What: Lido di Venezia Where: Italy Hardly any other place…
My Long Island Summer Vibes and Hypes
What: The Hamptons
Where: Long Island, USA
As I recently got invited to my friends’ home on Long Island, I did not hesitate long: booked the flight, packed my suitcase, the hubby in tow and off we went. Conveniently, Air Berlin offers a non-stop flight from Berlin to New York. After two movies in the flight program, a little writing for MyStylery and a power-nap the plane landed eight hours later, in time on the John F. Kennedy Airport. There, a Blacklane limousine waited for us and chauffeured us comfortably to the Hamptons, where we were warmly welcomed by our friends with chilled drinks and a perfect sunset.
Long Island is the Sylt of the American east coast, a playground for the rich, super-rich and not always pretty. Crazy lifted women – and yes, also men – you meet preferably in the Hamptons – inter alia consisting of Southampton, Bridgehampton and East Hampton: Island centrally located, a two-hour drive from Manhattan, from here you go another hour to Montauk, one of the easternmost points of the USA and the scene of one of my favorite novels by Swiss author Max Frisch. Who has a (second) home here – and this possibly by the sea or with a view – has made it.
Absolutely fantastic are the endless beaches, where private villas line up in different architecture together like beads on a string. Depending on the location, a house can cost around $ 60 million which is something, even for stars like Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey and Tiger Woods. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is said to have paid $ 75 million for his estate. Increasingly, you can see modern architecture, which large windows allow unrestricted views of the Atlantic. Ornate buildings in Tudor style are not so en vogue anymore.
For the Fourth of July weekend everybody came by. Even in the Barre-class, in the Exhale Mind Body Spa, it was difficult to find a free spot. In the Round Swamp Farmers market, Foodies and friends of organic kitchen queued while convoys of Maseratis, Mercedes and Bentleys turned the road between Watermill and Bridgehampton into an endless traffic jam. The restaurants are fully booked since ages. How fortunate that we were invited to dinner Sunday night at the home of friends. Under luxury tents, two elegant tables with lavish floral arrangements were established. Movie star Scarlett Johansson plus husband Romain Dauriac – a French journalist – sat on my opposite. Pop legend Bryan Ferry, a close friend of the host was supposed to come. A perfect evening, including fireworks, albeit from neighboring properties.
Summer Vibes
Tired of the hustle and bustle? Then a small sidestep to the Shelter Island is a good idea. With a ferry we cross from the chic marina and fishing town of Sag Harbor in five minutes and then end up in a different world in which there is only one grocery store and the time seems to have stopped. The place to meet is the hotel-restaurant Sunset Beach, with feet in the sand, enjoying delicious fish or lobster with a glas of André Balazs’ rosé wine – made on Long Island. And all that topped by a magnificent sunset again. Life is beautiful. BvH
Life is beautiful
Celebrity hotspot with many facets
Hello Southampton!
Long Island Tip I:
The season runs from the last Monday in May (Memorial Day) to the first Monday in September (Labor Day). To escape the crowds and the related congestion, it’s best to come just before or after the season.
You want to rent a house? The average rent of a villa with four bedrooms from May to September is $ 180,000.
The early bird catches the worm: The few motels and bed and breakfasts on Long Island are busy months in advance.
Long Island Tip II:
The bus lane Hampton Jitney departs from various stops in Manhattan to Long Island, for example, 39 Street/3rd Ave. From there, you drive 2 hours to Bridgehampton and about 2.5 hours to East Hampton. One should definitely book in advance. Tickets from $ 24: hamptonjitney.com
More stylish and much faster – namely in 35 minutes – one flies by Blane helicopter, directly from Manhattan’s Wall Street to the Hamptons. $ 495 per person, one way, of course 😉
Featured pic by Sotheby’s