The Best Place To Be When it Rains on Memorial Day Weekend

Trust the Hamptons to make a rainy Sunday on Memorial Day weekend turn into a social event. It paid to answer an invitation from the socialite Jean Shafiroff and Antonella Bertello, owner of Baker House, to come for a “Social Hour Soirée.”  It was one of the first gatherings of Hamptons summer 2026.

The Baker House, from 1650 farmhouse to 1910 mansion to today’s elite watering hole

The 200 who responded included taste-makers, old hands on the charity circuit, a retired televiion newsman, some reality TV stars, people newly arrived from the Palm Beach season, local power players and imports there for the weekend. Baker House, which started as a farmhouse in 1650, then was transformed into a Cotswolds mansion in 1910, is classified as a B&B, but that hardly defines it.

Lucky guests on Memorial Day weekend (photo credit: BFA / David Benthal)

For one thing, Conde Nast’s Johansens declared it “the most excellent inn of the Americas” for four years in a row. The rooms feel like a private home. It was like having a good friend who owned a mansion and put on a civilized party, with perfect food and drink.

We felt lucky to be there, and not outside in the drizzle.

Even when skies were grim, fashion did not disappoint. Shafiroff made a memorable entrance in a colorful silk Dolce & Gabbana pajama set, then later in the afternoon in a red silk Dolce & Gabbana gown. Antonella Bertello wore a relaxed look in green silk, while guests struck a balance between cozy weekend wear (sweaters and jeans) and full Hamptons polish.

Suzan Kremer, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Jean Shafiroff, Lauren Day Roberts, Andrea Wernick, Ruth Miller (Photo credit, BFA / David Benthal)

Conversation drifted naturally to how soon guests were heading back to New York City on this weekend, then to summer plans. Many  mentioned destinations, Europe, South America, the far east — as long as jet fuel didn’t run out.

Robin Fleming, CEO of the Miss America organization and scholarship foundatiion (Photo credit, BFA / David Benthal)

Others mentioned  obligations closer to home, mapping out a season of charity events, the gatherings and weekends that define modern life: college visits, inlaws, grandparents, anniversaries, tutoring, expected houseguests, student test dates, a college reunion, business trips, cocktail parties, children’s tennis competitions, retirement parties, dinner dates. The summer schedule seemed full already.

Maria Fishel (Photo credit, BFA / David Benthal)

One purpose of the afternoon was to highlight the many honors Shafiroff will receive this sumer for her charitable work: an award for Broadcast Philanthropy from LTV Studios on June 28; recognition for her role as co-chair of the Southampton History Museum’s Halsey House Gala on July 3; another award at the SOFO (South Fork Natural History Museum) Gala on July 11.

A fast change: Antonella Bertello delivers a new version of Jean Shafiroff, this time in de Souza (Photo credit, BFA / David Benthal)

Bertello should be noted for her ambition. Baker House is just one of her real estate ventures. She is an associate broker and member of the Corcoran Group’s Multimillion Dollar Club, with sales in New York, Florida and Latin America. Her average sales price is $12.5 million. Born in Peru, she has lived all over the world before settling in East Hampton more than a decade ago. With her family she is developing Marina Coast Peru, a mega-yacht development on the Pacific near the equator. Her friends and business associates are drawn from this international circle.

Antonella Bertello, owner of Baker House, broker, entrepreneur (Photo credit, BFA / David Benthal)

Among those in attendance were Bill Boggs, Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright, Michele Heary, Nicole Noonan, Robin Fleming, Will Stokes, Robert Farrier, Maria Fishel, the composer Lucia Hwong Gordon, Jim and Meghan McCartney, Roisin Ni Mhordha, Ruth Miller, Laura Day Roberts, Leesa Rowland and Kim DeGraff.

Roisin Ni Mhordha (Photo credit, BFA / David Benthal)

Like Sarah Wetenhall at the Hedges, Bertello livens up her formidable establishment beyond providing beds for ovenight guests. She offers events, among them Sip and Paint on June 13 ($65), not surprisingly, a Taste of Peru on June 18 ($28.52), Champagne and Caviar July 3 ($135) and more, including free ones, through the year. Baker Houose’s public rooms, dining spaces and grounds are worth a visit, better yet, a stay. Rooms and suites start at around $800 a night during the season. Less in winter. It sits at 181 Main Street, East Hampton.

If anything, that Memorial Day afternoon made it clear that the Hamptons social calendar has shifted gears It was now officially summer.