OUR SUMMER HAUNTS STILL SAFE AND SECURE As the weather heats up, we show off our favorite summer spots with a little help from the locals

OUR SUMMER HAUNTS STILL SAFE AND SECURE

WITH MUCH uncertainty still surrounding the coronavirus, summer travel will be limited and destinations are adjusting to societal changes. Masks, outdoor dining, sanitizer stations, small gatherings, board games and family time seem to be the new norm. With international travel on hold, domestic flights are gaining popularity, and road-tripping is on the rise. Luckily, Quest’s favorite summer destinations—from the Hamptons to Newport and the Adirondacks (which is seemingly always socially distant)—are just a drive away. And many families kicked off the season early and have been settled in these special communities since March. Montauk resident Kit Keenan is one of those who decided to quarantine in her summer house on the East End months ago with plans to remain through the end of the season. Keenan is sharing this experience with her family, including her mother Cynthia Rowley, who has been a fashion pioneer in COVID-19 relief efforts, using her brand to create masks. The mother-daughter combination also produces a popular podcast, “Ageless,” which covers a range of topics, from motherhood to fashion and wellness. Keenan, a rising senior at New York University who too boasts an eponymous label, also spends much of her time promoting health and teaching at-home workouts through her Instagram platform. Below, she tells us about her time in Montauk and what she expects from the area as the pandemic continues to unfold.

Brooke Kelly: Why is Montauk such a special place to quarantine?

Kit Keenan: Montauk is magic. Anyone who lives out here can vouch for that. The sunsets, the waves, the cliffs—sometimes it feels supernatural. A lot of people say Stranger Things was based on real paranormal events that took place in Montauk.

BK: How have you been spending your days?

KK: Lots of long runs, simple rustic cooking with mom, and working on our mother-daughter podcast, “Ageless.”

BK: What do you miss most about the area pre-coronavirus?

KK: I definitely miss big dinners at Crow’s Nest and Duryea’s, but they recently reopened for outdoor dining, which is exciting. I will definitely miss Surf Lodge concerts, but the surf’s not cancelled and that’s what I care about most.

BK: Did you discover anything new in Montauk during lockdown?

KK: I have become such an avid runner out here in lockdown. There are secret little streets, ponds, and trails that I have just recently discovered through running and have never explored in my 20 years in Montauk. Also, the farmer’s market I’ve been going to forever is still rocking so that’s great!

BK: What do you think socializing will look like in Montauk this summer as more restrictions are lifted?

KK: Anyone who knows me knows I have been on the stricter side when it comes to distancing. I am warier about socializing than most my friends. That being said, the ability to go out to dinner with my girls—six feet from other small groups of course—is incredible!

This page, clockwise from top left: Kit Keenan and Cynthia Rowley, photographed by Frankie Marin; Sunset view from Chef Matt Lambert’s new cafe pop-up at The Stone Lion Inn in Montauk; Montauk Point Lighthouse; the Surf Lodge. Opposite page: Kit Keenan on a beach in Montauk.

Stretching from Southampton to Montauk, the Hamptons is famous for its proximity to New York City, beautiful beaches, high-end shopping like East Hampton’s Main Street, and exciting restaurants and nightlife. While some popular evening venues like Southampton Social Club are already up and running, many bars like Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett are still waiting for the greenlight to safely reopen. Throughout the stretch, resorts have also been adjusting to welcome guests. Although the Surf Lodge is unable to host its popular concert series, it plans to open in July with reconfigured rooms and long-term stays. Nearby Gurney’s, which opened mid-May, has implemented rigorous cleaning protocols with hand sanitizing stations throughout the property. Popular restaurants all over like TBar, Sant Ambroeus, and Duryea’s Lobster Deck have been reaching their (limited) capacities, with masked servers and similar requirements for diners in common areas. And although many of the area’s iconic events like the Hampton Classic have been cancelled, people are inventing new ways to safely get together in larger groups. Rob Wisenthal and Andrew Saffir’s recent drive-in movie screening of Artemis Fowl in Bridgehampton was a huge success, and raised money for East End’s food pantries.

This page, clockwise from top left: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton; the Candy Kitchen diner in Bridgehampton; the Sag Harbor Windmill; The Lobster Roll restaurant, also known as Lunch, in Amagansett; TBAR Southampton; Dockers Waterside restaurant in East Quogue. Opposite page, from above: The beach at Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa; a welcome sign in Southampton Village; the cottages at Gurney’s in Montauk.

Although Martha’s Vinyard has earned the reputation as a summer retreat for presidents and affluent city dwellers, at its heart lies the promise of a magical destination where pleasures of a simpler life are once again recaptured. Named after the youngest daughter of English barrister, explorer, and privateer Bartholomew Gosnold—who was instrumental in founding the Virginia Company of London and Jamestown in colonial America—and the wild grapes growing in profusion, Martha’s Vineyard was once known as a whaling port and farming community. Only seven short miles from the mainland, Martha’s Vineyard has become home to 15,000 year-round residents and a favorite destination for over 7 times as many summer visitors. Anna Vietor, whose family has been visiting Martha’s Vineyard for generations and who has been sheltering in the well-known New England summer colony since March, reports that currently “there are no restaurants open but a lot of take-out options. All of the summer places are slowly beginning to open up and offer food, wine, signature cocktail mixes, and the like for pick-up. We have explored and found some fun specialty foods such as lobsters and scallops fresh off of the boats in Menemsha—the fisherman were bypassing the fish markets and selling directly from their boats for a few months. We have also discovered a lot of local farm stands up island with delicious homemade cheeses, bread, and islandraised meat: Grey Barn, North Tabor Farm, and Mermaid Farm…” Anna Vietor founded the Lolly List, an innovative social shopping platform that allows users to create wishlists from anywhere online, as well as shop off of others users’ lists- check it out at lollylist.com.

From above: Chappaquiddick “Chappy” Beach Club in Edgartown, Mass.; Dutcher Dock in Menemsha, on Martha’s Vineyard; The Christopher Hotel on Martha’s Vineyard; a vintage postcard of Menemsha Creek, Mass.; produce from The Grey Barn & Farm in Chilmark, Mass.. Opposite page, clockwise from top: Edgartown Lighthouse; Menemsha Fish Market; shops aligning Main Street in Edgartown; wicker basketed bicycles at Edgartown’s Harbor View Hotel.

NANTUCKET

This historic New England island on the Atlantic Ocean is famous for its whaling culture, fishing, sprawling harbor, and hotspots like the Chicken Box and Cisco Brewers. While made up of localities with their own unique qualities— like Sconset, Cisco, Polpis, Madaket, and Wauwinet—the island is characterized by an all-American feel, with shingle-style homes, blooming Hydrangeas, and charming lighthouses. Restaurants are open for outdoor dining, and Nantucket’s iconic resorts—the White Elephant, the Wauwinet, Jared Coffin House, and the Cottages at the Boat Basin—opened for visitors midJune. The resorts are sanitized and clean, and encourage all travelers considering a stay to call ahead with any concerns. As more restrictions are lifted, glimmers of optimism can be seen throughout the island. The windows of the Nantucket Whaling read, “One Day This Too Will Be History.”

COURTESY OF MARNELY MURRAY/COOKING WITH BOOKS; NANTUCKET ISL AND RESORTS; NICOLE HARNISHFEGER/

This page, above: Shops near Nantucket Harbor; Nantucket’s Old Mill (inset). This page, below: A view of the White Elephant resort from the harbor; Jared Coffin House (inset). Opposite page: The lawn at the Wauwinet. Opposite page, insets, from above: The Whaling Museum; Chris Fraker with help from his grandson Jackson Agnel- lo stand the wooden letters spelling “hope” wrapped in lights on the roof of their home; the Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin.

This treasured summer getaway, known for its charming New England scenery and private Atlantic Ocean beaches, is carefully reopening, with health and wellness as its top priorities. Watch Hill Inn, Ocean House—which helped feed local families with its food truck during the height of the pandemic—and Weekapaug Inn are now offering an array of outdoor and experiences. It’s been great for both locals and visitors, and Ocean House Management president Daniel Hostettler addressed the issue, saying: “In this brave new world, our goal is to introduce food venues, amenities, and services that creatively address new health standards so guests can have a much-needed escape from reality.”

Clockwise, from top left: The Watch Hill Inn; getting some exercise on the Tito’s bike at Ocean House; practicing social distancing; outdoor seating. Opposite page, from above: Ocean House’s food truck helped feed families during the height of the COVID pandemic; the sun sets on Watch Hill.

LAWRENCE BEACH

Despite early concerns, Nassau County’s beaches re- opened in time for Memorial Day, and by the follow- ing weekend the historic Lawrence Beach (founded in 1886 but, due to coastal reconfiguration, relocated across Reynolds Channel to Atlantic Beach in 1920), was back in operation, though with masks aplenty and social distancing the rule. Steve, the ever congenial and expert Irish head barman, had moved his wares from the still closed upper deck to the dance floor, and the hot dogs and burgers Karen at the soda fountain was turning out remained, as always, the very taste of early summer. Whether and when the cafeteria, fine dining, dancing un- der the stars to Bob Hardwick and his band, and the LBC’s iconic Fourth of July fireworks and parade led by Uncle Sam around the still shuttered pool can resume remains to be seen, but Hope springs eternal, and after the encouraging early season, the words of the Club’s historian in 1960 have never rung truer: “So whatever the tides decree, The Lawrence Beach still stands A haven by the sea In spite of shifting sands.” —Audax

This page, clockwise from top left: An early season view from the still closed cafeteria deck out to the ocean; the newly redesigned club entrance; masks must be on entering the club; the dining rooms and bar deck. Opposite page: Socially distanced chair groupings on the spacious sand; optional masking waiting to ascend to the deck at lunchtime (inset).

NEWPORT

Founded in 1639, Newport, Rhode Island is often considered the shining gem in the coastal crown of New England. A critical Colonial Era port city, a thriving artists’ colony, a summer playground for America’s barons of industry during the Gilded Age, home to the U.S. Naval War College, and hailed as America’s First Resort—Newport is a destination like none other. History in Newport is ubiquitous and alluring. The identity of the little New England town, beyond the beaches and lobster shacks, has long been tied up with its Gilded Age mansions and remarkable boats and super yachts. People often come to behold America’s elite: from the Vanderbilt’s magnificent summer “cottages”, The Breakers (the grandest of Newport’s mansions), and Marble House, with its all-marble interior and extraordinary Chinese Tea House (where Alva Vanderbilt hosted rallies for women’s right to vote); the Astor family’s sprawling “Beechwood” mansion; the Morgan family’s Tredegar House; and the Versailles-inspired Rosecliff and Chepstow… You will likely want to spend a day browsing through the otherworldly rooms, palatial staircases, and manicured gardens that the town of Newport has so beautifully preserved. As any visitor of Newport will soon discover (and as every local already knows), together with the charming fudge shops and souvenir stores sprinkling Thames Street, lies a city with a distinct personality waiting to be discovered—one with chic bistros, craft-cocktail bars, and a unique blend of surf and fishing culture that makes the “town and gown” element of Newport so distinctly captivating and unique.

This page, from above: The Elms; Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina; the Newport International Tennis Hall of Fame, located in the Newport Casino, was commissioned in 1879 by James Gordon Bennett, Jr. as an exclusive resort for Newport summer residents; the Newport Shipyard. Opposite page: The Clarke Cooke House; 12 Metre Yacht Club, home of Newport’s 12mR Racing Fleet; Newport Police Department’s COVID-19 notice; the Breakers.