Tammy Tibbetts
President and Founder of She's the First
Tammy graduated from The College of New Jersey with a journalism degree that unexpectedly led her to a career in social entrepreneurship - specifically, founding an organization that sponsors education for young girls in developing nations.
An obviously driven individual, she became the first social media editor of Seventeen magazine, and landed a spot in the industry's "13 Under 30" straight out of college. She began a social media campaign inspiring women to raise funds for girls' education sponsorships, and within 3 years this campaign developed into the skyrocketing non-profit, She's the First.
Tammy frequently speaks on social entrepreneurship and Millennial leadership, and she has been recognized as one of Fast Company's League of Extraordinary Women as well as one of Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Education.
Catch Tammy as one of the Keynote Speakers at the Lady Project Summit on April 12 at the Southside Cultural Center. Buy tickets here. More
Ah, Rhode Island: Over the past decade, our tiny, exclusive sanctuary of a state has developed a serious problem with "self-esteem," as the Rhode Island Foundation describes it, and they are dedicated to fixing that with Rhode Island: It's All In Our Backyard, a campaign showcasing and supporting the bounty which can be found right here in our… well, you get the point. Okay, we have unemployment – a lot of unemployment – but what poses a bigger problem to the morale of Rhode Island is that even through all of the economic growth, new start-ups and growing small businesses, there are still people – quite a few people – who manage to completely look past our triumphs and focus only on our hardships. To those people, I urge you to take a stroll through Providence’s art district or East Side, or Newport's Thames Street or Bellevue Avenue, taking in the idiosyncrasies of our one-of-a-kind restaurants, boutiques, wine shops, farms, cafes, bars, colleges, serene landscapes and antique architecture. Even the most pessimistic minds wouldn't deny that we are host to a vibrant community, spanning vast cultural gaps and showcasing some of the most innovative, artistic, ambitious minds in the country. This campaign will be advertising throughout the state as a way to re-connect our citizens with the local businesses and resources. The Rhode Island Foundation has partnered with Rhode Island based businesses, including farms, manufacturers, universities and more to help spread the word. The message that this campaign is trying to spread is that everything that we need really is right here in our backyard. More
Around here, we’re used to writing the stories you read, not being in them. Imagine our surprise to find out that local author Charles Pinning - a ProJo alum who once wrote for Providence Monthly back in the day - included our magazine in his new book, Irreplaceable. In the crime thriller, an art heist has taken place at the RISD Museum (during production on a movie about the famous art heist from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, no less), and it’s up to a writer and his long-lost lady love to solve it. There’s one particularly thrilling scene when the lead has dinner with Iphigenia Melikis, the sassy, tough editor of this very magazine, at Red Stripe. Any resemblance to what we’ve really got going on here? You’ll just have to read it to find out. Order it on Amazon.
About the Homeowner
Rheta Mona is an outside sales rep for the interior design furnishings industry. She lives in Providence on Washington Street near the URI Shepard Building in the Lofts at the Strand.
1. I love living downtown. I love that there is so much energy and I feel like it is building with all the different restaurants and shops opening up. It’s very convenient; you can walk to anything and try new places. I’m more of a city kitty. I work in Boston and Providence is so affordable… relatively.
2. My interior designer Joshua Shockley pretty much added the creative element to my home and brought it all together. I had pieces that could work anywhere, and that is why working with a designer is so important. They can see your current picture and see what the future will look like. I trusted him creatively to add risk-taking elements.
3. I wanted a really calming color palette. Because it is such an urban landscape I wanted a calming environment inside. Josh is so good at picking wall color, in particular, and that translates to the upholstered pieces. I rent, so if I went somewhere I could bring these pieces anywhere.
4. I love everything about my place. I like this ottoman because it is linen, so you have a little tradition, but it is a skyline/cityscape. With a very urban home it’s nice to have that piece of tradition. I believe it is a Dransfield & Ross. Josh had picked that out for me. Things like the sofa and two chairs he got my approval on, but other things I just let him take the reins on.
Regardless of what happens during the rest of their season, PC basketball coach Ed Cooley deserves our kudos for the remarkable season he and his team of overachievers have put together. The heart-stopping double overtime, one-point victory over Marquette ranks as one of the best games in years at the Dunk. Despite a team that rarely played more than seven players and survived the loss of three of its key players, one because of an injury, two because of off-court issues, the team ended up in fourth place in the new Big East despite being a pre-season pick for the bottom. In addition to the team’s competitiveness, the outstanding play of NBA superstar-to-be Bryce Cotton and Cooley’s own personal marketing skills and charisma, PC has been attracting sell-out crowds as the season draws to a close. Wonder what this talented man knows about economic development?
Along with her ever increasing listserv of followers to her local crime reports website (see our cover story), East Side resident Cheryl Simmons also shares their feedback on other important local issues… in this case, potholes. It’s been fascinating to follow the back and forths among residents, some raising hole-y hell about the epidemic while others urge restraint and that we should just “suck it up” since this is New England after all. Some of the respondents add the perspective of having lived in other parts of the country; others seem to know a thing or two about why the current fill-in methods are flawed. Rather than take sides, we’ll just add that the City does have some money available to offset some of the costs of repairing tires. Here’s what you need to do. Complete the form available at providenceri.com/efile/163 and submit it within seven days of the incident. Briefly describe the incident including the where, the when and the result. They also ask for two estimates. Then email the completed form back to the City Clerk’s office, 25 Dorrance Street, Suite 311, Providence, RI 02903. Not a pot of gold perhaps (or even a pothole of one), but it’s better than nothing. Good luck.
Brown boasts one of the oldest, and dare we add, most attractive core campuses in the country. And to help us all understand and appreciate the buildings that are there, a group of Brown students have created a special new app called FACADES to help explain the history behind over 130 campus buildings. The site even describes what they call “Ghost Buildings” which no longer exist but were once an integral part of the University experience. Now operational, the app is still being upgraded as additional info on specific edifices is received. For more information or to comment visit them on Facebook.
See the Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good Witch as children in Wicked, the musical for people who don’t normally enjoy musicals. It’s a spin on the beloved tale The Wizard of Oz, set to music. Get to know the real Wicked Witch (who may not be as wicked as everyone thinks). Head to the Providence Performing Arts Center and revisit the classic story in a way that will leave you thinking... and singing. After all, the production hasn’t won a Grammy and three Tony Awards for nothing! January 2-12. Check website for showtimes. 220 Weybosset Street. 421-2787.
As things begin to heat up in the rather short time frame before the September Democratic primary, the declared candidates are making themselves available for in-home meet and greets. (Later the neighborhood associations will be hosting debates as well.) Given that none of the candidates is exactly a household name on the East Side, this is clearly an important first step in their respective candidacies. We urge our readers to check out as many of the opportunities to meet them as possible so you can ask your own questions and form your own opinions. The City has made some important strides but is a long way from being out of the woods. So, go forth. Meet and greet. Even eat (since there are often some munchies at these events). Then, let’s compare notes as the season goes on.
The weather may be cold, but fashion is still hot. StyleWeek Northeast returns for its showcase of talented local designers. Shop the accessory showcase every day before and after the shows, no tickets necessary. Weekend tickets sell out in advance but weekday tickets are available online or at the door. January 19-25.
It’s March, which means no matter what your heritage is, you’re all Irish for at least one day. Why not take that honorary celebration to the streets? The Tour de Patrick is a series of three 5Ks over the course of a week: The Irish 5K, St. Pat’s 5k and Celtic 5K. Get your green on and choose one race or complete them all, with luck on your side.
The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) will be partnering with our sister publication Providence Monthly on an interesting contest to celebrate the end of this ridiculous winter. Here’s how it works. You need to submit a story about an event that was ruined by the snow. If a romantic Valentine’s Day meal was snowed out and you’re the winner, PWCVB will spring for the meal. A fancy holiday party cancelled? They’ll pay for the appetizers. For more information on the details, visit their website. Sounds like Groundhog Day but with a happier ending.
Twitter is great for connecting people to their favorite celebrities, but you might not have realized it’s also useful for connecting people with common interests... in the same town, even. Here are some Twitter-based Providence meetup groups. You might even run into me (and my Twitter BFF Corey Feldman) there.
Girls’ Pint Out @RIGirlsPintOut: A ladies-only beer lover’s group.
Providence Geeks @ProvidenceGeeks: A tech-minded group that meets for dinner once a month to discuss robot kisses and hardwired dreams.
Providence Coffee Society @PVDCoffee: A buzzworthy meetup you’ll lose sleep over
Wordpress Providence Meetup Group @WordpressPVD: Bloggers of the city unite
Providence UX Meetup @PVDux: A group for the “Providence user-experience and interactive design community” that’s probably too smart for you
Clambake @ClambakePVD: A meetup group for the design obsessed. Don’t show up if you can’t identify your clothing by Pantone color
The lovely Runcible Spoon store on Wayland Square will be moving on, we’re sad to report. Despite her store being a fixture at the Square for almost a decade, owner Joan Thompson laments that she was given very little notice from her landlord and hasn’t had time to decide where she might relocate. (We of course hope she stays in the neighborhood). As we go to press, exact plans for the space remain unclear. Rumors are that the store will be divided into two sections, one for an athletic running shoe store, the other for a restaurant. We’ll share more facts as we get them. Meanwhile we also understand that a new coffee shop will be coming to South Main Street in the space that was formerly a cigar shop.
If you work in the service industry in general or at McDonald's specifically, or even if you just spend a lot of time futzing around on the internet during work hours (we're not saying that we do), you may be aware of the fuss and schadenfraude circulating around the website McDonald's and Visa launched to help Golden Arches employees manage their money and live a full life on their salaries. Surprisingly, some of its recommendations and advice have attracted scrutiny, like the fact that their sample monthly budget includes a line item for a second income, but not food, or estimates the monthly cost of health insurance at $20. Now, we're not here to quibble over silly little details like that – like the fine folks at McDonald's who we're not attempting to demean in any way, we're more interested in providing a valuable public service. As so many of our friends are in the service industry, we thought we could provide some further wisdom on how to live within the means afforded by this rewarding career. Here are some more handy budget tips:
-Consider picking up a third job. The average full-time workday is eight hours. There are three eight-hour increments in a single day. Coincidence? We think not. Now back to work.
-Even in a fairly affordable city like Providence, rent can eat up a sizable portion of your income. You can subsidize this through subletting space in your own apartment. Don't just think of extra bedrooms. Kitchens, living rooms, closets, bathtubs, laundry hampers – these are all viable options for your coworkers and service industry friends in similar financial situations. Just remember to use the word "cozy" in the Craiglist posting.
-Ask your employer to consider replacing your hourly stipend with a wage based on the level uncontrollable white hot rage you feel towards the general public every minute of every day. Your income could easily increase by a trillion percent.
-McDonald's is switching many of its employees over … More
As someone who has always feared the sharp end of a stick but who secretly wishes she could “make it work” with Tim and Heidi on Project Runway, I was excited to visit Kreatelier, the unique craft and gift store tucked away on Hope Street.
Not only does Kreatelier offer a wide range of hand crafted goods, most of which were created in house by the lovely ladies who work there, the shop also offers sewing classes for children, adults, and in my case, for those who have grand dreams of one day debuting at NYC Fashion Week. You know, if I could only thread the sewing machine without suffering some bloody mishap.
Before booking my appointment, I had to figure out what exactly I wanted to make. After perusing Kreatelier’s extensive list of suggested items which I found on their website, I settled on a zip pouch wallet that can fit a phone. Watch out Marc Jacobs, I’m coming for you.
Upon entering the shop I immediately felt a sense of comforting warmth and joy. My instructor Alexis Cormier greeted me with such a bubbly, positive attitude that the nervousness I had was diminished by her enthusiastic passion for craft.
Because of a time crunch factor, Alexis had already pieced out some fabric for my pouch. While looking at the material in my hand, I simply couldn’t imagine how I was going to make them into something even resembling a wallet, but hey, if I want to schmooze with the likes of Donatella and Tyra one day, then I simply had to remember Mr. Tim Gunn’s infamous phrase and make it work.
First we ironed the pieces in the store’s back room, which serves as a workshop for Kreatelier’s employees. Then, the part I feared, the part with the sharp object hammering up and down in close proximity to my delicate hands, arrived.
Making sure my fingers were not in danger of getting sewn human centipede style, I tentatively pressed my toes downwards on the pedal that powers the machine, making it explode with life.
Eee! That was too fast! … More
Jillian Michaels has become a household name in fitness and wellness and she’s taking the stage in Providence on March 25 at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Jillian’s popular Maximize Your Life tour is a live experience that provides you with the tools and motivation to harness your potential, kick-start your goals and live the exceptional life you’ve always wanted. And maybe she’ll even make you do a push-up or two. More
Halloween at the president’s house is a bright spot! RISD students, President Maeda and Board Chair Michael Spalter carved pumpkins and passed out candy to President John Maeda's East Side neighbors. Boo! Happy Halloween. More
Who: Jonas Parmalee
What: Bass player, The Silks
When: 11pm, Friday March 2
Where: Local 121, Washington Street, Providence
Why: Not only does he “slappa da bass,” he makes a mean crepe
I spot Jonas in the crowd at the dark Speakeasy downstairs in Local 121, wearing a heavy coat and winter scarf. “Aren’t you hot?” I ask. (The room is packed like an overstuffed suitcase.) “Actually I’m freezing,” he replies. He brushes the hair out of his eyes and smiles shyly. “I’m always cold. I think it’s in my genes.” It’s one hour to showtime, and he’s drinking a Guinness while chatting with friends.
Jonas is a whiskey and stout aficionado – my kind of guy. In January, the band was given a bottle of Laphroaig as a thank you for playing a fundraiser for Trinity Rep. Jonas counts this his crowning glory with the band, but also says, “Every moment with The Silks is the best moment. It’s the type of band I’ve been dreaming of playing in as far as work ethic and approach to music.”
Jonas, who – at first glance – is a cross between a rock star and Woody Allen (in the most endearing way), has been a Silks member for about a year now. Burnt-out on the “whole punk thing” after touring the U.S. and England with his former band, The Midnight Creeps, he took a break from music for a while. Then, he happened to see Tyler-James Kelly doing a solo set. “I was floored and totally inspired,” Jonas says. ”I realized I needed to be in a working band again.”
As Rhode Island luck would have it, Jonas’ friend Matthew Donnelly was a mutual friend, and eventually Jonas got word that Tyler-James (“TJ”) needed a new bassist. “Nervous as hell” after not playing for a few years, Jonas called anyway. He got the gig. Soon after, when in need of a new drummer, Matt signed on. The chemistry that the trio shares is obvious, both onstage and off.
At 11:30pm, the guys head upstairs to the taproom for some (more) boozing … More
If there are two words that describe Foxy Shazam, they’re ridiculously awesome - because the six piece indie/glam/pop/rock band’s show last night at The Met was equal parts both of those things. The band isn’t that well known yet (and the crowd was smaller than it should have been) and the single that’s on the radio right now, “I Like It,” is fun, but not exactly indicative of what they’re about. I was expecting a catchy, tongue-in-cheek rock show: and at its core, Foxy Shazam provided that, but there was so much more. The band’s sound is something like an unholy brew of Spinal Tap and Hedwig and the Angry Inch with hints of Queen and The Darkness. Their look is completely over the top in a really good way: skin-tight pleather, denim jackets with gold lace, rhinestone-studded leather, Freddie Mercury moustaches. But what sealed the deal on this being one of this year’s best concerts to date was their commitment on-stage acrobatics. Lead singer Eric Sean Nally tumblesaulted across stage mid-lyric, smoked five cigarettes at once throughout a song, jumped on guitarist Loren Turner’s shoulders in the middle of a solo. Keyboardist Sky White alternately played with his hands and feet, and used the audience as a stand. Backup vocalist Alex Nauth completely stole the show during the band’s finale with his flying rock squats that he pulled off while playing the trumpet. Nally described the band best in one of his hilarious non-sequiters: “If Foxy Shazam were an animal at the zoo, we’d be the one who would bite your head off WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.” More