Newport 2015

Hello again, my lovelies!

As mentioned in my last post, about a month ago I went on my annual trip to Newport, Rhode Island and took plenty of pictures with this post in mind! And while my life has become ridiculously chaotic as of late, and this will be posted about a month later than anticipated, better late than never, as they always say!

My trip was cut short this year, and was simply an overnight with my grandparents, my sister & her boyfriend, and my mother & her boyfriend. I went down with Nina, my sister, and Frank, her boyfriend, and we arrived a bit earlier than my grandparents did, so we shopped around near our resort, going up and down Thames Street and America's Cup.

After a brief drive from Milton, Massachusetts to Newport, Rhode Island, the first thing that was on my tired mind was thoroughly typical and oddly out of season: Pumpkin Spice Lattes. This Starbucks, (for some odd reason), is my favorite of all Starbucks, and I always feel like a celebrity upon arrival. And as for my sudden craving for a PSL, that can be explained easily by my being a creature of habit. My first PSL of the year is always during my annual Newport trip!

Look at all of the beauty in one picture; the brick streets, the blurry Starbucks logo, and the Alex & Ani bracelets, ironically likely purchased at the Alex & Ani store in Newport. I got Frank hooked on the PSL almost immediately, and I frequently receive snapchats of him drinking them, blaming me for his new found White Girl status. (F*** that stereotype, by the way. I can drink whatever I want without being demeaned, thank you very much).

For lunch, we continued on our pattern of "basic" New Englanders by getting Panera! This was also the cheapest and easiest place for us to eat, as I know they have gluten free options that I like. Forgetting that their summer items would likely not be out anymore, I anticipated having my favorite strawberry poppy seed salad, but had to last minute check their online gluten free menu. I ended up getting the Mediterranean Chicken & Quinoa Salad, which I liked much more than planned; especially considering it had kale in it!

I also made sure to make an emergency stop at Cupcake Charlie's, since they only have gluten free cupcakes on Fridays! When my grandpa hugged me, he knocked the box right out of my hands, hence their peculiar appearance. They tasted really yummy though! In hindsight, however, I would only purchase one at a time; the second sat in my fridge and I never ate it, which is still one of my biggest regrets of September.

Me and my grandmother, Gigi

It was lovely to see my grandparents that weekend, especially being able to spend some quality time with just them before my mother and her boyfriend arrived. That night we played a lot of Jenga, which is something that is good for my grandmother to practice her motor skills with. To make a long story short, Gigi had a stroke during open heart surgery, which left her in a coma for several months. When she woke up, her speech and motor skills were severely deteriorated. Playing little games like Jenga is something fun that we can do with her while still practicing fine motor skills.

                               

We almost always stay in the Wyndham, although sometimes it is difficult to find a room that is both large enough for all of us to stay, and handicap accessible for Gigi, who is in a wheelchair. This year, we stayed in a "wheelchair accessible" room, though we all argued that it was hardly so. It was nice in other terms, although it was not what we were looking for.

For dinner we went to the Barking Crab, which surprisingly, I have never been to before, but will surely return to. I had my first gluten-free lobster roll and loved EVERY MINUTE OF IT. It was absolutely delicious. The bun was more like that of a sandwich, rather than a roll, but I had zero complaints. Their sweet potato fries were also fried separately, so I was able to enjoy another one of my favorite meal accessories. My tummy had not been that happy in a very long time.

The next day, I refused to take no for an answer when it came to going to my favorite fudge shop. I swear by Newport's fudge, that it is the best fudge I have ever, and will ever have. I found out during this trip that you can sample at this place, conveniently named Newport Fudgery! I will not buy fudge from anywhere else.

I love the atmosphere that this place provides, (which is pretty much the same vibe I get from the entire area!). The workers are always so friendly, and I discovered that the mint chocolate chip fudge is not as disgusting as it sounds; in fact, one may say that it is actually delicious. I stuck with more familiar flavors to bring home with me, however, though in the future I will definitely bring home some mint chocolate chip fudge.

LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL. Oh, my goodness it is simply amazing. Although parts of this trip were annoying in unmentionable ways, overall, I love the way I feel when I walk the streets of Newport on my own. I don't even feel the need to window shop with others; it's like the streets have claimed me as one of their own. I am at home within the streets of Newport.

If you have never had the opportunity to find your own peace in Newport, I highly recommend it. I wish the comfort that I find there upon anyone who may be looking. Although ridiculously expensive, Newport is an experience that I believe all should have.

Abby