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Newport, Rhode Island is famous for its Gilded Age “cottages”. These stately mansions line the waterfront on an avenue appropriately named Bellevue… ‘beautiful view’ in French.

And cruising down that graceful tree lined avenue is indeed a beautiful thing.

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Ornate wrought iron gates guard impressive estates.

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Some are owned by the Preservation Society and open to the public …

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Some are still privately held.

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Some look like the Addams family could live there, but trust me… they’re all spectacular.

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It’s like stepping back in time.

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Before all those pesky taxes, regulations and workers unions ate into the homeowner’s stash of cash.

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We were told Larry Ellison (founder of Oracle) just bought two adjoining properties, tore one house down and is doing 150 million dollars worth of renovations to the other. In a city that worships its history, this is akin to wholesale slaughter.

Needless to say he will not be receiving a welcoming apple pie from his neighbors.

Continuing down Bellevue Ave, we took the scenic route on Ocean Drive.

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Where large waterfront homes and properties rule the day.

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Jay Leno has a big spread here.

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And is said to drive his cars around town, popping into local restaurants and pubs quietly and politely.

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This is a gorgeous area.

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Scenically beautiful.

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And if I had that kind of money?

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I’d live here too.

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Stone is a favored building material. And turrets are popular.

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Because who doesn’t love a turret?

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Continuing across the bridge, we headed for Jamestown.

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First established in 1678 by the Massachusetts Bay Company on Conanicut Island, it’s the second largest island in Narragansett Bay.

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And though it has impressive waterfront homes like Newport…

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It’s a quieter, more laid back, rural town.

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I’m not sure why you’d want a deck around your chimney, but these people did.

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The coastline is very similar to ours in Maine.

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And they do love their stone walls.

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Crossing another bridge, we ended the day at a brewery in Middletown.

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Where I had a blueberry beer with actual blueberries in the glass. Shame it didn’t taste anything like fruit.

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An old photo on the wall paid tribute to the popular beers of days gone by. And though we were surrounded by Narragansett Bay on all sides, and Narragansett beer was on every tap in every restaurant…. the brewery itself is inland, in Providence and run by a New York company.

Boo to that.

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After an excellent clam chowder and French onion start…

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And the annoying lack of adverbs, the meal was sub par and not close to photo worthy.

But on the drive back to the resort?

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The ever present geese.

They never disappoint.

😊

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