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Forget Puxatony Phil for letting Rhode Islanders know whether Spring is here. All you have to do is check out the lines at the numerous seasonal ice cream stands throughout the state.  We weep in the Fall when they close, and we wait all Winter long for the smell of a freshly pressed waffle cone.  That, my friends, is what Spring is about in Rhode Island!  Today we feature one of these landmarks…Sundaes Ice Cream on Oaklawn Ave. in Cranston. 

Just ask Isabella and Ava Zito if the season has turned. Camera shy mom Natasha admired from the side. 

And of course they stopped for ice cream in coats and layers.  Hey, it's New England after all.

Best Places to Raise Your Kids 2011

According the Bloomberg, two of The Best Places to Raise Your Kids are Wakefield and Peacedale Rhode Island.

The criteria for judging the communities includes those inhabited mostly by middle-income earners that have good public schools, low crime and resources to keep the family entertained on weekends. 

Bloomberg capped the  target income at 20 percent above the state’s median. 

 The study highlighted lakes and ponds, the South County Bike Path, and the proximity to beaches and Providence. 

Beyond the school performance, number of schools, crime statistics and cost of living, the study also looked at job growth, air quality, ethnic diversity and access to recreational amenities. 

As a very proud resident of Wakefield I totally agree with the finding.  The community and school athletic programs have kept my kids engaged for the past six years with a variety of sports to choose from.  We feel very confident in the South Kingstown public school system for it's attention to each child and involvement of the parents in their child's progress.

45 Years and Counting for the Gaspee Day Parade

From my Warwick, Rhode Island Page:

"Warwick holds claim to the first violent act against British rule when in 1772 local tax revolting patriots boarded the British ship Gaspee and destroyed it.  In history this was known as The Gaspee Affair, the first bloodshed of the American Revolutionary War.  Each year the Gaspee Day parade in Warwick is one of the state's most attended summer activities.  Participants in  full colonial dress march in an enormous parade through the streets of Pawtuxet and Gaspee neighborhoods."

Click an image below to view the pictures from the Gaspee Day Parade

Everyone remembers, celebrates, and honors Memorial Day in their own way.  For some, the day hits home more poignantly than for others.  Every year, this gentleman walks throughout Providence, not saying a word, simply carrying his message on his shoulder.

Watching him walk down a very warm Wickenden Street, I wondered what his connection to the holiday was.  I felt grateful to him in his mission to deliver his message.  However, my heart also went out to him, as that message is surely a heavy one.

Umm…no I can't.

To Absolutely No One's Surprise, Cranston, RI Named Top Neighborhood

Sure, Cranston is considered a satellite city of Providence because of its size and proximity. But the former textile and shipping center, which lies just south of the capital, has a solid housing stock and its own burgeoning foodie scene fueled by locally grown produce and ethnic restaurants. On weekends, residents flock to the area's shops and markets. Aside from cooking and commerce, leisure lovers take advantage of their proximity to water; it's Cranston where the Pawtuxet River opens into Narragansett Bay, making the marina a fishing and boating paradise during the summer months.

The Houses
While western Cranston is rife with new housing development, the eastern part of the city is a charming mix of older Capes and Colonial Revivals, some of which feature Shingle Style facades. It's not uncommon to stumble upon an entire block of Craftsman bungalows or earlier Victorian-era homes either. The variety of the houses, their reasonable price tags—many less than $200,000—and the 15-minute commute to Providence appeal to young professionals and new families alike.

Re-Printed from This Old House Online

Scituate and Glocester, Rhode Island have made Money magazine’s annual list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.

The magazine’s editors ranked Scituate at 69th and nearby Glocester at 73rd.

The two neighboring Rhode Island towns in the northwestern part of the state have about 10,000 residents each. Both won praise for their good schools, while the state’s above-average unemployment rate was a mark against them.

Of Scituate, the magazine said:

“This former farming community has many homes on large plots of land – perfect for privacy-loving Yankees. Scituate works to maintain its forests and lakes to preserve the rural tranquility. The downtown is quaint, with a small country-style main street.”

As for Glocester, the editors said:

“Many of the historical relics in this town 30 miles from Providence thrive with a modern-day twist. An old stagecoach station has been converted into a popular restaurant, and some rural areas have become gentleman farms.”

You bet.  Right here in Little Rhody, Bristol can lay claim to holding the oldest continually running Fourth of July celebration.   And Bristol takes this honor very seriously.  Veteran’s groups from all military branches, as well as numerous fire and police departments will be represented.  The parade will also feature dozens of floats and 27 marching bands.

Special guests for this year include two official Marvel Comics characters, Spider-Man and Wolverine as well as Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster.

Every detail is in order.  Town Crier Gerry MacNeill is set to kick start the parade as he has for more than 20 years.   The red, white and blue stripes that run down the center of Hope Street will be repainted as they are each year.

The town’s celebration started as a patriotic exercise in 1785 and that tradition has continued every year since.

The parade attracts an estimated 100,000 people and costs close to $100,000 to stage.

I can say from experience to bring something comfortable to sit on and plan to spend a day entertained like no other.

It also wouldn’t hurt to make friends with someone who lives on Main.  Lawn seats and preferred parking are a premium!

Capital Cove Condo Interior

Johnson & Wales announced that it has signed a three-year agreement with Capitol Cove LLC to lease 96 newly constructed luxury condominiums on Canal Street in Providence for use as student housing complete with granite   counter tops, stainless steel appliances and one of the best views in Providence.

When classes start this fall 300 students will live in upscale condos that had been languishing on the market.

Developer Robert Roth began marketing Capitol Cove condos last fall for $350,000 to $550,000, getting four reservations and no sales.

Students at Johnson & Wales will pay yearly rents of $10,383 for one-bedroom apartments and $9,249 to share a two-bedroom unit — comparable to dorm rates.  Roth said this deal would not come close to recouping the $30 million already invested by him and his bank.

On the downside, these students will miss out on bits of Americana that make the college housing experience a pivotal growing experience for a young man or woman.

Remember fellas, in your fraternity, when  flushing the toilet meant an instant 400 degree shower temperature?  How about that shared dorm bath where flip flops weren’t just a fashion statement, they were the only barrier between you and athletes foot?  And what sorority gal doesn’t fondly recall posting up for position in front of the bathroom mirror like Shaquille O’Neal in a hostile environment.  And just how many electronic devices can we jam into a non GFI water soaked power source?

Above – my sweet paneled room at URI complete with rotary phone.

The project has come under some scrutiny as members of the Providence City Council question whether Capitol Cove violated its tax-stabilization treaty with the city by using the building as a dormitory.

6th Grade Field Trip ~ Roger Williams Park & Zoo

Roger Williams Park Zoo is Rhode Island’s largest tourist attraction. My wife and I chapperoned our twin’s field trip. Highlights were the giraffe, the camel dunking heads in a fountain and Dippin Dots.