It was supposed to rain most of today, which is why we did the Cliff Walk yesterday. And why we played things a bit by ear, because we had no idea how long the sun would shine.
We slept in a bit (a habit to be broken tomorrow) then had breakfast again at Annie's. Then we hiked the remainder of Bellvue Avenue, all the way to Rough Point at the very end.
We were trying to focus on the mansions we hadn't done on previous trips. Fortunately, I still have all the photos on my phone (which predates this blog), so I spent a little bit of time figuring out which ones we'd already seen.
Our top priority for today was Rough Point. Thanks to the Cliff Walk yesterday, we learned that it has two North Carolina connections. The house was first built by Frederick Vanderbilt, older brother of George Vanderbilt (Biltmore). The grounds were originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park and Biltmore estate.
Later, it was purchased by James Buchanan Duke (of American Tobacco, Duke Power, and Duke University) and expanded. James Duke died two years later, and the house went to his daughter, Doris Duke. She eventually made it one of her primary residences. Since Doris Duke lived until 1993, the house looks exactly as she left it, with everything intact.
Like the other mansions in Newport, photography is not allowed inside the house. We were, however, free to take photos outside.
Across the grassy lawn from house is a medium-sized garden. The entrance looks like something out of Alice in Wonderland. There are also two camel topiaries to honor Duke's pet camels (yes, really; they were a gift from a Saudi arms dealer) that used to roam the property.
Tours inside the house are guided and only given in small groups. The downstairs rooms are very much in keeping with the other mansions in Newport (if just a little less flashy). There is a grand ballroom, priceless paintings (including an original Renoir), priceless vases from ancient China, a floor from the Palace of Versailles, centuries-old tapestries, and more. Several pieces of antique furniture were not allowed for sitting.
Most rooms, from the dining room to the solarium and her bedroom, all have big windows that provide spectacular views of the ocean. They also have big drapes and blinds for privacy.
She loved dogs and had several rescue German Shepherds that had free reign of the house. Surprisingly, they never broke any of the vases, but you can still see the per stains on on modern couch in the solarium. The camels stayed outside.
Upstairs the house is slightly more modern. We got to see her bedroom, where the walk-in closet doors are practically hidden in the wall. Despite the opulent wealth on display downstairs, she dyed her bedroom carpet rather than buy a new one (when the room was redecorated) and the bed skirt and ruffles came from J.C. Penney.
There were also a couple of gallery exhibits (these rotate every year) on her collection of Islamic artifacts and on Shangri-La, her estate in Hawaii (which is also open for tours). There were several things we didn't get to see, such as her salt water pool.
The final stop was the Bulter's Pantry and Kitchen, which are actually on the main floor (most mansions have them in the basement). All of her plates and silver are still there, including the modern microwave and fax machine (which she used to send recipes to friends).
The property gets its name from the rock formation in the back yard. Duke loved to swim and often jumped from the rocks into the ocean. We even saw a couple of her bathing suits on the tour.
The Cliff Walk path originally went right through the middle of the yard, but Frederick Vanderbilt had it moved closer to the water, which necessitated the bridge. The first bridge was eventually destroyed in a hurricane and was replaced by a couple of wooden ones that didn't last either. The current bridge is made of wood and steel and withstood Superstorm Sandy just fine.
There were a couple of things on the tour that I found interesting. Falcon's Lair, her home in Beverly Hills (where she passed away) was previously owned by Rudolph Valentino.
The second one is more of a round robin, so bear with me. Doris Duke loved to collect paintings of English royalty. In the stairwell is a large painting of an actual Duke, the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace (late 1700s, as I recall). This Duke's grandson (or great grandson) became the 9th Duke about 100 years later (also related to Winston Churchill) and married Consuelo Vanderbilt. Consuelo's parents (Wm. K and Alva) built Marble House down the street. And her uncle Frederick built Rough Point. Some coincidence!
Afterwards, it hadn't yet started raining, so we opted to do part of the Cliff Walk again. We weren't near an access point (there are only so many), so we had to walk back up several blocks to The Breakers. Then we walked back to the beginning and on back to the hotel.
I'd hoped to do another mansion (Rosecliff, which is where they filmed The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow), but we'd promised to take Madison to see The Secret Life of Pets and Martha's Vineyard is a bit short on movie theaters. Marsha found a theater that serves food so we opted to go there.
We had some extra time, so we drove down Ocean Drive. It branches off of Bellvue Avenue and takes you past several more modern mansions that are also built on the water. We found one for sale at the bargain price of only 19 million. Have to think about that one.
Sadly, we have to leave tomorrow and there's so much more I want to do. We'll definitely be back again at some point. Can't wait!
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