Photograph courtesy of Caswell Cooke Rhode Island is a bit far north for palm trees, but the Ocean State is the star of a yacht rock song called “Coconut Kevin” that’s been rising on the music charts and offers a tip of the flip-flop to a part-time Westerly resident. “Coconut” Kevin Martin, at right, who lives out of the back of his van in Misquamicut during the summer months, was the inspiration behind the song, penned by the South County-based Caswell & the Peel N’ Eats. “Kevin does as little as possible, but enjoys life,” says singer-songwriter Caswell Cooke of his longtime friend an ..read more

Kids’ Zone at Save the Bay Hamilton Family Aquarium. Photo courtesy of Save the Bay. Recently opened at the end of March, Save the Bay’s Hamilton Family Aquarium is the next day trip activity to add to your Newport outings list. Complete with a diverse collection of animals and plants found in Narragansett Bay, you can expect an engaging, and educational, experience at the new downtown Newport location.  A bigger and more centrally located spot than the organization’s old aquarium on Easton’s Beach (which closed its doors this past October), the Save the Bay Hamilton Family Aquari ..read more

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated from a version originally posted in 2017.  Susanne Blackinton-Juaire holds a fourteen-karat gold horse figurine and uses a tiny texturizing tool to refine the detail in its mane and tail. The figure will stand atop the Kentucky Derby trophy, which is made at her family business, S.R. Blackinton in Smithfield. The solid gold cup stands on a table with casted ornamental pieces, waiting be polished and soldered onto the trophy. It makes its debut at Churchill Downs a month before the Derby weekend. Susanne, a fifth-generation silversmith, and her hu ..read more

Grey Sail Brewing’s beer garden is a summer oasis. Photo courtesy of Grey Sail Brewing Patio season is officially upon us, and Rhode Island has no shortage of excellent spaces to take your cocktails and craft beer outside. Last year, we put a callout on social media for your favorite brewery patios, and you responded, filling in the top outdoor drinking spaces in every corner of the state. Of course, it doesn’t have to be sunny and seventy degrees to enjoy an outdoor brew, though the spring temperatures certainly help. Many of the included businesses opened their patios year-round in the ea ..read more

Sip and Stoll. Photograph courtesy of Roger Williams Park Zoo. FEATURED 5/9: Sip & Stroll: Battle of the Bands Nineties Night    WHAT: Grab your Beanie Babies, don a windbreaker and sport some butterfly clips because we’re going back to the nineties. Roger Williams Park Zoo is hosting a Sip & Stroll and you’re invited. This adults-only event features a live nineties-themed Battle of the Bands, costume contests and more. Plus, you’ll be able to get up close and personal with the animals, and your ticket includes access to explore the new “Dragons & Mythical Creatures” e ..read more

Adrian Mannarino, winner of the 2023 Infosys Hall of Fame Open. (Photo by Ben Solomon/International Tennis Hall of Fame) Tickets are officially on sale for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s induction weekend events, offering tennis fans across the state a chance to mingle with the greats. The Hall of Fame will induct three candidates during this year’s celebration July 18­–20. Former doubles champion Leander Paes, broadcaster and promoter Vijay Amritraj and journalist and writer Richard Evans will all receive the sport’s greatest honor. Paes, an eighteen-time Grand Slam champion in do ..read more

Courtesy of Trinity Rep Though a diamond jubilee would normally be a tough act to follow for any theater, Trinity Rep is taking its sixty-first season in stride with a fantastic five-show subscription and, of course, its signature fresh retelling of A Christmas Carol. The new season will kick off in September this year and conclude in June 2025. “This season’s plays are about coming together and overcoming past conflict to find a way forward,” says artistic director Curt Columbus. “It is about creating unexpected alliances and home away from home. These plays are filled with humor, pathos ..read more

Fitness class at BarreCoast. Photo credit: Joshua Behan. From the minute you walk through the door at BarreCoast, you’re greeted with good vibes, friendly faces and even an adorable pup, Bear — the official mascot of this fitness studio in Westerly. Perched at his spot on the doormat, Bear welcomes all the patrons to BarreCoast with a smile and a tail wag, before you settle in and gear up for a good sweat. BarreCoast owner Kristen Ullrich and Bear, BarreCoast’s official mascot. Courtesy of Kristen Ullrich. Exercising can feel like a daunting task, whether you’re a fitness novice or just t ..read more

Giovanni from 92 PRO-FM. Today is the last on-air radio day for Giovanni of 92 PRO-FM’s “Gio, Jay Buff, and Bekah” and “Giovanni and Kim.” After more than fifty years of behind-the-scenes radio production and twenty-five years of ruling the airwaves as an on-air personality, he is retiring from the station. He’s going out on his own terms, which is unheard of in the cutthroat radio broadcast industry. Today, we celebrate Gio’s accomplishments on the station all day as they welcome special guests to send the beloved deejay off in style. We had the chance to interview Gio about his fifty-year ..read more

A bowl of matzo ball soup. Photography by Angel Tucker Jewish deli has the rare ability to elicit nostalgia — or at least familiarity — in people from all areas of the country and with diverse backgrounds.  It’s hard to pinpoint how this works, other than to acknowledge that Jewish food — notably, bagels, lox and brisket cooked in several ways — has become such an integral piece of the American diet that taking part in the ritual of eating conjures memories for everyone at the table. (A toasted bagel may not be quite as ubiquitous as toasted bread, but it’s a worthy competitor.)  ..read more