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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Le Repos by Manet and Manet by Carolus-Duran

I know I keep repeating this small combination, skipping over the row of Monets just out of sight to the right, but there is an incredible harmony, a beautiful synergy to this arrangement: Morisot by Manet and Manet by next to her. Both seem to be looking in the same direction, hovering just out of touch of one another, very much like their lives together.

"Le Repos" by Manet (Morisot) and "Edouard Manet" by Carolus-Duran.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

This is not our winter this year

We've had virtually no snow this winter, at least in our corner of New England. So, just to remind myself of what looks like, I'm posting these from 2009: Susie shoveling snow in our condo parking lot. You can take the girl out of Michigan but . . .


Sunday, February 26, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Washington Secondary Bike Path

The Washington Secondary Bike Path (and no, there isn't a "primary" one) runs from Cranston to the Connecticut border. We got on near the junction of Routes 116 and 117; there is parking just down Route 117 west past the junction with 116; turn on Holden Street and you'll see the ample parking lots.

Susie walked west and I turned east strolling a few hundred meters to the nexus of Woodland, Manchester and Pine Grove cemeteries. (Visit my North American Cemeteries blog for photos and details.)

Looking west past the old station

Handy guide map (sort of)

Left, 2,213 miles to Key West; right 596 miles to Calais, ME

Looking east from the station


What the old rail bed might have looked like

On a Lee Shore by Winslow Homer

Detail, 1900:

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Duck and Bunny for Valentine's Day dinner

With a name like "Duck and Bunny" a restaurant has to be good or at least hire people with a wild sense of humor. This place has both plus a delicious menu and one of the most comfortable, cozy, eclectic places to spend an evening eating in Providence. We had heard good things about D & B and, as things turned out, they were all true.

It all began innocently enough when I began searching the local cyberspace for someplace offering a special Valentine's Day menu -- and when I saw Duck and Bunny's 7-courses for $75 per couple I thought "This is the place, no need to look further." We opted for the 6:30 pm seating and the optional bottle of prosecco for an additional 25 bucks.

The light rain that had been drifting in and out of Rubetown much of the day abated for the evening and made finding a parking space right on typically packed Wickenden Street just a bit easier. We walked the two blocks to D & B, past Atomic Appliances, Gary's Floral Shop and Mister sister erotica -- all so typical of this corner of Fox Point in Providence, home to George M. Cohan.

We found the D & B, walked inside what appeared to be someone's home and were ushered to our seats straightaway. Situated right next to the fireplace on a corner bench with our backs to the upholstered walls made an ideal location for people watching -- and again we were not disappointed. We spent the next 90 or so minutes savoring an incredible array of dishes prepared just for this event:

First course: Susie opted for the Mandarin Almond Salad - with toasted almonds and citrus vinaigrette and I had the Fresh Tomato Salad – with goat cheese and balsamic glaze. This was followed by a Caviar Blini of Creme fresh, whole grain Icelandic caviar, green onion.

Next up were the apps: I had the Bacon Wrapped Dates in honey balsamic glaze and Susie went for the Brie with Fig Spread and Pecans – on organic multigrain bread. For the entree We both had the Crepeccini – roast beef and gorgonzola cream sauce, forgoing the Sweet Potato Crepioli – brown butter and sage sauce.

The "Intermezzo" was an scrumptious Chilled Strawberry Soup with strawberries (duh), red wine, fresh whipped cream, followed by the a selection of 3 of our Artisanal Cheeses.

Finally, for dessert I had the Sour Cream Chocolate Cheesecake – chocolate cookie crust, raspberry coulis and Susie went for the Bunny Beignets – 1/2 dozen crispy fried crepes with powdered sugar and cinnamon & trio of dipping sauces. Tasty all the way around.

The food was wonderful and we would certainly go back for the crepes, sweet and savory, their specialty. Just a five-minute walk from Davol Square with a nice wine list and warm bar makes me think this might be just the place after work. We are most definitely going back.

Visit them online: http://www.theduckandbunny.com/

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Friday, February 03, 2012

Dancing at the RISD Museum

This little museum keeps getting better and better. It's been a wonderful place to spend my lunch hour, browsing through so many creative imaginations and now they've gone and done another grand thing. OK, so first there were the carolers this past Christmas season set up in our very tiny but potent replica of the Grand Gallery of the Louvre, and now the Slippery Sneakers playing lively zydeco music at one end and a cash bar at the other. We just had to stop, listen and have a glass of wine:

Wednesday, February 01, 2012