Providence RI Golf Weekend

Metro Paper, 9/11

Where To Play:  Triggs Memorial MGC, Providence (www.triggs.us).  "A Providence area muni standard, the course was designed by Donald Ross, who summered in the area in the 1930's. The course plays to 6522 yards and 128 slope from the tips, and has much of the original design remaining. Small greens protected by bunkers,fairways tree lined and narrow at times. the par fives are fun since most are reachable in two. The front nine is mostly flat, while the back provides some elevation changes. If you spray the ball, this isn't for you. The course can play slow, and conditions suffer a bit in the summers with the heat and the number of rounds." (ForeLinksters.com)

Cranston CC, Cranston RI.  "The Cranston CC is on the south side of Providence in Cranston, off either I-95 or I-295 at Route 37, then west to Phenix Avenue to the golf course. Nice layout and well conditioned Geoffrey Cornish design, straightforward and playable with scattered trees lining the fairways and a good amount of water in play. Private club feel both in the clubhouse and on the golf course, open for public play, rates are a little expensive, but on par with other high end courses in the area. Plays to 6,100 yards from the middle tees, 71.3/124, some interesting and fun holes like the island green par 3, some distracting holes with the high tension wires running along the holes." (ForeLinksters.com)

Providence RI Travel Guide, Metro.us

Providence is a vibrant community of young chefs makes Providence the perfect getaway for foodies looking to add a little flavor to their palates. The tiny capital with big taste buds offers an abundance of restaurants with plenty to keep you busy between meals.

Shop

Head to Thayer Street and lose yourself in vintage stores,boutiques and unique coffee shops. Be sure to check out the collection of vintage cowboy boots at NAVA.

Eat

For lunch, head to Federal Hill — Providence’s Little Italy — and watch your pasta be made by hand in the front window of Trattoria Zooma before heading in and trying it for yourself. For dinner, reserve a seat at the bar of Nick’s on Broadway and watch chef Derek Wagner work his magic in the form of delights like skillet-roasted Block Island striped bass and and vanilla-lime panna cotta with malted crisp. Channel your inner European and wash it down with a Pimms Cup done right. Also, don’t miss the gourmet-hip experience of The Red Fez. This tiny, dim-lit food Mecca is a trendy place among locals who love to feast on the indulgent menu of chef Ed Reposa. Don’t leave without trying the mac and cheese with cheddar, swiss and smoked gouda. Hint: add chourico. Your late night craving for something greasy and perfect is covered by Haven Brothers food truck, parked at Fulton and Dorrance Streets. Haven Bros’ Triple Murder Buger was featured on Man vs. Food.

Fat Guy Research:  Surprisingly, Providence RI often gets mentioned among the best pizza towns in the country.  While cities like New York and Chicago are famous for their own style of pie, Providence's pizza portfolio is a well-executed mash-up of great styles from all over.  The top tier of Providence pizza usually includes Al Forno, Bob & Timmy's, and Caserta, but locals rave about a long list of favorites.

"Al Forno’s grilled pizzas are more than legends; they’re beauties. Our roasted-eggplant pie consisted of creatively arranged toppings on a flat and irregularly shaped crust, perhaps unintentionally resembling an artist’s palette. The pie was assembled with two cheeses, mild and creamy Bel Paese plus sharp and salty Pecorino Romano; dabs of impossibly delicious tomato sauce intensely flavored with eggplant; flecks of parsley for color; and shreds of mild, bright scallions that added a feathery texture. 577 South Main Street, Providence, RI; 401-273-9760; www.alforno.com" [GQ.com]

"Bob & Timmy's:  The menu is vast, but I stuck to simple variations, and every one was expertly prepared. The pies came in standard grilled-pizza format, irregularly round but cut into squares. The crust appeared too skinny to be interesting, but it seemed about the best flatbread I’d ever eaten. The vegetable toppings were remarkably fresh, and it occurred to me that freshness is something we rarely think about when contemplating what pizza we admire. The pie I loved most had three cheeses, the dominant one being feta, which adds tang and saltiness. Now I understand what every Greek must already know: Feta, spinach, and mushrooms are an astonishingly compatible combination. 32 Spruce Street, Providence, RI; 401-453-2221; www.bobandtimmys.com"  [GQ.com]

Locals seem to default to Caserta's as their first choice.  "We drive for an hour to get take out here and always keep a 1/2 pie in the freezer... tradition of stubby bottles of beer... best dough... good enough that cheese is considered an optional topping (aka "wimpy skippy")."

Other Providence pizza joints that get nods from locals include Uncle Tony's ("cooked to order like a steak: medium, medium-well, or well done, great quality ingredients, everything made from scratch"), Antonio's ("Damn good"), Sicilia's ("thick crust Chicago-style"), Minerva's ("Big fan"), Fellini's ("Great, thin crust"), PieZonis ("sqaure thin crust well-executed"), Boston House Of Pizza ("thick crust, great texture, fresh ingredients, specialty pies"), and Toti's ("Great sweet sauce, sharp cheese blend, buttery soft crust").

Drink

Order a cocktail and dance with Providence socialites at Tazza, a lounge that feels more like a small club. If dive bars are more your scene, check out Scurvy Dog, a favorite among local hipsters. Or, check out McBride’s Irish Pub, one of the newest additions to Wayland Square. The bar, which shares its building with a funeral home, offers a nightly pause at 10 pm when patrons lift their glasses in memory of the departed.

See

Providence is well known for its famed WaterFire art installment by Barnaby Evans. The incredible sight is made up of a series of bonfires that grace the surface of the three rivers that flow through downtown. WaterFire lights up the night several times a month from May to October.

Sleep

There are plenty of hotels for resting your head in Providence, but perhaps none as charming as the centrally located Biltmore. The staff at this 292-room hotel will go above and beyond to make your stay memorable and comfortable. The grand lobby offers a glimpse of aristocratic life in Providence as the city’s whose who’s shuffle in and out. Walk to most hot spots from your downtown Providence hotel, or catch a RIPTA bus for a $2 fare.

For more information on planning your trip to Providence, visit www.goprovidence.com.