East Side Monthly May 2019

LIVEOPEN Your best life begins with a home that inspires you.

M ULTI- FA MI LY

East Side

East Side 165 Prospect Street Sam Glicksman

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East Side 35 Rhode Island Avenue Taylor & Associates

75 Prospect Street Taylor & Associates

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East Side

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219 Blackstone Boulevard Benjamin Scungio

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East Side 20 Doane Avenue Taylor & Associates

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105 Galileo Avenue Benjamin Scungio

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Roz at 2019 Carpet Star awards; “Isis” by Roger Oates; “Kourion” by Stark Studio Rugs; interiors by Fred Roses, photographed by Kyle J Caldwell

RUSTIGIAN RUGS,

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The award caps Rustigian Rugs' almost ninety years of excellence in the rug and carpet trade, which all began when "Rusty" Rustigian first hung a modest shingle outside his Benefit Street home. Roz still lives there but moved the business in 1981 to its present showroom, a landmark neoclassical bank building at One Governor Street.

From the beginning Rustigian's earned its reputation for service and expertise, helping homeowners and designers select the perfect floor covering to suit their distinctive décor and the demands of daily living.

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Rustigian’s is Rhode Island’s exclusive dealer of Stark Studio Rugs, Roger Oates runners and other fine brands. A long-standing collaboration with Adler's Hardware enables both stores to blend the advantages of a metropolitan design center with Providence’s convenience and personal touch.

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CONTENTS

Photography by Wolf Matthewson

East Side Monthly • May 2019

10+ things you didn’t know you could do at Brown. (pg 31)

This Month

16 Meet the East Sider who was part of the team behind Childish Gambino’s biggest hit

31 BROWN FOR THE REST OF US 10+ things you didn’t know you could do at the Ivy League school

18 RIDOT introduces driverless shuttles to the streets of Providence

Every Month

20 Inside the East Side

6 Editorial

23 Rhody Gem: Bin 312 Wine Cellars goes above and beyond for their customers

News & Culture

Food & Drink 43 Flavor of the Month: Shake Shack brings its famous burgers to Thayer with a local twist 44 Food News: Inside a sweet shop with Syrian roots 47 Dining Guide

9 Give your garden some love with a locally made compost

25 Neighborhood News

51 Calendar: Events you can’t miss this month

10 New memoir details a surgeon’s 15,000+ open-heart surgeries

Life & Style

East Sider

37 Home of the Month: A Blackstone neighborhood Colonial gets a family-friendly update

58 Meet Alan Metnick, the multimedia artist now showing work at two galleries

12 Powerhouse actress Rose Weaver to be inducted into the RI Heritage Hall of Fame 14 Discover Year of the City, a multimedia, metro-wide celebration of Providence

On the Cover:

40 Education: How the Fuse program is building a fellowship among state educators

Learn what you can do beyond the gates at Brown. Photography by Wolf Matthewson

East Side Monthly • May 2019 5

EDITORIAL

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In communities like ours, where residential and institutional interests often collide, proverbial town-gown disputes are often difficult to avoid. That said, most of us who have lived here a while must admit that the friction seems to have been reduced from the old days. Sure, debate will continue on how much Brown should be contributing in terms of payment to the city in lieu of taxes, but there are encouraging signs of improvement. Their recent willingness to move the site of their new performing arts center (at great cost, by the way) to avoid demolishing five historic buildings and ruining the visual drive up Angell Street is one such example.

May is an especially important month for the University. Graduation weekend celebrates both their graduating seniors and their returning alums and is filled with pageantry: the Campus Dance on Friday, the reunion activities and dinners on Saturday, and, of course, the thrice-a-year opening of Van Winkle Gates and subsequent march down the hill on Sunday. Together, they arguably make for one of the most attractive, and, dare we say, moving graduation ceremonies in the country.

So it seems appropriate to us as good neighbors to use this month’s cover story to share some of the wonderful options one of the country’s top universities makes possible. We list well over a dozen things to see and do that perhaps you’re not even aware of. Some are freebies too.

But all provide something unique for us neighbors to enjoy.

One of our favorites takes place on Saturday morning of graduation. That’s when some of the returning alums, most of whom are renowned in their respective fields, present individual lectures on campus that are free and open to the public as part of the weekend celebration. It’s a wonderful gift Brown makes to its neighbors, one that we often overlook. Another gift comes complements of Mother Nature, because Providence never looks more picturesque than it does at the end of May. So, we urge our readers to take advantage of our good fortune to be in a college town as robust as ours. Enjoy Brown in May. Stick around and sample RISD in June. It’s difficult to imagine how boring life would be here without them both.

Letters To Editor

Complimentary Cut WITH ANY COLOR SERVICE

461 ANGELL ST. (WAYLAND SQUARE)

457-5000 | GREENPROSE.COM 6

East Side Monthly • May 2019

To the editor: Thanks for this chance to publish a public farewell to the staff at Rite Aid on East Avenue. Walgreens acquired and closed the store, dispensing Diane, Debbie, Irina and the other employees to various locations.

For the 23 years that our family has lived on the East Side, Rite Aid workers treated us with care and concern, while also following the births, graduations and other milestones of our clan. When we arrived

in Providence in 1996, the store was called Brooks. But no matter the name, we received a consistently warm and assistive experience. Thank you Rite Aid friends for the vital goods and services and the community value that you brought to the neighborhood. Good fortune to all of you going forward.

Scott Turner Burlington Street, Providence

East Side Monthly Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

Media Director Jeanette St. Pierre

Executive Editor Barry Fain

City Editor Steve Triedman

Editor in Chief Elyse Major

Editor Megan Schmit

Staff Writer Robert Isenberg

Editor Lauren Vella

Art Director Nick DelGiudice

Associate Art Director Brandon Harmon

Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas

Graphic Designer Taylor Gilbert

Marketing Coordinator Kim Tingle

Choose A Boutique Real Estate Agency With Big Results W NE

T LIS

ALEEN WEISS $377,500

W NE

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100 EXCHANGE STREET #605, DOWNTOWN W NE

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7 LOWELL DRIVE, JOHNSTON

KAREN MILLER $128,500

W NE

NICOLE CHURCH $265,000

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Staff Photographer Savannah Barkley

301 FOUNTAIN STREET #D8, PAWTUCKET

Account Managers Shelley Cavoli Louann DiMuccio-Darwich Ann Gallagher

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17 LAWTON BROOK LANE, PORTSMOUTH

ALEEN WEISS $255,500

NICOLE CHURCH $359,900

ING ND PE

Kristine Mangan Olf Elizabeth Riel Dan Schwartz Stephanie Oster Wilmarth For advertising information email: Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com

54 HALSEY STREET #4, EAST SIDE Contributing Photographers Wolf Matthewson

Contributing Writers Michael Gianfrancesco Amanda M. Grosvenor

R’S YE BU

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13 JOB DRIVE, RICHMOND

ALEEN WEISS $520,000

GAIL JENARD $1,700/Month

AL NT RE

Stephanie Groton

Classified Advertising Sue Howarth

22 ASTRAL AVENUE, EAST SIDE Interns Chelsea DiCenzo

Orli Juarez Jeremy Nadeau

380 LLOYD AVENUE #4, EAST SIDE

Aleen Weiss★ | Jon Weiss★✦ | Howard Weiss | Karen Miller Gail Jenard★ | Nicole Sheusi-Church ★Also licensed in MA

Calendar announcements and news releases should be submitted by the 1st of the preceding month. We reserve the right to omit and edit items. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters without exceptional circumstances. East Side Monthly is not responsible for typographical errors. Corrections will be run at discretion of editor.

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

✦Licensed RI Environmental Lead Inspector 0065

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

NEWS & CULTURE East Side Stories | Inside the East Side | Neighborhood News

East Side News

As Good as Gold

Give your garden some love with a locally made compost that does the dirty work for you

By Megan Schmit

They say that

all that is gold does not glitter – and in the case of Rhody Gold, that’s certainly true. The Original Gold is a compost made from a mixture of local materials: food scraps and coffee grounds to

sawdust and wood chips. It’s produced by The Compost Plant, a commercial operation based out of Providence that is dedicated to making sustainable soil enhancers for local farmers and gardeners. But you

don’t have to have a green thumb: Use it as a top dressing in your home or kitchen garden. Grab a bag from Jephry Floral Studio or Cluck! Urban Farm Supply in Cranston.

CompostPlant.com

Photo courtesy of The Compost Plant East Side Monthly • May 2019 9

News & Culture East Side News

The Heart of the Matter

After 15,000 open heart surgeries, Dr. Arun K. Singh reflects on his life

By Robert Isenberg

Dr. Singh details his life and career as a surgeon, navigating the personal and political aspects of hospital life

10

East Side Monthly • May 2019

always made it through. Today, he is among the most acclaimed thoracic surgeons in the country. Before retiring a few years ago, he had performed 15,000 open heart surgeries. He started practicing at Rhode Island Hospital in 1975, and he helped establish its world-class cardiac surgery program. He taught for Brown University’s The Warren Alpert Medical School and authored more than 150 scientific papers.

Dr. Singh’s life can seem miraculous, but one of his unlikeliest successes is the book itself. The day after he retired – almost exactly three years ago – he started composing his autobiography.

He knew nothing about the publishing industry; he had never written creatively, never heard of literary agents, and he wasn’t even much of a

Dr. Singh describes his mother as the hero of his book

typist. He first dictated his life story into an old tape recorder, then specialordered a machine that could play micro-cassettes, then hired someone to transcribe the hours-long recordings. From there, revision, revision, revision.

“I had written a lot of papers, but scientific writing is different,” says Dr. Singh. “For memoir, you really have to go deep down. And if you don’t go deep down, it’s not going to be truthful.”

As always, the toil paid off. Your Heart was released last month by Center Street, a division of big-league Hachette Book Group.

During its review period, the book amassed some hefty praise; Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jhumpa Lahiri called the book “an absorbing account” and “unconventional and affecting.” Dr. Singh debated some of the book’s finer points with his publishers; they weren’t interested in the theme of immigration, but he pushed back. The book’s subtitle speaks to his insistence: An Immigrant’s Remarkable Journey to Become One of America’s Preeminent Cardiac Surgeons.

“Immigration was very important to me,” Dr. Singh says. “I wanted people in the next generation to have empathy, to have concern for

Photo courtesy of Dr. Arun K. Singh

Throughout his 75 years, Dr. Arun K. Singh has seen plenty of close calls. He grew up in dire poverty in India, surviving hepatitis, typhoid, and malaria. He suffered from extreme dyslexia, and education was always an uphill battle. He was once attacked by a monkey and fell from a tree, shattering his elbow. Still, he went to medical school. In his early twenties, his family somehow raised enough money to fly him to the United States. He arrived in Worcester, Massachusetts, with only a few dollars in his pocket. There, he met hostile doctors who had no time for a physician from overseas. At any point, Dr. Singh might have given up, and who could blame him?

But he didn’t. As he narrates the story in his new memoir, Your Heart My Hands, Dr. Singh

immigrants. I want them to know what we went through.”

As Dr. Singh revisited his past, he also explored his complex family history. He cheerfully recounts meeting a woman named Barbara; they have now been married half a century, and they have two sons and three grandchildren. He goes back further, describing a conflicted grandfather; a father who struggled with depression; and, at the heart of the story, a redoubtable matriarch.

“The hero of the book is my mother,” says Dr. Singh. “My mother was not educated.

But she was my mentor. She was very smart, street-wise, practical. I would always ask her opinion. She knew what life was about.”

Given his professional legacy, much of Dr. Singh’s narrative has to do with his 50-year career in the operating room, as well as the politics of hospital life. Yet each anecdote has clear parabolic purpose, and casual readers will find his prose blessedly jargon-free.

“I wanted to have less description of surgery,” says Dr. Singh. “I wanted this book not to be a medical book, but a human book.”

YourHeartMyHands.com

When you give a child a book, his whole world changes.

Did you know that many children in our community live in homes without books? You can help. Join a statewide effort led by United Way of Rhode Island, Women United, and Books Are Wings to support summer learning and promote reading.

This year’s book drive is April - May. For drop off locations, visit www.uwri.org All of our fundraising costs, costs, including All of our fundraising including www.uwri.org. this ad, are paid trust. this ad,by areapaid by a trust.

UWRI_PM_MayAd_20190403.indd 1

2:12 PM11 East Side Monthly •4/4/19 May 2019

News & Culture East Side News

Experience.

Integrity.

Results.

The Show Goes On

Powerhouse actress Rose Weaver to be inducted into Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame

By Robert Isenberg

CALL Gerri Schiffman (401) 474-3733

gerrischiffman.com

residentialproperties.com gerri@residentialproperties.com 12

East Side Monthly • May 2019

There’s one thing that Brotherhood, L.A. Law, and Tales from the Crypt all have in common: Rose Weaver appeared in all of them. An iconic local actress, Rose also spent years acting for Trinity Repertory Company; she wrote and performed her one-woman

show, Menopause Mama; and she has sung beloved standards for the Honeysuckle Rose Band. With three honorary doctorates and a Master of Fine Arts from Brown – a program she began at age 48 – Rose has a resumé that could take hours to fully digest.

Photo by Danielle Wooten

A Trusted Advocate for Buyers & Sellers for 26 Years

This is just one reason Rose will be inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame on May 8, during a special ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick. Rose is in good company; this year’s inductees include Judge Frank Caprio and Sister Mary Reilly of the Sisters of Mercy.

Most inductees are long deceased, such as opera singer Sissieretta Jones and abolitionist Moses Brown. Rose credits Bob Burke, friend and owner of Pot Au Feu, for championing her nomination.

“I am so honored,” she says. “Sometimes I say to myself, ‘What have I done?’ I can tell some harrowing stories, the many times I almost gave up. But I have so much more that I want to do.”

Indeed, Rose is especially busy these days. She’s in the middle of developing The Sally Project, a performance piece about an ill-fated 18th century slave ship.

She plans to realize another work, Black Women Taking Off the Mask, about the much-ignored lives of African-American women. “My thesis is that black women haven’t been loved enough,” says Rose, “by anybody. There’s a lot of fear. We’ve always been at the bottom of the totem pole, and we’re tired of that.”

Rose grew up in rural Georgia, and she vividly remembers Jim Crow segregation.

For her, the Ocean State was a place of gradual opportunity, as an artist, mentor, and a board member for organizations like Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. It was Mayor Buddy Cianci himself who asked Rose to help introduce theater to Providence public schools.

“Every now and then,” she says, “someone will come up to me and say, ‘Remember me? You came to my school. You helped me turn my life around.’ Rhode Island has been good to me. When I got here in 1968, I was pregnant and had just graduated from high school. To be where I am today is thanks in large part to the community.” And vice versa.

RoseWeaver.com

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Thinking of remodeling? Our complimentary workshops are a great place to start! Learn the latest innovations, styles and trends, meet our award-winning designers, see examples of recent RIKB projects and explore even more trends in our inspirational showroom displays.

Kitchen & Bath Trends Saturday, May 18 th | 9:30-11:00 am

10 Designer Tips for a Great Kitchen Saturday, June 22nd | 9:30-11:00 am

10 Steps to a Successful Remodel Saturday, June 1st | 9:30-11:00 am

10 Steps to a Successful Remodel Thursday, July 11th | 5:30-7:00 pm

Pre-register for all events at RIKB.com/events 401-463-1550 • 139 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI 02888

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200 Exchange Street, Providence (River Walk Level) (401) 256-5686 | TheRiverSocial.com | Valet Parking Available East Side Monthly • May 2019 13

News & Culture East Side News

Capital Idea

Year of the City offers a multimedia, metro-wide celebration of the Providence way of life

By Robert Isenberg

The Providence Album, Vol I: Carmel Vitullo and Harry Callahan showcases stills of Providence in the 1960s

•

SINCE 1948

•

Fine Custom Upholstery & Slip Covers Custom Window Treatments Headboards • Bedspreads & Shams Upholstered Antique Restoration Blinds & Shades • Area Rugs & Wall To Wall

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AdvancedEyeCareRI.com 780 North Main Street Providence • 401-331-2020 14

East Side Monthly • May 2019

Providence is equally more than WaterFire and Roger Williams statuary. Our capital is funky, dynamic, and centuries old. You could set up an entire gallery exhibit of our archival photos.

You could arrange whole walking tours of each neighborhood. You could host lectures with local experts. Or, you could do all of these things, with 50 different curators, all year long.

Year of the City is a sprawling patchwork of cultural programs which will overlap

through the end of December. The concept is loosely based on Pacific Standard Time, a similar collaboration that took place in Los Angeles. First conceived in 2017, Year of the City will incorporate installations, presentations, and performances – and the open call for contributors is ongoing.

The project is spearheaded by a collaborative trio: Marisa Angell Brown, assistant director of programs for the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and

Photo by Harry Callahan, courtesy of David Winton Bell Gallery, Brown University

2179 Mineral Spring Avenue, No. Providence 401-231-1660 • www.bobfrances.com

Golden Crest Nursing Centre

Celebrating

50 YEARS Cultural Heritage at Brown University; Angela DiVeglia, curatorial assistant in Special Collections for Providence Public Library; and Jennifer Dalton Vincent, executive director of Providence ¡CityArts! For Youth.

But the full network of creative participants is vast and diverse, thanks to the initiative’s cosmopolitan mission. This month, Year of the City hosts three provocative new art shows, with countless more currently in development.

The Providence Album, Vol I The famed photographer Harry Callahan moved to Rhode Island in 1961 to teach for RISD. Carmel Vitullo grew up in Federal Hill and became and acclaimed street photographer in the 1950s. In tandem, they documented the rapid decline of Providence, as inner-city denizens seeped into the suburbs. The Providence Album illustrates this dramatic period in Rhode Island history.

May 4 – July 18. Carriage House Gallery, 357 Benefit Street. YearOfTheCity.com.

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2018-2019 season

Christine Noel Providence Waterways, Past & Present Outside of riverbank parks and waterside restaurants, we often forget about the rivers that cut through Providence. Providence Waterways is an historical journey down the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers.

Through May 31. Rhode Island State Archives, 337 Westminster Street.

Ruffles, Repair and Ritual: The Art of Fixing The historic Wedding Cake House is about to turn 150, and its renovations are nearly complete. For 32 years, this place was occupied by the Tirocchi sisters and their couture design business; soon it will expand operations for the Dirt Palace, an artist residency program based in Olneyville. This premiere exhibit will showcase 150 objects relating to local arts and history.

Opening May 18. Wedding Cake House, 514 Broadway. DirtPalace.org.

Artistic Director

May 18- 19, 2019

The Heart of the Singer The Rhode Island premiere of The Wound in the Water

by Kim André Arnesen, a composition for chorus, piano and string orchestra, setting verse by Welsh poet Euan Tait.

Saturday May 18th, 7:30pm Sunday May 19th, 3:00pm Immaculate Conception Church 238 Garden Hills Drive, Cranston

ProvidenceSingers.org

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church 399 Hope Street, Bristol

401.751.5700

EventBrite.com

Funding provided in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and private funders.

East Side Monthly • May 2019 15

Refined & Unique

News & Culture East Side News

This is the Ocean State

How the East Side’s Dacota Fresilli became part of the team behind Childish Gambino’s biggest hit

By Megan Schmit

Currently, Dacota is a freelance recording and mixing engineer out of his Rhode Island-based studio

Brennan & Associates Design + Build

401.316.4626

BrennanAndAssociatesRI.com

Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts) Probate & Trust Administration Corporate Law & Business Planning Elder Law | Real Estate 4 Richmond Square, Suite 150 Providence | 401.272.6300

www.mswri.com 16

East Side Monthly • May 2019

This time last year, the song “This is America” went viral. The music video and lyrics together painted a powerful picture of race and gun violence in America. It debuted as number one in the US Billboard Hot 100 and had 78,000 downloads and 65.3 million streams within the first week.

Then, in February, it took home four Grammys – and made history as the first rap song to win Song of the Year. While artist/

rapper Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) is the main name attached to its success, it was a team effort. And one of those team members was 26-year-old Rhode Island native Dacota Fresilli.

Dacota was born in South Kingstown but calls Providence home. He focused on audio production at Middle Tennessee University, where big names like Chris Young and Amy Lee (of Evanescence)

Photo courtesy of Dacota Fresilli

Women Run. Results Driven.

studied. He interned at RCA Records in Atlanta and worked with A-list artists like B.o.B., Cee Lo Green, and Usher. Then, in September 2017, he was settling into Atlanta full-time as a freelance engineer when a gig fell into his lap.

“I got a call from a woman at RCA, and she asked me if I would be able to record Donald Glover tomorrow, so I said ‘Yeah, of course,’” Dacota remembers.

That day, one of the songs they worked on was “This is America,” which Glover had been toying with for a couple of years. “We did about 300 takes,” Dacota estimates. “A lot of times, an artist will hold onto music, or the powers that be will say ‘Let’s go in a different direction,’ and they won’t use some of it. I go into the situation and do my job and help the artist get the best takes and the best recording they can. At that point, it’s up to them if it’s something they want to use.”

That’s the nature of Dacota’s job as a recording and mixing engineer. “Basically, I’m the middle man,” he explains. “You have the ideas, and I have to capture that and make it sound good.”

It wasn’t until later, when someone in the studio was on Instagram, he recalls, that he recognized the music and saw it on-screen for the first time. “It isn’t the same without the video,” he insists, “because the video shows what the song is really about, that the lyrics don’t really tell you. It was definitely a very nostalgic and surreal feeling to be part of that.”

This past September, Dacota made the decision to return to Providence to be closer to his younger brother who just signed to play football at URI next year. “My family and this state mean a lot to me,” he says.

So, for now, Dacota jets back and forth between the East Side and Atlanta for meetings and recording sessions.

“I try to be Superman,” he jokes.

DacotaG.com

gorham silver designing brilliance 1850 –1970

opening may

3, 2019

Gorham Manufacturing Company, Fruit Stand (detail), 1872.

The Gorham Collection.

Gift of Textron Inc. 224 Benefit Street Providence, RI 02903 RISDMUSEUM.ORG

All Printing & Restoration for Mother’s Day is on Sale *Sale extends to framing on printing orders!

27 Dryden Ln. Providence RI 02904 M-S 8:30-6:30 401.421.6196 www.ProvidencePictureFrame.com East Side Monthly • May 2019 17

News & Culture East Side News

Look Ma, No Hands!

THE DOG HOUSE

RIDOT introduces driverless shuttles to the streets of Providence

By Chuck Staton

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If you soon find yourself driving around Olneyville and see a shuttle with no one at the wheel, don’t panic. It wasn’t carjacked by a ghost – you’re likely seeing a vehicle from Rhode Island Department Of Transportation’s Little Roady Pilot Project.

According to RIDOT, “The Little Roady Pilot Project will bring the first self-driving shuttles to Rhode Island. The service, launching in Spring 2019, is composed of a fleet of fully electric vehicles operating on low-speed roadways along the Woonasquatucket River Corridor, which currently lacks transit service.”

Julia Gold, project manager and RIDOT’s Chief of Sustainability and Innovation, expands on the history behind the project.

“Around two years ago, we began a dialogue around new technologies in transportation,” she says. “We recognize that there are extensive new technologies and we want to prepare Rhode Island to best handle those technologies. This is a research project, and has the potential to affect public transportation more than anything has since the introduction of the motorized vehicle.”

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

The driverless shuttles will hold up to five passengers and top out at 25 miles per hour.

Between three and six vehicles will be running at any given time, and there will be 12 stops from Olneyville Square to Providence Station.

The shuttles will provide free rides to the public, available seven days a week.

The automated vehicles will provide data for research that looks into mobility solutions, environmental impact, workforce opportunities/ impacts, customer satisfaction, ridership trends, and technology adoption. RIDOT will give access to that info to representatives from local and regional higher education institutions and technical colleges.

Julia is confident in the new shuttles. “The testing went very well. No issues came up.

We tested in the snow, the rain, and extreme cold. We want to provide equitable mobility for the community.”

Initial testing of the shuttles occurred this winter. On-route testing started in February, and, mid-spring, live operations of the Little Roady Pilot Project will begin in Providence, putting Rhode Island on the map. DOT.RI.gov

Photo courtesy of RIDOT

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

And the word is…

At the retirement party she and fellow councilperson Nirva LaFortune threw for her predecessor Sam Zurier, newly elected Ward 2 Councilmember Helen Anthony acknowledged she had big shoes to fill. One of his major accomplishments has been the consistent, well-written newsletters he provided to his constituents on a regular basis. Well, Ms. Anthony has just sent out her first of what she promises will be regular quarterly communications to her district, and we’re happy to report it’s a beauty.

It provides updates on about half a dozen important issues of concern to her neighborhood and action steps that might be taken. To get yourself on her listserv, simply go to HelenAnthony.com and type in “ward letters.”

Go North, Young Man Dan McGowan, one of our favorite political freelancers, has officially left Channel 12 where he had been both a digital and regular reporter since 2013. One of Dan’s first stories for us was a cover piece for our sister publication Providence Monthly on Federal Hill, which won “Best Business Story” for the Rhode Island Press Association Awards in 2012. Since then, he has done frequent freelance political pieces for East Side Monthly which have been award-winners as well. He joins the Boston Globe but will retain his

interest in our turf as he will be covering Rhode Island for them. The ProJo had better be on their toes, because Dan knows where the bodies are buried around here. And since this is Providence, there are plenty of them for him to report on. We wish him good luck in his new endeavor.

Nicholson Estate may be spared after all When last we reported on the old Nicholson estate on Blackstone Boulevard, things looked pretty dismal in terms of its survival. Well we’re happy – no, make that ecstatic – to report that it appears a buyer has stepped forward with a plan to buy the century-old English manor house and refurbish rather than tear down. It’s likely a second building will be constructed on the site nearby that will face the Boulevard. Apparently, concessions from both the buyer and the seller made it happen.

The future of the back two acres of the property still calls for the development of six to seven new houses, but residents have hired a lawyer in hopes of insuring whatever does get built there is consistent with the neighborhood that has developed around the wall on Slater Avenue over the past century. Let’s hope there’s a solution there as well.

Photo courtesy of Residential Properties LTD.

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This information is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy.

These properties may have been sold by other real estate companies. Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Data is based on information from StateWide Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for SFM, MFM, CND, and VLD listings for the period of 1/1/2018 through 12/31/2018.

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Brown Commencement is May 26, 2019.

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

News & Culture Rhody Gem

Bin 312 Wine Cellars We are pleased to introduce Rhody Gem, a new monthly column in East Side Monthly. We’re always being thanked for spotlighting the “hidden gems” of the state, and in our ongoing efforts to leave no stone unturned, we’re putting the call out to our readership! Each month we’ll spotlight a Rhody Gem: a business, artisan, or place sent to us by our faithful readers.

What it is: A carefully crafted wine shop with an eclectic selection of wine for any occasion.

Photography by Brandon Harmon

Where to find it: The store is nestled at the bottom of College Hill on South Main Street, a mere stone’s throw away from the Providence River.

Bin 312 is easy to spot walking on a crisp spring afternoon: Look for its big windows and inviting yellow door.

What makes it a Rhody Gem? Once you walk into Bin 312 with its exposed brick and stone wall interior, you’re instantly transported to a wine cellar in the South of France. This is a place that can turn anyone into a sommelier with its modest prices and attentive, insightful staff.

Every Thursday, indulge in free tastings with four to five wines.

Expand your palate and enjoy!

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

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*Ranking based in whole or in part on data supplied by the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Based on information from Statewide Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for 2019 as of April 2019.

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

News & Culture Neighborhood News

Neighborhood News is a space that East Side Monthly makes available to community organizations free of charge. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of this publication.

Photo courtesy of Amy Mendillo Fox Point Neighborhood Association

Fox Point Neighborhood Association Neighbors Hear Two Viewpoints on Water Issue Fox Point neighbors have spent the last several months learning about Mayor Elorza’s proposal to privatize the city’s water, first by hearing arguments from a local advocacy group and then by attending the Mayor’s Community Conversations to hear his ideas and to ask questions.

Gillian Kiley, of the Land & Water Sovereignty Campaign, described the privatization issue with neighbors at our FPNA March meeting. She offered background on the current public system and describing state-level “enabling” legislation now on the table to allow the city to lease our water supply to a private vendor. Mayor Elorza has proposed water privatization each year for the past three years, Kiley explained, in order to pay for the city’s $1 billion unfunded pension liability – and has been met with opposition each time. “Treating water as a commodity for profit is morally very troublesome,” she said, giving examples of cities across the country that have privatized their water but suffered losses, both financial and otherwise. “There are decades of research showing this idea doesn’t work.”

Kiley listed the following potential downsides of this plan: environmental damage and watershed issues that might occur as a result of lack of regulation; possible rate hikes imposed on customers by a private corporation in order to pay for infrastructure and make a profit; resultant social costs on the city’s most vulnerable residents who cannot afford to pay the increased rates; labor issues as for-profit corporations typically don’t work with unions; and finally, the issue of water safety as unregulated corporations may choose to cut corners.

Meanwhile, representatives of Mayor Elorza’s administration described the water lease idea to East Siders at a community meeting

Fox Point Neighbors listen to Gillian Kiley of the Land & Water Sovereignty Campaign

in late March (in addition to other locations), saying that the administration intends to design a privatization agreement that prioritizes water safety, protects union employees, and ensures stable rates. Given that the city’s true financial crisis is 10 years away, they said, the administration is in a better bargaining position than the other cities in the US that have traveled down this path.

East Side neighbors asked pointed questions of the Mayor, several of whom expressed outright opposition to the proposal. “What you say assumes that the vendors are good actors,” stated one resident, “when they are not good actors.” Another resident expressed dismay that the administration would propose jeopardizing a precious commodity given the context of devastating climate change.

“When you put the water supply at risk to a for-profit company,” she added, “why do you think they are going to behave differently than they ever have?”

FPNA intends to learn as much as possible about this issue in the upcoming months and to provide opportunities for questions and discussion. While the City’s long-term financial shortfalls must be addressed, we believe that water safety and security are paramount.

FPNA May Meeting Please join us for our May meeting on Monday, May 13 at 7pm in the Community Room of Vartan Gregorian Elementary School, 455 Wickenden Street. See our website, FPNA.net, for agenda and directions. All are welcome.

The Fox Point Neighborhood Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Fox Point and protecting its historic integrity and resources. FPNA speaks out on neighborhood issues and builds community through local events. Please sign up for our mailing list and join us at a monthly meeting!

East Side Monthly • May 2019 25

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Summit Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting SNA’s annual meeting will take place on Monday, April 29 at 7pm at Highlands on the East Side at 101 Highland Avenue. Refreshments will be served, and you’ll have the chance to learn about our upcoming projects and programs and how you can get involved. There will also be a Q&A with State Representative Rebecca Kislak, a vote on new SNA officers, find out who will receive this year’s Sheila Perlow Award, and catch up with your neighbors!

Join the Summit Neighborhood Community Garden in Celebrating Earth Day! Members of the Summit Neighborhood Community Garden held their annual meeting in early March to prepare for the 2019 growing season. At the meeting, members discussed plans for the garden’s first work day of the season. Community members are welcome to join garden members for this annual Spring clean-up and work day, which will be held during the City of Providence’s Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 27 from 10am to 12pm in Kerry Kohring Park (at Ninth Street and Summit Ave.). Planned activities include preparing beds for the growing season, spreading wood chips, and cleaning up the park. There will also be a story time for children. Stop by to meet garden members, learn more about the garden, and help beautify our neighborhood park!

Residents Invited to Connect with Us The SNA Board of Directors meets at 7pm on the third Monday of every month in the cafeteria of Summit Commons, 99 Hillside Avenue. The sessions are open and neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend! You can also stay in touch with us on Facebook via the “Summit Neighborhood Association” page, our website at SummitNeighbors.org, or on Instagram and Twitter @SNAProv.

New Website, Memberships, and Volunteer Writers We have a new website! Check it out at SummitNeighbors.org. As always, we welcome

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

new members who are interested in supporting our neighborhood events, community projects, candidate forums, and advocacy. Memberships are affordable and you can sign up at our website. Additionally, SNA is always seeking local content for our long-running neighborhood newsletter.

Have something to say about an event, a new business, or any topic that would resonate with the neighborhood? Please contact us for more information!

Summit Neighborhood Association, PO Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940, SummitNeighbors.org, SNAProv@gmail.com, 401-400-0986

Mount Hope Neighborhood Association Earth Day is gone and the first workshop is done! We should be in full swing soon with the Sharing Garden in Billy Taylor Park. Our ambitious goal of weekly workshops are a bit more tempered with about every other week, though on occasion it will be weekly. Keep an eye on the Plan4Health-Mt Hope Facebook page for dates and times for the workshops.

All are welcome to the MHNA board, which are held on the third Thursday at 6pm.

The next one will be on May 16.

The Mount Hope Food Security and the Mt Hope Dialogues for Action (MHDA) meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month at 5pm and 6pm respectively on May 23. The Housing Coalition meeting is on the second Thursday on May 9 at 5pm. Call to confirm, 401-521-8830.

Blackstone Parks Conservancy The word “stormwater” lingers in many Rhode Islanders’ minds these days, the lasting impression made by recent hurricanes and flooding. Along with other environmental nonprofits in the state, and aided by environmental agencies and the Parks Department, the Blackstone Parks Conservancy (BPC) puts measures to control stormwater at the center of its park-protecting efforts.

Part of the appeal of taking on the challenge of stormwater is that something can be done about it: There are several ways to

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reduce runoff and erosion. The Blackstone Conservation District’s location on steep, sandy slopes inspired the Conservancy to begin grappling with stormwater over a decade ago. Tutored by a young civil engineer, Jon Ford, and backed by major grants, BPC volunteers turned gullies into trails.

The objective, as Ford explains it, is to encourage rainwater to permeate the soil where it falls or as nearby as possible. Regular maintenance by BPC volunteers topping fortified trails with wood chips to increase absorbency means less soil washing down to the sidewalk below.

Blackstone parks aren’t the only spots that are hilly, of course. Much of Providence is. Even on streets tilting as little as five degrees, stormwater carries soil, trash, and pollutants down to the nearest river.

The anticipation of heavier storms and rising waters recently spurred the city to draft an emergency plan for preventive measures against stormwater.

At the annual meeting of the Blackstone Parks Conservancy at Lippitt House in March, Alicia Lehrer, executive director of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council (WRWC ), detailed a range of opportunities for reducing runoff and thereby cleansing water. Morrison and Annalies Ford, aged ten and eight, paid close attention from the front rows.

A slide showed Eagle Square under water in 2010. In Olneyville Square, where little green is visible, the WRWC plans to replace a swathe of pavement at the edge of a major parking lot with a bioswale containing plants and trees to absorb runoff and cleanse water of pollutants. Projects like this, along with green roofs, tree filters, and rain gardens, offer ways to reduce the loss of water and soil that environmentalists hope will be widely adopted in the city.

The Conservancy will next focus on stormwater on Blackstone Boulevard, where a considerable amount of runoff currently speeds down to the Seekonk River.

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East Side Monthly • May 2019 27

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

News & Culture Neighborhood News

College Hill Neighborhood Association

is expected to conform with applicable zoning requirements.

Brown presents new plans for Performing Arts Center At last month’s meeting, we heard from representatives of Brown University regarding Brown’s planned Performing Arts Center as well as a required amendment to the University’s Institutional Master Plan to cover changes for their new proposed wellness center. The Performing Arts Center, to be located on Angell Street between Thayer and Brown Streets, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2022. Designed by REX, an award-winning design firm based in New York, the proposed new building has been described by Brown President Christina Paxson, as incredibly “innovative” and “flexible.” The new design will allow the interior building space to change from a 625-seat orchestra hall to a proscenium theater with a capacity of 250 or even down to what has been referred to as an “immersive sound cube.” In addition, the Center will contain rehearsal spaces and other educational resources.

Proposed Suboxone site building sold The Board also received updates regarding 150 Lloyd Avenue, which had been proposed as the location of a suboxone clinic and was recently sold to 150 Lloyd, LLC. The project is headed by East Side developer Walter Bronhard. No plans for its future usage have yet been announced. In addition, we were informed that there will also be a petition to amend Providence’s Zoning Ordinance to foster better collaboration between Thayer Street’s District Management Authority and parties seeking to develop land in the Thayer Street area.

CHNA welcomes all residents of College Hill to join our efforts to protect the neighborhood. For more information about joining and supporting CHNA and meeting your neighbors, contact: CHNA, PO Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906; visit www.chnaprovidence.org; or email CHNA@CHNAProvidence.org – Jared Sugerman

Changes made for new Wellness Center and Residence Hall Amendments to Brown’s 2017 Institutional Master Plan that will involve a new Wellness Center and Residence Hall, as well as an expansion to its current lacrosse and soccer facilities were also presented. The site for the Wellness Center and Residence Hall was changed to include 242 Meeting Street, which was recently acquired by the University. The nineteenth century house, located on the site will be demolished to make way for the new health facility and residences. In terms of the athletic facilities, Brown has proposed the construction of permanent concessions and restrooms, as well as the relocation of locker rooms, offices, and other facilities, all adjacent to the existing Stevenson-Pincince grandstand. All work will be done on the existing sports complex between Lloyd and Arlington. The development will also include a new scoreboard and bleachers, and

Downtown Neighborhood Association Monthly Meetings Our monthly meetings are always the second Tuesday at the Grace Pavilion, (300 Westminster Street) from 6:30-8pm. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, May 14 and will feature Lt. Roger Aspinall, Providence Police. Speakers will discuss new development and other issues affecting the downtown community, a new local new restaurant will offer free samples, and much more! All are welcome to attend.

Grab a Paint Brush and Help Beautify Downtown Since 2017, over 250 DNA volunteers have helped to transform over a mile of our Riverwalk (from the Hurricane Barrier to the basin of Waterplace Park) by sanding and painting over 400 railing pillars, light poles, and benches! The transformation has been incredible and to date our

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Wayland Square Neighborhood Association The Wayland Square Neighborhood Association is an active community working together to improve life in the Wayland area. We have social events, facilitate meetings with our councilpeople, city officials, and other groups, and work on issues important to the group.

We host meetings the second Wednesday of the month at the Croft School from 6-7:30pm. Our Facebook Page: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association, has all neighborhood communication, including meeting dates and times.

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efforts have collectively saved the City of Providence an estimated $300,000 in labor costs!

Our first Riverwalk project of 2019 on Saturday, April 27 was a huge success! To recognize Earth Day, volunteers worked with the Providence Parks Department to touch-up the graffiti and remove stickers along our beautiful Riverwalk. Throughout the year, we will once again be partnering with the Providence Parks Department to continue this work on these dates and times:

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Brown for the Rest of Us 10 things you didn’t know you could do at the Ivy League school

By Lauren Vella

W

hether you’re old or young, a new resident on the East Side or a lifelong inhabitant, you are fully aware that you share a community with an Ivy League school. Brown University buildings are sprawled out everywhere on College Hill – some stand tall and conspicuous, while others blend in with the rest of the residential hillscape. Many neighbors observe the daily ebb and flow of university life at a distance without ever being enrolled. The colder months bring out the cafeteria tray tobogganers rocketing down College Hill, whilst the less outdoorsy pupils continue their intellectual and artistic education inside. When it’s warm, the Main Green is teeming with students handing out flyers, sunbathing, and playing frisbee. You may even attend a lecture or swing by the Blue Room to grab a sandwich on the way to a meeting.

What if we told you there were ways to get more up close and personal to the Brown experience without paying tuition? Brown University is home to a plethora of hidden gems like art collections, obscure objects, and interesting buildings, to say the least. Many of these spaces and activities are open to the public. Here are ten worth a visit.

For Macabre Endeavors When you think about Brown, rarely does your mind conjure images of a crypt. From the outside, the Annmary Brown Memorial looks like an ominous block of concrete hiding in plain sight between Wriston Quad and Health Services on Brown Street.

The structure was commissioned by Civil War veteran General Rush C. Hawkins after his wife Annmary Brown (descendant of founder Nicholas Brown) died of pneumonia in 1903. Don’t let the austere facade and morbid history fool you. If you are brave enough, climb the steps and venture into two curated rooms with a collection of the couple’s European and American paintings dating back as far as the 17th century. The memorial also houses the Cyril and Harriet Mazansky British Sword Collection, and the back of the building, you can visit Annmary and General Rush’s burial site where they are entombed together.

The Annmary Brown Memorial is open Monday-Friday 1pm-5pm during the academic year. For more, contact Hay@Brown.edu

For the Green Thumb Have you ever wondered if there was a way for advanced technology and nature to work in harmony? The Brown University Conservatory is the amalgamation of these two very things. Perched on the top of the Building for Environmental Research and Teaching, the greenhouse is a jungle of various plants ranging from tomatoes and peas to orchids and succulents. The conservatory is also used for projects like climate change research, where different plants are exposed to warmer temperatures to simulate the effects of global warming. Take a stroll inside this lush oasis, and ask the staff any questions you may have about their research or helpful tips to grow your own plant life.

Fred_Jackson@Brown.edu, 863-3077

Photo courtesy of Brown University Library

For the Dive Bar Enthusiast You’ve heard rumors about this place. Of-age undergraduates, graduate students, university faculty, and staff frequent it – even some community members have been to the elusive bar that East Side newbies struggle to find. The Grad Center Bar is literally an underground watering hole tucked away in a fortress of modern buildings that make up the Grad Center dormitories. The entrance to the “GCB” (as it’s called by its patrons) is located just off of Charlesfield Street. This laidback “dive-ish” bar has almost everything you’d want at a local hang out. Funky art and dart boards hang from the walls, rag-shag furniture, booths, and billiard tables set the relaxed mood, inviting guests to stay a while and enjoy $5 cocktails and well-priced pitchers of beer. Drop in on a day when the GCB hosts a cocktail napkin drawing contest or trivia night.

There’s a small cover fee at the door for non-members, and a membership for the year is $35. Facebook, 421-0270

Photography by Wolf Matthewson

For the Gym Rat A run down Blackstone Boulevard or a quick tabata workout at the Hope High School track will satiate your need to exercise, but what if you are a squash player, boxer, or avid swimmer?

The Nelson Fitness Center membership is open to the community and houses an Olympic-sized pool and a 10,000-squarefoot fitness loft with over 85 machines and PE classes. For those who would rather play a sport for their workout, membership to Brown’s gym also includes access to the tennis, squash, and basketball courts. Community memberships start at $65 per month for adults, $35 per month for kids, and $150 per month for families. BrownRec.com, 863-5100

Photo courtesy of Farm Fresh RI

For the At-home Cook Purchasing your groceries at Whole Foods or Eastside Marketplace can be an enjoyable experience, but sometimes there’s nothing better than buying fresh-picked vegetables straight from the person who grows them. Every fall and spring on Wednesdays from 11am-2pm, Farm Fresh Rhode Island convenes on the Sciences Quad (across from Soldier’s Arch) to sell produce and other goodies to students and the surrounding community. At the market, you can find well-known Rhode Island vendors such as Knead Donuts, Seven Stars Bakery, Mello’s Farm Stand, Borealis Coffee, and Harvest Kitchen.

For the home cook on a budget, Brown Market Shares offers a food distribution program that partners with regional producers to provide the College Hill community with weekly shares of sustainable produce, eggs, bread, and meat. For a reasonable fee, you get to choose from in-season, local foods during the winter and/or spring each week for 10 weeks.

The Brown University farmers market opens again September 4 on Sciences Quad on Thayer Street. FarmFreshRI.org, BrownMarketShares.com, Info@BrownMarketShares.com

The Place For Sushi

HARUKI EAST

Photo courtesy of Brown University Library

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For The Toy Collector From the outside, the John Hay Library might look like intimidating slabs of stone at the beginning of the downward slope of College Street. But, within the confines of this impressive building lies a playful and whimsical installation many people don’t know about. If you venture up to the third floor, you’ll find the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection, a display of over 5,000 various toy soldiers that represent armies around the world, ranging from the ancient Egyptians to the British military of Queen Elizabeth II. Originally, Anne’s soldiers were commissioned to decorate the house she shared with her husband, John Nicholas Brown, on Benefit Street. Now, her expansive collection is a permanent fixture at the Hay, shown in 96 cases with the soldiers marching from left to right in each of the boxes. For hours of operation visit Library.brown.edu/Hay or contact Hay@Brown.edu, 863-2146

For The Stargazer Visiting the Ladd Observatory combines the experience of a museum with the interaction you’d find at a science center as you walk through a historic building to get to the observation room. Get a closer look at the stars when you peer through Ladd’s telescope on Tuesday nights, weather permitting, and learn about the ways that Brown scientists practiced exact time keeping. A trip to this East Side destination is a perfect date or an educational way to entertain your curious children. On clear nights the facility is open on Tuesdays from 8pm-10pm, Brown.edu/Departments/Physics/Ladd

kreatelier.com 34

East Side Monthly • May 2019

For The Foodie

For The Historian

If you are enrolled at the school, you may know about the delights of the Faculty Club, Brown’s dining club and event venue. In the past few years, the culinary staff has upped its game, serving up lunch items like sesame glazed salmon and gourmet burgers. Normally, membership is reserved for students, parents, alumni, and special friends of the University only. However, on special nights (usually once per month) the chef will have a multi-course tasting dinner with different themes that are open to the public. Visit Events.Brown.edu/Faculty-Club for pricing and details

For many years, the University has been dedicated to recognizing and exploring its connection to the Atlantic Slave Trade. The Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice was founded in 2012 to study and educate the public about the legacy of chattel slavery and human trafficking. The Center, located in a yellow house on Waterman Street, houses a gallery that is open to the public. Here, free exhibitions pertaining to anything from research with primary historical documents to contemporary art remind visitors about the negative impact that slavery had and continues to have on our society today. 94 Waterman Street, 863-5863, SlaveryJustice@Brown.edu

Other Things to Do at Brown

Photography by Wolf Matthewson

Here are four more “must” things to enjoy at Brown ATTEND A LECTURE AT THE WATSON INSTITUTE The Watson Institute hosts a Distinguished Speaker lecture series that includes orators who are prominent scholars, diplomats, and public figures from around the globe. In the past, noted speakers included former British Prime Minister David Cameron and former Secretary of State John Kerry. Watson.Brown.edu CATCH A SHOW Throughout the year, the Brown TAPS (Theater and Performance Studies) department hosts a variety of shows ranging from dance concerts to plays. Tickets for these performances are available to the public at Brown.edu/Academics/ Theatre-Arts-Performance-Studies

Photography by Wolf Matthewson

GO TO A CONCERT Do you like jazz? Contemporary music? What about an old-fashioned piano recital? Throughout the year, students, faculty, and the surrounding music community come together to sing, play, and even talk about composing music. Brown. edu/Academics/Music/Events DROP BY COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND Commencement is an exciting time for students, faculty, and parents, but some of the events during this special weekend are open to the public. On Friday, attend a night of music and merriment at Campus dance. Saturday, the University holds an open forum with special guests like Tracee Ellis Ross, Sting and Robert De Niro, and projects the baccalaureate speech on large monitors on the Main Green. Brown.edu/ Commencement/Home

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LIFE & STYLE Home | Education & Smart News

At Home on the East Side

Classic Revisited

A Blackstone neighborhood Colonial gets a family-friendly update

By Elyse Major

Quarter sawn oak floors and light tones framed with white create a tranquil space

Kate Gerencser is an East Sider – born and raised – and it’s where she makes her home today with husband Steve and their young children. About the area, Kate offers, “We love the ability to walk to shops and restaurants, but still have a small backyard and a neighborhood feel.” The family lives in a classic 1920s Colonial-style home, and while they admire its integrity, wanted it to be more open, fresh, and accommodating to their busy patterns of use.

Photos by Nat Rea

The Gerencsers reached out to Kelly Taylor of Providence’s Kelly Taylor Interior Design (KTID), with what Kelly reveals was a pretty common request: open up the kitchen and create a mudroom. “The entire east side of the house was a rabbit warren of rooms,” says Kelly, who set to work reconfiguring the first floor to satisfy the couple’s wishes.

With her team, Kelly relocated a tight side entry to the rear of the house, transforming what was once an odd

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

room to a bright and functional mudroom/ breakfast area. “We added a banquette, bench, and plenty of open and closed storage so that while useful, the space never feels cluttered.” Loads of floor-to-ceiling closed cabinetry was also installed, which now stores everything from coats to crayons. “And we added a new window above the banquette to balance the one that was already there.”

Once a very traditional footprint, Kelly also worked her magic on the powder

room and dining room, which now boasts interesting seating, cabinetry, and a new lighting plan. “Pretty spaces aside, at KTID, we aim for impact,” says Kelly. “We are very proud of our work on this project because this is a family home and they have been so positively impacted in every moment of their daily lives by the changes we made.

We are thrilled with the results, but more importantly, they are.”

“We wanted a soft, natural, soothing palette that felt bright and clean,” homeowner

Kate explains. “With all the happy chaos in our life, a calming backdrop seemed to make sense.” Kate cites the now-open kitchen as one of her favorite spots. “It acts as the hub of the home,” she begins. “Our friends and family mean the world to us and we entertain often. We can dress [the kitchen] up or down, and just as easily accommodate milk and macand-cheese at the island for a playdate for three-year-olds, or a charcuterie spread for grown-ups.”

GET RHODY STYLE STATE LOVE Kate Gerencser’s list of favorite shops includes Stock Culinary Goods on Hope Street, Wendy Brown Home in Wayland Square, The Cottage in Tiverton, and Kate and Co. in Bristol.

WATER COLORS Nothing says New England like using muted greys and blues as backdrops, whether painted on walls or installed as backsplash. Patterns in deeper blues are mixed in via accents like pillows and cushions for impact.

STRING THEORY Even land-lubbers can infuse seaside style via accents made of organic textures like seagrass, jute, or wicker.

38

East Side Monthly • May 2019

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East Side Monthly • May 2019 39

Life & Style Education

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East Side Monthly • May 2019

Fuse RI Fellows from Cohort 5 join Maeve Murray at the Highlander Institute Office

Every day, in classrooms all around the country, teachers are innovating with technology and pedagogy. These educators are building new practices around digital tools that engage students and drive 21st century learning. Since sharing resources with colleagues is a staple of good teaching, it stands to reason that bringing teachers together for the purpose of collaboration would be beneficial to all educational stakeholders. On that note, a program called The Fuse Fellowship has become successful in helping educators not only continue to create, but also facilitate the sharing of effective practice from room to room, building to building, and even district to district.

Founded in 2014 by the Highlander Institute in Providence as Fuse RI, the program’s goal is to bring educators together across districts in order to create a pipeline

of knowledge that can flow from school to school through personalized contact between teachers. According to Maeve Murray, Program Manager at the Highland Institute, this collaboration is designed to maximize effectiveness of learning and teaching statewide.

“Fuse RI aims to build a network of Rhode Island classrooms by supporting the purposeful use of technology and data to increase personalization, engagement, and the development of essential skills for students across the state,” she says.

The program trains fellows: teachers and leaders from schools all over Rhode Island that partner with other districts for a twoyear period and provide educational support for faculty members over the course of 100 hours per school year, including a five-day, on-site presence. During this time, the fellow

Photo courtesy of Fuse RI

WE SERVICE & REPAIR

evaluates the school’s specific needs, provides support for blended and personalized learning, and coaches the teachers based on the district’s needs.

In addition to professional development credits, fellows receive a stipend as well as a flexible spending account for classroom resources and conference fees.

Nicole Guyon is a teacher and Fuse Fellow at Robert L. Bailey Elementary School in Providence. She values the professional relationships that she has established during her time in the program.

“The best part of the fellowship is the connections that I made with the people at Highlander and also the amazing teachers that make up the Fuse community,” she says. “It was incredible to work with teachers who were interested in things that were important to me.”

W. Jackson Reilly, Resident Principal of Evolutions High School in Providence and current Fuse Fellow, values the impact that the program has had on his students, regardless of engagement level. He emphasizes that the strategies supported are designed to address the multitude of learning styles that exist within today’s students. ”The skills and resources that Fuse provides teachers with allow them to best serve all students in their space through implementing a blended learning model that differentiates learning, provides the opportunity for students to self-pace, and creates deeper purpose and self-direction within learners,” he remarks.

Maeve says that, after five successful years, the program continues to grow. The future of Fuse looks bright, but there is always work to be done.

“Our hope is to take a close look at the major takeaways from the fellows, district administrators, and teachers we’ve partnered with to continue strengthening our Fuse Fellowship offerings,” she says.

For more information on the Fuse Fellowship, visit FuseRI.org.

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FOOD & DRINK Restaurant and Food | Restaurant Guide | Calendar of Events

Flavor of the Month

Shakin’ It Up

Shake Shack brings its iconic burgers and shakes to Thayer, with a local twist

Photo courtesy of Shake Shack

By Lauren Vella

For months leading up to March 19, there were rumblings that Shake Shack was going to open a storefront on Thayer Street. Residents on the East Side and beyond anxiously awaited the arrival of the classic burgers, crinkle-cut fries, and creamy shakes. Days passed, the seasons changed, and finally, the neon sign with a little green burger flickered on, signalling the restaurant’s opening.

When one hears about a chain opening on Thayer, skepticism often sets in. Questions like “Are we forgetting about our local community and its eateries?” or “Is this entire street going to become corporate businesses?” spring to mind.

But, the famous burger joint is unlike many of its corporate counterparts. One of the reasons that Shake Shack decided to plant itself in the midst of the bustling college thoroughfare was to integrate the Brown, RISD, and neighboring schools’ communities into its business.

“The Thayer Street area is an area that has been calling us for a long time…. We’ve been making great partnerships with RISD as well as Johnson & Wales… We have over a dozen JWU students employed here,” says Area Director Dave Yearwood.

Dave also remarks that one of the things that sets Shake Shack apart from other franchises

is its willingness to introduce local products to the restaurants. According to Dave, the eatery has already fostered deep ties with other businesses here in Providence like PVDonuts, local breweries, and the Thayer Street District Management Authority. The most visible and immediate evidence of community involvement is a colorful mural painted on two walls of the establishment. RISD alum and freelance illustrator Jing Wei designed the mural with the help of current students from her alma mater, a work she says signifies her time on College Hill. 249 Thayer Street

East Side Monthly • May 2019 43

Food & Drink Food News

Fresh Start

Aleppo Sweets brings Syrian treats to Ives Street

Youssef uses baklava to feed his creative soul and stay connected to home

In late January 2019, a stylish Middle Eastern cafe sprang up in the Ives Street business district. “Cafe in Training,” read the sandwich board out front. Inside, the appealing white-brick façade gave way to a space gleaming with copper teapots. Aleppo Sweets, located between Tallulah’s Taqueria, and PVDonuts, has since opened a new dimension for Fox Point’s culinary scene.

The name belies the cafe’s many delicacies. Besides the famous sweets – multilayered, nested, and crisply rolled baklava made fresh by a Syrian artisan – there are

44

East Side Monthly • May 2019

mezze dishes like hummus and tabbouleh, kebabs, falafel, stuffed dates, Turkish coffee, and Syrian tea.

But Aleppo Sweets is more than just a place to stuff and caffeinate yourself. In the words of Sandy Martin, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Victor Pereira, it’s a bridge to a unique culture and a path forward for refugees on their way to self-sufficiency.

Sandy was inspired to launch Aleppo Sweets after befriending Reem and Youssef Akhtarini, a Syrian couple with six children.

Sandy met the family on their first day of

refugee orientation at the Dorcas International Institute in October 2016. Youssef was eager to learn how he could start working as soon as possible. Specifically, he wanted to know whether or not he could make and sell baklava from home. As Sandy puts it, “It became apparent very early that Youssef was determined to bake [baklava].” She was there as a volunteer observer, but started reaching out, stopping by the Akhtarinis’ home to make sure they were feeling welcome in Rhode Island. With her advice, he rented space above 5-Herb Pizza in Cranston, where he baked during off hours and began to sell baklava at farmers markets. Then, about 18 months ago, Sandy and Victor decided to take the plunge and start a small business with the goal that the Akhtarinis would take over.

“The experience here is very authentic,” Sandy says. “If you went over to Reem’s home, this is what she would serve you.”

Currently, Reem and Youssef are the two key employees and menu developers, while around eight other Syrian refugee families are represented on staff. “In Syria, there’s a certain prestige in being a baklava crafter.

It’s a big part of life there,” Sandy says.

The response to the cafe’s soft launch, Sandy and Youssef agree, was startling to say the least. “The volume of people has been the greatest surprise, and so far, everyone’s response has been really positive despite the madness,” Sandy says. Customers include students and locals, as well as second- or third-generation Middle Easterners who taste the food, then sigh deeply as they announce it tastes just like their grandmother’s.

Youssef says, “When people come in, it’s busy and happy. Before I came here, I didn’t understand what American people like. But when I make baklava, everyone said to me that it was good, everyone told me good luck.” Fueled by flavorful, homey food and a bright atmosphere, Aleppo Sweets seems poised for a long and successful life in Fox Point. 107 Ives Street, AleppoSweets.com

Photography by Brandon Harmon

By Stephanie Gorton

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256 Great Island Rd, Narragansett,

Tortilla Flats Fresh Mexican, Cajun,

years. 318 Broadway, Providence, 8611770. BBrLD $$

Providence, 270-3737. BrLD $$-$$$

Providence, 632-0555. LD $-$$

Slate

An

restaurant 186

agri-driven with

Wayland

in the suburbs. 1149 Division St, Warwick, 884-1149. LD $$$ George’s

of

Galilee

Fresh-

caught seafood in an upscale pub

global

Champlin’s Seafood Dockside fresh

atmosphere. 250 Sand Hill Cove Rd,

Ave,

seafood serving easy breezy cocktails.

Narragansett, 783-2306. LD $-$$

MERCEDES VOLKSWAGEN MINI

PORSCHE BMW AUDI

AUDI

MERCEDES BENZ

VOLKSWAGEN

MINI COOPER

“ANNUAL SERVICE” “Access to management, staff and technicians is excellent. Inspection and service is the best.”

– Leonard S., Tiverton, Mercedes-Benz E350 For quick, honest and expert repairs call, email or stop by today to book your appointment. Your car will run better.

Courtesy drop-off to downtown.

G

ERMAN

Sales &

MOTORS

INC

Service

879 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904, 401-272-4266 Email us at: germanmotorshelp@gmail.com

PORSCHE BMW AUDI MERCEDES BENZ VOLKSWAGEN

BMW

design • site plans • consulting installation • planting • hand pruning 401-742-1895 • robertalanmatthews.com

MINI COOPER BMW AUDI MERCEDES BENZ VOLKSWAGEN

Gotta get out?

Have no time to spend?

INCOME TAXES Proudly serving the East Side For Over Forty Years

Dog Walking • In-Home Boarding Pet Sitting • Wedding Escort Administration Of Medications Hotel Sitting • Overnites Pick Up & Drop Off Taxi & More!

Fiore & Asmussen Certified Public Accountants Individuals, Partnerships (A Pass Thru) “C” Corp, “S” Corp (A Pass Thru) Estates, Trusts (A Pass Thru) Are you ready for 2019? We are!

Pet CPR/First Aid Certified | PSI Pet Sitters International Member | Bonded & Insured

862-6097 • MYDPS.ME • DEBBIE@MYDPS.ME

102 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02906

401.421.5160

www.AllegraProvidence.com print@allegraprovidence.com

125 Wayland Ave., Providence • 351-7000

RESTAURANT GUIDE Mariner Grille Seafood, steaks, and pasta

fresh, local ingredients. 699 S County

menu

in a fun setting, with live entertainment.

Trail, Exeter, 295-4273. BL $$

beers

40

Point

Judith

Rd,

Narragansett, by

the

European/American Pasquale’s

Pizzeria

Napoletana

Authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza

rotating

from-scratch

craft

cocktails.

a rustic setting. 308 County Rd, Barrington, 247-0303. LD $$

2229 GAR Highway, Swansea, MA, Tavern

284-3282. LD $$

featuring and

Sea

Waterfront

bistro.

Ichigo Ichie Traditional Japanese

508-379-6007. BrLD $$

16

cuisine, creative sushi, and hibachi.

West Main St, Wickford, 294-5771.

Blount Market & Kitchen Traditional

5 Catamore Blvd, East Providence,

LD $$

New

435-5511. LD $-$$$

with exclusive ingredients imported from

England

seafood

summer

favorites offered year-round for dine-

Naples. 60 S County Commons Way,

The Cove Traditional bar and grill serving

in and takeout. 406 Water St, Warren,

KC’s

South Kingstown, 783-2900. LD $-$$

burgers, sandwiches, and classic New

245-1800. LD $$

dogs, and sides enjoyed in a retro

England seafood favorites. 3963 Old Red Stripe Casual French-American

Post Rd, Charlestown, 364-9222. LD $$

bistro. 465 Angell St, Providence, 437-

Bar

and

Grill

Casual

restaurant with modern seafood dishes, Twin Willows Fresh seafood and water

patio seating, and live music. 32 Barton

398-2900. BrLD $$

views in a family-friendly atmosphere.

Ave, Barrington, 247-0017. LD $$-$$$

Italian

cuisine.

789-8153. LD $-$$

Ave, Seekonk, MA. 508-557-1723.

BLD $$

Water St, Warren, 245-0231. D $$

award-winning burgers and sandwiches.

and Smithfield, 521-3311. D $$-$$$

The Old Grist Mill Tavern Fine

440 Child St, Warren, 289-2324. D $$ EAST BAY / NEWPORT

Sophie’s Brewhouse Espresso drinks and sandwiches with an emphasis on

hot

an Italian and seafood focus. 267 Chomp Upscale comfort food featuring

Locations in Providence, East Greenwich,

Burgers,

Tav Vino Waterfront dining with

865 Boston Neck Rd, Narragansett, Impeccable

Bar

car-themed diner. 1379 Fall River Bluewater

6950; 455 Main St, East Greenwich,

Siena

Burger

Aviary

Creative,

locally

sourced

dining located over the Runnins East Bay Oyster Bar Local seafood

River. 390 Fall River Ave, Seekonk,

meets

MA, 508-336-8460. LD $-$$$

innovative

preparation

in

East Side Monthly • May 2019 49

50

East Side Monthly • May 2019

May music | performance | social happenings | galleries | sports

THE TOP OF OUR LIST

Photo courtesy of GameFace Media

10 events you can’t miss this month

May 5: Providence Marathon

1

6

May 2: Learn about the healing powers of herbs to relieve stress and anxiety during Forty Winks: Herbal Sleep Pillow Workshop at Wanskuck Library. Make your own pillow so you can catch a few more Zs. 233 Veazie Street, ProvComLib.org

May 10-12: Festival Ballet Providence presents Swan Lake, one of the most well-known ballet dramas that captivates audiences with a lush score, elegant dance, and timeless storyline. One Avenue of the Arts, FestivalBalletProvidence.org

2

7

3

8

May 3: RISD’s newest exhibit opens this month, Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance. It details the 120 years of art and industry behind the largest silver company in the world, which started in Providence. 224 Benefit Street, RISDMuseum.org

May 10-12: JERSEY BOYS steals the stage at PPAC, one of the best musicals about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons. Featuring hit songs and scenes that’ll have you saying “Oh What a Night.” 220 Weybosset Street, PPACRI.org

May 4: Come to see the PawSox take on the Rochester Red Wings, but stay for the post-game fireworks which, for this special night, are set to a Harry Potter musical theme.

One Columbus Avenue, Pawtucket, MiLB.com

May 12: Give your mom a gift she’ll remember: A Mother’s Day Boat Ride through the Providence River, Riverwalk, Waterplace Park, and Providence Harbor. Don’t forget the complimentary prosecco.

525 South Water Street, ProvidenceRiverBoat.com

4

9

5

10

May 5: The Providence Marathon marks its 12th year where runners can jog or sprint the 26.2-mile loop from Fox Point to Barrington and back to Downtown while raising money for local nonprofits. RunRI.us

May 9: The Lippitt House hosts Hot Jazz with Drew Nugent, a Philly musician who combines piano, trumpet, multiple jazz influences, and a contraption called the “Hot Tea Kettle” for a step back into Providence’s Golden Age. 199 Hope Street, PreserveRI.org

May 16-31: Trinity Rep’s season will close with José Rivera’s Marisol, an award-winning play about a young woman’s attempt to find hope among and make sense of the chaos left in a war-torn world between God and the angels. 201 Washington Street, TrinityRep.com

May 21: Get ready to rumble! WWE Smackdown LIVE comes to the Dunk, featuring your favorite superstars and a double main event pitting Kevin Owens vs. WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, and AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton. One LaSalle Square, DunkinDonutsCenter.com

East Side Monthly • May 2019 51

Food & Drink Calendar

MUSIC

arena & club | classical

Celebrating Rabbi Wayne Franklin We invite you to attend our gala honoring Rabbi Wayne Franklin’s retirement and 38 years of service to Temple Emanu-El. June 2, 2019 | 5:00 PM Please call or visit our website for more information and to RSVP: www.teprov.org | 401.331.1616 99 Taft Avenue, Providence, RI

ARENA & CLUB COLUMBUS THEATRE May 1: Murder By Death, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers. May 9: Knife Knights, Lando Chill.

May 10: Laura Gibson. May 11: Xiu Xiu. May 15: Ghost Light. May 16: The Felice Brothers. May 25: Sean Rowe. 270 Broadway, Providence. 6219660, ColumbusTheatre.com FETE MUSIC HALL May 3: Johnny Marr. May 3: Bad Star Atlas with Hope Before The Fall, Echoes of Petra, Bloodline Theory, In The Red. May 5: Insane Clown Posse with Rittz, Mushroomhead, Mac Lethal, Kissing Candace. May 10: Hippo Campus with Samia. May 11: The Band Perry. May 17: The 69 Eyes with MXMS, The Nocturnal Affair, MAN1K1N. May 18: Tribute Night - 2000’s Takeover! May 19: Bad Bad Hats. May 20: Hocico with Man Made Horror & Transdusk. May 31: Sophistafunk with Slurp. 103 Dike Street, Providence. 383-1112, FeteMusic.com THE MET May 10: Max Creek. May 11: Lions Lions with Auburn, Davey Muise, Longshot, Idol Lives. May 15: Cursive with The Appleseed Cast. May 17: Epic Beard Men with Sage Francis, B. Dolan, Vockah Redu. May 19: Duke Robillard. May 26: Playing Mantis with John Baldaia. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. 729-1005, TheMetRI.com THE STRAND May 2: Project Mayhem. May 4: CV Entertainment Presents Tito Paris with Orchestra and Cremilda Medina. May 8: Cat Country 98.1 Presents: Storyteller featuring Kip Moore and Kevin Herchen. May 10: Snarky Puppy. May 14: Beartooth with Of Mice and Men, Hands Like Houses, Dead American.

May 24: Burna Boy. 79 Washington Street, Providence. TheStrandRI.com

PERFORMANCE comedy | theatre

COMEDY CONNECTION May 30-June1: Michelle Wolf. 39 Warren

52

East Side Monthly • May 2019

Avenue, East Providence.

RIComedyConnection.com

438-8383,

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER May 5: Straight No Chaser. May 10-12: Swan Lake, Jersey Boys. May 14: Postmodern Jukebox: Welcome to the Twenties. May 18: Double Dare Live! May 28-June 2: Waitress The Musical. 220 Weybosset St, Providence. 421-2787, PPACRI.org TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY April 11-May 12: Little Shop of Horrors. May 16-June16: Marisol. 201 Washington Street, Providence. 351-4242, TrinityRep.com

LEARN

discussion | instruction | tour LADD OBSERVATORY Open to the public on Tuesday evenings from 8 to 10pm, weather permitting. 210 Doyle Avenue. 863-2641, Brown.edu MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM Public Planetarium Shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm. Elmwood Avenue, Providence.

785-9457, ProvidenceRI.gov/Museum PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY LIBRARY May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Cradles to Crayons, Preschool Storytime, Learn to Speak Spanish. May 1: PVD Younger Makers. May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Ready for Kindergarten, Tween Club. May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Unwind with Yarn. May 4: What is Biblical Counseling? May 6, 13: Girls Who Code, May 7, 14, 21, 28: BabyBooks, Zumba4Toddlers, Learn to Code: A Beginner’s Series. May 9: Reading Across RI Book Discussion: “What the Eyes Don’t See” by Mona Hanna-Attisha. May 11, 18: Community Restorative Yoga. May 11: Film and Discussion: “The Gate - Dawn of the Baha’i Faith.” May 18: Joy Group for Youth Ages 3-18. May 21: Books and Movies of Faith. May 23: RI Anti-War Committee - What to Make of Venezuela: A Non-Interventionist Perspective.

Rochambeau Library, 708 Hope Street, Providence. 272-3780, ProvComLib.org

Danger FOR FOODIES BOTTLES Thursdays 5–7pm: Spirit tasting. Fridays 4–7pm: Beer tasting. Saturdays 4–7pm: Wine tasting. 141 Pitman Street. 372-2030, BottlesFineWine.com

Construction Area No Trespassing

FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND Tuesdays 3-6pm: Woonsocket Year-Round Farmers Market. Fridays 11am-1pm: Harvest Kitchen Cooking Demo. Saturdays 9am-1pm: Hope Street Farmers Market. Sundays 11am3pm: Arcade Farmers Market. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. FarmFreshRI.org

GALLERIES RISD MUSEUM Through June 30: Repair and Design Futures.

Through July 7: Bona Drag. Through August 4: Visions and Revisions. May 3-December 1: Gorham Silver. 20 North Main Street, Providence. 454-6530, RISDMuseum.org

SPORTS PAWTUCKET RED SOX May 3, 4, 5: vs. Rochester Red Wings. May 14, 15, 16: vs. Columbus Clippers. May 17, 18, 19: vs.

Gwinnett Stripers. May 31: vs. Syracuse Mets.

1 Columbus Avenue, Pawtucket. 724-7300, PawSox.com

East Side Monthly • May 2019 53

Business Spotlight

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FIND A WORRYFREE PRE-OWNED EUROPEAN CAR?

Spring and Summer Essentials

Sure! Choose color, features, mileage & your budget up front.

Your dream car is hand-selected, vetted & warrantied. Plus expert service, free pick-up & delivery.

Call for a Free Consultation

IASIMONE PLUMBING

MEMORY CARE ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE

HEATING & DRAIN CLEANING, INC.

A

INSTALLATIONS REPAIRS • REPLACEMENTS We are always providing a Free Estimate

WINNER OF THE SUPER SERVICE AWARD FROM ANGIE’S LIST FOUR YEARS IN A ROW! We Can Do Anything With Water Except Walk On It Servicing all of RI & nearby Mass. for over 35 years

Our uplifting environment and special approach to Alzheimer’s and dementia care have created a quality of life you simply can’t get anyplace else.

(401) 944-2450

Monday - Friday 7:00am to 6:00pm

27 Allen Avenue, North Providence (401) 300-9761 • iasimonephdc.com

FOR A PERSONAL TOUR Convenient to US Hwy 6 and I-295 in Johnston, RI

49 OLD POCASSET ROAD BriarcliffeGardens.com

Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors

4 Season Care For Your Property

Check suspension & tires for pothole damage We service and repair ALL foreign and domestic models • ASE Certified • RI inspection and repair station #27b

s summer approaches, there’s a renewed interest in more casual sartorial and sportswear items, and MARC ALLEN FINE CLOTHIERS is here to give your wardrobe a fresh, seasonal spin.

Summer parties and dinners are fantastic opportunities to debut a new unconstructed sport coat, or make a statement with a lightweight hopsack blazer. Be it off the rack from Napoli or custom constructed by hand for the individual, Marc Allen offers a nearly unlimited selection.

Bolder patterns, brighter colors and interesting lightweight fabric blends (think linen, silk and tropical wool, or ultra-light cashmere blended with silk) are hallmarks of warmer weather, and Marc Allen’s new custom fabric collections have any option you could think available to embrace it with fun and sophistication.

But not every summer event needs a jacket.

During the season, also find pima cotton polos made in Italy by the clothier’s friends at Fedeli (find a special selection of these at the Ocean House this summer) and lightweight silk and cotton jeans and pants from Neapolitan maker Marco Pescarolo.

Plus, Marc Allen offers beautiful handmade shirts from several Neapolitan shirt-makers, lightweight knitwear, shorts, accessories, and more.

Enjoy the warm weather, enjoy every event, party, and trip this summer in effortless, individual style.

Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

CityEstateGardener.com 401.935.2312 54

East Side Monthly • May 2019

729 East Avenue • 401-723-1111 (Top of the East Side, next door to Rite Aid)

Marc Allen Fine Clothiers 200 South Main Street, Providence 453-0025

Business Spotlight

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Furniture for Every Style and Budget

Largest Selection of Vintage Furniture

T.F. Morra Tree Care, Inc. Ornamental and Shade Tree Specialists

Reliable

FU RNITU RE G A LLE RY ty Furniture We Buy & Sell Quali

881 Westminster Street, Providence | 861-6872 RJLGallery@gmail.com | ReliableJewelryAndLoan.com

TOP APPLIANCES AT LOW PRICES

STAINLESS REFRIGERATORS

L

ocated upstairs from Reliable Jewelry & Loan is a stunning showroom collection of antiques and furniture. RJL FURNITURE GALLERY is run by husband-wife team Roger and Patti Benton, who have been in the furniture business for over 40 years. The couple has a passion and expertise in buying and selling quality furniture, but in particular wicker; several of the pieces Roger has restored have appeared in trade and collector books.

However, at RJL Furniture Gallery, you can find something for every style and budget, whether you’re looking to furnish your new home or, in the spirit of spring, freshen up and add some character to an existing room. Looking for a showpiece? A vintage Egyptian commode will do the trick. Maybe you want a practical, yet timeless addition? Try the clean lines of a mid-Century dresser. Beyond furniture, the gallery stocks fine china, silverware, and other luxurious items that make great home accents.

There’s no better way to add personality and panache than with well made, one-of-a-kind finds like those offered by the Bentons. This season, RJL Furniture Gallery celebrates with a Spring Sale, but if you’re wondering how you’ll ever squeeze that discounted solid oak hutch into your sedan, don’t worry – delivery is available, too.

RJL Furniture Gallery 881 Westminster Street, Providence 861-6872

RANGES • HOODS WASHERS & DRYERS BUILT-IN REFRIGERATION COOKTOPS WALL OVENS DISHWASHERS

NEW SHOWROOM WITH OVER 400 SCRATCH & DENT APPLIANCES!

• fine hand pruning • tree preservation • hazard tree removal • tree evaluation & diagnosis • tree planting consultation 331-8527 • tfmorra.com The Dwares JCC is

YOUR Community Center.

Membership is open to EVERYone regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexuality, ethnic background or family constellation.

Fitness Center, Indoor Pool, Gymnasium, Early Childhood Center, After School Program, Family Programming, Cultural Arts and more!

Stop in or call to learn more!

In the heart of Providence’s East Side...

299 Walcott Street, Pawtucket 723.0500 • www.KitchenGuys.com

BEAUTIFUL PRE-OWNED JEWELRY

1271 North Main Street, Providence 437-8421 358 Broad Street, Providence 273-7050

Dwares Rhode Island

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 02906 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org

ALSO OFFERING THE IDEAL PROTEIN WEIGHT LOSS METHOD “After a week of treatment, all the pain was gone... I recommend Dr. Tom to everyone I know.” – J.T.

Northeast Chiropractic DR. THOMAS MORISON Chiropractic Physician

401-861-1300 • 187 Waterman Street www.wickedgoodposture.com East Side Monthly • May 2019 55

SERVICE

DIRECTORY

CHRIS’ LAMP REPAIR We Make Housecalls!!!

Repairing all types of Lamps Vintage Lighting Specialist

Stone • Brick • Veneers Walls • Patios • Pavers Fireplaces • Chimneys Design Work

Chandelier Repairs & Cleaning

Call 641-0362 Reg. #7445 lousstonework.com

401-831-8693

Serving the East Side for 25 Years Fully Insured

www.ChrisLampRepair.com

R.W. Desrosiers Inc.

Harold Greco, Jr. Established 1946

Plaster Perfection FREE Interior Inspections !"#$%"&'&()*$+$,-''* .//$0-&(1"(-(2"$+ 3"4-&5*

Small Repair Specialist Historic Restorations Interior & Exterior Painting

Call Now

7 3 8 -0 3 6 9

ANTIQUES & UNIQUES First Unitarian Church Indoors!

Corner of Benevolent and Benefit Sts., Providence

Sat., April 27 10am-2pm.

Advertise in the

SERVICE DIRECTORY For as low as

$45!

Deadline: April 30th Email Sue at SueH@RhodyBeat.com 56

East Side Monthly • May 2019

Skills-based approach All ages & levels welcome Private/Group Lessons Introductory Packages Flexible & Encouraging “If it’s not fun, why do it?” mdt.renn@gmail.com

Carpentry Renovations

ri Contr 937 MP #1578 MPF 1355

House Cleaning If you need a house cleaner who is organized, with good prices and excellent references, call

401-475-3283 954-709-6713

Interior, Exterior, Residential/Commercial Wallpaper Hanging, Power Washing, Staining 25 Years Experience (401) 885-1580 • (401) 323-6100 cell R.I. Lic 7140 Liab/ Work Comp Insured

David Onken Painting

Providence

Senior, Veterans & Cash Discounts

6(1")5&17$+$8-**&9(

Guitar ✩ Voice ✩ Ukulele Music Theory ✩ Songwriting

Interior/Exterior

LiCenSed • Bonded • inSured

Reg. #4114 ★ Member BBB ★ Est. 1946

Levine Painting Co., Inc.

Complete Plumbing & Heating Service

723-0560

Emergency Water Damage Repairs

Prompt, Reliable Quality Work

Lead Certified Gutter Cleaning Chimney Pointing Roof Leak Repairs

We Specialize in painting & carpentry

Experts in Water Problems

From Roofs, Gutters & Basements

Reg. #1903 Insured 40 Years Experience

Over 20 years of experience on historical homes Certified Lead Renovated LRM #0514 RI Reg #7320 • Fully insured GET IT DONE! CALL TODAY!

248-5248

Call Al Medina (401) 438-8771 or (401) 323-8252

Vinny’s Landscaping & BOBCAT SERVICE

The Finest in New England Craftmanship

New Lawns Installed

Seed or Sod Power Raking Augering Hammering Rototilling Screened Loam Free Estimates

Call 4 9 7 -1 4 6 1

Boreal Remodeling General Home Repair, including Kitchens,Baths, Decks & Additions Reg. # 22013

Michael Packard • (401) 441-7303 Like the Three Bears, We’ll find the right Medicare Option for You!

Brier & Brier Insurance & Employee Benefits Jeffrey G. Brier CLU, ChFC, CASL 469 Angell Street • Suite 2 • Providence • 02906 120 Lavan St. • Warwick • 02888 • 401-751-2990 cell 401-837-4475 • fax 401-633-6658 • www.brier-brier.com

HANDYMAN Specializing in exceptional results for repairs & small jobs.

On time, professional & extremely clean. Reg. #40738. clearproppvd@gmail.com

LUNCH SERVED

HOUSE CLEANING Experienced. Local references. Free estimates.

Call Lilly, 401-419-2933.

HOME & BUSINESS SERVICES

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

FISH & CHIPS & CHOWDER EVERY WED. & FRI.

LOBSTER ROLL EVERY FRIDAY

SUPERB HOUSEPAINTING High end workmanship. Small jobs a specialty. Call Ron 751-3242.

Reg. #18128.

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

DOROTHY’S CLEANING We clean your home as our own!

References & free estimates.

401-524-7453 or 401-228-6273.

PIONEER BASEMENT The healthy choice for wet basements, crawl spaces, moisture & air quality control.

Foundation repair. Certified.

Insured. Reg. #3934. Cell 401-215-7985 or 1-800-649-6140.

TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE OPEN TUESDAY-FRIDAY11AM-3PM 315 Waterman Avenue East Providence • 443-4300 PaquettesRestaurant.com

C.M. HOUSE CLEANING Professional, reliable, experienced.

Excellent local references.

Affordable. Marilyn at 497-8770.

HOUSE CLEANER With experience and great references. Please call for a free estimate. Call Lia 359-4379.

WANTED

MISC. SERVICES

HOUSE CLEANING Honest, hard worker, years of experience. Excellent references. Free estimates.

Call Renata 516-135 PROPERTY MANAGER Available. On call 24/7. Rent collection. Rentals, evictions, maintenance. 421-0092.

INCOME TAXES Fiore & Asmussion, Inc. C.P.A. 40+ Years of Exp. Located at 125 Wayland Ave. 351-7000.

USED MUSIC WANTED! Round Again Records needs your used CDs and records. Cash paid.

351-6292.

I BUY BOOKS Old, used and almost new.

Also photography, art, etc. jcminich1@gmail.com 286-9329.

East Side Monthly • May 2019 57

EAST SIDER

By Amanda M. Grosvenor

Piecing Together the Past Chicago native Alan Metnick

hadn’t planned on Providence as a permanent residence, but like many RISD graduates, he opted to stay post-graduation. He has lived in Israel and Lebanon and spent more than six months cumulatively visiting Poland but calls the East Side “one of the greatest neighborhoods in the world” and “cosmopolitan.”

After earning a bachelor’s in history from the University of Wisconsin, Alan worked in sales for a few years, then spent a year in Lebanon. He felt drawn towards artmaking and creative expression but “had no background in the fine arts at all” – just a strong desire to take pictures, inspired by documentary photographer greats like Bill Brandt, Robert Capa, and Robert Frank.

Without “any confidence in my ability to direct my thoughts from my mind, through

58

East Side Monthly • May 2019

my body, to my hands, and have the hands do it in any way other than using a mechanical device like a camera,” prompted Alan to transfer to RISD’s photography program.

There, he discovered an innate drawing ability and dabbled in silkscreen prints, which forayed to quilts and stained glass work. After 50 years, Alan still creates art in his Pawtucket studio with two assistants, and his art spans countless mediums.

After he photographed centuries-old Jewish cemeteries in Poland 15 years ago, taking pictures of burial grounds became Alan’s passion. Now, Alan returns to the country multiple times a year and has taken over 300,000 photos of cemeteries, many of which were destroyed during WWII. He is also involved in a number of nonprofit organizations in Poland dedicated to

“preservation of Jewish memory.”

Alan resides in Summit neighborhood and raised three sons and one daughter on the East Side. He loves long walks from Wickenden Street, up Blackstone Boulevard to Swan Point, and sometimes to North Burial Ground, often stopping at Seven Stars and Wildflour for their pastries and granola.

Right now, Metnick’s artwork is displayed in two different shows: the first is Silence and Stones, a collection of Polish cemetery photos at the Providence Art Club’s Dodge House Gallery from April 22 until May 9. Projects and Selections shows at Candita Clayton Gallery from April 18 to May 25 encompasses 70+ pieces curated from five decades, including pinhole camera photographs, pen and ink drawings, paintings of Providence mills, quilts, and more.

Photography by Savannah Barkley for East Side Monthly

Alan Metnick preserves memory through diverse artistic mediums

81 OLD PLAINFIELD PIKE SCITUATE, RI | $989,900

700 GREAT ROAD LINCOLN, RI | $1,249,900

27 HARBOR TERRACE CRANSTON, RI | $1,350,000

1228-A DRIFT ROAD WESTPORT, MA | $995,000 369 SOUTH MAIN ST NEWPORT JAMESTOWN

|

238 S. WASHINGTON STREET N. ATTLEBORO, MA | $875,000

401.274.1644

WATCH HILL NARRAGANSETT

PROVIDENCE BLOCK ISLAND

6 TALLWOOD AVENUE BARRINGTON, RI | $759,900

330 Blackstone Boulevard East Side of Providence $1,495,000 401.274.6740

36 Boylston Avenue East Side of Providence $679,000 401.274.6740

See the Video Tour at 330Blackstone.com

230 Laurel Avenue East Side of Providence $539,000 401.274.6740

See the Video at 230Laurel.com

226 Blackstone Boulevard East Side of Providence $1,250,000 401.274.6740

#1 in RI Homes Sold Four Consecutive Years * Barrington Cumberland East Greenwich Narragansett Providence West Side PVD Relocation

401.245.9600 401.333.9333 401.885.8400 401.783.2474 401.274.6740 401.457.3400 800.886.1775

*This statement is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the State-Wide Multiple Listing Service. The MLS does not guarantee and is not in any way responsible for its accuracy.

Data maintained by the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Based on information from Statewide Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for 1995-2018 as of January 2019.

466-468 Hope Street East Side of Providence $399,900 401.274.6740

See the Video Tour at 226Blackstone.com

355 Angell Street #10 East Side of Providence $225,000 401.274.6740

See the Video Tour at 355Angell.com

43 Transit Street #5 East Side of Providence $649,000 401.274.6740