Tuesday, June 11, 2024

The Breakers: A Magnificent "Summer Getaway" by the Sea in Rhode Island





When it comes to "summer getaways" most of us are happy to retire to a 500-square-foot hotel room, but that certainly wasn't the case with the Gilded Age's rich and famous like the Vanderbilts.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to view how the other half lived with a trip to "The Breakers," a luxurious mansion by the sea built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1893.

Today tourists can do the same thanks to the Newport Rhode Island Preservation Society, which purchased the property from the Vanderbilt heirs in 1972. Thousands of people visit the property each year to witness the splendor of a mansion built by a railroad magnate during the Gilded Age.

Exquisite Rooms

Visitors to the property can download an app called "Newport Mansions" for a self-guided tour providing details of each room, a few of which I'll cover here. The tour opens with a view of the Great Hall below, which was inspired by the open-air courtyards of Italy.

The Great Hall inspired by the open-air courtyards of Italy.

Imagine being a child and being permitted to ride your tricycles around the great hall, as the Vanderbilt children often did. It's also said that they slid down the staircase on serving trays. I'd make a bet that most of the 40 servants weren't particularly happy about that.

Beautiful ceilings throughout.

A lighted fountain beneath the Great Hall stairway.

The staircase, fountain and walkways were inspired by the Great Opera House in Paris. Richard Morris Hunt, regarded as one of the best architects back in the day, was responsible for much of the beauty of The Breakers.
The Dining Room where the Vanderbilts entertained.

The Vanderbilts entertained guests in a sprawling dining room, some of whom were members of an "exclusive group" known as The 400 led by Carolyn Schermerhorn Astor. The opulence includes twin chandeliers and 12 wall sconces made with Baccarat crystal. The columns in the room are comprised of alabaster and the ornamentation doesn't end there. On the ceiling is a painting of the goddess Aurora pulled by a team of white horses. 

The Vanderbilt's "summer house" also was equipped with something that was very new back then: electricity. Every light fixture in the dining room was a hybrid of sorts-- fitted for both gas and electric. 

This beautiful ceiling tile depicts a sea theme.

The morning room seen below on the first floor was designed by a Paris decorator. The wall panels in the corner depict Greek goddesses of learning and the arts and were thought to have been decorated with silver leaf. Preservationists with X-ray machines eventually learned that the "silver leaf" was actually platinum.

The Morning Room.

The Music Room.

The Vanderbilts were musical people. Mr. Vanderbilt played the piano and Mrs. Vanderbilt played the violin. Members of the family would often get together to play their respective instruments in this room, which was also used for celebrations, like weddings and debutante balls. 

Mr. Vanderbilt's Room

Upstairs guests can visit the rooms where the Vanderbilts retired for the evening. Below you'll see one of 20 bathrooms in the house.

One of 20 bathrooms throughout the mansion.

What I found interesting is that this particular sink contained four taps, two of which dispensed running salt water, which was considered good for one's health at the time. The marble tub here was so thick that it needed to be filled and drained several times to bath in comfortably.

Mrs. Vanderbilt's Bedroom.

Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedroom and office is seen above. Beside her bed were buttons for her to summon servants. Daily she would review a "carriage book," which was a type of reservation system where guests and members of the family would schedule their mode of transportation for that day so that servants could bring the vehicles to the property at the pre-ordained time.

The Vanderbilts were said to have used their stone and tile porch, which is the outside loggia, as an "open air living room," providing a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Outside Loggia.

This striking house, used by the Vanderbilts for seven years, was fireproof--constructed of brick, steel and stone. I guess the Vanderbilts knew how to get things done because it was constructed and decorated in a short two years. Good luck getting something like this completed in two years in today's society.

This is just one house on the Newport Mansions tour. Additional mansions include The Elms, The Marble House, Rosecliff, and Chateau-sur-Mer. To learn about these and more, visit the Preservation Society of Newport County at About Us | Newport Mansions.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

A Whirlwind Tour of Martha's Vineyard

Over the years, I've heard a lot about Martha's Vineyard, but it took a visit for me to understand more about the island inhabited by notable people like Spike Lee, James Taylor, David Letterman and author David McCullough.

For those who are interested in visiting the area, I can recommend the Beach Breeze Inn in Falmouth as a basecamp. The lovely, well-tended inn is just a short walk from the Surf Drive Beach and is a 10-minute drive to Ferry Parking. It even included a pool, which I would have taken advantage of if the weather wasn't in the 50's in late April.

The Beach Breeze Inn.


The logistics of getting to Martha's Vineyard may seem a bit daunting at first, but it appears that people go through the same ritual every day, judging by the huge parking lot that was filled by the time we arrived there at 9:00 a.m. 

To get to the Steamship Authority which runs the Ferry to Martha's Vineyard, you must first drive to the Palmer Avenue Parking lot, then take a waiting shuttle to Wood's Hole where the Ferry docks. The parking charge varies according to season; we paid $13 in April. The shuttle then takes between 10-15 minutes to get to the Ferry, so if you're meeting up with someone, do keep this in mind.

The ferry to Martha's Vineyard runs up to 20 times a day and is operated by the Steamship Authority.

After a comfortable ferry ride, we arrived in Wood's Hole where we browsed in a few cute little shops. If you choose to visit by car instead, there are several additional attractions you may want to consider, like the Nobska Point Lighthouse and the oldest Aquarium in the United States known as the National Marine Fisheries. If you're on foot and you have time before your ferry departs, there's also the Wood's Hole Historical Museum, which, in addition to helping guests learn more about the area's past, also offers walking tours. 

After visiting Wood's Hole, we walked to Vineyard Haven, which, after a few more blocks, led us to the historic town of Tisberry, where we caught a bus to Oak Bluffs to meet Dolores Borza of Home Grown Tours.

Murdick's Fudge has been in operation since 1887 and has shops in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven.


The Black Dog General Store in Vineyard Haven.

Borza is a native of the area and has been conducting tours for the past 15 years. Her comfortable bus also includes a lift to be accessible for those with disabilities.

During the three-hour tour, Borza takes guests through all the major towns and areas in Martha's Vineyard, expounding upon the rich history of the area. For those who have yet to visit Martha's Vineyard, it's comprised of the following:

Edgartown
The oldest town on the island is known for its historic charm, colonial architecture and the Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse. During the warmer months, tourists flock to the downtown area for shopping and dining.

Edgartown's Old Whaling Church, built in 1843.

Borza makes a stop at the Morning Glory Farm in Edgarton where visitors can shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, baked goods and more.

The Morning Glory Farm sells flowers, fruit, vegetables, baked goods and more.

Oak Bluffs
Oak Bluffs is known for its "gingerbread" houses, which originated from the Methodist Campground meeting grounds. During the summer, the downtown area near Circuit Avenue is filled with people visiting boutiques, restaurants, galleries and cafes. The sculpture below greets visitors to Oak Bluffs as they arrive on the island by ferry. Island artist Jay Lagemann has dubbed it, "The Family."

The Family, by artist Jay Lagemann.
This monument in Oak Bluffs near the dock was erected in honor of the Grand Army of the Republic by Charles Strahan, 21st Virginia Regiment.

Vineyard Haven/Tisbury
Vineyard Haven is also known as Tisbury--a fact that confused me a bit. Its busy harbor acts as a commercial center for the island. Like Oak Bluffs, it's known for its shops, restaurants and art galleries.
West Tisbury is known for its farmstands and is home to the Polly Hill Arboretum

Blue Fathom Art Gallery in Vineyard Haven.

Did you know that Vineyard Vines originated in Martha's Vineyard?
Chilmark
Chilmark is known for its rolling hills and beautiful views. The quiet town is aptly named because it most certainly could be described as "chill."
Borza's bus stops in Menemsha, a historic fishing village where visitors can enjoy delicious clam chowder and seafood fresh off the boat at the Menemsha Fish Market.

Aquinnah
Aquinnah, formerly known as Gay Head, is located on the western end of the island and is famous for its cliffs and the Gay Head Lighthouse. The area has ties to the Wampanoag Tribe and Borza stops the bus so that passengers can browse the baked goods at Orange Peel Bakery. The bakery is owned by Juli Vanderhoop, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe, who bakes her products in a pizza oven made of fieldstone. She runs the place on the honor system where customers pay for their goods by leaving cash behind.
The Gay Head Cliffs are a national landmark.

The Gay Head Lighthouse can be seen in the distance.

The Orange Peel Bakery is run by Juli Vanderhoop, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe.

Borza, who runs the tours, suggests booking early as we approach the busy season. She also offers Jaws tours. Those who are fans of the movie likely know that it was shot in the area and that the 50th anniversary of the filming is coming up soon, so now it's more relevant than ever.

Homegrown Tours offers a Jaws-centric tour as well.

Borza operates up to four tours a day: two in the morning and two in the afternoon. You can book your tour at her website at https://www.homegrowntoursllc.com/.

That's all for now. More posts on the Cape Cod trip will be coming up in the next several weeks. I hope that this short overview was enough to give you a general idea of what it's like to visit Martha's Vineyard, a lovely, out-of-the-way place that spans 100 square miles and attracts nearly 200,000 during the summer months.

Friday, March 29, 2024

The Olympics of Water Tasting in Berkeley Springs West Virginia

About four years ago I wrote about my experience with water tasting for this site. Because so much time has passed since then, I decide to revisit the subject since I returned to Berkeley Springs this February to participate in the event for a third time.

For those who missed my first water-judging post, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia has been the site of the International Water Tasting event for 34 years now and is referred to as the "Olympics of Water Tasting." 

This might sound ridiculous, but for those in the industry it's an important event, especially when it comes to the commercial viability of some brands, which use it as a calling card with distributors. It's also an educational tool, with live-streamed seminars broadcast throughout the day on Facebook, where experts lecture on the importance of water for human health and the health of the planet.

This year, approximately 100 waters from as far away as Japan were sent to the water tasting headquarters at the Country Inn to be rated by 11 media judges that included representatives from West Virginia Public Broadcasting and various regional and national media, including newspapers, websites, blogs and online and print magazines.

Judge School

Prior to the tasting, water judges convene at the Country Inn to learn the specifics of the job is and how to do it. The educational session is always conducted by Arthur von Wiesenberger, who's written several books on the subject, including H2O: The Guide to Quality Bottled Water. Von Wiesenberger's knowledge about water has continued to grow over the years inspired by the work he's done scouting out good water for Anheuser Busch and NASA. "They wanted water that wouldn't wreck their systems," said von Wiesenberger, who always manages to make the topic of water interesting and peppers his talks with anecdotes that always seem to elicit a laugh. 

Von Wiesenberger explains that the most common tastes customers experience in tap water come from a variety of sources: chlorine, chemicals used in water treatment, iron from pipes and storage tanks and sulfur, which usually comes from warm springs. In his other book, The Taste of Water, which judges usually receive at the event, a glossary lists sometimes humorous tasting notes, like wet band-aid, wet dog, flabby and flinty. He explains how water, when left standing, can become stale. "It's vapid, lacking freshness and sometimes tastes like old bread," he said.

A Trade Show

Prior to judging, guests from around the area are invited to vote on their favorite packaging in a trade show atmosphere as water vendors display their wares.

Wilderness Mountain Water Company from Bland, Virginia is anything but bland.
They won best packaging.

One year a distributor from Norway brought a water culled from a "virgin iceberg," with a price tag that raised eyebrows. I believe it was $80 a bottle, or some such ridiculous figure. I guess it would be a good gift for the person who has everything. There's a joke here about what you're doing with your money, but I'll refrain.

More packaging entries.
The Tasting
That's me on the far left sitting next to a morning show radio host who was a lot of fun.

I'm always amazed at the crowd the event attracts. Everyone from curious locals to water-industry professionals and Berkeley Springs tourism boosters attend.

Below you'll see Jill Klein Rone and von Wiesenberger addressing the audience. Rone has been with the event since its inception, taking on various roles, including publicity director, selection of judges, director, producer and emcee.

Jill Klein Rone and Arthur von Wiesenberger address the crowd.

After the glasses are all lined up in front of the judges, Rone and Wiesenberger kick off the event with a dramatic sweep of the hand as they declare, "Let the Waters Flow."

One by one, eleven media members worked our way through about 100 waters, representing five continents. That included humble municipal waters, along with sparkling and distilled waters. Each was rated for odor, flavor, mouth feel and aftertaste as we allotted points on an I-pad and a backup slip of paper.

At the end of the tasting, the winners were announced, and guests were permitted to approach the stage for the "water rush." This curious event enables whoever desires to rush the stage and gather up as much water as they want. (I was surprised to hear later that some even brought along coolers.)

Winners

Winning their first gold this year in the Bottled Non-Carbonated Water Category was three-time Silver Medal winner Eldorado Natural Spring Water, Eldorado Springs, CO. First time entry Piney Plains Natural Spring Water, Little Orleans, Md took Silver and Peninsula Springs Spring Water, Doveton, Victoria, Australia won Bronze. Rounding out the category was last year's Bronze Medal winner, Jano, Village-Blanchard, NB, Canada in fourth and former Gold Medal winner Theoni Natural Mineral Water, Karditsa, Greece in fifth.

"The consistency in winners from year to year with different panels of judges validates the choices," said von Wiesenberger of the blind competition. "It also speaks to the impressively high caliber of the waters entered," he adds.

Poking around Berkeley Springs

The judges usually take advantage of the time allotted the day before the event to poke around the cute, quaint, walkable town, which is known for its waters.

Berkeley Springs was once home to native Americans who used the mineral springs for healing purposes before settlers arrived. George Washington was even known to have frequented the area, forming the town of "Bath," which was the original name.

This is located at Berkely Springs Park, just a few steps away from the Country Inn.

Guests also visit the park to take advantage of the free water available there, which was a stipulation that was placed in the town's charter in 1776. To this day, people bring jugs to fill. I once ran into a couple who brought dozens of empty containers from the D.C. area.

Visitors will also find plenty of boutique shopping in the area. The Berkeley Springs Antique Mall on Fairfax Street features a large variety of items sold by dozens of dealers, from ephemera, to glassware, estate jewelry, furniture and more.

We also enjoyed browsing a candy shop called "Sweets & Shenanigans," which featured not only sweet treats, but gifts as well.
Spotted at Sweets & Shenanigans

Sodas, sweets and more at Sweets & Shenanigans

Guests can also poke around in the cute little library located downtown or take in a show at the historic Star Theater which aired its first movie way back in 1928.

The marquee at the Star Theater, which dates back to 1928.

A shop that we usually visit on our various excursions to the area is Rocks and Glass. The kindly gentleman there may even read your palm. This time he invited me back to his workshop to see some of his unfinished art.
The unfinished art.


The finished product.

We also browsed the art at the Ice House, run by the Morgan Arts Council. Located at the corner of Independence and Mercer Streets, the Ice House is a gallery showcasing the work of about 30 regional artists. We saw some very cool pieces there, including the beautiful wood objects seen below.






Good Eats

I can recommend the Naked Olive Lounge, located in downtown Berkeley Springs, for reasonably priced food. I especially enjoyed their pizza.



We've also had good food at the Country Inn where the tasting is held. Their New Year's Eve party buffet is dynamite, with great prime rib, oversized shrimp and delicious drinks.

One final place I'll recommend is Charlotte's Cafe. I purchased honey and brownies on the way out and then returned on the way back home for more brownies. It makes sense I suppose, since a pastry chef is in the kitchen.

Accommodations

In the past we've stayed at the cozy Country Inn and enjoyed it quite a bit. If you go during the winter, it's beautifully decorated for the holidays and guests can plop down into a comfortable couch to be warmed by the fire.

This time we stayed at Coolfont, which is probably beautiful in the summertime since it's located amidst a copse of trees. We had plenty of room to stretch out as you can see in the pictures.

Coolfont exterior.

The great room at Coolfont.

The bedroom at Coolfont.

The sitting room in our suite at Coolfont.

That's about it for today--hopefully this piques your interest if not about water, then about the Berkeley Springs area, which my husband and I have visited about half-a-dozen times. We're fortunate in that it's only about an hour-and-a-half away from our Central Pennsylvania home, so it's definitely worth the drive.