I was a rootless city-dweller
July 29, 2008 by Mike Ritz
Filed under Art & Culture, People, Places
I read a reply from someone recently who commented that while Restaurant Week(s) is a good idea it’s not convincing enough to stop people from leaving the capitol city in search of a tranquil refreshing coastal setting during July. What is this “Rest of Rhode Island” of which locals speak?
This past weekend Lady Elaine and I (two expats settled in Providence’s West Side) shed our urban skin and did what most Rhode Islanders seem to do this time of year – we left the city. The sites were beautiful, the food tasty and the people relaxed…
Our first destination was the The Umbrella Factory in Charlestown, RI. One only needs to follow the scent of patchouli to find this wooded market of clothing, jewelry, crafts and other things intended to make you “relax, man.” The plants sold out of their lush gardens and on-site greenhouses are the best I’ve seen around here. You can also take a gander at their roosters (sorry, no red one here Sally–all white), chickens, emus and ducks. On the way out we were accosted by an overly enthusiastic vintage eyeglass saleswoman who reminded me of a traditional carnival barker. Her aggressive approach might make you run for the door, but the incredible selection will stop you in your tracks.
We spent the remainder of the day cruising up scenic Rt 1A North stopping along the way to take photos and to experience small town coastal life among the natives while avoiding crowds whenever possible. Wickford Village was an especially attractive area filled with small artsy boutiques. Lady Elaine was quite happy shopping at Different Drummer. You can’t tell from their website, but they have a lot of handmade artistic creations in the shop. The owner said she gets many of her products from RISD students.
Due to many locals’ recommendations we stopped for dinner at Chelo’s on the Waterfront. The menu is the same as all of the other Chelo’s, including the price, but this one has two floors, outside lawn seating, a deck, three bars and on that particular night live music. Chelo’s is considered a Rhode Island institution and I suppose if you’re going to visit one, this would be it.