For months we’ve heard how tariffs can significantly impact consumer behavior, leading to higher prices and less-stocked shelves. We always talk about putting tariffs on goods, but has anyone thought about imposing them on certain human behaviors? No? Well, I have.
Let’s say you’re in line at Gristedes and someone with a cart full of groceries jumps in front of you and starts a long chitchat with the cashier—in the express line! That person, for example, would be subject to a “Jedell Tariff.”
Or pedestrians—usually tourists—meandering leisurely along Fifth Avenue with their mouths agape looking at Central Park, who get in your way when you’re just trying to get to your lunch meeting on time at Harry Cipriani at the Sherry-Netherland. They too would be hit with a Jedell Tariff.
Or how about an inconsiderate millennial with no sense of anyone’s space, who sideswipes you when you turn a little to the left or right? You would need a hand signal to avoid a people crash. They’re in line for a Jedell Tariff.
Fret no further. I’ve come up with the Jedell Tariffs for the Hamptons, just in time for the July 4th weekend and beyond.
Jedell Tariff #1: You know how I hate acronyms— well, this behavior is so bad that I’m actually willing to use an acronym to describe it. I’m calling it ASBS—the Always Something Better Syndrome. Oh, you know what happens. You’re at a party in Southampton talking to an individual who’s constantly scanning the room for someone better to speak with. Worry no more, my friends—that person will be subject to a tariff under the Jedell Tariff regime.
Jedell Tariff #2: Then there are those smooth talkers—the ones who seemingly come out of nowhere with some outlandish story that never quite seems to check out—but you believe the story because who’d make up something that far-fetched? I mean, their Instagrams kind of check out, right? Wrong! These are the real-life “Talented Mr. Ripley” types. They get invited on your yacht, stay as a guest in your home. Before you get duped any further, subject him or her to the Jedell Tariff regime!
Jedell Tariff #3: Finally, there are the influencers who constantly record themselves as they walk on Main Street, eat their dinner, attend a party, and even (gross!) go to the restroom. Those offenders will be subjected to the highest tariff under the Jedell Tariff regime!
If you want to hear more about my tariffs, just stop me when you see me lunching at 75 Main in Southampton, admiring the polo player at a nearby table, or attending one of the fabulous galas.
But until these or any tariffs go into effect, we’ve got a great issue for you this month. Most notable philanthropist Jean Shafiroff updates us on her many charitable endeavors and offers inspiration to so many others to follow in her footsteps. Contributing editor George Gurley has a special treat in store—his exclusive interview with iconic singer, songwriter, and pianist Neil Sedaka. Of course, Hampton Sheet
would never leave you hanging without setting the trends for luxury, thanks to contributor Marilyn Kirschner. We also have our new Ask Cat column by Catherine Vitulli, who informs us of the best beauty tips. Check out our Dream columnist Layne Dalfen who has a surprise celebrity dream in store for you. And for you weekend golf warriors, to celebrate the premiere of Netflix’s Happy Gilmore 2 later this month—our youngest contributor, Bobby Love, interviews the one, the only PGA Tour legend who was also in the 1996 and 2025 Adam Sandler–led films, Lee Trevino.
Of course, throughout The Sheet you’ll also find our regular features. Norah Lawlor’s Eat/Sleep column will keep you in-the-know, along with our event calendar, which is chock-full of the best charity galas to attend this summer for your fun-filled evenings, while at the same time giving back.
And remember to always be camera-ready because you never know when I’ll be around to take your photo (tariff-free!).
Enjoy The Sheet!
Cheers!
Joan Jedell Founder, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief @hamptonsheet jjedell@hamptonsheet.com
HAT LUNCHEON
They say it never rains on the Frederick Law Olmsted Awards, aka the “Hat Luncheon,” hosted by the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy. Once again, the weather gods smiled down on the approximately 1,400 guests (mainly women) who descended upon Central Park’s lush Conservatory Gardens. Co-chairs included Ranika Cohen, Bonnie Comley, Jenna Segal, and Julia Power Weld, among others. More than $4.3 million was raised for the upkeep and improvement of Central Park, the city’s crown jewel. Sponsors included Harry Winston, JP Morgan Chase, and Oscar de la Renta. Among the notables in attendance included Chair of the Conservancy’s Board Tom Kempner, Central Park Conservancy President and CEO Betsy Smith, Women’s Committee President Tracey Huff, Scarlett Johansson, Fe Fendi, Michael Bloomberg, Martha Stewart, Jean Shafiroff, Katherine Boulud, Susan Magrino, Marcia Mishaan, Jamee Gregory, Muffie Potter Aston, and Gillian Miniter.
American businessman, billionaire, husband, father, gentleman, philanthropist, and art (and postcard) collector Leonard Lauder passed away at the age of 92 on June 14, 2025—just one day before Father’s Day. Lauder was not just the patriarch of an American dynasty, he was also a father figure to many. Indeed, if you were lucky enough to know him, he was the mentor, friend, and teacher you always longed to have. Always the perfect gentleman, he gladly passed on his golden nuggets of wisdom, including: “Always hire people who are smarter than you are.”
Leonard Lauder was the eldest son of the only woman to make Time magazine’s 1998 list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century—Estée Lauder, who co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company with her husband, Joseph, in 1946. Today, The Estée Lauder Companies is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin-care, makeup, fragrance, and hair-care products, sold in more than 150 countries.
Despite being an heir to a cosmetics empire, Lauder worked for his professional and personal success. As a teen, he helped his parents with the family business after school. At 22, he served our country, when he joined the U.S. Navy, where he did three and a half years on active duty, followed by four and a half more in the Navy Reserve. In 1958, Lauder formally joined his parents’ beauty company. From the get-go he increased profits by focusing on innovative sales and marketing programs, initiating international expansion, establishing the first research and development laboratory, and implementing management training programs. In 1972, he was named president of the company, a post he assumed until 1995. He also assumed the role of CEO from 1982–1999 and served as the chairman of the company from 1995–2009. Under Lauder’s leadership, Estée Lauder launched beauty brands coveted by women and men alike, including Aramis, Clinique, Lab
Series, and Origins, and acquired popular brands that are staples in every beauty trove, including M·A·C, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London, Aveda, Tom Ford Beauty, and Crème de La Mer.
Every step of the way, Lauder took time to teach and pass on his knowledge, experiences, tips for business success, and overall wisdom to others. As Chairman Emeritus of Estée Lauder, he was affectionately referred to as the company’s “Chief Teaching Officer.”
In addition to his business success with The Estée Lauder Companies, Lauder was a major collector in the art world. He developed his keen eye for art at the tender age of 6, when he decided to acquire Art Deco postcards. Eventually, he started to collect works by the Cubist masters Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Fernand Léger, and Pablo Picasso, as well as works by Gustav Klimt, but he retained his love for postcards. In fact, he has made a promised gift of his 120,000-plus collection of postcards to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Lauder’s generosity was not just limited to sharing his secrets to business success. Over the years, he served on the boards of numerous philanthropic arts, medical, and educational organizations, including the Whitney Museum of American Art (Chairman Emeritus); the University of Pennsylvania (Emeritus Trustee); the Council on Foreign Relations (Member); the Aspen Institute (Chairman Emeritus and Lifetime Trustee); Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital (President’s Council); and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Chairman). In addition to his philanthropic endeavors, he was generous in spirit, time, know-how, and assets.
Always a family man, Lauder was predeceased by his late wife, Evelyn, whom he was married to from 1959 until she died of breast cancer in 2011. He is survived by his wife, Judy Glickman Lauder, his two sons, William and Gary, and five grandchildren.
Thank you, Leonard, for teaching us how to live a beautiful life.
HOT PINK PARTY
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) hosted its annual Hot Pink Party at The Glasshouse, where the evening set a record, raising a whopping $11 million. Founded in 1993 by the late Evelyn H. Lauder, BCRF is the largest private funder of breast cancer research in the world.
The gala, hosted by Elizabeth Hurley, global ambassador of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign, was sponsored by Rafanelli Events and Winston Flowers. Honorary co-chairs included Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Judy and Leonard Lauder, who sadly, passed the day before Father’s Day, and William P. Lauder. Lead gala co-chairs included Kinga Lampert, Jody and John Arnhold, Valentine and Patrick Firmenich, and Roslyn Goldstein.
Tatiana and Peter Cancro, founder and CEO of Jersey Mike’s, received the Spirit of Philanthropy Award and breast cancer survivor Kate Williams was presented with the Roslyn and Leslie Goldstein Unsung Hero Award.
The evening featured an unforgettable concert by 17-time Grammy Award–winning artist Sting, who performed some of his crowd-pleasing hits. Among the notable pink-clad guests were Laura and Gary Lauder, Rachel Lauder, Katherine Lauder, Misty Copeland, Vera Wang, Damian Hurley, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Priya Shukla, and Jill and Harry Kargman.
Photos by Getty Images
Elizabeth Hurley, William P. Lauder
Nina Lampert and Kinga Lampert
Gary and Laura Lauder
William P. Lauder, Elizabeth Hurley, Damian Hurley
Kate Williams, Marcella Kelson
Karen Hale,
Donna McKay, William P. Lauder
Hannah Storm
Emma Myles
Tatiana and Peter Cancro, and family
Photo by Mark Leibowitz
ASK CAT
BY CATHERINE VITULLI-STRAGAPEDE
Many have asked me the who, what, when, how, and whys of skin, makeup, and life’s trivias. Well, I’m here to give you the tricks of the trade, from beauty secrets to real-life advice! With more than 33 years of skincare and makeup, working with Fashion on Fifth runway, beauty ads, celebrities, and landing a feature in The New York Times Magazine, my job is to keep you looking young and fresh as a daisy!
Here are some of the questions I always get asked: How do you keep your makeup from melting off when it’s humid?
Let me tell you, it’s a crime not to prime. You don’t want to skip this part, and I've found the perfect primer by Sisley-Paris called Double Tenseur ($240). Not only does it deliver a “second skin” effect, but it immediately creates a lifted and smooth appearance! Be sure to apply it in an upward motion. Should you ever sleep with your makeup on?
Never! That’s when your body does its best work—it’s repairing. If it’s a late night and you’re just too tired to drag yourself to the sink, then keep a package of MAC wipes ($18) on your nightstand. Water-infused wipes delicately remove makeup, oil, and dirt. These were my go-to backstage at Fashion on Fifth to quickly get my models in and out of many different makeup looks!
What nail colors are trending for summer?
People seem to be returning to the French manicure—pink and pastels. Check out Tom Ford’s array of colors ($38). I personally like “Show Me the Pink” and “Color Me Loud,” Tom Ford colors ranging from elegant to epic! How do I get perfect tanned skin?
Easy, FAKE the BAKE! If you’re someone like me who burns easily in the sun but craves that natural-looking effortless tan glow, then go for Sisley-Paris Self Tanning Hydrating Body Skin Care ($165) and Self-Tanning Hydrating Facial Skin Care ($180). These will get you ready for the summer, offering a daily moisturizing skincare with a natural, long-lasting, and radiant tan.
Hydration is key and is going to boost your sun-kissed glow as well as preserve your makeup and self-tanner. Drink plenty of water with a crystal of Celtic sea salt on your tongue to keep super hydrated as recommended by former Australian-trained nurse Barbara O’Neill. Author, educator, naturopath, and nutritionist. Check her out at barbaraoneill.com.
TURN BACK TIME WHILE YOU SLEEP
Where can you find a night cream that erases the past and protects your skin’s future all while you sleep? Look no further! Sisley Paris Supremÿa—Night Anti-Aging Cream targets 25 powerful anti-aging markers. This deliciously addicting firming treasure makes bedtime stories come true! $970
RHUBARB RITUAL
The Hermès Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate hair and body shower gel cleanses, invigorates, and perfumes skin and hair with the freshness of crisp rhubarb and tangy lantana, mingled with elegant musk notes. $87
MEDITERRANEAN MEMORIES
Not headed to the Italian Riviera this year? Be transported there no matter where you are with AERIN’s Mediterranean Honeysuckle Candle. $80
GLOWING
Jet-lagged and just got off a plane? Try Clinique’s Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum with hyaluronic acid, 5 percent lactic acid, and vitamin C, which will exfoliate, hydrate, and brighten your skin to give an instant and continuous glow. $65
How do I get that perfect air-brushed skin?
Two words “La Cure.” This is the Benjamin Button of skincare! Sisley-Paris La Cure ($1,420) Four bottles, four weeks to reach vibrant youthful-looking skin! Skin appears younger, regenerated, with renewed quality.
Week 4: Wrinkles appear diminished, skin regains a more youthful appearance
Do this treatment every four months for optimal results!
If you have questions or would like a free consultation, contact me at catarina.vitulli@sisley.fr.
COLOR CLOUD
Sisley Paris Color Cloud 2-in-1 natural beauty for cheeks and lips brings a “blurring matte” and natural glow at the same time! Comes in Tawny, Rosy, and Berry. $66
DIAMOND TRANSFORMATION
Every aspect of this velvety soft Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Energy Creme moisturizer with Estée Lauder’s exclusive Black Diamond Truffle Extract and potent levels of innovative SIRTIVITY-LP technology is extraordinary. It delivers lifting, firming, and smoothing of the skin, while it hydrates and leaves pores visibly reduced. $450
MULTI-PURPOSE BALM
Gucci’s Joslyn Clair Baume à Lèvres transparent lip balm will not only enhance the natural smoothness and texture of the lips, but it can also be used on the eyelids as an eyeshadow or eyeliner. $50
FACE MASSAGE
The N°1 de Chanel Massage Accessory, created by Chanel experts, is a massage tool that not only strengthens, stimulates, and smooths, but it was specifically developed to address the signs of aging. $80
Photography by John Musnicki |
CUFF LOVE
BY MARILYN KIRSCHNER
From Coco Chanel to modern style setters, everyone knows a cuff isn't just an accessory; it’s a statement piece that stands the test of time. Worn formally or casually, a cuff not only pulls a look together, it’s bold and empowering. I’m always struck by how arresting it is to wear a matching cuff on each wrist. Nothing looks better with a great white shirt or denim on denim. Here are some of my current faves!
DAVID YURMAN
Cable Edge Cuff in 18K Gold with pavé-set diamonds, 41mm. $22,500–$23,000, davidyurman.com
Fulco Cuff in cream and black enamel with 18K gold, black briolette diamond, white diamonds, and white and Tahitian cultured pearls. $139,500, verdura.com
ELSA PERETTI
Large Bone Cuff in 18K gold, 95 mm wide.
$40,000, available at select Tiffany & Co. (for locations, call 800-8433269) and tiffany.com
JENNIFER CREEL
Thin Diamond Note Cuff in 14K
Yellow Gold with paved diamonds. From $5,500, jennifercreel.com
Marilyn Kirschner is a longtime fashion editor and journalist with 50-plus years of experience. A fashion icon and an industry leader, she was a Senior Fashion Editor at Harper's Bazaar for 21 years, where she held the position of Senior Market Editor. Kirschner is currently editor in chief of lookonline.com.
HERMÈS
Picnic Medor Gaine Cuff in Orange
Field Swift calfskin and wicker with leather
sheathed Medor studs and rose-gold-plated accent. $2,275, hermes.com
ALEXIS BITTAR
Liquid Lucite Wave Hinged Cuff in 14K
gold-plated brass and hand-carved Lucite. $395, alexisbittar.com
TRUE BLUE
From royal blue’s historic connection to royalty to the recent resurgence of light blue and azure, blue continues to be an indispensable staple color in both high fashion and everyday wear.
Fashion’s enduring fascination with shades of blue stems from its versatile and universally appealing nature, evoking feelings of calmness, reliability, and sophistication—and let’s not forget its obvious association with the sky and water. From the French Riviera to the Hamptons, we are all dreaming in blue this summer.
BY MARILYN KIRSCHNER
It’s summertime and the living is easy. However, just because you’re officially “off duty” doesn’t mean your style should take a vacation. Let your accessories do all the hard work! Like fireworks, these dazzlers will light up the night and day. I especially love seeing them worn casually.
BY MARILYN KIRSCHNER
Birdcage earrings in 18k yellow gold and diamonds. $4,900, charleskrypell.com
SWAROVSKI X STUART WEITZMAN
STUART POWER PUMP
Covered with more than 6,000 tonal Swarovski pavé crystals and features a 75 mm heel. $950 per pair, swarovski.com
JEAN SCHLUMBERGER BY TIFFANY & CO.
Brooch in gold and platinum with a tanzanite, diamonds, and a pink sapphire. Price upon request, tiffany.com
SWAROVSKI GEMA CHOKER
Rhodium plated with multicolored Swarovski crystals and lobster claw closure. $850, swarovski.com
CHARLES KRYPELL FINE JEWELRY
Baquette Bypass ring with emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds, set in 18k gold. $11,500, charleskrypell.com
CHOPARD
L’Heure du Diamond Octagonal watch in 18k ethical rose gold and diamonds, approximately 4.65 carats, 32x32mm, $77,200. chopard.com
JIMMY CHOO SATIN
“BON BON” BAG
“Bon Bon” bag in gold and silver dégradé crystals, crystal handle, and gold hardware. $4,995, jimmychoo.com
DAVID WEBB REEF RING
18K gold and platinum with fluted coral, cabochon emerald, and brilliant-cut diamonds. $76,000, davidwebb.com
CHARLES KRYPELL FINE JEWELRY
Marilyn Kirschner is a longtime fashion editor and journalist with 50-plus years of experience. A fashion icon and an industry leader, she was a Senior Fashion Editor at Harper's Bazaar for 21 years. Kirschner is currently editor in chief of lookonline.com
IMAGINE BENEFIT
The Alzheimer’s Association marked the 40th anniversary of its esteemed Imagine Benefit, built on the legacy of the Rita Hayworth Gala, at The Plaza. The unforgettable night of inspiration and hope was hosted by multiple Emmy Award–winning actor, singer, producer, and TV personality Wayne Brady with moving performances by Leslie Odom Jr. and Chris Mann.
Founded by Princess Aga Khan in honor of her mother, Hollywood icon Rita Hayworth, this year’s event surpassed itself, raising more than $1.2 million, while bringing the lifetime total to nearly $90 million since its inception in 1984.
This year’s honorees were Eugenia Zukerman, a celebrated flutist and Alzheimer’s advocate, and her husband, Richard Novik. They were honored for their unwavering commitment to Alzheimer’s awareness and research.
Among the guests were Ann Dexter-Jones, Diandra Douglas, Cheri Kaufman, Sharon Bush, fashion designers Naeem Khan, Peter Som, and Joseph Altuzarra, and NBA legend Jermaine O'Neal.
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Eugenia Zukerman, Dick Novik
Chele Farley
Louise and Stephen Kornfeld
Lucia Hwong Gordon, Sharon Bush
Naeem Khan, Madlena Kalinova
Photos by Getty Images & Julie Skarrett
Lis Waterman
Sarah Tam Marin, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Joseph Boitano. Joseph Altuzarra, Alexis Bryan Morgan
Yasmin Aga Khan, Cheri Kaufman
Alan Kornberg, Naeem Khan, Madlena Kalinova, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Harold Koda, Kara Ross
Catherine Wise, Natalie Agresta, Camila Trunz, Brooke Kennan, Ashley Koch, Alexandra Carey, Blair Williams
My first job out of college was as the bandleader/singer at El Morocco, and then I went to law school. I did divorces during the week as a lawyer and weddings on the weekend with the band before playing my first major destination wedding in India in the ’80s for a former divorce client, which was hosted by the Maharajah of Jaipur. I decided to pursue my love for music full-time and have never looked back.
How has the music you play for parties changed over the years?
We always come in ready to play what the host has requested, but we also “read the crowd” and play everything from contemporary to classic rock to Motown to Sinatra to Bublé to Big Band. That’s why the bandleader is so important. The goal is to make every event musically magical and memorable, keeping the dance floor full. Hot theme parties we've played recently include our Cuban Band, now that Buena Vista Social Club is on Broadway, and our White Tie Retro Band for a 100th anniversary Great Gatsby event. My orchestra just performed at the Rainbow Room and at six spring weddings. Tell us about your musicians and singers. They are the best in New York. Most of them went on the road in their 20s with big names like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Michael Jackson. But when they got into their 30s, they wanted to raise a family and have a more stable work-life balance with Alex Donner Entertainment.
What’s new?
During COVID I bought a place in West Palm Beach, where I spend the season. I put together my Florida band, which is in demand for parties, weddings, and benefits down there. We also do a lot of house parties there and in the Hamptons with just one or two musicians or a DJ and a band. What are you most proud of in your career?
I am proud that we have helped raise millions of dollars playing for charitable events. I am also proud of having performed as the headline singer at the Café Carlyle for 10 sold-out performances. And I do an all-music radio show based in Palm Beach County at "Legends Radio" 100.3 FM, which also streams.
PEOPLE TO KNOW
VICTIMS OF ABUSE
Dr. Ludy Green is an author, podcast host, and one of the world’s foremost experts on violence against women and economic empowerment for them. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do on the day-to-day.
I have been a human rights activist for more than 20 years, and truthfully, no two days have ever been the same for me! Throughout my career, I have been able to travel all across the world for my work with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the National Advisory Council of Violence Against Women, and the U.S. Department of State. Recently, I have served as a keynote speaker in national and international venues to highlight the importance of financial autonomy in breaking the abusive patterns that hold victims of domestic violence and human trafficking captive.
What are some ways that people can learn more about the work being done to support victims of abuse?
My biweekly podcast, “Ending Domestic Abuse,” features incredible guests who share stories, advice, and resources for listeners from all over the world! Last year, I spoke with directors, international business leaders, athletes, survivors, and even the First Lady of Ecuador on the podcast to help empower women by connecting them with mentors and equipping them with vital resources. My book, Ending Domestic Violence Captivity: A Guide to Economic Freedom, also serves as a road map for women looking to enter or reenter the workforce after an abusive relationship by equipping them with requisite skills and training to interview for and obtain meaningful long-term employment. Why did you get involved in the fight to end violence against women?
While attending college in Washington, D.C., I volunteered at a shelter for women experiencing abuse. During my time there, I learned that many women struggle to leave their abuser due to financial exploitation. Their stories and strength inspired me to break the cycle of abuse through education and employment placement for survivors to establish financial independence from abusers. I’m honored to continue this work through my podcast and writing. ludygreen.com.
DR. HOWARD SOBEL HAIR TODAY, HAIR TOMORROW
Dr. Howard Sobel, Manhattan’s top cosmetic dermatologist, is known for pioneering the latest advances in face and body treatments and is the leading expert on the Alma TED treatment for hair loss. Why do both men and women experience hair loss?
Millions of Americans suffer from hair loss every year due to a host of reasons. It’s normal to shed up to 100 hairs per day, but when it goes beyond that, it starts to affect your quality of life. Genetics, stress, menopause, medical illnesses, and even childbirth or birth control cessation may be the cause. A noteworthy hair-loss treatment known as the Alma TED device (transdermal delivery system) is a noninvasive hair restoration option that is painless, and results can be seen soon after several treatments. It has taken the place of PRP [Platelet-Rich Plasma] injections because it is pain-free. The TED treatments contain growth factors that stimulate hair growth, decrease hair loss, and increase the thickness of the hair.
How does the Alma TED ultrasound restore hair growth?
The Alma TED system is unique in that it relies on ultrasound technology that produces low-frequency ultrasonic sound waves, plus air pressure to drive a special topical hair growth formula containing growth factors deep into the scalp and hair follicles. The treatments also increase blood flow throughout the scalp, which is crucial in helping hair growth. We have added exosomes, which contain thousands of additional growth factors, taking the treatment for hair loss to a new level. This treatment can be the answer for those who suffer from thinning hair, excessive shedding, or hair loss caused by hereditary genetic factors or medical conditions for both men and women.
What happens during treatments?
Each treatment is relatively simple and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. When the treatment starts, you feel a warm sensation and a slight vibration and a faint ringing sound. It’s completely painless as there are no needles involved.
How many treatments are needed?
Protocol recommends at least three treatments, each performed a month apart. However, most patients will begin to see improvement in just a month. While three treatments are the average, some will require or desire additional treatments.
For appointments, call 212-288-0060 or visit sobelskin.com.
EUGENIA FOXWORTH OWNER/BROKER
FOXWORTH REALTY
Eugenia Foxworth, Entrepreneur/philanthropist, is the premier sponsor of the Harlem Skyscraper Cycling Classic and one of the first clients of designer Marc Bouwer. Tell us about the Cycling Classic.
It is held every year on Father’s Day and is known as the nation’s second-longest-running event on the USA Cycling calendar. More than 400 cyclists, both national and international champions, participate. Olympic medalist Nelson Beasley Vails, who was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, is the moderator.
Are you still traveling worldwide? Yes—Spain; Cannes, France; Hungary; Monaco; and domestically to Atlanta and San Francisco.
Any travel adventures that you can share with us?
I was in Barcelona in December. One of the pleasures in Barcelona is shopping on Passeig de Gràcia, which is lined with international flagship stores. It’s not only a shopping area but you’re able to appreciate the modernist architecture, such as Gaudi’s Casa Milà and Casa Batlló. Casa Batlló is known for its colorful façade, curved walls, stained glass, and mosaic interior.
In September I was in Budapest. It’s divided by the Danube River. “Buda” is hilly and “Pest” is flat. It’s known for its history, architecture, Buda Castle, and decadent food. There are a lot of new buildings and developments on the river. Prices are comparatively low, making it a potentially attractive investment market.
While in Atlanta in May, I walked the Atlanta Beltline, a former railroad corridor that was turned into a public space. It’s a 22-mile loop of trails, parks, and planned traffic connecting 45 in-town neighborhoods. It has homes from the 1800s, restaurants, boutiques, arts, and vendors. In 2014, it was awarded the FIABCI-USA, the International Real Estate Federation “Prix de Excellence,” as the best environmental rehabilitation project worldwide.
VICTORIA MORAN-FURMAN
IRIS AND SAUL KATZ
ERIC MORAN
LAWRENCE SCOTT EVENTS
VIENNESE OPERA BALL
The Viennese Opera, held at Cipriani 42nd Street and considered the most prestigious and oldest Viennese ball outside of Vienna, celebrated the Austrian-American alliance. Event co-chairs included Jean Shafiroff and Denise Rich. Proceeds from the ball go to benefit Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research and the Memorial Sloan Kettering music therapy department. This year’s gala held historic resonance as it commemorates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss II, honoring the enduring legacy of one of the world’s great musical geniuses.
The evening began with cocktails, followed by a formal dinner and dance and ended, as always, with a 12 a.m. Midnight Quadrille and continued with an Austrian post-midnight buffet complete with a DJ until 2 a.m. Revelers enjoyed a night replete with music by the Viennese Opera Ball Orchestra, numerous opera and ballet performances, and a live and silent auction. Distinguished guests included Viennese Opera Ball Executive Director Silvia Frieser, Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright, Star Jones, Michael Spinks, Lady Liliana Cavendish, Alex Hammer, Katya Tolstova, Emily Mohr, Sabine Riglos, and Luisa Petra.
by BFA
Photos
Jean Shafiroff, Silvia Frieser, Petra Schneebauer
Jean Shafiroff, Denise Rich, Silvia Frieser
Liliana Cavendish, Sabine Riglos
Julia Haart
Nick Jacobs, Juliana Dancanet
Kathrin and Ulo Palm
Maria Barakova
Katya Tolstova
Emily Mohr
Alex Hamer
Star Jones, Denise Rich
Youth American Grand Prix
Luiza Petre
For those who seek something singular, Steinway offers more than its iconic grand and upright models. With Limited Editions, the Crown Jewel Collection, bespoke pianos and the revolutionary Steinway Spirio player piano, the brand elevates piano ownership into a highly personal, deeply meaningful experience. These offerings blend art, craftsmanship, and cutting edge technology in ways that only Steinway can.
THE LEGACY OF A MASTERPIECE
Founded in 1853 in New York City by German immigrant Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later Henry Steinway), Steinway & Sons quickly distinguished itself by revolutionizing piano construction. Today, each Steinway grand piano comprises more than 12,000 individual parts and requires nearly a year of meticulous handcrafting to complete. The result is an instrument with unparalleled tone, touch, and durability. For generations, Steinways have been the preferred choice of legendary artists—from Sergei Rachmaninoff to Lang Lang—earning the brand its nickname: “The Instrument of the Immortals.”
STEINWAY BESPOKE: CRAFTING YOUR PERSONAL MASTERPIECE
Looking for personalization as well as perfection? Steinway’s bespoke offering presents the ability to design a piano as unique as the individual who plays it. Through this exclusive service, Steinway works closely with clients to create custom instruments tailored to their aesthetic tastes and lifestyle. From rare veneers and hand-painted artwork to precious metals and inlays, the possibilities are limited only by imagination. Pianos can be finished with the rare stones of Lapis Lazuli or Malachite or a one-of-akind art piece adorned with a family crest or any art of your choosing. This is not just customization. It is legacy in the making.
LIMITED EDITIONS: WHERE ART AND INSTRUMENT BECOME ONE
Throughout its history, Steinway has collaborated with master designers, architects, and artists to produce Limited Edition pianos that celebrate beauty, culture, and human creativity. Among the most recent: Noé
Designed in collaboration with the visionary French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Steinway’s newest Limited Edition piano is a celebration of music, nature, and art. Duchaufour-Lawrance, known for his iconic contributions to furniture and interior design, drew inspiration from the serene sights and sounds of the natural world. The piano’s graceful curves and dynamic silhouette reflect his commitment to crafting pieces that resonate with both aesthetic beauty and functional excellence. Gran Nichetto
The Gran Nichetto, with its elegant aesthetic and
THE ULTIMATE INSTRUMENT: INSIDE THE WORLD OF STEINWAY & SONS AND
ITS EXTRAORDINARY
PIANOS
For more than 172 years, Steinway & Sons has crafted the pianos by which all others are judged. From concert halls to private homes, a Steinway is not just an instrument; it is a statement of artistic excellence, tradition, and innovation.
contoured design, celebrates the famed shape of Venice’s beloved gondola, and leather details add to the Italian signature. The piano is the collaborative work of award-winning Italian designer Luca Nichetto and the master craftspeople at Steinway’s historic factory in New York City. Each Limited Edition piano is produced in small numbers— sometimes fewer than 100 worldwide—making them not only objects of beauty but also investments of enduring value.
CROWN JEWEL COLLECTION: NATURE’S FINEST MATERIALS
If you believe elegance lies in nature, the Steinway Crown Jewel Collection is your canvas. These pianos showcase the world’s rarest and most exotic woods— from African Padauk to East Indian Rosewood— each selected for its rich grain, color, and character. No two Crown Jewel pianos are alike. Every pattern in the veneer, every nuance in the wood, tells a story centuries in the making. Finished with flawless high-polish lacquer, these pianos are true gems— hence their name.
While the sound is pure Steinway, the look is whatever nature—and your sense of style—desires.
STEINWAY SPIRIO: THE HIGH-RESOLUTION PLAYER PIANO OF THE FUTURE
Of course, owning a Steinway today means having access to more than 19th-century craftsmanship. With Steinway Spirio, the world’s finest piano meets 21st-century innovation.
Spirio is a high-resolution player piano, but calling it that barely scratches the surface. It can reproduce performances by legendary Steinway Artists with breathtaking precision, down to the most delicate pedal nuance and softest pianissimo. It’s not a recording—it’s a reperformance.
With the tap of an iPad, Spirio brings to life artists like Yuja Wang, Billy Joel, and Glenn Gould, performing in your living room with the exact touch and dynamics they used in studio.
Spirio also allows owners to record, save, and play back
their own performances with world-class accuracy. For families, educators, and composers, this transforms the piano into a tool for learning and legacy. And with Spirio | r, users can both play back and record in high resolution.
Most Steinway Model D, Model B, and Model M grands, including Limited Editions, Crown Jewels, and bespoke pianos, now come with Spirio, which does not change the quality of the traditional acoustics of the piano.
MORE THAN A PIANO—A LIFELONG COMPANION
Whether you choose a concert-grade Model D, a handcrafted Crown Jewel, or a one-of-a-kind bespoke piano, every Steinway carries the same DNA: uncompromising quality, peerless sound, and a soul that connects generations.
Families pass them down. Artists build careers on them. Collectors preserve them. And with proper care, a Steinway will sing for more than a century.
MAKE IT YOURS
Right now, Steinway showrooms across the country are offering limited-time opportunities to experience and own these extraordinary instruments. Whether you’re beginning your musical journey or seeking the next great piece in your collection, there has never been a better time to step into the world of Steinway. For more information, visit steinway.com.
The Gran Nichetto in Walnut
JEAN SHAFIROFF
PHILANTHROPIST
WITH STYLE & GRACE
BY LAURA TAYLOR
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL PANICCIA
Jean Shafiroff has a deep desire to help others. Growing up, she was instilled with the values of kindness, generosity, and the importance of giving back. Jean is a philanthropic leader, TV host, and author. She is respected in philanthropic circles for her dedication, generosity, and hard work. Her philanthropy includes extensive work in the Hamptons, New York City, southern Florida, and then nationally and globally.
Jean’s platform is a powerful one for change. As the author of the book Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give, Jean aims to inspire others to do the same. She is the epitome of a woman in charge, using her influence for the good and the betterment of communities, both in the United States and worldwide.
Shafiroff, who was raised on Long Island, was instilled from an early age with the importance of helping those in need. Parents and teachers were excellent role models who ingrained life-changing values in her. After graduating from Columbia University with a BS in physical therapy, Jean worked for one year as a physical therapist at St. Luke’s Hospital in NYC. She then returned to Columbia to pursue her studies at Columbia’s Graduate School of Business, where she earned an MBA in finance. Upon graduating, Jean started her career in public finance as an investment banker on Wall Street. Later, after she married and had children, she volunteered at her daughters’ schools and served on different charity boards. Today Shafiroff serves on seven boards, as well as different advisory boards and an honorary board. Each year she chairs between eight and 10 large fundraising galas. In addition, she hosts and underwrites numerous large cocktail parties at her homes and elsewhere for many different charitable organizations.
Jean’s main areas of focus are women’s rights, underserved populations, healthcare, and animal welfare. She is also focused on furthering LGBTQ equality, cancer awareness, and many other causes. Shafiroff is involved in motivating the next generation and aims to instill in them hope as they follow her on their own pathway to successful philanthropy. Shafiroff ’s charitable work includes serving on the boards of the Southampton Hospital Foundation, New York Women’s Foundation, Mission Society of NYC, Casita Maria, Couture Council of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, French Heritage Society, Global Strays, and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation Honorary Board. As a Catholic, Jean served on the Jewish Board for 28 years and is now an Honorary Trustee. During the pandemic, she served as the national spokesperson for the American Humane Society’s Feed the Hungry Covid-19 program and was instrumental in helping
this nonprofit raise more than $1 million for a million homeless animals in shelters across the United States.
In September 2022, Shafiroff was officially proclaimed the “First Lady of Philanthropy of New York” by New York State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, who represents New York’s 76th District, in Manhattan. Then in November 2022, the 117th U.S. Congress recognized her for her work in philanthropy. This honor was given by U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, who at the time represented the 14th Congressional District in New York.
Jean has been honored by dozens of charities, including the Urban Resource Institute, American Humane Society, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Mission Society of NYC, French Heritage Society, Southampton Animal Shelter, Surgeons of Hope, and the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research
Foundation, among many others. She has been featured on the cover of numerous magazines. She has also written about philanthropy for many publications and has spoken about it on TV shows and podcasts. Her TV show, Successful Philanthropy, which airs six times a week in the Hamptons and can be viewed on YouTube, gives celebrities, politicians, executive directors of charities, and fellow philanthropists an opportunity to speak about their lives and philanthropic work. Her Instagram account @JeanShafiroff has more than 1.2 million followers. We recently had a chance to sit down with Jean in the Hamptons to discuss her life’s work, how she inspires others to contribute, and her plans for a busy—and charitable—summer ahead.
HamptonSheet: What motivates you to keep going with your philanthropy?
Jean Shafiroff: I am fortunate to be able to do this
HAMPTON SHEET MIDSUMMER
Gown: Ese Azenabor, Hand painted by artist Sharon Lee Clark
work. Life is not created equal. I believe those who have resources have an obligation to give generously. I enjoy the charity work that I am involved with and will continue to do it for the rest of my life. You have encouraged countless people to become involved in charity through your book, TV show, and all the charity work you do. Why is this important to you?
Motivating the next generation, as well as older people, to get involved in giving back is key to the growth and survival of philanthropy. My vision is to see a world where philanthropy becomes a priority for all people. Governments cannot do it on their own. They need the help of people, private charitable foundations, and businesses. Those who do not have the means to give significant amounts financially can lend support by volunteering their time and knowledge. It is far more rewarding to be on the giving side than the receiving side.
What advice do you give to young people who want to get involved in philanthropy?
Start slowly. Do your research and learn all you can about different charities that are of interest to you. Look for a well-run charity. Make sure its overhead is low. Choose a charity where there is a need and where your time and resources are appreciated. These principles are all spelled out in my book and apply to people of all ages.
You are involved in supporting many causes on the East End of Long Island.
When you live in a community it is important to be of help to that community. Many people think that only the rich and famous live here, and that is far from the truth. Many people living in the Hamptons live at or below the poverty level. These groups need help.
What do you think is the most important cause to support in the Hamptons?
I believe the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is vitally important. It provides health care to all individuals in need. Without a good hospital, people cannot live comfortably in a community. As a board member of the Southampton Hospital Foundation and a long-term supporter and former honoree, chairwoman, and current vice chair of its Summer Party, I have seen time and time again how important this hospital is to the community.
What charity events are you involved with this summer?
On July 5, I will chair the Southampton History Museum’s Halsey House Gala. Then on July 12, I will serve as the Honorary Chair of the Holiday House Designer Showhouse, benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Also that same night, I will serve as the honored guest of the South Fork Natural History Museum Gala. As an honorary board member of the Southampton Animal Shelter Gala, I want to mention that the Shelter’s gala will take place on July 19. I’m looking forward to attending and have purchased a table for the event.
” “Although a very public person, I keep my private world very private.
On July 20, I will chair the Southampton African American Museum's Fundraising Brunch. Next, on July 26, I will serve as Honorary Chair of the Ellen Hermanson Foundation Gala in support of breast cancer care. Then, on August 2, I will serve as a vice chair of the Southampton Hospital Foundation's Summer Party. In addition, I am serving on a num-
ber of benefit committees for other charitable events. Also, I will attend and support many other fundraising benefits.
Do you find it exhausting to do all this work and to attend so many charitable events?
On the contrary, I find the work interesting and the events exciting and fun!
What do you love about the Hamptons?
I love the beaches, people, restaurants, shops, and parties. We have some wonderful museums here, such as the Parrish Art Museum and the Southampton Arts Center. I also enjoy the at-home quiet time that the Hamptons has to offer.
What about your daughters? Are they also involved in philanthropic endeavors?
Philanthropy is a family priority. Our oldest daughter has spent years in Kenya doing volunteer work with disabled children. She has put her MS in social work from NYU to good use. Our youngest daughter is the co-founder and volunteer president of Global Strays, an international animal welfare charity.
Jean, you are known for your style and are considered a fashion icon. You have been on the covers of many well-known fashion magazines in countries throughout the world. You have also been on many best-dressed lists. How did this love of fashion develop?
Since 2010, I have served on the board of the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology. My involvement with FIT has made me even more passionate about fashion and style than ever before. Fashion is art. I am known for my large ball gown collection, which will be donated to a museum one of these days.
You have put many young designers on the map by wearing their clothes and promoting them on your massive social media platform.
It is true that I have supported many young and lesser-known designers whose work I believe to be particularly noteworthy. They do not have an easy time in a most competitive industry.
Speaking of your social media platform, you have more than 1.2 million Instagram followers. What do you use your platform for?
My Instagram platform is used to promote positivity, my philanthropic work, and my love of fashion. You are said to be one of the most public/private people around? What do you think is meant by that?
Although a very public person, I keep my private world very private.
What is on the horizon for you?
I am completing a few books and will write the next edition of Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give. I would love to spend more time traveling, going to museums, theater, and the opera. I just wish I had more time to do everything! n
The Noel Shoe Museum founded by Vanessa Noel, the first and only one of its kind in the U.S., held its third-annual Shoe Ball celebrating the art and history of footwear at the unique and historic St. Bartholomew’s Church in Midtown. Among the 200 shoe-loving guests on hand (or rather, on foot) to offer their support were board members Susan Gutfreund, Marc Rosen, and Joe Pacetti, interior designer Chris Goddard, Fern Mallis, Jean Shafiroff, Candace Bushnell, Sharon Bush, Liliana Cavendish, Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Geoffrey Bradfield, Veronique Pittman, Caleb Kane, and Mary Snow. Attendees enjoyed a night of cocktails, bingo, dinner, and dancing to the live music of society bandleader, Alex Donner and his orchestra.
SPIRIT OF ACHIEVEMENT LUNCHEON
Guests gathered at the iconic Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Spirit of Achievement Luncheon, which funds major research programs centered on areas such as child development, cancer, diabetes, and AIDS. Luncheon chairs and board members Carol Roaman and Andrea Stark, Jennifer Altman, Liz Altman Gaelick, Leslie Kaskel, and Ruth L. Gottesman, Ed.D., Chair, Albert Einstein Board of Trustees gave a transformational gift to Albert Einstein College of Medicine that made medical education free for all their students.
Honorees included four extraordinary women: Bobbi Brown, Lauren Bush Lauren, Linda Altman, and Teresa V. Bowman, PhD. Among the powerhouse luminaries in attendance were Terri Goldberg and Trudy Schlachter, co-presidents of the Women’s Division of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, David Lauren and Lauren Bush Lauren, Sharon Bush, Paola Schulhof, Janet Davis, Susan Shapiro Barash, Jean Sharf, Mindy Heyer, and former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.
Vanessa Noel, Nicole Miller, Kim Taipale
Alisa Roever, Fern Mallis
Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Vanessa Noel, Jackie Tucker, Liliana Cavendish
Nicole Salmasi, Vanessa Noel, Keiko Aokil
Mary Snow
Sergio Orozco, Pamela Morgan
Johanna Schnuepke
Aura Velasquez, Geoffrey Bradfield
Ashley Bush, Lauren Bush Lauren, Sharon Bush, David Lauren
Karen A. Mandelbaum, Andrea Stark, Ruth Gottesman, Bambi Feinberg, Trudy Schlachter
Lauren Bush Lauren, Melissa Ceriale
Ellie Gottesman-Zuckerman
Bobbi Brown, Andrea Stark
Dr. Yaron Tomer, Dr. Teresa V. Bowman
Janet Davis, Trudy Schlachter
Photos by Gettty Images
It's All in the Birth Numbers
My maternal grandmother died 25 years ago this year. A whip-smart mathematician, she could have been an engineer, but when she graduated from college more than 80 years ago, the workforce wasn't exactly the most welcoming for women. Instead, she used her talents to teach math at a private school, until she married my grandfather and stopped working to raise her four children.
BY LAURA TAYLOR
As a homemaker, her thirst for knowledge was not satiated. In her spare time, she studied Chaldean numerology and palmistry. It was soon discovered that she had a talent—a real
intuition—that was almost eerie. In fact, after each of her famously well-attended dinner parties, guests retreating to the parlor after the always exquisite meal stood in line for a palmistry and numerology reading.
POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS
TYPICAL MONTHS AFFECTED
4,
6,
7,
8,
Lee Trevino (December 1)
Pamela Anderson (July 1)
John Daly (April 28)
Christie Brinkley (February 2)
Joan Jedell (May 20)
Rosanna Scotto (April 29)
Martha Stewart (August 3)
Jack Nicklaus (January 21)
Michael Rubin (July 21)
Drew Barrymore (February 22)
Jaxson Dart (May 13)
Sauce Gardner (August 31)
Halle Berry (August 14)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (February 14)
James L. Nederlander (January 23)
Lionel Messi (June 24)
Jean Shafiroff (January 24)
Sylvester Stallone (July 6)
WABC Radio owner John
Catsimatidis (September 7)
Liam Neeson (June 7)
Juan Soto (October 25)
Aaron Judge (April 26)
Lorne Michaels (November 17)
Zac "75 Main" Erdem (July 17)
Billy Joel (May 9)
Timothée Chalamet (December 27)
Adam Sandler (September 9)
2, 7 (4s are unusually attracted to you)
Most 5s generally get along with everyone
Cardiovascular Circulatory System
Gastroenterological Tumors
Dermatological Neurological
Anemia, Bladder Depression, Kidney
Anxiety, Insomnia Neuralgia, Paralysis
Upper Respiratory
Dermatological Depression
Arthritis Blood Disorders
Gastrointestinal Headaches
Fevers
October, December, January
January, February, July
December, February, June, September
January, February, July, August, September
June, September, December
May, October, November
January, February
December, January, February, July
April, May, October, November
I’m not a palmistry or numerology expert. This is a primer of sorts regarding the basics that I learned all those years ago. We’ll start slowly. First, figure out your birth number. This part’s easy. If you were born on the first of the month, your birth number is 1; the second of the month, your birth number is 2. It gets more complicated for those of us born on a double-digit day. The number assigned to those born on the 10th of the month is 1. Basically you add the individual digits comprising the double-digit number until you get a single-digit sum. So, in the case of those born on the 10th, it’s 1+0=1. Now, if you’re born on the 29th, the sum of the two digits of 29 is: 2+9=11—but that’s not a single-digit sum. So then you have to take that sum and break it down again. So 1+1=2. So someone born on the 29th has a birth number of 2. Simple enough?
Last time, we talked about love matches—don’t worry. I kept your compatible matches in the handy chart at left. But because it’s summertime, and there’s nothing worse than a summer cold or otherwise feeling ill during these hot and humid months, I thought I’d let you know which illnesses are rumored to affect your birth number and when. Just a head’s up to those of you with the birth numbers 2, 4, 7, and 8—watch out for your health in July and August! Oh, and for those of you aren’t comfortable with simple math, you can figure out your birth number on this chart. And stay healthy! n
OH! NEIL
ICON NEIL SEDAKA UNFILTERED unfiltered
Music superstar Neil Sedaka has written 500 songs and sold millions of records, including hits like “Calendar Girl,” “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Laughter in the Rain,” “Oh! Carol,” and “Love Will Keep Us Together.” Here, the Brooklyn native shares the secret to his career longevity and how he’s reinvented himself over his 60-plus-year career.
BY GEORGE GURLEY
Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images
Like most people from the mid-20th-century, I have a Neil Sedaka file in my brain. I was a young boy when I first heard his music and the song “Love Will Keep Us Together.” Halfway through it, I sat bolt upright and got goose bumps. What was happening? How could this song be so good? Twenty-five years later I have a vivid memory of buying a copy of Sedaka’s greatest hits album and being ridiculed for it. “Neil Sedaka?” the scruffy vendor sneered. I didn’t have a comeback, but deep down I knew that the man in question was a songwriting genius and this guy was an ignorant rock-music snob selling used CDs on a street corner. Sedaka’s greatness was reconfirmed another quarter century later while I spent a month studying him and his music.
George Gurley: Hello, Mr. Sedaka! Are you in Los Ange les now?
Neil Sedaka: Yes, I live here. I still have a Park Avenue apartment, but at this age, I like L.A. much better, the weather, and I have friends here. Can you describe your immediate surroundings?
I’m sitting in the kitchen. A beautiful Steinway piano is in the large living room. There’s some art on the walls, paintings by my old friend, may he rest, LeRoy Neiman, a wonderful artist. And my easel. I started painting for the first time since kindergarten. My assistant, Kyle Sitter, pushed me into it. At first, I said, “I have really no idea,” but I seem to have gotten into it.
What’s the latest Sedaka news?
I retired at 81. My last gig was in Palm Springs, and now I am 86, so I’m limited, but I still have my trips and my lunch and dinner out every day. I watch tele vision, I play the piano, and then I listen to YouTube. I hear old songs of mine from 50, 60 years ago that I wrote, and it amazes me. I say to myself, “Who the hell wrote that?” I don’t know how I did it, but I did it: 500 songs.
It’s like you have nothing left to prove.
Exactly. And it’s hard to top them. The reason my career had longevity is that, as a musician, as a student of the piano and classics, I was able to raise the bar and reinvent myself. “Laughter in the Rain” [1974] is so different from “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” [1962], and that was the reason I could top myself and develop and grow. On an album with 12 songs, I always varied the tempo, the mood, the sentiment, everything, because I used to buy albums and all the tracks sounded the same.
Why are you in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, but not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
Oh, let’s not go into that. First of all, I’ve done classical, evergreen standards, children’s songs, Christmas songs, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame likes to pinpoint you in a niche. Also listen to my songs. I mean, they’re not rap and not funky enough for them. People don’t really have too much respect for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame anymore because some of the choices they made are ludicrous. Why do you think there hasn’t been a Neil Sedaka biopic or Netflix documentary?
Well, I had a play about me that toured in England for a year called Laughter in the Rain. Unfortunately, it didn’t go to the West End, and then I have a play going around America that’s not about me, but it’s all my songs. I did get a couple of books written about me. One is Rich Podolsky’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Survivor: The Inside Story of Neil Sedaka’s Incredible Comeback [published in 2013], and it did very well. Maybe it’s time for another Sedaka revival! A company called Primary Wave just gave me a lot of money for the rights to my songs, but not as much as Pink Floyd, which they will put on television com-
“I hear old songs of mine from 50, 60 years ago that I wrote, and it amazes me. I say to myself, ‘Who the hell wrote that?’ ”
mercials, movies, and they’re starting to do it now. What singers would you like on a Sedaka tribute album? Kelly Clarkson and Lana Del Ray are marvelous. I like Ariana Grande. I think Taylor Swift is the biggest ever. Nobody will ever equal that. There have been 25 covers of my song “Solitaire,” including Clay Aiken who sang it on American Idol, and he didn’t win, but the record was tremendous. Clive Davis saw the reaction on television, and he recorded Clay with “Solitaire.” Karen Carpenter did it. Johnny Mathis. I just watched Shirley Bassey on YouTube doing “Solitaire” and it blew me away. She crushed it. It’s an incredible song. It was number one in 1975 for the whole year, the biggest-selling record. Is it true that everything began with piano lessons in second grade?
Yes, the teacher’s name was Evelyn Glance. I don’t know why, but she put me in front of the chorus in school. She noticed that I had musical ability and sent me home with a note to my parents that they should buy a piano. They couldn’t afford it. My father was a taxi driver, but my mother took a job at Abraham & Straus department store, and when she got 500 bucks, she bought a used upright piano for me. That was the start of it.
What was it like growing up in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, where there is now a Neil Sedaka Way?
Isn’t that nice? You usually have to be dead to get a street sign. I was poor as a kid and lived in a two-bedroom apartment that I shared with eight people: my grandmother, my grandfather, my sister, my parents, and a couple of aunts. Did that make you burn with ambition to get out of there fast?
That was one of the things that spurred me on. The other was I always wanted to be famous because I was not a hit at school. I was not popular. Yeah, I was a nerd, and they all poked fun at me. I wasn’t singing. I had braces on my teeth, glasses, and was a little feminine. My sister was my hero, I adored her, and I copied all her mannerisms. She was 18 months older and I had to practice in front of a mirror to make my mannerisms and my speech more masculine. I had a tremendous drive. I’ll never forget, I had a collection of 45-rpm records and I took a pen and I scratched out the name of the artist on the label, and I put “Neil Sedaka” to see how it would look. So you were a child prodigy?
I was studying with a private teacher for a year and then he told my parents, “I can’t teach him anymore. Let him try out for a scholarship at Julliard.” And at nine, they gave me a scholarship to the lower school. I started writing at 13. A neighbor of mine was a 16-year-old poet [Howard Greenfield] who knocked at my door on October the 11th, 1952, and he said, “Would you like to write songs? My mother heard you playing Chopin and Bach.” I said, “Oh, I don’t know how to write songs. I am studying to be a concert pianist.” And he said, “Well, try it,” and we sat down and wrote a terrible song called “My Life’s Devotion,” a ruptured rumba or something I had seen in a Xavier Cugat movie. And he had a tape recorder. I sang the finished song into it and I heard
my voice for the first time, at 13. I said, “Holy shit! This is a great voice.”
What was high school like?
At 16, at Lincoln High School, I wrote a song called “Mr. Moon,” which was a doo-wop, bump-and-grind song, and the kids went wild. They loved it, and then I was popular. They used to say, “Oh, there’s Mr. Moon.” It was like a movie. Then there was a second show and the principal, Mr. Lash, said, “I don’t want you to repeat ‘Mr. Moon’ because it’s too raunchy and bump and grind. Do something else,” and the kids signed a petition that Neil Sedaka should sing “Mr. Moon” again, and they won out. I sang it again. You also co-founded The Tokens, who had a big hit with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” in 1961.
I was in Lincoln High School in math class and next to me was Jay Siegel. I wanted to start a doo-wop rock ’n’ roll group, and when I heard Jay singing in a beautiful falsetto, I asked him if he wanted to join my group. I called it The Tokens and then I went to two, three other students and we did two sides: “While I Dream” and “I Love My Baby” and they were never played. “While I Dream” is interesting
“The reason my career had longevity is that, as a musician, as a student of the piano and classics, I was able to raise the bar and reinvent myself.”
because I was 16 or 17 and I sang lead on it. But the Tokens went on and I left to go solo.
So you were a rock star at 16?
No, it wasn’t until I was 19 when I recorded for RCA. Then you went on to write eight number one hits and sold 40 million records between 1958 and 1963. Is Ben Sutter a safe topic?
Oh, my mother had a lover. My father, Maxy, was lovely but cheap. He didn’t take my mother to nice places or buy her things and Ben did. My father accepted it, but she wanted my sister, Ronnie, and me to accept it too, and we did. “Mom, if it makes you happy. Go right ahead.” Ben became my manager, and stole several hundred thousand dollars from me. He bought jewelry for my mother with my money, and he went on trips and charged them to me. After five years, my career had gone down and I finally fired him.
Did things improve with your mother once he was out of the picture?
When I fired him, she took an overdose of sleeping pills, unfortunately, and I had to rush her to the hospital to pump her stomach, and then she saw that she had to make a decision and dropped him. The Beatles ended your career temporarily. Were you watching in horror when they went on TheEdSullivan Showin 1964?
Oh no, I thought they were marvelous. But then as time went on, the music scene changed drastically and I was a thing of the past. I would walk down the
street in New York and somebody said, “Oh, Neil Sedaka, whatever happened to you?”
Was going through tough times with no hits for 12 years somehow worth it?
Yes, it was. I’m a fighter and a positive person, and I knew that I had more in me, more songs and more performances. I took stock of myself and raised the children. I was like a child myself. My wife, Leba, calls me the third child, and it was a nice time in my life. But once you get a feel of being number one or on the stage with standing ovations, you never get over it, and I wanted it desperately.
Did you ever say to Leba that maybe a comeback wouldn’t happen and you might have to rethink your life? Exactly. I did say that. But then to myself, I said, “Keep fighting, Neil. You’re a fighter. You’re a survivor.”
I remember where I was in 1975 when I first heard “Love Will Keep Us Together.” What makes that song so great? I wrote it in Don Kirshner’s office with Howie Greenfield. It was the last song we wrote together. I then switched lyricists because Howie and I were writing for 25 years, hundreds of songs, and I knew that the market was singer-songwriter: Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Carole King, who I dated in high school. We bounced off each other creatively, and I wrote a great song called “Oh! Carol,” [1959] which sold about 5 million, and then she wrote a song called “Oh! Neil” as an answer record.
Back to “Love Will Keep Us Together.” How did you do it? I am inspired by singing voices on the radio, and I loved Diana Ross, her timbre, her phrasing, the sound of her voice. I pictured her [Sedaka starts singing like Ross: “Love will keep us together.”] I loved the Beach Boys, their rhythm, their beat. And I loved Al Green because he had augmented fifth chords [Sedaka now singing like Green: “Oh, how I really love ya.”] So I took them all together and like a designer takes different fabrics I was able to make it my own and put it all into one song, if you could understand that.
It’s full of thrilling surprises and keeps reaching new peaks when it could have coasted along and still have been a great song.
Thank you so much. I would strive to make various hooks, strive to write something that you don’t get tired of so that each one fits together, but they were almost new songs in themselves. I remembered writing, “I will, I will, I will!” and all the secretaries at Screenshots Music were listening in the other room. When I finished the song, they said, “I will, I will! Neil, how did you come up with that?” I said, “I just blurted it out.”
What are some favorite memories of your famous comeback in the 1970s?
The Royal Albert Hall concert. The Carol Burnett Show, The Sonny & Cher Show, The Donny & Marie Show, Merv Griffin, and Mike Douglas
After the Royal Albert Hall concert, there was an after-party attended by Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Rod Stewart, among others.
For them to champion me was a great thrill. They gave the party for me, and it was a dream come true. Leba and I were dressing for the party, and we heard Casey Kasem on the radio, and he always had the American Top 40 countdown, and I didn’t know “Laughter in the Rain” was number one until he announced the next song: “Number one is an emotional song because Neil Sedaka hasn’t had a hit in 12 years.” And I danced with my wife. [Sedaka pauses. Silence]. I’m crying now. And I wept. It took 16 weeks to get to number one. I said, “It’s going to drop.” And it never dropped.
How did you make it through 60 years of rock ’n‘ roll without a whiff of scandal or bad publicity?
Leba and Neil Sedaka with Queen Camilla and King Charles III Sedaka, Grandson Mike, Paul McCartney, Neil's son Marc
Happy July 4!
My character. My family. On television my image was, Oh, he’s such a wonderful husband, he looks like someone I went to school with and you can approach him because you can’t approach Mick Jagger, they would be afraid. But oh, we can approach Neil Sedaka. He looks like our friendly bank teller. You weren’t always squeaky clean, though?
Yes, most of the time I was, but I had another side that we won’t go into. Or should I?
Well, I read that one of the Bee Gees turned you on to Scotch and Coke. Was that Coca-Cola or… I liked cocaine! I didn’t overdo it, but I thought it was good. And the marijuana, which I’m now smoking legally, makes me forget about my aches and pains. Every doctor said, “Neil, go get a [vape] pen where you push a button.” I have one, and I take three puffs a day—morning, noon, and night—and it actually helps me physically.
And you wrote at least one song under the influence?
That’s “When the Music Takes Me.” I wrote it in the evening, in upstate New York, words and music, and then I put it on tape and I said, “Hmm, I’m not sure, I have to hear it tomorrow morning when I’m not stoned.” And it was great the next morning. Has a song of yours ever taken 15 minutes to write? Yes! I feel a few times over the years that I was chosen as a vehicle, I was the antenna, and it came from something spiritual. The words and the music passed through my voice and piano, and it wrote itself. You have to sit very still, and you were chosen at that particular moment, and it writes itself. “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” was one of those songs. It just flowed out of me. And I said, “Who the hell wrote this?”
Can you tell us a little more about your wife, Leba, and the secret to your long marriage?
Mutual respect. Sharing the same likes. One has to give in to the other. We have 63 years together, and we have a great partnership. She was my manager and booked me with the agents and the promoters and did a very good job. And then when we were not working, we were able to like the same restaurants, the same movies.
You said you’re retired but are you still working part-time? I’ve written two new songs with my assistant, Kyle. He’s never written a song in his life, but he’s good with language and poems and short stories. After three or four years of me not writing, I felt a camaraderie with him, and he came through. He’s 36 years old, so it’s today’s language and today’s expressions, and both songs are valid. I will be putting them on YouTube and social media.
Do you like knowing that many of your songs will last and be around in a hundred years?
Everyone wants some form of immortality. And yes, they will last. They’ve lasted many years already. The other night I was falling asleep, and I never realized this. I said, “Neil, your name is known in every country in the world.” I said, “Holy shit.” The realization came to me for the first time, and I said, “Neil Sedaka, when I hear me on the radio, it’s like another person. It’s Neil Sedaka the singer, the musician, and I’m just Neil Sedaka the person.” It’s wild. I assume that the royalties will keep coming long after you're gone, right?
Oh, yes. To my children, my grandchildren. I think it’s 60 years after my death, they become public domain. My son has three children: twin girls, 21, and a boy, 18. I think if TikTok is still around, if you look at Mike Sedaka, we do a duet together of “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and another couple of Papa Neil songs. And I must tell you, the boy, he got the Sedaka gene. Well, I could keep this interview going for hours. Thank you for allowing me to escape into your fascinating life and career.
It’s been delightful to talk to you. n
HAMPTON SHEET BOOK CLUB
I Regret Almost Everything, Keith McNally
Over the years, you’ve probably dined at one of Keith McNally’s celeb haunts in the City, like Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi. Now’s your chance to learn more about the restaurateur behind the menus—including his gritty London childhood in the 1950s, his friendship with Anna Wintour, making it in NYC, his marriages, rebounding from his debilitating stroke, and his Instagram feuds. (Simon & Schuster)
Uptown Girl: A Memoir, Christie Brinkley
In 1974, a then-20-year-old Christie Brinkley was “discovered” outside a Paris phone booth (if you’re not sure what that is, Google it, kiddos). The rest, as they say, is fashion, rock ’n’ roll, movie, and art history. After traveling the world as a supermodel to living life on the road with her then-husband rock star Billy Joel and their baby Alexa, Brinkley went on to appear in blockbuster movies, like National Lampoon’s Vacation, and in Chicago on Broadway. Enjoy Brinkley’s heartwarming roller-coaster tale of self-discovery, resilience, and empowerment. The book features more than 100 photographs and never-before-seen pieces of her original artwork. (Harper Influence)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir, Ina Garten
The Barefoot Contessa makes everything look easy on TV, but her life was anything but that. You might be used to her sharing her recipe secrets, but in this memoir, she reveals her lessons learned from her difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life (husband Jeffrey) to opening a specialty food store in the Hamptons, a move that transformed her into a best-selling cookbook author and celebrated Food Network host. The most important life lesson shared by Garten? Do what you love because you’ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always…Be Ready When the Luck Happens. (Crown Publishing Group)
Great Inspiration: My Adventures in Decorating with Notable Interior Designers, Katherine Bryan
As the title suggests, psychologist Katherine Bryan, who’s also one of the great patrons of interior design, provides inspiration and a myriad of options. From classic modernism to sumptuous traditionalism to romantic eclecticism and everything in between, this insightful tome features her collaborations with such renowned interior designers as Tom Britt, Mica Ertegun, Susan Gutfreund, Mark Hampton, and Studio Peregalli Sartori. (Rizzoli)
Infinite You: Awaken Your Power, Release the Past, and Create a Life Beyond Limits, Asia Lee
A soul-searching guide to unlocking your inner power and creating a life of ease, purpose, and abundance. Blending neuroscience, quantum physics, metaphysics, and ancient wisdom, Hamptonite Asia Lee offers a grounded, yet spiritual road map for radiant living. She has lived this wisdom. (Amazon)
Blood in the Water: The Untold Story of a Family Tragedy, Casey Sherman Amateur fisher Nathan Carman was floating on a raft in the North Atlantic about 115 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard when the gigantic freighter Orient Lucky spotted him. Carman claimed to have gone out for a fishing trip with his mother when his boat sank seven days earlier—but he looked unusually healthy for a man lost at sea for a week. That’s when his story started to unravel. His multimillionaire grandfather had died months before. And now his mother, who inherited the fortune, was missing at sea. This gripping true crime narrative is even more fascinating than fiction—and definitely worth the summer read. (Sourcebooks)
EAT SLEEP HAMPTONS
BY NORAH LAWLOR
WEST HAMPTON
→DINING
BABY MOON
A Westhampton institution, Baby Moon delivers classic Italian-American fare in a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere. Known for generous portions, homemade pastas, and signature chicken parmigiana, the restaurant has been a local favorite for decades. The covered outdoor seating makes it a summer go-to.
FAUNA
Rooted Hospitality, owner of Rumba and Cowfish in Hampton Bays, took over Chef Starr Boggs’ former highend restaurant in Westhampton after he passed. Now known as Fauna, the new American menu includes appetizers like roasted red pepper gnudi and entrées like basil-seared halibut with bacon lardons.
EAST QUOGUE
→DINING
COWFISH
Cowfish brings coastal cool to the canal in Hampton Bays with stunning water views and a menu that fuses surf-and-turf classics with modern flair. From sushi rolls to burgers and fresh-caught fish, the offerings are as diverse as the crowd. With boat slips for dock-and-dine access and a playful outdoor bar, it’s a favorite for sunset dinners and weekend brunch.
DOCKERS
Widely considered one of the premier spots on the East End, this marina-based restaurant has an eclectic mix of fresh seafood, steaks, and lobster. Dockers has a vacation feel with its casual, relaxing, and friendly environment where you can enjoy cool breezes and fresh air.
HAMPTON BAYS
→DINING
GOOD GROUND TAVERN
AT CANOE PLACE
With a focus on seasonal American cuisine and locally sourced ingredients, this venue offers a unique dining experience that blends the charming laid-back luxury of the surroundings with modern culinary excellence and exceptional hospitality standards.
GOOD TASTE
CENTRO 336
This farm-tofork Italian restaurant serves dinner daily with menu items made in-house using local in-season produce. Recipes center around family recipes, including fresh homemade pasta, individual pizzas from a wood-burning oven, and dishes with Mediterranean touches, such as baked clams duet, grilled octopus, and zucchini chips. The location features a main dining room, catering rooms, bar area, separate lounge area, wine cellar, and outdoor patio.
T-BAR
The team from T-Bar Steak and Lounge offers guests outstanding cuisine in a casual yet elegant space, and the outdoor terrace and garden make it the quintessential location for evening cocktails on those warm summer nights. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list and wide selection of cognac, bourbon, and single-malt Scotch.
GOLDEN PEAR
Founded by restaurateur Keith Davis, the Golden Pear has been a Southampton staple on Main Street for decades. It offers exceptional breakfasts, lunches, and catering, not to mention a great space for meeting up with friends and lots of people-watching! Everyone loves the homemade products from the bakery and fresh roasted coffee.
SOUTHAMPTON
→DINING
75 MAIN
This Southampton staple, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is known as much for its summer season entrées as it is for enthralling people-watching. Owner Zach Erdem rejuvenated his eatery by combining the classic style of the Hamptons with the enticing elements of New York City nightlife.
75 Main’s menu is expertly crafted by award-winning Executive Chef Mark Militello.
CLAUDE’S
Claude’s Restaurant at the Southampton Inn is launching the Hamptons season with a new food-and-beverage team and an all-American menu. The restaurant is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Enjoying the outdoors by the pool or on the patio is a great way to catch up with friends and family. The ballroom, private event spaces, and lawns offer idyllic and practical spaces for weddings, corporate groups, and family functions.
DOPO ARGENTO
Dopo Argento hopes to continue its success after a strong opening last year. The restaurant serves modern Mediterranean cuisine with strong Italian accents, including traditional dishes like branzino and veal Bolognese, as well as innovative daily specials created by Chef Fabio Gutierrez.
POP-UP BY ROCCO
Step into a one-of-a-kind summer
dining experience with James Beard Award-winning Chef Rocco DiSpirito. “Pop-Up by Rocco" brings coastal Italian flavors to Southampton, featuring seasonal dishes, a lively raw bar, and the freshest local ingredients.
SOUTHAMPTON SOCIAL CLUB
The iconic venue is reimagining its celebrated Supper Club concept with a bold focus on experiential dining. Guests can expect DJ sets and surprise entertainment woven into the dining experience. Led by Ian Duke, Chris Cappiello, and at the helm of the newly revamped kitchen is veteran Chef Scott Kampf, who returns with a dynamic team. They’re also introducing an allnew sushi menu curated by acclaimed Sushi Chef Jay Zhang.
EL VERANO
El Verano is an upscale Mexican restaurant owned by Chef Julian Medina and partner Meghan Manzi. Inspired by summer houses in Mexico, the menu showcases crudos and platos fuertes such as pollo a las brasas and branzino a las brasas.
SANT AMBROEUS
This elegant European-style people-watching café has a beautiful ambiance, both inside and outside. The outdoor space offers a vine-covered patio where guests can choose from an array of authentic specialties, such as the signature vitello tonnato, carpaccio di manzo, and branzino alla griglia.
TUTTO IL GIORNO
An Italian cuisine hot spot with a well-known local reputation, Tutto il Giorno hosts alfresco dining in its beautiful garden patio in Southampton. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant serves contemporary Italian dishes from Naples and decadent craft cocktails.
UNION BURGER BAR
Union Burger Bar, led by Ian Duke, Chris Cappiello, and Chef Scott Kampf, offers a modern take on classic American comfort food with gourmet burgers, hand-cut fries, and crazy shakes, such as the Cookie Monster for kids and boozy shakes for adults. Some of the most popular menu items include the Double Truffle Smash Burger, the CBD (a quarter-pound black angus beef burger), and the Coop Classic Chicken.
→HOTELS THE 1708 HOUSE
This historic bed and breakfast’s name comes from the original house, which is known to have existed on this spot since 1708. The refined B&B offers polished country-style rooms with modern touches. Stays include a divine daily breakfast and afternoon tea to be enjoyed in the formal living room or outdoor garden.
SOUTHAMPTON INN
The classically charming hotel in a prime Southampton village location has 90 guest rooms featuring inviting décor that mirrors the coastal charm of the region. The grounds cover several acres of manicured lawns and gardens, with amenities that include a 50-foot heated outdoor pool, an all-weather tennis and pickleball court, croquet and volleyball, and Claude’s Restaurant.
75 Main
T-Bar
WATER MILL
→DINING
CALISSA
A favorite for summer evenings, Calissa brings the flavors of Mykonos to Water Mill with a modern take on Greek island dining. Specializing in seafood, meze, and large-format dishes like lamb chops and branzino.
BRIDGEHAMPTON
→DINING
CANDY KITCHEN
A vintage-style luncheonette with decades of history, Candy Kitchen is the ultimate spot for a nostalgic Hamptons breakfast or lunch. It’s beloved for its milkshakes, house-made ice cream, and diner-style eggs and pancakes.
DOPO IL PONTE
Maurizio Marfoglia is the chef and restaurateur behind the chic Dopo La Spiaggia in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, as well as Dopo Argento in Southampton. He has now taken over the space formerly occupied by World Pie on Bridgehampton’s Main Street. Dopo il Ponte will be more casual and reasonably priced. Thin-crust and New York–style pizzas are made in a wood-burning oven, and pastas and other main courses round out the menu.
PIERRE’S
Owner Pierre Weber has always stuck to his vision here, and the result has produced a casual-chic French dining experience. Pierre’s serves bistro classics and local seafood seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
→HOTEL
TOPPING ROSE HOUSE
This iconic hotel at the end of Main Street offers dining at the on-property Jean-Georges restaurant, where you can enjoy amazing meals in pure luxury. The hotel features 22 elegantly appointed guest rooms and a heated outdoor pool. You may want to check out the menu and check in for the night for the ultimate vacation.
SAG HARBOR
→DINING
SAG HARBOR TAVERN
Water views are outstanding at owner Billy Durney’s 60-seat joint with outside tables. His famous eight-ounce
burger is available, along with hanger steak and seafood options.
LE BILBOQUET
Dine alongside gleaming white yachts at this chic restaurant. It’s an excellent spot for great cuisine, atmosphere, and glam people-watching!
SWIFTY’S
The Hedges Inn will bring the iconic Swifty’s to the Hamptons at the boutique hotel. The restaurant and nightclub is set to be launched by Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, who first revived it at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. Swifty’s will showcase its signature blend of renowned service and delicious food with offerings of breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Trivia Nights will take place every Sunday evening this summer.
TUTTO IL GIORNO
A cuisine mecca with a well-known local reputation, Tutto il Giorno hosts alfresco dining in Sag Harbor close to the pier. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant serves contemporary Italian dishes from Naples and offers craft cocktails.
→HOTEL
BARON’S COVE
This is Baron Cove’s 65th year. Famously, it was one of the regular haunts on the East End for a number of literary lions; Truman Capote and Kurt Vonnegut, among others, used to frequent the Cove. It was John Steinbeck’s favorite watering hole, and if you visit the bar, they can still make his favorite drink, the Jack Rose.
EAST HAMPTON
→DINING
LDV AT THE MAIDSTONE
La Dolce Vita is an Italian concept, like John Meadow’s Scarpetta Beach at Gurney’s. Chef Jorge Espinoza and Meadow showcase coastal offerings, including spaghetti alla Nerano with fried zucchini and provolone and squid ink linguine with crabmeat.
SUNSET HARBOR
From Sunset Harbor’s waterfront perch on Three Mile Harbor, witness one of the best sunset views in the area. The menu includes shrimp scampi with fresh crab, and local fish is used in sushi.
LITTLE CHARLI
Fresh from the West Village to East Hampton for its second summer season, Little Charli is a Roman-style pizza place that features fresh, authentic ingredients with a New York twist served straight from a wood-burning oven. Enjoy appetizers and salads along with main dishes, pastas, calzones, and pizzas.
→HOTELS
THE BAKER HOUSE 1650
This celebrated East Hampton property is owned and operated by entrepreneur Antonella Bertello. You’ll find a luxurious 17th-century English-inspired building here with relaxing and comfortable amenities all year round. Also check out the opulent on-site spa and fresh, lavish homemade breakfasts.
THE MAIDSTONE
The Maidstone features a whimsical take on Hamptons aesthetics. This is reflected in the shared spaces throughout the property, including the pink sunroom, the art bar, and the classic lounge. The hotel has 19 individually designed rooms and cottages that each bring joyful days to guests.
AMAGANSETT
→DINING
IL BUCO AL MARE
In this casual setting in the heart of the village, you’ll find a simple, relaxed menu presenting the best local seafood and produce. Inspired by its sister restaurant Bottega il Buco in Ibiza, Spain, the restaurant offers cuisine in a warm and beautiful space. Chef Justin Smillie’s menu features ancient grain focaccias, imported tinned fish from the Iberian Peninsula and Italy, and seasonal local fare from a wood-burning oven.
→HOTEL
THE ROUNDTREE
Conveniently situated on Main Street in the charming town of Amagansett, The Roundtree is walking distance to boutiques, galleries, restaurants, farm stands, and historic landmarks. Set on two acres of beautifully landscaped property surrounded by historic Amagansett farmlands, the tranquil locale of this hotel makes it a peaceful getaway this summer.
MONTAUK
→DINING
OCEAN CLUB MONTAUK
The old Montauk Yacht Club is now open under Proper Hospitality. This 200-seat restaurant has three rooms and Chef Jarad McCarroll runs the
place with two chef counters, as well as a chef’s table. Menu offerings include fluke tartare and wood-fired beef.
DURYEA’S
LOBSTER DECK
Duryea’s provides a dose of the South of France, both in Montauk and on the North Fork at Orient Point. The restaurant offers a raw bar with seating alongside the theater of the team at work preparing the oysters, clams, and seafood in front of diners. Outside, the deck has those hard-to-score tables by the waterfront, where you can take in the sun, the sea, and those magnums of rosé wine.
SHELTER ISLAND
→DINING
SUNSET BEACH
Sunset Beach is a seaside hideaway nestled on the sands of Shelter Island Sound that’s both a hotel and one of the region’s most breathtaking settings for a meal. The restaurant offers the perfect intimate escape with a menu that celebrates the healthy and delicious summertime food of the Italian Riviera and southern France. Signature dishes include whole grilled branzino, steamed mussels, and oysters from favorite local farms.
THE TAVERN
Coastal fine dining and casual Americana cuisine is found at the Tavern on the property at The Chequit. Harbor views are surrounded by formal seating with a delicious selection from the chef’s menu featuring a coastal influence of flavor to savor.
→HOTEL THE PRIDWIN
First opened in the late 1920s, The Pridwin Hotel offers a more relaxed, one-step-removed vacation with the hustle and social bustle of the Hamptons summer close at hand. The eightacre property has just emerged from a two-year renovation with a new spa and dining at the Terrace restaurant.
RAM’S HEAD INN
Ram’s Head Inn is an inviting seaside getaway with a relaxing atmosphere, gracious country accommodations with 13 charming and comfortable suites, quality dining, and warm hospitality. Joe Smith’s American menu features fresh local produce, game, and seafood, as well as harvests from the inn’s garden. Guests can enjoy the beachfront while watching the sunset.
THE CHEQUIT
Stacey Soloviev, whose family owns Peconic Bay Vineyards on the North Fork, led the renovation of this Shelter Island landmark. The porch, which overlooks the water, has been expanded to include terraces with fire pits, hanging chairs, and sofas; rooms have also been updated with Frette linens and other high-end amenities. n
Southampton Inn
The 1708 House
EAT SLEEP HAMPTONS
FORE THE LOVE OF GOLF WITH LEE TREVINO
BY BOBBY LOVE
Lee Trevino isn’t just one of the greatest golfers of all time. He also has one of the most interesting and nontraditional trajectories to success on the PGA Tour.
Born on December 1, 1939 on a cotton farm, Trevino was raised by his single mom, Juanita, and grandfather, Joe, in rural Texas. In 1947, the three of them moved to Dallas when his grandfather got a job as a gravedigger. The job came with a place to live—an old house with no plumbing, no electricity, no windows, and a dirt floor in the kitchen.
The move to this tiny house on Walnut Lane transformed Trevino’s life forever. With his new backyard just 100 yards away from the 7th hole fairway of the Glen Lakes golf course of the Dallas Athletic Club, then-7-yearold Lee would spend hours watching people play. He quickly figured out one thing—there was a rough on hole #7 and golfers kept losing their golf balls there. Lee started searching for lost golf balls to sell back to golfers—five for $1—it was the first time Trevino learned he could earn money through the sport of golf.
Trevino didn’t have your typical junior golf experience. By 8, he was caddying at the Dallas Athletic Club after school and teaching himself how to play at Hardy’s driving range in his limited spare time. By 14, he dropped out of school to work as a golf grounds crew member and later worked at the driving range. When Trevino finally registered for his first junior tournament at age 15, it was also the first time he ever played a complete round of golf.
For his 18th birthday, he enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps and was deployed overseas. During his service, the Marines quickly learned he was a great golfer and put him on the USMC golf
team. For his last 18 months of service, he was assigned to Special Services, where he often played golf with the officers.
After his honorable discharge in 1960, Trevino went back to work at the driving range. He even attended PGA Business School and entered the Dallas Open on a sponsor exemption. By the time Trevino earned his coveted PGA Tour card in 1967, he was 27 years old. Lee didn’t take long making up for lost time. In 1968, he won the U.S. Open. In 1971, he won two majors—the U.S. Open and the Open Championship—plus the Canadian Open within a 20-day period. The sports world was amazed by this 29-year-old. Sports Illustrated named him Sportsperson of the Year, calling him a “common man with an uncommon touch” who took the “game out of the country club boardroom and put it in the parking lot where everybody… could enjoy it.”
Lee Trevino made golf accessible for the regular people. A natural entertainer, he’d often tell the spectators jokes to lighten up the mood—but when it was time to play, he’d put his game face on and amazed the crowds with his laser-precise shots. Over the years, Trevino, who earned the nickname “Super Mex” because of his Mexican-American heritage, won 29 PGA Tour events, including six major championships. He was even inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981 by his good friend and fellow golf legend, Gary Player.
Trevino is also a film and TV personality, having starred in commercials, worked as a sportscaster for NBC Sports—and most famously, appeared in the movie Happy Gilmore, as the golfer who shook his head in disappointment whenever Adam Sandler’s eponymous character did something seriously wrong. It was a cult-favorite role that cemented Trevino’s status as a golf and comedy legend with generations of fans.
He’s also a fashion magnate. During
the pandemic, he and his son Daniel co-founded the popular golf clothing company, Super Mex Golf.
There also can’t be a conversation about Trevino without mentioning thunderstorms. In 1975, during a lightning delay, a fearless Trevino didn’t seek shelter, but instead told tournament spectators, “Not even God can hit a 1-iron.” A week later, he was struck by lightning at the 1975 Western Open in Chicago. He miraculously survived because the doctor claimed he had a strong heart.
Not only is Trevino’s heart strong, but it’s also big. He has always given back to others, often without publicity. In 1968, when PGA Tour golfer Ted Makalena died, he promised to win the Hawaiian Open with a score of 16 under par and give Makalena’s kids some money to go to college with his winnings. He kept his word—even down to the exact golf score.
Trevino has also supported numerous charities over the years, including the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and First Tee. St. Jude awarded him the Lee Trevino Award for his many contributions and service.
I had the honor of catching up with Lee Trevino at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Grande Lakes during the PNC Championship to talk about my two favorite subjects: golf and charity.
Bobby Love: When I was 10, you told me that my “mom shouldn’t have” let me “watch Happy Gilmore” and that I should “go to church on Sunday” because I did watch it.
Lee Trevino: That’s right. That’s exactly right. But she let you watch it anyway, right? [Laughs]
I was worried that you didn’t like being in that movie.
I didn’t like the language. But now if you turn the television on...
“Grizzly Adams did have a
Two years later, I asked you to please change your mind about being unhappy about being in that movie. Instead, you started telling me a story about Grizzly Adams, which was from your iconic one line in Happy Gilmore
You’re too young to remember Grizzly Adams. It was a series on NBC about a mountain man who found a bear cub whose mother had died—and this mountain man decided to raise this cub in his cabin. The mountain man’s name was Grizzly Adams and he had a beard. So Grizzly Adams did have a beard! That day, I also asked you if you’d agree to star in a sequel to Happy Gilmore—before they’d even announced one. You told me to look up Adam Sandler in the phone book and tell him “Trevino says you gotta do another” sequel “because I need the money.” Richard Johnson even wrote about it in the New York Daily News on Christmas Eve in 2023.
Well, we just finished filming the second Happy Gilmore. I know about that.
How did you know about that?
If they don’t cut my scene, I’ll be in the background in Happy Gilmore 2
Lee Trevino and Bobby Love (December 2024)
Lee Trevino in his signature red and black “payday” colors. Courtesy of Super Mex Golf
Lee Trevino, United States Marine Corps. Courtesy of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
beard!”
You filmed up in New Jersey? Yes, in Hackettstown, New Jersey. What did you do up there?
I can’t say because I have an NDA. But I got my first paycheck of my life for $216. $216? Don’t spend it all in one place. Can you please tell me about Happy Gilmore 2, which will be released on Netflix on July 25, 2025.
There are more pros in this one— Happy Gilmore 2 has like 20–25 golf professionals in it. For my scene, we did the Champions Dinner. There was me, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, Sir Nick Faldo, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Corey Pavin, that’s about all I can say.
How were you cast in the original 1996 movie?
They could’ve gotten everyone else to film it, but they wanted me because I’d already done more than 200 television commercials. But, except for my one Grizzly Adams line, I didn’t have any dialogue.
What was it like on set?
[Laughs] Well, for Happy Gilmore 2, I went to New Jersey, saw Adam Sandler and shot for a few days. But with the original movie, I didn’t even meet Adam! At the time, I was living on Jupiter Island and was between tournaments. The laughing clown minigolf scene, where Sandler was upset, cursing and tearing up the course? We filmed my part in the parking lot of PGA National Golf Course in Palm Beach Gardens.
When you were 7, you’d sell golf balls that you found to golfers who ran out of them while playing. What’s your secret to searching for golf balls?
When you hit a golf ball and it goes crooked, you need to keep your eyes on it. You need to spot it—with either a tree or a limb or a leaf on the ground. The problem with people is that when they hit it, they get frustrated and slam the club in the ground. They’re not watching where the ball is going. And
if they’re not watching, how can they look for it? I was good at watching the ball—that’s where I made most of my money when I caddied when I was small. I seldomly lost a golf ball for my golfer. But you also have to understand, I’m one of the straightest hitters in the world. So I don’t have to look for my own golf ball [Laughs].
Fear usually messes up golfers. You said you overcame fear because your grandfather would take you to the graveyard where he worked.
Well, if you don’t think a graveyard will make you fearless, just go walk through one at night and tell me what happens. I’d go with my grandpa at midnight when I was 6 or maybe a little older. When you walk by the tombstones, you hear the echo of your footsteps. It sounds like someone’s following you. That experience made me real tough and mean. [Scowls] Nah—I’m a pussycat really [Laughs]. You said a golfer “shouldn’t fear putting since the ball will either go in or miss.”
As you get older, your nerves get bad, your eyesight gets bad, you can’t read the greens as well—but mostly you don’t have the touch, which you had before. The hardest thing there is about the game is putting simply because you can travel 500 yards in two shots. But then, if you three-putt, you travel 20 feet in three shots. Most people who lose golf tournaments, lose in putting. That’s why everybody has only two drivers, but 100 putters in their garage—they’re looking for that magic wand putter. But there’s no such thing. It’s all about the nerves. Speaking of a magic wand, you claimed you won the 1974 PGA Championship because of a putter.
My landlady for the tournament was a widow named Mrs. Mayberry. I found this Wilson 8802 blade putter in her late husband’s golf bag in the attic. I asked her if I could try it and she said yes. I told her it was a great putter. So
she said, “If you win the tournament, you can have it.” I won and she gave it to me. I still have that putter. I called it Mrs. Mayberry after her. It’s in a box in my house and I’ve not used it since. I think more people would watch golf on TV if you were still a sports commentator. From 1982 to 1990, I was a commentator on NBC with the late Vin Scully. Golf’s difficult to broadcast. You’re not filming Ben-Hur, it’s a golf tournament. You’ve got no clue what’s going to happen or where this ball’s going—you can’t even see the ball because you’re inside a studio and the golfer is three miles away. Commentating a basketball game, on the other hand, you’ve got 10 players out on the court. Or a football game? You’ve got 22 players on the field. That’s easy. But golf’s the hardest sport there is to commentate. The big problem we’re having is that the golfers are playing too slowly. We’ve got to learn to speed it up a little bit.
“I’ve tried to meet a Pope, but not yet.”
You’ve met a lot of celebrities, but you said the only one you wanted to meet was the Pope. Did that ever happen? I’ve tried to meet a Pope, but not yet. Once I was in an audience with the Pope, but I was in the fourth row. They only let the people in the first two rows get to meet him. I was “this close”! One day…
I don’t know if most people realize this, but decades before Tiger Woods started his Sun Day Red company in 2024, you were the first golfer to wear a red shirt and black pants on a Sunday, calling them your "payday" colors.
I wore my payday colors for you today! I started wearing a red shirt and black pants during the U.S. Open at Oak Hill in 1968. I wanted strong colors for the final round because I was one stroke behind. I called them my “payday” colors because you get paid for the tournament on Sunday. For years, I wore red and black. Then Curtis Strange started doing that. When Tiger Woods started doing it, he got all of the credit—but he didn’t start the red and black. That was my idea way back when. My son and I also launched Super Mex Golf during the pandemic, where you can buy my red polo from the Sunday of the 1968 U.S. Open. Everyone who knows you knows about your philanthropy and generosity. But you don't talk about it at all. Why?
Charity and being generous makes you feel good. As long as I know about it and it makes me feel good, nobody else needs to know about it. Most charities that receive donations from me have no idea where it came from. I’ve done that with my golf clubs that I’ve donated to First Tee. I want the clubs to go to the kids and don’t want to hear that someone’s selling Lee Trevino’s
donated golf clubs on eBay. I also have a family foundation. I’ll tell you my favorite charity. I’ve raised a tremendous amount of money for them—St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There’s nothing better than St. Jude. I’m also looking at the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which helps our veterans. We need to take care of our veterans. I’m a veteran and those guys need help. You’ve mentored many other golfers, including Tiger Woods and his son Charlie. That’s true. In 2023, I worked on a fade and little punch shots with Tiger and Charlie Woods. I like to show people how the ball is doing something. You know, if you watch a golf ball and it’s curving in different directions and doing funny stuff? The thing I teach a person is what he’s doing with his hands—what he’s doing with the club to make the ball do that. That’s the hardest thing to teach. And if the student understands it, he owns it. That way, when he’s out playing and he sees the ball do something weird, he can correct it right away. The funny thing about people is that they complain every day about their game but they won’t take a golf lesson because it’s $200. That would be the best $200 I’d ever invest.
What’s your best golf advice?
The more dirt you move, the better you’re going to get. Golf’s not a hard game to tell you the truth. Every shot has to have a purpose. It has to be in your mind before you hit it. You either work it right to left, left to right, low, high, punch. You don’t just get up there and swing at it and hope it goes on the green or goes in the hole. I mean, that doesn’t work.
This is my signature question and it’s for my game. If you had the choice between hitting the longest and straightest drives every time or to make every single putt, what would you choose?
The putt. You have to choose the putt. What’s your best golf memory?
Winning the playoff against Jack Nicklaus in the 1971 U.S. Open. That’s when I felt like I belonged—that I was capable of participating against the best in the world. It’s been a great life. I’m one of the luckiest people. I’ve got a great family, a great son, a great daughter, and I still have a great career. But I owe so much to this game. The reason I worked as hard as I did is because the good lord gave me a tremendous talent—I don’t know where I got it. I wanted to make sure that I used my talent and didn’t throw it away. That’s why I can’t get away from it. The age I’m at now, I still work at golf daily. And the older you get, the slower you get. Man, it’s not easy to get old. I’m still looking for that magic club, you know. But I keep forgetting that it’s not the arrow, it’s the Indian. n
Bobby Love, at 14 years old, is our youngest contributor. He wants everyone to love golf as much as he does.
Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore 2 (2025), Courtesy of Netflix
SUPER MEX GOLF WITH CEO
DANIEL
TREVINO
BY BOBBY LOVE
It was Lee Trevino who started the tradition of wearing a red polo and black pants on a Sunday back in 1968—calling them his “payday” colors. I sat down with Daniel Trevino to learn more about this golf clothing company.
How did you and your dad, Lee Trevino, decide to launch Super Mex Golf?
Daniel Trevino: We’re Mexican-Americans—there hasn’t been much representation of us in golf in general. When the pandemic hit, there were so many first-generation golfers—many of them minorities. We thought it was time to have more minority representation in golf, so we launched Super Mex Golf.
What kind of styles can people expect to see?
We’ve brought back my dad’s sombrero logo, which is on most of our luxury and quality retro styles of the 1960s and ’70s. The Samba-colored Super Mex Golf polo for sale on our website is actually the identical red color my dad wore on the Sunday at the 1968 U.S. Open. And this month, we’re launching a capsule collection to celebrate the premiere of Happy Gilmore 2.
To learn more about Super Mex Golf and its iconic golf products, visit supermexgolf.com.
DREAM ON
Layne Dalfen founded The Dream Interpretation Center in 1997. She writes the “Understanding Dreams” column at Psychology Today and is known at OprahDaily.com as the Dream Catcher. Layne’s recent consulting with Pixar Animation Studios resulted in the animated TV miniseries Dream Productions, which is streaming on Disney+. Her books are titled Have a Great Dream, Book 1; The Overview and Have a Great Dream, Book 2; A Deeper Discussion. thedreamanalyst.com, @layne_the dreamanalyst
JOSÉ FELICIANO'S DREAM
BY LAYNE DALFEN
When we dream at night, we’re continuing conversations we had with ourselves during the day. Especially when we are considering a problem we don’t know how to solve, or an action we don’t want to take, or a situation we don’t want to think about. This is why our dreams can offer many new solutions from deep down in our unconscious to the problems of the day.
It’s also why our dreams provide lessons even years later: while each situation presents unique challenges, the joys and difficulties of our lives often follow patterns we can trace over time. The following example, from an icon so many of us know, shows how dreams, whether recent or from years ago, always reflect the unique personality and memories of the dreamer in ways that can help both in the moment and in the future.
José Feliciano is a beloved musician who achieved his present fame and success after difficult childhood circumstances. He was born blind in Puerto Rico, and his parents moved to New York for a better life, but they continued to worry about José’s future. He describes the following dream he had as a child.
The Dream: One night I was listening to my parents lament as to what they would do with me, stuff I’d heard a thousand times before. It worried me a lot, too. I went to bed and fell asleep, but during the night I felt the presence of a beautiful, peaceful Lady. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, before or since. I was intensely aware of my surroundings and knew the Lady was not my mom, nor anyone else I’d met before. I was stunned, but I wasn’t afraid.
She led me down a long corridor; it was then I knew I wasn’t at home. It was dream-like because I was clearly “somewhere else,” but it wasn’t at all dream-like in what I was experiencing. She sat me down in a big chair that had intricately carved wooden arms, a seat, and a back covered in what I would later discover was a fine tapestry. I’d never felt anything like that before and wouldn’t again until I went to Europe some 10 years later and experienced furniture that was similar to it. I can still feel what it was like to sit in that chair.
The Lady stood next to me and softly stroked my forehead and smoothed my hair away from my face. Again, it was this sense of great peace that was so overwhelming. “I know you’ve been worried about your eyes and you’re scared of what will become of you. But I’m here to tell you, don’t be afraid. I want you to know that everything is going to be alright. I promise you. Do you believe me?”
I did believe her. I believe her still and thank her every day, because just a couple of weeks later, I was given my very first guitar.
What José’s Dream Can Teach Us: José still remembers how his parents’ lament about what they would do with him, which he’d “heard a thousand times before” and worried about too, provided the trigger for this dream all those years ago. Hence, we can see how the overheard conversation intensified his anxiety about the future, and how the dream carried this inner conflict forward into his sleep.
But what happened once José’s dream was set in motion?
I have spent the last 50 years analyzing dreams, and I have enormous respect for our sophisticated unconscious mind and the images we send ourselves in helping us make decisions. In fact, some 50 years ago I made a life-long decision based on the analysis of a dream. So, I am a full believer in the power of the problem-solving we do in our sleep.
That said, in all these years, I have also come to believe we are multitasking. Our dreams include episodes of ESP, of our ability to intuit, and our connection to a higher power. There is more going on than can take place inside just one mind, and I have even once personally experienced a dream like José’s, something simply unexplainable that is here to open us all up to the vastness of our unconscious mind.
The young José’s dream was certainly a continuation of the inner conversation that he was having with himself, internalizing his parents’ anxiety. As such, his dream can offer comfort through a psychological interpretation of symbols that grew out of experiences from his life. However, the dream he shares here reaches deeper than his own individual memories. It offers an example of what Jung called “big dreams,” which “are spiritual experiences that defy any attempt at rationalization” (Collected Works, vol. 17).
I respect and concur with José’s belief that his dream was a real visitation by a benevolent being. His receipt of his first guitar only a few weeks later speaks to a confluence in this dream of his personal needs, his creative talents, and a spiritual recognition of being chosen to deliver comfort to others throughout his life with his gift of music. This dream touched the “deepest layer [that] connects us as individuals to the whole heritage of humanity” (Jungian Center). It fueled Jose’s lifelong sense of the divine, as well as his strength and will to persevere against all odds. What chill-worthy kismet! JoseFeliciano.com
Super Mex Golf On-Course Solid Polo in Samba, $74.
Photo: Courtesy of the Feliciano Family and David Bravo
the sheet's hot dates 2025
BY NORAH LAWLOR
DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE
Saturday, June 7, 6 p.m.
Southampton
For the 33rd annual affair, Southampton
Fresh Air Home will host “The Greatest Tag Sale on Earth.” This beloved summer kick-off event features an extraordinary selection of designer furniture and one-of-a-kind auction items—all set against the backdrop of a vibrant cocktail party at the start of the Hamptons social season. hamptondesignershowhouse.com
ARF HAMPTONS
Saturday, June 14, 6 p.m.
East Hampton
Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) in the Hamptons will host young patrons for a night of cocktails and toasts to honor the foundation that actively rescues cats and dogs, provides quality care, and offers sanctuary until loving homes can be found. ARF’s work with animals, within our community and throughout the organization, is guided by three core values: compassion, integrity, and dedication. ARF Animals will also be on site for adoption. arfhamptons.org
HALSEY HOUSE GALA
Saturday, July 5, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Southampton
Celebrate local history, culture, and summer at the Halsey House Gala! Spend an evening on the grounds of one of the oldest dwellings in New York State while dancing under the stars to live music. Enjoy a selection of exquisite hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a raw bar stocked with local oysters in addition to our specially curated silent auction.
SONGBOOK BY THE SEA
Saturdays, July 5 - August 3, 7:30 p.m.
Wainscott
Enjoy a summer of cabaret produced by Donna Rubin and Josh Gladstone, live at LTV Studios. The line-up this season includes Marilyn Maye (July 5), Lee Roy Reams (July 11), Liz Callaway (July 19), Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano (July 26), Steve Ross, Karen Murphy, and Maria Abous (August 3), KT Sullivan, Mark Nadler, Natalie Douglas, and Marta Sanders (August 16), Craig Rubano (August 23), and Mary, Maggy, and Marta Moipei (August 30). ltveh.org/ hamptons-summer-songbook-bythe-sea
SOUTH FORK NATURAL HISTORY
MUSEUM GALA
Saturday, July 12, 5:30 p.m.
Bridgehampton
The South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in Bridgehampton will hold its 36th Annual Summer Gala. Liev
hot dates
Schreiber will serve as honorary chair with special guest of the evening, Jean Shafiroff. sofo.org
PARRISH MIDSUMMER DINNER
Saturday, July 19, 6 p.m.
Water Mill
Join the Parrish Art Museum for the Midsummer Gala with the theme of "Echoes of the Cosmos." The party will begin with a dinner event and feature an Afterglow Party from 9 p.m. to midnight. Philanthropists Sandy and Stephen Perlbinder will be honored this year, along with artists Sanford Biggers, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, and Nina Yankowitz. parrishart.org
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE GALA
Saturday, July 19, 6 p.m.
Southampton
The Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) will host its annual Unconditional Love Gala. The SASF relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers to care for homeless animals in the local community with the goal of placing them in loving "forever homes."
southamptonanimalshelter.com
THE WATERMILL CENTER
Friday, July 25, Saturday, July 26, 6 p.m.
Water Mill
The Watermill Center's Annual Summer Benefit celebrates art and experimentation in support of the organization's year-round programming—its artist residency, education, and public programs. Featuring dynamic works by a roster of groundbreaking international artists. This year’s party, called Scribble, will take place over two nights with a dinner on night one, followed by a Saturday festival. watermillcenter.org
THE ELLEN HERMANSON GALA
Saturday, July 26, 6:30 p.m.
Bridgehampton Tennis & Surf Club
The 30th Annual Ellen Hermanson Foundation Summer Gala will be held at the Bridgehampton Tennis and Surf Club. Oceanside cocktails will be followed by dinner, dancing, and a live auction. The night will conclude with the annual bonfire on the beach. ellenhermanson.org
GET WILD! BENEFIT
Friday, August 1, 5:30 p.m.
Southampton Arts Center, Southampton
The Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the rehabilitation of wild animals impacted by the encroachment of humans on their habitat. Meet some of the feathered and furry friends being cared for. The night will honor Zelda Penzel. A special auction item at this year’s gala will be a painting by renowned artist Hunt Slonem. wildliferescuecenter.org
RAND LUXURY CONCOURS
Saturday, August 2, 11 a.m.
Bridgehampton
Bradford Rand and his team at RAND Luxury will be hosting their invitation-only Annual Hamptons Concours event, bringing together $100 million worth of classic and contemporary cars with a special emphasis on the Ferrari and Porsche marques. The event will benefit the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation. Some of the sponsors include Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac, Peroni, Apollo Jets, Morgan Stanley, and Long Island Sports Cars. randluxury.com
SCHOOL’S OUT
Saturday, August 2, 5 p.m.
Private Residence
The event will benefit the Hetrick-Martin Institute, which is the nation’s oldest LGBTQIA+ youth organization serving queer and trans youth, primarily of color, between the ages of 13 and 24. Guests will be treated to synchronized swimmers and music from DJ Lina Bradford. hmi.org/event/schools-out-2025
SOUTHAMPTON HOSPITAL GALA
Saturday, August 2, 6 p.m.
Southampton
The Southampton Hospital Foundation will present the highly anticipated 67th Annual Summer Party to benefit Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. A highlight of the East End summer season, the party is a festive evening of cocktails, dinner, and dancing. southamptonhospitalfoundation.org/ event/67th-annual-summer-party-2025
SECOND CHANCE RESCUE
Friday, August 8, 6 p.m.
Water Mill
This year’s benefit will pay tribute to acclaimed actress and dedicated animal advocate Alexandra Daddario, alongside her beloved rescue dog, Eunice. The event supports NYC Second Chance Rescue’s mission to save the most vulnerable animals—particularly large-breed dogs and those in urgent need of life-saving medical care. nycsecondchancerescue.org
NORTHWELL HEALTH SUMMER EVENING
Saturday, August 9, 6 p.m.
Water Mill
Northwell Health’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health is holding its Summer Hamptons Evening in Water Mill. The event will be hosted by presenting sponsors Victoria Moran-Furman, Eric Moran, Iris and Saul Katz, and Larry Scott, with Good Day New York’s Rosanna Scotto serving as emcee. Funds raised will support the Institute. The evening celebration will include dinner under the tent by Lawrence Scott Events, an impactful program, and a special musical performance. give.northwell.edu/events/summer-hamptons-evening
HAMPTONS GARDEN GALA
Saturday, August 9, 6 p.m.
Private Residence, Water Mill
The Silverstein Dream Foundation’s annual Hamptons Garden Gala will benefit the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation at the beautiful home of co-hosts Patricia and Roger Silverstein. The event will feature a cocktail reception, seated dinner, silent and live auctions, and entertainment and dancing under the stars.
silversteindreamfoundation.com
LIBRARY AUTHORS NIGHT
Saturday, August 9, 5 p.m.
East Hampton
East Hampton Library Authors Night is the event for the literary-minded and will present its Annual Authors Night fundraiser featuring 100 authors across all genres. The "Premier Literary Event of the Hamptons” has grown over its history to become one of the most successful celebrations of books and authors in America, and one of the largest libraryauthor events of its kind. authorsnight.org
KIDS CANCEL CANCER
Tuesday, August 12, 5 p.m.
The Clubhouse, East Hampton
The Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation’s Kids Cancel Cancer fundraiser will be a fun day of arcades, mini-golf, great food, auctions, and more. The event hopes to raise $100,000 for pediatric cancer research, and a research grant will be named in honor of the chairs and committee.
waxmancancer.org
BOW WOW MEOW BALL
Saturday, August 16, 6:30 p.m.
East Hampton
Enjoy an elegant evening of dinner and dancing in support of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons. The organization actively rescues cats and dogs, provides quality care, and offers sanctuary until loving homes can be found. arfhamptons.org
PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION GALA
Saturday, August 16, 6:30 p.m.
East Hampton
Michael Milken’s Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) will be hosting its annual Hamptons gala as the social centerpiece of its PCF Pro-Am Tennis Tournament, which is being held over the weekend at private estates in the Hamptons. pcf.org
THE HAMPTON CLASSIC HORSE SHOW
August 24 to August 31
Bridgehampton
The Hampton Classic Horse Show, culminating in a Grand Prix event, is considered one of the larger show-jumping contests in the United States. It’s one of the biggest events in the Hamptons and signals the grand finale of summer.
hamptonclassic.com
LIMITED EDITION
An extraordinary steinway Limited Edition created in collaboration with French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, the originator of a wide range of iconic designs, notably in furniture and interior design.
