Southampton, NY :

Spending an afternoon with Bruce is like having a local celebrity as your best friend!

631-283-2118The Thomas Halsey Homestead, c. 1666

631-283-3527
$4 adults, free for children 17 and under

Rogers Mansion, c. 1750 to 1916
631-283-2494
$4 adults, free for children 17 and under

Bruce Michael Tours
917-623-6602

COOPER'S BEACH
We love the beach in any season so we headed down North Main Street to Cooper's Beach. It's easy to understand why it was named "top beach in the United States" by Dr. Beach in 2010. This expanse of Atlantic sparkles bright blue just beyond bleached white sand dunes. St. Andrew's Dune Church, established in 1879 in a building erected in 1851 as a lifesaving station, stands on the dunes a mile east of Cooper's Beach. The land around the church is some of the last dunescape in Southampton open to the public.

Hidden behind manicured privet hedges along Dune Road, you will catch glimpses of some of the most spectacular beach houses in the world. Calvin Klein recently purchased the old Dupont Mansion here and his neighbors are just as rich and famous.  Be sure to walk along the beach for an unobstructed view of these magnificent estates. Pack a lunch and stay for the sunset because, although it's the Atlantic, the beaches here face west.  Not to be missed! Southampton features seven miles of oceanfront shoreline with eleven beaches so it's no wonder why the crowds flock here in the summertime.

CHEERS!
After lunching on lobster rolls at The Driver's Seat restaurant, it was time to sample some of the island's more recent culture--local wines! Before grapes, Long Island farmland was famous for potatoes. Several wineries have been built in old potato barns or in new structures that evoke such barns. Both North and South Fork wines have been favorably received for their lower alcohol and higher acidity ratios.  Wölffer, considered one of the top tier wineries, is located in Sagaponack--a mere fifteen minute drive from Southampton. Founded in 1988 by Christian Wölffer, the fifty-five acre winery is conveniently located between Southampton and East Hampton.  We entered the Tuscan style villa and sat at a large oak table where we were presented with charcuterie and cheeses before the wine began to flow.  My personal favorite was the "Grandioso" Rosé which we sampled after a bubbly Blanc de Blanc crafted in the "Methode Champenoise" style. After copious tastings of Chardonnay, Cabernet and a sublime "ice wine", we moved to a table outside on the terrace and reveled in majestic views of the vineyards at dusk.

75 MAIN STREET
Hungry for an upscale dining experience, we donned our leather jackets and walked from the Inn to 75 Main Street. The chic modern dining room was filled with candlelight and "cool."  We ordered a fancy cocktail at the bar and listened to the jazzy live band. Our first course, a local garden salad, was followed by organic roast chicken and garlicky potatoes. What a delight it was to stroll down quaint streets on our way home. We savored the quiet midnight moments sipping a cup of herbal tea by the fire before climbing up the stairs to bed.  Southampton--sweet dreams are made of this!