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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Photo | Elliot Franks
MEDIA SPONSORS
Contents Photography (L) courtesy of Comic Con, (R) by Stacey Doyle
NOVEMBER 2015
Superheroes come to life this month at Rhode Island Comic Con
23
This Month 23 Holy Comic Con, Batman! The ever-growing geek convention returns
29 Travel the World, One Dish at a Time Sampling some of the best globally-inspired eats in and around PVD
Every Month
51
Trattoria Del Mare brings seafood to the Hill
41 City Style Always gluttons for punishment, we tackle a vertical treadmill 41 At Home 43 The Look 44 Get Fit 47 Shop Around 48 Beauty
51 Feast A new seafood destination drops anchor on Federal Hill 52 Review 55 On The Menu 56 In The Kitchen 59 In The Drink 61 Rhody Bites
67 Get Out Getting on stage with the Sweet Little Variety Show 68 Calendar 71 Music 72 Theatre 75 Art
8 Editor’s Note
76 Savor Providence
10 Online Exclusives
Get the Thanksgiving sandwich experience without
13 Providence Pulse Scrooge and Iron Man are more alike than you think, plus photos from StyleWeek 14 City 19 Scene in PVD
the hassle of cooking a bird yourself
On the Cover: A Thali from Rasoi. Photography by Stacey Doyle.
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
7
Editor’s Note Around the World in 80 Plates In the embarrassment of riches we have for city dining, it’s easy to find delicious options for international cuisine. Any devotee of world cuisines can tell you their favorite place for sushi, for pho, for carnitas. But we’re seeing a trend in restaurants towards blending the flavors of different countries to create unforgettable, totally unique dishes. This
month, we take a look at thinking locally and eating globally. Bon voyage.
PROVIDENCE MONTHLY
Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell
Media Director Jeanette St. Pierre @JeanetteSTP
Creative Director Julie Tremaine @JulieTremaine
Managing Editor Grace Lentini @Gracie_NomNom
Digital Editor Tony Pacitti @TonyPacitti
Editor Courtney Denelle @CourtneyDenelle
Art Director Meghan H. Follett
Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas
Assistant Art Director Veatsna Sok
Graphic Designer Katie Leclerc
Account Managers Shelley Cavoli: Shelley@ProvidenceOnline.com Louann DiMuccio-Darwich: Louann@ProvidenceOnline.com Ann Gallagher: Ann@ProvidenceOnline.com Kristine Mangan: Kristine@ProvidenceOnline.com Elizabeth Riel: Liz@ProvidenceOnline.com Dan Schwartz: DanS@ProvidenceOnline.com Kimberly Tingle: Kim@ProvidenceOnline.com Stephanie Oster Wilmarth: Stephanie@ProvidenceOnline.com Contributing Photographers Amy Amerantes Stacey Doyle Ian Travis Barnard Tony Pacitti Mike Braca Force 4 Photography Brian DeMello José Navarro-Robles Contributing Illustrator Alison Blackwell
Contributor Kendrah Smith
Contributing Writers Keith Andrade @AndradeK
Illustrator
Kendrah’s illustrations have been appearing in Providence Monthly for a little over a year now, bringing a fresh dose of color and lightness to regular features such as our Beauty column. “I have been working as an illustrator for over three years and I still love every second of it,” she says. “When I hear that someone really liked a piece I did for [an] article, it’s incredibly rewarding. I never get sick of that feeling.” With their clean lines and bold colors, Kendrah’s illustrations are reflective of a singular style while managing to maintain a versatility that always surprises and excites.
Kendrah Smith Stephanie Obodda @StephanieDoes
Erin Balsa
Cristy Raposo @foxywhite03
Alastair Cairns
Bill Rodriguez
David Dadekian @dadekian
Johnette Rodriguez Jenn Salcido
Emily Dietsch
Jen Senecal @JenSenecal
Claire Flanagan Amanda Grosvenor Molly Lederer
John Taraborelli @JohnnyTabs Eleyna “Nellie” de Goguel
Interns Kelly Laske Brad McGarry Samantha Westmoreland
Kevin Patterson Erin Perfect
Members Of:
Audited by:
This Issue By The Numbers
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PAPER CONTAINS 20-25% POST-CONSUMER CONTENT
40
5
4
Total restaurants mentioned in our cover story. Get your sweatpants on, Providence, there’s a lot of eating to do this month (page 29)
Mani/Pedis endured by our editor for the November Beauty column. It’s a hard life, dear readers, but she does it all for you (page 48)
Number of PM staffers who, by allowing this to go to print, are now legally obliged to go to at least one day of RI Comic Con in costume
facebook.com/pvdmonthly
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
@pvdmonthly
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Providence Monthly 1070 Main Street, Suite 302 Pawtucket RI 02860 • Fax: 401-305-3392 www.providenceonline.com pm@providenceonline.com @pvdmonthly For advertising rates call: 401-305-3391 We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. Copyright ©2015 by Providence Monthly, All rights reserved.
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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w h a t ’s h a p p e n i n g o n
Providenceonline.com
RhODE TRIPS Our new travel blog, Rhode Trips, finds us defying our “I Never Leave Rhode Island” bumper stickers and exploring the world beyond our borders. This month we journey to maine and vermont for a couple of long weekends full of breathtaking views, Ben and Jerry’s and – brace yourselves – a fried lobster tail on a stick.
WE GET OUR GEEK ON comic con comes back to Providence the first weekend of November. Keep your eyes peeled for out-ofthis-world photos and a con recap at providenceon-
ON ThE BIG SCREEN This month we’re sponsoring the first ever Providence Art and design Film Festival, happening October 29-November 1. Visit providencecinematheque.com for more details.
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
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Photo by (top) Julie Tremaine, (middle) Anthony Chodor - IAmThink.com
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Providence Pulse CITY / MALCONTENT / SCENE IN PVD
The Crossover Event of the Season
Illustration by Alison Blackwell
Comic Con and Trinity Rep’s A Christmas Carol return during the first weekend of November. Coincidence? Nothing in the realm of sci-fi/fantasy/Dickensian redemption tales is coincidence. Read on, True Believers. These two events have more in common than you’ve ever thought.
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
13
Pulse |
City
From Page 15
A Christmas Carol/Comic Con Ultimate Team Up The two November traditions have more in common than you’d think The first weekend of November delivers two annual traditions returning to Providence – Trinity Rep’s production of A Christmas Carol and the Rhode Island Comic Con. On the surface these two events are apples and oranges, but upon closer inspection it’s more tomato/tomahto than you’d think. Seriously, how many sci-fi shows and comics have done A Christmas Carol riff? Supernatural Visions of the Past, Present and Future This is the most obvious connection between the two. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is visited by ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. At Comic Con, Providence is visited not just by ghosts, but also monsters, aliens and talking sponges (also Soup Nazis and Nicolas Cage’s girlfriend from The Rock) from throughout pop culture’s history. I’m not saying Scrooge is a Time Lord, but he certainly appears to be a cosmic nexus point, allowing transdimensional passage across multiple planes of existence and timelines. Plus the guy who played Bib Fortuna in Return of the Jedi played the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in the George C. Scott version that one time!
Shared Trope: Rich White Guy as Feared Villain/Beloved Hero Before Bruce Wayne, Mr. Burns, Lex Luthor or Tony Stark were ubiquitous Comic Con mainstays, Ebenezer Scrooge was repping rich white guys everywhere. As a monster who looks upon the world’s struggling and impoverished many as a scourge and, later, a philanthropic, “let’s fix Tim’s legs” kind of rich guy, Scrooge was doing it before it was cool, and not with the ability to block out the sun or a robotic super suit, but with the power of song… and sometimes Muppets. Ways to enjoy both simultaneously A Christmas Carol will be running through the end of December, so if you’re local you don’t need to worry about choosing between it and Comic Con. However, if you’re coming from out of town, you might try killing two birds with one stone. How? Let’s assume you’re a Ghostbusters cosplayer. Why not shout, “Look out! It’s a free floating, full torso vaporous apparition!” when Jacob Marley reveals himself to Scrooge? (There are lots of reasons why not, actually). Conversely, you
Scrooge (Fred Sullivan Jr.) gives nephew Fred (Michael Jennings Mahoney) a stern talking to in Trinity Rep’s A Christmas Carol. Expect similar energy from fans dressed as Walter White doing their best “I’m the one who knocks” speech at RI Comic Con
could dress up as Tiny Tim, approach Jeremy Bulloch’s – aka Boba Fett’s – autograph booth and see if you contract him to “take care” of your dad’s boss. Tell him disintegrations are on the table, and work that impossible optimism in the face of being dealt
a crap card from life to try to charm him into taking on the job for free. A Christmas Carol opens on November 7. 201 Washington Street, trinityrep. com. Rhode Island Comic Con, November 6-8. 1 Sabin Street, ricomiccon.com –Tony Pacitti
Broadway Bash
The Other Columbus Day At three years, the milestones in human development are remarkable. There’s an overall experience of thinking, learning, social and emotional changes that are tremendous – and often magical – in their impact, all in the name of independence, exploring their new world and making sense of it. The same can be said for the Columbus Cooperative, as they light up the marquee on November 7 with Revival! and toast three years since reopening the Columbus Theatre. 14
Providence Monthly | November 2015
From the advent of the Cooperative in 2012, the stages at the theatre have seen over 600 bands – from the bone-rattling soul of Charles Bradley, to the darkly cinematic no-wave of Swans; from the delicate torch-bearing of John C. Reilly, to the thickly sardonic wit of Fred Armisen – and all with a homespun quality of care and concern. “It’s important to us that the music and concert goers feel a connection to the theatre and want to come back,” says Tom Weyman of the Columbus Cooperative.
The Revival! celebration is ripe with excitement, as the celebration pours out of the theatre and onto the sidewalk of Broadway, with the barbershop and storefront at the facade transforming into performance spaces. In fact, the festivities span two nights, featuring a PreVival! fete on November 6. With the record of manifold acts, and the unwavering enthusiasm of the Cooperative, there are endless possibilities unfurling at their feet; for both the local music scene and the community at large. And with a
recording studio – Eyeland Studio – up and running, they’re poised to shoulder this next stage in their tremendous – and often magical – development as a nerve center for the arts in Providence. Pre-Vival! November 6, featuring Cannibal Ramblers, Roz and the Rice Cakes and Tall Tall Trees. Revival! November 7, featuring Kishi Bishi, The Huntress, The Low Anthem and more. $20 in advance; $25 night of show. Doors at 6pm; show at 7pm. The Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, columbustheatre.com –Courtney Denelle
Photo by Mark Tulek
The Columbus Cooperative celebrates three years of the theatre’s revival
Pulse |
City
The Conversation
Bringing a Larger Dialogue to Providence The Gamm’s upcoming production of The Rant to feature post-performance discussions about racial tension and violence On November 12,
The Gamm Theatre will begin its production of The Rant. Written by Andrew Case, the play follows the investigation and media scrutiny surrounding the death of an unarmed black teenager at the hands of a Brooklyn police officer. Though initially written in 2008, this production couldn’t be anymore timely, as recent events have made us all take a long hard look at what Tony Estrella, the Gamm’s artistic director, considers “the chasm of social and economic inequities separating socalled ‘white’ and ‘black’ cultures.” “At The Gamm, we strive to produce work that has direct relevance on the way we live,” he says. “Peter Hall, the great theatre artist and former leader of both the Royal Shakespeare Company
and Britain’s National Theatre, once said that the theatre was necessary because it ‘remains the one place where society can come to hold a debate with itself.’” In an effort to continue the debate after the curtains close, The Gamm will be holding a series of forums to discuss the issues brought up by the play. The guest speakers are writers, scholars and law enforcement officials who will be moderating topics that touch upon police/community interactions, the exchanges between young people and law enforcement and how the press and social activists respond to and report on these events. “The forums will look to address as many angles as possible and will, of course, be driven content-wise by the expertise [and] opinions of
the individual participants on each panel, as well as the makeup of the audience,” says Estrella. “The rippling influence of good conversation is underrated. Policy change at all levels is necessary. That has to happen organically from the roots up. We hope the forums can be added to the strong network of roots that have already been planted [and] are slowly but steadily making their way through the topsoil.”
approximately 3:30pm. The Gamm Theatre. 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. Community and Social Justice Panelists explore the complexities of policing, street- and court-level law enforcement, racial discrimination and institutional biases in our communities. November 21, 2pm. AS220, 115 Empire Street, Providence. Know Your Rights Special guests discuss the intersection of class, race, gender and law enforcement. November 22, following the 2pm matinee of The Rant, approximately 3:30pm. The Gamm Theatre.
The Rant Forums A Conversation with the Playwright, Andrew Case Case will discuss his experiences as an investigator of police misconduct in New York City and his inspiration for writing The Rant. November 15. Following the 2pm matinee of The Rant,
For more details on the forums as well as showtimes, visit gammtheatre. org –Tony Pacitti
#ThatsWhatSheSaid
Five Questions With Audrey McClelland
Photo by Dennis Kwan Photography
A local social media personality talks about her new TV show and being a modern mom Women like to talk. And we like to talk about, well, everything. So when TLC decided to launch #WhatSheSaid, a commentary series featuring some of the country’s funniest women venting and speaking the truth about being a woman in today’s society, they reached right into our lovely little state and grabbed Audrey McClelland – social media consultant, brand advocate and established founder of MomGenerations.com – to join the conversation. What is #WhatSheSaid all about? It’s a real conversation about women, by women. I love that when I was brought onto the cast, their main advice was to just have fun. We were asked over 100 viewer-submitted questions about life, marriage, kids, motherhood, sex, beauty and more. It was great to be able to share a funny side of myself. What was the funniest or most
embarrassing moment for you while filming? There were tons. Let’s put it this way: I pushed the envelope a bit during the filming. I talked about marriage, sex and funny things about my personal life. I was able to meet almost every one of the amazing women in the cast and we had so much fun, with endless laughing behind the scenes. We’ve watched you online and in numerous TV lifestyle segments. Were you nervous appearing on a show? Yes. I was nervous because this was my first real TV gig. I’ve never done TV like this before – everything I do is on my blog or in a segment, which I have control over. This was a different animal for me. Are there things that I said that I was like, “OMG! Why did I say that?” Yes. But it was all in good fun and such a positive experience to step out of my norm. What do you think the biggest difference in being a mother today
versus being a mother when your mom had you is? I feel like with social media, it’s a whole different ball game. Information is immediate and the messages out there for moms are all over the place. I can’t imagine having had Facebook, Instagram and Twitter when I was a kid. I see how difficult it is to manage the social footprint of my own kids while keeping as much as I can contained and controlled. I also think with social media, there are too many opinions for moms to deal with. I just wish at the end of the day all moms would just have the same mantra: This is the best version of me and all that matters is that my children are filled with love, safety and health. Were there any personal stories that you kept off-limits and wouldn’t talk about on the show? I didn’t touch the topic of in-laws. I have a good relationship with them and I want to keep it that way! Al-
though, I have prepped my motherin-law for the (ahem) sex topics. #WhatSheSaid is on TLC, Fridays at 10pm. TLC.com/whatshesaid. –Jen Senecal
Audrey McClelland will appear on the new season of #WhatSheSaid on TLC
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
15
Pulse |
City
Malcontent
You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Offends You How outrage and umbrage increasingly define our identities Recently, John Nolte,
Editor-atLarge of the conservative blog Breitbart. com, expressed alarm on Twitter over “anti-Christian hate and oppression.” The source? A bag of Doritos. Honestly. Doritos Rainbows was a limited edition bag of rainbow-colored chips marketed to encourage contributions to It Gets Better, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBT youth who have been bullied. To Nolte and many others on the right, it was an attack on Christianity. Meanwhile, on the other side of the blogosphere, a writer at BlackGirlDangerous.org urged readers not to fall victim to the undertones of racism, colonialism and cultural appropriation deeply embedded in our societal assumptions… about pumpkin spice lattes. She even attempted to get #decolonizepumpkinspice trending on Twitter. When junk foods and fancy coffee drinks become sources of moral outrage, it may be time to start picking our battles a bit more selectively. In the heated frenzy of screaming and finger pointing that passes for public discourse in this
country, it seems that taking offense to things is an increasingly popular pastime. For evidence, one needs look no further than a quick scan of Facebook or Twitter, which is likely to reveal a vast, uninterrupted stream of outrage, umbrage and grievances screamed through the laziest and most context-free megaphone that we as a society have at our disposal. Liberal or conservative; black, white, Latino or Asian; man or woman; religious or atheist; rich or poor; straight or gay – no matter who they are, everybody’s got a bone to pick, and they’re eager to share it with you. The rise of blogs has thrown a large percentage of the fuel on this fire. While the majority of blogs are simply the opinions of their writers, the democratic and decentralized nature of the internet means that their voices and opinions can insert themselves into our collective conversation just as easily as more legitimate sources of news and information that are unbiased (so much as that is possible), fact-checked and verifiable. They are also not beholden to standards of accuracy,
context or nuance; they need not present, or even acknowledge the existence of, any evidence contrary to the bile they wish to spew. Only information that serves the predetermined narrative will be included. The resulting “article” will then be thrust into the blogosphere and social media on equal footing with a nuanced and researched report from a reputable news source and inevitably wind up being shared by one of your Facebook friends to demonstrate just how offended or victimized they have been. Identity politics play another role in this. Identifying oneself as a victim of an offense, whether real or perceived, is an easy and reliable way to define oneself. Victimhood brings with it the attention, sympathy, specialness and allies that so many of us crave. In short, being offended by some outside force is a source of validation – I take umbrage, therefore I am. Plus, when we vent our anger, we’re likely to find others who share that anger, making us feel less alone and more like part of a community – an aggrieved, embattled community.
The problem with this is not just that it’s exhausting to listen to, but that the constant din of manufactured outrages and tempests in teacups drowns out the issues that are truly worthy of substantive debate. If everyone is angry all the time, how can we engage in meaningful, productive discourse? If everyone is playing the victim, how can we tend to the real victims? It indulges our worst “slacktivist” impulses, because sending an angry tweet or sharing a lopsided blog post about the latest trumped up distraction is a whole lot easier than participating in a thoughtful, nuanced discussion of important issues, yet still allows us to project the appearance of taking a stand. There are a great many things in this world that are worthy of our ire and righteous indignation: unjust wars, economic inequality, abuses of power, racism, sexism and the countless atrocities committed around the globe every day. However, if we’re finding outrage in a bag of chips or a cup of coffee, we’re simply looking too hard for it. –John Taraborelli
Size Matters
Keep it Local
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are so ingrained in our holiday vernacular that they’re practically holidays themselves. But there’s really no celebration here, rather desperate attempts to buy an $8 fleece jacket at 2am for someone who doesn’t even want another cheaply made fleece jacket. Small Business Saturday is here to rescue you from the holiday madness. Started by American Express five years ago, the day (which always falls on the 16
Saturday after Thanksgiving) encourages shopping locally and in the flesh at brick and mortar shops. According to Buy Local RI, a non-profit collaborative spearheaded by the Rhode Island Foundation, if we all shifted 10% of our annual big box spending to independently owned businesses, we would add $373 million dollars to the Rhode Island economy. Now that’s a reason to celebrate! Small Business Saturday falls on November 28; buylocalri.org –Jeanette St. Pierre
Providence Monthly | November 2015
Skip the mall crowd and shop at local businesses like Frog & Toad
Photography by Tiffany Medrano
Shopping indie on Small Business Saturday
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Pulse |
Scene in PVD
Experience. Integrity. Results.
From September 14-18, StyleWeek took over the Providence G for its 11th season of cutting edge fashion. Featuring the work of designers Samuel Vartan, Susan Zemaitis, Earl Battle and Jess Abernethy, guests were treated to a world of high fashion. Photography by Mike Braca.
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101 N. Main Street • Providence 401.272.3331 Mon-Thu 5-1o p.m. Fri-Sat 5-11 p.m. Sun 4-9 p.m.
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Brazilian Wax Queen
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Edgewood Wine & Spirits 1992 Broad Street 401-785-2286
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A full-service liquor store with a healthy wine selection, Edgewood Wine and Spirits is your one stop shop for adult beverages. Equipped with a knowledgeable, friendly and helpful staff, Edgewood is known for its selection of craft beers, including locals like Grey Sail and Foolproof.
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Edgewood Cheese Shop and Eatery 1828 Broad Street 401-941-2400 edgewoodcheeseshop.com The perfect cheese and charcuterie plate - crafted with imported and local varieties – awaits at Edgewood Cheese Shop and Eatery. Featuring many local products including sandwiches and grilled paninis, Edgewood has everything you need for your next gathering.
Elephant Room
Fine Malt Vintage
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22
Providence Monthly | November 2015
established 1930
e M o t k e e G l It’s Al
T
here’s no denying it: geek culture, once relegated to the fringes of society, has now blasted into mainstream American media and is gaining speed faster than a less-than-twelve-parsecs Kessel Run. (That’s an original 1977 Star Wars reference for those who missed it.) The evidence is everywhere. If you’ve set foot inside a Target recently, it was probably hard to miss the explosion of Star Wars-themed merchandise adorning aisle after aisle, all in anticipation of the upcoming December 18 release of Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which will feature many of the beloved original actors (and hopefully no more Jar Jar Binks CGI monstrosities). Star Wars is just one example of this phenomenon; if you ignored Doctor Who’s warning and blinked, it would still be impossible to ignore. Just consider the rampant popularity and sky-high ratings of CBS’s The Big Bang Theory (physicists and other nerdy types), HBO’s Game of Thrones (fantasy) and True Blood (vampires), AMC’s The Walking Dead (zombies), movies based off of Marvel
comic books (The Avengers, Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy), and the so far highest-grossing film of 2015, Jurassic World (dinosaurs). Clearly, what was once fringe is now mainstream – and it’s affecting Rhode Island in a big way. Maybe you’ve already read that Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, will be gracing Providence November 6-8 for the 4th annual Rhode Island Comic Con (RICC, with “Con” short for “Convention”). Convention organizers estimate that 60,000 people will attend; in 2012, RICC brought in 16,000 guests – still an impressive number for a fledgling con, but let’s not kid ourselves here. This thing has gotten huge, and in a very short amount of time. Cons in other states have shown similar trends. San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), the 40+ year old original mother con that started them all, brought in 130,000 attendees this year, selling out presale tickets almost immediately. New York Comic Con (NYCC), its relatively younger sister celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, already surpassed SDCC in attendance
with 151,000 attendees in 2014. I’ve witnessed it myself: my comic book-loving brother and I went to the first NYCC in 2006; when we went back again in 2013, the room that once housed almost the entire con was now home to Artists Alley, a comparatively tiny portion of the massive Javitz Center now required in full to accommodate so many fans. In the last several years, comic and other geekthemed cons on every topic (anime, fantasy, literature, zombies, video games – just to name a few) have been popping up in states all over the country; still, they struggle to keep up with demand. Amidst this proliferation, Rhode Island is shining in its own small, idiosyncratic way (as we do). Carrie Fisher is notoriously difficult to get to appear at any comic con; RICC has caught a big fish. Joining her will be Darth Vader himself, David Prowse (not to be confused with James Earl Jones, who provided Vader’s iconic voice) and at least ten other Star Wars actors, as well as Jason Momoa (Khal Drago of Game of Thrones), Barbara Eden (I Dream of
Jeannie), Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy), almost all of the Power Rangers including Amy Jo Johnson (another reluctant congoer), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire), cast members from hit shows like The Walking Dead, Supernatural and Doctor Who, as well as WWE stars, voice actors from popular cartoon shows – even the karate kid himself, Ralph Macchio, Henry Winkler (Happy Days) and the infamous “Soup Nazi” (Larry Thomas) of Seinfeld fame – and that’s just to name a few. RICC aspires to be a “well-rounded con” according to Susan Soares, who handles press for the convention – yet their ability to attract so many big name guests is exceptional in the convention industry, helping it to earn its slogan, “The Biggest Con in the Smallest State.” Susan attributes this success to RICC’s professional, hard-working team including 500 volunteers, as well as founder/ leader Steve Perry’s relationships and reputation within the industry for being a very fair and easy-to-work-with producer. “Basically, word gets around in the actor
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
community, and the big names want to come to conventions where they know they will be treated fairly and professionally – many have even reached out to us on their own, wanting to attend because they heard from others that it’s a great experience,” she says. Although RICC has a reputation for being more of a “celebrity con,” it does feature comic writers and artists as well, and Susan shares that they would love to attract Stan Lee or other comic book titans someday. With such phenomenal expansion in such a short time, there have naturally been some growing pains for RICC, which encountered a press disaster in 2014 when the con unexpectedly surpassed capacity, and fire marshals came and barred reentry to guests who had left the building. It was the first time an event had ever filled the Rhode Island Convention Center to capacity. RICC has learned from last year and is addressing the problem in 2015 with a threefold solution: expanding into the Dunkin Donuts Center for more space, adding an extra day to the con (Friday), and also distributing new electronicallybarcoded badges which all attendees must scan upon entry and exit, so that capacity will be closely monitored (the same system used by NYCC). Susan anticipates that these changes should solve the major issues from last year.
Other Geek Communities in Rhode Island Comic Con is far from the only manifestation of geek culture rippling through Rhode Island. Trying to cover all of them in-depth could probably take up this entire issue, so I will try to highlight just a few others with the help of my friend Liz Lirakis, the sole proprietor and artist/maker behind Middletownbased TRACIMOC: It’s Comic Art, Backwards. Since 2010, Liz has taken “homeless” original comic books and cut them up to make one-of-a-kind wearable art including wallets, clothing, jewelry and decorative objects like canvas collages and photo frames. Her first time as a vendor was at Boston Comic Con in 2011, where she shared a six-foot table with another artist. Now, she attends 1520 conventions and maker’s fairs a year, and finds it challenging to fit all of her products into a 10x10 booth. I consider Liz an expert on all things geek, so I asked her what she thought about the local scene: “I have been a part of Rhode Island Comic Con since its conception, along with Rhode Island Mini Maker Faire since 2011 and various other local RI craft fairs,” she says. “I love the artistic culture in Rhode Island, and of course was thrilled to hear that we were going to have our own comic book convention. “The unique thing about RI is that
since the state is so small, local events develop into close-knit family communities. I have made great friends throughout the years, meeting people who I probably would have never otherwise known, [that] share the same geeky interests that I do,” she explains. “So don’t be fooled – we geeks are everywhere.” She’s right – if you have a niche interest or hobby, there is most likely an easily driveable meetup group or facility to pursue it locally. The Steel Yard in Providence offers courses in blacksmithing and silversmithing. Temple Games in Pawtucket is host to tabletop gaming, which refers to just about any game played on a table such as trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, miniature wargames like Warhammer, what I like to call “next generation” board or card games (some better-known examples are Settlers of Catan and Cards Against Humanity, but current offerings are far more vast). Temple Games even has its own yearly convention in Warwick called TempleCon, a unique blend of gaming, performance art and Steampunk, a form of costuming and roleplaying that Wikipedia describes as incorporating “technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery” (think of the Will Smith and Kevin Kline ‘90s remake of Wild Wild
West). There are also other gaming meetups that happen regularly all over the state. Liz and I have both observed that being a “geek” is now more socially acceptable than ever before. She notes, “With national support and approval for geeks, who were previously only perceived as poindexters and the targets of bullying, many people now finally feel comfortable being more vocal about their love and admiration for comic books, technology and geek culture in general.” As someone who finally embraced her own “inner geek” after more than a decade of trying to hide it, I would emphatically agree. And to anyone eager to crawl out of the woodwork and explore similar interests, I would strongly encourage you to seek out online and in-person meetup groups, places and events where you can meet with others who share them. You don’t have to travel far at all, given how prevalent these communities are right in Rhode Island and neighboring towns. It’s a great time to be a geek in the Ocean State.
Liz Lirakis of TRACIMOC: It’s Comic Art, Backwards!
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LL AMERICA A E N TH
GUIDE
to the
flAvORS ld r o W e h of t (IN
PR O VIDEN
) E C
By John Taraborelli
Photography by Stacey Doyle
W
hat’s the most American food? Is it a burger?
Apple pie? Slow-smoked barbecue? Certainly all of them represent classic Americana, but I would argue that in 2015 the taco might just be the most American food. It’s simple, humble even, yet supremely adaptable. It’s equally at home on a food truck or in a fine restaurant. It originated from another culture in another land, but through a process of appropriation and assimilation, it has become as American as apple pie, football and exceptionalism. In fact, when John Fetterman, mayor of the tiny Pittsburgh suburb Braddock, PA, announced his candidacy for the US Senate in September, he promised free tacos at his campaign events.
Nirvana Thali plate from Rasoi
Not Pittsburgh’s famous Primanti Brothers sandwiches topped with fries and cole slaw. Not the cabbage rolls, sausages or pierogi so typically associated with Eastern European-descended Midwesterners. Not apple pie. Tacos. “Everyone wants to eat tacos,” he declared. “Tacos are the great uniter.” Fetterman hits upon both a good idea (tacos for votes) and a timeless truth about America: our food is just everybody else’s food absorbed and reinterpreted. It started with the Native Americans introducing the “three sisters” (corn, beans and squash) to the early British settlers to save them from starvation. (A good deed that did not go unpunished.) When America came of age in the 20th century, it was the French who taught us to
cook, and their influence set the standard of fine dining for generations of Americans. We pretty much commandeered pizza from the Italians, doing for it what the Brits did for rock and roll in the ‘60s: take another country’s invention, refine it in ways the originators never imagined, and become the new standard bearers of excellence. Indeed, the pizza slice has become the basic culinary currency of any respectable metro area in this country. Even barbecue was adapted from the barbacoa of the native Taino people of the Caribbean. If American cuisine is simply the absorption and interpretation of foodways from all over the world, then all ethnic foods that become popular in this country are pretty much American
food waiting to happen. Some may allege cultural appropriation, and food snobs will probably scoff at a lack of “authenticity,” but a delicious idea refuses to be contained by a single nation or culture. Don’t believe me? Try figuring out who gets the credit for rice pilaf. People love good food, and they love sharing it. American cookery is an iterative exercise in that principle, in which exoticness and authenticity gradually give way to experimentation and fusion. Southern barbecue, New England seafood, even Korean beef – they’re all just potential taco fillings. With this in mind, we set to explore the state of American food in our multicultural city as it is today, regardless of origin or “authenticity.”
It only makes sense to begin here. Tacos are the new pizza, in the sense that America has staked its own claim to the food and any city worth a damn should be able to serve a decent one. With nearly 40% of Providence’s population being Latino, it’s no surprise to find a decent taqueria or two. If you want to experience the taco as Quetzalcóatl intended it, there are plenty of options: Olneyville’s La Lupita (which has attracted national praise), El Rancho Grande, and the little taco stand in the back of Sanchez Market all serve good, old fashioned tacos on corn tortillas topped simply with onion, cilantro and a splash of fresh lime. El Rancho Grande also expands its repertoire to include the flavors of coastal Mexico in its Tacos de Playa, with shrimp, corn, pico de gallo and guacamole. La Lupita: 1950 Westminster St. 3312444, lalupitamex.com. El Rancho Grande: 311 Plainfield St. 275-0808, elranchogranderestaurant.com. Sanchez Market: 802 Atwells Ave. 331-6469. The taco has so long been ingrained in the food
culture of the western states (you know, the ones that used to be in Mexico) that they actually claim an “authenticity” for their own versions. Thus, we have eateries like Mijos Tacos, a self-proclaimed “LA-style taco truck,” or California Taco Shop, which boasts three locations. These represent the taco as LA street food, dressing them up with a hit of salsa (which outsells ketchup in the United States). Poco Loco Tacos, with both a truck and brick-and-mortar shop, brings in a touch of the Southwest with its taco of the same name, filled with chorizo, potato, corn salsa, Southwestern sour cream, onion and cheese. Mijos Tacos: mijostacos. com. California Taco Shop: 381 Plainfield St. 942-3938; 321 Amherst St. 383-9505; 977 Manton Ave. 369-7557. Poco Loco: 2005 Broad St., Cranston. 461-2640 or mobile truck at 281-YUMM, pocolocotacos.com. Beyond the more conventional versions things start to really get interesting. Southeast Asian cuisine shares affinities with Mexican, including the prevalence of chili peppers, cilantro and lime, and that influence folds nicely into a warm tortilla. Fugo, a food truck specializing in Latin-Asian fusion, serves
a Vietnamese Pulled Pork Taco with pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro crema and crumbled peanuts. Meanwhile, The Grange takes things about as far away from the basics as possible, turning a traditionally meat-filled Mexican street food into Asian-influenced gourmet American vegan food. Its Korean BBQ Tacos are served in flour, not corn, tortillas and filled with seitan (a wheat gluten-based meat substitute), guacamole and queso fresco. Yet they still manage to be delicious and un-fussy, which is what you really want in a taco. Fugo: 678-9270, fugofoodtruck.com. The Grange: 166 Broadway. 8310600, providencegrange.com. Johnston’s One More Taco represents perhaps the culmination of the taco as American food: an old Italian sausage shop where Latino-by-way-ofCalifornia chef Ramon Martinez makes tacos with New England-sourced ingredients. He even has a taco called The American: beef brisket, garlic crema, lettuce, pico de gallo and Narragansett Creamery queso fresco. 751 Hartford Ave., Johnston. 2806815, onemoretacori.com.
Vietnamese Pulled Pork Tacos from Fugo
30
Providence Monthly | November 2015
Photography by Tony Pacitti
TACOS ARE THE GREAT UNITER
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
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CEvICHE IS THE NEW TACO
Photography by Stacey Doyle
Over the past decade, arguably no dish of foreign origin has grown more in popularity or prevalence in American restaurants than ceviche. Enjoyed throughout Latin America, this concoction of seafood “cooked” in lime juice (the acid breaks down the proteins in the fish in much the same way that heat does) is most closely associated with Peru. It has traced an arc in this country similar to that of sushi in the ‘70s and ‘80s: first embraced by foodies looking for something exotic, it overcame Americans’ squeamishness about uncooked seafood to become a crowd pleaser that crosses all culinary borders. The ceviche at Los Andes remains the gold standard of the dish in Providence. Their Ceviche Clasico, available in both appetizer and entrée versions, is
Ceviche of the Day from Red Fin Crudo + Kitchen
so named for a reason: the medley of tilapia, squid, clams and mussels tossed with garlic and lime juice, and garnished with red onion and corn is pretty much the platonic ideal of ceviche. 903 Chalkstone Ave. 649-4911, losandesri.com Like any dish based on a simple but effective formulation (seafood + citrus = delicious), ceviche is easy to adapt into myriad combinations – and that’s exactly what local restaurants are doing. Lim’s and Nami demonstrate how easily the formula can be applied to Asian flavors. Lim’s does a salmon version (which itself was introduced into Japanese cuisine by the Norwegians when they started using it in sushi) with avocado, mango, tomato, onion and peppers, while Nami does an Octopus Ceviche with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, mango, apple and wasabi yuzu sauce. Lim’s: 18 South Angell St. 383-
8830, limsri.com. Nami: 198 Atwells Ave. 383-6559, namiprov.com. The Rooftop at the Providence G incorporates some Caribbean influence with its Red Snapper Ceviche, served with plantains, green curry oil, mango and wood roasted green onion. (Sadly, by the time you read this you may have to wait until next season to try it.) Maybe the best example of ceviche’s constant evolution, however, is Red Fin Crudo + Kitchen, which simply follows the muses (and what’s available) with its Ceviche of the Day. When a dish is this easily adaptable and hinges on the freshness of the main ingredient, why do it the same way all the time? Rooftop at the Providence G: 100 Dorrance St. 632-4904, rooftopattheg.com. Red Fin Crudo + Kitchen: 71 Washington St. 454-1335, redfincrudo.com
There is perhaps no food more universal than the dumpling – or some variation of it. The simple concept of folding dough into a pouch, filling it with meat, vegetables, cheeses or anything else that strikes one’s fancy, and then frying, steaming, boiling, pan-searing or baking it is found in some incarnation in almost every food culture in the world. Whether you call it empanada, pastelito, salteña, shumai, gyoza, croquette, croqueta, samosa, pierogi, ravioli or a hundred other names, the result is always delicious. Two of the most familiar takes on the dumpling are the Asian and Latin versions. Little Chopsticks
presents a classic Chinese version with its Steamed Dumplings, while Sakura pan sears their Gyoza, the Japanese incarnation of the pork dumpling. Spain, long the standard-bearer for its namesake country’s cuisine in Rhode Island, adds a bit of outside influence (Asian? Caribbean?) to its Shrimp Empanadilla, garnishing a shrimp and roasted vegetable-filled dough with ginger papaya aioli. For a more typically Spanish take, try the Croquetas de Pollo at Bocado, filled with chicken and served with honey aioli. Little Chopsticks, 495 Smith St. 273-0049, littlechopsticksri.com. Sakura: 231 Wickenden St. 331-6861, sakuraprovidence.com. Spain: 1073 Reservoir Ave., Cranston. 946-8686, spainrestaurantri.com. Bocado: 60 Valley St. 270-6080, bocadotapasbar.com. Worlds collide (inside flaky dough) once again at
Veggie Fun, a pan-Asian vegan restaurant that offers a spin on the Indian version of dumplings with its Curry Samosas, served with mint chutney. Similarly, Rhode Rage, one of the newer entries to the city’s food truck scene, mashes up Indian with French in its Confit Duck Samosas, accompanied by a red wine braised cherry dipping sauce. Veggie Fun: 123 Dorrance St. 270-4700, veggiefunri.com. Rhode Rage: 323-0370, rhoderageri.com. The Dean Hotel’s German beer hall Faust brings northern/eastern Europe into the conversation with its Pierogi. They’re filled with the standard potato and onion, but dressed up a bit with the addition of preserved mushrooms and quark, a type of curd cheese common in Germany and Austria. Faust: 122 Fountain St. 351-5200, faustpvd.com.
Pierogi from Faust
Photography by Stacey Doyle
A DUmplING By ANy OTHER NAmE
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IT’S mORNING SOmEWHERE
Photography by Stacey Doyle
Despite the dazzling wealth of food cultures and ethnic dishes that have permeated our eating habits, breakfast, in large part remains the last bastion of pure Americana. We are still very much a bacon-eggs-home-fries kind of country before noon. All due respect to the classics, we should be mindful that there is a whole world of breakfast options out there. Ireland’s notion of breakfast is probably one of the few international versions familiar to Americans. Murphy’s Law in Pawtucket offers a proper fry-up with its Full Irish Breakfast: eggs, rashers (Irish bacon), bangers (Irish sausage), black and white puddings (don’t ask – just eat), fried tomato and mushrooms, beans and toast. Wash it all down with a pint of Guinness, and you’ll wonder how anything gets done in Ireland when the day starts like
Shakshuka at Julians
this. Murphy’s Law: 2 George St., Pawtucket. 7245522, murphyslawri.com. Meanwhile in Mexico – or rather, locally, at Viva Mexico – they greet the morning with a heaping plate of Chilaquiles con Huevos Estrellados: tortilla chips slathered and baked in red or green salsa and served with sunny side up eggs. Cranston’s Blend Café, which does modern, fusion versions of food from all over Latin America, rises and shines Dominican style with their DR Breakfast, featuring Dominican salami, eggs, queso frito, pickled onions and butter mangu (boiled and mashed green plantains). Viva Mexico: 129 Washington St. 369-7974, vivamexicocantinagrill.com. Blend Café: 745 Reservoir Ave., Cranston. 270-5533, blendcaferi.com The menu at Julians takes an everything-butthe-kitchen-sink approach to incorporating international influences, and their Shakshuka offers a Middle Eastern take on breakfast. Two eggs are
poached in a spicy tomato stew, and served with lemon tahini, fresh parsley and garlic bread… and home fries (‘Murica). Julians: 318 Broadway. 8611770, juliansprovidence.com. China is the great-grandaddy of pretty much all food cultures, and their approach to breakfast is simple: let’s just eat everything. Though the full dim sum experience – a constant parade of rolling carts passing by your table offering a staggering variety of small plates – is not to be had in Rhode Island, Cranston’s King’s Garden does offer a dim sum menu on weekends. It’s no slouch in the variety department either, ranging from the familiar (Peking ravioli, Shanghai Dumpling) to the more exotic (Steamed Stuffed Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf, Sweet Red Bean Paste) to the downright gnarly (Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce). King’s Garden: 90 Rolfe Sq., Cranston. 461-0646, kingsgardencranston.com.
Jap Chae from Den Den Café Asiana
Photography by Meghan H. Follett
NOODlES Of THE WORlD Few foods in this world are more well-traveled or universally beloved than noodles. There is such a simple, childlike pleasure in slurping up a bowl of chewy (mmm… gluten), cooked-to-perfection strands of rice noodles, wheat noodles or egg-enriched pasta. (Lest we forget, pasta is simply what happened when noodles traveled from east to west along the Silk Road, ending up in Italy.) It’s a delight that transcends borders, cultures and aversion to carbs. The classic Chinese Dan Dan Noodles pop up on two different menus in two vastly divergent incarnations. Mumu Cuisine serves a more typical Sichuan version of spicy, soupy meat sauce over noodles, while north takes the dish in an entirely different direction: noodles are swapped out for chewy rice cakes, mutton and squid take the place of ground pork, and fermented chili is added to the traditionally chili oil based sauce. Mumu Cuisine: 220 Atwells Ave. 369-7040, mumucuisine.com. north: 3 Luongo Sq. 421-1100, foodbynorth.com. Ken’s Ramen makes noodle slurping a more fun and active experience with its Tsukemen Ramen, AKA “the dipping ramen.” Thick, wavy noodles are served plain in a bowl and subsequently dipped in a bonito-laced broth, instantly reminding you how wrong you had been doing ramen in college. Meanwhile, Garden Grille allows vegans to get in on America’s seemingly insatiable appetite for pad Thai with its Raw Peanut Pad Thai, featuring vegetable-based noodles in a spicy peanut sauce. Den Den Café Asiana also forgoes flour in favor of veggies with its Jap Chae, a Korean sweet potato noodle stir fried with sesame oil, vegetables and a choice of protein. Ken’s Ramen: 69 Washington St. kens-ramen. com. Garden Grille: 727 East Ave., Pawtucket. 726-2826, gardengrilleri.com. Den Den Café Asiana: 161 Benefit St. 270-5269, dendencafe.com. Ebisu brings Italian pasta back east with its Soba Gnocchi, a twist on the dumpling-like pasta featuring asparagus, king oyster and button mushrooms, white cream sauce and a choice of chicken or seafood. Al Forno, instead, heads
west with its New World Pappardelle, made with tomato, corn, cilantro and habanero. Rosalina also incorporates a bit of the New World into its Old World recipes by adding green chilies to its Squid Ink Spaghetti with crab meat, garlic, fresh parsley, white wine and olive oil. Completing the crossover, Public Kitchen & Bar adopts Asian noodles as American bar food with its Spicy Thai Noodles: panang red curry, cashews and coconut milk served over rice noodles. Ebisu: 38 Pontiac Ave. 270-7500, ebisuri.com. Al Forno: 577 South Main St. 273-9670, alforno.com. Rosalina: 50 Aborn St. 270-7330, rosalina-ri.com. Public Kitchen & Bar: 120 Francis St. 919-5050, publickitchenprovidence.com. No matter where you eat today you’re likely to find some freewheeling mixing of influences, ingredients and food cultures. In fact, every great food culture is simply the sum of its influences, whether it’s noodles traveling west from Asia into Europe to become pasta, or tomatoes and chili peppers traveling east from the New World to become fixtures in European and Asian kitchens. Good tastes travel, and we should consider ourselves lucky that so many of them have made their way to Providence and learned to play well with others.
A Little of This, A Little of That
Photography by Stacey Doyle
Unsure where to start with an unfamiliar cuisine? Try one of these combos. Thali at Rasoi
Southern Italian Board at Bacaro
love Bowl at Jacky’s Waterplace
This thoughtfully combined sampler of dishes is carefully balanced for both nutrition and enjoyment. Try the vegetarian Satvic with vegetable mango curry, saag paneer, lentils, naan, rice and house favorite cauliflower 65. 727 East Ave., Pawtucket. 728-5500, indianrestaurantsri.com/rasoi
Bacaro is known for its extensive salumeria. Experience some of the best selections with this assortment of meats, cheeses and marinated vegetables, including speck, a lightly smoked prosciutto, and buffalo mozzarella. 262 South Water St. 751-3700, bacarorestaurant.net
Pretty much every sushi restaurant offers combination dinners, but not many are as extravagant as this one: chef’s choice nigiri and sashimi, Rainbow Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll and Scorpion Roll, which is actually a combination of Dancing Eel and Spider Rolls. That’s right, this one’s got rolls on rolls. 200 Exchange St. 3835000, jackywaterplace.com
meat Combination at Abyssinia
molcajete Azteca at Don Jose Tequilas
Ethiopian food features a dazzling array of wots, heavily spiced, stew-like dishes similar to Indian curries. This platter, available for one or two, lets you choose two of the meat wots, along with all four of the vegetable options and plenty of injera bread. 333 Wickenden St. 454-1412, abyssinia-restaurant.com
A molcajete is a Mexican stone mortar and pestle used for grinding and crushing spices and salsas. This one, however, is filled with sirloin strips, chicken breast, grilled cactus, shrimp, chorizo and Viajero ceese. 351 Atwells Ave. 454-8951, donjosetequilasprovidence.com
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Octopus & Bulgogi Bento at Teriyaki House The famous Japanese bento box is a sampler of lunch delights in a conveniently compartmented box. This one includes two of the best Korean barbecue options with chef’s daily sides, rice, salad and miso soup. 217 Westminster St. 331-1651, teriyakihouseprovidence.com
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City Style
AT HOME / SHOP TALK / THE LOOK / BEAUTY / GET FIT
Southern Hospitality About the Homeowners Dixie Carroll and Bill Jette are the co-owners of J Marcel on Hope Street. Their home is a 1928 French Tudor in Rumford.
The “piano bar” in the corner of the room brings together two of our favorite things: music and cocktails. The cherry desk was handmade in Vermont, but after realizing that it was much too massive to make it upstairs to our office we converted it into a bar. For the record, the piano keyboard on the wall is symbolic and not functional.
The blue ceramic vessel next to our fireplace is a work by Eli Tegu. Eli’s pieces were on display at Studio Hop and we could only walk by and see them so many times before we had to take one home. The color is a favorite of ours and changes the dynamic in the room as the light changes throughout the day and night.
The three lithographs on our mantle are by Joseph Norman. They were on display and for sale at AS220 to benefit their Capital Campaign. Bill purchased them many years ago as a tribute to his late sister, so they have special meaning in our home.
The three small pieces of art to the right of our fireplace were done by artist (and friend) Deb Hickey. They showcase three looks on the iconic Providence power plant. The image is quintessential Rhode Island and brings a burst of color to the room. We have several other pieces by Deb Hickey in our house as well.
Photography by Mike Braca
The living room furniture comes from Comina in Wayland Square. Although we purchased it locally, the warm tones of the leather and copper mixed together help to remind us of Texas. We were married in Austin and travel there often to visit family.
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
41
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City Style |
The Look
By Jeanette St. Pierre
Thinking of Selling in Spring? Time to CALL US? NOW! Planning Works.
Colin Ward
Our Team Works
Manager, Marc Allen Fine Clothiers
Photography by Ian Travis Barnard
Describe your personal style. I am very outfit oriented when dressing for the weekend or for work. I don’t enjoy big statement pieces, but rather subtly tied together pieces that complete an overall look. I put thought into everything I wear, even if just going to the grocery store. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m in a three-piece suit at all times. But my shoes, sweater, shirt, coat and jeans all work together. Tell us about your outfit. My sport jacket is from Sartoria Partenopea, a Neapolitan company. My shirt is custom made by Marc Allen. My tie is from Dolce Punta. My trousers are Incotex super 150s. You measure men in suits for a living. What’s a common mistake men make when buying a suit? I would say most young men today are buying their suits and jackets too small to look trendy. And most gentlemen buy their suits too large, which I think is probably for comfort reasons. Fit is everything when it comes to a suit or jacket. A beautiful fabric cut with style is nothing without a great fit. Having a discerning eye looking over the entire garment is critical to achieving a proper fit. Marc Allen recently introduced a new made-to-measure suit/sport coat program at a great price point. We’ve designed it to reflect a very contemporary, Italian style. And we’re offering it in a great variety of styles and fabrics. Is casual Friday over? Is there a way to be professional yet casual? Casual Friday has unfortunately gone a bit too far. Americans often confuse casual with sloppy. Business casual still means a great outfit put together with thought and some style. Any tips for women with stylish men on their holiday lists? What makes for good gifts? Accessories are great if you aren’t familiar with his sizes. If you want something beyond that, a sweater is often a safe bet as it doesn’t have as precise a fit as a shirt or a jacket. With our tailor shop we are often able to adjust items after purchase to make them fit correctly. What are your style tips for men this holiday season? Dressing to the season is extremely important and will keep you looking your very best. As the seasons change so do the fabrics. Flannel finishes and heavier cashmeres are perfect for this fall and winter. In the summer tropical weight wools, linen and cottons are necessary. This applies to work as well as to play.
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
43
The Holidays Are Coming…
City Style |
Get Fit
By John Taraborelli
Going Vertical
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
The rock climbing treadmill is a mental and physical challenge
a 200-meter sprint. After that it was back inside and straight up the Treadwall. Adam started me on the easier side with the rungs. Instead of imposing, it was actually invigorating and – dare I say it? – kind of fun. It wasn’t nearly as strenuous as the build-up had led me to believe; the most challenging part proved to be figuring out where to put my feet as the pattern of the rungs changed. (Coordination is one of my weaknesses.) With my heart rate now pumping, it was time to descend back earthward for some lunges. This transitioned immediately over to the heavy ropes. With feet planted and knees bent, I had to repeatedly lift the ropes and slam them down as hard as humanly possible. Contrary to the Treadwall hype, this proved to be the most strenuous part of the workout. Next up was a quick bit of TRX Suspension Training. Gripping the straps suspended from an overhead base, I leaned back with my body flat at a roughly 45 degree angle to the floor and repeatedly pulled myself up in a rowing motion. Then it was over to a bench from some traditional dumbbell work, pushing out incline chest presses. That was the end of the line... sort of. With no rest for the weary, we headed right back outside for another sprint, beginning the circuit anew for the second of three times. The first time through felt like a solid enough workout, but the minimal sweat I had worked up
left me wondering when this was going to get tough. That notion was dispelled after the second round on the Treadwall, when, as if a switch had flipped, I suddenly found myself pouring sweat. By the third time through the circuit I could feel fatigue setting in and I was really working for some of those reps. Even that, however, was not the end. After the full-body circuit, we launched into a quick core workout that again found me scaling the Treadwall, then diving into a series of leg lifts, leg flutters, static leg raises and planks with side kicks. Three times through that circuit and Adam finally decided I had done enough. Just for fun, I decided to try out the rock climbing side of the Treadwall. This was a different beast entirely; it was a test of navigation as much as physical strength, putting both body and mind to work in tandem. Adam explained that some of the experienced rock climbers among Method’s client base would take it to the next level, executing turnabouts and twists while scrambling up the wall. I opted not to attempt anything quite so daring – after all, I had made it this far without getting myself killed.
Method Fitness 1 Richmond Square 274-6384 methodfit.com
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of person who hates the treadmill, maybe you’ve just been moving in the wrong direction. Next time, perhaps, you should try going vertical instead of horizontal. Method Fitness provides just such an option at its new(ish) home in Richmond Square. This boutique personal training studio consolidated its operations about a year ago, combining its original studio on the West Side and smaller satellite space on South Main Street into a new, larger space in Richmond Square. With the increase in size, Method had the opportunity to add some new equipment – namely, the Treadwall. “I booked you a session on a moving rock wall at Method Fitness,” my editor informed me when assigning this story, adding, “At this point you can safely assume I’m trying to get you killed.” Method Fitness founder/proprietor Amahl Harik doubled down on the threats to life and limb: “We could go with a half-hour or full-hour workout – whichever you prefer. I would mention that an hour on the Treadwall will kill you dead (it would me, anyways).” This upright beast of an apparatus is indeed imposing to behold. It’s basically a ten-foot tall treadmill for climbing: one side features ladder rungs, and the other is studded with the foot and handholds of a rock climbing wall. It became slightly less menacing when I learned that it was people-powered, not machine-driven. Your own body weight is what moves the Treadwall down as you climb, and the adjustable brake allows for varying levels of resistance, and thus, faster or slower speeds. Fortunately for me, my trainer Adam Clark was not quite so apocalyptic in his presentation of the machine and its benefits. He explained that I would not be spending a fatal hour, or even half-hour, attempting to summit it. Instead, he would incorporate it as just one part of varied circuit training session. We all have to confront our own mortality eventually, but Adam wasn’t planning on bringing me face-to-face with mine. We began with some quick warmups (jumping jacks, split jacks, mountain climbers, etc.) to get the blood flowing. The actual workout started simply enough by stepping outside for
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
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City Style | Shop Talk
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Shopping Heaven
Photography by Tony Pacitti
A new boutique offers fashion and champagne to the West End New Bedford’s premier fashion destination opened an exclusive new location on Broadway this past April, and it’s truly a fashionista’s paradise. Calico is chock full of stylish finds, hip brands and awesome sales. I stopped by on a sunny Friday afternoon to speak with owner Elissa Paquette, and upon entering the chic little boutique I felt I’d died and entered shopping heaven. Calico opened in New Bedford in 2005 and began as a small vintage store above a nail salon. It has grown a lot over the years and switched its focus from vintage styles to new, fashionforward brands, like BB Dakota, MinkPink, Dolce Vita, Reverse and more. Now, the edgy shopaholics’ haven has opened a new location right here on the West Side. “We do carry some of the same stuff, but what I’ve been trying to do is make this an exclusive collection, to make it something more special,” Elissa says of the Broadway boutique. “The store kind of fell into my lap,” she laughs – Elissa took over the lease from a friend and thought Providence would be a logical next step for a next Calico location, being only 45 minutes away and with the New Bedford location already having a loyal base of Rhode Island customers. The walls of the room are stacked high with cute tops, flowing skirts and pants, stylish dresses, fashionable
jewelry, fun booties and dramatic heels. Everything in the store has a bold, fashion-forward feel to it – like eye-catching statement necklaces, denim every which way and colorful rompers and jumpsuits. “We have a range of styles from stuff you’d go out to a bar in to stuff you’d go to a wedding in to stuff you’d wear every day,” says Elissa, “but everything has that trendy edge to it.” A great feature of the store is its very clearly labeled sales racks – there’s a $10 one, a $15 one, a $20 one and a $30 one – all marked with brightly colored signs. New pieces enter the store every day, but if that’s not enough variety for you, Calico’s website has even more that you won’t find in the stores – like more clothes, bags, accessories, sunglasses, intimate wear and athletic wear – so there’s always something cool to check out. Follow @shopcalico (and @shopcalicopvd for just Providence stuff) on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter to keep up on the latest Calico news and get exclusive behind-the-scenes access.
Calico 318 Broadway 421-2220 shopcalico.com
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105 Chestnut St, Warwick • 401-781-4444 • riskishop.com November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Once you've been Mooned, you will always come back for more...
City Style |
Beauty
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
How to get the best deals on nail services in PVD Technically, sandal season
is over - but that’s no reason to let your toes languish, unpampered, until next June. In fact, the cure for the winter blues is one hour in a nail salon, every two weeks. Here’s how to get your mani/pedi on for less. For East Side ladies, Citi Nails is already a go-to spot for fast, high quality drop-in nail service. On any given day, their $35 manicure/pedicure combo is a good idea. The pricing is on par with other local nail salons, but Citi Nails is big, and can usually accommodate walk-ins at any given time (though Saturday afternoons tend to be busy). The deal: On Tuesdays, Citi Nails offers the same mani/pedi for $28. Make sure to book an appointment that day if you’re looking for a coveted 5pm spot. 783 Hope Street. 861-8500 Across from Citi Nails, Justina Nails is a serene counterpart to the bustling salon across the street. They offer the same services – Shellac, acrylics, paraffin treatments – but with just a few chairs, the focus is definitely on a oneon-one customer experience, and is a great choice for someone who prefers a quieter environment. The deal: Normally their mani/pedi is $40, but on Wednesdays it’s only $30. 742 Hope Street. 272-5072, justinanails.com For a luxury experience, go with a locavore spa service. You didn’t know you can follow the seasons with your beauty indulgences, too? Citron Spa is offering a seasonal Pumpkin
and Marshmallow Root mani/pedi in November and December. The “signature sensory journey” includes aromatherapeutic oils, an all-natural Pumpkin and Marshmallow Root Masque and a pumpkin scrub using fresh pumpkin, which all happens in their super luxurious nail room. The deal: a complimentary glass of Fall Sangria. Also available as a body treatment. $30/manicure, $60/pedicure, $80/both. 225 Wayland Avenue. 861-0908, spacitron.com Angell Nails started as a no-frills nail salon in Wayland Square, and has expanded their services year after year. They now offer full nail services like Shellacs, gels and acrylics, as well as full body waxing and hair services like cuts, color and perms. The deal: On Tuesdays, get $5 off any mani/pedi. Unlike other nail salons, the discount applies to all mani/pedis, including Shellacs. 15 South Angell Street. 4903137, angellnails.com I would rather leave Metro Nails out of this story since I don’t want a line out the door at my go-to spot, but I do enjoy the friendly ladies who work at this salon (who gave me Minnie Mouse nail art for my trip to Disney this summer). A normal manicure/pedicure is $33, and it’s $48 for a Shellac mani and regular pedi. The deal: An express pedicure, which is easily doable on a lunchbreak, is a soak, nail shaping and polish change for only $15. 395 Wickenden Street. 490-0101, metronails.webs.com
Illustration by Kendrah Smith
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Available for Weddings & Special Events
Feast
IN THE KITCHEN / oN THE mENu / rEvIEw / IN THE drINK
From the Ocean to the Ocean State
Photography by Stacey Doyle
Seafood dining is scarce in The Creative Captial, but Trattoria del mare is stepping up – and powerfully – with a fresh seafood dining experience on the Hill in stark contrast to the land-lubber sustenance that lines Atwells Avenue. Turn the page to read more.
Paella from Trattoria del mare
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Feast |
review
By Stephanie Obodda
Seafood Forward Trattoria del mare highlights the best of the ocean State a scenic river, but it does provide a pause in the landscape that bends like a body of water. Dining on Trattoria Del Mare’s terrace, you probably won’t notice the highway below, and the open expanse is inviting as you gaze out over the old mills and distant rooftops. Consider it a unique Providence experience. Don’t discount the outdoor seating here as the weather cools. Much of it is covered, and the heat lamps and a large brick fireplace will keep you toasty. Of course, the restaurant’s interior has plenty of tables too. Before we ordered, a treat arrived from the kitchen: the house pita bread. Drizzled with a tangy garlic cheese sauce, it woke up our palates. Our waiter reminded us of the dollar raw bar specials that run from four to six on weeknights. We started with a half dozen oysters and two shrimp which were most definitely jumbo (all $1 each). The happy hour special also includes littlenecks. The Mionetto
Shellfish Platter
La mare Pasta
Prosecco Brut ($9/glass) was a decent pairing for our raw selection. We continued with the Ceviche ($10), large enough to split with two
or more. Generous cubes of tuna and salmon mixed colorfully with shrimp and plump orange mussels. This ceviche wasn’t as puckeringly acidic as some, and the ingredients tasted fresh. Our two salads were the stars of this dining experience. My husband had the Burrata Salad ($9). Three slices of tomato were each topped with a generous slab of burrata and drizzled with a truffle balsamic glaze. I had the MED Crab salad ($14). Both halves of a just-ripe avocado were piled with crab meat. These were served, along with three jumbo shrimp, on a bed of baby greens dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette. I expected a dainty appetizer salad, but this was huge and would have made a great dinner salad for a healthy eater. The Del Mare Salad is a similar offering which substitutes ceviche for the crab meat. For our entrées, we switched to the crisp Harbor Town Sauvignon Blanc
ONE MORE BITE: Trattoria Del Mare’s “Buck a Shuck” happy hour runs from five to seven on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The special features oysters, littlenecks and shrimp for a dollar apiece. 52
Providence Monthly | November 2015
Photography by Stacey Doyle
Set on Spruce Street, the parallel neighbor to Atwells Avenue, Trattoria Del Mare provides the cachet of Federal Hill with less hype and a shorter wait time. The first floor of this non-descript building has housed a number of predecessors in the last decade: the legendary BYOB restaurant Casa Christine, which I still can’t believe I never tried, Thornton’s and, most recently, D’Vine On The Hill. Why not seize the opportunity of a warm early-fall evening and dine al fresco? Trattoria Del Mare has an ample back patio, and as we walked to our table I was reminded of a favorite Federal Hill memory. Several years ago, as we strolled out the rear of Federal Hill’s iconic piazza, a friend who had recently moved to Rhode Island exclaimed, “Wow! You can even see the water from here!” We had a good laugh; the valley that lies beyond Spruce Street was carved out by a highway instead of
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Trinity
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Hypnotic Blue Breeze
($8/glass). My husband ordered the Lobster Fra Diavlo ($26), a classic dish with lobster, tomato-based sauce and plenty of spaghetti. I liked that this was spicier than other local versions of the dish (though not overly so, and I’m sure the kitchen will tone it down on request). My entrée choice was the Seafood Risotto ($24), a large creamy dish of risotto with salmon, scallops and shrimp. I appreciated the richness of the flavor and that it was looser than some brick-like risotto dishes I’ve seen recently. We shared two desserts: the Chocolate Cake and a Peanut Butter Gelato bombe ($6 each). The cake was, to my delight, the reverse of a typical layer cake, with sponge cake layered thinly between a thick fudgy
mousse. We both vied for the gelato’s caramel center. Though the menu doesn’t follow cutting-edge food trends, the food was well prepared with fresh ingredients, and I would gladly try more of the menu based on the quality of our sampling. It’s especially welcome to have another seafoodfocused option in town, considering they are less numerous than you’d expect from the capital of the Ocean State.
Trattoria Del Mare 145 Spruce Street 273-7070 facebook.com/trattoriadelmareri
186 Fountain Street, Providence 401.453.2337 • www.trinitybrewhouse.com
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November 2015 | Providence Monthly
53
POSTER BY CYRUS HIGHSMITH & EM LETTERPRESS
Join us opening night October 29th for
Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict at the RISD Museum
with Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland Victuals provided by Ocean State Oyster Festival, Wine by Campus Fine Wines Musical performance by James Falzone & Ensemble
For tickets & schedule
providencecinematheque.com The Providence Art & Design Film Festival is a four-day curated film series focused on the diverse disciplines within art and design. The mission of the festival is to showcase artists, designers, collectors, craftspeople, curators and makers from around the world to engage, educate and reflect on the influence art and design have on communnity, politics, history, personal expression and and our contemporary landscape. ........................ Sponsored By ........................ 20TH CENTURY ART AND DESIGN
Photo credits: Roloff Beny / Courtesy of National Archives of Canadaand & The Peggy Gugggenheim Collection Archives, Venice
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Feast |
on the menu
By Grace Lentini
Off the Menu
Tête-à-tête at The Chef’s Table at the Providence marriott downtown From Hope Street to Hope Artiste Village
Photography by (top left) Mike Braca, (top right) Grace Lentini, (bottom) Veatsna Sok
Chef Franco Paterno of the Providence marriott downtown
Imagine a cozy evening filled with off-the-menu dishes and wine pairings. The hustle and bustle of the busy restaurant is only background noise as you have a private dining area all to yourself. Well, almost all to yourself. More like, a small group has a room all to themselves. Something along the lines of a rehearsal dinner, wedding shower, corporate “thank you” dinner for VIP clients or perhaps just a group of friends. This intimate dining experience takes place at the Bluefin Grille at the Providence Marriott Downtown, and it’s called The Chef’s Table. The Chef’s Table was born out of the Marriott’s annual event where they showcase their chefs. It evolved into The Chef’s Table Private Dining Experience and a monthly Chef’s Table Wine Dinner Series. Diners may reserve The Chef’s Table Private Dining Experience ten days in advance, or anyone can attend one of The Chef’s Table Wine Dinner Series monthly events. Just a few of the dishes that will whet your appetite are the trio of oyster samplings; seared duck breast with charred bok choy, celeriax puree, lotus chips and a cinnamon plum sauce; and “squaffles” – butternut squash waffles with maple peppercorn caramel, vanilla bean ice cream and candied tarragon. And the man behind the creative and tempting cuisine: Chef Franco Paterno. He’s been with the Providence Marriott Downtown for 30 years, and there’s no end to his wealth of culinary knowledge and inspiration. “My cuisine is definitely globally inspired, utilizing classic culinary techniques, the best
local ingredients and watching the latest trends while retaining a real level of authenticity,” Chef Franco explains. “My dishes are inspired by past work, all current and past culinary team members, friends and family. I am especially inspired by my mom, Annunziata, who is the best cook – period.” His favorite dish to serve is by far Bluefin Grille’s signature entrée: Seared Haddock with a littleneck pan chowder. “It is highly representative of our region, utilizing local products that are very sustainable,” says Chef Franco. But what about these wine pairings? The wine selection is dictated by the menu. Kevin Shakespeare, the General Manager of the Bluefin Grille, tastes the menu and then selects the wines. “It’s a balance that is both complementary and contrasting,” says Kevin. “For example, I might pair a spicy seafood dish with a sweet German Riesling or a buttery, high fat content dish (like pasta) with an equally buttery Chardonnay.” “Guests can look forward to memorable dining experiences, eating great food and drinking an amazing selection of wine, while at the same time exploring unique food items [and] learning about how each is prepared,” says Chef Franco. “The highlight is the cooking demo where a course is prepared tableside giving the guest the opportunity to interact with me as I describe how to make it. Guests leave inspired to try it at home!” Private dining experience for up to eight people starts at $900; The Chef’s Table Wine Dinner Series is $85 per person. 1 Orms Street. 272-5852, marriottprovidence.com
We all know and love Blaze East Side restaurant on Hope Street. They’ve been here for ten years and at this point are basically a landmark on the street. But guess what, they’ve moved to a bigger location in Hope Artiste Village, and with that new location comes a new name: Blaze Village Kitchen. Seems like hope is the common denominator, and quite appropriate seeing as it’s the state’s motto. There’s lots of new stuff to look forward to, as well: a foodie bar where you can watch the chefs make pizza in their new brick oven; new drinks including a brunch Bloody Mary made with tomatillo and jalapeño; a large variety of
tapas; gluten-free items; and, of course, classic Blaze dishes we’ve come to love over the years like their Catfish Jambalaya. What’s more is they are planning on having cooking classes, wine tastings, vegan tastings, live music and much more. 999 Main Street, Suite 1113, Pawtucket. 727-2529, blazerestaurants.com
Deep Dish Dreams For the last 27 years, Sicilia’s Pizzeria has been the home to the Famous Stuffed Pizza. Anchoring Federal Hill on the corner of Atwells Avenue and Dean Street, the pilgrimage to the shop is one that hungry locals happily make. For years, Sicilia’s has been getting requests from across the country to ship their pizza. So, they’ve been shipping half-cooked pizzas in response to those who’ve sadly left the Ocean State. It’s with these requests in mind that Sicilia’s has started a Take & Bake program for local residents. To start, they are featuring their deep dish stuffed cheese pizza, but stay tuned for top-seller spinach, cheese and pepperoni. The frozen pizzas will be available,
starting this month, at Dave’s Marketplace at the Smithfield Crossings, Shores Market in North Providence and Cranston and Eastside Marketplace. Hungry readers beware; this Rhody staple goes from the oven to your tastebuds in 35 to 40 minutes. Side effects may include deep dish addiction. 181 Atwells Avenue. 273-9222, siciliasonline.com
Hi Neighbor! What have we come to expect from Narragansett Beer? As of late, it’s been seasonal brews that incorporate iconic flavors into their malty goodness. Narragansett Dels Shandy, anyone? Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout, perhaps? How about their newest release, Allie’s Donuts Double Chocolate Porter. It’s a malty blend of Narragansett’s classic Porter combined with rich cocoa flavoring inspired by Allie’s famous old fashioned double chocolate donuts. It also marks the third installment in ‘Gansett’s “Hi Neighbor Mash-Up” series, which partners iconic Rhode Island institutions with Narragansett to create unique seasonal beers.
This mash-up is brewed with chocolate malt, dark crystal malt and cocoa nibs to achieve the double-chocolate flavor and is finished with a subtle hint of vanilla. Allie’s Double Chocolate Porter will be available all winter long and comes in six packs of 16-ounce tallboy cans. narragansettbeer.com
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
55
Nominated Best Erotic Boutique in U.S., AVN Awards 2012
Feast |
In the Kitchen
By Nicolas Staab
Mister Sister The South American Dream Chef Cesin Curi of Los Andes highlights Erotica
More Toys than the Devil has Sinners
Mon 12pm-8pm, Tue-Thur 11-9 Fri-Sat 11-10, Sun 12-8
Order Online mistersistertoys.com 268 Wickenden Street Providence • 421- 6969
Peruvian cuisine on Chalkstone For eight years now, Los Andes has been crushing the PVD food scene with authentic Peruvian cuisine. It’s been so well-received you would be hard-pressed to get in without waiting virtually any night of the week. More so, it’s a full-fledged family operation. What started as a tag team effort between two brothers and has evolved into a thriving restaurant where Executive Chef Cesin Curi and his father work together in the kitchen. We talked to Cesin about collaborating with family and how the restaurant is music to his ears. Tell us the story of how Los Andes got started. Los Andes was a dream my brother Omar and I brought to life, little by little. We were fortunate enough to open in this location eight years ago and were blessed with how everything came together. A lot of people were telling us, “oh, you guys aren’t going to make it, you can’t do this.” I think we fed off of that feedback in a very positive way. We went with faith and did what our hearts told us to do. How does your family influence how Los Andes is run? The whole family is here, and that’s what Los Andes is all about. We have so many caring people in the same place with the same goal; that’s a huge part of our success. One of my sisters runs the books, my brother is in the front of the house, my mother and other sister take care of the desserts, and my father and I go absolutely bananas in the kitchen. What’s it like collaborating with your father in the kitchen? I am jealous of how [my father] makes dishes, to be honest. He has a very natural method of doing things. For example, we were recently creating a yogurt dressing for one of the appetizers and he’s not a firm believer in the food processor. He kept saying, “You have to muddle in the garlic with the salt by hand. If you put it in the food processor, the salt won’t fully absorb the flavor.” So I’m sitting there like, “Oh my God, dad, it’s a food processor! Just put it in there and it will be the same.” Did it taste good when I put it in the food processor? Yes. But if you
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Cesin Curi shares his passion for food as the executive chef at Los Andes
tried the way my father makes it (the way that I make it now), it does something. It makes it better. So I learn something everyday. What sort of atmosphere are you trying to create at Los Andes? We want to steal your mind and borrow your palate. So, when you’re sitting here your mind is in a different place and your palate is experiencing things that it hasn’t before. We want you to hear the sounds of South America, smell the scents of South America and, eventually, when you sit down, taste the flavors of South America. Your focus is cooking Peruvian and Bolivian cuisine; what types of ingredients do you use in the kitchen? We utilize as many products from Peru and Bolivia as we can. We directly source about 40% of our menu from there. The reason why we import from Peru is to keep the authenticity intact. A ceviche is not a true ceviche without the use of a good ahi pepper. And you can’t go to your local food store and say, “Okay, let me have the dehydrated potatoes from Bolivia, please.” We also import a lot of fish from Peru directly. We’re pretty much the only restaurant in Providence that utilizes pacu, which is a fish in the piranha family. We also have the paiche,
which is a prehistoric fish, also from the Amazon River. Can we look forward to anything exciting at Los Andes this fall and winter? We’re expanding the downstairs of the restaurant to include a curing room where we can dry-age meats, cure them and utilize certain methods of preservation native to our culture’s history. These are simple methods, but it’s still easy to mess it up. So we’ve been working very hard on coming up with a plan. We’re also going to be expanding and adding another 60 seats to the house. What keeps you coming back to the restaurant day after day? To hear the music. It’s the music of the dining room, the music of the busy establishment, and there are no better tunes in the world than hearing those sounds of laughter or silverware clanging, people cheering or celebrating for a birthday or anniversary. That to me is the music that I want to continue to hear forever.
Los Andes 903 Chalkstone Avenue 649-4911 losandesri.com
Photography by José Navarro-Robles
CelebraTing 6 YearS!
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Visit us to learn more!
Contact Mrs. Cathy Solomon at 401.739.3450 x163 or go to hendricken.com.
2615 Warwick Avenue Warwick, RI 02889
www.hendricken.com
Bishop Hendricken High School Catholic Values Fostering A Tradition Of Excellence
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165 Pitman St • 831-7771 • eaStSidemarket.com
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Delicious Italian Cuisine With a Mediterranean Flair Adorned With Fine Art • Impeccable Service & Amazing Company Serving Lunch & Dinner • Visit our CIgAr Lounge at DaVinci 2nd floor Co m p l i m e n ta ry Va l e t pa r k i n g a lways aVa i l a b l e
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Feast | In the drink
By Emily Dietsch
Kicked Up Coffee Brewed Awakenings adds adult beverages to their menu
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Start today with a free quote The Nose warmer at
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Brewed Awakenings marries coffee with liqueur
Photography by Brian DeMello
Mixing coffee and booze
is, for some strange reason, a confounding concept to many people. To them, coffee solely belongs to AM hours. It peps you up, and greets the daylight. In this worldview, cocktails occupy the opposite side of the spectrum – serving to wind you down and greet the evening. Never, ever should the two mingle... except in great aunt Barbara’s Irish coffee on weekends and holidays. Hooey. The more imaginative person considers how nicely coffee and booze play together from a flavor standpoint. Or, they respect that the combination is acceptable most any time of day. Brunch? Yes. Nightcap? Also yes. Local coffee joint Brewed Awakenings now joins that more imaginative class. This past summer they acquired a full liquor license and developed a tailored list of coffee-based “adult drinks” to serve alongside the drip coffees, espressos, lattes and cappuccinos they were already prized for. The engineer of that list was manager Bob Woodstock, who happens to be a 30year veteran of the bartending trade, and competed in bartending throwdowns from Dallas to Taiwan. Try their Nose Warmer on for size as the chill in the air sharpens. Its effect is exactly as advertised, and good from noon to night.
CMYK / .eps
Jeo Sanchez agency / allState InSurance 1987 Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence • 349-2900
Upscale Mexican Cuisine on Historic Federal Hill The Nose Warmer One Serving From a mixology perspective, the ratios here are as easy as can be – and that’s a beautiful thing. All the liqueurs are in equal parts, and then the coffee, whipped cream and cinnamon are all to taste. You can freehand this cocktail in seconds, radically narrowing the distance between chilly misery and warmed-up bliss. • ½ oz Tia Maria liqueur • ½ oz Bailey’s • ½ oz Grand Marnier • ½ oz Frangelico • ½ oz dark creme de cacao liqueur • Hot brewed coffee • Whipped cream • Dash of cinnamon Put the liqueurs in a serving mug or tempered-glass vessel, add hot brewed coffee and stir. Top with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.
Brewed Awakenings Locations in Johnston, Cranston, Warwick and Wakefield brewedcoffeeshop.com
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Rhode Island's Hottest Resource For Fun & Fabulous Home Décor & Accessories
holiday
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Enjoy a sneak peak of our Christmas store, open regular hours all of NOV and DEC 10 Morgan ave, no. Prov (off Mineral Spring)
Byer’s Choice • Joe Spencer Holiday Figures • Zims The Elves Themselves 2207 & 2209 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence • 349-4409 www.hopscotchroom.com November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
RHODY BITES A Sponsored Statewide Dining Guide
view our full restaurant Profiles on RhodyBites.com
Abyssinia Experience a whole new world of flavor at Abyssinia, Rhode Island’s only Ethiopian restaurant. In Providence’s Fox Point, Abyssinia serves traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine, with recipes that have been honed for thousands of years but are prepared fresh every day. While it’s a distinctly African cuisine, Ethiopian is similar to Indian food, full of rich spices, and is very popular with vegetarians and vegans because of its abundance of flavorful vegetable dishes. Rather than Indian curry, the predominant flavor in Ethiopian is berbere, a blend of 14 different spices and hot peppers. The
restaurant also works with refugees from Ethiopia and Eritrea – their philosophy is “eat good food, do good for the world.” Ethiopian food is healthy, flavorful and fun to eat – it’s a cuisine where it’s not only okay to eat with your hands, it’s expected. No matter what you order, all Ethiopian food comes served on a large, flat piece of injera, which is a tangy, soft bread similar to Indian naan or a tortilla. Instead of using utensils, you tear off a piece of injera and use it to pick up a bite of food. While it’s a lot of fun to eat this way, they do have utensils available at Abyssinia.
Can’t miss dish: Ye’sega Alcha – Tender beef cubes simmered in a savory sauce of butter, onion, ginger and ird, a mild blend of spices.
Photography by Grace Lentini
333 Wickenden St, Providence • 454-1412
Ethiopian cuisine at Abyssinia
10 Prime Steak & Sushi Gourmet steaks and sushi. 55 Pine St, Providence, 4532333. LD $$$
Bistro 22 New American rustic cuisine in Garden City. 22 Midway Rd, Cranston, 383-6400. LD $-$$
Capriccio Upscale international food with a northern Italian/Mediterranean accent. 2 Pine St, Providence, 421-1320. LD $-$$$
French accent. House made sausages, hot dogs and accoutrements. 960 Hope St, Providence, 421-4422. LD $-$$$
Abyssinia Authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean comfort food. 333 Wickenden St, Providence, 454-1412. LD $-$$
Black Bass Grille Classic seafood, historic waterfront setting. 3 Water St, South Dartmouth, MA, 508-999-6975. LD $$
Carriage Inn & Saloon Regional comfort food accompanied by a whiskey bar. 1065 Tower Hill Rd, North Kingstown, 294-8466. D $-$$
Chapel Grille Gourmet food overlooking the Providence skyline. 3000 Chapel View Blvd, Cranston, 944-4900. BrLD $$$
Angelo’s Civita Farnese Restaurant Italian American comfort food classics. 141 Atwells Ave, Providence, 621-8171. LD $-$$
Blend Café Modern Latin-American infused fare. 745 Reservoir Ave, Cranston, 270-5533. BBRLD $-$$
CAV Eclectic cuisine and art in an historic setting. 14 Imperial Place, Providence, 751-9164. BrLD $$-$$$
Circe Restaurant & Bar South Beach meets New England seafood favorites. 50 Weybosset St, Providence, 4378991. BRLD $-$$$
AQUA Poolside cocktails with seasonal American cuisine. 1 Orms St, Providence, 272-2400. LD $-$$
Bluefin Grille at the Providence Marriott Downtown Seasonal and sustainable seafood in an elegant atmosphere. 1 Orms St, Providence, 272-5852. LD $-$$
Celestial Café Organic farm-to-table fine dining. Oak Harbor Village, 567 S County Tr, Exeter, 295-5559. BrLD $-$$$
Clean Plate Delicious comfort food in a casual setting. 345 S. Water St, Providence, 621-8888. BBrLD $$
Aruba Steve’s Island cuisine, handcrafted cocktails and Caribbean flair. 520 Main St, Warren, 289-2677. LD $-$$
Bluewater Bar + Grill Contemporary seafood with farm-to-table cuisine. 32 Barton Ave, Barrington, 247-0017. LD $-$$
Centro Restaurant & Lounge Contemporary cuisine and cocktails. 1 W Exchange St, Providence, 228-6802. BLD $$$
DeWolf Tavern Gourmet American/ Indian fusion. 259 Thames St, Bristol, 254-2005. BLD $$-$$$
Aspire Seasonal Kitchen Contemporary New England fare. 311 Westminster St, Providence, 521-3333. BBrLD $$-$$$
Breachway Grill Classic New England fare, plus NY-style pizza. 1 Charlestown Beach Rd, Charlestown, 213-6615. LD $$
Champlins Seafood Dockside fresh seafood serving easy breezy cocktails. 256 Great Island Rd, Narragansett, 783-3152. LD $-$$
The Dorrance Fine dining with exquisite cocktails. 60 Dorrance St, Providence, 521-6000. D $$$
Besos Kitchen & Cocktails Tapas and eclectic cuisine and cocktails. 378 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-8855. BrLD $$$
Café Nuovo Contemporary New World cuisine. 1 Citizens Plz, Providence, 4212525. LD $-$$$
Chez Pascal/The Wurst Kitchen Seasonal farm-to-table cuisine with a
Eleven Forty Nine City sophistication in the suburbs. 1149 Division St, Warwick, 884-1149. LD $$$
Key: B breakfast Br brunch L lunch d dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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RHODY BITES Continued
Ella’s Fine Food & Drink Elegant dining meets international cuisine. 2 Tower St, Westerly, 315-0606. D $-$$$ Flatbread Company Artisanal pizza, local ingredients. 161 Cushing St, Providence, 273-2737. LD $-$$ Fresco Italian American comfort food with international inspirations. 301 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-0027; 140 Comstock Pkwy, Cranston, 2283901. D $-$$ George’s of Galilee Fresh caught seafood in an upscale pub atmosphere. 250 Sand Hill Cove Rd, Narragansett, 783-2306. LD $-$$ Harry’s Bar & Burger Handcrafted sliders, brews and pub games. 121 N Main St, Providence, 228-7437; 301 Atwells Ave, 228-3336. LD $-$$ Haruki Japanese cuisine and a la carte selections with casual ambiance. 1210 Oaklawn Ave, Cranston, 463-8338; 172 Wayland Ave, Providence, 223-0332; 112 Waterman St, Providence, 4210754. LD $-$$ Iggy’s Doughboys & Chowder House Classic clam shack fare, plus famous doughboys. 889 Oakland Beach Ave, Warwick, 737-9459; 1157 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett, 783-5608. LD $ Iron Works Tavern A wide variety of signature American dishes in the historic Thomas Jefferson Hill Mill. 697 Jefferson Blvd, Warwick, 739-5111. LD $-$$$ Jacky’s Galaxie Local Pan-Asian chain offering sushi and classic entrees in a modern atmosphere. Locations in Providence, North Providence, Bristol and Cumberland, jackysgalaxie.com. LD $-$$$ Jigger’s Diner Classic ‘50s diner serving breakfast all day. 145 Main St, East Greenwich, 884-6060. BL $-$$ Julian’s A must-taste Providence staple celebrating 20 years. 318 Broadway, Providence, 861-1770. BBrLD $$ Kabob and Curry Award-winning Indian food serving Providence since 1987. 261 Thayer St, Providence, 273-8844. LD $-$$ Kartabar Mediterranean-style cuisine,
chic setting. 284 Thayer St, Providence, 331-8111. LD $-$$
383-7722; 380 Atwells Ave, Providence, 273-2400. LD $-$$
KitchenBar Contemporary comfort cuisine. 771 Hope St, Providence, 3314100. BrLD $$
Nordic Lodge Surf and turf buffet selections perfect for family gatherings. 178 E Pasquisett Trl, Charlestown, 7834515. LD $$$
Laurel Lane Country Club Upscale pub cuisine overlooking a picturesque golf course. 309 Laurel Ln, West Kingston, 783-3844. LD $-$$
Oceanside at the Pier New England fare overlooking the Atlantic. 1 Beach St, Narragansett, 792-3999. BrLD $$
Legends Pub and Grub Hometown pub food and brews with ample sports watching. 1458 Park Ave, Cranston, 270-4170. LD $
The Olive Tap Extra virgin olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars and gourmet food and gift selections. 485 Angell St, Providence, 272-8200. $$-$$$
Lim’s Restaurant Upscale Thai and fresh sushi. 18 South Angell St, Providence, 383-8830. LD $$
Parkside Rotisserie & Bar American bistro specializing in rotisserie meats. 76 South Main St, Providence, 331-0003. LD $-$$ Pat’s Italian Fine Italian favorites, natural steaks and handcrafted cocktails. 1200 Hartford Ave, Johnston, 2731444. LD $-$$$ Phil’s Main Street Grille Classic comfort food; great rooftop patio. 323 Main St, Wakefield, 783-4073. BBrLD $
Worth The Drive:
Luxe Burger Bar Build your own creative burger. 5 Memorial Blvd, Providence, 621-5893. LD $ Maharaja Indian Restaurant Indian cuisine and traditional curries in a warm setting. 1 Beach St, Narragansett, 3639988. LD $-$$ Malted Barley American craft beer, gourmet pretzels and creative sandwiches in downtown Westerly. 42 High St, Westerly, 315-2184. LD $$ McBlarney’s County Tap Modern, upscale pub with daily specials. 632 Metacom Ave, Warren, 289-0887. LD $$ McBride’s Pub Traditional Irish pub fare in Wayland Square. 161 Wayland Ave, Providence, 751-3000. LD $$ McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steak Mixed grill selections and signature fish dishes sourced locally and seasonally. 11 Dorrance St, Providence, 351-4500. BLD $$-$$$ Mia’s Prime Time Café Upscale café cuisine by the Pawcatuck River. 1 West Broad St, Pawcatuck, CT, 860-5993840. BLD $$ Mill’s Tavern Historic setting for New American gourmet. 101 N Main St, Providence, 272-3331. D $$$ Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza, Classic Italian fare and traditional New York style pizzas. 100 East St, Cranston,
Gourmet sushi Jacky’s Galaxie
Jacky’s Galaxie Bristol There’s one name in fine Asian cuisine in Rhode Island: Jacky. With five restaurants throughout Rhode Island, Jacky’s Galaxie restaurants serve fresh, creative sushi and Chinese, Japanese and Thai food. From classics like Pad Thai and Singapore Noodles to unforgettable fusion rolls like the Northeastern Tiger (shrimp, avocado and cucumber, topped with torched salmon, masago and scallion, served with lobster sauce and eel sauce), the
Providence Monthly | November 2015
Jacky’s restaurants are places you’ll want to revisit again and again. Jacky’s Galaxie in Bristol is one of the premier dining destinations in the East Bay. Large dining rooms, including a sushi bar, can accommodate legions of hungry diners and a stylish lounge is a great place for a cocktail before or after. The banquet rooms are popular for weddings and grand parties of up to 200 people, and cater both Eastern and Western cuisine.
Can’t-miss dish: Clams with Black Bean Sauce – Ten littlenecks stir fried with green pepper, minced garlic, and jalapeno pepper in a spicy black bean sauce
383 Metacom Ave, Bristol • 253-8818
For full restaurant profiles, go to RhodyBites.com 62
Paragon & Viva Contemporary dining and nightlife. 234 Thayer St, Providence, 331-6200. BrLD $-$$
Pho Horn’s Fresh authentic Vietnamese dishes in a colorful setting. 50 Ann Mary St #403, Pawtucket, 365-6278. LD $-$$ Pizzico Diverse Italian and fusion cuisine in a rustic yet eclectic atmosphere. 762 Hope St, Providence, 421-4114; 308 County Rd, Barrington, 247-0303. LD $-$$$ Providence Coal Fired Pizza Old world coal-fired pizzas, appetizers and entrees made from scratch. 385 Westminster St, Providence, 4547499; 6105 Post Rd, North Kingstown, 885-7499. LD $-$$ Public Kitchen & Bar American food with changing daily inspirations. 120 Francis St, Providence, 919-5050. BrLD $-$$ Rasa Authentic and contemporary Indian. 149 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-2822. LD $$ Rasoi Vegetarian-friendly Indian cuisine. 727 East Ave, Pawtucket, 7285500. LD $$ Red Stripe Casual French-American bistro. 465 Angell St, Providence, 4376950. BrLD $$ Rick’s Roadhouse House-smoked barbecue. 370 Richmond St, Providence, 272-7675. LD $-$$ Roberto’s Italian fine dining and large wine selection in the scenic East Bay. 450 Hope St, Bristol, 254-9732. D $$-$$$ Sa-Tang Fine Thai and Asian fusion cuisine with gluten-free selections. 402 Main St, Wakefield, 284-4220. LD $-$$ Scampi Seafood and Italian cuisine with expansive water views. 657 Park Ave, Portsmouth, 293-5844. LD $$ The Sea Goose Seafood with New England and southern flair. 265 Post Rd, Westerly, 315-0788. LD $$-$$$ Siena Impeccable Italian cuisine. Locations in Providence, East Greenwich, Smithfield, 521-3311. D $$-$$$ Simone’s Gourmet brunch followed by upscale Mediterranean cuisine. 275 Child St, Warren, 247-1200. BBrLD $$-$$$ Sophia’s Tuscan Grille BYOB eatery with classic Tuscan dishes and homemade desserts. 1729 Warwick Ave, Warwick, 732-6656. BLD $-$$$ T’s Restaurant Plentiful breakfast and
@RhodyBites
lunch. Locations in Cranston, East Greenwich, Narragansett, 946-5900. BL $ Taullulah on Thames Farm-driven, a la carte and prix fixe menus in a simply decorated setting. 464 Thames St, Newport, 849-2433. BrD $$$
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Tavern by the Sea Waterfront European/American bistro. 16 W Main St, Wickford, 294-5771. LD $$ Tavern on the Water A fusion of Portuguese and French cuisine in an upscale American atmosphere. 743 Putnam Pk, Smithfield, 349-3888. LD $-$$$ Ten Rocks Tapas Bar Cape-Verdean inspired small plates, handcrafted cocktails and frequent live music. 1091 Main St, Pawtucket, 728-0800. BrLD $-$$
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Tortilla Flats Fresh Mexican, Cajun and Southwestern fare, cocktails and over 70 tequilas. 355 Hope St, Providence, 751-6777. LD $-$$
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Trinity Brewhouse Rhode Island’s original brewpub. 186 Fountain St, Providence, 453-2337. LD $-$$ Twin Willows Fresh seafood and water views in a family-friendly atmosphere. 865 Boston Neck Rd, Narragansett, 789-8153. LD $-$$ Vanuatu Coffee Roasters Artisancrafted, single origin coffee, pastries and breakfast sandwiches. 294 Atwells Ave, Providence, 273-1586. BL $-$$ Vetrano’s Ristorante & Pizzeria Italian cooking like grandma would make. 130 Granite St, Westerly, 348-5050. LD $$ The Village Casual dining and live entertainment. 373 Richmond St, Providence, 228-7222. BrLD $$ Vittoria’s NY Pizza Best pizza north of Manhattan. 224 Post Rd, Westerly, 322-1901. LD $-$$ Waterman Grille Riverfront New American dining. 4 Richmond Sq, Providence, 521-9229. BLD $$$
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Wes’ Rib House Missouri-style barbecue, open late. 38 Dike St, Providence, 421-9090. LD $$ Whiskey Republic Delicious dockside pub fare. 515 South Water St, Providence, 588-5158. LD $-$$ XO Cafe Creative cocktails and New American fare. 125 N Main St, Providence, 273-9090. BrD $$
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November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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ROW LIKE A GIRL
ROCK LIKE A GIRL
EXPLORE LIKE A GIRL OPEN HOUSE • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 • 1-3 P.M. RSVP: www.lincolnschool.org/openhouse
Leadership Program to India • Girls Who Code Clubs • Save the Bay Partnership Grade 8 Program to the United Nations • Human Rights Curriculum Reggio Emilia Program and The Studio • Edible Garden and Outdoor Classroom
#onlyatlincolnschool 301 Butler Avenue, Providence, RI 02906 401-331-9696 • www.lincolnschool.org
Get Out
EVENTS / ART / MUSIC / THEATRE
Yuk it up at PPAC, with their laugh-out-loud performance of Book of Mormon this month
Best Bets for November Fun 1.
November 17-22: “Screw you guys, I’m going home.” If you recognized that Eric Cartman quote, it’s likely you’re a South Park fan. And if you’re a South Park fan, it’s even likelier you will laugh your butt off at the Book of Mormon, a religious satire musical written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Hailed as “the best musical of this century” by The New York Times, Book of Mormon has netted nine Tony Awards. $50-$150. 2pm, 6:30pm and 8pm show times. 220 Weybosset Street. 421-2787, ppacri.org.
2.
November 7: Get your tickets early for Revival! at Columbus Theatre featuring Kishi Bashi, The Low Anthem, The Huntress, Screaming Females, Mitski, She Keeps Bees, Last Good Tooth, Vudu Sister and more. $20 advance; $25 day of. 6pm doors; 7pm show. 270 Broadway. 621-9660, columbustheatre.com.
3.
November 13: Kids ages 3-8 and adults alike will enjoy Audubon’s Turkey Tales at Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge. Read a turkey story, make a turkey craft and examine the wings and feathers of wild turkeys. $5-$7. 10-11:30am. 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield. 9495454, asri.org.
4.
November 8: Hamilton House hosts WWII 70 Years Later, an Event and Exhibit to Celebrate and Commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the End of WWII, featuring food, music and scenes that show how everyone, even children, pitched in to help win the war. All ages. 276 Angell Street. 8311800, historichamilton.com.
5.
November 6-8: An estimated 60,000 people will attend the Rhode Island Comic Con at the Dunk. The three-day, familyfriendly affair includes celebrity appearances, a cosplay contest and much more. The VIP pass includes an exclusive toy, show prints, bag and badge. $15-$139. 1 Sabin Street. 331-6700, ricomiccon.com.
November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Get Out |
Calendar
By Erin Balsa
November November 1: You’re invited to be delighted as The Empire Revue Presents: The Surprise Show at AS220 led by Keith Munslow and the Superchief Trio, featuring The Sparkling Beatniks. 8-10pm. 115 Empire Street. 831-9327, as220.org.
Wintertime Farmer’s Market, selling everything from local eggs to oysters to flowers to deck the dining room table. Wednesday 4-7pm; Saturday 9am1pm. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. farmfresh.org.
November 1: The moonwalk didn’t die with Michael Jackson. See it performed on stage set to the pop icon’s hit songs, including “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and “Thriller,” at Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson at The Park Theatre. $35-$45. 8pm. 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. 467-7275, parktheatreri.com.
November 4-22: Five actors portray 39 different characters in Around the World in 80 Days at Ocean State Theatre. A dose of danger, a dash of romance and a whole bunch of comedic surprises are in store for viewers in this classic tale. 2pm & 7:30pm shows. 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick. 9216800, oceanstatetheatre.org.
November 3 & 17: Take a onehour Guided Architectural Library Tour at the historic Providence Community Library on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The building, built in 1900, features sweeping high ceilings and gorgeous woodwork. 10:30-11:30am. 225 Washington Street. 455-8000, provlib.org. November 3-24: Indulge your curiosity by taking a look at the night sky every Tuesday evening at the Ladd’s weekly Telescope Observing Night. The telescope is available for public use year round, weather permitting. 9-11pm. 210 Doyle Avenue. 863-2323, brown.edu. November 3-24: Love beer? Love cheap wings? Love rubbing your brilliance in other people’s faces? Head to Trinity Brewhouse every Tuesday night for Stump! Trivia. Winning teams go home with prizes, so be sure to bring your smartest friends. 8pm. 186 Fountain Street. 453-2337, stumptrivia.com. November 4: If you’ve ever wondered what goes on at The Steel Yard, now is your chance to find out. The Yardies offer Public Tours on the first Wednesday of every month. Stop by and take a tour of the interesting building where creative “Yardies” live, work and teach. Noon. 27 Sims Avenue. 273-7101, thesteelyard.org. November 4-28: Hope Artiste Village opens its doors every Wednesday and Saturday to host the
November 6-20: Every Friday evening it’s Friday Night Live at Everett Company Stage School. Veteran performers act along side up-and-comers to improvise songs, dances and skits that are appropriate for all ages. Prepare to laugh, cry, snort and wet your pants. $5. 7pm. 9 Duncan Avenue. 831-9479, everettri.org. November 6-27: Heat up a cold Friday night with a delightfully hot Tango Class. The weekly class is geared toward beginners and is followed by free practice time… Perhaps you’ll meet a sexy stranger and show off your new moves! 7:30-8:30pm. 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. 288-1170, providencetango.com.
November 16-30: Storm the Maxwell Mays Gallery and Dodge House Galleries with your credit card in hand at the 11th Annual Little Pictures Show & Sale. Shop for paintings, prints, photographs and more, all made by local artists. Best of all? Everything is priced to sell at $300 or less! 11 Thomas Street. 331-1114, providenceartclub.org. 2pm. 260 Thayer Street. 421-0020, avoncinema.com. November 12: Ready to remodel? Attend R.I. Kitchen and Bath’s Remodeling Seminar Series for tricks of the trade, brought to you this year by special guest host Kevin O’Conner of This Old House. This seminar will fill you in on everything you need to know when diving into the kitchen, bath, or interior renovation process. 6-8pm. 139 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick. 463-1550. RIKB.com
November 7 & 8: Temple Emanu-El hosts the 1st Annual Creative Hands Hanukkah Sale. Events on Saturday include a gala opening event complete with wine and desserts, and Sunday including arts-based activities for children to enjoy while their parents shop. Local artisans and merchants will be offering a vast selection of items to suit all of your gifting needs, as well. $18. Saturday 7-10pm. Sunday 10am-3pm. 99 Taft Avenue, Providence. 331-1616, teprov.org.
November 12-29: This month at the Gamm features The Rant, a gripping drama exploring racial relations and police ethics. Set in Brooklyn, an unarmed black teen is shot by the police. The investigator assigned to the case must find the truth buried beneath lies and threats. $30-$49. 2pm, 7pm and 8pm showtimes. 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. 7234266, gammtheatre.org.
November 8: This month Avon Cinema presents Fantasia, a Disney classic originally released in 1940. The animated film was a bold experiment, mixing imagery with classical music, and continues to delight fans to this day. This year, Fantasia celebrates its 75th anniversary. $14.
November 13-14 & 20-22: Festival Ballet presents Up Close on Hope: Apollo & Bach Suites, delivering the legendary George Balanchine ballet, Apollo, in program one, and Bach Suites, a brand new collaboration of choreographers, dancers and Community Music Works,
in program two. $50. 6pm, 7:30pm and 8pm showtimes. 825 Hope Street. 3531129, festivalballetprovidence.org. November 14: Those interested in writing and publishing will enjoy a cocktail reception and talk at Providence Athenaeum titled The Publishing World, featuring author and publisher Kaylie Jones and novelist Taylor Polites. 4pm talk; 5:30pm cocktails. 251 Benefit Street. 421-6970, providenceathenaeum.org. November 17: It’s Tuesday night and the time is right for some live local music on the main stage at AS220. See Tony Jones and the Cretin Three along with opening acts Michael Graham and the Llewd Waiters and ThunderBug. $6. 9:30pm-1am. 115 Empire Street. 831-9327, as220.org. November 19: Lupo’s is the spot to check out New Politics performing in part of The Wilderness Politics Tour, presented by Journeys and 95.5 WBRU. Opening acts include The Griswolds and Lolo. All ages. $22-$27.50. 7pm doors; 8pm show. 79 Washington Street. 331-5876, lupos.com. November 20-21: State Ballet presents three performances of the holiday
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE For an up-to-date statewide calendar and to submit your own listings, visit providenceonline.com 68
Providence Monthly | November 2015
Get Out |
Calendar
By Erin Balsa
Modern
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favorite, Coppelia at Roberts Auditorium. The enchanting ballet is a love story that centers around a dancing doll. $10-$30. 10am and 7:30pm Friday; 1:30pm Saturday. Rhode Island College, Mount Pleasant Avenue. 3342560, stateballet.com. November 21: Still dying to know what’s that one thing Meat Loaf won’t do for love? Be sure to check him out in concert at Twin River. After the show, chase him down and demand the truth. (We have a feeling it has something to do with ketchup). $55$125. 8pm. 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 723-3200, twinriver.com. November 21: Come jam at the zoo with Rock & Roar! A Rock-a-Baby Kids’ Concert Series, 45-minute music concerts geared toward babies. This month’s theme is Sea Creature Shimmy, featuring fun songs for little ones about our ocean friends. $7. 10:3011am. Education Center, 1000 Elmwood Avenue. 785-3510, rwpzoo.org. November 27: Find yourself loathing the big box consumerism that Black Friday entails? The 19th Annual Buy Nothing Day Winter Coat Exchange might be a better fit. Folks can donate – or pick up – a gently used
winter coat at sites set up around RI, like The State House lawn and the Blackstone Valley Visitors Center. Email gerritt@ mindspring.com for more information. November 28: The ex’s and oh’s of Elle King… They want her and they won’t let go. Find out why at Lupo’s, as she belts her sultry and breathy heart out. This show was moved from the Met because of its almost-immediate sell out. $18$20. 6pm doors; 7pm show. 79 Washington Street. 331-5876, lupos.com.
AlterAtions Valid Until November 30, 2015 One Per Customer & Not To Be Combined With Other Discounts
186 Front Street, Lincoln • 401-475-6288 Monday-Friday 9am-6pm | Saturday 9am-4pm
November 28: RICCO – RI’s Civic Chorale and Orchestra - presents Handel’s Messiah! The composer’s masterpiece, a holiday favorite, will be performed in its entirety at the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul. Songs include “Comfort ye,” “Amen” and the famous “Hallelujah Chorus.” $10-$30. 7:30pm. 30 Fenner Street. 521-5670, ricco.org. November 29: Pig out on laughter with the once-monthly performance of P.I.G. Providence Improv Guild at Cranston’s Artists’ Exchange. Get your fill of laughs and hold onto your seat, because anything goes with this group of performers. The fun happens on the last Sunday of every month. $5. 7pm. 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 490-9475, artists-exchange.org.
All Season Long Every Sunday Football Game Specials!
Mon thru Fri $2.00 Draft Specials 1pm to 5pm
November 8: There’s a reason why the classics never die. See for yourself with Mavis Staples and Joan Osborne’s Solid Soul Tour at the Vets. A revered R&B and gospel singer, Staples has been singing professionally since 1950, and Osborne’s been at it since the late ‘80s. Together, they make magic. $39.50-$57.50. 7pm. 1 Avenue of the Arts. 421-2787, vmari.com.
880 Victory Highway, West Greenwich (Exit 5B right off of I 95 S) 401-392-3092 • danspizzaplace.com Find us on Facebook Badge
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sea view | sea friends | sea food
Buck a shuck is Back NovemBer 2Nd moN-Fri 3-6
December 18th 7:30 pm $30 adults, $20 seniors $15 students & children For tickets call:
401-456-8144
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Roberts Hall, Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Ave, Providence, RI Sponsored by: Eva Marie Pacheco, Artistic Director
ProvidenceBallet.org
Photography by Kelly Colucci
ric.edu/pfa/orderinfo.php
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Opening Reception: Sunday, November 15, 12-4pm Exhibition Dates: November 16-December 23 Open for Gallery Night on November 19, 5-9pm
Extended Gallery Hours:
Monday-Wednesday & Friday 12-5pm Thursday12-6pm • Weekends 12-4pm 11 Thomas St., Providence, R.I. 02903 • 401.331.1114 • www.providenceartclub.org
Get Out |
Music
West side Gem!
By Tony Pacitti
20 Powhattan Street MARS Camp encourages students to apply their musical skills to their unique creative voices
The Music of Life How high school students are learning to harness their inner musician
Photo by Sara Azriel
Well into my 20s,
I began to regret not ever having gone to summer camp for something I was interested in. I may have attended a couple of athletic camps in my youth, but I walked away with neither the fond memories so many have of going to camp nor a new skill I could be proud of, and I can assure you that these hands haven’t been anywhere near a basketball or tennis racket since Clinton was in office. All of this leads to the incredible sense of envy and admiration I felt when speaking with Angela Cooper, 16, and Shaydee Saythideth, 17, two local teens who attended the Music Arts Recording Songwriting (MARS) Camp at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts (TAPA) this past summer. Started by TAPA instructors and local musicians Sara Azriel and Dan Dodd, MARS Camp ran for five weeks and gave TAPA high school students an opportunity to delve deep, and expand their own personal ideas for what music could be, all in a safe and encouraging environment. “We don’t get to spend a ton of oneon-one time throughout the [school] week. For me there was a desire to spend more time with them and help them find their voice.” Sara says of what inspired her and Dan to start MARS Camp. “And also to do songwriting. They’ve been in music classes and learned how to play all of these songs, but what can they turn that into?” “We wanted to have an environment where everyone was comfortable
enough to get into that kind of space to express themselves,” adds Dan. “After that it was like rolling a ball down a hill. Sara and I were impressed by how much they wanted to get to work.” The camp serves as a guiding hand, putting the musical skills learned during the school year to personal, creative use. Meditation, something many of the students had no real experience with prior, played a big role in this process. “It really focused the group,” says Sara, and Shaydee confirms that meditation allowed her to truly clear her head for the first time. After daily meditation, students would set their personal intentions for the day, then free-write for ten minutes and share their work with the group, usually the last thing a teenager wants to do. “It was a place where you could be yourself and not feel judged,” says Angela, “[and] be around people who have the same passion as you.” The students formed a handful of groups and set out to create original pieces of music. This came from jamming and bouncing ideas off of one another. Lyrics and themes would often come straight from the students’ free-writing sessions, and they learned quickly how to curate their own thought process into workable, tangible ideas. The end goal was to have a body of work – a mixtape released on Bandcamp – culminating their efforts and showcasing their bravery in sharing their personal thoughts with one another. When we spoke, Shaydee, Angela, Sara
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and Dan were putting some final touches on a five-track mix tape that featured everything from R&B-type ballads and rap, to punk and electro. From the sneak preview I was allowed, I heard confident and excited young voices. Speaking with Shaydee and Angela, I was surprised at how thoughtful and articulate they were in describing their music and their experience at MARS Camp – this is where that envy I spoke of earlier comes in. I wish I had been half as well spoken about my passions when I was their age. As for the future of MARS Camp, Sara and Dan would like to see it live on as a weekly after-school program at TAPA, but definitely plan on bringing it back next summer. Shaydee and Angela are glad to hear it will return, and offered words of encouragement to hypothetical students who may be on the fence about participating. “Step out of your comfort zone,” says Angela. “I walked away with more confidence in my music. I have a song that I’m proud of and I’m not afraid to show anyone.” “I honestly didn’t really know what to expect,” adds Shaydee. But, in the end, she walked away from MARS Camp having experienced something profound: “It’s not just a music camp. It’s a camp of life.”
MARS Camp marscampmusic.com marscampmusic.bandcamp.com November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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InjuREd At WORK? Learn The 3 Major Tricks Played On Injured Workers!
Get Out | Theatre
By Jenn Salcido
On Stage Downtown Artistic miscellany in a monthly variety show at Aurora When Jen Stevens
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Creative talent runs deep with the Sweet Little Variety Show
Jen correctly surmised that Providence, considered the “Creative Capital,” was home to many musicians, magicians, jugglers, rappers, singers, dancers, performance artists and others – all of whom had day jobs but required a venue to bring their passion projects to life at night. That’s where the Sweet Little Variety Show came in. Along with her co-producers, Jen is very much committed to fostering community in other respects; the group has held benefits for Rhode Island Pride, the Manton Avenue Project and other charities, each with the featured acts of the evening forgoing their pay in order to donate the $5 cover charge to the beneficiary organization. At one such benefit held on behalf of Rhode Island Pride in June, I saw a delightful mix of burlesque dancers, stand-up comics and a rendition of Biz Markee’s “Just A Friend” performed by the Moist Towelettes, one of the two house bands for the variety show, comprised of Nicole and cohort Beth Husted. “We really appreciate that we can give people an opportunity to hone their craft,” Jen says of the many acts – particularly the stand-up comics – who have been afforded the chance to grow through their years performing at the show. “People who wouldn’t be able to get a gig otherwise will come through and they’ll keep coming back.” Artists must wait three months before they come back to be featured on stage, so the offerings at each show
are different from month to month, but Jen says they’ve been fortunate to see familiar faces return to the stage time and again. Despite the welcoming tenor of the show, Jen says, it’s still a paid gig, which certainly carries meaning with the artists. She wants them to be able to pay for parking or to belly up to the bar after performing and afford a drink. “We’ve had people say ‘no, I can’t take your money,’” she says. “But it’s important that we pay the artists. I think we have a wonderful pool of talented people here in the community, but I think it’s difficult for them,” Jen explains. “A lot of venues pop up and go away. And so [the local art scene] is ever evolving, but I think that is also why the variety show is so important. Anyone can land in the variety show, really, if they’re down with our mission and have something to offer.”
The Sweet Little Variety Show Monthly at Aurora 276 Westminster Street facebook.com/ sweetlittlevarietyshow November 12 at 8pm Featuring Buugeng Flowart by Chad Anctil, comic Elena Jawitz, poetry by Mittz, comic Reece Cotton and a musical performance by Sarah Rich & Invincible We
Photography by Mike Braca
Attorney At LAw
was a student at Rhode Island College, she spent much of her time in the theater department, though not necessarily walking the boards. She started an improv troupe and served on the college theater’s executive board. “I did everything,” she says, “but probably my greatest contribution was as a stage manager.” If you know theater, or maybe even if you don’t, you know that the stage manager is the brains of the operation. They keep everything running smoothly and, when things aren’t going as planned, they’re the ones to get things back on track. They live for memos and binders; they know who to call when the going gets tough and when the tough have insurmountable stage fright or a sprained ankle. It’s not surprising that Jen’s background is in stage management; she spends her days coordinating logistics for two nonprofits, Options Newsmagazine – the free LGBTQ monthly publication – where she acts as editor, and Rhode Island Pride, for which she fills the role of office manager. But it’s her passion project, the Sweet Little Variety Show, a monthly variety showcase downtown at Aurora, where some of these long-held skills really shine. Celebrating its sixth year of production this January, Jen co-produces the variety show with her longtime friend Nicole Maynard and Nicole’s wife, Meg Sullivan (also a fixture in the Providence theater community, Meg is the Executive Artistic Director of the Manton Avenue Project). That means curating a monthly full-length variety show featuring a diverse array of performers, coordinating costs and booking the space. Though now performed at Aurora, the show has cycled through multiple venues in its lifespan, such as the Speakeasy at Local 121 and the now-defunct Roots Café. “When I was the event coordinator for the Speakeasy at Local 121, I was booking all of the entertainment, and I kept saying to my friends that it would be great to produce a variety show,” she says. “We knew so many people with talents, but who weren’t going to book a show on their own and promote it.”
UPCOMING EVENTS 2015 National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China Thursday, Oct. 15 | 7:30 p.m. The Auditorium in Roberts Hall ˜ Flamenca Compania José Porcel Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 7:30 p.m. The Auditorium in Roberts Hall
Spirit of India featuring the Masala Orchestra and Dancers of India Tuesday, Nov. 10 | 7:30 p.m. The Auditorium in Roberts Hall View complete list of events and buy tickets at www.ric.edu/pfa or call (401) 456-8144. In addition, don’t miss RIC’s many wonderful student performances throughout the year. Rhode Island College 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave. Providence, RI 02908 Accommodations for persons with disabilities available upon request. Call (401) 456-8144 for assistance. TTY/TDD: 711.
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November 2015 | Providence Monthly
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Get Out | Art
By Elyena “Nellie” de Goguel
Moments Captured Providence, RI 02908
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Jason Shechtman evokes emotion with a single image It was a phone conversation
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that started it: “Yo, is this Jason?” Exhaust Hood Designs & Installation “Yeah, who is this?” New, Used & Reconditioned Custom S/S Fabrication Food Service Equipment NFPA & BOCA Member “This is Jamel Shabazz and I’m blown away right now.” BMW AUDI MERCEDES BENZ VOLKSWAGEN MINI This exchange between famous NYC-based street photographer Jamel and Jason Shechtman is the direct result of chance, talent and timing. If Jason hadn’t come across a long-forgotten print of his thenIn this economy taking care of what proudest photographic moment – a you own is money in the bank. For honest and expert repairs call, vibrant shot of a kid in the Dominican email or stop by today Republic sitting slightly hunched on a to book your appointment. dusty, baby blue BMX bike – and deYour car will run better. cided to send it to Jamel as a gift, then Courtesy drop-off to downtown. the aforementioned dialogue might G E R M A N M O T O R S INC not have happened and Jason’s most recent photographic project might Sales & Service not have come to life. 879 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904 401-272-4266 A serendipitous mix seems to fuel Email us at: germanmotorshelp@gmail.com much of Jason’s work. In 2012, the Providence-born artist exhibited a show at AS220 titled The Only Time Providence Media I’m Here, featuring images exemplifySpot ads: 2.125" x 2.875" ing the idea that moments are inherently fleeting. “It’s kind of a cliché noSeptember 28, 2015 tion,” explains Jason from the dining room of his East Side home, “but they tober 6, 2015, Providence Monthly, Novemebr issue were photos that I got from being in October 9, 2015, The Bay, Novemebr issue the right place at the right time.” These ctober 13, 2015, SO Rhode Island, Novemebr issue– like when Jason bumped moments into two of his favorite rappers who Christine Noel, artistic director allowed him to take their picture, or when he happened upon a quintessential NYC summer street scene with November 7 + 8 overheated city dwellers cooling off at an open fire hydrant – are interesting in-and-of themselves. But it is Jason’s March 5 + 6 creative eye and intuition that captures the emotion and overall feeling of an instant in time. Jason may not be traditionally April 16 + 17 trained, but his talent for composition and subject matter is undeniable, so much so that Mr. Shabazz was compelled to pick up the phone that fateConcerts in ful day. “He loved the photo,” says JaProvidence, Bristol son, “and we probably spent an hour and Cranston: on the phone that night talking about majestic masterworks, soaring English photography. We would meet up here cathedral music, and there in New York and he would and Broadway’s best… critique my work. He encouraged me and definitely gave me a boost of confidence. He’s a big influence.” Jason’s latest project works to con401.751.5700 vey the feeling of a particular place while exploring the emotional dynamProvidenceSingers.org ics that rage within the people who
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Jason Schetman captures humanity one frame at a time
live there. In Your Hangups Follow You Like Shadows, Jason presents a collection of images taken in Lisbon, Portugal during May of 2014. “The title is a play on words derived from one of the photos in the book,” says Jason. “It’s [an image] of clothes hanging on a clothesline and casting a dark shadow on the wall behind. Most of the photographs in the book are of people alone. I went on a tangent thinking about these people by themselves and that led me to thinking about what was going on inside their heads. I imagined their ‘hang-ups’... the things, people or events that they couldn’t get over.” The cover of the photobook is literally an invitation into Jason’s interpretation of Lisbon: An elderly woman leans out over a window ledge and, in her frozen form, seems to be deep in thought. The window ledge meets the edge of the cover as a cut-out space framing the window imbuing a unique and innovative design detail. Within the pages of the photobook are other visual details that tell a cohesive story and deliver a glimpse into the heart of Lisbon. “In reality, they may all have been bursting with joy inside,” states Jason, “but in the narrative I created to tie the collection together, they were all lamenting something distant that they couldn’t shake.”
Your Hangups Follow You Like Shadows was released in a limited quantity of 300 in May of this year and was the subject of a recent gallery show in Brooklyn. In November, Jason will bring his show Images of Solitude from Lisbon to the Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River. Attendees will not only be able to enjoy the photos from the book, but will also be invited to take a picture in front of an oversized backdrop of one of the Lisbon landscapes. Moments are fleeting. But photography allows the chance to immortalize people and places with aspects that provide insight into another world. It’s that very world that is the subject of Jason’s favorite self-shot images: three women dressed in their Sunday finest walking on a dingy Pawtucket street; the sun casting long shadows on pale grey concrete, and with a perfectly framed poster advertising the “Church of God” between two of the women. Chance, timing and talent, indeed.
Jason Shechtman Your Hangups Follow You Like Shadows likeshadows.com
Photography by Amy Amerantes
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Providence Monthly | November 2015
Photography by Meghan H. Follett
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