7.23.10
The Stuff Legends are Made of

Here at the Newport Yachting Center we get pumped for each of our events, concerts and festivals. But there’s a special buzz in the air about what’s happening under the tent tomorrow night, and who’s to blame us for feeling just a tad bit giddier about it? In fact, the show is looking to be legendary, and it’s got us a bit speechless. So we’ll let the pros do the talking - you know, B.B. King, The Providence Journal, and Jimmy Carter (the former President of the United States? Really? You’ll have to read on to find out)!

Saturday night, July 24th, Rhode Island hometown hero Duke Robillard is the opening act (yes that’s right, opening act) for our Sunset Music Series show. The multi-Grammy nominated and four-time Best Blues Guitarist Winner at the Blues Music Awards takes to our stage on the waterfront. Robillard, named by B.B. King himself as “one of the greats,” brings his blues back home to beckon the crowds under our tent to jam the night away.

Why would a man of this stature be the opening act at our Sunset show? As Rick Massimo, Pop Music writer for the Providence Journal puts it, “It takes a serious headliner to push Rhode Island blues legend Duke Robillard down the bill to opening act, but The Blind Boys of Alabama are serious business.” How to best describe the storied singing group ready to take Newport by storm? “They’re the real deal of Southern red-clay gospel, and they may be holy, but their harmony is hard-edged. They can make even the Lord sound nasty. In the best way, of course.” Well put Massimo, we couldn’t have said it any better ourselves!

Jimmy Carter, the last active surviving member of the group, recently spoke with Newport Now about how he is excited to bring their show back to Newport. So no, it wasn’t the former President, but we’re pretty sure if he were staying in town this weekend, he’d be lining up to see the show, too! As Jimmy Carter the musician notes, they’ve played at the White House three times already and “are pros at it,” so they are certainly a presidential favorite.

Best part about the show? Tickets start at just $25. (It’s ok, we spit out our drink when we heard the ticket price, too!) Immediately we ran to our closets and found enough money folded up in pockets of previously worn pants to cover the cost. So now can you see why we’re all a-twitter about what’s happening on the harbor tomorrow night? We thought so. See you there when the gates open at 5:30!

6.18.10
Waiting for the music to start

It’s only a week and a day until the 2010 Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series is underway, permeating the waterfront chorus the rest of the summer with a mix of rock, blues, gospel, acoustic, and reggae - something for everyone! And the series certainly starts off on a high note. John Hiatt returns to our tent a crowd favorite looking to impart some of his rootsy, bluesy soul with his enchanted audience. His songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Iggy Pop, the Neville Brothers, and Willie Nelson, but you have the chance to encounter the original master at work on Saturday, June 26th!



Another reason to see the show? When will you have another opportunity to catch an up-and-coming band, about to make it “big,” open for one of their influences? The Adam Ezra Group has got music lovers and critics alike buzzing about their sound, charisma, and talent. What does the band’s front man think of the upcoming show? “These are bands I’ve been listening to for a long time and now I’m performing in shows with them,” he said. “I love John’s (Hiatt) music and I’m looking forward to the show.” Plus, they are just so darn nice. In addition to teaching Boston area students how to write their own pop songs, these guys donate proceeds from their tour to local charities and organized their own “Rumble,” a special concert that they bussed their fans to, to raise awareness about medical relief in Haiti. “I think music is an effective way to empower the community and to make a difference on a local level,” is Adam’s philosophy.



Well sheesh. A master and an up-and-coming force to be reckoned with, playing the same stage in one night? How can you miss it? For tickets and more information, visit newportwaterfrontevents.com. And for some easy tunes to kick off your weekend, we recommend the tracks by our Sunset stars above.

6.4.10
Soups On!

This morning, the harbor was abuzz with paparazzi looking to catch a glimpse of our big star…Chowder! The Rhode Show came down to the Newport Yachting Center to figure out exactly what the Great Chowder Cook-Off is all about. After talking with two of last year’s winners, our Alaskan competitor, and a new local restaurant getting in the mix, we’d say host Ben Hague is convinced that the chowder’s as good as we say it is, and he will be back tomorrow for the main event!

We’ll let the chowdah’ enthusiasts speak for themselves…See you tomorrow!

5.28.10
How to Enjoy Your Newport Summer - From the Pros

Hello bird watchers! Harbor Chatter’s here for the season.  We are pretty psyched at the Newport Yachting Center for this time of year - Memorial day kicks off the summer season, and the Knorr Great Chowder Cook-Off is only about a week away!  As our town transforms and visitors come to enjoy our city from near and far, take some tips from the people who know best what to do around here - our NYC TEAM!

“The best way to enjoy Newport is  a day at 2^nd Beach followed by dinner downtown - maybe a drink on the lawn at Castle Hill to watch the sunset.” - Sounds like the ultimate Newport day to us, Michea!

“I like to stop at the [Newport Yachting Center] Marina office, get a cup of iced coffee, and sit at “The Teak” - code word around here for our patio on the harbor!” - Can we get the invite to “The Teak,” Katie?

“My favorite spot is to sit on the piers at Storer Park in the point - great hangout spot.” - Our artist extraordinaire Marc on where he draws his inspiration.

“One of my favorite things about living in Newport and working at the Newport Yachting Center during the summer is walking to work.  I love being able to stop at Jonathan’s Café, and walk downtown in the morning before the streets start getting busy.  It’s a nice quiet time when I can really enjoy this City by the Sea, appreciate its unique historical cityscape and be thankful for being a part of why visitors love to come here!” - Well put, Erica!

“I like to take a bike ride around Ocean Drive, and then stop for beers on the lawn at Castle Hill.  My alternate route is taking a walk into town and stopping for beers at the Smokehouse Cafe on the way to a concert at NYC. As long as there’s beers and some outdoor sunshine, I’m there!” - Our tech man Super-Steve knows all the ins & outs of this town!

Of course these are only suggestions, and we’ve got a whole itinerary of concerts, comedy shows, and festivals to add to this list over at newportwaterfrontevents.com. Let us know how you like to enjoy summer in Newport!

4.7.10
Calling All Creative Clams!

The competition is heating up, and this year it’s not only in the kitchen! Introducing our Great Chowder Cook-Off T-shirt Design Contest, where anyone is eligible to submit his or her best creative work. The winning design will be featured on the 2010 Knorr® Great Chowder Cook-Off official t-shirt.

The rules are simple – just answer one little question – What would Clyde do?

Submit your best representation of Clyde the Clam and how you think he’s celebrating his return to Newport to kick off Summer 2010. If your design is the cream of the crop, you’ll be a part of our awards ceremony, your Clyde will star on our t-shirts, and you’ll return home with a goodie bag full of swag as well as 2 tickets to the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series show of your choice. Plus, you’ll receive design recognition on our website for all chowda’ lovers to see. Think you’ve got what it takes? Check out our official rules & regs here, and let the creative juices start flowing!

For a little inspiration, we’ve even featured a few of Clyde’s past looks:

So what do you think? Are you clam enough to design our 2010 t-shirt? (We crack ourselves up!) If you have what it takes, be sure to drop by our website and even download a clyde or two. Remember, all entries are due by May 7, 2010. Best of luck!

4.1.10
Something to Sing About!

The Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series has always been a summer highlight around downtown Newport, and with the 2010 lineup beginning to fill out, this year looks to be no different. Here, we review who’s coming to town to rock the waterfront.

Read on…

2.12.10
Now That’s an Order!

Presidents’ Day weekend is here boys and girls!  So we’ve got some Did you know? facts headed your way. In case you happen to be out and about this weekend, we want to make sure you know why you have the day off.  Now everyone knows that Presidents” Day is held in February because it marks the birthday of our first president and founding father, George Washington. But we’ve gathered a bit more gossip about the Commanders-in-Chief that have famously toured our cobblestone streets!

1. George Washington visited Newport in 1790 as a hoo-rah! celebratory tour of the adoption of the national Constitution.  More importantly, he penned a famous letter to the Jewish community of Newport that set the precedent that the new US Government would give “to persecution no assistance,” explaining that the Jewish community were good citizens who deserved to be treated equally.

2. Abraham Lincoln turns 201 today (February 12th).  In fact, there was a bicentennial birthday thrown by the state of Rhode Island last year to honor the big 2-0-0. And Rhode Islander’s love this Pres - during the Civil War, 23,699 Rhode Islanders enter service in the Union Army and Navy, more proportionately than any other state. Talk about Rhody Pride!

3.  The Eisenhower House.  Why did Ike like the Fort Adams spot so much? One word - Fore! Ike loved to golf and must’ve cried out over a stray ball once or twice. Seems appropriate - yelling “fore” seems to be military in origin:  ”In the 17th and 18th centuries, infantry advanced in formation while artillery batteries fired from behind, over their heads. An artilleryman about to fire would yell “beware before,” alerting nearby infantrymen to drop to the ground to avoid the shells screaming overhead. So when golfers misfired and send their missiles - golf balls - screaming off target, “beware before” became shortened to “fore.”

4. Can’t talk about one Summer White House without the other. Everyone knows that JFK married his sweetheart Jackie at St. Mary’s on the corner of Spring and Memorial. But why did he keep coming back to Hammersmith Farm?  Seems like his speech to America’s Cup Crews in 1962 best summed it up: “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came.”

5. Kennedy also seems to have undergone naval training in Rhode Island in 1942.  Which other future president was nearby in basic officer training in Quonset? Richard Nixon.  Fate would have them meet further down the road at the first televised Presidential Debate in 1960.

Now you are fully equipped with President trivia to impress guests over the long weekend.  But there’s only five…what else will you do to occupy your time? We recommend skating seaside - consider it a Presidential order!

2.3.10
A Very Merry February

Grab a hot cup o’ joe and curl up with your favorite festival reading material.  It’s chilly out there, but we’re sure our stories about community support and the Ton of Love Food Drive will warm you up in no time!

1.22.10
Behind the Scenes

Ever wonder what it takes to film a :30 TV spot?  A lot of hard work, that’s for sure!

Tom Guilmette is a Cinematographer, Director of Photography, Editor, and Nature Lover that Cox invited down to our rink a few weeks back to film some of our friends enjoying ice time.  He did a great job bringing out the essence of what the rink is about - friends, family, hot chocolate, and enjoying the winter season in beautiful downtown Newport.

Check out his creative process here and stick around to see what he sees as a sports cameraman for Boston - Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, you name it!  Enjoy!

And thanks to Tom for making the rink look as special on TV as it is to experience!

1.20.10
Just because it’s warmed up a bit…

…Doesn’t mean you should forget about those in our community who could still use a warm coat.  The Amica Coat Drive is well under way through the month of January, and we’ve already got bags stacked by our doorway filled with generous donations.  But have you done your part yet?  With the donation of a new or gently-used coat, skaters will receive 2-for-1 skating admission!

The coats will be donated to St. Joseph’s Soup Kitchen, located on Broadway in downtown Newport. Doors are open each Monday from 11:30am until 1:00pm to those in need of a hot, nourishing meal or warm clothing.  A cozy coat can go a long way in helping those who are suffering during these difficult times.

So get your gear down to the rink, and drop off your gently used (or even brand new!) coat.  There’s more than one way to keep warm this winter, and we’re pretty sure helping this great cause will make you feel nice and toasty!