a glimpse of the gilded age

This morning, very first thing this morning was hard. Hard to wake up, and even harder for any of us to get up to answer my mom's knock on the door. Then after I rubbed some of the sleep out of my eyes Maria talked to me about how I did not share the bed last night. Instead I slept on more than my half of the bed. Then I smiled and pulled out the pillow I was cuddling with-revealing to her that not only had I apparently not shared the bed but I stole the pillow she was cuddling with. Then she proceeded to tell me that was the divider between us. Whoops. I was never told that. And I still think that is just real funny.

After eating breakfast at the hotel and showering and getting ready, we went in search of the Newport mansions. We had the gps, but it didn't seem like we were following it. Instead we ended up parking on a random street beside a stroller turned over in the grass and a few parking spaces away from a diaper on the ground. Mentioning that gives a weird, kinda gross image but the rest of the day makes up for it I promise!

We walked out to the cliff walk. It was breath taking. The waves crashing on the different layers of rocks and the wild flowers growing on the side of the cliff. Gorgeous.

        

       

We walked along the path, not sure where it would lead us. Then we came to the back of this beautiful building. We were so excited to walk around the front and tour it. But when we did there were no people around. It turns out it was a part of Salve Regina University. Not a mansion. Still really pretty though.

On our cliff walk we also saw a few people jogging, some really well trained black labs, a lady laying bird seed along the wall, and these graffiti-ed words to live by:

Finally we found The Breakers which was the summer house for the Vanderbuilts. We toured the mansion in a really cool way. Everyone got their individual headset with a keypad attached. We started the tour by pressing 100 and each room had a different number that it automatically continued on to as we followed our own tour. But if we wanted specific information about an item in the room, we could enter in an additional number to hear the story behind it. The building was beautiful. Every inch was decorated in some elaborate way. Even all of the ceilings. I loved all of the gold and red in the rooms and the crystal chandeliers. The house was elegant and exquisite and glamorous and pristine and ritzy. I also loved hearing all of the stories of the people that lived and worked in The Breakers. We couldn't take picture inside, which was sad. But I understand. Plus it would have taken me much longer to get through the tour. There was one point where I could take them-on the porch thing.

We were all starting to wear down, so we drove back for lunch as a pick me up. We ate at the tennis hall of fame. We, mostly Michael, wanted to see the courts but we couldn't without paying for the museum part. Our waitress was really nice, and took us through the restaurant to where we could see the courts. Like we went through the kitchen. Michael really liked them and wished he could play on them. There was one beside our table, but while we were eating it was used for croquette by two presh old people. It reminded me of the Princess Diaries and of playing it in Iowa at my grandparents house as a kid and of Alex Gasaway.

Then we drove back to the area where the mansions were. This time we toured Rosecliff. It was the same sort of really cool tour. I think this one was my favorite. The colors of the interior design weren't as dark. There seemed to be more white and more light. I also enjoyed seeing the different wedding gowns that were displayed in the bedrooms.

 In this gift shop I bought something, although it had nothing to do with really anything. I bought a book called The Art of the Handwritten Note by Margaret Shepherd. I just liked the way it sounded and loved what it was about. I can't wait to read it and become even more inspired to be a pen pal and write handwritten notes and letters.

Overall, we seemed to be dragging down as a group again. Michael and Maria really wanted to go back to the area we explored last night now that the shops would be open. However, when we got there no one really seemed to do much. We did each purchase a sweatshirt that says Newport. Then we went back to the hotel. I spent our brief period here researching Salve Regina University. I really liked everything that I read. Then my mom, Dan, and I left to go on another tour.

This time we toured The Elms. It was smaller, but still so very grand and elegant. Again, it was the same type of tour and set up. But honestly, the three houses and their stories are all running together in my head. Sadly, one of my most memorable part of the Elms tour was before we even got inside the house. We were walking on the path and some ladies excitedly shushed us then pointed to the rabbit they were photographing. It was just so funny because we see them running around all the time and I have even owned one myself. Apparently they hadn't.

Overall, from the whole day I loved getting to walk up two of the three grand stair cases. I couldn't help myself but to think about how lovely they would be to take prom, or wedding picture on. I also loved the grand ball rooms and the classical violin and piano and harp music that was heard through our headsets as we entered each room. I wish that I could attend a formal ball in one of these houses and that I could waltz to the music.

We went back to the hotel and got dressed to go to dinner. We ate again at the Brick Ally, but this time with the Brogiolis! Although the kids, besides Nick, didn't talk much it was great to be reunited with them. This time Maria and I split a cheese pizza for dinner. Then we walked around with them the rest of the evening. We walked around by the sailboats before the fog rolled in and around past many more shops. I can't wait to be able to hang out with them more towards the end of our trip!

Afterwards, they went home and we came back to the hotel. Dan, Maria, mom, and I spent time in the hot tub. It was really relaxing after such a full day. Then we dried off and most of my night since has been spent listening to Pandora, uploading pictures to my computer, and blogging. Oh how I just love being able to sit and write straight through. I really do get in a zone. And it's my own time for myself. :)