Hi Babes

Long drive from Toronto to Springfield, Mass.  After 9 hours, finally arrived at our hotel right across the parking lot (literally) from the Basketball Hall of Fame.   We had dinner at the Student Prince, a German Restaurant in downtown Springfield.   This town is a drive through!  Not much going on, "downtown" is uberquiet.

Here's a picture of Dad in the German Restaurant taken from iTouch (hence the poor quality image)   It has the largest collection of Beer Steins!

Today, we headed to Newport, RI, just a mere 2 hours south of Springfield.  Arrived at the Jailhouse Inn around 2:00 and then we did a tour of a couple of historical houses.   This one, called The Breakers was built by Cornelius Vanderbilt (this is the same family that Andersen Cooper belongs to -- he's the great great grandson!)

Here's the site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Breakers
and a few pictures


Then we went to Marble House which was built by William Vanderbilt (grandson of Cornelius) for his wife for her 39th birthday.  The deal was that the house would be built in her name only (several million dollars worth which was insanely expensive in those days); she oversaw the construction -- only took 2 years! She divorced him 3 years later -- and kept the house!!

We just got back from dinner at the Moorings Restaurant  http://www.mooringrestaurant.com/ 
 I had -- what else -- Lobster!   Dad had Salmon with Crab and spinach topping.

We just rolled our selves "home" to the Jailhouse Inn - Oh great!  I just looked up Jailhouse Inn to send you a link .. the place is apparently haunted!  Guess we are sleeping with the bathroom light on tonite!  I am not going to read this web site until AFTER we check out tomorrow!
http://www.hauntedhouses.com/states/ri/newport-jail-house.htm

Tomorrow, Dad is going to pretend he is a teenager again, when he participates in the Sailing Races that Uncle George has arranged as an extra-curricular for the wedding guests.  Here's the site http://12metercharters.com/   Will update you with the antics tomorrow.

Olives!  Mum oxox

P.S.  Dad doesn't feel like contributing to this blog -- other than Shaq O'Neil (retired basketball player) wears size 23 shoes... er... boats!.

Comments

  1. nik pikSeptember 12, 2012 at 7:20 PM

    Hi Mum, Dad,

    Sounds like you have been quite the tourists so far! Loved that you went to the bb hall of fame, and I think that it's hilarious that you are staying in a 'haunted' b&b! I think you're good mum, I read it and you're allll good! ;)

    That resto in Newport looks pretty nice, I like the giant gold fish!

    And that fancy Vanderbilt house is a bit insane! I would much rather own a small tropical island for that kind of money.

    Thanks for the update and the pics! Tell dad to not get thrown overboard during the boat races, and if by any chance he comes across a dashing young, available, sailor, he should send him up here for a visit with his beautiful and intelligent and charming daughter! Lol! I feel as if you guys will be hobnobbing with some fancy folks out there, enjoy and take lots of pics, and wish Caitlin congrats and best wishes for me. And I'm not even kidding about the dashing and handsome young fellows...

    I've been on the road too much lately to meet anyone good!

    Lol,
    N :) oxoxox

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 13, 2012 at 6:32 AM

    Hi Mum / Dad,

    Thanks for posting I very much enjoy reading about your travels! That b&b looks pretty neat (aside from the 'haunted' part); although I also read the site and agree with Nik - not much to be afraid of there.

    The Breakers house looks ridiculous! It's amazing the family still lives there occasionally, yet the tours still go on and no one even knows they're there. Just goes to show you how huge that house really is.

    Make sure Dad wears a life jacket today - as Nik said, we wouldn't want him getting thrown overboard ;)

    Enjoy all the seafood while you're down there! Please also send a 'congrats' to Caitlin for me too. Looking forward to more posts :)

    Lol,
    Ally xoxo

    ReplyDelete

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