An August Weekend on Fire Island

It's Monday morning and the predicted downpours have so far failed to materialize over Fire Island. The sun is out and a slight September-esque breeze is in the air--a perfect bookend to a very busy weekend.

Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean made his annual appearance in the Pines yesterday alongside DNC Treasurer Andy Tobias and openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank [D-Mass.]. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese opened his fundraising pitch at a Saturday evening event with a reference to our interview in the harbor the previous morning. An underwear party at the Ice Palace, a breast cancer benefit in the Grove and Jack Schlegel's annual hat party in the Pines were among the other events that rounded out an extremely packed calendar.

The paper's second to last deadline is tomorrow. My birthday is this Saturday, and that serves as a personal reminder the summer is almost over. A lot has happened here on Fire Island in the three months I have been here--controversial citations issued by National Parks Service rangers in the Meatrack, more than 100 rescues on local beaches due to high surf and rip tides and even a performance by Broadway diva Bernadette Peters. What a summer it has been!