Aug 27-30, 2026 • (Above: The Breakers, Vanderbilts' "Summer Cottage") • Liana and I had the chance to visit Newport, Rhode Island Thursday through Sunday, August 27-30. She wanted to see The Hot Sardines. Since they don't come to the midwest often and because it was near her birthday, once she bought concert tickets for their Newport Appearance, we had to go. While there, we visited four Gilded Age mansions and did "The Cliff Walk," a 3-1/2-mile walk along the southeastern shore of Aquidneck Island between the mansions and the ocean. Fun fact: when the Preservation Society of Newport County noticed that the silver in The Morning Room within the Vanderbilts' Breakers mansion wasn't tarnishing, they had it tested. Results showed it was platinum.