Hamptons

Bad Buoys.. Bad Buoys… watcha gonna do… when they come for you?!?

WELL, WE’RE ALMOST INTO AUGUST… CAN YOU BELIEVE!?!?! Polo is in full gear… the benefits are about 10 a weekend… and the heat is making some people just plain cranky. But you know what?! It doesn’t always have to be hot for some folks to be nasty. Just visit my favorite shop Bagel Buoy in Sag Harbor. It’s kind of like the soup man from Seinfeld but with.. you guessed bagels!!! Don’t ever expect a thank you or courteous response from the people who work there, especially the cashier (who I think is the owner). The bagels are actually pretty good and the salads etc. are fresh but unless you enjoy being chastised while you pay through the nose for some Philly, I suggest you stay clear. When I went there last winter, I haven’t gone back since; I had the pleasure of ordering a turkey burger for (I can’t remember exact prices but follow the story and you’ll get the idea), $4.00. When it came time to pay the cashier imagine my shock when I was told it was $11.00. How did that happen?? Well in a very terse response, the charming gal at the register told me I saw the “old price” on the menu. Hmmm. “Oh, and it’s a dollar for the slice of tomato and a dollar for the piece of lettuce.” Lovely!!!

Also, speaking of service… who get’s the money in the tip jar at AGAVE in Sag Harbor. I’m just asking… but I suspect it isn’t the staff!!! When I order my chicken tacos there… which are awesome, I give the tip directly to the person!!

Finally, I wonder what some sellers are thinking when they list their properties with a real estate agent and they end up with photos like the ones I’m about to post. Most buyers start their search on the internet. Agents use the photos off the agents website to forward to their clients . How in the world do you think you’re going to sell a house with photos like these. FYI… I hire a photographer for 90% of my listings.

YEAH, I’ll rent this as long as I get the shelves!

Well at least you know it’s a good place to Barbeque.

 

 

 

 

 

Do you think this is where they shot the movie version of The Secret Garden!!!?

Jon plus 8… in the Hamptons they hate!!

I’ve been busy, now leave me alone! But I’m here blogging, ain’t I!?!?!

You may have missed me… but things haven’t changed much. I did get a big chuckle this morning when my friend John Pascarella who does his daily gossip blurb which he sends to my blackberry had this headline… “DISASTER! Jon Gosselin (Jon and Kate Plus 8) was nearly LAUGHED out of a swanky Hamptons event!” I love that!!! Apparently this reality star who has never heard of Rick Rockwell or Darva Conger… if you haven’t either “google”… is taking himself a bit too seriously! Not looking to win any father of the year contests (his kids are hanging in PA), he was cruising at Polo this weekend in Bridgehampton and apparently got heckled for wearing cheap clothes! Funny when it happens to him… obnoxious when it happens to me!!! Anyway, I poked around and got another scoop, Mr. Gosselin was shocked when he asked a group of folks if they wanted to have their picture taken with them, when they asked “WHY?” he did a quick bee-line to the other side of the tent. Curious about Jon’s outfit.. which doesn’t look that awful; go to

http://www.okmagazine.com/2009/07/jon-gosselin-laughed-out-of-hamptons-party/

They made fun of that?!?! If you think that’s bad go search out the photos of the centenarian hippies boogeying at that fun fest known as the “Bay Street Gala.” To quote Rodney Dangerfield, they all “must have been something before electricity!”

Finally, some fun photos. Gerry Logue and Sean Cassidy … no relation to David … held there annual “Cocktails by the Bay” at their waterfront home in Sag Harbor benefiting Miracle House (www.miraclehouse.org). Check out the photos below. It was really a special event on a beautiful night. My only regret… I didn’t get my photo taken with Joan Allen… A REAL CELEBRITY!

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!!