A n n o u n c i n g o u r n e w s h o w r o o m a t t h e N e w Y o r k D e s i g n C e n t e r !
2 0 0 L e x i n g t o n A v e S u i t e 4 2 1
The director, who hails from a cinematic dynasty, releases his new film June Zero about an infamous Nazi war criminal’s trial.
By David Graver
The world’s most famous tightrope walker, Philippe Petit is much more than a daredevil thrill seeker.
By Ted Hildner
The season’s most coveted and stylish clothes and accessories.
By Natalie D. Kaczinski
BEACH FRONT The pool deck on the beach at Casa Las Olas in Montauk.
10 ON THE AVENUE
Warmer days mean hotter wheels: the season’s raciest cars and an insightful chat with William Manger Jr., the mayor of Southampton. BY PETER
DAVIS
16 THE MAN RULING THE HAMPTONS DINING SCENE
Meet Piero Zangarini, the charismatic restaurateur who just opened two buzzy new eateries: N’Amo in Montauk and East Hampton’s Village Bistro. BY PETER
DAVIS
CULTURE
22 JULIA CHIANG
The Brooklyn-based artist delves into the body and beyond with her first solo show at The Parrish Art Museum. BY ANNABEL KEENAN
26 RYAN SCHNEIDER
Artist Ryan Schneider left New York for Joshua Tree in the California high desert to carve a space of his own—in both his life and art. BY ANNABEL KEENAN
30 ATTACK OF THE BRAT
Gabriel Smith’s first novel, Brat , is getting the London-based author acclaim and fame on both sides of the pond. BY PETER
DAVIS
56
JAW-DROPPING PROPERTIES IN THE HAMPTONS
An exclusive peek behind ] the hedge groves at the East End’s most mind-blowing estates.
JOURNEYS
68 NANTUCKET REDS, THE WHITE ELEPHANT, AND ATLANTIC BLUE
The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin, perched on historic wharfs, let visitors live like a whaler—but in luxury. BY PETER DAVIS
88 Q&AVE
Native New Yorker and actress Jennifer Esposito’s first film as a writer and director, the female-focused mob tale Fresh Kills , is a game-changer for both the genre and Esposito herself. BY PETER DAVIS
FRESH CATCH The dining room, clams and oysters at N’amo in Montauk
HAMPTONS LUXE
The pool area at 359 Meadow Lane in Southampton.
Editor’s Letter
It’s summer, the sun is shining, and New York is on the move—many decamping to the Hamptons where, in this issue, we check in on the newest restaurants out east and get an exclusive tour of the most jaw-dropping houses. At Avenue, we celebrate movement. Philippe Petit, the French tightrope walker that wowed the world when he crossed the Twin Towers on a high wire in 1974, calls New York his home. At 74, he has no plans to stand still. This month he celebrates the 50th anniversary of his famous walk (1,350 feet above ground) with what else: another mind-blowing performance. Editor-at-large Ted Hildner visited Petit at St. John the Divine where the tightrope walker is an artist-inresidence. “Why would I retire?” Petit exclaimed. “I think it’s a very safe profession, if you have a love of life and I love my life.”
Our executive editor, David Graver, profiles director Jake Paltrow, who is moving audiences with his film June Zero, which follows the trial and events leading to the death sentence of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann through three distinct perspectives. Paltrow hails from a clan of cinematic royalty—his sister is Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, his mother is actress Blythe Danner, and his late father, Bruce Paltrow, was an accomplished producer—yet he is a Hollywood mover in his own right. Getting June Zero made was a struggle, but Paltrow says it’s his most personal and successful film to date. “If I am lucky enough to continue to make movies, it will probably be considered the one where I feel we achieved what we set out to achieve best,” he confesses.
Never standing still, we are busy putting together our next issue—filled with the movers and shakers that make New York the best city on the planet.
See you in the Hamptons,
PETER DAVIS Editor-in-Chief
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Peter Davis
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Natalie D. Kaczinski
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
David Graver
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Ted Hildner
FASHION EDITOR
Nolan Meader
ART ASSISTANT
Mickey McCranor
COPY CHIEF
Danielle Whalen
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Alex Fener
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mike Albo
Annabel Keenan
Janet Mercel
Ray Rogers
Constance C.R. White
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ben Cope, Sophie Elgort, Edd Horder, Bella Howard, Richard Kern, Jai Lennard, Nick Mele, Alexander Thompson
PUBLISHER
Julie Dannenberg COHEN
CHAIRMAN
Charles S. Cohen
We’re kind of in big deals. a big deal
Year after year, some of the country’s most noteworthy residential real estate deals happen on the East End of Long Island. And so far in 2024, in the communities of the Hamptons, the North Fork, and Shelter Island, half of all transactions over $10 million have something in common.
Asummer weekend to the Hamptons evokes words like “carefree” and “whimsical.” Wind in the hair, music pulsating through the speakers; the journey as amusing as the destination. There are, of course, automobiles that embody this longer-day, warmer-night season perfectly and stylishly. Below, Avenue presents the vehicles that rise to the sunny, and sometimes sand-filled, occasion.
Moke America
A reinvented, classic four-person cruiser from the 1960s, the Moke (rhymes with “bloke”) is neither a car nor a golf cart, but rather a door- and windowless low-speed vehicle that tops out at 25 miles per hour. Electrically powered, thanks to its lithium battery (up to a 75-mile range), Moke America’s namesake vehicle offers stylish options like wicker seats, a wood steering wheel, and 13 different colors, including camouflage. The company’s latest partnership with Palm Beach-inspired fashion brand Lilly Pulitzer features the first-ever fringe-detailed roof option and peony-pink rims. From $24,000, fully customizable Moke’s require a five-month lead time while more stock options are available at domestic dealerships, mokeamerica.com
Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II
Imagine watching the Southampton sun set into the horizon from the comfort of a bespoke leather seat cozily perched on a tailgate. Emerging from within the rear compartment of the Cullinan (along with a cocktail table, perfect for a set of chilled champagne flutes), the pair of chairs offers an escape into nature at your whim. Enjoy air heavy with the smell of salt carried on the wind without the pesky notion of sand stuck between your toes. The Cullinan Series II, a refresh of the first-ever super-luxury SUV, includes textiles made from natural bamboo fibers and 23-inch wheels with 10 interwoven spokes. From $391,750, rolls-royce.com
McLaren
750S Spider
Behold the retractable hard top that can vanish in a mere 11-seconds at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. There are convertibles and then there are supercars, and the 750S Spider combines the two into a sensory-filled package. It can handle winding, scenic roads with aplomb thanks to its four-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that’s mid-mounted for perfect weight distribution. Whether a daily driver or a weekend vehicle, the 750S Spider induces excitement. From $324,000, cars.mclaren.com
Cadillac Lyriq Luxury
A reimagined grand-touring wagon capable of stowing all the beach accoutrements (coolers, umbrellas, water toys) plus kids and dogs, it’s easy to see how the Lyriq continues the Cadillac DNA from a company that created the legendary DeVille. What garage didn’t have a poster of that giant convertible tacked to its wall? Cadillac’s first fully electric vehicle, the Lyriq boasts a silhouette that avoids the boxy SUV/crossover designs and instead opts for a slicker, raked roofline and extended rear. The dual-motor AWD (307-mile range) can easily navigate the hard-packed sand of a Dune Road beach at low tide, while the state-of-the-art self-driving system, called “Super Cruise”—as well as speakers in the headrests and a panoramic sunroof—will be helpful when the driver opts to tune the world out and merely meander along the coast. From $62,690, cadillac.com
McClaren 750S Spider
Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II
Mayor William Manger Jr.
In 2023, longtime Southampton fixture
Bill Manger defeated incumbent mayor of Southampton Jesse Warren, snagging 58 percent of the vote. Manger campaigned under the banner “Better Together” and tells Avenue why Southampton is so improved since he took office.
Mayor of Southampton must keep you busy. The busiest is trying to make improvements to the village infrastructure, as well as trying to continue to implement recommendations of the comprehensive plan that was completed for the village two years ago.
What was that plan?
[It was] something that the village undertook after not having updated its master plan in 20 years: to look at zoning, having more bicycle–pedestrian access in the village. It’s trying to give a roadmap for the village for the next 10 to 15 years.
You grew up coming here. Did you think, “One day I'm going to be the mayor of Southampton”?
I did not think I was going to be the mayor. I got interested in local politics in 1997 when I ran for trustee and was elected to the village board. I served two terms before I decided to work for the federal government. I worked for [them] for 10 years, which is quite a lot, both at the Department of Transportation and at the Small Business Administration. I ended up being number two at the agency during the Paycheck Protection Program, which, during Covid, gave out billions of dollars to small businesses and not-for-profits to keep them alive during the pandemic.
When did you decide to run for mayor of Southampton?
I started working for the federal government in 2001, then worked in New York at a boutique investment bank doing consulting, then went to the Small Business Administration. I came back to Southampton and ran for trustee and was elected in 2022. When the mayor’s position came up in 2023, I decided to run and was lucky enough to get elected. I’ve been in for one year and it’s a two-year term. The election isn’t up again until June of 2025.
And you’ll run again for reelection?
I would like to continue to make improvements to the village. It will take more than one year. I would like to stay and get as much done as I can.
What’s been the biggest challenge since you started?
How busy you are. Everybody wants to talk to the mayor—lots of opinions and issues need to be addressed. It really is a full-time job. There’s a lot of infrastructure projects that were just not taken care of. For example, we’re spending a lot of money from the capital budget to put a new roof on the Veterans Memorial Hall and a new roof on the Southampton Arts Center (SAC), which was the old Parrish Art Museum.
I didn’t know it needed a new roof. It hadn’t been touched in years. It’s sad. If you go to the Arts Center during a heavy rain, they put buckets out in the galleries—the roof is leaking. I said, “This has to stop.” We’re spending half-a-million dollars to put a new roof. We’re getting slate brought in from Vermont so that the roof looks as it has historically when it was the Parrish Art Museum. We’re hoping that’ll be done in the fall so we won’t have the staff at SAC pull buckets out when it’s raining.
East Hampton had major drama with Zero Bond wanting to open. Have you faced that in Southampton with nightlife?
No. We have some institutions in the village that create a bit of noise and can be a nuisance to neighbors, especially when close to residents’ homes. We’ve been working to mitigate those issues. Thankfully, Memorial Day weekend was quite calm.
Growing up in Southampton, we’ve both seen so much change for the better and the worse. One thing for the better is improvements to some of the structures in the village. Downtown looks pretty good. The downside is the village is a victim of its own success, and we have an inordinate amount of traffic during the week—what’s known as the “Trade Parade” where they’re coming east in the morning and going west in the afternoon.
The population swelled during Covid. More people mean more cars.
The census in the middle of Covid showed that there were about 4,500 residents in the village. That was an upswing from the 2010 census. But I would say in the last year some of those people have moved elsewhere. Many moved down to Florida for tax reasons, and some moved back to the city. Though it has grown, we’re not at the levels we were at during the peak of the pandemic.
Any news about the movie theater? I know Aby Rosen bought it. Please tell me it’s not going to become a shopping mall.
I’ve spoken on the phone with Aby and he says he is going to be able to open the movie theater and show films again by 2025.
“WE’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT’S UNIQUE HERE—THE FACT THAT WE’RE THAT MUCH CLOSER TO THE CITY AND DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE HIGHWAY FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO EAST HAMPTON, WHICH CAN BE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER ON WEEKENDS.”
–WILLIAM MANGER JR.
What a relief! I hope he plays Jaws every July. He’s getting additional equipment and doing more work to the building. He’s changed out all the seats. One of the theaters is going to be an IMAX. He wants to have not only first-run films, but independent films. I’ve heard he wants to have some live performances and he’s looking to open a café next door.
I am not against change, but I am loyal to Southampton stalwarts, like Shippy’s. Shippy’s reopened last year under a new manager. Locals enjoy it just as much as anybody else does, and that’s been a great asset to Windmill Lane.
Is it a challenge for places like Shippy’s, or, my personal favorite, Sip’n Soda, to stay in business and compete with fancy places from the city, like Sant Ambroeus?
Everybody still loves Sip’n Soda, that’s been an institution since 1958. It’s still difficult to get a table there on weekends. You run into a lot of people. It’s a longstanding village institution, just like Herrick Hardware which is the oldest continually operated department store in the United States.
I didn’t know that. I still think Southampton has the best beaches on the East Coast.
We got awarded by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, who is known as “Dr. Beach,” as having the best beach in the continental United States. The number one beach in the United States is on Oahu in Hawaii. But we got the number one beach in the continental United States. We were very pleased to see that Main Beach in East Hampton came in sixth. If you haven’t been to Coopers Beach recently, check it out. The concession stand is now managed by the owner of Shippy’s. You can order a “mash burger,” which is a huge hit at Shippy’s.
There must be competition between Southampton and East Hampton. East Hampton is like Rodeo Drive now with Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton.
We don’t compete. We’ve got something that’s unique here—the fact that we’re that much closer to the city and don’t have to deal with the highway from Southampton to East Hampton, which can be bumper-to-bumper on weekends. A lot of people have told me they’re glad that we don’t have Prada and Chanel. They like the mix we have. We have Sant Ambroeus and people have told me that the Sant Ambroeus in Southampton is better than the Sant Ambroeus in East Hampton.
What spots get the mayoral stamp of approval?
I’d probably have to start with Sip’n Soda because I’ve been going there since I was born. Catena’s on North Main Street to get the fried chicken— that’s been a staple since I was a kid. As much as things have changed, things have stayed the same.
Your office is right on Main Street. People must stop you on the sidewalk and ask for favors daily.
I sometimes get that when I go to the post office. But what is nice is sometimes, even just when I’m running in to get something at the drugstore, which is now CVS, people say hello to me in the parking lot. “Hi Mayor, how you doing?” It makes you think the place is a little bit like Mayberry.
You got to march in the Fourth of July parade. Yes! Here’s an interesting little tidbit: it’s the largest parade on Long Island for the Fourth of July. We have people come from all over. The parade is always led off by the veterans, but the next group that gets to march is the
Southampton Village Board of Trustees. So, I’m marching right there in the center.
Do you have any memories of the parade as a kid? They used to throw candy and I was obsessed with that.
They still do that, but it’s not as much as when we were kids. My siblings and I would sit on the curb right outside where the store Shep Miller was and watch the parade turn from Main Street to Job’s Lane. My family still stands on that corner to watch the parade. My family first started coming out to Southampton in the 1950s, that was a long time ago. My father first summered here the year that Sip’n Soda opened in 1958.
Are you out of the office a lot or stuck behind a desk buried with paperwork?
No day is typical. Last week I had the secondgrade class from Southampton Elementary School who wanted to study local government and how they can affect change at the local government level. All the kids came in to do a little mock meeting in the boardroom. They loved getting up and speaking at the mic.
Is summer the busiest time for you as mayor?
Summer is busy because of the number of people that are here. Thanksgiving gets very busy. We have the tree lighting and a parade on the Saturday after Thanksgiving that has become massive. It’s almost as big as the Fourth of July parade. This past year we had participants from the fire departments of nine jurisdictions from Riverhead to Montauk, and they all came for the tree lighting.
Tell us some things to do in the village people might not know about.
You can go to the Southampton Fire Department chicken-and-ribs dinner on Windmill Lane. Or go to Shakespeare in Agawam Park. We’ve got concerts every Wednesday in Agawam Park and we do two nights where the concerts are moved to Coopers Beach. We set up the bands at Coopers and the beach is absolutely packed. And we now regularly see whales and dolphins off the beach in Southampton.
I’ve never seen a whale in Southampton or even in Montauk for that matter.
The ocean has cleaned up since the 1970s. There are now huge schools of minnows that attract whales. You can see whales blowing off the coast and pods of dolphins swimming together. It’s amazing. Sometimes you see them breach. I never saw that as a kid and now you see it quite regularly.
Nothing compares to what’s next.
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Meet the Man
Ruling the Hamptons Restaurant Scene
With two new hot spots added to his ever-expanding portfolio, N’Amo in Montauk and East Hampton’s Village Bistro, Italian hospitality visionary Piero Zangarini is primed to own summer out east
It’s 8 PM on Friday night in Montauk and Piero Zangarini is working the room at N’Amo, the latest eatery in his culinary empire. The stylish, handsome restaurateur says hello to Simon Huck and his husband, Phil Riportella. Nearby he gives a big, warm hug to fashion force Jenné Lombardo and husband, Harvey Newton-Haydon. “Everyone knows Piero,” Huck declares. “And everyone loves him.”
Zangarini is swiftly becoming the Keith McNally of the Hamptons. He’s doing so under the umbrella of NSN Hospitality (The “NSN” stands for “never say no”) with his business partner, culinary guru Dane Sayles. His other restaurants include Sí Sí, a Mediterranean eatery overlooking Three Mile Harbor and the marina in East Hampton. Steps
The large outdoor deck has a DJ booth manned by turntable maestros like Curtis Haywood and Adam Lipson and becomes a full-on day club every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 PM. Think Mykonos meets Montauk.
away from Sí Sí, he has Sunset Harbor, a cozy, chic sushi spot popular for private parties hosted by fashionable names like Missoni and Zimmermann. Also on the harbor is his Buongiorno bakery, where you can collect a fresh Nutella croissant or tasty grab-n-go lunch before you jump on a boat. In Southampton, Zangarini has Enchanté Bistro, which took over the famous Red Bar space on Hampton Road last spring.
N’Amo takes its name from the Italian slang word for the hook that draws the freshest catch and is in the heart of Montauk’s famed fishing port (before hipsters discovered the town, it was a sleepy enclave populated by fisherman). The long main room overlooks fishing vessels and big-boy yachts and is open and airy with a natural woodbeamed ceiling and blue-and-white awning stripe cushions. A large painting reads “Bite me!” on one wall and “Get hooked” on another. Rows of windows face the sea and beyond. Given the choice locale, the menu skews toward seafood, inspired by modern Italian coastal cuisine with what Zangarini describes as “the spirit of the far east.” At the raw bar, a bounty of oysters, whole fishes, and clams are displayed like trophies on ice.
After ripping apart the piping-hot sesame Parker buns with mascarpone and oregano butter, we dive into the scallops crudo, which arrive with melon aguachile, serrano bay leaf oil, and a little jolt of flowering cilantro. For antipasti, the cacio e pepe cannellini beans are perfect with baby kale, parmigiano, and Sarawak black pepper. “Montauk distinguishes itself from places like East Hampton through its strong connection to the sea and its fishing village heritage,” Zangarini explains as I devour the N’Amo chopped salad, a take on the famed Arthur Avenue salad with giardiniera vegetables, soppressata, and huge herb croutons. “The coastal charm and maritime culture provide a more relaxed seaside experience.”
N’AMO BE THERE Opposite page: the dining room at N’Amo, Montauk’s newest hot spot.
Above: Restaurateur Piero Zangarini and partner, Dane Sayles; desserts at N’Amo include baked Alaska and house-made sorbets.
The pastas are all handmade and worth carb-loading. I normally don’t love crab, but the Dungeness crab ravioli sprinkled with English peas in saffron butter and crab oil changes my mind. The squid ink radiatori (a pasta shaped kind of like a radiator) was a close second with marinated mussels, clams, and calamari in uni butter with anchovy breadcrumbs. Kind of stuffed, we continue to dine, ordering the catch of the day: a whole branzino, grilled to perfection and served with four delicious sauces: salsa verde, brown-butter garlic emulsion, puttanesca sauce, and a lemon-y herbed Sicilian salmoriglio. For carnivores, there is a dry-aged bone-in ribeye and a simple but delicious chicken al limone with caper lemon gremolata, crispy shallots, and broccoli rabe (which has become the veggie of the summer).
By 9 PM, the room starts to fill up fast with Montauk’s PYTs. The fashion influencer/musician and DJ Bryan Griffin pops over to my table. Griffin
is DJing at N’Amo all summer. The large outdoor deck has a DJ booth manned by turntable maestros like Curtis Haywood and Adam Lipson and becomes a full-on day club every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 PM. Think Mykonos meets Montauk. Already 50 Cent, Rachel Zoe, Charlotte Groeneveld, Cynthia Rowley, and Aurora James have all been seen chez N’Amo.
As “Murder on the Dancefloor” pumps through the room, a stylish throng of twentysomethings by the bar starts busting a few moves. We opt for dessert over dancing. The tiramisu baked Alaska is a must. It serves two and the meringue gets torched tableside by your server. We also spoon-up bowls of blood-orange sorbet and olive oil gelato. Over a double espresso (needed for the haul back home on Sunset Highway), I learn that Zangarini is opening Main Street Market in Southampton with a café, wine and coffee bar, and high-end grocery store. Citarella better watch its (high-priced) back!
DOCKSIDING N’Amo is located on the water in historic Montauk Harbor.
The next day I swing by Zangarini’s other new spot: Village Bistro, which took over Rowdy Hall near the movie theater in East Hampton. A year-round go-to French brasserie, the space has been spruced-up from its former Rowdy Pub days with Tiffany-blue banquettes and a long copper-top bar. We order a slew of bistro classics: the French onion soup with a perfectly soggy baguette smothered in melted Gruyère cheese; the steak tartare with a mixed salad and both the croque madame with Comté cheese, bechamel sauce, bistro ham, and a fried egg; and the herb-roasted chicken with bacon lardon, mushrooms, cloud-like whipped potato, and chicken jus. For dessert, the pot de crème includes almond crumble and macerated berries and the crème brûlée has the perfectly burnt sugar crust that cracks like a thin sheet of glass when you slice your spoon to get to the vanilla custard. With N’Amo, Village Bistro, and soon Main Street Market, Zangarini is on a serious restaurant roll. Bon appetit!
Village Bistro
VILLE VIBES
Top: Village Bistro is tucked away off Main Street in East Hampton.
Bottom: one of Village Bistro’s colorful and fresh menu items.
1. Tribeca Grand
140 Franklin St. 7BR. 4.5 Bath. $17.5M. Web #22802358. Richard Orenstein 212-381-4248
2. Iconic Elegance at the Kenilworth
151 Central Park W. 3BR. 3 Bath. $12M. Web #22972953. Mike Lubin 917-371-6723
3. A Spectacular Oasis
432 Park Ave. 3BR. 4.5 Bath. $35M. Web #22810197. Anne Prosser 917-710-8686
4. Magnificently Renovated by Renowned Architect Peter Marino 4 East 66th. 5BR. 8 Bath. $34M. Web #22959001.
Mary L. Fitzgibbons 917-653-6279 Martha Kramer 917-748-7422
5. Iconic West End Avenue
AD100 Designer Duplex
465 West End Ave. 5BR. 3.5 Bath. $6.5M. Web #22988907. Daniella G. Schlisser 212-906-9348
6. Five Bedroom Palace in the Sky 203 East 72nd St. 5BR. 5.5 Bath. $5.5M. Web #22972772. Lauren Cangiano 646-286-5900 Alisha Lloyd-Hudson 917-597-1511
7. Iconic Address, Park-Front Home
212 Fifth Ave. 3BR. 2.5 Bath. $10.995M. Web #22734199. Cordelia F. Robb 917-749-1866
8. Elegant 20’ Wide West Village Townhome 735 Washington St. 4BR. 5 Bath. $10M. Web #22399767. David E. Kornmeier 917-494-4302
Julia Chiang Dives into the Body and Beyond
By Annabel Keenan
In Julia Chiang’s work, the minutiae of organic forms speak to grander narratives of the human experience. Drawing inspiration from medical scans, blood vessels, and internal cavities, the Brooklyn-based abstract artist invites viewers to embark on an intimate journey into the body in paintings and ceramics with repetitive patterns and vibrant color palettes. Chiang’s process is deliberate and intuitive; a harmonious blend where organic shapes seem to emerge and proliferate across the composition. Colors and patterns vie for space and dominance, as if the lines and dots dance in a slow, constant motion. While using the language of abstraction, Chiang’s practice is deeply rooted in the physicality of the human body, and her visually rich work serves as introspective allegories of the corporeal and the psychological. The complexity of her work mirrors the complexity of her subjects as she captures the physical and the intangible of the human body—the emotions, the
fleeting sensations, the essence of our existence that is so difficult to define.
“I think as humans we are giant containers of endlessness, holding physically and emotionally and oozing and leaking and overflowing while constantly taking more in,” Chiang tells Avenue “Imagine a vessel that gets so full it’s about to burst but releases enough to survive and then expands again and repeats the cycle. There are both imagined and physically real boundaries between our bodies and everything beyond what I’m constantly thinking about in what I make. Thinking about personal history and healing and regeneration and how these invisible bits that fill us up and escape us, connect us all.”
Connectivity and the tension between internal strife and external pressures of the body are at the heart of Chiang’s practice. In some pieces, fields of small, green lines billow across the composition, recalling grass blowing in the wind or microscopic views of sinewy muscles. In others, rich red hues
Feel It Now, 2024, acrylic on wood panel.
She Always Saw Her, 2024, acrylic on wood panel.
“It’s amazing how many colors exist and the stories they tell. Colors as protection, as warning, as survival. I’m drawn to brilliant colors from medical scans, poisonous snakes and frogs, birds, plants, mainly colors that offer themselves as a signal of some sort.”
—Julia Chiang
flush the surface like blood coursing through a vein, perhaps a sign of lust. Throughout her work, Chiang uses richly varied color palettes, combining and layering vivid hues sprinkled with her signature repetitive patterns. “As varied as they are, I don’t think I’ve ever used a color that I haven’t seen or found existed already in nature,” she says. Chiang usually starts by focusing on a color she feels is closely connected to our bodies. “It’s amazing how many colors exist and the stories they tell,” she says. “Colors as protection, as warning, as survival. I’m drawn to brilliant colors from medical scans, poisonous snakes and frogs, birds, plants, mainly colors that offer themselves as a signal of some sort.”
This summer, the Parrish Art Museum is staging the artist’s first museum solo show, one of four exhibitions that will fill the halls of the storied Hamptons institution, including a concurrent survey of paintings and sculptures by Chiang’s husband, Brian Donnelly, the artist known as KAWS. Chiang’s show features large-scale paintings and ceramics that create a cohesive narrative of the body that is both visual and conceptual.
All but one painting were made specifically for the show, and the ceramic works include a mix of old and new, offering a glimpse of Chiang’s practice in recent years. Throughout the exhibition, the artist invites introspection. “Julia’s work is layered in both the material aspects and in her thought process while making," says Brianna L. Hernández, assistant curator at the Parrish. “Once visitors ex-
perience the meditative qualities of the paintings and ceramics in person, I hope they’ll take away a deeper sense of curiosity and wonder for the connections Chiang imbues into the finished pieces.”
In preparing for the exhibition, Chiang took inspiration from her own experience in the natural environment of the Hamptons. “Every time I visit out east the main priority is getting to the water,” she says. “I love the power of the ocean. The vulnerable feeling of being out there and how you are swallowed by the forces of nature. I’m focusing on that energy and all the feelings that are connected to that and my experiences of color, senses, and weight into the new work.”
Each composition seems to hold the capacity for both strength and fragility, inspiring different sensations in the viewer as they work through the layers. While Chiang draws inspiration from many sources, her references are fluid and boundless, as are the responses each piece can evoke. A work that resembles a vast universe filled with pulsating stars to one viewer might recall a deep ocean or a microscopic view of a cell to another. For Chiang, she hopes the show offers an opportunity to pause or find a personal connection: “Maybe it would be from their past or maybe the connection would happen later, but that the time given to looking potentially becomes part of their memory and their story.” Ultimately, what the visitor does take from her work is up to them, a beautiful open-endedness that is a testament to the power of wonder.
Ryan Schneider Carves a Space of His Own
BY ANNABEL KEENAN
The Californian high desert has long served as inspiration for artists. The extreme climate and stunning, rugged landscape captivates with its mystery, resembling something otherworldly and mystical while also offering a respite from the stress and bustle of urban life. Artist Ryan Schneider has made this ethereal landscape his home for nearly a decade. He originally came to the desert for a three-month break from New York City where he had been living for 13 years. After a few weeks, he realized he craved nature and moved to Joshua Tree.
Hunter / Seeker, 2023, bronze.
The effect of the desert was nearly instant. “When living in New York, my work had a personal narrative to it—it was always about me, my city, my relationships,” Schneider tells Avenue “When I got to Joshua Tree I very quickly began to disappear from my work. It started to describe something more sensed than seen. The desert had that effect, which is why I believe so many people are drawn to this place. It allows you to disappear and be a fractal of a greater whole.” In the years since, Schneider’s practice has become heavily influenced by the environment, as well as tree spirit mythology, German expressionism, Cubism, and a range of pre-Christian traditions. He combines these influences in vibrantly colored paintings and sculptures made of wood and bronze that toe the line of abstraction and figuration. As we speak, with the expansive desert as a backdrop, Schneider is busy putting the final touches on “Nocturner,” his first solo show with Almine Rech in New York, which opened June 27.
At the heart of “Nocturner” is a painting of the same name. In it, Schneider has portrayed a stunning, nude female figure in spectacular shades of blue and fuchsia—“night colors,” as he calls them, a departure from the neon hues he’s known for. Painted on carved wood, the figure locks eyes with the viewer in a fleeting, intimate moment. Her long hair blends into the abstract zig-zag pattern of the background, lending a Cubist air to the work. Its nocturnal atmosphere permeates the show as similar “night colors” and contemplative moments unfold.
Nocturner is Schneider’s first “carved painting,” a new development in his practice. Indeed, he only started working with wood five years ago when he was feeling backed into a corner with the traditional figurative and still-life paintings he had been making. “I was in a stagnant place with my work, and I could feel that there was something else I needed to do, but I wasn’t sure what,” he says. “I had always loved the wood sculptures of Georg Baselitz and was turned on by carved wood sculptures in general—whether by Kirchner, or African and Polynesian traditions, it always just grabbed me when I encountered it—it’s always ‘in the ether.’”
Armed with a small chainsaw, he started to experiment with wood carving. “It was really awkward, and relatively dangerous,” Schneider jokes. He often uses Torrey pine, which is softer and easier to carve into, and creates upright, totemic sculptures inspired by the primal essence of the desert. In the beginning, being new to the
Nocturner, 2024, oil on sequoia.
“When I got to Joshua Tree I very quickly began to disappear from my work. It started to describe something more sensed than seen. The desert had that effect, which is why I believe so many people are drawn to this place. It allows you to disappear and be a fractal of a greater whole.”
—Ryan Schneider
material, he didn’t have a frame of reference for how to use it or how physically demanding the process would be. Trial and error, Schneider says, have been his biggest teachers.
Shortly after his first foray into wood carving, Schneider understood something important was happening. “I knew instinctively that this is what I was supposed to be doing,” he explains. “I kept at it; imagining no one would understand or want to show my sculptures, but not really caring because I felt a level of satisfaction in my work I hadn’t known before.” Wood quickly became a crucial part of his practice, and he stopped making traditional paintings two years ago. Now, he spends much of his day moving heavy logs and getting covered in sawdust and gasoline.
After years of making wood sculptures, Schneider’s latest innovation with the material–carved paintings–marks a new chapter that blurs the line between painting and sculpture. He began experimenting with carved paintings at the beginning of winter. “I connected with some woodworkers up north and they brought me slabs of young sequoia,” he explains. He cut these into smaller rectangles and hung them in his outdoor studio. As he often does, Schneider spent time with the rectangles and let the
THE BLUE ZONE Artist Ryan Schneider with a sculpture.
material guide the creative process. “One day, while working on another sculpture, I turned to one of the rectangles and could see a female figure in it,” he says. He then drew a figure with his chainsaw, thus creating Nocturner
Joining this in the show are additional carved paintings and examples of Schneider’s works in bronze, a medium he first worked with in 2022. To make these, he begins by creating a sculpture out of wood and then works with a foundry to make a cast. The result reveals marks from the chainsaw and knots and wood grain inherent in the material.
Together in “Nocturner,” they create what Schneider calls a meditative place. “Taking into account the usual hot chaos of a New York City summer, I hope viewers will enter this underworld and cool off, slow down, let their eyes adjust, as when entering a cave,” he says. “I hope people take the invitation to slow down.”
DESERT-SCAPE
Ryan Schneider poses with three of his sculptures at dusk.
Attack of the Brat
28-year-old Gabriel Smith’s haunting debut novel, Brat, is both terrifying and, at turns, laugh-out-loud funny. PETER DAVIS meets the literary world’s newest star in New York.
The word “BRAT” is ominously taped on author Jon-Jon Goulian’s front-hall wall in electric-blue gaffer’s tape. Nearby, “DON’T SELL THE HOUSE,” in bold, block letters, reads like a ransom note. Goulian, his head shaved and sinewy body well-tatted, has set the stage in his duplex Greenwich Village apartment for a book party honoring 28-year-old British novelist Gabriel Smith’s literary debut, titled, well, Brat Downstairs, piles of Brat are arranged on a coffee table with herds of miniature toy deer seemingly guarding the tomes. Smith, tall and bullish, holds court among friends and fans—hip, young writerly types who crowd an open window puffing cigarettes and vapes. Nearby, a table is stocked with more toy deer and glass bowls of candy: gummy worms, sour rainbow strips, and morsels of milk chocolate. In the alley kitchen, boxes of Manischewitz matzo crackers and Sanka instant coffee jars flank the open shelves like a weird Pop Art project. , a modern gothic tale Smith finished in January 2020—when he was 24—has made the first-time author the toast of the literary world in London and now New York. Smith’s novel was
“I have all these ideas for books I want to write. But I have terrible ADHD. I have a terrible time staying on topic. One of Henry James’ rules was don’t start something new until you’ve finished what you’re doing.”
—GABRIEL SMITH
originally published as a short story called “Some Cliffs, Which Overlooked Some Sea” in 2018 in the online literary magazine New York Tyrant. “It was the first story I ever wrote,” Smith tells me when he visits the Avenue office. He’s scruffy and affable. A stag-head pin (deer play a big role in the book) is fastened to the narrow lapel of his loose-fitting blazer. “My parents are writers and I tried really hard not to be in the family business as a rebelliontype thing,” he says, noting that stepping away from, rather than into, a creative future is “the opposite of how people usually rebel.”
Still, Smith got the writing bug. “Something just broke in my brain,” he explains with a smirk. He quit his job in marketing at a London tech company and sent the story to writer Jordan Castro, who was the editor of Tyrant until 2021. “My parents were so happy. It was funny because they’re meant to be cross when someone quits their job to pursue a creative endeavor, but they were like, ‘Thank God!’” Smith then emailed the story to the Canadian novelist and philosopher Clancy Martin, who he had been sending fan mail to for years. Martin immediately wrote back and told Smith that he could spend more time with the characters in the story. “If Clancy says that, then I better write a book of it,” Smith remembers.
In a nod to autofiction, the novel’s deadpan protagonist is named Gabriel. He’s the “brat” of the story—a 20-something writer struggling with a recent breakup, the death of his father, and an inability to finish his second novel, for which he’s received a sizable advance. Emotionally lost and physically unmoored from his previous life, Gabriel vacates his London flat and moves into his family’s hulking, crumbling house in the country. It is filled with unfinished manuscripts from Gabriel’s parents, who are also writers. The home starts to break apart—floors feel “soft” as Gabriel shuffles down halls, the flora outside grows rapidly, enveloping the house like poisonous vines. Mold starts appearing everywhere.
At the same time, Gabriel’s skin starts peeling off his body—the skin on his hand molts away in an almost perfect sheet. “It didn’t hurt. I looked at it. It looked like a glove of myself,” Smith writes. His sarcastic, somewhat bullying older brother blows off the creepy condition as simple eczema (a running joke throughout the novel) and tells Gabriel to see a dermatologist and get a cream to make it all go away. “I remember thinking about the facemask scene in the movie American Psycho,” Smith says. “The girl I was dating at the time was using a lot of face masks. It just felt horrific. And the house peels away as well. I always work in doubles. It’s important in stories to mirror things as much as possible. Readers get off on that.”
Gabriel’s brother just wants him to get the house ready to sell, but Gabriel has zero motivation to put his childhood home on the market. The house is the only thing that seems to keep him alive. Instead, he oversleeps and boozes, smokes pot and pops Xanax, sometimes with the two strange teenagers he meets at a local convenience store who oddly appear in the kitchen like unexpectedly welcome visitors. He also gets into fights, which his grandmother, the one reliably reasonable character, notices when he visits her, as he’s beaten
“My parents are writers and I tried really hard not to be in the family business as a rebellion-type thing.”
—GABRIEL SMITH
black and blue. To make everything spookier, Gabriel becomes consumed with the haunting suspicion that he is being watched by a man in a deer mask who lurks in the foliage at the edge of the property like a malicious spirit.
“Do you know about dybbuk?” Smith asks. “It’s a Jewish ghost, a wandering spirit. They have to stay on earth because their funeral rights were interrupted when they died. That felt like a good analogy for the grieving process where you’re trying to exorcize something, but you can’t.”
Stories within stories break up the novel and are presented in parts or in full. Gabriel discovers his mum Rebecca’s manuscript, about a woman who dies in a car accident (Smith’s real-life mother is also named Rebecca); his father’s script about friends who watch a videotape of a sitcom whose plot mysteriously changes with each viewing; and his ex-girlfriend Kei’s published short stories (one stars a Russian oligarch who likes to buy then masturbate on the faces in famous paintings).
Many of these mini books could sprout into novels of their own. “I have all these ideas for books I want to write,” Smith says. “But I have terrible ADHD. I have a terrible time staying on topic. One of Henry James’ rules was don’t start something new until you’ve finished what you’re doing.”
To finish Brat, Smith rented Airbnb’s in the cheapest European locales he could find on a map. “Post-industrial shipping towns where there used to be a lot of work, then there wasn’t,” he explains. “I like the haunted quality of that. I wanted the book to not be political, but to have elements of critiquing the systems that led to that stuff. That’s the kind of town that the protagonist is living nearby, and I grew up in a town like that.” Smith spent some time writing in Athens, in a neighborhood that had seen better days. “I’d just go for a month on my own. I didn’t know anyone so I couldn’t have fun and get distracted by friends— just shut out from socializing. It was productive.”
When Smith completed Brat, he worked with New York Tyrant editor Giancarlo DiTrapano. “He was my hero since I was 16,” Smith says. His eyes dart upward toward the ceiling as if looking for something. “The stuff Gian published was the first time I’d ever been like, oh, books can be cool. When I signed with an agent in London, I sent it to Gian just to be like, ‘Can I get your blessing?’ A couple of days passed, and he started emailing me quotes from it.” DiTrapano told Smith to fly to Italy to work on Brat together.
Smith went to Naples, and they worked on the manuscript side by side. “It was the first and only time I’ve been starstruck by someone. We became quite close. We worked on it for six months afterward online.” DiTrapano planned to publish the novel with Tyrant Books but died in New York at age 47 in March 2021. “I’d be sad had I never met him,” Smith says. His eyes well up. “It was my only literary aspiration to have something out with Tyrant or edited by him. I was not very sober for about six months after that happened. My friends were very kind to me. A blessing is you don’t realize how kind people will be to you if something bad happens. I’ve got a lot of very good friends, it turns out.”
As Brat takes the world by storm, Smith, who recently got engaged to a fashion model, is finishing up his next novel The Complete, based on his O. Henry Prize-winning short story of the same name. “It’s monstrous,” he says of his second book. “It’s like a million fucking pages. At the moment, it’s a history of fascism. I wanted to create a structure to jump to Moscow or Japan and the Second World War or anywhere you want. It’s completely nonlinear.”
Without revealing too much, Brat ends where it begins—a shapeshifting, often-terrifying, yet comical trek through Gabriel’s disconnected, chaotic life in the house he refuses to let go of. Just as Gabriel’s epidermis peels, Smith’s novel sheds part of Gabriel’s pain-stricken past, revealing a future that, while not perfect, is hopeful as the darkness gives way to light.
Debut novelist Gabriel Smith.
A Historic Tale Gets New Texture in Jake Paltrow’s Latest Film, June Zero
JAKE PALTROW
Three distinct perspectives bring nuance and empathy to the story of an infamous Nazi war criminal’s trial in Jake Paltrow’s film. The director takes DAVID GRAVER on the long, challenging journey to get the movie made.
FAMILY TIES
People who love movies and watch a lot of movies know the difference between good acting and bad acting in any language or context. Quality control does not change with the language you’re working in.”
—JAKE PALTROW
Joining the ranks of Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino, Roberto Benigni and Taika Waititi, Emmy-nominated director Jake Paltrow has turned his camera toward the atrocities of the Holocaust for his latest film, June Zero. In place of battlefields and concentration camps, however, Paltrow’s moving picture focuses on three interconnected perspectives surrounding the 1961 trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, who orchestrated the mass murder of Jews during World War II. June Zero is set in Israel, where Eichmann was detained prior to his execution, and follows the events from the points of view of a 13-year-old Jewish Libyan immigrant; Eichmann’s Jewish Moroccan prison guard; and an Israeli police investigator who survived unfathomable abuse during the Holocaust.
Paltrow cowrote and directed June Zero, and his unique narrative approach to the well-known central story and his textured visual language (partially the result of the medium—16mm film) craft a taut, emotional cinematic experience. In 2023, June Zero premiered within Film at Lincoln Center’s New York Jewish Film Festival. Soon after, it toured the festival circuit—from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic to France’s Deauville American Film Festival, the Jerusalem Film Festival, and more.
Prior to the film’s inception, Paltrow was taken by two lesser-known details of the Eichmann story. “One was that no Ashkenazi Jews were allowed to guard Eichmann,” the director tells Avenue. “I didn’t know that. Many people who are interested in the history of this period don’t know that.” As he ex-
plored the story further, he also discovered that a factory in Israel assembled a one-time-use crematorium to dispose of Eichmann’s body. “In Judaism,” Paltrow continues, “there is no cremation. You are dealing with a culture and a religion that doesn’t dispose of bodies in this way—but for this one legal and political purpose, they decided to do this.”
Intrigued by these unfamiliar elements, Paltrow immersed himself in research, traveling to Israel to uncover more. “I spoke to some of the participants who are still alive, who worked at the factory. We found an older man who claimed that when he was a little boy, he worked on the assembly of the crematorium at the factory. We filmed him. He was very convincing.” This man’s testimony inspired David, the compelling young character at the heart of June Zero
Paltrow penned the Hebrew-language film— which also features scenes in Arabic, English, and Spanish—with Tom Shoval. June Zero’s use of language lends the film both gravity and authenticity. “When I was writing it, I was thinking about it in English,” Paltrow says. “My Hebrew is not very good. I can read it and I can type it, and I have a vocabulary, but I cannot speak it very well. Through the process, in talking with Tom Shoval, who I became very close with, he always felt very confident about my ability to do it in Hebrew. I felt that it would be the most meaningful version in Hebrew.”
That said, the cowriters drafted primarily in English. Then they had the script translated into Hebrew and back into English. “I made changes again and translated it back,” Paltrow explains. “That’s how we made this movie. Once I commit-
STILL LIFE A scene from Jake Paltrow’s film June Zero.
Both my parents weren’t real advice givers. They were exceptionally talented, singleminded, creative people doing their thing. I think what I saw most, really, was their hard work.”
—JAKE PALTROW
ted to doing it in Hebrew, it wasn’t as daunting as I thought it would be.” Through rehearsals, the team was able to iron out any linguistic awkwardness. These rehearsals also empowered Paltrow, who, even if he did not know all the words on the page at first, was aware of the emotional context behind each scene. By the time they filmed, he had a command of everything.
There is a relentless magnetism to the performances in June Zero, underscored by nuanced emotional depictions. “People who love movies and watch a lot of movies know the difference between good acting and bad acting in any language or context,” Paltrow says. “Quality control does not change with the language you’re working in.” As a filmmaker, he believes the power of a performance starts with the writing.
Paltrow looked to Shoval, who lives in Israel, to infuse cultural elements into the story that would only be understood by a resident. “What I knew was in telling it from the boy’s point of view, was that I was not just telling a personal story, I was telling a part of history that’s not as well-known outside of Israel. It’s the clash between Ashkenazi culture and Mizrahi culture, when Jews from the Middle East and North Africa were coming to the country and were being treated differently,” says Paltrow. “There's a general belief that there are almost no experiences of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa interfacing with the Holocaust—but that’s not the case, especially for Jewish people from Libya in particular.” This background informs David’s character, as well as that of his father and it influences their ability to integrate into society.
A first-time actor, Noam Ovadia, brought the character of David to life. “Although he had never acted before, he had this natural, emotional quality. He was funny and unusual in all the ways that make something cinematic,” Paltrow says.
To ensure that Ovadia could live up to the intensity of each scene, they built an acting department around him—beginning with Rotem Keinan, an acting teacher in Israel who also plays the role of David’s school teacher in June Zero. Keinan and the assistant directors “developed an amazing system that took away all the concerns you might have about working with a non-actor who takes up so much screen time. The performance is a combination of Noam’s natural ability, and his ability to amplify all these naturally occurring things with a very technical acting process that he needed to access for the physicality and emotional nature of the film.”
As for the cinematic format, 16mm film services the story aesthetically, hugging together the period attributes. Shooting on film is also something that carries meaning for Paltrow—and he fought for it. There were initial concerns about shooting June Zero on film, because there was no processing lab in Israel. The production team ended up shipping the film to Romania. “I’ve never filmed anything on video except the De Palma documentary, which we made on a video camera in my living room, and a television show before that. I spent a lot of my young life as a director learning how to expose and process film in a way that I could get it to be exactly what I had in my mind’s eye. I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve been able to work with understanding, supportive producers who have allowed me to
TRIAL AND ERROR
June Zero takes viewers back to a frought and complicated time.
STREET SCENE James Norton on a London sidewalk.
PERFOMATIVE POWER
Actor Tom Hagi plays an Auschwitz survivor in June Zero
work on film. For me, it’s an essential element to making a movie.”
Now, Paltrow is just eager for audiences to see the film. “When you think about posters or trailers, you are trying to project a sense that this will be worth your time because it will connect with you— hopefully in at least one way, ideally in lots of ways. You can’t promise that your movie is going to connect with someone, but I feel like at every step of the process that’s what I am trying to do,” he says. “A big part of making movies is understanding that some people won’t like them,” he adds. “That’s always a certainty. You just hope that’s as small a subset of viewers as possible.”
As a filmmaker, Paltrow spends a lot of time reflecting on the film industry. “I think the so-called art-house space seems to be a healthy part of the moviegoing experience—but, of course, I have great concerns over whether people will continue to go to the theater to see movies,” he says. “If you’re making movies that cost a lot of money, and people are liking them, and they’re well reviewed, but then viewers aren’t going to theaters, they’re waiting for it to stream, a challenge is presented.”
Like other filmmakers, Paltrow strongly believes that “cinema is not just the form of storytelling, it’s the geography and state of being in terms of watching it. There used to be an agreement to watch movies on the creator’s terms, in a darkened theater where you can’t talk on the phone or text or pause the film.” Pausing, he feels, disrupts the movie-watching experience.
He admits, though, that might not be true of the way we are first drawn to films. “As a child of the ’80s, I fell in love with movies by watching most of them first on a cassette, or the television,” he says, “but the love grew from there. Ever since, I have seen so many movies in theaters.”
Paltrow says June Zero is his most personal, and most technically successful, film to date. “We were able to achieve everything we set out to do,” he says.
“If I am lucky enough to continue to make movies, it will probably be considered the one where I feel like we achieved what we set out to achieve best. I’ve been doing this a long time and haven’t made as many movies as I’d like to and that probably has something to do with it too.”
Paltrow hails from a family of cinematic royalty. His sister, Gwyneth, has an Academy Award for best actress for her work in Shakespeare in Love His mother, Blythe Danner, garnered two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Tony during her illustrious career. And his late father, Bruce Paltrow, was a lauded film and television producer and director. Though he grew up in the industry, he wasn’t offered any exclusive industry insight.
“Both my parents weren’t real advice givers,” he says. “They were exceptionally talented, single-minded, creative people doing their thing. I think what I saw most, really, was their hard work. Seeing the way they did it and the way they dedicated their time and energy and the way they prepared their work, that was really the lesson for me. I got a lot out of that.”
When making creative decisions, Paltrow does think about his father. “I talked to him a lot in my head, when I’m writing or preparing something,” he says. “His voice is very strong in there, even though he’s been gone for so long. I don’t grieve for him. I miss him, but it’s easier to be in touch with him through my work—because we are so very different in the ways that we approach it. I enjoy having these conversations in my head about my work because we are so very different.”
So many carefully considered creative decisions contribute to the power of June Zero, from the gripping performances to an unexpected narrative structure. In many ways, Paltrow has lived his mission—making something striking enough that viewers won’t want to pause or step away; they’ll keep watching to see what happens next.
WALKING ON AIR
THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS TIGHTROPE WALKER, PHILIPPE PETIT IS MUCH MORE THAN A DAREDEVIL THRILL SEEKER. TED HILDNER MEETS PETIT AT ST. JOHN THE DIVINE, WHERE PETIT HAS A RESIDENCY, AND DISCOVERS THE DEEP EMOTIONS AND TRUE ARTISTRY BEHIND HIS MOST BRAZEN, SEEMINGLY MAD, HIGH-WIRE PERFORMANCES.
L’ARTISTE IN AIR
Petit at the Place du Général-de-Gaulle in Lille, France, in 1974.
Philippe Petit, the daring French tightrope walker, has a long list of daredevil performances that brought him international stardom, starting in 1971 when he took his first (very illegal) walk between the two towers of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Since then, he’s tightroped for Pablo Picasso’s 90th birthday party, between the towers of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, in front of 250,000 people at the Eiffel Tower, and at countless exhibitions across the globe.
His stunts, seen by many as crazy, have won him notoriety, numerous awards, Guinness World Records titles, and a few nights behind jail bars. Petit’s story is so unusual that he has been immortalized in popular culture in hits like Robert Zemeckis’s 2009 Hollywood blockbuster The Walk, and director James Marsh’s 2008 Oscar-winning documentary, Man on Wire. Both films tell the story of Petit’s most famous walk— between New York’s World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in 1974. I was lucky enough to sit down with the living legend at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, where Petit has a long-standing residency.
Born in Nemours, Seine-et-Marne, France, in 1949, Petit was a teenager when he discovered the wire. “My childhood was about escaping authority, parents, school, and the world by climbing trees, climbing rocks, and using ropes. I would rappel down anything I could. Around the time I was 16, I put the rope horizontally between two trees,” he remembers. From that pivotal moment, Petit started looking at manmade structures and natural places differently. Instead of seeing a building, he saw a structure where a wire could be placed. “As a self-taught wire walker, I wanted to do beautiful things, and I didn’t copy what the circus performers were doing.”
In 1968, when Petit was only 18, he found himself in the waiting room of a Paris dentist, suffering from a tooth infection.
“I WILL NEVER DO THE FIRST STEP WITHOUT BEING ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE LAST STEP WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE I AM NOT INTO RISKING MY LIFE, AND I AM NOT INTO FRIGHTENING THE PEOPLE BELOW.”
—PHILIPPE PETIT
BIRDMAN Petit’s second illegal walk at the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973.
He came across a magazine article chronicling an ambitious project in NYC to build the world’s tallest towers. “I became obsessed,” Petit says. “I was not trying to break records. I’m totally uninterested in that. I look at things more poetically, and yet there I was, fixed on the highest towers in the world that were not even built yet.” Forgetting about his aching tooth, he ran out of the office, article in hand, and organized a team of friends and experts who had both the skill sets and daredevil spirit needed to pull off such an unbelievable endeavor.
Over the next six years, Petit practiced mercilessly and, together with his team, learned and planned as much as possible. “It was like a divine prophecy in the sense that I discovered something before they were built. We worked in tandem while they were building the buildings, and we were building our approach.” A free spirit, yes, but an untethered daredevil, no. “I hate taking risks. I will never in my life take a risk. I take a risk when I cross the avenue, forgetting to look left and right for the bus because I am stupid. But in my professional life, I will never set my foot on a wire, whether a small wire across the cathedral’s nave or a 700-yard-long giant walk, I will never do the first step without being absolutely sure that the last step will be successful because I am not into risking my life, and I am not into frightening the people below.”
In preparation for his NYC walk three years later, Petit began performing highly visible (and illegal) walks at other monumental locations. His first walk was between Notre-Dame’s two towers in 1971. Aside from a successful performance—arrest aside— Petit’s vision and artistry were reaffirmed when, afterward, people told him that he changed the landscape of the famous cathedral forever. “The strict architectural theory is no longer the same,” Petit explains. “A piece of art has imprinted it. It is strange, but the performance uplifted people, making them believe that mountains can be moved and nothing is impossible. People’s lives were changed, and so was mine.” Two years later, he rigged a wire and walked above the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Once again he was arrested, and fined $200, but more importantly people took notice of his artistry and formed an even greater emotional bond with his work.
This August marks the 50th anniversary of Petit’s 48-foot tightrope walk, spanning the negative space hovering 1,350 feet above the ground between the two towers of the World Trade Center. Just after 8 AM on August 7, 1974, New York witnessed the unthinkable, and possibly the greatest act of courage in a performance of any kind that the world had ever seen. Petit made eight passes between the buildings, dazzling the world with his tightrope magic. Walking, dancing, and even laying on the cable, Petit recalls hearing the roaring cheers of the crowd below while the authorities tried to get him down.
After a 45-minute performance, Peiti was hauled off to jail and, upon his release, the New York District Attorney dropped all charges in return for his promise to hold a children’s performance in Central Park. During a time when the NYC economy was in crisis and the new World Trade Center was on the verge of failure, Petit accomplished his dream while also providing the city with the much-needed inspiration and pride it needed. Since that legendary walk, Petit splits his time between Woodstock and the city. In 1979, he was appointed an artistin-residence at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on Amsterdam Avenue. A fitting home, as the cathedral’s story is as unique as Petit’s. According to the New York Times, “When Petit arrived at St. John the Divine, the church, like the city itself, had more problems than promises. New York City was amid a
TRADE TRICKS Top: rigging up at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, in March 2023; bottom: Petit’s many published books.
“UPON INTRODUCING ME TO THE CONGREGATION, REVEREND MORTON MADE A SPEECH, SAYING, ‘PHILIPPE DOESN’T BELIEVE IN GOD, BUT GOD BELIEVES IN PHILIPPE.’”
—PHILIPPE PETIT
financial crisis that almost drove it to bankruptcy. The cathedral, sitting between Columbia University and Morningside Park, symbolized the city’s stagnancy. The building was unfinished even a century after its cornerstone had been laid. What had been built was largely unused, and it sat on a neglected piece of property.”
In 1972, the Very Reverend James Parks Morton took over as the dean of St. John the Divine and, according to Petit, “created a culture, an artistic culture, and turned it into this center for humanitarian rights and the arts by helping the homeless and educating people.” Morton wanted to engage the city in all its problems and help inspire those who needed help. Ahead of his time, Morton welcomed gay clergy and leaders of other faiths. He invited inspirational guests like Nobel prizewinners Elie Wiesel and the Dalai Lama as guest speakers. And he invited Petit to become a permanent part of the community, set up his professional home, and continue inspiring people through his art. “Upon introducing me to the congregation, Reverend Morton made a speech, saying, ‘Philippe doesn’t believe in God, but God believes in Philippe.’
“In 45 years, I have given 23 performances to help raise awareness of the church’s missions and the funds needed to continue the unfinished building of the church. I did a big walk that was on the front page of the New York Times with a picture that showed me high above Amsterdam Avenue,” he says. Taking me outside and pointing up toward the sky, he showed me how there should be two towers, but they were never finished. “We now have one tower, 10 stories high, and some people say it’s because of me that they found the money.” Petit is proud to point out that this is his home, an amazing, inspirational place that he has been fortunate to have had all these years. “My relationship with the church is built upon an unwritten moral exchange, and occasionally I help by creating performances,” he adds.
On August 7, Petit will be hosting a performance honoring the 50th anniversary of his legendary high-wire walk between the Twin Towers. The show will take place at none other than St. John the Divine and feature a special performance by Petit’s longtime friend Sting, who will perform original music written for the event.
At 74, Petit, a true artist, has no plans on settling down. “Why would I retire? I think it’s a very safe profession if you have a love of life, and I love my life,” he declares. So, instead of slowing down, he practices on a wire for three hours a day and continues spreading inspiration through his art. Petit says the most common question he gets is, “Why did you do that?,” and the answer is always the same: “There is no ‘why’ in my life. It’s because I have no choice, which I think is a very beautiful answer.”
Like the Twin Towers, the cathedral, or the city itself, Philippe Petit is truly a New York story. Although much of his artistry lives in the empty spaces of the sky, his likeness and spirit will live forever. Intricately etched into the stone surrounds of the grand doors leading into the world’s largest cathedral is the image of a mortal man, replete with wire and balance poles, and an independent, unique spirit for all the world to see.
WIRELESS A rare photograph of Petit sitting still.
Cartier “Panthère de Cartier” ring in 18k yellow gold with onyx, black lacquer, and tsavorite garnets, $7,150; available at Cartier boutiques
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Alexander McQueen cable-knit wool-blend bralette, $560; alexandermcqueen.com
Alexander McQueen women’s “Sovereign Skull” gold-finished earrings with crystal border, $620; alexandermcqueen.com
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Savannah Friedkin “Emergence” band ring in 14k yellow gold with diamonds, $2,975; savannahfriedkin.com
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boutiques
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Gyan Jaipur “Sarai” yellow trio earstuds in 18k gold with citrine and diamonds, $3,450; available at Bergdorf Goodman, NY, or call Nikhil Dhaddha at 617-775-9189
Gyan Jaipur green “Sarai” cuff in 18k gold with tsavorite and diamonds, $19,750; available at Mayfair Rocks, East Hampton, or call Nikhil Dhaddha at 617-775-9189
“Escape”
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THE CITY
JAW-DROPPING PROPERTIES IN THE HAMPTONS
An exclusive peek behind the hedge groves of the most mind-blowing houses on the East End, from a modern masterpiece by starchitect Boris Baranovich on the ocean in Montauk to an estate in Southampton with 30-acres of park-like grounds by Frederick Olmsted, who designed Central Park and the U.S. Capitol.
422 FURTHER LANE EAST HAMPTON
This estate belonged to John Foley, founder and former CEO of Peloton. Francis Fleetwood designed this 6,100-square-foot home, situated on four acres with more than 400 feet of oceanfront and direct beach access. Catherine Juracich represented both sides of the deal.
Fleetwood was quoted as saying, ‘I think people are looking for roots. They’d all love to be born in a grand old house that had been handed down through generations.’ This is the exact feeling that 442 Further Lane evokes—it feels like it’s from a grand, foregone era. It is also in the most perfect Further Lane strip, close to the always chic Amagansett. The custom estate boasts five bedrooms, sun-drenched living spaces, multiple sundecks, and exquisite design that’s perfect for entertaining and relaxation.”
–Catherine Juracich, The Corcoran Group
1 BOATMANS LANE SOUTHAMPTON
One Boatmans Lane is a classic shingle-style summer colony ‘cottage’ with an excellent location and close proximity to the ocean as well as direct wide frontage on Taylor Creek and western views of the du Pont preserve. Positioned on over four acres, this developable property is a rare find, offering an ideal mix of seclusion and convenience with sensational waterfront sunsets, a waterside pool, boat dock, and tennis court.”
–Tim Davis, The Corcoran Group
Pamela Liebman
The Corcoran Group, President and CEO
What constitutes a jaw-dropping property to you?
The Hamptons rank among America’s most coveted beach towns, drawing discerning homebuyers from around the world. Known for its unparalleled luxury, the East End offers jaw-dropping properties where only the best of the best will suffice. These homes are defined by several key characteristics: direct beach access, architectural excellence, spacious layouts, and top-notch craftsmanship. Breathtaking listings, especially those that command some of the highest prices, also feature luxurious amenities like outdoor kitchens, sparkling pools, private pickleball courts, and infrared saunas. Outdoor spaces also include manicured gardens and private docks, all complemented by eco-friendly features and energy-efficient systems. Additionally, quite a few homes on the East End possess historical significance, showcasing cultural heritage or renowned architectural design.
Tell us about a property in this genre that sold in the last 12 months?
One of the most significant transactions of the past year was the sale of 121 Further Lane in East Hampton for $52 million. Known as “Lasata,” this estate was the former summer home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and became the highest-priced non-waterfront sale in the Hamptons for 2023. Originally built in 1917, the home underwent restorations in 2007 and 2019, focusing on preserving its historic legacy. The property features an eight-bedroom main house, a two-bedroom guest cottage, and a pool with a pool house. Represented by Corcoran agent Eileen O’Neill, the home was purchased by Tom Ford.
Have you noticed any trends in the very-high-end market?
At the very high end of the Hamptons housing market, several notable trends have emerged. First, homes are consistently selling at nearrecord-breaking prices. For example, at the beginning of 2024, luxury median price increased 13 percent year-over-year, coming in just over the $10 million mark. The demand for luxury properties is strong, driven by affluent buyers seeking exclusive, high-end homes. These properties are also seen as valuable long-term investments, offering significant appreciation potential. Second, while privacy remains a top priority, buyers are increasingly looking for properties that provide a balance between seclusion and convenience. Proximity to world-renowned golf courses, exclusive boutiques, gourmet restaurants, and stunning beaches is highly valued. Ultimately, this means less time spent in traffic, more time enjoying all that the Hamptons have to offer.
Philip V. O’Connell
Brown Harris Stevens, Executive Managing Director, Hamptons
What constitutes a jaw-dropping property to you?
The quality and taste in the Hamptons are like none other. The very best designers and architects have produced some of the most inspiring homes in the Hamptons. Design of the interior, exterior, and landscape all contribute to potentially give a jaw-dropping look. Open light spaces with lots of windows looking out to either a view, water, or magnificent gardens produce this look.
Have you noticed any trends in the very-high-end market?
Location has always played a major role in the high end, but also the open layout with curated furniture and art interwoven with landscapes designed by the top landscape architects offer an indoor–outdoor Hamptons lifestyle great for entertaining as well as a more laid back, friends and family weekend get-togethers. Homes to entertain and impress!
163 ATLANTIC AVENUE AMAGANSETT
218 DUNE ROAD WESTHAMPTON BEACH
The property boasts a coveted bayfront location, offering stunning waterfront views that can be enjoyed from multiple vantage points throughout the home.”
–William LeMaire, Brown Harris Stevens
“With only three houses away from the Atlantic Ocean, this custom-designed modern beach cottage is completely turn-key and move-in ready for summer 2024. And, as a bonus, the property now has a town-approved application to install an eight-by-thirty gunite saltwater pool. A rare find in the Amagansett Dunes!”
–Tim O’Connor, Brown Harris Stevens
Nanette Hansen
Sotheby’s International Realty, Brokerage Manager, East Hampton
What constitutes a jaw-dropping property to you?
“Jaw-dropping” is not a term I tend to use professionally or personally—so let me frame my answer another way. On a daily basis in my role as brokerage manager for Sotheby’s International Realty (SIR), I am lucky enough to visit first-hand some of the most breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and astonishing properties. And while Sotheby’s is the gold standard for representing some of the world’s most extraordinary homes, to me it’s not always about the most expensive product out there. Design elements, style, flow, energy, and of course location are the key ingredients for a winning product all day, every day whether it’s in the Hamptons or Hong Kong. I also gravitate to homes that have a soul and reflect the personality of their owners. Some of the most sophisticated, successful, and interesting people on the planet invite SIR agents into their homes for evaluation. I always ask the owners to describe what it is they love and find so remarkable about their own space. Is it the way the afternoon light through the great room window casts a warm glow at a certain time of day? Or the majestic tree in the yard that their kids climbed? How about a Southampton oceanfront estate with a waterside doghouse? Houses that tell compelling stories and those that exude positive energy are magnets for me.
Tell us about a property in this genre that sold in the past 12 months.
In January of this year SIR’s Harald Grant sold the famed “La Dune” (366 & 376 Gin Lane, Southampton, used in Woody Allen’s Interiors) for $88.48 million. The sale happened at a live auction at Sotheby’s in NYC in partnership with Concierge Auctions. The driveway of this estate stretched from street to ocean, which is rare, all the way from Gin Lane to the Atlantic! Now that is “jaw-dropping!”
Have you noticed any trends in the very-high-end market?
Buyers are very price conscious and my advice to sellers is they need to listen to that. Overpriced listings seldom attract buyers—if something isn’t selling, it’s usually about one thing: the price. The Hamptons is that unique luxury market where sellers don’t need to sell and buyers don’t need to buy. So, two things are key: proper pricing and delivering value. Another trend: high-end buyers want a product that is done, where someone else has already completed the work. It’s not simply the time horizon and expense of labor and materials, but renovating an oceanfront estate, for example, will likely require variances, special permits, hearings, and so on. All that takes a considerable amount of time, and time is money!
370 & 372 FURTHER LANE EAST HAMPTON
“
It’s incredibly rare to find a full Further Laneto-ocean, seven-acre compound. By the time you get halfway down the 1,200-foot driveway, you become a believer. In terms of East Hampton Monopoly, this is about the bluest square you could find. Billionaire neighbors include art dealer Larry Gagosian, Jerry Seinfeld, Claude Wasserstein, Howard Marks, and John Hess. This is a published 10,000-sqare-foot oceanfront mansion by noted designer John Saladino. Custom built over four years and impeccably maintained by its original owner, it is in top move-in condition. An ultra-private retreat in the heart of the Hamptons without another neighbor in sight, it includes a private path over to a white sand ocean beach.”
–Frank Newbold, Sotheby’s International Realty
409/369
MONTAUK HIGHWAY SOUTHAMPTON
“Atterbury Estate’s breathtaking 30-acre park-like grounds were designed by Frederick Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture who designed NYC’s Central Park and the U.S. Capitol. The sophisticated and enduring elegance of the bespoke residence was built by the famed turn-of-the-century Grosvenor Atterbury, one of the most influential architects of the first half of the 20th century, giving it historic provenance yet renovated for luxury and comfort.”
–Christina Galesi,
Sotheby’s International Realty
Joan
Meyer
Douglas Elliman, Branch Manager, Southampton & Hampton Bays
What constitutes a “jaw-dropping” property to you?
To me, a “jaw-dropping” property is ultimately one that evokes an emotional feeling and leaves me with a lasting impression. Often, it’s the home’s location, breathtaking views, incredible landscaping, or its architecture that captivates me most. I’m always particularly taken with homes that have historical significance. Growing up out here on a farm, I’ve seen firsthand how things have changed, and how new designs and styles emerge. While modern homes and new luxury amenities have a wow-factor of their own, I love the classic homes in the estate sections of Southampton and East Hampton, and the old-world charm of Sag Harbor. The impeccable design, history, and provenance of some of these homes has always amazed me.
Tell us about a property in this genre that sold in the past 12 months.
Just before Memorial Day, Elliman agents closed on the second most expensive sale in the history of Sag Harbor. Known as Claxton House, and located at 8 John Street, this newly constructed designer home, priced at nearly $15 million, is a testament to timeless elegance, and an absolute showstopper—with the best-in-class architecture, design, and views. Nestled in a serene setting on Sag Harbor Cove, this architectural marvel was designed by renowned firm Historical Concepts, with interiors curated by Bryan Graybill, recipient of the prestigious Stanford White Award in 2021. It was absolutely crafted to perfection and features panoramic water views from every room. I loved how it gave such an artistic nod to the past in its design while also incorporating all modern amenities, its attention to detail and stunning interiors, and the way the design concept seamlessly transitioned from inside to outside. Exterior components were intentionally sited to highlight water views, with a heated gunite pool and spa, and a multitude of decks, patios, and outdoor dining areas. The entire experience created is the epitome of waterfront luxury living. Elliman agents Erica Grossman and Noble Black represented the property, and Rima Mardoyan Smyth brought the buyers who will enjoy this jaw-dropping, one-of-a-kind home for years to come.
Have you noticed any trends in the very-high-end market?
In the high-end market, beautiful home office spaces are on trend, with some properties having even more than one. These spaces have become more intentional and highly designed as people have found more flexibility in the workplace. Wellness amenities like incredible personal home gyms and infrared saunas are very in demand, and I’ve seen electric car charging stations coming more into trend as well on the amenities front. As so many Hamptons homes are designed and built for entertaining, I’ve also seen that really beautiful and functional prep kitchens are another amenity that is popping up more as well.
“ ON THE BREAK MONTAUK
These oceanfront properties sit on one of the most iconic surf destinations on the East Coast. It’s truly an unparalleled setting, with its foremost surf break and remarkable expanse of ocean frontage. The large sizes of the homes and properties are unique to Ditch Plains, with each property on an acre with direct private access to the ocean. The properties offer stunning, unobstructed ocean views down the Montauk coastline, and the build quality of these new, extravagant homes is exceptionally high-end, offering pure luxury. With meticulous design and craftsmanship by renowned architect
Boris Baranovich and luxury Hampton builder Hobbs, Inc., these homes truly offer all the bells and whistles including three-car garages, a significant number of bedrooms and bathrooms, spacious decks, fireplaces, hot tub, and pool.”
–Erica Grossman, Douglas Elliman
On the Break is a unique compilation of highly sought-after new-construction luxury homes, comprising three separate oceanfront parcels in the heart of Ditch Plains in Montauk. These properties are exclusively represented by Erica Grossman at Douglas Elliman and Hedgerow Exclusive Properties.
Nantucket Reds, the White Elephant, and Atlantic Blue
Live like a whaler but do it in luxury at the Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin.
BY PETER DAVIS
What! You’ve never been to Nantucket?” exclaims my aghast friend, the editor Natasha Wolff, as we check into the Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin, a collection of 29 mini houses built on docks. Summer for me was Southampton and we rarely crossed the town line, only venturing to East Hampton for the movies or a tennis match. I had never set foot on Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard for that matter. And now I was calling the cutest cottage I had ever seen on a slip in the Nantucket Boat Basin home for a few nights. I felt like Ishmael the night before setting sail with Captain Ahab, but instead of seeking vengeance on Moby Dick, I was hunting for stellar shopping and tasty food.
You can’t get closer to the ocean at the Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin.
I FELT LIKE ISHMAEL THE NIGHT BEFORE SETTING SAIL WITH CAPTAIN AHAB, BUT INSTEAD OF SEEKING VENGEANCE ON MOBY DICK, I WAS HUNTING FOR STELLAR SHOPPING AND TASTY FOOD.
Nantucket is a time capsule—walking around the wharf is like being on a movie set circa 1800. Local designer Audrey Sterk drew on the town’s rich seafaring past (whale harpoon, anyone?) and shingled Quaker-style homes when redoing the Cottages. Part of White Elephant Resorts, the Cottages (which took six months and millions of bucks to renovate) are named after whaling ships of the 1700s—“Sea Syren,” “Rambler,” “Sooty”— back when oil casks lined Swain’s Wharf, where my two-bedroom cottage, “End of Rope,” stands. Sterk’s revamp is clean and maritime-cool: woodblock end tables, deep ocean-blue-andwhite sailing-stripe pillows, wicker chandeliers, brass barometers. There is a small kitchen under the vaulted ceiling beams, so it feels more like renting a house than a hotel (one to three bedrooms are available, plus 12 “Woof Cottages” for guests with pets). Feeling Melville, I dream about sitting on the deck in the salty air and (finally) writing my Great American Novel overlooking the sound. That night, I drift to sleep under a wall mural Sterk hand-painted of the original settlers on the island with large-masted sailboats, lighthouses, and a distant hamlet. Nantucket loves to riff on its historical and storied past: in the 1800s it was de rigueur for owners of whaling ships to commission enormous murals for their houses.
The next morning, I stroll over to the nearby White Elephant, the uber-stylish hotel on the water that makes you want to get married or remarried just to have the reception there. Owned by the Karp family (parent company New England Development is headed up by Stephen and Douglass Karp), the hotel runs like a mom-and-pop
MARITIME MÉLANGE
Interior designer Audrey Sterk riffed on the island’s seafaring style and history.
at the highest level of luxury. The Karps are the hospitality kings of the island and have the Wauwinet and the Jared Coffin House (and Tap Room restaurant) in town. In November 2020, White Elephant Palm Beach opened and has already snagged numerous awards.
I eat breakfast at the Brant Point Grill overlooking the bay and a huge lawn sculpture of— what else—a white elephant. (There are white elephants everywhere—pillows, door knockers, stuffed toys.) Chef Tom Pearson is famed for his lobster roll with Boston Bibb lettuce, but I go for the short-rib hash, pumped up with shishito peppers, Spanish onions, queso fresco, and chipotle crema. I explore the extensive and sweeping property, writing my own White Lotus script in my head, cast with preppy people who are cute and blonde, but unstable and dangerous. Cue the show’s theme song.
A short walk from the White Elephant, my first stop is Murray’s Toggery Shop, birthplace of the iconic preppy Nantucket Reds pants which I discovered in boarding school and have ordered ever
since (they are best super-faded into a washedout pink patina). Murray’s is seriously old school, down to the older grumpy guy behind the counter who couldn’t care less when I mention that I’ve worn Nantucket Reds for decades. There is a whole room dedicated to said Reds—shorts, shirts, hats, belts, and the Stubbs & Wootton collab in pink with blue piping with, you guessed it, an embroidered whale and fishing ship.
Another only-in-Nantucket score: the lightship baskets from Sylvia Antiques, which sells both vintage and new ones. Developed for storage on whaling ships and to lug stuff around the island in the 1800s, real lightship baskets have rattan staves, cane weavers, and a solid wood base. I should have bought a huge lightship basket to carry all the fudge I buy at Aunt Leah’s, a small shop tucked away in an alley. One bite of the strawberry fudge and I need zero convincing that Leah Bayer, who was a schoolteacher for 35 years, makes “the best fudge in the world.” Like a piece of salted caramel, Leah is a little salty and a little sweet. I vote that Leah be put on a stamp in
Boat Basin.
THE FOOD IS THE REAL STAR AT TOPPER’S. CHEF KYLE ZACHARY IS KNOWN FOR CLEVER, OFT-SURPRISING CREATIONS USING FRESH LOCAL SEAFOOD.
Massachusetts ASAP. Naturally, I end up visiting Aunt Leah every day I am in Nantucket.
The hardest table to book is Topper’s at the Wauwinet on Nantucket Bay. Clusters of white loungers with dark-green cushions face the water. It’s that perfectly preppy type of place where you can imagine JFK and Jackie smoking cigs in Shetland sweaters while staring out to sea. The food is the real star at Topper’s. Chef Kyle Zachary is known for clever, oft-surprising creations using fresh local seafood. For lunch I order the smoked bluefish pâté which comes with crudité, pickled onions, and curry lavash crackers followed by the halibut katsu sandwich with egg salad, Napa cabbage slaw, and a jalapeño-y uzu tartar sauce. Zachary likes to experiment, and grilled pound cake sounds weird, but it is beyond delicious with roasted strawberries and elderflower Chantilly cream.
To burn off those Topper’s calories, I go for a beach run, starting at the photogenic Brant Point Lighthouse, through Steps Beach to Jetties Beach, and then up the 43-step staircase from the sand dunes to the road back to town. Exhausted but hungry, we stay local for dinner, which means not leaving the slips my cottage sits on. Bar Yoshi, a teensy shingled cottage on Old South Wharf has a whitewashed interior, oversize wicker lights hanging from the ceiling, and incredible sushi. The Nantucket salmon roll is fresh and tasty with
avocado and scallion. All the sushi is top shelf, as are the ceviches (tuna and shrimp) and the Hawaiian poke bowl with add-ons like shrimp tempura and chicken teriyaki. For those who don’t like seafood, there is a Wagyu beef burger, “piggy rice” (aka pork fried rice with vegetables and black garlic soy), and Hong Kong calamari which are flash-fried with an Asian chili glaze.
I fall asleep fast, pretending my “End of Rope” cottage is a ship slowly rocking in the sea. It’s my last day in Nantucket. I swing by Aune Leah’s for a morning fudge fix (Rocky Road wakes me up faster than a skinny latte). I sneak my significant mound of fudge into the Whaling Museum where I learn just how dangerous catching whales was. In the galleries, I encounter the skeleton of a 46foot sperm whale and a restored candle factory from 1847. The museum tells the history of the island over four centuries. Harpoons, nets, and life preservers are displayed on the wall, making me recall the terrifying final scene of Mark Wahlberg floating in the sea in The Perfect Storm. I leave feeling anxious, so I beeline straight back to Leah who hooks me up with another mound of Rocky Road fudge.
My farewell dinner is at Brant Point Grill which sets up an endless feast (seafood, steak, cheese, and more) on a long table at the White Elephant. After stuffing myself as one always does when there is a buffet, I poke around the hotel shop and can’t resist a string bracelet with a tiny white elephant charm. I get back to my cottage and plop face down in bed. I don’t snuggle the stuffed white elephant guarding my pillow. Instead, as I drift to sleep, I cuddle with the cutest thing on the island—a big box of Aunt Leah’s famous fudge. I am guaranteed to have the sweetest dreams.
JENNIFER ESPOSITO
The actress kills it with her gripping, emotionally brutal first film as a writer/ director: Fresh Kills, about young women stuck in the mafia. Esposito reveals to Avenue how she brought this challenging film to life.
You were a child in Staten Island, but I am guessing your dad was not a mob boss, like Joe, the father in Fresh Kills. It wasn’t my family, but I grew up around families like this. I was around these girls. I moved from Brooklyn to Staten Island when I was nine. As I got older, the fights and the rage and the violence that I saw through the women was frightening. I remember thinking, “Why are these girls so angry? I guess it’s because their father is in the mafia.” That would make me mad. I’m a very big “why” person. I need to understand things.
You’ve had a great career as an actress. Now you’re a writer and a director. I always wanted to be a storyteller. As a young woman, I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I knew I was not staying in Staten Island. I left around 17. I put myself through acting school waiting tables. I wanted to go to NYU to study film but didn’t have the money.
When did you decide to tell the story of young women trapped in a mafia family they both love and hate?
That story always stayed with me. I realized why it stayed with me throughout the years, because as I got into the business, I started to be told: You’re female. You’re not going this way, you have to go that way. Because I was born female, I had a ceiling that I was going to eventually hit my head on. I was supposed to get married, have kids. And the rage that I saw in these girls, I started to understand as my own. I didn’t agree to these rules. That’s where the rage came from, from being born into something they knew they were never getting out of. I’ve become friends with some of them, and they have seen the movie and said, “You hit it right on the head.”
It’s a big, bold move to direct a movie. I was aging as a woman in the business. It’s like you’re done for. And I just thought, “Stop complaining. No one cares, Jennifer. No one’s picking up the phone.” I had no agent. I didn’t have a manager. I had no one. When I started to go after making this movie, it was freeing. I had started writing this many times and stopped because the voices seep in like, oh, you can’t do that. Around six years ago I was in a bad place. I was painfully unhappy with the work I was seeing and what I was doing. I thought, “You’re going to sit down and finish this, or you’re quitting. Those are your two choices.” I did not stop until I finished the script. Then trying to get it made—that was a whole other bunch of insanity.
Getting a movie made is almost a miracle. And probably not easy without big-name stars attached. And it’s your debut as a director, which is such a male-dominated field.
I was a first-time female writer/director, a cross to bear. I speak to a lot of young filmmakers and they’re like, “Yeah, well, you had an in in the business,” but that did not help me. To even get someone to read it was a big thing. I went to everyone I could about funding. I went to personal friends that believed in me and they gave a little bit here, a little bit there. I went to my husband [Jesper Vesterstrøm], I was like, “I’m going to mortgage the house.” I just made the decision. It was not an easy conversation. But I will say I have never in my life had someone support me 100 percent more than my husband.
Fresh Kills shows the emotional and physical chaos of life in the mafia through the eyes of women, particularly Rose and Connie who are young girls. We are used to movies about
men in the mafia. The women are usually just supporting characters.
It’s always about the men. The mafia is very hardcore male. We’ve never seen a correct portrayal of the women. We’ve seen a little bit with Carmela in The Sopranos, but nothing completely through the female’s eyes and especially the young female point of view. I was stepping my foot into a mostly male genre. And here I come and I’m going to tell it from a different point of view. It was like, “Tell her to sit down, tell her to go away.” Then it was: “Why didn’t we think of that?” It’s funny—I think I’ve heard of five different shows and movies that are about the female point of view in the mafia.
Odessa A’zion as Connie and Emily Bader as Rose blew me away with their performances.
I wanted someone so raw for Connie and Emily. I kept hearing there’s no stars in your movie because that’s what people care about. And it’s like, you’re so wrong because these young women—their work is better than most I’ve seen today. They are so grounded and brilliant. They’re honest, open, and present. They gave their hearts to this. I think they both have huge careers in front of them.
You also play Francine, the mother to the two girls.
Originally, I wanted to be Rose, and then I thought, no, be Connie. And time went on and I wasn’t aging backwards, I was like, well, I’ll have to be Francine. Francine was based on someone that I know. It was such a complicated character. She’s your best friend and your worst nightmare, all in the same sentence. I knew all that personally. To try and explain that to an actress, the minutiae of it, I thought, just play the role yourself.
Who do you identify most with in the movie?
When you write something, there’s always pieces of you all over the place. And there are, but who I am is Rose. That’s who I am. Who I had to become in this world is Connie.
You’ve worked with Spike Lee on Summer of Sam, Paul Haggis on Crash, and so many great directors. Did you pick stuff up on set?
You take from everywhere, being on set for so long and seeing what works. But I did take a lot from Barry Jenkins. He doesn’t know it and I never got to work with him, unfortunately, but I’d love to. Moonlight really resonated with me. I felt like the shape of Fresh Kills was very much like Moonlight. I went back and read everything there was about Moonlight and his plan of attack and how and why and what cameras he used and what shots.
Have you shown Fresh Kills in Staten Island?
Not yet. Some of the women that I grew up with, that are of this life, have seen it and just loved it. I’m very grateful for that.
