Who: Pete Dorrance
What: Skateboarder and social activist
When: 5:30pm, Monday, April 30
Where: A house on the West Side of Providence
Why: ‘Cause skateboarders are awesome, duh
Pete Dorrance skates as much as he can. Between his full-time job (working with autistic students) and chipping away at his dream (starting a nonprofit), he’s a busy guy. Still, skateboarding always factors heavily into the mix. He’s been skating for 20 years; he knows no other way. “When I was a kid, my parents took me to Waterbrothers — a surf and skate shop in Newport. They had a halfpipe next to the shop, which was right on the beach,” he recalls.
Pete grew up in suburbia and skated in his neighborhood; occasionally, he came to Providence to street skate. Regardless of where he chose to shred, he always faced opposition. “Skating has become more accepted, but it’s still a constant battle for skateboarders to street skate and find new terrain,” he says. “Skaters still get tickets, police still confiscate boards and security guards still hassle kids.”
Skaters need to seek out new places to shred in order to ramp-up their own repertoire of tricks and keep up with the increasing level of “mind boggling” competition that currently exists out there. Pete and his crew got sick of butting their heads against the proverbial wall; a few of them banded together and hence the idea for the nonprofit was born.
“There are not nearly enough skateparks and until that problem is fixed, skating will always be a battle,” Pete says. He thinks that more cities and towns should recognize the need for certain unused public spaces to be sanctioned for skating. “We’re in the process of starting a nonprofit called RIPS, which will stand for Rhode Island Public Skateparks or Revitalizing Inactive Public Spaces.”
While the group hasn’t yet settled on the antecedent of their … More
As a conspicuously tattooed gal, I feel qualified to make this assertion: most moderately to heavily tattooed individuals are loyal to one shop. For all extensive purposes, “moderately” will describe those who can no longer count their tattoos and “heavily” shall describe all whom appear to disappear when placed in front of a graffiti laden wall. (I don’t yet vanish – at least I don’t think I do – but I have long since lost count.)
And yes, while I’m loyal to one PVD shop in particular, I have much respect for many of my friends that tattoo at shops throughout the city. You can meet some of the cool cats under whose skilled - and steady - hands I placed my trusting, (then) bare skin next weekend at the Rhode Island Tattoo Convention. It’s a three-day affair, running Friday April 27 to Sunday April 29.
I’ll see you there. You may or may not “see” me, however. That all depends on which wall I’ll be standing by.
Adversity does not have to stand in the way of achievement. Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education (RISE) is a Providence based non-profit organization dedicated for the last 15 years to supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring children with family histories of incarceration.
On Monday, June 11, RISE will honor select students with its 2nd Annual Awards Dinner & Recognition ceremony hosted by Brown University and the Samuel M. Nabrit Black Graduate Student Association. Family members, volunteer mentors, and donors will gather at the Alumnae Hall Auditorium, at Brown’s Pembroke campus, to celebrate the success of nineteen exceptional students. This includes the Inspirational Student of the Year.
Eric Shorter, Managing Associate at Next Street in Boston, MA will address the attendees as a keynote speaker for the event. Mr. Shorter plans to use his personal experiences, which have made similar barriers to success the RISE youth face, to prove hard work and commitment to education is key to success.
Long time supporters like The Collette Foundation have made RISE and its activities possible. Youth who receive a scholarship from RISE have the opportunity to attend a private or parochial high school in Rhode Island. The program is currently making a difference in 49 students’ lives. Ninety percent of the program’s high school graduates have plans to enter college. More
Genre movies have always proven a surprisingly sturdy and effective way to explore the fraying edges of American society – the western and the hardboiled crime flick being two of the best examples. Though they vary in quality from popcorn flicks to prestige pictures, the familiar stories, tropes and character archetypes create an effective and easily relatable framework for filmmakers to ask tough questions and provide social commentary – think of the way The Searchers deals with our country’s ingrained racism and cruelty or Scarface’s funhouse mirror take on the American dream.
These days, the comic book movie seems the genre best suited for such filmic explorations. Indeed, we are living in the Age of the Superhero, not only because these splashy, big budget franchises have become one of Hollywood’s most reliable money makers, but because they have taken on a level of pedigree and complexity that is new and unusual for what have traditionally been popcorn flicks. Big stars and serious actors like Christian Bale and Robert Downey, Jr. are anchoring franchises helmed by critical darlings like Christopher Nolan and Joss Whedon. And in between flashy action set pieces, these films are exploring weighty issues and posing difficult questions. In director Zack Snyder’s reimagining of Superman, the titular Man of Steel grapples with arch villains and existential angst alike, just as Nolan’s Batman found Gotham City plagued not just by crime, but post-9/11 dread and paranoia. The comic book genre is capturing the zeitgeist like never before.
Perhaps this is because the narrative framework, origin stories and archetypes of the comic book world are uniquely suited to deal with the complex and often bewildering state of hyper-reality in which we now live. From Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, from Al-Qaeda to the hacker group Anonymous, never before in human civilization have … More
The Victoria Alviti Music Foundation is on a mission to keep music alive in schools across the nation. Sharon Alviti started the Rhode Island-based nonprofit in memory of her daughter Victoria. Victoria had a passion for music, which she shared as a professional DJ, booking performances around the world. At 22, Victoria was involved in a tragic car accident in Malibu. Before she passed she shared with her mother her dream to start an oranization that kept music in schools.
Today, her mother and their foundation are doing just that. The foundation offers a 12-week program to participating schools. All students receive a recorder, a lesson book and basic music literacy instruction. Additionally, participating music teachers receive professional development. The students spend those 12 weeks learning music provided specifically for them by Carnegie Hall. All of their hard work culminates in a grand concert in which students get to play side by side with the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
In its short existence, the foundation has had great success with the program, reaching 7,000 students last year and 10,000 this year. Sharon hopes to reach 14,000 next year and the sky’s the limit from there. It cost about $18 per student for the program. The foundation relies heavily on local donations and fundraising events to cover these costs.
Want to help the cause? Attend their 3rd Annual Jazz on the Green fundraiser at Alpine Country Club on September 22. The event includes a Tuscan buffet, raffle prizes and a silent auction. Guests will also enjoy live performances by Mike Renzi and friends. September 22 at 3:30pm. Alpine Country Club, 251 Pippin Orchard Rd., Cranston. $40. For more information email the organization. More
The Providence Preservation Society will host the Festival of Historic Houses 2013 (June 7-9) this month. The weekend kicks off with a Friday night progressive cocktail party on the corner of Prospect and Jenckes Streets and continues with a tour of several elegant Prospect Street homes on Saturday afternoon. Participants can nose around, taking in grand architecture, extraordinary interiors, private gardens and sweeping city views. On Sunday, tourgoers will browse loft spaces at Monohasset Mill on the West Side. $35 advance members; $40 advance non-members; $45 day of tickets; $70 advance two-day tickets (Saturday and Sunday). $125 Friday night cocktail event, which includes a ticket for either Saturday or Sunday. 831- 7440. More
Saveur’s Culinary Travel Awards 2013: Notable Small Dining City
“Maybe once a year if I’m lucky I get to eat somewhere that blows my mind. I just got my taste for 2013.” - Boston Globe’s review of north. They also ran a piece on a culinary tour of Providence.” - Boston Globe’s dining review of north
Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs 2013 Nominees: Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House and Benajamin Sukle of The Dorrance
The Daily Meal’s America’s 15 most heavenly Italian restaurants: #11 Al Forno
James Beard Foundation’s 2013 Nominees for Outstanding Bar Program: Cook & Brown Public House, Outstanding Service: Persimmon & Best Chef: Champe Speidel, Prsimmon, Matt Jennings, Farmsted Inc.
Providence is featured on Bizarre Food America with Andrew Zimmern
Zagat includes Harry’s Burger Bar on its 50 States 50 Burgers list
As I glanced around the elevator on my way up to the third floor of Mohegan Sun Hotel, I was blinded by neon — lots and lots of neon. Apparently, fans of LMFAO (the party rockers who have brought us hits such as “Sexy and I Know It” and “Shots”) pledge allegiance to the band by bedecking themselves in legions of lime green, fluorescent orange and bright pink. I looked down and evaluated my black and white graphic print dress… passable. I would be the canvas, everyone else would be the paint.
The doors slid open and I stepped out into Miami. Oh, I mean into Mohegan’s newest rooftop nightclub — GLO at The Pool. As LMFAO had headlined a concert earlier that evening, they were in attendance to get the party started. (Although, looking around, it didn’t need any help to that effect.) Bikini-clad dancers shimmied beside the roaring fire pits while VIP waitresses scurried to and fro, replenishing bottles of Grey Goose for those lucky few lounging in private cabanas. DJ Clinton Sparks kept the tunes fresh.
The sold-out pool party was a blast, and I am eager to return again for what is surely one of the most unique and resort-like experiences here in New England. Check out GLO at The Pool every Thursday and Saturday evening. Dress to impress, but feel free to pair your ensemble with some flip-flops. You can even wear a bathing suit in place of your skivvies. It is, after all, summertime. $10 Thursday, $20 Saturday, free for hotel guests. 866-760-5901 More
The Manton Avenue Project deserves a round of applause for all the good they do in de veloping the creative voices of kids living in Olneyville by pairing children with local theatre professionals to create original plays. The non-profit welcomes the public to its annual fundraiser, the Manton Avenue Project Gala. This year’s event includes a musical performance of reworked kids’ time travel-themed plays as well as a raffle, an auction and a time machine experience. Bring your creative spirit and prepare to be wowed by these tiny talented thespians. June 7. $50 online at Brown Paper Tickets or $60 at the door. 6-9pm. Fete, 103 Dike Street. 383-1112.
Time magazine correspondent Michael Grunwald is the author of The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era, a new book that examines the president’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, aka the stimulus package. In an insightful interview with Slate.com, he discusses the difference between the White House’s nuanced, deliberative attempts to promote the bill to the American public, and the Republican response: “The Republican message was much simpler: No.”
Later, he talks about the current Republican nominee’s approach: “There’s a reason most of Romney’s ads feature the stimulus... He’s running against the idea that government can produce positive change.”
This is a nice illustration of the pervasive sickness infecting the conservative movement, or at least what passes for it these days. As many of the ideas of Reagan Era conservatism have been absorbed into the mainstream, as ideological purity has taken precedence over bipartisan pragmatism, as the extremes of the American right have gained more traction, dragging the center toward them, conservatism has taken on a distinctly nihilistic edge. This manifested in various ways throughout the Republican primaries: the dunderheaded, bumper sticker bravado of Rick Perry; the boldly intellectual yet cravenly opportunistic bluster of Newt Gingrich; the frothing radicalism of Michele Bachmann; the appealing vapidity and corporate festishism of Herman Cain – all are symptoms of a disease that corrodes the party’s very soul. And, of course, so too is the resulting candidacy of Mitt Romney, a campaign that has from the beginning attempted to sell its very emptiness as vision. This shape-shifting, weak-kneed, disingenuous, philosophically bereft cipher has taken pains to avoid specifics or sticky definitions. In fact, there is only one thing he has been willing to be, one identity he has been willing to fully inhabit at all times … More
The thing about fashion shows is that they're very alluring with all the glamour and glitz and fabulous clothing, but they tend to be so hoity-toity and exclusive; most of them aren't really accessible for us regular folk. That's the real beauty of our own StyleWeek: everybody's welcome, so you get all of the style and none of the snootiness. While a full-on StyleWeek won't be hitting the runway again until the August/September 2012 edition, you can get your fashion fix this Saturday, June 9 at the RISD Museum as we celebrate the event's two-year anniversary. That's right, it's already been two full years and four seasons of Providence's most stylish event, and "The Ascension of Style" is going to be a soiree to properly mark the occasion. The theme of the party is indeed "four seasons," and StyleWeek-affiliated designers will create installations to illustrate them. Plus, there will be live music courtesy of Miss Wensday, performances by TEN31 Productions, complimentary hors d'oeuvres and first cocktail, a cash bar, and great silent auction prizes to benefit Gabrielle's Heart Camp. As always, you're invited, so you won't need to stand on the other side of the velvet rope while high society hoots it up. It's fashion for the people. Get your tickets now and, despite what you may have heard, don't arrive fashionably late. More
Recycling can be daunting. While you might fully commit to going green, if your neighbors aren’t doing anything to contribute, it can feel like a wasted effort. Mayor Taveras wants to show us that if we all recycle, we can see some tangible benefits – BBQ benefits, to be precise, and to do it he launched the Neighbhorhood Recycling Challenge. The Providence neighborhood that increases its recycling rate the most between now and September 7 will win a community barbecue with the mayor. Taveras will also bestow upon the victorious district five new trees – a green reward for the greenest community.
Mayor Taveras says that increased recycling saves the city money – as much as $250,000 if residents commit to the task – and those are funds that the city desperately needs. So if BBQ wings, trees or a cleaner environment are not your thing, maybe the promise of keeping property taxes down for another year will be enough to ensure your participation. More
Okay, so seeing a plethora of orange cones, potholes and “keep out” signs isn’t so strange for the Ocean State. However, add in a few key neighborhoods where the residents have a lot of civic pride and aren’t afraid to use their voice, and you have the perfect storm of disgruntled citizens.
Hope Street
Oy vey! The hope street Merchant’s Association’s pants were “metaphorically ankled” all summer.
North Main Street
Rhode Island summer construction at its best. it’s now fall construction, maybe even winter construction?
Davey Lopes Recreation Center Pool
Can’t the kids learn to swim in the Bay? Just dodge the barges, sunken ships and toxic runoff.
Karen Sabag opened Thursday night’s StyleWeek with a touch of formality. Her stunning evening gowns, which utilized interesting textures like feathers and cut crystal, were red carpet ready. It was easy to imagine these polished gowns on Hollywood starlets at the Oscars. Sabag finished her collection with an unbelievably beautiful confection of a wedding gown that had the crowd cheering.
Candice Wu’s “Esoteric” line brought some drama to the evening. The striking silhouettes of her military-inspired separates were at once edgy and feminine. Wu’s juxtaposition of softer elements like fur and chiffon were an unexpected counterpart to the pure rock and roll of her structured leather pieces.
Toni Lyn Spaziano closed the night with her Chances R collection, which benefits a disabled boy named Chance. Her lovely dresses were at once buttoned-up and playful. There were even a few surprise appearances by kids who modeled matching outfits with adults. Spaziano closed her show with a pair of beautiful, graceful mermaid-style evening gowns finished with feathers. More
While at first it could have become another fizzled cupcake-like trend, the food truck scene just keeps rolling and getting better. Here are our favorites that debuted this year:
Sushi Awesome Go! Go!
Must-try dish: Fugu Liver Dangerous! Delicious! Spicy Roll with Hot
Where to find: On Twitter @!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uncle Nuryev’s Pilaf Yurt
Fun fact: Although the genial, eccentric Uncle Nuryev has quickly become a beloved character on College Hill, it’s widely suspected that he’s actually wanted for war crimes back in his native Uzbekistan
Where to find: My friend, my friend, my friend, look here – good food, pretty girls!
The Sweetest Touch Windowless Candy Van
Fun fact: Kids are always welcome to come inside the van where they can pet puppies and play video games
Where to find: Exactly 1000 feet from the nearest elementary school
West Side GOdega
Popular items: Beef empanadas, arroz con pollo, salami, blunt wraps, toilet paper, scratch tickets, looseys, condoms, phone cards, Santeria candles, bootleg DVDs of The Avengers
Where to find: Dexter Park during kickball games
Wings Over Mordor
Must-try dish: The Fellowship of the Wing, a monstrous 16-wing sampler platter, including flavors like Balrog’s Blazin’ Buffalo Wings and The Shire’s Famous Ale Batter, with a side of Magical Elf Bread
Where to find: Look to its coming at first light on the fifth day, at dawn look east
Bro-tastic Cock Punch
Must-try dish: Slammin’ Tequila Lime Wasabi Tuna Burger Shooters with Mango Habañero Bacon BBQ Sauce and S’More Crumbles, served in a Bloody Mary
Where to find: Where are the drunk chicks at, bro?
Vegan/Artist/Human
Fun fact: Whatever… we’re so over this
Where to find: Ugh, if you have to ask…
Fat Lou’s Mobility Scooter
Insider tip: Mondays are all-you-can-eat pulled pork and glazed donut nacho night
Where to find: The parking lot of the Stop & Shop on Branch Ave.
Social media has been a big factor in our friend requesting, liking and commenting, information sharing lives for several years now, but this year there was a quiet, yet significant ground shift. 2013 is the year that social media finally overtook porn as the number one activity on the internet. It’s having a big impact on all media – the way we present our stories in print and online, the way we organize information, the way we share content with our readers – and Providence Monthly is no exception. Here are some examples of the ways social media is changing the face of your city magazine.
The City Planning Commission will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, January 28 at 4:45pm to discuss plans for a McDonald's and a Family Dollar in Olneyville. The meeting will be in the first floor conference room at 444 Westminster Street. The heart of the matter is a developer's plan for the currently vacant parcel at 48 Plainfield Street. The plan has aroused criticism and controversy because the developer is asking for zoning relief that would allow for the buildings to be set back further from the street than is currently allowed, and for the McDonald's to have a drive-through. Critics argue that this is suburban-style development being shoehorned into a dense urban area. With lower rates of car ownership by Olneyville residents than in most of the rest of the city, the question becomes whether this car-friendly development is serving the neighborhood, or excluding the people who actually live in it. The full plans can be seen here, and Greater City Providence has been following the story pretty closely. If you're interested in learning more, or voicing your opinion on the plan, be sure to attend what should be a lively meeting. More
Giada DeLaurentiis came to town on Friday, March 30, and, for a huge fan like me, it was better than Christmas. She was signing copies and promoting her new cookbook, Weeknights With Giada, at Dave's Marketplace in The Crossing at Smithfield. The book signing took place at 4pm, and I had initially (and very naively) planned to arrive at 3:30. Luckily, I was informed that previous celebrity chef book signings at Dave's (which have included Mario Batali) had fans lining up at 8am, so if I had any intentions of getting a signed copy, I had better get there early. By the time I arrived at 2pm, the line was indeed significantly long. The very first group of women in line informed me that they been there since (sure enough) 8am.
In all the excitement of seeing Giada, I realized I had forgotten to bring a lunch to eat while I waited in line for two-plus hours and ... panic ensued. Well, I was glad I forgot, because Dave's makes an entire event out of these book signings. They try and make the long wait as enjoyable as possible for those standing in line, and enjoyable it was. Samples were passed out to everyone waiting in line, which included (my favorite) cheese from Narragansett Creamery, Butternut Squash & Cheese Ravioli, and these scrumptious little salmon cakes. Needless to say, I certainly had my fill of yummy passed appetizers. A raffle was drawn for Dave's gift cards. Time went by pretty quickly as I chatted with my fellow Giada loving comrades and wondered if every car that drove past me was her.
Finally, she arrived. Although I swore to myself I was not going to freak out and sweat profusely like my mother did the day she met Kevin Bacon on the Today Show, I totally had the same reaction. The line flew by as we entered the store, and soon enough, there I was standing right in front of her. As she signed my copy of her book, I muttered, "Eh, eh, I love you! Eh, eh, my whole family loves you!" to which she replied, "I hope you enjoy the book." From the … More
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Core: Center of Real Energy in Providence is taking part in Shape magazine’s nationwide Party for Pink campaign in support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). During the week of October 15, Core is offering six classes for the cause at its two East Side locations (469 Angell Street, 2nd floor and 208 Governor Street). Bring a $20 (or more) donation to class and all proceeds will go directly to BCRF. Contact Core for specific class times and locations, as some require advance sign-up due to space availability: 273-CORE.
With its new, larger location on North Main Street, Rhode Runner has a community room in which they host exercise classes for the public. The newest offering is Bootcamp each Saturday morning at 8am. The class is run by the folks at Providence Bootcamp and the cost is $10. Space is limited, so reserve a spot ahead of time by contacting Rhode Runnner by phone 831-6346 or email staff@rhoderunner.net. More
Who: Bianca Jones-Pearson
What: Artist, designer and creator of Trashy Bow Couture
When: 5:30pm, Sunday March 25
Where: Weirdgirl Creations, Barrington
Why: The girl can work wonders with “trash”
Her motto is “Your Trash: Reworked, Reused, Restyled, Recycled.” Her email signature reads: “$tay Tra$hy.” Bianca Jones-Pearson, however, is anything but trashy. In fact, she is adorable, stylish, creative and hard-working. She’s also incredibly adept at transforming everyday refuse into remarkable (and often prodigious) hair bows and accessories. It’s pure fantasy. Sign me up.
I met with the young designer at Weirdgirl Creations, the pottery studio that her mother has owned for over 30 years. When Bianca’s not working with customers, she’s toiling away in the back room. “I’ve been drawing and sculpting since I was a kid,” she says. “I guess the art gene runs in the family.” One look at her, and I instantly felt as if I’d fallen into Alice’s looking glass.
Bianca has been making bows for two years now. In her early compositions, the materials (such as newspaper, plastics and cans) were easily identifiable. Believing that “there’s always room for improvement,” she began constructing them to appear less crafty and more high-end. A skilled ceramics artist, it seems natural that the bows would evolve to sculptural works.
Her sustainable designs have graced several catwalks thus far, and she’s only just begun. In preparation for the annual Catwalk to Campground fundraiser fashion show, the earth-friendly fashionista is currently constructing a newspaper couture piece that’s more boa than bow. Bianca, who attends art school in Providence, is also now working with plant materials.
There are a few designs that she keeps in regular production. Among them are “I Heart the Paper Boy” (newspaper), “Big … More