Providence

Food For Thought: We Share Hope Fundraiser

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Chances are if you are from my neck of the woods (Rhode Island to be exact), you have been to Seven Stars Bakery. Their bakery items are flaky, delicious and downright addicting. I love their scones! Doesn’t matter which flavor, they are all my favorite! Seven Stars Bakery is more than a business. It is a community. They are committed to those who live, work and play in this little state. That is why on January 2nd 2017, they are having a fundraiser for We Share Hope, a non-profit food rescue that brings food to those in need all over Rhode Island.

We Share Hope is a non-profit food rescue run by 100% volunteers that share their time, talent and resources to help those in need. WSH supports over 30 communities at over 80 locations in Rhode Island getting food to food pantries, section 8 housing, homeless shelters, churches, military housing, children’s recreation centers, soup kitchens and more.

we share hope

Why January 2nd? Well, January 2nd, 2017 happens to be Seven Stars Bakery 16th Anniversary! What better way to say “THANK YOU” for keeping them in business all these years by giving back to the community. 100% of the proceeds from all three of their locations will go directly to We Share Hope. You heard it correctly, 100% from ALL three locations. Every $1.00 donated = $63 worth of food for those in need. Think about how many families they can feed? How generous is Seven Stars Bakery? This is why they are a local favorite. They offer amazing products with amazing service and have a generous spirit behind them.

How You Can Help
Visit one of their three locations January 2nd 6:30am-6pm

820 Hope Street, Providence
342 Broadway, Providence
Rumford Ctr, East Providence

If you don’t find yourself in the neighborhood to purchase a delicious treat or cup of coffee, consider donating directly to We Share Hope through this donation link. Remember, every $1.00 donated is worth a great deal of food for someone in need! I know I will be heading to Providence tomorrow to grab myself a scone (or three) and knowing I helped make a difference right here in my community.

Happy New Year & Namaste~
Joy

The Great Escape Room: A Brain Busting Experience

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A few weeks ago, a small group of us Rhody Bloggers got to try out The Great Escape Room in Providence and boy was it AH-MAY-ZING! However, it does do a little something to your ego if you do NOT escape! Kidding, but we were shy of escaping by about 5 minutes!  I thought I was pretty clever, but boy were the clues wicked tricky! I think that’s what made it so enjoyable. It wasn’t your average clue. You had to think and really use your mind! They were out-of-the-box clever and challenging! I think I can safely speak for the bloggers in attendance and say it was a great experience, one we will surely take part in again.IMG_3473

Picture this,  you are locked in a room. You have 1 hour to solve a bunch of clues in order to solve a bigger puzzle that unlocks the doors to said room. Problem is, you don’t know what you are solving or looking for. It is a riddle? Is it a numeric code? Are you looking for words? Are you looking for numbers? At the beginning, it was quite confusing. You just start tearing the room apart piece by piece. Literally. Our in room guide Andy (who was so great),  kept telling us to just make a mess and search anything and everything.  So we did! We started finding clues (can’t tell you what) and started to put them in the right order (or so we thought). Nothing is as it seems and yet everything was. Don’t over-think. That’s a hint I can give you!

Great Escape room

This is great activity for the whole family, a bunch of friends, team building and even private parties! The location is perfect for anyone looking for some fun in Providence. After you ESCAPE, you are surrounded by tons or yummy restaurants and cool shops. Perfect summer afternoon in the city.  This could be a great rainy day activity this summer as well!  Tickets are $28 with a $1.80 processing fee. They also offer Student and Military discounts and 10% off a group of 10 or more.

The Great Escape Room Providence is a real-life room escape game based on the popular computer and mobile phone escape games. Escape the room games are the newest craze sweeping the nation! After entering a room with your team, the door is locked behind you. 60 minutes are on the clock! You must work together in order to find clues and solve puzzles that will lead you to your escape. It is part scavenger hunt and part puzzle game. 

Are you ready to become a Master Sleuth?  Get ready to Escape The Room!

 

A Little Rhody Summer

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Summer is almost upon us! Well, not really, but one can dream. We need to get through Spring first (and that IS upon us), but if you are like me you are already planning your summer weekend getaways, road trips and/or a list of all the places to see & things to do! Should you find yourself heading up to “Little Rhody” (or even passing through it), there are so many fun & unique things to do here. Summer is the best time to visit Rhode Island; we aren’t labeled the Ocean State for just any old reason! Below are my Top 5 activities you should consider when visiting RI in the summer! You could pack these into 1 very long day, but I suggest planning a weekend getaway to really enjoy these activities.

Things to do in RI

  1. Roger Williams Park Zoo

This is a perfect cloudy day or late afternoon trip idea for the whole family. This zoo has more than just animals. Kids can cool off in the Drip Drop Water Garden, climb the treehouse where there are things to see & hear or build a creation at the Sticks & Stones Building Zone. There are even camel rides, giraffe feedings, rock climbing & a butterfly garden! At $14.95 for adults/$9.95 for children, it’s a great price for all it offers. Plus, you can bring in your own picnic lunch (some zoo’s do not allow outside food),  which is amazing!

  1. Rustic Drive-in Movie Theater

There is something to said about sitting under the stars on a cool, breezy summer night watching your favorite movies with a bunch of friends! It just screams SUMMER to me! This authentic 1950’s drive-in has 3 screens, with 2 shows playing on each screen. Outside food can be brought in (or purchased there) and it is only $27 per carload! With movie tickets at almost 12$ per ticket, per show- this is a great bargain! Kids & adults will love this place! And it’s dog friendly! Furry animals deserve some summertime fun as well!

  1. Newport, RI

Visiting Newport can be broken into many parts. 1. A visit to one of the 11 mansions, which were built during the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. 2. A visit to one of the popular beaches. 3. Shopping & dining along the harbor that boast spectacular views. You can visit Newport during the day and have a completely different experience at night. There is truly something for everyone.

2.    Waterfire

Waterfire is a non-profit arts organization whose goal is to bring to life the downtown urban area and revitalize it with art, music and more. Over 80 bonfires are set amongst the water at WaterPlace Park. Visitors walk along the banks enjoying local music, watch performances, grab local fare from food trucks as well as the sites & smells of the burning embers. It’s always free admission and it really is a site to see. Check their schedule online for more info.

  1. Galilee & Point Judith

This quaint fishing village is home to the largest fishing fleet in RI, as well as home to the Block Island Ferry. The beach is small yet gorgeous. A jetty formation lines the beach where onlookers wave to all the ferries that pass by. George’s of Galilee serves the best clamcakes & chowder and there are tons of places to buy fresh fish & lobster right from the boat. The view from their upstairs outdoor terrace is amazing. Small shops, ice cream parlors & other eateries make this #1 on my list!

Your “Little Rhody” Summer is awaiting your arrival…

Lincoln School Book Festival 2014

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You know what I like about reading? You don’t have to be good at it. You don’t have to read what your friends are reading. You can read where you choose too. You can get lost in the adventure, romance, history and suspense of a book, all without leaving the comforts of your home. As adults, we love the way a good book makes us feel after we’ve finished it. We laugh, we cry, we empathize with the characters. It invigorates our imaginations. And lets be honest, as we get older we can all use a little spark to our imagination.

It is hard to explain to young children how a book can make you feel. We can tell them that reading is good for them, but until they feel the effects of it they really won’t “get it”. And how do kids learn? They learn by doing. Anything worth doing, is worth over doing. Children will eventually come to realize it’s more about that funny looking monster in the book, or that relatable boy. It’s about how the story makes you feel. What you take away from the book. But as parents, we need to keep the flame burning until that realization happens on it’s own. For some, it happens sooner than later.

A child's book from the 19th century

A child’s book from the 19th century

On October 18th, I was given the opportunity to attend the Lincoln School Book Festival 2014. The Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books & Authors was held at the Lincoln School here in Providence, RI. From the moment I walked up the sidewalk, I knew the Lincoln School promotes early childhood literacy with a passion. Signs were everywhere with sayings about reading. Teachers were dressed as lovable children’s book characters. There was a storytelling tent set up outside. The crafts were even dedicated to books. All this being said, it wasn’t overdone. It was just matter of fact. They love to read and they are here to share it with you.

RI Book Festival 2014 program

RI Book Festival 2014 program

My son & I had a blast looking at the pop-up bookstore they had. We purchased two books for him to have autographed. We made an amazing craft (which I will be copying again). Listened to amazing stories & songs. Had a delicious pizza followed by a vegan dessert! It was such a blast. It was amazing to see how many children in my community actually value books. Kindles, tablets and Ipads are all the rage. And I get that you can store more books than you could possibly need, but there is something about the feeling of a book’s cover. The sound it makes when you turn the page. The suspense you feel when you wonder what illustration is next.

Landon's pop-up book

Landon’s pop-up book

 

While the event is over, I urge you to attend next year. It is an annual event and the Lincoln School is already taking applications for authors, volunteers and sponsors for 2015. Follow the Lincoln School on Facebook to keep up with all their events. Now, pick up that book that is collecting dust on your shelf and read. Get lost in it, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. And NO, I won’t hold it against you if you use your Kindle, this time. 

AUTOGRAPH TIME!

AUTOGRAPH TIME!