I stopped here on a weekday morning to buy stamps so I could mail some bills. This post office…read moredoesn't have an adjacent parking lot, but you can park in a lot across the street, or in municipal parking spaces on the side street, next to the bike path. This is a smaller, older post office (the clerk who waited on me said it was built in the 1930s as a Depression-era federal Works Progress Administration project) and features some interesting architectural details, such as the ornate post office boxes. It's actually pretty cool to see newer technology coexist with old surroundings. Anyway, I was in and out quickly, and the postal worker was friendly and knowledgeable.

What a sweet little library! I found myself in Downtown Warren a few days ago with some time to…read morekill, so I decided to Google Maps where the local library was. Turns out that it was a convenient two blocks away from the Coffee Depot where I was hangin', so I decided to take a stroll and check it out. The George Hail Free Library may be small-ish, but the building itself was gorgeous (according to the librarian, it's about 132 years old!), and it was fun to walk around in the Beauty and the Beast-esque space and channel my inner Belle for a bit! There are amazing stained glass windows and meticulously preserved vaulted ceilings. It's almost reminiscent of an old church from the turn of the century. Pretty cool! The library is undergoing some repairs and renovations to the upper floor and the roof, so the shelves on the first floor are jammed with fiction and nonfiction books. It was a little bit cramped to walk around, but I managed. I unfortunately didn't have enough time to sit and read, but the worn leather chairs near the periodicals section looked inviting, and I will definitely take a seat there next time! The George Hail Free Library is part of the Ocean State Libraries system, so you can take out any of their books or media and return it at a different library in the system as well. Very convenient and much appreciated! A hidden historic gem in Warren that's definitely worth a visit!

A stunning memorial…read more Back in the early 1880's Martha Hail decided she wanted a lasting memorial to her husband, George Hail, so she decided to donate money to have a library built in his honor that would have his name on it. Like most of the grand libraries built during this time period it was more than a place for books. It was a stunning building made of blocks of granite and constructed in the Romanesque Revival style that seemed popular at the time. The library was complete in 1888 for a total cost of around 16,000 dollars. Seems like a ridiculously low sum now but back then it was a whole heap of money. Several other wealthy people also donated money for the completion of the building. The library is indeed stunning, both inside and out. This period of grand library building sort of reminds me of what the Egyptian Pharaohs were doing in the 4th dynasty, building massive memorials that would last forever. It not exactly forever, then for a long, long time. The library is wonderful to look at from the outside and the inside is just as amazing. Beautiful stain glass windows, lovely staircases, beautiful furniture and art and even a cool owl watching over things. The library was renovated in the late 1970's and much of it was restored to it's original appearance. It is truly a beautiful library to admire from both the inside and out. It might not last as long as the pyramids but it will definitely be around for a long, long time.

I'm challenging myself to visit all public libraries in the state of Rhode Island this year and I…read morestarted with Barrington Public Library--I unknowingly set the bar high for the other libraries. I had reserved a room online and the staff was really helpful in helping me find the room. They do hold your reservation for up to 15 minutes if you're running late. The study rooms are spacious, a bit modern, and they even have more upstairs. I found that there were lots of different seats and sort of study spots around the library--wooden chairs, couch like chairs, tables, darker spots, spots by the window, etc. I loved that they had a puzzle that you could help with. I also think it's neat that they have a zone for each age group and it's nicely decorated plus clearly marked sections for different genres and type of books. I took one of their newsletters and quickly found out they have lots of activities each month, some of which I plan to attend. I was also in shock to find that they have a very nice auditorium where they have speakers but also show films. There was lots of parking, the outside of the building is nice, there are some cafes and stores nearby, and they even have a museum in the basement for the town of Barrington (although it does have special hours of operation). I love forward to coming back eventually and seeing how they decorate and organize according to seasons.

Such a good playground especially for a wide range of children. I love taking the kids I babysit…read morefor here because they have two sides of the playground, one for babies/toddlers and another for ages 5 (ish) and up. Makes it very convient to have a little bit of everything for everyone. Theres picnic tables, benches, and covered seating avaiabvle which is super nice.

Multiple times over last few years paying my water bill online has been problematic. Every time I…read moreinquire as to what went wrong I receive apologies and promises that that the issue is known and is fixed. And it happens again. These don't seem to be difficult things to fix, millions of online transactions happen every minute without incident in this world. I can only assume that water department management is incompetent. Mayor Asevedian (sp) get this problem fixed before your office is called out on why it can't. If I could I'd move my house to another city.