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Contents

Photography: (Right) Jonathan Beller, (Left) Kate Kelley

SEPTEMBER 2010

33 This Month 29 After the Music Ends Examining what went wrong at Sound Session 2010

33 Fall Fashion Our annual fashion spread features an office

53 43 City Style Give your car a custom makeover 45 The Look 46 Beauty 49 Shop Talk

51 Feast Upscale gets a little more affordable 53 In the Kitchen 54 On the Menu 57 Behind the Bar 58 In the Drink 60 Review 63 Dining Guide

romance… or two

71 Get Out

Every Month

Gray is the new Red (Sox) 72 Calendar 75 Music 76 Theatre 81 Movies 82 Art

8 From the Editor

84 The Last Detail

13 Feedback

School is back – get in line

17 Providence Pulse A juicy new story 19 City 22 Malcontent 25 Scene in PVD

On the Cover: Photography: Jonathan Beller. Model: Robyn Doiron Martinsen. Necklaces - Lola Boutique, small $65, large $80; 600 West Jacket - Feminine Fancies, $160; Jonathan Joseph Peters blouse and belt - $175; Bracelet Feminine Fancies, $35; Headband - stylist’s own

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Editor’s Note Your New Fall Wardrobe It seems like everyone thinks about clothes in September. You may not be headed back to school, but admit it, you’ve still got the urge to shop this time of year. The nights are getting a bit colder, and you’re thinking about all of those sweaters, pants and scarves that are about to make their way back into heavy rotation. But you can’t possibly start the fall without a few new pieces to supplement your wardrobe. All the warm clothes are in the stores, and you just can’t resist. It may not be back-to-school shopping, but it’s definitely back-to-fall shopping. This year, we’re doing our Fall Fashion Issue a little differently. In addition to showcasing great looks from local boutiques, we also asked the sartorialists behind StyleWeek Providence to preview their next big event by including designers who will be showing in January. So not only can you get some ideas for your own wardrobe, you can get a sneak peek at this winter’s

biggest fashion event. Speaking of events, Sound Session happened in late July, only it didn’t happen the way those of us who know and love the festival are accustomed to. John Taraborelli looks into what happened, and what needs to happen to ensure the success of this Providence tradition, in his feature story, “Who Stole the Soul?” Also this month, we’ve got the scoop on a custom rim designer in Johnston, reviving a classic New Orleans cocktail, the healthiest and newest food truck to hit the city and all of the gourmand events happening in September (and trust me, there’s a lot). Better get ready now, because it’s going to be one full month.

The Providence Grays go back, way back in Get Out

Contributor Rosanna Ortiz Sinel Writer & Stylist Rosanna Ortiz Sinel is the founder and Executive Director of StyleWeek Providence, a biannual fashion week based in Providence showcasing established as well as up and coming designers. The cofounder of EP Style, a Washington, D.C. boutique public relations agency, she has specialized in fashion public relations since 2001 and has been a freelance fashion and style writer since 2002. Rosanna is originally from southern California and attended college and lived in Boston for many years, but now resides in the creative city of Providence, writing the monthly Shop Talk column in PM. Of her work curating the fashions for this month’s cover story, alongside local designer and former Project Runway contestant Jonathan Joseph Peters, Rosanna says, “It was an amazing to be a part of Providence Monthly’s fall fashion spread that incorporated so many talented StyleWeek Providence designers.”

Providence Monthly | September 2010

Providence MONTHLY

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell Publishing Director Jeanette St. Pierre Editor Julie Tremaine Assistant Editor John Taraborelli Art Director Allison Cole Assistant Art Director Alli Coate Advertising Design Director Scott Leta Graphic Designers Karli Hendrickson Layheang Meas Account Managers Danielle Claro Louann DiMuccio-Darwich Ann Gallagher Dan Schwartz Liz Sliney Jessica Webb Illustrators Karli Hendrickson Eloise Narrigan Emma Tripp Photographers Jonathan Beller K Harber Photography Laurel Mulherin Mike Braca Dan Schwartz Stacey Doyle Kate Kelley Contributing Writers Stephanie Obodda Linda Beaulieu Cristy Raposo Emily Dietsch Dan Schwartz Scott Duhamel Jen Senecal Dawn Keable Alyssa Smith Molly Lederer Michael Madden Rosanna Ortiz Sinel Vikki Warner Andrea E. McHugh Interns Amanda D’Ambra Emily Nissenshon Christina Pazienza Abby Ringiewicz

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER. PAPER CONTAINS 20-25% POST-CONSUMER CONTENT Providence Monthly, 167 Valley Street Providence, RI 02909 • Fax: 401-521-0024 www.providenceonline.com providencemonthly@providenceonline.com For advertising rates call: 401-521-0023 We welcome all contributions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material. No portion of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. Copyright ©2010 by Providence Monthly, All rights reserved. Printed by Gannett Offset. Distributed by Special Delivery.

overeating? Binging? Yo-Yo Dieting? Constantly Making Poor Food Choices?

'cY 6ccjVa RUN, WALK & DOG WALK

October 9th,10 am Station Park, Providence, RI

www.gloriagemma5k.org Early Bird Registration Before 8/22/2010 Adult $25 Child $10 Adult with Dog $30 Standard Registration After 8/22/2010 Adult $30 Child $10 Adult with Dog $35

t Fundraising Awards t Medals for Each Division t Special Contests for Dogs!

FINallY THE PRoGRaM To... • Help you break out of the diet/binge cycle • Lose painful pounds naturally and permanently • Learn to feel better about yourself

Prizes awarded to our most “Pinked-Up Pup“ and highest fundraising dog.

Each registered dog will receive a Goodie Bag. Pet-friendly Activities on race morning.

• Lose the insatiable appetite for food and come to peace with your body Our 8 session systematic program combines behavioral and nutritional counseling with hypnosis to reinforce new behaviors and thought patterns. A guilt-free, safe and discreet environment where you will get positive results!

Cans of dog food will be collected and donated to the Providence Animal Rescue League.

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special advertising section

The PM List events / promotions / good deeds

FUNDRAISER

PARL and PM to The Rescue Join the Providence Animal Rescue League and Providence Monthly at the spectacular Johnson & Wales Culinary Museum on Saturday, November 6 for The Rescue: Eat, Drink & Bid Your Tails Off. This fundraiser, to benefit PARL’s efforts to provide care, medical treatment and adoption services to over 2000 homeless animals every year, will feature the chefs from restaurants and caterers all over the state competing to see who’s the culinary Top Dog. There will also be plenty of great auction items, including some one-of-a-kind experiences. Stay tuned for more information, or visit parl.org.

PUBLIC ART

Paint the Town Providence Monthly is proud to sponsor the Providence Rotary’s 11th annual Street Painting Festival, which returns to the Bank of America City Center and Biltmore Park on October 2. Hundreds of painters will square off on the pavement, classic automobiles will be on display, dozens of restaurants will provide food and there will be live musical performances from ‘50s and ‘60s cover band Reminisce and the Extraordinary Rendition Band, Providence’s raucous street marching band. Don’t miss out on this day of fun in the city for the whole family.

DRINK DEALS

The Happy Mondays Have you got a case of the Mondays? Well brush off the workday blues with Margarita Mondays. Every Monday in September, Providence Monthly is teaming up with Cointreau and Milagro to bring you margarita and bar food specials. Visit Tortilla Flats (355 Hope St.), The Mews Tavern (456 Main St., Wakefield), Johnny’s Atlantic Beach Club (55 Purgatory Rd., Middletown) and Perro Salado (19 Charles St., Newport) to enjoy restaurant giveaways, discounted bar menus and other specials. You just may make it through the rest of the week without that chip on your shoulder.

Providence Monthly | September 2010

ONLINE CONTEST

Review and Win TheProvidenceLife.com wants to know about your favorite spots to dine al fresco. Log on, create an account and submit a review of your favorite outdoor dining spot, and be entered to win a great prize. There’s a new prize and winner every week. Last month’s winners include Gail, who scored two tickets to the Newport Wine Fest, and Missie, who got herself a $50 gift card to Eleven Forty Nine Restaurant. You could be next.

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Feedback Gone to the Dogs October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we would like to invite your readers to sign up early for our Gloria Gemma 5k, which is a road race open to runners, walkers and dogs (yes, dogs!) held in conjunction with the annual Flames of Hope WaterFire on October 9. The weekend is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we can use all of the help we can get in supporting this great cause. For more information, visit gloriagemma5k.org.

IV, deisgned by Lia Cinquegrano and made in the USA! -Thomas P. Cinquegrano

From the Editors

From Our Readers

The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation gloriagemma.org

From Our Facebook Friends In celebration of our annual Fall Fashion Issue, we asked our friends on Facebook what fall fashions they are excited about. To throw in your two cents, go to Facebook.com/providencemonthly. Elise Francesca Fargnoli (RISD) has a line of clothing & accessories that ties together her artwork & fashion. -TheSpot OnThayer The Haverford Link Bracelet from Kate Hines will match my entire fall wardrobe. -Alissa Stuckey The Providence and 401 t-shirts made by ThirteenStar.com, designed and printed in Providence. -Eric Carnevale Maria del Carmen Mercado... exquisite work and she’s right here in RI. -Nancy Gaucher-Thomas I am excited to wear my UGGs and opera-length leather gloves. Love the warm comfy feeling on my toes and the feeling of leather on my arms. -Margie Irizarry Check out a local RISD grad’s new line of handbags. Her label is Thomas

r New Extravagant Location Visit Ou

One Taste is Worth a Thousand Words People often reach out to us to say thank you for writing about them in the magazine. But the best way to say thank you – at least in our alwayslooking-for-delicious-food office – is to bring us treats, like Stephen Fitch did. Stephen is the gourmand behind Moondust Macarons, and he dropped a basket overflowing with his confections (which, as we claimed in our August cover story [“Take a Bite”], are soon to rival cupcakes in their popularity and prevalence) to say thank you for the coverage. Let this be a lesson to all of you bourgeoning foodmongers out there: if you bring it, we will write. Check out moondustmacarons.com for your own bite of Heaven.

Corrections Some things in our August cover story, “Take a Bite,” need clarification: the new head chef of Gracie’s is named Matthew Varga; the phone number for Cook and Brown Public House is 273-7275 and for the new Gourmet House is 831-3400; the Providence outposts of the Marra Restaurant Group do not offer halfprice bottles of wine. We regret the errors, and encourage you to drop by the restaurants to taste for yourself.

Got Two Cents? Email providencemonthly@

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

C o n d o m i n i u m s

east side. Magnificent blend of contemporary and timelessness in this meticulously renovated 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Townhouse. Large private garden & patio. Central air, 4 car parking. $499,000.

east side. Stylish yet charming 2 bedroom Condo on 2nd floor of historic building. Stunning renovation! Gorgeous new kitchen & bath. Hardwoods. Laundry in unit. 2 car deeded parking. Walk to colleges, city, & train. $315,000.

East Side. Chic blend of historic charm and contemporary style! 2 beds/2 bath Condo. Open kitchen/living area w/ stone fireplace. Spacious master suite. Upper level deck plus private garden with gate to rented parking. Stroll to shops & restaurants! $305,900.

Federal Hill. New construction, free-standing Townhome. Steps to Atwells yet side street comfort. Master bedroom w/bath, hardwoods, central air, 2 car garage, stainless/granite kitchen. Classy living near the action. $199,000.

East Side. Cute 1 bedroom Condo in restored Victorian building, one block from Wayland Square. Cherry cabinets and stone countertops; hand-painted tile fireplace. Jacuzzi bath w/ separate shower. Wide-plank wood floors. $189,000.

East Side. Modern, sophisticated 2nd floor Condo just outside Wayland Square. Great floor plan with open kitchen/ bar/living room plus office. Chic bath w/marble tile & Kohler fixtures. Private porch. New mechanicals. Walk to Brown and RISD! $179,000.

East Side. Totally renovated Studio with patio! New kitchen, bath and flooring. Very cool space with wood beamed ceilings and stone walls. Wonderful location! $129,000.

East Side. New conversion of historic property. 2 bedroom, 1 bath unit with 100% new systems, wiring, plumbing. Granite kitchen, Pergo floors, central air, replacement windows, deck. $119,900.

East Side. 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit in Fox Point. Great location! Easy access to highway. Walk to shopping, restaurants, universities. Close to parks and bike path. $79,700.

140 Wickenden Street, Providence, RI 02903 401.274.6740 • ResidentialProperties.com Barrington • CumBerland • east greenwiCh • narragansett • ProvidenCe • reloCation

Providence Pulse City / Malcontent / Scene in PVD

Photography: Dan Schwartz

Juicy Juice Jay Nutini and Josie Morway, proprietors of the brand new Providence Juice Company, want to hear you scream for the juice truck instead of the ice cream man – and they’re making it a tasty prospect. These two ultra-active vegans, both competitive athletes, are super-enthusiastic about promoting healthy, minimally processed, organic foods. They’re making their mobile operation a sustainable one – think composting, biodegradable packaging, and locally-grown produce sourced through Farm Fresh RI’s Market Mobile

program. But all you have to do is roll up, choose your blend, and have a fresh juice or smoothie to know that being good can be exceedingly easy. You can find this industrious pair, their vibrantly-decorated truck, and their monster blender whirring away at Lippitt Park on the East Side in the evenings, and all over Providence during our many farmers’ markets. And – enticingly – they take location requests. Corral your friends or co-workers and email jay@pvdjuiceco.com, and they’ll bring the juicy revelry your way. –Vikki Warner

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Pulse | City

PM Experiment

Dance, Dance, Revolution Learn a few steps and drop a few pounds

Illustration: Emma Tripp

As I walked

into the Zumba class at Gold’s Gym in Pawtucket, I looked around and started to get nervous. Was this going to be a lame, ‘80s style workout routine with overzealous instructors and bored soccer moms? Or was my butt about to be kicked with a high-energy spin class-style routine? I’ve been looking for a workout that provides toning without being torturous, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to plunge into something so intense. I had heard of Zumba this past year, and I figured I’d give it a shot. For those that haven’t heard of Zumba, it’s best defined as a hybrid Latin/African dance class mixed with aerobic exercise. The concept became popular in early 2000 with instructional, do-it-in-your-own-home videos and eventually moved to gyms that started certifying Zumba instructors. I guess my experience fell somewhere in the middle of my expectations. The instructors were pretty intense, telling us to “shake those hips” and whatnot, but because Zumba combines fast and slow Latin rhythms with aerobic exercise, for a good half-hour I forgot I was working out. One of the trainers at the front desk warned me that I would work up a good sweat for the hour-long class. I thought he was exaggerating. I mean we were just going to be dancing for an hour, right? He offered me a bottle of water, but I initially declined. Once I heard the fast-paced music and saw what we’d be doing, I understood his point. I was going to take full

Good Taste advantage of the free water. While Zumba won’t make you hate exercise and loathe the gym for days, it wasn’t what I would call a light workout. The moves the instructors taught us ranged from salsa steps to parts of African dances. We used our whole bodies with each step we made, moving our arms to fist pump or sashay across the floor. Some of the footwork was a little hard to follow, but fun to learn nevertheless. No one seemed to be an expert in the class, and as long as you were moving to the music, the instructors were happy. The music also helped the class keep track of what steps to make. One instructor tailored a routine to Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, making us place our hands together like fins as we moved to the beat. We ended class with kicking and doing the grapevine to “Hava Nagila,” as well as learning some moves from Shakira’s new video, “Waka Waka.” The added bonus of taking Zumba is learning dance moves that you could use and bring to the club, something anyone who likes to dance can probably appreciate. After class, I got to try the new free HydroMassage bed. It’s supposed to help with recovery time, but it seemed more like a treat for the sweat I’d just left on the floor. Gold’s Gym offers Zumba several times a month. So, if your dance moves and workout routine are lackluster, Zumba just may be the class you need. To shake your hips and burn calories at the same time, visit goldsgym. com/providenceri –Alyssa Smith

The Recipe for Success Linda Beaulieu knows good food. The James Beard Award winner for food writing has been a longtime contributor to Providence Monthly and our sister magazines So Rhode Island and East Side Monthly, giving readers the scoop on foodie news and dining reviews. This month, Linda’s newest cookbook hits the shelves. Co-authored with Doug DuCap, Fish & Seafood Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for All Seasons is a collection of inventive twists on classic seafood preparations like Broiled Hawaiian Tuna Skewers, Scallop Sliders with Bacon and Clam Fritters with Salsa Verde. The easy to use book also offers preparation tips, advice for modifying each recipe and suggestions for variations. Summer is the best time of year for fresh fish, especially in the Ocean State. Grab this book and dig in. Available at Borders and Barnes and Noble. –Julie Tremaine

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

ing If you’re not e’Sa,t CASERTA you’re not eating pizza!

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Sunday, September 12, 2010 • 3:00 - 5:45 PM

Meehan Auditorium • 235 Hope Street at Lloyd Avenue • Brown University

Dust off the ice skates and beat the late summer heat at Brown University’s hockey rink! On Sunday, September 12 at Meehan Auditorium join us for a free ice skate and giveaways. All ages are welcome. This is a great family event! Rules: No hockey sticks or other equipment. No speed or trick skating, jumping, or pairs skating. No hockey practice. No rentals--bring your own skates. Attendees must sign a waiver. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Restrooms available.

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Live in the Square! Studios,One, Two & Three Bedroom Apartments All Utilities & Parking Included

Cafes & Boutiques right outside your door

Pulse | City

24 Hour Fitness Center 24 Hour Concierge 24 Hour Emergency Service Twist on Angell Restaurant Tailor Shop on Site Femme Fatale Salon

Family Fun

Have a Nice Trip, See You Next Fall The Fall Community Festival on Hope Street, presented by Miriam Hospital and the Hope Street Merchants Association, offers both education and entertainment for families this September. The Festival isn’t just a diversion for the folks at Miriam – it’s an opportunity to make inroads with the community, and to educate kids about their physical wellbeing. There will be the usual vendors and entertainment you’d expect at a neighborhood block party, including an interactive performance from the group Rhythm Room, who last year conducted an impromptu percussion lesson during their show, as well as the Extraordinary Rendition Marching band and Mark Binder, a local storyteller. But

beyond that, Miriam will supply informational health booths geared toward educating families about community medicine. This will include the Health Wheel, where kids can spin the wheel to get a question (with the emphasis being on physical fitness and bullying, relevant topics at the start of the school year) for which a correct answer warrants a prize. There will also be booths by the Oncology Department, the Physical Rehabilitation Department (called “Be Safe this Fall!”), new research at Miriam, and others. So bring the kids and your sense of wonder September 12, from noon4pm (rain date October 3), learn something, and have a blast. 7934040. –Michael Madden

PVD Big Screen

Hollywood Comes to Providence

500 Angell Street, Providence • 751-7700 www.waylandmanor.com

Providence Monthly | September 2010

Every year or so, Providence gets its moment in the national spotlight, but this summer, it seems like the city has gotten so much attention from Hollywood that our 15 minutes of fame is starting to look more like an hour of it. Local director Michael Corrente brought the star power to PVD this summer for Loosies. Peter Facinelli (whom you may or may not recognize from the Twilight series) wrote the screenplay and stars in the film, which also features Joe Pantoliano (The Goonies and every other awesome movie ever made), Michael Madsen (Kill Bill) and Vincent Gallo (Buffalo 66). The city has also been getting some network attention, as Dana Delaney (Desperate Housewives) is currently in town filming a series called Body

of Proof, a drama in which she stars as a crime-solving medical examiner. The first episode is scheduled to air on September 10 on ABC. Earlier this year, Whose Wedding is it Anyway? was in town filming a Providence episode of their wedding reality show, where the family of an engaged couple plans a surprise $100,000 wedding for which the Style Network foots the bill. While we don’t know exactly when in September the season-finale episode is set to air, we do know that Pat Hargraves of Blooming Blossoms on Wickenden Street and Bethany Wood from Salon Bianco on Atwells Avenue provided services for the wedding and will be on the show. Stay tuned to see who else made the cut. –Julie Tremaine

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Pulse | The Malcontent

by John Taraborelli

Yakitori • Shabu Shabu • Noodles

An Intervention Providence, you have a 38 Pontiac Ave. Providence 401-270-7500 • ebisuri.com

cocaine problem Providence, if you could all put down your razors and mirrors for just a minute, I’d like to talk to you. It’s about your little cocaine problem. Oh, of course, I know you only do it once in a while and only on weekends, but… hey, wipe your face there. You’ve still got a little powder under your nose. As I was saying, I know you claim you’re not using much, but really, you and I both know that’s not true. First, let’s clear up this little notion that you’re keeping your cocaine use discreet. Remember back in high school when you showed up to the dance glassy-eyed and reeking of cologne and thought nobody knew you were stoned? Well, you weren’t fooling anybody then, and you’re damn sure not doing it now when you’re hanging out at the bar sweating and talking a mile a minute. When you’re hopping out of a C-Class Mercedes at 11 o’clock on a weeknight wearing a white suit and knocking on the door of a sketchy house on the West Side, we know. When you keep popping into the back room of your bar every halfhour or so with an ever-changing selection of what can charitably be described as shady characters, we know. When we go into the bathroom stall after you and see those little traces of white residue on top of the toilet paper dispenser, we know. It’s not cute. Look, I have a bit of a libertarian streak, so I’m not passing any moral or legal judgment here. I don’t begrudge an otherwise professional, responsible adult a bit of recreational drug use now and then. But seriously, tone it down a bit. It’s one thing to do a few key bumps when you’re spending the weekend in Manhattan partying hard, but it’s another thing entirely when you’re in a dive bar in Providence on a Tuesday night repeatedly asking me, Come on, what’s that song I like? You know the one I’m talking about – what’s

Providence Monthly | September 2010

that song? I wanna daaaaance. Let’s make this clear: I have no idea what song you’re talking about, and there’s not even a dance floor here, so let’s take it down a notch. The problem is, for a small city, Providence is swimming in coke. A 2007-2008 survey by the US Department of Health and Human Services ranked Rhode Island in the top five for cocaine use. According to the study, the estimated cocaine use among Rhode Islanders 12 and older in the previous year was between 2.6-4.2%. Comparatively, in New Jersey (New Jersey!) that number was well below 2%. It’s no wonder MTV had to come to Rhode Island seeking cast members for Jersey Shore. Furthermore, the cocaine problem around here is not just limited to nightclubbers, restaurant people, musicians and guys who watch The Sopranos in their SUVs on the way to Scarborough Beach. It moves in influential circles including lawyers, doctors, politicians, nonprofit people (how can you people even afford coke?) and, oh, of course, Providence’ finest – like the three arrested in March for running that coke ring. On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t be so critical of cocaine use. After all, it’s big business, and there aren’t exactly many growth industries in Rhode Island right now. I bet if the money from the cocaine trade could be traced to all its destinations throughout the state, we would be shocked to see the size and scope of its impact on the local economy. There are probably a lot of banks, construction projects, small businesses, political campaigns, churches and more that would suffer if our farcical War on Drugs were to suddenly succeed. (Don’t worry, it won’t.) Maybe someone should look into that. Oh, what’s that? You just need to run to the bathroom for a second? Okay, just remember to wipe your nose before you come out.

v e o r c s i d e R the

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Scene in PVD

| Pulse

Providence Monthly celebrated with AS220 during the organization’s annual Foo Fest. While we support any excuse to party in the streets, we’re particularly enthusiastic when it’s for such a great cause: namely, the 25th anniversary of one of Providence’s most important cultural institutions. Photography by Jonathan Beller.

Margarita Mondays Join Providence Monthly every Monday during September from 5-7pm for Signature Cointreau & Milagro Margaritas, Bar Food Specials and Promotional Prizes at these Featured Locations: Perro salado 19 Charles St. Newport, RI (401) 619-4777 www.perrosalado.com

the Mews 456 Main St. Wakefield, RI (401) 783-9370

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

PROMOTION

FOCUS ON

FALL FASHION JUST ELIZABETH Fall Must Have: “I’m really excited about the new jewelry designs this fall. I’m expanding the very popular Virgins, Saints & Angels line, which has a great vintage look. Local artist Jessica Ricci has some great pieces that are perfect for fall (pictured here). Lori Bonn has a new line of customized charm bracelets called Bonn Bons that uses fine stones and silverworks.” -- Elizabeth Rainone What You Can Find at Just Elizabeth: An exquisite selection of jewelry, handbags PLUS accessories by United States manufacturers Rebecca Ray and KBD Studio. Get the Look at: Just Elizabeth, 141 Elmgrove Avenue; 401-490-0321; www.justelizabeth.com

RELIABLE GOLD Fall Must Have: “I am very excited about new contemporary pieces that have beautiful lines and give an alternative to the way we look at things. I just love good design. Perennially beautiful old jewelry is always an attraction. Pieces that have lived through time and will continue to live through time are very special. They become heirlooms.” – Rena Abeles What You Can Find at Reliable Gold: Featuring an eclectic selection of unique estate jewelry along with contemporary designs. Now offering a growing selection of jewelry by local artists. Get the Look at: Reliable Gold, 181 Wayland Avenue, Providence; 401-861-1414; reliablegold.com

OCEAN STATE HARLEY DAVIDSON Fall Must Have: “This flannel top is from Harley Davidson®’s “Timberline” collection. It is comfortable during your ride and fashionable when you get off your bike. I like to layer a long-sleeved thermal underneath when it gets chilly out. Plaid is huge this year, so this is perfect!” --Sway What You Can Find at Ocean State Harley Davidson: Everything from leather vests and jackets to jeans and sleepwear. Get the Look at: Ocean State Harley Davidson. 435 Nooseneck Hill Road, (Route 3) Exeter; 5 Albany Road, Warwick, RI; 401-781-6866; www.oceanstatehd.com

LOLA Fall Must Have: “Boots...boots...boots! Any height, length or color. From Western to vampy platforms, they look great on everyone.” -- Rachel Wills-Russell What You Can Find at Lola: Anything one of a kind and beautifully crafted! Specializing in flirty, feminine dresses from casual to formal. Handbags, shoes, boots and eclectic jewelry. I like to think of it as a huge closet with lots of eye candy. Get the Look at: Lola, 120 North Main Street, Providence; 401-383-0021

M.R.T JEWELERS Fall Must Have: “Gold will continue to be popular. Especially gold in tones of pink or rose, as seen in the Rebecca brand we carry (pictured here) Rebecca jewelry has already been embraced by celebs such as Beyonce and Pink. Amethyst is doing very well through the late summer and will probably continue to do so through the fall. Purple is a great color for the season.” – David Audette What You Can Find at M.R.T: A wide selection of fashion and fine jewelry that ranges from traditional to cutting edge. We are a full service jeweler and offer in house repairs, custom design, diamond setting, mounting and engraving. Get the Look at: M.R.T Jewelers, 927 Warren Avenue, East Providence; 401-435-3500, MRTjewelers.com

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Who Stole the Soul? Examining what went wrong at Sound Session 2010 by John Taraborelli | Illustrations by Eloise Narrigan The Big Night: A Festival in Free Fall On Saturday, July 24, revelers and music fans took to the streets of downtown Providence, just as they had for the past seven years, to celebrate the culmination of Sound Session, the Black Rep’s annual, weeklong “genre-defying music festival.” The carnival-style parade that is the festival’s centerpiece snaked its way through the streets, full of brass bands, elaborate costumes and masqueraders, just as it had in past years. Westminster Street was closed to automobile traffic and thronged with party-goers, just as it was in past years. Music blared from stages on Westminster Street, at Grant’s Block (on the corner of Westminster and Union Streets) and behind the Black Rep, just as it did in past years. By all accounts, Sound Session was in full effect, and to the casual observer or first-time attendee, it was an impressive showing. However, for festival insiders and par-

ticipants, or simply those who had experienced past years, it was evident that something was not right. The parade route had been changed. The normally jammed Black Rep back lot was sparsely attended. The level of activity on Westminster Street was inconsistent. A full afternoon of programming had been abruptly canceled. Already, rumors were swirling: bands hadn’t been paid, or had their pay slashed; equipment and infrastructure that had been promised to participants never materialized; Black Rep founder/artistic director Donald King had been fired from the festival he created; the organizers had devolved into two warring camps. In the ensuing days, speculation and rumor have been plentiful, but truth and facts have been hard to come by. Even as this goes to press, many questions remain unanswered, some even unasked. What no one disputes, however, is that something went terribly, unequivocally wrong this year, and Sound Session,

at least financially, was a rolling disaster. Performers, vendors and staff have not been paid, or have received checks that bounced. Organizers remain tightlipped. The Sound Session and Black Rep brands are badly damaged. Most of all, people are angry and want answers.

The New Regime: How Sound Session 2010 Came to Be The first thing that needs to be understood about Sound Session 2010 (SS 2010) is that organizationally, it was entirely different from past years. Since its inception, the festival had involved many organizations, institutions and people, but was primarily a collaboration between the Providence Black Repertory Company (BR), a nonprofit arts organization founded by King in 1996, and the City of Providence. However, in 2009, financial problems forced the Black Rep into receivership, and left it unable to produce the festival. In an effort to salvage

the event, King recruited volunteers in February and March of this year to form the Sound Session Foundation (SSF). A new Board of Directors was organized in April, and after two meetings, Casby Harrison, a lawyer and former Chairman of the Black Rep’s Board, became Board Chair for the Sound Session Foundation. The Sound Session Foundation was producing the festival with the idea, according to a statement from Harrison, “that putting on a successful Sound Session 2010 festival would be beneficial to the mission of bringing BR out of receivership.” King formed his own company in January, King Communications Group (KCG), providing consulting services and musical programming for venues around the city such as Cuban Revolution. KCG was contracted to execute the festival. Again, according to Harrison’s statement, “The new Board of the SSF made it very clear to Donald King and KCG [that] the Board’s goal was to realize

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

a profit from SS 2010 by having KCG provide artistic direction. All contracts, financial and business decisions were to be vetted and finalized by the Board.” Effectively, King had ceded control of the festival with which his name and reputation were synonymous to a newly formed Board that would be taking him on as a contractor. In the weeks and months that followed, the relationship between the Sound Session Foundation and King Communications Group would deteriorate, and eventually fall apart completely. The budget for the festival would wind up far exceeding the funds raised through sponsorship, and finally the revenue collected would fall drastically short of the money spent. On Wednesday, July 21, three days before the festival reached its apex, things went from bad to worse as King was fired. So what exactly happened, and how did events turn so disastrous? Those questions will perhaps not be completely answered for months, if ever. Both King and Harrison declined to be interviewed for this story: King, on the advice of counsel, would not speak publicly so soon after the festival; Harrison sent a five-page written statement on behalf of the SSF Board. Various conversations with performers and staff members found sharply divided opinions, with some quick to blame one organization or the other, some willing to cite shortcomings on both sides, and some completely unsure of what had transpired, knowing only that they were disappointed in the outcome.

The Problems: How It Went Wrong One thing is clear: the abbreviated timetable for SS 2010 (approximately 12 weeks, as opposed to the year-round planning that went into previous festivals) resulted in rushed, at times incomplete efforts, and contributed heavily to its eventual downfall. Lizzie AraujoHaller, KCG’s Director of Operations calls it “a very stressful period of time,” comparing it to an “incredibly fast-moving freight train.” Harrison concurs, noting that 12 weeks “proved to be far too little time.” Money too, or lack thereof, was one of the diseases ailing Sound Session 2010. Harrison claims the Board unexpectedly inherited problems from past years. “It was unaware of the extent to which bad debts of the BR from the preceding two years would hinder efforts to obtain corporate sponsorships that historically had paid for the festival,” he explains. “Countless solicitations for corporate sponsorship were declined based on the existence of a prior relationship that had soured by 2010.” Araujo-Haller, meanwhile, counters

that the Board declined to consider KCG’s suggestions to reduce the scope of the operation. “We presented three different proposals: tiny, medium and big,” she recalls. “The Board only wanted the big festival.” Municipal funding was also scarcer than usual. The City’s Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism was less involved than in past years due to the absence of its traditional partner, the Black Rep. Still, ACT Director Lynn McCormack notes, the City invested no less than $40,000 in cash, including grants, and an additional $10,000 in services. However, Sound Session did not receive the additional $20-30,000 grant the City typically contributes because it was never requested by the Board. Similarly, the Providence Tourism Council, another reliable source of funding, did not receive a grant request from the Sound Session Foundation. One week before the festival began, the Board was projecting a loss of over $20,000, and Harrison recommended canceling it. Instead, a decision was made to move forward, provided that $10,000 was cut from the performance budget ($18,000 of that budget was pledged to artists who did not yet have signed contracts) and an additional $20,000 was raised from Board members and friends of the Black Rep. “By the first day of the festival none of these three initiatives had been accomplished,” Harrison claims. Eventually, KCG came up with a plan to cut at least $10,000 by either reducing or eliminating payment to several artists. King also arranged a partial solution to the cash flow problem caused by the lack of sponsorship: a $30,000 bridge loan from Nick Bauta, proprietor of another arts nonprofit, Firehouse 13, and partner with King in a music venue still in the works. The terms of the loan dic-

tated that it was to be repaid by August 1 at 20% interest. The Board took the deal and the festival proceeded. “It is true that the Board allowed the show to go on knowing there was a projected deficit,” Harrison admits. The hope was that a spectacular turnout would reverse the negative cash flow. “The reality was that people spent even less than they had in the past,” he adds. Also, by this point, it is clear that King and Harrison were chafing against each other’s leadership. Harrison cites “a fundamental refusal by Donald King to be managed by a Board of Directors in many respects.” In contrast, AraujoHaller asserts that the Board was undoubtedly in charge. “Once we went to the [first] Board meeting,” she notes, “we were no longer in control of Sound Session.” By Tuesday, July 20, an emergency meeting of the Board was called and eight Directors voted to terminate KCG’s contract. A letter of termination was sent to King, and copied to both the Board and the Black Rep’s court-appointed Receiver. Despite this development, the employees of KCG, including Araujo-Haller and Administrative Director Jess Powers, who had been working without pay since March (per the contract between KCG and SSF, KCG was to receive up to 15% of the gross revenue from SS 2010, not to exceed $35,000), continued working to execute the festival. King too, despite being sacked, continued to show his face at events. In an effort to preserve what he saw as the integrity of the festival’s infrastructure, Bauta offered to waive the interest on the bridge loan if both King and performer Wunmi, whose Saturday night performance was on the chopping block as a cost-saving measure, were reinstated. The Board agreed to keep Wunmi,

but not King. King, for his part, also asked that Bauta take KCG off the table.

The Lesson: Thoughts on How to Move Forward

The Fallout: After the Music Stopped

Ultimately, the fate of Sound Session will not hinge on the Sound Session Foundation, the Black Rep, KCG, King, Harrison, corporate sponsorships or budget deficits. The idea of Sound Session has always been larger than the people or institutions that make it happen. From its inception, the festival was intended to tie Providence into a larger carnival tradition that has existed in places like New Orleans, Brazil and Trinidad for centuries. Sound Session was to be Providence’s signature cultural event – much like Mardi Gras in New Orleans or the South by Southwest music festival in Austin. “People travel to Trinidad, Miami, Boston, all over Brazil, all those carnival traditions,” King explained in this magazine in 2008. “People now acknowledge that we in Providence have a carnival – and I don’t think we understand how big that is. We’re creating our own tradition.” The lesson we can draw from the chaos and wreckage of this year’s festival is that if Sound Session is to survive and reach its potential, it must be bigger than any organization, institution or individual, and much bigger than the egos that go into organizing it. Perhaps, if the next mayor sees fit, the Department of Art, Culture and Tourism could take over the organizational responsibility and directly hire the staff to execute the festival, thereby eliminating the need for a nonprofit partner in the community. Most importantly, though, we must decide as a city, whether we want a festival or a tradition. Traditions endure setbacks, bad years, financial deficits and outright calamities. They are not dependent on formalities like nonprofit organizations, committees, budgets, contracts or mission statements. Traditions just happen, year after year, generation after generation. In Sound Session, King and the Black Rep have given us the seed of a tradition that, if properly nurtured and cultivated, can outlive both; the rest is up to us. A good example of this is the West Side bar the Scurvy Dog, which hosted a full day of music and partying to coincide with the festival’s culmination, but without any formal ties to it or the Sound Session Foundation. They just did it, and by all accounts, it was a success. In months leading up to this year’s festival, King defiantly declared, “I don’t care if I have to do this thing in my backyard, Sound Session is gonna happen.” If enough people feel the same way, maybe Sound Session 2011 can mark a new beginning for a young tradition in an old city.

The festival continued, and when the totals were tallied, expenses vastly exceeded revenue. Artists were paid with checks issued by the Sound Session Foundation that were drawn on insufficient funds. “We collected a check from [festival Co-Chair] Cheryl Lopes from ‘Sound Session, Inc.’ for the full amount in the contract,” explains Brendan Britton of local band Triangle Forest, “but when we went to cash it a few days later the bank would not honor it.” Krissy Carlson, tour manager for Philadelphia-based performers Vetra Votii, takes it one step further, stating that her artists incurred bank fees stemming from the check they received that also bounced. She claims that repeated calls and emails to Lopes yielded no results. On August 2, Harrison issued a statement to SS 2010 participants, informing them that when the approximately $11,000 still owed to the Sound Session Foundation was collected, it would be used to pay performers, bartenders, contractors and others. However, as of August 17, according to Harrison’s statement “SSF has no present ability to pay any person or business affiliated with the Sound Session festival.” In the end, the festival that was supposed to serve as the Black Rep’s springboard out of receivership may prove to be a decisive blow against it. The use of the Rep’s Xxodus Cafe “was an integral part of the Board’s post festival fundraising plan,” according to Harrison. However, the Receiver is now recommending that the Black Rep’s Westminster Street home be sold back to the City of Providence and that permission to use the Xxodus Cafe for any further fundraising events, pending the sale, depends on the repayment of a $37,000 deficit from 2009. Combined with the $24,000 still owed to SS 2010 participants and the $36,000 repayment of the bridge loan, “the Board is not optimistic,” according to Harrison. Regardless of the outcome of the Black Rep, the continued existence of Sound Session remains in question. Many participants expressed reservations about artists wanting to get involved again. Araujo-Haller and Powers, however, remain optimistic that there will be a Sound Session 2011. “We can’t abandon the idea of super big fun in the summer in Providence,” Araujo-Haller buoyantly declares. Lynn McCormack seconds that notion, maintaining, “We want to see Sound Session continue, and I think the community wants to see Sound Session continue. The City will continue to invest in it, but we need a community partner.”

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

models: Fiona Hillery, Robyn Doiron Martinsen, Ron Plume

a fashionable affair styling Jonathan Joseph Peters Rosanna Ortiz Sinel

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Scene I : Early to Rise

Our Gal Friday greets the morning in her downtown apartment, her thoughts on who - not what - awaits her at the office.

Black Corset Dress - Lola Boutique, $280 Oscar de la Renta Robe - Feminine Fancies, $75 September 2010 | Providence Monthly

On Robyn: John Medeiros Earrings - Gabrielle, $90 Necklace - Feminine Fancies, $135 Sweater - Gabrielle, $129 Trina Turk Skirt - Feminine Fancies, $170 HUE Tights - Feminine Fancies, $12 Shoes - J Marcel, $100 Rope Headband - Lola Boutique, $65 Belt Headband - stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own 34

Providence Monthly | September 2010

On Ron: Shirt, Vest, Pants - Marc Allen, Vest $695, Pants $295, Shirt $295 Shoes - modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

scene II : just checking in

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a friendly morning meeting between our gal and her beau - but apparently someone didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the memo.

On Fiona: Orange Jacket - Feminine Fancies, $320 Erwin Pearl Earrings - Lola Boutique, $85 Necklace - Lola Boutique, $98 Gucci Dress - Lola Boutique, $595 Boots - J Marcel, $100 September 2010 | Providence Monthly

On Robyn: Kay Unger Dress - Feminine Fancies, $275 HUE Tights - Feminine Fancies, $12 Beth Bowley Coat - Feminine Fancies, $435 Necklace - Gabrielle, $182 Valentino Bag - Lola Boutique, $1395 Poetic Liscence Shoes - Feminine Fancies, $95

scene III : stepping out for a little air

Some coffee and polite afternoon chit-chat breaks up the day, but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break this tension.

Providence Monthly | September 2010

On Fiona: ABS Dress - Feminine Fancies, $300 Ann Ren Nordic Jacket - Feminine Fancies, $460 Shoes - Lola Boutique, $138 Tiny Hats, Big Heads Hair Accessory - Queen of Hearts, price upon request Hype Bag - Feminine Fancies, $375 Belt - stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Daniela Corte Suit Jacket - $650

Scene IV : for your eyes only In a busy office it can be a little difficult to squeeze in some private face time.

On Fiona: Jessica Abernethy Coat - Queen of Hearts, $280 Belt - Gabrielle, $42 Trina Turk Halter Top - Lola Boutique, $138 BCBG Lavender Pants - Lola Boutique, $198 John Mederios Bracelets and Pave Hoop Earrings - Gabrielle, Bracelets $135 each, Earrings $80

On Ron: Entire outfit - Marc Allen, price upon request September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Scene V : happy hour? Our beau and the other woman steal away for a nightcap, but in this office word travels fast.

On Ron: Jeff Lahens Suit - Price upon request On Fiona: Sue Wong Dress - Feminine Fancies, $475 Earrings - Feminine Fancies, $60 On Robyn: Sam Mendoza Gown - Price upon request Belt - Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Erwin Pearl Earrings - Lola Boutique, $65 38

Providence Monthly | September 2010

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Roll the Credits The model apartment where we shot Scene 1 was graciously provided to us by The Residences at the Westin. With gorgeous views of downtown and the ability to get to Providence Place without ever going outside, it’s the ideal location for local fashionistas. Visit residencesprovidence.com for more information. Visit us at the location of your choice... Newly Renovated Haruki Cranston 1210 Oaklawn Ave • Cranston 401.463.8338 Haruki East 172 Wayland Ave • Providence 401.223.0332 Haruki Express 112 Waterman St • Providence 401.421.0754

Scenes 2-4 all take place at Moran Shipping’s newly renovated home on Francis Street, across from both the State House and the mall, in the building that formerly housed the Rhode Island Medical Society. The century-old building is a remarkable combination of old and new – the building is on the National Historic Register, and is in the process of being LEED certified for the green renovations Moran made, including digging geothermal wells under the sidewalk. Once the certification is definite, it will be the only building in the country to hold both distinctions. When it isn’t greening the city, Providence-based Moran coordinates nautical shipments all over the world, and has 20 other outposts in North America and Europe. Check them out at moranshipping.com. Temple Downtown lent us their lounge for Scene 5. The restaurant recently underwent some major changes, both in the kitchen and on the menu. The new focus of Temple is on world cuisine, including Greek, Italian, New England and North African dishes. Stop by for breakfast, lunch or dinner. temple-downtown.com

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City Style the look / shop talk / beauty

Photography: Lusso Forged

Sittin’ On Chrome See those rims? No, not the ones on the ‘98 Corolla that are worth more than the car. I’m talking about the rims on that Corvette Z06. Yeah. Well, those were designed right here in Rhode Island. Johnston’s Chad Senecal of Lusso Forged designs his own wheels, lovingly birthing the shiny chrome luxury rims from 3D computer renderings and seeing them through to manufacture and wholesale distribution nationwide. “My

approach is to keep it simple,” Chad says, “so that the wheel complements the car rather than takes away from it.” That design philosophy is evident in the simple, elegant lines of his products, which highlight the exotic already present in a beautiful vehicle, rather than attempt to impose a look of their own. Definitely worth a double take. They might even make your crappy Corolla look good. lussoforged.com -Michael Madden

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City Style | The Look Megan Andelloux Founder of the Center for Sexual Pleasure & Health

by Caitlin Quinn

It’s all about finding your own style and being comfortable with yourself.

Fashion Into

Fall....

What do you wear for a day at the office? I mostly wear 1950s style dresses - the standard button up, layered skirt, belted at the waist. This style really carries through different environments, from conservative to sexy, usually depending on the shoes. I think I only have two pairs of pants. My entire wardrobe is ‘50s to early ‘60s style. For a college workshop I might wear back seam stockings with a dress or pencil skirt and heels – always heels. When I meet with med students I wear flesh colored fishnets. There’s really no difference between my work style and personal style. Where did your style come from? One day a friend of mine wore the cutest dress, and it was from a thrift store. At the time I was struggling with my weight and the clothes that were out didn’t fit right. I liked the challenge of finding a great piece. It was even better that I was recycling, and also not buying into what I “should” be wearing. But, you also have to be patient and be able to look at something and think of how you’ll make it work.

Photography: Krzystyna Harber Photography

Tell me about this outfit. The dress is from Salvation Army and was five feet longer when I got it. I get most of my dresses tailored, actually. I figure I pay $20 for tailoring, but only $6 for the dress, so it’s still cheaper than anything at the mall. I would wear this to a trade show or sexuality workshop, but not to a college or hospital. How does fashion vary within your profession? Last week I was in Florida for one of the largest sex toy manufacturers’ conferences. You can see new products from your favorite companies, or learn about new companies. Most people wear leopard print, lots of intense color, and eclectic eye shadow color combinations with glitter. On the other hand, sex educators who are certified and credentialed wear pants suits as the standard. I rarely see a woman wearing skirt. What I wear is not typical, but it’s what I feel comfortable in, which makes me feel most comfortable to speak to people at workshops.

A Specialty Boutique Contemporary women’s apparel, lingerie, shoes and accessories Open Daily 10-5:30 Saturday 10-5

What do you shop for in the fall? Fall is when I buy all my new garter belts. When you know they are there, but no one else does, it gives you a spring in your step. But I need new ones because I’ll be wearing new stockings for the fall and winter seasons. I have to ask: what’s your take on vajazzling? I haven’t been able to look it up; I’m so disgusted. But however you feel comfortable without causing damage is really okay with me.

THE VILLAGE CENTER 290 County Road, Barrington • 247-1087

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Buying or Selling? When buying or selling a home, expect:

City Style | Beauty

by Julie Tremaine

The New Wave The next generation of nails is here… and it’s good

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

Butterman & Kryston 749 East Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I have terrible nails. They’re the bane of my otherwise well-groomed existence. They bend, break and flake. If I leave them unpolished, one will definitely disintegrate before day’s end. I can generally keep them under control with regular manicures, but that’s only if I keep them as short as possible. Otherwise, the polish chips off and takes a sheet of my brittle nail with it. I’ve had this problem for a couple of years now, and I’ve tried just about everything to fix it. If there’s a strengthening polish, I’ve used it. If there’s a buffer for splitting nails, I’ve buffed with it. Last year, I got an OPI Axxium gel manicure, and it was great – until I spent half an hour with my fingers soaking in pure acetone to get it off, and the end result was more damage to my nails than I started with. It’s gotten so bad that I’ve even considered channeling the ‘80s power suit generation and putting on a full set of acrylics – but then I just shudder, think about shoulder pads and snap out of it. Having explored every option and having had every option fail, I’d basically resigned myself to a life of asking other people to open things for me. That is, until Facing Thayer debuted the new Forever Natural Nails strengthening system earlier this summer. This is the deal: Forever Nails is a polymer that cures to your nail using UV light. It gives you the strength and protection that gel polish does, but it’s actually penetrating your nails to make them stronger and encourage growth. They recommend a fourweek regimen. It goes under your nail polish (you can change it out as much as you like, since it isn’t affected by non-acetone remover) and gives you a slightly

longer wear than usual. After the first week, I was surprised to see that the polymer was mostly gone when Krista, the new nail tech of my heart, took off my polish. It turns out that my measly nails had absorbed the strengtheners – which to me was a really good sign that this was going to work. Instead of taking off that week’s polymer, Krista layered more over the existing stuff, so there was no damaging removal, just protection over protection. The treatment didn’t magically solve my peeling and splitting problem, but it provided enough coverage to allow several nails to grow past the point of damage. The worst ones aren’t fixed yet, but I have noticed that the treatments are making my nails grow really quickly, so I’ve got my fingers crossed (no pun intended) that they will be soon. After my last treatment, we took off the polymer. My nails felt stronger, and I hoped that as the newly fortified part grew out, it would become even more so – but I wasn’t taking any chances. So I tried out the new Shellac manicure that all the beauty magazines have been buzzing about. Shellac goes on like a normal gel polish and cures under UV light, but it’s totally unlike the old gels: it’s thinner and supposedly doesn’t cause any damage when it comes off, unlike last year’s rock-hard gels that rip off half of your nail when removed. (I’m looking at you, OPI.) I haven’t put the removal to the test yet, but I can attest that this polish is much thinner than the other and perfectly shiny – plus, it hasn’t chipped yet and it’s been a week. This is a treatment I can definitely stick with. To rejuvenate your nails, visit facingthayer.com.

Illustration: Karli Hendrickson

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Unique Kreations

Photography: Laurel Mulherin

A little European flair on Hope Street Kreatelier has been a bright addition to Hope Street for two years now, and it is definitely not your average shop. Upon entering, you are immediately blinded with color, and everything is made out of fabric. It’s easy to be amazed by what these talented artists can do with textiles. “Everything in our store is made out of textiles with a function,” says co-owner Pernilla Frazier. “We want beauty and function at the same time.” Their signature product line is expertly crafted from hundreds of different textiles. Quilts, car organizers, headbands, storage cases and even jewelry are all made out of fabric. “We carry our own line of textile products along with work from local artists,” says Frazier. “All of our textiles are manufactured in east Boston, and we even do home interior work.” Talk about hands on. Kreatelier is the brainchild of Pernilla Frazier from Sweden and Line Daems from Belgium. They met because they both had children who attended the French-American School of Rhode Is-

land. Believe it or not, once upon a time Frazier was a lawyer and Daems an intensive care nurse. They decided to leave their high-stress jobs and follow their dream of opening this unique boutique. Providence proved to be the perfect canvas on which they can display these inimitable items. Twenty percent of everything in the store is made in-house, and Kreatelier offers workshops that happen during store hours. “We have workshops for children and adults,” notes Frazier. “Line and myself teach them, or we have external teachers come in. You can make anything from purses to children’s products, and home products as well.” The ambiance and merchandise of this boutique definitely evoke the owners’ European roots. The friendly treatment from the staff and distinctive, functional items adds a sense of utility to the artsy area. The next time you’re looking to find (or learn how to make) a totally unique gift, stop by this one-of-a-kind shop. 804 Hope Street. 432-7995; kreatelier.com

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

15 Hottest Al Fresco Spots B Breakfast Br Brunch L Lunch D Dinner $ under 10 $$ 10-20 $$$ 20+

Aqua

1 Orms Street, Providence; 272-5852. aquaprovidence.com. Discover a Providence oasis at Aqua. This casual fine dining restaurant offers inventive cuisine, an outdoor bar and cabanas with fire pits.

LD $$-$$$

Camille’s 71 Bradford Street, Providence; 751-

4812. camillesonthehill.com. Camille’s offers upscale Italian cuisine. Indulge in the extensive wine list and crudo menu in their elegant outdoor patio. LD $$-

Aspire

311 Westminster Street, Providence; 401-521-3333. aspirerestaurant.com. Fresh local cuisine; park breezes; quick bites; cool drinks; relaxing brunch; romantic late night dinners; live music events BBrLD $-$$$

Costantino’s Venda Ravioli & Ristorante 265 Atwells Ave, Providence;

$$$

421-9105. vendaravioli.com. You’ll think you’re in Italy when you dine on authentic Italian food in the flowerfilled DePasquale Plaza, day or night. LD $$

Haruki East

India

172 Wayland Ave, Providence; 223-0332. harukisushi.com. Haruki East provides delicious sushi and Japanese-inspired cuisine in an upscale, yet comfortable atmosphere. You’ll be going back for more after sampling their unique dishes. LD $-$$

Parkside Rotisserie and Bar

76 South Main Street, Providence; 331-0003. parksideprovidence. com. Parkside is a Manhattan-style bistro that offers a wide array of upbeat foods with innovative pasta dishes and rotisserie meat items.A fantastic choice anytime. LD $-$$$

Vintage

2 South Main Street, Woonsocket; 7651234. vintageri.com. Vintage’s unique menu combines long time favorites with a creative twist. They have an extensive wine and cocktail list with a sushi menu available weekdays. LD $-$$

Café Nuovo

1 Citizens Plaza, Providence; 421-2525. cafenuovo.com. World-class contemporary American cuisine on the Providence Riverwalk. Enjoy generous cocktails, heavenly appetizers and desserts while the river rolls by. LD $$-$$$

Eleven Forty Nine

Locations in Warwick and Seekonk. elevenfortyninerestaurant.com. This stylish, metropolitan-chic restaurant has its own raw bar and a menu specializing in brick oven pizza, unique salads, chicken and beef entrees and delicious cocktails. LD $-$$$

Luxe Burger

1060 Hope Street, Providence; 421-2600. indiarestaurant.com. Enjoy eclectic Indian cuisine while sipping on jumbo margaritas on the Garden Patio with swings, fountains and belly dancers. Let India add a little spice to your life this summer. BrLD $$

5 Memorial Boulevard, Providence; 621-LUXE. luxeburgerbar.com. Luxe offers Providence’s most outrageous menu of build-your-own burgers, specialty sandwiches, and shakes, all at less-than-outrageous prices. Live DJ Thursday through Saturday nights. LD $-$$

Sunnyside

Thornton’s Grille

Walter’s Ristorante D’Italia

Zooma Trattoria

267 Water Street, Warren; 247-1200. thesunnysideri.com. Never has breakfast looked or tasted so good. Overlooking the Warren River, The Sunnyside provides deliciously sophisticated daytime cuisine in a relaxing and airy atmosphere. BBrL $-$$

286 Atwells Ave, Providence; 273-2652. waltersonfederalhill. com. Dine, drink and escape at the Garden Patio at Walter’s, Providence’s best-kept secret. enjoy dinner or just relax with a cocktail under the stars. D $$-$$$ Visit TheProvidenceLife.com for menus and more

145 Spruce Street, Providence; 270-5444. Thornton’s cuisine is all-American cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Enjoy a vast assortment of appetizers and cocktails with their diverse menu. Outdoor seating is available. BLD $-$$

245 Atwells Ave, Providence; 383-2002. trattoriazooma.com. Zooma is contemporary fine dining. Their menu includes wood fired pizzas and handmade pastas with steak, chicken and seafood entrees. Call for reservations. LD $$-$$$

Feast

IN THE KITCHEN / on the menu / behind the bar / review / in the drink

Photography: Kate Kelley

60 REVIEW Vintage

Triple Chocolate Mousse at Vintage

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Providence’s only

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Saturday September 25th 12 pm to 4 pm

Wayland Avenue from Angell Street to Waterman Street 52

Providence Monthly | September 2010

Rain or shin

ins!

! c i s u m

Feast | In the Kitchen

by Stephanie Obodda

The Prodigal Son Chef Shawn Marino’s career comes full circle on Thayer Street How did you first become involved with Paragon? I was in the beginning of my second year at Johnson and Wales when I was hired. It was only three months after Paragon opened, and it was a completely different place. We were such a minimal staff; we’d work on the line and then go into the kitchen and prep. Just a few of us were pumping out lunch and dinner for 400 people – even more on the weekends! After we closed the kitchen on the weekends, we would set up a DJ booth in the kitchen and party in a packed Euro-influenced atmosphere. My wife and I loved those days. We had some wild times in the little place before it grew and expanded. For my first couple years at Paragon, I worked full time at the restaurant while going to school full time. Then, the chef quit about six months after he started, and I ended up taking a larger role. Before I knew it, I was running the kitchen: I was at the restaurant six to seven days a week running two kitchens while still in school full time. What did you do after graduation? I continued to work at Paragon for seven or eight years and then left to go to Washington, DC, where I worked at the Doyle Hotel. I ended up back in Rhode Island to help open the second Paragon location in East Greenwich. After a year, I took a few months off to revive and then started at Capriccio. It was a change for me, going from casual food to fine dining and European classical cuisine. I worked as the sous chef under Nino D’Urso for about six years. I loved every minute of it – we had great chemistry. When he left, I stepped down

Photography: Mike Braca

from being the sous chef and just worked in the kitchen; it wasn’t the same working for another chef. Then, I got a call to come back to Paragon, and here I am. What’s new at Paragon these days? We’re in the midst of refining the menu. We’re trying to take a more classical approach to food, make it a bit more gourmet and put more emphasis on quality. My goal is to integrate elements of classical cuisine in a practical way; there are ways to do this without becoming overwhelmed, even in a high-volume restaurant. We’re adding new appetizers and sandwiches as well as a new tapas

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menu, but we’ll keep some of the staples that have a big following. What do you like to cook when you’re at home? My wife and I both graduated from J&W. You can probably imagine the love and hate food wars in the kitchen: cooking for three kids with different likes and dislikes, and my wife who recently found out she has a gluten allergy. But I love to cook at home – when I am actually home – especially big barbeques. It seems like we always have too much food – enough for 12 people – but it’s always great to get creative with leftovers. Rain, snow or sunshine, I am outdoors cooking meats, vegetables, kebabs and a lot of Mediterranean foods. Do you have any advice for aspiring young chefs? I was running a kitchen before I even graduated culinary school; I call that the school of hard knocks. Becoming a good chef, who not only knows how to cook but also knows how to command and lead others, takes time. You need to be patient, understand other

cooks, learn to adapt, and constantly research and fine-tune recipes and skills. When I’m asked for advice, I always say: learn first and get as much knowledge as you can, then put your ideas forward. Focus on your goals and things will work out. Be patient, don’t be in a rush. Try to travel and learn from others, and take chances. I have been to over 15 different countries, and each one offers a new world of culinary delight. As much as you may hate it, try everything, good or bad. It’s the only way to be sure of the flavors the world offers. Because of this, I don’t have a specific culinary favorite; I enjoy a little bit of everything. It’s a lot like life, isn’t it?

Paragon 234 Thayer Street 331-6200 paragonandviva.com

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Harvest Season A bounty of local food (and food events) to round out the summer

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

The Feast in the Field at Greenvale Vineyards

From Providence to Newport, there are happenings and events that celebrate all things local, from the luscious tomatoes spilling out of our gardens to the shellfish being farmed along our coastline to some very respectable Rhode Island wines. For instance, take the new Farmer’s Market on Federal Hill. Every Saturday from 9am-1pm at St. John’s Park, this market will feature Federal Hill chefs cooking up some of their signature dishes. A different chef will be featured weekly, with a one-hour cooking demonstration and tastings. In addition, there will be local vendors with more coming on board in the coming weeks. Confreda Farms will offer fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and plants. Fresh flowers will be available from Chris Designs. Nancy’s Fancies plans to sell organic dog treats. Honey products will be on hand from Annie B’s Farm. For more info, contact Chris Chabot at 4327783. One of the loveliest events now held in Rhode Island is the annual Feast in the Field at Greenvale Vineyards, scheduled this year for Friday, September 10. From 6-9pm, our farms and farmers will be celebrated with a backdrop of ripening grapes in the vineyard overlooking the Sakonnet River. On a late summer evening, this is hard to beat. As the season comes to an end, this culinary celebration in Portsmouth will benefit New England FarmWays, and it’s part of a new travel campaign: The Farm – Southern New England’s Next Great Destination. The feast consists of local wines and foods prepared by Chef Casey Riley and his team from

the Newport Restaurant Group. To start, champagne and chilled wines will be served with hors d’oeuvres from land and sea. After a tour of the vineyard, a four-course dinner paired with local wines will be served. The cost is $150 per person. To register, call 592-0209. Summer Tastings Under the Stars continue this month. Seven New England Cheddars will be paired with seven New England ciders on Sunday, September 12, thanks to Matt and Kate Jennings from Farmstead and La Laiterie. The sharp cheddars and the unique ciders will be offered from 6-8pm on the roof of the Peerless Building in Downcity, a spectacular spot to watch the sun set over Providence. The cost is $50 per person. Reservations are a must. Call Kate at 274-7177. What more could you ask for? Celebrity chefs, wines from around the world and fabulous food from the region’s best restaurants – that’s a promise from this year’s Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival slated for September 2426. Sponsored by Food & Wine Magazine, this event will take place at two mansions, Rosecliff and Marble House, in Newport. More than 500 wines will be available for tasting. Cooking demonstrations, a Sunday jazz brunch, live and silent auctions, and more than 20 New England restaurants and caterers will be featured. Festivities start at the Wine & Rosecliff Gala with a “Meet the Chefs” theme on Friday night. Guests will have the chance to meet and interact with the famous chefs participating in the event. The spectacular Grand Tasting is set for Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4pm at Marble House. All

proceeds will benefit the Preservation Society of Newport County. For ticket information, call 847-1000, ext. 140, or visit www.NewportMansionsWineAndFood.org. Advance ticket pricing will be offered until September 17. And to round out the month, Gasbarro’s Wines on Federal Hill will hold its eighth annual wine tasting on Tuesday, September 28, at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln. This is a benefit for the American Cancer Society. To purchase tickets, call 421-4170, or visit www.garsbarros.com. ISN’T THAT SOUPER Souper Bowls is about to open at 45 Weybosset Street. As we head into fall, this is sure to be a hot spot. The menu offers at least 18 soups, with each one named for a national football team. I can’t wait to see what they’re serving for our beloved Patriots… New England clam chowder, perhaps? Sounds like a soup sports bar, but they prefer to call it an American regional-style soup café. Souper Bowls also provides lowfat, low-calorie, vegetarian and vegan choices. They are open at 11am, Monday through Friday. For details, call 272SOUP, or visit www.souper-bowls.com. THIS MONTH’S HOT TIP Stop in at Gracie’s, 194 Washington Street, on Wednesday nights starting at 8 for a laid-back evening of soul and jazz. The Eric Bloom Trio performs, and the five-star cocktails are just $5.

Got food news? Feed it to Linda at Lindab2720@aol.com.

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Feast | Behind the Bar

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Taste of India

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Andrea Supinski talks about Providence’s oenophile oasis

Tell me about Blush. Blush is the newest bar and lounge on Federal Hill. We carry over 270 different wines. We have a fabulous staff and amazing cocktails. Blush also offers 10 different champagnes and 10 different bellinis. We also boast an aspiring chef that just graduated from Johnson & Wales University.

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What kind of food do you serve? The menu is all light fare. We offer fantastic antipasti, oven grilled pizzas and an amazing dessert called “Chocolate Seduction.” It’s a Dutch chocolate-

Steven M. Kane, Ph.D. Providence, RI 401-454-5700 kanesmk@verizon.net

infused wine that is served with fresh strawberries and mint whipped cream. I like to dip the strawberries in the wine before eating them. It’s delicious. The chef makes lots of sauces using our wines or alcohol – like the TequilaBraised Beef Panini. The Blush Cheesecake is drizzled with a cranberry-shiraz reduction. Monday through Friday everything on the menu is half price until 7pm.

Photography: Mike Braca

What are your favorite wines? For the summer, I love the Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse from France. It’s light and crisp with hints of melon. It doesn’t taste like your average American Chardonnay – it tastes almost like a Sauvignon Blanc. My favorite red is Estancia Meritage from California. It’s a bold flavor with chocolate and berry undertones. It’s delicious. What has this job taught you about wine? One person will try a wine and it will taste a certain way. Someone else will try the exact same wine and it will taste completely different. The taste of the wine can change depending on variables such as what they are eating. For example, certain cheeses will bring out flavors of a wine. We’ve received a wine education, including the training on the proper way to serve it. How is working at a wine bar different from working at any other bar? At a wine bar, there is a lot more atten-

230 Wickenden St, Providence 421-4355 • 453-2288 www.tasteofindiaprovri.com

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Celebrate our 3rd anniversary

Saturday, September 11, 2010 tion to detail. Avid wine drinkers know how you’re supposed to serve and present a wine. They expect you to know the difference between the wines of Italy versus the wines of Spain. I have learned a lot about wine here. Different regions affect the taste of the grape and the harvest, which ultimately affects the taste of the wine. We have a full service bar, but we mostly sell wine. We really do cater to wine and “winos.” What is your most expensive bottle of wine?? A vintage ’78 Borgogno, Barolo Riserver from Piedmont, Italy for $695. It’s half price on Tuesdays though! What do you recommend for the first time wine drinker? Build your own red wine flight with a Cabernet, a Zinfandel and a Merlot so you can try the different varieties of red. From there, you can map out your tastes. A neat trick we use is to ask cus-

tomers how they take their coffee. If you say black, I’ll recommend a bolder, deeper wine like a chianti. If you like sugar and milk in your coffee, you probably wouldn’t like a red and would enjoy a sweeter white. Which wine would you describe yourself as and why? I’m a Pinot Noir because I’m a little deeper. I’m definitely a red, but I’m mellow and easy to get a long with in the same way a Pinot is easy to drink.

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Feast | In the Drink

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Knee-deep in a white-collared throng at Ted’s Bulletin in D.C., a new-ish art deco destination near Capitol Hill, petulance and hunger mixed to paint a thick scowl on my face. On a chalkboard cocktail menu, the “Old Mingo Square” caught my bored eyes: Sazerac rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and bitters, all served over a single ice ball that kept the drink frigid from first sip into a last without turning to watery mess. I sipped that drink to the finish, both hands cupped around the glass like it contained life’s elixir. In fact, I finished one, and another, and then followed our dear bartender on to his second gig at the establishment two doors down. As a Scotch devotee I might have recognized the Mingo as a New Orleansderived classic but whiskey drinks more complicated than “pour whisky over ice,” or born outside the British Isles, remain mostly foreign to me. And indeed, several months later, a pang of foolishness struck once I realized that my revelation in a glass was, in fact, a riff on one of the oldest cocktails on the block. Not even a riff, really, but the exact standard with a shiny new name. Originally (and, ahem, still) known as le Vieux Carré (“Old Square”), the cocktail is named after an historic term for New Orleans’ famed French Quarter. Walter Bergeron, the head bartender at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans, poured the first V.C., as we’ll call it, in 1938. One of the Quarter’s grand dame hotels, still alive and well, the Monteleone is also famous for the Carousel Lounge – an actual revolving carousel – that spins patrons ever so slowly around the bar. Contemporary patrons can sidle up, order a V.C. in Americanized French (try it: voo caray) and hope that no Parisians are in listening distance to cringe. Retro-cocktail fervor has tended to focus on pre-Prohibition and mid-century concoctions, leaving an in-between cocktail like the V.C. somewhat beyond the spotlight. Since sipping my V.C. doppelganger at Ted’s, I’ve noticed a few others popping up on cocktail menus from Manhattan to… well, Brooklyn. (Among the many places I’ve yet to spy one is dear old Providence, which is a sin of omission begging for a fix. Gauntlet, thrown.) Perhaps a fledgling trend rather than a widespread one, the V.C.’s mini-revival dovetails with a long-simmering trend

Providence Monthly | September 2010

in rye whisky that’s lit fire somewhat recently. Relative obscurity lent it a certain appeal among cocktail hounds in search of something uncommon, having slowly forfeited market popularity to bourbon and other non-rye forms of whiskey after Prohibition. Whatever the trend’s root, rye whiskey’s robust, fragrant quality has kept it humming since. Converts are easily won, enticed by its spicy yet accessible flavour – as opposed to, say, more challenging loves like single-malt Scotch. Don Draper of Mad Men fame helped re-popularize Canadian Club whiskey, ordering it by name in Manhattans or on the rocks. Oth-

Le Vieux Carré

er newly popular brands from Kentucky’s Buffalo Trace to Jim Beam offshoot (ri)s make for fine pours. An authentic V.C. demands New Orleans’ own Sazerac brand, however, as the whiskey that started it all. Thankfully, authenticity is tenable now that the vaunted Sazerac distillery exhumed its rye whiskey after a century’s absence from production. Sensing a prospective comeback for rye, the company began aging the grain in the late 1990s and released its first new bottling in 2005. Ornate, graceful, and a little raucous, it bears the French Quarter’s signature union of saintliness and sin, salvaged from the past and not dusty in the least.

Serves 1

While more involved than Scotch on the rocks, an easy ratio of base liquors keeps mixing simple. Commit to memory: Equal parts whiskey, vermouth and cognac, with a scant glug of Benedictine and a touch of bitters to taste. Use large-sized ice if possible to guard against watered-down results. 1 ounce rye whiskey 1 ounce cognac 1 ounce sweet vermouth

1 teaspoon Bénédictine D.O.M. 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Mix all ingredients in a double Old Fashioned glass over ice; stir.

Illustration: Emma Tripp

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Feast | Review

by Linda Beaulieu

A Great Vintage A high end restaurant gets an affordable makover eyes off the mosaic glass tiles around a modern, built-in fireplace. Beautifully designed in shades of deep blue, green and violet, this is a very hip and comfortable restaurant. We didn’t mind one bit hanging out over drinks. Before long, we were escorted upstairs to the quieter dining area, with a view of the outdoor deck. If it hadn’t been so hot that night, that’s where we would have dined. We ordered three interesting appetizers, quite different from one another: Asparagus Fries ($9), Grilled Shrimp Cocktail ($9) and Jumbo Lump Crab Cake ($9). The flavorful crab cake was rather large, full of crabmeat, and served with Creole remoulade and roasted corn salsa. Invented in France, remoulade is really nothing more than a fancy tartar sauce, and it’s especially good when combined with bites of seafood. This was Creole remoulade, so it had a little extra kick. The corn salsa offered just the right blend of crunch and sweetness. I’m a big fan of shrimp cocktail, but I’ve never had it this way – grilled.

Seafood Paella with chicken shrimp, clams, white fish, mussels, chorizo, saffron rice and vegetables

Providence Monthly | September 2010

Red Dragon Roll with tuna, salmon, spicy mango and avocado Again, the shrimp were cooked just right, so they had that nice, crunchy texture. They were served in a large martini glass on a bed of Asian greens that I simply loved. The menu promised tempura asparagus spears, but I thought the batter around each stalk was too heavy and thick to be tempura. Not bad, but this is a dish that could be amazing if a true tempura was in place, especially with that luscious lemon aioli for dipping. All three of our entrées were declared winners. Laurie’s BBQ Sweet Soy Pork Ribs ($17) were fall-off-the-bone tender and moist, accompanied by more of that roasted corn, and probably the best corn bread we’ve ever had. It was moist, not dry like so many corn breads are, and flavored with hints of ginger and jalapeno. Mark cleaned his plate, eating every bite of the Paella ($18) he ordered. It was an impressive presentation: chicken, chorizo, shrimp, clams, mussels and white fish over saffron rice with tender chunks of summer vegetables. The subtle flavor was addictive. I couldn’t help but dip a piece of warm Italian bread into his dish to soak up the beautiful blend of Spanish seasonings. Fortunately, Mark didn’t mind my straying into his food space. I often select my entrée on the basis of the accompaniments. For instance, at Vintage, many main dishes tempted me: Grande Pappardelle Bolognese, Lobster Risotto, Potato Chip Crumb Roasted Scrod, Wasabi Pea Crusted Tuna and Veal Chop Milanese. But my taste buds kept returning to the Grilled

Salmon Piccata ($17), mostly because it came with a creamy risotto and a lemon caper vinaigrette. I too cleaned my plate. The salmon was cooked just long enough so that it was still quite moist. The vinaigrette made it even more interesting. And the risotto was gourmet-style comfort food. Nonstop conversation and outstanding food made for a very enjoyable evening. We didn’t really “need” dessert, but eventually gave in to the classic Tiramisu. Just when I think I can’t possibly have that Italian dessert again, I give in to the lure of espresso and mascarpone, falling in love with it all over again. That seems to be what’s happening with Vintage – customers are falling in love with the remarkable food and the affordable prices. Like so many marriages, the second time around is often much better. The new and improved Vintage is definitely worth a visit. Linda Beaulieu is the author of The Providence and Rhode Island Cookbook, available at stores throughout the state.

Vintage 2 South Main Street, Woonsocket 765-1234 vintageri.com

Photography: Kate Kelley

It was one of those really hot summer nights that we had so many of this year. Stepping inside the very cool Vintage was a welcome relief. I never thought a reservation would be necessary on a Tuesday night. Surprise! Even at 6pm, there was a wait for a table – the sign of a very good restaurant, in my book. I had been to Vintage before, back when it was new and an expensive place to dine. It seemed everyone gave this Woonsocket restaurant a try, but few ever returned. The food was outstanding, but so were the prices. In this economy, and especially in northern Rhode Island, people are being a bit more careful in how they go out for dinner. Enter Michael Danahy, owner of the Blue Grotto on Federal Hill. He became the new owner of Vintage, created an exciting new menu, and lowered the prices. Nothing on the global menu is over $20, a very smart move these days. So even on a Tuesday night, Vintage is drawing a crowd. The three of us sat in the busy bar/ lounge area, where I couldn’t take my

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Feast | Dining Guide

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pings and thick, rich tomato sauce. The Wimpy Skippy, a spinach pie with cheese and pepperoni, is not to be missed. LD $-$$ CAV 14 Imperial Pl.; 751-9164. The New York Times’ choice as one of Providence’s five best restaurants, CAV’s contemporary upscale cuisine is available al fresco for lunch and dinner daily. They also feature weekend brunch. BrLD $$-$$$ CHOWDER HOUSE BAR & GRILL 522 South Water St.; 369-7000. Finally, there’s a place to get traditional New England clam shack fare without leaving city limits. Located on the waterfront, the Chowder House will satisfy your craving for seaworthy fare. LD $-$$

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Photography: Kate Kelley

311 Westminster St.; 521-3333. Aspire offers an exquisite fine dining experience with a number of delicious small and large plates, numerous fine wines and full bar – with an emphasis on local ingredients. BBrLD $-$$$

Providence

and chic atmosphere. You can also enjoy classic Lebanese dishes and light cuisine with your cocktail. LD $

Andreas 268 Thayer St.; 331-7879. For a taste of Greece, head to Andreas. Their menu includes souvlaki, moussaka and a variety of kabobs, along with specialties like Lemon Oregano Lamb Chops and Spanakopita, an appetizer of spinach and feta in flaky phyllo dough. BrLD $-$$

CAFÉ PARAGON 234 Thayer St.; 3316200. This hip eatery serves sandwiches, pasta, and entrees at prices lower than the chic décor would have you believe. The adjoining Viva lounge is perfect for after-dinner drinks and private parties. BrLD $-$$

BLUE GROTTO 210 Atwells Ave.; 2729030. “An old friend with a new attitude,” the Blue Grotto is an icon of Federal Hill, and one taste of their old world classics and contemporary Italian will remind you why. LD $$-$$$

CARLITTO’S CUCINA AT OLIVES 108 North Main Street; 751-1200. Thursday through Saturday nights, enjoy dinner and drinks at one of downtown’s best nightspots. With grilled pizzas and Italian classics, you can make it a great night out at Olives. D $-$$

BYBLOS 235 Meeting St.; 453-9727. Providence’s original hookah lounge offers more than just a relaxing smoke

CASERTA’S PIZZERIA 121 Spruce St.; 621-9190. This Rhode Island tradition serves big pizzas with generous top-

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DON JOSE TEQUILAS 351 Atwells Ave.; 454-8951. Don Jose’s digs a little deeper than your average Mexican restaurant, with all the basics you love alongside more artfully composed entrees and a wonderful selection of house-made tequilas. LD $$ EBISU 38 Pontiac Ave.; 270-7500. Ebisu serves Japanese classics like Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and Shabu-Shabu (hot pot style meats and vegetables) in a fun, relaxing atmosphere. Their full bar features many Asian specialty drinks. LD $-$$ GOURMET HOUSE 787 Hope St.; 8314722. Beautiful murals and decor set the mood for delicious Cambodian and Southeast Asian cuisine, spicy curries and noodle dishes. The tamarind duck is a must. LD $-$$ HARUKI EAST 172 Wayland Ave.; 2230332. For authentic Japanese dining, try Haruki’s large variety of sushi, sashimi, bento boxes, soba noodles and delicious specialty entrees. Enjoy the chic atmosphere and the freshest sushi around. LD $-$$$ HEMENWAY’S 121 South Main St.; 351-8570. A true Providence classic,

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

Feast | Dining Guide Leader’s in Eye Care Since 1927 Hemenway’s has been serving top-notch seafood for 20 years. Their oyster bar features everything from the famed Prince Edward Island variety to the local favorite, Poppasquash Point. LD $$-$$$

421-4114. Pizzico sets the standard for Italian cuisine on the East Side, with award-winning food, a wide variety of wine and a rustic yet eclectic atmosphere. LD $$-$$$

HUDSON STREET DELICATESSEN 68 Hudson St.; 228-8555. For a true neighborhood deli, head to the West Side. Try one of their delicious specialty sandwiches, using only quality Boar’s Head meats, including the biggest and best grinder in town. BLD $

Red Stripe 465 Angell St.; 437-6950. It’s classic comfort food with French influences. From their Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup to ten styles of Moules & Frites, Red Stripe’s menu is reasonably priced and made with passion. LD $-$$$

Kartabar 284 Thayer St.; 331-8111 This European-style restaurant and lounge offers a full menu of unique dishes such as Champagne Sea Bass and Gorgonzola-stuffed Filet Mignon. They also offer a gourmet wine list and martini menu. LD $-$$

Rue De L’espoir 99 Hope St.; 7518890. In business for over 30 years, the Rue has only gotten better. Beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients, the innovative, constantly changing menu keeps diners on their toes. Superb brunch. BBrLD $$-$$$

McFADDEN’S RESTAURANT AND SALOON 52 Pine St.; 861-1782. Looking for a great sports bar that also offers top-notch dining? Look no further. For game night, a quality lunch or dinner, or a great after-work cocktail, stop by McFadden’s. LD $-$$

Siena 238 Atwells Ave.; 521-3311. Federal Hill’s Siena features authentic Tuscan cuisine in a warm and lively atmosphere. The extensive menu includes wood-grilled veal, steak and seafood entrees along with signature

MILLS TAVERN 101 North Main St., 272-3331. The only restaurant in RI to receive The Mobile Four Star Award for five consecutive years, Mills Tavern provides traditional American cuisine in a warm, friendly setting. LD $$-$$$

STATE 1 Throop Alley; 854-6464. Providence’s most upscale VIP haven offers delicious tapas, mouthwatering appetizers, unique salads and panini, and award-winning grilled pizzas. State is your #1 late night dining destination. D $-$$

NEW RIVERS 7 Steeple St.; 751-0350. Long considered one of Providence’s finest restaurants, the James Beard Award-nominated New Rivers serves creative New American cuisine with an emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients in an intimate setting. D $$-$$$ PARKSIDE 76 South Main St.; 3310003. Chef/owner Steven Davenport’s Parkside offers innovative foods ranging from spicy crab cakes to grilled tenderloin and Portobello salad. The menu also includes creative pasta dishes and Parkside’s signature rotisserie meat. LD $-$$ Pizza Gourmet 357 Hope St.; 7510355. Toppings like sirloin steak and shallots justify this pizza shop’s name. Also available are specialty pasta entrees and sandwiches. Their delicious white and wheat pizzas are also available in take-and-bake versions. LD $-$$ Pizzico Ristorante 762 Hope St.;

Key

pasta and sauté dishes. D $$-$$$

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ThE BEST ICE CREAM IN RhOdE ISlANd Come To Jamestown And Try What We Think Is The Best Ice Cream In Rhode Island We proudly serve home-made, super-premium ice cream from Richardsons dairy – winner of dozens of regional and national “Best Of” awards. We are the only scoop shop in RI to serve Richardsons!

3 EAST FERRY, JAMESTOWN 423-3077 • SPINNAKERSCAFE.COM

Our dockside cafe also serves Lobster Rolls, Clam Cakes, Chowder and a full deli menu.

TASTE OF INDIA 230 Wickenden St.; 421-4355. “Where the taste says it all.” Taste the authentic spices of India with delicious items like Tandoori specialties, Biryani and Thali (typical Indian style combination plate). LD $-$$ Tazza Caffe 250 Westminster St.; 421-3300. One of downtown’s hottest spots for lunch, dinner, coffee or drinks, Tazza’s outstanding panini and burgers are the perfect accompaniment to their outdoor seating and live entertainment. LD $-$$ TEMPLE DOWNTOWN 120 Francis St.; 919-5050. This stylish restaurant in the historic Masonic Temple building features a variety of flavors from across the Mediterranean including pastas, kabobs, mezze, tagines, salads seafoods and more. D $$-$$$ TRATTORIA ZOOMA 245 Atwells Ave.; 383-2002. Zooma offers award-

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Br Brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Feast | Dining Guide winning Neapolitan cuisine in an exciting and sophisticated setting, featuring house made pasta and a wood fired pizza oven. Available for private functions. Complimentary valet parking. LD $$-$$$ United BBQ 146 Ives Street, 7519000. Barbecue is an art form here. Feed the inner man with a classic rack of ribs (sold in half or whole racks) or make it light with a “Tofurkey” kielbasa sandwich from the menu’s Weird Stuff section. They deliver. LD $-$$ WALTER’S RISTORANTE D’ITALIA 286 Atwells Ave.; 273-2652. Experience the authentic flavors of Chef Walter Potenza, a name long synonymous with Italian food in Rhode Island. This is a must-stop for foodies and caters to gluten-free diners. D $$-$$$ WATERMAN GRILLE 4 Richmond Square; 521-9229. An exquisite waterfront dining experience, Waterman Grille offers a plethora of delectable dishes including grille and seafood plates with a focus on seasonal flavors and local offerings. BrD $-$$$ Waterplace Restaurant & Lounge One Financial Way; 2721040. With its gorgeous views of Waterplace Park, this stylish eatery is guaranteed to please. The chic and sensible menu offers award-winning cuisine that is always fresh and seasonal. LD $$-$$$

East Bay Boneyard Barbecue and Saloon 540 Central Ave., Seekonk; 508-761-6855. From tender, juicy pulled pork to full and half racks of ribs to chicken wings with over 30 sauces to choose from, Boneyard will satisfy your appetite for food and fun. LD $-$$ CHARDONNAY’S 393 Taunton Ave., Seekonk; 508-336-0967. The sister restaurant of Meritage in East Greenwich, Chardonnay’s features fresh, eclectic American cuisine. They also offer fire-grilled, take-and-bake pizzas, and, as the name suggests, excellent wine. D $-$$$

Key

Fall Wardrobe Kickoff

DEWOLF TAVERN 259 Thames St., Bristol; 254-2005. Set in a historic stone warehouse, DeWolf Tavern offers casual dining and drinks on its outdoor patio. An elegant upstairs dining area serves contemporary American cuisine by acclaimed Chef Sai. D $$-$$$ Ichigo Ichie 5 Catamore Blvd., East Providence; 435-5511. The name roughly translates as “one encounter in a lifetime,” but you’ll want to visit again and again for the enchanting Japanese décor, and of course, the sushi and hibachi menus. LD $$

Check Out Our Newly Renovated Store!

JACKIE’S GALAXIE 338 Metacom Ave., Bristol; 253-8818. Jackie’s offers an eclectic taste of Asia, including Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese. Enjoy traditional recipes combined with modern technique and flair for a unique dining experience. LD $-$$$

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West Bay BISTRO 9 1646 Division St., East Greenwich; 884-5656. Overlooking the East Greenwich Golf Course, Bistro 9 serves up American and Italian cuisine seven days a week, year round. Enjoy steak, seafood, pasta and a full service bar. LD $-$$ CAP’N JACKS 706 Succotash Rd., Wakefield; 789-4556. Cap’n Jacks is a family friendly eatery serving traditional New England favorites since 1972. Just 1/4 mile from East Matunuck Beach, it’s a must-stop for clam cakes, chowder, fish and chips, etc. LD $-$$$ CHELO’S WATERFRONT 1 Masthead Dr., Warwick; 884-3000. Everybody’s favorite chain of Rhode Island family restaurants also provides great waterfront dining overlooking Greenwich Bay. Enjoy all the classics, plus deck and lawn seating, fire pits and live entertainment. LD $-$$ COAST GUARD HOUSE 40 Ocean Rd., Narragansett; 789-0700. This beachfront institution serves classic New England seafood, plus pasta, steak and a raw bar, all in the shadow of the iconic Narragansett Towers. Outdoor bars offer more casual fare. LD $-$$$

Br Brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

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Feast | Dining Guide

One Fish Two Fish

ELEVEN FORTY NINE RESTAURANT 1149 Division St, (Warwick/East Greenwich line), 884-1149. 965 Fall River Ave., Seekonk; 508-336-1149. Metropolitan chic comes to the suburbs at this super stylish restaurant with a raw bar, outstanding menu, and some of the best cocktails around. LD $$-$$$ FAT BELLY’S 254 Old Forge Rd., Warwick; 884-2112. 241 Main St., East Greenwich; 884-3434. Fat Belly’s is an Irish pub with an emphasis on serving high quality food in a comfortable atmosphere. Savor sandwiches, salads, grilled pizzas and creative takes on traditional pub fare. LD $ FLARE BRICK OVEN BISTRO 577 Tiogue Ave., Coventry; 615-8577. Flare serves a wide variety of pizzas fresh from their brick oven, including a “build your own” option. Also, choose from sophisticated steak, pasta, seafood and chicken dishes. LD $-$$ Iggy’s Doughboys 889 Oakland Beach Ave., Warwick; 737-9459. 1157 Point Judith Rd., Narragansett; 783-5608. Clam cakes and a cup of chowder: it’s not summer without ‘em and Iggy’s has the best around. Enjoy it all al fresco, and don’t forget the doughboys. LD $-$$ KABUKI 91 Old Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield; 788-0777. Kabuki presents a blend of modern and traditional Japanese techniques for a refreshing, modern take on Japanese cuisine, sushi and cocktails. They also feature premium sakes and sake martinis. LD $-$$$ KON ASIAN BISTRO 553 Main St., East Greenwich; 886-9200. This innovative bistro sets the standard for Asian food in southern RI, featuring a variety of sushi and sashimi, classic rolls, hibachi combos, and delicious sushi entrées. LD $-$$$ LILIANA’S 3009 Tower Hill Rd., South Kingstown; 789-4200. Serving authentic Italian at affordable prices, Liliana’s offers great service in a family atmosphere. Owner Dino Passeretta brings over 15 years of experience Boston, New York and Miami to South County. LD $$-$$$

Key

MERITAGE 5454 Post Rd., East Greenwich; 884-1255. A standard bearer for great food, great wine and great service, this sister restaurant to Chardonnay’s in Seekonk serves pizzas, steak, pasta, and of course, a great wine list. D $-$$ PINELLI’S CAFÉ AT NIGHT 701 Quaker Ln., Warwick; 821-8828. This BYOB deli by day, café by night serves traditional Italian-style deli food for the lunch crowd, and offers a wide array of appetizers, entrees, pastas and steaks for dinner. LD $-$$ RHODY JOE’S SALOON 515 Kingstown Rd., South Kingstown; 3126500. Rhody Joe is a legendary Rhode Islander and his namesake saloon does right by his good name, serving up mammoth burgers, grilled pizzas and lots of classic pub fare. LD $-$$ SIENA CUCINA 5600 Post Rd., East Greenwich; 885-8850. Siena features authentic Tuscan cuisine in a warm and lively atmosphere, plus over 20 wines by the glass and an Italian “tapas” menu. D $$-$$$ TAVERN BY THE SEA 16 West Main St., North Kingstown; 294-5771. Located in historic Wickford, Tavern by the Sea offers a relaxed yet romantic atmosphere and an array of dishes like seafood, burgers and a complete kids’ menu. LD $$

North ENN JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR 600 George Washington Hghwy, Lincoln; 333-0366. Enn serves authentic Japanese cuisine with the freshest ingredients possible. You’ll find classics like tempura and teriyaki mixed with eclectic innovations like Spicy Tuna Tostadas and Tuna Tartar a la Korean. LD $-$$ VINTAGE RESTAURANT 2 South Main St., Woonsocket; 765-1234. In the heart of Woonsocket, Vintage offers top notch cuisine without the top notch prices. Enjoy classics with creative twists in a casual but sophisticated setting. LD $-$$

Br Brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+

Red Fish

A fresh and exciting dining experience is about to hit Providence

Join us for our 30th Birthday Party! The celebration kicks off during Gallery Night Thursday September 16, 5-9pm. Geography games for children and adults, prizes, food and music. A toast to 30 years of folk art from around the world!

The Peaceable Kingdom 351-3472 • 116 Ives Street, Providence 15th International Women’s Playwriting Festival Oct. 1-23, 2010

DARING Jingle Belles And A Few Balls Dec. 10-12, 2010

NEW Hedwig and The Angry Inch March 3-27, 2011

EXPERIMENTAL 1:23, a play by Carson Kreitzer April 15- May 7, 2011

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Get Out

Events / art / music / MOVIES / theatre

Photography: Jonathan Beller

The Old Ball Game September 11: There was no sissy drama in baseball during 1884. No dragged out free agency. No steroid scandals. No coddling over injuries by a trainer. If your mashed-up fingers happened to be keeping you out of the game, then maybe it was ‘bout time for an amputation. Men were men, catchers didn’t wear mitts and if you were stuck with only one pitcher on the whole team, you better hope that his name was Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn,

who won 59 games that season as the Providence Grays captured the World Championship. Established in 1998, the vintage ball club carries on this storied local legacy, adhering to period rules like the six-ball walk and authentic uniforms and equipment. Cheer on the home team as they take on the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn. 11am. Free. Ardoene Field, Narragansett Avenue and Santiago Streets. providencegrays. org. - Dawn Keable

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Get Out | Calendar

by Dawn Keable

at The RISD Museum

2010 – 2011 Schedule September 10

Cobra-Matics Rockabilly

October 8

This Month

Infusion Experience Latin Jazz

November 12

Girl Howdy Classic Honky Tonk

December 10

No Music Friday

Through October 3 Go deep with Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at Foxwoods. foxwoods. com/titantic.aspx. Tuesdays through September Tour the Mercantile Building, as AS220 displays its downtown domination. as220.org.

January 14

Sauce High energy funk, soul and blues

February 11

Slippery Sneakers Cajun and Zydeco dance music

March 11

Sit Down Baby Classic Blues

April 8

Soulshot Reggae

May 13

B Hive B 52’s Tribute Band

Second Friday of the Month 5:30 – 8:30pm, ages 21+ $8 / $5 museum members

Music and cash bar in the Museum’s Main Gallery.

Food samplings courtesy of Marra Restaurant Group

www.risdmuseum.org

Providence Monthly | September 2010

Thursdays in September Take a break from your otherwise hectic workday for Free Lunch Hour Yoga for All at Kennedy Plaza. kennedyplaza.org September 10 Reel in the Deadliest Catch when Captain Sig and the Hillstrand brothers from the Discovery Channel arrive on dry land to talk shop. ppac.org. September 17-October 3 Report back on the butter sculpture and Rhode Island pavilion from the Big E in Springfield, MA, the largest fair in the Northeast. thebige.com. September 18 Become a Trouble Shooter after learning the skill of crisis photography at RISD Continuing Ed. risd. edu/ce. September 23 Go inside A School in Trouble: A Personal Story of Central Falls High School with a reading by author William K. Holland at the main library. provlib.org. September 24-26 Raise a glass, and fork, to high society at Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival from the Rosecliff lawn. newportmansions.org.

Shape Shifters September 25: The difference between you and the Pilobolus Dance Theatre – outside of the fact that these FirstWorks performers can stylishly pull off shiny brightly colored unitards and tights without inducing stomach cramping, hysterical laughter – is artistic interpretation. Case in point? Look in the mirror and what do you see? A couple of arms and legs, that scar on your shin from that brush with the dog 20 years ago, a low grade beer gut and Uncle Lenny’s nose. The vision of these dancers? They see the human form as an assortment of beautiful body parts that can be assembled, then reassembled – using a bit of gymnastics, teamwork and a sense of humor – into limitless possibilities. It’s all almost like the Wonder Twins activating into the shape of something else, minus the cheesy sound effects of cartoon world. 8pm. $28, $38, $48. Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset Street. 421-2997, ppac.org.

September 30 Honor the Rhode Island Free Clinic doc of the year, Charles Carpenter, MD, at a Westin reception. rifreeclinic.org.

September 30 Bask in the rich tone of the voice of Dr. Maya Angelou during a talk at PPAC, sponsored by Day One. ppac.org.

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andrea Hotel • aunt carrie’s • Bay voyage inn Beach Rose café • Bistro by the sea • cheeky Monkey chelo’s waterfront Bar & Grille • George’s of Galilee Harbourside lobstermania • Johnny angel’s clam shack sergio’s italian Ristorante • tavern by the sea the narragansett Grill • trattoria simpatico • twin willows

Get Out | Music

by Alyssa Smith

Concerts Check out this month’s awesome shows

The former Blackstone space is undergoing a makeover

by Dawn Keable

The Met Returns

September 1 Party with the distant relatives who never make it to eachother’s Christmas dinner, Nas and Damian Marley, fusing elements of hip hop and reggae, while raising awareness for the plight of Africa. Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington Street. 331-5876, lupos.com.

A Providence legend brings back a Providence legend

Photography: Stacey Doyle

The Met Café,

a name that rings bells for most Providence music fans, is slated to open its doors in September, this time at the former site of the Blackstone in Pawtucket’s Hope Artiste Village. Owner Rich Lupo says the new space is not a reopening of the original Met Café, a midsized club once hailed as a hotbed for live Providence music, but a nod to its legacy, something that more closely resembles the original Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in its form. “It’s going to be like the old Lupo’s without the cockroaches,” Lupo quips. Providing mostly local bands with a few regional/national acts per week, Lupo hopes to get a steady crowd reflective of the humble size of the club. In addition to the music, the Met will be selling food from lunchtime to the end of the night, a cuisine Lupo describes as “comfortable, roadhouse style dining.” From the ‘70s to its closing in 2003, the Met was known for providing a smaller, more intimate venue for musical acts. Lupo said for the last 10 years, he didn’t think it made sense to open another medium sized club. Then, he caught a show at the Blackstone, and his mind was changed: “I saw

a show there and I said, ‘Holy mackerel, this looks like the old Lupo’s.’” The Blackstone closed its doors in April, and once Lupo and business manager Jack Reich heard it was available, they seized the opportunity and bought the space. Lupo and Reich worked with the Hope Artiste Village and the City of Pawtucket to obtain a liquor license and get the club up and running again. “The city’s been incredibly supportive,” Lupo notes. Though the site is officially still under construction, Jack Reich has already secured a slew of artists, from September 10’s opening night with The Ryan Montbleau Band to “Holidaze in Hicksville” on December 4. Some highlights include blues great Joe Walker on September 11, Jenny and Johnny of Rilo Kiley on September 17, and a two night show by Rhode Island’s own The Wild Turkey Band and The Hometown Rockers October 22-23. Lupo says the space is ideal for bands that can’t sell out a larger space like his downtown Providence spot – and sometimes, bands prefer performing on a smaller scale. “The musical climate’s changed,” he explains. “Many of these bands feel comfortable with this size venue.”

For patrons looking to catch a show, the location and accessibility are ideal as well. Though it’s in Pawtucket, the Hope Artiste Village on Main Street is minutes away from Providence and less than half a mile from North Main Street. Additionally, there will be free parking, making it a potentially cheaper night when compared with parking in downtown Providence. While this opening should seem almost routine for Lupo, he notes that there’s still a good deal of red tape to deal with, and he’s still anxious because it is a new business venture. “It’s still a challenge to get it open in time, a pressure to get artists, and there’s still more construction that needs to be done,” he summarizes. Lupo might be a little worried, but many believe that the Met Café will serve as a catalyst to spark local music, and more importantly, Providence as a viable music source.

The Met Café 1005 Main Street Pawtucket 722-0752 themetri.com

September 3-5 Burn a rug at the Rhythm & Roots Festival, with the three days of red hot sounds of bands like Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express, in their first gig outside of Louisiana. Ninigret Park, 4813 Old Post Road, Charlestown. 888-855-6940, rhythmandroots.com.

September 4 There are more unexpected pairings than the Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart and Kenny Loggins, like, um, the sounds of Footloose backed by a full orchestra. Hope to hear it. McCoy Stadium, 1 Columbus Avenue, Pawtucket. 724-7300, pawsox.com.

September 8 Rock out with your ’90s nostalgia out as Jordan Catalano – er, Jared Leto – comes to town with his band, 30 Seconds to Mars. Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington Street. 331-5876, lupos.com.

September 10 Bustin’ stereotypes, that’s what Deborah Harry and Blondie have set out to do – from being CBGB punksters to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees to 65-yearolds who are still smokin’. Twin River Casino, 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 2338958, twinriver.com.

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Get Out | Theatre

by Molly Lederer

On Stage

Director Curt Columbus in rehearsal

King Arthur Takes the Train

See what’s going up this month by Dawn Keable

A trip to Camelot via the London tube Consider this scenario: An idealistic young king dreams of a peaceful land. A dashing, daring knight swears allegiance to him. A beautiful queen falls head over heels for them both. It’s the Bermuda of all love triangles. And it’s happening in Providence this month, as Trinity Rep stages Camelot. With music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner, the musical tells of noble King Arthur, his Knights of the Round Table, and the love affair that tore apart his kingdom. Artistic director Curt Columbus, following the success of recent Trinity musical productions like Cabaret and The Fantasticks, decided to reread some of his old favorites. When he reached the end of Camelot, he found himself deeply moved by the story – a reaction he’d never had to the classic show. He realized, “The experience of reading it had stripped away all of the Renaissance fair trappings that people associate with Camelot, and that every production I’ve ever seen has been slathered with: robes, and ladies in ice cream cone hats with Kleenexes dangling off the back.” In mounting a production with renewed focus on the story, Columbus took his cues from the way that Trinity approaches Shakespearean plays. The company aims to make such works relevant, and to avoid “people running around in tights for no reason.” To that end, Columbus set about re-imagining Camelot, releasing it from the shackles (or stockade, as he jokes) of the Renaissance fair. He found, at the play’s essence, a story of how society becomes civilized, and how impossible it is for it to remain that way. There too he found the play’s relevance, feeling strongly as he does that there’s no greater issue facing American democracy today. Audiences familiar with Camelot can expect a radical departure from the usual staging. Employing another triedand-true Trinity tactic, Columbus returned to the source material of the play for inspiration: T.H. White’s book series, The Once and Future King, written in the late ‘30s to early ‘40s. With an eye to that period, Columbus set this production on a September night in 1940, in a London tube stop during the Blitz. It was a time when thousands slept underground for safety, with occasional entertainment to buoy their spirits. And so, in Trinity’s Camelot, a group of traveling players tell the tale to those gathered in the station. Columbus hopes this structure will lend the story a sense of urgency and add political layers. Inside, the characters

Providence Monthly | September 2010

consider what it means to be British and what it means to be civilized; outside, bombs fall. The cast and crew promise to impress. Resident company member Stephen Thorne stars as King Arthur, with recent Brown/ Trinity MFA grad Rebecca Gibel as Guenevere. Joe Wilson, Jr. plays Lancelot, the knight who comes between them (and may or may not do so shirtless, Columbus reveals for those waiting with baited breath). Set design by Eugene Lee re-creates an old time-y, tiled subway stop, while Bill Lane’s costumes evoke the glamour and romance of ‘40s films. Michael Rice’s musical direction of the lovely score incorporates accordion, harp and woodwinds, with orchestration traditionally reserved for violins instead performed vocally by the ensemble. At certain points, the audience is even encouraged to sing along. “There’s a reason that Lerner and Loewe’s musical was so popular in the 1960s,” Columbus notes of the show, which premiered on Broadway in 1960 with revivals and a film version to follow. “It’s because the story has a real resonance about what we take forward. Like a lot of mid-century plays, it can be – to a contemporary, jaded, post-ironic eye – a little simplistic or twee.” But, like the classic Our Town, he adds, “It’s really cool in what it has to say. You just have to shake it so that it says it a little more forcefully.” Removing Camelot’s bells and whistles, its armor and corsets, and even its ice cream cone hats, may sound scary to traditionalists. But if the London tube can take you there faster, hop onboard. Camelot is well worth visiting, a place of spirit and song, melding fantasy and legend with timeless lessons about love, leadership, hope and humanity. Lest that all sound a touch too high-toned, kindly note there’s plenty of sexual tension and swordfights there too. As the lyric goes, “In short, there’s simply not a more congenial spot.”

Camelot

September 10 – October 10 Trinity Repertory Company 201 Washington Street, 351-4242 trinityrep.com

September 2-October 3 Don’t take the lies, thievery or egos personally in Glengarry Glen Ross. It’s all in a day’s work at the Chicago real estate agency when you’re jockeying for the American Dream. The Gamm Theatre, 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. 723-4266, gammtheatre.org.

September 10-12 and 17-19 Indeed. You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. Anyone with less patience would have strangled Lucy with his bare hands for constant football-snatching abuses. Jenks Auditorium, 350 Division Street, Pawtucket. 726-6860, thecommunityplayers.org.

September 10-25 Discover Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, winner of a 1963 Tony award, while reconsidering any impromptu dinner party invites extended by new associates. Courthouse Center for the Arts, 3481 Kingstown Road, West Kingston. 782-1018, courthousearts.org.

September 23-October 3 Yo Lindsay! If jail doesn’t clean up your act, maybe Sam Shepard’s The Tooth of Crime and its look at what happens to aging rock stars will do the trick. Brown University, Leeds Theatre, 77 Waterman Street. 863-2838, brown.edu.

September 28 If Yo Gabba Gabba is good enough for Brad Pitt (who made a guest appearance on the show), it’s good enough for you. Take your kids to the live show at PPAC. ppac.org

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Providence Monthly | September 2010

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Swirl, Sniff, Sip September 2: Of course, you’re always thrilled when someone you know gets engaged. But are you rejoicing in the love connection – or the possibility that you might be able to attend another wedding at the historic Biltmore? MS After Dark Wine Tasting gets you inside the grand ballroom with its panoramic views of downtown, all legal like, without even having to peruse a gift registry. The benefit for the Rhode Island Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society raises the ante with a chance to sample over 200 wines, fill up on delicious appetizers, as well as provide the perfect base to collect signatures on your petition to get the outside elevator fixed once and for all. 5:30-8pm, $65, $100 for two. The Providence Biltmore Hotel, 11 Dorrance Street. 738-8383, msafterdark.com.

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

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Get Out | Movies

by Scott Duhamel

Film The Expendables

Here’s what’s showing on the local big screen. by Dawn Keable

Where’s the Beef? It’s all over the screen in Sly Stallone’s summer meat fest Three quarters of the way through the 2010 summer movie season, the weekend film openings pose a quandary for the filmgoer. On one side is Eat Pray Love, a boutique chick flick based on the Elizabeth Gilbert memoir and cultural phenomenon, featuring the ever radiant Julia Roberts, a must-see post30 date movie. On the other is the much buzzed about Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, an off-center comic book movie, starring the anti-macho post-teen bundle of nerdiness Michael Cera, an under-20 date movie must and potential geek fest. Holding down the foggy bottom, poised a few inches from the odoriferous lower regions is the Sylvester Stallone-written-and-directed actioneer The Expendables, spotlighting ol’ Sly himself, plus a bunch of redoubtable manly men. Alas, dear readers, this nitcrit took the low road. The Expendables offers not Julia Roberts, but older brother Eric, doing one of his patented lip-licking villainous turns. Director Stallone has carved himself up a true meat movie of the band-of-outsiders-on-a-mission variety, one that is not concerned with incisive plotting, political messaging, overall meaningfulness or potentially furthering the iconography of the action film. The Expendables is about body count, bulbous biceps, bashing fists, sharpened knifes, phallic guns and more body count, all of

them in the service of a stolid flow of lumbering mayhem peppered by a full corral of on-screen meaty men tossing out meaty asides, meaty grimaces, meaty glances, topped off by meaty battle whoops, and a whole lot of (unintended?) homoerotic subtext. Stallone the Meat King’s directorial style does not seem particularly influenced by men-on-a-mission action masters like Robert Aldrich (The Dirty Dozen) or Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch). Instead, this stubbornly old school specimen seems to follow the lead of a journeyman talent like former Stallone main man George Cosmatos, the traffic director behind Cobra and Rambo: First Blood Part II. Stallone erects his potboiler with the purposefully throwback tools of hammer, nails and glue, and the explosives budget was somewhere below the cost of those utilized at the Battle of the Bulge. Sly the Meat King deserves some credit, since his recent efforts – which included a revisited Rocky movie in 2006 and another run at a Rambo romp in 2008 – seem to acknowledge that, a la Clint Eastwood, he’s at least contemplating the inherent ridiculousness of continuing to make a mark as a meaty action guy. The Expendables’ meta-nudge comes directly from its casting. Glazed ham Eric Roberts gets wrestling kingpin Steve Austin as a fellow baddie, while Stallone’s on-screen

dream team consists of Lee Christmas (Brit beefster Jason Statham), Ying Yang (chop-socky NNW superstar Jet Li), Hale Caesar (NFL bruiser Terry Crews), Toll Road (UFC brawler Randy Couture) and Gunner Jensen (‘80s action star Dolph Lundgren). Adding further braised beef are the brief appearances of Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. If the vapors emanating from that steamy meat pie aren’t intoxicating enough, there is the added sprinkling of wild but spicy game that is Mickey Rourke, weirdly over the top as always. He gets to portentously muse, basically expounding a whole cracked philosophy, while director Sly cuts to actor Sly looking on ever-so-sagely. Sly the actor is more leaden than ever, and my lower lip hurt by the end of the movie, as I was sympathetically moving it, somehow hoping that maybe his would move occasionally too. You have to figure maybe that’s all part of his bigger plan: allowing all of the other meat team members’ group acting to rise at least to his lowered levels. The Expendables is one of those infrequent good bad movies, reaching its own limited expectations, and carving out a notch in the testosterone Hall of Shame. Although the burning question remains: were Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and (especially) Jean-Claude Van Damme all too busy counting their royalties to participate?

September 4-5, 11-12 Sure, you might want some popcorn with your short and feature flicks, but at the Pawtucket Film Festival, you can stockpile tourism brochures too. Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, 175 Main Street, Pawtucket. 724-5200, pawtucketartsfestival.org.

September 10 Ease into the fall semester with a double header of foreign films, A Moment of Innocence and Calender, screened in 16mm xenon projection, courtesy of Brown’s MCM Cinematheque Film Series. Production One, 135 Thayer Street. brown.edu.

September 18-25 Before you set up your hot date for the New England Festival of Ibero American Cinema, take a look-see at the schedule. Providence is the host, but screenings stretch from Massachusetts to Virginia, and standing someone up at Harvard just ain’t cool. 863-2645, nefiac.com.

September 30 Typically, you wouldn’t say, “Damn, that mill town was rockin’!” Carla Ricci’s documentary, Carolina: The Smallest of the Small, might change your perspective. Peace Dale Library Meeting Room, 1057 Kingstown Road, Peace Dale. 789-1555, skpl.org.

September 30- October 3 Rosetta who? Immerse yourself in the Providence Latin American Film Festival, the largest in New England, showcasing work from Spain, Portugal and Latin America, then compare which method expanded your Spanish vocab most effectively. plaff.org.

September 2010 | Providence Monthly

Get Out | Art

by Vikki Warner

A History of Tigers by Jen Corace

100 Pages of Solitude Illustrator Jen Corace finds beauty in isolation “I prize isolation.” Don’t most of us have trouble making such an admission? Although we modernites have endless, stress-making demands on our time, we use our precious free moments to socialize, to tweet or to blog, and sometimes we lose our grasp on what’s really going on in our minds. In the words above, Jen Corace, a pen-and-ink/watercolor artist and illustrator, is saying “nah” to all that. She sees her alone time as building her inner life, and is in no need of further clutter. It’s wonderful to have a network of friends, but sometimes it’s good to disappear for a bit. Corace’s subjects – introspective, quietly knowing, full of rich subtext, (mostly) female, often tinged with melancholy – seem to share her appreciation for solitude. They are shown in remote settings, and their faces – with mouths closed, eyes often downcast – suggest that they are swimming within their own thoughts. She prefers a vintage color palette (seafoam green, buttery yellow, brick red, soft lavender), the choosing of each color clearly relished. Her drawing style, inspired most markedly by Victorian portraiture, is characterized by neat, finely controlled lines that suggest firm restraint and a clear-eyed vision. Corace’s style and work ethic has been roundly and exuberantly praised since she got her first illustration gigs at the Portland Mercury while living in Seattle. From there, she was half-surprised to find herself suddenly represented by a gallery and leaving her desk job. Five years on from going full-time freelance, she contributes illustrations to various print publications, and she’s illustrated eight children’s books. She also contributed a page to The Exquisite Book, just out from 82

Providence Monthly | September 2010

Chronicle Books; it’s a story told through the contiguous work of a hundred artists, each artist having seen only the page immediately prior to her own. She’s had shows here in Providence, as well as Portland and L.A., and group shows in cities in between. She takes a lowkey approach to selling her artwork, choosing to offer prints of only a few pieces, and in limited editions. When Corace moved back to Providence a few years ago (she lived here when she went to RISD and left after graduating with a BFA in Illustration), she’d been feeling pulled back towards her community of friends and fellow artists here. She’s settled in marvelously, and just may build a house here someday. For now, she has a new apartment/studio in the Armory neighborhood; her brother Jason, a media artist, lives a few blocks away. She’s a Craftland organizer and has created artwork for several Tiny Showcase prints. While certainly a local sensation, Corace’s also a darling of the national illustration scene. Her style is applauded for its heartbreaking beauty and sweetness, which is enhanced in her best work by an undercurrent of disquiet. And so, that much-needed isolation she skips out for? It begets the sort of magical, timelessly beautiful artwork one can get lost in – and maybe be alone in, too, for awhile. For more information about the work of Jen Corace, visit jencorace.com. Many of the children’s books she has illustrated are available at Books On the Square, 471 Angell Street. Corace is currently at work (with Jill Colinan) on a series of pieces focused on the Quaker women of Nantucket during the whaling boom, which they plan to show next year.

Exhibits Get inspired at this month’s artsy events by Dawn Keable

Through September 24 What happens when a bunch of artists in the 1870s start cobbling together a creative community? Divine Providence explores the real question of what’s in the water. The Bert Gallery, 540 South Water Street. 7512628, bertgallery.com.

September 25 If you can’t take the heat, you’ve got no business in the kitchen of the Iron Chef Sculpture Competition, where a secret ingredient threatens to throw a wrench, maybe literally, in your plans. The Steel Yard, 27 Sims Avenue. 273-7101, thesteelyard.org.

September 25-26 Oh, that pesky little muse of yours – only willing to come out and play after you’ve plied it up with its requisite diet of champagne and Godiva. Maybe it’s time to peek into the Pawtucket Open Studios and see what works elsewhere. openstudiospawtucket.org.

September 26 Play the Escher Tessellation Toss or Pin the Pucker on Picasso at the Fall Out of Summer Arts Festival, and you won’t be able to go back to carny games again. The Black Box Theatre at Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 490-9475, artistsexchange.org.

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September 2010 | Providence Monthly

The Last Detail

Want one? Better hurry up and get one. You’ll have to hurry before… Oh, it’s too late. There’s a line of wideeyed and wet-behind-the-ears college students eagerly cluttering the line that now snakes out the front door of East Side Pockets on Thayer Street. We can’t blame them really – it’s one of Providence’s cheapest, tastiest treats. We also can’t blame the 35,000-someodd students who swarm the city at the end of every summer for wanting to come here – we’re quite fond of the place ourselves. What we can do, however, is complain. We will complain about the lines they cause on Thayer Street. We will complain about their halting, erratic

Providence Monthly | September 2010

driving as they get used to this city’s bewildering street grid. We will complain about hordes of them lingering in crosswalks as they drift aimlessly across the street like packs of drunk, hipster gazelles lost on the Serengeti. We will complain about their loud parties and their lightweight friends puking in our bushes. It’s not that we don’t want them here, mind you. Quite the contrary: we welcome them as an important part of our thriving city life. It’s just that, well, they’re new here, and it’s our right as locals to complain about them. Welcome to Providence, kiddies. Now get out of the way, would you? I’m trying to get a falafel. –John Taraborelli

Photography: Stacey Doyle

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