Yikes! If you haven't been to RI's capital city, one of our nation's oldest cities, you are missing a real jewel.

I actually grew up in a town a mere 7 miles outside the "big city"...yet as a kid I thought Providence was a long journey away...until my 11th birthday. That's when my grandmother took me to "the city" for the first time.

Before our special lunch, we rode the elevator to the very top floor of the tallest building in the city, the Industrial National Bank Building (420 feet tall.) Looking over the city... well... that's the day I fell in love. And I want to share this great city with you!

I am now a Southern California transplant. But a big chunk of my heart is still in RI. I get back there several times a year to experience the glorious change of seasons,eat my favorite foods (can't get pizza like this ANYWHERE else),visit my favorite sites and to keep up with the new restaurant scene.

With this website I'll be sharing authentic, quirky, delicious, beautiful and historical places with you....picture this:

• Waterplace Park with the mystical Waterfire Events

• The BEST Italian food and pizza you ever tasted

• RISD: The fine collection of the Rhode Island School of Design Art Museum

• Providence Place Mall right in the heart of things

• Haunted Houses where Ghostbusters get busy

• The Providence Athenaeum, 4th oldest library in the country, a favorite haunt of horror and supernatural writer H.P.Lovecraft, and also where Edgar Allen Poe moped while courting Sarah Whitmam (he didn't get the girl)

• The Hot Club -right on the waterfront where you can wet your whistle and plan for the next adventure

And we won't forget some of the breathtaking sites within just a few miles:

• The Newport mansions

• Narraganset beach

• Block Island

• Roger Williams Park Zoo

to name just a few

I'll give you the inside scoop on all of it. Your own personal tour guide...someone's who's been there...and keeps going back. The real deal. No tourist traps here.

Providence may be in the nation's smallest state...but don't let that fool you. As of matter of fact, it's a plus. It's a cinch to get around the city and its nearby waterfront neighborhoods.

This authentic city, rich with history and amazing food and culture can't be missed.

Maybe you've never been...It's time. Maybe you're a transplant like me and can't wait to get back. I hope this site encourages you to JUST do it! Maybe you're a native looking for new places to check out. I'm here to inspire you to find the charm in your own backyard.

Let's get on with our Providence Lover adventures!