By Ray Rogers
After a long, busy and buzzy summer season, the time of the year when the crisp air and clear blue skies descend on the East End is when the real magic happens for many in-the-know visitors, local residents and proprietors, including The Baker House 1650 owner Antonella Bertello. “One of my favorite months of the whole year is October—the big crowds are gone, and there are amazing events, including the Hamptons International Film Festival and ARF’s annual Stroll to the Sea Dog Walk.”
You can spot Bertello and her two yellow Labs, Bella and Gioia, at the annual event—or back on campus at The Baker House 1650, where they live on premises. The Baker House has been participating in the annual walk for the past 20-some years, providing Baker House-branded tennis balls and treats for the four-legged strollers. The pet-friendly oasis features beautiful dog beds and Yeti water bowls in the room.
And owners get pampered all year round too, of course, with special events throughout the season. This fall, enjoy Aperitivos every Thursday through Saturday from 5-8PM, with five signature drinks. Try Bertello’s favorite, the Eleganza spritz—“It’s like an Aperol spritz with rosemary and orange,” she notes. “If we get an Indian summer, it remains outside, but if it starts to get chilly, we bring it indoors, where we have nine wood-burning fireplaces in the main house.”
Or enjoy your wine or beverage of choice during the Sip and Paint events, during which the artist Lois Bender teaches people to create watercolors of flowers, fruit, or the hotel’s 200-year-old wisteria or the humongous beech tree that resides in the middle of the property.
Enjoy special Afternoon Tea the first Sunday of every month, an occasion befitting the English manor-style Baker House, complete with cucumber and egg salad finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and a selection of nine different Plain T teas—all served on William Morris fine bone china. Indulge with a glass of Billecart-Salmon rosé Champagne, and if you’re feeling extra festive, upgrade the experience with Altima caviar blinis.
Foodies won’t want to miss the Taste of Peru dinners, offered on the third Thursday or Saturday of each month. Bertello, of Italian and Peruvian background, wanted to share with East Enders the cuisine of Peru, whose capital city has become a foodie destination in recent years. No need to fly to Lima for a culinary tour. At The Baker House, dig into a lemony ceviche made with leche de tigre or Bertello’s favorite entree, aji de gallina, which she describes as “a shredded chicken dish in an amazing creamy sauce made with pecans, and served with rice and potatoes.” It is best enjoyed with a classic pisco sour, or an inspired variation like a maracuya sour or chicha sour, which employs juice from Peruvian purple corn.
With winter around the corner, The Baker House will offer s’mores kits around the fire pits and fireplaces. Classic cheese and chocolate fondues can also be enjoyed in the elegant outdoor igloos, set up when the weather
gets colder, offering a cozy place for shared plates and board games.
A perfect off-season weekend escape or a staycation to celebrate an anniversary or special birthday, “The Baker House is the true epitome of casual luxury,” says Bertello. Come by yourself or with a loved one and when you book a Swedish, CBD or hot stone massage, or a facial (with plant-based products from Luzern skin care), you get the entire downstairs spa to yourself, complete with a eucalyptus steam shower, sauna and pool to luxuriate in. Pure bliss. bakerhouse1650.com