SAG HARBOR

Book Hampton Sag Harbor is Gone and Mostly Forgotten… and a Way to Prevent Serious Accidents in the Hamptons!

The former BookHampton Sag Harbor

Well it was long rumored and now it’s true… Bookhampton in Sag Harbor is now a memory.  I actually just noticed it gone yesterday but sadly it’s been gone for awhile.  Blame it on Kindle or Ibooks but the

fact remains, retail is hard in the Hamptons.     I just wonder how long before all of Main Streets are entirely empty, then I have no doubt some of the villages will have no choice but to allow some of the larger chain stores to move onto the block.

Perhaps the biggest reason I was slow to figure out that there was a retail shuffle in Sag Harbor was due to the fact that I was out of town (the other that I have Netflix on my Ipad and I’m slowly becoming an illiterate slob).    I was on Cape Cod in Provincetown, MA.     Now, while there are many great things about P-twon as it’s called, the restaurants, the beaches and the abundance of really unattractive drag queens, my favorite thing was the amazing bike trails!   The beautifully maintained National Seashore Bike Trails contain miles of challenging and motor vehicle free biking!    They feature views of dunes, forest, ponds and even the ocean and are one of the bigger and popular attractions on “The Cape.”  Now, my question is why don’t we have this in the Hamptons!?!

Imagine bike trails here!!

With more accidents in the Hamptons than ever before, no doubt due to drivers being distracted by their smart phones, the time is now for the east end to create some safe areas for bikers.    This is perhaps the reason why one employee at a local bike shop told me, “anyone who rides after 10 am on a weekend is asking for trouble.”    If you have any doubt about this, go to any of the villages on a weekend.  It’s crowded beyond belief and nobody is watching where they go!   Yeah, I know it’s important stuff they’re doing like checking Facebook or Foursquare or texting about the next Soulcycle class.

So here’s my idea, someone talk to LIPA about a good will gesture that if they execute, I will forgive them the 2 weeks I spent in the dark after Sandy (It was horrible, I had no Netflix).  They take the area under the high tension wires on the East End, you know the ones they refused to bury and pave bike trails underneath.   These things go for miles (look on Google Earth) and a bike trail from Southampton to Montauk could easily be created (IMHO) and hopefully encourage folks to bike to the village instead of taking their Escalades and Hummers.   It’s a win win for everyone!    It might even help alleviate some of the fist fights in the parking lot of those spin studios.  Imagine, bicycling to a spin class!   So how do we get this done?!

OVERHEARD:   While standing in line at the Red Horse Market deli counter in East Hampton.  After ordering a pound and a half of smoked turkey breast the customer asks the employee, “Can you count those, I need to know how many slices I have there!?”   Only in the Hamptons.

Bikini Busters… the 7 deadly sweet and savory sins of Hamptons Dining! Plus it’s a time warp in Sag Harbor this weekend.

In case you missed it, a few weeks ago the Wall Street Journal announced that the Hamptons have gone  healthy.    The opening of the new Juice Lane in Wainscott, Soul Cycle and Tracy Anderson apparently have constituted a trend and now we’re all supposed to look like Brangelina.    Well, not so fast WSJ!   While, I’m not saying they’re going to start serving fried Coca Cola at Nick and Toni’s (look it up, it’s a real thing) there are quite a few pot holes and road blocks on the road to wellness here in the Hamptons.    So, here are my favorites and I hope you find as tempting as I do…

Dangerous territory!

1) Sam’s- East Hampton – It’s the pizza and chicken Parmesan that get me every time.     The cheese is thick on both and the sauce is thick and tasty, just like my mama never made (she was Lithuanian and Irish neither which are known for good cuisine).

2) Round Swamp Farm- East Hampton – What’s not to like?!  The cinnamon buns, the coffee cake, the guacamole, the chicken salad, the chocolate chip cookies…. oh, the list goes on and on your gut!    This place is not where you want to go while dieting.    I dare you to go into there and leave with just one thing!  It’s not going to happen!

3) Dreesen’s Donuts at Scoop Du Jour – East Hampton –  The donuts are freshly made and need I say more!?   It’s deep fried dough with sugar!   You could serve me deep fried wood with sugar and I bet I’d eat it but the dough is a little easier to chew…. fluffier too!

4) Bobby Van’s – Bridgehampton – If you’re allergic to shellfish you may want to avoid the shrimp nachos at Bobby Van’s.  But if you’re not, get ready for a spicy blob of shrimp, chips, jalapenos, guacamole and enough cheese to keep Lipitor profitable for the next century.    Yeah, the Chinese Chicken Salad is good too but for some reason it doesn’t seem as decadent.

Yeah, they look sweet and innocent at Mary’s.

5) Mary’s Marvelous – Amagansett – When Ina Garten shuttered the Barefoot Contessa years ago, I went into a deep depression.  WHERE WILL I BUY MY COCONUT CUPCAKES?!    Yes, I could go buy Ina’s cake mix but that would leave evidence around the house.    Luckily Mary’s is there to fill the void!   Her sandwiches and muffins are great too but it’s the coconut cupcake that is the standout!    If you don’t know my cousins Eileen and GiGi or Ina for some CC’s of lovin’ (as I call them) make sure you go to Mary’s and eat them there.   Coconut shreds are often a dead give away.

6) Fresno – East Hampton –  Tons of good stuff on the menu and a bar/restaurant scene that’s fun and unpretentious is what keeps me going back to this East End staple.    From some of the same people that bring you Red Bar and Beacon this is the closest to my house so I’m a little biased.  I’m also terminally in love with the Sticky Toffee cake desert.   I also drool over their …staff… I mean burgers and fries.   Gosh, I only hope I look attractive in my Sans-a-belt pants with Spanx
when I got there next time!!!?

Fat Free Biscuits at Grill…NOT!

7) The East Hampton Grill – Yeah, I know I write a lot about this place.  I’m the mayor on foursquare.com and yes they know my name ( no, smarty pants I tip well so that’s not the reason!).    The buttermilk biscuits, the ribs and the home made hot fudge (that I think comes with Ice Cream) are all impossible to avoid.  Although I don’t eat them all together at the same time…. hey wait… hot fudge on ribs and buttermilk biscuits on the side… no stop it… wait…

On an entirely different note, they’re having a Soap Box Derby this weekend in Sag Harbor.   The big event will take place this Sunday afternoon on High Street.   The festivities will begin with a parade down Main Street at 1pm (they have a parade for everything in Sag Harbor) followed by the big race on High Street.     While my 25 year old nephew had no clue what a soap box derby was, I proudly told him to keep an eye out for the kids named Spanky McFarland and Alfalfa Switzer.   They’re both heavily favored to win!    There’s still no word if Darla and Petey will be there.

Jobs, Land Preservation and A Local Business That’s Got A Good Buzz!!!

By now you’ve probably seen those signs posted all over the Hamptons touting the various vineyards on the east end.     Wineries like, Bedell, Wolffer and Channing Daughters have all made their mark and established Long Island as a solid manufacturer of wines.   Well in Baiting Hollow one man is throwing his hat into the ring.    But he’s not using east end grapes and he’s not making wine…

By the way, the vodka is really that good.   I know Sag Harbor Liquors carries LIV Vodka and others around town as well.   So, go check it out and let me know what you think!

For more information, check out their website!     Now, if only they would deliver!

www.lispirits.com

The birthplace of Hannibal Lechter? Plus, where would he go for lunch?!

 

Pass the fava beans!!! It’s Hannibel’s house!

 

We all know that Sag Harbor has been a haven for artists and writers of all types for years.  John Steinbeck, E.L. Doctrow and the late great Spaulding Gray have all found their inspiration among the waters of the fair Harbor and the stale beer of Murph’s.  Well, maybe Steinbeck never went to Murph’s but I bet he would have loved it!    But I digress… so, I learned something new the other day when talking to a friend of mine in Hamptons.  The house is located on Jermain Avenue in Sag Harbor and to be honest,  I fail to see how this sweet property could have ever been the birth place of the red wine swilling cannibal known as Hannibal Lechter.   The house is currently on the market for a little under  $1.5 million dollars and listed with Gioia DiPaolo of Douglas Elliman in Sag Harbor.    You can see the listing here…. and yes it’s walking distance to Murph’s!  That alone makes it worth more than the asking price!!  So make and offer and tell them I sent you… and who knows if you buy it, maybe you too can be inspired to write one of the most frightening best sellers of all time!!

our Sag Harbor office.

Sidewalk dining at Madison and Main

So speaking of Sag Harbor and dining but not the cannibalistic kind; the town was recently voted one of the friendliest places in the country.   But now I think it deserves another honor.  I’m declaring Sag Harbor the “Lunch Capital of the Hamptons.”   Sure, there are plenty of restaurants in the Hamptons but where can you go to have a good lunch (especially during the week)?   With the recent addition of Madison and Main, Sag Harbor is by a long shot the best place for the mid day meals.     While East Hampton has Ralph Lauren and Bridgehampton has real estate offices, the Harbor has more eating restaurants per foot than any other town.   It’s also the only one where you can dine out doors without breathing in the exhaust from Rt. 27.   Let’s think about this, you have the American Hotel (I suggest The Cobb salad), LT Burger (I recommend the fries and turkey burgers), Dockside (the tuna wrap), Madison and Main (tuna tacos), Bay Burger (the burger duh) and Page (you’re on your own) all with open air dining.     So why am I writing this?  Well because when you have your weekend guests and you want to get them out of the house for some privacy Saturday afternoon, send them to Sag.  See this blog is good for something!