Browse: December 2007

Not often given to gushing, The New York Times has lauded Channing Daughter's Winery in Bridgehampton with some praise from on high. "In the stream of East End white wines tasted this year, the most consistently vivacious ones came from Channing Daughters in Bridgehampton."

Winemaker James Christopher Tracy is praised for the daring that he has taken in creating wines that stray from the typical whites you usually find at East End wineries. The bad news: those of us who already knew this will now face stiffer competition when trying to get our hands on the small batches of wine that the vineyard produces.

East End's New Editions [NYT]

The results are in and the sum total of the top 12 deals done in the Hamptons is: $407 million. According to Suffolk Research Service Inc. the top ten residential property transfers (land deals are listed seperately) so far in 2007 in the Hamptons are:

1) $32,750,500 Murray Lane, Southampton
The sale of Terry Allen Kramer’s fantastic spread.
2) $32,500,000 1160, 1161 Meadow Lane, Southampton
From J Green to 1160 Meadow Lane LLC
3) $31,500,000 Association Road, Wainscott
From P. Samponaro to Mast One LLC
4) $30,500,000 1080 Meadow Lane, Southampton
Bought by neighbor Robert Sillerman with plans to join the two.
5) $27,500,000 Cliff Drive, Montauk
Paul Morrissey estate he once owned with Andy Warhol sold to Mickey Drexler CEO of J Crew.
6) $26,800,000 240 Gin Lane, Southampton
Estate of Catalina Meyer one of the first women on Wall Street to MJR IV LLC which has applications in for a renovation of the 1890 home.
7) $23,770,500 1190 Meadow Lane, Southampton
From River Light VII LLC to K. Elghanayan.
8) $20,250,000 543 Little Plains Road, Southampton
Reportedly bought by Apollo Management Sr. Partner Joshua Harris along with 154 Gin Lane with plans to create a compound.
9) $20,000,000 Further Lane
“Lasata” former childhood home of Jackie O sold to Reed Krakoff, President and Creative Director of Coach.
10) $19,000,000 1251 Ocean Road, Bridgehampton
From Ocean Road LLC to Gregory Surf LLC

Just missing the top ten is the residence off Further Lane CNBC’s Donny Deutsch purchased which together with the adjacent property put his compound price at $29 million.

The bigger numbers still went for land which is why the record setting $103 million Ron Baron purchase of the Further Lane DeMenil/Carpenter estate didn’t make the Forbes most expensive properties in the US list.
$37.5 million was paid for 26 sub-dividable acres of land in Bridgehampton on Ocean Road stretching to Highland Terrace which is now re-listed for just under $50 million.
$35 million was paid for 1320 Meadow Lane from Beachplum & Kulukundis to Meadowcore LLC.

Suffolk Research Service Inc. offers Market Statistics as well as their new free East End Comp Search service www.eastendcomps.com.

Our real estate columnist Heather Buchanan lives in Sag Harbor. Email her with comments and tips and see more of her writing at HamptonsHeather.com

Ron Perlman, the head of Revlon, recently upgraded his holiday ornamentation with the (rumor has it) $20 million purchase of a gigantic, rusty red sculpture that was carted into his private estate, known as The Creeks, in Wainscott. It's the largest piece of modern, red art on the East End since Linda Scott's Stargazer.

Design/Build Firm Plum Builders' President Al Giaquinto tells us What's Hot, What's Not in Bathrooms, highlighting the creation of a relaxed spa in your own home.

Plum Builders
125 Stephen Hands Path
East Hampton, NY 11937
P: 631-329-1300
F: 631-329-5648

www.plumbuilders.com

> Full coverage

Protect your home and health with the expertise of Inside Edge Waterproofing & Drainage.

Inside Edge Waterproofing & Drainage
10 Hedges Avenue
East Hampton, NY 11937
631-324-1281

http://iewaterproofing.com 

> Full coverage

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has a home in East Hampton. Dunkin' Donuts CEO Jon "Jack" Luther has just purchased a home in Southampton. Is a coffee battle brewing for the Hamptons?

Good news rich people: you will not be stuck on the LIE next summer. The helicopter operators who fly in and out of the East End have come to an agreement with Senator Schumer and local airport officials that will have helicopters flying routes that aren't over high-population areas and will require helicopters to maintain an altitude of at least 2,500 feet.

The rich are happy, the helicopter operators should be happy and all of the "poor" people who live near the East Hampton Airport should be happy too.

The Chopper Nuisance [Newsday]

To have a house in the Hamptons without an awning is like eating a lobster roll without the roll– it's not entirely necessary but it also kind of is. Fortunately, C.E. King & Sons has been customizing, creating, and maintaining awnings for the East End since 1948.

C.E. King & Sons
10 St. Francis Place
East Hampton, NY 11937
P: 631-324-4944
F: 631-329-3669

www.kingsawnings.com

> Full coverage

Is Donald Trump purchasing property on the Hamptons beaches to construct a mighty resort tower plus casino for the Shinnecock Nation? Unfortunately not, but we only say unfortunately because it would be way fun to scoop (we're not touching that issue with a 20-foot long Totem pole).

Some woke Saturday morning to cozy sheets or a hot cup of Joe. Others rolled out of bed to brave 40º water in addition to below-freezing air temperatures. Why? Because it was the 2007 Polar Plunge, and each courageous participant made his/her own contribution to Human Resources of the Hamptons by taking a December dip.

Browse this way on Monday for a full-coverage slideshow of the event.

Awesome Italian fare, and an amazing house Chianti.

Matto
104 North Main Street
East Hampton, NY
P: 631-329-0200
F: 631-329-0224

www.mattorestaurant.com

> Full coverage

Among the things you'll find in Hamptons-regular Caroline Kennedy's new book, A Family Christmas, are:

• A letter from Groucho Marx about his bad luck with holiday tipping, recipes from the kitchen of Martha Washington and the lyrics to 'Christmas in Hollis' by rappers Run-DMC.

They get you the goods on time, but now, UPS has figured out something even better: how to drive without left-hand turns. This is just what the Hamptons need.

How much of your life do you spend waiting to make a left turn? If you've ever spent time in the Hamptons during the summer, then you've spent the better part of your days waiting to make a left turn on Route 27. We plan our days to avoid making left turns out here during the summer. Jodi Della Femina pissed off all the locals by publishing Jodi's Shortcuts, which helped everyone avoid left turns.

But now, UPS has come up with the solution. Using sophisticated route planning software (software that we're praying we can get our hands on), they've redesigned their delivery routes to avoid left turns. According to a company spokeswoman, "the software helped the company shave 28.5 million miles off its delivery routes, which has resulted in savings of roughly three million gallons of gas and has reduced CO2 emissions by 31,000 metric tons."

Can you just imagine how much gas Hamptonites would save if we started using this software? We might even actually get to the beach one day without obscene gestures and cursing rants directed at our fellow drivers.

Left-hand Turn Elimination [NYT]

Christmas related crimes are skyrocketing in the Hamptons area and residents are shaking their heads in disgust. First, there was the case of the stolen Christmas lights in East Hampton and now Baby Jesus has been stolen from the manger scene in Sag Harbor.

While walking down Main Street in Sag Harbor the other night, we were shocked to see that the idyllic scene that usually features Mary, Joseph and the Wise Men (which sounds like the name of a '60s folk band), had been vandalized and that Mary and Joseph knelt reverentially in front of...nothing. NO baby Jesus was there for them to look upon.

Who would do such a thing? Steal a sheep, steal a wise man even, but don't steal Baby Jesus. That's just not right. We'll be following this story closely. But we've already lost the Christmas spirit.

Family Won't Let East End Grinch Dampen Holiday [Newsday]