10 (More!) Under $20: Local Fun on a Budget
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Band-Aid Smaller band, smaller prices. Go-to-venues like Lupos, the Red Room, and Jerky’s cater to smaller names and tighter wallets, with tickets usually from about $10 to $25. These locales are prime for fledgling local bands, like the wispy, neo-hippy rock the Low Anthem. Coming in May, the rootsy Americana band, Railroad Earth, will set you in the mood for spring with their Keroac-inspired lyrics and extensive grooving improv. Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington St., Providence. May 14, tickets are $20. Photo of The Low Anthem Willa Mamet, willamametphotography.com
$2 Date Check out movies on the cheap at Patriot Cinemas in East Providence, offering a slightly vintage movie selection for $2 a seat. If you’re taking a date, go on Tuesdays – where “anti-inflation” “recession special” tickets sell for only $1. Patriot Cinemas East Providence, Route 1A, Rumford.
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Brewery Tour Head to Newport to take a tour of Coastal Extreme Brewery, the makers of Newport Storm Beer. For $4, look around Coastal Extreme’s brand new digs, and taste some ale fresh from the bottler. 293 JT OConnell Rd. Newport, 849-5232, www.newportstorm.com, Photo Adam Truesdale, Coastal Extreme Brewery
Chop It If you're looking for a fresh new cut for spring, and you’re willing take a little risk, sign up to be a model for cuts, color, and styling with your favorite salon. If you need some guidance, try New Leaf Hair Studio, 18 State Street, Bristol, 254-9333 for appointment.
Bike Tour Gather your pedal-friendly friends, rent some bikes, and hit the 14.5 gorgeous miles of the East Bay Bike Path, passing along the Narragansett Bay, various wetlands, and Bristol Harbor. Rent bikes at Canoe Passage Outfitters, 277 Water St., Warren; $20 for a half day. Photo richardmasoner
Game Theory Sharpen up that vocabulary, try out some seven letter words, and check out Scrabble Wednesdays at Blue State Coffee on 300 Thayer St., from 6-10, or Julian’s on 316 Broadway, Providence on Monday’s. Free.
Grilled Grub For a great deal on lunch, and a way to expand your palate, try the Garden Grille’s vegan menu. Every day there’s a $6 soup, bread, salad special during lunch, so see what’s local. 727 East Ave., Pawtucket.
Book It
Hear the latest in literature straight from the horses’ mouth. Check out Ann Hood, author of The Red Thread (and On the Couch guest) coming to Mount Pleasant Library, 315 Academy Ave., Providence, May 7, 3-5pm.
For a double dose of poetry, head to the Providence Public Library to hear Tim Mayo, author of the Kingdom of Possibilities, and Leslie McGrath, winner of the Pablo Neruda award, read their work. 2-3:30 at 151 Empire St., Providence, free.
Star Gaze Play among the stars at Brown University’s Ladd Observatory. On clear nights, see farther than the eye can see in the centuries old tower, on 210 Doyle Ave., Providence. Free and open to the public Tuesday evenings from 8 to 10, weather permitting. Call 401-863-2323 for information.
Nurture a Nightcap You can both have two top-shelf cocktails for exactly $20, thanks to the phenomenal $5 cocktail deal every night at Gracie's. The only hitch is that you need to sit at the bar. 194 Washington St., Providence. www.graciesprov.com
