Foodie and Cultural Gem: Providence RI with Pat Paolino Cruz

It is one of the great food towns that most people don’t know about.
We’re going to entice you with Providence Rhode Island.
Check out Pat Cruz's site: www.patcruzevents.com
And this site for all events in Providence: https://www.goprovidence.com
Here is the Providence Performing Arts Center: https://www.ppacri.org
And Trinity Rep: https://www.trinityrep.com/
I was fortunate to graduate from Providence College in Providence Rhode Island. I also was a reporter and anchor at WPRI in Providence.
So over the years I have spent a lot of time there. It has a salty reputation from back in the 70s as a home for The New England mafia. In fact, I was there as the feds were cracking down on the Patriarca crime family.
Providence also had its political characters like former mayor, and convicted felon, the late Buddy Cianci. In fact, there is a play coming up – on buddy’s life -- at Trinity Rep – one of the great playhouses in the US – you should take in if you visit the Ocean State.
Providence has its own New England accent. Unless you lived in New England you would have a difficult time differentiating it from a Boston or a New York accent.
Providence also has its own language. A milkshake there is called a cabinet.
In Rhode Island and in Providence, it’s a quahog – not a clam.
And while driving, a rotary is known as a round-about.
Providence is also a rebuilt city that is a joy to visit with a great waterfront on Narragansett Bay. It’s food culture comes from the mix of Italian and Portuguese immigrants who make up a lot of providence and Rhode Island throughout the 20th century.
To help us explore the culinary experience in Providence, let me bring in an expert.
Pat Paolino Cruz is a Rhode Island resident. She runs Pat Cruz events. She puts on a number of events like the taste of Rhode Island.
She has a long list of great things to try. Listen in.