Katie Kelly, Owner of Anchor Toffee

Nothing says “I love you” quite like a tasty treat – and a box of gem-like confections from Mariela’s Sweets is as pretty as a bouquet of flowers, too. “I have been fascinated with macarons since I tried them for the first time during a trip to Paris in 2013,” shares Jessica Schumann, the owner and baker behind the boutique brand. She launched Mariela’s Sweets – named after her five-year-old daughter – out of Hope & Main in Warren in 2021 to hone the art of hand-crafting dainty and beautiful desserts.

Rhode Island was once the jewelry capital of the world, so when sisters Missy Pagios and Kristen Thurber purchased JoJo Loves You, the bling-tastic jewelry design studio, they knew they were going to move it from its Boston base to their home state. Founded in 2003 by Josie Hewitt with a solitary stud earring, the ultra-feminine jewelry.

One of Providence’s oldest neighborhoods welcomed something new last year. Co-op bookstore Heartleaf Books on Federal Hill is the brainchild of sisters Caroline and Mads Vericker, both librarians. It’s the first of its kind on Atwells Avenue, as far as anyone can remember. “We’ve asked around quite a bit,” says Mads, “and no one remembers a bookstore being in this part of town. It’s very exciting.”

“I love the vibe. Providence has that mix that keeps life and good design engaging and interesting,” says Cortizo, who cites NAVA and Simple Pleasures as favorite shops. One of Cortizo’s decor go-tos for herself and her clients is Loominous. Located at 126 North Main Street, the gallery displays custom-made rugs from places like Egypt, India, Nepal, and Turkey.

A space made available to Providence’s neighborhood associations free of charge. The in-person return of a beloved Fox Point coffee shop. Fox Point residents have returned in droves to the Wickenden Street coffee shop that, for many, offers more than freshly brewed coffee in the form of a community that feels like family. The Coffee Exchange, which operated from a simple to-go window following the first COVID lockdown in Spring 2020, re-opened to in-person visits in a renovated space this past November.

After 94 years, the Wayland Bakery has passed away. Their last day, at the end of December, was somewhere between a wake and a shiva except people were leaving with food instead of bringing it…and there was no alcohol. A line of customers stretched out the door for most of the day with a loyal following buying everything in sight and sharing stories and a lifetime of memories.

The annual Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading returns to Providence on February 5, kicking off Black History Month in Rhode Island. The reading is a celebration of poems from Hughes, the leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance and an international icon with local ties. A diverse group from the community will read and perform selected poems from Hughes’ extensive collection. They will be accompanied by saxophonist Mike Rollins.

Calling all soon-to-be brides: if you haven’t already spotted the white flowers decorating Eddy Street’s newest storefront, you’re in for a treat! That’s right – downtown Providence now has its very own bridal shop, and it doesn’t get better than saying “yes” to the dress in the Creative Capital.