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In terms of cities, Providence is 44% Latino and has a huge Lusophone and Italian culture. New Haven conversely is plurality Black, with 2x the Black population share. They have very different vibes.
I think Providence is a more unique city with the Rhode Island State Capitol, Federal Hill, Superman Building, RISD Museum, etc.
That said, New Haven is prettier and I think the Beinecke Rare Book Library is probably the top place I'd want to see between them.
In terms of logistics, New Haven would be more of a half-way stop if you're looking to split the ride to NYC. Providence is very close to Boston. After you leave Providence you'll still have over a few hours to go by train. Another factor to consider is that Providence is connected to Boston by commuter rail while New Haven is connected by the same to NYC. It means you have more travel times to choose from and don't have to reserve Amtrak tickets, if you want to keep things more open ended. This would be useful if you attempt to see both cities since you don't have to reserve a train out of New Haven. Just take whatever Metro North train leaves at the time you're ready. They go all night.
Honestly, I think you'd like either city. The sights you'd see in New Haven are more related to Yale (basically, you'll be visiting Yale just as much as you're visiting New Haven. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though). Providence, on the other hand, has more urban areas to explore that aren't connected to the universities. However, and I'm sure people here will disagree, I think New Haven is more unique. The architecture and general feel of Providence is similar to Boston. If you're trying to see and experience the Northeast, then I'd say see Boston and skip Providence. See New Haven.
The latter is absolutely true. The core area of New Haven is dominated by Yale. IIRC Yale's historic Old College fronts on the main NH Green in the center of town. And from an architectural standpoint, Yale may be the most physically dominating, physically beautiful of any American college. Obviously, it's an Oxbridge American knockoff, and others have attempted this, but Yale does it like no other -- you are suddenly encapsulated in an ancient Gothic educational city.
Brown's campus is nice, old and historic, too, but it seems smaller than Yale and, as you note, College Hill is more off to the side in its own, quaint neighborhood. In Providence, you have to find Brown whereas, in NH, Yale finds you.
Providence actually has a nice, lively old downtown -- we called it Boston, Junior because it feels a lot like a smaller version of Beantown up the road. Both Prov and NH are blessed to be on America's best (and, sadly, one of the few) true busy, high-speed rail lines -- the Northeast Corridor, in which 6 of the 8 Ivies are immediately accessible. Cornell and Dartmouth, being the 2 exceptions.
I'd second (or third, or fourth) the recommendation that you work in both cities if you can at all. New Haven is one of those early cities built on the grid (its grid IIRC dates to just a few years after Philadelphia's), and said grid gives New Haven Green a certain formality most New England town commons (which are historically either triangular or five-sided) lack.
I'm surprised, however, that in the discussion of food to this point, no one has mentioned Providence's Olneyville New York System hot dog. This creation is probably the Chicago hot dog's only rival for uniqueness among American wieners.
I'm surprised, however, that in the discussion of food to this point, no one has mentioned Providence's Olneyville New York System hot dog. This creation is probably the Chicago hot dog's only rival for uniqueness among American wieners.
It’s still just an over-hyped hot dog. You could equally hype Del’s lemonade and Narragansett beer, neither which is particularly remarkable. Personally, my signature Rhode Island foods are clear broth quahog chowder, clam cakes, and Autocrat coffee syrup. The clam cakes being a guilty pleasure since they’re fried balls of cardiac arrest.
It’s not going to help a pedestrian but the food trucks off I-95 in New Haven Long Wharf Park are really good. I prefer the Mexican there to the signature coal oven pizza places. I make a point of stopping there if I’m even remotely interested in road food.
I'd second (or third, or fourth) the recommendation that you work in both cities if you can at all. New Haven is one of those early cities built on the grid (its grid IIRC dates to just a few years after Philadelphia's), and said grid gives New Haven Green a certain formality most New England town commons (which are historically either triangular or five-sided) lack.
I'm surprised, however, that in the discussion of food to this point, no one has mentioned Providence's Olneyville New York System hot dog. This creation is probably the Chicago hot dog's only rival for uniqueness among American wieners.
It’s still just an over-hyped hot dog. You could equally hype Del’s lemonade and Narragansett beer, neither which is particularly remarkable. Personally, my signature Rhode Island foods are clear broth quahog chowder, clam cakes, and Autocrat coffee syrup. The clam cakes being a guilty pleasure since they’re fried balls of cardiac arrest.
It’s not going to help a pedestrian but the food trucks off I-95 in New Haven Long Wharf Park are really good. I prefer the Mexican there to the signature coal oven pizza places. I make a point of stopping there if I’m even remotely interested in road food.
That Rhode Island brand — on par with Pabst Blue Ribbon — was revived in the early 2000s by a Philadelphia-based marketing firm-turned-distiller/marketing firm. At least the firm, then known as Gyro Worldwide and now called Quaker City Mercantile, did find a brewery in Rhode Island to produce it:
That Rhode Island brand — on par with Pabst Blue Ribbon — was revived in the early 2000s by a Philadelphia-based marketing firm-turned-distiller/marketing firm. At least the firm, then known as Gyro Worldwide and now called Quaker City Mercantile, did find a brewery in Rhode Island to produce it:
Now you’ve gone and insulted Pabst Blue Ribbon. LOL
I see Narragansett at brew fests somehow marketed as a microbrewer. Even worse, they mix it with Del’s lemonade.
You can brew good beer anywhere if you use the right ingredients and process. Nothing wrong with upper NY State beer at the Genesee plant in Rochester but Narragansett is swill.
I grew up with Curt Gowdy doing “Have a ‘Gansett” promos on Red Sox games. It was the cheapest of cheap local beers.
My paternal grandfather was chief engineer at the Dawson Brewery in New Bedford from the end of prohibition through the 1950s.
I'd second (or third, or fourth) the recommendation that you work in both cities if you can at all. New Haven is one of those early cities built on the grid (its grid IIRC dates to just a few years after Philadelphia's), and said grid gives New Haven Green a certain formality most New England town commons (which are historically either triangular or five-sided) lack.
Actually, New Haven's grid is two generations older than Philadelphia's. Dates to the 1630s vs 1680s.
Now you’ve gone and insulted Pabst Blue Ribbon. LOL
I see Narragansett at brew fests somehow marketed as a microbrewer. Even worse, they mix it with Del’s lemonade.
You can brew good beer anywhere if you use the right ingredients and process. Nothing wrong with upper NY State beer at the Genesee plant in Rochester but Narragansett is swill.
I grew up with Curt Gowdy doing “Have a ‘Gansett” promos on Red Sox games. It was the cheapest of cheap local beers.
My paternal grandfather was chief engineer at the Dawson Brewery in New Bedford from the end of prohibition through the 1950s.
Absolutely! And Genny Cream Ale wasn't half bad. And thanks for the history lesson.
BTW and FWIW, the best office Christmas party I ever attended was the one Red Tettemer Advertising* threw while I was temping there. They had it at Bob and Barbara's Lounge on South Street, birthplace of the Citywide Special — which in its original form consists of a 12- (or if you're a masochist, 16-)ounce can of PBR and a shot of Jim Beam bourbon. Bob and Barbara's is a shrine to PBR — it's decorated with Pabst ads from across several decades. Even the T-shirts the place sells has the name of the bar in a PBR logo.
I tell people that one of the joys of living in Eastern Pennsylvania is that the cheap beer everyone drinks tastes like beer. That brewery had a very cute advertising slogan a few years ago: "It took 180 years for us to become an overnight sensation." Apparently, it even counts as a craft brewery.
*The agency has toned down since Ed Tettemer retired and his partner Steve Red joined forces with O'Connell and Partners, but it's still a pretty creative shop. Back when I worked there, the "portfolio" section of the agency website had on its landing page, in big bold capital letters:
"My God, what have I done?"
BTW, the firm's offices are on the top two floors of One South Broad, including the floor that was the apartment Rodman Wanamaker built for himself when he built the building in the late 1920s. Wanamakers' men's store was located on the two bottom floors originally.
Last edited by MarketStEl; 04-24-2022 at 04:18 PM..
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