The Hamptons

I grew up here. My family had a summer house off 3 Mile Harbor Road in a section called The Springs. It about 7 miles from the main town of East Hampton. I spent the summers at Main Street beach in Amagansett. I called it the "moving beach" because if you looked at your feet in the sand long enough as the water crashed over them, it almost seemed as if you were moving. We spent nights going to the movie theatre in town and eating handmade doughnuts and ice cream at Dricsolls. Ina Garten still had the famous Barefoot Contessa at the time, it was a very idyllic place to spend the summers. If you ever watched "Somethings Gotto Give", does a fairly good job depicting the true vibe of the Hamptons. Its one of my most favorite places to be.

Located on the South Fork of Long Island, its technically a group of towns, villages, and hamlets, concentrated on the eastern end of Long Island in New York state.

But how to do the Hamptons like Jessica Seinfeld. Or Christy Brinkley. Or Alec Baldwin. Or Steven Spielberg when your not on their budget? I mean the celeb list is long, they all live here. But you can do it.

Getting there: You can go by train, car or private helicopter. If you are reading this blog though your liking not take the Blade.

Fly into JFk. If you rent a car, your driving on the LIE which turns into Sunrise Hwy, which is a one lane road. In the summers this can take you forever. Hours sitting in traffic. Gross. Take the train.

Once at JFK- take the AirTrain. You don't need a reservation, just follow the signs. Its approximately $6.00 one way. It will take you to Jamaica Station where you'll take the LIRR out east. This is the fastest way to go. It's not the Cannonball (the direct from Penn Station NYC) but it is still pretty fast. You'll stop at all the Hamptons- so depending on which your landing at its about 2-2.5 hours. This train is crowded, when you get on grab a seat. I've stood the first hour many times with little kids.

Most of the stations drop you right into town. The East Hampton train station is walking to all the shops in town.

All the Hamptons have something to offer. They are pretty spectacular. I love walking through Bridge Hampton, having lunch at Pierres, and they have great shops. Sag Harbor has a historic element you won't find anywhere else. You can sit at the Beacon and watch all the mega yachts arrive. Then walk to Tutto IlGiorno for drinks or dinner, its beautiful. Southampton has a vibrant little town, and Wainscott is the home of the best winery Wolffer Estate.

Nothing compares to the class of East Hampton. Its just stunning and a total class act, in a beachy vibe way. While the Inn's in town are pricey, you can stay in Montauk for half the price and drive through all the Hamptons. Here are a few shots from last summers trip!