Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
The Hamptons Celebrates Memorial Day With $25K Champagne Served By Skydiver
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 25, 2013
Modified May 25, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
original photo, Guest Of A Guest
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 25, 2013
Modified May 25, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
It feels comforting to know that in a world in which so many things are changing for the better, some things will always remain the same: hot dog hookers will keep hot dog hooking, Chris Christie and Snooki will never be friends, and the club elite in the Hamptons will always find the douchiest ways imaginable to imbibe ridiculously expensive alcohol. Because everyone knows that the only thing cooler than a $25K bottle of champagne is a $25K bottle of champagne chilled during a 10,000-foot free-fall and served by a skydiver.
The Post has a report about some of the more decadent happenings during Memorial Day Weekend from the center of linen-pants land. Derek and Daniel Koch’s Day & Night brunch at Gurney’s Inn in Montauk is responsible for the skydive service described above. The skydiver will be carrying a "chilled" magnum of Dom Pérignon Rosé Luminour “delivered to your table by parachute.” If airborne alcohol isn't quite your bag, you can always spring for the $30K methuselahs of Dom Pérignon at club Pink Elephant, which sounds like the type of party Stefon might show up for some light pre-gaming.
But there's an important reason why these elite tennis dabblers overcompensate with these kinds of pricey shenanigans, and it's not just to try to stave off the inevitability of death that looms over all of our lives: the Hamptons way of life as we know it is being threatened by daytripping, beer-swilling outsiders. “There was a time when you had to be on the inside to be part of the Hamptons, and that’s not true anymore,” East Hampton-based author Steven Gaines told the Times. “It’s become a tourist stop, and it has lost some of its exclusivity.”
“You don’t want to come across as snooty, but it’s about peace and quiet for all of us,” said Dayna Winter, a registered dietitian and a year-round Hamptons resident. She may have accidentally stumbled upon the true source behind this nefarious conspiracy to turn the Hamptons into another Jersey Shore: mother nature. “It’s not a party scene; it’s not what we want it to become," she said. "With the devastation of Sandy, we’re all a little nervous.”
Tagged
decadence
Hamptons
memorial day weekend
the fall of roman empire
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .