The Purist Fall Issue 2023 (Mid-August + September)

KELLY RIPA

MORNING TV’S REIGNING

QUEEN

HOW TO POWER YOUR BRAIN

CANNABINOIDS AND INTIMACY

JOAN BAEZ

CANDACE BUSHNELL RENÉE COX

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

A.M. HOMES

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JUST BREATHE

Summer is the most prolific time in which we can “revere the healing power of nature,” as Hippocrates wrote. Every cell, every organ has the potential for healing, regeneration, repair. We are whole human beings, and oftentimes when we are hurt and the healing isn’t happening, the problem does not lie on the physical realm, but rather in the nonphysical one. I often feel overwhelmed by the contradictions of what’s good for you, but as soon as we shift to lifestyle as medicine, it’s like going back to basics—nourish, hydrate, rest, move, align, connect, immerse in nature for spiritual significance—and it all begins with breathing.

Off the page, mostly because of this life cycle I find myself in, I have been engaged in the great debacle of the 20th century—hormone replacement therapies during menopause—and its benefits and risks.

But I don’t want to talk about that right now. So, I decided to take action to meet my body’s needs and amalgamate experience with information. I sought out a degree in nutrition. I sometimes summarize my weekend homework with my staff or my family so that we all can share in the knowledge of geniuses like Dr. Andrew Weil, the father of integrative medicine. It quickly became clear to me that allopathic medicine will become a convention for dealing with illness. In my health coach class, we read about the primary and secondary foods—primary foods are everything that nourishes you off the plate, and secondary are the foods on your plate. One does not exist without the other; both are needed for balance.

The most important health tip that came from Dr. Andrew Weil centers on the basic principle of breathing: Inhale through your nose and not through your mouth

while learning to extend exhaling, and make that equal to inhalation; in other words, get more air out than you get in and you’ll automatically get more in. Qualities of breath that you want to develop are to make your breathing deep, quiet, slow and regular.

Try it wherever you are right now. Why? It gives you great control over your mental and emotional state. The physiological benefits are vast: Deep periodic breathing exercises oxygenate the blood, get rid of carbon dioxide, lower blood pressure, improve circulation and digestion.

What we do in our lives affects our genetic expression— emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. While each person has unique, bio-individual needs— no one size fits all, and one person’s food is another’s poison. Ask yourself: How do you tend to your well-being? What fuels you off the plate? What recharges you? Alone time? People time? Yoga or a swim in the sea?

Contemplate the areas that affect health beyond the diet you adhere to. What’s your social life like? Relationships? Home environment and beyond? Home cooking? What career path are you on? Is it the one you want to manifest for yourself? (Better to fail at what makes you happy than what doesn’t.)

The word conspiracy derives from the Latin term conspirare, which means ‘to breathe together’—so let’s engage in a conspiracy for better health!

@cristinacuomo @thepurist

Nourish, rest, align, immerse in nature.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES

110 LEADER OF THE PACK

Cover star Kelly Ripa sits down with Cristina Cuomo to talk parenting, partnership and wellness.

116 THE UNFLINCHING GAZE

After decades of creating images that “flip the script,” Renée Cox gets her due at the newly revamped Guild Hall with A Proof of Being, a show that highlights some of her most important works. Ray Rogers speaks with the artist about representation, validation and more.

“The news we cover is oftentimes absurd. We are a respite from the anxiety of the day.”

—Kelly Ripa

32 GUIDED BY BIET Spiritual guide Biet Simkin answers Purist ’s readers’ questions.

42 KELP IS ON THE WAY How six Indigenous female kelp farmers are fighting climate change

44 PURE LOVE

A mutual love of the ocean and meditation sparks an intergenerational friendship.

HEALTH

47 LIVE WELL LONGER Manhattan’s Elitra Health takes preventive health care seriously.

48 ASK THE DR. Dr. Frank Lipman demystifies brain-enhancing nootropics.

50 CARNAL CANNABINOIDS

Acupuncturist Kevin Menard discusses the connection between THC, CBD and intimacy.

52 UNLOCKING COMPASSION

The promise and potential of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy

54 EMPOWERING VOICES

A holistic, evidence-based approach to speech and swallowing care

56 LETTING GO

A practitioner shares the benefits of colon hydrotherapy.

57 HEALING HEART

Jolene Star’s vibrant wellness sanctuary

58 TICK, TICK, BOOM!

Hampton Bays’ one-stop location for tick-borne disease care

SPACE

60 PRETTY IN PINK

Elsa Soyars’ playful tabletop collection

62 HOUSE OF INSPIRATION

Ma’s House is a BIPOC arts haven on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.

Andrew Macpherson

Robert Downey Jr., photographed at home for his Purist cover story

Sophisticated simplicity is our trademark. Wearability is core to our identity. We create place, vision and craft in the service of pieces that can be worn with confidence and ease every day.

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63 TO THE LIGHTHOUSE

Adam Lindemann showcases the work of Kambel Smith

64 PURE PROPERTY

Not-to-be-missed NYC and Hamptons real estate

GLOW

68 EDITOR’S PICKS

Purist founder Cristina Cuomo’s chic and glowy go-tos

70 NEXT-LEVEL TRESSES

Revolve Hair founder Alicia Cook on beauty, imagination and change

WEEKEND

72 CHIC SOIRÉE

The Chanel Summer Tour arrives in East Hampton.

74 NOISE MAKER

A new film about the iconic Joan Baez, part of HamptonsFilm’s SummerDocs

76 SEX AND THE BEACH

Candace Bushnell talks relationships, wellness rituals and her one-woman show.

80 HIGH VELOCITY

Charriol celebrates its 40th anniversary with a new surf watch

82 MAKING THE CUT LilyEve’s fresh and sustainable spin on vintage garments

84 PURE PICKS

Iconic shoe designer Manolo Blahnik’s favorites

86 WHAT A DOLL

Designer Carolyn Rowan draws inspiration from Barbie.

88 PURE PICKS

Alvin Valley shares his in-season must-haves.

90 PURE PICKS

Partou Soleil founder Andréa Marcucci’s flexible fashion selects

92 ON COURSE

Devon Halsey, a new line of women’s golf clothing that’s breathable and stylish.

94 TAKE A BOW

A luxury home decor line gets a summer palette refresh.

96 PLACE OF HOPE

Pamela Fiori’ s Rwandan chronicles

VIBRANT

99 A FRESH START

Dr. Stacie Stephenson shares actionable tips for easing the summer-fall transition.

FOOD IS MEDICINE

102 BEACON BIRTHDAY

The Sag Harbor favorite celebrates 25 years.

104 BENEFICIAL BREW

Rahm Roast, a delicious new coffee to perk up your day

105 GUILT-FREE GOODIES

Tasty and nutritious back-toschool snacks

106 INTO THE WOOD

Learn about the process and inspiration behind Casa Dragones’ premium tequila.

107 OIL CHANGE

The health benefits of Kyoord’s high-phenolic olive oil

PLAY

121 GAME ON Move over, pickleball—the latest sporting trend on the East End is padel.

122 LEVEL UP

Get in physical and spiritual shape at Holly Rilinger’s new Lifted studio in East Hampton.

123 TOP FITNESS GURUS

Meet the East End’s most beloved trainers.

125 AT A GLANCE

Your go-to Hamptons summer events calendar

126 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

A custom brain game with a wellness twist

128 NUMEROLOGY

A by-the-numbers look at Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr.

Chanel’s Summer Tour

48 Main Street | Southampton

EDITORIAL

Founder + Editor Cristina Cuomo

Executive Editor Ray Rogers

Features Editor Jim Servin

Assistant Editor + Photo Editor Jenna Lebovits

Senior Wellness + Beauty Editor Amely Greeven

Beauty + Fitness Editor Beth Landman

Wellness Editor Fernanda Niven

Contributing Health Editors Dr. Jeffrey Morrison,The Morrison Center; Tapp Francke Ingolia, STANDwellness

Copy Editor Michèle Filon

Research Editor Jill Malter

Contributing Food Editor Peter Som

Special Project Editors Jenny Landey TR Pescod

Contributing Fashion Editor Gretchen Gunlocke Fenton

Contributing Writers Dr. Samantha Boardman, Isaac Boots, Casey Brennan, Donna Bulseco

Candace Bushnell, Christina Chao, Alina Cho, Shannon Conklin, Camille Coy

Chris Cuomo, Dr. Gerry Curatola, Donna D’Cruz, Matt Diehl, Gabrielle Echevarrieta

Dimitri Ehrlich, Melissa Errico, Pamela Fiori, Marisa Fox, Steve Garbarino, Kara Goldin

Vivien Goldman, Dr. Limor Goren, Erika Halweil, Kelly Hayes, Linda Hayes, Seth Herzog

Laura Hine, Nancy Kane, Matthew Kenney, Dr. Gail King, Carrie Leskowitz, Jody Levy

Dr. Frank Lipman, Dr. Lea Lis, Michael Mailer, Ali Margo Martha McGuinness

Myles Mellor, Kevin Menard,Vashti Moore Roxanna Namavar, Anne Marie O’Connor

Dr. Eunice Park, Dr. David Perlmutter, Annelise Peterson, Kelly Posner Gerstenhaber

Dr. Christina Rahm, Dr. Whitney Roban, Hal Rubenstein, Caroline Russo, Jim Shi

Brooke Shields, Biet Simkin, Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson, Dr. Carder Stout, Julia Szabo

Abby Tegnelia, Edwina Von Gal,Tess Weaver, Regina Weinreich, Ali Wentworth

Constance C.R. White, Christy Whitman, Julie Wilcox, Lee Woodruff, Sarah Wragge

DESIGN

Contributing Design Director Ben Margherita

Contributing Art Director Mikio Sakai

Contributing Designer Seton Rossini

Web Managers Tarin Keith, Aubrée Mercure

Contributing Photographers Melanie Acevedo, Camilla Akrans, Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca, Frederic Auerbach

Lachlan Bailey David Bellemere Justin Bettman, Cass Bird, Brian Bowen Smith

Natalie Chitwood, Bob and Dawn Davis Gregg Delman, Mikey DeTemple

Sophie Elgort, Francine Fleischer Marili Forestieri, Diana Frank, Morgan Maassen

Roberto Matteo Marchese, Mary Ellen Matthews, Peter McBride, Miller Mobley

David Molle, Ryan Moore, Nino Muñoz, Patrick O’Keefe, Matt Sayles, Peggy Sirota

Simon Upton, Cathrine White

ADVERTISING

Publisher Helen Cleland, helen@thePURISTonline.com

Chief Revenue Officer Andrea Greeven Douzet, andrea@thePURISTonline.com

Head of Partnerships Nicole Levy, nicole@thePURISTonline.com

Executive Sales Directors Tova Bonem, Michelle Johnson, Eden Williams, Rosalind Zukowski

Aspen Publisher Alexandra Halperin

Aspen Media Consultant Cheryl Foerster

MARKETING

Director of Marketing Ilene Frankel

Client Relations Director Jen Brown

OPERATIONS

Chief Financial Officer Caryn Whitman

Production Direction Digital Workflow Solutions

Purist is distributed in New York City, the Hamptons Aspen, Miami, Palm Beach, Los Angeles and now in Chicago and Scottsdale.

For advertising inquiries, please contact sales@thePURISTonline.com

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Follow us on Instagram @thePurist and Facebook.com/puristonline www.thePURISTonline.com

David Hofmann

CONTRI BUTORS

HOW CAN WE BE STEWARDS OF THE LAND ON A SMALL SCALE?

“We can tend our own gardens and shop at local farms and support preservation in our villages. We can quit pesticides, we can recycle and we can compost. Small things lead to big things.”

Nancy Kane grew up in Southampton and after a career in public relations repping talent from Jerry Lewis to Matt LeBlanc, returned to her hometown, where she is a year-round resident, and to her first love of journalism. She is a sought-after high-profile event specialist, consults on PR for national and local brands, heads up SouthamptonFest for the village every fall and is writing a novel about growing up in Southampton called 34 Post Crossing

WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO METHOD FOR USING HIGH-PHENOLIC OLIVE OIL?

“I love doing little shots of olive oil, about a spoonful. I also always keep in the fridge some homemade olive oil-based sauces or dressing like chimichurri, vinaigrette or pesto.”

Dr. Limor Goren, PhD, is a molecular biologist and cancer researcher specializing in cellular metabolism. She is the founder of Kyoord, a premium olive oil company focused on the healing benefits of olive oil polyphenols.

WHAT ARE YOUR DAILY WELLNESS RITUALS?

“I begin each day with qigong and meditation; I swim or engage in light, weight-bearing workouts; I drink plenty of water supplemented with electrolytes; I follow an anti-inflammatory keto diet; and take evening walks.”

Kevin Menard, a practitioner of sports medicine acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, incorporates CBD and native herbs into treatments, helping clients from executives to wellness gurus. Building on the success of his herbal and CBD treatments, he founded Dragon Hemp and its Sag Harbor apothecary, aiming to extend patient wellness beyond his clinic and foster a community centered around herbal knowledge.

WHAT EFFECT CAN CROSSWORD PUZZLES HAVE ON THE BRAIN?

“Many studies have indicated that crossword puzzles can have a beneficial effect on memory and longevity, and are an excellent mental exercise. A crossword puzzle shuts out the noise and provides hours of relaxation.”

Myles Mellor is one of the most published crossword writers in the world. Over the past 20 years, he has created puzzles for over 800 magazines and Fortune 500 companies. He can be contacted through his website at ilovecrosswords.com.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

“Simply put, quality over quantity. While I appreciate a seasonal trend, I am all for extending the useful life of products well beyond one fashion show cycle. It is an important multigenerational lesson.”

Jim Shi is a luxury lifestyle journalist based in New York City and the Hamptons. He’s obsessed with blueberries and small leather goods.

Jeanne Loftus, Courtesy of Kyoord, Richard Phibbs, Debby Fleming-Mellor, Courtesy of Jim Shi

NANCY KANE who wrote about happenings on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation

KEVIN MENARD who shined a light on the connection between cannabinoids and intimacy

JIM SHI who wrote about upcycled clothing brand LilyEve

DR. LIMOR GOREN who extols the benefits of olive oil

MYLES MELLOR who created a custom wellness brain game

M I NDF U L

Committing to a visualization meditation practice can boost the immune system and enhance mental alertness.

Olena Ivanova

THE ART OF PLAY

Creativity,

In all of its permutations, art has the potential to spark conversations around important social, cultural and political issues. Allow me in this, our sacred reader and writer kinship, to categorize all of us as creative, expressive beings, as artists.

In a rapidly changing world with complex social, environmental and political issues, the arts can serve as a catalyst for understanding. Artists have the unique ability to communicate concepts and emotions in ways that resonate with audiences on a deep level. Through our creations, we can raise awareness, foster empathy and inspire individuals to take action toward a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive future. It is a great joy for me to DJ at celebrations around the world, and share many music projects on my record label, Rasa Music, including the Deepak Chopra, Rumi-inspired A Gift of Love I cocreated, which has Madonna, Rosa Parks, Demi Moore and Goldie Hawn, among others, reciting 13th-century poetry set to incredible music. It is a dream come true to see people from the most diverse backgrounds dancing and in ecstasy as they move to music and words that transcend all boundaries. “There are many ways to the Divine,” says Rumi. “I have chosen the ways of song, dance and laughter.”

The greatest challenge for the arts today is to dig deeper into ideas that inspire change and contribute to the rebuilding of society. Each one of us is invited to connect with our creative souls and play.

Being more creative and playful in life is essential for personal well-being, self-expression and overall happiness. Here are a few key reasons why embracing creativity and playfulness is important:

1 Self-expression and authenticity: Creativity allows us to express unique thoughts, emotions and perspectives. Engaging in creative endeavors, whether through art, writing, music or other forms,

BY DONNA D’CRUZ

provides a means of communicating and sharing our inner world with others.

2 Stress relief: Engaging in playful activities and creative pursuits can help reduce anxiety, enhance mood and increase overall well-being. It offers a respite from the demands and pressures of everyday life, allowing us to recharge and rejuvenate.

3 Problem solving and innovation: By approaching challenges with a creative mindset, we can discover new perspectives, generate unique ideas and find novel solutions.

4 Personal growth: Engaging in creative and playful activities encourages us to step out of comfort zones, take risks and explore new possibilities. Through experimentation and exploration, we expand horizons, develop new skills, and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

5 Connection: Engaging in creative pursuits with others allows for meaningful interactions, bonding and the exchange of ideas. It promotes a sense of community, empathy and mutual understanding.

6 Joy and fulfillment: Being creative and playful brings a childlike sense of wonder into our lives. It ignites a sense of curiosity, adventure and spontaneity, helping us find joy in the present moment.

Incorporating more creativity and playfulness into our lives can be as simple as trying new hobbies, engaging in artistic pursuits, exploring nature, embracing curiosity or approaching daily tasks with a playful mindset. It allows us to tap into our innate imagination, nurture our inner child and find greater fulfillment in the richness of life’s experiences. A Zen koan says, “Jump, and the net appears.” Are you ready to jump?

Tune in for weekly Dip Into Bliss meditations with Cristina Cuomo and Donna D’Cruz on Instagram, @donnadcruz1; donnadcruz.com Rod Long

Embracing play, we tap into imagination and wonder.

spontaneity and connection are essential for well-being.

Fine jewelry handcrafted in Austin, Texas. JamieTurnerDesigns.com

GUIDED BY BIET

Spiritual teacher and bestselling author Biet Simkin answers Purist readers’ questions.

Dear Biet,

I left a cult religious upbringing and have now found great solace in a more open-minded journey that includes polyamory. I am happy exploring. I still feel resentful toward the cult, and the way I was raised. I wonder if there is anything I can do to let that anger go.

Justin, NYC

Justin,

The theme of so many questions that came in for this month’s Purist column has been forgiveness. Bravo on leaving whatever cult you were in! How lovely to be free. After such an experience of restriction, it is natural to spring into its opposite of permissiveness. Nothing wrong with this, however, we are always looking for the middle or neutral path, the one that is neither passive nor in revolt. An honest path requires not a reaction, but a state of compassion for what is, and a choosing. My advice would be to forgive this cult, and see how your new freedom is a totem of transformation. Then, from a place of stillness, choose your new life. After all, you are the creator of your life. It’s so important to create from a place of peace.

Warmly, Biet

Dear Biet,

I have a really hard time with body hatred. I have tried every diet under the sun, but still feel like I come out crazy when it comes to food and body image. What do you recommend to make this journey more spiritual, and less hate-driven?

Marna, Santa Monica

Marna,

I find that self-love and acceptance takes so much attention here. It’s not a one-and-done deal, where you do a retreat and are healed. Some of the things that have helped me with this are daily movement, shaking the body alive, journaling, meditation, eating whole, nourishing foods, playing with various eating habits to create new healthy habits, mirror affirmations, self-touch, orgasm, and making agreements and keeping them. The tricky part, Marna, is this is an eternal return! You gotta do it every day, and some days are gonna be messy and imperfect. That needs to be OK. As long as you always return to what you know works, and have a structured blueprint of that self love...then you can return quickly.

Warmly, Biet

Dear Biet,

As a woman who works in a competitive industry in a competitive city, I sometimes feel such a heavy feeling of compare and despair. What do you recommend for feelings of “less than”? Tired of constantly feeling like I fall short.

Bernie, San Francisco

Dear Bernie,

It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others. They say that comparison is the thief of joy. Here are some simple steps that really help when I find myself comparing. 1. I think of all the great things that have ever happened to me, and the ways I am lucky. 2. I try to remember that I can’t have someone’s gift without having their whole life—their mom, their dad, their whole karma—and when I think of that, I always would rather be me. 3. I try to capture a feeling of excitement for what I want, knowing my comparing is shining light on the North Star of my future, and what’s possible for me. This way I see this person as a gift. 4 I feel gratitude for all that is coming, as though it already has occurred. Try these four steps the next time you feel this way, and see if it helps!

Love, Biet

Dear Biet,

I have always been starstruck. I feel like it hinders my ability to be normal, especially in situations where celebrities are present. I know not everyone has what I have...I literally lock up and feel terrified. Is there a spiritual solution?

Grace, NYC

Grace,

You know I totally had this issue before and it made life tricky, especially being a New Yorker where the fabulous people roam free! Ha! Anyhow, here is what helped me. I remembered how valuable I am and that no one, not one person—no matter how wealthy or famous—is me. I am my own note to play, my own magic to make. So, Grace, what makes you special? What is your special note and gift to the world? Meditate on that and feel it all over, especially in the presence of the people that make you feel this way!

Love, Biet bietsimkin.com

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LET IT SHINE

To find and brighten the light within, unlock three energy mastery principles.

BY CHRISTY WHITMAN

We all want to feel the presence of our inner light. We want to feel radiant in our bodies. We adore the experience of feeling lighthearted and unburdened. Being in love—with a person, an idea or even a desire we’re working toward— puts a spring in our step and a gleam in our eyes.

But what is the source of the light we’re seeking, and how can we cultivate its presence within us? Here are three energy mastery principles to help you find—and brighten— your inner light.

PRINCIPLE NO. 1: Recognize that the light you seek is not something that you need to strive to create. Light is simply high-vibration energy, and this energy is your very essence, your natural state of being.

The energy that moves through us is sourced from the same energy stream that creates and sustains all things. And this energy stream has been called many things— life force, prana, chi, god, goddess, to name a few. The particular name we use to describe our inner light is unimportant. What matters is that we recognize that the inner light exists, and that we know that we are the ones who have the power to align with it, or to block ourselves off from it.

PRINCIPLE NO. 2: Resistance opposes the light you seek, while acceptance and allowance invites it in. The fastest way to find and strengthen your inner light is to actively notice and appreciate everything that is working in your life, by amplifying all that you desire to say “yes” to. Not only is it unnecessary to push against all the things you don’t desire, it’s actually counterproductive.

Focusing on problems only causes your awareness of those problems to become bigger. This crashes your mood, causes you stress and diminishes your light. So

instead, think and speak only about what you do want and all that you do appreciate. What you focus on, you become. By appreciating all that you love, you raise your vibration and make room for more of your inner light.

PRINCIPLE NO. 3: Fill yourself from the inside out.

The light we seek can only be cultivated from within, and it grows stronger and more resilient in the presence of our own self-care. Read from the list below, and incorporate as many of these self-loving actions into your daily routine as you feel inspired to:

Oxygenate your body with three deep, long, slow breaths. Feel the air filling your abdomen, then expanding your side ribs, back and chest.

Bask for 15 minutes in the early morning light. Make sure to use sunscreen if appropriate.

Inhale an uplifting, stimulating fragrance, such as peppermint or citrus.

Prioritize laughing! Watch comedy shows, or read a funny book or movie.

Treat yourself as you would a dear friend. What words do you most need to hear right now? Look in the mirror and offer them to yourself.

Look for opportunities to practice generosity. Open a door for someone, or let a fellow driver into your lane of traffic. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line at Starbucks. As you give to others, acknowledge and appreciate the abundance that is all around you.

Look for evidence of all that is going right. Life will show you evidence of whatever you believe is true. Begin your day with an honest desire to rendezvous with examples of love, beauty, awe, generosity and well-being.

watchyourwords.com

Spending time in the early morning sun can help raise your vibration.

A MOTHER’S TALE

In the early hours of October 21, 2021, my life changed forever.

I heard a frantic banging on my front door in Water Mill. It was my older son, Jamie, in floods of tears. He told me Francesco, his brother, was dead. He had died by suicide on Little Plains Beach in Southampton a few hours after midnight. He was 17 years old.

All I could do was scream WHY WHY WHY WHY, again and again for what seemed like an eternity. How could this happen? I had just dropped him at school the morning of October 20. He had turned around and given me a huge hug and smile and shouted, “I love you, Mummy!” That was the last time I saw him. The night before, we’d had a lovely dinner at the Bell & Anchor in Sag Harbor. Francesco was so excited about his upcoming interview at Amherst College. He had just got a 1520 SAT score and was an honors student with straight A’s, all of which came easily to him.

My partner, Jennifer Allsop, in an attempt to get me out of my despair following Francesco’s death, suggested we go skiing in Aspen and stay with her friend Melissa Temple. Melissa was the president of AspenOUT, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to grassroots charities helping the LGBTQ community in Aspen as well as nationally. She thought Jen and I should start a nonprofit in Francesco’s honor to help other teens—to help prevent bullying and teen suicide, especially those in high-risk categories such as those in the LGBTQ community.

It had transpired over the last few weeks of Francesco’s life that he had been cyberbullied because of his sexual orientation. Francesco had been openly bisexual among his friends since he was 15. He grew up in an environment where your sexuality didn’t define who you were, and suddenly he was being ridiculed and gossiped about, his only outlet being a site with bold, cartoony graphics, which most parents assume is focused on video games. But on this site he shared his darkest thoughts with total strangers.

Jennifer and I set about creating Francesco’s Foundation with the sponsorship of AspenOUT.

We decided we should have three pillars: the prevention of bullying and suicide, gun safety with minors in the house, and internet safety. We are already working with an established nonprofit, the Yes Institute. It provides teachers, parents and students with the tools to help teenagers through programs they create in communities and schools, specifically to prevent bullying and suicide. The Yes Institute has 28 years of experience working in several states all over the U.S.

I have also just lobbied in Washington for Ethan’s Law, a nonpartisan safe-storage law that has already been passed in Connecticut to protect minors from unsecured guns in the home. After meetings with several congressmen and senators, I had the honor of a private conference with Nancy Pelosi. I am lobbying to make this commonsense law federal. Regarding internet safety, we aim to educate parents and teens about the dangers of certain internet sites. We are also in preliminary talks with a mental health sports charity, RALLY4EVER, to help get disadvantaged teens away from their devices and involved in healthy activities. This charity has been set up by Louise Pleming, a BBC tennis commentator and former professional tennis player.

There is no greater time to prevent teen suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 teenagers thinks about killing themselves. A recent Gallup poll shows that 19.7% of Generation Z members identify as LGBTQ, and LGBTQ teenagers are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.

After the devastation of my precious son’s death, I have chosen to honor Francesco’s memory by creating a foundation with my partner, Jennifer. Francesco’s Foundation has been set up to help prevent the worst of tragedies happening to other parents and families and to help save valuable teenage lives. francescosfoundation.org If you are having thoughts of suicide, help is available by calling or texting 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Inset courtesy of Diana Cochran, Yoal Desurmont

After her son’s suicide, Diana Cochran sprang into action and created Francesco’s Foundation to raise awareness about the deadly consequences of bullying.

The inaugural gala in support of the foundation is on September 16, from 6PM, at EHP Resort & Marina.

From left: Diana and Francesco Cochran, Jennifer Allsop

LEARN BY HEART

Integrity, courage and respect are at the

of a Dwight-Englewood School education.

BY GABRIELLE ECHEVARRIETA

In this turbulent world, a new generation is faced with the daunting task of creating a brighter future. Their caregivers have an equally crucial responsibility, to equip fresh minds with the tools to spread knowledge, compassion and ingenuity across the globe. Esteemed scholastic institutions like the Dwight-Englewood School share the same mission, serving as a positive space for children to grow and explore.

With origins going back over 130 years in Englewood, New Jersey, the Dwight-Englewood School teaches young thought leaders from prekindergarten through 12th grade. Following innovative academic strategies rooted in tradition, a student body of 1,015 allows for small class sizes incorporating both one-on-one and group learning. Distinguished alumni include Hollywood stars Brooke Shields and Mira Sorvino, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish, and culinary adventurer Anthony Bourdain.

Its commitment to student success proven in its 100 percent graduation rate, Dwight-Englewood is led by passionate faculty members that prioritize academic achievement, critical thinking, creativity and unity. Curricula are molded according to the ever-changing needs of developing children, creating a seamless transition through the lower, middle and upper grades. “As a community of learners, D-E strives to foster in each student a passion for lifelong learning,” says Helen Roob Jerome, dean of admissions. “We believe both children and older generations are living in a changing world, and

we want students to meet those challenges to make the world a better place.”

The Dwight-Englewood School is a 15-minute drive over the George Washington Bridge, and along with New Jersey students, Dwight-Englewood attracts a diverse student body from Manhattan, Nyack, the Palisades and other tristate communities. Settled upon 45 acres of greenery, the school’s outdoor spaces provide a sense of tranquility. A thoughtful layout reminiscent of a college campus features multiple academic buildings surrounding a quad, strengthening students’ independence and priming them for university life.

Physical, social and emotional wellness are prioritized at Dwight-Englewood, with a variety of initiatives supporting self-expression, mind-body connection and healthy eating. Physical education offerings include yoga and spin classes, while robust art, sports, music and tech programs allow students to develop an eclectic skill set. D-E lunches are more sophisticated than the typical cafeteria menu, featuring salad, sandwich and rice bowl bars with gluten-free and vegetarian options. “We are mindful of children’s mental health,” says Jerome. “A child won’t succeed academically if they are not doing well physically, socially, emotionally. We don’t listen to react, we listen to understand. We are constantly examining the curriculum to satisfy children’s needs.”

315 E. Palisade Ave.,

Englewood,

New Jersey;

d-e.org

Courtesy of Dwight-Englewood School

core

The campus primes students for university life.

ON THE ROAD WITH A. M. HOMES

The literary icon holds court at the East Hampton Library’s annual Authors Night.

BY REGINA WEINREICH

Reading A. M. Homes’ latest book, The Unfolding, you’d think she can tell the future. “I’m riveted by American history,” she says, in a recent conversation from her car. On the road from her East Hampton “tiny cabin” to Washington, D.C., to celebrate her mother’s 97th birthday, the muchlauded novelist details the fiction that will most likely be on her table at Authors Night. “In The Unfolding, I was writing about how we became who we are, and how we seem shocked by it.” She puts on a voice: “‘Oh no, how did this happen?’ All you have to do is look at our political evolution from the Eisenhower era. It’s not a mystery.”

The Unfolding takes place between election night 2008 and Barack Obama’s inauguration in January 2009, roughly six weeks involving two stories: a family coming together, dealing with their secrets, and where we are now, politically. “A group of men are not happy when John McCain loses,” Homes says. “They set about to reclaim their vision of America, their version of democracy, and it’s scary.

“I had the idea long before Trump was even on the horizon,” she continues. “My editor said, ‘Well, you don’t write science fiction.’ And I said, ‘I think there’s something happening out there.’ I wanted to talk about how Obama’s presidency unleashed racism and sexism that has come to define the country in the years after. Ideas about January 6 [2021] come to play. Weirdly, I wrote a story, though set in 2008, that has come to define the last election.”

Homes’ passion for history includes the “enormous depth of the Hamptons.” In the mid-1980s, she lived in “The Barn” near South Essex Street in Montauk, repurposed by playwright Edward Albee as a foundation for artists and writers. A great inspiration and kind support, he gave her confidence when she started out. And, “Edward and I shared this weird detail: We were both adopted in D.C.”

In community with like-minded friends, she discussed creativity with Lou Reed at Louse Point, and collaborated with Eric Fischl on a book about beaches. “What you read about the Hamptons is dominated by wealth and real estate,” Homes says. “The reason the artists, writers and millionaires come is the richness of land itself. I go to Main Beach in the morning. I can watch whales eating breakfast. They open their mouths and fish go in, while I’m eating two eggs on a roll.”

Looking forward to Authors Night, she notes how special it is when people get together to talk about books. She remembers getting Dr. Ruth Westheimer to sign a book, and chef Mark Strausman autographing his cookbook while she signed a book for his ex-wife. “You see the regulars. Bob Caro—he’s a legend, and then the occasional movie stars.”

Private dinners follow, “a great way to eat with people you may not know,” she says. “One year I did it with The Mistress’s Daughter, my memoir about being adopted. Many older people who had adopted wanted to ask about things they never asked their own children. That’s a special kind of conversation that you don’t get to have with strangers.”

Now, “I am writing about an AI talking tree who is a therapist,” Homes says. With so many shrinks and psychiatric patients populating her books, Homes must know the territory. “Yes, I’ve been in therapy since fourth grade and I like to think I’m making progress. Come by and say hello at Authors Night.”

East Hampton Library’s 19th annual fundraiser Authors Night is held on August 12 at 5PM at Herrick Park, East Hampton Village. Tickets $150, authors reception only; $400, dinner, includes entry to book signing reception. authorsnight.org

KELP IS ON THE WAY

BY NANCY KANE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANCINE FLEISCHER

A multigenerational group of six Indigenous female kelp farmers have come together to address the climate crisis in their own backyard. The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers are a women-led nonprofit (the first Indigenous-owned and operated sugar kelp hatchery and farm on the East Coast), who leverage knowledge drawn from an over 10,000-year relationship with the sea. Working in partnership with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Brentwood and GreenWave (a global network of regenerative ocean farmers), they farm kelp in the bay to fight climate change: Kelp, large brown algae or seaweed, keeps waters clean by removing carbon, helping to improve quality and mitigate the effects of acidification. The women also harvest the kelp to provide an eco-friendly alternative to conventional soil amendments.

A typical day for kelp farmers depends on the time of year. “We have four phases: hatchery (August through January), out-planting and growing (January through June), harvest (May and June) and processing (June and July),” says Danielle Hopson Begun, a member of the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers. “We dismantle and rebuild our hatchery every year, and we nurture them every day. We change the water, feed them and ensure they’re getting the right levels of light.”

It’s not a leisurely day on the bay. “Out-planting is physically demanding,” says Hopson Begun. “When our seedlings are a few millimeters long, we out-plant them by unwinding them onto the marine rope. We operate by the tide and go out on foot in very cold water.” Wearing thermal waders and special layers of gloves makes navigating the water much harder. Heavy anchors and marine rope are used to secure the farm grid. Storms come through and loosen the lines.

“Our nemesis is an algae called slip gut,” Hopson Begun

notes. “It’s a slimy substance that coats and threatens to suffocate our baby seedlings.” Farmers remove the algae carefully. They go at low tide and harvest by hand, loading the crop into bags and hauling it back to shore. Then they dry, grind and turn the kelp into a soil amendment that is available at farmers markets and through the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers website.

“Kelp cultivation is a nature-based climate mitigation strategy that draws on our Shinnecock tradition of using seaweed,” says Begun. “We have long harvested and used seaweed to meet a range of our needs: it’s a source of vital nutrients and medicine, food in our clam bakes, fertilizer for our plants, and we’ve even used it as insulation for housing.”

The farmers’ mission has become more urgent in the face of climate crisis. “The world we are living in is dangerously out of balance, and Shinnecock territory is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and extreme Atlantic storms,” says Begun. “Years of neglect and abuse have pushed Shinnecock Bay to the breaking point, threatening the people, plants and animals that depend on the bay for sustenance.”

The kelp farmers have initiated a “Kind Words” project to help cultivate their crops. Each prepares words of encouragement, prayers, poetry and song. “Through this, we were all able to connect, nurture and watch our little kelp grow,” says Hopson Begun. The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers invite all who wish to contribute to send in Kind Words to their website and they will recite them in the bay.

But words are not enough. “We can’t do this alone,” cautions Hopson Begun. “People don’t need to grow kelp like we do. They can find their own individual way to make a difference. Everything counts.”

shinnecockkelpfarmers.com

A self-titled rogue group of Native American Shinnecock women are reclaiming an ancient practice to save Shinnecock Bay.

Danielle Hopson Begun, along with the rest of The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, is on a mission to restore balance to the Earth.

An

PURE LOVE

BY RAY ROGERS

101. Mon Dieu! What a life. My dear friend Gladys Collier passed away this summer, just over a month after we celebrated her 101st birthday. We met 18 years ago, when she was 83, going on 84. A friend of a friend had been renting a darling artist studio from Gladys for several years and was pondering a move to Miami but didn’t really want to give up this magical space on 7-plus wooded acres near Georgica Beach just yet. She sublet to me that first year, after careful consideration. “Gladys is very particular. It has to be the right person,” she told me. “And I think you’re it.” Boy, was she right. Gladys and I struck up a friendship almost immediately. And it only intensified over the years that I’ve lived down the dirt driveway and around the bend in the wood-and-glass jewel box her exhusband built in the ’50s when the young couple moved to East Hampton.

We both relished time by the sea, and savored many trips to her favorite bay beach, Louse Point, where we’d routinely swim out to the buoy side by side. We swam together up until her early 90s. During our last outing there, when her mind had started to falter, it felt like a scene out of the movie Cocoon As soon as she got in the water for our swim out to the buoy, her mind was razor sharp again, vividly recalling all sorts of details from her prior nine decades, including stories about her father teaching her to swim as a child. (One fun fact: She graduated magna cum laude from Bryn Mawr on D-Day in 1944. Her mother was listening to the news on the radio and missed her daughter’s distinction, a fact Gladys never forgot.)

We also shared a love of yoga and meditation. One time I took her to a guided meditation on the grounds of a picturesque winery in Bridgehampton. The instructor, a friend of mine, came over to give me a hug. I introduced her to Gladys, and she asked her in a gentle, sing-song yoga teacher voice, “Gladys, may I give you a hug?” The retort was classic Gladys: “Better not.” She was so genuinely, unapologetically herself and did not mince words.

She had excellent wisdom to impart. “Life’s awfully difficult; bear up,” was a familiar refrain, in her slightly Southern deadpan drawl. She and I looked after each other—and helped each other bear up through life’s ups

and downs. After a crushing breakup I went through years ago, she asked her therapist how she might help me. She took me out to brunches and swimming at the Y in what she called “the ancients pool—I don’t mean old, I mean ancient,” she said. She was 87 at the time.

When she had a fender bender that ended her driving days, I took her out for a spin to calm her nerves. We went over to look at the sea at Gerard Drive, where an elderly lady asked me if Gladys was my grandmother. “Oh, no, we’re like Harold and Maude—without the romance,” I replied. We really did have some great adventures together, and an undeniable bond. She amused herself and took pleasure in amusing me, too. Whenever I’d take her to Starbucks for madeleines, she’d ask the barista if they had linden tea to go with them, referring of course to Proust. “Nobody ever knows what I’m talking about, but I like to say it anyway,” she’d quip, with a twinkle in her eye.

She delighted in saying her signature phrases, one of which was “Mon Dieu.” And she did not suffer fools, even in her later years. When a temporary aide complained about her repeated use of the phrase, Gladys didn’t miss a beat, announcing to the dinner table after a minute’s pause: “Wouldn’t you agree that Mon Dieu is an appropriate saying for just about anything?”

Gladys lived a singular life, strong-willed and authentic to the core, right up to the very end.

In the early morning hours on June 27, she left her earthly body in her sleep, with what appeared to be a smile on her face. She seemed to have a look of wonder in her eyes, welcoming the next chapter into the great beyond. What a beautiful way to go and a fascinating sight to behold. It gave me great comfort to witness.

Shortly after she passed, I took a drive over to Louse Point that morning and had a celebratory swim in the cool, quiet waters in honor of Gladys, and our many jaunts together out to the buoy and back. I recalled her often reciting the names of dearly departed friends who she used to convene with at that very spot over the years— names like Patsy, Mina and Jupie. And now, Gladys is with them. And it is I who will recite her name, in fond and loving remembrance of things past. Mon Dieu!

Inset courtesy of Ray Roger s, Oliver Paask e

unlikely, intergenerational friendship and a singular life lived on one’s own terms.

Rogers and Collier

CANOE PLACE INN & COTTAGES

9 E MONTAUK HIGHWAY IN HAMPTON BAYS, NY

THE FIRST STOP OUT EAST FOR SPA, WINE AND CULINARY GETAWAYS. RESERVATIONS AT CANOEPLACE.COM OR (6 1) 76 00

HE A LT H

Allow the healing properties of the ocean—salt water reduces inflammation and enhances the flow of lymph fluid—to cleanse mind, body and spirit.

LIVE WELL LONGER

Welcome to Elitra Health, where luxury meets preventive medicine.

BY GABRIELLE ECHEVARRIETA

During a time when the American health care system prioritizes treatment of chronic illness over prevention, the yearly checkup often becomes buried in the endless to-do lists of busy New Yorkers. Crowded waiting rooms, complicated insurance protocols and impersonal examinations by overworked physicians discourages patients even further, potentially delaying detection of disease. For those seeking an easier alternative, Elitra Health elevates the ordinary annual physical to boost longevity and improve quality of life.

“Preventive health care is the key to a long and healthy life,” says Elitra Health COO Ari Cukier. “We focus on spotting health trends early, rather than waiting for something to happen, and making adjustments to ensure better overall well-being and a healthier future.”

Elitra Health’s innovative patient care model circumvents challenges often faced by traditional medical practices, like long wait times and poor follow-up for test results and referrals. While a typical diagnostic regimen may include multiple appointments at clinics and testing facilities over a period of weeks or months, Elitra’s signature executive exam addresses every facet of a patient’s health during a single visit.

The executive exam includes a longevity-focused physical assessment coupled with a wide variety of tests performed in-house with same-day results. A team

of preventive medicine specialists gathers a holistic understanding of each patient’s lifestyle practices and medical history, then develops a customized itinerary, including two hours of dedicated face-to-face doctor time.

In partnership with Mt Sinai Hospital, Elitra performs advanced blood work, ultrasounds, on-site cardiac imaging, cancer and aneurysm scans, nutritional counseling, emotional health screenings, and exercise physiology evaluation. The day concludes with an extensive review of test results, development of treatment plans and specialist visits, and strategies to implement physician-recommended lifestyle adjustments.

“From a clinical component, we try to be best in class,” Cukier says. “Top clinicians, top clinical guidelines, while also being a high-quality customer service provider. We try to be the Four Seasons from a service standpoint, while also striving to make the visit more thorough and efficient.”

A tranquil respite from the cold, clinical atmosphere of the average doctor’s office, Elitra’s “7-star” spa-inspired facility features luxury wellness amenities paired with whiteglove concierge service.

Patients are invited to unwind in private suites between tests, book a session with an on-site masseuse, order food or car service through clinic staff, and coordinate follow-up care after their session.

255 Greenwich St., New York; elitrahealth.com

Elitra Health prioritizes holistic and compassionate care

Jeremy Lapak

ASK THE DR.

Nine things to know about optimizing brain function with nootropics.

BY DR FRANK LIPMAN

Not sure I’ve ever met anyone who’s not interested in having a well-functioning brain, and as time marches on, we tend to desire it even more. There are a number of things you can do to keep your brain moving in a positive direction for as long as possible, like the usuals of high-quality sleep, whole foods, no sugar and plenty of movement, but another you may wish to add to the list is nootropics.

Though the name alone might stop you—it does have a bit of a ’50s sci-fi ring to it—the phrase comes from the ancient Greek and, literally translated, means “mind turning.” These are substances that when ingested may enhance mental performance. Nootropics have been a thing in Silicon Valley for some years now, this idea that healthy, younger people can “optimize” their brains with “smart drugs.”

While I would certainly stay far away from any pharmaceuticals claiming to hack brain function, what I’m more interested in are the nootropics derived from nutrient and herbal sources, which may sharpen cognitive function in those of us who aren’t necessarily trying to be mental masters of the universe. We just want to push back against the cognitive slowing down that often accompanies normal aging—deficits in memory, attention, problem-solving and so on. Admittedly, the research is mostly in the early stages— these supplements aren’t patentable and so Big Pharma isn’t throwing billions of dollars at them to get results—but it is promising. If you’re bothered by the nagging suspicion that you’re just not as sharp as you used to be, it may be worth your while to begin a conversation with an integrative health care practitioner about what nootropics can offer. Here’s a top line to help you get started:

YOUR NOOTROPIC

CUP OF

JOE

My guess is that a majority of my readers have been “on” a nootropic for most of their adult lives. I’m talking about caffeine, the “active ingredient” in coffee and tea. We all know that caffeine is a nervous system stimulant—regular coffee-drinkers often come to depend on that mental energy jolt. But caffeine’s nootropic effects go beyond that—the drug makes the brain more sensitive to the neurochemical acetylcholine, which plays a vital role in short-term memory and learning. A number of caffeine studies have found increases in alertness and focus.

Keep in mind though that yes, you can overdo it in the caffeine department; the Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than 4 to 5 cups a day, which in my opinion, is way more than enough. I say try to keep it to

2 cups (8 ounce each) or less, and enjoy it as early in the day as possible to avoid sleep disruption.

The coffee plant’s health benefits also look like they extend beyond that cup of Joe. The plant’s fruit (which contains the bean that is ground into coffee) is loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals. Lately, an extract from the fruit has generated some intriguing small-scale nootropic studies, and become a trendy supplement in the process. In one study, a group of research subjects with mild cognitive impairment had faster reaction times on brain performance tests after a month of consuming the coffee fruit extract.

EATING, DRINKING AND SUPPLEMENTING YOUR NOOTROPICS DOSE

Some of the safest and best understood nootropics are nutrients that we regularly consume in our food, and that we have the option of taking in more concentrated form as supplements. One great example is the amino acid theanine, found in green tea and mushrooms. In one study, a single dose improved performance on a test that measured short-term memory and reaction time. And because theanine has a generally relaxing effect (in one study, it was found to increase the brain’s production of alpha waves, associated with relaxed alertness), it combines well with caffeine, either naturally in the form of green tea, or by adding a theanine supplement to your cup of coffee.

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT—OF AMINO ACIDS, PLEASE

It’s not surprising that amino acids should be connected with enhanced brain function. They are the building blocks of protein, and proteins are the building blocks of the stuff our bodies are made of, including the brain chemicals that help us do the heavy mental lifting. Two amino acid nootropics are tyrosine and carnitine (also sold in supplement form as acetyl-L-carnitine), which we consume in protein-heavy foods (animal or plant sources) and which our bodies also produce on their own. There’s some evidence, especially for older adults, that supplementing can slow down normal age-related cognitive decline.

GOT CHOLINE?

You might also be wondering if there are other nutrients to be on the lookout for to help keep your brain in fighting shape, and the answer is yes. Topping the list is choline, also known as vitamin B4, which, despite its name, isn’t really a vitamin per se, but an essential nutrient. In its “essential” role, choline helps support optimal brain health and cognitive function as well as nervous system

functioning, heart health, healthy metabolism, cellular messaging and a number of other vital bodily functions.

Because the body doesn’t produce much choline on its own, a diet rich in choline is your best bet, though you can also add to that a high-quality choline supplement as well. As far as food sources of choline go, you can get yours via high-protein foods like eggs (yolks, in particular), fish, and grass-fed meat and dairy products.

CALLING ALL MUSCLE HEADS—TO A POINT

Let’s talk creatine. This brain booster may surprise you, as creatine supplements are usually thought of as the preserve of athletes looking to build muscles and Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competitions. But creatine, which the body makes by combining three different amino acids, is all about energy production, wherever that energy is needed, and that includes the brain, which incidentally, consumes about a fifth of the energy the body produces. One review of studies looking at creatine and cognitive function found good evidence that the supplement could enhance short-term memory and reasoning ability, particularly in older or highly stressed people.

FAT MATTERS TO YOUR HEAD, A LOT!

The other macronutrient that plays a big role in brain function is fat, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise—up to 70% of the brain is made of fat. The fat gives the brain structure and is the raw material for the membranes that protect the brain cells and help them communicate with each other. The most important fat we can eat for our brains’ sake are the omega-3s, found in greatest concentration in oily fish like salmon, sardines and anchovies. If you’re not getting at least two servings of these fish every week, then I’d strongly recommend omega-3 supplements for brain health and every other kind of health. One important research review made a persuasive case that these fats can slow brain aging. Other studies have come up with more mixed results. Another type of brain fat that’s available in supplement form, phosphatidylserine, is not as well studied as the omega-3s, but has also shown some promise in pushing back against age-related cognitive decline.

KETONE BODIES FOR HUMAN BRAINS

Ketones can be an alternative fuel source for your body and brain, benefiting not only performance, but cognition and brain health. Ketones can cross the blood-brain barrier to provide an efficient source of fuel for neurons, enhancing cognitive ability with other beneficial effects.

HERBS ON THE BRAIN

For my money, the other important category of nootropics is herbals, as in the plants that humans have consumed for hundreds or in some cases thousands of years for the specific effect they have on our brains. Probably the best

known is ginkgo biloba, a tree native to China, whose leaves and seeds, packed with powerful antioxidants, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. Modern supplements, made from an extract of the leaves, are popular as a memory enhancer, even though the research track record here is mixed at best. Gingko may be more beneficial as an all-purpose anti-inflammatory.

Bacopa monnieri comes from the Indian Ayurvedic medicine chest. The herb’s leaves traditionally have been used to treat a variety of ailments, but it’s most renowned as a brain tonic. While no one is sure exactly how or why it works, improvements in cognitive performance have been measured in a number of studies. But those improvements usually take a while to show up, typically a month or two.

Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen that has a positive impact on stress levels and brain function. The two primary compounds that contribute to rhodiola’s effects are salidroside and rosavin. The ratios of these in rhodiola extracts will determine how it could affect you as some are stimulating, while others are calming. Nootropics Depot has a good explanation of this and various rhodiola supplements.

The lion’s mane mushroom is another staple of traditional herbalism, popular in East Asia. In the lab, they’ve shown an ability to stimulate nerve growth factor in the brain, which in turn pumps up some crucial neurochemicals. Studies have shown improvements in mental functioning in people with cognitive impairment after they added this mushroom to their daily diets. Although I am a fan, there are some people who experience side effects, so introduce it cautiously.

Over-the-counter “smart drugs” can be tricky. Increasingly, you’ll see synthetic or semisynthetic products sold over the counter that promise a mental lift: piracetam, oxiracetam, vinpocetine and the like. I’m not crazy about them due to possible interactions and downsides we may not even be fully aware of yet, as they are relatively new and haven’t been as widely studied. I’m more interested in the more natural and better-understood nootropic choices. If you’re going to experiment with these supplements, I would caution everyone to start very slowly, under your doc’s supervision, and do it on a one-at-atime basis, so you can fairly gauge whether any particular ingredient is having a beneficial effect or not.

BOTTOM LINE: I see a growing role for nootropics—we’re all getting older and I’m sure we all want to maintain our mental edge as best we can. But nothing preserves and enhances mental function better than hewing to the lifestyle basics—healthy diet, sleep, exercise, stress management. If you’ve got those covered, there’s a nootropic universe out there waiting for you to add to the mix—and carefully explore. drfranklipman.com

CARNAL CANNABINOIDS

Taking the high road to pleasure through active elixirs found within cannabis and hemp.

BY KEVIN MENARD, LAC

Cannabinoids can increase physical sensitivity, boost blood flow and reduce pain.

Sex and intimacy are central to our lives, bringing physical pleasure and nurturing emotional health. For generations, we have sought to intensify this bond through a variety of potential aphrodisiacs—the revitalizing maca root, the powerful deer antler velvet, tribulus and of course, the erotic oyster.

In the modern era, cannabinoids—active elixirs found within cannabis and hemp plants—have garnered attention for their potential to amplify sensual experiences. Many are familiar with cannabinoids such as CBD and THC for their potent anti-inflammatory properties, benefiting everything from pain relief to skin health. However, their burgeoning role in sex and intimacy is a less-explored path.

Cannabinoids promise to heighten physical sensitivity. They play with the vanilloid receptor-1, a gatekeeper of perception. CBD can decrease activation of this system,

easing pain and inflammation. Conversely, THC stimulates this system, releasing neurotransmitters involved in pain signaling. This modulation of the vanilloid receptor-1 could mitigate discomfort during sex, heightening satisfaction and enjoyment. Moreover, CBD’s potential to boost blood flow may increase sensitivity and arousal.

While these findings are exciting, keep in mind that individual reactions to cannabinoids can differ, and research is still exploring the potential benefits of CBD and THC. It is of utmost importance to prioritize communication, consent, and personal boundaries when weaving cannabinoids into your sexual and intimate experiences, ensuring that the path to enhanced pleasure is both safe and satisfying.

Kevin

Menard, LAc, is the founder of Dragon Hemp Apothecary. dragonhemp.com

Susan Wilkinson

Let

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UNLOCKING COMPASSION

The transformative power of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

For the past 30 years, MDMA, popularly known on the street as ecstasy or molly, has forged a reputation tightly intertwined with pulsating raves and uninhibited sexuality. The mere mention of the four-letter acronym conjures images of euphoric, uninhibited partygoers dancing amid strobe lights well into dawn. But could MDMA’s enduring association as a recreational substance be overshadowing its remarkable potential for personal transformation and breakthroughs in the field of psychology? Beyond the partydrug stigma lies a substance with the potential to unlock profound healing, self-discovery and human connection.

Chemically known as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA was first synthesized in the early 20th century as a potential pharmaceutical compound. However, its psychoactive properties weren’t fully realized until 1976, when chemist Alexander Shulgin began exploring its effects. According to Andrew Huberman,

BY ANNELISE PETERSON

PhD, a neuroscientist and professor of neurobiology and opthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine known for his research on brain function and visual perception, MDMA, like other amphetamines, causes a significant increase in dopamine. What makes it unique is its simultaneous production of even larger increases in serotonin in the brain, resulting in a prosocial effect. The key point is that the increase in serotonin is three to nine times larger than the increase in dopamine, leading to a motivated, highly unusual and clinically beneficial state of empathy, not only for others but also for the self.

Contrary to popular belief, MDMA is not a hallucinogen. Hallucinogens, such as LSD, psilocybin and mescaline, primarily induce altered states of consciousness, including visual and auditory hallucinations and sensory experiences. These hallucinogenic effects can lead to profound shifts in perception, cognition and consciousness.

While both hallucinogens and empathogens have been studied for their potential therapeutic applications, empathogens, such as MDMA, have a different mechanism of action and produce distinct effects compared to hallucinogens. They primarily enhance empathy, emotional openness and the sense of connection with others. This nourishes a sense of love, trust and compassion, and facilitates deep emotional experiences and introspection. Research has shown MDMA—in connection with talk therapy— to be highly effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, as it supports individuals in addressing traumatic experiences.

Dr. Gabor Maté, a renowned author, and trauma and addiction expert, emphasizes that the word trauma comes from the Greek word for wound. Therefore, trauma is not what happens to you; trauma is the invisible wound sustained as a result of an experience. Maté argues that time alone cannot heal all wounds. Unaddressed wounds scar, and the scar tissue that emerges is rigid. This scar can cause a traumatized person to be less flexible, and their emotional growth and development will suffer as a result. It takes tremendous willpower and dedication to heal from a traumatic experience. The flood of dopamine from an empathogen creates the courage and motivation, while the even larger increase in serotonin fosters deep connectivity and compassion for oneself and others. This creates an ideal environment for healing psychic injuries rather than merely cauterizing them. In various languages, including Maté’s native Hungarian, the word health stems from the word “whole.” Trauma splits a person from their true self and disconnects them from their emotions. As Maté shared in an interview with Jay Shetty, “Healing is not the absence of physical illness, but it’s the integrity of a person who is no longer split off on themselves.”

“For most people suffering from PTSD, the trauma is locked inside,” reinforces Kathryn Smerling, PhD, a child development expert and acclaimed family therapist. “MDMA helps unlock the paralysis.” In fact, recent studies at Johns Hopkins University, at the forefront of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research for PTSD, have shown that this medicine could possess the remarkable capability to eliminate PTSD symptoms.

So, what is holding this powerful potion from being used by licensed practitioners? The use of MDMA does carry potential risks. Factors such as the concurrent use of other stimulants like caffeine or alcohol, dosage and the environment in which the drug is administered should all be taken into consideration. When used in conjunction with an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) such as Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft or Paxil, MDMA is both ineffective and dangerous. Acquired through illicit means, MDMA carries possible serious consequences, as it is frequently laced with potentially lethal substances such as the opioid fentanyl.

Furthermore, the integration piece is critical to the outcome. Clinicians suggest patients have therapy sessions leading up to the administration of MDMA and continue therapy in the weeks following to maximize the empathogenic benefits. This approach allows for the incorporation of the MDMA experience into the broader therapeutic process, aiding in the processing and consolidation of emotions, insights and personal growth. By providing a supportive environment and guidance during the critical period immediately following MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, the neuroplasticity of the brain can be reinforced, resulting in healing and metamorphosis. “MDMA offers something revolutionary to psychotherapy by creating a unique chemical milieu of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin—an incredibly potent environment for transformation. However, rigorous research is needed to discern how to most effectively and safely use this powerful compound,” says Shauna Shapiro, PhD, a professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, bestselling author and expert in the field of mindfulness.

“MDMA opened my channels of compassion—for both myself as well as my transgressors. I am forever grateful to this powerful medicine and to the brave practitioners who continue to administer this drug despite its street status,” professes one participant in MDMA-psychotherapy. “Just as they saw the potential in me, they recognized the immense transformative power of this amazing molecule in reshaping our perception of the world.” Through the embrace of love and the absence of fear, MDMA allows hope to flourish, scars to heal and the human spirit to soar beyond the confinements that once held it captive.

“Clinicians suggest patients have therapy sessions leading up to the administration of MDMA, and continue therapy in the weeks following to maximize the empathogenic benefits, aiding the consolidation of insights.”

EMPOWERING VOICES

Evidence-based treatment and collaborative wellness practices meet at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s Speech Pathology and Swallowing Department.

BY JENNA LEBOVITS

The prevalence of speech and swallowing disorders in the United States is staggering and often overlooked. Over 9 million adults report experiencing a lasting voice-related issue, and one in 12 children between ages 3 and 17 has a speech, voice or swallowing disorder, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

“You can’t separate communication and swallowing disorders from the whole person—it affects every aspect of life,” says Marta Kazandjian, a board-certified swallowing disorders specialist and 2020 American Speech-LanguageHearing Association Fellow. The department, led by Kazandjian, employs an evidence-based, integrative and individualized approach. A team of dedicated clinicians work with a broad spectrum of patients, from individuals with cancer and neurodegenerative disorders to those with physical traumas. Patients are treated with state-of-theart instrumentation, such as biofeedback machines that measure tongue and lip posture, strength and endurance.

A trailblazer in her field with 35 years of clinical experience, Kazandjian oversees a group of highly trained specialists who share a common goal: to meet patients where they’re at and provide personalized services. “I want to know what makes each person different, special and individual,” says the medical speech pathologist. “If that person’s favorite thing in the world is to go out to dinner, then we’re going to read menus, learn how to make choices to identify their favorite foods and attend

social events, all in the most optimal way.”

Patients at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital can expect a robust and collaborative care plan. “If someone is severely dysphagic, or swallowing impaired, and I need to recommend alternative feeding, like a feeding tube, I’ll work on their swallowing, but I’ll also work closely with the dietitian to ensure that they’re getting adequate nutrition,” says Kazandjian. She, in conjunction with one of Stony Brook Southampton’s physical therapists, created a program they dubbed Voice Gym (think: group exercise meets singing class) to incorporate fitness in treating brain and movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. When caring for patients in this population, she and her team believe it can be a life-or-death intervention. “Up to 90 percent of people are at risk of losing their ability to speak,” says Kazandjian, “so we have to address both communication and swallowing with neurodegenerative populations, because swallowing complications account for 70 percent of mortality in that population.”

Kazandjian hopes to expand over the next few years, and secure independent headquarters for the growing program. “My goal is to build an interprofessional swallowing center to meet neurological disease and be part of a neurological institute, so that we can continue to offer services that are not provided on Long Island. I want to stick out as an example for a program that stands out nationally.” 240 Meeting House Lane, Southampton; southampton.stonybrookmedicine.edu

LETTING GO

Colonic irrigation helps the mind, body and spirit. BY

When I started as a colon hydrotherapist over 15 years ago, colonics were a hidden gem whispered about by celebrities and those who were plugged into underground wellness treatments. Today, colonics have become massively popular and mainstream, attracting both men and women in search of optimal health and well-being.

I’m often asked how I got into this (I’ll say it, weird) career. My father passed away from colon cancer at 49, and while I never make the claim that colonics could have helped him, it only made sense that cleaning out the garbage of the body could help me prevent the same fate. At the end of the day, how you feel is the best indication of whether something works for you. That post-colonic, “light as air” sensation is something that cannot be denied.

Colon hydrotherapy, also known as colonic irrigation or colonics, is an ancient practice that has roots tracing back to the ancient Egyptians. This safe and effective procedure involves the gentle infusion of warm, purified water into the colon, helping to flush out accumulated waste and unwanted substances. Release the bloating, the irregular bowel movements and the discomfort, and embrace a lighter, more energized you.

Purported benefits include:

Hydration: One of the ascending colon’s major roles is absorbing water and other nutrients. A dehydrated body is one that can become constipated. When the body attempts to do its job of absorbing excess water, if there is no water to absorb, dehydrated waste has a hard time exiting the body. Each colon hydrotherapy session lubricates the intestinal tract while also clearing dehydrated or impacted waste.

SHANNON CONKLIN

Stimulation of Lymphatic Flow: The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in eliminating waste, toxins and cellular debris from the body. Colon hydrotherapy stimulates lymphatic flow in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues, promoting the movement of lymphatic fluid and enhancing the body’s ability to remove toxins.

Balancing of Gut Microbiome: A healthy gut microbiome is essential for optimal detoxification. Colon hydrotherapy may help maintain a balanced gut flora by washing away harmful bacteria, yeast and other pathogens. By creating a healthier environment in the colon, this therapy may support the growth of beneficial bacteria, promoting a harmonious gut ecosystem and improving elimination. Emotional Connection: While the physical benefits of colon hydrotherapy are often discussed, it is also important to acknowledge the emotional aspect of letting go. At Organic Edge, colon hydrotherapy suites allow for both physical and emotional release. By relaxing in a serene environment during the treatment, you may open the doors to emotional detoxification.

In our fast-paced world, most of us are holding onto too much, physically and emotionally. Sometimes the simple act of letting go can bring peace and wellness. Colon hydrotherapy, with its ancient roots and modern popularity, offers a reminder that taking care of our bodies can have a profound impact on overall well-being. As we release physical waste, we create space for emotional release, allowing ourselves to be baggage-free.

Shannon Conklin, the founder of the Organic Edge wellness center in Water Mill, is a National Boardcertified colon hydrotherapist and I-ACT-certified colon hydrotherapist and instructor. yourorganicedge.com

Release

HEALING HEART

Welcome to Jolene Star’s colorful wellness oasis.

When guests enter The Enchanted Heart, the first thing they’ll see is a hand-painted image of the Buddha holding the message, “Please be mindful of the energy you bring into this home.” And that’s exactly what it feels like: a personal abode. Part energetic healing and part bead boutique, the shop’s proprietor and interfaith Rev. Jolene Star welcomes everyone into her light-filled twostory wellness center in northern New Jersey, roughly 25 minutes outside of New York City. Her mantra—”Love is the message”—rings true. Here, the young and old create personalized malas (strings of prayer beads) at the long wooden table in the center of the room while drinking freshly brewed tea and exchanging stories. Strangers quickly become friends in the 2,000-square-foot sanctuary.

Specializing in all things spiritual, Star has a spectrum of creative wellness offerings for the virtual and in-person community: individual and group sound ceremonies, AuraSoma color therapy, Reiki, chakra mapping, meditation and breath work activation. For those seeking deeper metaphysical healing, she recommends one-on-one AuraSoma color therapy. The modality utilizes self-selected, topical applications (think: body oils) of 123 colorful bottles of plant and crystal essences for energetic balance. The brand’s tagline, “You are the colors you choose,” speaks for itself. “It’s a system of the soul,” says Star. “It’s about having a conversation with your higher self. It allows people to really look at their life from a different perspective and be in a state of remembrance.”

BY JENNA LEBOVITS

The center’s most popular offering is a monthly group sound ceremony, in which Star guides eight to 12 participants on a three-hour meditative journey using crystal alchemy bowls, drums, gongs and flutes. Sound healing, according to Star, teaches people to surrender and exist more comfortably in the present. “Sound runs a beautiful gamut,” she says. “You can go from the deep, primal frequencies all the way up to the heavenly, etheric space.” Star believes humans are energetic beings, resonating from the inside out. “The body is made up of 60 percent water, and when sound passes through the body, it recalibrates the water in your body on a molecular level.”

Participants often notice a calming and centering effect after a sound session, due to its ability to downregulate the nervous system. “Sound is a powerful method to release the mind and find inner and outer alignment,” says Star. “It’s like a full-body energetic massage.” Star believes that this modality is for everyone—people of all ages, genders and occupations—and has made it her mission to make it accessible for all. She is mobile, often traveling to teach workshops, host retreats and offer her services to a greater population. Her goal is simple: to attune you to your best, highest self with her arsenal of gentle yet powerful modalities.

“When people have these tools, they start to realize they’re the medicine,” says Star. “Healers are guides for people to remember who they are and how to heal themselves.” theenchantedheart.com; @jolenestar_

Star is a believer in the power of color and sound.

TICK, TICK, BOOM!

The Regional Tick-Borne Disease Resource Center in Hampton Bays offers residents timely education and dedicated medical care.

As medicine becomes increasingly specialized, necessitating more visits to different doctors, here’s one specialist practice that residents of Suffolk County can’t wait to check out: the Regional Tick-Borne Disease Resource Center. Founded at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital in 2014 and nicknamed “The Tick Clinic,” a new health facility opens this month in Hampton Bays, bringing peace of mind to the East End. The timing couldn’t be better, with Long Islanders outside enjoying the final half of the summer—and disease-carrying parasites out in force to prey upon them (particularly on the East End, where ticks are rampant). Stony Brook Southampton is committed to having a practitioner, infectious disease physician, Sandeep Gandhi, MD, on-site once weekly (Wednesdays) to see patients year-round, plus a nurse practitioner one day a week, Tuesdays, for the summer months. Appointments are necessary, as it’s not a walk-in clinic.

The robust new tick center has drawn the attention of a leader in the field: pediatric specialist Sharon Nachman, MD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, SUNY Stony Brook. Earlier this year, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer used the center as part of a clinical trial—Phase 3 of a Lyme disease vaccine study of children ages 5 to 17—and community participation was enthusiastic. “We were one of the first pediatric sites to participate in the trial, with a lot of interest from the community, and we are following those children,” says Nachman. “Children are at high risk for Lyme disease, and the reason is that they’re frequently playing in grassy areas, and taking baths and showers that are not observed, so they’re not looking at their backs or the backs

BY JULIA SZABO

of their legs,” the doctor explains. “A big part of the tick center is talking with families, encouraging them to add a tick check to their routine, along with brushing their teeth. We’re here to remind families that a tick that has not fed for 48 hours will not transmit disease, so it’s really important to perform the same routine every single evening. Thoroughly check your back, arms, and legs, and get used to that routine. Because at the end of the day, preventing Lyme transmission is all about education.”

Adds Anna-Marie Wellins, DNP, clinical associate professor, Stony Brook University School of Nursing: “We are excited about the tick center, because patients throughout Suffolk County can receive care in a centralized location, Hampton Bays, in a beautiful space. It’s not too far west or too far east, with easy access off 27.”

The center’s help line nurse will continue to field calls from the public (600 last year alone, from all over New York State, the U.S. and internationally); callers receive expert advice on tick removal, help deciphering lab results, and referrals. Upon request, they also receive copies of the Tick-Borne Disease Reference Handbook for Long Island and the Northeast. (Call help line nurse Rebecca Young at 631.726.TICK; for printed copies of the handbook, email karen.wulffraat@stonybrookmedicine.edu.)

Nachman or a member of her staff will see pediatric patients at the Center on Mondays; adult patients will be treated by Gandhi and Wellins. “To have this dedicated location, so centrally located,” says Wellins, a Water Mill resident, “this is what we’ve hoped for so many years, and now it’s finally come to fruition.”

eastendtickresource.org

All we do is all for you.

Our cardiac specialists provide life-saving diagnosis and treatment, so Mary can stay in the game.

Every cardiac intervention. Every second that counts. Every restored heartbeat. Every word of encouragement. Every ounce of life-saving expertise. We are Stony Brook Medicine. All we do is all for you.

southampton.stonybrookmedicine.edu

SPACE

On July 20, Elsa Soyars hosted a Table Takeover event, featuring the latest additions to her line, at Tania Bulhões’ Hamptons pop-up.

“I was inspired by Paris when I selected the Arvores do Brasil collection,” says Soyars. “Even though it features beautiful trees from Brazil, the colors simply reminded me of Paris.” elsasoyars.com

HOUSE OF INSPIRATION

BY NANCY KANE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANCINE FLEISCHER

It’s the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic is in full swing and Jeremy Dennis—an enrolled tribal member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation in Southampton and an acclaimed contemporary fine art photographer—is frustrated. With an MFA from Pennsylvania State University and a BA in studio art from Stony Brook University, the 33-year-old had already shown many of his works in solo and group exhibitions, including the Parrish Art Museum’s Road Show, the Department of Art Gallery at Stony Brook University and SUNY Old Westbury. His residencies had included Yaddo, Byrdcliffe Artist Colony, MDOC Storytellers’ Institute and The Watermill Center. As one of 10 recipients of a 2016 Dreamstarter Grant from a national nonprofit (Running Strong for American Indian Youth), he was awarded $10,000 to pursue On This Site—Indigenous Long Island, his project that highlighted culturally significant Native American sites on Long Island. And he was just getting started.

”After many of my anticipated residencies and exhibitions were cut short or canceled, I realized that I, along with other BIPOC artists in minority communities, were facing compounded health disparities and economic injustices during this crisis,” says Dennis. “We lost opportunities and felt blows to our livelihoods and artistic practices.”

He decided to do something to safeguard these artists and create a place where their creativity could thrive, and the public could learn.

“With Ma’s House, I hope to create a space for imagining, healing and liberation for BIPOC artists,” he says.

Ma’s House now serves as a communal art space located on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in a 1960s-built family home, the former residence of Dennis’

grandmother, Loretta A. Silva, known as Princess Silva Arrow, and “Ma” by her family. Dennis was raised on the reservation, spending much of his childhood at “Ma’s house.” The project, born in June 2020, is now a registered nonprofit arts and education institution with multiple goals. One is to ensure a communal and safe space for BIPOC artists to create and exhibit their work, on the reservation and elsewhere. Family Ties—A Celebration of Love, Kinship and Belonging, an exhibition curated by Dennis, opens this month through October 9 at Brooklyn’s historic Old Stone House and Washington Park. Before it became a Revolutionary War battlefield and then a Brooklyn Dodgers practice field, the grounds sat at the crossroads of ancient Lenape roads, adjacent to the historic town of Marechkawick. The property’s unique history was in part a reason it was chosen; artists were tasked to use this history to tell the stories of traditionally marginalized communities in the work they exhibit.

Another objective of Ma’s House is to educate the public on Shinnecock history, culture, language, traditional and nontraditional arts and crafts, sustainable gardening, cuisine, and physical and mental wellness, and to share a research facility and accessible library with historical Shinnecock resources and Indigenous themes. “We have already seen the positive change,” says Dennis. “There is more community engagement and cross-cultural exchange among Shinnecock tribal members and our neighbors.” A further service, close to his heart, offers a portrait studio for Shinnecock tribal community family photos and a digital archive that restores and holds photographic memories of Shinnecock elders.

mashouse.studio

On the Shinnecock Indian Reservation, Ma’s House becomes a focal point for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) artists, and a haven for the community.

“Ho’ohokukalani,” sculpture by Pauline Leilani Badamo

Jeremy Dennis, president of Ma’s House, in front of a mural by 2021 resident artist Jacoub Reyes, inspired by the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers

TO THE LIGHTHOUSE

Artist Kambel Smith presents an intricate replica of the Montauk Point Lighthouse and other captivating sculptures in a show at the Carl Fisher House. BY JIM SERVIN

Gallerist and collector Adam Lindemann has commissioned Kambel Smith, a Philadelphia sculptor, to create two works—replicas of the Montauk Point Lighthouse and the Guggenheim Museum—to be shown for nine days, beginning of August 19, in Montauk at Carl Fisher House. Additional contributions from Smith include a 10-foot Statue of Liberty and a replica of Robert Indiana’s “Love” sculpture. “Kambel is a self-taught artist who has a practice of creating famous buildings from memory,” says Lindemann, who credits Chris Byrne, co-founder of the Dallas Art Fair, for bringing Smith to his attention. The South Etna Montauk Foundation, created by Lindemann and wife Amalia Dayan and celebrating its third year, is producing the show. “I wanted to find an artist who would create something for the people of Montauk,” says Lindemann. “Chris said, ‘What do you think of Kambel Smith?’ Kambel agreed to do the lighthouse, and we were off to the races.”

Smith identifies as “autisarian,” reframing autism as a superpower. His intricate cardboard sculptures have been purchased by the American Folk Art Museum, the West Collection and private investors. “I’ve done several shows with outsider artists like Joseph Yoakum, who was self-taught, and Shinichi Sawada, an autistic ceramicist,” says Lindemann. “They express something unusual, and it reaches an audience. This show checks all the boxes. The lighthouse is for Montauk, the Guggenheim is for the art world. There’s something for everyone.” Free, from August 19-27, with proceeds benefiting the Montauk Historical Society. montaukhistoricalsociety.org

Courtesy of Kambel Smith and the South Etna Montauk Foundation

“Montauk Point Lighthouse,” 2023

“Love Park,” 2023

“Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,” 2023

PURE PROPERTY

Home is where the heart is. Here are a few that might steal yours.

Ann Ciardullo and Keith Green of Sotheby’s International Realty have a listing that is sure to please. This stunning reimagining of a turn-of-the-century Hamptons cottage is located on Dunemere Lane, close to the village and beach in East Hampton. It was built in 1897 and renovated to perfection in 2017. Light-filled rooms frame a grand salon with traditional coffered ceiling and an entire wall of glass French doors. The parking courtyard leads to the kitchen through a charming porch and cloak room. A glass-walled staircase accesses two floors of bedrooms; an expansive lower level provides a recreational space often missing from vintage homes. Outside, a bluestone terrace and gunite pool are picture perfect on the 1.1 acre sun-filled lot. Asking $16,950,000.

220 Little Noyac Path in Water Mill is a fully reimagined 8-bedroom estate with a tennis court. Listed with The Corcoran Group’s Gary DePersia, the stucco-clad

From top: Courtesy of The Corcoran Group, Travis Mark

BY NANCY KANE

220 Little Noyac Path, Water Mill

7 Bond Street, New York City

residence underwent a massive renovation in 2022, and offers high-end finishes and amenities galore. The threelevel home features 4 fireplaces, a 25-foot high great room, paneled library and formal dining room. The custom-built, eat-in kitchen has quartz counters and backsplash, an 8-foot center island, and top-of-the-line appliances. All bedrooms are outfitted with radiantly heated bathroom floors. A finished lower level holds a living room, recreational room, fireplace, gym with sauna and full bath, wine cellar and staff suite. Exterior bluestone patios and a heated gunite pool, hot tub and outdoor kitchen lead to the 60- x 120-foot tennis court. Landscaping is highlighted by mature trees and colorful plantings. Asking $6,895,000.

Douglas Elliman’s Martha Gundersen has a brandnew, modern shingle-style home with fantastic views of the Bridgehampton Golf Course, moments away from the village and the beach. 201 Sagaponack Road is surrounded by mature trees from the 1900s. The home offers living space over three levels, including 8 bedrooms, 9 full and 3 half bathrooms, a great room with a dual-sided, marble fireplace and an 80-foot architectural glass wall. A chef’s kitchen, custom floating staircase and elevator, primary suite with private balcony and finished lower level (large recreation area, bar, full gym, and multilevel screening room) make this house a must-see. There is also a spa, pool and pool house, an all-weather north-south tennis court and a 3-car garage with electric car charging station. Asking $21,000,000.

City-dwellers look no further than this 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom NoHo sanctuary. The 7 Bond Street penthouse, listed with Maggie Leigh Marshall and Lindsay Barton Barrett

of the BBM Team at Douglas Elliman and asking $12,495,000, is a showplace with a dramatic steel spiral staircase, 14-foot ceilings, zebrawood flooring and oversize windows along the southern and eastern exposures. A great room, dining area and sun-drenched living room with a fossil stone wall and fireplace all call for entertaining. An open kitchen has custom cabinetry and a long breakfast bar trimmed with reclaimed Vermont barnwood, live-edge granite counters, a farm sink and metal doors sourced from a 19th-century Tribeca factory. A massive travertine wet room shower with a sculptural carved cedar wood tub makes relaxing a daily ritual, while the rooftop retreat is ideal for garden parties. Built-in speakers, lighting and an irrigation system make indoor-outdoor living effortless. A separate temperaturecontrolled glass room functions as an office, art studio or meditation room. New Yorkers love options.

From top: Jake Rajs, Douglas Elliman

Dunemere Lane, East Hampton

201 Sagaponack Road, Bridgehampton

GLOW

Adding flowers to the home can elevate mood, as well as improve focus and energy levels.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Purist founder Cristina Cuomo shares her top fashion and lifestyle choices for a fresh and glowy end of summer.

“Made in New York City’s Garment District, these 100 percent cotton dresses lend a little island (Antigua) chic to the Hamptons.” Long slip dress in green with purple limes, cocoshopwi.com

“Support skin healing, cellular repair and collagen production for your glow-up.”

S.O.S. gummy, thisisembody.com

“This mineral sunscreen is 100 percent reef-safe, botanical-infused and deeply hydrating.” FlexSun moisturizing sunscreen, flexpower.com

“This is a musthave flattering one-piece bathing suit, especially if you’re over 50! I love happy colors like this.” Aquarelle tank one-piece square-neck swimsuit, eresparis.com

“The best fabrics and best men’s clothing in the Hamptons.” Tropical mateo in white, leonardfrisbie.com

“Every working girl needs a perfect linen summer suit.” Linen blazer, linen fabric shirt and linen canvas trousers, us.weekendmaxmara.com

“A day of shopping in East Hampton at Manolo Blahnik for shoes, and Derek Lam for my dress!”

NEXT-LEVEL TRESSES

Revolve Hair founder Alicia Cook speaks with Purist about holistic wellness, creative inspiration and embracing change.

PURIST: Alicia, can you share a bit about your background and what led you to open your first salon, Revolve Hair, in 2010?

ALICIA COOK: I started doing hair when I was 16, and before that I always had an interest in aesthetics and people. I loved to learn and try new things. By the time I was 23, I had gained a lot of experience, but was yearning for environments outside the one I grew up in. Salon culture left a lot to be desired, and I wanted to create something special—a place to expand creatively and nurture a vision of a salon that looked, felt and acted differently than what I was used to.

PURIST: How would you describe your approach to the art of hairstyling?

AC: Hairstyling is really an expression of imagination. When cutting, you’re visualizing how you’d add weight here or remove weight there, creating different silhouettes. The technical aspects, the chemistry, the science to achieve different colors, shapes and textures—it’s an amazing medium to work in, an experience for the artist and client. I find balance in the technical and artistic aspects of cutting, shaping and creating hairstyles that are both structured and free-flowing.

PURIST: What sets Revolve Hair apart from the rest?

AC: Beauty is a reflection of the soul. We recognize that beauty is not just about the physical appearance, but also about the overall well-being of an individual. I believe that true beauty comes from within, and taking care of yourself is an act of self-love. We take a holistic approach to hair care that is tailored to fit an individual’s needs. There’s a personal touch to each service and every detail is carefully considered—from the design of our space to the smallest delights we offer our clients.

PURIST: Congratulations on your new location in the West Village. How did you land on this place for your business?

BY JENNA LEBOVITS

AC: I’ve been seeing our clients in the city for the last five years, and the clientele just keeps growing. This felt like the natural next progression and I’m excited for the location, at 225 West 12th Street. The West Village is fashionable, quaint and has amazing shopping and dining. It’s the perfect home for our NYC debut.

PURIST: How do you support scalp detoxing/ health?

AC: I believe that scalp health is the foundation of healthy, beautiful hair. Our head spa services are designed to nourish and revitalize your scalp, promoting healthy hair growth, and a balanced mind-body connection. I always take the time to listen to clients who have concerns about their scalp, hair thinning or conditions like dryness or buildup and help identify the best treatment options, or when it’s time to consult a physician or dermatologist.

PURIST: What wellness lessons have you learned while working in this field?

AC: I’ve learned that it’s important to take time for yourself. Sometimes we get caught up in all the things we have to do and we start to put our own needs aside, but the truth is that we can show up better for others when we take the time to recharge and feel good.

PURIST: What creatively inspires you?

AC: I’m a person who lives for change, reimagining, recreating, making something completely new and feeling different through the process. It keeps me moving. The past is always inspiring the future, yet innovation delivers an edge, a way to think differently. Whether it’s design, or travel, technology, a new experience, an old photograph, the city you live in, or your hair, one is always informing the other, and constantly changing. revolvehair.com; @revolvehair

Cook finds balance in the technical and artistic aspects of hairstyling.

1. OCEANFRONT SENSATION | AMAGANSETT $13.25M | 0.56± Acre | 2,500± sf | 4 BR | 3 BA 100’ of Oceanfront | Stunning views Renovated + Upgraded in 2017 AmagansettOceanfront.com

James J. MacMillan jmacmillan@bhsusa.com | 516.702.5674

2. ESTATE ON 2+ ACRES | SAGAPONACK SOUTH $6.95M | 2.12± Acres | Colonial Revival c. 1919 3 BR | 3.5 BA | Separate 2-Story Studio w/FPL Detached 2-Car Garage | Heated Gunite Pool 652SagaponackRd.com

Peter M. Turino pturino@bhsusa.com | 631.235.9098 Shannan M. North snorth@bhsusa.com | 631.445.04614

3. NEW LUXURY WITH BAY ACCESS | WATER MILL $8.795M | 0.56± Acre | 5,400± sf | 6 BR | 6.5 BA Private Lane with Bay Access | Exquisite Details Heated Gunite Pool | Covered Loggia 26GeorgianLane.com

John P. Vitello jvitello@bhsusa.com | 516.315.6867

4. DESIGNERS’ OWN | 6 ACRES | EAST HAMPTON $4.75M | 6± Acres | 5,629± sf | 4 BR | 6.5 BA Grand Architecture | Heated Gunite Pool | Pool House 17TerrysTrail.com

Shannan M. North snorth@bhsusa.com | 631.445.0461

Roxanne A. Briggs rbriggs@bhsusa.com | 516.768.2793

5. MODERN LUXURY | EAST HAMPTON $2.95M | 1.62± Acres | 3,000± sf | 4 BR | 4.5 BA On a Private Lane | Zen-Like Sophisticated Design | Multiple Decks | Heated Pool 10JoshuasPath.com

John P. Vitello jvitello@bhsusa.com | 516.315.6867

WE E K | E ND

On July 14, at Moby’s in East Hampton, Chanel hosted a Summer Tour event to toast the reopening of its Hamptons boutique.

Tim is a consummate professional. He knows the market inside and out. Tim was super responsive and thorough about every detail. He’s one of the best in the business.

– Buyer, East Hampton

Tim’s up-to-the-minute knowledge of the marketplace and offerings go above and beyond. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy, sell, or rent.

– Seller, Amagansett Dunes

I cannot say enough about Tim’s professionalism and knowledge. This is a broker who really works for his clients and has great ethics.

– Buyer, Bridgehampton

Tim has great market knowledge, has a wonderful sense of the salient features of a property, and has great suggestions on the most relevant aspects of staging.

- Seller, East Hampton Village

NOISE MAKER

BY VIVIEN GOLDMAN

Joan Baez I Am a Noise, the unconventional new documentary on legendary cultural activist and folk chanteuse, crystal-voiced soprano Joan Baez, will awaken a new generation and stir the hearts of longtime admirers.

“There’s an incredible candor,” says Karen O’Connor, who co-directed the film with fellow awardwinning radical documentarians, Maeve O’Boyle and Miri Navasky. From earliest childhood, Baez’s musical talent was adored, prompting sibling rivalry with her dancing and sometimes singing sister, Mimi. The tension is realistically and compassionately chronicled, as is another sort of intimacy, Baez’s relationship with the very young Bob Dylan. So greatly did she, then the bigger star, admire his talent that she handed Dylan her microphone to sing onstage before joining him in a duet—as a highlight of her own major show.

Fittingly, the documentary is mostly made by women, in a web of sisterhood. The team had worked on the film since 2017; Baez’s long-time friend, Patti Smith, one of five executive producers, signed on to use her own contemporary clout to make sure the film got done.

Spiraling out from a pivotal time for Baez, her 2019 farewell tour, the film is languorous, subtly knitting together years, songs and scenes, loves, losses and recoveries. The remarkable immediacy of its multitextured narrative is down not just to the filmmakers’ expert skills, or even to Baez’s own intelligence, humor and charm, evidenced throughout, but through the team’s deployment of every documentarian’s fantasy. Says O’Connor, “We filmed it just as it happened.”

Baez opens a door to reveal shelves stacked with boxes of a lifetime’s labeled archive of all kinds, from home movies

to music and diaries— treasures left untouched since they were closed years before, including linedrawing cartoons that the filmmakers wittily animate. We become enchanted by her bohemian, beautiful mother and handsome Mexico-born physicist father. Family trauma that might form the centerpiece of a more sensational flick here glides into the tale almost serenely, but still leaves the viewer shaken and wondering.

Featured on the cover of Time magazine at 21, an active supporter of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, Baez suffered setbacks of all sorts that sometimes threatened to defeat her. Hearing Baez today, talking such good sense as she potters around her charming home, is an encouraging vindication for female viewers.

Screenings have been a confessional revelation, says O’Connor. “Here’s a woman talking publicly about her own personal, deeply private struggles and making an opening for others to talk about their own inner demons. People have been grateful for her talking so honestly about not only the triumphs of her life, but the darker, harder times as well, and doing it with honesty, humor and a little bit of humility.”

As to Baez’s retirement from the stage, says O’Connor, “Joan was watching life speed by and wanted to get ready for whatever is next. She’s painting, involved in the world. She hasn’t regretted it.”

Joan Baez I Am a Noise screens as part of the HamptonsFilm’s SummerDocs series on Sunday, August 13, at 7PM at Regal UA East Hampton. Joan Baez will be in conversation with artist and musician Laurie Anderson after the screening. hamptonsfilm.org

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

A compelling new film about the legendary Joan Baez screens this month as part of HamptonsFilm’s SummerDocs series.

Joan Baez I Am a Noise screens on August 13 in East Hampton.

Taking a look at what we value.

RADIANCE RADIANCE

WORTH

ROBIN BAKER LEACOCK

(G Editions), A collection of essays, poems, musings, and photographs that contemplate and envision how we define what is important in our lives.

At a moment when it feels like we, as a society, are measuring ourselves against the curated social media images of picture-perfect vacations, pristine kitchen counters, well-behaved and dressed families, and stylized friends clinking glasses of wine, RADIANCE focuses on authenticity. With the help of Robin Baker Leacock’s writings and images, readers can consider what they cherish about themselves, what they most value, and how they can connect with their inner beauty in order to live a more fulfilling life.

SEX AND THE BEACH

Author, journalist and producer Candace Bushnell

of the iconic Sex and the City

Cristina Cuomo: I’m so excited for your show at the Canoe Place Inn on August 17.

Candace Bushnell: I’m very excited to be doing it there.

CC: It’s a great fit.

CB: So many people have performed there, like Frank Sinatra.

CC: I know. The Ramones and Led Zeppelin did. There were a lot of big bands there in the ’70s and ’80s before it became a club. What can audiences expect from this onewoman show? Last year you did Is There Still Sex in the City? and now it’s evolved.

CB: It’s 75 minutes, and it’s basically how I created Sex and the City, why I invented Carrie Bradshaw, and what happened to me afterward. We play a little game, Real or Not Real? because everything that happens on the TV show is a little bit better or a little bit worse than my real life. It really is exactly what the title is—True Tales of Sex, Success and Sex and the City.

CC: Things do evolve, so as a social anthropologist how have you seen a shift in that world of dating and the scene in New York City?

CB: Social media and dating apps have made a big difference. There are lots of stories about people who met on dating apps, and they’re getting married and they’ve connected— but the story that I hear more often is, there are no second dates. It’s not difficult to find people to meet. It seems to be difficult to capture somebody’s attention. It works both ways. People are really busy these days. There are just a lot of things that are diverting our attention, and I think it’s hard to find a lasting connection.

CC: Have you done any of the dating apps? Have you signed up

, creator

, speaks with Purist founder Cristina Cuomo about performing her on-stage memoir.

Meet the real Carrie Bradshaw on August 17 at the Canoe Place Pavilion. canoeplace.com

on any of them?

CB: Oh yes.

CC: Which is the best one?

CB: I’m on Raya and Tinder and Bumble. But I meet lots of people just going out. That’s really how I meet most people.

CC: That’s the tried-and-true, best way. If you make a connection, you have to do that in person. You can’t do that online.

CB: Yes, and luckily New York and the Hamptons are still really social.

CC: So what’s the difference between dating in the city versus the Hamptons? It’s quieter out here.

CB: In the summer, people are dating in the Hamptons, and the rest of the year they’re dating in the city. Also, a lot of people are spending more time out here during the year. I know lots of women who are out here full time, even in the winter. They’re all dating and passing on recommendations, and that sort of thing. People still fix people up, so all of that is still going on, plus there are dating apps.

CC: Are there any dating rules or rituals that you have observed? Can you date your friend’s boyfriend who

and the City series. It’s something that young women are continually finding. If you go to college, you and your college roommates will watch it It’s a bonding experience. People are always interested in relationships.

CC: I’m sure you’ve been asked this a million times, but which character would you say you relate to the most, or are they all sort of suits of yourself?

CB: You know, Carrie was my alter ego. I created that character.

CC: But knowing you as I do, I see a little bit of each of them in you.

CB: I think there’s a little bit of each one of those characters in all of us, and that’s one of the reasons why people continue to relate to it. They do relate to those characters, and it was also a show about really independent women. I think that women still wrestle with the issues that the characters wrestle with, like how to be independent and hold onto self-esteem and autonomy while also finding love. Those things are still a challenge for women today. Women are more independent. At that time when I was writing it, that was the beginning of a new independence for women.

CC: You’ve been in the Hamptons now for years. Has it

they broke up with a year ago? Can you date the same guy who someone else dated, but it didn’t work out? Has anything changed or evolved?

CB: No. First of all, when I was writing Sex and the City, everybody was dating the same guys anyway. I don’t think any of that has changed. Remember, I wrote a book about dating over 50 called Is There Still Sex in the City? It was all about the dating apps. In the show, I talk about some of the differences, and the different types of men out there. For instance, there’s this guy who says he’s 75, but when you Google him he turns out to be 85.

CC: And 3 inches shorter.

CB: Yes and shorter. One of the things I can assure you is that the dating scene is very lively for people of all ages, and especially for people over 50. That is the biggest difference between now and 25 or 30 years ago.

CC: What’s your take on why Sex and the City franchise continues to resonate with all audiences?

CB: People are still looking for answers. Sex and the City was one woman’s real, authentic lived experience. That’s something that really carried through the original Sex

been 10 years?

CB: I bought my house in 2016, but I’ve been coming out here since the ’80s. Do you remember The Human Cartoon? That was the precursor of Sex and the City, in 1990 and 1991. I was writing about mating and dating in the Hamptons.

CC: That’s right, I remember. What brought you to New York City?

CB: I came to be a writer. New York was where all the writers were. I really felt like New York City was where I was going to make my life. I always wanted to move to New York ever since I was a kid growing up in Connecticut.

CC: What are some of the things you love about living in the Hamptons?

CB: My favorite thing is seeing people. There’s a great group of people out here. People are social, they’re interesting, they’re doing things. It is a little bit like New York people transplanted out here, but it’s still really interesting, and people are very active and ambitious. Whereas, I don’t want to say anything bad but you go to other places like the suburbs, one just gets so used to

“People are still looking for answers. Sex and the City was one woman’s authentic lived experience. That’s something that really carried through the original Sex and the City series. It’s something that young women are continually finding.”

being around New York types. It’s hard to let that go.

CC: Now that you’re out and about a lot, what are you observing at these parties? What are some fashion faux pas? What are some social norms that you’re observing? What do you see in this current post-COVID zeitgeist?

CB: Well, it’s a lot of influencers. I feel like in general, fashion is a bit on steroids, and everybody is competing a bit for attention these days, because attention is now our currency. Men are much more flexible and creative with hair fashion, because that door has been opened. There are certainly no suits and ties anymore.

CC: What is your favorite accessory for women?

CB: Handbags. Shoes are tricky in the Hamptons, because so many parties are on grass so you have to wear wedges.

CC: I know, that’s a bit frustrating. I agree. What’s a fashion faux pas?

CB: I’m trying to think. When you get to be my age, not a lot bothers you.

CC: Here’s what my dad said the other day: “When you get to be my age, nothing gets you angry anymore.”

There’s a positive.

CB: Yes, there’s a positive. I don’t look at things like fashion faux pas anymore. People have their style, and there’s a lot more room for expression. I don’t really judge. I think if I were younger I would probably be—when you’re younger, you notice the details a little bit more.

CC: You look the same. What’s the secret? What’s your ritual from when you wake up until you go to bed?

CB: When I wake up, I usually go do some exercise. Then I work. I power walk to Sagtown Coffee from my house in Sag Harbor and I get a coffee and I power walk back. I do some work, and then take my dog to the beach. It’s pretty easy to eat well out here; there are so many farm stands and really good restaurants. We’re lucky.

CC: Do you have a favorite restaurant?

CB: I always go to Le Bilboquet, or the American Hotel.

CC: The gold standards in Sag Harbor. I love those.

CB: And Pierre’s in Bridgehampton. I love Pierre’s.

CC: Any travel plans?

CB: I’m supposed to go to South Africa in the middle of September to do some shows.

CC: Seventy-five minutes of talking. I don’t think I could do it straight.

CB: There are a lot of details involved in doing the show. You need stamina and you need to be in shape. I definitely put more time into working out. I probably work out for a couple of hours, at least four days a week.

CC: Do you do strength training?

CB: I lift weights a little bit. I do the treadmill, I bike. I don’t do anything very formal, but I do exercise.

CC: You like to be outside.

Bushnell’s wellness rituals include healthy eating, power walks and strength training.

CB: One of the most fun things is biking in Southampton. I’m in Sag Harbor, but I go over to Southampton a lot. Biking to the end of Meadow Lane is amazing.

CC: OK, so beauty rituals for this new show.

CB: Beauty rituals are pretty simple. It’s just some cleanser and a serum and cream. I use a lot of E’shee products. I found them online, and people always say my skin looks great, so I keep using it.

CC: Anything else you’ve liked lately?

CB: I go to a dermatologist out here, Dr. Mark Halsey. He said he has a new kind of Botox, so I tried it. Supposedly it lasts longer, six months as opposed to three months.

CC: Your brand resonates all over the world.

CB: Sex and the City certainly does.

CC: But that’s you. I was there. Any projects coming up that you’re considering, or working on for TV?

CB: I do, but there’s a writers strike and now there’s the actors strike, so definitely some things are on hold. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully some things will be coming up, and Cristina, I keep working.

HIGH VELOCITY

Coralie Charriol, the daughter of an iconoclastic watchmaker and now the CEO of her late father’s company, celebrates its 40th anniversary with the launch of the luxurious, sporty St-Tropez Surf watch. BY JIM

It’s all in the timing. Four years ago, after two decades of living in New York, Coralie Charriol, CEO of Charriol watches, moved to Geneva following the death of her father, Philippe—who founded the company in 1983—after nearly 20 years as head of Cartier’s Asia Pacific division. Following her father’s motto, “L’Art de Vivre la Différence,” or “Live Different,” as she later updated it, Charriol set the company in a new direction, toward the active, modern and feminine. This summer, she celebrates the 40th anniversary of Charriol with the launch of the St-Tropez Surf watch for women. Powered by one of the finest Swiss-made movements, the ETA 2892 calibre, with automatic mechanics that keep time by the wearer’s movements, and a second hand in the shape of a plum lightning bolt, evoking her favorite surfboard, Charriol has created a personal statement of power and play.

“I first learned surfing 10 years ago, in Southampton, Bridgehampton and Montauk, spending hours in the water, going through all the breaks,” she says. “I’ve been completely obsessed with a sport that just makes you feel so good. Holding that board and looking out to the sea, you feel like you’ve lost 10 years and 10 pounds. Washed and cleansed by a sea of salt, you only think of the next wave you can catch. The business is a bit like that. You have a lot of obstacles, things you have to get through, and then you have these moments of joy, when it all comes together, and you think, ‘Oh, it was all worth it.’”

A self-declared lover of fashion, Charriol designed the Surf watch to make a confident style statement, in and out

of water. “It’s a glam watch that can be worn with outfits other than a bikini or a wet suit. It’s a watch for a woman who has multiple facets,” she says. While chasing waves, Charriol advises covering the timepiece under a rash guard, secured by a deployable watch band diver’s clasp, because “like any piece of jewelry, the ocean loves to swallow gold and precious jewelry,” she says.

“The Surf watch is designed with quick release interchangeable straps, so you can go in the water with your white rubber diver strap, and before you go out that night, you can swap it with the cable or two-tone bracelet for high-glam cocktails.”

This year, Charriol is doing a global surf to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary around the world; it kicked off with a promotional lunch in Paris in June, and included a visit to the Hamptons for a late-July party. “I love waking up super-early, heading straight for the break, surfing for however long, then having coffee at Sant Ambroeus,” Charriol says. “At heart, I’m still a Southampton girl.” In October, she’ll spend two days in St-Tropez at a boat regatta. Memories of her beloved father make the festivities understandably bittersweet. “Some days I don’t think about him, some days I think about him every minute of the day,” she says. “He was larger than life, very different from the traditional watchmakers who wear gray suits—he lived in Hong Kong, wore a black velvet cape over black tie.” Charriol lives differently, too. “He raced cars, and I love to surf,” she says. “I’m an original, but deep down, I might be a classic, too. Classic with a twist.” charriol.com

From top: Ryan Moore, Courtesy of Charriol

SERVIN

Wave warrior Coralie Charriol, with her lightning boltbedecked surfboard

South of the highway in Sagaponack is an extraordinary new modern barn-style home available for rent. Set on 3.4+/- acres abutting 90 acres of agricultural reserve, the two-story home provides 8,700+/- sq. ft. and another 1,200+/- sq. ft. in the twostory pool house. The 42’ heated gunite mirror pool with infinity edge, waterfall, and spa is next to a two-story pool house with a kitchenette, full bath, loft, and basement, plus an outdoor shower. This is a one-of-a-kind rental that could be a fantastic place to spend the holidays or a cozy winter getaway.

MAKING THE CUT

LilyEve repurposes Hermès scarves and towels for fashionably sustainable clothing and accessories.

BY JIM SHI • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIANA FRANK

What began for Lily Clempson as a way to raise money for COVID-19 relief in 2020 has flourished into LilyEve, a fully sustainable label with a thriving e-commerce website and retailers like Kirna Zabête, Lane Crawford and Bergdorf Goodman, the latter currently featuring LilyEve in its windows as part of a “conscious curation” of sustainable and socially conscious brands.

“During the shutdown, I wanted to do something to help. My mother had these Hermès towels laying around and, not knowing their value, I decided to cut them up and make face masks,” says Clempson, 26, who moved from London to study at the Parsons School of Design, where she graduated in 2019. “After they went viral on Instagram, I was inundated with orders and we ended up raising $10,000 for Food Bank for New York City.”

Needing to expand beyond her kitchen table, Hamptons-based Clempson sought help from a most unexpected source: a fairy godfather by the name of Michel Cantin, a spritely longtime resident of Springs who quickly became a beloved member of the Clempson family. “For the first few months, I’d sit with him outside his home and we started this relationship with him making face masks,” Clempson recalls of the former couture designer who turns 90 years young this September.

“I learned that he had a full working studio in the basement of his house and that he had an incredible background in fashion.”

Fast-forward three years, and LilyEve now produces a full collection of upcycled garments and accessories fashioned from Hermès towels and scarves sourced from resale sites, auction houses and

Lily Clempson

estate sales. “What we found is that the quality of the Hermès products is incomparable,” Clempson notes. “Each piece being so colorful and unique allowed us to stick to our theme of one of a kind.” Up until this year, everything in the LilyEve collection was made in East Hampton. While Michel continues to make all of the brand’s hero products, all accessory production— made from off-cut fabrics—is outsourced to Brooklyn-based ethical production studio Panâh Project (“To throw away Hermès towel remnants would be criminal!”). To wit, the newest LilyEve’s categories have been launched: cabana dresses, floor-length creations fitted with silk buttons, oversize bows and trimming made from Hermès towel off-cuts.

“Buying one of our pieces you are supporting sustainable fashion, but given we are at a luxury price point, we really emphasize the investment aspect,” says Clempson. “Being one of a kind, we help people buy less and spend responsibly.”

Easier said than done. Sourcing remains the No. 1 challenge when bulk-buying is not possible. “But that keeps us in check in terms of keeping us small and unique,” Clempson says. “When you don’t readily have fabrics by the yard, you have to work with what you have—which at times is not a lot.” Clempson’s dream is to collaborate with large luxury brands and utilize their vast fabric vaults to create unique pieces while reducing waste on a more global scale. “The demand is there and we’re trying to fulfill it, but we don’t want to be everywhere,” she says. “The nice thing about our brand is that it’s nearly impossible to be repetitive.” lilyeve.store

“To throw away Hermès towel remnants would be criminal!”

—Lily Clempson

Clempson and Michel Cantin

PURE PICKS

Beloved shoe designer Manolo Blahnik shares his current faves.

“I like women with style to wear my shoes.” Traditionnelle moon phase, $82,000, vacheron-costantin.com

“For as long as we are human, we will want to be decorated.”

Chinci, $1,495, manoloblahnik.com

“Maintenance is terribly important.” Completo manicure da toilette, $1,427, lorenzi-milano.com

“I think of each new season as an evolution, not a change in style. These are some of my favorite things…perfect to complement a pair of mules as autumn finds us.” 1304 optical round glasses (purple on black), $495, cutlerandgross.com

“The unrestrained heel make these provocative, yet sophisticated.” Maysalebi, $945, manoloblahnik.com

“There is nothing charming about a woman who cannot walk in her shoes. A kitten heel is always in style.” Bemusa, $895, manoloblahnik.com

“It’s such a wonderful thing to design playful mules. People are always buying these shoes, in every different color. I hope it still brings them joy.”

Stop by Manolo Blahnik’s East Hampton boutique at 52 Main Street.

WHAT A DOLL

Let’s sparkle! Designer Carolyn Rowan created a playful group of luxury accessories inspired by an iconic toy and a new summer movie. BY DONNA BULSECO

Makeup: Luba Altanova

Hair: Amanda Ramos

Model: Mia Speicher

Carolyn Rowan is a kid again. No, this is not a Benjamin Button moment, where she turned back time, but rather a reboot of the fashion icon of all of our youths—the beloved Barbie. The New York creative director, whose luxurious namesake line of wraps, cashmere shawls and glamorous hats was launched in 2014 and sold in Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and specialty shops, recently debuted the Barbie X Carolyn Rowan Collection. It’s a departure for the designer, coloring her signature pieces in a sun-drenched palette that runs counter to her preferred range of restrained hues. “It’s funny because my own collection is white, gray, navy and black—I’m not a color person,” says Rowan. “Barbie got me out of my comfort zone. The collection represents a little bit of playfulness and fantasy—it’s about dressing up differently than you normally would. That’s what the spirit of Barbie is.”

Barbie, the new movie helmed by director Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, takes place on a playground of color and fantasy. The iconic 11-inch doll created by Ruth Handler of Mattel Inc. was introduced in 1959 at the American International Toy Fair in New York City and stood out from the beginning. Barbie’s curvaceous figure and can-do attitude about life, as expressed in her fashionable ensembles often themed to activities, allowed girls to be creative in the way they dressed and forward-thinking in the way they

imagined their lives. Rowan’s silk capes and shawls, trimmed with frothy ostrich feathers and Swarovski crystal flowers, offer a sophisticated take on Barbie’s playful palette, brightly colored in hot pink, sunshine yellows and white, as if inspired by a still from the film. Summery bucket hats, visors, cute headbands and face-framing beach hats have crystal beads and silk bands. But the line is also infused with the “let’s go” energy that Barbie radiates. There’s something for all moments of the day, from sightseeing with friends to dressing up to go out at night. As always, Rowan’s accessories make an understated ensemble pop.

Rowan is a lifelong Barbie collector—one of her favorites being the Pan-Am era Barbie, whose flight attendant outfit she remembers hand-washing and ironing herself. “Each of us have a different relationship with Barbie,” says Rowan. “For me, it was about being home as a child. We didn’t have all the things we have today, and it was pure joy playing with Barbie.”

Play allows children to dream, too. “It was a chance to develop an imagination, when you were dressing up your Barbie with your friends, who may have a Barbie with a different outfit or hairdo or accessory.” The new collection seems like an ideal match with a mindset close to her own—creating the sort of couture that any woman, or doll, will feel fantastic and confident in.

carolynrowancollection.com

PURE PICKS

Fashion designer Alvin Valley, also known as King of Pants, shares must-haves that exude elegance, glamour and fun.

“An exceptional Patek Philippe timepiece with meticulous craftsmanship and the iconic Nautilus design.” 7118/1200ANautilus, $40,810, patek.com

“This tote is handcrafted in napa leather and showcases the brand’s signature ‘flora’ laser-cutting technique. It has become a Palm Beach classic.” Grace Cage bag in lavender, $1,550, alvinvalley.com

“Step into a world of extra beachy fun with vibrant Palm Beach colors and a vintage flair to transport you to a sun-soaked paradise.” Royal Palm sunglasses in pink, $405, alvinvalley.com

“These pieces remind me of the

“Experience timeless elegance—the epitome of classic high-waisted style. This regal piece reigns supreme as the king of pants.”

Double buckle pant in white, $995, alvinvalley.com

“A captivating piece that combines intricate artistry and luxurious silk, making it a must-have accessory that adds charm and elegance to any ensemble.” La Promenade du Matin Bandana Shawl 140, $1,125, hermes.com

“A harmonious blend of sophistication and tropical allure.The dress is designed to flatter every shape, making a statement wherever you go.”

Kennedy coat dress in Palm Paradise, $1,895, alvinvalley.com

refreshing air in the Hamptons. There is always a feeling of nostalgia and innocence in the breeziness of dresses, the tablescapes and the summer soirées with my best friends year after year.”

Visit Alvin Valley at 28-B Jobs Lane, Southampton.

PURE PICKS

Partou Soleil founder Andréa Marcucci shares her versatile fashion selects.

“The Emerald’s print makes for a special day at a beach club restaurant or lunch by the pool.” The Emerald, $715, partousoleil.com

“I absolutely love Eres bathing suits; they are sexy, understated elegance.” Show Bandeau, $320, eresparis.com

“The handmade Rondini sandals from St.Tropez are a staple in my summer wardrobe.The Bikini sandal is one of my favorites.” Bikini Double tanned leather sandal, $180, rondini.fr

“The Peony is the boldest color from the collection. Bound to make a statement wherever you go.” The Peony, $755, partousoleil.com

“The Bordeaux for a night out, paired with a boy short and bandeau or slip dress—sexy without the big reveal.” The Bordeaux, $655, partousoleil.com

“I love the entire collection—it’s one of my favorites.The ear cuffs with pearls are wearable art!” Pearl ear cuff, $65, armedelamour.com

Alicia Henderson

“Because of the amount of travel that I do, I saw a need for multipurpose pieces that can be worn anytime, anywhere. Partou Soleil was born from wanting women to feel vibrant and at their best in any part of the world. Whatever I choose to wear has to have the same sense of ease.”

M50

100% ELECTRIC. 100% BMW. 100% FRESH.

Unleash your electric side with the all-electric BMW iX M60. From its opulent touches to its dynamic M parts, the iX M60 is all you’ve ever wanted from an electric vehicle with all you’ve come to expect from the Ultimate Driving Machine. ®

It’s sustainably crafted, M-engineered and fully equipped with intuitive technology, and lavish finishes cover every surface of the iX M60’s impeccably refined interior. With 610 max horsepower and a range of up to 280 miles, your 3.8-second acceleration from zero to 60 is just the beginning of a ride unlike any other. Get 100% electric and work with the team that’s 100% committed to great service, right here at BMW of Southampton.

BMW of Southampton

759 County Road 39A, Southampton

631.283.0888

bmwofsouthampton.com

Makeup: Marc Cornwall

Hair: Serena Radaelli

Stylist: Wayne Scot Lukas

Models: Kara Soleek, Christine Jiwon Ra

Timothy White

ON COURSE

Fashionable and practical, the new athleticwear line Devon Halsey suits female golfers to a tee.

BY JULIA SZABO

Entering a serious relationship with a serious golfer, Dara Tomanovich noted that the sport was not exactly style central for fashion-conscious women. She wanted to look her best on the couple’s world travels from course to course, but the model-actress became frustrated with the available options at pro shops. “We play extensively,” she says, “so I learned about golf culture, and realized there was nothing for us fashion girls.”

Unable to find chic gear, or even threads that equaled her partner’s for high performance, she improvised with “a James Perse shirt and cashmere joggers,” quickly discovering how impractical that ensemble was. “By the time I was done with 18 holes in 103 degrees, those pants had stretched out two sizes!” For the face who’d represented Clairol and Pantene, Calvin Klein and Van Cleef & Arpels, that simply wouldn’t do.

So Tomanovich hit on an idea: Design precisely the cool, colorful, breathable luxury clothing she wanted to wear, and bring it to market. Thus was born Devon Halsey, a collection of haute apparel for the lady golfer. It’s also Tomanovich’s longtime alter ego; she’d invented the handle 25 years ago as a sly security measure, when, as

an actress in LA, she was frightened by “receiving fan mail from prison at my home,” she says, and wanted “a Bond Girl” identity to stand behind. Today, Devon Halsey—the new face of feminine golfing attire, designed to travel from the course to the conference room—is a persona that empowers all women players, regardless of age or skill level. (Players of tennis and pickleball like it, too.)

“My first sale was a motorcycle jacket in bright green,” the designer recalls. “I had a woman of 60 buy it, and a 26-year-old, both New Yorkers.” At ease in her stylish element, Tomanovich soon came to appreciate the meditative quality of golf. Her new collection could inspire more women to do the same, and to enjoy its wellness benefits, which go beyond the core workout of a good swing with a 9-iron. “I love the tempo of the sport,” says Tomanovich, a student of meditation. “I enjoy the serenity of golf, and the clarity it brings me.”

Starting August 1, shop the collection through Shopify on Facebook and Instagram @devonhalseyofficial. DM for price list, shopping and shipping info, or email info@devonhalsey.com. The website devonhalsey.com will go live at the end of August.

Brand founder Dara Tomanovich

Devon Halsey’s styles are breathable and luxurious.

TAKE A BOW

The Bouwerie’s home decor collection is ready for summer, with a color palette refresh.

BY ABBY TEGNELIA

When Fernanda Niven and Alexia Leuschen launched their home decor business, they were passionate about finding beautiful, timeless pieces. After two years as a popup in Bridgehampton’s gourmet market L’Épicuriste, they’ve hit their stride. “We wanted to sell things that we loved and thought were special and unique,” says Niven, whose fashion background includes a stint with Vera Wang, designing handbags and her own line of sun-protective clothing. “We never wanted people to buy our things just to have them. We wanted them to buy what they love because they’d have those pieces for a long time.”

Shoppers can swing by The Bouwerie after procuring global delicacies for their next dinner party at L’Épicuriste, and pick up items needed to make the soiree really pop. Niven says this summer’s must-haves include little LED lamps that have become popular for both indoor and outdoor at-home dining—The Bouwerie sells them along with fashionable shades, in green, white and

neutral. “This summer we have wonderful napkins that we just cannot keep in stock,” Niven says. “They have a pretty fringe, and come in blue-and-white gingham, a bold green and white floral pattern. They make your table come to life.”

Niven and partner Leuschen, a decorator, make some of their own items, such as fireplace screens named after streets in Southampton. The women have been friends for about a decade, and enjoy perusing the internet for unique items to sell, and doing some buying on the road—they both love to travel. “That’s how this business came about,” Nevin says. “We both love finding these little special things around the world.”

When it came to choosing their company’s moniker, the businesswomen liked the Old World spelling of “Bouwerie,” the name of a once-beautiful, now long-gone house in Southampton. To bring it back full circle, they happen to know the grandchildren of the house’s owners. thebouwerie.com

Courtesy of The Bouwerie

The collection features handmade items by Niven and Leuschen.

SUMMERFEST GALA SUMMERFEST GALA

BENEFITTING SOUTHAMPTON ARTS CENTER BENEFITTING SOUTHAMPTON ARTS CENTER BENEFITTING SOUTHAMPTON ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19 SATURDAY, AUGUST 19

Celebrate 10 years of community building through the arts at Southampton Arts Center's annual SummerFest Gala! We invite friends, both new and old alike, to join us for a magical evening on the iconic grounds of 25 Jobs Lane. We will also honor SAC founding co-chair Simone Levinson with the 2023 Champion of the Arts Award. This critical SAC fundraising initiative is responsible for generating 1/3 of SAC’s annual contributed income – allowing SAC to continue our year-round world class programming and serve as a critical economic driver of our beloved community.

Local villagers. Left: Fiori embarks on a guided gorilla trekking adventure with Kageno board member Candice Miller.

The mountain gorilla in its natural habitat.

Right: the dining room at Singita Lodge

PLACE OF HOPE

Frank Andolino co-founded Kageno, a charity that helps Kenyan and Rwandan villages find their way out of poverty.

This is going to sound highly improbable, and maybe even downright unbelievable, but the reason I went to the remote central African country of Rwanda this past June was entirely because of my orthodontist. Correction: my former orthodontist. His name is Frank Andolino. When I was his adult patient, he was a well-traveled, curious adventurer in his spare time, which was precious little. In addition, he was, and is, a do-gooder. I don’t say this facetiously. He is honestly and sincerely devoted to efforts to make the world a better place.

When I met Frank in 2003, he was in the process of co-founding a charity in east Africa called Kageno. Its object was to help the members of one, then two, villages in Kenya to find their way out of poverty, poor health and lack of education. Kageno, by the way, means “place of hope” in Luo, a Kenyan dialect. Through fundraising and active involvement in these otherwise needy communities, Kageno succeeded in its goals, so much so that it additionally does the same for a village in Rwanda.

“It wasn’t until I started Kageno,” says Andolino, “that I finally came to believe that a single person with compassion and determination can make an extraordinary impact. We all can. And together we can do even more to create communities where the marginalized are empowered, flourish and find hope.”

Then and there, I became a donor, like many others— some who were his high-profile patients. Each year, except during COVID, Kageno would hold an event in Manhattan called Harambee to celebrate its achievements and, not so incidentally, raise more money. I attended several.

This year marks Kageno’s 20th anniversary. When I was asked by Andolino if I would chair its Harambee in September, I said yes, provided I could make a trip to see Kageno in action. He suggested going to Rwanda.

I’d been to several countries in Africa, but never Rwanda. What little I knew had to do with a devastating genocide between two ethnic groups—the Hutus and the Tutsis—in the early 1990s that wiped out hundreds of thousands of people (most of them murdered by machetes) and the work of Dian Fossey with mountain gorillas in the 1960s.

This small, beautiful country known as “the land of a thousand hills” is a far cry from those war-torn days, and is now not only peaceful but well-run and clean, especially Kigali, its capital. The streets are immaculate;

BY PAMELA FIORI

there’s no plastic allowed.

With Andolino, one of his board members and our trusty driver, Freddie, we visited the Kageno facility and Banda, the village of 6,000 that it serves. Kageno itself is a series of structures—a health clinic, maternity center, library, pharmacy, community center and kitchen—plus a nursery school with adorable students neatly clad in uniforms, all bearing huge smiles. For food, there are vegetable gardens, chickens and cows.

The Kageno staff couldn’t be more welcoming. In addition there are beekeepers, makers of banana beer (a local specialty), a medicine man who grows ailmentcuring plants and an old-fashioned blacksmith on or near the property—all of which can be toured.

Nearby Banda is about a half-hour away on foot or a few minutes by car. On the way, there were sights to see: women carrying large, heavy vats of water, large sticks of wood and huge bags of fresh produce on their heads; workers toiling in the fields; and children of all ages waving in welcome. Not to mention the prevalence of cellphones and motorcycles.

Banda itself is without much character. It’s the villagers who provide that, most of them curious and perhaps even a little wary of intruders. Most poignant was seeing the aforementioned students in their real afterschool clothes, which were tattered and threadbare. Nevertheless, the Kageno experience was genuinely uplifting and truly unforgettable.

So was the last leg of our adventure. A several-hour drive to Singita Lodge, a ravishing resort hotel near to where we would go on an arduous trek the next day to see a family of mountain gorillas. I’ve stayed at other Singita Lodges in South Africa and Tanzania, and this one measures up magnificently and memorably.

I’ve also been up close and personal to a lot of animals in Africa and other remote places, but being 5 feet or so from a 300-pound male silverback nonchalantly strolling by is about as wild as it gets. He didn’t look at me and I didn’t look at him. That was the rule from our tracker: Don’t stare; don’t touch. Also, wear a mask to protect the apes against COVID. And never forget that you are on their territory. Forget? Never!

This year’s Harambee will take place on September 27 at Urban Zen in NYC. For more information, contact kageno.org.

V I B R A N T

Connecting with people who make you feel good positively impacts mental and physical health.

A FRESH START

The bestselling author of Glow and Vibrant, Dr. Stacie Stephenson finds a sweet spot in the summer-fall transition for reevaluating, reestablishing and recommitting to better health and wellness habits.

Bob & Dawn Davis Photography & Design

While I love a warm year-round climate, especially in the chilly season, I like to head to a more four-seasons part of the country as soon as I detect those first few whispers of fall in the air. When the afternoon light turns that unique color of fall gold, when the edges of the leaves start to blush, when I go out for a morning walk and discover I might actually need a jacket, that’s when I start to get really inspired. My creativity fired up, I start getting new ideas about how to improve things and new projects I want to take on, but most of all, I start thinking about a health reboot.

People often think of “getting healthy” at the end of the year after a decadent holiday season, but why wait for December 31 to turn things around? Wouldn’t you rather feel great through the holidays, rather than repentant? That’s why I use the summer-fall transition as a time to recommit to good habits and reestablish a health routine that often falls to the wayside during the lazy and unstructured days of summer. I also reevaluate what I need now, because health is dynamic and the habits of 2019 you—for example—might not necessarily be relevant for 2023 you.

So how do you reevaluate, reestablish, and recommit? Here is your personal guide to the three R’s of the summerfall transition.

REEVALUATE

If you aren’t feeling quite as strong, mobile, energetic or vibrant as you used to feel even a few years ago, maybe some things need to change. Have you strayed from some of your good habits? Could you stand to bring new habits on board? As summer fades, consider what you would like to do for yourself between now and 2024. Take a good look in the mirror and ask, “What do I need?” Is it better sleep? An improved diet? Do you need to get moving, to reconnect with friends, or do something about your chronic stress state? Most people abandon good health habits in the summer, in a couple of consistent categories. Think about which of these areas could use some improvement:

Sleep Long, sunny days and a late sundown tend to keep people up later, and an early sunrise wakes us earlier as well. The result is that many people don’t get enough sleep during the summer. Maybe you’re too busy having fun to get a good eight hours. It’s important to enjoy your summer days, but not at the expense of sleep. A majority of people in the U.S. are sleep-deprived, and that has some serious health consequences, like a higher risk of heart and kidney disease, and higher rates of diabetes, obesity and depression. Even one night of insufficient sleep can impact your mood, dissolve your

good intentions when making food choices, wreck your exercise plans and make you more irritable. Stack those sleepless nights up for weeks on end, and you’ve got a recipe for chronic disease. Have you been getting enough sleep?

Diet With all the cookouts, beach days, drive-thrus and road food, it’s easy to let your good dietary habits slip during the summer. But you know that food matters. How you eat has a major influence on how you feel, how you age and how healthy you are. Junk food and processed food have been linked, time and again, with inflammation, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health issues. Diets rich in vegetables, fruit, seafood and whole foods (like the Mediterranean diet) are associated with lower rates of all these diseases, as well as a longer life and a better mood. If you change just one thing in your life, I suggest starting with your diet. Have you been eating well?

Movement Many of us kick off spring with a lot more outdoor time, but when the temperature rises, it can feel a lot better to stay indoors. Or, maybe you’re loving being a beach bum, but you mostly relax with a book. There are plenty of ways to get active in the summer without overheating. Try swimming, biking, walking or hiking in the morning or evening when it’s cooler, joining a gym, taking a yoga class, or working out at home in the AC. If I could pick one single intervention to improve mood and keep you looking and feeling younger, it would be adding more movement into your life. Have you been getting enough exercise?

Stress Isn’t summer supposed to be stress-free? Maybe not, if you’ve got kids home full-time and you’re still trying to work, and everybody needs something or has somewhere to go. Trying to coordinate child care, summer activities and family vacations with work can be even more stressful than when kids are in school. Vacations can also be stressful, especially when they are jam-packed with activities. Even the simple lack of a routine can feel stressful for some people, because it feels so disorganized. Have you been feeling stressed-out?

Connection When was the last time you really spent quality time with your partner or your friends? Studies have linked supportive social connections with better health, and loneliness with poorer health. Have you been connecting with the people who make you feel good about yourself and your life?

REESTABLISH

Now that you have an idea of what you might want to work on, it’s time to make an action plan. How will you reestablish (or just plain establish) some habits that can get you to where you want to be? I find that making small changes is

the most effective. Write a list of some of the habits you want to ditch (like the drive-thru, the daily glass or two of wine, or the nightly TV session). Make another list of the habits you’d like to adopt. Keep it simple. Doing just one small new thing per day is most likely to lead to success, rather than trying to change everything at once. If you can substitute a good habit for a bad one, even better. It’s easier to give up a bad habit if you replace it with something that hits some of the same pleasure points, like swapping that afternoon soda for one small square of dark chocolate.

When you have some ideas, map them out over the course of a week. Begin with one change per day. After the week is up, you can decide what you want to keep, and what you can save for later (or never). Which of the things you tried do you want to keep? How often do you want to do them? Can you have a big salad for lunch every day? Go on a walk a few mornings a week? Meditate every Sunday?

RECOMMIT

Building good habits can be difficult at first, but habits are established by doing, and the more you do something, the easier it becomes. The more times you make a big salad for lunch, the more you begin looking forward to it. The more times you go on a morning walk, the more enjoyable it becomes. The more times you meditate, the easier it gets. To get to the easy, however, you have to be willing to get through the hard.

So what will you commit to doing as summer turns into fall? You can strengthen your resolve by drawing up a contract with yourself, something like:

I, , hereby commit to the following habits for the remainder of 2023:

A morning walk every Monday, Wednesday and Friday

A big salad for lunch every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Date night every Friday

Yoga or meditation every Sunday

Signed:

Don’t expect perfection. Just because you skipped your morning walk on Monday doesn’t mean you should forget the whole thing. Just resume on Wednesday. Also, let your list be flexible. So the big salad isn’t working out so well, or you find that a meditation pratice isn’t a good fit? No problem. Try something else. There are hundreds of excellent health and wellness habits to choose from. You could cut your alcohol or caffeine consumption in half. You could join a gym. You could take up an invorating sport, a relaxing new hobby, or enjoy a weekly hike in nature.

The simple act of committing to a few new habits can make you feel better, not just because you are living a more vibrant life, but because you realize you have the power, the discipline and the will to change your life when you really want to. Do it for yourself, and for the people who will benefit from a happier, stronger, fitter, more energetic you.

And when New Year’s Eve rolls around, you may discover that those same resolutions you make every year aren’t relevant anymore, because you’re already there. drstaciestephenson.com

Bob & Dawn Davis Photography & Design

You have the power to change your life when you want to.

FOOD IS MEDICINE

Sunset reservations on the deck at Beacon in Sag Harbor can be elusive—but there’s no better way to celebrate 25 years of steadfast service from co-owners David Loewenberg and Chef Sam McCleland than with their signature lobster rigatoni, topped with fresh basil. beaconsagharbor.com

Jason Penney

BRUNCH LUNCH DINNER

BAR UPSTAIRS DINING ROOM

GOURMET MARKET HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

Pierre’s Restaurant & Market 2468 Main Street, Bridgehampton 631.537.5110

pierresbh.com

BENEFICIAL BREW

Health care executive, entrepreneur, scientific formulator, patent innovator and author Dr. Christina Rahm, founder and CEO of DRC Ventures, infuses organic, fair-trade Guatemalan coffee beans with patent-pending proprietary solutions known for health and wellness benefits.

Conventional coffee is among the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world. It is steeped in synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. In fact, only an estimated 5 percent of coffees available worldwide today are grown using organic methods, which means 95 percent are treated with pesticides and other chemicals.

These toxins have been shown to wreak havoc on the body. Pesticides have been linked to cancer, developmental disorders, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological effects. Herbicides have been associated with kidney and liver damage, hormonal disruptions and birth defects. There is a strong correlation between fungicides and respiratory problems and liver damage. Insecticides have been associated with neurotoxic effects, and can cause environmental damage by killing nontarget species such as bees and butterflies.

All of which should come as a surprise, since coffee is actually supposed to be good for you! Coffee is a rich source of antioxidants, which can help in preventing damage caused by free radicals in the body. It contains several bioactive compounds, including caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline, that have shown promising results in improving brain function and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Coffee’s benefits are abundant and potent. It increases dopamine and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters known to boost alertness, mood and physical performance. Coffee lessens the risk of Type 2 diabetes, reduces inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity.

It has a protective effect on the liver, limiting the risk of liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It potentially decreases susceptibility to various types of cancer, including liver, colorectal and prostate cancers, possibly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Research conducted in 2018 showed that drinking coffee regularly could lower mortality rates from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and stroke.

At Rahm Roast, we’ve developed a unique and proprietary solution to rinsing our coffee beans, a method which eliminates toxins, bacteria, parasites and heavy metals, and ensures an exceptional taste with each cup. Our trade-secret solution incorporates bioavailable silica, a trace mineral complex, and vitamin C to guarantee the best possible flavor profile and health. Made with organic, fair trade coffee beans from Guatemala and moderate in acidity, Rahm Roast has an aroma of floral and citrus notes. The flavor is delightful and full-bodied, with chocolate, nutty or caramel overtones. Rahm Roast has been deemed excellent, a “specialty” coffee with a cupping score of 84 by coffee evaluators. Created in collaboration with the ROOT Brands, a worldwide health, lifestyle and nutraceutical company that focuses on innovative scientific formulas utilizing quality ingredients, Rahm Roast doesn’t compromise. I am so excited to introduce Rahm Roast as it furthers my initiative to create a healthier, toxin-free environment to better enhance the health and wellness of us all. therootbrands.com/purist

Rahm Roast utilizes a proprietary solution that eliminates harmful toxins.

GUILT-FREE GOODIES

A

healthy lineup of tasty, nutritious back-to-school snacks. BY

HIIT NUTRITION

President and founder Elizabeth McMillin aims to provide products with simple ingredients that can fuel the body efficiently, in a delicious way. High in fiber and packed with plant protein, all of HiiT Nutrition’s products are vegan and gluten-, dairy-, soy- and preservative-free. hiitnutrition.com, Instagram: @hiitnutrition

SCOTT’S PROTEIN BALLS

Scott Levine and his wife, Lori, were hit with a scare in 2017 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and treatment, the couple made a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. They created and produced a plant-based, all-natural sweet snack, Scott’s Protein Balls. All products are non-GMO, have no refined sugar, and are free of refined salts and preservatives. scottsproteinballs.com, Instagram: @scottsproteinballs

MY FIT KITCHEN BY ANKE

All products are inspired by the organic gardens and delicious meals founder Anke Albert Cosich’s mother made from ingredients harvested straight from the German countryside. Popular products include Better Butter Cookies Original, Chocolate Chip Oat Crunch Cookies, Chocolate Oat Crunch Cookies, and Ginger Oat Crunch Cookies. myfitkitchenbyanke.com,Instagram: @my_fit_kitchen_by_anke

SWEET LOREN’S

Founder and CEO Loren Brill Castle is a Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor who decided to eliminate all processed food from her diet after her diagnosis and treatment. All products are

made from clean, non-GMO, glutenfree and plant-based ingredients. sweetlorens.com, Instagram: @sweetlorens

BELLIWELLI BARS

Founded by husband and wife Katie and Nick Wilson, these sweet snacks are designed to promote gut health. Belliwelli Bars can are available online for shipping. belliwelli.com, Instagram: @belliwellisnacks

EMMY’S ORGANICS

Ian Gaffney and Samantha Abrams created delicious and healthy cookies out of the best ingredients from their local grocery stores and farmers markets. Emmy’s Organics (named after Ian’s mom) can be found in the Hamptons at Stop & Shop in Southampton and Provisions Natural Foods Market in Water Mill. emmysorganics.com, Instagram: @emmysorganics

MAXINE’S HEAVENLY Mom’s cookies always bring the family together. That’s the story behind Maxine’s Cookies. Originally made from ingredients that consisted of processed flours and sugars, Maxine’s son, Tim Miller, took it upon himself to continue his mother’s legacy of sweet treats, but with a healthier approach. All processed flours and sugars, gluten, and animal

VASHTI MOORE

product ingredients were replaced by gluten-free oats, organic coconut sugar, organic coconut nectar, dates and other good-for-you ingredients. maxinesheavenly.com, Instagram: @maxinesheavenly

PARTAKE FOODS

Denise Woodard founded Partake Foods in 2016 after her daughter was diagnosed with multiple food allergies. All of Partake’s products are free of dairy, peanuts, egg, soy, tree nuts sesame and artificial flavors, and are non-GMO. partakefoods.com, Instagram: @partakefoods

SIETE FOODS

As a teenager, Veronica Garza was diagnosed with a variety of debilitating, potentially lifethreatening autoimmune conditions. That’s how Siete Family Foods was born. Together the family of seven (siete in Spanish) started exercising and even created their own CrossFit gym. Veronica then began making grain-free tortillas, which became a family favorite. The family-owned brand offers a variety of products, including cookies, churro strips, and salty snacks like potato chips and tortilla chips. sietefoods.com, Instagram: @sietefoods

ENJOY LIFE

These allergy-friendly cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth. Free from gluten and over 10 allergens including wheat, peanuts, soy, egg and much more, Enjoy Life has products for those who like their cookies crunchy, and those who enjoy them soft. The brand offers other treats that include brownie bites and snack bars. enjoylifefoods.com, Instagram: @enjoylifefoods

Snacking wisely can boost brainpower and amp up metabolism.

Casa Dragones, a legacy producer of premium sipping tequilas, celebrates the synergy between nature’s bounty and human ingenuity. Using a meticulous combination of traditional handcrafting techniques and modern sustainable practices, the small-batch tequila is crafted from 100 percent agave using the highest quality agave and pure spring water from the Tequila Valley. Now, Casa Dragones introduces two new styles to its portfolio of sipping tequilas, each brimming with bold taste profiles that showcase their journey into the wood.

Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend is a blend of two styles of añejo, or aged, tequilas, delivering a bold, rich “agave-forward” taste profile. Delicate notes of fig and roasted almond add a sweet dimension, with a warm caramel hue that sparkles when enjoyed on the rocks or neat. Hints of cacao and spicy black pepper create a bold finish, making Casa Dragones

Añejo Barrel Blend an ideal after-dinner sipping tequila.

INTO THE WOOD

BY GABRIELLA ECHEVARIETTA

The Barrel Blend is matured in two styles of custommade casks, crafted with oak sourced from France and the United States.

“The same meticulous

attention we put into selecting agaves, we used in the development of our barrels,” says cofounder and CEO Bertha González Nieves. “The wood

complements the agave without overpowering it, delivering a beautiful marriage of flavors and aromas that will enamor the aged-spirits lover.”

The brand explores the nuances of oak even further in the creation of Casa Dragones Reposado Mizunara, a 100 percent blue agave tequila gently rested in Japanese mizunara oak casks. Traditionally used for aging Japanese whiskies, the ancient oak used to mature Reposado Mizunara was selected from Japan’s only independent cooperage. “Our idea for this reposado, which is a very traditional style of tequila, was to bring a Japanese twist into the experience of taste,” González Nieves continues. “It shows that Mexico’s craftsmanship can actually complement Japanese craftsmanship.” Casa Dragones Reposado captures the essence of summer in a glass, with serene notes of apricot and butterscotch mingling with orange blossom and magnolia. casadragones.com/us

Courtesy of Casa Dragones Tequila Company

Casa Dragones taps into the art of barreling to craft a new line of sipping tequilas for the aged-spirits enthusiast.

Casa Dragones’ CEO Bertha González Nieves

Casa Dragones utilizes sustainable practices to produce their sipping tequilas.

OIL CHANGE

Time to switch to high-phenolic olive oil to reap the health benefits.

BY DR. LIMOR GOREN

I grew up on the shores of the Mediterranean in Tel Aviv, and like millions of other people in the region, followed the principles of the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil was our main source of fat; we used it for drizzling, marinating, dressing and cooking. But it wasn’t until I moved to New York and was working on my PhD in molecular biology that I discovered that not all olive oils are created equal.

Olive oil is considered a healthy source of fat because of its unique composition of heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids. But in recent years, scientists like myself are discovering that the healthiest properties of olive oil come from a group of beneficial molecules called polyphenols.

Polyphenols exist in nature in most of the fruits we eat, from blueberries to cacao beans. Olives and extra-virgin olive oil contain some unique antioxidant and antiinflammatory polyphenols. One of them, oleocanthal, was the subject of my research when I was working in a cancer lab at Hunter College at The City University of New York.

I’ve seen with my own eyes how it wiped breast and prostate cancer cells off a dish, and shrank tumors in mice prone to pancreatic cancer. Other researchers discovered oleocanthal’s neuroprotective capabilities. Olive oil polyphenols were found to be heart-protective, reduce inflammation and contribute to a healthy and diverse gut microbiome. The problem is that not all olive oils available at the store have a high enough amount of polyphenols to benefit the

average person. In my research, I collected and compared dozens of olive oil samples from around the world, and noticed that only a few had the potent anticancer effects of the pure polyphenols. The reasons are due to both the quality of the oil produced and to improper storage and distribution practices.

I started Kyoord to champion and celebrate the art of making a truly highphenolic, healthy olive oil. We are committed to producing the bestquality olive oil possible by using time-tested and science-backed processes, and olive varieties that are naturally polyphenol-rich. We harvest early in the season while the olives are still green and unripe, and we use calibrated extraction techniques to ensure maximum levels of polyphenols. The yield from our olives is very small compared to mainstream producers, but the quality is easily discernible.

When tasting olive oil, you should feel notes of bitterness and grass. Most importantly, you should notice a slight stinging sensation at the back of the throat. It might taste like swallowing black pepper. This is the telltale sign of oleocanthal, assurance that you are eating authentic, fresh olive oil.

Dr. Limor Goren, PhD, is a molecular biologist and cancer researcher specializing in cellular metabolism. She is the founder of Kyoord, a premium olive oil company focused on the healing benefits of olive oil polyphenols. kyoord.com

Courtesy of Kyoord

Kyoord utilizes a science-backed approach to producing polyphenol-rich olive oil. Below: Dr. Goren

Inspired by Montauk, her mom, (Joni of Joni’s Kitchen), the ocean and much more, Grace Brosnan began hand-crafting her Hardwear collection in 2020. Each piece is created with environmental intention, sourced and designed by Brosnan, from start to finish, in very limited quantities. Here, Apple Martin wears two pieces from Brosnan’s first vintage collection, available online at hardwear.studio. Brosnan, a fashion design student at Parsons Paris, ships from the City of Light when she’s not in Montauk.

F E AT U R E S

Grace Brosnan

Ripa and Consuelos with their three children. From left: Michael (26), Lola (22) and Joaquin (20).

America’s golden co-host of the Live talk show for 22 years gets new energy and an extra charisma boost courtesy of Mark Consuelos, her husband of 27 years, who joins her on air this season. Kelly Ripa’ s enduring success in life and work can be attributed to discipline, humor, intelligence, and prioritizing family above all else. In a wideranging talk with Cristina Cuomo, the seven-time Emmy-winning day brightener shares personal highlights from the show, along with parenting, partnership, health and wellness practices.

Leader of the Pack

Ripa with her star singer daughter, Lola.

CRISTINA CUOMO: Since 2001, you’ve been providing humor every day. I just listened to your book Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, and it’s so funny.

KELLY RIPA: Thank you.

CC: I was impressed with the discipline it took to write those stories and share all that information.

KR: It’s so hard writing a book. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I can say I’ve done a lot of hard things. I’ve given birth three times, and it was like a two-year labor process. I really foolishly thought—because I read a lot— that I could write. And I really thought for a moment that I had bitten off way more than I could chew. I just made a deal with myself that I was going to do it myself, and I was not going to rely on a ghostwriter or a co-writer. It was hard, but it was very gratifying when it was finally done, because nobody has your voice. I think the reason people responded to the book is because it’s so clearly me sitting down and having a conversation.

CC: You mention in the book that you’re risk-averse, and you’ve been doing one of the most challenging and scary things—translating life events and the American

launch of Live With Kelly and Mark in September.

KR: We’re going to provide the same sort of humor and irreverence that people have come to know and love. Mark has taken the trivia game, where Ryan and I would just give away coffee mugs to the audience, and decided that he’s not going to do that any more. There are no participation trophies in life, he says. If they want to win a mug, they’re going to have to stump me. I don’t really follow the ratings, but from what I’ve been told that since Mark has taken over, people stay with the show all the way through because they want to see whether or not Mark gets stumped.

CC: What’s your favorite segment?

KR: I love talking to the trivia callers. Our show is best when it’s going off the rails, when our audience gets to see the slip-ups. It is not this highly polished, Hollywood thing. It is two people meeting, having coffee, having just read the paper. We never cover actual news, we cover absurd news. When you factor in a person calling from their cellphone in the parking lot of a grocery store, what have you, it is rife with the ability to derail very quickly, and I think

zeitgeist with humor and grace every day. How do you keep that humor going?

KR: I think the risk-averse quality I have is probably the reason I stayed with the same job for so long. Other offers come along, but I like to stick with what I know. I am very steadfast in everything I do, and so when you have me, you have me for life. Having said that, I don’t intend to work at this job for the rest of my life. I do talk about retirement with great interest, but right now I’m very happy, especially working with Mark.

CC: There is comfort in consistency. What are some of the other things you attribute to the Live franchise resonating with audiences for 22 years?

KR: I have to give a shoutout to our audience, because there were not the distractions—the streaming services and the smartphones and computers—when I started working there. Our audience has remained with us, and I think it’s because we are a break from the news. The news we cover is oftentimes absurd. We are sort of a respite from the anxiety of the day. We’re not revolutionary. We’re evolutionary, and so we evolve in small, tiny increments along the way, and I think that’s very important. It provides comfort to people.

CC: Tell me what we can expect from the new-season

that’s what I love the best. I also love our viewer feedback at the very end of the show, where we take our viewers’ questions and complaints, because what people fixate on is endlessly entertaining for me.

CC: I also love how you’ve incorporated health and wellness into the show, like the cold plunge that Mark and Gelman did. That was hilarious.

KR: Our show has been doing those health and wellness segments since way before it was a trend. Also, I will never get into a cold plunge. I don’t care if they tell me it’s an instant face-lift. I am so against cold water. You will never see me do a cold plunge segment on our show, ever.

CC: You’re in the Hamptons. Do you ever go in the ocean?

KR: I do go in the ocean, but you will never see me in the Northeast in the water. I come out on the weekends after work, so in my two days that I’m out here, I don’t want to be cold in the water. They keep telling us how the ocean water is the warmest it’s ever been, and I keep saying, ‘Even in the Northeast?,’ because what I consider warm water and what everybody else considers warm water are two different things. And this year, it seems like we have a lot of fish activity, more so than normal.

CC: Yeah, the sharks. That’s because of the warm water. A Stanford scientist was talking about how 68 degrees

“Mark and I are going to provide the same sort of humor and irreverence that people have come to know and love.”

and below, five minutes a day, is all you need for the antiinflammatory benefits of cold water.

KR: I can’t handle that. To me, 86 degrees is exactly the right temperature. I don’t know why. I’m a very strong person and I can do a lot of things. Look, I ski. I’m not afraid of cold, per se.

CC: Right.

KR: I don’t want to plunge myself into cold water. I like the water to be warm enough that I could potentially cook a chicken in it.

CC: Okay. Now you’re going to have to do that on your show, because that would be funny. What’s are some of the most fun TV memories?

KR: Looking back, I’m so blessed because I have my kids, who are now all adults. I have these incredible Christmas segments, cooking segments with them throughout the years, from the time they were newborns all the way on up throughout their lives. Whenever we do flashbacks or we look back in time, I’m reminded of so much. I forgot we did that insane cooking segment with a 1-year-old, a 2-yearold and a 4-year-old on the show. I forgot that we did that Science Bob segment with the world’s largest foam elephant. I forgot we did a trapeze segment. I don’t watch the show. I’m in the show, so I get this window into what our audience is seeing, and I find myself laughing.

CC: Twenty-seven years of marriage and three kids, now adults. You spend a lot of time with your husband, and you’re going to be spending more time with him as a cohost. What are some of the secrets to a good parenting partnership?

KR: We met almost 30 years ago working together, and we always had a great working relationship. I love Mark more than I can articulate. He’s a proper person. He’s just a gentleman. He knows who he is. He is confident and kind and unassuming and very humble. He is irreverent. He understands the absurdity, and he finds the humor in everything. Having said that, he’s also a very serious person. He is focused on his family in ways that seem like from another time, and I think that we are a good partnership. We build each other up, and we always have. We are fiercely loyal and extraordinarily protective, and yet we keep each other laughing, at home and at work.

When we were raising our children, we were extraordinarily aligned in our core value systems, about the job of being a parent. The price of doing business was really a justification for the time we would get to spend together. Mark had a more challenging job for decades, because he was always traveling for work, he was always on a set. We both had the idea that the main goal was to raise kind, caring, well-adjusted, polite kids who would become productive members of society. All of the jobs that he took as

an actor is the reason I found the talk show so appealing. It was not because I find that what I have to say is so vastly important. I’m actually really very averse to speaking in public. But I got over it, because of the idea that I could remain in one place, and have my kids go to the same school, live in the same neighborhood, just like we did when we were kids growing up. The job gave us consistency. Our kids got to grow up in the greatest city in the world, but they had consistency.

CC: Your daughter Lola, what a talent, with her beautiful new song, “Divine Timing.” There’s another power there, the healing power of music.

KR: It’s so exciting. We can’t get over her talent. It presented itself right away, early in her childhood. She was always the one who either the teacher at the school or camp or whatever had to drag her up on stage, because she wasn’t big on performing. You know when your kid is performing and you’re videotaping it? Every parent puts their phone down and tapes their own kid. But when Lola would sing at school or at camp, all of the parents would put their phones up, so I kept saying, She must be really good. Maybe it’s not just our imaginations. My frustration is I am dying to be a momager. And she keeps me at arm’s length. I am not involved. Evererything is “Mom, just stay out of it.” I keep telling her one day you’ll be a mother and you will understand the pride that I feel.

Ripa’s 2022 New York Times bestselling book.

CC: How did it feel to be an empty nester?

KR: I know that there are women out there who dread it, and I was dreading it, and it is so great. You rediscover each other as a couple. We talk about vacations and where we want to retire. It’s a really exciting time.

CC: Describe your fitness regimen. What practices have you found to be the most fulfilling right now?

KR: It’s always been dance. The less I exercise, the better off I’ll be, because I don’t like to enter a room thinking that I’ve got a training session. The words “training session” sound like a punishment. But if I know I’m going to go dance, I’m just going to have fun. I get a workout without realizing it. I’m just going to have fun. I started exercising basically to manage my stress at work. My body looks the same, no matter what. I’m straight up and down. I kind of have had this same sort of Peter Pan body my whole life, except for when I’m pregnant. That’s the only time I look remotely curvy, and by curvy I mean very curvy.

For me, it was more the mental practice. It was my form of meditation, or my form of therapy without a doctor there. That endorphin rush, the energy and clarity I get from it—that’s why I started exercising. And as time went on, my strength and endurance improved, and I found that I was able to lift my own suitcase over my head and put it into the overhead compartment, and carry extraordinarily heavy things. When we go on these long famiy hikes, I’m always the one with the giant backpack, because I carry a lot of weight, and that’s the benefit of exercise. it gives you life strength that you didn’t realize you needed or wanted.

CC: You’re very strong mentally and physically, which really shows through in everything you do. You’re a really good role model.

KR: A lot is asked of women, a lot. We are expected to do everything. Every day, all the time, and not really get acknowedged for it. I think it’s important to cheer each other on, to root for one another. It can be enormously powerful.

CC: Indeed. We’re not islands. We all have to consistently support one another, especially as women. What

wellness rituals do you practice?

KR: I try to maintain a really healthy diet. I quit drinking about five years ago. I did Dry January, and just stayed with it. I felt so good that I just never went back to it. If I could say the best thing I’ve ever done in my life, it’s that. I have about 500 different skin creams. Sometimes I use many of them at the same time, and sometimes I use nothing. Sometimes I’m too tired to put it on at night. I use The Outset. I love Augustinus Bader. What you put in your body is very important. Like an anti-inflammation diet, as much as you can possibly have one. I always try to have lemon in my water. I do that olive oil and lemon shot at night. People get very annoyed when you talk about nutrition. I don’t understand the rage surrounding it. It’s almost as though we’re supposed to ignore how important what we put into our bodies is.

CC: I’ve watched you on TV for so many years, and you’ve never had a bad fashion moment. What do you love most about fashion?

KR: I am a New Yorker, so my uniform at home is primarily black, and then shades of darker black, lighter black, some gray and a little navy. In the summer, it becomes white, tan and beige. Then I have my TV wardrobe, which is bright, colorful, less of a uniform. It’s more stylish, more of the moment. Because I have the benefit of having worked with so many stylists at Live, we come up with things that are fun and easy. I don’t want to be overwhelmed by my clothes. My favorite style accessory has to be my FoundRae Karma necklace. I love it so much, I bought one for Bethenny Frankel for her birthday. Hang on a second. My son is here, because he’s working a half a mile away from our house for the summer. He’s been living at the house, and you know when you come to your house two days a week, every light bulb is out and you turn on the water and it’s coming out brown, and you’re like what happened, what’s going on? With a person here in the house, nothing is ever broken, everything is running smoothly. It’s like a dream.

CC: One of the few benefits of empty nesting is when they come home.

KR: It really is.

“People get very annoyed when you talk about nutrition. I don’t understand the rage surrounding it. It’s almost as though we’re supposed to ignore how important what we put into our bodies is.”

The Unflinching Gaze

Renée Cox’s overview exhibition at Guild Hall, A Proof of Being,commands attention.

BY RAY ROGERS

Renée Cox cuts an impressive figure. The day we meet at Guild Hall, she sports a bodyhugging, fringed green camouflage dress, Rasta-colored manicured nails, and her voluminous amber curls crown her striking angular visage. This bold ethos extends to her head-turning artistry, seen in a wonderfully curated overview on display in A Proof of Being at Guild Hall through September 4.

In Cox’s photographic works, often recreations and reimaginings of religious and historical portraits, the artist is resolutely front and center, her direct gaze demanding the viewer’s attention. At first look, these daring pieces are visually stunning. Linger longer, and you’ll find multilayered meaning in works that have wowed, shocked and awed audiences for three decades. In 2001, then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani even went to war with—and lost to—the Brooklyn Museum over Cox’s “Yo Mama’s Last Supper,” wherein the artist placed her naked self in the role of Jesus Christ in a work that referenced Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” painting.

A longtime resident of East Hampton, she was a natural choice to be the first artist to show at Guild Hall after the historic cultural center’s first major refresh; its new modern feel and clean lines brilliantly showcase Cox’s visual masterpieces, old and new.

Ray Rogers: Your career began in editorial, shooting fashion stories. Did you always know you had something more to say and do with your talents?

Renée Cox: Yes, and I also knew that after I had my first child that I wanted to have my work be a legacy I could live off. Shooting editorial, my work only had a 28-day life span. The pivotal moment for me was being at Jerry’s, a

Soho restaurant, with a whole crew of folks, some very well-known photographers and the Macy’s crew, because I used to do their full-page fashion advertisements. At one point I say, “God, today is a special day. Nelson Mandela got released from prison.” Like after being in prison for over 27 years. There was a pause and then they said, “But Donald and Ivana [Trump] are getting a divorce.” In that moment, I knew I had to leave fashion. I knew I had to go back to school and get my credentials. I went to the School of Visual Arts, got my master’s degree and then enrolled in the Whitney Independent Study Program.

RR: Was there a flash where you thought, yes, I’m on the right path?

RC: Oh, yeah. It was at the Whitney Program. I was the first woman in their 25-year existence to be pregnant. I was having my second child, and told them I was pregnant and everybody looked at me like, “Oh no, what are you going to do?” I’m like, “Wait! This second kid has been planned.” When they asked what would happen to my career, I had no idea what they were talking about. I came from fashion, I had my first kid, I was working and people were like, just don’t break your water on our shoot. My nanny came to the shoot with the baby and I would go into another room and breastfeed. No big deal. And now here I am in this supposedly more intellectual world and they don’t understand babies?

RR: Or motherhood.

RC: Don’t you people have mothers? Is this supposed to be the Immaculate Conception? That’s when I realized, OK, I’ve got to comment on this. I’m going to do “Yo Mama” and show them that you can have a kid and put on your

Renée Cox. Left: The artist’s “Yo Mamadonna and Child,” 1994

stilettos and have a good body line. I’m not giving you sensible shoes making me look like a peasant. Feminists embraced the image—she’s holding her kid like an Uzi! You can make your own judgments. But no, I’m holding my kid like this is how you move a kid really quickly.

RR: What prompted your desire for representation?

RC: I did not like the way we were represented because it was usually in a derogatory manner. So when I started I felt I had to flip that script and create uplifting, empowering imagery that showed Black people as I know Black people.

RR: Black motherhood is also a powerful theme in many of your works, such as “Yo Mama’s Pieta,” which is still viscerally relevant today. The police brutality and killing of Black people only seems to have gotten worse, or maybe more accurately it’s just more visible.

RC: Absolutely. It’s more visible. It’s been going on for the last 400 years. In essence, the police are descended from the slave catchers. Every week we hear of some young Black male who was shot down someplace. That’s why “Pieta” is still relevant, which is sad.

RR: Tell me about the creation of your superhero, Rajé. I love the piece where she’s freeing Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben off the box labels.

RC: For me it was a very simple question—who owns Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima? And it doesn’t take much to find out that white people owned it. Why are we still on their boxes? When you start going back into the history, it comes down to this thing of house Negroes basically. They were the ones who were desexualized and lived up at the big house; everybody loved them. They might have been a wet nurse for these slave masters’ children. And it’s very interesting that white folks take comfort in that. It’s like yeah, we have some big fat Black mama up in your kitchen here and she’s cooking up some good pancakes. Really? And Uncle Ben, a similar story but another little irony with Uncle Ben is you wouldn’t have rice here if it wasn’t for the African slaves that they brought over, because they introduced rice here in the U.S. That’s another layer to the story.

RR: If you’re curious to know more history, you’re giving people a window, a portal to explore. I’ve heard you talk about your search for some Power Rangers toys for your kids, and how that inspired the work.

RC: Yeah. I was in a Toys R Us and it was Christmastime and my kids wanted Power Rangers, so I’m there basically playing football with people trying to grab these Power Rangers and in the process of doing that I look around and I go wait a minute, I don’t see any Black superheroes. Why is that? OK, let me create one. Then I researched Wonder Woman’s history and found that the creator of Wonder Woman had in the 1970s a Black Wonder Woman named Nubia, back when Black was beautiful and you

had Ultra Sheen ads on the side of buses saying that. I say my character is like the granddaughter of Nubia and her name is Rajé. Initially her name was Rage, but I changed it because I was like if I say Rage people are going to disregard it and just say I’m an angry Black woman.

RR: Is that stereotype or trope of the angry Black woman something that you find you are accused of or something you have to fight against?

RC: Not a lot, but I definitely can be accused of it because I do work which is thought-provoking and empowering. Because the work is challenging, as some people would say, you get that a little bit.

RR: This is a good segue into the Giuliani war over “Yo Mama’s Last Supper,” the piece shown at the Brooklyn Museum. I read that the outrage added up to near-record numbers at the time for visitors at the museum.

RC: Good for the museum, but I will say publicly the museum at that time did not give me one iota of help. They threw me to the wolves because people think that normally the artist is going to cow down and become like a puddle of water in a corner and not really deal with it. I was alone. Chris Ofili [the artist whom Giuliani went after a few years prior, for his elephant dung-embellished mixed-media painting “The Holy Virgin Mary”] had Saatchi and galleries to speak on his behalf. I didn’t have anybody to speak on my behalf and I had zero respect for Giuliani as it was. With his “stop and frisk” and all of these other stupid policies that he had going on, and I really found his comb-over revolting. And also the fact that he had his wife Donna Hanover crying all over the TV when they were getting a divorce.

When they asked me, I was at the Brooklyn Museum, with my NYU students. I was teaching at the time, and they were all white, so I felt a personal responsibility to bring them to see this show called Committed to the Image, which was works by 96 Black photographers. If I don’t show it off, who is going to show it off? Fortunately, I got through 75 percent of the show and then we came to my work and it was roped off, like it was Studio 54. Sometimes when I have work in museums I’ll go up and touch it and then everybody says you can’t. Then I’m like, “No, I can. It’s mine.” I did that there and it was like a Fellini movie: All of a sudden, all these press people popped out of the woodwork. I had microphones in my face within seconds. It was crazy. “Mayor Giuliani says that you’re anti-Catholic.” At that time I will admit I was a bit in my ego mind so basically I turned away from them and I said to myself oh my god, I’ve been waiting for this level of attention all my life. I turned around and I was basically like, “What did he say about me? I’m anti-Catholic? What about him? What about commandment No. 7 I believe it is. Thou shalt not commit adultery and he had his wife crying all over Fox.” That was the beginning of it and they ran with

it. The next day I was on the cover of the Daily News I had fun. I was not shutting up.

RR: How does it feel to be celebrated here at this important cultural institution in the Hamptons, where you and your family have had a home for many decades?

RC: I’m very happy. This space that has been dramatically changed from what it once was is a great showcase for the monumentality of my work. There’s total harmony. I feel like it’s a marriage of image and architecture. It just flows.

We’ve been here since ’89. I even went to a boarding school in North Haven called Tuller Maycroft when I was 11 or 12. And before we even had a house, in the early ’80s a bunch of friends and I would go out to Napeague and set up tents on the dunes. My million-dollar view! Back then you could do that. I’ve always had a love for the geographical presence of this area. There’s still open space but I also like being close to the sea, so upstate New York doesn’t really do it for me. I feel crunched in.

RR: This work in front of us, “Cousins at Pussy’s Pond,” was shot in East Hampton in 2001. In what way does the landscape of the area inspire you?

RC: It goes hand in hand. This is from my American Family series. I knew I wanted to do my flipping of the script. It’s playing with the impressionists’ images. [Édouard Manet’s “The Luncheon on the Grass”] was done on one of the little isles in Paris. I did some research and found out that Manet took the composition from a thirdcentury Roman sarcophagus called The River Gods. So I did mine with this notion of the river gods, and shot it in Springs at Pussy’s Pond.

RR: There is also new work in this show, the sacred geometry pieces in “Soul Culture.”

RC: I wanted to create another universe that Black and brown people could thrive in. There are even some white bodies in there, too, but I wanted that to be our place within the universe or the dimensions. Right now we’re in the third dimension but there are actually 12 dimensions in total. I was like, let’s create another space, another world where people of color can thrive.

RR: And their bodies are celebrated.

RC: Exactly. They’re not enslaved and they’re not being massacred or brutalized. And we’re in control. One of the big points for me, too, is controlling the gaze and that’s why all of these images they’re all looking right back at you. People have said, Oh, you’re like a Cindy Sherman. I’m like no, because Cindy doesn’t return the gaze. She’s not direct, and for me I feel it’s necessary to be direct. It’s like yeah, you can look at my body but I’m also looking back at you, too. I’m not letting you off the hook.

RR: What enlivens you about your role as a professor at Yale, and what excites you or gives you hope about new generations of artists that you mentor?

RC: It’s fun. I like young people and I think they relate to me, too. I’m always telling them to stop second-guessing yourself. Stop comparing yourself to this one, that one. Do what you feel. I also try to give them that little self-love that they should have and to build their confidence. I don’t think you should be afraid to say ‘No, I’m fucking good.’ It’s like I’ve said: I’m not waiting for anybody to validate me, I validate myself.

“I did not like the way we were represented because it was usually in a derogatory manner. So when I started I felt I had to flip that script and create uplifting, empowering imagery that showed Black people as I know Black people.”

Renée Cox, “Yo Mama’s Pieta,” 1994

EAST HAMPTON LIBRARY’S

AUTHORS NIGHT

AT HERRICK PARK, EAST HAMPTON VILLAGE T PARK Saturday, August 12 • 5 pm

Meet your favorite authors, buy their books and have them personally inscribed at one of the nation’s leading annual literary celebrations!

100 AUTHORS • BOOK SIGNING COCKTAIL PARTY

PARTICIPATING AUTHORS: LENNY ACKERMAN, JIM ACOSTA, JAMILA AHMED, ALEXANDRA AUDER, TESSA BAILEY, BILLY BALDWIN, LESLIE BANKER, LAURA BELGRAY, DON BENTLEY, GEOFFREY BERMAN, BILL BOGGS, MARIE BRENNER, PATRICK BRINGLEY, ALAFAIR BURKE, ROBERT A. CARO, ALICE CARRIÉRE, ETHAN CHORIN, CARMELA CIURARU, TOM CLAVIN, MISTY COPELAND, SARA DIVELLO, JEREMY EICHLER, JANE FERGUSON, CAROLYN FERRELL, DAISY ALPERT FLORIN, AMY FUSSELMAN, DAPHNE PALMER GEANACOPOULOS, ALLISON GILBERT, MARY GIULIANI, LAUREN GRAHAM, CATHY B. GRAHAM, ERIC GROFT, JOANNA GROVER, MAGGIE HABERMAN, ALICE HARRIS, HELEN A. HARRISON, KRISTY WOODSON HARVEY, ROBERT HOFLER, A.M. HOMES, SUSAN ISAACS, ANITA GAIL JONES, BARBARA JOSSELSOHN, JEAN HANFF KORELITZ, BROOKE KROEGER, JOHN LAZZARO, ALIZA LICHT, SETHA LOW, WESLEY LOWERY, SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL, STEVE MADDEN, JON MICHAUD, ANNABEL MONAGHAN, LAURA MORELLI, ROBYN MORENO, DAVID NETTO & STEPHEN STILLS, ALEX PAPACHRISTIDIS, SUSAN PATTERSON, CRYSTAL SMITH PAUL, PRUDENCE PEIFFER, ANNA PITONIAK, JIM POPKIN, PAULINA PORIZKOVA, JIM & DONNA PRESSMAN, SOL RIVERA, JANE ROSEN, LISA ROSENBLUM, GAELIN ROSENWAKS, DEBORAH GOODRICH ROYCE, SYDNEY SADICK, ÁNGEL SANTAMARINA & ERICA BROBERG SMITH, JILL SANTOPOLO, JOSH SAPAN, RYAN SERHANT, VIOLA SHIPMAN, LEWIS M. SIMONS, JUDITH SLEED, RACHEL LOUISE SNYDER, SUSAN SPUNGEN, JAMES STURZ, SALLY SUSMAN, RACHEL L. SWARNS, JAMES & BUNSENG TAING, KARA THOMAS, STEVE TREBING, AMY TURNER, NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, LINDA VILLAROSA, SHANE WEEKS, JANN WENNER, CHRIS WHIPPLE, MARK WHITAKER, KATHLEEN M. WILLETT, PETER M. WOLF, MICHAEL WOLFF, ALLISON YARROW, AMY ZERNER & MONTE FARBER, AND LAURA ZIGMAN.

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ($150) FOR COMPLETE EVENT INFO., VISIT: AUTHORSNIGHT.ORG

Proceeds benefit the East Hampton Library, a non-profit organization providing outstanding free library services to the East Hampton community. The funds raised at Authors Night are used for essential programs and services at the Library throughout the year.

P L AY

Padel, a racquet sport that originated in Mexico in the 1960s, is quickly gaining traction in the Hamptons and beyond. The game—a unique blend of tennis and squash and typically played in doubles—centers around fun, social interaction and strategy. “Padel players’ respective levels don’t matter as much as in tennis. You can have a great time on the shorter court, no matter your level of experience,” says padel expert MarieLine Grinda. “And unlike pickleball, the good players will have fun in padel. It is not only a sport, but a lifestyle.”

LEVEL UP

Holly Rilinger is taking things up a notch with Lifted, a new studio space in East Hampton. BY

The architecture of Holly Rilinger’s new Lifted studio space is semicircular (with its raised platforms and dim lighting, it almost feels like you’re in a spaceship), but the experience has been full circle for Rilinger, a longtime Hamptons favorite trainer, beloved for her highly motivational, high-energy workouts. The former pro basketball player (at one point she ranked as the No. 1 women’s collegiate point guard in America) cut her instructor’s teeth in the very space that now bears her name above the door. “Twelve years ago, I taught my very first group fitness class for Zone Hampton, right here in this spot,” she recalls. “I remember thinking, I don’t know how anybody can afford to be out here! I slept on sofas back then.” After that, she taught for a solid decade in this space when it was Flywheel, before teaching via online platforms and from her garage in her property in Springs during the pandemic. “So, this is a big homecoming for me.”

Together with fiancée Jennifer Ford, a veteran yoga teacher and Reiki master on the East End and in NYC, the pair is building a studio to cater not just to clientele wanting physical fitness, but to those looking for spiritual wellness. In addition to the more amped-up classes combining weight training and HIIT cardio, you’ll find fullmoon and new-moon Kundalini gong baths, and other sound and scent journeys on Sunday evening weekend wind-down sessions. (You might even spy Rocco or Luna, one of the couple’s adorable Chihuahuas, nestled in Ford’s lap during the proceedings.)

Rilinger and Ford are the perfect match in and out of the fitness studio. “She’s very much the yin to my yang,”

says Rilinger. “She’s yoga, Reiki, essential oils and positive psychology. And I’m a former pro athlete, lifting weights, strength training, all that stuff.”

The name Lifted references both the classes with strength training via lifting weights, and the spiritual uplift that meditation and yoga bring. “We want you to lift in all ways. We want you to leave here feeling clearer, stronger, happier,” says Rilinger. “And that really came from my days as a pro athlete. You couldn’t succeed on the court if you were just one side of the spectrum. You had to be focused and clear and positive and resilient and committed.”

Classes in the ground-level auditorium are tailored for all types and levels, from low-impact weight-centered workouts to high-intensity cardio workouts and beyond. One thing each offering has in common is Rilinger’s methodology: All of her classes start and end with a brief meditation, and in between, says Rilinger, “I’m going to take you to your edge—I want you to cuss, I want you to scream, I want you to almost cry. And then I’m going to drop you in that second meditation so you can see what happens when you gain control again.”

In the floor below, there’s a studio for barre, Pilates and burlesque dancing, run by Marissa Ivana, the former wellness director at Topping Rose House. If you’ve worked up an appetite, you can grab a Remedy Organics smoothie to replenish after class. Eventually they plan on installing infrared saunas and offering IV drips for full-service head-to-toe uplift.

65 Montauk Hwy., East Hampton; theliftedmethod.com

RAY ROGERS

For Rilinger and Ford, the aim is for guests to leave feeling clearer and stronger.

TOP FITNESS GURUS OF THE HAMPTONS

Tone up with words of wisdom from these veteran fitness experts.

Tracy Anderson, creator of the Tracy Anderson Method

“It’s time to move your total health up.” tracyanderson.com

Erika Bloom, founder of Erika Bloom Wellness

“All movement should be therapeutic.” erikabloom.com

Isaac Boots, trainer and founder of TORCH’D “No dusty asses ever!” isaacboots.com

Mary Ann Browning, founder and president of Brownings Fitness; trainer and nutritionist

“Fitness is not a destination, it’s a way of life. No holy grail or magic fixes.” browningsfitness.com

Mireya D’Angelo, SoulCycle instructor

“This may be hard, but it’s easier than everything else happening in your life outside this door.” soul-cycle.com

Erika Halweil, classical yoga and lifestyle enrichment

“Feed the light within.” thelifeglowproject.com

Anna Kaiser, global fitness expert

“Movement is freedom.” annakaiserstudios.com

Jimmy Minardi, founder of Minardi Training, certified personal trainer and yoga instructor

“Get it while you can.” minarditraining.com

Katia Pryce, CEO and founder of DanceBody “Keep moving.” dancebody.com

Garth Wakeford, founder at Juluka Fitness and personal trainer “Juluka. It means sweat in Zulu.” julukafitness.com

Melissa WoodTepperberg, certified health and wellness coach and yoga and Pilates instructor

“Making mindful movement and meditation a way of life.” melissawoodhealth .com

Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee, yoga teachers and Yoga Shanti owners

“Shanti teachers are all well trained in alignment, keen observation, appropriate modifications, mindblowing sequences and keeping it real!” yogashanti.com

Not pictured but definitely top-notch: Shane Dyckman from Flying Point Surf School; Gina Bradley from Paddle Diva; Holly Rilinger of Lifted (featured on opposite page); Adam Rosante, personal trainer; and Corey Senese from CoreysWave

Garth Wakeford

Erika Halweil

Erika Bloom

Anna Kaiser

Tracy Anderson

Katia Pryce

Jimmy Minardi

Mary Ann Browning

Isaac Boots

Melissa WoodTepperberg

Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee

Mireya D’Angelo

AT A GLANCE

AUGUST 12

The Hamptons Garden Gala

The third annual evening celebration in honor of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation will feature a formal seated dinner and cocktail reception, live and silent auctions, dancing and entertainment—all while working toward a cure for diabetes. Tickets from $350. Patricia and Roger Silverstein Residence, Water Mill; e.givesmart.com

East Hampton Library’s Authors Night

One of the Hamptons’ most beloved arts events returns for its 19th year. Featuring 100 authors across all genres, Authors Night celebrates the literary world in all its glory. The evening commences with a formal reception under the tent with wine and small bites. Guests will have the opportunity to connect with some of their favorite authors and have their books personally inscribed. Tickets from $150. 159 Main St., East Hampton; authorsnight.org

AUGUST 19

SummerFest

The Southampton Arts Center celebrates its 10th anniversary. The festivities begin with a cocktail reception featuring the East End’s top chefs and restaurateurs, and conclude with a formal dinner, dancing and entertainment. This year’s event takes place during Change Agents: Women

Collectors Shaping the Art World , an impactful exhibition showcasing the creativity and determination of 14 women collectors. Tickets from $1,000. Southampton Arts Center, 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton; southamptonartscenter.org

2023 Bow Wow Meow Ball

An elegant night of drinks, dinner and dancing in celebration of the animals, the event, held in the brandnew William P. Rayner Training Center, will honor Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons’ Forever Home Project Team. Guests will enjoy music by the Peter Duchin Orchestra, specially curated floral decor and a cheery animal parade. Tickets from $1,000. 124 Daniels Hole Road, East Hampton; give.arfhamptons.org

SEPTEMBER 9

Off-Site Road Show Reception

Japanese sculpture artist Hiroyuki Hamada arrives at the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center for a unique site-specific exhibition. The 12th annual Parrish Road Show encourages interaction between artists and members of the nearby community. Free and open to the public. South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center, 377 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke., Bridgehampton; parrishart.org

SEPTEMBER 15

Surf Movie Night

Eastern Long Island’s Surfrider Foundation—an organization dedicated to protecting our oceans— is hosting its 21st annual fundraiser and outdoor screening of surf-inspired films. Guests can expect to enjoy movies, live music and shopping for T-shirts made by local artists. Tickets $25 and up. Southampton Arts Center, 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton; easternli.surfrider.org

SEPTEMBER 23

The Hamptons Marathon Race along Long Island’s East End for the 16th annual Hamptons Marathon & Half Marathon. Runners will take a scenic route through Southampton Village and along Shinnecock Bay and Coopers Beach. Tickets between $40-$125, depending on date purchased and for 5K, half-marathon or marathon. Southampton Intermediate School, 70 Leland Lane, Southampton; capstoneraces.com

Savor the last few moments of summer in the Hamptons with a spirited lineup of art, music and wellness events.

BY JENNA LEBOVITS

On September 23, Hamptons Marathon runners take the scenic route.

PURE PUZZLE

Test your wellness wisdom.

BY MYLES MELLOR

Myles Mellor is one of the top crossword writers in the world, published in over 1,000 magazines, newspapers and web outlets, supplying themed crosswords, cryptograms, diagramless crosswords, word search, sudokus, anagrams and word games. themecrosswords.com. Buy Myles’ crossword books at ilovecrosswords.com

Gary R. DePersia

Oceanviews from Sagaponack 14,000 SF Modern Pondfront Estate

Sagaponack. With a sensational new price, along with elements of scale and architecture that could not be reproduced in this location again, a beautifully landscaped acre on Fairfield Pond plays host to a magnificent 14,000 SF, 8-bedroom modern estate recently completed near the ocean in Sagaponack. Masterfully scripted by architect Brian O’Keefe, the drama immediately unfolds as a marble waterfall wall welcomes all into a 9,000 SF contemporary sanctuary of wood and stone that reveals the expansive living room warmed by a fireplace. The modern Poliform designed kitchen anchors the center of the residence that segues into both the sumptuous fireplace family room as well as the formal dining room enhanced by a butler’s pantry. A bedroom suite overlooking both pool and pond complete this first floor. Upstairs the master wing, offering luxurious Onyx clad bath and dual closets shares ocean views and a balcony with 4 additional bedrooms with baths ensuite and an office. The 4,600 SF roof deck, an amenity no longer permitted, offers bar, multiple seating area and incredible views out to the Atlantic and neighboring farm fields. An elevator descend to the 5,000+ SF lower level which includes screening room, recreational area, billiards room with bar, wine cellar, 2 staff suites and an entire wellness center with gym and spa that includes steam, sauna, hot tub, ice plunge and massage room. Outside the covered patio with extensive built-in kitchen and comfortable seating overlooks the 53’ heated pool and adjacent firepit. Elaborate landscaping by Edmund D. Hollander Design creates a verdant tableau while also forming a natural wall from neighboring properties. Stunningly compelling, this irreplaceable seaside estate awaits. Exclusive. $19.95M WEB# 870429

NUMEROLOGY

A by-the-numbers look at the actor Robert Downey Jr., whose new docuseries, Downey’s Dream Cars,

out on Max, and film Oppenheimer is now in theaters.

He is one of two former Saturday Night Live cast members to get a Best Actor Academy Award nomination. Downey Jr. was honored in 1993 for his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 film Chaplin He prepared for the role by learning to play violin as well as tennis left-handed.

In 2004, the actor released his debut studio album, The Futurist which landed at 121 on the Billboard Top 200, while the single “Man Like Me” landed in the Top 40 of the Adult Contemporary chart. The songs are described as a fusion of jazz, pop and rock.

Downey Jr. grew up among artists in NYC’s Greenwich Village. His father, Robert Downey Sr., was an underground filmmaker who gave Downey his first role in his film Pound at age 5. His mother, Elsie, was an actress and writer.

82,400,000

The actor has won 43 awards and received 122 nominations to date, including a BAFTA Best Actor prize for Chaplin He was the 2010 winner of the Golden Globe for Best Actor for Sherlock Holmes

He’s also won awards from MTV Movie & TV Awards and People’s Choice Awards.

His newest project, a docuseries titled Downey’s Dream Cars, follows the actor as he selects six of his favorite vehicles, from a 1965 Corvette Sting Ray to his mom’s 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE, and converts them into eco-friendly cars.

He has three children: son Indio (29) with his ex, singer and actress Deborah Falconer, as well as a son Exton (11) and daughter Avri (8) with his wife, film producer Susan Downey.

Downey Jr. started practicing his favorite martial art, wing chun, at the dawn of the new millennium. He spends most of his free time practicing this concept-based form of southern Chinese kung fu.

Courtesy of Max

“Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want to happen. I have such an overwhelming sense that if you’re in the right state of heart, the next right thing appears to you.”

is

The actor portrays Lewis Strauss, a senior member of the Atomic Energy Commission, in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which took in $82.4 million on its opening weekend.

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