We’re continually growing our social media networks and are grateful for those of you to stay on top of local happenings, tours, experiences and events via our Facebook posts and Tweets. As a thank you, we’re giving away a pair of tickets to popular folk singer-songwriter Livingston Taylor’s evening performance at the Casino Theatre at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum on April 7, 2012. The intimate venue, a National Historic Landmark, makes for the ideal live music experience, just as it did when it opened in 1880.
All you have to do to enter is like our Discover Newport page on Facebook and fill out the simply entry form. If you're already following, click the 'Giveaways' tab to enter ... CLICK HERE to begin!
Also, don't forget to follow the Casino Theatre at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum on Facebook to get the latest scoop on upcoming concerts and events! For more information on the upcoming Livingston Taylor show and to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.
Jack and Jill went up the hill to dance to Mother Goose rhymes. Jack spun 'round, and broke his crown, and Jill came pirouetting after!
Rosecliff will be playing host to the Island Moving Company’s newest ballet, Mother Goose, directed by Miki Ohlsen and specifically designed for the mansion's spectacular rooms. The contemporary ballet company will perform throughout the mansion in matinee performances the weekend of March 2-4, marking their Thirtieth Anniversary Season, while a special opening celebration on Saturday, March 3 at 7pm will include highlights from the company's celebrated performances of Dracula and the Newport Nutcracker.
Performances are as follows:
Saturday March 3: 3pm, Opening Evening Celebration: 7pm
Sunday March 4: 3pm
To purchase tickets, visit Island Moving Company.
For most folks, jetting off to an to exotic locale for dinner is the stuff of billionaires, but luckily, Newport affords no shortage of opportunities to taste flavors from around the globe with extraordinary food, wine, and spirits events throughout the year. Two caught our eye this week: The first inspires us to don our favorite tartan for a Tour of Scotland Scotch Tasting at 22 Bowen’s featuring the savory spirit from some of the country's finest distilleries including JW Black, Singleton, Oban, Lagavulin and Talisker. Each is paired with a mouthwatering small dish (coffee-seared venison, bacon-wrapped scallop, grilled oyster on the half shell or a fine brie sound tempting?) and it all comes together tomorrow, Wednesday January 25 beginning at 6:30pm ($45pp, click here for the menu and click here for contact/reservation details).
On Friday, it’s all about local beers paired with a palate pleasing five-course dinner featuring the City-by-the-Sea’s own Newport Storm and Pier 49. Roasted pumpkin bisque, rye-crusted salmon and espresso & cocoa rubbed sirloin are just some of the highlights for this $49pp event. Click here for a menu and call Pier 49 (401) 847-9000 for reservations.
Bottoms up!
Photo: 22 Bowen's, Newport Restaurant Group
Some folks take the little ones to see Santa at a mall, others at a department store, parade or tree lighting ceremony, but here’s a new one: see Santa on the Sea!
This weekend, The Majestic welcomes the young and young at heart for a 1 ½ hour cruise through Newport Harbor where hot chocolate will be served, carols will be sung, and face painting and crafts will entertain the kids, all while Santa hears the wish lists of all the good girls and boys. Take family photos with the big guy 
and take in the serenity of Narragansett Bay during this magical time of year.
Santa on the Sea sails on Saturday and Sunday with departures at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are $25/adult, $15/child (3-12, kids on 3 free!). The majestic sails from 2 Bowen’s Ferry Landing. To purchase tickets, please visit www.NewportMajestic.com or call (401) 849-3575.
We’re thankful that the weather outside hasn’t been particularly “frightful,” and we’ve been indulging in all the holiday fetes that are so “delightful!” Tonight is one such must-do event—the Bellevue Avenue Christmas Stroll!
From 4-7 p.m., merchants throughout Bellevue Avenue (from the gourmet trio across from the Hotel Viking all the way up to the Tennis Hall of Fame Casino Block), William Street and Mill Street will welcome strollers, offering tasteful delights and refreshments to make your local shopping experience even more memorable. Check out some of the beautifully decorated storefronts on the Living with Libby blog here, and come see them for yourself!
Speaking of Bellevue happenings, don’t forget that Santa visits to the Tennis Hall of Fame this Saturday,
December 10th! The THOF’s Holiday Open House begins at 9:30 a.m. and in additional to be all decked out for the holidays, families can enjoy a little friendly competition playing Wii tennis on the big screen, engage in a museum scavenger hunt, explore the museum on an engaging tour and more! At 2:30 pm, local storyteller Cindy Killavey will present a fun and dramatic reading of The Night Before Christmas, followed by a visit from Santa Claus himself! (Free for all ages with the donation of a non-perishable food item.)
“Let the festivities begin!” …Cue the holiday music please! Newport is adorned in the soft white shimmer of twinkling lights, fresh greens
and holly, and the sound of holiday music trails from our downtown shops and restaurants. My favorite part about this holiday is our city's captivating sparkle. As the temperature begins to drop, you still feel this encompassing warmth from all the golden hues of lights that adorn our city’s streets to the merriment of all those bustling around you.
In a season when families are adoringly celebrating their special holidays and traditions, you can’t help but feel the palpable energy of community and blithe spirit. Oh, and those children…hands cupped with cocoa, high pitched giggles, and excited little voices (repetitively) dolling out their lists…thank goodness we live in a city that savors every moment of this special season!
Click the link below for my picks for family Holiday Happenings in Newport. Although many are Christmas related, town’s seasonal spirit is honoring each and every child’s special holiday!
CLICK HERE TO GO TO NEWPORT CONNEXT'S HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS GUIDE!
Today the spotlight shines on blogger Kate Dickson, the voice behind the lovely Discover Warren. Kate, a Warren resident, owns the beloved Wooden Midshipman shop, chock full of books, gifts, and delightful treasures. We’re featuring her most recent blog post which dishes on Warren Wonderland, a fun shop local event taking place this Friday starting at 5pm. Click here to get the scoop!
Family film buffs need to look no further than newportFILM’s November mini-fest this weekend for a pre-holiday delight that will put us all in the spirit of imagination and creativity. From a Friday night flick on football perfectly suited for any older child to adult, to a fantastic kid film on snowmen, school, and silly kid shenanigans, there is a little something suited for all the various ages and stages of kids and families about town.
On Friday: UNDEFEATED (PG-13) 7pm, Jane Pickens Theater Got any little football lovers in the house? This “Friday Night Lights” type film documents the Manassas High Tigers, an inner-city Memphis football team that has seen it’s share of hardship and challenges in past. Unfolding a full season, from the first kick-off to the final game, families will be moved by this film’s passion, the coach’s compassion, and the team’s undeniable perseverance and youthful spirit. It'll make a great family night out with any child who loves this sport, or date night! (PS: Come an hour early to the theater for the pre-film wine reception hosted by Salvation Café starting at 6pm)
Saturday Day: SNOWMEN (PG) 1pm, Jane Pickens Theater Three cheers for a kid film full of enthusiasm, and remembering to make the children the main characters! This heartfelt film will leave the kids giggling and the parents smiling. Smartly written, the film follows three elementary aged boys on a mission to gain some notoriety in town (school) through building snowmen and capturing a new Guinness World Record. All the typical mayhem of bullies, to a crush, to a mentor follow suit, but the real spirit lies in the film’s main character, a boy who believes in himself and everyone around him. A smart (and always welcomed) lesson that each child will take home with them…that, and the gleeful anticipation of setting their own records!
Saturday Night: BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY (Unrated Documentary) 7pm, Jane Pickens Theater This documentary has gotten a lot of buzz (and awards) in the film industry! Being Elmo tells the tale of the man, Kevin Clash, behind the lovable red puppet. Come spend an evening inspired by how one boy’s dream of becoming a puppeteer and working with Jim Henson, came true. You’ll be just as captivated by Kevin as your children are by Elmo. With an impressive list of actors, and behind the scenes glimpse at all that create the magical world of Sesame Street, this film is a great family night out for an older child, a puppeteer in the making, and parents alike. (PS: Come an hour early to the theater for the pre-film wine reception hosted by Salvation Café starting at 6pm)
Keep posted on newportFILM events by visiting their web site here and stay on top of these and other family happenings in and around Newport by visiting Newport Connext here.
“The sea captain has returned from his mysterious journey, and brought back a creepy crew of gray faced ghouls and walking dead goons….ooooh!” I creepily whispered to my six-year-old and his best pal as we passed two (very friendly) men caked in impressive zombie makeup. To my delight, the Newport Yachting Center has been eerily transformed into three clearly sectioned haunted adventures called The Haunted Shipyard.
The Haunted Pier 23 (where all the zombies hail) is too scary for any kids under the age of ten, and parents should decide if their child could handle this eerie tour for the older ones, but the “Lights-On” Spooky Wharf is perfect for 2-8 year-olds ready for a sweet, simple, and playful treat.
The kid tent is a NON-SCARY tent with six activity stations ranging from the Witches Brew, to Pirate Digging, to Alligator Pond, along with Sully the fuzzy blue monster from Monsters
, Inc. Each activity is joyfully rewarded with a treat for the kid’s goody bags that they are handed upon entering. I noted the 2-5-year-olds really enjoyed the pirate digging, witches brew, and decorating masks. Meanwhile, the 6+ crew thoroughly enjoyed the candy rewards of each activity and the bumper boats, where they can slam and smack into each other at a simple puttering speed…tons of giggles!
For the older (I’d say elementary age) kids, head across to the third tent called The Armory…a.k.a. the Zombie Hunt. This space resembles something straight out of a Wii combat zone; it’s pretty darn cool. After meeting the targeted zombie and werewolf, my son was game for getting behind the appointed partition area, wearing his safety mask, and shooting pink paint pellets at his moving targets. To my delight, the safety and expertise on hand allowed this nervous mom to enjoy such a big-kid moment. And oh boy, did those kids love this activity!
Top off your night with a quick bite at the Creepy Canteen (the bloody aprons are fantastic), a drink for the parents (yes, please) at the Boo Bar, and I’d say you’ve had a gruesomely good evening!
The Haunted Shipyard at the Newport Yachting Center continues tonight through Halloween. Click here for hours, tickets and prices.
I love when we stumble upon bloggers who visit Newport and soak up the best the City-by-the-Sea and its surrounding coastal communities have to offer, so when I came across this recent post on much-loved Carrots 'n' Cake written by Boston-based Tina Haupert, I had to share (her blog has been featured in People, Shape, Women’s Day and Health magazines). Carrots 'n' Cake (such a great name, right?) focuses on Tina’s love of food and fitness, so naturally, she combined the two when spend this past weekend here on Aquidneck Island. Her adventures included apple picking at Rocky Brook Orchard in Middletown, a run along Ocean Drive and Bellevue Avenue, sailing, an afternoon at Castle Hill, a night of dancing and more. Read the weekend round up by clicking here (or here for apple picking or here for the sights along Tina’s run)!
(Pictured: Tina and friends aboard schooner Aquidneck!)