New York - July 07, 2009

Location Scouting

NYC Local Getaways

Your summer needs the right kind of scenery.

What Time Is It? Maritime!
The East End’s playground of the old-school power elite (Morgans, Vanderbilts) just got a multimillion dollar overhaul for its 80th birthday. Now the Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina is taking nautical to the next level with navy and white textiles, a working lighthouse, and a new cognac-cigar hang for yachters on the docks. Take cardio tennis at the courts by the water; stock up on sundries, sailing bags, and Steven Alan picnic blankets at the hotel boutique; or catch a wave during kite-boarding lessons. Chef (and playwright) Michael Domitrovich is at the dining room’s helm (Mom is sous chef), steering a laid-back Gulf-inspired menu (try the fish tacos, plantains, and duck sliders on sweet potato biscuits). Make an appointment at Melet Mercantile (102 Industrial Road; 631-668-9080), the beachy outpost of a SoHo showroom with vintage collectibles like rare surfboards and accessories stylists like to fight over. For a boatload of inspiring slow food, reel in a plate of deviled blue crabs at Fishbar on the Lake.

Home, Home on the Range
Buy a Metro North ticket for Milton, New York, where the Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa (heretofore referred to as heaven on earth) spans 70 acres on the banks of the Hudson. Hiking is encouraged, though you can start slow with a stroll through the orchard and farm grounds to meet the llamas, goats, peacocks, and chickens. Fresh produce is plucked from the organic garden then turned into delightfully rustic meals by an adorable chef. A quaint carriage road leads to the much-talked-about ecofriendly spa (it’s a real looker!). Wake up early to catch a whiff of buttery croissants in the breakfast buffet room. Don’t miss an opportunity to chat with owner/comedian/ecologist Bob if he’s in town.

Where Old Money Is As Good as New
Seersucker and pearls will ensure you fit right in at Winvian, a swanky Relais & Châteaux compound nestled in Litchfield Hills, Connecticut. Eighteen cottages (including a beaver lodge, helicopter hangar, stable, and tree house 35 feet off the ground) designed by fifteen very imaginative architects — each with sitting area and wood-burning fireplace — inspire you to hibernate all weekend. Leave your elaborate nest for meals served in what feels like Grandmama’s dining room, with oil portraits, fine china, and an artisanal menu from a Boulud/Ducasse alum. Fight the food coma with a walk through acres of lush, bucolic farmland lined with centuries-old oak trees. Marvel at the other lodging spectacles (a lighthouse in the woods!) on the way back to your own whimsical digs.