Gilded Age mansions abound in Rhode Island. The coastal towns are where it’s at, and the Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport enjoys a brilliant position perched directly on the water’s edge. John Winthrop Chanler, a New York State Congressman, built what is now an upscale boutique hotel as a private summer residence, the first on the cliff walk, in 1873. It then underwent many transformations – a reform school, a museum… even a tenement house for the navy in the ‘40s – until the new owners purchased it in 2000. To see it now, restored to its former intended glory, is heartwarming.
Although everything new was deliberately designed to look as though it dates to the house’s origins, a refined sense of modernism playfully dances with nostalgia in every nook of the hotel. The new owners spent two years and $25 million renovating the property. Each of the 20 suites and villas at The Chanler is uniquely appointed. All are bold in their choice of textiles and textures. Many, including The Block Island Villa (which houses a fireplace, full sauna and Jacuzzi), offer mesmerizing views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Every detail is carefully laid out. The Spiced Pear’s cuisine is a reflection of that consciousness: It offers an “inventive interpretation of classic New England dishes and French influences,” while remaining true to its surroundings and sourcing the freshest local ingredients.
When winter gives way to spring, you may want to shift views as dining on the patio is essential, coupled with a lazy afternoon and a bottle of wine on the lawn. The intentional planting of over 100 species of plants in the manicured gardens gives The Chanler the privacy its guests demand, and offers a sense of place by gently guiding the eye down the undulating lawn to the roiling sea just below. The Cliff Walk itself leads you down a path of similar stately mansions on one side and surfers riding the waves on the other: a three-and-a-half mile journey into everything Newport is all about, a rich tapestry of tradition caressed by the wild call of the sea. thechanler.com
7) Exhibitionism, “playing” at London’s Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery, is the first international exhibition with, well, the stones to document the Rolling Stones’ 50-plus years as music/fashion/film icons. Over 500 authentic artifacts (audio tracks to album art, stage designs to diaries), interactive technologies, and displays on collaborations with Scorsese, Warhol, McQueen and others demonstrate how Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie shaped popular culture: a platinum hit! 
Windsor it is. As I sit and write, gazing out my extremely large windows, I’m prone to fantasize. The castle is only steps away from The Macdonald Windsor, and my digs, The Onyx Suite, was perfectly perched to give me the right vantage point. The sculpture of Queen Victoria, somehow capturing her as both statuesque and rotund, provided excellent fuel for my imagination of what went on behind those thick stone walls. This vision, juxtaposed with the scores of business travelers staying at my hotel, gave it an edge. It was the initially stark contrast of the changing of the guard, which happens every morning during summer – a tradition that never gets old – against the well-dressed business people milling about the lobby, posting up on the couches and having power-meetings over coffee, that made me wonder what was going on in Windsor.
The 120 rooms are all of varying shapes and sizes because the hotel is an amalgamation of very old buildings. Initially, it was a department store on all floors, dating back to the 1890’s. See? Such intrigue contemplating all the comings and goings. My room was from an annex to that original store, as it grew in popularity. It had a fireplace… and it was original. Part of a set of townhouses that were bought up and converted into additions to the store. The banister, just to your right upon entry, is original and blends seamlessly with the luxurious and contemporary decor. It’s casual elegance in a way that can only be done in England and really, only by the chain of Macdonald Hotels. They have 41 hotels in the UK, started in Scotland in 1990, as well as properties in Spain and Portugal. Most have a great story to tell.
That evening it was Charlie Sepulveda and his band playing the familiar big band sounds and Latin jazz tunes that entertained the bustling lobby. I had just heard him the night before as a headliner at the Heineken Puerto Rico JazzFest where I also had the pleasure of meeting the charming Cuban-born Andro Nodarse Leon. Andro is part owner of the El San Juan Resort and Casino and a driving force behind the resort’s new musical endeavor – El San Juan Live – which happened to feature several Heineken JazzFest musical greats. I could not help but notice his passion for the arts by the glint in his eyes and beaming smile when he spoke of the vision of El San Juan Live. A musician himself – he shared that architecture, design, business, and music are all brought together at the El San Juan Resort and Casino – the intent is to showcase local musical talent through El San Juan Live. And talent there is – historically, the island has produced such great Latin crooners and musicians as Hector Lavoe, El Gran Combo and Marlow Rosado – just to name a few. Not to mention those with Puerto Rican heritage such as Tito Puente, Marc Anthony and Ricky Martin. With their close cultural ties to Cuba, understandably, the sister island will also showcase their tropical voices and sounds in this new artistic scene.
