BOSTON AND PROVIDENCE IN 3 DAYS

A DOUBLE SERVING OF NEW ENGLAND: There are an almost unlimited number of possible travel itineraries for New England: beaches, islands and mountains; cities and towns; food and drink; forests and parks; art, museums and galleries; professional, winter and water sports. It’s all there and more. But, New England also is personal for me. Its two largest cities hold a special place because of family connections and my own experiences and major life events. My late parents were born, grew up and married in Providence. I earned a degree, ran a marathon and got married in Boston. Being Red Sox fans (Bo and Paw) is the tie that binds, of course.

Obviously, Boston and Providence more than warrant a separate visit dedicated to each city. Both are dynamic and fun and interesting and historical and really offer something for everyone. I recently spent a long weekend visiting with family and friends in both places, which allowed me to shuttle back and forth, and so what follows is a taste of these two cities if you had but a weekend to sample both.

It’s less than 50 miles from the gold-domed Massachusetts statehouse atop Beacon Hill in Boston to the all-white marble Rhode Island statehouse, presiding over Providence. Though similar in age and their New England pedigree, they otherwise are very different capital cities in size and character and history.

Boston, of course, almost needs no introduction as one of America’s most iconic cities, known for its politics, sports fans, world-famous cultural institutions and prestigious institutions of higher education. Yet, it simultaneously can be a very down-to-earth, rough around the edges kind of town.

The rabble-rousing founder of the Rhode Island colony established Providence, which just celebrated its 375th birthday. Roger Williams, who also established the very first, First Baptist Church in America, did not get along all that well with the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony because, in part, he really took religious freedom and an anything-goes mindset to the limits (in the Puritans’ view anyway). Following a long period of prosperity based on shipping and manufacturing, Providence slipped into a period of decline in the first part of the 20^th Century, earning a reputation for corruption, organized crime and a premature declaration of its demise. Providence later emerged victoriously from a much-reported renaissance.

Today, Providence is an exciting, historic and youthful capital and college town. This city of about 200,000 (with about 1.5 million in an MSA that includes a swath of southeastern Massachusetts) has adeptly harnessed its tremendous resources, human and otherwise, to create a very fun and progressive and livable place, focused on the future but with its tremendous history proudly on display.

BOSTON - EXPLORING BEYOND THE HUB: When I first arrived in Boston to attend graduate school at Boston University Law School, I briefly was confused by the reference to the “Hub,” which I noted in the newspaper article headlines. All was revealed when I learned that “Hub” was a reference to the city itself, as in hub of the universe. A touch arrogant? Perhaps. But, in many ways, Boston is its own universe. The heart of the city is so stuffed with history and cultural attractions and colleges and professional sports and monuments and shopping and dining, it’s possible to forget that Boston presides over a dynamic region of more than 4 million, and that much lies beyond the central core comprised of downtown, Beacon Hill, the North End, the waterfront, Back Bay and the South End. At the same time, there are plenty of reasons to stay close in. The city’s many attractions don’t rest on their laurels, changing and expanding over time. Case in point, the famed Museum of Fine Arts, located just to the south of the Back Bay and between the Northeastern University and the Longwood medical campuses. Already a world-class museum, the MFA in 2010 debuted a new wing dedicated to the Art of the Americas. This stunning addition beautifully showcases the MFA’s collection of American and colonial art.

Yet, part of Boston’s appeal does lie beyond its core, in the outlying neighborhoods and nearby towns and cities, each with their own personalities and histories. Beyond the city limits, Cambridge – home of course to Harvard and M.I.T. – is a key visitor destination in its own right. There’s also Newton, Brookline, Lexington, Quincy and, a bit further out, the seaside towns on the North and South shores. But, within the city limits of Boston, there are several great neighborhoods to explore. On my most recent visits, I have been hanging out with good friends who live in West Roxbury, and they have been introducing me to a few of their new haunts in some of the city’s less-visited residential neighborhoods.

On a recent April visit, my friends picked me up at my hotel, the Taj (formerly a Ritz Carlton), which sits across the street from the beautiful Public Garden in the Back Bay and we headed to Dorchester. One of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, Dorchester was an independent city until it was annexed by the City of Boston in the 19^th Century. Throughout its history, Dorchester was known as a neighborhood of Irish immigrants. Today, that strong Irish presence prevails, but it has been augmented by new waives of Caribbean and Southeast Asian immigrants, as well as by the growing presence of some of the city’s GLBT residents. Dorchester also is home to UMASS Boston and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library at Columbia Point, which offers spectacular views back over Boston Harbor and the city skyline.

A great neighborhood place for dinner and, later in the evening dancing, is D Bar on Dorchester Avenue. The menu is reasonably priced and eclectic, and the friendly service makes this a very enjoyable night out, particularly in warmer weather when the outdoor patio is open.

A little further out are two other neighborhoods showing new signs of retail and gustatory life as the search for affordable, close-in housing brings new residents and demand. Jamaica Plain, or JP as locals call it, was one of Boston’s original streetcar suburbs and today is a diverse residential community with immediate access to the city’s Emerald Necklace, the string of inter-connected parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. On a recent Saturday evening, my friends and I had a delicious, locally sourced meal at 10 Tables on Centre Street in JP Centre. As the name suggests, the dining room is small, but the owners recently took over the adjoining space and added a laid-back bar where a meal also can be enjoyed. On our visit, I also benefited from Boston’s quirky local laws. It seems as if 10 Tables did not yet have a full liquor license, but that did not prevent it from distilling its own “cordials.” Result being, the Thai Basil Gin Martini made on premises was as tasty as the food.

Yet another outlying Boston neighborhood with its dining and retail scene seeing new action is Roslindale. In Roslindale Centre, centered on Washington Street, are a number of interesting shops and good places to eat. For an intimate meal with good friends, try the delicious Italian trattoria fare at Sophia’s Grotto on Birch Street, where I can personally vouch for the pumpkin sage ravioli and calamari. Three different neighborhoods, three restaurants and three new items to add to my endless list of reasons why I love Boston so much.

“DIVINE PROVIDENCE:” Roger Williams named the Rhode Island capital to give thanks, as the story goes, for God’s divine providence in delivering the religious colonist and his followers from the less than hospitable Puritan neighbors in neighboring Massachusetts. Nearly 400 years later, I think he’d be impressed with his city. Having survived much, Providence today is a great visitor destination and a perfect base for exploring all of the Ocean State. There is much to see in this the smallest of U.S. states. To learn more about the founder of Rhode Island and his ideals for religious freedom, stop by the Roger Williams National Memorial on North Main Street.

Although you will need a car to explore beyond the city, central Providence is compact and many of the its highlights and attractions are within easy walking distance. There are several lodging choices downtown, including the reopened and once-again grand Providence Biltmore. On my most recent visit, I stayed at two of the city’s newer hotels. The Renaissance Providence is a smart, luxury property housed in the former Masonic Temple and immediately across the street from the Statehouse.  The service is warm and efficient and its Temple Bar is a great place for drinks or a meal. I spent my second night in town at the Hotel Providence, a stylish boutique hotel housed in two historic buildings along Westminster Street, historically one of the city’s main retail avenues.

Although Providence’s department stores of my parents’ generation are long gone, Westminster Street today houses several interesting local stores. Eno is an intelligent liquor store selling a well-chosen selection of wines and spirits, including a tasty cranberry-infused vodka from Martha’s Vineyard. Across the street is the small but well-stocked Symposium Books; a locally run bookstore always speaks well of a city, in my view. Next door is Tazza, a coffee house, bar and restaurant that’s a good place to take a break throughout the day. Today’s retail scene downtown is dominated by the nearby Providence Place, which is anchored by JC Penney, Macy’s and Nordstrom, with several floors of national retailers in between, such as Apple, Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers.

Providence has always been a town that took its food seriously. Layered on top of New England seafood staples were the delicious contributions of the city’s Italian, Portuguese and other immigrants. Moreover, one of Providence’s many assets lies in the fact that the city is home to the main campus of Johnson and Wales University, a leading culinary school. Many of J&W’s students and graduates have stayed on, adding to the dining scene. Today, there are a number of diverse dining options, both downtown and in some of the adjoining neighborhoods. Among the current top dining options in central Providence are Al Forno, Local 121 and Gracies.

Looming immediately to the east of downtown – and a comfortable walk back downhill – is College Hill, home to some of the city’s most historic streets and two of its most famous institutions, Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). The Rhode Island Historical Society offers walking tours of this beautiful neighborhood. During my recent visit on a sunny December weekend, I took my own tour, walking from the statehouse through downtown and up the hill to the Providence Athenaeum, an independent membership library that opened its doors in 1838. Next up was the RISD Museum of Art. In addition to its place as one of America’s premier art schools, RISD also is home to one of the most important art museums in New England. Along with its extensive permanent collection and varying temporary exhibitions, you also might see some of RISD’s current students’ creations. There is a well-stocked gift shop for some unique Providence souvenirs.

I then made my way across the beautiful campus of Brown, an original Ivy League member founded in 1764 and the seventh oldest college in the United States. After checking out the Brown University Bookstore and the shops lining Thayer Street, the main retail strip on College Hill, I grabbed lunch at Café Paragon, where the chicken pesto Panini and sweet potato fries hit the spot.

After a really fun, late night catching up with my cousin, I went for a run the next morning. Leaving the Renaissance, I made my way past the statehouse to the path lining the Providence River, where the city’s famous Waterfire is staged in season, and south towards India Point, where the river empties into Narragansett Bay, before circling back to my hotel. After cleaning up, I headed out in the direction of Wayland Square, a great place for local shopping on Providence's east side. I found some cool cufflinks at Milan, a men's clothier, and picked up some Christmas presents for the cook in my life at the Runcible Spoon, a unique kitchen and entertaining store featuring the hand-blown glass of Simon Pearce. As I prepared to leave town, I made a quick detour to Federal Hill, Providence’s Little Italy, to check out the storefronts decorated for the holidays. More good food awaits in this neighborhood immediately to the west of downtown.

For the next trip. There will be more trips – to both cities. They both are in my blood in too many ways.

RHODE ISLAND: SMALL, VARIED AND BEAUTIFUL

NOTE: This post is dedicated to my late mother and father and their hometown. I traveled to Providence, Rhode Island exactly 5 months after my mother died and exactly 60 year after she graduated from St. Francis Xavier all girls’ high school in the city.

When I was growing up in Florida, my parents, both natives of Providence, spoke of their hometown with a mixture of pride and scorn. On the one hand, they always told me it was far more sophisticated and educated than my birthplace of 1960s-era Orlando, which, of course, it was. On the other hand, my parents moved to Florida in 1959 because of the harsh New England winters and, more importantly, because they believed at the time that their home state and hometown had seen their respective last good days. Despite my parents’ worst fears, a recent visit confirmed for me that Rhode Island and Providence are alive and well as one of best parts of any visit to New England. The Ocean State and its capital offer a great variety of historical sites, scenery, beaches, sophisticated dining, sightseeing and culture.

On my most recent visit, I am standing on a hill near the campus of one of the Ivy League's oldest and most prestigious members, Brown University, looking out over downtown Providence and the Rhode Island Statehouse. I have never lived in this little corner of southern New England, so any connection for me is ancestral and in my mind only. Yet, from this vantage point, I am happy to report that Rhode Island has proven my parents wrong.

As most people know, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the union. It weighs in at just a little north of 1200 square miles, and has a population of just slightly more than 1 million. Among the facts people may not know: its official name is the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (the name of two predecessor colonies); it was the first of the original 13 colonies to declare independence from England a couple of months before July 4, 1776; and it was the last colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution following the Revolution to become the 13th state.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE: Modern-day Providence and Rhode Island were inhabited by Native Americans for centuries before a protestant theologian, Roger Williams, founded a colony on the site in 1636. Williams, an early advocate of the separation of church and state (guess he won’t be showing up in any Texas schoolbooks), fled to the head of Narragansett Bay after being chased out of neighboring, Puritan-controlled Massachusetts Bay Colony for his radical religious views. He named the settlement in honor of God’s divine providence for delivering him from his troubles and, two years later, founded the First Baptist Church in America. From its inception, Rhode Island always has hewed to a “to each his own” mindset about religious tolerance and other matters, which continues to this day. In the decades following revolution and statehood, Providence became one of the most important and prosperous industrial centers of New England, growing rich and poor in turns as it moved from slave trading to whaling to jewelry and other manufacturing. Later, during the middle part of the 20th century, Providence fell into a deep decline, became a major center of organized crime, and many left the city for dead, including my parents. Beginning in the 1980s, a former mayor who later spent time in prison (not such an anomaly here) helped launch a renaissance that continues to this day.

In its modern form, Providence is a visitor-friendly and compact city of less than 200,000 at the center of an MSA area of 1.6 million, which includes a large chunk of neighboring Massachusetts. Much of what a visitor would want to see and do is within easy walking distance of the city’s central core. Sitting less than 50 miles from the Massachusetts statehouse on Beacon Hill, Providence also is a commuter town for Boston and a major stop on the 1-95 megalopolis between Beantown and the Big Apple. Despite its size, location and public transit options, having a car is essential to exploring all of the city’s attractions and the rest of Rhode Island.

THREE KEYS: In addition to serving as Rhode Island’s seat of government, Providence is home to several renowned institutions of higher learning, including well-respected Providence College and Bryant University in nearby Smithfield. But, three institutions in particular have shaped Providence’s development over time and, more recently, helped lead the way in the city’s transformation and rebirth. The happy and creative result has been a constant and ever-expanding wealth of great minds, great artists and great chefs, all sticking around to make their way in Providence.

Of course, Brown brings to town each academic year some of the nation’s brightest minds. Adjacent to the Brown campus is one of America’s premier art schools and another of Providence's three keys, the Rhode Island School of Design. RISD grads have gone on to fortune and fame in many areas of the arts, including the creator of the “Family Guy.” For visitors, however, the benefits of the school’s presence and its local alums are tangible and close at hand. First, several RISD grads operate galleries in the city, so there’s a number of places to view student and alumni art. Second, RISD runs one of the best art museums in all of New England. With a stylish and newly expanded exhibition space, the RISD Museum showcases student works, a host of classics and Impressionists, period Colonial furnishings and art, and more. In addition, Providence is home to the original Johnson & Wales University campus, the third key. This top-notch culinary school churns out a steady flow of newly minted chefs, many of whom end up working their creative magic in Providence, all to the benefit of residents and visitors alike.

WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO DO: If you are visiting Rhode Island, Providence warrants at least one night’s stay before heading on. In addition to its historical and architectural charms, downtown is perfectly located between the Federalist mansions and funky college vibe of the Brown/RISD College Hill neighborhood to the east and the Italian heart of Providence, Federal Hill, which sits just to the west of downtown. Central Providence has a number of lodging options, including a Westin and a Marriott. In addition, after years of sitting derelict, the grande dame of Providence hotels, the Biltmore, reopened to its former glory, but with WIFI sensibilities. Another local option is the Hotel Providence, a stylish, GLBT-friendly boutique property.

On my recent visit, I park my rental car in the garage adjacent to Providence Place, a downtown mall featuring Nordstrom, Macy’s and the usual mall suspects. Yes, it’s a mall, but Providence has managed to attract suburban shoppers in a way that doesn’t hide the fact that you are not in the 'burbs. It's an easy and relatively cheap place to drop the car and begin your exploration.

When my parents were newlyweds, my dad was a Providence cop and I never forgot the street names he used to recite: Weybosset, Westminister, Dorrance and Fountain. So, I walk the streets of downtown Providence on this warm summer day as my dad would have, except he would have been wearing a badge more than 50 years ago. I walk from the mall up the hill to the Statehouse, which has great views over town, past several beautiful 19th century office buildings, and on to the imposing local headquarters of Bank of America on Kennedy Plaza, which started out life in my parents’ youth as the headquarters of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust National Bank (a great bank name, if ever there was one).

From there, I make my way to the previously paved-over Providence River, a diminutive stream that today is the site of Waterfire, a regular, Venetian-style parade on water of mini-bonfires. Looking for a bite to eat, I head west and first stumble on a rare treat of a different sort, a local bookstore. Symposium Books seems to stock just what its owners, employees and devotees want and nothing else. You know you’re not just anywhere when you’re here. Next door is Tazza Café, a friendly place where I enjoy a delicious prosciutto and dried fig Panini.

Back up on College Hill, Thayer Street is the main drag of the Brown/RISD area. There are bookstores and cafes and cheap but filling places to eat. Heading west, and for another authentically Providence experience, I stop by Federal Hill, the historical and spiritual home of the city’s Italian community. This is where you go to feast on some of the best pasta and cannolis in all of New England.

To be sure, Providence has some fabulous, fine-dining options, including the original Capital Grille location and the Agora at the Westin. A perennial favorite on Federal Hill is Camille’s, a place my parents raved about more than a half century ago. Whether brand new or admired by generations past and present, Providence is a great place to satisfy your palette. Ask around when you're in town and, no doubt, you will get several good local suggestions for a great meal.

THE REST OF THE OCEAN STATE: Of course, there is more to Rhode Island than its capital. Despite its tiny size, Rhode Island boasts miles of beaches along with other historic towns and sites. During my most recent visit, my friend and I settle on a drive down the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay through the tidy, prosperous towns of Barrington, Warren and Bristol. It’s a scenic, nautical slice of New England.

Our destination is Newport, the gilded-age second city of Rhode Island. Founded a few years after Providence, Newport’s claim to fame has been its status as a sailing capital, site of the U.S. Naval War College and, perhaps most famously, all those amazing mansions of a bygone era. We arrive in Newport and ditch the car for lunch near Bannister’s Wharf. After a leisurely meal of lobster and wine, we make our way to the Breakers, the grande dame of Newport mansions. As most travelers know, Newport was, for a brief moment in history, THE place where wealthy industrialists and others not yet burdened by modern sensibilities and a tax code built their summer “cottages.” Today, visitors can experience what life might have been like during one of the period’s summer seasons. The Breakers, along with the other visitor-accessed mansions of Newport, are managed by the Preservation Society of Newport County. In addition to the Breakers, we also tour Rosecliff, scene of the filming of the “Great Gatsby," and make our way along the Cliff Walk, a pedestrian path that hugs the rocky coastline behind the mansions and puts you inches from the pounding waves of the Atlantic. Note, two mansions per visit is more than enough; we found a good deal in the "Breakers plus one" ticket option, which allows you to tour the Breakers plus one other mansion of your choice for $24.

After a full day of exploring the Ocean State, we return to Boston for a night out, glad that my friend has experienced a real slice of Rhode Island. I feel like I have just introduced her to a beautiful, interesting and complicated relative.

MY RULES: Providence and all of southern New England are well served by the user-friendly Theodore Francis Green Airport. A Southwest hub, it satisfies my first rule of cheap, non-stop flights from home base in Baltimore.

As to my second rule regarding GLBT friendliness, Providence seems a fairly open and tolerant city with several gay bars and even an openly gay mayor. Nevertheless, Rhode Island is in the minority of New England states without marriage equality, so spend your dollars wisely until that changes.