Providence, so close

Providence, Rhode Island is only an hour from Boston and I recently made a one night jaunt there with my son Matt. Home of Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and Johnson and Wales Cooking School Providence has beautiful old houses, great restaurants and a colorful history.

We stayed in the pleasantly quirky, tastefully minimal Dean Hotel,

which I am only mentioning here because I found it interesting--

there was fresh creativity and thoughtfulness in the design, such as

bunk beds in some of the rooms, nice not only for children, but young adults (or old adults) can share a room dubbed "the classmates" with two sets of bunk beds for $120 a night.

As the mother of three young adults, that kind of thinking impresses me, 

and as someone on the costly Boston---New York axis, the prices delight me.

John White Alexander, The Blue Bowl 1898

We had lunch at the charming Duck and Bunny,

across the street from a restaurant that advertised 

Ethiopean and Eritrean Comfort Food,

and I couldn't stop thinking about the phrase

Eritrean Comfort Food,

wondering who are the souls in need of it.

We spent a lot of time in the RISD Museum,
 a large, rambling place

with an encyclopedic collection. 

It was a little haphazard and a lot of fun.

Mary Elizabeth Furber (11 yrs) and Matha Nelson Furber (3yrs)
painted by self-taught traveling artist Joseph H. Davis, 1830's.

A room of classical art bumped up 
against one of contemporary minimalism,

and then suddenly you were in Egypt!
Or Provence! Or surrounded by 1950's design icons!

Striding Lion, Babylon 604-562 BCE

Foreground: Joan Mitchell Mooring 1971
Background: Grace Hartigan Homage to Matsse 1955

Andy Warhol,  Race Riot Birmingham, 1963

Buddha, Japan circa 1150-1200

It was a pleasant evening for wandering. Galleries were open,
we found a good dinner and a river walk.

Breakfast was at a cafe where little two-seater tables

had charming flower arrangements .

I love it when people care so much about flowers.