Dear readers,

I thought the long weekend, with its deliciously free Monday and Tuesday, would be the perfect chance to scratch a few things off my Providence checklist. A running to-do list of restaurants to try, coffee shops to visit—it’s something I’ve kept since my freshman year. Every time I cross something off though, my radius seems to expand—new cafes and restaurants suddenly feel within reach thanks to the MBTA’s $10 weekend pass or a friend’s car. Since entering my senior year though, it’s felt more like a bucket list than a to-do list—the last winter to try Ceremony’s seasonal specials, sneaking in a last few trips to Champa for steaming khao soi takeout. This weekend, admittedly, I did make it to Oberlin, trying their brunch for the first time, which has been on my list for ages. At the same time, I didn’t seem to make it to Big Feeling, Providence’s newest local ice cream store, despite having all the time in the world. Next time, I promise myself.

Our writers this week are running around all over the place as well. In Feature, Alissa searches for meaning here in Providence, flicking through the Pembroke Center Archives. In A&C, Lynn traipses through the northeast by train, while Ana shows her best friend from high school around Providence. Johan takes loyal A&C readers into the world of neoperreo, a new subgenre of reguetón, and Indigo takes us even deeper into cyberspace, exploring how edits help us escape fascism. In Lifestyle, Elsa makes a pit stop in Detroit on a circuitous journey to LA, while Daphne looks for joy closer to home all over campus. We end our tour in Europe, with a delightful themed crossword by Lily!

Though I didn’t quite make it to Big Feeling this weekend, I know I’ll just save the trip for a rainy day: maybe as a treat for turning in a thesis chapter, or to celebrate one of the first, ever-so-elusive, warm and sunny days. As a second-semester senior, it’s nice to know there are things left to do in Providence, things to look forward to. It’s even nicer to know there is still a little time left to do them.

Planning my next outing,
Klara Davidson-Schmich
Feature Managing Ed