Providence Monthly December 2019 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

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Photo courtesy of Go Providence

Providence Monthly • December 2019

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year downtown. Pg 27

27 Christmastime in the City 50+ ways to eat, drink, and get your merry on all season long

DEPARTMENTS Pulse

13 Shepard Fairey’s 100th

24 RHODY GEM: An annual

54 ON STAGE: Providence play-

62 EXPERIENCE: Build your own

wreath-making tradition in

houses are busy putting spins on

burger – and find a beer to match

mural pays homage to the

Richmond Square

classic Christmas shows

– at The Abbey

Creative Capital

14 Providence Athenaeum hosts special exhibit dedicated to

Life & Style

37 SHOP: Ocean State pride

56 ART: Anthony Tomaselli

64 IN THE KITCHEN: Chef

opens his studio to the public and

Nick Rabar gives a behind-the-

for your Christmas tree

reveals a lifetime of landscapes

scenes look at his latest TV series

39 INFLUENCER: Billy Gilman’s

58 MUSIC: An Olneyville record

68 FOOD NEWS: The city’s

Home for the Holidays Style

store is stocked with the obscure

first croissant cart, inside the

Walt Whitman’s work and life

16 Mobile shower in Pawtucket

new Dean Bar, and Ellie’s

is a philanthropist’s latest effort to help the homeless

43 HOME: In a College Hill Victorian, whimsy reigns supreme

18 South Street Landing

20 Season of giving

Food & Drink

61 SPOTLIGHT: Not just bagels:

gains national recognition for property preservation

gingerbread fundraiser

70 RESTAURANT GUIDE

Challah bread gets artisinal at

Art & Culture

Rebelle

47 THE MUST LIST: Events you can’t miss this month

Pic of PVD

74 A festive city snapshot from our contributing photographer

ON THE COVER: Providence City Hall decked out for the holidays. Photo courtesy of Go Providence. ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Best Wishes This Holiday Season.

MONTHLY

Ed Pontarelli CRPC®, APMA® Financial Advisor & Managing Director Carrie A. McPherson CRPS®,CDFA® Registered Practice Associate, and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® Beacon Point Wealth Advisors A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 401.824.2532 1 Citizens Plaza, Ste 610 Providence, RI 02903 ed.pontarelli@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/team/ beacon-point-wealth-advisors

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

Media Director Jeanette St. Pierre

Editor in Chief Elyse Major

Assistant Editor Abbie Lahmers

Managing Editor Megan Schmit

Staff Writer Robert Isenberg

Art Director Nick DelGiudice

Graphic Designer Taylor Gilbert

Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas

Staff Photographer Savannah Barkley

Account Managers Louann DiMuccio-Darwich

Ann Gallagher Kristine Mangan Olf Elizabeth Riel

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“I highly recommend working with David!”

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Stephanie Oster Wilmarth For advertising information email: Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com

Contributing Photographers Christine Chitniss

Wolf Matthewson

Grace Lentini

Anisa Raoof

Contributing Writers Ed McCarthy

Jenny Currier

Adam Hogue

Lauren Vella

Jackie Ignall

Looking for an internship? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com

Distribution Services Special Delivery

PROVIDENCE MEDIA INC. 1070 Main Street, Suite 302, Pawtucket RI 02860 401-305-3391 • Mail@ProvidenceOnline.com ProvidenceOnline.com

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Providence Tree Lighting Ceremony on City Hall Steps

Providence Tree Lighting Ceremony and Figure Skating Show

Friday, December 6th Providence City Hall & Burnside Park 5pm - 9pm

Saturday, December 7th Providence Rink & Burnside Park 12pm - 9pm

Watch the steps of City Hall illuminate with the lighting of the City's tree while enjoying local culinary delights and performances on East Approach.

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Enjoy activities, music and local eats before the Rink hosts a holiday figure skating showcase produced by Sarah DiNardo and Brad Vigorito that features performances from 2018 Olympic Bronze Medalist Mirai Nagasu and many special guests!

PULSE

THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE Shepard Fairey’s 100th mural pays homage to the Creative Capital When Shepard Fairey arrived in Providence in October, he received a hero’s welcome. Fairey presented a public lecture at the RISD auditorium, and a short documentary about his 30-year career was also screened. AS220 hosted Facing the Giant, a retrospective exhibit of Fairey’s poster art. At the gallery opening, Fairey DJ’d the event himself. This is an astounding turn of events for the picaresque street artist, who graduated from RISD in 1992. During his time in Providence, Fairey started to paste “Obey Giant” stickers on public surfaces; the simplified portrait of Andre the Giant became a hit among skateboarders, then gradually

won global attention. Fairey’s fame grew exponentially in 2008 with his “Hope” poster, the ubiquitous image of Barack Obama. But the trip’s most lasting mark is a public mural – his 100th – hand-painted across the Founder’s League building in Downcity. The model was Anjel Newmann, the youth director of AS220, who took classes at the art center as a teenager. Painted in roughly the same color scheme as “Hope,” the new mural is Fairey’s philosophy writ large: “Creativity is the mechanism of self-liberation.” See the mural yourself at 91 Clemence Street -Robert Isenberg

Photo by Anisa Raoof ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

PULSE • City

Building Success

Photo courtesy of Providence Preservation Society

South Street Landing gains national recognition for property preservation

From the mid-90s until the mid-2010s, drivers on Route 195 West into downtown Providence encountered the decrepit hulk of the former Narragansett Electric power station. Built in 1912, the building was a prominent eyesore that sat vacant from 1995 until 2013 – a far cry from what it is today. The renovated plant, renamed South Street Landing, is now home to 450 Brown University administrative staff and a joint nursing education program between Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island. The site also includes a recently opened 175unit apartment complex for Brown graduate students and a 750-space parking garage. In October, the renovation was honored with a 2019 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

National Preservation Award, one of the country’s most prestigious and coveted accolades for property preservation projects. John Luipold, Vice President of Real Estate & Strategic Initiatives at Brown University, details the history of the site’s development. In the late 2000s, plans to convert the plant into a high-end hotel with space allocated to a Rhode Island history museum collapsed during the Great Recession. It lay vacant, but in 2011, Brown University was working with Boston-based CV Properties, LLC to build student housing adjacent to the powerplant, but both struggled with investing over $50 million in a new apartment complex next door to a derelict building. Then, Brown expressed interest in be-

coming an anchor tenant if the plant were renovated, and in response, CV Properties President Richard Galvin “said he thought he could pull a development plan together,” John explains. “That was really the genesis of the project.” So, construction for South Street Landing began in 2014. South Street Landing’s success has sparked additional local development. The Wexford Innovation Center at nearby 225 Dyer Street opened in July, and CV Properties hopes to break ground in early 2020 on a new 175-room hotel. “Now you’re seeing more residentials being planned and construction on other parcels,” Richard notes. “There’s no doubt that once some investors come in, others will follow.” -Ed McCarthy

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

PULSE • City

Clean Up Crew A mobile shower in Pawtucket is Peter Kelleher’s latest effort to help New England’s homeless

Photography by Robert Isenberg

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Let’s call him “Lewis.” He’s a regular-looking guy, maybe 50 years old, with an overgrown mane and beard. His dark hair is graying, and he looks lethargic. But he smiles, because he’s just taken his first shower in quite some time. He sits down in a barber chair and a sheet is draped over his shoulders. An electric razor appears, and the locks fall away. Buzz by buzz, Lewis’ face emerges. “What’s better than a haircut after a shower?” muses Vanessa Parent, a professional stylist and owner of Vanessa Hair Salon in Pawtucket. As she cuts, she asks Lewis about his life. She’s upbeat and funny. You’d think

she was in her own place, but instead she’s here, in a lonely parking lot off Barton Street, giving haircuts to people without homes. “I don’t have a lot of money to give,” Vanessa adds. “But doing this, it immediately makes you feel so good.” None of this would be happening without Peter Kelleher, a Maine native better known as The Soupman. Peter is a veteran contractor and past owner of a doggie daycare; he’s a gregarious man with a boisterous voice. In 2016, Peter learned that his son Travis had died. For some time, Travis had struggled with addiction and homelessness. Now,

they’d subsumed him. Peter responded to Travis’ death with a biblical intensity. He began to cook and distribute soup to homeless people around Bridgewater, Massachusetts, where he now lives. He started collecting clothes and shoes, coats and toiletries. He embraced his nickname and began a movement, “Support the Soupman,” complete with website and T-shirts. He renovated two buses to provide desperately needed services in Bridgewater, Taunton, and now, Pawtucket. “This has all fallen into my lap, by the grace of God,” proclaims Peter. “I’m still in shock. I didn’t ask for any of this. But I have a good team. That’s what helps this thrive every day.” Peter has a strong relationship with Ocean State Job Lot, a company known for its philanthropy, but it was a newspaper article that turned Peter’s attention to Pawtucket. With the help of Mayor Donald R. Grebien – plus an army of partners and volunteers – Peter quickly set up a portable shower unit. The station pops up every Tuesday and Thursday. “It’s a wonderful thing they’re doing here,” says Tom Hodge, who serves as homeless liaison for Pawtucket. He estimates that 200 to 300 people currently live on the city’s streets. “Now we’ve got to find them homes. That’s the big thing.” The Soupman has a knack for attracting helpers – people like Vanessa, who happened to spot the shower unit from her car and now volunteers regularly at the new site. Peter’s goal is to establish this kind of service in every city in New England, helping people like Lewis get back on their feet, or even just survive the week. Peter insists that homelessness, and the factors that contribute to it, affect everyone. “I say it a hundred times a day,” he adds. “If it’s not in your house, it’s in your neighbor’s house. And if you don’t believe me, you’re delusional.” To donate and learn more, visit SupportTheSoupman.org. -Robert Isenberg

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PULSE • City

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Walt Whitman Was Here Athenaeum hosts special exhibit, highlights special connection In October of 1868, famed poet Walt Whitman visited Providence. He described the city as a “half-rural, brisk, handsome, New England, third-class town.” At the time, he stayed with Providence Athenaeum members on Congdon Street, and today, the library is showcasing a major exhibition of Whitman books and artifacts through January 5 of 2020. “This is, to our knowledge, the most significant showing of Whitman works and artifacts in Rhode Island’s history,” shares Robin Wetherill, director of membership and

external relations. Most of the items displayed are from bibliophile Susan Jaffe Tane, who visited the library over 10 years ago and offered to share some of her collection after showing in Grolier Club in NYC. There are curios like a cast of Whitman’s hand and gold rings with locks of hair, alongside rare photographs and the Athenaeum’s first edition copy of his seminal work Leaves of Grass (purchased by the library in 1855 for just $1.25!). “This book is the first known copy to be acquired by a library, and its copyright information is handwritten

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KRISTA LARSON by Whitman himself,” shares Robin excitedly, “so not only is the book incredibly rare and valuable, but the fact that it has remained in our collection for over 150 years and survived being handled and checked out by generations of library members is incredibly special.” Walt Whitman: Poet of the Body runs through January 5, 2020, and open for viewings on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-6pm, Saturdays from 1-5pm, and by appointment. For more information, visit ProvAth.org. -Megan Schmit

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PULSE • City

Education Programs For 15 years, College Visions has provided low-income and underserved students with assistance to apply to and stay in college. Services include resume and essay editing, financial aid advising, paying for campus visits, and even giving students access to computers and other technologies. How You Can Help: Participate in events like interview prep day, care package assembly, financial aid projects, and application day parties. Providence, CollegeVisions.org. Domestic & Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education The Sojourner House has an overarching mission: to ensure that one day, we live in a world without domestic or sexual abuse. The program seeks to help victims of sexual and domestic abuse with educational programs, HIV/AIDS prevention and testing, youth advocacy, a drop-in center, an abuse hotline, support groups, and more. How You Can Help: The nonprofit accepts both donations and volunteers. Providence, SojournerRI.org.

Around the holidays we can get consumed by, well, consumerism. And how can

Animal Shelters & Sanctuaries Let’s not forget our furry and feathered friends. West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton is a safe haven for injured wild animals of many kinds. Founder Wendy Taylor takes in fowl (ducks, turkeys, and geese, oh my!), alpacas, horses, pigs, goats, lost dogs, and others for shelter and rehabilitation. How You Can Help: Volunteer at the farm by walking dogs, feeding the animals, and pruning the gardens, or donate on their website. Tiverton, WestPlace.org.

we not? Black Friday, doorbuster deals, the cyber Monday click-and-save bonanzas – but the holiday season is also a time for doing good, reaching out, and pitching in to help those in need. Whether it’s volunteering for your neighborhood soup kitchen or donating to your favorite local charity, it’s always a good idea to pay it forward. Here are six examples of Rhode Island-based nonprofits you can show some love to on #GivingTuesday (Dec 3) and the coming months.

Military Family & Veteran Support Services The holidays can be especially hard for military and law enforcement families whose members are overseas or were

The Season of Giving 6 nonprofits to support during the holidays – and all year

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

lost in service. What’s more, some of these families struggle to pay their living expenses and cannot afford presents for their children. That’s why the James D. Reilly Foundation made it its mission to bring a magical holiday experience to those in need. Donations to the organization will help fund a myriad of things, from toys for kids’ “wish lists” to a mortgage or accessible vehicle. How You Can Help: Donate online, request a visit from Santa, or volunteer. Bristol, JDRFoundation.org. Homeless Shelters & Services Eighteen thousand meals served in its soup kitchen annually, 225 unique individuals housed in a year, and 80 children and adults helped daily. These are the impressive differences the Welcome House of South County has made in its community. Located in Peace Dale, the emergency shelter program seeks to equip its guests with the financial knowledge and skills to live an independent, comfortable life. The Welcome House also has a oneyear transitional housing onsite for a select number of individuals. How You Can Help: Volunteer in their soup kitchen or shelter, donate food, or give money to help this holiday season. Peace Dale, WelcomeHouseOfSouthCounty.org.

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Food Banks No one should have to choose between paying the rent and eating. Project Hand Up/Be The Change is a volunteer and food donations-based group where people can take home groceries for the week in exchange for a small monetary donation. The organization also collects school supplies for students in need at the beginning of the academic year, and hosts a “Stuff the Bus With Food” event for families and the elderly trying to make ends meet. How You Can Help: Donate food and supplies or make a monetary donation online. West Warwick, BTCSundayMeal.com. -Lauren Vella

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

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PULSE • Rhody Gem

Fresh Handcrafted Wreaths At Simple Pleasures

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 outdoor festive wonderland with wreaths made fresh on the spot by Tom Glenn, who Simple Pleasures’ Mary Moore describes as “gardener, gatherer, and jolly wreath maker extraordinaire.” Where to find it: Hopefully by now you’re familiar with Simple Pleasures, that actual brick-and-mortar gift shop housed in a rustic forge next to Waterman Grille, found by taking Pitman Street to the very end. Each year, the shop hosts Tom, who sets up a wreath-making station outside the shop. Weather permitting, Tom will be at Simple Pleasures weekends in December prior to Christmas, and weekdays by appointment or chance.

Photo courtesy of Simple Pleasures

What makes it a Rhody Gem? For more than 20 years Simple Pleasures has welcomed Tom to their shop garden. “In fact, it wouldn’t seem like the holiday season without Tom here,” says Mary. “Tom’s handsome, wild gathered wreaths have graced many lucky Providence doors. It’s become a memorable festive tradition to choose your special handcrafted wreath.”

Simple Pleasures 6 Richmond Square 331-4120, @SimplePleasuresProvidence Tom Glenn: @dadrmg

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

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

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50+

ways to eat, drink, and get your merry on all season long

Photo by Christine Chitnis

by Elyse Major & Megan Schmit There’s something magical about December in the Capital City: Lampposts festooned in ribbon and garland; small shops stocked with holiday offerings; restaurants serving up cinnamon-spiced seasonal goodies. There are tree and menorah lightings, classic performances, art markets and craft shows. And while spots like Benefit and Westminster Streets offer a special charm all year round, they become especially festive in anticipation of holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. Whether you describe yourself as Buddy the Elf, the Grinch, or the Mensch on the Bench, we’ve assembled a stockingfull of ways for you to eat, drink, and get your merry on all month long – in Providence fashion, of course.

Don’t forget Providence’s own ice rink will be open for skating and bumper cars through the winter!

Through December 23: The hallowed Providence Art Club sets up shop for small art objects at affordable prices during their Little Pictures Show & Sale. ProvidenceArtClub.org December 5:

Get into the holiday spirit with some, er, holiday spirits at Lippitt House Museum’s Christmas Scotch Party, featuring passed hors d'oeuvres, whiskey, and Victorian fanfare. PreserveRI.org.

December 6-7:

OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS “ H a n d s d ow n – t h e H o p e S t re e t W i n te r S t ro l l ! ” -Dan Schwartz, account manager

Photos courtesy of Go Providence

City Hall’s tree lighting is accompanied by the PVD Winter Lights Market, a two-day city tradition with champion figure skating demonstrations, special giveaways, live performances, Eat Drink RI Market, and more. Facebook: Prov ACT

OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS “ M y f avo r i t e p a r t o f t h e h o l i d ay s i s n o t a n y t h i n g s p e c i f i c o r s p e c i a l l i ke a t re e l i g h t i n g o r eve n t – i t ’ s t h e g e n e ra l s e n s e o f, we l l , c o m f o r t a n d j oy yo u g e t d ow n t ow n . T h e w re a t h s a n d g a r l a n d s , l i g h t s , t h e m e d w i n d ow d i s p l ay s , C h r i s t m a s m u s i c , a n d f i rs t d u s t i n g o f s n ow. . . i t s e t s t h e s c e n e f o r w h a t re a l l y i s t h e m o s t wo n d e r f u l t i m e o f ye a r ! ” -Meg Schmit, editor

December 7:

Cruise the Providence Waterways with the Big Guy in Red. ProvidenceRiverBoat.com

December 7:

New Urban Arts adds edge to the Providence cultural scene – and its annual market wins for most original name: Cardboard Pancakes! NewUrbanArts.org

December 8:

Don your ugliest Christmas sweater and strut around the East Side during the Hope Street Winter Stroll, sipping, savoring, and shopping all the way. Facebook: Hope Street Prov

December 8:

Entertainer Bill Harley performs a family concert at Temple Beth-El as part of their Hanukkah celebration. Temple-Beth-El.org

December 8 & 15: Check out the Providence Flea Holiday Market’s new indoor home at WaterFire Arts Center. Facebook: Providence Flea December 13-15:

Festival Ballet Providence’s production of The Nutcracker brings you on an enchanted journey through spectacular sets, choreography, and dancing. PPACRI.org

December 13-15: RI Philharmonic partners with Providence Singers to present Handel’s Messiah, the beloved holiday classic concert. TheVetsRI.com

Let it G low

There’s tons of festive firs – and more! – scattered around the city, and most are ceremoniously lit to the golden-basked delight of an audience. Check out these crowd-drawing light displays. Providence College combines Friar pride with Christmas cheer on Slavin Lawn. Both the Rhode Island State House and Providence City Hall boast stunning evergreens along with nightly menorah lightings. DaPasquale Square provides an Old World backdrop to their massive evergreen draped in red ribbon.

On the East Side, Fox Point neighbors transform George M. Cohan Square into Wickenden Wonderland, complete with a trimmed tree. The relatively new tradition in Olneyville Square features trees draped in multi-colored lights. An appropriately weird PVD spectacle, the Big Blue Bug is draped in bulbs with a red nose and antlers.

OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS “ S e e i n g t h e H o l i d ay P o p s a t P PAC a f t e r d i n n e r a n d d r i n k s w i t h my m o m a n d o u r b e s t f r i e n d s a t R o s a l i n a a n d s h o p p i n g o n We s t m i n s t e r a n d T h aye r S t re e t s fo r u n i q u e g i f t s . ” -Sara Harrison, contributor

December 14: Explore centuries-old Yuletide traditions like DIY tree decorations, candy-filled Christmas crackers, and guided tours of Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum. PreserveRI.org. December 14: After a huge inaugural success, the Rat Pack returns to Skyline for a special seasonal show! Enjoy a night of music, cocktails, dinner, and DJ’d afterparty on the Providence River. SkylineAtWaterplace.com December 15: Rhody’s young vocal star Billy Gilman performs his favorite Christmas tunes alongside the ones that made him famous during his Home for the Holidays concert at The Vets. TheVetsRI.com December 15: The Arcade Farmers & Artisans Market pops up at the oldest indoor mall for some last-minute holiday shopping. Facebook: Arcade Farmers Market December 17-22: Your favorite grouchy, green Who from Whoville is coming to Providence in Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. PPACRI.org December 18: WGBH brings talent from all over the Celtic world to The Vets to perform Celtic, Pagan, and Christian-inspired seasonal songs and sounds during A Christmas Celtic Sojourn. TheVetsRI.com

Photo courtesy of Go Providence

December 19:

Grab tickets to The Hip Hop Nutcracker. Yes, you read that right! It’s a holly jolly mash-up between the classic score and notso-classic dance moves. TheVetsRI.com

OUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS “ M y f avo r i te P rov i d e n ce h o l i d ay t ra d i t i o n i s t h e Ce l e b ra te I n D ow n c i ty fe s t i va l t h a t t a ke s p l a ce i n D e ce m b e r. ” -Kayla Mandeville, contributing photographer

“ I a l way s l ove g o i n g to H o p e S t re e t fo r h o l i d ay g i f t s a n d a l way s f i n d g o o d o n e s at Stock and Henry Bear’s Park for kids!” -J a c k i e I g n a l l , c o n t r i b u t i n g w r i t e r

“ I l ove ex p l o r i n g s m a l l s h o p s a n d s e e i n g h ow t h ey ’ re d e co ra te d fo r t h e h o l i d ay s . T h e re a re a l way s s o m e re a l l y co o l w i n d ow d i s p l ay s . I a l s o l ove d r i v i n g d ow n Co l l e g e H i l l a t n i g h t – eve r y w i n d ow t a ke s o n a s p e c i a l g l ow ” - E l y s e M a j o r, e d i t o r i n c h i e f

December 26-29:

Okay, so Mickey, Moana, and the Frozen gang might not be your classic Christmas characters, but Disney On Ice: Celebrate Memories is still a magical wintertime show. DunkinDonutsCenter.com

December 31: Replicate a typical Italian New Year’s Eve dinner on Federal Hill at Chef Walter’s Cooking School. ChefWaltersCookingSchool.com December 31: NYE at the Providence G has a party for everyone. In the Ballroom, find a glamorous redcarpet affair; on the Rooftop, they’re bringing it back to the ‘70s; and in the Pub, it’s a big ol’ party. NewYearsProvidence.com December 31: There’s something about watching the virtual ball drop and fireworks show over the city that makes NYE at Skyline a magical welcome to 2020. NYEBySkyline.com The Roger Williams Park Carousel all decked out for the holidays

Photo courtesy of Go Providence

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LIFE & STYLE Shop • Home • Influencer SHOP

by Elyse Major • photography by Nick DelGiudice

Nauti or Nice? Show your state love with distinctly Rhody ornaments Pulling out bins and boxes of ornaments each year is a treat similar to rifling through a box of photos, each connecting to a special memory, person, place. Around the state, makers and sellers are stocking their shelves with ornaments so fun and quirky they’re just as much a souvenir as a Christmas decoration. Consider adding any of these to your collection or gifting to someone who adores the state as much as you do!

Wood and wire ornament $8, The Eagle’s Nest Gallery, Westerly

Card with laser-cut handmade ornament $10, Simple Pleasures, Providence

Christmas Santa Quahog $8, BuckyMountainCabin at Etsy.com Embroidered Rhody $6, Fayerweather Craft Guild, Kingston

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

14th Annual “Affordable” Holiday Art Sale Dec 7–8 & Dec 14–15 11 am–4 pm

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LIFE & STYLE • Influencer

by Jackie Ignall

Billy Gilman Singer, Musician

Photo by Holly Rike, courtesy of Billy Gilman

I love a good quality jean in black or dark blue and a white V-neck and a blazer. The sockless shoe look during summer is always fun, too. I love a good designer belt to pop off the solid colors. Currently, a black and gray Louis Vuitton belt is doing the trick. Blue jeans and a white V-neck make me feel most comfortable. I also have these amazing Kooples black pants that are so comfortable. You can wear them with a sneaker and also a great dress shoe. When I’m performing, I’m usually in all black. Or all black with a pop from a light blue jean jacket or burgundy windbreaker. I love a good quality sweat pant when I am backstage or rehearsing. Those hours can be very long, so I like to be comfortable. My musical influences range from Celine Dion and Barbara Streisand to Freddie Mercury and Elvis. I draw so much from them – different vocal techniques to stage moves and ways to work a stage. I am a curious person and always learning ways to be better. Not perfect, but better. Being on The Voice was such an amazing, powerful experience that taught me that my instincts were far more correct than I thought. I gained a huge sense of self on the show. I absolutely love the 401 – it’s so dope! We have city, beautiful farms, and amazing shoreline. The culinary field in general is so overthe-top. I’m proud to be from Rhode Island. I draw so much inspiration from stories and comments from my fans. They show me so much strength and I am eternally grateful for the love they show. So excited to have released a brand new single and music video called “Soldier.” I love the theme and topic of this song. It’s about believing in yourself and standing your ground in this crazy world. Also, my annual Christmas concert will be December 15 at The Vets in Providence!

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

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LIFE & STYLE • Home

by Elyse Major

CROWNING TOUCHES In a College Hill Victorian, whimsy reigns supreme

Artisanal accents keep traditional furnishings from being anything but stuffy

Expansive fireplaces, wide doors, and crown moldings are all elements one expects to find in a Queen Anne Victorian style home. And while they all exist in the circa 1891 College Hill residence of Dan and Robin Ruder, there’s something a bit extra. Traditional trappings like furniture and wallpaper are peppered with pattern, playful touches, and color. Against pastel or papered walls, be on the lookout for handcrafted birds suspended from high ceilings, a large glowing neon fish, a dining table always set with a fabulous array of faux desserts and

Photography by Grace Lentini

fruits, and some form of art appearing at most every turn. “Where we live has evolved into my three-dimensional creation,” says Robin, who over the years has put her BFA and MFA degrees from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to good use decorating interiors within the large single-family. “Our home is unique. It’s my livable art installation. I’m an artist and originally started as a sculptor.” While the Ruders have lived in the house for 33 years, raising their grown children Sarah and

Aron here, they still fondly recall falling for the house at first sight as if it were yesterday. “It’s a fabulous home in a fabulous location on a fabulous street,” says Robin. “When our children were growing up, there were 30 kids on the block. They rode bikes, played manhunt, basketball, and went sleigh riding together. It was a lifestyle for kids like suburbia with the advantages and amenities of a city for us, including great theater, live music, the RISD Museum, art galleries, and being able to walk downtown. It’s been perfect!”

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

LIFE & STYLE • Home

GET RHODY STYLE Robin Halpern-Ruder on adoring her city and state, shopping small, the best place to take art classes, and more. WALKING DISTANCE My most favorite store is Peaceable Kingdom on Ives. Berks on Thayer is the best deal ever for shoes. For art supplies, I usually go to Jerry’s Artarama on North Main. I love all the restaurants. We are a great foodie town! CULTURE CLUB For art classes and atmosphere, the Providence Art Club can’t be surpassed. OCEAN STATE LOVE I think Rhode Island is an undiscovered gem. We have the beaches, forests, countryside, farmland, rolling hills, four seasons, and really nice people. Providence is a perfect city. It’s a place with lots of advantages of city life and a great place to raise a family.

Robin thinks of the entire house as her DIY decorating project. Room after room there are bold swatches of color, pattern, and texture. She likes to think that Dan, a physician and entrepreneur, not only puts up with her decor style but enjoys it all as much as she does. “When I walk in I can’t help but feel good. I’m surrounded by wonderful art. It’s a joyful place to come home to,” says Robin. “People who have heard about our home always want

to see the fake food on dining room table. We used to clear it off when we had company. Now we set up a folding table alongside the table of fake food and everyone gets to see one of our main attractions. It’s very funny and lots of fun!” “To create a Rhode Island style, do whatever makes you most comfortable,” Robin advises. “Our state is made up of creative individuals doing their own thing. Do yours and you will be from Rhode Island.” Photos by by Grace Lentini

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

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THE MUST LIST

5 essential events this December

December 7-8: The PVD Winter Lights Market is a two-day capital city tradition with champion figure skating demonstrations, special giveaways, live performances, Eat Drink RI Market, and more. Providence City Hall, EatDrinkRI.com

DEC

Westerly turns into a wonderland with lights, strolling carolers, hot chocolate and cookies, and more during the 23rd Annual Downtown Holiday Stroll and Luminaria. Westerly, OceanChamber.org

The Wickford Festival of Lights is a South County tradition that wows visitors with Santa’s grand arrival via kayak, caroling, and concerts – and an elf parade! Wickford, NorthKingstown.com

DEC

Bowen’s Wharf 49th Annual

Tree Lighting transforms the waterfront with holiday lights, caroling, and appearances by Frosty the Snowman and Mr. and Mrs. Claus (arriving by boat, of course!). Newport, BowensWharf.com

05-08

Slater Park is a sight to behold with hundreds of illuminated Christmas trees. Bundle up and wander the Yuletide forest during Pawtucket Winter Wonderland. Pawtucket, WinterWonderlandPawtucket.com

07-15

Visit us during the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market in Hope Artiste Village for hand blown glass holiday gifts

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WAXT

ART & CULTURE • Calendar

c a n v a s b a g s . ..

Providence College Men’s Basketball

...are not just for girls

BABS

handbags and travel bags BABS www.BABSetc.com Hope Artiste Village, Pawtucket, RI

Treat Your Guests To Sushi!

Order A Sushi Platter For Your Holiday Party

HARUKI EAST 172 Wayland Avenue, Providence / 223-0332

HARUKI CRANSTON 1210 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston / 463-8338

HARUKI EXPRESS 112 Waterman Street, Providence / 421-0754

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

MUSIC COLUMBUS THEATRE December 4: Xylouris White + Sam Amidon. December 6: True Love – A Tribute to Daniel Johnston with Silverteeth and Friends. December 7: Shade Range. December 11: Haley Heynderickx. 270 Broadway, Providence. ColumbusTheatre.com FETE MUSIC HALL December 6: Jabbawauke & Swimmer with Electro Politics. December 8: Socials Tour with Zoe Laverne & Cody Orlove. December 27: Alchemystics with Toad & The Stooligans, Delish, Sun of Sound. 103 Dike Street, Providence. FeteMusic.com THE MET December 1: The Schemers with The Andy Stone Band. December 5: Casanova Behind These Scars Tour. December 6: Gary Hoey’s Ho Ho Hoey Christmas Show. December 7: The Senders. December 12: lespecial. December 13: The Front Bottoms with

Brother Bird. December 14: Hey Nineteen – A Tribute to Steely Dan. December 19: Larry’s Lounge Variety Show Christmas Spectacular. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. TheMetRI.com THE STRAND December 6: NLE Choppa. December 28: Badfish – A Tribute to Sublime – Under the Sun Tour. 79 Washington Street, Providence. TheStrandRI.com

THEATER PPAC December 3-8: Come From Away (TACO/ White Family Foundation Broadway Series). December 13-15: Festival Ballet Providence Presents The Nutcracker. December 17-22: Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. PPACRI.org TRINITY REPERTORY November 7-December 29: A Christmas

Carol. December 5-January 5: Fade. 201 Washington Street, Providence. TrinityRep. com THE VETS December 14: Handel’s Messiah by Rhode Island Philharmonic. December 15: Billy Gilman – Home for the Holidays Tour. December 18: WGBH Presents A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan. December 19: Chris Tomlin Christmas – Christmas Songs of Worship. December 19: Nick Jr. Live! Move to the Music. December 28: The Hip Hop Nutcracker. 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence. TheVetsRI.com

COMEDY COMEDY CONNECTION December 6-7: Rich Vos. December 12: $5 Funnies. December 13-14: Tim Dillon. December 19-21: Big Jay Oakerson. December 22 and 29: Comedy Showcase. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. RIComedyConnection.com

ART

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RISD MUSEUM Through April 19: The Art and Design of Spider Silk. Through November 2020: Raid The Icebox Now. Through December 2020: A Changing Reflection – Silver, Metalwork, and Jewelry in the 19th-21st Centuries. 20 North Main Street, Providence. RISDMuseum.org

erti cate giftac vailable s

SPORTS PROVIDENCE BRUINS December 6: vs. Binghamton Senators. December 7: vs. Utica Comets. December 8: vs. Hartford Wolf Pack. December 11: vs. Syracuse Crunch. December 15: vs. Springfield Thunderbirds. 1 La Salle Square, Providence. ProvidenceBruins.com PROVIDENCE COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL December 14: vs. Stony Brook. December 21: vs. Texas. December 31: vs. Georgetown. 1 La Salle Square, Providence, Friars.com

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ART & CULTURE • Calendar

December 31: NYE at Skyline

Shop Downtown for the Holidays! On-street parking is FREE for up to 2 hours through January 1st

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Photo: Rachel Hulin

ARCADE POPUP FARMERS & ARTISANS

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Through December 23: Little Pictures Show & Sale. Providence Art Club, ProvidenceArtClub.org. December 5: Lippitt House Christmas Scotch Party. Lippitt House, PreserveRI.org. December 7: Boat rides with Santa. Fox Point Marina, ProvidenceRiverBoat.com. December 7: Rhode Island Food Bank Open House. RIFoodBank.org. December 7-8: PVD Winter Lights Market. Providence City Hall, EatDrinkRI.com. December 8: Hope Street Winter Stroll. Hope Street, Facebook: Hope Street Prov. December 8: Hanukkah Contest and Concert with Bill Harley. Temple Beth-El, TempleBeth-El.org. December 8-15: Providence Flea Holiday Markets. WaterFireArtsCenter,

Photo courtesy of Skyline

Market

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Facebook: Providence Flea. December 14: Christmas at Lippitt House. Lippitt House, PreserveRI.org. December 14: The Rat Pack Holiday Dinner Show and After Party. Skyline at Waterplace, EventBrite.com. December 22-30: Menorah lightings at Providence City Hall and State House. December 26-29: Disney On Ice Presents Celebrate Memories. Dunkin Donuts Center, DunkinDonutsCenter. com. December 31: NYE Cooking Class and Party. Chef Walter’s Cooking School, ChefWaltersCookingSchool.com. December 31: NYE One Providence Ball Drop & Festivities. Waterplace Park, NYEBySkyline.com. December 31: NYE at Providence G. Providence G, NewYearsProvidence.com.

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ART & CULTURE • On Stage

by Robert Isenberg

Holiday Spotlight Rhode Island playhouses are busy with Christmas classics and contemporary dramas fresh from Broadway

VIETNAMESE ENTRÉES & PHO FAVORITES!

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ROCK YOUR RIDE It’s a Wonderful Life, presented by The Gamm Theatre

1ST CLASS IS $10 FOR LOCAL RHODE ISLAND RESIDENT’S!

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL For 42 years running, Trinity Repertory Company has staged the Charles Dickens classic – but each production is unique. You can expect top-notch performances, inventive special effects, and original music by Richard Cumming. Make sure to nab tickets, as this Christmas Carol almost always sells out. Continues through December 29. Providence, TrinityRep.com

THE NUTCRACKER Tschaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is among the most anticipated events of the holiday season, and Festival Ballet Providence presents the most impressive production in the state. Sashay around the world with young Clara and her magical nutcracker prince. December 13-15. Providence, FestivalBalletProvidence.org

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE One of the great tear-jerkers of cinema’s Golden Age, It’s a Wonderful Life shows how a luckless banker enriched his town in countless ways. Catch this live “radio play,” performed in a vintage style at the Gamm Theatre. December 5-22. Warwick, GammTheatre.org

THE LION IN WINTER Theater is full of dysfunctional families, but none are as unhinged as Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their three bickering sons. The Players stage this complex historical drama at Barker Playhouse. December 6-15. Providence, PlayersRI.org

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Photo courtesy of The Gamm Theatre

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2X CLARE BARRON: DANCE NATION & YOU GOT OLDER Six teenaged girls, a competitive dance team, and a whole manifesto on the nature of female adolescence. Are you ready for this? Not likely. Clare Barron’s play Dance Nation is a dramatic sucker-punch, followed by her second play You Get Older, at The Wilbury Group. November 21-December 22. Providence, TheWilburyGroup.org

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HAND TO GOD In rural Texas, a handful of fundamentalist Christians form a puppet club. But when one of the puppets appears to be possessed, all Hell breaks loose – literally. The Burbage Theatre Co. presents Robert Askins’ jaw-dropping comedy, which was nominated for five Tony Awards. November 14-December 8. Pawtucket, BurbageTheatre.org

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ART & CULTURE • Art

by Robert Isenberg

Renaissance Man As Anthony Tomaselli opens his studio to the public, he reveals a lifetime of landscapes

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

If you’ve ever had breakfast at T’s Restaurant, you may have noticed the paintings on the walls – vivid landscapes of farm houses and coastal cottages, lovingly rendered in oil paint. You may also have wondered: Where did these canvases come from? Who is this prolific resident artist at T’s, and how did the restaurant afford to commission so much original work? The answer: Anthony Tomaselli, co-founder of the restaurant and arguably one of the most beloved painters in Rhode Island. As a businessman, Anthony owns three T’s Restaurants with his wife Tina. As an artist, Anthony churns out scores of paintings per year, working on as many as five landscapes at a time. He teaches classes at the Providence Art Club, where he’s been a member for 25 years. Many of his pupils come to art later in life, after they’ve pursued more practical careers. “As my wife always says,” Anthony muses, “I give them permission.” The Art Club is also the setting for his

studio, a high-ceilinged atelier with bright windows and multiple rooms. The walls are packed with paintings, of all sizes and subjects. On a recent morning, Anthony dabbed at his latest piece – of sailboats docked beneath an overcast sky – as Gregorian chants played from a speaker. On a computer monitor, Anthony clicked through a series of digital photos; in his mind, he combines these various snapshots into a single painted image. “Sometimes the photograph informs the painting more than the subject,” says Anthony, one of his many astute observations about his own process. A Cranston native, Anthony apprenticed with the artist Gene Tonoff during his teenage years. These sessions were more than workshops in drawing technique. “He was very philosophical in his approach,” Anthony recalls. “He always said, ‘Be one with God, and live with positive emotions.’” Today, Anthony has adapted this advice, with a less

Photography by Robert Isenberg

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Have you heard the news?! Providence Picture Frame is moving!

denominational tone, for his own students. At Rhode Island College, Anthony was one of the first RIC students to pursue a BA in studio arts. He had a talent, of course, but drawing and painting gave him a sense of satisfaction and acceptance. “Human beings are in need of affirmation,” he says. “When I was a child, when I was drawing, I was affirmed.” In 1979, Anthony seized his chance to move to California. He’d never traveled farther than New York, nor had he flown in an airplane. His West Coast sojourn was brief and disappointing, but Anthony revelled in the minute sensations of his cross-country journey. At the Grand Canyon, he resolved to follow his passions thereafter. The next few years were busy with courtship, marriage, and a risky new restaurant. Through it all, he gravitated back to art, and he’s painted abundantly ever since. After 48 years of mixing pigments, Anthony has become an expert in quotidian landscapes, most taking place in smalltown Rhode Island, a few depicting busy urban life. This hasn’t always been the case; Anthony became politically frustrated in the late 1980s, and he keeps an angstier series, Man’s Inhumanity to Man, in the basement beneath his studio. Portraits of corporate greed and street-level suffering document that emotional era. The Art Club occupies several buildings on Thomas Street, but none is as splendid as the Fleur-de-Lys Studios: the intricate, half-timbered structure dates back to 1885, and Anthony’s workspace fills the entire first floor, with other artists housed above. It’s one thing to admire his paintings at T’s, but the Fleur-de-Lys open house is a thorough tour of Anthony’s life and work. And what will the artist paint next? Anthony smiles. “Winter always brings me to snow.” The Fleur-de-Lys Studios open house takes place December 7, 8, 14 & 15. 7 Thomas Street, AnthonyTomaselli.com

Well, after 150 years I guess it was time for them to buy their own building.

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27 Dryden Lane, Providence, RI 02904 M-Sat. 8:30–6:30 401.421.6196 www.ProvidencePictureFrame.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

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ART & CULTURE • Music

by Adam Hogue

Reference Section An Olneyville record store is stocked with the obscure Habitat Eileen Fisher Cut Loose Clara Sunwoo Salaam Dansko L’Artiste and more!

Record stacks at Music Research Library

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Grab a post record-dive drink at Troop or a weiner at NY System to make a real day of it in Olneyville. What genres of music would you find in your shop? We specialize in secondhand jazz, prog, funk, soul, hip hop, and library music, but we also have a large selection of rock, psych, folk, blues, and world music. What record would be playing when you walk in? We are always diving into some obscure world, such as Soviet synth funk or Spanish jazzrock, anything that will inspire and stimulate the senses. Right now, I am listening to En El Ombligo De La Luna by Luis Perez, an excellent entho-ambient LP from Mexico. What kinds of people would you find perusing your shelves? A lot of sample and hip hop heads show love

Photography by Savannah Barkley for Providence Monthly

PRESCHOOL - 5TH GRADE

For the next installment of our tour-de-record shops, we swing into Olneyville. Located in the corner of the hippest of mills in the hippest corner of Providence, Vasili Kochura and Zachary Warf’s Music Research Library have created a true hub where jazz, soul, hip hop, and funk reside. In a mill just across from Fête lies a trove of second-hand vinyl just waiting to be discovered, devoured, and brought into the light of day. The Music Research Library stands out as a place of exploration and, as the name states, research. It’s not merely a place to pick up a dusty copy of CSN and Y Deja Vu, but rather a place to dive into the stacks and emerge with something truly found and enlightening. While the shop stands as a go-to for DJs, it remains open to the curious looking for something to uncover and put on their record table. With a listening station in shop, the Music Research Library accommodates hours of time devoted to finding the newest addition to your record collection. Pro-tip:

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for MRL, but we’ve seen a lot more general customers of all ages coming through as well. I think something that keeps people coming back is having a listening station. What is different about discovering and listening to vinyl in a shop from streaming an album off the Internet? I think for us, it’s always been that moment of discovery. We go through phases of what we’re listening to, what we’re searching for, things that are on our radar, and then some record will come out of nowhere and completely surprise us, like this isn’t what we were looking for, but it’s incredible. What’s the single-most exciting/unique/ baffling vinyl record you have sitting on display in your shop? One of the most exciting things for us is discovering new music from the past. We recently started a label in order to put out an unreleased French prog album from 1981 by a group called Evohe. Dark, technical, and instrumental with long, twisting compositions following the steps of bands such as Universe Zero, Magma, and Weidorje. We’re super excited to have the opportunity to release this incredible piece of music and help share it with the world!

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Why do you think it is important to have neighborhood record shops curating, collecting, preserving, and sharing music? I think it’s all about the culture. We wanted to create a shop that we ourselves and like-minded heads would want to shop at, from both a listener and sampler perspective. Also, being huge aficionados of library music, we felt that it was largely under-represented at record stores, especially in the US.

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

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FOOD & DRINK In the Kitchen • Food News • Experience • Restaurant Guide

HAPPY CHALLAH-DAYS! Celebrate Hanukkah with your favorite bread Golden-brown, shiny crust, doughy, rich texture, and that slightly-sweet taste. These are the delights of fresh challah bread. The word “challah” has become synonymous with the egg-based braided baked good, but really the term in Hebrew is used to refer to any bread served during a religious Jewish ritual. At Rebelle Artisan Bagels on Doyle Avenue, you can find challah baked with customized intricate designs. Owner Milena

Pagan says that many of her regular customers were asking if she could make the bread for Rosh Hashanah. So, she and her production manager took a special trip to London to learn how to make it from a challah specialist, who even shared her own recipe, which the two have brought back to Rhode Island. Says Milena, “We are super excited to bring something different to our local community!” RebelleArtisanBagels.com -Lauren Vella

Photo courtesy of Rebelle Artisan Bagels ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

FOOD & DRINK • Experience

by Robert Isenberg

Beef Up Build your own burger – and find a beer to match – at The Abbey fermenting barrel from Newport Distilling Co. bolted to the wall. TVs are visible from every angle, and a queue of beer taps – including local drafts like Whalers and Shaidzon – await tasting. The Abbey boasts 92 beers in all, so consider the gauntlet thrown. In general, the menu is a litany of barroom favorites, with peppy names like “Basket o’ Fries,” “Giant Pull Apart Pretzel,” and “Tater Tots Your Way!” (sic). If you’re like me, and you’re happiest gorging yourself on beer-battered mozzarella sticks, then you will also embrace The Abbey. The standard burger menu will satisfy just about any living human; as a Green Mountain State-er, my personal favorite is the Jay Burger, owing to its heap of mushrooms and Vermont Swiss. The real challenge is to create your own. None of the ingredients are outrageous; you’ll find down-home fixin’s like olives, coleslaw, and green peppers, and you could theoretically put your burger on flatbread or marble rye. But the combinations are nearly infinite, and the trick is to find ingredients that (a) you love and (b) taste great together. You will be forgiven for chickening out and ordering – well, the chicken sandwich. The menu is robust, and an Abbey burger is not something you want to mess up. My picks: a beef burger, cooked medium, on a standard bun, plus blue cheese, sautéed onions, portobello mushrooms, tomato, lettuce, and chipotle ketchup. This, to me, is a perfect lineup. You might as well have just read my stomach’s Christmas list. I hate to brag, but my selection was an even greater victory than I’d hoped. Each bite was a savory detonation. In retrospect, I wonder why ketchup was ever made not chipotle. The meat itself, rich and tender, is a compliment to bovine evolution. From first bite to last, the bartender didn’t hear a word from me. But the best decision was a happy accident. At the last second, I picked onion rings instead of

CUISINE: Burgers and pub fare PRICES: Appetizers $6-13, Entrees $10-15 ATMOSPHERE: Chill neighborhood pub (top) Fall Cider Sangria, Loaded Tater Tots, Bacon-Aki, and Fish Tacos; (bottom) Macho Nacho Burger

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Photography by Nick DelGiudice

I’ve always loved the build-your-own-burger concept. In part, it’s practical: My social circle is a minefield of dietary restrictions. Friends are lactose-intolerant. Workmates eat gluten-free. My wife is a pescatarian and allergic to nearly everything. Nieces and nephews will consume only foods that rhyme with “tack-and-fees.” Out-oftown visits induce panic, as I wonder where we can eat that serves no nuts, wheat, dairy, meat, or un-bottled water. In these times of crisis, I need a place like The Abbey, where folks can order whatever they want – including meatless options – and pair it with nearly any beverage imaginable. The Abbey stands on a quiet stretch of Admiral Street, around the corner from Providence College. Its slogan is (and I quote) “a burger and beer joint,” which is about as self-aware as nomenclature gets. This is the kind of neighborhood pub with low lighting and a long bar. Knick-knacks are everywhere, like a slice of a

Photography by Kelly Colucci

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sweet potato fries. When the basket arrived, I was startled; the rings were huge and weighty, like deep-fried bracelets. These are the onion rings that other onion rings aspire to be. They stuffed me so fully that the last two remained untouched. The Abbey had left me deeply gratified, and in exactly the ways I like. This is a place that defies the conventional wisdom; maybe you can please all of the people all of the time.

The Abbey 686 Admiral Street • 351-4346 92Beers.com

ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Food & Drink • In The Kitchen

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ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

Outside the Kitchen, Things Get Heated Chef Nick Rabar gives a behind-the-scenes look at his latest television series Nick Rabar is no stranger to the limelight – host of the Rhode Island PBS television series Stir It Up With Nick Rabar and Nick Rabar: Chef 2 Go, for which he was Emmy-nominated – but it’s his latest project, called Heated, that takes him beyond his comfort zone. “I’ve always done shows where I’m cooking in front of the camera. But to host a show without the security of the chef’s table? That felt like a challenge,” Nick says. Nick is the chef and owner of Rumford’s Avenue N American Kitchen and its neighboring market and cafe The Pantry. But his talents extend even further: he is a chef, entrepreneur, television host, published author, husband, father, and runner. The man moves at only one speed: full throttle. When approached by Rhode Island PBS to host a new series, Nick was ready to do something different. Each episode will center on a particular theme, featuring behindthe-scenes footage with leading experts in the industry. But the real crux of the show is a roundtable debate in which local personalities discuss pressing questions: What is the best pizza? Thick crust or thin? And as you might expect, debates can get heated. “I wanted a show that’s thought-provoking, entertaining, and showcases other businesses,” Nick says. On September 4, the pilot episode of Heated aired, and it’s all about donuts (or is it spelled “doughnuts”? Find out on the episode). In it, Nick visits three unique operations: KNEAD Doughnuts in Providence, Payne’s Donuts on Block Island, and B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill in Mystic, Connecticut. Interspersed throughout is a discussion: Must donuts be deep-fried? Can a donut be savory – and if so, where do you draw the line? And, for

the first time ever, Nick goes on the record and admits he hates coffee milk. “We have so much to fight about!” he says jokingly. The real aim of the show, however, is not to pit experts against one another but to demonstrate that even though people disagree, it doesn’t mean they can’t be friends. “I would never use the show as a way of tearing people down,” Nick explains. “I know how hard the food industry can be, and I have respect for everyone – if you’re trying, I applaud you.” The concept has resonated: the pilot episode topped the charts. People want to have these conversations and are excited for what’s in store. The series is slated

Photography by Savannah Barkley for Providence Monthly

WE TAKE CARE OF THE DETAILS YOU CAN'T GET TO

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for another seven episodes, and PBS reran the pilot episode of Heated during its pledge drive on November 20. Circling back to Nick’s (perhaps sacrilegious) beliefs on coffee milk, he says, “In the past I might have been timid to state my opinion, but this show teaches you that it’s okay to stand your ground. I don’t want to be my neighbor – I just want to be me.”

222 WESTMINSTER STEET, DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE • SHOPQUEENOFHEARTS.COM ProvidenceOnline.com • December 2019

EXPERIENCE

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THE TRADITION CONTINUES A Providence destination for nearly 30 years, CAV Restaurant is an experience like no other. Tucked in the historic Jewelry District, the restaurant features creative cuisine from several cultures in a worldly setting. Family-owned since 1989, the award-winning and innovative tradition continues...

14 Imperial Place, Providence. 751-9164. CavRestaurant.com

FOOD & DRINK • Food News

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The Dean Hotel opens moody new cocktail lounge

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Nutcracker Dec. 13-15

PPACRI.org 401-421-ARTS Tickets start at $25! Group Discounts available: 401-574-3162