Two separate issues. Let me start with adventures with JW in Rhode Island. We went to RI on a Tues/Wed, partly because I have been pretty free at work and have had a damn flexible schedule, and partly coz car rental prices were about a third of what they would have been during the weekend.
Didn't really know what to expect, except that I figured seafood there would be fabulous. We were armed with a food itinerary from a former Providence resident, complete with succulent descriptions to go. Unbeknownst to us, Nick's cafe, which was on our lunch menu, had moved from its original location. So when we got there, it was some random pizzeria and we just didn't want to eat there. Trooped all the way to Federal Hill and ate at Cafe Dolce Vita. Worst calamari and prosciutto sandwich ever. Calamari was dripping with butter, and prosciutto sandwiwch was dripping with balsamic vinagrette. It was waaaayyy too much flavor for me. Pastiche made up for the really gross food we had. Pastiche is a really famous Providence bakery, and their fruit tart and vanilla bean cheesecakes are to die for. I can definitely vouch for the fruit tart but not the vanilla bean, because, to the consternation of my friend, I didn't have a palate for vanilla bean cheesecake that day. Unusual, considering that cheesecake is usually my favorite dessert, but that's the way the die rolled. Pastiche was so amazing that we went back the next day, and I ordered a super delicious carrot cake for breakfast.
We walked all around Providence, from Brown University to Federal Hill, to the river side. Our mission was to find a cute cafe by the river. This random lady along the street told us that the only cafe by the river was called the Hot Club. Adventures to the Hot Club. It was the most difficult thing to get to. We actually had to trek under a highway by foot, cross the path of a dead bird along the way, dodge huge vehicles... it was perilous. But when we got there, it was alllll men. You'd think that it would've been a bit of heaven on earth for us, but the men were just a tad too appreciative of us for our liking. So we made the trecherous trek all the way backn to South Main street, and instead settled for this cute little cafe called L'Elizabeth. The decor in L'Elizabeth was like being in a grandma's living room with an array of chairs that didn't match and an assortment of teacups and pots, and even with the grandma that served us! It was an expensive hot chocolate that I had, but the atmosphere was just so cute, and our feet so tired from all the walking, that we couldn't appreciate the comfort of sitting down any more than we did at that moment.
Oh, and on our dinner menu was a fusion place called Cav. Delicious pistachio covered crab cake to start, and a shrimp scampi for my entree. Couldn't finish off with dessert because there was no way we would've stayed awake otherwise, especially after having driven from NY to Providence bright and early that day. The decor of the place was interesting. Wood-carved African statues of animals juxtaposed with stone relics of Buddha, all worth thousands of dollars according to the price tags.
We drove to Newport the next day, just about an hour south of Providence. Newport is a really cute (and expensive) seaside town (ocean-side, rather), well-known for its huge mansions. We took a drive down Bellevue (where all the mansions are located), and ooohed and aaahhed at all the huge mansions that we probably would never be able to afford. We even saw property on sale, and thought of calling and asking, "eh, this house how much ah?" Didn't think that would impress anybody or go anywhere, so we quickly lost interest in the idea.
Our first stop was at The Breakers, a house built in 1895 by Cornelius Vanderbilt. It was really large and lavish, apparently one of the most extravagant mansions in Newport. I'd say it definitely was. A 50 foot indoor courtyard flanking the ocean, Spanish leather along the walls embossed with gold leafing to match hundreds of leather bound books in the library, a Steinway surrounded by (even more) gold plated walls and ceilings and cowering under a massively sparkly chandelier... It was rather excessive, in my opinion. A safe in the kitchen? Yes, it was to house the silverware that the Vanderbilts brought with them whenever they came to the Breakers for their summer vacation. Who brings their own cutlery? I'm going to try that the next time I go to a fancy restaurant, and see if I can get a bit of a discount off the bill. We also visited the Rosecliff, which was also luxurious but more understated than The Breakers. I must say, I LOVED the ballroom though. The ceiling was painted with a swirly blue sky, a gold-encrusted piano to the side (a bit gaudy on its own, but looked very good with the rest of the ballroom), beautiful silken white curtains with gentle tassles framing the windows, looking out into a not-so-well-pruned rose garden. To be honest, a mansion is a mansion is a mansion. By the time we were done with the two mansions, I really just wanted to eat lunch. :p
We sat by the ocean at this restaurant called the Black Pearl, apparently famous for their clam chowder. I had the clam chowder. Meh. It was alright. I've had better in Boston and SF. And my mahi mahi was suppose to come with a dill and dijon mustard sauce, and it did. Mustard so thick it almost killed the flavor of my mahi mahi. So overall, food in RI was alright, but adventure was bountiful.
Which moves me right on to the highlight of this weekend. A very special person came to NY this weekend, and I saw him last night. I've always have a soft spot for him, and whenever he is in town (Singapore, Ann Arbor, NY...), I reschedule just so that I can see him. He always lives up to my very high expectations of him, and last night was no different. I left him feeling like I always do, enamoured and in love.
Some know him as "PVD". Mmmmm. PVD in Central Park. Quite a different experience from the other times I've been to clubs to see him. The weather was perfect that day. It was sunny and cloudless during the day, and cool and moderate at night. Perfection. There were a few SNAFUs, e.g. a guy looking like death and passing out at 7:30pm (the show was from 6pm to 10pm), some big dudes body surfing and falling on one of my friends, and another friend almost getting into a bitch fight. But otherwise, it was fabulous but I cannot walk another inch. Apart from the pot-smokers, it seems that the crowd was relatively clean. It was probably the early timeframe though. The crowd was pretty much pumped all night, and whenever the entire dancefloor jumped in the air, clouds of sand were kicked up. They had laser lights, live singing, live drums and keyboard. And he is gorgeous. Have I mentioned that already? Right now, I'm just regretting that I wasn't in NYC on Wednesday when he was signing for his new In Between album. :\
One more quick update. I am on a new client now, finally. Not hating life so much. I'll be travelling to Houston/Dallas/SF between next week and mid-Jan. Should be interesting, since I have not yet travelled for work. Will let you know how that goes.
Otherwise, it is time to go recuperate further now. Ciao!
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