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Our Getaway Weekend in Southampton!

here & there :: Around the Village


Our stay at the Southampton Inn was very pleasant indeed – not only because upon our arrival innkeeper Dede Gotthelf couldn’t have been sweeter but we were invited to the Southampton Salon Series in honor of Dan’s Literary Prize – awarded for non-fiction to James K. Phillips from the Shinnecock Indian Reservation for his story Magic Shirt which he read aloud to us. He beat out several hundred other entries and it was a tough competition. The other two prize winners present were Jean Ely for“Waiting for the Ferry” and Susan Cohen for “Littoral Drifter.” James was particularly humble and soft spoken reading with enthusiasm about the powwow trail he goes on touring the country and the great respect for both ritual and the care that goes into proper tribal dress. He warmly spoke about the women of the tribe who were an integral part of the pomp and circumstance of each and every powwow. He described the careful stitching of his garb and what it takes to resole a pair of well worn moccasins that brought good luck. The love was the magic that went into the headdress, the moccasins and of course…the shirt sewn with special, magical ribbons. He made his clothes come alive in his narrative on all that goes into getting ready for even just one powwow. It’s astounding how much land he covers in so little time to get to all of the Native American celebrations he’s so committed to each year. He keeps the Shinnecock spirit alive amongst other tribal nations.


The place was hopping – especially for a pre-season weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving! Peconic Broadcasting was hosting a party with at least 80 people downstairs while we all sat around the cozy fire listening to prize winning stories upstairs by three well chosen authors. A table laiden with yummy hors d’oeuvres beckoned us closer to the small and intimate bar where we were served a choice of wine, beer and bottled water. Dan sat at the piano and played Beethoven’s classic “Fur Elise” for those of us who came early enough! It seems there is a lot on the social agenda for the Southampton Inn all four seasons – Afternoon Tea before the annual Parade of Lights and Agawam Park Christmas Tree Lighting over Thanksgiving weekend is popular as is the upcoming very special New Year’s Eve Gala with dancing, drinks, dinner, a divine dessert buffet AND midnight toasts with champagne at Cafe OSO!


Wandering thoughout the inn we were thoroughly impressed with the space on the lower level where OSO is – it boasts several aptly named conference rooms like The Quogue or The Shinnecock and even a ballroom fit for wedding receptions or dances and private parties. Dede seems to have her ducks in a row because she’s paired up with the libraries, the hospital and nearby colleges as well as having reached out to corporations who want to come to The Hamptons as a convenient and healthy getaway with close proximity to NYC.


Our well appointed room smelled fresh as a daisy and the bathroom clean as a whistle – which is what WE cared about most for our weekend stay. Aside from a generous sized flat screen tv and Christmas movies, what could be better then a Tempur-Pedic mattress?! These memory foam mattresses promise to provide support to sleepers’ heads, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet while keeping spines in proper alignment – and never having slept in one I must say we awoke feeling truly refreshed from a soothing night’s sleep. We’re told the inn buys new ones every couple of years to make sure each guest does have the same experience. We especially enjoyed having a heater that was adjustable so we could make exactly whatever temperature suited us. Happily I had it on *my* side : )


Our room also had a very nice view looking out over the pool and tennis court and we envisioned how wonderful it must be during high season when the pool bar is open! Adirondack chairs are thoughtfully placed about the great lawn for ultimate privacy. A lovely courtyard is the other delightful spot to hang out weather permitting and is right off of their in house restaurant OSO. The cafe offers a scrumptious breakfast menu for the morning and during high season offers lunch and dinner too. OSO is currently promoting a two for one special that would certainly be worth your while for breakfast in the village. The cafe was transformed the night before into a nightclub with a dance floor and full bar for the Peconic Broadcasting party so quite the versatile hotel!


During the off season the Southampton Inn has a great deal with the Plaza Cafe just across the street which has been rated impressively by Zagat. We opted though to go to one of our old favorites – 75 Main in the village with all the holiday lights – every tree on Main Street is lit and we were so ecstatic that it SNOWED for the first time this season while we were having dinner! It couldn’t have been more perfect. On a humorous note, a flock of teenagers who were just as thrilled with the snow suddenly rode by on their bikes and flashed anyone who happened to be looking like us! Our pretty waitress was from Belarus and was most accommodating and cordial as was owner, Zach Erdem, who remembered us well. The Turkish chef has been baking a special bread that tastes just like brioche and he makes it right in the kitchen there – it’s become so popular I think they may start selling it…and we think they should and would be right in line! We started with an endive and lobster salad topped with sweet, sweet cherry tomatoes that tasted as fresh as summer. Paired with a glass of pinot grigio who would have thought that right outside it was a wintertime fairyland? I couldn’t resist one of the specials because it was wild mushrooms with fettuccine {anything mushroom is at the top of my list} and my guest had the high grade cut of filet mignon with potatoes au gratin and caramelized onions. We were quite happy with Zach’s house selection of pinot noire for the both of us. The darling children at the next table kept us well entertained and charmed the Russian dancer from another table over to theirs – and who agreeably played with two of them, amusing them with her repertoire. 75 Main’s piece de resistance was their irresistible desserts – we indulged in the sinfully delicious chocolate lava cake and the creme brulee and cappucino.


Impeccable service, a fantastic meal, a wonderful inn and our first snowfall all wrapped up into one delightful evening!


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December 5th, 2013 Posted by | here & there | no comments

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