Walking Dunes

Fall came quickly last week. With a small shift in the wind, the temperature plummeted to 10 degrees.

So too do the sands of the 'Walking Dunes' shift. Located beside Napeague Bay in Amagansett,  they have "walked" for thousands of years with the help of the powerful northwest wind. Some years they shift by 3 miles apparently. As a result, phantom woods are uncovered and other more recent trees and shrubs become newly covered for their long sandy slumber.

It's the perfect place for a fall walk. Some of the Dunes are 50 feet high, the view over the bay is idyllic and you pass through forests of scrub oak, patches of beach plums (no fruit yet unfortunately) and cranberry bogs. It's beautiful and serene, with only the sound of the wind and, if you listen closely, the slow march of the sand.

The Perfect Weekend in Montauk

There is nothing like getting to a Friday in hot and humid August, knowing that you have a planned escape from the city that afternoon. And one to Montauk no less! Endless miles of ocean and golden sandy beaches, too many yummy eating places to choose from, the smell of salt air and spectacular coastal and inland walks. Here's a standard day on the weekend:

Walk across the road from the Beach Plum Resort, a fairly average studio rooms-type stay but in a brilliant position, to wind your way through an overgrown path and across the dunes to a glorious sandy stretch of a Montauk beach.

Do some early morning stretches before a long walk along the beach.

Bike into town to order a fresh juice smoothie and scrambled egg breakfast wrap at Joni's, the best organic health store in the Hampton's.

Spend the day reading on the beach and swimming in the remarkably calm and warm Atlantic ocean.

Take a later afternoon hike through one of the many state parks around Montauk.

Have an early dinner at the heavenly Crow's Nest - super casual chic dining at its best. Set in a very simple clapboard house, the view from your table over Lake Montauk is divine, with a little private beach to wander down to during courses. The interior is all white linen and bleached wood, with a nod to Africa in music, food and decor. There is even a bonfire on the lawn for those deep, late evening conversations.

After a dinner of the freshest seafood, it's back to the beach to take a romantic stroll before night falls.

Finally, go to bed early and sleep blissfully, as you are lulled into dreamland by the sound of the ocean from your pillow.

images: all mine except (f) gastro grub and (12) crows nest mtk

Summer Rental Roundup

As the May Memorial Day holiday looms on the timeline of New York events, everyone's thoughts turn to that joyous 3 month season called summer. However, unless you are lucky enough to either love the cold weather and skiing and go to NZ for 3 months, or own a farmhouse in Tuscany, or basically own holiday homes everywhere in the world as well as private jets, this May holiday can signal a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach as you decide how to negotiate a summer rental - preferably in the Hamptons.

Below are a couple of suggestions in case you either scored a Goldman's bonus this year or won the lottery or just want to splash your cash to impress friends:

EAST HAMPTON/ WAINSCOTT
Yours for the low price of $250k for the month of July! But who wouldn't want to stay in the most photographed house in the Hamptons! And if you can't own a place like this, at least pretend to your friends for a week that you do, as you casually drift off 'your' verandah with drink in hand and onto the golden sands with the Atlantic ocean lapping at your feet.

SAGAPONACK

Ok, so you don't have beach front access, but who cares when you have the divine pool to dive into? And what more do you need in a holiday house than an obscure tree root sculpture and a couple of frozen-in-time sheep keeping watch over the bonfire?

MONTAUK

Once the playground for dreadlocked surfies and those that couldn't afford the Hamptons, Montauk has taken off in a big way. This modern masterpiece sits on 4 acres overlooking the Atlantic. If you are tired of the classic Hamptons style architecture of wood shingles and small windows, this is the modernist's dream. But it comes with a price; $450k for the 3 month summer period.

BRIDGEHAMPTON

For those of you who have always wanted your very own windmill, look no further than this rental at Bridgehampton. With sweeping views of the ocean and a swimming pool and a windmill, you may very well decide to live at the beach for ever! $340 for summer.

images: (1)wsj, (5-8) curbed hamptons, (rest) sothebys

Happy Labor Day

This Labor Day long weekend officially marks the end of the summer season here. So I will be making the most of the three day weekend at the eastern most tip of the Hamptons, in Montauk. Here's to the last beach hurrah for the year.

Happy Labor Day dear readers. x

The Color Green

Rain, rain, go away....…It's been raining here non stop for 4 days. I'm getting bored now. It's supposed to be summer still. My Hamptons long weekend was literally a washout. But I guess the one amazing thing about all this rain is how stunningly green and vibrant it makes the already green of the Hamptons.

As an Australian, I weep for the lack of rain so much of our country desperately needs. It seems criminal that there could be so much water here while Australia is permanently in drought. But visually, the lushness and depth of green in the Hamptons after the rain is breathtaking.  Revel in my favorite color.