Beth and Morgan Hertzan
Tucked away behind a thicket of trees in the heart of Bridgehampton are five sprawling acres of garden overflowing with plants, flowers and sculptures. Founders and gardeners Jim Kilpatric and Harry Neyens first began work on the property, Bridge Gardens, more than 20 years ago, and today this unique public garden is a stewardship project of the Peconic Land Trust.
Sipping rosé in the midst of such impressive flora captures the relaxed aesthetic of the Hamptons, one of many reasons Beth and Morgan Hertzan chose to host their inaugural Pink & Green Party here. “Last summer, on a cloudy day, my wife and I went to Bridge Gardens with our daughter to let her run around outside, and we just thought, This is the most beautiful place, we have to have a cocktail party here next year,” said Morgan, general manager at LX.TV.
Taking advantage of the perfect setting, he and Beth chose a simple décor that complemented the landscape, dressing tables in pink and green fabric with little bunches of roses. Dan Glickberg and Mitchel London of Fairway Markets created a fantastic feast celebrating local bounty, with fresh seafood featured in bites like mini lobster rolls in addition to fruit and cheese platters perfectly paired with wines from Channing Daughters and Bedell Cellars, and beer from Blue Point Brewing Company and Brooklyn Brewery. A pepper- encrusted loin of tuna caught right off of Montauk Point, served with jalapeño corn pancakes and wasabi aioli, made for a stunning centerpiece and was, as Glickberg noted, “a dish people could do at home and cook at their own barbecues.”
Friends and family mingled in the remarkable rose garden and enjoyed “Uncommon Ground,” a sculpture exhibition exploring the relationship between the natural world and the manmade. “Usually when you’re at a cocktail party, it’s in a confined space, but at Bridge Gardens you can walk around and enjoy the beautiful sculpture,” said Morgan. “People were so taken by the space, really blown away by its beauty.” “Nobody had ever really been there before,” Beth agreed. “It gave us an opportunity to introduce it; it’s such a hidden gem.”
