I LOVE NICE THINGS.

First built in 1887 for Frederick Vanderbilt as a tudor summer retreat (and later owned by William B. Leeds), Rough Point was bought in 1922 by the enormously wealthy James B. Duke, benefactor of Duke University and his second wife, Nanaline. After several major renovations (including the addition of a ballroom and service wing, and the removal of most of the tudor features) the Dukes moved in. The Duke's had one child, a daughter, which they named  Doris .  Doris Duke, The Billionairess, Philanthropist, Socialite, Art Collector, Preservationist And Founder of The Newport Restoration Foundation  James Duke died in 1925, leaving the bulk of his entire fortune (a reported $100 million) to Doris, then age 12. Her inheritance also included the Duke mansion in New York City, Rough Point and Duke Farms in New Jersey. Because of her age, though, Doris couldn't claim her inheritance until she turn 21, 25 and 30. The fortune would be stored in a trust until she could claim it, the...

Above is a picture of the baronial dining room at "Marble House", the Alva Belmont cottage in Newport RI. This magnificent room was inspired by the Salon d'Hercule at Versailles and was designed by Jules Allard. It is equal in size to that of the ballroom across the hall. "Marble House" is now owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County. 

The story read like an early version of  Fatal Vows. Claus, who had been forced by Sunny to quit his job and become a full time husband, was tired of being a "hired ornament" and wanted leave Sunny for his mistress, actress Alexandra Isles. But could he walk away from Sunny's immense fortune? Sunny told her children about her and Claus's problems and said she was fine with divorce, she had already done it once. Then, in 1979, while watching television with her husband, Sunny suddenly passed out while her seemingly unconcerned husband lay by her side. This odd behavior, aided by the fact that Claus failed to call for help, caused Sunny's personal maid, Maria, and Sunny's children, Ala and Alex, to wonder if Claus had his own murderous agenda.  What Lengths Would An Estranged Husband Be Willing To Go To End His Marriage With His Wife And Still Get His Hands On Her Money And then, one year later, Maria, Ala and Alex's worst fears were confirmed when Sunny...

'Clarendon Court', Newport RI. Built by Horace Trumbauer. In the 1970's it was the home of Martha Crawford Von Bulow, known as 'Sunny', whose estranged husband famously tried to poison her, which forced her into a coma.  Sunny managed to live into her 70's, dying in 2008, still her in sleeping-beauty 

The Waves was built by architect John Russell Pope for his most important client......himself. The lot he had bought was next door to Edith Wharton's Land's End. The house had wonderful views of the ocean and nearby Bailey's Beach. He lived in the house with his wife, Sadie, who was the daughter of Pembroke Jones, who resided in another Newport cottage, Sherwood. When John died of an illness in New York City, Sadie continued to occupy the house until World War II, when the house was used to house military personnel. The estate was then purchased by heiress Josephine Hartford Bryce, who lived their with her daughter, Nuala. Nuala went on to marry Claiborne Pell, Rhode Island beloved senator.

Designed by Jackie Kennedy and owned by the same people for decades, The Windmill is now for rent. The reason, a recent hike in property taxes. It was owned by the Auchincloss Family, who lived at the nearby Hammersmith Farm, the last farm in Newport and now privately owned. When Janet Auchincloss sold Hammersmith Farm in 1977, she and the other family members kept many of the outbuildings, where they would continue to summer for decades. The main buildings they kept were The Castle (formerly the farmhouse), The Palace (formerly the garages) and The Windmill (a windmill). For many year Jackie Kennedy herself summered at The Castle, but then gave it to her stepbrother, Hugh D "Yusha" Auchincloss, when she died. The Windmill was occupied by Nina Auchincloss, half sister of Gore Vidal, and was where she, for many years, spent her summers away from DC. With an increase in property taxes, Nina thought she would have to sell The Windmill. After celebrating Yusha's 80th birthday...

Formerly the gardener's cottage and garage to the neighboring estate, Land's End, it is now the dower house of famed Georgetown hostess Marion "Oatsie" Charles, wife of the late Robert H. Charles, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for President Kennedy. Oatsie, the current President of The Newport Restoration Foundatio, purchased the cottage when she also bought Land's End with her first husband, Thomas Leiter, in 1940. When Thomas died, she moved into The Whim with her second husband, Robert. The six-bedroom cottage was redone by Oatsie and turned into what she called " A lovely jewel ". Charles filled the home with a large assortment of antiques, including antique panels from nearby Marble House, which she purchased at it's auction and now grace The Whim's "garage" walls. Oatsie also redidi the grounds, which she filled with several beautiful gardens. 

November 6, 2012, Noreen Stonor Drexel died at her summer home, Stonor Lodge. Named after her parent's home in England, Stonor Lodge was Noreen's residence for more than 50 years. Noreen, who  was famous for her large financial contributions to the Newport Hospital, Newport Birthing Center and the Preservation Society of Newport, usually headed up Rhode Island's Republican National Committee with her good friend, Eileen Slocum, who died in 2008. Stonor Lodge was built by Noreen and her husband, John R Drexel III, who grew up in Newport and died in 2007, back in the early 1950's. Noreen also spent her winters in Palm Beach and New York City. After her husband's death, she had moved into the spacious former garage house of the estate, which she converted into a residence like her friend Oatsie Charles

Though currently for sale, Wildacre had been for many years, up until it was listed, the home of billionairess Dorrance "Dodo" Hamilton. Dodo, an heiress to the Campbell's Soup fortune whose net worth is around $1.1 billion, purchased the home back in 1998, when she first came to Newport. Hamilton set out to restore the home, which was a wreck, back into the former beauty it was. Originally built as a bungalow in 1901 by Irving Gill, with gardens designed by the Olmstead Brothers, it was, overtime, enlarged into the mansion it is today. In 2008, the estate and grounds were the scene of Dodo's 80th Birthday Party. An avid preservationist, Hamilton has purchased what remains of the Blue Gardens on the former Curtiss James estate, Beacon Hill, which she plans on restoring and living after she moves from Wildacre. 

Occupying one of the most spectacular promontories in Newport, overlooking Bailey's Beach, is the graceful estate, The Ledges, also known as The Cushing Family Compound. Howard Cushing III, the owner and current President of The Sprouting Rock Beach Association (Bailey's Beach), lives in the main house with his wife, Nora, and their two sons, Jamie and Howard.  The estate was built by Howard's great grandfather, Robert Cushing, and passed down through family hands until he ended up with it in 1964. Also living on the estate, residing in a small cottage, is Howard's brother, Thomas Cushing, and his wife, Caterine. Down the street his Howard's sister, Minnie Coleman. Recently redone by interior designer John Peixinho, the home was featured, in 2007, in the film  Evening . The Ledges is the only home on Ocean Avenue still in the hands of descendants of it's original occupants. 

Newport would not be the place it is today without people like Ruth Buchanan Wheeler of Beaulieu. Heiress to the Dow Chemical Company fortune, she has lived in the home for fifty years. Her late husband Wiley T. Buchanan, who served as President Eisenhower's (a fellow Newporter) Chief of Protocol, bought the dump of a house in the 1960's and he and Ruth restored the estate to the masterpiece it is now. Built in 1859 by a Peruvian merchant, it was later bought by William Waldorf Astor, whose aunt lived in nearby Beechwood. He sold the home to Cornelius and Grace Vanderbilt. When Grace died in 1953, the home slowly faded, until the Buchanans purchased it. After Wiley's death, Ruth married her high school sweetheart, Edward Wheeler, who died in 2009. When asked if she wished her husband had picked a different home to restore, back in 1961, Ruth quickly retorted "No" she further says "The house is perfect. It was a headache. But now it is perfect" 

Bellevue House is owned by Ronald L Fleming, the noted preservationist, urban planter and President of the Townscape Institute, who bought the home from the estate's second owner. He restored Bellevue House's beautiful rose gardens and added several intricate outbuildings, included a teahouse, which is a replicate of the main house. Built in 1910 by Ogden Codman Jr, it was the summer home of heiress Martha Codman. She later shocked her friends by marrying opera singer, Maxim Karolik, 30 years her junior. After Martha's death, Maxim continued to summer in the home until his death. It was then owned by singer and actress Jane Pickens, whom Fleming purchased it from. Fleming hopes to one day live in a small keeper's cottage at the back of the property, his kids having the main house, and that he will occasionally be invited over for dinner. 

Ochre Court Built by Ogden and Mary Goelet as a palatial showplace to gain access into society. Their son Robert offered the place to his daughter, who not surprisingly turned him down. He then donated the place to the now Salve Regina University, who still own it today.

The Harold Brown Villa Built by Harold Brown and his wife Georgette Wetmore as a summer estate. Given no formal name, unlike most of the cottages, it was a treasured family jewel. It was left to Mrs Brown's niece Eileen Slocum, who was considered the grande dame of Newport and the Republican Party and died in 2008. It is the only house on Bellevue Avenue still in the hands of the family.

The Breakers Built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his wife Alice, it was built to replace their first cottage, also called 'Breakers', which burned down. Countess Gladys Szechenyi, Cornelius and Alice's daughter leased the Breakers to the Preservation Society of Newport, who bought the estate from her heirs. It is the largest in Newport.

During the Gilded Age ~ And for a long period afterwards ~ the little seaside town of Newport, Rhode Island, was considered to be the select summer resort. One could never be "In" society if one didn't spend summers in Newport (or at the very least own a residence there). Along the oceanside, barons of wealth built colossal marble castles ~ crammed with every finest luxury of the time ~ next door to the sophisticated yet stylish mansions of the "old money" families. No matter the size or opulence, each of these regal establishments were cozily referred to as "cottages" by the seasonal summer residents. Today, many of these palaces survive in the hands of colleges, school institutions or Preservation societies and foundations. A few, however, still remain in private hands.

When asked why she was carried around everywhere by big burly guards and attendants the dime store Woolworth fortune heiress  Barbara Hutton, whose fortune exceeded $1.3 billion in today's money, replied " Why Should I  Walk When I Can Hire Someone To Do It For Me? "

The apartment building at 960 Fifth Avenue is considered one of the nicest apartment buildings in New York City. The large building was designed by Whitney Warren and Rosario Candela and included a 17-room apartment with a two-story ceiling. It is famous for it's many apartments, most of which are designed differently and have different floor plans. Among it's many different residents have been Mrs Henry 'Sister' Parish, who occupied a first floor apartment and Johnny and Noreen Drexel, whose top-floor apartment occupied half of the floor.  The apartment first started when the owner bought the William Clark mansion occupying the spot. It was one of the largest and most expensive homes in New York City and cost $7 million to build (Over $100 million today).