Twitter is great for connecting people to their favorite celebrities, but you might not have realized it’s also useful for connecting people with common interests... in the same town, even. Here are some Twitter-based Providence meetup groups. You might even run into me (and my Twitter BFF Corey Feldman) there.

Girls’ Pint Out @RIGirlsPintOut: A ladies-only beer lover’s group. 

Providence Geeks @ProvidenceGeeks: A tech-minded group that meets for dinner once a month to discuss robot kisses and hardwired dreams. 

Providence Coffee Society @PVDCoffee: A buzzworthy meetup you’ll lose sleep over 

Wordpress Providence Meetup Group @WordpressPVD: Bloggers of the city unite 

Providence UX Meetup @PVDux: A group for the “Providence user-experience and interactive design community” that’s probably too smart for you 

Clambake @ClambakePVD: A meetup group for the design obsessed. Don’t show up if you can’t identify your clothing by Pantone color 

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The weather may be cold, but fashion is still hot. StyleWeek Northeast returns for its showcase of talented local designers. Shop the accessory showcase every day before and after the shows, no tickets necessary. Weekend tickets sell out in advance but weekday tickets are available online or at the door. January 19-25.

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See the Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good Witch as children in Wicked, the musical for people who don’t normally enjoy musicals. It’s a spin on the beloved tale The Wizard of Oz, set to music. Get to know the real Wicked Witch (who may not be as wicked as everyone thinks). Head to the Providence Performing Arts Center and revisit the classic story in a way that will leave you thinking... and singing. After all, the production hasn’t won a Grammy and three Tony Awards for nothing! January 2-12. Check website for showtimes. 220 Weybosset Street. 421-2787.

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Believe it or not, 2014 is already here at Providence Monthly. Our annual "10 to Watch" list hits newsstands next week, but we wanted to give you a sneak peek at who we're keeping an eye on this year.

Healthcare/Human Resources

Visael “Bobby” Rodriguez

Arts

Chrissy Wolpert

Business

Davide Dukcevich

Religion/Community

Elan Babchuck

Tech

Jessica Herron

Community Service

Katie Varney

Community Activism

Leah Williams Metts

Education/Technology

Shawn Rubin

Business/Social Media

Sierra Barter

Government/Politics

Xaykham Khamsyvoravong   More

Something about the immediate gratification of buying local produce directly from a farm works up a sweat similar to that of winning small on slot machines, and in this dire state of perspiring satisfaction, it’s time to cool off with a cold one from Bucket Brewery. Only a short walk away from Hope Artiste, the brewery is now offering tastings and tours every Saturday.

For less carbs and more carrot juice, take a longer stroll to Benefit Juice Bar & Café, located near Wickenden. This recently established neighborhood juice bar and café serves made-to-order juices, whole fruit smoothies, fair trade coffee, baked goodies, house-made soups, sandwiches, paninis and seasonal salads.

Blah, blah, blah - enough with the health food, right? Let’s get back to the beer: the Rhode Island Brewer’s Guild VIP Banquet takes place on January 31, from 6-10pm. The event includes a four-course dinner with beer pairings from local breweries. Tickets are limited to only 200 people and must be purchased online.

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While the show may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the rarified charms of Downton Abbey, the popular PPS series, seems to have a rabidly loyal fan base. We’re not sure exactly what will be offered, but there will be a showing of the first episode of 2014 season four before it airs nationally, on January 3 at the Park Theatre in Cranston. We understand there will also be a pre-screening party to boot. For more details on what to expect, visit their website or call their box office at 467-7275. Since the Park Theatre is basically on one level, we assume this Downton Abbey won’t have special upstairs or downstairs seatings.

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The Internet is a very powerful tool and Alexis Ohanian has discovered a way to harness that power. He is the co-founder of Reddit, the widely popular social media site where members post and share a variety of material from all over the Internet.

Ohanian has also founded other successful sites such as Hipmunk and Breadpig and has been voted to Forbes "30 under 30" list twice. He just recently published his first book, Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed, which took up the fourth spot on the New York Times bestseller list for business. He represents the "dorm room start-up" dream and has a lot of valuable insight about how to use the Internet as a tool.

RISD welcomes Ohanian this Friday for a discussion with Walker Williams (Co-Founder of Teespring). He will speak at the MacMillan Hall Auditorium at Brown University and sign his book from 6:30-8:30pm. Visit RISD's web site for more info.   More

Narragansett began brewing beer in 1890 and apparently that was good enough for the state of Rhode Island for over 100 years. It wasn’t until Trinity opened their doors in 1995 and started brewing their own beer that we had another RI beer choice. Then, in the last few years, the craft brewery scene has rapidly expanded, bringing more options to the people.

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Another holiday season is upon us and so is the stress of gift shopping. Make this year's experience a positive one by avoiding the lines and the frustration at the big box stores. Little Rhody may be small but we’ve got plenty of independent retailers where you can find unique gifts for everyone on your list while having an enjoyable holiday shopping experience (yes, it's possible).

Want another reason to shop local? We’re giving away a $500 Local Shopping Spree and it’s super easy to enter. All you have to do is sign up here for our email newsletter the Pulse. It's full of events, news, cool stories and giveaways from all around the state. Needless to say, you want to be a subscriber anyways.

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Blue Door Studio, Cranston

Bottles Fine Wine, Providence

Bristol Yoga Studio, Bristol

Core Fitness & Pilates Mind/Body Studio, Providence

Craftland, Providence

Feet First, Wakefield

Granite Photo, Westerly

Green Ink, North Kingstown

J. Marcel, Providence

Peaceable Kingdom, Providence

Pizzico, Providence

Plante Jewelers, Swansea, MA

Shoppe Pioneer, Providence

Sin, Providence

Spectrum-India, Providence

Stock Culinary Goods, Providence

Studio Hop, Providence

Sweenor’s Chocolates, Cranston & Wakefield

The Catering Gourmet, Warwick

Tickle’s, Swansea, MA

Waves of Creation, Wakefield

Westerly Jewelry, Westerly

ZuZu’s Petals, Cranston & East Greenwich

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