New spots to shop in the Hamptons

BY ANNE BRATSKIER
Special to Newsday

May 22, 2008

Die-hard shoppers will find a few new spots to drop some bucks this summer:

Bellhaus
328 Montauk Hwy.
Wainscott
631-745-9574

According to insiders, Bellhaus, the new boutique that celebrates its opening at a private gig hosted by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, is the only retail store anywhere offering the red patent leather Walter Steiger shoes Sarah Jessica Parker wears in "Sex and the City." Get the smelling salts! In fact, there sounds like much to make the high-end shopper swoon at this store, owned by retail newcomer Shawn Bell. (Get it? Bellhaus?) There's women's fashion (Carolina Herrera, John Galliano, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen), men's duds (Carlos Campos, Bottega Veneta), luxe accessories for both, beauty and fragrance products and some goods for the home. Rev up your Amex.

Intermix
87 Main St.
East Hampton
631-907-8025

Sassy meets classy at this cleverly stocked boutique that opened three weeks ago. Big- name designers hang side by side with trendy, less-expensive merchandise.

Rugby Ralph Lauren
32 Main St.
East Hampton
631-907-0960

Ralph is taking over the world - well, most certainly East Hampton - with the addition of his fourth store there that features the Rugby collection. Touted as "modern day eclectic," there is a vintage and athletic flair to many items here which include - natch - rugby shirts, Oxfords, knits, sweaters, chinos and denim.

J.Crew-at-the-beach
84B Main St.
Southampton
631-287-2869

There's already one of these "weekend boutiques" in East Hampton, but the Southampton shop that opened in November is the first in The Hamptons to carry the popular Crewcuts line, the company's collection for kids. Find classic J.Crew duds in a bright color palette, including the upscale collection pieces, as well as jewelry and totes.

Being beautiful

For that au naturel summer look, consider the new eyelash extension services being offered at the Atlantic Skin & Laser Center in Amagansett (518 Montauk Hwy.), where virtually weightless extensions give the illusion that you are wearing mascara. The application takes about two hours, costs $350, lasts about a month and, jeepers, peepers, you can swim, shower and exercise wearing them. For more information, call 631-267-9800.

Gwyneth Paltrow calls Sonya Dakar "the best facialist in the world," and the only place you can get her products east of NYC is at The Spa at East Wind in Wading River, 5720 Rte. 25A. The new menu of services includes a treatment called Total Body Fitness with options like Anti-Aging Peel, Hydra Quench Body Glow, Skin Brightening Vita and Detox Body glow; $110-$245. To make an appointment, call 631-846-2339.

For the third summer in a row, Manhattan's Valery Joseph Salon will set up shop in The Hamptons. The salon, 2545 Main St., Bridgehampton, will be open from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. offering a full range of services; call 631-537-8967.

More shopping, by town:

EAST QUOGUE

Shoe Vixen, 487 Montauk Highway (631-653-8197). A tiny hot pink store that boasts an inventory of more than 2,000 pairs of shoes and prices that range from $30 to a bit over $100. Brands include Michael Kors, Steve Madden, Jessica Simpson and Juicy Couture. Need a shoe that night? They'll deliver to you anywhere in the Hamptons. Another Shoe Vixen will be opening Memorial Day weekend in the middle of the Whitehouse night club (formerly CPI) in Hampton Bays (39 East Montauk Highway). Hours will run from 10 PM to 4 AM, so "if a woman breaks a stiletto, she won't have to go home," explains owner Todd Scott. There's also a website: hamptonshoevixen.net.

Once Upon A Time, 485 Montauk Highway (631-653-8197). Owner of the Shoe Vixen has taken over this consignment shop that has been around for some 20 years, thoroughly renovating it and adding inventory. Great gently worn designer clothes are available for a fraction of the original price. In fact, two weeks ago a pair of Prada shoes went for $12--what a deal.

SOUTHAMPTON

Brooks Brothers, 48-50 Main Street (631-287-3936). In July, a 9,850- square-foot shrine to the preppy life will open. Included in the mix, Brooks Brothers' country club collection that features the sportier side of clothes and women's wear.

Brahmin Leatherworks, Inc., 58 Jobs Lane (631-287-2386). This three-room store offers all things leather: croc-embossed, hand-painted handbags, men's and women's wallets, picture frames, travel cases, passport holders, luggage tags, even croc-embossed tape measures. There are doggy duds, scarves, beach bags and to sweeten the mix, Marie Belle chocolates

BRIDGEHAMPTON

Valery Joseph Salon, 2545 Main St. (631-537-8967). Starting Memorial Day weekend, this tony salon with two locations on Madison Avenue and upper east side salon will be doing Hampton's hair including cuts, blow outs, conditioning treatments, extensions, relaxing and Japanese straightening. And best of all, they'll make house calls.

Hamptons Hounds, 2485 Montauk Highway (631-537-7650). This luxury dog boutique is offering a brand new event: "Yappy Hour" every Saturday on the shaded patio from 4-6 PM where refreshments will be served to people and their dogs. Also new, the Hamptons Hound Bridal line, which includes elaborately beaded collars and leads for couples who want to include their dogs in their weddings. No kidding. There's a website, HamptonsHound.com.

EAST HAMPTON

John Varvatos, 54 Newton Lane (631- 324-4440). Clothing, accessories and furnishings from this well-known menswear designer who has dressed the likes of Tom Cruise and Seal will debut in East Hampton as the sixth Varvatos free-standing store opens officially on Memorial Day weekend. The 1,800-square-foot space that fuses industrial, vintage, bohemian and rock 'n' roll elements will house, among other things, John Varvatos Collection, Converse by John Varvatos (clothes for guys and gals), select vintage pieces, antique lighting and furniture, books and music including vintage vinyl records.

Ralph Lauren Children, 45 Main St. (631-907-9120). From teeny ones to teenagers, Ralph Lauren's new kids' store has it all. Opened since April, the 2,532-square-foot store offers Lauren's particular styling for layette, toddler, girls 7-16, boys 8-20, gift items and children's books. Nothing looks more Hamptons than a kid in a crisp, new Ralph ensemble.

Elie Tahari, 1 Main St. (631-329-8883). You'll have to wait until August to get into this 5,000-square-foot global flagship boutique on the corner of Main and Newton Lane that will sell Elie Tahari's women's collection, as well as recently launched accessories and men's collections. A great stop for all things Tahari.

Tory Burch, 48 Newtown Lane (631-907-9150). Burch's ultra-hot collection of Grace Kelley sophistication meets an Edie Sedgewick '60's vibe will be edited for the beach at this 528-square-foot store that opened May 16. Find the designer's signature mini tunic dresses, swimsuits, caftans and flip-flops. Any shot the store will get a visit from Tory with new beau Lance Armstrong in tow? Mums the word, but the clothes are anything but mumsy.

Gail Rothwell, 66 Newtown Lane (631-324-6666). For sophisticated, stylish women who don't necessarily follow the trends, but like it luxe, this eponymous 2,000-square-foot space is the place. The owner's sharp eye includes gorgeous ready-to-wear from Lanvin, Marni, TSE and Rick Owens and there's a glorious stock of accessories from the likes of Lambertson Truex and Bottega Veneta.

J. Roaman, 48 Newtown Lane (631-329-0662). Owner Judi Roaman says her new home furnishings store that opened at the end of April, is "the exact opposite of beige." Featuring dishes, bedding and great furniture, the joyous 2,000-square-foot space is "a mélange of color."

AMAGANSETT

Atlantic Skin & Laser Center, 530 Montauk Highway, Suite 101 (631-267-9800). Get a savage tan of the spray-on variety here (they offer Mystic Tanning, beloved by celebs such as Lindsey Lohan and Nicollette Sheridan), banish unwanted hair with electrolysis or laser, and they claim that you can visibly reduce unwanted cellulite with LaserDermology.

Rube, 156 Main St.(631-267-6117). Opened in the winter months, this 1,000-square-foot boutique offers a carefully edited collection of clothing for men and women, leather belts and bags, housewares, jewelry, a fragrance bar where staffers help you blend your own custom fragrance and to covet--vintage Rolexes.

Raven Studios, 136 Main St. (631-267-2700). Also opened in the winter, this one-man hair salon belongs to Joseph Alvarez who does color and cuts and uses his space as a gallery for shows during the summer. The shop is named after Raven, his black Belgian sheepdog, who, he says, "greets everybody whether they like it or not." (He says they mostly like it.)

MONTAUK

Calypso, 99 The Plaza, (631-668-4999). It's overall vibe is dreamy meets boho but this store, which opened last May features Missoni swim suits, cover-ups by Delfina, and all-natural line of cotton dresses by Organic, kimono dresses, and Calypso's own line of gauze cover-ups, silk dresses and sexy leather sandals. (There's a brand new Calypso in Greenport too, 15 Front St., 631-477-2780).

Tauk, 54 South Erie Ave. (631-668-3686). Funky, whimsical and downright cool, this "beach culture" shop offers hip clothes for men and women - some vintage, eclectic objets for the home, jewelry and accessories. Currently blowing out: "sea bags" from Maine made of vintage sailcloth with rope handles. Opened two seasons ago but has built quite a reputation, and currently is, um, the tauk of the town. Check out the website www.taukmontauk.com.

Deborah Thompson Day Spa, 37 The Plaza, (631-668-4815). New and so tempting this season at this spa is the Double Vision treatment - it's for couples and includes a private space to share a relaxing retreat, pampering to the max with packages such as the Ultimate Massage which features stone therapy, facial, and spa reflexology topped off by the new Infra Red sauna that according to the owner works the bod from the inside out and surrounds joints, muscles and tissues.

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