Days 22-24 May 31-June 2: Salem (Part 2)

Today we engage with American History, Revolutionay Battle #1. After another nice breakfast at the Salem Inn, we drive to Concord to visit the Minute Man National Historic Park. After an uninteresting drive through the burbs north of Boston, we arrive at the Park. There are 3 main locations comprising the running battle that was Lexington and Concord. The earliest, Lexington Green, we will visit later. Next, the middle part was on the "Battle Road" from Lexington to Concord's North Bridge. Then there was the confrontation at the North Bridge (we visit this later), then the British retreat along the Battle Road as the Redcoats were harassed unmercifully by the Minute Men. We first stop in at the Battle Road's Visitor Center and take in an Excellent Presentation describing how the battle proceded.

We next walk along the actual road. A lot has changed in 250 years, but many of the historic sites on this road are noted, including the place where Paul Revere was arrested.

Paul Revere's Capture Site

Returning to our car, we head into Concord proper in search of lunch. Where else would we eat but at The Colonial Inn? We each have a cup of Gazpacho. Amy has the Alcott Sandwich and Wayne has the Small Farmboard (cheese, meat, crackers and savory spreads). Happily sated, we stroll around Concord's Green then reboard the X3 to head to the North Bridge.

Concord's North Bridge (from the Colonial's side)

The development of the Battle: 1) Redcoats march from Boston to Lexington in search of Guns and Ammunition to confiscate and/or destroy, 2) at Lexington Green, Redcoats storm past Colonials, leaving casualties & initiating conflict, 3) Redcoats march up the Battle Road to Concord, 4) at Concord's North Bridge, Redcoats seize the bridge, 5) Concord colonials, assembled on the northwest side of the bridge march down the hill in disciplined order, causing the Redcoats to panic. 6) the Redcoats, trying to regroup, retreat back down the Battle Road 7 miles to Lexington. We listen to the Park Ranger describe how the North Bridge Battle proceded. All very interesting. They take great pains to describe what we know and what we don't know about the actual events. The presentation is quite entertaining.

We get back in the X3 and we head south to see one more of the interesting sites around Concord.

Walden Pond

It's a fine day, so we take the 1.5 mile walk around the Pond. How times have changed since H. D. Thoreau! After we leave the beach area to walk around the lake, we are in a narrow path about 5 feet wide with metal fencing on both sides, presumably to keep the deer at bay. There are signs warning hikers about avoiding tics and the dangers of Lyme Disease. Still, it is a lovely day and we enjoy the walk.

We head back to Salem and have a short rest before dinner. Tonight's locale is Italian: Bella Verona. Amy starts with the Aperol Spritz while Wayne has some Montepluciano. We share the Eggplant Napoleon for our starter. For the main, Amy has Tagliatelle Primavera while Wayne has the Linguine alle Delicie del Mare. We cap it off with Profiteroles & Cappuccino. A wonderful meal. New England continues to delight us with its excellent seafood. Amy's vegetables were also great. We have a nice stroll back to the Inn before retiring.

The next morning, we hope to tour some houses from the late 18th century, but we get the timing wrong; the one house open for showing has a tour in an hour. We don't want to wait that long, so we end up at Lexington Common. This is where the fighting all began (but only Colonials suffered casualties; the locals obeyed orders and held their fire). We definitely recommend a walking around the green, a detailed map is available in the Visitor Center. At the Center, we learn more about the battle and about the five ships in the US Navy that were named Lexington. There are interesting displays both inside the visitor center and in the gardens outside talking about them. One of the sites on the Green is The Buckman Tavern, gathering place of the Lexington Militia.

Buckman Tavern

Back to Salem for lunch at Casa Tequila. Amy has the Fajitas and Wayne has the Enchilada Suizas. Very good, but too much food. We rest in the afternoon and for dinner visit the Brothers Taverna. Amy has the Grilled Salmon, Wayne has the Fish & Chips with a cup of chowder. Again, too much food.

In the morning, we bid "Adieu" to Salem and visit two sites on our way to our next stop. Orchard House was the family home of Louisa May Alcott. I didn't know that she was the daughter of one of the founders of the Transcendentalist movement and that she knew both Thoreau and Emerson. A well connected family!

Orchard House

After immersing ourselves in mid-1800's New England, we drive to Essex. This small village was an important center of shipbuilding in the early Colonial/American centuries. Some 4,000 wooden ships were built here before steel took over. Before exploring the Shipbuilding Museum, we visit Woodman's of Essex, where the Fried Clam was created. For lunch we share one Platter, which is fried clams piled atop Onion Rings and French Fries. Yumm!

After lunch, we stop in at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum. There are photos and artifacts here and our host tells delightful stories of ships and the sea. The yard contains many surviving vessels that give some idea of sailing at the time. Thoroughly entertaining!

Intricate Cabinet, built in the style...

After a too-short stop in this little town, we get back in the car and head to our next stop, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Days 19-21 May 28-30: Salem (Part 1)

Our destination after Plymouth is Salem. It is northeast of Boston, so we have to go through Bean Town to get there. The traffic through Boston is awful, even though it is the weekend. The Salem Inn is in the repurposed Captain Nathaniel West House in the heart of historic Salem. We arrive in the late afternoon, happy to have made only 2 wrong turns. We find the driveway, unload our bags, check in, then park the X3 at a companion property a couple of blocks away.

Since it is Saturday, May 28, Wayne asks where the closest Sports Bar is and is directed to Rockafella's, about 3 blocks away. He is only 5 minutes late to the start of the match and proceeds to enjoy (?) the Champion's League Final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Not sure that enjoy is the right word, but certainly applies to the Guinness. To the match, not so much.

Rejoining Amy at the Inn, we rest, then prepare for dinner. The Ledger Restaurant, two doors down from Rockafella's, is our choice. Wayne has the Fade to Black (Bourbon & other spirits), Amy has an Aperol Spritz. We share the Popovers (deliciously light) and a Half Chicken. A very tasty meal.

Having just watched Liverpool, Wayne notices the Griffon (the Liverpool Mascot) in the name plate on the outside of the restaurant. He asks our server what the connection is; why the Griffon?

Ledger Restaurant Griffin Logo

She explains that this building/space used to be a bank. The restaurant's name, Ledger, is a tie-in to that lineage. The server further explains that much of the decor, such as the ornamentation on the ceiling beams, includes pictures of griffins and the new owners like the look. It makes a lot of sense when you add in that Griffons represent strength and intelligence, a perfect symbol for a bank. Having enjoyed both the food and the ambiance, we have a very nice 5 block walk back to the Inn.

The next day we explore Salem. The Salem Inn is a very centrally located place to stay. The Witch House is just down the street. Salem Common is 10 or so blocks away and throughout our stay, we see many walking tour groups very close by the Inn while we are wandering around. This morning, after a nice breakfast in the Inn's Dining Room, we head east. We pass many shops and are amazed at the wide variety of magic infused merchandise available. There's a statue of Samantha from the TV Show "Bewitched".

"Bewitched"

And yes, Harry Potter is now similarly incorporated into the "witch" vibe. You can get Harry Potter merch in most of the stores. There's even a Wand Store: Wynotts Wands, but they are very careful to tell you they are not affiliated with Warner Brothers, JK Rowling, EA Games, etc.

We continue on to Salem Common, a large public space that has been in use for hundreds of years.

We exit the Common in the Southeast corner and walk around a bit more before ending at the Peabody Essex Museum. As the result of trade with East Asia, Salem became the richest (per capita) city in the new United States at the end of the 18th century continuing into the 19th. This Museum is a byproduct of that wealth. It contains a wealth of art and artifacts from America, China, Japan.

We enter the museum and enjoy many exhibits of both American and Asian artists and artisans. There is so much to see here that we heartily recommend at least one visit.

The Museum even contains the large, rural, 250 year-old Yin Yu Tang house. Acquired by the Museum in 1996 as part of a local cultural heritage exchange project, it was removed from its location 250 miles from Shanghai and reconstructed here in Salem. It now displays how its residents lived in the 1970's.

After a lunch of caprese sandwiches and a bowl of chowder, we exit the PEM and walk a half mile to The House of Seven Gables.

House of Seven Gables

Hawthorne once stayed in this house and was inspired to create the tale he wrote in his book. The house is an interesting building to appreciate the changes over time (250 years) that occurred in how people lived in Salem. After "The House of Seven Gables" was published, a new owner bought the building and was only interested in profiting from the popularity of the novel by collecting money from tourists . Even though Hawthorne's fictional house was quite different from the real thing, she marketed the house as the exact template for the novel. She even went so far as to decomission a working fireplace to install the secret passageway that figures prominently in the story. The Tour was quite lively and the artifacts inside the house were as interesting as the house itself.

After a good amount of walking, we return to the Salem Inn to rest up for dinner. The place is the Adriatic Restaurant, a couple of doors south of Ledger from the previous night. Amy has an Aperol Spritz and Wayne has a John 75 (like a French 75). We decide to go full small plates and share the Grilled Meatballs, the Lollipop Lamb and the Scallops. Another delicious meal.

The next day is Memorial Day. We decide the weather is nice enough to visit Rockport, northeast of Salem. After another nice breakfast at the Inn, we walk to the Curwen House and reclaim our X3. We drive the Essex Scenic Byway. The seashore is beautiful and the drive very relaxing as we pass through Manchester-by-the-Sea as well as other coastal towns. When we get closer to Rockport, however, the traffic slows to a halt. This is Memorial Day and the locals are stopping all cars driving this way. They are checking for Beach Parking Permits and turning away anyone who doesn't have one and doesn't live nearby. After a few minutes of waiting, we finally inch forward enough to turn left and reroute to a different way into Rockport, which is well north of the Beaches.

We park in the middle of Rockport and our first order of business is Ray Moore's Fish Shack. Amy has the Haddock Basket, Wayne the Shrimp Basket. Plenty of food, and very tasty. During lunch, we can see into the harbor where a Memorial Day Celebration is occurring, complete with speeches and a High School Band.

After lunch, we walk to Bearskin Neck and do some shopping. We drive back to the Inn having thoroughly enjoyed our brief visit to this charming town. After a brief rest at the Inn, we take the self-guided walking tour of the McIntire Historic District, just across the street. Just about every building in this neighborhood is at least 150 years old and has a label stating when it was built and who built it.

For dinner, we venture to Finz. Amy orders the Blackberry Lime Rickey, Wayne the "Sunset Painkiller". This being a sushi/sashimi place, we order "The Fame", a spread of 32 varied sushi and sashimi bites. Excellent! We wander back to the Inn for a wonderful night's sleep.

My apologies for the lack of pictures. Somehow I set my iPhone camera to record videos, so all the "pictures" I around these places are too unwieldy for this blog.

Day 19 May 28: Plymouth

It has been a fun and relaxing time in Provincetown. Alas, we say goodbye to the White Porch Inn. Today we relocate to Salem, MA. Before we get to Salem, we will stop at Plymouth, MA, site of the fateful final landing of the Mayflower in 1620.

We head south from Provincetown under gray skies. The highway has light traffic. As we get farther from Ptown, the opposing traffic gets heavier and heavier. Yep, it's Saturday of the Memorial Day Weekend. The going is fine, but to satisfy Wayne's fitbit-step addiction, we need to stop soon to get the hour's activity recorded. There are no stops on Highway Mass 6, so we detour to the scenic route, 6A. There are no towns on this stretch, just north of Mashpee, MA. We finally come across an intersection large enough for us to stop.

And as Wayne gets his steps in to complete 250 for the hour, he comes across...

A Wild Turkey!

Oh yes, this is New England and we are a mere 25 miles south of Plymouth. Of Course there's a Turkey!

Steps recorded, we get back on the Grand Army of the Republic Highway which changes to the Pilgirm's Highway as we cross the Cape Cod Canal on the Sagamore Bridge. We get off the Highway at Jordan Road and take the southern approach into Plymouth. We drive through the center of town and find a parking place on a side street. We are getting hungry, so check out the restaurant offerings. We find Carmen's Cafe Nicole and sit outside with a view of the Harbor. As a matter of fact, from our lunch table we can see the Mayflower II docked on Frazier State Pier. We are curious to see it up close as it has recently returned from being refit at Mystic Seaport. (See Days 8-10)

Given where we are, Wayne must try the Pilgrim Soda while Amy opts for the Iced Tea. Amy has the Summer Salad and Wayne has fried scallops. A very tasty lunch! Having finished, we cross the main street and wander to the Mayflower II.

Mayflower II

She looks really good! We then wander over to the Plymouth Rock. There is a large Greek-style temple with the actual Rock in the middle.

Shrine to Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock

Thoroughly amused by the shrine, we return to our car and continue on toward Salem.

Days 16-18 May 25-27: Provincetown

After a good night's sleep, we rise to face our relocation day. It will be a bit more complicated after what we heard yesterday: the Oak Bluffs Ferry Terminal is closed. We heard two stories: 1) some mechanical issue with the ferries actually getting docked and 2) Covid-related staffing problems. Either way, after breakfast and packing our small bags, we head to the bus stop for the short ride to the Vineyard Haven Terminal. The situation actually helps us. When we get to VH, there are two ferries, one unloading and the other loading. We leave the bus and go right onto the ferry that is loading. No wait!

The crossing is calm and peaceful. When we debark at Woods Hole, we get right onto the shuttle bus and it soon drives us to the lot. We get into the X3 and exit, taking the scenic route back into town to follow MA 28 east to Cape Cod. The car was covered with tree pollen and other detritus and while driving along, as soon as Amy suggests we get the car washed we happen upon The Green Ocean Car Wash. 7 minutes later, we are back on the road and our ride is looking clean.

We continue east, then around Orleans, we turn north on the Cape road (US 6). We start looking for a place for lunch and the combination of early season and Covid closures stymies us. We finally find a place: Mac's Market & Seafood in Eastham. Amy has the Fish Sandwich and Wayne was the Tuna Tacos. We are able to sit outside in the sun on picnic tables. Really delightful, both the food and the setting.

Back in the X3, we finish the 75 mile drive to Provincetown and our new home:

The White Porch Inn

We check in with Tom, one of the owners, who gives us some suggestions for dinner. After getting our bags into our room, we head out to Commercial Street (the main road in town, 1/2 block south of the Inn) and explore our location for the next 3 days.

Sculpture: Tourists

Provincetown is very quiet for 8 months out of the year. Come Memorial Day, it turns into tourism central, its population growing by thousands of visitors who get here 1) on a ferry from Boston or Plymouth or 2) car on the highway we just travelled. Activity is currently everywhere with innkeepers, shopkeepers and restaurant owners putting the final touches to be ready for the weekend crush. It starts in two days!

We walk up and down commercial street and scope out the dinner places. The most interesting-sounding one, Strangers & Saints (a reference to the two kinds of people who arrived on the Mayflower), is closed tonight and booked completely for the rest of our stay. We do find some other options and book for all three nights. We no longer have any worries about missing dinner while here. During this walk, we also get oriented and learn something about what else there is to do during our stay.

The Penney Patch (Candy Store)

Street Scene, Provincetown

After resting and getting organized, we head back to the main street. Tom had earlier suggested we try cocktails at "The Lounge", a block or two southwest from the Inn. We enter and the view of the water/harbor is marvelous. They serve no food here, drinks only! Amy has the Blood Orange Margarita and Wayne has the Black Manhattan. Tom's was a good suggestion, we thoroughly enjoy this pre-dinner spot.

Our dinner reservations are at the Red Inn, a little over a mile from the Lounge. After our drinks, we have a nice walk, the weather is pleasant. We're feeling we need a lighter meal tonight, so we skip starters. Amy has the Cod, Wayne has the Creole Shrimp. A delicious meal! We head home for the night's rest.

In the morning, we set out to explore the northmost section of the Cape Cod National Seashore. After wandering around the area in the X3, we find an entrance near the Provincetown Airport, park and take the path to the beach. We turn west and walk about a half mile before turning back. The walking is a little uncomfortable as there is a good slope on the beach to the sea. Along the way, we see two separate groups of Gray (I believe) Seals.

North Shore, Cape Cod National Seashore

It's peaceful, but very cool and windy. We head back to town for lunch.

We reslot the X3 in front of the White Porch, grateful we know how to fold-in the side-view mirrors. We wander along Commercial Street until we find the Blue Monkey Bistro. Really great decor; monkey statues, monkies in fabrics, wallpaper, etc.  We split a side salad, Amy has the Ratatouille, Wayne has Lobster Ravioli. This latter was especially delicious.

After lunch, we need to burn some calories. We walk West to the Provincetown causeway and pay respects to the members of the Mayflower party who landed here in 1620.

Provincetown Causeway at Low Tide

After six weeks on the Cape, the Pilgrims sailed across the bay to land at Plymouth Rock, where they established their colony. The locals always like to emphasize that their first landing was here, not at the Rock. We return to the Inn having gotten a significant number of steps in (satisfying Wayne's fitbit addiction). All the walking has tired us, so we rest until dinner.

Dinner is at WayDownTown. We may have to sit on the back porch overlooking the Harbor, so before dinner, we stop in a souvenier store to get Amy a sweatshirt and Wayne some mementos. At dinner, we start with drinks: Amy gets the "Red Panties" (Cosmo-ish) and Wayne gets "The Third Degree" (Gin-Tonic-al).

The Third Degree & The Red Panties

We share a half dozen oysters and each get a cup of chowder. We also decide to share the Pan-fried Brie starter and split the Seaside Risotto. When we return to the Inn, it is another day happily concluded.

We rise to our last full day here. After breakfast, we face a grim reality: this has to be Wash Day! We gather up all the clothes to be cleaned and head to the west end of town to find the Provincetown Laundromat. The hardest part of the whole experience is actually locating the building. We try both the X3's GPS and the iPhone. Neither gets us there. We do some more internet searching and finally find the place on top of a short hill overlooking the grocery store that was the last place the iPhone said was where the Laundromat was supposed to be. Only thing is, the entryway is on the back side of that short hill. Even though this wastes 5 minutes or so, it's still really efficient: we get three loads done in parallel in less than an hour and 15 minutes! All done, we decide to celebrate with lunch at The Lobster Pot, a Ptown Institution.

The Lobster Pot

We split the Lobster Avocado Cocktail, Amy has the Halibut Fillet and Wayne has the Baked Cod, stuffed with shrimp and lobster. Caloric Heaven! After lunch, we decide to check out the Pilgrim Monument.

This 252 foot granite tower was begun in 1907 (Teddy Roosevelt laid the cornerstone) and completed in 1910, with dedication attended by William Howard Taft. We approach the base of the monument and confront a dedication to the Mayflower Compact, which was signed here, not on the west side of Cape Cod Bay (Plymouth). To get up to the tower, there is a short, inclined elevator that allows one to travel up to the base of the tower. Construction on the elevator was begun in April, 2020. Despite a law suit and the pandemic, it got finished and its dedication will be after Memorial Day. We won't be here, but happily, the elevator is already open and working.

Bas-Relief of the Mayflower Compact

The Elevator Ride

The view from the tower base is wonderful. We go inside and climb the 115 steps and 60 ramps. The view from the top is even better than from below.

View from the Tower's Base

View from the Tower

We head back down and visit the Museum. What is notable to me is how the museum has responded to the times. The presentations are no longer exclusively from the perspective of the Europeans. The facts of the first contact are presented, such as that the mission of the settlers was to force the indigenous people to accept Chrisianity and that several of these same folk were forced into slavery. The Museum has worked diligently to include descendents of indigenous people in the presentations that they have newly created about the Mayflower arrival. The complete story is much harder to tell, but that's the way life often is. 

The Museum is really interesting and we are glad to have spent time here. We head back down the elevator and walk back to the White Porch Inn to rest. Refreshed, we head out to our last dinner in Provincetown at Pilgrim House. Amy has a glass of Sangria, Wayne has the Bourbon Old-Fashioned. We share the Braised Short Ribs, the Fish Tacos and Lobster Won Tons. We have been so active and productive today that we even share a desert: Bread Pudding. It is all absolutely wonderful.

We head back to the Inn wondering if we will be able to visit here again.

The Pilgrim Monument

Days 14-15 May 23-24: Martha's Vineyard

We wake to a fair day in Newport. We have a fine breakfast in the basement kitchen and hit the road about 10:00 AM for the short drive to Falmouth, MA. We are headed for Martha's Vineyard, but we will be leaving the X3 behind in the Palmer Avenue Parking Lot 4 miles from the Terminal. The drive is easy and the timing is great as we get the shuttle bus right away after parking and enjoy the short ride to the terminal building. Timing continues to favor us as the schedule has been thrown off and the ferry will be leaving an hour earlier than the web site indicated (or is it the earlier ferry delayed by an hour and a half?). We wait a few minutes, then board and sit down to enjoy the calm, quiet ride.

Approaching Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard

We debark 45 minutes later in Oak Bluffs, MA. From the ferry, we walk two blocks to The Dockside Inn. We get recommendations for Lunch and Dinner from the attendant and a few moments later we are seated at The Lookout. We are outside and it is a bit windy, but we are on the sheltered side of the building, so it's not a problem. In New England in May, it seems, one must not be too bothered by breezes. The Lookout claims the title for Best Lobster Roll on Martha's Vineyard. Yelp agrees. We both order the Sauteed Roll (it's warm). We both relish the ample sandwich.

Sated again, we head out for a walk to the west of town. We walk past Summercamp, a beautiful 3-star hotel  featuring lots of activities. We turn south; there are interesting cottages everywhere. Each seems unique with special attention paid to the ornamentation on windows, over the doors and on rooftop edges particularly around gables.

Colorful MV Cottage

The Pink Cottage

We return to the wharf area and check out the bars and restaurants across the street. We then return to our room to enjoy some more down time.

After some quiet time (aka, nap), we walk the two short blocks to the Martha's Vineyard Chowder Company. We both order the Island Time cocktail. Amy has a bowl of the chowder and the Arugula Salad. Wayne has a cup of the chowder and the Tuna Tartare. The chowder is different, not as creamy and more pepper than we are used to. The rest of the meal is terrific. We return to our room. We are now certifiably on island time and really relaxed. A good day!

After an interesting continental breakfast in the sun room downstairs, we head out for the bus. This morning's destination is the west end of the island and the Aquinnah Overlook. After some puzzlement over the purchase of tickets, we obtain some change so we can buy an all-day ticket on the bus. (Amy bought her day-pass online last night.) We walk to the bus stop next to the ferry terminal, board the bus when it comes and enjoy the ride to Vineyard Haven. Here we have to exit the bus, as this one immediately goes back to Oak Bluffs. A few minutes later, the bus to West Tisbury arrives and we board. After about 1/2 hour, the bus arrives in the little town and many passengers from Edgartown join us. The bus is now full with about 8 or 10 people standing.

This being early season, and staffing being what it is in this time of Covid, we have to choose when we get to the overlook: 1) we can take all the time we want, but then we will have to wait 2 hours for the next bus back to West Tisbury, or, 2) we can limit our visit to 8 min. and get back on this bus to return east. We opt for the latter and enjoy the nice, if brief, time at the overlook.

View from Aquinnah Overlook

The return trip is very pleasant as many of the passengers chose the first option. There are plenty of seats, even after we pick up a few more riders at West Tisbury. When we return to Vineyard Haven, it's lunchtime, so we visit the famous Black Dog Tavern, on the waterfront.

We share the Mezza Plate, a Goat Cheese Salad and the Mussels. Delicious. The story of the Black Dog is that it started out as the Tavern in 1971. Early on it became well known for its merchandise featuring its logo of the eponymous black dog. The clothing merchandise was so popular that they spun off "The Black Dog" clothing line. Today, the shops and the merchandise are unavoidable throughout New England.

After lunch, we go back to the Vineyard Haven bus station, await the 13 bus back to Oak Bluffs, and in 15 minutes are back at The Dockside. After a short rest, we decide to walk around the south area of town. There are many interesting buildings.

Bandstand in Ocean Park

We return to our room to change for dinner. We are dining at Atria, perhaps the most renowned restaurant on the island. We hear that famous people visiting MV eat there. It's a 20 minute bus ride south, and our reservation is at 6:15, so we head out about 4:00 to catch the bus and walk around the town. On the way, we pass an eerily familiar-looking lagoon area. Oh yes! The movie Jaws was filmed here (released 1975) and this lagoon was one of the places the shark attacked. In fact, the shore area just east of this bus line is where all the town/panic/action events in the movie happen.

The "Jaws" Lagoon

When we get to Edgertown, we walk through the most upscale village that we have visited in MV. We enjoy a walk to the waterfront and a casual stroll back to Atria. It's time for dinner, so we check in and are seated on the first floor, just off to the left. We have a nice view of the outdoor seating area and the covered event space.

We were told by our innkeeper that we should expect a great meal. We settle in by ordering a Cosmo (Amy) and a Gin & Tonic (Wayne). We order the Braised Ribs starter and decide to share the Scallops and a Mushroom Pizza w/ Goat Cheese and Arugula for the main. The Ribs are particularly tasty, having a sauce made with Plum and Hoisin Sauce. The Scallops and the Pizza are both good, as well. A very tasty meal, but I'm not sure it was as special as the one we had at Cara in Newport.

We are, again, stuffed, so we pass on dessert. We return to the bus stop about 2 blocks away and have an uneventful ride back to The Dockside.

Day 13 May 22: Newport, RI, Part 2

We rise this Sunday morning, get organized and fed, and head out for an early start. Today we tour the area's Mansions. We were too late, when planning, to get seats on any of the tour companies' buses, so we opt for the down-loadable Action Tour Guide: Newport Mansions. This is a really informative, and mostly pain-free, way to drive oneself around the town and get an audio decription in the comfort of your own car. Some caveats: if there is an unexpected blockage on the street, like routine street repair or a large delivery van, you have to figure out for yourself how to circumvent the blockage and get back on the tour's path. Also, it uses geo-location to determine what snippet to play. If you go too far out of the expected path, you might hit one of the later (or earlier) locations and get really confused about where you are and where you should be. At the very start of the tour, the guide tells us to turn right on Thames St, which is a one-way street the other direction.

After a bit of a rocky start, we get used to the guide and enjoy the first part of the tour. After about 30 minutes, we arrive at the Breakers, the Vanderbilt Mansion that is the largest Newport estate from the Gilded Age. We park in the lot and take the tour of the house and grounds. Cornelius Vanderbilt II started (re-)building here in 1893. Wow, what a place to have as a second home! Imagine money as no object in order to have 1,000 fine china place settings at your command. I may have the count wrong, but I believe that there are a total of 48 bedrooms in this mansion. Fifteen are on the second and third floors; they are for the Family and Guests. The other 33 are on the third through fifth floors for use by the staff.

The Breakers

The entryway takes you to the first room: The Great Hall. It is hard to take in as it measures 50 feet wide by 50 feet long by 50 feet high. Yes, the 3rd floor has a big hole in the middle because the Great Hall is there instead!

The Great Hall

My favorite room is the Bedroom of 4th child Gertrude Vanderbilt (later Whitney). She was a talented artist and the room shows many of her very early efforts. Wikipedia lists many monumental works that she created, including the Monument to the Men of the Titanic. Even as she was a successful artist in the early 20th century, Ms. Whitney recognized the struggles that most American artists had getting established, with European artists being preferred. She became a big collector of American Art and in 1929, offered her collection to the  Metropolitan Museum. They declined. So she set up her own institution, one with a distinctive mandate: to focus exclusively on the art and artists of our country. The Whitney Museum of American Art was founded in 1930.

Gertrude's Bedroom

One more picture from the Breakers: the two-story china cabinet/preparation room next to the kitchen.

Prep Room near the Kitchen

We leave the house and wander around the grounds. It's early in the season, so the gardens don't have a lot of colorful flowers yet, but the grounds are immaculately kept. There is so much more to see at the Breakers, what we have shared is but a small taste. This is a "must see" for a visit to Newport.

We leave the Breakers, get back in the X3 and continue the Tour. We wander around the area of Newport west and south of the Mansions and Cliff Walk. Alternately enjoying views of the Ocean and many more moderate estates than the Breakers. We stumble upon The Castle Hill Inn. Looks like a great place for lunch (and we have read about it during our planning), so we stop and are shown to a table inside (good, because the wind is too strong outside). Amy has a Bellini and Wayne has the House G&T. We each have the Clam Chowder and we split the Citrus Salad and a Lobster Roll. All delicious. We take a short walk around the grounds, fetch the X3 from the Valet and finish the Tour, which we heartily endorse!

We return to the Yankee Peddler and take a break for the afternoon. About 6:00, we head back down to the wharf. There is some interesting statuary.

Public Art on the Wharf

It's time for dinner, but the main wharf area is awash with people enjoying the last hours of the Oyster and Chowder Festival, so we head south and find the Midtown Oyster Bar. We have a lovely dinner, starting with a pair of oysters each, then Amy has the Grilled Striped Bass and Wayne has the Seared Yellowfin Tuna. Another great meal! We head back to the Inn for our last night of our visit to Newport.

Days 11-12 May 20-21: Newport, RI, Part 1

We awake to fog. It persists through breakfast and our preparations to depart the Inn at Mystic. We have decided to avoid the major highway and skirt the coast on Highways 1 and 1A. It won't be a lot of fun until more of the mist burns off. Finally, around 10:30, it has sufficiently thinned and we start the 50 or so mile drive to Newport.

Soon after we cross into Rhode Island at Westerly, we turn right and head down and south toward the beach. We notice lots of runners out jogging. Amy spies a sign that says "Ragnar Relay". It's an organized event allowing teams of up to 11 runners to cover lots of distance. Many are held throughout the year all over America. Many of the runners are dressed in silly costumes, most look like they are having a great time. We arrive on the last road, Atlantic Avenue on Misquamicut Beach and turn left, slow down for the next runner's relay station, and spot a small parking lot. We pull over and hit our first beach of the trip. It is cool and quiet. Just lovely.

Atlantic Beach, Rhode Island

Refreshed, we get back in the car and continue north/east on Highway US 1. We pass through the small town of Charleston. It's early season and Covid has ravaged here; many restaurants are closed. We turn north, then take State 138 east over Narragansett Bay, and drive the beautiful Claiborne Pell Bridge into Newport.

We park the X3 at the Yankee Peddler Inn. Our room is not yet ready, but we can leave the car. We head to Thames Street on the Wharf. We find the Brick Alley Pub, a fun place with lots of odd decor, such as an old (1930's?) Chevrolet Truck, immaculately detailed, taking up space between our table and the Salad Bar. Amy has the Caprese Bruschetta and Wayne has the Lobster Bisque & Salad Bar. Quite satisfied, we return to Thames Street and walk the Wharf.

About 45 minutes later, we get the call, return to the Yankee Peddler and check into our room. We spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and organizing. At 5:00, there is wine in the social room, where we meet some of the other guests staying here. After some interesting conversation, we head out for dinner about 1/2 mile away. On the walk we pass some interesting buildings that indicate we are in an architecturally very interesting place.

Newport Art Museum

This is one of the two buildings housing the Art Museum. It is the John N. A. Griswold House, completed in 1864. The other stunning building is across the street. It currently houses the Elks Lodge. Built as the Atlantic Hotel in 1844, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), it housed the United States Naval Academy.

The Elks Lodge

At our chosen dinner spot, Jo's American Bistro, Amy starts with a Peach Bellini, Wayne the Fashionable. We split a Bistro Salad and Amy has the Fish Special, the Brazilian Sea Bass, Wayne has Lobster Carbonara. A fine start to our 3 days in Newport, we head back to the Inn and call it a night.

We wake up to fog again. After a solid breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal and coffee, we walk to the famous Newport Cliff Walk. This pathway is Fabulous! Stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean to our left and incredible mansions to our right.

A few pictures cannot do justice to the dozens of estates along the path. What is even more interesting is that these were just "summer" homes, mostly used for just 8-10 weeks out of the year.

Some parts of the Cliff walk are not paved, we have to climb from stone to stone. This is the toughest walking we've done in quite some time. It's advertised as 3.5 miles but seems much further. We finally get to the end where we had planned to take the Newport Trolley back to the Wharf area. However, we have just missed the bus and the next one won't be along for 20 or 25 minutes. There is no place to sit to wait for the bus, so rather than just stand there, we decide we may as well start walking. A very short time later, a pedicab rides by on the opposite side of the street. He asks if we want a ride and we are there! It feels SOOOO good to sit on the padded seats and rest as the driver whisks us away toward the Wharf.

We ride past "The Elms". It is temporarily closed because they are shooting season 2 of "The Guilded Age". Interesting fact: The trees around this mansion are not actually Elms, all the original elm trees succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease many years ago.

We end up at the Wharf after a very entertaining ride. We are grateful for the lift, and also grateful that this pedicab is also an e-bike, so our driver didn't have to do extensive work to cart us.

The Oyster & Chowder festival is in full swing. There are too many people to deal with, so we head inside the Black Pearl to sit down for lunch. Wayne has the Oscar Benedict and Amy has the Lobster Salad Sandwich. Yum! We then head back to the Inn to rest up for tonight's dinner. We agree we are too tired from the exhausting walk to hoof it the mile to dinner. Also, it's the same path we already walked to get to the Cliff Walk earlier today.

We get a nice rest in, put on our best clothes, climb into the X3 and head for the Chanler Hotel, just next to the start of the Cliff Walk. The Restaurant: Cara. We enter the hotel and are in a different world.

The Bar at the Chanler

We are just a bit early for the seating, so Amy orders a Cosmo and Wayne has a Gin Martini. Tonight's meal is a 5-course blind tasting extravaganza created by executive chef Jacob Jasinski. Wayne has chosen to include the wine pairing, while Amy sticks with water. I could describe the meal, but it's easier to just share a picture of the certificate we received at the end of the meal, which details the courses. This was one of the best meals I've had in my life. Each course was thoroughly enjoyable. None was overwhelmingly large, and at the end of the meal we were completely satisfied. 

Amy's Certificate

  Amuse Bouche: New England Shellfish: Oysters, Scallops & Littleneck Clams with citrus, seabeans, buckwheat emulsion

  Course 1: Spring Asparagus with ossetra caviar, hazelnut and confit citrus

  Course 2: Columbia River Salmon with spring beans, Rhode Island Mushrooms

  Course 3: Dry Aged Wagyu Rib Steak, beef cheek, black radish and alliums

  Course 4: Cato Corner Cheeses from the Hooligan & Dutch Farmstead

  Course 5: Yuzu Citrus with macha, ginger and sake. Also Valrhona Chocolate with marcona almond, basil and meyer lemon

After dinner, we head back to the Inn for a night's rest looking forward to more Mansions tomorrow, and more great food.