Jennfier Luxmoore of Sin Desserts – sort of like Providence’s version of Charm City Cakes from Food Network fame – has won our hearts over the years by making creative, delicious sweets like oatmeal cream pies with maple buttercream and bacon or chili pepper peanut butter cookies – and then periodically surprising us with a tray of them at our office. However, up until now, her business was almost exclusively special order out of her kitchen space on Allens Avenue. Well, she’s finally opened a proper retail/ café space on the street level of the Conley’s Wharf building (200 Allens Ave.) where she’ll be open daily selling more than just the custom cakes on which she made her reputation. The new café features coffee, cupcakes and “cupcake shots” (mini-cupcakes), bacon and cheddar scones and more. More
The Classical High School Alumni Association will be hosting its 7th Distinguished Awards Dinner at the Providence Marriott on Monday, April 22. The organization will be recognizing the achievements of six distinguished individuals. Recipients include:
Raymond Armstrong (Class of 1942) Armstrong has made his mark in American history, being handpicked to manage The Presidential Blind Trust during Ronald Regan’s presidency.
Clark Sammartino, D.M.D. (Class of 1955) Having developed one of the largest oral surgery practices in New England Sammartino also serves as President of Bluefin Capital.
Robert E. Wittes, M.D. (Class of 1960) Gaining industry knowledge as the former Physician-in-Chief of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer, Dr. Wittes is now the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the National Cancer Institue and Onology.
Susan West Kurz (Class of 1967) This environmentalist is the founder of the Bee Conscious organization, which advocates for the restoration of the honeybee population.
Shelley Woods Whiting (Class of 1987) This alumni now resides in Georgia where she serves as the Director of Commercial Development, Marketing and Sustainability for Georgia-Pacific Chemicals.
Angel Tavares (Class of 1988) Once the judge of the Providence Housing Court, Tavares made history as the first Hispanic mayor for the City of Providence.
Louis Toro (Honorary Alumni Award) This honoree is currently the Director of Guidance at Classical High School. He has been making his mark in the Providence school system for 38 years.
Tickets for the event are $75. All proceeds will go toward improving educational programs at Classical High School. More
In an industry as fickle as restaurants, longevity is a rare prize. Most restaurants don’t last more than a couple of years – meanwhile, Mills Tavern is celebrating a full decade. Starting this month, the restaurant will mark this milestone with its new Spring Anniversary Menu, reintroducing some of the signature favorites from the past 10 years. Highlights include the “Mills Sandwich,” Hudson Valley foie gras with a black currant buttermilk biscuit and tea braised figs; Open Faced Braised Rabbit Ravioli with wild mushroom truffle cream sauce; and Beef Tartare Over Bulgur Wheat Salad with cornichon emulsion and sunny-side up quail egg.
Be sure to check Mills Taverns’ website for the date of its special anniversary dinner. In the last week of April the restaurant will host a special six-course tasting with wine pairings. Chef Ed Bolus will be in the kitchen with guest chef Jules Ramos of Eleven Forty Nine; Ramos was the first executive chef at Mills. Tickets are $150 per person, with $25 benefiting Festival Ballet. More
Daniele Foods and ourselves, are sponsoring this month’s EatDrinkRI Festival. The three-day event (April 19-21) is the brainchild of local foodies David Dadekian, who runs the website EatDrinkRI and is the restaurant reviewer for our sister magazine, The Bay, and Brendan Roane, Director of Marketing and Events at Gracie’s. Key events include Friday night’s Cocktail Couture, an exclusive cocktail and fashion event produced in concert with StyleWeek Northeast at the Biltmore; the Saturday night Grand Tasting (also at the Biltmore), featuring over 40 food, wine, beer and spirit exhibitors, as well as cooking demonstrations from chefs like The Dorrance’s Ben Sukle and Persimmon’s Champe Speidel; and a Sunday morning Grand Brunch at Gracie’s, featuring chefs from Nicks on Broadway and north on the West Side, Warren’s The Sunnyside, the Boat House in Tiverton, and more. Tickets range in price per event, or you can attend the whole festival, including several smaller events and panel discussions, for $200 (standard) or $250 (VIP). More
Whether it was the secrecy of the prohibition, the sexiness of the flappers or the excitement of the music, there is no denying that there is something very alluring about the Roaring Twenties. It was a time so glamorous you may find yourself wondering what it was like to be a part of it. If any of this is resonating with you we have some great news. Chifferobe Events is hosting a Flapper Workshop Series. Learn about everything from the dress to the drinks in anticipation of the Great Gatsby Ball, which promises to be fringe filled and fabulous. Read below for the complete program of events from the series:
April 21 (2-4pm) - 101: The Dress @ The Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum, $20
A look into the turbulent culture of the Flapper Era, with fashion as both cause and effect! We will take a peek at photos, videos, and a few great garments. You'll leave this interactive lecture primed and ready for those that follow AND you'll have a million ideas for what to wear to the next Chifferobe soiree!
April 28 (2-4pm) - 102: The Drinks @ The Dorrance, $30
Learn how to make 3 delicious classic cocktails and sample them too! You will be able to entertain a la Gatsby after this watch and learn workshop.
May 12 (2-4pm) - 103: The Dance @ AS220, $30
Learn period solo and partner dance crazes such as The Charleston! You do not need to register with a partner to enjoy this workshop. Make friends and kick up your heels. It's Sunday Funday!
May 19 (2-5pm) - 103: The 'Dos @ Suite Tart, $30
This three-hour hair and makeup extravaganza will teach you a few fabulous dos and don'ts when it comes to hair styles of the 1920s-30s. Learn some tricks of the trade as you watch Providence PinUp founder, Lulu, whip locks into shape...oh and all while sipping on a cocktail (or mocktail)! Time to release your inner bombshell! More
Aspire at the Hotel Providence, which recently underwent an overhaul to become As- pire Seasonal Kitchen, just announced that it will be reviving the now closed Downcity’s popular Drag Brunch, which combines mimosas and late morning fare with men in eyeliner and wigs for a fabulous time. It was one of the most lamented things about Downcity closing, and we’re happy to see it return. Check the web site for updates. More
Core: Center of Real Energy on the East Side has expanded. Owner Denise Chakoian-Olney recently opened the Mind/Body Pilates Studio just down the road from Core’s main location in Wayland Square. In addition to private Pilates sessions, the new studio offers small group Pilates Reformer classes.
Caster’s Bicycles & Fitness offers free indoor training classes each Monday at its Providence location. Participants are asked to bring their own bikes and indoor trainers, as well as a towel and water bottle. If you don’t have a trainer, you can rent one at Caster’s for $3 per class. More
As this goes to press, I’ve just finished reading Michael Lewis’ The Big Short, a gripping inside account of the 2008 Wall Street collapse as it pertained to the subprime mortgage market. Lewis (author of Moneyball and The Blind Side) looks at the endemic corruption and corrosion of Wall Street through the stories of the few shrewd investors and money managers who saw the housing collapse coming from miles away. One in particular was Mike Burry, an odd, reclusive, Asperger’s-afflicted stock picker who set up his own hedge fund in California and won big betting against the subprime market. There is an especially salient passage in the last few pages of the book that nicely encapsulates what went wrong at the systemic level:
“The people in a position to resolve the financial crisis were, of course, the very same people who had failed to foresee it: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, future Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein... They had proven far less capable of grasping basic truths in the heart of the U.S. financial system than a one-eyed money manager with Asperger’s syndrome.”
When Wall Street collapsed in 2008, the reckless and immoral speculation of big time bond traders generated massive losses for the major investment banks and financial firms. All of them were at risk. Then the government stepped in to bail them out, essentially transferring risk from the institutions that created it to the American taxpayer, who lacked even the most basic understanding of what was happening beyond the vague fear of another Great Depression. Both Bush and Obama signed off on financial policies that absolved Wall Street of all responsibility for its colossal mistakes – and no differences between their stances on the Iraq War or gay marriage affected their willingness to hand a blank check to the very same people who put us in this mess. Most recently, in late … More
Two of the most abused words in the American lexicon are “small government.” Everyone is in favor of it – or at least claims to be. It’s a time-honored rallying cry of the Republican Party and Democrats will at least feint in that direction when it’s politically necessary or expedient. For a disaffected and angry electorate, they are immensely appealing words, alluringly full of empty promise and backed by bumper sticker rhetoric. In particular, the embittered white base that grudgingly backed Romney in the last election has adopted these words as dogma. But does anybody really want smaller government? All evidence points to the contrary.
Democrat and Republican alike have been quick to expand government – both in terms of the tax dollars it gobbles up and the infringement upon our liberty it imposes – with flagrant disregard for their own rhetoric. While Democrats screamed and cursed and spat about the Bush administration’s overreaching and at times downright unconstitutional notion of national security, they have been conspicuously silent as Obama’s beloved drones patrol the skies, conducting summary executions around the globe – including at least one on an American citizen – and the veil of government secrecy remains as thick and opaque as it did during the Bush years. Republicans, for their part, continuously decry the “reckless spending” of Democrats while practically putting on a clinic in fiscal irresponsibility, and their extremely selective memories allow them to place unpopular government bailouts firmly in Obama’s column, while conveniently ignoring the fact that they began with his predecessor.
The underlying and more insidious deception of the small government gospel, however, is that nobody really wants it yet they still preach it. What people really mean when they say they want “small government” is that they want government that does only and … More
The semifinalists for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards (sort of like the Oscars of the food world) have been announced and three Providence restaurants are in the running. The Dorrance is up for Best New Restaurant, following on the heels of Cook & Brown Public House, which was nominated for that award last year. This year, Cook & Brown takes a nomination for outstanding bar program. Meanwhile, The Dorrance takes a second nod for Chef Benjamin Sukle in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category. Husand and wife duo Matt and Kate Jennings of La Laiterie are up for Best Chef: Northeast, a category in which they're seemingly perennial contenders. Finalists will be announced on March 19, and the awards ceremony takes place on May 7. Congratulations to all the contenders, and best of luck to the home team. More
It’s that time of year again, as Providence Restaurant Weeks return for another winter installment after last year’s successful debut. From January 15-28, many of the hottest restaurants in and around the city will be offering three-course prix-fixe menus for $14.95 at lunch and $29.95 at dinner. It’s always a great opportunity to try a new restaurant with a low bar to entry, or finally cross off a pricier entry on your to-do list without breaking the bank. Go to the website for the full list of participating restaurants and menus. More
August 15 would have been culinary legend Julia Child’s 100th birthday, and in honor of that centenary her longtime publisher Alfred A. Knopf has organized Julia Child Restaurant Week.
From August 7-15, 100 restaurants around the country will participate by with special menus inspired by the woman who taught so many Americans how to cook. Among those 100 is our own Al Forno; proprietors George Germon and Johanne Killeen were personal friends of Child, and contributed recipes to two of her cookbooks. The a la carte menu will include two starters, two entrees, two desserts and a cocktail. Highlights include George’s Silky Peppers with Burrata, Osso Bucco with Orange and Lemon, and a Triple Citrus Tart.
Check out jc100.tumblr.com for info on the 100th birthday festivities. More
Every year on the first day of January, we begin resolutions that we likely will not stick to. This year can be different with the help of an organized event that will inspire you to do something creative every day during the entire first month. The second annual Fun-A-Day Providence is a program that encourages the community to get creative. The idea is this: in the month of January you will do something – anything – every day. whether it’s writing, painting or taking an inspiring walk. At the end of the month, there will be a gallery show to share what everyone has been up to.
Last year over 30 participants showcased their work to over 300 attendees including ideas like Samurai-A-Day, Song-A-Day and Thread-A-Day. There’s a launch party on January 4 at Sherri’s Café, where you can meet with other participants and work on ideas. Just remember, it’s all about fun and with a little inspiration and enthusiasm you might be amazed at what you can create. More
Local designer Margo Petitti began her now booming collection of scarves and pocket squares on a sewing table in Providence, where she pieced together fabric swatches into patchwork. Today, her pieces are worn by some of Hollywood’s finest, including actors from Breaking Bad and The Good Wife. Her scarves also made a big splash amongst celebrities visiting the VIP lounges at this year’s Emmy Awards. Petitti chooses classic styles – glen plaid, herringbone, houndstooth and birdseye weaves – and fashions them into high-quality unisex accessories sewn from luxurious fabrics produced in the finest Italian mills. Her apparel is produced in nearby Fall River, where talented local artists spin cashmere, silks and woolens into collection pieces that will last a lifetime – a very fashionable lifetime. More
We’re happy to report that driving and parking Downtown is getting easier and more user-friendly. Spending time in the city center has typically required drivers to navigate an unnecessarily complex and inhospitable system of one-way streets, baffling parking regulations and maddening inconsistency in the placement and function of parking meters. (This multi-space meter doesn’t take credit cards? The one two blocks over does. I don’t have any coins.) Fortunately, that has been changing for the better.
Last month, Empire and Weybosset Streets were opened to two-way traffic after some repair and improvement work. This will free up the flow of traffic in and around Downtown, and no longer require circumnavigating the entire neighborhood to, say, double back to AS220 if you miss a parking spot on the first pass, or get to PPAC if you’re already on Dorrance.
Of course, the biggest problem most of us have Downtown is parking: where to find it, how to know if it’s legal and how to pay for it. The City and the Downtown Improvement District (you know, the folks responsible for those yellow-jacketed workers watering the flowers and cleaning up the sidewalks) are working on an initiative to provide visitors with better information and options. The aptly named Park Downtown Providence effort involves new parking-directional signs and green stickers placed on meters to clarify enforcement hours, but its most effective improvement is the accompanying website. It boasts features like an interactive map that will allow you to select your destination, then highlight nearby parking options that can be filtered by criteria like “credit cards accepted,” “indoor garages” and “open 24 hours.” Visitors can also find information about the locations and rules of on-street parking, a list of parking specials and directions to popular locations. While it won’t entirely solve the parking puzzle, it definitely puts a … More
I just returned from a trip to New York City, an experience that is always equal parts invigorating and overwhelming. On the one hand, it’s great to be in a city where there is always something happening. On the other hand, being in a city where everything is always happening can discourage as easily as it excites.
As much as we like to fancy ourselves a cosmopolitan place that can hold its own with any city – and to a large extent that’s true; Providence is quite good at punching above its weight class – a few days in New York can be a harsh reminder that in many ways, size matters. When we speak of size, the important measurement is population, not land area. North Dakota’s largest city, Fargo, boasts more than twice the land area of Providence, but can only muster about 60% of our population. Where would you rather live?
Even in comparison to cities that are bigger on both counts, Providence holds its own. Jacksonville, Florida has a population more than four-and-a-half times the size of ours, and its roughly 875 square miles dwarf our 20. But you don’t see the birthplace of Lynyrd Skynyrd ranking among Travel + Leisure magazine’s “America’s Favorite Cities,” a survey in which the Renaissance City routinely comes out ahead of much larger competition.
A visit to New York, however, can be humbling even for our city’s biggest booster. Obviously, sizing up our little corner of New England against the country’s largest city is hardly a fair comparison, but it can make the limitations of a small population painfully obvious. While Providence may have all the bases covered when it comes to the joys of urban living, we’ll never match the depth and breadth of a big city. Sure, I can get Vietnamese food delivered to my house, but in Manhatan I could have Vietnamese food delivered by 30 different places, several of which would deliver until 4am and bring pot. The sheer scope of the place … More
The Olive Tap, Providence’s second olive oil joint, is now open in Wayland Square. They offer a wide array of extra virgin olive oil, infused olive oils, a variety of balsamic and red wine vinegars alongside pieces to bread to sop it all up. And in addition to the dipping treats, they also feature artwork for sale, a broad menu of spices, culinary sauces, marinades, tapenades and jams. Check them out on Facebook as “The Olive Tap Providence.”
Wickenden Street boasts a new fusion of art festival and farmers’ market at Small Circle. It is a community marketplace of 100% locally made products featuring over 100 artisans and their mix of photography, jewelry, blown glass, textiles and woodworking. Small Circle was founded on both environmentally friendly and socially conscious principles while simultaneously stimulating the local economy.
Follow The Rhode Island Library Report, an online public journalism project, as it explores the role libraries play in our current lives and how they will fit into our future. This completely volunteer based project covers the range of services our libraries provide through economic hardships and technical challenges as we move forward in these digitizing times. Read about those who work so hard to keep our libraries alive and those who are benefited from this resource. More
Narragansett began brewing beer in 1890 and apparently that was good enough for the state of Rhode Island for over 100 years. It wasn’t until Trinity opened their doors in 1995 and started brewing their own beer that we had another RI beer choice. Then, in the last few years, the craft brewery scene has rapidly expanded, bringing more options to the people.
Another holiday season is upon us and so is the stress of gift shopping. Make this year's experience a positive one by avoiding the lines and the frustration at the big box stores. Little Rhody may be small but we’ve got plenty of independent retailers where you can find unique gifts for everyone on your list while having an enjoyable holiday shopping experience (yes, it's possible).
Want another reason to shop local? We’re giving away a $500 Local Shopping Spree and it’s super easy to enter. All you have to do is sign up here for our email newsletter the Pulse. It's full of events, news, cool stories and giveaways from all around the state. Needless to say, you want to be a subscriber anyways.
Blue Door Studio, Cranston
Bottles Fine Wine, Providence
Bristol Yoga Studio, Bristol
Core Fitness & Pilates Mind/Body Studio, Providence
Craftland, Providence
Feet First, Wakefield
Granite Photo, Westerly
Green Ink, North Kingstown
J. Marcel, Providence
Peaceable Kingdom, Providence
Pizzico, Providence
Plante Jewelers, Swansea, MA
Shoppe Pioneer, Providence
Sin, Providence
Spectrum-India, Providence
Stock Culinary Goods, Providence
Studio Hop, Providence
Sweenor’s Chocolates, Cranston & Wakefield
The Catering Gourmet, Warwick
Tickle’s, Swansea, MA
Waves of Creation, Wakefield
Westerly Jewelry, Westerly
ZuZu’s Petals, Cranston & East Greenwich