Year's End @ The End

Wishing all of our family and friends a Happy, Healthy, Peaceful New Year!

Provisions

"What are you doing for food?" my son keeps asking.

While it is true that the markets that stay open year-round in Montauk will never be mistaken for Fairway, they are at least open, a far cry from when I was growing up out here. Back then (when dinosaurs still roamed the earth), my mother had to drive in to East Hampton to find a bonafide supermarket - Bohack's - which stood where Citarella is today. The stock was nothing out of the ordinary, but nor were the prices so rarefied.

In Montauk, choices were limited to small markets on the order of Herb's. Small selection, high prices. Needless to say, when the IGA opened, it was cause for celebration.

In any case, even though Ronnie's Deli closed this fall, you won't starve in winter. Besides IGA, Herb's is open, albeit half-heartedly, judging by the way the shelves are stocked. Joe Ferraro, the new owner, who plans to stay open throughout the winter, seems sympathetic to the plight of year-round residents: "People have got to eat," he told a local paper.

At the docks, Gosman's Seafood Market is closed, but Gaviola's and Four Oaks are open. In town, Continental Market and Nelly's specialize in Latin American food. And then there are my personal favorites: Naturally Good and Joni's.

One day last week, we stopped in Waldbaums in East Hampton. "This is starting to look like Whole Foods," Rick said.

For Sale: Montauk

On our walk through town one morning last week, we noticed a "For Sale" sign in the window of Becker's Hardware Store; then a block later, one in the cafe next to Martell's. "This place is for sale?" we asked Jimmy Martell, who was opening his store. "Yup," he confirmed. "So is this place," he said, pointing to his own store, "and that one too," he added, taking in his gas station with a sweep of his arm.

A cursory look at the commercial real estate listings this week (probably just the tip of the iceberg since it didn't list Martell's or Becker's) turned up the property housing John's Pancake House and the barber shop next door ($1,999,000), the Albatross West ($3,600,000), the Inlet Seafood complex ($15,000,000) and Ronnie's Deli ($1,500,000).

Herb's just sold for $875,000.

Given the high profile sales of recent years, like Ronjo, Ruschmeyers and Nick's (ok, Pirate's Den), one might think all of Montauk is for sale for the right price as many of the hamlet's old guard seeks to cash in.

Can be yours for $1.5 mil

Under new ownership

Nor'easter

A batten-down-the-hatches howler of a nor'easter blew through town last night and left the waterfront looking more like Omaha Beach than the East End.

Seafoam

Mon dieu, the fall of France

Movie, No Chinese

Fortunately, we bought our tickets to see Les Miserables on Christmas Day before Christmas Day, because when we arrived in East Hampton, everyone, like lemmings, was headed for the movie theatre. "It's the march of the Jews," Rick said.

At 11:45, when the theatre opened its doors, the 12:15 showing was sold out, and, no exaggeration, there were at least 40 people clamoring for popcorn. The 3:40 show was sold out as well and, as we exited our show, there were so many people jammed in the lobby, it was hard to tell if you were in the crush headed for the exit or the bathroom. We enjoyed the show and, yes, Anne Hathaway's mouth is big.

A Miserable Christmas

I'm sure everyone was headed to Phoenix, East Hampton's only Chinese restaurant, but since the off-season is such an opportune time to try all those places you can't get near in summer, we broke with tradition and went to a new place on the highway just outside town, aptly called the Highway Diner and Bar. It's one of those places that serves breakfast all day and has a soda fountain. Great meatloaf and an equally stellar Reuben sandwich.

The Highway Diner & Bar is, as advertised, on the highway.

On the way home, caught another spectacular sunset.

The End.

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas...

The Montauk Light

The Day Before Christmas

It's the day before Christmas and so warm here, we took a walk on the beach and spent the afternoon getting the garden ready for winter. Santa arrived early and the reindeer, well, they're always here.

Tilting at Windmills

I've always thought of East Hampton as one of the most beautiful towns in the country, but at this season of the year, with the blades of its three historic wooden windmills outlined in lights, it's downright magical. Add to that a white house and a blue tree and you'd be hard pressed to find a more resplendent town at the holidays.

Hook Mill (1806)

Gardiner's Mill (1804)

Pantigo Mill at Home Sweet Home (1804)

The "White House" (no relation to the White House and not old)

Town Pond's blue tree

Main Street

Retail Therapy

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the mall. The stores that cater to the hipper summer crowd close in winter and what you're left with, well, let me just say I feel fairly secure stating that no one would come to Montauk to shop in winter. Where is Cynthia Rowley when you really need her?

Not that you need an extensive wardrobe to winter in Montauk. A puffer, Uggs, and one of those hats that look as though you bought it climbing Macchu Pichu or trekking in Nepal, but more than likely came from a flea market in Soho, and you are good to go. It doesn't much matter what you have on underneath, because there's really no place to go where you'd be removing your outerwear. Good thing, because there are only a handful of stores that sell clothes in town, if you include the tee shirt shop and two that feature Hawaiian-style clothing, which I can't imagine is a big seller in the dead of winter.

And it's not just clothing that's in scarce supply. Oh, you can find the rudimentary stuff here, but if you're looking for anything exotic, like, say, an egg separator, as I was today, chances are you are out of luck. The woman behind the counter in White's, Montauk's only "department" store, confirmed they had none and quickly exhausted the other possibilities, the supermarket and the hardware store, both of which I'd already scoped out. She didn't think I'd find one between here and Bridgehampton, which is home to the Bridgehampton Commons and the closest thing to a mall between Montauk and Riverhead.

The closest thing Montauk has to a department store

I've passed the Bridgehampton Commons more times than I can count over the years, but have never paid it much attention, given that its flagship store is K Mart. However, after almost a month without any retail therapy, it was starting to look like Roosevelt Field.

The Commons isn't a traditional mall in that the stores don't open into an interior space, but I was willing to slog, store to store, in the cold, and started with the Gap, hands down the most unappealing Gap store I've ever been in. For a minute, I thought it was an outlet store for the retailer, but, no, just poorly designed. There wasn't a soul in Banana Republic and not many in the other mall stores like Victoria's Secret or Williams Sonoma either. Only five shopping days until Christmas, people!

Turns out they were all in T.J. Maxx, where I was sorely tempted to buy a Kate Spade scarf  that said "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." At $50, reduced from $150, it was a steal. I just wasn't sure it would go with my Peruvian beanie.

Regardless, I didn't leave the Commons empty-handed. I did, however, completely forget to look for the egg separator.

The End?

The end is always near in Montauk

Even in Montauk, it was easy to read the signs. Despite high winds and a freakishly wild ocean this morning, however, it doesn't look as though the end of the 5,125 year-long Mayan calendar will signify the end of days as well. No earthquakes. No tsunamis. Not even a zombie apocalypse, unless you count me before I've had my morning coffee.

Rush Hour

This is why you never see any of those traffic helicopters hovering overhead.

Westbound traffic: 8:30 a.m. on a Thursday

Dry-Dock

At this time of year, the marinas at the docks are filled with boats, hibernating in their shiny white coats. But you know it's winter, when even a boat that never sees the sea, is in dry-dock.

Dressed for winter: the boat that anchors the Gosman's complex at the docks.

Sunrise, Sunset

The weather for much of this week reflected the mood of the country. Gray. Grim. But at 3:20 p.m. yesterday, the sun broke through, lit the village green up like it was high noon, and then quickly turned to the business of setting an hour later.

Village green

How Small is Small?

Big ocean, small town

There's no question that Montauk is a small town, but just how small is small? 

As of 2012, Montauk's year-round population is 3,367. It's grown 12.57% since the 2000 census was taken.

Which means that back in the mid 1700's, when Montauk was just pastureland, there were nearly more cattle (1,500), sheep (1,400) and horses (200) than there are people here these days.

A few other interesting statistics:

The median cost of a home here in Montauk is $727,600, up 3.25% over last year, and nearly five times what Brooklyn financier Arthur Benson paid for all of Montauk - $151,000 -  in 1879, envisioning it as a playground for the rich. 

Given that, it should come as no surprise that, compared to the rest of the country, Montauk's cost of living is over 110% higher than the U.S. average. 

Field Trip: Lit Up

I'm a sucker for Christmas lights. Isn't everyone? 

One of the most spectacular displays on the East End - and there are many - can be found at the Tuscan-style Wolffer Estate Vineyard, which is only a 30-minute drive from us, on Sagg Road, just east of Bridgehampton. In winter, Wolffer wraps its gazebo and strings over 30,000 lights in its vineyard. As a prelude to dinner at Almond in Bridgehampton Saturday night, we sipped some wine and soaked up the ambiance. Neither disappointed. 

If you're passing through on a Friday night in winter, you can stop in for Wolffer's "Candlelight Fridays," 5 PM to 8 PM, and take off the chill with mulled wine and hot jazz.

A merlot-colored sky is the backdrop for trees at the entrance to the winery.

Winter Months, Summer Prep

Winter in Montauk is all about getting ready for summer, the hamlet's stock and trade.

Decking the floors at Gosmans

For a minute there, I thought this motel at the docks was having a tag sale. (Be still my beating heart.) Turns out they were just cleaning house, not cleaning out the house.

Finding My Religion

These familiar words of Jewish liturgy never seemed quite so apt as they did as the sun set on the beach this evening. Apologies, R.E.M.

My God, My God, I pray that these things never end,

The sand and the sea,

The rustle of the waters,

Lightning of the Heavens,

The prayer of Man.

Hannah Senesh

Sticker Shock

Yesterday, I was reminded that just because the crowds diminish after Labor Day doesn't mean the prices do.

After two weeks out here, my nails were more chip than polish and I needed to find a salon pronto. The Endz, which gets points for its clever play on the town's ubiquitous nickname, is within walking distance of our house, so it seemed like a good bet, that is, until I opened the door and was nearly bowled over by the smell of permanent wave solution that I thought salons had stopped using in the 70's. As it turned out, it was not the only surprise I got as I sat down in the seat offered me and extended my hands.

"How much is a manicure, by the way?" I asked as an afterthought, since I'd already passed the point of no return.

"Twenty-two dollars."

I thought possibly some clarification was needed. "Just a regular manicure," I smiled.

"Twenty-two dollars."

Having grown up in the Hamptons and spent every summer of my adult life here, I am no stranger to sticker shock. I pay $40 a pound for lobster salad without blinking an eye. However, since I've been paying $8 for a manicure in Huntington for pretty much ever, I admit I was a bit taken aback. Wow, I said, telling the manicurist what I was accustomed to paying UpIsland. "Yes," she said, stating the obvious, "everything costs more here."

I'll say. A polish change, which cost $5 in Huntington, is $12 at The Endz, more than I had been paying for the whole megillah, which included a hand massage and back rub!

I succumbed, of course, but when I got home, I did some research to see what my options were. It turns out that a manicure at Pamela's is a relative bargain at $20.

And then there's Gurney's, whose spa was offering a sweet deal - $60 - on a mani/pedi that costs approximately $25 in Huntington. It's normally $85. If you only want mani, Gurney's charges $30 for its oceanview manicure, which may explain the steep price since, as everyone knows, anything that comes with a view of the ocean costs more. The manicurist at The Endz had shared that Gurney's has a 50% off special on Wednesdays, but it took some probing before the woman I spoke to shared that that price was only for "locals" and she wasn't at all certain that I'd qualify, although she was a bit vague on the criteria when I tried to pin her down. "But I own a home here," I said somewhat plaintively. Still, she couldn't say for sure, but, for the rock bottom price of fifteen dollars, next time I need a manicure, I'll take my chances. I'm bringing my tax bill. And my 8th grade diploma from Montauk Public School.

Pretty in Pink

The Village Green

During the Christmas season, every town in the Hamptons strings its share of lights, and Montauk is no exception. In fact, the Chamber of Commerce sponsored a holiday decorating contest, which was judged a couple of weeks ago. The tiny, zen-like, antique shop - Vintage Pink - took the top prize.

Vintage Pink had a certain je ne sais quoi that charmed the judges...

Realtor Douglas Elliman was inventive....

And, for all you fans, I give you The Point.

End of Days

Driving home from East Hampton in the late afternoon yesterday, I looked in my rear view window and got a vivid reminder of how short the days grow in December.  

 In the words of Isaac Bashevis Singer:  "The sun burned like a flame. The days had shortened and night came swiftly. One moment it was light, the next it was dark. The sun did not set but fell into the water like a meteor."  

It was 4:32.

Hither Hills West Overlook

Recovery

I always said it would be a cold day in December before we'd patronize the 7/11 that snuck in under the radar in 2010 (the beginning of the end, in my book, both literally and figuratively), but actually all it took was a power outage. About 5 minutes after our alarm went off this morning, much of Montauk lost electricity. 7/11 had theirs, and, more importantly, hot java. Missing my flat whites at Coffee Tauk!

Despite the controversy over the 7/11 in MTK, it's
doubtful there's another in the country with a view like this one.

The outage was a painful reminder that Montauk is still slowly recovering from the damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy, primarily along its coastline, where the sands have literally shifted, as the town scrambles to replace dunes that held many of the seaside motels in place, and build dunes where previously none existed at points of beach access. They're making progress, but as one bulldozer operator told us this morning, when we inquired about the effectiveness of the giant sand bags his crew was filling and placing at the corner of South Edison and beach, "It'll stop the erosion for a few hours," he said. "But it's a battle we're not going to win."

The Dunes Building at the Atlantic Terrace balanced 

precariously on same the morning after Sandy...

Under the boardwalk

ATM's oceanfront today

Bulldozers: The only dune buggies you see in Montauk these days

Shifting sands: Dunes where none existed before at points of beach access.

Our beach access, however, still a bit dicey