Locale Profile

Annals of Fashion: Amanda Downing Carney talks shop…costume shop

A woman walks in with her sketchbooks, fabric samples, photos, a few iconic costumes, and reams of official forms. “What most people don’t know about costume designing is the amount of organizational paperwork required for the entire production,” opines Amanda Downing Carney, Costume Director since 2015 for Trinity Repertory Company in downtown Providence. “Measurement sheets, […]

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Mystified by the Macabre: The human fascination with demise

We are bombarded daily with images of violence and death whether it’s the nightly news, movies, or scrolling through social media. As uncomfortable as we claim it makes us, we flock towards the headlines, desperate for heart wrenching details. Where does this age-old fascination come from? In search of answers, I sought out an expert […]

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Everything Isn’t What It Seems: Providence opens up its Weird portals for another year of Necronomicon

In the dark room near the bottom of the ocean a myriad of shadows float by. Strange, undulating fauna grow from an endless floor. Particles of flesh hang suspended between their blue curtains. Silence is a thick blanket where the sun doesn’t shine. The mind is left with nothing to process, it imagines the sounds […]

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Growers Grow, Part 1: Observations of the business ecology of cannabis dispensaries and growers in the Ocean State

Let’s face it. – if not for the growers, there would be no weed for sale in any Ocean State dispensaries. Of course, there is the intrepid home grown culture, but really, with each home grower limited to only six plants, there would never be a sufficient supply of weed to meet the demand. This […]

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Motif Dispatch: Profiles in Distribution

The people who deliver Motif are innovative artists, writers, gifted actors and musicians in their own right. Ever wonder, Who are these couriers of arts and culture? We can’t profile the full dozen drivers in this space. In addition to these profiles, we want to thank Dave Messere, James Brien, Wayne Stolcz, Lola Blu, Jon […]

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Shirley Prisco: Motif Astrologer

Shirley Prisco is the Sun Sign columnist for Motif Magazine. She is a professional astrologer certified by the National Council of Geo-Cosmic Research, an international organization devoted to astrology education. In addition, she is a member of The International Society for Astrological Research and the Association for Astrological Networking. We recently sat down for a […]

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Fosters Shady Acres Diner: 50’s nostalgia in a down-home apocalyptic cafe

Shady Acres Diner on Danielson Pike in Foster, Rhode Island, has been a long-time staple with fun, nostalgic ambiance. Offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner to locals and travelers alike, everyone is family here! “We survived COVID, having bought the diner from the original owners just a few months before COVID hit,” says proprietor Desi Wolf. […]

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Beatnik Beginnings: From the streets to the scene

Jim Vickers started Motif Magazine in 2004. He started Motif to give voice to marginalized groups of underrepresented Rhode Islanders. Vickers agreed to write an article for our special 20th anniversary edition. This is his story. In the beginning, there was the NewPaper and Nice Paper. It was a friendly rivalry between Rhode Island-based alternative […]

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Scrumptious Chow at Scurvy Dog: Rebel’s Rations takes pride in serving good food for great people

Rebel’s Rations is the brainchild of chef Daniel Brown and best friend Alec Labine. It came about as a way to build community and provide kick-ass, late-night dining experiences. Brown’s extensive culinary background and passion for the arts, combined with Labine’s experience in IT and nonprofit leadership, paved the way for Rebel’s Rations to become […]

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