New Yorkers Extra Life headline a show in Pawtucket with guitar, keyboards, percussion and violin and maybe tenor sax. I am unfamiliar with this act, but on their myspace page they cite Hildegard von Bingen and Scott Walker as influences and that’s good enough for me. Also on the bill, Providence musicians Tinsel Teeth and Bellows. Opening is Boston duo Thief Thief who have been compared to Lightning Bolt in volume and energy.

8pm, Monday, Machines With Magnets, 400 Main Street, Pawtucket, 475.2655

One business that seems to have made a go of it in Hope Artiste Village is the Hive. Proprietor and tattoo artist, Kevin Bledsoe, has managed to kept things running even through those lonely pre-farmers days and the generally crappy economy. Also, the whole tattoo thing shows no signs of fading. Apparently Mr. Bledsoe does not limit his canvas to human flesh, and tonight’s event is all about skateboards. And I think he might be celebrating his birthday at midnight. Clever boy, he got Narragansett Beer to sponsor his birthday party. (I do not usually use posters as an image, but this is a photograph of a poster.)

7pm to 11pm, Friday, The Hive, Hope Artiste Village, Main Street, Pawtucket, 726.3050

After Megan Andelloux attemped to open the Center For Sexual Pleasure and Health in Pawtucket — and after woman-hating URI professor Donna Hughes stuck her nosy nose in and tried to create a moral panic about it — the City of Pawtucket decided, strangely, to prevent the center’s opening because it was an educational center in an area of Pawtucket that isn’t zoned for education.

Now the city will again be hearing from Andelloux, as they consider her petition for a special use permit to open the center.

The hearing is tonight at 6:30 at Pawtucket City Hall.  We’ll keep you updated about what happens.

6:30pm, Monday, Pawtucket City Hall, 137 Roosevelt Avenue

Providence rockers Frequency Control start things off tonight at the Blackstone (where I doubt very much you can watch Project Runway on the televisions). These satisfying chunky metal riffs, speedy tempos, and the much-better-than-average growly vocals emerging from frontman Eric Barber (who does not look like he sounds) will all be available soon on their soon-to-be-released album “Paths Unwinding”. In the meantime go check ‘em out live tonight which is always the way you want to hear music like this anyway. Guitarist Tatro shows great promise.  Also playing, Ultra Violent Lights (Brooklyn) and Crimson Harvest.

8pm, Thursday, the Blackstone, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket

Tonight at 6:30, sex educator Megan Andelloux is going before the Pawtucket zoning board to appeal the city’s September decision to prevent her from opening the Center For Sexual Pleasure and Health in downtown Pawtucket.  As you may remember, city zoning officer Ron Travers told Andelloux she couldn’t open the non-profit center in Pawtucket’s Grant Building because The Grant isn’t zoned for educational purposes.

Others in Pawtucket, most notably the mayor, objected to the center for all sorts of reasons, the most novel of which is that elderly people live nearby.  And The Valley Breeze reported that, since the city’s using the educational zoning argument, other businesses in the building (including Flying Shuttles and the Blackstone Chess Club) might also need to relocate.  Because if there’s anything worse than sex, it’s textiles and board games.

You can read a statement from Megan over at Greater City Providence.  Tonight’s meeting is open to the public, which starts at 6:30 on the 3rd floor of Pawtucket City Hall.

As if the Wintertime Farmers’ Market (11am to 2pm) and Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile weren’t reasons enough to head over to the Hope Artiste Village today — Rhody Craft 100, a new artists’ group, is also open every Saturday in November, December and January as well. “All of the products are 100% original, 100% handmade, 100% local, and 100% delightful”. Say the secret word when making your purchase and you will receive a special little something. Today’s secret word is “more pie please”. Artist members include Black Sheep Designs, Karen Miller, LuckyBird Studio, Deb Hickey, Ursula and Olive and many more.

Saturdays, 10am to 3pm, Rhody Craft 100, Hope Artiste Village, Pawtucket

Head over to Hope Artiste Village today for the first open market of the season. This was a huge hit last winter — the space is ideal — and each month they change things up with seasonal offerings. (The market will be held every Saturday through May.) This is a short list of what is typically available.

. . . lettuces, arugula, bok choi, kale, collards, cabbage, chard, apples, cider, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, leeks, garlic, radishes, fresh herbs, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, winter squash, oysters, beef, pork, Narragansett Creamery cheese, eggs, honey, maple syrup, jams, jellies, artisan breads and pastries, gluten-free breads, tortillas, chocolates, fair-trade coffee hot or by the pound, gifts for your favorite foodie. . .

For directions and a complete list of vendors go to Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers’ Market.

11am to 2pm, Saturday, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket

My totally fave holiday is coming up - I love Lincoln and Washington. I love President’s Day. I love Abe’s beard.

Anyway, there’s some other holiday tomorrow having something to do with love or the commercialization of it. The good news is I’m still single. (Holla!) The other good news is Farm Fresh RI’s Wintertime Farmers’ Market is doing something awesome that involves free food, lovingly prepared by fancy chefs.

There is a lot of love that goes into food – from growing to cooking to breaking bread – and to celebrate that there will be some extra special Valentine’s Day goings on at the market.

RISD Executive Chef, Pierre St. Germain, will cook a tasting menu featuring local meat, seafood and cheese. Newport Vineyards will be sampling wines that pair perfectly with each dish.

Wintertime Farmers’ Market, Every Saturday from 11am - 2pm at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket.

Just do us all a favor, couples, and don’t feed each other in public. It’s totally gross and not sexy.

Menu after the jump: more »

For those of you looking for great vegan options, Kafe Lila is a locally-owned cafe in the Grant building on Main Street in Pawtucket. In addition to sandwiches — try the butternut squash — they have coffee, espresso, cold-brewed iced coffee, baked goods, homemade ice cream, and many vegetarian and vegan options on the menu with an emphasis on local, organic, and sustainable ingredients. I’m a big fan of the vegan carrot cake — even though I’m not vegan. Their banana bread is better than momma’s home cookin’ — as I’m a momma and it’s better than mine. Their turkey sandwich will leave you yearning for Thanksgiving again. And the ham melt — le sigh.

Open Monday 7am to 2pm, Tuesday through Friday 7am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm, cash only

Come see Pulp 45, Soul Reapin 3, Broke Down Serenade, amp, Calamity. 21 and over w/ID. Free Parking in attached Garage.

Doors 7pm, February 13,The Grant Building, 250 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860

Ohmigod, everyone STOP freaking out about snow. The farmers and food artisans of Rhode Island aren’t worried. About 30 of them will be at the Wintertime Farmers’ Market in Pawtucket selling an amazing variety of fruits, veggies, etc.

Wintertime Farmers’ Market

Saturday, 11am to 2pm

Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket

My girl Christie at Farm Fresh RI has a few last-minute holiday gift ideas, after the jump:

more »

The second season of the Wintertime Farmers’ Market will open this Saturday at Hope Artiste Village.

There will be 30 (!) vendors at the market, offering more local food than you every thought could grow during the chilly Rhode Island winter:

Carrots, apples, winter squash, onions, garlic, salad greens & lettuce, potatoes, kale, collards, swiss chard, turnips, parsnips, fresh herbs. Poultry, beef, pork, oysters, littleneck clams, lobsters, scallops, fin fish, cheese, yogurt, eggs, bread & pastries, chocolate, coffee, herbal tea, Christmas trees & wreaths.

Every Saturday, from December to late April
11am - 2pm
In the retail wing of Hope Artiste Village
1005 North Main Street
Pawtucket (just over the Providence line) - get directions here!
Easily accessible by my favorite bus, the 99.
Credit, Debit, and EBT accepted.
Check the Farm Fresh RI website for more info. Yum.

A full listing of vendors after the jump. Eat it.

more »

The New Urban Arts Artist Mentor Exhibition opens tonight.

5pm to 7pm, New Urban Arts Gallery, 743 Westminster Street, 751-4556

Closing reception for ‘The Museum of Small Finds’ at Machines with Magnets curated by Lauren Holt and Ken Linehan.

7pm to 9pm, Machines with Magnets Gallery, 400 Main Street, Pawtucket

This Friday through Sunday is the grand opening of Book By Book, a great little second hand bookstore in the Hope Artiste Village, and I’m not just saying this because I work there. (There’s your full disclosure) Owner Rick Ring is the rare book librarian for the Providence Public Library, so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about this stuff. Quoth he:

“We kept the good parts (you can find books of widely ranging quality and subject at low prices), and changed the annoying bits (no teetering and overburdened shelves, or piles of books on the floor).  Our shop is a “clean, well-lighted place,” as Hemingway would say.”

There will be some live jazz, coffee, cookies, and tons of amazing pulp sci-fi and absolutely gigantic art books.

  Pawtucket gets some credit for steping up its game, landing the number 9 slot in this month’s Art Calendar magazine:

Hall said she was aware of Pawtucket’s reputation as an “artist-friendly” place, as well as being one of nine cities in Rhode Island that offer tax incentives to working artists. “There are only a few areas of the country that are doing things like that,” she said. Hall called Pawtucket “a model city” for other municipalities that want to reinvent themselves as “art towns.”

“They have a great program and it is very established,” she said. “I would say it is one of the most solid places for an artist to live.”

Arts guru Herb Weiss* is stoked: “This article in Art Calendar is a reflection of the buzz and sizzle that is occurring nationwide about Pawtucket being a great city for working artists. It’s a concrete example that what we’re doing here is working.”

*Arts guru Herb Weiss is also on the ballot on Tuesday, as an uncommitted delegate to the Dem convention.

 But not all in the same place, which would be incredible. And as a general disclaimer, I am in The Cold War, but I write about a lot of bands so whatever.

•  AS220  The Cold War, the ‘Mericans, Sunny Winter (NYC), Anthony Loffredio (from Barn Burning). 9pm, $6?
• Penalty Box  Six Star General, Chris Evil and the Taints, Suicide Bill, The Propellers.  9pm, Free
• tazza  Go-Go Power: Francophile Edition. Ye-ye, punk rock, new wave, soul a la francaise 10pm, $5
• Firehouse 13  Providence Is Burning with Micah Jackson and Certified Max (Certified Bananas) 10pm, $5, free w/ rsvp, send ‘em an email