Know someone who loves blooms and vino? Well, I have some big news… The Buttercup Flower Truck has opened a storefront on Brown Street in Wickford (a darling village in NK). They opened their doors in July (in the space formerly occupied by Gooseneck Vineyards and then the Narragansett, next to the also brand NEW Village Ice Cream Co.) and as soon as I found out, knew I had to get over there because it sounded like a perfect pairing. Firstly they have brought the patio seating back (you may remember it from the GV days) which is wonderful. The main room is where you can order your sips like P ..read more

I don’t mean to air my personal issues here, but my family and I are fighting… over the low carb bagels from Such A Bagel in Smithfield! Giving credit where credit’s due — one of my sweet nieces was raving about them and ended up bringing over a bag of assorted ones (plain, onion, and the works) a while back. Well I haven’t been so crazy over bagels since the 90’s. (Remember back then we were all wearing Levi’s red tab, reading Spin and Sassy, and eating bagels every single day? Or was that just me, haha?) Now my husband is sneaking bagels out of the fridge. One of my sister-in-laws mentioned ..read more

the other day at Ollie’s We finally made it to this cute diner in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Ollie’s (I hear the owner named it after his dog which I find charming) on High Street checks all the boxes when it comes to classic diner food, service and ambiance. First thing we noticed is their eye-catching and colorful mural on the side of the building (see photo below). More importantly, though, we were seated immediately (table and counter seating available) and their menu is packed with classic American dishes like omelets, egg sandwiches, pancakes, and more. Also, I hear both the hash and the ..read more

the other day at BEAUCOUP in NPT TCM hosted a double feature spotlighting movies co-written by Nancy Meyers a while back (Baby Boom and Father of The Bride in case you were wondering). I say this because there’s a cafe in Newport — called BEAUCOUP — has a definite Nancy Meyers MOVIE vibe. You almost expect the Meryl from It’s Complicated to come flying out with croissants. I swear it feels just like the Diane Keaton character from Something’s Gotta Give might pop in — turtleneck and all — for a tea and to browse the home goods. Now there’s no Meryl or Diane at Beaucoup on Thames Street (it’s ..read more

Would we or wouldn’t we… get a table at Harriet’s Kitchen? Well we did (pro tip…go early because this tiny-ish spot starts getting really busy after 10am) and the comfort food at this classic eatery on Atwood Avenue, open since 1985, was as delish as ever. First off, while perusing the enormous menu of breakfast and brunch plates (including the ever-popular bennies…I got their Florentine version with the hollandaise sauce on the side), you’ll probably run into at least one, if not two, people from Cranston you know. The portions are textbook generous, and their brekkie potatoes (aka, home frie ..read more

The much-anticipated Brown Bee Coffee has their official grand opening today — Saturday, September 14th. I just so happened to be in the neighborhood on Friday morning, so yours truly strolled over and low and behold, they were already open for business. (Luck must have been on my side because I wandered in on what must have been their soft opening.) Now I was a serious fan of the business that was in that space previously (Benefit Juice & Cafe) but let me just say that Brown Bee had me at hello yesterday. Stepping thru the doorway I was floored by how luxe and downright sophisticated the ..read more

After I started over posting about cut-your-own dahlias at The Farmer’s Daughter in South Kingstown a few summers ago, someone messaged me with a tip about The Dahlia Patch in West Greenwich. (Beaucoup thanks to that person!) Well, what do you know, that adorable flower market turned out to be located right next to Leyden Farm Vineyard & Winery, where everyone looks like they are having the best time! (The owners’ tag line is “combining friendship and farming” which I think is so sweet.) It’s a fantastic spot with Adirondack chairs, porch seating and a tent — all perfect for an afternoon ..read more

the other day in Warren (RI) Just happened upon a new-to-me bakery cafe on Water Street in Warren across from ByWater. (They’ve been open since January 2024, and how have I NOT heard of them?) Yep, The Bakeshop is indeed worth checking out whether you want a coffee drink (I hear they use local gem Bolt Coffee), a Warren FOG (their spin on the classic London Fog), some baked goods, or avo toast. I’ve tried the SESAME OATMEAL and the SALTED CHOCOLATE CHIP cookies, and both were unexpected flavor combos that were ultimately still quite yummy. If you’re a bread lover — and who isn’t? — they also ..read more

This tiny, family run Mexican restaurant on High Street in SK opened their doors last summer. Me? I had no idea about MAIZ, until happening by after spending the morning nearby on Main Street in Wakefield and their sweet, little eatery off to the side of the road caught my eye. Went back again the other day and the veggie burrito (with bits of pineapple…yes, PINEAPPLE) I inhaled was fantastic. And don’t even get me started about the street corn which was a scrumptious mix of creamy (by way of the cheesy sauce on top) and spicy crunchy. Such a tasty indulgence! In both instances, some of th ..read more

This Photo And The Ones Below Are All Courtesy Of Us. How did I NOT know about this neighborhood gem on Providence’s East Side? Turns out, so many people I know who live or work (or both) on the East Side are apparently serious fans of their breakfast (especially the blueberry pancakes), freshly squeezed orange juice, sandwiches, and more. My husband happened to be running in the area recently (he’s running every single street in the state) and spotted The Butcher Shop on Elmgrove. A few days later we motored over for a late breakfast (they offer breakfast all day which is a real plus for any ..read more