Ah, the first blooms of Spring, the grass is growing green and the peals of summer laughter are just around the corner. And so are the headaches. Never has one place been so blessed with a richness of bounties—and so many hassles. And they’re not just your garden-variety hassles either, they’re that special breed of hassle you find only among the hedgerows.
Where’s the Help?: Never mind the saying, “Good help is hard to find,” right now in the Hamptons, any help is hard to find. The national immigration debate has complicated the temporary visas usually granted to foreign workers who come to the Hamptons for six months or so and leave at the end of the season. “Restaurants, landscapers, retail shops, sports and recreation facilities, transportation services, and estate management” will all be affected. Translation: if you order your food it might come eventually but we’re not clearing the table between courses; mow your own lawn; don’t bother trying to shop; Raoul, your Brazilian tennis pro, isn’t at the club anymore; no taxis; and, again, mow your own lawn. It’s going to be a fun summer!
