I’ve been living in New York since 1998 and every fall I try to get out of the city and up to New England for a mini getaway. My uncle Rick and his husband used to live in Boston so the destination was usually clear cut: I’d stay in the South End, we’d go shopping on Newbury Street, hit the Freedom Trail, eat plenty of lobster, and go bar hopping by Tremont Street.
When my uncles moved to California, I decided to pick a different place each year for my fall adventure. This year I had just watched Susan Sarandon play Doris Duke in HBO’s Bernard and Doris for the eleventh time and was craving New England elegance, mansions, and a little tennis. So I set my sights on Newport, and the new Forty 1 North marina-side hotel in Newport was the perfect home base. I picked up the biggest Jackie O glasses I could find at Top Shop, filled my suitcase with khakis, polo shirts, sweaters and climbed aboard the Metro-North Railroad train en route to Rhode Island.
Forth 1 North is located on Thames Street, right in the heart of the downtown Newport. The property is a hotel and marina with spacious guest rooms, suites, cottages, lofts, two restaurants, and plenty of style. Laurent Boisdron, the hotel general manager, and the gorgeous Lily Engles, sales director, greeted me at the door and encouraged me to have a Dark & Stormy at the bar before scoping out my room. The main floor of Forty 1 North is spectacular: there’s a study/billiard room off to the left, a cozy lounge for cocktails, a spacious bar and the elegant restaurant, The Grill, overlooking the quaint marina.
I took my tall Dark & Stormy (perfectly mixed by the handsome bartender, I might add) out to the deck and enjoyed the harbor view. All of the stress of my New York living suddenly seemed a distant memory.
Finishing my cocktail, I was delighted to my room stocked with fireplace, enormous bathtub, iPad, fully stocked iPod, comfy Frette bedding, Malin & Goetz soaps, wet bar, and a hard cover copy of The Cat in the Hat (every room has a Dr. Seuss Book, adorable, I know).
When I peeked out the window it had started to rain. I had plans to get out and explore Newport but after seeing how well I was going to be taken care of at Forty 1 North the idea of being “rained in” looked promising. I had an amazing early dinner downstairs at The Grill. Mother Nature didn’t want me to enjoy the open-air dockside lounge that night, but the Dining Room was the perfect stage for a fantastic meal. Chef Kim Lambrechts rolled out the red carpet with the perfect raw bar, fresh seafood and grilled meats.
After dinner I retired to my room, where i put on Nina Simone, turned on the fire, poured myself a glass of wine, and caught up my reading in the tub. I had a solid night’s sleep; by the time I woke up the rain had stopped, the sun was out, and Newport was bustling.
I had the itch to play tourist, and Newport was up for the challenge. I caught a glimpse of Hammersmith Farm, where Jackie O grew up and had her wedding reception. Then i took a oceanside drive before checking into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (eat your heart out, Serena Williams!). I hoped to rub rackets with Andre Agassi, who was inducted into the International Tennis hall of Fame on July 9. I didn’t run into Andre, or Serena for that matter, but the museum, with its grassy courts, exhibits, and enormous casino theatre, is totally unique, especially if you are into tennis.
After a quick tennis match, I decided to head over to The Breakers mansion. I have a reoccurring dream where I discover I’ve inherited the Vanderbilt family fortune (it’s random, I know, just go with it). I’ve dreamed of roaming the halls of the Breakers countless times, so I might as well pay homage to the place. Newport has this great organization called the Preservation Society of Newport County, which operates ten properties that make up Newport Mansions.
These landmarks include: The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, Chepstow, The Elms, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House, Kingscote, Marble House, and Rosecliff. The Breakers was the highlight of my Newport Mansions tour. While it looked slightly different from the way I had imagined it, I did get a glimpse of a real Vanderbilt (no, not Anderson Cooper): Gladys Szapary flashed a regal smile my way as she passed me heading into the gift shop.
I was ravenous after my amuse bouche of Vanderbilt elegance, so I headed back towards the Forth 1 North and had a late lunch at Christie’s Restaurant. Christie’s has become the closest thing to a gay hotspot in Newport, such as it is. This Asian-inspired tapas restaurant transforms into GOSSIP, the fantastic gay party on Thursday nights. I had a few hours to kill before Gossip, so I did a little shopping on Thames Street and took Forty 1 North up on its generous offer of a boat tour through the Newport harbor.
By the time I got back to the marina and freshened up, Gossip had kicked off. When I walked in, DJ Andy Morris of Radioprov was spinning a hot remix of one of my favorite songs (“Acapella” by Kelis). By the time I had three Gin & Tonics into the night I had made two new best friends, Norman Faria and Tracy Spaulding. I chatted with my friends until the sweet bartender made last call.
I walked out with Norman, Tracy, and Andy Morris. It was starting to drizzle again and the trio urged me to come back to their city. I crossed back to the hotel and caught a glimpse of the moonlight dancing in the harbor just off of the marina of Forty 1 North before heading back up to my room.
It was my last night at the Forty 1 North. The copy of The Cat in the Hat caught my eye on the desk so I cracked it open and sat in front of the fireplace as I turned to page one.
Stay Tuned for the new GayCities guide to Newport
Special thanks to our friends Forty 1 North and the Brandman Agency
