2009 Conference Buzz

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Revision as of 21:09, 23 February 2009 by 70.164.25.31 (Talk) (→‎Eats)

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Announcements From the Organizers

Does Anybody Want To...?

  • go see some live music? see below under Things To Do: Clubs and Culture > Music.

* Hit the rock climbing gym? See below under Things To Do: Saturday-Friday > Activities

Eats

  • Breakfast Tuesday - Thursday is continental (pastry, bagels, fruit). If you want something more substantial the Temple Restaurant in the hotel serves breakfast starting at 6:30am.
  • Lunch is provided on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lunch options on other days:
    • Renaissance area
      • Temple (in the hotel - macaroni & cheese is yummy)
      • Cuban Revolution, 50 Aborn Street
      • Providence Place Mall - The Mall is just down the hill from the Renaissance (exit the hotel and turn right down the hill). You can check out the Apple store while you're there.
        • Street Level (Francis St): Napa Valley Grille (upscale, local seasonal), Cheesecake Factory, Joe's American Bar & Grill, Fire + Ice
        • Food Court (Level 3): Cathay Cathay, Charley's Grilled Subs, Gourmet India, Johnny Rocket's, Pizzera Regina, Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits, Surf and Turf, Taco Bell, Subway
        • Best Kept Secret: Cafe Nordstrom (inside Nordstrom's, level 3)
        • Entertainment Level (above food court): Dave & Buster's (adult arcade with food)
    • Brown Campus area - Thayer St. vicinity - a few Ground Crew recommendations, but there are many others
      • Quick: Au Bon Pain (233 Thayer), Meeting Street Cafe (220 Meeting St), East Side Pockets (278 Thayer)
        • Meeting Street's sandwiches are delicious. Also the size of your head. Save yourself and order a half sandwich.
      • Sit down: Paragon (234 Thayer), Kartabar (284 Thayer)
      • Ethnic: Kabob & Curry (Indian, 261 Thayer), Andreas (Greek, 268 Thayer), Phonatic (Asian, 165 Angell)
      • Coffee shops: Starbucks (218 Thayer), Brown Bookstore Cafe (244 Thayer), Blue State Coffee (300 Thayer)
      • Best reasonably priced sushi: Sakura, 231 Wickenden St. They have a tatami room for those so inclined.
  • Dinner (in addition to places mentioned for lunch)

This is just a sample of the restaurants in the neighborhoods listed below.

    • Exchange Terrace - formerly the city's train station - 0.4 miles
      • RuthChris Steak House
      • Union Station Brewery, 36 Exchange Terrace
      • Capitol Grill
      • RiRa
    • North & South Main Street - Providence's original settlement, then on the waterfront - 0.5-0.75 miles
      • Hemenways - seafood
      • ParkSide
      • Mills Tavern
      • XO
    • Down City
    • Federal Hill - famed for its Italian restaurants, but there's quite a mix; might want a cab
    • South Water & Wickenden - artsy area, antique stores & funky shops; might want a cab
      • Al Forno - considered by some the best restaurant in Providence
      • The Old Colonial

More options at PDF of recommendations from Miami University of Ohio

Dinner Plans

  • Sunday & Monday

If your travel plans include arriving in Providence on Sunday or Monday, you may want to hook up with other code4libbers for dinner. We suggest that you go to the lobby fireplace to identify like-minded souls at 5pm, 6pm or 7pm. We will point out a few nearby restaurants for your consideration, including the hotel's Temple Restaurant (http://www.temple-downtown.com/).

  • Tuesday & Wednesday

We're expecting some kind-of-organized group dining options, possibly with signups in the registration area. Watch this spot for more details.

Discounts

Things To Do: Monday

If you have the time and inclination on Monday, you may want to head up College Hill, about 1 mile, to see historic Benefit Street, visit the Brown campus or go to lunch on Thayer Street. If so, you can walk or take advantage of shuttles we’ve arranged for the pre-conferences (but please give priority to pre-conference attendees).

  • 7:45 am – 9:45 pm
  • 11:45 am – 1:45 pm
  • 4:15 pm – 6:15 pm

Things To Do: Tuesday

Things To Do: Wednesday

American Farm documentary, Dinner Buffet of locally sourced food ($15) at 6:15pm, Film at 7pm at Local 121, 121 Washington Street

Things To Do: Thursday

Things To Do: Saturday-Friday

nearly all are easily walkable from the Renaissance

  • Fresh Air
  • Beer
  • Clubs
  • Culture
    • Art
      • RISD Museum of Art
        • Shawn Greenlee - Occasions: Occasions produces subtle interactions of synthetic tones mediated by the resonance of space and the reception of the listener. It is a long form, audio-installation utilizing a 12-channel speaker array to project sound in the exhibition space. Each of the twelve speakers produces a unique tone gliding between established frequencies. The twelve speakers are divided into two groups which move asynchronously thus creating a fluctuation in acoustic and psychoacoustic phenomena as the glissandi interact. When listening, what one will notice most obviously are several beating frequencies and difference tones - and that the perception of these is in large part due to where the listener positions herself in relationship to the speakers. The sound of the HVAC will begin to wax and wane as Occasions interferes with its site.
    • Music
      • RI Philharmonic, next door to the Renaissance - Rush Hour Series: Copland, Britten, Shostakovich (Thur 6:30)
    • Theater
  • Activities
    • Rock Climbing - David Cloutman wouldn't mind getting a few hours in at the local rock climbing gym one evening during the conference. Looking for interested attendees. Would probably involve a cab ride. "Rhode Island Rock Gym"
  • Movies
  • Sports - Dunkin Donuts Center, 1 LaSalle Square
    • Basketball: Providence College vs. Notre Dame (Sat., noon), Providence College vs. Pitt (Tue 7pm)
    • Hockey: Providence Bruins vs. Springfield Falcons (Sun 4)
    • "Monster Jam" (Fri 7:30)
  • Other - Flower & Garden Show (RI Convention Center, 1 Sabin St, Sat 10-9, Sun 10-6)

Divine Providence

  • Seeing the Sites
    • don't miss: top EZ cheap visits that prove you left the hotel at least some duringall of code4lib. Arranged in an order that could be a walking tour. [under construction]
      • RI State House - When built in early 20th century RI was 2nd richest state; now we're tied with Michigan for highest unemployment, and continue to rely on the state motto: "Hope". Still, it remains a majestic space, worth a visit, and so close to code4lib! Give a call-out to the guy on top: the Independent Man.
      • Roger Williams National Memorial - Thank Roger for separation of church & state and freedom of religion; nice video gives the basics of Providence's founding after Massachusetts kicked him out, his unique respect and cooperation with Native Americans, etc. A visit here qualifies you to say "What Cheer, Netop!" with aplomb.
      • Cross Main Street, and walk up Star or Church Street next to the (Episcopal) Cathedral of St. John, to Benefit Street, and turn right for a stroll along "a mile of history" past a variety of 18th and 19th century buildings, a blend of residential and RISD. Notice the old State House, where Rhode Island declared independence in May 1776, two months prior to July 4th.
      • First Baptist Church of America. One of those enchanting "colonial" churches, lovely inside and out. Unlike most of the rest of New England, Rhode Islanders didn't build their churches on village greens, lest the clergy keep too close an eye on things.
      • RISD (riz-dee) Museum. With a little bit of everything, this gem serves up art from ancient Egypt to now in easily digestible morsels. Wonderful new addition provides, among other things, an excellent 20th century gallery. Also, don't miss the Buddha. Enter on South Main or Benefit.
      • Providence Athenaeum - Helps you remember why you care about libraries. Edgar Allen Poe is said to have had trysts with his sweetie, Helen, here, adding to the charm. Going up College Street, you arrive at Prospect Street, with Brown's John Hay Library to the left and the John D. Rockefeller Library, Jr. Library to the right.
      • Lincoln and Lovecraft at the John Hay Library. John Hay was Abe Lincoln's Secretary of State and a Brown alum; give his nose a rub as generations of Brown students have. Currently some very nice Lincoln material is on exhibit on the main floor, and nine display cases of quirky Providence native son H. P. Lovecraft manuscripts and publications are in the Lownes Room. Check out the room devoted to toy soldiers (Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection, 3rd floor) and the Audubon elephant folio in the lobby.
      • Brown University central campus. Enter through the Van Wickle gates (that open in for opening convocation, and open out for commencement.) University Hall, the "college edifice" housed French soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The Greek Temple next to it was the second building: a library of course! Now it houses an always-interesting selection of artifacts from the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthrolopology. Walk between these two buildings, and cross the main green; one of the perks for Brown presidents is the right to graze sheep here. Head between the next row of buildings and go down the steps (notice Marcus Aurelius, copied from Rome). This green, Lincoln Field, was the original athletic field. (Aside: Brown was in--and lost--the first Rose Bowl game.) Pass through Soldiers Arch, memorializing Brown men and women who died in military service.
      • Thayer Street. The 14-story concrete monolith to your left (a much-maligned example of the brutalist style of the 1970's) is the Sciences Library. Nice view from the upper floors; on the 13th floor look south to see Narragansett Bay. You might want to visit our newish 24-hour Friedman Study Center on the lower level--hugely popular with students. Beyond it, to the north, are several blocks of restaurants and shops, Providence's mini-version of Harvard Square. But go south instead.
      • Power Street.
  • History
  • Trivia
  • "36 Hours in Providence, R.I." piece in the New York Times TRAVEL section from August, 2008.

Ground Crew Contacts

Please feel free to contact us about anything, any time, between now and the end of the conference.

  • Birkin James Diana, birkin_diana@brown.edu, cell 401-378-8246
  • Bonnie Buzzell, bonnie_buzzell@brown.edu, cell 401-487-0245
  • Jean Rainwater, jean_rainwater@brown.edu, cell 401-241-0098
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