This summer Newport will be welcoming lots of sailors and spectators for a busy schedule of regattas. Even if you’re not sailing, just watching from shore and meeting our international visitors will make for an exciting summer.
J-Class Newport Regatta - June 15-20 There is no doubt that the J-Class yachts are the headline grabbers. Even one is a dramatic sight and having three here racing together will be an historic, exciting and very photogenic event. There will be 5 days of racing and spectators can watch from Fort Adams. The J-boats are crewed by up to 40 sailors each, so town will be buzzing with the crews’ family, friends and hopefully scads of spectators. J-Class Newport Regatta
But there’s more…
Transatlantic Race 2011 with 3 starts – June 26, June 29, & July 3
We can all go out to Brenton Point and wave to the big boats as they set off for the 2,975-mile race to England...then go home and sleep in our warm, dry beds! Over 30 boats ranging from 40’ to 289’ will start racing from Newport with the smaller boats getting started on the earlier dates. With international crews of 6 – 25 per boat here prepping for the start weeks in advance, again Newport will be hosting hundreds of sailing guests.
US SAILING’s Youth Championships – August 14-18, 2011
With up to 150 boats competing, there will be over 200 sailors ages 15-18, chosen by resume’, who will sail in 29ers, Lasers, Radial and Club 420s. Sail Newport is hosting the event and good viewing is usually available from Goat Island. Youth Championships Information
NYYC Invitational Cup – September 10 – 17, 2011
This is a big one! It took the Corinthian sailing world by storm in 2009, and its impact promises to be even greater when it returns again to town this year. The event will host 19 yacht club teams representing 13 nations in the ultimate sailing contest among top amateur competitors proudly representing their homelands. The racing will be in NYYC Sawn 42’s, sailed by a crew of around 10. The unique feature of this event is that the sailors must be amateurs and must be nationals of the country they’re representing. If you don’t follow grand prix sailing, then yes, yachts sailing at this level are often crewed largely by professionals. Once again, with over 200 sailors and their family and friends, there could be a thousand international visitors here to enjoy Newport. NYYC Invitational
These are just 4 of the many events in Newport this summer. So let’s all get out there and enjoy some sailing, afloat or ashore, and have fun with all these visitors enjoying our beautiful City by the Sea!
Newport has so much history, art, architecture and natural beauty to preserve and we’re fortunate to have a host of strong organizations doing just that.
So often though, we hear visitors, and sometimes residents, referring to one organization when they mean another. Their names are somewhat similar and can be easily confused. Then again, maybe people don’t realize that these are distinct organizations and missions.
How many times have you spoken to someone looking at a house in Newport and they say “what will the historic society say if we want to renovate this?” They won’t say anything, but the Historic District Commission might. The City of Newport’s Historic District Commission’s goal is to preserve the historic buildings and other significant resources that define and reflect elements of the City's history, within designate historic districts which cover approximately 40% of the city. A homeowner in a city historic district must apply for a “certificate of appropriateness” to be issued for any exterior alterations. We owe much of the integrity of our historic neighborhood to this City commission.
The Newport Historical Society is a private non-profit whose mission is to collect and preserve the artifacts, photographs, and records that relate to the history of Newport County. They make these materials available for research and offer educational programs to the public. The NHS owns several significant properties, including the Colony House (1739), the Great Friends Meeting House (1699) and the Brick Market (1762), which houses the Museum of Newport History. These and others are open to the public and regular tours are offered. Check out their interesting and fun tours and lectures such as a Lantern Tour of Colonial Newport or the Rum and Revolution Tour. And they’re a wonderful resource for researching the history of your Newport house.
Known as the Preservation Society or simply the Newport mansions, the PS is a private, non-profit and owns 11 historic homes and landscapes, including some of the biggies: The Breakers, The Marble House, Rosecliff and The Elms. These magnificently preserved and maintained properties trace America's architectural and social development from the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. Some are open for tours year-round and all are open in the summer, with each highlighting a particular architectural or decorative style and a variety of special collections. And don’t miss the grounds when you see the houses. The views, landscapes, gardens and collections or rare trees rival the houses themselves.
Often referred to at the Doris Duke Foundation, the Newport Restoration Foundation was founded by Doris Duke 1968 and is a private non-profit. This is an interesting organization because they are one of the city’s largest landlords in addition to owning museum properties. Since its founding, the NRF has restored or preserved 83 buildings. Today, the NRF continues to own a collection of 76 historic buildings, including 71 homes that are rented as private residences and maintained by a full-time crew of carpenters and painters. This is one of the largest collections of period architecture owned by a single organization anywhere in the country. More importantly, the majority of these structures are being lived in and used as they have for more than three centuries, making them a vibrant part of the community. You can also visit their museum properties: Rough Point, Doris Duke’s Newport home and the Whithorne House, featuring a collection of 18th-century furniture.
I was WOWED! I truly was. And most unexpectedly by a movie of all things. Now I am a reader, theatre aficionado, sports spectator, but movie goer-not so much. It all started with a phone call yesterday afternoon. My neighbor called and said we had had had to go to the Jane Pickens theatre that night to see a movie entitled, I Am, that her yoga instructor had highly recommended. Normally I would have suggested maybe later in the week; however there was such a compelling chord in her voice that my gut said I had to go.
So off we went to the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport. I AM is a documentary made by Tom Shadyac, artistic director behind blockbusters such as Ace Ventura, Liar, Liar, and The Nutty Professor that is truly one of the most powerful and probing films that I have ever seen. After an unfortunate (but ultimately very fortunate) bicycling accident, Tom sets off on a personal journey to explore two age old questions. What is wrong with this World? and What can we do about it?
Shadyac interviews intellectual and spiritual leaders around the world in his quest to answer these most basic questions. He speaks with scientists and discovers interestingly enough that science has lagged behind these other areas. Shadyac reflects upon his own personal life and realizes that his past accumulation of wealth surprisingly has made him no happier.
I Am addresses the human condition in a witty yet intimate way. Ultimately we discover that life is all about connections-person to person, and person to nature. It is packed with revelations. You leave the theatre, somehow transformed, and very enlightened.
Don't miss this extraordinary film. It is playing at the Jane Pickens May 12th- May 18th at 6:00 PM. Just one more note. DRESS WARMLY. The theatre is not heated. Also GO EARLY. There was almost a sold out theatre. Grab some popcorn and settle in for a wonderful evening.
Lila Delman Real Estate is running another contest! This time you can win a weekend for 2 in Newport, Rhode Island during the J Class Regatta, June 17 & 18. Contest runs May 2 - 22, 2011 and consists of three trivia quizzes - one new quiz each week. That's three chances to win! Each contestant who gets all 5 questions right on the quiz will be entered into the drawing for the weekend getaway package. Be sure to follow the hints to get all 5 questions correct!
·All entrants with 1 perfect weekly quiz score will be entered into the drawing for the grand prize. Grand prize winner will be drawn at random by a Lila Delman employee.
·Lila Delman Real Estate (LDRE) reserves the right to examine identification and may reasonably choose to accept or deny awarding the prize based on the identification presented.
·LDRE employees and immediate household family members and are not eligible to win grand prize.
·This prize is not redeemable for cash or any other item. Terms of the prize can't be modified in any way. No transfer or assignment of prizes is allowed, except as may be determined by LDRE in its sole and absolute discretion on a case by case basis.
·Winners are responsible for paying all applicable local, county, state and federal taxes on prizes based on the estimated retail value of the prize, as set forth in the contest rules, and will be issued an IRS 1099 form for the prize. The contest winner will be required to provide their social security number for the 1099.
·LDRE shall be the sole arbiters in all matters relating to the contest and in the interpretation of contest rules. Their decisions shall be final. Entry into the contests constitutes agreement by contestants to abide by these rules, as well as any other rules established by LDRE.
·LDRE reserves the right to: (i) terminate or declare this contest null and void and rescind the prize, if in its sole judgment, the rules or the integrity of the Contest have been violated or compromised in any way, intentionally or unintentionally by any person whether or not a participant in the Contest; (ii) alter or amend these Contest rules at any time; and (iii) stop or conclude the Contest at any time without prior notice. Material changes to the contest rules will be posted on our Facebook page, Facebook application and www.LilaDelman.com.
·Use of robotic, mechanical or other forms of pre-programmed internet voting or entry methods is prohibited in this contest.
·Prizes:
oGrand Prize: 2 night stay (for up to 2 people) at 41 North Hotel in Newport, RI on nights of June 17 and June 18, 2011, $100 Gift Card to The Mooring Restaurant in Newport, RI, and various other prizes from Helly Hansen of Newport, Rhib & Rhine Boutique of Newport, It’s My Party Newport
But there’s more…
