A Weekend at Newport

 Saturday, May 21, 2022

I woke at 07:15 to prepare for the long drive from Boston to Newport, Rhode Island. I reserved a 2016 Audi Q5 from Robert on Turo.com and needed to be ready by 8:00. At around 07:55, Robert emailed me that he was running late but arrived at 08:35 (about half an hour later than requested).

Robert showed me the 2016 Audi Q5, which was very similar to our 2011 Audi Q5, except for a few differences:

• 2011 Audi Q5 has a rearview camera (the 2016 Audi base model does not)
• 2011 Audi Q5 has a navigation system (the 2016 Audi base model does not)

Inna could pair her phone to the Bluetooth of the Audi Q5, and we listened to Spotify on the way to Newport. The Audi also had built-in Sirius XM, which we used during the trip (especially the "Spa" station). I found the lack of a rearview camera most annoying when parking (as the car also lacks any rear parking sensors).

Inna pre-purchased tickets to see the  Chepstow Mansion, and we wanted to arrive in Newport by 10:00 so we could join one of the six daily tours (limited to 10 people per tour). When we arrived around 10:15, all of the day's tours were already filled, and we were told to come in on Sunday (the next day), which we did!

We decided to park our Audi Q5 near the Tennis Hall of Fame, where we worked around to explore the many beautiful grass tennis courts. The first United States Lawn Tennis Association championship was held here in 1881. There is a Hall of Fame Museum on the second floor of the building, but I decided to skip it as I was less interested in looking at trophies.

I inquired about the cost of playing on the grass courts, and the staff quoted me $140/hour. I have never played tennis on grass courts but would have enjoyed doing so.

 

As Inna and I did not eat breakfast, we decided to stop by Meg's Aussie Milk Bar for a quick bite. We were offered menus after sitting down in a uniquely Australian-themed eatery. After some discussion among ourselves, we ordered the following items:

• Boris: Mocha, Pad Thai Chicken Wrap
• Inna: Flat White, Avocado & Egg Roll

The Mocha and Flat White were delicious and served in beautiful Aussie cups. I like my Pad Thai wrap, and Inna liked her Egg Roll. 

With brekkie finished, it was time to explore Newport. Since there are many beautiful mansions on Bellevue Ave, we decided to walk down the avenue, taking photos and exploring gardens and open spaces.

As we walked down Bellevue, we stopped by the following mansions:

• Isaac Bell House
• The Elms is a beautiful property that was closed, but we want to visit it in the future.
• Wayside Guest House
• White Lodge
• Newport Mansions Preservation Society
• Chateau-sur-Mer - a massive property with beautiful landscaping (and even lawn tennis)
• The Breakers (Vanderbilt's Famous Summer House)

Our last major stop was at The Breakers - the famous summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt (a 19th-century steamboat and railroad magnate). When we arrived, Inna and I were tired and thirsty from the long walk, so we stopped by the mansion's cafe for cold drinks and snacks.

The Breakers is an enormous Italian-style villa that reminds of Villa d'Este near Rome. It is lavishly furnished and beautifully decorated. I enjoyed touring all of the principal rooms.

 

It took us about an hour to tour The Breakers, and we were hoping to catch an Uber ride back to our car, but it was costly ($40). 

We walked back in about 15 minutes and decided to visit the Green Animals Topiary Gardens in nearby Portsmouth. We arrived there around 16:10, and I was worried that it would close at 17:00, not giving us enough time to enjoy the gardens. However, the closing time was 18:00, and we had plenty of time to photograph all the creatures.

There was a wedding in a portion of the Topiary Gardens, and the bride had a temper tantrum. The photographer and her staff were trying to chase us away from the garden, which Inna and I found annoying. 

Eventually, bridezilla left and had the gardens almost to ourselves. 

There were many cute, green creatures in the gardens, including:

• Growling Bear
• Mama Bear
• Papa Bear
• Swan
• Giraffe
• Lion
• Camel
• Donkey
• Peacock
• Heart

After viewing all the animals, we strolled to the nearby lawn and rested in a couple of comfortable chairs overlooking the bay.

Inna made dinner reservations for 18:15 at the Bar and Board Restaurant, and we decided to drive to Newport and dine there. We could not find parking when we arrived, so we parked our Audi Q5 at the Parkplatz Newport parking lot near the Tennis Hall of Fame. It charges $6 per 30 minutes, but CVS Pharmacy nearby can validate the ticket for up to 2 hours.

We walked from the parking lot to Bar and  Board Restaurant and were taken upstairs to our table, where we looked at the menu and ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Anxo Dry Cider, Graft Field Day Rhubarb Cider, Hot Black Tea
• Soups: Clam Chowder
• Small Plates: Shrimp & Avocado, Fried Yuca, Scallop Appetizer
• Dessert: Bread Pudding

While the service was pleasant and courteous, we were less enthusiastic about the quality of the appetizers. 

The Clam Chowder was unusually thin, and I found the small plates of shrimp,,, avocado, and scallops small and unimpressive. It's not a bad restaurant, but neither Inna nor I were wowed by any dish.

After dinner, we strolled around the waterfront, checking out the lively scene at the piers. Many people took photos of the sunset and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We stopped by the Ben & Jerry Ice Cream parlor for a few Cherry Garcia & Chunky Monkey ice cream scoops.

We used the Hotel Tonight iPhone app to reserve The Wayfinder Hotel nearby. Usually priced at $289/night, we were offered a $224 + $57 tax = $281. The hotel was quite busy when we arrived, and a wedding party was reveling in the lounge.

After checking in, we brought our personal items to room #123 and relaxed. We were tired from walking, and I took a shower to relax. The bed was quite comfortable, but I woke up multiple times due to the thin walls. Around 01 – 02, I heard people returning from the wedding party. In addition, at around 05:30, the upstairs tenant woke me up incessantly, walking back and forth.

Sunday, May 22, 2022

After waking up at 07:30, we checked out and ate breakfast at the Nitro Bar. After checking out of our hotel, we drove for about 6 minutes and got in line to order breakfast. 

We looked at the menu and ordered the following:

• Boris: Hot Chocolate Bar (mocha), Yogurt Dream
• Inna: Iced Latte, Avocado Toast

My Hot Chocolate Bar coffee was delicious, and Yogurt Dream was outstanding, as the freshly made yogurt was so delicious!

After breakfast, we drove extra early to the  Chepstow Mansion to participate in the walking tour at 10:30. We were too late to register for the guided tour the day before. Today, we arrived as the second person in line and waited until 10:00 to write.

At 10:20, we started the group tour of the mansion. The small mansion was quite cluttered but full of exquisite art objects. We enjoyed all the rooms but found the summer room the most enjoyable.

An Italianate-style villa, Chepstow was built in 1860 by resident Newport architect George Champlin Mason as the summer residence of Edmund Schermerhorn. Acquired by Mrs. Emily Morris Gallatin in 1911, the estate continued in the Morris family until bequeathed in 1986 to the Preservation Society, with its collections intact and an endowment by Mrs. Alletta Morris McBean.

Containing the original Morris-Gallatin furnishings together with important 19th-century American paintings and documents from other former Morris family residences, Chepstow is highly evocative of the taste and collections of a descendant of one of America's founding families, placed in the context of a contemporary Newport summer home.

When the tour ended, Inna and I drove to The Breakers to stroll on the famous Cliff Walk. We found parking at The Breakers, and then we walked south along the paved path along the shore, watching some of the smaller waves breaking on the rocks. We continued our walk over some rocks until we reached the Chinese Tea House. We walked just a bit further and then turned around.

We continued our walk past Salve Regina University, which had many beautiful buildings overlooking the ocean. What a lovely place for a university! After the Cliff Walk, we returned to Audi and ate lunch nearby. 

We returned to our car and noticed many classic motorcycles parked near the Audrain Auto Museum. There was the Distinguished Gentleman's motorcycle ride in Newport, which raises money for men's health issues such as prostate cancer. 

After searching the ride, I learned that it requires old-style, classic motorcycles (no latest crotch rockets are allowed), and all riders must be dapperly dressed. Since standard motorcycle attire is not used, the ride takes place on the slowest streets of the city.

After looking at various restaurants, we selected Mori Sushi. We were both tired and needed a quiet, excellent location to rejuvenate. After sitting down, we ordered the following items:

• Drinks: Hot Green Tea, iced green tea
• Rolls: Alaskan California, Dynamite, Crunch Roll
• Soup: Miso Soup

Having been refreshed, we drove to the Norman Bird Sanctuary to see beautiful birds. On the way there, we went by Surfer's End, a small beach at Middletown where beginner surfers caught waves. We saw a few other beautiful beaches but decided to stop by later (after we finished hiking).

When we reached the Norman Bird Sanctuary, we talked to a guide, who explained the best trails to explore and the kind of birds we could identify. She also suggested that we spray against ticks (which we did).

We decided to walk on the moderate Hanging Rock Trail. We saw a few woodpeckers (making their unique sound) and many small birds on the trail. As we reached the trail's end, it became rocky and required some athletic ability. I hiked to the end, with a beautiful overlook over Nelson Pond, Gardiner Ponds, and Sachuest Bay (Atlantic Ocean). Inna spotted a small slithering snake (but I never saw it).

On the way back, Inna was worried about ticks, and I noticed a small black dot on her neck. As I could not remove it, we decided to purchase some tweezers at CVS. Although I tried to remove it with a needle and tweezers, I don't know whether I removed all of it.

Inna made dinner reservations at Jo's American Bistro for 18:15, and we decided to spend the rest of the time (before dinner) exploring the waterfront. A lively scene was happening, with a band blasting tunes and many people dancing.

At 18:00, we returned to Jo's American Bistro, sat down, and ordered the following dinner items:

• Inna: Lady in Red (cocktail), Lobster Bisque, Cod
• Boris: Lemonade, Bistro Salad, Fish & Chips

I liked my Fish and chips, and Inna's Cod was fabulous. Inna also loved her Lobster Bisque soup. We really enjoyed our dinner, and our waiter was excellent.

After dinner, we started our long drive back to Boston.

Newport Trip Report

Highlights

• The guided tour of the Chepstow Mansion was excellent, and I enjoyed learning about this beautifully furnished mansion.
• The Breakers (Vanderbilt's Famous Summer House) was impressive, and we enjoyed touring the enormous house/villa.
• The Cliff Walk was refreshing, with beautiful overlooks of mansions
• Jo's American Bistro had excellent dinner items and fast, attentive service
• Meg's Aussie Milk Bar was ideal Australian-themed items for brekkie
• Nitro Bar. had terrific sandwiches and coffee drinks

Lowlights

• Although the price and location were acceptable, the razor-thin walls at The Wayfinder Hotel made my night less enjoyable.

• Although the prices were high, the entrees in Bar and Board Restaurant were decidedly average.