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| Castle Hill Inn |
The difference between a location on- or off-season reminds me of Robert Louis Stevenson's
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. While the same core structures exist, the experience is so different as to be unrecognizable. And for many tourist hotbeds, the only time I visit them is when they are at their population ebb. This came to mind yesterday. (See also
Newport by Harbor.)
We headed down with friends to lend a hand in retrieving some items from the boat
.
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| As is inflation to an economy, barnacles are one ugly epiphenomenon of a great season. |
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| Appreciating a Seriously Fast Boat. |
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| A Nice Christmas Solution |
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| Newport, in the background, beckoned. |
We had some errands to do and some time to do them, so we headed over the bridge to Newport. First stop was
Newport Shipyard.
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| Morris Yachts of Bass Harbor, Maine is one of my favorite boat builders. Oyster is also interesting. |
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| Some Vessels Served Here |
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| I wore the L.L. Bean (Women's) Norwegian sweater I bought in Freeport in 1980, still in excellent condition. |
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| Nantucket Lightship (A Decommissioned Lightship) |
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| Arabella, A Three Masted Schooner Charter Boat |
We had to swing by one of the touristy alcoves.
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| I used my Leather Man/Eliza B. (medium) Brit Bag. With the throngs absent, it was possible to appreciate the cobblestones, brought over as ballast on early ships, and other nice details. (And not to leave anyone out, my 10th G Grandfather laid out the roads here in 1640.) |
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| Neutron Newport |
With that done, we continued to our last errand.
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| New York Yacht Club's Harbour Court |
Then we stopped for lunch, not at the more obvious
Scales & Shells or
Red Parrot, but at the slightly more obscure
The Chanler.
The Chanler has been
well honored since it re-opened in 2001. Even during the full season, the experience is personal, more akin to a bed and breakfast than a sprawling hotel such as
Ocean House. Lunch, in contrast to a full stay, is relatively reasonable, still intimate, yet feels grand and the quality of food is very high.
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| A Much Appreciated Fire |
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| While my tastes run simpler, sampling this environment was a satisfying finale to the holiday season. |
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| A Great View of the Ocean from Our Table |
It is also the only hotel on the famous Cliff Walk, which provides a great walk after lunch.
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| We were assured that no stick figures were actually harmed in the creation of this sign. |
Heading back to finish up, the premise that many tourist locations are best off-season had only been strengthened.
It was a very cold day with a biting wind which made the long ride home actually sound appealing.
But we did pause to appreciate the eerie yet soothing sounds of the wind in the rigging.
Happy New Year from The Daily Prep!
34 comments:
I must have a sick sense of humor, but that stick figure sign cracks me up. Nice Volvo too...but what happened to your wagon?
@John - I share your sense of humor! We still have the wagon - this is Clark's car.
I have the perfect soundtrack for your delicious photo spread--"Winter Time" by the Steve Miller Band. Takes me back to off season in the Ocean State every time!
Happy New Year!
I hope you, your family and all of my fellow Daily Prep visitors have a great 2012.
Looking forward to all the great posts to come.
Live long and propser!
Ian from way way down there!!
I love your outfit, Muffy! And Newport looks beautiful.
Thank you for all the great posts over the past year. I look forward to what you share with us in 2012.
Bitsy
P.S. I'm a direct descendant of Elizabeth and Henry Wolcott, who also came over with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, on the John and Mary.
Fabulous photos, thanks for sharing! My family has a timeshare over at Oceancliff that they've had about 18 years! Love visiting Newport, can't wait to go back in August!
@Greenfield - You are so right! Now it is in my head.
@Ian - Happy New Year to you as well, Ian! Peace and long life!
@Grace - You are too nice, Grace! Thank you for all of your comments. I really appreciate them.
@Bitsy - I love hearing this! If I remember correctly the Wolcotts settled in Connecticut.
@just... - We were right there! Beautiful!
Absolutely stunning photographs, Muffy. As usual, your various forays leave me simply jealous.
And of course, it's everyone's favorite... well yours and mine... norwegian sweater. Like yours, mine is the 1980s women's. At 115lbs, I haven't much of a choice. But I tend to save quite a bit, because when I shop, I always go straight to the kids section and pick up 14-16s or 18-20s. Very rarely is the percentage off less than 50% off versus the adult sizes, and that presumes no sales are going on, when the percentage off can be even higher.
My father recently got the newer Mountain Red/Navy version of the norwegian sweater for Christmas, and if I wore it, it would be more like a norwegian blanket! Pictures forthcoming, probably tomorrow... We're also going to get my shoes taken care of.
Happy New Year! Thank you for a great year of posts. I'm looking forward to reading your posts in 2012.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos. Happy New Year!
So glad that The Chanler gets your seal of approval. It is on our 'short list' of domestic locations for our honeymoon, which will be next Oct. We appreciate a off-season visit to a tourist destination, too!
Thank you for a year of amazing posts! I look forward to what's to come in 2012. Happy New Year to the Daily Prep and all its lovely readers!
Happy New Year, from a reader in Norway.
Wow! What a beautiful place to be!
Thank you, Muffy! The best to you this year. Happy Hogmanay Day!
As usual great pics, for me it is just as pretty in the winter on a blue sky crisp day . I almost like the solitude better, than the touristo's from Warwick roaming the streets in droves. It may be the smallest state but if you love the water and sailing it is for sure the biggest! ty for sharing:)
@My Friend in Newport - We are aligned in your analysis of Newport evolution. Thanks for the links to the pdf and the NYT story!
@Tammy B - Happy New Year to you as well!
@Kionon - I keep waiting for LLB to make the Women's version again. I got the Men's navy/red last year. I like it but not as much as the navy/white. Thanks for the mention on The Problem with Prep Blogs.
@Mona - Thank you, Mona. And Happy New Year to you and your family!
@Worthington - You are getting married - how exciting! I am curious what else is on your short list!
@j. antoine - Thank you! Happy New Year!
@Hege - Thank you for the greeting from Norway - an especially beautiful country!
@Jacob Phelps - Newport Harbor is one of my favorite places, as is the boat yard.
@Coach Mac - My Scottish side thanks you!
@sailormadras - I prefer the solitude as well and almost never face the crowds on land in season - too depressing! But the water, as you say, is indeed the biggest!
Happy New Year, Muffy! I have so enjoyed the glimpse of your life you've provided this year. I am especially envious of your sweater, which looks as perfect as mine did back in the mid-80s.
Hi I loved your post about Newport! My family has a house here for summering. My parents were actually married at the nyyc. Yesterday I was walking my dog down to the cliff walk and I believe I may have seen you!!! Small world! I know you mentioned like coming down in the off-season, but you should take a trip down here this June for the America's Cup races it should be a lot of fun!
Does 'Caleigh' realize that Newport's June event is the America's Cup World Series and not the America's Cup challenge? We lost that long ago and Larry Ellison is hosting in San Francisco.
http://www.newportri.com/features/sports/let-the-preparations-begin/article_835c0dfe-286d-11e1-9249-001871e3ce6c.html?mode=image&photo=0
Happy New Years to you, and yours.
Tell me more about this America's Cup thing. I know they have Jazz and tennis - but when did the America's Cup golf tournament come to town. Wasn't aware Ellison played golf.
Muffy...it just seems to get better and better over here at The Daily Prep. I swear if I ever make it to the East Coast, I'm going to have a pleuthera of wonderful places to visit. I'm tellin' ya, the tourism board needs to be giving you some kick backs for all of these enticing posts.
some of the most striking photos on this blog to date! looking forward to another year.
--long-time-reader/ first-time-commenter
Thank you posting your pictures of Newport. I Love the "off season" !
My grandfathers were also on the Arabella...Christopher and son, James Avery.
Muffy, I need your advice. I sent back the LL Bean shoes that didn't work, and I am ordering the LL Bean Boots Rubber Moccasins. However, I was planning to order a 7 1/2 because that is what I wear in boat shoes/blucher mocs. My sperry's are typically 7.5. An 8 will be too big. Will the 7 be too small?
I'll be grabbing a pair of camp mocs if the duck mocs are a no-go.
Marvelous post with marvelous photographs. I attended St. George's in nearby Middletown (but with a Newport mailing address) in the 1970s, after Historic Newport had restored many of the town's 18th century buildings (funded in large part by Doris Duke), but back when Thames Street was a gritty dockside street of gin mills and tattoo parlors catering to the Navy men back when the US Navy still was a (major) presence in town. The "cottages" were considered white elephants, and many were being torn down or converted into condos, or simply closed down. My how times have changed!
I did not know the Chanler served lunch - score! Thanks, Muffy!
I see many familiar names on that wall at Newport Shipyard, assume they were closed for the week.
I could retire in Newport! what a great town to live in!
After years summering in Newport, I spent one winter there post-divorce having been displaced from Manhattan. Off-season there was a stark but interesting "yin" to the busy "yang" of NPT high season. I got through a good many books and Black Pearl hamburgers
I love the shot of you with the gloves and the birds-eye sweater in what looks like a ship yard. In it, you appear to have a real air of hands-on pragmatism. I take it the jacket is a Barbour. That photo is my new screen wallpaper. Go Muffy.
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