ridaily - March 2010
2010-03-31Our Fifteen MinutesSo with this deluge of rain has come a monsoon of press for our great little state. The Today Show, The Weather Channel, The New York Times -- the list of national media outlets who have reported on our rising rivers and bloated basements is long. And deservedly so -- a lot of our neighbors in Cranston, West Warwick and beyond are dealing with some super severe (and very sad) stuff.I always get a kick out of how the state fares in the national news, and this time around one article in particular caught my eye. It was an AP piece that ran in the New York Times, and this is the lead (cue over-dramatic voice): "A record-shattering rainstorm hammered the Northeast on Tuesday, delivering widespread flooding for the second time this month and unleashing particular havoc in Rhode Island,... |
|
2010-03-30People Love Those KicksThis morning, I went to the PPAC for their kick-off media event to announce the coming of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It was kind of odd to be sitting in the auditorium, looking at Christmas lights and awaiting the Rockettes, while a near-emergency rainstorm raged outside. But I like odd. (Speaking of which, we also learned this morning that Mamma Mia! is returning to the PPAC next winter because it turns out that Providence is the country's number-one ABBA market.) Today there were just six Rockettes, but the minute they started kicking, the audience burst into applause. You can't help it, looking at them go. I haven't been to the Spectacular in at least fifteen years, but seeing the excitement elicited by just six dancers reminded me of how insane people go for this show.... Posted at 04:20 PM in ridaily What's On | Permalink | Comments |
|
2010-03-29Long Live PrintSo, as a print media employee, referencing this article by the editor of Vanity Fair may seem totally self-serving. But it seems instinctively right to me, just by looking around at my own life and the lives of my friends and family. Sure, we all consume information and stories in multiple different ways now, which means the delivery method is getting fractured, which means shaky economic times for businesses that deliver by one method only. But the demand for the actual content isn't going anywhere. We're human, we like stories, we like to understand the world around us, and we'll continue to seek out sources accordingly. Whether the print's in ink or on a Kindle screen, I for one will keep reading.So those of us who help manufacture those stories just have to keep doing what we do -... |
|
2010-03-26Newport FolkIt might have been SNOWING earlier, but I've got summer on my mind because tickets to the Newport Folk Festival (coming up July 30-Aug 1) went on sale today. The lineup looks great so far: John Prine, Andrew Bird, Yim Yames (aka Jim James of My Morning Jacket), Calexico and local darlings The Low Anthem on Saturday. Levon Helm, The Swell Season and the Avett Brothers on Sunday. *Here's a little tip: Now through April 9, you can purchase discounted day tickets for $50 (down from $69) at the Newport County Convention and Visitor's Bureau.P.S. Look no further than our July issue for more on the Newport Folk Festival! We'll be running a great nostalgic essay by noted novelist Adam Braver (and lots of fun photos from... |
|
2010-03-25The Latest Shopping Trend: Retail HybridsThere's a bit of a mini trend emerging in the Rhode Island retail scene as of late: different businesses merging together under one roof to create a sort of hybrid operation. It's a great idea. Not only do business owners cut down on costs, but they're also able offer customers more convenient one-stop shopping. I first got wind of this concept when we wrote about how the owners of Paper Moss, Studio 539 and ReFind teamed up in a Wickenden Street storefront in our May 2009 issue. And recently a couple of East Bay businesses have followed suit. In Warren, printed paper goods store Modern Printed Matter has welcomed jeweler Muse into its space. The stores used to coexist two doors down from each other and can now both be found in a bright, beautiful space at 420 Main Street. And... |
|
2010-03-24Munch MadnessAdmittedly, I'm not s huge sports fan. But I do think it was pretty cool that Providence played host to a few games of the men's NCAA hoops tourney last weekend. The city looked good and who doesn't love a pop-up beer garden (especially on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon). I didn't fill out the brackets, and to be totally honest the only team that I know made it to the Sweet 16 is Cornell, and that's only because I have friends who are traveling to see the game this weekend. (Judging from a quick Google search, I hope they run into some good beer gardens to numb the pain.)One tourney I have followed, however, is Munch Madness, a food face-off devised by the editors of the Boston Globe that pits Beantown's best restaurants against each other. There's no actual cook-off; it's all based on... |
|
2010-03-23A Little Cocktail Advice Before DinnerYesterday, I called Michael Dietsch, who writes all about “cocktails, spirits, liqueurs, barware, bars and bitters” on his blog, Dash of Bitters, and now also bartends at the brand new and very pretty Cook & Brown Public House, which opened in Providence last week. I was picking his brain about cocktail trends for a sidebar in our June feature on nightlife when we got on the subject of pre-dinner drinks: ideally, something “light and fizzy to awaken the palate.” Champagne is a best bet, but he also suggested a Southside, made with gin, lemon juice, mint, sugar and seltzer. “It’s fun and light,” he said. “The bubbles get your palate moving.” He wouldn’t say what not to order ("The cocktail scene is no longer the cult of... Posted at 03:00 PM in ridaily Eating Out | Permalink | Comments |
|
2010-03-22ExceptionalismWell, it passed. It's a cobbled together package of compromises that thrills no one, on the left or the right, but soon the president will sign into law the new health care bill, and my insurance company won't be able to kick me off its rolls just because I get sick. (For a list of ten things that the new bill will immediately achieve for you and me, see Crooks and Liars' handy post.)Universal health care it ain't. Recent estimates say at least 5 million Americans will remain uninsured. Nor does it do as much as I'd like to free medicine, the tenets of which are almost diametrically opposed to profit-making - ask any doctor - from quarterly returns and complex market pressures. (How complex? Listen to The American Life's exceptional two-part series on how we got to the current health... |
|
2010-03-19Mom on a MissionThey say it's the hardest job in the world for a reason. Yep, I'm talking about motherhood. South Kingstown-based author (and parent of three) Christine Carr explores the joys and challenges of being a mom in her new book "Mother Daze: Tales from the Imperfect Playground." Carr will be at the Providence Public Library this weekend (Sunday from 2-3:30 p.m.) to discuss the book, which she describes as a "virtual high five to women." In the meantime, visit her website to check out her blog and clips from recent TV appearances. |
|
2010-03-18Another New Addition to DowncityLately, it seems that Downcity is positively brimming with new businesses and the like. But one gallery in particular caught my eye. Dubbed Black Sheep Projects, it's described as a "student run organization that gives emerging RISD artists the opportunity to present new work in an alternative space." Each showing is curated by a guest juror from the contemporary art world and will showcase a variety of media, including jewelry, sculpture, illustration and video. Sound cool? Then go check it out at the opening party tonight. Running from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., the fete is being dj-ed by Rubens and takes place at the Black Sheep Projects gallery at 65 Eddy Street. For more information, click here. |
|
