Sans Souci of Sea Cliff Sea Cliff, New York

Picture a rose and a golden sunset over the Long Island Sound, a group of friends, cocktail in hand, turn to admire the view through curving French windows that stretch the length of the ballroom.

Soft music plays as the last of the guests come in from the terrace and the party gathers momentum. The scene is reminiscent of Gatsby, of parties on the Gold Coast at the turn of the century. Thought the time is the present, the setting, fittingly enough, is a long time Sea Cliff landmark, The Sans Souci.