Assouline Hamptons Private

"The Hamptons is synonymous with luxury. The very mention of the name conjures up images of poolside soirees, grand waterfront estates and endless days on the beach hobnobbing with the upper crust. But before this famous peninsula became a summer retreat for the glitterati, its forty miles of rolling sand dunes provided the perfect landscape for English settlers. When New York's high society caught wind of the charming hamlets and salty air, its members - from the Fords to the Vanderbilts - soon turned the Hamptons into a summer oasis. Next came the creative types seeking solitude, a place to write and sketch away from the urban cacophony. John Steinbeck in Sag Harbor. Jackson Pollock in the Springs. And Andy Warhol in Montauk. Today, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Calvin Klein, Madonna, Alec Baldwin and Martha Stewart all have homes in the Hamptons. They may come from different backgrounds, but there's one thing all Hamptonites, honorary or official, can agree on. The place has a unique charm - one that changes to suit the desires of its next seasonal guest or lifelong resident.

Hamptons Private invites readers to peek behind the manicured hedges of Amagansett, charter a yacht off the coast of the Springs, experience the surfer's haven of Ditch Plains and watch a polo match in Bridgehampton. Each page depicts the quintessential Hamptons leisure experience, showcasing the unique quality of light that artist Willem de Kooning called a "miracle". You can almost hear the thud of tennis balls at The Meadow Club, the whisper of exclusive parties, the rhythms of ocean music at The Surf Lodge - even the first bite of a lobster roll at Lunch. At once a retreat to nature and a hot spot for A-listers, the Hamptons exude a boho-chic spirit that is reflected in its beautiful people and sublime surroundings.