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NYYC’s 167th Annual Regatta

Text by STUART STREULI, NYYC Director of Communications. Images by NANCY BLOOM

For the skipper of an amateur sailing team, there are few things more comforting than getting on the boat for the first big regatta of the summer and looking at all the same faces from the previous season. If that previous season also happened to end with a win in the biggest regatta, well, then it’s probably going to be a long regatta for the competition. Such was the case for the Melges IC37 fleet at 167th edition of the New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta. Pacific Yankee, co-owned by Drew Freides and Bill Ruh and sailing with the same crew that won the class’s North American Championship last October, was nearly untouchable in the regatta’s two-day weekend series, winning two of four races and taking first overall by seven points. “It was just a fantastic team effort,” says Ruh, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who helmed the boat for this regatta. “And that was what this regatta was all about, to get the team sailing well again after so much time away, and to see if we could continue to get faster in all conditions.” After a long offseason, which followed the COVID-shortened 2020 sailing season, it’s no surprise there was a lot of enthusiasm on the water for the Annual Regatta, which was sponsored by Hammetts Hotel, Safe Harbor Marinas and Helly Hansen. Boats were crowding the starting line in all classes, and nowhere was the intensity as high as the Melges IC37 class.

“It was really about being conservative,” says Ruh, when asked about his starting strategy. “The last thing we wanted to be was over early.” With four races in four different conditions, Paul Zabetakis (Jamestown, R.I.) and his team in Impetuous relied on their 15 years of experience sailing their Swan 42 to give them the edge in ORC C. In addition to the Division win, Impetuous was also named the ORC Overall Winner. “We worked really hard for it,” says Zabetakis, the Vice Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. “One of the things we’ve learned over the years is that the Swan 42 is a heavy boat, you can’t throw it around like a dinghy, you have to keep the boat moving.” “The key was getting a good start and then going four of five minutes without having to do anything, really focusing on straight-line speed.” With four other Swan 42s doing well in ORC C, Zabetakis and his team, including tactician John Mollicone and longtime main trimmer Todd McGuire, always had a reference for their performance during any race; they could almost sail like it was a one-design class. “If all those [Swan 42] teams continue to sail together, it’s just going to get tighter and tighter,” he says. “We had some fairly close mark roundings, where all the 42s were right there. So it was really fun.”

Undiscovered Luxury: The Baker House 1650

Special Contribution by MICHAEL SNELL

Known as East Hampton’s best kept secret, The Baker House 1650 evokes a comforting English countryside elegance and a rich history that, even for locals, holds a certain mystique unto itself. Located on historic Main Street and steps away from downtown’s shopping and restaurant scene, its guests enjoy breathtaking grounds, well-appointed rooms and sumptuous amenities that never disappoint. Join us as we take a journey to one of the most exciting hidden boutique hotels in the Americas. Upon entering through a pair of ornately carved wooden arches that welcome you into a main foyer, you’re immediately reminded what craftsmanship was once like. Documented as one of the oldest, continually occupied structures in the United States dating back to its groundbreaking in 1648, over the decades, The Baker House 1650 has been a place of learning, worship, entertainment and ultimately a residence. Understanding that most of the village of East Hampton had many different purpose buildings, this one, whose main structure is now an astonishing 373 years young, has assumed many roles as well. Like most historic homes in the area, it had also been expanded, resulting in today’s design – a 17th Century Cotswold-inspired masterpiece. An estate of this distinctive nature seems to be out of a movie, but its well-attended and stately presence is more welcoming than one would think. Cozy fireplaces, beautifully upholstered seating, draperies and wallpapers done by Morris & Co. and fresh

floral arrangements only add to the allure. Reservations for any of its two large luxury guest suites and five additional rooms are highly recommended in the high summer months. Travelers come from around the world and you’ll never know who you might see lounging by one of their two outdoor pools. A carriage house located towards the back of the property is where you’ll find the suites and likely a few guests taking part in yoga or playing a round of croquet on the back green space. Certainly large enough to also host a private reception or intimate wedding, The Baker House 1650 has become more popular over the past year, noted General Manager Heather McCormack. “We love to see so many guests enjoying our beautiful grounds. There is definitely a lot of attraction to enjoying properties that offer seclusion and privacy and that is a standard that we uphold, among many others.” The grounds aren’t the only shock and awe feature at this beautiful inn. Little do most people know, but a hidden gem hides within the estate’s basement - a full spa. Outfitted with a jacuzzi, steam shower, sauna, soaking tub, massage and facial rooms and private showers – this renovated treasure is a sight to see and to enjoy. Offering a full list of services, the Baker Spa is able to accommodate an array of select body and facial treatments including CBD, Swedish technique massage and it also offers a premium skincare line by Luzern Labs. If any of that doesn’t entice you enough, perhaps waking up to the smell of fresh blueberry pancakes or oatmeal maple scones in the morning would? Having a private chef is nothing to scoff at, and each guest is bequeathed the opportunity to order from an extensive list of breakfast items each day that also includes cinnamon bread, french toast and huevos rancheros – exceptionally prepared by Chef Alba. Our stay included amenities you’d find in the finest European hotels including luxurious individual bathrooms featuring L’Occitane toiletries, fully climate-controlled rooms with Frette linens, smart flat screen televisions and complimentary Enterprise-grade WiFi. We were lucky enough to sleep on a magical sleigh bed in a room with beautiful touches of celadon and seafoam and a quaint mullioned bay window seat. The Baker House 1650 is the perfect place to enjoy all year round. Reservations are strongly recommended and children over ten are welcome. For more information, please visit: www.Bakerhouse1650.com

Entourage’s Côte de Provence Rosé is sure to become a fixture in the US this summer

Tommy Tollesson, Entourage Rose Founder with friends Dr. Ken Mark and wife Aleksandra.

Text by MARÍA IRIONDO Photos credit AMANDA GORDON/BLOOMBERG

From a garden in St. Tropez to a garden in East Hampton, Entourage’s AOC-Côte de Provence Rosé has arrived in the US to delight American wine lovers with a fine blend of sustainably grown Cinsault and Grenache grapes that is sure to please any palate. Entourage Côte Provence Rosé was born from a love affair with rosé that Swedish restaurateur Tommy Tollesson developed over the many summers he spent in St. Tropez visiting his friend Gunnar Sachs, son of famous German-born businessman Gunter Sachs. In 2000, the two friends opened a restaurant in Aspen called Elevation where they tried to introduce dry, provençal rosé to their patrons on their sunny patio. “Little did we know that American consumers at that time wanted nothing to do with pink wine unless it was white zinfandel,” says Tollesson. “Fast forward until I started running Cloud 9 in Aspen in 2013 and I could not keep pink wine in stock”. In 2018 Entourage launched during the Aspen food and wine festival where the tagline “born in St Tropez, raised in Aspen” was created, and today Entourage is ready to vacation in the Hamptons, Nantucket and beyond. Its recent northeast debut took place, under blissful weather, at Jane and Mike DeFlorio’s East Hampton home where a perfect pool setting hosted a guest list of restaurateurs and Hampton/NYC socialités. Entourage’s Côte Provence Rosé was generously poured to the tune of DJ Rose’s pan of sexy tunes and perfectly paired with Janet O’Brien’s delicious food. For more information, please visit www.drinkentourage.com

Remaining conscious of the modern evolution that surrounds us, we at ENTOURAGE® are animated by the will of reunifying the iconic moments of the past that has made St-Tropez one of the most Glamorous destination. Far form a fragile nostalgia, the motivation towards reviving these ancient times is driven by an ancestral and cultural tradition relaying itself on artisans work, art reminiscence, friendship, and an extreme devotion towards shared moments of happiness. Through a necessary yet delicate manner, we, at ENTOURAGE®, respects this modern evolution throughout every processes that makes a majority of today’s French luxury products, respected products throughout the world.