OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 3

Neighborhood Walk: Historic Federal Hill..................................................4Food: Stay Cool with Homemade Popsicles ........................................7At Home with Style: Finding Comfort in Your Upholstery .....................8Wine: Corked Wine ........................................................................................9In the Garden: A Road Less Graveled ...................................................10Welcome to Real Estate Insight................................................................12Book Review: The Hanging and Redemption of John Gordon ....13Locally Made: RISD Museum .....................................................................14Personal Style: Conquering Your Cluttered Closet.............................17Rhode Island Cooks: La Maison de Coco ..............................................18Health: The Outdoor Fitness Versatility of Little Rhody ....................21

Bob Black,Jennifer Leal, Andrew Grossman,Sally Lapides, Raina Smith, Marcel McVay,Jill Magee Marinelli, Jessica Granatiero,Lisa Newman Paratore, Lisa St.Denis

Each time I determine where my next Neighborhood Walkwill take place, I look at a host of factors: time of year,local business hours, time of day I’ll be in the neighbor-hood, and the appeal of the area to the readers. Given thenature of the article, having nice weather makes for a morepleasant experience, at least on my end, but there has beenone walk that I’ve eagerly awaited for some time now and Ijust couldn’t wait any longer. I set out mid-morning forHistoric Federal Hill.

Federal Hill plays host to a stretch of road that is widelybelieved to be among the giants of the culinary world inAmerica - Atwells Avenue. Cities like New York andBoston may have more restaurants per square mile but asI’ve learned - it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality.

I arrived at my destination about 20 minutes before itbecame over-run by the lunchtime crowd seeking suste-nance to carry them through the day. Parking on SpruceStreet just across from Pastiche Fine Desserts was a score,considering this street is typically jam- packed, and it

quickly filled up by the time I was leaving.

Speaking of Pastiche- it was the first place I decided tovisit, drawn in by the promise of delicious baked goods anda warm fireplace. Dessert before lunch may not make senseto some people, but I say, “why not?”. The Pastiche bakersare hard at work in the back-of-house producing stunningbaked creations that have wowed locals for 30 years. All ofmy senses were on high alert; the aromas of coffee andpastries, the sights of colorful tarts and cakes, and thesounds of happy morning conversation all combined for aspectacular start to my day.

With a scrumptious wild blueberry muffin and a hot deli-cious coffee to warm me up, I headed out to meet thelocals. Taking a left out the door brought me to DePasqualePlaza, the epicenter of activity for all of Federal Hill. ThePlaza is adorned with colorful facades featuring manyrestaurants, and even a boutique hotel called Hotel DolceVilla located next door to Cafe Dolce Vita. Passing throughDePasquale Plaza, I turned right down Atwells Ave to con-

By Bob Black

- See Federal Hill, page 6

4 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 5

tinue on my journey. The vast majority of the storefronts on themain road are occupied by award-winningrestaurants, bakeries, and delis, but you canalso find the random music shop or eyewearstore thrown in the mix.

I was sure to make my way from end to end,because I didn’t want to miss any detail. Iarrived down by the arch entryway to “TheHill”, as it’s known, just before the OldCanteen. By this time the streets starting fillingwith the lunch crowd seeking to enjoy the localfare. My final destination was a few blocksback to the Plaza - Costantino’s Venda Ravioli.

Venda Ravioli is one of the most recognizedand well-known businesses in the area, and forgood reason. When you enter, you’re greetedby a massive square shaped deli that has differ-ent sections for getting just what you need.Prepared foods, top-notch deli meats, butchercounter, olive bar, and cheese shop all in one location. There’salso a café, which caters to the foodies looking to enjoy a meal in-house. Did I mention the market area that offers imported Italian

goods? It’s an assault on the senses in the most wonderful waypossible. Stopping in to Venda is a must for any trip to FederalHill. I was sure to leave with plenty of incredible food for our din-ner tonight.

While this wasn’t my first time to FederalHill, and it most definitely isn’t my last, I’lladmit - really digging into what the area hasto offer made this one of the best experi-ences I’ve ever had doing my NeighborhoodWalks. The vibrant people, colorful and styl-ish storefronts, and many sights and soundsall combine to make Federal Hill one ofRhode Island’s best.

Federal Hillcontinued from page 4

6 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

I was sure to make myway from end to end,because I didn’t want

to miss any detail.

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 7

By Jennifer LealStay Cool with Homemade PopsiclesThe past two weeks have beena hot and humid challenge forus Rhode Islanders, and themonth of August alwayspromises more heat waves.

Around my house, we take on the heat by making popsi-cles! Popsicles are not just for kids you know. Forinstance, all the rage among health conscientious adultsis green smoothies. Take it a step further by freezingyour morning smoothie!

Another Summer go to for refreshment is Watermelon,so get creative and combine some with your otherfavorite melons and yogurt for a melon pop.

Finally, if popsicles are notyour thing but you are an IcedCoffee addict, make some IcedCoffee Ice Cubes! Brew a min-imum of double strength coffeeand allow it to cool. Then pourthe coffee into a mold, freeze,remove, enjoy.

For more fun and creativerecipes visit Jennifer's blog,Savoring The Thyme.

8 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

Finding Comfort in Your UpholsteryThis morning I had a second meeting with lovely clients who are redecorating their family room. I presented them with a floor plan toscale and we all agreed on the ideal placement. The next step, of course, was to discuss furniture selection. I was reminded during thatconversation of how vitally important it is to understand all the right steps to finding just the right sofa.

The sofa is the heart of the family room. It's where loved ones gather to watch a movie together. It's where couples sit with a glass ofwine at the end of a long day to catch up with each other. It's the place for a quick cat-nap and sometimes even where an overnight guestmight settle in for the night. As such, finding something that is comfortable is at least as important as finding something that is pleasingto the eye.

The challenge with this is that, unless you purchase the floor sample off of the showroom floor, the piece you sit upon in a furniture storeis NOT necessarily going to feel the same as the piece that is actually delivered to your home. It will either come from a warehouse if itis a lower-priced piece or it will be made custom to order at the time it is chosen. The one you sit on in a store will likely not be coveredin the same upholstery. The diference between sitting on a tapestry fabric, a velvet, a leather and a chintz is profound. They all havetheir own density and texture and this will in fact impact the way it "gives" when the weight of a human body comes into contact with it.Furthermore, there is really no way to know how many human bodies have sat on the cushion before you did and it, too, may be quiterelaxed as a result.

When working with a client to find a seat that will be comfort-able for them the first thing I do is ask a few questions. Do theyhave a piece of furniture now that they find particularly comfort-able. Do they have any family members or regular visitors whoare either particularly large or small in stature? Are there anyissues that would require a firm back support? How many peopletypically will sit on the piece at one time? The answers to thesequestions, when coupled with the ideal and already determineddimensions from a floor plan, are the key to finding just the rightpiece.

What truly makes an upholstered seat comfortable is a combina-tion of its interior dimensions and its cushioning. If you have apiece of furniture that you absolutely love for its comfort meas-ure the height from the floor to the top of the seat and the depthfrom the front to the back of the seat. It is this combination thatworks to provide you with the right match for your body. Also,look at the arm height. Are you someone who likes to rest yourarm on the chair's arm? If so, be sure to take that into considera-tion when looking at the aesthetics of potential new pieces.Something with a high and dramatic arm may appeal to your eyesbut not to your comfort sensibilities. Also of note, no one piecewill be comfortable to all people. If for example you have some-

one in your life who is rather short, consider adding a chair in the room that has a shallower seat depth to accomodate their comfort.

Back support, which can be a significant issue for some, should be addressed by the style of cushion. A "tight" seat and back cushion(meaning that you can not pick the cushion up off the piece) will give you much firmer support than a detached or semi-attached cush-ion. By contrast, if you are looking for a piece to sink into you will be quite dissatisfied with anything but the latter. The number ofpeople who will typically sit on the piece is also important to consider. In the case of a sofa, there might be a bench (single) cushion,two cushions or three. Nobody wants to sit in the gutter. So if there will typically be two people sitting on the piece, consider either asingle or two cushion style. If three will be the norm, a two cushion style will force the person in the middle to sit right in the gap wherethe cushions meet and is not the right option.

The good news is that the answers to the questions addressed here are pretty black and white. Once you have taken the time to do aquick inventory of your requirements you can look for the right pieces with the confidence of a well-informed shopper. Happy hunting!

What truly makes an upholstered seatcomfortable is a

combination of itsinterior dimensionsand its cushioning.

By Jessica GranatieroCORKEDWineSwirl, sniff, sip. Hmmm, something's off. Let's try again. Swirl, sniff, sip. Those were thesteps I engaged in that made me realize my beautiful Italian wine was corked.

When a wine is corked it has distinct smells of dirty sneakers and wet cardboard. A corkedwine is not from poor winemaking, dirty vineyards or bad storage. Getting a corked bottle,known as cork taint, is from the presence of a chemical compound TCA, trichloroanisole.TCA can affect a $7 or $200 wine, and when it does, it's unsavory. It's hard for many, evensome in the industry, to know if a wine is corked. When it happens, many unknowingly oftensay, "That's a horrible wine," and never want to have it again.

The chemical details of how TCA happens may make you yawn. But basically components incork, from cork trees, when in contact with certain chlorides react to produce TCA. We don'tknow it's happened until we taste, and just because one bottle is corked doesn't mean all are.The corked wine I had was from a case that didn't contain other corked bottles.

During holidays, our home is a gathering place where family and friends talk, laugh andenjoy food and wine. It's always fun sharing our favorites, and never when we share these dowe want to open a corked bottle. But it happens. Can we prevent it? No. So for our holidays,I always ensure we have multiple bottles of a specific wine. You may want to too, to combatany unwelcome wine visitor during a dinner party or special occasion.

Recently I was contacted by a home owner, who had decided that it was finally time to reno-vate his family's back yard. He mentioned that the parcel of land was quite small. Neverthe-less, when I arrived for our initial consultation, I was more than a little surprised to find noth-ing but a rotted timber wall and a chain link fence framing a narrow piece of land completelycovered by driveway gravel. Even more surprising was the fact that this sadly neglected pieceof property had a spectacular view of the the bay.

During out initial meeting the client and his wife explained that they needed a place to social-ize and wanted to break the sloped piece of property into three or four different levels. It tooka bit of negotiating, but I finally convinced them that the space was too small to accommo-date more than one main level. Once we were in agreement, I measured out the property andreturned to my drafting table. After playing with a number of different options, I decided thata circular patio would compliment the view of the bay and make the best use of the narrowspace.

Initially I was a bit torn as to the size of patio. Ideally I would have left a bit more room forplantings, but the client wanted as much space as possible for socializing. I often remark thatno one ever complains that their patio is too big. Heeding my own advice, I finally decidedon a twenty-seven foot diameter circle. Both the patio and retaining walls were constructedout of prefabricated cement products. I'll admit that I wasn't a big fan of faux stone walls andpavers when they first appeared on the market. Recent improvements, however, have resulted

- See Road, next page

No one

ever

complains

that

their patio is

too big.

10 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

By Andrew Grossman

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 11

in some pleasing options. Cement products are alsomuch less expensive and easier to install than naturalstone.

Certainly this wall and walkway is a vast improve-ment over the original gravel and timber construc-tion. Since the client wanted predominantly summercolor, I planted the beds with a mixture of some eas-ily grown favorites; potentilla, grasses, daylilies,nepeta and fairy roses all of which should fill innicely by the end of the summer.

Since 1993 Andrew Grossman has been creatinglandscapes that reflect his clients’ individual tastesand personal lifestyles. His projects combine imagi-native structural solutions with a sophisticated horti-cultural sensibility. To learn more about Andrewplease visit: www.andrewgrossman.com

Roadcontinued from previous page

Welcome toReal EstateINSIGHT

By Sally Lapides

I don’t know what circles Mark Twain ran in but everywhere I gomore people are talking about real estate than the weather. People askme about the market all the time, Is now a good time to sell?, Can Ibuy a house with so-so credit?, Should I remodel the kitchen before Ilist it? That is one of the reasons why I started my radio show RealEstate Insight 10 years ago and today I am thrilled to also be joiningthe onlineri.com community as the local expert and continue this tra-dition.

Real estate has been my passion and livelihood for over 30 years, andI could not think of a better place to do my business than here in

Rhode Island. I grew up in Barrington, got married and raised my children on the EastSide of Providence, and havespent many glorious summers inLittle Compton. There is some-thing special about each andevery community in our littleState.

While the phrase ‘knowledge ispower’ might sound cliché, it isthe application of that knowl-edge in real estate that deter-mines one’s success. Today’sbuyers and sellers are certainlymore educated and sophisticatedthanks to technology, but theystill need expert representationin order to make good invest-ments. My goal in writing thiscolumn is to deliver concise anduseful information that can help you realize your real estate goals. Hopefully I will beable to help you cut through the proliferation of information that is out there so youcan make more informed decisions.

Just as the real estate industry is constantly evolving, this col-umn will be a work in progress, I welcome your feedback andlook forward to your questions and comments.

Please visit our website for the latest Open House showings,newly listed Properties, and so much more.

12 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

Everywhere I gomore people

are talking aboutreal estate

than the weather.

The Hanging &Redemption ofJohn Gordon -The True Story of RhodeIsland’s Last ExecutionPaul F. Caranci is a third-generation resident of North Providence. RhodeIsland’s rich and sometimes tragic history is what has captivated Paul mostof his life. He is a true historian, and along with his wife Margie, foundedthe Municipal Heritage Group in 2009. He also on the board of directors ofthe Heritage Harbor Museum and the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.He is also no stranger to politics either, having served as Rhode Island’sdeputy secretary of state since 2007. He was also elected to and served onthe North Providence Town Council from 1994-2010.

Today, he is on a mega book tour promoting his latest body of work, andwriting well-researched and interesting books on our local history, whichhave history buffs salivating for more! And more is coming... trust me. Ican tell you from reading Caranci’s work, this book is gripping - because it’sreal life and a part of our history! Everyone knows the Sprague mansion inCranston, but not everyone is aware of the murder of Amasa Sprague in the1800’s.

The Hanging & Redemption of John Gordon - The True Story of RhodeIsland’s Last Execution is about Rhode Island’s last victim of capital punish-ment, John Gordon. Through diligent research and interviews with otherlocal historians and experts, who inspired, supported and encouragedCaranci’s book, he brings to life the murder of Amasa Sprague, and the flawed sys-tem that held John Gordon accountable for his death.

It was back in 1843 when Amasa Sprague, a wealthy Yankee mill owner, waswalking on a cold winter’s day to check on his cattle. It was then, when he wasalone and vulnerable, he was attacked and bludgeoned to death and left facedownin the snow to die. According to Caranci, judicial bias, witness perjury, and socie-tal bigotry led to the outrageous conviction of a twenty-nine-year-old Irish-Catholic, John Gordon. Despite evidence that exonerated Gordon, Caranci says,Gordon was sentenced to hang. Through this book, Paul F. Caranci brings thisstory back to life, and places you at the scene of the crime as well as the legendarytrial of John Gordon.

This book is incredibly well-told and a true page turner... however, one can’t trulylet go of this book once they’ve finished it. The story will haunt you. It is truly asad story that makes you consider whether or not this could ever happen again. Italso makes you reflect on capital punishment in our society.

The Hanging & Redemption of John Gordon - The True Story of Rhode Island’sLast Execution is published by The History Press and is available on Amazon.comand Barnes & Noble. For more information on author Paul F. Caranci, please checkout his website at: www.paulcaranci.com.

By Raina Smith

REVIEW:The Hanging & Redemption of JohnGordon - The True Story of Rhode

Island’s Last Execution

Author: Paul F. Caranci

Forward by: Patrick T. Conley,Historian Laureate of Rhode Island

How many times I laughed out loud:None

How many times I cried:The whole real-life account is

tragic and sad

How many Ah-Ha moments:Several

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 11

- See Locally Made, next page14 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

LOCALLY MADERISD MuseumJuly 12 – November 3

By Marcel McVay

Anyone who lives in oraround Providence andcreates things is nostranger to the wealth ofraw and energetic cre-ators that call this placehome, studio, squat orany combination ofthose. It seems also thereis a common frustration:a lacuna of space topresent much of thiswork for dialogue to abroader public.

Whatever our place in the so-called Creative Capital's puzzle, it is no surprise to us, that RISD Museum's Locally Made representswork by 300 Providence area artists: most of whom are eager to disrupt the whole institution's vacuum. It is a celebratory perme-ation of the membrane that so often keeps separate the institutions of art, and the passionate many who live it.The show's organism generates exchange between two vital systems: identifiably traditional presentations of wall-based work,sculpture and video (the 'feels like a museum' space), and (here is where RISD Museum proves its youthful ingenuity) a modular,transforming performance space: part theatre, part museum, part school and part community center.

NOT WITHOUT FOUNDATION: CorollariesThe Upper Farago Gallery presents a hefty selection of work in a plethora of voices, recently acquired by the museum. As a sur-vey of much of the area's visual development, the gallery has moments of a cohesive and contemporary Providence-school optic-aesthetic, if I may call it that. Cornered near the gallery's entrance are two works: Ara Peterson's black and white, radial, wooden,Op art-y interference pattern, Forced Spiral 3 (2012) and Anne Spalter's kaleidoscopic and similarly dense, oversensory and frag-mented landscape-video, Factory (2011). Colorful Providence anchors, Andrew Moon Bain, Pippi Zornoza, Brian Chippendale andJungil Hong hang together in a mini-salon hang, in close proximity to Allison Bianco's Sinking of Matunuck, together forming adominant set of visuals that grew and continue to grow here: psychedelic, information-rich, raw but altered landscape ripe withvibrant and graphically flattened dimensionality.

In the Spalter New Media gallery one will find a video arrangement curated by DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum's DinaDeitch. The display comes in three thematic parts: Language displays Tony Cokes' seething, text-based, video critiquesEvil.16.Torture Music, detailing the Disco Inferno of “torture lite,” music-based sound bombardment used in US detainment facili-ties such as Guantanamo Bay to sonically disassemble the minds of detainees, and Evil.48: fn.kno.it.alls, a running commentary on(mostly male) US policy makers' bilious and ignorant statements regarding and controlling women's bodies.

Across from this powerful work hangs a monitor looping three documentary videos addressing issues and fluid qualities of Water:Chris Taylor's Small Craft Advisory, a documentation of Taylor tediously blowing glass, rocking and balancing his tools on a bare-ly stable rowing boat; Ed Osborn's slow, panning record of waning Arctic glaciers in Albedo Prospect; and Magaly Ponce's explo-

ration of “politics and ingenuity behindwater collection in Cape Verde.”

Between these facing displays is abench where one can sit and view theprojected centerpiece, a sort of contra-dictory video triplet using video's imma-teriality to directly address Material:Xander Marro's Pattern of Ritualexploits the revernt materiality of filmand Spell Casting Mishaps Volume 1 ahighly patterned, stop motion collage,highlighting video's physical impres-sionism; Megan And Murry McMillan's

While She Waits for the Light and WhatWe Loved and Forgot unveil the materi-ality behind video production in eerilysilent pans; J.R. Uretsky deepens thisself-aware expression with AggressiveLove: The McMillan Family, exploringtheir house in flagrantly textiled, chaoticpuppetry, awkwardly leaving behindassembled relics.

BREAKING FROM TRADITION:OperationsThese gallery presentations, Deitch'svideo selection especially, act to situateand establish Providence and its artistsin the expected lexicon of display. But itis in the programming behind what

organizers call One Room, that creates agravid substrate to fill the lacuna, tomake permeable the institutional mem-brane we've established, and feed back(feedback) into established tradition.

Organizers and Museum Educators DebClemens and Hollis Mickey are respon-sible for the inventive platform's incep-tion. With the goal of activating com-munity, the duo defined a program thatcould extract, present and sustain theprocess of making. As Clemens andMickey developed an adaptive program-ming structure, Providence/Philadel-

(Clockwise from top) Ara Peterson, Forced Spiral 3 and Anne Morgan Spalter, Factory. Andrew Moon Baine, Mineral Water Song; Pippi Zornoza, Eagle Heartand Wildcat; Brian Chippendale, Providence 2046; Jungil Hong, Ki Yosei. Lynne Harlow, Shake Some Action, 2006, and Nicole Chesney, Bide (2007). AllisonBianco, The Sinking of Matunuck, 2012. Dean Snyder, Daphne’s Pendant, 2008. Candy and metal-flake auto paint over carbon fiber/epoxy composite. JessicaDeane Rosner, Election Gloves, 2011-13. Rubber gloves, ink, embroider, framed fabric flag, and wooden shelf. Museum Educator and One Room organizerHollis Mickey introduces One Room, School House Long House, and J.R. Uretsky’s Bromance performance to an eager audience on Locally Made’s openingnight. Captivated onlookers watch J.R. Uretsky’s video component of Bromance. J.R. Uretsky attempts to fit her puppet-costume into an inanimate plushpuzzle piece in front of her video performance in Bromance.

Locally Made continued from previous page

- See Locally Made, page 19

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 15

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 17

Conquering YourCLUTTERED

Closet By Jill Magee Marinelli

Living among clutter leads to a clutteredmind, and your closet is no exception. Theaverage woman wears 20% of her clothes,80% of the time. I encourage my clients tohave fewer, well-selected pieces that workbeautifully for their body types rather than acloset full of clothes that don’t work.

Organizational experts say that everything inour lives should be beautiful or useful. Icouldn’t agree more. Getting dressed is somuch easier when your closet is pared downto just the gar-ments thatmake youlook and feelgreat. Andwhetheryou've gonethrough somemajor lifechanges oryou haven't cleaned out your closet in years,almost everyone can use a closet overhaul!

My friend, New Zealand stylist SusanaSarmiento, says, “Everything in your closetshould celebrate who you are.” I love this!Too many women keep clothing from yearsago that may no longer fit or reflect theircurrent style. The key is to honor who youare right now – not who you were 10 yearsor 10 pounds ago.

To get your closet pared down and reflectiveof you, follow this formula:

• Take everything out of your closet, onecategory at a time (tops, bottoms, dresses,etc.)• For each item, ask yourself the followingquestions:• Does it fit me? (if you’re not sure, try it

on! Can it be altered to fit better?)• Does it flatter me?• Have I worn it in the past year?• Would I buy it again if I saw it in a storetoday?• Do I feel good when I wear it?

If you answer no to any of the above ques-tions, donate or consign the item. Get rid ofanything that doesn’t fit, flatter or make youfeel fabulous! If you must hold on to somegarments that have sentimental value, pack

them safelyinto a bin thatcan be storedelsewhere. Theidea is to cre-ate an activecloset, onethat is full ofclothes youwear all the

time.Be creative, always thinking of how you canget more use of what you already have. Forexample, could a simple alteration changethe look of a certain garment? Hang match-ing suits separately in your closet so you canmix and match those pieces and create amore modern look. Organize what remainsby color to make your closet look more likea boutique. Changing the way you arrangeyour clothes will also help you notice gar-ments you would normally pass by.Once you clean out your closet, you willhave a true inventory of what you own andwhat you need. Then, you can add in a fewkey pieces your wardrobe might be missing.

For more information and helpful hints,please visit me at www.jmstylist.com. Signup for my newsletter and get a free copy ofmy Top Ten Wardrobe Staples.

Get rid of anything thatdoesn’t fit, flatter or make

you feel fabulous!

A Delicious Indulgence:la maison de COCOThis past week, I had the tasty pleasure of beingintroduced to ‘La Maison de COCO’ in Newport,Rhode Island. I was not aware of this gem andnow cannot get it off my mind.

I first ordered an iced coffee, which they informedme, would arrive very frothy as they whip the icedcoffee prior to serving. While they were creatingmy caffeinated concoction, I glared at the sconesand decided on the cranberry, coriander and whitechocolate offering.

My past dealings with scones are that they are verydry however; this one was the perfect balance ofbiscuit with a touch of moisture and well balancedflavors.

I then sampled some of their tea-infusedtruffles and have been inspired to continueto try unique flavor blends and even playaround with chocolate and tea in my ownkitchen. The truffles are sold by the pieceand in gift boxes (2 piece, 6 piece and 10piece). While you are there, you can alsochoose from a tantalizing selection of bis-cotti, french style cookies, tarts andtartlets, teas, and crepes.

If I have not enticed you enough, here is aquote from their website that will be sureto inspire you to visit:

'We specialize in tea-infused truffles andFrench-inspired desserts. All our recipesrely on the finest organic flour and sugar,fresh butter and organic eggs from a local,Rhode Island farm. The cream we use forfillings comes from a local, Rhode Islandfarm where practicing sustainable farmingis a priority. Shunning growth hormones,they also nurture their cows in a pesticide-free environment.'

The perfect balance of biscuit with a touchof moisture and well balanced flavors.

18 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013

By Jennifer Leal

phia/Juneau based Strange AttractorTheatre Company conceived of the spacialarchitecture: a metaphorical alloy of thetraditional learning space in a NewEngland school house withthe community-centric,Native American long house.The result, a transformingcabin-construction (it actuallyunfolds, like the Hasbrotoy—another local reference)combines these spaces of community gath-ering and educational discourse with thearrangement of a theater, contracting theproscenium and inviting the “audience”into the dialogue.

Again, walls are collapsed—in this casethe fourth—and the programming followssuit. With a surge of ambition for dailyevents and the realization that they couldn'treach to the depths of the communitythemselves, Clemens and Mickey present-ed the five arms of their dextrous program-ming (Assembly, Spotlight, The Artist'sLab, Demo & Discourse, and OfficeHours) to a bellyful of local organizers andcurators with specialized networks, allow-

ing specific selection to lie outside of theinstitution.The result, so far, is very refreshing—artinstitutions take note. At the time of writ-ing, the show has been open for less than aweek and already I've visited the Museumas often as I have in the past six months.

Just in the past few days: J.R. Uretsky withvideo performance queering masculineidentity, Office Hours with StrangeAttractor on contemporary theatre design,Demo and Discourse with local celebMeredith Stern, and every day this weekDJs spin at noon in Micah Salkind's TheRe-sounding City. It is a social space ofsharing, not only presenting works andprocesses locally made, but bringing thoseof us working here closer together and cre-ating a reflexive, both external and livedcohesion amongst local cultural producers.

So, in response the the Pheonix's recentrequest for a bit of credit... a reactionary“Yes, thank you for that spark.” But let's

stress this: that is indeed a small bit in acornucopia of credit owed to a much largerconglomerate of artists, musicians, per-formers and aesthetes that have pollinatedand fertilized this visionary atmosphere.And so the real thanks goes to, and actual-ly lies within the Museum Educators'

choice to alter our perception ofthe museum's white space, totear it open and hand it off withtrust and confidence to hundredsof artists that will perform theirpractices with Pollockian spon-taneity, in commune with and

against the grain of institutional tradition.

Follow the surge of acticity: @risdmuseum#RISDmuseum #oneroommuseum

For a full schedule of Locally Made's OneRoom programming, check out the calen-dar.

Or just visit the museum's Lower FaragoGallery and press the red button for a dailyschedule printout!

More information on Locally Made can befound at risdmuseum.org

All photos: Marcel McVay

Locally Made continued from page 15

The result, so far, is very refreshing-art institutions take note.

By Lisa St.Denis

The Outdoor FitnessVersatility of Little Rhody

In 2000, I moved here from northern Connecticut to start my under-graduate studies at Providence College. I have to admit, it was a bigchange for me. I went from being able to ride my bike for miles with-out seeing a car, to crowded streets and the "big" city of Providence.Other than playing soccer and other outdoor sports, I quickly adaptedto the world of gym workouts, which were pretty foreign to me as an18 year old athlete. I had always been trained on a field or court, andspent the rest of my time climbing things and riding my bike. It tookme a while to realize what Little Rhody had to offer in the world ofoutdoor fitness, but now I am a bigger fan than ever.

As far as New England goes, you are not going to get much more thanRhode Island has in terms of outdoor versatility. We have the city andall of the parks that go with it, the beaches, the hills and fields of north-ern RI, and lets not forget the trails of all over. Called the Ocean State,and what is more fun than water! Like I said, it took me a while tofind all of these little gems, but now that I have, I would love to sharethem with you. It is the perfect time to get outside and really appreci-ate these places, and get a workout of course!

HERE ARE MY TOP 10 RHODE ISLAND OUTDOOR FITNESSPLACES:

10 Cumberland Monastery, Cumberland, RI

Located right on 114 in the heart of the Blackstone Valley, this is oneof the best places to go for jogging and walking trails. It is pristine,well maintained, and absolutely gorgeous. Bring a picnic, go for a jog,and enjoy this little hidden secret.

9 Citizens Plaza, Providence, RI

It may seem silly, but as a fitness professional, any place with a greatset of stairs and a view of the city, is perfect in my eyes. Climb thosestairs and adore the beautiful and historic buildings of DowntownProvidence. Steps can be used for PushUps, Dips, Step Ups, BoxJumps, and Lateral Movements. Be creative, and you could have aheart pumping workout right in the heart of our historic city.

8 Watch Hill, Westerly, RI

Ok, we all know there could be 50 beaches on this list, but I thought Iwould pick one. Watch Hill is my favorite beach in RI because it issmall, quaint, and has a lot to offer. Whether you walk on the beach,run, swim, or play volleyball, you are guaranteed to get a great and funworkout.

7 Burlingame State Park, Charlestown, RI

Simple park fun. Trails, open fields, and playgrounds make this one of

- See Top Ten Places, page 22Westerly, RI

OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013 • 21

It took me a while to realize whatLittle Rhody had to offer in the

world of outdoor fitness,but now I am a bigger

fan than ever.

Lincoln Woods State Park Lincoln, RI

the best RI parks to play and workout in.

6 Brown University Stadium, Providence, RI

The Brown Stadium steps can make for a super efficient workout.Walk up, Run the steps, or run the bleachers if you really want tochallenge yourself.

5 The East Bay and Blackstone Valley Bike Path

Since I moved to RI in 2000, Rhode Island has made some majorupgrades to its bike trails. The East Bay Bike Trail was the first toget constructed and get a face lift. It goes right along the waterfrom East Providence all the way to Colt State Park in Bristol.Riding a bike for 14.5 miles (one way) along the water? Howcould anyone complain about that. The Blackstone Valley BikeTrail came next, and it has its own things to offer. Located right onthe Blackstone River and spanning from Pawtucket to Woonsocket,it has some of the best views of the true history of Little Rhody. Ifyou love these stunning mill buildings the way I do, you shoulddefinitely make it a priority to check it out.

4 Big River, West Greenwich, RI

Trail Heaven! Big River is home to some of the most beautifultrails in Rhode Island. If you love to hike, check it out. If youmountain bike, check it out. If you trail run, check it out. If youlove beautiful places, check it out.

3 The Hills of Downtown Providence and the East Side

If you have ever run the Star/Jenkes hill, you know what I am talk-ing about. Walking or running these hills that connect Downtownwith the East Side of Providence makes for one of the best work-outs around.

2 Brown Street Park, Providence, RI

After Brown Street Park got renovated a few years ago, it hasturned into one of the places to go for an outdoor workout.Located right behind the Hope High School Track, it has tires,logs, rings, climbing ropes, balance beams, and pull-up bars.There is nothing you cannot do there, and you can even bring yourkids to play!

1 Lincoln Woods State Park,Lincoln, RI

Lincoln Woods is definitely #1 in my book for outdoor fitness inRI. Horseback riding, running, biking, climbing, and swimming.It does not get much better than that. Bring your road bike for the5 mile loop, or your mountain bike for the trails. There are severaloutdoor climbing areas for bouldering, and a beach/swimming areaas well. If you haven't been to Lincoln Woods yet, go and find outwhy I ranked it #1!

Check out our website for fun outdoor workout ideas!

www.PEfitnessstudio.com or our FACEBOOK Page!

Top Ten Placescontinued from page 21

22 • OCEANSTATE MAGAZINE • August 2013