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2009 SUMMER UPDATE

In May this year, the New York Times proclaimed: “Low-key and beachy is the theme in the Hamptons this year.” In a matter of ten months, over-the-top parties have become a thing of the past, as have flashy restaurants and velvet-roped clubs. The newcomers this season—including two revamped hotels and a handful of unique boutiques—are more mellow and focused on quality over ostentation. (Tellingly, whereas last year’s talk of the town was the arrival of Jeffrey Chodorow’s overpriced Kobe Club, now closed, this season has gourmets buzzing about the Scandinavian-inspired slow food at the Living Room.)

Many of 2009’s most anticipated debuts, like the revamped c/o The Maidstone hotel and new Surevolution boutique, have a green-eco or giving-back angle; others, like the reopened Blue Parrot, are about reviving affordable mainstays. Even Ralph Lauren, whose stores continue to dominate East Hampton real estate, designed some specialty items for this summer (including waffle-wear shirts and baseball caps) whose proceeds will benefit the East Hampton Historical Society. Rental occupancy—and prices—are down, and the East End may also find its way back down to earth this season, rallying around such simple pleasures as uninterrupted family time, ice cream at the beach and garden barbecues.

Here’s what’s new this summer.

HOTELS:

• Montauk Yacht Club
• c/o The Maidstone

RESTAURANTS:

• The Living Room
• Mezzaluna
• Georgica
• Philippe East Hampton
• Rugosa
• Blue Parrot

BOUTIQUES:

• Surevolution
• Tomas Maier
• Clic by Christiane Celle
• Hermès
• Trina Turk
• Rizzoli at the Empire Gallery
• Tamara Comolli * Diane Von Furstenberg
• Hampton & Co
• Kristin Farrell
• Roberta Roller Rabbit, and others (see Where to Shop: Overview)

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WHERE TO EAT:

ON THE WATER: The big news this season is the opening of the Surf Lodge, a hip hotel-restaurant-hang out that’s drawing folks from as far east as Southampton up to secluded Montauk. Chef Sam Talbot (read his Insider recommendations), a former contestant on Bravo’s popular cook-off series Top Chef, heads the restaurant on Front Pond, which has a breezy dining room and ultra-chill wooden deck—a perfect place to nurse a mojito or ice-cold Corona on a hot afternoon.

RELAXED AND REFINED: Further west, carnivores, meanwhile, will be delighted by the arrival of two steak houses: Oso, the new (and first full-service) restaurant at the Southampton Inn is overseen by chef Peter Dunlop, formerly of Café des Artistes and the American Hotel, and notorious restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow opened an off-shoot of his swanky Kobe Club in East Hampton.

NEIGHBORHOOD PLACES: Almoncello, Grappa Wine Bar and the Surf Shack.

CLASSICS: Of course, it would not be summer in the Hamptons without visiting longtime favorites, like Nick & Toni’s and Alison’s (now in the Maidstone Arms) for a big night out or the Candy Kitchen or Sip n’ Soda for a burger and shake.

WHERE TO SHOP:

There are a rash of new shops that have opened since Memorial Day weekend this year. The two main shopping towns remain East Hampton and Southampton, but there are treasures, especially items for the home, to be found in Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor.

East Hampton folks take their entertaining seriously, and Kim Seybert has doubled her tabletop options in her space near Home James!. Hosts and guests wear uniforms of the Old Guard (Lilly Pulitzer and Tory Burch) or of the rich hippy persuasion (Roberta Freymann, Scoop and Calypso).

New or expanded in East Hampton: Kim Seybert, Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren’s Rugby.

Southampton, meanwhile, has seen an invasion of Palm Beach retailers who’ve moved north to this enclave en masse with outposts of Nancy Corzine, Giorgio’s, Altona, and Il Sandalo. Even H. Groome, which had a shop in Palm Beach, closed it last year and has expanded here. For the socialite channeling her inner surf chic or gypsy are Carleen Ligozio, Tracy Feith and Anya’s, but overall there is more of a glamour girl swathed in cashmere aesthetic.

Also new in Southampton: Albrite (for designer rentals), Earnest Sewn, Erin Snow, Jackie Rogers and Malia Mills.

New in Sag Harbor: Lisa Perry and Donna Karan’s Urban Zen.

New in Water Mill: Yigal Azourel.

New in Wainscott: Bellhaus.

New in Montauk: Tracy Feith.