East Hampton Escape
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 
Windmilll in East Hampton
We had a fabulous weekend escape to East Hampton! It was my first time visiting the area during the off-season (and I haven't been to the Hamptons in many years.) But we're now official fans! All the towns are sleepy and uncrowded. We were able to easily find parking anywhere we wanted and snagged reservations at one of the hottest restaurants on Long Island (more on this later.) It was cheap to stay at our little guest house. Traffic was minimal from the city – we got there in just over two hours. The holiday decorations were so pretty & we had a blast just being lazy and exploring on a whim. Hamptons for the win!
Main Beach, East Hampton
Obvious downsides to the Hamptons in December: It was chilly, so we weren't laying out on the beach or chartering a sailboat from a marina. There are also a lot of vineyards & wine tasting rooms in the Hamptons, so I look forward to going back when I'm not pregnant. Now that we have a better idea of which areas we prefer, we're already planning a spring trip with our little babe!
On the way to East Hampton, we stopped in Southampton to grab lunch and walk around. It's a little village-like town with a Main Street and boutiques, antique shops, cafés and so forth. It wasn't my favorite – or the most charming – of the places we visited, but still I was glad we checked it out.
Holiday Decorations in Southampton
We also visited Bridgehampton, which was a lot of the same thing, so nothing unique to note. Our final destination for the first day was East Hampton Village, where we stayed at the Getaway House. It was like sleeping over at a relative's house for the night! There was a roaring fire and wrap-around porch and delicious breakfast and one of the biggest private movie collections I've ever seen. Our host, Johnny, was incredibly professional and gracious. We would certainly stay there again in the future.
East Hampton is very charming and lovely, but there aren't as many mom-and-pop shops as one might think. The Main Street has Tiffany's, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, etc. So it's a little bit like Fifth Avenue, but with the celebrity clientele, I wasn't surprised by this fact. But there's a nice blend of cute restaurants, an independent book store, and a movie theater in town...
On Friday night we dined at the legendary, Zagat-rated Nick & Toni's restaurant (no – didn't see any famous folks this time.) We both ordered off the prix fixe menu, and I seriously had one of the best meals of my life! The pumpkin ravioli was to die for! I was happy we were able to get a reservation, even just days before our visit (I've heard this place books up weeks and weeks in advance.) The interior is cozy, with a wood-burning oven and farmhouse feel. It reminded me of some of the places we've been to in Napa Valley.
Later I'll share details on two more spots, which turned out to be our most favorite of all: Montauk and Sag Harbor. We're back in NYC now and I'm on travel lock-down until the baby is born. About eight weeks until my due date!
Reader Comments (3)
Sounds lovely! My aunt and uncle have a house in Sag Harbor so my husband and I spent a couple of summer weekends there with my dad and his wife. I'm excited to hear what you thought of that area! I don't think I'd be as into the upscale/ritzy areas of the Hamptons but it's nice that not all parts are like that. That restaurant sounds delicious though!
Sounds like a great escape indeed! You'll definitely have to partake in the wineries your next go.
Have a very Merrry Christmas!
How much fun! And love the new look of the website!