Bethenny Frankel, known for her role in "The Real Housewives of New York City," has voiced strong opinions against popular Hamptons destinations, describing them as "boring" and significantly hampered by traffic congestion. Frankel, 55, stated on Facebook that the effort required to reach areas like Montauk or Amagansett is not justified by the experience.
"For me the juice is not worth the squeeze going all the way out to Montauk or Amagansett — [you] couldn’t give me a house there," Frankel said. She noted that even residents of Amagansett avoid their town center due to severe traffic, a problem also present in East Hampton. She added that even affluent individuals cannot escape these daily inconveniences, especially for routine errands like grocery shopping.
Instead of the farther Hamptons locales, Frankel expressed a preference for Westhampton, a town located approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes from New York City. She described Westhampton as "a cute town," her "favorite town," highlighting its beach access and presence of farm stands. A key advantage she cited is the ease of travel to and from the city and airports without being "suffocated and a prisoner in your home due to traffic."
"It can be an hour and a half to travel within the Hamptons. Ain’t nobody got time for that. For me, I’m betting on all the places closest to the city," she explained.
Locals have observed an increase in Westhampton's popularity. Michael Brunetti, a pizzaiolo in Westhampton, noted that the town is gaining deserved recognition. He mentioned the addition of a windmill as a new town feature and observed that people are venturing further west. Brunetti also stated that Westhampton Beach is being discovered by younger demographics and attracts a share of celebrities.