This is not a normal DKE diary. Rather, it's just some suggestions of things to do around Providence for those of you who will be attending Netroots Nation. I myself will not be in attendance, but as a Providence native I figured I'd point out some good spots to swing by while you're in the city. We're not a big city by any means, of course, but we do have a charming New England feel and, in addition to our rich history (many houses on the city's East Side date back to the early 17th century), we do have some interesting places to visit.
More below the fold.
Providence is a pretty compact city - think of it as a smaller version of Manhattan rather than a big, sprawling city like Chicago and LA. Since Netroots Nation is downtown, you'll be roughly in the center of the city, and even some other neighborhoods are within walking distance. For other attractions, however, you might need to take a cab. Nothing is more than 5 or 10 minutes away, so don't worry, you won't be blowing large wads of cash.
Another thing to point out is that I haven't been home much since my 21st birthday, so I can't really recommend many good bars. The only one I've been to is English Cellar Alehouse, which has a pretty good selection and a very 20-something, kinda guido vibe.
Anyway, without further ado...
Providence Place Mall
The mall is literally right next to the Providence Westin Hotel, where I presume a great deal of NN attendees will be staying. It's situated right downhill from the Rhode Island State House (and is close to Kennedy Plaza, the main bus hub of Providence, and the adjacent Providence City Hall). It's a pretty sizable mall - the biggest in the state, I think - featuring the whole shebang: food court, movie theater, and plenty of shopping. Given its proximity to the Rhode Island Convention Center, I highly recommend this as a place to kill downtime.
Thayer Street
Located about a 15-minute walk east of the Convention Center, Thayer Street is the most popular hangout spot for Brown University students, but with Brown's school year having ended and with summer classes yet to begin, it will probably just be local kids. Anyway, as you might imagine for a college area, it's got a very young, hip vibe (one might even say hipster). There are lots of good places to grab a bite here, like Antonio's Pizza, Better Burger (love their Nutella shakes), and that froyo place next to Better Burger whose name I forget. There's also Blue State Coffee; I love their chai, and as you can guess by the name, they will be very receptive to the politics of NN attendees. There's also Wickenden Street nearby, which is the center of Providence's artsy/hipster Fox Point neighborhood and home to some shops/restaurants.
Federal Hill
As Providence's Italian neighborhood, Federal Hill is home to some fine Italian restaurants, like Pane e Vino and Bob and Timmy's (and many more along Atwells Avenue). It's a cab ride away, but worth it for some delicious food in the Italian cultural capital of Rhode Island. (If dessert is what you're craving, I would highly recommend Pastiche).
Not too far from Federal Hill is also Westminster Street, home to my high school (blech) and some nice places: Bubble Tea House (y u open after i graduate???) is delicious for people who are into that, and you can always get a good cup of coffee at White Electric.
If you want fine (not Italian) dining but don't want to leave the downtown area, Capitol Grille is a good choice. (There's also a Ruth's Chris Steak House in the mall, but I personally associate it with right-winger Craig Miller. Gross.)
Other Recommendations
It's a bit of a walk (about 20 minutes), but I highly recommend you try local chain Spike's. Their hot dogs fill my heart with joy, and I can never get enough of their curly fries. They also have pizzas, salads, wings, etc...but seriously, unless you're a vegetarian, there is no excuse not to try one of their hot dogs. mmm.
Another local chain that I highly recommend is Newport Creamery, which is famous for its Awful Awfuls. Yes, I know what you're thinking. "Awful Awful? Why on earth would I want something that advertises how awful it is? What the hell is an Awful Awful anyway?" Awful Awful stands for Awful Big, Awful Good, and it's basically a milkshake, but with about ten times the awesomeness. I'm not really sure I can describe just how wonderful they are, but seriously, it's totally worth the $5 cab ride or ~30 minute walk. (Both Newport Creamery and Spike's used to have locations closer to my house which have closed down, and going home has never been the same since.)
Anyway, I think I'll wrap up here; there are more places I could mention, but I figured I'd stick with the most convenient or best places. However, if there is a certain type of cuisine besides Italian you're craving, or a certain type of activity (eg parks) you're interested in, let me know in the comments!
4:58 PM PT: Ahh, how could I forget WaterFire, one of the most famous events in the city! (h/t commonmass for reminding me of this.) For those of you who don't know what WaterFire is, every Saturday night in the summer, the torches on the river downtown are lit, creating spectacular scenery. Apparently this is on the NN agenda anyway, which is good - you can't miss this!