Hampton Habitues

Good news gossip about our notable friends and neighbors

Lots to be thankful for again this year. There’s so much, in fact, that we just gotta dive right in and share some of our favorite good news.
Eyes on the Prize
Congratulations to “Sag Harbor” writer Colson Whitehead, who has won the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Fiction and Literature for his tome, “The Nickel Boys.” The book, a based-on-real-life story, is about a group of teenage boys who suffer greatly at the hands of sadistic guards and administrators at a juvenile reformatory in the Deep South in the 1960s. Though tough to endure at times, given the terrible treatment of the young subjects, nonetheless this emotionally gripping novel is a must-read. So far in his illustrious career, Whitehead has won a Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, a Carnegie Medal for Fiction and has been named a New York Times #1 Bestseller. Additionally, he has received a MacArthur Fellowship, A Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Writers Award, the Dos Passos Prize, and a fellowship at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. A web series, courtesy Barry Jenkins and Amazon Video, is currently in the works for the author’s bestselling book “The Underground Railroad.”
The Hit Man
Shelter Island’s Bruce Wolosoff also has lots to celebrate, as his latest work has climbed the Billboard Chart for Traditional Classic Music, to number six on the esteemed list. The work, a “Concerto for Cello and Orchestra,” is a cello concerto that he wrote specifically for Grammy winner Sara Sant’Ambrogio and is featured on “Sara Sant’Ambrogio and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.” It is expected to be included in a documentary about the Eroica Trio cellist.
Art History
Also reveling in some great news is East Hampton’s Audrey Flack, who is the subject of a feature length documentary. That’s amazing. Called “Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack,” it premiered earlier this month and is also set to stream on Amazon Prime. The film by Deborah Shaffer, first screened at NYC DOC, offers an intimate look at the life and creative process of the artist and her sometimes controversial 70-year career. Flack, who is one of the first women to have been included in Janson’s “History of Art,” is a pioneer in the art of photorealism and an internationally recognized painter and sculptor. Her work is in the permanent collections of such prestigious institutions as the Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
Recipes to Relish
Also recently airing is a new season of “Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro” with East Hampton’s own Ina Garten. Now in its 11th season, the Food Network show, which often features many other recognizable East Enders, fittingly centers this season on casual meals and holiday fetes, says Food Network President Courtney White. According to her, “Ina’s new season starts with casual fall meals and takes us right through holiday celebrations.” Always entertaining, and also educational, this newest batch of episodes looks to fit the bill for a whole slew of culinary experiences. With 20 episodes, ranging from “All American,” “The Holiday Meal,” “Elegant and Easy,” and “Thanksgiving” all the way to “Surprise Beach Party,” “Picnic at the Pond” and “Farmstand Dinner,” the season looks jam-packed with great home-cooked meals and more. “I’ll show everyone how to go to a grocery store, buy perfectly good ingredients, and make delicious, easy dishes that will delight everyone at their table,” says Garten, who is rumored to be working on a memoir. Deelish.
Moveable Feast
Can’t get enough of our South Fork foodies? Then you might be moved to pick up Questlove’s recent release. Despite the name, it’s not a musical single or album, but rather a cookbook by the “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and The Roots bandleader. Called “Mixtape Potluck Cookbook: A Dinner Party for Friends, Their Recipes, and the Songs They Inspire,” it has a forward by East Hampton’s Martha Stewart, and dishes by Sagaponack’s Fallon, Amagansett’s Andy Cohen and Sag Harbor’s Eric Ripert, among others. This novel guide has also been getting some rave reviews. Named one of fall’s best cookbooks, the idea features a handful of the musician’s favorite things — food, dinner party hosting and music. It sounds super cool.