Last Fall, we spent two days in Rhode Island, the smallest state in the United States. We arrived in Providence on Friday evening with downpours, remnants of a tropical storm coming up north from the East Coast.
Fortunately, the next day, the weather was bright and we crossed three districts of the city. Federal Hill is a neighborhood undergoing redevelopment. In two centuries it went from super chic, to super rotten, then hyped again. College Hill is the hill where the prestigious Brown University is located, and the RISD super museum (pronounce Rizdi) downtown of the city.
It may well be the state capital, the city can be easily explored on foot, and in the evening we took advantage of Waterfire, a light and sound show on the canals (similar to Jean-Michel Jarre from the 90’s).
Contrary to what its name suggests, Rhode Island is not an island, but it is still by the sea. Rhode Island is one of the six states of New England. Providence is only an hour’s drive from Boston, and there are even direct trains going there.
The city’s attraction is Brown’s University. You may say, why visit a college campus? Because here in New England, the universities, especially those in the Ivy League, are super hot. It’s like walking around a beautiful historic neighborhood, with brick houses and parks where people are young and beautiful.
Providence is the capital of Rhode Island, and who says capital says capitol, with a dome – besides it is one of the largest marble domes in the world, useless info but a guide told us. The downtown has a few big buildings, but also small narrow streets rather well animated, it changes from the fairly deserted downtown of Boston at night.
One of the city’s attractions during the summer is the Waterfire show. One Saturday a month (we happened to come at the right time, thank the god of tourists), braziers are lit on the canals and people are slowly watching the logs crackle. It started in 1997, during a New Year, where a passionate (and wealthy) guy organized this event to make the center look pretty and revitalize. It rained so much that it has been organized every year since.
When a friend told me about it, I imagined something quite intimate, like little candles floating on the canals, with not many people on the quays, all in a semi-dismal atmosphere, just a few lanterns around the corner streets. But it’s super popular and crowded. There are concerts, hot dog stands and historical reenactments with disguised soldiers and pipers.
We still learned something about the history of the American Revolutionary War. It was believed that it all started in Boston, the Tea Party, the battle of Concord-Lexington, but apparently it was in Providence that the first scuffle with the English took place: locals would have burned a boat to them before anyone else , that’s called the Battle of Gaspee. Every time you visit the city, you get a slightly different version of the official story.
The neighborhood that surprised us most was the one that, as the expression goes, was off the beaten track. West of the city, Federal Hill was supposed to be an Italian neighborhood, but it’s as Italian as the pizza I make at home with melted Swiss cheese as a topping. Formerly it was a district of immigrants, first Irish, then Italians, but it is ancient history.
This dubious-looking sculpture symbolizes the entrance to the neighborhood, the pine cone representing abundance. This Atwells street did not really appeal to us, but going to the parallel street, Broadway, it was much nicer.
On Broadway, there are lots of old Victorian houses. Some are barricaded and in the process of becoming squats, others are undergoing renovation. We also came across this old armory, a huge building, which is now a firefighter training center. It seemed completely incongruous this kind of fortified castle in the middle of the city.
We were taking pictures of one of these Victorian houses when a guy came out and started telling us that he was doing interior work. He praised the incredible pieces of this house that has been neglected for several decades. And then he offered to come back. It could have been a serial killer trap, but we weren’t at all suspicious, he looked nice.
We followed him, and he took us around the house, a little wonder, certainly in great disrepair, but one could imagine the past beauty of the place … and to come, since he works with a whole team of workers to retype it and make it a hotel. They are using the help of Providence Dumpster Rentals Center to remove the construction debris and other junk materials as they want to keep the area clean.
Providence is trying to carve out a reputation as “the hippest city in the United States”. The competition is fierce, between Austin in Texas, Portland in Oregon (and others if you have suggestions!). Who says hype, says super food. And it’s true that the restaurants tested at Providence weren’t bad at all.
Farmstead is a restaurant that makes only local, fresh and seasonal. We drank excellent wine, ate tip-top cheese and original cool bistro-style dishes. 186 Wayland Av. Julian’s is a pretty rock’n roll place where we serve an American breakfast. According to the host we stayed with, it’s the best in town. We found it classically good, with everything we want to eat for 100% USA – Benedict eggs, hash, pancakes, etc. Noisy, lively, crazy and hearty. 318 Broadway. Flan ajo is a mini tapas restaurant that almost reminded us of Andalusia. It was super good and with some locally inspired tapas (with clams). 225 Westminster St.