We picked the perfect weekend to head to Newport and Waterfire Providence. 2 cars of people - I drove Christopher, Jamen, and Todd, all of whom were well behaved after I admonished Jamen for putting his dirty feet on my just Armor-All'ed dash when he sat down in the car. I guess down in NC, people ride around with their feet out the window or touching everything besides the floor.
I hadn't been to Newport in years. I thought we were going to wander around the harbor / downtown area, but we spent much of our time at the beach and walking the Cliff Walk past some of the mansions. That actually worked out better. Great ocean breezes, beautiful sun and scenery, fewer crowds of tourists (although along Cliff Walk, we heard many foreign languages).
During the drive, I developed an urge for clam cakes, and managed to convince the rest of the gang that we should eat lunch at the snack shed at the beach because we were hungry, it was there, and dinner downtown was going to be more involved. Plus, they had clam cakes. Truly, that was the only reason in my mind. I would have preferred we eat at the place Todd wanted, because he says the clam cakes are better, but we had too many non-seafoodies with us to risk a restaurant that didn't have dead animals from above the water.
There was, of course, a Del's Lemonade truck there, and after I quickly explained what a Del's was, we bought some after lunch. Since Del's is a Rhode Island thing, it's a necessity to buy one whenever I see a truck while in the Ocean State. Good stuff. Reminds me of college.
Waterfire is so well administered and attended, it almost looks like they have been doing it forever. I've been to it like 5 or 6 times, and its positive effect on Providence amazes me more every time I go. People don't seem to get tired of wandering around downtown and staring at bonfires in the river. It's a perfect outdoor festival - very European in nature. The restaurants and bars are full.
I hadn't been to Newport in years. I thought we were going to wander around the harbor / downtown area, but we spent much of our time at the beach and walking the Cliff Walk past some of the mansions. That actually worked out better. Great ocean breezes, beautiful sun and scenery, fewer crowds of tourists (although along Cliff Walk, we heard many foreign languages).During the drive, I developed an urge for clam cakes, and managed to convince the rest of the gang that we should eat lunch at the snack shed at the beach because we were hungry, it was there, and dinner downtown was going to be more involved. Plus, they had clam cakes. Truly, that was the only reason in my mind. I would have preferred we eat at the place Todd wanted, because he says the clam cakes are better, but we had too many non-seafoodies with us to risk a restaurant that didn't have dead animals from above the water.
There was, of course, a Del's Lemonade truck there, and after I quickly explained what a Del's was, we bought some after lunch. Since Del's is a Rhode Island thing, it's a necessity to buy one whenever I see a truck while in the Ocean State. Good stuff. Reminds me of college.
Waterfire is so well administered and attended, it almost looks like they have been doing it forever. I've been to it like 5 or 6 times, and its positive effect on Providence amazes me more every time I go. People don't seem to get tired of wandering around downtown and staring at bonfires in the river. It's a perfect outdoor festival - very European in nature. The restaurants and bars are full.
The city puts on its best outfit during Waterfire, and could not be more different from the Providence I recall during college (which would be the Providence pre-mall, pre-bonfire, pre-Riverwalk, pre-luxury condos, pre-fancy hotels besides the Biltmore). To think all of this happened in just over a decade...Hartford must be taking notes.After Saturday's full day and the completion of the second coat of white paint on the deck railing (besides the touchups), however, I am spent. It shouldn't be relaxing and restful heading to the office, but that's what I'm looking forward to today - sitting on my butt behind a computer for much of Monday.
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