Vanderbilt Mansion and a Great Meal in Little Italy
We decided to take a day trip the weekend after Thanksgiving. We had talked about going to see the Vanderbilt Mansion for some time so off we went. It turned out to be a beautiful day and a very easy, pleasant ride with little traffic on the road.
The Vanderbilt Mansion in Newport, RI, called The Breakers, sits on a large piece of property looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. It is a large mansion with 3 floors - the first 2 floors were for the Vanderbilt's use, with the 3rd floor providing servants quarters. All the rooms on the first floor are very ornate with all the luxuries available during the time it was built. The 2nd floor, although very nice, was much more subdued as they were the sleeping quarters for the Vanderbilts and their children. On the front of the mansion is a large patio that opens to the magnificent front lawn going down to the rocky ledges to the ocean. No photos are allowed to be taken inside the mansion.
When CorneliusVanderbilt died during 1899 at the age of 55, he left The Breakers to his wife, Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt. She outlived her husband by 35 years and died at the age of 89 during 1934. In her will, The Breakers was given to her youngest daughter, Countess Gladys Szechenyi. In 1948, Gladys leased the property to the non-profit Preservation Society of Newport County for $1 a year. The Society bought the Breakers during 1972 for $365,000 from Countess Sylvia Szapary, the daughter of Gladys. In the agreement with the Society the family was allowed to continue to live on the third floor, which is not open to the public. Countess Sylvia lived there part-time until her death on March 1, 1998. Gladys and Paul Szapary, Sylvia's children, spend summers there to this day. Although the mansion is owned by the Society, the original furnishings displayed throughout the house are still owned by the family.
After completing our tour we drove over to Providence to find a nice place for a late lunch. Upon arriving in the Little Italy section of Providence we found Cassarino's Restaurant and decided to check it out. It is a small, cozy restaurant where you feel very much at home. We started our meal with a nice salad served with incredible crusty garlic bread. The kind you can make a meal out of on its own. For lunch he ordered Veal Saltimbocca - veal with prosciutto, fresh baby spinach, cheese and a nice mushroom wine sauce served with pasta. I had Pollo Sicilian - grilled chicken, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, roasted potatoes, calamata olives and hot pepper rings served with an olive oil and roasted garlic sauce. The food was amazing, the portions generous and the price very reasonable. Just remembering makes me want to go back. Cassarino's will be on my list of places to visit again, and I would recommend it to anyone headed to or going through Providence.
A short little journey that turned out even better than anticipated. One of those that will remain in our memories for a very long time.
The Vanderbilt Mansion in Newport, RI, called The Breakers, sits on a large piece of property looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. It is a large mansion with 3 floors - the first 2 floors were for the Vanderbilt's use, with the 3rd floor providing servants quarters. All the rooms on the first floor are very ornate with all the luxuries available during the time it was built. The 2nd floor, although very nice, was much more subdued as they were the sleeping quarters for the Vanderbilts and their children. On the front of the mansion is a large patio that opens to the magnificent front lawn going down to the rocky ledges to the ocean. No photos are allowed to be taken inside the mansion.
When CorneliusVanderbilt died during 1899 at the age of 55, he left The Breakers to his wife, Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt. She outlived her husband by 35 years and died at the age of 89 during 1934. In her will, The Breakers was given to her youngest daughter, Countess Gladys Szechenyi. In 1948, Gladys leased the property to the non-profit Preservation Society of Newport County for $1 a year. The Society bought the Breakers during 1972 for $365,000 from Countess Sylvia Szapary, the daughter of Gladys. In the agreement with the Society the family was allowed to continue to live on the third floor, which is not open to the public. Countess Sylvia lived there part-time until her death on March 1, 1998. Gladys and Paul Szapary, Sylvia's children, spend summers there to this day. Although the mansion is owned by the Society, the original furnishings displayed throughout the house are still owned by the family.
After completing our tour we drove over to Providence to find a nice place for a late lunch. Upon arriving in the Little Italy section of Providence we found Cassarino's Restaurant and decided to check it out. It is a small, cozy restaurant where you feel very much at home. We started our meal with a nice salad served with incredible crusty garlic bread. The kind you can make a meal out of on its own. For lunch he ordered Veal Saltimbocca - veal with prosciutto, fresh baby spinach, cheese and a nice mushroom wine sauce served with pasta. I had Pollo Sicilian - grilled chicken, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, roasted potatoes, calamata olives and hot pepper rings served with an olive oil and roasted garlic sauce. The food was amazing, the portions generous and the price very reasonable. Just remembering makes me want to go back. Cassarino's will be on my list of places to visit again, and I would recommend it to anyone headed to or going through Providence.
A short little journey that turned out even better than anticipated. One of those that will remain in our memories for a very long time.
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