Vernal sunshine
LINDSAY REICHART & GUNNAR BURKE • Springs Brewery
WORK • Friday Routine
LINDSAY REICHART & GUNNAR BURKE • owners & brewers • Springs Brewery
Neighborhood you work in: Springs
Neighborhood you live in: East Hampton
It’s Friday afternoon. How are you rolling into the weekend?
Right now, Gunnar and I both work in architecture and own Springs Brewery, so Fridays are always of two minds. We’re working toward opening our brick-and-mortar brewery in my dad’s auto body shop down the street from where I grew up, and gradually transitioning out of architecture, which makes the end of the week feel both hectic and exciting.
Friday is about tying up loose ends. I’m wrapping up my work at Weiss/Manfredi, and Gunnar’s finishing projects for his architecture practice and making any last-minute beer deliveries. Then, we pack the van with merch, a tent, and market supplies for the Springs Farmers Market, so we don’t have such an early start on Saturday.
Fridays are also my favorite day on WFMU. Starting at noon I’m listening to Jessica, then Mona from 3-6p. Before I tore my ACL, I’d usually try to sneak into a restorative yoga class at Mandala Yoga in the afternoon, but that’s temporarily on hold. Our friends started Feathertop Farm a couple years ago and we pick up our order on Friday, which is like a gift for the week.
Most Friday nights are simple: sourdough pizza with whatever idea hits me, hanging out with our dogs, a cold Lazy Lightning IPA, a good movie, and an embarrassingly early bedtime. It’s all about rinsing off the week so we’re ready to spend Saturday morning socializing at the market.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
We’re lucky to have so many farmers, cooks, and food people as friends, so a lot of our favorite meals happen around someone’s table. But when we’re eating out, there are a few places we always return to.
We love to get coffee at S&S Corner Shop in Springs. At The Dock in Montauk, it’s buffalo mahi bites and a slice of peanut butter pie for life. At Doubles, it’s a pineapple-mint slush and a breakfast roti or mahi cutter. We love the specials, tuna tostadas, and drinks at Rita Cantina, and during the week you’ll often find us grabbing Cilantro’s Mexican in Sag Harbor.
If we’re in Montauk, we always stop at Joni’s (don’t sleep on the Blue Smoothie), or the aloha smoothie and tempeh BLT at Provisions in Sag Harbor. Shark Bar for BBCs and a bite after the beach. It’s also fun to grab a drink at Sagaponack Farm Distillery or Rosie’s, or catch a game at Springs Tavern and Grill or Rowdy Hall. For a special evening, we love Almond and 1770 House.
Because we’re currently brewing in Riverhead, we spend a lot of time driving back and forth between Montauk and the North Fork. Hardwood Poke Co. at Green Thumb in Water Mill is back for the summer and transports you to Hawaii. Turkuaz Grill is our favorite stop for Turkish food, Tiny’s is wonderful for soul food and was started by an East Hampton High School graduate, and the Green & Gold food truck at Milk-Pail in Water Mill makes a top-notch breakfast burrito.
How about a little leisure or culture?
Our friend Jess Frost founded the Art Center at Duck Creek, and it’s one of the most special places on the East End. The historic barns and grounds are beautiful, the exhibitions are consistently great, and the programming ranges from family workshops to weekly jazz performances under the trees. Last summer, Ira and Georgia of Yo La Tengo played an experimental set there that was unforgettable.
We try to catch Student Body whenever they play locally, and Big Karma’s Sunday shows at Inlet are always a good time. In the fall, we love watching games at Cedar Point Pizza with a halftime swim session — go Bills. Guild Hall also shows monthly movies and has a special lineup of guests, including John Waters this summer.
Our friends Tucker and Isla run Folly Tree Arboretum, which is always hosting something delightfully surreal — a rock competition, a clam party complete with live larvae racing, or a Bread and Puppet performance unfolding among the trees. And every summer we make it onto the Lazybones a couple of times for a low-stakes, highly entertaining fishing trip, usually with plenty of laughs and not necessarily many fish.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
This is going to sound ridiculous, but we recently got rid of our fancy grill and replaced it with a vintage Weber grill from the ’80s that we found for less than $100 on Facebook Marketplace. We’re restoring it now, and even with its decades of character, it’s one of the best purchases we’ve ever made.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Our local farmers market in Springs, every Saturday 9a-1p, with farmers and producers like Sand & Soil Farm, fishermen Chris Scola and Captain Phil, our beer, Matt Ross of Fireplace Farm, and many others. And again, WFMU: one of the last truly independent radio stations in the country, and an endless source of discovery, inspiration, and joy.
Where are you donating your time or money?
The Springs Food Pantry. A lot of people hear “the Hamptons” and think only of wealth, but that’s not the community I grew up in, and it’s not the reality for many people who live here year-round. My grandmother started the Springs Food Pantry, and I grew up volunteering there. Today, my aunt Holly runs it alongside a dedicated team of volunteers. It’s an essential resource, helping local families put food on the table throughout the year, and one that’s often misunderstood by people outside the community.