Providence Monthly August 2021 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Providence Monthly August 2021

SUMMER SMOKIN’

BBQ joints in and around PVD serve up New England takes on Southern classics

Photo by Jacquelina Paiva, courtesy of Durk’s

NEWS & CITY LIFE

ART & CULTURE

11 The legacies of retiring presidents Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, Providence Art Club, and Rosanne Somerson, RISD

47 Doors Open RI returns with a fluid new project

23 RHODY GEM: The bookstore that made national news when VP Harris stopped by

Photo courtesy of Books on the Square

LIFE & STYLE 25 A fine artist and designer fills her Edgewood Victorian flat with vibrancy 30 Meet a real estate developer with an eye for stunning portraiture

50 MUSIC SCENE: A review of Vudu Sister’s latest myth-making effort 52 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

Photo courtesy of Vudu Sister

18 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: Infante-Green and teachers’ unions clash during legislative hearing 20 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Hyper local news and contact listings

48 Acclaimed theater couple creates a response to post-pandemic life

Interior photography by Alê Moraes

16 OP-ED: A Letter from Buddy

Photo courtesy of Distinguish Catering

On The Cover: Smoked meats from Durk’s Bar-B-Q. Photo by Jacquelina Paiva, courtesy of Durk’s

FOOD & DRINK 57 Passed hors d’oeuvres infused with care and Caribbean flavors 58 EXPERIENCE: Boutique bar offers craft cocktails and a Mediterranean palate 60 Restaurant-to-retail recipes from PVD eateries 62 FOOD NEWS: Downcity dining updates 64 PIC OF PVD

MONTHLY

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

Young Girl Charcoal and acetone on plate Bristol paper

Self Portrait The life and legacy of outgoing Providence Art Club president Nancy Gaucher-Thomas As Nancy Gaucher-Thomas winds through the sunlit halls of the Providence Art Club, she’s greeted at every corner by someone eager to sing her praises. Gaucher-Thomas, who shepherded the club through the dark days of the pandemic as its president, is heralded as somewhat of a hero among her constituents. “She got us through hell,” PAC member and painter Anthony Tomasselli remarks, describing her as a “pillar” of the 141-year-old institution. As she departs her three-year tenure, Gaucher-Thomas leaves behind a legacy of widening access to art and transforming it into a tool for change and for healing. While running PAC full-time, Gaucher-Thomas concurrently serves as President Emerita for the Art League of RI (of which she’s also the founder) and as an arts consultant for Hope Hospice RI, Women & Infants Hospital, and Roger Williams Medical Center. Artwork by Nancy Gaucher-Thomas ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

NEWS & CITY LIFE

P VD A r t L e gacies | By Li Goldstein

“I feel that if you’re an artist, there’s some responsibility to be involved in the community,” she says, “because we have a voice, and the voice is very powerful. And so collectively, we can do a lot.” As the pandemic closed the doors to PAC’s physical space on Thomas Street, it opened new ones for Gaucher-Thomas, who saw an opportunity to extend programming beyond its walls and reconceptualize what

it means to bring together a community. Workshops and lectures found new audiences on Zoom; a talk hosted by Andrew Wyeth’s granddaughter, GaucherThomas recalls, attracted upwards of 200 attendees. Gaucher-Thomas innovated to COVID’s constraints, hosting courtyard receptions in the middle of winter. Attendees donned coats, mittens, and blankets under outdoor heaters.

After leaving PAC, Gaucher-Thomas looks forward to spending more time with her own art in her home studio in East Greenwich. A series of her watercolor and charcoal portraits is currently featured in an ongoing exhibit at PAC in collaboration with RISD glass artist Dan Read. Her work is intimate and evocative, capturing a transcendent quality in each subject. She finds her muses on the street, or in a cafe. It’s difficult to articulate what in a subject sparks inspiration, but she’s looking beyond conventional beauty. “The way someone tilts their head, or just the way the light catches their eye … I’m always looking at those kinds of things,” she muses. That moment of recognition, she says, is a “lightbulb.” “It’s like a little shock,” she explains. “It’s something palpable, for sure. And I love that because it’s so unexpected.” Gaucher-Thomas’ penchant for art has always been instinctual. She remembers being nine years old, sitting in front of the TV but sketching the lamp next to it instead. She was inspired most by her parents who found time to give back and encourage her love of art while working in a school cafeteria and construction, respectively. Gaucher-Thomas credits her upbringing for her work ethic: “When I think about my roots, and I think about what I do, it’s now so obvious where it came from. They gave that gift to me.”

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Artwork by Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, Photo courtesy of Nancy Gaucher-Thomas

Wistful, watercolor on plate Bristol paper, 22 x 30”

NEWS & CITY LIFE

P VD A r t L e gacies | By Adam Zangari

Building Character Outgoing president and influential designer Rosanne Somerson reflects on five decades at the college

On a warm day in late June during her sixth year as president at the Rhode Island School of Design, Rosanne Somerson announced she would be retiring. The furniture designer arrived at RISD as a freshman in 1972, returning a decade later to run the MFA Graduate Program in Furniture Design and co-found the Furniture Design department. She served as interim associate provost for Academic Affairs from

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

2005 to 2007, interim provost from 2011 to 2012, provost from 2012 to 2013, and interim president from 2014 to 2015 before becoming the 17th president in 2015. Today she is president emerita. Throughout Somerson’s time at the institution, she’s witnessed both changes and constants. “The core values of RISD are still very true to the mission of educating the world’s most creative future

leaders and artists and designers, as well as helping the public to understand arts and design,” Somerson says. “But we’ve got far more breadth in our curriculum. The world has changed, and our design has changed dramatically.” Somerson notes that when she was a student, she and her peers mainly wanted to practice their crafts and discipline. Now, students are looking at what they can do to impact

Photo by Jo Sittenfeld, courtesy of Rosanne Somerson

Former RISD president Rosanne Somerson

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the world and to solve problems being faced by their generation. During her tenure, Somerson placed a particular focus on helping the school’s fundraising, increasing scholarships and financial aid for students. “We have the highest level of financial aid fundraising in RISD history and the highest level of financial aid awarded by far in our history,” Somerson says. She is also very proud of developing the school’s social equity and inclusion plan, which has led to RISD having a more diverse student body than any time in its history. RISD has named David Proulx, the recent senior vice president of finance and administration, its interim president. Somerson said that she has not been involved in the search process for her permanent replacement, but is very happy with the choice of Proulx as her temporary successor. “I have enormous respect for him. I hired him, actually. He’s a terrific administrator with a lot of higher education experience.” “I hope that RISD’s future allows the most talented students to attend, regardless of socioeconomic capacity or capability,” Somerson said. “I want RISD to help them to thrive so that they can go out and be the next influential generation of creative leaders.”

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

O p-Ed | By Barry Fain & Steve Triedman

A Letter from Buddy Thoughts from our city’s favorite felon as he turns 80 It feels like a lifetime since I was Mayor. Technically, it was. Now, I won’t say whether I’m looking down on everyone…or looking up…so that way I’ll only disappoint half of you. Hint #1: Turns out they use toupees for sizing halos. Hint #2: They also throw them in whenever they need extra heat. Regardless of where I am, I always stay up-to-date on the City I love. (Some thanks to Dan Yorke who fills my radio time slot valiantly and all of the shows that still reflect on “What would Buddy have done?”) First, a little catch-up for those of you who were too young or too new to Providence, I’m sure that you’ve heard the stories of my tenure in City Hall. They said that I would go to the “opening of an envelope” … and I would. Which is why I wouldn’t have made it through the quarantine. Eat in every night? No chance to bump elbows with my people? Zoom would have been when I showed up in your living room for a fast visit. I’d have lasted a month. Maybe. Whenever I’m asked what I am most proud of during my 20+ years as Mayor (okay, so there was a five-year gap in the middle and yes there was a trip to New Jersey at the end), my answer is always the same. I helped take a tired, northeast city which thought their best days were behind them – “a smudge on the way to the Cape” The Wall Street Journal called us – and was able to get everyone, my fans and my enemies, to start believing in themselves. And with the right leadership, far be it from me to criticize the living, you still can. I’m glad that a sense of normalcy is returning with restaurants slowly getting back to business as usual, because I still have a lot of marinara sauce (or gravy, to some) that I need to move for my scholarship fund. Oh, how I miss Federal Hill! I reached out to Lynn Singleton at PPAC to suggest that Buddy in the Balcony replace Phantom of the Opera, since I was such an incredible sell-out for Trinity Rep in The Prince of Providence. In fact, I’m still such a draw, I hear they’re thinking of putting me in A Christmas Carol. Everybody has figured out a way to keep making money from my legacy except me. I want to see WaterFire return to the water, not in the dumpsters at Burnside a spark

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Vincent Albert “Buddy” Cianci Jr. served as the mayor of Providence from 1975 to 1984, and 1991 to 2002

that the City needs. And, yes, I do know something about fire. Education was my biggest (and, everyone else’s) failure. So, I was pleased when I saw that the State took over the schools. Unfortunately, so far it reminds me of Ronald Reagan’s famous quote, “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” The situation for too long has represented a clear and present danger for our children and is too important

for our City’s survival and growth. The State has a clear mandate, from almost all parties, to act aggressively to blow up the entire system and rebuild it into one we can be proud of. Now let’s see if they can light the fuse. And finally, I hear that my old friend Joe Paolino built a beautiful new hotel named The Beatrice after his mother. Sort of made me wish I’d done something like that for my mother. Maybe I’ll talk to the powers that be and see if I can get Esther Sunday made a holiday.

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NEWS & CITY LIFE

P o l i t i cs | By I an Donnis

In Partnership with The Public’s Radio • ThePublicsRadio.org

Rhode Island Education Commission Angélica Infante-Green told a legislative panel Monday night [June 14] that a strong foundation has been built for the anticipated fiveyear turn-around of the Providence schools. But Infante-Green also came in for sharp criticism from some Providence teachers and the unions that represent them. The commissioner began her virtual appearance during a meeting of the state Senate’s Committee on Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight by outlining the situation she inherited in 2019: a dysfunctional school system in Providence marked by abysmal test scores for basic skills. She said the district had been marked by a lack of change for more than 30 years. Despite the pandemic, Infante-Green said, her team has put in place improvements in areas ranging from professional development to purchasing, as well as metrics to gauge progress on student performance and in other key needs. “As we continue to move forward, you will see that we are measuring everything – everything as well as our actions,” she said. “….You will see that we are holding ourselves accountable.” Infante-Green said the Providence schools still have a long way to go. But she said the stage has been set for continued improvements, with more tangible steps forward already than in many previous years. Infante-Green said one key need that remains to be addressed is an overhaul of the contract for the Providence Teachers Union – a topic that remains the subject of closed-door discussions. Barbara Cottam, chairwoman of the state Board of Education, echoed Infante-Green’s upbeat assessment, while acknowledging a recent assault charge against a Providence administrator that led to the replacement of the person who hired him, former Superintendent Harrison Peters. “Certainly, the last few weeks have been challenging for everyone,” Cottam said, “but it’s important that as a state we have the will to stay the course to create a better education for our children and the families of Providence. They so deserve it.” Committee Chairman Louis DiPalma

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

(D-Middletown) questioned whether too much power has shifted from the Education Board to the Commissioner’s office with the Providence takeover. For Sen. James Seveney (D-Portsmouth), the question was how the takeover is affecting the morale of Providence teachers. “It’s been a hard year for everyone,” Infante-Green responded. “Statewide, it’s been really difficult.” She said teachers have a gamut of feelings, with some feeling very supported by her administration.

Seveney said, “To me, the whole thing lives or dies on whether or not the teachers are happy and feel supported, you know, feel like they are getting it done,” he said. Infante-Green said she supports changing “a little bit of what the seniority process looks like” in the PTU contract, in part since lower salaries for younger teachers makes it difficult to retain them. Later in the hearing, Maribeth Calabro, president of the Providence Teachers Union, faulted Infante-Green for what she called

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Infante-Green and teachers’ unions clash during legislative hearing

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Rachel Jones unprecedentedly bad morale among teachers. “Fifteen-hundred teachers voted no confidence in the commissioner and the superintendent of schools last March, and that number has grown by leaps and bounds over the past month, given the emails that I have received,” Calabro said. Calabro said Infante-Green has not collaborated with teachers. “Our teachers need to stop being vilified. They need to stop being targeted and feeling like they’re less than.”

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@the_jonesgroup ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

NEWS & CITY LIFE

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

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

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

Proposed dorms cause storms in Fox Point By mid-spring of this year, representatives from Brown University had met twice with the Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) to share plans for two new residence halls on Brook Street between Charlesfield and Power streets, at the edge of campus. Each time, university liaisons took questions from neighbors and pledged to honor community feedback on the plans. Yet also by mid-spring, many neighbors did not feel satisfied that their comments on these proposals had been heard. The buildings, which were slated to hold hundreds of students, were not only too large in scale to harmonize with a quiet residential neighborhood, wrote neighbors in a May letter to Brown President Christina Paxson, but also stray from the character of the historic district. The dorms would “tower over abutting properties,” they wrote, creating a “cavern” on Brook Street. What’s more, residents decried the proposed demolition of three nearby historic houses and the displacement of popular local businesses like Bagel Gourmet and East Side Mini Mart. Since then, a coalition of neighbors, which includes FPNA, College Hill Neighborhood Association, Mile of History Association, Providence Preservation Society, City Councilman John Goncalves, and individual neighbors whose homes abut the site, circulated a petition that acquired upward of 1,100 signatures. While Paxson’s June reply to the group acknowledged its concerns, members say they were disappointed to see only superficial adjustments to the plans. University architects altered the rooflines, for instance, and moved the west building northward to edge it out of the historic district, but the group has felt largely rebuffed. “We felt our requests were legitimate,” commented one neighborhood association board member. The group had hoped that Brown cared about cultivating a good relationship with neighbors, she said. “In reality,” she continued, “we feel dismissed and steamrolled by the Goliath on the hill.” 20

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Photo by Amy Mendillo

A coalition of neighbors has objected to Brown University’s plans for two large dormitories on Brook Street between Charlesfield and Power

Barrio Tours seek to dismantle community barriers Nonprofit organization Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA) resumes Barrio Tours of the neighborhood comprising Broad and Cranston streets in the heart of South Providence August 1, a series that began in 2019 to give visitors the opportunity to experience the public art, authentic cuisine, commerce, and rich cultural history of the area. The neighborhood has a long history of Latino cultural expression and activism, which these tours, co-led by RILA Executive Director Marta V. Martínez and residents or barrio docents with strong ties to the community, explore while engaging with the Broad Street corridor. Barrio docents have also spent the summer collecting oral histories and supporting RILA’s LatinXCine program in documenting the changing landscape of Broad Street to create a video trailer that will be released this fall portraying stories, memories, and facets of neighborhood life (like the Chimi Trucks that line the street selling traditional Dominican burgers). RILA initiatives like LatinXCine, which is led by Alberto Genao and seeks to empower the next generation of Latinx videographers, and Barrio Tours are helping to map out the cultural threads of the neighborhood and instill a sense of ownership and pride amongst those who live and work there. To learn more or get involved, email Martínez at Marta@rilatinoarts.org. RILatinoArts.org

New historic district protects 87 College Hill properties

Public art brings cheer to Hope Street

Providence has a new local historic district: Power-Cooke Streets. After working for years with homeowners located between Hope and Governor, Angell and Young Orchard, Providence Preservation Society was able to pass this critical preservation protection. Local historic districts allow the city’s Historic District Commission to review changes (demolition, new construction, and exterior alterations) in these districts for appropriateness. This new district adds 87 properties to the purview of the HDC and will protect them for generations to come. The district’s name, Power-Cooke Streets, relates to the corresponding historic district on the National Register of Historic Places, which is a largely honorary designation. PPS is grateful to Ward 1 Councilman John Goncalves for his leadership in moving this zoning change through City Council and to Councilwomen Jo-Ann Ryan and Helen Anthony for their support.

On June 27, the Summit Neighborhood Association (SNA) held a ribbon cutting for their newly commissioned “Hope” mural on the southern wall of Not Just Snacks, next to Eden Park Cleaners. The colorful, floral artwork by Joanna Vespia brings cheer to the street, along with the much-needed message of hope for the community emerging from challenges brought on by the pandemic. The text, “Most of Us Live Off Hope,” is a nod to the 1978 Providence poster by Mad Peck and also apropos of the mural’s location. SNA enlisted nonprofit The Avenue Concept to coordinate and facilitate the project, and Mohammed Islam, owner of Not Just Snacks, not only provided the wall but also treats at the ribbon-cutting. The raised garden of flowers in front of the mural was created by Kim-Nov Hinh of Eden Park Cleaners and provided both the inspiration for the mural and the immersive functionality of the artwork. Support from SNA members helped to fund the piece, and everyone is encouraged to visit, photograph, and enjoy this new public art on Hope Street. ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

N e i ghbo r ho o d News

Providence Neighborhood Associations Blackstone Parks Conservancy Jane Peterson P.O. Box 603141 Providence, RI 02906 401-270-3014 BlackstoneParks@gmail.com BlackstoneParksConservancy.org College Hill Neighborhood Association Rick Champagne P.O. Box 2442 Providence, RI 02906 CHNA@chnaprovidence.org CHNAProvidence.org Downtown Neighborhood Association DNAPVD@gmail.com DNAPVD.com Facebook: Providence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA Elmwood Neighborhood Association Karen Hlynsky ENA-PVD.org Facebook: Elmwood Neighborhood Association PVD Fox Point Neighborhood Association Meeting Date: August 10 Amy Mendillo P.O. Box 2315 Providence, RI 02906 FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com FPNA.net Jewelry District Association Sharon Steele Sharon@sharonsteele.com JewelryDistrict.org Facebook: Jewelry District Association Providence, RI

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Summit Neighborhood Association commissioned the “Hope” mural on the wall of Not Just Snacks, coordinated by The Avenue Concept

Photo by Sascha Martin

NEWS & CITY LIFE

Mile of History Association Wendy Marcus c/o Providence Preservation Society 24 Meeting Street Providence, RI 02903 MileOfHistory@gmail.com MileOfHistory.org Mount Hope Community Center 401-521-8830 MHNAInc@gmail.com Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc. Olneyville Neighborhood Association Eduardo Sandoval 122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI 02909 ONAProvidence@gmail.com Facebook: Olneyville Library Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations Info@provcna.org ProvCNA.org Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association David Talan 25 Santiago St. Providence, RI 02907 401-941-3662 DaveTalan@aol.com Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative Wole Akinbi 400 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1 AAkinbi@half-full.com Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

South Providence Neighborhood Association c/o Dwayne Keys P.O. Box 5653 Providence, RI 02903 401-369-1334 SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association Summit Neighborhood Association Meeting date: August 16 P.O. Box 41092 Providence, RI 02940 401-400-0986 SNAProv@gmail.com SummitNeighbors.org Washington Park Neighborhood Association Meeting Date: November 10 237 Washington Avenue Providence, RI 02905 BettyLinda@aol.com Facebook: Washington Park Association Wayland Square Neighborhood Association Katherine Touafek Facebook: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.com West Broadway Neighborhood Association 1560 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909 401-831-9344 WBNA@wbna.org WBNA.org

NEWS & CITY LIFE

By Emma Nicholson

Books on the Square Bookshop 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: Since 1992, Books on the Square has been one of Rhode Island’s premiere independent bookstores, with titles in all genres, plus games and gifts.

What makes it a Rhody Gem? If this neighborhood shop wasn’t on your radar before, you might remember VP Kamala Harris’ surprise visit making headlines back in May. And she didn’t choose her book-browsing destination lightly: Books on the Square is an obvious choice for all sorts of interests, from literary new releases and gripping biographies to your next page-turner for beach reading. A dedicated kids’ section (both online and in-store) with books and brain games makes it a family-friendly stop, too. Peruse hand-written notes of personal recommendations from a shelf of “Staff Picks” if you’re having trouble deciding. Their book events with authors foster a community around reading, even if it’s virtual, like a June launch of In the Heights partnering with Random House to present Lin-Manuel Miranda and co-authors. When you visit this month, make sure you congratulate them on their 29th birthday!

Books on the Square

471 Angell Street, Providence • 331-9097 BookSq.com • @books_on_the_square

Photo courtesy of Books on the Square

Where to find it: Located in the historic Wayland Square, watch for the iconic green awning and a shop window brimming with books inside.

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

11 Taft Avenue 40 Lafayette Street 150 9th Street @Greene_Sweeney 38 Taft Avenue, Unit#1 42 Twelfth Street 2021 YEAR TO DATE 11 Oriole Street SOLDS & PENDINGS 3 Applegate Road ($53+ Million in Sales) 286 Glenwood Avenue 47 Manning Street 433 Wayland Ave, Unit#3 276 Channel View Ave 75 Applegate Road 16 Freeman Parkway 238 Terrace Avenue 91 Grotto Avenue 23 Sheldon Street, Unit#1 104 Congdon Street 37 Fletcher Road 140 Freeman Parkway 333 Atwells Ave, Unit#301 56 Cooke Street 480 Church Avenue 95 Freeman Parkway 19 Mount View Drive 163 Governor Street 1000 Prov Place, Unit#277 130 Slater Avenue 99 Almy Street, Unit#2 41 North Avenue 102 Lyndon Road 85 Power Street 42 Upland Road Thinking of Listing this Fall? 10 Cooke Street 34 Cliffside Drive 28 Calvert Place We’d love to meet you. Call the #1 Top Selling East Side 242 Team. President Ave, Unit#14 31 Tenth Street 88 Cooke Street, Unit#2 Kira Greene 401.339.5621 | Michael J. Sweeney 401.864.8286 12 Woodland Terrace 175 Bonnet Pt Rd, Unit#327 Follow Us On

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*Ranking 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. Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Based on information from Statewide MLS for 2021 as of July 2, 2021.

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LIFE & STYLE Home | Influencer

Vibrant pillows add playful color among neutral furnishings

Vivacious Victorian A fabric/interior designer outfits her Edgewood pad with an eclectic mix of classic and quirky “It doesn’t matter if you mix old and new, or different styles, colors, and patterns. The things you like will always blend, by themselves, into a peaceful whole.” This circa-1958 quote by Josef Frank appears to be the MO for Sara Ladds, a fine artist and design consultant with her own fabric line who cites flamboyant pillows by the Swedish architect and designer as among the things that bring the most joy in her home. Interior photography by Alê Moraes ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

LIFE & STYLE

H o me | By Elyse Major

I’m Here To Help!

Call Joe Roch

401-440-7483

Interior photography by Alê Moraes

Happily assisting buyers and sellers in Providence and throughout Rhode Island Originally from New York City, Ladds came to Rhode Island to attend RISD and never left. After living in Little Compton for a spell, she set her sights on Edgewood, smitten by the neighborhood’s National Historic districts and stunning Victorian homes. Ladds was delighted when a top-floor apartment became available, blocks from both Roger Williams Park and the bay. “The house is one of the Grand Dames,” Ladds begins. “I immediately fell in love with the marble steps that lead up to the third floor, the stained glass windows in the hall and bathroom, the brick wall separating the kitchen from the living area, the hardwood floors, and the openness of the space.” Another prized

feature is the view. “I feel like I’m living in a tree house or perched like a bird on top of the treetops. I see eagles and ospreys circling, beautiful sunsets, and the onset of thunderstorms,” says Ladds with glee. While the home may be Victorian, Ladds’ interiors are anything but prim, and she describes her style as self-reflective: very eclectic with a nod to both the classic and quirky. “Every single thing in my home has personal meaning to me. I spent a great deal of thought in placing where things go and how they interact with each other in the room.” She continues, “Color is extremely important to me. I usually start with color and build out from there, whether it be my interior design, fabric design, or artwork.”

JoeRoch.com

jroch@residentialproperties.com ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Home

Ladds spent much of her career as a graphic designer/art director, explaining that she’s always had a passion for interior design and a love for fabrics; about six years ago she decided to change course to become a fabric designer. “The fabric concept store Kreatelier carried my line and before long I became part of the amazing team and now work as one of the design consultants,” says Ladds. “I am also a fine art painter and feel fortunate to be a part of the wonderful art community available in Rhode Island.”

GET RHODY STYLE Sara Ladds shares favorite places and ways to give your home a local accent. OCEAN STATE OF MIND “Providence is a small city with a big heart. I love the vibe, restaurants, people, and history. Rhode Island has so many secret places that are special and of course, the coastline is amazing,” says Ladds. SHOP SMALL Ladds lists the following as Providence favorites: Studio Hop, Simple Pleasures, Paper Nautilus, and of course, Kreatelier where she is an interior decor consultant. HAVE ART Best way to give your home an Ocean State vibe? “Shop local and buy local art,” says Ladds, whose work can be found at Studio Hop, and the Art Cafe in Little Compton. Learn more at SaraLadds.com

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

Interior photography by Alê Moraes

LIFE & STYLE

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LIFE & STYLE

I nfl ue nc e r | By Sascha Martin

Meet Nigel Fubara

Photo courtesy of Nigel Fubara

Behind the lens with this well-traveled photographer and real estate developer

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Where best friends are made. A signature element of your style is breathtaking portraits that seem to tell a story. What inspires this? I’m a people watcher. I love the energy of personality and style, so I try to capture a person’s essence and character in the pose, the light, the tone, the color. I want to make sure the photo tells their story. How did your passion for photography start? Having left a career as a music engineer and then gone into real estate development, I found myself craving an artistic outlet. My friends Myke Yeager and Justin Case suggested photography. I also create laser-cut, multi-layer, backlit sculptures. And when I’m not doing that, I’m house-flipping. A peek on your Instagram account (@zoomedia) shows that you are quite the adventurer. When you are not in the Ocean State, what are your favorite places to explore? I love the water, so you will find me in beach towns and cities: Barcelona; Sosua, Dominican Republic; Phuket, Thailand. But above all I love to adventure with my bride and discover new places. Next up on our list is the Mykonos, Porto, and the Cape Verde islands. What are some Providence businesses you love? Needle and Thread on Peck Street, La Gran Parada on Broad, Tea and Sahara on Governor, 148 Pavilion Bar & Lounge, and AS220. Any favorite spots to set up your camera around the city? I don’t think I have a favorite… Providence is overflowing with so many great spots. The energy of downtown, the wistfulness of Waterplace Park, the vibrancy of Broad Street, the stately quiet of the East Side. Providence will give you whatever you need as a backdrop for the story you are trying to tell. Do you have any tips for new photographers wanting to perfect their portrait skills? Tell a story. Forget about the equipment and focus on the story you’re telling with the photo.

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’ Smokin SUMMER

Find Texas-style BBQ with a Rhode Island twist at Durk’s Bar-B-Q Photo by Jacquelina Paiva, courtesy of Durk’s

BBQ joints in and around Providence serve up New England takes on Southern classics BY J E N N Y C U RRI E R

ummertime is BBQ season no matter what part of the country you’re from, but for many of us New Englanders, “barbecue” is most often preceded by the word “a” to indicate a cookout in someone’s backyard with burgers and hotdogs on the grill. This is not so for anyone who grew up in the American South, and for the thousands of Rhode Islanders who’ve attended the annual Ocean State BBQ Festival, who know the demand is ever increasing for legit barbecue: the low-and-slow smoked meats, the dry rubs, the sauces. Each region of the US has a distinct style, and perhaps what makes Rhode Island barbecue unique is its willingness to blend these methods, to get experimental, and to use their culinary expertise – which overflows in the Ocean State – to offer an outstanding barbecue of its own. Whatever your preference is, you can find something to suit your taste buds, and who knows – maybe one day smoked calamari will become a RI staple. But until that day, there’s a bit of Memphis, Kansas, Carolina, and Texas to go around.

DIFFERENTIATING STYLES Two Rhode Island-based barbecue enthusiasts, Brent Mancuso and Adam Croft, who started Kick Back Kitchen and BBQ YouTube channel (@kbkbbq on Instagram), offered some insight about navigating the four main regions of the BBQ Belt. CAROLINA: One size does not fit all here. In South Carolina, as well as eastern North Carolina, “whole hog” barbecue reigns, where an entire pig is splayed out above the flames. Sauces in the north/east are thinner and vinegar based. Western North Carolina (AKA Lexington) is known for pork butt/ pulled pork, with a tomato-based sauce

and a bit of vinegar, though not quite as thin. And further south (just to complicate things), you’ll find mustard-based sauces. MISSOURI (KANSAS CITY/ST. LOUIS): What most New Englanders think of as barbecue, this is a “no meat left behind” region where everything goes, though pork ribs are a specialty. The classic “Americana” sauce is sweet and tangy, thick and molasses-y – made with ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. MEMPHIS: Known for dry rubs (some containing up to 40 spices), this style

has an emphasis on pork ribs and shoulder. When they do wet rubs, it’s a tomato-based tangy sauce. Alabama is similar to Memphis style, except they have their own unique “white” sauce, which is mayonnaise-based. TEXAS: Brisket and all things beef. The typical rub is a 50/50 salt and pepper mix, cooked low and slow over wood. Depending on where you are in Texas, you’ll find hickory (East TX), oak and pecan (Central), and mesquite (West), which has a strong flavor and is better for quicker cooking items, like chicken.

Black Beans "VD

BlackBeansPVD.com @bakedbeanpvd

%urk’s Bar•B•Q

EN P R D I O V

The owner of Black Beans PVD, who goes by Bean, grew up on the West End of Providence, and all the flavors of her “soul food” are influenced by her upbringing: Southeast Asian, West African, Spanish, and her own father’s North Carolinian background. “My dad would barbecue all year long. Winter snowstorm? Doesn’t matter. He’d be grilling on the front porch,” Bean says. While Black Beans PVD has a rotating menu, Bean whips out her best barbecue in August. You can expect to find a BBB Burger: beef patty, beef bacon, and beef brisket, on a sweet cornbread brioche bun. Everything is made from scratch, from the mayonnaise to the relish. “I will pickle anything,” Bean explains, including watermelon rinds and her own red onion jam. “I don’t like slaw, personally, so I make a spiced pickled cabbage instead. But all the other sides you expect to find – potato salad, mac and cheese, BBQ beans – I’ve got those.” In terms of sauces, Bean offers a Carolina-style sauce made with apple cider vinegar, chilis, and sugar – a thinner, “wet” sauce, which is great with pork. She’s also proud of her Malta sauce, which is thicker and tomato-based, and has a deep molasses flavor. As a “Black Bean” staple, the black bean-based chili, topped with barbecue brisket or beef ribs that are slowcooked and shredded, is another must-try item.

Durk’s Bar-B-Q was an instant hit when it opened in January of 2017 on Thayer Street. Since then it has undergone several changes, including a new location – they’re now in the heart of Downcity, across from Gracie’s – and new executive chef, Ed Davis, formerly of Birch and Oberlin. “If there was a proper Rhode Island barbecue, it’d be squid and maybe chicken,” Davis comments. Seeing as this isn’t likely to draw large crowds, Durk’s sticks with what people are looking for when they think of barbecue, but adds some unique touches. For example, the house BBQ sauce uses Autocrat coffee syrup as a sweetener, and his dry rub blend includes Bolt coffee, “to give it some kind of Rhode Island identity.” Although Davis doesn’t claim ownership of the Texas-style barbecue the original location boasted, he has perfected the art of all things smoked. He begins prepping the brisket days before it even enters the smoker by chilling in the walk-in refrigerator, then rubbing it with a salt-and-pepper blend 12-24 hours before it cooks. Using a blend of cherry, oak, hickory, and maple wood, the meats smoke all day. The brisket’s “smoke ring” comes out textbook perfect,

and the point cut is chock full of flavor. Order the brisket, St. Louis ribs, or the kielbasa stuffed with cheese and brisket, a slice of sweet cornbread, and your favorite side. Though you won’t need it for the meat, the Alabama white sauce is definitely worth trying – a combo of mayo and horseradish, it’s as addictive as ranch dressing. 33 Aborn Street, Providence DurksBBQ.com • @durksbbq

Pulled pork on a cornbread brioche bun Photo courtesy of Black Beans PVD

Sides are an essential part of the experience Photo by Jacquelina Paiva, courtesy of Durk’s

St. Louis Baby Ribs and a brisket platter from Wes’ Rib House Photo by Jenny Currier

N E

The first time Great Northern BBQ Co. entered the inaugural Ocean State BBQ Festival, they won for the best brisket, and last year they were the #1 Judge’s Choice for RI Food Fights’ “Lord of the Wings” competition. According to owner Daniel Becker, “We must be doing something right.” Becker, whom you might also be familiar with from Ogie’s Trailer Park and Duck and Bunny, is excited for the post-pandemic enthusiasm he sees happening in Providence. “Everyone is running out of their houses to get food and drinks like this is the first time they’ve ever seen it. And right now we have the best combination of people in the kitchen – including an excellent pit master, a rare commodity.” He’s speaking about Sean Bender, pitmaster and head chef of Great Northern, and a universal traveler who’s made his way from Alaska to the deep South and up to Rhode Island. The aim here is not to compete with the South but to create a unique New Englandstyle barbecue (hence “Great Northern”) that’s a hybrid of Memphis, Texas, and West Carolina styles, as well as a nod to seafood – like salmon – which is charred to perfection on the wood-fired grill. Come for Wing Wednesday, and don’t forget to try the Highland Game: burnt orange bourbon, smoked simple, and bitters.

PR OVID

Photo courtesy of Great Northern BBQ

E Champion Chicken Wings

Great Northern BBQ Co.

9 Parade Street, Providence GreatNorthernBBQCo.square.site @greatnorthernbbqco

%es’ Rib House

Wes’ Rib House was the first restaurant in Providence – and greater Rhode Island, according to owner Michael Solomon – to start smoking meats Southern-style. They opened in 1973 on Broad Street but relocated to Olneyville in 1982. They use an open wood fire pit to cook their ribs and meats, including pork, beef, lamb, and chicken. This is Missouristyle BBQ, in which they baste the meat with a molasses-y barbecue sauce, let it marinate, and then douse it in some more sauce. Their most popular dishes are the Baby Ribs and the

Smoked Brisket Platter, and thankfully they provide wet naps because your fingers will get sticky when you tackle those ribs. This spot is also known for its late hours, which prepandemic stayed open until 2am weekdays and 4am weekends, making it the perfect spot after a late night on the town. 38 Dike Street, Providence WesRibHouse.com ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

!onetown !urgers and B!Q

39 Phenix Avenue, Cranston BonetownEats.com @bonetownri

Brown Baggin BBQ

B O E Y O PR N D

Bonetown is a chef-driven, jointly operated business between longtime friends and colleagues Rich Cambriello and Shane Caledonia. The business has morphed over the past eight years from a food truck called Daddy’s Bonetown Burgers to a storefront that sells both burgers and barbecue. When Caledonia joined the business in 2016, he was looking to reinvent himself from his previous executive chef position. “Barbecue was always my culinary hobby. I fell in love with it at a pretty young age, 16 or 17 years old, and that’s when I developed my dry rub, which is the backbone of what we do here.” The dry rub is used for all of their smoked meats, as well as for seasoning the baked beans, chicken dishes, and creating barbecue sauces. “We don’t sauce anything; sauces are on the side,” Caledonia explains. These, too, are made from scratch in house, “our own style.” Two of the three are sweeter and thicker, like a Kansas City style: Sweet and Tangy Apricot (the “signature sauce”), Smoked Garlic and Habanero (for some spice), and a Georgia-style Mustard. All three sauces include Warwick’s own Proclamation Ale Tendril IPA as a base ingredient. In terms of sides, the mac and cheese – a mix of cheddar, swiss, and provolone – is popular, and as for barbecue, “the St. Louis ribs are where it all started for me,” Caledonia says.

A smoked meat spread for the whole family Photo courtesy of Brown Baggin BBQ

Pawtucket BrownBagginBBQ.com @brown_baggin_bbq

Photo courtesy of Bonetown Burgers and BBQ

Trevor Davenport was born in Tennessee, and his favorite childhood memory was visiting a barbecue shack that served pit barbecue – literally, from a pit underground – with full plate-sized servings that were dirt cheap. He didn’t consider starting his own barbecue business until he moved to Rhode Island: “I realized if I wanted Tennessee barbecue, I’d need to make it myself.” The name Brown Baggin was inspired by Davenport’s mother, who always thought he should have a culinary business, suggesting he make boxed lunches. “After she passed away,” Davenport says, “I didn’t even think about it. I knew what I would call the business. But I wanted to do barbecue instead.” Brown Baggin BBQ is great for event catering and large family orders (delivered to your door), something Davenport is accustomed to after working as a cook in the Navy and on tugboats. He uses his grandmother’s recipes for the sides and tries to keep it “simple home cookin’.” “It doesn’t look like something you buy at the store; it looks like something you’d get from your grandmother – and it tastes like you’re at home.”

Brisket can be ordered solo or as a meal with sides

Gotta Q "#Q

I D

E N Competition-winning St. Louis-style ribs, brisket, sauces, and sides Photo by Jenny Currier

YO N D P

O R

“We started with one little food truck, just my wife and me – and we built a flavor profile that seems to be successful,” Mike Strout says of Gotta Q BBQ, which he and his wife, Janice, started in 2013. What began as a two-day festival in Connecticut selling only pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and water, has turned into a brickand-mortar restaurant in Cumberland, a permanent smoker trailer in Smithfield, and a food truck that has been voted the #1 BBQ Food Truck in the USA three years in a row by Mobile-Cuisine Magazine. “Everyone around here is chasing me [and my barbecue],” Strout laughs, but the quality of his food is no joke. In addition to Strout’s own prowess in the competition circuit, his pitmaster, Chris Clegg, is also an award-winning name (he competes as Rhode Hog BBQ). Together, they’re a dynamic duo operating multiple cookers and smokers. With Cadillac cookers that can hold 60 racks of ribs at one time, they had everything in place when the pandemic hit to produce high-volume take-out. They used their production space to serve those in need, offering lunches to students and 1,500 meals to families for Thanksgiving. When it comes to barbecue, the beef brisket and the St. Louis style ribs are among their award-winning meats. “I cringe when people put sauce on brisket. I especially cringe when they put it on the ribs – these are our competition ribs. We wrap them in foil to lock in the flavor,” Strout explains. But the house sauce, a blend of a Kansas City sweet sauce and an Eastern Carolina vinegar sauce, is the Goldilocks of sauces – it’s just right: “A little sweet, a little heat, and a little tang.” In terms of sides, try the collard greens. They’re bound to become award winning, too. 2000 Mendon Road, #10, Cumberland GottaQ.net • @gottaqbbq

BRISKET PRO-TIPS LOOK FOR A SMOKE RING: If you see a pink ring around the edges of your sliced brisket, that’s actually the sign of a good smoking: the ring is caused by an interaction between a pink protein in meat (myoglobin) and the nitric oxide and carbon monoxide from the burning wood. POINT VS. FLAT: The point is where most of the fat resides, and therefore is juicier and retains more flavor. The flat (or “first cut”) is from a leaner section of the brisket, making it easy to slice and lay flat. Both are delicious on their own, but side by side, there is a tangible (and tastable) difference. WHEN IS IT “JUST RIGHT”? You can perform a simple test to know if your brisket is cooked just right. Hold up a slice of (flat) brisket, letting gravity do its work. The slice should still hold together but tear easily when just a little bit of pressure is applied.

KOREAN BBQ VS. AMERICAN BBQ Along with being home to an unexpected number of Southern barbecue joints, you’ve probably seen Korean barbecue on the menu around Providence, too. Both popular choices, but stemming from different traditions, here’s what you can expect. MEAT PREPARATION: American barbecue is about low and slow, while Korean barbecue is traditionally served by cooking skewered beef, pork, or chicken on a charcoal grill in the center of a table. Popular marinated meats like bulgogi and kalbi are prepared along with various small side dishes called banchan. FLAVORS: While American barbecue can range in flavors depending on the rub and the region of the sauce, it tends to have a smoky flavor. Korean barbecue, on the other hand, is sweeter, using flavors such as soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and even ground pear and honey. There are also side dipping sauces like gochujang, which is a spicy chili sauce. SIDES: Sides are an important part of the Korean barbecue experience, too, and can be grilled or served cold, offering contrasting textures and flavors: spinach, pickled radish or onion, kimchi, sprouts, rice, noodles. These Providence eateries all have Korean barbecue on the menu so you can taste the differences yourself: • bb.q Chicken Brown • Den Den Café Asiana

Our Table slinging chicken tacos and brisket at The Guild Photo by Jenny Currier

• Lekker BBQ • Mokban Korean Bistro

A smoked platter with the works Photo courtesy of Smoke & Squeal Barbecue

• Sun & Moon Korean Restaurant • Sura Korean BBQ

Y E

Our Table

PLACE FOR SUSHI

OVID

N E

Ian and Morgan Gormley made a pivot to barbecue in 2020 when the pandemic hit, after they’d been popping up at Long Live Beerworks with charcuterie grazing tables. “I always really liked barbecue, but I never attempted to make brisket when I was younger,” Ian says, explaining that he started cooking as a kid alongside his mom in the kitchen. But after he and his wife visited Austin, Texas for a wedding, he realized, “it’s another world down there – people camp out for hours to get their barbecue at 10am. I want to create that kind of culture here.” Modeling their brisket after the James Beard award-winning chef, Aaron Franklin, Our Table has been in high demand for barbecue since debuting at Buttonwoods Brewery last May. “People kept asking for it, so we haven’t stopped making it!” Gormley says. Using a traditional Texas-style dry rub, their prime beef brisket is smoked, via a traditional Texas offset smoker, over whole cherry and hickory logs for 16-18 hours. Ian barely sleeps, but it’s worth it: The brisket comes out tender and juicy, packed with a flavor that goes beyond its simple salt and pepper rub. You might even get lucky with some

Pawtucket OurTableRI.com @our_table_ri

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Smoke & Squeal Barbecue

Since opening a food truck in 2017, JWU graduate and US Veteran Adam Batchelder has been using modern smoking techniques and equipment to deliver authentic smoked barbecue to Rhode Islanders. For months, Batchelder researched the best barbecue smoking equipment and selected the Southern Pride SGR400 smoker, which is a gas smoker that uses whole wooden logs (in this case, hickory and oak) and allows more precise temperature control. “It’s a long process,” Batchelder says, as all barbecue aficionados can attest to. “We season the meat 24-48 hours in advance, then smoke it for 17 hours.” They dry rub all of their meats and offer different sauces as a complementary side to replicate the different styles: Memphis Sweet & Spicy, Kansas City Red, Carolina Yellow, BBQ Fire, even a Pickled Pig Juice. The pulled pork and brisket are staples on the menu, but they also have short ribs and pork belly. The Smokey Mac & Cheese, topped with green onions, BBQ sauce, and choice of pulled pork or brisket, is a fan favorite – in 2019 Smoke & Squeal went through 8,000 pounds of it!

burnt ends. The only problem (“problem”) is that the meat is so good, you’ll need to grab a straw for the homemade barbecue sauce and drink it separately. Until they find a brick and mortar of their own, you can follow their brewery pop-ups on Instagram and their website.

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Louis Iasimone, life-long Rhode Islander, is a proud member of a family of leading plumbing and heating professionals. With over 35 years of experience, Louis and the crew at IASIMONE PLUMBING, HEATING & DRAIN CLEANING, INC. provide customers the highest level of service. “It’s so rewarding to have clients call us year after year,” Louis says. Making sure every client understands their options is an important part of what keeps people coming back to Iasimone each year. The company, a years-long recipient of Angie’s List’s Super Service Award, offers a variety of plumbing and heating services, as well as no-cost estimates. They specialize in installation and repairs of sinks and faucets, bathroom fixtures, water lines, dishwashers, water heaters and boilers, and also offer water and sewage services. With the summer months here and entertaining at a maximum, Louis recommends giving some extra attention to your drains. To keep your sinks worry-free, be sure to try and clean your drains regularly, at least once a month. If you have a garbage disposal, try using a couple tablespoons of salt and a cup or two of ice to try and eliminate any grease in the disposal. Follow that with some cold water and a lemon to flush it out and keep it smelling fresh. Don’t forget to flush your drains with hot water after washing your dishes (particularly any greasy ones) to keep the grease from building up. If the worst does occur and there’s a blockage you can’t rid, you’ll know to call Iasimone for your drain cleaning solutions.

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IMMERSE YOURSELF IN PROVIDENCE’S WATERWAYS WWW.PVDWATERWAYS.ORG HISTORY, SHORT STORIES, IMAGES & FUN FACTS PARTICIPATORY, LAYERED, GEOLOCATIVE SOUNDSCAPE PLACE-BASED, IMMERSIVE, ARTISTIC EVENT TIDAL RESONANCE SATURDAY, AUGUST 21

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— SUPPORTED BY —

ART & CULTURE A r t i s t P r o f i l e | R e c o r d R ev i ew | C a l e n d a r

The depiction of the changing shape of Providence’s Cove by Veronica Borsani. Reading left to right (getting progressively smaller) the dates of the pictures are 1800, 1850, 1880, 1939.

Water Under the Bridge The latest Doors Open RI initiative reveals a floodgate of stories connected to the city’s waterways The mission of Doors Open RI, put simply, is to “connect people to places,” says its program director Caroline Stevens. In their latest effort, a multimedia storytelling project called Providence Waterways, water – and its layered history in Rhode Island – serves as the facilitator of connection, an apt medium for a dive into the Ocean State. From fish raining from the sky in a 1900 Olneyville storm to the progressive covering of the Great Salt Cove, which was once an expansive but highly polluted body of water, there are myriad tales contained within water. Taken together, these stories sit at the intersection of a set of common themes, from “public health, to immigration, to labor, to industrialization, and spirituality,” Stevens says. Water is simultaneously fundamental to life and a destroyer of it, and the project foregrounds that tension as well as the inequities embedded in access to water. “It was water that brought slaves to our shore, and is what supported the transatlantic slave trade from our shores,” Stevens says. Participants can journey through waterways via three separate experiences. The first is a digital StoryMap, where users can click locations on a map and consume accompanying content sourced from interviews with local historians and activists, available in both English and Spanish. The second experience is an interactive soundscape that changes based on a participant’s physical location. “Different sounds and stories will emerge based off of where you are,” Stevens says. Lastly, Doors Open RI will host an in-person, day-long event on August 21, free and open to the public, featuring “immersive artistic experiences” curated by Shey Rivera Ríos and Seth Tourjee. “We’d really like to get the people of Providence to just think differently about our waterways, imagine the pathways that water takes, and try to follow those paths to see where it goes,” Stevens says. “And if we’re more aware of our water, then maybe we’ll take that much better care of our water.” Learn more at DoorsOpenRI.org/pvdwaterways | By Li Goldstein Artwork by Verónica Borsani ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

ART & CULTURE

A r t i st P r o fi l e | By Robert Isenberg

Together Again Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky on creating Pageant for Providence, a post-pandemic sprawling homage to community

“It’s part ritual, it’s part performance,” says Taibi Magar, an acclaimed director who is creating Pageant with her husband Tyler Dobrowsky. “It’s more like a space for reflection and catharsis, and asking questions about how to be in space with each other again.” Pageant is a direct response to the pandemic, with an emphasis on safe social engagement. The event starts as a series of audio tours, each of which leads participants on a unique walking route through town. Unlike a church or beauty pageant, this Pageant finds inspiration in the communal variety shows of the Great Depression. You will find yourself walking through any of five neighborhoods, listening to an auditory quilt of stories, songs, and historical testimony. At last, the audience convenes at the Providence Rink, where a physical performance unfolds. “We just wanted to make this thing,” says Magar. “Will it last? I don’t know. Are we going to make other things? I don’t know. But when big things happen in society, especially one with so much tragedy, artists want to answer that.” “We have all gone through something,” adds Dobrowsky. “Let’s just have a moment to reflect on what we’ve gone through, to dream about what the future could hold. It’s very much built for this moment.” The city means a great deal to Magar and Dobrowsky. The couple first met in Providence, when Dobrowsky served as Associate Artistic Director at Trinity Repertory Company and Magar was pursuing her MFA at Brown University. Since completing her studies in 2014, Magar has directed a range of heavy-hitting plays, including Is God Is

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

for Soho Rep in New York, which won Magar a coveted Obie Award for directing. For Trinity, she also directed the ultra-hit world premiere, The Prince of Providence. When the pandemic struck, theaters shuttered across the country, and millions of performing artists faced indefinite unemployment, including Magar and Dobrowsky. But

COVID also brought an end of the itinerant freelance lifestyle that often kept them apart. Pageant is a chance for the pair to collaborate, not only with each other, but with a range of local arts organizations and myriad Rhode Island-based creatives. Among other fortuitous connections, Pageant is part of this year’s barebones PVDFest.

Photos courtesy Taibi Magar

Pageant for Providence is a big project: There are scores of artists involved, about 60 of them writers. Audiences won’t gather in a dark auditorium, but outside, in the labyrinthine streets of downtown. There are dancers. There are musicians. The total budget is about $40,000, including a $15,000 grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts. So yes, it’s big. But what is it, exactly?

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“It’s been a devastating year,” says Magar. “Our industry almost entirely collapsed. But out of this wreckage, we started doing work together, which has been pretty incredible.” Pageant for Providence will take place August 12-14 find updates at PageantforProvidence.com

Don’t wait to get vaccinated. Help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by following public health guidelines and getting the first vaccine that is available to you. care.brown.edu | #WhyICare

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

ART & CULTURE

T he M usi c Sce ne | By Adam Hogue

Record Review With influences from Greek and Roman mythology, Vudu Sister brings new context to old traditions in Burnt Offerings

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Cover art by Polina Volfovich

Despite drawing on musical traditions separated by space and time, Vudu Sister brings a quality of intimacy to the music, with unique voices that make it relevant to the here and now. The album tells ancient stories in ancient languages while reflecting universal and incessant injustices. McCurdy says, “I wanted to make sure there was still ‘me’ and my own voice in there, in hopes that this would still feel and sound authentic.”

Vudu Sister wrote the songs for this album with composition help from Amato Zinno and Alexander Garzone. Angela DeGaitas played the viola, violin, and some vocal harmonies on Burnt Offerings. Rachel Rosenkrantz provided additional harmonies. The album was engineered, produced, mixed, and mastered by Michael Samos. Learn more at VuduSister.bandcamp.com

Photo courtesy of Vudu Sister

Albums are versatile; some are created in response to the times, some come from spontaneous creation, and others are a culmination of research and creativity, often holding a deeper meaning. Some albums are especially challenging to create, as they take extensive learning and understanding. Burnt Offerings, the fourth album from AS220-based artist Keith J. G. McCurdy, falls squarely in the latter category of album. The album is a collection of songs from the perspective of ancient mythological characters – particularly women – and is partly inspired by a work of Ovid called Heroides. McCurdy sings the songs in Latin and Greek, with translations to English available. As a double major in classical studies and English literature, McCurdy became passionate about these languages in college. “I think it is important for any artist to not only challenge themselves but also their reader/audience/listener,” McCurdy says. “I tried to make sure that even if you as a listener cannot understand the words, the melody, the instrumentation, and the emotions are clearly evoked and are still pleasurable and cathartic.” Burnt Offerings stylistically fits into old Roman and European traditions; the strings and deep cloaking acoustic sound evoke an earthiness, recalling these traditions. But, taking these sounds a step further, Vudu Sister makes the sounds relevant and personal to evoke the stories. It is not an emulation of the old, but rather it gives context to the stories and the voices within the story. “I wanted these songs to have a mode that was authentic to my own original style but also an elegance or subtly that wouldn’t deprive the language of its dignity being sung in an anachronistic way,” says McCurdy. “Classical music, especially from the Romantic period, has also been a heavy influence on my listening and writing.” McCurdy cites mid-20th century Balkan and Mediterranean folk music as inspirations.

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ART & CULTURE

Cal e ndar | By Ab bie Lahmers

The Must list 5 essential events this month

August 28: The state’s largest outdoor beer festival, Brew at the Zoo takes place at Roger Williams Park Zoo, where you can sample 170 beers from 80-plus local and national brewers and enjoy animal encounters. RWPZoo.org

August 16-18: The Columbus Theatre reopens this month after their pandemic hiatus, kicking things off with stand-up comedian Mike Birbiglia: Working It Out. Watch for upcoming concerts and shows all season. Providence, ColumbusTheatre.com

August 20: Providence Performing Arts Center presents their first in-person concert series since lockdown, Cool Summer Nights, with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. PPACRI.org

August 21:

August 5, 12, 19, and 26:

August 7-9:

RI Music Hall of Famer Mark Cutler leads collaborative Healing Arts in the Park workshops for aspiring songwriters to create music while taking in the beauty of Blackstone River at Slater Mill. Pawtucket, NPS.gov

Book a ferry trip and peruse handmade wares including pottery, paintings, and jewelry at the Block Island Arts and Artisans Festival held at Narragansett Inn. Facebook: 2021 Block Island Arts and Artisans Festival

August 6-8:

August 9-15:

Eat lobster rolls and more to your stomach’s content in Ninigret Park for the Charlestown Seafood Festival, a weekend of food, live music, a car show, and even fireworks Saturday night. CharlestownRIChamber.com

Flickers’ RI International Film Festival takes a hybrid form this year with drive-in, outdoor, and online screenings of film submissions from around the world, along with industry events and workshops. Film-Festival.org

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

August 28: Live music on two stages, food from local restaurants, and art vendors attract all kinds of fans to the Warren Folks Fest, The Collaborative’s lively annual fundraiser event. Warren, TheCollaborative02885.org

August 29: Formerly the Providence Folk Festival, this free concert event returns as the Rhode Island Folk Festival with three outdoor stages of acoustic tunes performed all day at the scenic Rose Larisa Park. Riverside, RhodeIslandFolkFestival.com

Photo courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo

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Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy a cold one from Trinity Beer Garden with complimentary popcorn for Movies at Providence Rink. Screening this month is Raya & The Last Dragon. TheProvidenceRink.com

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HarborOne’s Small Business Pitch Contest PITCH YOUR BIG IDEA TO WIN $10,000! HarborOne Bank, in partnership with Providence Media group, will host its first annual Small Business Pitch Contest exclusively for Rhode Island Small Business owners. If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur looking to launch a new product or service, or expand an existing product or service, you are invited to participate. Pitch your idea to us for a chance to win $10,000! Pitches held Tuesday, September 28 HarborOne Bank, 180 Washington Street, Providence, RI Application opens July 1, 2021. Deadline to apply August 31, 2021. Full details for can be found at harborone.com/pitchcontest

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FOOD & DRINK E x p e r i e n c e | R e s t a u ra n t R e t a i l | F o o d N ew s

Appetizers with Distinction Providence-based catering business influses Afro-soul flavors in sumptuous small bites Hors d’oeuvres are a quintessential primer for any party but the small plates you’ll find from Distinguish Catering turn finger food into an art form, from deviled eggs whipped with sweet potato puree to Blackened Shrimp Tostones drawing color and flavor from pickled red onions, seared shrimp, and fresh guacamole, all atop a yellow plantain. “We specifically engineer and hand-craft each item to incorporate an Afro-soul or Caribbean flavor profile to give each bite a taste of home,” says executive chef Jessica M. Zeon, a Johnson & Wales graduate who founded her boutique catering business around devising gourmet food influenced by her African American and Liberian roots. Take Fried Lobster Shooters, for example – breaded in panko and fried to crispy perfection, these seafood bites are served on a stick and cradled in a tall glass with sauce at the bottom, for optimum ease. Zeon explains, “The house-made Smoked Pepper Aioli Sauce is derived from the Ultimate Smoked Pepper Sauce, a family recipe that dates back centuries in Liberian food culture prepared with assorted peppers, onions, and smoked seafood.” While seafood is a staple of Ocean State and Distinguish Catering cuisine, Zeon also offers vegan appetizers like seared potato pancakes with charred corn and a smoky filling, and menus can be personalized around an event. “We strive to bring innovation to the food culture in Rhode Island,” Zeon says, “by providing exceptional flavors with the freshest ingredients from farms and local markets, while infusing our motherland’s flavors and cooking techniques into our vision of soul food.” DistinguishCatering.com | By Abbie Lahmers Photo courtesy of Distinguish Catering ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

FOOD & DRINK

Expe r i e nce | By Ann O’Neill

Crafted with Care Providence bar owners shine a light on innovative cocktails in an enchanting amber glow make wine, arak, and syrups from scratch so I was inspired to incorporate earthy and aromatic flavors into my vision.” Spoiler: every drink he and childhood friend Ghostine have created is this thoughtful. Mezze begins with a classic Lemon Infused Hummus garnished with paprika, oil, and fried chickpeas. The lemon isn’t overly acidic, and the oil adds a luscious fattiness to the finish. Black Truffled Hummus, the one I most wanted to try, is blended with black sesame tahini and topped with pine nuts and umami-forward mushrooms and truffle oil. Served with baked flatbread crisps that are flavorful but not overly seasoned, the hummus shines. The second cocktail is Baklava. Spiced whiskey is fat-washed with butter and seasoned with honey, orange blossom, and vermouth. Sweet and slightly floral, this is a winner, even for a clear-spirit drinker. Next is from the summer menu: Watermelon. Celery gin, Aperol, and watermelon in crushed ice are light and refreshing after the rich whiskey, and a hint of absinthe feels naughty even if it’s not. A trio of more hummus follows: Roasted

CUISINE: Mediterranean mezze and craft cocktails PRICES: $12 - $16

Beet, Spicy Red Pepper, and Smoked Tahini Eggplant. Each starts with the same base, with the addition of a roasted vegetable. The vibrant rose-colored beet is my surprise favorite. Earthy and nutty with a green pistachio garnish, it’s as complex as it is beautiful. The Spicy Red Pepper hummus provides a serious kick, and the smoky eggplant of the third, Ali’s favorite, is balanced by the sharp pop of pomegranate arils and warm seasonings. A fourth cocktail is Lavender Galangal, which can be described as “like drinking Cape Cod.” Herbal, without being soapy, and spicy thanks to ginger’s more floral cousin, this fizzy concoction again showcases Ghostine’s deft hand. At this point I wrongly assume we are done just as two loaded flatbreads arrive: Armenian with pastrami, creamy cheese, arugula, and balsamic, and Spinach, topped with sumac, labneh, and pomegranate. Both are generously loaded, delicately charred, and offer a marriage of sweet and savory. Summer Cup finishes off the evening on a fruity note. A riff on a popular British classic, Pims is paired with fresh juices and ginger ale. We do our best to finish the abundant summer mezze, knowing it will change with the seasons and knowing we will be back. The check arrives, as stylishly as the dishes, in a dark and moody mini-chest accompanied by a farewell shot in its own ice-filled crate: A delicious little off-menu secret I see at other tables. It’s all about hospitality, after all.

Must-Try Items Strawberry ($14): Signature cocktail with strawberry-infused vodka, herbal wine, and thyme.

Roasted Beet Hummus ($14): Roasted beet, pistachio, sesame seeds, and Mediterranean spices.

M a rce l i no ’ s Bou tiq u e B ar 1 W Exchange Street MarcelinosBoutiqueBar.com @itsmarcelinos

Photo courtesy of Marcelino’s Boutique Bar

I know I am in good hands when one of the first things co-founder Marcelino Ali says to me is, “Where I’m from, it’s all about hospitality.” So credit is in part owed to Batroun, a coastal city in Northern Lebanon, but the mood, atmosphere, and alchemy going on at Marcelino’s Boutique Bar are also the product of award-winning international mixologist Refaat Ghostine and co-founder Basil Badawi, whose vision is to create “a destination where one can relax…a sanctuary where one can be whoever [they] wish to be.” The color palette is warm, accentuating exposed brick and brown leather. Edison bulbs glow in black and gold light fixtures, and rooms are separated by long curtains. Candles on each table hold the promise of perfect date night lighting. I invite Ali to bring whatever he feels I should try, asking for half-portion cocktails to experience optimum variety. From a menu of drinks named after their essence, first up is Strawberry. Ketel One vodka infused with strawberries – with the fruit’s pulp dehydrated into a chewy “chip” that adorns the glass – and Mediterranean rosé are accentuated by a sprig of fresh thyme and a tapered glass that concentrates the herbal aroma. Ali says, “I grew up watching my grandparents

SUMMER PROGRAMMING

MAY-SEPTEMBER; WEATHER PERMITTING

SINCE 1948

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Fine Custom Upholstery & Slip Covers Custom Window Treatments Headboards • Bedspreads & Shams Upholstered Antique Restoration Blinds & Shades • Area Rugs & Wall To Wall

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY-FRIDAY

SELECT SATURDAYS

SFAC ADULT SPORTS LEAGUES 6:30PM-9:30PM

ROLLER SKATING/ROLLER DISCO 5:00PM-10:00PM

MOVIES @ THE PVD RINK MAY-SEPTEMBER

Fun 21+ Leagues. Sports Include Volleyball, Yogeyball, Dodgeball, Soccer, and Pickleball.

Adult Admission: $7 Child/Senior Admission: $4 Skate Rental: $6.54* *Subject to Sales Tax

Enjoy a theater-quality experience in the heart of downtown with our family-friendly movie screenings.

Roller Disco starts June 3rd featuring live local entertainment.

Visit theprovidencerink.com for more details.

BOOK YOUR SUMMER EVENT:

FROM PRIVATE & PUBLIC FACILITY RENTAL TO BUSINESS & SOCIAL EVENTS RINK@PROVIDENCERI.GOV

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2 KENNEDY PLAZA PROVIDENCE, RI

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THEPROVIDENCERINK.COM

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Upcoming Events CERAMIC AR TISTS

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materials, firing & shelf rentals also available

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Open for

prepaid takeout and delivery. Order online at

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rtists

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Everything needed to make art at home and let imagination run wild! Great for all ages, available for purchase online

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

FOOD & DRINK

Re st aur ant Re t ai l | By Abbie Lahmers

A Dish Best Served To-go Hope & Main helps Providence restaurants get their iconic staples and sauces retail-ready Chomp Kitchen Pimento Cheese

Seeing a need in the restaurant industry to diversify offerings in our post-pandemic world of more time spent in home kitchens and backyard grills, the foodie creatives behind Warren incubator kitchen Hope & Main devised DishUp RI: a program that lets food businesses take their signature sauce or menu item and make it market-ready. “Hope & Main assembled a team of experts to provide the technical assistance required to take a product from ideation to the starting line,” explains President and Founder of Hope & Main Lisa Raiola. “This is a complex process. It involves everything from working with a research chef for recipe formulation and scaling to developing packaging and labelling for the product,” not to mention licensing, pricing, and merchandising. “Chomp Burger Sauce has been a huge hit,” says Raiola, listing some of the new restaurant-to-retail products the program has teamed up with local eateries to help produce, “and customers are showing up from throughout New England for Cooking Con Omi’s Sofrito.” Since a late-April 60

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

launch of these goods and a dozen others from restaurants across the state, they’ve been flying off the shelves of Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, with many having already sold out a few times over. A successful first run underway, a second official launch day is planned for September 10 to spotlight these makers, and Raiola looks forward to seeing the program expand, as other restaurants have already inquired about participating. In the meantime, watch Dave’s Fresh Marketplace shelves and the WhatsGood online app for Providence-based offerings like frozen vegan meatballs from Blue Zone Foods (a brand created by Yoleni’s), house seasoning from Bucktown, Chomp Burger Sauce, refrigerated cinnamon buns from Ellie’s, Island House Restaurant fresh juice, Meraki Greek Dips from Kleo’s and Rosalina, relish from Ocean State Sandwich Company, Schasteâ’s packaged teas, baked goods from Sin, Kabob and Curry’s Spice Craft Inc. seasoning, red and green sauces from Tallulah’s Taqueria, and pizza kits from Pizza Gourmet. MakeFoodYourBusiness.org/DishUpRI

CHOMP KITCHEN If you’ve ever visited Chomp Kitchen in Providence or Warren then you’re familiar with their staple sauce, which you can now purchase by the jar. Slathering Chomp Sauce on a burger is always a good choice, but chef Tanner Larkin shares a fun alternative recipe for this flexible ingredient. Pimento Cheese • 1lb shredded yellow cheddar • 1 cup Chomp Burger Sauce • 2 Tbsp chopped chives • 2 Tbsp chopped jalapenos (pickled or fresh) • ½ cup chopped roasted red peppers 1.

Spin cheddar cheese and Chomp Sauce in a food processor until reaching a spreadable consistency.

Scrape the sides every few pulses to make sure everything is evenly processed.

Add cheese and Chomp Sauce mix to a large bowl and fold in remaining ingredients.

Place in the fridge to set for an hour or two.

Use as a dip for vegetables and crackers or spread on your favorite bread for sandwiches.

Photo (L) courtesy of Chomp Kitchen, (R) by Rupert Whiteley, courtesy of DishUp RI

Schasteâ unveils their retail-ready line of loose-leaf teas

Hostess Trays Salt Water Taffy Wide Assortment of Chocolate Assorted Chocolates Buttercrunch • Turtles Gourmet Truffles Sugar-free Chocolates Non-Chocolate Novelties Gift Baskets

WAKEFIELD • 401.783.4433 | GARDEN CITY • 401.942.2720 | WWW.SWEENORSCHOCOLATES.COM

PORTRAITS FOR ALL AGES GillianGordonPhotographer.com

upscale cocktail bar

Local news for Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Fo o d N e w s | By Abbie Lahmers

From Dusk to Downcity, a late-night pop-up sets up permanent digs While the project itself isn’t new, Amaryllis’ Westminster storefront invites patrons to sit down inside this BYOB restaurant for the first time to enjoy the culinary creations of chefs Deann Marandola and Tracy DeFusco. What began as a pop-up drawing a cult following of downtown diners awaiting the next appearance at places like Dusk and the Scurvy Dog now has the consistency of a homebase. Marandola and DeFusco describe a nightlife destination that’s “hip without being pretentious... a perfect date spot to feel full and satisfied and wanting to go out dancing afterwards!” “Our focus is on clean and vibrant food that emphasizes health and happiness, using organic and seasonal ingredients whenever possible,” explains the duo. “We are working with local farms like Big Train for vegetables as well as our own garden.” New specials follow the rapid rhythm of Rhode Island’s growing seasons, so garlic scape pesto may come and go, but you can at least count on their signature Miso Ginger Rice Noodle Bowl, a dish that put them on the map, to always satisfy those late-night cravings. 225A Westminster Street, @amaryllisri 62

ProvidenceOnline.com • August 2021

Boutique hotel and Italian eatery opens on Westminster

Big flavors from new little cafe on Mathewson

In the historic 1887 Exchange Building, you’ll soon find The Beatrice: a boutique hotel with period charm developed by Joseph R. Paolino, Jr., managing partner of Paolino Properties and former Mayor of Providence, and named for his mother, philanthropist Beatrice Temkin. But you might at first be drawn inside by the smell of upscale Italian cooking coming from the culinary destination, Bellini Restaurant, debuting in New England come late summer with founder and president Ignazio Cipriani at the helm. A modern approach will complement authentic Italian flavors, and Paolino looks forward to the partnership with Cipriani to bring the Bellini brand, named for the cocktail created by the world-class family-run hospitality group, to the city. “There is a special magic about Providence, that draws upon my own nostalgia of growing up in Italy, with canals that flow through the downtown, similar to what you would experience in Venice,” says Cipriani. “When that feeling is coupled with the charm and creative flair of this special New England community, the joy of conviviality completes the picture.” 90 Westminster Street, TheBeatrice.com

At press time, Dave Lanning and Kelsey Garvin were in the midst of construction to open their “small community-focused grab-and-go space” with fresh roasted coffee sourced from Tandem Coffee Roaster in Portland, Maine. Just around the corner from Westminster Street, which has drawn Open Air Saturday crowds all season, Little City Coffee & Kitchen fits right into the neighborhood with a dedication to doing breakfast and snacks from scratch, whether it’s baked goods, sandwiches, or even flavored drink syrups. Desserts are designed to be portable yet enticing, like classic blueberry muffins but with tahini and sesame seeds or a Brown Butter Meyer Lemon Bar. Their Toasted Coconut Key Lime Pie is a refreshing indulgence topped with zest and crunchy coconut to complement a menu of all your typical coffee offerings, plus specials like an Apricot Ginger Latte. Situated in a prime spot for city exploring, their business model is all about leveled-up grab and go. 170 Mathewson Street, LittleCityPVD.com

Photos courtesy of Amaryllis

FOOD & DRINK

Assisted Living | Memory Care

THIS IS

LIVING, ENRICHED. East Side has been reimagined. Come see our newly renovated waterside community and what a life at East Side could look like for you.

• Located on the East Bay Bike Path, with River View Apartments

• Concierge Services, Including Scheduled Transportation

• State-of-the-Art Fitness Center with a Heated Pool

• Restaurant-Style, Any Time Dining • Daily Activities and Cultural Programs • Concierge Services, Including Scheduled Transportation 7-Days a Week

Call 401.275.0628 to learn more or schedule a tour. WingateHealthcare.com • One Butler Avenue, Providence, RI 02906

Ph oto cour tesy of Devin

Pic of PVD

The city skyline framed in foliage

ABOUT DEVIN @dz.cinematics Native Rhode Islander specializing in commercial photo and video projects

10 Brown Street, East Side of Providence, Rhode Island

‘Moses Brown Ives House’ $4,700,000 6BD 6F 2H BA 8,763SF Listed by Bob Walsh & Tom Wegner 401.595.4154

7 Harwich Road East Side of Providence | $1,150,000

Ellen Kasle 401.451.7848

RESIDENTIAL

PROPERTIES

30Blackstone.com

19Everett.com

30 Blackstone Boulevard, Unit #301 East Side of Providence | $789,000 38Taft.com

755Westminster.com

38 Taft Avenue, Unit #1 East Side PVD | $549,000

Barrington 401.245.9600

19 Everett Avenue East Side of Providence | $675,000

Jim DeRentis 401.529.2188

Greene | Sweeney 401.553.6315

Cumberland 401.333.9333

7Jenckes.com

755 Westminster St, Unit #404 Providence | $489,000

East Greenwich 401.885.8400

Narragansett 401.783.2474

David Hasslinger 401.465.8625

Jim DeRentis 401.529.2188

Newport 401.619.5622

7 Jenckes Street, Unit #2 East Side of PVD | $389,000

401.274.6740 Providence West Side PVD 401.274.6740 401.457.3400

Jim DeRentis 401.529.2188

401.457.3400 Westport MA 508.636.4760

Providence Monthly August 2021

Articles inside

FOOD NEWS

MUSIC SCENE

CALENDAR

Acclaimed theater couple creates a response to post-pandemic life

THE PUBLIC’S

EXPERIENCE

Restaurant-to-retail recipes from PVD eateries

OP-ED: A Letter from Buddy

RHODY GEM: The