Beach Time!

Hassle Free Hamptons Living!

Looking back at our week by the beach:

If you haven't been to the Hamptons, this (above) is how the beaches look -- for real! The award-winning coastline is still mostly unaltered, accordant to nature, undisturbed -- well, for the time being, that is.   

The Eastern part of Long Island is absolutely pristine -- mostly because it's really just a giant sand bar that sticks out 100 miles into the Atlantic Ocean -- it's heavenly. 

There are so many beautiful spots in the Hampton villages.  When the high sun threatens to destroy our skin at the beach, we often take mid-day excursions to these villages. This shot (above) was taken in East Hampton.  Those hydrangea are like floral fireworks, they just need to be watered...

a lot!

Of course all the bikes match in the Hamptons. And, seemingly, the children respectfully match the bikes.

A beautiful mews sitting area, just off of Main Street in East Hampton. 

West Hampton, Southampton, East Hampton (above), and Bridgehampton all have fanciful (extravagant) shopping. 

Side note: isn't it interesting that some of the town names are two words, and some are one?  

Nice touch --  those beach grasses on the roof of that shop! (above)

Sag Harbor, a historic whaling village settled in the 1700s, was, until recently, locked in a time warp, with quaint knick-knack shops, scruffy 99 cent stores and bygone retro pharmacies. It is now, however, quickly becoming an important style destination (above).

I like this photo (above) because those chairs are absolutely fantastic, reminding me of a 1960s cartoon (Dr. Seuss, perhaps). I half expect them to come to life. Just fabulous.  Also, directly behind them is my new favorite men's shop in East Hampton.  Orlebar Brown is a European designer that carriers tasteful, colorful, somewhat retro swim shorts (albeit very expensive). These shorts can be worn to the beach or to Whole Foods and are cut to a reasonable length -- high on the thigh, where they should be, reminiscent of 1980s Bjorn Borg tennis shorts!  

Hopefully, designers like Orlebar Brown will help extinguish the board short trend. Those unflattering board shorts should be only worn by surfers. Why?   Three reasons -- first, the baggy board shorts leave the worst tan lines on men;  second, all that fabric can literally cause men to drown; third, most men look silly covering half their bodies while expecting their woman counterparts to be wearing virtually nothing at all! Just saying!

Henry Lehr (above) is another tasteful shop located in Amagansett and in East Hampton (they also have stores in Manhattan and elsewhere).   The clothes are casual, yet colorful, cuts are stylish and functional, and many of the radiant fabrics are imported from India and other exotic locations.

Our daughter understands the importance of keeping a vibrant wrap on hand when we are by the beach.  The temperature swings can be sudden and unpredictable, especially in the evening. 

The Hampton Chutney Co, in Amagansett,  is a fantastic eatery, especially for lunch.  They make the most delicious south Indian dosas, chutney and lassies.  It is not clear, however, what is up with the proprieters -- they are rumored to be running a curious commune.

There are so many different architectural styles in the Hamptons.  My favorite, however, remains the classic shingle-style "cottage":

Aside from palatial beach homes, fancy shopping and impressive scenery, the Hamptons are steeped in tradition and history.  Throughout this picture-perfect region, with misty beaches distilled by the sun, are many structures that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are significant because they predate the Revolutionary War.  Numerous homes date back to the English Colonial period, the late 1600s.   Cool!

There are so many farm stands and markets in the Hamptons that an entire book could be dedicated to this one rich subject.  My favorite market, although small, is open on Saturday mornings and is located in the Springs of East Hampton. The Springs area is known in the art world as a place of abstract creativity. Such artists as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Randy Rosenthal created famous works here.

Only in the Hamptons can $9 loaves of bread be found. 

...delicious, though!

Easy living at Amber Waves Farm Stand in Amagansett.

Hopefully, the sea will remain unchanged, the towns unchanged, the beaches unchanged -- so that generations can continue to enjoy the flawless, unspoiled beauty that has always been a trademark of the Hamptons. Thanks for joining us on this quick journey. 

Lounging on the back steps. My daughter doesn't want me to have this hair mop cut off. 
Next up: Summer Ceviche!