At Home In The Hamptons

Longtime hubby and the SJG really don't like to brag, but this weekend, we popped over to the Hamptons and bought a fabulous spread just because it felt right. I'm sorry, what's that? We did not purchase a palatial East Coast spread? Oh, you know what? You're absolutely right. Okay, fine, we visited the most spectacular home in the Hamptons, straight out of a magazine, and in my opinion, it was almost as good as owning one. Emphasis on "almost." Why? I'll tell you why. Because our wonderful friends Mark and Kiki made us feel so at home. Accompanying us on the flight east were Eric and Linda. Ned and Helen flew in on a different flight and we all wound up just where we were meant to be. Yes, it was our "Big Chill" reunion weekend, what with the singing and dancing and wine. But no eulogies, unless you count four gals mourning our collective loss of collagen.

Here are the devastatingly handsome menfolk, who demanded I take this photo, or maybe I didn't take it, but it was on my phone, so I'm taking credit. Lounging poolside: Mark, the host with the most, Eric, Howie hovering overhead, and Ned. These guys have been friends since junior high and how great is it that they're still close friends? So great.

The sea was angry that day, my friends. On our first outing to Flying Point, the tide tried to take me. It tried so hard to pull me under that I got wet. I went boom. There was sand in places sand shouldn't go. But listen, I got back up again, and in life, isn't that all that matters? In theory, yes.

And speaking of Theory, here I am in front of the store that replaced Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa shop. Dear God in heaven, it felt so good to be "this close" to the former Ina shrine in Easthampton. It would've felt even better to "bump" into Ina and Jeffrey on the street, wish them Shana Tova and give Ina a grateful hug for all of her yummy recipes. And believe me, we tried. We went searching for Ina and all we got was this shot of me in front of Theory. I refused to enter on principle. A salesgal at Bloomies once said this, after giving me the once-over: "I'm really sorry, but you're not a Theory girl." Well I never!

The lovely Linda likes to color coordinate with the artwork wherever she roams, and she pulls it off, splendidly. In the other room, the men are watching football. They did that a lot this weekend.

Hmm. What's going on in this photo that's appropriately blurred so as not to shock the young'uns? Aw, yes. Helen, generally a delightful gal of gentle spirit, appears to be flipping off the SJG, after I repeatedly accused her of stealing my phone. "I did not," she said. "You did, too," I said. Let's just say that somehow, my crappy old phone wound up in her coat pocket. Draw your own conclusions.

Ha ha. I got back at Helen by stealing this lovely shot of the sunset from her phone. So we're even. More or less.

Mark and Eric made some new friends this weekend.

Kiki, the gifted hostess with the mostess, overfed us all weekend and actually made these divine desserts. "Kiki! Stop! You're spoiling me," I told her, 82 times. "I'll never get over it. Never!" "You're welcome," she said. "Which dessert would you like?" "Duh." "Both?" I won't be stepping on the scale for a few days.

Well, sadly, at some point, you must return to reality. Before longtime hubby and I flew home, we stopped into the TWA terminal at JFK and waited for our flight. Good thing someone directed us to JetBlue or we might still be stuck in 1962.