Editor's Letter :: July 6–12, 2012 :: Issues

July 6–12, 2012 / Letter from the Editor

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: With some serious power women: Elaina Scotto, Amy Rosenblum, Hoda Kotb, Rosanna Scotto, and Jane Hanson celebrating Scotto’s Hamptons cover. Eric Ripert, Anthony Bourdain, and I take a break from shooting their cover to sip rosé and eat oysters at Sunset Beach. Fern Mallis, the subject of this week’s Social Studies, has been a mentor in my career. Honoring Christie Brinkley for her dedication to preserving the environment on the East End at SoFo Goes SoHo; I was a chair of the event.

When July 4th falls on a Wednesday, the weekends that bookend it flow into one another. Just a few days after the official holiday, the festivities culminate at one of the most beautiful events on the East End—the Southampton Fresh Air Home 25th Annual American Picnic at a private oceanfront home, where Grucci fireworks will light up the sky on Friday, July 6. Even though the sparklers are orchestrated to perfection, there is always an element of surprise.

So too is there in this weekend’s issue of Hamptons. Which cover did you receive: culinary greats Eric Ripert and Anthony Bourdain or actress Mira Sorvino? Eric and Anthony poke fun at one another in life and in the photos shot at Sunset Beach by Melanie Dunea. The day of the shoot started with espresso in the morning, then rolled into beer, rosé, and a giddy game of Pétanque in the afternoon. That day, Eric Ripert received four richly deserved stars in The New York Times; days later it was announced that Anthony Bourdain would be a new host and contributor on CNN. All of the big news aside, the two had fun and relaxed, and that is what the Hamptons is all about.

Mira recalls the same when she talks with author Gigi Levangie Grazer about her childhood on the East End. She shares her memories of family trips to Westhampton and other experiences she hopes to share with her children, and offers a sneak peak at her new film, Union Square, which opens July 13.

In this issue we also take a look at defining style in the Hamptons. Casual glamour and easy, chic pieces fill our closets. We look at the world of East End fashion through the refined eyes of Lucy Sykes Rellie and her fabulous husband, Euan, as well as Fern Mallis, Trish Wescoat Pound of Haute Hippie, and Hilary Rhoda, who discusses how Love Heals at Luna Farm raises funds for HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

We close the issue with an inside look at interior designer Muriel Brandolini’s cliffside property on the Peconic Bay. She cherishes this home for the same reason many of us treasure ours—it is where she comes to relax.

PS: To learn about a variety of East End happenings, log on to hamptons-magazine.com/calendar.

SAMANTHA YANKS