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Brianna L. Hernández, a Chicana artist, curator, and educator, will be the featured speaker at Almond in Bridgehampton at its long-running “Artists & Writers” dinner series on Monday, December 1. Courtesy photo
R.AIRE in Hampton Bays will offer a special six-course tasting menu on December 5 and December 6, showcasing the globally influenced cooking of chef Alex Bujoreanu. Doug Young photo
Hampton Coffee Company has launched its seasonal holiday menu at its locations across the North and South forks.
Almond in Bridgehampton will continue its long-running “Artists & Writers” dinner series on Monday, December 1, at 6 p.m., with featured guest Brianna L. Hernández, a Chicana artist, curator, educator and death doula whose work engages deeply with themes of end-of-life care, grief, and cultural mourning rituals.
The evening includes a three-course, family-style dinner prepared by chef Jason Weiner, served with a glass of wine or draft beer for $55, plus tax and gratuity. Almond’s monthly salon-style dinners have become a staple of the local food-and-arts scene, pairing communal meals with conversations led by creative voices working across disciplines.
Hernández, born in 1991, creates multimedia installations informed by lived experience, cultural research, and collaboration. She also serves as director of curation and board secretary at Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation, where she works to make socially charged topics accessible through art and education.
Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling the restaurant at 631-537-5665.
R.AIRE in Hampton Bays will offer a special six-course tasting menu on Friday, December 5, and Saturday, December 6, showcasing the globally influenced cooking of chef Alex Bujoreanu. Bujoreanu — whose work has earned a spot among the “18 Best Tasting Menus Across the U.S.” — has crafted a lineup of dishes that highlight both classic flavors and modern technique, with a strong emphasis on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
The menu is priced at $140 per person, plus tax and gratuity, with optional wine pairings available for an additional $60.
Bujoreanu, who hails from Spain, has shaped R.AIRE’s kitchen around Mediterranean traditions, producing authentic tapas, paella, house-cured meats, and stocks made from scratch. Many ingredients are imported directly from Spain, and the restaurant’s 70-plus bottle wine list is curated by the chef himself.
Reservations and menu details are available at hamptonmaid.com/raire.
The Watermill Center will continue its year-round Artists’ Table series on Saturday, December 6, from noon to 2:30 p.m., pairing an intimate artist talk with a locally sourced meal prepared by chef Annie Washburn of East Hampton Kitchen.
The afternoon features a presentation by multidisciplinary artist Jamie Diamond, whose latest project, “Madonna of the Future,” draws inspiration from Henry James and explores the tension between idealized images of motherhood and lived experience. Created during a residency at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the work engages with themes of identity, persona and tradition within the museum’s historic setting.
Diamond, known for examining the construction of intimacy and identity through photography, performance and film, has exhibited internationally at institutions including Fondazione Prada, Mass MoCA, the Bronx Museum, and Trapholt Museum in Denmark. Her work frequently blurs the line between the authentic and the staged, probing how personal and cultural narratives are shaped.
Following the talk, guests will sit down to a farm-to-table meal by Washburn, a chef and event producer whose seasonal, site-specific menus at East Hampton Kitchen emphasize local purveyors and expressive hospitality. Washburn, formerly of the New York City Wine & Food Festival and the Meatpacking District Initiative, is known for immersive culinary experiences that merge food, design and storytelling.
Artists’ Table offers guests an inside look at Watermill’s international Artists-in-Residence program, combining creative presentation with a communal meal. The series is supported by Drs. Mark and June Halsey and Halsey Dermatology.
The event takes place at The Watermill Center, 39 Watermill Towd Road, Water Mill. Reservations are required. Visit watermillcenter.org to book your reservation.
Hampton Coffee Company has launched its seasonal Holiday Menu, available through New Year’s at its locally owned espresso bars and cafés in Water Mill, Westhampton Beach, Southampton, Aquebogue, Montauk, Center Moriches and its newest location in Hampton Bays.
New beverages this year include a Praline Shaken Espresso; the Merry Berry Refresher with blood orange syrup, cranberry juice, lemonade, and a cinnamon finish; and a Guava Lemonade. Returning favorites include the Peppermint Mocha — served iced or hot with whipped cream and candy cane pieces — and the Holiday Cookie Latte. The café’s made-to-order hot cocoa remains available year-round, and fan favorites such as the Frosty Eggnog Freeze and the Eggnog Crème Shaken Cold Brew are also back, each made with locally roasted Hampton Espresso Blend and real dairy eggnog.
Seasonal bakery items include the Cinnamon Scone, baked fresh each morning, and the popular Gingerbread Guys — soft gingerbread cookies handmade by South Fork Bakery, with proceeds supporting adults with special needs.
The limited-edition Hampton Holiday Blend coffee has also returned for the season. The sweet and savory winter blend, made with locally roasted coffee, cinnamon, and holiday spices, is available in whole bean or decaf, and in a reusable, curbside-recyclable canister. All items may be ordered online at hamptoncoffee.com.
On the savory side, the new Spicy Chorizo and Egg Biscuit joins the Turkey Brie and Cranberry Panino on the all-day breakfast and lunch menu.
Hampton Coffee Company features Direct Trade craft coffee roasted at its Southampton roastery, baked-fresh-daily pastries, and a full breakfast and lunch menu. Founded in 1994, it is now Long Island’s largest independently owned roaster-retailer. More information is available at hamptoncoffee.com.
The holiday season kicks off at Claude’s, located in the Southampton Inn at 91 Hill Street in Southampton Village, with a series of special meals and festive events for the community.
On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, Claude’s will serve a Thanksgiving Breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering a warm start to the holiday for families and visitors.
The celebration continues on Black Friday, November 28, with a special brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are recommended for the popular holiday offering.
For more information, or for reservations, visit southamptoninn.com.
Staff Writer on Nov 18, 2025