RI Restaurant Stories: Donut Days
Last time I checked, temps during the day this week have been in the 80's. So, it's definitely still t-shirt and sandals weather. In other words, leave your wools and ankle booties in the back of the closet for a few more weeks (fingers crossed) and let's talk about where to go eat on your next September Skip (Work) Day. Or standard day off. And I'm betting dollars to donuts - more about those in a sec - you've probably never heard of today's spot, but once you go, you'll become a diehard (fan).
Speaking of those 80 degree temps and this sunny weather, I had coffee yesterday with a clever friend who explained to me how September really is one of the best months to be in RI. (He's not wrong!) At The Cafe at Easy Entertaining. Tucked away in the Rising Sun Mills, over on Valley Street, you've probably driven past a bunch of times, without even realizing it's there. Time to put a stop to that, put the brakes on, and heading over for breakfast, coffee, lunch (They're open to the public from 8am to 2pm. Otherwise, they're busy working on catering private events.) or donuts. Yup. Get there tomorrow for their famous Donut Fridays. Homemade donuts in limited quantities that people gush over, the same way teenyboppers these days do over things like One Direction or a new clothes from Free People. Arrive early to get yours or risk missing out. #SadFace
The Interior: Think the very best of Pinterest meets the world of Martha or Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop...Lots of light and a clean, retro modern aesthetic. Yes, there are mason jars. (See the photo above.)
Vibe: Friendly and not at all standoff-ish. In other words, you will feel welcome, even if you don't have any tats (I have another friend who swears that NOT having any tats right now is actually pretty hip because just about everyone we know seems to have at least one. Sadly, she won't write a blog about it because she doesn't want to deal with potential backlash.), piercings or John Fluevog and Dr. Martens in your regular rotation anymore.
Parking: Huzzah, there is an adjacent lot! (Sorry/not sorry, but you can't use the 'there's no parking' excuse in this case.)
Also: If you want to work off that donut (or burger) from Easy Entertaining, your next stop is Boiler House Bikra Yoga, on the other side of the Mill. A fab way to increase flexibility and de-stress your entire bod and mind. It's not easy, but it is addictive: the way you feel after walking out of a the 105 degrees Fahrenheit class will have you going back for more. My tip? (I took Bikram classes there, sometimes as much 5-6 times a week, for more than a year.) Drink at least 16 - 24 ounces of water 2-3 hours beforehand to help feel more hydrated during the 90 minute class. (Of course, you'll also bring water with you to sip during.) An hour before is cutting it too close and will only have you wanting to run to the bathroom during class, something that's, in fact, frowned upon during all Bikram classes - the instructors highly recommend staying in the room for the entire class to help your body adjust to the extreme temps.
Ciao for Now,
Patty J
Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of PattyJDotCom Instagram, except for the interior shot of the Cafe at Easy Entertaining, which was found on their website.