SO Rhode Island October 2023

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In This Issue

So Rhode Island October 2023

35

October is the Best

A calendar of listings to fill your month with fun

The Scoop

9 A classic guitarist’s musical journey from Costa Rica to Kingston

12 RHODY GEM: Find a world of goods at this EG boutique

14 Saying goodbye to a historic Block Island inn devastated by a fire

16 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: Watch Hill group says it “cannot legally” guarantee public shoreline access under lighthouse property transfer

20 RHODY PETS: Three adoptable pets of the month

22 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

24 FEATURE: The lost art of upholstery finds new life among the sustainability-minded

Life & Style

49 HOME: A couple insists on the kitchen reno of their dreams

56 FIELD TRIP: Enjoy two days of art studio hopping across towns and villages

60 STYLE: Where to get goods to be in the pink this season

Food & Drink

63 Tap into fall fun – and maple syrup – at a Richmond family farm

64 IN THE KITCHEN: Cocktails that tell a story of Westerly

66 RECIPE: A spin on chowder uses South County corn harvests

70 RHODY EATS: RESTAURANT GUIDE

72 FOOD NEWS: Surf shack in Narragansett, Vietnamese eatery in PVD & pizza gets futuristic in Newport

South County Scenes

73 A stunning image from a local lens

ON THE COVER: Witches Paddle.

Photo by Je Newcum, courtesy of I Love Wickford Village.

The Farmer’s Daughter

Photo courtesy of Christine Chitnis

Photo by Josh Behan, courtesy of The Café

Photo courtesy of The Current

The Scoop

MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

URI’s own guitarist aims to loosen high-strung perceptions of classical music

Watching classical guitarist Adrián Montero Moya play live solo or with a chamber orchestra, or hearing his recordings, reveals a player dedicated to the craft and tradition of classical music, but also a passionate advocate of the importance of classical music in the modern space. Originally from Costa Rica, the University of Rhode Island (URI) graduate student, who will perform at the URI Guitar Festival this month, is a direct translator of the music he is performing, o ering context and personality, all while relaying the core message of the composer’s intent.

“I started with theory and reading scores, but it took me a while to connect the dots and understand the importance of it,” Montero Moya says, whose definition of classical music is less about a period of time in a determined region and more about an experience. “For me, classical music has to do with a written tradition, a sound aesthetic, and certain instrumentation, not so di erent from any other genre, which each has its own codes and symbols, philosophies, and aesthetics, but there is an underlying ‘truth’ that permeates all music; that is the human experience.”

Photo by David Calderón, courtesy of Adrián Montero Moya

Classical music is often seen as rigid, dictated by the score, when in fact the beauty of it is to creatively depart from what’s on the score, according to Montera Moya. “Beneath the notes, it is our job to explore the material, understand why it works as it does, and ultimately translate this into sound.”

Though classical music is composed and written, it’s up to the performers to bring themselves to the work and make it their own while also being the messenger of the existing piece. It’s a task of translation that Montera Moya takes seriously, and brings his own philosophy to. “Classical musicians tend to focus more on the delivery of a clear idea of a written piece,” he shares. “That doesn’t mean we just reproduce notes on paper; a score is like a puzzle, and you have to connect all the dots so the audience can receive the message clearly and pristinely…I believe as a performer, not a composer, our artistry resides in our repertoire, how we organize it, and our sound…I hope the people that listen to me can recognize my sound as a large spectrum of colors.”

Montero Moya is currently a teaching assistant at URI’s music department, studying for his master’s degree in classical guitar performance. What started as a dream to study abroad turned into reality when URI professor Adam Levin reached out on Facebook inviting him to Kingston to study, a last-minute opportunity that led Montero Moya on his path to exploring new contexts of classical music.

In preparing for the URI Guitar Festival, Montero Moya says, “Not everyone is familiar with the ‘formality’ of classical music, and this is why I love the festival so much; you will literally find something for everyone.” With experience playing in remote areas in Costa Rica where classical concerts are a rarity, Montero Moya is drawn to the energy of those new to the genre. “I am magnetized by the intimacy and the connection with audience members who are experiencing the classical guitar for the first time.”

The URI Guitar Festival is dedicated to classical and folk traditions from around the world. This year Montero Moya will kick o the first concert, Costa Rica meets Greece, on October 18 of the five-day event, sharing the stage with fellow Costa Rican guitarist Jeisson Ramirez and Greek guitarist Filippos Manoloudis, followed by After Hours with the Artists.

Find the full schedule of lectures, performances, and more along with venue locations and registration at URIGuitarFestival.org

Photo by David Calderón, courtesy of Adrián Montero Moya

Adrián Montero Moya

The Current Lifestyle Boutique

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 shop filled with home, beauty, lifestyle, apparel, and paper goods from makers near and far.

Where to find it:

Look for The Current in the heart of Main Street in East Greenwich, next door to Town Hall and across the street from Bone Appetit pet shop.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

After living in NYC for a decade, designer Britni Sweet returned to Little Rhody and opened her shop with the intent of bringing a “huge piece of Brooklyn to East Greenwich.”

What that means is a curated collection representing small businesses with handmade and fair trade goods, sourced locally and from around the world. “Things that are different from what we are used to seeing in gift stores,” says Sweet. “Modern, fun, bright, current, thoughtfully designed with beauty and functionality in mind.” Shoppers can find bath products, functional kitchen tools, incense and candles, and clothes made ethically in the US, Italy, and Turkey. Additionally, Sweet wants her store to be a welcoming space. “I love getting to know my customers and they are the best. I’m here for them. [The shop is] full of love and happiness, allowing them to bring a small piece of that home.”

Storied Inn Remembered

Revisiting a Block Island hotel’s legacy in the face of recent devastating fire

This summer brought one of the worst days Block Island has seen in decades. The charming and beloved Harborside Inn stood sentinel over Old Harbor since 1879, when it first opened as the Pequot House by Darius Dodge. But on the night of Friday, August 25, a fire that started in the kitchen quickly spread throughout the old wooden hotel, devastating it in a matter of hours.

It was also one of the luckiest days – and testament to the community turning up in a crisis. Thomas and Gail Fredericks of Warwick were on their boat that evening in New Harbor when Thomas, a retired Cranston deputy fire chief, got wind around 11:45pm that the fire had broken out. He contacted his former colleague Greg Snow, also on the island that night, and the two headed over to see what was happening. Immediately, they were concerned.

“I could tell right away that it was bad,” Fredericks says. “The wind was out of the west, blowing the embers around.” Over the next several hours, they watched. “The fire crews did an amazing job at a defensive operation. The island easily could have lost that entire row of buildings. It’s a sad loss,” Fredericks agrees, “but no one got hurt. No one died. In the end it was a victory.”

For 144 years, Harborside gave the island good times and great stories. Soon after it was built, the destination branded itself as “the health-giving isle” in an 1886 advertisement for the inn describing Block Island as “steadily gaining in popularity as a resort that restores health to the sick” and “a refuge for those su ering from malaria or wishing to escape from infected districts.”

According to Janet Dionis, the education director at the Block Island Historical Society, “it was one of the first hotels built for tourists, not another rooming house for fishermen.” The Harborside had a doctor-in-residence at that time, she says, to further the connection between visitors and the healthy lifestyle it was touting.

In the early 1900s, it changed its name, as well as its reputation, and became the Hotel Royal, home to the popular Orchid Lounge, a favorite watering hole for islanders and tourists alike. This was the building’s “colorful” era, where ads ran in island newspapers looking for topless waitresses, and island rumors

claim that it served as a brothel. The Block Island Life Facebook page is rife with locals’ testimonies about The Royal – relatives’ stories about working there, women who remember being told not to walk too close to it when they were children, and pictures of scantily clad singers and cocktail waitresses. By the 1960s, it had solidified its reputation as an approachable, a ordable place to vacation, and a centerpiece of hospitality on the

island. “It has shaped the careers of many islanders,” says Jessica Willi, executive director of the Block Island Tourism Council. “All of my friends have worked there in some capacity over the years. It was an important place to islanders.”

It’s also remembered fondly by tourists. Kim Keune, a professional photographer from North Providence, recalls several overnights. “Each time I walked up the historic main stairway outside, I would wonder how

The Harborside Inn, before it was claimed by a devastating fire this past August

Photo courtesy of Block Island Tourism

Zena Clark, former general manager of the Harborside Inn until retiring this past June – and whose grandmother once worked at The Royal Hotel – shares her thanks to the community:

“It’s a sad time for Block Island but our community is a strong group of caring individuals. I can’t mention this tragedy without giving thanks to everyone who assisted with keeping the fire contained to just this building. Specifically the Block Island Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, the Ladies Auxiliary, Interstate Navigation (Block Island Ferry), New England Airlines, and all the firefighters who made the trip to Block Island in the middle of the night to help. There are many others who assisted in relocating guests, sta and helping out with donations of food and clothing. I am very proud of the folks at Block Island Reservations who worked all night making sure everyone was safe and giving directions and advice for displaced guests needing shelter.”

many have done the same and also how many times the view changed out front since it was built,” she says. “The stairway from the lobby to the first floor was slightly crooked and narrow with low ceilings at the bottom. It made you feel as if you were in the fun house at the carnival.”

That staircase is now just a memory, as the state fire marshal has deemed the building a “total loss.” But Willi knows how resilient the island and its residents are. “I don’t know what the plan is,” she says, “but there will be a rebuilding of some kind. It’s a piece of lost history, but an opportunity to start again.”

Watch Hill Group Says It “Cannot Legally” Guarantee Public Shoreline Access Under Lighthouse Property Transfer

The disclosure contradicts characterizations of an agreement made public in July by Rhode

The Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association says it would be unable to guarantee public access to an historic property and popular fishing area if the land were transferred from the federal government to the private non-profit in the application submitted by the organization to the National Park Service for ownership of the Watch Hill Lighthouse property in Westerly.

The document was obtained by The Public’s Radio through a Freedom of Information Act request [in August].

In July, Rhode Island US Sen. Jack Reed announced the Lighthouse Keepers had been selected to become the new owners of the Coast Guard’s Watch Hill Lighthouse and surrounding land under a program enabled by the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act intended to transfer surplus federal lighthouse properties to nonprofits and state and local governments.

That announcement July 9 prompted outcry from shoreline access advocates who fear the transfer would threaten public access in a coastal area they say is being increasingly privatized. The news also led the Westerly Town Council to pass a resolution last month seeking ownership of the lighthouse property land by the town instead of giving it to the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association, or WHLKA.

The Lighthouse Keepers says it intends to maintain public access at the property and statements being made by critics about the impending transfer are unfounded. But in a letter submitted to the National Park Service in response to a request for more information on public access to the property, an attorney for the Lighthouse Keepers, Jacqueline O. Kaufman, of the Connecticut-based firm Carmody Law, says there is “no express access easement of record to the Property” through a presumably private road leading from the Watch Hill village to the Watch Hill Lighthouse property.

In the May 31, 2022, letter, Kaufman says “should a question in the application require commitment from the WHLKA to provide public access, as of today, it cannot legally do so…”

Kaufman adds that her client has the “desire and intent” to provide public access to the

property and has ordered title searches for properties on the peninsula where the lighthouse is located and will further supplement its application when more information is available.

The Lighthouse Keepers’ 830-page application documents released under FOIA do include limited land records, as well as accounts by the federal government detailing questions about access to the property going back decades, but those exhibits immediately following Kaufman’s letter do not include any accompanying opinion saying the documents demonstrate the public has an expressed right to access the lighthouse property over Lighthouse Road.

Kaufman does not include references to

other documents that suggest the existence of potential public rights along Lighthouse Road, including an 1870 deed that outlines the right “for all persons to pass over and across said lane or passway to and from the Government land on the South to the highway on the North of said premises.”

That deed was included in a 1958 report by the state of Rhode Island’s Special Commission to Discover Rights of Way that’s been largely lost to history, even as the issue of shoreline access has come to the fore in recent years and the state Coastal Resources Management Council has publicly stated its commitment to shoreline access in Rhode Island.

Island US Senator Jack Reed

Photo by Evan / Adobe Stock

A 1906 map from the Westerly land evidence records also shows a pathway titled “PRESENT DRIVEWAY LEADING TO GOVT. LAND” running directly from the main road to the lighthouse property.

The Lighthouse Keepers group has helped maintain and operate the property since it entered into an agreement with the federal government in 1986. That maintenance has included work to reinforce the property’s retaining wall, and the group says it would make further improvements to the lighthouse property that are expected to cost millions of dollars in the coming years.

The Lighthouse Keepers’ application says the group’s mission “is to rehabilitate and operate the historical Watch Hill Light Station Property for educational, historic, recreational, and cultural programs open to and for the benefit of the general public,” although a sign posted at the property, which is used regularly by people who fish for sport and sustenance, says activities on the property are limited to “sightseeing and casual strolling” only.

Under the visitor information section of its website, the group says “No Recreational Activities” are permitted on the property.

Shoreline access advocates say they are concerned about the transfer because of current restrictions on access to the property and others put in place in the past.

In an a davit signed by Lighthouse Keepers Association President Ann Snowden Johnson on June 1, 2022, and included in the application, Johnson writes, “To the best of my knowledge, the public’s use of the Private Road to access the Property has never been interrupted.”

In 2020, vehicle access to the property was restricted to weekends only after an uptick in activity at the property during the COVID-19 pandemic. An article in The Westerly Sun from that time quotes Johnson as saying the group was having “enormous trouble” with crowds, “di cult people,” and “illegal” parking.

During a recent tour of the property,

Never Do Laundry Again with HappyNest

The quick and easy pickup and drop-o laundry app is now serving Rhode Island.

If laundry day in your household means piles of unfolded clothes in all stages of cleaning strewn all over the floor, or putting o the hassle of visiting the laundromat has you digging through drawers for the last clean pair of socks, it may be time to wash your hands of the old way of doing laundry. HappyNest o ers a convenient, cost-e ective, and eco-friendly alternative – now available in Rhode Island.

“Laundry is the second-most hated chore in America,” says Turner Scott of HappyNest. “We take that chore o your plate, giving you more free time to do the things you love.” Founded by John and Katie MacKrell, HappyNest was inspired by the couple’s growing family and shrinking patience for tasks that took them away from quality time spent together. With four young kids, six wardrobes, countless grass stains, and constant detergent purchases, the MacKrells wanted the

chore to disappear – so they came up with a seamless pickup and drop-o service and said goodbye to the half-folded piles littering the floor.

“Our mobile app facilitates on-demand, customizable, next-day service,” explains Scott. “Simply sign up online or on the app, set your personal laundry preferences, and schedule a pickup. On the day of your pickup, put your laundry out, and we will return it washed, dried, and folded to your preferences the very next day.”

Whether it’s laundry for a large brood or you’re a busy professional looking for a more sustainable and streamlined method, HappyNest is a customizable service, with options for all needs, as well as o ering commercial services. Choose your detergent, folding preferences, wash times and temps, dryer settings, and more, and let the experts take care of the rest.

With happy customers in over 37 states, HappyNest has washed and dried over a million pounds of laundry. Find out how to never do laundry again by visiting HappyNest.com.

Johnson told a reporter the decision to institute temporary restrictions during the early months of the pandemic was made after consulting with federal o cials.

Current policies allow visitors from 8am to sunset and allow vehicle access only for people 65 and older, and people with disabilities. All others can access the property by foot on Lighthouse Road.

In a phone interview, Westerly shoreline access advocate Ben Weber called the Lighthouse Keepers’ application “proof in the pudding” of the group’s lack of meaningful guarantees of public access.

“They could have all the intent, but they’re not willing to commit to anything,” Weber said. “That’s the problem.” He added, “They can’t be trusted.”

On Tuesday, US Department of Interior Communications Director Melissa Schwartz said an interview request from The Public’s Radio had been shared with the National Park Service, although that agency has not yet responded.

Earlier [in August], Sen. Reed sent a letter to Deb Haaland, secretary of the Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, notifying Haaland of the town of Westerly’s desire to own the land at the Watch Hill Lighthouse property and asking that Haaland or a senior sta member contact the town.

A spokesperson for Sen. Reed, Chip Unruh, who previously said public access was “central” to the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association application, defended the group’s proposal in an email Tuesday, highlighting areas of the application that state a desire to maintain public access and a section that says the “exclusive nature” of the road leading to the lighthouse has not been an impediment to public access.

When asked in a followup email if Sen. Reed is concerned that the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association says it can’t make a legal commitment to maintaining public access, Unruh wrote, “Senator Reed supports public access because it’s the right thing and because it’s federal law. If lawyers at the National Park Service and GSA [US General Services Administration] determine that cannot be achieved, then they can revoke any approval.”

Rhode Island US Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s o ce did not respond when emailed for comment on Tuesday. In an Aug. 11 email sent to constituent and shoreline access advocate

Scott Keeley, who shared the communication, Whitehouse said the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association was chosen by the National Park Service to “continue its stewardship of the property under certain conditions, including preserving public access to the property.”

Whitehouse added, “I will closely monitor the situation in Westerly to ensure the property’s managers do not reverse course and place unreasonable restrictions on the land to curb public access.”

It’s unclear if Whitehouse is aware of the group’s disclosure that it believes it cannot legally guarantee public access.

Westerly Town Councilor Kevin Lowther, who has been in contact with the Lighthouse Keepers since the transfer was announced and recently visited the property, said the news that the group is not legally committing to public access at the property is “disappointing.”

Lowther said he previously asked the Lighthouse Keepers for a copy of the application and was told he couldn’t have it because it’s not a public document. In the copy of the application released to The Public’s Radio, federal o cials redacted portions dealing with financial information.

Lowther said he still thinks Lighthouse Keepers o cials are operating “in good faith,” but he would like them to be more open with

the public about their plans going forward.

“I think the ball is really in their court right now,” Lowther said. “If they’re not able to communicate, people may begin to think badly about the intent that they have for shoreline access, which is unfortunate.”

Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, a property given to a nonprofit can revert back to federal government ownership if the property “ceases to be available for education, park, recreation, cultural, or historic preservation purposes for the general public at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions which shall be set forth in the eligible entity’s application.”

Given that the law bases property reversions on commitments made in an application, it’s unclear what happens when a group says it cannot make legal commitments to public access.

In a brief phone call Tuesday, Johnson, the Lighthouse Keeper’s president, said she could not comment on the group’s application because “it’s going through the legal process.”

Before the property can be o cially transferred by deed, the US General Services Administration needs to finalize the agreement.

This article was originally posted on August 23, 2023. Alex Nunes can be reached at anunes@thepublicsradio.org

Photo by Alex Nunes

The Watch Hill Lighthouse Property in Westerly

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Rhody Pets of the Month

Looking to welcome a new furry friend into your home? Adopt, don’t shop! Shelters around South County and across 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 Kalunian directly at animaltalk1920@gmail.com.

SISSY

This adorable girl is ready for all of life’s adventures. Sissy is a one-year-old Feist mix who has so much love to give. She’s great with kids, gets along with other friendly dogs, and adores belly rubs. The folks at Friends of Homeless Animals RI believe she may have a slight birth defect – she doesn’t put weight on one of her front paws – but don’t worry, it doesn’t slow her down!

Friends of Homeless Animals RI Foster: RISalisburys@gmail.com FOHARI.org

MARBLES

A five-year-old Tabby, Marbles has a stunning silver coat and is in search of a loving furr-ever home. She is a little shy when you first meet her but warms up quickly, and she would love to have another friendly feline friend in the household to pal around with. Playing, yummy treats, being brushed, and hanging out on her cat tree by the window are just a few of her favorite things.

Ten Lives Cat Rescue

Hello@tenlivescatrescue.org

TenLivesCatRescue.org

Sissy

Photo by Karen Kalunian

Photo courtesy of Ten Lives Cat Rescue

Marbles

Unique in both his looks and personality, Finn is a three-year-young Australian Cattle/Terrier mix who’s experienced a life of ups and downs. This homebody prefers spending time with his people in his own yard; the big outside world tends to spook Finn, so a fenced-in yard and a quiet life would be his dream. If you work from home and you’re seeking a constant companion, this good boy might be the one for you.

Friends of Homeless Animals

FriendsOHA@yahoo.com

FOHARI.org

Photo by Jen Reynolds

Finn

FINN

THE MUST LIST

10 essential statewide events happening this month

Through October 31:

pyramids of Giza, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and more. Providence, RWPZoo.org

October 5-8:

The Rogue Island Comedy Festival is the state’s only stand-up comedy festival with local and national headliners including Dan St. Germain, Heather Shaw, and Kelly MacFarland. Newport, RogueIslandComedyFest.com

October 6-9:

The Columbus Day Festival on Federal Hill has live music, chef demonstrations, carnival rides, the annual parade, and a taste of the Hill’s many restaurants over the three-day holiday weekend. Providence, FederalHillProv.com

The Scituate Art Festival is a Rhode Island tradition featuring over 200 artists, craftspeople, and antique dealers selling in an open-air market, along with live music and local vendors. ScituateArtFestival.org

October 8, 15, 22 & 29:

October 7-9: Explore the historic seaside village on a Warren Walkabout, an annual festival of arts, food, local businesses, and history with live music and outdoor artist demonstrations all over town. DiscoverWarren.com

October 12-14:

An annual collaboration with the South Kingstown High School Theater Group, Testing, Testing 1234 features four short plays directed by Contemporary Theater Company directors with SKHS students acting. Wakefield, ContemporaryTheaterCompany.com

October 14-15:

Sip on Whalers, listen to live music, and eat lobster rolls, fish tacos, calamari, and oysters to your heart’s content at the Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Fest, an annual fall tradition. Newport, BowensWharf.com

October 18-22:

The URI Guitar Festival includes seven concerts, guest artist masterclasses, workshops, lectures, the Rising Stars Young Guitarists Program, and an online international guitar competition with world-class artists. Kingston, URIGuitarFestival.org

October 21:

We Be Jammin and Ocean State Food Truck Festivals join forces for the family-friendly Spooky Fall Festival, featuring 17 food trucks, plus vendors, pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, and more at Rocky Point Park. Warwick, WeBeJamminEvents.com

October 29:

Dodge spooky zombies at the Halloween Monster Dash 5K, which takes costumed runners on a frightful sprint through the RIPTA bus tunnel. Runners 12 and under are invited to dash the half-mile race along Water Street. Providence, MonsterDashRace.com

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 N. Millard, courtesy of Go Providence

The annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returns to the Roger Williams Park Zoo with Pumpkins Around the World, featuring carvings representing the

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

The Craft of Rebuilding

Upholstering antiques instead of buying fast furniture is an investment that also pays dividends for the planet

The Army taught Robert Frances to sew. The WWII 82nd Airborne paratrooper needed to repair his chute so his specially trained unit could deploy at a moment’s notice. He became head of a drapery and sewing department and later started his own business. Bob Frances Interiors in North Providence, now in its 75th year, serves as a one-stop destination for all things fabric.

His son and current owner, Alan Frances, never developed a resume or went to a job interview, his life instead spent surrounded

by reams of fabric. Frances loves finding antiques and restoring their former beauty. For those who can make the investment, he advises that higher quality furniture is worth it in the long run. “You’re going to buy the same $1,000 piece five times,” in the next 20 years, Frances gauges.

Today’s “fast furniture,” though inexpensive, is made of materials that are unlikely to last more than five years, Francis estimates, but a quality constructed piece of furniture is worth the investment of

reupholstering. A vast selection of fabrics allows almost any piece of furniture to keep pace with design trends.

Fast furniture makes up about 5 percent of the nation’s total trash annually, about 12 million tons, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, up from 9 million tons in 2015 and up 450 percent since 1960. Constructed to be discarded within a short time, the variety of materials used – a mix of wood, metal, foam, and fabric – makes it almost impossible to recycle or repair.

Photo courtesy of Bob Frances Interiors

Alan Frances holds up old stu ng from a stripped down couch waiting for a new cover

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Daycare dogs get upwards of 60K steps per day while having safe, supervised fun.

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If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to choosing fabrics to refresh your textiles, Karen Rhoda, owner of Fabric Gallery in North Kingstown, shares some advice.

TIMELESS CHARM

“Rhode Islanders are interested in upholstery fabrics that are timeless and provide warmth and character in the rooms of their homes,” says Rhoda. With bolts of solid and patterned fabric to browse at the store and hundreds of books with more styles, the team at Fabric Gallery can help you find the perfect choice to fit your decor.

FABRIC FOR LIFE

“Many of today’s fabrics are stain treated so that spills bead up on the fabric and can be wicked off. If the fabric is not already treated, we can provide treatment for the fabric, making it very durable for easy living.”

PICTURE PERFECT

Start by bringing a photo of the piece you would like to have redone to the shop. “Measurements are helpful, too,” advises Rhoda. “We’re glad to work with a client at any time during our shop hours.”

The word “upholstery” originally comes from “upholder,” which translates to furniture rebuilder. Craftspeople like upholsters, carrying on the textile heritage of the area, provide alternative options to contributing to the landfill, with shops specializing in the service all over the state.

Former art teacher Kris Stamps joined her sister Betsy Convery in her East Greenwich shop, Sew Many Things, in 1992. Family members taught them how to create

from fabric, and Convery opened the shop in 1977 as a catch-all for her many talents with needle and thread. Stamps added her upholstery talents and artistic bent and took over when Convery retired.

Stamps shares that it’s sentimental pieces families can’t part with, loyal repeat customers, and word of mouth referrals that have kept the shop consistently busy for years. There’s also a strong interest in remaking furniture in the younger generation. Whether diving into

Betsy Convery and Kris Stamps of Sew Many Things show samples of the many fabric choices available at the shop

Photo by Lucille Benoit

area antique shops or second-hand stores, “They enjoy the hunt,” says Stamps.

For Gerald Emin, owner of his namesake upholstery shop in North Scituate, his main tool is a can-do attitude, inherited from his father and grandfather. He relishes the challenge of solving puzzles and has his forebears’ penchant for perfection. “I have stick-to-itiveness,” he surmises.

From inspecting mattresses to repairing furniture, Emin went on to work with

a master furniture refinisher, who encouraged him to start his own business – and there’s no challenge Emin won’t accept when it comes to upholstering. “It served me well that I couldn’t say no,” he says. His relationships with designers have provided a consistent stream of work over 30 years, and he’s taken on projects as big as panels in the sports betting area of Encore, Boston’s new casino. Showing the scars on his

hands from slips using the trade’s cutting tools, Emin admits, “It can be a grind.”

Marc Carriere, whose short days are often 10-hour shifts, could use more hands on deck at Carriere’s Upholstery & Refinishing Co. in Woonsocket. He learned the trade from his cousin Leo Carriere and then took over the firm. Often tackling large commercial jobs, one of Carriere’s most memorable projects was

reupholstering the walls of the John Hay Library at Brown University under heavy security to protect the library’s collection of rare books, manuscripts, and archives. His latest project, six months in the works, was reupholstering the almost 1,100 seats in the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket. Carriere thankfully had family to help remove and reinstall the seats to their precise location in the theater, which were last redone

Gerry Emin sits among the pieces of one of his shop’s latest projects

Photo by Lucille Benoit

UPCYCLE WITH UPHOLSTERY

Ready to leave that loveseat? Let a pro give it a mod makeover. Here’s how to find the businesses mentioned in this article.

Bob Frances Interiors

North Providence, BobFrances.com

Carriere’s Upholstery & Refinishing Co. Woonsocket, 769-1952

Fabric Gallery

North Kingstown, FabricGalleryRI.com

Gerald D Emin Upholstery

North Scituate, 647-2909

Kreatelier

Providence, Kreatelier.com

Sew Many Things

East Greenwich, SewManyThings.net

in 2002 when inmates at the Adult Correctional Institutions reupholstered and refinished the wooden arms as part of an ongoing program teaching the trade.

Belgium native and former intensive care nurse Line Daems opened Kreatelier, her fabric concept store, when she moved to Rhode Island. “It’s all about fabric,” Daems says. People are very conscious of sustainability, which has served her East

Side store well. Her nine upholsters take project orders that are designed in house.

Originally downtown, in its 16 years, the Providence shop has only grown, recently expanding into an adjoining portion of their building on Hope Street. Kreatelier aims to make interior decorating more available and less intimidating. Free consultations and a welcoming showroom invite anyone to come in

Lucille Benoit

Marc Carriere reinstalls seats he reupholstered at the Stadium Theatre

Photo by Lucille Benoit

simply for inspiration, and will take on projects as big as a full living room set or as small as a custom pillow made with a swatch from grandma’s stash.

Another heavy emphasis for Daems is on using and reusing everything. Her fabric remnants become gift bags, wallpaper ends become envelopes, and she gives remnants away

to Rhode Island School of Design students. Though business is brisk in most upholstery shops, what has dwindled are people interested in learning and preserving the craft. Stamps, who doesn’t have an upholster in training to take over Sew Many Things when she retires, predicts, “This is going to be a lost art.”

But the craftspeople who remain preserve the vestiges of deep-rooted textile history by teaching the public about sustainability and durability, even turning down jobs they don’t believe would have a lasting, highquality end product. “I try to educate people as to why it’s better to buy an heirloom piece,” Emin says. “It’s an investment.”

The sta of Kreatelier

Photo courtesy of Kreatelier

For October Fall

SO MANY LOCAL ACTIVITIES TO FILL YOUR MONTH WITH FUN

BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,” muses Anne Shirley, L.M. Montgomery’s endearing character in the classic novel Anne of Green Gables . While written well over 100 years ago, that phrase continues to be popular with fans of the tenth month. So why all the fuss about October? Along with closing with Halloween, it’s the month with the first frost of the year, which means the peskiest insects have left the building, nights are consistently cool enough to open the windows for the best sleeps of the year, and, of course, the foliage dazzles with the brightest orange and red hues of the year. We’ve compiled a list of the season’s best events, including watching gigantic pumpkins get weighed in Richmond, seeing witches dancing in Wickford, gathering around a bonfire in Misquamicut, and much more. SO get ready to circle, highlight, and dog-ear pages, and enjoy experiencing all the things that make October so special.

FROM THE EDITORS

Please note that all events are subject to change. To avoid disappointment, we recommend first checking with any host venue for any details, restrictions, rain dates, and cancellations. For any ongoing restrictions visit COVID.RI.gov. If we missed your favorite event or activity, let us know! Email Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com

Photo by Corey Favino, courtesy of Discover Newport

ONGOING EVENTS

BLOCK ISLAND GHOST TOURS: Follow a “ghost host” on a one-mile walking tour, held twice daily and filled with folklore, ghost stories, and tales of true crime. Tour includes a flashlight, sticker, and merch discount. BlockIslandGhostTours.com

FALL FOLIAGE TOURS: Experience changing leaves from the vantage point of a kayak with guided paddles through shallow, freshwater environments. Tours begin at the Bradford Boat Ramp. KayakCentre.com

FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL: It’s fun on the farm at The Farmer’s Daughter. Enjoy hayrides, a pumpkin dunk tank, corn maze, scavenger hunt, barrel train, and more. Weekends September 23-October 29, South Kingstown, TheFarmersDaughterRI.com

FESTIVAL FARM: Weekends during fall mean kids’ pony rides and hayrides pulled by an antique tractor. The on-site Country Store is stocked with treats and sundries. Of course, there’s decorative corn, pumpkins, apples, maple syrup, and more. Hope Valley, FestivalFarmRI.com

FIELD NIGHTS AT WHALERS: Head to Whalers Brewing Company to enjoy a drink and the handcrafted gems of Field of Artisans’ vendors. Thursdays September 28-October 26, South Kingstown, FieldOfArtisans.com

THE GENERAL’S MARKET: This new incarnation of the oldest continually operating flea market in Rhode Island features an array of handcrafted goods, vintage finds, and more, curated by Field of Artisans. Weekends through October 8, Charlestown, FieldOfArtisans.com

SEASIDE SHADOWS GHOST TOURS: Do you believe in ghosts? Seaside Shadows shares stories of Westerly’s deadly shipwrecks, cursed pirate treasure, and witches while exploring the historic architecture. Westerly, SeasideShadows.com

WESTERLY LAND TRUST EVENTS: Find a range of programming for kids and adults all month long, mostly held outdoors at nearby preserves. WesterlyLandTrust.org

WICKFORD ART ASSOCIATION: See themed, juried art on view at From Ordinary to Extraordinary, a selection of photography on view October 6-November 5. WickfordArt.org

Photo (top) by Christine Chitnis. (bottom) courtesy of Seaside Shadows Ghost Tours

The Farmer's Daughter

A Seaside Shadows Ghost Tour of Westerly

OCTOBER MUST-DOS

A MONTH OF FESTIVE FALL FUN AWAITS!

October 1

HOBBIT HOUSE PHOTO OP: The Preserve’s Hobbit House™ opens for pumpkin-filled photographic opportunities! Richmond, PreserveASpot.com

THRILLER PANEL WITH DEBORAH GOODRICH ROYCE: Enjoy wine and light bites while thriller panelists discuss their latest books, writing process, and genre; hosted by Ocean House's own bestselling thriller author. Watch Hill, OceanHouseEvents.com

October 1, 8

RI GROWN FARMERS MARKET: Set the alarm because there are only two Sunday mornings to go for this popular outdoor market held at Fisherman’s Memorial State Park. Narragansett, DEM.RI.gov

October 3

ANNUAL FALL GOLF TOURNAMENT: Sign up to tee off in this annual fundraiser for the East Greenwich Little League now in year 14, scramble format at the Cranston Country Club. EastGreenwichChamber.com

October 6-9

ATLANTIS RISING: Return to the beach for the International Sand Sculpture Competition, Atlantis Rising. A drone show, food trucks, and live music promise buckets of fun. Westerly, SouthCountyRI.com

October 7

CRANBERRY THANKSGIVING: Celebrate Indigenous culture and lifeways with a ceremony, storytelling, music, games, crafts, and an Indigenous Arts Market, held outdoors, rain or shine, at SK Land Trust . Matunuck, TomaquagMuseum.org

FUNGAL FORAY: Explore the Wahaneeta Preserve on this guided event led by the RI Mycological Society, where you’ll wander the woods to uncover and discuss fungal biodiversity. WesterlyLandTrust.org

Photo (top) courtesy of The Preserve, (bottom) courtesy of Atlantis Rising

Hobbit House at The Preserve

Atlantis Rising at Misquamicut Beach

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PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF & FALL FESTIVAL: Pasquale Farms Garden Center is excited to host the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Growers event (previously in Warren). See giant gourds and their proud growers, plus activities including a pumpkin smash, hay rides, kids’ activities, music, food, and more. Richmond, PasqualeFarmsRI.com

RUN FOR THE PUMPKINS TRAIL RUN: Run a classic 5K or up the distance with a new 10K offering, held at Bradford Preserve, part of the Westerly Track & Athletic Club’s Fall Race Series. Free kids’ 1K follows the main event. WesterlyTrackClub.org

WAKEFIELD OKTOBERFEST: Don your dirndl or lederhosen and grab a stein for a full day of food, drink, and live entertainment on three stages, held the same night as the final Riverfire of the year. Wakefield, ContemporaryTheaterCompany.com

YANKEE STEAM-UP: Sparks fly during the region’s oldest steam engine show for model makers, engineers, and history bu s at the New England Wireless & Steam Museum, with live music by CruisinBruce, as well as food and beverages. East Greenwich, NEWSM.org

October 13

FRIDAY THE 13TH SPOOKY HARBOR

LIGHTS: Village shops and restaurants stay open while the harbor is aglow with a mini water fire, plus live music, food trucks, free face painting, balloon twisting, and henna applications; rain date is October 20. Wickford, Facebook: I Love Wickford Village

October 14

ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE: Head over to Frosty Drew Observatory as they open their campus to view this spectacular partial solar eclipse. Charlestown, FrostyDrew.org

GERMAN FESTIVAL: Enjoy Oktoberfest by the sea when Wickford transforms into a German village with folk music, vendors, authentic foods, and a beer garden serving up local craft brews. Wickford, Facebook: I Love Wickford Village

GUY FAWKES BONFIRE NIGHT: The Misquamicut Players reenact Monty Python’s parody of Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up Parliament in 1605. A bonfire will set the stage for this comedic night at The Windjammer. Misquamicut, Facebook: Windjammer Surf Bar RI

FALL FEELS

5 Ways to Make the Most of October

SLOW DOWN: Prime leaf-peeping spots might be closer than you think. On your next drive or errand, set your mapping app to “avoid highways” – a nice way to slow down and enjoy roads less traveled.

STOCK UP: Farm stands and farmers markets have di erent end dates, so if you pass by an “open” flag, be sure to stop and shop for small-batch favorites like local honey, preserves, and of course, produce.

GAME DAY: Have fun rooting for the home team by attending a URI football game. On October 7, the Rams play the Bears at Brown Stadium on the East Side of Providence. Don your blue and represent. Rhody, Rhody, Rhody! Tickets at GoRhody.com

NOW SERVING: Don’t miss seasonal pop-ups like Jamestown’s Hard-Pressed Cider Company, which sells fresh cider donuts and non-alcoholic “sweet” apple cider, hot mulled cider, and cider slushies, only ‘til mid-December. HardPressedCiderCompany.com

MAKE STRIDES: Grab your Barbie pink and sign up for the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event, held on October 15 in PVD. Participate solo or join or start a team for a day of celebrating and raising funds. ACSEvents.org

Photo (top) courtesy of Discover Newport. (bottom) courtesy of Westerly Track Club

Treats from Hard-Pressed Cider Company

Run for the Pumpkins Trail Run

OKTOBERVETS 5K: This fundraiser for veteran transitional housing o ers fun for all with a 5K and .152K fun run through Wickford Village. All race participants will be given a T-shirt, race medal, and swag bag. North Kingstown, VFW152.org

SCARECROWS AT THE PIER: The challenge is on to build the best scarecrow at this event now in its 10th year. Food and music are all part of the afternoon. NarragansettRI.gov

SPOOKTACULAR & KID’S CRAFT DAY: The Fayerweather Craft Guild has planned an enjoyable day of hands-on Halloween art projects, along with demos, activities, treats, and a craft fair. South Kingstown, FayerweatherCraftGuild.com

October 14-15

HOPARTS STUDIO TRAIL: Hopkinton and Richmond artists and artisans open their studios to the public for the weekend, o ering demonstrations, details of their craft, and work for sale. Learn more on page 56. Hopkinton and Richmond, HopArts.org

MANFREDI FARMS HARVEST FEST: Barrel train rides, hayrides, a petting zoo, local vendors, and pumpkins galore are all part of the second annual event that checks all the boxes for a fall day of family fun. Westerly, Facebook: 2nd Annual Manfredi Farm’s Harvest Fest

October

15

CITIZENS PELL BRIDGE RUN: The four-mile road race and walk is the only day of the year pedestrians are permitted to cross the famous Newport Pell Bridge. The all-ages and all-speeds fundraiser starts in Jamestown at 7:15am and finishes in downtown Newport. PellBridgeRun.com

DRESS REHEARSAL & BLING YOUR BROOM: Participants of the RI Witches Guild Witch’s Dance Parade will gather at 10am at NK Community Center to learn the Witch’s Dance and embellish brooms and hats for the upcoming parade. North Kingstown, RIWitchesGuild.com

October 21

PUMPKIN FESTIVAL: This popular event held at Kinney Bungalow will have hayrides through Sunset Farms, bouncy houses, a DJ spinning spooky tunes, face painting, pumpkin painting, and so much more! NarragansettRI.gov

Photo (top) courtesy of HopArts, (bottom) courtesy of Narragansett Chamber of Commerce

Post O ce Studio, HopArts Studio Trail

Pumpkin Festival at Kinney Bungalow

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: See the cult classic on the big screen (note: rated R) with performers RKO Army, who shadowcast the film with costumes and props (things can get messy), and also perform to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller." East Greenwich, GreenwichOdeum.com

WITCH’S DANCE PARADE: Last year’s parade brought over 2,500 spectators with 483 witches strutting their stu , leading to some changes to accommodate crowds. There will be a different route (Brown Street lot, Hussey Bridge, Beach Street to town pavilion), shuttles, tickets for shaded seating, and a Roll + Glow brigade for bikes, scooters, etc.; rain date is October 22. Wickford, RIWitchesGuild.com

WITCH’S BALL: The “O” Club is the setting for this first-ever evening of witchy revelry, with costumes, small bites and cash bar, entertainment by Ten31 Productions and Providence Drum Troupe, belly dancing, tarot card readings, henna, and more. North Kingstown, RIWitchesGuild.com

October 21-22

WEST BAY OPEN STUDIOS: Meander through North Kingstown, Warwick, and East Greenwich for a self-guided tour of artists in various mediums, and their maker spaces. WestBayOpenStudios.com

October 22

ANNUAL WITCHES PADDLE: Calling all witches, goblins, and ghouls! Watch or be part of the spectacular news-making paddle around Wickford Harbor and costume contest with prizes. Registration required. Wickford, KayakCentre.com

October 26

SPOOKY SIP N STROLL: Wickford takes on all the Stars Hollow feels as village shops and eateries stay open late for the Spooky Sip N Stroll and Scarecrow Contest. Our own editor in chief Elyse Major will be among this year’s judges. Wickford, Facebook: I Love Wickford Village

October 27

SPOOKY VIEWS – A HALLOWEEN STARGAZING EXPERIENCE: This after-dark event promises peeks at dying stars, a kid-friendly storytime, scavenger hunt, and a broadcast of 1938’s War of the Worlds by Orson Wells (which terrified listeners at the time) at the Sky Theater. Candy will be available throughout the night (Milky Ways, perhaps?). Charlestown, FrostyDrew.com

Photo (top) by Wild Tea Photography, (bottom) courtesy of Wickford Village Association

Witch's Dance Parade

Witches Paddle

FRIGHT NIGHTS

With Field of Screams taking time off, here our places across the state to get your scream on:

13TH WORLD Cumberland, 13thWorld.com

FACTORY OF TERROR

West Warwick, FactoryOfTerror.com

SCARY ACRES RI

Cranston, ScaryAcresRI.com

SEVEN CEDARS FARM

Smithfield, SevenCedarsFarm.us

SLATER PARK HAUNTED TUNNEL

Pawtucket, Facebook: Haunted Tunnel RI

October 29

CHILDREN’S HALLOWEEN PARTY CRUISE: All aboard for a costume contest, treats, and Halloween tunes as the cozy boat cruises across Narragansett Bay and into Newport Harbor. Jamestown, CoastalQueenCruises.com

MUSIC & DINNER ON THE FARM WITH BILL HARLEY: Experience a farm-fresh dinner served picnic-style while being entertained by two-time Grammy-winning singing storyteller Bill Harley. No dogs but babies under one attend free. East Greenwich, PatsPastured.com

SPOOKY HISTORIC WALK WITH TIM CRANSTON: Wickford’s town historian will lead a walk around the village. Details to be announced. Wickford, Facebook: I Love Wickford Village

October 31

TRICK-OR-TREATING: Participating shops and restaurants around Wickford Village participate in this event that caps Wicked Weeks. Facebook: I Love Wickford Village

Photo (top) courtesy of Slater Park Haunted Tunnel, (bottom) courtesy of Wickford Village Association

Costumed in Wickford

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Building Character

A couple trusts their instincts in creating a perfect home-cook’s kitchen

Sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants and for Bristol homeowners and home-cooks Chris Silva and Jason Conley, they wanted a kitchen built for cooking from scratch. This vision for their 1929 Dutch Colonial involved a bold structural change: an exposed ceiling. “This choice, which we insisted on from the beginning despite the construction complications it presented, served both aesthetic and functional purposes,” begins Silva. “In a small house, every square inch mattered, even in regard to height.”

The couple looked to RIKB Design Build of Warwick to make this joy-of-cooking kitchen work. Says Erika Pearson, design consultant, “They knew they wanted rustic wood finishes, decorative open storage, and a better layout, but needed help bringing everything together and navigating the construction. They recognized that a typical cookie-cutter kitchen wouldn’t make them happy, and they were looking for a firm that could do something more creative and tailored to their style.”

Photos by ImageTen - Jamie Harrington, courtesy of RIKB Design Build

“Initially, we started by tackling the layout,” says Pearson, who explains that any time walls are knocked down in a kitchen, it can become challenging to find enough space for the cabinetry and appliances; adding to that challenge was two di erent ceiling heights which required careful planning to make sure appliances would clear the space. “We had to spend a bit more time sourcing some of the products, particularly the open shelving, the display niche, and the decorative hood. We went o the beaten path to find these items and even found a craftsman on Etsy who could provide reclaimed wood in the exact sizes we needed, so our project manager could assemble the niche on site to our specifications.”

Photos by ImageTenJamie Harrington, courtesy of RIKB Design Build

Other modifications to the kitchen included exposed shelving, glass-front cabinetry, and a spice rack wall, which keeps frequently used essentials within reach while adding a dash of visual interest. “The hanging cookware, fruit and vegetable baskets, cookbooks, and shelving all serve a similar function. We didn’t want to hide the function of the kitchen; we wanted to showcase it!” says Silva with a palpable glee. “Raising the drywall ceiling, we had inherited an exposed beam ceiling that increased the room’s height by a foot, almost two feet at the pinnacle of the south nook! This new kitchen was the final piece to a decade-long puzzle. It makes us smile every day.”

Refinished original beams create nooks to hang drying herbs and cookware

Photos by ImageTenJamie Harrington, courtesy of RIKB Design Build

“The homemade BRISTOL sign reflects both our home town and our family,” says Silva

GET RHODY STYLE

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

BEYOND WORDS

“The Rhode Island setting has inspired the coastal cottage style, the color palette, and even some art accents like the BRISTOL sign in the spice rack wall. Jay made that sign years ago, piecing together locally bought letter blocks and nautical flag elements. The flags in the finished sign (S and C) stand for Silva-Conley.”

EXPLORE BRISTOL

When the Silva-Conley clan, which includes their young twins, go out to eat, they enjoy Bristol Oyster Bar, Bywater, Waterdog, and Beehive Pantry, and for shopping for new old treasures, it’s Epilogues.

SILVA LININGS

“Let the beauty and history of the area inspire you while still catering to your taste and aesthetic. Find what you respond positively to and what makes you happy; don’t get bullied by the trend du jour,” says Silva.

BUILD LOCAL

RIKB Design Build has a 3,000-square-foot design center filled with full-size vignettes, and the latest trends in appliances, countertops, cabinetry hardware, tile, plumbing, lighting, and more. They also hold complimentary remodeling seminars. Learn more at RIKB.com or call 401-463-1550.

Photos by ImageTenJamie Harrington, courtesy of RIKB Design Build

Maker Spaces

Self-guided tour encourages community building with studio hopping from Ashaway to Wyoming

“HopArts has always been a relaxing and lovely drive to discover new artists and reconnect with favorites,” says Barbara Capalbo, an event sponsor of the grassroots arts organization’s annual Studio Trail event, held this year October 14-15 at locations in Ashaway, Carolina, Hope Valley, Richmond, Rockville, and Wyoming. “Take a picnic lunch or find a small cafe, wander the artists’ galleries, ask questions, buy presents, or just admire their creations. HopArts is a calm island in a busy life.”

Now in year 17, this free, self-guided driving tour winds its way through Hopkinton, Richmond, and the surrounding vicinity and villages, bringing patrons into the studios

and workspaces of nearly 30 participating local and visiting artists working in various mediums, from weaving and quilting to painting, pottery, and more. In its first year 15 artists opened their homes and studios to the public, and thanks to great press and high attendance, that number doubled by the next year; one studio owner recorded about 450 visitors over the weekend.

“I look forward to this every year,” says Hopkinton resident Norbet Ansay, Jr. “We have so many artists in the area that create amazing work. It’s a privilege to be able to watch demonstrations of their techniques and discuss their creative process. I have collected artworks for myself as well as

gifts for the holidays.”

“I feel truly honored to be part of the studio trail,” says Sherri Desjardins, a selftaught painter working in oil and cold wax, who conducts paint and sip classes at her Village Place Studio & Gallery in Hope Valley. “Being on the trail has been wonderful. I have sold many pieces and gained exposure to a new audience.”

Among the many highlights of each day is visiting the properties, some of which have interesting pasts. Joyce Ho man is a fiber artist who operates her studio out of the old Rockville Post O ce. She bought the rundown building in 2013 from Narragansett Tribal Elder Eleanor Dove. “I still have the

Joyce Hoffman’s Post Office Studio

Photos by Faye Pantazopoulos

EXPLORE MORE

Did you know that Hopkinton was named for Stephen Hopkins, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and that the town hall is located in Hopkinton City, a former stagecoach hub. Like many towns in Little Rhody, Hopkinton comprises many villages formed from mills on rivers, ready to add to your fall drives list: Ashaway, Barberville, Bethel, Bradford, Burdickville, Canonchet, Centerville, Hope Valley, Hopkinton City, Locustville, Moscow, Rockville, South Hopkinton, Woodville, and Yawgoog.

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Hoffman explores color combinations at the weaving loom

post o ce boxes inside. Many people stop in and remember it as a post o ce and little general store,” says Ho man who uses the space for weaving, macrame, and knitting. “The space does have electricity and heat but no running water, only the brook outside which flows down from Wincheck Pond.”

“We have a lot of really nice people come,” Hoffman says of the event. “We

serve refreshments and conduct a raffle. I’ll raffle off a piece of my weaving, and my friend Christine Davidson, an acrylic paint pouring artist, will raffle off a painting.”

“Being part of the HopArts Studio Trail for the past 10 years has been wonderful,” says quilter Barbara Murphy, who welcomes folks to her Captivating Notions Studio, a former garage, on Main Street in Hope Valley. “The

artists involved are a diverse and talented group and their enthusiasm is contagious.”

“HopArts continues to grow and build community by promoting the arts and supporting local artists,” says Marci Redinger, HopArts Board of Directors president. “I’m proud to be a part of this organization and excited to have six new artists join us this year.” For maps and additional information, visit HopArts.org

Photo by Faye Pantazopoulos

By Faye Pantazopoulos

Cell phone purses hang over antique post office boxes

Pink is the New Orange Rhody shops have what you need to embrace your inner Barbie this season

Who knew that a movie about a fashion doll experiencing an existential crisis would become a global phenomenon?

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Food & Drink

in the kitchen | recipe | food news

SWEET HARVESTS

October at this Richmond farm and sugarhouse means pumpkin picking and syrup sampling

On the woodsy stretch of Gardiner Road in Richmond – which is sure to be bursting with orange and russet leaves this time of season – Spring Hill Sugar House is a flurry of fall activity. Inside the rustic-looking farmstand are shelves and refrigerators stocked with local honey, jugs of apple cider (and donuts), gourds, and johnny cake meal produced on the farm, but Spring Hill is best known for their maple syrup operation. What began in 1980 with farmer Gibby Fountain purchasing spirals at a hardware store to tap some trees on their property – producing 200 buckets that first year – has grown into 3,000 taps and a tubing system yielding 40 gallons of genuine maple syrup on a good season.

“The farm is about family and tradition. We want to remain current but not commercialized,” says Gibby and Ginny Fountain’s daughter Erin Liese, who runs the retail end of Spring Hill Sugar House (where it’s cash or check only), along with helping to organize the annual corn maze, fall pumpkin varieties, and crop monitoring, putting to use her degree in plant science from the University of Rhode Island. The family also includes Liese’s husband Kyle and son Travis who work on harvesting and producing the apple cider.

While there’s never a wrong season to stock up on maple syrup, during fall the farm is host to seasonal attractions drawing families and autumn-lovers. “Our customers can go right out to the field and pick the pumpkin from the vine where it was grown,” shares Liese, or shop for pumpkins and decorative gourds in bushel baskets surrounding the farmstand.

The corn maze and fields are open through October 31 on weekdays from 12-4:30pm, weekends and Columbus Day 10am-4:30pm, and the store closes at 5pm daily. Pro-tip: check back in March for on-site syrup demonstrations. 522 Gardiner Road, Richmond, Facebook: Spring Hill Sugar House | By Abbie Lahmers

Photo courtesy of Spring Hill Sugar House

Cafe Society

Craft cocktails from an arts-forward bar and restaurant are a love letter to Westerly

DINNER AND A SHOW

Drawing thousands of film, arts, and theater lovers – locals and out-of-towners alike – The United collaborates with The Café to bring guests a curated arts-centric experience.

“We’re trying to get the word out that Westerly is a great place to be on a Friday night,” says Cotter. “So many people still don’t know it, and even if they don’t come to The Café, if they go somewhere else in Westerly, that’s fine because Stephen’s busy enough!”

Find a lineup of shows at UnitedTheatre.org.

If a cocktail at The Café is one act in a play, with a cast of hyper-local ingredients starring in each and the stage set for an enchanting night out, the story being told can only be a homage to Westerly. The bar and restaurant is a collaboration with non-profit arts center The United Theatre, so this analogy isn’t a reach – nods to current productions often find their way onto the menu – but it’s the real-life stories of the town thoughtfully teased into some of The Café’s beverages that keep locals coming back.

“Food and drink are the canvas that we paint on, but we’re really in the business of people, whether that’s our sta , our guests, anybody that walks through our doors – we try to meet them where they are and elevate their day,” says manager Stephen Corrigan. Owners Chuck Royce and Dan King opened The Café during early winter of 2021, in the grips of the Omicron variant of COVID, but that didn’t keep Corrigan from his commitment to intentionality, exceptionality, and balance.

“We have quite a distinct look and feel here

at The Café. It’s sort of a golden era Hollywood type of bistro where stars are treated like locals and locals are treated like stars,” Corrigan continues. He gestures to the art on the walls, classic ambiance of the interior, and everyday life of downtown Westerly buzzing just beyond the window, his enthusiasm palpable. For a man who devises new cocktail ideas while stuck in tra c on I-95 and sourced artisan crystal-like ice for the I Can See Clearly Now series of perfectly clear beverages beckoning spring, Corrigan’s overseeing of The Café is kismet.

Golden era Hollywood vibes inside The Café

Photo by Josh Behan, courtesy of The Café

For more information or to donate, please visit our website CorysCrusaders.org

Working alongside bar supervisors Virginia Graham and Kylie Sarosi, Corrigan brings a drink program that’s “creative but not simply for the sake of being creative” and poses each new libation against the classics. “We always try to bring it back and say, ‘does this fit what we’re doing here? Does it make sense within the context of The Café?’” he explains.

It only follows that Corrigan, originally from the Hudson River Valley area of New York, would take his first encounter with soupy – the soppressata of Westerly legends – and make a cocktail out of it. With recipes brought over from Italy, soupy is a tradition that Tim Cotter of the United Theatre is familiar with. “Everybody gets together with big jugs of wine and they spend hours making this sausage and then cure it by hanging it from the rafters in the basement because the temperature’s perfect and it hardens and cures. Around Easter, they break it out and everybody gives away their soupy to their friends,” Cotter explains.

“I thought, how do we make the most iconic Westerly cocktail ever?” says Corrigon, whose soupy pilgrimage brought him

to Dipper’s Packing, where Michael Dipollino gave him uncured sausage to experiment with. Corrigan had the idea to fat-wash it with bourbon, a process of combining any fat with any spirit, letting it sit refrigerated until the fat separates, and then straining it through co ee filters to remove any oiliness, essentially creating an infusion.

After a few tries, he and the bar team found a winner that even garnered praise from Governor Dan McKee when he paid a visit. Calling on a classic, Dipper’s Sipper is a play on an Old Fashioned. “It’s got a little spice, and you get that little bit of sweetness from the sugar,” he explains, “then the citrus of the orange bitters and spice from the soupy start to come through on the finish.”

Through his unofficial Rhode Island schooling, Corrigan also turned the state drink into a cocktail – the Little Rhody is a boozy coffee milk using Dave’s Coffee Syrup, espresso beans, vanilla-infused vodka, and milk.

Cocktail masterminds Virginia Graham, manager Stephen Corrigan, and Kylie Sarosi

Each libation on the menu is developed with care

Photos by Josh Behan, courtesy of The Café

RHODY IN THE DETAILS

A handful of the local businesses The Café sources to elevate their beverage program.

ITALIAN SOUPY

Dipper’s Packing Co., Westerly

INFUSED VINEGARS

Capizzano’s Oils & Vinegars, Pawcatuk, CT

FRESH GINGER JUICE

High Tide Juice Co., Westerly

ARTISAN ICE

Art in Ice, Warwick

HOUSE VERMOUTH (cardamom pods, wormwood, and other spices)

Herbwise Botanical, Westerly

COFFEE SYRUP

Dave’s Coffee, Charlestown

Much like a visit to the theater, other drinks inspire escapism. An espresso martini with chicory coffee is a trip to Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter, and, nodding to a gallery show that ran through last month featuring the works of Barbara Shermund, a Dorothy Parker-inspired martini-esque cocktail.

Corrigan credits the energy, talent, and collaboration of his bar team, front-ofhouse manager Lisa Christina, and executive chef Brandon Gale to carry out The Café’s refined vision. “I have this incredible team. I consider myself the luckiest man in Rhode Island,” says Corrigan with a laugh. “And I say it over the bar every night. It’s a real privilege. This town is something really special and so we really try to celebrate it.”

O the Cob

A corn and poblano pepper chowder summons the season with fall harvests

As the air cools down and the leaves begin to change colors, we also flip the page on summer’s cool fruit salads and turn to warm chowders. Though Rhode Island’s history is steeped in traditional clam chowder –and everyone has their strong feelings in favor of clear or creamy iterations – this warming soup recipe takes advantage of a crop of the land rather

CORN CRAWL

A visit to any local farmers market almost guarantees the availability of corn this season, but why not take advantage of the crisp air and scenic drives by going straight to the source? Here’s a handful of farms where you’re likely to find fresh cobs for sale – though it never hurts to call or check online to confirm availability and hours.

Brandon Family Farm

West Kingston

Carpenter’s Farm Stand

Wakefield

Hallene Farm

Exeter

Manfredi Farms

Westerly

Morris Farm

Warwick

Sunset Farm

Narragansett

Tockwotton Farm

North Kingstown

than sea. Farm-fresh corn isn’t hard to come by throughout fall, and the addition of poblano chilis adds a satisfying kick to this creamy chowder featuring potatoes, feta cheese, cilantro, and other wholesome ingredients. While dusting o your warm sweaters and fave pumpkin spice latte mug for fall, be sure to add this savory soup to your weekly meal rotation.

Poblano Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tsp and 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 2 poblano chilies, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded

• 5 cups fresh corn kernels

• 2 small onions, peeled and chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic presser

• 7 cups chicken broth

• 1 pound of potatoes, peeled and cubed into ½ -inch cubes

• ½ cup half and half

• 2 Tbsp cilantro, minced plus more for garnish

• 1 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice

• ½ cup feta cheese

• Scallions, chopped

• 1 tsp salt, divided, plus more to taste

• Crusty sourdough bread

Photo by Liz Murray

STEPS

1. Preheat the oven broiler to 500ºF. Carefully cut the corn off of the cob by placing a small bowl upside down in a larger bowl and holding the corn on top of the upside-down bowl while running a knife down the kernels. The kernels will fall into the larger bowl.

2. Toss the poblano peppers in 1 teaspoon of olive oil and place them skin side up on a baking sheet. Toss the corn kernels in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt, then spread them on the other side of the baking sheet. Broil for 10-15 minutes until the peppers are blackened and the corn is beginning to brown.

3. While the poblanos and corn are cooking, heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot, then the chopped onions. Saute until they begin to become translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

4. When the poblanos and corn are done, remove them from the oven and take about half of the corn and set it aside.

5. Add the garlic to the onion pot and stir for 60 seconds before pouring in the broth, ½ teaspoon of salt, cubed potatoes, and half of the baked corn. Bring to a vigorous simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

6. Remove from heat and stir in half and half. Using a hand blender, mix the chowder until smooth. If you want a few potato chunks in the chowder, blend it a little less. Chop the poblanos into small pieces and add them to the pot, along with the leftover corn, cilantro, and lime juice.

7. Taste mixture for salt; the salinity of the broth that you use will determine how much is needed. I usually add at least ¾ teaspoon to the chowder.

8. Ladle the soup into bowls and evenly distribute the feta over the top. Sprinkle with extra cilantro, chopped green onion, and any leftover corn kernels. Serve with a crusty piece of sourdough bread and enjoy!

season 4

SUNDAYS AT 7PM

STARTING OCTOBER 1

ripbs.org

Discover the flavors of Rhode Island! From fresh seafood shacks to farm-to-table eateries, little Rhody o ers a diverse culinary landscape that caters to all tastes. Indulge in delicious seafood, global cuisines, and locally-inspired dishes, and experience the culinary richness of the Ocean State with a dining experience that will leave you craving for more.

MainStreet Coffee

137 Main Street, East Greenwich

401-885-8787 |

MainStreet-Co ee.com

Casual co ee house meets hip martini bar. Best Espresso Martinis in Rhode Island.

All Favorites Cafe

1678 Broad St, Cranston | 401-941-3550 allfavoritescafe.com |

A Breakfast/Lunch restaurant serving a mash up of Southern and French inspired flavors. Everything from French Toast to Cubanos.

The Coast Guard House Restaurant

40 Ocean Rd, Narragansett | 401-789-0700

thecoastguardhouse.com |

Waterfront dining - local raw bar, lobster, pasta, steak & seafood. Award-winning wine list. Dining rooms, bars, patio & deck.

Mambo Sushi

380 Atwells Ave, Providence

401-642-8439 |

mambosushiprovidence.com

Peruvian Flair to Asian Cuisine

CAV Restaurant

14 Imperial Place, Providence | 401 751-9164 CavRestaurant.com |

Bistro style Brunch and Lunch. Fine Dining Dinner.

Dave’s Fresh Marketplace

Ten Locations throughout Rhode Island

401-558-0190 |

davesmarketplace.com/WeeklySpecials

Made fresh daily in our kitchens - 60+ Take Out Options!

Marcelino’s Boutique Bar

1 W Exchange St, Providence | 401-666-0088

marcelinosboutiquebar.com |

Craft cocktail bar serving Mid-Terranean Fusion Mezze and World-Class Craft Cocktails | #ItsMarcelinos

Chelo’s Hometown Bar & Grille

8 locations across RI!

Chelos.com |

A Rhode Island staple since 1955! Fresh, homemade deliciousness in every bite.

El Paisa Restaurant Patio and Bar

598 Dexter Street, Central Falls 401-726-8864 | ElPaisa.com |

Since 1978, El Paisa Restaurant and Bar has served home-cooked, classic Colombian recipes and cocktails with great joy.

New Harvest Coffee & Spirits

10 Sims Ave, Providence | 401 438-1999

NewHarvestCo ee.com |

Our flagship cafe accentuates the journey from co ee seed to cup and the journey of grain to glass.

Rise ‘N Shine Coffee Bar

97 Holden St., Providence | 401 340-5112

@RiseNShineCo eeBar |

Espresso bar with organic co ee, signature drinks and fresh pastries located in historic 1858 Christopher Dodge Carriage House.

Slice of Heaven

32 Narragansett Ave. Jamestown 401-423-9866 | sliceofheavenri.com

| Serving breakfast, lunch and daily handcrafted pastries. Family and dog friendly with a great outdoor patio.

Tallulah’s Taqueria

Three Locations:

West End • Fox Point • Jamestown tallulahstaqueria.com |

Order by App, Online, or In-Store. Chicano Street Food...Rooted in Hospitality.

Twin Willows

865 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett 401-789-8153 | TwinWillowsRI.com |

Water-view dining with fresh lobsters & steamers served daily in this casual sports bar/restaurant.

The Kitchen recently opened inside the newly renovated Surf Shack Bed and Breakfast in Narragansett. The surfthemed restaurant, open Thursday through Monday from 5pm-9pm and until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, boasts an oceanside location, within walking distance to the beach that’s pure South County, although the cuisine isn’t your typical snack shack fare.

“We feature a French Polynesian menu,” says Sela Lutterbeck. “Our chef MoMo Camara, originally from Côte d’Ivoire in West

Africa, grew up in France and has a French cooking background.” The menu features specialty items with Asian-inspired notes, including Lobster Skillet Cornbread, Mochiko Cauliflower, Crispy Island Steamed Buns, and Huli-Huli Duck. Classic entrees like burgers, lobster rolls, and salads are also available. The restaurant is already popular among locals and tourists. “Lots of locals, Narragansett residents, were waiting for it to open. The owners are local and part of the community,” adds Lutterbeck. SurfShackNarragansett.com

A food truck’s permanent digs in Providence

A popular food truck is now serving customers from a brick-and-mortar location on Hope Street in Providence. Lotus Pepper dishes up Vietnamese cuisine including Fresh Summer Rolls, Fish Sauce Chicken Wings, rice and noodle bowls, and Banh Mi Vietnamese Sub sandwiches. Thang Huynh opened the restaurant with his mother Young, who grew up in Vietnam along the Mekong River.

“We started the food truck business in 2013,” says Huynh. “There weren’t that many Vietnamese food trucks or restaurants in Providence at the time. After 10 years, we gained a lot of followers on the East Side. That led us to move into a restaurant. We have a variety of items on the menu; banh mi is our best seller. So far, we have received a lot of positive feedback from customers. Our number one goal is to provide good food and great customer service.” Providence, LotusPepper.Square.Site

Newport restaurant puts the AI in pizza

There is a new member of the waitstaff at Antonio’s Pizza bringing a futuristic flare to the way slices and pies are served. Bruno the robot, along with fellow droids Tony and Antonia who work at other locations, serves mainly as back up during busy lunch and dinner hours, when the restaurant sees peak traffic. “The robot’s job is to assist the servers,” says general manager Derek Araujo. “Let’s say a guest orders six slices for their family in the self-serve area. Instead of having them come up six times for their slices, we can just put them on the robot, and send them out to the table.”

Bruno uses a finely tuned radar system and live camera, with a bus bucket attached, so he can clear tables as well. He plays music as he moves around the room, announcing his presence to staff and customers. Bruno is quite popular with patrons, especially younger diners. “So far, it’s been a lot of word of mouth,” adds Araujo. “People posting on social media. Kids absolutely adore the robot; they think it’s the coolest thing ever.” Newport, AntoniosPizza.com

French Polynesian cuisine with a surf theme in Narragansett

Photo courtesy of Surf Shack

South County Scenes

It’s pumpkin season at Clark Farms in Matunuck!

ABOUT LINDA

@ lll_images

Based in Westerly, I was born and raised in Newport. Photography has been a favorite hobby of mine since high school. I love to be outdoors, and over the past few years, I have developed an interest in photographing the natural beauty of our area.