Providence Monthly June 2022 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Providence Monthly June 2022

THE BUSINESS OF FASHION:

Photo by Myke Yeager Photography

12 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: How Rhode Island approved its own law to protect abortion rights

14 OP-ED: The plight of Providence’s famous skyscraper, told in verse

FOOD & DRINK 51 Drag brunch queens dish lively shows over eggs and mimosas

16 LGBTQIA+ youth organization leader uplifts BIPOC voices in queer spaces

52 IN THE KITCHEN: The chef at the helm of a homeless shelter’s cooking program

20 RHODY GEM: Find mid-century furniture and more at this Westminster Street mainstay

56 EXPERIENCE: A new plant-based speakeasy on South Water Street

22 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Hyper local news and contact listings

60 FOOD NEWS: Providence’s Southerninspired food scene 62 Spirit infusion kits raise the bar for home mixology

65 HOME: Festival returns to celebrate College Hills homes and gardens 74 SHOP: West End jewelry studio creates pieces for now and forever

ART & CULTURE

76 MAKER: PVD artist has dual exhibits of quilts and watercolors

On The Cover: The Jaque Label runway show presented by Kent Stetson at StyleWeek ‘21. Myke Yeager Photography. 4

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

81 Designer’s latest clutch bag raises funds for Ukraine 82 MUSIC: From Sundance to Spotify – local musician is having a busy year 84 ON STAGE: Rhody native returns as a Jersey Boy to PPAC 86 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s 88 PIC OF PVD

Photo by Joan Marcus

9 The Creative Capital’s signature art festival is back and better than ever

LIFE & STYLE

Photo by Chip Riegel Photography

Photo by by Laura Barlow, courtesy of 345 by Plant City

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Behind the seams at StyleWeek Northeast as it prepares for this month’s Micro Fashion Event

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NEWS & CITY LIFE P o l i t i c s | O p - E d | P r o f i l e | R h o d y G e m | N e i g h b o r h o o d N ew s

PVDFest is Back! The Creative Capital has big plans in store for the beloved festival’s triumphant return After a two-year pandemic hiatus, PVDFest, the Creative Capital’s signature arts and entertainment event presented by the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism and founding partner FirstWorks, returns to downtown Providence June 10-12. Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza announced plans for the 2022 festival at a press conference in March. “So much has changed since we last danced in the streets of downtown,” he said. “After two very difficult years, this year’s PVDFest is the opportunity we have all been waiting for. We will meet downtown for three days of unforgettable performances and installations, continuing our tradition of elevating local talent and supporting the exchange of creative ideas. Providence is ready to come together and celebrate.” Since its creation in 2015, PVDFest has featured over 4,400 artists, performers, and curators, and has brought close to half a million festival-goers to downtown Providence. Best known for high-energy musical performances and breathtaking art installations, the 2022 festival includes headliners Rebirth Brass Band, salsa legend Eddie Palmieri, and Peruvian band Hit La Rosa. The over-the-top public spectacle known as Squonk returns this year presenting Hand to Hand, described as “a joyous, participatory event that brings audiences together for a humorous, uplifting visual extravaganza.” Photo by Erin X. Smithers, courtesy of PVDFest ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Fe st i v al | By Ken Abrams

“Our framing of this year’s festival is ‘return to form,’” says Tim Rondeau, director of communications for the City of Providence. “The last couple of years we’ve seen scaledback festivities; 2020 was canceled and last year we decentralized the festival to accommodate events with no more than 1520 people coming together for smaller music events. This year, there’s really a lot of pentup energy and excitement. I think folks have a hunger for the festival in a way that we maybe haven’t seen before. “We’ve got a lot of returning guests and a lot of new folks coming to this year’s festival,” he adds. One of those new artists who will be on stage this year is Providence native Alexus Lee. It’s not only her first time playing PVDFest, she tells us, “it’s actually my first festival period and I’m so excited! I’m definitely leaving it all on the stage.” Lee is enthusiastic about playing in her hometown. “I’ve been blessed to be able to do a fair amount of traveling in my life, and there is still no place that I’ve been that has

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

compared to Providence,” she explains. “There’s just something here that is so special. It’s raw and gritty and passionate. I think maybe because we’re the smallest state, we have this hunger and fire that you don’t see in places like LA. We’re a bunch of dreamers and hustlers and lovers and go-getters. I’m always inspired here, which is why I’ve stayed.” Another highlight will be the 10th Annual Afrika Nyaga Drum & Dance Festival, which is held concurrently with PVDFest. Drummer Sidy Maiga and friends Vieux Farka Touré, Chachi Carvalho, Satta Jallah, Natural Element, and Haus of Glitter will perform in Burnside Park on Sunday June 12. “We often refer to ourselves as the Creative Capital,” explains Rondeau. “There’s a lot of things that go into that. There’s culinary arts, visual arts, performance art, and all of those things have a place at PVDFest. It’s a cool dynamic and it showcases communities.” The unique programming doesn’t stop there. “We’re partnering with Haus of Codec, a local arts organization, who will be managing

our parade,” says Rondeau. “They’re working with the company that manages Pokémon Go, bringing Pokémon Go to PVDFest, in a virtual environment. We’re hoping that attracts a whole new group of people that have maybe never experienced the festival to see what the city has to offer.” Even beyond the headliners, PVDFest is a truly immersive way to experience the city. “Another thing that is unique about this festival is that we have these pop-up events all around downtown. You might turn down a side street and see performance art that you didn’t necessarily see highlighted in the program. It’s impromptu, it’s exciting – that is Providence in a nutshell. “The mayor often speaks about dancing in the streets,” Rondeau continues. “Anything that involves live music and performance and allows folks to let loose and have fun – it’s a really cool dynamic when a band is playing and you’re dancing in the middle of Washington Street.” Providence Monthly is a proud sponsor of PVDFest. Learn more at PVDFest.com

Photo by Erin X. Smithers, courtesy of PVDFest

NEWS & CITY LIFE

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

P o l i t i cs | In partnership with The Public’s Radio • ThePublicsRadio.org

How Rhode Island Approved Its Own Law to Protect Abortion Rights Rhode Island approved a law in 2019 to guarantee a woman’s right to an abortion. That means that abortion will remain legal here even if the US Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade. By Ian Donnis

A leaked draft opinion from the US Supreme Court, first published by Politico, indicates the court plans to overturn the landmark 1973 abortion law. Supporters of abortion rights in Rhode Island, like their counterparts elsewhere, have reacted with outrage. They say a majority of Americans support abortion rights and they say a ban on abortion will mostly affect poor women in red states. Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts are among the states with their own laws to protect abortion rights. Some elected officials, like former House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, downplayed

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

the threat to Roe. During a May 2018 interview, Mattiello cited the polarizing nature of abortion when asked whether an abortion rights bill would come to the House floor. “For everybody that wants that, there’s almost somebody that doesn’t want it, so it’s just divisive, for no real end, no real benefit either way,” Mattiello said. “Roe v Wade is not going to be overturned. I think that’s a concern that’s not founded in reality.” But abortion rights supporters were alarmed. They made a big grassroots push heading into the next General Assembly session, and drove abortion rights onto the

agenda even though some key legislative leaders in heavily Catholic Rhode Island were personally opposed to abortion. Opponents called the abortion rights measure extreme. But during a May 2019 Senate Judiciary hearing, Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Newport) said the legislation did nothing more than protect the status quo. And she said it was clear where the Supreme Court was headed. “After decades of attacks, the anti-choice forces finally have what they want by holding a majority of seats on the USSupreme Court,” Euer said. “Just yesterday in Franchise Tax Board of California versus

Photos courtesy of The Public’s Radio

Gov. Raimondo signed the bill into law

Happy Pride Month! Abortion rights supporters occupying the RI Senate after an abortion rights bill stalled in committee in May 2019

Call Joe Roch

401-440-7483 Proudly assisting buyers and sellers in Providence and throughout Rhode Island Hyatt, the US Supreme Court overturned a 40-year-old precedent, indicating the pathway to overturning Roe.” The abortion rights bill stalled in the Judiciary Committee, although it moved ahead a month later when the Democrats who rule the legislature switched the bill to another committee. The next test was the narrowly divided state Senate. Even though the top two Democrats in the chamber voted in opposition, the bill narrowly won approval. Here’s Senate President Dominick Ruggiero with the count: “There are 21 votes in the affirma-

tive, 17 in the negative and the act passes.” The abortion rights bill won broad support in the Rhode Island House, and thenGov. Gina Raimondo signed it into law. Back in 2018, then-Lt. Gov. Dan McKee was among those who questioned the need for a state-based abortion law and he said he did not think Roe v Wade would be overturned. Now, however, McKee is among the Rhode Island Democrats who say the state will protect a woman’s right to an abortion. Ian Donnis can be reached at IDonnis@ripr.org

JoeRoch.com

jroch@residentialproperties.com ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

O p-Ed | By Barry Fain & Steve Triedman

Adventures of the Superman Building From iconic symbol to a starker reality, the plight of Providence’s famous skyscraper told in verse

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound – Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!

Deteriorating very quickly, more visible than a police officer, able to house hundreds of people in 287 apartments. Just open your eyes – It’s a pigeon! It’s a falling piece of limestone! It’s a mess!

Yes, it’s Superman! Yes, it’s the Superman Building!

who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way!

Sitting vacant for almost a decade, built to scrape the sky, a center for banking and commerce back when that existed. The Superman Building can change the course of Providence, reshape Kennedy Plaza, disguised as downtown’s savior, offering a unique opportunity for a great metropolitan city, fighting a never-ending battle just to survive before it falls away!

And now, another exciting episode

And now, a final episode

in the Adventures of Superman!

in the Adventures of the Superman Building!

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photos by Mike Braca

Strange visitor from another planet

Specializing in Historic Property on the West Side, Broadway Armory District and Historic Elmwood for the past 20 years.

Call Jane Driver

401.641.3723

Happy to assist you with all of your real estate needs

While we’re all caught up in the euphoria of saving the Superman Building, we are mindful of major challenges ahead. The deal isn’t a deal until the financing issues are resolved, which won’t happen overnight. The project still needs support from the City Council, which will have at least

eight new members, as well as the General Assembly, but pieces are falling into place – and if it’s a financial success, taxpayers should be entitled to a slice of the profits! Instead of RI’s “I know a guy...” we’ll follow Superman’s credo, “Truth, Justice and the American Way.”

jdriver@residentialproperties.com ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

P r o fi l e | By Katarina Dulude

Queer Advococy Starts Young As a queer adult, Rush Frazier considers protecting LGBTQIA+ youth part of their personal mandate. Stepping into the role of executive director of Youth Pride Inc. (YPI) this past December only furthers Frazier’s work and commitment to the cause. YPI is a Providence-based non-profit dedicated to meeting the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth and working to end homophobia and transphobia in the environments in which they live, work, and play. A drop-in center offers a safe space for queer youth to meet one another and use in any respectful way they see fit, and the center hosts a variety of in-person and virtual programming. Taking the helm at YPI was a full-circle moment for Frazier, who grew up queer and Black in a conservative working-class environment. Frazier recalls first attempting to create a Gay-Straight Alliance in their high school. “Just how much intolerance there was to our one little after-school group – where we ate cookies, read teen mags, and dreamed about prom together – helped me identify how important it was to create and maintain spaces where others like me could have the freedom to be ourselves,” they explain. Frazier brings a background of organizing for myriad social justice causes. Their first experience in grassroots organizing began with antiwar veterans serving in Iraq. After graduating high school, they moved to the southeast, living in Tennessee and Georgia for about ten years. During their time there, they developed a passion for nature and food justice and subsequently became an instructor in permaculture design. Frazier moved back to New England in 2015 and since has worked to repeal the death penalty in New Hampshire and organized with the Yes on 3 campaign in Massachusetts to defend nondiscrimination protections for transgender people in public spaces. “It was the first time transgender rights were on a ballot, and we won with close to 68 percent of the vote,” they share. The Worcester native also worked with parents, doctors, clergy, and other concerned residents to bring

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Rush Frazier, executive director of Youth Pride Inc.

Photo courtesy of Rush Frazier

Rush Frazier takes the helm at Youth Pride Inc. uplifting diverse LGBTQIA+ voices

P r o fi l e | By Katarina Dulude

comprehensive sex education to all Worcester Public School youth K-12. Now, as the executive director of YPI, Frazier does everything from community building with other local organizations and businesses to developing new programs for queer youth and setting goals for the organization’s future. One goal is elevating youth voices within the organization. “When I came on staff, we had no youth present at the board meetings,” says Frazier. “The first people I worked to bring on the board were a former youth

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

board member and a longtime attendee of YPI programs, both women of color.” They also worked with adult board members to bring back stipends for youth board members. “Because youth voices are so important, we are always doing what we can to check in with our youth to make sure we are meeting their basic needs, as well as maintaining our center as the fun, safe space it was meant to be,” says Frazier. Frazier also emphasizes the importance of uplifting BIPOC voices in queer spaces, which are often white-led and consequent-

ly do not always make queer people of color feel welcome. “In my brief time here, I have done what I can to make our small team more reflective of the community we serve,” says Frazier, whose recent hires include BIPOC employees. Frazier has witnessed the way nonprofits have done harm to marginalized communities, particularly communities of color, through what is often referred to as “the nonprofit industrial complex,” or the problematic relationship that can exist between organizations and the entities funding

Photo courtesy of Rush Frazier

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Debra L’Heureux, Rhode Island’s top Matchmaker for Get Ready To Date has been in the business of helping people find love for over 20 years!

Youth Pride Inc. at an event at North Kingstown High School

Dear Debra, How do I start meeting women again?

I am recently divorced and want to start meeting women again. I am painfully shy and a bit introverted. Where do I begin? Thank you for your advice! Best Regards, Barry

Dear Barry,

Warren, RI

I know that being divorced is not easy as the social circle that you had may not exist any more. Many of your friends may still be married and you need to expand your circle of single friends. I recommend that you reach out to like minded singles and start to meet new friends. It is important that you have fun. If you enjoy reading, join a book club, if you enjoy kayaking there are some neat groups that take kayaking trips down some rivers of Rhode Island. Another great idea is to take a dance lesson. Women love to dance and appreciate a man who knows a few dance steps. Dancing is a great ice breaker and can introduce you to a whole new group of women. Think about hobbies you used to pursue and perhaps have given up during your marriage. Take up golf again or join a golf league. If you enjoy the theater, think about signing up for seasons tickets and invite new single friends to join you.

them. One of Frazier’s key goals is to ensure that YPI’s staff and board continue educating themselves in order to create and maintain a space that is welcoming for all youth and volunteers. “Resisting white supremacy and all of its branches isn’t something one achieves by taking a workshop,” says Frazier, “similar to the way that coming out as queer or trans is not a one-time event. It’s continuous conversations; it’s being strong in your convictions when standing up against oppression.”

Warmly, Debra

PS: Last TidBit…Give me a call and schedule a complementary consultation to explore opportunities to meet amazing, relationship minded singles who are motivated, just like you to find love again. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR LOVE? Call Debra: 401-289-0900 JOIN MY MATCHMAKING DATABASE AT GETREADYTODATE.COM ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

By Karen Greco

RJL Furniture Gallery Antique Furniture 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 one-stop shop for vintage furniture and antiques that specializes in fairly priced mid-century modern and Danish furniture and eclectic housewares. Where to find it: Find RJL on that part of Westminster that merges with Cranston Street. Go early and stop for lunch at the Classic Cafe next door. What makes it a Rhody Gem? RJL Furniture Gallery is an antique furniture lover’s dream. Owners Patti and Roger Benton have over 40 years of experience sourcing fine antiques and furniture, and it shows in the care that goes into each hand-picked item: they treat furnishings like works of art. While RJL specializes in mid-century, Danish, and ‘70s modern, there are plenty of pieces to accommodate every budget and style – from high-end antiques to gently used more contemporary items – making it the perfect place to find that oneof-a-kind object or to furnish your entire home. Glassware, textiles, lighting, even vintage fur is on offer in this thoughtfully curated and eclectic collection. They’ll even help you pack your new (to you) finds into your car, or take advantage of their delivery service.

RJL Furniture G allery 885 Westminster Street 861-6872 • RJLGallery.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photo courtesy of RJL Furniture Gallery

Get to know us. Our clients agree our approach is different than any real estate agents they’ve worked with in the past. We are bringing real estate to new levels and we are just getting started! We are the #1 Team in Providence ( just the two of us!), and ranked #3 Statewide. We’d love to meet you! Scan Me! Kira 401.339.5621 | Michael 401.864.8286 *Rankings based in whole or in part on data supplied by State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy.

To submit your Rhody Gem, please email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

N e i ghbo r ho o d N ews | 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

Elmwood Neighborhood Association shares development updates Broad Street development started up again in spring with the replacement of accessible curb ramps at crosswalks. Existing sidewalks near curb ramps are being replaced with new ADA-accessible ramps along both sides of the street between Trinity Square and Potters Avenue. By summer, all the ramps on Broad Street down to Roger Williams Park (Hawthorne Avenue) will be ADA-accessible. At press, paving of the northern section of Broad Street is slated for mid-May. State Representative Grace Diaz held several community meetings in the past months discussing legislation to limit the sale and use of fireworks. In the past, fireworks legislation has received pushback from other parts of the state; however, Diaz has not given up, most recently proposing changes to House Bill No. 7197 to require a permit for display and/or aerial consumer fireworks. The proposed changes to the bill clearly state the types of fireworks exempt from the definition of display fireworks and aerial consumer fireworks, define times of day and year that permitted fireworks can be used, and the penalties for violations. If the bill passes, some residents of Elmwood propose an information campaign to inform residents of the need for permits and the penalties for violating the terms of the law.

Superman Building discussion in the Jewelry District On May 10, the JDA presented a Superman Building information session at their monthly public meeting. After years of anticipation, it looks as if new life will be coming to Providence’s signature tower. But what sort of life? At the meeting, held at South Street Landing, the developers detailed their plans to convert the towering office building into Providence’s newest apartment tower, with market rate and affordable units. 22

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photo courtesy of Summit Neighborhood Association

Experience. Integrity. Results.

Mount Hope and Summit neighbors planted 17 trees in April

CALL

Fox Point neighbors rolled up their sleeves for cleanup efforts

New board members and new trees in Summit Neighborhood

The Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) has made a tradition of celebrating Earth Day with fanfare. This year was no exception as the group hosted two cleanup events in late April and facilitated a third effort earlier in the month. On April 22, FPNA, Narragansett Beer, and the Clean Earth Project co-hosted a large cleanup of India Point Park. “We made a substantial dent in shoreline beautification of the lower park,” says FPNA president Nick Cicchitelli. Over 100 people came out to pick up litter, ultimately collecting 315 pounds of trash. “Everyone was super excited,” added Brooke Cure of Narragansett Beer. “They stuck around afterwards to have a [free] beer and lunch.” The following day, FPNA hosted a smaller tree-trimming event on the nearby bike path at Bessie Way and George M. Cohan Boulevard, where branches had grown so far into the path that cyclists were swerving to avoid getting hit. Earlier in the month, City Forester Doug Still and the City’s Forestry Division pruned long-overgrown limbs of two ornamental trees in front of the school library at Vartan Gregorian Elementary, per the request of FPNA. “What a difference!” comments FPNA vice president Daisy Schnepel about the results. “We so appreciate the contribution [of the Forestry Division] to the neighborhood.” The library, former home of the Fox Point Bathhouse, is a cherished architectural and historical structure for Fox Point residents – as is the annual tradition of keeping the local landscape pruned and clear of trash.

Summit Neighborhood Association (SNA) conducted its annual meeting on Monday, April 25 via Zoom, hosting presentations and question time with local elected officials, as well as their annual election of SNA board officers and members. In addition to the officers and board members remaining for another year, SNA welcomes Andrea Belanger and Robert L. Bailey V. Neighbors gathered on April 23 to plant a total of 17 trees across Mount Hope and Summit neighborhoods. Organized in partnership with the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program and City Forestry Division, events such as these have seen almost 60 trees planted in Summit neighborhood over the last year. For those interested in participating in a future tree planting, please contact Emily Kloeblen at KloeblenEmily@gmail.com or 203-917-2052. Neighborhood volunteers continue to assist both the Mount Hope Community Center and the Camp Street Community Ministries with their work distributing groceries from the food pantry every Wednesday and Friday to residents in need. Contact snaprov@gmail.com to join the volunteer email list.

Gerri Schiffman (401) 474-3733

A Trusted Advocate for Buyers & Sellers for 27 Years! OVER 1800 HOMES SOLD

gerrischiffman.com residentialproperties.com gerri@residentialproperties.com

@schiffmansells ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

NEWS & CITY LIFE

N e i ghbo r ho o d N ews

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

Downtown Neighborhood Association Meeting date: June 20 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: June 13 Amy Mendillo P.O. Box 2315, Providence, RI 02906 FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com FPNA.net

More than 100 FPNA neighbors participated in a litter cleanup in India Point Park over Earth Day weekend 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 • June 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: June 20 P.O. Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940 401-400-0986 SNAProv@gmail.com SummitNeighbors.org Washington Park Association Linda Perri 401-241-3522 BettyLinda@aol.com 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

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The Business of

FASHION THE CLOTHES ARE BEAUTIFUL AND THE VIBE IS GLAMOROUS, BUT THERE’S MUCH MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE AT STYLEWEEK NORTHEAST Andrea E. McHugh

ashion aficionados, New England personalities, local glitterati, national media, and a reality TV star or two clink champagne flutes as the volume from both the mob and the music rises by the minute in the historic ballroom with sweeping views of Providence’s city lights. Shrouded behind the long dramatic runway and elegant backdrop, a frenzy of designers make last-minute tweaks to artful garments. Makeup artists add swaths of color to serious faces and tresses are blown, rolled, or shaped into curious coifs. Flash back to the early days of StyleWeek, and while that swanky biannual event now woven into the city’s fabric will revolutionize the way people think about and experience fashion in New England over the following decade, it’ll also prove to be just as much about business and building a creative community that’s resourceful, relevant, and resilient.

Photo by Myke Yeager Photography

Black mesh gown by Mikayla Frick, 2019

Making

bridal designs hit the swne runway in 2019

it Happen week. “And he connected me with one of my dear friends now, Paul Brooks. He was the director of protocol,” says Ortiz. “Paul was the one to give me the first $5,000 grant for my first StyleWeek.” The inaugural StyleWeek Providence (as it was called then) unfolded over the course of a week in June 2010 at the Providence Marriott Downtown, The Renaissance, and the Hotel Providence. The ambitious schedule taught her some hard lessons. “We had to move that damn runway twice because I thought, ‘Let’s spread it out and about the community!’” laughs Ortiz. She quickly learned the event was the big attraction, not the venue. “Little did I know it would be a success with 200 people attending every night.” Designers including New York’s Karen Sabag, Boston-based David Chum, and Project Runway alumni Maya Luz and Jonathan Joseph Peters were just some of the designers to show at the sold-out shows packed with fashion admirers, buyers, media, and stylists from throughout the Northeast and other major metropolitan areas. The event won press praise and garnered 11 million online impressions. “So we were like, ‘Well, we have something,’” recalls Ortiz.

Photos by Myke Yeager Photography

“To be quite honest, I really don’t know much about fashion at all, but I like networking, I like PR, and I like putting on good events,” says Rosanna M. Ortiz, creator and executive director of StyleWeek Northeast, and founder and CEO of RMO Public Relations in Providence. After moving to Boston early in her post-collegiate career as women’s footwear representative for Via Spiga and Franco Sarto, she moonlighted covering Boston Fashion Week for some city publications. A love interest had her spending more time in Rhode Island and soon, she was splitting time between Beantown and the Ocean State. After getting better acquainted with Rhode Island, she moved here full time, and didn’t waste any time making waves. Though captivating, Ortiz found Boston Fashion Week was a predominately social affair and less focused on relationship-building. “I thought Providence, with the proximity to Boston and New York, is such a perfect city to have a fashion week that is actually about business. I literally stalked David Cicilline. At the time, he was the mayor. I ran into him at a party in Boston and I said, ‘I have a pitch for you, for your city.’” Per his suggestion, she followed up with his office the next

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

born again vintage (nyc)

As StyleWeek continued to grow, talented designers took notice. Students and seasoned creatives reached out, including Nick Pini, a Massachusetts native who was shy, young, and dripping with talent. StyleWeek was the first time he presented his craft to the public and the experience was life-altering. “It put me in a place, as an artist, where I could have full autonomy over my vision, my workflow, and my message,” reflects Pini, adding that StyleWeek also allowed him to make connections with others in the industry, including a local boutique owner who would sell some of his pieces. He had gone to college to be a photographer, and the experience wasn’t what he hoped, leaving him concerned about his future. StyleWeek changed that. “Now, I actually look back at StyleWeek as my educator. I learned more through that experience than I did on any day, in any classroom,” says Pini. “[It] was the first time I felt supported and safe with my peers and my mentors.” Pini, who is now based in Italy, has gone on to have a successful career in design, illustration, and as an ecom stylist – someone who works closely with brands to style ecommerce shoots by creating inspiring looks that align with the brand’s creative and marketing goals.

Handbag designer Kent Stetson, who initially participated in the event as a vendor at its accessories showcase, has emerged as one of the event’s most celebrated designers. He calls StyleWeek’s impact and influence nothing short of dynamic. “That first season I left and said, ‘Well I want to do that.’ So I quit my job,” he laughs. He moved his handbag-making side hustle front and center and took the runway by storm in 2013 (by then, called “StyleWeek Northeast”). “StyleWeek gave me a captive audience of local people to show my pieces to, get their feedback, and then to also sell to,” explains Stetson. “A new set of eyes, new bunch of people who were interested in fashion and participating in local fashion, and over the years that morphed into collaboration with hair and make-up people, photographers, models, and other creatives who wanted to make together – people who had events they were doing for non-profit organizations. It became a networking hub… it was as much about networking as it was a canvas to show my artistic approach to fashion.” Stetson says he learned through years of showing collections that Rhode Island excels at getting behind local talent, adding, “We’re proud of our fellow Rhode Islanders and their adventures, and StyleWeek is an incubator for that.”

Photo courtesy of StyleWeek

Behind the Curtain

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ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photo courtesy of Lincoln School Providence

lincoln school students prepping for the seed student design challenge

Jacque Label kicks off the 2021 event

StyleWeek gave me a captive audience of local people to show my pieces to, get their feedback, and then to also sell to. - Kent Stetson

Photos by Myke Yeager Photography

Today, Stetson commands a flagship shop and studio in Pawtucket’s Hope Artiste Village, and his distinct handbags are sold at tons of shops near and far (see the Arts & Culture feature on page 81). While longtime StyleWeek attendees can’t wait to see what theatrics he brings to the runway with each show, Stetson says he has found a new passion: motivating other designers and encouraging them to show at StyleWeek. Among them is Zoe Grinfeld, a 2020 RISD grad currently putting the finishing touches on the collection she’ll close StyleWeek with on June 16 at The Capital Grille. Grinfeld was originally in the event’s SEED competition (see sidebar) in 2017 and has been sprouting ever since. She says StyleWeek’s marketing and production capacity allows her to just focus on her work. “It’s really given me opportunities to create that a lot my peers didn’t have – the time and the space to show – and if I lived anywhere else, I don’t think I’d have that platform.” But it’s not just designers who learn and grow. Various StyleWeek volunteers and staff members have gone on to enjoy successful careers in the industry, including at the corporate offices of J. Crew, Kate Spade, and Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s an aspect of this 12-year journey Ortiz relishes. “I’ve seen people’s careers flourish and it’s been wonderful.” Toyin Omisore joined StyleWeek as an assistant, serving as the reservations manager in just its second year. Her role included managing industry RSVPs and supporting the front-of-house manager – a position that would later become hers. Today, Omisore is the owner and “Wanderer in Chief” of Roam Loud, a premium activewear and athleisure company featured in Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. She has carried valuable lessons from StyleWeek to her own company, including how to navigate people and personalities, and the importance of having exceptional coworkers. “The StyleWeek team was always a solid team, and I could always see how having strong people in different positions just makes everything go smoother. It’s also very helpful when things did not go smoothly, having team members who you knew you could go to and rely on to get questions answered and fires out in a short amount of time.”

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Taking Note

Designer Brianna Moon, 2019

Providence’s outsized creative talents are on display at StyleWeek. It’s an opportunity for local artists and designers to show the world all our Capital City has to offer. - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Photos by Myke Yeager Photography

StyleWeek gained support early on from local and state leaders in addition to key stakeholders throughout the hospitality industry. With hotels and venues welcoming hundreds; restaurants buzzing at capacity; and the employment of hair stylists, make-up artists, lighting companies, rentals, DJs, and valets, leaders could see StyleWeek’s ripple effect was far-reaching. Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, who took office in 2015, has witnessed the latter half of StyleWeek’s journey and agrees the event is a game changer. “StyleWeek is one of Providence’s signature events that embody our reputation as the Creative Capital,” he says. “Whether you are checking out the work of local designers, photographers, or artisans, there is talent being displayed around every corner, every single night. The shows bring a vibrant energy and audience to downtown Providence and we are thrilled to host StyleWeek in our city.” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse says, “Providence’s outsized creative talents are on display at StyleWeek. It’s an opportunity for local artists and designers to show the world all our Capital City has to offer.” Congressman Cicilline, who was Providence’s mayor at the event’s inception, says, “StyleWeek has become an incredibly important and leading design event largely due to the visionary and determined leadership of its creator, Rosanna Ortiz. I’ve been proud to support StyleWeek Northeast since Rosanna first approached me with the idea when I was Mayor, and to see how it has grown over the years. As one of Rhode Island’s most important events, StyleWeek Northeast showcases not just the talent of its designers, but also the economic benefits that the fashion industry brings to the state.” “I have never met a Rhode Island elected official, whether local, state, or federal, that was not super supportive of StyleWeek,” says Ortiz. “I have been incredibly blessed to have them believe in my vision.” That vision also comes with a hefty price tag. Ortiz says StyleWeek costs her $98,000 to $120,000 to produce each season. “I mean, I blew my whole 401(k),” she says with a laugh. She offsets costs through key sponsorships, grants, and ticket sales, and designers pay a small fee to participate. “I have champagne taste when it comes to production. I’ll pay for the lighting if I have to work overtime!”

Nurturing the Next Gen SEED students showcase designs at StyleWeek made from recycled materials BY ELYSE MAJOR A young student puts the finishing touches on a dress she’s created – a folded fan at the back of the bodice during a final fitting – but her model need not worry about being stuck with a pin. This frock was constructed from sheets of newspaper as part of StyleWeek’s SEED Student Design Challenge, a showcase of designs made using recycled materials at June’s micro-event held at Capital Grille. This year’s partner is Lincoln School Providence with nine talented students from Anita Thompson’s Art of the Assemblage course participating. “The SEED Student Design Challenge is dedicated to the advancement of emerging student designers,” says StyleWeek founder and CEO Rosanna M. Ortiz, who notes working with Lincoln School since 2017. Past school partners have included FIT, Parsons, Mass Art, RISD, URI, Boston School of Fashion Design, and Johnson & Wales. “This exclusive partnership provides our Upper School students with a unique opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities. These students then come together for one show where they are judged by an industry panel of fashion and press professionals,” says Thompson, a RISD grad and Visual Arts Department head and Lincoln School alumna. “Showcasing student work is a powerful tool,” says Ortiz. “It provides students with their first experience of a professional trade runway show and prepares them for what’s to come and how to cultivate their brand in the industry. It resources new ideas for the future of fashion in the Northeast.”

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ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

GET THE LOOK Shop small, stylish, and unique at this sampling of boutiques around the city: BELGIUNE BOUTIQUE 1181 Westminster Street BERK’S SHOES & CLOTHING 272 Thayer Street GREEN INK BOUTIQUE 199 Wayland Avenue DIVA’S PALACE 371 Broadway F. BIANCO 467 Angell Street GARBOLINO BOUTIQUE 254 Atwells Avenue J MARCEL 808 Hope Street LOLA 120 North Main Street LULI BOUTIQUE 782 Hope Street LORE COLLECTION 144 Brook Street MARC ALLEN FINE CLOTHIERS 200 South Main Street MILAN PROVIDENCE 178 Wayland Avenue MRS. ROBINSON 180 Wayland Avenue

QUEEN OF HEARTS/MODERN LOVE 222 Westminster Street URBAN THREAD 117 Brook Street THE VAULT 235 Westminster Street WHITE BUFFALO 498 Washington Street

Queen of hearts in downcity

Photo courtesy of Amy Amerantes

NAVA 197 Wickenden Street

Envision Resilience: Designs for Living with Rising Seas Exhibition June 4-26, 2022

Explore the vibrant history of the Narragansett Bay region, its resilient communities and the adaptive possibilities for its future through designs from six universities in the Envision Resilience Narragansett Bay Challenge.

Join us for an Open House on Saturday, June 4, 2022 | 4 to 7pm Light Bites and Drinks, FREE Featuring work from: University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island School of Design, Roger Williams University, Syracuse University, Northeastern University and University of Florida WaterFire Arts Center l Gallery 475 Valley Street Providence, RI 02908 Exhibition Open June 4 through June 26 Wednesday – Sunday | Open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Open until 9:00 p.m. Thursdays A solar array shelters a market, community space by Tsu-Chun Hsu (Austin) of RISD

The Envision Resilience Challenge is sponsored by ReMain Nantucket. Learn more at www.envisionresilience.org.

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ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

A Rising Tide As StyleWeek gained footing in Providence, the event started collaborating with local nonprofits to raise funds and awareness for charitable causes. Red on the Runway benefiting the American Heart Association became a part of StyleWeek early on. Designers created fashionable red ensembles modeled by heart-disease survivors, first responders, physicians, and advocates. In 2012, StyleWeek introduced Au Courant, a stylish runway event benefiting Child & Family, the largest and most comprehensive social service provider in Newport County and one of the largest in the State of Rhode Island. Au Courant became the social services agency’s signature benefit, continuing annually through 2017 (with a 2016 hiatus) raising what Child & Family’s former vice president of institutional advancement, Keith Tavares, estimates between $250,000 to $300,000 to help support services and programs for thousands of area children, teens, families, and elders. “It connected a new audience and new supporters, and increased Child & Family’s impact and visibility,” Tavares explains. Au Courant also created a seismic shift in the development space in Rhode Island. “The philanthropy world – a lot of chicken dinners, galas, golf outings, 5Ks – the normal stuff; StyleWeek brought a new type philanthropic event to Newport County and created a whole different way to look at fundraising.”

Photos by Myke Yeager Photography

Top: Models await their turn on the runway Below: Designs by Hope MacDonald

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ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

StyleWeek Northeast Presents MICRO FASHION EVENT June 16, 2022 Begins 5:30pm The Capital Grille, 10 Memorial Blvd Suite 101, Providence Tickets on sale at StyleWeekNortheast.com

From 2018, Arianna Nicola Bridal

Photo by Myke Yeager Photography

For Ortiz, the collaboration was a no-brainer. “I believed in their vision so much,” says Ortiz, who saw Au Courant as a mutually beneficial event. “It offered my designers a gorgeous platform to showcase their designs to Newport and, most importantly, shed light on a cause that many of us overlook.” In 2017, The Preservation Society of Newport County, the state’s largest cultural organization, contracted StyleWeek Northeast and RMO Public Relations to produce Pierre Cardin: A Gala Celebration at The Breakers to honor the legendary fashion designer on his 95th birthday. The event supported the non-profit’s preservation of 11 historic properties (the Newport Mansions) and landscapes.

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mottandchace.com ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

National Spotlight

I think that sometimes people get caught up in the visual and performing arts and don’t realize that fashion design in and of itself is an art form. - Kristen Adamo

Designer: Hope MacDonald

Photo by Myke Yeager Photography

Kristen Adamo, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, says StyleWeek adds a new layer to the destination’s marketability. “By celebrating Rhode Island’s fashion and design talent through events like StyleWeek, we’re really living the brand of the Creative Capital. I think that sometimes people get caught up in the visual and performing arts and don’t realize that fashion design in and of itself is an art form,” explains Adamo. “The work Rosanna has done to showcase talent that lives in and around Providence definitely helps strengthen our national reputation.” Adamo and Ortiz combined synergies to bring national media to StyleWeek through the years and have traveled to New York to tout the event to editors and journalists. “I think everyone knows us for our great restaurants or our visual and performing arts, like WaterFire, but I don’t think this is a story that’s been told before. The creation of StyleWeek and the importance of fashion in this city has really helped us to tell new stories and get new attention.” Publications including Travel + Leisure, Marie Claire, Women’s Wear Daily, Architectural Digest, and Forbes are just some outlets that have covered StyleWeek, in addition to dozens of regional magazines, newspapers, digital media, and blogs with media impressions over the years assessed at more than 100 million.

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A Bright Future Taking fashion out of it, I want young people to understand that if you work hard at something and don’t lose focus or skip steps and sacrifice the end product — the credibility you gain can lead to bigger and better endeavors organically. - Rosanna Ortiz

StyleWeek has also unfolded at the Providence Performing Arts Center, The Dorrance, and the Rhode Island Convention Center. But since 2020, StyleWeek Northeast’s home has been the patio at The Capital Grille. Ortiz has watched the event become more elevated, and at the same time, she’s always fought to make StyleWeek accessible and welcoming. “For me, it’s all about the attendee… and having them be taken care of every step of the way. That’s important. I want everyone to have a very pleasant experience – it’s about having fun and seeing some great designs. It gives me an opportunity to cater to the community.” Entrepreneurial at heart, Ortiz launched a subsidiary of RMO Public Relations in recent years – RMO Project Resources – focusing on real estate development, project management, and HVAC. Her first

project breaks ground this fall and puts her one step closer to realizing a longtime dream of developing a place with designer studio space, a StyleWeek Café and residences. “That is a future thing I really hope comes to fruition,” she says with a familiar enthusiasm. The common denominator throughout the past 12 years and the future she’s planning? Hard work. “Taking fashion out of it, I want young people to understand that if you work hard at something and don’t lose focus or skip steps and sacrifice the end product — the credibility you gain can lead to bigger and better endeavors organically,” explains Ortiz. “Although StyleWeek has never really been profitable, it’s important for young people to know that if you believe in something and don’t compromise, something bigger is always on the horizon.”

Photo by Myke Yeager Photography

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FOOD & DRINK In The Kitchen | Experience | Food News | Drink Kit

Brunch Bunch Drag in RI brings the spice to the most important meal of the day There’s regular brunch – mimosas, eggs benedicts, and the works – and then there’s drag brunch. Think dinner and a show except it’s breakfast food and talented queens. Taking their show from Providence to Provincetown and everywhere in between, Drag in RI serves up a musical comedy routine best paired with a glass of bubbly. Jacqueline DiMera, Haley Star, LaDiva Jonz, and Vi’let have been friends for more than 20 years, and it shows in their snarky banter and infectious energy. The group prides themselves in performing at a variety of different venues, bringing drag to the masses, whether that means small intimate theater settings or bustling brunch restaurants. “Whether it’s a girls night out, bachelorette party, work outing, or just a fun night on the town – we make everyone laugh,” says Star. “Audience interaction, tongue-in-cheek musical interludes, and knee-slapping entertainment keep our audiences coming back week after week, month after month.” Along with Providence appearances during Rhode Island Pride Weekend June 17-19 and a line-up of Drag Brunch shows across the state, the ladies go live once a month on their Facebook and YouTube pages, inviting guests into their kitchen to dish about the latest hot gossip and donning aprons for a one-of-a-kind cooking segment. Find all of their events online and reserve a spot in advance – there’s no better way to keep the Sunday Scaries at bay than brunching with Drag in RI! DragInRI.com, Facebook: Drag in RI | By Abbie Lahmers Photo courtesy of Drag in RI ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

FOOD & DRINK

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

The Joy of Cooking Amos House culinary instructor Nick DeCamp helps students navigate the kitchen and life “I got into eating at a young age,” jokes Nick DeCamp, the culinary instructor at Amos House, a nonprofit serving the homeless and unemployed since 1976 in Providence. When DeCamp took an early retirement from the Providence Public School system, where he taught elementary school, he began looking for his second act. His wife suggested cooking. That led him to the RI Food Community Bank’s Community Kitchen, a now-defunct free program that gave students the skills to work in the culinary industry. “That was a huge turning point in my life,” he says. “Within the first hour, on the first day, I knew I found my calling.” But part of that calling remained in teaching. His first job after graduation was with Cookie Place in Providence, teaching culinary arts to students with disabilities. In 2018, he landed at Amos House as an instructor in their Culinary Education Program, which launched in 2002. “The three most important things in cooking are knife skills, knife skills, knife skills. It’s the foundation of everything we do in the kitchen.” DeCamp teaches not only how to move the knife efficiently and safely, but also how to care for it. “It’s the first thing an employer looks for, how you pick up a knife.” DeCamp, who makes his home in South Kingstown, works to expose students to as many different flavor profiles as possible. “There’s a difference between a Chinese dish and an Italian dish,” he says, noting that the aromatics for each cuisine are different. “What are you going to put at the bottom of your pan?” The pandemic meant less students could take the course at a time, but with fewer enrolled, they were able to cut the 16-week course down to eight. The first three weeks are spent learning “soft skills,” things like communication and handling conflict, as well as financial training. Required reading and math classes are contextualized for the individual programs. Culinary math, for example, works with fractions. The students spend the next five weeks

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Chef Nick DeCamp teaches students at Amos House the ins and outs of cooking

Photo by Jennifer Convey, courtesy of Nick DeCamp

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FOOD & DRINK

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

with DeCamp in practical training, which includes the aforementioned knife skills, as well as allergen training and CPR. “They walk out of the program with three industry certificates,” DeCamp says, which makes them more attractive to employers. More than simply practical training – like ways to thicken a sauce, or different methods of cooking eggs – DeCamp teaches students “the dance of the kitchen,” learning how to negotiate all the moving parts, from dodging baking racks to working with

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

enormous ovens. “There’s a difference between waking up and having to do something and getting to do something,” he says. “When I wake up, I think ‘I get to cook today’ or ‘I get to teach risotto today.’” And when a student gets a job offer? “I feel like I got the job!” When former pupils come back to visit, their stories of “I moved up the line,” or “I’m running my own kitchen” make his job particularly rewarding. DeCamp spends most of his down time networking with chefs

and restaurant owners to place graduating students in industry jobs. One of his former students, he notes with pride, is an exgang member with a prison history who is now the second in command in one of the state’s most prestigious kitchens. “For me, eating and cooking is universal. Food is anthropology, it’s history, it’s art and philosophy. Food is what brings people together. Food is memory,” DeCamp says, then he shares a sly smile. “You got to be a little crazy about it.”

Photo by Nick DeCamp

A pasta dish prepared at Amos House

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FOOD & DRINK

Expe r i e nce | By Abbie Lahmers

When Pigs Fly Plant City’s new speakeasy concept unapologetically serves up veggie-forward appetizers and drinks With no signage beyond a markedly unflashy “345” posted above a black awning to denote the South Water Street address, Plant City’s new bar concept crept onto the scene late March. Across the parking lot from the vegan food hall, you enter through the bakery and prep kitchen (where friendly cook Julio will likely wave hello), set foot through another door, and find yourself transported. “We wanted people to have that moment when they walk through that black door in the back of the bakery like Alice in Wonderland falling through the looking glass,” says Kim Anderson, co-founder of Plant City who, along with executive chef Luis Jaramillo, developed the speakeasy-style 345. If you take a seat at the bar, you might notice a row of seven black pigs with gold feet and wings watching over the space and think they’re just an eclectic accent, but even these unassuming statuettes are a testament to Jaramillo’s penchant for detail. He shares that for months he had been pitching the idea of a speakeasy joint that’s a little bit different to Anderson. Her answer? “When pigs fly.” But as COVID restrictions lifted, the time was right, and Anderson greenlit the project a few months ago. Since, plant-based eaters and sippers have been flocking to this intimate bar that’s not simply veg-friendly but veg-celebratory, highlighting rather than hiding savory, earthy flavors. A weekday visit with friends warranted a few appetizers for the table along with drinks for a truly escapist experience in this space that’s both dimly lit and moody yet lush with green fronds. For a culinary game of chance, I recommend One Out of Ten, a dish that’s deceptively simple. A pile of shishito peppers – known for being generally mild though the occasional pepper packs a punch – are served with black garlic aioli and chili flakes. The first round of drinks included a Medical-Medium and Phat Beet – two prime examples of Jaramillo’s collaboration with award-winning NYC-based mixologist Darnell

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Mixologist Darnell Holguin adds the finishing touch on a craft cocktail from 345

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Must-Try Items Truffle Explosion ($16) Arancini, truffle, lemon

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Medical-Medium ($15) Gin, celery juice, yuzu, green chartreuse, maraschino, sparkling water

Holguin to concoct a unique drink program that goes beyond simply reinventing existing classics. The former, a gin cocktail, goes down like a tonic with subtle savory notes from the celery juice (complete with leafy stalk garnishing it) complemented by citrusy yuzu. Phat Beet stars cachaça (a Brazilian sugar cane spirit) and golden beet juice for the perfect blend of sweet and earthy. Next came two umami-forward appetizers that quickly became favorites. The Truffle Explosion is a vegan take on

When Pigs Fly

Photos by Cassidy Bissitt (L) and Allie Curtis (R), courtesy of 345 by Plant City

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FOOD & DRINK

Expe r i e nce | By Abbie Lahmers

arancini that gets a burst of nutty, mushroomy flavor from its namesake ingredient, while Jaramillo’s practiced techniques for working the rice give it a clingy texture reminiscent of its cheesy cousin. The Not Your Average Taco is exactly as described – delightfully crisp hen of the woods mushrooms piled high with shoestring-thin pickled veggies and sprouts. I was pleased to find the black garlic aioli making a comeback in this dish. I didn’t want to leave without one (okay, two) more indulgences. La Pizza De La Nonna, a new addition to the menu, is a pleasingly substantial pie with a thick crust loaded with caramelized onions, lightly

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

charred peppadew peppers (adding just the right amount of spice), and castelvetrano olives. Gobs of macadamia ricotta are toasted until slightly brown and bubbly on top and offer smooth, creamy bites tempering the crunch of veggies. This paired nicely with When Pigs Fly, a cocktail as surreal as the name would suggest with a daring blend of carrot juice, miso, and bourbon. With these ingredients, I expected something hearty and filling like a Bloody Mary, but far from it, this drink is sweetened just a bit with brown sugar notes of demerara and lime – yet another happy surprise. In true Plant City form, these are plantbased eats that aren’t pretending. Omnivores

may have fun noticing the meat-like notes accentuated in rich choices like 345’s take on a burger or the porkless chicharones, but each menu item is entirely its own thing without relying on a repertoire of OG meat dishes. Be warned, you’ll want to keep the night going with at least one more round of drinks (don’t miss a dedicated menu of elevated mocktails!) – and leaving before dark isn’t advisable lest you be blinded by the light when opening the exit door, breaking 345’s spell.

345 by P lant City 345 South Water Street 347-4429 • @345plantcity

Photos by Cassidy Bissitt, courtesy of 345 by Plant City

Medical-Medium and Truffle Explosion

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FOOD & DRINK

Fo o d N e w s | By Karen Greco

A Taste of the South

Southern waffle eatery serves up brunch, dinner, and late-night eats

East Providence Getty station repurposed as southern-inspired eatery

When Edmund Addai turned 18, he received a waffle maker. That gift launched a restaurant concept. After hosting small pop-ups for friends, the self-taught chef opened The Stackhouse out of Bath Food Co. as a pandemic side hustle. His breakfast, brunch, and fried chicken concept exploded, and in six short months he left his insurance job to become a full-time entrepreneur. “Rhode Island lacked homestyle cooking with the southern influence,” says the Providence native. “We try to be as creative as possible with it.” Addai puts an inventive spin on the breakfast-forward menu. With items like the French toast burger, chicken and waffles, plus a large selection of wings, classic brunch items transition seamlessly to dinner or late-night snacking. He’s working on introducing new menu items, including a mac-and-cheese waffle that he plans to roll out late summer, as well as a second location near URI. @StackhousePVD

Nick and Tracy Rabar, the culinary magicians behind Avenue N and The Pantry, are opening Honeybird Kitchen, featuring chef-driven fried chicken, in a repurposed Getty station on Massasoit Avenue in East Providence. “We had our eye on the gas station for years,” admits Tracy. The developer, who was set to demolish it, heard they were interested in rehabbing the building for Honeybird’s home, so he offered it to them to salvage. Honeybird’s concept, inspired by frequent trips to South Carolina, launched as a Monday night take-away special at Avenue N. “It was a mob scene,” recalls Tracy. “We couldn’t keep up.” While fried chicken rules the roost, Honeybird also offers grilled and vegan options. Authentic southern sides and snacks (like hushpuppies, homemade mac and cheese, and fried okra) fill out the menu, and Duke’s Mayonnaise is the condiment of choice. The craft cocktail-centric full bar features great bourbons and fun beers. HoneybirdRI.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photos courtesy of Stackhouse PVD

Providence is 274 miles north of the Mason Dixon Line, but a host of restaurants have cropped up offering a taste of the south. Pair these delicacies with cold lemonade or an icy local brew and enjoy the longer days and warmer weather.

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Downtown eatery embraces Black culture through southern food Kin began as a pandemic project for owner Julia Broome. After being laid off from her event planning job, she used her time brainstorming her dream restaurant. “I wrote the business plan to keep from being depressed,” she says. Her idea snowballed, and what started as a way to keep busy turned into a beloved downtown restaurant – they just celebrated their first anniversary – specializing in southern-style cuisine. Kin’s menu, with items like collard greens, baked mac and cheese, and fried catfish, features food that recalls “the fun times I had with my family,” she says. “I wanted to create this safe space for us to go and embrace our Black culture, and for our allies to be a part of that and enjoy it as well.” To that end, Kin is hosting their second annual Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 19, with a block party on Union Street featuring food, DJs, and more. KinPvd.com

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FOOD & DRINK

Dr i nk Ki t s | By Kou Tukala Nyan

Happy Hour at Home New flavorful beverage infusion kit biz helps novice mixologists raise the bar Packaged in a mason jar with a piece of twine tied into a bow around the opening, the farmers market presentation suggests sweet jams or preserves inside. Twist open the lid and instead find an aromatic blend of dried fruits and spices ready to be soaked in your spirit of choice. This is the deceptively simple concept behind DRANKSbyday, with a vision of curating refreshing cocktails and mocktails at home. “DRANKSbyday offers an all-natural craft cocktail experience, bringing happy hour to you,” says Providence-based founder Dayna Passaretti. “Each infusion kit has a combination of pre-measured fruits, spices, herbs, and sweeteners that have suggested spirit pairings for each flavor,” like rum or bourbon in the vanilla, espresso, and cinnamon Dirty Chai or gin in the floral-forward Sprung mix.

A refreshing spin on a cosmo using the Lemonade Stand kit

SHAKE IT UP DRANKS’ first and most popular kit is Lemonade Stand containing dehydrated lemon, elderflower buds, strawberry, and pure cane sugar. For a refreshing yet simple bevvie, infuse with your favorite spirit and add lemonade. For a summery spin on a classic cocktail, Passaretti shares, “A cosmopolitan is the way to go!” LEMONADE STAND COSMOPOLITAN 2 oz Lemonade Stand mix ½ oz of cranberry juice 1 oz orange liqueur ½ oz fresh lime juice Shake the ingredients with ice, strain, and pour into a coup glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy!

Photos courtesy of DRANKSbyday

Drink infusion kits are a perfect addition to the home bar

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

After 10 years of bartending, the pandemic paused her work for a bit, and Passaretti found herself in need of a creative outlet. “I was looking into different ways to create cocktails and bring people an athome experience,” she says. While a couple of base spirits, citrus fruits, and storebought mixers are common elements of many a liquor cabinet, flavorful infusions raise the bar, so to speak, to truly bring that elevated nightlife experience home. Passaretti first created the spirit-infusion kits as gifts for friends and family, then officially launched DRANKS almost a year ago. “All it took was one friend to say, ‘hey, I think that’s a great idea – do it!’” she says, “and I’m glad I did.” Passaretti advises following the packaging for suggested spirit pairings if you don’t know where to start, or you can experiment with soaking the mix in a different liquor you have on hand. From there, it’s simple: infuse for two to three days – shaking the jar once a day – then strain. For spicy kits like Tropic Like It’s Hot and Firecracker, taste the second day and continue to infuse for a spicier result. Each jar serves up to eight drinks. A kit can last up to one year, and with alcohol, up to a month. Ditching the booze? No problem – swap in an alcohol-free base to create mocktails. Passaretti even offers a sugar-free option – Pear Naked – for the health-conscious sipper with just pear, ginger, and lemon, and she strives to use locally sourced ingredients in all varieties. With an environmentally conscious mindset, Passaretti encourages customers to reuse the kit’s mason jar. As more local retailers are picking up her brand (and a specialty cocktail even appears on the menu at The District in Providence – Spicy Mango, infused by Tropic Like It’s Hot), Passaretti hopes to expand her wholesale business and branch out into events, too. In the meantime, watch for seasonal varieties at Urban Greens and popping at farmers markets, so you can DRANK up the flavors of summer. DranksByDay.com

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LIFE & STYLE H o m e | S h o p | M a ke r

Welcome Home Providence Preservation Society’s 40th Festival of Historic Houses returns If you’re someone drawn to radiators, butler’s pantries, tall ceilings, and the occasional awkward nook, we suggest reserving a ticket to this year’s Festival of Historic Houses. This Providence Preservation Society (PPS) fundraiser offers an opportunity to explore a selection of exquisite homes and private gardens along Keene Street and Lloyd Avenue in the College Hill Historic District on Providence’s East Side. Photo by Warren Jagger Photography, courtesy of Providence Preservation Society ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

H o me | By Elyse Major

Photo by Chip Riegel Photography

LIFE & STYLE

“One could easily imagine the Metcalfs welcoming guests and entertaining in the living room, then opening the grand doors between the living and dining rooms to move to dinner,” says photographer Chip Riegel, musing about the first owners of the home he shares with wife Amanda, PPS director of development. The Riegels live in the Henry B. Metcalf House on Keene Street

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

– a stylish Italianate circa 1855 – and one of many magnificent properties on the tour. “It’s always fun to see how other people live, and how to adapt to these old buildings,” says Brent Runyon, PPS executive director, who is excited about the full-scale return of the event, which was postponed in 2020 and reimagined in 2021 as an outdoor Festival of Gardens tour. Runyon explains that last

The Henry B. Metcalf House sits on nearly a third of an acre and is among the homes and gardens available for exploration during the self-guided tour

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LIFE & STYLE

H o me | By Elyse Major

Architectural details are a highlight of the tour

Photos by (L) Chip Riegel Photography, (R) Warren Jagger Photography, courtesy of Providence Preservation Society

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

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fall he and organizers began to discuss the possibility of a full return which was dependent on the feelings of participating homeowners and event volunteers. “By February it seemed possible,” he says. While currently there are no mandates, tickets must be purchased in advance. According to PPS, houses in this area began to sprout up in the 1850s. By the 1870s, stately Second Empire and Italianate style houses were constructed, followed by a building boom in the 1880s and 1890s, which saw a mix of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival houses – all ample in size with rich architectural features, and set back from the streets with acreage atypical for city life. And just like today, the proximity to Brown and RISD attracted professors. PPS was established in 1956 to respond to the proposed demolition of a number of these houses and continues to advocate for the preservation and reinvestment of neighborhoods. “One of our favorite aspects of this house is the tall ceilings,” says Riegel. “We intentionally added a glossy finish

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

LIFE & STYLE

H o me | By Elyse Major

to the molding to highlight the height and draw your eye upward.” She notes that the curved windows surrounding the front door were one of the features that first attracted her to the house. “They just made me

Photo by Chip Riegel Photography

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

smile, feeling like the house was welcoming guests even before we ever stepped foot inside. Even better, the windows allow light to pour in throughout the day. We just love living here!”

A peek inside reveals how historic homes can both adhere to original floor plans and be outfitted with contemporary furnishings at once

H o me | By Elyse Major

Design periods play nicely thanks to a cohesive color palette

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photo by Chip Riegel Photography

LIFE & STYLE

GET RHODY STYLE Enjoy the beauty of the East Side all month long with events from the Providence Preservation Society. Find additional details including registration at PPSRI.org. JUNE 2 2022 Festival Preview Party: Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a full bar, and a chance to explore the Sarah T. Harrison House at 103 Lloyd Avenue. Designed by local architects Howard K. Hilton and F. Ellis Jackson and built in 1904, character-defining features include the double bow fronts flanking the front door and the connected pedimented dormers. JUNE 4 & 5 40th Festival of Historic Houses: The self-guided tour allows guests to wander homes and gardens on Keene Street and Lloyd Avenue. Special guided tours of private gardens will also take place on June 5, in partnership with the Garden Conservancy. JUNE 13 Architectural River Tour: This 75-minute boat tour highlights the stories, sightlines, and subtle details that define Providence. From the most eye-catching landmarks on the city skyline to hidden architectural gems, you’ll discover historic Providence from the best seat in town!

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JUNE 22 Music in the Garden: Bring a lawn chair and enjoy Music in the Garden with Sigy Maiga, part of a series of summer-evening concerts in the quiet Colonial Revival garden at 21 Meeting Street, presented in partnership with the Mile of History Association.

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

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LIFE & STYLE

Sho p | By Elyse Major

Fused Together How is a little jewelry studio nestled on a West End sidestreet creating such a buzz? With a line of permanent jewelry – that’s how. Brave Daughters, AKA Erin Myles and M. Semrau, bring years of experience in metalsmithing and jewelry design to offer a line of Forever (Til Whenever) pieces where a 14-carat gold chain is welded around the wrist, touted as a claspless, painless, meaningful way to celebrate a special occasion. For the “commitmentphobic” there is also the Whenever collection,

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

which does have an escape route (clasps). Either way, all jewelry from this former Rhody Gem is intended to be custom fit to the wearer’s body and preferences, and made from ethically sourced materials. The Knight Street flagship has in-studio appointments, custom jewelry consults, private parties for group celebrations, and good ol’ fashioned browsing. Along with their sustainable jewelry collection, find gifts from small brands curated by the duo.

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LIFE & STYLE

M a ke r | By Katarina Dulude

Pieced Together An exhibit of quilts and watercolors reveals an artist’s appreciation for patterns and materials “My practice right now involves going as slowly as possible,” begins the bio of Priscilla Carrion, a contemporary visual and textile artist who credits daydreaming about new futures and long walks with her dogs for helping her throughout the pandemic. An artist working in both paint and fabric, Carrion’s watercolors are like vibrant collages and her stitched quilts are a lively mix of patterns and fabrics. She is currently exhibiting her quilts at the BankRI Pitman Street Gallery, and in July, both her quilts and watercolors will be at the BankRI Turks Head Gallery. Carrion embraces and celebrates the humble nature of quilting in her own way. She notes being drawn to the idea of community, of women gathering to create something larger than themselves, and the handmade endeavor appeals to her DIY sensibilities to make something useful that is also considered art. Carrion likens a quilt to a painting for your bed, and says that while people like her grandmothers and aunts would not call themselves textile artists, they have created some of the most masterful pieces she’s ever seen. “Recycling bits and pieces of old things into newer, stronger shapes rules,” says Carrion of the craft considered the earliest form of upcycling, often relying on remnants and scraps. Born in Providence and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Carrion is a member of Sista Fire, a network of women and non-binary people of color building a foundational structure for political, social, and economic transformation. Carrion’s parents immigrated from Ecuador to the Ocean State many years ago and instilled in her a love of both their native and adopted cultures. Carrion’s been known to compare her life to the patchworks she assembles – a lively mash-up of constructs. After attending RISD, where she studied textiles, screen printing, and

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

RISD MUSEUM

Drawing Closer Four Hundred Years of Drawing from the RISD Museum

March 12 – Sept. 3, 2022 Priscilla Carrion in her studio Photo courtesy of Priscilla Carrion

Anton Løvenberg, Study of a Sculptural Male Torso (detail), 1800s. Gift of Frederick Lovenberg.

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ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

M a ke r | By Katarina Dulude

Photo courtesy of Priscilla Carrion

LIFE & STYLE

pattern making, Carrion found herself increasingly drawn to sewing and quilting; she started making her own clothes and gradually veered to quilt-making and sewing costumes for a dressmaker in Boston. Today, her quilts not only demonstrate her

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

skills with textiles, but also her talents as a printmaker and pattern designer. Like her quilts, her watercolor paintings are filled with joy. “I’ve been painting animals, trees, and sunshine,” Carrion says. “I’m making what the 10-year-old me loved to paint.”

For more information on both exhibits, visit BankRI.com or call the branch at 456-5160. Learn more about the artist at PriscillaCarrion.net

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ART & CULTURE Music Scene | On Stage | Calendar

Statement Piece Pawtucket designer’s Ukrainian flag handbag raises funds for Amnesty International With his bright smile and artistic flair, artist Kent Stetson is known for adding levity to fashion with his line of handbags, wristlets, and clutches. From his Pawtucket studio/shop at Hope Artiste Village, he designs carryalls that fans collect like charms, including clutches emblazoned with everything from red-and-white pizza boxes to crossword puzzles – and now a blue and yellow design reflecting a more serious cause with his Peace for Ukraine bag. “When the humanitarian crisis began to unfold in Ukraine, I chose to create a piece combining the flag with the sunflower, which is their national flower,” says Stetson. Half of the proceeds from all sales will be donated to Amnesty International, whose work to provide critical information verification and bring justice for the criminal actions taken in Ukraine will extend far beyond the duration of the conflict itself. “Often described as statement pieces, my work offers a prompt for conversations and consequently presents an opportunity for me to dovetail design with charitable causes,” shares Stetson. Each bag is cruelty-free, made from luxury quality coated canvas, includes a removable crossbody chain, and is individually signed by Stetson. “Our hope is that this piece will one day celebrate the return home for the millions who have been displaced by the invasion.” Learn more at KentStetson.com | By Elyse Major Photo by Kent Stetson ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

ART & CULTURE

T he M usi c Sce ne | By Adam Hogue

Bucking Tradition From Spotify to Sundance, Buck St. Thomas creates music for fans and film

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

songwriter is a new experience. I’ve been in bands my entire adult life, where figuring out songs happens during band practice. Now it happens during the recording process.” “Weird” was released as a single and music video in 2021, and stands apart as mostly a piano ballad with some guitar and electronic synth accents on the chorus, resulting in a sparse and brooding listen. The accompanying video by Nate Milton portrays the NASA satellite Cassini exploring the solar system. While the lyrics don’t explicitly reference satellites and Voyager-esque explorations, the tone personifies the robotic/mechanical nature of the video and brings the whole piece to an emotional place despite being devoid of anything remotely humanoid. “‘Weird’ is the result of meandering around on my piano for about a half hour until that song worked its way out, melody

Buck St. Thomas is a producer, director, composer, sound mixer, and proud grad of the New England Institute of Technology and all,” St. Thomas recounts. “The chorus synth accents are a bass synth manually tuned up a few octaves as an eerie homage to the singing saws that I love so much in Neutral Milk Hotel’s work. The brilliant animation is a short film by Nate Milton.” “Weird” is just one of numerous scoring projects St. Thomas, along with his wife, songwriter Alexandra Rose, and producer Kyle Joseph, has contributed to Milton’s animation work, including the score for Milton’s short animated film Eli that was a featured selection at Sundance. “Nate and I have been very close since I was 10; we were on the same baseball team.

Photo courtesy of Buck St. Thomas

Over the past couple of years, Providence-based songwriter, musician, and film composer Buck St. Thomas has recorded a smattering of singles, a music video, a full-length album, and the score to an animated feature that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. His music has a vibe that falls into the lane of bands like The Shins or Built to Spill, in the way he creates compositions that don’t rely on set guitar/bass/drums. Instead, his songs seem to form organically with various, suitable instruments taking the lead over prominent double-tracked vocals. “I very much allow the song to figure itself out,” St. Thomas says. “Most of the time, I start on guitar or piano and work my way around until the right combination and arrangement of instruments comes out. For ‘It Isn’t Too Complicated,’ it was actually the chorus vocals that came to me first and I ran to a guitar. Working entirely by myself as a

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We immediately clicked and started creating stuff together,” St. Thomas reminisces. “We workshopped the story of Eli over about two years. Nate wrote the script and

LINER NOTES “It Isn’t Too Complicated” Released April 4, 2022 Music and lyrics by Buck St. Thomas Art by Nate Milton Engineered by Buck St. Thomas Mixed by Kyle Joseph Mastered by Ryan Schwabe Produced by Buck St. Thomas, Kyle Joseph, and Alexandra St. Thomas

started pulling my demos to lay in. Once he started finding the music that worked, I began fleshing it out. I really wanted to use strings so I hired Armand Aromin (violin) and Piera Leone (cello) and just figured out how to record them. This process really gave me the confidence that I could just find my way to where I want to go through trial and error and it directly translated to my approach to my solo music.” St. Thomas plans to play his latest releases live on acoustic and in true fashion to his creative process, slowly working in pieces of a band to suit his needs. Currently, St. Thomas and Milton are working on another film. St. Thomas also scored a different animation project that Nate co-created for This American Life, which will air on CBS Sunday Morning “in the not-so-distant future.”

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ART & CULTURE

O n St age | By Karen Greco

Rhode Island’s Jersey Boy Local actor Kevin Patrick Martin stops home on the Jersey Boys national tour “It feels amazing to be back in the theater, and amazing to be back at work,” says Cumberland native Kevin Patrick Martin, who comes home in the role of Hank Majewski when the national tour of Jersey Boys stops at PPAC on June 2 and 3. The Rhode Island College grad, who has worked professionally in over 40 regional productions, joined the tour in 2017, logging over 700 performances of the hit show. But he almost left acting just before he landed the Jersey Boys gig. “I felt like I had plateaued,” he says. “I was considering a career change.” An avid baker, he was ready to hit submit on an application to Johnson & Wales University’s culinary program when his agent called him about the audition. “Jersey Boys had been a dream of

mine, but I was in a place where I felt that if I didn’t get it, my life would go on.” He credits that attitude to helping him nail the part. Martin concedes that “touring is not for everybody. You get used to hotel life and you figure out ways to find comforts of home.” Keeping the show fresh is a whole other matter. Part of that “is playing to different audiences every night. There are backstage changes. Different parts of the country respond differently to the material.” When Jersey Boys rolled through Providence three years ago, Martin was in tow. “That was incredible,” he says of the engagement, crediting his experience partly to a host of supporters in the audience cheering him on. “The RI theater community is so small, to feel their support was amazing.” On a bigger

level, he says Rhode Islanders connect with the story. “These are blue collar guys who found great success.” That resonates with Rhode Island’s working class roots. Martin moved to New York City in January of 2012 to pursue his career. While he had his apartment for nine years, he lived in it less than half that time. “When you move to New York, you get jobs that take you out of New York,” he says. That, along with his fiance – who lives in Rhode Island and is a dancer with Festival Ballet Providence – prompted a move back home. They met in 2016, ironically after Martin settled in New York, but a fortunate string of jobs kept him in the area for several months at the start of their relationship. Now, they live in an apartment just over the river in East Providence. “Alex [his fiance] knew this was my dream

Photo (L) by Joan Marcus, courtesy of PPAC, (R) courtesy of PPAC

Rhody resident Kevin Patrick Martin (2nd from left) calls the Jersey Boys national tour a “dream job.”

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

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job. He was very supportive,” he says of the gig that keeps him on the road nine months of the year (pandemic aside). His decision to return to the Ocean State was cemented by seeing the burgeoning careers of actor-friends based here, like Rebecca Gibel and Charlie Thurston. Both carved out space on Rhode Island’s stages and in southern New England’s growing film and TV industry. “That was encouraging.” NYC’s gig worker culture makes it easy for an actor to uproot from their job for six weeks to do a show. He was concerned about finding that flexibility in Rhode Island. But picking up work at Robin Hollow Farm in Saunderstown during his off time fits in nicely with his itinerant actor’s life. Martin looks forward to introducing his Jersey Boys castmates to the wonders of Providence, especially the food scene, calling out KNEAD Doughnuts and Pastiche Fine Desserts (“can you tell I have a sweet tooth?”) in particular. A vegetarian, his recommendations also include Plant City and Garden Grille. “Being on the road and spending so much time away in New York, it’s made me realize how much I love Rhode Island,” he says. “There’s always something special to return to in our fun little state.”

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401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI | 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

ART & CULTURE

Ca l e nda r | By Casey Williams

The Must List 10 essential events this month June 4, 10 & 25: A summer city tradition, WaterFire once again sets braziers ablaze on the river for the first full lightings of the season. Watch Waterplace Park set aglow after the sun goes down and the flames come alive. WaterFire.org

June 9: Indie rock band Modest Mouse will Float Onto the stage at The Strand, playing new hits from their recently released seventh album, The Golden Casket, with support by The Cribs. TheStrandRI.com

June 9: The Graduate Providence celebrates the historic hotel’s storied past with 100 Years at The Biltmore, featuring an evening of ‘20s-themed cocktails, dance troupe The Tropigals, and a gallery of vintage pieces. Eventbrite: Graduate Providence

June 12:

Through June 12:

Through June 19:

June 18:

Visit the Rhode Island Convention Center to see A Different View, recreations of Michelangelo’s famous larger-than-life Sistine Chapel frescos in an intimate experience of the works. RIConvention.com

The Wilbury Theatre Group puts on Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, with a portion of proceeds benefiting relief efforts in Ukraine. TheWilburyGroup.org

The 46th Rhode Island PrideFest Celebration & Illuminated Night Parade takes over downtown Providence with a variety of main stage performances and over 250 organizations and food vendors. PrideRI.org

Through June 19:

June 2-3:

June 19:

Pulitzer prize-winning show Fairview pulls the audience into a family comedy that confronts perceptions of race and identity, with surprises at every turn – a can’t miss performance at Trinity Rep. TrinityRep.com

Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical Jersey Boys comes to Providence Performing Arts Center, taking fans behind the music and into the lives of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. PPACRI.org

Commemorating emancipation day and African-American culture, the fourth annual Juneteenth RI brings vendors, live music, and family fun to the Temple of Music at Roger Williams Park. JuneteenthRI.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Photo courtesy of Juneteenth RI

ide statew For a f events o listing online! s visit u m ody.co h R Hey

The fourth annual Juneteenth RI event celebrates African-American liberation at Roger Williams Park

Haus of Codec hosts a LGBTQQIA+ Resource Fair and Art Market of creative vendors and a clothing swap raising funds for queer homeless youth and young adults across Rhode Island. HausOfCodec.org

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Small State, Big P late 350 Prospect Street Pawtucket • 401-475-1368 RhodyHenCafe.com

Providence

102 Waterman Street Providence, RI 02906

401.421.5160 www.AllegraProvidence.com Print@AllegraProvidence.com ProvidenceOnline.com • June 2022

Pic of PVD

A great night celebrating the Who to Watch Class of ‘22 at Narragansett Beer

N O. 1 I N R H O D E I S L A N D LU X U RY R E A L E STAT E *

‘Moses Brown Ives House’, 10 Brown Street | Providence, RI $4,595,000

6 BD

6F 2H BA

8,763 SF

401.595.4154

83 Central Street | Millville, MA

259 Wayland Avenue | Providence, RI

$2,975,000

$2,785,000

6 BD

4 BA

5,000 SF

401.383.0999

6 BD

3F 3H BA

7,961 SF

401.639.4455

55 Dartmouth Avenue | Providence, RI

18 Virginia Road | Barrington, RI

$949,000

$650,000

Nine Residential Units

401.612.4242

details@liladelman.com

2 BD

1 BA

1,297 SF

401.227.8989

4 0 1 . 2 74 .1 6 4 4

Lila Delman Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. *Sales ranking based on info from RI Statewide MLS for period 1/1/10-12/1/21.

RHO D E I SLAN D ’S # 1 REAL ESTATE CO M PANY

T R U S T E D N A M E , P R O V E N R E S U LT S

EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI 125 HOPE STREET | $2,795,000

Jim DeRentis 401.529.2188

PAWTUCKET, RI 40 NOT TINGHAM WAY | $759,900

PROVIDENCE, RI 200 E XCHANGE ST, # 1018 | $715,000

Jim DeRentis 401.529.2188

PAWTUCKET, RI 81 CAPWELL AVENUE | $559,000

EAST SIDE OF PROVIDENCE, RI 433 WAYLAND AVE, UNIT 3 | $549,000

Greene | Sweeney 401.339.5621

PROVIDENCE, RI 53 TELL STREET | $324,900

Ellen Kasle 401.451.7848

Rebecca Mayer 401.447.8040

Joe Roch 401.440.7483

ResidentialProperties.com Barrington 401.245.9600

Cumberland 401.333.9333

East Greenwich 401.885.8400

Little Compton 401.635.8590

Narragansett 401.783.2474

Newport 401.619.5622

Providence 401.274.6740

West Side PVD 401.457.3400

Westport MA 508.636.4760

Providence Monthly June 2022

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