Devorah Rose, Nomi Ellenson Photography.
L E T T E R F R OM T H E E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F
Just a few days ago I woke up early and, together with two friends, walked from Mecox Beach to Scott Cameron. Have you ever noticed how the flat terrain of the shore seems to move onward infinitely? That morning the sky and sea were so similar in color it was as if there were no horizon, no line to separate earth from sky. Enveloped by the cozy summer heat, all my senses woke with the cold waters splashing my toes. I just love bright tiny adventures. When I take the time to truly connect to the Hamptons natural beauty, I feel such perfect stillness and childlike joy. I wish I could bottle it up and pop its cork after a hectic city day . . . and in the next moment, I scold myself for being so hardwired by our consumer culture that even my purest instincts are, at times, tainted by consumption and structure. Is it so hard to just enjoy the untamed? The way we experience, take in, and create beauty in our modern day is quite complicated. How do you feel about meaning versus materialism? Experiences you simply cannot buy tend to remind me of Tom Ford’s thoughts on conspicuous consumption. He said, “I struggle with materialism. And I’m one of the least materialistic people that exist, because material possessions don’t mean much to me. They’re beautiful, I enjoy them, they can enhance your life to a certain degree, but they’re ultimately not important.” If consumerism is our modern religion then this quote is akin to hearing one of fashion’s holy men claiming that his church, at least to him, is meaningless. In the Hamptons — where glorious mansions are nestled among idyllic scenes of nature — I think this is a dilemma at the forefront of many minds. Christie Brinkley, one of our recurrent cover girls, has her own take on how to balance meaning and surface. Christie Brinkley’s words are as bubbly and fun as her new Prosecco line: “What makes life perfect is giving back and making the world a better place . . . but it definitely is easier to tackle the world on a good hair day!” I hope each of you enjoys this month’s issue. Please feel free to email me — at devorah@sociallifemagazine.com — with feedback about the pages! I hope each and every one of you is having an amazing July! Don’t forget to give yourself permission to experience the Hamptons fully on every level. You only have one summer 2016 — make the best of it!
Devorah Rose Social Life