I had never seen so many Louis Vuitton carry-on bags in my life. It was drizzling on 40th and Lex and yet everyone {myself included} was dressed for the beach. I looked around as I noticed the strands of my hair expanding with every minute that passes. The damn humidity.
I boarded the cool, air conditioned jitney en route to my third visit to the Hamptons this year. It’s a holiday weekend so, naturally, everyone that can afford it is also en route to the exclusive summer hot spot. Let’s make one thing clear, I cannot afford the Hamptons. I don’t contribute to a time share with six of my trendiest friends. I struggle to make it in Brooklyn.
I do, however, have two of the most generous family members on this planet. My aunt and uncle own a home in Sag Harbor and welcome me with open arms each time I show up on their door step. These two are constantly hosting guests {I mean, we nickname it ‘The Inn’} and yet, I’ve always considered it home.
I spent an entire summer working and living in the Hamptons a number of years ago. That summer changed my life.
I can confidently say it’s the reason behind my current residency in New York City.
Listening to jazz, top down in the Miata, on the way to Gibson Beach. This was how I spent most days that summer {when I wasn’t working of course}. It truly was a dream. I was young and unbothered about where my life was taking me. At least for a while…
And then I got a phone call from California one morning. Early one morning. And my best friend let me in on a tidbit of information that broke my heart. I’ll never forget that phone call.
Looking back now, my first heartbreak feels so insignificant. But I’ll never forget how painful it was at the time. I called in from work that day, and immediately went to the beach. I didn’t cry. I simply sat there and stared out at the waves.
For hours.
I must say I’m proud of my younger self. She did exactly what I would have done now. She kept going. And eventually found herself a dream.
And now, seven years later that dream has come true. I have returned to live in the big city.
Now each time I re-visit the Hamptons, I am full of nostalgia.
I can’t help myself. I walk in and smell the all familiar, warm air, and suddenly I am transported to another time and place. The pressures from the daily hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle quickly fade.
New York City can feel like a bubble.
It can be necessary, at times, to remove yourself from it. The Hamptons provide the perfect escape. For most, the Hampton’s is the easiest way to mingle with the “it” crowd. The be noticed. To over indulge in oysters and expensive wine. To live beyond your means.
For me, the Hamptons is simply the place I go for a weekend of zero make-up, no bra, and a whole lot of vitamin D.
It’s where I choose ice cream for dinner over broccoli. True story. It happened tonight.
Everything else in the world seems to slip away. Just as quickly as the sun setting over Noyack Bay.
I wish I could give you a guide to the trendiest restaurants in Montauk. Or the hottest beaches. Or the most affordable shopping in East Hampton. Or a secret map of the celebrity homes throughout Long Island.
But most of me is grateful I can’t.