Encouraging news about the old Poirier’s Diner now located at 1380 Westminster Street. An update in today’s ProJo tells how local developer and property owner Jon Özbek was finally able to bring this project to fruition. It has taken ten years and $750,000.

Özbek purchased the diner in 2003 — the visionaries behind the Eagle Square shopping center were apparently unable to appreciate its charm. After years in storage the diner was moved to its present location where it has been attached to an old auto-repair garage. The restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with seating for 110 people, including a bar in the back, and some patio seating. According to the article,

Poirier’s Diner first opened in1947, during Providence’s industrial peak, at 581 Atwells Ave. near Eagle Square, nestled among manufacturing giants such as General Electric, U.S. Rubber, Uncas Manufacturing, Blacher Brothers and others. The diner went through a succession of owners and names through the decades. It was known as Squires, Top Hat and El Faro before closing for good in 1999.

It’s not altogether clear whether the name will remain the same.

Because somebody’s got to do it. On May 5, 1862 the Mexican army prevailed in an unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. This made Americans thirsty. Thus we have Cinco de Mayo.

Head downtown today for the In Downcity Cinco de Mayo block party. There will be food trucks including Poco Loco Tacos and Mijos Tacos, the Rock and Roll Yard Sale and activities for kids.

Check out the Mariachi de Brown, Brown University’s official mariachi band and Rhode Island’s only mariachi band, since 2005.

Noon to 6pm, Sunday, May 5, Westminster between Eddy and Clemence Streets, directions

A new Gourmet Heaven location has opened on Meeting Street — right up from Thayer behind the Avon — you will no longer have to go all the way downtown to satisfy that 3am craving for mac ‘n’ cheese and gummy bears and cookies and wasabi peas and Funyuns and a dozen eggs we need eggs . . . and more cookies . . .

Several other businesses have come and gone at this location — which is always sad, that was somebody’s dream — but I think this one has a real good chance. It’s the right business in the right place. Full deli, hot/cold buffet with prepared food, every snack known to man, and tables inside and out. Even groceries.

Today (Monday April 29) is the Grand Opening at this new location with free sampling at the salad bar from noon to 2pm.

Gourmet Heaven, 205 Meeting Street, Hours: always

First, everyone loves this new façade (which brought about the removal of the old awning that had an apostrophe in the wrong place which used to drive me nuts). More importantly this self-described “vegetable restaurant” seems to be making people pretty happy with the food and not just the vegetable people. My vegan friend couldn’t stop talking about her chicken-fried oyster mushroom po’ boy on pretzel bread, but added that her husband — a lifetime member of the ‘Bacon of the Month Club’ — loved his noodles and also wanted to go back.

Designer Kyla Coburn is responsible for the look of the place and continues to make Providence a more lovely city in which to eat and drink (Loie Fuller, the Avery, etc.).

The Grange at 166 Broadway is closed Tuesdays but otherwise open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch (check out Facebook for some pix of vegan beignets and donuts).

(4.6) Southside Community Land Trust will kick off the growing season with its Neighborhood Hub Day on Saturday, April 6th. The Hub Day is the event to sign up for SCLT membership and participate in the Providence Community Growers Network. Attendees will be able to pick up compost and seeds, meet fellow neighbors who grow food, and participate in a food growing workshop led by urban gardening experts. (List of Providence Community Gardens)

East Side: Sessions Street Community Garden, 160 Session Street,11am to 2pm.

Southside: Davey Lopes Recreation Center, 227 Dudley Street, 10am to 1pm.

West End: Groundwork Providence, 111 Grove Street, 10am to 1pm.

Olneyville: Manton Avenue Community Garden, 40 Florence Street, 11am to 2pm.

(3.21) Celebrate the coming of spring, meet your neighbors, share some delicious food, and learn about Urban Greens’ plans for a community owned grocery store in the West Side of Providence. Music, snacks, raffles.

Live music performances by Providence’s multi-talented Scratch farmers — Katie Miller, Natalie Joblonski, and Nathan Bergman-Dean.

Food from Cabot Cheese, a New England co-op.

A screening of a short talk by LaDonna Redmond, Chicago food activist about urban access to healthy food.

Plus prizes from: Farmacy Herbs and Westside Wellness.

6pm, Thursday, March 21st, Urban Greens Equinox Celebration, 186 Carpenter Street

Join Brian Oakley and Joshua Kemp III for ‘Be Stiff!’ at the Scurvy Dog.

We’re gonna take our party to the next level… Join us EVERY Tuesday starting February 5th!!!!

DJ Brian Shawn Oakley & Joshua Livingston Kemp the First will entertain you with whatever the heck tuneage and tubeage they feel like playing. Acid Punk, Smooth Grind, Senior Contemporary, Hard Listening, Feel Bad Oldies… PLUS Jennifer will be doing DOG EAT DOG, serving up hot dogs featuring unique flavor combinations that you don’t know you love yet!

Eat the Bry, or the Kemp. Be the first to make obvious rude jokes about hot dogs and other hot dog-shaped things named after people you know.

10pm to 1am, Tuesdays, Scurvy Dog, 1718 Westminster Street

(2.5) What better way to show your love for your city than by pitting one neighborhood against the other in a steel cage, grudge match, food fight to the death! Head down to City Hall Tuesday for the 4th annual “I Heart Providence” celebration and cheer on your team.

The two sides in the culinary competition will be:

East Side: Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House, Brandy Schwalbe of The Duck & Bunny, and Paul Jalaf of Vanity

West Side: Mike McHugh of Julians, James Mark of North, and Jonathan Dille of the (soon-to-open on Broadway) Grange.

Participating stores and restaurants include Abyssinia, Ebisu, El Rancho Grande, Eye Cookies, Fertile Underground Grocery, Kabob and Curry, Los Andes Restaurant, Olneyville New York System and Whole Foods. Music by Bored with Four and Miss Wensday and the Cotillions.

6pm to 8pm, Tuesday, February 5, City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street

The Thursday night Blogosphere Holiday Party went off without a hitch. Big thanks to Jef Nickerson of Greater City Providence and everybody else who helped make it happen.

It is my understanding that Cornish Associates and In Downcity generously provided the cookie platters from Ellie’s Bakery on Washington Street, and that Ellie’s further contributed a plate of macarons on top of that. You fiends! Those things are yummy. A macaron is a sandwich-like meringue cookie with a light gooey filling. Try the pistachio.

The (indoors) Wintertime Farmers Market kicks off Saturday, November 3rd, at the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket. Produce available at this time of year may include: arugula, bok choi, kale, collards, cabbage, chard, apples, cider, potatoes, sweet potatoes,leeks, garlic, fresh herbs, beets, parsnips, turnips, winter squash. Also shop for Seven Stars baked goods, shellfish, coffee, poultry, oysters, beef, pork, cheese, eggs, honey, maple syrup. And the knife-sharpening guy! And food trucks! Go here for a list of the vendors (note that some only set up on Saturdays). Also note;

Saturday, November 3rd, at 11am is the 2012 Pickle Contest! Pickle up your veggies for a contest at the first indoor Wintertime Market of the season. Judges will select winners in several categories: Best Traditional Pickle; Best Brine; Best Ferment; and Best All-Around Pickle. Sign-up online or come to taste some crazy pickles.

Recycling: Available at the Main Street side of the market hallway. You can now also drop off clean egg cartons and berry cartons for re-use by farmers and all of Providence’s new backyard chicken keepers.

Composting: EcoRI accepts residential compostables, vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds & filters, and compostable paper only. There is no charge for the service, but a $1 is suggested to support the program. More about Community Composting here.

9am to 1pm on Saturdays/4pm to 7pm on Wednesdays/no dogs please

Wintertime Farmers Market, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket

Hope Street will be closed to traffic between Fifth and Burlington Streets this Sunday afternoon for Fall Fest.

Live music and hay rides ($2). Food trucks and a Grilled Pizza Duel between Pizzico and Blaze Restaurant.

“Call Me Maybe” flash mob workshop (Festival Ballet parking lot at 3:15pm). The flash mob itself will take place at the First Works Festival on the 29th. Pumpkin patch (free pumpkin for the first 150 kids).

Noon to 4pm, Sunday, September 23, Hope Street between Fifth and Burlington Streets

(8.11) It’s that time of year again — head downtown Saturday for Foo Fest 2012. Music all day, art installations, performance art, and food trucks! Musicians and performers on tap include:

Bounce artists from New Orleans, Big Freedia and the Divas top the bill. Also, Spiritual Recess, Boo City, Trip Dicks, the Famous Winters, Milkbread, Generations barbershop quartet (!), Bill Harley and Keith Munslow, Meager Sunlight, Dead Air, Symmetry, DirtyDurdie, AS220 Youth Zuology (hip-hop showcase), Thrillhouse, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, Songs, Humanbeast, Ravi Shavi, Sandworm

For more on the Performances, Art Installations, and Activities click here. (Includes a Mini Maker Faire.)

$7 (children 4 and under free), 1pm to 1am, Saturday, August 11, AS220, 95-115 Empire Complex and block

(7.29) Governor’s Bay Day is an annual celebration with events held around the state. Here in the city head down to India Point Park for food and music and bay appreciation. EcoRI News has the info,

The free event will feature music by area bands, outdoor activities for kids and adults, and a free cookout provided by Sodexo Food Services.

Area musicians who have donated their time include Biscuit City (country blues); Jelly Roll Soul (R&B, funk, jazz); Jay Feinstein and the Furnace of Love (rock, folk, country); and Mark Cutler and Men of Great Courage (rock, roots). Rudy Cheeks will emcee the event.

Free, 11am to 4pm, Sunday, July 29, India Point Park (no rain date)

Puns . . . are . .  the . . . wurst. Okay, can’t be done. However, it should also be said, that the excellent food writer, Gail Ciampa, is in no way to blame for the headline “Their best is their wurst” above her piece in today’s ProJo about the new Wurst Kitchen Window at Chez Pascal on Hope Street.

It has been said that whenever God closes a door, somewhere else he’s caving in the front of your building with a Buick. Meanwhile, heathens like myself believe that life is a random series of meaningless but frequently wonderful events, and the new Wurst Kitchen Window has to be Exhibit A. Last year someone did indeed drive a car into the front of the restaurant (I think by accident) and owners Matt and Kristin Gennuso decided to carve out this sidewalk window/café from the newly created void. There are several little tables and chairs on the sidewalk. (For more about the food, just read the Ciampa article. Two relish recipes included.)

Today the window was manned by Aaron who explained that some of the interior of the bar and restaurant had been sacrificed to create the mini-kitchen right behind the window. (Pictures after the jump.)

Window Hours: Tuesday thru Friday, 11:30am to 2:30pm. The same hours on Saturdays, and also the Hewtin’s Dogs truck is parked on Ninth Street on Saturdays, cuz of the Farmers’ Market crowd and all.

Wurst Kitchen Window at Chez Pascal, 960 Hope Street, 401.421.4422

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Provision is a mealtime gathering of community members hungry for both delicious food and the chance to democratically fund emerging projects in Rhode Island. How does this work?

Guest chefs prepare a simple menu of soup, bread, and dessert for a base price of $10 a guest. Vegetarian and vegan options are always available. Drinks may be purchased a la carte, and donations of greater than $10 are always appreciated. Entertainment is provided for mealtime enjoyment.

Up to four proposals seeking funding are presented on “menus” at each dinner table. Guests hear presentations from proposer-s, read the proposals, and discuss them with others at their table. Each guest scores the proposals based on a common rubric. The highest scored proposal is funded with the net proceeds from dinner. Awards, based on attendance, are between $300 and $500.

Provision, $10 donation requested, doors 5:30pm, dinner starts promptly at 6pm, Sunday, July 15, Southside Cultural Center, 393 Broad Street (at the corner of Bridgham), more info (and to make reservations) at Providence Provision

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Do NOT recycle boxes used for refrigerated and frozen foods such as; frozen pizza, beer and soda, TV dinners, and buttah. (Still, that Land O’ Lakes box can be “reused” — everybody knows this trick right? My mom showed me.)

The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation wants you to know why this thin cardboard is different; then it should be easier to remember.

Regular cardboard breaks down when wet, and that’s how recyclers at paper mills mush your cardboard back into pulp – they use water.  To prevent this from happening to all your boxed frozen and refrigerated cardboard packaging, it is either coated or treated with a chemical that prevents it from breaking down when wet – precisely what recyclers need it to do!  For this reason, refrigerated and frozen food boxes are contaminants to to our paper buyers, and are not accepted for recycling.