SO Rhode Island May 2023

It takes our team of experts to tackle prostate and bladder cancers.

At Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center in Westerly, every patient in our Prostate and Urologic Cancers Program is seen by a multidisciplinary team of experts on the very first day. Your team of renowned cancer experts develops a personalized treatment plan, including direct access to genetic testing, tumor profiling, and clinical trials through Yale Cancer Center, Connecticut’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Plus, our acclaimed urologists excel in minimally invasive procedures for better outcomes and faster healing.

Prostate and Urologic Cancers Program: Clinical Trials; Genetic Testing; Medical and Radiation and Oncology; Urologic Oncology and Surgery; Oncology Pharmacy; Lab and Infusion Services; Nutrition Counseling; Survivorship Planning; Palliative Care; Patient and Family Support

Advanced Technologies: Da Vinci Xi Surgical System; ExactVu Prostate Biopsy; Non-Invasive Focal Therapies; Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol

Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center–Westerly

25 Wells Street, 2nd Floor

Westerly, RI 02891

401-656-4950

Robert Legare, MD Medical Oncology

Matthew Austin, MD Medical Oncology

Rachel Drake, RN Sanjay Aneja, MD Radiation Oncology

Joseph Renzulli, MD Urology-Oncology

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Martha’s Vineyard Fast Ferry

Did you know you can hop on the fast ferry from Rhode Island and arrive in the heart of Martha’s Vineyard in only 95-minutes?

Our ferry avoids all the Cape Cod traffic and offers convenient dockside parking. Depart from Quonset Point, North Kingstown and save 3 to 4 hours of travel time each way. You will enjoy scenic views down Narragansett Bay and through Vineyard Sound past the Elizabeth Islands.

The ferry arrives in Oak Bluffs, with white sand beaches, numerous gift shops, restaurants and hotels just steps away. With five other towns close by, you can rent a bike, scooter, a car or purchase an advanced sightseeing tour of the entire island.

vineyardfastferry.com

Rhode Island Fast Ferry, Inc.

Departs

MarthasVineyardFastFerry

@RIFastFerry

Advance reservations are recommended. Operates May through October

Enjoy an afternoon aboard Rhode Island Fast Ferry’s Lighthouse & Newport Harbor Sightseeing Cruise. Our tour will provide you with the best way to see Narragansett Bay aboard the largest most luxurious sightseeing catamaran in all of New England.

This 95 minute narrated tour will view 10 lighthouses, 10 islands and other popular sights including sailing under the Jamestown and Newport Bridges, past Castle Hill, Hammersmith Farm, Ocean Cliff, Clingstone “House on the Rock”, Fort Adams State Park, and many waterfront mansions. You will also sail through famous Newport Harbor viewing multi-million dollar yachts, and numerous vintage sailing vessels. Advance reservations are highly recommended.

Operates May through October

In This Issue

So Rhode Island May 2023

The Salt Life 31

Our handy guide to experiencing boating culture around southern Rhode Island

The Scoop

9 A new music tradition comes to Wakefield for Memorial Day weekend

10 Westerly women offer entrepreneurial support

14 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: RI James Beard finalist serves up Indigenous food in Charlestown

16 RHODY GEM: An art gallery by the beach with its own jazz band

18 RHODY PETS: Three adoptable pets of the month

20 FEATURE: Rewilding green spaces with ecosystems in mind

28 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

Life & Style

47 HOME: The award-winning interior that makes a Newport yacht a home

54 INFLUENCER: The local actor behind those wicked funny TikTok videos

56 FIELD TRIP: Charlestown couple’s unique furniture business

60 New film set in North Kingstown is a love letter to Rhode Island

Food & Drink

63 Wakefield fishmonger sources fresh catches on the bright side

64 IN THE KITCHEN: A celebrity chef lands in Richmond sporting club

68 EXPERIENCE: A PVD staple’s East Greenwich iteration knows its seafood

72 FOOD NEWS: Wakefield food truck’s new digs, meal prep retail shop & bakeshop returns to Warren,

South County Scenes

73 Snaps from Cheers to Leading Ladies, held in March at Aloft Providence

Photo by Wangkun Jia / Adobe Stock.

Photo by Rhonda Grace

Photo courtesy of Granary Antiques

Photo by Seth Jacobson, courtesy of the Wakefield Music Festival

The Scoop

so & so | the public’s radio | rhody gem | rhody pets | feature | must-do’s

MUSIC FEST SIGNALS SUMMER IN WAKEFIELD

Regional bands and vendors bring good vibes Memorial Day weekend

A new tradition is coming to South County this Memorial Day weekend. The Wakefield Music Festival, coinciding with the first RiverFire of the season, will feature the best local music, costumed characters for the kids, an air guitar competition, barbecue with a Jamaican twist, local brews, and more.

PHIL’S Main Street Grill and the outdoor stage at the Contemporary Theater Company will host the event. “Credit goes to the original downtown merchants who held block parties 20 years ago,” says Chris Simpson, executive director of the Contemporary Theater Company. “We’re honored to carry on the tradition and celebrate all the natural, cultural, and historic beauty downtown Wakefield has to o er.”

The festival’s goal is to bring the community outdoors to enjoy the bike path, the Saugatucket River, downtown Wakefield shops, and a range of entertainment. Artisans and vendors will be selling their wares along the river and PHIL’S will serve barbeque, wine, South Kingstown-based Whalers and Shaidzon beers, and more.

The Talking Dreads, a popular reggae act from southern Connecticut, headline the festival, taking the stage at 8pm. Led by Tom Tom Club veteran Mystic Bowie, the band blends rhythms from his native Jamaica with Talking Heads songs, including hits “Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House.” Local bands James and the Giants and Guess Method will also play, with music for kids and families beginning at 2pm with Keith Munslow & Friends.

The Wakefield Music Festival takes place May 27, with rain date May 28. Tickets are $10, and kids under 10, active-duty military personnel, and veterans are welcome at no charge. Wakefield, ContemporaryTheaterCompany.com

|

By Ken Abrams

Photo by Seth Jacobson, courtesy of the Wakefield Music Festival

Catch live music at Contemporary Theater Company Memorial Day weekend

Strength in Numbers

A support and empowerment group brings together women entrepreneurs in Westerly

Every budding entrepreneur starts their journey with a sparkling vision and eye on the prize –plus an understanding of the slew of challenges before them. While networking options are available, Ashley Bowne noticed that support groups are harder to come by, leaving many new business owners feeling like they’re on their own. So she decided to start her own group, specifically geared toward women in and around Westerly, called Entrepreneur Co ee.

“I wanted the opportunity to collaborate

with other business owners in the area, be able to swap ideas, and have that support and camaraderie that you want in business,” Bowne says. As a realtor servicing Rhode Island and Connecticut, she knows first-hand the difficulties that face entrepreneurial women. She took the leap into real estate in 2013, and after getting her license, worked on building her business while simultaneously growing a family. The juggling act was no easy feat, and Bowne

found herself seeking a support system of others who could understand and relate to what she was going through.

Entrepreneur Coffee poured its first proverbial cup in the fall of 2021 with a simple Facebook post to measure interest. When she received more positive responses than she expected, she scheduled a meet-up, and the group was born.

Now, members spanning a range of industries meet once a month in an encouraging

Photos courtesy of Ashley Bowne

Through regular gatherings and local drives, Entrepreneur Co ee uplifts small businesses and community

space where they can share experiences, celebrate wins, discuss challenges, and float strategies, along with hosting more directed conversations on topics like advertising, streamlining processes, and balancing family life with work. “It’s not a networking group,” Bowne says, emphasizing the focus is on support. “But naturally, networking is a byproduct – there’s been a tremendous amount of collaboration within the group.”

Club members build their branding with a photoshoot

Through the help of sponsors and donations, Bowne also organizes creative quarterly events to help give new entrepreneurs a leg up – through, for instance, a mini-photoshoot for business branding – or just to boost morale and de-stress with a beach party or outing. Entrepreneur Coffee has also hosted two drives benefiting the Jonnycake Center of Westerly. “My goal is

always to bring something of value, serve the community, or celebrate each other and have fun together,” Bowne says, and to grow in numbers – any woman who owns a business or is considering starting her own is encouraged to join. “We are welcoming, we want you here, we’re inclusive.”

Moving forward, Bowne says, “I just want to see all of us continue to come together,

support each other, be able to serve our community in bigger and better ways as we all get more established, collaborate with each other, and become a force to be reckoned with.” After all, she says, “We’re all stronger and better together.” To learn more or join the group, visit Facebook: Entrepreneur Co ee or email Bowne at AshleyBowneRealtor@gmail.com.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Bowne

Entrepreneur Co ee members

RI James Beard Award Semifinalist Serves Up Indigenous Foods and Stories in Charlestown

The James Beard Foundation has nominated three Rhode Island chefs as semifinalists for the honor of best chef in the Northeast region. Among them is Sherry Pocknett, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe whose cooking showcases the ingredients and traditions of local indigenous cuisine, with a focus on comfort foods.

A couple years ago, chef Sherry Pocknett was driving through Charlestown after a ceremony at the Narragansett Indian Tribe reservation, looking for a gas station. She came across a small, red building at a fork in the road, surrounded mostly by woods and a few homes. A sign said the space was available for lease.

“I said, ‘Oh, that’s a cute little place,’” Pocknett said. “And I came back and wrote the number down and called, and we were in here the next month, I think. Took a while to open up. It doesn’t happen overnight. But we did it. Now we’re going on our third year.”

Pocknett’s restaurant is called Sly Fox Den Too. In the few years it’s been open, the restaurant has gotten a lot of attention and praise. It draws in regulars, summer vacationers, and foodies who’ve seen the restaurant featured in media coverage.

The menu features everything from spicy firecracker shrimp and grits, to bison bratwurst over Indian fry bread with peppers and onions, to a vegan bowl with corn cakes and three sisters rice.

Seafood is prominent on the menu. Depending on the season, you might find smoked salmon, soft shell crab, seared bluefish, quahogs, scallops, littleneck clams, mussels, and more. On a recent visit, Pocknett reflected on her career and cooked a recipe for black sea bass.

“They’re a New England fish, and they’re delicious,” she said. “They’re the most flavorful fish, I think. My favorite. They’re more meaty than cod fish. They’re more flavorful than haddock. And it’s a white fish, and people like white fish. And I like to personally stu these babies.”

Pocknett began by cutting off the fins and clearing the cavities where she’ll fill the bass she bought from a local fish market. She left the heads on and scored the meaty part of the fish with a knife to make it easier to eat when it’s done.

Pocknett then heated up a pan on the stove for chopped celery, peppers, onions, and a slab of butter. She added in thick-cut chunks of cooked lobster meat, and when that was done cooking, she mixed in crushed Ritz crackers.

As she cooked, Pocknett described her path to becoming a chef.

“I grew up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I’m a part of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe,” she said. “And we love fish. I grew up in the bay. My dad was a fisherman. My brothers –all fishermen. And we just really loved fish.”

Pocknett said she began cooking around eight years old after she got a Suzy Homemaker [toy oven] as a gift.

“I got it for Christmas and stole everything out of my mother’s refrigerator: deer meat, quahogs, rabbit, whatever it was my father caught,” she said.

Pocknett cooked up meals and gave them to her brothers. “They ate everything,” she said.

Pocknett said you can taste the influence of her Wampanoag background in the seafood dishes at Sly Fox Den Too, and in the inclusion of indigenous, seasonal ingredients.

“Indigenous, meaning right from here,” she said. “Right now, I wouldn’t serve asparagus even though you see asparagus served everywhere. It grows somewhere. But I only do asparagus at asparagus season, in April to May.”

Photos by Alex Nunes

Chef Sherry Pocknett of Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown displays her black sea bass stu ed with lobster meat

Lobster chunks cook on the stove top at Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown

Pocknett filled the black sea bass with lobster and slid the fish into a 400-degree oven. After about 15 minutes or so, she pulled out the pan with stu ed bass for tasting.

“Isn’t it yummy?” she said. “Yummy, yummy.”

When asked what she loves about cooking, Pocknett said, “I love feeding people.”

“It makes them happy. It educates them,” she said. “If someone hasn’t had deer meat before, you know, deer’s indigenous. It was the meat [we ate]. We didn’t have pigs. We didn’t have chickens, or we didn’t have cows before the Mayflower got here. And for us to teach people about what was here and how we cooked, it’s a great joy for someone to say, ‘Oh, wow, really? I didn’t know that.’”

“And that’s just like educating people, so that they’re going to end up educating other people and telling other people the story,” Pocknett said. “And it’s just a great way to do it, through food and stories.”

Pocknett learned much of what she knows about cooking from her mom and grandmother. She didn’t go to culinary school. She worked in her uncle’s kitchen when she was younger and learned by watching cooking shows on TV.

Pocknett has cooked for powwows and run a catering business for years. Before opening her own restaurant, she worked at the Pequot Cafe at the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s museum in Connecticut, helping transform the menu to include dishes like frog legs, corn chowder, and turtle soup.

When she found out she was a regional James Beard Award semifinalist, the news was unexpected.

“Somebody called me and said, ‘You got nominated for the James Beard.’ I was like, ‘I did?’” Pocknett said. “I was shocked. Honestly, I was shocked. I mean, I’m just a smalltime girl. You know, I’m just a small-time girl that loves cooking by the seasons.”

Pocknett said the nomination has brought in new visitors who want to try Sly Fox Den Too. But even with the success and recognition, she said running the

restaurant has come with challenges.

“It’s very hard. And this is a small restaurant, and it’s hard to keep afloat, because you have your ups and your downs. We’re getting popular, though. And we’re getting more busy,” she said.

“Right now I have cancer. I have breast cancer. So I’m not even cooking, my daughter’s cooking. And I’m lucky that they learned everything from [when they were] little kids, because we’ve been on the road for different powwows, and they’ve been catering with me their whole life, since they were eight years old. And they’re really, really good at it. So I’m lucky that I have them to, you know, run this restaurant while I get better. And then that’s upward from there, we hope.”

Pocknett has a big project ahead of her. She’s working to open another restaurant in Preston, CT – a plan that’s been in the works since before opening Sly Fox Den Too. It will be much larger than the small, diner-style space in Charlestown. The total capacity is nearly 200 people.

“My youngest daughter and I will be over there. We’ll have to hire, of course, a big, big crew to go in there. But we got a lot of work to do before we can open,” Pocknett said. “We’re hoping to open within the next six months.”

“But I love cooking, and I love what I do. And I think my kids love it too, or else I don’t think they’d be here,” she said. “And they both are really good cooks. I’m extremely happy and proud of them.”

NOTE: On March 29, the James Beard Foundation announced that chef Pocknett is one of the five finalists for the regional award. This is one of three stories on the Rhode Island semifinalists for the James Beard award for best chef in the Northeast region. Find stories on Milena Pagán of Little Sister, and Rob Andreozzi of Pizza Marvin at ThePublicsRadio.org. This article was originally posted on March 13, 2023. Alex Nunes can be reached at ANunes@ThePublicsRadio.org

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

Shaun Rock Art Gallery

Art Gallery

We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

What it is: A fine art gallery

Where to find it: Across from South Kingstown Town Beach, next to the Matunuck Laundromat.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

Since 2017, the Shaun Rock Art Gallery has not only been a beacon of original art for patrons who flock to Matunuck each summer, but also a magnet for local jazz musicians like the Jazzomats, the gallery’s house band named for the business next door. Shaun Rock, a professional artist and arts educator, and his wife Barbara are sole proprietors of the space, which displays his oil and watercolor paintings, most notably his landscapes inspired by the surrounding environment. “The Gallery has also galvanized a group of local landscape artists, who have become known as the Matunuck Art League, focused on plein air (outdoor) painting to capture the beauty and heritage of South County’s unique landscape,” says Rock. In addition to classes and workshops, Beyond the Beach: Interpretations of South County’s Coastal Environment and Communities by the Matunuck Art League starts next month with an opening reception on Saturday, June 3, 4-8 pm. Works by Thomas Ardito, Lorraine Bromley, Ted Foster, Robert Nardi, Sheila Newquist, and Rock will be featured. Adds Rock, “with music by the Jazzomats!”

Shaun Rock Art Gallery

706 Matunuck Beach Road, South Kingstown MatunuckArt.weebly.com

Facebook: Shaun Rock Art Gallery

Photo courtesy of Shaun Rock Art Gallery

Rhody Pets of the Month

Looking to welcome a new furry friend into your home? Adopt, don’t shop! Shelters around South County and the state have dogs and cats ready to find their forever homes. Here are three pets ready to meet you, or reach out to the shelters to learn about even more adoptees.

If you have been thinking of adopting or if you know of an animal in need, please contact Karen directly at animaltalk1920@gmail.com.

STRETCH AND SLINKY

This bonded pair of dashing twoyear-old Doberman mix dogs, Stretch (male, pictured left) and Slinky (female, right), must be adopted together. Their dream home would include a large private fenced-in yard where they can run freely and play. Though friendly, these pups do like to bark. They’re excited to meet a family they can call their own – give the shelter a call to schedule a visit.

Exeter Animal Shelter 294-2754

If you’re seeking a devoted canine friend, Mabel is the perfect match –she loves everyone she meets! A threeyear-old shepherd/hound mix with the most beautiful eyes and the best smile, Mabel is playful, loyal, and will make an amazing companion. While she likes other dogs, she’d rather have a home all to herself so she gets all of your love and attention.

Save One Soul Animal Rescue League Wakefield

Info@sosarl.org

• SOSARL.org

Photo courtesy of Exeter Animal Shelter

Stretch and Slinky

Mabel

MABEL

Photo courtesy of Save One Soul

Jenny is just one of three special needs kitties currently available at the Warwick Animal Shelter. They all came in together needing medical attention and unfortunately Jenny had to have one of her eyes removed. That hasn’t stopped this fouryear-old Calico from being an infectiously sweet, happy, and playful cat, though she’s a little shy. Jenny is looking for a loving home where she gets all of the attention she so deserves.

Warwick Animal Shelter 468-4377

Photo by Karen Kalunian

Jenny

JENNY

Greener Gardening

The sight of flowers blooming, branches budding new leaves, and songbirds singing this season inspires many to take up a trowel and carve out their own outdoor oases, but despite the aesthetic appeal of greenery, green gardening practices don’t always go hand in hand with the vistas we’re used to viewing.

“I’ve become more aware of the environmental value of various plants and the destructiveness of others over time,” shares Sally Johnson, phoning from her tenth-of-anacre yard she’s transformed to host more than 200 species of flora and fauna. She interrupts her train of thought every so often to describe the quarreling swans and geese she’s observing or a cardinal on the feeder. “Increasingly people want to do the right thing.”

A master gardener and founder of Ecoastal Design based in Riverside, Johnson performs site consultations with a focus on native plants, stormwater challenges, and climate change resiliency. “If they’re coming to me, it’s generally because they’re interested in increasing the environmental value of their property while maintaining something that’s also attractive to look at.” Her work extends to public spaces, too, like a project planting a native pollinator garden at Vintner Playground along the East Bay Bike Path, transforming an area infested with invasive species into a thriving (and beautiful) habitat.

Sustainable growing embodies a range of practices both simple and transformative, from the basic acts of not using chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to re-landscaping lawns into native plant habitats. Heather Evans, a former marketing executive who launched the Dear Avant Gardener blog, shares a surprising fact: “5 percent of all of the pollution in the country, according to the EPA, is from lawn mowers” and other garden equipment.

Frustrated by the abundance of online advice promoting trends damaging to the environment, the Bristol resident channeled her research and writing skills into Dear Avant Gardener , offering guidance for rewilding yards and greenspaces.

From growing native plants to managing stormwater, sustainable horticulture is in

Sally Johnson’s home garden features a fish pond with cattails and native water lilies overlooking a yard of asters and goldenrods

Photo by Sally Johnson

REWILD YOUR YARD

Ask your local nursery about native plant species, and mark May 13 and June 3 on your calendar for Rhode Island Wild Plant Society’s Native Plant Sales at Casey Farm in Saunderstown and the URI Botanical Gardens in Kingston, respectively. Pro-tip from RIWPS: Grow in multi-layered landscapes of trees, shrubs (like the pollinator-friendly Red Columbine), perennials, and ground covers (think Wild Strawberry), and aim for biodiversity that benefits wildlife.

Find these native species at Blue Moon Farm

Perennials in Wakefield:

GOLDEN ALEXANDERS: Yellow flowers bloom early season and are hosts to Black Swallowtail butterflies.

CLUSTERED MOUNTAIN MINT: Mid-season bloomers with small white flowers attracting a wide assortment of pollinators.

ASTERS AND GOLDENROD: Both bloom late season and provide white, blue, and yellow hues to a fall garden.

Photo by Heather Evans, courtesy of Dear Avant Gardner

“Ecological gardening is about establishing and managing a plant community that thrives naturally in an area and once established, it requires relatively little work and inputs,” says Evans, whereas traditional American horticulture stems from colonialism, when European settlers brought over ornamental species, but often to the detriment of wild, ecologically valuable species once abundant in the region.

SOWING THE SEED

The movement toward prioritizing native plants naturally starts with the seeds. The RI Wild Plant Society recently launched their five-year ReSeeding Rhode Island plan to make wild seeds native to Ecoregion 59 (the Northeastern Coastal Zone encompassing our state) more available, though the work of harvesting native seeds has been culminating since 2010 when field botanist Hope

Checking for seed

Leeson coordinated RI Natural History Survey’s biodiversity e ort Rhody Native.

“Genetically native plants are local to a specific ecoregion. The seeds of these plants are wild collected and contain the representative genes present in the wild populations of the region,” explains Leeson. “The first propagated generation of the collected seed is used for habitat restoration or diversification in order to maintain as

ripeness with seed collection volunteers

Photo by Linda Gardrel, courtesy of RI Natural History Survey

FIND YOUR GREEN THUMB

URI Master Gardener programming seeks to make sustainable practices accessible for any level of gardener. Here’s a few things to consider when plotting your posies this season.

START WITH SOIL

In addition to keeping food scraps out of landfills, composting has soil benefits. “You’re helping recycle wasted food, which avoids methane emissions and saves space in our landfill, which is set to close in 2040 with no viable alternative. In turn, the compost serves as a soil amendment, which helps soil retain moisture, sequester carbon, and retain nutrients,” says URI’s Venturini.

CLEAN WATERWAYS

“Everything you apply in the yard or garden can impact our waterways. By diagnosing plant problems instead of reaching for the chemicals, we can ensure our water stays clean,” says Venturini. Leaving grass clippings on the ground reduces the need for fertilizer, and “plants add texture to the landscape and slow down runo before it reaches waterways, allowing it to infiltrate back into the groundwater aquifer.”

TAKE A CLASS

Find workshops and resources via the URI Cooperative Extension, plus events like a Native Plant Talk in June, Gardening with the Masters Tours, and more. For inspiration, visit Kettle Pond or Trustom Pond in Charlestown to see native plant habitats maintained by volunteers. Web. URI.edu/coopext/events

much of that genetic diversity as possible.”

The phenotypes expressed in these plants –such as physical traits and flowering times – ensure optimum adaptive potential and that other native organisms, such as pollinator bees, are able to interact with the new plants propagated from wild seeds.

The Rhody Native initiative created a local model for reintroducing genetically native plants in habitat restoration and garden diversification. “There is much more awareness now of the importance of native

plants for ecological reasons, as well as an understanding of the value of genetically diverse seeds,” says Leeson.

URI Master Gardeners programming also leads with the broader ecosystem in mind. “Native plants serve as the basis of the food web,” says state program leader Vanessa Venturini. “There are countless examples of the interconnectedness of nature. By selecting species of plants that are native to our ecoregion, we can help improve the survival of the other living things around us.”

Through a grant from the Providence Public School District, Groundwork

RI’s GroundCorp landscape crew was hired by Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School in South Providence to rebuild its school garden in 2022.

Photo courtesy of Groundwork RI

BEYOND THE HEDGEROW

Sustainable landscaping isn’t just about native flora and home gardens; when it comes to city greenspaces, Providence-based Groundwork RI employs a many-pronged approach to equitable public spaces and creating job opportunities in the environmental services sector.

“The landscaping we do is not the usual ‘mow and blow’ lawn care people typically think of. It isn’t keeping a lawn perfectly manicured and green year-round to try and look like the English countryside,” says executive

director Amelia Rose. Partnering with local experts in the field, they uplift practices like planting that fights erosion, keeping green infrastructure installations in good condition, stormwater management, incorporating native species, and low-input agriculture.

Through job training funded by EPA Brownfields Job Training Grant, Groundwork RI collaborates with other agencies to work with unemployed or underemployed adults, justice system-impacted workers, and anyone seeking new opportunities – and many

who graduate from the program are hired by Groundwork RI to continue the work.

In the same way that eco-gardening supports insect life – which Evans of Dear Avant Gardener emphasizes is the basis of our terrestrial ecosystem – sustainably built environments serve as essential human habitats. “Creating and preserving green space is really an act of community-building,” says Rose. “It helps people feel glad to live in the community they’re in, creates places for people to gather and socialize,

In partnership with the URI Master Gardener Program, Davis Park community gardeners are developing a meadow of native plants at the intersection of Chalkstone Avenue and Oakland Avenue in Providence

Photo by Lee Smith, courtesy of URI Masrer Gardeners

RESOURCES

Blue Moon Farm Perennials BlueMoonFarmPerennials.com

Dear Avant Gardener DearAvantGardener.com

Ecoastal Design EcoastalDesign.com

Homegrown HomegrownPVD.com

Groundwork Rhode Island GroundWorkRI.org

Prickly Ed’s Cactus Patch and Native Plant Emporium PricklyEds.com

Rhode Island Natural History Survey RINHS.org

Rhode Island Wild Plant Society RIWPS.org

URI Master Gardener Program Web.URI.edu/mastergardener

and to cool off in hot summer months.”

Echoing the rewards of rewilding, Evans shares that on an aesthetic level, the eye becomes attuned to the more authentic look of wild plants over time. “Abandon what you’re doing to force your yard to be perfect. Mow less. Leave leaves on your garden beds, stop using pesticides and fertilizer,” she says. “I think an important part of the aesthetic experience of an ecological landscape is that it’s alive; the buzzing bees, butterflies, and birds are all part of it.”

THE MUST LIST

10 essential events happening this month

May 12-14:

Misquamicut SpringFest returns with a variety of events and activities, including an outdoor carnival and amusements, food truck rodeo, classic car show, knockerball, and more. Westerly, Misquamicut.org

May 5-13:

There Was and There Was

Not: Telling Armenian Stories is a moving one-woman show from playwright and performer Susie Chakmakian about what it means to be Armenian in America. Wakefield, ContemporaryTheaterCompany.com

May 9:

Indulge in bites from local restaurants, breweries, and more at the Taste of North Kingstown , with raffle proceeds benefiting the NK Food Pantry, in the Hangar at Flightlevel Aviation. NorthKingstown.com

May 11:

RI comedy legend Poppy Champlin, who once trained at Second City in Chicago and has made numerous national television appearances, performs her Hot Mic show at the Pump House. Peace Dale, PumpHouseMusicWorks.com

May 12:

Take mom out for a Spring Lantern Paint & Sip at Leyden Farm Vineyard & Winery, and decorate floral decor with Painted by the Shore while sipping whites, reds, and fruit wines. West Greenwich, PaintedByTheShore.com

May 19:

Grammy-nominated blues artist Eric Gales has a lot to say about the world around him – through his lyrics and on his guitar. Admired by B.B. King and Eric Clapton, Gales brings pure blues energy to the stage. East Greenwich, GreenwichOdeum.com

May 20:

Step back in history at the South County Museum for the second annual Civil War Reenactment, and tour the exhibits and maker space while you’re there. Kids under 11 visit free. Narragansett, SouthCountyMuseum.org

May 28:

Memorial Day Weekend means it’s time to head to the South County shore as state-run beaches, including East Matunuck, Misquamicut, and Scarborough North, o cially open for the summer season. RIParks.RI.Gov

May 29:

The annual Kite Fly-Inn at the Weekapaug Inn features demonstrations and multi-colored kites high in the sky. Participants can attend a workshop to decorate their own kite to bring home. Westerly, OceanHouseEvents.com

May 30:

Enjoy classical music over craft brews at LineSider for a special Music on the Hill Festival performance, Baroque, Mozart, and BEERS, Oh My! Food trucks will roll up for this casual chamber music concert. East Greenwich, MusicOnTheHillRI.org

Please note that events may require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test and mask-wearing regardless of vaccination status. Be sure to check each venue for updates.

Photo by Grace Lentini

Misquamicut SpringFest returns with fun for all ages

Sail into Spring

Sail Sprininto g

BY ANDREA E. MCHUGH

Every corner of South County is pretty awe-inspiring – thousands of acres of woodlands and nature preserves, century-old working farms, dozens of trails, an enviable collection of 17th- and 18th-century buildings, oyster-brimming salt ponds, and more mesmerizing we’re-lucky-to-livehere wonders – but arguably it’s the sea and those 100 miles of coastline that’s most deeply woven into the region’s identity.

As the warmer weather returns, the itch to experience the aquatic spoils of Rhode Island’s southernmost sector grows more difficult to ignore. Whether you’re looking to learn to sail on local waters, paddle along Narrow River, go night fishing on a yacht, or dock and dine for sunrise or sunset, we’ve assembled the ultimate resource for living your best Ocean State life – no need to wait for the official start of summer.

Photo courtesy of Rhode Island Fast Ferry

An easy-breezy guide of where to sail, fish, and dine by the water

Sea the sights aboard Rhode Island Fast Ferry

LEARN TO SAIL

If you’ve dreamed of gripping the wheel of a sleek sailboat with the wind billowing in your sails up Narragansett Bay’s West Passage at a steady clip under a cloudless sky but can’t tell stem from stern, fear not. New England Sailing Center (NESC) in Jamestown o ers beginner through advanced sailing certification courses, both private or in group settings up to four. Accredited by the American Sailing Association, private lessons can be tailored to couples or families as well, so all aboard can learn to cruise safely and confidently, whether trimming the sails or mastering the perfect starboard tack. In the Basic Keelboat course, students learn the fundamental principles of sailing in just two days via both classroom and on-the-water training, rendering them ready to skipper an 18- to 27-foot keelboat.

Photos courtesy

NESC's Odyssea sailing into a Block Island sunset

PADDLE ALONG

With its mostly shallow water, protected peaceful coves, ample public access, and captivating waterfowl amid the shrublands, the seven-mile long tidal inlet Narrow River (formally the Pettaquamscutt) is idyllic for serene paddling adventures, whether by kayak, canoe, or standup paddle board (SUP). For folks with their own equipment, there are four public access points, and the Narrow River Preservation Association o ers two downloadable paddle maps for kayakers and canoeists to take a self-guided tour with suggested routes for safe exploration.

Over in North Kingstown, The Kayak Centre o ers rentals too, allowing paddlers to soak in the charm of picture-perfect Wickford Harbor and paddle to Rabbit Island, a gift from Queen Sachem, wife of Narragansett Chief Canonicus, to Roger Williams for his goats. Today, the small uninhabited island is ideal for a paddling respite. For the more adventurous, head out a little further to Cornelius Island. Folks at the Kayak Centre’s Charlestown location on Ninigret Pond can suggest pairing paddling routes appropriate to each participant’s experience and comfort level, but one of the best ways to soak it in, and make sure you don’t miss a thing, is on a guide-led sunset paddle.

PRO TIP: Pack a lunch ahead of time or pick up provisions at Shayna’s Place on Brown Street and paddle on over to Rabbit Island.

Deeper inland, the Queen's River Kayak Company o ers waterside delivery and pick up to the Upper Wood River and the Upper Pawcatuck River (kayaks are on site at Queen's River). The Rhode Island Blueways Alliance, which works in partnership with nine watershed organizations, the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, and the Rhode Island Foundation, describes the Upper Wood River paddle “the most impressive natural experience of any river” in Rhode Island, touting its winding four miles through forests and wetlands in addition to a tricky set of Class I rapids found in Exeter on the northernmost part of the route.

PRO TIP: Pick up a waterproof phone pouch holder in advance. You can adjust the lanyard to make it fit comfortably around your neck while still having access to your phone’s camera.

Photo (top) courtesy of Kayak Centre of RI, (bottom) by Andrea McHugh

A serene paddle experience along Queen's River

With 1500 miles of rivers and mapped blueways, RI o ers adventures for kayakers, paddleboarders, and canoers

CATCH A WAVE

In 1962, Narragansett Surf Shop made history by being the first surf shop to open in Rhode Island. Today, folks of all ages and abilities speckle the swells at Narragansett Town Beach, and most days, the waves are decidedly undaunting, making conditions ideal for both longboards and new learners (but don’t be fooled – a good storm swell brings out top talent!).

Paddle Surf RI offers both private and group lessons for kids and adults that will have you hanging ten in no time. They provide the surfboard, leash, and wetsuit, and once your onland instruction wraps and you’ve mastered the moves on sand, you’ll hit the waves.

PRO TIP: Parents, Paddle Surf RI o ers weekly surf camps in the summer, but hurry – they sell out quick!

Rhody Resources

CHARTERS & RENTALS

Captain Sheri ’s Fishing Charters, Narragansett

L’il Toot Charter, Narragansett

Ocean Zen Sailing, Westerly Mako II, Narragansett

Sail Trim Again, Watch Hill

Sea Hawk Charters, Warwick Wickford Boat Rentals, Wickford

BUY A BOAT

Brewer Yacht Sales, Warwick & Wickford

C. L. Marine, Warwick MarineMax, Wakefield

Megrew’s Boats, Inc., Charlestown

Mill Creek Marine, North Kingstown

Petzold’s Yacht Sales, Wakefield

Prestige Yacht Sales, East Greenwich

Scott’s Boat Service, West Warwick

BOAT SERVICES

Conanicut Marina, Jamestown

Dutch Harbor Boat Yard, Jamestown

Fairwinds Marina, Warwick

Ocean House Marina, Charlestown

Safe Harbor Silver Spring, Wakefield

FERRY ALONG

Block Island Express, Block Island

Block Island Ferry, Narragansett

Jamestown Newport Ferry, Jamestown

Point Judith Hi-Speed Ferry, Narragansett

Rhode Island Fast Ferry, North Kingstown

Photo (top) by Rhonda Grace, (bottom) courtesy of Rhode Island Fast Ferry

Martha's Vineyard in :90 from Quonset with RIFF

GO FISH

Feeling adventurous? Head to the Port of Galilee where you’ll find captains and crews ready to take you out to sea to fish. There’s Frances Fleet with a variety of experiences, including half- or full-day charters, night fishing, and for serious anglers up for a fight, tuna charters where you might be reeling in albacore, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna, as well as swordfish, mahi mahi, and bonito that’ll put your muscles to the test. Starting late June, Frances Fleet adds whale-watching and dolphin excursions to the mix. It’s hard to miss the Seven B’s V’s “White and Green Fishing Machine” – a custom fishing yacht with a capacity of 113 persons run by Captain Russ Benn. May through June, discover fishing for squid and fluke. Not sure what to do with all that fluke? Head to SevenBs.com for recipes! Both businesses have rod rentals and provide bait.

BYO Bait

BREACHWAY BAIT & TACKLE, Charlestown QUONNIE BAIT AND TACKLE, Charlestown

Photos courtesy of Frances Fleet

Lady Frances has everything you need for reeling a catch

DINE BY THE WATER

If you can’t be on the water, being next to it – while devouring some delicious eats – might just be the next best thing. The salt-soaked breezes and the creaky whine of the docks as they gently bob up and down paired with a simple sunrise and avo toast or picnic-style sunset provisions is just about summertime perfection.

Keep driving west along Jamestown’s Narragansett Avenue until you hit the water’s edge of the West Passage - that's when you’ll know you’ve arrived at Scuttlebutt Snack Bar at Dutch Harbor Boatyard. It’s a front-row view to the shipswights and sailors scurrying about, and what the snack bar lacks in variety it makes up for in charm, with simplicity at the very core of its menu. A couple sandwiches, ice cream, and basic beverages are juxtaposed by Scuttlebutt’s quintessentially Rhode Island location, affording some of the best sunset views in the state.

A straight shot south will lead you to 1 Ferry Wharf, Conanicut Marina’s on-site restaurant, where sinking your teeth into a lobster roll or fresh fish tacos made with local scrod just seems like the right thing to do. Catch some live music, indulge the kids at the Sugar Shack, or order another round and watch the world go by. A short walk away, head to East Ferry Deli, a popular spot for soup, sammies, and salads, or ditch the beach wear for real clothes and experience a meal at BEECH, a true Jamestown gem where you’ll dine beneath bistro lights and a big ol’ beech tree.

Photos by Je DiMeo

Surf or turf dishes served in the ocean air at BEECH

BON VUE INN

Narragansett

CAP’N JACK’S / SALT MARCH PUB & RAW BAR

South Kingstown

CHAMPLIN’S HOTEL, MARINA & RESORT

Block Island

CHAMPLIN’S SEAFOOD

Narragansett

GEORGE’S OF GALILEE

Narragansett

MATUNUCK OYSTER BAR

South Kingstown

THE OAR Block Island

1230 OCEAN BISTRO

Narragansett

TWIN WILLOWS

Narragansett

TWO TEN OYSTER BAR

South Kingstown

If we missed your favorite, please let us know. Email Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com

For a hearty breakfast or handcrafted burger, put the outdoor patio at B & B Dockside in Westerly on your list of summertime stops – and your four-legged friends can join in the fun. Overlooking the Pawcatuck River, the specialty drink selection here is outstanding and slips are available at the Viking Marina dock. Not far from there is the Olympia Tea Room, a fixture in Watch Hill since 1916, and its location directly across the street from the Watch Hill Docks makes it hard not to fall in love with this iconic spot.

PRO TIP: The nearby Flying Horse Carousel, the oldest continuously operating merry-go-round in the country, is the perfect après Olympia Tea Room activity.

Over in East Greenwich’s historic waterfront district on Greenwich Cove, you’ll find Finn’s Harborside, BLU on the Water, and Water Street Kitchen and Bar. More than 100 slips are available just steps away at East Greenwich Marina for nightly, weekly, or seasonal dockage.

From salt ponds to marshes to the ocean, 10 PLACES where the views and food were made for each other.

Photo (top) courtesy of Finn's Harborside, (bottom) by Nick DelGiudice

Transient dockage available at BLU on the Water

Finn's Harborside also o ers DIY clambake kits

COURTHOUSE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

SATURDAY 4/29 | 8PM

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS

SUNDAY 5/7 | 6PM

CLAY MELTON

FRIDAY 5/12 | 8PM

BAD COMPANY - ROCK STEADY

SATURDAY 5/13 | 7:30PM

BEACH BOYS - THE DRIFTWOODS

FRIDAY 5/19 | 7:30PM

VAN MORRISON TRIBUTE

MOONDANCE

THURSDAY 5/25 | 1:30PM

ELVIS - ROBERT BLACK SHOW

FRIDAY 5/26 | 7:30PM

THE STEVE PATI BAND

70’S ROCK & ROLL

FRIDAY 6/2 | 8PM

THE ONE HIT WONDERERS 70’S

80’S TOP ROCK & ROLL SONGS

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SPECIALIZED AND EMERGENCY CARE FOR YOUR PETS

Ocean State Veterinary Specialists and Bay State Veterinary Emergency Services o er emergency care 24 hours per day 365 days a year

• Servicing dogs, cats, pocket pets, reptiles and birds

• Board Certi ed Specialists available by appointment

• Specialty services include: Internal Medicine, Radiology, Surgery, Oncology, Neurology, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Avian/Exotics & Critical Care

• We are fully equipped with the latest advances in veterinary technology including MRI and CT

Life & Style

Ocean Blue

A Newport yacht draws its colorway from the views outside its portholes

Choosing light fixtures and buying furniture are rites of passage when it comes to moving into a new home, but what if that home is a yacht? For a pair of empty-nesters who purchased a Vicem 65 Classic, this meant returning to Maloney Interiors. “This is a long-time client of mine,” says Ally Maloney, founder and principal designer. “Our first project together was refitting his previous boat, a Vicem 58 back in 2015. When he decided to build the Vicem 65, he told me about his plans and we got to work coordinating design efforts with the team from Vicem Yachts.”

Photos by Cate Brown, courtesy of Maloney Interiors

Maloney explains that soft-good selections were made with her clients at her o ce on Thames Street in Newport. During the construction phase, the designer traveled to Istanbul to meet with Vicem’s team and make additional selections. When the boat arrived stateside in Florida, it was outfitted with everything from dinnerware and drinkware to accessories and decor. Because this was a new build, most of the items were

fabricated by Vicem Yachts in Turkey. A few accents, such as pillows, were made in Rhode Island at Maloney’s workroom, and much of the artwork aboard the boat is from Sheldon Fine Art, also in Newport.

So what goes into furnishing a yacht? Maloney explains that this is dependent on the type of boat and its use. For example, large yachts are climate controlled 24/7 and staffed with crew who maintain the

vessel and its furnishings. “In this case you’re not really limited with what can be placed aboard the boat, and furniture, artwork, rugs, lighting, fabric, etc. can be sourced the same as you would for a home,” says Maloney. On smaller boats that aren’t always climate controlled, or that have more exposed areas, performance fabrics, materials, and finishes that hold up well to the sun and elements are needed.

Photos by Cate Brown, courtesy of Maloney Interiors

Any technical queries from the client were fielded to Vicem, but aesthetic requests, such as color, tone, mood, and feel of the boat’s interior, were handled by Maloney. “Selections included a transitional –not too modern, not too classic – design with a blue color palette; that’s the owner’s favorite color,” says the designer.

The owners live in Massachusetts, keep the boat in Newport, and use it seasonally to enjoy the City by the Sea and take weeklong trips to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. “I believe that many of my clients most enjoy using their boats as a space for relaxation, to get away, to casually or privately entertain family and friends. It’s a fun way to travel to favorite destinations and just get away from it all.”

Splashes of blue throughout channel the location

Photos by Cate Brown, courtesy of Maloney Interiors

Supporting Families. Funding Research Since 2013

Providing financial assistance to the parents of children battling brain cancer

Honoring the children who suffer from cancer and fight everyday. Our hopes are to make a day in the life of a family suffering from cancer a little bit brighter

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A limited palette keeps the focus on the views

Photos by Cate Brown, courtesy of Maloney Interiors

GET RHODY STYLE

Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.

PRO TIPS

“My best piece of advice to create a coastal aesthetic in your home is to achieve the look through your color palette and material selection. For example, neutral tones mixed with blues and greens, and finish materials such as white oak or teak wood will allude to a coastal aesthetic. Avoid kitschy nautical. You’ll never see anchors, buoys, or fish prints in my projects,” says Maloney.

ACROSS THE BRIDGE

Maloney cites the following as local go-tos: Newport Wine Cellar & Gourmet and Sheldon Fine Art for shopping; Bar ‘Cino, Cru Café, and Mori Sushi for dining; and for exploring, Audrain Auto Museum, Cli Walk, Fort Adams and Brenton Point State Parks, and the Newport Art Museum.

AWARD WINNER

Maloney’s design debuted at the 2019 Newport International Boat Show and won the People’s Choice Award for overall design, which includes three staterooms, three heads (bathrooms), a galley, salon, and cockpit. Maloney Interiors provides interior design, project management, furnishings, and refits for custom and semi-custom yachts. Learn more at MaloneyInteriors.com

Want your home featured in So Rhode Island?

Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more

Island Realty

Jamestown

Panoramic views from this fourth floor Bay View condo in town. The unit features a private deck, living room with fireplace, primary en suite, and a second bedroom with full bath. Central AC and laundry in unit. 2BD/2BA. 53 Conanicus Avenue, Unit 4B ~ $995,000

Jamestown

Charming cape on an acre of land with room to grow! With a 3 bedroom septic in place, the second level that has already been roughed in could be finished. There is also a full unfinished basement and an oversized one car garage. 1BD/1BA. 129 East Shore Road ~ $799,900

Jamestown

and a garage. This bright home features a great room with soaring wood ceilings, and a first floor bedroom with a nearby full bath. Bluestone patio out back. 2BD/2BA. 3 Swinburne Street ~ $685,000

Pristine condo at West Ferry Landing in the heart of town. Open layout featuring a private outdoor space, custom designed kitchen, and primary en suite with walk-in closet. Washer/dryer in unit and central AC. 2BD/2BA. 138 Narragansett Avenue, Unit 8 ~ $675,000

Jamestown

Charming village cottage with welcoming yard, outdoor ramp,

Meet Ian Brownhill

For readers who aren’t on TikTok or Instagram, tell us about yourself!

My name is Ian Brownhill. I’m 31 years old and I’m an actor and content creator. I’m from Westerly although I live in East Greenwich now.

Before your “New Englandah” skits went viral, what got you into creating on social media?

After getting back into acting in my mid-20s and building my resume, I knew I needed a social media brand to go with it and that’s when TikTok came along. I noticed its resemblance to platforms like Vine, which created hundreds of the actors and social media influencers we know today. Since acting is a hard industry to break into, having a creative outlet to explore my art was crucial and TikTok allowed for that. Then through some self beliefs, hard work, and a little bit of luck, I finally cracked into the social media world. Now after four years of creating, two of them being more locally known, I’ve found myself in an incredibly fortunate position to represent my home state and New England as a whole. I try my best in what I do. I know it’s not for everyone, but I love what I do. Making people laugh is my personal purpose in life!

A big part of your character is the year-round Dunkin’ iced co ee. What’s your go-to order?

Medium iced black with something added. I do a splash of something di erent depending on the day, weather, and my mood. But always with a donut!

What has been the coolest opportunity that stemmed from your online popularity?

I often find myself in situations I couldn’t have ever imagined, for which I’m so incredibly grateful. Being an obsessed Patriots fan – who once spent every dime I had to my name to go to a playo game – to be invited to watch from the sideline and fist pump with Robert Kraft was a dream come true!

Now that you have your name out there, what does the future look like for Ian Brownhill?

Knowing that as a content creator your 15 seconds can come and go quickly, I’m trying to enjoy the ride I’m on now and seeing just how far it can take me. There will certainly be avenues to explore should this run come to an end. Until then I’ll do my very best to continue on creating and hopefully everyone can enjoy. I’d also like to give a special thanks to everyone who has chosen to watch and support me and my content. I value everyone’s likes, comments, shares, and messages. So thank you so much for the support, I hope to continue entertaining you for a long time to come!

Poking fun at New England is all in a day’s work for this local actor and content creator

Photo courtesy of Ian Brownhill

Simply Transformed

A Charlestown couple sources, upcycles, and sells storied furnishings

“We love finding quality old furniture that we can bring to new life,” says Chris Denneny of the business he shares with his wife Mary Jane Ferland-Denneny, Granary Farmhouse Antiques. Their combined efforts, which include refinishing, restoring, and repurposing curbside, picked, and sourced finds, can be found at their Granary Workshop in Charlestown, Jules Antiques and General Store in Richmond, and across the northern Rhode Island border in Putnam, CT at Antiques Marketplace.

“I learned how to refinish furniture years ago from my previous father-in-law who was a master craftsman,” says Mary Jane. “I started painting furniture as I came across pieces where it wasn’t possible to restore them due to either cost or lack of availability of the right materials.” She explains that a popular furniture look from the 1940s and 1950s typically used veneer finishes on top of natural wood; not only is it often cost-prohibitive to refinish them properly today but that style isn’t in right now and demand is low. Instead, “painting these pieces gives them a new look and brings them into the present.”

Mary Jane revels in giving wood furniture a distressed look with decorative paint techniques like layering finishes, distressing, and applying stencils. “Our style ranges from shabby chic to modern farmhouse. We feel that all the pieces can fit into a farmhouse from any era.”

The duo can often be found at estate auctions, where Chris is the picker and buyer. They also travel to Lancaster, Pennsylvania a few times a year to buy from Amish craftspeople. “They’ll tear down an old school or barn and use the wood to build furniture, and we purchase some of those,” says Chris. For Mary Jane, though, the most gratifying part of the process is finding furniture on the side of the road that she can transform into something beautiful that someone wants to put in their home. She recently modified a set of “trashed” drawers into a series on legs. “I thought they would make cool plant stands,” she adds of the inventive pairing.

Photo by Faye Pantazopoulos

An empty drawer is cleverly reimagined into a plant stand

Looking over some of their current inventory, like a blue dresser from the 1800s, Chris says, “This is rock-solid and will last another 100 years. The original wood color was very outdated, but now, painted a light beachy blue, it can fit into a coastal home or a farmhouse.” Mary Jane’s favorite

is the tall, 1920s dresser that she stenciled with a Damask pattern and treated to multiple coats of pale, icy gray-blue paint. It’s a work of art that she spent many hours on. With a smile, Mary Jane says, “I’ve always loved antiques and always dreamt of doing this as a business.”

Photo by Faye Pantazopoulos

From Memorial Day to Columbus Day find Granary Farmhouse Antiques at the General Stanton Inn Flea Market on Sundays in Charlestown. For an appointment at their home workshop, contact them through the “Get In Touch” link at GranaryAntiques.com or Instagram: GranaryFarmhouseAntiques

An Oddity at the Greenwich Odeum Award-winning actress and director Kyra Sedgwick brings her film back to Rhode Island

“This film is a love letter to Rhode Island!” Kyra Sedgwick said to a cheering full house at the Greenwich Odeum Theater in East Greenwich early April at the premiere of Space Oddity , a movie she directed and filmed in North Kingstown and Saunderstown in the summer of 2021.

The movie stars Kyle Allen ( West Side

Story ) as Alex McAllister, Alexandra Shipp ( X Men ) as Daisy Taylor, and Sedgwick’s husband Kevin Bacon ( Footloose , Apollo 13 ) as Je McAllister. Set in Wickford, the plot follows the McAllister family in the aftermath of losing their oldest son Tom in a car crash that Alex caused. Instead of taking over the family flower farm, grief-stricken Alex is

preparing for a “one-way” trip to Mars, until things are complicated by his connection to Daisy. Sedgwick says she loved the script for its honesty and hope, and because it reminds us that this planet is the only one we have and we have to take care of it, she said.

Local actors, extras, and crew members packed the Odeum for the 6pm screening,

Photo (L) by Kristen Rugg, (R) by Ann Martini

Odeum employee Kyra Tougas with Sedgwick, for whom Tougas is named

frequently hooting and applauding when they recognized familiar faces and locales, such as Robin Hollow Farm in Saunderstown, which served as the McAllister farm, and Wickford Middle School. Afterwards, Sedgwick joined producer Valerie Stadler and Rhode Island Film and TV Office director Steve Feinberg on stage for a Q&A session. Rhode Island, Sedgwick said, was a wonderful place to shoot “because the people here were so kind and lovely to us and not at all cynical about the movie business.” She credited Feinberg for his enthusiasm and dedication to the film industry.

Bacon, who was spotted lunching at Sophie’s Brewhouse in Exeter in June 2021 with his wife, did not make an appearance at the Odeum.

Space Oddity debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in March. It is in a handful of theaters across the country and available to rent on Apple TV and Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Featured Designers:

Food & Drink

MORE THAN ONE FISH IN THE SEA

Expert butchering, fresh catches, and sustainability are a Wakefield fishmonger’s secrets to success

Though the seas aren’t swimming with the same populations Mike Lapierre’s father sourced from in the ‘80s, the second-generation fishmonger brings a fresh perspective to our local waters.

“I grew up learning about quality, freshness, and how to be an adventurous eater and cook. I worked with my dad and in a few restaurants before I joined the United States Air Force. I remember a conversation my dad had with me before I joined about how I needed to choose a di erent career for myself because seafood was a dying industry,” says Lapierre, who laments that this is true to an extent. “We will never have the catch limits or the stocks of certain species that they had in the ‘80s, but it’s not a bad thing. There are other fish in the sea, truly.”

When Lapierre returned, he decided to forge his own path, working on boats and at fish markets along the way, “my goal being to break the cod, salmon, and scallop trend of old and butcher everything I could that came from our waters,” he explains. Taking a uniquely sustainable and opportunistic approach to the industry, it’s only fitting that he named his own business Brightside Seafood.

Now, operating out of a retail space at the Town Made shared commercial kitchen in Wakefield, Lapierre sells only seafood sourced from Rhode Island waters, and butchers everything by hand to ensure quality. Spring will see species like mahi mahi, black sea bass, skate, razor clams, and many more fresh o the boat and sold fresh. “Not many fishmongers buy on demand, less buy the variety I do, and even less cut what they buy themselves,” says Lapierre. “For the fish, my knife is swift and careful, and for my customers, you can taste the di erence.”

Follow @brightside_seafood or visit BrightsideSeafood.com to find when fresh catches are popping up at the Tiverton Farmers Market, Mount Hope Farmers Market, and more. | By

Abbie Lahmers

Photo courtesy of Brightside Seafood

Rhode Island’s First Celeb Chef-Owned Restaurant

Richmond’s luxury resort and sporting club welcomes a unique steak restaurant concept

It’s a surprising thing about Rhode Island, a state long lauded for its culinary prowess: we’ve never had a world-renowned celebrity chef open a restaurant here – until now. Chef David Burke, an award-winning and widely influential chef, brings his culinary expertise to The Preserve Sporting Club and Residences in Richmond (just off I-95, near the Washington County Fairgrounds). The 350-seat Double Barrel Steak by David Burke features steaks, chops, game, seafood, and a wine list that’s second to none.

Though Burke has made many appearances on shows such as Bravo’s Top Chef Masters , he’s more comfortable behind a line than behind a camera, and owns over a dozen restaurants on the East Coast and in Saudi Arabia. Now he brings his unique form and flair to South County’s 3,500-acre

luxury resort for outdoor sporting enthusiasts, thanks to the Preserve’s chairman Paul Milhailides. “I got a call from Paul, who I’ve known casually for a long time,” Burke says. “He was looking for someone to make the culinary operations world class, so I went up to take a look and was blown away. It’s spectacular.”

Burke is no stranger to Rhode Island – his youngest son is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University, from which Burke himself will soon earn an honorary doctorate. “Rhode Island has a rich agricultural heritage that we’ll be tapping into,” he explains. “We have a whole section of the menu devoted to ‘ocean steaks’ from local waters and, once game season comes around, we’ll serve our own pheasant from the property.”

Photos courtesy of The Preserve Sporting Club

Chef David Burke plays with presentation in menu items like clothesline bacon

Longtime fans of Burke will be happy to know that many signature menu items that earned him the moniker “culinary prankster” – most notably, “clothesline bacon” – make appearances on the menu as well.

Burke notes that while the beef at Double Barrel Steak is not local, he did earn a U.S. patent for his dry-aging process, which involves the signature shimmery pink Himalayan salt bricks built into the decor of the restaurant. “It makes our beef stand out from any other offered in the state,” he explains. And with a nod to the restaurant’s off-the-beaten-path location adds, “That’s worth the drive alone!”

Burke came of age in the 1980s in New York, most notably at The River Café, the

Paul Milhailides (L) and Chef David Burke (R) at Double Barrel Steak’s ribbon cutting

iconic American restaurant located under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York known for turning out American chefs who led the charge in the farm-to-table movement, such as Burke, Charlie Palmer, and Rick Moonen. “Burke is one one of the smartest, hardest working, well-respected talents in the business,” says Milhailides. “The Preserve has been called the top sporting club in America, so of course we should have the best chef in America.”

Double Barrel Steak by David Burke Preserve Sporting Club and Residences

87 Kingstown Road, Richmond PreserveSportingClub.com

TRAIN & CHARTER WITH NESC THIS SUMMER!

Rose B. Simpson, Shard, 2021 Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund

Je rey Gibson, The Anthropophagic Effect, Garment no. 1, 2019 Helen M. Danforth Acquisition Fund

Burke cooks up eclectic and elevated fare at the Richmond resort and sporting club

Big City Vibes in the Burbs

A Providence seafood joint’s second location impresses city and coastal diners alike

With over 400 miles of shoreline, Rhode Islanders know their seafood – so you can imagine a restaurant with “oysters” in its name would work extra hard to live up to its discerning coastal clientele. Providence Oyster Bar does just that. The Federal Hill staple set its sights on being even closer to the water when they opened a second location in East Greenwich just over a year ago, bringing big city vibes to the quaint waterfront town.

Located on bustling Post Road in the former Sweet Twist candy shop, Providence Oyster Bar is a welcome addition to the East Greenwich dining scene, with a sophisticated yacht club feel featuring lots of dark shiplap and many nautical touches. A large bar area is the perfect spot to grab a round of appetizers with a couple of cocktails, choosing from a list that’s creative without being too over the top. I ordered a Paper Plane – made up of Bulleit bourbon, Aperol,

St. Agrestis amaro, and lemon juice – which was well-balanced and delicious. My friend enjoyed the Blood Orange Cosmopolitan.

As the name alludes to, Providence Oyster Bar has a robust raw bar. On the night we visited, they were showcasing oysters from Walrus and Carpenter in Charlestown,

CUISINE: Approachable seafood

ATMOSPHERE: Sophisticated yacht club

Seseme Seared Ahi Tuna

Photo courtesy of Providence Oyster Bar

Must-Try Items

Loaded Greek Hummus ($15)

Hummus with tomato, cucumber, red onion, feta, Kalamata olives, and grilled naan bread

Wasabi Ginger Calamari ($16)

Calamari topped with pickled cucumber, peppadew peppers, pickled ginger, and wasabi aioli

Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna ($35)

Ahi tuna, lobster wontons, baby bok choy, and sweet soy glaze

and some from just over the border: Beach Plum Oysters harvested in Westport, MA, and Connecticut’s Mystic Oysters. I can’t get enough of Walrus and Carpenter mollusks, so I ordered a dozen. They were fresh, buttery, and briny – a perfect way to start the meal. (Pro-tip: catch Appy Hour nightly from 3-6pm, or 10:30am-2:30pm Sundays, and load up on discounted clams, shrimp, and oysters.)

Following our server’s recommendation, we also ordered a couple of appetizers. Our surprise favorite was the Loaded Greek Hummus, featuring the creamy spread topped with olives, feta cheese, red onion, and tomato. The grilled naan on the side was excellent even on its own. A round of

Bacon Wrapped Scallops arrived cooked to perfection and drizzled with the most delicious espresso maple syrup.

For dinner, I ordered the Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna, which was served with a side of fried lobster wontons. My dining companion ordered the Lobster Gnocchi and was surprised by the huge portion. The dish contained plenty of sweet and tender lobster morsels. We were both impressed by the elevated yet unpretentious meals.

We were too full for dessert but did see the tray of sweets circulating, which included crème brûlée, New York cheesecake, and

A city staple draws coastal diners in East Greenwich

Photo courtesy of Providence Oyster Bar

chocolate cake. They also have daily flavors of house-made gelato or sorbet – the perfect end to the night or palate cleanser.

If you’re looking for a fun night out, Providence Oyster Bar is sure to please. The menu has something for everyone (even the landlubbers). The sophisticated atmosphere, excellent cocktails, and tasty food will bring me back for more.

Providence Oyster Bar

East Greenwich

5707 Post Road, East Greenwich • 715-2526

ProvidenceOysterBar.com/eastgreenwich

Wasabi Ginger Calamari

Like many new food ventures, Purslane in downtown Wakefield is a product of the pandemic. Owners Matthew Brown and Freida Sahady are best known for their food truck ButterHead, which began serving customers in 2021. “We never intended on running a food truck,” the couple shares. “We saw an advertisement for the truck when COVID-19 was new and we thought ‘why not?’ It seemed less risky than a restaurant and a good jumping off point for us. A restaurant or storefront was always our real vision and intention.

We’ve both been in the industry for such a long time we felt it was time to make something our own.”

Brown and Sahady look forward to serving small bites with a focus on seafood and local ingredients. “Our little sister ButterHead will be nearby cooking up those classics we’ve all come to love. Food from the truck will be available for eat in or take out on site at Purslane.” That means menu items might include kimchi hot dogs, roast pork, or sourdough grilled cheese. Wakefield, ButterHeadRI.com

Known for delivering wholesome, chef-prepared meals to your doorstep, Feast & Fettle recently opened its first retail destination, Neighborhood Fridge, located at Blackstone Place Plaza, at the intersection of Providence’s East Side and Oak Hill. Stocked with readyto-go dinner, lunch, and breakfast items, plus local products and wine, the shelves are refreshed weekly to ensure customers always have new and exciting options to choose from. All of the food will be prepared in Feast & Fettle’s East Bay commissary kitchen.

“We’re always looking for new and improved concepts that allow the community to experience Feast & Fettle,” says director of new concepts, Becca Brady, who has led the expansion into retail. “Our Neighborhood Fridge is perfect for those who need a last-minute meal or prefer to stop in and pick up a quick item on the go.” Feast & Fettle is committed to supporting both the local communities they operate in and global causes, contributing $1 of every order to Edesia Nutrition to help battle malnourishment in children worldwide. Pawtucket, FeastAndFettle.com

A major player on the Warren dining scene is expanding this June. Known for casual indoor and outdoor dining, Bywater is re-launching their bakeshop – originally born of a pandemic pivot – at 277 Water Street just across the street from the main restaurant. “We’ll have a limited seasonal menu of breakfast and lunch items, grab-and-go items like breakfast sandwiches, that kind of thing,” says Katie Dickson, owner of Bywater. Along with an extensive selection of co ees and teas, “we’ll have a couple of breads – we specialize in a dark sticky sourdough and also some laminated European-style pastries, croissants, and our spice buns.”

“The first floor has a lot of room, so we are also going to be adding groceries and provisions,” she adds. “We’ll have some farm fresh produce and pantry gifts, lots of different things.” Look for locally sourced products including fresh coffee beans, too. Warren, BywaterRestaurant.com

Meal prep biz opens brick-and-mortar retail in Pawtucket

From food truck to South County storefront

Beloved bakeshop returns to Warren’s Water Street

Photo courtesy of Butterhead

South County Scenes

Scenes from Cheers to Leading Ladies, held March 23 at Aloft Providence