Strap on your fanny packs because here we go…

Ochre Court

Ochre Court is the second largest of all the mansions, and I first mistook it for the Breakers.  It was built in 1892 for Ogden Goelet (whoever he was) and is now owned by Salve Regina University.  It’s their admissions center and the Running Man and I actually picked up an info packet so we could get a look inside.  I’m sure we fooled no one.  Oh well.

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Beechwood Mansion

This was the mansion that put Newport on the map as “THE” summer playplace of the uber-riche.  Built in 1851, and later acquired by the Astor family, which included the Mrs. Astor who created the first social register, it is one of the oldest of the homes and was the center of the social scene.

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The Breakers

The most famous of all the mansions and the definitive example of “Gilded Age” abundance, The Breakers was built between 1893 and 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt. The house has more than 65,000 square feet and required more than $150 million in today’s dollars to complete.  If you have time for only one home to tour, this is it.

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Rough Point

Rough Point was originally built for Frederick William Vanderbilt between 1887 and 1892.  In 1922, the home was sold to James Buchanan Duke (who created Duke Univeristy).  He died in 1925 and bequeathed the home to his 12-year-old daughter Doris.  Doris lived there part-time until her death in 1993, when she donated the home to the Newport Restoration Foundation.  A girl after my own heart, she acquired fine art and antiques for the home, but also bought her bedding at J.C. Penney, and that just makes her real and more likable in my book.

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I don’t even know the name of this one…

but I thought it was pretty and should be included.  It’s currently owned by Salve Regina University.

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Private Homes

Here’s  the Running Man’s and my all-time favorite home:

Sorry about the flagpoles, I had to finagle through the fence.  That’s elegant me…

Here’s another look…

Isn’t she gorgeous?  A view from the water.

Someone gets to live here.

That’s the Breakers looming behind these 2 huge homes, just to help you with scale.

I also thought this was pretty.

I don’t even need to see the rest of this house: with that many chimneys I know it’s incredible.

Thanks for walking along.

And thank the Lord for Wikipedia so I can sound like I know what I’m talking about.

My favorite thing about Newport is the Cliff Walk, a 3 mile trail along the ocean, directly in front of the most magnificent estates.

It amazes me that its even there.  Can you imagine the work to persuade all these residents to place a walkway right along their oceanfront?

Obviously the results are spectacular for all of us.

I can’t even imagine living here.

And then something I never expected to see…

Surfers!  In Rhode Island.

Right on dude.

Directly in front of the Breakers, the most famous of the mansions,

this was happening.

So you have the Gilded Age in all its refinement and glitz,

juxtaposed with an activity so, well,

Californian.  Laid back and heavy on the Dude.

The Vanderbilt descendants, who still summer at the Breakers (hidden on the 3rd floor away from all the tourists), have quite a show before them.

I wonder if it shocks them.

(I was kind of proud of this shot.  I’m not sure, however, why the horizon is off-kilter.  My apologies.)

More homes tomorrow.

Happy Day!

This beautiful hotel has a history of haunted happenings.  Opened in 1909, it is most famously the setting for Stephen King’s The Shining.  Hotel owner F.O. Stanley, long dead, mystically appears in the Billiards Room, and has been seen by groups of tourists in the lobby.  His wife, Flora, who loved to play the piano, continues to periodically entertain hotel guests.  Staff and guests report hearing music and enter the room to find the piano keys moving.

Voices, apparitions, music, nonexistent children have all been reported at the Stanley.

So when the Running Man and I booked our room (for the screaming mid-week special price of $81, thank you very much) we wondered if we would have any strange things happen.

Sadly, we had no incidents to report.  But we got a great night’s sleep, so it is possible that we slept right through various people parading through our room to visit.  I think I’m grateful not to see one though…

You can see more information about the Stanley here.

The Grandparents took the adorables for the night and the Running Man and I ran up to Rocky Mountain National Park for 2 quick days of hiking.

The mountains fill up my soul and make me smile.  Oh, come on and sing with me:

When he first came to the mountains his life was far away
On the road and hangin’ by a song
But the strings already broken and he doesn’t really care
It keeps changin’ fast and it don’t last for long.

But the Colorado rocky mountain high
Ive seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye
Rocky mountain high (high Colorado) rocky mountain high (high Colorado)

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below
He saw everything as far as you can see
And they say he got crazy once, and he tried to touch the sun
And he lost a friend but kept his memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forests and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky mountain high (high Colorado) rocky mountain high (high Colorado)

Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear
Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more
More people, more scars upon the land

And the Colorado rocky mountain high
Ive seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly
Rocky mountain high

Its a Colorado rocky mountain high
I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody’s high
Rocky mountain high (high Colorado) rocky mountain high (high Colorado)
Rocky mountain high (high Colorado) rocky mountain high.

Special thanks to the brilliant John Denver for the words and music to Rocky Mountain High.  Mike Taylor co-wrote the music.

Look – not a single pack-n-play in sight.  And only two carry-ons!

The grandparents watched the adorables, and we headed to San Miguel de Allende, in central Mexico (after the State Department approved) for 3 days to attend a wedding.  Even though we talked about the adorables all the time, it was obviously nice to not be a slave to their schedules (mostly to their 5:45 am wake-up calls).  The wedding was beautiful, the food was incredible, and the international crowd was most friendly (who doesn’t love New Zealanders?) .   We emptied the town of their guacamole.  I’m sorry… there’s none left.

If you ever make it to San Miguel de Allende, please eat – multiple times – at the restuarant, Pueblo Viejo.

This is Molcajete de Arrechera. It. was. AWESOME.

I moved it to #3 on my favorite worldwide restaurants list.  Give them some time to replenish their guacamole though.

Guacamole fixings.  The second time we were there all this yummy-ness was gone.  We ate a. lot.