Category Archives: Uncategorized

It’s a walking town.

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After unpacking and making a grocery run for the week, it was early evening so we headed out on foot to search for food.

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Our resort was right on the harbor… but technically its address and check in office (white turret) is Thames Street, the busiest part of Newport, Rhode Island. One way streets, little to no parking and a constant flow of tourists make navigating the area by car challenging . On our last trip we weren’t able to explore, this time we were staying right in the heart of it.

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Right next to the Sailing Hall of Fame.

Did you know there was a Sailing Hall of Fame? Neither did I, but it was an interesting building.

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At the corner of Thames Street and Americas Cup Avenue (notice a trend?), we found the Red Parrot.

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The Red Parrot building is listed on the National Register of Historical Places in Newport. It was built in 1898 by John Alton Barker as a meat packing house where it employed hundreds of people during the era known as “The Gilded Age”.

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Through the years this building has housed a variety of eating establishments serving heads of state, diplomats, royalty, movie stars, the thousands of people visiting Newport each year and now you.

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Nearly empty when we arrived, I dove straight in to their lengthy cocktail list.

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Tempting as a rubber duck margarita was, 48 ounces seemed a bit much… even for me.

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I chose the Luxe Berry instead.

Citrus vodka, Chambord, pink lemonade and a splash of raspberry puree, served on the rocks with fresh lemon.

I wish I could copy and print the whole menu for you because it was large and extensive.

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As well as humorous.

(If you’ve never seen the Godfather? Never mind.)

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For appetizers…. husband had a wonderful and almost overwhelmingly cheesy French onion soup while I struggled to eat half of my amazingly rich ‘Shroom flatbread.

(Fire grilled dough, with caramelized onions, Portobello mushrooms. Topped with garlic herb Boursin and mozzarella cheese). That was a meal in itself… but we had to move on.

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Cocktail #2?

The Refresher… Prairie Cucumber vodka, raspberry puree, fresh lime over ice splashed with club soda.

Dinner was a tropical grilled Mahi Mahi with asparagus and mashed potatoes for the husband, pan seared scallops with spicy plum sauce, jasmine rice and sautéed spinach for me. Both meals were fabulous with generous portions and though I was honestly stuffed…

I decided to put myself in a sugar coma and drank my dessert.

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THIS DRINK IS BANANAS…B.A.N.A.N.A.S.

Rum Chata, Banana liqueur, White Crème de Cacao, fresh banana, vanilla ice cream and a splash of honey simple syrup blended frozen and topped with whipped cream.

By the time we waddled out of the restaurant there wasn’t an empty seat to be seen …

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(Vacant table on the left was the one we just vacated). And yes, that’s my husband on the far right chatting with someone at the bar.

The man loves to talk.

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Back at the resort, we relaxed on balcony #1 and enjoyed the end of our first day on Newport vacation Part Two.

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Ahhh…

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😊

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Someone wasn’t happy, but we did it anyway.

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His Lordship was not on board with us taking another week long trip to Newport, Rhode Island.

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And packing took a bit longer than anticipated….

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But four hours later we checked into a nice resort on the harbor in downtown Newport.

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We really enjoyed our first trip in March and since we didn’t have nearly enough time to see everything I wanted, trip number two happened the week before Memorial Day…. pre heavy tourist infestation.

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We lucked out and got their best condo building. Top floor with balconies on each end, both with water views.

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The drawback of that was a long narrow unit…

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But it was comfortable…

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And we didn’t spend much time there anyway.

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The bathrooms were ample size.

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The kitchen was not.

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But we don’t cook on vacation, so who cares?

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Morning coffee and tea on the balconies with these views wasn’t hard to take.

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Sunsets at the cocktail hour were pretty sweet as well.

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Stay tuned…

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Raccoons, fungus and hoppity hops.

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Does anyone else remember these?

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We had a slight hill in our backyard when I was growing up and bouncing up and down it on these bad bears was one of my favorite things in the world.

Simple pleasure, simple toy … no computer, keyboard or screen needed.

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I watch The Last of Us.

Sorry Oregon. You had a good run.

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A few raccoon photos.

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Just because they’re cute.

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And abundant lately.

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😊

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At this point I think Keith could survive a nuclear blast and the radiated winter that follows.

Like cockroaches, but more fun.

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Finally, some blooms.

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It’s been a long cold wet spring and I was beginning to wonder if anything would ever bloom again.

Then…

Bam!

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After a few days of warm sun…

Our apple-less apple tree by the road burst forth with gorgeous white blossoms.

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I wish I could send scent through my blog because it is unbelievably fragrant.

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The birds love it.

The bees love it.

I love it.

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Life is good.

😊

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Maps, maps and more maps.

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Because you seem to enjoy them as well.

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Maine is seriously bereft of alpacas.

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Guess we know where the maple trees live.

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I don’t think Maine is quite as coffee crazy as the rest of the country. Dunkin still rules up here.

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What up Wyoming?

Apparently, nothing.

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I’ll wear that proudly.

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Most of our moose are up north, but I’ve seen a few. Sadly, two of them had been hit by cars.

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Maine is so white bread, we don’t even have a weird name.

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Maine seems to be half dog, half cat.

You know which half we are.

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Bird nerd, robotic doctors and things that make me glad I’m old.

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This first story is my worst nightmare come to life.

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No.

Thank.

You!

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Nope.

Not this chick.

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We’ve had a banner batch of Baltimore Orioles this year.

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They disappear when the temperatures rise but a cool spring has made for beautiful bursts of backyard color.

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Ordering a drink with that name is not my idea of spreading love.

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A rare bird sighting at Casa River.

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A gorgeous Scarlet Bunting.

❤️

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I don’t need to know anything, and certainly not five things.

This makes me very glad I’m old (er) and not actively dating.

🤣

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The day after.

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When the rain ended, I went outside to remove the jerry rigged umbrella shelter my husband had erected for the hummingbirds the day before.

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With a few hungry natives buzzing nearby and telling me to hurry up.

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On closer inspection of the installation?

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I decided to let the husband remove his handiwork later on.

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In the meantime… a gentle breeze was blowing the umbrella and His Lordship was perturbed.

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Seeing the shadow through the blinds he believed we were under attack….

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And was not happy to be excluded.

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Fearing my blinds would be ripped to shreds, I opened one for his viewing pleasure.

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And after seeing his kingdom was safe?

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A nap, in the shade.

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News you can’t use.

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Bringing you useless news every Monday to start your week off right. Or wrong as the case may be.

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Great… because I really need something else to worry about.

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Sound like nasty little bastards.

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I knew it!

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Where’s Pedro Pascale when you need him…

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*Note to self – research homes for sale in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.*

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Who in their right mind loves sinkholes?

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When one swallows her house, Lauren may change her mind.

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Yikes.

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I don’t know about any others, but that cat definitely hates someone.

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The only way I could stop mine is to divorce my husband.

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The clutter around here does not go unnoticed, but I love my guy too much to take those necessary steps.

😉

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