During the long, hot days of summer, the road to the Hamptons is clogged with the beautiful people, those who want to see the beautiful people and those who want to be the beautiful people. But once the cool breeze of Autumn arrives they flock back to their New York apartments, leaving the denizens of these seaside towns poorer, but oh so much happier. That’s when I make my pilgrimage. No Jaguars and Mercedes on the parkways, just glorious open roads leading to charming towns and villages. Southampton was our stop, where we gazed at the beautiful beaches as they touched the sparkling blue Atlantic, before wandering the gentle streets. On Jobs Lane, we discovered the Southampton Arts Center, where an encore presentation of an exhibit first shown in 2013, “Charles Addams: Family & Friends,” was delighting visitors. The exhibit encompasses more than fifty original works by the famed New Yorker cartoonist, including The Addams Family comic series, on which the television series and feature films were based. Don’t let the remote locale fool you. The Southampton Arts Center is a world-class venue, offering an ever-changing diverse array of cultural programming, exhibits, musicians, films, speakers and classes for both adults and children. Dedicated to the preservation of the historic building, in which it is housed, and its beautiful grounds, the Center is a gem every New Yorker should take advantage of, with the quieter fall season being an opportune time to do so. With its quaint architecture, vintage lampposts, benches and wide, brick-accented, tree-lined sidewalks, Southhampton is ideal for a lazy afternoon of strolling and windowshopping. We poked into dozens of stunning shops—a combo of unique boutiques and familiar venues—picked up a few trinkets and worked up an appetite as we headed toward 75 Main, a restaurant and lounge, serving up Nouveau American/Italian cuisine. With soft lighting, a handsome bar, potted plants and subtle artwork, this attractive eatery is warm and welcoming. During peak season it’s packed. And why not? The food is uniformly delicious. We began with a refreshing watermelon salad, succulent littleneck clams and just-made guacamole with fresh-out-of-the-oven chips. The chopped salad was tangy and the Buratta was creamy and delicious. Pastas were excellent: Pappardelle with fresh tomatoes and ricotta pillows with black truffles were both something special. Roasted Branzino was flavorful and the blue crab crusted halibut was superb. Carnivores will love the Colorado lamb chops and the filet mignon was tops. Desserts were chocolate infused bits of heaven and pie that was oozing caramel apples. The service was excellent, the sound was little more than a pleasant hum and there was no wait. Nothing like the Hamptons off-season. 40 North Shore Towers Courier n December 2016 The Hamptons off Season Travelscape by scape Roberta Graff
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