Astor's Beechwood Mansion

It was such a great idea to add this mansion to our itinerary for a visit. It was not included on our mansion visit package tour , so we paid the fee for it alone.
The best thing on this tour is that you can take as many photos as you like inside.

The Living History Tours are done by Astor family members and friends, sharing all about the Victorian era lifestyles, all about the Astor family, and the Newport society.

In the tour, the tour guides talk to you as if you are one of the socialite guests whom they are expecting on a party and they would be telling you where to dress up and do your hairstyles :), the time of the dinner, etc...
This was funny!...the tour guide (acting as a servant) asked me; ..." Are you attending the party tonight?" Well, there was actually no party on that coming night, LOL! ALl you have to do is give her back a smart answer, hehehehe... So, I replied..."let's just see, we are not sure yet." :)).

This Beechwood Mansion was formerly the summer house of Mrs. Astor, - known to be the queen of American Society. The building is of course designed and made during the Gilded Age with white Italianate structure with yellow trim in the 18th century.

The mansion offers a lot of various tours mostly performance tours showcasing the life in the Gilded Age. Other tours are Victorian Murder Mystery (interesting), Candlelight Musical Tour, etc!
I got some few shots during the tour. Some were taken by my husband as we alternately take shots. It's always a good idea to have two cameras in hand. We got one each!

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Tips For Road Trippers (Part 2 of 2)

• Internet Access. - Grand stores such as Kmart and Sears have computers with free internet access (some stores in California and Hawaii). This is handy for anyone travelling without a PC or laptop who needs the internet.
• Firm Footing. - To avoid blisters during hikes, spray some of your antiperspirant on your ankles and heels just before you set out. It works just as it does under your arms - it prevents sweat, which when combined with friction causes painful sores.
• Charger Reminder. - Most if not all have experienced forgetting phone chargers in their rooms. Try writing "charger" in big black letters on a 5x7 index card and always keep it on a spot where in it will be the first one you can see when you open your luggage.
• Handy Deodorants. - Travel stress and fewer opportunities in a shower may result in odors especially under arms. Rub on a dab or two of alcohol-based hand sanitizer such as Purell, which are commonly available everywhere. It kills odor-causing bacteria, allows normal sweating and can last 24 hours or more! :).
• Fun Money. - If you're going to Disney with your kids, try buying Disney dollars at the Disney store and reward it to your kids when they are well-behaved ;). Once they are in the park, they can buy their own souvenirs at the Disney stores. How cool is that? :)
• Rub the Right Way. - If you need tape-roller lint brushes but are too bulky to pack, try one of those flat, circular, rubber jar openers. It takes almost no space on your luggage and works well as a roller.
  

Tips For Road Trippers (Part 1 of 2)

Going on a road trip? These are some tips that might help you lessen the hassles:

• Bring some snacks. - Snacks are crucial like munchies for kids.
• Encode Your Accounts. - If you have a list of important account numbers, insert a 3 or 4 digit dummy code into each member. If the list is lost, it'll be meaningless to anyone who isn't aware of the dummy code.
• Love Your Neighbors. - You can rely on them to gather your mail or pick up papers from your front yard. You can then return the favor back by buying souvenirs or collectible items from your trip for them.
• Cashing Out. - If you're often stuck with small coins and bills that aren't easy to convert back to dollars, you can solve this when you settle your hotel bills. You can pay first with the left over cash then use your credit card for the balance.
• Queasy does it. - Take anti-motion sickness pills or seabands with you. They mostly come in handy which can be kept in your purse.
• Detergent deterrent. - Mosquito bites are annoying. Dab a bit of liquid laundry soap on it. Not only will it stop the itching immediately, but the bite will go away in a day or two.

(to be continued)

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The Belcourt Castle

Location: Newport, Rhode Island

Did you know that this castle is considered to be unique among the mansions in Newport? It's because of its hunting lodge style composed of 60 rooms.
This castle is a 114-year old which has 50,000 square feet medieval style design.

Belcourt offers traditional tours (including ghost tours, too!) and is also famous for its antique collections.

We were suppose to sign up for a tour but we lacked time. It was more than an hour wait for the next tour schedule so we decided to just cancel it.

We did some photos just outside the castle, right close to the main entrance and at the front.

It might be good to try the ghost tours if you want spooky adventures! :).

The Cliff Walk

If there is one good exercise that you need to have in Newport, R.I., take the Cliff Walk. Take note that this might be strenous to some, but you can take control of it on your own. You can take slow walks to fast walks or jogs; - it's the way you like it.

The cliff used to be an undeveloped coastal shoreline in the 18th century. It was developed, redeveloped, and repaired at times in the older years.

This 3.5 mile picturesque walk overlooks the spectacular Atlantic coastline and named one of the "50 Places of a Lifetime."

Just some few things to bear in mind before you do the walk: - there are no restrooms along the trails, and no food/drink stands either. Be sure you have some fluids with you and use restrooms before you go.

Green Animals Topiary Garden

From Newport, we headed further to Portsmouth where the Green Animals Topiary garden is at. The garden consists 7 acres of land, a white summer residence, farm outbuildings, a pasture and a vegetable garden.

There are 80 topiaries in the whole garden with 21 animals and birds in addition to geometric and ornamental figures. These designs are sculpted from yew, California privet and English boxwood.

The garden is considered to be the oldest and most northern topiary garden in the US.

One part of the garden has an awesome scenic view when you are at the Victorian house overlooking the Narragansett Bay.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

The museum has expanded! Art lovers, time to visit this museum when you are around Philly. A good news indeed for those who love photography, sculpture, fashion and textiles.

The Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building was added, which was the first expansion of the museum since it was opened 80 years ago.

The building was renovated costing to $90 million in public and private funds. Its interior features a skylit galleria that links the existing structure to a 59,000 sq. foot addition. There are four main galleries; a high-ceilinged space for sculpture, a gallery for works on paper, space for modern design, and a gallery for customes and textiles.

With the new expansion, the costume display can expand to more than five times its original size.

It's worth visiting for the art lovers, don't you think?

There will be a minimal admission fee to visit the Perelman Building alone. If you prefer visiting the whole museum, you have to pay at least $14 - to cover entrance to both buildings.

Enjoy the various displays of art! :)