HAMPTONS HAPPENINGS
ROUTE 27 -The Preferred Route to Summer 2025 By Kelly Brady
Offshore Montauk
Summer on the East Coast means one thing: the East End. There’s nothing quite like turning onto Route 27, knowing it’s taking you straight to your happy place—a stretch of land where lush farmland meets the sea, and where New Yorkers eagerly sign off early on Fridays for a shared pilgrimage. I’ve been summering—and working—out East since the early aughts: launching brands, setting trends and producing some of the most talkedabout events of the season. From unforgettable nights at Star Room and Jet East, to the scene at Georgica, sun-drenched days at Montauk Beach House and iconic client performances at Surf Lodge—I’ve seen (and helped shape) it all. The East End holds some of my most defining summer memories. I got married in Montauk, found out I was pregnant here and have celebrated more birthdays than I can count—amidst the chaotic magic of Fourth of July weekend. Over the past two decades, I’ve summered everywhere from
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MANN ABOUT TOWN • JUNE/JULY 2025
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Southampton to Sag Harbor to East Hampton, before finally settling in Ditch Plains, Montauk, with my husband, our two kids and our dog. As the tides of East End culture continue to ebb and flow, each season brings a new wave of energy—restaurant debuts, fitness pop-ups, venue takeovers, fashion activations and scene-shaping arrivals that set the tone for the summer. No two seasons are the same. And this year? It’s a full-on Florida invasion. From Palm Beach’s iconic Colony Hotel taking over The Hedges in East Hampton (Swifty’s in town), to Mary Lou’s popping up in Montauk and Bagatelle setting up at Gosman’s Dock. Needless to say, this is the summer of high-style destination crossovers. Welcome to your insider’s guide to summer 2025. Each column, I’ll share what’s new, what’s hot and what’s actually worth your time—from Southampton to Montauk and over to the increasingly buzzy North Fork. Let’s start from the end—and work our way west (and north).
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