Newport, RI and Allergic Girl
Some general impressions: Newport is a charming hamlet: every inch of it is adorable; narrow streets are lined by darling houses; there's a salty breeze in the air; cars let each other pass with a wave; and the topper for this New York City Allergic Girl, people leave their front doors open. Why? Just 'cause. It's summer, it's hot, and they're neighborly.
New local friends Larry and Shelley [NYC transplants, natch] took us on an excellent mini-walking tour of their 'hood, called The Point. They told us that as Newport hasn’t experienced a major fire, like most American cities, many of its original structures still stand. Every second or third house we passed was protected and preserved by one of the three historical societies. Many of those sweet colonial cottages have plaques saying something like, "Colonel Mustard 1770". Larry and Shelley's office is housed in a converted school from the time of President Lincoln. So cool.
Then there are the major houses, the summer cottages used for only six weeks of the year by the great Robber Barons of the Gilded Age. We visited Marble House, pet project of Alva Vanderbilt. Here's her Chinese pagoda.
Rough Point, the Duke family estate and last occupied by the infamous Doris Duke. And The Breakers.
And not to mention, the great natural beauty: the ocean, the cliffs; greenery and flora. Oh joy.
However, in some cities you can’t have it all and in Newport great food was just not in the cards for me. But eating relatively allergen-free was.
More in a tic...
New local friends Larry and Shelley [NYC transplants, natch] took us on an excellent mini-walking tour of their 'hood, called The Point. They told us that as Newport hasn’t experienced a major fire, like most American cities, many of its original structures still stand. Every second or third house we passed was protected and preserved by one of the three historical societies. Many of those sweet colonial cottages have plaques saying something like, "Colonel Mustard 1770". Larry and Shelley's office is housed in a converted school from the time of President Lincoln. So cool.
Then there are the major houses, the summer cottages used for only six weeks of the year by the great Robber Barons of the Gilded Age. We visited Marble House, pet project of Alva Vanderbilt. Here's her Chinese pagoda.
Rough Point, the Duke family estate and last occupied by the infamous Doris Duke. And The Breakers.
And not to mention, the great natural beauty: the ocean, the cliffs; greenery and flora. Oh joy.
However, in some cities you can’t have it all and in Newport great food was just not in the cards for me. But eating relatively allergen-free was.
More in a tic...
Comments
but you can only take in so much at once. a native newporter recommended no more than 2 or 3 castles tops. so we chose carefully. and he was right.
we'll just have to go back!
no one lets you pass? maybe they saw my NYS plate and thought they ought to? ;-)
and yes the elms and the chateau my list for when i return!