Don't be fooled by the name, the Box Office isn't an office where tickets are sold. Even better!…read moreIt's an architectural and design wonder - an office building comprised of 32 colorful, recycled shipping containers on the former Harris Lumber site (formerly abandoned). So why review it? It's a breathing, functional, permanent art exhibit. An architectural and design wonder. A cutting edge example of urban revitalization and green design. And it's right here in Providence, RI. In addition to using recycled steel from the shipping containers, the design incorporates energy recovery ventilation, storm runoff reduction, and light fixtures sensing daylight - encouraging 25% less energy than most office buildings. Current tenants include social enterprises like Maternova, nonprofits like Social Venture Partners RI and the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, design firms like Morris Beach Design and Kelly Taylor Interior Design, and a handful of other local businesses, including the 3 collaborators who made this architectural experiment possible: distill studio, Stack Design Build, and truth box inc. Stop by, climb the stairs, appreciate the intentional graffiti, take some photos, and dream.

Basing this review off the aesthetics from the outside. It definitely looks interesting and…read moreinspires recycling and innovative eco-friendly alternatives.

This is one of the most visited streets in downtown Providence. The Holiday Stroll came down…read moreWestminster Street on Dec 5th bringing music and dance to the heart of the city. Many restaurants, cafes and shops dot this street. A great place to hang during the daytime or night.

The epicenter of Federal Hill. Its always so nice sitting outside here and listening to the…read morefountain, music and people watching. Grab a coffee or gelato at Venda and relax outside. So pretty with the flowers! This is the place to be on a summer night. 3 hour metered parking mostly!

Walking up to DePasquale Square, I was a bit disappointed if I'm going to be honest. You can't see…read morethe fountain, or the square itself, walking up to it from the street because there are so many tables in the square for the restaurants that flank it. Well we came here for the scenery so we decided to push on and walk in and sit at the fountain for a little bit. And there it was. We were sitting there, the sounds of people eating and imbibing, Italian music pumped in through speakers and we saw the magic. It really did feel like sitting in a square in Italy and I was down for it. There are so many fun details and things to look at. I can see why they have events here and I wish we were here on a night that had a live band playing.

This is a small little family owned shop that has good variety of fresh baked goods, imported items…read more(some frozen and some dry goods) available. They also make homemade tamales, which I did not have the opportunity yo try, but they smelled fantastic. The lady behind the counter was very friendly, helpful and very patient with us. So I am not knowledgeable of El Salvadorian foods, but what I do know are all of the items we ordered that were recommenced were fantastic. I did ask of the stuff was 'authentic' and she smiled and said the recipes all came to the US with the family. So good enough for me. I do know that RI is full of great bakeries, mostly Italian, so it is good to get off the beaten path once and a while. I will be returning for the Tamales, they looked and smelled awesome.

Food for is good, but I called in and order and had to wait an additional 30 minutes for my food.read more

The Waterplace bridge is located in Waterplace Park and completed in 1994. It's the perfect spot…read morefor a leisurely stroll and to watch the Waterfire event that occurs throughout the summer. It connects the city to the river and goes over the Woonasquatucket river(say that three times fast). It's in a great location near restaurants, shops, and the River walk. I've been on it countless times so had to add my review on it!

This is one of the many bridges that span the Riverwalk in Providence. Built in 1993, it was Rhode…read moreIsland's 875th bridge (in Rhode Island every bridge has its numbered identity, many of them very visible on them). It is one of the most iconic bridges since from either side of it you can take beautiful pictures of the downtown skyline. During Waterfire nights, this is the one bridge that many people stand on to watch the main basin and its circle of fire over water. Right by it you can dine by the river at River Social restaurant...a few steps away you will find the Capital Grille steakhouse and many other fun spots. This is a favorite place for brunch, weekday lunches by city workers and business people and many others.

Recently, I took part of the Providence Ghost Tour. It was great…read more Courtney, our tour guide and owner was full of information, stories and tidbits regarding the history of Providence and some of its famous ghosts who actively still make themselves visible in the area. The tour starts and ends at Prospect Terrace Park, right by the Roger Williams statue. It is about 90 minutes long and it does take you around several sites around College Hill where you will hear stories about lovers, soldiers, poets and many other who have died and have stayed behind as ghosts. Check it out next time you have a few free hours during the evening. Tours run daily.

Did the ghost tour from Prospect Park on Tuesday night with my newly graduated kid. Was a fabulous…read moreexperience and Courtney is so knowledgeable, funny, personable, organized and prepared! You can tell how much she cares about Providence and the world of life and death :) It was a terrific experience and I felt very important following my guide in her gorgeous period dress, too. Thank you!

Perhaps considered the most iconic mural in the current Downtown portfolio, Gaia's Still Here is a…read moreportrait of a contemporary Narragansett woman named Lynsea Montanari holding a portrait of her tribal elder, Wampanoag and Narangansett leader Princess Red Wing. The location of the 32 Custom House building (and the parking lot that was the former Daniels building) provides a sweeping view of the wall from the Weybosset bridge and river. According to the City Department of Art, Culture & Tourism, "Weybosset Street was a site where three important Indian trails met, one coming down from the north, the second up from the southeast Mount Hope region called the Wampanoag Trail, and the third up from Connecticut in the southwest called the Pequot Trail." Gaia's opening idea for the mural was to consider erasure, considering the landscape that existed before colonial settlement, asking the question of whose history gets recorded and whose doesn't. As he captures in his artist interview (viewable above), through partnership and permission seeking with the Tomaquag Museum, the work evolved into a narrative that captures a living person holding legacy and tradition, advocating for human rights and environmental justice, a people still here across time that continues today. As I volunteer at the Visitor Center, this is one of the public art pieces that most people ask about and it's part of the self guided public arts tour established by the Avenue Concept group.

Visiting Providence and stumbled upon this Italian gem. I understood that Federal Hill is known for…read moreits Italian restaurants and we searched for a place that had a good crowd. Massimo's has street parking or valet. They also take reservations. We came on a Monday and chose to order from their prix fixe menu. They also have a great à la carte menu. Our dinner came with focaccia and olives, a glass of house wine, an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $38/pp. Portions were smaller than the à la carte dishes but enough for us. Between my husband and I, we ordered the caprese salad and meatballs appetizers, sliced strip steak with mashed potatoes and mushrooms, a fettuccine with asparagus and prosciutto with cream sauce, and dessert was the pannecotta and cannoli. Pasta was freshly made and al dente, steak was tender and flavorful. We loved everything. My only complaint that for a large restaurant, bathroom was small. Only one unit per gender.

massimo is a pretty good italian spot. i would recommend making a reservation beforehand. i went on…read morea weekend for dinner. it was delicious. i had a really good time. there aren't a lot of vegetarian options. keep that in mind if you have any dietary restrictions. i enjoyed my meal. it definitely met my expectations. it's a little on the pricier side/ it's reasonable for the area and worth checking out. parking was a little difficult. i had to park a few streets away, i'd recommend planning a little extra time for that beforehand.

Food was super delicious and fresh! Service was pretty good and our waitress obliged to separate…read morebills for work trip so that was helpful! Ambiance was loud and lively but also pretty nice. I was impressed they took the time to find and email my receipt as I needed it for work. 10/10 would recommend!

Pros: The bread they bring you with the garlic dip…read more10/10-if you love garlic. Caprese- good appetizer with added prosciutto Service- impeccable. Always there when we needed someone. Cons: Entrees were disappointing. Clam's Linguini- needed some more flavor added to it Gnocchi Alla Vodka- sauce tasted like it came from Chef Boyardee. Not trying to be mean, it's literally all I could think about when eating. Noisy- we couldn't even hear ourselves think -sensory overload. We were seated in the last table in the back. Between the loud table next to us, the espresso machine and all the traffic in and out of the bathrooms we were excited to leave. Restaurant feels cramped like there is one or two too many tables.