Preface: My phone shoots really crappy video, and, to my dismay, decided not to record sound.

Y’all need to come out here and visit. Here’s what we’ll do:

In the summer, Monday nights at the beach in Sagaponack are drum circle nights. Who knew? This dynamic expression of la vita brings an eclectic mix of young and old, locals and travelers, to beat drums, dance, and cook out on the beach under starry skies.

How to make improvised Three Bean Chili for Campfire:

Your friend says “Hey, lets go to a drum circle on the beach and cook there. Throw something together to eat! Hurry, I want to catch the sunset.”

Get some red, black, and white canned beans, plus one of corn, with easy open tops. Dice 3 or 4 small potatoes and put them in a tupperware. Throw a can of diced tomatoes over the top. Add a few glugs of olive oil, a few crushed cloves of garlic, and a small diced onion. If you have some peppers on hand, dice them too. I didn’t. Throw an appropriate amount of chili powder, salt, pepper, and herbs into the mix. Load all that into a large pot with metal handles and take it to the beach.

Dig a hole in the sand, build a fire in it. When the fire is reduced mostly to smoldering coals, dump everything into the pot, prop it up on a grill above the fire, and let it sit – covered. The number one problem with beach cooking is keeping sand out of the food. Stir occasionally. When the potatoes are cooked through, it’s done. About 30-40 minutes.

Drink beer.

Serving suggestions: If you forgot to bring spoons, as we did, and none of your beach neighbors have any to borrow, find a couple of appropriately sized sea shells on the beach, rinse them in the sea, dry them in the fire for a hot minute, and use those.

Later, after making some new friends around a campfire, eat an unknown stripe of fish off a strangers machete blade. Have long whimsical conversations about astrology and empowering yourself through energy healing and good vibrations.