The India Street detour will take drivers coming from India Street directly to the south of Al Forno Restaurant (see above map). The closure area is in red, detour in blue, and will not affect the entrance to the Al Forno parking lot. It is scheduled for mid-September and will last 8-12 months. Because of the nature of the work (which also includes repairing an existing sewer), it will be open-cut, not micro-tunneled, which necessitates closing the road. The detour in blue is also the detour the Rock & Roll half-marathon runners will use.   More

After attending school and living in Providence for the past three years, I had the opportunity to go on an Experience Rhode Island tour of our beautiful capital city. My very knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide Jon Stricklin explained to me that he sometimes prefers giving tours to locals rather then visitors, since so many Rhode Islanders don’t realize how much history our state has to offer. Here’s my photographic account of my experience along the tour:

Our tour departed from Visitor’s Information center at the RI Convention Center located downtown. Jon began our tour with some interesting facts about the size of our state. Obviously, I knew Rhode Island was the smallest state in the country, but I didn’t know that King Ranch located in south Texas is about 1,800 square miles larger than our beloved Ocean State and Rhode Island is only about half the size of Delaware.

The tour continued on to Farm Hill or, to us 21st century folk, Federal Hill and proceeded through downtown.

We drove past the steps of City Hall where a pre-presidential John F. Kennedy once stood and gave a speech to the people of Providence – hence Kennedy Plaza.

We went down Westminster Street past Johnson and Wales University and found ourselves in India Point Park, once a crucial spot for maritime trade.

Our tour continued to Wayland Square, where we had the chance to stop at one of the most popular new cafes in Providence, Teas and Javas. I recommend the mixed berry gelato – delicious!  

After our break we continued to Blackstone Boulevard and learned about the five Brown Brothers – who surprisingly didn’t start Brown University. Originally located in Warren, and called the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Brown University moved to its current spot on College Hill in 1770 and was renamed in 1804 after Nicholas Brown, one …   More

Discover the new voices of independent film this month as the annual Rhode Island International Film Festival (RI- IFF) returns to the Ocean State. The 2013 RIIFF will feature over 200 film screenings plus filmmaking workshops and meet and greets at locations throughout the state. During the mornings of the 8-10, screenings for the KidsEye International Film Festival, films made by young people all over the world, and participants in the 15th Annual KidsEye Summer Filmmaking Camp (featured on August 10 at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium) will commence. The festival is organized by the non-profit Flickers. August 6-11. 861-4445   More

By now, most folks in the nonprofit circuitry of Rhode Island are aware of the work of James Monteiro and his inspiring mission. If you happen to be out of the loop, the Billy Taylor House is a youth haven complete with mentoring and community service outreach to enrich the lives of children and teens who need guidance. The atmosphere of positive reinforcement and encouragement makes this a solid foundation for youth in the community and, in recent months, the House has been rather active. In July they held a fundraiser and raffle at Snubs in which 100% of the proceeds went to their Jobs Program to help its kids seek gainful employment and a sense of self-worth. They are also holding a yard sale on August 2; anyone inside or outside of the Mount Hope neighborhood can donate items to the cause with proceeds benefiting the jobs program. The Billy Taylor House's mission to "Reinvent Mount Hope" demonstrates an attitude towards community that we can all stand behind.   More

If you were to ask any recent high school graduate to list the highlights of those four years, chances are they will mention their participation in their school’s sports teams. Whether they were the crushed-on captain of their football team or the self-proclaimed hater of ball sports who found their niche in the cross-country team, many grads look back on their high school team as an antidote to daily stress, a major confidence booster, and as the main focus for social growth throughout their high school career. (The most concrete evidence of this can be found in students’ college essays, in which the focus on sports teams is so rampant that students are advised to use caution when writing about the “hackneyed subject”.)

If sports hold such a crucial presence in the typical high school experience, one would hope that every student could have the opportunity to take advantage of them. Of course, it is not always the case. It was thus with great excitement that Central Falls High School provided free physical exams for its students in a six hour-long session on July 23. Despite the baking heat of the hallways and locker rooms, the group of Central Falls faculty and physicians from the Memorial Hospital of RI and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University could hardly contain their enthusiasm: thanks to their efforts and those of the several residents and medical students, over 50 Central Falls students will be able to participate in the high school’s sports teams for the first time this fall.

Family physician and lead organizer of the project Dr. Jordan White of the Memorial Hospital of RI was glad to give physical exams to students who would not have otherwise been able to play school sports: “physicals came up as a priority that we as medical providers could potentially help out with,” she explains. The most common roadblocks aspiring players encountered in getting the necessary exam were financial: some …   More

Ah, Rhode Island: Over the past decade, our tiny, exclusive sanctuary of a state has developed a serious problem with "self-esteem," as the Rhode Island Foundation describes it, and they are dedicated to fixing that with Rhode Island: It's All In Our Backyard, a campaign showcasing and supporting the bounty which can be found right here in our… well, you get the point. Okay, we have unemployment – a lot of unemployment – but what poses a bigger problem to the morale of Rhode Island is that even through all of the economic growth, new start-ups and growing small businesses, there are still people – quite a few people – who manage to completely look past our triumphs and focus only on our hardships. To those people, I urge you to take a stroll through Providence’s art district or East Side, or Newport's Thames Street or Bellevue Avenue, taking in the idiosyncrasies of our one-of-a-kind restaurants, boutiques, wine shops, farms, cafes, bars, colleges, serene landscapes and antique architecture. Even the most pessimistic minds wouldn't deny that we are host to a vibrant community, spanning vast cultural gaps and showcasing some of the most innovative, artistic, ambitious minds in the country. This campaign will be advertising throughout the state as a way to re-connect our citizens with the local businesses and resources. The Rhode Island Foundation has partnered with Rhode Island based businesses, including farms, manufacturers, universities and more to help spread the word. The message that this campaign is trying to spread is that everything that we need really is right here in our backyard.   More

The ultimate cult of the ultimate cult movie is coming to Providence. Celebrate the 38th anniversary of Rocky Horror Picture Show with Rhode Island’s Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast (RKO Army) during RKO CON 2013, the RHPS world convention, from August 22-25. This popular convention, in Providence for the first time, offers a variety of exciting activities for movie buffs, including shadow casting performances at the Columbus Theater, where performers will act out the film as the movie rolls. Not content to stop at just RHPS, they will give the shadowcast treatment to other beloved classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer: ‘Once More, With Feeling’, Shock Treatment, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog and Repo! The Genetic Opera. Other activities will follow throughout the weekend at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, including The Newlywed/Not-So-Newlywed Game, where married couples will be quizzed about their spouses, and the Team Scavenger Hunt Gameshow, a classic scavenger hunt with a comedic twist. Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel will also be holding the Time Warp Dance Party, put on by both RKO Army and Tight Crew, a production company that provides electronic dance music in safe surroundings. Here, fans can spend an evening of dancing and refreshments to finish off the night with guest DJs. Make sure to wear your costumes!  For more information and ticket pricing, visit their website.   More

One of the trendiest events of the year, StyleWeek returns offering a fashion forward display with Spring 2014’s lines front and center. Witness some of fashion’s most budding creative minds share upcoming trends with the masses. Featured designers include Amy Stetkiewicz, a graduate of Parson’s School of Design, with a collection inspired by modern lines and urban vibes; and Evan Michael, who will evoke poetic, gothic romanticism through a unique mix of construction techniques and black palettes. With schedules of each designer’s runway show online, you can be sure not to miss out on the latest and greatest inspirations on how to dress yourself next year. August 26-30. Providence Biltmore Hotel, 11 Dorrance St. 421-0700.   More

It’s back and it’s bigger and better than before. Come one, come all to Wooly Town at The Steelyard. Its last one-day incarnation, Wooly Fair 2011, proved so popular that the organizers decided to expand its length and change its name. At this new-and-improved version of the already-awesome art carnival, you’ll hear great music, meet cool people and stuff your face with delicious food and drink. Best of all, you can help power Wooly Town with body movement. You’ll have to see this for yourself. August 16-18. 27 Sims Avenue. 273-7101   More

Are you looking for something that speaks a little more to your soul than what you’ve been seeing on local television? PBS of Rhode Island is getting set to launch the new talk show Say You Got Soul, which is produced and hosted by Tatia Lopez, a graduate of URI and a freelance writer. The idea for the production was born after a family friend, who had been gone from Providence for some time, returned for a visit and felt that in some aspects the city had been frozen in time. In their eyes the sights of young men loitering the corners and young mothers pushing their babies in strollers were the same as what they had become accustomed to seeing years ago.

The show will cover such topics as health issues, raising children, education, socio-economics and culture. The hope is to empower viewers and provide people of color in Rhode Island a positive source that they can identify with. If you’re looking for something that will provide an evocative ground level view on important issues in the city we call home then this is the show for you. Say You Got Soul will air following the July taping on PBS of Rhode Island and you can tweet Tatia for specific air dates at @LopezTatia. While this will hopefully inspire the very people the creator saw that day, it will educate all of us, so tune in.   More

The recent controversy over the NSA listening to pretty much everything everyone is saying or doing over phone, email and the internet raises an important issue – well, actually it raises a lot of important issues, but one in particular stands out to me. Our government is compiling billions of records on millions of people and in the process endangering our privacy just on the off chance that some terrorist might be planning to attack us and might use one of the channels the government is monitoring to communicate something about it and the NSA might pick up on it. Maybe. Now I’m all for keeping abreast of what Al-Qaeda plans to do with its summer vacation and all, but doesn’t a massive, privacy invading domestic spying program that is rife with the potential for abuse and – if whistleblower Edward Snowden is any indicator – run by marginally qualified temps seem a bit overwrought given the situation?

My point here isn’t to debate the intricacies of national security, but rather to illustrate the point that so much of our society – our thoughts, our habits, our policies and laws, our actions, our everyday life – is based on the concept of “What if the worst case scenario happens?” We are constantly regulating, insulating, mitigating and inoculating so many aspects of what we say, do, think and, perhaps most importantly, allow against the mathematically tiny possibility that maybe, possibly, theoretically something bad could happen to someone somewhere, and if it does, somebody might get sued over it. Because that’s what it all comes down to isn’t it? We’re just making sure our own asses are covered – just in case. Because what if today is the day the s--t hits the fan?

This is not to advocate for some libertarian fantasy world in which every man and woman is an island, free from rules and regulations, reliant only on him or herself with no safety net, no oppressive …   More

This year’s Rhode Island Comic Con features throwback reunions that will have the fan boy/girl in you giddy with excitement. Relive the 1960s caped crusader and crew escapades from the original Batman TV series as the Not-So-Dark Knight himself, Adam West, his trusty sidekick Robin (the once boyish Burt Ward), and the femme fetal powers of Yvonne Craig (Batgirl) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman) reunite for panel discussions and meet and greets. However, if you’re a '90s child like myself, you’ll be clicking your heals with nostalgic glee as actors from the beloved series of Power Rangers TV shows reunite for fans. Appearances include Jason Frank (Red, Green and White Ranger), Walter Jones (Black Ranger), David Yost (Blue Ranger), Catherine Sutherland (Pink Ranger), Robert Axelrod(Lord Zedd), Barbara Goodson (Mandilok), Kerrigan Mahan (Magna Defender), Paul Schier (“Bulk”) and Jason Narvy (“Skull”).

This year’s surprise guest is movie legend Danny Glover, star of such recent blockbusters as 2012 and classics like the Lethal Weapon series. And of course, fans can be sure to enjoy all ranges of fantasy and comic favorites, too. November 2-3; Saturday 10-7pm; Sunday 10-5pm. $15 kids day ticket, or $20 for weekend. $25 adult day ticket, $35 weekend. For tickets and information visit their website.    More

Reveling in both the new and the old, Mohegan Sun is celebrating the first anniversary of its VISTA Lounge with a mega throwback-themed bash of nostalgic proportions. On Friday, July 26 at 10pm, partygoers can expect to rave all the way down memory lane with special guests Rev Run and DJ Ruckus providing the musical swagger. However the reminiscing doesn’t just end there. Guests can expect to take it all the way back to high school, this time with a cocktail or two, while chatting up Bayside High School Principal “Mr.Belding”, Saved By the Bell’s Dennis Haskins.

The VISTA Lounge is a 450-person venue complete with dance floor, two fully stocked bars, a state of the art sound system, and two custom blackjack tables for rent, all under the transformative day/night dome of the Wombi Rock at Mohegan Sun. Come celebrate all this place has to offer while taking stock of the best of '90s pop culture.  1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 1-888-226-7711.   More

Recently admitted to the National Register of Historical Places, the Providence Public Library has been the city’s center of reading, learning and discovery for more than one hundred years. If you’ve taken advantage of its family film series and reading performances this summer, now take some time to honor and explore the beautiful building itself through its guided historical and architectural tours, which will take place in the library’s spectacular grand entrance every first and third Tuesday of each month.

Established in March 1900, the Library was built in the lavish style that would later name the American Gilded Age, and yet its architectural roots can be traced back further still to the Italian Renaissance of the sixteenth century. Along with a vivid description of the library’s founding history, highlights of the tour include a visit to the quirky Ship Room, which hosts a dozen antique ship models; the Dubuque Mural, which was completed at the height of the Great Depression; and even a peak at its eclectic special collections department. It's ideal historical and cultural immersion for the library fans; custom-made tours are also available for larger groups of explorers. Inaugural tour on August 6, 10:30 am. 225 Washington Street, Providence.     More

1. The island’s first inhabitants called it Manisses, which means “Island of the Little God.”

2. Sixteen families first settled the island in 1661; their descendants live here still.

3. A passenger ship called The Palatine once caught fire off the island’s coast, killing

all aboard; some say the ghostly ship can still be seen burning on quiet nights.

4. In the winter, fewer than 1,000 people call the island home; the island’s tiny K-12

public school educates about 115 students.

5. The island has had a strong conservation movement since the 1970s, and now,

more than 43% is set aside as public open space. The island’s goal is to get to 50 percent.

6. Tradition has it that the island has 365 ponds, one for each day of the year – although modern geographers say it’s more like 300.

7. Once a premier Victorian vacation destination that drew families complete with steamer trunks and full-skirted “bathing costumes,” the island is full of the ghosts of grand hotels that burned down. One such is the Ocean View, just above the town’s post office, where the US Congress once held a summer session.

8. More than 2,000 pleasure boats crowd the Great Salt Pond on an average during July Fourth weekend.

9. The statue of Rebecca at the Well was erected by the Women’s Christian Temperance Movement, but a close look at the modern day statue (a faithful replica of the original) and her grapes and amphora hint that the late-1800s statue supply company may have mixed up the biblical figure with a more wine-friendly Greek goddess, Hebe.

10. Recently retired island nurse Mary Donnelly helped the sick and injured for 50 years and established a local charity, the Mary D Fund, which has been featured on every major news outlet. (Google it.) August’s annual Mary D Ball is the social event of the season.   More

Remember Marley’s on the Beach in Warwick? Well, while they’ve kept the name we’ve all come to know, thanks to the transformative efforts of Spike TV’s Bar Rescue it’s under gone a major overhaul. Bar Rescue features world-renowned food and drink industry consultant Jon Taffer, who has in his career flipped or owned over 800 nightclubs and bar establishments. A hulking man with jet black hair, Taffer exudes the authority and know-how to kick failing establishments from the depths of bankruptcy despair to the models of profitable success, with the help of updated industry technology and experienced chefs and mixologists. With new food items like Grilled Swordfish Kebobs and specialty cocktails like The Beachcomber, which features Smirnoff Watermelon, blue Curacao, cranberry and lime juice, with an orange garnish, it seems “out with the old and in with the new” is just what this place needed. Episode airs Sept. 15.

Rocco’s Pub and Grub, the small jewel of a pub, is also enjoying a bit of a change now, with new Chef Matt and Bar Manager Bruce Livingston, who are sure to bring an innovative twist to the loved pub. And while no mention of menu changes are in the works, surprises are sure to be just around the corner.

Quench Your Thirst

Some say that change is good, but new is better. Nay & Poppy is a new operation that seeks to promote healthy living through its locally made, organic, vegan artisan teas. With tea names like Hibiscus Sunshine, a fruity flavored tea boasting ingredients like hibiscus, rosehips, orange peel, lemongrass, rose petals and spearmint it’s not hard to see how this bunch is popular among tea lovers and newbies alike. They even feature a tea for expectant moms, cleverly named Juicy Goddess, that uses raspberry leaf, alfalfa leaf and fenugreek, packed with vitamins, to promote milk production and anti-inflammatory properties. Items can be found on their website or …   More

If you work in the service industry in general or at McDonald's specifically, or even if you just spend a lot of time futzing around on the internet during work hours (we're not saying that we do), you may be aware of the fuss and schadenfraude circulating around the website McDonald's and Visa launched to help Golden Arches employees manage their money and live a full life on their salaries. Surprisingly, some of its recommendations and advice have attracted scrutiny, like the fact that their sample monthly budget includes a line item for a second income, but not food, or estimates the monthly cost of health insurance at $20. Now, we're not here to quibble over silly little details like that – like the fine folks at McDonald's who we're not attempting to demean in any way, we're more interested in providing a valuable public service. As so many of our friends are in the service industry, we thought we could provide some further wisdom on how to live within the means afforded by this rewarding career. Here are some more handy budget tips:

-Consider picking up a third job. The average full-time workday is eight hours. There are three eight-hour increments in a single day. Coincidence? We think not. Now back to work.

-Even in a fairly affordable city like Providence, rent can eat up a sizable portion of your income. You can subsidize this through subletting space in your own apartment. Don't just think of extra bedrooms. Kitchens, living rooms, closets, bathtubs, laundry hampers – these are all viable options for your coworkers and service industry friends in similar financial situations. Just remember to use the word "cozy" in the Craiglist posting.

-Ask your employer to consider replacing your hourly stipend with a wage based on the level uncontrollable white hot rage you feel towards the general public every minute of every day. Your income could easily increase by a trillion percent.

-McDonald's is switching many of its employees over …   More

This summer RISD is putting together something it hasn't done in over two decades: a large scale survey of artistic works from the Greater Providence area. Celebrating multi-disciplinary talents from the city and nearby communities, RISD’s Locally Made exhibition will sprawl over numerous museum galleries until November 3. There will be a variety of events as part of the exhibit.

On August 8, the aptly dubbed After School Special at the Contemporary Art Gallery is part of Locally Made’s One Room in Assembly, a casual meeting place of local artists, designers and intellects in an experimental space. An evening of interactive installations, compelling performances, video displays and shenanigans will be on show, brought to you by a gathered group of specifically collected artists from curators Jason Tranchida and Matthew Lawrence. Offering a diverse range of mediums to choose from, art buffs and curious spectators alike wil find something to enjoy.

Participants in the events include: Hannah Abelow, Gloria Gardenburger, Genevieve Cross, Joe Segal, Mary Paula Hunter, Matt Underwood and Joshua Baptista. Attendees can expect to see talents like the eccentric Gardenburger, known as the “underground’s psychedelic swingin’ stepmom”, big hair and all, along with a change of pace in Paula Hunter’s use of movement in storytelling. To get a glimpse of what these and other artists have in store, head over on the 8th from 6-8pm, and see the antics for yourself. Free with museum admission.   More

Makes a six-pack

Equipment: Funnel, glass bottles and caps, at-home capper

1 c gin (preferably something neutral like Beefeater or Plymouth)

1 c grapefruit juice (preferably fresh or not-from-concentrate)

1⁄2 c thyme syrup

1⁄2 c fresh lime juice 6 c soda water

Make the thyme syrup: Boil 1 cup each of sugar and water with five sprigs of fresh thyme until sugar dissolves. Let cool. Store excess syrup in the refrigerator for future use.

Make the sodas: Mix together syrup, gin and juices. Pour into bottles using a funnel, then top off with club soda. Cap immediately per capper’s instructions, then refrigerate. Capping as quickly as possible after adding the soda ensures maximum carbonation.   More

Our Coolest Party Ever at Aqua at the Providence Marriott truly lived up to its name – and many of the reasons why are documented in the awesome images from our photo booth. Snap Berry Photo Booth was kind of enough to provide their services for the occasion, and we think the results speak for themselves. Think of Snap Berry as the next evolution of the photo booth: instead of needing to step inside a curtain or enclosure, it's an open air "booth" that can be set up anywhere in front of any background. As you can see, this means you can fit way more people in a single photo than with most booths. But maybe the coolest part is that the booth directly uploads the images to social media for tagging and sharing. We were glad to have them be a part of our event – check out their website to find out how they can be a part of your next one, too. And be sure to check out the full gallery of photos here.   More