DOPPIO'S DILEMNA.... AND YOU KNOW IT'S AUGUST ...UMMMM JULY IN THE HAMPTONS WHEN......

Yesterday's tomorrow is today.... right?

It's Peyton Place in Sag Harbor these days as the questions abound.... Is Doppio history or on hiatus.   Yesterday, state officials along with a few men in blue (you never know when some employee might want to sneak off with salt and pepper shakers) came in and locked the restaurant down and threw up a "SEIZED" sign!   Well it didn't take long but a few hours later one of the owners or employees was out there with a sign and free lemonade promising it will be "back to business as normal."   Well it's now 11:30 am and Hamptons Chatter was late to go to press today and the doors are all still locked and there isn't an employee in site. There is also no lemonade today but did you really think someone could serve free drinks in Sag Harbor without getting into trouble?

Rumors about Doppio's demise have been floating around since this winter.    After a promising start and lots of fanfare last year bad attitudes and mediocre food turned the eatery into a ghost town by Labor Day.   This year I have to say the food has improved and the staff is a heck of a lot friendlier.    Everyone should get a second chance and I'm hoping they make it work.    I'll keep you updated on the progress and update here as needed.    It would be fun to set up a webcam, right?

UPDATE 2:38pm:  It's still closed, still dark and Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
UPDATE 4:19pm:  The day glow orange sign is gone and they're getting ready to reopen.  A stirring saga is over. 

Bad reviews can't stop this bear!

• Meanwhile, it's beginning to feel a lot like August around here int he Hamptons.   I know every year we all complain the crowds are bigger, the traffic is worse, the lines are longer, blah, blah, blah than the year before.   But you know what?  I'm convinced it really is crazier than ever out here ... and there isn't a Kardashian in sight!   The way I know is the annual tell tale signs, that usually happen in late August are already upon us.   It's like a swallows of Capistrano situation here but with BMW's.   Here are the signs it's bursting at the seams on the East End;

A movie like "Ted 2" can sell out on Sunday night at 10pm.   Yes, it's only scored a lame 45% on Rotten Tomatoes but it's doing bang up business in East Hampton.   I can't imagine anyone wanting to pay to see this after the director's really really bad "A Million Ways to Die in the West,"  but if your choice is between this and "Me, Earl and the Dying Girl" one title does sound a little better for fun summer viewing.

Scads of Toddlers are playing under hot coffee pots at bagel stores and coffee shops while their attentive parents are texting away on their I-phones!   Now, I always find this annual occurrence to be a bit scary.  I mean I'm not a parent nor do I have any intuitive parental skills but I kind of find it stupid to let children play unsupervised under a scalding coffee pot!    Call me wacky!

It takes an hour to get from Southampton to East Hampton village on a week night and Sag Harbor Village looks like East Hampton Village!    Folks, if you live within walking distance to any of these villages (remember that's why you paid what you did!), why in the world are you driving a 10th of a mile to get there?!  Getting stuck in traffic on Butter Lane.... I'm sorry I just don't get it!   But then again there are a lot of things I don't understand..... like why everyone and their mother is now publishing a magazine this summer!  I read Hamptons Magazine, Hamptons Real Estate Showcase  and Dan's.... sorry that's it folks... the rest I toss in the circular file!   I would also read Curbed.com if it ever went to print... I hope I earn brownie points on these.

The uniform at Rowdy Hall is Gucci, Prada and Birkin  The home of Hamptons casual and arguably one of the best burgers around becomes a tornado of tags and logos as the normally low key crowd gets outnumbered and out dressed.    I know it's competitive out there and everyone wants too look good but isn't this a casual beach community?  Couldn't we all just embrace the softer side of Sears?  hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahaahhahhah