Hampton Habitues

Boy, how time flies when you’re having fun! Here it is already mid-summer and aside from a few more traffic jams and helicopter headaches than usual, it’s been a pretty terrific season so far.

Considering the passage of time, it’s hard to believe that it was a decade ago when we discovered that our happy little place here in the sun had become not just a destination, but a verb unto itself as well. I remember it practically like it was yesterday. The year was 2008. And Jasmin Rosemberg’s book, “How the Other Half Hamptons,” had just come out.

Set in a share-house, and written by a former nightlife stringer for the New York Post, the naughty little novella promised to reveal all the juicy details of the ultimate summer experience for the younger set. The tagline for the book was: “One house. Forty strangers. Add vodka and stir.” Now, 10 years later, that share-house culture has all but disappeared, with the exception of a few notably infamous reality shows. Regardless, this story set at 1088 Montauk Highway on Memorial Day weekend will become a scripted television series, and will bring a slightly different take on the Hamptons to an all-new viewing audience.

Produced by Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos and their Milojo Productions partner Albert Bianchini (as well as Ms. Rosemberg) for Freeform, the hour-long series will revolve around the adventures of three best friends as they navigate the world of 40-to-a-house, 20-something drunken revelry, hot tub hookups and endless games of beer pong, all the while trying to find love and the ultimate summer tan.

Can’t wait to see who gets cast to play sweet girl, Rachel, wild child Jamie, and single serial monogamist Allison. And also how the other half of the Hamptons—those of us post-party animals not depicted—will take to this show.

Meanwhile, if there was ever a month for creative types here on the East End, August would have to be it. This month marks the 70th annual Artists & Writers Charity Softball Game as well as the 14th annual Authors Night benefit for the East Hampton Library. Woohoo for talent!

Authors Night comes first, on Saturday, August 11. Held at a new venue in Amagansett this year, the event will be host to returning favorites, such as Founding Honorary Chair Alec Baldwin—who has a new book out, titled “You Can’t Spell America Without Me: The Really Tremendous Inside Story of My Fantastic First Year as President Donald J. Trump (A So-Called Parody)”—literary lion Robert Caro, and a whole slew of other accomplished authors. Some of those whom we are quite excited to see again about include Dr. Ruth, who is an absolute hoot, Malcolm Nance, who will be signing copies of his “The Plot to Destroy Democracy: How Putin and His Spies Are Undermining America and Dismantling the West,” food writer Florence Fabricant and her “City Harvest: 100 Recipes from Great New York Restaurants” and Michael Gross, whose book on local fashion designing icon, “Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren,” is sure to be a big hit all over.

As for the big game, won last year by the writers (go scribes!), it will be held the following week, on Saturday, August 18, at Herrick Park in East Hampton. Not sure of the lineups yet but we do know that proceeds of the friendly competition, the longest-running charity event in the Hamptons, will benefit East End Hospice, East Hampton Day Care Learning Center, Phoenix House of Long Island and The Retreat.
Hall of Fame players in this terrific beneficial endeavor include: Alan Alda, Ken Auletta, Alec Baldwin, Ben Bradlee, Carl Bernstein, Josh Charles, Bill Clinton, Chevy Chase, Christie Brinkley, Willem de Kooning, Mark Feuerstein, Eli Wallach, Ed Burns, Kristin Davis, B Smith, Matthew Broderick, James Lipton, Mike Lupica, Jackson Pollack, Paul Simon, Peter Jennings, Regis Philbin, Roy Scheider, Dick Cavett and Yogi Berra. That’s quite a roster!

Alas, we are already less than one month away from Labor Day. Wishing there was a way we could stretch the season for just a few more weeks. In the meantime, cheers to as much sun and fun as possible.