First let's start with the ride into the Hamptons via Sunrise Highway. There are speed limit signs clearly marked that for some reason are invisible to these people. There is a point where you start to enter Southampton and you must slow down to 45 mph but people are still going 60mph. Little do they know that the police are just waiting to pull them over and if you're a local, you know where most of these spots are so you obey the signs. You don't know how many times I see people who pass me and have this look like what is she doing? only to get pulled over and then have a look like "oh, that's what she was doing".
Today I was at a stop light, right hand turn signal on, waiting for the traffic to go by and making sure it was safe enough to make a right hand turn. The guy behind me felt that he could not wait anymore so decided to pull up along side my left side to make the right hand turn. REALLY??? I guess I was a mirage to him or something. His windows were down, guess he couldn't afford the air conditioning in his car, and as immature as this was, I really couldn't resist. I put my window down and said to him "Hey congratulations!" and he looks over kind of confused and I said,"You just won the Hamptons biggest a'hole award of the day! Have a nice day!" and I waved with a big smile on my face as he tried to go as I was going to make the right hand turn. What if a car was coming, he would have plowed right into them. What a jerk!
How about the line jumpers whose time is more valuable than yours? Yesterday I had to go to Southampton Hospital to pick up some records for a friend. Side note, I loved the fact that the hospital has an actual valet service at the entrance haha....only in the Hamptons....haha...but I digress. So I am at the admissions desk, waiting for the girl to finish with the guy in front of me. Finally it's my turn and I'm a bit irritated but I don't show it. So I tell the girl why I'm there and while she leaves to go get me the records, a couple come in and practically run up to the counter like "I'm first!" and I'm thinking, don't they see the LINE? Well I looked over at the woman and must have shot her a scary look because she backed down before saying anything and got in line behind me. Good going lady, I guess the death stare made its point.
The best yet is the clubs. Not all the clubs mind you but it's funny how the clubs that could be snobby aren't and the ones that have no reason to be, are for no reason. A couple of weeks ago I had a couple of parties to go to and we were ending the evening by going to Lily Pond in East Hampton. We were on a guest list so no problem right? WRONG! We get there and the entrance has the usual velvet ropes which are so unimpressive anymore. They used to be impressive in the 80's but now they are merely a line that can't be crossed unless one of the flying monkeys let's you get behind the iron curtain to see Oz himself. (haha, I even liked that one lol ) So we go up to the rope and I tell the guy that I'm on the guest list and he points to the other side and tells us that for any guest lists, we go to the other side. Ok. So we walk over to the other side and we're standing there trying to get one of the guys attention to tell him. Meanwhile, the stench of what smelled like urine and trash was the same on that side as it was on the other side and it was really getting to me. So I texted one of my contacts inside then another and both said to tell them we were on the guest list and I'm telling them we are trying but no one is paying attention. The men were all just walking around with their chests (and bellys) sticking out like they were deaf. They reminded me of those ducks at a carnival game that just move robotically as your trying to shoot them. We saw Russell Simmons who I thought hmm....he's not even trying to get in ....so what does that say? haha....and then we get someone's attention to tell them we are on a particular guest list and they say ok and walk away and we're standing there and after five minutes, I turn to my friend and say, "Well, we're certainly NOT in New York City" and I just kind of laugh sarcastically. The NYC clubs are rumored to be tough to get in and they are but I have NEVER had a problem in Manhattan getting into a club that I was on the guest list. The whole point of the guest list is because you know someone so you don't have to wait on line like other random people. So we decided that the stench was not worth the wait outside and we were not going to wait for a place like Lily Pond to get in. There were other parties we were invited to so we decided to go to them. Never again will I go to that club. It's not that impressive inside and I feel sorry for the restaurant that shares space with it because that restaurant has a very good reputation and is high class so I want to be clear that this had nothing to do with the restaurant.
All the locals out here are sick of the attitudes and although the business is very much appreciated, we get to a point where we just can't handle it anymore. Imagine if in someplace like Manhattan, that is busy year round with visitors, was rude to people? If they did that, they wouldn't have the reputation of being the most visited city in the United States. Hampton's clubs need to learn this. I am not in my twenties anymore and don't have to put up with the crap of the doormen who don't pay attention to the rules or treat people like they are beneath anything. I am not going to wait to get into a building, I mean seriously that is all it is, a building like all the others with a sound system, dance floor, over priced drinks and whatever else you find there, you can find anywhere.
You take a place like The Surf Lodge in Montauk that was rumored to have a long wait in line, $100 cover, over priced drinks and pretentious crowd. People were afraid to even go there when it first opened. I heard these rumors but I checked it out myself. There was never and still is never a line. You know why? Because they want people to actually go inside and have a good time. There never was and still is no cover and the crowd is chic but laid back. Everyone pretty much gets along, I mean I've never seen a fight and I've been there a million times. The usual crowd is having a good time with their friends and dancing and just doing it up. The drink prices are on par with other places. The Surf Lodge could act like the other club but they don't which goes to show you that how you treat people, a.k.a. "hospitality", is what will keep people coming back.
The hospitality rule can also apply in the every day treatment of another human being. If everyone would stop thinking the world revolved around them and paid more attention to being nice to other people especially strangers they don't know, the Hamptons would be a more pleasant place to visit and enjoy. There would be less angst and more fun. You know the thing that gets me is that I'm not saying that every person that comes out here is this way. It's the few bad apples that ruin it for everyone. And I'm not the only one who will speak up and say something. More and more I am finding that people are saying what's on their mind. I don't like that we all have this angst because the summer is supposed to be a time of fun and good memories.
For anyone that is reading this, let's try to be more patient if we are a local and for the visitors, try to be less selfish. We don't have that many weeks left of summer so let's try to enjoy what we have left. Be considerate and be safe!
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