Your Weekend Agenda

I have a theory that as soon as you start a blog, you're going to get swamped with every other thing you can imagine. So of course I find myself slammed at work, dealing with freelance problems, and handling a wife who won't be quiet after she drinks a martini. So I've got stress, and that means less blogging time. So I hope you appreciate the dedication that has me bringing you these recommendations.

Thursday: I can't believe Smashing Pumpkins is at PPAC. Didn't you think they were going to be a fuzzy memory by now? But they're back in a big way, and getting pretty good reviews, too. If you can afford a $50 ticket, and you're a child of the '90s, you can't go wrong.

Friday: You know you don't have enough banjo in your life. You just don't. It's not your fault, don't beat yourself up. But what you could do is head to the Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House on Douglas Avenue in Providence and see Kill Henry Sugar. You will get some banjo back in your life, and a quirky, interesting show. Feel free to try before you buy/visit: here's a clip of a song named after a loveable Italian dictator. The show, which includes other bands, starts at 8:00 and appears to be free. After, you can visit several bars on the Dive Bar tour, which are within easy driving range. Just scroll down for a look.

Saturday: Who am I to resist the awesome power of the cornfield maze? Head down to Escobar's Highland Farm in Portsmouth to navigate your way through ths stalks for some fall-time fun. They're open from 10 until dusk, and it costs just $7.

I can't think of anything more different then a corn maze (which, by the way, are promoted as 'maizes', which is just painful) than a night at the ballet. But if you feel like doing something cultural, or if your girlfriend read my "Date Night" post and said, "why don't you take me anywhere nice?" (Sorry) then you could check out the Festival Ballet's world premier of Viktor Plotnikov's Cinderella at the VMA in Providence. Tickets start at $17, and the 7:30 start time means you'll still have time to head out downtown afterwards.

Sunday: Spend Sunday appreciating art at the RISD Museum on Benefit Street in Providence. In addition to their great exhibits and the wonderful, relaxing building, there are kids activities from 3:00 to 4:30 every Sunday. This week, you can tour the museum to see some of the fearsome creatures seen in the artwork, and get inspired to make your own monster (maybe a mask for Halloween) using their supplies. Tickets are $8 for admission and the activity.