[The brigade in action, just not last night]

Jagged contrasts in sharp proximity are part of what can make cities interesting and vibrant, and Providence -- relatively small though it may be -- was a case in point last night.

At Prov, WPRO morning talker John DePetro was holding court, celebrating a recent professional accolade as RI talker of the year. Those making the packed scene included Steve Laffey, Joe Trillo, Bob Watson, Nick Gorham, Lou Pulner, Donna Perry of the RI GOP (who is John's sister), Deputy Police Chief Paul Kennedy, John Ghiorse, Charlie Hall, Frank Carpano, radio moguls Joe Lembo and Paul Giammarco, and others.

Down the street at Nick-a-Nee's, it was time for Segal Fest '08, a slightly more free-wheeling event, what with the superlative What Cheer? Brigade playing in the outdoor patio/parking lot, and a cast of thousands, including Councilors Luis Aponte, Terry Hassett, Seth Yurdin; Representatives Moura, Watson, Gorham, Gallison and Sullivan (among others); unionists, enviros, hipsters, liberal activists (Sara Mersha, Ari Savitzsky); bloggers and newsies (Ariel Werner, Beth Comery, Peter Wells, Scott MacKay, yours truly), and many more.

A good time for all, times two.

There are legislative fundraisers, and then there are legislative fundraisers. Those of Representative David Segal, which have a bit of Mardi Gras, fall into the latter category, and he's got one this week.

Please Join Rep Segal for a night of music, fun and progressive politics this Thursday, May 8th, at Nick-a-Nee's in Providence's Jewelry District.

 

For more info, or to donate online, please visit www.VoteSegal.com

  

Thursday, May 8th

6-10PM

 

Nick-a-Nees

75 South Street, Jewelry District

 

Featuring:

The What Cheer? Brigade

The Low Anthem

The Trolleys

 

Pay-what-you-can

Here's part of my report from a previous event:

Interesting crowd last night for state Representative David Segal's (D-Providence) fundraiser at Nick-a-Nee's. Aside from assorted advocates (Matt Auten, Peter Asen), neighborhood activists (David Riley), artists (Bert Crenca, Mimo Riley) and scribes (Scott MacKay, yours truly), there was a strong showing from the Green-turned-Democrat's House colleagues, including good sports Republican Minority Leader Bob Watson and Minority Whip Nick Gorham. The Dems in the House included Speaker Bill Murphy, Majority Leader Gordon Fox, Tim Williamson, Art Handy, and Gus Silva (N4N arrived on the late side, so my apology for any omissions).  

It was an inspired choice to have music provided by the excellent What Cheer Brigade

Providence Daily Dose, although a relative newcomer to blogging, zoomed out of nowhere to win the hearts of Phoenix readers as best blog in our recent Best issue.

Powered by such bright lights as the absinthe-sipping, disc-spinning Eric Smith and David Segal, the coolest guy in the General Assembly (who's having another of his fun fundraisers next week), not to mention Scrabble-happy Beth Comery and the sometimes-salacious Jersey Girls, the Dose is pithy, colorful blog that is well worth your attention. Yeah, they were kind enough to link to my blog story, even though they got but a brief mention.

Here's what Eric had to say in a brief e-mail sound bite:

I'm not really sure how much actual impact our site has had on Providence or history in general, but people seem to appreciate the voice that we're putting out there. I believe we take an interesting slant on politics, local and otherwise and the culture that's out there in this city. We're funny, and there's not much funny and smart stuff out there, really, for folks to get into. Everything is either totally serious or absolutely ridiculous and there's not much in the middle except for us. I'm not sure why that is, people are smart in Providence and they get what we're doing. We're constantly getting complemented on how good our writers are, Ari and Ariel specifically, and I've gotten a few too! People like the Jersey Girls column a lot, and our hit rate has exceeded our original goal and now we need a new goal. I think people just like that we're here, everyday, all day long. Like the Weather Channel.

And here's some of what Segal has to say:

More forums for discussion are necessarily better. Blogs allow for circumvention of the corporate media's filters. I think that they're especially useful at the local -- in RI, without blogs, where would one be able to turn for information, apart from a pretty small number of newspapers and tv stations owned by out-of-state entities?

 

They facilitate a form of point/counter-point that, previously, was impossible --  the ability to link directly to citations, to quotes, to detailed economic analyses, allows for much more rigor.

 

Any open forum -- whether online or at the public square -- will include a lot of static.  And the anonymity of the blogosphere certainly yields a greater propensity for ad hominem attacks and name-calling and misinformation. But it's pretty easy to cut through all of this -- and is almost completely corrected simply by dismissing anything posted under pseudonyms. A regular reader of a particular site is pretty quickly able to learn who's trustworthy and who's not.

As promised, I have more on the Avery, the new lounge on Providence's West Side, in this week's Phoenix.

Since the Avery opened for business on April 14, “it’s been great,” the managing proprietor says, with a lot of people coming through from the neighborhood and some who were familiar with the location, which had functioned, pre-Decatur, as a social club for many years.

A genial military brat who grew up in Providence and went to URI, [John] Richard, 45, broke into nightlife about 15 years ago, with a short-lived bouncing stint, when the second incarnation of Lupo’s opened in the Peerless Building.

Bartending proved a better fit, and he went on to do that at J.G. Goff’s, Amsterdam’s, Club Babyhead, Jerky’s, Jake’s, and the Decatur, in its first six months. Richard gave up his last ”professional job,” as the director of governmental relations and advocacy for the American Cancer Society, about three years ago, and he worked his final Lupo’s gig last week.

In a reflection of the high-low identity that the Avery seeks to cultivate, Richard rightly calls it a place whose original design is distinct from the priciest places in town and yet where you can nonetheless get a can of Narragansett for $2.

You know the drill: Celebrate the WC's latest selection as RI's best bar while engaging in banter with witty progressives.

DL Providence vs The Cruelest Month!

 

The next meeting of the *new* Providence chapter of Drinking Liberally is TOMORROW, April 23rd at 8pm at The Wild Colonial in Providence.

 

Invite your friends to get into the democratic spirit[s]!

 

Drinking Liberally -- Providence

Wednesday, April 23rd at 8pm (and every month on the 4th Wednesday)

The Wild Colonial

250 S. Water St.

Providence, RI

Hosts: Chris Blazejewski, Kim Ahern, Matt Jerzyk, Aggie Wein, and Julian Dash

The talented Kyla Coburn has done a very impressive job with the design in Avery's The Avery, J.R.'s new spot in what used to be the Decatur Lounge.

It's darker and loungy (the ambience is similar to other joints by Mike Sears, who, I'm told, is involved in the project), in contrast to the glorified melting pot/happily scruffy neighborhood bar of the Decatur. The bar itself has been relocated to the other side of the room, and Kyla's original artwork, particularly two babes set against the Providence skyline, is amazing.

I'll admit: as someone who spent a lot of time at the Decatur and was a charter member of its kickball team, I had some mixed feelings about meeting a friend in the new venue for a drink this evening (the presence of this Decatur Lounge Withdrawal Support Group shows the extent to which some people are unhappy about what happened to the Decatur). Yet proprietor J.R. was very gracious when we briefly chatted, and I wish him well with the venture. Look for more details later this week.

Lots of stuff going on tonight, including a Neal Walsh/Will Schaff opening at 5 Traverse, Music Fridays at the RISD Museum, and Providence Roller Derby's 3rd annual Derbytaunt Ball, at Firehouse 13.

The latest gathering of the Providence faction of Drinking Liberally is set to flow tomorrow night, at 8 pm, at the Wild Colonial. Chris and his co-hosts would like to see you there.

After my recent opus on the next generation of beer in Rhode Island, the folks at Meritage Restaurant in East Greenwich made sure to inform me about a specialty beer dinner there tomorrow night:

Meritage, located at 5454 Post Road in East Greenwich, will host a specialty beer dinner on Thursday, March 13th featuring the beers of Samuel Smith’s Brewery, located in Tadcaster, England; Bavaria’s Ayinger Brewery; Zatec Brewery in the Czech Republic and the Lindemans Farm Brewery, Belgium. The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sarah Karlavage from beer importer Merchant du Vin will guide guests through each course. The cost is $40 per person; tax and gratuity are additional. Guests reserving a table of eight will receive the discounted price of $35 per person plus tax and gratuity. Call 401-884-1255 for reservations.

Meanwhile, a little more low-key beer drinking will take place tomorrow night at Nick-a-Nee's, in Providence's Jewelry District, when the local chapter of the Association of Young Journalists gathers, starting at 7 pm.

As befits the intense presidential fight in Rhode Island -- which gets front-page attention in today's New York Times -- last night's Providence Newspaper Guild Follies had some high-profile guests from the world of national politics. The event, held at the Venus de Milo in Swansea, Massachusetts, ritualistically takes place on the last Friday in February.

Chelsea Clinton, in town to campaign for her mother, was squired around by US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. And US Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic nominee in 2004, turned up as a surprise guest about a third of the way into the program, upstaging the eventual Mystery Guests, Attorney General Patrick "Superdelegateman" Lynch, his Clinton-supporting brother Bill, chief of the RI Democratic Party, and their mother, who mediated their clashing presidential choices. Vote your conscience, she said.

Kerry, seeming more loose than he appeared from afar in 2004, offered a deft comedic touch, yet he also upset some of the Clinton supporters in the audience of more than 1200 by closing with an impassioned endorsement of Obama.

After Kerry was introduced, the audience seemed to anticipate something other than the actual senator. As he bounded on stage and was recognized, Kerry called himself the best you can get on a Friday night in Massachusetts when Ted Kennedy isn't available. Surveying the packed crowd of Rhode Islanders, he said, "[So] this is what four electoral votes looks like."

Kerry went on to call the gathering the biggest collection of Ocean State pols since a 2005 get-together at the Allenwood Federal Pen. Having paid so much for so little "makes us like Mitt Romney's supporters right now," he said. Kerry explained how some of the past and present presidential contenders couldn't make the event, Fred Thompson since his wife has "a lot of homework this weekend," and John McCain because "he used to date Venus de Milo."

The junior Bay State senator spoke of his recent trip to Pakistan, a place "where the candidates are Swift-goated," and where some hot air vented by Joe Biden, one of his traveling companions, helped to right their listing aircraft.

In contrast to memorable remarks associated with FDR and JFK, Kerry lamented he will be remembered for the phrase, "Don't Tase me, bro." He brightened, though, in outlining hopes for environmental Dems and death-penalty Republicans to come together -- thanks to a solar-powered electric chair.

Turning more serious, Kerry recalled talking with President Bush after the 2004 election and telling him of the need to bring the country together. The senator called Obama the best person to immediately begin that process. The Illinois senator, Kerry said, has the potential "to turn the page of history," and to be "a transformational, not a transitional" leader. Responding to critiques that Obama lacks experience, Kerry pointed to the scant previous national time in office of Abraham Lincoln, the man who observered that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

The forceful partisan endorsement led to cries of "Hillary!" from some of the Clinton supporters in the audience. The Obama supporters loved it.

The Providence Newpaper Guild's annual Follies, the most Rhode Island-related fun that someone can have while eating and drinking in Massachusetts, takes place tonight, as always, at the Venus de Milo in not-too-distant Swansea. By statutory requirement, the event can not take place in the Ocean State. (It's sold out, if you don't already have tix.)

The Follies is a satirical send-up of the year in Rhode Island news, performed by Journal employees and co-conspirators, accompanied by a rich high-cholesterol buffet and a thronged cocktail hour featuring lively chatter among pols, reporters, and more than 1000 assorted movers and shakers. The whole thing began in the early-mid '70s as a way of healing the wounds of a brief but bitter strike at the ProJo. And in terms of creative fodder, not for nothing, but Vo Dilun is the gift that keeps giving, as we inkie wretches like to say.

One highlight of the night is the reveal of a Mystery Guest from the world of politics. Last year, Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts did a bravura turn, playing against her friendly, down-to-earth manner as a secretly hyper-controlling Machiavellian of the first order. A very young lad portrayed Paul Tencher, her 20-something chief of staff.

Other Mystery Guests in recent years include Bill Murphy + Joe Montalbano, David Cicilline, Linc Chafee, and Patrick Kennedy.

As always, we expect a great show. And since Chelsea Clinton is in town to campaign for her mother, as part of Rhode Island's hard-fought March 4 primary, could she be the One? Ted Kennedy is another possibility.

Hey, what could be better than the both of them?

Stay tuned.

At any rate, Guild members can be thankful about the ProJo's relatively frugal style of management, and how the paper, unlike the New York Times-owned Boston Globe and Worcester T+G, isn't seeing sharp staffing cuts.

In related news, Guild administrator Tim Schick, a shameless ham during his annual on-stage moments, is a busy guy these days. Not only has he been rehearsing and overseeing the distribution of Follies' tickets, Schick is managing the top of one of the two slates facing off during a national Guild convention at the Providence Westin (rank and file will vote in an Apri electionl). About 180 Guild folk from across the states, Canada, and Puerto Rico are in town.

In what Schick calls the first contested races in 12 years, he is co-managing A Stonger Guild, topped by Bernie Lunzer, currently secretary-treasurer of the organization. Lunzer is challenging incumbent Linda Foley of Team Guild. Regarding the convention, which began yesterday, Schick says, "I'm sure there will be lots of fireworks."

With the newspaper industry in a continued state of change and high anxiety, Schick says, "A lot of the concerns deal with how the Guild as an organization is approaching these issues, and what sort of influence we can have on the employers to listen to us."

UPDATE: Clinton has one, too.

Hillary supporters will be holding a debate watch at her Providence office, 175 Broad St., starting at 9 pm.

---

Via Matt:

Starting at 830pm Tuesday night, Barack Obama supporters will converge on their second home - Local 121 - and watch the MSNBC debate happening in Ohio. The event is upstairs in the bar. Attorney General Patrick Lynch and other elected officials supporting Obama will be in attendance. Come on down! As the BeloJo has pointed out, the Obama events are a much livelier affair than the Clinton events.  

It's on for tomorrow night, starting at 8. For info, click here.

Jen Cole, the estimable "tree lady" of Providence, continues her victory lap tomorrow in what doubles as the rescheduled holiday part for the local faction of Urban Planet, the urban planning discussion group:

Join us for drinks (and maybe cake) and for lively discussion about the past year in Providence development and urban matters, and to bid Jen farewell:

Wednesday, February 13th

5:30pm until whenever

Wild Colonial Tavern

250 South Water Street, Providence

Meanwhile,

-- SBANE, the Smaller Business Association of New England, is taking a look at Decision '08:

Join SBANE the Smaller Business Association of New England on Wednesday, February 13th, to hear June S. Speakman, Ph.D., the Wilf Professor of Political Science at Roger Williams University speak on the heated presidential race for the White House.

 

Dr.Speakman's talk will provide analysis of the nomination process as it stands in mid-February--after Super Duper Tuesday, but before the Rhode Island primary, and--depending on Where we stand on that day--discussion of how things will end up at the summer nominating conventions and beyond into November.

 

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008 from 7:30 am to 9 am at the Providence Marriott. The fee is $25 for members and $40 For non-members. For more information contact Don Saracen at 401-254-0867 or e-mail: saracen@fctvplus.net.

Leah Reynolds, the longtime former owner of the Custom House Tavern in downtown Providence, tells N4N that she plans this spring to launch a new nightspot -- called Everyman -- in the American Locomotive development on the city's West Side.

Reynolds, a longtime bartender around town, owned the Custom House from about 1990 until roughly 2002, when she sold it, and the business later failed under its new ownership. According to Reynolds, the bar, which had opened in 1942, had at the time the oldest license in Providence.

She hopes her new spot will be a version of the old Custom House, "with a real kitchen this time."

After originally planning on a wine bar, Reynolds decided to pursue something more egalitarian, and named the new enterprise ("Common Man" was taken by a place in New Hampshire) after a play from the 1400s. She hopes to open in April or shortly thereafter.

In terms of the Custom House, she says, "I think what happened, a lot of the people who used to come to the tavern still don't have a place to go," so Everyman is meant to fill that niche, and adding another West Side destination "will be good for over there."

My friend Alan, while once traveling with the future N4N on dusty backroads in the former colony of British Honduras (which by then had been redubbed Belize), launched into a spontaneous ode to the wonders of beer: its refreshing qualities, its ability to stimulate thought, conversation, and bonhomie, and so forth. He was right on target, and one couldn't help being impressed.

Flash forward into the present, and you might notice that there are more varieties of beer available in Rhode Island -- even in little neighborhood package stores -- than ever before. This, too, is something worth celebrating, and I describe the trend in this week's Phoenix:

One such [beer destination] is Track 84, a tavern housed in a simple wooden structure on Kilvert Street, a dead-end off Post Road in Warwick, hard by T.F. Green Airport, which appears from the outside to be an old-fashioned Rhode Island watering hole.
 
Step into the place now, though, and it’s hard to resist being impressed by the 19 different taps — exclusively craft beer — running the length of the long old wooden bar.
 
The beverages of choice at the moment include Captain Swain’s Extra Stout, by Nantucket-based Cisco — “I call that a local beer,” says David A. Longiaru, Track 84’s proprietor — Kasteel, a Belgian brew made with black cherries, Dale’s Pale Ale (the only craft brew that comes in a can), Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Brown Shugga, Stone Brewing Company’s Double Bastard, Magic Hat’s Odd Notion, Weyerbacher’s Blithering Idiot, and several offerings from locally based Newport Storm. The most unusual tap is the pink elephant for Delirium Tremens, a reference to both its 20 percent alcohol-by-volume content and the thrill-seeking spirit embodied by craft brewers.

While the bar has passed in and out of Longiaru’s family over time, the affable Warwick native realized, after reacquiring the place in 1999, that a different approach was needed to sustain it into the future. Thankfully, his enthusiasm for craft beers offered what seemed like a promising direction.
 
Since installing the new focus about three years, Longiaru remains amazed by how many people enjoy good beer. He talks authoritatively about the subject, describing with awe how the Belgians won’t serve a certain brew if they lack the appropriate glass in which to put it (he took a busman’s holiday with five other enthusiasts, including Nikki’s Liquors’ [Michael] Iannazzi, to Belgium in February 2007.)

Here's an advance look at part of my beer package in tomorrow's Phoenix:

If sales of Narragansett Beer get off to a strong start in the first quarter of 2008, the brewing operation of the rejuvenated Rhode Island icon could return to the Ocean State in the final half of this year, says company president Mark Hellendrung.

           

“I’m probably overly optimistic about it,” he says, hedging his bets a bit, although the budding beer baron can barely contain his enthusiasm in envisioning a local brewery operation, complete with a beer garden, where people could visit and sample the beer.

 

If this dream comes to fruition, it will be in Providence -- probably on the West Side. “It’s kind of where our heartbeat is today,” Hellendrung says.

           

While Narragansett had been consigned to marginal status not that long ago, things have gone well since Hellendrung and some investors acquired the brand about three years back. Annual case sales have increased to 200,000, from 6000, he says, and the beer claims a respectable 1.5 percent share of the Rhode Island market.

           

During its old glory days, Cranston-based Narragansett, with its familiar slogan (“Hi Neighbor – Have a ’Gansett”), was a Red Sox-sponsoring source of local pride, and sales hit an apex of more than one million barrels of beer in the early 1960s.

 

Because of changes in management, consolidation in the brewery industry, and other factors, the beer’s profile subsequently slipped, and the old Cranston brewery -- which had once employed close to 1000 workers -- closed in 1981.

Local 121, Josh Miller's Washington Street restaurant, was jamming with Super Tuesday-watchers last night, and it was a good time in the basement speakeasy. Those stopping by included Representative Steven Costantino, chairman of the House Finance Committee; Senator Juan Pichardo; former Lieutenant Governor Richard Licht; Chris Hunter from Advocacy Solutions; Fox Point activist David Riley; and Chris, Aggie, and other stalwarts from the Providence faction of Drinking Liberally, among the cast of thousands.

Anyway, 121's tap room will tomorrow, from 6:30-9 PM, be the spot for a meeting of the rejuvenated local chapter of the Association of Young Journalists. WRNI's Megan Hall sends word that the group wants to reintroduce itself and recruit some new members. Who knows? Since the "young" in Young Journalists seems rather flexible, it's conceivable that some graybeards from the nearby ProJo might even stop by.

The Boston Globe today scoops the ProJo with the news of a potential settlement, in a case against WPRI-TV, stemming from the February 2003 Station fire disaster (disclosure: I am an unpaid weekly panelist on WPRI's Newsmakers).

The Rhode Island television news outlet whose cameraman was filming inside The Station nightclub when a fire killed 100 people has reached a tentative $30 million settlement with families and survivors, the biggest civil settlement stemming from the 2003 tragedy so far, according to two sources familiar with the case.

The images recorded by cameraman Brian Butler provided haunting evidence of the fire's ignition by a pyrotechnics display during a performance of the band Great White and the ensuing panic. His footage has also been used extensively by criminal investigators and civil litigants to build cases.

Butler was, ironically, filming a segment about nightclub safety for station WPRI-TV, whose reporter, Jeffrey Derderian, was a co-owner of The Station nightclub, when the fire broke out. In a federal lawsuit, Butler was accused of blocking an exit while filming, making it difficult for patrons to flee, an allegation that Butler's lawyer has previously and strenuously denied.

The $30 million settlement tentatively reached in mediation last week involves plaintiffs, LIN-TV (the Providence-based owner of the TV station), WPRI-TV, and Butler. According to the two sources, the settlement was propelled as much by a wrinkle in Rhode Island law as it was by any admission of wrongdoing. In Rhode Island, an insurer who rejects a written settlement demand can be forced to pay a judgment handed down by a jury later, even if that judgment is greater than total insurance coverage.

It is the largest settlement so far in the massive civil case pending in US District Court in Providence, which has hundreds of plaintiffs and more than 50 defendants. Last year, several companies settled claims worth a combined $18.5 million. Dozens of defendants remain, including Derderian and his brother, Michael, who co-owned the club; Anheuser-Busch Inc., which sold beer at the concert; and Clear Channel Communications, which owns a Providence radio station which ran advertisements promoting the show.

Among other defendants remaining are the state of Rhode Island, the Town of West Warwick, members of Great White, and various manufacturers of foam insulation that fueled the fire.

The latest settlement was mediated by Paul Finn of Commonwealth Mediation, who decided two years ago how much approximately 550 victims of sexual abuse by priests would receive from the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that Butler caused the death of an undetermined number of people by standing in a doorway and filming the chaos.

"Rather than leaving the building, or assisting patrons of The Station to escape," says the suit, "Butler stood within the building, directly in an egress route, and filmed distressed patrons trying to leave the nightclub. Butler's actions directly impeded the exit of patrons and contributed to the slowdown, backup, and additional logjam for those attempting to leave through the main exit."

At last week's session, Butler insisted he did not block anyone's escape and filmed only briefly as he was leaving the club, the two sources said. After Butler first spotted the flames, he kept his camera running as he exited the club. Plaintiffs charge that he paused at the door for 10 to 15 seconds, an allegation that was in dispute, one source said.

Butler's lawyer, Charles "Chip" Babcock, could not be reached for comment. But he insisted when Butler was added to the lawsuit in August 2004 that Butler did nothing wrong, saying that "Brian Butler saved lives that night." He also implied that Butler was sued because his employer had vast resources that could be tapped by the plaintiffs.

The ProJo has done a voluminous amount of reporting about the Station fire and its aftermath, much of it representing a valuable public service. At the same time, this isn't the first time that out-of-towners have set the pace on some of the important stories related to the fallout of the disaster.

Ah, the things that I do for my readers. As part of research into a forthcoming story on beer, N4N has ascertained that there will be a free winter beer tasting tonight, from 5-8, at the estimable Nikki's Liquors in North Providence.

The Rhode Island Young Democrats, Rhode Island's Future, and Providence Daily Dose are sponsoring an event at Local 121 tonight to view President Bush's much-anticipated last State of the Union address.

This from the Young Dems:

Come join us to celebrate TONIGHT, Monday, January 28th at Local 121 in Providence, located at 121 Washington Street. The Address is scheuled to begin at 9:00PM, but all are welcome to come early at 8:30PM.

 

This event is Free of Charge, no cost at all!  The night will include exciting games such as "State of the Union" Bingo.  Finally, we will also be holding another Strawpoll Fundraiser to help determine who will be giving the State of the Union next year.  That's right, come down and throw down a dollar or two on your favorite Democratic Presidential candidate!

Speaking of toasting, Dose has the details, via the ProJo, on how Talk of the Town will have a home, after all, in Federal Hill:

Good news — there will be drunkness once again. It looks like Talk of the Town has been cleared for its move to Atwells, after an early dissaproval, setting up a nice Lilly’–TOTT’s nexus of dirty hipsterdom at Eagle Square:

But now the director of the state Department of Business Regulation, in an appeal by the bar, has overruled the license board. Talk of the Town can move to 529 Atwells, in a storefront of a multifamily house across the street from the Burchfield law offices, director A. Michael Marques has decreed.

Kudos + congrats to Chris, Aggie, Matt and the other organizers of last night's very successful Drinking Liberally event at the Wild Colonial. It was very well-attended and everyone seemed to have a good time.

A reminder, of sorts:

There's a Drinking Liberally get-together tonight, starting at 8, at the Wild Colonial.

“Drinking Liberally is an informal, inclusive progressive social group that gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics over a beer,” one of the hosts, Boston lawyer Chris Blazejewski, told Political Scene. (There are eight Drinking Liberally chapters in Massachusetts.)

Other hosts include Kim Ahern, Rhode Island’s student coordinator for the Barack Obama campaign; Matt Jerzyk, editor of the left-leaning blog RIFuture.org; Aggie Wein, of the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group; and Julian Dash, a local real estate developer and president of the Rhode Island Black PAC.

Who can join?

“You don’t need to be a policy expert and this isn’t a book club,” reads the Web site. “Just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it’s not taboo to talk politics. Bars are democratic spaces; you talk to strangers, you share booths, you feel the bond of common ground.”

Meanwhile, Kim sends word of another event, also tonight:

GObama RI will host another of its series of  'Happy Hours' on

Wednesday, January 23, to bring Obama fans and and the "Obama-curious"

together to share ideas, info and energy. We'll also provide plenty of

opportunities for those who want to learn more and get involved.

 

GObama RI Happy Hour details:

Wednesday, Jan. 23

5-7:30pm

CAV Restaurant & Bar

14 Imperial Place (Jewelry District) Providence

(401) 751-9164

*plenty of parking in lot across the street

 

This month's Happy Hour focus:

 

1. Gather support for our "Super Tuesday" neighbors in MA & CT, who

vote as part of the crucial 22-state Feb 5th primary. We are setting

up carpools to canvass in both states, and phone banks as well. Show

up and sign up!

 

2. Gather support for our own RI primary on March 4th. Little Rhody

may be more important than we first thought! Are you ready to spread

the Obama message in Rhode Island? We need your help. Show up and sign

up!

Lest you think that liberals just spend all their time venerating bygone justices and pondering abstruse legal arguments, the Providence faction of Drinking Liberally is reemerging next week at the Wild Colonial. Congrats to Chris and the other organizers.

Today's Political Scene has the details:

Many political groups struggle to attract new members. Maybe that’s because they don’t promote drinking booze during meetings, like the new chapter of Drinking Liberally set to meet in Providence later in the month.

There are more than 230 Drinking Liberally chapters around the country, according to the group’s Web site that promotes the slogan: “Promoting democracy one pint at a time.”

Most of the hosts of the Providence chapter are also active members of the Rhode Island Young Democrats.

“Drinking Liberally is an informal, inclusive progressive social group that gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics over a beer,” one of the hosts, Boston lawyer Chris Blazejewski, told Political Scene. (There are eight Drinking Liberally chapters in Massachusetts.)

Other hosts include Kim Ahern, Rhode Island’s student coordinator for the Barack Obama campaign; Matt Jerzyk, editor of the left-leaning blog RIFuture.org; Aggie Wein, of the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group; and Julian Dash, a local real estate developer and president of the Rhode Island Black PAC.

Who can join?

“You don’t need to be a policy expert and this isn’t a book club,” reads the Web site. “Just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it’s not taboo to talk politics. Bars are democratic spaces; you talk to strangers, you share booths, you feel the bond of common ground.”

In the interest of public safety, the Web site also encourages members to “remember to drink responsibly, and make liberal use of designated drivers. Drinking and driving is reckless and irresponsible, like a neocon war or corporatist tax cut.”

The first meeting is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Jan. 23 at The Wild Colonial, 250 South Water St., Providence.

-- You might have heard about how the Providence Black Repertory Company in downtown Providence was struck recently by a partial ceiling collapse. Starting at 5 pm tomorrow, the Black Rep will host a reopening celebration and fundraiser, with proceeds ($15 suggested donation) going to repairs. (Disclosure: I'm on the PBRC board.)

-- A group of Boston artists will present new work tomorrow, from 6-11 pm, at Firehouse 13.

-- The latest inception of Music Fridays unfolds tomorrow, from 5:30-8:30 pm, at the RISD Museum, with music by the Superchef Trio ($5 for museum members, $8 otherwise).

With all eyes on New Hampshire, N4N is teaming up with Rhode Island's Future, Providence Daily Dose, and FairVote RI to host a primary-watch event tonight, starting at 8 pm, in the basement speakeasy at Local 121 in downtown Providence. Come on down!

With all eyes on New Hampshire, N4N is teaming up with Rhode Island's Future, Providence Daily Dose, and FairVote RI to host a primary-watch event tomorrow night, starting at 8 pm, in the basement speakeasy at Local 121 in downtown Providence. Come on down!

-- The Providence Daily Dose holiday party, originally slated for last week, was scrapped because of the snow and has been rescheduled for tonight at Local 121.

-- The Urban Planet gathering for last week has been postponed until some time in January.

-- Frank Ferri's swearing-in has been rescheduled for 5 pm tomorrow.

-- The latest Providence Geek dinner is tomorrow, 5:30-9 pm, at AS220:

Please join us at the last get together of Providence Geeks in 2007 and celebrate Rhode Island’s future Geeks!

In the spirit of the holiday season and giving back to the community, Providence Geeks is a proud sponsor of Rhode Island’s 2008 FIRST FTC Robotics Challenge. The program provides high school students the opportunity to build working robots and test their creations in head-to-head competition.

In 2006, Rhode Island’s education, innovation, and science and technology leadership announced a plan to bring ǘber-geek Dean Kamen’s FIRST Robotics Challenge to each of Rhode Island’s 67 public high schools, charter schools, and career and technical centers. The program provides each high school a robotics kit with the necessary equipment and instructions. Rhode Island was the first state in the nation to offer a FIRST program to all public high schools. Approximately 30 high schools in Rhode Island participated in the first year alone.

The program, launched by the Business Innovation Factory, is supported by Governor Donald L. Carcieri and a coalition of education and science and technology advocates, including Tech Collective, New England Institute of Technology, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Governor’s PK-16 Council, the Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council, and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation.

At Wednesday’s Geek Dinner, Tech Collective President Tim Hebert and other RI FIRST FTC team members will give an overview of the program, the kids, & the robots, and explain how Providence Geeks members can serve as volunteer mentors and referees.

Please RSVP in the comments section of this post so that we can give the good folks at AS220 an estimated headcount. And while you’re at it, subscribe to Providence Geeks’ RSS feed (see sidebar) and/or join our very-low-volume email announcement list (for the announcement list, send an email to Jack Templin, jtemplin over at Gmail with your name and affiliation).

Take it away, Andy Williams.

-- The Providence Daily Dose will have its holiday party this Thursday night (9 pm start) at Local 121.

-- South Kingstown Republicans will have a holiday get-together tonight (7 pm) at Casey's Grill and Bar in Wakefield.

-- The Rhode Island faction of Urban Planet will have its holiday celebration on Thursday (5:30 start) at MoJoe's Bar and Grill, Broadway, Providence.

-- The Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence has its holiday event on Thursday, December 20 (5:30-7) at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

-- Mr. and Mrs. N4N, stopping in for a Sunday evening drink at the Wild Colonial, were pleased to stumble upon the tavern's holiday event, with gratis food and drink, and good cheer, for all comers. We've always said that Maurice is a class act.

We already knew how the Celebrated City rocks out.

Now it's official: on the fun scale, we're wedged right between Philadelphia and Miami.

The venerable Providence Athenaeum will be the place to be tomorrow night. Phillipe + Jorge report:

Regular Cool, Cool World readers may recall an item from a year ago in which your superior correspondents described a rather memorable night at the Providence Athenaeum, the landmark private library in the heart of Benefit Street.
 
Shouting and impassioned argument on the cusp of fisticuffs broke out at a speaking program commemorating the birthday of our eighth president, Martin Van Buren (aka, the Red Fox of Kinderhook, not to be confused with the Redd Foxx of Hollywood).
 
One would not expect this sort of display at a scholarly presentation on a one-term 19th century president, so we have to ask: was it a disparaging comment by historian (and Van Buren biographer) Ted Widmer about the current occupant of the White House that so provoked a coterie of (shall we say) right-wing nut-bags in the audience? Or is there something about Martin Van Buren? (This would be a good film title if Van Buren had just a little bit of Cameron Diaz’s visual appeal, but, sad to say, he more resembles comic/actor Kevin Pollack, with mutton chops and extra avoirdupois.)
 
You can make up your own mind on Wednesday, December 5, when the Second Annual Martin Van Buren Birthday Party busts loose at the Athenaeum. Was Marty a genius or merely a vertically challenged butt boy for Andrew Jackson? Maybe he was a pre-Marx commie (what’s with this Free Soil shit?). Or is Widmer the real commie, as some talk-radio aficionados in last year’s audience would have you believe?
 
We understand that there will be some interesting new wrinkles this year, refreshments (popular hors d’oeuvres of the 1830s — bring your own vomit bucket), and cotton swaths available for DIY sideburns. Sorry, no face painting.