Providence Monthly August 2026 by Hey Rhody Media Co.

EAST SIDE MEET OUR AGENTS

SO LD

Combining local market expertise with a world renowned brand.

Christine Dupuis 401.626.1945

David Hackett 401.500.0057

PAWTUCKET

Sarah Huard 401.255.2578

21 George Street Carl Henschel

EAST SIDE

$1,544,000 401.241.7999

EAST SIDE SO LD

39 Gloria Street Susan Kostas

PROVIDENCE

$380,000 140 Brown Street 401.487.4781 Sweeney Advisory Group

$1,895,000 11 Grotto Avenue 401.864.8286 Cherry Arnold

$1,050,000 401.864.5401

CUMBERLAND

MULTI- FAM I LY

123 Elmwood Avenue David Hackett mottandchace.com

$775,000 12 Howard Road 401.500.0057 Sweeney Advisory Group

$995,000 401.864.8286 Each office is independently owned and operated.

A new season is coming... time to find your new address. Settle into your new home just in time for the fall. Call me today, I’ll get you moving. CONSISTENTLY RANKED THE INDIVIDUAL AGENT

TOP

IN RHODE ISLAND

IN SALES & LISTINGS FOR 10 YEARS. Sources: 2025 MLS, 2024 Public Record, & 2025 MLS PIN

Jim DeRentis Sales Associate

(401) 529-2188 JDeRentis@ResidentialProperties.com

ThePVD The PVDRealEstateGuy RealEstateGuy.com .com

Li fe Happ ens Bet ween Coffe e Ru ns and Comi ng Home Representing Providence’s East Side and surrounding communities with local expertise and a highly personalized approach.

Let’s Start the Conversation LUXURY NEW CONSTRUCTION

LUXURY NEW CONSTRUCTION

NEW LISTING

251 Slater Ave, East Side $3,695,000

43 12th St, Unit A & B, East Side $1,395,000 per Condo

160 Taber Ave, East Side $1,145,000

229 6th St, East Side $889,000

PENDING

SOLD

168 Bowen St, East Side $1, 825,000

19 Rhode Island Ave, East Side $1,650,000

232 Taber Ave, East Side $1,325,000

181 Arlington Ave, East Side $1,650,000

KIRA GREENE Client Focused. Forward Thinking. 401.339.5621 kira.greene@compass.com

AGENT IN PROVIDENCE & EAST SIDE*

Considering a sale — publicly or privately? Let’s have a confidential conversation.

Kira Greene is a real estate agent with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. *Source: RIMLS Single Family Sales by Total Transactions, 1/1/2025-6/25/2026.

CONTENTS

News & Culture 11 POLITICS: Meet the Democratic Party mayoral candidates 14 OP-ED: Fain and Triedman share their views on city issues

16 NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Hyper local news and contact listings

20 RHODY GEM: Workshop and exhibits on a second floor on Meeting Street

22 OCEAN STATE MEDIA: City regains control of Providence schools

24 250: Small museums tell the stories of everyday Rhode Islanders

26 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

Photo courtesy of Dave’s

Uncommon Grounds: Meet the new batch of roasters poring over the state’s signature coffee scene.

Home & Style 45 HOME: A minimalist take on coastal farmhouse decor

48 SHOP: Local goods to outfit your wet bar

50 LEISURE: New apps offers day pass to resort pools

52 MAKER: The artist behind your favorite cafe prints

Feature 55 Rhode Island is the canvas for young filmmakers

Food & Drink

Photo courtesy of Fleetwood Studios

61 IN THE KITCHEN: What’s old is new again at chef’s legendary ristorante

68 ROUND UP: Where to savor micro-harvests and coastal views

70 COCKTAILS: Find the “drink of summer” behind a yellow door 72 PIC OF PVD

Photo courtesy of Jonah Major

Photo courtesy of Claudiane Philippe

ON THE COVER: Nick Berry at work. Photo by Victoria Costello, courtesy of Reprise Coffee & Vittles.

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AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Your Home. Center Stage. August is the peak of the summer market, and the perfect time to prep for what’s next. If you’re ready to position your home for a standout performance before the fall rush, or if your own house hunt has stalled out, it’s time for a strategy that brings confidence, clarity, and a little star power.

AC T I V E

SOLD

7 7 1 7 7 3 H O P E S T. Providence - Mixed Use $2,175,000 7,820 Total SF

AC T I V E

SOLD

1 0 9 B O W E N S T. Providence - College Hill Sold: $950,000 4 Units

2 0 0 E X C H A N G E S T. # 8 17 Providence - Waterplace Condo Sold: $879,000 2 BD

PENDING

4 5 F O R B E S S T. East Providence - Riverside Cape Pending: $479,900 4 BD

8 PA L M E R S T. Smithfield - Greenville Ranch Pending: $495,000 3 BD

Stephen Gaskin 508.991.0151 StephenJGaskin.com @therealtorstephen

5 9 WA R R E N S T. # 2 Providence - Warren Row Condos $495,000 3 BD Townhome

Stephen Gaskin is a licensed real estate sales associate and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws.

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SOUTH COUNTY

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MONTHLY PUBLISHERS Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell

GENERAL MANAGER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nick DelGiudice Nick@HeyRhody.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Elyse Major Elyse@HeyRhody.com

MANAGING EDITOR Ken Abrams Ken@HeyRhody.com

EDITOR Ann Martini Martini@HeyRhody.com

ADVERTISING DESIGN DIRECTOR Layheang Meas

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Specializing in Historic Property on the West Side, Broadway District, and Historic Elmwood for the last 25 years. Happy to assist you with all of your real estate needs.

Jane Driver Broker Associate 401.641.3723 jdriver@residentialproperties.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS ACCL Marketing Mackenzie Bremges Gabriella Cos Victoria Costello Honey Buns Social

Robert Isenberg Erin McGinn N. Millard Zach Pona Meghan Sepe

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Robert Isenberg Patty Jeffrey Steve Klamkin Britt Machado Jonah Major

Erin McGinn Hugh Minor Faye Pantazopoulos Joe Tasca Steve Triedman

Interested in writing? Email Editorial@HeyRhody.com INTERN Gabriella Cos Interested in an internship? Email Elyse@HeyRhody.com Distribution Services Special Delivery

Subscribe Today! HeyRhody.com/MailToYou

Looking for copies? Visit our offices at Beacon Communications: 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, Mon-Fri, 9-5pm Presented by Hey Rhody Media Co. (Formerly Providence Media), publishers of The Bay, So Rhode Island, and Hey Rhody 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02889 401-305-3391 • Mail@HeyRhody.com HeyRhody.com Copyright ©2026 by Hey Rhody Media Co. All rights reserved. Proud member of the Rhode Island Press Association.

Jane Driver is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws.

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Left to right: Emily Olson, Abigail Burnham, Elyse Major (accepting for Jenny Currier Shand), Nick DelGiudice, and Zach Pona

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Hey Rhody Media Co., publisher of Rhode Island’s premier lifestyle magazines, including Providence Monthly, So Rhode Island, The Bay, and Hey Rhody, was well represented at this year’s Rhode Island Press Association Awards banquet, held in June. Submissions poured in from member media outlets such as The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal, and Rhode Island Monthly, among others. Hey Rhody Media Co., won a total of seven awards. Senior Editorial Designer Abigail Burnham won two awards: Design: Special Section, 1st Place, for Providence Monthly’s “Lunch is Back” feature, as well as Design: Best Newspaper Front Page, 2nd Place, for So Rhode Island’s “The Great Outdoors” piece.

In the Design: Best Cover category, Senior Graphic Designer Taylor Buttie won 2nd Place for the Hey Rhody Weddings issue. GM and Creative Director Nick DelGiudice won Photography: Food Photo, 1st Place, for Hey Rhody’s “The Joy of Lunch.” Contributor Zach Pona won Photography: Feature Photo, 3rd Place for The Bay’s “Mrs. Skipper.” In the Writing : Food/Dining category, contributor Jenny Currier Shand won 1st Place for “The Return of Going Out for Lunch,” and contributor Emily Olson won 1st Place in Writing : News/Features Columnist. “We have a small but mighty team!” says Editor-in-Chief Elyse Major. “Warmest congrats to these team members and our valued contributors for their accomplishments!”

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Hill & Harbor Designed Masterpiece on Blackstone Blvd.

August in the Ocean State Summer is peak season for loving where you live. My top three local favorites for August in RI: • Strolling the historic, elm-lined streets of the East Side

310 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, Rhode Island

•

Catching an evening WaterFire right downtown’

•

Escaping to South County beaches for an afternoon or enjoying a sunset bay cruise

Offered at $4,895,000 5 BD 4.2 BA 5,703 Total SF This remarkable new build incorporates modern amenities and the craftsmanship and detail of a bygone era. Set along prestigious Blackstone Boulevard, the symmetry and traditional design echo the surrounding historic homes. Elevated above street level, first floor rooms offer expansive sightlines out over the boulevard and provide a sense of

Some of my Pending Transactions PENDING

PENDING

Derek Simpson Real Estate Sales Associate 401.487.2620 dsimpson @residentialproperties.com

219 Cole Avenue, Providence

139 Sheffield Avenue, Pawtucket

Large Three Unit Multi Family by Blackstone Pending Sale: $1,149,999 3 Units 9 BD

Charming Oak Hill Bungalow Pending Sale: $795,000 3 BD 3 BA

BARRINGTON

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Derek Simpson is a licensed real estate sales associate and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Ranking based on RI MLS data for 1.1.26 - 6.1.26 for sales in Providence.

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Representative David Morales

Primary Matters Photos courtesy of Brett Smiley and David Morales

Morales and Smiley share their mayoral visions for Providence

By Steve Klamkin

lection season is upon us – and it starts before you know it. Early voting begins August 20, with primary election day scheduled for Wednesday, September 9. The Democratic primary pits first-term incumbent Providence Mayor Brett Smiley against State Representative David Morales, and the results could go a long way toward deciding who the next mayor will be. The primary winner faces Independent candidate Allen Waters in the November 3 general election. We asked the candidates about their vision for the capital city – both Democrats faced the same set of questions.

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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NEWS & CULTURE

Smiley promises new or “like new” school facilites for all students by 2030

What is your vision for Providence? DAVID MORALES: My vision is a Providence that all our neighbors can afford and where everyone feels safe and cared for. Providence is too expensive, and many residents are getting priced out. My first priority is to work with the city council to pass and enforce rent stabilization so our neighbors don’t have to worry about their rent skyrocketing. We’re also going to transform vacant lots and buildings across Smith Hill, North Main Street, Downtown, and Elmwood into affordable homes. We’re also going to maximize local and state aid to improve staffing levels across Providence Public Schools, adding more social workers, multilingual educators, and support staff, so that all students will feel supported inside and outside of the classroom.

BRETT SMILEY: Providence is – and must always be – a city that welcomes everyone. That means protecting our community from ICE. It means making it easier for families to afford childcare. It means sending our kids to schools that prepare them for college and careers. It means ensuring our streets are safe from violent crime. And it means providing people of every background and in every neighborhood the opportunities they need to get ahead. This has been our focus over the past four years, and it will continue to guide our work in the years ahead.

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Morales pledges increased staffing for public schools

What are your goals for Providence? MORALES: The plan calls for working with the City Council to pass and sign an ordinance capping annual rent increases at four percent. It also focuses on making Providence Public Schools more supportive by increasing staffing for social workers and multiling ual educators, improving accountability in city government so ser vices work better, and raising sustainable revenue through an industrial facility tax, enforcement of the vacancy tax, and amending the city’s agreements with private colleges and universities. SMILEY: Over the last four years, we achieved universal access to pre-K in Providence, brought violent crime to its lowest level in more than 30 years, and built new schools and homes at a record pace, all while standing up to opposition and intimidation from the Trump administration at ever y turn. I plan to build on this progress in my second term, continue lowering costs for families, and transition our school system back to lo cal control in a way that prioritizes student opportunities and outcomes.

Room for Debate Big Feeling or Gregg’s? The candidates weigh in on city favorites.

DAVID MORALES: Favorite restaurant: Capitol Hill Diner Taqueria

Favorite dessert spot: Big Feeling Ice Cream Favorite arts/culture exhibit/space/institution: Teatro Ecas

Best way to spend a day off: My ideal Providence day off would bounce from Providence Barbell Club, Small Format Café, Knight Memorial Library, local thrift shops, La Gran Parada, Dusty Planet, Varsity Lounge, AS220, with a nightcap at Gilligan’s Pub.

Favorite Rhody Gem: Angell Street Galleries

BRETT SMILEY: Favorite restaurant: Nicks on Broadway – where Jim and I got engaged! Favorite dessert spot: Gregg’s (I’m a pie guy) Favorite PVD arts/culture exhibit/space/institution: Trinity Rep

Best way to spend a day off: A run with my husband in India Point Park, dinner at Angelo’s, and a movie at the Avon.

Favorite Rhody Gem: Saint’s Café in the West End

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Save the Dates August 20: Early Voting Begins September 9: Primary Election Day November 3: General Election

SUMMER CAMP JUNE 15-AUGUST 21 FOR AGES 4-12

View a sample ballot, find your polling place location, and more at the Voter Information Center: Vote.SOS.RI.gov

What additional plans do you have for the city? MORALES: Our plan includes working with the School Board and Providence Public School District to identify staffing gaps in schools and seek additional university contributions to support frontline PPSD positions. It also calls for signing and enforcing rent stabilization, restoring confidence in city government with qualified department leadership, creating a fairer commercial tax system that protects small businesses while asking more from industrial facilities near the port, and turning vacant lots and buildings into affordable housing.

SMILEY: In my first term, we released detailed and actionable plans to provide a seat for every Providence student in a new or like-new school building by 2030; to fully decarbonize all city buildings by 2040; to make it easier than ever to build new apartments and homes at all price points to address our housing crisis; and to ensure a smooth transition of our school system back to local control. We have worked hard to advance each of these plans, and with steady and experienced leadership, we can achieve all these objectives and more over the coming years.

HALF & FULL DAY PROVIDENCE TENNIS ACADEMY

NEW FULL DAY Under 12 Sports Camp

Tennis, Pickleball, Soccer & Basketball

PROVIDENCE TENNIS CENTER AT ROGER WILLIAMS PARK 401-935-4336 providencetennis.com

! E M I T Y T W A P E D I S L O PO

Photos courtesy of Brett Smiley and David Morales

What is the best thing about Providence? MORALES: Third spaces! There is always something fun to experience in Providence, from live music to art shows spotlighting local creators, and exciting programs hosted by our community libraries. SMILEY: Providence has some of the best arts, culture, and food in the country. Combine that with world-class universities and hospitals, thriving small businesses, diverse neighborhoods, and a compassionate community that consistently shows up, and you get a city that is truly special. AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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NEWS & CULTURE

All Animals Should Be Equal Be wa r y o f e m pty p ro m i s e s i n c i tyw i d e cou n c il ra ces th is election yea r By B arry Fain & Steven Triedman

A “

ll animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” wrote George Or well in Animal Farm, a stor y about farm animals who overthrow their farmer, hoping to create a society of equality, but the pigs, led by Napoleon, gradually seize power, betraying the revolution’s ideals and estab lishing a dictatorship as oppressive as the one they replaced. Sound familiar ? It’s been happening at the Providence City Council, where a Democratic Socialist has been president and has feathered her nest at taxpayers’ expense. Outgo ing Council President Rachel Miller has led the council for four years. She increased the Council’s administrative budget by 66 percent, adding over a $1 million in personnel, salaries, and benefits, while the city finances continue to struggle. Providence City Council members earn $18,765, with the President earning $20,850. They are considered part-time employees, but they are eligible for additional compensation with the city’s generous health and dental insurance and pension system. The council staff now numbers 17, two more than the number of elected councilors, and if you call the council for constituent services, you are often directed to the city’s 311 number. She brought in a new chief of staff and doubled his salar y. He was then arrested twice and was responsible for a council credit card that had almost $50,000 in transactions, including $15,000 for Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) conventions and events that were disallowed by the auditor as they were ‘political’ expenditures. When Miller’s finance chair didn’t support her, she created a Ways and Means committee to control finances on the $650,000,000 budget. She is clearly beholden to the teachers’ union and supports their efforts against charter schools, which is already an issue in both the mayoral and g ubernatorial races. Mayor Smiley has supported charter schools because

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they provide high-quality educational op tions for families and because they are willing to lease and reuse vacant neighborhood pub lic school buildings. The council passed a rent-control ordinance that heavily favored renters but failed to override the mayor’s veto, an issue that has become a key matter in the 2026 mayoral race. Rent control has repeatedly failed to deliver affordability and has consistently produced negative outcomes for housing supply, property values, and community stability. Just look at the threat of it in Boston, and you can see the dramatic decline in the construction of new rental units. There is also a lower quality of housing , since landlords are less inclined to make repairs if they can’t cover rising costs (property insurance is up 26 percent in the last three years!) with higher rents. If the goal is affordability, the solution is increasing housing supply. There is a place for sensible rent control in protecting tenants from absurd predatory rent hikes, but it doesn’t create the new housing that is so desperately needed. Providence needs elected officials who want to improve the quality of life for all residents but understand that there is only a finite amount of revenue that can be squeezed from property taxes. And wasting money on expanding the council staff could be better used on “real” quality-of-life issues. With an election coming , there is a new wrinkle with Democrats who are left of left. They are the Democratic Socialists who have won several mayoral elections, notably in New York and Seattle, with promises that are both unrealistic and unachievable but sound good to young people and college professors, like defunding the police and “free” everything. The DSA wants its followers to believe that capitalism is bad despite the fact that capitalism has brought more people out of poverty than anything else. Ironically, if they get elected, they quickly realize that the money to subsidize their grandiose policies and subsidies just doesn’t exist. Providence has a lot going for it – something

Providence City Hall

readily apparent to the thousands of World Cup fans who speak so highly of our city and embrace our diversity, our functionality, and our beauty. There is a broad base of candidates, many with high levels of energ y and enthusiasm. But if their ideas are not grounded in realistic expectations and not accompanied by tangible means of paying for them, the results are more likely to resemble the pigsty from Animal Farm than a roadmap for success. Meet the candidates who are asking for your vote and realistically assess their promises. Often, a follow-up question will let you gauge whether they’re real or fairy tales. Op-eds express the authors’ opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of Hey Rhody Media Co. Readers are welcome to send responses or letters to the editor to be considered for print publication in a future issue or posted online. Letters can be emailed to Ken@HeyRhody.com AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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WE GET YOU. HOME . 369 South Main Street, Providence | 401.646.0023 | the-blackstoneteam.com

NEWS & CULTURE

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

A s p a ce m a d e ava ila b le to Provid en ce’s n eig h b or h ood a ssoc iati ons fre e of charge.

Providence Neighborhood Associations BLACKSTONE PARKS CONSERVANCY

JEWELRY DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 603141 Providence, RI 02906 admin@blackstoneparksconservancy.org BlackstoneParksConservancy.org Facebook: blackstoneparks

Sharon Steele Sharon@sharonsteele.com JewelryDistrict.org Facebook: Jewelry District Association Providence, RI

COLLEGE HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

MILE OF HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Rick Champagne P.O. Box 2442 Providence, RI 02906 CHNA@chnaprovidence.org CHNAProvidence.org

Charles Hewitt, Secretary C/O One Governor Street, Providence

Kristin McGinn, President 401-580-2628 Facebook: Downtown Providence Neighborhood Association IG: @DNAPVD Email: DNAPVD@gmail.com

ELMHURST NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH Susan DeRita susan.derita@cox.net

ELMWOOD AND SOUTH PROVIDENCE NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH Doug Victor doug.crimewatch@gmail.com

ELMWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Jen Vincent JenniferDaltonVincent@gmail.com Facebook: Elmwood Neighborhood Association PVD

FOX POINT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 2315 Providence, RI 02906 FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com FPNA.net

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401-521-8830 MHNAInc@gmail.com Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc.

NORTH END NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Alice Gorman and Deborah Rodriquez Castillo Info@nenapvd.org

OLNEYVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Cindy Miranda, Board Chair Cindy@ona-providence.org Facebook: ONA Providence

SOUTH PROVIDENCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 5653 Providence, RI 02903 • 401-369-1334 SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association

SUMMIT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

PROVIDENCE COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS

P.O. Box 41092 Providence, RI 02940 SNAProv@gmail.com SummitNeighbors.org

Info@provcna.org ProvCNA.org

WASHINGTON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

RESERVOIR TRIANGLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

BettyLinda@aol.com Facebook: Washington Park Association

David Talan 25 Santiago St., Providence, RI 02907 401-941-3662 DaveTalan@aol.com

SMITH HILL PARTNERS’ INITIATIVE Wole Akinbi 400 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1 AAkinbi@half-full.com Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

WAYLAND SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Katherine Touafek Facebook: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.com

WEST BROADWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 1560 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02909 401-831-9344 WBNA@wbna.org • WBNA.org AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photo by N. Millard, courtesy of Go Providence

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Pop-up marketplace offers small businesses a high-profile home A new pop-up shopping experience at the Providence Place mall has become a destination for those looking for something uniquely Rhode Island this summer. The Rhode Island Small Business Village, running through August 30 on Level 1 of the mall directly across from the Apple store, features storefronts and goods from more than 40 Rhode Island-based businesses, giving shoppers a chance to discover local products all in one place. The Village boasts a mix of businesses, including makers, artisans, food producers, apparel brands, jewelers, wellness businesses, and other entrepreneurs. Its goal is to connect shoppers and visitors with homegrown brands while giving business owners valuable exposure in a high-traffic setting. Organizers see the Village as a way to boost local commerce during a busy summer, as the region welcomes visitors tied to major events, including World Cup-related activities in the city. Organized by Skills for Rhode Island’s Future – led by Executive Director Nina Pande – with support from Centreville Bank, the Village offers shoppers one-stop access to businesses around the state while discovering an array of artisanal goods. For entrepreneurs, it provides a rare opportunity to reach new customers and build visibility in one of the state’s largest retail environments. Businesses, including Kent Stetson Handbags, Tallula Jewelry, modern artwork by Occipital, and Aura’s Chocolate Bar, are just a few of those who have set up shop. Following mid-June’s ribbon cutting, Pawtucket-based luxe handbag maker Kent Stetson stated, “A lot of organizations believed that our state’s consumer product startups deserved a house for the summer in the vacant spaces of the mall. This seems like a simple concept, but in reality, it takes a major effort with Nina Pandes keeping this ball in play from start to finish.” Learn more at RISmallBusinessVillage.com.

Banner summer along Benefit The Mile of History Association recently hung festive Betsy Ross banners on the lampposts along Benefit Street – the Mile of History – in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Providence was a vital center of rebellion, which led to the Declaration of Independence. Submitted by Charles Hewitt AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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Louis Iasimone, life-long Rhode Islander, is a proud member of a family of leading plumbing and heating professionals. With over 35 years of experience, Louis and the crew at Iasimone Plumbing, Heating & Drain Cleaning, Inc. provide customers the highest level of ser vice. “It’s so rewarding to have clients call us year after year,” Louis says. Making sure every client understands their options is an important part of what keeps people coming back to Iasimone each year. The company, a years-long recipient of Angie’s List’s Super Service Award, offers a variety of plumbing and heating services, as well as no-cost estimates. They specialize in installation and repairs of sinks and faucets, bathroom fixtures, water lines, dishwashers, water heaters and boilers, and also offer water and sewage services. With the summer months here and entertaining at a maximum, Louis recommends giving some extra attention to your drains. To keep your sinks worry-free, be sure to try and clean your drains regularly, at least once a month. If you have a garbage disposal, try using a couple tablespoons of salt and a cup or two of ice to try and eliminate any grease in the disposal. Follow that with some cold water and a lemon to flush it out and keep it smelling fresh. Don’t forget to flush your drains with hot water after washing your dishes (particularly any greasy ones) to keep the grease from building up. If the worst does occur and there’s a blockage you can’t rid, you’ll know to call Iasimone for your drain cleaning solutions.

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NEWS & CULTURE

Erase Studio and Gallery Art Gal l ery What it is: An art gallery hosting exhibitions and classes for all ages.

W h e re to f i n d i t : Erase Studio and Gallery is located on the second floor at 1 Meeting Street – the brickred building toward the bottom of the hill just before North Main Street.

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Photo courtesy of Erase Studio and Gallery

Founder/owner/artist Elise Francesca named her studio and gallery to reinforce the concept that there are no mistakes when making art. “If you look at Erase as simply an art class or a gallery, you’re missing the bigger picture,” she begins. “Erase exists as a reminder that there is value in curiosity, imagination, permission to reimagine, and most importantly, community. In a world that often demands perfection, productivity, and constant comparison, creativity creates space to explore without judgment.” With her art educator mom Rhonda Fargnoli by her side, Francesca has a continuous roster of workshops in various mediums and with guest instructors, from Friday Night with Friends for adults to instruction and make-and-takes for young artists. Since its opening in 2024, Erase has hosted hundreds of workshops, group and solo exhibitions. “August is our first-ever Children’s Art Exhibition, showcasing art on the walls from the workshops kids have taken at Erase,” says Francesca. Additionally, Erase has artwork for sale and offers marketing services for artists. “Erase is special because it truly means something different to everyone.”

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NEWS & CULTURE

Is It Too Soon? Considering the Risks and Challenges of Returning Providence Schools to Local Control As Prov i de nce pre p a re s to t a ke co nt ro l o f its sc h ool d istr ict for th e first time sin ce 2019, q ue st i o ns rem a i n a b o u t w h et h e r l o ca l offic ia ls a re u p to th e ta sk In Partnership with Ocean State Media • OceanStateMedia.org • By Joe Tasca

On whether the Providence School Board is ready to assume more control over the district PA PAY: I think that the board has had a unique role in the past se vera l years under state control. We will se e what happens when it be comes the g overning board for the school system. It fe els like the district has focuse d prett y heavily over the past se vera l years on centering instruction and thinking about how to focus attention on instruction in schools. And I think if that vision continues, we’ll se e some of the stabilit y that we mig ht expe ct. I think that we of ten se e in these cases – where ta ke over happens – shif ting visions, and that be comes sort of a new reform that has to ta ke root and ta kes a long time to be come establishe d. I think at a ver y high level there’s alignment, but I haven’t seen from the city or school board a more detailed version of that vision. So that’s a question: What does that detailed vision look like ? The city has said it has a detailed vision and I don’t know exactly what that detailed vision is.

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On the risks of returning Providence Public Schools to local control PAPAY: I think there are two. One is the operational expertise that’s required to run a school system. The city has spent a lot of time, it says, investing in and building that. I think we’ll see in the fall how that plays out. I have three kids in Providence Public Schools and I’m ver y optimistic. I’m ver y hopeful that the operational expertise has been built and can continue to sustain the system. I think a second risk is around stability. I do a lot of research in Massachusetts, and I think one of the lessons from education reform in Massachusetts and the path over the past 30 years in Massachusetts has been one of remarkable stability in terms of the policy direction of the state. And so I think there’s open questions here around, is this going to be a stable transition or a transition that leads to a lot of churn? I think that’s always a challenge when we have leadership changes and that lack of stability can be a challenge for school systems.

On the challenges facing Providence Public Schools PAPAY: One, there’s uncertainty and likely less money coming into the system, particularly from the federal government. That’s a big challenge. I think budget instability is something that’s hard for districts to face. Two, I think we see demographic shifts in the state where there’s just fewer kids, and so fewer kids in school. That’s a second thing that’s politically hard for school systems to deal with. I think we’ve seen some of that around needs for school closures and consolidation. Three, the instructional needs of students in Providence and across the country are increasing and part of that’s because of the pandemic, part

of that’s a variety of other factors. Meeting those instructional needs of students in nuanced ways in an environment that’s more resource-constrained, potentially, is particularly challenging.

On whether the state intervention in Providence Public Schools was successful PAPAY: I think that there were some clear wins from the state takeover. One, there are many more schools that are new, where students are going to places that look like the types of schools that their peers who go to private schools or who go to suburban public schools attend. I think that’s a big win that the state has been deeply involved in. I think that the focus on instruction in the district has increased; at least, this is my view as a parent and as an informed outsider. This is a national trend, but that attention to instruction, I think, has been quite good. We’ve seen increases in test scores. We’ve seen some of these metrics moving forward, improvements in attendance at schools, despite some of the challenges that we’ve seen across the country. This article was originally posted on June 29, 2026. Joe Tasca can be reached at jtasca@OceanStateMedia.org.

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photo courtesy of Elisabeth Harrison / The Public’s Radio

n May, Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementar y and Secondar y Education Angélica Infante-Green announced that Providence Public Schools would return to local control on July 1st. Her decision came as a surprise, as Infante-Green had repeatedly said she was targeting 2027 as a likely date for a smooth transition. Is Providence ready to reassume control of its schools after seven years of state inter vention? Ocean State Media weekend host Joe Tasca spoke with John Papay, director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, to learn more about the risks and challenges involved in the transition.

A Providence Public School District building

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NEWS & CULTURE

Living History

As the US celebrates 250 years, heritage museums celebrate Rhode Island’s diverse narratives

By Robert Isenberg

he first thing you may notice about the Cape Verdean Museum is how big it is; 4,000 square feet is a lot of space. Yet every wall and corner is put to good use: archival photographs depict early immigrants in Rhode Island. Shelves are packed with history books. A handwoven tapestry set festive characters against wave-like shapes. If you’ve never heard of the 1970s R&B group Tavares, you’ll learn how these afro-flaunting brothers were rooted in Providence and New Bedford. Upstairs, classrooms are set aside for learning Cape Verdean Creole, a distinctive blend of Portuguese and West African languages. The space is bright and spotless, and on a weekend afternoon, the exhibition buzzes with visitors. The Cape Verdean Museum stands on Prospect Street in Pawtucket, and it’s a prime

example of heritage museums that have opened, one by one, across the state. The Tomaquag Museum in Exeter has celebrated Indigenous peoples in what is now Southern New England since 1959, and plans are in place for a gleaming new complex on the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus when enough funds are raised. The Asian American and Pacific Islander History Museum opened in Providence’s Jewelry District in early 2025, featuring exhibits and workshops that honor the AAPI experience. Last April, the African American Museum of Rhode Island opened in Providence’s West End. In each case, an institution sheds light on a sizable ethnic group in Rhode Island that is little known among mainstream residents. Middle schoolers have long expected field trips to Sturbridge Village or Newport’s mansions, where textbook histories come to life.

SIX PLACES TO EXPLORE Plan a visit to learn more about local history, culture, and traditions. • AAPI HISTORY MUSEUM

Providence, AAPIHistoryMuseum.org • AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF RHODE ISLAND

Providence, AAM-RI.org • CAPE VERDEAN MUSEUM

Pawtucket, CapeVerdeanMuseum.org • FEDERAL HILL HERITAGE CENTER

Providence, HistoricalFederalHill.com • RHODE ISLAND JEWISH MUSEUM

Providence, RhodeIslandJewishMuseum.net • TOMAQUAG MUSEUM

Exeter, TomaquagMuseum.org

Photo by Robert Isenberg

The AAPI History Museum is “not static” and offers changing exhibits

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AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

SEA FOOD

But even lifelong Rhodies might never know that Providence once had its own Chinatown, or that New England is home to the largest population of Cape Verdeans outside of their ancestral island chain. If you can’t name more than one pre-Columbian nation that once lived and hunted in Rhode Island’s woodlands, the Tomaquag Museum will quickly catch you up. Interestingly, Executive Director Lorén Spears does not refer to the woven baskets and preserved wampum inside glass cases as “artifacts” but “belongings.” The power of each museum lies in its native narration, with spaces and collections curated by members of the communities they represent. For example, before she founded the AAPI History Museum, Jeannie Solomon grew up in Hong Kong and worked as an educator for decades. Similarly, Spears is a born member of the Narragansett Tribe. The Cape Verdean Museum is a successful trailblazer: In 2005, a government worker named Denise Oliveira opened the original Cape Verdean Museum, a modest display of archival items from the diaspora. Some 17 years later, the museum moved into its current location, a two-story structure with a bold sign and half-timbered facade that faces a busy intersection. At the grand opening , the recently elected president of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves, made a point to attend. Oliveira passed away the next year, but the museum is now thriving under Executive Director José DaMoura. Representation is not an exact science, of course. Rhode Island’s Jewish heritage is spread out among several small institutions, while the state’s 52,000 Dominicans have no brick-and-mortar museum to date. But all these existing institutions had their naysayers, and emboldened communities have still willed them into being. As the nation celebrates its semiquincentennial, heritage museums are powerful reminders of how diverse a single place can be.

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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NEWS & CULTURE

10 essential events this month

August 4-9: Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival returns for its 44th year to celebrate independent filmmakers from around the world. A red carpet opening night at PPAC, premiere screenings, and inspiring workshops are planned. Film-Festival.org

Weekends through August 30: Enjoy the late-summer sunshine on a one-hour Goat Hike in the fields led by goat expert Aidan Simmons, who shares ever ything you ever wanted to know about these endearing animals. Ages 10 and up. Johnston, GatherFarm.com

August 9: Don’t miss the 39th annual Domin-

August 14: FirstWorks presents Spanish

ican Festival of Rhode Island, an event that honors Dominican culture and heritage, featuring a parade down Broad Street that caps with a celebration at the Temple to Music at Roger Williams Park. Facebook: DominicanFestivalRI

folk-fusion singer-song writer Pedro Pastor and his band Los Locos Descalzos, combining elements of African rhythms, cumbia, flamenco, funk, and Latin American folklore at 195 District Park. FirstWorks.org

August 1-2: The Cultural Sur vival Bazaar at

August 13-16: NecronomiCon Providence is a

Farm Fresh RI is a celebration of Indigenous arts, bringing vibrant culture to life with handmade treasures, delectable dishes, and unique live performances from around the globe. Bazaar. CulturalSurvival.org

celebration of weird fiction, including predecessors and contemporaries of H.P. Lovecraft as well as other eccentric authors and artists who have forged their own paths. Necronomicon-Providence.com

August 19: The Field to Fork Farmer’s Market is a food-sampling event and fundraiser at the JWU Culinar y Museum, with 17 farms and 17 chefs preparing specialties to benefit the Feed the Future school food pantr y program. FeedRI.org

August 8-9: The Providence Oddities & Cu-

August 13-26: The Academy Players present

August 29-30: The annual Pawtucket Arts Fes-

riosities Expo offers unusual art, antiques, taxidermy, collectibles, and other out-of-theordinar y items for sale for collectors, the curious, and anyone drawn to the strange and unexpected. RIConvention.com

the Tony Award-nominated Rock of Ages, a stor y of big bands with big egos, featuring hair-band hits from bands including Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, and Twisted Sister. AcademyPlayersRI.org

tival celebrates the city’s creative and cultural life, with vibrant outdoor events and interactive workshops, an all-ages festival that bridges creativity and community, and is open to all. Details TBA. Pawtucket, PawtucketArtsFest.com

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AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photo courtesy of Flickers’

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Uncommon Grounds

Lattes up at Luongo Square, mornings at Reprise Coffee & Vittles

Meet the new batch of roasters poring over procuring the best cup of Joe possible

Photo by VIctoria Costello Photography, courtesy of Reprise

BY ANN MARTINI

n the early 1800’s, French novelist Honoré de Balzac dramatically wrote that coffee “sets ideas into motion like battalions of a grand army marching toward their legendary battlefield.” The literary giant was so devoted to caffeine that he reportedly consumed as many as 50 cups a day – and when he ran out of water, he ate the grounds. Read that again. “Coffee lover” might be an understatement. Since the first coffee café opened in Paris in the 1600s, coffee has evolved from a beverage that fuels us into a lifestyle, a gathering place, and a form of self-expression. Few people understand

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

that better than Providence-based marketing and communications professional Cristy Raposo, whose passion for local coffee inspired her to create the social media platform #CoffeeWithCristy, where she highlights cafés and coffee shops throughout the state. “Growing up, I loved the smell of the Folgers coffee my Portuguese grandmother brewed in her percolator,” Raposo says. “I knew that when coffee was brewing , company was coming. Coffee became associated with family, conversation, laughter, and connection. Coffee gives people a reason to slow down and connect.” Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.

Sip by the salt pond at Java Madness, Wakefield

Photo (top) by Mackenzie Bremges, (bottom) by Erin McGinn

Specialty roasts by Stephen Miller at Coventry’s Longshore Coffee

Rhode Island’s relationship with coffee runs deep. The beverage exploded in popularity with the arrival of Italian immigrants in the late 1800’s. And since then, New Englanders consistently rank among the nation’s most enthusiastic coffee drinkers. Rhode Islanders consume roughly two cups per person each day, according to the National Coffee Association, which also reports that beyond the caffeine boost, a growing body of research suggests that regular coffee consumption may even offer health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increased longevity. You can’t talk about coffee in the Ocean State without mentioning the Massachusetts-born Dunkin’ Donuts. With one of the highest concentrations of Dunkin’ locations in the country, Rhode Island has embraced the brand as part of its daily routine. While Starbucks, whose star is now waning, built its reputation around lingering over handcrafted drinks, Dunkin’ has long positioned itself as the fuel of the working day – quick, familiar, and accessible. Yet both have played an important role in shaping how Rhode Islanders experience coffee, helping turn a simple daily habit into a defining part of the state’s culture. Today, Rhode Island’s coffee scene extends far beyond the major chains. Independent cafés and specialty roasters across the state are elevating the conversation, exploring the nuances of origin, processing , roasting , and brewing. Rhode Island has about 500 independent coffee cafes, many that roast their own beans. Transforming a humble green coffee bean into a cup layered with flavor, aroma, and character is both an art and a science. Factors such as growing region, elevation, processing method, bean variety, and sourcing practices all influence the final flavor long before roasting even begins. The roaster’s role is to unlock those unique qualities, bringing out everything from bright citrus notes to rich chocolate undertones. Fortunately, Rhode Island is home to a passionate community of coffee roasters who have devoted themselves to mastering this craft, ensuring every cup reflects the very best each bean has to offer. AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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Dave’s has been roasting coffee since 2009; locations in Providence and Charlestown

Photos courtesy of Dave’s Coffee

The bright orange Dave’s Coffee logo is familiar to most Rhode Islanders, either because they see the company’s coffee milk on grocer y store shelves or visit one of their two cafes in Providence and Charlestown. “At Dave’s Coffee, our mission is to help our customers make lasting memo ries,” owner David Lanning explains. “ We believe coffee is more than just a drink; it creates feelings and connections.” Whether it’s a quiet morning alone or a bustling table of friends, the goal is the same : “to be the bridge that helps you make fresh memories ever y day.” That emphasis on experience over complexity sets the tone for a brand focused on a sense of place. While they honor responsible sourcing and careful roasting , they’re more interested in how coffee lives in peo ple’s daily rituals than in technical precision. “ We don’t focus on complicated or technical details. Instead, we care about how our coffee makes people feel,” Lanning says. For many Rhode Islanders, that feeling is intertwined with something uniquely local : coffee milk. “As a lifelong Rhode Islander, coffee milk holds a special place in my heart,” Lanning says, recalling childhood memories of the sweet, creamy drink that became the official state beverage in 1993. Its roots trace back to immigrant communities in the 1930s, when families blended sweetened coffee syrup with milk to create something both familiar and celebrator y for children and adults alike. Dave’s Coffee continues that legacy, refining it with specialty-grade cold-brewed coffee and pure cane sugar. Beyond the cup, there’s gratitude for the community itself. “It amazes me that people wait in long lines, patiently and happily, to support their local coffee shops,” the team says. “It really shows how communities come together.” With cafés in Providence and Charlestown, plus local retail partners and nationwide shipping , Dave’s Coffee has grown without losing its grounding principle : connection over competition. “If you worr y too much about competing , you can lose sight of your own identity,” Lanning says. “It’s a wonderful community to be part of.”

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• Cafe 1888, Westerly • Cafe Richmond, Providence • Cafe Water Street, Warren • Coastal Roasters, Tiverton • Coffee Exchange, Providence • The Coffee Guy, Narragansett • Cold Brook Cafe, North Scituate • Dave’s Coffee, Charlestown, Providence • Eastside Bagel Company, Providence • Fresh Cup Coffee, Westerly Continued on next page...

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Borealis’ Brian Dwiggins at work

The Aurora Bar at Borealis Brisol

Photos by Honey Buns Social, courtesy of Borealis Coffee

In the state’s ever-evolving coffee galaxy, a quiet story of craft, community, and persistence brews behind the East Bay counter at a pair of beloved cafés and a roastery shaped by husband-and-wife owners Brian and Jessie Dwiggins: the brand that is Borealis Coffee. Brian’s journey began far from New England, in Anchorage, Alaska, where early exposure to specialty coffee arrived before the wider American coffee boom. The seeds of a future business were planted early, but it wasn’t until years later – after meeting Jessie in college in Colorado and eventually relocating to Cumberland – that those ambitions began to take form. While working as a lighting technician, Brian began home roasting small batches and bringing them to set. Word spread quickly. “People started talking about the guy who roasts his own coffee,” Jessie says. At its core, Jessie says, the mission was simple. “The goal was roasting his own beans and owning a coffee shop. He just started, kept going , and stayed alert for opportunities to grow along the way.” Today, the cafés reflect that same sense of momentum and community. From commuters grabbing morning coffee to RWU students studying for hours, knitters and mahjong groups who return weekly, and bike path visitors lingering on patios, each space carries its own rhythm. “We see people working on their ideas or taking a break for themselves,” Brian says. “Coffee gives us a moment of connection with ourselves and others.” That sense of connection extends into music, workshops, and education – from jazz nights and improv performances to cupping sessions and brewing classes. “Education has always been a part of our mission,” Jessie explains, “because coffee is an agricultural product, and there’s so much work that goes into its production.” Enthusiasts can even see “where the sausage is made,” with a visit to the Borealis roastery in Pawtucket. Even the smallest details at the Borealis cafes are intentional: house-made syrups, seasonal pastries, and a full evening menu of cocktails and bar snacks that many guests are surprised to discover. “We’ve seen their curiosity for great coffee grow,” says Brian. “We get some really unique single-origin coffees in, some with unusual tasting notes, and people are always up for trying them – they may not always love them, but they’ll try them.”

Continued from previous page... • Fuel Coffee Bar, Narragansett • Hive Bar at Jordan’s Jungle, Pawtucket • Java Madness, Wakefield • Junk N Java, Westerly • LaSalle Bakery, Providence • Lighthouse Coffee Roasters & Cafe, North Kingstown • Nana’s, Westerly

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• Queen of Cups, Narragansett • Red, White, & Brew Coffeehouse, Warwick • Reprise Coffee & Vittles, Providence • Rhody Hen Cafe, East Providence, Pawtucket, North Providence • Sophie’s Brewhouse, Exeter

There’s a new Hut in town!

• Sweet Althea’s, Wakefield • Sydney, Providence • Tamp, Bristol • TLC Coffee Roasters, West Kingston • Yumi Bar, Providence

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Set along the Sakonnet River in Tiverton’s Old Stone Bridge district, as Coastal Roasters approaches its 25th anniversary, its story reads like a love letter to coffee, community, and resilience. The café opened its doors in July 2002, but the vision began years earlier, when co-founders Donald and Lisa Machado first became captivated by roasting coffee

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while living in Alexandria, Virginia. “We were frequenting a coffee shop with a working roaster out in the open for customers to see,” current owner Lisa Machado recalls. That spark followed them to Tiverton, where home experiments soon followed. “We were roasting our own coffee at home in a Whirley Popcorn maker, sharing with friends and family.”

Photography by Gabriella Cos

Tiverton hot-spot, Coastal Roasters

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A specialty latte topped with cold foam and cocoa powder at Coastal Roasters

Coastal Roasters supports honey producers in Guataemala via Every Bean Counts

Spill the Beans 10 popular drinks demystified. • Americano: Equal parts espresso and hot water. • Café au Lait: Equal parts coffee and steamed or scalded milk. • Cappuccino: Equal parts espresso and steamed milk, with milk foam on top.

• Cortado: Two ounces of espresso and two ounces of steamed milk. • Espresso: Concentrated coffee made by forcing water through finely ground beans. • Iced Coffee: Regular coffee poured over ice. • Latte: Espresso and steamed milk is topped with a layer of foam. • Macchiato: A concentrated espresso shot marked with a small amount of steamed or foamed milk. • Nitro Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen for creamy texture.

What began as a dream to leave corporate life and build something rooted in craft quickly accelerated when a lucky break aligned with preparation. A future café space located in Tiverton became available. “ We were lucky enough to acquire the lease,” Lisa Machado says. The café offers more than coffee – it offers a view, a pause, and a sense of place. The waterfront patio remains a gathering point where g uests sip lattes, matcha, or drip coffee as boats drift by. Sadly, Donald passed away in 2022. But his legacy endures here thanks to his family and the Coastal Roasters team. The café still

roasts on its original Diedrich IR-12, a fully manual machine that reflects its philosophy : no shortcuts, just skill and attention. Today, roasting is led by head roaster and his second wife, Adriana Machado, continuing the craft tradition that has defined the business for decades. But the heart of Coastal Roasters has always been its people. “It’s a family vibe, from our small crew to our community and beyond,” Lisa Machado says. Many baristas have stayed for years, learning regulars’ names, drink orders, and even their dogs. “They make it their mission to make customers feel at home and welcome.” With every cup,

(L and center) Photography by Gabriella Cos

• Cold Brew: Coffee steeped in cold water for 12-24 hours and then filtered.

(R) Photo courtesy of TLC

Coastal Roasters also gives back, supporting Fair Trade farming initiatives in Guatemala through donations tied to every pour and pound sold. “Coffee and community go hand in hand for us, locally and globally,” Lisa Machado says. Not far from URI in West Kingston, inside the café at TLC Coffee Roasters, the aroma drifts from an on-site roaster where the roasting team brings each batch to life. According to Jill Querceto, who owns the shop with her husband Jim, TLC carefully sources beans from small estate farms around the world, prioritizing organic and sustainable growers, and partnering with Rainforest Alliance-certified producers. For them, sourcing is not a marketing phrase – it is a guiding ethic.

TLC Coffee Roasters in West Kingston has a menu of cafe classics

TLC Coffee Roasters was established in 1999

Once the green coffee arrives from origins across South America, Central America, Africa, Indonesia, and India, the transformation begins. At roughly 500 degrees inside a rotating drum, the beans develop through heat, airflow, and time. Moisture is released, sugars caramelize, and the unmistakable “first crack” signals the moment when raw seed becomes aromatic coffee. The goal is balance rather than dominance. The hands-on approach to roasting and high-quality sourcing makes the best coffee. At TLC, roasting happens daily – sometimes all day – to keep pace with demand. But TLC is not only a roaster y ; it is a gathering place. With ample seating , free WiFi, and a steady hum of

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reg ulars, the café ser ves roughly 700 customers daily, most of them familiar faces. The kitchen extends the same philosophy : made-to -order breakfast sandwiches, panini, soups, salads, and an array of pastries baked fresh each day. Flavored coffees, from sea salt caramel mocha to French toast, are created using as many locally sourced natural extracts infused into freshly roasted beans. Here, customization and care are as important as consistency. “At the end of the day, we hope people leave with more than a great cup of coffee,” Querceto says. “ We hope they leave feeling welcomed, cared for, and connected.” AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photos courtesy of TLC

TLC is five minutes from the URI campus

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A Barista’s Tale

The basics of coffee inform each enjoyable brew at this mornings-only spot around the same time Reprise opened. “Along with a rotating batch of single origins, house-made syrups, and – from what I’m told – a cult-like following for limited merch drops, there’s so much more to be seen from us on all fronts. We take things slow and try to iron out any creases before we make a move so that we can ensure quality and satisfaction,” says Berry. The barista-turned-entrepreneur cites their basil vanilla house-made syrup as one of his personal favorites – a simple syrup made with fresh basil, vanilla, and lemon. “It’s a flavor combination that isn’t seen with coffee and the community has really gone crazy for it,” he says. “ We also introduced our Big Star cold brew to the menu, a strawberry co-fermented coffee that is absolutely mind bending. The cold brew process rounds out the acidity and leaves you with a big strawberry flavor without tasting artificial, processed, or needing any milk or sugar,” says Bery. “It really is the coffee of the summer.” 3 Luongo Square, Thursday-Monday, 7am-1pm, @reprisepvd – Abbie Lahmers & Elyse Major

Reprise is open Thursday-Monday from 7am-1pm

Photo (L) by ACCL Marketing, courtesy of Reprise

While the chefs of a noodle bar on Providence’s Luongo Square begin their day prepping for dinner in the back, the front of house is bustling with a different service – coffee. The barstools are occupied by patrons lingering over their first morning espresso while baristas pour cappuccinos rather than cocktails. This is the kismet of Pickerel and Reprise Coffee & Vittles – two distinct establishments under one roof, and the transformation is literally day and night. The dream arrangement took shape when Nick Berry realized his passion for serving the perfect cuppa needed its own venue. The former Nitro Bar barista honed his craft at the hopping Broadway location, where he was immersed in all things coffee, from training other baristas on traditional drinks to developing buzzy specials. “I wanted to create a place that really focuses on the basics of coffee,” elaborates Berry. All of the shop’s brews are made with single-origin coffee from Berry’s friend, Justin Enis. Well-known for his tenure at Bolt Coffee, Enis was just starting to heat things up with his business, Enjoy Coffee Roasters,

RHODY ROASTERS Even more bagged local brands to try for your new home brew. • Bolt Coffee Co. Roastery • Cooper’s Cask Coffee • Downeast Coffee Roasters • Enjoy Coffee Roasters

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Photo (R) by VIctoria Costello Photography, courtesy of Reprise

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Coastal by Design

A former horse pasture becomes a sophisticated farmhouse with nods to both coasts

Photos by Meghan Sepe, courtesy of KJO Design

By Ann Martini

ome people discover their life’s calling in a classroom. For Karin Dillahey, it emerged through a series of homes scattered across the countr y. Here, on a quiet lane in Middletown, surrounded by historic stone walls, wild beach roses, and the distant cacophony of waves crashing against the rocks at nearby Pebble Beach, the Dillahey family home feels as though it has always belonged to the landscape. The quintessential farmhouse – with its welcoming wraparound porch, generous entertaining spaces, and understated elegance – is the culmination of years of creative exploration and a deep appreciation for coastal Rhode Island.

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HOME & STYLE

A salvaged door from a NH farm infuses history to the new kitchen

When Karin and BJ Dillahey purchased the 1.5-acre property in March 2020, it was little more than a former horse pasture. But Karin immediately saw something more. “I had the perfect Aquidneck Island canvas for my most exciting project to date,” she says. For Dillahey, the home represents more than a personal residence. It is the realization of a passion that eventually became her design firm, K JO Design Co. Her path to interior design was anything but traditional. After arriving at Johnson & Wales University in 1999 with plans to play soccer and enjoy college life, she pursued a degree in marketing and launched a successful

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career in the beverage industry. Yet creativity was always simmering beneath the surface. Years later, a series of corporate relocations for her husband’s career would unexpectedly shape her future. In Lincoln, the couple built their first custom home. A move to St. Louis inspired another build. Atlanta followed, where Karin designed a striking brick Tudor nestled among towering tulip poplar trees. Upon returning to Rhode Island in 2017, the family undertook a complete renovation of a property in Newport’s Fifth Ward neighborhood. With every project, Dillahey’s passion for design deepened. By 2019, as the family searched for

more space, she found herself fielding requests for design advice from friends and acquaintances. The timing felt right. As plans for the Middletown farmhouse began taking shape, Dillahey officially launched K JO Design Co. The home became both a family retreat and a showcase of her design philosophy. Inspired by the property’s natural beauty, Dillahey kept the palette intentionally restrained. Soft whites, warm creams, natural wood tones, leather, jute, and seagrass create a calm backdrop that allows texture to take center stage. Deep charcoal accents and earthy honed soapstone add contrast and so -

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Get Rhody Style I d e a s a n d re s o u rce s fo r m a k i n g t h e m o s t o f l i v i n g i n t h e O ce a n S t a te .

Infuse Whimsy “Having one-of-a-kind pieces and remembering where each one came from helps create a home that feels authentic,” says Dillahey. Unexpected acquisitions add humor and personality, including a beloved photograph of Chewbacca surfing at Mackerel Cove – an unexpected accent discovered in a Jamestown liquor store.

Treasure Hunt Vintage items sourced from Facebook Marketplace contribute another layer of character. For Dillahey, the appeal extends beyond the objects themselves. “I find so much on Facebook marketplace while meeting great neighbors and learning their stories. Having one-of-a-kind items with a memory of thrifting each one really sets the tone for an inviting, locally inspired home,” Dillahey says.

Start Small In addition to larger-scale projects, Dillahey offers a single-room refresh service. The package includes a 45 minute site visit and a customized follow-up plan. Learn more at KJODesignCo.com

Photos by Meghan Sepe, courtesy of KJO Design

The cloche pendant lamp made of palm leaves brings big style to the small breakfast nook

phistication without disrupting the home’s relaxed atmosphere. “I wanted it to feel unlike anything else being done locally while still being comfortable, casual, and cool,” she explains. “I wanted it to embody coastal New England without being too literal.” Throughout the home, thoughtful details elevate the design beyond the expected. In the living room, a dramatic custom fireplace anchors the space. Dillahey collaborated closely with Wakefield-based master plasterer Jason Howard of J.H. Home Improvement to create a statement hearth framed by understated inset bookshelves. Suspended overhead is an

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

oversized chandelier crafted from irregular lengths of white wood and wire – a sculptural focal point that manages to feel both rustic and refined. The kitchen showcases one of Dillahey’s favorite design decisions. Handmade Moroccan Zellige tile brings organic texture and character to the backsplash. Captivated by the imperfect edges of each tile, she made the unconventional decision to leave them ungrouted. “The edges were so beautiful and organic,” she says. “I didn’t want to take away from the character of each imperfect square.” While every KJO Design Co project has its own personality, Dillahey acknowledges that

Rhode Island’s coastline quietly influences all her work. Rather than relying on obvious nautical themes, she incorporates subtle references to place through texture, color, and carefully curated collections. That sense of authenticity is what ultimately defines the farmhouse. While the architecture feels timeless and the interiors effortlessly sophisticated, the home never takes itself too seriously. It is a place designed for gathering , storytelling , and everyday living. Much like the landscape that inspired it, the house balances beauty and comfort with ease – a reflection of both its coastal setting and the creative vision of the family who calls it home.

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HOME & STYLE

Signature Sips Drinka b l e ex pe r i e n ce s f ro m a l e to te a By Britt Machado

hode Island’s celebrated dining scene is now being joined by a drinks culture that is truly a powerhouse in its own right. Around the Ocean State, you’ll find incredible beverage experiences, ranging from trendy tea services to award-winning bars that feature curated non-alcoholic selections. This diverse array of options extends to your home as well, whether you are looking to elevate a celebration or find wellness and harmony through a healthy sip. No matter the occasion, your perfect drink and accoutrements are never far away.

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Dive Into Luxury

Enjoy day access to resort pools, no overnight booking required By Faye Pantazopoulos

here’s something undeniably satisfying about spending a summer day by the pool: the warm sun on your shoulders, a cold drink within reach, and the luxury of doing absolutely nothing for a few blissful hours. That experience was typically reserved only for overnight hotel guests. But with ResortPass, you can now enjoy hotel pools without booking a room. This app allows day visitors to purchase access to hotel amenities, including pools, beach, lounge chairs, hot tubs, spas and other perks – all from your smart phone. It’s a concept that has become popular among locals looking for a daycation. As travel costs rise, ResortPass offers luxury hotel experience without an overnight stay. Whether you prefer the beachfront tranquility of Pleasant View Inn, the upscale energy of the Newport Marriott, or the island charm of Block Island Beach House, each offers its own version of a poolside paradise. When your social media feed fills with photos of tropical resorts and infinity pools, don’t be jealous. Rhode Island has plenty of pool-worthy escapes. All it takes is a day pass, a swimsuit, and a willingness to embrace adventure.

A Coastal Classic: Pleasant View Inn, Westerly Perched along the sands of Misquamicut Beach, the Pleasant View Inn offers one of South County’s most relaxing waterfront escapes. With ResortPass, you can enjoy the pool along with the laidback atmosphere that makes this family-owned property a beloved summer destination. ResortPass guests also have access to the inn’s beach, an opportunity to enjoy both amenities without an overnight stay. Unlike larger resorts that can feel crowded, Pleasant View Inn maintains a relaxed vibe. Hungry? Visit The Kitchen or The Hatch for cocktails and snacks, turning a pool day into a seaside retreat. For those looking to capture that vacation feeling without venturing far, Pleasant View Inn delivers a classic New England beach experience with just the right amount of luxury.

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Newport Marriott

PRO-TIP: Get there early to secure a lounge chair. Park across the street, check in at the front desk, put your parking pass on your dashboard, and go grab a chair. There is a bathroom to change in, outdoor showers by the pool, towel ser vice, and floaties!

Seaside Escape: Newport Marriott If your idea of a perfect pool day includes waterfront views, upscale amenities, and easy access to one of Rhode Island’s most vibrant destinations, the Newport Marriott is an excellent choice. Located in the heart of Newport’s historic

downtown waterfront district, the hotel offers ResortPass visitors access to the heated pool, which is enclosed and comfortable regardless of the weather and year-round. Whether you’re planning a girls’ day, celebrating a special occasion, or simply treating yourself, the Newport Marriott transforms an ordinary day into something that feels remarkably close to a full-fledged vacation.

PRO-TIP: Towel service, locker room access, g ym access and spa are included in your ResortPass. You can order from the restaurant and bar from the comfort of your lounge chair. Parking is not included, but the lot is right next to the hotel. AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photo (top) courtesy of Pleasant View Inn, (bottom) courtesy of Newport Marriott

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Block Island Beach House

Photo courtesy of Block Island Beach House

Island Time: Block Island Beach House For those willing to take their pool day adventure one step further, Block Island Beach House offers a getaway that feels worlds away. Located just steps from Block Island State Beach, this stylish property embodies the carefree spirit that has made Block Island a favorite summer destination for generations. The ResortPass experience includes access to the property’s beach, and the hotel pool is at The Gables, its sister property just a two -minute walk away. Sip a refreshing drink poolside and settle into island life. AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Start with a morning bike ride around the island, spend the afternoon at the pool, and finish with a sunset stroll along the beach before catching the ferr y home. The result is a day that feels less like a day trip and more like a true vacation.

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Cafe Culture

Coffee brews inspiration for watercolor artist

or many of us, coffee is where it all begins. artist Lisa Marie Lyckland is no different. “I need a nice little hot latte to wake up. I make it for myself at home. But when I go out, I really enjoy a specialty coffee on ice like the caramel iced latte at Ellie’s in Providence. You can totally tell the difference because their caramel is homemade.” Lyckland’s love of coffee culture has been a driving force behind Fleetwood Studios, which she founded in 2017 when she moved from Brooklyn, New York to Plum Beach, a coastal neighborhood in North Kingstown.

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Arriving in Rhode Island, she hit the ground running , immediately seeking out the cafe scene, and was thrilled with what she found. Specializing in watercolor, Lyckland recreates the world around her. “I started to dabble in illustrating food, which is ver y conducive to pen and ink and watercolor, and I just love putting my view of those places on paper.” While displaying her artwork of local scenes at cafes, as many artists do when establishing a foothold in the community, businesses began to commission Lyckland to create distinctive note cards and prints of their food and spaces, which are wildly popular

with customers and fans. “At Ellie’s, I painted their amazing croissant. Then their lavender latte. Then I made note cards for them to sell. That’s how that partnership evolved. I love telling someone’s stor y through my eyes and my experience.” Her work can also be found at Caf Bar in South Kingstown and Bucket and the Bean in North Kingstown, and at various pop -up events. Lyckland’s work takes a traditional approach with a modern flair which makes it accessible and popular, appreciated by art connoisseurs and foodies alike – not to mention letter writers who adore fancy stationer y. “I see a lot

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photos courtesy of Fleetwood Studios

Fleetwood Studio note cards at Ellie’s

By Hugh Minor

Make Your Move.

Lisa Marie Lyckland admires her work on display at Ellie’s

of people will take my note cards and frame them, so that’s fun. I’ll see them in houses. I’ll see them in people’s little bathrooms.” With her passion for the art of watercolor, Lyckland encourages others to explore and expand their craft by offering classes and kits they can complete at home. “I’m conducting these watercolor workshops where I’m pre-illustrating note cards, and people are painting them. It’s like a coaching session where folks just enjoy wine and paint unstructured. It’s ver y social and ver y casual.” To date, she’s hosted events at unique locations like Shepherd’s Run winer y and

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

resort in South Kingstown, and Buttercup Flower and Wine Bar in Wickford Village. For aspiring artists who want even more practice, Lyckland has created travel kits that provide all of the tools they need to build their talents, either alone or with a group of friends. Each set contains four note cards, envelopes and seals, paints, brushes, and a list of tips and tricks. “People have asked me to take the experience with them, so I have these cute little watercolor kits that you can do at home.” Learn more at FleetwoodStudio.com and follow along on Instagram at FleetwoodStudio

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FEATURE Elsa Kincaid looks through the monitor while camera operating for Daydream , a new feature film shot in Bristol on which she served as director of photography

Lights, Camera, Ocean State

With varied locations and access to visiting projects, the smallest state is just right for a cadre of budding talent

Photos courtesy of Jonah Major

By Jonah Major

ee any good movies recently? In Rhode Island, the answer might begin at a local landmark like Providence’s Avon Cinema, Newport’s Jane Pickens Theater, or United Rewind in Westerly, where audiences can find everything from major releases to classics to low-budget independent films shown on the big screen. The state’s deep connection to entertainment history is visible in tributes to historic figures like triple-threats George M. Cohan (a statue in Fox Point) and Eddie Dowling (a highway in North Smithfield), reminders that Rhode Island has long played a role in the motion picture story. But as recent in-state productions like Ella McCay and The Gilded Age have shown, the future of film in the Ocean State is still being written. Young filmmakers are making their mark on the local industry, creating films and forging connections that keep Rhode Island’s legacy in the motion picture business alive.

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FEATURE

Alexander Pretorius helms the Super 8 camera filming the short film Oh Boy at the now closed CWTheaters in Lincoln

Audrey Collins (center) works with actors Talli Russell (left) and Molly Vasileva (right) on the set of Love Bites in the basement of Providence’s The Salon

Photos courtesy of Jonah Major

One such filmmaker is Jacob Snowiss, a cinematographer and graduate of the University of Rhode Island’s film program, whose impressive resume includes high-profile projects such as a video piece on the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall for the Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition. Working alongside the project’s lead, Patrick McCarthy (a Rhode Island resident himself ), Snowiss applied the techniques he developed and honed at URI under the mentorship of film professor Nicholas Corsano. He “taught me the true nitty gritty elements that I was aching for, as well as how to hone the lens as a stor ytelling tool,” says Snowiss of time spent in Corsano’s courses. A frequent competitor in the 48 Hour Film Project Providence (48HFP), Snowiss has worked on films that have won awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Actress. “Making films in Rhode Island is in many ways a dream come true,” he says. “The state offers such a wide array of landscapes and architectural styles that you’re almost bound to find what you’re looking for, regardless of period. The colleagues I’ve befriended around Rhode Island are vast and emblematic of the state’s welcoming demeanor.” Audrey Collins, another local filmmaker and URI graduate, agrees. “One of the great things about Rhode Island is that it’s a ver y close-knit network,” she says. “Ever ybody lives near each other, and nothing is ever more than an hour or so drive away, and I think that helps build community.” While Snowiss works primarily as a cinematographer, Collins, who’s set to attend the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts next spring , works on set as a director, having recently screened two short films, Control and Love Bites, at an event honoring URI’s alumni filmmakers. Ser ving as writer on all of her own projects, she also wrote the script for Scott Embleton’s Cowboy Connor, which recently screened at the New Bedford Film Festival. “I’ve been making films ever since I was ver y little,” says Collins, “I think my first movies were when I was four or five – the Transformers Happy Meal toys were my first actors. Then, you know, we eventually transitioned to the Muppet stuffed animals. And then, eventually getting a little riskier and adding real people too.”

Collins’ recent work is riskier and with real people. Control features an ensemble cast of interconnected paranoids whose lives converge at a movie theater (filmed at the now-shuttered CW Theaters that previously occupied the Lincoln Mall). Her other recent work, Love Bites, is a time-hopping romance that follows the strained affair between a vampire (Rhode Island native Molly Vasileva) and her familiar (recent Rhode Island transplant Talli Russell). The film’s explosive climax features dozens of local extras gathered in a nightclub, filmed at The Salon in Providence. “ We have great locations in Rhode

Island,” says Collins. “ We’ve had convenience stores, we’ve done dungeons, we’ve done churches, we’ve done weddings, we’ve done nightclubs, we’ve done movie theaters, we’re about to do beaches (for her upcoming short film Ripples)… I mean, people come to Rhode Island for the sights.” Alexander Pretorius, whose skills range from motion picture cinematography to event photography and ever ything in between, developed his love for movies at what was then known as Patriot Cinemas in East Providence, later retitled East Providence 10 Cinema before its closure in 2020. “ That was our

Actor Brandon Tallardy (left) and actress Molly Vasileva (right) as they appear in Love Bites , the new short film directed by Audrey Collins

Actress Izzy Tiska plays Joan of Arc in a scene from Mark Twain’s Joan of Arc in Domremy as filmed by Jacob Snowiss

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

primar y place to watch movies, that little theater,” says Pretorius, “I remember when they closed. It was so sad. It’s not like it was a nice cinema, but it was still like a third space for some people.” Describing himself as a “ver y visual person,” he continued his love of the moving image at Pawtucket’s Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing & Visual Arts, where he honed in on any type of image composition course they had, whether it was working with the local public access station or making public ser vice announcement parodies with his classmates on the school’s mini DV (digital video) tape cameras.

Actor Aidan Thomas Dyson appears opposite actress Gwenn Hope in Daydream , the film Hope wrote and directed with cinematography by Elsa Kincaid

Smithfield’s Deerfield Park serves as another location for Mark Twain’s Joan of Arc in Domremy

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Always looking for new techniques to learn and always diversif ying the types of images he can make, Pretorius now works as manager of visual media at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a non-profit summer camp in Eastford, CT, founded in 1988 by actor Paul Newman, to give children with serious illnesses an unforgettable residential summer camp experience. Pretorius has done videography work for the camp, which ser ves families across the Northeast, for years, but still pushes himself to learn new skills, such as formatting visual media not just for theater screens and televisions, but also phones and tablets. Speaking to the multi-disciplinary and multi-media nature of this new generation of Rhode Island filmmakers, Elsa Kincaid recalls childhood movie experiences not from a theater, but DVDs. “ We had like three DVDs,” says Kincaid. “And it was Mamma Mia, Newsies, and I think High School Musical 3. And so I watched them an absurd amount of times because that was what we had.” While her original dream was not to work in feature film but to make ski and snowboarding videos for Teton Gravity Research in Jackson Hole, Wyoming , her interest shifted to narrative pieces, studying cinematography at URI, and she was accepted post-graduation to the Film and T V School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prag ue (also known as FAMU). Upon returning to Rhode Island, and a summer living with her sister in New Orleans and networking with whomever she could, she connected with director Gwenn Hope, who was looking for someone to shoot her feature film debut, Daydream. Kincaid proved to be the perfect fit (she says Mamma Mia was a frequent common reference), and spent this past June shooting the film in Bristol. Daydream, which follows childhood friends as they grow up set against the backdrop of New England summers, is described by Hope and Kincaid as a film “made in Bristol for Bristol.” The production was made possible through support from Women in Film & Television New England and was the recipient of a tax credit through the Rhode Island Film & Television Office. The filmmakers hope to show it in the community when it’s finished in May of next year, giving all Rhode Islanders a good answer to the question “See any good movies recently ?”

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Crew and cast assembled at the craft service table

Photo courtesyof ofJonah Boston Legacy FC Photos(L)courtesy Major

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FOOD & DRINK I n t h e K i tc h e n | R o u n d U p | Co c k t a i l

Killeen at work on an aromatic fennel salad

Divine Providence Photography by Erin McGinn

How two artists opened a restaurant and forever changed pizza – and a city’s reputation

By Erin McGinn

tr y my best to walk into ever y stor y without a lot of background noise on my subjects. Of course, in little Rhode Island where ever yone knows ever yone, it’s a difficult task, especially when profiling a location as storied as Al Forno. But somehow, I managed in my nearly 30 years here to shamefully never actually dine at the restaurant or meet its owner, Johanne Killeen. Until this assignment.

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Now, that doesn’t mean I hadn’t heard of Al Forno. One time when deplaning at T.F. Green, the folks ahead of me were scrambling to pull their suitcases from the overhead, saying they had to run because they had a reservation at Al Forno, and if they didn’t get there on time, they’d miss the celebrated grilled pizza with local corn and tomato as the seasonal sensation

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was about to be pulled from the menu as the harvest dwindled with the season. Then there was that Christmas dinner party at my dear friend’s historic home in Newport’s Point neighborhood. Just as the snow started to fall, she pulled the five-cheese baked pasta she’d prepared from Killeen’s cookbook. Always the early bird, I got a sneaky bit of the crispy bits,

which I now know are Killeen’s favorite part. Pulling up to the very modern style brick building on South Water Street, you instantly feel Al Forno’s architectural connection to the Creative Capital. It happened to be the week when everything bloomed, and the pink dogwoods perfectly aligned between the huge black windowpanes, giving the landscape an almost

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Photography by Erin McGinn

Al Forno’s legendary five cheese baked pasta

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Seasonal blooms are always part of the table setting

Japanese-style, minimalist feel. Walking inside, the vibrant green paint, the dining room ceiling painted with yellow stripes – mimicking the dried corn cobs hanging above, the mix of stone, glass, and brick all welcome you to a true artist’s space. Killeen greets me with her long silver hair pulled perfectly back in a ponytail, her long white tunic pressed without a single crease. Looking polished and professional, she prepares a fennel salad, expertly shaving the greens. Next, she’ll be making the legendary five-cheese baked pasta. I watch in awe as she pours tomato and cream, and notice the details of the crocks made to fit perfectly inside wooden bases, each lovingly engraved with the Al Forno logo; the steam rises, and

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

my stomach gurgles with excitement. As I photograph these quintessential plates, a little shaky under the eyes of not only a James Beard Award-winning chef, but also a professional photographer, Killeen and I begin our conversation, starting with the one question on my list that she had originally skipped, and therefore instantly the most interesting : “ Why Providence ?” She answers simply, “George.” Killeen’s husband, co -owner, and collaborator, George Germon, sadly passed away in 2016. Both RISD-trained artists, they ventured separately to Italy and both found themselves as freelancers looking for a side-hustle at Dewey Dufrene’s Joe’s Upstairs, and fell in love.

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“ When I started working with George, I realized he was all I ever wanted,” says Killeen. When Joe’s Upstairs closed in 1977, she was working as a professional photographer, and Germon was in architecture and design, “ but we cooked together and cooked well, it was pure magic, we fit like gloves,” says Killeen. So they put their love of food and Italy into a project they could do together and opened Al Forno in 1980. Germon insisted they open the restaurant in Providence, though she longed for New York. “Providence gave us the

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Al Forno changed both pizza and the perception of Providence by introducing grilled pizza in the 1980s

grace of becoming what we did instead of hitting the ground running and perhaps burning out,” she says, adding that she adores Providence. “ We didn’t approach this profession as trained cooks, we approached it as artists,” she explains. “A dish is a painting with color and texture, it’s not just three-dimensional, but five-dimensional.” Now you can read the thousands of press pieces about Al Forno and Killeen’s awards and cookbooks through a simple Google search, so we won’t rewrite histor y, but as it turns

out, histor y is repeating itself ; Killeen laughs about farm-to -table being such a trendy top ic. At the restaurant’s inception, Killeen and Germon had contracted farmer Coll Walker from Little Compton to grow produce for the restaurant. “After 45 years, things seem new again,” Killeen smiles, “ We’ve been making cookies baked to order since 1980.” During difficult moments, Killeen shares that she’ll ask herself “ What would George do?”, working to bring Germon’s sense of authenticity and creativity with her into

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

Photography by Erin McGinn

The fennel salad features an inspired mix of flavors and textures

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summer time means poke time. ever ything she does. “I carr y it on,” she remarks. Through all this change and things coming in and out of vog ue, I ask what her g uiding North Star has been. “Each other,” Killeen smiles. “ We could finish each other’s dishes, maybe not sentences, but we always knew what was missing.”

Al Forno 577 South Water Street 273-9760 AlForno.com

AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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FOOD & DRINK

Savoring Rhody Best bets for enjoying seasonal harvests and coastal views B y Patty J

ugust in Rhode Island means there’s an abundance of produce available, and chefs and cooks across the state are putting it to good use. Make the most of the final weeks of summer by enjoying a meal at a scratch-made kitchen, a drink infused with fruit, or sipping coffee over coastal views. It’s a wonderful way to hit pause and make time stop, or at least make it feel that way.

Patty J at Seb’s

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Discover West African and Caribbean flavors with a Southern US twist at this cozy new restaurant from the owners of Auntie’s House. Billed as a brunch and lounge spot, you do not want to miss their chicken and waffles made with cinnamon butter, savory oxtail with rice and beans, and plantains, or cocktails like the mango margarita. Pawtucket

This latest addition to Newport Vineyards and Winery is a recently launched atmospheric dining experience built around a field-to-fork menu using ingredients fresh from the vineyard’s gardens and other local pur veyors. Pastoral ambiance, delicious seafood and burgers, excellent wine pairings, and a standout Sunday brunch are all on deck. Middletown

My wish for coffee at Fort Adams State Park came true last summer with this seasonal stop. Tucked inside the visitor’s center, this wife-and-husband-owned biz (Rachel Clair and Luke Leys) ser ves organic coffee drinks, a selection of baked goods (they sell out quickly), and smiles daily from 8am to 2pm. Newport

Ciao Cia o Open since May by industry vets Adam Stabile and CJ Carmello, this Hope Street newbie isn’t playing around. They’re cooking up housemade pasta, crafting mouthwatering cocktails, and whipping up decadent desserts like ricotta cake. Other favorites from those in-the-know include their meatballs, sausage and broccoli rabe, and espresso martinis. Providence

Cook and D a g ge r Married restaurateurs Taylor Krickl (front-ofhouse) and Chris Kattawar (chef ) have moved their popular New American bistro from Greenville to Centreville. Cook and Dagger has built a solid following for their creative comfort food, highlighting seasonal ingredients and supporting local farms. There are delish har vest-informed cocktails, too. Reservations requested. North Providence

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Photo (clockwise) courtesy of Patty J, courtesy of Hidden Gem Coffee Bar, Seb’s Wood-Fired Pizza, The Jefferson, and Farm and Barrel Bistro

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H oney ’ s C a fe Looking for lattes that are as Insta-worthy as they are tasty ? You’re sure to be sweet on Honey’s Cafe. Opened this past winter by owner Gilma Alvarez, Riverside-ians are making a beeline for breakfast-all-day (woo -hoo!) with yummy items like mini pancakes, smoothies, and fan favorites like Honey’s proclaimed “drink of summer” – the coconut water matcha. Riverside

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The Jef fe rs on From the team who brought us the Jefferson Speakeasy comes The Jefferson. If you’ve always wanted to enjoy a nice dinner and sip superb cocktails in sultr y surroundings, this is the place for you. Menu standouts include their lobster fettuccine, short rib ravioli, and charcuterie boards. Additionally, sips like their bananas foster daiquiri are a must-tr y. Warwick

Seb’s Wood- Fi re d Pi z z as Katelyn and Ben Cantone’s bright red food trailer is hard to miss on Wood Street, and is the place to be on Friday and Saturday nights. I can’t think of anything better than their wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza or signature specials like clam pies. They even have homemade cookies or tiramisu for dessert. Picnic tables, bistro lights, and an overhang for rainy weather. Bristol AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

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Peak Season

A downtow n beve ra g e d i re cto r o n t h e co olest d r in k for th e h ottest month

By Ann Martini WHAT ARE YOU DRINK ING THIS MONTH ? The Chaos Demon – silver tequila, watermelon, rosé vermouth, basil, rhubarb bitters, and fresh lime. Yellow Door Taqueria has become well known for having amazing margaritas with high-quality, fresh ingredients that are seasonally driven. TELL US WHY YOU LIK E THIS DRINK . It’s an elevated version of a perfect summer margarita – well-balanced, refreshing – with fresh watermelon and lime juices that pair well with the agave and herbal spirits.

WHAT M AK ES THIS DRINK RIGHT FOR THIS TIME OF YE AR ? As New Englanders, we suffer through the winter to celebrate every single day of the summer, and you can feel that in the ways we embrace the summer cocktail program – a ton of fresh fruit and unique flavor pairings. Summer is always dedicated to tequila – I genuinely feel that tequila tastes better on a warm day, sitting on the patio! WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THIS DRINK? This drink is the creation of my Yellow Door business partner Jarek Mountain – he loves pairing summer produce with non-traditional, unexpected flavors like basil and rhubarb.

Colleen Hagarty at Yellow Door Taqueria

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Photos courtesy of Claudiane Philippe

ellow Door Taqueria Partner/Operations and Beverage Director Colleen Hagerty started bartending years ago to support herself in college, and it stuck. “I now spend most of my time looking for creative ways to elevate our bar program that preserves our core menu but is always evolving,” she says of the Mexican joint on Dorrance Street. “After all these years, it’s still exciting to work on menus, and the summertime creations are my favorite. We have a heavily agave-based spirits menu, and tequila and mezcal are such perfect bases for delicious and well-balanced cocktails.”

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3 dashes of rhubarb bitters

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1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

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2 oz watermelon cordial (freshly juiced watermelon juice, sugar, 100 proof vodka)

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1/2 oz basil liqueur

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1/2 oz pink vermouth

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AUGUST 2026 | HeyRhody.com

I feel like the Providence cocktail scene is exploding, and I have a giant “to-do” list of bars and restaurants to visit this summer. Topping this list are Juniper, Loma, and our neighboring cocktail bar Esther’s High Dive, and Gracie’s, to try their newest summer-inspired cocktails.

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