My Thursday in the Hamptons

I had such a beautiful day yesterday--a gift, really--wrapped in crushed orange paper and raspberry satin and ribbons woven from purple wildflowers. 

Punchy will be back from her week with Mimi and Poppy in North Carolina Sunday. Fig was back in the city. H. was too busy with a work deadline. I keep trying to catch up with Moey, but she couldn't come either, because she had to work. So off I went at 1:15 p.m., after I did some work of my own. I had a full tank of gas, sunscreen, several books [because who knew what mood would strike me in the sand], a beach chair, big towel, Peach Diet Snapple and some cash. 

When I titled last night's blog post Beauty & the Beast, it was almost midnight and I was tired after that good beach air and the long ride both ways. But what I meant by that title is that I did feel slightly beastly and ungainly there--I liked my lilac and purple strapless Lilly dress over my swimsuit, but my belly looked big. I liked my necklace and my sandals, but you can't help but walk a village like Southampton and feel like a visitor. Clearly, I don't live there. Nor does my Honda CR-V, with over 225,000 warhorse miles. But some things--like God's open sky and crashing waves and pretty shops--those things belong to all of us.

Popped into the Aerin store on Main Street. Bought Rose Balm Lipstick in Coral Sand.
The water, postcard, fragrance sample and taffy were for the taking.
The background is the Tory Burch Jardin sweet pea tablecloth I bought a while ago.

This was my second time at Tate's Bake Shop.
I planned to resist the cookbook but it was on sale for $16 vs. cover price of $27.99.
 I read it on the beach. Some vegan ideas for Figgy, and good-looking Bundt cakes.
Also read heavy Vogue's Book of Etiquette, copyright 1948,
by Millicent Fenwick. Amazing. Got online.

At night, the village of Southampton is
enchanting with strings of little white lights.

Spent my time at Road D Beach, which is free!
I was moved by God's and the angels' paint strokes in the sky.

Every now and then, I need to be reminded clearly that God & Co. are up there.

When I see skies like this, there's no denying it.

I find it hard to bear witness to some things in life--pain people go through.

It breaks my heart. This reminds me of the world's sweeping beauty & healing promise.

Imagine the wealth and good fortune of seeing this every day!

There's a house to the left of that evergreen tree.

I looked over at it in wonder as its windows

filled with evening's yellow electric light.

Does that family have the same flaws and pitfalls as mine?

Sherbet shades,
stop-and-look-at-me beauty.

The vision recharged my empty battery.

At Munn Point, on the way to Road D Beach,
an osprey nest near the end of the wooden bridge in the marsh.

The bridge itself. So worth a 2.5 hour drive. I mean it.

Reminds me of old Cape Cod.

Some seaside bullets:

• Fusion Wireless. Ah, there's the rub. You travel to see nature but depend on technology to get there. Siri vanished when my phone cable stopped working near 3:30--the cable you plug into the Verizon charger for the car. Shout-out to Austin Gillman, the young salesperson at the AT&T store in Manorville. Thank goodness--Siri was back and led the way. I was at the next stop, below, by 4:30.
• Tate's Bake Shop. I succumbed. To the peanut butter cupcake, moist chocolate with a creamy dome of peanut butter frosting under a dark chocolate cap. I think it was $3.50. It was very good. The place was bustling. Tate's thin, crispy cookies [regular and gluten-free] are pretty popular here in Montclair, but I like my cookies thicker and softer.
• Aerin. You know, Aerin Lauder is Estée's granddaughter. The Aerin shop on Main Street has a closely edited collection of stylish things, from ballet flats to candles. I planned to get a lipstick and thanks to Kelly, the 20ish peaches-and-cream saleswoman who patiently let me hold a gold-rimmed mirror and try them all on, I did. I was in an orange mood [and this was before that sunset], maybe because I've been reading Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman, and on page 209, she writes about Jean Louise applying Tangee Orange to her lips. [I also want that. I found it online at the Vermont Country Store; copy says it changes according to user's coloring.] Nice touch: The bowl of Taffy Town salt water taffy at the counter. Pretty, colorful, sweet. 
• Shippy's Pumpernickels Restaurant East. It's on Windmill Lane, and when I googled before leaving Montclair, read that Aerin Lauder liked the schnitzel and burgers, used to go there with her family as a girl, etc. But it was dinner time, after 5, so I missed the window for reubens and burgers. Wanted to see if I could get one to take to the beach. Dinner items in the $25 range.Quiet; reserved tables.
• The Village Gourmet Cheese Shoppe. It's pricey, too, but I got the Germany, a really nice sandwich on toasted health bread with munster cheese, avocado, tomato, etc. It was really good, and $9.95. I'm sorry to say that the local North Fork Potato Chips [$2.25] were a bit stale to my taste. Good iced coffee.
• THE BEACH, THE BEACH, THE BEACH. Once I had my dinner, I schlepped it, my four books and chair over the sandy rise to the ocean. Saw a few people here and there. It's like I was sitting in a bowl, a beautiful bowl rimmed on all sides with a glorious sky. I was there from about 6 to 8 p.m. As the sun set, it only got more striking. I hated to leave. The purple sky streaks matched my dress. I found it sad to think that the same purple could be lush and lovely or the color of a bruise. I just stared at the waves, stared and stared. Stared so long that at one point, when they rolled in, I saw black typed words against their crashing curl. It was fast, so I couldn't make out what they said. But Write, they seemed to say. You've traveled to this edge of the earth by yourself and the message is to write. I know Dad would send it. He always wanted me to keep up with my writing. I must finish writing Anthony's book for his daughters. I will, I choose to finish Anthony's book--over the next two weeks, when Punchy is in day camp and then away with H. and family for a visit in Maine. 

I am so thankful for the gift of my day in the Hamptons. I was back home around 11 p.m. I will carry the beauty of this day in my heart. And I will put on my Coral Sand lipstick now. 

PS. It's Saturday morning. I reread this post and see I repeated the words beauty/beautiful/pretty way too many times! That's a flaw in good writing no matter how beautiful the day! I went back in and changed some.