Saturday Rambles: Newport, Rhode Island

Have you had those days? Of course you have, that quote should begin with Jane Austen's famous line "It is a truth universally acknowledged that...". 

Well anyway, let's get to it. 

The Plan: 

On Saturday we had grand plans of heading into Newport for the day to attend the Great Chowder Cook Off, a Rhode Island institution for as long as I can remember. It was my husband and father-in-law's birthday weekend, not to mention one of the first stunning pre-summer weekends of the year, so we were all excited to have an event to attend. First stop was Portsmouth to assist in the construction of a patio pagoda. 

For illustrative purposes I've provided a look at what we were working with in terms of geography. Not too bad right? After all, our house and Matt's parents' house are exactly across from each other. If only the great state of Rhode Island would consider a bridge.

The one thing this particular map doesn't adequately consider is the ugly amount of traffic that occurs between these three points from about Memorial Day to Labor Day. To be fair, the drive wasn't terrible, but my husband, like most Aquidneck Island natives, feels compelled to drive zigzags zags all over the island just to avoid East and West Main Roads. So we zigged and we zagged up to Portsmouth, and then back down to Newport where parking was at first challenging, but then by a stroke of good fortune- amazing- and then we joined the exodus down the hill and over the cobblestones toward the Newport Yachting Center. 

Now for The Reality:

The Great Chowder Festival was sold out. Sold. Out. An hour into the event and tickets were not available. So what were the quick thinking Carriers to do? Let's go get a damn cocktail and raw bar at The Mooring. DONE. You know what? It was awesome. We got a table that was just on the edge of being outside, but still inside which was perfect for a weather finicky toddler, we ate chowder and delicious raw oysters and cherrystones, and I ordered a Lobster Croissant. I can't complain. It was actually quite perfect and we didn't have to drive a giant stroller through a herd of people for tiny shot cups of chowder. 

On the docks by The Mooring

A rare complete family photo op

 So there you have it. Plans gone awry, but in the end we probably fared better. We even caught one of those perfect sunsets over the Newport Bridge on our way home.

Goodnight Newport, back over the bridges to East Greenwich