July 27-August 16                            North Kingstown, Rhode Island

 

Days of lovely cool weather and sunshine encouraged us to explore the beautiful countryside surrounding us.  The quaint historic homes, miles of stone walls and charming restaurants continue to impress us.  On one excursion, we discovered The Carriage House on the outskirts of Wickford and enjoyed a delightful dinner of Cioppino made with the freshest seafood and a delicious sauce. 

Plans to dine at some of the more renowned places near Wickford and in Newport were consistently thwarted as reservations were not available except during awkward hours.  We finally were successful in securing a 2:30 PM reservation at Matunuck Oyster Bar for the upcoming visit of our daughter, Stephanie.  She was eager to enjoy New England seafood and that place offers the best in food and casual ambiance.  Her kind of place!

Stephanie arrived in Providence at 7:30 as scheduled.  Taking a chance, we called Blu on the Water in East Greenwich and were given a reservation.  Blu is another local favorite for seafood and overlooks Greenwich Bay and a busy crowded marina.  We viewed a gorgeous sunset while we enjoyed our drinks before being seated for a great dinner of assorted seafoods.  Stephanie felt appropriately welcomed.

The following day we traveled to Narragansett to view the crowded beaches and lovely homes, then on to Galilee to see the ferries and fishing villages, and then to Matunuck for a late lunch.  Located miles from the main road with nothing around it but small weekend cottages, this restaurant is noted for its home-grown oysters and even during the pandemic last year, it remained busy.  This year, it is unbelievably popular.  At the conclusion of a delicious lunch, I teasingly asked the waitress if bribery would secure a reservation for four on August 18.  In a few moments, she returned with an available time of noon on that date (not our best choice but we were delighted).

Saturday was a good day to visit Newport.  We first visited Jamestown and laughed at the cardboard regatta boats sailing and sinking in the harbor.  As this was not her first visit, Stephanie had seen the great “summer cottages” so we made a trip on Ocean Drive and saw the beautiful home of Jay Leno, high on a rocky cliff with ocean views on three sides.  Lunch was at the historic Casino (actually a tennis and social club for the aristocratic summer visitors).  The food was mediocre at best. 

Afterwards, we enjoyed our visit to the International Tennis Hall of Fame on the second floor of the Casino.  This was a highlight.  The exhibition was exceptionally well-done with informative labels and beautiful displays.  The current emphasis was on the anniversary of nine women who joined together to form what eventually became the United States Women’s Tennis Association.  We remembered seeing them on tour at Colonial Country Club in the 1970’s.

Sunday was a day for brunch at Wickford on the Water and then shopping at our favorite place, Green Ink to see their fall clothing collection for women.  Stephanie found several items and her dad was pleased to make them a gift.  The day was hot and humid so we returned to the boat for naps and puzzles.  Dinner was on the aft deck with steamed lobsters, corn and blueberry pie. It was a perfect finale to Stephanie’s visit.