Providence Monthly October 2022

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME

we are in search of an Account Executive to join our team. We pride ourselves on the fact that positions in our sales team don’t come along very often; those who join our team tend to remain with us for the long haul. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned sales professional to enter into a well established territory with a ton of growth potential in Providence.

Rather than going through the traditional recruiting routes, we have decided to reach out directly to all of you. We would love to have a reader and fan of our products be the one to join our team. If you are an individual with experience in print and digital advertising sales who is looking to join an established and growing company, then please send an email to our General Manager Nicholas@providenceonline.com with a cover letter and resume. We will get back to all applicants as soon as we can.

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Kevin Fox is a real estate agent affliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local laws. Equal Housing Opportunity.

I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined Compass.

Kira reene is a real estate agent affliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by federal, state and local laws. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Fright Night

A Halloween tradition promises a spooky extravaganza while raising funds for a Broadway castle’s restoration

It’s a Broadway landmark – you can’t miss the octagonal tower with a peaked roof, large solarium with curved windows, and tantalizing combo of Gothic and Romanesque styles all coalescing in one structure. In the summer, you might be lucky enough to spot bubbles on a breeze blowing from the roof of this eccentric Victorian, but in the fall, Barnaby Castle is a thing of nightmares.

“This year’s vibe is Barnaby’s Inferno,” says event organizer Kaitlyn Frolich of the fifth annual Halloween party extravaganza that raises funds for the mansion’s preservation and restoration. “It gets better each year. Ideas grow, and the team of volunteers works like a fine-tuned machine. We are throwing it all out there this year. Going a bit darker, hotter, and more delicious, with more performers and decor, too!”

Halloween | Interview | Happenings | Op-Ed | Rhody Gem | Neighborhood News

Photo by David Lee Black, courtesy of Barnaby Castle

All-inclusive tickets include valet ser vice and give guests access to three floors transformed into different levels of hell. A costume contest, drag performances, fire dancers, and more entertainment are all part of the spooky fun. Along with plenty of cocktails, Pizza J, 10 Prime Steak & Su shi, and American Mussel Harvesters are a few vendors serving up devilish delights.

For the especially daring guest, VIP tick ets offer additional special performances and“VIPsurprises.alsogets you a first crack at the tar ot and palm reading that we have at the top of the turret,” says Frolich. “That’s a big deal considering it’s always a fan favorite!”

More than an evening of Halloween frights, the annual party is essential to

keeping the castle standing. “This year, the focus remains on the restoration of the famed four-story tower. Last year’s event helped save the tower from falling; now we restore,” explains Frolich. “Halloween at the Castle is also responsible for the restoration and preservation of the seven stained-glass windows of the solarium as well as part of the exterior painting, and now the tower. Not bad for a ragtag group of Youpreservationists!”mayfeelthe presence of the past owner at the party, too. Built for Jeroth mul Bowers Barnaby in 1875, the home was a display of his eccentricity and wealth, which he acquired from establishing J.B. Barnaby & Co., a clothing and men’s hab erdashery company formerly on the corner

of Dorrance and Westminster Streets that quickly grew to become one of the larg est stores in Rhode Island. According to the lore, the castle was home to many a lavish party during its heyday, though it’s also known for the unusual circumstances surrounding Barnaby’s widow Josephine’s death. Poisoned by whiskey she received in the mail from an unknown sender, it was the first documented instance of murder by post in the United States.

“We always want to incorporate the his tory in some way, be it through a signature cocktail, decor or this year, the name,” says Frolich. “JB is always with us.”

Reserve tickets for Barnaby’s Inferno at 299 Broadway on October 29 online Kaitlyn-Alyece-Events.com/barnaby-castle.at

Inside Barnaby Castle during the spookiest season

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Rhode Island Domestic Violence Shelters Overflowing

By Joe Tasca

Domestic violence is a public health crisis that has been compounded by the pandem ic. The Rhode Island Coalition Against Do mestic Violence reports the growing prob lem is straining shelters for survivors in the state to capacity and beyond.

Shelters for women fleeing domestic vio lence are under increasing strain in Rhode Is land. An outreach worker in Woonsocket re cently told The Public’s Radio all shelters in the state were full, a problem that has been occur ring frequently. John Wesley is the Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Rhode Island Coali tion Against Domestic Violence. He spoke with Joe Tasca about what he calls a “public health crisis layered over another public health crisis.”

JOE TASCA: The Public’s Radio got a tip on Monday night that all of Rhode Island’s domestic violence shelters were full, and that this has been a frequent occurrence. Why is this happening, John? Is this a sign that incidents of domestic violence are increasing, or that there’s a need for more support, or both? What are you seeing?

JOHN WESLEY: What we see is certainly kind of a public health crisis layered over another public health crisis. And this was compounded during the pandemic. So we know that domestic vio lence is prevalent in our community. In fact, the CDC estimates in Rhode Island specifically, the prevalence of women experiencing domestic violence is over 32 percent. So we know it’s an

issue that a ects so many individuals and fam ilies. And then when we had the public health crisis of COVID-19, what we saw was that folks were reaching out for help at even greater levels.

During the summer of 2020, shortly after the pandemic started, in some instances, we saw upwards of a 90 percent increase to our hotline and helplines as compared to the year before the pandemic year. So that need has intensified. We’ve seen that nationally, we’ve seen that in international data as well, that unfortunately, intimate partner violence was exacerbated and increased as a result of the public health crisis. Well, we also see that with things like natural disasters, hurricanes, flooding incidents, that can go along with,

John Wesley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence

you know, extreme climate change, that the incidences of domestic violence can increase during those times of emergency as well.

If we look at some of the root causes, it’s lack of a ordable housing. We saw during the pan demic years and even a little before that, we saw the length of shelter bed nights increase, as well. In 2014 we saw an average shelter stay of about 37 nights or so. And then more recently, in 2021, we saw that increase to 98 nights. And so shelter beds are not freed up, because folks don’t have a place to go outside of shelter in the community where they can find safe, a ordable housing to stay safe and stay out of the abusive situation.

TASCA: John, can you talk about what commu nities or populations are most impacted by this shortage of housing and other resources?

WESLEY: Well, it was certainly folks, you know, BIPOC communities. Marginalized communi ties that face disparate rates of housing inse curity, lack of a ordable housing options, are also put at higher risk for facing intimate part ner violence. This is also from CDC prevalence data. We see that LGBTQ+ communities also can face higher rates of intimate partner vio lence when we look at that prevalence data.

One of the things that we advocated for during the last legislative session was more fund ing to try to address some of these barriers and gaps in services. So with the opportunity to have the American Rescue Plan Act’s federal funding coming into the state, we were able to work with the General Assembly to increase the line items specifically for victims of domestic violence and their children for housing options and emergen cy shelter, but also for services to address some of these gaps for marginalized communities and those that may have even more barriers than others in trying to seek services and address and heal after experiencing domestic violence.

TASCA: Well, speaking of government fund ing, John, on Tuesday, it was announced that the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence is receiving $550,000 in federal fund ing. That must be music to your ears. What are the organization’s plans to utilize those funds?

WESLEY: This funding is critical. It allows us to address some of those gaps that we were just talking about, and access to services and safety for survivors and their children. One of these gaps is safe options for visitation and safe

exchanges for children who are in the custody process in family court. And also, just so that there can be accountability and ensure that there is no further abuse, even emotional abuse or any sort of verbal abuse that make or physical abuse that may go on during the exchange – when we know often that that’s one of the few times that an abusive party has access to the survivor once a court once a court case has started, because there’s often a restraining order or no contact order. But one place where they can have access to the survivors is during court-ordered child visitation exchanges. So this grant will also have advocates who are specially trained in providing advocacy services: safety planning, including safety planning during the custody visitation court case, specifically for marginalized commu nities and those in the LGBTQ+ community, who

often do face additional barriers when they’re trying to seek services from advocates or from the court or other systems.

TASCA: John, if someone suspects that they or someone they know may be experienc ing domestic violence, what are the warning signs to look out for?

WESLEY: Well, first I would say just knowing the resources is so critical. So knowing the 1-800 number to call to talk to a confidential advocate. So that number is 1-800-494-8100. And again, there’s on our website, which is RICADV.org. There’s also a chat feature where, if you’re not in a safe place to talk out loud about an abusive situation, you can chat with a confidential domestic violence advocate on

a chat, on your phone or on a webpage.

I would say some of the warning signs and risk factors to look out for would be, you know, highly controlling behavior. Even that may start as a kind of verbal put-downs or verbal abuse, but could escalate to more se rious verbal abuse or put-downs, could esca late then to a course of behaviors where the survivor is actually being isolated from their family and friends by the abusive party.

Unfortunately, during the pandemic, we saw even more of that, where folks who were already isolated because of the public health situation, you know, were further cut o from their support system because they were stuck at home with an abusive person. So those controlling behaviors – isolation, you know, financial control. We see financial abuse in,

you know, 99 percent of domestic violence cases – controlling the finances, not allowing the victim to get a job or have any access to their own funds or money, not letting them drive a car, even. And we know there are cer tain factors that can indicate a higher risk for things to escalate to the most serious form of domestic abuse, which is, of course, domes tic violence homicide. So things like stalking patterns, you know, access to a firearm in the home is extremely dangerous and can make the likelihood of a deadly situation, you know, up to 500 percent more likely.

This conversation was produced for the ear. The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Originally posted September 5, 2022. JoeTasca@ThePublicsRadio.org

Leveling the Literacy Playing Field

What do Kevin Stacom, Vinny Paz, Malcolm Mitchell, and former Attorney General Arlene Vi olet have in common? You may know them as stars in their fields of basketball, boxing, football, and law, respectively, but they will also be among dozens of accomplished professionals having dinner with guests at the Providence Rotary Club’s annual Legends for Literacy Gala on Oc tober 25 at the Providence Marriott Downtown. One of the legends will be seated at each table, sharing stories from their worlds and posing for selfies with their fans and dinner companions.

It’s a fundraiser that’s also fun – and we should mention that Barry W. Fain, co-publish er of this magazine, as well as past president and foundation trustee of the Rotary Club of

Providence, is honorary chair of the event.

The Legends for Literacy and guests will gather to help address one of the most crit ical problems facing Providence: the dismal ly low achievements in literacy among stu dents in the city’s public schools. “While top state, city, and district o cials grapple with high-level issues of governance, funding, la bor relations, etc., our Childhood Literacy Ini tiative is focused on providing and measuring the e ectiveness of innovative literacy teach ing tools at the classroom level,” says Art Nor walk, chair of the club’s literacy committee.

Using a literacy toolkit purchased by the Childhood Literacy Initiative last year, teach ers at Harry Kizirian Elementary School in

Smith Hill helped significant numbers of at-risk students make measurable prog ress toward literacy, with some achieving grade-level proficiency.

“The upward progress of some students was certainly gratifying,” says Natalie Hartley, liter acy coach at Kizirian, “but the statistical results for the whole at-risk group showed that much work remains to be done. The tools we’ve re ceived from the Rotary Club have been a valu able supplement to what we get through the school department’s limited budget.”

Tickets and sponsorship information for the Legends for Literacy Gala are available at ProvidenceRotary.org

From athletes to politicians, the Providence Rotary Club’s fundraiser welcomes inspiring legends

Legends of Literacy raises funds to bring reading toolkits to classrooms

Weird Providence

The biannual NecronomiCon Providence, inspired in part by horror writer and native son H.P. Lovecraft, once again brought to gether authors and artists from around the world to celebrate the “weird” genre – an offshoot of supernatural horror fiction. The four-day festival explores the past and fu ture of the genre via talks, panel discus sions, readings, and workshops.

Two bright stars in the movement are Christa Carmen and L.E. Daniels, editors of We Are Providence: Tales of Horror from the Ocean State . The book, from Weird

House Press, debuted at this year’s Necro nomiCon, and contains 20 stories as well as an essay titled “The Roots of Horror in Rhode Island” by Faye Ringel.

Why is the Ocean State such an appeal ing setting for horror stories? “Rhode Island – with its capricious weather and isolating landscape – is a place from which an impres sive line of writers have drawn inspiration,” says Carmen. “That landscape becomes even more isolating, the weather more capricious, during the long, dark months of winter.”

She credits New England women writers

– like Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Mary Elea nor Wilkins Freeman, and Sarah Orne Jew ett – for blazing the trail as they told stories that expressed frustrations with their roles in society. Horror and the supernatural al lowed them to share their situations figu ratively, and at times literally. Female au thors, Carmen explains, “responded to the unending affronts of marriage and the bur densome strain of motherhood, and their writing was a sly and skilled act of defiance against the patriarchal homes and societies they found themselves residing in.”

Beloved literary and pop culture festival NecronomiCon is just one facet of the city’s obsession with horror

Editors L.E. Daniels and Christa Carmen at NecronomiCon promoting We Are Providence

The weird and the strange haunt Providence and its surroundings all year long thanks to a vibrant creative community with a long and creepy history, supported by organizations like the nonprofit Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Coun cil. With a storefront located in the historic Ar cade building in Providence, the headquarters is much more than a brick-and-mortar shop.

The council “creates a welcoming com munity for our local weirdos,” a ectionately relays executive director Niels-Viggo Hobbs.

“People come together over their love of sci-fi and horror, but they become part of something much larger.”

Although the council is named after the cre ator of the Cthulhu Mythos who lived and died in Providence, H.P. Lovecraft is only one small part of it. In recent years, concerns have been raised about racism in the author’s works – issues which provide the council even more reason to expand reach. “Diversity and equity are really important to us. We want everyone to feel welcome and

included in this weird world,” says Hobbs.

The council’s online events have featured authors from around the world, including In dia and Pakistan, next to local artists. They hope to return to in-person readings and celebrations soon, especially with the suc cess of NecronomiCon. After taking a break to recuperate from the festival, volunteers and council members are back to work pro moting all things weird and wonderful.

“For many, Lovecraft is a starting point.

The Lovecraft Arts & Sciences headquarters in The Arcade

But we introduce them to a whole other weird world of art, fiction, and gaming,” explains Hobbs. “Others are barely aware of the author but they come because they love the weird and the strange. And we are all in love with Providence.”

Learn more about the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences Council at WeirdProvidence.org or about the book, We Are Providence, WeirdHousePress.com/we-are-providenceat

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

The End of an Error

Reflecting on the outgoing mayor’s decisions in light of new leadership filling seats

The Democratic primary, otherwise known as “the election” for mayor is over, and now it’s time to move the city forward. Out going Mayor Jorge Elorza pushed a very progressive agenda, often at the expense of taxpayers and businesses. Without the American Rescue Plan Act money, the city would have been even closer to bankruptcy, and rather than address long-term critical financial issues, the administration funded short-term programs and initiatives, which will have no money available to maintain them when the well runs dry.

The biggest problem as we see it is that despite his good intentions, the outgoing mayor often seemed to make his deci sions by talking to a handful of people who shared his views, and then implementing a new initiative, oftentimes ignoring many of the residents and small businesses who would be most impacted. The Great Streets Initiative is certainly at the head of the list as lanes disappeared, signs went up, and we were often the last to know. Good con cept. Woeful execution.

During their debates, the three candi dates for mayor all seemed to agree on most critical needs going forward: public safety, education, and infrastructure need to be the absolute priorities – along with a serious look at the pension bond that was conveniently approved when few voters were around this summer.

We’d throw in two more: the new mayor will have to develop a new PILOT (payment in liew of taxes) program with the colleges, universities, nonprofits, and perhaps a possible expansion to private schools. We deliberately emphasize the word “new” be cause this should not be a renegotiation of the last plan, which was not as favorable to the city as it should have been. The sec ond issue is Rhode Island Energy, which ac quired National Grid, and holding them to responsibly repair streets so we aren’t left with a pothole nightmare.

A linchpin in rebuilding Providence, how ever, will be mending fences with the gov ernor and the legislature. It will be difficult

The iconic Superman Building slated for redevelopment

to get back everything that Providence lost over the last eight years, but the grov eling needs to start immediately. A first step should be getting the city out of the penalty box over the 195 District.

In fairness, we residents do bear some responsibility. We elected Elorza and the City Council, which behaved so poorly that the state felt compelled to step into “our sandbox” and take control over the most critical development of this century.

We even lost the ability to have the final say in what the new construction in Prov idence might look like (referring to the Fane or Superman buildings).

But the city has not been helped by a 195 Commission lacking consistent lead ership, a limited understanding of the im pacted area, and most recently displaying questionable sensitivity in kowtowing to outside agendas without fully engaging area businesses and residents.

The

What we have gotten, many would argue, has not been in the city’s best interest, especial ly the lack of thought and oversight with regard to tra c and parking. Even the wonderful Mi chael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge – which may be the best recent addition to the city, its absurd cost notwithstanding – unfortunately dramatically increases additional expenses that the city has incurred for police, parks, and DPW.

There are only a handful of development parcels left, but fortunately there’s still time to institute a thoughtful and competent de sign review committee, respect the fabric of the neighborhoods, try to figure out the

traffic and parking nightmare, and maybe even create some linkage, enabling funds from new development be directed for af fordable housing in other parts of the city.

Moving forward, we now at least have a new mayor and council and we’re ready to take back our city. It’s about the best we can o er as an apology, since between running our public ed ucational system and downtown planning, they have had pretty much everything they wanted.

Two new projects have been proposed that will help. The proposed multi-mil lion-dollar plan to upgrade Burnside Park into something more resembling New York’s

user-friendly Bryant Park certainly has po tential but is short on details at present, es pecially acknowledging the need to humane ly solve the current problems there. The new outdoor market set to open next spring sounds like a winner, too. But again, we’re assuming there will be proper civic engage ment and transparent communication.

More than 10 years ago, we were promised a slew of high-paying jobs in meds and ed. So far, it’s been mostly beds and more beds.

So, to the new governor and the legisla tive leadership, we offer our most humble apologies, and please give us our city back.

Burnside Park

Wild Witches Metaphysical store

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:

An occult shop that carries a smorgas bord of metaphysical and spiritual items.

Where to find it:

Locatedon Route 44 in North Providence just before the rotary for Centerdale. Keep an eye out for the “Open” flag.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

The good vibes buzz the minute you step into the spellbinding Wild Witches, which has been serving Rhode Island’s esoteric community for nearly two de cades. From crystals to gemstones, candle magic to charms, ritual kits, and tarot cards, the store carries all manner of magical objects to conjure any type of spell. Customers rave about their hand-crafted Dragon Blood Oil, which is created from a resin harvested from Dae monorops draco tree. Made only during the full moon, the multi-faceted oil is used to attract love, power, strength, and more. The store’s knowledgeable sta is on hand to help provide guidance on spells and products. Tarot card readings are given in store as well as virtually, plus they o er local curbside pickup and de livery. Wild Witches also hosts in-store classes and workshops for both the sea soned spell caster and the witch-curious.

Wild Witches

1965 Smith Street, North Providence 345-9251 • @wildwitchesWildWitches.com•Facebook:wildwitchs

To

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

Ward 3 candidate forum and annual fall cook-out in Summit

The Summit Neighborhood Association (SNA) coordinated with the Rochambeau Library to hold a candidate forum for the Ward 3 City Council seat on August 11, with Edward Fitz patrick of The Boston Globe moderating, to help get people more involved and informed about local politics and the candidates run ning. A recording is available for viewing on line, and the general election is November 8. SNA.providence.ri.us/upcoming-events/ SNA is gearing up to resume their annual Fall Cook-O , tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 27 at Three Sisters on Hope Street. All are invited to attend and submit their favorite fall-themed dish to the competition, using the featured ingredient, apples. Everyone will vote on their favorites, and winning entrants will earn fun prizes donated by local shops and mer chants. Adults and children alike are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes.

RWP celebrates green initiatives with art and education fest

A unique festival raising awareness about important yet little-known green infrastruc ture projects, the Rain Harvest Arts Festival is a community celebration at Roger Williams Park’s Stormwater Innovation Center. The City of Providence has invested in over 40 projects to clean polluted stormwater runo before it enters the park’s pond. In these projects, con taminated runo from the roadways is divert ed to a green infrastructure site, where natural vegetation and soils are used to purify the wa ter, remove contaminants, and create healthier urban environments. The October 15 festival engages with the public about these e orts via visual and performing arts, presentations by local environmental scientists, and more. All ages are invited to the Boathouse Lawn from 10am-2pm for a day of creative learning and art exploration. StormWaterInnovation.org

In Spring 2022, the I-195 Redevelopment District invited four neighborhood organizations to o er formal input on projects slated for 195 land. Each group was encouraged to send a repre sentative, ideally a design professional, to participate in a series of district meetings to gather neighborhood input on current projects. Neighborhood representatives have since described being ignored by the district rather than heard. Leslie Myers, architect and representative for the Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA), described an August 17 open meeting in which neighborhood representatives were invited to share their views on a possible location for a large eatery or “food pavilion” slated for the public park on the western side of the Van Leesten Bridge. Myers prepared for the meeting by surveying over 600 Fox Point neighbors to deter mine their opinions on the ideal spot, but discovered upon arrival that the location had already been determined without input from neighbors. Caroline Skuncik, executive director of the I-195 Redevelopment District, denies that the siting was predetermined, but neighborhood organiza tions feel frustrated by unkept promises. “It is thoroughly disappointing to see the commission backslide on its own reform that was intended to be more inclusive of neighborhood feedback,” says FPNA president Nick Cicchitelli. –Amy Mendillo, Fox Point Neighborhood Association

The Jewelry District Association (JDA) also raises an important question about the way the I-195 Redevelopment Commission interfaces with the public. The commission has, for some time, restricted public comment at its open meetings. That practice holds regardless of the importance and/or complexity of the subject. The commission is the overseer of major projects that are dras tically changing the nature of two Providence neighborhoods, but the residents of those neigh borhoods have virtually no say in how they will be a ected by those projects. The JDA has written to the commission asking about this policy of limiting public input, pointing out that section 4264.14-3 of the commission’s enabling legislation orders the creation of “a state-local-private sector partnership to plan, implement, administer, and oversee the redevelopment of the surplus I-195 properties.” However, the JDA notes the local part of the equation is virtually ignored even though the relocation of I-195 created vast swaths of vacant, developable land in prime locations in two of the city’s oldest neighborhoods – a decidedly local concern. The west side park, where the food pavilion concept is set to be located, is in the heart of the historic Jewelry District. Naturally resi dents have a special interest in all details surrounding it. –Jewelry District Association

Fox Point and Jewelry District neighbors weigh in on I-195 District development Street trial trail

From October 1-8, the Providence Streets Coalition, Thriving Places Collaborative, SPIN Streets, AARP, and 3M Gives are working with local partners, residents, and businesses to test out a temporary urban trail on Hope Street in Providence, as called for in the City of Provi dence’s Great Streets Plan. The Hope Street Temporary Trail is a community-led e ort that will consolidate parking to the west side of Hope Street and create a one-mile trail for walking, jogging, rolling, and biking on the east side from Lauriston Street to Olney Street (Frog & Toad to Tortilla Flats). The temporary trail will be in place for one week, giving residents and busi ness owners a chance to experience this potential change in 3D, interact with it, and give their informed feedback. Learn more or sign up to volunteer at PVDStreets.org/hope.

Neighborhood organizations raise concerns about their voices not being heard in the I-195 District development

AssociationsNeighborhoodProvidence

Blackstone Parks Conservancy

Jane Peterson

P.O. Box

BlackstoneParksConservancy.orgBlackstoneParks@gmail.com401-270-3014Providence,603141RI02906

College NeighborhoodHill Association

Rick Champagne P.O. Box Providence,2442RI

CHNAProvidence.orgCHNA@chnaprovidence.org02906

NeighborhoodDowntown Association

Facebook:DNAPVD.comDNAPVD@gmail.comProvidence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA

Elmwood AssociationNeighborhood

Karen Facebook:ENA-PVD.orgHlynskyElmwood Neighborhood Association PVD

Fox Point AssociationNeighborhood

Meeting Date: October 11

Amy Mendillo P.O. Box Providence,2315RI

FPNA.netFoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com02906

Jewelry AssociationDistrict

Sharon Facebook:JewelryDistrict.orgSharon@sharonsteele.comSteeleJewelryDistrict Association Providence, RI

Mile of History Association

Charles Hewitt

Mile of History Association

c/o One Governor Street Providence, RI MileOfHistory.orgMileOfHistory@gmail.com02906

Mount Hope Community Center

Facebook:MHNAInc@gmail.com401-521-8830MountHope

Neighborhood Association, Inc.

Olneyville Neighborhood Association Eduardo Sandoval 122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI Facebook:ONAProvidence@gmail.com02909OlneyvilleLibrary

Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations ProvCNA.orgInfo@provcna.org

Reservoir NeighborhoodTriangleAssociation

David Talan 25 Santiago St. Providence, RI 02907

DaveTalan@aol.com401-941-3662

Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

Wole Akinbi

400 Smith Providence,StreetRI02908 Suite #1

Facebook:AAkinbi@half-full.comSmithHillPartners’ Initiative

South NeighborhoodProvidenceAssociation

c/o Dwayne Keys P.O. Box Providence,5653RI 02903

NeighborhoodFacebook:SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com401-369-1334SouthProvidenceAssociation

Summit AssociationNeighborhood

Meeting date: October 17 P.O. Box Providence,41092RI

SummitNeighbors.orgSNAProv@gmail.com401-400-098602940

Washington NeighborhoodParkAssociation

237 Washington Avenue Providence, RI

Facebook:BettyLinda@aol.com02905Washington Park Association

Wayland NeighborhoodSquareAssociation

Katherine Facebook:TouafekWayland Square

Neighborhood WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.comAssociation

West NeighborhoodBroadwayAssociation

1560 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909 WBNA.orgWBNA@wbna.org401-831-9344

The Rain Harvest Arts Festival raises awareness about green infrastructure

Get Ahead of Beech Leaf Disease With the Help of T.F.

If you have been stalling on making that phone call to have the trees in your yard assessed, now is the time to contact T.F. Morra Tree Care, Inc. to learn how you may be impacted by Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). First recorded in Rhode Island in the Summer of 2020, BLD is making its mark this year in spectacular fashion, decimating beech forests and landscape trees throughout the state. Originating in Ohio, BLD a ects the leaves of the tree and is thought to spread by nematodes. Early signs include dark striping on the leaves which will then wither and yellow, leading to leaf loss. Over time, this will send the tree into decline, and will eventually be fatal.

Aside from impacting all varieties of beech regardless of age or size, there is a lot still unknown about BLD, but thankfully the professional tree experts of T.F. Morra are on the case. “We are monitoring the spread and progression of the disease closely, and are working with our product developers on treatment options to combat the damage,” says owner Tom Morra. “At this time, we are recommending a twice yearly soil drench application of phosphite-based fungicide in the fall and spring as we work towards more targeted treatments.” While there’s currently no cure, taking this step buys time for better knowledge and solutions to come.

AUDIO/VIDEO HELP

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

BEYOND THE PALE

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

EAST SIDE HANDYMAN

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

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

SUPERB HOUSEPAINTING

High end workmanship. Small jobs a specialty. Call Ron, 751-3242, or 523-2343. Reg. #18128. 401-837-4475 401-633-6658

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

THE OF THE Wyrd

A GROWING COMMUNITY OF SPELL WEAVERS ADD MAGIC TO THE MUNDANE

BY KAREN GRECO

“Everyboy has magic,” says Loren May while she spoons an incense blend onto a flat holder. She strikes a match and the incense goes up in a poof. I inhale lingering smoke while she eyes me expectantly. We’re searching for a scent that aligns with my spiritual state of mind, to bring clarity to whatever I am grappling with psychically. Based on my expression, May decides if we’ve found a match or if the scent sampling will continue.

I’m at The Veiled Crow, a popular metaphysical store tucked into a shopping plaza in Cranston at the Providence border, owned and operated by May and business partner Tracey Lawrence.

Both women serve as one part witch, one part therapist. On the day I visited, Lawrence was engaged in an intense tarot card reading for a client. May held down the apothecary counter, guiding witches and muggles alike to the proper incense, oils, candles, and other magical items to help them gain clarity around their spiritual journeys. “The world is falling apart,” says Lawrence. “We tap into people’s energies and realize what they need.”

“It’s psychic cleaning for psychic boogers,” May adds.

WITCHES NIGHT OUT MARKET

FOUNDER LAURA TEMPEST ZAKROFF

Photos courtesy of Laura Tempest Zakroff

Every few years, witches capture the imagination of popular culture. From the benign witchery of Samantha in Bewitched to the world-saving escapades of Harry Potter and his friends, to the evil cackles of the Wicked Witch of the West, legends and lore abound. With the just released Hocus Pocus 2, witchery is trending once again. But witchcraft, beyond its Hollywood appeal, is rooted in ancient beliefs and practices that seek out the magical in the mundane.

Lawrence has been a practicing witch for over 25 years, though she was raised Episcopalian. “I enjoyed working on spirituality but I didn’t agree with it,” she says of organized religion. She lived at the library as a kid and gravi tated towards fiction that featured witches. It was a chance meeting with a practicing witch (in Salem of all places) that triggered her practice.

May, in contrast, grew up in New York City, raised Universal Unitarian. “Ba sically witchcraft,” she deadpans. As a kid, she “tried out a lot of things,” in cluding Buddhism. She found her calling when she got a job at Enchantments, a storied witchcraft shop in NYC, and saw the impact it had on people. “Real witchcraft is about seeing someone,” she explains. “We live in a culture where to be seen is one of the most powerful gifts to receive.”

After 9/11, May wanted to get out of New York. She essentially threw darts at a map and landed on Rhode Island, expecting to stay only for a short while. She soon noticed a void in the market for the handcrafted spells and bespoke incense, oils, and candles she learned to craft at Enchantments. While The Veiled Crow also sells metaphysical baubles like jewelry and crystals, both are quick to point out witchcraft is not an aesthetic. “It’s self-empowerment, it’s strength,” says Lawrence.

“And you don’t need a Sephora witch kit,” May adds.

LOREN MAY

TRACEY LAWRENCE

LAURA TEMPEST ZAKROFF

THE VEILED CROW OFFERS A WITCHES BREW OF MAGICAL ITEMS

“I was always on the weird side,” says Laura Tempest Zakroff, found er of the popular Witches Night Out Market that features witchy and witch-adjacent makers. “In my teens, I discovered there was more than your standard organized religions.” A precocious child, she didn’t gel with the books that promoted witchcraft as fantasy. When she discovered NPR reporter Margot Adler’s seminal book, Drawing Down the Moon , she knew she found her path. “This is the real stuff,” she recalls thinking.

Witchcraft, Zakroff says, is organic, “connected to the land and our bodies.” There’s also a huge history to mine; every culture has their own forms of witchcraft, folklore, and mythology. “How do you pick?” she asks. “You take your history, the culture that you’ve grown up in, but also recognize the land and what inspires you and use that to create an authentic practice.”

Witchcraft by its nature rejects conformity, so asking it to be mired in ritual and tradition like some forms of Western occultism feels a bit antithetical. “We especially see this in cultures where you’re dealing with colonialism, patriarchy, and all that. [Witch craft] is part of wanting to reconnect with ourselves and part of trying to fight the system so that we can actually be respected and honored and continue to connect to the world around us.

“Not to say that witchcraft isn’t spiritual or can’t be a religion, but I think people are leery of dogma,” she adds. “What does witchcraft mean? You’re going to get six answers.”

It’s telling that while the witch trials of the 17th century reached a fever pitch in neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut, Rhode Island never tried or executed anyone for witchcraft. Sure, neigh bors accused other neighbors of devious intent, but it never went beyond finger pointing.

“When you think about Rhode Island being founded by basically heretics – Roger Williams, pirates – it makes sense that there’s this undercurrent,” says Zakroff. “Rhode Island has always been a very witchy

Zakroffplace.”began

building the community as a student at RISD, form ing the school’s first Pagan society. It proved so popular, Brown students wanted in; other local colleges followed. “Then we’d have people who were like, well, I’m college aged, but I’m not in college, can I come, too?” she recalls.

She left for Seattle after graduation, where she founded Witch es Night Out Market, bringing the idea to Rhode Island when she returned. The first Providence market was in July 2019. Seattle’s event brought in 600 people, so Zakroff’s expectations in Provi dence were low, anticipating 200 people. In the weeks leading up to the event, she watched the interest on the Facebook page go up to 19,000. “I’m having a heart attack. How are we going to fit this many people into the space?” A move to the Cranston Street Armory gave the Witches Night Out Market more space, but there were still lines wrapped around the building for four hours.

Zakroff linked up with the Providence Flea last October, holding the event at Farm Fresh RI – first with the vendors outside, now in their spacious hall – offering plenty of space to move around.

THE MARKET RETURNS TO THE PROVIDENCE FLEA ON OCTOBER 21

TAROT READINGS AT THE WITCHES NIGHT OUT MARKET

It’s women like May, Lawrence, and Zakro who laid the groundwork for young witches like Mercedez Matos and Serena Barton-Zainyeh, founders of Providence-based Cedez Tarot, which began as a pan demic project and has since become full-time employment for both of them. After her COVID layo , Matos took an herbalism class at Farmacy Herbs. Learning about the energetic and medicinal prop erties of the herbs proved her a-ha moment; Matos began creating herbal blends inspired by the tarot, matching the spiritual properties of the herbs used in the blends with a tarot card’s intention.

Matos introduced Barton-Zainyeh to the craft. In fact, they had a witchy meet-cute when Matos offered to read Barton-Zainyeh’s tarot cards. Barton-Zainyeh, who was raised in a home that wasn’t religious, was drawn to the work, and Matos taught her the art of divination, or seeing into the future.

“I felt that you had to have a gift to read tarot, that you had to be psychic,” says Barton-Zainyeh. “Now I think anyone can pick it up. It’s really good self help, good for reflection, and for seeing things that maybe you don’t want to see consciously.”

“I feel like the more that you listen to it, the easier it gets to hear,” adds Matos. “It’s like working on muscle.”

While easy for non-believers to dismiss, divination is grounded in science. In a 2016 study published in the journal Psychological Science, scientists observed that participants made better decisions when they listened to their gut. According to the team leading the study, learning to trust your intuition becomes easier the more you use it.

Cedez Tarot’s mission as a company is to carry as many local products as possible – from sourcing herbs to working with artisans based in Rhode Island. When they do buy products not available in the area, they hold their suppliers to rigorous standards, ensuring what they carry is harvested sustainably and ethically. While they search for a permanent brick-and-mortar space, they continue do ing pop-ups, like Witches Night Out Market and the inaugural Key and Serpent event held over the summer.

“I feel like everything leads you up to whatever moment you’re in,” says Matos. “You’ve got to live by the fool card.” That tarot card means new beginnings.

Dress Like a Witch

Providence-based couturier Harper Della-Piana is known for her custom bridal gowns, but the tal ented designer and seamstress has a side hustle outfitting witches. The in-demand needleworker spent 25 years in New York City, from working on Broadway shows to gigs in film and television. She has her Emmy citation from her work on the Late Show with David Letterman hanging in her atelier. Last year, she completed work on Hocus Po cus 2 , where she outfitted the three drag witch es (filmed in Newport), including Drag Winifred played by RuPaul’s Drag Race star Ginger Minge. Della-Piana also creates costumes for the esoter ic music artist Ashly Cruz and is currently conjur ing a costume for Cruz’s upcoming performance at “InStonehenge.NewEngland, what we think of as a ‘witch’ look is 17th and 18th century inspired,” notes Del la-Piana. But before you go digging for an oldtimey outfit, Della-Piana offered some sugges tions for channeling your inner Stevie Nicks.

PICK A STATEMENT PIECE

According to Della-Piana, having one wow el ement will not only save on costs but also give you something to build around. For a costume she created for Cruz’s song “Raven Evermore,” for ex ample, Della-Piana crafted a stunning bolero jack et, intricately cutting PVC and leather to resemble raven feathers. Cruz can mix and match the piece again and again to achieve di erent looks.

INCORPORATE NATURAL ELEMENTS

Elemental magic is the cornerstone of witchcraft, so a nod to nature is a must. Feathers, branches, flowers, vines, anything that has natural elements is a wonderful way to honor the earth.

BE PRACTICAL

You have to think about when and where you are going. Outdoors on a late October night requires different fabrics and layering than a costume worn to a Renaissance Faire on a summer day. “It may be wet, maybe it’s windy,” Della-Piana says. “You need to account for that.”

THINK OUTSIDE THE BLACK

Just because you’re a witch doesn’t mean you’re consigned to wear black. “There are red witches, white witches,” Della-Piana points out. She advo cates picking a color you love.

GET THRIFTY Della-Piana says antique and vintage stores are great places to find unique, one-of-a-kind items. Don’t discount thrift stores and markets, either.

(L-R) BELISSA ESCOBEDO AS IZZY AND WHITNEY PEAK AS BECCA IN DISNEY’S LIVE-ACTION HOCUS POCUS 2, EXCLUSIVELY ON DISNEY+

HARPER DELLA-PIANA HAND CRAFTED THIS RAVEN-INSPIRED BOLERO

Photos by Ernie

Witchcraft doesn’t happen in a bubble, and the unrest of our current cultural moment is drawing more people to the practice. “Every 20 years, there’s an eb and flow,” says The Veiled Crow’s May, pointing to the burgeoning interest in witchcraft that happened in the early aughts. “It’s back again, but it always ends with a villainization of witchcraft.”

“I’m worried we’re going into another Satanic Panic,” Zakroff admits, referencing the 1980s and ‘90s, fraught with paranoia over unsubstantiated rumors of Satanic rituals happening in the woods. “Only this time instead of it being Dungeons and Drag ons and the devil, now we have, ‘oh, it’s those queer people and those trans people who are, you know, doing things.’ It’s the same manufactured nonsense.”

That nonsense is often rooted in power dynamics and money. “Healers became political when science and medicine overlapped with herbalism and midwifery; it became about controlling bodies,” May points out. Land ownership was at issue during the Salem Witch Trials. The church would confiscate the family land of any accused witch who entered a plea – with either plea a death sentence – leav ing the surviving family members with nothing.

“Christianity did it right when they took our community,” says May,

referring to the witch hunts in the Middle Ages prompted by the publication of the Malleus Maleficarum , essentially a witch-hunting manual penned by two Catholic priests. Eighty-thousand suspect ed witches were killed, 80 percent of whom were women.

“It was a strategic action,” she continues, explaining how these me dieval witch hunts split apart covens and forced practicing witches underground. “We’re forever pulling [our community] back together.”

Which is what The Veiled Crow does in their store, hosting class es and creating, with Zakroff, the Key and Serpent Society, which held its first pop-up over the summer in Pawtuxet Village.

Growing the Providence community is working. The new genera tion of witches coming up feel confident in their identities as witch es. “I feel like a former version of me wouldn’t have wanted to iden tify as a witch because of the negative connotation that people have with it,” says Matos of Cedez Tarot. “We intentionally surround our selves with very accepting, loving people, so I feel like that’s all we really receive.” Barton-Zainyeh agrees. “I feel really accepted here.”

“There are soccer mom witches and hippy witches and some witches who are just a little weird,” says May.

“But we’re kind,” adds Lawrence. “And we’re your neighbors.”

THE VEILED CROW’S BESPOKE SPELLS ARE ALL HANDCRAFTED

Piece of Cake

STYLE

A wall serves as an homage to many layers of wallpaper

Historic buildings have long memories. The old houses, community buildings, and workspaces dotting Providence offer portals through time, connecting present-day residents with our collective past, as well as hinting at futures to come. The elaborate Carpenter Gothic Kendrick-Prentice-Tirocchi House at 514 Broadway – widely known as the Wedding Cake House because of its resemblance to the traditional many-tiered dessert – has served as an architectural and cultural anchor for the neighborhood since 1867.

Photo by Julia Barber

An inside look at the historic abode reimagined as both an artist residency and Airbnb

Bought by sisters Anna and Laura Tirocchi in 1915, the house became the new home of A&L Tirocchi Gowns, the sisters’ successful bespoke clothing business, attracting Providence’s wealthiest women as customers. After Anna’s death in 1947, the house sat vacant and then abandoned until it was given a new lease on life in 2017 thanks to the efforts of feminist arts not-for-profit organization Dirt Palace and its founders, Xander Marro and Pippi Zornoza, and the many artists and volunteers who contributed to its revitalization.

Restoration of the old house has been sensitively executed: original furnishings were preserved wherever possible, while contemporary work mixes thoughtfully with what remains. For example, the tiling around the fireplace in the Innkeeper’s quarters uses Eastlake-style tiles from the 1860s featuring blowsy roses, birds, and butterflies in flight that mix with new creations by trans queer Jewish artist Nicki Green, who incorporates Hebrew text and sacred symbols into her work as a means of questioning received ideas about belonging and otherness.

Another notable installation is in Room 2 on the second floor: a photograph by Rue Sakayama of the house mid-restoration, hung over a preserved wall showing the layers of wallpaper stripped during the renovation – a clever testament to the many histories underlying the house’s current iteration. Patchwork wallpaper by Jim Drain in a nearby nook references the

BarberJuliabyPhotos By Julia Barber

Past and present revealed

The Wedding Cake House on Broadway

Printed on pattern-dot paper, Lu Heintz’ wallpaper is a nod to the home’s history

complex piecing of custom garments that took place in the workrooms of the house, while upstairs, wooden window guards by multimedia artist Kristina L. Brown cleverly echo the distinctive pointed shapes of windows in the third floor and tower. In the resident reading room – the Tirocchi workers’ former sewing room – wallpaper

designed by Lu Heintz borrows from period photographs and deconstructed garment patterns, printing them onto pattern-dot paper that present-day sewers use to scale theirThesecreations.days, the Wedding Cake House hosts artists’ residencies, neighborhood open houses, and a popular Airbnb:

the perfect place to put up friends and family visiting the Creative Capital. Miranda Zhen-Yao, artist in residence and pro tem innkeeper from Mondays to Wednesdays, helps to create a warm and welcoming environment in the historic home (hardworking founders Marro and Zornoza, and Zhen-Yao for the remainder

of every week). Prospective overnight guests are urged to visit the Wedding Cake House Airbnb site to explore the available rooms, including a bedroom whose closet is a former elevator shaft featuring a seven-foot stained glass window, and other spectacular rooms featuring private claw-foot tubs and artwork grounded in the history of the house. If you haven’t been inside yet, make attending an open house or booking a room your first priority: the building is a monument to the talent of the many women, immigrants, and artists who made our city great.

GET RHODY STYLE

Learn even more about the Wedding Cake House, Dirt Palace, and interesting spots around the city.

BE IN THE KNOW

N.B. Miranda’s term as innkeeper ends in April of 2023, and the Wed ding Cake House team is looking for her successor. Interested? Apply online at DirtPalace.org.

WINDOW DRESSING

At the intersection of Plainfield Street and Manton Avenue, AKA Olneyville Square, find The Dirt Palace Storefront Window Gal lery. Since 2000, this public art project has showcased the talent of hundreds of local, national, and international artists, community groups, and youth arts program ming. Monthly rotating exhibits are free and on view 24/7.

ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST

Find additional information about the Kendrick-Prentice-Tirocchi House and many other historic properties by visiting the Providence Preserva tion Society online at PPSRI.org

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

Hebrew letters infuse the work of Nicki Green with symbolism

Hosted DelGiudice & Sascha Roberts

Bauble Bauble Toil and Trouble

Given Rhode Island’s witch-friendly history (see page 39), it’s no surprise our state is chock full of independent artisans with a metaphysical edge. Whether you seek clarity for a vexing problem, are looking for a statement piece necklace, or just fancy a fresh new fragrance, these local makers o er handcrafted goods perfect for crossing the veil between the living and the dead.

1. Bast Brass Cat Tooth Lariat Necklace

Cast from an ethically sourced cat tooth, this lariat necklace from Silver Moon Alchemy celebrates Bast, the goddess of joy, music, sensuality, and protection. SilverMoonAlchemy.com

2. Blue Hydrangea Bubble Pendant

This bubble-shaped pendant from Roses N Dragons Designs features locally gathered white hydrangea flowers preserved in resin. RosesNDragonsDesigns.com

3. Hex Hankies

Maker Julia Thorpe sews items like altar drapes and quilted tarot bags, but the hex hankies, crafted from vintage handkerchiefs, are a conversation starter. Etsy.com/shop/JulieThorpeQuilts

4. Shadow Work Deck

This magical 60-card deck featuring creator Mary Rose’s fine art photography guides seekers to look deep within themselves to create positive change. ShadowWorkDeck.com

5. Witchcraft

Belle Toi’s all-natural, small-batch skincare products are Reiki-charged and crafted with loving intention. Their fruit-scented Witchcraft line includes a scrub, bar soap, body oil, and perfume. BelleToiNaturalSkincare.com

6. Wolf Skull Memento Mori Pendant

Metal artist RyAn Holmes from Never Living Atelier crafts his Memento Mori pendants to celebrate the impermanence of life through di erent icons of remembrance, like the wolf skull. Etsy.com/shop/NeverLiving

7. Zodiac Soap

Lather up with Eclectic Garden ’s smallbatch zodiac soaps. Charged by the light of the full moon, the scents are based on each astrological sign. EclecticGardenSoap.com

7

Get Barbiecore Style

Pink picks for fall that don’t cost much plastic from 92 PRO-FM DJ Barbi Jo

Early peeks of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in their niftiest neon for next year’s Barbie movie from director Greta Gerwig may have sparked a fascination of all things pink around the nation, but here in Rhode Island, Barbi Jo DiMaria is the OG doll. Weeknights from 7pm to midnight, DiMaria plays pop hits on 92 PRO-FM’s The Barbi Jo Show wearing her signature sparkly headphones. She’s also the director of marketing and promotions and is often seen around the state at live remotes and appearances. And yes, Barbi is her real name, so who better to ask where to find pink essentials around PVD?

Blast 92 PRO-FM in your dream house through a Muzen Pink Mini Bluetooth Speaker from HomeStyle 233 Westminster Street

Blu Violet Rooftop bartender

Justin can mix you a #BAR-bie-core Life in Plastic PINK-me-up at Aloft Providence Downtown. 191 Dorrance Street

Photo courtesy of Alexandra’s Too 390 South Main Street, Fall River, MA

Be a head-turner in Barbie bling with Center Stage Cushion Earrings by the city’s own Jojo Loves You Find stockists JojoLovesYou.comat

CULTURE

The park in autumn

Roger Williams Park at 150

TicketsJACK-O-LANTERNSPECTACULARareonsalenow for this year’s event celebrating another milestone: 75 years of television. The trail is open nightly from 6-10:30pm, September 29 - October 31. RWPZoo.org/JOLS

Where can you attend a planetarium show, see a live bison, and ride a carousel all in one day? At Providence’s very own Roger Williams Park. This beautiful destination is celebrating its 150th birthday and we’re all invited! Together with the Roger Williams Family and Providence Parks Department, the RWP Conservancy is hosting a family-friendly fête and fundraiser.

“Roger Williams Park has been a place of joy, restoration, revitalization, and fun for 150 years,” says Kevin Essington, conservancy executive director. “Thanks to the Providence Parks Department’s stewardship, the park has never looked better.” The birthday party kicks off the conservancy’s year-end campaign to fund programs and investments in the park.

“Over the course of Mayor Elorza’s tenure, Roger Williams Park has been restored to a vibrant destination for all,” says Wendy Nilsson, Providence Parks Department superintendent. “We thank the conservancy for being a partner in this transformation. Attending this fundraiser is a great way to show your support for Roger Williams Park.”

The special event on October 30 will offer tours of historic locations in the park, such as the Williams Family Cemetery and Betsey Williams Cottage. There will also be performers and cake, and guests will have a chance to buy raffle tickets for a host of Rhode Island-based prizes. All funds raised at the celebration will benefit the conservancy’s work enhancing the park as a vibrant public place for all. The conservancy is matching gifts one-to-one for the first 150 people who contribute online. Roger Williams Park Casino, 1-3pm, tickets are $3 each, RWPark.org | By Elyse Major

Special event celebrates the People’s Park with a party, tours, cake, and more

Photo by José Ramirez, courtesy of Roger Williams Park Conservancy

Common Threads

New sewing book gives classic tale a uniquely Rhode Island spin

“The beauty shot of Mole was along the path at Lincoln Woods,” begins Cynthia Treen. “We did lots of photography along the Sun set Trail around the edge of the lake with mossy rocks. The winter scene was shot in front of my former house on the West End, and Toad Hall behind Toad’s car was shot in East Greenwich; it’s the home of one of my student’s at the Handicraft Club.”

Treen is describing some of the shoot ing locations for her latest craft book, The Wind and the Willows Felt Friends: Begin ning-Friendly Sewing Patterns to Bring Ken neth Grahame’s Classic Tale to Life. Within the 144 pages, fiber artist Treen provides clear instructions for making main characters Mr. Toad, Ratty, Mole, and Badger.

The book took about a year and a half to create with Treen embarking on her own ad ventures that included transforming char acters beloved since 1908 into figures with patterns, writing the manuscript, and doing most of the photography – except for the cover image and two chapter headings, by Karen Philippi. She also rekindled a work ing relationship with former colleague Pete Mars, who Treen met when they both worked at Martha Stewart Living in New York City, now also living in Providence.

“When I could not complete all the sets I needed, Pete generously took over, making sev eral from start to finish that beautifully enhanced the book. It was like working together at Martha again,” says Treen, who worked at the company for many years developing soft toys for Martha By Mail, and producing many craft and sewing segments, often appearing on camera alongside the visionary behind “it’s a good thing.”

To showcase Treen’s endearing models, Mars painstakingly fabricated elaborate sets using many items from the recycling bin such as corrugated cardboard, paper towel tubes, and packing materials. “We used aluminum foil for forming irregular surfaces, masking tape for anchoring elements, and paper towels dipped in white glue to imitate surfaces like earth and tree bark, and to hold the construction togeth er. The surface elements were finished with paints, model railroad ‘earth,’ wool batting to

Treen getting a sense of the set-up at Badger’s house

imitate snow, and crumbled tea leaves for the barky surfaces of roots,” Mars explains.

“I mentioned to Pete that Badger’s kitch en has a herringbone floor in the book, so he made one for me. He spent a week laying it out with tweezers,” says Treen. “He added so many delightful details into the sets; it is im possible to choose which set I love most!”

Treen has a lifelong adoration of tiny worlds. Growing up in New Hampshire, she remem bers spending hours making all sorts of things for a dollhouse that she built with her father.

“There is magic in learning, making, and giv ing that touches our core as human beings. Early on, I wondered if creating tiny felt ani mals was a bit frivolous, but I’ve learned from my [fellow] makers that it is profoundly re warding on the deepest level,” says Treen.

Her book is sure to inspire others to construct their own felt pals, armed with instructions, supply lists, and plenty of visual inspiration. On Treen’s website, she sells kits with supply packs to make the characters – including Otter

(a bonus chapter download from the publish er’s website: BookmarkedHub.com) – and then some. She also has a Patreon group where sup porters are privy to a new design each month to stitch with either a video or PDF tutorial; do nations start at $3 a month.

“With this book and all I do, I aim to create a welcoming space of inspiration for beginners and seasoned makers alike that taps into, nur tures, and spreads good energy,” says Treen. For details, visit linktr.ee/threadfollower. Find or ask for The Wind and the Willows Felt Friends at your favorite independent bookseller.

All Aboard

Whether you’re an art enthusiast looking for a fun introduction to the Providence creative scene or just a fan of meeting new people while sipping free wine, Gallery Night Providence is a lovely way to spend a Thursday night. For the past 25 years, the tour has been introducing individuals to the works of local artists by ushering them between city galleries via trolley.

At the series inception in 1996, Provi dence looked very different. As Gallery Night co-founder Paula Martiesian recalls, “It was a city down on its luck – a dirty post-Industrial town whose heyday had come and gone.” She continues, “There was no WaterFire… restaurant culture was still in its infancy. So what happened? People steppedMartiesianup.”

and co-founders Teresa Level and Catherine Little Bert started Gallery Night Providence with the goal of reshap ing the city around the arts. They set out to bring attention and financial support to local artists by introducing visitors to their work in a unique way. They also sought to make art accessible to all, no matter finan cial status or educational background.

On a warm July evening, myself and a group of friends attended our first-ever Gallery Night. While most tours leave from the Graduate Hotel, ours departed from the WaterFire Arts Center. Upon arrival, we were introduced to our tour guide, Shan non Hadfield, a local art historian and edu cator. Hadfield asked the group where they were from and if they’d attended Gallery Night before. Some people had been going for years while others were first-timers like myself. Although experience levels varied, excitement did not. We kept asking one an other, how is an experience like this free?

Michelle Maynard, executive director of Gallery Night Providence, says the majori ty of their support comes from grants from the Providence Tourism Council, RISCA, and Providence’s Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, along with funding from individu als, businesses, and galleries and art spaces who pay to be a part of their network.

McDonnellShannonofcourtesyPhotos

Shannon Hadfield, tour guide for Gallery Night Providence, addresses a trolley full of guests

A account of a popular third-Thursday art tour by trolley

The first stop on the tour was to the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts on North Main Street, where we were invited to wander between rooms view ing various collections. One artist, Terry Frishman, used her stop to showcase found profiles and false images in often overlooked and gritty street subjects such as tire marks, oil spills, and melting ice. In attendance, Frishman was delight ed to explain the concept to us, asking, “Have you ever seen a face in the moon?”

Our next destination was the colorful studio of Anahid Ypres, just a few floors up. Ypres had glasses of red wine and snacks prepared, and on display was a sculpture of a treehouse resting upon a cloud; a painted bust of a jester; and an avant-garde map of Matunuck where an enlarged seagull flies over colorful sail boats, giant fish, and white fences in the sand. I was surprised by the affordabili ty of some of her prints, and happy that I could support her with a purchase.

We then moved to Sprout CoWork ing in the Valley neighborhood, where a fiber arts collection from Rhode Island Threads was on view. This was an exhib it I would have never attended on my own, but was blown away by the intri cacies managed in these woven pieces, particularly in the portraits where facial shading was accomplished with thread and fabric dye. Before we left, one of the artists handed out bookmarks made from fabric scraps. I received one with strawberries on it.

Our last stop took us back to the be ginning at WaterFire Arts Center, where we viewed a mixed media exhibition titled “This Must Be The Place.” Walk ing out, everyone was saying the same things, that the tour had forced us to navigate our city in a way unfamiliar to us, that it had made us feel comfortable in new-to-us settings, and that we would definitely be back. The final 2022 tours take place October 20 and November 17. Learn more at GalleryNight.org

Inside the studio of artist Anahid Ypres

Inside the WaterFire Arts Center, a mixed media exhibition titled “This Must Be the Place”

The Must List

10 essential events this month

October 11:

Grab your robe and broom and join in the Witches Dance as it parades across the Michael Van Leesten Memorial Bridge, with the Danc ing Witches of Providence and the Providence Drum Troop. RIWitchesGuild.com

October 16:

Participate or donate to this walk and move ment dedicated to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The 5K walk, which kicks o at 7:30am at Kennedy Plaza, raises funds for survi vors and patients. ACSEvents.org

October 16:

Dance among the graves at The Mausoleum Hill Sessions at the North Burial Ground, featuring music from local artists Stev Delmonico of The Quahogs, Vudu Sister, and Dave Alves. Face book: The Mausoleum Sessions

October 25-30:

Witches dance like no muggle is watching

Through October 9:

PORTALES: Reimagining the Future, an art exhibit curated by Providence College fac ulty, celebrates the artists and organizers who strengthened Rhode Island’s communi ties during the pandemic and the movement against racial injustice. WaterFire.org

October 1:

StoryFest 22 brings tall tales, folk tales, musi cal stories, and more to the Providence Inno vation District Park. Bring a blanket and pic nic and cozy up for a day of family-friendly stories. MarkBinderBooks.com

October 7-10:

Head to the Hill for the Columbus Day Festi val, an annual tradition put on by the Federal Hill Commerce Association. Enjoy entertain ment, live chef demonstrations, a parade, and a taste of neighborhood restaurants. FederalHillProv.com

October 8:

Stroll Benefit Street to peruse handmade fine art and design work by 130+ student and alumni artists, exemplifying mastery of craftsmanship in a wide variety of media, at RISD Craft. Facebook: RISD Craft

The beloved movie Tootsie comes to life in mu sical form at PPAC. In this hilarious love letter to the theater, talented but unsuccessful actor Mi chael Dorsey lands a surprise role of a lifetime. PPACRI.org

October 30:

Dash through the RIPTA bus tunnels in your costume of choice dodging spooky zombies –and bring the little ones along for a fun run of their own at the Halloween Monster Dash 5K MonsterDashRace.com

October 28-November 6:

Celebrate Little Rhody’s big vegan scene with plant-based cuisine prepared by chefs and restau rants across the city and beyond at PVD Vegan Restaurant Week. Find specials from participat ing eateries online. VegRestaurantWeek.com

Experience | In The Kitchen | Food News

Unafraid of using a little color and sparkle in their almost-too-pretty-to-eat vegan confections, Sweetfairy LLC is a labor of love led by pastry chefs Flourish Nuñez and mother Sonia. From a selection of mu ns, loaves, and sweet doughs to butterfly-shaped hand pies and cakes adorned with edible flowers and dried fruit, Flourish specializes in desserts that are as lovely as they are comforting. “The purpose of Sweetfairy is to share a personal experience,” she says, “to translate every part of ourselves and infuse that magic into all of the sweets and treats we create.

“Autumn is our favorite time of year and we couldn’t be more excited to share what’ll be in store for the season.” Flourish looks forward to adding new sweets to the menu incorporating ingredients like sweet potato, molasses, beets, dates, dulce de leche, autumnal spices, and pumpkin. If last October’s menu is any indication – with its Maple Sweet Potato and Lime Raw Cheesecake and Chocolate Spiced “Meringue” Ghost Cupcakes – fall foodies are in for a treat. “There’s a great chance our Halloween Sweet Treat Box will also make a comeback, too,” Flourish adds.

Sweet treats are just one part of the business: Sonita by Sweetfairy is a meal-prep service with savory menus of pasta, soups, and hearty plant-based plates that drop weekly.

“The inspiration behind our creations has always been the love of those who came before us to pass along these gifts, and our roots, the Dominican Republic where we come from,” says Flourish. Follow @sweetfairypvd on Instagram for pop-ups, find their confections at Atmosphere Cannabis Cafe in East Providence, and visit SweetFairy.co to order online at least 48 hours in advance for pickups at Creative Commerce Center in Pawtucket. | By Abbie Lahmers

Into the Pot

I entered Y Shabu Shabu a hot pot novice. For starters, my handling of chopsticks is rudi mentary at best and I puzzled over the small glowing dial at my seat when the friendly host sat me and a group of friends at a table of four. Surrounding the individual hot plates were neat table settings that included a small plate, bowl, and cup flanked by wooden chop sticks, a ladle with holes, and soup spoon.

A longtime fan of Y Noodle & Bar just across the street, I had been wanting to venture over to its cousin for some time. Though opened by the same owners, this newer extension of the Y brand is a totally di erent concept. Our server, upon learning we were newbies, knelt down at the end of the table to walk us through it.

First step: choose a broth. Tonkatsu, a porkbased option, is the most traditional. There’s also spicy Szechuan, Japanese Curry, Tomato, and Sukiyaki (soy sauce-based). Opting for a vege tarian choice, I went with the tofu-based Creamy

CUISINE: Upscale traditional Chinese hot pot

PRICES: Premium Hot Pot: $38.95 | Vegetarian Hot Pot: $32.95

ATMOSPHERE: Lively communal dining

An elevated and creative all-you-can-eat experience on West Fountain Street takes diners on a culinary adventure

A bubbling pot of spicy szechuan broth is ready to cook meats and veggies

Vege. Step two: bring your broth selection to a nice rolling boil right there at the table (protip: start on a high setting and work your way down), and let the communal fun begin.

Rather than entrees, the menu at Y Shabu Shabu is ingredients. A handful of small-serving appetizers like Crab Ran goon and Nagoya Chicken Wings come with the all-you-can-eat charge, but the rest is meat, noodles, and veggies. Our first round was a mix of server recommen dations and some tried-and-true choices.

The next step was my favorite: build your own sauce. Brushed gold bowls containing everything from chive flower and Thai basil to szechuan peppercorns form a glorified sauce bar and o ered an opportunity to flex our creativity. I didn’t even notice the helpful sign with suggested combinations for di erent flavor profiles my first trip (yes, I made more than one visit), but was sur prisingly pleased with my creation of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chili oil, scallions, fermented bean curd, and miso paste.

We returned with our sauces to a table full of raw rolled meat cuts, seafood balls, udon and glass noodles, tofu, wild mushrooms, and

veggies galore. My omnivore friends went for marbled American Kobe Top Round steak, an gus beef, and premium sliced lamb first, ladling the slices in their boiling pots until done – cut very thin, this takes less than a minute, and the fat from the meat adds richness to the broth with each piece added. Fish and lobster balls, which pu up when ready, take a little longer.

Overzealous to start, I added thick udon noodles, bok choy, mushrooms, and bean curd sticks all at once. A word to the wise: hot pot is not a race. It’s also not soup – don’t be afraid to slow down and enjoy each bite. Dunked in the DIY sauce after simmering in the creamy broth, each morsel was a fresh delight, my favorite veggie staples reimagined in the pot. The newto-me bean curd stick, a thin textured, slightly chewy sheet of soy skin, cooked quickly and absorbed flavors wonderfully, but the game changer was the corn on the cob. The kernels o ered steaming bursts of sweet and spicy.

A second round – our pots refreshed with broth – included more daring picks like squid (tread a fine line between cooked through and rubbery), shrimp (simmer until pink), and chicken and pork feet (give these at least five minutes). Each drew praise from my hot pot companions. These new ingredi ents reiterated the now legend-status stories of spice and richness written by past fatty meats – and I’m told the crispy pork feet paired well with Korean barbecue sauce.

As for my veggie pot, next time I’ll know not to hesitate when ordering cuts of denser sweet potato and lotus root (an aesthetically pleasing holey tuber), which take a little longer in the broth. By the end of the evening, my pot settled into a satisfying umami essence.

Don’t skip on the scoop of matcha ice cream for dessert and a carafe of junmai or nigori sake – for the dry or sweeter palate, respec tively. But friends, I’m here to tell you after one visit, I’m still just a pupil of hot pot – and that’s the best part. There are endless combinations yet to experiment with, and visions of the taro, watercress, and bean vermicelli I have yet to try keep me up at night. If hot pot were a les son, I would gladly be a lifelong learner.

Y Shabu Shabu West Fountain YShabuShabu.com

The DIY sauce bar at Y Shabu Shabu

Just the Way It Is

The story behind an authentic Mexican gem on Manton Avenue

Setting foot inside Chilangos’ unassuming front door – which is covered by thick curtains – you’re met with the rich smell of spices from homemade sauces, an ambiance rivaling the speakeasy scene, and an authentic Mexican vintage feel. Upon rolling through the drapery, you’ll be greeted by a member of the familia.

Next year marks 22 years of business for Chi langos, a restaurant with humble beginnings as a brick and mortar that opened on the inter section of Manton and Atwells avenues, where Olneyville meets Mount Pleasant – though this isn’t where the story of Chilangos begins.

In the late ‘90s, Juan Carlos Fierros opened a food truck roaming Fox Point on summer nights, with a route hugging the water and stopping at his favorite soccer fields by Gano Street and India Point Park. A simple menu –dubbed “Triple T” because it featured tacos, tortas, and tamales – mirrored the Mexican street food he knew and loved growing up. At a time before social media was a thing, Fierros gained a serious base of dedicated followers.

Fierros developed his menu based on the cuisine of Mexico City, he explains, “just for the fact that it was a melting pot of all 32 states in Mexico.” The name “Chilango” – which has several meanings, including “wanderer” or someone from Mexico City – was bequeathed upon Fierros by the fanbase who would crowd around the truck. When they asked him where he was from, he told them Jalisco and Ixtlan de los Hervores, but after experiencing his cooking they would say, “No, no… you are a Chilango.”

The name stuck when Fierros opened up shop on Manton Avenue.

Now, the Chilangos family includes Fierros and his sister Patricia heading the kitchen, nephews Max Mendoza as general manager and bartend ing whiz Je Mendoza, and “great uncle” Hector Racine, who is part of their adopted family, hav ing been with the restaurant since its inception in 2001. Though pushing 80, Racine can often be found dancing around the restaurant while host ing, serving, and bussing tables – and dropping o samples of some of the finest liquid gold in town: Don Nacho Tequila.

Part of what makes Chilangos unique is the family’s own tequila brand, made from pure

THE FLAVORS OF MEXICO CITY

CHILE EN NOGADA

This seasonal fall dish celebrating Mexican Independence Day is a poblano pepper stu ed with seasoned ground pork, beef, dried apricots, apples, plantains, raisins, and almonds, served with a creamy chilled salsa of walnuts and goat cheese.

ENMOLADAS

Chilangos o ers a variety of specialty mole sauces, including verde, peanut, pinon, and adobo. Prepared with shredded chicken, crema, and sesame seeds, this version of an enchilada features a dark mole poblano.

Chilangos o erings like enmoladas, tacos, and more

JEFF’S MILK PUNCH

A Mendoza special with homemade horchata, Don Nacho Anejo, and borgetti – it’s like an espresso martini elevated with tequila.

TACOS

The lengua (beef tongue) is slow cooked in its own juices and then crisped on the griddle. Or cochinita pibil tacos feature slow-roasted pork marinated in a special blend of ingredients including cinnamon, allspice, and achiote seed. Served traditionally, tacos come wrapped in banana

agave. The farmers and distillers behind the Don Nacho Tequila brand are based out of Jalisco, Mexico, and they’re close relatives of the Chilangos crew. A ectionately dubbed “Uncle Nacho” (and also “living legend”) by the crew, this tequila is their secret sauce.

“Don Nacho is special because when it’s aging in its casks, classical music is played for over 24 hours at a time,” shares Fierros. “A kitchen secret is how we use some of the te quila for tenderizing the chicken on the menu.” Now the brand is distributed in the northeast and beyond with the reposado being awarded more than a few gold medals over the years.

Chilangos closes once a year so they can visit family in Mexico, but a big part of the trip is also food research to learn what dish es are currently singing on Mexican streets. The inspiration they bring back usually finds its way back to the Providence eatery.

The menu has seen changes over the last few decades, but a handful of original o er ings from the “Triple T” school of thought remain, plus some vegetarian-friendly op tions. Their slogan, “Solo la forma en que es” or “Just the way it is,” serves as a nod to their commitment to authenticity. While lots of restaurants take traditional dishes to a fusion level to make some noise, the Chi langos familia believes in keeping things a bit quieter to showcase the way they started and the generations before them.

Adam Buck, founder of Small Point Cafe, is opening a new java joint on Hope Street. Coffee is still the fo cal point at Cafe Zoey, with locally roasted fair trade coffees on offer at the espresso bar. Hungry patrons can nosh on hand-held crepes, which are inspired by Japanese and Chinese street food. Cafe Zoey offers a se lection of sweet and savory ones, in cluding the Fungi, with smoked Gou da and cremini mushrooms, and the Elvis in Providence, which features peanut butter, bananas, fluff, and pretzel sticks. Buck is also working on getting Kosher certification.

“I’d been thinking about a second location since before the pandemic,” Buck explains. “When I found this place, I knew it was perfect.” Plus, he has great neighbors: Asher Schofield and the gang from Frog & Toad are right next door. CafeZoey.com

After a two-year wait, The Industri ous Spirit Company released a sec ond limited run of their Blue Velvet Bourbon in September. The bourbon is made using two types of blue corn: an organic strain of indigo from Ken tucky and a “landrace” strain – its ge netic makeup nearly identical to its wild ancestor – from Oaxaca, Mexi co. Flavor notes of vanilla, caramel, and chocolate mingle with the taste of blue corn tortilla chips in this rare 100 percent corn mash blend.

Blue Velvet is barrel aged for 1218 months, under the two years typ ical of bourbon, so the corn flavor isn’t lost in the process. While own er Manya Rubinstein loves a good cocktail, she aims to distill liquors that can stand on their own when sipped over ice or neat, saying, “You shouldn’t have to hide the taste of your spirits.” ISCOSpirits.com

Inspired by friend Brian Leosz’s suc cess with Butterbang Croissants, pastry chef Miguel Allis founded local confec tion company Hawt Chocolate over the summer, handcrafting artisan bars and bonbons. Allis and his husband are re cent Providence transplants, having just moved from Boston where the Mexico City-native climbed the ranks to pastry chef at Flour Bakery under renowned owner Joanne Chang.

Allis’ filled chocolate is inspired by his extensive travels, with flavors like PB&J reminiscent of American nostalgia while Strawberries and Cream is based on a treat he had as a kid. The menu changes seasonally, and fall flavors include a whis key caramel in a dark chocolate shell. He sells his lush chocolates at Hope & Main’s Wednesday market and anticipates rolling out online ordering soon. “I love how ex cited people get when they try the choco late,” he says. HawtChocolatePVD.com

Return of bourbon brewed in PVD Halloween candy for grown-ups

Crepes come to Hope Street