The 5 Star of New England - Rhode Island

What do Turk & Caicos; Baden Baden, Germany; New York City; and Rhode Island have in common? The answer might surprise some but not those in the know….

All have been awarded the prestigious Five Star Diamond seal of approval from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS). Rhode Island has the additional honour of being the first US State to ever receive this achievement. The AAHS exclusively awards this Five Star award to places deemed to be the pinnacle of quality in the global travel and luxury services sector.

Rhode Island has won an Oscar! This is how Rhode Island Tourism Director Mark Brodeur described this award by saying “This is a huge accomplishment – this is our industry’s Academy Awards”.

Rhode Island Governor Carcieri agreed by saying that he has “always maintained that Rhode Island is the star of New England” and expressed his pleasure that “our state’s wonders and its hospitality have earned worldwide recognition as well”.

If you don’t already own property in a Five Star location, correct that by buying a luxury property in Rhode Island!

We offer tremendous value for our luxury and waterfront properties as compared to other luxury real estate destinations such as the Hamptons, Greenwich, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket.

One example of the impeccable properties currently offered in Newport include Oakwood - the 19th-century summer residence of Mary Alida Astor Carey – which is revered as one of the finest historic properties of coastal New England. This 24-room Italianate-style home set in six acres of walled private grounds has hosted many of the area’s most distinguished families over the years. The price will pleasantly surprise you!

Snow and Holiday Songs

There is nothing quite like the combination of snow and holiday songs!

Nestled in the warmth of my home where I can comfortable gaze at the beauty of the first proper snowstorm to hit Newport this season, holiday songs have been running around my head since the snowflakes started falling!

I wanted to share a few with you & issue a challenge as to whether you can read the words of the songs below without starting to hum either to yourself or aloud….

Let It Snow!
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful, And since we've no place to go, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Winter Wonderland
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, in the lane, snow is glistening; A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland.

Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow, On a one-horse open sleigh, Over the fields we go, Laughing all the way; Bells on bob-tail ring, making spirits bright, Oh What fun it is to ride and sing, A sleighing song tonight, Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! O what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Frosty the Snow Man
Frosty the Snow Man was a jolly happy soul, with a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal, Frosty the Snow Man is a fairy tale they say, He was made of snow but the children know how he came to life one day.

I’m humming, how about you?

Happy Holidays!

Newport Nutcracker

If you are looking for an enjoyable cultural activity to help you get into the Holiday spirit, I recommend the Island Moving Company’s “A Newport Nutcracker”.

Newport’s most romantic mansion – Rosecliff – is the setting for this unique take on this holiday classic. This magnificent venue for the performance is fully exploited as the audience experiences the performance by moving through many of the mansion’s rooms following the dancers as the story develops.

The action begins in the central foyer with the sweeping sweetheart staircase as the stage for the fight between the mice and soldiers. The action then moves onto the ballroom and then a reception room with a wonderful Christmas tree. During the second act, the audience gets to rest their legs in café style tables in the glorious ballroom.

The cast includes the dancers of the Island Moving Company as well as 100 children in two casts from dance studios throughout Rhode Island. The children are truly adorable as well as being talented!

There aren’t many performances left, so call for tickets (401) 847 4470.

Sunrises and Sunsets over Narragansett Bay

Some prefer sunrises as they evoke the start of a new day and all the possibilities this brings. Being more of a night owl than an earlier riser, I prefer sunsets.

For me, a spectacular sunset can be the highlight of my whole day. I like to think of a sunset as God’s spectacular light show celebrating the end of a day and giving one time to enjoy the beauty of this natural phenomenon as well as reflect on one’s day. A friend recently asked me where I saw my favourite sunset. It’s a tie between two sunsets of the many I vividly recall.

One being a spectacular sunset I experienced whilst sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. After a wonderful day sailing in moderate winds and filled with warming sunshine, we sat at the bow of the yacht and watched the sun disappear on the horizon. As we out in the middle of the ocean with absolutely nothing around us except miles and miles of ocean, the entire horizon was illuminated with oranges, yellows, and reds. We actually clapped when the sunset show was over!

My other all time favourite sunset was this summer at Castle Hill Inn with friends from Connecticut, England, and Germany. I had proudly hosted my guests and showed them some of the highlights of our little slice of heaven all day. We were tired and sought a place to relax and enjoy the end of the day. We went to Castle Hill Inn and enjoyed a fabulous sunset over Narragansett Bay whilst sipping cocktails from our comfortable Adirondack chairs on the lawn.

If you want the luxury of watching the sunset over Narragansett Bay from your home, consider Puesta del Sol – which means sunset in Spanish – at the exclusive Carnegie Abbey Club. This custom designed home offers a gallery-style great room anchored by the two-story stone fireplace.

The cathedral ceilings provide a wealth of openness and light throughout the home. Facing west, you could enjoy endless glorious sunsets!

Alternatively if you want to create your own dream home to watch the sunset over the Bay, there is a west facing lot of vacant land on Seashore Drive in Jamestown where you could build your ideal home complete with a dock to moor your yacht. Sound appealing?

Where are some of your favourite places to watch the sunset?