ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK
TOO MUCH BIG-CITY LIVING may send you running for the hills, or at least the beaches, which is why tough winter storms and recession pocketbooks haven't managed to make a dent in the popularity of two classically gay New York State summer getaways, Fire Island and the Hamptons.
FANTASY ISLAND
IRE ISLAND is a 32-mile spit of land parallel to the southern coast
f Long Island. An isolated nature preserve where automobiles are banned and deer may block your path on elevated wooden walkways, Fire Island consists of 17 communities, and is reachable from
Steve Weinstein, a features writer for the International Herald Tribune, is researching a history of the Grove and the Pines.
the mainland only by boat or seaplane. Two of those communities, Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines, have become the best-known gay resorts in the world.
For some people Fire Island represents a refuge from the sounds, streets, and hassles of the city. For others it is a place to party, from the moment their Speedos are unpacked until the discos close at dawn. But for long-time resident Bill Hinckley, "This is a community of love, where people can
The West Village is the heart of gay and lesbian New York. It houses several gay institutions and landmarks, including Stonewall Place, the site of the original Stonewall Inn, where the historic events of 1969 occurred. Many trendy young gay professionals now live in the adjoining neighborhood of Chelsea, particularly in the area between 14th and 23rd streets on Seventh and Eighth avenues. The East Village is home to an eclectic mix of young gay men and lesbians, usually artists and activists, and you'll find a great number of gay men in the performing arts living on the Upper West Side, near Lincoln Center. A large concentration of New York lesbians live in the vicinity
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communicate together." Do be forewarned: Getting to the island isn't easy, and once you're there, finding accommodations can be difficult without prior arrangements.
The homes in Cherry Grove, the older community, are on smaller lots and there are more guest houses, which include Dune Point (516-597-6261) and Holly House (516-777-3628). The Belvedere (516-597-6448), in all its rococo splendor, is the Grove's premier hotel (regrettably, it does not welcome women). The Cherry Grove Beach Hotel (516-597-6600) does, however. In the Pines, where the homes are grander but less hospitable to first-time visitors, the only transient hotel is the Botel (516597-6500), on the harbor. If you're planning to visit during any holiday or weekend, you should make reservations as close to May 1 as possible.
During the summer, ferries run frequently between both communities and Sayville, a Long Island town 80 minutes from New York City. The ferry ride takes about 30 minutes. To get to Sayville, take the Long Island Railroad from Penn Station to Babylon or Jamaica and catch a connecting train there. Buses to the Fire Island ferry meet the train at Sayville. Just follow the crowd. Islanders Club buses run Thursday through Monday at prearranged spots throughout
of Seventh Avenue in Brooklyn's elegant Park Slope neighborhood, which is also the location of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, the oldest and largest lesbian collection in the world.
WINDING DOWN
F YOU'VE EVER BEEN hospitable to a friend from New York, call in the favor now, because accommodations could be the costliest part of your New York trip. (If you're planning a trip this busy June, you may already be in trouble.) Be prepared to spend at least $100 a night at any decent hotel, and this excludes exorbitant state and city hotel taxes. But many hotels offer special deals for weekends, and the rate
Manhattan. Call 212-633-8898 or 516-654-2622 for a reservation.
HAMPTONS HAVEN HE HAMPTONS, on the eastern edge of Long Island, are a collection of towns better known for their artistic, literary, and theatrical colonies than as gay enclaves. But the villages of Sag Harbor, Southampton,
Bridgehampton, and especially East Hampton have large lesbian and gay populations. Quieter than their Fire Island counterparts, gay residents tend to socialize among themselves and go to the beach less frequently. Nevertheless, there is an active nightlife scene, centered around the Swamp, a disco on the Montauk Highway.
The drive to East Hampton can take anywhere from two to nearly four hours from Manhattan, depending on traffic. The Long Island Railroad's Montauk branch stops in all of the Hampton communities except Sag Harbor. The Hampton Jitney's comfortable buses leave from Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side (212-936-0440).
There are several hotels and guest houses in the Hamptons, but only two cater to a gay clientele: Cozy Cabins in Wainscott (516-537-1160), and 132 North Main in East Hampton Village (516-324-2246).-STEVE WEINSTEIN
is usually charged per room rather than per person.
If you are stuck for a place to stay, call the Gay and Lesbian Visitors Center of New York (800-395-2315 or 212-463-9030). The New York Bed & Breakfast Reservation Center (212977-3512) offers hosted (gay or gayfriendly) or unhosted accommodations in the area of your choice within Manhattan.
But wherever you end up, it's not hard to make New York your kind of town. Almost anything your heart could desire-except peace and quiet is here at your fingertips 24 hours a day. So don't overdo it, you can always come back.♥
PHOTOGRAPH BY WARREN BOYD WEXLER
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