Last year, hand sanitizer was a popular not-really-a-joke gift. This year, you can make up for it with a locally produced and sold magic hand formula. Dry, chapped hands can be painful, especially during the COVID era of extra handwashing and sanitizing. Instead of grabbing some chemical-filled concoction from the local drugstore, if you’re looking […]
The Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown describes itself as “a 19th century farmyard shopper’s paradise and international bazaar.” Understandably, we thought this sounded pretty cool. Stop by the South County complex to visit a number of local artisans, including Small Axe Productions, selling domestic and imported gifts, musical instruments and more; The Purple Shell, an […]
When Motif caught up with Jan Faust Dane, owner of Stock Culinary Goods on Hope Street in Providence, she didn’t jump to sell us on some of her top-of-the-line wares, like handmade Forge to Table Knives, Andiamo Presentation Boards crafted in Warren, or Michelle Phaneuf’s teeny bowls, which feature little Rhode Island motifs such as […]
Molly Brenner used to be shy. When Motif caught up with Brenner, though, it was to discuss her upcoming comedy special, The Pleasure’s Mine, which chronicles her long journey to her first orgasm, among other things. “After college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” Brenner said. “I was in a […]
Healing Arrows has teamed up with Askew to host a “Creepy Cabaret” on Thursday, October 28th at 8 pm. The event features Boston comedian Kendra Dawsey, Queer Drag Bobby Fresh-King, Indigenous guitarist The Real Chris Kaz, and several other acts. Healing Arrows for Indigenous Social Justice and Wellness is a Rhode Island grassroots group dedicated […]
An old house with a tragic backstory. A doctor studying supernatural phenomena. A pair of psychically receptive research assistants. What could go wrong? John Cillino’s immersive theatrical production The Haunting of Hill House is certain to impress. Attendees are first captured by Katherine Kimmel’s Mrs. Dudley, who is quite specific about what she will and […]
The play Pretty Woman is at Providence Performing Arts Center through Oct 16. And while it’s a pretty production, it’s a pretty awful story. Pretty Woman (the film) was released in 1990 – four years before I was born – and the narrative has grown completely stale. Perhaps older theater-goers attended because of rose-tinted memories […]
Where do the best thoughts come from? A boardroom? The shower? For Randy D’Antuono, the best ideas came in the wee morning hours sitting on a street curb in Amsterdam, from some scribbled notes on a bar napkin. That’s where we can trace the origins of his greatest salty, starchy gift to Rhode Island: Friskie […]
When we caught up with Revival’s General Manager Paul Baptista, we asked him what drove the brewery’s success. He answered succinctly: Master Brewer Sean Larkin. “Sean is a community driven person,” Baptista said. “He pays it forward, and he has a lot of good ideas to bring people into the community.” Sean Larkin has made […]
Steve Gilman, the Owner of Poppy’s Waffles, went home with the Motif Food Truck All Weather Warrior Award for his dedication to the food truck trade. No matter the month—even in the dead of winter—fans of Poppy’s Waffles have enjoyed his gourmet treats. Gilman’s menu items—his favorite being the banana nut waffle with caramel whipped […]