One thing I really like to do in addition to sewing is traveling. I enjoy taking day or weekend trips when I have the time to local cities and (in the summer) hiking destinations. This past weekend, my boyfriend Seth and I took a drive to Providence. One of our very first dates was at Nice Slice, a pizza place I like a lot in Providence, so he wanted to go back in lieu of our anniversary.
The drive from Hartford is about an hour and a half. Since it goes through Eastern Connecticut, there aren’t really any good highway routes to get there, so we went via state highways and back roads. It’s a nice drive, and pretty easy even without using a GPS since there are a ton of signs pointing you to Providence.
When we got there, we immediately went to Nice Slice to fuel up with delicious vegan pizza. We ordered the vegan buffalo chicken pizza. It was $23, which is a little steep for pizza, but it was good, and at least they don’t charge more for vegan pizzas than regular pizzas, which is common practice at places that serve vegan options. Keep in mind that there’s no bathroom, though! This became a problem when we both discovered we had to pee after our drive to Providence. We did discover that CVS about a block away does have a public bathroom.
Next we went to a military surplus shop, which was about what you’d expect for a military surplus shop – fairly inexpensive utilitarian clothes. It was fine – I didn’t buy anything, but that was just because I didn’t really need anything.
After that, we took a ride to a queer-owned erotica shop. As someone who takes an interest in sex education, I’m always interested to see adult shops that claim not to be your stereotypical creepy, seedy shop where you get ogled by dirty old men. This place was clean and friendly and had a lot of educational material, plus it was one of the most inclusive shops I’ve ever seen. It included items for all interests, orientations, genders, etc. I was very impressed. It was (appropriately) called Mister Sister.
We then drove to Evolution Piercing, which I had heard positive things about online. I had been planning to get a second set of lobe ear piercings, so I figured I’d give it a shot at Evolution. Chantal, the piercer working that night, was very friendly and explained everything. The jewelry selection was fantastic, especially considering how small a shop it was. I ended up getting some surgical steel small rings for my existing lobe piercings since I have sensitive skin, and small opals set in steel for my new set. The prices were reasonable, and Seth was pleased to see they were having a sale on plugs, and bought a nice pair of green glass plugs for $10.
Last, in true Kim and Seth tradition, we found a brewery to end our day with. We went to Union Station Brewery, which is right near – you guessed it – Union Station. It was pretty good. I ordered a stout and he ordered an IPA, and we shared a hummus appetizer. The food and drinks were good (not great), and the service was very good. I thought it was a bit overpriced but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
I picked up a pint glass to add to my collection at home. (That reminds me, maybe one of these days I should start reviewing breweries I visit – I have quite a few that I could review at this point).
It is worth noting that it was an absolute ghost town everywhere. It was a Sunday, so if you like free parking and dislike crowds, that might be the best day to go visit Providence. We didn’t have any issues with too many places being closed on Sundays, either – there just wasn’t anyone out, despite the relatively nice weather.
One thing I do want to get to on my next visit to Rhode Island is the RISD art museum. We were thinking of going but didn’t end up having the time. Hopefully soon!
Kim's Design Blog 