Fingerlakes Vineyard Hopping: The Secret's Out

Wine Enthusiast recently named the Finger Lakes region as one of the ten best wine travel destinations, and a "soon-to-be-revealed secret."  Now that the secret's out, I'll let you in on it.  I've been going wine-tasting at Keuka Lake for a decade now, and there is no better way to spend a summer or early fall weekend.  If you've been paying attention, you know that people have been talking about Finger Lakes wine for a few years now, and that it's been popping up on some of the hottest menus in the city (especially the whites and dry rieslings).  But wine-tasting in the Finger Lakes is such a special experience not just because of the quality of the wine, but because of the authentic beauty of the region and the unpretentiousness of the experience.   

Driving down the country roads between vineyards around Keuka Lake, you'll pass rustic red barns, impeccably maintained farms and adorable farm-stands selling flowers and vegetables.  The area is heavily dominated by Mennonites, who shun the use of electricity and take pride in keeping up their farms beautifully.  The result is that everything is Pinterest-worthy, but no one even knows what Pinterest is.  The cute little stand selling firewood in bundles is not on Instagram, and wasn't intended to look "country-chic"--it just is country chic and probably has been for decades.  

Because this region is still under the radar, it's about as unpretentious as you can get.  No reservations are necessary, everything is inexpensive (about $10 a tasting), and everywhere you go you'll be treated like a friend.  Stay at a BnB or rent a house on the lake, and drive from vineyard to vineyard, stopping at antique stores and barns along the way.  And you should probably go soon, since the secret's out and all.  

Keuka Lake Vineyards: Hunt Country Vineyards; Heron Hill Winery; Bully Hill Vineyards; Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars and Chateau Frank; Barrington Cellars; Chateau Renaissance Wine Cellars; Crooked Lake Winery. 

Antiquing: Over the Bridge Antiques; Wild Goose Chase Antiques; Crooked Lake Antiques.

Restaurants: The Waterfront; Lakeside Restaurant & Tavern; Esperanza Mansion; The Switzerland Inn. 

Stay: Steamboat Castle BnB; The Willows; Tudor Hall BnB. 

The Sunday Scaries: Hamptons Edition

You know the feeling.  You wake up Sunday morning in the Hamptons with crippling anxiety.  How will I get home? Train or Jitney? Should I leave now? Or should I stay and try to have a day?  Do I really need to be at work Monday morning? 

As the day progresses and the drinks start to flow, you find yourself opening the Blade app.  It's only $500, right? But alas, there are no seats left on any evening or early Monday morning ride.  You're stuck with a three-hour journey back, but the question remains: when do you leave?  This past weekend I did something I rarely do.  I refused to let Sunday end, and it ended up being one of the best days of my life. 

It started on the beach in Montauk.  We sat on towels in various stages of mental and physical health, pondering how and when we'd return to the city.  On a walk down the beach, I ran into a group of friends who were heading out to sail on Fort Pond.  "I'm in!" I declared, mentally disposing of any prospects of the 1:40 train.  We rented Hobie Cats from Puff 'n' Putt ($45/hour for up to four per boat) and sailed past Surf Lodge, heckling those unfortunate enough to be on dry land while we flew like birds in the wind across the pond. 

After sailing, we packed into a taxi to head to the train station for the 3:30 train back to the city.  As we drove past Navy Beach, I found myself staring at the crowds of Sunday revelers, rose in hand, basking in the afternoon light.  "Stop the car!" I yelled.  Five minutes later, my butt was in a white bean bag chair on the beach and I was three bites deep in truffle mac and cheese.  The reggae band was playing, the sun was gentle and warm, and I found myself dancing in my bikini, not a care in the world. 

But all good things must come to an end, or so I thought.  The waitress spilled a bottle of rosé on my friend, the sun began to wane, and the water grew cool.  It was time to move on.  We loaded into the car, our hearts heavy at the prospect of a long drive home.  But suddenly, the silence was broken when someone mentioned Wolffer Estate Vineyard, in Sagaponack.  "Why don't we make a quick stop? Just for a glass of rosé and some cheese?"  And just like that, Sunday continued. 

Wolffer is magic at sunset.  We wandered barefoot through the vineyard, verdant against the neon sky.  The waitress poured us rosé and brought plates of cheese in various consistencies, with sides of preserve, olives, nuts and hummus.  We indulged in our platter, and as we washed down the cheeses with the crisp rosé it was as if Monday didn't truly exist. 

When I finally got home to my apartment, it was around midnight.  It was cleaner than I expected, and I brushed my teeth and got ready for bed, tired but happy.  I thought about unpacking, but decided to leave that for Monday.  Today was mine.  

Sailing on Fort Pond

Navy Beach

Wolffer Estate

Wolffer Estate

Wolffer Estate

Montauk: A Hamptons Weekend Without Driving (mostly)

Montauk may be a bit further east than the other towns in the Hamptons, but it's worth every extra minute of the commute.  Once you're in Montauk, everything you need is within walking distance (or a short taxi ride away).  The weekend just feels more relaxing when you can access the beach, amazing food and the best bars by foot or bike...especially now that Uber has been banned in the Hamptons.  Here's your step-by-step weekend itinerary, with distances to all your destinations from your hypothetical home-base, a hotel right on the beach, the Montauk Blue.

FRIDAY

1.  Arrive as early as you can and check into the Montauk Blue.  Your front yard is the Montauk beach (literally) so get excited for early morning beach runs and falling asleep to the sound of the waves.   

2.  Walk over to La Brisa (.2 mile) for fish tacos and stroll around town.  Stop into Share With (.2 mile) and peruse their selection of colorful, beachy shorts and gauzy, giraffe-printed rompers.  Grab a beer on the outdoor patio at the Shagwong (.3 mile) and listen to the reggae band. 

3.  Have dinner at Crow's Nest (2.1 miles).  If there's a long wait for a table (likely) order a cocktail and head down to the water or relax around the bonfire.  To eat, I recommend the kale salad, the burrata and the spicy crab pasta. 

SATURDAY

1.  Wake up early and take an 8am yoga class at Love Yoga (.2 mile).  Had a rough Friday night?  Sleep a few more hours and start at Step #2, which involves food.   

2.  Get breakfast at Joni's Kitchen (.2 mile).  I like the California wrap or the warm quinoa with walnuts and dates.  The line can get long, so if you're pressed for time, call ahead and place your order by phone to skip the line. 

3.  Spend the day at Navy Beach (2.1 miles), drinking rose and pondering the occupants of the $50 million yacht that just pulled in.  The beach is a bit rocky, but perfect for swimming since it's in a protected cove and there are no waves.  For extra points, swim up to a yacht and get invited aboard for some rose.   (Navy beach is also a great option for dinner because the food is amazing and there is a beautiful sunset.)  

4.  Head to Surf Lodge (1 mile) for dinner and watch the band play against the sunset.  Note that Surf Lodge has a very difficult door.  I've learned from experience that one can be denied entry no matter how good looking or perfectly adorned in surfer-chic Montauk garb.  So, please get a dinner reservation or know someone who works there before attempting this maneuver.  Another fun option is to check out Lazy Point Saturdays at Ciao on the Beach (1.4 miles).  Make sure to try their signature cocktail "Bramble Rose" by Lazy Point's Jeremy Strawn (also of Mulberry Project).

SUNDAY

1.  It's always a challenge to decide whether to stay on Sunday, or return to Manhattan to get one's life together.  If it's a nice day out, you should probably just cancel that Tinder date and enjoy the beach another day. 

2.  You may be a bit hungover today, so it's okay if you forgo quinoa from Joni's and indulge in some Goldbergs bagels (.2 mile) instead.  

3.  Have a chill beach day in Montauk (0 mile).  Play paddle ball and cards and wonder why you ever pay money for beach beds and rose when you're having such a good time for free.  

4.  After the beach, get lobster rolls at Duryeas (1.8 miles), and head home on the train (.4 mile from Duryeas, leaving hourly).  (Note: taking the train back on from Montauk is great because you're the first ones on the train so you'll get a good seat.)    

Montauk Blue

Montauk

Love Yoga

$22 per class, reserve spot online. 

Jonie's

Call ahead for take out and skip the line! 

Jonie's

There's no better way to start the day then eating breakfast at these tables.  They have a very full menu and everything is fresh and healthy. 

La Brisa

La Brisa

Shagwong

Our front porch at Montauk Blue

Beach walk in front of the hotel

Perfect day at Navy Beach

Navy Beach

A small boat goes back and forth to bring people into Navy for lunch. 

Navy Beach

Kale & rock shrimp

Surf Lodge lobster roll

Surf Lodge

Surf Lodge

Surf Lodge

Montauk Beach day

Note my new giraffe-print romper from Share With. 

Duryea's Lobster

Lobster rolls are $22; BYOB.

Duryea's Lobster

Duryea's Lobster

Across the street is this picturesque swan lake

Whalebone store

Whalebone store

New York, I Love You: An Instagram Tour of the City

When Peyton Carr isn't running the wealth management firm Keystone Global Partners, this St. Louis native spends his time taking breathtaking photographs of the city.  In fact, one of his photographs was recently featured on NY Instagram.  Last week, I caught up with Peyton to discuss life, photography, and of course, New York.

What do you do in New York?

I work with affluent individuals and do three things: investing, tax minimization, and asset protection. Think of me as a personal CFO for wealthy families and individuals.  I love my job because we are always solving problems and thinking of creative ways to improve our clients’ lives.  Last week I was working on a project to sell an art collection tax-efficiently and this week I’m helping a family pre-plan for the sale of their business. 

Describe your perfect day in the city.

Saturday workout; brunch with friends; see some art; shoot some pictures; watch the sunset; have some cocktails!

Where’s the best place to catch the sunset?

Williamsburg, Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO, Battery Park, West side of Manhattan.

What restaurant are you dying to try but haven't yet?

I have not been to Santina, that Italian spot in meatpacking created by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick. It’s a big glass box right under the Highline, and the food is supposed to be very good! I think they just opened for brunch too, so I plan to check that out soon.

Where do you take a date to impress her?

Driving on the beach in the Hamptons during the sunset followed by beach grilling. Works every time!

What’s the best season to visit New York?

Late Spring or December. Spring is beautiful, not too hot, the park is open and everything is green. December is fun because the social season is in high gear and the city is completely lit up with holiday lights. It’s magical during the holiday season. During the summer, a lot of locals leave the city during the weekends, so beware of that if you’re coming to visit your friends in NYC.

What are your favorite weekend trips from the city?

The Hamptons. It’s easy to get there, has great outdoor activities, beautiful beaches, and phenomenal sunsets.  East Hampton, Amagansett and Montauk are my favorite spots. Outside the Hamptons, Newport and Nantucket are great, but they take longer to get to.

What weekend trip are you dying to try?

I really would like to spend more time in the Hudson River Valley. It has a majestic beauty, with quaint towns, great outdoors activities and wonderful hiking. 

Taxi, subway or Uber?

All of them! I also Citi-Bike which is a great way to explore the city. 

Any crazy taxicab stories?

My second year in the city, I was riding in a taxi up 6th Avenue somewhere in the 50’s and we stopped in the middle of the street. A guy walked up to ask the taxi driver for directions. The driver rolled down his window, then the guy stuck his hand in, grabbed some cash, and ran off. The driver leaped out and ran after the guy. Meanwhile, I’m sitting in the back of the taxi in the intersection all by myself and the light turns green. I got into the driver’s seat and moved the taxi to the side of the road. I called the police and waited there. The driver came back about twenty minutes later while I was speaking with the police and had somehow gotten his money back. Don’t mess with taxi drivers!

If you could tell one thing to the tourists of New York, what would that be?

Make reservations and plan well in advance. Be specific about your preferences and get ideas about what to do from friends who live here. There are so many amazing restaurants in the city.  Don’t buy those cheap $5 umbrellas that hawkers sell on the street, they fall apart after two minutes.

FAST FAVES

Neighborhood: Nolita.

Restaurant: Cosme, but make reservations well in advance. Get the uni-tostadas, the octopus and the duck. I love tequila and they some great anejos if you are into that. The husk meringue for desert is also top notch.

Brunch: The Lion in the West Village.

Museum: Dia-beacon. This is a day trip—it’s in Beacon, New York, right on the Hudson River in an old Nabisco Box factory. They have an amazing collection of art from the 1960s to present - huge installations that couldn’t fit anywhere else. In the city, my favorite museum is the Moma.

Date spot: Bell Book and Candle; The Daily.

Party: Yorkville Ball at the Union Club

Hotel: Standard in Meatpacking because the views are so great. There are newer and “hipper” hotels, but nothing beats a cocktail at the top of the Standard while listening to jazz, then checking out the view of the city from the rooftop.