The concrete jungle that is Manhattan can be suffocating, to say the least, during the long summer months. On those days when the mercury reaches 96 and the humidity is over 80%, it is the dream of every Manhattanite to trade in the smelly, tourist-ridden city for a beach and two Mai Thais. It is to this end that East Coasters have invented “summering” – weekend getaways to beach houses that allow city folk to see stars, experience nature, and enjoy some much needed R&R.
Most Manhattanites have “shares” for the summer – assigned weekends where a group of friends share a beach house together. The very wealthy have full shares (they have the house every weekend), while most others have half or quarter shares. I fall into the latter category, which provides 6-7 weekends away from the city during the months of May through September.
Long Island tends to be the most popular summer destination for city dwellers, with The Hamptons being the most sought after address. Other beaches do exist, however, and not all require seven digit bank account balances for entry. For my friends and I that destination is Fire Island, located just off the coast of Long Island. It is slightly less pretentious than its Hamptons counterpart, though boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the area.
While the goal of “summering” is to provide you with an opportunity to relax, getting to your summer home can be anything but peaceful. Friday evenings at Penn Station remind me of a Krispy Kreme grand opening. There are lines everywhere, people won’t stop pushing, and there are at least five children crying. If you don’t see an uppity Eastside woman screaming at some guy from Queens over god knows what then my guess is that you’re probably heading in the wrong direction.
The trip to Fire Island requires that you transfer trains at Babylon; this is by far the most stressful part of the trip. Passengers literally run from one train to the other to ensure they get a good seat. There is shoving, there is trampling, and last week three kids were lost in the gap between the train and the platform. (Those girls are lucky I heard their desperate cries for help or they might not be with us today.)
Upon arrival at your summer home it is customary to have at least one drink – this is needed to relax after the long, daunting trip. From there it’s beaches, pools, hot tubs, and parties. A favorite part of summering for many people revolves around group dinners. It is customary for each house to prepare a meal and eat it together, often including new friends (especially good looking ones) that were made on the beach. This is particularly exciting for Manhattan bachelors who rarely have a meal that doesn’t include a delivery person, waiter, or deli attendant.
By the time the weekend is over you should find yourself relaxed, a shade darker, and in fantastic spirits. Of course it’s then that you realize that you will soon have to make the treacherous trip back to that other, ever so slightly more crowded, island. Just be sure to mind the gap.
