cursed location. My suggestion!?! Give us a Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware or Whole Foods in the Hamptons…. THESE ARE STORES WE WOULD ACTUALLY SHOP AT!!!?

Next on my retail/restaurant death watch??? Brooks Brothers in East Hampton and Rugosa Restaurant Wainscott.

The best burrito in the Hamptons continues to be from 7-11 in Sag Harbor!

I got another round of nasty comments about the New Blue Parrott in East Hampton. Overpriced, tiny portions, bland and too much attitude are the most common complaints. Sure, Mr Bon Jovi or is it Mr. Jovi occaisionally shows up but if you’re actually going to eat it sounds like that isn’t the place where you want to go. It’s obvious the Hamptons needs a good southwestern or mexican restaurant… why can’t we get one???

I forgot a few weeks ago to mention a great place on the water in East Hampton. While I love the food and view at Bostwicks, I hate the wait. So, if you want to have food with a great view without waiting for 45 minutes, try Harbor Bistro. The prices are actually pretty decent and the menu is ecclectic and interesting without being so exotic you’re scratching your head. My personal favorit is the “seared tuna with soba noodles.” AWESOME! They also have a really friendly and competent staff. Harbor Bistro is located on Three Mile Harbor Road, next to East Hampton Point (where I recently had one of the worst meals of the summer— yes you can ruin a basic chicken breast)! The view is above left.

Finally, This Saturday… Stuff to do. Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge at Two Trees Farm on Hayground Rd, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm A portion of proceeds from the Mercedes-Benz Bridgehampton Polo Challenge will go to South Fork Breast Cancer Coalition. The VIP tent continues to play host to a large overdressed and overly liquered crowd that cares absoloutly nothing about the polo players, horses or anything else other than who else is in the tent and how much cooler they are!!

And for the un-chic set. Fireworks on 3 Mile Harbor this Saturday starting at 9pm. If you have friends on the Harbor, call now!

UGGGGH! I’ve been busy but I have some rental stories from hell!!

Sorry, I haven’t been around lately. I was busy doing this and doing that and I had a house full of Canadian Guests!!! They fly south every summer and stay for a weekend and usually bring good gifts… much easier than Canadian Geese!

Anyway, I’ve been talking to a few friends and myself included and here are a few rental stories from the war zone!

A couple has rented a 10,000 square foot house south of the highway called the land lord and started berating him!! Why?!?! Because there was NO TOASTER! Let’s just put it this way, the rental was well over $100k for A MONTH… and they’re pissed about a toaster!!! When my friend the landlord stated that indeed there was a toaster over in the kitchen, the horrified response from the renter was “Are you kidding, EVERYONE knows there’s a difference in how toast tastes from a toaster oven!”

Hmmmmmm… ok. On to the next. Things are a little slow in the purchase department lately although it IS picking up. None the less, some top agents are still taking out folks looking to rent…even short term. I recently had one who was looking at rentals up to $80,000 for July and August. When they finally found a house, where do you think they came in at?! Yup, $25,000! The landlord was gracious and declined the blue light special to his house. His comment, “I won’t travel and I’ll just stay home.”

Another story from the NW Woods where a house was infested with wood ants. Just imagine the horror of the agent who showed the house which was asking for $18,000 for the month of August, only to find piles of wood shavings all over the house and on top of mirrors and dressers (apparently that’s what happens with wood ants. When the agent apologized for showing the house in the current condition, the potential renters said, “I’ll take it but I want a bigger discount!”

A story from East Hampton, a tenant rents a house with a heated pool. The pool is heated by propane which comes in tanks and is delivered on an automatic basis. Well as everyone knows the weather has been a bit chilly lately. Well guess what happens when you run your pool gas heater all week?! It runs out of gas!!! Now the tenant who calls on Saturday is angry because she has a pool party for her 7 year old on Sunday afternoon…and the kids will have to swim in a cold pool! “You need to do something,” she yells at the landlord. Who actually can’t do anything… as anyone who has ever called Pulver gas on a Saturday afternoon can tell you! Anyway, enough for today, I have to get back to work. I promise I’m back!!

They’re being mean to Boo!!!

(getting ready for action and a donut!)

Warning… danger…apparently the town of East Hampton is a little cranky these days and they’re aiming their ire at “man’s best friend.” Did they just say gat that bitch out of here!? Understand, every Saturday and Sunday my girl Boo goes to the beach to hang with her buddies; Bailey, Bailey (yes, apparently that liqueur is quite popular in the Hamptons thus many owners with booze on their brain have named their dogs) Tucker, Woody and Kipper. Well according to the town, you have to be off the beach by 9am. In the past, there was a little room for those of us who have issues with time management…. BUT NO LONGER! Slightly chunky high school students are now making their summer bucks issuing summonses to owners who fail to get their pooches of the beach by 9:01am!!! I know of a few people who have already gotten “busted” and were shocked to see that its not just a fine, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A COURT APPEARANCE! Something tells me, we’re about to buy Bill McGintee a better lawyer! Well today’s blog is short, sweet and to the point… and yes I told you so!!

Finally a real estate note… I know of a bank owned property south of the highway in the Georgica area. It orignally came onto the market at about 9 million dollars and is now about 50% off. Let me know!!!