A California hotelier is riding a wave of backlash in Montauk. Locals are petitioning the East Hampton Town Planning Board to stop construction of Este, a two-story restaurant with rooftop access, claiming developers pulled a bait-and-switch — submitting permit approvals for a “casual restaurant” they fear will turn into a rowdy nightclub. “Este restaurant was … Read more
If Central California’s Santa Ynez Valley, in Santa Barbara County, is known for anything, it’s wine. It’s nowhere near as famous as Napa or Bordeaux, of course, but this bucolic region of rolling hills dotted with stately oak trees produces excellent pinot noirs and chardonnays and syrahs. Remember the movie “Sideways,” about two sad sacks … Read more
The Golden State’s coast is often typecast by outsiders as a privileged commune of high-income hippies, decadent dot-commers, sun-spoiled surfers and limousine liberals. For good reason: California is the land of haughty, avocado toast-munching utopists. Except, that’s not the whole story. Despite its coddling climate, geography and ritzy neighborhoods, surfside Cali is not just a … Read more