East Side Monthly January 2012 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

January 2012

A Look Back Mayor Taveras reflects on

Pre-Sorted Standard US POSTAGE PAID Providence, RI Permit No. 34

75 Years of Harvard Versus Yale pg 16

his first year in office

Lacing them up at the Rink pg 19

Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy

2012

Our 83rd Year! Myra Braverman Daniel Byrnes Bob Del Deo Sue Erkkinen Carl Feldman Rodger Gaglione Roxanne Gordon

Thom Hammond Ron Hirschauer Lise Holst Bob Kumins Kathryn Lawrence Helen Macdonald John McCann

Linda Mittleman Suzanne Prescott Lorraine Scheppler Colleen Sullivan Betsy Walsh Ronnee Wasserman Michael Young

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Contents January 2012

This Month 16 Football Fanatic 75 years of Harvard versus Yale games

19 Lace Up Those Skates An inside look at Providence’s skating center

Photography: Jonathan Beller

23 Our Fair Mayor Angel Taveras recounts his first year

27 New Year’s Eve Memories How the East Side used to ring in the first

Every Month

7 Letters/Editorial 10 Other Side 13 Community News

41 On the Menu

33 Art

Your resource for eating out

S.W. Dinge flies under the radar

34 Pajama Monologues

Out of the ashes, a restaurant shines

42 Dining Guide

All the info on January’s happenings

54 East of Elmgrove A year of column highlights

44 Education

Because everybody needs a tagline

The importance of quality school buildings

37 Movies

47 Finance

The Descendants and J. Edgar reviewed

48 Calendar

On the Cover Photography by Jonathan Beller

A new generation struggles with a tough job market

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Editorial 1070 Main Street, Suite 302 Pawtucket RI 02860 tel: 305-3391 | fax: 305-3392 esm@providenceonline.com www.EastSideMonthly.com Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

Round Two Begins In a state usually rated towards the bottom of rankings that count – taxes per capita, business climate, educational performance and the like – the recent praise we’ve received for our unexpected success at pension reform on the state level is both shocking and encouraging. It reconfirms what has always been so frustrating to reform-minded activists: Rhode Island rarely if ever utilizes its advantages of small size when it comes to making statewide changes that matter. Buoyed by this success, we now must ask “What’s next?” Addressing only state workers, the pension reforms now must be carried over to the

cities and towns, where there promises to be tougher sledding, complicated both by the number of individual plans in play and the likelihood of union challenges in court. Reform at the state level was possible because a “perfect storm” (at least from the union’s perspective) came together, which produced a charismatic and determined leader in Gina Raimondo, the surprising participation of the heavily union-backed governor, a special session that forced legislators to concentrate on the pension issue only, a concerted and well-funded lobbying effort that neutralized traditional union advertising and finally the widespread realization that the pension

Publishing Director Jeanette St. Pierre

numbers were just too potentially disastrous to be ignored this time. Will there be a successful round two? The answer quite simply is there must be. As bad as the state pension numbers are, the municipal numbers are even worse. In Providence, for example, some cost of living pension increases are as high as 6 to 8% a year, clearly unsustainable. So can Rhode Island continue its trailblazing success of last month, or will it be back to business as usual? Put on your seat belts for what promises to be a bumpy but incredibly important ride that begins this month – and the impact of which will likely be felt for generations.

Managing Editor Barry Fain City Editor Steve Triedman Executive Editor Julie Tremaine Editorial Assistant Erin Swanson Special Projects Manager John Taraborelli Art Director Alli Coate Assisant Art Director Karli Hendrickson Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas Graphic Designer Meghan H. Follett

Letters Saving Both Fountain and Trees To the editor: Your “Year in Review” article (December, 2011) refers to “a standoff between the those who favored saving the fountain versus those who advocated saving the adjoining trees” in Lippitt Park. Happily, no such standoff occurred. The vast majority of residents favored both restoring the fountain and keeping the trees. There was never any incompatibility between those two goals. Nothing about the fountain renovation required cutting down more than a couple of trees. Rather, the decision to cut down more trees was made on aesthetic grounds, without getting a good sense of the wishes of the community. When an outcry ensued, Parks Director Bob McMahon held a public meeting, listened to the voice of the community and stopped the cutting. We now have a beautiful, working fountain in a nicely shaded setting. Thomas A. Schmeling 12th Street

Account Managers Louann DiMuccio-Darwich, Ann Gallagher, Nicole Greenspun, Dan Schwartz, Elizabeth Riel, Sharon Sylvester, Kimberly Tingle, Jessica Webb

Occupiers Portrayed Inaccurately To the editor: Regarding David Goldstein’s “Occupied Territory” in the December issue, the superficial comparison between the Occupy and Tea Party movements comes across as smug, detached and factually inaccurate. The first of several awkward sentences, in which Mr. Goldstein writes, “Both groups contain extremists providing targets for the other side (i.e. racists and communists who just want your stuff)” is nonsensical and inflammatory. Instead of providing evidence of supposed extremism in either movement, Mr. Goldstein chooses to throw loaded words around without careful analysis. One wonders whether Mr. Goldstein has even taken the time to visit the human beings in Burnside Park, especially when reading the following: “This makes the Occupiers much more interesting, in a movie of the week sort of way, when it comes to watching their attempts

to figure out how to avoid assaulting or eating one another.” It is quite clear that Mr. Goldstein’s purview prevents him from seeing the Occupy movement as anything other than a spectacle meant to entertain an apathetic public. Ironically, this is precisely what the Occupiers are railing against. Instead Mr. Goldstein chooses to propose what he sees as a legitimate political enterprise, his “Middle of the Road Party,” and suggests that “All candidates who wish to apply, please fold up your tent.” The author fails to acknowledge the inherent meaning in occupying a public space like Burnside Park. If he hasn’t already, I urge him to take a stroll through the park and absorb the vibrant community. What he will see is a conscious and engaged group of citizens who are modeling cooperation, motivation, and political sincerity for a society desperately in need of something other than a hollow spectacle of paid-for politicians who work mostly for the rich. Michael C. Urso

Classified Advertising Sue Howarth Contributing Writers Keith Burkitt, Bob Cipriano, Mary K. Connor, Jill Davidson, Renee Doucette, Don Fowler, Mike Fink, David Goldstein, Bob Mariani, Betsey Purinton, Elizabeth Rau, Dan Schwartz Calendar Samantha Gaus Interns Sara Celano, Lauren Criscione, Samantha Gaus, Rebecca Remillard, Eilish Shaffer Contributing Photographer Jonathan Beller, Dan Schwartz Contributing Illustrators Ashley MacLure, Jessica Pollak Calendar announcements and news releases should be submitted by the 1st of the preceding month. We reserve the right to omit and edit items. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters without exceptional circumstances. East Side Monthly is not responsible for typographical errors. Corrections will be run at discretion of editor. Copyright ©2012 by East Side Monthly. All rights reserved. Printed by TCI. January 2012 East Side Monthly

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Bell Gallery Correction To the editor: I am very appreciative of Renee Doucette’s interest in the Bell Gallery and our programs (Art, December 2011). However, I write to correct a misstatement in her article concerning our current exhibition Nostalgia Machines. The very talented Maya Allison, who curated the exhibition, has never been director of the Bell Gallery, as is stated in the title and body of the article. Jo-Ann Conklin Director, Bell Gallery

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East Side Monthly January 2012

They Messed Up My Street To the editor: I have lived on Alfred Stone Road for many years. It is a wide street, with houses on one side and a beautiful woods and stone wall on the other. When riding bikes we never needed painted lines and bicycle graphics to help us stay clear of moving or parked cars. Now they have painted bright stripes and bicycle graphics on my street and lined the stone wall with no-parking signs… all changes have diminished the natural beauty of the neighborhood and were unnecessary. I have driven and biked the Boulevard for many years without problem, and it is no safer now for bicycles because the new lanes force cars and bike riders to travel closer to each other than they did before. The removal of the passing lane for cars, the presence of people walking in the bike lane (yes, I’ve seen it — even at night) and the inconsistent ways that drivers cross the bike lanes to turn off of the Boulevard have caused their own set of problems. I always enjoyed the view out my windows of the woods and its seasonal changes, but with all the new, distracting and unnecessary signage and lines on the street the view isn’t quite as nice anymore. And all

this for the bicyclists who have been relatively few and far between, even with their new special lanes. Joel Marks Alfred Stone Road Providence

Tax Property Properly To the editor: With all the tax talk, arguments and posturing, I’m loath to pose this question: Would you be satisfied if your town were able to avoid any property tax increases for the foreseeable future? Dare I say that most of us would be ecstatic. Legislators would pat themselves on their backs and bask in the glory of a “job well done.” Now that everyone is smiling and content, another question: What would be your reaction when your town is revalued and one-half to three-quarters of you receive rather impressive tax increases? If your town receives no more revenue, where do those increases go? The answer is that other property owners will pay lower taxes. Such is the reality of revaluation. Properties change in value differently and since we tax those values, some people will pay more and some people will pay less, regardless of what happens to local spending, municipal union contracts, town expenses and town outside incomes. With each revaluation, millions of dollars change hands, money flowing from one group of owners to another group of owners, completely unrelated to incomes, ability to pay, or any rational measure. For those who insist that values are rational, consider the recent financial meltdown. The system must be changed to realize the true goal of any municipal tax: that everyone pay their fair share in direct relation to a community’s needs. You can learn more at www. righttax.org Dr. Harvey Waxman North Kingstown

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Warm Coats. Hot Videos. Plus tips on some unusual ways to welcome in 2012 To learn about Fun-A-Days in other cities, or to read about the origin of the idea, go to www.artclash.com. Or if you prefer face time, join them at Sherri’s Café 101 at 101 Dyer Street in Providence for a launch party. So, on that note, gentlemen, ladies, start those creative engines!

Bearing It All for the New Year

Ed Ricci, Courtesy Cleaners; Dave Bodah, Boys and Girls Club; Dan Schwartz, Providence Media

Sharing the Warmth of the Season We’re happy to announce the results of our annual Providence Coats for Coffee coat drive. As we have in the past, East Side Monthly and Providence Monthly partnered with Courtesy Cleaners and Seven Stars Bakery. We supplied the media support and supervision. Courtesy provided the free dry cleaning. And Seven Stars offered free coffee and a drop off point for the coats. Through our combined efforts and - more important, the generosity of our neighbors - we were able to collect, clean and deliver nearly 400 warm winter coats to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Providence (a record for us by the way). Our sincere thanks to our partners in this effort as well as to all of you who generously supported this most needed winter initiative.

Frosty the Showman You can say a lot of things about Thayer Street, but never that it’s dull. Check out a video that’s gone viral - over half a million hits so far and counting - that chronicles the performance art of someone dressed up as a frozen snowman who unexpectedly comes to life. A camera captures the surprised responses of those caught while passing by on the sidewalk. It’s very funny. We’re

East Side Monthly January 2012

not 100% sure who’s behind it or why, but it certainly warrants a look see. You can view the snowman in action by searching “Moving Snowman Scare Prank” on YouTube.

A New Idea for the New Year Is there a better way to start off the New Year than with a new idea? Actually, make that 31 new ideas. A group calling itself Fun-A-Day Providence is encouraging us all to consider picking a project to do every day during the month of January to both jumpstart the year and our own lives. Write a letter-a-day, paint a picture-a-day, take a walka-day. The options are endless. So who are these folks? Fun-A-Day was started by The Artclash Collective in Philadelphia eight years ago. The idea caught on and is now in over ten cities throughout the U.S. Last year, Philadelphia-native Joanna Schwartz decided to bring a part of her beloved Philly to Providence and has gathered a group of volunteer organizers through word-of-mouth and Craigslist. This inspired group of Rhode Island natives and transplants, with a passion for creativity and community, had a blast planning the first Fun-A-Day Providence last year and are thrilled to be doing it again. To contact the organizers directly, email create@funadayprov.org.

Rhode Island residents are brave. Need proof? Look no further than the annual Polar Bear Plunges that take place in several spots around the state. It’s the time when an assortment of locals strip down and rush into the freezing waters of the Atlantic. Many prepare themselves with quaffs from appropriately chosen libations – no, we’re not talking egg nog here - to provide extra warmth and protection from the frigid surf. Perhaps the most popular of the dip spots are Easton’s Beach in Newport and Mackeral Cove in Jamestown. It’s a wonderful New Year’s Day tradition and these hardy souls certainly deserve our support, condolences or offer of a cup of coffee (preferably spiked, we assume), whichever seems most appropriate.

Thar She Blows As the winds and snows of winter make their annual arrival to our shores, it’s always comforting to know that each passing day brings us that much closer to the warmer winds of summer. And what better way to remind us of that than the annual Providence Boat Show at the Convention Center? Held this year from January 12-15, the show is packed with boats, plus all manner of nautical gadgetry designed to take our minds off the weather outside. This year’s event offers some even more exciting distractions including a live trout fishing pond, doit-yourself workshops and a marine bargain basement (Saturday and Sunday only). Kids under 16 are free, by the way. Sure sounds more appealing than shoveling.

Dunkin’ at the Dunk New head basketball coach Ed Cooley has only been at the helm for a few months and already he’s beginning to create some buzz. And while it’s unrealistic to expect miracles right out of the box, he has crafted a team that plays with enthusiasm and is fun to watch. This month, however, the team will need to dial up its efforts if it is to compete in the Big East, arguably the most competitive basketball league in the country. Check them out this month as they take on four tough Big East opponents at the Dunk: Syracuse on January 4, Seton Hall on January 7, Louisville on January 10 and Marquette on January 21. Win or lose, Coach Cooley deserves our support. Go Friars.

Animal House Half Off Acknowledging that January and February aren’t necessarily optimal months to check out animals, Roger Williams Zoo is offering half-price ticket prices both months to try and convince you it’s still worth the effort. There are some advantages. No crowds. You get to catch the animals in a rather different habitat and often sporting their own colorful winter coats. And if it does get too cold, well there’s always a rainforest right there where you can warm up. Check it out.

Jackhammer Sam: He’s Our Man Kudos to East Side resident and local writer Peter Mandel on the launching of his latest book… number 18 we believe. A former writer for this publication as well as the editor for the Brown Alumni Magazine way back when, Peter has managed to earn his keep by writing books in a variety of genres. His latest is a well-executed children’s book, Jackhammer Sam, illustrated by Chicago-based artist David Catrow, and published by Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press. We always love saluting our fellow East Side neighbors whose creativity makes life in these parts so enriching.

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Community News Community News is a space that East Side Monthly makes available to community organizations free of charge. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of this publication.

Fox Point By John Rousseau Fox Point Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 270-7121 Website: www.fpna.net Email Address: fpna@cox.net Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603177, Providence, RI 02906 Events this Month: Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) Monthly Board Meeting, 7-8 pm, January 9 at the Vartan Gregorian Bath House Library. FPNA will also hold one of its bi-annual membership meetings in January to address street grid and development issues associated with the Interstate 195 parcels in Fox Point. Other topics will be the proposed on-street overnight parking plan and the many ongoing developments along the Seekonk River shoreline that are listed below. Time and location of the meeting to be announced by FPNA at a later time. Gano Park to Get Boat Launch Now that the Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC) has approved construction of the East Transit Street Boat Launch, Gano Park takes a step closer to becoming an important link to India Point Park and the East Coast Greenway, according to the Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA).

Representatives for FPNA and Friends of India Point Park attended the CRMC meeting in November to support the approval request presented by Robert McMahon, director of the Providence Department of Parks. “We expect the project to begin the construction process in February of 2012,” McMahon said after the meeting. The proposed boat launch will have a concrete ramp that extends into the Seekonk River accompanied by a floating dock from which boating enthusiasts will be able to board their boats, McMahon explained. The parking lot with an entrance at the bottom of Transit Street will contain 17 parking spaces for vehicles with trailers and five vehicular spaces. Current design drawings for the facility indicate that an extension of the Blackstone Bikeway that is planned to follow the shoreline along Gano Park will cross the parking lot of the boat launch. Eventually, the area will connect a nexus of bike paths, including the Washington Bridge and East Bay Bike System and India Point Park’s bike path that leads into Providence. Last year, FPNA received $2,500 from the Providence/Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Community Relations Fund to construct a historical marker on the Seekonk Shoreline in Gano Park. The sign will follow the theme and appearance of the markers in India Point Park and will reference them on a map, along with the Monument at Roger Williams Landing Park across Gano Street. It is under production with installation planned for the spring of 2012. Also in 2012, the Gano-India Intersection will be straightened by having the roadway go under the bridge archway to the east of its current location. The construction project will add a muchneeded parking lot for India Point Park.

FPNA has asked the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to remove a chain link fence from an area it calls wetlands at the Gano Street exit ramp of Interstate 195 so that it may be properly maintained. Soon, the Narragansett Bay Commission will begin underground construction on Phase II of its Combined Sewage Overflow tunnel along the Seekonk shoreline at Gano Park. “At this particular time of change for the park, FPNA hopes to be a conduit of communication, offering periodic updates,” according to John Rousseau, chair of the Seekonk Shoreline Initiative at Gano Park. “By improving this amenity on the eastern border of Fox Point, FPNA believes it will drastically raise the neighborhood’s quality of life and encourage real estate recovery.” The committee includes representatives from DEM, the Narragansett Bay Commission, Save the Bay, Department of Parks, Brown University, Fox Point’s three elected officials and leaders of the various groups using the park. The committee mainly communicates through e-mails and seeks input from the public and advisory committee members. For more information, contact fpna@cox.net. RIDOT Meets with FPNA’s Noise Committee RIDOT Director Michael Lewis and his staff met with FPNA’s Noise Committee to explain recent monitoring results along Interstate 195, according to committee member Debra Booth. “We’re grateful for your hiring David Coate and his work in pinpointing the noise problems and identifying the benefits of diamond grinding to eliminate the transverse tining on the two bridges,’ Booth said in a letter to Lewis. “We fer-

vently hope this technique and procedure will result in a lot more uninterrupted sleep in Fox Point.” Apparently, southwest winds amplify traffic noise that has gotten worse since the new highway was finished, Booth reported.

Brown Street Park By Wendy Nilsson Friends of Brown Street Park Phone Number: 454-8712 Website: www.friendsofbrownstreetpark. org Email Address: wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Mailing Address: 30 Pratt Street, Providence, RI 02906 Events this Month: If it’s cold outside, there is probably skating at Brown Street Park. Please check our website for updates as we can’t predict the condition of the ice. The new rink is open from dusk to dawn everyday. We still need volunteers to help clear and maintain the ice. Please email wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org if you can help, or would like to donate shovels or even a snow blower to help the cause. Special thanks to our friends at Pease Awning in East Providence for repairing our shade sail that was damaged by the early October snow. Thanks to Kaboom for our grant to improve park grounds. We are so grateful. Our Road Race has been moved to

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January 2012 East Side Monthly

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East Side Monthly January 2012

Neighborhood Discussion Group at Books on the Square http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waylandsquare Events this Month: MONTHLY MEETINGS: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 and Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 7pm, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street. Free and open to all. The Fox Point and West Broadway Neighborhood Associations will be holding big public general meetings, with many guest speakers on local issues, in January. Check their web sites and this month’s Fox Point column for details. The Summit Neighborhood Association plans to hold its annual membership meeting next month (February). Transitions on The Square Susan Gill permanently closed The Edge coffee shop on Wayland Avenue (opposite Rufful’s, between Comina’s old and new sites) on October 17 so she could attend to personal matters. The premises are now listed as available for rent. In a farewell message in The Edge’s window, she wrote “It has been my pleasure serving you and sharing in a part of your day. I have met so many great people over the last five years. I will miss you and wish you all good health and success.” She also posted farewell recipes for pumpkin muffins and dog treats. Plaid & Stripe has now moved two blocks from its old home on Wayland Avenue to more spacious quarters, where they can now offer both pet accessories and pet grooming, at 17 South Angell Street.

Summit By Kerry Kohring Summit Neighborhood Association Phone Number: (Kerry Kohring) 272-6323 Website: www.sna.providence.ri.us Email: www.summitneighbors.org. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940 How ‘Bout Them Apples? What appeared to be an ordinary pie, but hid a kick of jalapeno pepper, was

continued...

voted the best-tasting example of an apple-based culinary concoction at an SNA-sponsored competition held Oct. 27 at Seven Stars bakery. About 40 neighbors gathered starting at 6:30pm, after regular business hours, in the popular Hope Street fixture to taste and compare 11 offerings brought by people who had been alerted to the event by the SNA blog and posters displayed by businesses. The convivial group ranged from retirees to babies barely able to crawl. The available fare included traditional pies, cakes and muffins, but also offered a purple apple-cabbage mixture, an applecelery gazpacho, a quinoa-apple dish and cider cookie bars. The bakery also contributed cookies, danish and other tidbits. Adding to the festivities, Swan Liquors, from just a few doors down on Hope, hosted a beer and wine tasting, staffed by several of its personnel. Ballots were distributed and the count produced a four-way tie for most delectable. A second round of voting yielded the jalapeno-apple pie the winner, with the quinoa dish and cider bars in a dead-heat for second. All three winners received gift certificates to area businesses. By 8:30 pm, with most of the candidate dishes consumed, voters headed out into the rainy – and snowy – night, but more information and winning recipes are still available on the SNA website, above. Survey of Neighborhood Concerns According to a recent informal poll taken by SNA, the top concern of people in the community is, in the words of one respondent, the “safety of the neighborhood and the people in it.” During the Hope Street Festival on Oct. 2, the SNA asked people to rank nine areas of concern set out on a questionnaire that also had room to add subjects not included. Of the questionnaires completed, most ranked safety as the number-one issue. That was followed by quality-oflife projects, such as community gardens. Then came economic development (such as the revitalization of North Main Street), crime prevention (such as block-by-block watches) and community-wide events (such as the Summit Music Festival). Completing the list were - in order - neighbor services (such as snow shoveling for the elderly), social events (such as wine tastings), government involvement (such as zoning and taxation policies) and communications (such as SNA newsletter or website). “Other” concerns cited were road conditions plus the need for residential overnight parking, stop signs and hedge trimming. Mindful of these concerns, SNA is seeking people for a neighborhood crime watch program and to participate

in a snow-shoveling service. Come to a board meeting every third Monday of the month at 7pm at Summit Commons on 99 Hillside Ave. or join the listserv at: sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/ listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us.

Blackstone Parks By Gale Aronson Blackstone Parks Conservancy Phone Number: 270-3014 Website: www.blackstoneparksconservancy.org Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603141, Providence, RI 02906 History of Blackstone Boulevard and Park: Collection of photographs, documents and oral histories The Conservancy is hoping the community can assist us with creating a memoir of the boulevard and park. We’re looking for old photographs of both areas, including those of the trolley when it ran along the boulevard, old documents, including letters referencing the areas (which we could copy and return to you) and personal remembrances. Our ultimate goal is to print the collection for our members and friends. Please call Gale Aronson at 383-0060 or email at aronson.gale530.com. Volunteer Recruitment Winter program to recruit volunteers. We are in great need of volunteers who could help us maintain the gardens on the Boulevard and work on a variety of projects in the conservation district along the river. Please contact the Conservancy through our website: www.blackstoneparksconservancy.org. Thank you. Blackstone Boulevard 2011 was an exciting and productive year on the boulevard. We’ve completed a number of projects and have several on the drawing board. The northern end at the turn-around has been substantially improved to include a lovely surround for the tree and a new platform for the award plaque honoring Peggy Sharpe for her contributions to the tree canopy in the City of Providence. The pruning of the north section is about 90% complete; the finished project will include the removal of yews and the pruning of the traffic triangle, which has become a hazard for both drivers and pedestrians. More trees have been planted, with more

Living to come in the spring. By the time you read this, we hope there will be a new roof on the small shelter at the intersection of Brookway St. This will complement the lovely new garden that was installed earlier this summer. We’ve begun work on the south garden to create a border and enhance the overall beauty that is getting lost in weeds and over-growth and the garden at the Witherby Statue has been improved and a new stone patio installed. Finally, we are about to install a natural stone bench at the trolley shelter; our goal is to eventually extend the patio and also use the same natural stones to put down a floor in the trolley shelter itself. Blackstone Park Conservation District We encourage everyone to visit this 45acre natural landscape bordering the Seekonk River. Winter is the time we can clearly see the terrain and beyond to the river. This park is where the bounty and challenges of the environment all become apparent. We worked spring and summer well into fall ever mindful of our vision: “Healthy urban green space for all.” This meant steady progress uprooting invasive plant species and replacing them with native plants. We also made headway in checking erosion and narrowing and marking trails. You can enter the Park at Loring, down Irving, at Parkside, Angell, South Angell or Paterson. So pull on your boots and explore!

College Hill By Allison Spooner College Hill Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 633-5230 Website: www.collegehillna.com Email Address: chna@collegehillna.com Mailing Address: CHNA, P.O. Box 2442 Providence, RI 02906 Graffiti In November, CHNA met with representatives from the Providence Police Department, the Brown University Police, RISD Public Safety, the Office of Neighborhood Services and the Graffiti Task Force to help re-establish the CHNA graffiti abatement initiative. If you are a resident or a business that has been tagged, your first step should be to take a photo of the tag and send it to chna@collegehillna.com. Photos will be sent to the Providence Police and entered into a tag ‘bank’ that aids in prosecution. Step two is immediate removal of the tag. Graffiti remover can be purchased at Adlers; they have three options ranging from natural orange-based remover to the more caustic. In the mean-

time, CHNA is developing the strategy for overall abatement in College Hill. We are investigating graffiti barrier products for specific surfaces and are working directly with the Graffiti Task Force to regularly schedule graffiti-removal dates for Thayer Street and additional consistently targeted spots throughout the neighborhood. Crime Awareness CHNA implores residents to take simple steps to ensure higher standards of safety in your home and your car. Lock your doors and do not leave valuables in plain sight including computers, GPSs and any electronic equipment. Get to know your neighbors and have them pick up your newspaper and packages and even park in your driveway if you are out of town. Also, to address crime issues, Sam Zurier is planning to hold a community forum with Lt. John Ryan on Monday, January 23rd. Please visit his website www.samzurier.com for further details or read the CHNA email group to receive notification. Electronics Recycling Event in January If you have electronics that need to go, CHNA is partnering with Metech Recycling to hold a recycling event in January. Additional details will be available through the CHNA enews and posted on the CHNA website home page at www. collegehillna.com.

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Whoever said that the only ing – the last game of the season for certain things in life are death and both teams. Crowds are at the seataxes must never have met Frederson’s peak as alumni from around ick Steele Blackall III (better known the world descend on the host for a as Steele to his friends). Because if homecoming flooded in school spirit there is another certainty in life, it’s with another year of bragging rights that Steele will be at the annual Yaleat stake. A season within a season, Harvard football game wearing a a victory in The Game can make the long, brown raccoon coat, cheering year of an otherwise winless team, his alma mater Yale Bulldogs to vicjust as a loss would forever haunt a tory. How certain? He hasn’t missed a league champion. game in the last 66 years. Steele was introduced to Yale and Steele may be more commonly The Game by his father, F. Steele known as the long-time president of Taft-Peirce Manufacturing Company, a former Woonsocket based engineering, tooling and precision instrument manufacturer owned and operated by the Blackall family for most of the 1900s. He may be known for his philanthropic involvement with numerous local organizations, and his mentoring of business executives and college-bound youth. He may even be known for his wine connoisseurship and extensive wine collection, including his many years as the wine columnist for this paper. But among these impressive accolades is a feat of boundless loyalty, passion and perseverance that in comparison will relegate most sports fans to amateur status. First, a bit of history. Yale and Harvard first met on the gridiron in 1875, and the matchup is currently the second oldest continuing rivalry in college football behind Lehigh and Lafayette. “The Game,” as it is known by alumni from both schools, alternates annually between New Haven and Cambridge and typically falls on the F. Steele Blackall III Saturday before Thanksgiv-

Blackall II, who was Yale Class of 1918. He attended his first game as an eightyear-old in 1933 and he attended the annual matchup with his parents and family throughout his childhood. He eventually enrolled in Yale for his own undergraduate studies as a member of the unique Class of 1945W – a war-time notation as Yale temporarily moved to an around-the-calendar academic schedule and needed to account for the new matriculation dates of certain students. (Steele and most of his class would eventually graduate in 1947, after completing their service.) If it were not for this turbulent period, Steele’s streak would be even more impressive. While he has attended every Harvard-Yale game since 1946, 66 years in a row, 2011 actually marks Steele’s 75th game. There were no Yale-Harvard games in 1943 and 1944, and Steele was forced to miss the 1945 game due to “Uncle Sam.” Since 1933, the only other game he missed was in 1940 – punishment from his father for poor school grades, which he repentantly remembers as “a fine lesson, not repeated.” The Blackall clan began to grow soon after college. In 1947, Steele married Patricia (“Patty”) Hancock, who for the next 50-plus years would be his wife and partner in “the best marriage you ever heard of” until her passing in 2002. She was a wellknown real estate agent for Residential Properties who knew “everyone” on the East Side. Three children followed – sons Frederick (“Rick”) IV and Grenville, with daughter Holly in the middle. Holly (now Applegate) has been to

23 games, and they are some of her earliest childhood memories. She fondly recalls the huge tailgate parties, the camaraderie among family and friends, and the raccoon coats – two matching coats originally worn by Steele’s parents, and now worn to every game by him and Holly. Says Steele, “Those coats have been to more games than me.” Despite all the revelry, Holly notes that for her father, it was all about what was happening inside the stadium. “Dad never likes to miss the kickoff, and he’s never left a game early. if it’s a blowout, or 20 degrees below zero and snowing, he’ll watch every play.” And in his 75 games, Blackall has certainly seen many memorable plays, perhaps none more famous than in the 1968 game touted as “the most fa-

started to come out of the middle of the field. It inflated into this huge balloon with ‘MIT’ painted all over it.” Some MIT students had secretly buried a weather balloon under the 45yard line and inflated it remotely until the balloon exploded, spraying the field with talcum powder. While he is quite the historian, Steele did not realize the magnitude of his own streak until fairly recently: “In 2003, I read a story about a Harvard pennant that is given to the guy who has seen the most Yale-Harvard games. I would have been in third place on that list; the top two guys were beyond me but certainly within reach.” With those two men now deceased, Steele has moved to the top of the list. And while he may be officially eligible to hold the Harvard

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25 Clarendon St. mous football game in Ivy League history.” Yale and Harvard each entered the game undefeated, though Yale was heavily favored to win. Yale sprung out to a quick 22-0 lead, but Harvard clawed back and scored 16 points in the last 42 seconds to salvage the tie. The next day, Harvard’s student newspaper declared victory with the now well-known headline “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29.” Steele “still hurts about that one,” his daughter admits. Among the great football memories – including watching the second and third ever recipients of the Heisman trophy, Larry Kelley (Yale, 1936) and Clint Frank (Yale, 1937) – are many memories of what else happens when the referee’s whistle blows. Steele notes that some “pretty good pranks” are as old as The Game itself. He recalls his first game in 1933: “Someone at Harvard thought it would be a great idea to cover a bunch of pigs in blue grease and let them loose on the field during halftime. Well they had a hell of a time trying to corral those little guys, and cheerleaders from both schools were running all over the place.” One of the most famous pranks was actually perpetrated by MIT during the 1982 game at Harvard, when after a Harvard score, “a little, tiny bubble

pennant – he is a 1949 graduate of Harvard Business School – it has not been offered to him. The criteria for holding the pennant has since been changed to that of “superfan,” not just Harvard-Yale game attendance, though some Harvard alumni have petitioned to return the pennant to its roots. When asked if he would in fact accept a Harvard pennant, Steele simply laughs and says “that’s a good question.” As an interim token of acknowledgement, Harvard did honor Steele on the scoreboard during the 2010 game, Steele’s 74th. Every streak has close calls before reaching an inevitable end. With a streak of this nature, surely life will eventually get in the way. For 2011 Steele was thrown a curveball – his grandson would be getting married in Detroit on the day of The Game. Although his grandson fully understood the significance of the weekend before Thanksgiving, the difficulty of wedding planning reared its ugly head and left no other choice for a wedding date. But as certain as death and taxes, there was no doubt where Frederick Steele Blackall III would be that day – with his family’s blessing, he attended his 75th Harvard-Yale game at the Yale Bowl.

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A Providence Bruins practice scrimmage

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Providence’s skating rink rivals Rockefeller Plaza By Erin Swanson

Photography: Paul Yacovone III

Since I grew up

on a small pond in Rhode Island, my winter memories include being heavily bundled up by my mother and sent out to skate in our icefilled backyard. With a tug on my zipper and a pat on my bottom, she ushered my puffy poinsettia-colored snowsuit and me off to have some fun on the ice. Regardless of whether you skate on a pond or a rink, it’s a fun and healthy activity for all. Those of us lucky enough to live in Providence have access to the Bank of America Skating Center, which trumps most skating rinks in terms of size and sizzle. The rink, open for public skating from now until March 18, is a staggering 14,000 square feet – two times the size of New York’s Rockefeller Plaza’s famed

landmark. The rink was originally opened as the Fleet Skating Center in 1998 by then Mayor Buddy Cianci. “Fleet was sold to Bank of America in 2004 and so the naming rights changed at that point,” said Deb Dormody, Bank of America City Center Program and Market Manager. “I was hired in 2008 in an effort to activate and enliven the Greater Kennedy Plaza area – the heart of our city.” Dormody works diligently each winter to promote the exciting downtown destination, often partnering with area businesses to increase their participation. One of the upcoming highlights of January will be when our hometown Providence Bruins take the ice for practice scrimmages. Always well-attended events, the practices even allow fans the

opportunity to skate with their favorite players. I’m told that the players truly enjoy the open skate, as it gives them the chance to interact with their fans. A great occasion for young and budding skaters to get inspired, the Bruins events also motivate the public to get in better shape. Since skating works muscles in ways that gym equipment often cannot, many Rhode Islanders who work downtown have swapped their weights for skates; the rink now offers an affordable weekday lunchtime skating pass. The skating center also hosts many East Side groups, ranging from scout troops to church groups to Brown University students. Dormody especially enjoys the second graders from the French-American School who drop by

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for a skate after walking over from the school. “Watching them navigate on the ice, many for the first time, is adorable,” she says. “The kids’ centers of gravity are so low that when they fall, they can

the lives of local children growing up in difficult circumstances. They also welcome people who would like to volunteer their time for clerical or fundraising duties. Finally, donations of skates, hats,

pop back up very fast.” The skating center is also a quick walk from the Providence Place Mall, if that’s where you choose to park; there’s a pedestrian tunnel connecting the rink to Waterplace Park, which is located directly in front of the mall’s main entrance doors.

gloves, sweatshirts or money are both accepted and tax-deductible. Recent upgrades to the rink’s heated birthday tent ensure that any parties held this year will be more special than ever before. Parents can arrive early to decorate the tent in their special theme –

There’s rarely a dull moment at the skating center, and among the 60,000 skaters who use it each year, there are always a handful of marriage proposals that take place on the ice. If the person doing the proposing requests it in advance, Dormody will play the couple’s special song as they’re invited to enter the ice after the Zamboni run. “So far we’ve only had yeses,” Dormody notes,

a great backdrop to a child’s special day. Parents only have to bring the birthday cake since rink employees take care of the other details like plates, cups, utensils, chairs and tables. When visiting the skating center, both children and adults should dress in layers and bring gloves and a hat. There’s no need for newcomers to be nervous, since skating instruction is available via

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The rink is also host to “Skate for Joy,” a local non-profit organization that helps under-served youth from all back-

ings over a six-week time frame. The program’s skating coach also offers one-time drop-in refresher courses on

grounds discover the joy of ice skating as part of an after-school US Figure Skating Basic Skills program. The organization strives to inspire young skaters, regardless of race or creed, by teaching goal-setting skills as well as the importance of physical fitness. Learning

Sunday mornings for those folks who haven’t skated in a while. Locker and skate rentals, as well as skate sharpening, make the Bank of America Skating Center a full-service entity. Dormody hopes to add more amenities in the coming years – such as

within this structured and disciplined environment, the students build selfesteem and discover how important it is to respect themselves and others. “The work [Skate for Joy] does is excellent,” according to Dormody, “because they’re working with kids who might not otherwise have the option to experience the joys of this sport.” Skate for

fire pits and a place to get hot toddies - in order to make the rink even cozier than it already is. They’re currently looking for a sponsor to help install a small pavilion to enhance birthday parties at the rink. “And as part of our larger efforts in Greater Kennedy Plaza, we are working with the Planning Department and RIPTA to make the

Joy is always looking for adults who have ice skating or hockey experience and would like to make a difference in

plaza more accessible by all modes of transportation.” Including Zambonis, we assume.

Photography: Paul Yacovone III

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Surviving a Category Five Angel Taveras looks back on his first year as mayor By Barry Fain • Photography by Jonathan Beller It’s only Tuesday and this week has already been a nightmare for Providence Mayor Angel Taveras following the tragic shooting of a middle schooler at home in the city’s troubled Elmwood/South Providence neighborhood, a highly critical GoLocal story on the city’s deepening fiscal crisis and news that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had seized ProCap’s records. Yet Taveras remains somberly upbeat as he reflects on the “surprises” of his first year in office. When last we spoke to Angel Taveras, he was still just a candidate for office, filled with idealism, enthusiasm and the occasional deer in the highlights look when it came to the financial complexities facing the city. Now, after a full year in office, the mayor presents a rather different image as we sit in his office at City Hall. Most of the idealism and enthusiasm remain, though it clearly has been leavened by the fiscal reality of the self-described “category five” storm

he inherited when he took office. And that headlight look has been replaced by a dramatically more confident persona – while he’s enjoying his new gig, he clearly doesn’t shy away from making the tough decisions. A high point for him during the first year has been the outpouring of support he has been receiving from city residents. “In some cases all I have to do is be there as the mayor and I can exert a positive impact. It’s very rare that you are in a job where you can make a difference just by showing up,” he says. He talks of seeing the wonder in the eyes of a Providence youngster who learned the mayor attended the very same school he had, or the modest solace he hopes his personal presence provides in the tragic case of a parent who must endure the unimaginable pain of losing a child. So as the mayor looks back on his first year in office, especially during one of his more difficult weeks thus far, how strong are the winds of the

“category five” storm he inherited when he took over last January? Taveras admits that after this year’s late August hurricane, he now tries to avoid storm related analogies. But when pressed, he says the storm facing the city “has been downgraded and the eye has passed.” He also admits the crisis is a long way from over. The first few months, he notes, weren’t easy. His administration found itself facing a $110,000,000 structural deficit when he became mayor with no formal budget to work with. He and his staff, in particular his director of administration, Michael D’Amico, set off to deal with the cards they were dealt. Though both had limited experience in running a city - D’Amico came from the private sector - the two former classmates from Classical High rolled up their sleeves and surprised most observers by tackling the city’s fiscal mess head on. The mayor was soon able to announce that by working with the unions, the city council, the univer-

sities and hospitals and Providence taxpayers both residential and commercial, he felt he’d be able to present the city with a balanced budget. For it to work, the pain would have to be shared by all: residents absorbed modest tax increases, unions renegotiated contracts and spending cuts were made. The non-profits will be expected to help soon as well, the mayor promised. “There are some shortfalls and surprises that we did not anticipate,” Taveras admits, not the least of which “is the $8,000,000 penalty from the federal government over Medicaid and not enough police officers taking early retirements.” So, in confirming many of the GoLocal numbers, the mayor concedes the budget remains unbalanced. He does feel confident that the city is “very close to an agreement with the colleges, universities and hospitals which will be announced by the end of the year.” How much this will be able to close the gap remains to be January 2012 East Side Monthly

East Side Monthly January 2012

that a trip to bankruptcy court may be necessary, in addition to going back again to the unions. “The governor and the treasurer did a good job with the state system,” says the mayor. “But now almost all of the cities and towns must work with them to help solve the local pension problems.” Like most other mayors, he’s disappointed that the special legislative session that was convened to work on the problem only dealt with the state pension system. He reiterates his mantra that Providence cannot function without fiscal responsibility and that it’s unrealistic to rely on more help coming from the state. That said, Taveras pledges that “we will do what must be done to resolve our own pension problems and I can say that the city council is also committed to ad-

dressing this challenge.” Through this difficult and ongoing period of budget balancing, Taveras proudly points out that whatever has been done to bring the city’s fiscal house back into order has been transparent and avoided the traditional one-time fix. “Whatever will be done, will be done right,” he says. This is why the recent ProCap and the PEDC issues weigh particularly heavily on Taveras. “What’s happened there has been a huge disappointment. These are programs that help people who really do need help and businesses that have nowhere else to turn. There is absolutely no excuse for what happened and we will work to make sure that it can’t happen again.” The mayor has publicly stated that he expects all investigations will be allowed to go wher-

ever they need to so as to end this embarrassing situation. The upcoming year promises to be a critical one both for his own administration and the city as a whole. There are several key positions that are in the process of being filled. He expects to be hiring a new police chief, tax assessor, fire chief, communications director and school superintendent. Perhaps more surprising is that the city has functioned as well as it has, being so short-handed. The downside of the current reduced staffing levels, note some critics, is that the institutional memory of the city has gotten pretty thin. Taveras debates the point. “One thing I will not accept is something being justified because ‘it’s the way we’ve always done it.’ We need to try new approaches if we are to be successful.” When specifically asked his thoughts on acting School Superintendent Susan Lusi, Taveras was quite positive. “While we are conducting a nationwide search the results of which I expect to announce around the end of March, I also have been impressed by the energy and commitment Superintendent Lusi has displayed in the position. She remains a very viable applicant for the job.” Certainly one of the mayor’s successes has been his adroit handling of the occupy Providence protestors. The city has so far avoided the violence and grandstanding that has resulted in many urban confrontations. The mayor and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare remain committed to allowing the courts to resolve the issue so long as the occupiers remain committed to responsible protesting. To date, the peaceful stand-off has held. A committed defender of free speech, Taveras also acknowledges the occupiers “just can’t stay in the park forever.” Of importance to many on the East Side will be new legislation that will begin to permit overnight parking in certain areas of the city. The mayor pledges that the new policy will be implemented fairly and carefully. It also will require that any cars left on streets overnight must be Rhode Island registered. However, if there are pockets of the city where residents don’t want overnight parking, in parts of student heavy College Hill or Fox Point, for example, this can be done. “But,” he adds, “it should be remembered that most cities around

Photography: Jonathan Beller

seen (his estimate is around $7 million). And if he’s unsuccessful? The mayor promises the city will again seek support from the legislature to impose a fee in lieu of taxes on the non-profits. Looming over everything is a crippling pension system that threatens to undermine any new agreements that might be negotiated. Given the current crisis developed over the state’s non-funding of pensions at 50%, what is to be done in Providence where the funding level is only about 35% and include cost of living adjustments negotiated two decades ago that increase at about 6-8% a year? One East Side councilman, Sam Zurier, generally considered a thoughtful voice of reason on most matters and a vocal supporter of the mayor, has gone so far to say

the country do allow overnight parking in some fashion.” And what of his relationship with David Cicilline? The former mayor has been widely criticized for leaving the city in precarious financial shape the result, his detractors argue, of his focusing on running for Congress rather than dealing with a deteriorating city economy. It undoubtedly will be something that will be debated at length during his reelection campaign. Given Taveras’s “category five” comments upon taking office, it may be difficult for him to avoid being drawn into the debate. “All I know,” maintains Taveras when queried, “is that the congressman knows what the Federal Government needs to do to help cities and, right now, we need all the help we can get from Washington.” In short, don’t expect any major confrontations over the fiscal responsibilities of David Cicilline coming anytime soon from City Hall. So as the mayor looks back on his first year, what are some of the lessons he’s learned so far? “I’m still focused on the future,” he points out, “but with all of the challenges, I’ve learned that my immediate options are limited and that I can’t please everyone.” Still he notes that 2011 has been an extraordinarily instructive year for him and for the city. Providence survived two major onslaughts from Mother Nature, an abnormally snowy winter followed by a major hit from Hurricane Irene. And while a portion of the city, mostly in Fox Point, lost power for too long a period, the mayor is proud of the city workers who carted off fallen trees and performed heroically to keep the city functioning. Then there were the departures of Chief Esserman and Superintendent Brady, the recent and tragic uptick of violence that has erupted in the past few weeks and the occupation of Burnside Park. He also acknowledges that there are some situations he wishes he had handled better, as when Providence teachers had to find out via television news that they had been terminated. As it turns out, all the teachers have been hired back and cannot be laid off for three years as an offset to some financial concessions in the union’s newly negotiated contract with the city. Whether the trade-off of dollar savings against hiring flexibility is a good one for the

city remains to be seen. Through it all, the mayor hasn’t lost his enthusiasm and excitement for the job. If anything, he seems even more convinced his team is on the right path to restore financial stability to a beleaguered city. Residents generally applaud his willingness to tackle problems head on and with transparency. Still, the economic challenges remain daunting. The promises and concessions that need to be secured from the unions and non-profits remain unrealized so far. And taxpayers, both residential and commercial, may be forced to absorb another tax increase next year if the budget and pension issues remain unresolved. And finally, there’s the mayor’s passionate commitment to improving the quality of education in the city. To him, it’s at the core of addressing most of the issues challenging Providence – reducing crime, improving employment and strengthening neighborhoods. “Right now only three out of our 22 elementary schools have children who are at least 50% proficient in reading, writing and math. I’d like to see it at 19 out of 22.” One answer, Taveras feels, would be the Achievement First Charter School initiative, which he hopes might open a new mayoral academy in the city in 2013. The plan has generated support from charter school advocates as well as heated criticism from neighborhood groups like the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, which feels it drains resources that should go to supporting local community schools. The mayor has survived a rigorous first year. As the New Year approaches, the city seems confronted by two scenarios. One suggests that the financial situation in Providence is dire and we face seemingly insurmountable economic and pension challenges. The other observes a state legislature that has pulled off the near impossible with its first steps at pension reform, acres of 1-195 lands poised to be developed and an enthusiastic mayor who will be bringing in some exciting new administrative talent to help him move the city forward. Which way will it play out? The way we see it, every January it’s permitted, even encouraged, to dream of new beginnings. So on that note, here’s to the mayor and a successful 2012. January 2012 East Side Monthly

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black taffeta dress and a pair of high heels with a satin bow in a closet. She wore the outfit on New Year’s Eve. You didn’t have to worry about drinking and driving back then, because all you had to do was cross the street or climb up or down the hill to join the Bridge Club. You drank a highball instead of a cup of tea between “rubbers” of the card game. Our northern tip of the East Side was a relic of the Depression; like “Tara” you were lucky to have a house and yard. After World War II, couples indulged in fancier cocktails, like Mad Russians or Pink Squirrels or Stingers, and the place where you toasted the passage of time was a roadhouse like the Ranch or the Farm, where the last of the big bands played romantic tunes from the lore of yore. The music was so blessedly quiet – suggestive, not insistent. If you were asked to a house party, especially on the other side of Hope Street, a lovely postwar bride (holding a tall-stemmed glass of champagne) would greet you from the top of the curving staircase to welcome you to the soiree. I did not want to be left out of all this excitement, the clinking of a glass to say so long to the old man with the scythe and white beard and hello to the babe in diapers – iconic symbols of the relentless aging of time itself. I took my pretty date to Sullivan’s on North Main. A cousin played the gypsy violin and came to the booth to serenade us with his fiddle and to make sure I got my glass of Chianti, even though I was underage and looked it. Once upon a time, one of those charming young women turned me down, way down, and I took masochistic revenge by munching chocolate covered ants and grasshoppers, the fad and rage at gatherings, and washing the horrible hors d’oeuvres down with great draughts of vodka – or was it gin? It looked like clear and cleansing water, but oh, my! January 1 doesn’t look so happy after that kind of a December 31. I very much enjoyed the victory of being invited to many parties on the same evening, so that I could show off, to myself at least, that I was now part of Greater Providence. Make an entrance, quaff a sparkling drink, work the room, put on your hat and hit another crowd

down the street. Some of these receptions took place below stairs, in basements that had been renovated and rescued, with knotty pine panels and a souvenir of a trip to Florida or California such as a fake palm tree or a collection of coconuts. Other more luxurious cellars held superb cognacs hidden behind artificial bookcases – relics of the days of Prohibition when speakeasies put your whisky in jelly jars or coffee cups. I asked my wife what she recalls as the best of the year end galas. “When our son was a baby and I asked him what I should wear; he brought me my nightgown. He didn’t want me to go out and leave him behind.” (What a difference from my boyhood, when I loved seeing my beautiful mother, once a model in Montreal, in that glamorous outfit!) What does New Year’s Eve look like of late? If we’re lucky, we are asked to a dinner party in Johnston, down a country road. Our host does his best to serve the wines from his personal vineyard and the pasta he makes like a proper chef; he even includes the tradition of making little polite speeches at the table. If students are stranded over vacation, the group may create a casual drop-in event, and the formality is transformed into something much lighter. Remember, anyone, the final scene in “Showboat” – a New Year’s eve of nostalgia and regret, the stuff of tragedy? Well, here’s wishing our world good riddance to its problems and hope for happiness. Here’s to clinking the proverbial crystal goblet to your heart’s desire and some good vintage. (I recommend the Loire Valley whites, Sancerre, Muscadet, and Vouvray, wines of youth with a touch of sweetness but with the blessings of the French soil and sunshine, making your celebration poignant, poetic and promising.) From the front window of our house, through the latticed panes, I can see, at midnight, across the horizon, the lights and fireworks from First Night. I used to serve on the planning committee, but now, we often get home just beyond midnight for “Auld Lang Syne” on the telly and those fabulous colored mock explosions like an artistic sunset with shooting stars. We sigh and say “Many more!”

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January 2012 East Side Monthly

Spotlight

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East Side Monthly January 2012

Spotlight

by Dan Schwartz

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find unique and affordable gifts these days, but you can stop your searching because Jim Larkin of Graphic Innovations has developed a concept called WallFlys. The company prints photos onto fabric that clings to any smooth surface and is able to be removed and reapplied countless times without leaving any marks. Attention grandparents: you can be the hero by having your favorite sports photo of a grandchild turned into a WallFly for a bedroom wall or even the fridge. The process of uploading a picture onto the website is a snap. You then have the ability to crop it if you’d like to isolate an image or leave instructions to have a body traced so the image will be cut perfectly for the wall. The online process is simple and payment is completely secure. All orders are then shipped to anywhere in the country. “It’s a really fun gift,” Jim says. “I’ve got some pictures of my kids laughing on the stairs, and I cut a few of the photos out and gave them to my mother, my wife’s mother and my wife’s sister.” Youth photos are very popular, and WallFlys also carries silhouettes for different sports. This service works well for pet photos too – that image of fluffy can keep you company at the office. If you don’t want to process the work online, or only have hard copies of the photo you’d like to use, you can stop into the Graphic Innovations office for friendly service and to have the image scanned. The sky is the limit for how to creatively use WallFlys. Each WallFly can be cut out how you’d like or you can keep the image as a square. Children really get a kick out of it and you will too. Visit their website to start putting together a wonderful and unique gift.

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East Side Monthly January 2012

Director Christy Clausen, you realize how much of what this organization does is a result of the directors listening to their members’ needs and keeping up with the latest trends. TRX – a hot exercise regiment involving suspension gear connected to the ceiling – was added, and the demand for the class has been huge. “You are working your whole body,” Christy explains. “You can have your feet in the suspension holders or your hands.” The old Nautilus equipment in the upstairs exercise room has also been replaced with Life Fitness machines, which support a broader range of exercises on each piece of equipment. The space saved by the consolidation allowed for the addition of a half rack for bar bell training with plates. “We asked the membership for their feedback on what they wanted, and they responded that they also wanted a stretching area,” Christy says. “With the way we’ve laid out the room with the new equipment, we were able to build in a stretching space.” As a response to member surveys, hours have been expanded during the week (5:30am9:30pm) and weekend (6am-7pm), and all of the cardio equipment is slated to be upgraded this April. The YMCA has a mission to serve the entire community and offers various forms of financial assistance for families in need. One of the most amazing policies is that if one of their members loses his or her job they extend the membership free for four months. “We know everybody is having a hard time and there are no jobs out there,” Christy explains. “The last thing we want is to see a family give up what makes them happy.” This Y is also participating in Eat Cheap Night, where local restaurants are providing food for a special dinner that costs only $5 a head with proceeds going to the financial assistance campaign. The first event was a big success with 61 people enjoying a delicious gourmet dinner, and the next dinner is scheduled for February 10 sponsored by Pizzico. Contact the YMCA to become part of this healthy and supportive family.

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of the Alliance JCC Early Childhood Center, greets me with a smile holding a four-month-old boy in her arms. She leads me down to the classroom area into the infant/toddler room, where there are children at various stations playing together and four teachers are buzzing around. The scene is fun and illustrates their child-centered curriculum approach. “Everyday the children are exploring with different materials and various artsand-crafts projects,” Nicole explains. “As they get older there is more structure in the preschool classes as they are preparing for kindergarten skills.” The early childhood classes are open to families of all faiths, but a membership to the Alliance JCC is required for enrollment. Programs are geared for kids as young as three-months-old up to the preschool level. The school has a stellar reputation for getting children ready to start kindergarten, with many transitioning directly into local private and public schools. Because the JCC is within the same building, the children enjoy extra benefits like swimming lessons and participating in Pee Wee sports. “Our aquatics director, Patty Gold, has been here for 34 years and she’s unbelievable,” Nicole says. “She gets all the kids–starting from age two–right into the water and they lose their fearfulness.” There is an open door policy where parents can visit at any time, and the school is bolstered by an active early childhood committee. Many beautification improvements have been done recently, like a new mural made by one of the teachers. The school is known for being flexible, with early drop off allowed. All kids are given two snacks and a full hot meal every day from their Kosher kitchen. “There is a family feel here,” Nicole mentions. “It’s so important that we are an extension of the home.” Currently there are a few openings in the preschool, but tours are given throughout the week for parents who are interested in fall 2012. Contact the Alliance JCC Early Childhood Center to arrange a visit to see this vibrant and engaging learning environment yourself.

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January 2012 East Side Monthly

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East Side Monthly January 2012

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describes them as different itches that alternately need to be scratched. Some have noted that they’ve seen all three bodies in the same space and not realized they were by the same artist. Regardless of whether or not his paintings, sculptures and mixed media work can be interlinked, they are all are very true to themselves. His recent paintings, which use various mediums on a raw canvas, started as an exercise to release him from the control required for some mixed media collage work. He brought them into the gallery as an experiment, but the public has warmly received his acts of “selfishness.” Never one to be pigeonholed, Dinge wants to push the envelope. In October 2011, a series of signs were installed around the city at different intersections in Providence. Dinge and a few others went out in the middle of the night armed with wrenches and ratchets to install his different messages. Some that referenced religion were quickly taken down, but a few have been left untouched. There is no magic formula to what makes an artist, but there is still a difference between an artist and the rest of us. Inside each artist, regardless of talent, there is a creative energy that if left untouched will take a part of the soul. Some may be crazy like Van Gogh or irritatingly cunning like Damien Hirst, but all have something inside of them longing to be expressed, like Dinge’s itches. S.W. Dinge may not be a Providence celebrity, but he is still a humble talent worth recognition and Providence should think itself lucky to have him.

January 2012 East Side Monthly

Providence Media

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call. Christian Harder, co-director of One of artists. While there are some visual Way Gallery, had been at brunch when artists who have become household he first saw Dinge’s work displayed in names, many others remain under the the restaurant and invited him to join radar, never seeming to get the recthe gallery’s roster. At the time, Harder ognition that should be due. One such and Stephen Cook were just starting to artist, who goes by the pseudonym pull together some artists for their new S.W. Dinge, originally hails from the gallery space in Narragansett. Adirondacks in upstate New York. He relocated to Providence ten years ago and has been a resident on the East Side for the past four, during which time he has experienced quiet success. As a young man out of college, Dinge moved to Boulder, Colorado with friends. Before arriving at his destination, he made a monumental decision that he was not going to play around: he wanted to be an artist and he was going to devote his life to making that happen. In Boulder, he spent his formative years as an artist immersed in his studio, experimenting and creating art while keeping his nose in a revolving stack of art books. He never expected overnight success; he made his own Down by the Thistle by S.W. Dinge rules and found different ways to exhibit his work. After three years, Dinge started to see all of his hard work and Several years later, One Way has devotion pay off. It was around this grown beyond its original space with time he decided to move back east. satellite locations in downtown ProviProvidence may not have always been dence and work featured in a space in the obvious choice, but it fulfilled all New York City. Unlike many other galthe requirements Dinge was looking lery spaces, One Way does not put on for – and for the first time, he was not traditional shows; they are constantly living in the mountains. rotating work between all of their locaSoon after Dinge arrived in Provitions. When Dinge wants to drop off dence, he met the crew at AS220, the new work it is always accepted and usuart space downtown, and even though ally immediately hung. This relationship he decided against moving into their has kept Dinge on their roster and curlive/work loft space, he was able to start rently, they are the only gallery where showing his work in their gallery spachis work is available for purchase. es. He also started showing at the West After seeing Dinge’s work in his stuSide restaurant, Julians. The second dio and the gallery, it is clear that he time he decided to hang some work is not a one trick pony. He has develthere, he received an important phone oped three main bodies of work and

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East Side Monthly January 2012

Celebrity Marketing 101 Taglines for the rich and famous Smart marketers have always known that a great branding campaign starts with a great imagebuilding tag line. Ones that spring to mind are Capital One’s pushy query: “What’s in your wallet?” and the jam company’s “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good.” If great tag lines work to create brand awareness and loyalty for products, why shouldn’t they work for celebrities or celebrity wannabes, too? I spent a little time considering some possibilities. For instance, let’s start at the top with a tag line for our persevering president. Obama: “Change? Please! Just a little?” His sidekick, Vice President Joe Biden, might build some self-deprecating recognition with: “I can’t believe I ate my whole foot!” Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich might make a splash with something like: “You can’t get rich by being nice.” Or how about this for another presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney: “You can take my word for it – or wait, I could like, change my word for it, okay?” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi might do well if she began each call to order with a bang of her gavel and a shrill utterance of this simple but impactful theme line: “Can you hear me now?” Here’s a line that First Lady Michelle Obama might like emblazoned on a trendy t-shirt: “My husband got into the White House and all I got was a shopping spree at Target.” The ultra sensitive John Boehner might take a twist on an old song title: “It’s my (Republican) Party and

I’ll cry if I want to.” Hillary Rodham Clinton needs a no-nonsense theme line: “I’m not a secretary, I’m the secretary, and I don’t take dictation.” Like all retired presidents, George Bush has left behind many memorable statements but I think this one might have special meaning for him: “Mission Unaccomplished.” Some of our high profile movie stars could probably also benefit from a good, well-crafted theme line – like maybe Johnny Depp: “Get used to it. I’m prettier than your wife!” Here’s one for the multi-talented but beleaguered Lindsay Lohan: “Why just shop when you can shoplift?” England’s closely-watched and fun-loving Prince Harry might strike some chords with: “What happens in Vegas, I, a…can’t remember.” The tag line for Sheldon Whitehouse almost writes itself, especially if pronounced with just the hint of a British accent: “Whitehouse by name, White House by nature.” Former mayor Buddy Cianci probably might go for something more casual, like: “Felony-schmelony. Fugeddabout it. Pass the pasta sauce.” As you can see, there are endless possibilities for our high profile heroes and heroines, but I better stop now before my spellcheck starts yelling at me. Good morning. Bob Mariani and his brother, John, have published a book, Almost Golden, about growing up in the North Bronx in the fifties. Available on Amazon.

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January 2012 East Side Monthly

Join Us for an Irish New Year’s Eve When Ireland is toasting in the New Year at 12 midnight – we will toast with them at 7 pm! Champagne toast/noise makers/special hors d’ourves and more!

The Fox family

would like to thank all of our neighbors, colleagues and friends for their support in 2011 during Theresa’s fight with cancer. We wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year.

Gift Certificates, T-Shirts and Hats now available! McBride’s Pub, where you’ll find great pub food and a large selection of beers, wines and spirits.

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East Side Monthly January 2012

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Movies

by Bob Cipriano

The Descendants and J. Edgar Great acting makes for two great films

The Descendants

Photography: Merie Wallace

As Oscar contenders (and pretenders) make their award season rounds, two genuinely fine films await nominations for picture, direction, screenplay and four, maybe five performances. They’re all about people reacting to and causing some bizarre events, which are fascinating, moving and involving, but incidental to the human condition at the heart of everything that happens. The Descendants, a movie about infidelity, dysfunction and death, is as beautiful a celebration of human imperfection as you could imagine. Alexander Payne directs an incredible ensemble and a fine script (by Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) that slows down and picks up the way life does, bouncing among comic turns,

melodramatic jolts, and sentimental dramas. To all this he adds the landscape of Hawaii, which affects the twists and turns of the plot just as his California wine country and Nebraska heartland affected Sideways and About Schmidt. George Clooney and a bunch of his cousins possess a stretch of pristine Hawaiian countryside, an inheritance descending from the days of Captain Cook and King Kamehameha (thus, The Descendants). Local legalities, combined with a tendency among many of the cousins to squander their free wealth, means it’s time to let the land go. Clooney, a real estate lawyer and executor of the family estate, has final say about who gets to buy the land.

That’s a full plate and grist for several movies. Here, it’s barely a subplot. Clooney (who narrates very effectively in that self-effacing way of his) advises us at the outset that he’s always taken his work seriously and has been careful not to spoil his children or indulge in conspicuous consumption. The trouble is, he hasn’t been very attentive to his kids or his wife in the process. And now, in the midst of his legal responsibilities, his wife lies hospitalized in an irreversible coma following a boating accident. Not only does he have to take full charge of his two daughters, aged 10 (Amara Miller – curious, confused, and angry) and 17 (Shailene Woodley, just plain angry), he has to steer

them through monumental changes to their lives. Oh, and one more thing. His wife, he learns, was cheating on him at the time of her accident. To everything else going on in Clooney’s head and heart, add an angry obsession about the other man. Clooney speeds up, slows down, says things he shouldn’t, says things he should, bonds with his older daughter, endures the goofy presence of her boyfriend (Nick Krause), puts up with his wife’s critical father (Robert Forster) and seeks out The Other Man (Matthew Lillard). None of this plays out the way you expect it to. Every time cheap sentiment or tedious cliché come knocking, Payne, his script, and his cast ignore January 2012 East Side Monthly

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East Side Monthly January 2012

continued...

A Visit from One of Santa’s Elves pg 31

it and go another way. Clooney and Woodley stand out among the top-notch cast as characters who try to understand their shifting roles against a shifting landscape, and do the right things often enough in the process. The Descendants is a perfect balance of good works, bad breaks, and choices nobody wants to make. J. Edgar, Clint Eastwood’s revisionist portrait of J. Edgar Hoover, accomplishes the same kind of feats that Alexander Payne pulls off in The Descendants. And it’s a tougher job. Instead of a charming, well-meaning guy who’s easy to look at, Eastwood’s main character is a heavily made up Leonardo DiCaprio, playing one of America’s least liked/most defiled men, the paranoid, unscrupulous head of the FBI. Eastwood, working from a great script by Dustin Lance Black, takes the obvious events in Hoover’s long reign (grandstanding for the press, deporting innocent citizens, blackmailing presidents, harassing Martin Luther King) and essentially just acknowledges them, avoiding the trap of so many blah biopics that dramatically record a series of events. Hoover’s feats remain in the background, melodramatic fodder Eastwood is unwilling to submit to. He is far more interested in the man behind the events and what made him tick (the film isn’t called ‘Hoover’; it’s called J. Edgar, underlining the individual behind the façade everyone is familiar with). The notion that events are secondary to the people who engineer them and suffer for them has always been the key to Eastwood’s great films, including Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River, and Unforgiven. In J. Edgar, Eastwood reveals dramatically and even sympathetically (sympathy for the man, not for the things he did) what repression can do to someone and how far-reaching its effects can be. Through flashbacks, as DiCaprio provides biographical details of his exploits to a series of FBI agents who type them up, Hoover’s story

unfolds through relationships with the three key people in his life—his mother (Judi Dench), his lifelong secretary (Naomi Watts) and Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), his deputy and longtime companion. The flashbacks are a great idea. Eastwood occasionally enjoys extended scenes that sacrifice pace for content and the resulting pauses feel wrong. Here the back-andforth jumps contribute to the pace and make the two hour, 17 minute running time seem far shorter. The time is well spent, as DiCaprio gets to the heart of a troubled soul while relentlessly pursuing an ambition he jealously guards, once achieved. We see the shameless self-promoter trick himself into thinking he is some sort of Jimmy Cagney G-man, while stumbling through relationships with Watts and Hammer as a sexually inexperienced and uncertain beginner. He pigeonholes Washington’s most powerful men and acts like the nation’s most fierce anti-radical, while totally unable to get out from under the thumb of a mother whose role model had to be Lady Macbeth. The repressed, tortured soul Hoover becomes is logical and sad. DiCaprio’s return to characterization over action heroism is a welcome one. He never resorts to mimicry, nor does he overplay Hoover’s emotional problems in a cheap attempt at sympathy. He balances Hoover’s weaknesses with his strengths, his upright, misguided intentions with the evil choices he made. A subdued, quietly effective Watts and an outgoing, almost flamboyant Hammer lend impeccable support. If Eastwood is the first to ‘out’ J. Edgar Hoover theatrically after all the years of gossip, he is also the first to extend some courtesy to him, even while making it clear Hoover would have never returned the favor. Acknowledging Hoover’s humanity and affording him some understanding has resulted in one more exceptional movie from a great director.

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One Book One Community With Rhode Island’s own Anna Solomon. Author of

The Little Bride

Join the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island for a series of events featuring Anna Solomon, author of

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For more information on event dates and times, visit www.shalomri.org.

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On the Menu

by John Taraborelli

Rising from the Ashes

Photography: Dan Schwartz

A classic Renaissance restaurant reopens In the grand scheme of things, 15 years isn’t all that long. In the fickle and often unforgiving restaurant business, however, lasting 15 years – when most new businesses don’t survive two – practically qualifies you as an institution. Such is the case with Parkside (76 South Main St.). During the ‘90s, it was part of the vanguard of the Providence Renaissance culinary scene, along with contemporaries like Hemenway’s, Capital Grille and Café Nuovo. When our city’s revitalization was still in its early stages, these were the restaurants that changed the perception of Providence as a gastronomic desert dotted by a few oases of really great red sauce. It remains one of the restaurants perhaps most synonymous with WaterFire. In the decade and a half since, Parkside has been a survivor. First it survived those treacherous first few years that doom so many restaurants. It has survived economic downturns that were the undoing of many a local business. Now it has survived a fire that threatened to destroy its South Main Street home. A gas leak resulted in a fire on June 30 that quickly tore through the historic former grocery store where the restaurant is housed. Parkside itself was only partially scorched by the blaze – mainly the kitchen – but the subsequent water damage was extensive; the entire facility had to be taken back to the studs and completely renovated. Finally, after fourand-a-half months of repairs, the eatery reopened on November 14 – with a bit of sprucing up for good measure. Despite the drastic circumstances, Parkside 2.0 is not so dramatic an overhaul. “We didn’t want to interrupt the footprint of it,” notes chef/owner Steve Davenport. “We still wanted it to have the feel of Parkside.” To that end, the basic layout of the restaurant remains the same (indeed, the bar was the only thing to emerge from the fire unscathed), with a few updates. The hardwood floors in the front vestibule have been replaced with tile, the better to withstand the coming winter months. The lights are all new. Banquette seating has been added along the wall opposite the bar, with a plush new booth in the middle. The change about which Davenport is most excited, however, is the brand new

Parkside’s state of the art rotisserie

rotisserie, replacing the one that made the restaurant famous. The first of its kind in America from French manufacturer Rotisol, it features the traditional horizontal spits on which to slow roast the chicken that is the restaurant’s staple. But this one also allows items to be hung vertically, opening up the possibilities of baking pies or making soups in the rotisserie. The menu has also undergone some minor but thoughtful changes, taking full advantage of the new equipment in the kitchen. Davenport is now roasting duck, suckling pig and other meats on the spit. “The pork loin is unbelievable,” he enthuses. “We can’t keep up with the demand for it.” The restaurant’s absence did not go unnoticed by its loyal clientele. “I was here almost every day,” Davenport says. “Customers were always asking, ‘When are you going to reopen?’” Now that they finally have, what’s the strategy for getting the word out? “We just opened the doors,” he says. “I was overwhelmed. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder.” The success of Parkside continues to be based on loyalty – and not just from customers. Despite the hiatus, the restaurant retained all of its staff, and everyone came back. “They’re part of our family – we need them,” Davenport stresses, adding, “I see 15 more years here.” Visit www.parksideprovidence. com for more information. To see before and after footage of the renovation

search “parksideprov” on YouTube. GOING TO THE CHAPEL The Garden City/Chapel View area of Cranston gains another attraction this month with the opening of Chapel Grille (3000 Chapel View Blvd.). The restaurant will feature a cathedral-like atmosphere reflective of the building’s history, with historic stonework and an ornate steeple, and will offer a panoramic view of the Providence skyline in the distance. The menu is built around Mediterraneanstyle hearth cooking with locally sourced ingredients, overseen by Chef Tim Kelly, formerly of Café Nuovo. The dramatic ambience is intended to convey grand ambitions and position the restaurant as credible competition to the Providence dining scene. Visit www.chapelgrilleri. com for more information and updates on the grand opening. MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK It’s that time of year again, as Providence Restaurant Weeks return for another winter installment after last year’s successful debut. From January 15-28, many of the hottest restaurants in and around the city will be offering threecourse prix-fixe menus for $14.95 at lunch and $29.95 at dinner. It’s always a great opportunity to try a new restaurant, or finally cross off a pricier entry on your to-do list without breaking the bank. Go to www.providencerestaurantweeks.com for the full list of participating restaurants and menus. January 2012 East Side Monthly

special advertising section Br brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10-20 $$$ 20+

outdoor seating overlooking the Seekonk River, Waterman Grille offers seasonally inspired New American fare in a comfortable setting. BrD $$-$$$

Hope/Thayer CHEZ PASCAL 960 Hope Street; 421-4422. Chef Matt Gennuso’s East Side kitchen offers French food with a modern twist. Try the Bistro Menu (Tue-Thur), which features three courses for $30 per person. Delicieux! D $-$$$

Rue De L’Espoir

99 Hope Street; 751-8890. In business for over 30 years, the Rue has only gotten better. Beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients, the innovative, constantly changing menu keeps diners on their toes. Superb brunch. BBrLD $$-$$$

Downtown CAV 14 Imperial Place; 751-9164. The New York Times’ choice as one of Providence’s five best restaurants, CAV’s contemporary, award-winning cuisine is available for lunch and dinner daily. They also feature Saturday/Sunday brunch. LD $$-$$$ HEMENWAY’S 121 South Main Street; 351-8570. A true Providence classic, Hemenway’s has been serving topnotch seafood for 20 years. Their oyster bar features everything from the famed Prince Edward Island varieties to the local favorite Poppasquash Point. LD $$-$$$ JACKY’S WATERPLACE 200 Exchange Street.; 383-5000. Experience sushi, Chinese and Japanese food, noodles and much more in a stunning atmosphere, right in the heart of Waterplace Park. Sip an exotic drink while taking in the spectacular view. LD $-$$$ MILLS TAVERN 101 North Main Street; 272-3331. The only restaurant

East Side Monthly January 2012

in RI to receive the Mobil Four Star Award for five consecutive years, Mills Tavern provides traditional American cuisine in a warm, friendly setting. LD $$-$$$

Wayland/Elmgrove HARUKI EAST 172 Wayland Avenue; 223-0332. The chefs behind this sushi bar provide a minimalist, upscale, comfortable dining experience. Try the toro ankimo – sauteed fatty tuna and monkfish liver pate with eggplant tempura, served with a black bean sauce. LD $-$$$ MAD ERNIE’S 485 Angell Street; 3311031. Mad Ernie’s serves an array of soups, homemade ice cream, and sandwiches, including corned beef, reuben, chicken salad and lobster rolls. LD $ RED STRIPE 465 Angell Street; 4376950. Red Stripe serves classic comfort food with a French influence. Their food is reasonably priced and made with passion. LD $$-$$$ WATERMAN GRILLE 4 Richmond Square; 521-9229. With its covered

GOURMET HOUSE 787 Hope Street; 831-3400. Beautiful murals and décor set the mood for delicious Cambodian and Southeast Asian cuisine, spicy curries and noodle dishes. The tamarind duck is a must. LD $-$$ KARTABAR 284 Thayer Street; 3318111. This European-style restaurant and lounge offers a full menu of unique dishes with Mediterranean flair and eclectic flavors. They also offer a top-notch wine list and martini menu. LD $-$$ NICE SLICE 267 Thayer Street; 4536423. Hip and healthy are the best descriptions of this pizza place. It’s whole wheat, New York style pizza with plenty of choices for toppings, including vegan and vegetarian options. LD $

richly spiced meat, fish and vegetable dishes. (Forks are available, but less fun.) LD $-$$a BRICKWAY 234 Wickenden Street; 7512477. With creative omelets and French toast and an artsy décor, this iconic morning stop on Wickenden remains a neighborhood favorite. Be sure to check the specials board. BL $ Z-BAR 244 Wickenden Street; 8311566. This cozy, classic bistro offers value, and a wide range of fare including, steaks, panini, salads and house made ravioli with an emphasis on fresh, local and organic ingredients. BrLD $$

Jewelry District/ Waterfront RUE BIS 95 South Street; 490-9966. This intimate eatery provides breakfast and lunch in a cozy, neighborhood bistro atmosphere – all with the gourmet pedigree of Hope Street dining staple Rue De L’Espoir behind it. BBrL $ BAKER STREET RUE 75 Baker Street; 490-5025. Chef Twillia Glover expands the Rue De L’Espoir empire with this comfortable neighborhood café serving “upscale diner food.” BBRL$

Outside Providence

SAWADDEE THAI 93 Hope Street; 831-1122. Serving authentic Thai cuisine since 1984 (originally under the name Bangkok Cuisine), Sawaddee Thai continues to set the standard, while providing a comfortable, neighborhood atmosphere. LD $

LJ’S BBQ 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket; 305-5255. LJ’s features ribs, pork, chicken and beef cooked low and slow in their customized pit, made with recipes from co-owner Bernie Watson’s grandmother, Miss Leola Jean. It’s great food at a great value. LD $-$$

Wickenden

VINE YARD EAST 315 Waterman Avenue, East Providence; 432-7000. Wine-influenced dining meets casual down home atmosphere, and an eclectic menu of regional fare like local seafood favorites and Italian and Portuguese classics. LD $$

ABYSSINIA 333 Wickenden Street; 454-1412. Enjoy the unique experience of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine, using your fingers (and Ethiopia’s famed flatbread) to sample

Photography: Dan Schwartz

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East Side Monthly January 2012

At School Today by Jill Davidson | illustration by Jessica Pollak

Form Versus Function Does the quality of facilities affect fearning? When our family chose

to move to the East Side in 2004, we were gratified to see the wide range of K-12 schools in the neighborhood. As a family with two (at the time) and (now) three young children, we wanted to live in a place where we would have options and possibilities that would fit our kids as they developed. That reasoning applied to our choosing Providence generally and the East Side specifically. At that time, we toured a number of public, private and religiously affiliated East Side schools. Since that time, I’ve given many tours of one school in particular – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, which all of my kids have attended. For the most part, the family members to whom I have given tours of King have not made the school’s physical structure their chief concern. Speaking for myself, the physical structure of the buildings seemed too much of an immutable element for serious consideration. I certainly noticed whether or not the buildings were clean and well cared for, but didn’t think critically beyond that. Instead, I focused on what I could learn about the schools’ culture, climate, values, curriculum, atmosphere and habits of family involvement in kids’ education. That said, for those who wish to ponder the question of whether and how school facilities matter to young people’s learning and lasting success in school, the K-12 school facilities in our neighborhood offer the full range of what’s possible. Beautiful renovations and lovely campuses on lush lawns contrast with timeworn buildings and schools situated in buildings not necessarily designed as schools at all. So how much does the quality of facilities really matter to learning? Here’s what I found out about the ways that school facilities affect the experience of teaching and learning. According to the 21st Century School Fund, a Washington DC based non-profit dedicated to the idea that communities are responsible for creating healthy, safe, and educationally

appropriate learning environments, nearly every recent study shows a correlation between the condition of school facilities and educational achievement once student demographic factors were excluded as factors. Student test results are lower in inadequate facilities, as are attendance rates. Drop out rates are higher. Run-down facilities also directly impact the health of everyone who spends time in them, students and teachers alike. According to the United States General Accounting Office, one in five students nationwide attend poorly ventilated schools – perhaps more in Providence, given the age of many of our city’s schools. Temperature, noise and access to daylight add to the factors that detract from adequate conditions for teaching and learning. Inadequate facilities can also affect a school’s ability to retain high-quality educators; teachers are more likely to take more sick days in buildings with poor air quality and are less likely to remain at those schools for the long haul. Certainly, high-quality environments for teaching and learning aren’t the only factors for a school’s success. Every day, in our neighborhood, across the city and nationwide, we see wonderful teachers creating positive change in the lives of young people living in poor conditions. We know that strong relationships among and between students and educators and

excellent curricula are among other factors that matter hugely. Financial crises have forced Providence Public Schools to abandon the facilities master planning recommendations presented to the school board in 2010, and our current stagnant financial climate makes capital improvements more challenging for all of our neighborhood schools. In fact, school building and capital improvement funds have been put on an “indefinite freeze” statewide by the General Assemblies. It’s tempting, given the challenges that we face, to bury our heads in the sands of deferral. But we can’t continue to pretend that facilities don’t matter as much as they do. We need to advocate for proper funding to ensure that all of our schools offer at least basic appropriate conditions for teaching and learning, including up-to-speed technological infrastructure. You may want to follow the progress of H.R. 2948, the Fix America’s Schools Today (FAST) bill, introduced in September 2011. Cosponsored by Representative David Cicilline, the FAST bill is designed to be both a school improvement program and a jobs stimulus bill. Rhode Island’s legislators should consider complementary state level legislation so that we can ensure that the places for learning in our neighborhood, and all neighborhoods, offer fair access to learning.

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East Side Monthly January 2012

Finance by Betsey Puriton | illustration by Ashley MacLure

Welcome Home Generation Y can’t I find work? If there were one decade I would not want to relive, it would be my 20s. Starting out is tough – be it your career, living on your own, or negotiating serious relationships. Things haven’t changed much for Generation Y, many of whom can’t find meaningful or self-sustaining jobs. It isn’t much better for their baby boomer parents either, who thought they had launched their children. As these parents embrace the new year, a growing number of them are welcoming home their disillusioned or financially strapped children. According to recent census data, roughly 5.9 million Americans ages 25-34 live at home, up from 4.7 million prior to the recession. Living at home usually means that parents are picking up some of the living expenses. Sometimes these added expenditures can conflict with the parents’ own financial goals. Baby boomer parents love their children and have raised them to believe in themselves. A good education and a network of friends were supposed to enable young adults to pursue almost any career. To many parents, it was worth the sacrifice to hold off on retirement savings in order to provide the children with enrichment camps, private lessons, sports training and sometimes private schooling, yet the economic downturn erased the certainty of these best laid plans. What was once a simple choice of ‘children now’ and ‘parents later’ has suddenly become much more complicated. When adult children find it tough to get their first job, or lose the first and are struggling to find a new direction, many parents choose to provide financial assistance. The National Endowment for Financial Education offers several explanations why parents would continue to provide support even when it could mean dipping into their own savings. • The parents are worried about their children’s financial lives. Affordable accommodations are

hard to find and building up debt is deemed unacceptable. • The parents do not want their children to struggle the way they had to when starting out. • The children appear to be going from bad to worse in this very difficult economy. Short term shoring-up could get them restarted. For some of my clients, the transition back to being parents of their adult children is relatively easy. In one example, the youngest son is using the time at home to figure out how to better manage money. When on his own, his income was less

than outgoing cash flow, with a lowpaying job. With room and board mostly covered and a steady entry level job at a large company, my clients’ son now has enough income to set priorities of paying down debt, saving and personal spending. In this case, living at home has been good for everyone. With other clients, it is not so easy. Some parents are dealing with kids who have physical problems, substance abuse issues or depression. Others find themselves frustrated that their perfectly normal children are cycling through home, jumping from one meaningless job

to another, waiting for the job “they really like.” The key word in that paragraph is “waiting.” I talked to one Generation Y individual recently. “Some of my friends are stuck in the old model – waiting for the opportunities and answers to come to them. They need to stop thinking about what others can do for them and more about what they can do for themselves.” For parents of adult children who return home, it is a delicate balance between being the parent, the innkeeper and the career counselor. The at-home children don’t want to be treated as children, yet they can lack the skills and confidence needed to manage the very tough competitive climate that currently exists. Three pieces of advice to parents with ‘boomerang’ children: • Negotiate the costs of living at home. If there is no income, barter tasks and responsibilities. Adult children should contribute something to the costs of running any house they live in. • Instead of nagging or overseeing the day-to-day job search, work on budgeting skills, the basics of finance and other day-to-day skills that are required of living on your own. • Allow for a little bit of freethinking. Young entrepreneurs and those trying to visualize their careers need to feel aspirational. What kept the baby boomer generation going in the stalled decade of the 1970s were their idealism and a can-do spirit. Today’s 20-somethings could benefit from a similar sense of hopefulness. Who else can better provide this motivation than the parents who faced similar challenges when they were starting out? Betsey Purinton, CFP® is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at StrategicPoint Investment Advisors in Providence and East Greenwich. You can e-mail her at bpurinton@strategicpoint.com.

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January 2012 East Side Monthly

Calendar

by Samantha Gaus

DON’T MISS THIS MONTH: 10 events at the top of our list StyleWeek Providence, Jan 22-28 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. www. styleweekprovidence.com.

Made in the UK: Contemporary Art From the Richard Brown Baker Collection, thru Jan 8 at the RISD Museum. www.risdmuseum.org.

Festen, Jan 12- Feb 12 at the Gamm Theatre. www. gammtheatre.org.

StyleWeek Providence

MUSIC arena & club | classical ARENA & CLUB DUNKIN DONUTS CENTER Jan 27: Rascal Flatts. One LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www. dunkindonutscenter.com. FIREHOUSE 13 Jan 12: The Bay State Group Presents: The Air I Breathe. 41 Central Street. 270-1801, www.fh13.com. FOXWOODS Jan 13: Kelly Clarkson - Stronger Tour. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800-200-2882, www.foxwoods.com. THE MET Jan 16: Real Estate. Jan 20: Bad Larry. Jan 21: RHD-RI Presents “Eclectic Shock.” Jan 25: Collie Buddz. Jan 26: O’Death. Jan 27: Lights. Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. 729-1005, www.themetri.com. MOHEGAN SUN Jan 1: Phil Dirt Presents Surf’s Up!: A

East Side Monthly January 2012

Beach Boys Tribute. Jan 6: Quiet Riot. Jan 7: Black Stone Cherry. Jan 12: Big D and the Kids Table. Jan 13: The Lemonheads. Jan 14: Davy Jones. Jan 14: Reba McEntire. Jan 15: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers. Jan 19: Young Neal & The Vipers. Jan 20: Matt Nathanson. Jan 25: Jason Jones. Jan 27: Gigantour Featuring Megadeth with Motorhead, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 800477-6849, www.mohegansun.com ROOTS CAFÉ Sundays: Blues Jazz Jam, open to all musicians who want to come down and play with some of New England’s best. Jan 9 & 23: Monday Night Comedy. Wednesdays: Mid Week Rumba, dance lessons and live music. Thursdays: Thursday Night Groove. 276 Westminster Street, Providence. 2727422, www.rootscafeprovidence.com. VETERANS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM Jan 6: The Music of ABBA. One Avenue of the Arts, Providence. 222-1467, www.vmari.com. TWIN RIVER Jan 1: Niki Luparelli & The Gold Dig-

gers. Jan 6: Felix Brown. Jan 7: Who’s Next. Jan 13: Amish Outlaws. Jan 14: Detroit Breakdown. Jan 15: World Premier Band. Jan 20: Those Guys. Jan 21: M-80. Jan 22: Dean & Marilyn. Jan 29: The Vegas Lords. 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 723-3200, www. twinriver.com. UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND Jan 30: AVICII. Ryan Center, One Lincoln Almond Plaza, Kingston. 7883210, www.theryancenter.com. CLASSICAL & SUCH PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Jan 19: Shen Yun. Inspired by ancient Chinese culture, this act brings classical dance and music in a colorful and exciting show. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2997, www. ppacri.org. VETERANS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM Jan 21: An Evening With Renee Fleming, a gala concert celebrating the rededication of the Vets. One Avenue of the Arts, Providence. 222-1467, www.vmari.com.

Live Family Friendly Comedy Improv Show, every Friday at Everett Dance Theatre. www.everettri.org.

Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles, Jan 27 at the Providence Performing Arts Center. www.ppacri.org.

Providence College Men’s Hockey vs. Brown, Jan 1 at PC’s Schneider Arena. www.friars.com.

FUNDAFest 14, Jan 1522 at various locations in downtown Providence. www. provlib.org.

Shen Yun, Jan 19 at the Providence Performing Arts Center. www.ppacri.org.

Northeast Motorcycle Show, Jan 7-8 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. www.riconvention.com.

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PERFORMANCE comedy | theatre COMEDY AS220 Jan 1: The Empire Revue, a monthly variety show featuring sketch comedy from The Sparkling Beatniks, music, dance, burlesque, magic, hula-hooping and more. 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www. as220.org. COMEDY CONNECTION Jan 5: Robert Kelly. Jan 6-7: Frank Santorelli. Jan 13-14: Lisa Landry. Jan 20-21: Paul Mecurio. Jan 26: Amazing Johnathon. Jan 27-28: Tony V. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. 4388383, www.ricomedyconnection.com. DUNKIN DONUTS CENTER Jan 14: Jeff Dunham: “Controlled Chaos Tour.” One LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www.dunkindonutscenter.com. EVERETT: COMPANY, STAGE AND SCHOOL Fridays: Live Family Friendly Comedy Improv Show, every week featuring live music from Bertrand Laurence. The Carriage House, 9 Duncan Avenue, Providence. 831-9479, www.everettri.org. FOXWOODS Jan 1: Hypnotic Hysteria with Jim Spinnato. Jan 5: Brendon Walsh. Jan 12: Kurt Metzger. Jan 15: Dr. John Valby with Otto & George. Jan 19: Jeff Dye. Jan 20: Stephen Lynch, a

comedian, singer, songwriter and Tony Award nominee who creates musical comedy in his unique show. Jan 26: Bret Ernst. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800200-2882, www.foxwoods.com. PERISHABLE THEATRE Thursdays & Saturdays: Improv Jones. Jan 13 & 27: Bring Your Own Improv (BYOI). Jan 6: Live Bait. Jan 20: Blood From a Turnip. 95 Empire Street, Providence. 331-2695, www. perishable.org. THEATRE BARKER PLAYHOUSE Jan 3-4: Open Auditions for Our Town. Jan 30-31: Open Auditions for The Man Who Came to Dinner. 400 Benefit Street, Providence. 2730590. GAMM THEATRE Jan 12- Feb 12: Festen. Based on the 1998 Danish film, this is a thrilling show that will redefine tragedy for the modern age. 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. 723-4266, www. gammtheatre.org. PAWTUCKET COMMUNITY PLAYERS Jan 13-22: The Sugar Bean Sisters, a southern Gothic comedy. Jenks Auditorium, Division Street, Pawtucket. 726-6860, www.thecommunityplayers.org. MOHEGAN SUN Jan 21-22: Masters of Illusion, a magic show based on the award winning

TV series with over half a dozen incredible performers, wild animals and exquisite dancers. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 800477-6849, www.mohegansun.com PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Jan 27: Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2787, www.ppacri.org. SECOND STORY THEATRE Jan 19-Feb 12: Take Me Out. This Broadway hit steals a look into the men’s locker room of a major league baseball team and looks at what it means to be an American. 28 Market Street, Warren. 247-4200, www.secondstorytheatre.com. STADIUM THEATRE Jan 20: Beatles Tribute 1964. Jan 27: The Great American Trailer Park Musical. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

SOCIAL HAPPENINGS

Steven M. Kane, Ph.D. Providence, RI 401-454-5700 kanesmk@verizon.net Inquiries invited Mention Ad for 1 Free Day of dAycAre!

The Dog house - Doggie Day Care - Overnight Boarding - Dog Walking Service - Behavior Training

401-455-DOGS 1255 North Main Street, Providence JeD Sheckley, Certified trainer

Classic Bistro

expos | fundraisers | seasonal FOR FOODIES BOTTLES FINE WINE & CRAFT BEER Thursdays: Wine Event: Come enjoy a selection of fine wines and cheeses at this free weekly event. 141 Pitman Street, Providence. 372-2030, www. bottlesfinewine.com.

zbar & grille 831-1566 244 Wickenden St., Providence

January 2012 East Side Monthly

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LA LAITERIE AT FARMSTEAD Jan 29: Fondue Fiesta, the best way to enjoy cheese. 186 Wayland Avenue, Providence. 274-7177, www. farmsteadinc.com. FESTIVALS MOHEGAN SUN Jan 7-8: 12th Annual BAEC Home Show. Jan 27: Bourbon Tasting. Jan 28-29: The Sun Winefest Grand Tasting: Sample over 1,000 wines and beer along with signature dishes from some beloved regional restaurants. Celebrity Chef Dine Around including Bobby Flay and Todd English. Jan 29: The Sun Winefest Bubbles & Bon Bons: Champagne, cheeses and desserts. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 800477-6849, www.mohegansun.com RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER Jan 7-8: Northeast Motorcycle Show. Jan 12-15: Providence Boat Show. One Sabin Street, Providence. 4586000, www.riconvention.com.

RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER Jan 27: Baccanalia, an evening of food and wine to benefit local charities. Including New England restaurants and over 100 wineries. One Sabin Street, Providence. 458-6000, www.riconvention.com. TWIN RIVER Jan 7: Hero’s Auction: Bid on dates with bachelors and bachelorettes or for help around the house by “taken” firefighters to benefit the I Need a Hero Foundation & Prevent Child Abuse RI. 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 723-3200, www.twinriver.com. SEASONAL ASPIRE RESTAURANT Saturdays: Dance with Spogga Hash from Waterfire Fame, fire dancing and a mix of all styles of music and performance, every week rain or shine. 311 Westminster Street, Providence. 521-3333, www.aspirerestaurant.com.

FOR MOVIE BUFFS

Introductory 1-Hour Massage sessIon

STADIUM THEATRE Jan 6-7: Three Stooges Film Festival. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadium theatre. com.

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FUNDRAISERS

East Side Monthly January 2012

NEWPORT MANSIONS Thru Jan 2: Christmas at the Newport Mansions. The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House will be fully decorated this holiday season. A Winter Passport ticket providing admission

to all three houses can be purchased at any of the properties or online, www.newportmansions.org. STYLEWEEK PROVIDENCE Jan 22-28: The Rhode Island Convention Center hosts a week of fashion shows featuring emerging and established designers from both the local scene and around the country. There will also be post-show parties at various locations. www.styleweekprovidence.com.

GALLERIES FOXWOODS Thru Jan 15: Diana: A Celebration of Princess Diana. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800200-2882, www.foxwoods.com. MUSEUM OF WORK AND CULTURE Thru Jan 15: Exhibition by Members of the Photographic Society of Rhode Island, displaying unique works of some of the area’s best photographers capturing fauna, flora, people, landscapes and abstracts. 42 South Main Street, Woonsocket. 769-9675, www.rihs.org. PAWTUCKET ARTS COLLABORATIVE Thru Jan 6: 10 x 10 x 10 Show, small

RISD MUSEUM Thru Jan 8: Made in the UK: Contemporary Art from the Richard Brown Baker Collection, captures Britain’s contemporary art scene as it emerged from WWII. Thru Jan 22: Jacques Callot and the Baroque Print. Thru Mar 25: Building Blocks: Contemporary Works from the Collection, featuring architecturally inspired work in varying scales which represent the relationship between the human body and architecture. 224 Benefit Street, Providence. 4546500, www.risdmuseum.org. SANDYWOODS ARTIST CO-OP Thru Jan 2: 18 and Under. 63 Muse Way, Tiverton. 816-0239, www.sandywoodsfarm.org/sandywoodsgallery.

kIDS + FAMILy BROWN UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE Saturdays: Children’s Story Time. Cozy up in the children’s book section every weekend for a reading adventure. 244 Thayer Street. 8633168, www.bookstore.brown.edu. DUNKIN DONUTS CENTER Thru Jan 1: Disney On Ice: Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey. One LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO Jan 1- Feb 29: Winter Wonder Days. The zoo is open year round so go and enjoy a walk in the winter wonderland for half price and maybe even warm up in the rainforest. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 941-4998, www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org.

LEARN discussion | instruction | tour DISCUSSION NEWPORT MANSIONS Jan 26: Lecture: Highlights From the Preservation Society Archives. Advance reservations requested. Preservation Society Office, 424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport. 847-1000, www.newportmansions.org. PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY Jan 2: History HiJinks: Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 by David M. Kennedy. 150 Empire Street, Providence. 455-8000, www.provlib.org STADIUM THEATRE Jan 12: Roland Comtois: Spiritual Medium, Channeled Messages From The Soul. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com. INSTRUCTION

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Jan 3-8: Shrek The Musical. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2997, www.ppacri.org.

CHEF WALTERS COOKING SCHOOL Tuesdays in Jan: Regional Cooking of Italy Series 1. Jan 10: Rome- Cucina Romana. Jan 17: Naples- Cucina Napolitana. Jan 24: Tuscany- Cucina Toscana. Jan 31: Venice- Cucina Veneziana. If you’ve ever wanted to hone your cooking skills and learn from one of the best, these small hands-on cooking classes are the perfect activity. Potenza Ristorante & Bar, 286 Atwells Avenue, Providence. Register online at www.chefwalter.com/WPCooking_School.htm.

PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY

COOK & BROWN PUBLIC HOUSE

Mondays: Kids (and Family) Cooking Classes, hands-on cooking classes for kids of all ages and ability levels. 959 Hope Street, Providence. 2737275, www.cookandbrown.com.

Snow Services Call Now For Details… Snow Throwing Snow Shoveling Snow Plowing

PERISHABLE THEATRE Sundays: American Tribal Belly Dance 10am- 12pm. Intermediate Ballet for Adults. Wednesdays: Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance. 95 Empire Street, Providence. 331.2695, www.perishable.org.

DentPlus Dental Center

STADIUM THEATRE Jan 15: Acting Workshop for ages 8-18 featuring Director and Choreographer for Encore Repertory Company as instructors. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

SPORTS

• Veneers • Crowns • Dentures • Family Dentistry • Tooth Whitening Come in and Schedule an appointment today!

Where you’ll always find the brightest SMILES! Your DownCity General and Cosmetic Specialist

BROWN MEN’S HOCKEY Jan 6: Princeton. Jan 7: Quinnipiac. Jan 20: Rensselaer. Jan 21: Union. Meehan Auditorium, 235 Hope Street, Providence. 863-2236, www. brownbears.com.

66 Kennedy Plaza Providence www.dentplus.net | 401-454-3000

PROVIDENCE BRUINS Jan 6: Portland Pirates. Jan 8: Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Jan 13: Worcester Sharks. Jan 20: Worcester Sharks. Jan 22: Springfield Falcons. Dunkin Donuts Center, One LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www. providencebruins.com. PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL Jan 4: Syracuse. Jan 7: Seton Hall. Jan 10: Louisville. Jan 21: Marquette. Dunkin Donuts Center, One LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www. friars.com. PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN’S HOCKEY Jan 1: Brown, 26th Annual Mayor’s Cup. Jan 5: University of Massachusetts. Jan 11: New Hampshire. Jan 21: Boston University. Jan 24: UMass Lowell. Schneider Arena, 1 Huxley Avenue, Providence. 865-2168, www. friars.com. To have your listing included in the East Side Monthly Calendar, please send press releases or event information to esm@providenceonline. com. Please send submissions at least one month prior to event date.

Kitchens • bathrooms

Design contractors inc. Design / Build Fine renovation general contractors residential • commercial

401-751-6363 www.dci-ri.com

additions • built-in cabinetry

PROVIDENCE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Jan 1-2: Shape Play. Jan 3-4: Play & Learn: Making Music. Jan 5-8: Shape Play. Jan 10-11: Play & Learn: Ice Cream Shop. Jan 12-13: Magnet Play. Jan 14-15: No Time to Waste. Jan 16: Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Jan 17-18: Play & Learn: Animal Tales. Jan 19-20: Block Builders. Jan 21-22: Create a Car. Jan 24-25: Play & Learn: In the Kitchen. Jan 26-27: Earth & Water. Jan 28-29: Play Spaces. Jan 31: Play & Learn: Fishing Fun. 100 South Street, Providence. 2735437, www.childrenmuseum.org.

Jan 8: Family Learning Sunday: “Musical Celebrations” with Christopher Kavi Carbone. Jan 21: FUNDAFestFamily FUNDay Storytelling Workshop and Storytelling Concert. Jan 28: Children’s Discovery LibraryOpening Day. Jan 29: Welcome Sparky’s Puppets! 150 Empire Street, Providence. www.provlib.org.

Water damage reconstruction

scale artwork from members of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. PAC Gallery, 175 Main Street, Pawtucket. www.pawtucketartscollaborative.org.

Providence, ri 02906 registration #1324 Painting • restoration

January 2012 East Side Monthly

Classifieds

To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.

DOROTHYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLEANING We clean your home as our own! References & free estimates. Call 401-274-7871 or 401-524-7453.

ELDER CARE AVAILABLE Compassionate, intelligent, mature woman seeks sleepover position with elderly person. 20 years experience. Impeccable references. Please call 781-3392 or 497-3392. A+ INTERIOR PAINTING Fine interiors. 20+ yrs. experience. Highest quality work. Many references. Fully insured. Based on the East Side. (RI Reg. #19226). Call Patrick, 226-8332.

AUDIO/VIDEO HELP If you need some help with your TV, home theater or stereo, call me at 401-383-4102. Jon Bell, Simply Sight & Sound. Reasonable rates. 25 years of experience.

CEILING WORK, DRYWALL Plaster (hang, tape & paint). Water damage repair. All phases of carpentry. Reg. #24022. Fully insured. Steven, E. Prov., 401-641-2452.

CHRISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; LAMP REPAIR We Make House Calls!!! â&#x153;Ż Repairing all types of Lamps â&#x153;Ż Vintage Lighting Specialist â&#x153;Ż Chandelier Repairs â&#x153;Ż Serving the East Side for over 15 years â&#x153;Ż Fully Insured

(401) 831-8693 www.chrislamprepair.com

East Side Monthly January 2012

ELECTRICAL SERVICES All types. New circuits. Generator systems installed. RI #A3338. MA #16083A. Insured. Call Larry 5292087. Also, small handyman jobs.

DOG WALKER/PET SITTER Trained to administer medications. Reliable, bonded, references available. Home visits. Call Susan 5273914. Loves animals. EAST SIDE HANDYMAN 34 years. Repairs, upgrades & renovations. References. Insured. Reg. #3052. Call 270-3682.

Need A Tenant?

Kate C. Foster

401-477-6314 Century 21 Butterman & Kryston, Inc.

HELP FOR SENIORS Medical alert systems from Next Monitering, Inc. A local family business. $29.95/mo. with free install. 508-676-3518.

HOUSECLEANER Available Crystal Clean, a quality housecleaning service. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cut corners. Weekly or bi-weekly. We use environmentally friendly products. Bethany 265-0960.

I BUY BOOKS Old, used and almost new. Also buying photography, art, etc. Call 401-421-2628. jcvp@cox.net

KIND CARE ~ SENIORS Appointments, errands, shopping, cleaning & maint. Refs. Safety bars installed. Reg #3052. 270-3682.

MALIN PAINTING Most ceiling & wall repairs, wallpaper removal, oil-based and latex finishes, staining, varnishing. Fully insured, many local references. Safe, secure, fast service. Call 226-8332. Reg. #19226.

MASTER ELECTRICIAN Install, service, repair. Expert troubleshooting. Free detailed computerized estimate. Deal direct with owner. Lic. #AC 004110 & insured. Small jobs done promptly. All work guaranteed. Save $$$. Family owned & operated. Local resident. Calls returned immediately. 401-258-4793, John. PERFECT PAINTING High end interior painting. Property maintenance. Lic. #17730. Insured. References available. Great rates. Call 516-1438.

Classifieds

To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.

PRESERVE YOUR MEMORIES Documents, photos, slides, films saved to CD or DVD. Photos of slides and film contents are available. Your memories will always be fresh. Reasonable rates. Comen Co., 401-230-2524. Email: hcomen@cox.net

SCREEN PRINTING & Embroidery. T-shirts & Sweatshirts. Max Formal Co., 1164 North Main St., Providence. 421-3268.

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE Spring & Fall Cleanups Bushes Trimmed â?&#x160; Tree Removal Pine Bark Mulch

SUPERB HOUSEPAINTING High end workmanship. Small jobs a specialty. Call Ron 751-3242. Reg. #18128.

PROACTIVE Computer Services Home or office. Computer repairs, data recovery. WIFI Solutions. Fully equipped mobile service. Service calls $40/hr. Call 401-6477702. www.pcsllcri.com

USED MUSIC WANTED! Round Again Records needs your used CDs and records. Cash paid. Call 351-6292.

PROPERTY MANAGER AVAILABLE 24/7 on call. Rent collection. Rentals, evictions. Call 421-0092.

Landscape Construction Parking Lot Cleaning Handyman â?&#x160; 26 Years Experience

MG Landscaping 743-6015 â?&#x160; 831-5109

SNOW PLOWING Residential/Commercial Free Estimates

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We Specialize in Water Problems Certified Lead Renovated LRM #0514

Call Al Medina

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mail Payment in full tO: East Side Monthly, c/o Beacon Communications Classifieds, 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 January 2012 East Side Monthly

East of Elmgrove

by Elizabeth Rau | illustration by Jessica Pollak

Looking Back A year of columns in review The ball dropped and then it was over. Just like that. Whoosh! “Good times,’’ said my son Henry, all misty-eyed and wistful for what had passed. I couldn’t agree more. Another year, another batch of columns. With 2011 in the rearview mirror, it’s time to thank all those courageous souls for speaking up and being such good sports. It’s not easy to reveal the gritty details of your life. Charlie, my sons, the butcher, the guys on Pawn Stars — I owe you a burger. A final tribute is in order. The Old Man and the Scallops I don’t know who you are, but I want to thank you for selling a fistful of scallops to my son Peder on a spring day. I thought he was running off to the convenience store for Skittles, but, no, he went full speed ahead to your fine fish market and butcher shop and bought slimy shellfish. I’m sure his purchase was one of the more unusual transactions of the hour, if not the year. It’s not every day that an 11-year-old kid walks into your shop and asks for scallops. But let me assure you that my firstborn was not seeking fish bait. As the sous chef in our house, he skillfully transformed those chunks of protein into a mouth-watering delicacy that involved scallions, garlic, paprika and a dash of love. Expect to see him again, dear butcher, but this time for squid. The Good Doctor After my husband cut his palm shucking oysters one summer night, we rushed to Miriam Hospital, where a convivial physician named Dr. Cummings closed the ugly gash with three grand stitches. Back home, we indulged in a touch of the grape to recover from the ordeal. Later that evening, a nurse called to say that my husband had forgotten his book. I told her we were too wiped out (tipsy?) to retrieve it that night. In an unexpected gesture of human kindness, Dr. Cummings offered to drop the book off after her shift ended. Heat Lightning was on our front steps in the morning. Who says house calls are a thing of the past?

East Side Monthly January 2012

The Fashionista With the economy in the tank, it’s bad enough to be a clotheshorse, but downright disgraceful to admit it to the world. That’s exactly what 20-something Amanda Hearst did when she prattled on in exhaustive detail about what she wore in an annoying column in The New York Times called “What I Wore.” I haven’t seen the column in a few weeks, so I hope the editors wised up and decided to give it the heave-ho. Those references to “batik-print Zara tulip skirts’’ and “black Lululemon leggings’’ put me to zzz. Yes, I poked fun at Amanda for her excess, and I won’t apologize. Earth to Amanda: One in three Americans is either poor or perilously close to it. If you must spend $300 on leggings, at least keep it a secret. I also advise the Olsen twins to keep quiet about the $39,000 alligator backpack from their luxury line, Bad Taste. According to news reports, the backpack is so popular among the one percent, the twins are struggling to meet demand. Occupiers, meet me on the catwalk. Charlie If you’ve lived in this state for any length of time you’ll know the name — M. Charles Bakst. He was a long-time reporter at The Providence Journal and the paper’s legendary political columnist from 1995 until his retirement in 2008. But few people know that Charlie, as he’s called by friends in and out of the newsroom, had two heart attacks in 2009 during his annual pilgrimage to Red Sox spring training in Fort Meyers, Florida. Thankfully he survived, but his life has changed in a big way. He eats hummus, not pastrami sandwiches. He exercises on a treadmill every day and he has slimmed down to 145 pounds. “You have to tell yourself that you have a lot to live for and that you can do almost anything you did before, yet in moderation,’’ Charlie told me. “You just try to get as much out of life as possible.’’ He looks great. But don’t take my word for it. You can find him at Starbucks, one of his favorite hangouts since moving to the East Side from Bar-

rington. He’s the guy who knows just about everyone in the room. He might have a few crumpled newspapers under his arm too. Vegas on My Mind I’d like to give the boys from Vegas a shout-out for creating one of the best reality shows on television, Pawn Stars. The series chronicles the daily happenings at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, a family-owned business in Las Vegas run by men with well-tended hair and pinky rings. We’ve been hooked since my son Henry discovered the show channel surfing one night. We like the program because we have a lot of stuff around our house that we’d like to unload some day. I detailed

our extensive collection of oddities in a column that I wrote back in October and emailed to the pawn shop, hoping to get a cameo on the show. I’m still waiting to hear back from them. Just to reiterate, guys. We have autographed photographs of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. They were actors in the 1920s. They were married — to each other. Their Beverly Hills mansion was called Pickfair. Douglas was a swashbuckler. No, the photos are not in color. But yes, I can fly to Vegas on short notice. Elizabeth Rau is an East Side resident who can be reached at erau1@verizon.net.

f01 East Side Monthly Ad:Layout 1 12/2/11 2:27 PM Page 1

ANGELL STREET

East Side, Providence Colonial revival home, 6,000 sq.ft. of renovated living space. Includes formal dining room, 6 bedrooms, 3+ bath, club room, media room and wine cellar. In College Hill, voted one of the top 10 “Great Neighborhoods of 2011.” New Price $1,399,000 401-274-1644 | D ETAILS @L ILA D ELMAN . COM

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