In my mind, in my dream life, I have a home in Sag Harbor. I have it all mapped out. A three bedroom, two and a half bath cottage nestled in the wooded communities outside the downtown area. There is a massive living room with a plush sectional for many to lounge and a real wood burning fireplace. The dining room has a table that seats twelve, for the frans and guests. The kitchen is spacious and has barstools for gathering while the cooking happens. We also can not forget the wine cellar for my growing collection. Outside you will find a pool for lounging and a deck with bbq for parties in the heat of the summer. Along with a fire pit, a must for those cooler nights and perfecting s'more roasting.
Like I said...in my mind I have a home in Sag Harbor...dream life.
Back to reality, I live in a 5th floor brownstone walkup in Manhattan and waste my hard earned money away every month in rent. But, this pattern continues because I love my life, my home and even though I make a decent living...I still work in education not finance.
So in order to indulge my dream life, I like to take regular trips out to Sag Harbor in hopes that someday my dream will be reality.
When asked "how do you rest", my real rest is found by getting out of the city. I don't want to leave my life in NYC, but it is hard for me to find real rest even just sitting alone in my apartment. I love coming out to the east end of Long Island to disconnect and breath the fresh air.
After being introduced to Channing Daughters Winery a few years ago by my fran Meredith, I was hooked. I have been a wine club member since, and always look forward to the bi-monthly shipments. The wines are unique and delicious, helping to improve the rep of Long Island wines. There are a few member parties each year, so when the invitation for the Christmas Party came in the mail, the frans responded to go right away.
After the train ride out - where Brian save the day by returning someone's lost phone to them at the Babylon stop (the "find my phone" app was going off under the seats we were sitting in) - we arrived into Bridgehampton, STARVING!
We had decided to dine at Page at 63 Main. I had been once before the previous year and could not get their lobster roll out of my mind. The restaurant was decked out for the holidays and we enjoyed the meal laughing about life to come.
After, we strolled around the shops of downtown Sag Harbor and of course took some family photos.
Sadly, the Channing staff did not respond in the welcoming manner we were accustomed to. Flustered due to our early arrival, they found it difficult to find somewhere out of the freezing cold for us to wait. Not wanting to hold them up from getting the event ready so we could actually go inside, we conceded and offered to stay out on the back porch, blocked from the wind by tarp but still freezing. Trying not to complain and get in bad moods before the party even started, we decided to make the most of it, watching funny youtube videos and dreaming of finally getting a glass of vino.
Once inside, our frustrations were quelled by the overflowing table of cheese and bread, along with three different specialty cocktail stations. Our love for the wine and winery also helped to dilute any uneasiness we felt, fully ready to enjoy the event.
The evening featured their new wine releases for tasting as well as mixed in cocktails with Channing's unique VerVino Vermouths and other local NY liquors. Just in time of the New Year, I recommend trying one of their Petillant Naturels or "Pet Nats" as we fondly refer to them. These sparkling treats are dry with a light fizz.
The "Farm to Table Toddy" was my favorite cocktail, a heated mix of Bourbon, VerVino Vermouth Variation 6, apple cider, and honey, finished with a splash of bitters and topped with cinnamon and a slice of dried apple.
From this point on it was a lot of cheese, holiday beverages and snapchat filters...
Alas...this Cinderella eventually had to turn back into a pumpkin and head back to the city...if I had a home we would have stayed.
Maybe next year...
xoxo
naturally ginger
