Pack your sunscreen and your beach bags: CULTURED has landed in the Hamptons. To celebrate the release of the first Hamptons issue of 2024, for which Athena Calderone serves as the guest interiors editor, and the launch of Diptyque's summer collection, friends of the magazine and East Enders gathered at Donna Lennard's Amagansett hotspot il Buco al Mare last night for a seasonal kick-off.
The intimate dinner was hosted by CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson, Calderone, and President of Diptyque Paris Julien Gommichon, who came together to kick off the Hamptons summer season and toast to the release of the annual Hamptons supplement.
Guests—including model Martha Hunt, furniture designer Max Eicke, chef Andy Baraghani, designer Cynthia Rowley, angel investor and collector Hannah Bronfman, photographer Cass Bird, Bumble's Selby Drummond, patrons Jason and Michelle Rubell, and gallerist Eric Firestone—refreshed their palates with a menu that married Hamptons cooking with traditional Italian flavors. Littleneck clams, grilled striped bass, and a mustard green salad were equal parts fresh and flavorful. For desert, local fruits topped both a warm chocolate cake and seasonal crostata.
The issue, which includes a profile of legendary artist and part-time Montauk resident Julian Schnabel and a conversation between Calderone and Adrian Nivola, the grandson of legendary artist Costantino "Tino" Nivola, alongside guides to all things Hamptons, made the rounds, and started more than one debate. Is Marilee’s Farmstand in Sagaponack really the best place to source fresh produce, or is it Saturday Farmers’ Market at Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton?
Diners also raised a toast to the launch of Diptyque’s new summer collection, which is inspired by hedonistic summers on the Mediterranean sea. At the end of the evening, guests walked away with bags featuring the brand’s latest products, including an Ilio-scented body spray and a citronelle candle. While Georgica Beach isn’t exactly Juan-Les-Pins, at CULTURED, we’ll take the Hamptons any day.
