The Ives St renaissance continues with the opening United BBQ — 3 years in the making, and I don’t think proprietor Claude Goldstein will take offense at the admission that some of us weren’t sure this day would ever come. Best BBQ seitan I’ve ever had, among the many vegetarian options. (Properly filing us veggies away in the ‘weirdo’ corner of the menu.)

Here at United BBQ we are making our own history, starting now. Our goal is to bring you authentic, pit-smoked barbecue using the freshest, quality ingredients available. We want to unite your taste buds with some great barbecue!

We use green packaging options and local produce whenever we can. We offer a selection of vegetarian meat alternatives and sides. All of our waste oils are recycled by Newport Bio-Diesel for use as home heating fuel.

It all gets me jazzed up for Claude’s next venture, the re-opening of Babe’s on Wickenden, as Abe’s, I believe.

Fox Point Community Garden Harvest Party & Fundraiser:

Thursday, November 13, 6-9pm

At the Portuguese Social Club (2nd Fl)
32 Sheldon Street (at Traverse St)

Plenty of parking on the street or in the Holy Rosary Church parking lots behind Adler’s.

• Music by the K.C. Moaners (It’s National Jug Band Month!)
• Delicious Food and Cash Bar (Dinner will be provided by our gardeners!)
• Raffle (unusual items from our eclectic group)
• New Foxpoint Community Garden T-shirts available ~ while they last ~ come early

Suggested Donation $10 ~ Children $5

All proceeds help to support our garden ~ come help us raise funds for next season! For more information, contact foxpoint.garden@gmail.com

No sooner had Nikola Tesla invented the oscillator than Mrs. T. had an idea of her own.  This 1890 vibrator can be seen on display in the window of a new store (Mister Sister) on Wickenden Street (where the old Miko used to be).

Today’s July 1st, which marks the beginning of a new fiscal year at the library.  What that means exactly is sort of up for debate; last year library administrators said they wanted a written contract with the city about what services they’d be providing, but then they spent the whole year refusing to agree to anything.

If they don’t sign an agreement soon, the backup plan is to close five branches, in Smith Hill and Olneyville and Wanskuck and Elmwood and Fox Point.  And that’s not counting the Washington Park library, the closed branch that the city just spent Lord knows how much money on, adding a new roof and cleaning out ten years’ worth of mold and dead pigeons; the library administration, for whatever crazy reason, is refusing to reopen the branch, preferring to keep limited services in half of the old Benny’s down the street.

Also very vulnerable is the Fox Point branch, which is the only one of the (open) libraries currently operating on a lease.  The building, on the corner of Wickenden and Ives, isn’t in the best shape–it’s dark and unattractive and not accessible to the handicapped and if anybody tested the air they’d probably find something unsafe about it–but it’s a vital part of the neighborhood, staffed by knowledgeable and friendly people, and it would be a shame if the library decided not to renew their lease without making alternate plans for all the kids, families and senior citizens that use the branch every day.

Projo pro Mike Stanton brings us some pretty cool news in the Journal today about the Community Boating Center at India Point Park, a “non-profit public access sailing program…held together by volunteers and charitable donations, elbow grease and heart.” Elbow grease you can get at Lowes, heart, not sure where to find that. (Projo)

Am I right that we gain a bit more cred if we can prove that we’re not shut-ins, riddled with blood clots, playing Second Life, in Second Life? In our spare time, we are:

Fox Pt Community Gardeners

Rabble, and rabble-rousers:

Giant party-boy hat erectors:

Thanks to Erica S for the photos.

This Just In: Tonight at six there’s a hearing at city hall to discuss the old Bootleggers, that crazy building wedged in-between 195 and the bay next to India Point Park. The DOT, who owns the property, is trying to sell it to, um, anybody with enough dough to cough up for park-adjacent waterfront property. (Anybody smell condos?) People in the neighborhood, especially those who like the increasingly trod-upon India Point Park, want the land rezoned as public space.

Back in the day, the club was frequented mainly by guidos who didn’t feel like driving all the way to Scarborough, but the club, separated from the Hot Club/Al Forno/FishCo area by the 195 overpass, has seen better days.

People in the neighborhood want to see the area rezoned as Public Space, adding to the park and the only public waterfront space in the city. The DOT, obviously, would rather sell it to anybody they can.

If you can’t make the meeting, you might want to e-mail Councilman Yurdin (ward1.agv1@providenceri.com) the City Clerk and let him know how you feel.