Rebecca Taylor, Athena Calderone, and the Surf Lodge Hosted a Lobster Dinner in Montauk

Those who venture out to the Surf Lodge know what to expect: sunset concerts, a killer seafood tower, sand in your shoes, and an ever-rotating pop-up shop with racks of clothes that leave you feeling like you need a new outfit ASAP. The next brand to occupy the whitewashed bazaar at the pondside destination is Rebecca Taylor, and over the weekend the label set up its flowy chiffon dresses for all to admire. To celebrate a dinner was put on last night cohosted by Athena Calderone and ABC Cocina’s chef Camila Avendano.

As with every summer Sunday at the Surf Lodge, come sunset a concert began on the deck. Up on the stage was Shallou—a deejay not everyone seemed familiar with, but by the end of his set it was clear he had won the crowd over with his easy, breezy synths and sublime sound. After dark guests congregated around a long dinner table set by Calderone with rustic clusters of flowers by ABC Bloom. Attendees included Casey Fremont, Nicole Trunfio, Jessie Randall, and Kristopher Brock, and most wore Rebecca Taylor’s feminine frocks, which looked even better en masse.

Cocktails—mostly margaritas to match the Mexican meal to follow—were fixtures in everyone’s hand as they milled about in the sand, watching the extraordinary ABC team cook an incredible meal alfresco. “This is my favorite place to be cooking,” said Avendano, chatting with guests and displaying the extent of her multitasking skills as she prepared roasted corn. The five-course dinner began with a raw fluke dish, which lead to half-lobsters and beef tenderloin entrées seasoned with chimichurri. The evening would end on a sweet note: a corn flan dish that was incredibly memorable, even after all the tequila!

Everyone seemed to soak up the night—the second-to-last Sunday of summer—and guests traded stories about their journeys back to the city. A lucky few would take the week off to spend it out east, including Calderone, who admitted she needed a bit of rest after a late-night hearing her husband DJ at the Brooklyn Mirage. Those who were headed back to the city after dinner were consoled with the goodie bags on offer upon departure: a floral-printed tote containing Cesta’s coveted Lunchpail bag and a pair of blue jeans from Rebecca Taylor’s new denim line, La Vie. It was a gift that certainly softened the blow that the night had to end—and soon too will summer.