SOLD
tt
HIGHEST BRISTOL CONDO SALE SINCE 2025*
105 Heidi Drive, Portsmouth, RI $5,950,000 Sakonnet Waterfront Luxury Christine Tellefsen 401.451.1515
221 Hope Street, Unit #2, Bristol, RI Sold: $1,987,500 Bristol Harbor Waterfront Paula Silva 401.996.9855
13 8 0 H D r i f t R o a d , We s t p o r t , M A $1,850,000 South Westport Waterfront w/ Dock Gerri Schiffman 401.747.3733
1263 D r i f t R o a d , We s t p o r t , M A $1,195,000 Historic ‘William Kirby House’ Kathy Santos 508.889.2517
7 7 Wa t e r S t r e e t , Wa r r e n , R I $895,000 Historic Waterfront Multi-Family Paula Silva 401.996.9855
4 62 L e d g e R o a d , S e e ko n k , M A $825,000 1840 Brick Federal Barbara Stamp 401.480.5574 Tom Wegner 401.383.0999
10 M i l t o n R o a d , B a r r i n g t o n , R I $739,000 Classic Primrose Cape Kate Coogan 401.864.6180
16 4 C h u r c h S t r e e t , B a r r i n g t o n , R I $699,000 1915 Bungalow Across 3 Levels Joyce Hughes 401.323.1416
75 P r i n c e s H i l l Ave n u e , B a r r i n g t o n , R I $599,900 Country Ranch on Half an Acre Janet Maloy 401.374.3601
Proud to Rank as the #1 Firm in Bristol County * Looking for your next
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CUMBERLAND
EAST GREENWICH
PROVIDENCE
SOUTH COUNTY
WATCH HILL
JAMESTOWN
WEST SIDE PVD
NEWPORT
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Residential Properties is a licensed real estate brokerage and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Ranking based on 2026 sales volume in Bristol County 1.1.26 - 10.1.26 per RIMLS.
on the market.
Join us! Holiday Bright Night Friday, December 4, 2026 Route 77, Main Rd Tiverton, RI 02878 TivertonFourCorners.com
FOUR CORNERS GALLERY
CÉDIAN PAINTING: STUDIOGALLERY
Working Studio of Jennifer Jones Rashleigh. Paintings on canvas, pillows & tiles. @cedianpainting 3848 Main Rd • cedianpainting.com
MICK’S ARTFUL ODDITIES & ANTIQUES
“Purveyors of the obscure.” Explore the world of oddities, unique antiques & unusual props. 8 Neck Road • (401) 835 0117 @obscura_mick
Explore stunning art created by 18 regional artists. Ceramics, collage, copper work, glass, jewelry, paintings, pastels, photography. Open Tue-Sun Little Pictures for Gift Giving 3848 Main Road • (401) 816 4342 fourcornersgalleryri.com @fourcornersgalleryri
FORZA CAVALLO FARM / BOUTIQUE
LOU LOU’S DECOR
Forza Cavallo creates unique & sophisticated apparel, accessories & home goods designed & inspired by the HORSE! Come SHOP & EXPLORE our animal sanctuary! 3650 Main Rd • @forzacavallori www.forzacavallo.com
Make your beach house a home with a beautiful addition from Lou Lou’s Décor, Tiverton & Newport. Full interior design services available. 3913 Main Road • (401) 816 4362 www.loulousdecor.com @loulousdecor
TIFFANY PEAY JEWELRY & HEALING ARTS SAYLES LIVINGSTON HOME
Fine Home & Outdoor Furnishings, Interiors, Antiques & Gifts Full Interior Design Services 3847 Main Road • (401) 625 5814 @SaylesLivingstonHome
WRIGLEY STUDIO & WEST WING GALLERY
Working Studio of Brenda Wrigley Scott. November Artist: Carolyn Schmitz “Unfurled” Reception Nov 7, 5-8pm Showing thourgh Nov 30. 3852 Main Rd, Garden Entrance @wrigley_studio
VIEW THE MAP
FOUR CORNERS GRILLE
Handmade fine jewelry featuring colorful gold, sparkling gemstones & fantastic pearls, tax-free. Jewelry Repair & Pearls Reimagined. Crystal Bed Light Healing sessions. 3851 Main Road • (401) 816 0878 tiffanypeay.com • @tiffanypeayjewelry
Offering fresh, quality food along with fast, friendly service. Featuring fresh, locally-caught seafood with an extensive menu in a quaint, casual setting with a delightful patio. Cocktails, Wine & Beer. 3841 Main Road • (401) 624 1510 4cornersgrille.com • @fourcornersgrille
THE CHEESE WHEEL VILLAGE MARKET
Over 200 Cheeses Available. Sandwiches, Soups, House-Made Bread, Local Meats, Produce & Prepared Meals, Gluten-Free. Open 9-5 Tuesday - Sunday 3838 Main Road • (401) 816 5069 @thecheesewheelri
Explore a vibrant village of shops, galleries, amazing food, antiques, handmade jewelry, home & garden and so much more. Enjoy open space in the beautiful farm coast of Rhode Island.
#TakeARideTiverton4Corners • @tivertonfourcorners
Celebration & Raffle Extravaganza!
Q3 2026 HOME DATA
Bristol County Market Update
Grateful to Be Your Guide November is a time to pause, gather, and reflect on what makes living in Rhode Island so rewarding. Whether your dream for the coming year involves buying your first home, downsizing, or finding a coastal sanctuary, having the right guide makes all the difference. With deep roots in the East Bay and hands-on expertise across building, marketing, and property management, I’m dedicated to bringing clarity, calm, and tailored strategy to every move.
CUMBERLAND
EAST GREENWICH
PROVIDENCE
SOUTH COUNTY
WATCH HILL
-14% VS. Q3 2025
$1.06M AVG. SALES PRICE +38.7% VS. Q3 2025
32 +23% VS. Q3 2025
215
Scan to view my website with current listings and recent sales!
BARRINGTON
SOLD LISTINGS
AVG. DAYS ON MARKET
Sonya DePasquale Sales Associate Licensed in RI and MA 401.465.1650 @rhodeislandrealty
177
NUMBER OF NEW LISTINGS
JAMESTOWN
NEWPORT
WEST SIDE PVD
WESTPORT
Sonya DePasquale is a licensed real estate sales team and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Data based on RI MLS sales 7.1.25 - 9.30.26.
+18.1% VS. Q3 2025
CONTENTS
The Buzz 9 VETERANS: Jamestown-based non-profit builds music careers for veterans 12 VOICES OF THE BAY: Rise and shine with Warren newsman 14 ARTS: A gilded holiday season at the mansions 16 RHODY GEM: High-end fashion inside a charming yellow property just across the state line 18 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s
Home & Style 35 HOME: A house designed to complement the surrounding woods
23
Photo by Sarah Vincent, courtesy of Matchbook Supper Club
Cover Story: One Night Only The experiential dining trend examined
40 SHOP: Entertaining is the new collecting
42 WORKSHOP: Wax poetic in this jewelry-making class 44 MAKER: A Barrington artist locks in fleeting blooms with block prints
Feature 47 Resale Reimagined: How area shops are transforming secondhand shopping from niche pursuit to sustainable habit
Food & Drink
47
Photo courtesy of Folk VIntage
53 IN THE KITCHEN: Newport chef’s seasonal menus shine
58 BOOK: New memoir offers wisdom for post-kitchen life 60 RECIPE: An apple dessert sure to be the star of the table 62 ROUND-UP: A foodie’s guide to November noshing 64 PIC OF THE BAY
14
Photo courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County
60
Photo by Kayley McCabe
ON THE COVER: Farm-to-table dinner prep. Photo by Abbie Knapton Photography, courtesy of Barrington Farm School
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Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Thankful to call Rhode Island home. Behind every transaction is a network of extraordinary people. As autumn turns toward the holiday season, I’m expressing my sincere gratitude to the clients, fellow agents, and community members who make helping people buy and sell homes so rewarding. Here’s to making your next move something to be thankful for.
8 C O L E AV E N U E East Side of Providence - Cole & Irving $2,750,000 2 Buildings, 9 Residential Units
2 17 A N G E L L S T R E E T # 3 G East Side of Providence - Signature Residences $2,050,000 3 BD 2 BA 1,707 SF
14 5 E A S T H I L L D R I V E Cranston - Dean Estates Colonial $1,095,000 4 BD 2.3 BA 3,864 SF
SOLD
3 S H I P S T R E E T # 102 Providence - Jewelry District Town House $875,000 2 BD 3.0 BA 2,078 SF
5 9 WA R R E N S T R E E T # 6 Providence - West Side Town House $509,900 3 BD 2.1 BA 1,716 SF
8 PA L M E R S T R E E T Smithfield - Greenville Ranch $475,000 3 BD 2.0 BA 2,227 SF
Thinking of buying or selling in Rhode Island or Massachusetts? From initial ideas to the big move, I’m here to help make your next chapter something special.
Stephen Gaskin Sales Associate 508.991.0151 SGaskin@ResidentialProperties.com StephenJGaskin.com @therealtorstephen Stephen Gaskin is a licensed real estate sales associate and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws.
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EDITOR Ann Martini Martini@HeyRhody.com
ADVERTISING DESIGN DIRECTOR Layheang Meas
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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Bloomfield Meredith Brower Allison Faunce Kara Elizabeth Creative Nila Khoury Grace Kimmell Photography
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Britt Machado Kayley McCabe Nina Murphy
Interested in writing? Email Elyse@HeyRhody.com INTERN Tamar Roderick 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 Providence Monthly, 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. PRINTED IN USA
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NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Happy Thanksgiving! This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for more than just your business — I’m grateful and thankful for the wonderful people I get to call clients and friends. Happy Thanksgiving! “From My Kitchen to Yours” SCAN FOR MY APPLE CAKE RECIPE!
Tom Wegner Sales Associate 401.383.0999 TomWegnerSellsRI.com Licensed in RI and MA BARRINGTON
CUMBERLAND
EAST GREENWICH
JAMESTOWN
NEWPORT
Tom Wegner is a licensed real estate sales associate and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws.
PROVIDENCE
SOUTH COUNTY
WATCH HILL
WEST SIDE PVD
WESTPORT
Thanksgiving Pie Orders Until November 19th
After Thanksgiving Watch Our Store Transform Into a Beautiful Winter Wonderland
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Lots Of Great Stocking Stuffers & Gift Ideas! & Plenty Of Gift Basket Items CLOSE FOR THE SEASON DECEMBER 24TH
JOHNSON’S
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ROADSIDE FARM MARKET
445 MARKET STREET • SWANSEA, MA • 508-379-0349 • JOHNSONSROADSIDEMARKET.COM
THE BUZZ
Ve t e ra n s | Vo i c e s o f t h e B ay | M a n s i o n s | R h o d y G e m | C a l e n d a r Stephen Covell at the 2026 Newport Folk Festival
From Service to Song
Jamestown-based non-profit helps military veterans take the next step in their music careers
Photo by Ken Abrams
By Ken Abrams
G
reat songs can come from just about anywhere – a quiet bedroom, a crowded club, or even a military deployment thousands of miles from home. For veterans, reflecting on their ser vice can provide a deep well of stories about friendship, sacrifice, loss, and renewal. Operation Encore, a Jamestown-based nonprofit dedicated to helping military veterans build careers as musicians, taps into those experiences, helping turn them into songs while building community and opening doors.
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.
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THE BUZZ
“We see Operation Encore as a great way for people to share their experience through the powerful medium of music, bringing people together by helping them understand that we’re all going through the same things.” - ERIK BRINE
Co -founder Erik Brine formed the nonprofit with his friends Rob Raymond and Chris Kurek, both Air Force veterans and former roommates. “Rob was incredibly popular in the Air Force band that he and Chris Kurek started, called Dos Gringos,” says Brine, who notes that many Operation Encore musicians first performed live while ser ving in the militar y. The organization began as a Kickstarter campaign to make a compilation album in 2012 and evolved into a program that uses music to bridge the gap between public perceptions of veterans and the realities of their lives during and after their ser vice. Rather than duplicate existing music therapy programs, the founders focus on helping talented veterans make professional-quality recordings and pursue music more seriously. “There were a lot of great programs, but a lot
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of people still didn’t understand what the issues were around veterans,” Brine says. “There was a lot of good intention, but a lot of terrible execution. We thought, we enjoy this space, we want to do something around music and veterans – how can we help?” They quickly recognized genuine musical talent in the military community. “ We thought, maybe we could see if there are people who are talented musicians and need support launching a career or taking a different step in their musical journey,” notes Brine. “Maybe they just have one good song in them. Maybe they are great. Let’s find out.” Many service members are inspired performers across a range of genres, but military life makes it difficult to gig from town to town like typical young bands. Depending on their service, some veterans can’t seriously pursue music until their
late 20s or much later. “What can we do to support the person who thought that they missed their chance, thought that they missed their opportunity?” asks Brine. “10, 15, 20 years later, they leave the military, but now they have a family and ‘a real job.’ So we said, what kind of small support can we offer to help give you that opportunity?” The program is designed to provide long-term support rather than just a short-term boost. “It’s not like when you get into Operation Encore, you’re in the project for six months, and then you get spit out the other side,” says Brine. “Instead, you get invited into this community of artists who will support you early on when you’re invited to be part of that year’s class. And some of those opportunities will continue to come to you throughout the course of the time that you want to continue to be a part of the organization.” Since its founding , the program has helped NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Photos courtesy of Operation Encore
Operation Encore founders backstage at the Newport Folk Festival
They say art is therapy. Events like the Newport Folk Festival introduce Operation Encore artists to a broader fanbase
Tues - Sun 12-5 437 Hope Street Bristol RI plumbgallery.com PAINTING MIXED MEDIA SCULPTURE WOOD PHOTOGRAPHY POTTERY SILK JEWELRY GLASS AND MORE
We agree. Creativity is powerful. It calms. It inspires. It tells stories, and it heals. We may have just the thing you didn’t know you needed.
Fall’s SPLENDOR
launch careers, including its most visible success story, country singer Scotty Hasting , who has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and recorded with Lee Brice and Dolly Parton. Other artists, including former Army combat medic Stephen Covell and Nevada duo Winter Grain, have performed at events including the Newport Folk Festival. Those artists also support the broader mission. “We see Operation Encore as a great way for people to share their experience through the powerful medium of music, bringing people together by helping them understand that we’re all going through the same things,” says Brine. “Sure, my experience might be different than yours. But when you have a song or a story about those things, it helps people connect and find that common ground.” Learn more at OperationEncore.org. NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Caron Jewelers specializes in fine jewelry and estate pieces, custom wedding and engagement rings, luxury and vintage watches, artisan giftware, as well as its own Michi Designs featuring rare gemstones. In-house jewelry and watch repair, battery replacement, layaway and cleaning services available.
Caron Jewelers YOUR TRUSTED FAMILY JEWELER SINCE 1956 473 Hope Street Bristol 401-253-9460 • CaronJewelers.com
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11
THE BUZZ
Voices of the Bay: Warren’s Bill Haberman Rise a nd s hi ne w i t h a vete ra n ra d i o n ews ma n By Nina Murphy
W
PRO’s Bill Haberman lives by the clock. When listeners tune in at 5am, the Warren resident’s workday has already been underway for a few hours, preparing his 60-minute news broadcast and top-of-thehour updates aired throughout the morning. The lifelong sports aficionado doesn’t limit his announcing chops to the radio airwaves. He is the stadium voice for many Brown University sports,
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Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.
Bill Haberman
and in recent years, Mount Hope High School boys’ and girls’ basketball. Haberman discovered his affinity for radio announcing and news-writing as an undergraduate at WFUV-FM, the campus station at Fordham University, where he received his BA in communications. Despite 30-plus years on the early-morning shift, the dad of three is the first to admit he still hasn’t acclimated to the middle-of-the-night waking hours and has no problem sleeping in on weekend mornings.
NEWS TALK: I do the morning news on WPRO 630, and I’ll do some newscasts for PRO-FM, Lite 105, and The Wolf, and some other [Cumulus Media] stations. Our station format is mostly news, but we also talk about it, which is a little unusual. Our radio station fills both of those needs in Providence. Usually, you’ll have stations that are either talk, like WABC in New York, or all-news, like WBZ in Boston. We also have Patriots and Providence College basketball.
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
AM CHAT: When I am preparing the morning newscast, I tr y to have an idea of what a WPRO listener would like to hear. I’m looking for stories I think would be of interest, and stories I think they need to hear. They [management] let me do whatever I think the top stor y is – a national, world, or local stor y. I prepare and write local news and present it on-air as if I’m conversing with one person, not talking “at” people. It’s your morning briefing over the breakfast table.
SNOOZE ALARM: Anyone who says they get used to early mornings, I don’t believe them because I’ve never gotten used to it. On the weekends, I’ll wake up at 2:45am and then go right back to bed and have no problem sleeping until 11am.
Your story starts here!
Calling all writers in grades 7-12
Enter the Write Rhode Island
Fiction Contest! WRITE RHODE ISLAND SPONSORS
BEHIND THE MIC: I wanted to play baseball
BROWN BEARS: I’ve been the public address announcer for Brown University football since 1997. I also announce men’s basketball and hockey, women’s soccer and volleyball, and both lacrosse teams. My son Kipper, who’s 15. spots for me with the binoculars for football and calls out the numbers. He’s been doing it since he was 11. I love doing it with him.
Photo courtesy of Bill Haberman
SNOW DAYS: WPRO was ‘must listening ’ for school kids on snowy mornings. Now kids get texts, emails, and phone messages, often the night before (informing them of a school closing ). Distance learning has changed snow days forever, but “Operation Snowball” does continue. I am happy to continue Salty Brine’s “No School Foster-Glocester” tradition.
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
FOUNDRY ARTISTS HOLIDAY SHOW ONE-OF-A-KIND GIFTS & ORIGINAL ART
FREE ADMISSION FREE PARKING NO SALES TAX
DECEMBER 3–6 & 11–13
Opening Reception: Thursday, December 3, 5–9 Fridays 12–8, Saturdays 10–5, Sundays 10–5
172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket, RI
FOUNDRYSHOW.COM
at Fordham but wasn’t good enough, so I found myself at the radio station. It’s a 50,000-watt station and was student-run. It was mostly music, but they did a lot of news preparation. I started out doing music and transitioned to doing newscasts. I don’t have the interest or the knowledge of music. I’ve always been interested in the news. I got a full-time job as a senior at a small radio station in White Plains, New York.
Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.
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THE BUZZ
A Very Gilded Christmas Newp o r t m a ns i o n s ce l e b rate t h e s e a s o n with d a zzlin g d isp lays, c h er ish ed tra d ition s, a n d a s hi ni ng star By Veronica Bruno
T
he 2026 holiday season at the Newport Mansions will blend familiar traditions with a celebrity musical reading of A Christmas Carol, with The Gilded Age’s Christine Baranski lending her voice to Charles Dickens’ enduring tale. “The holiday season at Newport Mansions is always a special time for our community, and this year will be particularly magical,” says Trudy Coxe, CEO and executive director of the Preser vation Society of Newport County (PSNC). Beginning November 21, the historical society hosts six weeks of holiday programming , transforming Newport’s The Breakers, Marble House and Chateau-sur-Mer into charming visions for the season, with each
decorated in festive holiday finery. Nearly 30 Christmas trees will fill the historic houses, exquisitely decorated to complement the décor and theme of each room, such as Mr. Vanderbilt’s tree in The Breakers, ornamented with trains and top hats. The 15-foot centerpiece tree will return to The Breakers’ Great Hall, decorated with 150 poinsettia plants, and a very popular spot to capture that perfect holiday selfie. “Every holiday season is different as we refresh displays and remix elements from house to house,” says Jim Donohue, the Preservation Society’s curator of historic landscapes and horticulture. One of the biggest changes this year is the exciting addition of a highly decorated Chateau-sur-Mer, which you might recognize
as Mrs. Astor’s cottage in The Gilded Age. Donohue said that the Chateau will be “fully decorated in high style, much more so than in years past.” The Elms, meanwhile, will sit out the holiday season due to the fall opening of the digital multi-sensor y experience (also worth checking out separately). What makes this season extra special is that several New England artists will contribute their talents to the dazzling displays at each house. Karen Corinha will create a Gilded Age lady dressed in a formal ball gown made using traditional Christmas decorations for display in The Breakers dining room. At Chateau-sur-Mer, Colleen Gebhard will provide a fully furnished Victorian dollhouse decorated for the
The Breakers holiday lights experience opens on select dates Nov. 21-Dec. 27
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NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
holidays. Outside, professional sculptor Mike Hansel will fabricate “light sail” structures to be strung with holiday lights, resembling sailboats across The Breakers’ back lawn. In addition to the opulently decorated interior at The Breakers, visitors can follow a half-mile path through hundreds of lights, illuminated displays, and music in the nighttime experience that runs from 4 to 8pm on select dates from November 21 through December 27. Special holiday treats and adult beverages will also be available for purchase at the back terrace and The Breakers Welcome Center. Who doesn’t want to enjoy a spiced cider while taking in this gorgeous display ? “It is so heartwarming that Sparkling Lights at The
Breakers, which was born out of a necessity for outdoor programming in the first year of the pandemic, has now become a cherished annual tradition for so many families,” said Coxe. Complementing season two of Julian Fellowes’ HB O hit, The Gilded Age, filmed at several of the Newport mansions, series star Christine Baranski (Aunt Agnes to us fans) performed a reading of the Christmas staple, A Christmas Carol, to great acclaim last year. The Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actress is returning to delight local Newport audiences with a musical retelling of the classic, accompanied by vocal ensemble Skylark on December 17. “ We’re thrilled that Christine Baranski has become somewhat of a reg ular
face here,” Coxe adds. Other special events include a holiday wreath-making workshop at The Breakers greenhouse led by Jeff Curtis, director of gardens and landscapes on December 5, and behind-the-scenes decorating tours at The Breakers and Marble House. The festivities culminate with a black-tie Holiday Dinner Dance at The Breakers on December 19, featuring cocktails, dinner in the Great Hall or State Dining Room, and dancing in the Music Room. Holiday decorations remain on view through Januar y 3, 2027. “Newport really sparkles this time of year, and we are always excited to be a part of it,” said Coxe. Learn more at NewportMansions.org
Many rooms at Marble House are decorated in holiday finery
Photos courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County
Gilded Age star Christine Baranski returns to The Breakers for a reading from A Christmas Carol
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.
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THE BUZZ
Jeffrey Westport Wo m en’ s fashi on boutique What it is: An expertly curated women’s boutique featuring a distinctive mix of established and emerging designers from around the world.
W h e re to f i n d i t : Head south along Main Road and when you pass Ten Cousins Brick Oven on the right, keep a keen lookout. Jeffrey is set back a bit and guarded by lots of trees. Turn right into the parking lot. If you reach The Westporter, you’ve gone too far.
W h a t m a k e s i t a R h o d y G e m?
J e f f rey We s t p o r t 999 Main Road, Westport, MA 774-301-2345 Instagram: @jeffrey.westport
Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool, unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Email Marketing@HeyRhody.com to suggest yours, and we just might feature it!
Photo by Nila Khoury, courtesy of Jeffrey Westport
High-end fashion in a welcoming atmosphere. Westport native Jeffrey W. Cayer is a four-decade fashion industry veteran who started his career at 18 with the emblematic Benetton brand. With an instinctive approach to styling and design, he soon found himself in LA, working alongside legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz and styling the likes of Sharon Stone. The boutique is a reflection of those experiences, with clothing and jewelry – some designed by Cayer himself – that bring color, individuality, and a sense of ease to a woman’s wardrobe. “Our approach to fashion is personal and individual. We offer one-onone styling to help each client find pieces that feel effortless, flattering , and uniquely her own,” Cayer says, whether the outfit is for running errands or a black-tie event. It’s clear that Cayer revels in his work and is proud that Jeffrey Westport is “a destination for clients looking for fashion that feels distinctive, considered, and a little unexpected.”
WATER VIEWS
Over a Century of Trusted Representation
P O R TS M O U T H | O F F E R E D FO R $ 2 ,675 ,0 0 0
T I V E RTO N | O F F E R E D FO R $ 1 ,0 9 5 ,0 0 0
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Completely Renovated Private Oasis with Pool
Elena Wilcox – 401.662.0604
Marlen Oliva Parkos – 401.480.1102
VACANT LAND
Established in 1925
G U S TAV E W H I T E . C O M 1793 Main Road, Tiverton 401.816.4060 37 Bellevue Avenue, Newport 401.849.3000
Each office is independently owned and operated.
P O R TS M O U T H | O F F E R E D FO R $ 9 0 0,0 0 0
P O R TS M O U T H | O F F E R E D FO R $ 7 9 9,0 0 0
Lot on Wapping Road Abutting Conservation Land
Well-Maintained Condominium at Ferry Landing
Kate Kirby Greenman – 401.965.5551
Kim Fleming – 401.935.9075
THE 80’S AND MORE!
LISTEN ON THE UPDATED APP! NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
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THE BUZZ
The Must List 10 essential events this month
Newport’s illuminated boat parade is a highlight of the holiday season
November 14: Purrs and Pages: A Grown Up Book Fair is a fundraiser where guests can shop for books and other gifts, meet local vendors, and enjoy craft beer and small bites at Crook Point Brewing Company. East Providence, TenLivesCatRescue.org
November 27: Watch decorated vessels circumnavigate Newport Harbor at the annual Newport Illuminated Boat Parade, a dazzling display of nautical holiday spirit viewable from various points along the Newport waterfront. Newport, DiscoverNewport.org
November 7: Browse handmade goods from dozens of local makers at the Autumn Artisan Market, with proceeds supporting preservation and community programming, making this a shopping trip with purpose. Rain date: Nov. 8. Bristol, LindenPlace.org
November 7: Discover authentic American folk music on instruments like the Appalachian mountain dulcimer, violin, cello, mandolin, Irish whistle, harmonica, banjo, and limberjacks with the Atwater-Donnelly Music Trio. Tiverton, FourCornersArts.org
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November 12: On the heels of his new album To
November 14: Newport Live presents an evening with singer Laura Cantrell, known for her melodious take on traditional country, and also the host of Dark Horse R adio, a program devoted to George Harrison on SiriusXM radio. Newport, NewportLive.org
November 14: Spanish themes take over the annual Newport Pride Velvet Ball, an evening of flowing sangria, fierce flamenco, and Mediterranean flair honoring NBC 10’s Mario Hilario at Ochre Court, a benefit for the LGBTQ+ community. Newport, NewportPrideRI.org
Go On, song writer and multi-instrumentalist Matt Lorenz blends blues, rock, and dark folk as The Suitcase Junket, his one-man-band show that has received widespread critical acclaim. East Providence, GiveMyrtle.com
November 14: Take a deep dive into Americana music at The Escher Sessions at Bay Spring Community Center, with musicians Derek Escher, Charles Elder, Joe Colpitt, Jimmy DuPoin, Dale Ellenberg and Ann Escher. Barrington, Eventbrite.com
November 12: Head to Rosecliff for A Newport
November 27-28: Downtown comes alive for the Warren Holiday Festival featuring trolley rides, cookie decorating , strolling performers, music, and family activities, plus opportunities to explore the town’s shops and landmarks. Warren, DiscoverWarren.org
Songbook, led by Historic Music of Newport founder Dr. Mark A. Stickney, celebrating the city’s cultural heritage, including a tribute to the legendary lighthouse keeper Ida Lewis. Newport, NewportMansions.org
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Photo courtesy of Discover Newport
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After the Space Is Made
The Subtle Shift from Decluttering to Transformation Carmen Grinkis, PhD, CLTC, CLU®, CFP® Co-Managing Partner & Wealth Advisor, AAF Wealth Management In January, I wrote Making Space for What Matters Most, about letting go, thinning out, and asking ourselves whether the things we carry are serving us or simply weighing us down. At the time, I didn’t yet realize how much that space would change what I was willing to accept — or what I was finally ready to welcome back in. What surprised me most wasn’t the absence of things but how differently everything began to function once the clutter was gone — not just materially but emotionally. When my wife, Kitty, and I put our home back together, we didn’t simply return everything to where it had been. We evaluated nearly every item as it came back. Did we use it? Did we love it? Did it work? Two-thirds of our barware went away. Dealers came. Boxes were filled. What returned was intentional — and suddenly, the house felt calmer, more purposeful. That shift created room for things I hadn’t expected. A new desk entered our space because the old one simply wasn’t functional. Our kitchen table, vintage and full of character, finally became comfortable after
we stopped tolerating chairs that hurt to sit in. We repaired what mattered and released what didn’t. And each small change added up to something larger: a sense of pride, a feeling that this space truly supported the life being lived inside it. There was an emotional side to this process, too — one I didn’t anticipate. Once the unnecessary items were gone, meaningful objects were no longer boxed away. I opened a container I hadn’t touched in years and found pottery my mother had collected around the time of her wedding. For years, it had lived in storage. Suddenly, there was room for it to become part of our daily life again. One piece, a small dish she used to rest her tea bag, still held a faint stain, frozen in time. I lingered there longer than expected, holding it, suddenly aware of how close she felt in that moment. Letting go isn’t about erasing the past but, instead, making room for the memories and stories that genuinely deserve our attention. As I moved through closets, boxes, and old files, another truth became clear. So much of what we hold onto is about unresolved
chapters — old identities, unfinished stories, relationships we’ve outgrown. Letting go can feel excruciating because it asks us to confront who we were, not just what we owned. At one point, I found journals from my twenties and thirties. I read a few pages, paused, and realized I didn’t need to carry them forward anymore. That part of life was complete. The future felt brighter because I allowed it to be unencumbered. What emerged was a new awareness: I was no longer willing to tolerate things that didn’t work—broken systems, uncomfortable furniture, lingering clutter, or old narratives about scarcity or self-denial. Why do we accept discomfort as “just the way it is”? Why do we hesitate to repair what’s clearly broken? Sometimes, the answer is simpler than we think. Somewhere along the way, we forget that we’re allowed to want things to function well. That question — What am I willing to tolerate?—shows up in our financial lives, too. People often live with unnecessary complexity and anxiety simply because they’ve been busy or because change feels
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overwhelming. Planning, at its core, is the opposite of that. It’s a way of clearing the noise so we can decide intentionally what belongs and what doesn’t. Making space isn’t the goal. It’s just the beginning. What comes next is discernment. Once the room is cleared, we get to decide what supports the life we want to live and what we’re ready to release with gratitude. Whether homes, schedules, or financial plans, the process is remarkably similar. Remove what no longer serves you. Fix what matters. Make room for what brings clarity, comfort, and purpose. And allow yourself to believe that a life designed with intention is simply responsible.
If you’re standing in that in-between moment—after the letting go, before the next chapter—consider asking yourself a few questions: • What am I still tolerating that no longer works? • What deserves to come back into my life now that there is space? • How do I want my resources—time, energy, money — to support the life I’m building today? Sometimes the most meaningful transformation happens not in the act of letting go but afterward, in trusting ourselves to choose what we welcome back in.
I've also found that creating space often makes us more receptive to new perspectives and opportunities. That has been true in my professional life as well. This fall, I was delighted to welcome Julie A. Drainville, CFP®, ChFC®, EA, to AAF Wealth Management. A fellow Rhode Island-based financial advisor, Julie shares my commitment to helping clients make informed financial decisions, navigate important transitions, and stay focused on what matters most to them. Working alongside Julie has enhanced our ability to help clients think through complex decisions, integrating investment planning, tax considerations, legacy goals, and longterm priorities.
774.512.4061 • cgrinkis@aafwealth.com AAFWealthManagement.com Investment advisory services offered through AAF Wealth Management, a registered investment advisor. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice.
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One Night Only How creative collaborations, unexpected places, and multi-course menus built around seasonal ingredients, are redefining the dining experience in Rhode Island BY ANN MARTINI
Photo by Elyse Major
M
DINNER PARTY IN AN OUTDOOR PASSAGE, CURATED BY SLOW BLOOM CERAMICS
aybe, like so many things did, it started during COVID. Home alone or with our limited crew, we made soup and sourdough, and when we didn’t, we ordered takeout. But we missed restaurants. We missed connection. We missed celebration. We missed the sight of a chef walking through the dining room, waxing poetic about the evening’s offerings. The silver lining to all of that frustration might very well be what’s being called “experiential” or “immersive” dining. It’s happening from coast to coast – in Maine, Napa Valley, Texas, and here in Rhode Island. Think of it as the anti-food festival. Instead of 5,000 people packed into a tent, waiting in line for a Bobby Flay burger or a Guy Fieri autograph, we flock toward intimate, one-of-a-kind gatherings curated with detail and vision, from the flowers in front of you to the lighting , food, cocktails, and more. The emphasis is on building community – getting to know the hosts and the other guests in ways that aren’t easily facilitated in restaurants or at big public events.
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ARTFUL GRAZING BY FIG & FROMAGE
“I think there’s something really special about gathering around a table with both friends and strangers. We often have more in common with people than we realize, especially in Rhode Island!” says Emily McCoy, the owner of Fig & Fromage and creator of The Lavender Table, an atmospheric dining experience held mid-summer at Lavender Waves Farm in South Kingstown. It’s an evening for the senses: wine tastings curated by the Rhode Island Wine Experience (Wine X), lavender cocktails, abundant grazing boards from her charcuterie company, and a sunset sound bath, all set in a fragrant field among the blooms. Pull up a chair at one of the long, candlelit farm tables, and say hello to your neighbors. The key to curating these unique, intimate events lies in collaboration, where each detail is imagined by a different purveyor. “When creating this event, I think of who I want to collaborate with and why,” says McCoy. Rosanna Ortiz of Wine X is a perfect example – she adds her knowledge of wine to pair with the cheeses.” Other collaborators included Sippin Pretty, a Cranston-based mobile cocktail bar owned by Nichole Bonollo, and Quonnie Rocks Oysters out of Charlestown. “I wanted to bring people together in a setting that is different from your average restaurant,” McCoy says. The result was carefree and unfussy. “There’s something about sharing food that naturally brings people out of their comfort zones. It creates conversation, connection, and often leaves people feeling a little more inspired than when they arrived.”
“Sharing food… creates conversation, connection, and often leaves people feeling a little more inspired than when they arrived”
– EMILY MCCOY
Photos by Moon House Visuals, courtesy of The Lavender Table
THE LAVENDER TABLE
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“We bounce ideas off each other and build on them together, from the food to the atmosphere to how the whole evening will feel for our guests”
– RACHEL LOPES ALMEIDA DUNN
TWO-TIME CHOPPED CHAMP CHEF ELI DUNN
A FOLKLORE PROVISIONS DINNER
Photos by Grace Kimmell Photography, courtesy of Folklore Provisions
According to a 2024 Associated Press study, the number of people eating alone has risen by 50 percent in the past decade. So while the long lines at food festivals might provide the excitement of a celebrity chef demo, at a long-table dinner, the farmer may be sitting nearby. The chef may explain why the tomatoes on the plate were picked that morning. A winemaker can talk about the vintage. Strangers have something immediate to talk about. The meal creates a shared vocabulary – and, for a few hours, a temporary community. McCoy witnesses this at her Lavender Table events, where attendees are so committed to the experience that they even dress the part – lots of flowy floral dresses (many lavender-colored) on women and preppy pants on men. “But my favorite part is hearing the laughter and conversation fill the space as the evening unfolds,” McCoy says. Long-time spa owner Alayne White collaborates with Chef Eli Dunn and his wife Rachel Lopes Almeida Dunn of Folklore Provisions in Bristol for events that celebrate, commemorate, fundraise, or all three. “Shaking up the typical way people eat and changing the paradigm to engage and enlighten” is what it’s all about, White says. Some events take place in her Bristol garden, or living room jam sessions featuring local musicians. The event planning is organic for the Dunns and White and whomever else is involved. “We bounce ideas off each other and build on them together, from the food to the atmosphere to how the whole evening will feel for our guests,” says Lopes Almeida Dunn. “Eli brings his creativity as a chef, too. It’s very collaborative, and I think we bring out the best in one another.” Recently, the goal was to raise money for Bristol PorchFest, a celebration of music played from the porches of private homes. “Then we thought about Dolly Parton’s passing, her music, food, and beauty influence, and it made sense to have a Dolly Parton-inspired event,” says White, which was held in September. “We wanted the warmth and fun of a gathering with friends – music, food, dancing and a little sparkle,” adds Lopes Almeida Dunn.
The people and businesses that plan and participate in these events get as much from them as attendees. They aren’t caterers-for-hire fulfilling someone else’s vision. The events are an outlet for the vision and expression of their coordinators. “I went to every participant individually with the concept and gave them the space to interpret it through their own creative language,” says Michelle Peterson, owner of Slow Bloom Ceramics in Providence, who makes handmade contemporary dinnerware for local restaurants such as Frank and Laurie’s and Claudine. “Rather than prescribing what the collaboration should become, I wanted to create a framework loosely enough for everyone’s imagination to take over,” explains Peterson, who in September banded with a dozen creatives on an urban-landscape dinner in the alley below Small Things Studio on Agnes Street in Providence. The space was completely unexpected, and proof that with a little ingenuity, even the most banal location can become a destination. “These are magical third spaces, carefully curated worlds that exist for one night and disappear the next. There’s something beautiful about knowing it only exists for a few hours.” Artists made up the majority of the 50 attendees at Dinner in an Outdoor Passage, and they were treated to sculptural approaches to food design that highlighted the chefs themselves as artists. “Everything was local,” Peterson says. “The produce, flowers, menu design, talent, you name it. I made all of the ceramic vessels, as well as the ser ving platters that chefs plated their courses on.” Some attendees made their own dinnerware at a twoweek pottery wheel class in preparation for the event, taught by Peterson at Small Things Studio.
Photos by Kara Elizabeth Creative, courtesy of Slow Bloom
PAULA AGGANIS PREPS THE DESSERT TABLE
“These are magical third spaces, carefully curated worlds that exist for one night and disappear the next. There’s something beautiful about knowing it only exists for a few hours”
– MICHELLE PETERSON
THE “PASSAGE” MENU INCLUDED ALL COLLABORATOR CREDITS
WESTERLY LAND TRUST
Chef-owner Stacy Deetz, of Hangr y Kitchen bistro in Pawtucket, handled the main courses. “I wanted to give people a completely immersive and creative experience, but a delicious and whimsical one, too,” she explains. “ The first course was plated (or planted) in wheat grass, like a garden. The g uests had to get in there like an Easter egg hunt,” Deetz says. “All the ingredients I used were sourced from the best local farmers and I wanted to showcase that.” Chef Paula Agganis from Providence’s Courtland Club complemented Deetz’s creativity dish for dish. “I wanted the dessert table to capture something that feels quintessentially both Greek and New England,” Agganis says. This included an installation over the table fashioned from concord grapes and figs draped over metal pipes. “These bespoke events with Michelle and her team allow me to step outside of that structure and fully execute a vision, knowing I have her creative support,” Agganis says.
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Photo (top) by Paul Bloomfield, courtesy of Westerly Land Truist, (bottom) by Abbie Knapton Photography, courtesy of Barrington Farm School
THE ANNUAL BARRINGTON FARM SCHOOL DINNER IS A FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS, FOOD PANTRIES, AND PROGRAMMING
Rhody Resources Small businesses around the state are ready to help make your party a success. FOOD & DRINK • Belmont Market, Wakefield • Blue Rocks Catering, Westerly • The Cheese Wheel Village Market, Tiverton • Craft & Willow, Narragansett • Dave’s Catering, Various • Joyce’s Ever yday Gourmet, Westerly • The Gathering Table, Wakefield • Glitz & Garnish Luxur y Cocktail Ser vice, Cranston • GoPasta, Wakefield • Keane’s Wood Fired Catering, Warwick • RI Cruisin’ Cocktails, Warren • Simply Exquisite Catering, Warwick • Wakefield Liquors, Wakefield • Watch Hill Catering, Westerly
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THE BARRINGTON FARM SCHOOL DINNER FEATURED A FIVE-COURSE MEAL FROM CHEF RIZ AHMED
For Emily Trodson of Riverside, the founder of Matchbook Supper Club, events can happen anywhere; it’s all about taking advantage of what the space offers, whether that’s her home or her parents’, a restaurant, or elsewhere. “Matchbook Supper Club has always been about creating an experience that feels like more than simply going out to eat.” Each month Trodson bases the dinner on a theme, and recently hosted a supper with Porto General Store in Warren. “It reminded me how exciting it can be to bring Matchbook into a space that already has its own distinct identity.” She kept things local by enlisting Sam Bowers and Sarah Augusto of The Lilac Thief to work on the tablescape. “ We talked through the colors, textures, and overall feeling of the evening , as well as the menu I was creating. That kind of exchange is what makes collaboration so exciting , one person’s creative choices inspire another’s, and the entire experience becomes more layered and cohesive.”
Pho to ( top) by Ab bi e Kn ap ton Pho to graphy, co ur tesy o f B a rr in gto n Far m Sc ho o l , (b o tto m ) co ur te sy o f M atchb o o k Sup p e r Cl ub
MATCHBOOK SUPPER CLUB
At many of these events, it’s not at all unusual for people to attend solo. “I’m always so proud of the women who come to a Matchbook supper alone. My goal is to create an environment where that initial ner vousness disappears quickly and conversation begins to happen naturally. Trodson’s background is in hospitality, and says Matchbook is her love letter to hosting. “ When you go to a restaurant, you’re stepping into an experience that already exists,” she says. With an immersive event, hosts get to create the entire gathering from the ground up for one particular evening. “I also love seeing how fully guests embrace each experience. They dress with the theme in mind, ask questions about the menu and the inspiration behind it, photograph the details, and genuinely engage with the women sitting around them. They aren’t just obser ving what we’ve created, they bring it to life through their conversations, energ y, and willingness to participate.” “I’ve been fortunate to attend all of the Matchbook Supper Club events,” says Sara Harrison of Bristol. “Last summer I decided to step out of my comfort zone and attend, and it was the start of one of the most beautiful years of my life. I feel so lucky to have found the club because it’s brought so much joy to my life,” she says. “I lost my husband to cancer two years ago, and I feel like I got my spark back thanks in part to Emily, Matchbook Supper Club, and the friendships made around the table.”
MATCHBOOK SUPPER CLUB AT PORTO GENERAL STORE
Photos by Sarah Vincent, courtesy of Matchbook Supper Club
WARM CAMARADERIE IS A HIGHLIGHT OF MATCHBOOK SUPPER CLUB
“When you go to a restaurant, you’re stepping into an experience that already exists. With an immersive event, hosts get to create the entire gathering from the ground up for one particular evening. [Guests] aren’t just observing what we’ve created, they bring it to life through their conversations, energy, and willingness to participate”
– EMILY TRODSON
How to Host a Backyard Dinner Party
BLAIS FAMILY LOBSTER PARTY
Keep calm and carry butcher paper are among the top tips
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KATIE’S ESSENTIALS:
Photo courtesy of Katie Blais
It is a familiar setup: multiple tables placed single file in a long, continuous line, covered with linens or rolledout paper to visually read as one. Vessels of blooms are spaced along the center, while simple lighting such as tea lights or strings of Edison bulbs are on standby to keep the festivities going after dark (which in November means around 4:30pm). Although dining al fresco is as old as time, hosting an elevated gathering outdoors is a growing trend, and one that you can try at home. “This year I think all in all we had about 70 people, kids included, and 33 lobsters ordered,” says Katie Blais, who recently hosted her second annual lobster party in her Portsmouth backyard. “Everyone pitches in, which is a huge help.” Guests are asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share and cover the cost of their own lobster, which Blais orders a month in advance from Andrade’s Catch in Bristol. The lobsters arrive pre-cooked, a shortcut that lets Blais focus on spending time with her guests. For drinks, her husband mixes up a fun cocktail, and the cooler is stocked with beer and soft drinks. Tapping into her organizational skills as the community programming and events manager at Mount Hope Farm in Bristol, Blais is accustomed to juggling many moving parts and plans the menu well in advance. She can also borrow tables from the farm, which she covers with lengths of moisture-resistant butcher paper. “Butcher paper is your best friend. It makes for an easy cleanup once you are done eating – just roll it up and throw it away,” she says. Throughout the year, Blais seeks and collects vintage lobster-themed servewear, and saves emptied olive oil tins to fill with flowers for centerpieces. For Blais, the best part of this tradition is seeing her guests enjoying themselves. “It makes me so happy! I love looking around watching everyone eat and laugh together – friends from college, old jobs, and current Rhode Island friends, and everyone’s kids running around – it is really special.” Smiling , she adds, “It’s not fancy, and it’s not overdone, and it allows everyone to relax and have fun. I try to schedule on a day when I know there are fireworks nearby, and we end the night down by the bay watching them. It’s a magical summer party!” –Elyse Major
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HOME & STYLE H o m e | S h o p | J ewe l r y C l a s s | M a ke r
Tufted velvet swivel chairs invite cozy fireside chats
Into the Woods Photos by Ken Lopardo Photography, courtesy of RIKB
Tucked into 42 acres, this contemporary ranch offers the warmth of a home designed around family, nature, and everyday life By Ann Martini
F
rom the road, Lauren and Jim Hedde’s East Greenwich home reveals little of what lies beyond it: 42 acres of mature woods, quiet privacy, and the feeling of a country retreat, all within a few miles of Main Street. For the Heddes and their three children, it offered an unusually appealing balance – a private, pastoral setting paired with the convenience of schools, shops, and restaurants nearby. More than simply a house on a large property, it was an opportunity.
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HOME & STYLE
Jim grew up on a hobby farm in Pennsylvania and had long imagined giving his own children an experience rooted in the land. For Lauren, the property’s natural beauty made that dream tangible, while the contemporary ranch itself presented an equally compelling possibility: a thoughtfully built home with the architectural bones of a modern retreat, but enough of a blank slate to be shaped around the family’s own aesthetic. The Heddes have lived here since 2019, raising their children alongside their dogs. The relationship between the house and its setting became an essential part of the design from the very beginning. Vaulted ceilings draw the eye upward, generous windows flood the interiors with natural light, and original hardwood floors provide a layer of warmth beneath the home’s more contemporary architecture. Rather than competing
with the woods outside, the interiors were conceived to complement them, bringing the same sense of warmth, natural texture, and understated beauty indoors. The heart of the transformation was the kitchen. The original layout presented a particular challenge. Doors from the kitchen led directly to the bathroom and laundry room. Rather than relocate the plumbing and appliances, the family worked with the Warwick design/ build firm RIKB Design Build to rethink the arrangement. A wall of cabinetry and a pocket door now create a single, streamlined entry to both spaces, concealing the less glamorous functions of the home while preserving their convenience. The renovation also opened sight lines among the kitchen, dining room, den, and living room, creating a stronger connection between the spaces without sacrificing their individual identities.
FLOW, FUNCTIONALITY, AND FLEXIBILITY abound in the redesigned floor plan
Wood cabinetry and furnishings connect with the location
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Small spaces like powder rooms are ideal for wallpaper
Photos by Ken Lopardo Photography, courtesy of RIKB
INSPIRE Elsewhere, the Heddes were all about texture and detail. The den features additional molding , a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf and a dedicated firewood closet, bringing the tactile quality of wood into the room. The mudroom continues the theme with woodwork and a porcelain floor whose herringbone pattern disguises the inevitable dirt and stains brought in from muddy shoes and paws. The powder room offers a more playful departure. Inspired by one the couple had admired, it features sage-green cabinetry and striped wallpaper, a small but memorable burst of color visible through a peek-a-boo view from the kitchen. That element of surprise plays a role throughout the house. The Heddes deliberately avoid a look that feels overly coordinated or newly installed. Lauren’s advice for creating that feeling is simple: “Surround yourself with what you love – things that are warm and inviting, photos of favorite memories, and gifts and heirlooms from people who matter to you.”
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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 .
S m a l l B u s i n e s s Eve r yd ay Lauren Hedde describes her home’s aesthetic as influenced by classic New England, Ralph Lauren, and the interior sets of filmmaker Nancy Meyers. Her decorating approach blends seasonal flowers, antique shop treasures, and cherished family heirlooms with “a few newer items that bring in a touch of elegance and sometimes a hint of farmhouse.” When sourcing pieces, her go-to businesses include Mike’s Estate Services in West Warwick, RE Antiques, and McKay’s Furniture, both in North Kingstown. For landscaping and plantings, the Heddes turn to East Greenwich–based The Gardeness, run by Natalie Dennen – who also co-owns Providence’s Bayberry Garden restaurant in the Innovation District alongside her husband, Tom.
The family enjoys witnessing the seasons from the large windows
White walls keep the focus on texture in the kitchen
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D e s i g n Lo c a l
Perhaps the home’s greatest luxury, however, is the view. There is a continuous visual thread through the main living spaces, allowing the family to experience the property’s changing moods throughout the day and across the seasons. The home’s most successful elements are not necessarily the newest or most striking, but the ones that
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carry meaning : a family heirloom, something discovered at a local antique shop, flowers from the garden, a well-loved object with a story behind it. Layered together, those details transform a beautifully built house into something far more personal – a place that reflects the people who live there and the landscape they have chosen to call home.
Based in Warwick, this familyowned, full-service residential remodeler is renowned for their nationally award-winning work. Visit the RIKB 3,000-square-foot showroom for full-size displays of the latest trends in appliances, countertops, cabinetry hardware, tile, plumbing, lighting, and inspiration. Learn more at RIKB.com
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Photos by Ken Lopardo Photography, courtesy of RIKB
Looking for a fall day trip? Head to East Greenwich. Rhode Island’s 8th oldest town is cited as the birthplace of the US Navy, is filled with history, and offers inventive shopping and dining options. On November 28, don’t miss the Small Business Saturday edition of the monthly Main Street Stroll (12-4pm). Learn more at EastGreenwichChamber.com
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HOME & STYLE
Show Off
H o sti ng i s t he new co l l e ct i n g By Britt Machado
T
here’s a lot of chatter these days about how once prized entertaining sets – think matching porcelain ware or silver that needs polishing – are heading for the donation bin. Instead, we’re in a moment where hosting is centered around creating moments of playful interaction, collaboration, and food offerings that invite casual noshing. In addition to a more relaxed vibe, this allows the host to actually enjoy the event. Just think – the next time you host, you’ll have something new to show off from your ever-evolving collection – including a piece of statement jewelry.
Clam Shell Chip n’ Dip JohnnyCakes Design Providence | JohnnyCakesDesign.com
Gluggle Jug* Wickford Table and Home North Kingstown | Instagram @wickfordtableandhome
“Paper Nautilus Medley” by Donna St Amant Sayles Livingston Home Tiverton | SaylesLivingstonHome.com
Sapphire and Emerald Nugget Necklace Jeffrey Westport Westport, MA | JeffreyWestport.com
Sunlit Pedestal Vase Little Chateau Newport | ShopLittleChateau.com
Teeny Bowls by Michelle Phaneuf Grasmere Bristol | GrasmereTheShop.com
Tournament Backgammon Set Crisloid Providence | Crisloid.com *Also find at Groundswell Garden + Home, Tiverton, and Stock Culinary Goods, Providence
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NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
HOME & STYLE
Sarah Hess in her home studio
Natural Instincts An artist’s vibrant block prints are anything but garden variety By Emily Olson
Photo by Allison Faunce of Faunce Photography, courtesy of Sarah Hess
S
arah Hess wouldn’t consider herself an expert gardener. But she is happiest in her yard, dirt under her nails. Even as a child, she was a collector of wildflowers as she trampled through the woods of rural Chepachet where she grew up. “I’m the type of person who needs to be around plants and living things and see the color green,” she says. “But in Rhode Island we don’t get to enjoy those things year-round.” To help her sur vive stick season ever y year, she turns to her other passion: art. Hess is a professional artist and educator – including being an adjunct faculty member at Rhode Island College – who studied and worked across many art forms, including ceramics and jewelr y-making , before landing on printmaking. “I wanted to focus on an art form that could be both a hobby and a business,” she says. “ The ease of being able to create multiple pieces from one print block made it quite doable. And the subject matter seems to really resonate with people.” Hess’ work is inspired by the precise renderings of vintage botanical illustrations, but she sprinkles in a dash of influence from the American Arts and Crafts movement that keeps her art from looking staid. “I like that you can see the artist’s hand in my work,” she says.
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Her process starts with obsession. “I’ll often be drawn to – almost obsessed with – a certain plant,” she says. Last year she was enamored with dahlias. “Months before I started making dahlia prints, I was going to the “u-pick” gardens at Four Town Farms in Seekonk, MA, taking pictures and picking the flowers so that when I eventually sat down to create the piece, I had visual references.” Next comes the sketching stage, where she arranges the flowers and buds in pencil before transferring the finished sketch to a rubber car ving block. “The car ving part reminds me of my work in clay,” she says. “It’s the tactile part of the process, and it’s
really satisf ying.” This is also where her hand appears alongside the plant. “I leave a lot of car ving lines that show the process,” she adds. “They echo the shape of the flowers and leaves and add movement to the piece.” She then inks the block and pulls the print. But why the fixation? “It’s a combination of things,” she says. “It’s really just my fascination with Mother Nature – the variety and forms and color.” And although she does print in black and white, her love of color is apparent in her work. “I look to nature for inspiration,” she says, “ but I mix paints in a way that exaggerates or intensifies the colors.”
Hess’ inspiration may be rooted in nature, but it takes shape in a different form of organic chaos: family life. “Our home has a formal living room that became my daughter’s playroom,” she says. “Now I’ve taken over half of it as a workspace.” And although her husband often encourages her to find a dedicated studio space, this setup in their house in Barring ton works for her. “I’m certainly more productive at home, but I also like the ability to tinker with a piece when inspiration strikes,” she says. “Having art be my full-time endeavor was what I always imagined for myself. I feel ver y fortunate.”
Photos by Allison Faunce of Faunce Photography, courtesy of Sarah Hess
Hess runs a test print in black and white
UP CO M I N G SH OWS & EV EN TS November 8: Temple Beth-El Holiday Artisan Market, Providence December 3, 6, 11, 13: Foundry Artists Holiday Show & Sale, Pawtucket Early 2027: Block Printing Workshops at Wickford Art Association Learn more at SarahAnneHess.com
RI STO CK I STS Made in Warren Artist Cooperative, Warren Hotpoint Emporium, Bristol
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NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
BEAU BLEU BOUTIQUE & BEAU MENSWEAR RE-OPENING NOVEMBER 7!
Same Great Space, Same Beau Bleu Style You Love and Familiar Faces.
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ALEXUS LEE Speakeasy Concert November 13, 7pm
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LINDENPLACE.ORG OR CALL (401) 253-0390 500 HOPE STREET, BRISTOL
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Casting Call A small group learns how a wax model becomes a finished silver ring By Jenna Kaplan
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Julia Sullivan (standing), at a RA HA Jewelry workshop
Carving the design in wax
Student rings from a workshop held at Providence’s Handicraft Club
Pinterest screenshots on hand for reference. I flatten the top, adjust the band, and smooth the edges until it feels balanced. The wax is forgiving, leaving room for small experiments and easy adjustments. Across the table, each ring develops its own character. No two designs look alike, which is clearly the point. “There’s no pressure to get it ‘right.’ People are encouraged to slow down, work with mistakes, stay engaged with what they’re doing, and have fun,” Sullivan says. Gradually, the piece in my hands begins to change. It stops feeling like practice and starts to feel like something I might actually wear. “There’s always a moment partway through when the piece
stops reading as wax and begins to feel like a ring – when the form resolves and everything clicks into place,” she says. By the end of the session, six finished wax rings sit side by side, each reflecting its maker’s instincts. “What you carve is exactly what becomes the final ring,” Sullivan adds. After class, the next phase happens out of sight. Each model is cast into sterling silver, polished, and mailed back a few weeks later. When mine arrives, it carries its beginning with it, a reminder that even the simplest forms can become something worth keeping. Learn more at RaHaJewelry.com, or keep up with the studio on Instagram at @rahajewelry.co. 230 Oak Street, Providence NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Photos courtesy of RA HA Jewelry
B
efore jewelry becomes something you wear, it begins somewhere far less expected. On a recent afternoon, that origin story took shape as a small cylinder of bright blue wax resting in my palm. Inside RA HA Jewelry on Providence’s West End, I joined a small group for Ring Car ving 101: Design & Create Your Own Silver Ring , a three-hour, hands-on introduction to the craft behind the sparkle. Housed in an old brick mill, the entrance to RA HA is located in the gated parking lot at the end of Oak Street, on the right across from the building with the sawtooth roof. See a grey door in the parking lot and it’s up a flight of stairs. Inside, the studio is cozy. Founder and designer Julia Sullivan greets us and leads the workshop, shifting seamlessly from maker to mentor as she guides participants through the same carving techniques she uses in her own sculptural work. Her pieces have become a quiet fixture in the local creative scene, but here, the focus turns to shaping something from scratch. Around a communal table, six of us settle in, tools neatly arranged within reach. The group includes beginners, one returning participant, and the rest of us simply curious to try something new. “ Wax car ving is at the core of how I design. It’s a process I love both doing and sharing ,” Sullivan says. “In workshops, people work alongside each other, encouraging one another and becoming genuinely invested in what’s taking shape around them.” She keeps the atmosphere relaxed and accessible. No prior experience is needed, and her guidance is clear without ever feeling overwhelming. “A lot of it is pacing ,” she explains. “ We work in a focused, one-step-at-a-time way, with a clear structure to follow.” With that in mind, we begin with the essentials: shaping for comfort, considering proportion, and refining as we go. From there, the creative direction opens up. For my piece, I come in with a plan. Taking Sullivan’s advice to decide ahead of time, I settle on a signet ring for my pinky, with a few
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Small pictures make great gifts! Join us for the Preview Reception Sunday, November 8, 3-5pm for the BEST selection! 18 REGIONAL ARTISTS Ceramics • Collage • Copper Work • Glass Jewelry • Paintings • Pastels • Photography
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FEATURE The Nest
Resale Reimagined Rhode Island’s consignment and vintage shops are transforming secondhand shopping from niche pursuit to a sustainable habit
Photo courtesy of The Nest
By Emil y Homonoff
R
hode Island’s resale scene is having a moment, and it’s not just about scoring a designer bag for less. From a converted storefront in rural Chepachet to a Newport shop styled with 1970s panache, the state’s consignment and vintage stores are riding a wave of demand fueled by sustainability-minded shoppers, savvy bargain hunters, and a growing distaste of fast fashion. Behind the racks, though, each owner is fighting a version of the same battle : sourcing enough good inventor y, pricing it fairly, and turning one-of-a-kind pieces around fast enough to keep the shelves fresh. We talked to five of the state’s top shops about what’s driving the boom, and what nobody tells you about running a store where ever y single item is different.
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
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FEATURE
AGAIN & AGAIN CONSIGNMENT Sixteen years in, Again & Again has essentially perfected the balancing act between high and low. “ We aim to walk that fine line between a boutique and a thrift store. We have strict rules about incoming merchandise. We are obsessed with quality,” says owner Joanie Jones, who runs the Washing ton County shop with her son. With more than 650 active consignors, the vetting process is meticulous: items must arrive “freshly laundered, hung up on hangers, and properly labeled,” checked closely for “ brands and the fabric content of said pieces.” Jones sees inflation as an unlikely ally, “ We personally feel that the Big Box stores have dropped the ball on their customers’ needs. The quality of the clothing and home decor has gone down dramatically…. Also, it’s an arm and a leg for something you could get at our store for a fraction of the price!” And she’s blunt about why shop pers keep choosing brick-and-mortar over apps like Poshmark or Depop. “ We strive to master the brick-and-mortar experience. We want people to mingle and tr y on clothing. Don’t you hate when you order something online and it doesn’t look or fit you right ?” That loyalty runs both ways. The shop is known for creative promotions, like a recent weekend where hidden golf balls scattered around the store earned shoppers random discounts. It’s a lesson that’s clearly working : Again & Again is on track for its best sales year yet. 271 Post Road, Westerly
Featured handbags at Again & Again
Folk Vintage also has a rental division called RentroCloset
Services at The Nest include mending and slow fashion workshops
FOLK VINTAGE Walk into Folk Vintage and you’re not shopping so much as time-traveling : groovy wallpaper, wood paneling , and a couch inspired by That ‘70s Show. “The moment you walk in, you’re transported back in time... Hearing customers ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ when they enter is exactly what I dreamed of when I created the space,” says owner Sydney Gordon. Her sourcing goes well beyond the typical estate sale, “I work with people in Pakistan because large amounts of Western clothing are donated or exported to countries where many of the pieces may not suit local customs or demand. I’m able to essentially buy those pieces back and bring them into a market where they can be worn and appreciated, rather than allowing them to eventually end up in a landfill.” She’s candid
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about the tension inside the industry’s own growth, “More secondhand sellers mean more people are participating in sustainable fashion, which is positive. However, the industry has also become much more saturated. Quality vintage is harder to find, so sellers have to become more creative and resourceful about how they source inventory.” Her take on where
it’s all headed reads like a mission statement for the whole category : “Resale gives people access to better quality, luxury brands, unique designs, and pieces from different eras, often at more approachable prices. I don’t see that desire going away, especially as truly well-made vintage clothing becomes more difficult to find.” 446 Thames Street, Newport NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
An eclectic collection greets shoppers at Velvet Beret in East Greenwich
Luxe for Less There’s cleaning out your closet and dropping a bag off at your nearby secondhand store or donation bin, and then there’s luxury consignment. The MO at B2B Retail and Luxury Consignment Boutique is “We are the boutique where you have fabulous items that are too good to donate!” Luxury consignment items include authentic designer handbags, sunglasses, and jewelry. Additionally, the boutique sells brand-new women’s clothing, gifts, healing crystal stones, and accessories. Note that consignment sale arrangements are by appointment only. 690 Oaklawn Avenue, Cranston
A Folk Vintage Co. shopper reveals her haul
Photo (top L) courtesy of Again & Again Consignment, (top R) courtesy of Folk Vintage, (bottom) courtesy of The Nest Photo (L) courtesy of Folk Vintage, (R) courtesy of Velvet Beret
THE NEST The Nest doesn’t just call itself a resale shop. Co-founders Danielle Sturm and Charlotte von Meister see it very differently. “We think of ourselves not only as a resale business, but as a waste management company,” they explain. “We’ve spent the last five years developing a system specifically for our donations to ensure the clothing we receive isn’t just shipped overseas like what many big-box thrift stores are doing.” Their read on the industry’s growing pains is candid: “The surge in donations hasn’t come with a matching rise in quality... thrift chains and charities simply can’t move that much inventory locally, so they bale up the excess and export it, often to countries in the Global South (developing or emerging nations)... So even donations that feel like they’re being ‘reused’ often end up as landfill or waterway pollution a few steps removed from you, the donor.” Their answer is to keep as much of that cycle local as possible, aiming to ensure 90% of donated textiles stay in the community through resale, upcycling, and mending. And for The Nest, this isn’t a trend but a lifestyle shift: “According to the ThredUp 2026 Resale Report, the global secondhand market is expected to hit $393 billion by 2030, growing at twice the rate of overall apparel retail.” And in an industry moving faster than ever, they see nothing but room to grow: “In 2025, in the US, resale expanded nearly four times faster than the broader retail clothing market.” 272 Carpenter Street, Providence & 400 Thames Street, Newport NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
VELVET BERET Started by Michele Beamon and Janet Lancellotta, two friends who’d known each other since junior high, Velvet Beret has always been about more than transactions. “ We wanted to create a space with a highly curated selection of women’s resale clothing , shoes, handbags and accessories, but more than that, a place where women could come relax, shop, have conversations, and meet other interesting women,” Beamon says. Since opening in 2018, they’ve watched sustainability shift from a nice side benefit to a real draw, crediting a broader cultural shift. “Gen Z shoppers have now really embraced shopping resale and thrift, which has increased the overall market, which has in turn brought new shoppers of all ages to explore consignment shopping. Even mainstream
brands are adding pre-owned pieces to their inventor y.” But they admit the glamour of a curated sales floor hides unglamorous labor. “It all needs to go through the selection pro cess, then be inspected, then researched and priced, entered into the computer system, labeled and tagged, then hung out on the racks. As these are all individual pieces, it’s not like we can enter 50 or 100 of the same piece as a reg ular retail store might. It’s one by one.” It’s a lot of work for a single piece of clothing , but as Beamon puts it, that patience is exactly what’s fueling the shift: “It used to be a niche, but it has increasingly become a part of how many people want to shop now…There is a way to resell regardless of someone’s preferred way to shop.” 589 Main Street, East Greenwich Hey Rhody MEDIA CO.
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FEATURE Western-influenced boots complete the package at Whiskey Pearl
Whisky Pearl also has a men’s shop next door called Black Label
GETTING STARTED A sampling of area businesses for your resale radar. If we missed your favorite, let us know at Marketing@HeyRhody.com
Barrington Encore Consignment, 191 County Road Jackie on Broadway, 324 North Broadway
Middletown Alva’s Attic, 134 Aquidneck Avenue
Newport Wish Newport, 80 Thames Street Closet Revival, 30 Broadway The Nest, 400 Thames Street
Warren Consign & Design Marketplace, 656 Metacom Avenue Luca Boutique, 193 Water Street Alfred’s Consignment, 840 Main Street
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WHISKY PEARL For Vian Musumeci, Whisky Pearl was never going to be just another consignment shop. “As I like to say, this is my last stop, so love and passion go into everything I do here,” she says of the business that she co-owns with her husband Ray. The store grew out of a lifelong passion for decorating and a desire to finally be her own boss. That philosophy extends to who she serves: “I have no ‘typical shopper.’ My store has something for the high school or college girl to an elderly person who wants something different. We carry sizes from 0 to 2X.” It also shapes how she runs the place day to day: “There is an immense amount of behind-the-scenes effort and detail that goes into running our store...
but greeting every customer who walks through our doors is my favorite part of the job. This is a labor of love, and we are so grateful to the community that supports us.” Four and a half years in, that care has paid off enough for her to expand into menswear with a new line, Black Label. Musumeci has also expanded well past clothing racks to include furniture and now, home accessories. “Love and passion go into every part of my store, and I look hard to find quality items,” she says. “I’ve been here for over four years and have become more particular in my selections. That said, it took a while to see what works and what doesn’t, and I think we hit it!” 1202 Putnam Pike, Chepachet
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Photos courtesy of Whisky Pearl
East Providence
CURIOSITY COMMITMENT CONNECTION
Challenging academics where students’ questions inspire intellectual adventures, inside and outside of the classroom Dedicated to equity, justice, and nurturing both the heart and mind of every child A welcoming community that values belonging and respect
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Twelve acres of beautiful, age-appropriate spaces, both indoors and out. In East Providence, located just off Broadway and Veterans Memorial Parkway, and minutes from Barrington and Providence Nursery to eighth grade
Explore the possibilities for your child at gordonschool.org/curiosity
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Chef Kevin O’Donnell of Newport co-owns Giusto with his wife Sarah, and Mother Pizzeria with partners Lauren Schaefer and Kyle Stamps
Photo by Angel Tucker, courtesy of Giusto Newport
Getting Things Just Right
A Newport chef shares a philosophy for building menus from seasonal harvests By Andrea E. McHugh
I
’ve been inter viewing chef Kevin O’Donnell for the past six years, from when he left award-winning restaurant SRV that he co -founded in Boston’s South End to his Rhode Island homecoming. His vision for Giusto in Newport began in 2019 with a raw space built from the ground up in tandem with the creation of Hammetts Hotel on the newly created wharf bearing the same name. Amid the typical challenges of opening a new restaurant — building delays, cash flow concerns, staffing , training , cultivating vendor relationships – O’Donnell was dealt an unforeseeable blow : a global pandemic. Undeterred, Giusto, Italian for “just right,” opened in September 2020. And ever ything about Giusto, including its launch’s unenviable timing , has proved to be just that.
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
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The Giusto menu changes seasonally, about once a month
Raised in North Kingstown, O’Donnell went to Johnson & Wales where an internship brought him to Or vieto, an ancient Italian city between Rome and Florence. There he trained in the art of Umbrian cooking under Chef Lorenzo Polegri, learning the profound impact local foodways can have on the plate. Young and eager to master Italian cuisine, he later
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moved to the country to cook with Polegri full time, using his few off days to explore the signature dishes of other regions. Though radically different culinary approaches in each, he discovered a throughline: clean, simple meals made with local, seasonal ingredients that let rich, authentic flavors shine through. A rare chance to work under Michelin-starred
chef Mark Ladner at Del Posto in New York City brought O’Donnell back stateside. He later moved to Paris, where he opened a L’Office bistro as executive chef, before his pre-Newport years at Boston’s iconic Salty Pig and SRV. When he opened Giusto, the restaurant’s tagline, “freestyle Italian,” was a nod (or better, an explainer) that diners should not expect
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Views of Newport Harbor from the Commercial Wharf location
Photos by Angel Tucker, courtesy of Giusto Newport
Giusto’s intimate aesthetic is courtesy of restaurant designer Libby Slader
red sauce-smothered chicken parm, cheesy fettuccini alfredo, or other widely Americanized Italian dishes. Instead, Giusto’s menu is best described as Italian-inspired with a Rhode Island point of view. It changes about once a month, but consistently highlights the spoils of local farms, fishermen, and foragers. “I’m really excited about Greenview Farm in
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Wakefield. The tomatoes that we’re getting from them are incredible,” says O’Donnell. A recent trip to Sicily with his co-owners at Mother Pizzeria, Lauren Schaefer and Kyle Stamps, also in Newport, has inspired the introduction of more Middle Eastern flavors at both restaurants, as Mediterranean, North African, and Middle Eastern culinary traditions are common
there. “We’re going to make kafta, a Turkish-style freeform sausage, with brown butter sage sauce,” says O’Donnell. “That’s the Italian influence, that brown butter sage, and a squash pumpkin ravioli sort of thing. It’ll be a small plate, a snack kafta, the freeform sausage, almost like a spadini, a small skewer, that’s topped with a pomegranate mostarda we’re working on.”
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This season also welcomes the return of the restaurant’s iconic squid ink calamari – locally caught squid dredged in a black squid-ink tempura batter and lightly fried, with capers adding a briny punch, cherry peppers, and a garlicky white wine sauce. It’s a nod to the official state appetizer but with an Italian twist. “We always have a calamari dish or some sort of squid dish on the menu,” he says. “I think squid is such an important part of Rhode Island.” O’Donnell practically reverse-engineers his menus, starting from what’s readily available at farms like Hopkins Southdowns in North Scituate and Wild Harmony Farm in Exeter, among others. Then he assesses what’s abundant in real time, and plans around that. “I try not to follow trends, and I try not to get inspiration on Instagram or TikTok. It’s just, ‘what do I like to eat? What’s in season?’ And we build the dish that way,” he says. “We try to take that same approach with seafood, too. We try to stay as connected to the local ecosystem as possible.” Organizations like Farm Fresh Rhode Island, which connects local farmers with chefs, and Eating with the Ecosystem, which promotes a placebased approach to sustaining New England’s wild, seasonal seafood, help bridge the supply gap for farm-to-table and dock-to-plate dining. “They’ve really helped us make these great connections with some local seafood purveyors and fishermen and women, and educated us on more sustainable species that are available to us,” says O’Donnell about Eating with the Ecosystem. At Giusto’s monthly chef ’s roundtable, kitchen staff openly talk about new recipe ideas and inspiration, and how to evolve popular existing dishes. For example, the coveted summer squash pasta might adopt a Portuguese influence with housemade chorizo using pork from Blackbird Farm in Smithfield, in a dish with slipper limpets – small shellfish resembling a cross between a scallop and a clam – plus Calabrian chilies and preserved lemon. “It’s almost like spaghetti a limone… it’s going to be really fun. Really good,” adds O’Donnell. The change of season will bring new additions to Mother Pizzeria’s menu too, including a sourdough pizza with spicy lamb sausage and sweet Row 7 squash in addition to longtime favorites that “just really focus on simplicity and quality of ingredients.” “I think pizza is special and really shines when it’s simple and not overly complicated.” As autumn continues to unfold in the coming weeks, a trip to Newport to experience Giusto’s and Mother’s Pizzeria’s seasonal flavors seems, “just right.”
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Kevin O’Donnell has started working with Zero Foodprint, a non-profit that helps food and beverage businesses fund regenerative agriculture, which ultimately supports farmers, the climate, and the table-to-farm movement. “With regenerative farming, the farmer is way more in tune with nature and what the plants need and want versus using fertilizers or pesticides or things to mask or put a band-aid on a problem,” he explains. “It’s all about crop rotation and growing the correct crops for what that soil is and needs, not overloading it, and instead, introducing animals that can help aerate the soil, like pigs to till or rotating chickens through their plots to add more nutrients, or cows to fertilize. It’s really hard to do, and it’s more expensive, but in the long term, obviously, it’s way better for the environment. It also grows produce that’s way more nutritious and more delicious too. I think it’s an organization that could really make a big difference here in Rhode Island.”
Don’t miss the house-made gelato
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
THANKSGIVING CRANBERRY-CRAZE
MARKET
Sunday, November 22nd
f
10am - 2pm
Sponsored by
Watch for happenings at GiustoNewport.com
Tiverton Middle School, 10 Quintal Drive, Tiverton RI Learn more at www.TivertonFarmersMarket.com
The wine list is exclusively Italian
Photos by Angel Tucker, courtesy of Giusto Newport
Give the gift of PLAY! The best memories are made in places where imagination runs wild, so give the gift of play this holiday season with a PCM membership! NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
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Essential Skills
New book by a Jamestown chef shares how years of kitchen work can translate into post-restaurant careers By Andrea E. McHugh experience into meaningful next chapters after active restaurant life. “It focuses on identifying skill sets for the cook who’s worked in restaurants for the majority of his or her career, and how to apply those skill sets to other factors in the industry,” Halloran says. Burnout, he notes, is both real and rampant in the industry, as are late hours and achy muscles. “They hit 45, 50 years old, they’re on the line cooking and sweating, the hours are terrible, and the whole scene in the restaurant industry is geared toward younger people. It’s not an older person’s profession by any stretch.” Halloran knows much about how kitchen skills translate to hospitality careers and beyond. For more than a decade, he taught operations classes at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, and he’s served as a research and development consultant for food manufacturers and hospitality organizations, has launched food products, and more. “There’s all sorts of different hats to wear and ways to go about developing different career tracks, and it’s kind of cool to not get
locked into one peg and be doing that for eternity on this little spin of the planet,” he explains. During one post-kitchen part of his career where was working with an international tourism bureau on food and beverage development, Halloran ended up launching a program that led to sustainable job creation. “I had been teaching down in Belize. We opened up a culinary school down there to teach young Mayan chefs about different techniques for using Indigenous ingredients for the tourism industry. It took off pretty cool — that’s just one of the little hats I’ve worn over the years. That’s why I encapsulated it all into one book, thinking that it would be a nice compendium for other young cooks who are looking to get into something other than line cooking.” This is Halloran’s second release. His first, Tales From the Flame, Fifty Years a Cook: Memoir & Recipes from Kitchens, Coasts, and Chaos, is described as “part memoir, part reflection, and part working cook’s notebook,” complete with “vivid kitchen stories and carefully earned recipes.” Follow along on Instagram at @chef_brianhalloran
Photos courtesy of Chef Brian Halloran
I
n a world where haute cuisine heavyweights seem plentiful, Chef Brian Halloran trained under one of the OGs: the late Roger Vergé, considered one of the greatest French chefs of the 20th century — with three Michelin stars to prove it. Halloran, a Jamestown resident, went on to enjoy a career cooking at well-known restaurants both near and far, including at Newport’s Clarke Cooke House alongside his longtime friend and current executive chef, Ted Gidley, at beloved Boston dining institution Locke-Ober (which originally opened in 1875 until it closed for good in 2012), and restaurants that took him from Nantucket to the South of France, Belize, China, Newfoundland, and even to his own backyard for a while, as a private chef on tony Bellevue Avenue. Halloran’s new self-published book, After the Last Service: What Cooks Carry Forward When the Line Is No Longer Home, tells more in-depth tales of how his journey led to career shifts and mentorship while addressing a challenge many chefs face: how to translate decades of kitchen
Brian Halloran
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NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
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FOOD & DRINK
Cozy Crumble T h i s f ra g ra nt c rowd - p l e a s e r i s s u re to b e t h e st a r o f t h i s fa l l ’ s d e s s e r t t a b l e By Kayl ey McC a b e
T
his cinnamon caramel apple crumble is the perfect dessert for these shortening days and quickly dropping temperatures. Apples are coated in cinnamon – and cornstarch to keep the apple juices nice and thick – then drizzled with caramel sauce and topped with a butter y crumble. I prefer to use Granny Smith apples or Honeycrisp, as the tart f lesh pairs better with all of the added sweetness. Keeping the crumble covered for the f irst portion of cooking keeps it from burning while allowing the apples to cook f ully. Top with vanilla ice cream for the best version of this dessert.
How Do You Like Them Apples? Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm through November 21, find fresh vegetables, cut flowers, fruit, plants, eggs, breads, baked goods, meats, seafood, cheese and prepared foods from local artisans and food businesses, both organic and conventional options at the Aquidneck Community Table’s Market. Held at the Newport County YMCA at 792 Valley Road in Middletown. Learn more and find vendor lists at ACTLocalRI.org Photo by Kayley McCabe
CALLING ALL VENDORS!
I N GR E D I E N TS • 5 large Honeycrisp apples • 2 tablespoons cornstarch • 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided • 1 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade) • 1 cup all-purpose flour
2nd Annual
• ¾ cup brown sugar • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 8 tablespoons salted butter, melted • ⅓ cup rolled oats
STE P S
WEDNESDAY
MAY 19
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a deep 9” pie dish or other oven-proof vessel with butter.
2027 4-7PM
2. Peel the apples, core, and cut into half slices. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Toss to coat the apples evenly. 3. Place the coated apple slices in the prepared pie dish, arranging to fit slices tightly. 4. Drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the top of the apples. 5. In another mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, oats, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir until combined. 6. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir in with a fork until crumbly. 7. Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the apples. Cover the pie dish with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The crumble should be golden brown on top and the caramel sauce should be thick and bubbling. 8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
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Join us in bringing Rhode Islanders together to celebrate local businesses, communities and Rhodes on the Pawtuxet’s 111th birthday • 1,200+ ATTENDEES • 75+ Vendors • • A Nauti Girl Boutique Fashion Show • • Kingston Chamber Music Festival Musicians • • A Mini PVD Flea • Ballet RI Performance • • Rhode Island State Ballet Performance • • An Exclusive Vendor Networking & Appreciation Hour • + So Much More!
INTERESTED? VISIT THE SITE FOR DETAILS For more recipes by Kayley McCabe, visit TheKitchenMcCabe.com
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Savoring Rhody A foo d ie ’ s g u id e to Novem b e r n o sh ing B y Patty J
F
rom buzzy latte breaks to cozy pizza nights and everything in between, I have your November food and restaurant itinerary all planned out. Whether you prefer savoring classic comfort food on a chilly afternoon, or following the route of viral treats locals line up for, these eight dining destinations are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a pep in your step.
Fair & Square FairFe&Taqueria La Square
Bowie’s Donuts
Campanella’s Fans of Campanella’s cheered in September when original owner Richard Campanella reopened his namesake business. With support from his family, the popular Italian-American restaurant brings back customer favorites like the stuffed Greek pizza, pepperoni pies, mini pizzas, meatball subs, and garlic bread. Their extensive calzone menu also returns with choices of white, whole grain, or wheat dough. Call ahead for reservations at 401-943-3500. Cranston
Fair & Square Pizzeria Looking for sourdough Detroit-style pizza? Find it on Gooding Avenue, next door to Riccotti’s Sandwich Shop (both businesses are owned by Ben Howarth). Their incredibly delicious rectangular pies feature crispy cheese edges and an airy center. Regulars love “The Usual” with cup-and-curl pepperoni, basil, whipped
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ricotta, and hot honey, and “Oh, My Meatball” – a pie topped with spicy vodka sauce, brick cheese, handmade meatballs, green peppers, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, and basil. Bristol
Falafel Dave’s This Middle Eastern eater y on Main Street honors local restaurateur legend, the late Bahij Ibrahim “Falafel Dave” Boutros, founder of the Baja’s restaurant chain. Owned and op erated by his family, the casual restaurant specializes in Lebanese street food with a focus on custom bowls and wraps. Sink your teeth into a tender pita stuffed with falafel, fresh herbs, and creamy tahini, order Dave’s Mezza
Feast for the table, and save room for baklava. For picky eaters, there’s also fries! Wakefield
Honey’s Cafe Ready to tuck into a fab breakfast or brunch? Head to Willett Avenue for all kinds of seasonal menu drops. Specialty lattes include pump kin cheesecake and Thanksg iving churro – a wonderful complement to mini pancakes with topping s. Enjoy bites like the Cuban Thanksg iving melt on sourdoug h bread with cranberr y-mustard, and pear-and-pomegranate almond croissant toast. Did I mention croffles (flaky croissants pressed waffle-style) and ample parking ? East Providence
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
Photo (top L) courtesy of Fair & Square, (bottom L) courtesy of La Fe Taqueria, (R) courtesy of Patty J
Bowie’s are hands-down the yummiest gluten-free donuts I have ever eaten. Baker Tonya Curtis has created the ultimate high-protein flavorful treat using maple syrup instead of refined sugar and baking them in small batches. One bite and you’ll see why flavors like blueberry cinnamon sugar live up to the hype. Find Bowie’s at the Mount Hope Farm Farmers Market (November 7 and 21), and keep an eye out for a storefront announcement in the not-too-distant future. Tiverton
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Patty J at Starry Night Cafe, Smithfield
il F ico Inspired by the open-air markets in Italy, Jenny and Gio Marzano opened il Fico on Atwood Avenue. All of the bread for their sandwiches and Roman-style pizzas is baked by Gio each day. Pop in for an espresso, a cold or hot sandwich, house-made gelato, pastry like maritozzi (stuffed brioche), and imported treats. A dinner menu is available on Friday and Saturday evenings. It’s the closest way to feel like you’re in Italy without boarding a plane. Johnston
La Fe Ta que ri a Jason Vargas and Melissa Sanchez Vargas, along with Thang Huynh of Lotus Pepper, opened La Fe Taqueria on Hope Street in September. Taking over the former Blue Cottage space, this colorful, retro-style taqueria serves warm quesadillas with carne asada and al pastor tacos on flour or gluten-free corn tortillas that sell out daily. Save room for fun desserts like elote drizzled with chocolate and crushed Oreos. Protip: arrive early before items sell out. Providence
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Starry Ni g ht C a fe Former Food Network competitor on Cupcake Wars and Cake Wars, Nancy Vendetti, teamed up with her daughter, Mia Sepe, to launch Starry Night Café. Inspired by Van Gogh’s famous painting , this welcoming spot sells an array of tasty fall dish additions. New highlights include a savory breakfast calzone on house-made brioche with pesto, a hearty mac n’ cheese galette topped with cinnamon apples, a breakfast flatbread pizza, and a spinach-artichoke veggie pocket. Smithfield
NOVEMBER 2026 | HeyRhody.com
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Photos by Meredith Brower
PIC OF THE BAY
FigMamma Farms Fig Festival, Tiverton The Bay was proud to sponsor the FigMamma Farms Fig Festival. Held in September, it was a fig-tastic day of educational speakers, information, a fig experts baking contest, fig tree auction, vendors, and more.
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