Even on Holiday Weekends there are Traders

I came back from Florida a day early to meet a genius in the production of advertising on television and then had the chance to take the 401p cannonball (see post below) and get home in time to take my granddaughter to the beach.

Unlike Florida with loads of public access, the towns out on the east end (the Hamptons) have very few ways to get on the beach.  There are huge public park beaches here and there but its $10 per.  If you live in my village you can get a beach pass and parking sticker otherwis you mostly have to stay in a place that has some passes otherwise no go.

When the storm of the century went through here in the early 90s (that huge nor'easter that they made the movie about) the ocean was up to where this picture was taken and all the barrier grass and dunes were gone. This is 17 years of reclamation.

Anyway, the beach was fairly crowded...maybe 300 people total over the mile of frontage (that's crowded for here....I'm not talking Florida) and who can afford such luxury?  Little know secret is that the Hamptons are supported by the financial markets - not by investments althoughmost people do - but by Wall Street Bonus.  It hits out here about the time it is issued as real estate agents have countless open houses and the Inns, Motels, resorts and restaurants all jack their prices.

Anyway, its labor day today and I'd personally like to thank all those who work so I can work.

dull trading day and the Friday Long Island Railroad Cannonball

It is Thursday and nothing much seems to be happening.  If you lived in the Hamptons, I mean actually be a year around resident, the last summer week before Labor Day was a mixture of anticipation and absolute dread.

Before the LIRR went to doubledeck cars in the middle 90s there was a train (still running but not as much fun) that left about 420p from various feeder trains and made a first stop in Westhampton Beach before just a couple more stops ending in Montauk.  The normal 2:15 trip was an hour and change and the train was named the cannonball for obvious reasons.  It once sported a stand up drinking car (although those who knew smuggled drinks on from the various liquor stores en route) and at the first stop 12-1400 weekenders arrived sloshed at a station with a dozen cabs and a car pickup line maybe a mile long. Welcome to a weekend in paradise.

The few supermarkets were often sold out of off anything not green tinged by Saturday morning.  Locals take to shopping at 2am to avoid the crush.  Kids swarm the aisles eating everything they can lay hands on and the parents blythely just toss the half eaten apples back on the pile.

Mostly it involves anyone who has a little summer money left has made reservations and take the opportunity to swell the population 10fold on this last big weekend.  Wall street exits its madness to come out here and enjoy madness with sand.

We locals don't mind as it brings some money out into the local economy.  We aren't sorry you came and we won't be sorry you left. 

It does make for a pretty flat market day all in all.