Sag Harbor Shuffles..... Plus Memorial Day - Benefit Update!

He former home of The Cuddy!

Big news in Sag Harbor, the site of the former Phao... The Cuddy... and whatever else... well it is now becoming a branded restaurant for Wolffer Wines.    Yes, I will miss The Cuddy's burgers! Early reports had the property opening soon as a tasting room but I've heard it's actually going to have a full blown menu and be a real restaurant.   It will have a "high profile" chef that has already signed on to get behind the grill... or the stove... or the deep fryer... whatever they'll have!    No word on weather they'll have a steady reserve of Wolffer Rose to last through the summer.   Remember last year, our rose cups runnith dry!  

Meanwhile, don't cry for Espresso Argentina... they're coming back to town.   Yes, the home of the best turkey focaccia sandwiches ever..anywhere... will be going into the space formerly occupied by Cigar Bar.... hopefully they'll get rid of stale beer and stale cigarette smell. The property was vacant for the past few seasons and is already undergoing renovations! So now, you can get your sandwich and have your Yummylicious too (you know the place that looks like a "Hello Kitty" brothel).  

Finally, one of the big benefits for years in the Hamptons was The Miracle House Memorial Day Kickoff at Bridgehampton Surf and Tennis Club.   It was wall to wall people every year and guests mingled with celebrities like Taylor Dane, Andy Cohen and Cheyenne Jackson.   Well the organization which housed severely ill adults in NYC sadly shuttered last year.   It was a loss for the community in NYC and created a hole in the all important Hamptons benefit schedule.   Well now comes word that the date and the location have been reserved by the  LGBT Network of Long Island.   Tickets will start at a affordable $250 for the cocktail party and are already available with additional information on the organizations website!

Summer Showdown Part 1.... Time to Pencil the Calendar with the Best Benefits!

A worse Saturday night Janis Ian never imagined!

Guys, I hate to break the news to you but in spite of the temperatures, Memorial Day is right around the corner.    So while you're thinking it's time to trade in your Spanx for that moo moo you might want to also starting contemplating how your calendar is shaping up.    I mean really, nothing is worse for your social standing than having an open calendar!   So, if you don't want to spend your early summer nights driving through the Burger King in Southampton, please consider going to these fun events and supporting their great causes!   I also did you the favor of giving you links to buy tickets for each event, just click on the event name!

Edit Windsor hosts the GLBT Network on 5/24.

Kicking it all off on 5/24/14 GLBT Services Network Summer Kickoff -  A newcomer to the Hamtons, "The Network"  offers a community center that serves as a safe place with counseling and various services for members of the community and most importantly of all, at risk youth.    The kickoff event will start at 2pm and is hosted at the Southampton home of Edie Windsor who you may or may not know was the driving force for the fall of the DOMA.   Tickets are reasonably priced at $75 now, $125 at the door.  The best reason to go:  It's early in the day plus you get your chance to potentially meet the woman who could be considered the Rosa Parks of this generation.   Potential reason to skip it:  Probably not the best benefit for single women looking to meet the man of their dreams. But hey, you never know!   So after you had your first round you can head to..... 

 The Miracle House Summer Kickoff - Miracle House is a non-profit extended stay facility that provides housing, counseling and support for those seeking treatment in NYC and need assistance.   The location is the Bridgehampton Surf an Tennis Club.. and this is a huge event.  While it started as an AIDS charity and therefore has a strong guy following,  it benefits everyone from young to old with any illness.  Tickets start at $300 and go up!  The best reason to go: Great atmosphere with a fun crowd and since most of the boys shame their friends that eat those puff pastries and pigs-in-the-blanket, there's plenty of food!  Potential Reason to skip it:  You get shunned for eating the puff pastry!  But hey, I can live with being shunned.  Now pass that tray!

Fresh Air Home Sale and Auction Benefit Gala!

6/7/14 Southampton Fresh Air Home Sale and Auction Benefit Gala - Southampton FAH provides a camp experience for physically challenged youth with sailing, swimming, hiking, etc.   The benefit is held at their facility on Barkers Island Road in Southampton  It's one of the more mellow benefits of the season but it's a who's who's mixer for everyone in Southampton.   Tickets once again go for $300 and up.   The best reason to go:  The furniture in the silent auction is amazing stuff... plus it's some of the best people watching ever!   Yes, people really do wear bright yellow pants with lime green tops! Potential reason to skip it:  The best auction items here go early and these are not TJ Maxx prices but hey it's for a great cause!  

6/21/14 The Ellen Hermanson Foundation Summer Solstice - Hosted at the Southampton home of

Chuck and Ellen Scarborough host Summer Solstice.

Chuck and Ellen Scarborough, the event offers cocktails and some of the best bites around!   Tickets are starting at $300.  The foundation is a grassroots organization that has become a truly amazing success story promoting women's health issues through awareness and providing counseling and medical services on the East End.  The best reason to go:  When was the last time you were invited to Chuck and Ellen Scarborough's house?  DUH!   Potential Reason to Skip It:  No you can't stay overnight! Chuck and Ellen will be asking you to leave their house after the event!


6/28/14  American Heart Association's Heart of the Hamptons - The Heart of the Hamptons Ball has raised over $2.5 million for the American Heart Association since it began 15 years ago.   The event is held at the Hayground School in Bridgehampton on Mitchell’s Lane.  Tickets start at $175 for after dinner party tickets and $500 for cocktails and dinner.    The best reason to go:  Great star spotting at this event...this year journalist Rita Cosby is emcee and everyone from Rudy Guiliani to Christie Brinkley have been spotted here!  You may even see some Z listers like Star Jones too! Potential Reason to skip it:   Lot's of great music and dancing on a hot summer night equals lots of sweaty and ruined expensive outfits!   It's not pretty!
                                                            

Hamptons Showdown Part 1... why, where and how much! And MANGIA in E. Hampton!

 Well it's that time of the year where you need to mark your calendars and your Marc Jacobs outfits to what weekend benefit you're going to hit this coming summer.    If you ever saw that mini-series by Barbara Koppel "The Hamptons,"  you know it's all about the benefits.  What you wear, who you're seen with and what publication takes your picture!  Since there are so many benefits this summer, I'm going to break this into two parts this summer and give you the pluses the minuses of this summer's benefits.  

Kicking it all off on 5/26/12 is Miracle House Summer Kickoff - Miracle House is a non-profit extended stay facility that provides housing, counseling and support for those seeking treatment in NYC and need assistance.   The location is the Bridgehampton Surf an Tennis Club.. and this is a huge event.  While it started as an AIDS charity and therefore has a strong guy following,  it benefits everyone from young to old with any illness.  Tickets start at $300 and go up!  The best reason to go: Taylor Dayne will be performing live and it's a ton of fun for a great cause.  Potential Reason to skip it:  Most of the "boys" will be better dressed than you and in better shape! 

6/2/12 Southampton Fresh Air Home Sale and Auction Benefit Gala - Southampton FAH provides a camp experience for physically challenged youth with sailing, swimming, hiking, etc.   The benefit is held at their facility on Barkers Island Road in Southampton  It's one of the more mellow benefits of the season but it's a who's who's mixer for everyone in Southampton.   Tickets once again go for $300 and up.   The best reason to go:  The furniture in the silent auction is amazing stuff... they're are also great trips and everything from teeth whitening to fishing trips available! Potential reason to skip it:  The auction items here don't go for TJ Maxx prices (it's the Hamptons folks, people are generous) and the tooth whitening I won two years ago cost me like $20k after the dentist discovered my need for 3 root canals! 

6/16/12  The Retreat - Artists Against Abuse - The Retreat is a safe house for victims of family violence in addition to conducting educational outreach programs that advocate non-violence.   It's one of the more relaxed benefits of the summer and usually a great time!  The benefit will be held at the Ross School facilities on Butter Lane (same as last year). Tickets start at $150 for the pre-party and go up from there! The best reason to go: The ART !  Hello everyone from Dan Rizzi (this year's honoree) to April Gornick and Ross Bleckner have been featured at previous auctions.  The selection is amazing. Potential Reason to skip it:  Have you seen any work from Bob Ross of PBS fame? NO! Plus, add insult to injury, no potential fluorescent works to replace my Led Zepplin poster under the black lightt!!! 
                                                            
6/23/12 American Heart Association's Heart of the Hamptons - Widely recognized as a premier philanthropic and festive event in the Hamptons. The Heart of the Hamptons Ball has raised over $2.5 million for the American Heart Association since it began 15 years ago.   The event is held at the Hayground School in Bridgehampton on Mitchell’s Lane.  Tickets start at $500 and go up.    The best reason to go:  The Goody Bag is one of the best of the season!   Have you seen any wrinkles on my face lately!?  NO, that's because I got this amazing moisturizer in last years bag!   Potential Reason to skip it:   Just because you devour every passed hors d'ourves at the cocktail hour doesn't mean you have an inside track for winning those training sessions in the silent auction.  FAT ALARM!

Finally, according to their Faceboook page, the new and improved Red Horse Market is open for business!!! I'm totally psyched and once again Pasquale's fresh home made mozzarella will be a staple for my summer dinner parties.   The hours according to the page are 6am to 9pm!  How cool, I don't have to rush home from work to make a 6pm closing time!!  The phone is 631-324-9500 if you want more details! MANGIA!!!

A Dilemna in Dune Alpin or Preturbed over Ponies!

Some residents of East Hampton's Dune Alpin are hopping mad!!! What's their beef? Well according to gossips*, the head of the home owners association gave the OK for a local group to use the agricultural reserve that's located between Horse Meadow and 27 permission to practice polo. While personally, I think it's great. I don't have to schlep to Bridgehampton, put on a cheap plastic bracelet that cuts my circulation and wait in line with the Loser Housewives of wherever! I can take my bottle of seltzer water and go watch on the sidelines without the crowd. If you don't know the field, normally this time of year it's knee high with grass and pretty pristine. The owners miss the grass and hate the horse poop especially since a polo field is not a "reserve." An owners association meeting was held last Sunday night to debate the problem, if I get some answers I'll let you know.

Also, your chance to help out a good cause and go to one of the coolest cocktail parties of the summer. Gerry Logue and Sean Cassidy are holding their annual Cocktails by the Bay to benefit MIRACLE HOUSE. WWW.MIRACLEHOUSE.ORG ! VISIT THE WEBSITE TO PURCHASE TICKETS. I promise a great time and an awesome silent auction. Plus you can schmooze with actress Joan Allen. I hope to see you there!



* I did not fact check the story... I'm just telling you what I heard!

Stuff to do....Saturday 4:30 - 7pm at The New Paradise Cafe... Cocktails to benefit MIRACLE HOUSE!

Jon plus 8... in the Hamptons they hate!!

I've been busy, now leave me alone! But I'm here blogging, ain't I!?!?!

You may have missed me... but things haven't changed much. I did get a big chuckle this morning when my friend John Pascarella who does his daily gossip blurb which he sends to my blackberry had this headline... "DISASTER! Jon Gosselin (Jon and Kate Plus 8) was nearly LAUGHED out of a swanky Hamptons event!" I love that!!! Apparently this reality star who has never heard of Rick Rockwell or Darva Conger... if you haven't either "google"... is taking himself a bit too seriously! Not looking to win any father of the year contests (his kids are hanging in PA), he was cruising at Polo this weekend in Bridgehampton and apparently got heckled for wearing cheap clothes! Funny when it happens to him... obnoxious when it happens to me!!! Anyway, I poked around and got another scoop, Mr. Gosselin was shocked when he asked a group of folks if they wanted to have their picture taken with them, when they asked "WHY?" he did a quick bee-line to the other side of the tent. Curious about Jon's outfit.. which doesn't look that awful; go to

http://www.okmagazine.com/2009/07/jon-gosselin-laughed-out-of-hamptons-party/

They made fun of that?!?! If you think that's bad go search out the photos of the centenarian hippies boogeying at that fun fest known as the "Bay Street Gala." To quote Rodney Dangerfield, they all "must have been something before electricity!"

Finally, some fun photos. Gerry Logue and Sean Cassidy ... no relation to David ... held there annual "Cocktails by the Bay" at their waterfront home in Sag Harbor benefiting Miracle House (www.miraclehouse.org). Check out the photos below. It was really a special event on a beautiful night. My only regret... I didn't get my photo taken with Joan Allen... A REAL CELEBRITY!

IT'S NOT TOO LATE.... IDEAS OF WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND!!!

(Bethany Frankel of Real Housewives of NYC)

GUYS SORRY I TOOK YESTERDAY OFF! What's going on this weekend in the Hamptons??? The top event for me this weekend will be the MIRACLE HOUSE SUMMER KICKOFF PARTY ! Miracle House is a non-profit organization that provides temporary housing, meals, and advocacy to caregivers and patients coming to New York City for critical medical treatment. Their services consist of three major components: temporary housing, counseling and advocacy!

The event is this Saturday starting at 6 pm til 8 pm at Bridgehampton Tennis and Surf Club for cocktails hosted by Bethany Frankel of Bravo's THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY.. and singer Jennifer Holliday. If the event goes well... we can hope for a good NYC HOUSEWIFE CAT FIGHT!!! This is followed by a V.I.P. dinner beginning at 8pm. I encourage you to go to the website for MIRACLE HOUSE http://www.miraclehouse.org/index.html to learn more about MIRACLE HOUSE and get the details on this amazing amazing organization.



If you're not going to the dinner you can get caught in what I have no doubt will be another wonderful bump in the already rocky road of what is known as the parking lot of Route 27!!! The former Hampton market in Bridgehampton is now the site of the third Hamptons CITARELLA.. YEAH!!! Now traffic can be backed up straight from Watermill to Ocean Rd. Listen let's be honest most city residents don't drive... they use their cars two days a week .. summers only ... and think it's always a good idea to completely stop their car before making a right hand turn off of a busy highway!!! Except the people who work with me... they're all good drivers... me too!! Look at those treats in the picture above, they're worth the points on your license and higher insurance premium!!! They also think it's ok to hit their brakes suddenly to see if they really is that person from their spin class at the gym. Hey, I get it.. i used to be a city driver too... but I have more experience at being a good driver... I'm originally from New Jersey!!!

Finally... who said you can't find a deal in East Hampton village... right now.. there's a newly constructed home with 5 bed, 5 bath, on a half acre with gunite pool and garage... just reduced by $1,500,000 and priced close to $2 million. e mail me if you want details! patrick.mclaughlin@elliman.com