The Usual

HI

RD I S S UE

W

LO

E

3

#

ER

T

A Love Letter to Montauk / Endless Summer 2012 $ FREE FOR YOU. TAKE ONE AND PASS IT ON.

VE SUM

Mapping MONTAUK’S UNUSUAL 02 / Stauker: WARIS AHLUWALIA'S LOVEFEST 03 / Feature Interview: MARK CUNNINGHAM'S TALES OF THE TORPEDO PEOPLE 04 / A season of crime in Montauk 06 / Surf siren KASSIA MEADOR 07 / Photo Essay: MICHAEL DWECK'S DERRIERES 08 / Riding shotgun with QUINCY DAVIS 12 / History Lesson: KEEP OUT: THE MONTAUK PROJECT 13

M

CUT THE MAP OUT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY. PLEASE DON’T LIT TER!

GOSMAN'S DOCK + RESTAURANT: If you ever said to yourself, "Where can I get old people, tourists, overpriced fish, and a long wait in one place?" This is your answer.

MONTAUK: OUR FAVORITE COORDINATES IN THE WORLD

500 WEST LAKE DRIVE

41°2’18”N 71°57’2”W

LIAR'S SALOON: Paying double what the locals pay for drinks is worth it to watch them get angrier and angrier, the longer you stay there.

401 WEST LAKE DRIVE

HIDEAWAY: What's the first food you associate boats, docks, and fishing with? If you said, tacos, then this is the spot for you.

364 WEST LAKE DRIVE

MONTAUK YACHT CLUB: Gather inspiration for your next ponzi scheme at Montauk Yacht Club; where Bernie Madoff's boat, Little Bull, was parked before he was arrested.

RUSCHMEYER'S: Don’t get creepy in the teepee.

161 2ND HOUSE ROAD

32 STAR ISLAND ROAD

CYRIL'S FISH HOUSE: Get hit by a car while wearing your Nantucket Reds and lying about your rental price in East Hampton.

2167 MONTAUK HWY

THE SECOND HOUSE MUSEUM: holds an archive depicting an era when the 1700s farmhouse was surrounded by pastures, sheep, and cattle. Now it's surrounded by a 7-11, nose-to-tail traffic, and hipsters. Sorry, Montauk....

161 2ND HOUSE ROAD

CROW'S NEST RESTAURANT: Come enjoy the interesting good food while watching everyone who enters "casually" scanning the restaurant to see who else is there, without looking like they are trying to see who else is there.

JOHN'S DRIVE-IN: Worth the drive from anywhere for the best "fast food" burger, fries, shakes and homemade ice cream we've ever had. The only thing that would make this place better is if it was actually a Drive-In.

4 OLD WEST LAKE DRIVE

695 MONTAUK HWY

EAST DECK: When people say, "it hasn't changed it a bit," they mean, it's still a rundown motel for $400 a night.

40 DEFOREST ROAD

MEMORY MOTEL: If you never went to the off-strip bars in Daytona, FL during Spring Break in the 80's, now is your chance.

692 MAIN STREET

MONTAUK COMMUNITY CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE: Dress like a fisherman for half the price: every month, clothes, furniture, and household items donated by town locals for ridiculously low prices.

850 MONTAUK HWY

OUR ALTERNATIVE GUIDE TO THE EASTERNMOST TIP OF LONG ISLAND

¼

¼

¼

ONE MILE

TEXT: SETH HERZOG, TWITTER.COM /THEZO CHECK OUT SETH'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCE AT RUSCHMEYER'S JULY 25, 9:30 PM.

TWO

Scale 1600 feet to the inch.

1

Welcome to Summer 2012, The Usual’s second season; our sophomore slump; our terrible twos. But—it's our third issue so we’re banking on this one being a charm.

As the cars, respite-seeking city-dwellers, Hampton expats, and the rest of the motley crew slowly convene on Montauk, we’re watching our quiet little drinking village come to life this year with more businesses, boards and broads than ever.

That means a little healthy competition both on land and in the lineup, but it also means more material for The Usual, from Montauk's most memorable residents.

In this issue we bring you the world's most famous bodysurfer: Mark Cunningham; the first lady of longboarding, Kassia Meador; Michael Dweck, the man that’s photographed more local derrieres than we can count on our collective fingers; DJ Chelsea Leyland's favorite beach anthems; Jimmy “Is My Board Done Yet” Goldberg’s love advice; surfer Quincy Davis shows us her ride; and Peter Moon, one of the first to write about the bizarre Montauk Project.

If you see us in the water, consider the paper you hold in your hands our way of making it up to you. Happy Summer, Montauk.

STAUK ER EQUIPPED WITH A POLAROID CAMERA AND A PAIR OF FLIP-FLOPS, PHOTOGRAPHER GLENN GLASSER CAPTURES THE UNIQUE MOMENTS THAT TURN INTO MEMORIES. WE STAUK ED A FEW OF HIS FAVORITE SUBJECTS HERE, WHOSE PICTURES TELL A THOUSAND WORDS.

Name: Dr. Lila Wolfe Hometown: New York City Occupation: Chiropractor

Favorite Montauk memory: My college boyfriend grew up out East, so every break we would camp at this spot on the beach. I was such a city girl before I met him. It was the first time in my life I ever looked up and noticed the stars in the black heavens. It was life changing.

Most looking forward to this summer: Pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.

Advice for the newcomers on what not to do during a MTK summer, so you're allowed back next year: I'm no local but be nice, respectful, and don't act like a tool. Enjoy the summer!

Name: Kyle Kilness Hometown: Gillette, WY Occupation: Advertising Account Director Favorite Montauk memory: Hanging out at Ditch Plains with friends sipping on cold beer and cooking up a sunburn wedding proposal on my belly.

Most looking forward to this summer: Getting married and enjoying a summer sans sunburns and blisters.

Advice for the newcomers on what not to do during a MTK summer, so you're allowed back next year: Meet a girl, fall in love, and let the magic of Montauk carry you off into the sunset.

Name: Waris Ahluwalia Hometown: West Village, NYC Occupation: Explorer

Favorite Montauk memory: It's all one big lovefest.

But if I have to choose one, then I'll pick a recent memory. Walking down the runway with Cynthia for Bob and Pam Mellet's first fashion show.

Most looking forward to this summer: The same as last summer which is more of the same. It never gets old. Swimming, sleeping, Joni's, pretending this is the summer I start surfing, Crow's Nest. It's not rocket science. This summer I may even try Love for some yoga time.

Advice for the newcomers on what not to do during a MTK summer, so you're allowed back next year: The best stuff happens on the beach- so don't go gettin cray cray at night.

photos: Glenn Glasser, Glennglasser.com. His book, "Montauk Polaroids," is awesome. To get your copy email glenn@glennglasser.com.

MONTAUK FISHING RECORDS

FISH Tuna (Bluefin) Thunnus thynnus

CAUGHT BY Larry Thompson 1977 1,071-0 lbs.

TRIGGER FISH

ATLANTIC COD

BLUEFISH

GREAT WHITE SHARK

Steven Newman 1999 7-0 lbs.

Fred Shay, Jr. 1984 85-0 lbs.

Peter Weber, Jr. 1998 25-0 lbs.

Don Braddick 1986 3,450-0 lbs.

Canthidermis sufflamen

Gadus morhua

Pomatomus saltatrix

Carcharodon carcharias

THREE

FOUR

Photos: Chris Burkard Burkardphoto.com and Justin Jay Justinjay.com

FEATURE INTERVIEW

TALES OF THE TORPEDO PEOPLE: MARK CUNNINGHAM IS THE BALLSIEST SURFER AROUND Few people know the ins and outs of the ocean better than Mark Cunningham. He was a lifeguard for 30 years — 19 of those at the world famous Banzai Pipeline. He is also one of the greatest bodysurfers around, still winning competitions in the "Dinosaur Division" (age 50 and over). In “Come Hell or High Water,“ directed by Keith Malloy, we see Cunningham's intimate relationship with the water firsthand. The film premiered in Montauk earlier this year to sold-out audiences who laughed, cried, and wished they looked that good in a Speedo.

If someone took up bodysurfing in Montauk, would they ever get good?

If Kelly Slater can become the 11-time world surfing champion at Cocoa Beach, there’s no reason anyone couldn’t become a great bodysurfer in Montauk.

You have to have faith and belief in your swimming abilities and your strength and survival skills because you are not attached to a flotation device. You have to be more aware of the ocean and the currents and using them to your advantage.

You spent decades as a lifeguard at Pipeline. Watching surfing’s evolution over the years, You must have some amazing stories of what how have things changed? you saw there. Are there any experiences in Part of it is the increased popularity of the particular that really impacted you? people – the diverse group of characters My first summer lifeguarding was in 1975, in involved in surfing, whether as athletes or Santa Barbara. I was a college student that the craftsmen building boards, and so that spring when the movie, "Jaws" – based in communication between the board-builders Montauk - came out. Nobody went swim- and the surfers has just pushed performance ming that summer. A veteran lifeguard said levels through the roof, as it will continue it was the easiest summer lifeguarding you to do. And certainly the possibility of these could ever imagine. By ‘76, I moved to the guys making six-figure salaries is pushing the North Shore with a girlfriend and that was envelope for performance. Now these guys the beginning of 20 years living and life- can make a pretty decent living for themguarding out there. selves by being great surf athletes.

I feel like I got a front-row seat to the evolution of professional surfing over the last 35 Are you looking for similar recognition? Has years, from the early 70s when pro surfing bodysurfing evolved in that way yet? kicked off, then in ‘76 was Peter Townend [laughs very hard] No. They’re both on waves from Australia became the first world cham- but they’re two very different sports. There pion, and most recently Kelly performed are no magazines, no sponsorship and that’s there. It’s been a treat to watch the world surf just fine – most people are very happy with it there and to see the ability of surfers grow and not being so commercialized. evolve and get more incredible each season.

I’m happy the way the sport is. I’m very But the special memories are about the fortunate that I’ve received some sponsorship big, overall picture: the thousands of days and support from Quicksilver. I’m probably and moments and wonderful interactions the only bodysurfer in the world that receives with nature and neighbors and professional something like that, and I’m very appreciasurfers. It’s feeling how beautiful it is — I get tive. I feel very honored and blessed that these the same feeling today when I go out there surf companies have recognized what I did as I did when I first started going in high out there all these years. school. The gorgeous white sand beaches, beautiful blue water, and clear horizons. It’s Do you consider bodysurfing your career? not unusual to have whales and schools of No, I consider lifeguarding my career. But the dolphins swimming through and rain show- two are very tied together— joined at the hip. ers with rainbows.

I’m very proud of being a retired Hawaiian It’s also about being around people that lifeguard. I’ve had incredible colleagues over are stoked because of the waves. People come the years that have done the same. I’d like to from around the world to experience the give a shout out to lifeguards all up and down wonderful oceanfront community out there. the East Coast for helping protect people; that’s what lifeguards do.

How did you make the transition from board to bodysurfing?

How many lives have you saved?

It happened in my mid-teens in Hawaii, Maybe hundreds of rescues over my career, where I grew up. Back then, leashes were just but there’s a strategy – a philosophy – called coming into existence in the surfing world, preventative lifeguarding: trying to prevent so whatever kind of board you went out on, as many rescues as possible. You do that by if you wiped out you’d have to go swimming talking to people and posting warning signs. or bodysurfing after it. As a gangly, uncoor- If someone says, “I’ve made 20 rescues,” you dinated teenager, I was bodysurfing after my raise your eyebrows and wonder why they board quite a bit. I was a crappy surfer. An didn’t warn those 20 people. I know it gets older neighborhood guy took me under his impossible sometimes and all you can do is wing and said, “Why don’t you try bodysurf- react. But you know your beach, you know ing with a pair of fins?” A pair of duck feet where the trouble spots are. I’d much rather felt really, really good. I felt more natural and talk to you then have to rescue you. adept surrounded, supported or embraced by the water, as opposed to standing on top of Is there a common mistake you see surfers a board performing and dancing on the sur- making at Pipeline? face. I found the ocean a lot more forgiving Most people who paddle out know what when I was immersed in it. they’re doing before they head out to Pipeline.

But I think the most common misjudgment I With bodysurfing, do you need to have more see is how strong and powerful the Hawaiian trust in yourself and the ocean because you waves are. People underestimate how much don’t have the board as an anchor? energy is involved in those waves and how fast

and hard they have to paddle and how quickly they have to get to their feet because that wave is moving and will be over pretty fast.

Whenever I’ve rescued someone or a surfer has gotten in trouble, their first words are, “I can’t believe how powerful that riptide was.”

Hawaii is a tiny little dot in the middle of the Pacific, so storms have traveled for hundreds— i f not thousands— of miles. When they hit our reef or beach break that’s the first thing that’s gotten in their way. It’s like a speed bump. Whereas the continental USA has continental shelf in both California and the East Coast, where the water slowly gets more shallow for many miles offshore that slows down the wave’s energy somewhat I’m not saying those waves are weak – there are some that will knock your socks off.

How is your relationship with board surfers in the water?

In Hawaii we’ve very tolerant of all forms of ocean recreation. Boogie boarding is crazy popular here. At Pipeline more often than not the lineup is mostly bodyboarders. Some lineups are more suitable for longboarding, certain waves are better for short boards, etc.; but occasionally there’s a crossover, which is fine, so long as the operator of the craft is competent. The only time people get upset is if someone’s taking too many waves or dropping in. An asshole is an asshole, regardless of what kind of craft he’s on.

many houses, stores and condos can we put on this land? It’s the same in Montauk. Part of what I love about the town is how much green and empty space there is and how it’s maintained its unique character. You go there and you don’t see billboards. So many facets of our contemporary society haven’t made it out there and I commend the Montauk community for trying to maintain its rural, fishing village vibe. I know it’s an ongoing battle there of how many visitors to allow, how many cars can our roads handle. It’s not about no growth; it’s about smart growth.

How do we preserve the unique character of the North Shore, or Montauk and have room for others to enjoy it also? It’s a balancing act.

In "Come Hell or High Water," that just debuted in Montauk everyone was getting choked up and all the premiers are all sold out. Why do you think this story has had such an impact on so many?

I’ve never been able to adequately describe how wonderful, and special and unique bodysurfing and swimming in the ocean feels to me. And I think it strikes that primal chord of how it feels to poke around in the ocean, something we did thousands of years ago since the beginning of man. I was concerned when first watching this movie because we are so saturated with media images from much of the magazines and the Internet with guys who ride the most perfect waves – the longest waves – the hollowest waves – the biggest waves. It’s information overload of how incredible surfing is, where they’re doing it, where’s the next spot that’s never been surfed, or the next perfect wave. This movie kind of says that the one in your backyard is pretty damn cool. I think most of us know that, so I think this film is just a reminder of how fun and simple and joyful playing in the ocean should be. The grass is always greener, the wave is always more perfect somewhere else.

In a Q&A for "Come Hell or High Water," you said that body surfing should come with a warning because it’s so dangerous. What is more dangerous about body surfing than board surfing?

The more popular body surfing breaks are shore breaks. It’s just where people play and have fun. So there’s the possibility of slamming your head into the sand and breaking your neck – knocking yourself out – or dislocating your shoulder. Here in Hawaii, we have lifeguards seven days a week, 365 days You and your girlfriend were just in Montauk a year because people are swimming all the — does she also bodysurf? time, but people have also been killed or She loves to go swimming just like me. She paralyzed by getting slammed by a wave on grew up in Honolulu, and I’m so thankful a shore break. Our little 42-minute movie to have a loving partner that loves the ocean

shows a lot of fun and excitement, but I want to put a warning that the ocean can kill you.

It doesn’t have to be a big day; it just has to be certain circumstances where a surfer or a friend gets hit in the head with their board or bounced off the bottom were a day at the beach turns into a tragedy. It’s about being respectful and aware of the ocean because it’s bigger and stronger than all of us.

You’ve talked in the past about the North Shore being overrun. People aren’t doing much to protect the land?

It sounds so cliché but it’s really true: corporate greed and capitalism keep mowing through our natural resources, paving paradise. You either need to value land for its beauty and serenity and appreciate its eco-system; or you can look at it as development potential: how

as much as I do and understands my need my desire for it and what a life-giving force it is to me. We also love snorkeling together.

We went at Ditch Plains. The waves were so small that we went snorkeling around to see what the bottom of the Atlantic looked like: lots of crabs.

Do you have to wear a Speedo to be a good bodysurfer?

No. If you want to be a fast and efficient one, you should; but wear anything that makes you feel comfortable. I highly encourage surfers to get a pair of jeans, cut off the legs, cut out the pocket holes and go bodysurfing in those. It’s not about gear or equipment, it’s about getting in the ocean, having fun and taking that stoke back on to land being a positive person.

FIVE

BRILLIANT

A SEASON OF CRIME IN MONTAUK Not all of us get out of our crimes and misdemeanors with the often-abused excuse, “I know Eddie Ecker” – East Hampton Town’s esteemed Police Chief. There are the unlucky few, caught red-handed in bizarre circumstances we like to think could only occur in Montauk. From brilliant to despicable, we've trolled the Montauk police blotter to bring you the highlights from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

DOH!

When an aptly named commercial fishing boat accidently hit land while entering Block Island Sound, it required a salvage crew to pull it back to sea. The vessel’s name: “Doh!”

DIRTY DEER

In the most heinous of crimes, a MTK resident woke up to find his lawn ornaments — deer, snowmen and other cuddly creatures — rearranged to look as though they were fornicating. People - is nothing sacred any more?

JESUS SAVES

Montauk is in dire need of Jesus, which is precisely why Robert Wood – a man dressed as the savior, in a robe and carrying a cross – was spotted along Montauk Highway. Wood was making the trek to draw “attention to Jesus because everyone needs him.” And after Montauk?

He haded back to Brooklyn, wooden cross and all.

CHARLIE "SLOPPY TUNA" SHEEN

Charlie Sheen was spotted at Sloppy Tuna. We don't know where the night led, but something tells us it ended with "contributing to the delinquency of minors."

THE CASE OF A SHED, VICODIN, AND FIREARMS

COORS CONFESSIONAL

What’s worse than getting busted by the cops while hiding in a shed high on marijuana and Vicodin? Getting busted in said shed after crashing a stolen van with $70,000 worth of burglarized jewelry, firearms, and rare coins. That’s what happened to William A. Donnelly, Jr., now charged in connection with several East Hampton robberies.

When a boozy local pocketed a beer at 7-Eleven and walked out, police tracked him down through a cabbie, who admitted the sticky-fingered suspect was a regular. Caught – the man offered to pay 7-Eleven for the beverage. Apology was accepted.

DAN THE MAN

Dan of all trades, also known as Dan Kaufman, Dan Kay and the Montauk Grifter claimed to be a producer for "Hell’s Kitchen," a James Beard Award-winner, a Steve Jobs collaborator, and a surfer and board shaper with a summer house in Montauk. The only problem? None of it was true and and the house was paid for using $20K of embezzled cash from unsuspecting OkCupid users. Soon, he’ll be summering in county jail.

ROLLING RIOTS DESPICABLE

ROWDY RIDE

Last year, after a raucous St. Patty’s Day party, sloshed passengers on a westbound train assaulted LIRR conductor Luke Beharry, 31, resulting in a concussion. Beharry, who had to miss three months of work, is now suing for $1 million in damages, saying MTA cops were MIA during the debacle.

MEMORIAL DAY

SIX

Riots on the streets of Montauk: an early morning fight on Main Street involving 10 combatants broke out in what Det. Lt. Anderson described as a “kind of a rolling-type thing.” While we struggle to sort out what that means, we’re picturing it as a combo of charges handed to the men: second-degree assault, felony, resisting arrest, harassment, misdemeanors, fourthdegree criminal possession of a knife and second-degree riot.

LABOR DAY

INTERVIEW

FIRST LADY OF LONGBOARDING KASSIA MEADOR TALKS SHOP

“When she wants to she can dance like Ginger Rogers on a surfboard. And when she wants to she can drop into heavy Moroccan bombs like one of the ocean’s top athletes that she is.

Kassia Meador Rules.” -Anthony Kiedis.

At age 15, Kassia Meador competed in her first contest in Costa Rica. Today, at 30, she's one of the most revered—and enthusiastic—longboarders of her generation.

like, ‘Here’s a surfboard, I’m going to be out here with my friends and I’ll see you in a few hours.’ So I kind of taught myself just by watching people, and then hanging out at Malibu. Pretty much all my favorite longboarders were there all the time. I’m a very visual person and you learn a lot by watching: technique and the way somebody does something and then translating it into your own.

You’re based in Venice, CA, but have been coming out to Montauk for years – when do you first remember visiting?

I was going out to Montauk probably as early as 2003; and now every summer and fall since. I stay at Danny DiMouro’s house or Mikey diTemple’s. I’d stay at Surf Lodge when they were first building it. I have a lot of friends that live out there so I’m always on couch patrol.

Your first contest was in Costa Rica at age 15.

What was it like being in a high-stress situation at such a young age?

For me, going to Costa Rica was just a chance to go out into the world and find other waves and spots that brought me to that blissful place, and meeting other people that shared the love of the ocean and surfing like I did.

You travel and meet people from all over the world that share the same passion as you – that’s what it was more about for me. The contest aspect didn’t really phase me at the time because I was just having fun.

Where do you surf in Montauk?

Ditch Plains; Dirt Lot; Poles; that wave, Alamo.

There are so many little spots in and around Montauk that are rad. When Montauk is good Surfing is largely a male dominated sport. In – in the fall, particularly during hurricane the beginning, did you feel like you had to season and you get a good swell – it’s some prove yourself? of the best times ever. I’m a goofy foot from I actually felt like there was so much support.

California – the land of rights – so it’s always There weren’t many girls when I first started nice to go to Montauk and surf lefts. out. Obviously 15 years later there are a lot I also really love that it embodies the whole of girls in the water, which is fantastic. But lifestyle of surfing. I fell in love with surfing I feel like I was lucky to be around people through “Gidget” movies back in the day and that were really stoked about having girls out it was about the vibe – it was about every- in the water. When it’s a bunch of guys out body hanging on the beach playing music there, there’s a competitive aspect;but when and having a bonfire at night; in and out of a girl paddles out, it instantly makes the the water everyday. The sport side of surfing vibe mellow. I feel like the guys are stoked to doesn’t really exist in Montauk, it’s all about have another girl in the water as long as she’s the lifestyle. That’s what I fell in love with the respectful of everybody. first time I visited.

How did your relationship with Roxy develop?

You first started surfing around age 14. How I was like 16 or 17 and I was in Australia at did you learn?

Tea Tree. Jeff Hakman, who was a big part My dad would take me to the beach because of the Quicksilver/Roxy family and also one he surfed but he’s the kind of guy that’s of the most legendary surfers in the world,

Photos: A selection of Kassia's shots from recent travels. Kassia in her new line of wetsuits for Roxy.

was there with the shaper, Donald Takayama.

Donald started shaping surfboards at a young age, and now makes some of the best boards in the world. Those two were with Joel Tudor, whom I knew from Malibu and who was my hero. I love Joel Tudor’s surfing more than anybody. Joel said hi, I caught a couple of waves, and basically Donald turned to Jeff and said, ‘If you get her on Roxy, I’ll make her surfboards.’

So we came back to California, Donald gave me a board and I competed in a Roxy event in Ventura that I won. Then the people at Roxy asked me to be on the team. Ever since, I’ve been working with the company.

It’s a great story because I’m still riding Donald’s boards and still with Roxy. It’s more of a family than anything.

You’ve done a lot with them. You’ve photographed their lookbook and have even designed a whole line of wetsuits.

It’s been so great. Roxy made their company with Lisa Anderson – she was the face of Roxy and a shortboarder. The world of surfing had all their attention to shortboarding and I was a longboarder. I rode single fins, which weren’t progressive at all, it was more like a throwback to the beginning of surfing. So for them to support me then and really just let me follow my bliss and what I loved about surfing, even though it wasn’t the biggest commercial seller at the time, was awesome.

Since then, it’s grown a lot and they’ve started doing events and there are more girls, men and little kids in the water longboarding. I think longboarding is beautiful because it

pays homage to the history of surfing. It’s also something that people can actually see themselves doing: it’s a little easier to get up on a longboard. You don’t have to be the most ripping surfer out there, it’s just about being in the water and having a good time.

You were recently Lindsay Lohan’s body double in artist Richard Phillips’ new art film. Tell me about how the collaboration came about.

I have a friend who is an art dealer and knows Richard. She called me and said he’s working on a project and needs a girl surfer. It sounded like a lot of fun, and I was just hanging out in California. So I went out to Malibu and went surfing for a couple of days. We were basically in my backyard, but I had never surfed that wave in my life.

Lindsay was super chill. She was super excited about surfing, and got up, and she wanted to go surfing the next day. She definitely got it right away.

You’re an artist and photographer yourself.

Do you look at any other photographers as inspiration?

All the time. Herb Ritts, who uses a lot of light and Matt Levine. But I look at everything as inspiration. Life is inspiration.

Tell me about your tattoos.

I guess tattoos are just life and little moments along the way that get recorded. I have one in my lip, which is kind of a joke. It says truth, but you can barely see it anymore. Now you can see a T…R…U, so it’s more like “TRU.”

FISHING LURE SIZES AND PRICES Tuna (Bluefin) Tuna Tango Dolphin 5.5˝ $6.95

TRIGGER FISH Golden Sunfish 4˝ $11.95

ATLANTIC COD Sister Colorado Blade 5˝ $7.50

BLUEFISH B & D Bottle Popper 6˝ $4.95

GREAT WHITE SHARK CHUM 24 oz $15.00

SEVEN

PHOTO ESSAY

AD-MAN TURNED VISUAL ARTIST MICHAEL DWECK HAS BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING MONTAUK’S MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AND PLACES FOR DECADES. HERE IS A SELECTION FROM HIS STAGGERING ARCHIVE OF LADIES, LONGBOARDS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

EIGHT

When and how were you first drawn to photography?

I like to say that I was already a photographer before I even knew what photography was. My parents bought me my first camera when I was seven; and at that age, you don't really need to know the names of things to enjoy them or to investigate them. I would photograph on the beach by our house and play around with light and focus. I'd later learn all about composition when I studied architecture, then fine art; but at the heart of my passion was that time on the beach when I was discovering it for myself...

Because that still informs what I do now more than anything I learned in a classroom or in a book – the magic of discovery.

You worked in advertising as a creative director for years before turning to photography full time. What was the job that pushed you to finally make the career shift?

I wouldn't say that it was the job, or any particular “job” therein, that pushed me to shift careers. It was more of a sentiment. I started the company with an intention to do something I hadn't yet defined.

After winning a Gold Lion at Cannes and landing a TV piece in the MoMA, I felt like things had defined themselves. And that was pretty much it.

That's the way I usually work – following instincts, rather than goals. Setting a goal keeps me in a maddening little container and sets me up for disappointment. Following a hunch – or some gut instinct – that allows me to explore and judge success in hindsight. And that's what I'm doing now, I guess. We'll see how it works out. [laughs] What qualities do you look for in your subjects?

I don't really search out subjects, per se, I just happen to be surrounded by them, no matter where I am in the world. I think it’s just a matter of being open to find something without necessarily looking for it.

I always liken it to casting a film – something I'm kind of doing at the moment for my next project.

If you go into the casting with a person in mind, you'll never be satisfied. If you go in, however, with an idea or a vibe in mind, you can find that in someone – even if he or she doesn't know it's there.

What is your process like gaining a subject's trust?

I don't know that I have one. I even don't know that I believe that a subject has to truly trust a photographer. When I meet someone I want to work with, I just introduce myself. I explain my work. That's pretty much it. We go from there. It’s a misconception that being a good model or subject is all about being attractive. Sure, that doesn’t hurt, but there has to be more… Complexity, curiosity, confidence – something below the surface that you can’t explain, but can capture in a photograph if you try hard enough.

NINE

What stories are you trying to tell through your photography?

My work varies from project to project.

With "Montauk: The End," the narrative dealt with the idyllic space where youth and beauty are immortal and potential doesn't have an expiration date. "Habana Libre" had a long-form plot that followed a privileged class of people in a so-called “classless” society, with splinters of hope and potential in there too. Even "Mermaids," which was my most abstract body of work, had a story built into its abstractions – a fantasy world below impressionistic waves.

And in all of these there’s a recurring idea of suggestion... the interaction between subject and audience that plays out like some kind of elaborate dance.

You have seemingly endless imagery from Montauk. What is it about the town's people and places that you are so drawn to?

The village and the full-timers represent something beyond appearance – and that's

TEN

what I love about them. More than any place I've ever lived, you guys understand what it means to be a community, to preserve identity and maintain hope in the face of the constant nonsense that swallows so much of the surroundings. It's a microcosm of the world, in a sense, but it's also a stark departure from it.

As an artist, what are your greatest accomplishments thus far?

I think my most recent work, "Habana Libre," was the most difficult and the most satisfying project I've undertaken. I mean, the fact that I was able to do eight separate trips to Cuba and come back with a project without getting arrested or falling in love, is nothing short of a miracle to me. It required traveling to a location off-limits to most Americans, accessing a group of artists off-limits to most Cubans, and working in conditions too hot and festive for most sane adults. And then going back and becoming the first American contemporary artist to have a solo exhibition in a Cuban Museum – that was overwhelming to say the least.

But I might just be saying that because it’s my most recent project. Before that, I thought I’d never top Mermaids. I shot it mostly at night in the deep rivers of Florida, but it perfectly captured my feelings about the waters off Montauk and the barely-there sirens that call to me from below the surface as I’d fish late into the night.

"The End: Montauk, N.Y." will always be a huge accomplishment too. That was my first real project, and one I sat on for years before I found the time to complete it. So, that means a lot for different reasons as well.

Do you have one photo you feel sums up Montauk?

I don't think any photograph can sum up any place – be it Montauk, Paris or the Sudan. It's the same with other art – I don't think a song can sum up surf culture, or a movie can sum up the Civil War. Art contributes to the understanding of things, places, people, events... but once artists claims to “explain” or “sum up” anything in whole, they're overstepping their bounds. That's just my opinion.

Do you follow photography trends or look to other photographers for inspiration?

I admire other photographers, for sure. That said, I don't really let their work inspire me necessarily; maybe their work ethic or their legacies, but not their catalogs. For inspiration, I look more to film and fine art – Impressionist paintings, abstract sculpture, even architecture. I find so much great use of narrative, space and form in other media and I let those push the aesthetics of my work more than anything else.

In art, the pursuit of an idea is always more interesting than the conquest. Do you think this also applies to women and the key to what makes your images of women captivating?

I don't think the pursuit is always more interesting than the victory, or whatever... not in art or relationships. I think the former is just a different source of pleasure than the latter. My work – especially in relation to women – deals with seduction or, as you called it, the pursuit phase. It's about insinuation and flirtation. This, of course, strays quite a bit from “the conquest,” which is carnal – and though often attractive in its own way – rarely subtle or contained. I try to stay in the wheelhouse – that place where seduction lives and desire has yet to knock.

MONTAUK CHARTERS Tuna (Bluefin) LADY GRACE V CAPTAIN: Mario Melito

TRIGGER FISH SEA WIFE IV CAPTAIN: Tom Cusimano

ATLANTIC COD MOVIN ON CAPTAIN: John Krol

BLUEFISH HURRY UP CAPTAIN: Frank J. Braddick

GREAT WHITE SHARK ALYSSA ANN CAPTAIN: Charlie Mayrer

ELEVEN

SHOW US YOUR RIDE In Montauk, how we get around is almost as important as the journey itself. We’ve tracked down some of our favorite locals to check out their rides—the bikes, boats, boards, cars, trucks—that make arriving at the destination that much better.

“I’m waiting on boards right now. I’m not riding for a board company right now. I want to try a few out before I’m sponsored—but I surf for Volcom—they’re really supportive. It’s like a family there.

I have a few old boards that are too narrow, but then I tried the wider ones by Al Merrick. He’s one of the best. I told him my height and weight and he made them for me. The reason I have Hurricane Irene on one is because we were just about to get hit by Irene and this guy—I think he’s in a band—just drew it on there. I was in Virginia and I was supposed to stay for my heat the next day, but I knew I was going to get stuck there so I just left. So my friends and I hung out here at the house all weekend and made dance videos.

I’ve always wanted a 4-Runner. My mom used to have one, so I’ve been obsessed since I was nine. Then the new one came out and I was in love with it. You can drive on the beach too. But I almost got stuck the other day so I gave up – now I’m too scared. We have two cars in Puerto Rico, and me and my brother share one. I go there from December to March. I’m home-schooled and am a junior in high school. I would usually be going out to California in a few weeks for a contest, but I have to take tests, so I’ll be in Montauk for a while this summer.”

“Our boat—The Hammerhead—was built in Bayville, New Jersey, in 2002. We’d go three times a week and go orchestrate having it built. I better not say where the name is from, but the boss came up with it.

It’s my friend’s boat, but this is my job. I thought I wanted to build homes for a living and then my friend brought me fishing one day. Once he saw how we could both manipulate fish into the boat, that was it. At night I stay on the boat.

I love the range the boat has and it’s extremely comfortable. It has three heads— bathrooms—one large stateroom and another sleeping quarters for four. It has five air conditioners and a pair of one-thousand horse-power motors. It holds a thousand gallons of fuel—likes to use them—and can comfortably go 400–500 miles on one tank. You could make it down by Cape May, in the tail end of New Jersey and further, on a tank.

We like to catch stripers, but I used to be a lot more into the tunas. In the Carolinas we were catching fish that weigh anywhere from 400–700 pounds.

When we go to Nantucket, the boss’ wife gets to shop, then we’ll make her go fishing with us in the morning and she’ll find them between 300–400 pounds, and he’ll steer the boat and I’ll gaff the fish—put a hook in him and try to drive them into that door. Sometimes they’re not cooperative: we’ve fought with some fish for four to five hours and then they get away.”

- Quincy Davis, professional surfer

- Tim A. Leverich, fisherman Left: Quincy at home in Montauk, Volcom's Quincy Davis ad, Quincy ripping in Puerto Rico. Above: Timmy preparing The Hammerhead for the Blessing of the Fleet, 2012, a large Tuna caught off The Hammerhead.

MANTAUK

We're at Jimmy's — the best, and only — ding repair in Montauk more often then we're actually in the water. It was no surprise, then, that in the hours we spent watching our boards get bandaged back to life, that Jimmy —Who's life experience could be measured by how many ships he's had to sink with the coast guard on his trail —became our default therapist. In this ongoing column, Jimmy waxes poetic on love, life, and surf etiquette while we furiously take notes.

TWELVE

I BORROWED MY BOYFRIEND’S BOARD WHEN HE WAS OUT OF TOWN AND BROKE IT. DO I JUST PRETEND IT NEVER HAPPENED? Absolutely not. Who the hell cares what happened to the board? He should be glad nothing happened to you. That’s number one. He should be proud you dinged it because that means you’re out surfing.

ARE MEN ONLY INTERESTED IN THE CHASE? Not a guy like me. I hold on for dear life. I’ve had dry spells, like you wouldn’t believe. They call that DSB: the Dreaded Sperm Buildup. I don’t know if there’s a direct correlation between insanity and no sex, but it

sure is nice to have, and to have a partner to share your life with. But it depends on the guy. I see guys getting girls all the time. ALL the time: new girl, new girl.

I’M IN LOVE WITH MY SURF INSTRUCTOR AND I THINK IT MIGHT BE MUTUAL – WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO MAKE A MOVE? Usually with guys, if you touch them – that’s it. That means you want to have sex. The best thing is if you touch a guy a lot and then say you want to have a drink.

you need to be happy. You’ve got to make a career where you have a lot of time off. All these guys have a lot of money and they don’t have any time to go surfing. So I get all the waves. ‘I’ve got $10 million in the bank,’ they say. That’s nice. Did they surf that day? No. They had to work in the city. You had filet minon and shrimp? I don’t give a shit. At 13 years old I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Now, I do the same thing every year: go away with a pile of money; come back with none.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO GET AHEAD IN MY CAREER? Work hard. Period. But you’ve got to do whatever

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO SINK A SHIP? Explosives.

HISTORY LESSON

THE MONTAUK PROJECT, 20 YEARS LATER

On an unusually quiet Friday night at Liar’s Saloon, when karaoke typically prevails and the locals are crooning through some rendition of an old favorite, one of the regulars has all but refused to discuss the mysterious bunkers below Camp Hero, that little mound of forgotten ground now merely recognizable as a defunct radar tower. “Only the special few can ever go down there,” she said, taking both a long pause and a swig of her drink, her twinkling eyes only slightly dimmed by the whiskey.

to the naked eye, was also removed from time and space, as we know it, ending up somewhere around Norfolk, Virginia. This was a remarkable technological breakthrough, but a catastrophe to those involved: sailors who were transported out of this dimension and returned in a state of complete mental disorientation and horror. Those who survived were discharged as "mentally unfit," or otherwise discredited, and the entire affair was covered up.

After the war, research continued under Dr. John von Neumann, who had directed the technical aspects of the Philadelphia Experiment. His new directive was to discover what made the mind of man tick and why people could not be subjected to interdimensional phenomena without disaster.

Von Neumann was not only the developer of the modern computer and one of the greatest mathematicians of our time, once described as having "fearsome technical prowess,” he was also able to draw on the enormous resources of the military-industrial complex, which included the vast data base of confiscated WWII documents from the Third Reich, such as the information culled from the experiments of Joseph Mengele and other Nazi doctors.

It was against this background in Montauk that von Neumann tried to couple computers with sophisticated radio equipment in an attempt to link minds with machines.

This exotic research — now known as The Montauk Project — was executed along with the infamous MK-ULTRA program (code name for covert, illegal CIA human experimentation), a continuing series of mindcontrol experiments using drugs, hypnosis, verbal and sexual abuse, isolation, sensory deprivation and torture.

Von Neumann ordered his tests performed

We sensed she knew more than she was let- church with a faux steeple. In reality, the base ting on about the legendary Army barracks, expanded to 278 acres of land, with as many where the mysterious Montauk Project took as six levels of bunkers underneath for storplace — decades ago — t he aegis of so many age and refuge from atomic blasts with tunalleged mind-control experiments; where nels running beneath the Montauk Manor. residents just…disappeared…and where With the onset of the Cold War, the base UFO sightings were commonly reported. Few was updated with a large SAGE (Semi-Atomic people in Montauk today are either willing or Ground Environment) radar system, known able to talk about what supposedly happened as the Eastern Defense Shield, to monitor beneath the surface, in other dimensions and incoming aircraft and missiles, and to serve parallel universes, under the auspices of this as America’s first line of defense against top-secret experiment. enemy attack.

Few people, that is, until authors Peter Moon It wasn’t until the 1970s however — when and Preston Nichols — t he latter who worked the underground was abandoned by the miliat Camp Hero for many years — delved into tary — t hat bizarre and inexplicable things, the subject, despite countless nonbelievers. now known as the Montauk Project, began Now, in celebration of the 20-year anniver- to occur. This secretive black-budget operasary of their first book, The Montauk Project: tion, externally run from regular governExperiments in Time, which inspired a whole ment control while using the government in genre of TV shows (among the most notable the process, was a complex research project of which, “The X-Files”), Moon has shared involving the military and secret Nazi and some of the key points crucial to understand- CIA technology; which began with what is ing just what, if anything, transpired beneath today know as the Philadelphia Experiment. the ground of where you might be reading The Philadelphia Experiment was the name this paper today. for the radar-invisibility tests carried out During WWII, very near or at the Montauk aboard the USS Eldridge in 1943, while it was Air Force Station, a short distance from docked at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. An Montauk Point and the town’s iconic light- elite team of U.S. officers and scientists set out house, the military base Camp Hero was to develop ways to make the ship undetect- on the “Montauk Boys” — i n many cases, constructed. It was camouflaged when built able to radar for use in military operations. street kids, rounded up by the dozens; some never heard from again — using the so-called to deter Nazi spies from thinking it was any- After many complex trials, it appeared they “Montauk Chair,” a device that activated subthing but a sleepy fishing village: Concrete had achieved this seemingly impossible task, tle quantum fields to read a person’s thoughts, bunkers had windows painted on them and however, with totally unexpected and drastic which were then put through a bank of radio ornamental roofs. The gym looked like a side effects. The ship, which became invisible

receivers, digitized and placed into a computer, where it would turn these findings into a wide band of information. The goal of these procedures was to find a way to splint a young man’s mind into one that was virtuous and one villainous; thus creating the perfect soldier who could be activated on command.

As these experiments developed, issues of extra-sensory-perception and psychic abilities arose. Eventually, the Montauk Project swelled— a nd attempts to manipulate the constructs of time itself were performed. The more sensational tales included the creation of vortexes that allowed for actual time travel, which eventually led to the parallel realities experienced by those on whom these experiments were conducted. As the story goes, when the Project advanced, not only was an

alternate time loop created, but it enabled a vast influx of alien UFOs to visit this planet.

While all of the aforementioned might seem rather implausible, the data presented appears as a logical progression of events, most of which have been corroborated by CIA evidence, special reports, as well as broadcast in several documentaries. We would know none of it, however, if Peter Moon had not worked with Preston Nichols to tell the truth, after realizing later in life that his own mind had been manipulated, and that he was, in fact, one of the original workers on the Montauk Project. Though the experiments were said to have ended in the early 1980s, the Montauk Project will continue to live on as legend, and of course, as late-night fodder during karaoke night at Liar's.

Photos: Camp Hero, 2012. By Emily Anderson.

THIRTEEN

A QUICK GUIDE TO:

"I WENT IN TO BUY A BRA, AND CAME OUT WITH A HOUSE." In 1960 it was just as easy to buy a Leisurama beach house in Montauk as it was a bra. Created by architect Raimond Loewy and sold at Macy's, Leisurama houses were the complete package: for as little $590 down and $73 a month it would come fully furnished, designed down to the toothbrushes. The houses would be built on a

PAUL SAHRE'S BOOK, "LEISURAMA NOW: THE BEACH HOUSE FOR EVERYONE 1964-", WAS INVALUABLE IN THE CREATION OF OUR LEISURAMA DRAWING. THANK YOU, PAUL!

FOURTEEN

grid - inspired by Manhattan, and were available as "Convertible" and slightly larger "Expanded Convertible" models. Inspired by walks around our sleepy Culloden Point neighborhood, where nearly 250 of these cookie-cutter units were built, we drafted a visual breakdown of this architectural craze.

THE ENGLISH ARE COMING COLOPHON

DJ Chelsea Leyland has been a Montauk fixture for the last couple of years, selecting the perfect summer soundtrack for places like Surf Lodge and Ruschmeyer’s. We caught up with the UK expat to talk Lady Gaga, 4 a.m. hijinx and high heels.

What's your perfect Montauk weekend like?

DJing at Rushcmeyer’s on Friday night after having a nice big dinner with friends — and always ordering the clam pie. Riding my bike to Hither Hills beach on Saturday and either going to Crow’s Nest for dinner or cooking with friends at home there. Sunday would be chilling on the beach again with my boyfriend or going 'round to our friend Ben Watts’ mad house.

What's on your Montauk summer playlist?

I play everything when I’m out here. I love to hear reggae in the summer, as it always sets a summer vibe for me; but I also love to listen to blues, hip hop, rock and tons of oldies.

What makes a good DJ? Someone who's not afraid to take risks and educate people in music; not just be predictable in what they play. Song selection is more important than technical skills to me, but there's also nothing more amazing then a DJ with incredible skills. I think developing your own style is key.

Publishers: Ben Pundole/Robert McKinley King and Grove, Kingandgrove.com

You've already played some of the most amazing parties all over the world. What has been a career highlight, so far?

This is a tough one, but I think DJing for Duran Duran has to be the biggest highlight, so far.

Editor: Yasha Wallin Creative Director/Designer: Emily Anderson

The best pickup line you've heard at 4am?

There's definitely never been any good ones.

They're all horrible and ridiculous along the lines of "I don't understand why you don't just stop what you're doing and come home with now." I mean really...

Contributors: Glenn Glasser, Michael Dweck, Chris Burkard, Justin Jay, Peter Moon THE RUSCHMEYER'S SIGNATURE COCKTAIL

What song do you wish people would just stop playing altogether?

I can’t stand Lady Gaga.

There's an ongoing debate whether it's acceptable to wear high heels in Montauk— yay or nay?

Maybe a wedge or something wooden, and I have done this before but I felt like a total idiot, so all in all it has to be nay. It’s a beach town for crying out loud—leave your city vibes in the city.

1 oz Leblon 1 oz Cedilla 12 ⁄ oz Fresh Lime Juice 2 oz Fresh Pineapple Juice Preparation:

Shake, strain and pour over ice in a rocks glass, garnish with a slice of pineapple.

Special Thanks: Shelby Meade, Our Mothers, Our Brothers, Marcy Fitzpatrick, Molly McCorkle, Amy Risely, Trip Hosmer, Stefan Knecht Extra Special Thanks: Jaime Keller at Leblon Copy Editor/Proofreader: Theodore Bouloukos Front-cover image: The Towelettes of Panoramic View Julia, Brittany and Lexi.

Copyright © 2011 Michael Dweck Back-cover image: Untitled, summer '11, Polaroid Glenn Glasser The Usual Issue #3 Summer 2012 Montauk, NY 11954 info@theusualmontauk.com Printed in New York © 2012 The Usual The entire contents of The Usual are © copyrighted and may not be reproduced, either in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.

CONTRIBUTORS Emily Anderson, is a creative director and illustrator. Chasing the American Dream, she emigrated to America from the UK, nine years ago and now calls New York City and Montauk home. Recent projects include designing Sam Talbot's first cookbook; branding Heidi Klum's personal trainer; creating restaurant La Bodega's identity; and making the magazine for Mike D's curated show at LA MOCA. Littleenglishgenius.com Yasha Wallin is a New York City-based writer and editor. She’s written about art, fashion, travel, bagels and young Hollywood for numerous publications, including Art in America, Flaunt, Guardian UK, Heeb, Interview Magazine, Paper Magazine, Style.com and Surface.

Yashawallin.com

Glenn Glasser is that guy you may see wandering the beach with a Polaroid camera slung on his shoulder. Do not be threatened and please pose for him...willingly: he's a professional photographer who calls Montauk home. When you see him, ask him about the time his dog, Yogi, ran away at Ditch and was found seven hours later at Liar's.

Glennglasser.com

Chris Burkard is currently staff photographer for Surfer Magazine. Along with his editorial contributions, Chris has created a coffee table book "The California Surf Project", and continues to travel the world seeking to experience the most remote, rugged and untouched destinations that exist. Chris lives in Arroyo Grande, California with his wife Breanne.

Chrisburkard.com Seth Herzog is a popular comedian and actor. You may know him from his many characters on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." He's also been a commentator on VH1 for many years, and has had scene stealing roles on "30 Rock" and "Chapelle's Show."

Twitter @Thezog Justin Jay was raised in Santa Barbara and based in New York City. He specializes in portrait and reportage images of artists, athletes, and musicians. He is currently shooting a book documenting the candid moments of professional surfers on the North Shore called "Beach Access," and will be showing select photos from the project in Montauk this summer. He recently photographed Mark Cunningham for a Nixon campaign at Mark's home on the North Shore.

Justinjay.com Peter Moon is an American writer and publisher who rose to notoriety for his contribution in helping Preston Nichols chronicle his bizarre experiences with time phenomenon, as detailed in their first work, "The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time." Moon's own developments with synchronicity and other unexplained forces, tie into many key world events and are discussed in several of his legendary books.

Skybooksusa.com

OCEAN PREY TUNA (BLUEFIN) SQUID Teuthida

TRIGGER FISH NORTHERN SHRIMP Pandalus borealis

ATLANTIC COD STARFISH Asterias forbesi

BLUEFISH STRIPED ANCHOVIES Engraulidae

GREAT WHITE SHARK SEA LION Otariids

FIFTEEN