Wake up, Downtown!

I understand, despite my relentless boosterism, that Providence is not a big city, and it is going to lack that big city energy, especially on a weekday night. However, I'd like to put the thought out there that Thursday isn't really a weekday, it's sort of a celebrity guest part of the weekend, and should therefore get at least a minimum of respect.

So why, people, when I walk around downtown does it seem like a Tuesday night in Davenport, Iowa? (Disclaimer: for all I know, Tuesdays in Davenport are like a rolling Mardi Gras. The day I go to Davenport is the day I give up any remaining feelings of usefulness and fully embrace the fact that I'm an old fart. Sorry Davenport, but you suck even if you don't suck.) I decided to grab a quick drink just because my wife has abandoned me for the evening and I didn't want to sit in a cold house and think about how much work I have to do. So I took off for downtown, seeing hardly anyone around. Finally I parked near the Episcopal church, thinking that surely XO Cafe would have a few people milling around the bar. But nope, there were two people in the whole place. So on to plan B: I've never been to Olive's, so I thought I'd get a cocktail and check it out. There was one other person in the joint, and I think he might have been on To Catch a Predator a week or two ago. I've never drank gin so fast.

Every day, I go up to Boston for work. And every time someone asks, I say Providence is cooler than Boston, and get roundly laughed at. Now, Providence, if some Boston person comes down here on a Thursday night and sees what I saw, we're going to look bad. So let's pull it together, and tie one on during the week for the sake of our community.

That said, I am too disgusted to write a full Weekend Agenda. If anyone's reading and has some good plans, send me a note at dan (at symbol) rhodyrocks.com. But if I was going to advise you to do anything, other than frequent your local watering hole, it would be to check out Friday Night Live on the Carriage House Stage at 7 Duncan Ave. in Providence. It's Friday, 7:00, and is only $5. How can you go wrong? I even gave you a map.

No excuses. Make me proud, Providence.


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