Providence Monthly March 2022 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Providence Monthly March 2022

THE PVD FILM SCENE How a pipeline of local talent, welcoming film office, and diverse settings in a small radius combine to make Providence an accessible hub for movie making

LEADING LADIES

Lucy (Anna Rizzo) looks out over Providence in The Wrong Todd Film Still courtesy of Rob Schulbaum

Inspiring stories of women making a difference around Rhode Island

12 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: Rhode Island received 159 housing vouchers to tackle homelessness last year; 45 have been used

Photo courtesy of Edisa Weeks

9 A Pawtucket mini-mall doubles as an incubator space for BIPOC-owned biz

16 OP-ED: Public health professionals weigh in on hospital merger

ART & CULTURE

18 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Hyper local news and contact listings

25 Dance and performance group leads artistic intervention to reclaim memorials

22 RHODY GEM: Mount Hope juice bar serves up healthy bevvies

67 Irish brunch and Bloody Marys on Weybosset 68 IN THE KITCHEN: Self-taught Pawtucket chef wins big with short ribs on national TV 70 EXPERIENCE: NY-style slices and BBQ wings from a Hope Street pizzeria 72 FOOD NEWS: Pizza pop-up expands, new deli on Smith Hill & saying goodbye to a beloved East Side eatery

26 PVD lifestyle photographer helps clients capture their true selves

Photo courtesy of Yum Juice Bar

On The Cover: A production slate is a common scene around the city.

LIFE & STYLE 75 HOME: An East Side kitchen is reshaped for a busy family of five 84 GET FIT: Virtual sweat sessions from a Wayland Square gym 86 SHOP: Two artisanmarket all stars collab in Fox Point brick-and-mortar

28 A modern dance festival at WaterFire Arts Center 30 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

Photo courtesy of Cypress Design Co.

FOOD & DRINK

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Photo courtesy of Rogue Island

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NEWS & CITY LIFE H o u s i n g | O P - E D | N e i g h b o r h o o d N ew s | R h o d y G e m

Making Space Still on Main owner Leslie Moore envisions a new model for community development in downtown Pawtucket You might not expect to find an eclectic mini-mall in the heart of Pawtucket, one complete with two levels of small and micro businesses and a food court of multicultural cuisine, with natural lighting from sweeping skylights and cozy seating spread out across an inviting courtyard primed for activity. Thanks to the efforts of owner Leslie Moore and the wide-ranging entrepreneurs who set up shop, Still on Main is in the center of a move in Pawtucket toward revitalization. “What is clear to me is Pawtucket is in a sort of space where a lot of new things are possible, and I can see investment – infrastructure investment – happening all around the downtown area, and that’s exciting,” says Moore. “I do know, however, that there’s a very typical story of what happens when that kind of development happens.” The pattern Moore describes is of city dollars going toward infrastructure, yet business owners who don’t live in that city are the ones who profit from it, a pattern of gentrification. Photos by Abbie Lahmers ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Re t ai l Re v i v al | By Abbie Lahmers

“And man, I was hoping for a different story for Pawtucket,” Moore continues, “one where those investments really do make change but that it is local people and the people who have been most challenged who benefit from the investments the city and state are making in the area.” When Moore bought Still on Main, more formally known as the William Grant Still building on 250 Main Street, she saw promise. She started shaping the spaces, taking on many of the upfront building costs herself, to create affordable units of varying sizes for new and what she calls “unlikely” entrepreneurs to test out concepts in a mini-mall setting hosting culturally diverse retailers, restaurateurs, and other trades. When the pandemic hit, she saw folks craving the community and escaping isolation by grabbing take-out food – and the cooks stepping up to meet the demand – so she started creating more kitchens, and the incubator space grew.

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

There’s now more than a dozen businesses who have set up shop, offering a mix of products and services, from boutique clothing and art studios to hair braiding, juice and breakfast cafes to empanadas. With no “for rent” sign posted on the building, availability in Still on Main travels via word of mouth, as budding entrepreneurs show up with their ideas. “So then I find I’m the cheerleader. I say, that’s a great idea, and we don’t know if that’s going to work, but you should try it!” says Moore, who has fostered a supportive community for new entrepreneurs to start at square one. “There’s fear of failure, and I find – I’m an African-American woman – that when it’s felt like things haven’t gone well for so long, that there can also be fear of success. You don’t even know what it looks like if things go well.” At Still on Main, success can look like a tiny studio reconfigured into a three-story playground area called Littles Playtime, which families can book for playdates and small gather-

ings in a safe, creative environment; or a new health food cafe called What the Teff, where the athlete-owner produces energy bars and mentors people on wellness practices. The Underground Cafe is another new business that recently opened on the ground floor by and for folks in recovery craving coffee and also a nightlife scene, complete with dancing and a pizza oven. “That kind of thing really touches my heart that people are thinking ‘what does the community, in a broad way, need?’” says Moore. “My belief is that gentrification isn’t just an unstoppable wave; it really depends on ownership and values of owners,” says Moore, who looks forward to seeing the space continue to blossom with fresh ideas. “That’s what makes Still on Main special because we start to see what happens when local people, unlikely entrepreneurs, folks who haven’t [been able to] shape downtown areas start to bring their creativity to the city.” StillOnMain.shop

Photos by Abbie Lahmers

On the lower level, find the newly opened Underground Cafe along with a variety of art vendors

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

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Rhode Island received 159 housing vouchers to tackle homelessness last year. 45 have been used The federal pandemic response program provided billions of dollars nationwide to create housing vouchers meant to get unhoused people into permanent housing.

When Dale Bonanno learned he qualified for a new subsidized housing voucher last fall, he started searching. He’d been living in a men’s shelter for several months, and now, his first apartment to himself in more than fifteen years felt within reach. Bonanno combed through listings on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. He called the numbers on the “For Rent” signs in apartment windows he passed walking around Providence. He turned to his caseworker for support. The days and weeks passed. Phone calls went unanswered. He estimates he inquired about roughly 100 units. He got to see three or four. “Everybody wants you to make like fouror five-times what the rent amount is, and like a 700 credit score and no criminal history,” he said. He worried he would never get past his struggles with alcohol and substance use, and related criminal record. “The landlords just want way too much,” he said. “They’re not willing to give people a chance.” The voucher Bonanno received was one of 70,000 new emergency housing vouchers that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) distributed to about 600 housing authorities across the country last summer. Congress allocated $5 billion to the program through the American Rescue Plan, a significant investment intended to respond to an ongoing homelessness crisis that, in many places, had grown more acute during the pandemic. In Rhode Island, the program stands to help at least 159 of the more than 1,200 Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness. The vouchers opened up new opportunities for some of the most at-risk people: a road to permanent housing they can afford. But the program has faced significant challenges getting off the ground. Seven months after Rhode Island received 159

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

vouchers from the federal government, less than 30% have been put to use. A lack of available – and affordable – units left people like Bonanno on the cusp of stability, struggling to find a permanent place to call home before their voucher expires, in some cases 120 days after it’s issued. “I think just some landlords are wary,” Bonanno said. “They don’t know about the program or they’re just discriminatory in a way.” ‘A WINNING POWERBALL TICKET’ WITH NO WAY TO CASH-IN Like other subsidy programs, the new emergency vouchers mean the federal government covers the bulk of the rent for a voucher holder on the private market as

long as Congress funds the program. Only people experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or experiencing domestic violence qualify for the new vouchers. The holiday season came with good news for Bonanno: a landlord willing to accept his voucher, without too many questions about his past. The apartment is in Westerly – a place he has visited once, to see fireworks – but Bonanno is looking forward to settling into a new part of the state. He’ll keep working with his caseworker for a few months as he connects with local substance use and alcohol recovery groups and builds a new community, away from his history in Providence. “It’s having just the knowledge and security that I have a place to go to, and not have to

Photo by Gretchen Ertl for The Public’s Radio

By Nina Sparling

Annie Puello is Dale Bonanno’s caseworker from Crossroads Rhode Island. She’s been helping him navigate the process of applying for a voucher and finding an apartment.

worry about being homeless next month, or six months from now,” Bonanno said. But with less than 30% of the vouchers successfully being used, Bonanno’s story remains the exception as the program rolls out. “It’s almost like having a winning Powerball ticket and you can’t get to where you need to go to cash in your ticket,” said Karen Roy, director of housing at Crossroads Rhode Island, the state’s largest service provider for people experiencing homelessness. “There’s no one to give it to.” According to data from HUD, just 12% of the available vouchers nationwide have been used to rent an apartment. The data is reported with at least a month lag, but it’s clear that places with

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some of the largest numbers of people experiencing homelessness like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle have some of the lowest rates of utilization. In Rhode Island, less than a third of the vouchers have been used to rent an apartment. In Massachusetts, 76 of 1,780 available vouchers have been used – just 4%. If states don’t use their vouchers fast enough, HUD can recapture the funding. “It is in response to an incredible problem and incredible need,” Roy said. “It’s everybody’s dream come true. If I had units.” HUD awarded 42 vouchers to the Providence Housing Authority and 117 to Rhode Island Housing. Those agencies, the Rhode Island Coalition To End Homelessness and several nonprofits administer the program. Every person who receives a voucher has a case manager who helps manage all the paperwork necessary to receive the subsidy, find available housing, and connect people with services like counseling and drug treatment as needed. “I go home every day like almost in tears,” said Stephanie Jones-Pringle, a financial coach at Amos House who also helps with case management. “It is just so unfair, what’s going on with this housing situation.” BOXED OUT, PRICED OUT The rental vacancy rate in Rhode Island has plummeted over the course of the pandemic. With so few units available, prices have gone up, making it incredibly difficult for people with limited incomes to find anywhere to go. Moreover, potential landlords often require credit reports, criminal histories, or references from prior landlords – all of which can pose particular challenges for people who have experienced homelessness. That’s an issue that Skie Johnson has come up against countless times in her apartment search. Johnson has experienced homelessness twice, and is sitting on unpaid utilities bills, car payments, medical expenses for her children, and more – all of which affect her credit score. Landlords might require tenants meet minimum income requirements, which can box out low-income renters, even if they have a housing voucher that guarantees rent. “Even though you’re working every single

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

day the amount of hours you can as a single parent, your income still isn’t gonna match what they want,” Johnson said. The Public’s Radio has agreed not to use her full name. In April 2021, Rhode Island passed a law prohibiting housing discrimination based on source of income, making it iillegal for landlords to refuse to rent to someone solely because they have a housing voucher. But there are numerous ways landlords can refuse a tenant without explicitly saying it’s because they receive a federal subsidy – reasons like poor credit, a lack of references, or criminal history. “It’s illegal for somebody to say that they don’t want to take a Section 8 voucher, sure,” said Karen Roy of Crossroads Rhode Island, referring to a pre-existing HUD program that provides housing subsidies. “But they’ll come up with a different reason.” Johson says she’s nearing the end of the initial 120-day window she has to use her voucher. She can apply for an extension, but her bigger concern is finding a landlord who will rent to her at an affordable price and work with the bureaucracy that comes with the subsidy. “If you have a person who has cash in hand, with first (month’s rent and security deposit), of course they’re going to take them instead of worrying about having to fill out documentation, having to do an inspection, make sure the unit qualifies and all sorts of different things,” Johnson said. Many of the available units that Johnson and Bonanno considered in their housing searches were simply too expensive. HUD sets limits, called “fair market rent” on how much a housing voucher will cover, factoring in unit size and location. If a landlord asks for more each month than the standards set by the federal government, it blocks anyone with a voucher from renting that apartment. HUD did allow local housing authorities to set higher rates for the emergency voucher program, but in Rhode Island, the rates remain out of step with the realities of the market. “We’re in such an unusual time,” said Jessica Mowry, assistant director of leased housing at Rhode Island Housing. “There are circumstances in which that’s not going

to be competitive.” With three of her kids living at home and a fourth on the way, Johnson wants to find at least a three bedroom apartment. But few apartments meet the HUD standards. “Having to try to find a three bedroom unit for $1,500 is like a 5 percent chance,” Johnson said. “Most times you’re looking over $1,700.” AN OVERHEATED MARKET The problems the emergency housing voucher program has run up against mirror the challenges researchers have identified with other voucher programs, like HUD’s Section 8 program. The supply of affordable rental housing has decreased nationwide. “There’s no way of getting around the fact that the voucher program only works if there’s actually units out there that are available,” said Richard Cho, senior advisor for housing and services at HUD. HUD has tried to expedite the emergency

Photo by Gretchen Ertl for The Public’s Radio

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Dale Bonanno received an emergency housing voucher as part of a pandemic-era program designed to move unhoused people into more permanent housing

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voucher program by introducing additional flexibility. The department increased the time people have to find an apartment, raised rent caps, and has provided funding to local housing authorities to administer the program. At the local level, Amos House administers an incentive program where landlords can receive a $2,000 signing bonus or limited funds to cover repairs. And both Providence Housing Authority and Rhode Island housing are able to grant people extensions so they avoid losing their voucher. Those immediate steps offer some relief, Cho said, but the underlying problem remains the same – a severe shortage of affordable housing nationwide. President Biden’s Build Back Better plan includes new funding to increase supply, but the bill remains tied up in Congress. “What good is a voucher if you can find a place?” Skie Johnson said. That difficulty follows Johnson as she juggles work, family, and trying to find a

new place to live. She currently lives in Woonsocket with her kids through a temporary rental assistance program. She could use her emergency voucher to stay in her current unit, but she says the apartment is infested with roaches and mice, and not an environment where she wants to keep raising her family. “If I put the voucher towards this unit, I have to stay in the unit for a year,” she said. “And I don’t want to do that.” Johnson thinks she may have found an apartment where she’ll be able to use the voucher, but it isn’t finalized yet. The landlord wants to rent it as soon as possible, but the housing authority still has to inspect and approve the unit, a process that can take weeks. “I’m trying my best to stay calm, but slowly snapping,” Johnson said. “I literally live day to day. It’s all I can do, truthfully.” Nina Starling is Investigative Reporter for The Public’s Radio. She can be reached at nina@thepublicsradio.org

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

O p-Ed | By Barry Fain and Steve Triedman

OP-ED: A Merger Story Hospital merger would put most RI healthcare in one basket; is RI willing to watch the basket?

A ONE PAYER SYSTEM This has been advocated by Dr. Jim Cowan, vice president of PHNP (Physicians for

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Writer, community organizer, and family physician, Michael Fine, MD

a National Health Program). “There are few things the government does well,” he argues, “but healthcare is one of them.” He suggests perhaps we consider Medicare for everyone? Probably not practical….but why not? LET THE FOR-PROFIT HOSPITALS IN AND LET THEM TRY Many in the hospital business quickly round up figures to dampen this idea. The consensus: “The for-profits tend to have worse outcomes and even higher costs than non-profit institutions,” says Cowan – not surprising since their health decisions are often made by non-medical number crunchers.

KEEP THE SYSTEM PRETTY MUCH AS IS AND LET THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY CONTINUE TO RUN THINGS Some suggest that one of the major reasons health costs are so high and outcomes so resistant to improvement is that before you even try to improve healthcare outcomes medically, the administrative and paper-pushing costs total about 30 percent. Would the merger help? Patrick Tigue, the state’s health insurance commissioner, while not taking a position for or against the merger, questioned whether any real cost savings would take place. “If the consequence of a successful merger merely shifts competitive bargaining dynamics within the market,

Photo courtesy of Dr. Michael Fine

They started dating 24 years ago, broke off engagements four times, dramatically grew their families (out of wedlock), and now they are appealing to Rabbi/Father Neronha for his blessing in marriage. You couldn’t even sell this story in Hollywood, yet it’s now hoping to open soon on a big stage in Rhode Island. The proposed merger of Lifespan (Rhode Island, Miriam, Hasbro Children’s, Bradley, and Newport hospitals) with Care New England (Women & Infants, Butler, and Kent hospitals) would create a healthcare system that would generate almost 80 percent of the state’s total patient revenue. The positive spin is that this merger, which will include an integrated academic health system with Brown, will improve health care in Rhode Island through expanded access to primary care and specialists and will expand biomedical research and create new job opportunities. It will keep Massachusetts and Connecticut hospital systems at bay and stop the flow of personnel, patients, and, most importantly, healthcare dollars from exiting our state. Opponents point out the obvious. The new entity will be a monopoly. Analysis of hospital mergers across the country finds that established monopolies increase healthcare costs without benefits to patients and workers, resulting in significant job loss. Health insurance premiums will go up. And need we even mention those golden parachutes? So will this new merger really help us? Will this system address the dangerous lack of primary care doctors in our state? Will it reduce frustrating emergency room waiting times? And while there will be obvious cost savings to the hospitals, how do we insure the promised improved health outcomes for the community and any measurable cost savings to the taxpayers? After speaking to a broad cross section of public health professionals, these seemed to be four dominant themes in their responses to the merger proposal.

increasing prices without concomitant quality, then consumers should question the value of what they are deriving from the merger.” Here are some numbers for you. Since 2000, the cost of general goods and services has risen 52 percent. Over the same period, the S&P is up 62 percent; the Dow is up 76 percent. The cost of healthcare itself is up 267 percent. And the stock price of the nation’s largest insurer, United Health Care, is up a whopping 770 percent. In other words, the cost of healthcare has gone up four times faster than other prices, while the country’s largest insurer has increased 14 times. IF LARGE ENOUGH AND WITH SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND OVERSIGHT, LET COMMUNITIES DO IT THEMSELVES Certainly no one is in a better position to comment on the proposed merger than the former head of the Department of Health, Michael Fine, MD. Always frank and outspoken, Dr. Fine offered a variety of reasons why he supports the merger, though not without some important caveats: “With its million-plus people, a well-built physical infrastructure already in place and an academic powerhouse like Brown in our backyard, Rhode Island is a perfect size to control its own destiny.” He doubts that the FTC would approve the new entity unless the state agrees to provide rigorous regulatory oversight, agrees to play nice with the remaining hospitals, and offers a credible commitment to address the unmet needs of our underserved residents. His own opinion is that the state would be better served, he says, “if we thought out what services we need to deliver the best care for our residents and then figured out how best to pay for them. We do the opposite: determine how much we are going to pay for a service and then let the market decide who, if anyone, gets it. And if we get improved public health out of it, that’s nice but more of a lucky accident. The twin focus of a merged entity should be the best public health delivered for 20 percent less than healthcare in Boston.” Brown’s involvement is a game changer, he feels, in terms of attracting funding, researchers, and academic faculty into the state,

and their recent successful development of a world class public health school proves his point. He wistfully imagines the incredible health research opportunities that might develop here if at some point all patients could be hooked up digitally and communicated to with a flick of a switch. “We would be a research Shangri-La,” he laughs. Collaborating with our other colleges and universities to help meet growing nursing, health tech, and other needs would help feed the system as well. Dr. Fine has even bigger dreams of what the merged operation might mean for Rhode Island. “The problem now is we’re sandwiched between two medical powerhouses in New Haven and Boston. And while it would be difficult to match their resources and funding one for one, if we play this right, we can compete. Our size allows us to create an effective and efficient health system less expensively than our neighboring states. By delivering high-quality health care at a 20 percent lower cost without losing the academic cache, unique research capabilities, and quality-of-life perks of Rhode Island would make us quite competitive.” SOME FINAL THOUGHTS As we go to press, the serious conversations have begun and behind-the-scenes negotiations in terms of details are occurring. The bottom line is that while many people support the concept of the merger in principle, the “devil will be in the details.” From our perspective, for the state to have so much of its healthcare controlled by one entity, there MUST be a very strong regulatory body, unlike PUC, which is often accused of being more of a “rubber stamp” for the utilities it is supposed to regulate. This new regulatory body must have wide and diverse representation so that the health of all of our citizens, from the wealthy to the homeless, is not jeopardized over economic interests. Plus one final thought from Dr. Fine: “How about Brown committing to ensure 50 percent of their medical and public health students come from our local communities so the merger doesn’t become another example of the elites profiting from the backs of working Rhode Islanders?”

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

N e i ghbo r ho o d News | Curated by Abbie Lahmers

Neighborhood News A space made available to Providence’s neighborhood associations free of charge.

HOT TOPICS An overview of what’s happening around the city right now

Neighbors call on the 195 Commission to reconsider plans for Parcel 2 “It’s not easy, I get it,” said Providence resident Leslie Gardner to the 195 Commission at a mid-January public meeting. The respected longtime former chair of the Capital Center Commission, Gardner sympathized with the commissioners’ task: to evaluate three building proposals currently on the table for Parcel 2, the area of 195 land located between South Water and South Main streets. “This is a very important decision,” she continued. The Commission has since chosen a developer, Urbanica, but Gardner – and other residents and neighborhood leaders who spoke at the meeting – did not hold back their objections to all three designs, saying the proposed six-story, mixed-use structures are too tall and too massive. Almost all speakers expressed concerns that vehicular traffic and parking are problematic, even before the arrival of the new residents who would occupy the buildings. Some residents pleaded for fewer built-in parking spaces to encourage a shift toward more sustainable forms of transportation, while others urged the Commission to move in the opposite direction by providing more space for the likely influx of residents with cars. Neighbors also pointed out the potential for flooding in the area, as well as the urgent need for affordable housing in Providence. The Fox Point Neighborhood Association wrote a letter of position to the 195 Commission, its second since November, urging the organization to “go back to the drawing board” to develop designs that are more compatible with the neighborhood. –By Amy Mendillo

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Providence prison book program seeks new home Founded in 2003, Providence Books Through Bars (PBTB) is a small, volunteer-run nonprofit that sends free books to men and women in prison across the country. Inmates write requesting books, and through donations, PBTB responds by mailing the books they’re seeking. “Requests run the gamut from mysteries, selfhelp, fantasy novels and dictionaries, to books on science, history, starting a business and learning a trade,” shares PBTB president Tara Emsley, noting that the program is a lifeline for inmates who may not have access to prison libraries or the internet.

Until now, the organization has operated from the converted South Providence garage of one of its members, who is moving early this year. As of this month, PBTB will need a new home, ideally a free or low-rent space of several hundred square feet in or around Providence. “Our needs are pretty simple,” says Emsley. “We need a space where we can house our stock of books, with room for a computer and tables for volunteers to respond to prisoner requests and assemble outgoing packages of books.” For those interested in getting involved or who may be able to offer space, visit ProvBTB.org.

Specializing in Historic Property on the West Side, Broadway Armory District and Historic Elmwood for the past years.

WBNA recognizes neighbors and accomplishments at Annual Meeting On January 25, West Broadway Neighborhood Association held their Annual Meeting and Awards. Over 80 members and neighbors gathered virtually to celebrate a year of projects and honor several neighbors who have gone above and beyond for the community. The ceremony opened with 2021 Board President Terry Snook introducing newcomers, honoring outgoing Executive Director Kari Lang, and introducing Interim Executive Director Siobhan Callahan, who shared WBNA’s 2021 Year In Review. Among the accomplishments WBNA celebrated were installing historic plaques at Dexter Park and Luongo Square, raising over $5,000 for neighbors in

need, hosting vaccine pop-up clinics, opening the West End’s first public electric vehicle charging station, and more. Following the year in review, board member Obed Papp introduced the WBNA board slate for 2022, and members present voted to approve the entire slate. As newly elected president, Rebecca Atwood then took over to facilitate the rest of the meeting and present annual awards to neighbors and organizations for their exceptional work in the community, including City Meal Site, Haus of Codec, White Electric, Asthenis Pharmacy, and several others. View the full list of award-winners online at WBNA.org.

Persian New Year celebration at International House of RI The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere kicks off the celebration of the Persian New Year known as Nowruz. This ancient holiday is celebrated by people from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Tajikistan, some republics of the former Soviet Union, and Kurds of Georgia, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. With roots in Zoroastrianism, it is a twoweek-long secular holiday enjoyed by people of many faiths. Preparation for Nowruz begins with people deep cleaning their houses to welcome spring into their homes. They also spend time shopping to find the best clothing to wear at the moment the sun crosses the equator – a moment that defines how the year will be. Families visit relatives and friends and embrace the renewal of

earth by spending time in nature. On the eve of Nowruz, each household sets up a spread with items that symbolize the wishes for the year: health, patience, prosperity, light, rebirth, fertility, and beauty. March is the month when the Iranian diaspora feels nostalgic, going about the days without the familiar buzzing and contagious optimism that leads to Nowruz. This year the Iranian-American Cultural Society of RI in partnership with International House of RI, is excited to host a family-friendly potluck at the International House on March 26. All are welcome – whether you celebrate Nowruz in your culture or would like to celebrate for the first time. Visit IHouseRI.org to learn more and RSVP. –By Maryam Ghatee

Call Jane Driver 401.641.3723 Happy to assist you with all of your real estate needs

jdriver@residentialproperties.com ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

N e i ghbo r ho o d News

Providence Neighborhood Associations

A Nowrus potluck dinner commemorating the Persian New Year

College Hill Neighborhood Association Rick Champagne P.O. Box 2442 Providence, RI 02906 CHNA@chnaprovidence.org CHNAProvidence.org Downtown Neighborhood Association DNAPVD@gmail.com DNAPVD.com Facebook: Providence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA Elmwood Neighborhood Association Karen Hlynsky ENA-PVD.org Facebook: Elmwood Neighborhood Association PVD Fox Point Neighborhood Association Meeting Date: March 14 Amy Mendillo P.O. Box 2315, Providence, RI 02906 FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com FPNA.net

Photo courtesy of Pardis Khayyer

Blackstone Parks Conservancy Carrie Drake P.O. Box 603141 Providence, RI 02906 401-270-3014 BlackstoneParks@gmail.com BlackstoneParksConservancy.org

Mount Hope Community Center 401-521-8830 MHNAInc@gmail.com Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc. Olneyville Neighborhood Association Eduardo Sandoval 122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI 02909 ONAProvidence@gmail.com Facebook: Olneyville Library Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations Info@provcna.org, ProvCNA.org Providence Preservation Society 24 Meeting Street info@ppsri.org PPSRI.org

Jewelry District Association Sharon Steele Sharon@sharonsteele.com JewelryDistrict.org Facebook: Jewelry District Association Providence, RI

Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association David Talan 25 Santiago Street. Providence, RI 02907 401-941-3662 DaveTalan@aol.com

Mile of History Association Wendy Marcus c/o Providence Preservation Society 24 Meeting Street, Providence, RI 02903 MileOfHistory@gmail.com MileOfHistory.org

Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative Wole Akinbi 400 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1 AAkinbi@half-full.com Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

South Providence Neighborhood Association c/o Dwayne Keys P.O. Box 5653, Providence, RI 02903 401-369-1334 SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association Summit Neighborhood Association Meeting Date: March 21 P.O. Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940 401-400-0986 SNAProv@gmail.com SummitNeighbors.org Washington Park Association 237 Washington Avenue Providence, RI 02905 BettyLinda@aol.com Facebook: Washington Park Association Wayland Square Neighborhood Association Katherine Touafek Facebook: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.com West Broadway Neighborhood Association 1560 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909 401-831-9344 WBNA@wbna.org WBNA.org

Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty wishes to congratulate THE BLACKSTONE TEAM on their successes in 2021. The Blackstone Team is committed to excellence as one of the top teams in the entire state of Rhode Island. With consistent growth in the Greater Providence market and their statewide expansion, they have become an invaluable resource for their clients and a trusted collaborator with their fellow agents.

Nelson Taylor

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William Sherry

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170

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SO L D

208 Bowen Street | $1,400,000

www.the-blackstoneteam.com This information is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service.The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy. These properties may have been sold by other real estate companies. Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Data is based on information from non-MLS sales, StateWide Multiple Listing Service, Inc., MLSPIN, and SmartMLS for RI, MA, and CT for SFM, MFM, CND, CMM and VLD listings for the period of 1/1/2021 through 12/31/2021

NEWS & CITY LIFE

By Abbie Lahmers

Yum Juice Bar Juice Cafe We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it! What it is: This is the spot to go for a healthy pick-meup, whether you’re craving fruit and veggie smoothies, fresh-pressed juices, or superfruit bowls.

What makes it a Rhody Gem? “It’s paradise in a cup,” says owner Jimmy Ansong of Yum Juice Bar’s standout smoothie Ghana Bounce, made with pineapple, ginger, mango, and coconut water. “In the middle of the winter, it makes you feel like you’re on a vacation.” Ansong set out to open the juice destination as a healthy retreat from the fastpaced world, where you won’t find powders or added sugars, just real fruit and vegetables blended with nut-based milks or coconut water. From their popular peanut butter bowls and açaí bowl (topped with coconut and a chocolate drizzle) to pure juice offerings – like Green God featuring spinach, cucumber, orange, green apple, and kiwi – Yum has snacks and bevvies with flavors that are both familiar and unique. “We developed recipes that satisfy our customers’ needs in a healthier way,” says Ansong. “We have something for everyone.”

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Photo courtesy of Yum Juice Bar

Where to find it: Along Chalkstone Avenue in Mount Pleasant, you can grab a snack to-go or sit down and sip inside the cafe.

To submit your Rhody Gem, please email Abbie@ProvidenceOnline.com

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ART & CULTURE Artist Profile | On Stage | Calendar

Activist dance company Haus of Glitter at the former home of Esek Hopkins

Artistic Intervention Haus of Glitter seeks to transform and reclaim memorials with Heal Esek Hopkins campaign A site familiar to many, the Esek Hopkins’ statue on Branch Avenue is a stone’s throw away from Esek Hopkins Middle School – and soon to be the subject of a proposed historic intervention. Haus of Glitter, a BIPOC and queer-affirming feminist dance company, is campaigning to transform this memorial, and two others, through art. Captain of the slave ship “Sally,” Hopkins’ legacy is steeped in white supremecy for the instrumental role he played in the slave trade in Rhode Island. Haus of Glitter has been residing in the historic home of Esek Hopkins for two years through a PARKIST Artist Residency. There, they have created, healed, and engaged with the community through performance, a Liberation Garden, and other programming. Last fall, Haus of Glitter put on “The Historical Fantasy of Esek Hopkins,” an activist dance opera that reimagines the life of a captured Black woman who hanged herself on Hopkins’ first voyage. “Having this conversation brings up a lot of insights and acknowledgement to the land, to the people, to the community, to the history, and is about really questioning, what do these symbols really represent? What does this really stand for? Does it really stand for our community? Does our community know about this, and do they feel represented by this history, by this preservation that’s already in place?” says Steven Choummalaithong, a member of Haus of Glitter who specializes in dance, movement, and meditation practices. Now, Haus of Glitter is calling for Providence to reconsider who is being honored with a historic intervention. Their proposal was submitted in late January to the Commission for Commemorative Works. It includes three parts – first asking for the name of Esek

Hopkins Middle School to be changed. “It’s actually crazy that there are students who go to Esek Hopkins who know nothing about the history of Esek Hopkins,” says Assi Coulibaly, a dancer, choreographer, writer, and member of Haus of Glitter. “They show up to this school – brilliant brown and Black bodies, young students – who are going into this school, and know nothing about the history of the person whose name they see on that building every day.” Second, Haus of Glitter proposes the statue of Esek Hopkins and its related plaque be removed and replaced with a statue of the aforementioned Black woman portrayed in “The Historical Fantasy of Esek Hopkins,” reimagined as a mermaid and a plaque dedicated to Providence’s lineage of Black women, queer folks, and femmes. They also propose Hopkins Square be renamed Mermaid Square in honor of the woman and the many others who have been excluded from historical narratives about Esek Hopkins’ legacy. Third, Haus of Glitter proposes that they begin a stewardship for the home of Esek Hopkins. This would involve supporting conservation efforts and also creating commemorative works within the home and park – from history and meditation walks to a gallery exhibit – dedicated to those Hopkins harmed. “We’re super excited and super proud of what we’ve done over the last two years, and we’re so grateful. We couldn’t have done anything without community. We were trying to show up for the community, but the community also showed up for us,” says Matthew Garza, member and performance artist. The full plan can be viewed online at HealEsekHopkins.com | By Katarina Dulude

Photo by Erin X. Smithers, courtesy of Haus of Glitter ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

ART & CULTURE

A r t i st P r o fi l e | By Li Goldstein

No Filter Needed Lifestyle photographer Brittanny Taylor helps subjects capture their true selves their photographs. Highlighting their individuality, she says, promotes authentic interactions with their own future clients. “I want their personality, their essence, their business to shine through in our photos,” she says. “I don’t want them to pretend to be someone else, because they’re great right now.” Complementing this is her approach to empowerment coaching, in which she helps clients – many of whom are struggling to get started or stuck on a project – to create organizational strategies and systems that work for them and enable them to produce their strongest work. These grounding techniques became all the more crucial during the pandemic,

especially for Taylor’s small business owner clients. “Especially as time goes on, with this pandemic, I think we’re realizing how much of our lives were based around outside forces, and even more so now where we have such a sense of no control over our lives… I think now more than ever, people need to have a deeper [knowledge] of themselves, and be in tune with their mindset, their bodies, whatever they consider spiritual for them.” Taylor grew up in Providence, receiving her bachelor’s degree in film studies from Rhode Island College with sights set on a career as a sports documentary editor. Working in retail at Sony right after college, and later another camera store from

Photo by Christy Gagnon / Eisley Images, courtesy of Brittanny Taylor

Brittanny Taylor has one rule for clients when they enter her studio: no negative self-talk. This principle affirms a larger mission of celebrating and empowering, and extends beyond images. The Providence-based photographer also offers tarot reading, empowerment coaching, and yoga. During these sessions she works with clients to bring their true selves to the fore. “Throughout all the modalities I’ve worked through, I’ve seen people have such a disconnect with themselves,” she says. “And my goal is to help people figure out what wholeness looks like for them.” Taylor often works with small business owners to craft a brand identity through

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

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BUY – CONSIGN – APPRAISE AUCTION – RESTORE LIQUIDATE which she was laid off, unexpectedly jump started a career in photography. “It was never planned for me,” she says, “but looking back at my life, the signs were always there that I was going to be a photographer.” She recalls time spent around fashion with her mother, who studied apparel design at RISD in the 1970s and brought a then three-year-old Taylor to her runway

shows. When she got her first point-andshoot camera, friends often asked her to take photographs of them. Taylor recalls with pride the most memorable compliment she received from a client getting professional photos taken for the first time since her wedding 20 years prior: “I look like myself in these photos.” Follow along on Instagram @brittanny.taylor

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ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

ART & CULTURE

O n St age | By Karen Greco

Taking the Lead Motion State Dance Festival puts PVD dance on the map

“Providence could be a major dance hub,” says Ali Kenner Brodsky, a local modern dancer and one of four founders of Motion State Arts. The nonprofit is dedicated to presenting dance films and live dance performances throughout the year, as well as their linchpin Motion State Arts Dance Festival, happening this month at WaterFire Arts Center. “There’s a great music, theater, and art scene,” she continues. “People are coming [to Providence] for those things. Modern dance is trickier.” Brodsky grew up in Cranston and moved to New York City in 1998 after graduating from Skidmore College as a dance major. After 11 years in the city, she and her husband returned to Rhode Island to be closer to family. The former artist-in-residence at NYC’s

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

modern dance mecca, the Joyce SoHo, resigned herself to a possible career pivot in returning to the Ocean State. “I thought, oh well, my dance career is over,” she says. Instead, it flourished. Brodsky picked up an adjunct professor job in the dance department at Salve Regina (she’s now an adjunct faculty member at Roger Williams) and connected with Jamie Jewett, founder of the former Providence-based multimedia dance company Lostwax, and danced with him for a few years. Forming her own company, ali kenner brodsky & co, really “got the ball rolling,” and she began to see the possibilities of a rich dance community in Providence. “The city has done a great job retaining the visual artists and the

theater artists, but dance artists get wiggly,” she says. “We don’t have a home.” Motion State Arts, which she co-founded with David Henry, Lila Hurwitz, and Andy Russ, is the first step towards building that home. The company presents year-round, most notably their Motion State Dance Film Series (formerly Kicking & Screening) and they have partnerships in place with venues like the Jamestown Arts Center and the Columbus Theatre. But the company’s anchor event is the festival, which launched in 2020, just days before the pandemic shut everything down. The three-day fest sold out, which reinforced her hypothesis that Providence is hungry for dance. This year, the festival’s three-day event features headliner and Brown University

Photos courtesy of Motion State Arts

Brown University grad Edisa Weeks returns to Providence to perform 3RITES: Liberty at Motion State Arts Dance Festival

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March 5: Roots Party: Hosted by Edisa Weeks and Motion State Arts, community members are invited to participate in an artist conversation between Weeks and Haus of Glitter while creating the paper and twine roots that make up the 3RITES: Liberty set elements. Southside Cultural Center

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grad Edisa Weeks with a work-in-progress performance of her solo show 3RITES: Liberty. A mix of local, national, and international dancers are part of Small Moves, Big Pictures, which features live dance performances on a four-by-four-foot stage, juxtaposed with dance films shown on a big screen. “There’s a wonderful interplay between the live dancers and the really cinematic films,” she says. Kicking off the fest on opening day is an epic, one-time-only large-scale improvisational dance performance that spans WaterFire’s 35,000-square-foot Main Hall. “There are people in Providence who want more dance,” Brodsky says. “We’re trying to provide that.” MotionStateArts.org

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

ART & CULTURE

Ca l e nda r | By Karen Greco

The Must List 10 essential events this month March 17:

Island Moving Company performs Masterful Movers at The VETS

Learn to chop, dice, mince, and slice like a pro using your own six- or eight-inch chef knife at My Chef Lara’s Knife Skills Class at Stock Culinary Goods. MyChefLara.com

March 19: Don your best red outfit and head to Federal Hill to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph by tucking into a delicious and decadent zeppole from every bakery along Atwells Avenue. VisitRhodeIsland.com

March 19 Lace up your running shoes for the Providence leg of the Tour De Patrick, a three-part 5K race series through the state, that kicks off at the State House. TourDePatrick.com

March 17-April 10:

Through March 27:

March 8-13:

March 20-21:

Set in 1904, Gem of the Ocean, the first play in legendary playwright August Wilson’s 10play American Century Cycle that dramatizes the African American experience over generations, comes to Providence. TrinityRep.com

Broadway stars, on a mission to change the world, find that love unites us all in the hit musical comedy The Prom, coming to the Providence Performing Arts Center in its first national tour. PPACRI.org

Learn to distinguish mammal skulls – from bears to big cats, otters to skunks, as well as more exotic specimens – at Skulls from Near and Far at the RWP Natural History Museum. ProvidenceRI.gov

March 5 & 6:

March 11:

March 31:

Rummage through the racks of vintage finds from over 85 vendors of pre-loved clothes, vinyl, books, furniture, and more at Little City Thrifty’s Vintage Mart at WaterFire Arts Center. LittleCityThrifty.com

Newport’s celebrated corps de ballet, Island Moving Company, comes to The VETS for the gala performance Masterful Movers, featuring a collaboration with RI Civic Choral & Orchestra of 70 choral voices and a live orchestra. IslandMovingCo.org

The Brian Jonestown Massacre descends on the Columbus Theatre with their glorious blend of garage, shoegaze, and psychedelia – a show that’s sure to deliver on all your rock and roll needs. ColumbusTheatre.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Photo courtesy of Island Moving Company

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Sophocles’ classic play about power, morality, and fate is given a magical realism makeover, exploring themes of latinidad and gender in Shey Rivera Rios’ AntigonX, at the Wilbury Theatre Group. WilburyGroup.org

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

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On the set of Showtime’s series Brotherhood Photo courtesy of the RI FIlm Council

Imagine you are making a movie. You’ve already written the script – a thriller about a Dominican hit-man. The story has shoot-outs, fist fights, chase scenes, and lots of tough-guy banter in Spanish and English. You’re a Hollywood veteran with a strong following. You have a good feeling about this one. Just one problem: your budget is tight. You could try to film in Los Angeles, where you have actors and crew members galore, but you might easily break the bank. Or, you could film the whole thing in Providence, Rhode Island, your hometown, where friends and family are just dying to help you out.

“Shooting in Rhode Island was pretty simple for me,” says Manny Pérez, a prolific actor and veteran filmmaker. Pérez is talking about La Soga Salvation, a feature-length action movie he wrote, directed, and starred in – and was filmed almost entirely in greater Providence. “I would say 80 percent of the locations were houses of my family. Friends would loan me their places when we’d shoot.” Pérez was born in the Dominican Republic, but he moved to South Providence when he was young. He attended Central High School and spent eight formative years in the city. Although Pérez is now based in New York and LA, he regularly visits relatives in the area. La Soga Salvation is actually a sequel to his first feature, simply called La Soga, which he filmed in the Dominican Republic. La Soga follows the exploits of its hard-nosed protagonist, a bearded killer who just wants to live a life of quiet obscurity. The new film, which first screened locally on January 28 at the Providence Place Cinemas 16 and IMAX, is a case study in smart indie movie production: Pérez brought in only a handful of professional crew members, including a script supervisor and director of photography. Otherwise, he employed locals, most of whom had never worked on a movie before. Crewmembers often doubled as extras. Pérez easily secured permits in Pawtucket and Fall River, where local governments eagerly encouraged the project. Police cordoned off streets to ensure privacy. “People were just so happy we were filming in their town,” says Pérez. Shooting started on January 1, 2020. The project wrapped 15 days later. The film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival to packed crowds. This month, you can stream La Soga almost anywhere in the world. In other words, this is what happens for filmmakers when everything goes right. If you want to make a movie in Rhode Island, Pérez’s recipe is worth following. But it’s certainly not the only way. Rhode Island is a ripe backdrop for filmmaking, and more and more out-of-town directors are combing through the Ocean State for locations. What’s more, our homegrown talent pool gets bigger each year. The demand for film and video has never been stronger, nor has the accessibility of equipment and training. With such a dynamic landscape, Rhode Island is a boon for independent filmmakers of all levels and genres – and the local industry should only expand from here.

La Soga Salvation filmed around Providence and Pawtucket Photo by OGM Photography, courtesy of Manny Pérez

A still from La Soga Salvation

Movies Filmed in Providence CITY LANDMARKS THAT HAVE MADE IT TO THE BIG SCREEN By Julie Tremaine, with updates by Casey Williams BROWN UNIVERSITY Remember that time Fred Durst directed a movie? Neither does anyone else – but he did, and he did it in Providence. Portions of The Education of Charlie Banks, starring a preZombieland Jesse Eisenberg, were filmed on the Brown campus. BROADWAY Seven Stars’ Broadway location was transformed into a bookstore cafe for November Criminals, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Catherine Keener, and that guy from the kids-with-cancer-fall-in-love movie and West Side Story that all the tweens adore. DOWNTOWN Providence proves to be incredibly friendly to directors who have shoe-string budgets. Rob Schulbaum, writer and director of The Wrong Todd, filmed the entire movie in Downtown, creating a comedy with a sci-fi twist featuring our city skyline! Winning the Best Indie Feature of 2020 doesn’t hurt either. Bleed For This, about Rhode Island’s own boxing champ Vinny Pazienza, was filmed at the Dunk. HOPE HIGH SCHOOL Underdog, the Rocky and Bullwinkle offshoot that nobody ever asked for, filmed at Hope High School and brought along Jim Belushi, Patrick Warburton, and Tyrion Lannister himself, Peter Dinklage. HOPE STREET Broadway’s Seven Stars isn’t the only one to have its 15 minutes of fame. The Steve Carell dramedy Dan in Real Life takes place mainly on Aquidneck Island, but the opening scene was filmed at Seven Stars Bakery on Hope Street. The real comedy in that movie? The idea that Dane Cook could ever land a classy French lady like Juliet Binoche. INDUSTRIAL TRUST BUILDING (SUPERMAN BUILDING) A film based on the Bonded Vault Heist in 1975? How could it not be filmed in Rhode Island! Vault was directed by Tom DeNucci, a former resident of Cranston. No stranger to the city, DeNucci used the Industrial Trust Building, or as many know it as “The Superman Building,” for a large portion of Vault’s shots.

ATWELLS AVE + LASALLE ACADEMY Twenty-nine years after the original’s release, Hocus Pocus 2 recently wrapped filming all around Rhode Island. The Sanderson sisters along with their actors – Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy – were spotted filming at Lasalle Academy and on Federal Hill. Here’s hoping the witches don’t throw out some dangerous curses into the city. OAK HILL While Jack Black’s The Polka King filmed all over greater Providence, including at the State House and Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston, we’re happy that Pawtucket’s Modern Diner finally got the spotlight it deserves. PROVIDENCE + PAWTUCKET While no exact location has been given, the sequel to La Soga is back and filmed around Providence and Pawtucket. Manny Perez returns as the former hitman ready to rescue the love of his life by traversing our city and our neighbor to the north. SOUTH WATER STREET In a scene from There’s Something About Mary, Ben Stiller and Chris Elliott sit at the bar at The Hot Club, with a full view of the iconic power plant in the background. There’s even a plaque on the wall commemorating the moment. For what it’s worth, they didn’t order beans and franks. THE STATE HOUSE In a stunning moment of prescience, The Purge: Election Year predicted the horror show that would become the 2106 election. The movie was filmed in Woonsocket and downtown at the State House. WAYLAND SQUARE Infinitely Polar Bear, the indie movie that earned Mark Ruffalo a Golden Globe nod, was shot primarily in Wayland Square. Ruffalo himself was often spotted walking to work from his East Side apartment and to visit nearby restaurants. WESTMINSTER STREET Woody Allen’s Irrational Man, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, filmed at Loie Fuller, which has unfortunately since closed, and Classic Cafe; both were on the West Side extension of Westminster – though Joaquin was spotted smoking butts outside basically every bar in town.

They Like Us! They Really Like Us! “Rhode Island is 48 miles long and 40 miles wide, and we have very diverse locations in close proximity,” says Steven Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film & Television Office. “That means you could be filming a cityscape in the morning and by noon be in an idyllic forest and water-view setting, and before sunset, standing at the elaborate gilded doors of a beautifully preserved 1800s mansion in Newport.” Feinberg also notes that Rhode Island was one of the first states in the US to implement a tax incentive, back in 2004. Since then, a steady stream of Hollywood movies has been filmed here in the past few decades. Some of these are classics, like Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. Others are beloved indie flicks, like Dan in Real Life and Moonrise Kingdom. Now and again we get a TV series, like Brotherhood and NOS4A2. And at this point, everyone and their mother knows that Hocus Pocus 2 is being filmed in the state, and HBO’s The Gilded Age, shot primarily in Newport, has become a critical darling.

Bragging rights are great, but there are practical bonuses, too: Feinberg says the Film & Television Office has “brought in about $700 million of film and television production to our Ocean State, and as a result, we have built up a few generations of professional crew and continue to provide opportunities to new and emerging filmmakers. About 75 percent are union and another 25 percent are non-union, who are gaining experience on the smaller shows and learning their craft.” Feinberg himself worked for 22 years as a writer, director, and producer in Hollywood. When he took on the role of executive director of the Film & Television Office nearly 18 years ago, he remembered his own humble origins and the state that bred him. “I wanted to nurture young, independent filmmakers like me,” says Feinberg, “just a kid from the Garden City area in Cranston making movies since I was eight years old with my neighborhood friends, and provide opportunities for these hungry moviemakers to grow and ultimately shine on a national and international scale.”

Steven Feinberg inside the Cranston Street Armory at the beginning stage of building the Christmas-land set for the AMC horror series NOS4A2 starring Zachary Quinto Image courtesy of State of Rhode Island Film & Television Office

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So You Want to Make a Movie “Film production” is a popular major these days, but each college has its own philosophy. The University of Rhode Island, for example, casts a wide net: students can learn videography, 3D animation, and game design, all of which could lead to careers in an ever-growing industry. This is a common approach, to treat film studies as vocational training, with the latest technology and a sensitivity to commercial trends. But not always. Perhaps it’s no surprise that the Rhode Island School for Design takes more of a craftsman’s approach to film. For example, students can still learn to use 16mm film, a format that many schools have abandoned. The atmosphere at the Film/Animation/Video department is openly experimental. “I have loved storytelling ever since I was a kid,” says Ramón Rivera-Moret, an assistant professor of live-action film production at RISD. “Students come to the department as sophomores, and by the time they come, they really have a foundation in visual thinking. The student body is amazing. They’re really thoughtful; they’re really committed to their work.” In contrast to the fast-paced, bottom-line world of commercial film, Rivera-Moret has the temperament of an artist. Raised in Puerto Rico, he studied film at the University of Paris, where many of his instructors had been

involved in the French New Wave, and art-house screenings were a typical night out. Rivera-Moret teaches remotely from his home in New York City, and he is working on his own project, La Dirección del Cielo, about humanity’s relationship with the sky. This kind of high-concept labor of love is exactly the kind of work Rivera-Moret invites his students to attempt. “At the core,” says Rivera-Moret, “the department is not so much geared towards the industry but is really more about developing critical thinking and an analytical perspective in terms of the medium – and also developing their own sensibility towards moving images and sounds.” RISD claims some big-name alumni, like Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and Oscar-winning auteur Gus Van Sant. The school attracts students from all over the world, and many of them venture to bigger cities to seek their fortunes. But Rivera-Moret says that some of his students have remained in Providence after graduation and collaborate on original works. “I know two of them who graduated two years ago,” says Rivera-Moret. “They were telling me that they were working on screenplays together with other recent RISD graduates, and they are producing their short films.” Which begs the question: should 22-year-old filmmakers, diploma newly in hand, stay in Rhode Island? Or should they first give Hollywood a go?

Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix on location for Woody Allen’s Irrational Man

Viola Davis, RIC grad and recipient of an Academy Award, Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, at the RIFF Honorary East Siders while filming Infinitely Polar Bear, Zoe Saldana and Mark Ruffalo Photos courtesy of RI Film Council

Judge Frank Caprio of the nationally syndicated series Caught in Providence (italics) at RIFF Opening Night, PPAC

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A Great Place to End Up For Raz Cunningham, the answer is to travel far, make a name for yourself, and come back. Cunningham spent 10 years in the film industry, working on a dizzying range of projects, from feature films and TV pilots to reality series and documentaries. He traveled widely, following his clients to wherever they were filming. But when his career trajectory took him back to New England, he came home to Rhode Island. “The reason I live here is because I can,” says Cunningham, who is co-founder of Providence-based LittleFire Media. “I did the work outside of Rhode Island, so the larger projects, companies, and agencies I work with know to find me here – and that’s not something exclusive to me. That can work for anyone, but you do have to put in the time and the work.” For Cunningham, this is the recipe for success: make your name in the media hubs, move to Rhode Island, and make yourself mobile. COVID notwithstanding, Cunningham can still travel anywhere to work on a set. Meanwhile, many of his clients are local; LittleFire has created content for Roger Williams Zoo, PVDonuts, and the Providence Public Library. Cunningham even produced an exclusive NOS4A2 digital short for AMC. To develop these projects, he can rely on a network of Rhode Island-based professionals. “For creative talent, we have an actual embarrassment of riches,” says Cunningham. “Within Rhode Island, you can find incredible directors of photography that can cross over between film and corporate video. There are videographers that can color grade on par with some of the best Super Bowl spots you see. The art department in Rhode Island is fantastic. You can crew up a feature here, indie or theatrical.” “And the community at large is usually open to the idea of being part of a project,” he adds, “whether that’s providing a location, set dressing, logistical resources, whatever – you can find a welcoming community. If you’re good to them, they’ll be good to you.” Digital filmmaking is now accessible to almost anyone, of course; any teenager with iMovie and a decent phone could make a short film and distribute it globally. But professional resources have also ballooned in the past decade, such as Kay Studios, a 6,700-square-foot soundstage in East Providence. Anyone could rent this warehouse-sized space, film actors against Kay Studios’ sheer green walls, and edit them into whatever location, from the Wild West to the surface of Mars. Such resources empower indie filmmakers and reduce the need for Hollywood infrastructure. No one knows the technical possibilities better than Andre Correa, a filmmaker born in Brazil who grew up in Pawtucket. When he was young, Correa became passionate about acting and eventually moved to Los Angeles. He studied acting and auditioned widely, building a community of fellow performers. But as Correa grew interested in cinematography, he started to produce his own projects. He directed and starred in a short drama, Help Wanted, about a veteran with PTSD. He became involved in documentaries, and he even started a YouTube series about camera equipment and filmmaking techniques. Correa returned to Rhode Island in 2019, and the change of scenery refreshed him. “People who live in Rhode Island – who never left – don’t realize how cinematic it is,” says Correa. “There is a charm here. People have been more open to me here than in Los Angeles. In LA, it’s like, ‘Oh, you’re a filmmaker? I’m a filmmaker. That guy’s a screenwriter.’ Like, everybody is doing it, so they don’t really care. Here it’s more of a novelty. Doors open, because it’s new to people.” Correa is working on a long-form documentary, which has required travel across the country, and he hopes to produce a narrative feature film, which he intends to make in Rhode Island. Having worked on both coasts, does he portend a bright future for the local film industry? Correa smiles. “I’m betting on it.”

LittleFIre Media at RWPZoo Photos courtesy of LittleFire Media

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The purpose of a movie is to be seen, of course. To reach audiences, thousands of filmmakers first turn to film festivals, which are held in every corner of the globe. Most of us have heard of Sundance and Cannes, but our state is also home to several prominent series: The Providence Children’s Film Festival, the Block Island Film Festival, and Brown University’s Ivy Film Festival, which claims to be the largest student-run festival in the world. The best known of all is Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in August. Like filmmaking itself, screening is easier and more versatile than ever before. Auteurs can easily submit digital files to festivals. When COVID permits, they can present their work in local venues, like bars and auditoriums. One of the region’s more active promoters is Briana Gonsalves, who has hosted several screening series in Providence and is founder of the Dead of Autumn Horror Festival. Gonsalves is a prolific actress herself, and she has collaborated with a vast web of underground filmmakers. The vast majority of movies she has screened were made in Southern New England. “In my experience with Rhode Island filmmakers, I have noticed that submissions to my showcases are usually either comedies or stories that highlight social issues,” says Gonsalves. “I’ve had many short films in monthly showcases that touch upon homelessness, abuse, suicide, LGBTQA+ struggles, artists’ struggles, lower-middle class struggles, and national tragedies such as 9/11. On the other side of the spectrum, [there are] comedies that help you laugh while trying to get through these crazy times.” Gonsalves notes that the pandemic has had deleterious effects on cinema at all levels. Movie theaters shuttered during lockdown; screening schedules were staggered; and her own film festival has gone dormant. But many filmmakers have rolled with the punches: virtual screenings still manage to attract audiences, regardless of where they’re watching. Indie film productions persist, using various safety measures to keep their talent safe. “The finished product on the projects I’ve seen thus far that have been filmed during the pandemic have either been just as good or better than those I’ve seen prior to COVID-19,” says Gonsalves. “People are being extra creative and working extra hard in their endeavors. And it shows.”

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“We want the best for our clients and tenants in every circumstance,”

Every time I suggest an idea, my opinion is heard and respected.”

says property manager Amanda Csigay who started working for Blackstone in 2018. “We advise our clients with up-to-date, legally backed information so they can make the best decisions for their

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15 Circle Street, Rumford. 401-223-2838 • BlackstoneRI.com

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Eveline Luppi

Professional Painter ARTISTIC LIFE Born and raised in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, EVELINE LUPPI has led a dual life between the contemporary art scenes in New York City and Rhode Island. She studied for several years at the Art Students League in Manhattan, where her mentors and instructors were Knox Martin, Larry Poons, and William Scharf, all nationally acclaimed artists. She developed her iconic style amid Manhattan’s flurry of artistic activity in the 1990s and early 2000s. “I found myself in the middle of the creative ferment as part of the contemporary art scene and evolved my present geometric and digital styles,” she recalls of her time spent in the artistic community there. She has since exhibited widely, earning awards such as the J. Banigan Sullivan’s Award at the Providence Art Club and the Felicia Meyer Scholarship Award from the Art Students League of New York. Her work has been reviewed in numerous magazines by prominent art writers and critics. “My art grew out of and is deeply grounded in the Rhode Island experience of landscape, ocean, and rivers,” Eveline explains. “I am a professional painter always immersed in creative reverie and exploration, as well as the pragmatic and often mundane workshop tools and techniques needed to realize my art.” It’s a deep sense of immersion she brings to her daily life: “A permanent exploration, a permanent discovery leading to unexpected results. Quite simply, that is why I love it.” FROM ABSTRACT TO DIGITAL Displayed online for easy viewing, you can witness the progression of Eveline’s artistic body of work through the years, tracing her evocative perspectives of the world around her in technical yet emotional use of space. “My work includes abstract, iconic, and digital styles,” she says. “Lately, my art is aligned with and has grown into the tremendous explosion of activities in the digital art field, including new trends in

virtual reality and blockchain NFTs,” or non-fungible tokens – one-of-akind encrypted digital assets valued for their authenticity. If you click through Eveline’s archive, you’ll also find her iconic Musicians series of acrylic paintings featuring, for instance, a study of Aretha Franklin in her red hat singing at President Obama’s inauguration, as well as other early abstract work like “‘Red Cardinal,’ with the explosive red bird head against a garden of white flowers,” she describes. Additional series like Treehouses and Sea Marks further demonstrate her Rhode Island scenic influences, depicted in stripped down, colorful renderings, and geometric interpretations. IN THE COMMUNITY A teacher and a former gallery owner in addition to professional painter, Eveline is deeply involved in the local scene as a champion for others’ artistic pursuits, as well as online in Facebook and Instagram communities. She is a full member of the Pawtucket Advisory Commission on Arts and Culture, which works for the mayor to oversee and encourage the city’s art landscape, and she has close relationships with galleries in Manhattan and Cape Cod, as well as the Providence Art Club gallery. This month, Eveline opens a solo show at Sprout Galleries in Providence and Warren, displaying a full retrospective of her career for the public to view a lifetime’s worth of her creative achievements. “It’s a perspective on my life as an artist, full of the color, line, movement, humorous and serious pieces, that express what I enjoy and love,” she says. “In the end, what I care about is the viewers’ engagement with the human connection in my art, expressing my enjoyment of the world and my outreach to everyone else.”

163 Exchange Street, Unit 402 Pawtucket • 646-468-2000 EvelineLuppi.com 52

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DEBRA L’HEUREUX Certified Matchmaker

310 Maple Avenue Suite L05-A, Barrington, 401-289-0900 GetReadytoDate.com

SARAH GWIZDOWSKI Owner of RI Cruisin’ Cocktails

691 Main Street, Warren RICruisinCocktails.com

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“I’m in love, I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it,” says the character Buddy in the delightful 2003 movie Elf. It’s a joyous moment in the film and the impression one gets from the radiating smile of Debra L’Heureux. “I was hit by Cupid’s arrow at 49 and found the love of my life,” she beams. This profound feeling caused Debra to leave her longtime job in academia to become a matchmaker and start a company which she named GET READY TO DATE. Along with a knack for connecting people, Debra has solid creds – she received her certification from the Matchmaking Institute and is a graduate of the Relationship Coaching Institute. On her Get Ready to Date website she keeps a blog and a Dear Debra page with the kinds of dating do’s and don’ts you don’t get from an app. “My clients say I have a discerning and passionate heart and am a consummate romantic. I possess the

tenacious resolve of a headhunter to introduce clients to their next great love,” she says. Debra’s process begins with a complimentary consultation. “I create what I call a second chance for love blueprint. I interview clients who have decided that finding love is a top priority in their life. I comb New England to find quality matches that clients would not find on their own.” While nothing gives this matchmaker more joy than finding new love for widows, she works with any clients over 40 and the demand for her services is clear, as many singles looking for love have visited her Barrington office. “It’s never too late to dream a new dream and have the courage to love again,” says Debra before citing a favorite quote: “If it’s not mad passionate love, it’s a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life and love should not be one of them!”

After several years spent with a shaker behind the bar in Providence’s nightlife scene, Sarah Gwizdowski had a vision for a new way to serve craft cocktails. “Every bartender dreams of opening their own bar one day, but I wanted to do something a little different,” says Sarah, who set out to create something fun and free-spirited – and mobile – with her new venture. She found a vintage 1961 Shasta trailer, dubbed her Marigold, and the rest is history. Sarah and Marigold took to the road in the summer of 2019 as RI CRUISIN’ COCKTAILS, a mobile bar and catering service perfect for private parties, weddings, and events. Gigs started trickling in as the business gained recognition, and the fully stocked retro trailer attracted lines of fans around the service window. While the pandemic changed the way events would look for this new business, Sarah spent the summer brightening people’s small socially distanced gatherings with refreshing drinks, and winter saw pop-

ups at Blithewold Mansion armed with hot toddies to accompany a festive stroll through the gardens. “I bring the fun!” says Sarah, who greets every customer with a smile – and an artfully garnished bevvie. “It’s fun to get creative while making drinks and cultivating an atmosphere at parties.” And RI Cruisin’ Cocktails gives her the freedom to experiment with her own recipes and enchant drinkers with presentation in colorful glasses and seasonal trappings. Whether it’s birthday streamers or special “his” and “hers” cocktails for a rehearsal dinner, you can expect a tailored experience with a chalkboard in front listing the curated specials. Operating out of Warren food incubator Hope & Main, you can find Marigold at their weekly market this summer, and you can book the Shasta, and new sister trailer Rosie, for weddings and private gatherings as a unique catering option. Sarah looks forward to hitting the road for another summer of mixing drinks: “We are happy to help you safely host your next outdoor event!”

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Caroline Chang, MD, FAAD Board-Certified Dermatologist & Practice Owner

“I love making my patients happy, whether it’s clearing their acne or making them look ten years younger,” says Dr. Caroline Chang, board-certified dermatologist and owner of RHODE ISLAND DERMATOLOGY INSTITUTE. “It’s very gratifying to be able to help people improve their confidence and self-esteem.” In 2018, after a decade of studying and practicing medicine within the confines of traditional, insurance-based systems, Dr. Chang decided to open her own practice – with a distinct difference. REVOLUTIONARY MODEL “We have a close bond with our patients. Our approach allows us to get to know them on a very personal level, and provide the best outcome possible,” says Dr. Chang. That approach is known as direct pay or direct care, a revolutionary healthcare model removing insurance companies from the equation. Rhode Island Dermatology Institute (RIDI) is the first direct care dermatology practice in the state, and aims to restore and nurture the doctor-patient relationship. “We provide the highest quality of care to our patients without the barriers of health insurance,” Dr. Chang says, explaining that in the direct care model patients contract medical services directly with their doctor. This means new patients can get seen sooner (within a week or two), appointments are easier to book (online encouraged), no referrals are needed, plus less wait time in the office and more time with the doctor. The office, which can be described as both a medical and spa space, is set up to make your visit streamlined and hassle free. “Once you try it, you’ll never go back to a traditional office model.” PERSONALIZED CARE “I focus on individualized care for both medical and cosmetic services,” says Dr. Chang. “I always put the patient first.” Dr. Chang addresses every kind of medical concern from skin cancer screening, acne, eczema, and psoriasis to hair loss and rashes. She also offers cosmetic treatments like Botox, dermal fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal, laser skin rejuvenation, and even skin care products. “It’s very important that patients choose board certified dermatologists for all procedures,” Dr. Chang says, explaining that she examines her patients’ skin at every appointment. “I’ve had a number of patients see me for cosmetic procedures in which I have spotted skin cancer. I am on the frontline of my patients’ health, providing comprehensive evaluations and offering the very best care of their skin.” But Dr. Chang’s quality of care and office model aren’t the only things that set her and her practice apart – she also brings a unique background and artistic approach. EXTENSIVE EDUCATION An art enthusiast with a dedication for science-based medicine, Dr. Chang has a unique academic and medically trained background. “I apply my extensive background in both art history and dermatology to provide the highest quality care to all my patients.”

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Dr. Chang graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Art and Archaeology. She spent two years conducting melanoma research at New York University Medical Center, where she established a comprehensive patient database used in studies to define the risk factors for and behavior of melanoma. After earning her MD from the NYU School of Medicine, she pursued her residency at Tufts Medical Center, where she served as Chief Resident and trained in dermoscopy, a non-invasive technique that allows for better visualization of the skin’s surface. Today, as an associate staff member at Rhode Island Hospital, Dr. Chang has over a decade of experience with providing customized care in both medical and cosmetic dermatology. “I’m excited to continue offering the most innovative treatments, as well as providing the best evidence-based procedures,” says Dr. Chang of her hopes for this year. ‘It’s been a dream to not only own my own business, but also treat patients in a truly personalized and meaningful way.”

5586 Post Road, Suite 6, East Greenwich. 398-2500, RIDermInstitute.com PAID ADVERTISING SECTION

LORRAINE SENA Manager

FABIOLA BRUNACHE Licensed Real Estate Broker & Owner Fabiola Brunache, owner of FAB LIVING REALTY, embodies the saying “be the change you want to see in the world.” After losing her father when she was 29, she moved to Rhode Island for a fresh start. That also meant a fresh career. Curious about real estate, she got her license. “At first, I was attracted to the income potential, but the more I learned, the more I understood the impact it had in creating generational wealth.” Armed with this knowledge, she took it into the community, teaching clients about the importance of home ownership. “The people I help are proud to pass something on to their children other than debt,” she says. When Fabiola became a real estate trainer, she had an “a-ha” moment: why not open her own brokerage? Now Fabiola owns the only Black-owned real estate and brokerage school in the state. “We are not just realtors. We

MELISSA SHAW Owner

401-419-5163 ShawSearch.com

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Lorraine Sena is the proud manager of THE BUCKET NUTRITION as of last year, though her journey began as a child of immigrant parents, helping her dad with the family business. Armed

care about our community,” she says, spearheading initiatives like Care Bag for the Homeless, which distributes toiletries and hygiene products to the housing insecure.

with a degree in communications and a career in healthcare, Lorraine learned the needs of her Pawtucket community. Along with conquering her own weight loss goals, she shares, “I love helping people feel good about themselves and be their best self! There is nothing

272 Broadway, Providence 401-648-2999 fablivingrealty.com

Melissa is owner and founder of SHAW SEARCH PARTNERS, a recruitment consulting firm focused on the hiring of marketing, creative, and strategy talent within the consumer goods, retail, ecommerce, and healthcare industries nationwide and globally. Melissa is the recipient of the Business Women Awards “Woman to Watch” award by Providence Business News. With a focus on national and global opportunities, her company is known for recruiting diverse, highlevel, and executive candidates, and competes with some of the nation’s leading recruitment agencies. “I launched Shaw Search Partners in 2010 with a belief that there was a need for a recruiter to have a vested interest in the business, culture, and environment of the client’s company, in addition to the job specifications,” says Melissa, who had been working in the industry since 2001 when she decided to leave corporate recruiting to start her own business. “I started with one client and

better than that.” 863 Newport Avenue, Pawtucket. 401-362-9547 • @thebucketnutrition

have worked tirelessly to organically, and single-handedly, grow the business to where it is today: a nationally recognized firm with numerous clients.” Melissa is known for her optimism, dedication, work ethic, and honesty, which she brings to the table when she connects with all candidates and clients, from small start-ups to Fortune 4 corporations and everything in between. When she reflects on her success, Melissa credits watching her dad pave his way as an entrepreneur for teaching her the true tenets of hard work and perseverance: “Doing so has allowed me to start, grow, and run a successful Rhode Island-based business.” While Shaw Search Partners has grown immensely over the last 12 years, Melissa is excited for what 2022 has in store. “We are continuing to expand our client roster, including new industries and geographies,” she says. “I love helping people find their dream job, and I can honestly say that doing that is MY dream job!”

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready To Date

THE LEADING LADIES OF PMC MEDIA GROUP

Front row from left to right: Beth Zell, Jessie Barber, Natatia Jodoin, Lauren Vissicchio. Back row from left to right: Erin Bruyere, Jessica Walsh, Sarah Frechette, Briana Botelho

Walking in the front door of PMC MEDIA GROUP, the typical sounds of a bustling marketing agency can be heard; phones ringing, keyboards clicking away, and collaborative conversations flowing between team members. Behind the daily hustle and bustle of the office lies a passionate and creative team led primarily by eight women. “The women of PMC were instrumental in growing the business from a smaller operation to a now sizable agency serving nearly 130 clients both nationally and internationally,” says President Darren Jodoin. “Each one of them brings their own unique talents to the table every day for their respective departments. We wouldn’t be where we are today without their skill sets and drive.” From graphic design and social media strategy to finance and project management, each team member specializes in their designated field to support the growing agency. Leading the PMC team is chief financial officer Natatia Jodoin, creative director Beth Zell, director of operations Jessica Walsh and project manager Jessie Barber. Team members Sarah Frechette (social media training and development coordinator), Lauren Vissicchio (social media engagement 56

coordinator), Briana Botelho and Erin Bruyere (social media marketing specialists) round out the leading ladies of PMC, and with over 50 years of experience between them, this group has proven to be an exceptional asset to both the business and their clients.

The women of PMC were instrumental in growing the business from a smaller operation to a now sizable agency serving nearly 130 clients both nationally and internationally. –President Darren Jodoin Whether they are brainstorming in the conference room, leading a pitch call to a client, or creating out-of-the-box ideas, this group of women brings their A-game to PMC Media Group every single day. “That’s what makes us different than other marketing agencies”, says Jessica. “We have fun with it! Working closely with the whole team, bringing our concepts to life and seeing the client’s success as a product

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready to Date

of our work is why we do what we do.” PMC Media Group elevates their clients’ brands through thoughtful and strategic marketing initiatives to get them noticed and grow their businesses to a level they never imagined attainable. PMC is not just a full-service marketing agency, but an extension of their client’s team. They view their clients as partners on a marketing journey and together, coupled with the expertise of PMC’s web, social media, production, and creative teams, they bring their brands to life. “It’s no secret that marketing is an essential part of any successful business” says Jessie. “It’s incredible the work that our team visualizes and brings to life for our clients, and the best part is that they get everything they need under one roof! There’s nothing that our team can’t do, and that’s the value we bring to each amazing business we work with.” To view PMC’s full portfolio and capabilities, and to inquire about their extensive list of marketing services, call or visit online.

694 Main Street East Greenwich • 401-667-7777 PMCNE.com PAID ADVERTISING SECTION

VANESSA LILLIE Author

KIMBERLY J. POLAND Advertising & Public Relations Agency President

“Being a writer is all about connection – with myself, my readers, and the creative community at large,” says author VANESSA LILLIE. Rhode Island has not only been Vanessa’s home for the past decade, but the setting for her debut thriller Little Voices, which received rave reviews in Publishers Weekly and appeared in several best-of lists. “It’s been such a privilege to write stories set in Rhody.” Stay tuned for an upcoming audiobook Vanessa coauthored,

YOUNG

RICH

WIDOWS,

taking place in 1985 Providence.

“I become the advertising, public relations and marketing department for clients,” says Kimberly J. Poland, founder of POLAND MEDIA GROUP, a full-service agency. “I love taking that work off an owner’s plate so they can do what they do best – while I do what I do best.” A small business owner herself, she adds, “I’m able to put myself in their shoes and pride myself on finding the best return on investment and making any budget work. “Delivering results is my passion. There’s nothing more satisfying than creating solutions to help clients succeed,” says Kimberly, who provides businesses with everything from brand management to public relations, to media buying, website building, social media management and production. “I personally find great satisfaction when a story I’ve pitched for a client is picked up as a magazine article or an interview on television.”

With her expertise, Kimberly can simplify marketing decision making. “Business owners get hit up with so many options. I help them find their balance.”

401-743-7272, PolandMediaGroup.com

VanessaLillie.com

JENNIFER JONES RASHLEIGH Art Studio & Gallery Owner

73 Simmons Road, Suite E, Little Compton • 508-951-0696 CedianPainting.com

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“My work as an artist is about the process of observing the world acutely,” begins Jennifer Jones Rashleigh, “and distilling natural details into their salient essence that can continue to speak their truth and their unique natural poetic eloquence.” Jennifer graduated with degrees in Art History and History, and conducted her doctoral research as a US Fulbright Scholar in Spain. She has taught art theory, art history, and fine art classes from collegeage to kindergarten, and in 2019 opened CEDIAN PAINTING: STUDIO-GALLERY in Tiverton. There, her portfolio of water and wildlife paintings dazzled visitors and attracted clients with her detailed, dynamic, and tactile art. “I work with acrylic in every capacity,” Jennifer explains, “Diluted washes, translucent gel coats, brushed, spilled, poured, knifed, dragged opacities, and thickly pulled impasto textures that lift off the canvas.” But stretched canvas isn’t all Jennifer works on – she is also known for her hand-painted pillows, which allow the viewer to experience her art in

a new way: “I encourage my clients to run their eyes and hands over the artwork,” she says. “There is something generative that occurs when we as humans look and touch something simultaneously.” By the end of last year, Jennifer found herself running out of space as the list of commissions and scale of work doubled. Her location in Tiverton Four Corners had grown too small, and so she seized the opportunity to open an even more expansive gallery in Little Compton Commons, where she continues to channel her creative energy into canvas. “The response to my growing body of water and wildlife painting has been exhilarating,” Jennifer confesses of her wildlife studies of birds, fish, and botanicals. Discover Jennifer’s inspiring art for yourself during her new studio’s grand opening on June 11, 2022 and stay tuned for Beginning Pillow Painting classes on Tuesday evenings during July and August. Stop by and visit Wednesday through Saturday, 12-5PM, or make an appointment!

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready To Date

CATHY CORELLI CHIANESE & ROSE CANTOR The Leading Ladies of CC Media Partners

CC Media Partners’ focus is always on the client and making client messages stand out from their competition. If you’ve ever wondered why a tiger is CC MEDIA PARTNERS identifiable image, it’s simple: No two tigers have the same stripes – they’re like human fingerprints, their stripe pattern is unique to each individual tiger, making them identifiable in the wild. Your marketing initiatives will have the

MEGHAN ROTHSCHILD President, Chikmedia

PO Box 390 South Hadley, MA 413-341-6711 • www.chikmedia.us

same uniqueness as a tiger’s stripes. Marketing and advertising are usually referred to as an art, but there is also a science to it. A career professional with over 25 years of industry expertise, Cathy Corelli offers a unique approach to advertising and marketing businesses throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Cathy uses strategic media buying and marketing that combines an exceptionally strong core competency offering inhouse graphic design, copywriting, and commercial production for TV and radio, including OTT. She has a diverse portfolio that includes comprehensive marketing campaigns for all forms of media advertising, including social media, and website development. CC Media provides in-house graphic design, plus TV and radio commercial production. Current clients range from regional automotive groups and lawyers to retail and healthcare. “We don’t specialize in

Hanson devotee Meghan Rothschild MMMBoped personal setbacks into business triumphs. The founder of CHIKMEDIA, her business is centered on helping woman-run organizations and businesses find and amplify their voice through strategic communications. “Chikmedia was born out of years of experiencing sexism in the workplace,” notes Meghan, who is also a melanoma survivor. From Chikmedia’s focus on women-led organizations to her previous work with IMPACT Melanoma and The American Academy of Dermatology as the organizations’ spokesperson, her national advocacy landed her in the pages of some of the most prestigious media outlets like Marie Clare, Fitness, Teen Vogue, WebMD, ABC World News, The Huffington Post, Associated Press, Inside Edition, NBC Nightly News, and CNN. Her work in skin cancer awareness landed her an award from Cosmopolitan magazine alongside Kristen Bell. “Owning a marketing and public relations firm that focuses on empowering women is a dream come true,” says Meghan.

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready to Date

any one industry, although I am passionate about cars, which is one of the reasons I tend to gravitate towards automotive dealers.” she says with a smile. In today’s business world, you need a partner to handle marketing your business with the same personality and drive as if it were their own; with more than 25 years of experience and longstanding client partnerships that prove her track record, Cathy and her long-term key creative team partner, Rose Cantor, provide personal attention and expertise, instilling confidence while confirming their dedication to your business. “Our success is based on your success, and we are honored to be a part of it!” Cathy is also a supporter of Big Cat Rescue, RISPCA, and the President of Executives Association of RI.

765 Westminster Street, Suite 206 • Providence. Cathy.Corelli@CCMedia.us • 437-8318

“Entrepreneurship has its ups and downs, but every day I wake up, work in a creative field and help women find their voice.” With her social savvy, along with her engaging and enthusiastic online presence, she’s worked with national brands like Dunkin’, Yankee Candle, and LOFT as an influencer and product advocate. The energetic Roger Williams University grad also mentors students at Springfield College, where she is a professor. She’s a regular on WJAR’s Studio 10 and WWLP’s Mass Appeal. This year, she had the pleasure of judging the Miss Rhode Island competition here in Providence. While “Chikmedia grows every year,” Meghan and her team find time to educate their online devotees. In 2022, they plan to amp up their content creation to have a greater impact on their followers. “I want people to know that you can take a negative - like my cancer diagnosis and my sexual harassment - and turn it into something magnificent,” Meghan says. “Don’t let things get you down; turn them into your success story!”

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DR. MARY ANN SHALLCROSS SMITH

JOAN MCCONAGHY, SANDRA DESANO PEZZULLO, AND ANNE P. WERT Exhibiting Members, Providence Art Club One of the many feathers in the Creative Capital’s cap is the PROVIDENCE ART CLUB. Founded in 1880 and housed in a series of historic buildings on Thomas Street, it was the first art club in the United States to admit women as exhibiting members. How fitting for Women’s History Month that current members and friends – Joan McConaghy, Sandra Desano Pezzullo, and Anne P. Wert – will team up for an exhibit in the Maxwell Mays Gallery, March 27 through April 15. “The moment I put paint to canvas I begin to make a connection with the subject,” says Joan, who taught Graphic Arts at RIC for 22 years before retiring to pursue her passion to paint. Today her studio is located in the yellow colonial Deacon Taylor House at PAC. Sandra DeSano Pezzullo, known for her lush New England landscapes in oils, describes her paintings as “invitational

Owner of Dr. Day Care

journeys.” Her formal art education began after her children were grown, today her work has been honored with many awards. “My art is influenced by my time living abroad and by living in coastal New England. To be able to teach painting now feels full circle, combining my teaching experience with my art,” says Anne, a lifelong painter who lived in Paris and Tokyo before returning to Rhode Island to paint and teach.

Known as DR. DAY CARE, Mary Ann is the owner and founder of the largest child care organization in RI. “I advocate for children, families, education, and small business,” says Mary Ann, who uses her 50 years of experience to elevate the child care field. She’s a State Representative (District 46) and mentors women in business. 1201 Douglas Pike, Suite 4, Smithfield, 475-7707, DrDayCare.com

SEMA GURERK Owner & Designer “I create pieces that

Learn more at ProvidenceArtClub.org JoanMcConaghy.com DeSanostudio.art • AnnePWert.com

touch my customer’s hearts,” says designer Sema

Gurerk,

who

finds inspiration for her delicate wire and gemstone from

CARRIE A. MCPHERSON, CRPS®, CDFA®, ChSNC® Financial Advisor

her

jewelry native

Istanbul. Her craftsmanship and dedication to customer service draw raves from clients. “We are connected to each other through our stories. This connection comes to life with

“I was thankfully exposed to investing young,” says financial advisor Carrie McPherson. “Due to my mother having a debilitating mental illness, I saw firsthand how difficult life can be without a safety net.” These experiences drew Carrie to financial planning, where she helps clients feel more confident about building and maintaining their financial futures through strategic planning and diversified investment portfolios. “The best advice I can give is to start saving something today for tomorrow. Pennies eventually do add up to dollars and the power of compounding investment income is incredible.” Acutely aware of how chronic care can derail a family’s financial security, Carrie is developing a program to help families with special needs members prepare for their future. “I love being a partner to my clients

the jewelry they pick from FLOWEREDSKY DESIGNS.”

401-837-8447,

HOLLY WACH Fine Artist

and like to think I make an impact in their lives today and in the future.” BeaconPoint Wealth Advisors a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC 1 Citizens Plaza, Suite 610 Providence • 824-2557 www.ameripriseadvisors.com/team/ beacon-point-wealth-advisors

Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2022 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. PAID ADVERTISING SECTION

Providence.

sema@floweredsky.com, Floweredsky.com

If you’ve been smitten by a painting, print, or card of birds in a local shop or artisan market, it’s likely the work of HOLLY WACH ART. Holly credits a mulberry tree outside her window with providing a bird’s eye view and endless inspiration. “Much like the birds, I think of my art as an entry point: to get to know and care about these creatures… and bring joy” 545 Pawtucket Avenue, HollyWach.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready To Date

THE LEADING LADIES OF NORTHEAST DESIGN + BUILD

From left to right: Abigail Connolly, Renee Croome, Michele Mackenzie, Christine LaPierre, Brittany Verdecchia, and Shannon Barney

A top-rated and 2021 Providence Journal Readers Choice Award-winning firm, NORTHEAST DESIGN + BUILD gets its success from a passionate and experienced team of designers and remodelers. This includes seven women who each bring their unique skills to

KATIE SCHIBLER CONN Founder, KSA Marketing

100 Metro Center Blvd, Unit 4, Warwick • 401-681-4900 TeamKSA.com

accomplish a shared goal: provide customers with the highest quality home remodeling products and award-winning installation service at a competitive price. General manager Shannon Barney has guided the company for more than five years, setting a precedence for professionalism, exceptional communication, and attention to detail. Renee Croome, Abigail Connolly, and Michele Mackenzie are design specialists, working one-on-one with clients to create the space of their dreams, whether that’s a luxury kitchen or bathroom, home addition, or a whole-house remodel. Meanwhile, project developer and interior design specialist Christine LaPierre meets clients’ specific needs by implementing their design and development ideas. Ever vigilant of the company’s growth is marketing coordinator Brittany Verdecchia who handles all public-facing projects. As administrative assistant, Jennifer Healy is Barney’s right-hand person, helping with the flow of day-to-day operations.

“When things don’t go right, go left,” advises Katie Schibler Conn, founder of KSA MARKETING. Katie learned this mantra when, in 2010, she found herself burned out, stressed out, and unfulfilled. She left her dream job at PlayStation with a one-way ticket to South America. For a year, she traveled alone from Peru to Uzbekistan, gaining clarity in every moment that went sideways. “Like the scars from flipping over the handles of a bike as I rode down a Volcano, midnight border crossings, bribing customs agents to avoid deportation, or paying to sleep on the floor of a hotel lobby,” she says. When she returned to the US, she opened KSA Marketing and embraced the “oh sh*t” moments. “After more than a decade of running KSA, I have learned more from all the mistakes I made than from when things went perfectly,” says Katie. “I tell my staff and clients chaos creates clarity and opportunity - the

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Together the team works closely with clients at every step of the process, carrying out a wide range of comprehensive designs, always completed punctually and with an exacting eye. No two projects are alike, so you can count on specialists to customize each design to achieve a specific look and feel for the room, while ensuring functionality and sturdy construction. “We create a strong bond with our clients and involve them through the entire remodeling process,” Verdecchia explains. “Our team strives to be their home remodeling source not only for today, but also for years to come. We treat your home like it’s our own.” To learn more about how the firm can help with your home remodeling and renovation needs, give them a call, visit their Johnston office, or say hi at the RI Home Show at the RI Convention Center April 7-10, where Northeast Design + Build will be exhibiting. 2949 Hartford Avenue, Johnston 401-934-1074 • NEKitchenAndFlooring.com

most transformative and impactful change comes from the tension that happens when nothing goes right.” Embracing what goes wrong has clearly gone right for Katie. Her agency is in the midst of a growth spurt and just moved to spacious new headquarters in Warwick. She’s an alumni of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, on the Forbes Agency Council, and was named the 2021 Creative Services Woman to Watch by PBN. “After over 20 years in this industry, I still love every part of advertising and marketing,” she says. “But the best part is mentoring employees in their own growth and building a team that shows up every day ready to kick a*s. Watching people I have managed or mentored achieve great success, personally and professionally, just lights me up.” Katie and her team are fearless in the face of chaos, helping map a path to her clients’ success. “Be bold, crazy, and not afraid to kick some a*s,” she says.

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KRISTIN URBACH Executive Director

PRUTHA J PATEL Realtor

As Executive Director

A self-made woman with a degree in Business Administration from Boston University, Prutha Patel brings 10 years of experience in property management and investing to help her clients find what they’re looking for. Prutha is an award-winning realtor at RE/MAX INNOVATIONS – with sights on becoming the next top real estate agent and investor in RI. “I love my job because it is so exciting to help others find their dream homes and build their own investment portfolios,” shares Prutha. “I have worked with firsttime home buyers, seasoned investors, and everyone in between!” She’s bought two multi-family investment homes, supervised over 50 units, recently launched her third AirBnB rental, and her upcoming venture for 2022 is to launch a business in real estate consulting to educate and empower others to succeed in their real estate journeys. Active in the community, Prutha is also

of the NORTH KINGSTOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,

Kristin

is a strong advocate for businesses of all sizes

providing

them with tools, networking, and professional development programs. Most recently, Kristin designed and executed the Chamber’s State Take it Outside and Business Technical Assistance grants and was awarded a Real Jobs RI grant for their WindWinRI Offshore Wind Career Pathway System.

Vice President of the Board of Directors for Sojourner House, Commissioner on the Dexter Donation Commission, Board of Governors at The Miriam Hospital, and Chair for the Leadership RI Women’s Networking Group.

8045 Post Road, North

Kingstown, 401-295-5566, NorthKingstown.com

AMBER JACKSON Owner Some people look

289 North Main Street Providence • 401-573-2900 PruthaJp@bu.edu • PruthaPatel.com

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BLYTHE PENNA Owner of Ruffin’ Wranglers®

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RUFFIN’ WRANGLERS® gives your pup more than just a leash walk – they give them an adventure! It starts when your dog is picked up and whisked away to a doggie oasis, the Ruffin’ Wranglers® Ranch in Rehoboth. The fenced-in ranch boasts seven acres of grassy fields and trees, plenty of space for your dog to run, play, and make furry friends. “Socialization, exercise, and freedom are crucial to your pet’s health, happiness, and your sanity!” says owner Blythe Penna. Since 2007, the RW team has provided over 200,000 excursions. The “wranglers” handle the pick-up and drop-off, and supervise all the fun in between. “They have a better social life and exercise routine than most humans!” “There is nothing like seeing pure joy in the eyes of a dog, and that is what we provide, joy...not bad for your daily gig!” says Blythe. Ruffin’ Wranglers® is booked up in most areas, but visit

the community and celebrate Black culture through her Tea Talks series and with hosting Young Black Professionals Mixer events.

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“We are a tight-knit community of friends, fashion lovers, and artisans,” she says of the by-appointment shop featuring a curated collection of unique pieces. Mindy looks forward to launching an online store this year, along

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AMANDA CORTELESSO Fitness Studio Owner & Realtor

Amanda Cortelesso wears many hats: She owns aerial fitness studio ARIELLE EXTREME, recently opened INVERTED FITNESS & GOLF in February, and is a realtor with EXQUISITE REALTY. What do all of these have in common? They’re Amanda’s passions. She loves watching her students and clients grow more confident, whether through acquiring a new skill in her fitness and golf classes or purchasing their dream home. “I will work as hard with you on your wants and needs as if they’re my own!” 3377 South County Trail East Greenwich • 401-398-7061 ArielleArts.com • InvertedFitnessAndGolf.com

CHRISTINA RONDEAU President, Rondeau’s Kickboxing

1408 Atwood Avenue Johnston • 401-996-5425 RKBLive.com • @RondeauSKB

STEPHANIE RAJABIUN, COREY GENDREAU & DIANE D’AMBRA Owners of The Flower Shack & The Modern Farmhouse Two can’t-miss women-owned shops share a building in Cumberland. Stephanie Rajabiun, owner of THE FLOWER SHACK, worked in the medical field for 30 years before she decided to follow her passion for all things floral by opening her own business. With training from Cass School of Floral Design in Watertown, MA, Stephanie takes inspiration from nature and her garden in designing flowers for all occasions, and takes workshops to keep up with the latest trends. Diane D’Ambra and Corey Gendreau are the mother-and-daughter duo behind THE MODERN FARMHOUSE. The pair have always had a knack for scouring vintage markets for old furniture and turned the hobby into a business last year when they opened up their shop of curated solid-wood pieces restored to their former glory with a modern farmhouse twist. “Using that old piece of furniture that’s

Even if you’ve never picked up a boxing glove, you’ve heard of Christina Rondeau. Aside from the name of her business, CHRISTINA RONDEAU KICKBOXING & FITNESS, her name has become synonymous with empowerment and self-defense in Rhode Island. “My passion has always been teaching people how to defend themselves so they are never a victim,” says Christina who credits a high school bully with motivating her to learn how to defend herself. “I believe everyone should learn how to use their body as a weapon and have a fighting chance,” she says. Christina found a true connection with fitness, worked hard, and traveled the world as a sport karate fighter and member of the USA kickboxing team before turning pro. Accolades soon followed, including being hand-picked by American martial artist and actor Chuck Norris for his Team New England World Combat League, where she was the only female. This fifth-degree black belt has been voted “Fun Fearless Female” in Cosmopolitan

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready to Date

From left to right: Diane D’Ambrea, Corey Gendreau & Stephanie Rajabiun

lasted for decades not only keeps it out of the landfill but looks better and is going to last longer than furniture made today,” shares Corey. She and her mom share an eye for decor and do custom work, too.

2352 Mendon Road, Cumberland 401-425-8200 • TheFlowerShackRI.com 401-425-8000 • ModernFarmhouseRI.com

magazine, appeared on The Maury Povich Show, been seen on MTV in music videos, and featured on NESN. Today, Christina is busy running her Johnston studio which offers classes as well as virtual and private options. Along with the fitness kickboxing she’s known for, there is personal training, group fitness, kids fitness, nutritional coaching, and circuit training. “The circuit training is called FIGHT CLUB and there are 10 rounds, three minutes each, all at different stations with a mix of kickboxing fitness drills and weights. It’s super cool!” When not working up a sweat, this mom of two has authored 12 books, and created fundraising campaigns Fight Like a Dad, Fight Like a Girl, along with contributing to others. “We’re always helping those in need,” she says. “I live my life with compassion, kindness, and gratefulness, and my goal is to spread positivity and inspire others. Follow your heart, listen to your own gut, and block out all resistance.”

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MIKAYLA ROBERTS Owner of Cleaning by Mikayla

KATIE KELLY Owner of Anchor Toffee When Katie Kelly and her husband were blessed with a daughter, the idea to open a family business focusing on artisan candy was serendipitous. Getting their start at Hope & Main, ANCHOR TOFFEE blossomed into its own Newport shop, earning them recognition from Yankee Magazine, The Boston Globe, Rhode Island Monthly, and Edible Rhody. Now, lots of hard work and happy customers later, they’ve grown into a second location with a kitchen and retail space in Providence. Bringing a passion for food fostered at Johnson & Wales and a talent for customer service, Katie wears many hats, from creating a personalized retail experience to packaging boxes of sweets with a wax seal and perfectly tied bow. Having always wanted to own her own business, Katie notes that Anchor Toffee is like a “second child,” which she has nurtured and grown to offer only the best. “I love that we built Anchor Toffee

ALICIA REYNOLDS Realtor

259 County Road, Barrington 401-835-2605 AliciaReynoldsRealtor.com

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“I’ve been the ‘cleaner’ of my family for as long as I can remember,” explains Mikayla Roberts, who decided to take her love for organization and attention to detail and turn it into a business.

from just a few products at farmers markets into a growing regional candy brand in the Northeast, with aspirations to go national in the future.”

CLEANING BY MIKAYLA has grown over the last six years into a team of professionals

that

service

northern

Rhode Island and Providence, building relationships with clients and catering to their specific needs. “Our goal is to give you sparkling clean results with a

10 Sims Avenue, Suite 112, Providence. 439-1517. AnchorToffee.com

Whether you’re finding a new neighborhood, new town, or bringing the family “across the pond,” RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES LTD. realtor Alicia Reynolds can help make it happen. She brings years of mortgage lending and residential real estate experience and two Five Star Professional Rising Star awards to the job, but on a more personal level, she is intimately acquainted with the excitement and strife any relocation brings. “As a native Rhode Islander with a large family, I’ve relocated my three kids – all at different ages and stages – around the world over the last 25 years, including Asia once and Europe twice!” Alicia shares. Along with the typical stress that comes with any move, she has also navigated the process with the unique struggles that accompany living with a chronic illness. “I understand better than anyone the challenges that accessibility can present at all stages of the moving process and bring my own knowledge and empathy to the table.”

personal touch!” Cumberland, RI. 249-9288, cleaningbymikayla@gmail.com

Combined with the top-notch resources premier real estate company Residential Properties offers, Alicia is connected with a wide range of contacts, from building contractors and plumbers to attorneys and architects, to help make each step of the move painless. With a wry wit and empathetic ear, Alicia is a phone call away to answer questions throughout the process as a true advocate for her clients who prides herself in constant communication with all parties involved. Entering a year when home inventory rates are at a historic low, Alicia says, “There has never been a better time to sell. I can help clients looking to sell or buy navigate the market successfully.” Along with managing an autoimmune disease, Alicia sold over $7.6 million worth of real estate in her first year alone, and isn’t slowing down. “It is a huge leap of faith for someone to entrust you with one of the biggest decisions of their lives. I never take that for granted.”

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022 • Sponsored by Get Ready To Date

AMY SHORT Photographer

DR. CHRISTINE NOEL Artistic Director PROVIDENCE SINGERS celebrates two notable anniversaries this year: 50 years of choral singing and nine years under the leadership of artistic director Dr. Christine Noel. Since taking the podium, Dr. Noel has led the choir through world premieres, their fourth commercial recording, and many collaborative performances with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, including annual performances of Handel’s Messiah. Her busy spring season includes Bach’s Magnificat on March 5, a concert of musical theater choruses on April 3, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in May. A Rhode Island native, Dr. Noel attended Rhode Island College, then studied in Italy and Hungary before pursuing her masters and doctorate degrees at Boston University. Deeply committed to music education, she is the founder and artistic director of the Rhode Island Children’s Chorus, a program that has taught over 2,000 singers over the past 19 years. Her

GLORIA CRIST President & Founder

156 Highland Road, Tiverton 401-749-1203 • ThinkFeelCreate.org @glosoul and @thecoreorg

“My job is so much fun. I get to create custom portraits for all of my clients. Sometimes I want to pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming,” says Amy Short

students have performed in Carnegie Hall (2019) and appeared in the movie Moonrise Kingdom (2012). Several former RICC singers are pursuing careers in music education and sharing the joy of singing with a new generation.

of AMY KRISTIN PHOTOGRAPHY. Her portfolio ranges from family portraits to marketing shots, but her passion project for 2022 is photographing women 40 women over 40, capturing the beauty and divine wisdom that comes with age. “It’s so important to celebrate who you are, where you’ve come from, and have

667 Waterman Avenue, East Providence • 401-751-5700 ProvidenceSingers.org

“The point of having access to the arts process is all about becoming a better human,” says Gloria Crist. This lifelong belief is what led Gloria to found THE CORE ORG in 2009. The Tiverton-based nonprofit has been a source and resource organization offering arts enrichment and wellness in all mediums throughout the East Bay. Classes are based in all art formats and open to all students in Tiverton and throughout Newport County. Not funded by any school department, The CORE receives its funding through grants, donations, and modest tuition for enrollment in classes. “We approach what we do by looking at the creative wants and needs of the whole person, using an arts template to address a wide variety of self expression,” Gloria begins. “Our programs are created specifically to provide arts AND mental well being, self confidence, self awareness, better communication skills, better ways to deal with stress … to provide arts that are not only the answer, but also invite more questions.” Since the pandemic, The CORE has

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amazing photos to prove that.” 4259 Old Post Rd #2, Charlestown 401-749-6934 • AmyKristin.com

expanded programs to include SEL (social emotional learning) to assist in the increase in anxiety and depression witnessed in grades K-12 along with partnering with other organizations to create new ways for young people to deal with the “overwhelming amount of emotions the COVID chaos has introduced into the everyday.” Originally from North Carolina, Gloria is a card carrying member of SAGAFTRA-AEA and will open in the March premiere of Charlotte Meehans new play Everyday Life and Other Odds and Ends at the Emerson Paramount Center in Boston. Her background includes awardwinning theater, film, and television, and developing a one-woman show in Las Vegas that became stand-up comedian Don Rickles’ opening act. This spring Gloria will also be busy preparing the CORE Youth Theater Company for the June production of Willy Wonka. “I get to work with a talented group of teaching artists who authentically love what they do. It’s pure joy!”

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THE LEADING LADIES OF PROVIDENCE MEDIA PROVIDENCE MEDIA is the locally owned publishing company of four award-winning monthly magazines: Providence Monthly, So Rhode Island, The Bay, and Hey Rhody. The free publications reach roughly 100,000 readers every month, bringing the best of food, arts, culture, fashion and much more, in a uniquely Ocean State voice. Additionally there are websites, social media pages, and a podcast, all produced by a small but mighty team of editors, graphic designers, and a seasoned sales force to make it all happen. Abigail Brown, Senior Editorial Designer, started with Providence Media in 2019. Her talent for design quickly led to taking the lead in laying out every article, cover story, and cover for all four magazines each month. You may also see her name attached to original illustrations, a few of which have been turned into merchandise for causes available at Frog & Toad, Providence. Shelley Cavoli, Account Manager for Northern Rhode Island and Providence. Staff and customers were glad when Shelley recently rejoined the sales team after taking time away to assist her parents. “Our creative team publishes the best magazines. Everyday I see enthusiastic clients discover ways to be successful, I’m proud to be part of their success. Happy to be back!” Louann DiMuccio-Darwich, Account Manager for East Bay and Providence. Louann has been with Providence Media for 14 years. Known for her warm demeanor, she has a long history of developing strong relationships with clients. “I am blessed to work with an amazing team and local business community.” PAID ADVERTISING SECTION

Ann Gallagher, Account Manager for South County. Ann has been with Providence Media for 14 years serving her seaside beat of South County. “I love that I can shop and support local businesses while also helping them get their message out through our magazines. It’s so gratifying to see small businesses prosper with our help.” Taylor Gilbert, Senior Graphic Designer. Taylor uses her talents to create ads, rate cards and sell sheets, plus marketing materials for special events and more; additionally she assists with editorial design. “We all work together as one big family, constantly supporting and motivating us all to be a better company.” Karen Greco, Editor. The newest addition to the team as editor, Karen is a seasoned writer whose career started at Elle Magazine and Ladies’ Home Journal. She enjoys writing about fitness, food, and digging in to write in-depth cover stories and features. Karen is also the novelist of seven books and a novella. Abbie Lahmers, Managing Editor. In 2021, hardworking Abbie was promoted to managing editor. In addition to taking on newsier stories, she assigns all Food & Drink, Rhody Gems, and Neighborhood News, and has transformed the Hey Rhody newsletter into a mini e-publication filled with magazine highlights, weekend must-do’s, and seasonal roundups. Elyse Major, Editor-in-Chief. Since landing her dream job in 2018, Elyse’s various duties have

included developing cover stories and overseeing the Life Style and Art & Culture sections. As the face of the company, she often appears on local TV and at events, proudly repping the magazines. Elyse also serves as co-president of the Rhode Island Press Association. Kristine Mangan Olf, Account Manager for South County & Aquidneck Island. Kristine has been with Providence Media for nine years. With over 25 years of sales experience, Kristine prides herself on helping any sized business grow and prosper via advertising in both print and online. “I love our magazines and what they offer to the local community.” Sascha Roberts, Digital Media Manager. While Sascha joined as an account manager, her enthusiasm for community led to her being recast as the company’s first digital media manager. Sascha now coordinates all social media (creator of #heyrhodyphotos), website content, and co-hosts the wildly popular Hey Rhody podcast. Elizabeth Riel, Account Manager for Providence. Liz has been at Providence Media for over 14 years and has long been known for her dedication to helping businesses in Providence grow and thrive. She works closely with owners to create effective ad campaigns. “I love our little city and seeing all the exciting changes over the years.”

1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick • HeyRhody.com

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FOOD & DRINK In The Kitchen | Experience | Food News

Go Rogue Elevated Bloody Marys make Weybosset Street the place to be on St. Patty’s Day and beyond It isn’t brunch unless a decadent drink is involved, and at Rogue Island, the Bloody Mary is arguably the drink and the meal. “We try to use our kitchen to create special Bloody Marys with some culinary influence,” says owner Ryan Bessette, describing the rotating lineup of tomato-meets-appetizer concoctions mixed up at this farm-to-table destination to complement each week’s Sunday brunch menu. Bessette means “culinary influence” quite literally, with past specials featuring, for instance, an entire Chicken Cordon Bleu slider, served skewered with cornichon pickles and atop a Tom Collins glass filled to the brim with their house Bloody mix and Oola Vodka, and honey mustard seasoning lining the rim. Or there’s the Nashville Hot Bloody Mary, a spicy chicken sandwich garnishing and soaking up the tomatoey bevvie. Rogue Island takes advantage of local vendors, too, from JaJu Pierogies in a kielbasa and pickled red cabbage variety to Chi Kitchen kimchi in a General Tso’s Fried Chicken one. New Bloodys debut each weekend, and Bessette shares there will be multiple in store for their special Irish Brunch happening March 17 for St. Patrick’s Day. Come for indulgent sipping – stay for a full menu of corned beef hash, potato croquette benedicts, bangers and cabbage, soda bread, scones, and more. This annual St. Patrick’s Day foodie celebration is always a full house, so reservations are recommended. 65 Weybosset Street. RogueIslandGroup.com, @rogueisland | By Abbie Lahmers Photo courtesy of Rogue Island ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

FOOD & DRINK

I n T he Ki t c he n | By Karen Greco

Food for the Soul Rhode Island chef Roscoe Gay never imagined he’d be cooking on national television. But in October, The Drew Barrymore Show contacted him with very specific instructions: cook a dish on air using the supermarket staple Ragu. The caveat, no pasta. Oh, and surprise! It was a cooking competition. Gay immediately thought: short ribs. But he had to come up with the recipe on the fly, because they could use only 10 ingredients – Gay’s short rib recipe uses double that number. “I had to get creative,” he says. The dish – tender ribs nestled in a quick-cook polenta – was a hit and Gay took home first place bragging rights as well as a $1000 check. “I was so tired,” Gay says of the television taping, noting that his father, who had terminal cancer, passed away that same week. “Part of me was so excited to be on TV, but part of me was like, I just want to go home.” There’s a twist to Gay’s story. This was a cooking competition for home cooks, and Gay qualified because, surprisingly, he has no formal training. Gay moved from his native Massachusetts to Rhode Island in 2014 to work as an analyst for CVS. But the desk job didn’t suit him. “I am not that person to be in a cubicle,” he says, noting that the job’s demands were intense. A Cake Boss addict, Gay took inspiration from Buddy Vilastro and began baking, finding time in the kitchen therapeutic. He posted his masterpieces on social media. “People just started contacting me,” he says, to create cakes for their special occasions. Gay is quick to note that success didn’t come easy. An avid home cook, he assumed baking was more art than science. He dispelled that myth with his first cake attempt. “I opened the oven and that red velvet cake was bubbling,” he says with a laugh. But Gay takes those mistakes in stride, noting that “the best lessons are the burnt ones.” Friends and family invested in Gay’s dream, donating and purchasing supplies. Eventually, his name got around and

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Providence’s Vibe Lounge contacted him about an executive chef position. “I loved being in the kitchen, the rush of the tickets,” he says. But he notes that, given it was his first professional job, “they were very forgiving if I messed up.” He moved to Bell’s Café in Newport to work the line. The 100 orders a night he was accustomed to at Vibe became 100 orders an hour. “It was the best experience in the kitchen,” says Gay. “You work with a team to get those orders out. If I didn’t work there, I wouldn’t be the chef I am today.”

Around 2017, Gay got licensed through a food incubator program at NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley and began formally offering his services as a caterer and private chef through his Every1sChef brand. He gained a reputation for his soul food, a style of cooking he gravitated towards because “that’s what my father made.” As he learned other techniques and styles through his on-the-job training (he also worked at Skyline in Providence), his palate opened up. Now he calls his cooking style “soul food with a twist,” and enjoys mixing

Photos courtesy of Roscoe Gay

Chef Roscoe Gay’s inspired cooking wins big on national TV

IT'S YOUR JOURNEY, WE'RE HERE TO HELP A custom cake by multi-talented chef Roscoe Gay

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foods from different cultures, like infusing traditional French or Italian cooking with Caribbean flavors. YouTube, television cooks, copious amounts of cookbooks, and a lot of Googling taught him to cook, but it’s Gay’s passion and drive that make him Every1sChef. “Whatever I do, I want to provide excellence,” he says. “It’s an extension of me on that plate.” Chef Roscoe Gay hosts an Every1sChef pop-up every Sunday at Still on Main in Pawtucket. Facebook: Every1sChef

Festive Brunches | Private Parties Romantic Dinners with Tableside Cooking 486 Broadway, Providence 383-2001 | VinoVeritasRI.com ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

FOOD & DRINK

Expe r i e nc e | By Kou Tukala Nyan

A Slice of New York Flour from Italy and inventive twists on a fourth-gen recipe make this Hope Street pizzeria a treat for pie lovers The smell of freshly baked dough welcomed me as I approached Francesco’s Pizzeria on Hope Street, a neighborhood takeout and delivery shop not to be overlooked by New York-style pizza lovers. Though this isn’t the kind of spot you can sit down and eat, I was nonetheless greeted by friendly waitstaff. The owner’s niece, Mia, was ready at the counter with my General Tso’s pizza, BBQ wings, and Sweet Nutella Pizza – and we shared a moment over the song that was playing. Though it opened fairly recently in October 2020, Francesco’s owner Frank Schiavone shares with me that their special dough recipe has been in his family for four generations and 110 years. The family-owned business is known for their pizza, but their menu also boasts a variety of sandwiches, salads, gelato, appetizers, and more.

With the smell of oven-hot pizza and wings in my car (a delight but also torture), I brought my order over to a friend’s house to share. We dove into Francesco’s famous General Tso’s Pizza first, marveling at the ingenuity of the combo: “Who would think to put General Tso’s chicken on a pizza?” It proved to be a perfect combination of sweet and savory. The cheese didn’t overpower the sweet drizzle of the General Tso’s sauce. The breaded chicken was juicy and tender. Fresh red peppers and scallions were the finishing touch of a satisfying pie. What I really enjoyed was the crust and the dough: crispy and thin is Francesco’s specialty. “The secret to our pies is in the flour,” says Schiavone. “We use an imported flour from Italy, Caputo 00. I like to call it the ‘Lamborghini of flour’ as it’s very expensive and delicate.”

Next, I tried the BBQ chicken wings, which are pleasantly thick, meaty, and covered with BBQ sauce and caramelized onions. The flavor reminded me of teriyaki sauce with a hint of spice, sweet with a little bit of a kick. Like the chicken on the General Tso’s pizza, the wings were tender and flavorful.

CUISINE: Italian American ATMOSPHERE: Cozy take-out PRICES: $10-20 (with $2.50 slices)

Photos courtesy of Francesco’s Pizzeria

General Tso’s Pizza

BEAUTIFUL PRE-OWNED JEWELRY BBQ Chicken Wings 1271 North Main Street, Providence • 437-8421 358 Broad Street, Providence • 273-7050

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elyse@providenceonline.com Finally, there was dessert: Sweet Nutella Pizza. The cookie pie is an inventive twist on “pizza” and comparable to a giant Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie baked to perfection with crispy sides and a gooey Nutella center. The whole thing is topped with fresh strawberries. This was a major crowd pleaser. I’d recommend Francesco’s Pizzeria for anyone looking to elevate their takeout pizza night with pies that are both creative and use only the finest ingredients.

Must-Try Items General Tso’s Pizza: $18 General Tso’s Chicken, roasted red peppers, scallion

Sweet Nutella Cookie Pizza: $11 Cookie dough, strawberries, Nutella, powdered sugar

Fra nce s co ’ s P i z ze r i a 357 Hope Street • 751-0355 FrancescosPVD.com

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ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Fo o d N e w s

The guy behind the awesome pizza pie

Bodega on Smith opens on Smith Hill

Chez Pascal closes its doors

One of Providence’s best-kept secrets in the pizza scene, A Guy & His Pie started slinging pies in 2020, operating under the IFYKYK shroud of Instagram posts sharing deets of upcoming pop-ups as said “guy” labored away on new ‘za varieties in a covert kitchen space – until he found himself with a waitlist of over 300. “It started out as a joke actually,” says Brian who spent the COVID lockdown experimenting with recipes. “A friend of mine introduced me to Detroit Style Pizza and I was hooked. I just loved the focaccia-style dough and the way the cheese caramelized on the edge of the pan.” With very few others specializing in pizza like this in PVD, Brian quickly found his niche and expanded reach by collaborating with the likes of CHOMP, PVDonuts, Mings, Masa Taqueria, and The Dump Truck to introduce ever crazier toppings. Now, from his Lorraine Mills kitchen, he is expanding the one-man show to hire staff, broaden menu offerings (think cannolis and wings), and add hours to get more pies in the hands of his fans. @a_guy_and_his_pie, – Abbie Lahmers

Ken Zorabedian, who created the fledgling food delivery app DSAP, has partnered with Johnston restaurateur Rick Melise to open Bodega on Smith. Zorabedian’s original plan was for the storefront to serve as a fulfillment center for DSAP. But the Smith Hill resident saw a unique opportunity to offer grocery items and prepared food to an area along route 44 that’s a veritable fresh food desert. The micro grocery features traditional deli sandwiches as well as a vegan menu (like a teriyaki tofu sandwich and a fennel and grapefruit salad) from chef Chris Collins, who embraced plant-based cooking during his time as executive chef at AS220. As Bodega on Smith finds its footing, Zorabedian plans to expand their offerings to include produce and meats from Rhode Island farms. A full liquor license is also on the horizon, as is a breakfast menu. “You can sip a mimosa while doing your Sunday morning shopping,” says Zorabedian. BodegaOnSmith.com – Karen Greco

“It still doesn’t feel real,” says Kristin Gennuso who, with her husband Matt, owns Chez Pascal. When they announced before the holidays they were ending their 19-year run at the beloved East Side eatery to head to Singapore for an offer of a lifetime for Matt to teach charcuterie, an outpouring of support flooded the couple. The Gennusos bought the restaurant from Pascal and Lynn Leffray. A consultant advised them to keep the name, being told that it would keep customers coming in the door. Gennuso says, looking back, that was a mistake. “The Rhode Island food scene is wonderful. People love to try new places.” She hopes that the new owners, whoever they are, will make the cherished place their own while recognizing the wonderful community that comes with the purchase. In the meantime, Gennuso, an avid reader, is looking forward to finishing a book in under two years. “A customer suggested a Signaporian author who writes food mysteries,” she says, eager to dig in. – Karen Greco

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Photos by Kim Cauti, courtesy of A Guy & His Pie

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LIFE & STYLE H o m e | We l l n e s s | S h o p

Bright Idea An awkward kitchen gets reshaped into a fabulous family hub This is the tale of a family of five who found their dream home in Providence – a beautiful brick house with Spanish Colonial details – and that rare and coveted East Side feature: a yard. Inside, the 1929 property boasts a grand tiled center hall with a curved staircase, arched French doors, and a back living room with a fireplace leading to the sunroom. Everything was perfect – except for one room. Photos by Denise Bass Photography, courtesy of Cypress Design Co. ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

LIFE & STYLE

H o me | By Elyse Major

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“It was all wrong,” says Craig Couture, design manager at Cypress Design Co., a boutique interior design firm based in East Providence that focuses on kitchens and bathrooms. He’s referring to the conundrum that was the existing kitchen. “It was a large space with a layout that did not function well for this home’s new family. The original kitchen was long and had everything stuck in a small rectangle. To get a larger kitchen, we needed to change the focus to a larger rectangle.” With shape-shifting plans confirmed, renovations followed and soon the odd kitchen layout was revised. To conceal a drain pipe, coffered ceilings were prescribed, adding to the architectural interest which includes molding, charming multi-paned windows, and arched doorways.

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LIFE & STYLE

H o me | By Elyse Major

Photos by Denise Bass Photography, courtesy of Cypress Design Co.

Knowing that his clients favor a minimalist approach while also being considerate of the character of the home, Couture selected a calming palette of custom white with gray-on-gray. “The cabinets are white, the island is gray, and the walls are a shade lighter than the island. It’s timeless and modern at once and very soothing.” A luminous Daltile glass backsplash was installed along with Bianco Calacatta Silestone Quartz countertops, white with a thick gray vein, which contributes to the classic-meetscontemporary aesthetic.

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H o me | By Elyse Major

An arched center window echoes the doorways of the Spanish Colonial architecture

Custom benches with storage add to the efficiency of the created breakfast nook

Making great use of the narrow footprint, at one end of the kitchen, a custom bench with storage serves as the basis for a breakfast nook. Outfitted with pillows and a mix of chairs, it adds to the casual atmosphere that has descended upon the stately home. Brass hardware and wood accents visually connect to the hardwood flooring and other rooms within view. “Clients should love their spaces,” says Couture. “Our goal is to bring elevated designs to homeowners and guide them through the renovation or new-build process.” And when it comes to adding your own imprint: “Introduce personality through artwork, furniture, paint, window treatments, and accessories. These items can easily be changed over time, and if you keep the fixed architectural elements of the home consistent, you cannot go wrong.”

Photos by Denise Bass Photography, courtesy of Cypress Design Co.

LIFE & STYLE

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LIFE & STYLE

H o me | By Elyse Major

GET RHODY STYLE Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.

FIELD TRIP Check out the newly renovated design showroom at Cypress Design Co. which invites clients to experience the possibilities for their new space. 15 Dexter Street, East Providence. CypressDesignCo.com RHODY RESOURCES The cabinetry for this project was custom made by CK Custom Kabinetry in Oakland, RI (unfortunately they have closed their doors). Cunha Construction, LLC out of East Providence was the general contractor on the job. The backsplash was sourced from Daltile on Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick. The herringbone backsplash adds texture to the monochromatic setting

Want your home featured in Providence Monthly? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more

Photos by Denise Bass Photography, courtesy of Cypress Design Co.

HAUTE COUTURE “Artwork is always a great way to bring the Ocean State into your home. Whether it is photos of your family at your favorite Ocean State location or a piece from a local artist,” says Craig Couture, award-winning designer at Cypress.

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LIFE & STYLE

W e l l ne ss | By Karen Greco

At Home Sweat Sesh Raise your heart rate with CORE’s virtual workouts When Omicron ripped its way through the state, I grudgingly moved my workouts back into my basement. So when Providence’s boutique fitness studio CORE invited me to try a virtual HIIT class, I grabbed the opportunity. For the uninitiated, HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT workouts cycle through periods of intense effort followed by lower impact moves that bring the heart rate down. I admittedly stay away from this type of training, preferring to keep my “hardio” and weight training in separate splits. Could CORE convince me I was missing out? I brought my laptop to my home gym (AKA

the basement) and logged into Zoom. Instructor and CORE owner Denise Chakoian greeted us from a well-appointed room in her Wayland Square studio. After waiting a minute or two for stragglers, she turned up the music and led us in a warmup. This is where I should note, I consider myself to be a fairly fit person. I lift heavy weights. I spin. I tread. Dear reader, the challenge began at the warmup. (Hello, down dog into push up.) With muscles limber, Chakoian told us to grab a weight, and she led us through our first move, “hot potato.” With the weight in one hand, we went into a squat and, after

straightening, pushed the weight up overhead and tossed it to the other hand. We returned to a squat before repeating for a minute. By the time hot potato ended, I was questioning my fitness level. She led us from Arnold presses (a shoulder press with a rotation at the bottom of the lift) to weighted rotating rows to jump squats; from bicep curls, to split squat jumps, to dive bomb pushups. I chucked the ten-pound weights aside, glanced at the eight pounders, and decided today wasn’t the day to be a hero. I went for the fives. (I really wanted the threes, but my ego won.) When we finished the round, Chakoian flashed a smile

Inside the Wayland Square studio

You don’t need a well-stocked gym to have a good virtual workout. But it’s helpful to have some items handy. Stock up on these locally made faves.

WATER BOTTLE Frog & Toad’s state map water bottle makes a fun hydration station. FrogAndToadStore.com APPAREL Sweat in style with activewear and fitness apparel from local brand Roam Loud. RoamLoud.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

Photos courtesy of CORE

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Saturday, April 9, 2022 of encouragement and told us we were running it through again. From the beginning. By this point, my heart rate was soaring. It spiked to 175 at various points throughout the workout, a number usually reserved for my sprint days. This is indeed HIIT. I was more conservative on the second round, partly because my space (low ceiling, slippery floor) was not conducive to jumping. I opted for the modified versions Chakoian demonstrated, such as swapping out lunges for split squat jumps. Even with these modifications, the workout was a challenge. Then Chakoian ended with bang: jumping jacks! After, she brought our heart rates down with some ab work and light stretching. Virtual workouts are a mixed bag. Often when I finish, I feel like I could have gone harder. But Chakoian’s class left me completely gassed. CORE has a range of at-home options, including HIIT, in their virtual library. Or opt to sweat it out in their COVID-compliant Wayland Square studio. CoreFitProv.com

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LIFE & STYLE

Sho p | By Elyse Major

It’s Lit If you’ve attended an artisan market in Providence, chances are good that you’re familiar with the work of both Jenna Goldberg, AKA Milkcan Industries, and Bradley DiFoggio and Paul Lambert, AKA Parched. Both brands make apparel and accessories with Little Rhody as the subject. As that ol’ familiar tale goes, when coronavirus hit, all were left scrambling for other opportunities. “Opening a brick and mortar during a pandemic is a crazy proposition, but a friend of mine had a space in Fox Point that she was getting ready to fix up and put on the rental market,” says Goldberg, who walked right up to

ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

DiFoggio at a show and asked if Parched wanted to share a store. “We felt our work complemented each other more than competed,” she says. After months of prepping with renovations, DiFoggio and Goldberg got to work making cabinets and fixtures that could maximize the small space. In October, The Matchbox opened its doors. “I wanted to make it look like a sweet old store that had been there forever,” says Goldberg. “It’s still a work in progress but we are looking forward to making more Rhode Island merch and getting to know the community. We hope to be here for a long time.”

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ProvidenceOnline.com • March 2022

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Providence Monthly March 2022

Articles inside

GET FIT: Virtual

EXPERIENCE: NY-style

FOOD NEWS: Pizza

CALENDAR: This

IN THE KITCHEN

PVD lifestyle photographer helps clients capture their true selves

A modern dance festival at WaterFire Arts Center

THE PUBLIC’S RADIO

A Pawtucket mini-mall doubles as an incubator space for BIPOC-owned biz