Not to be confused with the Old State House (a Benefit Street attraction), the Rhode Island State House is a neoclassical building located just to the north of the downtown area — not far from the Providence Biltmore. Home to the Rhode Island General Assembly and the offices of the governor of Rhode Island, this McKim, Mead, and White project was completed in 1904. 50-minute tours are available on weekdays, featuring stops at the Bell Room, with a replica of the Liberty Bell; the State Room, where you can see one of Gilbert Stuart’s famous George Washington portraits; and the Rotunda, featuring the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome on earth.

What Cheer?, 80 Angell St. (Corner of Thayer and Angell, Upstairs), 401-861-4244. Sells Vinyl Records + CDs + Antiques + Vintage Stuff. From a shopper’s review: “This little place is like stepping down into a secret room that only you and a few other special people know about. It’s one of the only antique/collectibles shops I’ve ever seen with a really great paper ephemera collection– menus, postcards, letterhead, etc. They also have a really good selection of vintage eyeglasses, and adorably organized little bits and baubs like old hotel keys, key chains, furniture hardware, and game pieces.”

Spectrum-India Inc, 252 Thayer St., 401-421-1010. Indian imports and and an array of other interesting items. The owner seems to be universally adored by local shoppers. “If you’re looking for an experience… have Jagdish do your handwriting analysis right there in the shop – $15 or something. You’ll be asked to meditate for a little while in a chair in the back before you write freely, plus write your ABC’s. Then you hang behind the counter and off he goes, mostly from memory but he refers to cards as well to explain how he’s reaching his interpretations. Anyone’s who’s been in the shop knows the man is masterfully intuitive, genuine, and also intense, so that all applies here.”

Pleasant Surprise, 297 Thayer St., 401-273-1202. “Always an eclectic mix of fun gifts, home accessories, quirky books, cards, and toys. Our design sensibility combines the contemporary with the nostalgic.”

South Main Street
South Main Street is at the base of College Hill. John’s previous post pointed us to a Boston Globe article highlighting the eclectic shopping experience here. You might also want to watch this video from the South Main Street Neighborhood Association.

Marc Allen Fine Clothiers, 200 South Main St., 401-453-0025. High end men’s store offering custom-made suits and ready to wear pieces of the highest quality style and craftsmanship.

Shoppe Pioneer, 253 South Main St., 401-274-7467. “A fashion and lifestyle boutique featuring indie designers, contemporary & vintage fashion and hand picked treasures”

 Hegeman & Co., 361 South Main St., 401-831-6812. Fine jewelry, including custom design and craftsmanship on nearly any style in the store; includes estate and designer pieces.

Wickenden Street
Also south of College Hill and to the east of South Main is the Fox Point neighborhood. Wickenden Street packs loads of independent shops, art galleries, and restaurants into a surprisingly small space. From an article by Jan Faust Dane: “It is a narrow and compact strip, about 1/3 of a mile from stem to stern. If you wanted to throw the ultimate, but walkable, scavenger hunt, this is where you’d do it. You couldn’t get obscure enough: “‘bring me one guppy, a towel rod, a tube of indigo gouache, two peonies, an eel sushi roll and a picture of yourself with a bronze bust of George M. Cohan.’ That would take about eleven minutes.”

Examples of some of the interesting shops you’ll find there:

Adler’s Hardware, 173 Wickenden St., 401-421-5157. A longstanding family business, Adler’s features the predictable hardware staples, but also to home design supplies that include fine decorative hardware, wallpaper, fabrics, and C2 paints.

The Curatorium, 197 Wickenden St., 401-453-4080. “Part design store, part Natural History Museum, part small-town gift shop, The Curatorium offers something for everyone, and gifts for all occasions, in all price ranges.

Curiosities, 460 Wickenden St., 401-421-0023. “Among the many curious items found here is one-of-a-kind costume and vintage beaded jewelry. Also, old photos or “Instant Relatives”, records, ephemera and lots more!” From a Yelp review: “Entering Curiosities is a little like entering a shop if it was run by someone who was once on the show Hoarders.”

Small Circle, 464 Wickenden St., 401-437-8338. “A community marketplace of 100% locally made products.”

Olympic Records, 580 Wickenden St., 401-301-9266. This record store sells vinyl only, specializing in “new and used indie rock and the like.”  Bring some quarters for their vintage pinball machines.

Downtown
The colorful array of shops and boutiques that have appeared in downtown Providence recent years bear witness to the revitalization of Downcity. A sampling:

Heir, 65 Eddy St., 401-331-5680. “Antiques, art, and covetable goods.” An eclectic offering of folk art, industrial objects, and vintage pieces mixed with new items such as high-end bags, candles, and art books.

Noon, 75 Weybosset St., 401-455-1222. “Unique local handmade jewelry, letterpress cards and goods.”

WHARF Clothing & Wares, 212 Westminster St., 401-272-1231. High quality men’s clothing in classic styles.

Craftland, 235 Westminster St., 401-272-4285. “Downtown shop and gallery specializing in unique, handmade objects and the people who make them.”

Symposium Books, 240 Westminster St., 401-273-7900. An independent bookstore. “We are proud to have excellent Art, Architecture, Design, and Photography sections, as well as academic books (huge Philosophy section!), Literature/Fiction, Children’s/Young Adult, Film, Poetry, Lit Crit, GLBT, Travel Writing, and more. Our Graphic Novel section is the best in town!”

Providence Place Mall, One Providence Place, 401-270-1000. Need to find the big department stores and shops in the area? This is a huge mall with all of the mainstream staples, located just across the river to the northeast of the Biltmore.

Federal Hill

Ada Books, 717 Westminster St., 401-432-6222. A cozy, inviting bookstore that includes used books; literary and cultural magazines like Adbusters, McSweeney’s, and The Believer; and a good selection of zines, comics, and graphic novels.

Analog Underground, 504 Broadway, 401-274-4123. Mostly a vinyl shop (the per capita music stores offering vinyl selections tells you something about the sensibilities of the Providence music scene); also offers a small selection of CDs and even cassettes. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff makes this a great place to browse for the unexpected.

Armageddon Shop, 436 Broadway, 401-521-6667. Specializing in underground metal, punk, hardcore, and grindcore, with a selection of other genres and styles. Includes vinyl, CDs, and more.

Diva’s Palace, 299 Atwells Ave., 401-831-0148. From the Best of Rhode Island 2009 Editors’ Picks: “There seems to be a real reverence for glamour at Diva’s Palace, where the two Michaels are designing one-of-a-kind pieces for the bold and beautiful. Try on one of their Valentino-inspired bustier tops, a brocade coat, or any of their eighties-inspired dresses, and let them fuss over how it flatters you. Chances are, with their interesting use of draping and detail, it does.”

Rocket To Mars, 144 Broadway, 401-274-0905. The creative window displays are just a start. Step inside for a great selection of quality vintage housewares, furniture, clothing, and other random items. Who knows, maybe you’ll find that orange wall-mount rotary telephone you’ve been seeking, or a roll of Smurf wallpaper.

Cable Car Cinema & Cafe
204 South Main St., 401-272-3970
Sit in a couch and drink a beer while watching a great movie at this small, intimate art-house theater specializing in foreign and indie films. Dine in the cafe first and make a night of it. Its concessions include healthier options and fresh locally-made pastries, along with the movie theater usuals and all-you-can-eat popcorn. Monday nights are discount night.

The Edna Lawrence Nature Lab
13 Waterman Street, 401-454-6451, nature@risd.edu
The Rhode Island School of Design’s natural history collection, founded in 1937, is a virtual wunderkammer of taxidermy, shells, skeletons, and even some live animals. Its mission as a teaching resource is to provide RISD students with “the opportunity to examine and explore the patterns, structures and interactions of design in nature.” Note that the visitor policy states that “the general public is welcome to visit, with permission of a curator,” so be sure to call or e-mail ahead.

Annmary Brown Memorial
21 Brown Street, 401-863-2942
Note that the building hours are Mon. – Fri. 1:00 to 5:00pm
Rush Hawkins, a wealthy and eccentric collector of art and incunabula, built this large mausoleum for his beloved wife, Annmary Brown, following her death in 1903 from pneumonia. Three of the four rooms feature selections from his collection of art and other items (the rare books that were originally included have subsequently been moved to the John Hay Library), while the fourth room provides the final resting place for both Annmary and Rush. Now owned by Brown University, visitors will find the door open weekday afternoons. Hawkins’ endowment stipulates that every year on March 9, Annmary’s birthday, flowers are to be laid on her grave and left there until the following year.

While steeped in history, the Athenaeum is not stuck there. NPR stated that it’s “a 19th-century library with the soul of a 21st-century rave party. In fact, the Rhode Island institution has been called a national model for civic engagement.” With innovative programs that includes fascinating salons and lunches with librarians, the Athenaeum is committed to preserving its past, while helping to build the future of its place within the community.

See the Athenaeum on your visit to Benefit Street.

The trip by bus takes just over half an hour from the Providence Biltmore hotel. Check with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority for specifics on routes and fares.

Governor Henry Lippitt House
199 Hope Street, 401-453-0688; David Wrenn, Lippitt House Administrator: dwrenn@preserveri.org. Note that at this time of year, the Lippitt House is only open by advance appointment — see information below.

The Lippitt House is a fascinating window into the lives of an elite nineteenth-century Providence family. Built in 1865, this Renaissance Revival structure was home to merchant Henry Lippitt and his family, and very few changes have been made over the years. “Embellished with elaborate faux finishes from the walls to the ceilings, marble statues, colorful stained glass windows, ornately carved woodwork details and monogrammed dining service the family was ready to entertain in high style.” The house showcases the impressive skills of local craftsmen, and still contains most of the family’s furnishings.

Tours can be scheduled online at the website or by calling the museum office at 401-453-0688. Tours should be scheduled as far in advance as possible (there is no minimum number required).

Governor Stephen Hopkins House
15 Hopkins Street, 401-421-0694
One of two Rhode Island signers of the Declaration of Independence, Stephen Hopkins purchased a house in 1743 that had originally been constructed several decades earlier. To it he added a two-story structure that stands today as one of the oldest extant buildings in the city. George Washington slept here (twice). It is currently owned and operated by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, and is open Saturdays and Sundays, 1:00-4:00pm

Located at the intersection of Hopkins and Benefit, you can see it on your walking tour of Benefit Street.

Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology
In Manning Hall on Brown University’s Main Green. 401-863-2065
Brown University’s teaching museum, offering exhibits, public lectures, performances, symposia, festivals, and a broad range of programs and events for all ages. See their schedule of exhibits to see what will be on display in early April.

John Brown House
52 Power Street, 401-273-7507
Another site to see on your Benefit Street tour, the John Brown House Museum is administered by the Rhode Island Historical Society. The first mansion in Providence and one of the grandest of its time, it was completed in 1788 for John Brown, businessman, politician,  statesman, and slave trader who amassed a fortune in the China Trade. Some of the original furniture includes a bookcase and nine-shell desk that are considered to be among the finest remaining examples of American Colonial furniture.

Try to ensure that your visit coincides with one of the available tours, where docents share unflinching anecdotes that help bring to life the house, its colorful inhabitants, and their place in Providence history. Between April 1 and November 30 tours are scheduled for the following days and times: Tuesday-Friday: 1:30pm and 3:00pm; Saturdays: 10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm and 3:00pm; closed Mondays and Sundays.

Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
1000 Elmwood Avenue, 401-785-9457
Located in beautiful Roger Williams Park, this small but enjoyable natural history museum opened in 1896 and features collections that are about 85% natural history and 15% cultural materials. With many objects originating in Rhode Island, there are also items from around the world. The cultural collections comprise mainly North American archeological artifacts, but also include ethnographic objects such as baskets, textiles, tools, and carvings with from Oceania and Native North America.

During the time of our conference the Planetarium offers shows lasting about 35 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00pm.

If you are visiting the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, you may want to check out the Botanical Center, the zoo, and a number of other attractions that are also in the park. We’ll soon be sharing more information on this in a post about parks and cemeteries. Stay tuned.

The trip by bus to Roger Williams Park takes just under half an hour from the Providence Biltmore hotel. Check with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority for specifics on routes and fares.

Roger Williams National Memorial
282 North Main St., 401-521-7266
This is a small park commemorating the life and legacy of Rhode Island’s founder Roger Williams. After being banished for Massachusetts for his religious beliefs, he found Providence in 1636 as a site of religious freedom, where anyone could follow his conscience without the interference of government. The visitor center is also small, but features exhibits with information about Roger Williams and the early colonial history of the area. You might consider visiting in conjunction with your walking tour of Benefit Street.

Slater Mill
67 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket, 401-725-8638, info@slatermill.org. Note that during March and April the museum hours are Sat. & Sun. 11:00am – 3:00pm.
Slater Mill is a fascinating museum complex that brings the American Industrial Revolution to life. Located on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, the Old Slater Mill (1793) was the first successful factory in the US. Dedicated to the production of cotton thread until 1829, it later produced  jewelers’ tools, coffin trimmings, cardboard, and bicycles. Today the complex comprises Old Slater Mill; the Wilkinson Mill, built in 1810; and the Sylvanus Brown House, built in 1758, with archival materials, hand-operated and powered machinery, a theatre, gift shops, a gallery, and a recreational park.

The trip by bus takes just under half an hour from the Providence Biltmore hotel. Check with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority for specifics on routes and fares.

Dear VRA Colleagues,
Greetings with a periodic advertisement for the 2013 conference, VRA 31,
just over a month from now in Providence, RI.

Today’s focus is time!

#1. A reminder that early bird (discounted) registration for the conference
ends in two days, on February 28.
http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra31/registration/

#2. Hotel rates are guaranteed only through Sunday, March 3.  According
to the report I received this morning, there are still a variety of rooms
available each night of the conference, but for some options, there is
limited availability.  Don’t wait!
http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra31/accommodations/

#3. This is a wonderful hotel in a vibrant location.  Block out some time to
wander both the Providence Biltmore and Providence itself!  SCHED can help:
http://vra2013annualconference.sched.org/

#4.  Making the most of April 3-6 – Yes! there is wireless in guest rooms
and in meeting rooms.  There is a large Starbucks accessible from the
lobby.   Our meeting rooms are arrayed on the 2nd and 17th floors, with
convenient elevator access between them.

#5.  The conference website has loads of information well presented
http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra31/news/ — but if you have additional
questions, feel free to contact me, cdabel@unm.edu

See you in Providence!
Cindy

• Eat Drink RI: Upcoming food outings and restaurant news.
• In Downcity: Blog that documents businesses and events in the downtown area (with a special focus on members), from restaurant and concert reviews to items on city planning and urban design.
• Insider’s Guide to Rhode Island: A terrific mobile-only guide featuring information on dining, shopping, sightseeing, events, and deals. The 2012 Insider’s Guide can be browsed online (cool page-turning functionality), and dowloaded as a PDF is desired.
• Providence Daily Dose: “We are here to bring you the latest news/events/randomness that Providence has offer.”
• Providence Journal: The city’s daily newspaper with local and national news, events, sports, weather, politics, lifestyles, etc. The longest continuously-published daily newspaper in the United States.
• Providence Monthly: Includes articles on city life, food and drink, arts and style, and arts and culture.
• The Providence Phoenix: Alternative newspaper that offers local arts and event listings.
• Providence Warwick: From the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. Includes sections visitors, things to do, and meetings & events.
• Rhode Island Monthly: “Brings readers the very best of what Rhode Island has to offer — from people to politics, food to finance.” From the folks who bring us the Insider’s Guide to Rhode Island (see above).
• Urbanspoon Providence: Restaurants and reviews from critics, food bloggers, and friends.

Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design
224 Benefit Street, 401-454-6500.
Just a few blocks from the conference hotel, the RISD Museum is Rhode Island’s leading museum of fine and decorative art, with a collection of over 80,000 objects of international significance. “From the outset, works of art served as models for instruction, first in classrooms and, as the collection grew, in a separate museum structure. Today, as throughout its history, the RISD Museum is an integral part of Rhode Island School of Design and the principal art museum for the city, state and southeastern New England.”

As a VRA attendee you will have free access to the RISD Museum with your conference badge.

This year’s Tansey event will be held at risd|works, a shop located in the RISD Museum lobby. With a 20% discount on the unique items created by RISD alumni and faculty, light refreshments, door prizes, and the company of VRA colleagues, this is sure to be a wonderful experience, but please note that the museum itself will not be open during the event (see their hours here). Your conference badge will also get you a 10% discount on any purchases you make at risd|works outside of the Tansey event.

AS220
111-113 Empire Street, 401-831-9327
Six blocks or so from the Biltmore to the southwest. There is always something interesting happening at the avant-garde AS220, whether exhibitions in the galleries, live performances, or good food. “AS220 is a non-profit community arts space in downtown Providence. Its mission is to provide an unjuried and uncensored forum for the arts. If you live in the state of Rhode Island, you will get an opportunity to exhibit or perform at AS220. AS220 is part Incubator and part Bazaar. Its 3 buildings house galleries, a performance space, a print shop, residential lofts, restaurants, and more.”

Providence Art Club
11 Thomas St., 401-331-1114
“Along Thomas Street, in the shadow of the First Baptist Church, stands a picturesque procession of historic houses, home to the studios, galleries and clubhouse of the Providence Art Club. Said to be the oldest art club in the nation after the Salmagundi Club in New York, our distinguished Providence institution has been here so long that no one can remember a time when Thomas Street was not synonymous with the Providence Art Club.”

Exhibitions in the galleries are free and open to the public. The art shown in this beautiful and traditional leans toward the conservative end of the spectrum. If you can sweet talk your way into the historic clubhouse it’s said to be well worth a look.

David Winton Bell Gallery
List Art Center, 64 College St., 401-863-2932
Brown University’s contemporary art gallery. “Broadly concerned with the exhibition of exemplary work by artists living today, the gallery takes pride in showing artwork irrespective of media, content or subject and makes special efforts to support and show the work of emerging or under-recognized practitioners locally, nationally and internationally.” Two exhibitions will be on during the conference, with both scheduled to open April 3. One is Daniel Heyman’s I am Sorry It is Difficult to Start and the other is Wafaa Bilal’s The Ashes Series. Each represents the artist’s response to the war in Iraq.

John Hay Library
20 Prospect St., 401-863-3723, hay@brown.edu
The John Hay Library offers particularly strong collections in American literature and history, popular culture, military history and iconography, history of science, and the art and history of the book. It is known for, among other things, the toy soldiers on display in the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection, the Audubon Double Elephant folio, the Abraham Lincoln collection, and its artists’ books collection. It is open to the general public; any researcher presenting a valid personal identification card with photo is welcome to use the collections. A virtual orientation with images is available for first-time users. Tours of the Library may be arranged by calling or e-mailing ahead.

John Carter Brown Library
On the Main Green near the intersection of Brown and George streets. 401-863-2725, JCBL_Information@Brown.edu
The John Carter Brown Library, is an “independently administered and funded center for advanced research in history and the humanities, founded in 1846 and located at Brown University since 1901. The library collects primary historical sources pertaining to North and South America before ca. 1825.” Visitors may enter the Reading Room to look at its exhibition cases. Only registered researchers may use the tables in the Reading Room. See their calendar of exhibitions to find out what’s on display when you visit.

Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology
In Manning Hall on the Main Green. 401-863-2065.
Brown University’s teaching museum, offering exhibits, public lectures, performances, symposia, festivals, and a broad range of programs and events for all ages. See their schedule of exhibits to see what will be on display in early April.

Annmary Brown Memorial
21 Brown Street, 401-863-2942 (note that the building hours are 1:00 to 5:00 pm, M-F)
Large tomb built by Rush Hawkins as a tribute to his beloved wife Annmary Brown, who died in 1903. Three of the four rooms feature selections from his collection of art and other items (the rare books that were originally included have subsequently been moved to the John Hay Library), while the fourth room provides the final resting place for both Annmary and Rush.