There’s a restaurant under the black awning in this corner building in downtown Augusta.
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It’s a place my husband continually thinks he likes, but really doesn’t.
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I love that their beer is tapped in an old copper still.
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And while the pomegranate margarita was killer, I admit their version of hushpuppies was not.
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We’ve been here a few times and because I enjoy barbecue, I liked my meal.
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Half a dry rubbed chicken, sweet potato fries, slaw and jalapeño cornbread.
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My husband on the other hand complained his (very tender and flavorful) ribs didn’t have enough meat, his beans weren’t New England style, his slaw was too dry and his cornbread too spicy.
He doesn’t really like barbecue, but always thinks he does… no matter how many times I tell him he won’t be pleased.
Short memory, or stubbornness? Either way it will probably be another year before he suggests going out for barbecue again.
Down to the end of a peninsula, an area called Galilee.
You can see Jerusalem from there.
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No, I wasn’t kidding.
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Our destination was George’s.
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A seafood restaurant with a water view.
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Lunch off season left us with the place pretty much to ourselves….
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So I settled in with a perfectly refreshing Spring Sangria…
grey goose l’orange vodka, st. germain, pineapple, white wine, club soda
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Husband started with garlicky mussels..
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And I had Rhode Island clam chowder, which is pretty much the same as New England clam chowder… rich, creamy and delicious.
Before long a few locals joined us at the bar.
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Since the gentleman closest to me was wearing a Marine Corps hat, a conversation began. These two men had been friends since they were in elementary school. They married local girls, went to war and came back home to raise families.
We bought their drinks.
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As we watched the Block Island ferry come into port.
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My crab stuffed shrimp with garlic butter roasted baby potatoes and broccolini was divine.
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As was the husband’s shrimp scampi.
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After eating, serious storytelling commenced.
😊
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I left them to it and wandered outside to enjoy the view.
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You can always tell when a fishing boat has taken on bait.
Finished with our internal tour, we walked back outside to the rear of the property.
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The mansion was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and was patterned after a small palace within the grounds of Versailles in France.
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The mansion is U-shaped, and though it appears to be two stories, is actually four levels. Clad in white Westchester marble from which it gets its name.
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The view is pretty sweet.
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As is the tea house I spoke about earlier.
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Sadly it was locked up tight and we couldn’t explore inside.
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But as far as backyard buildings go, it beats our shed hands down.
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To the left you can see some other large waterfront homes.
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And don’t you just hate it when the neighbors build one larger than yours?
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All in all, Marble House is quite something.
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The side facing Bellevue Avenue has a Corinthian portico, a curved marble carriage ramp, and a semi-circular fountain.
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And as with everything else, is quite ornate.
Done with our Gilded Age cottage tours for the day, we made a pit stop back at the resort to refresh and change then headed down to the waterfront for dinner.
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On the recommendation of some locals the husband met for breakfast ( did I mention he found a cafe across the street from our resort and became a week long regular eating there every morning? The man has to talk! ) we tried The Black Pearl.
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And when they say black?
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Everything was black.
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My pomegranate margarita and wild mushroom roasted chicken were wonderful but the husband was unimpressed by the menu and protested by just having chowder.
Whatever.
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An evening stroll along the marina was required as we had to park what felt like a mile away…
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But the scenery wasn’t half bad.
This boat was available for charter and I instantly imagined a fabulous pirate cocktail party.
Finishing our tour of the top floor we strolled across the upper loggia.
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It was a semi outdoor sitting room.
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Filled with wicker furniture, rugs and potted palm trees in its day.
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The ceiling is a continuation of the painted sky from the great hall.
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Looking out…. you can see the waves breaking over the cliffs that give the house its name 30 feet below.
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Here’s the husband taking a picture of the servant’s stairs.
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The kitchen was large and extremely workable.
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Which is a good thing considering the size of the dinner parties they had to cater.
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Here’s the separate two story butler’s pantry that housed the china. Because why have one 50 piece pattern… when you have the space for 20? The family’s 1,000 piece monogrammed Tiffany silver was kept here as well. In the locked safe. Away from the possible sticky fingers of the 40 person staff.
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Here are some exterior photos of the house.
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The sun was hard to avoid so pardon the rays here and there.
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We visited the Breakers once, decades ago in the summer… and the grounds were lovely.
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Me, in 1989, tan and thin.
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Husband in 1989, still active duty and thin.
In March 2025 things were mostly brown.
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World’s largest bird bath?
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I can’t imagine having this type of wealth.
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Or living in this type of home.
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But it sure was fun to wander around and pretend we did.
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We spent the entire morning here and were famished by the time we were through. Reading in the brochure about a cafe on the grounds, we brought our appetites.
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Only to discover the elaborate building had no kitchen, just bottled drinks in a cooler and bags of chips.
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Bit of a let down, that.
After battling the crowded Thames Street waterfront…where there were ample restaurants but no parking, we drove a little farther and discovered Zelda’s.
A weird selection for an Irish pub… but their shrimp and grits was da bomb. They were fried, which was also weird, but everything was perfectly cooked and spiced. Tender shrimp, creamy cheesy grits, I was a happy camper.
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There’s a very large Irish presence in Newport. Most of whom are ancestors of the original indentured servants brought over to serve the wealthy and build their fabulous summer homes. The robber barons are gone, but the Irish remain. And because of that….you’re never very far from a decent pub.
Yes, we’re finally breaking down and shopping to replace our…. are you ready for a shock?…. 39 year old mattress.
We bought a seriously high end Stearns and Foster mattress in … gulp! … 1986 and it has served us faithfully for a very long time. We’ve flipped and rotated for decades but it’s finally gasped its last breath and needs to go.
Have you shopped for mattresses lately?
It’s a whole new world.
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Aireloom… handmade, beloved by Ronald Reagan who put them in all White House bedrooms, and firm enough to make me happy.
The prices however, did not.
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Stearns and Foster firm? My second choice but about the same price.
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Serta firm? Not firm enough and I was beginning to feel like Goldilocks. Please note the husband’s thrilled expression that we were making the rounds of furniture stores again.
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And speaking of furniture, if we’re replacing the mattress…
Perhaps it’s time to replace the 39 year old bedroom set as well. Problem is our old set is solid mahogany and, well… solid. Today’s bedrooms? Not so much.
Unless you buy Amish.
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If they can hold a horse…
(PS… that bureau wasn’t $750, just the mirror which is sold separately)
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What’s that strange pillow on the sectional couch we walked by?
A pet bed of course.
🤣
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After a full day of shopping with no decisions made, my husband was ready for alcohol… and to be honest so was I. Lying down on mattresses that cost $6,000 plus will do that to a girl.
Spiced pear margarita and calamari to start.
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Grilled chicken harvest salad with goat cheese, apples and butternut squash for the husband.
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Haddock sandwich and seasoned fries washed down by a cranberry Paloma for me.
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.
His Lordship has discovered the joy of popping bubble wrap.
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And literally throws his whole body into it.
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Because Easter is right around the corner.
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This sounds utterly disgusting to me, and to be honest… I don’t think the Peep looked pleased either.
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I didn’t know this, but am glad I do now.
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Yes, she’s still here.
And yes, we’re still getting snow.
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I know I complain about trying Facebook recipes that never turn out as pictured…. but I dare any of you to cook a pork tenderloin that comes out like that!
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If you know, you know.
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My neighbor sent me this picture a while back. She was coming up her driveway and captured the strange cloud formation.
Friday dawned sunny and relatively warm so the husband and I jumped in the car for a drive to the mountains.
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Heading west to try a new brewery that had popped up since our last visit.
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And while the hilltops were free of snow, the lakes were still frozen.
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Our destination was Steam Mill Brewing which had a colorful tasting room.
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And a comfortable, laid back western vibe.
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We did a few tastings but weren’t overly impressed with the beer.
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But my Rogue Angel – Titos, elderflower cordial, grapefruit juice, soda water and orange bitters – hit the spot.
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Crab cakes with Cajun remoulade and truffle aoili? OMG. To die for. Some of the best I’ve ever had… and they are always my go to app.
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Husband’s French onion soup? Dark, rich and full of sherry. Yum.
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The vaguely spider like overhead lighting was bizarre.
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But my veal, beef and pork bolognese and his mixed green salad with grilled chicken and warm maple vinaigrette were amazing.
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The town was also running a cocktail competition that, had I lived there, I would have been all over. Bar hop 11 places and taste test their cocktails? Sign me up.
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Naturally I tried Steam Mill’s entry… which, while tasty, was down right deadly.
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On our way out, the rest rooms provided a few laughs.
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Then it was back over the mountains for a scenic drive home.
A new Sicilian restaurant opened recently and you know we were all over that.
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Small and unassuming, it was packed tight with hungry customers and upon entry we were asked if we had a reservation.
For lunch.
On a Tuesday.
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We didn’t, but happily snagged the last two seats at the bar…. which is where my husband always wants to sit anyway.
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The Limoncello spritz was lovely and fit the decor perfectly.
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My arincini was too die for. Light, pillowy and perfectly prepared. The bread was freshly baked and the husband’s meatballs were juicy and correctly spiced.
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The husband had –
Canneloni Al Forno Lacinato Kale + House Ricotta + Marinara + Mozzarella + Pecorino + Lemon Zest.
It was light and flavorful and even though it contained the devil’s weed… I liked it.
River's world..... 