Sun sets in Hamptons
THE almost last Hamptons gasp was lobbyist Liz
Robbins’ annual 6to-8:30 p.m. thing. Before inhaling her tray of pigs in the blanket, orders were: “Park on opposite side of street facing direction of traffic, or you’ll get a parking ticket.”
This was East Hampton with cars lined up to New Rochelle. Didn’t happen that Bill and Hillary, arriving 7 p.m., schlepped up the roadway like everyone else. What did happen was that, as they showed, the sea of VIPs parted. If she’s not in the White House, this crowd didn’t know it.
Judith Hope, former chair of New York state’s Democratic Committee: “There are 40,000 Democratic Clubs in America. Out here, there’s 40. Nobody’s sleeping. Everyone’s working to elect local officials.”
Bill, blue jacket, white pants, ploughed into the crowd. As Hillary and I spoke, she — little makeup, no fuss with hair — stood back and the crowd plowed into her.
Another last Hamptons gasp was Eleven Madison Park. Its NYC restaurant, closed for renovation, opened an East End pop-up and imported their entire staff. Just to nail a reservation, you have to fork over $100. Cancel your table, and you blow your Cnote. It was jammed. One eater said: “I’ll be back right after Labor Day and was told: “Lotsa luck. We close Labor Day. Forever. Not coming back. We’re reopening the city space.” Last gaspers included L. DiCaprio, who rode what Dan Rattiner of “Dan’s Papers” calls “the subway.” It’s the jammed crowded East End roadway . . . Joy Behar told whomever would listen that her book’s coming out, which everyone left of Michael Moore will love . . . Authors having galas include Mrs. Alec Baldwin and the famous Tick Hall seller Dick Cavett. Everyone here, even those who don’t read, is hustling books.