Brave the Snow for Obama or St. Patrick

While February totally bored me, March looks like it's kicking off with a bang. Tomorrow afternoon, there are a couple of fun, different events you can check out.

First, political phenomenon Barack Obama will be speaking at a rally at Rhode Island College tomorrow. The doors will open at noon, and considering the Obama fever spreading everywhere, you're probably best off getting there around then if you want a decent seat. Go to the college's rec center at 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue in Providence.

If politics are not your thing, or if you're a Republican who needs a distraction from the Democratic fervor that will be sweeping the state, you can celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Pawtucket tomorrow. What's that, you say? Saint Patrick's Day isn't for over two weeks? Ahh, but you've forgotten that the normal rules of society are suspended in Pawtucket. The parade begins at noon, behind McCoy Stadium, and ends up downtown by city hall. Afterwards, there will be food and music at the Pawtucket Armory for $2. If you can bear the weather, check it out.

A Cultured Weekend

This weekend, there are two interesting cultural events that might be well worth checking out. The first is an 18th century Irish music concert, featuring pipes, cello, and harpsichord. (Seems like a high class way to start prepping for St. Patrick's Day.) It's being put on by the Newport Baroque Orchestra at St. John the Evangelist Church on Poplar Street in Newport. It starts at 8:00 on Friday.

According to the press information, Jerry O'Sullivan, one of the musicians, is in fact, "America's premier uilleann piper." (It's basically an Irish bagpipe.) How often can you say you saw that, and for only $25 a ticket.

On Saturday evening, also at 8:00, the RI Philharmonic will be hosting a night of music by American composers, featuring pianist Terrence Wilson playing some of Gershwin's most beloved works, including Rhapsody in Blue. Tickets for the philharmonic tend to be pricey, but they're well worth it both for the quality of the performances and the intimacy of the venue.

If the classical stuff doesn't fit the bill, I'd direct you to lotsofnoise, where you will find information on cool shows at Firehouse 13, AS220, and a film screening at Pawtucket recording studio Machines with Magnets.

Happy weekending.

Alcohol-Free Delights

For the first time since starting this blog, I've been derailed. Have I been felled by some horrific illness? Am I suffering from writer's block? No. What I've done is commit the cardinal sin of nightlife and event blogging: I've given up drinking for Lent.

Amazingly, I didn't realize the negative effect this would have on my posting. I actually thought, going in to this 46 days of horror (that's right, count the calendar, there are 46 days in Lent), that this period of clean living would actually increase my output. Surely, the lack of boozy evenings would clear my mind and leave me with the time and motivation to create. Sadly, however, what it has done is to make it very hard to find activities and locations that seem worth doing.

Some friends have said, rather bluntly, that if I don't have any interests in my normal activities when I'm not drinking, it means I'm an alcoholic. Well, I plead guilty, but not in the normal sense. Physically and emotionally, I have no need for booze, but I'm a social alcoholic. I like to go into situations where people are drinking, have a good time, and throw a few back myself. When I go to a bar to see some live music, the beer I drink is integral to the experience. Last weekend, I went to the Wild Colonial to play some pool and was bored out of my mind.

So I ask you to forgive me if my posts are a bit less numerous or less inspired. But, in the interests of serving the public and anyone else crazy enough to make a lenten sacrifice similar to my own, I endeavored to pull together a few nightlife options that don't necessarily involve drinking.

1) You haven't lived until you have partaken of extreme rock and bowl at the Bowling Academy in East Providence

2) If you are trying to avoid the typical movie experience, your best bet is the Cable Car Cinema in Providence

3) The second Friday of every month, the RISD Museum is open for music, art, hors d’oeuvres (and also drinks, but I don't think anyone's chugging.) It's only $8 to get in.

4) I haven't done this yet, but the Ladd Observatory, on the East Side of Providence, is open to the public every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00. Maybe there's a comet out there with my name (to be put) on it.

That's all I've got, sadly. (I decided to leave theater and concerts off, because those take more commitment and planning than I have in me right now.) I think the non-drinking members of our community would appreciate if anyone with other ideas could post them in the comments.

Go Right Now: Julian's

You always remember fondly your first date with the woman who eventually becomes your wife. Of course, it puts a bit of a cramp in it if she thinks the date was in a different restaurant than the one you remember. However, I've always had a better memory than her, so I'm pretty confident that our first date was, in fact, at Julian's, one of the more unconventional dining spots in Providence.

Located on Broadway at the border of Federal Hill and the funky West End, Julian's offers a great experience no matter when you feel like going. (Never has the title of this column been more appropriate.) Say, for example, you feel like breakfast. I guarantee you that Julian's brunch menu will offer something amazingly good that you never saw on a breakfast plate before. Last time, I had a blue cheese and broccoli hash that was a borderline sexual experience, and my wife looked somewhat hot and bothered as she chowed down on her vegan gingerbread pancakes. The mix of asian-inspired dishes, vegetarian delights (yes, I said it) and traditional favorites with a twist (or just flawless execution) is astounding.

Dinner is, arguably, even better (though the lines are usually longer for brunch, at least on Sunday). I'm a big fan of starting off with the grilled naan bread, but there are a ton of great starters to choose from. In fact, between the 'munch' items on the menu and the larger appetizers, it is a great time to go with a group of friends for some drinks and a bunch of dishes to share. But if you do follow in my footsteps and go on a date, you'll probably want a main course, and you can't go wrong with (just to name a few) the pumpkin gnocchi or the poached bass. To be honest, though, I usually check out their specials, and find something well worth trying.

If the food sounds offbeat and lively, the ambiance matches. The walls and ceiling are covered with odd artifacts, and you'll see something new that will serve as a conversation piece every time you go. The open kitchen offers its own form of entertainment. Yet it is still a very relaxing place, where you can truly feel at ease. I've watched several times some older and conservatively dressed folks sitting right next to a well-pierced group of hipsters, and neither looking the least bit uncomfortable. Maybe the polite, funny staff helps with that.

Julian's is hardly a Providence secret, but if you haven't been yet, you owe it to yourself to find out why they have so serial patrons, including me.

The Essentials:


Address: 318 Broadway, Providence
Cost for Two: Brunch will probably set you back $20 to $30 without any booze, and dinner is usually $50 to $60 with a couple of drinks, but it can go as high as $90 or so if you're getting the more expensive entrees.
Bar Savers: Check the board for beer specials. They often have unusual stuff for $2 or $3 per draft.
Eat Me: Everything they do with naan is worth trying
Next Stop: Mo Joe's Bar, at 166 Broadway, is a decent place to keep the party going, and get in a game of pool

Two Quick Things

I'm back from a vacation to Paris (which is why I haven't been blogging for a while) and wanted to highlight two events that are going on right now which might be worth checking out.

First, if you're looking for something to do tonight, Tazza (250 Westminster St. in Providence) is hosting house music tonight, as it apparently does the first Saturday of every month. Tonight's lineup includes DJ Nick De Paris, Mousky, Aaron Minjares, and VJ Pomp & Clout, along with special guest Nate D. Percussion. Should be a cool evening.

The second think is a longer running event: an exhibition called the Tape Art Artaquarium at 5 Traverse Gallery (5 Traverse Street in Providence) The exhibit, which runs through February 15th, shows you how to use a special low-adhesive tape to create large murals. By the looks of the site, there are some pretty cool displays, and seems like a fun thing to watch.

There will be more regular posting in the next weeks, so please check back.