Oliver Siodmak’s Rants & Raves

I am very pleased with my decision to get an iPhone vs the iPod Touch. The iPhone has of course a phone (which the Touch does not) but what really pushed me was the inclusion of the additional applications and the camera.

Being the son of a photographer I love taking pictures but I don’t always have a camera with me. I used to always keep a small Canon SD-230 in my bag for impromptu pictures but it recently suffered from a bit of a meltdown. It still works but it now sees the world as a series of faded green images. I only use it when I want to photograph someone’s lawn or a luscious green park in summer.

Having a phone as part of a device you always have with you means … you are always ready to take that shot of your son eating a hot dog. Or the location of tour car in the parking lot at DisneyWorld. The other key factor was the inclusion of Google Maps and an email client. This meant that Apple was committed to developing communication and productivity applications to the device. Their reluctance on the Touch means (in my mind) that the touch is simply an iPod and not a communication device.

My hope is that they continue to enhance and extend the software application capabilities of the device. I for one would love the addition of cut&paste and a built in instant messaging client.I also need to look into alternative methods for writing blog updates from my iPhone. While Safari on the iPhone works great it isn’t optimal for writing a weekly blog post.

A friend of mine is taking his family to Newport, RI for the first time last week so I offered some tips on places to go and things to do.  Here is the summary of what I shared with him:

Restaurants of Note:

• Mamma Luisa’s Restaurant (673 Thames Street, Newport RI 02840, #401-848-5257) - Great Italian Food.  Nothing more be said.
• Puerini’s Italian Specialties (24 Memorial Blvd W, Newport RI 02840, #401-847-5506) - A musician friend of mine introduced me to this little italian restaurant over 10 years ago.  I have never had a bad meal here.
• Clarke Cooke House (1 Bannister Wharf, Newport, RI 02840, #401-849-2900) - Very expensive but good food.  The Porch (upstairs) is a great place to have a quiet romantic dinner with the one you love.
• The Moorings (Sayer’s Wharf, Newport, RI 02840, #401-846-2260) - At one time this was one of my top 10 restaurants in the USA.  Unfortunately they were bought out by a corporation and the menu is not what it once was.  It does however still have one of the best views in all of Newport.  If you decide not to have dinner there, make a point to have a drink at the outside bar slightly before sunset.  The outside bar on the back deck faces west and you can watch an amazing sunset over the sailboats in the harbor.

Restaurant Guide of Note: Table Hound - Interesting Google Mash-up that allows you to search for restaurants by price, type of service, etc.

Things to Do:

• Mansions - The Newport Mansions demonstrate that life was different at the turn of the last century.  Built as “summer cottages” these homes are exquisite.  I have toured most of them two or three times.  My personal favorites are: Marble House, Rosecliff, The Elms and the Breakers.  You can buy passes for one or multiple homes.  The homes are maintained by The Preservation Society of Newport County and they provide daily tours.  If you only had time for two I would strongly recommend Marble House and The Breakers.  Whichever you decide to see .. make sure you see The Breakers last.  You should be aware that not all the mansions in Newport are managed by the Preservation Society.  A few are independently owned and managed like the Astors Estate,  Belcourt Castle, and Hammersmith Farm (Ocean Drive).
• Cliff Walk - The mansions hug the northern and southern ends of Newport.  Around the coastline is a path called the Cliff Walk which starts on Memorial Drive and ends on Narragansett Ave. The walk is a total of 3.5 miles but there are many exit points along the way.  Most of the path is well paved and you can easily use a stroller.  Sharon, Jake and I usually stop at a deli an pickup sandwiches on the way to the walk and then stop and have lunch along the way.  There are fabulous views of the ocean and the mansions along the way.
• Shopping - Like every town there is lots and lots of shopping in Newport.  Since Newport is a fairly upscale town the shopping here is of a better quality than other seaport towns I’ve been to in New England.  The most interesting can be found on Bannister’s Wharf, Bowen’s Wharf, and The Brick Marketplace
• Sailing - Because Newport has such a large and naturally deep harbor it has been a sailing capital for centuries (literally).  There are several companies that offer day and sunset sails around the harbor.  If you are not up to sailing around by yourself, Sharon and I really enjoyed the charter run by Adirondack Sailing Excursions
• NightClubs/Music - There are a number of bars and clubs in Newport that hire live bands.  Since I am still trying to hold on to my youth, I always make a point to stop by One Pelham East (270 Thames St., Newport, RI) where they always have a good rock band performing.  There is also a good Jazz club down the street from One Pelham located in an old bank (closer to the Post Office) but their name escapes me at the moment.
• Parks - If you’ve already done the cliff walk there are two other parks in Newport that I recommend visiting; 1) Fort Adams State Park (Brenton Point, off of Ocean Drive) - The fort dates back to 1799 and was once the most heavily armed fort in the nation.  It has a great view of the entire Narragansett Harbor, and 2) Ocean Drive - If you travel south down Thames St you can pick up Ocean Drive where it starts and follow it all around the entire southern end of the island.  Along the way you will pass Fort Adams, Hammersmith Farm, and some of the most beautiful homes and coastline in New England.

Don’t forget to check out … Official Newport Visitor’s Bureau