Kick Off Summer in the City by the Sea

June 23, 2011

Filed under: Newport
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Bill

At least in our opinion, there is nothing like summer in Rhode Island. There are beautiful seaside attractions throughout the state, but for centuries, Newport has been the place to be in the summertime. And in line with this reputation, which has been carefully cultivated since the rich and famous used the island as their favorite summer colony, the town is kicking off the first official days of summer with a bang. This weekend, Newport will be the host to several exciting events geared towards a variety of “summertime interests” such as sailing, comedy, and gardening.

Sailors and lovers of the nautical lifestyle will be pleased to learn that it’s currently Bacardi Sailing Week. This is the first time the event has been held in Newport, and each day until the 26th, visitors can flock to Fort Adams State Park to watch sailors from across the world compete in exciting races. The park is beautiful as well, so even just going to see the scenery would be worthwhile.

If you’re going to be in the area but aren’t that into sailing, you may enjoy going to see the Newport Summer Comedy Series at the Newport Yachting Center. The featured performer will be Aziz Ansari, from the hit comedy Parks and Recreation on NBC. His show will start at 7:30 on Friday, the 24th and looks like a good opportunity to start the summer off with a laugh.

Gardeners and lovers of beautiful homes will love America’s premier summer flower show, The Newport Flower Show, which will be open Friday-Sunday. This beloved Newport staple for the past sixteen years will be held in the beautiful gardens of Rosecliff mansion on Bellevue Ave. Even more, proceeds from the event are going to support a good cause, the Newport Preservation Society, the organization that makes mansion tours possible for thousand of Rhode Islanders each year.

Perhaps the most attractive characteristic of Newport is its ability to appeal to a variety of lifestyles and interests, and we can see this in the variety of events that will be there this weekend. So if you have the opportunity to get on the island, check out some of the above opportunities.

Dad’s Favorite Spots

June 18, 2011

Filed under: Providence,northern ri
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Bill

With the United States celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday, and recent events for Boston’s professional teams, like the Bruins’ Stanley Cup win on Wednesday, or the current Red Sox’ streak of wins, is there ever a better time to feature prime spaces to kick back and watch the game? That’s right, we’ve scoured our current inventory of homes to find fantastic media/recreation rooms. (I’ll stay politically correct and not use the colloquial term.) Some of these have made our property videos, and here are some favorites.

The luxurious and classic is the Billiard Room.  We found one in Cumberland and the current owners have furnished this room with a pool table (thus the label “Billiard Room”).  However, the space has wooden detailing with exquisite built-ins, perfectly sized for a big screen TV and the space could have many uses.

A similar atmosphere can be found in Smithfield. Here, a finished basement offers a spacious Great Room and Home Theater. The Great Room has an elegantly crafted built-in wet bar, which is why the current owners chose to mount plasma TVs in the room and furnish it with a poker table. In the theater section, a movie screen drops from the ceiling with the press of a button which highlights some some great gadgetry.

And over on the East Side of Providence, we found a recreational sanctuary in a basement in the form of an enormous Club Room and Media Room/Home Theater. The Club Room has beautiful wooden detailing and moldings as well as a wet bar. Of course, there is the ubiquitous plasma TV over the exquisite fireplace – an excellent idea. The theater has as large a screen as possible for the room, and the electronics are neatly stored in built-in cabinetry. The dimmer controlled lighting over movie posters is a great touch.

These are well done spaces, but wherever your favorite spot is, let’s hope you have a great weekend.

Real Estate Insight Discusses the Wedding Cake House

June 13, 2011

Filed under: EastSide
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Sally

Last week on my radio show, Rich, Steve and I were in the studio with the latest market update. We were joined by John Marion, Executive Director of Common Cause RI who talked about his concerns regarding the formation of a commission to oversee the land reclaimed from 195 relocation. Peter Killmartin, the state attorney general, objected to the fact that the bill grants absolute power to the commission, without any oversight by the State Properties Committee. Common Cause is sponsoring a community forum about the land legislation this evening at The Spot Underground on 15 Elbow Street in Providence. We will also hear from Nelson Taylor, an agent in our Providence Office, who will be showcasing a delightful property in Providence.

189 Hope Street, a property known by many for its wedding cake resemblance, has a certain creative flair that is unusual to Second Empire houses in Providence. The architectural detailing is exquisite, with ornate molding throughout that reminds one of frosted elegance. Built in 1877 for Horatio N Campbell, this 8000 sq ft home in the heart of Brown combines the intricate design of our forefathers with the convenience of today. For more information on the home, contact the Taylor Group.

The Taylor Group is Nelson Taylor, Chris Wall and Bethany Calitri who collectively offer more than 15 years of local experience. A dynamic team of residential and commercial real estate agents, The Taylor Group values their ability to collaborate as a diverse team, offering their clients a wide range of experience, a broad base of knowledge and the keenest negotiating skills possible.

30th Anniversary Celebration

June 10, 2011

Filed under: Blog Topics
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Tom

Residential Properties Ltd. continued its 30th anniversary celebration in style at the Chace Center Gallery of the RISD Museum of Art on the East Side of Providence. This most recent event, held on June 7, 2011, featured a private viewing of the current exhibit, “Cocktail Culture”, and a performance by Los Angeles based comedian Beth Lapides of her show “100% Happy 88% of the Time.”  Beth is a cousin of our owner, Sally Lapides.

In 1981, Sally and her friend, Liz Chace, had an idea to develop a real estate company that would re-define how business was conducted in Rhode Island. Over the past 30 years, Residential Properties’ commitment to building a top-notch, service oriented business has grown because of our real estate professionals, a full-time relocation department and continual investment in technology.

During the evening, we also premiered the following short video which tells our story – We hope you enjoy it!

A Refuge from the Summertime Heat

June 7, 2011

Filed under: EastBay,EastSide,SouthCounty,WestBay,northern ri
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Bill

During the hustle and bustle of the school year, it can be easy to forget the pleasures of reading. But as your days become less hectic over Summer Break, it’s important to remember the many organizations that help make reading more enjoyable—the public libraries. Libraries across the state feature Book Clubs, Lectures, Movie Nights and Events, and we thought it might be nice to highlight the unique, creative opportunities for community involvement.

For those living in the West Bay, the North Kingstown Free Library will hold their June Breakfast with Books on Friday June 17th, which looks like a great event for both book and food lovers. The East Greenwich Free Library will hold the kid-friendly Lego Day on Saturday, June 18th.

For those living in the East Bay, the Barrington Public Library will feature Literary Speed Networking events for adults as well as Classic Films on the Big Screen, while the George Hail Free Library in Warren will feature a Teen Film Series.

Northern Rhode Island’s Libraries also offer some interesting opportunities, such as Thursday Afternoon Chess and the MOMS Club of Cumberland at the Cumberland Public Library. The Lincoln Public Library features a multitude of Computer Classes and will be holding a Childrens Summer Luau on June 22nd.

In South County, workshops on topics like Easy Lawn Care at the Kingston Free Library are popular with locals. The Westerly Public Library holds frequent Children’s Concerts by the Westerly Town Band, but will be having a Victorian Garden Party on June 25th, which seems like the perfect event to kick-off the summer .

The Providence Public Library, located downtown, has 9 additional Community Libraries scattered throughout the city, and thus holds a multitude of events that are geared towards the communities served. From Parent Workshops to Offbeat Movie Musicals, there is always something going on at one of the branches.

Whether you join a book club, take out a book, or are just looking for a quiet place to read, Rhode Island public libraries can provide a refuge from the summertime heat. These organizations foster an educational tradition in our communities, and help make Rhode Island a great place to live.