Ocean Home magazine is for people who love the luxury oceanfront lifestyle, from home design and decor to world-class beach resorts, villas, hotels, and destinations.
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SEA LIFE | SEAN MEENAN What prompted the move? I just had to be by the ocean, and I was ready for a change. The more I found out about Far Rockaway, the more I realized it’s like a little hidden oasis. When I found the house and its beautiful view of the ocean, I thought to myself, “This is it; this is home.” It’s like a mini Hamptons getaway. I pop my convertible down and in 25 minutes, I’m on the beach. beach boy Sean Meenan at Café Habana. King of Queens For successful NYC restaurant owner Sean Meenan, an oceanfront house in Far Rockaway is his own little hidden oasis. By Nicole Vecchiarelli Sean Meenan has always been a maverick thinker. The restaurateur and environmentalist behind New York City’s Café Habana—one of the most popular downtown destina- tions for hipsters, tourists, and celebrities alike—recently left his rent-controlled apartment in the city’s trendy Nolita neighborhood for a house in… Queens. Not exactly a conven- tional move considering the borough’s reputation as being out of the way, somewhat suburban, and a bit rough and tumble. But Meenan, who owns a house on the beach in Far Rockway, considers it as ingenious and forward-thinking an idea as the human-powered bike blender in his restaurant. 80 oceanhomemag.com may + june 2010 And how would you describe it? Few people who live in Manhattan have been to Queens, and some might consider it the suburbs, but it’s pretty city-ish out there. And the beach itself is amazing. You’re not allowed to park there in the summertime, so un- less you live there or have a friend’s place to park in, you’re not going. So it ends up feeling like a private beach. When I’m out on the beach in the summer, and I want to run inside to cook or watch a Yankees game, I can just leave my stuff on the beach. Everyone out there is my neighbor; it’s totally safe. And the sand goes on for miles. I’m training for the marathon, so I jog. Now I can run eight miles uninterrupted. And now that you’re open- ing Café Habana in Malibu, you’re experiencing beach life on both coasts. Now that I’m an ocean guy, I had to get a little bungalow in Venice, too, as my place out there. It’s not on the water, but it’s only a short bike ride away. But that ride on the water from Venice to Malibu, there’s nothing like it. I just did it yesterday on my Vespa. What’s a typical day like for you in Far Rockaway? First thing I do everyday is go to my big bay window and check out the waves. I’ll go out, walk on the sand for a bit before I hop in my car and head to work. When I get home at the end of the day, I head right out to the beach. I don’t know what it is about the ocean, but it really affects me. If you’ve had a bad day, it calms you down. If you’re tired, it amps you up. It’s my therapy. Then I go to bed listening to the waves. That’s my favorite part. How much has living on the ocean affected your green approach to business? Keeping the ocean healthy is something I think about daily. There’s something about living on the beach in an urban setting that doesn’t let you forget your connection to nature. You are constantly reminded of your ties to the planet, so that affects everything I do. the details Sean Meenan moved into his Far Rockaway home a year ago. The two-story split-level house features five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and is spread out over 3,000 square feet. Meenan says he is just learning to surf but loves jogging on the beach.