A 3 Hour Tour
June 15th, 2006 by Katie
I’ll do anything - from hitchhiking, straphanging and jitneyjumping - to get outta town. Instigated by ’summer fridays’ and NYers’ competitive edge to one-up everyone else, we flock like the am rush on the staten island ferry - east by northeast to our 75degree-and-sunny mecca, to Long Island.
Before you roll your eyes at yet another raving review of some socialite’s bullshit Hampton’s party - keep it in your pants. I headed on a quaint trip to two unique locales on the search for a casual, intimate and glamouritesque hot spot. First stop, Shelter Island.
SI is a bucolic town you’d think nutured the same generations of locals for decades given the mom + pop stores surrounded by terrfic landscapes. Yet slowly but surely the place grew on me like whiskey on the rocks. We signed up for a 10K race through the island to get a good view … and then opted for the 5K instead. (No judging - you would too.) After a quick 3.1 miles, we celebrated at the Sunset Beach Hotel on Crescent Beach, in large wicker chairs shaped as seashells, by chain-smoking with a few cocktails. When my co-conspirator, glamourite Lauren, and I finally blackmailed each other into leaving, Lauren shamboozled two tall, dark and handsome surfers to escort us back to the ferry - which safely shipped us back to land.
In an attempt to one-up even ourselves, we picked up the pace through the Bridge and East Hamptons until we got to the one place that would make me sublet my midtown apartment until Labor Day - Montauk (or “The End,” the furthest point out in LI). Without plans or reservations, we caught a break and got the last campsite at Hither Hills State Park on the beach. The facility was clean, the staff had a NY attitude with a southern hospitality, and the waves were slammin’ (I’m trying to bring the 80s vocab back). Our new pad was only topped by the surf at Ditch Plains. The cliffs draped over the beach remarkably as we took a seat at the picnic table to take in the view. The entire trip was finally worthwhile by eating at the Ditch Witch Wagon (reco: The Grant sandwich with Abs’ brew).
Having hit the pinnacle of our trip, we jumped on the LIE for a 3-hour tour back to the city, plotting our next adventure as usual.
July 21st, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Well, here’s a couple thoughts from a world renowned traveler.
1. Attempt to make plans before the 5 O’Clock bell rings.
2. Never use “Keep it in your pants” without my permission.
3. I want to see the picture of Lauren carrying you on her back the whole 3.1 miles “you” ran!
4. Who opts to actually run a race without asking P-Diddy?
5. You have never been camping in your life and you decide to spin the wheel of death with “BAD ASS Mass”?
6. When making a quick move on a Friday afternoon, always charter a jet, not procure a train ticket.
7. If you need some money, just call. I’ll make sure not to answer..
8. I need my own Blog to show you how it’s really done.
9. LOVE, PEACE and Jergens:>)