Garden RavioliNewport Restaurant Week Nov. 2-11, 2012

Like many of you out there, I absolutely adore food; especially the fall comforts – from pot roast to pumpkin pie and everything in between it’s all delectable to me!  Thanksgiving Thursday, in all of its splendor, is a day I usually indulge the cravings that I fight tooth and nail to ignore throughout the year.  

There is one event, however, that puts my willpower to the ultimate test.  It’s right around the corner, and after checking out this year’s menu items, I think my mind will once again lose a battle with my stomach.

The event, Newport Restaurant Week,  November 2nd  – 11th.   If you’re lucky enough not to worship food in the way that I do, than use this opportunity to inspire your own Thanksgiving…

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This recent text exchange between my daughter and me got me thinking about celebrity (Secret: I don't know who Orlando Jones is!) and the exceptional people who work quietly among us here in Newport. Here are a couple who come to mind.

I brought my car to Coffee's Texaco for a tire change the other day. Neal Coffee said it would be ready in an hour, so I walked through Washington Square to Ocean Coffee Roasters to kill some time.

Coffee's Citgo has occupied a triangular patch of historic Newport for as long as I can remember.  You have to pass it on your way out of town.  He sells 3 or 4 used cars on a small section of the lot, offers parking on busy summer days, distributes doggie treats to canine passers by and fixes all kinds of cars all year…

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The intricate ins and outs of Newport’s streets are typically explored by those who have exhausted the main street attractions. Once you are numb to the typical sights you begin to crave more, and Newport has much much more to see. In grade school my friends and I wandered around town looking for things to do. In doing so we discovered many hidden spots with amazing views of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. I now love taking friends to these spots to show them Newport’s beauty the way I grew up seeing it. These are my top spots in Newport RI to enjoy the waterfront:

The Point: The Point is at the end of the downtown area just before the bridge to Goat Island. This historic part of Newport right by the Newport Bridge has…

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When it comes to dining in Newport, RI you can’t go wrong at too many places. Everyone you ask will tell you to go somewhere different because there are so many great restaurants in town. From seafood to burgers to drinks by the waterfront Newport RI has it all and has at least one spot that does it very well. These are the places I like to take my friends to impress them when they come visit Newport.

Brick Alley Pub- Brick Alley is probably the top most recommended place in Newport. They serve pub style comfort food in a neat three-story restaurant covered in sports memorabilia, license plates, autographs and much more. On top of all of that I have always had great service when I go there. If you want to get a table during the summer make a…

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Newport RI is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in New England. Though they all make for a great day by the water, not all of the beaches here are the same. Some provide a more exciting atmosphere with volleyball and surfing, while others make for a quiet place to nap or read a book. To ensure you get the beach experience you are looking for here is a breakdown of the seven major beaches in the area and the local lingo that will help you find them.

Public Beaches

Easton’s Beach- More commonly known as "First Beach", Easton’s is lovingly named “The Tourist Beach” by the locals. It's the first beach you see along the main drag of Memorial Boulevard. It also has tons of parking, a snack bar, a small aquarium and a jungle gym, making it very…

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I grew up in Newport and moved to Boston a few years ago for school. Though the frequency of my visits now resemble those of a tourist more so than a local, the tricks I’ve learned from living here make my trips much richer than the recommended guide book version. In this series of blog posts I will share my secrets to help visitors and those looking to buy a home in Newport get the most out of their time in this great town.

I came back to Newport during the busiest part of summer, making the topic of my first post pretty easy to decide on: Getting Around Town. Every Friday Bellevue Ave floods with cars coming off the bridge. Thames St. is a nightmare with standstill traffic for miles. Parking is also pricy and hard to find. Newport is not a place…

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What is a 203K Loan?

An FHA 203k Loan is a rehab loan backed by the Federal Housing Authority. It allows home buyers to borrow to make repairs to a property after closing.

Why would I use a 203K Loan?

Typically for most conventional loan approvals the property has to be habitable and pass inspections.  Many times the seller can not fix problems that may arise such as furnace issues, old roof, peeling lead paint, non-functioning plumbing or electrical systems.  When these deficient conditions exist, a bank may deny a conventional loan application.  If you apply for a 203k Rehab Loan, however,  you may be able to borrow enough money to purchase the home AND make pre-approved repairs after closing.

How much can I borrow with a 203K?

A 203k…

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Most children, at one time or another, dream of the perfect tree house. A place that they can hang out with friends and decorate to their liking - a place to call their own. If you have children, you may have at one time thought about building a play house for your kids.

Below are some charming, some amazing, and some truly creative play houses. Happy dreaming!

Simple Tree House Designs

If you are looking for simpler designs, something that will take an afternoon, not a summer, to complete, check out these cute tree house designs.

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Postcard Portsmouth RI Coal MinePortsmouth, RI Coal Mine

COAL MINES BENEATH CARNEGIE ABBEY GOLF COURSE

PORTSMOUTH, RI - Most golfers at Carnegie Abbey Club are unaware that the water used to irrigate the golf course comes from miles and miles of abandoned coal mines running east/west from Narragansett Bay to East Main Rd. and north/south from Portsmouth town hall and to Melville Marina.  Today, the mines contain an estimated 400 million gallons of fresh water. Carnegie Abbey's original developer briefly considered bottling this fresh water under a private Carnegie Abbey label. 

HISTORY OF MINING PORTSMOUTH RI

In the early 19th century they were teeming with men and mules mining coal to fuel America's industrial revolution. The mules hauled the coal bins in and out of the…

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I married into a family of native Newporters descended from the European immigrants who worked in Newport's mansions.  As I result, I have heard many amazing stories about Newport's gilded age families.  Among my favorites are my husband Paul's recollections of Elizabeth Parke Firestone and his visits to her Newport, RI Firestone Estate, Ocean Lawn. 

After her husband died, Mrs. Firestone (a.k.a Betty) summered alone at Ocean Lawn, a sprawling 1888 Peabody & Stearns mansion overlooking the water on the corner of Narragansett Avenue and Cliff Walk. She was the widow of the late Harvey Firestone, Jr., son of the founder of Firestone Tire. 

In those days, Mrs. Firestone didn't get out much, but she enjoyed a little sherry and conversation with…

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