East Side Monthly August 2013

August 2013

Urban Agriculture East Siders are bringing the great outdoors to their backyards

Decoding your new tax bill pg 24

Fun summer events for the whole family pg 45

New Listing! $619,000

Historic Victorian in desirable College Hill! Bright, spacious rooms, wonderful original details, 4+ bedrooms, private city yard/garden, high-end heating/cooling system, 2-car garage w/loft. Walk everywhere!

John McCann

New Listing! $569,000

Upscale two-family on Blackstone. 1st floor furnished rental unit; 2nd/3rd Townhouse design with 2 bedrooms. Updated kitchens, baths, replacement windows in a well maintained home.

Rodger Gaglione

New Listing! $469,000

Substantial 6 bedroom, 3½ bath Colonial in the heart of College Hill. Original details, lovely hardwoods, fireplaces, 2-car garage. Solidly built, ready to be updated.

Sue Erkkinen

New Listing! $550,000

Tastefully renovated Greek Revival with original details, high ceilings, wide board flooring, stylish kitchen and appliances, master suite, central A/C, lovely patio and gardens.

Helen Mcdonald

New Listing! $849,000

Gracious brick Tudor, perfect for entertaining. Large fireplaced living, terrific family room. Recent cook’s kitchen with granite, Sub-Zero and Thermidore. Mahogany deck, brick patio, landscaped yard.

Sue Erkkinen

New Listing! $265,000

Exceptional 2 bed, 1½ bath 3rd floor unit. Almost 1500 sq ft of living space. Renovated baths, heat, central A/C, washer/dryer. Best location off the Boulevard!

New Listing! $127,000

Wonderful location! Walk to Hope Street shops and restaurants, farmers market. New kitchen, hardwoods, freshly painted. Why rent when you can own for less money?

Myra Braverman

New Listing! $249,000

Edgewood. Spacious 1 bed condo at Rosedale Landing. Fully applianced stainless/granite kitchen, hardwoods, bubble tub, W/D in unit. Park like grounds, onsite fitness center.

Kathryn Lawrence

New Listing! $198,000

Rumford. Sunny 3 bedroom, 2 bath Cape in desirable neighborhood. Freshly painted exterior, hardwood floors, fireplace, and finished basement.

Daniel Byrnes

Michaela Hermann

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Contents August 2013

This Month 13 Gardening on the East Side Agriculture comes in all shapes and sizes in the city

21 Success Stories A non-profit removes education obstacles

24 Decoding the New Tax Bills Congressman Sam Zurier explains the new costs

Every Month 4 Letters/Editorial 6 Other Side 9 Community News

Photography: Tiffany Medrano

31 Movies

13

Brown's Urban Environmental Lab Garden

38 Art

45 Calendar

38 Education

54 East of Elmgrove

Capsule reviews of the latest cinematic openings

A RISD grad finds her path

34 On the Menu

More to learning than reading, writing and arithmetic

Enjoy dinner and live music at Hemenway’s

37 Dining Guide

Your resource for eating out

42 Finance

Taking the emotion out of money managing

All the info on August happenings

Critically acclaimed author Ann Hood’s connection to the East Side

On the Cover: Fox Point

Community Garden.

Photography by Tiffany Medrano.

FAmily owned And operAted For over 50 yeArs FEATURED PROPERTY Steps From Lippett Park 954 Hope Street Great little bungalow right across from Lippett Park. Perfect starter home with new gas heating system, 6 y/o roof, all new windows, fireplace and mother-in-law apt on 2nd floor. Just needs updating to make it your own. Property is being sold “as is.” $230,000 Listed by Karen Miller

Assisting Buyers, sellers And renters

Aleen WeissH Jon WeissHF Karen MillerH Claire Sennott

Howard Weiss Lauren Sickel

HAlso licensed in MA FLicensed RI Environmental Lead Inspector 0065

785 Hope street, providence, ri 4 01-272-6161 • spitzweiss.com August 2013 East Side Monthly

3

Editorial 1070 Main Street, Suite 302 Pawtucket RI 02860 tel: 305-3391 | fax: 305-3392 esm@providenceonline.com www.eastsidemonthly.com

Getting What You Pay For By now we all have received our 2013 tax bills from the City and in most cases it isn’t pretty. Our councilmen warned us the new budget was going to hit the East Side pretty hard since real estate prices have generally been more stable here than in other sections of the city. When coupled with the decision to hold the line on commercial real estate taxes, already the highest in the country, well… the result was as predicted.

Rather than argue the decision, which clearly impacted the East Side more than the rest of the city, perhaps a more productive way to deal with

the issue is to ask what we will receive for the hit we are being asked to take.

The East Side has always been a bargain for the City. We pay the highest taxes but put less strain on city resources like police and fire. Clearly we have the right to ask for more patrols and diligence from our two precincts, though they certainly already work hard on our behalf.

A better request to justify the increase, however, would be to ask to the mayor and the city council that we are entitled to better enforcement by city departments on issues important to us: parking enforcement. Curtailing

overcrowded student housing and excessive partying. Going after landlords, many of them absentee, who fail to maintain their properties.

This strikes us as an issue of fairness. There are rules and regulations in place to improve the quality of life here on the East Side were they only enforced. As we are all being asked to reach a little deeper into our pockets to help the City, it certainly is appropriate for there to be increasing pressure on the appropriate city departments to do their part for us. In many cases, this is nothing more than to just do their job and enforce what’s on the books.

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell Publishing Director Jeanette St. Pierre Managing Editor Barry Fain City Editor Steve Triedman Executive Editor Julie Tremaine Associate Editor Grace Lentini Special Projects Manager John Taraborelli Digital Manager Samantha Pezza

Letters

Art Director Karli Hendrickson Assistant Art Director Meghan H. Follett

Dutch Elm Continues to Impact Brown To the Editor: Brown University will remove two small elm trees infected with Dutch elm disease. The trees, on the front green, are ten to 15 years old and had been thought to be disease-resistant. Removal of diseased trees is essential to maintaining Brown’s 82 elm trees, one of the largest collections of elms on any campus in the nation. The University will plant new elms of other resistant varieties in the fall.

Jennifer Braga Liaison: Government Relations and Community Affairs, Brown University

A Letter to our Mayor To the Editor: I voted for you as Mayor of Providence in 2010. I envisioned that you were the right person to correct many of the most serious problems facing our city. Your performance has been disappointing at best.

I am retired and chose to live in Providence 11 years ago to be near my family and grandchildren. Since that time, I have seen a city with growing financial problems, a school system that is underperforming, an inability to attract new businesses, a growing tax burden on taxpayers even when our property values have declined and an infrastructure that is in serious disrepair.

I have managed companies that have a budget comparable to the city of

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East Side Monthly August 2013

Providence, and I can tell you from experience that if I ran my company how the city of Providence is managed, we would have gone into bankruptcy and eventually liquidation.

There is no doubt that when you were sworn in in January of 2011, you were faced with a myriad of fiscal infrastructure and city-productivity problems. I honestly do not see any improvement.

Our taxes continue to escalate, making Providence a place to leave rather than a place where new companies would be attracted to operate.

The anomaly is that the potential of living and working in Providence has not been leveraged. Providence could be in an ideal location for living and doing business. We produce the nation’s finest graduates at our world-class institutions of higher learning, only to see these students leave for the lack of work opportunities. The quality of life in Providence continues to deteriorate, primarily driven by a crumbling infrastructure, a shrinkage of new business startups and a growing tax burden.

Your recent proposed tax increases only make Providence less financiallyviable. My wife and I love Providence and would love to continue to live here, but if our taxes continue to increase, we will be forced to relocate, even if it’s just north or east of our borders.

Frankly, your proposed tax increases are fiscally unsustainable. You cannot continue to financially squeeze the

Providence families and retirees until it becomes impossible to live here.

James W. Ranes

Following Up To the Editor: In last month’s cover stories [“What’s Ahead,” July 2013] on new businesses coming to the East Side, you mention a huge new fitness center planned for the north end of North Main Street. Have you confirmed who is coming in?

Several phone calls and emails to the magazine Editor’s Note: Though their corporate office has not gone public, we spoke to one of the developers of the project who confirmed the new tenant will indeed be LA Fitness. They have already committed to a new facility in Cranston set to open soon so the move makes sense.

A Big Thank You To the Editor: I just wanted to get in touch to thank you for writing such a wonderful article [“In Oil,” June 2013] about me and my artwork. I read it for the first time last night online and was so pleased that I immediately sent it to my friends, family and collectors. Many of the responses were that they felt as though the writer of the article really captured me and my work so well and so true to who I am as an artist and a person. Thank you again.

Sandra DeSano Pezzullo

Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas Graphic Designer Veatsna Sok Account Managers Louann DiMuccio-Darwich, Ann Gallagher, Nicole Greenspun, Kristine Mangan, Dan Schwartz, Elizabeth Riel, Kimberly Tingle Classified Advertising Sue Howarth Contributing Writers Bob Cipriano, Michael Clark, Mary K. Connor, Jill Davidson, Mike Fink, Don Fowler, David Goldstein, Betsey Purinton, Elizabeth Rau, Dan Schwartz, Erin Swanson Interns Adam Baffoni, Jacleen Charbonneau, Sameet Dhillon, Sarah Frazier, Desiree Hodge, Courtney Melo, Alex Spiess Contributing Photographers Tiffany Medrano, Katie Poor, Dan Schwartz Contributing Illustrators Ashley MacLure, Maret Paetznick, Jessica Pollak

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.

Copyright ©2013 by East Side Monthly.

All rights reserved. Printed by TCI.

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Other Side by Barry Fain

Building Community Events and activities to bring East Siders together

Kudos to a determined group of activists in Mount Hope who were determined to find another place for local teens to gather and stay off the streets. Named after a beloved community activist from the area, the new Billy Taylor House at 185-7 Camp Street (next to the Mt. Hope Neighborhood Association) will be ready for operation soon now that the purchase is officially completed.

Leading the project was a longtime local resident James Monteiro, but the list of participating friends is an impressive one indeed. The thinking is that younger Mt. Hope residents seem to have a number of positive opportunities to interact but older adolescents don’t have many places to get together informally themselves. Now they at least have one more. Congratulations to the good folks who made it happen.

Zumba-mania Hits Hope Street

The Rochambeau Library is a terrific local resource that offers all sorts of activities during the summer designed to help exercise the minds of students during the school vacations. But as we look over a list of their activities, one definitely attracted our attention.

The library is offering something they call “Zumba for Toddlers.” Zumba is one of the hot new exercises, which among other things, is a terrific way to lose weight. The popular dance-based workout originated in South America and offers a Latin rhythm to its routines. We’re not exactly sure how the Zumba/toddlers pairing evolved, but it certainly provides one of those “you’ve got to be there to see it” moments for parents with appropriately aged children. It’s held every Tuesday at 11am.

Providence Makes Still Another Top Ten List

It’s always fun to see where the out-oftown press rates our beloved capital city in terms of national ratings. While

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East Side Monthly August 2013

we may be near the bottom in terms of economic issues, we usually score much better in the quality of life. Now Travel + Leisure magazine offers a new one for us to consider. After praising us for our performance arts (number four), cafes (number three) and burgers (a surprising number one), they rated us number eight in their newest “City Snobbiness” ratings. Must be their New England café-culture, they suggested. Lest you be worried, San Francisco was rated number one, followed by New York and Boston, so we’re in good company.

The Thayer Street Debate Continues

The City Planning Department continued with another public meeting in late June to discuss their consultant’s findings on possible future directions for the Thayer Street area, defined as the area bordered by Hope, Brook, Waterman and Thayer Streets. Their most recent presentation looked at the challenge from the point of view of near-terms (and less costly) initiatives, larger medium term projects and strategic long-term considerations. Their emphasis seems to be stressing multi-usage so far. There was some push back from some attendees who complained that the process is somewhat flawed in terms of concept, since it starts with the current Thayer Street as a given as opposed to developing a plan that might move the street in a different direction (more residential and reduced bar hours for example).

Based on the feedback the consultants have received so far from their sessions with the public, business groups, Brown and others, they are planning one more major public meeting in September. If you’d like to see where the process is so far, go to www.providenceri.com/planning/thayer-street-planning-study and all will be revealed.

Star Power

If you’re looking to try something a little different this month, might we suggest you try a little star gazing for a change? There are two opportunities we’d recommend. One is to not miss

Billy Taylor Park, near the new Billy Taylor House, is another resource for bolstering community in Mt. Hope

the popular Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), which comes to selected venues downtown from August 6-11. As we go to press, George Marshall and his minions are finalizing details so we’re not sure of who all their big name stars may be this year. But we do know that Oscar winner Hayley Mills (Parent Trap) will be in town along with her brother-in-law, actor Maxwell Caulfield. The second stars you might want to check out are more accessible and can be found every Tuesday night at the Ladd Observatory on the corner of Doyle and Hope Streets. Climb up the tower and use their high-powered telescopes to check out the summer skies. The staff there will help identify what you’re seeing.

The Sound of Music, Providence-style

Providence is blessed with a diverse and wide range of open air concerts, most of them early evening, that just keeps expanding. Here on the East Side we have the popular Concerts Under the Elms (at the John Brown House), the Blackstone Boulevard Trolley Station (at Elmgrove Avenue) and Family Fare at the Brown Street

Park. Then there are India Point concerts, rock at Waterplace Park, the list goes on. We’re happy to add one more for any of our opera buff readers out there. Opera in the Park will present L’Elisir D’amore, fully staged with sets and costumes, in Hopkins Park, the corner of Charles St. and Branch Ave. In the event of rain, it will move indoors at the Columbus Theatre. If you’re a music lover and bored this month in Providence, you have no one to blame but yourself.

Food for Thought

If you’re an eco-oriented East Sider, right now the only way you can recycle your food scraps is to compost in your backyard. Now a non-profit ecological group ecoRI News will help you do the right thing. For $32 a month, they come to your house, once a month, and pick up your scraps and redirect them from the overcrowded landfill to eco-organizations that can use them. Those interested in signing up should visit www.ecoRI.org/earth.

The pilot program can take up to 40 customers and hopefully will serve as a model for a larger statewide composting service.

Photography: Jonathan Beller

A House in Mt.Hope is About to Become a Home

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East Side Monthly August 2013

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Community News Community 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.

Fox Point

by John Rousseau Fox Point Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 270-7121 Website: www.fpna.net Email: fpna@cox.net Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603177, Providence, RI 02906 Events This Month: FPNA will hold its Monthly Board Meeting August 12 in the Community Room at the Vartan Gregorian Bath House Library, 455 Wickenden Street.

FPNA Welcomes New Merchants FPNA is eager to share news of a number of new businesses sprouting up in the neighborhood, particularly on Wickenden and Ives streets.

Ives Street, whose recent history has included some promising, yet ultimately short-lived endeavors, witnessed the opening of Bee’s Thai Cuisine at 167 Ives in May. The menu is straightforward and the flavors excellent, but perhaps more importantly, the tables have been filling up. In the storefront formerly occupied

by Ugly American, this early popularity is a welcome sight. And with nearby Dok’s Deli, – which serves mouth-watering soups, salads and sandwiches (complete with house-cured meats!) – entering its second year, it appears Ives may have turned a corner.

Wickenden Street is playing home to a delicious and aromatic renaissance, too. Newly opened Dolce Gelateria at 270 Wickenden Street is serving up ice cream and gelato in a variety of irresistible flavors – the curbside scent of homemade waffle cones will delight even the grumpiest of souls. And for those counting calories during beach season, Sweet Berry Self Serve Frozen Yogurt is preparing to launch just a few blocks down at 218 Wickenden Street.

You may not be able to eat at Providence Perfume Company, located at 301 Wickenden Street, but you will find an array of aromas to awake the senses. Acclaimed perfumer Charna Ethier’s new shop features handcrafted luxury fragrances inspired by her rustic country roots.

Perhaps the most exciting entry into Fox Point is Willy’s Local Foods, which takes over the former space of Scissor Hands Salon at 394 Wickenden Street on the corner of Hope Street.

After growing up on the East Side, its owner Will Sherry moved to the suburbs. But now he’s back to open a grocery store with fresh produce that aims to “bring the old school corner market back to the neighborhood,” Sherry says. “In my opinion, the many bars and shops on Wickenden Street, the waterfront park of India Point, and the proximity to Downtown Providence, make Fox Point the best part of Providence to live.”

The grocery store will be a welcome alternative to the East Side Marketplace, which requires a bit of a trek for most of Fox Point’s carless residents – particularly during the stifling months of summer and the coming freezing winter days. Sherry’s vision is to provide all the typical grocery store staples – “fresh produce, fruits, meats, milk, cheeses, crackers and pasta”– with an emphasis on local and organic excellence. He aims to open his corner grocery store at the end of August.

FPNA encourages our neighbors to check out and support these new entrepreneurs, who offer increased products and services that help improve the quality of life in Fox Point.

Friends of Cabral Park Offer Children Activities Friends of Cabral Park present Ann Schattle, the children’s librarian at the Fox Point Community Library, for a story time experience, followed by an art project, every Tuesday at 6pm, starting July 23 through August 27.

Bring a picnic supper and sit out on the lawn.

Located at Cabral Park on Wickenden Street between Governor and Ives Streets, the Friends group says that all ages are welcome. In case of rain, the events will continue at the Fox Point Community Library across the street from the park. For more information, contact Ann at aschattle@provcomlib.org or by calling 331-0390. For information on additional summertime activities at Cabral Park, please visit them on Facebook at Friends of Cabral Park, or by contacting the group at friendsofcabralpark@gmail.com Friends organizer Jane Zogot reports that the rusty fence in the park has finally come down to offer a new green space in time for the childrenoriented events. Congratulations, Jane.

Blackstone Parks

by Jane Peterson Blackstone Parks Phone Number: 270-3014 Website: www.blackstoneparksconservancy.org Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603141, Providence 02906 The need for an education committee seemed obvious when the Blackstone Parks Conservancy set one up last fall. To continue carrying out our mission of caring for the Boulevard and the 45-acre Blackstone Park Conservation District, we would have to enable more people to learn and care about nature.

Nearly every week for years now, junior high school students led by Audubon teachers supported by the Providence After School Program have been studying the woodland and ponds beside the Seekonk River and forming deep attachments to the Park in the process. Why not offer similar opportunities to people of all ages?

The committee of several people experienced in working with children and led by educator Chair Rick Richards has accomplished much in less than a year. Consulting with experts ranging from the City Forester Doug Still to Audubon teachers, they have designed ambitious plans for monthly trail walks as well as events for families and small children. So far the BPC has held three trail walks and plans three more.

Most children today, and many of their parents, have less exposure to nature than their grandparents did. Some adults worry about the implications of this loss for the childrens’ well being, including their ability to learn. And they wonder who will provide stewardship for natural areas in the future.

Considerable research on early childhood development shows that children learn naturally through exploring and experimenting. According to committee member and developmental psychologist Elisa Vele-Tabaddor, “the narrow focus on academics in our culture is limiting opportunities for children to learn outside the classroom and develop their creativity and naturalistic intelligence.”

In a city with relatively few wooded areas, Blackstone Park Conservation

District is an important resource. “The BPC events,” says Dr. Vele-Tabaddor, “offer children a variety of experiences to interact with their natural environment and build their knowledge base in multiple domains. Bringing children into the parks and hosting family-friendly, fun events are preparing our youngest citizens for success both in the classroom and in life.”

This summer, parents eager to find activities to engage their vacationing wards jumped at the BPC events for small children. Dozens of children sang and danced to musical storyteller Lindsay Meehan’s guitar under the trees in the field opposite Narragansett Boat Club on River Road. On the summer solstice, the BPC marked the pending full moon with its first fairy house workshop. About 60 parents and small children turned up.

Alongside the Providence Parks Department, the BPC has found that working toward healthy urban green space for all can be fun.

We greatly appreciate your Eastside Marketplace receipts. Please mail them to the P.O. Box above.

Events Boulevard – Trolley Shelter Concerts: 6-7:30pm; rain dates – following Wednesdays The concert season began strongly in mid-June with performances by the Classical String Ensemble and the Rock-Jazz Band sponsored by the Classical High School Alumni Association and underwritten by Richard and Sandy Bornstein.

July 24 – Robertico Arias on congas, Jorge Najarro on timbales and Eduardo Ortiz on bass bring the rhythms of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. John McKenna on saxophone, Wendy Klein on flute, and Dennis Highes on piano.

August 7 – Nickel Jukebox, a sixpiece “Mostly Motown” band brings seasoned veterans and two talented songstresses.

August 21 – Wensday Greenbaum, singer, songwriter, actress and educator performs with the Cotillions. Her music combines elements of rock, jazz, trip-hop, tango and blues.

Blackstone Park Conservation District – All events assemble in the River Road field opposite the Narragansett Boat House Trailwalk – August 10 – Mushroom Hunting in the Woods Family Events: August 17 – Building Fairy Houses II August 2013 East Side Monthly

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by Kerry Kohring Summit Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 489-7078 Website: www.SummitNeighbors.org Email: sna@sna.providence.ri.us Mailing Address: SNA, PO Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940 Fourth Annual Music Festival Scheduled for Saturday, Aug 24, in Lippitt Park The Fourth Annual 2013 Summit Music Festival is scheduled for 1-6pm, Saturday, Aug. 24, in Lippitt Park, at the juncture of Blackstone Boulevard and Hope Street. This year’s gala event, which is free, features these groups: The Stooges Brass Band, New Orleans’ hottest; Marco Benevento, the jazzrock explorational pianist’s acclaimed trio with Dave Dreiwitz (Ween) and Andy Borger (Ani DiFranco, Tom Waits); Roz Raskin & The Rice Cakes, playing genre-blasting, rhythmically charged melodies and voted best local band by the Providence Phoenix; and The Sugar Honey Iced Tea, an all-woman Providence-based indie folk group with four-part harmonies.

In addition, there will be a wine and beer garden for adults, a special section with activities for kids and food and crafts for all.

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East Side Monthly August 2013

Poll Shows Support For ‘Tot Lot’ Gardens Preliminary results of the SNA/City of Providence opinion poll about community gardens in the “tot lot” on Summit Avenue indicated strong support for the plan. Although final results have not yet been tabulated, returns as of June 27 show that 81% of respondents agreed with the statement, “Yes, I am in favor of the renovation project as proposed,” which includes the garden plan as well as improvements to the playground facilities.

In addition, 68% said they would use the park more frequently if the renovations were made, with 43% saying they would use it “much more often.” Of the people responding to the survey, 73% say they currently use the park at least occasionally.

With many more respondents

indicating interest in a garden plot than there are spaces proposed, demand is already exceeding supply, reflecting trends at other city community gardens, some of which have waiting lists of up to five years.

The survey continued into July. For complete results and the landscape architect’s plans, go to the SNA website: www.summitneighbors.org

New Manager at Hope Street Farmers Market Rui A. David, the new manager of the Hope Street Farmers Market, introduced himself to the SNA board of directors at its regular June meeting. David, a native of Portugal, came to Providence when he was ten and has been here ever since (with occasional trips elsewhere). He has a background in farming and marketing and reportedly knows the city inside and out.

Look for a handsome young man at the market every Saturday and Wednesday.

Residents Invited to Directors Meetings The board convenes at 7pm on the third Monday of every month in the cafeteria of Summit Commons, 99 Hillside Ave. The meetings are open and neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend. Minutes of all board meetings are posted on the SNA website under “Meetings and Agendas.”

Brown Street Park

by Wendy Nilsson Friends of Brown Street Park Phone Number: 454-8712 Website: www.friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Email: wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Mailing Address: 30 Pratt Street, Providence, RI 02906 Events this Month 7th Annual 2013 Brown Street Park Concerts - “Celebrate Providence!” Neighborhood Performing Arts Series Bring a picnic, blanket/chairs and chill out with some really cool music and let the kids play! Forget the picnic?

You can always grab a delicious dinner from the RISD food truck, “Rosie”, or snacks from our sponsor, Whole

Foods University Heights!

The “Celebrate Providence!” Neighborhood Performing Arts Series is sponsored by the City of Providence, Mayor Angel Taveras, the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, the Department of Parks & Recreation and the Partnership for Providence Parks.

NPAI Concert with Joe’s Backyard Band July 24 at 5:30-7:30pm Enjoy toe-tapping tunes with Joe’s Backyard Band.

NPAI Concert with Smith&Weeden plus an Imagination Playground August 7, 2013 at 5:30pm Imagination Playground from 6-8pm Join us from 5:30-7:30pm to enjoy the twangy rock n roll sound of Smith&Weeden.

Imagination playground is brought to you from the Providence Children’s Museum as part of Playful Providence 2013.

NPAI Concert with Superchief Trio August 21 at 5:30-7:30pm Enjoy the Superchief Trio. The band features a unique combination of twofisted piano, red hot trombone, blazing guitar, rock solid bass, powerful vocals and frenzied percussion antics.

Summer Fitness Schedule Get out there and have a super healthy summer... no excuses. All classes are free with the exception of Crossfit. Free childcare for many Y Sponsored events. It doesn’t get easier than that! For Y sponsored events during rain, call 521-0155 for updates and cancellations.

Treasure Island All Children’s theater at St. Andrew will be back for their 3rd annual performance, Friday, August 9 at 1pm, Treasure Island. Best for kids four and up, but all are welcome.

Story Hours and Music for Children with Lindsay Meehan Tuesdays The Providence Athenaeum will be bringing story hours to the park on Tuesday mornings with Lindsay Shaw.

Also, special event on Tuesday, July 9, Music for Children at 10:30am with Lindsay Meehan and Lindsay Shaw. Please check out the Athenaeum website for details. Providenceathenaeum.org Brown Street Park Awarded Grant Great news – Friends of Brown Street Park received a grant from the New

Community News England Grassroots Environment Fund to do the following: 1) Pilot a new kind of volunteerism guiding folks with small signs and small actions to take care of the park and enlist a friend in doing so 2) Re-start the undergrowth in the forest and plant native plants and wildflowers with a little path and signs to educate young children!

Please contact wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org to find out how you can donate or get involved in Brown Street Park or visit www.friendsofbrownstreetpark.org. Check the website for cancellations and updates for classes and events. To find out what other parks in Providence are doing, check out www.Providenceparks.org.

Wayland Square

by David Kolsky Neighborhood Discussion Group at Books on the Square Website: groups.yahoo.com/group/ waylandsquare Monthly Meetings Regular monthly meetings: Wednesday, July 24 and (tentatively) Wednesday, August 28, at 7pm, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street at Elmgrove, next to CVS. Free and open to all.

August 28 will mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, so we may adjust our own meeting date or agenda to accommodate any commemorative events. (Please check the bookstore window or our Yahoo! Group to confirm the August date.)

City Budget and Property Taxes Both of the City Council members who represent Wayland Square — Seth Yurdin and Sam Zurier — together with the city’s Deputy Finance Director, Lawrence Mancini, addressed a hastily-called special meeting on June 18 to explain property taxes and the new municipal budget to eight or nine of our residents.

If the scheduling rush hadn’t hampered publicity, more neighbors might have had their concerns about some recent very sharp tax increases answered, but on the other hand, everyone who came had a chance to express an opinion, ask specific questions and get either a fuller explanation or the sources of further information.

The speakers all emphasized the wisdom of filing notice in time to reserve a taxpayer’s rights to review and appeal. Some of the sharper tax increases were due to changes in the homestead exemption for owner-occupiers and to the different rates of decline in property values in different parts of the city.

But there were still some striking anomalies at the level of neighboring East Side streets and blocks. And those who feel those differences are incorrect or unfair have the right to a second (or third) look at their recent revaluations, reappraisals and tax assessements. But only if they’ve asked the City in time.

There isn’t space here for further details (and I couldn’t take notes from the chair), but many other aspects were discussed, such as the limits imposed by existing state laws and why Seth Yurdin supported the budget while Sam Zurier voted against it.

Waterman Street Dog Run A new group wants to establish a fenced-in park for unleashed (but controlled) dogs at the foot of Waterman and Angell Streets, near the Henderson Bridge approaches. There’s a much fuller description of this project, as well as of the property-tax question, in last month’s Wayland Square column (July 2013, pages 10-11).

At the moment, the group is concentrating on the nuts and bolts of organizing a non-profit corporation, finance, planning and publicity. They hold regular monthly meetings at 7pm on the third or fourth Thursday of every month in the Rochambeau community library at 708 Hope Street, to which all members of the public are welcome.

Black & White and Red and…

If you think of La Laiterie (the dairy) as white and Femme Fatale salon as black, now moved next to Red Stripe restaurant on Angell, you can now extend your mental palette beyond chessboards and card decks with not only the Olive Tap next to CVS on Angell, but Peachwave frozen yogurt opposite Minerva’s on South Angell and two new spas on the Wayland Avenue entrance to Wayland Manor, Citrón (lemon) and Papillon Jaune (yellow butterfly).

Some readers will see this before a revived Wayland Square Sidewalk Sale and Taste of Wayland (with the streets blocked off for pedestrian strolling) on the last weekend of July, Friday the 26 and Saturday the 27.

More Local News Check our Yahoo! Group’s public message board (above) to stay abreast of current local events and issues. Or join the group to receive regular announcements by e-mail, including select notices of neighborhood meetings, civic affairs and cultural events.

Granoff Center for the Creative Arts amphitheater, located at 154 Angell Street.

Showtime is right after sundown. Rain date is the following night, same time.

The Princess Bride on August 6 at 8pm The NeverEnding Story on August 27 at 7:30pm

College Hill

Intro to West Coast Swing– every Tuesday night (weather permitting) The Providence Rink at the Bank of America City Center, 2 Kennedy Plaza Visit The Providence Rink Facebook page for more info or visit www.providencerink.com.

by Allison Spooner College Hill Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 633-5230 Website: www.collegehillna.com Email: chna@collegehillna.com Mailing Address: CHNA, P.O. Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906 Thayer Street Planning Study – Information Available Online Thanks to everyone who attended the Thayer Street Planning Study public meeting. Our appreciation to the representatives of the Department of Planning and Development, the project consultants and to Brown University for hosting. ?If you were not able to attend or you would like to review the Thayer Street Planning Study presentation, please visit the Planning Study website at www.providenceri. com/planning/thayer-street-planning-study or visit CHNA’s website for links at www.collegehillna.com. There will be no other public meetings until September, so you can review the site over the next couple of months and email comments throughout the summer to planningcomments@providenceri.com. CHNA also has minutes from the original Thayer Street Planning Study Workshop listed on our website as well.

We encourage everyone to participate by reviewing the presentation, call with questions, and submit all comments and thoughts prior to the next public meeting in September.

Summer Events So much to do this summer! Please visit our website for links to local events and activities. Here are a few to mark on your calendar: Brown Street Park Concert Series – Wednesday, August 7 and 24 www.friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Smith & Weeden plus an Imagination Playground on August 7 Superchief Trio on August 24 Brown University’s Outdoor Movie Series – Tuesday, August 6 and 27

Concert Under the Elms – Thursday, August 1 and 8 The John Brown House Museum at 52 Power Street, Providence Free for RIHS members and children under 12. $10 for all others Lippitt House Guided Tours – Fridays (except August 2) 199 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906?

Call 453-0688, schedule online at www.

LippittHouse.org, LippittHouse@PreserveRI.org.

Crime Updates We are still receiving reports of various types of crimes throughout the East Side. For an opportunity to join a reporting group and a listing of up-todate information please visit our Crime Awareness page on our website at www. collegehillna.com.

Join CHNA You can still renew your CHNA membership – new members are welcome as well! Annual dues have changed slightly to $20 per year for an individual membership or $35 per year for a family. To join (or renew), visit our website, www.collegehillna.com and click “Join CHNA.” Checks may be made out to CHNA Attn: Treasurer, Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906.

Be sure to include your email and mailing address.

Councilman Sam Zurier Weekly Updates Sign up to receive informative weekly letters from Ward 2 Councilman Sam Zurier. Visit his website, www.samzurier.com, to subscribe.

More on the CHNA Website Visit www.collegehillna.com for additional updates on special use permits, crime activity, local resources, events and neighborhood activities.

August 2013 East Side Monthly

11

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urBan agriculture

Putting Down Roots community gardens blossom on the east side By sarah frazier

G

ardening isn’t just for pretty flowers anymore. Urban gardening, community gardens and urban agriculture are more popular than ever, and the East Side is no exception. According to the Providence Urban Agriculture Task Force, about half of Rhode Island’s farming land has been lost to expansive urban developments since 1964. This evolution of urban and city space have left many seeking new methods of growing their own source of sustenance in an effort to stay healthy and sustainable, including in our very own backyards.

Brown gets innovative It’s easy to see that Brown University houses some of the smartest people in the state. Back in 1984, the Urban Environmental Lab’s Community Garden took over what was once a dingy parking lot on the campus and transformed it into the beautiful agricultural oasis it

Fox Point Community Garden

is today. The technology that makes this organic garden grow is as simple as it is genius: “We have a double rain barrel that collects water for the plants off the north and east sides of the building, an Aquaponics system that incorporates a big tank full of tilapia and a pebble bed for circulating nutrified water past the roots of tomato and squash plants in the greenhouse, and a few composting bins,” explains Sophie Soloway, current garden coordinator at Brown. This greentech includes a drip irrigation system as well, which offers controlled amounts of moisture to each community bed.

However, the garden always serves an educational nod. “Most recently, Professor Dawn King’s Urban Agriculture class, a popular new Brown course offering, used the garden to test out their class projects, including a cold frame and a hydroponics system,” says Soloway. For Sophie, the future of urban gardening is bright. “I think that a city’s

underappreciated spaces like vacant lots and marginal land could become vibrant, productive growing spaces.”

growing as an organic community Like the hunters and foragers of long ago, there is a sort of communal cooperation involved in maintaining both sustainability and sanity within a community garden. At Fox Point Community Garden, there is a real emphasis on individual dialogue and strengthening. Promoting the prominence of municipal understanding, Fox Point’s garden also offers open online forums for those seeking gardener’s tips as well as recipe sharing for the variety of produce grown there and seasonal potluck dinners. With 100 plots of land for gardeners to get their hands a little dirty and yearly dues of $25 for the first plot and $30 for a second, it is easy to see why this agricultural experiment is growing in popularity.

Founded in 2006, this community garden prides itself on not only providing space for those wanting to grow their roots in the urban landscape, but also for offering a glimpse of greenery in the concrete jungle of city life. With one of the best online resources for community gardens on the East Side, check out www.foxpointgarden.org for more information.

(also pictured on right)

Photography: Tiffany Medrano

one woman’s mission for greener Pastures

Session Street Community Garden

Stretching her horticulture know-how across the East Side, Kate Lacouture goes above and beyond to help make possible those people seeking to foster community gardens in their own areas. Owner of her own architectural landscaping company, Green Circle Design, Kate is someone who knows how to take something unkempt and make it blossom. Kate’s work through Green Circle Design led her to help foster the Session Street Community Garden, back in 2007 with Alicia Lehrer and Laura Mernoff and the help of the Providence Parks Department.

“Session Street has become the East Side hub for community gardeners,” states a busy Kate, who also manages the community garden at Martin Luther King School (read Jill Davidson’s article about that at www.eastsidemonthly.com). Other amenities and

Picked from Brown’s Urban Environmental Lab Coummunity Garden

additional perks members can enjoy are workshops, on both the East and South Side of Providence, compost for growing and the occasional community potluck.

For Kate, the benefits of urban gardening are pretty straightforward.

“A huge benefit is just being able to grow your own food and being selfsufficient,” Kate explains. “I hardly buy vegetables!” However, you might have to wait a little while to get a plot of your own. “We currently have about 32 plots, but it’s a long wait list. Spots really only come up if someone moves away,” says Kate; though she often will tell people if spots aren’t available at Session St. to check out Martin Luther King School. If you are interested in grabbing your own plot, contact Kate at kate@greencircledesign.net.

the more the merrier Other urban gardens on the East Side include Brown Street Park Community Garden and Mount Hope Community Garden. Brown Street began construction in 2010, and is run by Kate Bothe and Eamon Brown. For more information check www.brownstreetgarden.org.

Mount Hope is another hot spot for budding grower enthusiasts. It’s been around for about 25 years, and was converted from a dumping ground into the lush greenery it is now. For more information, contact Mary Shawcross at artistartgal@yahoo.com.

Urban agriculture is the way of the future, and the East Side seems to be right on pace.

August 2013 East Side Monthly

13

urBan agriculture

A Garden Grows In Providence gardens, bees and chickens abound in the city By rebecca remillard

Eric Bilodeau’s bees live on the roof of his garage

14

East Side Monthly August 2013

base of the plant, as opposed to traditional watering systems, which inadvertently water weeds as well. Her cucumbers grow on an old spring mattress frame bent in half, rustic wood branches have been tied together for squash and beans, and one of her neighbors is growing his tomatoes on netting, “Almost like an espalier,” she says.

“For us, it’s really provided a greater sense of commitment to our environment and community. Our garden soil is like gold,” says Erin, “It doesn’t feel like our property is a just a space on which we live. It feels more interactive.”

Erin’s advice to families considering an urban garden of their own? “Go for it! Start today. Start in a bucket if that’s all you have.”

to Bee or not to Bee? Less than a quarter of a mile away, on top of Eric Bilodeau and his family’s roof, bees are buzzing. Eric and his wife Cristin are actually more of these bees’ adoptive parents, haven taken over the two hives from a graduating RISD student about 12 years ago. “He sold me on the idea of adoption with the reassuring advice that, ‘They really take care of themselves, so don’t worry about the work.’ This was for the most part very accurate, unless you want to harvest honey several times a year,” says Eric.

The bees are Italian bees, a subspecies of the western honeybee, with a reputation of having a gentle temperament. While Eric has never received any complaints about the bees (rather, many inquiries of interest), he knows that one of the challenges of having a hive in an urban environment is the need to locate the hive so that the beeline will not interfere with the people around it. “When we had kids, we had to relocate the hive from the backyard to the roof of the garage so that all the bees entering and exiting the hive were doing so over our heads,” says Eric.

“It’s amazing to see a beeline operate.

The bees determine a location of nectar gathering at the beginning of the day and the buzzing line of bees follows this highway until the end of the day. Another day, another direction.”

The traditional stack of three to four boxes is admired from the Bilodeau’s kitchen window for most of the year, and Eric has almost worked up the

Here and below: the urban bounty from Erin Abrahamsen’s garden

courage to enter the hive without his suit. In years when they get enough honey, they give out jars to their neighbors around the winter holidays. “We enjoy harvesting the honey because the taste changes every year depending on the weather, the strength of the hive, and what flowers they worked that season. It’s fun to think that you get to taste your own neighborhood,” he says.

law-changing chicks “I was in it for the eggs,” says Kate Lacouture. “But I came to find out that chickens are nice pets too!” During the day, Kate’s four Auricana chickens can be found wandering her backyard, and at night are sent to bed in a four foot by six foot enclosed henhouse. Everyone gets along in harmony; four chickens, a dog, a cat and her three sons.

“I got my chickens because my friend had chickens and she said, ‘Go ahead, get chickens; it doesn’t matter that they’re not legal in Providence, I’ve never had a problem with my chickens.’

So I did,” she says. “Then one day, I was helping her with her backyard and there were flashing lights and sirens like it was a raid. Animal control was there. They

said if she didn’t get rid of her chickens

by Friday, they would take them.” Kate and her friend contacted the Southside Community Land Trust, who already had a pro-chicken ordinance written, and started the process of changing the law. After several City Council meetings and an online petition and many letters of support, the ordinance was passed.

Providence residents are now allowed to have up to six chickens (depending on their lot size).

“We really enjoy having the chickens,” says Kate, and the feeling is mutual. “When I go in the backyard, they run up and see me... They are happy to be near us.”

Photography: (L) Dan Schwartz, (R) Erin Abrahamsen

Providence in summer is no concrete jungle. No true asphalt metropolis has this much green. Folks around the East Side are finding it difficult to relinquish their green thumbs simply because they live in a city, and why should they? Our city has proven itself to be just as suitable a place to grow a row of kale as it is a place to grow a business.

“It’s beautiful in a crazy, lush sort of way,” Erin Abrahamsen says about her urban garden, which has really become more of a shared space. “My neighbors in an apartment next door loved to garden, too. How could I not invite them to share the space? It’s been a boon.

There are currently four families that plant in the garden, although a little over half the space is mine,” she says.

“Everyone pitches in; we all put the garden in together in the spring and put it to bed in the fall. We’ll often come out after work or in the evening and pick our vegetables together. We share our excesses and end up talking about why some tomatoes look better than others or what this new pest could be. On weekends that time will often turn into an impromptu barbecue.”

The space is approximately 35 feet by 35 feet, with 11 rows of peppers and squash, fennel and cotton, gourds, greens, fruits and flowers, and a two foot high fence around it – more to keep the children out than animals. Erin has even set up a system of drip irrigation, which delivers water right to the

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THE FARMERS’S DAUGHTER

Photography: Tiffany Medrano

Since 2000, Farmacy Herbs’ Community Health and Education Center has served the public in both bodily and mental restoration. With an abundance of herbs growing in two farms, located in Providence and West Greenwich, herbalist and owner Mary Blue has something for everybody looking to take a natural route in both strengthening and restoring their bodies. “Herbs are a great way to prevent disease and maintain health,” says Mary as the Farmacy Herbs shop’s walls of herbs surround her. “Whether you’re dealing with a specific issue in your body, herbs can support that specific system.”

As the only establishment on the East Side to grow and sell holistic medicines, the passionate Mary has applied her knowledge on herbs to assist countless community members.

“Right now, a lot of people come into our shop with endocrine system issues, which is hormones,” Blue says. “Some of the herbs I really like using are those that will balance hormones, whether it’s a thyroid problem or hot flashes.”

For hormones, one beneficial tonic, a form of herb that is gentle and safe for everyone, is astragalus. For those who want to maintain overall health, Blue offers nettles, dandelion and holy basil for the body’s whole system.

Behind the jars of dried herbs and tea blends in the earth-friendly shack is years of hard work and dedication. With two farms to tend, one measuring five acres, Mary Blue has taken on over 400 volunteers throughout the last 12 years, allowing community members a chance to give back. “They help with whatever we need done,” Mary says, “like planting, weeding, harvesting, processing and cleaning.” Volunteers also cut labels and make tea blends of different varieties, like best-selling Women’s Blend, made with nettle leaves, red raspberry leaves, oatstraw and passion flower to support the nervous and reproductive systems. What’s even better is that every herb is organically grown.

Although now a well supported farm and business, Farmacy Herbs had to overcome tough challenges in its beginning years. Mary started the farm before herbal remedies became well known, struggling to show medicinal herbs as a valid help support method. Despite this, she continued to tend her farms, over-

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coming the hurdle as herbal benefits began to attract the media’s attention.

Today, she works with both doctors and acupuncturists, creating special blends for each individual’s needs. The farms’ success continues to flourish as customers are assisted from all around Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, despite a recent reduction in the size of the Providence farm, which was “replaced with pavement by a local store.”

Those who want a hands-on learning experience about herbs and their benefits can sign up for Mary’s educational classes held at Farmacy Herbs Community Health and Education Center.

With limited spaces, Mary offers two levels of classes, occurring level twice a year. “You’ll learn all the actions of the plant, which part of the plant to use and the best extraction method... whether you want to do it in a tea or in a sap,” Mary explains. Despite the small class space, Farmacy Herbs will always have its doors open for customers with all kinds of health histories. With her level of impact on the community, Mary has truly found her calling in life, making each day of her work one step closer to creating a healthier Rhode Island. www. farmacyherbs.com

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hope street!

BLAZE

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960 Hope St., 421-4422

736 Hope St., 351-5718

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etarian choices.

18

East Side Monthly August 2013

KITCHEN BAR

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STOCK CULINARY GOODS

STUDIO HOP

820 Hope St., 521-2200

785 Hope St., 272-6161

756 Hope St., 521-0101

810 Hope St.,

www.sevenstarsbakery.com

www.spitzweiss.com

www.stockpvd.com Stock Culinary Goods welcomes food lovers who seek thoughtfully sourced, well-designed cooking tools, resources and gifts. New products arriving daily as well as demos and classes.

621-2262 Studio Hop blends contemporary fine art, jewelry and fine crafts with period furniture and jewelry.

They also feature unique wedding and engagement rings and handmade clothing.

coffee

Your friendly neighborhood real

along with breads and morning

estate agency. Family owned and

pastries, all made from scratch

operated for over 50 years. Assist-

and baked fresh daily.

ing buyers, sellers and renters.

Serving

locally

roasted

For more, including links to business websites, visit THREE SISTERS

ZACKS CAMERA REPAIR

1074 Hope St., 273-7230

791 Hope St., 273-7247

www.threesistersri.com

www.zackscamerarepair.com

Ice cream, breakfast, coffee, baked

Old images moving or still or old

goods and lunch… all made in house

sound recordings you can’t play

with love. Get happy and healthy

anymore? Zacks can rescue and

with your Three Sisters!

convert them!

EastSideMonthly.com August 2013 East Side Monthly

19

o Pening this s ummer in the P rovidence A rcAde

Native American

Jewelry | Pottery | Fetishes Wayland Square | 180 Wayland Avenue, Providence 751-7587 • southwestpassage.net

Someone to count on …

Concord Companion Services helps seniors enjoy the comfort of living at home by offering a helping hand with daily tasks.

Whether you could use some help just hours a week or an in-home companion 24-hours a day, Concord Companions can be available anywhere in Rhode Island with just two hours notice. Our accredited services are fully bonded and insured.

Visit our website to see a full list of services. private duty companion care • light housekeeping errands & appointments • laundry • home health aide shopping • overnight care • meal planning medication management

www.ConcordHomeCare.com

20

East Side Monthly August 2013

401-725-8400

Getting to College Low-income, first-generat i o n H o pe High students show it can b e d o n e

By Dale Rappaneau Although Rhode Island has many prestigious colleges and universities, it also bears an eye-opening number of low-income children struggling to achieve enrollment within those – or any, for that matter – higher education institutions.

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (2009-2011), 38% (83,363) of Rhode Island’s children are classified as low-income, which is defined as “income below 200% of the federal poverty level.”

In addition, 83% (18,501) of children whose parents do not have a high school degree live in low-income families, while 61% (25,883) of children whose parents have a high school degree but no college education live in low-income families. And yes, it’s easy to brush past these numerical findings, but one must challenge oneself to see the faces behind the facts. This is Rhode Island, and these are its children.

While many factors contribute to why so many of the state’s children fail at enrolling in college, Francesca Zetar, Program Coordinator for the non-profit College Visions, believes two primary influences afflicting children are an absence of parental experience within the higher education process and a lack of financial support. The two combine to create a socioeconomic status that can feel impossible to escape.

However, as a first-generation graduate from Brown and someone who “received a lot of help from organizations with planning for college,” Zetar proves it’s possible, and now she’s giving back through her work with College Visions.

Started in 2004, College Visions is a non-profit organization dedicated to “empowering low-income and first-generation college-bound students to realize the promise of higher education by providing advising and resources to promote college enrollment, persistence and graduation” – a typical in-a-nutshell mission statement, really, though College Visions’

College Visions empowers students in their education goals

methods are far from typical.

“Each of our advisers actually have a certain number of students,” says Zetar. “Most of us have 18 students, and we work very closely with them, meet with them one-on-one, really get to know them. We help them with resume writing, college essays and we also take them on college visits.

Then we move right into the financial aid and FAFSA. We walk with them every single step.”

But again, these kinds of articles can be easily waved away, as it’s a problem without a face or a name, and even Zetar’s above quote refers to this demographic as “them.” So the question must be asked: Who are they?

Anta Touray and Veronica Zambrano Coffie are among College Visions’ most recent batch of students successfully scoring admission into college. By the time of publication, Touray will have already spent her summer at Barnard College in New York, while Coffie will be finalizing preparations for entering into Guilford College in North Carolina. Both Coffie

and Touray received full scholarships.

“For me, it’s a dream come true,” says Coffie. “I’m the first one in my family to go to college.” Laughing, she adds that it didn’t seem “realistic to come here, to the United States, two years ago, from an island, learn English and then work two jobs, deal with culture shock and still make it to a four-year institution. But I really, really wanted to go to college, that was my priority, and now it’s happening. I can’t believe it!”

Touray echoes Coffie’s sentiments, adding that she’s actually “an independent,” proving that no two individuals can fit within the same template. For that reason, College Visions tailors their curriculum for each child, both challenging and supporting the individual according to their specific situation.

“There’s no such thing as a perfect student, and [College Visions] recognizes that,” says Touray. “They help each person get to where they want to go, but they say, ‘Okay, you want to go to Harvard? You have to do this, this, this,

this.’ They lay it all out and challenge you to push yourself for those goals.”

“And they are very involved,” says Coffie. “Calls on a regular basis, emails all the time, Facebook messages, constant reminders – and if our essays or work aren’t good enough, they’ll tell us. Sometimes it hurts to hear it, but they don’t baby us. No, they empower us.”

For children lacking the familial and financial support needed to rise above their social predicaments, College Visions is a crucial stepping stone. The non-profit organization bridges the gap between Rhode Island’s surprisingly large number of low-income first-generation students and their dreams of higher education.

“And for a lot of us, [College Visions] is more like a family,” says Touray. “They don’t let us slip through the cracks.”

If interested in supporting College Visions, thus helping others like Coffie or Touray, donations are accepted through the organization’s website, www.CollegeVisions.org.

August 2013 East Side Monthly

21

Getting back on your feet after surgery isn’t complicated, you just need someone to show you how.

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22

East Side Monthly August 2013

10% Off Entire Check With Ad. (exp. 8/31/13)

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Over sized lot in prime College Hill location, oppty to build value with cosmetic updates; great bones, spacious rooms, wide-plank hardwood flrs, rental units have private entrances, 5 min walk to Brown/ RISD/Whole Foods, 10 min walk to train.

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Or,atHandwriting Analysis and Henna Cosmopolitan loft living its best! This spacious Wonderful historic East Side condo w/private deck Tattoos. shop for uncommonjustgifts and granite/stainless kitchen. Great for condoAlso, has wonderful riverfun viewsfashions, & walking distance off updated to many of the city’s best restaurants & shops. High ceilings, exposed brick & manicured public gardens makes this perfect for your urban lifestyle.

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Located in heart of College Hill, this bright corner unit features hardwoods, new windows, formal dining room, laundry , 10’ ceilings, parking & updated stainless/ granite kitchen w/cherry cabinets. Walking distance to Brown/RISD, Thayer, Downtown, Bus & Train

Great owner-occ or rental $$. Solid history of qual tenants & hi income! 1st+2nd setup w/ oversized scrumptious mstrbds. Self-contained suite on 3rd w/ spectacular skylites. HW, open, bright, eik, 2 porches, 6car, appls, 2010 roof(1/2), 2009 w heater.

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Your place for the unexpected and exotic! Make an appointment for a Tarot Reading or a Birth Chart and Astrological Reading. Or, Handwriting Analysis and Henna Tattoos. Also, shop for fun fashions, uncommon gifts and ready-to-eat Indian entrees. All at great prices!

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401-751-8100 • www.wrrealty.com August 2013 East Side Monthly

23

SAVOR EVERY BIT OF SUMMER. ®

SOUP BAR 371 Richmond Street, Providence (parking available)

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East Side Tax Increases Explained

Introducing The Wurst Kitchen at Chez Pascal

But some changes are being considered

Small open kitchen featuring hotdogs, house made sausages and sandwiches for lunch.

For dinner enjoy sausages (served outside the bun) and small plates of delicious ideas.

Wurst Days

Tues-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm

Wurst Nights

Tues-Sat 5:30pm-9:30pm

chez pascal

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21 Rose Court

Great condo featuring NEW granite & stainless kitchen, updated bath, new floors, freshly pained, central air & parking. $189,000.

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Debbie Gold

401-640-0403 • 225 Wayland Ave, East Side Of Providence Deborah.Gold@NEMoves.com Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society award.

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Relocation & Previews Property Specialist © 2012 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. Owned and operated by NRT, Incorporated. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Housing Opportunity

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www.EastProvidenceCycle.com 414 Warren Ave., East Providence, RI 02914

24

East Side Monthly August 2013

E

al S E BiK

401·434·3838

By Sam Zurier

Editor’s note: In response to several calls to our office, we asked Councilman Sam Zurier to help explain the rationale for the current tax bills, which have hit the East Side particularly hard. Sam’s most recent letter to his ward constituents does just that. The Councilman also points out perhaps the most important part of it is the last sentences which indicated that the City Council has already met and is considering restoring some or all of the 2012 dollar value of the exemptions affected by this year’s change in tax classification. Sam adds that “there is interest in moving quickly, so conditions may change even before people receive this issue of the magazine.”

In recent decades, the City has charged a lower tax rate for those who occupy their property and a higher rate for those who do not. Instead of having separate rates, however, the City established a “list price” top rate and then allowed exemptions of 50% of the property’s value for homeowners and a lower percentage exemption for non-occupant property owners. In 2012, the “list price” tax rate was $31.89. Homeowners received a 50% exemption for an effective rate of $15.95, while non-occupant owners received a 15% exemption, for an effective rate of $27.11.

This system (which we are used to) is confusing for outsiders.

When the State prints a table of each city’s tax rate, it lists Providence at $31.89, the highest rate in the State, with an asterisk noting that there are exemptions. This high rate (which nobody actually paid) discouraged people from learning about the asterisk and moving to Providence. Also, some banks set financing limits based on the $31.89 rate without accounting for the 50% exemption, thereby reducing access to mortgages.

For these reasons, it made more sense for Providence to publish the actual rates the two classes of property paid in tax, rather than a “list price” rate that nobody paid, with exemptions that reduced that rate for the two classes of property. Providence submitted legislation to the General Assembly this year to gain permission for this change.

As a result, the homeowner’s rate in Providence this year is $19.25. This is lower than the $31.89 charged last year, but there no longer is a 50% exemption.

Instead, the $19.25 is the effective rate for homeowners, which is slightly more than 20% above the 2012 effective rate of $15.95. As I explained in previous letters, the average residential property in Providence declined in value by 13.2%, so the new tax rate of $19.25 generated a tax increase of around 6% for the average home city-wide. Because property values were more stable on the East Side, taxes increased by a higher amount due to the revaluation, which was the reason I voted against the budget. As mentioned before, I will be working with a committee to study the revaluation process with the goal of recommending changes to prevent the next revaluation from being as disruptive as the last three have been.

The new tax rate also had an impact on other miscellaneous exemptions, such as the elderly exemption. Last year, the exemption covered $20,000 at the “list price” rate of $31.89, providing a reduction of $638 from a tax bill. This year, the exemption covers $20,000 at the homeowner’s tax rate of $19.25, providing a $385 reduction. The City Council is considering legislation to increase the size of the elderly exemption and other exemptions to restore the monetary value to property owners that was available in 2012.

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w w w. r i m i r a d . c o m

Spotlight

by Dan Schwartz

Beautiful Pre-Owned Jewelry

special advertising section

Empire Loan Guitars, pedals and amps abound

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

T.F. Morra Tree Care, Inc. Ornamental and Shade Tree Specialists • fine hand pruning • tree preservation • hazard tree removal • tree evaluation & diagnosis • shade and specimen tree planting 401-331-8527 • www.tomstreecare.net Now 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.

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26

East Side Monthly August 2013

Meet Mike Samos, general manager of Empire Guitars, located in the rear of Empire Loan on North Main Street. Mike is super-knowledgeable in the world of guitars and basses, not just from a product perspective, but from playing guitar for 21 years and being in many local bands. Working with business owner Jeff Keithline, they created an establishment that really appeals to musicians. Mike explains, “When we set out to design this store, we wanted to build a shop that was community based – the sort of place we’d want to shop at.” Empire Guitars has realized this vision with a store filled with exceptional instruments and a staff that knows their stuff. “We don’t carry anything that we personally don’t feel good about,” Mike admits.

Empire Guitars stocks a huge inventory of guitars that run the full gamut, from Yamaha guitars (perfect for beginners) and other mainstream brands to rare and vintage models. “We carry Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker and Gretsch,” Mike says, “But we also carry the oddball stuff too, like Harmony, Teisco and Premier. We have some of the older Ibanez guitars and FNH, which is a local guitar builder from Attleboro.” The staff here can refurbish your guitar at their on-site shop. Empire Guitars loves to buy used guitars, and they also do guitar trades. Their used guitars are looked over so meticulously that most of them play better than new guitars do straight out of the box.

Boutique guitar pedals have been particularly hot this year at the shop.

Mike explains that it’s pretty unique to be able to try out guitar pedals made by small manufacturers from the local area, the Midwest, the West Coast and Canada. “Boutique guitar pedals are something exciting and different for guitarists to get into,” he explains. Whether you are new to playing, or play regularly on the stage, the staff at Empire Guitars can answer all your questions and make sure you get the right piece of equipment. Join their email list to receive monthly sales announcements in their newsletter. Come tap Mike’s guitar knowledge and see the store’s amazing selection, or visit their website: www.empireguitarsri.com.

Empire Loan Empire Guitars / 383-0880 Empire Loan 1271 N. Main Street, Providence / 437-8421 and 358 Broad Street, Providence / 273-7050 www.empireguitarsri.com / www.empireloan.com

“

Success Starts from Within

”

Mobile Personal Training for the Providence area Let us come to you or you can come to us!

by Dan Schwartz SpotlightLisa Mongeau

special advertising section

401.714.7324

Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors

lisa@bodysoultraining.com

Servicing AWD cars with INSPIRED PERSONAL special requirements

We service and repair ALL foreign and domestic models

Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors

• ASE Certified • RI inspection and repair station #27b

Tip of the Month Keeping your gas tank low will shorten the life of your car’s fuel pump, as the pump relies on gas to stay cool.

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For class schedule visit: bodysoultraining.com Lisa Mongeau 401.714.7324 • lisa@bodysoultraining.com

www.BodySoulTraining.com Many car manufacturers beyond Subaru and Volvo are rolling out allwheel drive models, and when it comes to tires there are a few things consumers need to know. Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors co-owner Susan Cole says, “In the situation where you get a flat tire – and the tires have been on your vehicle for awhile – it’s not a matter of replacing one tire. You have to replace all four.” On an AWD vehicle if you don’t have matching tires with the same make and model, it can affect the transmission and the transfer case. Jon, a technician, explains, “With two different tread designs, one is going to be more aggressive than the other, so one will have more traction. That puts more stress on everything.”

Eric, another Swedish Motors technician, mentions, “It can also throw off the anti-lock braking system for the car, because the computer is not going to know how to respond to certain conditions since it’s seeing a difference in the traction.”

He explains that if there is a tire of a different size, the ABS will be off because the tires spin at different speeds. This is particularly problematic for higher end vehicles, like Mercedes and BMWs, due to their sensitive computers.

Keeping an eye on tire pressure levels is also important. “Newer cars fortunately have TPMS (tire-pressure monitoring system),” Susan says. “But on the older vehicles that don’t have TPMS, having a low tire will have the same effect as a mismatched tire. It’s a good idea to eyeball your tires as you get into your car first thing.”

Remember to have your oil change done regularly at a reputable place, which will give your vehicle a thorough check to make sure everything looks good. Don’t ignore the timing belt replacement, which depending on your vehicle, needs to be done every 60,000 to 120,000 miles (or every seven years, as there can be dry rot). And before any summer road trips, stop in and check your car’s hoses and make sure the A/C is running well. At Swedish Motors, they have you covered.

Introducing the Blow Out Bar at Aidile’s No Appointment Necessary Open 7 Days • Walk-ins Welcome Wednesday Special: Mani/Pedi $25

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August SPECIAL

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P R O V I D E N C E

P R O

102 Waterman Street • Providence, RI p:401.421.5160 f:401.272.0686 allegraprovidence.com

August 2013 East Side Monthly

27

Spotlight

special advertising section

Over 300 Fresh Seafood Items!

A complete line of fresh seafood, shellfish, live lobsters, appetizers & entrees: no preservatives ever

Seafood

Captains Catch

1702 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence 401-353-6350

Captain’s Catch The freshest local seafood around

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We welcome all ages, faiths & backgrounds Let your fellow East Sider help you navigate the

401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 02906 buying or selling process 401.421.4111 | www.jewishallianceri.org

Your neighborhood is special to you – it is to me too!

I am a Realtor, and your neighbor.

Mark Castelli has owned

Captain’s Catch for over 30 years, operating two bustling retail operations in North Providence and Warwick with over 300 fresh seafood items. You’ll see display cases full of plump fish fillets, bounties of shellfish, lovely gleaming squid and an enormous live lobster tank teeming with kicking crustaceans. Warning: the selection could make you giddy. There are scallops of three different sizes, multiple grades of shrimp – both raw and cooked – and tons of prepared food items ready to be baked at home, like crab-stuffed fillets, bacon-wrapped scallops and a variety of homemade sauces. Mark offers the best seafood off the boats of Point Judith, New Bedford and Boston.

Captain’s Catch is one of the last independently owned seafood stores in the area and Mark’s beginnings are a testament to his success. “I started washing floors at a small family owned fish market while in college,” he explains. “I opened this business a year after graduating, and I’m still in the store seven days a week.” All of his staff are trained from the bottom up, so they know how to do it all, from keeping the place spotless to expertly cutting fish steaks to order. “They learn from me the right way to do things and they enjoy their job.”

Summertime means grilling, and Captain’s Catch carries whole grade A quality swordfish and tuna cut to order, as well as salmon, halibut, mako shark, marlin and everything else good for the grill. They offer an extensive line of marinades that are healthy and low-sodium, so all you need to worry about is flipping the fish once for seven minutes on each side. They can help arrange clam bakes or put together party trays to bring to the beach with items like house-cooked shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce and different salad options like snail, lobster, calamari and frutti di mare. On Fridays they offer take-out fish and chips, clam cakes, chowders and whole-belly fried clams... oh yea! “It’s worth the drive,” Mark explains. “Once you try it, you’re going to be hooked.”

Call today for a complimentary home analysis!

Captain’s Catch Licensed in MA &RI • Certified Home Stager

401-714-1644 Marian Luke |marian@marianluke.com 28

East Side Monthly August 2013

1702 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence / 353-6350 1 Centerville Rd., Warwick / 738-6762 www.captainscatchseafood.com

Spotlight

by Dan Schwartz

Advanced Eye Care Associates Comprehensive vision health and eyewear

special advertising section

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VentureWindow.com Clarity of sight impacts our daily life. Without the proper prescription for glasses and contact lenses, children and adults can experience difficulty learning, excelling at sports or simply taking in the full spectrum of our beautiful surroundings. Advanced Eye Care on North Main Street is there for you, with a team of five expert doctors with access to the latest technology in vision diagnostics. Dr. John Corrow says, “In many ways we’re the general practitioner of the eye care world. We provide full scope optometric care.”

The facility is well maintained with a very professional feel. Next to the patient waiting room is an eyewear section filled with glasses, spanning from basic models to designer labels like Coach, Tiffany and Bulgari. The office is about to have a 50% expansion to better serve the clientele.

Advanced Eye Care has cutting edge equipment that provide Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), with the ability to examine areas of your eye down to the smallest detail. “It’s basically an MRI for the eyes,” Dr. Corrow explains. “It has a resolution of five microns, which is just fantastically small. Even five to ten years ago you couldn’t image the way we can now.” The advantage of having well trained doctors examine your eyes is they have the ability to detect health problems that can affect vision, like hypertensive and diabetic retinopathy. “Many bodily diseases damage the eyes,” Dr. Corrow says.

Advanced Eye Care also has the distinction of having one of the oldest practices in the state, with Dr. Harold Kilbanoff founding it back in 1927. Dr. David Vito has been with Advanced Eye Care since 1973 and he explains one of the attributes for their success: “You constantly have to evolve, and not be afraid to expend some of your resources on modern technology. You also have to be attentive to what the patients’ needs are.” Advanced Eye Care offers extensive hours six days a week, and they are always available in case of an emergency, whether you are a current patient or not. Give them a call today to arrange for an eye exam and to have the best in eyewear and contact lenses.

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Movies

by Bob Cipriano

Zombies, Cowboys and Shakespeare, Again End-of-summer movies leave you feeling cool There hasn’t been a lot of originality knocking around movie screens this summer. Comparing each new release to its predecessors is beginning to feel normal. From low rent comedy situations to superhero variations and White House invasions, we’ve seen it all before.

World War Z: another apocalyptic zombie invasion threatens all human life on the planet. But any ‘been there, done that’ attitude you might bring to this table would cheat you out of a pretty good movie. Based on the 2006 Max Brooks novel, a stalwart, credible and very sympathetic Brad Pitt searches for a way to fight the zombie hoards under some exciting direction by Marc Forster.

Forster and his movie hit the ground running, following a brief establishing scene at home with Pitt and his family.

In their family car, on the way to school, they find something terribly wrong about a Philadelphia traffic jam in which people begin to abandon their cars and run like crazy. Cue the zombies.

The early scenes of panic resemble the exciting and mysterious invasion in War of the Worlds, which isn’t a bad thing. The zombies themselves are the new, fast variety of 28 Days Later fame, rather than the sluggish, stumbling, bumbling monsters so easily avoidable in films like Night of the Living Dead and the Walking Dead cable series.

The pace is correspondingly breakneck, capable of creating edge-of-seat tension until Pitt and company get relatively safe enough to piece together what’s going on. And it’s bad. As far as alien invasions go, the worldwide scale has never been worse. Pitt, conveniently cast as a retired military hotshot, is the man for the job at hand, which is leading a team into the fray to find the cause of the zombie sickness and a potential cure.

There are no philosophical or metaphorical insights in this highly commercial entertainment. It’s just Pitt and a series of sidekicks globe-hopping to North Korea, Jerusalem and Wales to get to the disease’s source, avoiding the swarms of

living dead who are attracted by noise and who really, seriously, need to feed.

Probably the best aspect of the film is its concentration on the details of the search and the relationships (however short-term they often are) between Pitt and the people who help him. The digital action that generates the swarms of zombies is impressive and scary in a PG-13 way, but it doesn’t dominate the film’s storyline, which is strong enough and literate enough to carry the movie from its fast start to its well-considered end. Pitt’s quiet observations amid the chaos are what matter, and it’s both clever and wise to highlight them.

The Lone Ranger is a movie not so much for consideration but for speculation, as in, ‘What were they thinking about?’ This Lone Ranger is just an excuse for some fun in the Old West’s frontier, post-Civil War days, bringing Pirates of the Caribbean antics to a different era and locale. The film is busy to the point of hyperactivity, cynical to the point of stereotyping, and unabashedly but incorrectly enthusiastic about its cleverness.

Lots of western plots and themes merge into a grab bag of filmed jokes and concepts that pass as a plot. At its most interesting (which isn’t very interesting ) film references to some classic westerns and some classic Road Runner cartoons are shoehorned into the proceedings.

Johnny Depp’s ability to balance a ludicrous goofiness with moments of solemnity also helps, occasionally.

It may be that director Gore Verbinski is trying to say something about cowboys and Indians, violence, greed and exploitation between the lines of this hodge-podge of jokes and tall tales.

But that’s a tricky proposition, best left to people like Quentin Tarantino rather than whatever corporate hacks so desperately needing to please every potential moviegoer in the world stitched together this hectic muddle.

Much Ado About Nothing also inspires a ‘What were they thinking about?’ question or two, but only

The Lone Ranger

until you see this very pleasant production of Shakespeare’s play. Until then you might question a summer release of a black and white movie based on a 14th century play with doubts about a bride’s virginity as the catalyst for much of the plot action. Admittedly, that’s a good question. Another good one would be why make the film at all when Kenneth Branagh’s perfectly good, star-studded, lavish 1993 version is still relatively fresh in the minds of many Shakespeare fans and available on DVD. Who cares? Director/adaptor Joss Whedon possesses a clear affinity for the play and has cleverly updated the setting to present-day southern California. There the witty Beatrice and cranky Benedick spar over martinis in a sprawling suburban home, while some gentle bossa nova plays in the background and their yuppie friends intrude with a mix of good and bad intentions. The timelessness of romantic comedy is obvious even as you get used to Elizabethan language being spoken by these contemporary, wellheeled, upwardly mobile people with

their servants in tow.

The money and power hanging in the background, inspiring the villainous Don John to conspire to ruin Hero’s honor on the eve of her marriage to Claudio certainly works as well in modern California as it did in Shakespeare’s Italian setting. If the specifics about the nature of honor have changed a little over time, the roots of jealousy, spite and revenge haven’t.

Whedon has assembled a fine cast of largely unknown American actors to populate the play, especially Amy Acker as Beatrice, Clark Gregg as Leonato and Nathan Fillion as Dogberry – the comic constable who ties up all the loose ends in spite of his perpetual cluelessness and endless malapropisms.

The updating of time and place also allows Whedon to reveal, in a silent prelude to the story, an intriguing past shared by Beatrice and Benedick, unknown to audiences for some seven or 800 years. That’s the kind of daring that makes the old new again, and reconsidering of situations and storylines worth everyone’s while.

August 2013 East Side Monthly

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August 2013 East Side Monthly

33

On the Menu

by Sarah Frazier

Jazz It Up AMAZING DRINKS

Hemenway’s offers dinner and a show What ever happened to

GREAT MUSIC IN AN UPSCALE ATMOSPHERE WITH DOWN TO EARTH PRICES PHILIPPE'S ROOM IS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS LUNCH & DINNER DAILY 284 THAYER STREET PROVIDENCE, RI

401.331.8111 34

East Side Monthly August 2013

A CHANGE OF SCENE Live music isn’t the only change

Live music is now featured at Hemenway’s

coming to some local favorites.

Remember Marley’s on the Beach (885 Oakland Beach Ave) in Warwick?

Well, while they’ve kept the name we’ve all come to know, thanks to the transformative efforts of Spike TV’s Bar Rescue it’s under gone a major overhaul. Bar Rescue features worldrenowned food and drink industry consultant Jon Taffer, who has in his career flipped or owned over 800 nightclubs and bar establishments. A hulking man with jet black hair, Taffer exudes the authority and know-how to kick failing establishments from the depths of bankruptcy despair to the models of profitable success, with the help of updated industry technology and experienced chefs and mixologists. With new food items like Grilled Swordfish Kebobs and specialty cocktails like The Beachcomber, which features Smirnoff Watermelon, blue Curacao, cranberry and lime juice, with an orange garnish, it seems “out with the old and in with the new” is just what this place needed.

Rocco’s Pub and Grub (55 Douglas Pike, Smithfield), the small jewel of a pub, is also enjoying a bit of a change now, with new Chef Matt and Bar Manager Bruce Livingston, who are sure to bring an innovative twist to the loved pub. And while no mention of menu changes are in the works, surprises are sure to be just around the corner.

QUENCH YOUR THIRST Some say that change is good, but new is better. Nay & Poppy is a new operation that seeks to promote healthy living through its locally made, organic, vegan artisan teas. With tea names like Hibiscus Sunshine, a fruity flavored tea boasting ingredients like hibiscus, rosehips, orange peel, lemongrass, rose petals and spearmint it’s not hard to see how this bunch is popular among tea lovers and newbies alike. They even feature a tea for expectant moms, cleverly named Juicy Goddess, that uses raspberry leaf, alfalfa leaf and fenugreek, packed with vitamins, to promote milk production and anti-inflammatory properties. Items can be found on their website (www.nayandpoppy.com) or currently at the Garden Grill Café (727 East Avenue, Pawtucket).

Though, if good old fashion ale and pub style food is more what you’re looking for, check out Doherty’s Ale House’s (30 Jefferson Blvd) new location in Warwick. Kick back and enjoy some of the 124 beers on tap, while chowing down on their awardwinning Fish & Chips, or the succulent Bourbon Peach Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops, a delicious concoction of applewood smoked pork loin topped with a bourbon peace glaze and sweet potato mash, wrapped in jalapeno bacon. Is your mouth watering yet?

Photography: Katie Poor

EXOTIC FOOD

dinner and a show? For me, the idea seems lost in 1950s nostalgic notions of smoky cabarets with lively jazz ensembles surrounded by hungry mouths – cigarettes in hand. With the new addition of live music at one of Providence’s most premier seafood restaurants, those daydream wishes are brought to modern day sophistication.

Hemenway’s (121 South Main Street), a definitive Providence location for ocean-plucked morsels and date night rendezvous, is now featuring live music as part of their service – reminding us that dining is more than just about the food, it’s about the experience.

With over 20 years of experience, today the venue thrives, boasting succulent dishes from Portuguese Grilled Littlenecks to Yellowfin Tuna. And while fist-pumping rave vibes aren’t on the menu, restaurant-goers can expect to enjoy melodic tones to accompany their specialty cocktails. “We believe it’s the perfect accompaniment to our culinary offerings and ambiance,” says Benjamin Emmons, Marketing Accounts Manager at Hemenway’s.

Acts to look forward to for the Summer Music Series include largely jazz offerings. “From critically acclaimed jazz violinist Ben Powell’s gypsy jazz to Lance Houston’s improvisational jazz, and Gin Mill Jane’s gospel-inflected folk to the timeless croon of Steven Palumbo, we really pay homage to the versatility of jazz,” describes Emmons.

From Rat Pack improvisation that will have Sinatra lovers swooning to the jazzy-blues soul that adds that touch of sophistication and depth to an evening, these musical renditions are certain provide an atmospheric draw to the already popular destination.

Posting schedules of their line-ups on their Facebook page, you’ll be sure to not miss any of your favorite performances. Hungry mouths and wanting ears should swoop by Wednesday and Thursday nights at 6pm to enjoy both quality seafood fare and class-A musical acts.

Family owned and operated For over 50 yearS D

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84-86 EIGHTH STREET Fully rented 3 unit in great location close to Miriam Hospital and walking distance to Hope Street shops and restaurants. 2nd and 3rd floors are renovateed w/ new kitchen and baths plus gleaming hardwoods and newer heating systems. $299,000 Karen Miller

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169 CoNGDoN STREET Stunning (c1854 ) Mansard Victorian located on the sought after college hill. Tastefully restored, staying with the charm of days gone by. State of the art kitchen, 6 beds, 2.5baths, wide plank floors & fenced yard. Taxes do not reflect homestead. $549,000 Aleen Weiss

49 Governor Street Spacious first floor two bedroom condo in a beautiful historic home.

Featuring a grand entry way, large living area, formal dining room and new kitchen with a large informal dining area with a working fireplace.

10 foot ceilings with crown molding, hardwood floors, spacious bathroom. $249,000 Karen Miller

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121 Butler Avenue Perfect for investors!

Great rental history with this 3 unit multi-family home right on the bus line a walking distance to all conveniences. Recently updated with new fire code alarm system and plenty of off-street parking. $325,000 Aleen Weiss

30 KIMBALL STREET Two family in good condition, new mechanicals, fireplace, two car garage, great starter home. Some minor repairs needed. Property being sold “as is.” $109,000 Karen Miller

954 HoPE STREET Great little bungalow right across from Lippett Park. Perfect starter home with new gas heating system, 6 y/o roof, all new windows, fireplace and mother-in-law apt on 2nd floor. Just needs updating to make it your own. Property is being sold “as is.” $230,000 Listed by Karen Miller

Assisting Buyers, sellers And renters Aleen WeissH Jon WeissHF Karen MillerH Claire Sennott HAlso licensed in MA

Howard Weiss Lauren Sickel

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Take a DaycaTion …Relax at AquA

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PROVIDENCE MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN One Orms Street ~ Providence • (401) 272-2400 • www.aquaprovidence.com August 2013 East Side Monthly

35

let’s have an oth er ro u n d

September 21-28 Eight days of partiEs, classEs, tastings, spEcial MEnUs and a cocktail coMpEtition Participating distilleries include: Sons of Liberty, Thomas Tew, Bully Boy and Westford Hills Participating venues include: The Dorrance, Gracie’s, The Avery, Fete, Bravo, Kartabar, Tazza and more to come

Schedule to be announced soon To participate call 305-3391 or email johnt@providenceonline.com

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special advertising section

Dining Guide 776 Hope Street; 277-2529. blazerestaurants.com LD $-$$ CHEZ pASCAL Chef Matt Gennuso’s East Side kitchen offers French food with a modern twist. Try the Bistro Menu (Tue-Thur), which features three courses for $35 per person. Delicieux!

960 Hope Street; 421-4422. chez-pascal.com D $-$$$ GOUrMEt HOUSE Beautiful murals and décor set the mood for delicious Cambodian and Southeast Asian cuisine, spicy curries and noodle dishes. The tamarind duck is a must. 787 Hope Street; 8313400. gourmethouseri.com LD $-$$

The MeeTing STreeT Café This casual cafe

offers not only delicious lunch from how-you-want-it sandwiches to lasagna, but their hearty sandwiches come with a bonus: all fresh veggie toppings are free. 220 Meeting Street; 273-1066. meetingstreetcafe.com. BL $-$$

Downtown CAV The New York Times’ choice as one of Providence’s five best restaurants, CAV’s award-winning cuisine is available for lunch and dinner daily. They also feature Saturday/Sunday brunch. 14 Imperial Place; 751-9164. cavrestaurant.com BrLD $$-$$$

Photography: Dan Schwartz

HEMENWAY’S A true Providence classic, Hemenway’s has been serving topnotch seafood for 20 years. Their oyster bar features everything from the famed Prince Edward Island varieties to the local favorite Poppasquash Point. 121 South Main Street; 351-8570. hemenwaysrestaurant.com LD $$-$$$

with a black bean sauce. 172 Wayland Avenue; 223-0332. harukisushi.com LD $-$$$ MILLS tAVErN The only restaurant in RI to receive the Mobil Four Star Award for five consecutive years, Mills Tavern provides traditional American cuisine in a warm, friendly setting. 101 North Main Street; 272-3331. millstavernrestaurant.com D $$-$$$ rED StrIpE Red Stripe serves classic comfort food with a French influence.

Their food is reasonably priced and made with passion. 465 Angell Street; 437-6950. redstriperestaurants.com BrLD $$-$$$

JACkY’S WAtErpLACE Experience sushi, Chinese and Japanese food, in a stunning atmosphere, right in the heart of Waterplace Park. Sip an exotic drink while taking in the spectacular view.

200 Exchange Street; 383-5000. jackyswaterplace.com LD $-$$$

WAtErMAN GrILLE With its covered outdoor seating overlooking the Seekonk River, Waterman Grille offers seasonally inspired new American fare in a comfortable setting. 4 Richmond Square; 521-9229. watermangrille.com BrD $$-$$$

Wayland/Elmgrove

Hope/Thayer

HArUkI EASt The chefs behind this sushi bar provide a minimalist, upscale, comfortable dining experience. Try the toro ankimo – fatty tuna and monkfish liver paté with eggplant tempura, served

BLAZE Since 2005, this fun and friendly establishment plays host to a unique bistro style of cuisine. There’s a variety of foods including Portobello Penne Pink Vodka or the Jamaican Jerk Chicken.

INDIA India maintains its traditional flavors and dishes while serving local favorites. Try their Spicy Steamed Mussels followed by Lamb Chop Kabobs for a well-rounded experience.

1060 Hope Street; 421-2600. Indiarestaurant.com BrLD $-$$

Chez Pascal, featuring house–made sausages, cured meats and more. Lunch and dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday, 960 Hope Street; 421-4422. chezpascal.com LD $-$$$

Wickenden EASt SIDE CrEAMErY & DINEr Bring the family and indulge in 24 flavors of soft serve and hard ice cream as well as other classic diner treats. 170 Ives Street; 865-6088. BLD $ DOLCE GELAtErIA This little treat shop will satisfy your sweet tooth with its homemade ice cream, gelato and warm homemade waffle cones. Stop in to visit the Lanni family for a delicious experience! 270 Wickenden Street; 944-0707.

LD $

Jewelry District/Waterfront

kArtABAr This European-style restaurant and lounge offers a full menu of unique dishes with Mediterranean flair and eclectic flavors. They also offer a top-notch wine list and martini menu. 284 Thayer Street; 331-8111. kartabar.com LD $-$$

rUE BIS This intimate eatery provides breakfast and lunch in a cozy, neighborhood bistro atmosphere – all with the gourmet pedigree of Hope Street dining staple Rue De L’Espoir behind it.

95 South Street; 490-9966. therue.com BBrL $

kItCHEN BAr Offering contemporary comfort cuisine in an elegant setting, Kitchen Bar features daily specials and take-out. Try their Clams Zuppa or Coriander Encrusted Flat Iron Steak or have the kids order from the kid’s menu. 771 Hope Street; 331-4100. LD $-$$

BAkEr StrEEt rUE The Rue De L’Espoir empire expands with this comfortable neighborhood café serving “upscale diner food.” 75 Baker Street; 4905025. BBrLD $-$$

rUE DE L’ESpOIr In business for over 30 years, the Rue has only gotten better. Beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients, the innovative, constantly changing menu keeps diners on their toes. Check out their superb brunch. 99 Hope Street; 751-8890. therue.com BBrLD $$-$$$ tOrtILLA FLAtS A fixture on the Providence restaurant and bar scene, this spot serves up fresh Mexican, Cajun and Southwestern food, along with top-notch margaritas and ice-cold cervezas. 355 Hope Street; 751-6777. tortillaflatsri.com LD $-$ WUrSt kItCHEN At CHEZ pASCAL Come have lunch or dinner at the Wurst Kitchen, a small open kitchen located in

Broadway JULIAN’S Captivating Providence’s hip and artsy culture, Julian’s is always packed with regulars looking for great food. Enjoy the freshest ingredients in their Cinnamon Orange Vegan French Toast or the House Smoked Salmon Platter. 318 Broadway; 861-1770. juliansprovidence.com BBrLD $-$$

Outside Providence LJ’S BBQ LJ’s features ribs, pork, chicken and beef cooked low and slow in their customized pit, made with recipes from co-owner Bernie Watson’s grandmother, Miss Leola Jean. It’s great food at a great value. 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket; 3055255. ljsbbq.com BrLD $-$$

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38

East Side Monthly August 2013

If life is a highway, Gretchen Dow Simpson has been driving it her whole life long. In Simpson’s case the highway is I-95, and it’s taken her from Massachusetts to Rhode Island, then to New York and Philadelphia before bringing her back to the Big Apple and finally home to Rhode Island.

Perhaps Tom Cochrane had Simpson in mind when he sang: through all these cities and all these towns, it’s in my blood and it’s all around. Simpson’s “it” is art, but the road she’s traveled isn’t your typical fast and furious freeway. Rather, it’s a combination of highways and byways that took her artistic journey from architecturally inspired photography to papier mache jewelry, then oil painting on linen, those coveted covers for the illustrious The New Yorker magazine and a commission by Governor Lincoln Chafee for the highway beautification project.

Simpson received her artistic education at the Rhode Island School of Design. She left RISD in 1961 clutching her newfound life purpose: to create a professional life that was both meaningful and satisfying. Simpson’s purpose was only one piece of the puzzle.

But in addition to her innate desire to express herself artistically, she was also stricken by a stifling indecision about which artistic path to pursue.

Simpson may not have been in the high-speed lane, but there was no doubt that she was in control. Her first stop was photography circa 1964 during her tenure as a tour guide at New York’s World Fair. Drawn to the uniqueness of its architecture lines and proportions, Simpson snapped photos of the buildings around the Fair. Her keen eye helped her sell her photos and eventually landed her a job as a photographer for an ad agency.

Photographer by day, craftswoman by night, Simpson fed her insatiable drive to create by making papier mache jewelry. What started off as a casual endeavor transformed into a jeweler’s dream – a 12-page spread of her jewelry in Vogue magazine. A local company wanted to buy Simpson’s designs and turn the paper mache jewelry

Fruit XIV oil on linen

into vinyl. Simpson, in true fashion of a woman behind the wheel, declined.

The next exit was The New Yorker, only it would take nearly a decade to reach. “For nine years I sent The New Yorker my cover designs and for nine years I was rejected,” explains Simpson. That was until a new art director, Lee Lorenz, took the helm. During a meeting, Lorenz instructed Simpson to paint a realistic subject matter while retaining her abstract composition.

She fondly recalls her exchange with the man she “credits with everything” saying, “I asked him what to paint and he replied, ‘paint what you like.’”

So she did. Simpson combined her adoration of architecture with her penchant for photography, translating the photo into an oil painting. Her first submission using this new framework was accepted and since then it’s been pedal to the metal. For 20 years, Gretchen worked for The New Yorker, designing nearly 60 iconic covers.

Simpson, age 72, has not slowed down. For starters, she’s working on her second mural for Route I-95, as part of the highway beautification project. The first mural, designed by Simpson and painted by muralist Johan Bjurman, measures 1,367 square feet and sits on I-95 in Pawtucket, near the Massachusetts line.

She also sits on the board of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative where she’s gearing up for the 2nd Annual Arts Marketplace on September 7 - 8, which she co-chairs with Nancy Gaucher-Thomas. Most recently, she was elected as a council member for RISCA. If that’s not enough, she still finds time to spend four to five hours in her studio every day.

Simpson has not only created a professional life that’s both meaningful and satisfying, she’s cultivated a personal life that’s more of the same.

She credits her two daughters and her grandchildren as being the most satisfying and meaningful experiences.

Then, there’s her newlywed status. In May, she married her long time beau and retired Brown University chemistry professor, Dr. James Clyde Baird, at the Manning Chapel on the Brown campus. Their romance, a story in itself, was featured as the only color wedding announcement in The New York Times under the quirky headline, “His postsurgical care: French Custards.”

See all of Gretchen Dow Simpson’s artwork at www.gretchendowsimpson.com. You can also catch her at the 2nd Annual Arts Marketplace at the Pawtucket Armory Arts Center on 172 Exchange Street in Pawtucket on September 7-8.

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August 2013 East Side Monthly

39

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East Side Monthly August 2013

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At School Today by Jill Davidson

Well-Rounded Kids

Illustration: Jessica Pollak

More than reading, writing and arithmetic Our three sons, who are entering second, fifth and eighth grade, are on the road through their first phase of schooling. Though much of our time and energy is currently consumed by the demands and joys of being conscientious parents of schoolchildren, my husband and I are looking ahead to the next phase: college, which we both attended and completed.

Desperate to keep reading wonderful books, though without a clear idea about how that might translate into making a living, I was an English major at Brown University. Seeking a foothold in the then-emerging world of computer science without facing a mountain of post-collegiate debt, my husband studied electrical engineering at the University of Kansas (his resident state school). Twenty-five years later, we both have been successful in our chosen fields. I expanded my passion for reading into a love of writing and editing, skills from which a career has developed. As the tech industry has blossomed, Kevin’s skills and experience have grown in scope and depth.

College worked reasonably well for us. But what about today’s young people, who are attending (though not finishing) institutions of higher education at higher rates than previous generations? Personal experience tends to have an overwhelming impact on one’s perceptions, and our own experiences of college vie for primacy with our understanding of what college might or might not mean for our children and their generation. My husband and I are mindful of balancing our own experiential dichotomies – humanities and sciences, Ivy League and state school – with what we are learning about the world into which our kids are heading.

Given the assumption that our children will start and finish college in four years (let’s put aside the likelihood of graduate study at this point), they’ll be entering the job market in the 2020s.

If current trends hold, that may be a job market much tougher than that which we faced 25 years ago. We believe that strong science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills will help. Therefore, we’re focused on

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ensuring that our kids acquire not only STEM skills but also an understanding of their practical application. We follow the kids’ interests: with our baseballimmersed son, we talk about velocity and human physiology. With our Legoobsessed kid, we talk about engineering. And with our child fascinated with hotels (really, he is), we talk about all aspects of economics, engineering, finance and operational planning.

However, I am mindful that our children (and yours too) need not only STEM skills and habits of mind but also a solid foundation in the humanities, broadly defined as fields of knowledge that investigate human beings, our culture and our self expression.

One cannot meaningfully exist without the other, as the American Academy’s Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences recent report, “The Heart of the Matter,” emphasizes. The report aims to create conversation about and action towards strengthening the role of the humanities and social sciences in education, our larger society and international leadership development. Data indicates such bolstering is needed; for example, only half as many college students graduate with humanities majors today than 50 years ago (down from 14 to seven percent).

Even so, given the likely tomorrows

of our children, it can be hard to justify why we should immerse ourselves in the work of humanity that attempts to explain not only the “what” of the world but also the “why.” Architect Billie Tsien, American Academy’s Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, observes, “Measurable is what we know and the immeasurable is what the heart searches for. Humanities are the immeasurable.” It’s essential for our children’s imaginations to go deep as they pursue the burning questions of their lives. This is especially important given the current assessment-heavy state of our kids’ schools.

I hope that the remainder of summer brings you and your family happy pursuit of the “what” and the “why” and that those explorations continue.

Step out of your comfort zone and expose yourself and the young people in your life to new experiences. Read poetry. Look at the constellations and talk about mythology. Go see art. Go do art!

Whatever you do, keep the kids in your lives connected to their passions so that they can immerse themselves in pursuit of blissfully unquantifiable but vitally meaningful learning.

Jill Davidson can be reached at whathappenedatschool@gmail.com or her blog, providenceschools.blogspot.com

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41

Finance by Betsey Purinton | illustration by Ashley MacLure

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East Side Monthly August 2013

June was a very

emotional month – for the markets, the individual investor and even money managers.

Many of us who have discretion over other people’s money prefer to be dispassionate. We preach about the evils of allowing feelings to control decisions. We witness clients panic over bad news and fly to cash and see friends and family cling to losing positions in the hopes of rekindling the initial charm of the investment. And we fret after hearing of people who buy products from those who cater to fear and promise “safety.”

Having money can make you vulnerable. No matter how much, it is all you have. And it has got to get you where you want to go. This is why professionals should make sure they aren’t falling victim to the same emotions as the individual investor. So how do they do it?

We’ll set the answer up based on last month’s markets. Stocks, bonds, commodities (you name it) swooned last month when the Federal Reserve hinted at gradually ending its stimulus program. Headlines claimed the bond rout and stock decline were due to market fears (read: emotion). Bond markets were purportedly responding to an anticipated total loss of the Fed program, while stock markets worried that the economy wasn’t ready to handle any less stimulus. While the markets appeared emotional, other factors were going on behind the scenes.

At the helm of the decline were momentum traders, hedge funds and computer programmers, some of whom had added froth to the markets in the form of leveraged carry trades and other risky bets, which they were forced to abandon. Unwinding risk is hardly ever gradual, as an old adage on Wall Street explains: “Bulls take the stairs; bears use the elevator.”

Also out of sight from most of the headlines were the money managers who run the funds retail investors often own and investment managers who select these funds for their clients. It is harder for these professionals to insert emotion than you might think.

Fund managers often don’t have a choice of whether to invest. A large cap growth fund usually has to buy growth stocks even when the outlook for equities is bleak. Managers can rotate between stocks and hold very modest amounts of cash, but their mandate is to buy stocks, not to time the markets.

Bond funds are often tied to benchmarks (indices of assets) or a certain sector of the market with limits on credit quality and duration of the holdings. For better or for worse, the managers can’t veer too far away from their mandates.

Many managers also have a disciplined approach to selecting and selling assets that is data driven, and they more often than not are part of a team approach that can temper individual behavior. Tenure also helps. While each market swoon can feel fresh and unique, many money managers have been around for a long time and are accustomed to unpleasant gyrations.

This does not mean that all fund managers perform well – some are clearly

better than others at spying opportunities and avoiding pitfalls, and certain funds work best in differing economic environments.

While individual investors can be emotional and markets can feel emotional, there are limits on what some money managers and investment managers can do, and that helps to control emotionality for professionals. The key is selecting cost effective fund managers that fit the economic times and finding an investment manager who is required to act in your best interest.

Betsey Purinton, CFP® is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at StrategicPoint Investment Advisors in Providence and East Greenwich. You can e-mail her at bpurinton@strategicpoint. com. The information contained in this report is not intended as investment, tax or legal advice. StrategicPoint Investment Advisors assumes no responsibility for any action or inaction resulting from the contents herein.

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East Side Monthly August 2013

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Calendar

edited by Erin Swanson

August music | performance | social happenings | galleries | learn | sports

DON’T MISS THIS MONTH: 10 events at the top of our list

Diana Ross. August 11 at 7pm, Providence Performing Arts Center. www.ppacri.org

1

Rhode Island International Film Festival. August 6-11, multiple locations across the state. www.film-festival.org

2

The Wooly Fair. August 16-18, The Steel Yard. www. thesteelyard.org

3

Toni Braxton. August 23 at 8pm, Twin River. www. twinriver.com

4 Directors Marla Altschuler (left) and Tamarin Kaplan (right) won the 2012 RIIFF International Ambassador Award for their film The White Picket Fence Project.

MUSIC arena & club | classical

Photo courtesy of Rhode Island International Film Festival

ARENA & CLUB ARTISTS’ EXCHANGE August 10: The Ghost of Vigoda. 82 Rolfe Square, Providence. 490-9475, www.artists-exchange.org.

AS220 August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31: Irish traditional music. August 7: Wheatus, Math the Band, Ravi Shavi, Huge Face and Hank Sinatra Jr. August 8: Olde Pine, Full of Birdy and Veil. August 11: Songwriters in the round. 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.as220.org.

CHAN’S FINE ORIENTAL DINING August 2: Greg Abate & Howard Alden. August 3: John Primer & the Real Deal Blues Band. August 9: Johnny Rawls. August 10: Frank Potenza.

August 11: Rick Estrin. August 15: Al Monti. August 16: Sax Gordon Beadle with Mike Tucker and Friends. August 17: Jerry Portnoy Blues Quartet featuring Ricky King Russell. August

18: Larry McCray. August 21: Smokin Joe Kubek. August 22: Lucky Peterson. August 23: Johnny A. August 24: Diane Blue with Jimmy ‘2 Suits’ Capone and the Mighty Chan’s Clan Horns. August 28: Open Mic Night Blues Jam. August 30: Popa Chubby.

August 31: Fat City Band. 267 Main Street, Woonsocket. 765-1900, www. chanseggrollsandjazz.com.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER August 21: American Idol Live! 2013 Tour.

1 LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

FETE MUSIC August 2: The Trans Fats. August 3: Bad Things. August 7: Tribal Seeds.

August 9: Sick Puppies. August 20: Geographer. August 23: Monogold. 103 Dike Street, Providence. 383-1112, www. fetemusic.com.

FOXWOODS August 2: One Republic. August 9: Avenged Sevenfold. August 10: George Thorogood & Buddy Guy. August 28: Cheap Trick. August 29: Huey Lewis

and the News. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800-2002882, www.foxwoods.com.

LUPO’S HEARTBREAK HOTEL August 1: Guster. August 24: Neurosis Lustmord. 79 Washington Street, Providence. 331-5876, www.lupos.com.

THE MET August 7: Slim Cessna’s Auto Club. August 11: Defeater. August 13: Baroness.

1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. 729-1005, www.themetri.com.

MOHEGAN SUN August 1: Slaughter. August 2: The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour Starring Beyonce. August 3: Bel Biv Devoe.

August 8: Black Sabbath. August 9: Everclear. August 10: Kiss. August 10: Skid Row. August 13: Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls. August 17: Puddle of Mudd. August 23: Ke$ha.

August 24: Styx & REO Speedwagon.

August 28: Air Traffic Controller. August 30: Salt-n-Pepa. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 888-2267711, www.mohegansun.com.

Cheap Trick. August 28 at 7:30pm, The MGM Theatre at Foxwoods. www.foxwoods.com.

5

Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest. August 15 at 7pm, Park Theatre in Cranston. www.parktheatreri.com

6

Bloody Bloody Lennie Watts. August 16 at 7:30pm, Ocean State Theatre in Warwick. www.oceanstatetheatre.org

7

Daily giraffe or harbor seal feedings. August 1-31 at 2pm, Roger Williams Park Zoo. Animals alternate each day. www.rwpzoo.org

8

Telescope Observing Night. Every Tuesday throughout August, Ladd Observatory at Brown University. www.brown.edu

9

Providence Flea. Every Sunday throughout August from 10am-4pm, Providence River Greenway. www. providenceflea.com

10

August 2013 East Side Monthly

45

Computer Consulting For Your Business or Home Expert Witness Web Design Repair Training Network Admin Home/Commercial

Calendar

continued...

PARK THEATRE August 15: Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest. 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. 467-7275, www.parktheatreri.com.

ROOTS CULTURAL CENTER Tuesdays: Jazz Jam. Fridays: Ladies Night. Sundays: Sweet P and the Who Dat Band. 276 Westminster Street, Providence. 272-7422, www.rootsprovidence.com.

THE SPOT UNDERGROUND Mondays: 990WBOB’s Mondays on Blast. Tuesdays: Creation Tuesday.

Wednesdays: Free Funk Wednesday. 101 Richmond Street, Providence. 383-7133, www.thespotprovidence.com.

TWIN RIVER August 2: Yes. August 23: Toni Braxton.

100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 723-3200, www.twinriver.com.

Richard Suls // 401.270.3785 richard@richardsuls.com www.richardsuls.com

CLASSICAL BILTMORE Thursdays: Live jazz on the terrace. 11 Dorrance Street, Providence. 421-0700, www.providencebiltmore.com.

OPERA PROVIDENCE August 4: Opera in the Park. Hopkins Park, intersection of Charles Street and Branch Avenue, Providence. 331-6060, www.operaprovidence.org.

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46

East Side Monthly August 2013

RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY August 1: Concerts Under the Elms presents Magnolia. August 8: Concerts Under the Elms presents Pendragon.

52 Power Street, Providence. 331-8575, www.rihs.org.

ROGER WILLIAMS NATIONAL MEMORIAL August 10 & 17: Downtown Sundown Concert Series. 282 North Main Street.

521-7266, www.nps.gov/rowi/.

PERFORMANCE comedy | dance | theatre COMEDY AS220 Saturdays: Improv Jones. The Empire Revue: sketch comedy, improv, music, burlesque and magic. 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.as220.org.

COMEDY CONNECTION August 1: The Nasty Show. August 2: Eric Andre. August 3: Ben Hague.

August 8: John Valby. August 9-10: Mike McCarthy. August 16-17: James Dorsey.

August 22: Corey Holcomb. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. 438-8383, www.ricomedyconnection.com.

EVERETT Fridays: Friday Night Live. 9 Duncan Avenue, Providence. 831-9479, www. everettri.org.

FOXWOODS August 1-3: Nick Vatterott. August 3: Jerry Seinfeld. August 3, 10: Nasty Show.

August 4, 16, 24: Jim Spinnato’s Hypnotic Hysteria. August 7-8, 14-15, 21-22: Last COMIX Standing. August 8-10: Sherrod Small. August 22-24 & 28-29: Mike Hanley. August 29-31: Lil Rel. August 30: Dueling COMIX Pianos. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800-2002882, www.foxwoods.com.

95 EMPIRE BLACK BOX Saturdays: Improv Jones. 95 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.improvjones.com.

DANCE AS220 Tuesdays: Street Funk Dance Class. 95 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.as220.org.

THEATRE ARTISTS EXCHANGE August 1-4: The 7th Annual One Act Play Festival. Theatre 82, 82 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 490-9475, www.artists-exchange.org.

OCEAN STATE THEATRE COMPANY August 16: Bloody Bloody Lennie Watts. 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick. 921-6800, www.oceanstatetheatre.org.

2ND STORY THEATRE August 1-30: The Mousetrap. August 3-31: The Murder Room. 28 Market Street, Warren. 247-4200, www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

SOCIAL HAPPENINGS expos | fundraisers | seasonal FESTIVALS KENNEDY PLAZA August 1-29: Thursdays: Burnside Park Music Series. Thursdays: Avenue

Sandwich Skateboarding. Kennedy Plaza, 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence.

331-5544, www.kennedyplaza.org.

PROVIDENCE FLEA Sundays: Upscale flea market on the Providence River Greenway. 345 South Water Street, Providence. www. providenceflea.com.

RIDE ROUND RHODY August 11: 5th Annual Ride ‘Round Rhody bike-a-thon to raise money for cancer research. www.rrrhody.org.

RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL August 6-11: Screenings, workshops and meet and greets take place at locations throughout the state; several take place on the East Side. 861-4445. www.film-festival.org.

THE STEEL YARD August 15-18: 2013 Wooly Fair. 27 Sims Avenue, Providence. 273-7101, www. thesteelyard.org.

FOR FOODIES BOTTLES Fridays: Beer Tasting. Saturdays: Wine Tasting. 141 Pitman Street, Providence.

372-2030, www.bottlesfinewine.com.

FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND Wednesdays and Saturdays: Summertime Farmers’ Market. Lippitt Park, 1059 Hope Street, Providence. Thursdays: Summertime Farmers’ Market. Armory Park, Parade andd Hudson Streets, Providence. www.farmfreshri.org.

PROVIDENCE ALTERNATIVE MARKET Saturdays: Shop healthfully for local goods while supporting local artists and charities. 1111 North Main Street, Providence. www.provaltmarket.com.

OTHER THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY & PRACTICE OF NONVIOLENCE First Friday of every month: Open Mic Spoken Word Poetry. 265 Oxford Street, Providence. 785-2320, www. nonviolenceinstitute.org.

GALLERIES GALLERY NIGHT PROVIDENCE August 15: Visit a selection of Providence

ELISE PENN PANSEY The Pet Friendly Realtor

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ELISE PENN PANSEY The Pet Friendly Realtor 749 East Ave. Pawtucket, RI @ Blackstone Blvd

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425 Atwells Ave Providence RI M: 8:00-500, T-W: 8:00-5:00, Th: 8:00-7:00, F: 8:00-5:00 Sat : 8:00-1:00/ Closed on Sunday) 401-521-1611 blindking.hdwfg.com * Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases of Hunter Douglas window fashions with the PowerRise® or PowerGlide® motorized system made 6/15/13 – 9/3/13 from participating dealers in the U.S. only. A minimum purchase of two units is required for select styles; if you purchase less than the minimum, you will not be entitled to a rebate. Rebates will be issued in the form of a prepaid reward card. Funds do not expire. Subject to applicable law, a $2.00 monthly fee will be assessed against card balance 7 months after card issuance and each month thereafter. Additional limitations apply. Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. **Additional equipment is required for app operation; ask for details. ©2013 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

35259

Sizzlin’ Summer Savings Up to $10,000!

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One Butler Ave. • Providence, RI

401-275-0682

www.EPOCHEastSide.com

(RI Relay 711)

Assisted Living . Memory Care . Respite . Fitness Center

August 2013 East Side Monthly

47

East sidE Primary CarE Same Day and Evening Appointments 331-8555

DSC_8096.JPG From Right to Left: David Ramos NP, Jason Xynellis PA, Frederick Crisafulli MD, Christine Cassel PA, Christoph Sahar MD Colds & Flu • Minor Trauma • Sprains & Strains • X-Ray/Labs Available Workman’s Comp Exams • Immunization • DOT, School, and Sports Physicals

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davittdesignbuild.com

48

East Side Monthly August 2013

continued...

art galleries aboard the art bus. Tours leave every 20 minutes. One Regency Plaza, Providence. 490-2042, www. gallerynight.info.

RISD MUSEUM OF ART August 1-18: Artist/Rebel/Dandy. August 15: Design the Night. 224 Benefit Street, Providence. 454-6500, www. risdmuseum.org.

kIDS + FAMILy AUDUBON SOCIETY August 10: Explore the meadow using nets and magnifiers: look for flowers, butterflies, insects, birds and toads. 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield. 949-5454, www.asri.org.

BROWN UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE Every Saturday: Children’s Story Time.

244 Thayer Street, Providence. 8633168, bookstore.brown.edu.

KENNEDY PLAZA Thursdays: Kidoinfo Providence Storytime. Thursdays: Art in the Park. Bank of America City Center, 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence.

331-5544, www.kennedyplaza.org.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM Monday-Friday: Summer Sky Views.

Saturdays & Sundays: Cosmic Collisions. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 785-9457. www.providenceri. com/museum.

PROVIDENCE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM August 10-11: Worm World. Tuesdays: Get Out! Wednesdays: Wheels at Work.

100 South Street, Providence. 273-5437, www.childrenmuseum.org.

PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY Tuesdays: Tiny Tales for Preschoolers.

Tuesdays & Fridays: Cradle to Crayons.

Fridays: Lapsit Story Time. 150 Empire Street, Providence. 455-8000, www. provlib.org.

ROCHAMBEAU LIBRARY August 1, 2, 8, 9: Lego Club. August 5: Arts & Crafts. August 6, 13, 20, 27: Zumba for toddlers. August 7: DIY Science. August 8: Sarah Gardner, musician. August 19, 20, 21: CyberKids Video Editing Workshop. 708 Hope Street, Providence. 272-3780, www. provcomlib.org.

LEARN discussion | instruction | tour INTERNATIONAL HOUSE August 9: Roger Williams Duck Boat Tour. Mondays: Moms’ and Children’s Play Group. 8 Stimson Avenue, Providence. 421-7181, www.internationalhouseofri.org.

GOVERNOR HENRY LIPPITT HOUSE MUSEUM Fridays: Guided Tour. 199 Hope Street, Providence. 453-0688, www.preserveri.org LADD OBSERVATORY Tuesdays: Telescope Observing Night.

210 Doyle Avenue, Providence. 8632323, www.brown.edu/Departments/ Physics/Ladd/.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM August 1-31: Summer Planetarium Shows. Saturdays and Sundays: Cosmic Collisions. August 10: Butterflies in the Park. August 17: Fern Fossil Foray. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 7859457. www.providenceri.com/museum.

PROVIDENCE ATHENAEUM Fridays: Drop in from 5-7pm for the free weekly Salon Series. 251 Benefit Street, Providence. 421-6970, www. providenceathenaeum.org.

SARAH DOYLE WOMEN’S CENTER Mondays: Girls Night Out. Snacks and informal discussions for self-identified queer women. 26 Benevolent Street, Providence. events.brown.edu.

SPORTS MOHEGAN SUN August 1: Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever. August 3: NBC Sports Network Fight Night. August 6: Connecticut Sun vs. Los Angeles Sparks. August 14: Connecticut Sun vs. Atlanta Dream.

August 22: Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx. August 25: Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 888-2267711, www.mohegansun.com.

Help is Just Around tHe Corner!

Photo by highSail Media

Calendar

Two Convenient Locations

• • • • • •

Aquatic Therapy (Cranston) Chronic Pain Conditions Orthopedic & Neurological Conditions Post-Surgical Care Sports Injuries Rehabilitation of the Spine

100 Highland Avenue // Suite 305 Providence // Summit Medical Bldg.

865-6940 1528 Cranston Street Cranston // Spine Tech Bldg.

228-7216

www.Libertypt.com

PArty PACk

SPeCiAL

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• 2 Large Cheese Pizzas • Large Wings • 2 Liter Soda

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Call 272-2279 20 South Angell Street, Providence Wayland Square • www.minervapizza.com

T.F. Morra Tree Care, Inc. Ornamental and Shade Tree Specialists • fine hand pruning • tree preservation • hazard tree removal • tree evaluation & diagnosis • shade and specimen tree planting

401-331-8527 • www.tomstreecare.net

Cocktail Accessories - Grilling Tools Patio Decor - Garden Planters - Outdoor Furniture

TWIN RIVER August 9: CES MMA Presents: Live Cage Fighting. 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 723-3200, www.twinriver.com.

August 2013 East Side Monthly

49

Mediation Services Divorce with Dignity

Karen Silver Lovett, Esq. Experienced Mediator

Divorce, Separation, Parenting Private – Affordable

HARUKI EAST

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HARUKI CRANSTON 1210 Oaklawn Ave Cranston / 463-8338

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KLovett@lovettlovett.com

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Celebrating Over 25 Years of Quality Custom Design

50

East Side Monthly August 2013

Get inspired

Sidewalk Dining in Wayland Square

Whether you’re considering changes or ready to turn your ideas into action, count on the remodeling experts at RI Kitchen & Bath. Our in-house staff of talented designers and installation craftspeople are ready to bring your kitchen and bath ideas to life.

u

Visit our Showroom at: 139 Jefferson Boulevard Warwick, RI 02888 401.463.1550 www.RIKB.com

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Come to a complimentary VISITING CHEF SERIES event in our new Showroom kitchen. Register at www.RIKB.com.

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For Adults & Kids (13-19 Years Old) No rowing experience necessary

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Sign up for an introductory rowing lesson at 9:00, 9:45, 10:30 and 11:15am for these

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Ro ck s!

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13

Register online today! FlamesOfHopeSeries.org PRESENTING SPONSOR

GIVE HOPE. GIVE SUPPORT. GIVE LOCAL.

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Revive the Beauty of Your Fine Oriental Rugs!

Community

Concert

SUNday, Sept 8 Arena Parking LoT 1–5 pm

Presented by The Miriam Hospital and North Main Street Merchants Association

Years of hidden dirt and dust build-up can prematurely age and dull your costly investment. To prolong their beauty, experts say that oriental rugs should be professionally cleaned at least once every two years. Smoke Clean of New England provides gentle expert cleaning in our Warwick facility for all types of wool and silk rugs.

Revive your rug’s natural beauty! Call today for your free estimate.

We also offer: • • • • • • • •

Smoke & Soot Removal Carpet Shield Mold & Mildew Removal Pet Stain Removal Immersion Wash Odor Removal Mothproofing Pick-up and Delivery

401-274-4444

40 Minnesota Avenue • Warwick, RI 02888

Before

Your

After

of New England SM

Company

August 2013 East Side Monthly

51

Classifieds

To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.

ELDER CARE AVAILABLE Very kind, patient, mature woman seeks position with elderly person.

Intelligent, cheerful, reliable, with 20 years experience, including several long-term positions. Impeccable references. Please call 781-3392 or 4973392.

(401) 441-7303

AUDIO/VIDEO HELP If you need some help with your TV, home theater or stereo, call me at 401-383-4102. Jon Bell, Simply Sight & Sound. Reasonable rates. 25 years of experience.

BEST FRIENDS PET SERVICE N- More. Are your pets ready for your summer vacation? Petsitting & overnights, your home or mine. Dog & cat first aid certified. References.

Call Nikki at 831-6187 or 301-1806.

CEILING WORK, DRYWALL Plaster (hang, tape & paint). Water damage repair. All phases of carpentry. Reg. #24022. Fully insured. Steven, E. Prov., 401-641-2452.

CEILING REPAIRS Repairing water damaged, cracked, peeling ceilings & walls. Located on the East Side. Over 100 satisfied local customers. Malin Painting, RI Reg. #19226. Call 226-8332.

CHARLIE’S KNIFE Sharpening Henckles, Wusthof, Victorinox-Forchner and serrated knifes, just to name a few. Local pickup & delivery, East Side. 831-6187

JOBS BY JIM Garages & Attics Cleaned

Unwanteds Removed Small Demolitions - Garages, Sheds, etc.

Free Metal Pick-up Appliances & Lawn Mowers â?–Motors â?–Machines â?–Batteries â?–Etc.

Call 401-232-5650 Cell 401-742-7258 52

Reg. #4614

East Side Monthly August 2013

COOK/CLEANER AVAILABLE Experienced European woman, legal resident. References available. Call 243-4483.

CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS and more. In-home consultation. 30 years experience. 401-949-1587.

DOG WALKER/PET SITTER Trained to administer medications.

Reliable, bonded, references available.

Home visits. Call Susan 527-3914.

Loves animals.

DOROTHY’S CLEANING We clean your home as our own! References & free estimates. Call 401274-7871 or 401-524-7453.

David Onken Painting Interior/Exterior

Lead Certified Carpentry Renovations Gutter Cleaning â– Chimney Pointing Senior Discounts Reg. #19031

Insured

248-5248 davidokenpainting.com

Photo Organizer Organizing photos. Scanning photos, old albums, slides, negatives, and movies. Creating photo books, slide shows, and Celebration of Life boards/videos. Storage solutions for your photo collection. www.savingphotomemories.com memories.kmccann@gmail.com

401-601-0141

HOUSECLEANER Available Crystal Clean, a quality housecleaning service. We don’t cut corners. Weekly or bi-weekly. We use environmentally friendly products. Bethany 2650960.

HOUSE CLEANING Experienced. Local references. Free estimates. Call Lilly, 401-419-2933.

I BUY BOOKS Old, used and almost new. Also buying photography, art, etc. Call 401-4212628. jcvp@cox.net

MASTER ELECTRICIAN Install, service, repair. Expert troubleshooting. Free detailed computerized estimate. Deal direct with owner. Lic. #AC 004110 & insured. Small jobs done promptly. All work guaranteed.

Save $$$. Family owned & operated.

Local resident. Calls returned immediately. 401-258-4793, John.

EAST SIDE HANDYMAN 34 years. Repairs, upgrades & renovations. References. Insured. Reg. #3052. Call 524-6421.

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

KIND CARE ~ SENIORS Appointments, errands, shopping, cleaning & maint. Refs. Safety bars installed. Reg #3052. 559-0848.

PAWS-N-CLAWS, LLC Dog walking/pet sitting. Professional, reliable pet care. Insured & bonded.

Call 401-499-7714 or www.pawsnclawsri.com

L.A.D. MASONRY SERVICES Free estimates. Cement, brick, stone, patio, walks, driveways, chimneys, fireplaces. Repairs. Bobcat services.

Insured. Lic. #29611. www.ladservicesllc.com 401-487-5118.

PARKING/STORAGE Lloyd Ave., garage long-term storage, $115/mo. Congdon St., $125 covered, $100 outdoors. Benefit St. (north end), $120/mo. Call Roger, 339-4068. rogernc@mac.com

P V Farm Stand

Providence Alternative Market 1111 N. Main St. (2nd & 3rd Sts.)

 � � � � � P V Farm Stand Every Saturday, 10-2, Providence Alternative Market, 1111 N. Main St. (between 2nd and 3rd Sts.) Arena Parking Lot. Boar, Pork, Beef, Lamb, Goat products and Sausages.

Twitter, Facebook or email Lancemart1@aol.com

HOUSE CLEANING

If you need a house cleaner who is organized and with good prices & excellent references, call 401-475-3283

Classifieds

To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT AVAILABLE Only when you need one. Too busy to pickup the dry cleaning, shop, wait for a delivery, take the dog to the groomer? I can run your errands for you.

Hire for a day or by the hour. References. Call 270-1120.

SCREEN PRINTING & Embroidery. T-shirts & Sweatshirts.

Max Formal Co., 1164 North Main St., Providence. 421-3268.

T.J. DANUSIS ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, INC. Complete electrical services. Lic. #AC160. Insured. 401-499-1255.

Vinny’s Landscaping

SIDING â—? WINDOWS â—? DOORS 30 yrs. of experience & lots of references. Free estimates. Fully insured.

Reg. 8295. Call John 349-3155.

PROACTIVE Computer Services Home or office. Computer repairs, data recovery. WIFI Solutions. Fully equipped mobile service. Service calls $40/hr. Call 401-647-7702. www. pcsllcri.com

& BOBCAT SERVICES

Power Raking

New Lawns Installed Aerating

WINDOWS - ALL TYPES LIFETIME ON PARTS Patio sliders, doors, patio enclosures, siding, roofing. Harvey Showroom.

Low prices. Interior and exterior work. Award Contr. 401-365-9194.

Reg. #21077 & insured.

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

Call 351-6292.

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

Landscape Construction Parking Lot Cleaning

Professional Paperhanging â—?

Vinyl

â—?

Handyman

Fabric

â?Š

26 Years Experience

MG Landscaping 743-6015 â?Š 831-5109

and Painting Jerry Giroux

Dethatching

497-1461 â—? 231-1851

Bushes Trimmed â?Š Tree Removal Pine Bark Mulch

Wallcovering Express Inc.

â—?

Seed & Sod â—? Fertilizing â—? Planting Rototilling â—? Small Loads Delivered â—?Loam â—?Sand â—?Stone â—?Etc. â—?Free Estimates

Spring & Fall Cleanups

Paper

SUPERB HOUSEPAINTING High end workmanship. Small jobs a specialty. Call Ron 751-3242. Reg. #18128.

 �  � �

Lead Certified Painting ✎ Carpentry Home Repairs Kitchen & Bath Remodeling

30 Years Experience on the East Side

Reg. #19031 ✎ Senior Discounts ✎ Insured

401-724-1166 Commercial

â—?

Residential

classified advertising Order fOrm

Reg. #17297 â—? North Providence â—? Insured

A1wallcove@aol.com

Willard

r 4 lines /$10 r $2.50 each additional line (includes headline) r $2.00 additional — Boxed Ad

Roof ing & Restoration All Types of Roofing & Exterior Repairs

Siding � Insulation � Windows “Leaf Relief� Gutter Guard System Gutters Cleaned, Repaired & Replaced RESIDENTIAL Insured

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Call Now For a Free Estimate

949-4440 Visa MasterCard Accepted

Reg. #14074

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Painting & Remodeling Co., Inc. For ALL Your Painting & Carpentry Needs

We Specialize in Water Problems (Roofs, Gutters, Basements) Certified Lead Renovated LRM #0514

Call Al Medina

______________________________________ phone: _____________________________________ address: city:

MEDINA

Fully Insured

name:

R.I. Reg. #7320

401.438.8771

___________________________________

_______________ state: ____ zip: _________

amount enclosed: __________________________ Visa/mastercard #: _________________________ Please complete form and fax to 732-3110 or phone in your ad to sue at 732-3100 or email sueH@rhodybeat.com mail Payment in full tO: East Side Monthly, c/o Beacon Communications Classifieds, 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 August 2013 East Side Monthly

53

East of Elmgrove

by Elizabeth Rau | illustration by Maret Paetznick

Time and Again Returning to the early work of a beloved local author When I was a cub newspaper reporter with more of a purr than a growl, I read a lot of fiction to teach myself how to write. I was more interested in how words sounded on a page than in what they said. Investigative journalism is hard work. You have to decipher complicated financial documents and people hang up on you all the time. I just wanted to write pretty sentences.

This is a roundabout way of saying that I read the novels and short stories by Ann Hood. If you live in South Dakota you may have heard of her, but if you live on the East Side you most certainly have heard of her. She is one of our most celebrated writers. It seems every time I mosey through a bookstore or pick up a magazine I see her name. She is prolific.

Hood is the author of 15books, most recently The Obituary Writer, a novel about marriage, loss and love. Her essays have appeared in journals and magazines as varied as the The Paris Review and Redbook. Without question her most searing work is Comfort: A Journey Through Grief, a memoir about the death of her five-year-old daughter Grace and, as one reviewer says, her “climb back to wholeness.”

I have never met Hood, at least not formally, although my son Henry has and he reported back to me that she is really nice. He’s 12-years-old and has freckles and strawberry blond hair. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

My story begins in 1987, the year Hood published her first novel, Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine. I bought the book at the College Hill Bookstore, the Thayer Street landmark which, sadly, closed years ago.

The novel is about three friends and the paths they choose after college. I devoured every page, paying special attention to the rhythm of Hood’s sentences and to her description. I still remember Sparrow’s DayGlo green VW. I even wrote my name 54

East Side Monthly August 2013

on the title page to document this latest addition to my shelves: Elizabeth Rau, October, 1987.

Reading Hood’s work and the books of other authors – Raymond Carver, Susan Minot and Ann Beattie, among others – helped me as a budding journalist. Their writing was spare, fluid and accessible, and they wrote about lives truly lived. I read

was memorable for what it brought later. I was standing in line, holding my bag in one hand and a book in the other, and a flight attendant leaned in and asked me what I was reading. I held up a collection of short stories by William Maxwell. Her face lit up. I could’ve said “Great book!” or even “$24.99, Barnes & Noble!” but instead I didn’t utter a word. I

their work and thought, well, maybe I can do that.

Back then, I traveled a few times a year to St. Louis, where I grew up and where my parents and sisters and brother still lived. These visits were always bittersweet, a mixture of sadness about leaving my big family and excitement about returning to a reporting job that I liked. Often I would land in Rhode Island with a frown.

My exits off the plane were usually uneventful, dignified scrambles to breathe fresh air. One exit, however,

remember being surprised that a flight attendant would be keen on a literary giant like Maxwell. I was young and understood nothing about the writer’s life.

A few weeks later, I was flipping through my beloved Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine and reread the author’s page, which included a photograph and this snippet: “She is currently a flight attendant.” I stared hard at the photo. Hmm. My flight attendant and Ann Hood were one and the same.

Ashamed of my behavior, I wrote her a long hand-written letter apologizing for my rudeness and telling her how much I liked her book. I probably rambled. I’m not sure if I sent the letter to TWA or to her publisher. I am also not sure if I included a return address. For all I know the missive was lost in a mailroom in Poughkeepsie.

Over the years, I followed Hood’s writing career as it soared. One winter, from my car window, I saw her sitting on a chair during a reading at our local Books on the Square, and I thought about stopping in to divulge my secret but didn’t.

Henry finally brought us together. He came home from school one day and told me that Ann Hood was coming to give a writing seminar. “Really,” I said.

His sixth-grade English class had read The Treasure Chest: Angel of the Battlefield, the first book in Hood’s new series for middle school readers. I wrote the date on my calendar.

Henry loves to write. He takes his craft seriously. He knows how to build suspense; his dialogue is pitch-perfect. He’s not afraid to take risks. Now and then, he lets me read his work, but rarely lets me edit. “It’s my story, Mom,” he says.

The morning of the event, I asked Henry if he would take Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine to school and request a John Hancock. He put the book in his backpack. I couldn’t help but wonder if he would remember to remove it and hand it to Hood.

Thankfully, he did. “For Liz, Ann Hood,” she wrote in big loopy cursive. Since the seminar had turned into an impromptu book signing, they also talked. “I remember writing this,” she told Henry. “Look at the yellow pages.”

They might be brittle, but they are well-thumbed. I once heard someone say that we are all connected. So true.

Elizabeth Rau can be reached at erau1@verizon.net.

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conGdon Premier congdon st home featuring spectacular city/capitol views, family room off kitchen, 3-4 beds on 2nd, master w/ bath & hall bath.

Wrap around deck, garden level bed/sitting room, full bath. beautifully maintained, elevator serves 3 floors. $949,000

elMGRove this elegant colonial in freeman Plat features preserved architectural details, living room w/ antique mantle, Gourmet kitchen, 5 beds, 3 full baths, 2 half, family room, c/A, garage, lovely private garden. Meticulously updated and maintained! $849,000

blAckstone Move right in! Recent complete renovation of elegant colonial. large open living room with fireplace, dining room with fireplace, kitchen & great room opening to a patio and city garden. fabulous master suite, A/c, much more! $799,000

ARnold spectacular brick carriage house in college Hill! 2 beds, 2.5 baths. open layout w/ soaring ceilings, windows all around. Recent kitchen & baths. Wonderful details. Private patio.

Updated. A/c. Walk everywhere! $769,000

GRotto four bed, 4.5 bath beautifully landscaped tudor in premier east side location.

Abundance of sunlight throughout. exquisite details. complete exterior/mechanical update, ready for your own unique touches. $749,500

PResident Arts & crafts style with exquisite artisan woodwork throughout. living room with beamed ceiling, paneled dining room w/ fireplace, new kitchen, pantry. Updated systems. exquisite gardens w/ sprinklers. Rare historic design in prized location. $650,000

benefit Rooms with a view! elegant Greek Revival features spacious detailed interior, high ceilings, 5 fireplaces. Walk out level family room with direct access to courtyard patio/garden. Private parking lot (3+cars). easy stroll to down city and train. $624,000

140 Wickenden Street Providence 401.274.6740

Rhode Island’s Real Estate Company®

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