TO LIVE & DIE IN THE HAMPTONS July 6
"American Gothic" by artist Grant Wood
This past weekend as has been customary for me for the last several years I have stayed in my beloved metropolis to celebrate Independence Day. After the mass exodus of vacationers heads off to the Hamptons and points along Route 27 on the East End of Long Island, including Shelter Island, and others to Summer vacation destinations in the New York region and vicinity: Bedford, Catskills, Finger Lakes, Historic Hudson River Towns, Woodstock, Saratoga, Lake Placid, Litchfield, Ct., Jersey Shore, the veritable solitude of city life and long strolls in Central Park is refreshing. While there is so much to love in all parts of New York City and New York State, my jaunts have been more local to barbecues in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Douglaston, Queens.
Current economic conditions have led to a retro Americana like movement with our people staying closer to home and spending their disposable income and vacation funds in and around the United States in a more traditional and humble manner. The way I see some of my friends spending time with family in places like Historic Cornwall on the Hudson River and Warwick in Orange County, reminds me of a bygone era when the comfort of family was more relished than glamourous options and opportunities elsewhere. Even many of those who are not staying entirely local head to points further north and south, including the Berkshires, Newport (Rhode Island), Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard (Massachusetts), Block Island and the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland. It reminds me that the Northeast United States is one of the most under rated places in the world to spend the Summer, a number of these places readily accessible and only a boat ride or water taxi away from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and that includes a short ferry ride to Staten Island. The only sadness for me and my friends and family further South is that from reports online there has been decline of vacationers along the beaches in the Gulf Coast region due to BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The East End of Long Island is still, however, a huge draw, and those that I know are heading out that way in these curious, if not introspective times are doing their socializing more intimately, around the homestead, with a bit less glitz and glam (or so they tell me). I have also been inspired to look inward and socialize more intimately with close friends and family. Enjoying some cold Iced Tea and a barbecue in my brothers backyard in Douglaston has thus far been the highlight of my summer. Those who publish magazines highlighting the social whirl, however, have patrons and sponsors to feed, entertain and publicize in these summer months and hence their festivities may sometimes rankle the ire of those who see the commercialism around the nightlife industry as a tad to crass for their community. Some, however, would rather “Live and Die” in the Hamptons at any cost and while there are so many beautiful spots on the East End, all you need is a day in Sagaponack while drinking some Wolffer Estate Vineyards Rose to understand the addiction.
On Saturday, July 3rd Christopher Koulouris, the Editor of Scallywag & Vagabond, texted and then called me while he was out on the East End of Long Island with a rather startling report. The Scallywag left Brooklyn and went to the Hamptons to cover some events, including a Bridgehampton Pop-Up Art Party with the final destination to be the Social Life Magazine party hosted by Publisher Justin Mitchell and Editor Devorah Rose at the Social Life Estate to celebrate the July Cover Model Kelly Killoren Bensimon from the Real Housewives of New York City who reportedly attended the party with Jill Zarin. Mr. Koulouris and his friends were apparently greeted by a scene out of “Annie Get Your Gun.”
Christopher Koulouris: Christopher where are you? I arrived here at the Social Life Estate only to be confronted by a mad woman wielding a shotgun, what in the bloody hell is going on?
Christopher London: …….Jesus, you’re kidding right?
Christopher Koulouris: I am serious man. There is a woman here with a shotgun.
Christopher London: I am here in Manhattan bro. I never made the trip out East. Don’t ya know how wonderful Manhattan is when everyone leaves…even when it’s nearly 100 degrees? Look at the bright side. The Second Amendment is alive and well, even in the Hamptons, an enclave of neo liberal elitism.
Christopher Koulouris: This is crazy man. Why does this happen?
Christopher London: As anyone who has covered or visited the Hamptons for years or read Steven Gaines book, Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons, knows there has been a long history of uneasy blending of old society and new money. The locals, whether it be those who have lived and worked there year around or those who have lived there seasonally for generations have a rather contentious relationship both non home owners (seasonal renters) who “Summer in the Hamptons” with their families and at times a borderline hostile relationship with the “Other Half Who Hamptons” (which author Jasmin Rosemberg has written about). This other half run and join share houses. Many locals will tell you it is the big parties of these philistines that disturb the peace and calm in their local community. In fairness to local homeowners on the East End, many who live year round, they often have to deal with having 100-200 or more cars parked around the streets leading to their property, late night noise and drunken people stumbling out in the middle of the night heading off to the clubs. Over the years I have attended a number of these huge Hamptons House parties, run by club owners and other private citizens on the East End of Long Island. On a few occasions I have pulled up in car only to be greeted by a hostile neighbor telling me not park my car near their property line. So while I have witnessed anger and certainly recognize the reasons therefore, I have never had a shotgun aimed in my direction. [In terms of full disclosure, I only got about half way through this historical analysis before Christopher Koulouris cut me off]
Christopher K: Staring down the barrel of a shotgun is just too high a cover charge if you ask me. Thanks for the historical dissertation but I got to go.
All I could think was maybe the lady was there guarding Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Social Life Magazine’s July 4th Cover Model? Apparently the pitchfork wielding crowd may have put down their pitch fork for a more efficient killing device or at least one which is more effective at getting the attention of and driving away urban philistines. One might wish to keep in mind that these philistines, however, do have an economic impact on the local economy. Many a shop owner, Realtor and restaurant owner who make a living off the summer influx to the East End would clearly not want to discourage return visits from those who vacation and spend money here, and this says nothing of the First Amendment related issues surrounding the right to assemble peacefully, which gives me pause if a fine was issued to the proprietors of the Social Life Estate rather than a simple arrest of a woman wielding a shotgun.
For more on the party at the Social Life Estate, see:
-Devorah Rose, Kelly Bensimon, Jill Zarin and the lady on the front lawn with a shotgun.
-Social Life Magazine July 4th Party (photos)
-Radaronline: Frenemies Kelly Bensimon and Jill Zarin get cozy at the Social Life Magazine party at The Social Life Estate.
Epilogue: What would be most critical to know is (a) how the shotgun wielding woman was handled by local police, whether she was a homeowner in the area (or not), the use of deadly force in defense of property is illegal in New York State and that even assumes she was truly defending her property rather than defending her preference for more peace and quiet and that ain’t exactly self defense (b) administering fines for peaceful gatherings may be one way to raise revenue and insure that gatherings disperse but whether it is right is another thing, especially if such fines are administered selectively against a certain class of people exclusively.