The semifinalists for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards (sort of like the Oscars of the food world) have been announced and two Bristol restaurants are in the running. Chef Sai Viswanath of DeWolf Tavern and Chef Champe Speidel of Persimmon are both nominated in the Best Chef: Northeast category. Finalists will be announced on March 19, and the awards ceremony takes place on May 7. Best of luck to our two hometown culinary celebrities.More
We're proud to sponsor the Friends of Bristol Animal Shelter's 5th annual Mardi Gras Ball, Saturday, February 11 at 6:30pm. The beautiful Linden Place ballroom will be transformed into a carnival-style style party, complete with masqueraders, revelry, music and food. The Rockin' Soul Horns will provided the soundtrack and Blackstone Caterers will serve the food. There will be a cash bar, and live and silent auctions, including great prize packages like "Death By Chocolate," a weekend getaway to Martha's Vineyard, a week in Orlando, and a "Theater Lover's" package. Tickets are $75 and the money benefits our furry friends at the animal shelter. For more information call 401-457-8581More
The British Are Coming
A new restaurant is open on State Street in Bristol. The British Beer Company, a local chain with a dozen or so locations throughout Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts, is set to open in the old location of The Anchor (29 State Street). BBC serves good quality pub food with some authentically English flair. When they open sometime in February or March, make sure to try the Guinness Stout Onion Soup, Bangers and Mash or their Pasty Pies.
That's Cheesy
The owners of Tortilla Flats in Providence have taken over The Cheese Plate (54 State Street, Warren). Stay tuned for more developments.
Get In the Spirit
The Newport Restaurant Group has two unmissable special dinners coming up this month. On February 9, 22 Bowen’s Wharf is hosting a Pacific Northwest Wine Dinner. The four-course dinner will be paired with wines from Chateau Ste. Michelle, Erath, Col Solare, Northstar and Snoqualmie wineries, and a winemaker from Chateau Ste. Michelle will be there to discuss the pairings. Then, on February 21 and 22, The Mooring will be hosing a Samuel Adams Beer Dinner, when a brewmaster from Sam Adams will pair their beers with a four-course meal.More
Mercier’s Hardware has been a Water Street staple since 1923. When neighboring artist William Schaff caught wind that they may be closing their doors for good he launched a guerrilla based marketing plan to do what he could. He posted on Facebook urging everyone in Warren to buy one item from Mercier’s on Wednesday, February 1 and re-post. So far the post has been shared 27 times, potentially reaching thousands of viewers. Although it may not be enough to save the business, it will in the very least show Mercier’s how thankful the town is for the decades of service and commitment to the town of Warren.More
Starting this weekend, and continuing every weekend throughout February except February 11, you can warm up and enjoy some wine at a great price. Sakonnet Vineyards presents "Wine and Soup Weekends," offering your choice of two soups from Blount Fine Foods with the purchase of a glass of wine. Soups and pairing suggestions will change weekly, and best of all, it's only $5. Check Sakonnet's website for more details, or call 401-635-8486 ext. 116 for reservations.More
For the second month in a row, Vogue magazine has shot a cool, blonde, Oscar-winning Hollywood A-lister along the equally cool Rhode Island coastline for its cover. In December, it was Charlize Theron, shot in Newport...
This month, Meryl Streep kicks off the New Year Charlestown...
Who's next? Kirsten Dunst in Little Compton? Cate Blanchett in Watch Hill? Here's hoping they ditch the blondes and graduate redhead Emma Stone to big girl Vogue. Oh, Emma...
2012 will be a year to remember, as the town of Seekonk celebrates its 200th anniversary with a slew of monthly celebrations to include a ball, a parade, barbeques, “birthday bashes” and musical performances. The exciting events will take place at various venues around town throughout the year. The town will be selling bicentennial merchandise such as baseball hats, magnets, T-shirts and a special 2012 calendar filled with photos of historic Seekonk. Once home to the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe, the town of Seekonk was incorporated in 1812 after break- ing away from the eastern part of Rehoboth, almost 40 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In 1861, a large chunk of the town was allocated to Rhode Island in order to resolve a border dispute with Massachusetts.
Highlighting the year’s festivities are the Kiwanis Annual Taste of the Town event at the Johnson & Wales Inn in February, the Seaconke Wampanoag Annual Pow Wow on Rehoboth’s Redway Plain in September and holiday house tours sponsored by the Seekonk Historical Commission throughout November. Don’t forget to also check out the annual Memorial Day parade, which will feature special floats and period dress. More information can be found on the Seekonk town website or download the full schedule below.More
Quirky, witty, curious and determined are words that have been used to describe travel writer Rosemary Mahoney, who recently moved to Bristol. In Down the Nile, Mahoney utilizes descriptive prose to tell of the time she soloed down the iconic Egyptian river in a small boat. Yes, the River Nile. The book, which has been ranked on “top” lists by Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times Book Review, is raw and gripping; Mahoney’s 120-mile journey took her through a land of civil unrest, which is foreign not only in its geographic location but its long-standing customs and traditions as well. Egyptian women don’t row on the Nile and foreigners are strongly encouraged not to – it’s simply too dangerous. Mahoney relates her confrontations with incapacitating heat, hungry crocodiles and baseless violence, all of which make her adventure even more commendable. We are quite happy to welcome her as a new neighbor to Bristol.More
The end of holiday shopping is almost here. It's your last chance to get some unique gifts and give your the chance to win great prizes from the Downtown Bristol Merchants Association. From now through this Sunday, December 18, every $25 you spend at a participating location gets you a Snowflake Raffle ticket. The drawing takes place the following day at 5pm. You must be present to win.More