Blogs
Viewing 81 - 100 of 338
Film

A Providence-based Filmmaker Shows at the Cable Car

Blending in with Brown and RISD faculty, Providence-based filmmaker Laura Colella is having a preview run for her feature film Breakfast With Curtis. In early December, the Cable Car Cinema will showcase Laura’s third feature film that she edited and directed in Providence. The movie tells the story of an estranged young boy, named Curtis, who moved to an offbeat neighborhood of bohemians. While welcoming him into their world, the heartwarming film captures the warmth of a community that embraced the introverted boy.

Laura has been named one of “Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces in Independent Film” and has won the 2013 Independent Spirit award for her films. While Breakfast With Curtis had its World Premiere at last year’s Los Angeles Film Festival, Laura says, “I look forward very much to the run at the Cable Car, and hope people will come out to experience the film with an audience, which is the most fun way.”

For more information, check out the Cable Car’s website for screening times during the month of December.

  More

Malcontent

Happy Holidays, Consumers

Season’s greetings, and a warm, non-denominational wish for a happy holiday season to you, an American, typically between the ages of 25-54, most likely female, Caucasian, with a median household income of $75,549.23, from us, Your Local Neighborhood Boxcorp Omni-martTM.

Here at Your Local Neighborhood Boxcorp Omni-martTM, we’re dedicated to creating a sense of community in (HAVE INTERN FILL IN NAME OF TOWN HERE). That’s why when you walk into our store, you’re greeted by friendly, familiar faces who know you – people like the guy who used to own the town hardware store, the guy who used to run the appliance shop down the street, the former Boy Scout Troop Leader out on work release, and your creepy uncle. It’s just our way of saying, “Howdy, neighbor! Our retinal scanners Inceptioned money saving coupons on your preferred detergent brand directly into your brain the moment you walked in the door. It’s been exactly 52 days since we’ve seen you – the second longest absence in your CardMember® Rewards Lifetime©. Are you mad at us? We hear your daughter’s pregnant... Oh, you didn’t know?”

Our statistics indicate that you want only the best for your family during this non-specific time of seasonal merriment, and that’s why we’re committed to offering the best values on the gifts they really want: smart phones, tablets, phablets, fablettes (like phablets, but faaaab), an entire NFL season beamed directly into your penis, guns, other guns, crossbows, princess beds, a Chinese baby, nondefense aircraft parts and a Boxcorp XxxclusiveTM live double album and soft core porn Blu-Ray by Michael Buble. You’ll find them all in stock and at rock bottom prices this month and YOU DON’T NEED TO SHOP ANYWHERE ELSE.Excuse us.

What we’re trying to say is that we here at Your Local Neighborhood Boxcorp Omni-martTM are truly your neighbors – and not just because our full service parking lot with complimentary shuttle service, amusement park …   More

Expanding Horizons at Brown

Nirupama Rao is the perfect fit for Brown University. With unparalled diplomatic experience, she joins the Brown-India Initiative to futher the study of contemporary India. Roa has an impressive resume and her accomplishments are well known. Rao was the ambassador to India from September 2011 to November of this year and was appointed to the highest office in the Indian Foreign Service. She served as a minister of press and cultural affairs at the Indian embassy in Washington and was the first woman to be designated as the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs among many other accomplishments. We welcome this inspiring woman to the commnity.

Read the full story here

  More

Year In Review

The Year Social Media Shot to #1

Social media has been a big factor in our friend requesting, liking and commenting, information sharing lives for several years now, but this year there was a quiet, yet significant ground shift. 2013 is the year that social media finally overtook porn as the number one activity on the internet. It’s having a big impact on all media – the way we present our stories in print and online, the way we organize information, the way we share content with our readers – and Providence Monthly is no exception. Here are some examples of the ways social media is changing the face of your city magazine.

  More

Year In Review

The Best New Food Trucks of 2013

While at first it could have become another fizzled cupcake-like trend, the food truck scene just keeps rolling and getting better. Here are our favorites that debuted this year:

Sushi Awesome Go! Go!

Must-try dish: Fugu Liver Dangerous! Delicious! Spicy Roll with Hot

Where to find: On Twitter @!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uncle Nuryev’s Pilaf Yurt

Fun fact: Although the genial, eccentric Uncle Nuryev has quickly become a beloved character on College Hill, it’s widely suspected that he’s actually wanted for war crimes back in his native Uzbekistan

Where to find: My friend, my friend, my friend, look here – good food, pretty girls!

The Sweetest Touch Windowless Candy Van

Fun fact: Kids are always welcome to come inside the van where they can pet puppies and play video games

Where to find: Exactly 1000 feet from the nearest elementary school

West Side GOdega

Popular items: Beef empanadas, arroz con pollo, salami, blunt wraps, toilet paper, scratch tickets, looseys, condoms, phone cards, Santeria candles, bootleg DVDs of The Avengers

Where to find: Dexter Park during kickball games

Wings Over Mordor

Must-try dish: The Fellowship of the Wing, a monstrous 16-wing sampler platter, including flavors like Balrog’s Blazin’ Buffalo Wings and The Shire’s Famous Ale Batter, with a side of Magical Elf Bread

Where to find: Look to its coming at first light on the fifth day, at dawn look east

Bro-tastic Cock Punch

Must-try dish: Slammin’ Tequila Lime Wasabi Tuna Burger Shooters with Mango Habañero Bacon BBQ Sauce and S’More Crumbles, served in a Bloody Mary

Where to find: Where are the drunk chicks at, bro?

Vegan/Artist/Human

Fun fact: Whatever… we’re so over this

Where to find: Ugh, if you have to ask…

Fat Lou’s Mobility Scooter

Insider tip: Mondays are all-you-can-eat pulled pork and glazed donut nacho night

Where to find: The parking lot of the Stop & Shop on Branch Ave.

  More

Year In Review

The Year of Detours

Okay, so seeing a plethora of orange cones, potholes and “keep out” signs isn’t so strange for the Ocean State. However, add in a few key neighborhoods where the residents have a lot of civic pride and aren’t afraid to use their voice, and you have the perfect storm of disgruntled citizens.

Hope Street

Oy vey! The hope street Merchant’s Association’s pants were “metaphorically ankled” all summer.

North Main Street

Rhode Island summer construction at its best. it’s now fall construction, maybe even winter construction?

Davey Lopes Recreation Center Pool

Can’t the kids learn to swim in the Bay? Just dodge the barges, sunken ships and toxic runoff.

  More

Year In Review

PVD Voted One of the Best Food Cities in the US

Saveur’s Culinary Travel Awards 2013: Notable Small Dining City

“Maybe once a year if I’m lucky I get to eat somewhere that blows my mind. I just got my taste for 2013.” - Boston Globe’s review of north. They also ran a piece on a culinary tour of Providence.” - Boston Globe’s dining review of north

Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs 2013 Nominees: Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House and Benajamin Sukle of The Dorrance

The Daily Meal’s America’s 15 most heavenly Italian restaurants: #11 Al Forno

James Beard Foundation’s 2013 Nominees for Outstanding Bar Program: Cook & Brown Public House, Outstanding Service: Persimmon & Best Chef: Champe Speidel, Prsimmon, Matt Jennings, Farmsted Inc.

Providence is featured on Bizarre Food America with Andrew Zimmern

Zagat includes Harry’s Burger Bar on its 50 States 50 Burgers list

  More

Year In Review

PVD Adds to Its Dining Repertoire

Many new restaurants have not only added more places to eat but have filled food niches that were missing from the Creative Capital. From down home southern cooking to boutique Spanish cider, Providence continues to grow in quantity and quality.

  More

A Year in Review

The Wedding of the Year

When same sex marriage was legalized in August, cheers of delight mixed with sighs of relief across the state. That was followed by a run on City Hall for marriage licenses. A month later, Stephen Hartley (better known as Miss Kitty Litter, Providence’s most recognizable drag queen) married Brian Deslauriers at the Beneficent Congregational Church. The cer- emony featured a performance by – who else? – The Providence Gay Men’s Choir, and was followed by a fabulous black and white reception at the Biltmore.

  More

News

Explore Brown's Architecture with this Mobile App

 

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 visit them on Facebook. 

  More

Theater

Catch a Hilarious Holiday Play

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 comedian-extraordinaire Frank O’Donnell’s annual holiday gift to Rhode Island. For the third year in a row, the talented 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.

  More

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).

  More

Art

Open Studio Time at Hope Artiste Village

One of the funkiest artistic and economic successes in our area is Hope 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.

  More

Food Event

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 ac- companied 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 228-8657 or email them.   More

Shopping

Hope Street's Holiday Stroll Returns

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.

  More

Providence Preservation Society to Host Former NYC Parks Commissioner at the Superman Building

For those of you who are familiar with the work of the Providence Preservation Society, you are no stranger to the commitment they have to bettering Providence's future with the use of the values ingrained in our city's past. This upcoming Thursday, November 14, join former New York City's Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe as he leads a conversation on "What Makes A Great City". In his new role as Senior Vice President at Trust for Public Land, Adrian will be able to share his knowledge from his past work in New York and moderate a discussion with local people who are invested in preservation. The forum will be discussing Providence's position from a global and local perspective as well as tracking the city's evolution of late. Cliff Wood, Executive Director of the Greater Kennedy Plaza Coalition, will also have a one-on-one conversation with Adrian to tap into their collective knowledge of local projects such as the remodel of Kennedy Plaza and the 195 Relocation Project. The series of talks will be continued in January as Jennifer Bradley of the Brookings Institution leads a forum entitled: "Not Always Easy: Building the New Urban Experience". Adrian's talk will be held at the Superman Building, 111 Westminister St., from 5:30-8pm. Free.   More

Required Reading: The Ray Kelly Controversy at Brown

Conflict lingers over the Brown community after the protest of NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly's lecture. Here's are some good reads from around the country related to the story.

1. "Proactive Policing in America's Biggest City"

On October 29, NYPD Police commissioner Ray Kelly was scheduled to give a lecture on proactive policing and discuss the effectiveness of the "stop and frisk" policy.

Read and observe data from the NY chapter of the ACLU about this policy here.

2. Stop and frisk protest

Due to objections to the "stop and frisk" policy, Brown students petitioned to have the lecture canceled. Students and community members then decided to take matters into their own hands.

See the original report (plus video) from Huffington Post here.

3. President Paxson's Letter to the Brown Community

On November 6th, President Paxson addressed the Brown community. She says she understands the conflict but goes on to say that no matter how controversial, the expresssion of ideas should always be allowed at Brown.

Read her full letter to Brown here.

4. Students fire back

"I, along with the other students involved, was told I had to sign a confidentiality agreement...Where was Brown’s commitment to the free exchange of ideas here?"

One student, seeminly uninvolved at the time of the protest now finds herself wrapped up in the controversy due to behind-closed-doors protest controversy at Brown.

Read her full letter to President Paxson here.

5. The University investigates

The controversy lingers on as Brown decides it will investigage what happened and potentially discipline the students involved.

Read about the investigation at the Atlantic Wire here.

6. Polls show mixed feelings

A poll conducted by the Brown Daily Herald shows that while most students supported petitioning and protesting the lecture, most did not agree with causing it to be shut down.

See the poll results here.

7. The news goes …   More

Survey

A Year In Review

In next month's issue we reflect on 2013. Help us identify the good and the bad of the year. You may even find your feedback in print.

Loading...   More

On Campus

Check Out Our 5 Favorite Pieces from RISD's "Under the Influence"

A new student exhibit call Under the Influence just opened in the Gelman Student Exhibitions Gallery at RISD's Chace Center. Here are five our favorite pieces. Check out these, and many more, yourself from now until December 11.

 

We Stopped Dreaming by Nick Penney

Cut out of blank newsprint, an ominous message can be pieced together to make you think.

-----

 

California by Will GM Radin

Beautiful photos paired with a beautifully crafted piece draw you in to an unknown narrative left to your imagination.

-----

 

Pierre by Jason Rabie

A very animated chair makes for an interesting experience. It also makes you marvel at how it was even made to begin with. The small sign asks you to "please approach", so don't be shy.

-----

 

F*** by Hyo Jin Yoo

An interesting scuplture of mouths expressing an all too familiar word.

-----

 

NO Mugging by Nupur Mathur, Gefeng Wang & Jennifer Vincent

A professional looking sign with an out of the ordinary message grabs all kinds of attention…You need to see the newsreel!

    More

Shopping

Shop for a Cause

Fabulocity, an upscale consignment and gift shop, is hosting a shopping event on November 8. That night, 10% of Fabulocity's sales will benefit the American Cancer Society. What better way to feel good about giving yourself a little treat? 6-8pm. 9 Cedar Swamp Road, Smith-field. 231-5900.

  More

« Prev | 1 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 17 | Next »

X