Southampton - The Dockers Soft Opening was Friday, March 19, and many familiar faces were there. I enjoyed dinner at the bar with Doctor Marc Radosa, who is visiting for the season from Frankfurt, Germany and the famed hair stylist Nicholas French and his wife Carole of Quogue. Driving to dinner towards the beautiful sunset made me think of all the beautiful Spring, Summer and early Fall nights to come.

Maria Greenlaw, star of "Design Influence" and Taylor Polio of Sag Harbor.

On Thursday, March 25 I was at the No. Main Street Gallery for the launch of the new AOL/Shelterpop Channel's design show, "Design Influence," brought to us by the fabulous ladies of The Design House, an interior design and home shop also on No. Main Street in Southampton.

The show follows the owners of Design House, Maria Greenlaw and Suzanne Caldwell on their adventures in design in The Hamptons, with continuous hilarious results! Episodes and Bloopers of "Design Influence" were showed on big screens around the gallery, and were very well received by the 75 guests in attendance at 5 p.m. on a Thursday in March!

The wine was fabulous and had been personally selected by Maria and Suzanne during two fun afternoon wine tastings at the Bedell & Corey Creek Wineries on the North Fork. The party was very well attended by a great crowd of guests, including Judy Hadlock of Old Town Crossing Home Furnishings & Design Firm, Southampton, Denise Bornshein from 102.5 WBAZ, Cathy Dransfield from Saunders Realty, Ann Ciardulo from Sotheby's, East Hampton, the interior designer Greg McKenzie, photographer Eric Striffler, Mary Ann Carpenter, Marissa Gribbins, Taylor Polio, Courtney King, Naomi Hogarty, producer of "Design Influence" and her husband Kyle, Martin Von Ruden, Lois Vola, Paula Yount of Mecox Gardens, Karen Commerford of Commerford Design, Bridgehampton, Wally Smith of Peconic Public Broadcasting, Donna Weinham, Richard Welsh, Diana and Rick Scott, Paul DeCrescenzo and Paul Anaastaskis from Crezana Design, the photographer Bob Frame, and Colleen Curtis and Allison Mezzafonte from AOL Corporate.

Naomi Hogarty, producer, Martin Von Ruden, director, Suzanne Caldwell and Maria Greenlaw, stars of "Design Influence," Colleen Curtis and Alisson Mezzafonte of AOL.com Shelterpop Channel.

It was a great example of the great little parties that pop up in early spring out here, when everyone is burning up from cabin fever. I had such a nice time and it was great to catch up with everybody. After the party I went on to Copa Wine Bar in Bridgehampton with a bunch of people from the "Design Influence" party, while the cast and production team and the AOL executives went to Red Bar for an After Party Dinner.

At Copa, I had a great dinner at the bar, and saw Jeanine Edington of Prudential, Barbara Rasmussen, and Donna Thiele grooving to the live music and enjoying the wine!

Matthew Hammond, Maria Greenlaw and Danielle Hammond.

On Friday, I joined friends at a private home for a modern day parlor game entitled "2010 The Winter Wine Olympics." I was quite charmed by the whole thing, so I share it with you now. Upon arrival the dining table was lit with candles and a computer made score card was at each seat, along with water glasses, and a few wine glasses, baskets of artisanal breads, and great cheeses from The Village Cheese Shop, Southampton. On the sideboard were eight bottles of white wine, and a card in front of each one. The cards each had the name of the country in which the wine was from emblazoned on them: United States, France, Croatia, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, etc. There were also assorted decanters. We were asked to look at the bottles and to note on our score cards who we thought would win Bronze, Silver, or Gold.

The wine was then removed to another room and decanted. As each wine was brought in we were asked to rate the wine based on bouquet, its presence in the glass and coloring, its taste, and finally, where and in what circumstances we could see ourselves enjoying it. We then went around the table and each person spoke about their thoughts on the wine. In the end, after the tastings concluded, our score sheets were taken and tallied and the winners were announced. All the people whom had guessed the end results correctly were given a lovely tote with either a bottle of wine or a candle in it.

Ann Ciardullo and Sean MFK Bruns. (Marissa Gribbins)

It was a lovely evening, with a lot of laughs, a roaring fire, and some very enjoyable wine. Participating in the "2010 Winter Wine Olympics," were James Arin, Missy Frey, Suzanne and Marc Caldwell, Dr. Marc Radosa, Celeste LaMontagne and Christopher Michae. A great time was had by all and I hope you try this fine game some evening in your own home. I know I will!

On Saturday night was Paul Mahos & New Life Crisis at Gurney's Resort in Montauk. I had a beautiful room looking out on the ocean. And I had a blast having dinner at the resort then hitting the bar and enjoying the band. The evening seemed to be a huge success. Everyone there was dancing and moving to the great music. Even the bartenders were dancing and getting down behind the bar. Girls were dancing on the top of the wall where they normally serve their buffet, eventually joined by Paul and members of The Band, who were singing and playing with the guests dancing around them. Not bad for a cold night in March. Comments were made by many that New Life Crisis was one of the best bands they have ever had there. I hear that Gurney's is planning another night with the band this summer.

Carole French, Dr. Marc Radosa, Larry Hoffman, Guess Who?, and Ann Ciardullo at Dockers soft launch party. (Marissa Gribbins)

Hamptons Club/Restaurant Night Life News, "It's a Chess Game" - Now kids try to follow along!

So the old Jet East property, last season's home to Dune Nightclub and the Axe Lounge, seems to be moving to last year's Pink Elephant's space at the Capri Hotel. Noah Teppenberg's team from Marquee is rumored to be returning to the Jet East space.

The Madame Tong's building is supposedly definitely re-opening, but as what and with whom is not yet known. I am sure it can't possibly be with Jean Luc in the picture at this point!

Suzanne Caldwell, star of "Design Influence" and designer Greg McKenzie.

The 75 Main restaurant space in Southampton, which has been closed for the last two weeks, is as usual the subject of keen interest. Rumors abound. There are a number of stories circulating - is it going to be retail? I am hearing 'NO.'

I must say Southampton is in desperate need of maintaining its restaurants. If we were to ever lose the huge 75 Main space to retail, it would be a horrible blow to the chemistry of the village. Yes, each year the space offers a totally different experience, but at least it remains a restaurant, which totally enlivens the main intersection of the village of Southampton. It draws tremendous walking traffic to Southampton's Main Street retail district, as the restaurants on Jobs Lane do for that area. Losing it would be a terrible blow to Main Street. It is said that long time 75 Main owner June Spirer is in bankruptcy proceedings. I have also heard that Noah Teppenberg and Jason Strauss of Marquee Nightclub were looking to do a Summer 'pop-up' restaurant in the 75 Main space, as is being done by Nobu and Serafina in East Hampton this summer. I tried to reach Spirer this morning, she was at her ski house in Colorado and had no comment at this time. Let me say that the last thing I think she is in, is bankruptcy proceedings; this woman has more lives than any cat I know. Being in bankruptcy is probably exactly what she would like us to think, but I am sure it could not be further from the truth.

Kyle and Naomi Hogarty at No. Main Street Gallery.

Word from Georgica, on the banks of Georgica Pond in Wainscott, the former Saracen, is that they will be back again this season after the gangbuster summer they had last year. Georgica came out of the gate so strong last summer, with some fabulous management, and a really beautiful crowd, as well as one of the prettiest spaces in the Hamptons, with a very old Hamptons-style private club atmosphere. It always felt like you partying at a swank party at a big Gatsby Mansion in the Hamptons. I had some of the best times out here in years at Georgica at the beginning of the summer. One night I was hungry after arriving there late after a charity event, and one of the managers sat my date and I in the almost empty dining room by a big old fireplace, and rushed out a truffled pizza and some amazing raviolis. Then, after the other diners left the huge room, they put all the candles from around the room near or on our table, and shut all the lights off so we ate by candlelight while having a bottle of champagne and watched the hot crowd on the dance floor before joining them ourselves. It was amazing, fabulous service, and overall such a cool experience.

As the summer progressed the scene there seemed to overheat, with too many people in attendance, and DJ's playing way to much early Hip Hop/Funk and too much cutting one song off after a verse and starting another song so you could never really get into anything you were hearing and just groove. There is a really great team there with the first summer now under their belt, and it's my guess that the kinks will have all been worked out and it could possibly again be "THE" spot to get down at this year.

Well, there is lots coming up, and so much more about to be announced. Spring and summer are here I think? I will be at the Dockers Season Launch Party on Saturday, April 10 with two bands and a swinging cocktail party. Look for me and say hello!

I hope to be at everything happening out there as I am done with winter and ready to socialize and enjoy! See you out there, so get out there and don't miss a thing!