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Newport - Part 1
A Respite from Reality
Written by: Dominick A. Miserandino
Photography by: Margherita Miserandino
The entire city is the perfect set for, 'Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous (of the early 1900s)'.
Newport didn't choose its name so wisely. It is a port, but it's not new. It's architecture displays a historic time, which epitomizes the "golden age" of millionaires and mansions. The entire city is the perfect set for, "Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous (of the early 1900s)." It was the best of the best for the beginning of the century. And what makes it more interesting is that it was that way for only a few months of the year when the rich came here for their summer vacations.
Our first stop in Newport was the Visitor's Center. This is the first time I've ever mentioned a Visitor's Center, but I do so now because it was so far from typical. Basically, what made it unusual was that it was one of the first Visitor's Centers that seemed to be "all-encompassing". It's located at the beginning of the main road into town, so it's the first thing you see when you enter Newport. All of the big tours leave from here and if you want to book a hotel, restaurant, tour or attraction, you can do it from here. In fact, you can show up with no itinerary, no hotel or anything and they'll make it for you.
After picking up two tons of pamphlets we headed over to the International Tennis Hall of Fame for lunch and to see the museum. Okay, we didn't go the Hall of Fame for lunch, but La Forge Casino Restaurant, which is built on the other side of the massive Casino building. Again, the original Newportians, didn't really choose the best name as there is no gambling at the Casino and even though the word casino (according to the dictionary) means, "A public room or building for gambling and other entertainment" people might be prone to start looking for the slot machines.
First we'll talk about the restaurant and then jump back to the Casino. The restaurant quickly dispels my original theory that restaurant's with French names charge more simply due to the fact that the name is French. The prices are cheap, the portions are generous, and the view really takes you back to another time, looking over the original tennis courtyard of the Casino.
It should be noted that the Casino is amazing in it's own right based on its architecture. It's basically a big letter U, with the entrance on the bottom of that U. On the left "wing" is the restaurant, and on the right is the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In the middle of the two "wings" of the U, is the original court with the original tennis grounds. Overall, the building as a whole has shingles and peaks that are reminiscent of an English cottage... a rather large English cottage.
Well, after eating and looking at the big letter U shaped building we headed to the other wing of the building to see the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Why is the hall of fame here as opposed to Wimbledon? Tennis was the game of the rich, this was the town of the rich, and this is what they did. I can't think of a clearer way to describe it.
If you love tennis, then this is certainly a major destination to hit. If you don't love tennis then this is the place to go to find out why people do. I don't love tennis. In fact, it confuses and perplexes me. The museum is an overwhelming abundance of stimuli. If you didn't love tennis before entering the museum you are beaten over the head with so much tennis material you are forced to love it.
There are statues, and films, and research material and original material... and then you have interactive programs and film clips... the list goes on and on.
Well, after the tennis museum, we figured that the 36+-degree weather was a perfect time to go and walk along the Cliff Walk. Actually any time is a good time to go, but the weather conditions dictate how long you can physically stand it. If you're there during the winter, then maybe only 15 minutes, over the summer, a few hours or even an afternoon.
The Cliff Walk, is very well named as it is a walk and it is along the cliffs. The title would be even better if they called it, "Cliff Walk Right in Front of the Mansions", but it would be too long. The view to your left is the ocean, and the waves splashing on the rocks. On your right is the view of mansion after mansion after mansion. It's a toss up, as too which is more beautiful. You are literally walking along the mansions front lawns while feeling the breeze off of the Atlantic Ocean.
Well, we could only stand about 25 minutes, as it was unusually cold when we were there and we headed back to the hotel to settle in and change.
The Hotel Viking is a large historic-looking hotel in the downtown area, a few blocks from the water. It's on the main thoroughfare at 1 Bellevue Avenue, which gives them a bit of bragging rights as being the first address on the avenue that has all of the mansions.
While the hotel is huge, it still retains a historic look and feel. In fact, while we were there, a few weddings were going on. It must be beautiful if weddings take place there.
The rest of the night was spent in the pool, and relaxing the hotel.
Read part 2 | Read part 3
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