Gilded Age Newport 2022

 

Let's begin our Newport Tour 2022 with the Gilded Age mansions.  We visited Marble House, Rosecliff, The Elms and The Breakers, considered to be the most impressive of all.  They are all breathtaking.

The design at all of them was over-the-top ostentatious, dripping with gold, luxurious fabrics, the best furnishings in the world, all combined to be showy in what some might even consider a vulgar display of wealth.  That seems to have been the point.  Subtle was not a theme.

Yet, it is absolutely fascinating to witness the indulgence up close.  We tried to show some of the smaller details here but, of course, it's impossible to capture it all.  

Aside from the rich furnishings and priceless art and decor are the sweeping views, the dramatic landscaping and wonder of what life must have been like for these people simply attending one social event after another, day and night, all summer long.

These are costumes used in the original film version of The Great Gatsby starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, which was filmed at Rosecliff.  We have been lucky enough to attend glittering social events ourselves at both Rosecliff and Marble House and the elegance of these has been most impressive.  Yet, we really never had the chance to explore all the nooks and crannies of these places from the stunning bedrooms and parlors to the servant's quarters and kitchens.  

It's well worth a visit to even one of them.  You can learn much more (even where people are allowed to picnic on the grounds) at The Preservation Society of Newport County website.  And please check out our social media for some really fun and stunning videos and many more photographs:

Twitter and Instagram:  @TheBostonFoodie

TikTok:  @TheOrginalBostonFoodie

Enjoy!

Cheers,

William

Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival 2019 Grand Tasting

It was glorious weather but, then again, it always is.  Our weekend in Newport for the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival was capped with the Grand Tasting on Saturday at Marble House.  

Of course there is wine (that flows freely) and always a new vintage, vineyard and blend to discover.  There is also plenty of food to sample.  Like lobster.  

And meat.  Since Dole & Bailey became one of the major sponsors there is lots of grilled seafood and meat.  It may be the most popular spot at the event.

What we enjoy the most, however, are the people, the chance to meet new friends from all over the country and world.  There are couples traveling together for an exciting weekend, the young lovers scoping out possible wedding venues, the wine-lovers, the mansions-lovers and the usual assortment of beautiful people.

Chef Jeremy Kean of Brassica Kitchen.

Of course there are the chefs, many of which have the opportunity to demo how they prepare a dish against the stunning backdrop of Newport.

Finish it all off with live music and all kinds of food product samples from candy to coffee and lots of laughter and great conversation and you have all of the reasons that we attend this event every year.  And you should, too.  

So, here is the best news of all:  our readers now have the chance to purchase tickets for the 2020 events and LOCK IN THE 2019 PRICES.  That's right, if your purchase your tickets by December 25, 2019 you will avoid any price increases.  Of course, we all know how the price of everything is going up, especially imported goods.  If interested (and this is a great gift idea, obviously) you can purchase tickets here or by calling 401.847.1000.  It's a great deal and without question the best gift you will give this holiday season.  When calling just mention that you got the offer from The Boston Foodie.

Socials:
@thebostonfoodie
@theboysoftbf
@deano_iam
@doleandbailey
@newport_mansions
@brassicakitchen

We attended this event as members of the media with no promise of any editorial consideration or financial remuneration.

All photos copyright The Boston Foodie 2019

Rosé All Day With Chateau d'Eclans

It was rosé all day with Brand Ambassador Kaylee of Chateau 
d'Eclans recently at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival 2019.  Stylish right down to her toes she shared the story of Whispering Angel and other wines produced by the legendary French winery.

Rosé wine was totally looked down upon by wine snobs not all that many years ago and it was really a credit to Chateau d'Eclans and particularly their longtime Ambassador Paul Chaisson that it has become not only acceptable but even fashionable.  We missed you this year, Paul!

Socials:
@thebostonfoodie
@theboysoftbf
@deano_iam
@thewhisperingangel
@newport_mansions

We were invited to attend this wine festival as members of the media with no promise of any editorial consideration.

On The Road To Newport Mansions

Yes, we are gearing up this week for the 14th annual Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival next weekend.  This photo sort of sums up the whole weekend for us.  It's a bit of glamour, learning, tasting, sipping, relaxing by the water in beautiful surroundings, meeting lots of interesting people, having wonderful conversations about wine (and beer and spirits) and lots of laughter and fun.  We have always described the event as sophisticated but not snobby.  Whether you are arriving by private jet or there mostly for the instagram potential it is one, big happy affair for all.

The weekend is full of all kinds of events with something for everyone.  It begins on Thursday night with the Maritime Wine Dinner at Forty 1 North and the Burgundy Grand Cru Dinner at The Elms.  Friday night features the very elegant Wine and Rosecliff Gala, a stunning social event with food, special wines and live music for dancing in the Gatsbyesque surroundings.  There are still a few tickets left for all of these events.

Saturday is the first day of the Grand Tasting at Marble House.  It is completely sold out but tickets are still available for Sunday.  There are also tickets still available for an after party, brunch and more serious seminars for those eager to learn.  Check out the website before all is sold out.  

The weather prediction for the weekend is near perfect.  In addition to Rosecliff and the Grand Tasting on Saturday we will be at Karma Pizza after the gala on Friday for some delicious late night pizza and après-ski.  Feel free to contact or join us.  For breakfast on Saturday we'll be at Stoneacre Brasserie and our dinner on Saturday after the event will be at Jo's American Bistro.  In between we'll be all over town hitting up as many foodie finds as we can squeeze in.  Hope to see you there and we'll have full reviews of everything starting next week.

Follow us on social media leading up to, during and after the events:
@thebostonfoodie
@theboysoftbf
@deano_iam
@Newport_Mansions
#NMWFF2019

Having Fun At Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

A lot of people steer clear of wine festivals and events because, I think, they are under the impression that they are snobby with elitest wine know-it-alls who just want to impress you with their knowledge.  What fun is that, right?  This may be true at some events but not all.

Don't let the luxurious, gilded age backdrop fool you at Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival.  Yes, it was known as a place of immense wealth and formality but today it's more fun than anything.  It's an opportunity to learn more about wine if one wants to, see some great chef demonstrations and enjoy food samples and tastings, meet new people from all over the country or just relax at a beautiful spot on the water.

It's also a chance to get all dressed-up and dance the night away at some of the more elegant evening events.  We will be there again this year as we always consider the weekend (September 20-22) to be both the kickoff for and the highlight of the Fall social season.  We are absolutely confident that if you make either a day or a weekend of it you will not be disappointed.  Tickets can be purchased here.  Saturday typically sells out first.  See you there!  

Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival 2018

Can you believe we are already filling up our schedule for September?  Wasn't July Fourth just the other day?  Summer is fleeting, seemingly speeding by faster than ever before.  One thing you may want to do before it catches up with you is get your tickets for the Newport Mansions Food And Wine Festival 2018 before they sell out.  And they will.  Why?  Because this year famed fashion designer Zac Posen will be in the kitchen cooking.

 

 

I have written before about the similarities between the fashion and food worlds and in this landscape of carefully designed and styled plates for all those Instagram pics that cascade over us each day like Niagara Falls it has never been more true.  Yes, even restaurants now have to be concerned about lighting.  Not for the guests but for the plates.

 

So, that's what we plan to ask him about.  Oh, and we also plan to check out his demo for a recipe from his cookbook.  The fun begins September 20th.  See you there!

 

 

Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival 2017

The clouds and mist gave way to brilliant sunlight as we approached Marble House for the 2017 Newport Mansions Food & Wine Festival.  It's definitely our favorite celebration of the year.

After being welcomed in we briefly stepped into the sumptuously ornate first floor dining room, one of many in the mansion, then rushed out to see who was there before the event was opened to the public and attendees streamed in.

Each guest is greeted with a glass and a quick pour before entering the massive tent where vintners and vendors await.

We simply could not walk by the station our friends at Dole & Bailey were hosting.  They grilled up steaks and shrimp all day to the sellout crowd proving to be, without question, the most popular vendor at the festival.

The famous Chinese Pagoda was hosted for VIP guests by Chateau d'Eclans.  After a few stops at some wine and restaurant booths, we entered the party.

The day long party was hosted by none other than Paul Chevalier, Managing Director at Chateau d'Eclans.  We sipped Whispering Angel and Rock Angel, their newest rosé, both great, as we chatted with others.  Wine Enthusiast gave the Rock Angel a great review, noting the "depth of flavor from the zest and red berry fruits."

The Pagoda was beautifully laid out with comfortable settees and couches and decorated in the signature pale rose wine color.

After mingling for a bit we basically had the very best seats in the house, a table on the porch of the Pagoda overlooking the entire event including the cooking demo stage and the ocean views.

Trudy Cox, CEO of the Newport Mansions Preservation Society even stopped by to say hello. 

The weather and stunning backdrop make this event a spectacular affair every year.  The perfect weather, variety of participants, really friendly crowd from all over the country (we even snagged an invite to the Kentucky Derby 2018 from new friends we met from Louisville) and all of the great food made this the very best festival we've attended.  They just seem to get better and ramp up the quality of the experience every year.

We tasted plates from some great restaurants both local and neighboring locales, including Boston, along with some great new wine discoveries.  More on that later.

All in all a wonderful weekend yet again of like-minded food and wine lovers!

We attended this event as members of the media with no remuneration or any promise of editorial consideration.

Newport Mansions Wine And Food Festival 2017

Yes, we will be back at our favorite food and wine event of the year this Fall, the Newport Mansions Food And Wine Festival 2017 and it's less than a month away! We'll be at Rosecliff on Friday for the always so elegant Wine And Rosecliff and then off to Marble House on Saturday for the Grand Tasting.  The 2017 list of wineries, chefs and restaurants is truly impressive.  It's the height of the season for food events and this is the true classic of them all.  Don't be left out!

Newport Mansions Wine And Food Festival 2016: Grand Tasting

We have often said that the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival is our favorite event of the year.  It's not just the Gilded Age setting but more importantly the people and the discovery of new wines and food products in a very comfortable social environment. 

As soon as one steps through the opulent foyer of Marble House and onto the back terrace one is greeted by a long line of smiling servers who hand you a goblet for the event and then offer up some tasty bites right away.

Like, for instance, this eye-popping taste of salmon and beets on rye bread.  It was a cool, sunny day and first impressions do count.  This set the tone for what was to follow:  several hours of tasting great artisan flavors and sipping interesting wines at a leisurely pace with the most interesting people.

Of course, I immediately headed to the demo stage where I bumped into Lydia Shire and Jacques Pepin chatting amicably.  It was a special mission for me to meet Jacques Pepin.  I've been watching him on TV for years but he has always eluded me.  He was very gracious and surprisingly spry.  Before the show was open to the public he wandered through the tent in serious conversations with vintners and food purveyors with never a hint of any star status expectations.  My only regret was that I never got a photograph with him.  I guess I'll just have to keep attending these events until that happens!

We checked out the food first.  There were many artisanal craftspersons there serving up samples of their best products and the quality was not lost on anyone.

As one can imagine, there was tons of cheese being served up.  It is impressive just how many quality small batch cheeses are being made throughout New England now.  And we make it a goal to try as many as possible.

One of the things we really liked about the subtle changes made this year was the setup of the chef demo table right on the water.  It made for some great photos and a way to enjoy the spectacular view.

We also had fun playing fashion photographer with the different vendors who were more than willing to oblige.

We tried a different tactic this year.  Instead of walking around and around for four hours resulting in exhaustion and aching feet we basically set up camp at a table in front of the Estrella Damm tent (very gracious people by the way) and let the party come to us.

And come they did, from all over.  We met people from Chicago and Canada and even this happy couple, Mark and Keri, who turned out to be from neighboring Somerville.

The wines?  Oh yes, almost forgot.  Our favorite sips from the event included the Chateau d'Esclans 2014 Les Clans Rosé, and the Prestige Rosé from Champagne Taittinger.  Our favorite wine of all, however, was the 2012 Riesling, Graacher Domprobst Grand Cru from Weingut S. A. Prüm of Mosel, Germany.  Absolutely fantastic.  Can't wait until next year!

It won't be long now until the garden clubs of Newport gather to decorate the mansions for the holidays.  We're totally looking forward to seeing that.

We were the guests of the Newport Mansions Preservation Society for this event with no consideration for coverage required or expected.