(Long Island, NY) Manhattanites and Hamptonites attended my birthday bash and cocktail soiree to celebrate the launch of Cognac’s Corner Magazine at www.cognacscorner.tv. This is the latest in my enthusiastic endeavors reporting straight from the red carpet on hot celebrity gossip, entertainment news and the hippest trends in fashion.
This event was hosted by Christine Hill and Douglas Oakland owners of this charming seaside Oaklands Restaurant (www.oaklandsrestaurant.com) in Hampton Bays on June 8, 2007. The restaurant is situated at the very end of Dune Road on the western side of the Shinnecock Canal, and has a splendid position of having water on three sides of its structure. The restaurant also utilizes a full marina with 46 boat slips.
Oakland’s was promptly purchased in 1990 by Joyce Oakland. Her beautiful daughter Christine Hill and gracious son Doug Oakland are now in control of running this elegant establishment. Christine’s creative artistic husband John Hill who is the chef de cuisine learned early on that delicious food is high priority coming from an Irish and Italian family. During our extensive interview he stressed that the tuna is the signature dish of the restaurant but he also recommends the swordfish and the lobsters are always received well by patrons who delight in eating a sumptuous meal. Everything is made from scratch, the best ingredients and only fresh seafood for his customers. Mr. Hill has 15 wonderful years of experience, working in New England restaurants and truly enjoys perfecting his craft of creating delicious cuisine.
Christine Hill, Rick Virga, Cognac Wellerlane, Paris Fellini, Joe Manuella and Douglas Oakland
“We’re definitely a seafood restaurant, but in case people do not eat fish, we have plenty of other choices,” revealed Christine Hill during our interview in front of the massive brick fireplace in the cozy bar lounge. Upon entering this fabulous dining establishment you are impressed with panoramic views of the shinnecock inlet and its wonderful decor: a giant model fish hangs in the center of the dining room, surrounded by the jaws of other large fish and colorful regatta flags. Aside from these unique details, the interior of the restaurant is decorated in muted, paneled blond wood and simple white tablecloths allow the calming motion of water views to be prevalent.
My guests drank champagne and feasted on Mini Crab Cakes, Sliders, Clams Casino, Beef Rouladin, Salmon Bites, Braised Short Rib Crustinis, Crispy Duck Breast with a Southwestern Corn Sauce, Tempura Fried Shrimp with a Spicy Pineapple Sauce and Tuna Tartare, delicious!!
Truly a marvelous restaurant to enjoy a hot Hampton evening out on the town in Hampton Bays.
I also had a chance to interview explosive handsome Las Vegas Entertainer Rick Virga. Rick Virga has opened for such important acts as Earl Lewis, the Channels, The Deprees and Randy, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge and the Rainbows. He has been performing as an Elvis tribute artist for numerous years and has astounded audiences with smooth renditions of The King’s Classics. Rick revealed that he was inspired by watching Elvis Presley movies as a kid and would love to mimic his style. He actually became an entertainer on a dare to get up and start performing in front of a crowd of people at a night club. He decided to submit an audition CD to an agency in Las Vegas, Rick was immediately signed to perform at the Frontier Hotel on the Vegas strip. He headlined the Rock-n-Roll Idols Show in 2002 along with other tribute artists. Rick performed at the Elvis-A-Rama Museum in “The King in Concert” and the “All Shook Up” stage shows.
Mr Virga has been featured on the E! Channel’s Elvis Special and has also been featured on the Travel and Golf Channels. Rick has decided to come back to his roots here in New York and reunite with his former bandmates All The Kings Men and to bring his Vegas quality show to the East coast. Rick’s web site www.RickVirga.com has been a great source for Elvis enthusiasts the world over. If you are a big fan of Elvis Presley then you must make it a point to see the incredible Rick Virga. Enjoy the next best thing to a live Elvis show!
Important celebrities and personalities that attended my birthday bash and cocktail soiree were Celebrity Event Photographer Shane Gritzinger, Count Vlad from Vladicouture, Publicist Ron Caparella, Photographer Lorenzo Brieba, Fashion Designer Patricia Parenti, Financier Owain Morgan, Actor Joe Manuella and Paris lookalike Paris Felinni.
