Providence Monthly May 2023

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IN THIS ISSUE

35

ALL-AGES ADVENTURES

A spring round-up of family fun in the city – with 12+ ways to cool off after!

NEWS & CITY LIFE

11 Tree stewards work to grow Providence’s urban canopy

14 RHODY GEM: Discover fika at the base of College Hill

16 OP-ED: Thoughts on city development projects in the wake of Fane Tower’s demise

18 Writers flock to creative club’s new Valley digs

20 Exiting president of the state’s leading philanthropic agency reflects on successes

22 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Hyper local news and contact listings

FOOD & DRINK

47 Spring scoops and nautical art at a downtown ice cream shop

48 EXPERIENCE: Co ee and crepes from a colorful Hope Street cafe

52 IN THE KITCHEN: A Riverside home cook’s Puerto Rican dishes shine on TV

LIFE & STYLE

59 HOME: A centuryold East Side home is given a mindful update

66 FASHION: Iconic RI jewelry brand sets up flagship in Wayland Square

70 SHOP: Sip small with branded coffee mugs from indie businesses

ART & CULTURE

73 Your guide to Free Comic Book Day

74 ON STAGE: Performers’ theater camp for kids heads outdoors

76 PROFILE: Q&A with an Native American artist as she preps for solo show

78 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

56 FOOD NEWS: Meal prep brand’s new retail shop, seafood fare in Wakefield & bakeshop returns to Warren On

27 FEATURE: Rewilding green spaces with ecosystems in mind

80 PIC OF PVD: Scenes from Cheers to Leading Ladies, held in March at Aloft Providence

Photo courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo

Photo courtesy of Cafe Zoey

Photo courtesy of Studio Playground

Photos by Erin Little Photography, courtesy of Moore House Design

Photography by Nick DelGiudice

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Contributing Photographers

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Sindayiganza

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CITY LIFE

A Tree Grows in Providence

Community stewards work toward a more equitable urban forest, one tree at a time

What kind of city infrastructure cleans the air, cools neighborhoods on oppressively hot summer days, supports pollinator habitats, and only increases in value over time? We’re not describing futuristic sci-fi tech or a groundbreaking invention. The answer is simple: trees.

“Urban trees are critical public infrastructure,” says Cassie Tharinger, executive director of Providence Neighborhood Planting Program (PNPP). “In the face of increased pollution, more frequent extreme weather events, and spiking summer temperatures, urban trees are an excellent tool to [mitigate the harm] to our environment and improve the physical and mental health of our communities.”

PNPP has been advocating for increased tree coverage since 1989 when the organization was founded by Peggy Sharpe in light of the city’s thinning tree canopy, and more recent initiatives have only spurred the movement along. The PVD Tree Plan, whose formation was prompted by the City’s 2019 Climate Justice Plan, calls on community voices to shape a comprehensive vision for green infrastructure and equitable tree distribution, with PNPP serving as one of the lead partners.

Photo by Dominique Sindayiganza, courtesy of PNPP

Planting Program | By

Abbie Lahmers

NEED TREES?

With planting taking place every spring and fall, PNPP invites anyone who lives or works in an area in need of trees to submit a proposal at any time for a free Neighborhood Street Tree Planting Award, with priority given to lowcanopy neighborhoods. If your site is chosen, PNPP conducts site prep, provides the trees and tools, and offers support in recruiting volunteers and organizing a community planting. PNPP can also connect interested neighbors with alternative resources and options to plant trees. PNPP.org/ planting/neighborhood-plantings

Working with the Forestry Division of the Providence Parks Department, PNPP members plant and steward trees for free in neighborhoods that need them most. They also train volunteer Providence Community Tree Keepers, providing them with a basic understanding of gardening, landscaping, and plant biology.

“It’s tough to make it as a young tree in the big city, and the work doesn’t end after planting time! In order for trees to thrive, they need careful maintenance in their early years,” says Tharinger. While recipients and community groups ensure they’re watered, “PVD Community Tree Keepers provide the critical structural pruning of young trees, which ensures they grow into resilient mature trees that don’t conflict with the surrounding infrastructure.”

In addition to the tens of thousands of trees the organization has grown over the years, they’ve also planted seeds in young environmentalists. Through partnerships with stakeholders in Lower South Providence, they’ve taught community members, including young students, about tree stewardship. “The youth at 360 High School and Juanita Sanchez HS, in particular, have taken a lead on identifying where trees are needed, conducting outreach in the

community, and planting trees – they even planned and hosted the City’s Arbor Day Celebration last spring,” shares Tharinger.

Through Garden Time and their Green Jobs Reentry Program, PNPP has also seen participants go on to take the lead in caring for trees in the Silver Lake neighborhood.

“In Providence, as in most cities, the neighborhoods with the fewest trees also have the lowest income levels and highest proportion of communities of color and immigrant populations,” says Tharinger, explaining that these neighborhoods are also more susceptible to other climate-related impacts, such as the heat island effect (in which built infrastructure re-emits the sun’s

heat, creating pockets of higher temperatures) and flooding vulnerability, as well as environmentally influenced health conditions like asthma.

“These issues are complex and will not be solved by trees alone, but trees and green space play a critical role in creating a more just and healthy city,” says Tharinger. “Tree equity is the idea that we should all be able to access the benefits trees provide, regardless of where we live.”

Participate in tree plantings and hands-on TreeLC events happening early this month with dates and info posted online at PNPP.org/volunteer.

Photo by Dominique Sindayiganza, courtesy of PNPP

360 High School students learning about tree planting

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Cafe Choklad 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:

A Swedish cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.

Where to find it:

At the base of College Hill, look for blue awnings and a red “open” flag at the corner of North Main and Thomas streets.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

Feel like escaping to Europe for an hour or two? Longtime Providence restaurateurs Helen and Jens Retlev founded their cafe with the vision of bringing some Scandinavian flair to the city. “We have been partners in the restaurant business since we got married 40 years ago. We were owners of Redlefsen’s and Jensen’s Great Soups Express back in the days when the Arcade was a mecca for downtown eateries,” begins Helen. “The interior was designed to make customers feel like they are in Stockholm enjoying a cup of co ee and freshly baked pastry – fika!” she explains, referencing the Swedish tradition of taking time to enjoy a good cup of co ee and socialize. Inside, find patrons doing just that amidst colorful walls showcasing Jens’ artwork of landscapes, treescapes, and abstracts, along with Dala horses at the counter, and Swedish words like smörgåsar (sandwiches) painted along the curved wall. Did we mention there’s a fireplace? “We serve breakfast and lunch incorporating some Scandinavian favorites like smoked salmon, shrimp salad, and of course Swedish cardamom rolls… a customer favorite.”

Cafe Choklad

2 Thomas Street

Facebook: CafeChoklad

Photo by Elyse Major

The

Rain from Fane May Cause Others to Abstain

Thoughts on city development projects on the horizon in the wake of Fane Tower’s demise

The Fane Tower – six years and hundreds of millions of dollars in lost investment later – is dead. Instead of a somber service, wild parties were thrown. Delays caused by a hostile development environment compounded by high interest rates and the developer’s unwillingness to compromise his extravagantly overbuilt design eventually made the project unbuildable. While the Fane Organization (headed by developer Jason Fane) had the personal resources to build the structure, he still wanted a bank or fund to provide financing – no one would. A $300 million investment gone.

Many are happy to argue the demerits of the building’s design, height, and other features, and others argue that it should have served a biomedical or lab-oriented function to support the burgeoning bio/pharma business being pushed by Brown and the state, but regardless, it would have been a major boon to the economy with thousands of construction and support jobs and would have expanded the Providence tax base on a major scale.

Doesn’t matter – Mr. Fane closed his checkbook, took his losses, and left town.

Meanwhile, the I-195 Commission was created from the relocation of the highway when RIDOT floated a $38 million bond to purchase the land from the federal government. The sale of the parcels was supposed to generate $43 million by 2022 to cover the bond, interest, and administrative costs.

What we’ve seen so far is one heavily subsidized commercial/lab space that paid $1.00 for the land, a commercial/residential building that is relocating a major headquarters 10 blocks from its downtown location, a state laboratory/morgue that should be in the suburbs (not in a high-profile area of the city), a mixed-use shopping area and apartments, and a lot more apartments. The true long-term winners will be the developers.

The city needs jobs and tax revenue and this is the right place for them. Let the residential projects that are proposed for the east side of the river stay, but reserve the west side for commercial projects.

Don’t get us wrong – we love our Trader Joe’s and while tra c problems have been

mostly tolerable, we hope that Mayor Smiley will make South Water Street two lanes again and remove the unused bike lane. As an appeasement, the road could be treated like Memorial Drive in Cambridge and closed to vehicular tra c one Sunday a month if you want to expand the “bridge experience.”

This brings us to a stickier situation that may require a major reality check for many people: the Industrial National Bank Building. We support the preservationists and all the proponents who want to see the building saved and made into apartments.

However, even with close to $100 million in state subsidies, historic tax credits, and a stabilization, it is still highly unlikely that with interest rates at these levels and banks in crisis that there is a lender willing to take an enormous risk (Pawtucket’s seemingly well-funded soccer stadium is in a similar situation).

The developer of the Superman building pegs the cost at $215 million but most of the major builders in the area – many of whom have already declined to bid on the project – believe costs will well exceed $300 million. And that’s before the added unknowns and

overruns, which will appear when they start to deconstruct the building.

While it might be nice to live in one of the 57 “affordable” apartments that could cost upwards of $1 million to build, it will still cost you between $1,384 and $2,076 per month in rent. Market rate rents could hit $5,000 if you believe the projections. And, by the way, there’s no parking.

Soon, there will be a day of reckoning and a decision will have to be made. The building’s owner, David Sweetser, and his company High Rock Development don’t have the capacity to write a check to cover the building’s cost. There are no traditional scenarios right now that appear to work on paper, and while some people would have the city and state underwrite the entire costs through bonds, even that is highly problematic because of interest rates and rent/occupancy assumptions.

If Mr. Fane couldn’t make a brand new luxury building economically viable, it is not a good harbinger. Here’s hoping we find someone like the Metropolis City Bank in the fictional town of Metropolis to ensure our “Superman” building gets o the ground.

The proposed Fane Tower project is dead

Room for Creativity

Providence’s growing writers club moves to the Valley to make space for expanded programming

For much of April, What Cheer Writers Club staff and volunteers were busy packing and moving books and furniture from their offices in downtown Providence to their new Valley neighborhood headquarters at 400 Harris Avenue.

A community-based nonprofit, What Cheer Writers Club was founded in 2018 to support local creatives, especially writers, illustrators, and podcasters, through their coworking space, available to members at a discounted price. Since, they have grown a network of more than 400 members and seek to connect the local literary community through tailored programming, workshops, and gatherings.

“The new location is a better fit for us,”

says operations director Jillian Winters. “Our neighbors are community partners who we already work with, like Queer.Archive.Work/Binch Press Studio and the Steel Yard, so we’ll have even more opportunities to collaborate.”

According to a member survey, the biggest barrier to participation at their former space was parking downtown. Responding to the call, in fall 2019, the staff and board of directors decided to look for a bigger, more accessible space with plenty of parking. In addition to checking those boxes, program director Jodie Vinson shares, “we love that we found a big open space that we could design to fit the needs of our

members as we’ve grown to understand them over the past five years.”

By July 2022, they had signed a lease, were shortly after approved for architectural developments and, finally, construction. The What Cheer team is planning for a soft opening on May 15 and a grand opening June 24. “Our goal has always been to create both quiet spaces where writers can work independently as well as community areas where people can come together and support one another in the creative process,” said Winters.

Like many organizations, the team at What Cheer responded to the COVID-19 crisis by going virtual with many of their programs

Photos courtesy of What Cheer Writers Club

Program director Jodie Vinson in the new What Cheer Writers Club space

and services, including writing meetups, co ee hours, and training. “We’ll continue to o er activities in a hybrid model so that people will have the option to join us online or in person,” explains Vinson. “In whatever way they’re comfortable, we want members to connect with us and with one another in meaningful and creative ways.”

The new space will also help increase the organization’s visibility and give work produced by their members more of a platform. “Content arts like writing and illustrating are less visible than others,” says Vinson. “We want to show the community that this process has value and we are literally creating space for it.” An example

is their recently published SOLIDARITY zine anthology, a collection of members’ stories, essays, and poems surrounding issues of activism and social change, prioritizing the voices of historically underrepresented identities.

The team hopes to host more events in partnership with their neighbors and other community organizations to expand their reach and deliver more programs and services. “We’ve all been through so much over the past few years and we have experiences to share from various perspectives,” says Winters. “That process can be healing and bring communities together.”

WhatCheerClub.org

The excitement is palpable as the club gets ready for the move

Building on a Sound Foundation

The Steinberg era of the Rhode Island Foundation is coming to a close, leaving behind a legacy of unprecedented growth and success for RI’s leading philanthropic foundation. On June 1, Neil Steinberg, whose impact in the community is known broadly, will o cially step down as the president and CEO. Foundation Board Chair Dr. G. Alan Kurose noted that “Neil has been a truly transformative leader for the foundation and for the entire state. He has assembled a management team that has consistently performed at a very high level, particularly during the pandemic. He also established civic leadership as an enduring priority for the Rhode Island Foundation.”

Under his leadership, the RI Foundation has grown its assets more than three and a half times to $1.1 billion. Of the over 900 community-based philanthropic agencies in the country, the RI Foundation is now in the top 20. But what has endeared him so much to our community is that he has achieved this success with a sense of grace, openness, and humility that is almost as rare as his skillset.

With a distinguished career in banking and fundraising, Steinberg’s professional background was well-suited for the role when he was hired in 2008. “I have been fortunate to have worked for three iconic Rhode Island institutions: Fleet Bank, Brown University, and the Rhode Island Foundation,” he explains. Steinberg further elevated the RI Foundation’s status by assembling an impressive team, which includes “experienced investment advisers, long-term investment advisers for continuity, and a full management team of dedicated professionals to provide and follow through on the oversight and implementation of our grants and donations – remember over two-thirds of our grants and awards come from individual donor-advised funds.”

What makes Steinberg’s tenure so impressive are the many new programs he’s initiated, including launching the foundation’s Civic Leadership Fund more than a decade ago to respond in real time to challenges and opportunities that can arise suddenly. Another program, started just a few years ago, is the Equity

Leadership Initiative to address issues of equity and inclusion and, in particular, the recruitment and training of up-and-coming leaders of color to help them move into influential positions in the community. It’s a particular favorite of his as he gets personally involved in facilitating many of the networking opportunities.

Perhaps the most publicized initiatives were his large-scale Make It Happen planning e orts to spur economic development and small business support as the state rebounded first from the 2008 economic crisis and then from COVID in 2021, when the foundation, under Steinberg’s leadership, gathered community input and experts together to offer strategies to help state leaders determine how best to allocate RI’s $1.1 billion share of the American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

As he leaves the foundation, Steinberg admits there are some unfinished challenges that trouble him. “This is a state where teachers, policemen, firemen, and nurses were always the traditional backbone of our communities,” he says. “Now we’re having

di culty in terms of applicants passing drug and written tests to get these jobs. We need to deal with this, and with the trades, too.”

For parting thoughts, Steinberg o ers his biggest dream and greatest fear. “I hope the day will come when drivers crossing the state line will pass a giant sign that says ‘Welcome to Rhode Island: The Healthiest State in the Union,’” shares Steinberg. As for his fear: “That the day also may be coming in the not-too-distant future when we might not be able to do what’s necessary to create a capable workforce to fill the available jobs.”

As he started for the door, he stopped. “I have a dream for you, too. You and I both still believe in the importance of local newspapers. We need them at the foundation to disperse information about our programs, so here’s my suggestion – why not expand your business and take a few floors at the new Superman Building? Maybe call it The Daily Planet!”

And with that Rhode Island’s favorite local Superman gracefully went out the door with a single bound. Can’t wait to see where he lands next.

The exiting president and CEO of the state’s leading philanthropic agency reflects on 15 years in the role

Photo by Barry Fain

FUTURE

OF THE FOUNDATION Steinberg will be succeeded by David Cicilline, the former two-term mayor of Providence, currently serving as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Neil Steinberg steps down as president and CEO of the RI Foundation June 1 after 15 years of growing the organization

YOUR PEOPLE ARE

ARTS & CULTURE

OUTDOOR ITINERARIES WHERE TO EAT

@capreceannjackson

photographed by @philip.muriel

Neighborhood News

HOT TOPICS

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

Garden concert series returns to Meeting Street

The Providence Preservation Society, in partnership with the Mile of History Association, brings back Music in the Garden for a second summer starting May 24 with indie-Americana duo Hawthorne. Additional summer concerts include Caribbean soul from Becky Bass June 21, Greystone Rail’s bluegrass July 19, and others. Proceeds from the monthly series support the care and restoration of Shakespeare’s Head Garden, the charming pocket park where the concerts are held. The 1938 Colonial Revival garden sits behind the 1772 John Carter House at 21 Meeting Street. Originally the home of John and Amey Carter and their 12 children, it also housed the Providence Gazette, print and book shops, and the post o ce – all advertised with a sign depicting William Shakespeare, inspiring the building’s current name: Shakespeare’s Head.

The one-hour, no intermission programs are held weather-permitting on select Wednesdays at 6:30pm, May through September. They make for a fun midweek summer evening outing, with a variety of drink and dinner options surrounding the venue. Bring your own lawn chair, and advanced registration is encouraged. Visit PVDPreservation.org for the full schedule.

Mile of History continues advocating for historically sensitive development

Mayor Smiley recently met with representatives of the neighborhood associations from across Providence, including Mile of History Association (MoHA), to hear residents’ concerns and priorities. The fundamental concern was quality of life, defined as enforcement of zoning laws, public safety, trash and pollution, and public infrastructure (such as streets and sidewalks). MoHA continues to fight for an appropriate building on Parcel 2 of the I-195 land. In cooperation with the College Hill Neighborhood Association and Fox Point Neighborhood Association, they are pressing for a building worthy of the historic section of Providence, with view corridors and sensible massing in height and parking arrangements. Visit MileOfHistory.org to learn more about their projects and for details about an upcoming spring outdoor block party for members and prospective new members.

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

East Side and Jewelry District neighbors celebrate grassroots victory

Attendees took a moment at the March Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) meeting to reflect on a hard-earned win: the demise of the Fane Tower, a proposed 47-story residential tower that the 195 Commission considered – and many residents and local groups adamantly opposed –for nearly seven years. The developer, who received initial approvals from the commission to build the tower on the western side of the Providence River near the Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge, was turned down decisively by the same body in February after submitting a pared-down design.

The overwhelming response among FPNA board members was relief. “Wrong building, wrong spot,” commented FPNA vice president Daisy Schnepel. “The tower was going to stand out like a sore thumb and look more like Miami than New England. Why dominate the landscape with highend apartments when the city cries for a ordable housing?” FPNA board member Lily Bogosian expressed her relief, saying that the city’s “amazing skies and sunsets will not be eclipsed by the shadow of the Fane Tower.” Neighbors expressed thanks to the coalition of individuals and organizations who came together for a long and unified fight, with a special nod to Sharon Steele, president of the Jewelry District Association, who led neighbors through a costly court battle. “I’m proud of the citizens and neighborhood organizations of Providence who organized and persisted and managed to get our voices heard,” says board member Vin Scorziello.

Community conversations address equitable response to neighborhood issues

South Providence Neighborhood Association (SPNA) recently launched a series of discussions in light of recent events surrounding emergency funds being issued by the state for trash pickup around the temporary shelter at the Cranston Armory. The funds arrived in response to residents’ complaints about litter accumulating and sparked the revival of an ongoing conversation in South Providence about the di erence in the level of attention and care given to concerns raised by higher-income, white residents and low-to-moderate income, Black and people of color communities in the Southside and parts of the West End. While the latter have been raising similar concerns for over a decade about trash pickup around Crossroads and Amos House, these complaints raised by Black and people of color communities have largely been ignored and dismissed, whereas the predominantly white communities facing a temporary increase in trash for the length of the shelter being open received immediate attention.

Responding to testimonies of this trend from residents, SPNA started a Community Conversation series on topics such as this, with the goal of closing the divide and ensuring all people in every part of the city receive the same level of care and attention in similar situations. The first meeting was held in March at the Southside Cultural Center and saw more than 25 attendees gathering to share their experiences, and the second one will take place in early or mid June to continue the conversation. Follow for details and dates: Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association

Sidy Maïga performs at Music in the Garden June 2022

Photo by Curtis Desmarais

Providence Neighborhood Associations

Blackstone Parks Conservancy

Jane Peterson

P.O. Box 603141

Providence, RI 02906

401-270-3014

BlackstoneParks@gmail.com

BlackstoneParksConservancy.org

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: May 8

Amy Mendillo

P.O. Box 2315

Providence, RI 02906

FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com

FPNA.net

Jewelry District Association

Sharon Steele

Sharon@sharonsteele.com

JewelryDistrict.org

Facebook: Jewelry District Association

Providence, RI

Mile of History Association

Charles Hewitt, Secretary

1 Governor Street, Providence MileOfHistory@gmail.com

MileOfHistory.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

Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association

David Talan

25 Santiago St.

Providence, RI 02907

401-941-3662

DaveTalan@aol.com

Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

Wole Akinbi

400 Smith Street

Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1

AAkinbi@half-full.com

Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

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

P.O. Box 41092

Providence, RI 02940

401-400-0986

SNAProv@gmail.com

SummitNeighbors.org

Washington Park Neighborhood 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

The site of the would-be 47-story Fane Tower, which was recently scrapped to the relief of the Fox Point Neighborhood Association

Photo by Amy Mendillo

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Greener Gardening

The sight of flowers blooming, branches budding new leaves, and songbirds singing this season inspires many to take up a trowel and carve out their own outdoor oases, but despite the aesthetic appeal of greenery, green gardening practices don’t always go hand in hand with the vistas we’re used to viewing.

“I’ve become more aware of the environmental value of various plants and the destructiveness of others over time,” shares Sally Johnson, phoning from her tenth-of-anacre yard she’s transformed to host more than 200 species of flora and fauna. She interrupts her train of thought every so often to describe the quarreling swans and geese she’s observing or a cardinal on the feeder. “Increasingly people want to do the right thing.”

A master gardener and founder of Ecoastal Design based in Riverside, Johnson performs site consultations with a focus on native plants, stormwater challenges, and climate change resiliency. “If they’re coming to me, it’s generally because they’re interested in increasing the environmental value of their property while maintaining something that’s also attractive to look at.” Her work extends to public spaces, too, like a project planting a native pollinator garden at Vintner Playground along the East Bay Bike Path, transforming an area infested with invasive species into a thriving (and beautiful) habitat.

Sustainable growing embodies a range of practices both simple and transformative, from the basic acts of not using chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to re-landscaping lawns into native plant habitats. Heather Evans, a former marketing executive who launched the Dear Avant Gardener blog, shares a surprising fact: “5 percent of all of the pollution in the country, according to the EPA, is from lawn mowers” and other garden equipment.

Frustrated by the abundance of online advice promoting trends damaging to the environment, the Bristol resident channeled her research and writing skills into Dear Avant Gardener , offering guidance for

From growing native plants to managing stormwater, sustainable horticulture is in

Photo by Sally Johnson

Sally Johnson’s home garden features a fish pond with cattails and native water lilies overlooking a yard of asters and goldenrods

rewilding yards and green spaces. “Ecological gardening is about establishing and managing a plant community that thrives naturally in an area and once established, it requires relatively little work and inputs,” says Evans, whereas traditional American horticulture stems from colonialism, when European settlers brought over ornamental species, but often to the detriment of wild, ecologically valuable species once abundant in the region.

SOWING THE SEED

The movement toward prioritizing native plants naturally starts with the seeds. The RI Wild Plant Society recently launched their five-year ReSeeding Rhode Island plan to make wild seeds native to Ecoregion 59 (the Northeastern Coastal Zone encompassing our state) more available, though

RESOURCES

Blue Moon Farm Perennials

BlueMoonFarmPerennials.com

Dear Avant Gardener

DearAvantGardener.com

Ecoastal Design

EcoastalDesign.com

Homegrown

HomegrownPVD.com

Groundwork Rhode Island

GroundWorkRI.org

Prickly Ed’s Cactus Patch and Native Plant Emporium

PricklyEds.com

Rhode Island Natural History Survey

RINHS.org

Rhode Island Wild Plant Society RIWPS.org

URI Master Gardener Program Web.URI.edu/mastergardener

Photo (top) courtesy of Groundwork RI, (bottom) by Linda Gardrel, courtesy of RI Natural History Survey

Checking for seed ripeness with seed collection volunteers

Through a grant from the Providence Public School District, Groundwork RI’s GroundCorp landscape crew was hired by Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School in South Providence to rebuild its school garden in 2022.

the work of harvesting native seeds has been culminating since 2010 when field botanist Hope Leeson coordinated RI Natural History Survey’s biodiversity effort Rhody Native.

“Genetically native plants are local to a specific ecoregion. The seeds of these plants are wild collected and contain the representative genes present in the wild populations of the region,” explains Leeson. “The first propagated generation of the collected seed is used for habitat restoration or diversification in order to maintain as much of that genetic diversity as possible.” The phenotypes expressed in these plants – such as physical traits and flowering times – ensure optimum adaptive potential and that other native organisms, such as pollinator bees, are able to interact with the new plants propagated from wild seeds.

The Rhody Native initiative created a local model for reintroducing genetically native plants in habitat restoration and garden diversification. “There is much more awareness now of the importance of native plants for ecological reasons, as well as an understanding of the value of genetically diverse seeds,” says Leeson.

URI Master Gardeners programming also leads with the broader ecosystem in mind. “Native plants serve as the basis of the food web,” says state program leader Vanessa Venturini. “There are countless examples of the interconnectedness of nature. By selecting species of plants that are native to our ecoregion, we can help improve the survival of the other living things around us.”

BEYOND THE HEDGEROW

Sustainable landscaping isn’t just about native flora and home gardens; when it comes to city green spaces, Providence-based Groundwork RI employs a many-pronged approach to equitable public spaces and creating job opportunities in the environmental services sector.

“The landscaping we do is not the usual ‘mow and blow’ lawn care people typically think of. It isn’t keeping a lawn perfectly manicured and green year-round to try and look like the English countryside,”

REWILD YOUR YARD

Ask your local nursery about native plant species, and mark May 13 and June 3 on your calendar for Rhode Island Wild Plant Society’s Native Plant Sales at Casey Farm in Saunderstown and the URI Botanical Gardens in Kingston, respectively. Protip from RIWPS: Grow in multilayered landscapes of trees, shrubs (like the pollinator-friendly Red Columbine), perennials, and ground covers (think Wild Strawberry), and aim for biodiversity that benefits wildlife.

Find these native species at Homegrown in Pawtucket:

BEARDTONGUES: White or purple bugle-shaped flowers in steepled clusters bloom in late May and June, attracting hummingbirds, bumblebees, and other pollinators.

MILKWEEDS: Essential to the survival of Monarch butterflies (whose caterpillars depend on them as a food source), Milkweeks come in a number of varieties, boasting brilliant orange flowers (butterfly weed), starburst sprays of white (poke milkweed), and more.

Photo by Heather Evans, courtesy of Dear Avant Gardner

FROM THE GROUND UP

Groundwork RI lays the foundation for a greener and healthier Providence in a range of ways. Here’s a handful of issues they’re tackling.

STORMWATER

Providence is working to catch up on compliance with the Clean Water Act, but Rose shares, “More hot days in the summer and droughts will be the norm, so getting rainwater and snowmelt back into the ground – instead of running off into our sewer systems – is incredibly important.” Installing green features helps to absorb runoff.

OVERFLOWING LANDFILLS

Food waste makes up one-third of all landfill waste, and landfills are nearly at capacity, so it’s a big deal that Groundwork RI’s Harvest Cycle compost program diverts over 180,000 pounds of food waste every year. The new West End compost hub set to open this fall will more than triple that amount.

EQUITY

“At the core of all of our work is equity. We try to understand the legacies not only of historic pollution, but also historic discrimination –how neighborhoods become neglected, how some schools have beautiful grassy play spaces while others have pavement as far as the eye can see. Our goal is to create opportunities to achieve greater equity in terms of how environmental benefits are shared across our communities.”

says executive director Amelia Rose. Partnering with local experts in the field, they uplift practices like planting that fights erosion, keeping green infrastructure installations in good condition, stormwater management, incorporating native species, and low-input agriculture.

Through job training funded by EPA Brownfields Job Training Grant, Groundwork RI collaborates with other agencies to work with unemployed or underemployed adults, justice system-impacted workers, and anyone seeking new opportunities – and many who graduate from the program are hired by Groundwork RI to continue the work.

In the same way that eco-gardening supports insect life – which Evans of Dear Avant Gardener emphasizes is the basis of our terrestrial

ecosystem – sustainably built environments serve as essential human habitats. “Creating and preserving green space is really an act of community building,” says Rose. “It helps people feel glad to live in the community they’re in, creates places for people to gather and socialize, and to cool o in hot summer months.”

Echoing the rewards of rewilding, Evans shares that on an aesthetic level, the eye becomes attuned to the more authentic look of wild plants over time. “Abandon what you’re doing to force your yard to be perfect. Mow less. Leave leaves on your garden beds, stop using pesticides and fertilizer,” she says. “I think an important part of the aesthetic experience of an ecological landscape is that it’s alive; the buzzing bees, butterflies, and birds are all part of it.”

Photo (top) by Lee Smith, courtesy of URI Masrer Gardeners

In partnership with the URI Master Gardener Program, Davis Park community gardeners are developing a meadow of native plants at the intersection of Chalkstone Avenue and Oakland Avenue in Providence

A Reflection

On Aging

AARP Rhode Island’s mission is to empower people to choose how we live as we age. As we grow older, each of us has a story to tell. Spoken word performer Christopher Johnson shares his journey in a free May 22 live performance at the Providence Public Library, presented by AARP Rhode Island.

Please join us for a 5:30 p.m. reception, followed by the performance at 6 p.m.

Registration is required. Sign up at www.aarp.org/RIEvents.

/aarpri

Focusing on Whole Body Health

At Northeast Chiropractic , Dr. Tom Morison specializes in Chiropractic Bio-Physics, the most researched chiropractic technique. He uses his extensive knowledge of the spine and nervous system to alleviate – and often eliminate – back and neck pain and migraines. Dr. Tom can also make longer term postural corrections, impacting everything from digestion to energy level and resulting in significantly boosted overall wellness, and can even potentially improve asthma, colic, ear infections, tingling, hypertension, allergies, and more.

Northeast Chiropractic also o ers the cutting-edge ScoliBrace, a highly e ective and customizable scoliosis bracing method using the best corrective principles. Used in conjunction with 3D imaging software, BraceScan, the brace is customized to fit the patient’s unique measurements and needs. In conjunction with regular corrective chiropractic care, ScoliBrace has been shown to significantly improve spinal deformities.

Any doctor can say he’s committed to his patients, but for Dr. Tom, it goes far beyond that. He does extensive additional training well beyond what’s required because he wants to provide the best possible care and put his patients on a path to healthier, better lives.

AUDIO/VIDEO HELP

Home theater, TV or stereo? Jon Bell, Simply Sight & Sound, 401-749-8283. Reasonable rates. 30+ yrs exp.

BEYOND THE PALE

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

EAST SIDE HANDYMAN

Carpentry, painting and repairs. Small jobs welcome. References, insured. 401-524-6421. Reg. #3052.

MALIN PAINTING

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

WANTED

USED MUSIC WANTED!

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

“When we decided to sell our home of 30 years, we interviewed several realtors and chose David Hasslinger. He loves his work and it shows. David will go above and beyond to help you throughout the process. In the end, we were beyond pleased with the outcome. He is a “glass is half full” person, so his thank you gift of a beautiful set of handblown glasses was the perfect thoughtful gesture. You will feel you found the best real estate resource, in David.”

-LINDA & ANTHONY

Providence Playground Playground IS YOUR IS Providence Playground IS YOUR

FROM ARCHERY TO ZIPLINING, REDISCOVER ALL-AGES FUN!

By Ken Abrams

Are the warmer temps and longer days tempting you to grab the family and hit the town for a weekend of fun? From planetarium shows to museum-hopping and more, look no further than Greater Providence to provide all kinds of adventures. We’ve compiled 10 ideas – some new and others that might be new to you – sure to keep kids and their adults engaged and excited.

If we missed your favorite, let us know at Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com.

Zip rough the Zoo

Sure the zoo is home to over 100 different animal species, but did you know that now you can see them all from great heights? The Soaring Eagle zipline is the perfect way to explore the zoo from a new vantage point – 115 feet above ground! The Explore and Soar attractions offer either a zipline experience or a train ride through the woodlands. This summer, Dinosaurs Among Us returns with nearly 60 life-size animatronic and interactive dinosaurs. Check out prehistoric-themed selfie stations, meet and greets with baby dinos, and hands-on fossil dig stations. A visit this spring will remind you why the Roger Williams Park Zoo is the granddaddy of family destinations in Providence. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, RWPZoo.org

In May: Explore & Soar is open weekends plus Memorial Day

Educational Art Making

Why book an international flight when you can explore the world at the RISD Museum? Their permanent collection includes artifacts from Ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt; 18th and 19th century American galleries; and so much more. Special exhibits currently on display include Past Made Present: Dutch Shadows in the Black Atlantic, Art and Design from 1900 to Now, and Helina Metaferia: We’ve Been Here Before. Kids will especially enjoy the Saturday morning Family See & Sketch, held every other week, where families can decipher works of art using close examination, discussion, and draw time. Don’t miss the All-Ages Open Studio for hands-on art making which runs through May, and Sundays admission is free.

20 North Main Street, RISDMuseum.org Create

Archery Adventures

A new addition to the local entertainment scene is Archery Games PVD in Olneyville, an indoor fast-paced combination of dodgeball and archery designed to get you moving.

The paintball-style game uses foam-tipped arrows, and participants are required to wear masks and arm guards for safety. They host team building events, bachelor or bachelorette parties, and birthday parties for kids ages 10 and up. Never arched before? No worries, each session includes a training period before players are allowed on the field. 40 Sonoma Court, ArcheryGamesPVD.com

Birthday parties for kids 10+ and adults

Photo (top) courtesy of the RISD Museum, (bottom) courtesy of Archery Games PVD

Chamber Music Festival

ELEVEN BRILLIANT YOUNG ARTISTS

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

June 3 & 4, and 10 & 11

Supporting Families. Funding Research

Since 2013

Providing financial assistance to the parents of children battling brain cancer

Honoring the children who suffer from cancer and fight everyday. Our hopes are to make a day in the life of a family suffering from cancer a little bit brighter

Pinball in Pawtucket

Rink and Roll

For more information or to donate, please visit our website CorysCrusaders.org

Buzzers and bells abound at the Electromagnetic Pinball Museum, a fun alternative to the national chain-style amusement centers – and a great way to get everybody o their phones. The facility boasts dozens of vintage pinball machines, and you can play all day for a flat daily fee of $10. Even better, the museum takes an active role in the community running programs and events to educate the public about the science, history, art, and culture behind the game. The museum is also involved in Project Pinball, a program that places pinball machines in children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses. 881 Main Street. Pawtucket, ElectromagneticPinballMuseum.com

The Providence Rink is popular year-round, with ice skating and bumper cars luring families during the winter months, but it’s not to be underestimated when the weather warms. This time of year, the rink comes to life with roller skating, roller hockey, movie nights, and more. Adult sports leagues begin this month, including volleyball, dodgeball, pickleball, and soccer, running Monday through Wednesday all season. Adults can sip craft beer, wine, or a cocktail at the Trinity Beer Garden, which o ers popcorn and snacks for the kiddos. Keep an eye open for concert announcements and special events this summer. 2 Kennedy Plaza, TheProvidenceRink.com

Photo

Tickets $30

3RD ANNUAL GRACE NOTE FARM

e Great Escape

Learn why escape rooms are all the rage at The Great Escape Room, where teams must collab to get out of a complex series of challenges. Your group has 60 minutes to work through a part scavenger hunt, part puzzle-solving mission, crack the code, and flee the room. With a variety of rooms and themes like Poker Night at the President’s Bunker and Sherlock’s Study: What’s Up Watson, the Great Escape Room has stories to entice anyone. Pro-tip: plan an any-ages birthday party outing and see if your team has what it takes to win! 146 Westminster Street, TheGreatEscapeRoom.com

All About Play

The Providence Children’s Museum remains one of the top attractions for families in the Creative Capital with interactive exhibits that get the little ones up and moving around. Highlights include the Innovation Lab, Coming to Rhode Island, and Thinkspace, where young scholars experiment with puzzles and other tactile challenges. Be prepared to get a little wet splashing around in Water Ways, a popular investigation of fountains, vortexes, and all things H2O. The museum also hosts birthday parties and other special events throughout the year, and is open Wednesday-Sunday. 100 South Street, ProvidenceChildrensMuseum.org Visit

Sail Away in the City

The Community Boating Center at India Point Park was established in 1994 as a non-profit, public-access program with the goal of making sailing and recreational boating programs a ordable and accessible for all, a mission that continues to this day. With a fleet of over 60 boats, the center has youth and adult lessons, sponsors regattas, and incorporates STEM educational programs on the water. In addition to sailing, the center o ers paddle boarding and kayak lessons and rentals. 109 India Street, CommunityBoating.com

ICE CREAM CRAWL

12+ places serving up the sweet stu around the city

HOPE CREAMERY: Picnic tables with colorful umbrellas and streamers make any visit feel like a celebration. 569 Branch Avenue

FRISBIE’S DAIRY BARN HOMEMADE ICE CREAM: Just opened in The Arcade, this growing local franchise specializes in hard serve, sundaes, milkshakes, and more. 65 Weybosset Street

GREEN LINE APOTHECARY: Enjoy ice cream sodas, root beer floats, and shakes at the 1940s era restored soda fountain; vegan flavors available. 905 North Main Street

Community Boating summer camp is enrolling now

GRANIZADAS & ANTOJITOS CHAPINES: Enjoy treats like fresh fruity granizadas (snow cones) and more at this Guatemalan spot. 455 Plainfield Street

HELADO TAIYAKI: Seeking something different? This yummy dessert is a combo of Japanese pastry, ice cream, and Latin flavors. 102 Dean Street

KOW KOW: It all begins with bubble waffle cones at Kow Kow, where a wide selection of ice cream and add-ons await. 120 Ives Street

THE LANDING PROVIDENCE: Another newbie to the ice cream game o ers cool licks by the water. 101 Dyer Street (Read more on page 47)

LIKE NO UDDER: Your go-to for vegan ice cream means no dairy, eggs, animal fats or honey – just unique selections made from cashew, coconut, or peanut butter bases. 170 Ives Street

MISTER TWISTER: This bright pink building serving up banana splits and more has been a fave for over 20 years. 532 Manton Avenue

NEWPORT CREAMERY: The Newport Creamery has served cones, half gallons, cabinets, and Awful Awfuls to generations of Rhode Islanders. 673 Smith Street

THREE SISTERS: An East Side landmark for great flavors, sandwiches, co ee, and cakes. Favorites include Grandma’s Goodies (cookies, brownies, and blondies crushed in vanilla ice cream). 1074 Hope Street

TIZZY K’S: Attention breakfast lovers! Tizzy K’s starts by steeping your favorite cereal in an ice cream base and then topping with added crunch. 365 South Water Street

TRICYCLE ICE CREAM: Started in 2019 as a cart peddled around by trike, find unique and delicious ice cream sandwiches at their West End shop. 70 Battey Street

THE WRIGHT SCOOP: This northern RI fave serving up cow-to-cone ice cream can be found year-round at the Farm Fresh building. 10 Sims Avenue

Did we miss your favorite? Let us know by emailing Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com

Photo (left) courtesy of The Community Boating Center, (right) courtesy of Helado Taiyaki

T h e s e e l e g a n t 1 - 4 b e d r o o m , 1 - 2 b a t h l o f t s h a v e i t a l l : s t y l e , l o c a t i o n , c o m f o r t , a n d c o n v e n i e n c e !

E v e r y t h i n g y o u w a n t , r o l l e d i n t o a c h i c , a n i m a l - f r i e n d l y a p a r t m e n t c o m m u n i t y y o u ’ l l l o v e c o m i n g h o m e t o ! R e s i d e n t s a l s o e n j o y a c c e s s t o a n a s s o r t m e n t o f t a s t e f u l l y a p p o i n t e d o n - s i t e a m e n i t i e s i n c l u d i n g f i t n e s s c e n t e r , t h e a t r e r o o m , i n d o o r p u t t i n g g r e e n & b a s k e t b a l l c o u r t , a n i m a l w a s h i n g s t a t i o n , g a m e r o om , r o o f t o p d e c k a n d o u t d o o r p a t i o . C o n v e n i e n t o n - s i t e s t o r a g e a n d g a r a g e p a r k i n g a r e a l s o a v a i l a b l e !

1 2 E a g l e S t r e e t , P r o v i d e n c e , R I

Starry Eyed for the Natural World

Love planetariums? Roger Williams Park has one! More than just a world-class zoo, the expansive property is home to the Museum of Natural History, which includes daily star-studded shows at the state’s only planetarium. Established in 1896, it houses exhibits and educational programs designed to inspire visitors of all ages to enjoy the natural world. Popular exhibits include A Continuous Presence: Celebrating 20 Years on the ISS, and Seismic Shifts: Earth through Time. Don’t forget, the first Saturday of the month is free for Providence residents. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, ProvidencerRI.gov/Museum

Revolutionary Residence

John Adams once noted that the John Brown House was “the most magnificent and elegant private mansion that I have ever seen on this continent.” Located on the East Side, the historic property immerses you in revolutionary era furniture, sculptures, artwork, silver, porcelain, textiles, and historic wall maps. You can also see Washington’s Chariot, a fully restored 18th-century carriage that First President George Washington once rode in. 52 Power Street, RIHS.org

Advance tickets recommended

Don’t miss the new Circle of the Sea: Re-Visited and Re-Imagined exhibit

Photo (top) by Grace Lentini, (bottom) courtesy of John Brown House

PHOTO BY ERIN MCGINN

PVD Coffee

& FOOD

DRINK

Dock and Dip

A nautical ice cream cafe and art space serves up scoops with water views

As “Captain Tom” and Kristin McGinn know all too well, a day on the docks is best enjoyed with a cold scoop of ice cream – or better yet, a classic Rhody cabinet. That’s why the couple opened The Landing a year ago during Memorial Day weekend to complement their other two businesses, The Providence River Boat Co. and Providence Kayak, whose docks are just across the street.

More than an ice cream parlor, The Landing doubles as an art gallery selling locally made nautical-inspired crafts, gifts, and jewelry and a cafe serving Providencebased New Harvest coffee, plus treats from Rhode Island businesses like Thrive Cakery, Diva’s Dips, and The Perfect Parcel. “In addition to our cones, sundaes, affogatos, and cabinets,” shares Kristin, “we will be making our own waffle cones this season, along with Crazy Cabinets – over-the-top shakes topped with cake or pie, candy, and sweets, that are meant to be shared. It’s a monster mashup of drink meets dessert!”

Conveniently located close by river views and downtown attractions, there’s no excuse not to take a city stroll without an ice cream cone in hand. “As the warmer weather approaches, we will expand our menu to include over 25 Maine-based Gifford’s Ice Cream flavors, like Toasted Coconut, Cannoli, Sea Salt Caramel Truffle, Maine Wild Blueberry, and Peanut Butter Pie,” says Kristin.

“We truly love Providence, and consider our businesses, captains, and crew to be ambassadors to our thriving tourism and hospitality industry,” she continues, “so it was only natural for us to create a space that showcased our community.” Find out more about ice cream specials, renting The Landing for your event, and rotating gallery schedules by following @thelandingpvd on Instagram | By Abbie

Lahmers

Photo courtesy of The Landing

Colorful Creperie

According to owners Adam and Anne Buck, Café Zoey is “the most colorful coffee shop in Rhode Island!” Setting foot inside the cozy nook on Hope Street – with its funky murals and lush greenery – I was quickly convinced of that claim.

Having never experienced crepes before, this visit to Café Zoey was particularly special for me, and it was refreshing to see

CUISINE: Crepes and locally roasted co ee

ATMOSPHERE: Eclectic, family-friendly cafe

their menu is mindful of customers’ di erent needs – with certified kosher, vegan, and gluten-free options available – and they were happy to accommodate my allergies.

I decided to bring my young nephew along and was pleased to find such a kid-friendly vibe. We were seated at a table with a RI-themed Monopoly board – with nods to Del’s Lemonade, the Big Blue Bug, and more – beneath glass and the pieces nearby.

While the spot is an extension of Small Point Café, Café Zoey has its own distinct personality. The Bucks enlisted their close

friend and Manhattan artist John Adam Fahey to cover their walls in abstract shapes and lines in every hue, creating a vibrant, eye-catching backdrop to a menu that’s equally whimsical. Lining the perimeter are plants that complement the look: succulents, peace lilies, cacti, and even flora cleverly potted in coffee decanters.

After ordering, we delighted in catching glimpses of the magic happening behind the counter while sipping co ee – a special brew from local roaster Justin Enis, designed for the cafe. The rich, aromatic style is perfect

An artful cafe serves up sweet and savory fare for all ages and tastes

Lemon Sugar Crepe

Photo courtesy of Café Zoey

...is a word that is both used and abused these days. But I want you to know that I really am dedicated to my customers and to my profession. If a real estate transaction is in your future, let’s talk. Then you can decide for yourself if you really believe that I am... Dedicated…

for co ee fanatics like me, and luckily you can purchase their custom-blended beans by the bag (with peel-away artwork by Fahey).

I took my hot co ee in the form of a cappuccino, savoring the bold espresso and light sweetness. My friend enjoyed the Golden Latte, a smooth and flavorful blend of turmeric, ginger, and steamed milk, and my nephew savored every drop of his cup of hot chocolate, with creamy mocha flavor that became more potent and sweet as he got to the bottom; we learned that the raw sugar was imported from the Dominican Republic with fair trade mocha.

Though there’s plenty of sweet versions, we started with savory crepes. The Mount Hope came stuffed with spinach, creamy cheddar, tomatoes, red onion, and egg; the crepe was soft and thin with a lemony taste. Our table also indulged in two Japanese-style hand-held cone crepes: the Breakfast featured cheddar, egg, veggies, and vegan sausage, which I adored, and the Funghi was filled with fresh cucumbers, pickled carrots, arugula, and a medley of sauteed mushrooms that brought a nice umami finish.

Must-Try Items

Mount Hope ($9)

Crepe with spinach, red onion, mushroom, cheddar, tomato, and egg

Funghi ($11)

Cone-style crepe with pickled carrots, arugula, cucumbers, scallions, and mushrooms

Ambrosiac ($8.50)

Crepe with strawberry and peach jam, honey, and ricotta

We couldn’t end the visit without a sweet bite, and the Ambrosiac was a wholly satisfying blend of creamy ricotta, peach and strawberry jam, and honey. It tasted like a fresh fruit stand. For a family-friendly destination with tasty treats and no shortage of colorful and fun sights to behold, Café Zoey is an easy choice.

Café Zoey

791 Hope Street • 854-5885

CafeZoey.com

Photos courtesy of Café Zoey

Experience | By Kou Tukala Nyan FOOD & DRINK

Café Zoey’s funky mural sets the tone for fun and flavorful dining

Funghi Crepe

FOOD & DRINK Taking it to the Next Level

In The Kitchen | By

Abbie Lahmers

From online videos to national TV, a Riverside social media chef’s recipes are an ode to Puerto Rico

“I grew up in a household filled with women,” shares Omi Hopper, the makeup artist turned social media chef behind Cooking Con Omi on Instagram. You may have seen the Riverside rising star competing for judges including chef Gordon Ramsay on Next Level Chef this spring, but behind the numerous national television appearances and over 300K followers, Hopper traces the thread of her cooking origins to

summers spent in Puerto Rico.

“My grandmother was a true matriarch –she was always the life of the party, and in the kitchen, it was a party; it was so much love, so much joy, dancing, singing,” Hopper continues. “I would always be that little girl in the corner just watching and wanting to be a part of it, but I wasn’t old enough yet.”

Though Hopper came to Rhode Island when she was 11, homesick for Puerto Rico,

she returned every summer until she was 18. There, she helped her grandmother on the farm and started learning and writing down her recipes. “That was my cooking course right there,” says Hopper, along with the meals her mother prepared. “There was always something fresh for us to enjoy at dinner. I love doing that for my boys now.”

Fast forward to March of 2020 – the beginning of many great pandemic-spurred

Photos courtesy of Omi Hopper

From easy rice and beans to elaborate traditional dishes, Hopper does it all

culinary stories. For Hopper’s family, the difficult time was compounded by her husband recovering from a recent knee replacement surgery, leaving Hopper the only one working. With her makeup studio on pause, she explains, “I remember having $35 to my name. That is what I used to go food shopping and then I went back home, I turned on my phone, and I said ‘Hola, mi gente! Do you want to cook with me?’ And that was how I started.”

Loyal followers will already be familiar with Hopper’s spirited trademark intro to the cooking instruction videos – in Spanish and English (and plenty of singing and dancing) – she started posting as often as she could. “Launching my brand wasn’t a strategic move by any means. It was gradual and so organic. I didn’t really think it was going to be a pivot change completely,” Hopper says, but the testimonials she was hearing from viewers kept her on

Omi Hopper of Cooking Con Omi

the path. “It became very purposeful very quickly. It became larger than me.”

Hopper enrolled in the REACH program for small businesses in spring of 2020 to reopen her makeup studio, but that also set her on a path to Warren food incubator Hope & Main, applying for and being awarded a business adaptation grant, and launching her own retail product: Mi Sofrito Fresquecito, a traditional cooking base inspired by her grandmother’s recipe.

As Cooking Con Omi grew, national networks took notice. Hopper heard from Studio Ramsay in August of 2022, only months after turning down an o er from a di erent network when the interview didn’t feel right. In Next Level Chef , however, Hopper appreciated how real the whole experience was, and that she didn’t have to compromise.

“A lot of times, I forgot that there were cameras. It’s the real deal,” Hopper shares, explaining that every contestant gets 40 minutes to cook and 30 seconds to grab their ingredients from a platform. “There’s no one yelling cut, no pausing.”

Hopper admits that preparing food for Michelin Star chefs was intimidating, but her tunnel vision on the goal kept her focused, along with keeping in mind how she wanted to show up: “Am I gonna be my true authentic self? Am I going to represent for my people, for my family? What do I want to be remembered for?” She also brought her own style of cooking to the competition. “I don’t measure, I don’t have any special techniques, I do everything by memory, and did it work to my advantage? I really hope so!”

Though the show is sure to expand her audience, Cooking Con Omi’s mission of authenticity and dedication to tradition remain the same. Along with making everyday dishes, Hopper is perhaps best known for special occasion meals, like banana leafwrapped pastelles for Christmas that take more than a day to make, and many helping hands. “That’s what earned me the respect of mi gente, because it’s recipes that have been long forgotten or recipes that you don’t eat every day because they’re very special,” says Hopper. “Throughout the process, I show our culture, and I show how beautiful our food can be.” Catch Next Level Chef streaming on Hulu. @cooking_con_omi

Photo courtesy of Omi Hopper

Hopper has gathered a following for her Puerto Rican cooking

Known for delivering wholesome, chef-prepared meals to your doorstep, Feast & Fettle recently opened its first retail destination, Neighborhood Fridge, located at Blackstone Place Plaza, at the intersection of Providence’s East Side and Oak Hill. Stocked with readyto-go dinner, lunch, and breakfast items, plus local products and wine, the shelves are refreshed weekly to ensure customers always have new and exciting options to choose from. All of the food will be prepared in Feast & Fettle’s East Bay commissary kitchen.

“We’re always looking for new and improved concepts that allow the community to experience Feast & Fettle,” says director of new concepts, Becca Brady, who has led the expansion into retail. “Our Neighborhood Fridge is perfect for those who need a last-minute meal or prefer to stop in and pick up a quick item on the go.” Feast & Fettle is committed to supporting both the local communities they operate in and global causes, contributing $1 of every order to Edesia Nutrition to help battle malnourishment in children worldwide. Pawtucket, FeastAndFettle.com

Like many new food ventures, Purslane in downtown Wakefield is a product of the pandemic. Owners Matthew Brown and Freida Sahady are best known for their food truck ButterHead, which began serving customers in 2021. “We never intended on running a food truck,” the couple shares. “We saw an advertisement for the truck when COVID-19 was new and we thought ‘why not?’ It seemed less risky than a restaurant and a good jumping o point for us. A restaurant or storefront was always our real vision and intention. We’ve both been in the industry for such a long time we felt it was time to make something our own.”

Brown and Sahady look forward to serving small bites with a focus on seafood and local ingredients. “Our little sister ButterHead will be nearby cooking up those classics we’ve all come to love. Food from the truck will be available for eat in or take out on site at Purslane.” That means menu items might include kimchi hot dogs, roast pork, or sourdough grilled cheese. Wakefield, ButterHeadRI.com

A major player on the Warren dining scene is expanding this June. Known for casual indoor and outdoor dining, Bywater is re-launching their bakeshop – originally born of a pandemic pivot – at 277 Water Street just across the street from the main restaurant. “We’ll have a limited seasonal menu of breakfast and lunch items, grab-and-go items like breakfast sandwiches, that kind of thing,” says Katie Dickson, owner of Bywater. Along with an extensive selection of co ees and teas, “we’ll have a couple of breads – we specialize in a dark sticky sourdough and also some laminated European-style pastries, croissants, and our spice buns.”

“The first floor has a lot of room, so we are also going to be adding groceries and provisions,” she adds. “We’ll have some farm fresh produce and pantry gifts, lots of di erent things.” Look for locally sourced products including fresh co ee beans, too. Warren, BywaterRestaurant.com

Photo courtesy of Feast and Fettle

From food truck to South County storefront

Beloved bakeshop returns to Warren’s Water Street

Meal prep biz opens brick-and-mortar retail in Pawtucket

STYLE

Back to the Future

A noted designer shares how an old home was reconfigured to embrace its roots while accommodating modern life

For many New England homeowners, it’s not uncommon to live in a house that is 100 years old. Lifestyles were different back then and older homes often have original features that now seem curious to our modern eyes – like small narrow closets (does a bike go in there?) – or worse, rooms that received remodels in decades past with trappings and decisions that now seem odd and dated (hardwood flooring hidden beneath layers of carpeting and laminate). But what if your new home is old and you want to keep that vibe – but imbue a modern twist? This was the case for a young family who fell hard for a classic center-hall Colonial on the East Side.

Photos by Erin Little Photography, courtesy of Moore House Design

Carimate chairs by designer Vico Magistretti surround a green soapstone dining table

Built in 1920, the home had succumbed to some builder-grade renovations in the 1980s and bespoke millwork, solid cabinetry, and moldings had been removed. To course-correct, the couple turned to Moore House Design (MHD), a family-run business based half in Warren and half in New York City whose work they’d been admiring on Instagram. MHD has a holistic approach to creative and functional design that has landed them national attention, including being on an episode of Point of View: A Designer Profile for Magnolia Network on Discovery+. Says Blair Moore, founder and creative director, “Our goal was to bring this home back to life and back to its historic roots, but with some modern flair.”

In a full-scale design, renovation, and furnishings project, the MHD team set a goal of transforming the home by “infusing it with only the most charming of details.” The firstfloor expanded kitchen now boasts “sooty midnight” cabinetry and textural brick walls, while the second-floor main suite has builtin closets, which provide coveted storage while incorporating sleek colonial-inspired character. “The overall scope of this project required a hefty, multi-floor, full gut, or ‘floverhaul’ as I like to call it,” says Moore. “We overhauled the floor plan with attention to spatial flow and creating storage for the growing family. The kitchen, entryway, pantry, mudroom, dining room, and main suite were renovated head to toe.”

So what goes into making an old house

Photos by Erin Little Photography, courtesy of Moore House Design

A custom island with marble inlay and accents sourced from nearby antique shops outfit the kitchen with a sense of history

that was remodeled to look new, look old again? Moore shares that it begins with the “discovery” phase. “Our team does a lot of research about the home and the architecture type to be able to execute our interior architecture plans.” While Moore explains there were some major structural changes that her team made to the layout of the first floor, they didn’t want to lose that quintessential New England Colonial feel.

Topping the MHD list was bringing back architectural features via installations of redesigned casework, millwork, paneling, and crown moldings; they also moved structural walls so it looked intentional and like it had always been that way. “A lot of Colonials we work on have original brick but this house was stripped of it before we arrived, so naturally we wanted to add it back in in the kitchen and mudroom. We layered that with a limewash over the top that calcifies over time,” Moore explains.

Once the heavy lifting was done, MHD enjoyed imparting what they refer to as their signature broody style. Says Moore, “it’s a term we coined to describe our mix of bright and moody, and it brings so much depth.” This is where paint and furnishings come in. “Our team is absolutely methodical when it comes to paint colors. We have a general gist of where we want the colors to land in every room from the beginning of our design journey, but right towards completion, our team swatches hundreds of colors and tests them

Mounted lighting removes the need for dual bedside tables

Photos by Erin Little Photography, courtesy of Moore House Design

over multiple days to make sure the color selected heightens the interior architecture, adds depth to the furnishings and fabrications, and works in every single type of light case that the weather can throw at us, always choosing the exact right color for the space.”

Moore shares that the architecture of a space always inspires how MHD places furniture and decor throughout the home in an artistic way. “Our firm has a love for selecting the perfect antiques from all over the globe and layering them with carefully proportioned custom pieces. We layer in a blend of our clients’ lifestyles as well as a very organic layering of custom and antiques to deepen the roots of the space,” says Moore. “We believe that every house should feel gathered and layered with elements of our clients as if they were to travel the world and collect all of these incredible treasures that just perfectly and e ortlessly work within the home. Our goal is for the furniture to fit e ortlessly within the architecture of the home.”

Deemed the Colonial Modernist project, Moore reports that the homeowners are overjoyed with the results. Smiling brightly she a rms, “I always say if you don’t have the four components of your interior architecture right – walls, ceilings, floors, and windows – then it doesn’t matter what furniture you add into the space. It will always feel out of place and forced.”

Textiles bring warmth and comfort to the snug mud room

Photos by Erin Little Photography, courtesy of Moore House Design

GET RHODY STYLE

Blair Moore shares ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.

OCEAN STATE ALLURE

“Our firm is based half in Rhode Island and half in New York City and it’s always a breath of fresh air when we are at our o ces here. The proximity to the water at every turn, the greenscapes, the friendly people, the New England history… you name it, Rhode Island’s got it!”

SHOP SMALL

“We love shopping at The Cottage and some of the antique shops in Tiverton, our own warehouse for Moore House Design, and selecting pieces from O&G Studio in Warren.”

LOCAL TALENT

Cabinetry for this project was by Sakonnet Furniture Makers and Tiverton-based MTM Woodworking & Design, who also provided construction and millwork.

MOORE TO LOVE

“We pride ourselves on design for generations. With a philosophy informed by our respect for historical architecture, our intention is to design with out-of-the-box creativity while staying true to the original character of a structure. We create cohesive interiors that focus on function while layering organic and sustainable elements that bring depth and sculpture into your space. We think like architects, but we blend structure with design and comfort, taking a holistic approach throughout your home.” Learn more at MooreHouseDesign.com

A Rewind to Simpler Times

Tired of charging your wristwatch every night?

Well, a once prominent Providence jewelry company recently opened a retail outlet on the ground level of their world headquarters in Wayland Square. Speidel, a brand founded in 1904 and known for watches, bands, and ID bracelets, had previously faced an uncertain future in an ever-changing retail environment.

In a city once known as the Jewelry Capital of the World, the brand’s resurgence is a local success story. “I knew the iconic Rhode Island company and the long history of the brand, 100-plus years,” explains owner and CEO Gennaro Cerce, who purchased the company in 2009. “We wanted to use Speidel as a platform and to provide consumer products in the timepiece and accessory business.”

The brand overhaul began mainly as a wholesale operation. “We sold to independent jewelry stores, department stores.” Cerce begins. “But our messaging was getting muddled, and there

was a lot of change in the retail environment. So in 2016, we decided to go direct to the consumer. We did that through our website and storefront platform on Amazon.”

In 2021, the company established a presence in Wayland Square, with plans for a service-oriented business. “We renovated the building and set up our corporate headquarters and o ces there,” says Cerce. “We were already well known for our replacement watch bands. We wanted to open up other products to the consumer.”

For many customers, shopping at the new store is like running into an old friend. Some people even stopped by during the soft opening to share stories about their vintage Speidel. “We love hearing stories of all the nostalgia that goes with the brand. We do a lot of international business, but it’s nice to have that connection to Rhode Island, being a Rhode Island family and company,” explains Cerce.

In addition to sales, Cerce wanted the

Photos courtesy of Speidel

Iconic RI jewelry company returns with retail storefront in Wayland Square

Wayland Square headquarters

company to focus on service, including watch repair – a dying art in a throwaway consumer culture. “We went out and found a watchmaker and opened a repair service,” Cerce revealed. “We do anything from link and battery replacement to a full overhaul.” And if you’re an Apple Watch wearer, they’ve got you covered. Speidel has a line of compatible wristbands including the famous Twist-O-Flex, a popular style originally created by the company.

Many Rhode Islanders have memories of the signature Speidel ID bracelets, a product Cerce and his wife Maggie hope to make popular again. “You can come in and have your bracelet engraved,” says Maggie. “It’s been amazing; we’ve had some customers come in who still have their original ID bracelet from when they were a child. They may have gotten it from a grandparent, a family member, or even a high school sweetheart. It’s been heartwarming to see the response in the community. It was really important to us to bring a solid engraving machine to the store; that personalization and customization is what makes Speidel’s retail store special. We want the store to be welcoming … It’s about the community.”

145 Wayland Avenue, Speidel.com

Fashion

Photos courtesy of Speidel

Speidel’s first factory, circa 1896

Co ee Collection

For co ee lovers, there’s nothing better than a good cup of joe, especially when served in your favorite mug. Across the state there’s no shortage of cafes, roasters, and shops stocked with cups that are just as much souvenir as tableware. Add a new level of enjoyment to your morning brew by serving up the hot stu in branded style!

Iggy’s Doughboys & Chowder House Warwick & Narragansett

CULTURE

Return to the Fold

After scaled-back years, Free Comic Book Day looks brighter than ever

The only thing more fun than comic books is free comic books. To attract new readers and bring foot tra c to retailers, Free Comic Book Day was launched in 2002 and takes place each year on the first Saturday of May. Along with o ering free comic books exclusive to the day, participating retailers often run fun promotions. This year’s publications come in every style – from funny to scary to super heroic – and they’re designed for kids of all ages.

For nearly 20 years, The Time Capsule, a beloved comics and collectibles store with locations in Cranston and Seekonk, MA has participated. Owner Rob Yeremian says that he sees about 500 people on Free Comic Book Day. “It’s a family-friendly event and an opportunity to put comics in the hands of young people, sometimes for the first time. It really helps build that future fandom and enjoyment of comics for years to come.”

After a few years of scaled-down events, Yeremian is excited to bring back some of the fun and excitement from pre-COVID days. Freebies this year include Avengers X-Men , Conan the Barbarian , Star Trek , Star Wars (don’t confuse the two), and Umbrella Academy & Witcher . There’s even a Smurfs Anniversary issue and everyone’s favorite turtles in a half shell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Not every store has every comic and that’s where the adventure begins. Plan your day touring the area, visiting your local comic book shops, and try to get as many as you can. While you’re there, enjoy fun activities like cosplay contests and find special deals and o ers on comics and collectibles all day long. Diehard collectors are there when the doors open. As they say in Pokemon, “Gotta catch ‘em all!” Providence: Newbury Comics, Rah-CoCo’s Collectables; Cranston & Seekonk: The Time Capsule; Warwick & North Attleboro: Toy Vault. Learn more at FreeComicBookDay.com | By Hugh Minor

Photo by Hugh Minor

Robert Isenberg

Funny Business

Studio Playground is a theater camp that encourages clowning around

Matthew Bretschneider and Stefanie Resnick are a pair of clowns – literally. Before they founded Studio Playground, a theatrical workshop for children and adults, the two actors met at a clowning workshop, led by renowned pantomime Christopher Bayes. This was spring 2020, at the height of the COVID lockdown, and the sessions took place online. Despite the virtual interaction, Bretschneider and Resnick realized they had much in common, including a desire to work with young children. “We saw how powerful the clowning work was, as far as creating community, a sense of connection, a sense of relief during a di cult time,” remembers Resnick.

That summer, the pair started teaching their own classes over Zoom, working mainly with kids. Resnick was based in New York City and Bretschneider in Providence, and the pandemic loomed larger than ever. Yet the two performers were able to engage young participants with song, dance, and improv games. The extroverted curriculum helped kids stay social and confident at a time of extreme isolation.

“If you go on stage and make someone laugh, you’ll boost their serotonin, you’ll boost their endorphins, you’ll relieve their stress, you’ll speed up their immune system,” says Bretschneider. “So the idea is, if you’re feeling nervous to go on stage, it’s an act of generosity. It’s an act of bravery. You can change the world that way.”

This sentiment is the bedrock philosophy of Studio Playground, which will soon start its third summer. The program has grown exponentially: the original session had about 22 kids in total; now, they expect 70 or 80 over the course of the summer. Studio Playground partners with a range of organizations, such as Moses Brown, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Providence Children’s Museum. They have added after-school sessions, along with classes for adults. The team of mentors includes more than a dozen professional performers.

Most classes cater to kids ages five to 12, and the summer program mostly takes place outside, in Lincoln Woods State Park. Exercises and activities gradually coalesce into a final performance for friends and families. The presentation is a nice way to celebrate all their work together, but the lasting value of Studio

Photos courtesy of Studio Playground

Pavilion A&B at Lincoln Woods provides an ideal summer camp setting

Costumes are fine, just no flip-flops

Playground is its social-emotional impact. The founders notice families from di erent backgrounds organizing playdates, and they hear about theatrical skills seeping into other pursuits, such as after-school sports.

This kind of coaching comes naturally to both. Bretschneider has taught for the likes of Rhode Island College and Trinity Repertory Company. Resnick, a veteran nanny and adjunct instructor, still works as an actress in New York, but she reserves her summers for Studio Playground.

“I love that I get to come to Rhode Island for the summer and do this outdoor camp,” says Resnick. “There are moments when I see the kids running around and screaming and dancing, and I’m like, ‘Whoa, we made this giant celebration happen.’ This is where my heart is right now. We’re trying to spread the laughter wherever we can.” Learn more at StudioPlayground.org

Taking Flight

A new solo exhibit by Cynthia Ross Meeks is a celebration of ancestry and anthropology

In Flight is on display from through June 7 at the Atrium Gallery at 1 Capitol Hill. A meet-the-artist reception will be held Thursday, May 11, from 12 to 1pm.

Cynthia “Listens to the Wind” Ross Meeks, a direct descendent of Massasoit, holds degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and taught art in the Providence Public School system for over 20 years. Her solo exhibit In Flight is on display at the Atrium Gallery. Chloë Gardiner of the Tomaquag Museum in Exeter interviewed the artist for Providence Monthly about her love of fashion, connection to birds, and upcoming show.

Providence Monthly: Have you always been creative?

Cynthia Ross Meeks: Art ran all through my family – writers, poets, and both my mother and grandmother were seamstresses; I began sewing at the age of six. In the sixth grade, I found out about RISD and knew that was where I wanted to go for college.

PM: How did you land in the classroom?

CRM: I studied education at RISD, received my Bachelor of Fine Arts, and studied fashion design. A woman who taught at RISD in the Continuing Education department told me about an open position in the school system for a class called Crazy Hats and Costume Design. I got the job and got them to change the focus to young fashion designers. I taught students how to design jewelry and clothing using culture as a theme. I was sure to make the kids know that we are all part of this world and how important Native art is to the whole picture.

PM: How do you convey cultural and natural beliefs of Indigenous peoples through your art?

CRM: The bird is my spirit guide and I became very focused on listening to birds and observing them. I always told my students how important animals are to Native people. I got a chance to do an art show called Eagles Speak about two eagles talking together. One is a Native American eagle, our national bird, and the other eagle is native to Zimbabwe. I used it as a metaphor for how the Native American and the African cultures came together here in Rhode Island to become one family.

PM: How do you pick subjects for your art?

CRM: If you see my pieces, you’re gonna say, did you plan these? The answer is no, not one piece. I start with a base object like a bu alo horn or another natural object, because I may like the colors, as a focal point. Then I start to build around it. I’ll never not be in fashion, so fashion comes into it, too.

PM: Tell us about your solo exhibition, In Flight.

CRM: I have 45 pieces, and if I can get 30 in there, I’ll be happy. I’ll have quotes about nature from everyone from Anne Frank to Maya Angelou, Einstein, Van Gogh, and Shakespeare. I want to shine a light on the beauty of nature and share my appreciation for what we have around us.

Photo courtesy of Cynthia Ross Meeks

Rose B. Simpson, Shard, 2021 Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund Je rey Gibson, The Anthropophagic Effect, Garment no. 1, 2019 Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund

The Must List

10 essential events this month

Inspired by urban activist Jane Jacobs, Jane’s Walk is a global festival led by local residents and community activists who share stories intended to get people thinking, talking, connecting, and of course, walking. DoorsOpenRI.org/janeswalk

May 6:

InDowncity and the Rock and Roll Yard Sale come together for a free, family-friendly event featuring food trucks and beverages; over 25 vinyl, vintage, and DIY craft vendors; and music from Studebaker Hawk. InDowncity.com

May 6-7:

WaterFire Arts Center will be transformed into a celebration of spring for the May Day Market, with artisan-made gifts, home goods, sweet treats, food trucks, and more. FineFurnishingsShows.com

May 19:

Legendary Motown bands The Temptations and The Four Tops make a stop at The Vets. Sing along to classics like “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Can’t Help Myself” and more. TheVetsRI.com

May 20:

For

The fun-for-all-ages Spring Block Party returns to Hope Street with live music from some of RI’s best bands, food trucks, beer and cocktails, local makers, and pop-up vendors o ering vintage and artisan items. HopeStreetPVD.com

May 20:

Stone Soup Co eehouse, a mainstay on the folk music scene – having hosted legends like Pete Seeger, Dar Williams, and Anais Mitchell – welcomes Tennessee singer-songwriter Kate Prascher for the final show of the season. StoneSoupCo eehouse.org

Photo courtesy of Jane’s Walk

May 21:

Don’t miss a rare local appearance of the Sun Ra Arkestra , one of the most eccentric acts in music history, combining big band swing, outer-space jazz, dancing, singing, chanting, and Afro-pageantry. Pawtucket, TheMetRI.com

May 23:

If you’re looking for a band that defines the Americana sound, check out the sweet harmonies of the Avett Brothers, subject of the 2017 documentary May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers PPACRI.org

May 25 - June 8:

Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight brings award-winning playwright Darcie Dennigan and Wilbury director Josh Short together for a brand new musical about the rape and revenge of painter Artemisia Gentileschi. TheWilburyGroup.org

May 25 - June 25:

Trinity Repertory closes out its current season with the popular Stephen Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd. Settle in for the darkly humorous antics of the “demon barber of Fleet Street.” TrinityRep.com

Jane’s Walk is free and happens rain or shine

Pic of PVD

Scenes from Cheers to Leading Ladies, held March 23 at Aloft Providence