Tag: gig shack

Maserati To Montauk

Posted on by NikkiOnTheDaily in Hospitality, The Hamptons, Travel

This article first appeared in The Independent Newspaper. Read more about #EverythingEastEnd here

Independent/Amy Kalaczynski

Maserati: it’s not a car, it’s an experience.

I’d never driven a car with an MSRP reaching six figures. Purchasing my 2011 Hyundai, straight from the showroom post-college graduation, was about the biggest sense of automotive accomplishment I’ve achieved. So, when the opportunity to drive around a Maserati Quattroporte GranLusso for 24 hours presented itself, I was zero to ecstatic in 1.5 seconds.

The symbol of Maserati is a trident, the weapon of choice for Poseidon/Neptune, God of the Sea in mythology. Symbolically, Maserati is already connected to the East End, a place surrounded by water and those who have based their livelihoods off of it. And the sleek design of Quattroporte alone begged to be photographed. These waves of thought, in my mind, created a connection to the car that goes deeper than luxury. A car takes you from point A to point B. In this case, rather stylishly so. But at the end of the day, a car, no matter what the price tag, is about those in it and the adventures it drives us to.

Having the car wasn’t enough. I had to be seen in it. I needed to be noticed. I put on my red one-piece bathing suit as a top, with white jeans, to patriotically compliment the blue shimmer of the exterior. It reminded me of Montauk, blue like the ocean with subtle sparkles like the clear night sky.

Holiday House Hamptons with DanceBody and Paddle Diva. Below, Memory Motel, with Bella Ornaf of Fin Montauk. Independent/Amy Kalaczynski

Aiming to be mildly boastful yet inclusive, I sought out as many local businesses as I could to photograph with the car. Holiday House Hamptons in Bridgehampton, benefitting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, with Paddle Diva and DanceBody; The Lobster Roll in Amagansett; Gig Shack and Fin jewelry in Montauk. I dropped by The Montauk Beach House, Deep Hollow Ranch, The Montauk Lighthouse, and, concluded the day at John’s Drive-In. By including these establishments, with their teams or a just quick snap-shot, the car transformed from a solo experience to a communal one. I was the one behind the wheel but the gas pedal took me to the places that
mattered.

Independent/Amy Kalaczynski

I felt invincible driving such a power piece of machinery, gliding my hands over the wood-accented leather steering, blasting throwback music, opening the sunroof and all the windows. My Maserati hair was complemented by the salty air as I went back and forth on the stretch, from place to place, smiling to every passerby. However, nothing could overpower the joy that came from sharing my experience with others.

Not everyone has the means to drive such a lavishly designed car, not even myself (yet). But for a brief moment, we all shared in on a dream. The Hamptons is globally recognized as a place for people with money, a place to be seen. Underneath it all, year-round it’s a small town based on community support. For 24 hours, my Maserati was just that. A vehicle bringing people together.

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Tipsy Tastes: Montauk Hard Whiskey

Posted on by NikkiOnTheDaily in Food

(This article was originally published in the November 15, 2017 issue of The Independent Newspaper as part of my Tipsy Tastes series)

 

Montauk’s downtown watering hole 668 The Gig Shack has a harder side to it many may not know about — whiskey production. Montauk Hard Label is produced right in the back of the restaurant, where oftentimes in summer you’ll hear customers ordering the flavorful blueberry whiskey over the aluminum-sided bar. Masterminded by Skylar Gardell in 2014, whose family owns the restaurant, with fellow locals Tommy “Chicky” Ciccariello and Mike Demasco, a liquor business began — eventually adding on Tom Loncar, director of sales, and Abby Gawronski, director of marketing.

“Ciccariello is the excitement behind the company, actually he’s the excitement behind life! Every time you see Chicky he’s got the biggest grin on his face,” Gawronski enthusiastically explained. “Mikey Demasco is the Montauk Hard Label researching genius, he’s always out in the field and is also a great face for the company. Skylar Gardell is the creative brain behind the blueberry whiskey. He can sell blueberry whiskey to just about anyone,” she said.

The trio’s love for the liquor and the personality behind such a taste confidently ignited a business. Inspired by Irish whiskey brands, they unleashed an American bourbon-style spirit featuring the shark jaw label created by local artist and jewelry designer Erin Boyle.

Montauk Hard Label has two flavors — the original, made up of 100 percent yellow sweet corn, and blueberry-infused with natural extract. Both are distilled four times. Working with a boutique distillery, the company utilizes existing recipes as a jumping-off point to experiment with its own. Over the tried and true maple or cinnamon flavors, blueberry may come as a shock to some whiskey aficionados.

Ciccariello, who’s been in the food and service industry for over a decade, realized the potential for such a unique flavor and the creative cocktails he could concoct, like the Blueberry Old-Fashioned, made with the label’s blueberry whiskey, bitters, and a sugar cube over ice. And new for the season is the House Mulled Cider with blueberry whiskey to release those warm and fuzzy feelings inside.

As the bitter cold months blanket The End, the business is focused on building brand awareness. “A few weekends ago we attended the 20th annual October Ball at the New York Public Library in NYC. It was incredible to see our whiskey on the shelves and to have some of the elite young entrepreneurs sip on blueberry whiskey. As far as community we love to align ourselves with causes and events of interest. Golf, surfing, dinner parties, winter sports — you invite us, we’ll be there with a bottle of whiskey (or five),” Gawronski noted.

Whether you’re a local or crossing the stretch, as you enter the doors of The Shack and take a seat at a table or bar stool, look out for one of the owners’ friendly faces. Sip or savor, but whatever you do, make sure you “Go Hard.”