Ordinary Bill Locale Profile: The White Horse Tavern | Opened and Closed PROFILE LOCALE The White Horse Tavern, located at 26 Marlborough St in Newport, is without exaggeration, as far away from being a “new restaurant” as it gets. Founded in 1673, Newport’s White Horse is the oldest bar in America. It was briefly owned and operated by a pirate,served a stint as a town inn where a man died in his sleep in 1720, and quartered British troops around the time of the Battle of Quaker Hill. So obviously it’s rumored to be haunted. Like any reputable upscale eatery, The White Horse tries to keep their haunts on the hush-hush. There’s no “Dead Man’s Stew,” or “Ghost Tar-tar,” on the menu. You will find, however, classics that reflect the establishment’s early-American history with a local, modern twist like a Cornish Hen served with a freshly-picked vegetable ratatouille; a Block Island Fluke; and a New England cheese sampler served with Aquidneck Island honeycomb. But alas, there have been (a lot of) reports of ghosts. An elderly man dressed in colonial attire is regularly reported to have been seen in the main dining room, tapping and pestering patrons and servers, along with a spirit that seemingly monitors the staff, causing disturbances when things go wrong. Ghost sightings or not, the White Horse draws visitors in with its colonial-era ambiance. Seating is intimate and limited – there’s no table or booth option here (though there is the option of terrace dining with the addition of garden seating). Like any pre-Edison era structure, the restaurant is lit with rows of windows, small lanterns and tall candlesticks on each table. So yes, it gets fairly dark in the evening, but in a diner’s quest for historic eats, this encompassing, ambient effect is a small price to pay. OPEN & CLOSED Fuel up after a long afternoon of Taylor Swift stalking (or beach-going) at 10 Sandwiches’ new location in Watch Hill. Ten unique sandwiches are made with fresh, local ingredients– go for something bold like cocoa sauce made with Dave’s Coffee Syrup. Another Westerly spot talked up as a “destination for foodies” has opened under the name Corner Thai Cafe, serving up traditional soups, rice, curry, noodles and salads. If you get your beach kicks farther up the coastline, Naragansett’s Amalfi is under new management and now Oceanside at the Pier, featuring an outdoor bar with plenty of deck seating and an ocean view. For more low-key eats in Narragansett, Casa Pizza is now open on Point Judith Rd. The NY style pizza serves up options for carnivores and weight-watchers alike (“bikini pie”). City Girl Cupcake now has a new location on Federal Hill, bringing some confectionery competition to the block. Find out what special flavors they’re baking up daily on their Facebook Page. With a heavy heart RI says goodbye to Sprout: The Vegetarian Food Truck. It powered down for the last time on July 27th, leaving Providence without mobile quinoa tacos and breaded cauliflower with caramelized onion dip. The Roots Report: Beat the Heat with Cool Shows Okee dokee folks … It’s summer. I would be remiss if I didn’t reiterate my feelings about it. I hate summer. I am sorry. I know many of you folks like summer. I am not a fan of the heat and humidity. Fortunately, we are more than halfway through. Music makes the summer easier to deal with – for me anyway. There are still a lot of summer shows to catch while the weather is warm, though sometimes “warm” can be a bit of an understatement. Onward. The Downtown Sundown Series The Downtown Sundown Series has been steadily gaining a solid audience, mostly by word of mouth. Every show brings more folks who are amazed by the talent of the performers and the beauty of Roger Williams National Memorial. Now in its third year, this music series brings free music into downtown Providence two Saturdays per month. Already this season, performers such as WS Monroe, Billy Mitchell, Malyssa Bellarosa, Kala Farnham, Mark Cutler, Heather Rose, Tracie Potochnik, Bob Kendall, Jesse Liam and Jack Gauthier, and others have graced the park stage with their wonderful music. The middle lawn at the Memorial is the perfect spot for a sundown show. The music starts at 7 pm and continues until 9:30 pm, and four performers are featured at each show. The audience members sit back in lawn chairs, lie on blankets or directly on the grass and enjoy some of the best singer- songwriters from the area. Picnickers are welcomed and encouraged. It could be a great start to a night out in Providence or as a complete evening activity. It’s a friendly and safe environment where children and well-behaved dogs can join in. This season’s last two shows are August 10 and 17, both Saturday nights. Emma Joy Galvin, Steve Allain, Aoife Clancy, Ed McGuirl, WS Monroe, Dylan Sevey, Mary Ann Rossoni and the Rank Strangers are scheduled. For more about the series, twilight to hearinrhodeisland.com Three Dog Night Back when I was in fifth or sixth grade, I had a French teacher who taught us how to sing “Joy to the World” in French for a school assembly. No, it wasn’t the Christmas song. It was the song by Three Dog Night. At the time this song was a pretty big hit. Yup, do the math, it was quite a while ago. I heard their songs on AM radio and loved their sound. I also loved the band name. It was taken from an Australian expression that basically means that a “three dog night” is a really cold night. The colder the night, the more dogs the bushmen would sleep with. Being a dog person all of my life, I actually have had three dog nights! It hasn’t been cold here in months, but it’s the perfect time for a Three Dog Night. The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (The Z) in New Bedford will present the legendary Three Dog Night on Friday, August 9. Three Dog Night songs have become part of pop culture with hits including “Joy to the World,” “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” “Black and White” and many more. Since forming in 1968, they’ve charted 21 Top 40 hits, seven of which went gold. Their well-loved songs, delivered in their unmistakable style, are still performed for audiences spanning generations by founding members Cory Wells and Danny Hutton on lead vocals, original keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon and guitarist Michael Allsup, Paul Kingery on bass and vocals, and drummer Pat Bautz. Tickets for the Three Dog Night show are $35 to $59 and are available by phone, online or in person at the Z box office. For more information, howl over to zeiterion.org. Cherish the Ladies The Blackstone River Theatre will present a rare summer concert featuring Cherish the Ladies on Saturday, August 3. The “Ladies” have grown from a one-time concert concept to an Irish traditional music sensation, literally the most successful and sought-after Irish-American group in Celtic music. Organized by folklorist/musician Mick Moloney and sponsored by the Ethnic Folk Arts Center and the National Endowment for the Arts, Cherish the Ladies began as a concert series featuring the brightest lights in Irish traditional music. Taking their name from the name of a traditional Irish jig, the group initially won recognition as the first and only all-women traditional Irish band. In a relatively short time, they soon established themselves as musicians and performers without peer and have won many thousands of listeners and fans of their music. With their spectacular blend of virtuosic instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing, this powerhouse group combines all the facets of Irish traditional culture and puts it forth in an immensely humorous and entertaining package. For more, jiggle over to riverfolk.org. The Small Axe Cafe Nestled past the Fantastic Umbrella Factory gardens, attached to the Small Axe shop, is the one of the best-kept secrets around, The Small Axe Café. Every Sunday from 2 to 4 pm you can hear live acoustic music by local performers out on the patio (weather permitting). The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is just off Route 1 in Charlestown, a little past Ninigret Park. Head down and grab a bite to eat before or after shopping or beach-going and take a stroll through the garden near the Small Axe. Don’t forget to say hello to the animals, especially the emus! The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is located at 4820 Old Post Road in Charlestown. For more about this series; chop, chop, chop over to facebook.com/smallaxeproductions. ConserFest If you are into a bit of a bop across the bay, then you should get on board one of the Block Island ferries and get to New Shoreham for August 3 and 4. This is when ConserFest will take place on “The Block.” You can hear local and regional performers at Poor Peoples Pub, Club Soda, Captain Nick’s, The Fred Benson Town Beach Pavilion and Yellow Kittens Tavern. Scheduled for the fest are Brandon Morris, Homeslice featuring Travis Greenlee, The Max Balmforth Band, Bonfire Bandit, Kristin Plater, The Shades, Viennagram, Alex Brady, Mr. Kowalsky, Christina Holmes, Phil and David Turano, Frank Viele, The Johnny Lingo Trio, Cooper Rivers, Cheers Elephant, The Booze Beggars, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and more. ConserFest’s mission is to raise consciousness for environmental conservation on Block Island through the celebration of music and art.