Savor the Hamptons All Year Long
New York City, full of skyscrapers and cement is no place to be in the summer. Just two hours away (except on Fridays and Sundays when it can take up to four hours!) are The Hamptons, known for miles of soft, beautiful sandy beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, breezy shores and the coolest place to be between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
I've been coming here since 1977, before The Hamptons was a scene, before potato farms were replaced by mega-mansions and the local mom and pop shops were replaced by Theory and Gucci. For me, it has been a way to give my family a non-city experience, a small town USA feel only a few hours away from the city. My kids learned to ride their bikes on the country roads out here and played in the local soccer league on summer weeknights. The hangout was Snowflake for soft-serve ice cream.
But summertime in the villages and towns that make up The Hamptons is still the place to be, and along with the summer people, owners of wonderful homes as well as renters, with some bold-faced Hollywood celebs thrown in, comes great fun shopping. The best shops are in Southampton, Bridgehampton and East Hampton, and with the following links and websites, The Hamptons can come to you and your wonderful home in Arizona, too.
THE ELEGANT SETTING on Main Street in Southampton is hands down my favorite. Owner Stephanie Fink has a wonderful eye and is clever to boot. I love her terrycloth cosmetic cases that can be monogramed overnight. The same with her white linen cocktail napkins, canvas totes and, best of all, baby presents. Lots of stuffed puppies and bears with the new baby's name on the tummy are in many nurseries!
Stephanie also handles a variety of crystal and china patterns as well as custom stationery from my favorite, THE PRINTERY in Oyster Bay.
H GROOME on Jobs Lane (pronounced with a long o) has the best contemporary china and linens as well as throw pillows, tablecloths and bed linens. So if your home is more modern, this is the place to browse.
The best bodies are stretched and sculpted at the well-known Bridgehampton exercise studio EXHALE, run by Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, former Lotte Berk owners who have expanded this foolproof (but hard!) hour routine into several cities. Fortunately their DVDs can be purchased and you can have the workout at home, a combination of Pilates, ballet, strength and resistance training with major core emphasis.
HOME JAMES in East Hampton is my go-to placefor hostess gifts as well as anything that goes on the table. I especially love their lacquered trays, colorful variety of placemats in fabric or vinyl, and luxurious striped beach towels, wastebaskets, antique silver serving pieces, and needlepoint area rugs that make this a terrific destination for things you didn't know you needed!
THE MONOGRAM SHOP has the greatest paper products, and owner Valerie Smith makes a point of nonpartisan politics during every election with the sayings printed on her plastic cups to please both Republicans and Democrats.
Notepads that say things like “Beachhouse,” “Market list," "Guest room" etc. are such fun to spread around the house, as are cocktail napkins that say "Pool." Pick out towels, white waffle weave robes, and sweaters for children, all of which can be monogrammed or personalized with a name.
For jewelry, where you can't always tell the faux from the real, is JENNIFER MILLER in both Southampton and East Hampton. It's the faux that is the best in this shop. I especially love her thin bangle bracelets, which she groups together by the dozens (literally) at various price points. So chic.
I love it here in East Hampton. We cook out a lot, go to the beach, do all the normal summertime things, and try to stay away from town and restaurants on the weekends when the population explodes. Sharing my favorite haunts is a real treat for me. So if you want a taste of the Hamptons, it's just a click away.
Happy shopping!
– Ellen Katz