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NEW LIST 1730 OLD LOUISQUISSET PIKE, LINCOLN Step back in time and be the next owners of the Jenckes Estate! Originally built in 1736 with additional building in 1830. Tastefully updated for todays needs. This home has it all! $540,000 Aleen Weiss

Ahoy! The Oliver Hazard Perry gives students a taste of life at sea

This Month 21 | GREEN THUMBS Small East Side gardens and services are taking on the big work of growing food and eliminating waste

NEW PRICE 388 ANGELL ROAD, LINCOLN Amazing salt box c1760 reproduction. Warm and totally updated w/ modern conveniences. Wide plank floors, wood beams, beautiful in ground pool, 3 car garage. Set back from road. $799,500 Aleen Weiss

26 | EDUCATION ON THE HIGH SEAS Students trade their classroom for a working tall ship aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry 29 | WUNDERKIND Cliff Weitzman won two global startup pitch competitions and built a solar cell from scratch. Then he turned 22.

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2 ADAMS CIRCLE, NORTH SMITHFIELD Oasis in N. Smithfield. Lovely 4 BR home w/ open floor plan, vaulted ceilings, newly updated large cooks kitchen, laundry on 1st fl, balconies view to wooded lot from every back window. 2.5 lg bathrooms. Full basement. All electrical updated.$432,000 Aleen Weiss

Every Month 4 | Editorial

Community

SOLD 6 SUNRISE DRIVE, ELMHURST Warm and inviting, lovely 3 bed 1 bath ranch home. Totally redone, new carpet, new flooring, new paint, new fixtures, new bath. Gas heat, updated electrical, newer hot water tank, large fenced in yard, dead end street, large unfinished basement. $228,500 Aleen Weiss

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On the Town

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The East Sider 58 | Rebecca Volynsky finds inspiration in Jewish food for her art and community work

On the Cover:

Fox Point Community Garden. Photography by Tiffany Medrano Facebook.com/EastSideMonthly

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RISD ends its annual holiday sale – and some alums aren’t happy 7 | News 11 | In The Know 13 | Neighborhood News

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Editorial Frustrations Rage Over Proposed Drug Clinic In a raucous, sometimes contentious neighborhood meeting on April 24 at Hope High, some 50 or so East Side residents, most of them homeowners from College Hill, took the opportunity to voice their concerns over the proposed clinic on the corner of Thayer and Lloyd. Meanwhile a representative from the City’s law department, enforcement officials and Councilman Zurier explained why they felt there were legal limitations on what the neighborhood could and could not do to stop (or at least clarify) the project. Much of the evening involved heated back-and-forths as frustrated attendees questioned whether the 1955 variance granted to the building was still valid, given the abandonment of its allowed usage, or whether the two years of jail time for drug trafficking served by the new owner of the building meant that the City should more strongly oppose the clinic’s ability to dispense suboxone pills, as opposed to just writing prescriptions. According to Megan DiSanto, Assistant City Solicitor in the City’s law department, legally the City cannot treat property

differently based on an owner’s criminal background. The issue of abandonment, however, produced a range of differing opinions that might have to be dealt with legally. What was particularly upsetting to many of the attendees was that City officials didn’t seem to have much of a grasp on the actual specifics of the proposal. The only substantive action that came out of the meeting is that Councilman Zurier agreed to follow up with the law department to confirm the neighborhood’s understanding that occupants of the building can’t dispense actual drugs from the premises. When asked what Mayor Elorza’s position is on the clinic, Peter Asen, the City’s Director of Partnerships and Community Relations, stated that the “mayor has no position on [the issue].” And in response to a final question asking who the community members can sue if they decide to file a lawsuit, DiSanto responded, “You can sue anyone.” Whether the neighbors have interest in this route remains to be seen. But perhaps the attendees’ overriding sentiment was the City’s

lack of support on an issue that has so engaged the community. As articulated by one frustrated resident, as the crowd broke into applause: “Every interpretation has gone in favor of the owner and against the community.” Meanwhile, there seems to be no paper trail indicating the reasons for the City’s interpretation of the variance. As we go to press, ambiguity remains as to whether the new owner should be forced to reapply for a R-1 variance and what standards need to be established to ensure proper governance of its activities. To others in the audience, there were more troubling issues as well. The background of the owner certainly is one. The fact that neither the owner nor his attorney have even bothered to reassure the residents of their intentions is another. And the proximity of a possible drug-dispensing clinic to four nearby schools is a third. Protecting the R-1 designation is important both to our neighborhoods and to the tax base of our city. The City has not provided either clarity or any significant degree of leadership in this situation. We deserve better.

Letters

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

Media Director Jeanette St. Pierre @JeanetteSTP

Executive Editor Barry Fain

City Editor Steve Triedman

Creative Director Julie Tremaine @JulieTremaine

Editor Sophie Hagen

Managing Editor Tony Pacitti @TonyPacitti

Art Director Meghan H. Follett

Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas

Assistant Art Director Nicholas DelGiudice

Graphic Designer Chad Bauerle

Marketing Coordinator Kim Tingle Account Managers Shelley Cavoli: Shelley@ProvidenceOnline.com Louann DiMuccio-Darwich: Louann@ProvidenceOnline.com Ann Gallagher: Ann@ProvidenceOnline.com Kristine Mangan: Kristine@ProvidenceOnline.com Dan Schwartz: DanS@ProvidenceOnline.com Elizabeth Riel: Liz@ProvidenceOnline.com Stephanie Oster Wilmarth: Stephanie@ProvidenceOnline.com

Contributing Photographers Mike Braca Stacey Doyle Michael Cevoli Tiffany Medrano Contributing Illustrators Ashley Maclure Lia Marcoux Contributing Writers

The Doctor Is Out Rhode Islanders need their doctors, yet more and more are leaving medicine because they cannot keep up with both patient care and increasing administrative burdens. One complaint of doctors has been the increasing burden of the American Board of Medical Specialties’ (ABMS) proprietary program called Maintenance of Certification (MOC) that has slowly grown in size, scope and expense. Physicians already are required to participate in continuing medical education to keep up to date on best medical practices in order to maintain their licenses. Published studies show that patients treated by physicians

East Side Monthly June 2017

participating in MOC had the same clinical outcomes as patients treated by non-participating physicians, yet if doctors don’t continue to spend their time and money on MOC they can lose their “Board Certification” status and thus their hospital privileges. What MOC does clearly do is make money for the ABMS. The largest specialty board had $26.9M in revenue from its MOC program in 2014 and since then, the requirements have only increased. Rhode Islanders can help by supporting the Patient Care Expansion Act, legislation similar to that recently passed by Georgia and Oklahoma which prohibits MOC as a condition of licensure, hospital privileges or

reimbursement. Similar legislation is also currently pending in FL, ME, MI, MO, NY, TN and TX. Passage of these bills will return the regulation of physicians’ practices to the state medical board, not the ABMS boards, which are conflicted, self-appointed and private certification organizations. To permit this timeworn private monopoly to continue to “govern” the practice of medicine in our state is simply unjustified. Please contact your local legislators (you can find them at OpenStates. org/Find_Your_Legislator) and tell them to support the Patient Care Expansion Act S-0754 and H-5671. Dr. Lisa Frappier, RI Physicians For Quality Care

Erin Balsa Jessica Bryant Alastair Cairns Emily Dietsch Mike Fink Amanda Grosvenor

Jayne Guertin Lauri Lee Grace Lentini Stephanie Obodda Elizabeth Rau Holly Vine

Classified Advertising Sue Howarth Interns Marla Gagne Olivia Perreault Jacob Turpin 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 ©2017 by East Side Monthly. All rights reserved.

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COMMUNITY East Side Stories | Neighborhood News & Notes

East Side News Wheeler Says Goodbye Head of School Dan Miller is retiring after 14 years

Photography by Laurie Flynn

By Lauri Lee Dan Miller, head of the Wheeler School for the past 14 years, will graduate this month along with his youngest child. As the seventh head since the school’s founding in 1889, Dan has made quite a few visible improvements during his tenure. He led two capital campaigns that raised over $40 million and completed a ten-year master plan that resulted in three new buildings, 96,000 square feet of additional renovation and a complete redesign of all outdoor spaces on the campus, both on the East Side and at the school’s farm campus in Seekonk. Dan has also helped the school to grow financially. Under his leadership, Wheeler’s endowment grew from $5 million to nearly $36 million. Over the years, there has been a significant increase in faculty salaries, and need-based scholarships have tripled from $1.3 million to almost $4 million annually. The student body has also changed while Dan has been head of school. As he says, “The school has continued to evolve to better reflect the broader diversity in the state and region – socioeconomically, culturally, geographically, in almost every dimension – and that has made it a much stronger community.” In fact, since 2003, the percentage of nonwhite students at Wheeler has increased from 11% to 28%. Joan Kwiatkowski, parent of a Wheeler alumnus, has another perspective on Dan’s commitment to diverse learners at Wheeler: “He viewed Hamilton School as an asset, whose students remind the Wheeler community that brilliance shines in different ways.” Hamilton, a schoolwithin-a-school founded in 1988, serves students in grades 1–8 with language-based learning differences. It provides small classes for instruction while integrating students into the larger Wheeler community for

non-academic pursuits. During Dan’s tenure, Wheeler also hosted Breakthrough Providence, a summer program designed to create a pathway to college for low-income, academically motivated middle school students in the Providence public school system. The program also encourages talented high school and college students to pursue careers in education. On his very first visit to Wheeler, Dan “was struck by the energy, talent, and sense of optimism of the community and, 14 years later, those are still Wheeler’s most salient features to me.” In fact, he told eighth graders Ronnie Parrillo and Connor Cruz on their RonCon radio show that those elements are the things he will miss most about Wheeler. What will he miss least? “People complaining about the parking!” After all, as the school encompasses a city block, parking is at a premium for Wheeler’s faculty, staff, parents and students. Dan stresses that “the strides the School has made are just part of a continuum of progress that stretches back and will certainly continue with my talented successor. I have had the privilege to work on the School’s behalf with a very experienced, talented team and with an extraordinary faculty and staff.” One thing many people mention when asked what they will remember most about Dan is his talent for public speaking. Parent Donna Goldin, whose daughter is graduating this month, exclaimed, “Hearing Dan speak is always such a pleasure. He has such a natural way of speaking in front of a crowd and mixes humor with take-home messages… I’ve also been amazed at the way he handles the most delicate situations. He has a way of addressing things head-on but with great tact.” Dan and his wife Joanna are not

In his time at Wheeler, head of school Dan Miller was applauded for both his talent at public speaking and solid fundraising chops

sure what they’ll do next. As new empty nesters, they’ve decided to take a few months before making any decisions. One thing Dan is excited for, but also a bit nervous about, is his new yearly schedule; after all, he says, “I have been going to school every September since I was four years old.” In the meantime, he has been planning for after his departure with the incoming head of school, Allison Gaines Pell, and will continue working with her over the next few weeks until her official start date of July 1.

The school is hosting a celebration honoring the Millers at the Wheeler Farm on June 2. Dan has enjoyed his time in Rhode Island, which he believes has “a tremendous range of talent and interests compressed in a small community. Personally, I find the population density both productive and supportive. In that way, Wheeler is a microcosm of the state.” Obviously, the community will miss Dan Miller as much as he will miss us, and we wish him all the best as he moves on to his next chapter.

June 2017 East Side Monthly

Community

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Get Ready for graduation Season Springtime means a burst of Commencement ceremonies across the city By Jake Turpin

Graduation is both a beginning and an end for the city’s college students. Before jamming to Vitamin C’s iconic ‘90s hit “Graduation (2000)”, these kids make the most of their final days on campus before a last hurrah on Commencement Day. Providence has seen its share of heartwarming moments and wacky high jinks from the city’s graduates; here’s our guide to the highlights of commencements past. Brown University (May 28): Brown has been bestowing degrees since before we were singing “The StarSpangled Banner.” Their ﬁrst commencement awarded only seven (yep,

seven) bachelors degrees in 1769. Curious ceremonies have since followed: in 1970, graduates turned their backs in protest of the National Guard’s recent assault on unarmed student protesters at Kent State, and in 1985, Prince Faisal bin Hussein’s graduation brought helicopters to an otherwise peaceful sky. Continuing the trend, its 249th ceremony will feature Robert De Niro as one of six honorary graduates. Providence College (May 21): If you witnessed G-day at Providence College back in 2015, you were graced with inspiring words from musical legend Darlene Love, who then shook

the walls with an unexpected gospel performance that got a standing O. Be sure to congratulate WaterFire executive director Barnaby Evans when you see him this summer – he’s an honorary degree recipient for the school’s 99th commencement. New England Tech: Many that graduate from New England Tech are the ﬁrst to hold college degrees in their families, so Commencement becomes a special kind of celebration, with inspirational speakers to give the students an extra boost. Past guests include Billie Jean King, Mario Andretti and Al Roker, and April 10 this year featured David “Big Papi” Ortiz.

Rhode Island School of Design (June 3): The students of RISD always bring it when it comes to walking that stage. Students have accepted degrees while dressed as veggies and have streaked during the ceremony; before the festivities were moved into the convention center, students were allowed to bring animals to the outdoor ceremony, including, one year, a boa constrictor. Past commencement speakers have been equally distinctive – like John Waters, whose inspirational and idiosyncratic 2015 speech became a book of its own. Prepare for the unexpected when RISD kids put on those glammed-out gowns.

This Old House Walking through history at the Festival of Historic Houses

There are a lot of stories behind Providence’s diverse and grand architecture. For 38 years, the Providence Preservation Society has been telling those stories with its annual Festival of Historic Houses. This year they’re showcasing the historically signiﬁcant and visually intricate homes in the Upper Elmwood Historic District. The festival kicks oﬀ June 2 with a preview party at the Webster Knight House and self-guided tours begin on June 3, allowing visitors to explore more than dozen historic properties. “PPS chose Upper Elmwood for this year’s festival… [because] the architecture holds its own against the best in the country,” says Sarah Santos, director of advancement at the Providence Preservation Society. “Most homes there were built during Providence’s industrial heyday as comfortable ‘suburban’ homes, as the city’s population boomed and expanded southward.” One of the festival’s highlights will be the Webster Knight House. Built around 1897, the house’s namesake was the son of Robert Knight, who, along with his brother Benjamin, founded the Fruit of the Loom brand. With its elaborate,

East Side Monthly June 2017

ornate design features, the house is the largest and oldest example of Colonial Revival architecture in the neighborhood. Among the many beautiful works of architecture on the tour is the eyecatching Henry C. Ballou House, built in 1894 and originally owned by a dealer in woodenware, crockery and glassware. The house’s current owners live on the first floor and rent out two units on Airbnb, giving guests a chance to experience the building’s ornate architecture firsthand. “Upper Elmwood residents have been beyond gracious and enthusiastic about welcoming the PPS Festival to their neighborhood and opening their homes,” says Sarah. The owners and occupants, she reports, want to preserve and maintain these pieces of history and the community they love. “The homes on the tour are prime examples of how grassroots preservation efforts on the part of residents can revive a neighborhood and begin a rebirth.” Festival proceeds will go to PPS’s preservation work and to restoring the Knight Memorial Library. ProvidenceHouseTour.com

Upper Elmwood gets its moment in the spotlight in this year’s Festival of Historic Houses

Photo courtesy Warren Jagger/Providence Preservation Society

By Tori Hitchiner

Community

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Creative Differences RISD and alumni respond to the cancellation of the annual holiday art sale By Tony Pacitti

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The newly cancelled RISD Holiday Sale showcased the work of the school’s alumni

In April, a group calling itself Friends of the RISD Art Sales started a Change. org petition in response to RISD’s decision to cancel its annual Spring Art and Holiday Sales. The announcement that both events would be discontinued while resources were redirected to an online marketplace for alumni came in January from RISD Alumni Relations. “We plan to launch the directory in the summer of 2017, and there will be no charge to participate. This new marketplace will have the flexibility to promote and benefit RISD artists and designers who have not been able to participate in RISD-run sales because of location, transportation and insurance issues, and other factors,” the letter explained. “As part of the creation of the directory, we will phase out our Holiday Sale but will continue to strongly support RISD Craft during RISD Weekend.” In response, the petition, which will be delivered to RISD President Rosanne Somerson, Director of Alumni Relations Christina Hartley and RISD Board of Trustees Chair Michael Spalter, argues that in addition to celebrating nearly two decades of tradition, these sales “regularly attract design enthusiasts and gallery owners from all over the country” and “provide economic benefits not only to RISD alumni and students, but also to the restaurants and many small businesses of Rhode Island’s Creative Capital.” As of press time, the petition had 585 signatures. Christina points out that the decision to cancel the sales was not made casually and that alumni feedback was an important part of the process.

“While many alumni responded positively to the Providence sales, overall we received mixed feedback,” she says. “In addition, we took into account the enormous staﬀ eﬀort and resources that managing a series of sales requires, and our desire to use these resources to support our alumni more broadly.” There are nearly 25,000 RISD alumni in more than 90 countries around the world, she points out. The online marketplace – which, she says, is “not meant to replace the sales” – will go live later in the year and will attempt to offer that broader support to the school’s global community of artists. RISD Craft, which is held during the school’s reunion and parents’ weekend in the fall, will continue despite the cancellation of the other two annual alumni sales. RISD is committed to adding additional resources to this event, as well as helping local artists connect with other art sales in the Providence area, such as the newly organized Art Providence Holiday Sale. Planned for December 9-10 at the Rhode Island Convention Center, the Art Providence Holiday Sale intends to serve as the successor to the RISD Holiday Sale. “The US makers’ movement is exploding at the moment, and Providence is on the leading edge of that trend,” says Laura Burkett, founder of ArtSmart Productions and executive director of the Art Providence Holiday Sale. “We’re excited to be producing this event and pleased with the positive response from both RISD and the broader artist community.”

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June 2017 East Side Monthly

Community

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Langston and Billie Were There Stages of Freedom brings Harlem to the East Side with its second annual rent party By Sophie Hagen On June 25, a College Hill mansion is bringing back the rent party. Stages of Freedom, a nonprofit that builds community and programming around black life and culture in Rhode Island, is throwing a swinging 1920s-style fundraiser that revives a key tradition. “Black folks,” recounts Ray Rickman, the organization’s executive director, “used to have rent parties” – without savings or wealthy relatives, those running low on cash relied on their communities to pay the month’s rent. This party, rather than raising rent money, is a fundraiser to send children of color to swimming lessons. The party will be held at the Bishop mansion, one of the towering, ornate buildings that overlooks Brown’s campus (a duplicate of its interior occupies several floors of the RISD Museum). Built in 1795, it has plenty of room for the palm readings, live jazz, soul food contest (with prizes for the tastiest offerings) and general 1920s-era revelry that will ensue

at the event – perfect for an organization that works to spotlight joyful black history in the present. Rent parties typically involved entire communities and would “attract major entertainment figures,” says Ray. Last year’s Harlem Rent Party, the organization’s first, was graced with visits from Billie Holiday and Zora Neale Hurston (actresses Rose Weaver and Wanda Schell). This year Langston Hughes (Trinity Rep’s Joe Wilson Jr.) will be reading his poetry for the assembled party-goers. Last year, Stages of Freedom paid for 311 students of color, ages 5 to 17, to attend swimming lessons at seven YMCAs throughout the state; this year, the organization hopes to send 400 into the pool. The program is designed to address a structural inequity that plays out in devastating numbers: as Stages of Freedom’s website states, “Black youth in Rhode Island drown at ﬁve times the rate of white youth,” a statistic related to “the exclusion of the African American

Zora Neale Hurston and Billie Holiday (Wanda Schell and Rose Weaver) attended last year’s Harlem Rent Party, enjoying food, fun and fundraising

community from our nation’s public pools.” The issue also manifests in employment: “The majority of people see swimming as fun,” Ray points out, “but you can’t be a ﬁreﬁghter or nurse if you can’t swim.” Stages of Freedom hopes to get 6,000 children

swimming; this, Ray says, will mean one swimmer for every family of color in Rhode Island, who then can teach all of his or her relatives. The Harlem Rent Party is one dancing step closer to this goal. StagesofFreedom.org/ Harlem-Rent-Party

Nature’s New Steward John Torgan takes the helm at the Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island

The Nature Conservancy is best known for protecting iconic landscapes and natural places for people to enjoy and wildlife to thrive. For most of its existence, it has served as a giant land trust, purchasing properties inhabited by rare species and protecting those sites from development. In recent years, though, the Conservancy has begun to invest in coastal and ocean conservation, places that – unlike a forest – cannot be bought. To further emphasize that new focus, the organization’s Rhode Island chapter recently hired East Side resident John Torgan as its state director. A native of Providence, John is perhaps best known as Save the Bay’s

East Side Monthly June 2017

first Baykeeper, the public watchdog for Narragansett Bay. He followed his interest in marine preservation to the Conservancy in 2011, when he was named the Rhode Island office’s first director of ocean and coastal conservation. “My love for water and marine life and fishing has inspired a passion for cleaning up rivers and tidal waters, and that’s stayed with me my entire life,” says John. “Cleaning up waterways is the best thing we can do for nature in Rhode Island. Protecting land and water is where we start and end.” He is hoping his organization can pick up the slack from the Trump

Administration’s proposed funding cuts to environmental protection and conservation programs. “This is an extremely challenging time in the environmental world,” John says. “But we’re lucky that we are strong and have deep support in all 50 states. We ﬁnd ourselves in a unique position to make a diﬀerence in a number of core areas.” One of those areas is Providence, where the Conservancy is establishing a program to conserve the upper bay and the rivers that feed into Providence Harbor. “The Providence River is cleaner than it’s been in seven generations,” John says. “It’s full of marine life; people are catching

big striped bass in downtown Providence; and there are so many menhaden there that you can walk across their backs. That’s an extraordinary change.” Managing polluted stormwater runoﬀ from paved surfaces is the next big environmental issue for the Providence metro area, according to John, and the even bigger challenge is climate change. “We need to be thinking now about our coastal cities and about restorative ways to protect them, because changes are happening from ever higher tides and storm surges. There are immediate needs in our coastal communities, and we think nature has a big role in the solution.”

Photo courtesy of Stages of Freedom

By Todd McLeish

Community In the Know

Happy Pride, Rhode Island

By Barry Fain

What’s Next for Ward 3? The overwhelming vote to recall Kevin Jackson now clears the way for the election of a new council member that by mandate must be held within 90 days. Mark Santow, who was active in the campaign, has already announced his interest in running. Marcus Mitchell, who came within 50 votes of winning as a write-in candidate two years ago and is married to the daughter of Danny Lopes, a former Ward 3 councilman himself, is certainly another obvious possibility. So too are Tricia Kammerer and Karina Wood, both of whom were leaders of the recall movement itself. Plus it’s certainly possible that new candidates will emerge. Given the activism that generated the recall in the first place, it would seem that a progressive candidate is best positioned to take over the spot. As an interesting sidebar, “the Board of Elections has proposed legislation which would prohibit a declared candidate’s name from appearing on the ballot if he or she remains delinquent with his or her campaign finance reporting and fines after 14 days of notification,” according to Richard Thornton, director of campaign finance for the Board. The now recalled Jackson still owes some $36,000 in fines. Interestingly (but, since this is Providence, not surprisingly), City Council President Luis Aponte himself owes some $48,000. Just as we were going to press, Aponte was indicted for embezzlement, unlawful appropriation and two counts of personal use of campaign funds. And the beat goes on.

Prospects Improve at the Terrace The eﬀorts led by the College Hill Neighborhood Association to raise funds to help the City provide muchneeded improvements to Prospect Terrace received a major boost with news that Councilman Sam Zurier will be earmarking his share of the infrastructure bill to help the park. The money, some $50,000, will be added to the initial $10,000 raised on Kickstarter by the neighbors. The initial plans by local landscape designer Sara Bradford will include long-awaited upgrades to wornout benches, improved lighting and general landscaping. The hope is to raise additional funds to make the park handicapped-accessible and continue other design improvements. Interested in pitching in and maybe even sponsoring the additional improvements? Checks

can be made out to the Partnership of Public Parks with a note indicating the contribution is for the Prospect Terrace improvement project and sent to either CHNA, PO Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906 or directly to the Partnership for Providence Parks, 11 West Drive, Providence, RI 02904.

A Man of Steele F. Steele Blackall III, one of Rhode Island’s true icons and a longtime wine writer for our paper, passed away last month at the age of 91. A successful businessman, graduate of both Harvard and Yale, and dedicated philanthropist for many of our local causes, Steele still found time to write a witty, always informative wine column that ran in East Side Monthly for years, articulating his mantra that good wines need not be bad for your bank account. But it was his joie de vivre that made him so endearing to those who knew him. Attired in his old raccoon coat, he celebrated his 80th Harvard–Yale football game this past fall and was known for his colorful bow ties and Bermuda shorts as he summered in Westport. His living room there also housed a full set of drums that he played well into his late 80s and his skills as a raconteur were unmatched. His was a life well lived.

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Keeping Up His Spirits For over 40 years, Richard Backer has owned and operated the well-regarded East Side Prescription, now East Side Wine and Spirits, on the corner of Hope and Elgin streets. Despite the competition of national chains like CVS and Walgreens, his small store hung in there and survived. His secret? “Just hard work and a commitment to customer service,” he says. Another plus was that he was grandfathered in as one of only two drugstores in the state that was permitted to sell alcohol. But as prescription regulations became more onerous and costly for non-chain stores like his, Richard reluctantly closed down the pharmacy part of his operation and concentrated on selling beer, wine and spirits. Richard is conﬁdent that this new direction will produce results. Now a youthful 71 and working harder than ever, he reports that both he and his loyal customers are enjoying the challenge. With that in mind, here’s a toast to neighborhood institutions that continue to hang tough amidst the swirling wind that is modern retailing.

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Community Neighborhood News

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Summit Neighborhood Association Community Gardens Project Becomes Seedy After Five Years After about five years of preparation, the Summit Neighborhood Community Garden has finally gone to seed. On Earth Day – Saturday, April 22 – the hardy gardeners braved a slight drizzle to distribute mulch along the paths between the raised beds, which had been filled with soil the previous weekend. In addition to the mulching, there were free seeds offered to the public from the supply provided to the workers by the University of Rhode Island as well as starter plants for sale. This was in conjunction with the Parks Department’s city-wide cleanup activities. Already, some of the beds have seeds planted and sections laid out, with more to come as the weather improves. It is the culmination of a project begun by the Summit Neighborhood Association about five years ago. SNA started with extensive publicopinion polling of the neighborhood as to interest in community gardens as well as fears that the effort would reduce the area occupied by the “tot lot.” As about 80 percent of those polled responded favorably to the concept of gardens, the Parks Department got on board with a design to refurbish the entire playground as well as lay out the gardens. Several public meetings were held to introduce the plan and react to suggestions. More polling about the specifics of the proposal was done and met with general approval. Miriam Hospital was approached for funds and enthusiastically responded. The garden part of the project was scheduled to be tackled first. SNA continues to work with the city on completing the playground renewal. A core group of garden planners was established and took over the implementation of the design, putting

in weeks of organizing and ultimately building fences and raised beds. People who worked on the project from the beginning were guaranteed plots, with the rest to be determined by a lottery. Fortunately, the number of gardeners seeking plots exactly matched the number of plots available. Still to come in the garden is a work shed to be provided by the Parks Department, which had already installed a water line. But the green thumbs of the gardeners have been busy and seeds have been planted. As the vegetables and ﬂowers grow, so will the opportunity for the children in the park to participate and learn from the blossoming community gardens. For the latest information or to get on the waiting list for a garden plot, go to their website, SummitCommunityGarden.org. Residents Invited to Directors Meetings The SNA board of directors meets at 7pm on the third Monday of every month in the cafeteria of Summit Commons, 99 Hillside Avenue. The sessions are open and neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend. Summit Neighborhood Association, PO Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940. 489-7078, SNA.Providence.RI.us, SNA@SNA.Providence.RI.us –Kerry Kohring

College Hill Neighborhood Association CHNA has reached a major milestone in our efforts to improve Prospect Terrace Park. Providence City Councilman Sam Zurier has confirmed that $50,000 of Ward 2 Infrastructure Program funds will be allocated this year to improvements in lighting and benches at Prospect Terrace Park. Thanks to an additional $10,000 raised from individual donors and matching funds from the Providence Parks Department, the park now has a total budget of $60,000 for a range of projects commencing in the coming months. “We are so excited about what can be achieved at the park with these funds, and greatly appreciate that Councilman Zurier chose Prospect Terrace Park as this year’s beneficiary

Wheelbarrows and muscles spread mulch between the raised beds of the Summit Neighborhood Community Gardens on Saturday, April 22, Earth Day

of the Ward 2 funds,” said CHNA President Josh Eisen. “Next we are seeking a few key large corporate and institutional donors and benefactors to match these funds to enable us to achieve our ambitious goal of replacing walkways and bringing the park into compliance with ADA standards.” With these funds available, work will be able to proceed with replacing worn benches, installing better lighting and other improvements such as fence repairs. If possible there will also be new interpretive signs added, explaining the fascinating history of the park. “We were thrilled to recommend this CHNA-sponsored project for the Ward 2 Infrastructure Program funds, and we are extremely grateful that the Councilman decided to fund this exciting project,” said City of Providence Parks Superintendent Wendy Nilsson. “Prospect Terrace Park offers so much to Providence residents and visitors that we can’t wait to break ground on these improvements later this year.” The College Hill Neighborhood Association is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to advocate for the neighborhood, build community, and preserve the quality of life and unique character of College Hill. We seek to give residents a louder voice in the neighborhood by solving issues effectively and constructively, working with the Mayor’s Office, City Council, Department of Planning and Development, Department of Public

Works, Licensing Board, Preservation Society, Historic District Commission, Brown University, RISD and other community, merchant, school, developer and land owner representatives to achieve results. News from Thayer The Renaissance “rebirth” or “reawakening” of Thayer Street continues as we say goodbye to some and welcome others. Just announced, the following businesses are coming to Thayer: U Melt, specializing in “Gourmet Grilled Cheese” (in the former Nice Slice location), and B. Good, serving “Real Food” with local and seasonal ingredients featuring salads, veggie bowls, smoothies and burgers (in the former Johnny Rockets location). Joining them are businesses who have already been announced and are getting ready to open on Thayer: Tropical Smoothie Cafe (272 Thayer), WOW BBQ (across from DENDEN on Angell) and By Chloe (in the former Au Bon Pain location). The future of Thayer Street is bright. Even as we say goodbye to What Cheer Records & Vintage (last day May 31), we await the news of who will be coming to 165 Angell and 249 Thayer (former Store 24/Tedeschi). Stay tuned! Save the Date: The Fourth Annual Thayer Street Art Festival is June 11. Thayer will be closed to traﬃc with 100+ artisan tents lining the street. Live entertainment, free fun and shopping for all. (Thayer will be closed from Bowen to Angell,

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Community Neighborhood News

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Fox Point residents clean up the Riverwalk on Earth Day

5am-7pm.) College Hill Neighborhood Association, PO Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906. 633-5230, CollegeHillNA.com, CHNA@CollegeHillNA. com –Josh Eisen

Wayland Square Bookshop to Rise Again Defying Fahrenheit 451, Paper Nautilus Books (formerly Myopic Books) appears to be rising phoenix-like from the ashes. After losing a lease last April on 5 South Angell Street (one store in from Wayland Square) which it had held for two decades, its owner, Kristin Sollenberger, has bought an empty store at 19 South Angell, facing Minerva Pizza. This is only a few spaces down the same side of the street from its former location and marginally closer to Blackstone Boulevard. It is less congested but also less conspicuous. The space has been used by many businesses over the years, including Katharine Gibbs School’s career placement, various health and beauty spas and, most recently, a selfservice parlor for soft ice cream and yogurt. As of late April, Paper Nautilus was just starting the process of moving its stock of books and renovating its new home to ﬁt the demands of a bookshop, such as shelving rather than dairy spouts. Contributions for the relocation

were being raised through a GoFundMe page, which readers can check for current progress (GoFundMe.com/ Paper-Nautilus-Books-Relocation). Earth Day Cleanup On Earth Day (Saturday, April 22), neighborhood volunteers helped clean and tidy up Wayland Square, fortiﬁed by treats and bonuses from Whole Foods Market and twenty other local businesses. tinyurl.com/ WaylandSquare; Groups.Yahoo.com/ Group/WaylandSquare –David Kolsky

Fox Point Neighborhood Association Events This Month Board Meeting, June 12: Please join us at our monthly FPNA Board Meeting, 7pm, in the Community Room of the Vartan Gregorian Elementary School, 455 Wickenden Street. The public is welcome. Meet Up With Us! Please join us for drinks and casual conversation at the next FPNA Meet-Up. Neighbors will gather to share thoughts and brainstorm ideas for the neighborhood. Details TBD. All are welcome! FPNA Supports Community Safety Act In late April, the Providence City

Council voted to support the Providence Community Safety Act, “a comprehensive city ordinance to ban racial profiling and change the way that police interact with members of our community,” according to the CSA website. At the time of printing, the CSA awaited a second Council vote – which was postponed until June 1 – and Mayor Elorza’s signature. The FPNA supported the Community Safety Act as a “common-sense solution to pressing systemic problems,” wrote FPNA Vice-President Daisy Schnepel. “Although it reduces some flexibility on the part of the City and its police,” she continued, “it also protects police officers from unfair accusations and enhances public trust in our institutions.” The StepUp Coalition worked for three years to develop the CSA, with input from a wide variety of community groups and stakeholders. The FPNA hopes to see it pass. Neighbors Cleaned Up The FPNA held its annual Earth Day Cleanup at a small park near the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier at Providence Steamboat, just west of India Point Park. Dozens of neighbors arrived to help, far exceeding expectations. “They kept coming!” said Alissa Peterson, event organizer and FPNA Board member. Neighbors cleaned up trash, pulled out weeds and vines, added mulch and removed two dead trees.

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Community Neighborhood News

“We had expert help from Sam Greenwood of Greenwood Landscape Design,” said Peterson. “He came with his chainsaw. This really opened up the space and gave a better sense of how nice it is to walk down there.” Neighbors then planted saltwatertolerant grasses and shrubs, and laid rocks to delineate the beds. Many thanks to Fox Point neighbors for their elbow grease, including members of the Beta Omega Chi Fraternity at Brown University, who came out in great numbers, and two Sheldon Street neighbors who donated 20 pairs of work gloves at the last minute. The City provided mulch, cleanup supplies and plants; Sam Greenwood donated time, expertise, power tools and rocks. “We chose the spot because it seemed like a neglected area,” said Peterson. “It gets a lot of traffic from fishermen. We wanted to continue the feeling of the Riverwalk toward the Park, past the restaurants. It’s really pretty down there.” The Fox Point Neighborhood Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Fox Point and protecting its historic integrity and resources. The FPNA speaks out on neighborhood issues and builds community through local events. Our monthly board meetings are open to the public. Please join us! Fox Point Neighborhood Association, PO Box 2315, Providence, RI 02906, FPNA.net, FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com –Amy Mendillo

Mount Hope Neighborhood Association MHNA will be hosting a neighborhood farmers market on July 14 and 28, August 11 and 25, and September 8 and 22. The Rhode Island State Police will be sponsoring a Seat Belt Safety forum, where free child safety seats will be given out. Date and time to be announced. Helen Dukes continues to hold Neighborhood Community Meetings on the ﬁrst Monday of the month. The next meeting is scheduled for May 5 at 6:30 p.m., hosted at the MHNA ofﬁces. The last “Know Your Rights” forum,

East Side Monthly June 2017

sponsored with the help of the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s Office, was held on April 29 at the MHNA offices and was very informative. Look out for the next one! The Mount Hope Learning Center will be sponsoring its summer camp once again, running July 5 through September 1, from 6:30am (early drop-off ) to 5:30pm, for kids K through 5. The camp will be held at the Mount Hope Learning Center (140 Cypress), as well as at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. For more information, call 455-4875 or visit MtHopeLC.org. The Community Health Workers held their second annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 22, from 1-3pm at Billy Taylor Park, at the corner of Cypress and Camp. Kudos to all those who came out, even with the inclement weather as a foreboding backdrop (drop, drop). The rain certainly didn’t put a damper on all the activities. The band played on and helped to keep the spirit of the day moving in the right direction. Great job to everyone who helped with the planting, as well as with the cleanup of the park and the surrounding area. The next meeting of the Empowerment Dialogue will be held on May 25 at the MHNA offices, from 5-6pm. Hope to see you there (for more information, visit chi-ri.org or Facebook: Community Health Innovations RI). Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, 199 Camp Street, Providence, RI 02906, 521-8830, Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, mhnainc@gmail.com. –Roger Lanctot

Waterman Street Dog Park The Waterman Street Dog Park Association would like to express our deep appreciation to everyone who’s volunteered time and money to help out with the park. Without all of the community support we’ve received, we could have never gotten the park open! Thank you all so much! After successful volunteer cleanups, the park continues to improve. With continued, enthusiastic use of the park from all corners of our neighborhood, however, the park will need ongoing maintenance. And we want you to get involved.

We encourage anyone who’s invested in the future of the park to come to the planning meeting on June 13 at 7pm at Books on the Square in Wayland Square. Waterman Street Dog Park Association. 19 Luzon Ave., Providence, RI 02906. Wate r m a n S t D o g Pa r k @ g m a i l .o r g , WatermanStDogPark.org –Sam Bell

Blackstone Parks Conservancy

After BPC volunteers had collected quite a few bags of refuse on Earth Day morning, Mr. Doran returned in the afternoon to the rear of York Pond, which, as he says, is rather inaccessible, and hauled out two more contractors’ bags full of discarded cups, plastic bags, etc., most of which had washed down from the 380-acre East Side watershed that feeds into the pond. So it seems some people do turn every day into Earth Day. As Mr. Doran wrote of this latest cleanup event, “The benefit to people… and the natural world can’t be measured.”

Out in the Rain for the Parks It seems that rain must fall on Earth Day – at least it has for the past several years – and it does appear to discourage people from participating. But on this latest cold and rainy Earth Day, the turnout at Blackstone Park was greater than usual, and some of the same faces showed up later that day at the State House in support of science. At the Blackstone Parks Conservancy (BPC), we depend on research to show how best to tackle challenges in the woods and on the Boulevard, challenges that are being made more difficult by higher temperatures and more intense storms. Whether stabilizing soil to prevent erosion or controlling invasive plant species, we aim to protect the soil, plants, trees and ponds using the best science available and making sure that we do no harm in the process. The BPC relies on volunteers to figure out how to manage these irreplaceable historic parks, to make the plans, apply for grants and meet with the Parks Department and environmental agencies. Just as important are the volunteers who show up on Earth Day and at all the other BPC events to do whatever needs doing. One special kind of volunteer is the one who picks up trash without needing to be asked or thanked. And one of these guardian angels – Harold Doran – was revealed on Earth Day. We learned that our benefactor has been stopping at York Pond on the way to work most days to visit the ducks and, while there, he picks up whatever trash he can find. He loves the water, calling it “a solace.”

Where Do Donations Go? The BPC depends not only on volunteers, but also on donations to pay for materials and services that need to be purchased. And when we do win a grant, as we have this year from the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), there is always a matching component. The following are materials and services that donations help provide for: • Blackstone Boulevard path rejuvenation project • Tree and flower plantings • Tree pruning • Fencing replacement and upkeep • Invasive plant removal • Mulching, watering and other necessary supplies • Soil stabilization • Improving trail safety Two grants for 2017 will enable the BPC to address three of the above items in a focused way. A $5,000 CRMC grant provides for materials and plants to stabilize the particularly diﬃcult area beside the wooden steps leading up into the woods from York Pond. And a smaller grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will enable us to continue removal of rampant invasive plants in the section north of Irving Avenue. Please send your East Side Market receipts to the address below. Several events will be scheduled in June for the Children’s Circle, now known as Riverwood. Blackstone Parks Conservancy, PO Box 603141, Providence, RI 02906. 270-3014, BlackstoneParksConservancy.org, JaneAnnPeterson@ gmail.com –Jane Peterson

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Gardens

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How small growers, community gardens and composters on the East Side are doing the big work for the earth By Grace Lentini Pictured here: Fox Point Garden

here’s nothing quite like biting into a perfectly ripe to-

mato on a hot summer day. After the sweetness subsides, take a moment and consider what it took to get that tomato to the plate. Where was it grown? Who grew it? Was it done in an environmentally conscious way? Then consider that you can grow it yourself. There’s an increasing effort throughout East Side neighborhoods for people to grow their own food, or at least be more mindful about where it comes from. As a result, community gardens have sprouted around town, turning what started as an alternative food source into a vehicle to bring neighbors together. “The members’ group built everything,” says Nancy Buron, president of the steering committee for the Summit Neighborhood Community Garden. “They built the raised beds, spent an entire day moving huge amounts of dirt into the beds, then on another day they just spread mulch.” Massive amounts of planning went into getting the Summit Garden off (and in) the ground. Although this is the very first growing season, the project has been five years in the making. “It’s been a community garden before the garden was even there,” says Nancy – community members were polled to ensure buyin before the gardeners formed their subcommittee. Now there are 28 filled plots with room for 40, and even a waiting list of five to six people. Neighbors have joined for a variety of reasons. Some are parents who want to teach their kids where their food comes from. Others are looking to connect with aspects of their culinary cultural heritage by growing certain items. Still others have a shady yard or no yard at all and look to the community garden

to grow their veggies. From the compost to the seeds to the fruits of labor, gardens give you almost complete control over what ends up on your plate – a drastically different interaction with food than when you pick something up at the market. “Everything in our plots is free of pesticides and chemicals,” explains Keri Marion, garden manager at Fox Point Community Garden. The altruistic aspect of the gardens is distinctive as well – members work collaboratively and weed communal areas and repair plots collectively. “It’s required that everyone spend two hours each month maintaining public areas of the garden,” says Keri. “It’s only about a half hour each week, and members usually do it before they work on their own plot.” Gardeners also share their own bounties with others. If someone is separating bulbs and has extra, they’ll leave them up for grabs. They also share their expertise when needed. Enthusiasm for community gardens is growing: Sessions Street Community Garden has a waiting list of over 40 people and the Sharing Garden at Billy Taylor Park offers an ongoing series of workshops for beginners. The Sharing Garden is particularly focused on addressing the issue of food insecurity in the Mount Hope neighborhood. “This is a community that is often neglected because it is buried on the East Side,” says Dannie Ritchie, founder of Community Health Innovations of RI. “People don’t tend to think of the East Side as having an underserved community that lives in poverty. They haven’t been able to secure resources to address the challenges of hunger and food insecurity.” Terms like “food deserts” and “food swamps” are common when talking about hunger. But Dannie calls Mount Hope’s experience a “food mirage:”

Got a green thumb? Looking for an alternative to landfills? These places have you covered: • Summit Neighborhood Community Garden (SummitCommunityGarden. org), Fox Point Community Garden (FoxPointGarden.org), Sessions Street Community Garden (SessionsStreetGarden.org) are making their respective corners of the East Side more leafy and beautiful • Sharing Garden at Billy Taylor Park (Facebook: Plan4Health-MtHope) offers

East Side Monthly June 2017

workshops for gardening beginners • Stewart Martin at Providence GardenWorks (ProvidenceGardenWorks.com) will install a garden on your property and train you on how to care for it • The Compost Plant (CompostPlant.com) gathers food scraps from local businesses

Photos (right) by Katie Lacouture

Left: Garden Works, Top & Bottom: Sessions Street Community Garden

Community members can see food, but they can’t reach it due to low income. This is where the Sharing Garden comes in. It’s a teaching garden, where members of the community learn skills by sharing responsibility for shared plots, and where each takes home a portion of the garden’s bounty. Donnie has also had a hand in upgrading the teaching gardens at Vincent Brown Recreation Center and the hybrid school and community gardens at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. It’s these types of gardens that Donnie hopes are building a stronger sense of social connection in the neighborhood. This is a long-term project for her, and she’s not leaving anytime soon. She’s also ensuring that community members’ voices are heard throughout the entire process, so that they are empowered to create for themselves the type of change that works best for them. She’s done this by creating a steering committee for Community Health Innovations of RI called Empowerment Dialogue for Community Action, in which community members give feedback and direction on grants and programs that are being considered by the organization, determining for themselves aspects of the health care they receive. “It’s about asking questions and acting on what their answers are,” she explains. “It’s about connections and conversations.” For those who are able to garden on their own property but don’t have the know-how to do it, Stewart Martin is here to help. He started Providence GardenWorks to demonstrate just how easy it is to set up an urban garden in virtually any space. He installs gardens on his customers’ properties and trains them on how to care for them. Stewart sets up home composting bins as well – contraptions that add nutrients to garden soil, maintaining its fertility and quality, and divert food scraps from landfills. This is particularly important given that the Central Landfill in Johnston will reach capacity in 20 to 25 years. Stewart is passionate about educating urban gardeners on composting because of the impact it’s made on his life and on the environment. For 14 years,

says Stewart, “I have not contributed so much as a cupful of food waste to the waste stream. Food waste is a big contributor to climate change, and yet 100 percent of food waste is compostable. It’s one of our biggest problems as a country and yet the solution is relatively simple.” While composting at home is a step in the right direction, there are literally tons of food scraps that still make their way to the landfill. Nat Harris and Leo Pollock recognized the problem and addressed it head on by starting The Compost Plant. The Compost Plant is a commercial operation that takes food scraps from local businesses (not homes), including Brown, Lincoln School, Moses Brown, Seven Stars, Miriam and Farm Fresh RI. “It’s a close looped system,” explains Leo. “We pick up food scraps from these facilities. It’s then turned into compost that’s used to grow food which goes back into the community.” His and Nat’s efforts have diverted 3,000 tons of food waste from the Johnston landfill. They work with Earth Care Farm in Charlestown to turn these scraps into compost that’s a 100 percent Rhode Island product. The compost is then bagged in Warren, where Leo and Nat lease land from the town. Once the compost is bagged, folks can pick it up around town (it’s currently available at Cluck Urban Farm Supply and Simple Pleasures) or get it delivered right to their yards. “Given interest and awareness in composting, the demand is growing,” Leo says. “Ultimately, in order to really capture more and more of the food scraps, we need more composting infrastructure, and this has to develop in partnership [with local communities]. The collection can go up but you need more processing at some point.” It’s all of these small changes – growing organic vegetables, diverting food scraps from a landfill that’s running out of room – that are the impetus for larger ones that alter how we find sustenance and interact with the natural world. It’s the connection with a neighbor and the larger community. It’s about having agency over what you put into your body. It’s learning how others don’t have this kind of access and making it accessible. It’s about adopting an idea and making small changes to enact it, one food scrap and one garden at a time.

Photos (left and top right) by Katie Lacouture

Left & Top: MLK Garden, Bottom: Summit Neighborhood Community Garden

June 2017 East Side Monthly

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The tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry, the largest sailing school vessel in the States, takes student crews from Bermuda to the Arctic

SAIL INTO ADVENTURE The tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry teaches life lessons on the open sea There’s nothing quite like

watching a tall ship come up over the horizon. Its square sails filled with wind, the bow gently heaving in the sea. It evokes an image of times past, when the world was still being explored and international travel meant sailing on the open seas. Now, tall ships serve a different purpose. Some are

crafted to be historic replicas; others like the Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) are built in the same vein as classic tall ships, but contain modern conveniences and technology to serve as state-of-the-art sailing school vessels. “I say it’s everything you love about tall ships and none of the things you don’t,” explains Jessica Wurzbacher, executive director of the non-profit

Oliver Hazard Perry RI, based in Newport. Sailing school vessels carry no passengers. Instead, newcomers are considered trainees who are there to learn all aspects of seamanship. Anyone who comes on needn’t have any prior sailing experience either. Some of the tangible skills they learn on board include how to climb the rigging, chart a course and be a good shipmate. But it’s really the intangible qualities of life at sea that draw people in. “The goal isn’t to make square-rigged seamen out of a week at sea,” says Jessica. “It’s the other skills you learn that you can take back to any life. It’s the consideration for others, facing your challenges, working together

OHP By The Numbers

Students learn the basics of seamanship aboard a tall ship, as well as valuable lessons to apply to life on land

• Largest sailing school vessel in the US • First ship of its kind to be built in over 100 years • Capable of carrying 17 crew members and taking on 32 trainees • 200 feet long • 13.5 stories tall • 3 masts • 20 sails • 7 miles of rigging

Photos courtesy of Oliver Hazard Perry, (Bottom L) by Mark Russell

By Grace Lentini

to do something that is seemingly difficult when you try to do it on your own, and the friendships you form when you’re on the boat.” These intangibles are especially useful to high school students, who are still building their interpersonal and leadership skills. In the short time the OHP has been at sea, several high schools around the state have sent students to embark on short-term voyages. Last year, students from The Paul Cuffee School, The Met School and The Village Green were aboard. Although it was a seemingly short trip, they learned a great deal. “You’re with each other 24/7,” Jessica explains. “You’re going through challenging conditions and having new experiences together. The bonds that form are stronger than the ones you can form in the playground.” These bonds are critical to not only having a great experience, but also to taking care of the ship. There’s a saying on board: “Ship, shipmate, self.” It’s the order of importance that’s instilled in the students from the moment they step on deck. With every decision, they have to consider how it will first affect the ship, because ultimately that is what keeps everyone safe. Taking care of your shipmates comes second. When everyone puts their shipmates before themselves, you have the support of everyone else and someone is always looking after you. Finally, you’ve got to look out for yourself. Consider the extreme conditions out at sea: It’s wet and cold, you’re exposed to the sun,

A Typical Day At Sea

Photos courtesy of Oliver Hazard Perry, (Top L) by Mark Russell

Each day, everyone participates in a 24-hour rotation where you’ll have four hours on watch, and eight hours off. Here’s how one watch schedule could be structured.

On Watch: 4-8am Strike a few sails, adjust the trim, take watch at the helm (rear) and bow (front) and eat breakfast.

Off time: 8am-4pm Catch up on a few hours of sleep, take classes from 10am-12pm, have lunch from 12-1pm, read or journal until 4pm.

On Watch: 4-6pm or 6-8pm Strike a few sails, adjust the trim, take watch at the helm (rear) and bow (front) and eat dinner at 6pm. This watch will shift so that no one has the same watch cycle every day.

Off time: 6pm-12am or 8pm-4am Free time

The Oliver Hazard Perry is the first ship of its kind built in the US in over a century

and you’re tired, thirsty and dehydrated. In the end, the community that is generated is really powerful and these students have the support of the entire crew. For example, everyone will learn how to coil the lines, and some get really good at it. But the point isn’t really how well the line is coiled. The lesson here is that the student couldn’t do it at first and the crew didn’t put them down. They taught them how to do it and they still did it wrong. They taught them again and they still did it wrong. Then, the student got it, and they know that they were supported the entire time. They’ve gained confidence in a new area of their life, and can take this experience home with them. Perhaps the student will even be a support to someone in their school or community. Adults also get to benefit from this type of camaraderie. Although they’re not in the formative years of their lives, “there’s no reason you can’t improve yourself whatever stage of life you’re at,” Jessica states. Folks come on the OHP for all sorts of reasons. Maybe it’s been a lifelong dream to try their hand at sea. Maybe they want to have a vacation with a purpose.

Charting New Courses This year the OHP has ocean voyages planned up and down the East Coast. So far this year, it’s gone to Cuba and Bermuda. This summer it’s heading to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland on the way to the Arctic Circle. By the time autumn comes around, the OHP will be firmly in the Arctic, making its way back to Newport. Each trip serves a slightly different purpose. While everyone learns basic seamanship skills on every voyage, there are classes on board that change. On the way to and from Bermuda, trainees had the

chance to learn about meteorology, marine weather and celestial navigation. Jessica explains that “for celestial navigation you need to see the horizon so that you can shoot the angle of the stars, the sun and the planets.” The environment is also dramatically different from one trek to the next. Jessica is particularly fascinated with the Arctic jaunt. She’s been studying it for months, and it still blows her away. “Just looking at pictures of the giant cliff faces, narwhals, belugas and polar bears, it’s an extreme and exciting environment,” she says. The trip is also a historic one. The OHP will be the first tall ship to head to the Arctic through the Northwest Passage in over 100 years. “It’s kind of scary that we can do this considering what’s happened to our planet. We really shouldn’t be able to do this. It should be completely frozen,” Jessica says. For those concerned about discomfort from the elements, temperatures could get up into the 60s. Also, the sun is so intense up there that you need sunscreen and lip balm. But it is the Arctic, and temperatures could fall into the 30s. At the beginning of the passage, there are going to be 24 hours of daylight. But by the end in September, there will be a little bit of a nighttime and that’s when the Northern Lights will put on their stunning show. “How many people have that on their bucket list?” Jessica asks. “And to see that from the deck of a boat? The deck of a tall ship? It’s just a completely different world.” This year’s ocean voyages are just the beginning for the OHP. A new set of trainees will learn from sailing, as opposed to learning how to sail, with each trip and take those experiences with them going forward. As Jacques Cousteau said, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net forever.”

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East Side Monthly June 2017

12:00PM

95%

Reading 2.0 Brown alum Cliff Weitzman re-imagines reading and technology software for students with learning differences

By Lauri Lee “This sucks – how can I fix it?” Brown University alumnus and Visiting Scholar Cliff Weitzman asks himself this question all the time, according to his 2014 TEDx talk. His answers have included inventions like BoardBrake (a braking device for longboards) and mobile apps like WeMap (a discovery engine that helps users find fun local activities). But it is Weitzman’s latest venture, Speechify, which has garnered him the most attention, granting him a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list which includes 600 young business and industry leaders in 20 different fields. While Speechify solves a personal problem for Weitzman, it has broad applications for people in many different fields and situations. Most college students will tell you that they have a lot of reading – sometimes more than they can keep up with. For students like Weitzman with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, staying on top of all the reading can become even more of a problem. Many of these students have turned to text-to-speech (TTS) technology, which reads digital text aloud. Unfortunately, the majority of the TTS software and apps available have limitations: they may only work with certain operating systems or devices, they may not be able to read at different speeds, and they can be difficult to set up or use. Weitzman sought to develop something that worked better. The result, whose unique properties set it apart from other TTS tools, was Speechify. The app lets users control the speed of the reading, going as quickly or as slowly as they want. Users can listen to virtually anything online, simply by

highlighting the text to be read aloud. And Speechify works with any application: email, social media, PDFs. In addition, any highlighted text can be selected and easily sent to a mobile device to be listened to on the go. It even works across platforms, enabling users to move seamlessly from their computers to their phones. Interestingly, Speechify also displays the text as it reads. This function makes it especially valuable for children learning to read or for anyone who prefers

Cliff Weitzman’s new app Speechify aims to help those with learning differences

to combine visual and auditory information. In addition, Speechify gives listeners a choice of voices, including American male or female and Australian, and one that reads Spanish. After he created Speechify, Weitzman uploaded a YouTube video explaining the use of the software that quickly amassed 40,000 views and 200+ comments. Administrators at 15 diﬀerent schools contacted him oﬀering to fly him in for a visit to teach their students to use Speechify, which convinced

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East Side Monthly June 2017

him to conduct a pilot project in education. The Hamilton School at Wheeler is piloting the use of Speechify with its students. Although the school has used audio-assisted reading for many years, Director Jon Green says that the technology has made great advances in the past decade. “Speed matters,” he says. “Many times, students like to listen at a faster pace, even faster than you or I might like it. That’s significant.” The fact that Speechify flashes words as the software reads aloud is also an asset, in Green’s opinion. “Normally, if you are reading something online and you decide to have it read aloud, [the software] highlights the sentence or a group of words as it reads. There is some research that suggests that one of the problems dyslexics sometimes have is the size of the field they’re looking at – how many words are on a page, for example, can bother them – and there is some research that suggests that the single word is better.” Green has found that, if he listens to Speechify at a rate of about 140 words per minute, which is the average speed at which many of his older students read, it seems so slow that it is hard to imagine anyone sustaining their attention to it or grasping the content. The students report that they prefer to listen to it much faster – up to 350 words per minute. In other words, they are able to make it through their reading at least twice as fast as they can without Speechify. “That’s a pretty big argument for using it – you can get this done in half the time,” says Green. In the schools where the software is being piloted, Weitzman has found

that students aren’t using Speechify just in the classroom, but also at home and for tests. Students have told him that without Speechify, they have to read assignments or informational text up to five times to understand and retain it; with Speechify, they only need to listen to it once. Weitzman believes that users can learn to listen faster, retain more information and accomplish other tasks while listening. “Within the first week of using Speechify, people generally succeed in doubling or tripling the speed at which they can listen,” he says. Weitzman himself listens to over 100 audiobooks per year, because he listens quickly – something he says anyone can learn how to do, with practice. “In addition, as you listen, you get better at retaining,” he says. “You are able to drive your car, ride a bicycle or a skateboard, go play basketball or cook dinner, and still listen and have full retention. And that is a really cool thing that we’ve noticed in the pilot program so far.” Weitzman is planning to launch Speechify and make it available to the public very soon. While he initially developed the software to benefit students like himself, he now sees Speechify as something that can help all kinds of people: students, busy professionals with long commutes, people with learning differences or visual impairment, or anyone who’d like to be more productive by multitasking or learning to absorb information more quickly. Soon, everyone will be able to download the software to their computers or the application to their mobile phones and devices. GetSpeechify.com

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Home, Restored

A new life for a historic 1850 house in Fox Point

Photography by Mike Braca

By Julie Tremaine

For most people, buying a “total wreck” of an old home would be a daunting prospect - but not for JP Couture. A northern Massachusetts native who came to study at Roger Williams and decided to stay, he purchased the 1850 home in Fox Point 15 years ago, and renovated it extensively before moving in. “It was not livable when I bought it,” he says. “I lived a block away on Transit Street, and I used to walk past this house for years. I always thought I’d like to have it. One day I was driving to work and there was a For Sale sign on it. When I saw it, I fell in love with it even more, despite the fact that it was a wreck. I knew it would be a lot of work.” It’s all in a day’s

work for JP, though, who is the owner of Couture Design Associates, a residential design firm that specializes in new homes, as well as preserving and restoring historic ones. The home was designed by Thomas Tefft, a wellknown Providence architect in the 19th century. “He’s better known for much larger houses on Benefit Street and the old train station that no longer exists downtown,” JP says. Keeping the historic character alive was a top priority in renovating the house. “I wanted to preserve as much as possible,” he says, a challenge when adding modern conveniences like bathrooms and heating systems. “I tried to do

that very sensitively and remove very little,” JP continues. The trim work and the fireplace are all original, and he uncovered layers of ﬂooring on top of the original ﬂoors, which are now refinished and on display. Other interesting things in the room: a charcoal over the fireplace attributed to William Merritt Chase, and the finial on the table that was once part of a historic teahouse in Salem, designed by Samuel McIntire. The room is a dining room, but JP uses it to store a lot of his books, too. “I like being surrounded by books,” he says. The most important thing, though, is in the window: his cat, Buddy.

June 2017 East Side Monthly

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Schools started an innovative program to meet the needs of high school students who have just moved to the United States. Currently, 47 students speaking eight languages, many of them from Central America, Africa and the Middle East, receive intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, core academics and support services to ready them for integration into Rhode Island’s public schools. The curriculum was designed in response to the growing number of “newcomers” – immigrant students whose formal education has been interrupted for at least two years. The average grade completed by these students is sixth; the average age is 16. Superintendent Christopher Maher explains, “The program is focused exclusively on students who are new to this country, and its curriculum is designed to address their unique needs. Every course, whether it be math or science, has English learning instruction embedded in its lessons, so that students are working to improve their literacy skills all day, every day.” Housed in a newly renovated facility on Messer Street, the Newcomer Program also offers emotional and cultural support to help students acclimate to the U.S., as many of the students are separated from their families or come from war-torn countries. There is a trauma-trained social worker available, and the school district has contracted with Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island to maintain a case manager on site, who can connect students and families with community support services. Kathy Cloutier, Dorcas International’s executive director, says, “The Newcomer Program supports a key group of vulnerable youth, many of whom have come from homelands ravaged by violence. Dorcas International is thrilled that this partnership is committed to the educational goals of these students and addresses their needs holistically. Their success in school can have a positive impact on their entire family.” Toward that end, Dorcas International reaches out to the families of newcomer students,

offering translation services, parent workshops, adult ESL classes, social services and immigration support. The Newcomer Program is designed to help students transition to a public high school or job skills program. Students may be enrolled for anywhere from one semester to two academic years. The program provides opportunities for students to make cross-cultural connections and support one another, in addition to helping them gain English vocabulary and life skills. Program Director and Director of Language Acquisition Soledad Barreto has already seen tremendous growth in the students enrolled. One young man, A, who had some behavioral issues at the public school he attended, has begun to show leadership skills in the Newcomer Program. When B – a fellow program participant who spoke a different language – was having difficulty getting to school, A offered to accompany him on the bus home. Early the next morning, A returned to B’s house to show him how to catch the bus back to school. These kinds of successes underline the true importance of the program. As Soledad says, “It’s not just the academics, it’s not just the language acquisition, it’s about making these kids feel welcomed and loved. We give them the initial tools they need so that they can learn the language and they can learn the academics, but they need to feel that they belong here.”

Mayor Jorge Elorza emphasized this when he unveiled his budget: “We want all of our residents to feel connected to their community… Many of these youth [in the Newcomer Program] have escaped some of the most traumatic experiences imaginable; nevertheless, they’ve persevered. In these times when anxiety is at full tilt, we owe it to them to let them know that they’re safe and that they’re embraced by their new community.” More than a quarter of all students in Providence Public Schools qualify for English Language Learner (ELL) services. Although educational funding for non-native English speakers is included in Governor Raimondo’s state budget, and Mayor Elorza has proposed an increase in the school budget, more money will be needed to provide services for all of our students. As their needs increase, so too must our commitment to them. Innovative programs like the Newcomer Program strengthen our whole community. Providence Public Schools communications director Laura Hart points out, “We have a choice. We can elevate [these students] so that they become examples of what it means to be multilingual and educated in a cool city like Providence, or we can choose not to address their needs and deal with the consequences later when we’re looking for an educated workforce. Economically, we would be foolish to not invest in this population.”

Illustration by Ashley Maclure

In March, Providence Public

Education

continued

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Smart News RISD Student Wins Award from Wix.com Wix.com just crowned three winners of their website design contest, the Stunning Awards, from over 100,000 entries submitted from more than 175 countries, evaluating each submission for structure, design, layout, originality and creativity. One of those winners, Dennis Krawec, is a junior at RISD. Dennis’s website is “a hub/repository for all of my work and projects (current or past),” he says. “I think Wix lends itself to that kind of visual experience.” Dennis is interested in experimental photography and videography, art direction, editorial design, apparel and wearable tech. You can check out his winning website at Krawec.org. Brown Receives $24 Million Gift for Renovation, Renames Hall The Richard A. and Susan P. Friedman Family Foundation has made a $24 million gift to fund the complete renovation of Brown University’s historic Wilson Hall. The gift will underwrite a construction project that preserves the historic exterior of the 1891 building, while completely renovating the interior. In recognition of the gift, the university will rename the building Friedman Hall upon the project’s completion. The renovation will include seven new classrooms with various seating options and new technology, a common area for student meetings and workspace,

and two entryways that will connect the building to the College Green and Simmons Quadrangle. Construction will begin in June 2017 with completion anticipated by the start of the Fall 2018 semester. The renovated building will also feature a plaque celebrating George Francis Wilson to honor the former name of the building and share details about the building’s history. JCDSRI Welcomes New Head of School Andrea Katzman, a longtime educator and published author who has been on the faculty at the Jewish Community Day School of RI (JCDSRI) for over 10 years, will be taking over as Head of School on July 1. Katzman believes in building community, documenting discoveries, and practicing kavod (respect), hesed (kindness), and shalom (peace). She has worked closely with Adam Tilove, who has led the school for the past four years and is stepping down to follow other passions and pursue an entrepreneurial venture. While at the school, Tilove forged partnerships with Brown, RISD, the Islamic School of Rhode Island and the JCC, as well as building a common vision of excellence among the faculty and staff. He is confident that Katzman will continue this tradition of excellence, and parent Alison Walter concurs: “Her passion, commitment and expertise in Jewish education will help move JCDSRI forward on every level.”

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The Plastic Purge

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The toys are gone. Well, most of them. The trikes, push buggies, princess houses, slides, scooters, bats, balls, buckets and other detritus from whoknows-who have been removed from our neighborhood’s parks. Not all the stuff, of course. That would be revolutionary. But one baby step at a time. Let us be grateful that we can now enjoy our public land without gazing upon a sea of plastic. Our city fathers and mothers finally intervened, removing most of the toys that had accumulated over the years. They should be praised for their courage; hell hath no fury like an angry parent. Rumor has it that some parents are upset and might press on with a protest. Maybe a march from the Baby Park, uh, Gladys Potter Park, on Humboldt to Starbucks on Angell for a café latte with skim. “Get your hands off my Little Tikes Cozy Coupe!” a sign might say. Four years ago I wrote about the plastic in our parks, saying that it was unfair to litter the land with cast-off toys. Parks are open to all, I said, not just families with children. I recalled taking my two sons to the East Side parks when they were toddlers and how they thrived in the open space with their wit and imagination. A grove of hemlocks was a forest. The gentle hill was a mountain. The knotty tree stumps were castles. The only toys we brought to the park were tricycles and buckets for the sandbox, and we took them home at night. Parents didn’t leave their toys in the park. It just wasn’t done. The column was not well received by parents. One parent, a guy, sent an email, calling me an idiot and other things I can’t repeat in a family publication. As a former newspaper reporter, I’m used to criticism from readers, but this was over the top. We’re talking about toys in a park, not politics. I can only imagine what the City has faced since it carted (most of) the toys off. Wendy Nilsson, superintendent of the Providence Parks

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Department, was very gracious to the Summit Neighborhood Association, explaining in a statement why most of the toys in the Gladys Potter, Summit Avenue and Morris Street parks were removed: They pose a safety hazard. She welcomed input from parents, especially as the City considers adding more play features and making repairs to additional structures. “Instead of adding plastic play equipment we are working to create parks that connect children to nature and open and free play,” she told the Summit group. She went on to say that the City is building berms, log retaining walls and rain gardens and adding rocks at many parks for children to play on and explore. This is great news. I would suggest fields of tulips too, but maybe this is for another time. In my first column about the plastic parks, I tried my best to be tactful; I didn’t want to offend anyone. There’s one good thing about aging: You tend to speak your mind. Kindness is still vital, but you realize it’s fine to express

an opinion that is unpopular. With that thought, let me say this: All the plastic toys should go. Sure, parents can bring toys for their kids to play with during the day, but, please, take them home at night. Put them in your car trunk. Drive off. The next day, take them out and repeat. If you live close to the park, carry the toys. My husband and I did that for years. We are lucky to have such beautiful parks on the East Side. One evening in March, I sat on a bench in mostlyplastic-free Gladys Potter, listening to the branches crackle in the wind. It was creepy, and every now and then I looked over my shoulder, but I loved being there. I thought of that scene in To Kill a Mockingbird when Scout, wearing a ham costume, and Jem, her brother, are walking home from a school Halloween pageant through Maycomb’s untouched park on a dark night and hear the crunch of leaves. “Hush a minute, Scout,” says Jem. “Thought I heard something.” Footsteps? At Gladys Potter, my imagination was soaring.

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A European Oasis The Villa, a luxury home in Lincoln, has distinctly Old World inspiration The Villa isn’t your average Rhode Island home. It’s a palatial Mediterranean Revival estate, with fine European details around every corner. Housed on three and a half acres, in Lincoln’s exclusive Estates at Dennell, this home offers the best of both worlds: total seclusion, just a short drive away from the city. It was developed by Yelena and Vladimir Suslovich, and Harry Zervas of ZS Real Estate Investments. “I just wanted to create a very European, modern home,” Yelena says. “Something completely different.” The Villa’s architecture feels totally modern, though it’s inspired by classical European design, and built with imported materials. It boasts a hand-fashioned brick facade, soaring ceilings and two travertine marble fountains. Walking into the grand foyer, you immediately see a crystal chandelier reflecting light onto the silk wallpaper. Beyond, the great room features a hand-carved marble fireplace with gold leaf and wrought iron accents, illuminated by floor

to ceiling windows. Hanging above the dining room is an amber Murano hand-blown glass chandelier, Rasch-papered walls and a mother of pearl accent wall. In the chef’s kitchen, a Wolf appliance suite includes a gas cooktop, double oven, steam oven, drawer microwave, built-in coffee system, sub-zero refrigerator and a dual-temperature wine cooler, all complemented by a mother of pearl ceiling and backsplash, quartz countertops and custom Italian cabinets. The entertainment room has a custom mahogany pool table and a 100” theatre screen, and the library has built-in bookshelves and mahogany floors. “Because the house is so big, the main thing was to create something that has almost zero upkeep,” Yelena explains. “With the materials and the quality we’ve put in, the marble and stone won’t need any repainting or retouching in years to come.” The bedroom suites – there are four or five – have views of the estate’s grounds, and each has a

private bath. The master suite, in a private wing, has mahogany wood floors, hand-plastered ceilings and a sitting room that opens into a private courtyard. His and hers baths feature radiant floor heating, a soaking tub, a steam shower for eight and his and hers dressing rooms. The private guest wing has a separate entrance, and has a sitting area, two baths and a kitchen. All of the living spaces share a courtyard, and are connected by a curved, Venetian-style veranda. The smart house has iPad stations that control lighting, music, security and cameras. Though you’ll never want to leave, eventually you’ll have to, in a car from the attached two-car garage or freestanding sixcar garage. “This home is for anybody who appreciates beauty,” Yelena says. The Villa (MLS: 1152657) is truly a unique property. It’s listed at $3,500,000. To arrange a showing, contact Stella Fitzsimmons at 401789-6666. To take a virtual tour, visit LilaDelman.com.

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ON THE TOWN

Restaurant and Food | Dining Guide | Calendar of Events

Flavor of the Month

The More Things Change Parkside defines timeless dining with a classic menu and an eye for innovation By Stephanie Obodda We love to revisit

Photography by Stacey Doyle

classic films and albums. So why not a classic restaurant? Parkside has been a Providence mainstay since 1994. Glance in the large windows during lunch or dinner, and you’ll see a busy, fast-moving operation. Chef-owner Steven Davenport has kept the high quality and welcoming atmosphere going for years. A new menu launched in January, mixing in some new features with the old favorites. We snuck in immediately after work on Friday night before a play at Trinity Rep. The happy hour crowd here is serious. Though there were plenty of tables at this early hour, the bar was full with a cheerful crowd who looked like they had just left the office. Parkside’s cocktail list is classic with a few twists. I had the Cosmo Fleur, a refreshing mix of vodka, elderflower liqueur and freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice. My husband had the Blackberry Sidecar, with Courvoisier VSOP cognac, Cointreau and blackberries. We stopped there with the cocktails, but everything on the menu was tempting, even the unconventional Butterscotch Old Fashioned, made with

bourbon, butterscotch schnapps, chocolate bitters and cherries. You’ll find plenty of classic bistro fare on the menu - the appetizers are no exception. The Moules et Frites featured plump mussels from Prince Edward Island with onions, cherry tomatoes and chunky bacon lardons. We enjoyed the mussels, but the broth was even more of a star with its smoky tomato flavor. Though it’s traditional to serve mussels with fries, I wished I had a whole loaf of bread as well for the broth. The small matchstick fries were fun for snacking without ruining our appetite. Our server was kind to bring some smoky aioli for dipping at our request. For our other appetizer, we went with a Parkside favorite: the Colossal Thai Dumplings. These large dumplings, made of lean pork in wonton wrappers and nicely fried, are a couple of bites larger than your usual dumpling. They were served three to an order with a red cabbage orange slaw and two dipping sauces. One dipping sauce was a spicy mustard, and the other, a sweet orange ginger. Ask a friend about Parkside and you’ll probably hear them rave about these. Next, we split the ClasPork tenderloin with littleneck sic Caesar. We offhandclams and bacon lardons edly mentioned we were splitting it, so it was a nice surprise that our server asked the kitchen to put it on two plates. Even split in half, the salad portion was generous. Parkside’s specialty is rotisserie, with meats including chicken, duck and pork. The descriptions are mouthwatering, so it was difficult to decide which to order on this visit. Though rotisserie chicken is classic, the duck and pork dishes

Butternut squash and kale salad with spicy fried chick peas

were too alluring. I ordered the Duck à l’Orange, which always conjures visions of the adorable hand-drawn Canard à l’Orange dish in my eighth-grade French textbook. This version was glazed with an orange and Grand Marnier reduction and served with fingerling potatoes and haricots verts (green beans, for those of you without the eighth-grade French). I was looking for a medium to bold red with my duck and the Thomas Goss Shiraz fit the bill. My husband ordered the White Farms Organic Pork Rack. The tender pork had a Dijon mustard cream sauce and was served with brussels sprouts, pearl onions and bacon lardons. Both of our portions were large, especially the pork. He drank a glass of the Crusher Petit Sirah. We’ve had this wine before, but for some reason it surprised us with a nose similar to one of our preferred scents, Bulgari Black. It’s a cologne with notes of smoky tea, vanilla and wood, scents that are quite at home

in a glass of wine. Intrigued by the list of craft liquors, we shared a glass of Barrell Bourbon. I loved it – too bad it would be difficult to pick up the exact bottle because each batch is very limited. You might want to share this one because it’s bottled at cask strength, which is usually close to 60% compared to the 40% typical of bourbon. I thought it was a great bourbon to sip with dessert. While we passed it back and forth, we shared a Berry Tart with ice cream. It was a rustic, hand-formed tart served with a delicious scoop of vanilla ice cream, an appropriately classic ending at a long-time Providence favorite.

Parkside Rotisserie and Bar 76 South Main Street 331-0003 Facebook: Parkside Rotisserie and Bar June 2017 East Side Monthly

On the Town On the Menu

From Farm to City The Hope Street Farmers Market returns to Lippitt Park By Grace Lentini seafood straight from the fishing boats in Galilee. Each Saturday morning and some Wednesday afternoons, the sound of live music fills the park. Families gather, and children sing and dance to each lively tune. If you arrive by bike on Saturday mornings, the folks from the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition will watch it for you. You can also get your knives professionally sharpened; after all, a sharp knife is a safe knife. After picking up so much fresh produce that was grown with such care, why not go one step further and use properly sharpened tools to break them down? Along with providing hyper-local food and art, the market allows us to connect with our neighbors, get informed about where our food comes from and support those who take the time and effort to grow and catch it. Lippitt Park (at the intersection of Hope Street and Blackstone Boulevard). HopeStreetMarket.com

This Was About the Dough

The Hope Street Farmers Market in Lippitt Park every Saturday offers fresh produce, local art and live music

Augusta Street Kitchen’s gluten-free donuts let those with dietary restrictions join in on the city’s donut obsession

When Nice Slice announced that it would be closing its doors in April, both the foodie and small business communities were shocked. From a foodie standpoint, the beloved restaurant was a stalwart. From a small business point of view, this was yet another business to leave Thayer Street. This time, the doors closed due to the pizzeria being priced out of the space. The parking meters didn’t help either, but in the end, high rent was the culprit. Before you ask: Yes, they took the Shepard Fairey mural with them. Nice Slice has been working on opening a second location on the West Side that will now serve as its only location. As the West Side continues to grow and make its mark on the city, adding Nice Slice to its repertoire only ups its culinary cred. But here on the East Side, we mourn the loss of a very nice slice. 767 Westminster Street. NiceSlice.com

The Feel-Good Bakery

Nice Slice is taking its delicious pies – and its classic Angela Davis mural – to the West Side

East Side Monthly June 2017

Shanel Sinclair of Augusta Street Kitchen bakes up all manner of GMO-free, organic, gluten-free and other allergen-free treats. Shanel is a celiac sufferer herself and a holistic and integrative nutritionist, so her recipes are unlike many others currently on the market. An extension of her own interests and tastes, Augusta Street Kitchen allows Shanel to share her nutritional expertise with folks who struggle with their diets. “I feel very strongly about helping people,” she says. “It’s a great way to educate people and have people incorporate [allergenfree, organic food] into their lifestyle.” 361 Academy Avenue. 339-2027, AugustaStreetKitchen.com

Photography (Top) by Alexander Gimm Fain, (bottom L) courtesy of Nice Slice, (bottom R) by Grace Lentini

It’s officially summer on the East Side when the Hope Street Farmers Market at Lippitt Park is in full swing. Food trucks line the perimeter, and crafts and fine art are on display at the Providence Artisans Market along the park’s southern edge. Locally grown produce, baked goods, local seafood, meats and cheeses are at the ready, just waiting to be picked up. Among many others, longtime favorite Seven Stars Bakery is back on the scene with freshly baked breads and pastries and grab-and-go sandwiches. Narragansett Creamery has plenty of samples of their cheeses and cheese spreads to try before you buy (which seems like a perfect pairing with Seven Stars bread, if you ask this writer). Arcadian Fields Organic Farm is hauling just-picked greens, full of flavor and packed with vitamins and minerals, all the way from Hope Valley after a one-year hiatus. Then there’s The Local Catch, with the day’s selection of

Unique Backgrounds, Complementary Strengths. Brown University wishes to notify the public about Brown’s first comprehensive Stormwater Master Plan. The goal of the plan is to create a mechanism to manage stormwater on a campus-wide basis rather than on a project by project basis. This plan has been prepared in support of the Institutional Master Plan 2017 and addresses the stormwater requirements of: the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the City of Providence, and the Narragansett Bay Commission. No specific construction is proposed in the plan’s Application for Water Quality Certification, and individual projects will still need to obtain necessary permits. Please contact community@brown.edu or 863-3717 with questions. More information can be found at: brown.edu/Facilities/Building_Brown/resources/

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June 2017 East Side Monthly

DINING GUIDE I N YO U R N E I G H B O R H O O D

Haruki The name Haruki is synonymous with outstanding and authentic Japanese sushi in Rhode Island. An industry leader for nearly 20 years, the much-loved restaurant has three bustling locations in the state. Haruki Cranston, the original location on the Cranston/Warwick line, has a large dining room, sushi bar and a cocktail lounge. Haruki East presents a modern and sleek dining room, sidewalk seating, a lounge area and a sushi bar on Wayland Square. Haruki Express, right off of Thayer Street in Providence, is a busy spot for take-out and Japanese groceries. All three offer handcrafted sushi that is renowned throughout the state and beyond.

172 Wayland Avenue, Providence 112 Waterman Avenue, Providence 1210 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston HarukiSushi.com

PROVIDENCE COUNTY 10 Prime Steak & Sushi Fashionable prime steakhouse with award-winning sushi. 55 Pine St, Providence, 4532333. LD $$$ Blake’s Tavern Premier Irish pub with two event rooms in the heart of downtown Providence. 122 Washington St, Providence. 274-1230 LD $$

Haruki offers fresh, delicious sushi at all three of its locations

228-6802. BLD $$$ Chapel Grille Gourmet food overlooking the Providence skyline. 3000 Chapel View Blvd, Cranston, 944-4900. BrLD $$$ Character’s Cafe & Theatre 82 Hybrid art space with all-day breakfast, coffee and theatre-inspired entrees. 82 Rolfe Sq, Cranston, 490-9475. BL $

Cafe di Panni Italian American dining with an available banquet facility. 187 Pocasset Ave, Providence, 944-0840. LD $-$$

Cucina Rustica Rustic, Italian-style dining combining comfort food and sophistication. 555 Atwood Ave, Cranston, 944-2500. LD $-$$

Capri Swedish-influenced Mediterranean cuisine. 58 De Pasquale Ave, Providence, 274-2107. LD $$-$$$

Flatbread Company Artisanal pizza, local ingredients. 161 Cushing St, Providence, 273-2737. LD $-$$

Catering Gourmet Premiere catering company providing food made from scratch. 333 Strawberry Field Rd, Warwick, 773-7925. $-$$$

Fresco Italian American comfort food with international inspirations. 301 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-0027; 140 Comstock Pkwy, Cranston, 228-3901. D $-$$

CAV Eclectic cuisine and art in a historic setting. 14 Imperial Pl, Providence, 7519164. BrLD $$-$$$ Centro Restaurant & Lounge Contemporary cuisine and cocktails. 1 West Exchange St, Providence,

Harry’s Bar & Burger Called the “Best Burger in America” by CNN. Over 50 craft beers. 121 N Main St. Providence, 228-7437; 301 Atwells Ave, 228-3336 LD $-$$ Haruki

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and

carte selections with casual ambience. Locations in Cranston and Providence. HarukiSushi.com LD $-$$ Iron Works Tavern A wide variety of signature American dishes in the historic Thomas Jefferson Hill Mill. 697 Jefferson Blvd, Warwick, 739-5111. LD $-$$$ Jacky’s Galaxie Local Pan-Asian chain offering sushi and classic entrees in a modern atmosphere. Locations in Providence, North Providence, Bristol and Cumberland, JackysGalaxie.com. LD $-$$$ Julian’s A must-taste Providence staple celebrating more than 20 years. 318 Broadway, Providence, 861-1770. BBrLD $$ LaMei Hot Pot Authentic Chinese cuisine in a unique, casual setting. 256 Broadway, Providence. 831-7555. LD $$ Luxe Burger Bar Build Your Own Burger: You dream it, we build it! 5 Memorial Blvd, Providence, 621-5893. LD $ McBride’s Pub Traditional Irish pub fare in Wayland Square. 161 Wayland Ave, Providence, 751-3000. LD $$

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steak Mixed grill selections and signature fish dishes sourced locally and seasonally. 11 Dorrance St, Providence, 351-4500. BLD $$-$$$ Meeting Street Cafe BYOB eatery with large menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner served all day. 220 Meeting St, Providence, 273-1066. BLD $-$$ Mill’s Tavern Historic setting for New American gourmet. 101 N Main St, Providence, 272-3331. D $$$ Momo Dessert restaurant with crepes, home-made stir fry ice cream and bubble tea. 100 Washington St, Providence, 5216666. BLD $ Mosaic Restaurant Syrian cuisine served in an intimate setting. 91 Rolfe Sq, Cranston, 808-6512. BLD $-$$$ Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza Classic Italian fare and traditional New York-style pizzas. 100 East St, Cranston, 383-7722; 380 Atwells Ave, Providence, 273-2400. LD $-$$ Ocean State Sandwich Company Craft sandwiches and hearty sides. 1345

Key: B breakfast Br brunch L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+ 44

East Side Monthly June 2017

DINING GUIDE Hartford Ave, Johnston. 155 Westminster St, Providence, 282-6772. BL $-$$

76 South Main St, Providence, 3310003. LD $-$$

Opa the Phoenician Authentic Lebanese food served in a fun atmosphere with hookahs. 230 Atwells Ave, Providence, 351-8282. D $-$$$

Pat’s Italian Fine Italian favorites, natural steaks and handcrafted cocktails. 1200 Hartford Ave, Johnston, 273-1444. LD $-$$$

Parkside Rotisserie & Bar American bistro specializing in rotisserie meats.

Pizza J A fun, upbeat atmosphere with thin-crust pizza, pub fare and glutenfree options. 967 Westminster St,

Providence, 632-0555. LD $-$$ Public Kitchen & Bar American food with changing daily specials. 120 Francis St, Providence, 919-5050. BrLD $-$$ Red Ginger Traditional Chinese restaurant and bar with a relaxed environment. 560 Killingly St, Johnston, 861-7878; 1852 Smith St, North Providence, 353-6688. LD $-$$ Red Stripe Casual French-American bistro. 465 Angell St, Providence, 4376950; 455 Main St, East Greenwich, 3982900. BrLD $$ Rick’s Roadhouse Honest, authentic BBQ with a large selection of whiskey. 370 Richmond St, Providence, 272-7675. LD $-$$ Rocco’s Pub & Grub Five-star menu in an intimate, pub-like atmosphere. 55 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, 349-2250. LD $-$$ Rosmarin at Hotel Providence Bar and restaurant serving Swiss-inspired small plates, craft cocktails and an eclectic wine list. 311 Westminster Street, Providence, 521-3333. BLD $$$ Siena Impeccable Italian cuisine. Locations in Providence, East Greenwich and Smithfield, 521-3311. D $$-$$$

The house specialty is lobster with a view of the water at The Wharf Tavern in Warren

WO RT H T H E D R I V E

The Wharf Tavern With an updated look

and a mission to serve fresh and local seafood, The Wharf Tavern continues to be a family-friendly favorite. Built directly on the Warren River, the sprawling restaurant offers gorgeous waterfront views from nearly every table. Simply prepared seafood such as oysters, clams, swordfish, salmon, steamers and lobster is the house specialty here, always priced reasonably and served with a choice of soup or salad and fresh-made bread. The large family-friendly menu also includes flatbread pizzas, slow roasted prime rib, chops, ribs, homemade chowder and much more.

215 Water Street, Warren 401-289-2524, TheWharfTavernRI.com

Spirito’s Restaurant & Catering Classic Italian fare served in a stately Victorian home. 477 Broadway, Providence, 4344435. LD $-$$$ Starbucks Coffee, tea, bakery items and lunch options. Multiple locations. Starbucks.com BL$-$$ T’s Restaurant Plentiful breakfast and lunch. Locations in Cranston, East Greenwich and Narragansett, TsRestaurantRI.com. BL $ Tavolo Wine Bar and Tuscan Grille Classic Italian cuisine with an extensive wine and beer list. 970 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, 349-4979. LD $-$$ The Crossings New American favorites in a chic, urban setting. 801 Greenwich Ave, Warwick, 732-6000. BLD $-$$$ The Dorrance Fine dining with exquisite cocktails. 60 Dorrance St, Providence, 521-6000. D $$$

For full restaurant profiles, go to EastSideMonthly.com

June 2017 East Side Monthly

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DINING GUIDE

Black Bass Grille Classic seafood, historic waterfront setting. 3 Water St, South Dartmouth, 508-999-6975. LD $$

The Pizza Gourmet/ The Catering Gourmet Scratch wood-grilled pizzas and Italian American favorites. 357 Hope St, Providence, 751-0355. LD $-$$$

Bluewater Bar and Grill Casual restaurant with modern seafood dishes, patio seating and live music. 32 Barton Ave, Barrington, 247-0017. LD $$-$$$

The Rosendale Bar and grill with welcoming atmosphere and creative menu. 55 Union St, Providence, 4213253. LD $-$$

DeWolf Tavern Gourmet American/ Indian fusion. 259 Thames St, Bristol, 254-2005. BLD $$-$$$

The Salted Slate An agri-driven American restaurant with global influences. 186 Wayland Ave, Providence, 270-3737. BrLD $$-$$$

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East Side Monthly June 2017

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EAST BAY / NEWPORT

The Grange Vegetarian restaurant serving seasonal dishes with a juice bar, vegan bakery and cocktail bar. 166 Broadway, Providence, 831-0600. BrLD $-$$

The Villa Restaurant & Banquet Facility Family Italian restaurant with live music and entertainment. 272 Cowesett Ave, West Warwick, 821-0060. D $-$$

Ichigo Ichie Traditional Japanese cuisine, creative sushi and hibachi. 5 Catamore Blvd, East Providence, 4355511. LD $-$$$ Jacky’s Galaxie Local Pan-Asian chain offering sushi and classic entrees in a modern atmosphere. Locations in Providence, North Providence, Bristol and Cumberland, JackysGalaxie.com. LD $-$$$

The Village Lively bar and grill with comfort fare, bar bites and beer. 373 Richmond St, Providence, 228-7222. BrLD $-$$

Starbucks Coffee, tea, bakery items and lunch options. Multiple locations. Starbucks.com BL$-$$

Tortilla Flats Fresh Mexican, Cajun and Southwestern fare, cocktails and over 70 tequilas. 355 Hope St, Providence, 751-6777. LD $-$$

The Old Grist Mill Tavern Fine dining located over the Runnins River. 390 Fall River Ave, Seekonk, 508-336-8460. LD $-$$$

Trinity Brewhouse Rhode Island’s original brewpub. 186 Fountain St, Providence, 453-2337. LD $-$$

The Wharf Tavern Serves fresh seafood and steak with bay views from almost every table. 215 Water St, Warren, 2892524. BrLD $-$$$

Tony’s Colonial Specialty store offering the finest imported and domestic Italian foods. 311 Atwells Ave, Providence, 6218675. $-$$$ Twin Oaks Family restaurant serving an extensive selection of Italian and American staples. 100 Sabra St, Cranston, 781-9693. LD $-$$$ The Vig Contemporary sports bar with craft tavern fare. 21 Atwells Ave, Providence, 709-0347. LD $-$$

SOUTHERN RI Besos Kitchen & Cocktails Tapas and eclectic cuisine and cocktails. 378 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-8855. BrLD $$$ Blu On The Water Home to Rhode Island’s largest waterfront deck and three outdoor bars, with a wide menu and full raw bar. 20 Water St, East Greenwich, 885-3700. LD $-$$$

Vinya Test Kitchen Vegan cuisine accompanied by creative mocktails (BYOB). 225A Westminster St, Providence, 500-5189. D $-$$

Breachway Grill Classic New England fare, plus NY-style pizza. 1 Charlestown Beach Rd, Charlestown, 213-6615. LD $$

XO Cafe Acclaimed farm-to-table cuisine with a fantastic Sunday #PajamaBrunch. 125 N Main St, Providence, 273-9090. BrD $$

Chair 5 Locally sourced and seasonally inspired menus with a main restaurant and rooftop lounge. 1208 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, 363-9820. BrLD $-$$$

For full restaurant profiles, go to EastSideMonthly.com

DINING GUIDE

Champlin’s Seafood Dockside fresh seafood serving easy breezy cocktails. 256 Great Island Rd, Narragansett, 7833152. LD $-$$

elegant dishes that highlight the best in seasonal, local produce. 1 Bluff Ave, Watch Hill, 584-7000; 25 Spray Rock Rd, Westerly, 637-7600. BLD $-$$$

Coast Guard House A new American menu with a seafood emphasis and extensive wine list, open seven days a week. 40 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, 7890700. BrLD $$$

Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana Authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza with exclusive ingredients imported from Naples. 60 S County Commons Way, South Kingstown, 783-2900. LD $-$$

Dante’s Kitchen American food with Southern flair. 315 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-7798. BL $-$$

Phil’s Main Street Grille Classic comfort food with a great rooftop patio. 323 Main St, Wakefield, 783-4073. BBrLD $

Dragon Palace Chinese cuisine, sushi and bar. 577 Tiogue Ave, Coventry, 8280100; 733 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield, 789-2300; 1210 Main St, Wyoming, 5391102. LD $-$$

Red Stripe Casual French-American bistro. 465 Angell St, Providence, 4376950; 455 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-2900. BrLD $$

Eleven Forty Nine City sophistication in the suburbs. 1149 Division St, Warwick, 884-1149. LD $$$

Sa-Tang Fine Thai and Asian fusion cuisine with gluten-free selections. 402 Main St, Wakefield, 284-4220. LD $-$$

Frankie’s Italian Bistro Fine dining with imported wines from around the world. 1051 Ten Rod Rd, North Kingstown, 2952500. D $-$$$

Siena Impeccable Italian cuisine. Locations in Providence, East Greenwich and Smithfield, 521-3311. D $$-$$$

Fresco Italian American comfort food with international inspirations. 301 Main St, East Greenwich, 3980027; 140 Comstock Pkwy, Cranston, 228-3901. D $-$$ George’s of Galilee Fresh caught seafood in an upscale pub atmosphere. 250 Sand Hill Cove Rd, Narragansett, 783-2306. LD $-$$ Jigger’s Diner Classic ‘50s diner serving breakfast all day. 145 Main St, East Greenwich, 884-6060. BL $-$$ La Masseria Upscale Italian cuisine served in a chic setting with a rustic, countryside vibe. 223 Main St, East Greenwich, 398-0693. LD $$-$$$ Maharaja Indian Restaurant Indian cuisine and traditional curries in a warm setting. 1 Beach St, Narragansett, 3639988. LD $-$$ Matunuck Oyster Bar Destination dining enhanced by a raw bar sourced onsite and a water view. 629 Succotash Rd, South Kingstown, 783-4202. LD $-$$$ Ocean House/Weekapaug Inn Multiple dining room options offer comfortably

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East Side Monthly June 2017

On the Town Calendar

June music | performance | social happenings | galleries | sports 10 events at the top of our list

Photography by Ania Szemiot

DON’T MISS THIS MONTH

PVDFest on June 1-4, with Big Nazo, fancy hats and music in the streets, is even bigger this year

The city will come to life when live music, dancing and food take over downtown and beyond for the third annual PVDFest. June 1-4. PVDFest.com

Catch a popular film under the stars at an outdoor movie theatre when Movies on the Block returns to Grant’s Block. Thursday nights. MoviesOnTheBlock.com

Walk in honor of family and friends affected by heart disease, stroke and congenital heart defects for the 2017 Heart Walk Providence. June 4. SNEHeartWalk.org

The Chainsmokers are the hottest artists in music right now, so don’t miss the Rhode Island stop on their “Memories: Do Not Open” tour. June 7. DunkinDonutsCenter.com

Join New England investigator Carl L. Johnson on a spooky Paranormal Tour of the Old Mill at the historic Slater Mill. June 9. SlaterMill.org

The RISD Museum’s annual dance party, Luminous, will light up the night with cocktails, music and some seriously cool art installations. June 16. RISDMuseum.org The Rhode Island Shakespeare Theater performs The Tempest for Shakespeare in the Park at the Roger Williams National Memorial. Through June 11. Facebook: TRIST

Local photographer Kate Wilson will present her dizzying, kaleidoscopic work in her solo show, Twisting Reality, at the Sprout Gallery. June 15. KateWilsonFineArt.com

The Bacon and Beer Fest will feature 25 different restaurants presenting their favorite bacon dishes alongside 25 local breweries. June 17. TheSteelYard.org Celebrate the start of summer by tracking down beautiful creatures at the Museum of Natural History’s Butterflies in the Park. June 24. ProvidenceRI.com/Museum June 2017 East Side Monthly

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On the Town Calendar MUSIC

arena & club | classical ARENA & CLUB AS220 June 3: Pallbearer, Lolita Black and Demolition Boys. June 4: The Empire Revue. June 7: Pharmakon, Humanbeast, Valerie Martino and Timeghost. June 10: Traditional Irish Music Session, Hidden Insight Release: Yung Reign, PBD, Xlandoe, Sin Seven and Almty YamiJnyx. June 13: Ragged Company, Amanda Adams and Kate Mick. June 14: Songwriters in the Round. June 17: Traditional Irish Music Session. June 22: Westeryear, The Black Kennedys, Soul Cannon and Cascading Elephants. June 23: Littleboybigheadonbike, Jillian Kay and Cat Has Claws. June 24: Melissa Ferrick. June 27: The Hemlocks, Prime Radiant and Primo. 95 and 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, AS220.org AURORA June 9: Tiny Diamond Album Release with Teddy Farkas, The Quahogs and Kid Mountain. June 17: Downtown Boys, The Kominas, Giant Kitty and Third Floor. 24: Dog Days of Summer benefit concert. 276 Westminster Street, Providence. 272-5723, AuroraProvidence.com

continued...

CHAN’S FINE ORIENTAL DINING June 2: Danielle Nicole. June 3: Commander Cody. June 9: Mystic Horns. June 10: Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. June 14: Mike Zito. June 16: Popa Chubby. June 17: Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez. June 23: Murali Coryell. June 24: Brian James Quartet. 267 Main Street, Woonsocket. 765-1900, ChansEggrollsAndJazz.com COLUMBUS THEATRE June 20: PWR BTTM. June 22: Kurt Vile and Julie Byrne. June 27: BJ Barham. June 28: The Mountain Goats. June 29: Aimee Mann and Jonathan Coulton. 270 Broadway, Providence. 6219660, ColumbusTheatre.com DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER June 7: The Chainsmokers. 1 LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-0700, DunkinDonutsCenter.com FETE MUSIC HALL June 2: Nonpoint, A Killer’s Confession, Nine Shrines, Bloodline Theory, Potsy, The Grey Curtain, A Mirror’s Embrace and Fates Last Fight. June 3: Beto Duarte, Danilo Semedo, Petcha, Thairo Kosta, Willy Semedo, DJ Jair and DJ Barbosa. June 5: Warpaint. June 8: 12 Stones,

Hope Street Farmers Market in Lippitt Park brings fresh food and fun every Saturday

Silent Season, Hemlock and Young Other. June 9: Twin Peaks, Ron Gallo and Gymshorts. June 14: The Naked and Famous. June 16: Bruce in the USA and The E Street Band. June 17: Inaeona and Pray For Sound. June 23: Cardiff Brothers. 103 Dike Street, Providence. 383-1112, FeteMusic.com FIREHOUSE 13 June 9: Ha Ha Tonka and Trapper Schoepp. June 23: David J (Bauhaus and Love and Rockets). 41 Central Street, Providence. 270-1801, FH13.com LUPO’S HEARTBREAK HOTEL June 7: Foster the People. June 17: AFI, Nothing and Survivors. 79 Washington Street, Providence. 331-5876, Lupos.com THE MET June 3: Max Creek. June 8: Southern Culture On The Skids and Thee Itchies. June 11: “Feeling Alright” Health and Wellness Fair Concert. June 22: Johnnyswim. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. 729-1005, TheMetRI.com

PERFORMANCE

comedy | dance | theatre COMEDY AS220 June 2: Live Bait: Heartbreak Hotel. June 3: Improv Jones. June 4: The Empire Revue. 95 and 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, AS220.org COMEDY CONNECTION June 1: Jordan Carlos. June 2, 3: Craig Gass. June 23, 24: Corey Rodrigues. June 25: Athena’s Bingo. June 30: PJ Thibodeau. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. 438-8383, RIComedyConnection.com DANCE AS220 Sundays: Beginner ballet. Tuesdays: Intermediate ballet. Wednesdays: Open level modern dance. Fridays: Contemporary African dance. 95 and 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, AS220.org

MARKET FRESH

Veggies and Art in the Park

June 3, 10, 17, 24: Saturday mornings are for one thing - the Hope Street Farmers Market. Think tables of fresh produce, locally raised meats and shellfish, fresh flowers and herbs, all interspersed with treats to enjoy right there, plus live music, kids’ entertainment and a bicycle valet. The adjacent Providence Artisans Market offers up RI-made art, furniture, crafts and more. Lippitt Park. HopeStreetMarket.com; Facebook: Providence Artisans Market

FESTIVAL BALLET Mondays: Adult ballet (beginner). Thursdays: Adult ballet (Intermediate). Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings: Creative Movement (ages 3-4). 825 Hope Street, Providence. 353-1129, FestivalBalletProvidence.org THEATRE TRINITY REP: June 1-11: Fuente

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LEARN

discussion | instruction | tour LADD OBSERVATORY Tuesdays: Telescope observing night. 210 Doyle Avenue, Providence. 785-9457, Brown.edu/Departments/Physics/Ladd LIPPITT HOUSE MUSEUM Saturdays: Tours from 10AM-2PM. 199 Hope Street, Providence. 453-0688, LippittHouse.org MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM June 5: Family Program featuring Discovery Tykes and Beach Time Children. Saturdays and Sundays: Public Planetarium Shows. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 785-9457, ProvidenceRI.com/ Museum PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY LIBRARY Tuesdays: Zumba4Toddlers. Wednesdays: Poetry Group and Peer to Peer Support for Women Living with Mental Illness. Thursdays: French Old Timers and Learn to Speak Spanish for Beginners. Saturdays: Jump! June 1 and 23: La Leche League RI. June 5: Friends of Rochambeau Annual Meeting with speaker Wendy Nilsson, and Girls Who Code. June 8: Rochambeau Readers Book Discussion. June 14: Book Chat. June 22: Indian Cooking - An Ancient Art. June 26: Local Updates of Census Addresses and American Fact Finder Workshop, and East Side Cinema. Rochambeau Library, 708 Hope Street, Providence. 272-3780, ProvComLib.org

SOCIAL HAPPENINGS

expos | fundraisers | seasonal FOR FOODIES BOTTLES Thursdays: Spirit tasting. Fridays: Beer tasting. Saturdays: Wine tasting. 141 Pitman Street, Providence. 372-2030, BottlesFineWine.com FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND Sundays 12-3PM: Outdoor market at Slater Park, Pawtucket. Mondays 3-6PM: Outdoor market at Neutaconkanut Hill. Tuesdays 3-6PM: Outdoor market in Downtown. Wednesdays 11AM -2PM: Outdoor market at Brown University. Wednesdays 2:30-6PM: Out-

June 2017 East Side Monthly

NOW OPEN

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

On the Town Calendar continued... door market at Garfield St. Playground, Pawtucket. Thursdays 3:30-6PM: Outdoor market at Armory Park. Saturdays 8:30-12: Outdoor market at Broad Street. 85 Parade Street, Providence. FarmFreshRI.org

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RISD MUSEUM June 1-4: Dorner Prize. June 1-11: Inventing Impressionism. June 1-30: Intermission. June 1-30: Luminous Lace. 20 North Main Street, Providence. 454-6530, RISDMuseum.org ARTPROV GALLERY June: The Horse Show. 150 Chestnut Street, Providence. 641-5182, ArtProvidence.com DRYDEN GALLERY Through June 3: Photographic works of Ed Clark (in the Grand Gallery). Through June 24: Art League Rhode Island Associate Members’ Exhibition (in the Red Gallery). 27 Dryden Lane, Providence. 421-6169, Providence PictureFrame.com PROVIDENCE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ART

Through June 10: Photography by Astrid Reischwitz and David Zapatka. 118 North Main Street, Providence. ProvidencePhoto.org GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE June 15: Monthly Open Gallery. Various locations. GalleryNight.org CADE TOMPKINS PROJECTS Through June 16: Nancy Friese: Arbor Views. 198 Hope Street, Providence. CadeTompkins.com GALLERY Z June 8-July2: The Art of Areg Elibekian. June 15: Areg Elibekian book signing reception. 259 Atwells Avenue, Providence. 454-8844, GalleryZProv.com

SPORTS BROWN UNIVERSITY June 2: Men’s Crew. June 3: Men’s Crew, Women’s Track and Field, and Men’s Track and Field. June 4: Men’s Crew. June 7-10: Women’s Track and Field and Men’s Track and Field. Various venues, BrownBears.com

A nonprofit organization that connects, amazing things through membership, events and community engagement.

Zoobilee! brings cocktails and kid-free elephantwatching to the Roger Williams Park Zoo

ZOO AND BREW

A Kid-Free Night at the Zoo FO R MO R E IN FO V I SI T L ADY P R OJ EC T.OR G

East Side Monthly June 2017

June 24: Enjoy Roger Williams Park Zoo under ideal conditions - read: without any kids around - at Zoobilee! Feast with the Beasts. The afterhours, adults-only event brings together delicious local restaurants and cocktails. Add music, surprises and the ability to pet baby goats and you’ve got one wild evening. 1000 Elmwood Avenue. RWPZoo.com

Photography by Mike Braca

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Rhode Island’s • Evidence-based, effective therapy only certified Emotionally • Beyond resolving conflict, we strengthen your connection Focused Therapists • We work with wherever you are in your relationship from (EFT) tune-up to crisis

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20 Newman Avenue, Rumford • 228-1965 renewed-connections.com

Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors

Ornamental and Shade Tree Specialists

Check A/C and other essentials to summerize your car before big trips

• fine hand pruning

We service and repair ALL foreign and domestic models

• tree preservation • hazard tree removal • tree evaluation & diagnosis

• ASE Certified • RI inspection and repair station #27b

Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

• tree planting consultation

401-331-8527 tfmorra.com 54

East Side Monthly June 2017

You can tell on

first glance whether a man is wearing an off-the-rack department store suit or a custom-tailored one: not only in the way that he looks in his suit, but in the way he carries himself. In Rhode Island, the place to find that look is Marc Allen Fine Clothiers. The stores on South Main Street and in Newport carry ready to wear suits, casual clothing and loungewear, and have in-house tailors to create custom suits. Marc Allen has built a reputation on bespoke suits, which are custom created for each person’s body, and made of some of the finest fabrics in the world. While the quality of a suit like that is unparalleled, bespoke clothing is not accessible to everyone. That’s why Marc, along with his managers and expert dressers Colin Ward and William Arvanites, has launched a Made to Measure suit program. “We’re working with more people than we’ve ever worked with,” Will says, “but with the same level of customer service that everyone else gets at Marc Allen.” With Made to Measure, they take a person’s measurements and apply them to an existing pattern, and then customize the details - like lapels and pocket styles - to his preferences. “We wanted something that was classic, but we don’t ever want to be boring,” Will says. “We’re achieving a European look without being aggressively over-styled.” Made to Measure suits are available in 5-6 weeks. “Because we’ve designed our own pattern, we’re able to measure people and plug their measurements into a program, and then make the clothing based off that and adjust the clothing to each person,” Colin explains. “The garment is still being created to the person, but this allows for it to be faster and less expensive.” Marc Allen has a mobile shop that travels all over the state and beyond. The staff also travels all over the country to make suits for customers. “People tend to associate us only with suits,” Colin says. “Our ready to wear items are world class: anything as casual as jeans and polo shirts. We have some of the best lines in the world - and we offer anything anyone can think of.”

Marc Allen Fine Clothiers 729 East Avenue • 401-723-1111 (Top of the East Side, next door to Rite Aid)

200 South Main Street 401-453-0025 • MarcAllenInc.com

Spotlight

Briarcliffe Manor A skilled nursing and rehabilitation center in Johnston

special advertising section

Award Winning Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

49 Old Pocasset Rd Johnston 401.944.2450 Photography by Josh Edenbaum

BriarcliffeManor.com

Beautiful 4 Season Care For Your Property

Pre-Owned Jewelry

Recovering from an event

as life-changing as a joint replacement, a cardiac incident, a debilitating stroke or any hospitalization that requires intensive post-operative care, is hard work. It takes time, commitment, and support. It also takes the full devotion of the patient, but most of all, it takes a team of dedicated, experienced, talented and caring professionals – unique in their areas of expertise, but unified in their goal to return that patient to health and independence. It takes a team of professionals just like the team at Briarcliffe Manor in Johnston, a team whose work has yielded measurable results that have helped hundreds of patients. Briarcliffe Manor is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility that is part of the Briarcliffe care community. Located in a quiet corner of Johnston, Briarcliffe Manor is surrounded by lush green lawns, rolling hills, gardens and peaceful woods. The exceptional short-term rehabilitation services have earned this facility five-star ratings in these important standards of excellence: overall quality, health inspections, quality measures, staffing and RN staffing, placing them among a select group of nursing homes, both on a national and local level. Briarcliffe also has an in-house therapy department with a state-of-the-art therapy room, and personalized case management that helps ensure that a patient’s stay is shorter than the national and regional average, with lower rehospitalization rates. The goal of the dedicated nurses, therapists and caregivers at Briarcliffe Manor is to get your loved one back on his or her feet and resuming a life of independence as soon as possible. Every measure is taken to make their experience as positive as possible, from their streamlined admissions process to that final layer of support upon leaving.

Briarcliffe Manor 49 Old Pocasset Road, Johnston 944-2450 / BriarcliffeManor.com

CityEstateGardener.com

401.935.2312

Membership...

It’s more than fitness! It’s an open door to a variety of social, cultural, and educational activities that celebrate family, foster health and well-being, embrace tradition, and expand cultural horizons.

1271 North Main Street, Providence 437-8421 358 Broad Street, Providence 273-7050

Saving Up To 70% off ReTail pRice New, ReFuRbished ANd sCRAtCh & deNt AppliANCes

Stainless Refrigerators • Ranges Washers & Dryers • Built-In Refrigeration Cooktops & Wall Ovens • Dishwashers

Early Childhood Center, Summer Camp, After School Care, Indoor Pool, Fitness Center, Basketball Gym, Group Exercise, Community Events and so much more!

Everyone is welcome! 401 Elmgrove Avenue Providence, RI 02906 jewishallianceri.org

Dwares Rhode Island

416 Roosevelt Avenue, Central Falls 401.723.0500 • kitchenguys.com June 2017 East Side Monthly

marketplace HOME IMPROVEMENT PIONEER BASEMENT The healthy choice for wet basements, crawl spaces, moisture & air quality control. Foundation repair. Certified. Insured. Reg. #3934. Cell 401-215-7985 or 1-800-649-6140.

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.

STONE MASON 30 yrs. exp. Stone, brick, veneers, walls, fireplaces, patios, chimneys, pavers. Design work. Reg. #7445. Call 641-0362. lousstonework.com

Restore your Deck this Summer! Carpentry Repairs â&#x153;¦ Power Washing â&#x153;¦ Sanding & Stripping â&#x153;¦ Restaining Free Estimates â&#x153;¦

Reg. #3469 â&#x153;¦ Fully Insured

â&#x153;¦

30 yrs. in business

Call 944-0336 T & T Painting

Harold Greco, Jr. Plaster Perfection All Maintenance Small Repair Specialist Emergency Repairs â&#x2DC;&#x2026; Painting

Insurance Quotes â&#x2DC;&#x2026; Mold Inspections

Historic Restorations

BEYOND THE PALE Quality interior painting, color consulting, lead certified, green products. Lic. #15914. Call Mike 401-573-4498

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

EAST SIDE HANDYMAN Repairs, upgrades & renovations. Small jobs welcome. References. Insured. Reg. #3052. 524-6421.

The Finest in New England Craftmanship

Boreal Remodeling General Home Repair, including Kitchens, Baths, Decks & Additions Reg. # 22013

Michael Packard â&#x20AC;¢ (401) 441-7303

HANDYMAN Repair and small job specialist. clearproppvd@gmail.com Reg. 40738

David Onken Painting Interior/Exterior Lead Certified Carpentry Renovations Gutter Cleaning â&#x2013; Chimney Pointing Roof Leaks Repaired Reg. #19031

Insured

248-5248 davidokenpainting.com

WE SPECIALIZE IN PAINTING & CARPENTRY Experts in Water Problems

From Roofs, Gutters & Basements Over 20 years of experience on historical homes Certified Lead Renovated LRM #0514 RI Reg #7320 â&#x20AC;¢ Fully insured GET IT DONE! CALL TODAY!

Call Al Medina (401) 438-8771 or (401) 323-8252

Prompt, Reliable Quality Work

Levine Painting Co., Inc. Interior, Exterior, Residential/Commercial Wallpaper Hanging, Power Washing, Staining 25 Years Experience

738-0369

(401) 885-1580 â&#x20AC;¢ (401) 323-6100 cell

Senior & Cash Discounts

R.I. Lic 7140 Liab/ Work Comp Insured

Reg. #4114

â&#x2DC;&#x2026;

Member BBB â&#x2DC;&#x2026; Est. 1946

BUSINESS SERVICES PROPERTY MANAGER Available. On call 24/7. Rent collection. Rentals, evictions, maintenance. Call 421-0092.

DINNER/COCKTAIL PARTY? Professional Chef services available. Excellent references. Call 401-219-6375.

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. 30 years of experience.

LEATHERWORKS, LLC A leather and vinyl restoration company. We specialize in furniture, automobiles, boats and aircraft. Visit us at LeatherWorksRI.com, or call Robert at 401 837-0548.

FEELING OVERWHELMED???!!! Need your cellar, attic or garage cleaned, but... canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite get to it?? You can call

TAKE-IT-AWAY-TOM at 401-434-8156 Mobile 316-2273 Counselor on the Debris of Life

HOUSE CLEANING DOROTHYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLEANING We clean your home as our own! References & free estimates. Call 401-524-7453 or 401-228-6273.

HOUSE CLEANING Experienced. Local references. Free estimates. Call Lilly, 401-419-2933.

PARKING PARKING/STORAGE Benefit St. (north end), $95/mo. Call Roger, 339-4068. rogernc@mac.com

SENIOR CARE KIND CARE ~ SENIORS Appointments, errands, shopping, cleaning & maint. Refs. Safety bars installed. Reg #3052. 559-0848.

REAL ESTATE

CHRISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; LAMP REPAIR We Make Housecalls!!!

Repairing all types of Lamps â&#x153; Vintage Lighting Specialist â&#x153; Chandelier Repairs â&#x153; Serving the East Side for 21 years â&#x153; Fully Insured

â&#x153;

401-831-8693 www.chrislamprepair.com

Brier & Brier

Advertise in the

Insurance and Employee Benefits

Are You Nearing Retirement?

Marketplace

$15!

for as low as

Jeffrey G. Brier CLU, ChFC, CASL 81 S. Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906 jbrier@brier-brier.com 401-751-2990 Serving the East Side for over 20 years!

JOBS BY JIM Cellars & Attics Cleaned Unwanteds Removed

Estate Cleaning Cell 401-742-7258 Reg. #4614

LAWN CARE

WANTED

Vinnyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Landscaping

I BUY BOOKS

New Lawns Installed

& BOBCAT SERVICE

Old, used and almost new. Also buying photography, art, etc. Call 401-286-9329. jcminich1@gmail.com

Seed or Sod â&#x2014;? Mulch Power Raking Augering Hammering

USED MUSIC WANTED!

Rototilling â&#x2014;? Screened Loam â&#x2014;? Etc.

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

497-1461 â&#x2014;? 231-1851

Free Estimates

Go to

www.EastSideMonthly.com/ Marketplace.html to reserve your space.

OR Please Email Sue at: sueh@rhodybeat.com

Deadline for

East Side Marketplace

is the first of the month prior

THE EAST SIDER Artist Rebecca Volynsky moved back to Providence and rediscovered an artistic (and culinary) community here

Through Art and Bagel Making, Rebecca Volynsky Finds a Home in History By Amanda M. Grosvenor

East Side Monthly June 2017

for high school students, plan their annual birthday fundraiser; she was a participant in the program herself during her years at Classical High School and says it gave her “a life of sustainable creative practice.” “I don’t know who I would be as a person were it not for that space,” she continues. “They gave me ways to express myself. It’s the most welcoming community art space I’ve ever encountered.” Volynsky makes mixed-media art with paint and collage and finds the creative process therapeutic and meditative: “I never create with a pre-planned idea of what it would look like,” she says. “It’s about the process and which materials I have on hand, and therefore it’s also focused on what I’m feeling and experiencing in that moment; it’s a way of

letting go and also experimenting and taking risks.” Volynsky’s work has been featured at gallery shows in Providence and Boston, and most recently in an exhibition in the lobby of the Providence Lady Project. She is also involved with the Summit Neighborhood Community Garden and the Hope Street Festival and is working on a public art project for this year’s PVDFest. Even with so many pursuits, though, Volynsky finds time for her culinary passions. “The bagel-making process has allowed me to become closer to my Jewish and Russian identity,” she says. It’s “a humbling process; it takes two days, and the slightest temperature change or wrong timing can ruin an entire batch. But there is a history of Jewish families baking in this community, and

baking brings back memories of what I’ve had from other local makers.” Eating and cooking with her family has also helped Volynsky learn more about her family’s journey to the United States by way of the Soviet Union. “I feel like more of their stories unfold when we’re experiencing those traditional national foods together,” she says. “It brings me closer to my heritage.” If you had one wish to enhance life on the East Side, what would it be? “Keep Hope Street independent and local. I deeply miss a lot of the ruggedness that Hope Street used to have. I never thought I would come back here, but here I am now, making stuff happen. I care deeply about the local community and want to help small businesses succeed.” RVolynsky.com

Photography by Michael Cevoli

When East Side native Rebecca Volynsky moved back to Providence following a half-decade stint in Boston, she found herself “returning to her roots” in more ways than she expected. She moved into a 5th Street apartment just a few blocks away from her parents’ house. An artist as well as a first-generation American, Volynsky’s proximity to her family inspired a new passion for learning the traditional Jewish-Russian baking methods of her ancestors and experimenting with new recipes. She’s also returned to her old artistic stomping grounds and built creative connections throughout Providence. Volynsky currently works for the City and was the Fund Development Associate at Providence CityArts for Youth for two years. She recently helped New Urban Arts, an after-school arts program

N E W P ORT

NARRAGANSETT

PROVIDENCE

B LO C K I S L A N D

BLACKSTONE BLVD | WEB ID: 1139364 $1,275,000 | 401.274.1644

THE RESIDENCES | WEB ID: 1157343 $427,500 | 401.274.1644

CUMBERLAND - BILLINGTON CIR PORTSMOUTH - WATERFRONT

2 MASTER SUITES | WEB ID: 1155283 $839,900 | 401.274.1644

WESTPORT, MA - HORSENECK BEACH

WATC H H I L L

EAST SIDE

DOWNTOWN

CUSTOM FINISHES | WEB ID: 1155480 $749,000 | 401.274.1644

J A M E S TO W N

MAIN HOUSE & GUEST COTTAGE | WEB ID: 1156233 $1,475,000 | 401.274.1644

BARRINGTON - HAMPDEN MEADOWS JAMESTOWN - SHORES WATERFRONT | WEB ID: 1155712 WATERFRONT | WEB ID:1156275 $1,225,000 | 401.423.3440 $1,175,000 | 401.274.1644

EAST SIDE - WAYLAND SQUARE

CRANSTON - APLPINE ESTATES

3 BEDROOM CONDO | WEB ID: 1150594 $449,900 | 401.274.1644

WARREN - TOUISSET

WARWICK - ALDRICH ESTATE

PRIVATE DOCK | WEB ID: 1158151 $1,495,000 | 401.274.1644

WATER VIEWS | WEB ID: 1150138 $1,175,000 | 401.789.6666

PROVIDENCE

IN-GROUND POOL | WEB ID: 1156822 $739,000 | 401.274.1644

WARREN - TOUISSET WATERFRONT ACRE | WEB ID: 1158149 $695,000 | 401.274.1644

369 SOUTH MAIN ST

WARREN - TOUISSET WALK TO WATER | WEB ID: 1156350 $1,290,000 | 401.274.1644

401.274.1644

* #1 LUXURY RANKING BASED ON HIGHEST TOTAL DOLLAR VOLUME OF THE TOP 10 HOME SALES IN THE STATE OF RI FOR 2016. ALL REPRESENTATIONS IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE BASED IN WHOLE OR IN PART ON DATA SUPPLIED BY THE STATEWIDE MLS. THE MLS DOES NOT GUARANTEE AND IS NOT IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS ACCURACY. DATA MAINTAINED BY THE MLS MAY NOT REFLECT ALL REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY IN THE MARKET.

48 Lloyd Avenue East Side of Providence $1,075,000 401.274.6740

254 Slater Avenue East Side of Providence $849,000 401.274.6740

1 Benefit Street East Side of Providence $769,000 401.274.6740

Barrington Cumberland East Greenwich Narragansett Providence Relocation

401.245.9600 401.333.9333 401.885.8400 401.783.2474 401.274.6740 800.886.1775

#1 in RI homes sold in 2015 & 2016 pbn book of lists

(Providence Business News) See The Video At 196Morris.com 27 Brookway Road East Side of Providence $875,000 401.274.6740

20 Benefit Street East Side of Providence $725,000 401.274.6740

See The Video At 20Benefit.com 35 Charlesfield Street East Side of Providence $750,000 401.274.6740

140 Brown Street East Side of Providence $875,000 401.274.6740