DAN RATTINER CELEBRATES BOOK AT OSO

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Dan Rattiner's Book Bash

"In The Hamptons: My 50 Years with Farmers, Fisherman, Billionaires and Celebrities"

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Story And Photos By James Edstrom

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Dan Rattiner and his wife Christine Wasserstein with Dede Gotthelf Moan and Terry Moan

To most people when you say The Hampton's images of magnificent ocean side mansions, fabulous pools and lavish parties peopled by bold faced names from the magazine covers and summertime fun are the first things that pop into ones mind. But the tiny villages and hamlets that make up the The Hampton's are an all year concern with a rich and vibrant cultural life that goes on long after the media spotlight fades after Labor Day.The Hampton's are home to some of the world’s most famous artists, actors, writers, fashion designers and tycoons including the likes of Billy Joel, Sarah Jessica Parker, Christie Brinkley, Candice Bergen, director Barry Sonnenfeld, Kim Cattrall, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Edward Albee and more. In fact there are more Oscar, Tony, Pulitzer Prize and EMMY award winners here than in any community in the country. Any of whom you might run into at the supermarket or sitting next to you in a restaurant. Tapping into this vast group of talent, Dede Gotthelf owner of The Southampton Inn and its new critically acclaimed restaurant OSO launched a winter program entitled ”Dinner and ..” featuring informal conversations over an elegant dinner at OSO with the people that define The Hampton's. To kick off the program, Gotthelf had legendary Hampton's’ chronicler Dan Rattiner read from his best selling book, ”In The Hampton's: My 50 Years with Farmers, Fisherman, Billionaires and Celebrities”. Long before the Hampton's became famous for its posh parties, paparazzi, and glitterati; it was a sleepy backwater of fishing villages and potato farms, literary luminaries and local eccentrics. As the editor and publisher of the area’s popular newspaper, Dan’s Papers, Dan Rattiner, has been covering the daily triumphs, community intrigues, and larger-than-life personalities for nearly fifty years. A colorful insider’s account of life, love, scandal, and celebrity, In the Hampton's is an intimate portrait of a place and the people who formed and transformed it, from former residents like Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning, colorful locals like bar owner Bobby Van and shark fisherman Frank Mundus (who the character Quinn from Jaws was based on), and literary figures like John Steinbeck and Truman Capote, to present-day stars like Bianca Jagger and Billy Joel. Rattiner regaled us with colorful tales and read a section about his good friend the late George Plimpton. We feasted on a sumptuous dinner that featured the best local fare including a prosciutto wrapped halibut with tiny Brussels sprouts, a mouth watering pasta Alfredo with huge chunks of local lobster fresh off the docks of Montauk and the best crab cakes I have ever tasted all prepared by Executive Chef Bryan Naylor. No wonder that dining critics call his meals “pure food ecstasy” and the “Best New Restaurant in The Hampton's”. Chef Naylor constantly roams the room checking to make sure everything is to his guests’ satisfaction. Naylor is a culinary star in the making. After dinner, guests moved upstairs to the cozy library where a roaring fire was ablaze for after dinner drinks and some quiet conversation. The romantic Southampton Inn is located in the heart of the historic village adjoining the fabled estate section. In recent years, the Inn has become the private getaway for celebrities and in the know travelers. Just a short walk to the exclusive shops of Job’s Lane and Main Street, it’s the ideal location for a quick getaway without even having to drive. The Inn’s polka dotted van picks up guests at both the Hampton Jitney and the train station. For reservations call 631-283-1166.

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Chef Bryan Naylor