It’s A Hamptons Wide Spring Awakening!

Originally Posted: April 15, 2010

Southampton - Forget creeping over the sill, the new season is climbing right through the window!

It was the week of weeks for Life@Nite and all around! I barely sat down. Many stops throughout the Hamptons, and winners all! To all of you whom I saw this past week at events, who went out of your way to say hello and let me know how much you have been enjoying all the shared info, let me say thanks!

Taylor Polio and Marlene Kellner at The Dockers Season Launch Party.

It was great to meet so many people in person and all at so many fun and exciting happening Hamptons Spots.

Thursday Night it was on to "One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest" at the Hampton Theatre Company in Quogue, with oil baron Angela Stern of Remsenberg. I have not seen Angela in ages as she is recovering from her third surgery on her knee. She will be back in action for this summer's roster of events, and it was great to catch up. The play was marvelous, so sad for the theatre company's recent loss of Peter Marbury, who has always done so much for this vibrant organization. The show was fantastic. A most splendid adaptation of this amazing story. The Hampton Theatre Company is so amazing, I have seen the last five shows they have put on, some have left me deeply moved, others quite amused, it is wonderful to be able to enjoy such excellent entertainment right in little ole Quogue!

Friday I went to the Wolffer Estate Vineyard with some great friends for their weekly Candlelight Friday event, where they offer their fabulous wines by the glass, amazing assortments of cheeses, all while listening to relaxing yet lively jazz music inside the vineyard's beautiful chateau-style winery. It's a great place to get a pre-drink before heading off to dinner, or you can sit back and enjoy the whole evening there. Wolffer recently unveiled their new Rose to kick off the spring and summer months, don't forget to order a glass or three!

Christopher Michael, Celeste LaMontagne and Sean MFK Bruns at Canal Cafe.

Also, on Friday at the new Rhumba Rum Bar on the water on Canoe Place Road in Hampton Bays, I attended their soft opening for a "Friends and Family" dinner. Such a breath of fresh air back in Hampton Bays. It overlooks the Shinnecock Bay. Owner and Chef David Hersh and wife Rachel cooked their signature dishes - mouth watering fried oysters, buttery jumbo scallops, jerk chicken over spicy polenta. But the desserts were 'to die for' like the Belgium chocolate Sundae and the Tres leche cake with strawberries and cream. With reasonable prices for top quality gourmet food, this is a welcomed addition to Hampton Bays. Go visit this fun tiki bar soon, and get it on your list of must stops!

Missy Frey and Larry Hoffman.

Saturday was quite the Night! At 3:45 p.m. Lorin Butler DiBenedetto of Beach Limousine in Westhampton Beach sent a stretch black limo to take me and the rest of the decorative supplies down to Dockers Waterside & Marina for me to get ready for the 5 p.m. start of the 2010 Dockers Season Launch Party. The weather was unbelievable, as I went over the Ponquogue Bridge the view of the sun on the ocean and bay was incredible. I arrived at Dockers to a beehive of excitement and activitiy. The Tented Garden enclosing the Waterside Living Room, was beautifully set up with tables and chairs and lounge area of chairs and sofas, a huge "U" shaped bar, a small bandstand, and palm trees abounded. As the sun streamed in off the bay the tent was simply stunning. The whole restaurant felt as if I was the first passenger stepping onto a cruise ship all starched and shining ready for its cruise to begin. After minor adjustments and a finishing touch here and there I quickly took my place at the entrance with the restaurant's owner Larry Hoffman to welcome our guests. All 500 of them! They started arriving at 4:45 p.m. and the stream of arriving guests did ease up until well after 7:30 p.m., after which point I finally left the door in the hands of the hostesses and went to join the party myself! I lost Larry now and again as he had to manage different aspects of the party, thankfully his girlfriend the lovely Missy Frey stepped in to assist me in the pumping of hands and the receiving of hellos at the door. Much fuss was made over his outfit, the answers are as follows; yes I do double as his stylist and his outfit was by Hugo Boss & Robert Graham along with 7 for all Mankind. Larry has been looking really good for a while now, certain changes in one's life can bring out the best in someone.

Stephanie Garrison, Chef Topher Dupre, Nicole Celeste and Sean MFK Bruns at The Dockers Season Launch Party.

I think the entire Hamptons was there, friends from Manhattan to Westhampton Beach and all the way to East Hampton. Seen arriving were, Todd Beurgard and Barbara Leogrande, Ann Ciardullo and Carole French, Colby Kirmse, Celeste LaMontagne, Stephanie Garrison, Christopher Michael, Taylor Polio, the artist Marlene Kellner, Dr. Mark Radosa, Lauren DiBenedetto and Danny Vogeney, owners of Beach Limousine, Marjorie Egan, Denise Bornschein, John Govia, Elise and Glen Tomashoff, Laurie Lux, Michelle Madonna and Nick DeCilis, Lorenzo and Frederico Azevedo of Unlimited Earth Care, Debra Halbert, publisher of Hamptons Magazine, photographer Rob Rich, Tom Hill from East End Limousine, Brianna Birtles, publisher of Gotham Magazine, the team from Hamptons.com Nicole B. Brewer, Executive Editor, Michele Steudte and Vanessa Leggard, Brendan O'Reilly and Dawn Watson from Southampton Press, the gorgeous Michael Wudyka from East Hampton Studios and The Enclave Inn, Tom McSherry, Lucille Axelrod, Jim Bozart, Donna and Bill Thiele, Crystal Reteguiz, Crystal Smith of Blue One Boutique, the artist Marissa Gribbin, Maryann and Dean Carpenter, Suzanne and Mark Caldwell, Maria Greenlaw, James Arin, Julie Jakoubek, Rafaela Nikas Doherty and Marty Doherty, Denise Needham, Michael Gluckman, owner of Bamboo and The Boathouse, Justin Taylor Ward, Eric Wesly Bolyard, Kitty and Alice Gumbs, Grant Wilfley of Grant Wilfley Casting, who incidentally is casting extras for two upcoming projects that will be filming here in the Hamptons - the film, "Something Borrowed" starring Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin of 'Big Love' and the return of season two USA television series, "Royal Pains." If you want to be considered for an extra part, filming begins this April, get your glam on and send pics and information to Hamptons@gwcnyc.com.

Guess Who and Debra Halpert.

Listen - this is all I can remember off the top of my head in a crowd of 500 people at a party which went from 5 p.m. to 12 midnight, if I forgot anyone please by all means beat me the next time you see me!

The evening was a towering success, far exceeding mine or Larry's expectations, as the Evenings Host/Major Domo/Master of Ceremonies, I was prepared for a smash hit of a night, after the promotional work that had gone into the evening and the weather and the restaurants enduring popularity how could it not be a hit. But I never expected to see a space of Dockers size so filled with fun, wonderful, excited people. I had to go to the restaurants Dune Road entrance at one point and never in 11 years have I seen a mile of cars parked illegally on Dune Road in the East and West directions. It was very gracious of the authorities that on this quiet pre-season evening this was overlooked.

The band Buttered Soul played from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. I had never heard them before and they were excellent. The crowd in the tent seemed to really enjoy it. I was finally able to join the party at about 7:30 p.m., after two and half hours at the front door. I gathered my 25 dinner guests and sat in the tent at three beautiful tables which had been set up for me, we dined on enormous raw bar platters which were to die for, candied pecan and gorgonzola salads, and then shrimp over penne tossed in a unbelievable sundried tomato buttered scampi sauce, sliced beef tenderloin with a horse radish cream or pesto aioli sauce, and poached salmon in a spicy thai sauce over sate noodles all served family style. Desserts were platters of Italian pastries which Chef Topher Dupre had brought out from Brooklyn on the afternoon Jitney. I mean can you stand it? It was the perfect Spring Dinner Party within the excited mayhem of the huge throbbing Season Launch Party! Chef Dupre went out of his way and as always takes such excellent care of me and my guests. Hats off to him and the entire crew for an unbelievable event, the best I have been a part of in a long while!

Lorin Butler DiBenedetto and Danny Vogeney, owners of Beach Limousine.

After dinner we danced our buns off on the back deck of the restaurant overlooking the bay, as Paul Mahos and his band New Life Crisis rocked the house. The place was still packed at midnight!

I have to tell you I was more than happy to tumble into the comfortable Beach Limousine with my friends at 12 midnight and feel us pull away from the night of nights! I look forward to many more fun filled evening watching beautiful sunsets at Dockers from now into October, there is plenty of time to soak it all up !

This week I am going to Muse Restaurant in Water Mill for an Artists Dinner hosted by Judy McDowell from Manhattan Mortgage and "The Ladies Room" talk show. Chef Matthew Guiffrida is opening up Muse especially for Judy and her group with a fabulous prix fixe menu for the night. It will be a great evening of artists and conversation, and I am sure lots of news on the upcoming season. I am also at Muse this month for its April Cooking Class on Wednsday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. The class will be on Spring Seafood and includes all the fun food prepared that evening along with an all night open wine bar for $40 a person.

This weekend coming up is Candlelight Friday at Wolffer Winery with live entertainment and on Saturday is the Southampton Chamber of Commerce's All Star Jam at 230 Elm Street in Southampton, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., a night of four area bands to rock the night away. Also on Saturday is the fabulous Spring Fling at the Parish Art Museum. So lots coming up, the season is underway and its time to get out there and start making the rounds - looking forward to seeing you/

DJ Govia from 101.7/The Beach Radio will be at Blue Sky Lounge in Sag Harbor, which has just been renovated and I am going to check out what they have done with the space. Since they have also booked fun entertainment for the evening I don't see how I can go wrong.

Finally, some news about town - word is that Bamboo owner, Michael Gluckman, whom just sold the amazing Lodge in East Hampton is almost finished getting his new project The Boathouse open. It is located at the Old Bostwicks on Gann Road out in Springs/East Hampton. Rumor has it that the Grand Opening Weekend is in two to three weeks. I am dying to get a sneak peak at this amazing new space, from what I hear - all white, cream and wicker and feels like you are on a yacht with an amazing sunset view over 3 Mile Harbor.

Enjoy the Spring everyone - there is so much to come!