Rhode Island
Ocean House ramps up culinary programs
Ocean House in Watch Hill, a village of Westerly, R.I., the state’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star resort, and known for fine dining, is increasing its culinary presence in southern Rhode Island by adding offerings from the 10-acre Avondale Farm, to a list of 49 local farms and farmer’s markets it uses. The resort is also adding new classes from on-staff food forager Janice McEachen, a partnership with a local oyster farm and new honey beehives. Expansion of the culinary program at the resort “is the next step in making the property a true food destination for discerning travelers,” said Daniel Hostettler, president and managing director of Ocean House Management.
Avondale will serve as a resource for the resort’s five dining outlets, a learning tool for guests and a sustainable way to give back to the Watch Hill community on the state’s southwestern corner. A small orchard of apple trees took root recently and should be ready for fall picking, with honey from four new hives ready this summer. A coop has also been built to house several chickens and this fall, Ocean House teams with Salt Water Farm in North Kingstown to introduce deep-water signature Ocean House oysters. The resort has also launched a new “In the Kitchen” culinary education series, where guests join McEachen teaches with members of the Ocean House chef team and guest chefs, with lessons in cooking foundations, stock making, sauces and seasoning. The classes run one Saturday per month, for $95 per person. For more information, visit www.oceanhouseri.comUp, up and away in RI’s South County balloon fest
The 35th annual South County Hot Air Balloon Festival runs July 19-21 at the athletic fields of the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown, an event that started as a small group of balloon enthusiasts and is now a full-blown Rhode Island summer fair, with carnival rides, games, overnight RV camping and arts and crafts show. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wakefield, R.I., the event has raised more than $1.5 million over the years, all going to local scholarships and charities, organizers said. About 10 balloonists will show off their aircrafts July 19 and 20, with a “Balloon Glow,” accompanied by a Friday night concert by Roomful of Blues, and Saturday night fireworks.
Balloonists will give tethered rides during each “Glow” event, with balloons tied to the ground and floating up about 150 feet, with the flames heating the balloons also lighting them up in the night sky. The Kansas City BBQ Competition returns this year to a festival proven to be one of the most popular in the state, with Yankee magazine rating it a Top 20 R.I. event from 2010-2013.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 14 and under, with $25 charged for family admission. Parking is free, and RV camping is available.
For information, visit www.southcountyballoonfest.com
What's new this summer in Newport
Newport is known for old stuff, such as the oldest continuing tavern, lending library, synagogue and Fourth of July celebration. But each year, more new comes to Newport, and this year is no exception.
The Doris Duke Monument Foundation between Thames Street and Trinity Church unveils a $3.5 million revitalization of Queen Anne Square, designed by Maya Lin. Entitled “The Meeting Room,” the installation includes three shallow foundations to illustrate the history of the property and provide community gathering spots. The project will bring more green space, seating, trees and lighting to Queen Anne Square. It is intended to honor the memory of Doris Duke, who championed Newport’s historic preservation. Check it out at www.ddmf.org
The old, elegant mansion of Newport have added thing, including the Elms with a new audio tour which includes new information about recent restoration projects in the house and servant life. In addition, Mandarin translations of the audio tours at The Breakers, The Elms, Marble House and Rosecliff will be added as Chinese-speaking visitors are the fastest growing segment of foreign visitors to the mansions. The 2013 costume exhibition at Rosecliff features 20th century highlights from the Newport Preservation Society's collection, and highlights designer pieces by Chanel, Givenchy and Halston. The exhibition runs through November 22. Visit www.newportmansions.org for information
For the adventurous, there is a new Fort Adams zip line, where you can strap in and dive off walls of the fort, North America’s largest coastal fortress, on the 430-foot-long zip line. You start at 50 feet up, sail over the fort’s complex and land on the ground. You can go solo or with a friend on a tandem zip line. Visit www.fortadams.org for info.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame exhibit, “Tennis and Hollywood,” showcases the popularity of the sport of tennis with Hollywood’s elite. A social sport that initially catered to an upscale crowd, tennis became a natural pastime for many big screen stars in the early 1900s. Legends including Alice Marble and Frank Parker were known to share their expertise by giving lessons to stars including Dinah Shore, Charlton Heston, Dustin Hoffman, Clark Gable and Charlie Chaplin. The exhibit will be displayed for one year.
Also, the hall will host the first and only viewing of “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which proved to be an event that created heightened awareness for gender equality, in honor of its 40th anniversary. King will be present at the special screening on July 14 to introduce the broadcast footage and then discuss her memories of key moments in the match, what the match meant to her personally, and reflect on its lasting impact. Check both hall events out at www.tennisfame.com
The International Yacht Restoration School and Museum of Yachting 2013 exhibition features a diverse collection of Newport yachting and coastal scenes including artwork in various mediums from the 19th century to today. Exhibition opens June 1. Check out www.iyrs.edu for information.
The Newport Dinner Train introduces The Ice Cream Train, a family-friendly experience aboard Rhode Island’s only moving ice cream parlor. During this scenic ride, families get entertainment aboard air-conditioned rail cars as the they travel along the coast while having soft-serve ice cream or sundaes. The train departs Thursdays through Saturdays from the Newport Train Depot, 19 America's Cup Avenue. For information, visit www.newportdinnertrain.com/docs/schedule.htm
Samuel Whitehorne House, a museum of 18th- and early 19th-century Newport and Rhode Island furniture, will feature a new exhibit this year of high chests including one on loan from the Ott family of Providence. For information, visit www.newportrestoration.org/visit/whitehorne
The inaugural Newport Sharkfest Swim will take place Sept. 28 along the waterfront beginning at the harbormaster’s dock at Perotti Park, proceeding past anchored sailboats on the right side of the swimming channel, and continuing for a total 1500 meters to finish on the beach at King Park. This event is for experienced open-water swimmers only. For info, visit www.sharkfestswim.com
As to new lodging, check out the Crow’s Nest Newport, with new lodging at Seamen’s Church Institute, a non-profit with a mission to service those connected to the sea, in its National Register historic building. The space is remodeled and includes 10 guest rooms in the heart of the waterfront. For information, visit www.crowsnestnewport.com
There’s also a new transportation option this year as the Block Island Ferry introduces seasonal high-speed ferry service from Newport to Block Island starting the end of June. Travel time between the two ports will take about one hour on a hi-speed aluminum catamaran ferry, to run several times a day. Visit www.blockislandferry.com for information.
For information on all Newport offerings, visit www.discovernewport.org
Blount cutting couples’ cruise cost
Blount Small Ship Adventures, based in Warren, R.I., is offering $1,000 savings per couple on sailings of its “Islands of New England” trips this summer, including three new enrichment cruises focusing on arts and crafts adventures, food and wine discoveries, and Native America history. The six-night cruises on the Grand Caribe hits six ports including the Massachusetts islands of Cuttyhunk and Nantucket, and Block Island in Rhode Island. The sailing also features onboard entertainers, a lobster bake, three meals a day (with beer and wine at lunch and dinner) and snacks around the clock. Unlike many cruise operations, here you can bring your own bottles, and they’ll provide mixers and cocktail setup.
The Grande Caribe, which has 48cabins and a capacity of 88 passengers, was built by Blount Boats in Warren in 1997 and renovated in 2009 with new furnishings, décor, cabins and dining rooms. With discount applied, rates start at $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy, and doesn’t include a port charge of $185 per person. Booking must be made by May 31.
For info, visit www.blountsmallshipadventures.com/ine.
AAA designing close-to-home vacations
AAA Southern New England can design trips for members just about anywhere, but in the interest of saving money and patronizing businesses in its own area, is also keen on creating trips closer to home, officials there say. One of them is “The City Get-Away Boston,” where you can spend the night at the Revere Hotel in the Hub’s theater district, eat at Four Diamond-ranked Asana at the chef’s table, go to Fenway Park for a ball game and get 10-percent off at the team store. You can also hit Huntington Theatre for a $5 discount per ticket or get $10 off at Blue Man Group.
Further south is the “Family Friendly Resort Cape Cod” offering, with a stay at Four Diamond-ranked Wequasset Resort & Golf Club, dinner at the resort’s twenty-eight Atlantic, and a whale-watching trip with Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, where AAA members get discounts. There is also the “Ultimate Luxury Beach Vacation Rhode Island,” with a stay at Five Diamond Ocean House (a giant hotel on the bluffs that was rebuilt in place of the original one that stood for many years, and using more than 5,000 artifacts and furnishing elements from the original), dinner at the hotel’s Four Diamond Seasons restaurant, and theater at the nearby Theatre By the Sea, a classic barn theater that in its glory years saw the likes of Marlon Brando and Mae West tread the boards there, and where AAA members get 10-percent off select performances this summer. For all info, check out www.southernnewengland.aaa.comStrolling down Providence’s Federal Hill
Federal Hill has long been called Providence’s Little Italy, retaining an Old World flavor while embracing a variety of other ethnicities and shops that cater to many varied tastes. And it’s all on display June 4 for the 14th Annual Federal Hill Stroll, organized by the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau. Participants can sample signature cuisine or get discounts at restaurants, shops and galleries.
"The stroll is a great chance to experience one of Providence’s most treasured neighborhoods,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the bureau. “Federal Hill is rightfully known as one of the best ‘Little Italys” in America and the stroll lets people affordably see why.” Tickets are $30, plus tax, and include admission button, two free beverages and a map of participating venues. The night starts at 4:30 p.m. and includes various musical entertainment along the way. Participants can also vote for their favorite venues and help crown this year’s King of the Hill and Most Creative Venue. One voter will win dinner for two at a Federal Hill eatery. Participating venues include Andino’s Italian Restaurant, Scialo Bros. Bakery, Nancy’s Fancies, Pane e Vino, Trattoria Roma, West Side Eyewear Boutique and Wise Guys Deli. Tickets are limited and must be bought in advance at www.federalhillstroll.com or by calling 401-456-0298. The event will be held rain or shine.Newport Restaurant Week kicks off on April 5
Newport, R.I. will showcase many of its world-class restaurants beginning Friday, when its annual Restaurant Week gets underway, featuring the area’s top coastal fare at historic spots like Clarke Cooke House, Christie’s, and White Horse Tavern.
Three-course, prix fixe meals will be only $16 for lunch, and $30 for dinner at more than 50 restaurants. Beverages, gratuities, and taxes are not included. A number of special wine tastings, culinary tours, and food and wine pairings will also be among the many events also taking place through April 14.
For a list of participating restaurants, events schedule, and menus, visit www.DiscoverNewportRestaurantWeek.org.
newportFILM presents free screening
Newport is not a bad place to be in April when the weather warms up, hopefully, and prices are cheaper. Free is the best price of all, and newportFILM has just that in a free Earth Day screening of the documentary “Elemental” April 22, hosted by The Aquidneck Land Trust as part of its Conservation Speaker Series, and in partnership with The Newport Tree Society’s Newport Arboretum Week. The film tells the story of three people on three different continents united by a deep connection with nature, driven to confront pressing ecological challenges. To check out the trailer, and reserve seats, visit www.newportfilm.com/films/elemental The film airs at 6 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theater.
Another film, one that costs $20 a ticket but includes cocktails and light refreshments, is “Venus and Serena,” about the Willams tennis siblings, said to be a “warts and all” look at the powerhouse sisters. It is being shown in partnership with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and airs April 25 at the Casino Theater on Freebody Street. The film’s director, Michelle Major, is scheduled to hold a post-screening Q&A session with the audience. For information and tickets, visit www.newportfilm.com
First Eat Drink RI Festival coming to Providence
The inaugural Eat Drink RI Festival is being held April 19-20, running throughout downtown
Providence, a city ranked number one in the food/drink/restaurant category in Travel + Leisure's "America's Favorite Cities 2012." The festival has more than 40 chefs, farmers, bartenders and food producers scheduled to take part, including Champe Speidel of Persimmon, a James Beard Foundation Best Chef Northeast semifinalist; Blackbird Farm, Jonathan Edwards Winery; Benjamin Sukle of The Dorrance, a James Beard Foundation Rising Star semifinalist; the United States Bartenders' Guild R.I.; Revival Brewing, Allen Farms; Dave's Coffee, and others.
Highlights include a "Truck Stop to Benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank" on April 19 in Kennedy Plaza; Education panels on April 20 that will discuss the abundance and quality of local food and drink, followed that night by a grand tasting , the festival's main event, at the Providence Biltmore; and a grand brunch April 21 at Gracie's, the city's only AAA Four Diamond restaurant.
For information, event pricing and a full schedule, visit www.eatdrinkri.com/festival
Rhode Island flower show blooms for 20th season
Kevin O’Connor, host of TV’s long-running home-improvement show, “This Old House,” will be a featured speaker, and joins a roster of experts including author and landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy, and nationally known gardening expert and author Melinda Myers, who will appear in the show’s Bartlett Tree lecture series. 
Providence touting its culinary scene
Providence was recently ranked tops for "Food/Drink/Restaurants" in Travel + Leisure's 2012 "America's Favorite Cities" poll. You can check out why it's rated so highly during the Providence Winter Restaurant Weeks, running through Jan. 26, with about 100 of the city's top restaurants taking part. You can do it with special three-course, prix-fixe menus priced at $14.95 per person for lunch and $29.95 for dinner. Featured at eateries from ethnic-rich Federal Hill to New England fare in the downcity area. Some places include New Rivers, Gracie's, Bacaro, Mediterraneo, Farmstead, Inc., The ROI and Coco Pazzo. All restaurant weeks specials are offered in addition to regular menu fare, and don't include beverage, tax or tip. To check it all out, visit www.providencerestaurantweeks.com
Providence is a hotbed of winter activities
If you're of a mind to get out and about this winter, Providence has many activities going on, from museum exhibits to craft shows and the popular WaterFire installation.
Rhode Island School of Design's Museum of Art's newest exhibition, "America in View: Landscape Photography 1865 to Now," showcases the expansive photography of the nation's landscape over the past 150 years. The exhibit runs through Jan. 13, with admission prices starting at $3. Check it out at www.risdmuseum.org, or call 401-454-6500.
Craftland, a once-annual holiday sale is now a full-out store in downtown, promoting handmade jewelry, crafts and home good. Its holiday showcase runs through Dec. 31, featuring collectables from more than 160 New England and American artists. For information, visit www.craftland.myshopify.com/index or call 401-272-4285.
Winter WaterFire is a special holiday lighting of 41 braziers on the downtown rivers Dec. 14, burning from Waterplace Park to Steeple Street. There will also be a Christmas tree lighting in the basin and a visit from Santa, caroling and refreshment. The event is free and for information, visit www.waterfire.org or call 401-273-1155.
The city rings in the new year Dec. 31, an event hosted by Providence's arts community, dubbed "Bright Night." It features art exhibits and family programming around the city, including storytelling and poetry readings, puppet shows, an antique fire truck exhibit, live shows, and food trucks. It kicks off at noon, and evening ceremonies include the midnight countdown to 2013 and features live shows by Big Nazo, Extraordinary Rendition Band and the Banished Fools. Tickets range from $10-$20. For information and schedules, visit www.brightnight.org or call 401-864-5973.
For more information on all the city has going on, check out www.goprovidence.com
Eat well for the benefit of others
Courses include Rhode Island oysters, lumpfish roe, sea urchin, spiced chicharrones salad, seashore honey-roasted veggies, foraged mushrooms, lamb belly, tea-smoked chicken, and dark chocolate, persimmon and arctic rose tart with maple ice cream.
According to its website, the Quebec-based Société-Orignal is a creative platform linking farmers, activists, chefs and grocers. Check it out at www.societe-orignal.com
To register for the Providence event, visit www.farmsteadinc.com/events/ or call 401-274-7177
Learning to cook with one of Newport's best
"You can cook like this at home, you just have to keep it simple," says Bach-Sorensen, 50, leading a group of food writers through the steps of making the above dish, which I'm proud to say, came out pretty good.
You can do it, too: Asterisk hosts regular chef series events, where for a scant $35 you don chef whites and work one-on-one with Bach-Sorensen all day (the usual chef series features just one guest at a time), planning what to make, preparing food and then making meals for friends you invite, usually about eight to 12, he says. Then you cook their food and sit down to eat it with them, along with Bach-Sorensen, who will happily talk about cooking, his history in the trade, anything related to the fine art of cooking.
Growing up as a boy outside Copenhagen, he learned the business with his family, which owned restaurants there. Part of his job was going to markets with them and picking out the best food for that night's menu, including choosing what he thought were the best cuts of meat. He later cooked in France, taught the skill to others, and eventually came to Newport decades ago, falling in love with the city and sailing and never left.
Asterisk is in a renovated historic garage, with 12-foot glass doors in front that open to patio dining in summer. The open kitchen allows you to look inside at chefs scurrying about preparing food. Best view: The chef's table near the opening to the kitchen, where you can practically feel the heat from the work going on inside.
The restaurant seats about 100 and is packed in summer, but this time of year you've got a good shot at just coming in and finding a table, even on weekends. It has an open design, with a giant black beam above and exposed ductwork and a sizable black-mirrored bar area that serves all manner of unique beverages, including Mikkeller Porter from Denmark and Saison DuPont beer from Belgium. Bach-Sorensen said Asterisk was the first place in the United States to serve Stella Artois. And you can't leave until you try a signature espresso martini.
Future chef series events include an Italian night, a game night and a special meal for Christmas. The series runs for the rest of this month, and picks up again for March and April; they don't do it in high season, the kitchen would be too crowded. But even if you don't want to learn to cook and just partake of the fresh ingredients and locally sourced fish, this is a great place to do it. Cool stuff includes a grilled seafood pizza with shrimp, mussels, roasted pepper, olives, capers and anchovies for $22, char-crusted sirloin with grilled potatoes, market veggies and a mustard green onion-caper vinaigrette for $32 and that exquisite crispy salmon dish for $23.
For information on the restaurant and the chef series, visit www.asterisknewport.com The restaurant is also part of Newport Restaurant Week, which runs through Nov. 12, with more than 50 Newport restaurants serving up a three-course prix fixe lunch for $16 and dinner for $30 per person. For information, visit www.gonewportrestaurantweek.com
"We started the chef series for friends last year, but it really took off," Bach-Sorensen says. "It's a great way to learn what life is really like in the kitchen."
Plus you get to wear chef whites. To amateur foodies like me, that's worth the price of admission alone.
Chanler hosts final tasting event
Leading into the holiday season, the Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport is hosting its final tasting series event Dec. 2 from 1-3 p.m., with a champagne and sparkling wine tasting. The ticketed event, $85 per person, plus tax and tip, takes place at the hotel's Spiced Pear restaurant, with drinks from the Pernod Ricard collection, including JH Mumm, Perrier-Jouet, Mumm Napa and more. Chef Thomas Duffy and his Spiced Pear culinary team will create a specialty menu to pair with each tasting.
Arian Bouron, champagne ambassador for Pernod Ricard USA, will be on hand to present the wines and discuss the significance of each. Bouron has extensive experience in the industry, having worked for two years in China developing the luxury portfolio for Pernod Ricard. She has spent years organizing private tastings for connoisseurs, working with five-star hotels and restaurants around the world, and developing a brand vision for Pernod Ricard’s flagship outlets.
Reservations are required, by visiting www.thechanler.com or calling 401.847.2244.
Foliage train scheduled for Blackstone Valley
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is hosting its annual Fall Foliage and Shopping Train Excursion Oct. 20 aboard the Providence and Worcester Railroad, which leaves the Woonsocket train depot in Rhode Island at 9 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m. The foliage train travels through historic Blackstone River Valley to the many antique shops, restaurants and gift shops in Putnam, Conn., where there will be an arts and crafts fair, music, sidewalk sales, a pumpkin festival, bazaar and luncheon, at the Putnam Congregational Church. The train leaves Putnam at 2:15 and chugs back to Woonsocket by 4:30 p.m.
Ticket prices run from $28 to $58. There is a snack bar on the train, and passengers can also bring their own, though no alcoholic beverages are allowed. For information and reservations, visit www.tourblackstone.com or call 401-724-2200.
Opulence hidden behind a hedge in Newport
I've probably driven up and down Memorial Drive in Newport a million times, and have long heard of the upscale Chanler at Cliff Walk, but never put two and two together and realized the Chanler was so close to Cliff Walk. OK, so it's smack dab on Cliff Walk, but my reason for not knowing that is a big one: It is completely hidden behind a giant hedge, affording it remarkable privacy and quiet despite being steps away from one of Newport's busiest streets. Set back on a cobblestoned drive, it is a magnificent building, loaded with charm, elegance and a pretty neat history: Built in 1865 as a summer home for New York Congressman John Winthrop Chanler and his wife, Margaret Astor Ward, it was the first mansion built on Cliff Walk and hosted the likes of President Theodore Roosevelt and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was later a museum and then a girls' school before becoming a hotel in the 1940s.
We had the occasion to stay there one night and got the Empire Room; each of the 14 mansion rooms in the main building are decorated and named for an historical period based on the furniture design and architecture of that time, themed from Gothic to English Tudor to Greek Revival. One of the many beauties of this place is no two rooms are alike. And throughout, some of the furnishings from the Chanler Museum are sprinkled throughout. There are also three separate garden villas and three ocean villas.
Our Empire Room in the mansion was gorgeous, on a corner facing Easton's Beach and Cliff Walk. The room had a sizable living room with a two-person Jacuzzi on the far wall, which doesn't exactly befit the historical period on which the room is based, but was a very relaxing respite after a long stroll on Cliff Walk. Here, for an extra cost, a butler will come in while you're at dinner, run the bath and leave rose petals strewn about, and lighted candles surrounding the tub set in a mirrored alcove. A more romantic setting we could not imagine.
The fireplace mantel is of antique slate, taken from a mansion in Michigan and painted to look like granite. Empire decor, inn officials said, often used a faux treatment of materials to look like granite or marble. Several antique tiles with figures on them in ochre and lime green are embedded into the mantel, making it more unique and interesting. The room itself is unique; being on the corner, the ceiling height varies from corner to center, from around six feet to more than eight, with a stained-glass skylight in the ceiling. The room's feel is decidedly Victorian but with modern touches such as a triple-head shower in the gold-hued granite bathroom, and iHome docking station.
The main culinary draw is the Spiced Pear, a restaurant with incredible ocean views, some of the best in Newport, and cuisine to match. Give the Spiced Pear martini a shot, with Absolut pear vodka, Amaretto DiSaronno, pear nectar, cinnamon and lemon juice. We also had local chilled oysters, wild burgundy escargot, Narragansett Bay striped bass and the menu's highest priced item, the exquisite butter-poached Maine lobster for $42, worth every melt-in-mouth cent. Before and/or after a meal like that, a long jaunt down nearby Cliff Walk is almost a necessity. Or you could wait until the next day, because breakfast here is insane, too; check out the salmon and goat cheese omelet.
We retired to the bar of hand-rubbed mahogany for a nightcap before heading back to the room where that rose-petal strewn tub awaited, and got more proof of how renowned the Chanler is: The following weekend, it would be closed to the public, privately booked for the wedding of the creator of the Facebook logo. And yes, Mark Zuckerberg was scheduled to attend.
Newport used to go to sleep in the off season, but no more. At the Chanler, a fall two-night special ($425 per night) includes full breakfast, a bottle of Spiced Pear sparkling wine, two tickets to a Newport mansion of your choice, and one, three-course meal for two in the Spiced Pear. Wait until winter and you can get the two-night "A Chanler Christmas," ($375 per weekday night, $430 per weekend night), available Nov. 28-Dec. 29 which gets you the same as the fall special, minus the bottle of wine; instead you get a minted Chanler Christmas ornament. All prices include room taxes, food taxes and dinner gratuity. And if you want to check out other parts of the city, you can get a free ride any place in Newport, up until 11 p.m., first come, first served. Check it out at www.thechanler.com
All that behind a hedge? I have to start paying attention where I'm going.
Rhode Island inn offering grand-opening deal
Playful city plays it up
Providence has been honored as a "Playful City USA" by KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit with a mission to create "great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities." To celebrate, the city's park and recreation, and other venues, will participate in a citywide weekend of play, starting with a Playful Providence kick-off Sept. 7, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., in Burnside Park. The celebration will have playful activities by Providence Children's Museum, R.I. Parkour, R.I. Museum of Science and Art and more, along with music from the Brown University Band, collaborative art projects and a short speaking program.
The activities run throughout the weekend at 21 neighborhood parks and six other play and recreation venues around the city. Playful Providence is planning by the Partnership for Providence, a new group that provides chances for kids to have structured and unstructured play in safe places. To learn more about it all, check out www.providenceparks.org
Stylin' in Providence
Tickets start at $30, and for $75 on Friday, you can sidle up to fashion industry insiders, at the industry-only Swarovski VIP suite. That ticket includes access to all shows that night.
The Biltmore is offering deals for those attending the show, with superior rooms fetching $89 a night, and junior suites $119. For all information, visit www.styleweeknortheast.com
The event was created to provide emerging designers a platform to showcase their debut collections to the reason, said Rosanna Ortiz Sinel, president and founder of Styleweek, adding that it "evolved from a local to regional event and is one of the few regional fashion expositions supported by the council of Fashion Design in America. Styleweek not only brings together the fashion business and the community but is a true celebration of style and culture."
Wine and cheese come together at Patio Pours in Providence
The pours feature unusual and small-batch producer wines, the Jennings said, most of which are rarely available outside the bottle, including Stefano Massone Masera Gavi, Valdesil Montenovo Godello and Glatzer Blaufrankisch. Matt Jennings, a three-time Cochon 555 champion (a popular culinary event that has chefs creating "snout-to-tail" menus from heritage breed pigs), creates charcuterie including the unique pig-ear bacon, hoof and snout terrine and fennel and preserved orange cotechino.
The Farmstead's curated cheese selections include spirit-washed originals like the Drunken Providence, a Gouda-style cheese from Narragansett Creamery that's washed with Thomas Tew Rum from Newport Distilling, and aged for two months in Farmstead's street-level cheese cave, and other creations from Matt Jennings and his team of three cheesemongers.
Matt and Kate Jennings have run La Laiterie and Farmstead for the past 10 years. Matt Jennings is a two-time James Beard Foundation award nominee, and the couple has earned kudos from Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Travel + Leisure and Saveur, as well as mention on the Cooking Channel's "Unique Eats" program.
For more info, visit www.farmsteadinc.com, or call 401-274-7177.
Newport museum hosts free America's Cup exhibit
The International Yacht Restoration School at 449 Thames St. in Newport is hosting free America's Cup exhibition this summer, through Oct. 1, one comprised entirely from the collection of William I. Koch. It features fine art, artifacts and other objects, including gifts given within the social circles of those who have competed for the coveted trophy. Koch's collection on display covers about 150 years of America's Cup history.
Koch, an America's Cup champion in 1992 and who developed the historic all-women's team for the 1995 race, is well known in the sailing world. Among his other titles are two Maxi Yacht World Championships in 1990 and 1991. Koch is known for his art collection as well, which consists of works by Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Modigliani, Picasso and others. Items from Koch?s collections have been shown at the Louvre, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach.
The America's Cup exhibit at the school is open to the public and free of charge. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.iyrs.org or call 401-848-5777, ext 222.
R.I. Audubon Society runs nocturnal wildlife tours
Summer nights are the best, with cool breezes, bright moonlight, star-studded skies and just a peaceful easy feeling. Oh, and things that make noises in the dark that can make you jump out of your skin if you don't know what they are. Which is what the good folks at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island are counting on with a summer program of nocturnal events designed to explore, embrace and explain things that go bump in the night.
"When we venture out on the wildlife refuges at night, we seek out those mysterious noises and movements," said Audubon naturalist Kim Calcagno. "Part of each walk is simply getting used to walking in the dark. The more you learn about what you see and hear, the more comfortable you become in the darkness and the more you can enjoy the peacefulness, cool air and array of night sounds."
The evening events include:
Aug. 3, bats at Eppley Wildlife Refuge, West Kingston, a night walk through the refuge to learn about the flapping creatures of the night.
Aug. 10, family night exploration at Fisherville Brook, Exeter, where kids and their parents engage in games and activities that explain the night vision of creatures like bats, deer and coyotes, and have some s'mores later.
Aug. 29, family hike night at Fort Nature Refuge in North Smithfield, where participants (ages 8 and up only, it involves a nearly two-mile hike) listen for animal sounds and test their night vision.
Aug. 31, a full-moon kayak paddle at Hundred Acre Cove in Barrington (ages 16 and up), a quintessential salt marsh with osprey and terrapin turtle nesting sites, where great blue herons and snowy egrets are often seen, and where participants can get out and see the cages of the turtle nests.
All programs are $12 for non-members of Audubon ($6 for kids) and $8 for members ($4 for kids), except for the moonlight paddle, which is $65 for non-members and $55 for members (all equipment included). Registration is required for all programs by calling 401-949-5454 ext. 3041 or emailing programs@asri.org. A free download of all Audubon activities is available at www.asri.org
"We want people to discover the night and find wonder and delight in what is around them," Calcagno said. "In the end, we hope to introduce and share with people the same enjoyment of the wilds at night that our naturalists possess. It's a wonderful time to explore."
JetBlue lands in Providence; will offer service to Florida later this year
JetBlue Airlines announced today that it will begin service from T.F. Green International Airport near Providence, R.I., to multiple destinations in Florida beginning Nov. 29. T.F. Green becomes the 75th destination within JetBlue's network of airports.
JetBlue will initially offer two daily nonstop service to Orlando International Airport and one daily flight to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport .To commemorate the addition of its 75th city, the airline is offering Florida fares as low as $75, available today through Aug. 1, for travel Nov. 29-Dec. 12.
Last year JetBlue chief executive Dave Barger said that the carrier was considering expanding to Providence, and possibly Worcester, but he suggested that Green was the first priority. The Worcester Telegram and Gazette reported that JetBlue officials said recently that the company had no plans “in the near future” for Worcester, but did not rule out the possibility.
"I am proud to welcome JetBlue Airways to Rhode Island," R.I. Governor Lincoln Chafee said in a statement. "The addition of JetBlue will have positive effects throughout the state: T.F. Green customers will have more flight options, the airport will enjoy the addition of new air service and jobs, and Rhode Island will continue to build its reputation as a great place to do business. JetBlue service makes T.F. Green Airport, in the heart of Warwick's growing transportation hub and regional connectivity, an even more appealing option for the traveling public."
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- Kari Bodnarchuk writes about outdoor adventures, offbeat places, and New England.
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