Boots on the Beach

 Boots on the beach? Barefoot on the beach seems like a more likely combination, especially for anyone (like me) who only has the opportunity to enjoy the ocean one week out of the year.

And yet, this time at the ocean was different. I had traded bare feet for boots, a bikini for a blanket and sunglasses for a scarf. While it did feel a bit bizarre at first, I did feel like I was able to fully appreciate Mother Nature's beauty just a little bit more than when hordes of bikini-wearers and swim trunk-bearers infiltrate the beach.

Looking left, looking right, looking straight ahead, not a human soul, although the sea gulls were a different story. The whole atmosphere had taken on a different aura, transitioning from a place of socializing to a place of solitude.

And this was Long Island--Southampton to be exact. This was a place where all the celebs are supposed to lavishly love out their summers, shopping at Dolce and J. Crew to escape the "harsh" demands of the NYC summer life. A place where people swarm in the warm summer months.

But somehow the salty air tasted just a little bit sweeter; the unwavering breeze smelled a little bit fresher; and being alone on the beach didn't seem quite so lonely.