Quintessential Rhode Island Summer

Stuffies and Dell's Lemonade - can't get more RI than that!

Quahogs...do you know what they are? As a Midwesterner, I didn't until I moved to Rhode Island. Quahogs are a shellfish much like clams and oysters. It isn't a town as depicted on the Family Guy. Quahogs are used in chowders, soups and the infamous "stuffie" (stuffed quahogs).

Yesterday, after dropping off M for guitar lessons, I had an hour to kill and decided to walk through the 24th Annual Quahog Festival in Warren, RI. I live in the adjoining town and have seen and heard about this festival for years, but have never gone. What a lovely surprise. I called the rest of the family to join me. Since C was on chief call [see "personal note" in previous post here] and couldn't stray too far from home, this was the perfect solution for family fun.

The festival featured seafood, and lots of it! Lobster, clam cakes, stuffies, shrimp, oysters, etc. There was great music in the band shell, plastic tables in the tents, arts & crafts vendors, and even pony rides. Set along the Narragansett Bay, this little festival was a picturesque RI event.








I love shellfish although I have had a love/hate relationship with lobsters.
Years ago, I watched a lobster go into a pot and became a vegetarian for quite some time after that. But, there is no denying that lobster and shellfish are ubiquitous on the East Coast.












Another local favorite - clam cakes. Yum! E thought that if he touched each morsel, he could stake claim to the whole batch. We are on to him, and his sticky little fingers bother us no more (although he has been known to lick his finger first which grosses us out).

I met local artist, Ed Randeau, a metal sculptor. He brings new life to found scraps of steel. He introduced me to The Steel Yard, in Providence, where he creates his wonderful art and co-mingles with other artists and students with similar artistic interest. The Steel Yard has various classes and events as well as artist studios. I can't wait to check it out.

This earring display by Jorge de Freitas, caught my eye. He took a metal trash can and placed it on top of a lamp base. It is a perfect solution for this type of display. It spins around and is quite funky in its 'lamp' like shape.


Our perfect day didn't end here. Later in the afternoon, we grabbed out folding chairs and hiked to our local beach. We sat and listened to the sounds of waves crashing while the kids swam. We took a long walk and simply enjoyed the beauty of the Narragansett Bay and our time together as a family. It is a shame that we live so close (less than a mile) and are often too busy to take an hour or two to appreciate this beautiful gift.

I would love to hear what you did this weekend. Hopefully, you were able to do something fun and relaxing!