FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 17, 2021 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 73
Victoria’s
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SCHNEPSYUNIS
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A week like no other
The sun came out Sunday,
making for a picture-perfect
summer day.
Th ere was not a cloud in
the sky as I made my way to
Easthampton to join Dan
Rattiner, the founder of the
iconic Dan’s Papers.
He had arranged for us to sail
on a yacht out of Gardiners Bay
across the street from his home.
From my home in
Westhampton, it’s about an hour
drive to Easthampton — with no
traffi c! With the top down on my
convertible and the sun warming
my soul, the trip through farms
and forests that fi ll the Springs
section of Easthampton was a
fun one!
I drove my car right to the
foot of the approximately 40-foot
yacht and was greeted by Captain
Charles and his wife Concierge
Karen. Th ey welcomed us on
board and explained the safety
precautions and the “lay of
the land,” showing us where the
bathrooms and interior seating
were located.
I gingerly walked to the front
of the boat to watch as the captain
carefully navigated us into
the open waters of the bay.
I relaxed as I took in the scenic
views of the beautiful, sunny
day and the captain pointed out
the East Hampton Point Hotel
and Marina that was recently
acquired by Heath Freeman, the
president of Alden Global
Capital, which, aft er acquiring
Tribune Publishing, owns the
New York Daily News.
Th e East Hampton Point Hotel
and Marina is where we will
launch Dan’s Papers Wine and
Food Event benefi ting Guild
Hall on June 24. I recently had
dinner there, and it looks as
beautiful from the water as it
does from shore.
Lois Christie, my friend
from Bayside who also lives in
Westhampton, joined me. As
we lounged on the deck, Karen
brought us drinks and hors
d’oeuvres to hold us until lunch
was served.
About an hour later, we gathered
around a circular table
for lunch and to share stories,
which off ered me a chance
to talk with Dan and his wife
Chris Wasserstein, and Audrey
Fuchsberg and her husband Dr.
Derek Erlander, an immunologist.
Dr. Erlander has a line of overthe
counter drugs to build the
immune system and fi ght off
disease — a perfect antidote in
this post-COVID environment,
where we all worry about a second
strain of the virus. More
information to follow!
Aft er the lovely lunch and the
three-hour cruise, we made our
way back to the dock. Th e captain
parked the yacht perfectly,
with Karen’s guidance, marking
the end to a magical day fi lled
with good company, beautiful
sites and luxury surroundings!
Th e yacht, which off ers activities
for kids too, is available
to rent. Make your reservation
through charlescharters.com or
by calling 978-852-4920.
MEETING A GENIUS
A day earlier, on Saturday
morning, I had been invited
to a preview of artist Alexis
Rockman’s exhibition at Guild
Hall in Easthampton.
As I walked on the stone sidewalk
toward the renowned institution,
I recalled the bittersweet
memory of my late husband Stu’s
cousin Arthur Fischer exhibiting,
with great pride, his art at
Guild Hall’s annual Clothesline
Art Sale. Yes, clothesline!
Hundreds of works of art are
hung there for the buying. Th ere
is an admission fee — and a
long line to get in — that allows
guests to view and buy the art of
local artists, with half the proceeds
going to Guild Hall, and
the rest to the artist.
What fun it was for Arthur,
who, aft er an engineering career,
had become an artist whose avocation
was painting collages. He
got great joy from the fact that
several of his pieces sold and we
had an aft erparty to celebrate his
success!
But that was many years ago,
and now I was back to see Alexis’
“Shipwrecks” exhibit, which featured
his oil and watercolor pieces.
I instantly fell in love with one
particular piece, so I asked him
if we could put it on the front
cover of Dan’s Papers. He agreed,
so it will appear on the cover the
week the exhibit opens!
Alexis was born in New York
City and his mom briefl y worked
for anthropologist Margaret
Mead at the American Museum
of Natural History, where
Alexis would spend hours looking
at the lifelike dioramas.
As Alexis spoke to the small
gathering of people, he described
how his fascination with shipwrecks
began at an early age, as
he became interested in their
eff ect on the planet and the lives
of people who traversed the sea.
But I was most struck by his
painting of the sinking of the
Brig Helen. He described how
the shipwreck bankrupted and
killed the young brilliant British
scientist Alfred Russel Wallace,
who is credited with originating
the theory of evolution before
Darwin.
He had spent four years (1848-
1852) on a self-funded trip to the
South American rainforest collecting
hundreds of rare specimens
to bring back to England.
All was lost when the Brig Helen
caught fi re. Alexis’ work imagines
the enormity of the loss.
I must admit that hearing
Alexis’ explanation of his art
made me feel more connected
to his work. Each piece he discussed
opened my eyes to details
I had missed.
Visit the Alexis Rockman
exhibit from June 12 to July 26 at
Guild Hall in Easthampton. For
more information, call 631-324-
0806 and say hello to Yani Bitis
(our very own Stephanie Bitis’
son) in the Guild’s coff ee shop!
On the water with Lois Christie, Dan Rattiner and his wife Chris Wasserstein,
and Audrey Fuchsberg and her husband Dr. Derek Erlander.
Our yacht for the day!
Alexis Rockman explaining his work with
Guild Hall Executive Director Andrea Grover.
Correction:
George Tsunis
/charlescharters.com
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