Newport, RI

A month and a half ago Brandon and I celebrated our 7th anniversary in Newport.  It was a last minute overnight trip and Brandon's sweet cousin babysat the kids for us.  It was FREEZing, but still so charming!  We will definately be back in the warmer weather.  And because we went in the winter we scored had the touring almost all to ourselves.  We saw 3 of the "cottages" (A.K.A. ginormous mansions laden in gold, marble, etc.) where late 19th century American tycoons summered.  If you've seen "The Great Gatsby", it was filmed at two of these homes: Rosecliff and Marble House.  I was so intrigued by this world.  After we got home I read a couple of books: "The Vanderbilt Era: Profiles of a Gilded Age" , and "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton.  If you're thinking about touring these places I'd definately read The House of Mirth before to get a vision of the society...and The Vanderbilt Era was a great book with mini biographies of the Vanderbilts and other tycoons in their era. 

Here is Brandon standing outside the gate of "The Breakers"...the summer cottage of Cornelius II Vanderbilt's family. 

The Breakers:

This is George H. Vanderbilt (if I remember right) and his family...his oldest son Cornelius II built The Breakers (pictured above) after a previous residence burnt down. 

Marble House:

The Elms:

The House of Mirth was such a haunting story.  Written by Edith Wharton, the first woman to win a Pullitzer prize, she was well acquainted with the society she wrote about.  She was born into New York "high society".  I found it fascinating that through every age, common themes of humanity run throughout and link every age: the good and the bad.  All in all, we loved our visit and will definately be back!