Newport Polo's 'Bal du Soleil' to Benefit newportFILM

The International Polo Charity Ball has announced its theme for the annual summer gala.

'Bal du Soleil' lends itself to the glamorous French Riviera, an image that can only be appropriate for the French Polo team, the gala's honored guests.

Hosted by Newport Polo, Bal du Soleil will take place at Rosecliff on Bellevue Avenue in historic Newport, Rhode Island. A separate ticket for the cocktail party allows 400 guests to an exclusive meet-and-greet with the French Polo Team at Forty 1° North.

The sell-out event draws nearly 400 attendees for an evening that will begin with a pre-gala Cocktail Meet & Greet with the French Team at the chic Forty 1° North, where the team will be headquartered, then on to Rosecliff for a reception on the terrace, where an enchanting panorama of gardens and twilight ocean views will be ecclipsed by enticing hors d'oeuvres, specialty cocktails created by the Cocktail Guru, and highly anticipated Silent Auction display in which a carefully curated collection of unique items and exclusive opportunities will be offered for the highest bidder. Guests will adjourn for a seated gourmet dinner in the gilded ballroom where live musical entertainment will set the tone, and a whirlwind Live Auction wizarded by Sotheby's auctioneer, will offer up the night's crown jewels. Under the spell of the orchestra, desserts and dancing will ensue til the stroke of midnight . The odyssey's finale ascends to the Skybar atop Clarke Cooke House for a last dance.

newportFILM, the beneficiary of the gala, is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the Newport residents and visitors about current policy issues through the power of film and documentary.  The organization continues to gain momentum in the Newport community for people of all ages who are eager to become more aware of what's happening in the world we live in. I believe it's one of Newport's local treasures.

For tickets and more information, visit Newport Polo's website.

Author of Eiffel's Tower to Speak at Rosecliff

It's been one year since I studied abroad in Paris. I miss it--a lot--and it's gotten to the point where I am searching every online calendar to find out about any event related to French culture.

Thankfully, in Newport, events for Francophiles are fairly easy to come across--I suppose that's what happens when you live in a historical city that has its own Alliance Francaise.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Author and Historian Jill Jonnes is coming to Newport to talk about her book, Eiffel's Tower. In case you couldn't guess from the title, it is about Gustave Eiffel's construction of his wrought iron monument, but it also puts the Tower in context with other historical happenings during La Belle Époque.

The event is being hosted by The Preservation Society of Newport County at Rosecliff. To learn more about Jonnes' lecture or to register, visit the event's website. Advance registration is required.  

Newport Flower Show 2014

If you want to spend a few hours of your weekend off the beach, check out this year's Newport Flower Show at Rosecliff from Friday June 27th - Sunday June 29th. The theme this year is travel--"Journey to Grand Visitas," to be exact.

In addition to looking at the beautiful flowers, attendees are welcome to take mini workshops and attend lectures held by renowned gardener P. Allen Smith. All of the events are a gardener's dream, but I am personally intrigued by the Sunday champagne brunch...

I have never been to the Newport Flower Show, but Christine gives a great recount her experience on her blog, Antique Homes and Lifestyle.

Photo: The Preservation Society of Newport County

To buy tickets and learn more information, visit The Preservation Society of Newport County website.

Rosecliff

Last Friday I went on the Rosecliff mansion tour, the second part of "The Great Gatsby Experience" by Jane Pickens Theater. 

The tour was brief, because I went between my morning job and my afternoon job, but I hope to find an excuse to go again and listen to the audio for the haute couture part of the tour.

The grounds were gorgeous, despite the rain and fog. If anything, the sleepy weather made Rosecliff seem more like a dream.

The Great Gatsby at Jane Pickens

If you're a fan of The Great Gatsby, the Jane Pickens Theater has a "Great Gatsby Experience" package deal  in August:. For $20, you can have a watch a screening of The Great Gatsby (1974) and tour Rosecliff, the Bellevue mansion where the movie was filmed.

I went to the first screening yesterday--watching the original Great Gatsby in an old-fashioned theater, located in the same area where the film was shot, created a special experience. It was interesting to see the original film version after Baz Luhrman's more recent adaptation of The Great Gatsby (2013). I would recommend anyone to see both films to decide which one they think is best.

I didn't have time to go to Rosecliff on the same day, but you can do the mansion tour at your leisure during the week. 

If you would like to partake the Jane Pickens Theater "Great Gatsby Experience," there are tickets available for a movie screening on Sunday, August 18th.

Walking to Starbucks, a cat on Church Street

Flowers on Spring Street

One of the monuments on the renovated Queen Anne Square