Warming trend

Hamptons summer rentals, Pitt's, Sahadi's, Shahmiri, Four Seasons Jackson Hole, Hudson provisioning, MORE

Feb 14, 2025

∙ Paid

REAL ESTATE • The Hamptons

In Hamptons lore, Presidents’ Day Weekend served as the unofficial deadline for securing a summer rental. But in the post-pandemic era of short-term rentals and shorter-term decision-making, this weekend is prime time for rental searching. (Here’s what Hamptons brokers are saying about the state of the rental market right now; upshot: inventory is abundant.)

For your consideration, three South Fork rentals that caught our eye, priced for the full Memorial Day-Labor Day season, as one does:

→ 1025 Flying Point Rd (Water Mill) • 3BR/2.1BA, 1400 SF • Rental price: $175K • Tiny cottage perched atop Mecox Bay, steps from Flying Point Beach • Agent: Holly Hodder, Sotheby’s.

→ 425 Main St (Sag Harbor) • 5BR/5.1BA, 4200 SF • Rental price: $220K • New construction on Sag’s main drag, with backyard pool • Agent: Caroline Sarraf, Compass.

→ 8 Heller Ln (East Hampton, above) • 5BR/5.1BA, 4200 SF • Rental price: $435K • South of the Highway off Further Lane, contemporary residence with pool, not far from the beach • Agents: Shaunagh Byrne and Laurie Lewis, Corcoran.

REAL ESTATE LINKS: With mortgage rates stuck, NYC renters facing increasing competition • Williamsburg Wharf development completes first phase • Society Brooklyn and Sackett Place wrap up construction in Gowanus • The Queens hockey fanatic who built a rink in his backyard.

RESTAURANTS • First Word

Pitted prune

The Skinny: Three years after bursting onto the scene with Agi’s Counter in Crown Heights, chef Jeremy Salamon has opened his second restaurant, Pitt’s. Located in Red Hook, in the space that once housed Fort Defiance, Pitt’s is bigger in size and ambition than quaint, thoughtful Agi’s.

The Vibe: The space merges retro, campy New York aesthetics with those of a hoarding southern grandmother, and somehow, it works. There are bright red booths and white linens, but also, carrot-patterned wallpaper and assorted animal knicknacks. (It’s much more elegant than it sounds.)

The Food: Salamon grew up in Florida and spent summers in North Carolina, and you can taste the south in the food at Pitt’s. Starters include gouda pimento cheese with fried saltines and pickled shrimp with oyster mayo, while the dessert menu features a playful take on Atlantic Beach pie with a saltine crust, tangy grapefruit curd, and sour cream whip.

There’s plenty of New York City here, too. Salamon cooked at Gabrielle Hamilton’s pioneering East Village restaurant Prune early in his career, and you can maybe sense his admiration for it — in the sweetbreads, the saltines, the offbeat menu. And in true Prune fashion, whenever something gets too fancy, the chef pulls it back down to earth. There are escargots at Pitt’s, but they’re served with ranch-dusted lettuce. The inverse is true, too. While the pancake soufflé may have the malty sweetness of an IHOP stack in your hometown, it’s still a soufflé: old school and tricky to pull off.

The Drinks: Beverage director Ben Hopkins has fashioned a streamlined list of classic cocktails with subtle twists, like a gimlet with lime leaf. Notably, there’s an Irish coffee to honor Fort Defiance’s beloved version, but at Pitt’s, it includes the rich nuttiness of barley shochu.

The Verdict: Salamon is a genuinely inventive chef with formidable culinary chops, and Pitt’s is a great use of them: joyful, welcoming, easy to love, and above all, a good time. –Phoebe Fry

→ Pitt’s (Red Hook) • 347 Van Brunt St • Wed-Sun 530-9p • Reserve.

CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine

Cakewalk

LAUREN SCHOFIELD • pastry chef • self-employed
Neighborhood you work in: Carroll Gardens
Neighborhood you live in: Crown Heights

It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
Fridays are usually my busiest workdays. I'm working on three cakes for events this weekend, so I'm rushing today to get everything ready for delivery tomorrow. I've been making a lot of cakes using tiny baked meringues as decor, so this afternoon, I'm doing a lot of adhering, basically — attaching these little meringues to cake exteriors with Swiss buttercream. One of the huge luxuries of working for myself (and not in restaurants) is being able to take little breaks throughout the day. I work in such a beautiful neighborhood, so I'll walk to Sahadi's, Damascus Bakery, or Court Street Grocers to get some fresh air, something to eat, and a coffee. When I'm really in the zone for a project, I'll eat the same sandwich from Court Street every day of the week — the broccoli Reuben, a genius sandwich.

Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
I'm crazy about Ha's Snack Bar on the Lower East Side. The atmosphere is fantastic; it's like walking into a warm and lively dinner party where everyone’s just happy to be there. I love this riff on a French onion soup that they've been doing that uses pho broth as the base. I'll go to Saravanaa Bhavan for lunch with a friend on Sunday — this is probably my most frequented restaurant in New York, and I almost always go alone. I get the mini tiffin or just a dosa if I'm not that hungry. Or a thali if I'm sharing. I'm planning on going to Sunn's next week in Chinatown. I love Sunny Lee and her cooking!

How about a little leisure or culture?
I went to see the New York Philharmonic earlier this week, which was a delight. They played “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” which I'd never heard outside of watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, and I'm so glad I went. I also saw The Brutalist this week at the Village East theater. I liked the movie a lot, but it would’ve been worth going just to be in that theater. I'm trying to see more movies in 2025.

Any weekend getaways?
My partner and I spend a lot of time in Litchfield County. I love being up there because you have access to all this great stuff in Connecticut, and also in upstate New York. Sometimes we'll even drive up to the Berkshires for a day. We go out to Stissing House a fair amount for a drink and a little meal at the bar, and when they have rabbit pie for two, that’s our order. Or we’ll drive between little Connecticut towns like Washington, Roxbury, and Kent and pop into shops. Plain Goods is the most amazing store in New Preston.

What was your last great vacation?
I was really lucky to be able to go to Morocco with my partner's family for New Year’s. I'd never been to that part of the world before, and I loved it so much. I came home feeling so inspired. I didn't travel much last year, and sometimes you forget what a perspective shift it can provide. We were in Fes, then drove south through the mountains to the desert by the Algerian border, and then over to Marrakech for a few days. I did a little bit of shopping, but mostly just wanted to try food and walk around and look at things. My favorite thing I ate was stewed chicken with a ton of cooked down cilantro — like, so much cilantro that at first I thought it was spinach. I've been thinking about that a lot.

What store or service do you always recommend?
My friend Leah recently opened a store in Park Slope called Shahmiri that sells clothing, homewares, and the most amazing jewelry. I did the bulk of my holiday shopping there, and somehow can't resist picking up something for myself when I stop in.

Photo credit: Lucia Bell-Epstein

CULTURE & LEISURE • Storm’s Brewing

Melissa Errico: Classic Songs for Valentine's Day • Birdland Theater (Theater District) • Sat @ 930p • table seating, $56 per
Cowboy Junkies • Celebrating 40 years • NJPAC (Newark) • Sat @ 8p • balcony, $70 per
Creighton v St Johns • Madison Square Garden (Midtown South) • Sun @ 3p • section 107, $215 per

CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: The Space Club invasion takes Brooklyn • The Shed hosting The Gates 20th anniversary retrospective • Christie’s announces AI art auction, and not everyone is pleased • Trend watch: Art prescriptions.

GETAWAYS • FOUND Ski

Teton two-step

Switching into mountain mode is easy when you arrive at the Four Seasons Jackson Hole. Maybe it’s the crisp air, the top-tier service, or the location, with stunning views of Rendezvous Mountain and the most direct access to the lifts of any hotel in Teton Village.

This was my first visit to the Four Seasons since the renovation of the guest rooms in 2022, which resulted in noticeable upgrades to the furnishings, millwork, and decor, as well as new dedicated work areas. Our room proved a lovely place for breakfast — so lovely, in fact, that I ordered room service most mornings (a perk of my booking through Upon Arrival).

Skiers in Jackson are notoriously hardcore, rarely willing to waste a minute off the mountain. If this sounds like you, you’ll love the Base Camp ski concierge. The team takes care of your gear — warming boots each morning, tuning skis and boards, sharing insider tips on mountain conditions, and stationing the equipment just steps from the lifts. This amenity is what really sets the Four Seasons apart.

We did dine elsewhere in the village as well. Teton Thai is my pick for the best restaurant in Teton Village. They only take walk-ins, so plan accordingly. My runner-up is Corsa at The Caldera House, where the pepperoni pizza is the thing. The Four Seasons offers complimentary rides throughout Teton Village; just ask the front desk.

I hesitate using the phrase après-ski in Jackson because it’s not that kind of place, but after a challenging day on the mountain, I love to regroup at Michael Mina’s Handle Bar (also at the Four Seasons) for their chili or head to The Mangy Moose for one of their giant pretzels and some live music. If you’re venturing into Jackson, you probably already know about the iconic Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, but plan ahead if you want a table at Glorietta or Snake River Grill. And while you’re in town, stop by Grit General for an excellent selection of Western-inspired wares. –Sarah Jackson

→ Four Seasons Jackson Hole (Teton Village, WY) • 7680 Granite Loop Rd • From $1995/weekend night.

GETAWAYS LINKS: First direct flight JFK-BRI (Puglia) launching in June • Jackson Hole’s Amangani closing in April for year-long revamp • Forthcoming Thompson Miami Beach accepting reservations from June 1 • New all-inclusive W Punta Cana taking bookings from April 15 • Flexjet set to double fleet size in next 5 years • First-timers guide to skiing in Japan.

GETAWAYS • The Nines

Haute provisioning, Hudson & surrounds

The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of NYC's best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundny.com.

Talbott and Arding (Hudson), beloved market, robust prepared food section, homemade dips, dressings, ready-to-eat meals, plus cheese and meats counter