December 2013
Tis the Season
How East Side families blend holiday traditions The Controversy Over State House Construction pg 20
Voices of Christmas Sings for a Cause pg 22
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Contents December 2013
This Month 15 A Mix of Holiday Traditions A look inside families who celebrate across religious boundaries
20 Construction at the State House Is the State within their right to build?
22 The Sound of Christmas A longtime East Side choir continues to sing their songs
24 Can the Accordian be Sexy? The local World Champion weighs in
27 An Elf’s Not-So-Foreign Predicament Our yearly Christmas story
15
The Rosler famly blends Christmas and Hanukkah into a month long holiday
45 Art
35 Movies Capsule reviews on the latest cinematic openings
The art of furniture-making
37 On the Menu
All the info on December events
49 Calendar
Ways to give back this holiday season
58 East of Elmgrove
A touch of Magic all year through
Photography: Stacey Doyle
38 Dining Guide
Your resource for dining out
Every Month 4 Letters/Editorial 6 Other Side 5 Community News
41 Education
On the Cover:
A national book with local appeal
42 Finance
How you spend determines how you save
Holiday cookies specially decorated by Whole Foods University Heights photographed by Tiffany Medrano
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Editorial
Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell
Keeping things in Perspective Much has been written about the disrespectful way Raymond W. Kelly, the New York City Police Commissioner, was treated after being invited to give a speech at Brown. His subject matter was unpopular and controversial - a defense of his “stop and frisk” philosophy - which under any circumstances was not going to be well received at the liberal bastion that is Brown. But unfortunately the event was shanghaied by local, mostly non-student activists who disrupted his appearance. First amendment rights of free speech? Forgetaboutit! Clearly the erosion of this basic right undermines what is one of the core values at the university. Vice president Marisa Quinn, who vainly attempted to restore order to the proceedings, lamented she had never
seen such inappropriate behavior in her 15 years at Brown. The school is now wrestling with what needs to be done to avoid future repeats of this boorish behavior. Given the importance of a university providing the free interchange of ideas for its students, Brown is said to be considering the barring of outsiders for more of its on-campus lectures. This would be unfortunate. One of the wonderful advantages of Brown being here in Providence is the opportunity it provides for the outside community to listen to national and international speakers who are regularly invited to the campus. It’s a benefit, by the way, that regretfully isn’t utilized by more residents who live in proximity to the school. Rather than limiting the participation of outsiders, the school should
be encouraging their attendance. In return, those who attend must also conform to acceptable standards of polite behavior. The troublemakers who so disrupted the Kelly appearance were initially picketing outside the building and later infiltrated inside. That should not have been permitted. A more robust campus police presence would have been helpful. And any Brown students who were involved should have been reprimanded by the university, which at the very least bears the responsibility of controlling their actions. The cliché is “throwing the baby out with the bath water.” It is our sincere hope that an institution as important to our community as is Brown does not succumb to infanticide as it responds to this recent travesty.
Publishing Director Jeanette St. Pierre Managing Editor Barry Fain City Editor Steve Triedman Executive Editor Julie Tremaine Associate Editor Grace Lentini Editorial Assistant Dale Rappaneau Special Projects Manager John Taraborelli Digital Manager Samantha Pezza Art Director Karli Hendrickson Assistant Art Director Meghan H. Follett Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas
Letters Keep River Road Open To the Editor: Please pass this on to the people planning for the future of River Road. Part of the road needs to remain open to car traffic for an alternate route to the Henderson Bridge when one is stuck on Blackstone Blvd heading south and sitting in traffic from Lincoln School and from the intersections at Angell and Waterman. It is perfect the way it is so one can get onto River Road sooner than getting too deep into the standstill traffic closer to Lincoln. I also use River Road to bypass the same intersections heading north and taking Pitman to the roundabout and onto River and up again to Grotto. This is not only convenient to drivers but could be a necessary detour in case of roadwork or a serious accident on Blackstone Blvd. Creating some walking and biking paths and making the area more family friendly would be great but I think it already is a safer place than years ago. I don’t think people should engage in sex in the woods but meeting
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East Side Monthly December 2013
Graphic Designer Veatsna Sok
by the river is probably harmless to almost everyone. Becky Ellis
You’ve Got to be Kidding Me To the Editor: I just got around to reading the August editorial [“Getting What You Pay For,” August 2013] by Barry Fain. Surely, you jest. Some of your quality of life issues are the same ones that are most annoying to us (but different reasons) and your concept that things could get better is flagrantly obvious. It’s nothing new. In the late ‘50s – early ‘60s, I was a grad student at Brown where all us privileged and wealthy students (if you believe that the $800 annual stipend for teaching assistants at the time made us wealthy), were easy and constant prey for the patrol cop with a chalk stick, relentlessly handling out parking tickets. It was simpler and less stressful to find a fellow student to ride in from the suburbs with than to park on the nearby streets, so I was well aware of each
parking ticket he got and paid for. Imagine my surprise when we went looking for his car one afternoon, only to learn from the grump cop with the chalk stick, that the car had been towed away for non-payment of parking tickets. Providence Police Department (PPD) records showed that my fellow student had been cited six times on specific dates and even though I was riding with him on those dates, I had absolutely no recollection of any tickets. He protested. A couple weeks later he got held up in class one afternoon and got three separate tickets for a single half hour of overtime parking. Lesson #1. Never complain, because retribution will be swift and deliberate. About seven years ago, my wife and I returned to RI to be nearer to long time friends and family members and found a place for sale on the East Side. Unfortunately, we also came in contact with a particularly aggressive real estate agent who got us into a bidding war, running up her commission, while the property price
Account Managers Louann DiMuccio-Darwich, Ann Gallagher, Nicole Greenspun, Kristine Mangan, Dan Schwartz, Elizabeth Riel, Kimberly Tingle Classified Advertising Sue Howarth Contributing Writers Bob Cipriano, Michael Clark, Mary K. Connor, Jill Davidson, Mike Fink, Don Fowler, David Goldstein, Betsey Purinton, Elizabeth Rau, Dan Schwartz, Erin Swanson Interns Anita Baffoni, Courtney Melo, Alexa Pacheco, Paige Snyder Contributing Photographers Amy Amerantes, Stacey Doyle, Tiffany Medrano, Dan Schwartz Contributing Illustrators Maret Paetznick, Eloise Narrigan
Calendar announcements and news releases should be submitted by the 1st of the preceding month. We reserve the right to omit and edit items. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters without exceptional circumstances. East Side Monthly is not responsible for typographical errors. Corrections will be run at discretion of editor. Copyright ©2013 by East Side Monthly. All rights reserved. Printed by TCI.
Letters
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ballooned outrageously. But we persisted and when we finally bought the place, our new neighbors were appalled at how much we paid because they feared their taxes would suffer a hit. This experience turned into yet another lesson in the “Providence Way.” At the sale closing, we came to an agreement with the previous owner about splitting the first half year’s real estate taxes while we’d assume responsibility for the remainder – pretty standard stuff. When I called the tax collectors office to see what we had to do about redirecting the tax bills, the person answering had no interest in addressing my questions but delivered a snotty lecture about our obligation to pay our taxes on time and when I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was dumped into an answering machine where I tried to ask my questions. The call was never returned… so I believed they were working on the problem and I waited for them to make a move. That soon became a head-pounding mistake! When we finally heard from the Providence tax office, it was in the form of a demand notice for full payment of the second half of the year’s taxes within 30 days or the property would be put up for auction at a tax sale. We came up with a couple thousand dollars to settle and, in addition, we were hit with a charge to remove a lien they’d put on the property plus an added penalty for not paying on time that totaled $500. Lesson #2. Know the rules and loopholes before proceeding. Then, shortly after we took up residence here we had another unfortunate run in with the “Providence Way.” And it was the parking thing again. I dropped my wife off at the Fain Building one afternoon several years ago and parked on Summit Avenue next to a green lettered sign displaying the parking hours. After her treatments… I got the car and went back to pick up my wife. Before she got into the car, my wife retrieved a small orange envelope from under her passenger side windshield wiper and asked, “What’s this?”
I paid the ticket and have since avoided parking there again because past experience suggests that if one complains, there’s always the possibility of retribution to consider. But it has also taught me another lesson. Lesson #3. Avoid the city like a plague. So, since that costly lesson, I have avoided dealing with any city merchant or restaurant that does not have off-street parking. Since that questionable ticket, we have not had a single dinner in the city nor have we done any shopping here that can be done less stressfully elsewhere. I don’t see that changing in the immediate future so, while City Hall has been the temporary winner in the parking war, local merchants are the losers. Lesson #4. When tempting pickpockets, don’t give second chances. But I also feel that the practice of cruising around hospitals for no other purpose than targeting and bestowing questionable tickets on people who are already beset by mind-numbing and costly medical interventions is, at best, an unseemly exercise in harassment and, at worst, appallingly insensitive. I’m sure the Providence Motto is “Always kick a wounded animal.” It is not my intention to call attention to my name for obvious reasons. But it is important for you to know that your precious city is irretrievably lost to some citizens who have been financially, physically and mentally scarred by the way the City conducts business. And unfortunately, despite a trivial reduction in our property assessment, our taxed jumped significantly this year due to the removal of homeowner exemptions that had made living here almost tolerable. As a retiree in other communities I was involved in local matters and have volunteered within each community in a number of productive ways. In Providence, that’ll never happen. I’m too old and too tired. We’d get out of this crumbling city if we could find a buyer, even though it would mean taking an outrageous financial hit, but we’re still hoping. Anonymouse
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Other Side by Barry Fain
How Sweet are the Holidays Local celebrations and beyond Leave it to the creative merchants along Hope Street to do something a little wild and crazy to begin the December holiday season. Their fifth annual Holiday Stroll will be held from 4-8pm on Thursday evening December 5 on what is now called “Upper Hope Street,” basically north of Rochambeau. The Stroll is a free, family-friendly event and will feature hayrides, a petting zoo, free refreshments, live music, fire jugglers, glass blowers and many more surprises. While you stroll make use of Hope Street for the Holidays, inserted into this month’s issue. The street will be closed for the event and of course the great bearded one himself will be there for photos. Can’t accuse the Hope Street merchants of thinking small! In the event of rain or snow, the event will be held a week later on December 12.
World Class Desserts are on Display at the Hope Club
To sweeten the end of the year, literally, the World Affairs Council of Rhode Island will be presenting a special December Desserts event as part their final dinner meeting of 2013. In addition to a full buffet, four international students, under the leadership of Karl Guggenmos, a master chef and the dean of culinary development at Johnson & Wales, will prepare, discuss and then present some of their favorite dessert recipes from around the world… in this case Morocco, Nepal, Ghana, Iran and Germany. Each dessert will be accompanied by a short presentation on the role food plays in their respective cultures. The event will be held at the Hope Club, corner of Benevolent and Benefit Streets, on Saturday, December 7 from 1-4pm. To reserve a spot in what is likely to be a sold-out event, call 2288657 or email rsvp@wacri.org.
Open Studio Time at Hope Artiste Village
One of the funkiest artistic and economic successes in our area is Hope
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East Side Monthly December 2013
Artiste Village on Main Street in Pawtucket just over the Providence line. Their eclectic mix of artist spaces, retail stores and just interesting places to hang has turned the vast old mill complex into a vibrant arts destination. Once a year, the tenants open their space to the general public so you can see (and admire) what these talented arts people can do. The open studio days will be held on Saturday, December 7 from 9am to 4pm and on Sunday, December 8 from 10am to 4pm. The Saturday event will run in conjunction with the Wintertime Farmers market that runs from 9am to 1pm. Again it’s a great way to jump start the holiday shopping genes while checking out what talented artists we’re lucky enough to have in our little Ocean State.
Worth a Go for Lovers of Poe
Providence and Edgar Allan Poe enjoyed a particularly interesting relationship back in the mid-19th century. The author famously courted Providence poetess Helen Whitman, to the chagrin of her parents apparently. Legend has it much of their courtship took place in the Providence Athenaeum on Benefit Street. As an alcoholic, he undoubtedly checked out many of our local watering holes too. Which is why Poe lovers might want to catch a wonderful exhibition at the Morgan Library in New York that details the author’s indelible impact on his fellow writers. Often utilizing original correspondence never assembled in one place before, this thought provoking exhibit runs through January 24. It opened to “ravin’”reviews. (Couldn’t resist).
Guided Mistletoes
Okay, so it involves a ride “all the way” up to Woonsocket. And yes it will be occurring during perhaps the busiest month of the year. That said, it’s still worth the effort to catch comedianextraordinaire Frank O’Donnell’s annual holiday gift to Rhode Island. For the third year in a row, the talented
Celebrate Hope Street’s 5th Annual Holiday Stroll on December 5 from 4-8pm
Providence native will be writing, directing and producing an original holiday play that will be running at Theatre Works in Woonsocket on December 6, 7, 8 and 13, 14, 15. Called A Christmas Carmella, the play revolves around grandmother Carmella who is having trouble remembering the exact details of Dickens’ classic as she presents it to her grandchildren. The first two plays in the series were laugh out loud funny and broke all attendance records, we’re told. Special celebrity guests will appear in each of the performances. For tickets and more information about the play, call 766-1898.
Follow the Bouncing Ball
Luxe Restaurant, the popular makeyour-own hamburger restaurant downtown, will be opening a new location later this month at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. John Elkhay and Rick Bready, business partners in the successful Providence-based Chow Fun group of restaurants that includes Ten and XO among others, will be bringing many of the local elements that have
proved successful in Providence to the new site. In addition to the buildit-yourself burger theme, they will also be holding their popular trivia night events and offering a wide variety of local beers. Good luck to them in their new endeavor which sounds like a slam-dunk to us.
The Building Bricks of Brown
Brown boasts one of the oldest, and dare we add, most attractive core campuses in the country. And to help us all understand and appreciate the buildings that are there, a group of Brown students have created a special new app called FACADES to help explain the history behind over 130 campus buildings. The site even describes what they call “Ghost Buildings” which no longer exist but were once an integral part of the University experience. Now operational, the app is still being upgraded as additional info on specific edifices is received. For more information or to comment go to their webpage at www.facebook.com/brownfacades.
Photography: Dan Schwartz
A Fiery and Fantastic Kick-off to the Holidays
Happy Holidays
We appreciate the trust you place in us. Markham + DeRentis Associates - Residential Properties Ltd. Jim DeRentis | Nancy Markham | Office: 401.553.6383 www.jimandnancysold.com
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East Side Monthly December 2013
Community News Community News is a space that East Side Monthly makes available to community organizations free of charge. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of this publication.
Fox Point by John Rousseau Fox Point Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 270-7121 Website: www.fpna.net Email: fpna@cox.net Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603177, Providence, RI 02906 Events This Month FPNA Board Meeting, 7pm, Monday, December 9 in the Community Room at the Vartan Gregorian Bath House Community Room, 455 Wickenden Street. Mayor Taveras Explains Property Tax Mayor Angel Taveras told Fox Point residents at FPNA’s October board meeting that changes in the tax code were necessary to continue the City’s financial recovery. “We cut at least ten percent of employees from every department early on,” he explained. “Those positions have not been re-filled and further reductions are continuing through attrition,” (not replacing positions when someone retires), he pointed out. “We’re closer to elimnating the structural defecit,” reflected in the fact that Moody’s and Standards & Poor’s, have changed Providence’s financial outlook from negative to stable, he said. “Bankruptcy was never an option,” Taveras added. “When a city like Central Falls files bankruptcy, everyone’s taxes go up a lot.” Taveras went on to explain that homeowners are still favored with an owner-occupied rate of $19.25, while the a non-owner occupied rate is $33.75. Last year, there was one tax rate of $31.89 with a 50 percent owneroccupied exemption and a 15 percent non-owner occupied exemption. Councilman Seth Yurdin said he would contact FPNA when he receives any funds for sidewalk maintenance after complaints on the condition of those east of Governor Street. National Grid Urged to Begin Project The Energy Facilities Siting Board, EFSB, refused National Grid’s efforts for another funding arrangement to
be ordered between them and Providence and East Providence to bury the power lines that transverse the two cities’ shorelines. Instead, at an October 23 meeting, the board asked the utility company to show just reason why it cannot use the $2.3 million in interest that has accrued from a $5.8 million account that was set aside for a construction estimate for the project. That $5.8 million was set aside in 2004, along with an agreement for the powerline burial project. The board gave National Grid seven days to respond to their request, which was beyond the publication deadline for this article. Councilman Seth Yurdin, who had testified for the removal of National Grid’s power lines at the EFSB meeting, said the project would “positively impact the health and safety” of India Point Park patrons. He urged the board to “require all involved parties to act swiftly to minimize further delays and ensure the success of the project.” He was one of many persons who spoke publicly to urge the board to uphold a 2004 agreement between National Grid and the two cities that ordered a construction estimate to begin. The cities complied with their part of that agreement by securing approval from their councils for the construction estimate to take place. At the hearing in October, National Grid attorneys said they needed another funding agreement before they could perform the construction estimate. David Riley, co-chair of Friends of India Point Park, who has led the effort for the burial of the power lines for over ten years, also testified at the hearing. He told residents at FPNA’s membership meeting that the project appears to be moving forward because of a new leadership at EFSB. In a Providence Journal editorial calling for the project to begin, the newspaper said, “Burying them is the best way to ensure that a beautiful and vibrant waterfront emerges… It would be a shame if Rhode Island did not take this extra, vital step in completing the highway relocation project.” FPNA Fall Membership Meeting on Eastern Greenway Councilman Seth Yurdin told attendees at FPNA’s fall membership meeting that the council has approved a measure reinstituting the Harbor Commission to encourage public access to Providence’s waterways. The Harbor Commission, which has been dormant for many years, will be
subject to mayoral appointments and work with the Coastal Resource Management Council, CRMC, to put together the first draft of a new harbor plan. “The idea is to explore additional moorings that offer public access, not limited to maritime uses only,” Yurdin explained. “We would to like to create an entire ‘Waterfront Park’ that offers the public greater access to waterways.” Yurdin also cited his work on other environmental issues, and in creating more transparency to data portals to all City Departments, including information on sidewalk conditions. State Rep. Chris Blazejewski, who also attended the EFSB meeting on the power lines, said he will be working with I-195 Re-development Commission Chairman Colin Kane and strongly believes in the removal of the power lines for the development of Shooters and the parcels. State Sen. Gayle Golden, who was unable to attend the membership meeting, has instructed Sandra Berube, legislative grant coordinator, to put FPNA on their grant application list for funding assistance with many upcoming projects like the restoration of three of the five 1906 plaques to the Roger Williams Landing Park monument across from Gano Park.
Blackstone Parks by Jane Peterson Blackstone Parks Phone Number: 270-3014 Website: www.blackstoneparksconservancy.org Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603141, Providence, RI 02906 Back to York Pond On a gray morning in October, ten seniors in Moses Brown’s AP science class traded a chance to sleep in for a chilly outing to the waterfront at York Pond with Blackstone Parks Conservancy (BPC) volunteers. Along with more classmates and some juniors, they are launching a year of stormwater study in the 380-acre watershed that feeds into York Pond. A week earlier the Conservancy’s Jon Ford, a civil engineer, had prepped them on old and new ways of handling stormwater. Now the students were on site to learn why the pond was silting up and what, if anything, could be done about it. AP Science teacher Tara Tsakaklides’s decision to focus on stormwater comes
just as community leaders are ramping up to grapple with the challenge to better manage runoff in the face of increasingly costly pollution, storms and flooding. The class had learned how municipalities have long diverted stormwater into whatever body of water was handy – York Pond and the Seekonk River (the Upper Narragansett Bay) in the case of this particular watershed. But environmental and fiscal cost means the old ways need to change, and these young people and the BPC have an opportunity to help drive that change. Walking north along River Drive to Grotto Creek, the students saw nature’s solution to runoff, a wetland able to absorb shifting water levels and to filter substances harmful to fish and other wildlife. Green infrastructure, now favored by sustainability advocates, mimics nature’s way, using various landscape designs that allow water to infiltrate the ground as close as possible to where rain falls. Like the creek, York Pond was once a natural inlet, a marsh fed by two streams rather than one. Long used as a catch basin for the city, it was closed by the River Road early in the 20th century. For another century the only changes to prevailing views about stormwater in Providence involved speeding the water away faster. Accordingly, the WPA lined the streambed with stone blocks in the 1930s. Now, instead of slowly spreading out over the ravine as it used to, the water surged to York Pond and then out to the river. With the lining of the channel in the five-acre core of Blackstone Park, the ravine was no longer the moist, ferny “glen… through the center of which a brook of the clearest water… [wound] its tortuous way.” Though people remember playing there as children in the 1940s and 1950s and after, the Park was neglected by the city and exploited by casual visitors for firewood and sand. Some remember winters skating on York Pond, but many recall a smelly swamp. As environmental awareness bloomed in the 1970s, more people began to see York Pond and Blackstone Park as valuable assets – a trend that the Conservancy has nurtured. And by the late 1990s, an ambitious project was underway, not just to dredge the pond, as in 1978, but also to interrupt the flow of trash and polluted silt. Advocates for a concrete structure called a dissipator, a sort of slotted dam that would separate floatable trash and sand before they could reach the pond, prevailed over the few voices arguing for a natural solution. December 2013 East Side Monthly
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Community News Hope, hard work and $400,000 were invested in the marsh’s transformation into a lovely habitat for waterfowl and native plants. But inadequate design, implementation and maintenance undermined the plan. Soon after the dissipator was built, a storm surge slammed down the ravine and carved a new channel around it. The pond was still – and still is – a tranquil spot. But sand and debris from city streets are rapidly filling it in and debris is reaching the river. With time, it’s become clear that the old debate over an engineered vs. a natural solution to the ravine and York Pond problem doesn’t fully acknowledge the complexity of the challenge. Perhaps a workable solution would combine elements of both – or some entirely new idea. Turning to experts, we are still searching for affordable ways to reduce harm to the pond. Meanwhile, the AP science students at Moses Brown will explore how stormwater is managed on their own 33-acre campus at the top of the watershed at Hope Street and Lloyd Avenue. Next, they will branch out into the neighborhood and then visit the new green infrastructure at Roger Williams Park, meeting with stormwater experts throughout the year. By spring, they will brainstorm ways to raise public awareness of stormwater’s challenges. Healthy Urban Green Space for All Kindly send your East Side Market receipts to the address above. Celebrating Eight new trees on the Boulevard, paid for by your donations and an America the Beautiful grant.
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Summit by Kerry Kohring Summit Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 489-7078 Website: www.SummitNeighbors.org Email: sna@sna.providence.ri.us Mailing Address: SNA, PO Box 41092, Providence, RI 02940 Annual Cook-off Features Cranberries About 40 people braved a beautiful night October 29 for SNA’s third annual cook-off competition and neighborhood party. Contrary to the last two years, there was no pouring rain or driving snow at the event, which was held at Stock Culinary Goods on Hope Street. Cranberries were the unifying
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East Side Monthly December 2013
ingredient. There were seven entries, judged by a panel of local experts, plus a People’s Choice and Halloween costume awards voted on by participants. In addition, there was wine tasting provided by Swan Liquors and olive oil tasting by Olive del Mondo, also Hope Street merchants. The judges, Jan Faust Dane of Stock, Salvatore Fuccillo of Olive del Mondo and Denise Kammerer of The Sandwich Hut on North Main Street, awarded three prizes: first, to Sandy Kohring for cranberry rollup cookies, a gift certificate to Stock; second, to Gailia Rutan for cranberry swirl cake, a certificate to Olive del Mondo; third, to Lizzi Weinberg for cranberry coffee cake, a certificate to Swan. The People’s Choice award, a gift certificate to Sandwich Hut, went to Anisa Raoof for cranberry granola with yogurt. The best costume award, a certificate to Seven Stars bakery, went to three-yearold Bonnie Arrigo, dressed as an owl. The evening finished with people lingering to finish off the competition offerings, sip wine or cider and browse the store’s wares. Plans are already afoot to determine next year’s ingredient. Tot Lot Community Gardens Move Ahead The SNA is in the final stages of submitting an application for a grant of $12,500 to the Miriam Hospital to help pay for the community’s share of renovations to the tot lot on Summit Avenue. The organization’s board of directors was told that a final determination on allocating the money is expected this month (December). The funds will be supplemented by about $5,000 from SNA’s treasury to reach the approximately $18,000 the Providence Parks Department said is needed in local support to implement the improvements, which will include community garden plots. Groundbreaking is planned for as early as possible in the spring, according to the Parks Department. Still to be formed is a supervisory committee of interested parties from the neighborhood to work with the city in setting transparently fair rules for eligibility and procedures in the gardens. Food Co-op Seeks Support for Storefront A representative from Urban Greens, a consumer-owned food cooperative, made a presentation to the SNA board in support of efforts to open a fullscale retail grocery store in Providence. Speaking at the board’s regular
meeting in October, Delia Kovac said that a “cluster” of the 530 members of the co-op live in Summit and are already participants in the “buying-club aspect” where they can order specific items to be picked up on a monthly basis. She said that the goal of her organization is to open a storefront on the West Side. “The store will provide and promote healthy, affordable, sustainably-sourced and local food options,” according to the group’s website, www.urbangreens.com. The co-op is run by a council elected by the members, who pay a one-time cost of $160 for an equity share. They are seeking additional investors from their membership base to reach the capital requirement for the store. Any profit from the store will be returned to the member-owners as dividends. Additional information is available by email to info@urbangreens.com or by telephone at 267-8432. Snow Shoveling for Neighbors in Need SNA board member Tom Schmeling reported at the October meeting that the program matching snow-shoveling volunteers with elderly or handicapped members of the community is on track for this year much the same as last year’s effort. Anyone willing to help or in need of help can contact SNA through the listserv or the website. Residents Invited to Directors Meetings The board of directors convenes at 7pm on the third Monday of every month in the cafeteria of Summit Commons, 99 Hillside Ave. The meetings are open and neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend. Minutes of all board meetings are posted on the SNA website under “Meetings and Agendas.”
Brown Street Park by Wendy Nilsson Friends of Brown Street Park Phone Number: 454-8712 Website: www.friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Email: wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Mailing Address: 30 Pratt Street, Providence, RI 02906 Events this Month Many thanks to all our sponsors and volunteers who helped with the 7th
Community News annual Fiends of Brown Street Park Children’s Halloween Party and Parade: “Fiends” of Brown Street Park, East Side/Mt Hope YMCA, CrossFit Providence, Whole Foods University Heights, The Wheeler School Students, Southside Community Land Trust, The Gordon School, Music for Children, Providence Athenaeum, Department of Parks and Recreation and Providence Police (Brook street sub-station). Visit www.friendsofbrownstreetpark.org for more details. Join us for the 2nd Annual Winter Solstice Event. Singing, s’mores and more details TBA, December 21 from 6-7:30pm. Please let us know if you would like to volunteer to help or lead some singing! Please contact wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org to find out how you can donate or get involved in Brown Street Park or visit www. friendsofbrownstreetpark.org. Check the website for cancellations and updates for classes and events. To find out what other parks in Providence are doing, check out www.providenceparks.org.
Wayland Square by David Kolsky Neighborhood Discussion Group at Books on the Square Website: groups.yahoo.com/group/ waylandsquare Next Meetings Wednesday, January 22, 2014 from 7-8:45pm, Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street at Elmgrove, next to CVS. Free and open to all. At this writing, no regular November or December meeting had been scheduled because of conflicts with the holidays, but please check our Yahoo! Group or the bookstore’s window for any special meetings. After the holidays pass, we should be holding regular monthly meetings at the bookstore at 7pm on the fourth Wednesday of every month into October. (As with January 2014, the fourth Wednesday of a month is not always the last one.) Local News No pressing news to report this month that hasn’t already been discussed in other columns for Wayland Square or other neighborhoods. I’m waiting
for the outcome of various meetings and reports, and also for a few general speculations to be clarified by something more definite. Although we and several of our sister associations plan to conduct candidates’ forums for the 2014 elections, it won’t be clear which races (primary or general) will be contested until filing deadlines have passed in June and July. More Information Check our Yahoo! Group’s public message board (above) to stay abreast of current local events and issues. Or join the group to receive regular announcements by e-mail, including select notices of neighborhood meetings, civic affairs and cultural events.
College Hill by Allison Spooner College Hill Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 633-5230 Website: www.collegehillna.com Email: chna@collegehillna.com Mailing Address: CHNA, P.O. Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906 The New Olney Street Cars, bikes and pedestrians are navigating much more smoothly these days on Olney Street. Gone are the potholes, replaced by new asphalt, freshly painted crosswalks and bike signage. CHNA would like to offer a sincere note of thanks to Mayor Angel Taveras, the City of Providence, the Providence City Council, the Department of Public Works and all of those who voted to endorse the Providence Road Improvement Project in the last election to make this much-needed street repair possible. Thayer Street Planning Study – Next Public Meeting Scheduled The date for the second Thayer Street Planning Study public meeting has been scheduled. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 11, from 5:30–7:30 pm at the Friedman Auditorium (Brown University Metcalf Research Complex) located at 190 Thayer Street. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. The final plan will include an urban design concept and development guidelines, marketing strategies, streetscape design guidelines, land use and zoning recommendations, and circulation and parking recommendations for the Study Area. CHNA is one of several community
stakeholders represented in the Planning Study Committee. Our thanks to the Providence Department of Planning and Development, the consultant team, participating City Department officials and to all of the Planning Study Committee members for all of their time and effort involved to create this final proposal. To review the Thayer Street Planning Study presentation, please visit www.providenceri.com/planning/ thayer-street-planning-study. Email comments to planningcomments@ providenceri.com. Please participate by submitting comments and attending the upcoming public meeting. Holiday Safety Measures The holiday season is here! Please keep safety standards in mind when you are both home and away. Be sure to notify your neighbors if you are leaving town so they can bring in the newspaper, packages and mail or even park in your lot. Use house alarms, place lights on timers and be sure windows and doors are locked at all times. After opening gifts, place any electronics and pricier items away from direct sight of the windows. Use window treatments effectively during the day and night. Report suspicious activity to the Providence Police at 272-3121 and if you see a crime in progress, call 911 immediately.
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CHNA Board Development CHNA welcomes our new Board members. Look for announcements to new events in 2014, both social and informational. We will continue to serve by building community, advocating for quality of life and preserving the unique character of Providence’s College Hill neighborhood. Holiday Wishes The College Hill Neighborhood Association wishes you a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year! Join CHNA To become a new CHNA member (or renew), for only $20 per year, visit our website, www.collegehillna.com and click “Join CHNA.” Checks may be made out to CHNA Attn: Treasurer, Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906. Be sure to include your email and mailing address. More on the CHNA Website Visit www.collegehillna.com for additional updates on special use permits, crime activity, local resources, events and neighborhood activities.
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Christmanukkah = on the East Side +
Blending religious traditions in blended families = by Dale J. Rappaneau, Jr +
Photography: Tiffany Medrano
Christmas is a commercialized titan of a holiday, there’s no denying it. Aluminum trees and ornaments line big-box shelves starting as early as October. Tree farms pump out pines. Television networks run marathons of A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Christmas Story. Santa visitations are weekly occurrences. Quite honestly, the tinsel tendrils of this iconic American festivity seem to know no limitations. But with the commercially-driven programming to purchase, purchase, purchase comes a solid set of religious traditions held close to the heart of individuals all across the country. And for many, these traditions – not the stuff sold in stores or on screens – are Christmas. It’s about sharing goodwill, spending time with family and paying homage to a higher being. The problem, though, is that mainstream attention on Christmas’s gift-giving, monetary aspect overshadows all of that. Worse still, up until the actual unveiling of gifts on the morning of December 25, Christmas creates a holiday vacuum in which all other religious events or celebrations are stifled. December is Christmas. Christmas is December.
That’s it. End of story. This creates somewhat of a problem for families looking to celebrate, say, Hanukkah, as everywhere one looks, there’s a Christmas smorgasbord that feels impossible to escape. (Grocery stores and pharmacies: holiday aisle in the center. Driving around a neighborhood: ornamental light displays. Radio: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The list goes on.) The situation grows more complex when adding children into the picture, especially when said children come from a spousal pair split between celebrating these two radically different holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah. What happens, then? Are the children forced to pick one over the other? How does such a blended family reconcile their holiday differences and find peace on the battleground of late-year festivities?
F
or me growing up, Hanukkah wasn’t a temple holiday, really,” says Dave Rosler, wearing sweatpants and what looks to be a ridiculously comfortable blue cotton sweater. Legos cover his living room floor, and his son Eli, 6, sits in the
background trebucheting toys any which way. Elsewhere, his daughter Zosia, 8, works on homework, popping in every so often to ask a question. None of this phases Dave. If anything, he looks completely at ease. “When I was in Hebrew school, we did Hanukkah things, but really it was the big present holiday,” he says. “My family, we lit candles and went to temple, did services - my parents were involved in the temple, so it was a big thing.” But much changes about a person between their youth and having youths themselves, especially for someone like Dave, who married Kristin, a secular celebrator of Christmas. “When Kristin and I were going to get married, we discussed religion and this and that, but it wasn’t until we were actually living together that Christmas and Hanukkah came together.” “You had a hard time,” says Kristin, laughing. She wears a flowing orange ankle skirt and a matching scarf over an elegant white top. And boy is her laugh infectious - one of those people that brightens up a room simply by beaming a smile. Even as she jokingly admits that Dave has been “pretty open-minded,”
this writer cannot help chuckling along. “Yeah, I was pretty open-minded,” agrees Dave. “The symbolism of Christianity entering my house was very strange. But Kristin didn’t see [the Christian symbols], which was weird. For her, it was symbolism for Christmas, because she grew up with a non-religious Christmas.” A perfect example of their mismatched understandings: Dave believed a wreath represented the crown of Jesus. “So I was like, that’s kind of weird,” says Dave - whereas Kristin thought “most people who celebrate Christmas have no knowledge that that symbolism might be a thing.” But Dave’s religious upbringing made him prone to seeing symbolism behind Christmas’s traditions, and he tried to fight back against what he felt was an invading religious force. “The first year, I tried calling [the Christmas tree] a holiday tree,” says Dave, shrugging. “And for some reason, I chose wreaths and poinsettias as the two things that would not enter the house.” Kristin laughs. “You were really against them. We actually had some fights on this.” “So the second year, I remember, I December 2013 East Side Monthly
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bought her a poinsettia and she was all, Whaaaaaaa?” Both burst into laughter and stare at each other for a moment. “He’s changing slowly,” says Kristin. “I think a lot of it too is that our kids are now in a Jewish day school. And I think that for a little while there you were a little worried that I was sucking the Jew out of them.” Eli launches a barrage of plastic pieces all over the room. A regular ball of energy, he dashes around picking them up. Neither Dave nor Kristin react. “You know, I actually get so busy with other stuff, so I don’t think about [the holidays],” says Kristin. “Dave’s more in charge of decorating, he loves it, and conversely, I study up on Hanukkah, learn the traditions.” She points to the room where Eli returned to launch more toys. “That side’s usually Christmas and this side’s…” “...usually Hanukkah,” says Dave. “It’s not intentional, it just happens.” “I think what also helped is, I talked to a rabbi a couple years ago,” says Kristin. “He said, ‘If you want to do Christmas, do Christmas. Don’t make it some intermediate, hybrid, bastardized thing, where you have these Hannimas trees.’ I thought that was a really good point: if you’re going to do it, just do it. It made me feel much better, you know - like, all right, rabbi!” Dave nods in agreement. “For me, it helped realizing that Christmas isn’t necessarily a religious thing. And now I love it,” he says, smiling wide. “Plus I can blame it on someone else, too. Like, ‘Oh I don’t want to do it, but it’s so important to Kristin, so I have to do it.’” Another round of giggling and guffawing. Honestly, the laughter in the house of Rosler seems to go on and on - a testament to their ability to overcome what
other relationships may have found impossible to reconcile. For them, it appears the holiday exploration brings about a deeper bond: they’re exploring each other as much as their beliefs. “We were lucky that both of us are open-minded,” says Kristin. “I’ve seen some of my friends that are a little more religious, either Christian or Jewish, and I don’t think a relationship like this would work for them.”
B
ut what about the flip side of the situation, in which the less religiously serious parent encourages more religion in the home? Is Christmas, then, still a priority? For such a question, the Mothers Circle, at the Jewish Community Center, provides the answer. “The Mothers Circle was created by the Jewish Outreach Institute, which is an
*
organization in New York,” says Kit Haspel, Director of Interfaith Outreach for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. “They created it in 2002, in Atlanta.” Kit stands upright with casual authority, shoulders square and eyes sharp. Each stride of her gait is fluid yet determined – a clear sign of someone comfortable in her own skin and wise well beyond her years. “Then they made it nationwide, in 2005. I think it’s in 50 to 75 communities around America. We started in Rhode Island in 2008, and we’re finishing up our fifth group.” The sole purpose of the program is to help “women of other religious backgrounds with raising Jewish children,” says Kit. In this way, the program introduces women to Jewish teachings, traditions and, yes, even holidays, which means the program at some point must
*
discuss what Kit calls the “December dilemma.” What that dilemma is, it’s easy to say: if a child is from a family that doesn’t celebrate Christmas, the child can understandably feel jealous or envious of children who do celebrate it. When the subject arises in the program, the sessions starts “with just sort of talking about the month of December,” says Kit, focusing on what each mother remembers about December from her childhood. The discussion eventually moves to the topic of what to do during the holidays, especially in concern to gifts and how to celebrate Hanukkah every night without always resorting to presents. “What’s interesting is, it is and it isn’t a dilemma,” admits Kit, “because in some families it’s very hard for the Jewish partner to have a Christmas tree in the home. Then there are some families where the Jewish spouse thinks it’s cool - ‘Gee, I get a Christmas tree because I have a non-Jewish wife, this is really great.’ Then there are some families that don’t celebrate Christmas in the home, but they celebrate with the Christian grandparents. There’s a range, and we talk about all that.” In the program’s five years of existence, approximately 30 mothers have gone on to ‘graduate’ from the free eight-month course. One such mother is Samantha Morse, who admits her husband is “Jewish but not really Jewish.” Samantha entered the program to provide her three children with a solid religious foundation, one she wished she had while growing up. “I was raised vaguely Christian,” says Samantha, a red-headed woman with a heart-warming smile. “We celebrated Christmas and Easter, but very, very rarely went to church.” Since all of Samantha’s children are too
Light & Peace = love + Mothers Circle
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Happy Everything with love, the Roslers young to firmly grasp such a complex topic as religion, she balances between celebrating her husband’s background of Judaism and her own somewhat secular beliefs. The hope being that her children get enough information of either side so as to have the option of forming their own beliefs when they get older. “So for us, Christmas is all about what we can do for others. And I think where Judaism ties in is, Hanukkah is this wonderful miracle, and I like to emphasize that: what can we do for someone to make them feel like they had a miracle? One time we baked cookies and took them to our neighbors.” And while it may be easy to brush off Samantha as a singular statistic, Kit Haspel assures that “the majority” of those attending Mothers Circle “do in some way celebrate Christmas in the home. Because after all, they’re not Jewish and Christmas is still a holiday that’s meaningful for them.” It’s all about finding what works. For Samantha, that means going to “the Christmas service of a local Unitarian church, which is a really nice thing to do and my husband enjoys going. We also do a lot of things through my older daughter’s Jewish day school. So I mean, how nice that [the children] are just really exposed to more, so when they start to develop who they are, how great that they have all these experiences.”
T
hat’s really what it comes down to, isn’t it: experiences. Because after all, from experiences come memories, and in the words of Mary Beth Schneider, who also went through the Mothers Circle program, a blended family has more opportunities “to bring the family together, have a special meal, make a memorable occasion.” Raised with strong traditions of celebrating Christmas as a religious holiday, she now enjoys setting time aside for her 6-year-old Jewish son David to enjoy both Hanukkah and Christmas. “I was raised where holidays are important in a big way,” she says. “I have those memories, and they’re my best memories, the ones around holiday celebrations. I now have that tradition in my family.” And isn’t that what everyone hopes to achieve with any holiday, religious or otherwise? A day or moment or even minute in which life slows down enough to spend time with the individuals who really matter: family and friends. Whether that means bonding through a religious faith or simply showing love through the American habit of giving gifts, it all boils down to interpersonal appreciation and forming worthwhile bonds - worthwhile memories. “It’s all for my son, that’s why I do it. It’s really fun to see [the holidays] through a child’s eyes,” says Mary Beth. “Well, I mean, as soon as I said that I thought, ‘Wait, I love it, too!’”
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Many passersby were surprised last month when excavating equipment suddenly appeared on Smith Street and started working on a long proposed, but slow to materialize project to expand the parking lot around the State House. There is very little controversy over whether there should be more parking around the building. Yes, there needs to be. And yes, it’s overdue. But behind the digging and paving lies a controversy that threatens to undermine the fragile balancing act that has guided construction within the Capital Center for over three decades. The original documents setting up the Capital Center Commission were drawn up in 1982 and gave the statecity entity total authority to create design guidelines and oversight for the 77 acres of downtown freed up by the river relocations. This decision was made because of the complexity of competing interests. The land itself was owned in part by the State, the City, private business interests and the federal government (Amtrak). In addition, potential developers would need to have rules and regulations to follow as they submitted their proposals (or sought wavers) for their projects. Reflecting the potential for conflict, it was agreed that the commission would be composed of 15 members, appointed by the governor, the mayor, the legislature and the business community. Three years ago, the State had sought approval for their project to add parking spaces to the top surface
around the State House, several at the expense, unfortunately, of some lawn. While technically in violation of Capital Center regulations which prohibit surface parking, a compromise was agreed to by both parties. As a partial trade-off, the design was modified to retain some trees in the lot itself. Despite the agreement, the State still wanted to seek a waver contesting the Capital Center’s right to oversee the design and the project was put on hold. Fast forward to last month. While the State was willing to resubmit its plans for review “as a courtesy,” they remained unwilling to acknowledge the Commission’s jurisdiction over the parking proposal. Complicating matters, the State has recently bought the land across from Veterans Auditorium and is planning to create an enormous parking lot there for a future building that clearly will be in violation of the Commission’s long-standing rules prohibiting surface parking. “The irony of course,” notes Capital Center Commission chairman Deming Sherman, “is that the State was one of the original signatories to the documents that created the Commission in the first place.” Also signing the document, giving the Commission its authority, were city, state and federal governments, Amtrak and the Providence & Worcester Realty Co., one of the major private landowners of the parcels. The State is now arguing the Commission’s role is purely advisory. At a public hearing held just a few weeks ago, Todd Turcotte, a vice president of
Capital Properties, an East Providencebased company that was formed in 1984 to manage and develop the Providence & Worcester properties, stepped forward to register his concern. His argument was that everyone who had developed parcels in Capital Center, had dutifully followed the rules or sought variances – as the Capital Center rules demand. To now have one of the original signatories, the State no less, go forward and just do what they want, seems to suggest the longtime guidelines are now porous at best. Where this will go from here remains to be seen. The Capital Center Commission is unwilling to walk away from its mandate. The State seems prepared to push forward and do what it thinks is necessary. Meanwhile the buzz of litigation begins to waft in the air. The reality of course is that the Capital Center has meager funds to go to court while the State’s coffers are bottomless. But here’s where things get even more confusing. The 1982 agreement specifies that the City must represent the Commission in legal issues. After initially expressing willingness to help, the City has suddenly withdrawn its offer and wants to stay clear of the issue. This all said, groups like the Providence Preservation Society are exploring whether they will weigh in to help the Commission. Meanwhile stay tuned for what might prove to be a landmark battle to better define the limits of the State’s power in matters of this type.
Photography: Dan Schwartz
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An East Side singing group is about more than the music by Mary K. Connor • Photography by Amy Amerantes
W
hen I told family and friends I was going to a Christmas caroling group’s rehearsal, in late October, for a story, the response was universal: Are you kidding? You hate Christmas! The season does tend to bring out the “bah humbug” in me. It sometimes feels like one commercially imposed, stress-inducing obligation after another, all designed, mainly, to ruin my December. Oh wait, that sounds very Scrooge-like, doesn’t it? Well, fortunately for me, this year will be different. Thanks to my encounter with the wonderful group of carolers known as the Voices of Christmas, my bad attitude is a thing of the past. It is hard to remain grumpy in the presence of such cheer. The Voices of Christmas, or VoX (the X is very old Greek short-hand for Christ, and the acronym, happily, means “voice” in Latin) now comprises 18 friends, all highly talented musicians, who have been spreading peace and joy through their a cappella singing for over 20 years, embodying the very spirit of giving that Christmas is supposed to be about. The seeds for VoX were planted when Peter and Barbara Thornton, members of the Central Congregational
22
East Side Monthly December 2013
Church choir, went caroling at a nursing home with kids from the Sunday school program. “It was fun,” Peter says, “but it wasn’t much more than that. No one even brought a pitch pipe. The residents were kind of a captive audience, and afterwards we thought, they deserve better — we can do better.” Peter and Barbara began to sing for shut-ins who were members of the church. A second couple from the choir joined them — David Moss and Kathleen Cornely Moss. “We were a perfect fit, voice-wise,” says Barbara, as baritone and soprano were joined by alto and tenor. The quartet began singing at outside venues, such as Ocean State Lyric Opera. Actor Amy Thompson (2nd Story Theatre, among others) signed on and the group began gaining momentum. Eventually, with 10 to 12 members, “we had a critical mass,” says Peter. “We could be bold about what we were doing.” Along the way, VoX was invited to sing at Trinity Rep’s annual press night for the opening of A Christmas Carol. At that point, the singers decided to formalize their organization as a 501(3)(c) non-profit. VoX once again opened its season at Trinity Rep’s press night, November
19. By Christmas Day, they will have performed at 17 venues; half at nursing homes and other non-profits, the other half at private, paying gigs such as the University Club, Rhode Island Country Club, Marble House and The Elms. Private engagements are purposefully kept below 50% of a season’s schedule, but they allow VoX to fulfill another part of its mission — to give back to the community financially. All proceeds beyond expenses are donated to local charities. But the real gift from VoX to the community is donation of time and talent. Think about it: 17 performances between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Try fitting that into your holiday schedule, not to mention November’s Friday night rehearsals. But VoX members wouldn’t have it any other way. “VoX allows you to grab hold of the season and pull it towards you,” says Peter. “We give back to people in our singing.” Everyone agrees with this basic sentiment. “I am a fan of community service, and this is a talent I have,” says David, a physics teacher at Moses Brown by day, and the group’s conductor. “It just makes you feel really good,” says another long-time VoX member — retired music teacher
Marilyn Edwards. “When you look out and see people reacting to our music — it makes your heart skip a beat.” Singing at nursing homes is an especially gratifying way to give back for VoX members, particularly when doing so for the Alzheimer’s patients. “That part is usually pretty stunning,” says Rob Brewster, a professional photographer. “They really respond to it; it brings back memories they are connecting with.” Amy, the actor, adds “They sing along and will embrace us while we are singing.” Deb Newhall, a costume designer by profession, enthusiastically adds her perspective. “There is a huge burst of energy in the room. They are completely engaged with us.” This kind of commentary is the way it is all evening, by the way: friends finishing friends’ sentences, everyone on the same page, seemingly random comments perfectly understood. Dave Larson has been part of the group for 20 years. I am even told that he was able to make it to a recording session very soon after the birth of a child. What continues to motivate him? “Half of it, for me, is helping to promote the Christmas spirit. But the other half is the friendship.”
It is hard not to notice the friendship as people arrive for the rehearsal, and even more so once the singing begins. Kathleen, a chemistry professor at Providence College, points out the obvious: “People will say, when they hear us sing, that they can tell we are friends.” All but the newest members are able to sing “off-book,” without having to refer to the music, enabling easy interaction with the public and with each other. This evening, there is eye contact, gesturing, bringing each other in, total engagement. The rehearsal begins, as it almost always does, with a 16th century version of the hymn “Lo a Rose E’re Blooming.” The rest of the songs rehearsed are popular secular favorites. Two are arrangements by former VoX members. At performances, VoX will sing from half an hour to an hour, going through as many as 25 songs from an 80-song repertoire. “It doesn’t seem like work,” says Matt Spencer, who teaches at Holy Cross College. “We get energy from each other and from the audience.” He remembers the first song from his first rehearsal with VoX. “It was ‘In a Bleak Mid-Winter’ and it was just a glorious song. My jaw just dropped.” A set’s mix between religious and secular songs depends upon the venue. “The group is not religiously affiliated,” says Mark Rabuck, a composer and trained jazz-rock musician by trade, teacher by profession. “We sing in public spaces. It is more of a community thing. It is about the spirit.”
Speaking of spirit, “Let It Snow,” – the classic Sammy Cahn version, I am told – is described by Peter as “one of the songs we sing in restaurants when we try to get free stuff.” VoX has been known to break into spontaneous song at restaurants, postgig. Partly, I suspect, because they just can’t help themselves, but partly in an effort to bring back the tradition of public singing. “We are like a flash mob,” Peter jokes. VoX also seems to be something of a leading economic indicator. Barbara explains. “In 2007, for the first time, we didn’t get anything free from restaurant staff, and no contributions (which go to charity) from patrons. But two years ago, the free food was back!” Things must be looking up. Just like my attitude towards Christmas. If you would like to avail yourself of the VoX antidote to a bahhumbug kind of season, they will be performing at the RISD Museum on December 8, from 1:30-2pm. Or, better yet, hear them sing while also giving back to the community, at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s Holiday Meal Drive Open House, from 9am-noon on December 7. The Open House is one day of the year when people of all ages are invited to actively participate in the work and mission of the Food Bank. VoX will sing two sets, from 10-11am. Bring a non-perishable food item. For more information about other planned activities and directions, contact RI Food Bank at 942-6325 or www.rifoodbank.org.
Voices of Christmas will be performing at the RISD Museum on December 8 from 1:30-2:30pm December 2013 East Side Monthly
23
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East Side Monthly December 2013
Of the instruments labeled as “sexy” – guitar, saxophone, violin, cello, etc. – there runs a common theme: the instrument itself complements the instrumentalist’s image. Guitars are phallic. Saxophones tighten muscles. Violins feature the frame. Cellos are curvaceous. These sexualized traits lend credit to the instrument’s popularity, because as visual creatures, we drink deep the seductive imagery of someone making musical love to an instrument. Like the poor sucker picked last in an elementary game of dodgeball, however, there is in fact an instrument last on this list – the least sexy of all instruments - and that title, not surprisingly, goes to the accordion. “It’s basically like wearing an air conditioner,” says 25-year-old Rhode Island resident Cory Pesaturo, holder of such titles as World Jazz Accordion Champion, World Digital Accordion Champion and World Acoustic Accordion Champion. Pesaturo first picked up the accordion around the age of nine; though, he admits, “if it was around 12 or 13, I would have been smart enough by that point to have said, ‘I ain’t playing the accordion.’ I’d have played something that gets girls.” Pesaturo thankfully pushed through the pubescent era of shame going on to become the first American since Peter Soave, some 25 years ago, to win a World Accordion Championship. All the while, though, the accordion’s sexlessness shadows him. “You’re carrying a big box. No matter how much you move, it’s still not sexy,” says Pesaturo, citing that its “heavy” and the “shape of it is a problem.” Combined with the aforementioned comparison of the accordion to an air conditioner, it’s easy to imagine an accordionist’s sexual struggle: Who can swagger around stage while carrying – and playing – a stupidly heavy box of an instrument, and with such finesse as to evoke in the audience that all-too-common, heart-pounding heat of lust and desire? Moreover, the sexual crisis worsens when taking the accordion’s sound into consideration, argues Pesaturo. “I hate the sound of the accordion – the full-on master switch, I just hate
Cory Pesaturo performs with Brown University’s Big Band on December 6
it,” says Pesaturo. “I love the bassoon [switch], love the clarinet [switch], some of the violin switch and the musette switch for French or folk stuff, those are great. But the full-on accordion, I hate it, seriously can’t stand it. It just sounds like… an accordion.” To remedy the sound problems, Pesaturo built himself an electronic accordion, one that lights up like a miniaturized rave so as to and distance the instrument from its dreary oom-pa-pa past. Plus, a built-in electronic system can imitate more than 40 different instruments or sounds. It’s honestly a wonder Pesaturo isn’t mobbed by groupies just by putting the thing on. As for the air conditioner-image issues, Pesaturo has a secret project in the works: “I’m making an accordion, with the same engineer that did the [custom] lights, that is a completely different shape.” The details of this new accordion, however, remain a mystery, and only time will tell if the ugly accordion duckling blossoms into something more than an underappreciated eyesore. Pesaturo returns from a cross-continent tour to play with Brown University’s Big Band on December 6. Free. 8-10pm. Granoff Center, and Marinos Auditorium, 154 Angell Street. 8633234, brown.edu/music/events.
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Polarization at the Pole By James Arthur Anderson • Illustrations by Maret Paetznick
I usually get
to the barn early on Sunday mornings, so I can muck Lucy’s stall before it gets too hot and so I’ll still have time to ride. As soon as I stepped out of the car, Lucy let out a huge whinny. This never gets old, I thought. “Where’s my horse?” I said in reply, and she whinnied again, this time even louder. “She’s right here waiting for you,” a voice said. “What’s taking you so long? We’ve been waiting all afternoon.” I recognized the voice. It was the elf again. E.J. Elf. What could possibly be going wrong at the North Pole this year, I wondered. It seemed like every year the elf showed up, and every year he had an issue. It had begun a few years ago when he and Santa had crash-landed the sleigh near the Everglades. Lucy and I happened to be riding by and had to pull them out, and then my mare had been drafted to pull the sleigh that Christmas. He looked the same as always, red elf hat with a bell on it, a green jacket, brown pants and elf shoes with bells on the toes. “So you’ve managed to keep your job this year,” I said. Last year he’d been fired for spending his whole day Tweeting instead of making toys. “Yeah, I got rid of the phone,” he said. “I’ve been a lot more productive ever since.” “That’s good to hear. I’m glad things are back to normal. They are back to normal, aren’t they?” “Well, not exactly.” The elf shook his head. “Our government’s shut down, just like yours did. We can’t make toys, can’t answer letters from children… can’t even monitor the naughty and nice list. The website is down. The candy cane shop’s closed, the mall Santas are furloughed and all the elves are just hanging around playing Hi-Lo-Jack and eating last year’s fruitcake. Until this gets fixed, there’s no Christmas for anyone.” “The North Pole government’s shut down, too? I didn’t think the North Pole had a government.” “We didn’t until November. Then we elected a Congress to help Santa make decisions. He can’t do everything, you know. He’s too busy running the place to be involved in politics.” “So you elected a Congress? How’s that working out for you?”
“Not so well,” he admitted. “They can’t seem to do anything.” “How did they shut down your government?” “Well first of all, they won’t pass a budget. Half of them want to charge kids for the toys and the other half want to borrow the money from China. They’ve been sitting in the House and Senate room for weeks stomping their feet, picking their noses and making faces at one another. They won’t release any money to do anything except pay their own salaries and give themselves a pay raise. But without a budget, the rest of us are out of work.” “You have a budget? I thought the toys were made by magic. You need money to make them?” The elf laughed. “Even magic has a price. What do you expect, the elves to work for free? Come on, professor, we have to make a living too. Besides, without raw materials, we couldn’t work for free. I can’t polish the runners of the sleigh ‘cause we’re out of grease.”
“So if you borrow the money from China, how will you pay it back?” The elf shrugged. “We just put it on Visa and MasterCard. Cash advances, you know and we will just get our credit limit increased. We do that every year. Only this year, half of Congress won’t let us. So we’re going to run out of money and either we’ll have to stop making toys or else we’ll go bankrupt.” “It sounds like your government’s a mess,” I said. “How many of these people are in Congress?” “We have two senators and two members of the House of Representatives. Just like Rhode Island.” “Can’t you recall Congress and have some other elves take over their jobs?” “Only an idiot would want to be in Congress. You see, every elf has a talent. Some can mold plastics. Some take care of the reindeer. Some, like me, keep the sleigh running smoothly. There were only four elves who didn’t have any talents. They couldn’t do anything. One of them is a lawyer, but we haven’t had a crime in the North Pole in… well we’ve never had one so we didn’t need him. Another one’s an art critic. The third one is a stockbroker who claims to be a psychic who uses a dartboard to make predictions. And the last one’s a reality TV star. I’ve got to say, she’s the most useless of all.” “Well, that’s your problem right there. You put your stupidest, most dysfunctional people in charge of the government.” “Oh, like your leaders are geniuses, right? “Sure, we have parties. We’re a two party system. We have the Bleeding Heart Party, and the Me-Party. And one or the other of them is always throwing a party. They didn’t cut off the funding for that, either.” “The Bleeding Heart Party wants to give free everything to every elf. They want to ban toy guns, give away free cookies and milk, lower the retirement age from 500 to 150, put a warm puppy in every hovel and tax the rich.” “You have rich elves?” “We had one multi-billionaire elf. He invented the Photo with Santa booth. But he moved to the Cayman Islands when they tried to tax him.” “And the Me-Party?” “They’re all about themselves. They want to bring back arranged marriages, establish a state religion and get rid of all the elf-worker safety laws. They’re hoping global warming will make
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the North Pole a resort someday, so they’ve bought lots of waterfront property on the north shore of Greenland. Their slogan is ‘hurrah for me and the hell with you.’ ” “Sounds familiar. Which party are you?” The elf laughed. “I’m neither. Just about all of the elves are somewhere in the middle. Only Congress is so extreme. Except no-elf can agree on healthcare. The old, sick ones want it to be mandatory for everyone, and the young, healthy ones don’t want to pay for it.” “Sounds familiar.” “But tell me, why are you here? Surely you don’t think I can solve this mess. I mean, really, this one’s way above my pay grade.” The elf grinned. “If you did work for us, you’d be furloughed. But it just so happens that I can pay you, but since your horse does all the work, I’m going to pay her. I’ve been authorized to give her one million Santa Bucks. “Lucy? She solved your problem?” “As a matter of fact, she did. I was here Wednesday while you were teaching your classes, and she and I had a long talk. We’re pretty sure it’ll work, and the North Pole Congress has agreed. They’re going to vote tomorrow. But it’s pretty much a done deal.” “So what are they going to do?” “Buy a photocopy machine.” “A photocopy machine? How is that going to help?” The elf shrugged. “Easy. It’ll print money. Lots and lots of it and we’ll use it to pay all our bills. We’ll pay off the Visa, the MasterCard and even China. And there will be enough left for healthcare as well. Here’s the million Santa Bucks for Lucy.” He handed me a single green and red bill, crisp and so hot off the printing press that the ink wasn’t quite dry. It had a picture of a jolly Santa on one side, and a Christmas tree and a reindeer on the back. The denomination was printed in the four corners: $1,000,000. “It won’t be good until tomorrow, when the legislation passes, but you won’t be able to spend it ‘til then anyway.” “A million Santa Bucks? What’s this worth in U.S. dollars?” The elf pulled a calculator from his
pocket, entered a few keystrokes and frowned. “About 52 cents,” he said. I sighed. “You think China is going to accept Santa Bucks?” “Sure. What are they gonna do? Make us manufacture sneakers for them? Hey, China, here’s your trillion dollars. Don’t spend it all in one place.” he said. “There’s just one problem with printing the money, though,” I said. “If you pay off China with worthless Santa Bucks, they won’t loan you any more money. Neither will Visa and MasterCard.” The elf shrugged. “Lucy figured that out, too. All we’ve gotta do is say that Christmas will be shut down and that it will destroy the banks and shopping malls, Wall Street will crash, the greeting card industry will collapse and the United States will be in a terrible jam. So then we’ll go to your president and your Congress and we’ll ask them for a bailout. The U.S. gives money to every country in the world, even the ones who hate America, like Pakistan and Iraq. So why not the North Pole?” “I don’t know what to say to that.” “I know. I know. It’s genius. Now I’ve gotta go.” The elf petted Lucy on the nose, shook my hand and headed for the barn door. “Lucy’s now officially on the payroll as a consultant,” E.J. said. “A million Santa Bucks a year. Make sure you spend it on her and not on yourself.” “It’ll get her about three peppermints,” I said. The elf grinned. Then he clicked his heels and was gone. I finally began to muck out Lucy’s stall. I thought to myself, you have to love an animal to give up every Sunday to shovel manure. “Maybe we should have a government bailout for horse owners,” I said. “Wouldn’t that be a great idea?” A long-time contributor to the East Side Monthly, James Arthur Anderson is Professor of English at Johnson & Wales University’s North Miami Campus. His latest book, The Monastery /Those Who Favor Fire, is two books in one, in the tradition of the old Ace Double, and is published by Wildside Press. He and Lucy ride every chance they get at Myrland Stables in Davie, Florida.
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LD_East Side Monthly Dec-2013_Layout 1 10/29/13 4:07 PM Page 1
east side - College Hill Brutalist style home by Huygens and Tappe’ of Boston. Commanding views of downtown Providence. Features sophisticated living room and dining room, modern kitchen, first floor master suite. Pool. $2,725,000 401-274-1644
Barrington - Waterfront Luxurious home located off Nayatt Road. Open floor plan and spacious sun drenched rooms, well suited to entertain. 4 bedrooms including master suite with deck and finished basement with wine cellar. $2,695,000 401-274-1644
Local Legacy... International Reach™ NEWPORT NARRAGANSETT PROVIDENCE JAMESTOWN WATCH HILL BLOCK ISLAND
401-274-1644 PENDING east side - New Listing - Upper Cole This brick colonial offers a rich heritage, inviting rooms and masterful architecture. Features formal dining room with built-ins, spacious kitchen, fine finishes, 6 bedrooms, 3 baths and 2 car garage. $949,000 401-274-1644
EASt side - Blackstone Blvd This house is a marvelous MidCentury contemporary built in the Frank Lloyd Wright style. Features large living room and den with fireplace. 3 bedrooms and 3 baths with glass ensconced Florida room. $575,000 401-274-1644
DETAILS@LILA DELMAN.COM
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December 2013 East Side Monthly
29
Spotlight
by Dan Schwartz
special advertising section
Getting back on your feet after surgery is a lot easier when you have someone to show you how.
Golden Crest Nursing Centre
Complete post-surgery rehab serviCes
Experience Counts
Golden Crest Nursing Centre Dedicated care for seniors
100 Smithfield Road, North Providence • 401.353.1710 GoldenCrestNursingCentre.com
Membership...It’s more than just fitness! It’s an open door to a variety of outstanding social, cultural, and educational activities that celebrate family, foster health and well-being, embrace tradition, and expand cultural horizons.
All are welcome at the Alliance JCC! 401 Elmgrove Avenue | Providence, RI 02906 401.421.4111 | jewishallianceri.org
Advocacy and Caregiving To Enrich The Lives Of Seniors
Creating personalized care plans to help maintain daily routine and lifestyle
401.641.0991 Serving All Of Ri And Southeastern MA
We Understand Your Desires
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Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors
Tip of the Month With the winter season around the corner, be sure to have the antifreeze levels checked before frigid weather arrives.
We service and repair ALL foreign and domestic models • ASE Certified • RI inspection and repair station #27b Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
729 East Avenue • 401-723-1111 (Top of the East Side, next door to Rite Aid)
30
East Side Monthly December 2013
In 1969 Pat Pezzelli opened Golden Crest Nursing Centre in North Providence, establishing the state’s first skilled nursing facility. This familyowned and operated company is now being administrated by Pat’s son, Paul Pezzelli, who continues the tradition of offering top quality nursing care in a beautiful building. “Our mission has always been to serve the dignity of the individual,” Paul says. Golden Crest handles short-term post-operative care to long-term care in the following areas: comprehensive skilled nursing; physical, occupational and speech therapy; complex post-surgical medical services; Alzheimer’s and memory care; and hospice. The 152 bed center is accredited by the Joint Commission, which is considered the gold standard for healthcare facilities. Golden Crest was ahead of its time when it opened 45 years ago, and they still are striving to be leaders in the field today. “To keep pace we are constantly innovating and reinventing how we do things,” Paul explains. “We recently opened a brand new rehab studio and renovated the rooms on our rehab wing. New technologies and nursing techniques emerge every day – we monitor these constantly to help us maintain the best quality of care possible.” Everyone who works here is committed to understanding each patient’s needs. “We’re a family business with close ties to our residents, families, staff and community,” Paul says. “We also believe in giving back to the community.” Part of their ability to deliver high level personal service is their belief in letting a simple philosophy guide them in an industry that grows more complex year-after-year. “We keep doing what we do best, and that is to be ready at all times to take care of people when they need us most,” Paul says. “That’s why we’re here.” It’s all about relationships and offering quality professional expertise in a comfortable manner. At Golden Crest Nursing Centre, you will get the best of both worlds: terrific senior care with a loving and warm approach. Contact them today.
Golden Crest Nursing Centre 100 Smithfield Road, North Providence 353-1710 / www.goldencrestnursingcentre.com
Spotlight
by Dan Schwartz
special advertising section
Gourmet Heaven
HOT/COLD TABLES An Impressive Selection of Foods DELI Breakfast Sandwiches Panini Special Wraps GROCERIES Organic Foods Snacks & Cheeses CATERING • CANDY/NUTS
A super convenience store and quality buffet
205 Meeting St. Providence • 400-3607 173 Weybosset St. Providence • 536-9000 gourmetheaven.com
T.F. Morra Tree Care, Inc.
Ornamental and Shade Tree Specialists
• fine hand pruning • tree preservation • hazard tree removal • tree evaluation & diagnosis • shade and specimen tree planting 401-331-8527 • www.TFMorra.com
Place your holiday orders today! Captains Catch
Seafood
Photography: Dan Schwartz
Gourmet Heaven off Thayer
Street is such a novel enterprise on the East Side that it’s difficult to place it into one business category. First off, it is a large convenience store with national brands, fresh produce, frozen items, organics and a large international foods section. The shelves in the back are teeming with goods, and up front there are high-end snacks, like bulk nuts and premium European chocolate. Secondly, they have an enormous deli counter where you can buy sandwiches and wraps made with fresh vegetables and Boar’s Head meats. And finally, there is a huge buffet with a vast selection of delicacies for $7.25 per pound. Gourmet Heaven opened this second Providence location in late April and mainly Brown students, and some clued-in local residents, are the frequent customers. This business is housed in the former Via Via building on Meeting Street; it has been so thoroughly remodeled by Site Specific that you won’t even recognize what proceeded it. For those discouraged by Thayer area parking, have no fear, as Gourmet Heaven has its own parking lot. And their hours of business are pretty great: open daily from 6am to 2am. If you find yourself up in the middle of the night and need a grocery item or want a fast sandwich, they are just down the street. I sampled one of their vegetarian special wraps (fresh mozzarella, avocado, tomato, basil and roasted red pepper with a pesto spread) and it was delicious. I was also given free rein to try the buffet, which is stocked starting at noon with fresh food rotated in throughout the day until 7pm. Then there is a late night buffet selection until midnight. I sampled fried chicken, bbq ribs, dumplings, arugula salad, chicken teriyaki and a fresh tomato and cucumber salad. It was all super tasty. Gourmet Heaven also does catering (they’ve handled events for for the Wheeler School and are doing the Christmas dinner this year at Wayland Manor). Gourmet Heaven also has an outdoor patio section, which will be tented with heaters. In a nutshell... you simply must check it out.
A Complete Line Of Fresh Seafood, Shellfish, Live Lobsters, Appetizers & Entrees: No Preservatives Ever
1702 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence • 401-353-6350
Over 300 Fresh Seafood Items!
1 Centerville Road Warwick • 401-738-6762
captainscatchseafood.com
"Healthy hair makes a happy client and what makes you happy makes you beautiful." –Paul Pereira GLOBAL STYLIST // MAKEUP ARTIST // G.A.N. EDUCATOR
159 Ives Street, Providence 401-270-2449 • lazulisalonri.com
Beautiful Pre-Owned Jewelry
Gourmet Heaven 205 Meeting Street, Providence / 400-3607 173 Weybosset Street, Providence / 536-9000 www.gourmetheaven.com
437-8421 • 1271 North Main Street, Providence 273-7050 • 358 Broad Street, Providence December 2013 East Side Monthly
31
Spotlight
by Dan Schwartz
special advertising section
Photo by highSail Media
Help is Just Around tHe Corner!
• • • • • •
Two Convenient Locations Aquatic Therapy (Cranston) Chronic Pain Conditions Orthopedic & Neurological Conditions Post-Surgical Care Sports Injuries Rehabilitation of the Spine
100 Highland Avenue, Suite 305 // 865-6940 Providence // Summit Medical Bldg. 1528 Cranston Street // 228-7216 Cranston // Spine Tech Bldg.
www.Libertypt.com
Liberty Physical Therapy Helping you regain full function
&
TAYLOR Company
RESIDENTIAL SALES + RENTALS + INVESTMENTS
Real Estate • Sales Leasing • Investments
401-270-7909 • 203 South Main Street Providence • TandC@Raveis.com
www.WRRealty.com
William Raveis The Largest Family-Owned Real Estate Company in the Northeast
The Top Producing Real Estate Team of William Raveis Rhode Island
Your Friendly Neighborhood Pub! Casual fun atmosphere Private parties w/ DJ & catering services available (graduations/birthdays)
Round The Corner 12 Governor St., Providence
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621-9207
Mon-Wed 6pm-1am • Thurs-Fri 3pm-1am Sat-Sun 12pm-1am
Now offering the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method “After a week of treatment, all the pain was gone... I recommend Dr. Tom to everyone I know.” – J.T.
Northeast Chiropractic Dr. ThomaS moriSon, ChiropraCTiC phySiCian
401-861-1300 • 187 Waterman Street • www.wickedgoodposture.com 32
East Side Monthly December 2013
“The way the body heals is with movement,” Marc Bochner, a physical therapist at Liberty Physical Therapy explains. “Some people are here because they’re not moving enough.” You may have recently taken a fall, experienced a sports injury, slept in a bad position or have come out of surgery where you’re experiencing chronic pain and poor mobility. Liberty Physical Therapy is there to guide you back toward a path of feeling good in your body. The first visit is informational, where a physical therapist will talk to you for about half an hour to gain a full assessment of your condition, conduct tests and measurements and map out your goals. The staff is friendly and positive, as the partnership between patient and physical therapist is crucial for goals to be reached. “It’s a cooperative relationship,” Marc says. “I find it rewarding to be that ray of light and tell patients that what they are feeling is just ‘right now’; they’re not going to stay like this forever.” You may be in pain and don’t want to move, but it is always worth it to take that first step to begin to fix the problem. It was explained that people will often use Tylenol to deal with symptoms instead of addressing the origin of the problem. “Physical therapy is very effective at reducing pain levels and targeting the actual cause of pain,” Marc says. For patients who do their home exercises in addition to the 45-minute therapy sessions, they will experience permanent change. And it all boils down to quality of life and functionality: you are going to be much happier if you are able to do the things you want to do, from taking care of your kids to playing sports to handling household chores. Liberty Physical Therapy has clinics on the East Side and one in Cranston (which contains a SwimEx rebab exercise pool). The professionals at Liberty Physical Therapy are there to help you get back to normal so you can enjoy life again.
Liberty Physical Therapy
100 Highland Avenue, Unit 306, Providence / 722-0012 1528 Cranston Street, Cranston / 228-7216 www.libertyphysicaltherapy.com
United Way staff, like Judy and Lucious, help Rhode Islanders access the information they need when there’s nowhere else to turn. Together, we’re ensuring our neighbors have access to critical information and referral services during difficult times as well as for seniors and adults with disabilities through United Way 2-1-1 in Rhode Island and THE POINT.
CHANGE CAN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU. PLEASE GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND. www.LIVEUNITEDri.org
Welcome to
BRICKMARKETPLACE Premier Shopping and Dining on Newport Harbor
may your holidays Sparkle
Hatley of Newport Asian Caravan Satori Newport Sunglass Shop Tourist Trap Army Navy Surplus PS Gear Division Souvenir Stop Smokey Topaz Bermuda Bay Pleasant Surprise Ireland Calls Shambala Treasures Groovy Gator Sole Desire Old Harbor Outfitters Bedazzled Dance Expressions Sushi Go! Portobello Awakenings Del Sol House of Windsor Ritrex Camera
Join Us This Season! book your holiday ParTy Today holiday GifT cardS available
Open Year rOund Free Validated parking
Come join our collection of local independently owned shops! prime retail Spaces available
34
East Side Monthly December 2013
restaurant & upscale lounge 284 Thayer STreeT, Providence 401.331.8111 // karTabar.com Complimentary Valet Parking Thursday-Saturday at 5
Movies
by Bob Cipriano
All Is Lost, Carrie and The Counselor Variety in problem-solving Three movies on local screens ride the usual dramatic arc of plot, action and consequence, like most movies do. But the range of diversity in dealing with those consequences lifts each of these films out of the realm of the ordinary. All Is Lost: Watching the unmistakable Redford stuck in the middle of the Indian Ocean, dealing with the consequences of an unforeseeable accident at sea, conjures up images of Jeremiah Johnson, the Sundance Kid and Carl Bernstein, a few of the most resourceful heroes in film history, and all played by Redford. Even after his opening voiceover, apologizing to nameless people for failing to survive his ordeal and whatever other failures have marked his life, there he is, in flashback, discovering ocean water rushing into his sleeping quarters, getting up and plugging the hole with epoxy and cloth. There is a substantial list of triumphs in All Is Lost, not the least of which is the casting of Redford, who maintains his heroic image even as he becomes Everyman, a fragile human presence in a vast, arbitrary universe. Next is the absence of dialogue. He really is alone out there, his opening voiceover is the longest stretch of dialogue in the movie. A radioed SOS, a well-placed epithet and a few yells for help. That’s it. All Is Lost is exclusively about action, at least on the surface. Director J.C. Chandor, working from his own script, does a remarkable job filming the deliberate actions of one man in a confined space while ravaged by wind, rain and ocean. As Redford reveals character through action, he meets an angry sea and oblivious commercial vessels head on. Under the action surface is an allegorical undercurrent consistent with lost-at-sea authors like Hemingway, Melville, Conrad and London. The hole in Redford’s boat is caused by an enormous commercial container of consumer goods. For quite a while, the undeniably affluent Redford is able to hold his own against the elements by making diligent use of all the upscale stuff his boat is equipped with. And when he navigates to the commercial
fishing lanes, it is the enormity of the commercial vessels there that prevent them from seeing one individual stranded in their wake. In a movie ostensibly about a guy stuck in his boat, there’s a lot going on here, and it goes very well. Carrie: This timely remake of Brian DePalma’s 1976 minor classic doesn’t alter much of Stephen King’s story about Carrie White. She is bullied both in high school by her tormentor classmates and at home by her fanatically religious mom. A lot of symbolic blood appears as Carrie’s story unfolds, until the bloodbath climax, when vengeance rears its ugly head. There are no plot updates, at least not literally. If there’s a reason to catch this film, other than 1976 was a long time ago, it’s that the events and key characters have shifted along the spectrum in 37 years. High school bullying was as cruel and as prevalent in 1976, but kids weren’t recording and posting it back then. Carrie was played as a frail and frightened kid by the magnificent Sissy Spacek in 1976. Now, not quite so frail and frightened, she’s played by Chloë Grace Moretz, whose characters in Kick Ass, Let Me In and Hugo have shown little in the way of frailty or fear. (Carrie has matured over the years.) Carrie’s mom, played scarily and effectively with an emphasis on overwrought religious devotion by Piper Laurie in ’76, is depicted as a complete Jesus freak and whack job by Julianne Moore now. These subtle revisions are well played by Moretz and Moore, and welldirected by Kimberly Peirce, who sets an impressive stage with a great opening, as Moore screams bloody murder from her blood-stained bed as she suffers what she assumes are the throes of death. Imagine her surprise when she gives birth to little Carrie a few seconds later. With an enormous cross above her bed and burning candles providing all the light, it’s no surprise when she reacts by grabbing an astonishingly large pair of scissors to undo what happened. Instead she decides to protect the little one, of course. And Carrie’s perplexing life is off to
Carrie
a beautifully ludicrous start. The Counselor is probably the year’s most underrated and misunderstood film. A morality play dramatized against an action-packed backdrop of drug runners, greed, murder and whatever else immoral you can think of, Ridley Scott’s new film is an uncompromising success. Its main problem for audiences is that there is almost no one in it to root for. This is a story of greedy fools who earn no sympathy, and manipulative villains whose opportunistic dealings result in gratuitous violence and death. “If you think that you can be in this world and play no part in it, you are wrong,” someone says to Michael Fassbender, the counselor at the center of the action. That statement is essentially what the movie is about. He’s a well-heeled lawyer who either needs or simply wants a $20 million payout via drug-trafficking out of Mexico. One of his clients, a somewhat fragile, slightly unstable, but always charming entrepreneur (Javier Bardem), has a plan to make it happen. Both men have girlfriends who are superior to their men: Bardem has the freaky and scary Cameron Diaz, who dictates terms in their relationship and capitalizes coldly on the weaknesses of the men around her. Fassbender has Penelope Cruz, who possesses beauty
and grace, a penchant for religion, a sense of honor and, unlike any other cast member, a soul. As Fassbender and Bardem convince themselves of their intrinsic business savvy, and Fassbender, in particular, rationalizes his inclusion in a world he doesn’t understand, it slowly becomes clear that they are pawns, moving around a board controlled by startlingly evil people. Even when the very philosophical middleman (Brad Pitt) assures Fassbender that he’s in much deeper than he thinks, Fassbender’s unnamed counselor (unnamed because he is ultimately not important enough to have a name) ignores him. The more Fassbender and Bardem distance themselves from the action through rationale and hubris, the closer the trucks get, the higher the body count and the more personal the danger becomes. The contrasts between an arid desert where the trucks rumble on and a lifestyles-of-the-rich-andfamous paradise of beauty and finery remain glaring. Until they collide. To appreciate this artfully constructed dark tale of greed and naiveté, and their consequences, requires a healthy dose of detachment from audiences. These are characters and actions to avoid in the world. The Counselor is how not to live your life. December 2013 East Side Monthly
35
On the Menu
by Dale Rappaneau
cause.
ELISE PENN PANSEY The Pet Friendly Realtor
Feeding Hunger A warm meal can be a holiday wonder DEDICATION... ...is a word that is both used and abused these days. But I want you to know that I really am dedicated to my customers and to my profession. If a real estate transaction is in your future, let’s talk. Then you can decide for yourself if you really believe that I am... ...DEDICATED... to serving YOU! Call me today!
ELISE PENN PANSEY The Pet Friendly Realtor Butterman & Kryston, Inc. The proceeds from the Catherine Amoriggi 2014 calendar benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank
With all the merrymaking and gift-giving going on in December, it’s easy to forget that Rhode Island ranks highest for food insecurity in New England, according to the latest Rhode Island Food Bank report. Worse still, the United States Department of Agriculture claims 15.5% of Rhode Islanders (about 67,000 households) are labeled as “food insecure” - a USDA label for families suffering from such problems as “reduced quality, variety or desirability of diet” and “disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.” No matter how you look at it, this issue is a huge stain on this little state. But opportunities abound to combat the problem, and with it being the season to support one’s fellow man, now is the time to take an extra step toward feeding a family and making someone’s festive season truly memorable. First opportunity: When shopping for a foodie, look no further than 16-year-old chef Catherine Amoriggi’s full-color 2014 calendar, which features her original recipes and stunning photos of her creations. The generosity and support of the Amoriggi family makes it possible for 100% of the proceeds to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Calendars are $15 each and can be purchased from Books on the Square, Farmstead and Stock Culinary Goods. Second: For less gift-giving and more good-eating, the City Dining Cards
return for another year of intense restaurant savings. This year’s deck deals out 50 cards that give $10 off the price of a $30 meal at such restaurants as Abyssinia, Tortilla Flats, India and Rasoi. Each deck costs $20. When ordering a deck online (www.citydiningcards.com), use the coupon code RIFoodBank and $11 of the purchase price will go directly to supporting the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. (Alternatively, buying them directly from the RICFB will do the same.) Third: There’s always the good, old fashioned donating-food-for-the-betterment-of-all method. For the month of December, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank is looking for donations of what they consider “most needed” food items: tuna, peanut butter, canned fruits and veggies, nutritious breakfast cereals, granola bars - the list goes on and on. Call the RICFB at 942-6325 for more information about which items are appropriate for donation. Items can be dropped off at the RICFB (200 Niantic Ave) any weekday, from 8am to 5pm. Fourth: On December 1, from 11am3pm, stop by Chez Pascal (960 Hope Street) for their Art and Craft Sale. Shop for handmade gifts created by local artists and take a chance on a raffle basket all while having lunch at the Wurst Kitchen. And, of course, the bar will be open. All proceeds from the raffle will go towards a charitable
749 East Ave. Pawtucket, RI @ Blackstone Blvd
401.455.1625 www.elisepennpansey.com 401.521.9490 x22
FREE LESSON DAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 at the Philharmonic Music School 667 Waterman Ave, East Providence
FREE DEMONSTRATION CLASSES
for babies, toddlers & pre-schoolers! 9:30, 10:30 & 11:30am
FREE 30 MINUTE PRIVATE LESSON
with a member of our Faculty! 2:00 - 7:00pm
To register go to riphil.org/musicschool and click on the “Free Lesson Day” link. Deadline to register: Friday, December 6, 5pm We’ll confirm lesson time by email by Tuesday, December 10 free lesson day open to new students only.
December 2013 East Side Monthly
37
special advertising section
Dining Guide
LJ’S BBQ
LJ’s features ribs, pork, chicken and beef cooked low and slow in their customized pit, made with recipes from co-owner Bernie Watson’s grandmother, Miss Leola Jean. It’s great food at a great value. 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket; 305-5255. ljsbbq.com BrLD $-$$
Downtown
Avenue; 223-0332. harukisushi.com LD $-$$$
CAV The New York Times’ choice as one of Providence’s five best restaurants, CAV’s award-winning cuisine is available for lunch and dinner daily. They also feature Saturday/Sunday brunch. 14 Imperial Place; 751-9164. cavrestaurant.com BrLD $$-$$$ HEMENWAY’S A true Providence classic, Hemenway’s has been serving topnotch seafood for 20 years. Their oyster bar features everything from the famed Prince Edward Island varieties to the local favorite Poppasquash Point. 121 South Main Street; 351-8570. hemenwaysrestaurant.com LD $$-$$$ MILLS TAVERN The only restaurant in RI to receive the Mobil Four Star Award for five consecutive years, Mills Tavern provides traditional American cuisine in a warm, friendly setting. 101 North Main Street; 272-3331. millstavernrestaurant. com D $$-$$$
Photography: Dan Schwartz
Wayland/Elmgrove HARUKI EAST The chefs behind this sushi bar provide a minimalist, upscale, comfortable dining experience. Try the toro ankimo – fatty tuna and monkfish liver paté with eggplant tempura, served with a black bean sauce. 172 Wayland
RED STRIPE Red Stripe serves classic comfort food with a French influence. Their food is reasonably priced and made with passion. 465 Angell Street; 437-6950. redstriperestaurants.com BrLD $$-$$$ WATERMAN GRILLE With its covered outdoor seating overlooking the Seekonk River, Waterman Grille offers seasonally inspired new American fare in a comfortable setting. 4 Richmond Square; 521-9229. watermangrille.com BrD $$-$$$
Hope/Thayer BLAZE Since 2005, this fun and friendly establishment plays host to a unique bistro style of cuisine. There’s a variety of foods including Portobello Penne Pink Vodka or the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. 776 Hope Street; 277-2529. blazerestaurants.com LD $-$$ CHEZ PASCAL Chef Matt Gennuso’s East Side kitchen offers French food with a modern twist. Try the Bistro Menu (Tue-Thur), which features three courses for $35 per person. Delicieux! 960 Hope Street; 421-4422. chez-pascal.com D $-$$$
Key
BYOB
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Outdoor Seating
East Side Monthly December 2013
GOURMET HOUSE Beautiful murals and décor set the mood for delicious Cambodian and Southeast Asian cuisine, spicy curries and noodle dishes. The tamarind duck is a must. 787 Hope Street; 831-3400. gourmethouseri.com LD $-$$
and more. Lunch and dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday, 960 Hope Street; 421-4422. chez-pascal.com LD $-$$$
INDIA India maintains its traditional flavors and dishes while serving local favorites. Try their Spicy Steamed Mussels followed by Lamb Chop Kabobs for a well-rounded experience. 1060 Hope Street; 421-2600. Indiarestaurant.com BrLD $-$$
DOLCE GELATERIA This little treat shop will satisfy your sweet tooth with its homemade ice cream, gelato and warm homemade waffle cones. Stop in to visit the Lanni family for a delicious experience! 270 Wickenden Street; 944-0707. LD $
KARTABAR This European-style restaurant and lounge offers a full menu of unique dishes with Mediterranean flair and eclectic flavors. They also offer a top-notch wine list and martini menu. 284 Thayer Street; 331-8111. kartabar. com LD $-$$
EAST SIDE CREAMERY & DINER Bring the family and indulge in 24 flavors of soft serve and hard ice cream as well as other classic diner treats. 170 Ives Street; 865-6088. BLD $
KITCHEN BAR Offering contemporary comfort cuisine in an elegant setting, Kitchen Bar features daily specials and take-out. Try their Clams Zuppa or Coriander Encrusted Flat Iron Steak or have the kids order from the kid’s menu. 771 Hope Street; 331-4100. LD $-$$ THE MEETING STREET CAfé This casual cafe offers not only delicious lunch from how-you-want-it sandwiches to lasagna, but their hearty sandwiches come with a bonus: all fresh veggie toppings are free. 220 Meeting Street; 273-1066. meetingstreetcafe.com. BL $-$$ RUE DE L’ESPOIR In business for over 30 years, the Rue has only gotten better. Beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients, the innovative, constantly changing menu keeps diners on their toes. Check out their superb brunch. 99 Hope Street; 751-8890. therue.com BBrLD $$-$$$ THREE SISTERS This highly acclaimed creamery features traditional Vanilla Bean along with new award-winning flavors such as Kulfi (cardimum, cinnamon, pistachio). Don’t miss it’s well-crafted breakfast omelets and lunchtime paninis. 1074 Hope St; 273-7230, threesistersri. com. BBRL $ WURST KITCHEN AT CHEZ PASCAL Come have lunch or dinner at the Wurst Kitchen, a small open kitchen located in Chez Pascal, featuring house–made sausages, cured meats
Wickenden
Jewelry District/Waterfront RUE BIS This intimate eatery provides breakfast and lunch in a cozy, neighborhood bistro atmosphere – all with the gourmet pedigree of Hope Street dining staple Rue De L’Espoir behind it. 95 South Street; 490-9966. therue. com BBrL $ BAKER STREET RUE The Rue De L’Espoir empire expands with this comfortable neighborhood café serving “upscale diner food.” 75 Baker Street; 4905025. BBrLD $-$$
Broadway JULIAN’S Captivating Providence’s hip and artsy culture, Julian’s is always packed with regulars looking for great food. Enjoy the freshest ingredients in their Cinnamon Orange Vegan French Toast or the House Smoked Salmon Platter. 318 Broadway; 861-1770. juliansprovidence.com BBrLD $-$$
Ives BEE’S THAI CUISINE Using the freshest ingredients to serve up such offerings as Mango Rolls, Pumpkin with Red Curry and Pineapple Fried Rce, Bee’s is a welcome addition to Providence’s culinary scene. With generous portions and friendly staff, bee’s will keep you coming back for more. 167 Ives Street; 273-2727. LD $$
B breakfast Br brunch L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10–20 $$$ 20+ Late-night Dining Parking Lot Valet Parking Family Friendly Find a review on eastsidemonthly.com
HOPE
&
TAYLOR Company
RESIDENTIAL SALES + RENTALS + INVESTMENTS
STREET h e h o l i a ys t r o d f
Get in the Spirit at the Winter Stroll
William Raveis Real Estate 203 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903
www.wrrealty.com tandc@raveis.com 401.270.7909
PASSION + PROFESSIONALISM + PERSEVERANCE
Thursday, December 5, 4-8pm (rain date Thursday, December 12)
Providence’s Upper Hope Street (Seven Stars area)
Hay Rides • Pictures with Santa Extraordinary Rendition Band • Glass Blowing Fire jugglers • Food trucks • Petting zoo Providence Children ’s Film Festival Free refreshments and so much more!
Providence Art club 109th AnnuAl
little Pictures show 2013 Original Art $250 or less, cash & carry paintings, prints, glass, mixed media and more Opening Reception: Sunday, November 17, 12-4pm Exhibition Dates: November 17-December 23 Extended Gallery Hours:
Monday-Wednesday & Friday 12-5pm Thursday12-6pm • Weekends 12-4pm 11 Thomas St., Providence, R.I. 02903 • 401.331.1114 • www.providenceartclub.org December 2013 East Side Monthly
39
CHAnge yOur sAle sign tO SOLD ILY
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125 Butler Avenue Spacious legal 3 family building close to all conveniences. Investors take notice! Recently updated with new fire code alarm system, plenty of parking and very nice large units drawing tops rents. $345,000 Aleen Weiss
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121 Butler Avenue Perfect for investors! Great rental history with this 3 unit multi-family home right on the bus line a walking distance to all conveniences. Recently updated with new fire code alarm system and plenty of off-street parking. $310,000 Aleen Weiss
LD
84-86 EIGHTH STREET Fully rented 3 unit in great location close to Miriam Hospital and walking distance to Hope Street shops and restaurants. 2nd and 3rd floors are renovateed w/ new kitchen and baths plus gleaming hardwoods and newer heating systems. $299,000 Karen Miller
49 MEDWAY STREET Bright Victorian in busy Wayland Square-great opportunity to have your office in your home (zoned RP). Lots of light with original details, hardwoods. Come see the potential $379,888 Claire Sennott and Gail Jenard
LD
SO
P
LIS
SO
169 CoNGDoN STREET Stunning (c1854 ) Mansard Victorian located on the sought after college hill. Tastefully restored, staying with the charm of days gone by. State of the art kitchen, 6 beds, 2.5baths, wide plank floors & fenced yard. Taxes do not reflect homestead. $534,900 Aleen Weiss
30 KIMBALL STREET Two family in good condition, new mechanicals, fireplace, two car garage, great starter home. Some minor repairs needed. Property being sold “as is.” $109,000 Karen Miller
LD
SO
22 LINDA STREET Stunning 13 year young oversized cape located in sought after Lonsdale. Ready to move in! 3 beds, master on first, 2 full 2 half baths. Generous rooms, skylights, above ground pool in park like setting. Fenced yard, beautiful deck off kitchen, full basement. $398,500 Aleen Weiss
LD
SO
954 HoPE STREET Great little bungalow right across from Lippett Park. Perfect starter home with new gas heating system, 6 y/o roof, all new windows, fireplace and mother-in-law apt on 2nd floor. Just needs updating to make it your own. Property is being sold “as is.” $230,000 Listed by Karen Miller
Assisting Buyers, sellers And renters Aleen WeissH Jon WeissHF Howard Weiss H Karen Miller Claire Sennott Lauren Sickel Gail Jenard HAlso licensed in MA
FLicensed RI Environmental Lead Inspector 0065
785 Hope Street, providence, ri • 401-272-6161 • SpitzweiSS.com
Don’t know where to eat tonight? East Side Monthly presents
Informative restaurant profiles to help you decide
WWW.RHODYBITES.COM 40
East Side Monthly December 2013
At School Today by Jill Davidson WWW.HARUKISUSHI.COM
Education Reform Standing up against public schools’ reign of error It may well be that you’ve heard or read about Diane Ravitch and her new book, Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement. Ravitch, a historian of education and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, is a polarizing figure, fierce with her opinions and unstinting in her use of research and data to back up her claims that the dominant brand of education reform that has evolved since the 1990s has damaged our nation’s schools, the teaching profession, the lives of young people (particularly those who come from poor families and neighborhoods) and the fabric of our democracy. Reign of Error’s first half feels like a guided tour through the polluted landscape of our education policy and the weakened public system that has resulted. Ravitch describes corporate education reform – the coordination between policy makers and corporate interests that has produced a system in which private, for-profit interests have flourished in the form of corporate-run charter school chains, profitable standardized testing mandates, weakened unions and much more. I realize that this sounds like a dismissible conspiracy theory. Nevertheless, I encourage you to don your tinfoil hat and pay attention to Ravitch’s arguments. This invasion of private interests into our public school system has been made possible in large part by the widespread belief that our public schools are failing. You’ve probably talked with people who believe this. You may believe it yourself, and indeed there is a plethora of data and anecdotes that make this view plausible. But plausibility does not mean certainty. Education and the systems that deliver are necessarily complex, and that complexity demands careful, critical thinking that is, of course, the product of good education. Along with most of us, Ravitch acknowledges that our nation’s schools need improvement. But that does not mean that schools are failing wholesale. Reign of Error smacks down one myth after another that have whipped us into
a frenzy of believing that we are in the grip of a true educational crisis. This crisis-driven thinking pushes us into ceding common sense and with it, democratic control of our schools and school systems. The resulting reforms have produced narrowed curriculum, reduced staffing and services, demeaned teachers, a relentless effort in our nation’s cities to close schools, draconian and relentless high-stakes standardized testing regimes, reduced district and school budgets and other such ills. Moreover, these reforms have not produced any meaningful solutions to real problems such as the achievement gap. At Reign of Error’s heart is the insistence that we comprehend the effects of poverty on the lives of students and on the schools that they attend. No matter how much we truly believe that demography is not destiny, Ravitch persuasively argues that poverty primarily determines the results of standardized testing. We cannot attempt to fix schools without addressing the devastating effects of poverty; these efforts must be conducted not only simultaneously but in coordination. Schools should be centers of support in kids’ lives, linked to social services and health care. Without a systematic focus on ad-
dressing the root causes of poverty, we are holding children, teachers and schools accountable for that which they cannot control. Again, Ravitch reminds us how complex the task of measuring academic achievement truly is. Despite the temptation of hard data’s easy answers, don’t ever look at a child, school or district’s test scores without thinking about the myriad uncontrollable factors that influenced those “results.” Reign of Error’s second half offers a comprehensive set of solutions to guide our nation’s schools back to their original purpose – “to prepare everyone to assume the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.” Ravitch’s suggested solutions are comprehensive. She recommends providing good prenatal care for all pregnant women and high quality early childhood education for all children, and proceeds to outline specific policies and practices that could provide meaningful educational experiences for all students, support for children and families in need, a strengthened teaching profession and a healthy mix of in-district public schools and charter schools that truly serve their communities. Her suggestions are – you guessed it – necessarily complex and based on evidence, drawing on what we already know what works reliably to build a strong system of public education that offers students more than basic skills. For those of you who believe yourselves to be politically opposed to Ravitch: read the second half of Reign of Error first. No matter what your political stance, it’s difficult not to be compelled by her suggestions for change. How ironic, and unlikely, that Ravitch, with her polarizing reputation, would have the effect of compelling us to get over our differences, get past the rhetoric and unite to do better for our children. Jill Davidson can be reached at whathappenedatschool@gmail. com or her blog, providenceschools.blogspot.com
Gift Cards available HARUKI EAST
172 Wayland Ave Providence / 223-0332 HARUKI EXPRESS 112 Waterman St Providence / 421-0754
HARUKI CRANSTON 1210 Oaklawn Ave Cranston / 463-8338
Sushi Platters Available For Holiday Parties!
Tomasso Auto Swedish Motors Would Like To Wish Everyone A Happy And Safe Holiday Season
729 East Avenue Top of the East Side, next door to Rite Aid
401-723-1111 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
December 2013 East Side Monthly
41
Finance by Betsey Purinton | illustration by Maret Paetznick
Living the Life Goal-oriented versus lifecycle planning approaches to retirement When you think of
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East Side Monthly December 2013
retirement income, do you focus on one big number? “I believe I can live on this amount of money a year.” Or do think in terms of goals? “These are the payments I have to make; these are the things I like to do; and here is my wish list.” There are two commonly referenced schools of thought on retirement income planning: lifecycle finance and modern retirement theory. It can be helpful to know which camp you fall into. In lifecycle finance, one’s goals are not prioritized. Instead, retirees have a certain level of spending in mind and look for withdrawal rates that allow them to do the things they want to do. Their biggest concern is whether their nest egg will be able to support the desired lifestyle. Trouble can occur when retirees allow the level of spending to creep up beyond a safe withdrawal rate or when a market decline threatens their overall standard of living. Modern retirement theory divides spending into goals: basic necessities of life, contingency funds, discretionary expenses and legacy/luxury goals. The goal-oriented retiree is very mindful of spending from these four categories, sometimes going so far as to allocate different monies to each goal. The danger here is that ever changing preferences and multiple accounts or allocations can become cumbersome and confusing. I can tell which approach my clients are taking based, in part, on what they bring to our meetings. Typical lifecycle retirees focus on the bottom line. They will hand me a carefully (or loosely) crafted budget, bypass the details and point to the last line item. “Here are our expenses. This is what we need.” Goal oriented retirees are focused on the details of the budget. They often are struggling with the issue of, “Can we afford to do this?” and “Where should the money come from?” The matching of assets to spending goals brings accountability, but it can cause people to focus on what they can’t do instead of what they can. I prefer a combination of the two approaches. The lifecycle approach, which I find less stressful for people,
has a bottom line – a maximum level of withdrawal – which can provide some discipline. At the same time I do like a bit of mixing and matching of accounts, as promoted by modern retirement theorists. I prefer an emergency reserve that is isolated from investments. I love dependable income streams (pensions, social security, annuity payments) for basic needs. And I like clients to diversify their risk between investments and accounts to allow for short term and long term planning. Before arriving in my office, one couple, preparing for retirement, had spent their entire weekend formulating spreadsheets on who owned what, where, and drawing up a detailed budget of their retirement picture. They sat down slightly blurry eyed. When I asked them whether they saw their retirement in terms of goals or lifestyle, they looked down at the reams of paper in front of them and said, “I think we have been goal-oriented
preparing for retirement, but we’ll be quite comfortable with a lifestyle approach once we get there.” When pre-retirees feel that they have enough money set aside for the remainder of their lives, they can relax a little. The flexibility of lifecycle financing allows them to change priorities and modify spending without feeling that their overall lifestyle is threatened. At the same time, knowledge that certain basic goals can be met in predictable ways helps to establish a more secure retirement. Betsey Purinton, CFP® is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at StrategicPoint Investment Advisors in Providence and East Greenwich. You can e-mail her at bpurinton@strategicpoint.com. The information contained in this report is not intended as investment, tax or legal advice. StrategicPoint Investment Advisors assumes no responsibility for any action or inaction resulting from the contents herein.
New Year
new eAST SiDe MONThly We’ve been serving the East Side since 1975, and starting next month we’ll be serving you in new ways. Look for the following changes in early 2014.
New Distribution
with our January 2014 issue, we will begin using the US Postal Service’s every Door Direct program – that means faster, more accurate delivery to every home and business in 02906. To coincide with better in-home coverage, we will shift our street distribution to a select group of neighborhood hubs so that readers who don’t live on the east Side can still get their monthly connection to the community.
New Content anD Look
Over the next several issues we will be revamping our content and design to better reflect the dynamic, vibrant community that we serve. These changes will happen in phases, but you can expect an East Side Monthly that looks and reads better than ever before – and covers more of the issues that are important to you.
New engagement
At the same time we will be ramping up our online presence to include more web-only content, and a stronger social media presence. Visit EastSideMonthly. com, like us at Facebook.com/eastsidemonthly.com, and follow us on Twitter @EastSideMonthly. Talk to us. Tell us what you think. Give us your feedback. Take your engagement to the next level: we’re looking for writers, bloggers, photographers, and other creative people who are passionate about this community to contribute to the new East Side Monthly.
esm@providenceonline.com eastsidemonthly.com facebook.com/eastsidemonthly Twitter: @EastSideMonthly
Warm Holiday Wishes from Andreas thanksgiving dinner With speCial menu! open Christmas eve until 5pm now accepting reservations For new year's eve hangover Brunch on new year's day
268 Thayer STreeT, Providence • 331-7879 andreaSri.com Complimentary valet parking thursday through sunday
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East Side Monthly December 2013
Art
Common App? we help you shine
by Sarah Bertness
Knot to Forget Old is new again for a local furniture maker Has Temporarily Relocated To Moderne Salon Center Place
east side english
50 Park Row West
expert
Cityside of the Train Station while we prepare our new location on the Brown University walkway
editing proofreading tutoring
Parking Available With Meters & Validated Garage
David Ellison creates one-of-a-kind pieces at the Lorimer Workshop
Ten Minute Walk From Brown Campus info@eastsideenglish.com 401.290.8181 eastsideenglish.com
Make your appointment today The Lorimer Workshop’s founder David Ellison knows that a table is never just a table. It’s a meeting place; a place to entertain and celebrate, to catch up and enjoy the comfort and company of family and friends. That’s why each piece that David custom-designed and handcrafts is as unique as the carefully chosen lumber it’s made from and customer it’s made for. “People want to be part of the discussion,” says David of his customer demographic and their creative input. When David took an “early retirement” eight years ago with plans to spend more time pursuing his lifelong hobby of restoring antique furniture, he had no idea that his passion project would become a full time business. He started an online Etsy store to sell his furniture, and the company that specializes in sales of arts and handicrafts was so impressed with the product they placed an order of their own, filling their Brooklyn offices with dozens of Daviddesigned desks. Now with a staff of seven and a workshop in Providence’s renovated Dyerville Mill, David and his team are crafting custom tables for homes across the country. David has always been interested in the history and functionality of design, a love he credits to his mother and a childhood visiting old houses all across his native Scotland. His tables have a story already engrained in their purpose and construction technique, whether crafting a utilitarian American farm table or a contemporary industrial design with
legs crafted from old cast iron machinery. “There’s almost an excitement about building something the way it would have been built 100, 200 years ago, with some improvements, using modern materials and saws.” David draws inspiration from the unique origins, eras and cultures of table styles, as well as from the customers themselves. “The creativity over the years has been the customer’s creativity,” says David on the input and collaboration he embraces. Often customers will bring him an idea or even their own design, and David will work to adapt their vision into a piece of furniture that will become part of their home and family history. When he can, David personally delivers the product, sharing a glass of wine and toasting the memories yet to be made around the table. When he can, David likes to use resourced wood. “Its tremendous fun to look at a board, and envisage how to make it into a table that has that same uniqueness.” David’s designs don’t just include the natural flaws of the wood, they embrace them. Nothing goes to waste in his studio. His love of items and antiques that tell stories of past owners and lifetimes is evident from walls covered in vintage posters and a covetable collection of typewriters. An old bicycle sits in a far corner. “I probably can’t make a table out of that,” David jokes. But that won’t stop him from trying. The Lorimer Workshop, 610 Manton Ave., Providence. 529-3565, www. lorimerworkshop.com.
401-274-5660 Early Childhood - 12th grade, Co-Ed
Moses Brown School
Admissions Open House
Sunday, Jan. 12
1:30 to 3:30pm
Where Quaker Education Builds
Confidence & Character Considering an independent education for your child? Spend a day at Moses Brown School, meet students, faculty and parents, and get an up-close view of our plans for the future of education.
Register online today at mosesbrown.org/admissionsevents
Moses Brown School 250 Lloyd Avenue Providence, RI 02906 (401) 831-7350 December 2013 East Side Monthly
45
A Providence Original... Providing award-winning food & impeccable service for 11 years • 7-time Winner of the Forbes Four Star Rating • Providence Phoenix Best Steakhouse 2013
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millstavernrestaurant.com
401.272.3331 101 N. Main Street
Naughty or Nice? It doesn’t matter! Receive a $10 Guest Appreciation Card when you purchase $50 worth of gift cards through December 31st. Celebrate the season with us & enjoy selections from our new Winter menu. For reservations visit:
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401.437.6950 465 Angell St. in Wayland Square, Providence Open Sunday, including Brunch from 10am - 3pm
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*supporting over smallcircleri.com 120 small businesses* 437-8338 Visit us: 464 wickenden st. providence, ri Find us: www.smallcircleri.com PROVIDENCE
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10/31/2013
Richard Benjamin 2014 Calendar
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Taylor & Company is thrilled to announce that J.C. Standish will be joining the #1 Sales Team at William Raveis as Director of Sales. J.C.'s unique experience as both a luxury real estate professional and savvy sales manager will further expand Taylor & Company's position as the most sought-after sales and leasing team in the region. As a long-time resident of the East Side, J.C. looks forward to expanding the local Raveis brand.
It’s never too early to plan ahead Pre-arrangements are a thoughtful and prudent decision that may help to ease your loved one’s anxieties. • Accommodations for all faiths, traditions and wishes. • All-in-one options for calling hours, service and reception. • Newly remodeled throughout
• Reception room • Easy access from I-195 • Ample free parking • Over 125 years of reputation for excellence
J.C. can be reached at JC.Standish@raveis.com or 401.207.7771.
William Raveis Real Estate 203 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903
www.wrrealty.com tandc@raveis.com 401.270.7909
PASSION + PROFESSIONALISM + PERSEVERANCE
401.331.4592 • 401.421.9887 230 WATERMAN AVE., WAYLAND SQUARE • PROVIDENCE WWW.MONAHANDRABBLESHERMAN.COM • EMAIL: MKDSFH@AOL.COM
Psoriasis Research Study If you have plaque psoriasis, you may qualify for a research study being conducted at Rhode Island Hospital.
In this unique 3 day experience you will be guided to find your purpose and ignite your passion. Live the life you were born to live. All while enjoying one of the top rated spas in New England!
LifeWork: Fulfillment & Impact January 24th - 26th, 2014 The Norwich Inn and Spa, Norwich CT Learn more here: http://www.katesiner.com/fulfillment-and-impact Kate Siner PhD • www.KateSiner.com 401.272.4578 • admin@katesiner.com
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East Side Monthly December 2013
Volunteers are currently being sought for a research study of an ointment for the treatment of PSORIASIS. To qualify you must: • Be 18 years of age or older • Have plaque type psoriasis All Study procedures, visits, and study ointment will be provided at no cost to you. Qualifying participants will be compensated for time and travel expenses. For More Information, Please Call: (401) 444-7853
Calendar
edited by Erin Swanson
December music | performance | social happenings | galleries | learn | sports
DON’T MISS THIS MONTH: 10 events at the top of our list Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Lost Christmas Eve. December 18 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence. www.dunkindonutscenter.com
1
Santa’s Workshop. December 7 at Slater Mill Museum in Pawtucket. www.slatermill.org
2
The Nutcracker. December 20-22 at PPAC in Providence. www.ppacri.org
3
9th Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. December 7 at the Artists’ Exchange in Cranston. www.artistsexchange.org
4
In Sweet Rejoicing: Christmas with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale Chamber Choir, December 22. www.ricco.org.
5 Trans-Siberian Orchestra rocks the Dunk on December 18
MUSIC arena & club | classical ARENA & CLUB AS220 December 8: RISA Songwriters in the Round. December 12: Azar Swan, Winter Line, Delphic Oracle. December 13: 14 Foot 1, Huge Face, The Bynars, Providence Holiday Saxaphone Choir. December 20: Karma Rocket. December 27: Benefit Show for Home & Hospice Care of RI featuring The Remover, Shadow of a Doubt and Faceless Mouse. December 28: The Wayout, Milkbread, Charge the Atlantic. 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.as220.org. CHAN’S FINE ORIENTAL DINING December 6: Love Dogs. December 7: Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. December 13: Duke Robillard. December 14: Albert Cummings. December 20: Erin
Harpe & the Delta Swingers. December 21: Chan’s Holiday Extravaganza. December 27: Jeff Pitchel and Charles Neville. December 28: Popa Chubby. December 29: Jeff Pitchell. December 31: New Year Eve Party with the Fat City Band. 267 Main Street, Woonsocket. 765-1900, www.chanseggrollsandjazz.com. COLUMBUS THEATRE December 2: Bombino and Last Good Tooth. 270 Broadway. 621-9660, www. columbustheatre.com. DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER December 14: Donny & Marie Christmas in Providence. 1 LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www.dunkindonutscenter.com. FETE MUSIC December 7: Austin Lucas. 103 Dike Street, Providence. 383-1112, www.fetemusic.com.
FOXWOODS December 1: Brian Setzer Orchestra. December 3: Branson On the Road. December 27: Pitbull. December 29: KC and the Sunshine Band. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800-200-2882, www.foxwoods.com.
Style Setting in the Salon. December 6 at The Providence Athenaeum in Providence. www.providenceathenaeum.org
6
Christmas in the Air. December 6 at the Governor Henry Lippitt House in Providence. www.lippitthouse.org
7
Holiday Open Studio Sale and Foundry Artists Holiday Show. December 5-8 & 13-15 at Mad Dog Artist Studios and the Pawtucket Armory in Pawtucket. www.maddogartiststudios.com
LUPO’S HEARTBREAK HOTEL December 3: Matisyahu. December 4: The Hives. December 6: Lupe Fiasco. December 28: Mike Stud. December 29: The White Panda. 79 Washington Street, Providence. 331-5876, www.lupos.com.
8
THE MET December 7: A Wilheim Scream. December 8: NRBQ. December 14: The Wonder Years. December 21: I Am the Avalanche. December 30: Transit. 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. 729-1005, www.themetri.com.
9
MOHEGAN SUN December 6: Kenny Rogers. 1 Mohegan
Donnie & Marie Christmas in Providence. December 14 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence. www.dunkidonutscenter.com 36th Annual Holiday Bazaar. December 7-8 at the International House. www.internationalhouseofri.org
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December 2013 East Side Monthly
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Calendar
design • site plans • consulting installation • planting • hand pruning
401-742-1895
robertalanmatthews.com
continued...
Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 888226-7711, www.mohegansun.com. ROOTS CULTURAL CENTER Tuesdays: Jazz Jam. Fridays: Ladies Night. Sundays: Sweet P and the Who Dat Band. 276 Westminster Street, Providence. 272-7422, www.rootsprovidence.com. THE SPOT UNDERGROUND Mondays: 990WBOB’s Mondays on Blast. Tuesdays: Creation Tuesday. Wednesdays: Free Funk Wednesday. 15 Elbow Street, Providence. 3837133, www.thespotprovidence.com. CLASSICAL DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER December 18: Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Lost Christmas Eve. 1 LaSalle Square, Providence. 331-6700, www. dunkindonutscenter.com.
Computer Consulting For Your Business or Home Expert Witness Web Design Repair Training Network Admin Home/Commercial
LIPPITT HOUSE October 6: Christmas in the Air: An acoustic performance by Mary Audette, Alan Bradbury and Everett Brown. 199 Hope Street. 453-0688, lippitthouse.org. MOHEGAN SUN December 19: Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 888-226-7711, www.mohegansun.com. OPERA PROVIDENCE December 5: A Holiday Masterpiece at the Providence Art Club. 11 Thomas Street, Providence. 331-6060, www. operaprovidence.org. PARK THEATRE December 7: Sypro Gyra. December 8: The Temptations. December 14: Mary Mary. 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. 4677275, www.parktheatreri.com. PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER December 13: 2013 Holiday Pops Tour: Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2787, www.ppacri.org.
Richard Suls // 401.270.3785 richard@richardsuls.com www.richardsuls.com
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East Side Monthly December 2013
RHODE ISLAND PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA December 7: Handel’s Messiah! 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence. 221-1467, www.vmari.com. RICCO December 22: In Sweet Rejoicing:
Festival Ballet presents The Nutcracker December 20-22
Christmas with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale Chamber Choir. First Baptist Church, 75 North Main Street, Providence. 521-5670, www.ricco.org. VETERANS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM December 4: Straight No Chaser: Under the Influence Tour. 1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence. 2211467, www.vmari.com.
PERFORMANCE comedy | dance | theatre COMEDY AS220 December 1: Empire Revue: sketch comedy, improv, music, burlesque and magic. Saturdays: Improv Jones. 95 and 115 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.as220.org. COMEDY CONNECTION December 6-7: John Perotta. December 13-14: Na’im Lynn. December 20-21: Frank Santorelli. December 27-28: Jermaine Fowler. Fridays: Hardcore Comedy. Sundays: Comedy Showcase. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. 4388383, www.ricomedyconnection.com. EVERETT Every Friday: Friday Night Live. 9 Duncan Avenue, Providence. 831-9479, www.everettri.org. FOXWOODS December 5-7: Kyle Grooms. December 6: Ralphie May. December 7: Jerry
Seinfeld. December 12-14: Dean Edwards. December 14: Lisa Lampanelli. December 19-21: John Moses. December 26-28: Big Jay Oakerson. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800-200-2882, www.foxwoods.com. 95 EMPIRE BLACK BOX Saturday Nights: Improv Jones. 95 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.improvjones.com. DANCE AS220 Mondays: Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance. Tuesdays: YoBalAtes. Tuesdays: Jazz/Hip Hop Fusion. Sundays: Beginner and Intermediate Ballet. 95 Empire Street, Providence. 831-9327, www.as220.org. FESTIVAL BALLET December 20-22: The Nutcracker. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 353-1129, www.festivalballet.com. FOXWOODS December 7-8: Nutcracker Spectacular. 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, CT. 800-200-2882, www.foxwoods.com. MOHEGAN SUN December 31: Cirque Celebration. 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 888-226-7711, www.mohegansun.com. PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER December 20-22: The Nutcracker. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 4212787, www.ppacri.org.
Stop by to Share in the Holiday Cheer! Official drop off site for Toys for Tots
EPOCH of Providence would like to wish you and your family a joyous and happy holiday season. Senior Living on Blackstone Boulevard
Assisted Living on the East Side
401-273-6565
401-275-0682
353 Blackstone Blvd. • Providence, RI
www.EPOCHBlackstone.com
M a t c h i n g S t e r l i n g E a r r i n g s R e g . $ 2 4
O u r E x c l u s i v e 2 0 1 3 S t e r l i n g S n o w f l a k e P i n / P e n d a n t R e g . $ 3 6
S a l e $ 1 9
S a l e $ 2 9 C h a i n s o l d s e p a r a t e l y .
One Butler Avenue • Providence, RI
www.EPOCHEastside.com
Assisted Living . Short-Term Rehabilitation Long-Term Care . Skilled Nursing Memory Care . Respite . Fitness Center
(RI Relay 711)
Innovation, Creativity, Style…
F r e e G i f t W r a p p i n g . E x t e n d e d H o l i d a y H o u r s . W i c k f o r d P r o v i d e n c e B r i s t o l 2 4 B r o w n S t . 7 3 5 H o p e S t . 2 9 7 H o p e S t . 2 9 5 - 0 0 8 6 6 2 1 - 9 0 9 2 2 5 3 - 5 0 0 5 w w w . g r e e n r i v e r s i l v e r . c o m
i really don'T need a nice relaxing day aT The Spa. – Said no one, EVER
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297 Thayer STreeT, Providence • 401.331.4777 December 2013 East Side Monthly
51
Leader’s in Eye Care Since 1927 Dr. David A. Vito Dr. John D. Corrow Dr. Carl D. Corrow
Welcoming Dr. Michael Martinez To The Practice!
Calendar
continued...
Dr. J. Lawrence Norton Dr. Matthew D. Doyle Dr. Michael R. Martinez
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• Glaucoma • Macular Degeneration • Cataract • Diabetic Eye Disease • Designer Glasses • Specialty Contact Lenses
331-2020 • AdvancedEyeCareRI.com • 780 North Main Street, Providence
THEATRE ARTISTS EXCHANGE December 12-15: A Christmas Carol. Theatre 82, 82 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 490-9475, www.artists-exchange.org. GAMM THEATRE December 1-8: Good People. 172 Exchange Street, Pawtucket. 723-4266, www.gammtheatre.org.
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t: 401-480-0193 | 5 Lincoln Avenue, Providence 52
East Side Monthly December 2013
OCEAN STATE THEATRE COMPANY December 4-29: Miracle on 34th Street. 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick. 921-6800, www.oceanstatetheatre.org. PARK THEATRE December 19-21: A Christmas Carol. 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. 467-7275, www.parktheatreri.com. PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER December 1-7: Phantom of the Opera. December 15: Myth Busters. December 26-31: Wicked. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2787, www.ppacri.org. THEATRE WORKS December 6-8 & 13-15: Frank O’Donnell’s annual A Christmas Carmella. 142 Clinton Street, Woonsocket. 766-1898, twri.org. TRINITY REP December 1-22: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. 201 Washington Street, Providence. 351-4242, www. trinityrep.com. 2ND STORY THEATRE December 1-8: Golda’s Balcony. December 1-15: Saint Joan. 28 Market Street, Warren. 247-4200, www.2ndstorytheatre.com.
SOCIAL HAPPENINGS expos | fundraisers | seasonal FESTIVALS ARTISTS EXCHANGE December 21: Holiday Gala. 82 Rolfe
Square, Cranston. 490-9475, www. artists-exchange.org. AUDUBON SOCIETY December 7: Annual Holiday Craft Fair. 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield. 9495454, www.asri.org. INTERNATIONAL HOUSE December 7-8: 36th Annual Holiday Bazaar. 8 Stimson Avenue, Providence. 7515274, www.internationalhouseofri.org. PAWTUCKET ARMORY December 5-15: Holiday Open Studio Sale at Mad Dog Artist Studios and Foundry Artists Holiday Show at the adjacent Pawtucket Armory Building with light refreshments and wine. 65 Blackstone Avenue, Pawtucket. 3399311, www.maddogartiststudios.com. SAINT ANTOINE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE JUBILEE December 6-7: Children’s activities, live entertainment, photos with Santa, storytelling and more. 400 Mendon Road, North Smithfield. 767-3500, www.christmastreejubilee.com. SAVE THE BAY December 5: Annual Artists for Save the Bay Show and Sale. 100 Save the Bay Drive, Providence. 272-3540, www.savebay.org. TWIN RIVER December 31: NYE Dinner & Dance Party Featuring Boogie Nights. 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 723-3200, www.twinriver.com. FOR FOODIES BOTTLES Fridays: Beer Tasting. Saturdays: Wine Tasting. 141 Pitman Street, Providence. 372-2030, www.bottlesfinewine.com. FARM FRESH RHODE ISLAND Wednesdays and Saturdays: Wintertime Farmers’ Market. Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. www.farmfreshri.org. RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER December 7: The Rhode Island Film Collaborative Annual Black & White Gala. 1 Sabin Street, Providence. 4586000, www.riconvention.com. OTHER TRINITY BREWHOUSE
Calendar
continued...
LEGEND BICYCLE F o x P o i n t ’s N e i g h b o r h o o d B i k e S h o p
Tues. - Fri 10-7 Sat. 10-6 Sun. 12-5
Bicycle Sales /Service/Rentals L a y ‘o t h e L a n d M a p s
GALLERIES
ARTISTS EXCHANGE December 7: 9th Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. 82 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 490-9475, www. artists-exchange.org.
CHAZAN GALLERY December 1-11: Duane Slick and Leigh Tarentino. 228 Angell Street, Providence. 421-9230. www.chazangallery.org.
AUDUBON SOCIETY December 7: Winter Birding Van Trip. December 21: Welcome Winter! Tales for the Winter Solstice. 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield. 949-5454, www.asri.org.
CRAFTLAND December 1-31: Annual holiday show. 235 Westminster Street, Providence. 272-4285, www.craftlandshop.com.
BROWN UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE Every Saturday: Children’s Story Time. 244 Thayer Street, Providence. 8633168, bookstore.brown.edu.
DAVID WINTON BELL GALLERY December 1-8: Vincent Valdez: The Strangest Fruit. 64 College Street, Providence. 863-2932, www.brown. edu/campus-life/arts/bell-gallery.
LIPPITT HOUSE December 15: Family Holiday Afternoon with treats and activities. 199 Hope Street. 453-0688, lippitthouse.org.
MUSEUM OF WORK AND CULTURE December 1-31: The Ghost Army of WWII – Artists of December. 42 South Main Street, Woonsocket. 769-9675, wwww.rihs.org. PEREGRINE GALLERY December 1-31: Still Alone Here: New Photos by Zev Jonas and Willa Mamet. 150 Waterman Street, Providence. 654-4618, www.peregrinegallery.com. PROVIDENCE ART CLUB December 1-23: 109th Annual Little Pictures Show and Sale. 11 Thomas Street, Providence. 331-1114, www. providenceartclub.org. RISD MUSEUM OF ART December 1: PCFF Short Films in the Metcalf Auditorium. December 5: Course: Ways of Looking II – How Portraiture Made America. December 7: Teen Open Studio at the Fain Education Gallery. December 8: Annual Holiday Celebration. 224 Benefit Street, Providence. 4546500, www.risdmuseum.org. SAVE THE BAY December 5: Annual Artists for Save
IK
E
PA
TH
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Y
kIDS + FAMILy
Everything for the Transportation Cyclist and Urban Explorer
A
WILDFLOUR Last Sunday of the month: Free tarot card readings. 4-6pm. 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket. 475-4718, www.wildflourveganbakerycafe.com.
To u r i n g / C o m m u t i n g g e a r
B
the Bay Show and Sale. 100 Save the Bay Drive, Providence. 272-3540, www.savebay.org.
PROVIDENCE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM December 1: Stick Structures. December 3: Play and Learn: Bugs in Boxes. December 4-5, 11-12, 14-15: Think Shapes. December 6: Toddler Try-It: Shape Sort. December 7-8: After the Beanstalk. December 10: Play and Learn: Around the Town. December 13: Toddler Try-It: Stacking Cups. December 17: Play and Learn: Making Music. December 18-19: Collage Creators. December 20: Toddler Try-It: Rainbow Collage. December 21-22: Collage Holiday Cards. December 23 & 26: Block Party. December 27: Sparky’s Puppets. December 28: Rolie Polie Guacamole. December 29: Imagination Playground. December 30: Rhythm Roots. 100 South Street, Providence. 273-5437, www.childrenmuseum.org. PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY December 1: Bwana Iguana (ages 5-10). 150 Empire Street, Providence. 455-8000, www.provlib.org. ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO December 1-8: Visits with Santa. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 7853510, www.rwpzoo.org.
w w w.legendbic ycle.com
E AS
T
Tuesdays: Stump Trivia. 186 Fountain Street, Providence. 453-2337, www. stumptrivia.com.
181 Brook Street Providence 401.383.3070
For All Your Holiday Needs Prepared Foods & Desserts to Order
Shop online! Order online and pick up at the store 165 Pitman St., Providence, RI 02906 831-7771 • www.eastsidemarket.com Open 8:00 am - 10:00 pm - 7 Days a week
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380 Jefferson Blvd. Unit C, Warwick, RI 401-751-5333 www.graphin.com December 2013 East Side Monthly
53
Small Hall Studios
Photography
Calendar
Headshots for Models Actors & Professionals
Portraits & Events
Catalogs & Web Sites
smallhallstudios.com
brian@smallhallstudios.com
355.Hope.Street
401-499-6666
OLYMPIC SPORT MODERN FENCING LESSONS
Gift CertifiCates available Classes for Kids & Adults • Professional Instructors For information and registration, visit our website
www.RIFAC.com or call (401) 434-2404 New state-of-the-art facility located in East Providence, RI
Let the Gift Giving Fun Begin !
apparel - furniture home decor - barware cocktail accessories sports gifts - jewelry books - collectibles specialty foods - soaps seasonal decor - lighting personalized gifts dinnerware
SAINT ANTOINE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE JUBILEE December 6-7: Children’s activities, live entertainment, photos with Santa, storytelling and more. 400 Mendon Road, North Smithfield. 767-2574, www.christmastreejubilee.com. SAVE THE BAY Saturdays & Sundays: Seal Cruises. Call for reservations or book online. 142 Long Wharf Dock, Newport. 203SEAL. www.savebay.org. SLATER MILL MUSEUM December 7: Santa’s Workshop with meet and greet, ornament making workshop, treats, craft sale and more. 67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket. 7258638, www.slatermillorg.
LEARN discussion | instruction | tour AUDUBON SOCIETY December 11: Solar Power: A Workshop for Homeowners. December 14: Wildlife Wreath Making. 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield. 949-5454, www.asri.org. INTERNATIONAL HOUSE Fridays: Knitting Group. Fridays: Tai Chi Class. 8 Stimson Avenue, Providence. 421-7181, www.internationalhouseofri.org. LADD OBSERVATORY Tuesdays: Telescope Observing Night. 210 Doyle Avenue, Providence. 8632323, www.brown.edu. MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND PLANETARIUM Saturdays: Public Planetarium Show. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. 785-9457. www.providenceri.com/ museum. PROVIDENCE ATHENAEUM December 3: Robert Davis discusses Charles Dickens’ final, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. December 6: Mary Davis on “Style Setting in the Salon.” Fridays: Drop in from 5-7pm for the free weekly Salon Series. 251 Benefit Street, Providence. 421-6970, www.providenceathenaeum.org.
54
East Side Monthly December 2013
RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY December 7: Holiday Open House. December 14: Home for the Holidays at the John Brown House Museum. 110 Benevolent Street, Providence. 331-8575, www.rihs.org. WATSON INSTITUTE December 4: Tavneet Suri – Six Tests, Six Votes: Mobilizing Voters in Kenya. December 5: Alejandro Bonvecchi – Executive Organization and Crisis Economic Policy-Making in the Americas. 111 Thayer Street, Providence. 8632809, www.watsoninstitute.org.
SPORTS BROWN MEN’S BASKETBALL December 10: Brown vs. Albany. 235 Lloyd Avenue, Providence. 863-2773, www.brownbears.com. BROWN MEN’S HOCKEY December 6: Brown vs. Harvard. December 7: Brown vs. Dartmouth. 235 Lloyd Avenue, Providence. 863-2773, www.brownbears.com. BROWN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL December 4: Brown vs. Rhode Island. December 7: Brown vs. Maine. December 8: Brown vs. Morgan State. 235 Lloyd Avenue, Providence. 8632773, www.brownbears.com. PROVIDENCE BRUINS HOCKEY December 6: Bruins vs. Manchester. December 8: Bruins vs. Portland. December 13: Bruins vs. Portland. December 20: Bruins vs. Springfield. 1 LaSalle Square, Providence. 2735000, www.providencebruins.com. PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FRIARS MEN’S BASKETBALL December 17: PC vs. Yale. December 21: PC vs. Maine. December 31: PC vs. Seton Hall. 1 La Salle Square, Providence. 865-4672, www.friars.com. RHODE ISLAND CONVENTION CENTER December 8: Downtown Jingle Bell 5K. 1 Sabin Street, Providence. 9526333, www.downtownjingle5k.com. TWIN RIVER December 6: CES MMA Cage Fighting. 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 7233200, www.twinriver.com.
Greetings & Best Wishes In Your New Home From Welcome Wagon® & The Farmer’s Daughter
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Bring your child to college to major in playology, the science of fun! Kid Think at Providence College explores how and why children play, think, learn, and develop Find out what opportunies are available for your family! Learn more or register at www.kidthink.org 401.865.2342 • pckidthink@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook and Twitter!
December 2013 East Side Monthly
55
Classifieds
To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.
CEILING WORK, DRYWALL Plaster (hang, tape & paint). Water damage repair. All phases of carpentry. Reg. #24022. Fully insured. Steven, E. Prov., 401-641-2452.
(401) 441-7303
CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS and more. In-home consultation. 30 years experience. 401-949-1587. 36TH HOLIDAY BAZAAR International House of RI, Saturday & Sunday, December 7th & 8th, 10-4. International items, antiques, baked goods, all-day cafe, wreaths. Do your Christmas shopping early. 8 Stimson Ave., Prov. 751-5274. AUDIO/VIDEO HELP If you need some help with your TV, home theater or stereo, call me at 401-383-4102. Jon Bell, Simply Sight & Sound. Reasonable rates. 25 years of experience.
Chair Caning
632-0073
CEILING REPAIRS Repairing water damaged, cracked, peeling ceilings & walls. Located on the East Side. Over 100 satisfied local customers. Malin Painting, RI Reg. #19226. Call 226-8332.
CUSTOM SLIPCOVERS Work directly with seamstress and save! Purchase fabric elsewhere. Linda Toti, 508-695-2474.
Photo Organizer Organizing photos. Scanning photos, old albums, slides, negatives, and movies. Creating photo books, slide shows. Storage solutions for your photo collection. www.savingphotomemories.com memories.kmccann@gmail.com
401-601-0141
Garages & Attics Cleaned Unwanteds Removed Small Demolitions - Garages, Sheds, etc. Appliances & Lawn Mowers â?–Motors â?–Machines â?–Batteries â?–Etc.
Cell 401-742-7258 Reg. #4614
DOROTHY’S CLEANING We clean your home as our own! References & free estimates. Call 401274-7871 or 401-524-7453.
Vinny’s Landscaping
& BOBCAT SERVICES FALL CLEANUPS
Snow Plowing
Commercial & Residential FIREWOOD: Seasoned Hardwood, Cut & Split, $225/cord. â—?Free Estimates
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JOBS BY JIM
DOG WALKER/PET SITTER Trained to administer medications. Reliable, bonded, references available. Home visits. Call Susan 527-3914. Loves animals.
CHRIS’ LAMP REPAIR We Make House Calls!!! âœŻ Repairing all types of Lamps âœŻ Vintage Lighting Specialist âœŻ Chandelier Repairs âœŻ Serving the East Side for over 15 years âœŻ Fully Insured
(401) 831-8693 www.chrislamprepair.com
ELECTRICAL SERVICES All types. Energy efficient & security lighting & new circuits. Master licenses: RI #A3338, MA #16083A. Insured. Call Larry 529-2087. ELDER CARE AVAILABLE Very kind, patient, mature woman seeks position with elderly person. Intelligent, cheerful, reliable, with 20 years experience, including several long-term positions. Impeccable references. Please call 781-3392 or 497-3392. FEMALE TO SHARE East Side apartment. $520/mo. includes all. Call 978-578-9101 or 239-269-1027. GREEK COOKING Host a cooking class in your home have fun with your friends! Learn the basics: the simplicity of preparation & straightforward techniques. Call Vikki @ 401-369-0349 or v.kizirian@yahoo.com
HOUSE CLEANING
If you need a house cleaner who is organized and with good prices & excellent references, call 401-475-3283
Classifieds
HOUSECLEANER Available Crystal Clean, a quality housecleaning service. We don’t cut corners. Weekly or bi-weekly. We use environmentally friendly products. Bethany 2650960. HOUSE CLEANING Experienced. Local references. Free estimates. Call Lilly, 401-419-2933. I BUY BOOKS Old, used and almost new. Also buying photography, art, etc. Call 401421-2628. jcvp@cox.net MALIN PAINTING Most ceiling & wall repairs, wallpaper removal, oil-based and latex finishes, staining, varnishing. Fully insured, many local references. Safe, secure, fast service. Call 226-8332. Reg. #19226.
To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.
MASTER ELECTRICIAN Install, service, repair. Expert troubleshooting. Free detailed computerized estimate. Deal direct with owner. Lic. #AC 004110 & insured. Small jobs done promptly. All work guaranteed. Save $$$. Family owned & operated. Local resident. Calls returned immediately. 401-258-4793, John.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT AVAILABLE Only when you need one. Too busy to pickup the dry cleaning, shop, wait for a delivery, take the dog to the groomer? I can run your errands for you. Hire for a day or by the hour. References. Call 270-1120. PROPERTY MANAGER Available. On call 24/7. Rent collection. Rentals, evictions, maintenance. Call 421-0092.
Executive Director Wanted International House of R.I. is seeking a full-time Executive Director. Apply at:
internationalhouseofri.wordpress.com
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USED MUSIC WANTED! Round Again Records needs your used CDs and records. Cash paid. Call 351-6292.
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East of Elmgrove
by Elizabeth Rau | illustration by Eloise Narrigan
A Bit of Magic From card games to college scholarships I know what to
get my boys for Christmas this year: Magic cards. No, not the pick-any-two kind owned by white-gloved magicians. I’m talking about cards from Magic: The Gathering, the fantasy trading card game that is taking our youth by storm and turning my dining room into a poker parlor, minus the cigars and whiskey. A recent conversation between my son and a friend proves my point: Friend: I’ll swing at you for 2, so you’re at 18. Son: No, you’re at 17. Friend: Yeah, you’re right. Son: Okay, now I’ll tap 1, and I’ll regenerate him. I’ll swing at you for 5, and I’ll gain 5. Huh? The game is far too complicated for my wee brain. I’ll leave it up to the young’uns to explain: “You’re trying to take away the other person’s life – pretty much.” In its purest form, the game pits two players, usually best friends, against each other. Each player has a deck of cards representing magical lands, creatures and spells. The first to reduce his or her opponent to “0 life” or below wins. One of the best things about the game is that players get to customize their decks, often through trades, hence those late-night phone calls in our house: “I’ll trade you Trostani’s Summoner for an Advent of the Wurm and a Rancor. No. Then how about Call of the Conclave for Axebane Stag?” The game’s publisher, Wizards of the Coast – all MIT graduates, no doubt – is always releasing new cards to enrich collections, thank you very much. Rite Aid even sells $3.99 booster packs. Some parents might scoff at a game involving sorcerers and raven-haired vixens, but I like it. To play, you have to have a razor-sharp memory, an analytical mind and a competitive spirit. You also have to be able to translate sentences that could be lifted from an algebra textbook penned by a fantasy fiction writer trying to make a few extra bucks: “Nighthowler. Enchantment Creature – Horror. Nighthowler and enchanted creature each get +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in all graveyards.” Again, I say, “Huh?”
58
East Side Monthly December 2013
Funny how things change as your children grow up. One minute they’re playing with Legos, the next minute they’re shuffling through their Magic cards to prepare for an all-nighter at the yellow house east of Elmgrove. Where does the time go? When my kids were toddlers they swooned over fire trucks. I’m ashamed to admit that we had more than a dozen toy fire trucks at the homestead back in ’05. I’ll never forget my mother-inlaw’s response when a Christmas present that should have gone to our house mistakenly went to her house and she opened it, only to find yet another fire truck. She called immediately. “I was thunderstruck when I opened the package,” she said. “They have enough fire trucks.” “But this one is made of wood,” I said. Fire trucks soon gave way to Legos, which gave way to stuffed animals, which gave way to yo-yos, which gave way to sports gear, which gave way to bigger sports gear. We kept the yo-yos and a few toys for sentimental reasons, but most of the stuff has been handed down to the next generation. I don’t miss anything. We had too many toys. Maybe my mother-in-law was right. Magic crept into our house on a dark
and stormy night this year. The game, delightfully compact and light, came to us as all things come to us – through a friend, in this case, Eric. At first, our guests played on the coffee table. When that got too small, they progressed to the dining room table, which provides a perfect surface for gaming: smooth as ice. The cards float across the table top, unfettered and alive. Weekends are especially good for Magic. A boatload of boys stop by, each armed with cards bearing distinguished names like “Slime Molding” and “Slaughterhorn.” The cards pop with illustrations that are fantastical and ghoulish: a castle on a sun-dappled hill or a mutant flashing pointy pearlies that could eat you alive. There the fellows sit, bartering, exchanging minutiae, mulling over their next move, until, abracadabra, someone is victorious. Lucky duck. Give him a piece of Double Bubble. Popcorn and Shirley Temples for all. Let the next game begin. The good news for Magic fans on the East Side is that you don’t have to go far to get cards. Two stores are nearby: Untapped Games, a funky shop in Pawtucket with a thriving online business, and Die Hard Games, on the Central
Falls/Lincoln town lines. I am proud to say that I have been to both shops and was impressed by the professionalism of the staff. Parents who worry that Magic is becoming more than a harmless pastime for their children can rest easy. Players who are really, really good can get college scholarships, thanks to a nonprofit organization called Gamers Helping Gamers. According to The New York Times, the group was founded by Jon Finkel, a longtime Magic enthusiast. “There was just nothing enjoyable or fun about high school, so I got my mental stimulation elsewhere,” he told the newspaper. “I would play Magic until midnight and never do my homework.” No slacker, he. He ended up graduating from Rutgers and is now a partner in a hedge fund. He lives in a roomy apartment in SoHo. Oh, did I say he’s only 35. Finkel and his Magic pals look for highly intelligent kids who might not have a long list of extracurricular activities that, sigh, dazzle admissions offices. One scholarship recipient is now at Yale Law School. Think about it: a Gruul creature helped him get there. Ho. Ho. Ho. Merry Magic to all.
77 South Angell St., unit 103 eASt Side – MlS# 1053100
94 Blackstone Blvd., east side Mls# 1051275
310 Taber ave., easT side – MLs# 1054739
Stunning & Pristine Condo features designer chef’s kitchen w/ high end appliances, hardwoods, master suite. Beautifully appointed and fabulous private patio. Heated garage. Entertainers delight. Enjoy all that Wayland sq. has to offer. $699,000
Tree Lined Blackstone Blvd. Is Home To This Classic 1920’s Center Colonial. This timeless home features gleaming hardwoods throughout, 5 beds, 2.5 baths, fireplace, recently updated mechanicals, and a spacious fenced in back yard with 2 car garage. $549,000.
Impressive Colonial from shiny hardwoods to the fresh interior makes this a home to see. Features front to back living room w/ fireplace, formal dining w/built ins, chef’s kitchen, study. Master suite plus 2 large beds, 3.5 baths, finished lower, private yard amazing retreat. $529,000.
279 Benefit St., eaSt Side – MLS# 1047533
81 – A ElmgrovE AvE., EAst sidE mls# 1043813
130 Cypress st., east side MLs# 1053832
Prime location, historic Benefit St. Pristine street level Condo features 2 beds & 2 baths, granite & stainless kitchen, double fireplace open to dining & living, plus master suite w/fireplace. Beautiful hardwoods thru-out, tray ceilings & wonderful lighting. $465,000.
Charming Carriage house/Condo. Possible Pied a Terre. A walk to Wayland Square. Abundant sunlight, cathedral ceilings, 3 levels. Possible 3bed. Fabulous creative potential. Private on Elton St., behind other units. Great opportunity. $229,000.
Great Condo for investment or to live-in. High ceilings, period details, hardwood floors, central air, fully applianced kitchen & laundry in the unit. Deeded parking. 8 unit association. Motivated seller! $95,000.
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Someone to count on … Concord Companion Services helps seniors enjoy the comfort of living at home by offering a helping hand with daily tasks. Whether you could use some help just hours a week or an in-home companion 24-hours a day, Concord Companions can be available anywhere in Rhode Island with just two hours notice. Our accredited services are fully bonded and insured.
Visit our website to see a full list of services. private duty companion care • light housekeeping errands & appointments • laundry • home health aide shopping • overnight care • meal planning medication management
www.ConcordHomeCare.com
401-725-8400
December 2013 East Side Monthly
59
Residential PRoPeRties ltd.
aRlinGton Remarkable brick Georgian on exquisite corner in Freeman Plat. Graciously scaled rooms, period details, numerous updates. Wonderful floor plan with large kitchen, butler’s pantry, breakfast room, library, private flagstone patio, yard & garage. $1,400,000
blackstone Gracious tudor Revival. completely renovated! elegant details and craftsmanship with impressive modern flair. bright interior, tall ceilings, oversized windows. Gourmet kitchen, designer baths. every amenity. Fenced yard, sunny corner lot. $1,285,000
loRinG Gracious 1931 colonial with great river views! exceptional details. Five beds, three baths on 2nd floor. new kitchen open to sunny family room. terrific master suite with new luxury bath. Freshly painted in/out. all new landscaping. $1,185,000
blackstone Move right in! Recent complete renovation of elegant colonial. large open living room with fireplace, dining room with fireplace, kitchen & great room opening to a patio and city garden. Fabulous master suite, a/c, much more! $779,000
WinField coURt 1932 tudor reminiscent of an english cottage. enchanting entry opens to gracious living spaces, eat-in-kitchen, master suite plus 3-4 beds, a/c, brick terraces, manicured gardens, and two-car garage $749,000
WilliaMs elegant 1851 townhouse near benefit street! Handsome period details, 10 foot ceilings, two marble fireplaces. Four beds, 3.5 baths. all new: windows, a/c, electric, lighting, paint in/out, and more. a gem! $629,000
Fosdyke Well maintained three bedroom colonial located on a sought after street. Fabulous new kitchen. Many original details. spacious bedrooms. Fenced backyard with patio and garage. $450,000
ann 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Greek revival has the best of the new with the beauty of the old. sleek kitchen & dining room open to private stone patio & fenced yard. large family room with wood stove, living room with gas fireplace, master bedroom with Jacuzzi. $445,000
oGden classic bungalow with wraparound screened porch. spacious interior, original details, fireplace, hardwoods. First floor bed/den/bath. Versatile 2nd floor with bath. Replacement windows. Fully rewired. Update and call it your own! $303,000
140 Wickenden Street Providence 401.274.6740
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