Back in September, Curbed Hamptons Listage Department conveniently listed the top 10 best stories to come out of summer 2009. Well three months have gone by and some updates and additions are required. But first, a reminder of the stories that rocked East End beachgoers during the high season:
10) May's Pop-Up Madness
9) Animal Comes to Montauk
8) Animals Take Over Our Shores
7) Polo's Battle of the D-List Stars
6) Beach Permit Thievery
5) Pricechopping Hits New Heights
4) The Blue Parrot Reopens
3) The Sandcastle Dazzles Us All
2) Kleefield Writes (Many) Bad Checks
1) Madoff's Home Hits the Market
Memories! But times they are a-changin'. We now know that Madoff's Montauk Manor is long sold and that the Sandcastle has fallen from its $59.5 million heights. Without further ado, the addendum:
· Mezzaluna AMG's Demise - One of the more anticipated restaurant openings of the year ended on a sad note. After a heavily delayed launch (... in August), the UES transplant never quite fit in its Amagansett surroundings. A seasonal shuttering turned into a permanent one, with word last week that The Meeting House's Tim Bando would be taking over, turning the shiny new space into a Mediterranean spot called Exile.
· East Hampton's Lonely Streets - A gaggle of stores have shuttered on Main Street and Newtown Lane this fall, some for the season, but many for good. As recently as this week, another round of shops left town, leaving a shockingly empty retail landscape for the winter.
· Bruce Buschel Blogs His Way Through Opening a Restaurant - Our beloved resto-blogger has posted his way through the fall months, providing updates on Times blog You're the Boss about his forthcoming Bridgehampton restaurant. Creating both buzz and controversy about his fish-only venture, Buschel cause a near industry riot with his own list of 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do.
· The Sandcastle is Chopped $10 Million - A chop for the ages! Just when we thought Joe Farrell's 31,000 square foot estate was merrily sitting on the market, the $59.5 million home falls $10 million. Is a move in the works for 2010? As with everything Sandcastle-related, the answer shouldn't disappoint.
· Madonna's Buys a 30 Acre Bridgehampton Stable - The Material Girl cometh. The month of December has been an all-Madonna news cycle on the East End, with speculation about her purchase of Kelly Klein's $9.6 million Wild Ocean Farm. While her horses seem to be all set, the singer continues to look for a place to call home for herself.
· Vornado's Steven Roth Overpays for Madoff Manor - Just weeks after it hit the market in September, Bernie Madoff's Montauk oceanfront was picked up for $9.41 million, more than its $8.75 million asking price. Mystery ensued until the deal closed, and Vornado's Steven Roth was revealed as the buyer.