When most people think of the Hamptons, they think of P.Diddy, “All White Parties,” and yachts — something akin to the City’s alternative to San Tropez. When I think of the Hamptons, I think pool, beach, family, low-key dinners with old friends at familiar restaurants and rejuvenation of my soul from the hectic city life. I have been coming to the Hamptons (“Out East” as New Yorkers say) regularly for about 15 years. I was introduced to this slice of heaven 90 minutes from the city, by one of my besties, Tracey Brown, after her family built a lovely beach house on the appropriately named “Azurest” Beach in Sag Harbor. I fondly remember the love that went into planning the house from its construction, to shopping for patio furniture with Tracey and her mom, to the eventual addition of air conditioning (after we spent an entire weekend on the couch in the stifling August “Good Times” heat, as her brother affectionately called it). The AC was a huge give considering the family despises AC for the most part and the house gets a lovely breeze from the ocean out back. I have a familial feeling for the Hamptons, and this probably always will be my experience, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. After work on Monday, I packed up my files and portable printer and headed Out East to a rented house for a week of work, mind and body rejuvenation. City life is wonderful, but my spirit requires an intermittent reprieve from the constant stimulation. On my drive, I set my intention to work quietly and attract inspiration. On Sunday morning, as I write this, listening to the pool gurgling, I am about to cook salmon, arugula and egg white omelets for me and my guests, I think it’s “Mission Accomplished” this week. It rained a cleansing rain for the first half of the week and I appreciated the cooler temperatures and drizzle. The weather helped to focus my attention squarely on work, where it needed to be. This was not a vacation, rather me working remotely, which is not uncommon for lawyers. We’re accustomed to it as much as we travel for work and conferences. I also vowed to get back to my morning core classes at Exhale, which had suffered due to my late nights at French immersion class. After a few weeks of sporadic workouts which were clearly not tempered by a reduced appetite, I felt my body morphing into something rather unfamiliar. Vow number two: get in some serious cardio and take five core classes over the week. I began each morning journaling by the pool, followed by checking emails and organizing my To Do list. I then headed to Exhale for core class. Afterwards, I went to the market, cooked, and worked on a project-by-project basis throughout the day, with rejuvenation “breaks” peppered in, and often worked well into the evening. I had a playdate with my three-year-old goddaughter Harmon, while her mom (Tracey) and I caught up. No Hamptons trip would be complete without my third wheel date with my client and friend of 17 years Crystal Anthony, and her boyfriend. We had a fantastic dinner at The Grill in East Hampton and she brought me brought up to speed on her movie project “Home Court Advantage” we’re working on (stay tuned). We laughed about everything, including our ongoing joke about her boyfriend, Raymond, running off one of my dates in Miami. These are some of the times that nourish my soul and feed my spirit. I had to break up my week of bliss to come back into the city for a meeting and a midweek event. I hopped on the Jitney bus and worked for two hours and was able to scratch a few more things off my To Do list by the time I’d arrived. After I checked the meeting off my list, I ran to meet my colleague Keven Davis, who serves as a true demonstration of what cooperative lawyering should be. We met up at a Hampton’s Magazine party for our client Serena Williams. Serena was as charming and beautiful as ever, rocking a fab mini dress, smoky eyeliner while working a boot on her foot due to her recent surgery. As tempted as I was to stay in the city, I hopped back on the Jitney and made it back the same night. I truly love the city, but missed meditating under the stars while listening to crickets. I love the fact that a few times a summer, I shed the city mindset and walk barefoot through the grass out East. I topped of my week surrounded by a few friends who came to visit. We cooked, drank lots of Rose wine, and shared blissful pool time and conversation. After they left, I headed over to Sag Harbor to frolic on the beach with Tracey and the family. After a full afternoon of beach activities, I capped it off with a tea party with Harmon. Does life get any better than a wonderful, lazy beach day, followed by a playdate with a three-year-old? As I pack to go home, I am truly refreshed. I am also ever grateful for the friendships and moments that rejuvenate my spirit and soul. I think we should all be grateful for these moments, wherever we may find them.
