Providence doesn’t lack Italian eateries, and the ones I had an opportunity to visit on this trip were unique and delicious. The skate was cooked perfectly, and the portion size was enough to feed two people. While there, I enjoyed the Pan Roasted Skate, which was served with Green Almond Salsa Verde, Charred Lemon and Riso Nero. Not too far away is Sarto, an Italian Osteria and Salumeria that offers a creative and modern take on rustic Italian fare. The cheese simply melts in your mouth and the pairing of the prosciutto is delectable. A truly authentic Italian experience, I was drawn to the Caprese salad prepared with burrata cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil, with rolled slices of prosciutto de Parma. I, of course, opted for rainbow sprinkles.Īnother restaurant worth visiting is Rosalina (Yoleni’s sister restaurant).
You can also choose from over a dozen toppings. My favorite item on the menu was the authentic Greek yogurt, which is offered in a variety of flavors. In addition to being an extremely gay-friendly city, Providence also has a bustling foodie scene, so head to Yoleni’s, a wonderful Greek-inspired eatery and market which serves delicious sandwiches, aromatic coffee and freshly squeezed juices.
A big shout out to Rhode Island Pride president Joe Lazzerini and his team for organizing a truly incredible festival. Gay Rhode Island 2019, Bret Jacob and featured performances by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” All Stars 4 alumni Jasmine Masters, Jaqueline DiMera, Kira Stone, Onyx, Assa Sination and Complete Destruction. The festive brunch was hosted by Miss Gay Rhode Island 2019, Pulp and Mr. I continued the Pride celebration at The Official Rhode Island Pride Drag Brunch, which was held at The Graduate hotel. It was wonderful to see a city of its size have such a large celebration that brings in visitors from around the region. My host hotel for the weekend was the beautiful Omni Hotel, and everywhere I turned there were rainbow flags, glitter and scores of LGBTQ people in the lobby gathering with friends. I may have shed a bit of a tear when they sang “I’ll Never Get Over You,” which they dedicated to Chris Harris, one of the pillars of the Providence LGBTQ community who recently passed away and was an honorary Grand Marshall of the parade. The Dark Lady/Alley Cat party was headlined by musical group Exposé, which brought me back to my teen years. I never would have known this type of event would take place in Providence.īlock parties are apparently a thing here, as the night prior, many of the other gay bars in the city including Stable, Dark Lady, Alley Cat and The Eagle all threw block parties of their own during the weekend-long celebration. Thousands of people lined the street and partied to amazing music and a spectacular laser light show. This year the celebration was brought to new heights with DJ Nina Flowers and Alex Acosta at the turntables.
Some of the most memorable participants in the parade included Youth Pride and Proud Moms & Dads who held signs offering free hugs.Īfter the parade, it seemed like the entire crowd headed to Ego, a nightclub which organizes a massive block party every year, ironically called Massive.